Valenius went to find Val.

Once Valenius walked to the top of the hill, he saw a few scattered trees, and there was Val.

He had his back turned, gazing straight into the open land, nothing but clear green grass and blue skies.

He held his sword, which had radiated red, while he stared straight ahead.

Valenius shouted Val's name, but Val stood still and showed no emotion until Valenius put his hands on his shoulders, shook him, and then Val turned him to face Valenius.

Val's face was blank, and his gaze became fixed as he stared at Valenius with a smirk playing on his lips.

Val asked, “Are you ready?”

Passing Valenius the sword, Valenius took it, but the moment he grabbed it, he felt the weight of the sword pulling him to the ground and he lost his balance.

Val chuckled, and then his face became more serious as he spoke. “I see. I will not train you just yet; I want you to hold the sword and swing it regularly so you can get used to the weight and strengthen your grip. I will come back after some time when you have more practice, okay?”

Valenius nodded, and with that, Val left.

Valenius laughed to himself, thinking this would be easy. But a short while later, he was swinging his sword. His grip became shaky, and he was panting heavily, losing his grip on the sword until it finally slipped from his grasp and clattered to the muddy ground.

Valenius then lowered himself to the ground as he sat on the floor, catching his breath. He looked at the sword and then at the open view, wondering where the game would bring him, whether it would lead to fulfilling his quest, or if he would die here or return home and stay for good.

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With that, in the corner of his eye, he saw someone moving swiftly, Valenius breathing heavily as an icy puff escaped his mouth.

There, he heard a low, crackly voice coming from different directions. He held his sword with two hands pointing up, and the cackling grew louder. The next thing he felt was an icy hand clasped on his face and a whisper.

“Let’s talk.”

Valenius turned to face the person with his sword, holding his breath.

There, he saw Eleantra standing before him with a smile.

She looked Valenius up and down and chuckled.

She said, “That is not how you hold a sword and prepare for a fight.”

She rolled her eyes and flicked her finger, and then the next thing Valenius knew, the sword flew from his grasp.

Valenius stared with eyes wide, trying not to show his shaking legs, unsure of what Eleantra wanted, and feeling weaponless.

He then shouted, “Why are you here? I know you are looking for me for information, but why? Tell me what you want.”

“Fine,” Eleantra said as her stern gaze fixated on Valenius.

“I want to know why you are here, why the game brought you here, as a few others and I don’t like it when outsiders enter our worlds, as they cause nothing but trouble, casualties, and death.”

Valenius responded, “Val told me you fear us; I don’t know why I was brought here; Val is sure that the game hasn't been guided me because of you and Salintus.”

Eleantra tilted her head to the side with her left eyebrow raised slightly as she spoke, “What do you mean, I interrupted you?”

Valenius shook his head and whispered under his breath, “I don’t know.”

Eleantra then spoke in a curious tone, “Why is Val with you?”

Valenius said, “He'd save me and will help me, as he wants me to go home and fulfil the game's agenda.”

Valenius's body heated as he shouted, “That is all I am telling you, now go away.”

Eleantra opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly, it was interrupted by noise of a branch breaking.

Valenius's gaze went towards the noise, and there Val appeared behind the trees, holding his red sword, and he looked behind Valenius.

Valenius quickly returned to where Eleantra was, but she was gone.

As Val returned to Valenius who put his sword back into the sheath and asked, “Is everything okay?”

Valenius nodded.

Val smirked and said, “Good, now let's train.”