《Dark Lord Saga (Original)》


 (Vol I) Chapter 1 - What is a Hero?

    Chapter 1


    What is a Hero?


    A vast land of turmoil and grace, the Endless Continent encompassed all of the known human race. Across a varied landscape, large enough to be called it own world, roamed a population of nearly fifteen billion people . Here, where mankind was as numerous as pebbles on the earth, there was a small village on the outskirts of one of its most prominent kingdoms. The village of Gil sat on a cliff face of the Great Yamato Mountain. A yellow crested river ran through the village center. The sun rose beyond the horizon. The start of a brand new day.


    A young boy with a thick tousle of hair sat on a wooden chair in a garden. His eyes are glued to a leather bound book in his hand. Around him, children of various ages run around playing a game of tag.


    "Grey, come and play!" A gentle hand said, tugging on his shoulders. Eyes sparkling as bright as the day. Her golden hair waving in the wind. "It is more fun with more people."


    Grey shook his head, not bothering to look up.


    "I want to finish this book."


    The girl gawked at him, but shrugged and went off to play with the other villager kids.


    Books were everything to young Grey. The adventure! The pain! The love! They were a window to another place and time. In them he could be anything : a hero, a monster, or even a lady! The possibilities were endless.


    The book he was reading described the adventures of the famous Dungeon Seeker Abel who scoured the 138 Dungeon Worlds and single-handedly created the Iserian Ranking Chart that ranked dungeons by their difficulty: Primitive, Cursed, Hidden, Ancient, Chaos. This changed the world! Now adventurers who were previously all equal in the eyes of the common folk could be better judged on their achievements. But above glory and fame, adventurers sought the most coveted recognition: Hero.


    Grey sighed inwardly as he read Abel''s adventures. Hero? What a lofty title. A person recognized by the world as a guardian of mankind. If not for the Iserian Ranking Chart, how would anyone know how powerful an individual was? Previously, anyone who could walk into  a dungeon and come out in one piece could claim to be a true adventurer, worthy of all praise and adoration. With the ranking system, non-adventurers could now better judge the merits of adventurers based on the dungeons they''ve traversed. Those who venture into Chaos Dungeons, come back to showers of accolades and glory, earning the title of genius, of Hero. Grey wondered if he too would one day be able to venture out in the world and receive such praises. Of course, before that could happen, he would have to train his body and soul on one of the heroic paths.


    The five heroic paths to ultimate power: the warrior, embodiment of physical strength, the priest, embodiment of health, the mage, embodiment of mental fortitude, the rogue, embodiment of dexterity, and the ranger, embodiment of agility. Five paths that lead towards one goal: to become the strongest in the land, to be the herald of mankind, a Hero!


    Grey sat there in his chair and mulled over his present circumstance. On this day Grey would be five years old. Although there are known instances of geniuses reaching the coveted title in their teens, Heroes more often came of age in their thirties or forties, if at all. The path was long and difficult, and he knew he had only a few years left to set off on his path before he would become too old. After all, in the last three thousand years there hadn''t been a single hero on the Endless Continent. Fifteen billion people and not one was capable of reaching the level of skill required to venture into a Chaos Dungeon. The last Hero was Avarice the Fast, whose arrows were known to move as fast as sound. If Grey wanted to achieve this title, he needed to start right away.


    Grey closed his book and sighed again. One issue was which path he should take. His family was one of librarians, his father was a records keeper, his mother an accountant for the village treasury. He did not inherit a strong physique. While infinitely grateful for the opportunity his father provided him, namely a treasure trove of books, Grey could hardly compare his father to the heroes of legends. Thin, pale, with broad round glasses and a stout, bushy mustache. A friendly face with a friendly smile. Not at all daring or dangerous. He absolutely could not imagine his father ever holding a sword, much less slaying evil monsters with it.


    Worst of all, Grey had not just inherited his father''s friendly looks, but also his mother''s figure. Slender, well-shaped, with small, delicate fingers and toes. As he was growing up, his mother would hold his hands and compare them to hers, giving him a teasing smile much to his disdain. He once had overheard some children murmuring that he''d look better growing out his hair and wearing a dress. He was definitely not suited for that path of physical strength.


    Then perhaps he should become a mage. This thought pleased him greatly. Mages read lots of books. He read lots of books. Would not that be his dream job? He was neither crafty nor confident enough in his coordination to try his luck at being a rogue or a ranger.


    There was a common saying: if you don''t like it, don''t do it. If he was going to train for several years, it might as well involve something he loved to do. He nodded to himself. That was the answer! He would set his eyes on becoming a powerful mage. Even if his magical capacity was not high, he would still be able to function as a priest, healing minor wounds. Now he only needed to find out how to train his magical potential so that if and when he left the village, he''d be ready to defend himself from roaming beasts.


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    His father must have a book about cultivating magical talent somewhere. Grey jumped upright and  scrambled his little legs towards his father''s study next door. In the distance, under a tree, a little girl clutching a book of her own quietly watches Grey through her long bangs.


    ~~~


    "Father!" called Grey into his house. His voice echoes through the hallway. "Father!" Though Gil was a small village, his family lived in the library which was as large as three houses. It had long narrow corridors, every wall was a bookshelf filled to the brim, shelves and stacks of books forming the maze of walls crisscrossing his path.


    It was unusual to not find his father working at this hour. His father was always in the library save for lunch and dinner. Maybe, someone had asked for his help outside? Grey walked down the halls and looked through the books. Though only five years of age, Grey had already read several hundred books in his 3 years of literacy. Some might call Grey a genius, but to him it was as simple as learning how to plow the earth or pluck a chicken. If you try many times it is only natural you will get better at it. It only made sense to Grey that after a year and a half of trying he would learn how to read books.


    He looked over the stacks near his father¡¯s desk. The table was often in various states of disarray. Grey would help out by putting back books left scattered about his father''s belongings. Ruin Symbols, Monster Compendium Vol. III, The Witching Hour. Grey sorted them out and placed them back in their proper place along the shelves. As he looked through the titles under farming, he glanced up at a shiny cover in the corner of his eyes. It teased him from the third shelf on the wall and compelled him to grab it using a ladder.


    Magical Theory - Vol. IV - Mana Cultivation Techniques.


    His eyes glistened with curiosity as he opened the book, but as he scanned the contents, he began to frown. Although he was a very bright child, this book used a lot of unfamiliar words. Second Heart? Magical Circuits? He didn''t know any of these things. He sighed and placed the book on the counter so he could find it later. This happened from time to time. When a book was written as part of a series, the first books would teach the reader new words that they would use in the later volumes. Indeed, magic was a large field of study. Inventing new words to describe certain phenomenon was necessary to make explaining complicated subjects more simple.


    Grey ventured off into the library again and after a few hours had gathered a stack of 12 books on the table. In them were books about magical items, schools, and even the third volume on Spell Formation. What was missing from the lot was the elusive Vol. I - Basic Technique. He was deeply troubled. Without the first book to teach him the meaning of certain words, would he have to try to learn straight from Vol. III? If he messed up his studies early on he might end up a cripple or worse. As these thoughts swirled in his head a wave of hair entered through the front door.


    Her face was obscured beneath unruly hair, but her mouth could be seen, drawn tightly into a thin line. In her arms was clutched a book emblazoned in plain, dark lettering. Grey could make out Vol. I - Basic Techniques on the cover.


    The boy squeaked and the girl squeaked back. She backed away and started turning to go back out the door.


    "Wait!"


    The girl hesitated. Her eyes peering back eerily through the long brown bangs over her head.


    "W-Who?" she said, nervously.


    "I need that book."


    The girl continued staring silently.


    "Um," thought Grey, "Please? Can I borrow it? I''ll give it back! Please, it''s important!"


    The girl looked away towards the door. Grey had to think quickly.


    "Please? I''ll let you borrow one of my books, as many of my books as you want!" Grey said, pointing to his pile of books. "And then I''ll give you back your book when I''m done reading it."


    Grey went over to the girl and pulled her towards the table.


    "Come look."


    The little girl eyed pile of books Grey had made on the table. She looked through them and picked up the one he had been reading earlier.


    "Tales of Abel, the Dungeon Seeker." she read longingly. "Okay, but you have to promise to give it back."


    "I promise," said Grey. He then grabbed her hand and gave it two firm shakes. Her wide eyes stared back at the boy, not blinking even once before scurrying out the door.


    Grey thought the girl was rather strange, but nevertheless the first volume was in his hands! Now, he could begin learning how to become a powerful wizard.

 (Vol I) Chapter 2 - Magic Theory

    Chapter 2


    Magic Theory


    A young boy sits patiently on a rock at the edge of a waterfall. His eyes are closed, his eyebrows are furrowed, concentrating. Every few moments, little droplets of water would leap up from the river. One, then two, then three. Three tiny drops of water that most ordinary people would guess were merely caused by fish moving beneath the surface of the river. However, if they paid close attention, shimmering tendrils of vapor could be seen rising from the boy''s body, flicking the water around him.


    The boy took a deep breath and the tendrils retracted themselves into his chest like a clam hiding in its shell.


    "Only three today," murmured the boy, looking curiously at the river. A thick head of hair and slender form, this boy was Grey! Six years old! A year had passed since Grey had obtained the first volume of Magic Theory. Grey had initially thought it would be easy to learn how to use magic. In stories, a mage would focus intensely on an image and recite an incantation to cast the spell. In reality, magic had many more levels of operation. Spells were formed using ''aura'', a distinct magical energy generated by a person, place, or thing. If one did not have a sufficient ''aura'' to begin with they would be unable to cast spells or become a mage.


    For the last year, Grey struggled to find a method to strengthen his aura. While the book had detailed instructions on the generation and use of auras, it did not have appropriate training methods for children. The book suggested lifting hundred pound boulders, running miles up a mountain, swimming through fast moving currents. He was only six! He could barely lift some of the heavier tomes in the library, much less a hundred pound boulder. Grey might be ambitious and clever, but he was still limited by his body.


    In the end, Grey decided to scale down each training method to his size. Instead of carrying a hundred pound weight Grey would carry his mothers an archival copy of the town¡¯s finances over the last 30 years. Instead of sixteen miles up the mountain he would run the two miles to the waterfall at the edge of town. As for swimming through a fast moving current, Grey settled on just learning how to swim.


    After a year, his studies had progressed as he expected. He could create his own aura. At first it was just a small wisp that would flow from his fingertips. Now, with enough concentration, Grey could create a soft breeze to disturb the papers on his father''s desk. To the other children who could achieve the same effect with their hands, this feat was rather trivial. But to Grey this was great progress. He knew he was beginning to unlock his potential. A breeze today, a hurricane tomorrow. His future looked bright. He got up to move towards the shade. A familiar, worn book lay at his side. Grey picked it up and began rereading another chapter.


    Magic was a mysterious force that came into existence roughly 10,000 years ago. It was believed by the ancients to be a manifestation of god''s will upon the world. It was only later, six thousand years ago, that humans discovered that they could harness magic to do their bidding. This era of time was known as the Great Enlightenment, and with it came six competing theories regarding the origins of magic. Grey skimmed the information regarding magic and its formation. What was similar in all six theories was the presence of a ritual known as the Ritual of Awakening which unlocked the individual''s ability to cast spells.


    Grey sucked on his thumb thoughtfully. No matter how much he searched, this information eluded him. What was is exactly? Was it a special quest? Did it have to be done alone? It was times like these that made him long for the outside world, to journey to one of the mage schools and begin his studies in earnest instead of idling away by the riverside.


    Book in his lap, Grey clapped his hands together and again focused on the tingling feeling he associated with his aura. The feeling would grow from his gut, a warm sensation like the kind you get after a good meal, rising up to his lungs, and then out with his breathe. He would exhale and his aura would radiate from his body. He would inhale and his aura would return to nestle in his stomach. He repeated this motion then slowly concentrated on directing it. Moving the aura away from his body and towards the grassy patch ahead.


    He exhaled and the grass swayed as if cajoled by a passing wind. What the book did not mention was how exhausted one would feel after using their aura. Grey only managed four small bursts of wind before his eyes drooped and his arms sagged. Under the warmth of the sun, Grey reluctantly sat down and fell asleep, mumbling happily to himself the books'' numerous adages under the forest foliage.


    ~~~


    A loud shriek woke Grey from his slumber. He bolted up, looking around only to see three children about his size punching and kicking something by the river.


    "Take that monster!"


    "Die, monster. Die!"


    "Go back to the forest where you belong!"


    Grey was finally able to make out what, but not who they were abusing. He could tell it was another child based on the size. All he could see was a pile of rags, crying quietly, hands over their head. This scene made Grey very upset. As a child who wanted to be a hero, how could he let these scoundrels do as they pleased? Even if the child had done something bad, to be called a monster and beaten into the ground was going too far. These villains needed to be punished. Grey puffed out his chest and walked over to the three children.


    "Hey! Stop that!" Grey shouted.


    The boys looked up and immediately recognized the bookworm.


    "Why should I, Grey?" spoke the tallest boy. His foot was still resting on the pile of rags. He wore a plain shirt and overalls. Grey recognized him as the son of the town baker. His companions, a skinny kid with freckles on his face, and a tubby kid with red hair stood at his side. Sons of the tailor and smith.


    "Yeah, what are you gonna do about it?"


    "You want some?"


    "Stop being evil! Even if he did something wrong. You''re going too far!"


    The tall kid''s mouth turned into a grin. "Too far? You hear that?"


    The tubby kid chimed in, snickering. "So what? What are you going to do, tell on us?"


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    The three of them exchanged cruel smirks.


    "Who needs to tell on you? If I don''t like something I''ll handle it myself, like a man. If I don''t like you beating people up, all I need to do is stop you."


    "Stupid Grey, are you asking for a fight?" said the tall kid. His grin now reflecting more malice than humor.


    "Who you calling stupid, stupid?"


    The tall kid''s expression immediately turned to a scowl. He charged towards Grey, his two friends following his lead. Grey put up his fists as if he were ready for a fight, but then turned around and ran into the forest.


    "Haha, stupid is running away."


    "Scaredy cat!"


    "What happened, chicken legs?"


    The three gave chase as Grey dashed through the low hanging tree branches and thick, knotted roots. The forest seemed to come out all at once. A tangled mess of greenery that seemed to move when one wasn''t looking. A branch hit the tall kid square in the face, sending leaves fluttering and a red mark on his cheek. Grey watched in amusement, laughing from afar.


    "I didn''t know you liked kissing trees!"


    "Get him!" howled the tall kid, angrily. "And hold him down!"


    Skinny nodded and slipped through the forest as deftly as Grey. Grey ducked under another branch and came upon a dried-up riverbed. Rocks piled upon rocks, boulders that used to stem flowing water were now just a hillside of smooth dark stones. Grey quickly scampered up the rocks with ease. Having run around the mountain, he would often come across these dried up rivers and climb them for fun. But for these villains who rarely ventured so far up the mountain, fun would be the last word on their mind.


    The skinny kid climbed a third of the way up before his foot stumbled upon a rock, nearly falling backwards. In no time, Grey was already at the top of the mound. The skinny kid''s face broadcast his shock and frustration. He couldn''t catch up much less run up these stones. The fat kid didn''t even try. As soon as he came across the riverside, he took a seat on one of the rocks and waited for the tall kid to come over.


    "Get down here!" shouted the tall kid indignantly after he burst through the underbrush. He didn''t bother giving Grey the pleasure of watching him try to scale the rocks.


    "What did you say? Sorry, I don''t speak stupid."


    The tall kid looked at Grey angrily and glanced at the skinny kid. The skinny kid shrugged his shoulders and nodded at the rocky path. No way to get to Grey, at least not head on anyway. The tall kid calmed down as began to think of a way up. What was he getting mad for anyway? Didn''t this kid say he was going to fight him before running away like coward?


    "What kind of man runs away from a fight?"


    "The ones that aren''t stuuupid," crowed Grey, lying prostrated over a rock. "Besides, I don''t even need to fight you anymore. I told you to stop beating up that kid and you stopped. That''s a good boy. Should I train you to jump through a hole too, Mr. Doggy?"


    "You-"


    "Ah, okay. I get it. You want a treat?"


    The tall kid''s face started turning red. The only thought in his head was beating that smug face into the ground. The tall kid began scaling the hill again, but stopped when the bushes behind him moved. A head peeked out fearfully, freezing upon seeing their tormentors.


    Grey''s face turned pale.


    The tall kid laughed menacingly. "You sure are stupid, but this kid is stupider. What? You forget something? Come let brother see if he can help you out."


    "Stop!" shouted Grey. He had hoped the kid had escaped to somewhere safe. Why did he follow them? Grey was now afraid the tall kid might beat him to death now.


    The tall kid grinned. "Oh? Did you need some help too? Why don''t you come down here and we can talk it out? We''re all men here."


    "Fine!" said Grey quickly, his hands slipping something behind his back. "But you have to promise not to hurt us."


    "Okay. I promise."


    Grey made his way down the dried riverbed and walked down to the tall kid. The bully''s two friends sat on a rock next to the ragged kid who was shaking.


    Before Grey could speak the tall kid grabbed him by his collar and lifted him into the air.


    "Now, I got you little punk. I said I wouldn''t hurt you, but my friends still want to. Get ready to get your ass han-ergh!?"


    The tall kid stuttered incoherently and then fell to the ground, clutching his crotch. Grey landed on all fours. He got up, brushed the dust of his clothes, and looked apprehensively the other two.


    "You!" shrieked the skinny kid, lunging at Grey.


    Grey pulled out a small stone hidden in his back pocket and threw it, striking the skinny kid''s head. Caught off guard, the skinny kid tripped and fell on his face. The fat kid watched this and paused, looking at the rocks below his feet. Grey pulled out more pebbles out of his pocket.


    "You think you can pick them up before I hit you?"


    The fat kid then shook his head and looked apologetic.


    "Okay you win. Let me go? I don''t like getting hurt."


    "You like hurting others, but you don''t like getting hurt?" Anger swelled up in little Grey''s heart.


    "Sorry?"


    Grey''s fist trembled with fury.


