— James —

We had a week to prepare, and the best way to prepare is to train. This was going to be a fight. It won’t be an easy one so I need to get my sword skill level to twenty. I had yet to get any of my skills to twenty yet. Once a skill reached level twenty you’ve mastered the skill. Once you hit twenty your abilities start to become supernatural. With unblockable attacks or homing attacks. Once I hit twenty I can hit that plus to have the information downloaded so I could focus. I only had one level to go, so I made my way over to my warrior’s guild. I had joined a Duelist guild the Masked Owl we tend to use smaller swords and are quick and fast. Sometimes using two weapons at the same time. I like swords and knives but rarely use them as I was still getting the hang of using both hands during fights. We use precision and swift moves to take out our enemies. This causes us to use lighter armor.

I made my way to the house of masks to seek advice from my guild masters and to grab a few missions to help me train my sword. After making it to the guild I made my way to the center training grounds crystal to level up making it to level fourteen. After leveling I spotted my teacher.

“Praeceptor!”

“Oh, James! What brings you here?” He seems happy to see me this brought a feeling of warmth to my chest.

“I need some advice.” He was always open to helping me when I had a question.

“I’ve got some time. What can I help you with?”

“I’m stuck at nineteen for the one-handed sword. What can I do to hit twenty?”

“nineteen! That’s incredibly good for only a year. But getting over that hurdle…”

“Yeah I’ve been stuck for a while and focused hard on training even used the tutorial view and I feel I have all the forms down and can use them all in combat.”

“Ah! Actually, this is easy then. You’ve gone by the book. To pass into twenty you need to look at your weapon differently. The way you break into it will help shape your skills in the future.”

“A different way?”

“Yes. Because you’ve always done by the book you need to find a way to use the sword you’ve never thought of and put it to use. A trick most people use to break through is to put some type of handicap on themselves while doing missions.”

“What kind of handicap?”

“Only using one hand. Do it in a shorter time. Hop on one foot. Only use a single slash. Using only your feet. Really anything you can think of to spark a new way of fighting. So be like water when boiling in a box and use that pressure to break the box.”

‘Still have no idea what that saying means’ “Hmm…I’ll have to think on that.”

“Was that all James? You look like you have something else on your mind.”

“Well…” I was unsure of whether or not to bring up what occurred during the mission.

“Out with it.”

“We were in the mayor’s mansion and the crystals on the wall lit for a second. I was wondering why they only lit for a second.”

Master’s eyes widened and he seemed concerned “You said only a second? How long were you and your group in there before they lit?”

“We were probably about halfway down the hall before it lit.”

Master seemed to sigh in relief. “Good, then it couldn’t have been your friends.”

“What do you mean?”

“Thieves can hide their mark, as I told you before. But the crystals in the mayor’s mansion are extremely sensitive and at the barest hint of the mark the burst into light.”

Something still seemed off about his remark. “Master you still seemed worried.”

“Well that it went on and off quickly could mean a spy and rumors of the Lotus Kingdom.”

“Lotus kingdom?”

“Yes, they are a vile country ruled by thieves. They trade in slavery and all kinds of debauchery. Their kingdom is a hell on earth for those of noble natures like us and a haven for thieves. Their rangers are all shifters. Their mages practice dark rituals bending reality, their warriors are all battle-crazed berserkers. It is a dangerous and hellish place.”

“What about their healers?”

“There is the worst. They are breakers sure they can heal but they are much better at poisoning and weakening. The bard’s if you could call them that are all hypnotists, and illusionists. They are much more deadly than you may ever imagine. It is truly a deadly dangerous place”

How could so much dark power be in one place? “That all sounds like dark and detestable powers.”

“It is and they aren’t afraid to use it for whatever dark purpose they want. The last few years spies have been caught from Lotus and it seems we are but hairs breathe from war.”

“If even slavery is going on then why haven’t we liberated them to save their people. I mean slavery only exists as punishment here. Not a way of life.”

“They are a backward people who agree with the nation and they are much stronger than they appear.”

“We the honorable will one day show them the right path.” I had a goal. I must show them the light.

“And they will scoff at the path and lead themselves down the path of ruin.”

“Why won’t they listen to reason and follow honor?”

“There is also a rumor that her top adviser is a shadow but no one can confirm it. It is also rumored that thieves are welcomed in their city and even venerated. Even we cannot confirm this yet, I think if we did it would push the tipping point and war would begin.”

I couldn’t understand how a land like that could exist, I only knew I needed to get stronger. I bid farewell to Praeceptor, and went to train. It took six days to break through to level twenty with my sword. I had broken through by constantly alternating between sword and knife almost juggling the weapons.

I wanted to push the plus and download the skillset for twenty to thirty skills that are supposed to be the start of the supernatural level of skill with the sword, but I knew I would be out for three days absorbing the information. I didn’t have the time.

Time passed and a day before we all were to meet back up. I was returning from a mission when I met a strange man.

