《The Forgotten Universe》 Chapter 1: The Brutal Wake-up Call (Why is this my daily life?) Ah! This sensation! The ecstasy! How could I have forgotten the aromatic scent of Iron-rich blood on steel swords; the melody of metal hitting metal, mixed with the screams of the dying!? This cant be me, can it? Was I really like this, before I left the city of the Drow, whose name eludes me, thousands of centuries after I left and forsook my heritage?. I dont know. I have forgotten everything about that place except how to decieve, assassinate, basic battle magic and fight on any battlefield. ____________________________________________________________________________ Drin, Drin, wake up! Its six oclock Whose angelic voice is raising me from whatever this is? I am actually in deep thought! Drin, last call, if you dont get up, I will I will... MELT ALL YOUR WEAPONS DOWN AND POUR THEM ON YOU! My eyes flew open and I went from lying on my back to sitting upright faster than a wind dragon ambushing its prey (its pretty damn fast when ambushing its prey, by the way), and my face collided with something soft, only for a moment, as the soft thing went flying across the room (it is a massive room) and hit the wall with a bang that didnt match what I had thought it could have been. I then saw that it was only Emilliot, and got angry. Emilliot. What have I said about waking me up before I wake up on my own; much less about threatening to touch my weapons! First off, we go through this every morning. The last time I let you sleep in, you slept for two months straight! Second of all, there is no other way of waking you up anymore. You sleep like a rock, despite not being a mountain giant. Dont tell me that the neighbors have rubbed off on you! Also, why do you only care about your weapons? Thats not true! I care about other things too. Like what? Cant a Drowen have some privacy!? Nope Fine. Fine. Ill get up. Bout time. Youll be late for todays updates. And why are you not answering my questions? No I wont be late. And the reason for not answering your question?... yes. That makes no sense, and you had better not be late, or else (smiles devilishly) (why does she look like shes going to enjoy whatever is going to happen if Im late!?) I will severely Punish you! (Damn! Why did she have to be such a sadist?) If you dont let me get dressed - I will never even be able to leave this room.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. See you in three minutes then. ____________________________________________________________________________ Good morning everyone. Where are Bookworm and Shadow? Im in my usual spot, Drin. and Bookworm is in the Great Library as usual. He is connected to me through mental link. Treat it as if hes here. If that is so, then you can hear me Bookworm, can you confirm that for me? Yep, I can hear you loud and clear Drin. but why do you have to interrupt my reading? What are you reading this time? A book about all possible divisions of species within Universe K. Really Shadow, do we have to go through this again? We already talked about Bookworm reading first thing in the morning, and especially about specie divisions (sigh). I heard that! Nevermind. So do we have any updates on the rumored tenth Universe? Or about the Capitals movements? No progress on the tenth so far, but as for the Capitals movements, we do. The capitals best negotiators were recently seen in realm FA. How recent is recently? 0107, local time If that is so, then we may have a harsh battle on our hands. Get everyone into defensive formations, and open the hidden armoury to all soldiers, regardless of rank. If the Drow come at us, we need to be prepared. And Bookworm, put the book down. Youre on duty as of right now, so get your slithering ass over here pronto. Copy? Roger that, I will be there shortly. Asshole, making me leave this perfectly good book. No moxie, Bookworm. Just hide the book in a place where only you will find it, bookmark it, and Get. Over. Here. NOW! Alright, alright, Im coming! Im coming! Yep, I can hear you loud and clear Drin. but why do you have to interrupt my reading? What are you reading this time? A book about all possible divisions of species within Universe K. Really Shadow, do we have to go through this again? We already talked about Bookworm reading first thing in the morning, and especially about specie divisions (sigh). I heard that! Nevermind. So do we have any updates on the rumored tenth Universe? Or about the Capitals movements? No progress on the tenth so far, but as for the Capitals movements, we do. The capitals best negotiators were recently seen in realm FA. How recent is recently? 0107, local time If that is so, then we may have a harsh battle on our hands. Get everyone into defensive formations, and open the hidden armoury to all soldiers, regardless of rank. If the Drow come at us, we need to be prepared. And Bookworm, put the book down. Youre on duty as of right now, so get your slithering ass over here pronto. Copy? Roger that, I will be there shortly. Asshole, making me leave this perfectly good book. No moxie, Bookworm. Just hide the book in a place where only you will find it, bookmark it, and Get. Over. Here. NOW! Alright, alright, Im coming! Im coming! Chapter 2 The elven “visitor” (I want to remain in hiding! Please leave!) About time Bookworm. Its been thirty minutes. Screw you Drin. you know how far the great library is from this place. How are our supplies for the invisibility spell? Were out of transparency stone, we need to acquire some more. Also, we are running dangerously low on inscription chalk and jewels. I will soon be heading out to the Mountain Giants to obtain these ingredients, and more provisions. Drin. Weve been here for 6000 years. You seriously expect the Mountain Giants to uphold their end of the bargain we made with them? Even after even 50 years? No, Bookworm. I dont expect them to uphold their end of the bargain; I will make them uphold their end of the bargain. Happy? Good enough. ____________________________________________________________________________ The Mountain Giants are said to be the strongest Giant species. But those who have interacted with them will either know otherwise, or doubt that idea (hopefully they do it quietly). In truth, it is the Enetes, the Tree Giants who are number one. Their memory, intelligence, height, and brute strength greatly surpasses that of the Mountain clan; but they dont like to be in the spotlight, so they let their dumb, forgetful cousins take that title. ____________________________________________________________________________ At this point, I am suiting up for an expedition into the Giants sacred territory, and I left Shadow and Bookworm to guard the entrance, which is a really bad idea (and I dont learn at all).If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Drin. Yeah, Shadow? There is someone heading our way. I issued the standard threats and warnings, but they havent changed course. Please come to the front entrance. Just Someone wont cut it. Bookworm, I need specific features. Gender, race, armament, gender. Everything. You said gender twice. Are you that sexualy frustrated And it matters why I said gender twice?... AND WHO SAID THAT I WAS SEXUALLY FRUSTRATED?! Anyways, get me the information. Way ahead of you. They appears to be female, blonde, busty, traveling alone, carrying no weapons of any kind. The fool, not carrying any weapons, and traveling alone. And what race is she? You dont want to know. Yes, I do. No, you dont. Trust me. Tell me goddammit! Or I will prohibit you from leaving the place for six years! Alright, she is a High Elf. and please let me go back to the library! Fuck! ____________________________________________________________________________ The High Elf. The strongest of the elf race. Stuck up species. They loathe all of the elf species other than their own, just because they arent number one. Stereotypical nobles at their best. I cant stand to even think about them. I am not alone in this negative opinion, although for me, I have a much stronger version of the general populace feelings. Chapter 3: The ambassador to the N. Mountains (This chapter’s title is long because that title) What do you mean, turn back now! Do you know what I am? Yes I know what species you are, and it isnt changing anything. Judging by your eyes and forehead, you are probably a Surface Drow. Not like it makes any difference. You are still lower than me! If the mere sight of me is just that detestable to you, you won''t want to meet the master of this place. Not to mention that he has more reason to hate your species than anyone that I know of. And I know of a lot of people. What''s that supposed to mean? This (I flipped her off with both fingers! Ive waited so long for this moment)! Stuck up bitch. Who are you? You don''t even look remotely like an elf, how could you be the Shadow, please return to the armory and take Bookworm with you. Neither of you want to be present for the next few minutes. Understood. Best of luck to you and your guest. (chuckle) WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY Best of luck to you and your guest? I dont wanna hear