    "Pick up your friends and don''t come back here again."


    Even though Grey didn''t like bullies he wasn''t going to sentence them to death. If he told this fatty to get lost and left the other two here a wild beast would probably come out and eat them before they could run away.


    The fat kid helped his friends up, slowly making their way back to town. Only when the three deviants were out of sight did Grey relax. The trembling kid finally stopped shaking and walked towards Grey.


    "Thank you," said a pretty voice.


    "Eh?" said Grey, astonished.


    "Sorry," said the kid again. Grey took a closer look at this kid. Behind the bruises on the kid''s face and hands; there was something familiar about this kid''s hair. Eyes peering through long dark bangs. Ah!! It was the same girl that lent him his book a year ago!

 (Vol I) Chapter 3 : 139th Dungeon World

    Chapter 3


    139th Dungeon World


    "Ummm," mused Grey, curiously. "What are you doing here? And why did those people want to beat you up?"


    "I''m a monster," said the girl simply.


    "Huh?"


    Monsters were large beasts that roamed the forest wreaking destruction and eating people in a single bite. Grey had a hard time taking the girl''s claim seriously.


    Seeing the confusion on Grey''s face she pulls back her dusty hood and parts her hair. On her forehead is a row of gray scales that grew into her hairline. Grey took a step back.


    "I was born with this mark on my head. My mother says I was born from a lizard and that I have no father. I''m a monster, so it''s normal for people to hate me."


    Grey frowned. "You''re not a monster."


    "Really?" the girl looked at him, confused. If she wasn''t a monster then why did everyone treat her so badly?


    "You were just born with a weird thing on your head. I have a weird mark on my butt from when my mom made me but you wouldn''t call me a monster."


    "But that''s different!" protested the little girl "No one can see your butt, and a mark isn''t as scary as this." The girl drew back the rest of her hair, revealing more of the scales that seemed to cover most of her scalp.


    She rubbed her forehead with her hands. The scales made a strange crackling noise as she brushed them.


    "I''m hideous!"


    Grey shook his head adamantly. "So what if you look a bit strange. Do you hurt people?"


    The girl shook her head.


    "Do you make growling noises?"


    The girl shook her head.


    "Then how are you a monster? You haven''t hurt anyone, and you don''t act like a monster. That must mean you aren''t a monster. Besides, I haven''t heard of any monsters that can talk human speech. You''re just a normal person with something on their head. If it bothers you a lot then wear a hat."


    "But-" the girl injected, unconvinced.


    "Girl."


    "What?"


    "That''s what you are, a girl."


    "Hmph," pouted the girl. Her shoulders relaxed, her eyes softened. She would not admit it, but it was nice being able to talk like this, to be treated like a normal person.


    Grey looked up at the sky and saw the sun beginning to dip into the horizon.


    "I have to head home soon. You should get home too. My father says dangerous beasts roam the mountain at night."


    "Okay," said the girl reluctantly. Her eyes looked longingly at Grey. Although she barely knew this boy, it felt nice being in his company, being told that she wasn''t a monster. In the five years of her life, not one person had spoken to her without a look of disgust or pity. The few moments she shared with him were the best moments she could remember.


    "Will I see you again?"


    Grey looked at her thoughtfully. "Are you afraid those bullies will come back for revenge? Don''t worry, I''ll send them running again. If you need help, I, Grey, will come to your rescue." Grey gave her a deep bow. "I am always at this spot in the morning. If you call out, I''ll come find you."


    The girl nodded. "Okay, Grey. I will see you tomorrow, okay?"


    Grey nodded and walked towards his village.


    ~~~


    "Good Heavens. Where have you been?"


    A man leaned over his desk with a quill in hand. His thin arms made it easy for him to reach through the stacks and piles of  paper. He anxiously eyes the tallest stack on the left side. Clearly still caught up in his work, whatever he was doing involved writing a few sentences at the bottom of the page, and then stamping a red insignia before putting it on the right stack and taking down the next one from the left.


    Grey was sitting on a stool, bouncing around playfully.


    "I was training! I said I was going to be a great wizard remember?"


    "Of course I remember. Did you tell your mother you were going out?"


    "Yes, Dad."


    His father stamped another document and then turned to face Grey, revealing a large smile.


    "Something incredible has happened today, but before I tell you, you must promise me that you''ll listen to everything I say. I know you like to go out, but this is serious."


    Grey looked blankly at his father. "I promise."


    "There is a new dungeon! They discovered a new dungeon, right here on the Yamato Mountain! Now there are 139 Dungeon Worlds on the Endless Continent. The king himself sent his regards to our little village! There will be battalion of knights here within a week!"


    "What!?" exclaimed Grey. His heart leapt from his chest. Everyone knew how important dungeons where to each nation. A dungeon contained untold riches, minerals, reservoirs of magical artifacts, and ore. The largest dungeon, the Ancient Dungeon of Wischeria, held enough gold ore to build an entire city.  For there to be an untouched dungeon on their mountain, obviously the king would be interested in securing it for his kingdom!


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    The most exciting thing though was as word will spread of the new dungeon, adventurers will be coming to the village in hopes of being one of the first to explore it! Grey might even be able to ask a passing mage to take him on as an apprentice. This was the chance he''d been waiting for.


    "You must stay indoors, at least until the knights arrive."


    "What?!"


    "No buts. It''s dangerous."


    "But Papa!"


    "No buts! You promised."


    This was a once in a lifetime event. How could Grey stay indoors? Grey wanted to at least take a look at the entrance of the dungeon. It wasn''t like he was going to go in. It was so close by!


    "Grey, I know you like to adventure and want become a Hero, but the world is not a kind place. Not all adventurers are good. With them mucking about I''m afraid monsters may be drawn out of the dungeon onto the mountain. This will likely be the case so you absolutely cannot go outside until the knights arrive to maintain order."


    His father looked at Grey seriously.


    Grey sighed. If there was one person he did not want to upset it was his kind father. His father who taught him to read and played with him whenever he felt lonely. Grey did not have many friends since he would always prefer to read instead of playing with the other children. His father knew when Grey had a problem. His father taught him how to be clever and smart.


    "Okay, I said I would listen and a man keeps his word." mumbled Grey unhappily.


    "Good," said his father, winking at Grey. "However, I also expect that we''ll be receiving some adventurers here in the library. If we do I want you to be on your best behavior and to help them out as best you can."


    "Dad!"


    Grey leapt into his father''s arm and buried his face in his father''s chest.


    Grey''s father knew how much Grey loved heroes. Despite the danger, Grey''s father kept a soft spot for his son who wished for a life of adventure. He too had once dreamed of becoming a hero, traveling the world, but his chance for that had past. He met Grey''s mother, he''d made his home in this village. His wandering days were long past. Now, simply seeing the joy on his son''s face was all he looked forward to. When one ages, priorities change like the seasons. Travelling the world starts to pale in comparison to living a simple and joyful life with your family.


    ~~~


    Off in the distant woods north of the village there lay a strange gaping hole in the mountain. This hole was not a natural formation but a living breathing entity. A Dungeon World. The forest encroached the hole in darkness as two shadows made their way carefully to the entrance. The first shadow held up a strange device in one hand as he ran the other across the ground. He brushed away the dirt and brought up chunks of soil to his nose.


    "Wet. Warm. This is definitely the dungeon entrance."


    "Make it quick. We can''t sit here all night. We need to scout this dungeon so the rest of the group knows what we''re up against. Remember not to go in too deep or you won''t be able to get out."


    The first shadow snapped back angrily. "I know what I''m doing. Just shut up and keep watch."


    The man took out a small dagger and moved to the edge of the hole. Unlike normal dungeons, the entrance was a vertical shaft that seemed to go on without end. The man went down feet first, a length of rope around his waist tied to an anchor at the edge of the hole. He slid into the darkness, marking the earthen wall with his dagger every ten feet, until he disappeared from sight.


    The other man leaned over to look into the hole. All he could see or hear was darkness, emptiness. He walked back a few paces and sat on the moist grass, taking out a piece of wood and a carving knife. Flick. Flick. He carved notches into the wood for every minute that went by. After the sixth notch there came a deep rumbling beneath his feet. The rope anchored at the entrance snapped and was pulled into the hole.


    "I told him not to go in too deep," the man said coldly, standing up. He shook his head and left for the forest. A dungeon powerful enough to trap a veteran rogue? What kind of treasures would lay waiting in such a place? He could only smile at the thought.

 (Vol I) Chapter 4 : The Wizard Path

    Chapter 4


    The Wizard Path


    Thwump. Crash. Thwump. Crash, crash.


    In the retreating darkness a broadsword as large as a man glides through the air. A clean swipe and a tree splits apart. The person holding it is twice its size, oversized muscles damp with sweat suddenly flex.


    Thwump. Crash, crash.


    The man loosens his grip and shakes the sweat off his hands. A moment later, a shadowy figure emerges through the canopy.


    "Training in the woods again? You warrior types are too diligent."


    The man turned to face the shadowy figured.


    "Back already? It''s barely morning."


    "We ran into some trouble. Clifton is gone."


    "What happened?"


    "He went too close to the boundary. I''m guessing ''it'' sucked him in. It''s definitely a variant dungeon, it has a deep chasm for an entrance instead of a cave mouth."


    The warrior paused for a moment to take the information in. Although normal dungeons were dangerous, Variant Dungeons were exceedingly so. Ones that had a cave for an entrance were the normal ones. The layout for these dungeons were always the same; a long winding path leading in one direction towards the treasure. You could always turn around if things got hairy. Variant Dungeons on the other hand had all sorts of different shapes for their entrances. These dungeons would often have several forking paths that went off to who knows where. One could get lost in a Variant Dungeon for hours or even days. It would be difficult finding a way out even as a group. Chances were they would never see Clifton again.


    The news wasn''t so sad as it was bothersome in that they were down an adventurer. Adventurers ended up dying one way or another. Each friend lost made the next one easier to move past.


    "Well then, is our mage up to the task?"


    The man scratches his head.


    "Maybe? I don''t know. She¡¯s a strange one, even for a mage. You say one wrong word and she goes crazy."


    "Well, she better be ready. I have my own escape plan if things go to hell. Not my fault if your head goes rolling when we go in."


    The shadowy figure massaged his throat.


    "Well if that''s all, I''m going back see if anyone else has arrived. It might be funny to watch the hole eat them too."


    The shadowy figure motioned back to the forest.


    "Careful, Vernon," said the man, reassuming his striking pose. "You know we can get testy when things fall apart. You might get an axe to the face if you laugh too loud."


    Vernon grinned, "Warriors, not one of you with a sense of humor."


    A small gust of wind blasted from the soles of Vernon''s boots, and the man was gone before you could blink.


    Thwump. Crash.


    ~~~


    Back at the village, on the second floor of the library, Grey looked out the window. A whole week of waiting before he could go out! Already, travelers were making their way to his village and asking for directions to the new dungeon. A portly merchant with a tall hat was speaking to his father outside about setting up a stall in front the library.


    "I implore you, sir. I  need - no, require, this location. It is imperative," spoke the double-chinned man. His cheeks jiggled every time he finished a sentence. "These products are the finest of goods! Herbal tonics, antidotes, panaceas! Where better to put a shop than in front of a library where a mage or priest would naturally seek out? Think of the convenience! They come to a village to see a library with a shop in front of it. If they need a book, might as well buy a potion too. Out of tonic? Might as well browse the library while they''re here. It''s good for me, good for you!"


    Grey''s father was not convinced. "Our library is no simple book shop. We process many important documents and letters. If a messenger were to come here, I wouldn¡¯t want them to be wading through hordes of people to deliver or pick up a letter. Furthermore, I do not wish to be anywhere near the disputes you may have with your customers."


    While the merchant''s deal might be good for business, Grey''s father thought first of his family. It is not uncommon for the first few shops that set up near dungeons to be con artists who sold poor quality goods, leaving the area before their customers could catch on. The last thing Grey''s father wanted was to have some angry adventurer in front of his home. He turned to leave.


    "Ah, sir, please wait," coaxed the plump merchant. His face was sweating. "I spoke out of turn. Come now, let us discuss this more thoroughly over some tea. I have a wonderful herbal blend that I know you will enjoy. Let me address your concerns. Let me show you my wares. I am an honest man. On my honor, I will bring no trouble here."


    Grey''s father paused for a moment and saw Grey by the window. Letting the merchant sell his goods here would surely attract more adventurers to the library. Wouldn''t that make his son happy? Perhaps, the matter could be worked out.


    "Fine," said Grey''s father, "I will see your wares, but I also require that my terms be met. If you breach these terms at any point our agreement will be void, and I will see to it that you are evicted from the premises. Do we have an understanding?"


    "Certainly. Most certainly," smiled the merchant. As long as there was conversation the tides of possibility could be turned in his favor. The merchant knew as long as the librarian was willing to trade words with him an agreement could be reached. He would have this spot no matter what.


    Grey watched as his father left with the merchant. It was still early morning, but the village was vibrant with activity. Every few minutes a new face would arrive at the edge of town. They were dressed in foreign clothes, many looking for a place to stay. The new travelers mingled in the village center, discussing their day to day activities and any news they may have heard during their travels. After a couple of hours the town began to feel crowded.  In a week, perhaps, it would no longer be called a village, but a town.


    But Grey was still not allowed outside. Despite all these happenings it seemed like no one was interested in a library. Obviously they would seek out the blacksmith or tailor. When venturing into a dungeon the first priority would be equipment, not books. It was a good precaution to check their gear before attempting a serious endeavor such as a dungeon. A second set of clothes? Steel tipped boots? Leather gloves? You never know when the smallest of things could stand between life and death.


    Grey''s eyes, longing to see more beyond the window, drooped as he sighed. Now what would he do? Grey sat up straight. He folded his legs up on the chair and closed his eyes. From breathe there is life. From life there is motion. From motion is direction. Magic is motion. Magic is imitation. Magic is imagination. Grey recited the words from the introductory tome. The mind gives direction. The body provides protection. Two in one. Together forms a base. An image swirls in Grey''s mind. The power of the wind, light and soft, brushing against gentle blades of grass.


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    Grey exhales and vapors rise out from his body, tenderly scattering papers around him before coming to a rest.


    "Ho, ho, ho." said voice.


    Startled, Grey opened his eyes. There was a young woman dressed in loose fitting robes. She stood alone in the corridor. Her plush, pointed hat bent near the top at an intriguing angle. At her side she held a staff with an emerald jewel embedded on its tip.


    "I came here to find some books about the local plant life, and instead I find a young adept. Curious." The woman tilts her head playfully. "I wonder who can help me, it seems the storekeeper is not here."


    Grey leapt out of the chair, ungracefully falling on all fours. It was a mage! A real life mage!


    "I-I can help you! It''s over here on the second shelf next to forest survival guides."


    Grey quickly got up and ran to where he was pointing. He quickly scanned the shelves and brought several tomes back for her to look at. His eyes were flooded with anticipation. The woman looked at him, clearly amused, and picked up the biggest book to peruse its contents. She flipped through the pages and paused every now and then to write down a note on a small slip of paper she pulled out of her sleeve. When she had finished, she looked down to see Grey still ogling her enviously. She smiled and laughed to herself. The boy looked like a puppy staring at a juicy slab of meat.


    "Little boy, why are you staring at me like that? Could it be you wish to charm me to bed?"


    "What! Eww, no!" Grey''s face screwed up in disgust. Though Grey was a little child he had read enough books to know where babies come from.


    The young woman grinned. "Oh? So you know what that means? Perhaps, you are not so little after all."


    Grey''s face turned scarlet red! What was this woman saying!


    "So if not my company, then for what do I owe your piercing gaze?"


    "It''s just since I was smaller, I set a goal to become a powerful mage, but I have not been able to get very far. Seeing the real thing makes me really happy."


    The woman laughed. "What is so special about being a mage? You do a few tricks and people think you are all powerful. Always asking you to do this or that. It really is a bother."


    "I-It can''t be!" said Grey upset. How can this woman say that about herself. "Magic is a powerful force. The strongest mage can topple mountains. They tell the earth to move it moves. They shout at the sky and even clouds will obey."


    The young woman smiled. "Little boy, you read too many books. Besides, mages aren''t the only ones who use magic, all the paths do. Even those hard-headed brutes use it in their training."


    Grey''s mouth was gaping. Though he had read lots of books about mages, he had not read much about the other heroic paths. Everyone used magic?


    "I thought warriors used something called inner rage?"


    The woman scoffed. "It is, essentially, the same thing. Those idiots just don''t like to name it for what it is."


    Grey thought to himself. "Miss, may I ask you for your name."


    "It is Baylee. Just Baylee. Though if you become my husband, then perhaps I shall give you my last name as well."


    "Miss Baylee, please don''t joke with me!"


    Baylee laughed as Grey fidgeted nervously. His thoughts returned to his original goal. There was a real life mage in front of him! Was this his chance to leave the village?


    "Miss, can I ask a question and a favor?"


    "Ask away," smiled Baylee. "Though if you ask a favor it''s only right I know your name as well, boy."


    Grey nodded.


    "My name is Grey. I am reading books and training my aura, but I am progressing quite slow. I also don''t know much about how to cast spells and I would like to ask if you know how I would pass the Ritual of Awakening."


    "That is quite the question. What I find surprising though is the last. You haven''t passed your Ritual of Awakening?" answered Baylee. "Just now didn''t you meld magic?"


    "Yes, but only because I have read the first volume of Magic Theory. I have my basics down, but I haven''t done the ritual yet because I don''t know what it is."


    Baylee pondered to herself. It was unheard of for a mage to be able to utilize magic before they underwent their awakening. Could this boy be a genius? She found the boy rather endearing to be honest. This new revelation only made her want him even more.


    "I could explain it to you, but it really is rather complicated. How about I promise to help you with your awakening on a later date. I still have things to do today and I don''t think my friends would be very happy if I were to disappear on them."


    "Thank you!" Grey''s heart was fluttering with excitement.


    "So if that was your question, what is your favor?" said Baylee.


    "I ask that you take me on as your apprentice!"


    "Ho~"


    Baylee smiled. Young Grey.


