Rodent only knew that he was falling.
It happened in a second and a blink, his essence and existence captured inside a twinkle in the sword he was now within, floating downward without wind or sound. He tried to shake and shout, but he had no voice, and there was no noise to his movements. Instead, he was carried down, given a moment to catch his breath.
Around him was an endless white space. It extended beyond the capabilities of his vision as it nearly stole his breath away. He'd never seen the infinite before. He felt small. Really small. Smaller than a grain of rice cast into the cosmos. He tried not to let the panic get to him, though, as he recovered.
As he fell, though, something started to happen in the space around him. There were twinkles of light, each tearing itself into existence, each a different colour, becoming brighter and stronger and thicker. That was until its light exploded and streaked outward, casting floating, orbiting shards that floated around the twinkles.
On the surface of these shards were moving images accompanied by distant sounds and voices that sounded like whispers. Each faded from Rodent's ears when he stopped focusing on a particular one. He blinked as his head shook. More and more of these twinkles of different worlds were coming into existence.
And he saw things he shouldn't have.
Beneath him, however, another twinkle appeared, a plain white with images of a field within towering castle walls. Before he could reflect further on that, Rodent passed between the shards to the light and, at once, felt himself turn into light—one that joined the twinkle.
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When the blinding whiteness disappeared from around Rodent, he became aware that he was standing, dressed in clunky iron armour, next to men dressed the same way, forming a row as another was behind and ahead of him.
Rodent blinked behind his helmet, covering his face with holes in the metal that allowed his breath to pass. There were sockets for his eyes, though they were half the size they needed to be. Rodent adjusted quickly to this change so that he would not reveal himself with his panic.
However, he was becoming worried and already confused.
"So all of you think you're worthy of taking up the Holy King's resources, do you?" someone said at the front of the gathered rows, a giant that was dressed like them, standing nearly as tall as a one-story building. He wore no helmet, and his steps rumbled through the ground. "Worthless and poor. Unable to make a living on your own—survive on your own. So you answer the call. Pretend to be of use to us."
The Giant laughed as his stomach inflated, stomping from one length of the rows to the next, examining them with arms crossed behind his back. He wore a large grin that rarely ever received. "Well. That's fine with me. We have enough food and beds to occupy you for a time. But make no mistake—we don't need you." His head shook. "No. You need us. You need what we have to give you."
The Giant raised a bare fist, holding it high enough for all that could see, the sun almost shining upon it. "You need to learn how to survive. How to use a sword to both defend and attack. How to move. How to camp." His fingers stuck out after each point. "Make no mistake. It would probably be better to throw you at the enemy instead of tricking you into believing you could be a soldier. But… the Holy King sees use in men that can delay the foe for a couple of seconds longer before they are killed."
The Giant then turned in place, drawing the sword from his hip in a long and exaggerated motion, the blade great enough to strike through buildings. He twisted, charging as if to sweep the blade at the rows before him—which could easily cut through them all.
Some men flinched. Others ducked. And most were stunned by fear.
However, Rodent was the only one to stand there, mostly confused, except for another in the row behind him, the only one taller than him. Something drew him to that soldier—though he didn't turn his headlong. The Giant took notice of them both.
"So you two are going to be the only worthwhile members of this fleet." The Giant smirked before standing normally. Everyone else couldn't help but glance at the duo. "That's right. Take a decent gander at them. They have something you can't train." Placing a large hand on his neck, the Giant cracked it. "Cowardice has to be worked out of you while you're small. If not… well, then it turns into a life-long thing you must battle—instead of not being there to begin with."
He held his sword up for all to see. "C'mon, then. Draw your swords and gaze about how I hold mine. Spread apart a sword's length. We'll go through the basics. Practice dummies will be available in the yard for those who wish to train during their off-hours."
And with that, everyone drew their swords, and Rodent, with a smirk about what was going on, drew his sword like the other recruits, getting the same training as them. He didn't question how this was possible or even what was happening.
He just went with the training as requested.
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[Location: Dula Village]
Steinith stood tall in his hut before the pit of blue flames. His arms were clasped behind his back, and his head uncomfortably tilted upward to show respect for the holographic figure within the fire. The robed figure also stood.
"So… you allowed him after the Sword?"
Steinith nodded. "Correct, sir."
"And… you allowed this… why?"
"Because he was too much of a threat to keep in the village, sir." That statement made the robed figure cock his head slightly. "The villagers have already risked revolt. They want freedom or death—and Rodent's the type to be a fire to a fuse."
"And because killing him would have set them all off… you allowed him to venture for the Sword in a bid to resolve everyone's problems?" Number Three stroked his chin, and bits of stuff came out of his hood when he did so. "I must admit, it's a favourable solution—but did you ever consider that he might pull the Sword?"
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"No," Steinith replied, relaxing a little as his master had done the same, his shoulders and form becoming looser. "But odd characters like him usually are capable of performing the unexpected." His head then shook. "Even if he pulled it—I doubt he could even wield the power behind it."
"I knew I had picked the right man for this job." Number Three pulled his hand and let it rest by his side. He looked away and motioned for someone to come closer. "Yes. He pulled the Sword and nothing else. As it stands, it is a mere blade."