it. Judging from your poise, vocabulary, and tones, Id say you were a noble of Elvengarde, the city of the Elves. From one of the five administrative council families. Am I correct, you spoiled, stuck-up, arrogant High Elf?If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. How do you, an outsider, know about the structure of Elvengarde so well? And why do you insult this perfect race as such trash? For the insults, I can go on and on, and still only scratch the surface. I have quite the history with your race, and it aint pretty. I will ignore the first question, for personal reasons.Considering that you are of the highest rank of the High Elves, I suppose that I must introduce myself using the ancient (and retarded) format (which I hate with a passion). I am of the dark element, yet of the light. I am a Drowen. My skin is gray; nearly as dark as coal, symbolizing the nature of my species immediate ancestry. The whites of my eyes are white; whiter than the freshly fallen snow - to make my enemies think that I am innocent while in combat. And my pupils are black; blacker than the void, - able to peer into your soul. I am Drin of no family worth mentioning, the Drowen; at your (dont vomit, dont vomit, dont vomit!) service. Are you happy now, or do I have to use the knights introduction, which is even longer, as it lists all of my deeds as a knight? And why are you such a cliche? Please dont. Thank you for using the formal introduction. As much as I am interested with your exploits as a knight, that can wait for another day. Arent you forgetting something I said? What did I miss? Why are you such a cliche? What do you mean, a cliche? Well, you are an elf, with easily recognizable elf features. You are blonde and have blue eyes. And finally, you are the bustiest girl I have ever met! How is that not a cliche? (I finally get to make fun of a cliche! This may just be the best day of my life!) Pervert! Ill bring my father into this! Hell never forgive you after he hears what you said to me! Thank god, she stormed off. I may have to invoke the terms of the ancient deal with Elvengarde, but at least I can remain in hiding a little longer. Let''s hope that they havent voided the contract, or I will have to masacre innocent footmen, Elves, no less. Now, to get those transparency stones. Chapter 4: Reunion with the non-dick High Elf (Seriously, he is the only one that I can stand) (What the hell? Why is someone at the front doors? I havent invited anyone here for centuries!) I am Richard A. Orgin. It has come to my attention that the ambassador sent to this sector has been insulted. This behavior shall not be tolerated! Would the individual who is responsible for the crime step forward and receive your punishment! That response is faster than I anticipated. At least I was able to equip all of my weapons, and the box too. And why is it Dick who is here now? Jesus Christ, Dick! If you''re talking about the ambassador chick, I''ll apologize! (Even though I only stated the truth) Well damn me to the city of the Drow! Who would have thought that it was actually you, Drin! The report sounded like the comment came from you! Or someone who has the exact same sense of humor as you, which is almost impossible! How''ve you been? Wait, daddy, you know this fucktard? Oh, hes only the hero of the Dark Species War, and my closest friend. Wait, Dick, she''s your daughter!? I wouldn''t have been as rude with my introduction, had I known. Although my last comment still stands. Yes, I agree with that comment. Daddy! What, its true! Anyways, allow me to properly introduce my daughter, Yamada A. Orgin, next successor to the Orgin familyIf you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. You are the hero of the Dark Species War? Then what are you doing here? And why is that creepy bastard working for you. Indeed, I am that hero. If you paid attention in your classes, and my contract still stands, you will know that I betrayed realm CaK, the capital realm, to help your species. And there are many times that I regret it, as your father knows all too well. I am here, as this is one of the few areas not under control of realm CaK, allowing me to search for something which I am not at liberty to discuss. Also, I never worked for your father. He was the only one of the warrior families was willing to have me working with him, rather than for him. And why is it that you can''t tell us? That, my daughter, is because of an old contract we made with him. Additionally, I already know what he is searching for. It was good to see you again, Drin. Yamada, we are not to speak of this event ever. Period. Should you want to learn more about him, I will send you over to him, and you will not be able to come home for a long time. And Drin, I agree about the comment, and she is way to cliche. Yamada, some advice, learn to use a weapon. Traveling alone, without a weapon of any kind, and with a body like yours will only bring trouble for you. Dick, I am willing to temporarily travel to Elvengarde and give her her first weapon. Its necessary. That will not be necessary. Considering that it is you, I will leave her here with you. I will make sure a believable story about why Yamada didnt return with me is fabricated. I expect that your armoury is still as vast as ever? Indeed it is. The timing of this encounter is quite intriguing, as we are in the middle of potential war preparations. So the training she''ll receive will be much more rigorous than what I usually like to do. That said, she''ll have to come with me for now, as I need to negotiate with the Mountain Giants. We are out of transparency stones and other supplies. Farewell old friend, and may our gears mesh once again. Indeed, it seems that it is an intriguing time to reconnect. And I do believe that it will benefit her to meet the mountain Giants. Farewell, Drin. Chapter 5: The Mountain Giant salesman (They are almost the same as a moose, but not smelly.) Like it says in the title of this chapter, as a species, Mountain Giants are like moose, but not smelly. They are big, dumb, and stupid. Don''t tell them that I said that - they would kill me on sight. However, there is one major exception - the salesman which I will be visiting this chapter, and hopefully in future chapters - as he actually has a brain for business, and knows how the outside world works. I can always get a great price from him, and it is usually cheaper than market price, which is great, as I can buy other things that we may or may not need in the future. ____________________________________________________________________________ Hey, Lowlife, what city did you say that we were heading for again? First off, you are to address me as Drin, instructor, or just plain ''sir. Lowlife shall not be tolerated. Second, we are not heading to any city. We are going to the area with the largest concentration of Mountain Giants, hardly a city, as they are the only ones who have access to the transparency stones. I have a contract with them,so they are required to oblige. Okay, sir, so what do I do while you are doing your business? Wow! That ''sir was way too forced. But to answer your question, you will be with me in the negotiations. I would like you to learn valuable skills. Negotiating is one such skill. ____________________________________________________________________________If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. I am on a limited budget, my friend, and this is twice the amount you asked for last time. Give me the same deal and we''re good to go! Drin, I''ve told you, the market value has gone up. I can''t charge you the same deal as before. I''m sorry. Sixty percent of the new deal. What do you think? Ninety five percent. Sixty percent and I lose money. Sixty one percent. Drin, why are you arguing with him over the price of the stones? Drin, I''ve been meaning to ask you, but what is that girl doing here with you? I remember you being the antisocial type. She is my student. An old friend of mine asked me to take care of her for the time being. And Yamada, what we are doing is called haggling. It makes sure that you get a good deal at the market, and if you know what you are doing, then you can get the product at a really cheap price. He''s right. It is a very common practice in marketplaces. You should pay attention. Now, where were we? Oh! I remember. I had just offered sixty one percent. Nay, it isnt much better than sixty percent. Eighty percent. Are you trying to break my wallet? Seventy percent. Make it seventy five, and not a penny lower! My next offer. Seventy five percent it is. Pleasure doing business with you. Same here. And come back soon. You know that I am the only one who even remembers you anyways. Indeed you are. See you in another hundred years for more stones. Earlier for emergency shopping. As always, Drin. As always. Chapter 6: The cliche gang (Seriously, we each have our own cliches, can you believe that!?) Well, I guess it''s time. Time for what, Drin? For you to officially meet your other instructors. As overpowered as the author made me, I still have my shortcomings. You''ve already spoke with one of us, before you met me. I did!? Yes, you did. That was Shadow. He is a male Surface Drow, and supposed to be the twin brother to Emiliot. You''ll meet her in a bit. Don''t expect to learn more about Shadow, that is all that he has ever given away about himself. So how many people are you introducing me to? There are four of us that are important to your training right now. We will assess your strengths and weaknesses, and instruct you accordingly. You will also receive your first weapon, which is always a day you will remember. And perfect timing! We''re at the meeting hall. Are they like you at all? To an extent, yes, they are similar to me. Oh boy. What? ____________________________________________________________________________ So, who did you want us to meet, Drin? Emiliot, Shadow, Bookworm, allow me to formally introduce you to Yamada S. Orgin. Dick''s daughter, and his successor of his family.