    "You know it is only polite to offer something in return. If I take you on as an apprentice, what would I get in return?"


    Grey thought carefully. "If you teach me, I will be grateful for the rest of my life! Through fire or ice, I''ll definitely help you no matter what."


    The woman giggled. "You really do read too many books. You are starting to sound silly. That''s fine. I don''t dislike that sort of person. From this point on, you are my apprentice." Baylee put the book back on a shelf and straightened out her had. "Come. I have much to see in this village before I go back to my friends."


    "B-But?" Grey interjected. How could he forget his promise to his father? He was not to go outside for another week.


    "What? Change your mind? Are you my apprentice or aren''t you?"


    "I promised my father that I would stay inside till the knights arrive. Could we wait for week before I leave?"


    Hearing this. The woman grinned mischievously.


    "Where the master goes, the apprentice follows."


    She picked up Grey and out of the library they went! He had been kidnapped!

 (Vol I) Chapter 5 : Dagger and Sword

    Chapter 5


    Dagger and Sword


    A young woman in velvet robes walks down the street with a little boy over her shoulder. All his thoughts were falling out of head. He had been kidnapped!


    "Ah!" cried the boy weakly as he flailed his short arms. Freeing himself would have been easy, but he dared not offend his first teacher and leave her side.


    "Stop being so silly," Baylee said, putting Grey down. "You¡¯re outside now! Did the heavens strike you down? You need to learn that promises don''t hold any more power than the wind. A mage is a master of his own fate, situations changes with time, what may be right one moment may be wrong the next."


    Grey looked up at Baylee.


    "But...I promised my father."


    "A man''s promise is only worth as much his strength. Little Grey, didn''t you say you would be my apprentice and I would be your master? Right now, I am teaching you something. Will you be wise enough to listen?"


    Grey nodded and looked down at his feet. He could feel his cheeks grow warm.


    "It is not that I wish you harm, but as a clever child you should know your limits. In the future, if you continue to be pig-headed you will find yourself in impossible situations. Say you are in a dungeon with your fellow party members. You are told to hold guard formation to keep the monsters at bay. A monster leaps up and tears your leader away. Do you stick to the formation? Or do you act to save his life?"


    "I would save his life!"


    "Wrong!"


    Grey looked up in disbelief at his master.


    "I should let him die?"


    Baylee tapped him on the head with her staff. "Silly kid. Nobody said anything about letting so and so die."


    "But you said - "


    "I know what I said. You, young apprentice, are not asking the right questions. Why are you in a formation? What is your role in the party? You are a mage. You are the brains of the group. If you get bitten on your hand should you focus only on the bite? What if there are more monsters lurking about? You could go save one person, but the person next to you might get snatched away instead."


    Baylee''s eyes glossed over, recalling an old memory.


    "That is why you stay in formation. You protect what you have first, then think about how to save the person you''ve lost. Same with promises. They are only useful to people childish enough to believe in them. You break them if you have to. The most important person is you! If you are dead, then everything goes to waste."


    Grey contemplated Baylee''s words. He could not agree with her, but many of the things she said made sense. Would he risk killing others to save one life? If one had to lie to protect his friends, would it be considered evil?


    Baylee looked at Grey softly.


    "Little Grey, let me ask you. What is your goal in life?"


    Grey''s eyes lit up.


    "To become a powerful mage!"


    "Then as your master it is only right for you to follow me," Baylee explained. "A master and student relationship is a bond forged for a lifetime! I am not some callous person who would take you away without telling your parents."


    Baylee placed two fingers on her lips and whistled. A sheet of paper wriggled out from underneath her hat and traveled all the way back through the second story window.


    "This whole time I was writing a letter while speaking to you. Aren''t I clever? Ho, ho, ho."


    Grey shook his head playfully. If he was a silly kid, then Baylee was a silly adult.


    "Alright! Enough of this. You have two feet. We have to get the tailor to spin us some rope and knapsacks. Follow me."


    "Knapsacks?"


    Baylee gave a toothy grin.


    "For the treasure of course."


    ~~~


    At the entrance of the 139th Dungeon World a group of adventurers prepare themselves for the  worst. They were three in all: a priest, mage, and warrior. A shadowy man sitting atop a tree branch was laughing at them as they stared down the chasm. Only a few moments earlier, their three had been four. Their ranger was preparing to anchor a rope near the pit when suddenly the earth beneath her feet began to shake. Her instincts told her she was being attacked, so she evaded. Somehow she wound up dodging into the pit, plunging into the pit. Into the dungeon she went, her screams fading into the darkness.


    "Gahaha," laughed Vernon. Rangers were valued for their speed and light feet. It was hard to explain, but her dodging into the hole was no accident. How could Vernon not resist laughing at how clever this particular Dungeon World was? To trick adventurers into leaping to their doom.


    The warrior of the group, a large burly man clad in half-plate, looked at Vernon coldly.


    "You think that was funny? She was my friend. Laugh again and I''ll put my sword through your hole."


    Vernon chuckled. "Oh? Are you talking to me? Go on. Go on. She must not have been worth much to begin with. To die before entering the dungeon, isn¡¯t that embarrassing."


    The warrior gave out a bellow and leaped up to strike the shadowy man on the head. His blade, a silver claymore, sliced the figure in half and blasted the tree into a million pieces. A moment later, however, the same laugh came echoing from atop of another tree.


    "Ah, so scary. To strike down a helpless tree. If you had cut it better, we could have made some firewood."


    "You think you can keep running. If you want to trash talk then stop running away like a coward. What? Am I too scary for you?"


    "You? Scary?" said Vernon incredulously. "Ha-ha. I run because I find it amusing to watch people chase me."


    Vernon jumped down and pulled out a pair of thin daggers long enough to be short swords from underneath his cloak. Their blades glistened with a sinister light.


    ¡°But if you want me to get serious.¡±


    He grinned with murderous intent.


    ¡°Then killing someone like you is no big deal.¡±


    "Wait, friends. There is no need to fight," spoke the priest, putting his hands up in a friendly gesture. If he did not stop the fight now it would really get out of control. "What happened to Melissa was an accident. Johan calm down."


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    "Move out of the way, Carl. Can''t you see this bastard is asking for it? These rogues types are always laughing and stabbing people in the back." Johan turned to face Vernon. "Screw him, and the parents that raised him! You think your little glowing sticks scare me? You clearly have not seen true strength!"


    Johan dashed forward. The weight of his body shifted back and forth. He moved in an unpredictable pattern as if he were a lightning bolt trying to choose a target.


    "Earth Crusher!" shouted Johan at the top of his lungs. The words rang clear. His sword became bathed in a brownish light. He charged, striking down with tremendous strength! Vernon smiled softly and walked straight into the blade''s path. His hands blurred then seem to split into two, then three, then four mirages. Countless blades crisscrossed into a web of flashing lights.


    "Spider Silk Illusionary Formation."


    Dagger and sword collide!


    One, two, three, eleven, eighteen, twenty, a hundred! So many blades it looks as if the air itself is being ripped apart. Johan''s claymore penetrates Vernon''s defense by three inches and is stopped completely! Spider Silk Illusionary Formation. How fierce! Johan could only look at Vernon with shock.


    "You are not on my level. Fool. Death¡¯s Bite." His last two words pierced like ice in everyone''s minds.


    Kidney. Lungs. Spleen. Three blows at the same instant leaving hideous wounds. Blood spilled from his mouth. Johan staggered back and fell to his knees.


    "Johan!" screamed the mage, hatefully. "Bastard you will regret that!"


    "Will I?" laughed Vernon. The mage put up her staff, but Vernon had disappeared from her sight.


    "Vanish?!"


    Vernon chuckled.


    A metallic flash suddenly appeared and the mage''s eyes rolled back into her head. She too collapsed to the floor.


    "Just you now friend," smirked Vernon, reappearing over the mage''s fallen body. Carl''s face had lost all color. There wasn''t much Carl could do in terms of retaliation. Had Carl been more skillful the match could go either way but all he the spells he knew currently were healing and detoxifying spells. His eyes darted towards Johan who had now collapsed on the ground. If he revived him would it make a difference? This rogue had defeated Johan in two moves!


    "Don''t be rash!" shouted a hoarse voice.


    The ground in front of Vernon was suddenly shrouded by cloud of dust and debris. A Giant Crow, nearly thirty feet long, descended from the sky. An elderly man with loose white robes and a striped bandana stood on the back of the Giant Crow.


    "Oh? To escape my Giant Crow''s Paralyzing Gaze. You are quite something."


    Vernon smiled a few feet away. It wasn''t unusual for adventurers to butt in on each other''s fights. When everyone wanted to be the strongest, it was natural to them to seek one another out. Who cares if they are already fighting someone? Some gatherings had thirty adventurers in one large brawl.


    "To sneak attack a rogue, are you asking for trouble? Who are you, honorable senior?" Vernon asked.


    Vernon face showed no emotion, but inwardly he was worried. A Giant Crow? This senior must be a spirit master, a type of mage that specialized in taming wild beasts. Though Vernon enjoyed fighting other people, beasts tended to be far more unpredictable and difficult to handle. Without knowing how strong this old man was, Vernon dared not attack back.


    "Unnecessary," answered the old man, dismissively. "I was watching from afar. I know you were attacked first, so I cannot fault you for defending yourself. However, to attack their healer would be unjust. Were you planning on leaving them unconscious for a wild beast to eat them?"


    The old man pointed at bloodied Johan and the unconscious mage.


    Vernon shrugged. This old fellow was insightful. Vernon had entertained the idea of watching a wild monster eat the wounded adventurers alive. Wouldn''t that have be fun? His thoughts then turned towards his chances of killing the elderly man. A sneak attack was possibly, but he quickly dismissed that idea as well. Though invisibility worked well on humans who relied on sight, his Giant Crow would have extra senses that would detect him if he drew close. Stupid beast. So troublesome.


    Vernon shook his head and bowed politely. If the game were no longer fun, why stay?


    "Well, out of respect for you senior I will take my leave. Seeing as no one died. Perhaps we will even be friends later. Haha."


    He gave a wide smile and vanished back into the woods.


    Carl breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Honored elder, I can''t thank you enough for the help. I-"


    The old man raised his hand.


    "No need to thank me. If anything you should blame your party''s lack of foresight. To attack an advanced level rogue. Are you courting death?"


    Carl looked shocked. "He was an advanced level rogue?"


    "Youngster," sighed the old man. "That rogue used a high level skill three times: one to escape your warrior''s initial attack, a second to block his strike, and the third to return the blow. Even if you are ignorant, you should have sensed something was wrong when your warrior''s attack failed the first time. Don''t tell me you think a warrior''s battle sense is inferior to that of a rogue."


    "I-I..." Carl was a loss for words.


    The old man shook his head. "The earth is large, but the sky is larger. Let this old man give you some advice. Don''t pick fights unless you know you will win. You see how that fellow dared not attack me without knowing my strength. You can curse him for nearly killing you, but even he had more common sense! Next time your warrior friend decides to pick a fight, do try harder to stop him."


    The old man waved his hand and the Giant Crow took off, blasting a gale of wind before it flew into the sky. Carl sat stunned for a moment before hastily making his way towards Johan to tend to his wounds. They weren''t life threatening but they were serious enough to incapacitate him for several days. At the very least, they wouldn''t be going into the dungeon anytime soon. He could only sigh to himself as he began casting his healing spell.

 (Vol I) Chapter 6 : The Strongest

    Chapter 6


    The Strongest


    A young woman and a boy walk down the village hand in hand. In any ordinary circumstance one may think they are mother and child, but these two were Baylee and Grey!


    "Little Grey," smiled Baylee, tenderly. In the last few hours, the two had been going store to store. In her heart, she could not help but admire how helpful her new apprentice was, even going as far as to carry her things without being told. She felt quite happy and held him by the hand like a mother hen guiding it''s chick. Though this clever child was smart, one could often forget he was only six years old! At his age holding hands was still as natural as breathing the air. Had he been older then perhaps he would have been more embarrassed.


    "Let me ask you something. Are familiar with a thing called Power Tiers?"


    Grey tilted his head thoughtfully.


    "Is that the Iserian Ranking Chart?"


    Baylee smiled. "Not quite silly child. Though you are quite close. There are seven levels of strength. Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced, Expert, Master, Saint, and Heroic. All adventurers fall under one of these categories."


    "But?" Grey frowned. "I thought the Iserian Ranking Chart told people how strong an adventurer was?"


    "Silly kid. The Iserian Ranking Chart tells people how strong a dungeon is. To ordinary people even an elementary level adventurer can appear to be an expert. The Ranking Chart just made it easier for people to tell the difference. What elementary adventurer can boast about doing a Chaos Dungeon? Only scammers and fools."


    "Ah!" thought Grey.


    "At each level of strength an adventurer''s power grows exponentially. This can usually only happen through some insight into the natural laws of the world. The difference between an elementary level adventurer and an intermediate adventurer is as high as the sky. The same goes from those of the intermediate to the advanced level."


    Grey nodded excitedly.


    "Naturally, to break through each level one has to undergo rigorous pain and suffering. Even achieving the elementary stage would normally require 15 years of training."


    Grey stared at Baylee with shock! Years of training just to get to the elementary level? If it took several years to move from each level then by the time he reached Heroic would he drop dead from age? No wonder no one was as hero! It was nearly impossible!


    "If that''s true then no one can ever be a hero!" lamented Grey.


    "Haha. It is good you are clever. You can see why to adventurers anyone wanting to be a hero can only be called a genius or a lunatic."


    Grey sighed inwardly. He did not think the road to be a hero would be so tough. Would he spend his whole life in vain trying for something he would never achieve? Baylee saw the despair in Grey''s face and smiled to herself. It was good for a person to have a firm grasp on reality. If one was always in dreamland, they might become deluded and foolish in the future. She placed her hand on his shoulder to comfort him.


    "Do not worry though. Little Grey you are quite smart. To be able to meld magic at your age. Do you not know it takes a person 8 years to be able to do that? Forget 15 years. It''ll only take you 7."


    Grey eyes lit up once more.


    "Besides don''t you think you are underestimating your master? Can you guess what level I am at?"


    Grey looked at the Baylee and thought carefully about her age. She looked quite young but if what she said about training was true then she should be a little older.


    "You should be thirty years old! Intermediate level!"


    Baylee whacked Grey with her staff.


    "Who is thirty years old? Little Brat! I am not an old woman. I am twenty one! I am an advanced level mage."


    "Advanced Level?!?" Grey could only gasp in astonishment. "B-But you said it took years!"


    Baylee puffed out her chest. "Of course it takes years. It takes years for normal people. Who said I was normal? I was also clever as a kid and now I grew up. In a few years perhaps your master will also become an expert! You can praise me now."


    Baylee smiled.


    "Master you are amazing!"


    "Ho, ho, ho. With me teaching you who can say it will even take 7 years. When you go through your Ritual of Awakening perhaps you will have already reached the elementary level."


    Grey heart leaped for joy. He could perhaps be an elementary level adventurer at age 13 or younger! Could there be anyone at that age that could claim the same? He thought not!


    "Alright, silly child. Now you won''t look so ignorant when conversing with other adventurers. Let''s start heading back to my camp. I think my party will be entering the dungeon soon. I have to start planning for the trip in."


    Grey nodded and followed Baylee. The two passed the village entrance and went into the forest. His village fading into the background behind him.


    ~~~


    From the gaping chasm that was the entrance of the 139th Dungeon World, there could be heard a howling scream coming from its depths. An orb of light about fifteen feet wide leaped from the base of the chasm and shot through the air. It spun in the air before crashing into the ground, leaving an impact crater three feet deep.


    "Did we get out?"


    The orb of light dissipated revealing a party of four adventurers. A warrior, mage, rogue and ranger.


    "Air!" shouted the warrior. Her arms grasping at the sky. "We made it? Praise the sun!"


    The chubby mage panted. Sweat dripping from his head. "Yeah. That''s how you do it. Now, you fools owe me a week''s worth of food."


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    "Good enough," sighed the rogue. Her hands still trembling. "What the hell was that?"


    "We lucked out that''s what happened," whispered the ranger. Her leather jacket torn to shreds. "A Basilisk and a Giant Serpent. What''s next? A 10-Headed Hydra?"


    The warrior stood up and picked up her large hammer. "Could it be a Cursed or Hidden Dungeon?"


    The rogue shook her head. "What kind of Cursed or Hidden Dungeon has traps like that? Walls that flip over and toss you every which way? Ceilings that drop monsters on your head? This dungeon is really too strange!"


    A loud roar sounded off from the dungeon and everyone''s eyes flashed with fear! It wasn''t over yet?! A black shadow leaped from the hole and flew up into the sky. Fifty feet long it casted a long shadow on the ground. Horns on its head, a long snake-like tail, and bat wings. It was a Winged Wyrm!


    "Oh common," said the warrior. "Go away you freaking lizard!"


    "Formation! Triangle Formation!" shouted the mage. Warrior in front. Mage in the center. Ranger right corner. Rogue left corner. The Three Pillars of the Lunar Palace that hold the stars in place! Magic radiated from the corners of the triangular formation, forming a barrier that connected all the three sides together. Maximum Defense!


    The Winged Wyrm opens its mouth and spit out a noxious pale green gas.


    "Acid Breathe! Brace yourself!"


    The mage quickly drew an array of symbols in the air.


    "Evil Poison Seal!"


    The pale gas brushed against an invisible barrier, burning the ground like fire around the four adventurers. Everything it touched withered and died in seconds. Even whole trees were reduced to twig-like husks.


    The mage looked up fearful. He could not keep up the barrier indefinitely. "Sachi!"


    "I got it!" The woman pulled back the notch of her bow. The strings hummed with a strange force.


    "Shatter point!"


    An arrow flew from her bow and pierced the Winged Wyrm''s left wing. The arrow glowed for a moment and then exploded into several fragments tearing the soft flesh to pieces. The Winged Wyrm was caught off balance then dropped from the sky with a tremendous crash, crushing everything beneath its massive weight.


