Caius awoke to birds chirping and the unmistakable smell of cooking meat. Sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he looked around the clearing. Slowly getting to his feet, Caius brushed the dust off his clothes before searching for Silas and Katelyn. Walking among the Caravan of merchants and travelers, he admired the wagons, each with unique character, adorned with vibrant tapestries and intricate carvings. One, a grand, oak-framed behemoth, was pulled by a team of sturdy draft horses, their coats gleaming in the morning light. Another, a smaller, more nimble cart, was drawn by a pair of spirited mules, their ears perked forward with anticipation.

There were still clear signs of the previous night's battle, but despite the attack that had shaken many in the Caravan, Caius noted that many wore tired but broad smiles as if the morning sun was enough reason to be joyful. He wondered how they could continue as if nothing had happened last night. The sight of the slain monsters and the blood covering his sword had haunted his dreams. He logically understood that the monsters had to be killed, but the sheer brutality of death stroked a fear in Caius that he never knew was there.

Taking a deep breath to recenter himself, he looked around the clearing, searching for Silas and Katelyn. He noticed Silas sitting at a nearby fire, stirring a pot. Walking over to him, Caius could smell the delicious meat stew being prepared. Turning his head and spotting Caius, Silas motioned for Caius to join him. Sitting down next to Silas, he waited patiently for the meal to be ready.

Silas was the first to break the silence, "Have you ever been trained in the sword, Caius?"

"No, I haven't," said Caius, "Last night was the first time I had even held one. I just assumed that the way to use a sword is to use the pointy end and stab."

Chuckling, Silas rolled his eyes, "While you are not wrong in using the 'pointy' side. It takes a lifetime to truly master the sword. Many attempt to master it, but few truly reach mastery." Becoming more serious, Silas continued, "The way you were standing when the Goblins first appeared was unorthodox, to say the least, but whatever you did, your form shifted to that of a battle-honed warrior."

"I don't really know what I did; it almost felt instinctive, like my body just reacted once it realized I was in danger. Are you a sword master, Silas?" asked Caius curiously.

Tilting his head as if contemplating what Caius had said and asked Silas, he looked thoughtful before finally speaking. "No, no, I am not. I am what I call proficient in the sword. I have had many teachers be them both friend and enemy alike." Leaning forward, Silas produced two bowls and filled both with the stew before proffering one to Silas.

Gratefully, Caius accepted the bowl and began to eat. Once done, he leaned back and gazed into the fire as he thought. Does this world require me to become like Silas, a master of the sword, or at least proficient like Silas? If monsters are commonplace, then I must be prepared. The image of his blade covered in blood once again flashed before his mind's eye, and Caius involuntary flinched.

"Are monsters like the ones we fought last night common in this land?" Asked Caius, breaking the silence that had grown between the two men.

"Yes and no," answered Silas before continuing, "The monsters that attacked last night are common in this region of the world, but there are other types. Direwolves to the north and Mantises to the south. Once you get closer to populated areas, you'll find fewer monsters, as these areas are more routinely swept for monsters by either the military, local adventures, or hunters."

Nodding his understanding, Caius asked, "Then violence, like what happened last night, is common?"

"Typically, in larger groups like this Caravan, it is unlikely to be attacked, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen as you witnessed last night. But to answer your question, yes, it is common." Answered Silas.

"Are the more populated areas like Cities and Towns the safer?" Asked Caius.

Silas grunted, "Barely. While there may not be monsters like the ones we faced last night, there is another kind of monster within cities and towns. The world has been in chaos the past decade, and many good people have been forced to resort to, let's say, resort to unsavory activities to ensure their own survival."

"Ahhh, I see." Silas asked, "Doesn't the government help these people?"

"There are some Lords and Ladies that do try to help their people, but much of the nobility in this region are obsessed with their own power and the best ways to steal the power of others." The end of Silas' statement held a bitter tone.

Caius knew there was a story there but decided to drop the subject. Picking up the thread of their early subject of the sword, Caius asked, "Should I learn the sword? It sounds like one of the best ways to protect myself in the wilderness and the City."

Silas sat in thought and examined Caius as if he were a prize animal being auctioned off to the highest bidder. "I think that with that ability you seem to have, you could go far down the path of a swordsman, but choosing this path requires dedication and a willingness to put your body on the line. Is this something you are willing to do?"

Caius gave it less than a moment before immediately stating, "Yes, I am."

Nodding, expecting this answer, Silas said, "I can teach you the basics as we travel each morning, but remember, I am now master. If you wish further education, you may need to seek help elsewhere once we reach the City."

Caius slowly grinned at Silas, saying, "Better to die with a sword in my hand than hiding in a corner."

Silas roared with laughter as he slapped Caius on the back. "Now, that is something a true warrior would say!" The laughter continued for a few moments, and Silas wiped the tears from his eyes before asking, "Are you done eating for now?"