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Yamada, what are your plans for Drin? Are you going to be a love rival!? What? What? Nani? (Sigh) Bookworm, what have I said about reading Manga during your research time? Emiliot, what did I say about asking that sort of question. And why are you asking that question to girls, about me? Sorry, Drin, it''s not my fault. And how is it not your fault, exactly? The author loves Manga so much that he had to incorporate a character that also loved Manga. That character just happened to be me. Fair point, Bookworm. Fair point.So anyways, Yamada, on my left is Emiliot Darkoak. Her cliche is that she is the main heroine who is also insanely strong. She is also the martial artist of the group, due to her brute strength. On her left is the assassin cliche, Shadow. You won''t get much personal information off of him, no matter how hard you try. Trust me, I know. And finally, on my right, is Bookworm, the cliche that needs no explanation. He is a thirty foot work that reads books. A literal and figurative bookworm, on every possible level. And what cliche are you Drin? Me, I''m the main character cliche, I am extremely powerful, and hold at least one secret technique that no one else can use. Is that so? Well, what cliche am I, if I even have one? That has been answered already. You are the ''larger elf cliche. Blonde hair, blue eyes, pointed ears and a large bust. Okay, but what do you mean by ''larger''? Well, the other cliche is the small breasted elf, with the same elven features. I would slap you, but I really am not surprised anymore. Is that all you think about? Heavens no! I am usually down to earth and unbelievably serious. Let me have some fun every so often! Fine, pervert. Hey! Anyways, to figure out what your optimal weapon is, Emiliot will spar with you multiple times and report to me with the results. Dont take any part of this training lightly, as you can die if you do. Chapter seven: The harsh start to training (Here comes the sadistic drill sergeant cliche.) Alright, heres the deal Yamada. And I want you to listen, as I will only say this once. I will spar with you ten times. Each time, I will change something about how I fight. I will try and provoke you each round, with increasing ferocity each time. You will have the opportunity to choose your weapon, if any, after the first bout. Understand? No, I dont. Why does the test have to be set up like this? How does it even make sense for my training to start like this? That, my dear, is the realm of Bookworm. But to answer your question on a basic level, each weapon class has its own personality. For example, the swords are proud, the bows are cocky, the daggers are cunning and deceitful, and the shields are humble, kind, and nondiscriminatory. This phase of your training will determine your first weapon, your combat instructor, any attitude based flaws you may have, and the exact pacing of your training. ____________________________________________________________________________ Yamada! Are you winded already!? Its only the second match! How am I (gasp) not (gasp) supposed to (gasp) be (gasp) winded already (gasp)? If you are going to fight, you need to improve your stamina. Understand you fucking High Elf? Why (gasp) do you (gasp) condescend me (gasp)? Because I have to provoke you. I said that in the rules at the beginning. Also, you dont have time to be winded! Recover during this fight or I will personally tie you to a bungee cord and throw you off the highest cliff in the whole mountain range, and laugh! Understand me?A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. (gasp) Yes, I understand. (gasp) ____________________________________________________________________________ Drin, here is the report of the results of the sparring matches, just as you asked me to deliver. Yamadas strengths lie in the mind, as she has a tactician''s mind, has cunning plans that are adaptable, but that comes at the price of terrible stamina, endurance, and knack to keep a cool head when under multiple stressors. Personally, I would recommend daggers and/or a collapsible bow, although I do believe that she could also benefit from the sword. That is all Thanks Emiliot. I will start by training her in the sword, and then I will split the lessons with Shadow for the dagger. The collapsible bow requires too much strength and stamina, so I will withhold that weapon from her for now. You will be in charge of her hand-to-hand and hand-to-weapon combat training, and her endurance/stamina training. Please relay to the others my verdict on the training regimen. Understood. The order shall be relayed. Oh, and Emiliot? Yes Drin? What is Yamadas state right now? I would call her three quarters dead. She passed out right after the tenth round - which exceeded my expectations - and is now sleeping in my quarters with a jug of water next to her. Once the orders are relayed, keep watch over her. This will allow us to test her vitality, which may just be her strongest point, just like her father. ____________________________________________________________________________ Drin! Drin! She woke up and is completely fine, other than being severely dehydrated! How long was she out for Emiliot? Sixty three minutes, give or take three minutes Wow! That was even faster than Dicks record! Feed her, tend to her, give her her own personal quarters, and let her rest today. The real training starts tomorrow. Drin, important update. The representatives from realm CaK have left realm FA as of yesterday, and there is now a lone Drow warrior en route to our general location. Chapter 8: An old ”friend” comes to visit (Was he ever a really friend to me?) Drin, important update. The representatives from realm CaK have left realm FA as of yesterday, and there is now a lone Drow warrior en route to our general location. Damn! Shadow, are there any markings that either you or bookworm can locate that would indicate his family, his status, and/or a contract from realm CaK? Im a step ahead of you Drin. He carries three separate items bearing the crest of the Blading family, Which three items, Bookworm? Thanks for interrupting me Drin. The three items are his sword guards, the cape on his back, and the pouch over his nape. Fuck! There are only two people who I know of who wear their family crests like so. And only one would be recommended for this type of solo work. Is there a contract, Bookworm?If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Yes, there is a contract. Using one of my more dangerous spells, I decoded the contents of the contract, and it says that realm CaK has narrowed our location down to universes K and R. And do you need the social status of the one under contract? No, the pouch and cloak tell me everything I need to know about his social status. Unless he hasnt died yet, which is more than likely, that is Narriffian Blading, whose prowess and cunning, back when I lived among the Drow, was second only to me. Hes been chasing after me since we met at the sword fighting academy in the city of the Drow. Sounds like a heart-wrenching reunion is about to take place here. Ha! Thats funny Shadow! Can it! Both of you! Bookworm, activate the invisibility spell. I would rather avoid a conflict with Narriffian, if possible. Understood. Right away. Chapter 9: The epic training montage (Narriffian aint getting here for a while, so we capitalize) Wake up Yamada! Its reverly! Rise and shine! Up you go! Git your ass out of bed! Your battle skills arent training themselves! Ugh. Five more minutes Drin, then Ill get up. No time for that. I should have woken you up earlier, but Ill be nice to you for day one. What time is it? Three am. And thats a late start for a day of training. Then Ill revise the request. Five more hours. Please. No sympathy. Git up. Youre getting your first weapon today, and you getto draw it out from one of the best weapons storage facility across the universal realms. Already!? Im up! Im up! When do we head down? In five hours. Until then, I will spar with you - with wooden blades of course - so I can recommend you a good weapon class for you. You will also learn bonding techniques for you and your blade. What are bonding techniques, and why do I need to learn them? The bonding techniques are what you use to bond with your blade.