    Debris rushed like a storm, engulfing the whole area in a murky dust cloud. The warrior leaped up, rushing through the dust cloud. As she moved, the dust parted as if pushed aside by an invisible force. Aura!  Energy radiated from her body. Not only can aura be used to push aside obstacles but find an enemy. She extended her battle sense to cover the whole area and rushed to meet the Winged Wyrm before it recovered!


    In her hand resonated with power. Strength. Unbridled and Unrestrained. To her right! She leaped up and struck the dazed Winged Wyrm in the head. Roar! The earth rippled beneath the Wyrm''s vast girth. The warrior ducked as a gigantic tail flew from the dust cloud and slammed at the ground, smashing the earth to a pulp. Rows of knife-like teeth. It''s gaze was like death itself. Piercing with malicious intent.


    The Winged Wyrm sank its claws deep into the soil, and the ground began to reverberate. The grains of dust in the air and ground begin to swirl around the Winged Wyrm. Not good!


    "Don''t let it use it use its Special Attack!" yelled the mage.


    The Winged Wyrm gaping mouth opened. Fangs as long as spears. The air itself seemed to grow cold and still. A dagger swift and small flew into the air straight into its throat.


    The rogue! She had her eyes closed, moving her hands rhythmically, guiding the dagger deep into the Winged Wyrm''s belly. It''s weak point was the major coronary artery near its heart!


    "Phantom Blade. Demonic Possession."


    She gripped an imaginary dagger in her right hand and slashed down at the air in front of her. The dagger inside the Winged Wyrm copied the motion, slicing deep into the gut, severing heart from body. The Winged Wyrm eyes dilated in a shock sensing something was terribly wrong.  It gave one last piercing howl then collapsed lifeless on the ground. Dead.


    "It is dead right?" mumbled the warrior, walking to her companions. She looked at the lifeless beast corpse with disdain and concern. For a beast to rise up from the dead was not unheard of. She walked around it cautiously as if it were a dangerous thing.


    The rogue nodded slowly. "Unless it''s got two hearts. Should be dead. We butchering it?"


    "No," spoke the mage, shaking his head. "It should still have poisonous gas inside its belly. Leave it alone. Besides, I want to sleep. One thing after another. Can my heart get a break?"


    The rest of his party members shrugged in agreement. After this ordeal they all had their share of life and death situations for the day.


    From the forest, a young girl with long bangs looked at the party of adventurer''s with terrified eyes. Upon hearing a loud boom she had come to see what had happened and witnessed the entire battle, terrifying her little heart.


    The warrior noticed the presence through her battle sense. Her eyes turned to meet the girls. The warrior tilted her head in surprise, thinking that it was a trick. A girl this deep in the woods? Who was this little child?


    "Little girl?" said the warrior, drawing the attention of the rest of the adventurers to the girl. "Are you lost?"


    <hr />


    Author Note:


    This chapter was brought to you by coffee and junk food. Please rate, review, or leave a comment. It means a lot to me! Now I shall now proceed to die from exhaustion...*death*

 (Vol I) Chapter 7 : Frost Wolf

    Chapter 7


    Frost Wolf


    In a gathering in the forest there were twenty or so odd adventurers talking excitedly amongst themselves. Many carried large exotic weapons and armor that could eclipse the sun. Baylee and Grey just walked outside of this group, arriving a moment ago.


    "What is this?" mumbled Baylee, complacently. "So many people in the middle of the road. Was there a fight or something?"


    She walked into the crowd, not caring who she bumped, pushing through everyone. Grey followed close behind. In the center of the crowd was a large gemstone the size of a person! A deep emerald color that dazzled the eyes and glittered under the light.


    "At least fifty tallies," spoke a red haired beauty. The sword on her waist seemed to distort the air around her as if it were a flame. "The fellow who discovered this must have been kissed by some god in his previous life."


    A blue haired man with long robes shook his head. In his hand a large staff with three gems embedded at its tip to form a flower. "I tell you I have seen this before in the Kargorian Dungeon. It''s an King Emerald Treasure. A divine gemstone that can store up to three hundred different spells. You inscribe your glyphs into its surface and infuse it with magic. Right here is enough to make a complete set of armor.  "


    The crowd collectively gasped in astonishment. An armor that could cast spells? In a life or death situation this was quite valuable.


    "So who is the fellow who found this rock? Don''t tell me it just happened to be here on its own?"


    A man with a golden scythe shrugged his shoulders. "It was here when I came by the road."


    The rest of the crowd joined in.


    "Me too."


    "Yeah, walked by and saw it."


    "Saw people here, so I came too."


    "So," mumbled a young green haired woman carrying a twin hammer. "What everyone is saying is that it is free?"


    Free? In the world of adventurer''s there was a thing called finders keepers. Now that this crowd of people found this priceless treasure, the question now was who was going to keep it? Everyone''s eyes turned dangerous.


    "Okay," said Baylee, turning around. "Grey let us leave."


    Grey gawked at the large emerald stone. Something so priceless, ordinary folks would go their entire lives without seeing one, even adventurers seldom found such treasures. It was natural to be mesmerized by such rare beauty.


    "Grey!" said Baylee, nearly shouting. She quickly pulled the boy back into reality. The atmosphere was already getting perilous. She could feel the warriors in the group releasing their battle sense.


    Grey snapped to attention like a fish taken out of water. Baylee grabbed his hand and started to make her way out of the crowd. She barely made it out of the outer circle before a loud explosion erupted behind her. Adventurer''s leaped left and right, avoiding one another. In a large scale fight everyone was the enemy!


    Baylee pulled Grey close to her and released her battle sense to protect him. Aura from an enemy adventurer was strong enough to harm a normal person directly. Warrior''s especially had an oppressive aura that slowed the movements of their opponents. If used on a normal person with no magical resistance, it would squash them flat like a bug.


    Grey shook with both terror and excitement. The adventurers of his dreams were fighting all out before his eyes. As a boy. How could he not be awed and amazed by their flashy techniques? Baylee waded past flying daggers, earth tremors, and fierce winds, holding Grey close to her. Whenever an attack would find their way to her location, it would then suddenly veer off to the side, deflected by an invisible barrier.


    "Wind Barrier!"


    Even in such chaos, the battle had a methodology to them. Rogues frequently targeted weaker adventurers, appearing and disappearing as they pleased. Warriors targeted each other wanting to prove their superiority to their own peers. Mages waited till the last moment to swoop in to take victory, only defending themselves from danger. Rangers on the other hand...attacked everyone.


    One such ranger stood in front of Baylee. Her hair rippled as if alive. Her bow was also something special. A triple bow string with large five foot arrows. This was no doubt a Great Dragonslayer Longbow.


    "Who are you!" asked Baylee, venomously. It was obvious to all that she had a child and wished to leave. Who dared stop her?


    The ranger bowed his head. "You might not want to fight but I do! Raise your staff or die standing!"


    The air around Baylee turned to ice. "Don''t you know who I am? Baylee the Frost Wolf. You dare challenge me still?"


    "The Prodigal Mage?" said the ranger, astonished. Who had not heard of this genius? Her name was famous in all the lands as one of the rising stars of the world. If one could count the people that had a chance to reach heroic level. Her name was would be one of them!


    Inwardly, the ranger grinned.


    "So what if you are famous? This only makes me want to fight you more! I too am quite special. My name is Vera the Windfury. Come let me taste some of your magic."


    Baylee glanced at Grey.


    "Grey. Today, it looks like I cannot avoid trouble. So what? I''ll show you something little kid. Hold this treasure. It''ll keep you safe for a bit."


    Baylee slipped a small white translucent gem under Grey''s shirt and walked a few feet away so that Grey would not get caught in the crossfire.


    "You blood thirsty fellow," said Baylee, angrily. "I''ll teach you to fear mages."


    Vera smiled. To fight was to live! How could there be any joy greater than that!


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    "Penetrating Bone Spear!"


    She loose the notch of her longbow. An arrow as large as a sword screamed through the air, warping the space around it.


    Baylee whispered incantations under her breathe. Grey watched her carefully. As a clever boy how could he not miss the meaning behind his master''s words. She was an advanced mage! Perhaps he could gain some insights of his own and progress faster to the elementary level.


    All at once, the arrow violently came to a stop, spears of ice jolted from the ground, skewering it like a wild boar. Her eyes glowing. Baylee let loose a torrent of  destruction!


    "Coldsnap. Ice Lance. Frozen Orb. Frostbolt. Winter''s Grasp. Lunar Tundra, Icefire, Black Sun."


    Spells one after another, so fast it boggled the mind! What was this!? Vera could hardly react before the ground beneath her froze. Struck on all sides by a venerable blizzard. She leaped backwards, but she had been trapped! So many spells!? Faster than the wind! Her arms pierced by blades of ice. Her legs snapped to the ground. Her longbow sealed in a frozen rock heavier than the earth. A long frozen blade flew to her neck to take her life. Death!


    A loud explosion resounded where Vera had been, but Baylee did not wait to see if her spells hit. Instead, she swept Grey off his feet as soon as she finished casting and ran away! Who cares about that fight? The most important thing to her is her apprentice! To have him die so soon, would surely break her heart. She leaped up before another fellow could jump in and attack her and with him in tow disappeared in the woods.


    ~~~


    "Master? Did that woman die?"


    A few miles away, Grey asked Baylee quietly. Ever since that encounter, there was a strange silence between the two. Inwardly, Grey berated himself for being too caught up with that King Emerald gemstone to realize the danger. Though originally he had been excited to see such crazy action. He realized he had put his master and his life at risk for his lapse of attention. If his master had instead died in that fight would he still be here standing? This made him feel very guilty.


    Baylee looked at Grey and sighed.


    "From the power of that arrow. That woman was most likely another advanced level practitioner. For her confidently to attack me. You think she would die so easily? She had high level equipment that would lessen my attack before it struck. If the fight lasted too long. Who could say who would win? She underestimated me. So I taught her a lesson. She is not dead kid, but I imagine her neck should be aching."


    Baylee could see Grey''s nod slowly. She knew the kid felt guilty so she let him wallow in his thoughts for a while to better his character. Already, Baylee had grown very attached to Grey. Such a kind hearted child. Just too silly and young. He had enough sense to know when he was wrong and reflect on his actions. Could any kid say the same? She thought she punished him enough and then smiled, reaching out and ruffling his hair playfully.


    "Silly kid. You look so sad. As long as you know you were wrong. I am not upset. Be more happy! Say! Did you see how cool your master was? You can praise me again!"


    Grey''s eyes lit up and he smiled.


    "Master! What was that amazing thing you did! So many stuff came out at once!"


    Baylee smiled.


    "That was a multi-spell attack. Let me ask you Grey. What is the greatest weakness of a mage?"


    Grey remembered the time that arrow flew through the air. Baylee stood doing nothing casting her spell. At that time his heart truly leaped in fear. He thought Baylee might be killed before completing her incantation.


    "Would it be the time it takes for you to complete an incantation?"


    Baylee smiled. This clever kid. To gain such insights from one fight. Truly a genius.


    "That''s right. It takes time for mages to prepare. Rogues? Warriors? Rangers? They all use magic in its raw and unrefined form. We actually have transform our magic to give it real substance and power. That attack I showed you was a little shortcut some mage''s figured out so many years ago. If it takes time to cast one spell, why not cast a bunch of spells at the same time? That''s why in a fight high level mage''s are the most fierce. If you let them rest for a few moments, then you get hit with all sorts of things at once. "


    Baylee looked up the road and saw a large warrior talking to a chubby mage.


    "By the way it looks like one of my fellows is waiting for us. Dane! What are you up to you old man?"


    Dane turned around and smiled back.


    "Ah, these fellows just came from the dungeon. I thought it might be good to trade some information so I am giving this fellow some of our bread for a little tip or two."


    Baylee smiled playfully. "Fellow, if food is what you want, let this woman cook you something delicious, then maybe we can about some maps?"


    The chubby mage smiled back. To fellow mages who traveled upon the path of knowledge a meeting was always a chance to learn something. A young girl with long bangs clung to the chubby man''s robes and peeked her head around him to see who it was.  The minute her eyes fell upon Grey she quickly ran up and leaped into his arms. Everyone turned to stare. What?!


    <hr />


    Author Note:


    If anyone is wondering. I usually post one chapter a day, health permitting, Pacific Time. 1600+ words. My goal is to eventually write enough chapters to make a book! I hope the pacing isn''t too slow! I wanted to develop my characters properly before transitioning to the next arc and get all the battle related terms introduced.

 (Vol I) Chapter 8 : Little Cloud

    Chapter 8


    Little Cloud


    "Grey!"


    The girl had quite fond memories of their first conversation and had gone out to the forest to find him again. Who would have known in a single day so much would change? Monsters and adventurers all over the place. Parts of the forest blasted to pieces. The mountain had turned strange and dangerous overnight.


    "Ah," said Grey surprised. "What are you doing here ragged kid?"


    The girl let go of him, her head a few inches taller than his, and shook her head sniffling. "You still call me that? My name is Sho. You are rude. To not even ask for my name last we met."


    She pretended to punch his cheek. "There! Now we are even. Your older sister forgives you."


    "Who is my older sister?" giggled Grey. He reached out and poked her back on the cheek. "This extra layer of meat here? Did you eat a big chicken last we met? If anything you should call me older bro, and I should call you little sis."


    Sho puffed her cheeks. "Y-You! You are making fun of me!"


    "Haha. Who can say?" laughed Grey, hiding behind Baylee.


    "Come back here! Calling me a chicken. Then you must be an egg! Let me crack you open!"


    Sho chased after Grey. Her hand raised to whack his forehead. Swoosh! She misses! Grey runs around Baylee followed by Sho. They spin round and round like a pair of rabbits! Baylee stood still watching the whole thing admirably but now this was too much. Using her like a tree. This kind of thing is too silly. She lifted her robes and sent both kid''s flying into the air. She snapped her fingers and softened the earth and both children plopped head first into the ground like a pair of bean sprouts, their legs sticking out of the ground.


    Baylee plucked Grey from the ground and whacked him in the head.


    "Ow!"


    "You silly kid. To use your teacher in your silliness. Taste the end of my staff. Let me crack your egghead several more times."


    Whack!


    "Ow! I''m sorry teacher!"


    Whack!


    "I feel really bad!"


    Whack!


    Grey covered his head and looked at Baylee with pleading eyes. The ultimate weapon of a kid! Puppy eyes!


    Whack!


    Baylee dropped Grey to the ground.


    "You clever little punk. You think you can move my heart with those tricks! Puppy eyes! Bah! Didn''t you forget I used to be a kid too. Reflect!"


    "Okay," Grey nodded solemnly, rubbing his head.


    "As for the other one."


    Baylee walked over to Sho and plucked her out of the ground.


    "You!"


    Sho trembled with her eyes closed! She didn''t know this woman! And now she was about to get hit by her!


    "Are not even fat. Stop taking things so literally."


    Baylee tossed Sho into the air and spun her round and round.


    "Ahhhh!"


    "It doesn''t feel so good does it! So stop spinning around people!"


    She gently set Sho down to her feet. The girls eyes were swirling in circles. Her feet wobbling. Baylee took her staff and then bonked Sho on the head. Sho fell backwards onto the ground. Defeated.


    "That''s what you get silly kid number two."


    Dane smiled and shook his head. "Sis? Don''t you think you are being a little too mean to your juniors? By the way who is that little kid you brought?"


    Baylee scoffed. "Who is mean? This boy is my apprentice. To act so silly in front of people, he needs to be taught a lesson. That little girl too!"


    "Haha," laughed the chubby mage. "Truth be told I have been trying to find the family of that little girl, but she insisted on staying in the mountain because she was waiting for someone. If I am not blind, I see that person is your little friend."


    Baylee turned amusingly towards Grey. "You little fellow. What have you been doing behind my back? Have you done this and that with this girl?"


    Grey''s face turned red. He shook his head. "T-Teacher!"


    "Ho, Ho, Ho. " Baylee chuckled.


    Sho sat upright. Her head slowly going back to normal. "Grey what does she mean this and that? Did you mess with me some more when I was waking up?"


    "Shush! It''s an embarrassing adult thing!"


    "What is an embarrassing adult thing?"


    Dane, the chubby mage, and Baylee looked at each other and laughed to themselves. These little kids. One was smart, but silly. The other was just silly. Both made a good pair.


    "Now, now. Let us old fellows leave these little ones alone," said Dane, smiling. He walked up to Sho and helped her to her feet.


    "Was my sis too mean? Do not worry I will tell you her embarrassing secret. Then she will not bully you so."


    "Che," waved Baylee, dismissively. "Who has an embarrassing secret. You want to be left alone in the dungeon?"


    "Haha," Dane leaned in and whispered. "She has a funny mark on her face. It''s right here between her...."


    ?!?


    Dane''s eyes all of a sudden seemed to dilate with shock. He quickly leaped back so suddenly that it put everyone on guard. What had happened?


    He pointed in surprise at Sho''s forehead.


    "Those are?! "


    Scales! The chubby mage gasped in surprise. Everyone''s eyes suddenly turned cold and distant. The warrior drew his large broadsword on his back. Grey could sense something was wrong and leaped to her defense, running in front of her.


    "Stop! Don''t hurt her."


    "Little kid," said Dane, his voice suddenly menacing and unkind. "Get away from that girl right now."


    Grey looked to Baylee. Even her eyes were ice cold.


    "Silly kid. Move aside."


    Grey shook his head. "No! It is just a strange mark she got from birth. She is not a monster or something. I promised to protect her no matter what!"


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Baylee  eyes darted to Dane and then the chubby mage. She gestured for them to lower their weapons and then cautiously approached Grey. She kneeled down on one knee and placed her right hand on his worried face. Sho trembled behind him.


    "Kid. Do you believe in this master of yours? Didn''t you say you would help me fire or cold?"


    Grey nodded.


    "Good."


    Baylee reached behind Grey and plunged her hand into Sho''s head and ripped out a chunk of  flesh.


    "No!"


    Sho fell lifeless to the ground.


    Grey shook Sho''s shoulder but she does not move. She has been killed!


