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The flames flickered to and fro sending sparks towards my two outstretched hands. In the midst of a cold misty night, when the moon shone ominously and the dark blue sky laid still and where the rustle of trees harbored many things, things that could range from the winds gentle caress to a violent creature’s growl, I sat on my buttocks, the even ground providing a firm if not somewhat passable cushion for my weary body. Such is the life of a wanderer like me who took the hard route of going alone, traveling this world in which fantasy exists in all forms and where magic is real.
To be frank, I am not surprised that such possibilities exist since in the modern world magic is merely a skill of the hand, a time honored practice taking years to perfect and master, or the term they call ‘sleight-of-hand’. The other so-called ‘magic tricks’ are those that rely on illusions to deceive the audience and contraptions fitted with fail safes that ensure the unfortunate volunteers’ safety.
I shake my head, dismissing those thoughts swimming inside my head, focusing on the opaque darkness in front of me as if expecting a visitor. As if expecting for something to happen, anything to relieve my boredom.
Boredom. A friend that always comes without delay. A friend that’s eager to please. A friend that never asks for anything other than our spare time. A friend to sloth and an enemy to action.
A slight movement catches my attention, turning my eyes towards the left side of the area, a place with a thick swath of trees rumored to be the home of Arch Wolves, five meter creatures with spiky dark gray skin, sharp black eyes and a snout slightly longer than your average wolf. It was also faster able to keep up with a horse-assisted carriage going at full speed. Even sprinters can be outrun by these beasts and only speed-boosting magic can help you outrun them.
My heart rate soars and my pupil’s dilate, waking me up from my relaxed stance, adrenaline coursing throughout my body as it tenses, ready to react at a moment’s notice. I take the time to rise up from my sitting place while keeping my eyes on the unknown opponents coming towards me.
An angry growl, increasing in intensity and volume, is what greeted me as the shuffling trees revealed their hidden tenants, seven Arch Wolves out for blood, their noses sniffing for any signs of living things aside from my presence.
“Sweet mangoes! Just my luck.”
I summon my sword to my side, its long sharp blade glinting in the moonlight, gripping its handle as if my life depended on it. A firm grip to prevent it from slipping through my hands. A man’s weapon can be his only ally if he is in a life or death situation after all.
There’s also my clothing, studded leather armor covering my white undershirt underneath, heavy leather boots, steel tassets protecting my thighs, steel vambraces on my arms, leather pants, a brown leather cloak reaching down my ankles with its hood hanging on my back and leather gloves. A mishmash of leather and steel that provided unpredictable results in combat.
Steady breathing, absolute mental focus and the sword in my hands are the only tools I need to get out of this predicament. The fact that I’m alone makes those same tools valuable, like a miner’s pickaxe or a farmer’s hoe.
Seven gems were embedded on the blade’s fuller, spaced evenly that you could distinguish them from one another.
Each gem represented an ability or attribute that I could use to either boost my physical and combat ability or to assist me in actions impossible to execute without the use of magic nor an artifact and each was carved like a hexagon, emitting a faint light.
Starting from the hilt of the sword and moving towards the fuller’s end which occupied three-fourths of the blade were the following:
Ruby. A dark red gem used to access fire and physical offensive boosting abilities.
Sapphire. A dark blue gem used to access water and dexterity boosting abilities.
Emerald. A dark green gem used to access earth and physical defensive boosting abilities.
Topaz. A dark yellow gem used to access lighting and reaction speed boosting abilities.
Amethyst. A dark violet gem used to access abilities that heightened mental focus and granted prediction-based abilities. It also allows me access to wind and gravity spells.
Garnet. A dark orange gem used to access healing based abilities that could even restore lost limbs or arms without fail.
Diamond. A white opaque gem used to access abilities that counter and reflect attacks and magical spells against my opponents. It also grants me the ability to cure any poison.
A rectangular cross guard and smooth cylindrical grip with a spherical pommel rounded out the sword on my hand, all in dark grey that gave off the impression of an ordinary blade.
One of the sword’s special attributes was the fact that it can produce gems of perfect purity which is physically impossible but fetch prices in the hundreds of millions for even a small amount. I can only use its ability thrice a day though since I have yet to master its functions and I haven’t used it to earn money.
Also, each gem has a limit as to how many times I’m able to use said abilities, and the limit grows with time and practice.
Upon seeing my armed stance, the Arch Wolves growls turn into enraged snarls, their jaws snapping at me like piranha’s jaws eager to devour their trapped prey and bloodshot eyes concealing their bloodlust.
Before they made their move I struck first, sparks of lighting enveloping my body as I felt myself become lighter and faster.
My vision narrows due to my increase in speed, cutting down the wolf in the middle in order to disrupt their pack formation, its entire body disintegrating into silver particles of dust. I struck the three other wolves on my left, piercing through their fur like crossbow bolts punching through thick plate mail at close range.
The remaining three wolves made their move after, albeit a bit too late since I killed them from behind, not giving them enough time to attack.
