— Aster —

James prepared his stance, tossing me a wooden sword. "Are you ready?"

"Do we really need to do this?" I asked, holding my sword with one hand.

"Yes."

"Ok if that is what you want." I prepared myself to fight

The trainer from the inn agreed to referee for us. "Best of three. Only killing blows will count."

The trainer looked towards James, "Try not to kill him."

James just laughed.

"Hey what about me?" I asked indigently

"BEGIN!" the trainer yelled and James was off like a bullet. In less time than it took me to blink my sword was thrown out of my hand, and I felt his sword in my gut.

"Point for James!" called out the trainer

"That hurt." Holding my stomach

"You’re not very good with a sword are you?" James said looking at the weapon

"Not really," I said hesitantly

“Then why didn’t you use a weapon you’re good with? You wouldn’t have died." He yelled, glaring at me.

I was embarrassed, he was right I shouldn’t have used the sword, “Well, I did learn the sword, but” I tried to defend myself

Jame looked at me confused, “but?”

I tried to think of an excuse but found no good excuse, I let out a long sigh, “I’m just not very good with it.” I had been stuck at level seven for months now. Barely better than a beginner.

"What level is your swordsmanship?" James asked curiously.

"Seven," I said instinctively.

James looked at me and asked incredulously "That’s" James looked to be hunting for words. “You know what that's pretty bad.”

“Yeah.”

“What weapon do you use?”

“I prefer not to monster hunt, but I’m pretty good with a knife.”

“But monster hunts give the best experience. How are you at your level?”

I shrugged, "A lot of quests."

He looked at me incredulously "I guess but how could you get that high without the bonus from monsters?" he stopped and thought for a moment “I mean that would take...."

"3561"

He was dumbfounded "Seriously?"

"Seriously, although I did do a few monster exterminations those really weren’t for me," I said hesitantly

“You said you’re not bad with a knife?”

“Dagger’s specifically.”

James pointed toward the stack of practice weapons, "Show me."

I grabbed one of the smaller weapons about the size of a dagger.

The trainer saw me grab my weapon and said "I see you 2 lovebirds are finally ready to finish this. Prepare yourselves."

James and I took up our stances.

"Begin!"

This time the fight was over in an instance once again except with my knife at James throat "Point Aster."

"Damn," James said, staring at the knife.

"Told you." Smiling and a half looking away

"Well then let’s have a real fight for the tiebreaker."

This fight would be hard, now we both would no longer be caught off guard by the other.

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"Ready?" the trainer asked

We both nodded.

"Begin!"

We rushed at each other and the fight began.

Duels were always strange to me. In movies and books, they always seemed to last minutes, not seconds. I found they usually only last a few seconds, maybe a minute at most. They are quick, fast, and dirty, but in just a few seconds so much can happen.

James moved and swung toward my head.

I knew a sword would destroy a dagger in a head-on strike, so instead of blocking the sword strike. I used the dagger to guide the blade away. This caused me to go into a spin using my off-hand elbow to strike James's ribs.

James contorted out of the way then brought up his sword at a low angle. Finishing my spin I jumped back allowing the sword's force to push me as I blocked the strike. As I landed I flew towards him ready to strike. James thrust his swords towards me. I deflected the strike forcing his sword to the side leaving himself wide open. Allowing me to strike right towards his throat, as soon as I struck I felt a strike in my chest. When I looked James had a small wooden practice dagger in his hand. "You're not the only one who can use one of those."

I stared at him.

Then I threw the wooden practice sword at James.

It hit him on the head "ow" he rubbed his head.

“I’m also good at throwing weapons.” we both began to laugh.

— James —

I fought Aster today. I was excited about it, I needed to know he could fight. I knew he was a rogue but he didn’t even try to flank the thing he went at it head-on. I thought rogue was an odd choice for him. When he first showed up I was terrified he had joined the shadow cats but when my crystal earring didn’t go off I felt relieved, but something he said left a lingering doubt in my mind.

Praeceptor said, "Cats are tricky and can hide in plain sight."

“How can I tell?”

“They still need to concentrate so they usually lose focus in a battle, during missions. Remember they tend to be very weak when it comes to a straight battle."