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Each blade has a personality - usually one that is a copy of, or nearly identical to yours. To unlock the true potential of that blade, you must learn all about its personality, and interact with it on a constant basis. In some extreme cases, the quality of the blade itself is dependent on the bond between blade and wielder. What are those extreme cases? They sound powerful. There are two types of blades that are under this type of case. The first is the spirit blade, which I have mastered. The second is very similar, but has a hard to pronounce name, and is unique to realm KT. One of its most powerful users is actually a ginger haired teen with an honorable sense of protection for his precious ones. Is it difficult to learn how to use those? Extremely. It usually takes five to ten years to activate the first release of that blade. Even longer for the second release. The spirit blade has three releases, rather than the two releases that you will find in its cousin from ream KT. I doubt that you will start off with a spirit blade, considering how long it takes to start to learn it. ____________________________________________________________________________ Edit in ten hours of epic training sequence here. (It was so intense that I [the author] couldnt put it in to the story - to protect you, the reader, from its pure, murderous intensity. I had trouble even letting this little amount of the training get in to this little area, as it was just that intense.) ____________________________________________________________________________ Drin, what time is it? I feel like its been more than five hours. Its three pm. You got so absorbed into the training that you trained for ten hours instead of five. Dont worry, the armoury is still open. Thank goodness! I thought that the armoury would be closed if we didnt make our appointment. Good thing it isnt. Well then, come with me and finally receive your first weapon. Chapter ten: Yamada’s first weapon (I have no sarcastic comment for this. Congratulations to her.) Oh boy! I wonder what my first weapon will be! Eeeeeeee! What kind of blade it will be! And why are you smiling Drin? Oh, Im just reminiscing. It is a moment you dont forget, and will always look on with elation. Your behavior reminds me of myself when I first got my spirit blade. Dont worry, it is by no means a bad thing. I would encourage this sort of reaction, rather than distance my disciples. Really!? So I can fangirl over my first weapon!? I wasnt expect that from you, but knock yourself out! And look at that, we are at the entrance to the armoury! REALLY!? Yep, go inside. The armoury will provide you with weapons that it feels would be fit for you, so dont worry. Im sure that you will be satisfied with what it recommends you. Although i doubt that either one of us will fully predict what it brings out for you. I cant wait! Eeeeeeeek! Well then, no use to beat around the bush any longer. In we go! ____________________________________________________________________________ Ah! Here it is. The first weapons table. This table takes your personality and recommendations from those it has dubbed a grandmaster, myself included, of course. Later on, I will take you to a novice table where the armoury enchantments will make you a better suited choice based on the above mentioned criteria, but starts to include your personal fighting styles and past fights. Then come the beginner, intermediate, and master tables, which will draw on your knowledge of magic and a few other smaller categories. So how do I start off with my new weapons? Simple. Sit here at the table and momentarily it shall give you your first weapon. I can''t say more than that. To make a long story short, the novice tables are extremely slow, so I was surprised that Yamada hasn''t moved for the six hours that we were waiting for the weapons. But when they finally came, it was in an unusual combinationThis novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Interesting. Whats interesting Drin? Usually, there is only one blade, or a pair of twins. But you got three daggers, two of which are definitely made for combat, although I am not so sure about the third - it looks to nice for combat, and you got a short sword, which usually is paired with a long sword, or a twin. Ill have Bookworm appraise them, if it is okay with you, of course. Sure, why not! Alright. By tonight, your new gear will be appraised and organized in your room. If I know the author well, he probably ran out of ideas for the upcoming chapters, so he will probably put in a character soon just so he can make a few well played gags. ____________________________________________________________________________ Little does Drin know, but I havent run out of ideas. Although he is right about the upcoming character and possible gags with that character. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - And little does the author know that I am reading what he is writing as it enters the document. Thanks for the spoilers! Also, I just realized that we worked together and broke the fourth wall while in the middle of a fourth wall break! I hope some of you get the reference I worked hard to make. ____________________________________________________________________________ I knew all along that you were reading what I wrote as soon as it enters this document which I couldnt explain because somebody interrupted me speaking. Deadpool. Not to mention, you may or may not be unintentionally modeled after me, so I know everything about how you operate. And dont forget, I am the one who even lets you be the sarcastic cunt that you are in the chapter titles! So shut it! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fine! You win his time! Hope you are happy with your life! ____________________________________________________________________________ I am happy with my life right now. Thank you for being so concerned Drin. - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Oh fuck off! Chapter eleven: Sword and dagger (I’m not salty about that argument, I swear!) ____________________________________________________________________________ Sure youre not Drin. And my name is Alotta Fagina. (For you Austin Powers fans, here is your time to shine. If you havent watched Austin Powers, you really should. It is a hilarious movie series.) ___________________________________________________________________________ Three months passed since the previous chapter. As expected, it was nothing but harsh training for Yamada and her weapons. Her proficiency in both armed and unarmed combat are impressive, and her stamina, endurance, and vitality levels are unbelievable. However, she knows nothing about magic and the magical incantation alphabet yet. She never really payed attention to Bookworm during his lessons - which is a shame because his lessons are never boring, extremely interesting, actually - she just didnt want to listen to a professor drone on and on and on and on ____________________________________________________________________________ Yamada! Please pay attention! These lessons are arguably more important than actual training. Your life may depend on your knowledge of the properties of the basic magical elements! Why should I have to listen to a professor drone on while lecturing? Thats why youve never payed attention for the past three months!? (chuckle) my dear, if you were to listen, youd realize that I never do that! If you dont believe me, then ask Drin, Emmiliot, or Shadow. They all started off like you, not paying attention to me, but they learned their lessons the hard way, not the easy way, like you have right now. Really? I want proof. If you want proof, there is a way. Drin wont like it though - Ive seen him lose his hair due to the sheer worry that he will be caught, which is less than a 0.0000000000001% chance, with my spells activated. There is a tournament in one month for young fighters at your skill level. I will speak with him about it, but I want you to go all out from the very beginning of the first round. Understood? But why all out from round one?The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Youll understand eventually. I am not at liberty to state the reason right now. Alright, tomorrow Ill pay attention to your lesson. I think its better to spare his nerves for the time being. For today, I wish to slack off. Hahahaha! At least train your communication with your blades. I can tell that that your communications are sub-par at best. I cant. Ive made the connection with the blades multiple times, but each responds with the same spiel. I have a few questions, first, could you describe each ones form? And second, would you please tell me this spiel? If it is within my abilities, I will be able to help you. Alright. The spiel is: You hold one, not four; One is cunning; Two is showing off; Three is powerful and proud; And four is one. You are blind. One piece of the puzzle is in your hands, but the rest are crying - neglected. Ponder these words. They are your future. The four are a muscle packed man, two of them are almost completely the same, and the fourth is very flashy and