    He turns to look at Baylee. His eyes full of anger and sadness. How could his master trick him so! To say such words so that she could get close enough to kill his friend!


    "Ho, Ho, Ho." mumbled Baylee. "Those are some eyes silly kid. Try opening them wider. Your friend is not dead."


    Grey looked at Sho and turned her face around. The scales on her head were gone. Her eyes slowly fluttered back to life.


    "Alive?" Sho said, astonished.


    "Ragged kid, I thought you died." said Grey, stroking Sho''s forehead. If not to kill her why did everyone turn so vicious? Grey look to Baylee confused. In her hand the piece of flesh that she grabbed from Sho''s head. The flesh moved as if it were alive and then morphed into a small little lizard.


    Baylee nodded. "As I thought. This should be a Parasitic Dragon Spirit. A type of creature that feeds on its host magical energy. For this to be attached to you little girl. You must have some ridiculous talent."


    Dane looked at Baylee with concern. She shook her head and stopped him before he could say anything.


    "Do not worry old friend. Once you purifying a thing like this, it becomes a normal spirit that can even be a pet. Give me a moment and I shall have it looking cute."


    She waved her hand over the creature. Her staff radiated with power. Magic seemed to gather all around her, surrounding her body in a glowing yellow light. A light like stars that fluttered and whirled about. Her right hand was the lizard. Her left hand her staff. She moved her staff up drawing a triangular seal into the air. Six seals in one. Seven in a circle. Divine Tribulation. Spirit Transformation! She swung her staff down and a lightning bolt appeared over her head, striking the lizard with tremendous strength.


    Kaboom!


    Dust rattled up from where she stood. The lizard''s form shifted and dangled in the air. Its scales turned to fur. It''s claws into feet. It''s tail round and pale. The little lizard was now a little mouse! Fur as white as snow.


    The little mouse looked up to Baylee''s face. It''s little whiskers twitching this way and that.


    "Ho, ho, ho. So adorable."


    She gently petted the mouse on the head with her finger. Dane and the chubby mage relaxed the grip on their weapons. The danger was now over.


    Grey looked astonished at Baylee! What kind of magic was that!


    Baylee looked at Grey smiling. "Haha, kid your mouth is about to fall from your head. Didn''t your teacher say she was clever? Remember what I said and stop being so pig-headed. Your master knows right from wrong."


    She gently tossed the mouse to Sho who caught it in surprise.


    "Here! It was with you for the last few years. It''s only right that it goes back to you for a few more. Give it a name so it knows what to call itself."


    The mouse chirped and danced around in Sho''s hand. Sho smiled. Who would have thought that thing on her head could actually be a cute thing? Now with her face fixed maybe no one will treat her so bad. She suddenly felt very grateful to Baylee. Sho politely bowed to Baylee.


    "Thank you kind Ma''am."


    Baylee shook her head. "No need to thank me little sister. It was only right to do so."


    Sho smiled and shyly nodded back. That woman called her little sister. It was as if she had a real family.


    Sho thought for a moment then looked up at the sky.


    Clouds that cast a shadow in the sky and make the land turn a gray color.


    "Ah!" she said, "I know! I shall name you Little Cloud."


    "Little Cloud?" said Grey, tilting his head. "Sho. A mouse is kind of animal that lives near the ground. Why name it after something in the sky?"


    Sho shook her head and smiled. "It''s a secret! Maybe, when you start calling me older sister. Then I shall tell you."


    The chubby mage, Dane, and Baylee look to themselves and smiled. This silly girl.


    "Okay. Okay," said Baylee, clapping her hands. "No more exciting things today. Let this sister cook some good food for you all."


    Dane shrugged. The chubby man chuckled. And like that this group of adventurers, two children, and a spirit mouse walked happily back to their camp.


    <hr />


    Author''s Note:


    When Grey says to Sho about eating a big chicken. He is using a wordplay/duel meaning on how she used to be a coward and now acting so brave, (being too chicken and running away) and that she looks like she got a little fat (plump like a chicken). I didn''t know how to write this kind of language/culture thing that came in my head in the writing.


    So in their conversation it was like he should be called older brother because even though she is a little taller than him (reason why she calls herself older sister) she is only taller because she is fat or something like that and since he was braver he should be her older brother (older brother protects younger siblings). Maybe, it did not come across in the writing so I put it here in the notes instead.


    As always thank you for reading.

 (Vol I) Chapter 9 : Gaping Maw

    Chapter 9


    Gaping Maw


    The Great Yamato Mountain had two forests between Grey''s village and Baylee''s camp. Though it was difficult to distinguish them from one another at night, during the day their differences could plainly be seen. The first forest was one of mostly conifers, bright colored trees that had speckled spots that dotted their surface. Their leaves were small and light. They gave off a friendly atmosphere and had plenty of low hanging fruits that would dangle over your head.


    The second forest was one of bamboo, a tall grass that shot up from the ground, touched the sky and leaned over, arching down and planting themselves back into the ground. This forest looked like a row of snakes, burrowing and unburrowing, through a sea of mud and soil. It was at this forest, that Baylee, Dane, Grey, Sho, Little Cloud, and the chubby mage found themselves in the early morning, having eaten a large dinner the night before.


    "I must go back to my folks. We might be trying our luck again later in the day, but our warrior wanted to see if anyone was selling high grade gear. While our rogue. I''m sure she''s already off to find herself a new boyfriend."


    The chubby mage bowed and then left towards an opening in the bamboo. As he did, a man appeared out of the shadows, startling everyone except for Dane and Baylee.


    "Hello friends," said Vernon. "What do we have here? Who are these little children? Did you two get married or something while I was away?"


    Dane scoffed.  "Fellow, stop scaring the kids. I already heard about your mischief from the other adventurers. Why do you always got to pick a fight?"


    "A fight? Me?" laughed Vernon, "I am but a delicate flower. It''s not my fault if one or two folks get a taste of my thorns. Beautiful things are to be admired, not touched."


    "Saying such strange things again," mumbled Baylee, shaking her head. "Regardless, you have good timing. We are all here now. Did you sort out your things?"


    Vernon smiled. "Of course. Flash powder, poisons, extra rope, and sleeping bags."


    Baylee lay out a map on the table in their tent. Grey and Sho leaned over curiously. A little spirit mouse peeking from the top of Sho''s head.


    "Well, then I''ll begin our strategy of attack. The first obstacle is obviously the entrance. The chasm goes down about seven hundred feet. There is no bottom, at least I assume if you ever reach the bottom, you''d be crushed by some incredible magical force. Every forty feet, jutting out the corners of the chasm, are tunnels that take you to a different level of the dungeons. The first three hundred feet have been explored to around 15%. After four hundred feet there is a strange force that blocks you from entering the tunnels. The tunnels themselves are much larger about fifteen feet high. Near the bottom at seven hundred feet, the tunnel entrances then shrink to only three feet wide. Enough to crawl, but not to walk. Of course these too are protected by a strange force."


    Dane nodded his head. "Then it is a stepwise dungeon?"


    "That is correct," replied Baylee. "We have to complete the areas near the top to be able to enter the areas near the bottom. The force blocking the lower levels should dissipate once we reach the end of each level."


    "What''s the boundary area?" asked Vernon.


    "Around forty feet. The moment you see the first tunnel. The dungeon will suck you right in."


    Dane shook his head. "Hungry fellow isn''t he?"


    "More like hilarious," laughed Vernon. " I saw him push off a ranger the other day. Was quite the spectacle."


    "Also, from what I discussed with Marlin, it appears the dungeon has already gained a name. People are calling it the Gaping Maw."


    "Better then calling it new dungeon or big hole dungeon I suppose," murmured Dane.


    Baylee nodded her head in agreement. "I say today, we go in scout the higher levels to test the strength of the dungeon and then work our way down. No point in doing a suicide run if we don''t have to. We meet at the entrance in two hours!"


    Dane and Vernon nodded and went off to sort their things. Grey quickly walked to Baylee.


    "Master, what about us? Did you want us to stay in this camp?"


    Baylee smiled and ruffled Grey''s hair.


    "Of course not. Why would I leave you here?"


    Grey''s eyes start to glow. Could it be?!


    "You are not going in the dungeon silly kid," said Baylee, dashing his hopes.


    She moved towards Grey and gently drilled her fist into his head.


    "O-O-Ow."


    "You little imp. Haven''t you been listening? You think we can take a fellow like you who hasn''t even had their Ritual of Awakening? Get your head on straight!"


    Baylee kneeled and spoke eye-to-eye with Grey. "Little Grey. I''ll be leaving you with some friends nearby. They have children too. So go off and play with them for a bit. Also, make sure to start teaching that little friend of yours cultivation techniques. She should be even more talented then you. Perhaps, I shall gain two apprentices by the time I return."


    Grey looked blankly at Sho. Sho looked back curiously.


    "But before that, I need to give you something," said Baylee. She turned around to face the outside of the tent. "Vernon! You weird fellow. Give me your wind boots."


    "Why do you need my boots?" yelled Vernon, a distance away. He was sorting his belongings in his tent, casting protective wards to prevent other thieves from getting his stuff while he was away.


    "Who cares why I need them?" yelled Baylee back. "If you don''t give it to me, I''ll shove an icicle up your ass."


    "Fine then! Steal from the rogue. You deviant."


    Two boots flew in the air and landed outside Baylee''s tent. Baylee picked them up and handed it to Grey.


    "Try these on."


    Grey took off his old shoes and put the boots on. They were man''s boots, several times larger than his feet. He moved clumsily in them for a moment before they suddenly began to shrink. Smaller and smaller until they perfectly fit his little feet.


    "These are wind boots. A high grade item that lets folks get away from danger. If you need to escape for any reason. Don''t hesitate to use them. You only need to direct your aura towards them to activate their abilities. Also, keep that gem I gave you a while back safe. It''s a light gem infused with  healing properties. It''ll heal you only once. So don''t think you are invulnerable. We''ll be back in a few days. Stay out of trouble. You hear?"


    "Okay," said Grey solemnly. To be given such items at his age was a priceless gift. He would surely not misuse them.


    "Alright, now let your teacher prepare her things...."


    ~~~


    "Haha, fear and obey me for I am the dark overlord!" shouted a young girl with blonde hair. She stood on a hilltop made out of sticks. Around her, children were on the ground bowing to her in reverence. A few children carried sticks and piled them on the hill to make it higher.


    "That''s right peons! Work slaves! Work for your queen!"


    She carried a long oak branch that doubled for a scepter. On her head was reef of leaves.  She snapped the whip of a long vine.


    "Haha. I''m invincible!"


    Her eyes gazed at her vast kingdom. Only a short few days she had conquered all the children of the adventurer''s camp! All save for two trouble makers. Her eyes looked angrily at the two children on the nearby grass. All they did was sit and look at each other all day long! What was this upsetting feeling that nestled in her heart. Stop looking so happy! Suffer! Suffer!


    She leaned over her throne of sticks and spoke to a kid next to her.


    "Jason!"


    "Yes, Mistress of Total Evilness?"


    "We need to make those kid''s suffer. Make them join our kingdom. Who are they?"


    Jason bowed. "My dad said their names were Grey and Sho. They came here a few days ago with that last batch. The one with that woman mage."


    "Ooo," whispered the girl. The last batch of adventurer''s were truly fierce! They even had a powerful mage with eyes so cold it sent chills up her spine. The way that woman made everyone tremble! This girl admired her greatly.


    "Come Jason! And bring some goons with us too! For these kid''s to be taken in by that woman they must be special. We attack!"


    In the grass a few yards away, Grey and Sho sat quietly with their eyes closed. The energy around them rippled sending soft vapors into the air. Sho''s vapors were enormous, nearly five feet long, causing the air itself to feel heavy and damp. After Baylee had taken out that Parasitic Dragon Spirit. Her true power had manifested itself. She was a magical savant with a magical talent twenty times that of the average person. Truly frightening.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Sweat formed on Grey''s forehead. Before she left, his master had said the most important thing about cultivating talent was to not only train your body but to think about history. 10,000 years ago, back in the time of darkness, there were monsters larger than they were today. How did those ancients fight back with no magical powers? The secret to magic lay in their first bumbling attempts to survive. The techniques learned by adventurer''s today were the groundwork set by past heroes aided with nothing more of their fists, where one hit by a monster meant death. The courage and willpower by those early humans to go willingly where their survival was practically 0 was unimaginable.


    Courage. Honor. Willpower. The traits of heroes was the will of mankind itself to struggle against impossible, to defeat all that stood in its way. This was why man not beast was ruler of the known world. Grey pondered on these question deeply, but then was suddenly interrupted when a girl sauntered towards them with a group of kids following her. Her chest held high.


    "Hey you two!" said a girl''s voice, walking over haughtily. "Yes, the two of you sitting on the grass. What do you think you two are doing?"


    Grey sighed. Who was it now?


    "We are cultivating our talent. My master told me to train. So, I am training."


    The girl looked at Grey questioningly.


    "What are you talking about? You are a kid like me. You don''t have magical powers."


    Grey shook his head.


    "I might not have much talent, but I can do a little thing."


    Grey took a deep breath and exhaled. The air around him shifted for a moment and the haughty girl could feel her body lift up gently as if pushed by a wave of water. The girls eyes turned to surprise. What was that?


    Grey shook his head and murmured, dissatisfied. "She can do it better though,"


    Sho smiled. These last few days it was obvious that she was gifted. All the things Grey learned in a year. She did it in a few days. What was this craziness? Even Grey could not believe his eyes.


    "Grey don''t worry," giggled Sho. "It''s okay if I become a hero first. Not all of us are so good at magic."


    Listening to this, the other girl shook herself out of her daze.  Ah, these guys are being happy again! They need to be punished! So what if they can use some tricks? That little thing can''t hurt me. I''ll teach them a lesson.


    "Paul! Jason! Accost this fellow!"


    Two big kids came up and grabbed Grey by either arm.


    "Hey what are you doing!" asked Grey.


    "Be quiet! My name is Mylene! I am the dark overlord of this camp and I demand you obey me!"


    "What? Dark Overlord?" Grey''s ears tingled with a sort of playfulness. Heroes slay dark evil things. This girl calls herself an overlord?


    "That''s right! I rule over this kingdom. Now prostrate yourself and lick my toes!"


    Grey shook his head, almost laughing. "No way! What kind of weird person does that? I say no! You can''t make me!"


    Mylene looked at him amusingly. "Fine, if you shall not bow down to my persuasion. Then perhaps this shall change your mind. Mary! Jeane! Accost this girl too!"


    "W-Wait what?!" stuttered Sho. Her eyes a little fearful. A few days ago she had been beating by kids. She looked normal now and thought it wouldn''t happen anymore. Was she going to get beating again?


    Grey could see the look in Sho''s eyes and became upset. In these few days, Sho had told him all about her past, and knew this kind of situation really bothered her.


    "Hey stop that."


    "Hmph," scoffed Mylene. "So will you obey me now!"


    "No way! But if you don''t stop. I''ll be upset and tell the folks at the camp you are being tyrannical."


    Mylene shook her face in disgust. "You haven''t learned your lesson at all!"


    She moved close to Grey. Close enough that her breath was on his neck. Her hands dived into his pockets and she pulled out the light gem that Baylee gave to him!


    "Ha! What is this pretty thing? I thought you might have something precious? Now, this thing is mine! Let this be your payment for your disobedience!"


    Grey face turned several grades of color. Embarrassment. Anger. Playfulness. Mylene was a kid just like him. Did he have to go all out? He would teach this girl a big lesson that she would never forget. Heroes will always win against evil villains!


    Mylene turned to leave but a large blast of wind exploded behind her. The two goons holding Grey flew backwards as if struck by a great force! Wind Boots!


    "What is this!" yelped Mylene, surprised.


    Grey smiled and picked up a stick from the ground.


    "If you are dark overlord then I am a great and powerful hero! I have come to slay you and free your people from your control!"


    Mylene ran in terror.


    "Guards! Guards! Protect me!"


    Grey chased after Mylene. A large kid with a potbelly lugged his way over. His fist came down on Grey''s head. Grey leaned to the left and smacked the kid in the head, causing him to tumble over to the side. The next kid slide on the ground to trip Grey''s feet. Grey jumped over him and whacked him in the head too! One by one. Grey defeated Mylene''s minions dueling them with great finesse and purpose!


    Though, he had been a weak framed kid, his body had naturally become more stronger with the training he had done over the year to improve his aura. His eyes had also become much clearer since he had witnessed that crazy fight in the woods between all those adventurers.


    While he could not see any of the flashy things those adventurers used in their attacks. For young children, it was as if he could feel which direction they would move. How they would act. His instinct had improved in these last few days without him even noticing it. This was precisely the reason why several adventurers sought to fight one another. To improve one''s instinct through combat. This kind of battle experience had amazing benefits.


    Mylene seeing her troops dwindle could only gaze with amazement and shock! Who knew a kid could be this strong? He didn''t even bother using his boots, but his own physical talents to beat her army down to pulp. The last kid in Mylene''s guard fell to the floor in a daze. Grey''s eyes turned to her, pointing his stick.


    "Now, it''s the final battle! On your guard dark overlord!"


    "N-No!" yelled Mylene running into the woods. To beat so many kids all at once. Fighting that kind of person? Was he crazy!


    Mylene made her way through the woods till she reached a clearing. Grey was fast behind her. In a moment it would be all over!


    "Mylene!" shouted Grey. His eyes full of mischief. "There is nowhere to run! I am faster than you! Do you want to get hit on the back of the head or in the front! It''s your choice!"


    Mylene turned around and took a step back. "No! Stay back! I''ll give you your gem back!"


    She hastily pulled the light gem out of her pocket and raised her hand.


    "Here take it!"


    Grey walked closer menacingly. This girl deserved a taste of her own medicine. "Of course I''ll take it. I''ll take it after I beat you up!"


    Mylene''s eyes trembled in fear. "No! Mercy!"


    She continued to step backwards. She could not see her feet were nearing a hole. A deep hole. Grey seemed to notice the danger too late, his eyes trailing the grass, a blackness suddenly came into view that only seemed to grow wider with each passing second.