"Still." Steinith cracked his neck. "I can't imagine him having the Sword is favourable."
"It might actually work out to our benefit that the Sword is no longer in its resting place." Number Three grabbed something from an offered tray and held it in the air. It was some sort of syringe. He then pulled up the sleeve on his unoccupied arm. "But, in either case, this Rodent must be taken care of."
"You want me to snap his neck when he returns?"
"Him being dead is favourable, yes." Number Three pulled up his sleeve to reveal rotting flesh. He stabbed the needle into his arm. "He was originally kept alive by the Princess for examination and to see if he could provide anything useful should an actual Hero come through the Pond. She'll be on the way as well."
"The Princess… for an underpowered man?"
"You said it yourself that there was something odd to him." After the injection, Number Three tensed up and jolted… before his form expanded ever so slightly. Once done, he set the syringe back on the day and waved for the other person in the room to leave. "And, regardless of what we know of this person, he did pull the Sword. No precaution can be considered too great."
"If the Princess is coming and Rodent is going to die here… then there's no point in continuing the research project here." Steinith turned and looked out the window. "If we really want to ensure that the Sword does no funny business… we can crank up the fear in the village—ensure that there's more than enough Deskar here in case the unexpected happens."
"While I would have liked to have kept operations going in that village for a little longer… I feel as though bigger things are afoot." Number Three nodded. "Very well. Do as you like with those that are there. Ensure that there is no possibility Rodent or that Sword makes it through this." Number Three turned around. "Once the deed is done… return to the castle."
Steinith bowed. "Consider it done, sir."
The blue fire cut after that.
Steinith, with a big grin, went outside.
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The villagers had allowed themselves to go outside more, feeling like they were safe for the time being, at least until enough time had passed after Rodent had left. Many actually waited for him with a hope they knew they shouldn't trust.
Others, however, were happy to have this brief stint of freedom—knowing it would not last. Steinith had locked himself away to focus on things. Some used this time to pack their things while others helped on the small farm on the villager's corner.
However, without warning, Steinith came out of his hut and assumed his full size, striding forward with the usual clink of amour and a thud against the ground. The people were worried as they watched him walk without regard for them. He came to a rather large rock in the middle of the village.
Lifting it up and tearing it from the ground, he could just hold it with one arm, moving and tossing it to get the dirt off it—feeling the strength within the rock. And then, looking at a random house, he took the stance of a pitcher… and hurled the stone at a building.
It easily broke through the wood, demolishing the crates packed with lifetime's worth of belongings. He chuckled as he grabbed the few other rocks dotted around the village, hurling and chucking them at buildings while there were screams, shouts, and fleeing people around him.
Soon, everyone was gathered together outside and before him, scared, worried, and confused. Feeling like he had smashed enough things, Steinith focused on the crowd, looking at them with a huge smile.
"Well, well… I've got some good news for all of you." Steinith stomped toward them and rattled the ground along the way. He paused and towered before them all. "Heard it from a little bird that Rodent pulled the Sword. He plans to bring it back to free all of you. Isn't that guy just amazing?"
The people, surprised and some even relieved, still held fear from the tense air that Steinith produced.
"Of course… it was pretty amazing of him to think that I was just going to take that Sword… do a little look at it… then hand it back and flee." His smile became more sinister as the implications expanded horribly in the air. "Nobody actually believed that's what I would really do after that, right?"
His lofty gaze down at the smaller people was enough to bring pleasure to his heart. He felt the dread that the masses were pumping out, the realization that there was nothing to hold hope for—just despair. That energy entered the air… soon to take physical manifestation.
"Funny of you to think that we care."
Steinith blinked. He turned to see the old woman behind him, so short that she barely reached his ankles, causing him to blink again. He chuckled. Nearly laughed. Seeing this little thing trying to be so impressive. "Oh-ho. It's you, Beatrice."
"We won't give in to your ploy for fear." Beatrice stood while holding onto her large, wooden staff. "We won't give you any more strength than you already have."
Seeing the grandmother again, the others couldn't help but feel some hope themselves.
"But this is the first time you've tried to inspire despair and Deskar to these parts." Beatrice glared up at the Giant. "I don't know what your plan is… but I do not care. We will take death and then give in to your intentions. You hold no sway over us."
"Oh-ho… is that so?" Steinith chuckled and, bending over, scooped the old woman. "I'm willing to bet that you came to care a little bit about Rodent during his stay here. Maybe enough to make up for all of those you lost." He drew her close so she could better see his massive smirk. "The thing is… there's no need to spawn fear from you. No, no."
Beatrice stared at his face.
"No," Steinith said, shaking his head. "When you see yet another person you cared for pointlessly struck down before you… you'll be overwhelmed by terror again… and I won't even have to do a thing." He laughed. So be happy that all of you get to live for a little longer."
Steinith faced ahead. "Because all of you will get to see your hope be smashed down… before you're all killed afterward, just like him!"
Steinith laughed like a madman as everything started to get grayer and darker over the village, the same becoming true of the land around it. And in Warro Woods, the Wolf stood alone before its totem, growling at the bits of Deskar that had become bigger and more uniformed, becoming a black swamp that was inching ever closer to the animal and the thing that kept it alive.