extravagant with anything he does. So, can you please help me with this Bookworm? I wish I could, however, it is never allowed for an outsider to tell a wielder how to cogitate the riddles given to him or her by their weapon. These riddles, spiels, and lectures are all made to challenge you and make you grow. That being said, the only hint I can possibly give you is to study the personalities of all weapons, which will be tomorrows lesson. In that case, could you please fast forward your plans to today? Not exactly, but I will be able to give you a very abbreviated version of it tonight, and tomorrow, Ill let you ponder the riddle/spiel all day. How does that sound? Really!?! Really. OH MY GOSH! THANK YOU SO MUCH SENSEI!! I WILL DEVOTE MYSELF TO ALL OF YOUR LESSONS IN THE FUTURE!!! EEEEEEEEEEEK!!!! Hahahahahahahahahah! Thats the best reaction Ive ever had to something like this! Hahaha! Oh, that was great! Are you making fun of me? Not at all. That really was the funniest reaction Ive ever received for anything Ive done. Now, go train, and I will meet you outside the armoury at 2300 hours sharp. Dont be late. Chapter twelve: The solution (If she wasnt so naive, she would have figured the riddle out by now) ____________________________________________________________________________ Before we proceed to your regularly scheduled reading, I suppose that some background is due at this point. There has been mention of realms, universes, and many confusing characters. So to start this chapter off, I might start off with explaining the world in which this story takes place. Universal realms The Universes:
  1. Keystone - records - K (ranked highest)
  2. Inventory - I (rank 2)
  3. Research - R (rank 3)
  4. Warrior - W(rank 7)
  5. Assassin - A (rank 6)
  6. Spy - S (rank 5)
  7. Diplomacy - D (rank 8)
  8. Comedy - Co (ranked lowest)
  9. Capital - Ca (rank 4)
  10. ??? - Forgotten
-all universes have capital realm (Keystone realm) -keystone universe, Keystone realm (realm KK, or double K) is our world Drin originally of realm FA, currently resides in realm KR (Keystone, Research) because Bookworm wont go anywhere else. ____________________________________________________________________________ Since the last chapter, Yamada received her lesson on the personality of weapons (effectively covered earlier by Emiliot), and is now trying to get her blades to open up to her. She is now in the great training hall with each blade positioned next to her. The majority of this chapter will take place inside of her internal world, where the personalities of her blades reside. ____________________________________________________________________________ You have not answered my riddle yet. Here it is again. You hold one, not four; One is cunning; Two is showing off; Three is powerful and proud; And four is one. You are blind. One piece of the puzzle is in your hands, but the rest are crying - neglected.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Only visit once you have this riddle solved, Yamada. So, did you look around you? I solved your riddle, and entered the place where all four of you reside. Now, please introduce yourselves. Well done, but that was only the first test. We had the time to prepare four more tests for you to complete before you can truly wield us Stop right there, you said one riddle, and I would know your name. What is this about me having to do extra work? Are you not a man of your word? Alright. You win. You caught on to the hidden rule in this test, and as promised, we will tell you our names. But to truly be recognized as our wielder, you have to figure out which of us personifies which blade. And dont take anything at face value. Allow me to name myself first. I am Nichin. I am Yonshu. I am Brutus. And I am Skeward. Alright, I can already match at least two of you to your blades. Brutus, you are blade number three - the broadsword. Skeward you are blade two, the dagger for show. Nichin and Yonshu, I wish to ask you one question. Ask away. Which of you was forged first? We all came from the same spirit blade, but I was the first to be separated. In that case, Yonshu, you are the fourth blade, and last dagger, while Nichin, your twin is the first dagger, and the leader of you four. Well done. I thought that we could throw you off with some misleading information, but it is true that we were part of a spirit blade. Is there a way for me to combine you into your original form? Yes, but you will need assistance from that Drowen friend of yours, as he knows the procedure of recombination. I will see what I can do. Hopefully Drin can help us out ____________________________________________________________________________ Nope, sorry Yamada. This type of separation is a five piece procedure. There is no way for me to put them back together right now. Then what can I do, Drin? Train with them individually. Everyone here will try to help you find the last piece of your blade. So we just have to find One Piece? Aye we do, me hearty. Arg. (Please tell me [the author] that you got this obvious reference. If you didnt, become a weeb, and walk the true path to power my young padawan Somebody please end my cringy self.) What is up with the sarcastic pirate accent? With all of the references and homages in the story, I am surprised you didnt catch on! And as a punishment, thats all that I will say. No! Please! Tell me the fucking reference already! Im begging you! In your dreams! Well I bet you havent heard of this one yet. Oh-ho! Is that so? Then tell me this storyline. Generic protagonist gets trapped in a virtual world for four years. Towards the end of that time, he finally develops a boner for tits-mcgee. Yeah, Ive may or may not have heard of it, but I expect all of the other events of the story after he leaves that virtual world will make the whole series absolutely shit. Chapter 13: A new character!? (And she’s a bitch, to top it off!) For the first character to be revealed, I chose the one that will be introduced this chapter. Youll understand why hopefully. Name: Karma Age: Who the hell even cares. Shes a bitch. Height: Who the hell even cares. Shes a bitch. Gender: Female Race: Who the hell even cares. Shes a bitch. Home: Who the hell even cares. Shes a bitch. Status: Professional bitch Weapons: Her sharp tongue. Shes a bitch after all. Noteworthy mentions: Shes a bitch Personality: Shes a bitch ____________________________________________________________________________ Hey, Drin. we have a new visitor at our front door, and she is asking for you by name. Alright. Ill check it out.better not be Karma. Fucking bitch! I wasted centuries operating under her bitchy ass leadership. ____________________________________________________________________________ Long time no see Drin. Howve you been? And to think I was accepting anything less with this douchebag of an author writing this story. ____________________________________________________________________________ Sarcastic cunt! Thank you very much. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Whatever. Anyways, I dont know why I even got my hopes up. Of course its Karma at the door. What do you want bitch? Hey! Is that any way to greet a former colleague that you havent seen in over twenty centuries? Colleague describes our relationship in very, very liberal terms. How did you find out that I was hiding in this place, and why are you here? Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Well, it wasnt hard for my Genius intellect to figure out where an insect like you would be hiding, and I came here to give you a deal that you may like very much. You didnt answer my first question completely. How did you even know I was in hiding? Because I know you very well. I bet that you know even less about yourself than you think. Which, I admit, is about what I was expecting, considering that you are about the same level as pond scum. Okay, what is this deal you have for me? And it had better be worth my time. (Which I doubt it will be.) I have some information that may be of interest to you regarding realm KK and the rumored tenth universe. But I am not giving it to you for free. I figured as much. What embarrassing thing does a sadistic bitch like you want me to do this time. What was that Drin? Oh boy. She just gave me The Eyes. I havent spoken to many people since I went into hiding, so I guess Ill have fun with her. She is only a tsuntsun, not tsundere. You heard me right Karma. I just called you a sadistic bitch. That face she makes when I piss her off that much is just priceless! Take that back this instant! Okay. I take it back. You are not a sadistic bitch. You are a fucking first-class major sadistic tsuntsun bitch! Oho! Bringing rank in are we? General Cant-Be-Honest-With-Himself? You still cant take or distribute a good insult properly. No wonder you never got past major first class bitch. And for the record, Even though I was a higher rank than you, I only stayed because of my orders. You couldnt even raise a candle wick to what I was in charge of day in and day out. And what do you mean by Cant-Be-Honest-With-Himself? You could never admit that you liked me. Never liked you. So direct! So what