It was dark. Warm. A low dust hung in the air. The stench of burning bodies had me choking. How long was this plague going to last? Wait what plague? Who am I? My name is William. I am the black knight. No that’s not right. I am Zen. There is no plague. Was it all just a dream? Somehow I know I’m both but neither at this instant.

Zen had fallen into a sleep inside a cubby made from Nirvana, the iron tree. Home of Snell and Zoran. But William had just blacked out. A nasty blow to the head. Coincidence would have it that two minds shared as one. A magic lost to all but nature itself.

William stood up. Or would I say I, Zen stood up? For now I will say me until I’m sure of who or what this is. I had just planted the seed of a new world. A town that shall be called Stoneroot. A key to breaking a curse started way before the golden king. Times right now we’re uncertain. Would history as we know it disappear?

I slowly started heading towards the fire of the dead. Soon hopefully a cure would be found. But right now I had to destroy a town. The dawn of this evil flooding the lands. The hometown of trackers. Somewhere they had picked up the black death and from here it has spread like wildfire. I will save the few that are still safe. The young. They will hopefully understand one day that it was for the best.

Was I really ready to destroy a town of old. Bring about a new world starting with just a few kids. I didn’t know. How could I destroy a town of people I have sworn to save? Luckily I knew that my faithful squire was with me. He should be on the other side of the town by now. What was that boys name again? Joseph that’s right. A vicious child but he was loyal at least. What a handful.

I took a shuddering breath. I hear the screams now. The people blaming the beyond for this curse. There is Joseph. He is…..

“Joseph noooooo!!!” I screamed in a creak. It’s all my throat would let out in the smoke from the smoldering piles. Joseph stabbing the children. A group that we had gathered.

There wasn’t enough time. I took SoulCleaver from her sheath. Flames of the beyond please. Smite down the evil of this town. Burn out all of this curse.

As a black flame crawled up my blood moon artifact the buildings all burst into flame. I saw Joseph jump.

“Black Knight! Why do you warriors smite this town down like this. Why does this town of trackers deserve to die?” Joseph shot an evil smirk at me.

What was this? Why was Joseph betraying me now? “Children follow me! We have to go now before Joseph does more harm.”

Joseph stabbed another kid. Nine left. I have no other choice. I jump over a pile of dead. I just want this nightmare to end. I stab Joseph as he goes to stab the youngest child. A dwarf. I will take her to black spire. The dwarves can protect her. I have a feeling that she has a larger importance than I ever will.

I gently dig a grave for Joseph. May the dwarven custom be true and guide you back to this world Joseph. You deserved so much better.

We hiked for days. I shall leave SoulCleaver in the heart of that mysterious fountain at Stoneroot. It had twelve trees already. The speed at which they grow seemed to depend on the need. Iron root trees. The safest place for any child. Especially a child of a tracker. It ran in bloodlines.

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Still racked about the death of Joseph I safely lead all nine children to Stoneroot. Sadly their home of Travestar was gone. An city as old as the land. Why was that the target? Why not the town of scribes? Or better yet that rotten home of mine Harbinger?

I spent weeks teaching the kids the language of the trees. Each had their own home. All trackers around the nation we’re now showing up. Sadly the amount of their populace that was lost was major. I wish I could have saved them. Those nine kids were the only ones not almost dead from the black death. Those who were alive when I left Travestar we’re now long dead.

Time to take my leave. I begin the walk out of the wall. And keep going. The forest diminishes until. A thunder clap? No. Worse. The wings of black deaths master.

The last shadow dragon. This was my goal. It’s finally time.

“SoulCleaver please protect Stoneroot. A chosen soul will come for you one day. As today this armor will end the dragon. The iron trees shown me that black death will end with the death of this beast.” I kneel before the dragon. He descends on me in a flash.

Little does this beast know that I have my armor covered in the most lethal toxins I could find. Even a genius can be defeated by one they find inferior. I have to make this convincing.

I do a ragged roll left as the dragon strikes. A quick duck as he swipes his claw. A front roll under the tails wild swing. An upper cut to the belly of the beast. But now….. As the beast whips his head to me. I say farewell and let him take my life. But never will he have my soul. It will guard Stoneroot. All truly harmful shall be stopped me.

But wait? Who am I again? A warrior or this scared kid. It’s hard to tell. Why is everything so black? I look upon the outline of a dark tree. No I’m in the tree and the shadow with his dark armor and darker hair is holding me. Why?

“Zen. You have been accepted by the town.” The man smiled at me. Was this…. Yes the black knight. But how. “Call me William, Zen. As long as Nirvana here holds you I can hear every thought. You touched my soul and found the beginning.”

“But how Sir William? This town and your story are hundreds of years before now?” I stopped. “Maybe even thousands.”

“Ah Zen. That has no meaning when your soul protects what you love. But I do have a gift for you. That’s why I’m here for you. Nirvana did well.” William pulled his sword from the dark. This blood moon artifact is SoulCleaver. Her blade is now yours. I shall bestow a gift to you. Ivy will do the same. But don’t confront Ivan until after the blood moon.”

William took SoulCleaver and grabbed my hidden pen. He brought them closer together. A hum started to fill the air. I watched as his blade fused with mine. A black blade with a snake carved down the length of the blade. A beauty. He handed me the rusty pommel.

It was then that I realized that it wasn’t quite a sword but now longer the knife had been. He clipped a scabbard onto my back.

“Now it’s the hidden pen Zen. That’s scarier than any hidden blade. The mental power you will gain from here will be amazing. A katana suits you better than SoulCleaver ever did me. Not that’s scary. It means your honorable. A special sheath though. Slide that katana up you back not down.”

I slid the tip of the katana up my back. I felt the blade lock into place. It felt right. I touched where the pen had been and pulled down lightly. The pen was still there. I could feel the breath of the blade. Every particle that made it. I looked down at the pen wrote a phrase on my arm.

“Sir William what just happened?” I looked down at the phrase. I couldn’t make it out at all.

“That is the magic of the blood artifacts.” William inhaled deeply. I have kept you to long Zen. A year has passed with you here in Nirvana. Your friends are worried but now she is your home too. Return to them now young one.”

A hole opened up and a blinding light started to spill in. I stumbled out of the dark and in the perfect whistle of iron trees thanked Nirvana, Sir William the Black Knight, and Stoneroot.