Walking down the street late at night, I was going to turn in my latest mission when I heard “hhHelloO” the voice seemed to come from both far away and right next to me. I looked around not seeing anyone and went to go back on my way “hhHelloO” Hearing it again I turned. Jumping when a man seemed to form out of the darkness. He was blurred as though someone refused to focus the only thing not blurred was the mask he wore. “Shadow!” I drew my sword to defend myself. But before it even left my scabbard the man charged, my mind blanked, as I watched him approach. It was as though someone smeared the blur behind him in a slowly fading trail. It made it extremely hard to follow his movements. I came back to myself when a sword was shoved into my hand blade first. The blade cut my hand and the man spoke one-word “yYourSs.” Dropping the sword.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The masked man spoke once more "FfFor the one wWhoO will lead us in the LlighTt." The man faded into starlight. Shadows wouldn’t be able to do that? Would they?

I was very confused until I looks down at the sword and was shocked by what appeared as I analyzed it.

Sword of the Righteous hero

Bound to James

Skill: 3 slots available

Made from mythril and the heart of a drake queen.

Special property of mythril able to cut and block mana.

A blank! These are almost impossible to get. The sword was a perfect balance and the perfect length. “What just happened?”

— One Week Later —

On a hill in the middle of nowhere five people stood.

“Is everyone is ready?” Everyone nods theirs heads. “Ok, everyone! Remember use your best weapons.” I looked pointedly at Aster until he pulled out his dagger.

“Why aren’t you using your sword?” Rowan asked

“Because he’s terrible with it, but he is amazing with that knife,” I commented.

Bay looked at Aster with a thoughtful expression. I have to admit I was a little annoyed when I asked “Ready or not? Let’s do this, speak the words.”

In unison “Keepers. We are ready to begin."

We all stood there in a circle as nothing happened. “So when does something happen?” Violet asked

“Um… don’t know let’s just keep a lookout.”

After about two hours of nothing. Bay came up with an idea. “Let’s try it again, maybe we said something wrong.”

“Might as well.” Aster and everyone else seemed to agree.

This time when we spoke the words a screen appeared in front of the egg "The Trial is underway. Time remaining to survive ten days."

“Looks like we have 10 days left to survive. So something is going to appear soon I think.” Letting them know the contents of the screen.

Violet "well it is a ten-day event maybe it just paces itself"

“Maybe,” Aster said deep in thought.

It wasn't until the third hour that something began to appear. Low on the hill, I saw it. It was a small creature that appeared almost like a wolf that seemed to be made of shadow that approached our position. It seemed to be made out of smoke.

“Everyone get ready!” I yelled. Everyone popped up from just sitting around readying their weapons. I was the only one who was ready when the shadow wolf made it to us. I was quick to slice the wolf cutting the right front paw off. No blood flew out only smoke. The wolf wasn’t hindered at all as it bit into my arm and clung.

“AGGHHHH!!” I screamed as Rowan shot 2 arrows into the wolf’s heart and brain. Killing it.

The wolves’ jaws took a moment before they fell away back into shadow. My arm was on fire, I could feel every pulse through my arm it was agony. I couldn’t even move my arm. It hurt so bad I couldn’t even focus to heal myself. “Violet! A little help.” I held out my arm to her. She could see the pain I was in and began to focus on healing me. The burn of my nerves and muscles mending hurt just as bad as the wolf bite “ARGHHHH!!”

“Stop being such a baby,” Aster said teasingly.

“You’re an ass,” I said between clenched teeth. Aster seemed genuinely confused at my plight.

“Sorry didn’t realize it was that bad.” He apologized. He never apologizes?

“It’s alright, helps keep my mind off it,” I reassured him.

“Good as new. Now next time remember to put up your energy field.” Violet berated me.

“Thanks.” The healing only took a moment but healing always felt like putting the injury into a fire to heal.

Violet smiled seeming proud of herself.

“Well, I’m going to go take a look around,” Aster said leaving the group.

He came back a few hours later seeming tired.

“Anything?” I asked

“Nah. What about you guys?”

“Not a thing.”

Again nothing happened the rest of the day. It wasn’t until the next day that two wolves appeared. This time we were able to get ourselves up faster but Rowan took them down before they made it to us.

“Nice Shot!” Aster seemed impressed by Rowan’s bow skills. This only seemed to embarrass the ranger. After this fight, Aster left again to scout. Personally, I think he was just taking a walk.

At first, everyone was overconfident as it only seems like a few were appearing it was only on the fifth day when sixteen wolves appeared and we made the startling realization that they were doubling every day.

We were all getting used to the wolves and usually Rowan and I would take the wolves out before they made it to us. With sixteen a few made it through to attack Aster who was able to slash through a jumping wolf but a different one had jumped on him from the side. Biting into his leg before he took it out. Why didn’t he channel an energy field?

He must not have been injured badly as when Violet healed him he didn’t scream at all. Maybe it’s just weak but I bet he was acting tough.