do you want me to do this time bitch? Enlist me as an informant in your ranks. If I do, I want to make sure that there are terms that we can both agree on. First, you report here in person once a month, or earlier if, and only if, something drastic occurs, or Shadow sends you a telepathic message directly asking you to return. Second, when investigating, use your alias, and network phrase only, which will be provided at a later time. Third, and most importantly, your reports are made to Shadow, and Shadow only, unless I come in person (which I heavily doubt will happen). Understood? Mostly. For what purpose would I need the alias and network phrase? Security. If you accept my terms, you will be given an alias and a network phrase. This helps to realm Cak off the scent of where we really are. Using the network phrase guarantees safety for you and any other network outlets, as only those who can say the network, and have a valid alias can enter the location. And if you think that you can work as a double agent for realm CaK, think again. Outside of my private circle, I have at least three informants in each realm. They all can contact me within a millisecond of an occurrence. I will know if you betray us, and will authorize all of my forces to hunt you down, which usually ends in a long, painful, gruesome death. Often by one of the rarer and more dangerous species I have alliances with. So what do you say? Accept my terms, or die. I cant risk security like this, so those are the only two options at the moment. Okay. I accept. Ill be somewhat nice today. Your new alias is Karma. Dont worry. You are a rare case, so I will let you have your original name. What do you mean by that, Drin? Why should I know? All I can say is yes. Now scram, and go ruin someone elses day! Chapter 14: The search for the core segment begins (How long till the next fourth wall break?) Race: Dragons Description: Proud, rare, powerful, and majestic - this race is one of the most dangerous and adaptive in the universal realms. They only acknowledge the strong, and are extremely territorial. When they are born, they are just dragons, but as they leave the nest, they take on traits that will benefit them almost immediately. These traits are essential when hunting, fighting with other dragons, or for a display their power. Some common examples include: wind, fire, stone, hydraic (water), lightning, light, and dark. There are some unusual dragon types. These include: EMP, gravity, and glass. The rarest type is the tangible dragon, which is usually invisible, but still there (camouflage dragon). No rankings for this race. They will come into play in a bit. ____________________________________________________________________________ Finally! I managed to get rid of Karma! I can finally relax! So Drin, what was you history with that woman? You seemed to know her quite well? That, Yamada, was a fellow former knight to the Capital realm Supreme Knight Order, First Brigade, First Squadron, although the term knight is a far stretch for that woman. The Capital realm Supreme Knight Order, First Brigade, First Squadron was reserved for only the most powerful of the Capital Knights Order knights. She was our superior, but in name only. The real leader was me. Sadly, that unit no longer exists anymore. It doesnt exist anymore!? Why? Many reasons. The largest of them being our aliegences, and political tensions. What do you mean by aliegences? I can understand the political tensions, but not the aliegences. Our first allegiance was to the knights code. Our second allegiance was to the common man, which should come as a no-brainer, as that is a central part to the knights code. The third allegiance was to the capital, but only if the previous aliegences werent violated. This is what caused the political tensions that ultimately brought us down. We used to number four hundred strong, but now we only number sixty nine.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Thats horrible! And how do you know that there are sixty nine? I keep in close contact with sixty seven of them, and I know that it is practically impossible to kill Karma with their current level of power. And the sixty ninth member, is me. What happened that reduced your numbers so much? If you were all among the strongest, then why are only 17.25% of your original members still alive? Many were executed on false charges, but most of them died to age. Many of us, myself included aged in the thousands of centuries, and a good amount of those were ancient. They thankfully all passed away peacefully. There were a few others that I wish not to confide just yet, as they are just horrific to even think about. One of those members was a very close friend to me, so it hurt twice as much as the other ones to die from similar situations. Moving on though, Karma can be trusted fully. There are maybe fifteen people total that I can confidently trust fully, out of the thousands, if not ten thousands Ive met over the years. So what will happen next? Youve made a lot of big movements over the past month, so the Capital realm will probably be the next ones to knock on your front door. Well, first off, I wonder who is to blame for setting off those big movements you just mentioned. Second off, I have a few plans for this sort of event, and I go through them like a list. The next one on the list is one of my personal favorites. A very close friend of mine agreed to provide shelter to us should the need arise. His place is not only very homey, but it is one of the safest across all nine known universes, safer than here by leagues. How safe is safe? Safe enough that the Capital realm will not come within thirty leagues of his lair. Shadow, stop scaring me! Wait, are you purposely trying to piss me off now? And I thought that you were sharp! It took you this long to pick up on the trick. Youve grown dull. I may have grown dull, but not by much. Anyways Yamada, Shadow is correct about the safety of the location. I wont tell you of what species he is, as that would ruin the surprise for you and the readers. Also the author wants people to think! Can you believe that!? He wants us to THINK!? Unbelievable! Chapter 15: Running away? I call it a tactical retreat! (And no ones the wiser. Take that Capital!) Magic rankings: In order from lowest to highest: Bronze-5, Bronze-4, Bronze-3, Bronze-2, Bronze-1, Silver-4, Silver-3, Silver-2, Silver-1, Gold-3, Gold-2, Gold-1, Diamond, Obsidian, Black-gold, Double Black-gold, Legend -The higher the ranking, the higher the mana cost to cast and maintain --There are less of the higher level spells than the lower level spells, so the number of sub classes also decreases. ____________________________________________________________________________ Bookworm, could you please deploy tactical retreat protocall 12Ad345 immediately. Why Drin? Why? I have enough trouble remembering all of the protocols without you changing the names every time you use them! Now is the above mentioned protocall the one where we lock ourselves in, or the one where we run away to some remote place and hope for the best? The third one Bookworm. The one where you establish portal to some remote place, lock up the lair with the highest level spells, and we jump through the portal, leaving no trace that we ever were there. Not that one! Pleas, anything but that one! No. We are going to stay at Cams place, and its been such a long time since Ive seen him. We are going. You just want me to do all the work while you get the easy way out.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. What makes you say that? Im not even going to try to answer that one Drin. but I am putting Yamada to work under me for this job. I hope that she will learn how to better her mana control. Fair enough. Ill allow it. What spells will she use? Only one. Mana Reservoir. She can replenish more than enough mana on her own. So I will have her cast it at a double black-gold level. Double black-gold? Why not at Legend? Because double black-gold is the best rank for honing mana control, and maybe even learning Mana Steal. When will you allow her to learn attack spells? Always, and never. The most powerful attack spells are derived from the peaceful buff/debuff class. I will teach her those spells, along with healing class, stealth class, transportation class, and defensive class spells. If she chooses to learn attack spells, she will have to do that on her own, as the proper method for attack spells is, in my opinion, to let the disciple discover how the magic affects their fighting. Smart. Are you sure about that method though? It seems dangerous. You are forgetting who is the disciple here. Yamada has the most elastic vitality I have ever seen. She fully recovered from ten straight rounds with Emiliot in just an hour! Not many can say that they even made it through ten rounds against her, much less recovering completely in just an hour. I see. And you expect her to sustain it for the duration of the portal deployment? Eventually. She learns best through experience, but this may take a little time for her to master the spell. She maybe even be able to get it to Legend, all on her own. She has