"At least I don't have to worry about any of my friends. None of them would join a place like that."

At this master looked worried "It is our friends we have to worry about the most."

"?!"

Seeing my puzzled look master continued. "They may be your friends now but something happens when someone chooses to become a Shadow... they change."

"How?" I was now confused

"They just do. Think after every theft they cross a line and then cross another until they can no longer even see the line. Then they just do whatever they want."

“Just remember even if he seems like your friend he is not” He then got serious "Shadows have no friends."

I felt a strange pity for those people but knew they were a class that needed to be put down. If it wasn't a choice I may have felt bad but I knew that thieves had chosen to go down that dark road.

The lingering fear in the back of my mind, just wouldn’t go away. Then I saw him in the training yard and knew this was my best chance to find out. The first round went about as I expected knocking his sword away.

It was to the point I wondered if he had any training at all in the weapon. When he told me he was only level seven I was shocked. I was even more surprised by how many quests he’s done. Three-thousand sixty-one. He must have been doing them non-stop. When he told me he used a dagger I thought I understood, but when he won the second round so quick. I didn’t even have time to blink.

The final round was what finally let me release whatever suspicion I had as I knew no shadow would be this good, in a duel. I felt terrible for suspecting him but it could not surpass my joy for knowing he was not a Shadow. Now in a much better mood. And rubbing my head.

“Why didn’t you fight with that against the Drakes?”

“I’m a Tom Cat James, I had to use my longest claw. I mean how would I have even done any damage with a short dagger, on something so big.”

At the mention of being a cat, I paused until I realized what type of cat he had said. Tomcats were rogues who scrapped face to face. More like tavern brawlers. I grabbed Aster by the shoulders "Let’s turn in our quest."

I dragged aster into the inn where everyone was waiting for us in our room.

"What took you so long?" Rowan looked angrily at me

"We had a bit of a spar," James said smiling.

"Whatever can we just do this?" Violet said

Bay ran up to give Aster a hug “Glad to see you’re alright.” They had always been close. I had always wondered if there was something more. Honestly, I wish she had greeted me.

“Mostly. But I’m good now!” Again with his little smirk.

I needed to change the subject “Great everyone stands in a circle.”

We broke the egg and the particles swirled around us all. Everyone could feel the energy rush into them. I think I had the biggest grin because I knew. "Guys I think I leveled"

"Me too!" everyone joined in except Aster

"I don’t think I did,” Aster mentioned

"Well, why don't you check your energy bar and see?" Bay asked.

Aster looked confused, then pulled up his screen to look. James didn't see the bar but did notice everything but his name and class were hidden, but that was smart. "Aster did you turn it off?"

Aster looked a little shocked then "I guess I did." Aster paused "How do I turn it back on?"

I laughed as Bay went over and walked him through turning on the information. As he turned on the bar Bay “Looks like you're about halfway there, must have lost all that energy when you died.” giving him a pitying look.

I kept laughing "I bet the next thing you'll tell us is you don't know how to activate any of your Words"

Aster’s face turned red "Well I know it’s about believing in the skills."

I kept laughing "Well about half., you never went back at level five did you?”

He just stared at me confused.

I then take on a teacher's tone to explain how skills work. As mockingly as possible. You know just to embarrass him.

"First at certain levels when they notice they will give you more details on Words. Before that, they pretend they have no idea. Words work by first focusing on the word and picturing in your mind what you want it to do. But remember it has to be something to do with the word. Can't be something like stone and then use it to blow air at someone has to be something to do with it. Second, once you have the picture you have to believe that it is possible as though it was the most natural thing in the world. And finally, the last part you must will it into existence using Energy. Now it gets more interesting when you combine words. Personally, I've only been able to combine two but at least I got the first words down took me a month"

"Can you change what they do?" Aster was starved for this basic knowledge

"Of course it is all about believing it doing something else. I know it’s hard but you can do it eventually"

Bay Chimed in "Stop patronizing him James."

"He just seemed lost and lacking the most basic information."

"Well... whatever. He knows now either way. I'm tired, can we pick this up tomorrow?” Bay was defending him.

"Yeah" they all agreed

With that, we all went off for the night.