He seemed to be in a bad mood since he ended up going off into the woods alone to mope. I thought of following him but he might need some time alone.

On the sixth day, we were ready as we figured out the time they seemed to appear. During the fight, we all seemed to sink into a rhythm as we took down the many wolves. Aster was injured again when he tripped over his own feet. Has he always been this clumsy? When he fell he was swarmed by the wolves. Bay was able to get them off with some blades of wind. Or at least that’s what I think they were. Violet rushed over to heal him. Aster got up during the treatment to fight the wolves. It was a little surreal seeing him fight while watching wounds heal. That has got to be torture.

After the wolves were taken care of we all took a minute to breathe. Aster got up after a few minutes and left again without a word.

On the seventh day after the fight, Aster was swarmed again this time he had dropped his weapon, almost causing Violet and Bay to get injured. This time he could barely move as he defended himself with his fists. On the eighth Aster disappeared in a cloud of wolves, I don’t even know what happened this time probably tripped over himself again.

Somehow he survived, missing chunks of his body but alive. At this point, only Aster ever seemed to get injured during the fights.

On the ninth day, Aster had disappeared not long before the wolves appeared. We were halfway through the fight when he reappeared to help. To his credit, he did take down twenty wolves before he walked into a tree and was swarmed again.

“Keepers, Aster why are you the only one to get hurt.”

“Guess I’m lucky.” Self mockingly.

“Well, we got one day left. If the pattern continues we have over five hundred wolves coming.”

“They’re easy to kill though,” Aster commented

“Then why do you keep getting swarmed?” Violet brought aster down with that.

“I don’t know. I keep slipping up for some reason.” Aster seemed confused.

“Well. You good for tomorrow?” I asked

“Yeah.”

On the tenth day, we were all on edge as we all waited.

It was almost time when Violet noticed something. “Where is Aster?”

I looked around and couldn’t see him anywhere “Probably bathroom.”

“More like he ran,” Rowan commented

“He wouldn’t do that,” Bay said rather quick.

“Well he does always seem to get injured and he’s just as clumsy as he’s always been.” I didn’t want to agree with her but it did seem like he was hiding. Not that I could blame him healing that much over a few days will take its toll on anyone. But I can’t truly believe he would abandon us.

As we waited for the next thirty minutes he didn’t reappear and I had to admit that he had run as the first wolf appeared. The number of wolves was way more than we had expected a thousand wolves were surrounding the hill. Why are there twice as many then we expected? I didn’t have time to think about it as the fight began. We were fighting deep into the horde of wolves when a blur appeared killing the wolves it was the masked man. Not saying a word but moving through the wolves as if it was a dance. It was breathtaking.

"Dancer in the mists." This was something James aspired to. He was a blade dancer, one whose fighting was a dance of death. My dance was nothing compared to his, he seemed too moved and slash taking out the wolves as he passed by. I few times I saw him throw something always killing whatever he hit.

I don’t know what weapon he was using because as he fought I saw him seem to use every weapon. First a dagger, that seemed to form into a spear to pierce a wolf’s throat, then a rapier to pierce, to a hammer. But it mainly stayed a dagger and rings. Rings? Those are chakrams.

As I watched it always appeared as though a cloud of blurred mist was following him.

It didn’t take long before the fight got more intense as more wolves appear. I was cornered when. I noticed Violet was getting tired and had her mace ripped away from her. She was reaching down when I saw one lunge for her neck without even thinking I infused as much energy as I could into my blade's gem "REACH". The blade extended out killing the wolf. Using my word for one of the blanks I was able to take out droves of wolves helping to finish the fight quickly. Near the end of the fight, the man in the mist faded from the fight as though he was never there.

"Who the hell was he?" Violet asked

"Maybe he was part of this quest." Bay pondered

“Or just some random guy,” Rowan commented

“I don’t think so he was the one who gave me this sword.” Holding up the weapon.

As I said this a message appears "Stage one complete navigate to the quest giver for stage 2."

We began to make our way back when we found Aster in a tree. Covered in claw marks, bites, and scratches missing an arm.

“Hey, guys. Care to give me a hand.” With his annoying smirk, he began to laugh at his own joke.

“Where the hell did you go?” Violet chided him.

“I went to the bathroom when…I got surrounded.” Aster was pretty pale. He must be in a lot of pain

“That is no excuse for abandoning us like a coward,” Rowan yelled

I don’t think he heard that as he fell out of the tree.

“Violet please heal him,” I asked

“Why? He brought this on himself.”

“Doesn’t mean he needs to go through death,” Bay mentioned

“…fine. At least he is unconscious this is going to hurt.”

It wasn’t long before Aster was healed and we left him at the hill as he had to “Clear some things.” We were annoyed with him and I knew we needed to let our heads cool. SO I agreed and we headed out. We had decided to rest then head over to the mayor’s house the next day, just in case.