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Nodding, Caius got to his feet, sensing that the training he had just agreed to would start immediately.

Silas did not disappoint. He immediately moved towards the edge of the clearing where the Caravan was situated, with Caius closely following. Silas found a sturdy branch that must have just fallen off one of the many trees and tossed it to Caius.

"There are two things you must remember about a sword. First, a sword is not just a tool of violence but a weapon of discipline." Stated Silas, nodding at the stick in Caius' hands before continuing, "Discipline of the sword is one of direction, consistency, and repetition. Without these fundamentals, a sword is just a glorified piece of metal."

"I think I understand," said Caius, genuinely meaning it. He could logically see how if a practitioner of the sword had a direction of becoming better, consistent practice and repetitions of the basic skills would propel one down the path of success. "What is the second rule of the sword?"

"See that you do understand the first rule. Many have started down the sword's path, but few stay on the path. Now, the second rule is to respect the sword. Treat it as a living thing, a partner in your journey. Feel its weight, its balance. Understand its strengths and weaknesses." as if to emphasize this point, Silas lovingly caressed the sword belted to his hip. "That stick will do for now. I want you to hold it and feel the strengths and weaknesses. The goal is to be intimately familiar with your weapon so you know what it can and cannot do."

Hefting the stick in his right hand, Caius examined it and felt the weight settle in his hand. It was a solid piece of wood. Even just the few seconds he had been holding the stick, his arm muscles began to burn. This was gonna be painful.

"Now let's get started, shall we?" Silas said with a devious grin.

For the next two hours, as the rest of the Caravan was packing up and preparing to move camp, Silas went through several of the most basic sword forms with Caius. None of these forms were flashy but brutal in their efficiency in movement. Once the Caravan looked ready to depart, Silas finally halted their practice with Caius utterly spent with limbs shaking and clothes drenched in sweat.

Caius stumbled after Silas as they headed for the cart. Katelyn was hitching to a pair of chestnut draft horses. Laying down on the back of the cart with his feet dangling over the edge, Cause sighed deeply. He didn't know how, but his entire body hurt. The cart lurched forward, and a groan escaped his lips as the sudden movement sent a jolt through his body.

Laughing, Silas said, "Get used to that, Caius. The sword's path is filled with glory and very sore muscles."

Propping himself up on his elbows, he ignored the man's comment as the forest clearing where he entered this magical world slowly vanished behind endless trees and undergrowth, almost as if the forest was wiping away his presence itself.

"Hey, Caius, get up here. A call came from the front of the cart." Looking backward, he noticed Katelyn waving at him to join her and Silas at the front of the cart. Crawling on his hands and knees, Caius slowly made his way the few feet to the front. As he arrived, Katelyn said, "I think this is the best time to get to know each other better since you'll be traveling with us in the foreseeable future."

"Sure, " said Caius. What would you like to know? I'm pretty much an open book.

"Well, for starters," said Katelyn confidently, "We should try to figure out more about your memory loss by examining what information you know. For example, can you read or do math?"

"Umm, I don't know," stammered Caius, "I haven't had the opportunity to read anything yet, but I think I can do the math."

"Well, let's start with a basic test," she said as she reached into her bag and removed a book and a scroll. Opening the book to the first page, she presented it to Caius. "Here, read this first page."

Taking the book, Caius glanced at the cover; the image embossed onto the book seemed to be a firework or explosion. He looked at the first page and noticed that the words inscribed on the page were not only legible but readable to him. He started to read aloud, "Magic is a fundamental part of the world in which we find ourselves. From the naturally occurring magics such as the wonders of the Tearael to man-made wonders such as enchantments or portions, Magic is embedded in everything."

A thousand questions sparked in Caius's mind as he tried to comprehend the information he had just learned. Was Magic everywhere? What about enchantments? Potions? A loud pop sounded, and Caius startled out of his musing and looked at the source of the sound.

Grinning, Katelyn looked at him and said, "Good, you can read. That means that your mind hasn't lost abilities you had previously learned, but you have lost the memories tied to the learning."

Caius started to voice his many questions about Magic, but Katelyn forestalled him with a raised hand, staying him. "I will answer questions about magic, but now we have more tests to perform, and I would like to better understand how you think and what common knowledge may need to be taught to you."

Sighing, Caius nodded; she was right. He needed to figure more out about himself before jumping to the more complicated subjects like Magic. Thus, Katelyn subjected Caius to severe questioning over the next several hours. He was asked everything from riddles to his favorite color to mental math. It was as if Katelyn was trying to catch him in a lie or to see if there was some ulterior motive behind Caius' actions.

Finally, Katelyn seemed to have run out of questions for him. She returned the book she had tested his reading skills on and said, "Read the first chapter of this book. It introduces Magic and should give you basic information that most people know. Once you are done, I can answer some of your questions."

Gleefully, Caius accepted the book and thought, "Finally, magic powers, here I come!"