    "Mylene!" he yelled in horror. He ran up to pull her from the danger, but the girl thought he meant to strike her down. He grabbed a hold of her outstretched hand and the ground trembled. He could feel his sense of gravity lifting. Darkness seem to come up all around him. His hands flailed helplessly in the air. The light vanishing at his back. His eyes stared deeply into the horrified eyes of Mylene. Her soft fragrance filling the air. And down he went, down into that deep abyss, that Gaping Maw.


    <hr />


    Author Note:


    Hi everyone. I hope you enjoy! A little taste for those wanting them dark scenes to happen sooner. You can see my writing improved near the end. I kind of got a sense of my writing style that I had in chapter 1. You can see me try to fiddle around this chapter till I remembered the sensation I had earlier. I can''t promise the quality every time, but I thank you for all your kind words. I feel it helps me tell this story better, along with a cup of coffee.


    Thank you all again for reading.

 (Vol I) Chapter 10 : Monsters and Men

    Chapter 10


    Monsters and Men


    In the depths of the darkness, there lay a boy and a girl. The darkness was a boding void. A damp wet rock brushed against Grey''s cheek and he awoke! Nearly, jumping up in fright, Grey sat upright, his hands searching for something to grab a hold of. The chasm let out a burst of air and the ground itself shook, settling down as it traveled up the darkness. His eyes were blind, but as his hands felt around the rocky ground, the vast expanse of the gorge gradually became clearer, more familiar. His nerves settled, and with it calm collected thoughts replaced fear.


    "Where am I?" Grey whispered. In his head there was a throbbing pain. He remembered the fall, the big hole, and Mylene. He searched around and found her hand by his side. He could hear a subtle but quiet breathing. He patted the ground in front of him, afraid he might accidently fall off a ledge, and made his way to her. He felt around, touched something soft and cushiony, and then her face. He lightly slapped her to try to wake her up.


    "Mylene," he whispered, "Mylene are you awake?"


    Mylene murmured softly in her. "Call off the slaves. Slap that fellow one more time for me, Jason."


    "Mylene. Wake up. We can''t stay here."


    Grey slapped her again harder. This time the slap echoed through the deep chasm.


    "Ow! Who dares hurt me so!" Mylene yelled, startled.


    "Mylene be quiet," Grey said urgently. Who knows what kind of things lurk in the dark? Monsters or men. Both could be dangerous..


    Mylene sat upright and squinted her eyes if in a daze. "Why is it so dark? Who is that talking to me?"


    "It is...." Grey said, and then paused. Would it be good to say it was him? She might freak out even more, seeing as he was the one who chased her into this hole. Wasn''t there was that one fellow that was with Mylene earlier? His name was....


    "It''s me, Jason."


    "Jason?" said Mylene, confused. "Why does your voice sound so different? Where is that fellow Grey. I so scared then...then something happened."


    "There is no time to explain. We are in big danger. We have to get out of here."


    "Where are we?" Mylene asked, stupefied.


    "I have don''t have time. Please....Just follow me."


    "Okay."


    Grey placed Mylene''s hand on his shirt and the two of them crawled on the ground. Grey dared not get up, afraid that the floor might suddenly shake and cause him to fall to his doom. He checked the ground in front of him, patting it down with his hands, before crawling forward. It was a time before he touched what felt like a wall, and following that a strange glowing light. It was a light unlike anything he had ever seen.


    It wasn''t dazzling like the sun, but had a faint glow, as if it were an ember that was about to go out. It flickered formlessly, a wisp of glowing smoke that rose and fell like a cloud. Not knowing what it was, Grey stopped to take a look at his surroundings. Mylene did the same, groggily wiping her eyes. She looked to the person in front of her and received a great shock!


    "Grey!"


    Grey turned around and covered her mouth!


    "Shush. Don''t you see we are in weird and dangerous place. Don''t yell." he whispered.


    Mylene eyes were fearful. She nodded her head. Grey let his hands drop, and looked at that weird light.


    "Do you remember what happened? We fell in a hole. I think we are in that new dungeon my master was talking about so there should be monsters around. If we make too much noise we might get eaten."


    Mylene nodded her head. Her hands trembling. Her eyes looking straight at Grey. Grey noticed this and frowned. Was she still afraid of him? Monsters vs. Grey? Grey was more scary? What kind of logic does this girl follow....He sighed.


    "Mylene."


    "Yes?!"


    "I am not going to hurt you."


    "You aren''t?"


    "I am not. And...I''m also very sorry."


    Grey bowed his head.


    "Eh?!"


    Mylene couldn''t believe what she was hearing. Why was she being apologized too?


    "Why are you apologizing?"


    "I did wrong. I promised my master to not make trouble and I did, causing a even bigger mess. If she returns and finds I''m missing. She won''t be happy."


    Grey could imagine Baylee''s face in his head. She had an angry pouting face.


    "Stop being so pig-headed!" she would say.


    "W-Well if you are really sorry. Then kiss my hand!" said Mylene, holding out her right hand. "And call me master."


    This little girl...Grey thought, shaking his head. It wasn''t the time for such things. Grey quickly took her hand and kissed it.


    "Okay, master. Now, we should think of a way out of here. Or maybe a way to call for help without attracting any monsters."


    Grey took a seat by the wall. Mylene stood there and blushed for a moment before sitting down next to him. She didn''t think he would actually do it. There was a warm fuzzy feeling in her chest.


    "A dungeon huh?" Mylene murmured.


    "Yeah," mumbled Grey. His heart was heavy. Would he die here? A kid was no match for even the smallest of creatures, much less a full blown monster.


    "Do you think they''ll know we are down here? I mean the people back at camp?" Mylene asked.


    Grey shook his head. "Maybe, who knows? Even if they do, will they be able to find us? This hole feels very deep. Even if they come down. It''s too dark to make out right from left. Much less two kids."


    Grey sighed deeply. Mylene looked around her. The walls extended far above their heads, rocky protrusions hanged down from the ceiling like the jaws of some large beast. She looked at the strange light and back to where they came. Both sides were completely pitch black. Hard to say which way was up and which way would go down.


    "Even so. Aren''t there many adventurer''s down here that might help us? I mean they do fight monsters right?"


    Grey nodded his head. "Adventurers fight monsters, but how are we going to find them? The chances a monster will find us first are probably higher. They have good smell."


    "Then we wait?"


    "I don''t know..."


    Grey''s eyes furrowed in deep thought. He had the wind boots on his feet. If they encountered danger he would be able to get away, but what about Mylene? He risked tumbling with her added weight and didn''t even know if the boots could carry both of them out of danger. A fast moving monster appeared and they''d be done for! Was there a way to counter a fast moving monster? What about a monster they couldn''t see?  It was possible if they stayed here something else might also sneak up on them. If this was the case leaving would definitely be the best choice.


    "We should continue going forward very slowly," murmured Grey, after some thought. There were too many things to consider. His head hurt a bit. He should deal with it as it came, rather than think of all the possible scenarios. Heroes were always a lofty folk anyway, striding into danger. He just need to be a bit more careful since he was smaller.


    Grey took Mylene by the hand.


    "Okay, let''s go. Don''t get separated."


    "Okay," said Mylene, following Grey.


    The tunnel grew wider as Grey and Mylene walked deeper until they came to a room made out of marble and granite. Pillars of stone rose from the floor to the ceiling. An inscription read in front of a stone door in front of him in a language he could not read. He looked around at the pillars a bit and pressed his hand upon the door. Surprisingly, it gave way with a little nudge, opening by itself and revealing a row of steps leading down.


    Mylene looked down. Her eyes a bit curious. "Do you think it''s safe?"


    Grey shrugged. "It would take more time to go back. If it goes too far down. We''ll head the other way."


    Mylene nodded in agreement. The stairways led down, deeper into a cavern. Fireflies glistened in the dark. Their tiny wings beating a musical hymn that filled the air.


    "Music?"


    "Yes," Grey replied, remembering a book he had read. "It is Dungeon Music. The creatures, sometimes the walls, creak in unison, creating music. There have been several famous musicians who were renown adventurers. Though, it is the first time I have heard Dungeon Music myself."


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Grey looked at the fireflies closely, their colors shifting with each note. Truly mysterious.


    "Come on, let''s keep going."


    "Okay."


    The stairs stopped at a large room, the ceiling nearly a hundred feet tall. The entire room spun in a clockwise motion. Overhead, arching bridges suspended by chains, crisscrossed massive stone pillars that surged out the floor. A stairway led up from the floor to one of the spinning bridges, and on a faraway platform, thirty feet away, appeared to be a door.


    Mylene pointed at the door. "Is that the exit?"


    "I think so. Let us see if we can get across."


    Grey walked up the stairs to the first spinning bridge. It seemed simply enough. You waited till each bridge aligned itself then made your way over. He stepped on the first bridge and felt the weight of the bridge suddenly shift! It leaned horrendously to one side and Grey was thrown backwards. His feet slipped as it touched the stairs behind him!


    "Grey!" Mylene shouted in fear.


    Grey grabbed a hold of the edge of the stairs. His feet dangling off the side of a thirty foot drop. His arms strained. He lifted himself back onto the stairs, gasping for breath.


    "I-I''m okay," said Grey, getting on his feet. Grey looked with worry on his face. What kind of bridge was that? To look like stone but to swing so violently? As if it were....made of paper?


    Grey leaned down and waited for the bridge to come around again. His hands touched the surface of the bridge. It was soft as water! Holy! What was this thing?


    The bridge suddenly came to life. Two bright eyes flickered from its corners. It grew in size, a long tail flickering from its end. It was a snake! A large giant snake! It let loose a venomous hiss!


    "AHHH!" Grey screamed.


    "AHHH!!" screamed Mylene.


    The Giant Serpent swung its tail, smashing into the stairway. Grey was thrown into the air by a tremendous force. His boots sent out a gust of wind before he hit the ground. He landed softly on the ground. His hands covering his head in fear.


    Still Alive?!


    Roar! Two massive fangs lunged forward. Grey ran! The fangs digging into the floor behind him.


    "Back up! Back up!"


    Mylene dashed back up the stairs. The fireflies scattering out of her way. Grey moved like a flying tornado. The Giant Snake coiling close behind. Grey and Mylene made it past the stone door, but the snake plowed right through it! Breaking everything apart as if were nothing!


    It''s head struck again, plowing into the wall! Grey looked in front of him with despair! If they ran forward they would be trapped in that perpetual darkness, and wouldn''t be able to see in front of them! He looked back at the snake as it wrestled it''s head out of the wall. The cavern shook as the serpent pulled out, leaving a hole where it''s head had been. Hope!


    "Mylene!" Grey yelled, grabbing the girl before she ran any further. "This way!"


    He tossed Mylene through the hole and dived right after her as the snake lunged again, ripping apart the ground beneath their feet. His eyes search the new area with purpose. A new tunnel. Another door! Only this one was made out of metal instead of stone.


    "Hurry! Run!"


    Mylene was too tired to complain. Her breathes had become very heavy. Compared to Grey who had trained all the time. She was already exhausted and followed him blindly, driven by his words. The next set of stairs they nearly tumbled over, running. The voices of other people started to echo throughout the stairway. When Grey and Mylene made it all the way down there was a group of adventurers opening the massive fifty foot door. All three of them pushed with all their might and the door screeched open.


    "Well," heaved the blue-haired warrior, panting. "That was something....hmph?"


    His battle sense picked up something. He looked back. There were two kid''s standing behind him. He rubbed his eyes. Two kids?!


    "Yo, my friends. I know I am getting old, but I don''t think I''m that old. Tell me but are there two kids by the stairs behind us?"


    The mage stood up. His eyes receiving the same surprise. "I don''t remember there being mimics this close to an entrance. I know they can do voices, but bodies? Some shenanigans is happening here friends."


    The rogue tilted her head. "You silly guys. Can''t you tell a kid from a monster. Look, I see them sweating. They are tiny. They look scared. It''s a kid. The only question I have is-"


    A loud roar came from outside the room. Everyone''s eyes were raised in alarm. Grey lifted Mylene over his shoulder and started running. A large snake appeared behind him! Then another! And another!


    "Oi! Oi! What the heck!" yelped the warrior. Not one, but six large serpents wrapped around the exit. Their eyes full of hate. Grey looked back. His face paled. They must have been the other bridges in that room! They had all been large snakes, one angry hiss, and all must have woken up at the same time!


    "Giant Serpent!" yelled the mage. "No way we can fight all six of them!"


    The rogue quickly ran, picked up Grey and Mylene, and heaved them over her shoulder. "Then run you idiots! I got the kids go!"


    Everyone ran for their lives! The warrior took up the rear, the mage in front, the rogue with the two kid''s in the center. The door had opened up to a long corridor, rocks jutting out on all sides. Warrior dodges right and breaks a piece of rock using his axe, heaving it into the gaping mouth of one of the serpents.


    "Sod off you bastard!"


    The mage wrestled with his staff. All sorts of diagrams projected in the air around him. Light wrapped around all five of them.


    "We are too far in! I can''t port us out!"


    "Then look for an exit stupid!" shouted the rogue.


    "Stop calling me stupid, stupid!"


    "Well, if we had a better mag-!"


    "Alright shut up!"


    The corridor split into three paths!


    "Go right!"


    The group entered the right passage. Three giant chickens with scale like wings and fiery breathe  stood pecking on the ground. Their eyes turned to look up at the mage.


    "Never mind. Go left!"


    The group went back left and there were five large trees with vicious looking branches. It''s its center was a human shaped face, mouth gaped open in horror.


    "Okay! Other way!"


    "Danmit Roy!" yelled the rogue, angrily.


    "Shut up!"


    The last room opened into a wide expanse, a meadow similar to that outside, except the grass was made out of glowing mushrooms. Here another group of adventurers sat down in a circle, eating some food.


    "Hey fellows!" shouted the priest, seeing the group enter. "How have you been? We were just talking about the right corri-"


    "No time to chat!" shouted the mage heading the tunnel to the right of the adventurers. The top of the tunnel had been marked with an O.


    "Yeah, gotta go!" yelled the rogue after him.


    "Yeah you guys better start running," bumbled the warrior.


    The priest looked at him strangely. "Wait what?"


    A loud explosion came from the passage. Six Serpents, Five Howling Willows, and Three Cockatrices burst into the room.


    "What the hell!" yelped the priest.


    Throughout the dungeon cursing and swearing could be heard as several more adventurers ran from a growing army of monsters. On the third floor, far above the chaos, Baylee, Vernon, and Dane walked down a rock passage.


    "Hey did you hear that," whispered Baylee, her ears perking up.


    Dane looked around, but shook his head. "I heard nothing.


    Vernon nodded in agreement. "Yeah, me neither."


    "Ah," mumbled Baylee. "Must have been the wind then."


    <hr />


    Author Note:


    Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed! I am looking for a proofreader to help me catch grammar mistakes. Let me know if you are interested and as always! Thank you for the support.

 (Vol I) Chapter 11 : Past and Present

    Chapter 11


    Past and Present


    "Grey? Why do you want to become a hero?"


    Two children sat on a hill underneath a starry sky. They had arrived a night ago at the adventurer''s camp. The soft grass beneath their legs and a warm breeze in the air. It truly felt comfortable.


    "I dunno," said Grey shaking his head. "It feels right. You help people. You travel the world. I hear so many wonderful things in books, but I never get to see them because I am in village. I want to see it all. Those amazing things that I can''t touch, but can only imagine in my head."


    Sho nodded her head playfully. The stars twinkling in the sky. "But is being in a village so bad? There is your mom and dad. And one day you grow up you''ll take over the library and lead a peaceful life. Don''t all people want that sort of happiness?"


    Grey sighed thinking about his family. His father must be worried sick. And what of his mother? Her kind face and gentle hands. Baylee was a strong person. But his mother was the type to fret over the smallest thing. With him missing. Wouldn''t her heart be broken? He should go ask Baylee to visit them once more before leaving the mountain.


    "I guess so," said Grey, "But even so, don''t you feel that feeling that you''ll regret?"


    His head turns to look at Sho. The moon lighting up her skin.


    "Regret what you could be? What could happen?"


    Grey reaches his hand towards the sky.


    "I want to live without regrets. Can that be wrong?"


    "It is not wrong," smiled Sho, shaking her head. "It''s just when will it be enough? Even heroes have to return home. You can''t be traveling the world forever. Is it not better to stay home and have your happy ending sooner?"


    A little spirit mouse peeked out of Sho''s hair and crawled down her arm to her lap.


    "Oh, Little Cloud. You cute thing. I thought you were sleeping. What do you think? Is it better to stay or go off an adventure?"


    The spirit mouse chirped and tilted its head.


    "Haha," said Grey, "I want a happy ending, but....but I don''t know. When I see my father with such a sad face some nights. I think about why he could be sad. My dad. I think he wanted to become an adventurer, but could not do it. If that is a happy ending then. I don''t want it."


    "I see," sighed Sho, "I don''t even have a dad. So I cannot say anything about such things."


    Grey looked at her with shock. "I didn''t mean..."


    "It''s okay. You are not wrong. I am just picking a fight with you," said Sho, shaking her head. "It''s just for me things were never so easy. If someone could tell me if I could live normally with people. Then I would..."


    Tears welled up in Sho''s eyes. "Then I would be very happy. That is what I think."


    Grey felt a pain in his heart. He had hurt her feelings unknowingly. He thought deeply for a moment, then picked up a few pieces of grass from the ground.


    "Hm?" said Sho, wiping her eyes. "What are you doing?"


    "My mother taught me a few things. Here let me give you something."


    His hands tied the grass together in a knot, flexing the stems into an elaborate shape. He folded the ends of the stems, and then broke the middle of the grass into a V shape. Sho watched with curiosity.


    "Here," said Grey, placing it on her head. He brushed aside her long bangs, clipping them on with the grass. "It''s a hairpin."


    "This is?!"


    "You don''t look so ugly anymore. So it is okay right? To show off that round head of yours."


    "You...." Sho didn''t know whether to be upset or happy. Was Grey making fun of her again? She could not tell.


