Owen sat in his kitchen staring at a half-eaten plate of eggs, the first meal he had made for himself in months. He slowly got up and cleaned the kitchen before heading back upstairs to the capsule.
Owen’s avatar faded into existence as he logged back in. He gave himself a second to feel the sun on his face and the breeze coming off of the ocean before he began his search for the master. The sun beat strongly down in the desert city but the air from the shore blew coolly through the town. He readied himself and looked at the map in his inventory before setting out.
--Okay so it’s down the eastern road and then to the north--
He set off and soon passed through the square where he started a few hours ago.
--Has it really only been few hours since I started? A day has already passed in game while I was offline--
The square was busier today than it had been before with NPCs and players shopping and displaying their wares. The sounds of the smiths in their forges and the merchants shouting to be heard over one another loudly shot through the square. Though the market was certainly busier than it had been it was still a far cry from the bustling, packed markets of the central cities. Owen felt a small sense of pride in having picked such a perfect city to start in. Packed with potential, opportunities for fame and fortune open for the taking.
Owen made his way through the square towards the eastern road. As he walked the shops and homes became shabbier and more run down. As he reached the end of the road and began to head north the buildings were veritable ruins. It seemed something had decimated the northwestern part of the city. Houses and shops lay in disrepair and shambles. Owen consulted the map.
--Is this the right direction?--
The map indeed lead him through the heart of the ruined area. As he walked on, the road became awash in sand until the road itself disappeared. It felt as if the city had ended and he had ventured outside. The sand began to pile higher and Owen began to have trouble walking through the sand drifts. Panting and sweating, he finally arrived at the location noted on his map. Standing in front of him was a wide building in a sand swept clearing. In considerably better condition than the whole district it stood, solid, with the sand seeming to steer clear of it. Owen walked up to the door and knocked.
*Thock! Thock!*
The hollow sound of the knock sounding loudly in the desolate district. Owen heard nothing in response. As Owen waited impatiently he heard a noise quietly sounding towards the back of the house. He made his way to the back and found an older man going through martial forms in a marked off circle in the sands. The man moved slowly before striking out with his fists faster than Owen could see. The man didn’t jump around and kick like monks normally did. His feet never left the ground as he ducked and slipped past an imagined foe’s blows. The man exuded an aura of calmness, his gaze never wavering, he followed the outside of the circle looking in. In a burst of motion the man release a punch so fast and powerful the sand around him blew backwards and a wave. Stunned Owen stood there. This was the first time he had seen the levels that people could reach in this world. The man settled himself and began to walk back towards the house but stopped in his tracks as he saw Owen standing there. A scowl appeared on his face as he observed Owen.
“What do you want?”
Owen replied quickly “I was sent here to learn from you by Cyneric”
*Tssk* “I have nothing to teach you, Leave now”
Find The Master
Quest Failed
Owen was struck silent. He had just failed the first quest he had gotten before he even had a chance to do anything. The bead of rage in the center of his being began to grow and ignite.
“NO!” “I DIDN’T COME HERE JUST FOR YOU TO BRUSH ME OFF!”
The man didn’t even look back as Owen yelled at him. Owen in his rage ran forward and threw a wild punch at the man’s back. Without even turning the man slipped past the haymaker and caught Owen’s wrist as it passed him.
“This is all you have? You are weak...useless”
Owen screamed in rage and small flames began to dance and light upon his skin. The man quickly released Owen’s wrist and turned in surprise. Owen wound up and tried to slam his fist into the man’s head. Once again it was slipped past by the smallest of margins. Owen grew angrier as each attack was evaded with seemingly no effort. The flames on Owen’s skin grew hotter and higher as his rage grew and grew. The man’s face began to frown as the flames grew.
“You are a very angry young man. Your rage defines and controls you”
“You are a danger to yourself and those around you”
The man spoke while evading every attack Owen threw at him. He finally struck back at Owen, striking a delicate light punch to Owen’s solar plexus. Owen fell to his knees as all his breath left him. He curled up on the ground as he tried to draw breath. The flames died down as Owen lost consciousness. The man knelt down in front the gasping Owen.