insane mana capacity, and spells tend to class up if the casters mana is properly controlled and is their mana is at a high enough level. Fair enough. Well, best of luck to the both of you, and I will see you once were packed up. Chapter 16: Camoron, the Dragon (an old friend of mine, he was a hard one to find. Pun intended) Cam! You home? Well be staying for a bit, so hope you dont mind us intruding! Drin! Howve you been? It has been far too long since we last met up. so , what brings you and you gang here? Ive been making alot of movements in the past months, and the capital was sure to pick up on them. So I used the basic escape plan, and your place was the next on the list. Any contact with the old bunch at all? I have fallen out of contact with everyone but Betoven. Ironic, considering how the two of us still fight like two girls after the same guy. I actually caught up with Dick recently, believe it or not! Oh and Major First Class Bitch stopped by, and I made her into a link in the network. So, who are the others with you? I recognize Book and Shad, but what about the two women with you? On my left is Emiliot Darkoak, an old acquaintance of mine; and on my right is Yamada A. Orgin, Dicks daughter. Trust me, I was shocked when I found out who her father was. Although you could just go back to chapter 4 and see my reaction first hand. Question. What is your full name, and where are you right now? Well Yamada, my full name is Camoron, and I am right in front of you. I am what is known as a tangible dragon, so I camouflage unconsciously. I apologize for that. Youre forgiven. Drin said that the Capitol is not going to even approach this place. Could you explain why that is, as I know that the Capitol has an anti-dragon corps. Simple. Those anti-dragon corps only do well against primal elementals, which can always be seen. Even against the rarer elementals and the other combinational dragons, they have some effectiveness. But against me, they have no chance. Finding me when I am camouflaged is nearly impossible, and they cant cast detection spells for shit! Also, the Spirits in my territory are good friends with me, not to mention that some of them are really powerful, high ranking Spirits.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Cam, youre forgetting the friend of a friend connections. True, true. If you take that into account, there is Drin and his vast network of friends, informants, and confidants, the rest of the old brigade, my draconic friends, the reptilian cousin species, Betoven, the Spirit monarchs - both the king and queen - and all of the elven race to help me out against the Capitol. That is a lot of backup! You must be the most backed up individual across the realms! No I am not. Drin is even more backed up than I am. Along with the resources mentioned earlier, Drin has multiple species, nations, and fellow rebels who would gladly take up the sword for his sake when needed. All he has to do is say the word, and half, if not two thirds of the entire populus would turn against the Capitol; and they would have no warning. Drin also has some techniques that he doesnt use, for reasons that elude me, so even if everyone else died, I doubt that they could wound him beyond a scrape. You overestimate me Cam, as always. Youre way to modest Drin. Feel free to boast about your achievements every so often. Anyways, an old acquaintance of mine is under contract by the Capitol, and hes as sharp as they come, with more than enough power to out do the primary attack of the Power Dragon. That much! Sounds like Nare. Will you be okay with fighting him? Yes it is Narriffian who is under the contract, and he has yet to best me in anything that we do. On the other hand, I may have to use THAT sword again. Then lets pray that a fight between you two can be avoided. I know how much you dislike that blade, especially after the realm FA controversy. You do have the fifth piece of it, right Drin? I do. And it seems that I will have to confront some old demons of mine in order to survive this ordeal. Chapter 16: Camoron, the Dragon (an old friend of mine, he was a hard one to find. Pun intended) Cam! You home? Well be staying for a bit, so hope you dont mind us intruding! Drin! Howve you been? It has been far too long since we last met up. so , what brings you and you gang here? Ive been making alot of movements in the past months, and the capital was sure to pick up on them. So I used the basic escape plan, and your place was the next on the list. Any contact with the old bunch at all? I have fallen out of contact with everyone but Betoven. Ironic, considering how the two of us still fight like two girls after the same guy. I actually caught up with Dick recently, believe it or not! Oh and Major First Class Bitch stopped by, and I made her into a link in the network. So, who are the others with you? I recognize Book and Shad, but what about the two women with you? On my left is Emiliot Darkoak, an old acquaintance of mine; and on my right is Yamada A. Orgin, Dicks daughter. Trust me, I was shocked when I found out who her father was. Although you could just go back to chapter 4 and see my reaction first hand. Question. What is your full name, and where are you right now? Well Yamada, my full name is Camoron, and I am right in front of you. I am what is known as a tangible dragon, so I camouflage unconsciously. I apologize for that. Youre forgiven. Drin said that the Capitol is not going to even approach this place. Could you explain why that is, as I know that the Capitol has an anti-dragon corps. Simple. Those anti-dragon corps only do well against primal elementals, which can always be seen. Even against the rarer elementals and the other combinational dragons, they have some effectiveness. But against me, they have no chance. Finding me when I am camouflaged is nearly impossible, and they cant cast detection spells for shit! Also, the Spirits in my territory are good friends with me, not to mention that some of them are really powerful, high ranking Spirits.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Cam, youre forgetting the friend of a friend connections. True, true. If you take that into account, there is Drin and his vast network of friends, informants, and confidants, the rest of the old brigade, my draconic friends, the reptilian cousin species, Betoven, the Spirit monarchs - both the king and queen - and all of the elven race to help me out against the Capitol. That is a lot of backup! You must be the most backed up individual across the realms! No I am not. Drin is even more backed up than I am. Along with the resources mentioned earlier, Drin has multiple species, nations, and fellow rebels who would gladly take up the sword for his sake when needed. All he has to do is say the word, and half, if not two thirds of the entire populus would turn against the Capitol; and they would have no warning. Drin also has some techniques that he doesnt use, for reasons that elude me, so even if everyone else died, I doubt that they could wound him beyond a scrape. You overestimate me Cam, as always. Youre way to modest Drin. Feel free to boast about your achievements every so often. Anyways, an old acquaintance of mine is under contract by the Capitol, and hes as sharp as they come, with more than enough power to out do the primary attack of the Power Dragon. That much! Sounds like Nare. Will you be okay with fighting him? Yes it is Narriffian who is under the contract, and he has yet to best me in anything that we do. On the other hand, I may have to use THAT sword again. Then lets pray that a fight between you two can be avoided. I know how much you dislike that blade, especially after the realm FA controversy. You do have the fifth piece of it, right Drin? I do. And it seems that I will have to confront some old demons of mine in order to survive this ordeal. Chapter 18: The calm before the storm (A shit storm probably) Name: Emilliot Darkoak Age: 22000 years old Height: 150 cm Gender: Female Race: surface Drow Home: northern mountains Status: Fugitive Weapons: - none, as she is a martial artist Noteworthy mentions: Surface Drow - similar to drow, but not as cruel; obsessively in love with Drin; Personality: innocent, strong, spontaneous; slightly sadistic Name: Drin (last name not known) Age: age is unknown Height: 199 cm Gender: Male Race: Drowen Home: northern mountains Status: Fugitive Weapons: - Spirit sword, mastered all three releases (shikin, bankin, and sanen). Its his tertiary weapon, but the first one he learned - Twin broadswords, 300 lbs each, and twin longswords, 40 each, primary - Collapsible bow (Doubles as battle axes or quarterstaff), secondary - Conspicuous box, not known what it is, but it assumed to be some sort of weapon - One pair of enchanted daggers (visual delay enchantments, not seen in combat often) Noteworthy mentions: oblivious to Emiliotss love, even after twenty centuries together; former leader of strongest faction across universal realms, and also formerly the strongest knight; Drowen - Drow subspecies, not as cruel as rest of drow, feared by drow for prowess in battle, went extinct due to unknown reasons, Drin is last one alive; doesnt like to use his spirit sword much for unknown reasons.