    Grey noticed this and smiled. "You look quite nice. Maybe later you will be a famous beauty. If so, then know the first person to give you a gift was me! Grey! Hehe."


    Sho grinned. "Then it is only right I keep you out of trouble in return. After all didn''t your teacher say my talent was better than yours? Perhaps in the future it''ll be me who is saving you!"


    "Haha," laughed Grey, imagining Sho carrying him in her arms. "Who can say?"


    ~~~


    In a hole within a hole there lay huddled a group of adventurers and two children. Roy sat a while away from the rest of the group and looked bored as he wrote some notes into his book. His staff gave off a dim glow, enough to read, but not enough to make out the detail of the walls around them. The warrior sat and stared at the large boulder over their heads. The rogue nodded asleep. Grey and Mylene kept to themselves on another corner. It had been a few hours since they had fallen into this hole, having ran nearly three miles through intricate tunnels. The yelling and hollering of passing adventurer''s could be heard overhead every so moments, followed by a rumbling of all sorts of creatures.


    "So now what," mumbled the warrior, leaning on his axe. "We can''t just stay here forever."


    "Just wait James," said Roy. "Eventually either the rest of the folks will leave, taking the monsters with them, or the monsters give up and return to their spots. Since we are stuck here might as well get used to it."


    "Yeah," muttered the rogue, half-awake. "Jump into the hole, he says. It''s safe, he says. Safe enough for a boulder to drop on our face!"


    "Shut up Xeria. I don''t need to hear no trash talk from woman like you!"


    "Oh, we are playing that game huh? How about I cut off your thing and we''ll see who is the woman then!"


    "Come now friends," said the James, raising his hands. "We are stuck in this hole. There are children here. Behave. Okay?"


    "Tell that to the Mrs. Know-It-All over there," muttered Roy.


    Xeria scoffed. "Well, tell stupid over there to open his eyes."


    Xeria made an opening impression with her fingers.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    "Then maybe we wouldn''t be running into all these monsters. How is it that every time we run down passage, there are like ten or like twenty of them. Did you get slapped as a baby?"


    "Okay, that''s it." said Roy, getting up.


    "Stop!" said James. His hand pushed Roy back down.


    "What is it now? You want to fight too?"


    "No, listen. I hear something."


    A strange rumbling could be heard through the side of the wall.


    Roy nodded. "I hear it too. What is it? It is getting closer."


    The wall suddenly burst open. A large worm with several teeth opened its mouth! Xeria instinctively moved back to protect the children. Roy and James stood right in front of the beast, it''s mouth glaring them in the face.


    "AHHH," yelled Roy.


    "AHHH," yelled James.


    James pulled back his heavy gauntlets and punched the worm in the face. The worm roared! James swung again, sending an uppercut up its chin. The worm''s head struck the ceiling of the small hole and it howled in pain, retreating back into the wall, leaving behind a large tunnel.


    "Y-You punched it in the face!" said Roy astonished.


    "Of course I punched it in the face," exasperated James, "It scared me. I punch things that scare me,"


    "Hey," said Xeria, pointing at the hole. "There is our way out. Let''s hurry up and move before more of those things come."


    Everyone nodded in agreement.


    A few hours later.


    Roy furrowed his brow, wiping off his sweat. "Man, this tunnel goes up pretty high."


    "The higher the better. Means we are getting closer to the exit," said Xeria, walking up the incline. In the last few hours, the tunnel had suddenly spiked up in a swirling motion, it was difficult  on everyone''s legs, but it was better than getting chased by monsters. At the end of the tunnel, the group found themselves in another tunnel entrance, this time closer to the surface.


    "What level is this?" murmured James. "I know we skipped some, but this must be."


    A woman mage, a warrior, and a rogue stepped from the corner.


    "Hey fellows," said Dane, seeing the group. His eyes cheery. "You have a good haul? We are just heading back up and?"


    His eyes looked at the two kids on the rogue''s shoulders.


    "Uh..."


    Behind him Baylee''s eyes looked shocked and then furious.


    "GREY!"


    Grey''s body shook with terror.


    "Hi, master...."


    "This fellow yours?" said Xeria, dangling him by his neck. "Okay have him. My back is tired."


    Xeria tossed Grey and Baylee caught him with his staff. She slapped him in the face.


    "What were you thinking?"


    "I..." Grey thought to say something, but everything sounded like excuses. He should just take his punishment like a man.


    "It wasn''t his fault," said Mylene, climbing down from Xeria''s shoulders. "It was mine. I am sorry. I fell and he was trying to help me."


    These last few hours had seemed like eternity to Mylene, but even so, she knew it she had fallen alone. She might not have been able to survive. Grey had helped her. So she would help him back. It was right.


    Baylee looked astonished at this girl. Then let go of Grey angrily. She turned away. Her face secretly pleased.


    "Well thank you for saving them," smiled Dane. "This fellow is our mage''s apprentice. Did you need anything? It is only right to return a favor with a favor."


    "Water would be good."


    Dane handed Roy a flask of water. A moment later, strange sounds could be heard from deep in the tunnel. And another group of adventurers came out completely ragged. Their ranger looked at the group and started to run up the tunnel, not bothering to say anything, the warrior, rogue, and priest did the same.


    "Uh oh," mumbled James, his legs already moving in the same direction. "Guys!"


    "It was fun, stay out of trouble kids!" said Xeria, running up.


    "Here we go again," mumbled Roy running after them.


    "What?" said Baylee.


    Grey eyes turned fearful. "Master please start running up too."


    "Why somethin-?"


    Several loud roars could be heard from the tunnel. Dane didn''t ask any questions and picked Mylene. Vernon hurried after him. Followed by Baylee.


    "What did you do you silly kid!"


    "Um, we ran a lot...and stuff chased us."


    "How many stuff!"


    "Like a lot...of stuff."


    Vernon howled in laughter. "Haha, and those monsters started chasing other people too? How come I never thought about. Kid lets be friends."


    Vernon grinned, stretching out his hand. Baylee slapped it away.


    "Shut up Vernon," mumbled Baylee. "Like hell we are staying here. I''m porting us out now."


    "Aww," murmured Vernon. "But that''s no fun."


    "What''s fun about it? Let''s go!"


    Light flashed around the group. Grey could feel his body shoot up with incredible force. The world around him fade into a big bright yellow light. His head spun around and boom! The light dissipated and they were outside again. It was night, the moon glowing in the sky.


    "I guess I better drop off our stuff," said Dane, heaving three large knapsacks.


    Baylee shook her head. "I''ll give you a good lecturing later, but first let''s pick up your friend and drop off this lady."


    Grey sighed. Though he was unhappy that Baylee was upset. He was happy to have gotten out in one piece. Having Mylene outside too. This made his heart feel accomplished. The group hurried to the adventurer''s camp. The night was stirringly quiet. No movements or fires could be seen from the camp.


    Baylee raised her hand. "Wait? There is something wrong."

 (Vol I) Chapter 12 : Wolfs Howl

    Chapter 12


    Wolf''s Howl


    The night was still. A quiet calm that racked the nerves and unsettled the bones. Baylee approached the camp with caution, her staff ready by her side. The camp was sorted into the new arrivals, who had pitched up tents, and those that had arrived early, who had set up wooden cabins. Baylee approached one of the cabins. A musty smell came from the room. She peered in through the crack in the door. There was no one. It was empty.


    The next cabin, the next tent, all were empty. She nodded to Dane who had already flashed out his battle sense the moment they had entered the camp. He shook his head.


    "There is no trace of anyone," Dane murmured. His eyes surveying the air. "Did something come get them?"


    Vernon sniffed the air. "Hard to say. This place is...too clean?"


    His hands came upon a cooking pot. The lid had been sealed shut. He opened it and it was empty.


    "It looks like everyone just got up and left? Any sign of clothes?"


    Baylee shook her head. "I looked through the cabins. Everything is missing. This might be..."


    Thoughts raced through her head. Her eyes squinted into a scowl. "This could be really bad. I think it is..."


    "Everyone!" shouted Grey, near the woods. His eyes had made out something strange in the darkness. "I think I see something."


    "Don''t touch it!" shouted Baylee, quickly coming to his side. The rest of the group followed. They could see a strange mound of dirt at the edge of the campsite.


    Vernon smiled. "It could be a trap. Let this old fellow show you how it''s done."


    Vernon approached the mound. His hands softly digging the earth. One could see his balance leaned towards his back, ready to leap back at the first sign of danger. His hands digging. His eyes suddenly turned wide.


    "Baylee," said Vernon. His voice grim. "You have to take a look at this."


    Baylee''s walked towards him. Her eyes turned serious.


    "Everyone else stay back. What did you find?"


    Baylee''s eyes recoiled in dread. Out of the mound, half buried, was a decapitated head.


    "Uncle Halley," Baylee whispered. She remembered the old wizened adventurer who had spoken to her many adventures back. She was younger then, more foolish. He had helped her when her party had wiped out, and brought her back to the surface. For him to have met such an end. Her heart could only weep.


    Vernon dug deeper into the mound. His hands touching what was a corpse. Baylee moved to block the uncovered body from the children. Her eyes staring back. They couldn''t see. They were too young to know. Grey only looked at her curiously. Knowing there could be danger. He stayed back obediently.


    "I think I found something," whispered Vernon. His hands slipping up a bloodied note. There were only two words written on it, in blood. A dying message. "Knights. Gil."


    Then it was true.


    "Fellows!" shouted Dane, "Have you found something!"


    "Yeah," shouted Vernon. Baylee turned to stop him, but was too late. "Halley is dead. They took everyone to Gil."


    Baylee moved to the side, revealing the dead body. Mylene, Grey, and Dane gasped in horror. Grey could only feel a growing sense of dread of what would happen at his village.


    Sho! Father! Mother!


    His thoughts full of worry and regret. He ran into the woods towards his village.


    "Grey!" shouted Baylee, but it was too late. A gust of wind and he was gone.


    "You!" said Baylee, turning to Vernon. Vernon looked at her blankly. How was he suppose to know how the child would act?


    "Never mind," snapped Baylee. Her thoughts churning. "Dane take the girl to our camp. Vernon follow me. We have to leaving this place now!"


    In the forest, voices seemed to echo throughout the air. Grey! How his heart could only feel fear and pain. That dead body, the image of his parents lying in the same manner, cold in the dirt. He could not bear it. Even as a kid. He might be able to trick the villains who had taken them. They might still be alive held as prisoners. His thoughts raced. His heartbeat quickened. He ran.


    Gil was nearly fifty miles away but for Grey it seemed like moments. He arrived at the entrance of his village. The shops as quiet as the camp before them. A long large banner waved over the village entrance. "Welcome to Gil."


    He walked cautiously along the walls of the houses. His body making its way to the library. He opened the door and with a soft creak. He was inside. Books lay scattered about. The window wide open, clanging ever so slightly against the wall. He walked the corridors he had walked all his life. The darkness making all things strange and unfamiliar. His body ached with fatigue. Even with the help of the wind boots. He was still a child. He collapsed on the floor, and started to cry.


    Had everyone died? He could only imagine the horror on their faces. Sho! He had told her he would protect her. Did she call out his name in her last moments? Where was he to be found, but down in some dungeon. He dried his tears and made his way upstairs. He could not let himself believe it. He had to keep going. At least till he knew for sure.  His hands trembled as they came across his father''s study. It was pitch black. His hands reaching for the window, he touched something wet and hard.


    His hands feeling in the darkness, it was the legs of a person. His father. How could he not recognize the clothes he wore every day. He hung suspended in the air, a noose around his neck.


    Grief rising in his chest. He heard a loud bang behind him. He turned and two men stood at the door.


    "I thought I heard something. I guess we missed one Gresien."


    "I say your right Mayberry. It''s a little kid. Maybe, he was hiding behind one of them couches. Come here little fellow. Let us take you to safety."


    "Villains!" screamed Grey. His eyes covered in tears. He rushed at them with all the fury he could muster. He swung at the first man in front of him. The man laughed and struck Grey in the chest. Grey gasped and fell to the floor. Grey may have been fast for an ordinary child, but compared to men. His strength and speed was nothing but a joke. The large man heaved him over his shoulder and carried him outside. The sound of laughter ringing in his ears.


    They walked a moment in the darkness, then coming up a large bonfire in the woods a while away from the village. They passed several other people, their faces shrouded in the darkness. Grey could feel each shadow smiling, laughing. A large man with a broadsword, chuckled endlessly in the night.


    "She was a pretty one I tell you," he said, drinking out of his mug. His friend to his right laughed heartily. "I even got a souvenir see?"


    The man pulled out a small bundle of hair. It''s ends pinned together by a grass hairpin. Grey watched silently. His eyes staring at that piece of hair.


    "Here we go fellow. Time to join the rest of your folks."


    The man carried lifted Grey in front of the bonfire. Horrid charred faces, contorted in pain and anguish, stared back at him from the blaze.


    He could only let out a coughing wheeze. His tears mixing in his throat. The man tossed Grey into the fire.


    "Grey!"


    Wind as cold as ice blew in from the forest. Baylee! Grey felt himself floating in the air, landing in her arms.


    "Silly kid are you alright?"


    "Who are you!" roared a large man. The rest of men behind him readied their weapons.


    Baylee stared at them coldly. "I am the one who is going to kill you."


    She let Grey down besides her. The air chilling around her very breathe.


    "Get her!"


    Men rushed in from all sides. In their hands primitive daggers, swords, axes, and shields. Weapons from a forgotten age.


    Baylee whispered an incantation and motioned her hands. Ice spears jetted from beneath her feet, skewering them all. She spun her hand in a clockwise motion and the spears turned in unison drilling through their heads. Their bodies bursting. The rest of the men who had not attacked could only recoil in fear.


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    "Ah, another one." murmured a large man in the group. He pushed pass those in front of him. His face shrouded by a helmet of plate. "You adventurers are quite tenacious. Who would have thought in a week there would be so many of you here? Truly like roaches."


    He pulled out an axe larger than even the largest man. Fifteen feet long. It''s girth was enough to give the men around him pause. His armor glistened under the moonlight. A pitch black.


    "Who are you! Why have you done this! Are we not on the same side?"


    The large knight chuckled.


    "Same side you say? You come into these dungeon and take all you can. You fight not caring about those around, hurting countless innocents. All for what? For the title of hero? Nothing but a group of thieves and vagrants."


    "You!"


    "You save a few and kill hundreds. Death is all you deserve. Come enough talk. You think you are strong? Come face me then."


    Knights. In this world where only 5% of the population were adventurers, the ones that kept the peace, that fought in wars, were undoubtly the knights. An order charged with protecting the common folk from harm. Their skill with mana was nonexistent but paired with high grade gear, a skillful knight can take on even the strongest adventurer. Baylee''s eyes were raised in a tingle of fear. There were nearly 100 adventurers in the adventurer camp. Did this fellow kill them all?


    "What? You afraid? It''s like you fools to be scared when faced with true skill."


    The knight rushed towards Baylee. His axe dragging on the floor, parting the earth beneath his feet. Baylee picked up Grey and tossed him to the side.


    "Master!"


    Baylee swung her staff up. Ice jutted out from the ground. The knight plowed through them like nothing. His armor didn''t even receive a scratch. He swung down with incredible force. Crack! Miss! Baylee rolled to the side. The axe swung again. Miss! Slashing the end of her robe.


    Baylee stood with her staff ready. She did not bother to attempt to cast a spell. Knights! A mage''s worst weakness was truly exposed when they did not have time to cast. She could do nothing but defend.


    The knight swung again. However, flashes of light suddenly appeared in front of Baylee. Spider Silk Illusionary Formation! The knight''s axe was blocked and sent backwards by several dozen blades. Vernon appeared behind the knight. His dagger in hand. He stabbed at the knight''s back. Ping! It deflected off the armor. The knight swung and the rogue vanished back into the darkness.


    "Vernon!" cried Baylee.


    "This fellow''s armor is quite freakish. For my daggers  that can cut through dragon scales to not even leave a mark. We should leave now Baylee!"


    "You think you can leave?" chuckled the knight, regaining his balance. He raised his hand. Out of the darkness, several soldiers appeared. So many the entire forest seemed to move. Baylee could only gasped in shock. She had not sensed them at all through her battle sense. What sorcery was this?


    "The king has sent an entire army here. You think you can fight your way past one hundred thousand men?"


    The overwhelming force that is mankind! This man did not kill all those adventurers this army did! Even if one adventurer could kill a hundred or even a thousand men. They were only human and would gradually tire out and die a horribly slow death. No escape!


    "Vernon!".


    "Ah, how stupid," muttered the rogue. "It looks like this is really where I will die. Baylee. I did not really like a fellow like you who always nags a lot, but to die with such a famous person. Perhaps people will also remember my name. Let us fight till our guts puke out. Maybe we will take two thousand down with us instead of a thousand."


    A loud explosion could be heard. Blades and Spears. Swords and Shields. All clashed in a chaos that surpassed imagination. Vernon slashed through the masses as if they were paper but hundreds poured in from all sides. His invisibility did not stop people from touching him. And when his body nudged another. A sword would surely follow.


    Baylee looked as hundreds moved towards her. Her eyes could only think of Grey huddled a few feet away.


    "Silly kid!"


    She ran to him. Blades of ice spun in the air cleaving men in half. Arrows rained from the sky and a sphere of ice incased Baylee and Grey in a protective shield. A countless men hammered at the shield from the outside. Their axes cleaving at the ice. Ice spears shot out of the shield with tremendous force. Skewering a dozen men at a time. A long blade of ice, flashed from the top of the sphere and spun around, cutting all those that drew near. The ground froze over and icicles burst from the floor, stabbing men by the soles of their feet. These icicles grew larger into trees, stabbing everyone near in with branches as sharp as knives.


    "Grey!" whispered Baylee under her breathe. Her voice grown horse. A dozen spells came out at once but even so men flooded in from all sides oblivious to death. Oblivious to doom. Mindlessly dying in doves.


    "I am sorry Grey," said Baylee. Her hands stroked Grey''s hair. "Please forgive your master for


    not being able to keep you safe. I can only hope we can meet again in another life."