Like the first wolf, they all disintegrated into silver particles, not leaving the remains of even a single corpse.
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Just as they appeared, the sparks surrounding me disappear, the topaz gem’s dark yellow color turning into a lighter shade of yellow denoting the cost of using an ability.
“So much for preserving its powers. I could’ve cut them down normally although somebody would eventually notice the unnatural state of their deaths if I went through with it.”
It didn’t take much effort on my part to fight against those wolves thanks to the gem’s ability but I decided to continue my journey, the moon still glowing in the dark.
I use my blade to put out the fire in my makeshift camping place, the flames disappearing in a flash of dark red light.
“I guess it’s time to go. The next town is only four kilometers away.”
***
The early morning light brought with it the chirping of birds as I traveled the weathered dirt road leading to the town of Astoria.
Said road was surrounded by sparse amounts of trees and a few gazing sheep located in a flat rolling grassland, and a wide river nearby providing a watering hole for animals.
Light blue clouds on the horizon gave me a sense of calm although I was on alert for any signs of opposition. You can never be too sure about your environment until you realize that you’re trapped with your back against the wall.
I didn’t encounter anybody else along the road save for the sight of a few grazing cows chewing their food in blissful ignorance.
It was only when I was a few hundred meters from the town then I saw two orcs clad in leather skirts, leather arm bands and leather greaves, fighting against a woman, their axes straining against her twin steel daggers.
By the looks of it, she was down on her knees, straining against the combined might of their physical power.
With their muscular builds and brute strength, it was no surprise that their axes would deal massive amounts of damage and exert great amounts of pressure to anybody foolish enough to parry their attacks like the woman was doing right now. She had a slender build and was dressed in a body fitting leather armor with straps located on the sides of her waist and on her shoulders, iron greaves on her arms, leather pads on her legs, white trousers, leather boots, and a light brown cloak that went down to her knees.
Her auburn hair was tied in a ponytail and had hazel eyes that reminded me of someone I knew from my childhood.
Based on her frame she was someone who trained for speed and agility, a bad match-up against an opponent with lots of physical power to spare.
I summoned my blade to my hand and, without hesitation dashed towards her direction, taking care to not use my gemstone abilities.
The orcs didn’t sense my appearance until I was in melee range and cut both of them down in a single downward slash, streaks of blue light flowing out of their eye sockets and mouth, their eyes now devoid of life.
Their corpses fall to the ground like a sack full of potatoes, their axes splitting the grass near them.
She, on the other hand, landed on her butt, my sudden assault also taking her by surprise. Her eyes widened in astonishment and fear as if she saw something impossible.
“W-what was that?”
“That was my sword.”
“B-but no sword could do what it did against the orcs!”
Indeed, if it was any other sword, then they would leave physical marks as a sign of damage.
However, my sword was different and is in a league of its own, possessing powers that are out of this world.
“Anyway, what matters is that you’re alive, right? That should be enough to ease your anxiety.”
Letting out a sigh of relief she pushes herself up and takes a look at me, scrutinizing for any sign of abnormalities.
“You’re not from around here, are you?”
I nod in response, dismissing the sword from my hand which disappears in particles of light.
She notices this action and opens her mouth to comment but decided against it.
“I’m traveling to the town of Astoria to look for employment.”
“Employment? Then you’re an adventurer then?”
“Pretty much, although I haven’t registered yet for any of the guilds.”
“Odd. You should be registered to a guild before you can take jobs.”
“That’s why I’m here for, yes?”
Shrugging, she conceals her daggers underneath her cloak. The only signs of damage she had was the slight tears on her leather armor and pads, and not much else.
It seems that she’s an experienced adventurer if she was able to make it this far.
“If you’re looking for employment then I’ll help you since you killed them for me.”
“Where you in a quest before I came?”
“Not really. I was just here for the experience.”
“Experience? Like improving your abilities and such?”
“Precisely! It seems that you know at least a little about adventuring. Aside from taking jobs we also increase our abilities by training, a win-win situation for us. Unlike those with professions, we are also free to decide when and where to travel without restrictions. It’s pretty cool when you think about it.”
Interesting. Looks like this place is similar to the RPG’s I’ve played back in my own world although there’s an element of realism added to it.
We spent the rest of the journey talking, ignoring the fact that she forgot to introduce herself to me. It didn’t bother me though since I wasn’t interested in having a companion fighting by my side.
Once we’re in sight of the entrance, I saw a group of adventurers walking out from the west side of the gate, a wooden bridge connecting the western side and the next field due to the river flowing underneath it. They were armed with swords, axes and bows, some dressed in leather armor while some wore chain mail. The town itself was surrounded by a wooden wall, with two fully armored guards standing in attention near the entrance.
She went to an abrupt stop, turned towards my direction and spread her arms towards the fortified town in front of me.
“Before I forget, my name’s Karen Pierce. Nice to meet you, and this is Astoria, my hometown.”
***