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Personality: kind, warm/cold - depending on when and where you meet him, trusting, spontaneous, sarcastic ____________________________________________________________________________ So, what are the terms and rules of the fight Drin? Two rounds. The first is fists only. During the second round however,you can use all techniques at your disposal. Each round has something else at stake for each of us. Lay out your bets Nare. My contract is my bet for round one. If you win, my contract is officially terminated with no dishonor to me. If I win, you turn yourself into the Capitols agents. Sound good? Yeah that sounds fair. Round two will be a fight of pride. No stops allowed except for a humble submission by one party or the other. Do we have any business of that sort? Rich. Especially coming from the one who accused me in the first place! You know what im talking about. Oh. That event! The stakes are self explanatory I presume? Indeed they are. Lets head to the Arena Registry and make it official. The Capitol is bound by so many rules, it is a shock that they havent collapsed yet. Quite the shock indeed. But it is a good thing that they have to acknowledge all duels and their terms. But they will come after you after both matches are over. Let them! whats the worst they have? The DPAC? Dont make me laugh! I could easily overpower them with only one eye and one arm! ____________________________________________________________________________ Meanwhile, in realm CaK, Challenge Overview Department (COD): ____________________________________________________________________________ Hey boss? I think you should see this! What have I told you about alerting me about each semi interesting duel and challenge private? This one isnt even semi interesting! I swear! I will even resign if you say that it isnt interesting in the least! Just please, look at this scheduling that just came in. the names of the combatants especially! Let me see then! What he is reading: Full names of participants, including all titles: 1. Narrifian Blading - Drow warrior of the highest class, tier twelve magic caster; dark element core, and currently under current government contract. 2. Drin - Drowen warrior of the highest class, tier twenty magic caster; variable core caster, former vice captain of Capital realm Supreme Knight Order, First Brigade, First Squadron; captain rank, strongest fighter, wanted dead or alive (Alive is definitely prefered, as our bounty keeper cant deal with a dead body.) Private? Yes sir? I give you permission to slap me right now. *SLAP!* Okay. Im not dreaming. Nice work! Mark my words, I will make sure that you receive a promotion for this by the end of the week! Relay this straight up to the Dangerous Persons Apprehension Corps (DPAC). Bypass all other groups. Thank you sir! I will do that right away! ____________________________________________________________________________ DPAC HQ: ____________________________________________________________________________ Ohh! A challenge file, directly from COD! Thats rare. Lets see what do we have here? *Intense reading is ongoing.* What!? Drins actually showing his face? Is he high or something!? Major, get the top five units here now! We have a Class S mission for them! Chapter 19: The first of many explanations. (So much regret in Drin’s life it’s sad.) Drin, are you crazy? Actually going out in the open like that? Yes Emiliot, I am doing just that. And it isnt crazy, its tactical. How so? I need to remind them of a few things. First of all, that Im still alive and at large. Second, the mistake they made by stripping me of everything I could ever have. And third, I love to see them send strong fighters after me. How long will it be until they realize that the only way to catch me is to upgrade the basic training? Its times like these when I truly question your mental health. What would a Martial artist know about the need to exercise your power or risk it exploding? Thats why you do these publicity stunts? Yep. That, and theyre fun. You never change, do you? Wrong. Ive changed many times. You dont want to know about them. Why do you get this misty look in your eyes when you say stuff like that? One day, you may know. But I hope that that day never comes for you.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. And there you go getting all sentimental again. Would holding me close help you feel better? No. I just need some time alone. Until further notice, Shadow is in command. ____________________________________________________________________________ I see. Dont worry about him. Hes usually back to his normal self by the end of the day. Leave him be. Still. Im concerned for him. Could you tell me a bit about what happened? I cant tell much. I know that its his story, so he is the one to tell it when he is finally comfortable. This is the story of how he started to lose everything. I had just met him ten years earlier, and he was drastically different than the Drin you know now. He was carefree, always smiling and acting like an idiot. A really powerful idiot. But one day, someone killed off his race, but left him to live. He was blamed for that tragedy, and vowed that he would find the true killer. He still searches for them, with his true heart locked away under the pain of all those days one remembers, but for the wrong reason. ____________________________________________________________________________ Oh Drin! I was looking for yo oh, never mind. Ill leave Yamada. Please stay. I have something to tell to you; something I have yet to tell anyone but Shadow. What is is Drin? Before I begin, I need your promise that you will not hate me because of the story I have to tell. Youll understand why soon enough. I promise. The only time a story would cause hate is when the populace accepts it as fact, or when there is no other story other than the one told. Good. your father said those exact same words before I was to stand in front of the high court of elves. The two of you are very alike, you know that? We are? Yes, you are. Thats one of the reasons Im so trusting with you. Sit down, this is a long story. Chapter twenty: The origin of the origin. (It makes no sense, but bear with it.) I was a young Drowen at the time. I had just graduated from the specialty fighters class at the swordcraft institute in Mezenoberanizen, top of my class, full marks. I probably would have been one of the highest ranked warriors regardless of species right then and there, now that I think about it. I also had everything going for me. I came from one of the last two pure-blooded Drowen families (I got lots of reputation points and the nobility treatment because of that). It was a very close-knit and loving family that I wish I had more time with. I had three of the highest ranked Drowen fighters mentoring me in various areas of fighting, while i was still in the academy; I had friends whom I could count on; and my path to the top was already three quarters complete. I had made allies - if you could even call them that - with some of the strongest Drow families, and could have easily rallied all of Mezenoberanizen, to action with just one word. I was living the life, which I had carved out with my own skill for the most part; gaining wisdom and experience in many things, yet I was still naive and carefree. Yamada, Im sure youre familiar with the realm FA controversy. What the court document say are extremely biased. The only thing that I said thats in there is me saying ...if only we didnt have such pompous cousins, things would have been different! Why dont all of you who spend their time sitting on a chair and twiddling your thumbs go and live our life, or just die! What do you know of what happened! They used THAT of all things to declare me guilty of genocide without a doubt. Pompous prideful sacks of shit!This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. But thats not true, what they said in the court documents. Ironic isnt it, they say that they will judge blindly, that everyone is equal in the eyes of justice. They judged blindly alright. Blind of the defences side of the case, and with prejudice as all the evidence that they had. I was the only one spared in the attack, but I knew the assailant at one point. To this day, I cant remember whose voice that spoke to me. But Im getting ahead of myself now. I was receiving a few signals that something was about to happen the day before the attack. I had learned to listen to my gut instincts by then, so I took action immediately. It wouldnt have made a difference. Within seventy minutes, all of the Drowen under me were dead. The worst was my elite unit. They were all killed by the same weapon, but each was more gruesome than the one before him or her. They were my closest friends, and it is in their memory that I continue on this path more than anything else. I still search for the true perpetrator of that tragedy. All I have to go off of is their weapons - twin recurving scimitars - and their eyes - redder than a poppy in full bloom, and deeper than the crimson hues of blood.