“So this is why Cyneric sent you…I will train you”
As he stood up the man looked down and said “Come inside when you wake up”
Owen woke gasping for air. He unsteadily got to feet, sand pouring off of him, and looked up towards the house. He remembered what the man had said and slowly made his way to the house. Owen opened to the door to find a table set with food and a chair ready for him. The man walked in from another room and gestured towards the food on the table.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“Eat”
Owen gratefully collapsed into the chair and dug into the plate. It was simple fare and gave none of the bonuses associated with the finer meals of Royal Road but it filled his satiety bar and tasted good. The man sat down across from him and looked at him carefully.
“I am Sten. While you are training will refer to me as Master Sten or just Master”
“I will teach you about your rage and how to fight…but first what is your name?”
“I don’t have one…Master”
“No?”
“No, I asked the gods to grant me one based on my actions here”
“Well then the first thing we do is find your name. When you’re finished come outside. We begin your training today”
Master Sten left quickly as Owen slowly ate his meal and recovered his strength before heading back out in the heat. Owen walked out to see Master Sten standing outside the circle with a long staff with a padded end waiting for him. Master Sten gestured for him to come forward and stand before him in the circle.
“Stand in the center and defend yourself”
“I don’t have a weapon” Owen pointed out
Master Sten nodded “I know”
Master Sten quickly reached out with the staff and smacked Owen in the shoulder pushing him back a step.
“DEFEND YOURSELF!”
Owen quickly put up his hands and tried desperately to fend off the rapid attacks of the staff. He was pummeled from all angles, never given a chance to rest and collect himself during the onslaught.
“Is this all you bring! FIGHT!”
Owen again began to rage as he was hit continuously and the flames began to alight.
“YOUR RAGE IS UNFOCUSED! AND TO RELY ON IT WEAKENS YOU!”
Owen grew angrier and the flames once again began to grow but the quick strikes from Master Sten kept Owen in the circle and unable to reach him.
“So nameless one is your rage all you are?! Is that all you want to be?”
“NO!”
“Then what! All I see is an angry little boy flailing at the world!”
“SHUT UP!”
“Or what? You are as weak and helpless as a babe!” “WHAT ARE YOU?!”
“I DON’T KNOW!”
“Why did you come here?!”
Owen dropped to his knees his stamina dangerously low. He looked sadly at the ground panting, sweat dripping into the sand. He quietly whispered.
“to keep a promise”
Master Sten didn’t let up as the staff punched into Owen’s chest
“I asked what YOU wanted!”
Owen struggled to his feet and screamed at Master Sten
“I want revenge!”
“THAT’S NOT ALL IS IT?!”
“YES!”
“LIE TO ME BUT NOT YOURSELF!” “WHAT DO YOU WANT?!”
Owen fell backwards as the staff slipped past his guard and hit his face.
Master Sten slammed the staff down on the ground and yelled out
“WHAT! DO! YOU! WANT!”
“TO SAVE TOMMY!” Owen cried out. “I want to be like Tommy…to protect everyone he can’t”
A crack of the loudest thunder sounded from a cloudless sky and a spear of light shot down and enveloped Owen lifting him off his feet
Your Actions Have Moved the Gods to Grant You a Name
You Are Svalinn
Svalinn softly landed on his feet and stood there swaying. Drained physically and mentally he collapsed forward. Master Sten caught him before he fell, holding him up on his feet.
“So what’s your name boy?
“Svalinn” he gasped out
“Svalinn…that is a great name you have been given boy”
They walked together to the Master Sten’s house and went inside. As Svalinn and his master stepped inside Svalinn could no longer contain his curiosity and asked.
“What does my name mean?”
Master Sten helped Svalinn down onto a chair and sighed
“Svalinn is the name of a great shield of legend from long ago. The story has changed over the years but the gist of it is Svalinn is a shield the gods created to protect the earth from the terrible heat of the sun. You see boy when you told me the truth about what you wanted, the gods decided to hold you to that. They have given you the name of the shield that protects the earth, a shield that protects everyone”
Sten looked over to see Svalinn’s head lying on the table and heard him snoring
“Rest up, you have a long, hard road ahead of you boy"
Sten got up and went to the door leading outside. He went to the doorway and paused a look of amazement quickly flashed upon his face. He shook his head and the usual stern scowl returned as he headed out the door
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