    To be faced with a slow death or a quick glorious one. There was no hesitation!


    The ice shield shattered into a thousand pieces. All the men around her died stabbed several times over, gurgling blood on the ground. Baylee raised her staff and the shards spun in the air. The air shuddered. The ground shook. Baylee leaped up and hovered over the ground. Her staff was a spiraling torrent. The ice gathered in front of her, piecing together as if parts of a puzzle, forming a shape. Teeth. Paws. Fur. A Giant Frost Wolf! Incased in its center, Baylee weaved her magic. The magical construct let loose a frightening roar!


    Baylee smiled at Grey one more time. Her voice as clear as day.


    "Little Grey. I shall be going off first!"


    "Ah!" Grey screamed.


    The Giant Wolf rushed into a group of charging men. It''s teeth sinking into blood and bone. A hundred more died in an instant. The large knight chuckled at this and ran up to meet Giant Wolf. His axe glistening. He heaved a mighty blow! With a howled shriek. The Wolf''s head was severed from its body. The magic gone, the construct shattered into pieces. Baylee laid bloodied on the ground. Her eyes full of hatred.


    "A Frost Wolf?" chuckled the knight, "I have heard of some famous genius that has such a special attack. So that is you? How pitiful. Die knowing us knights are greater."


    Baylee could only cough blood. Her thoughts full of rage. The original adventurers were knights. To die from such an ignorant person. How shameful! The axe swung down. Baylee''s body jerked. She fell. Her eyes as distant as the wind. The knight looked at the fallen body with disdain. Wiping off the blood off his axe. He stepped over her as if she were a disgusting thing. The men around him took turns and spat on her face. Kicking and stabbing her still form.


    The knight walked up to Grey. Grey! His mind anguished beyond fear. The knight kneeled down and said. "Kid, you seemed special to that person? May I ask your relation?"


    "I-I am her apprentice."


    The knight nodded, shaking his head. "Ah, truly a pity then."


    A dagger sank into Grey''s chest.


    "Where the master goes, the apprentice follows."


    Grey sank to the ground unfeeling. The pain in his chest was nothing compared to that of his heart. His eyes closing with nothing but regret.

 (Vol I) Chapter 13 : Ten Kingdoms

    Chapter 13


    Ten Kingdoms


    Memories swirled in all at once. A lifetime spent in a small village. Grey could remember his mother telling him to wake up in the morning. His father ruffling through his hair. The feeling he had when he first time he walked out of his house. That dazzling sunlight and the vastness of the world. Years spent in the library reading his books. Training by the waterfall. At the end of these thoughts stood two people, Sho and Baylee. Their eyes look at him. Their faces smiling. But with a sudden jolt they vanish. Disappearing back into the darkness like a wisp of smoke.


    Crunch.


    Teeth sink into flesh and Grey opens his eyes.


    A white wolf bites into Grey''s shoulder, dragging him on the ground. Blood drips from the wound. Pain shoots up his chest. He does not scream. His thoughts muddled. He is dragged helplessly on the ground before the pain settles into a dull feeling. The wolf drags him into a nearby clearing and then leaves him on the ground. It''s eyes look into his, teeth growling. It''s ears then perk up and it runs back into the forest, leaving Grey alone under the morning sun, wondering if it was even real.


    A dream?


    Grey''s head throbs in pain. He crawls on the ground and slowly stands up. He feels the grass beneath his toes. His boots are gone. A large scar on his chest. Blood on his shoulder. He fiddles in his pocket and finds the light gem that Baylee had given him. It''s iridescent glow now a pale gray color. His wipes his eyes. Memories of the previous night rush into his head. A locket of hair, a Giant Wolf, and knight with black armor. The faces in the fire staring back at him. He grabs his head. His hands shaking. He doesn''t want to remember. No! No! He can''t remember. Forget everything. Forget it happened. It was a dream. A bad dream.


    He stands up and starts walking. His eyes yearning in the distance. He heads towards Baylee''s camp.


    ~~~


    The campsite had been destroyed. Remains of the tents could be seen. Pieces scattered amongst the wind. A large body with a huge broadsword lay smashed into the tree. Grey did not even bother looking at it to see if he could recognize the face. His heart already knew who it was. His hands moved through Baylee''s tent. The last things left behind by his master. He took care in setting the ruined debris to the corner. All the valuables had been taken, leaving nothing but a few bits of cloth and wood.


    His feet blistered and sore. Grey wrapped a piece of cloth around his small feet and bound them tightly to his ankle. Six years old! Grey was now alone. His mind racked with grief. His thoughts turned only to what he could do now. Food. Water. Shelter. Anything to get himself from thinking about what had happened. He went to Dane''s and Vernon''s tents. He found more tattered clothing and picked up a stick. He tied the cloths together to the end of the stick to make a bag and began to collect anything that could be valuable. A shattered piece of sharp metal from a chest. He attached that to the end of another stick, making a small wooden spear. He walked around and heard a loud thumping from one of the tents.


    It was from Dane''s tent. He approached the tent cautiously, spear ready, and looked around. A hollowed plank of wood lay underneath the tent. He lifted it up and there was a wooden chest, moving ever so slightly. He moved closer and knocked on the chest twice. Knock. Knock.


    "Dane is that you?" whispered a girl''s voice.


    Grey stared back at the chest.


    "Mylene?"


    "Grey! Oh, they have found you! Please let me out. I am not meant for such a small space."


    Grey looked at the lock of the chest. He touched it and the lid propped right open.


    "Ah! I''m free!"


    Mylene stood with her hands held high. "Grey! I heard such things outside. Where is everyone else? You-"


    Mylene looked at Grey''s. Her eyes focusing on  that large scar on his chest.


    "Grey!"


    She came upon him. Blood on his shoulder. His shoes were gone. His eyes glazed over as if he were already dead.


    "Ah, we should go."


    He climbed out of the hidden floor. He reached his hand down and lifted Mylene up.


    "Grey?"


    Mylene looked at the bloodied pulp on the tree nearby and then said nothing more.


    ~~~


    Grey and Mylene headed down the road. There was a silence between them, both carrying handmade sacks tied to the end of a stick. They approached a river and then a cobbled path. The trees changing as they went from forest to forest. Animals could be heard from a distance, but none grew near. The two walked in silence. After some time, Mylene spoke.


    "Grey," said Mylene. She could see a strange emptiness in his face and it frightened her. "Grey are you okay?"


    "I am fine."


    "A-Are you sure?"


    "Yeah."


    Mylene thought for a moment. She hastened her steps to walk next to him. His eyes looked straight at the road. His hands and feet moving forward was if he were a doll.


    "Grey. Even if villains have done such bad things. Won''t heroes come and win in the end? Haven''t they always done so in the past?"


    Grey''s chest lightens a little.


    "Maybe...."


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation."That''s right!" crowed Mylene. "Even if we are small and tiny others will surely not let such things go unnoticed. And even if they do nothing. Will we not grow up too? We will remember and then once older we can punish them ourselves."


    Grey''s head nodded in agreement. A small smile comes to his face.


    "Ah! You are smiling!"


    Grey turned away embarrassed.


    "No, I''m not!"


    "Ha! See the greatness that is me! Now praise me, my servant!"


    Grey looked at her and remembered their conversation in the dungeon. He smiled and took her hand. He kissed it.


    "Thank you."


    "Wha!" scoffed Mylene, her face turning red. "My hands are not to be kissed so lightly. Your master forgives you this time."


    Grey laughed.


    Grey and Mylene continued walking till the reached a split in the road. A sign read Walheim South. Deriora West. Krieshold East.


    "Which way do we go?" asked Mylene.


    Grey looked closely at the signs. "How about we go right? The path look a little easier and it''s away from the mountain. Walheim is also fortress town. So there should be less monsters."


    Mylene nodded her head and followed Grey.


    "Grey. How come you know so much about the world?"


    "I read a lot of books."


    "But I am your age am I not? I am seven. How old are you?"


    "I am six."


    "See! Isn''t that so strange you know more than me?"


    "It isn''t that weird. I had nothing to do all day. So I read books. It is not hard if you try."


    "So, do you know where we are?"


    "Yes, we are in the Kingdom of Gahol of the Seven Kingdoms. I do not know all the provinces, but there are a few important places around the mountain. Walheim was in a lot of wars so there have been a lot of important fights there."


    "What about the other kingdoms?" asked Mylene, curiously.


    " Renalta, Lukoil, Nomine, Neft, Altea, and Beyleya."


    "Wha?!"


    "Those are only the outer kingdoms though. The older inner kingdoms. Lavis, Baltor, Almacia. Are nearly 5,000 years old. Those are the really amazing ones. To have lasted so long through disaster after disaster. Together. The outer and inner kingdoms make up the ten kingdoms of the world."


    Grey thoughts remembered that black knight. Each kingdom was named after a famous and heroic knight of legend. How did a knight become so villainous?"


    "Then? The whole continent falls under these kingdoms?"


    "How can the whole continent fall under ten kingdoms?" said Grey. "There are several others places that have risen and fallen in the large wilderness that covers the world. But these are the most famous. Renalta Knights for example. They are so cool. They have wings on the back of their armor that ignites when they charge at their enemies. Like winged angels, they descend upon their enemies in righteous might, a glorious fireball that burns everything to dust. Then there are also the Knights of the Plains. Nomine Knights. Riding cockatrices with large lances made out of sails. They glide across the plains carried by the wind itself."


    Mylene giggled. Grey''s eyes started to sparkle. Describing the fantastical feats of knights of legend. In her heart, Mylene had been worried about Grey after they left camp. But now it was like he was returning to his usual self. They laughed like that for a while, telling each other stories.


    On the road, a few hours later, a man with a wagon rolled down the road. Wearing a pair of glasses, he rubbed his eyes twice. There were two kids by themselves walking happily on the dirt path. Was this a bandit trap?


    Grey and Mylene seemed to notice the man at the same time. Grey stood in front of Mylene with his spear raised.


    "Little kid! Who are you!" asked the merchant.


    "I am Grey! Who are you!"


    "The name is Doyle! I''m a merchant! I''m heading down to Walheim. What are you two kid''s doing on the road alone? Is this a bandit trap or something? It''s a bad trap if it is!"


    "No! We were coming from Gil!"


    The Doyle nodded and shook his head. "Ah, I see. Sorry about your families."


    Grey eye brow twitched. How did this fellow know that their families were dead?


    "How do you know that!"


    Doyle nodded solemnly. "Of course! Who wouldn''t know? The king issued a decree forbidding anyone from entering the mountain. They say a group of monsters came out from the dungeon and killed everyone."


    "What!?!"

 (Vol I) Chapter 14 : Lies within Lies

    Chapter 14


    Lies within Lies


    Doyle looked blankly at Grey.


    "That''s right. The knights came a few days ago claiming the area was dangerous. They were evacuating people when it is said that monsters attacked. To think a whole battalion of knights were annihilated. The king sent his army to contain the monster invasion from spreading."


    Grey''s eyes furrowed. A company of knights consisted of 10-30 knights. He had seen only one that night. Where then were the rest of the knights? Had they been killed off? Then what about the army? Why did they attack them so viciously?


    Something wasn''t right. Layers upon layers of intrigue. Grey''s thoughts could only grasp at the surface. Too many things didn''t make any sense. The way that army appeared out of nowhere was unnatural. He remembered the surprise on Baylee''s face. Since when can you hide an army that large without being noticed? Grey could only scratch his head and wonder.


    "Kid," said Doyle. His head nodding. " I like to think I can judge people very well. It''s in my trade. At first, I thought you were dangerous but your reaction now seemed genuine. How about you come along with me to the town? We can fix you up something nice. I was an orphan too you know."


    Doyle pat his hand on the side of his seat, beckoning them to come sit beside him. After a disaster there were many thieves and bandits that took the opportunity to add to the chaos. For this kid to be so surprised. He must not really what had happened. Grey nodded and both him and Mylene jumped onto the wagon. Their destination, Walheim.


    ~~~


    Walheim was a town built on top of a granite hill. A field of rocks lined the flat grass towards the town gate. A guardsman with a bronze helmet looked at the group cautiously. Doyle produced his papers and said that Grey and Mylene were orphans and was asked no further questions. Inside, the buildings came out like towering monuments, large and stout, they were rocks cut into the shape of trees, their rooftops a sparkling green and blue wood.


    At the "Green Willow" restaurant, Doyle sat at a table with Grey and Mylene.


    "Kid are you making this up?" said Doyle incredulously. He placed his right hand over his mouth thoughtfully.


    Grey shook his head. "It''s true! I was attacked by a knight and the king''s army attacked us."


    "Did you see that as well?" asked Doyle. His eyes looked at Mylene.


    Mylene slowly shook her head.


    "I was in a chest. Our adventurer friend put me there to keep me safe. He said someone was coming and when Grey got me out. Everyone was dead."


    "I see..."


    "It''s true though! If you send anyone up there they will surely find out!" Grey cried. He was afraid Doyle wouldn''t believe him. After all who would think that the king would send an entire army to kill off the villagers and adventurers? It was too much resources for so little gain.


    Doyle sat for a moment pondering. His hand picked up the cup of tea and drank it heartily, downing it in one gulp.


    "Grey," he said, looking at the boy.


    "Yes?"


    "Let us say you are right. Let us assume for a moment that the king had decided to kill all the adventurers. Then why was the camp you found first after escaping the dungeon empty without a fight?"


    "That''s...."


    "Haha, I am only playing with you my friend. If you knew the answer then perhaps this would not be called a mystery. I say it is strange because that is what I would expect if they were told to evacuate the adventurers."


    "Ah!"


    Grey''s mind raced. If the adventurer''s were told to evacuate then no wonder they wouldn''t put up a fight. Who would question the authority of a knight, especially a command so reasonable given how close the dungeon was?


    "Then why did they murder?"


    "Wrong question again," spoke Doyle, stroking his head. "The question should be why did that knight tell you the king had sent an army to kill everyone off, more or less, why bother announcing it at all? Wouldn''t letting you waltz into a hidden army be more effective at killing you?"


    Grey shook his head. His thoughts muddled.


    "And those men. What man doesn''t fear death? You say your master killed dozens, hundreds of them who threw themselves upon her. Grey do you think you are thinking straight when you tell me this?"


    Grey scratched his head. He seemed to slowly grasp at the questions.


    "Yes," muttered Doyle. "I do not have proof but I fear what you encountered was not the king''s men at all, but something else entirely. I have some thoughts on this and dare not say it out loud. They say people who are too nosy will get their nose cut off. Let us wait until I can confirm the matter, then we can speak of it again, and what we can do about it."


    Grey nodded his head. Mylene took a bite of cooked pork and plumped it into her mouth. As the three finished their meals, Doyle could only help but remember what Grey had told him. That knight said "king''s army", but he mention which king it was?


    They walked out of the restaurant, full bellies, Mylene licked her fingers.


    "Ah that was quite delicious. Mr. Doyle you are quite fashionable. I like a fellow like you. Be my servant!"


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    Doyle laughed. "Haha, funny girl. I am already so-so old and unmarried. How can a little girl like you tempt me?"


    "Oh!" said Mylene, mischievously. "You think I have no appeal. Then come let me do this and that and we''ll see if you can still say the same."


    "Girl do you even know what you are saying," chuckled Doyle. He whacked her in the head.


    "Ow!"


    "That''s what you get for making fun of us old folks. Take another to the head for being so vulgar."


    Whack! Mylene flinched and got hit again. She rubbed her head.


    "You violent fellow. To bully a little girl aren''t you ashamed?"


    "Ah, is that what it is called? I thought I was giving you a lecture. Here take let me see your head again."


    "Don''t touch me!" said Mylene. She ran behind Grey and stuck out her tongue. "Nah! Go away."


    Doyle laughed.


    A boy brushed by Grey as they walked down the street. Grey could feel hands diving into his pocket. He looked back. In the boy''s hand was the light gem that Baylee had given him. A keepsake of his dead master? How can he let a thief take it! Grey chased after him.


    "Grey!" called Mylene, following him. "Where are you going!"


    "He stole from me! Thief! Thief!"


    The boy turned and saw Grey chasing him, and ran into an alleyway.


    "Grey! Don''t go too far!" yelled Doyle, lumbering behind. People crowded about the busy street pushing him back.


    Grey chased the boy down the dark damp back roads. The stones kicking from the ground. Around one of the corners, Grey found the boy leaning against one of the doors.


    "Give me back my stone!"


    "What stone?" mumbled the boy, "I saw no stone. Look my pockets are empty."


    The boy lifted his pockets. Nothing came out.


    "B-But! I saw you take it. You dropped it or hiding it behind your back somewhere."


    "Ah who can say? Who cares anyway? You want to fight about it?"


    The boy raised his eyebrows.


    Grey shook his head.


    "No! But it is only right to return stuff to their owners. Give it back or I''ll search you myself!"


    The boy laughed. Grey walked towards him and was about to grab the boy''s collar when a large man came out of the door beside them. He wore a large tunic, overalls, and carried a meat cleaver in one hand. Grey nearly jumped up in surprise as the man grabbed Grey by his hand and lifted him into the air.


    "Who do we have here? A lost little boy? I was wondering who was making all this racket in the back."


    "Ah, Big Sam," said the boy. "I got another one for you. You owe me twice, plus whatever you pawn off this thing."


    The boy pulled out Baylee''s light gem from a hidden pocket inside his shirt. He tossed it to the large man who caught it.


    "Ah, a light gem. Hard to find these around. Can sell them for plenty. Most people just buy them for looks."


    "Give that back! It''s mine!"


    "Haha, you don''t seem to understand little boy. You are mine. You and anything on you."


    The large man smacked Grey with the end of his cleaver. Blood trickled down Grey''s head.


    "Ah!" yelled Mylene, arriving around the corner. "Stop!"


    "Ah another one."


    Sam swooped down and grabbed Mylene and Grey''s with the same hand. Carrying them up by their arms like a pair of ducks. Doyle stood shocked by end of the alleyway. His eyes in fear. The man was nearly eight feet tall, built like a bear, with a cleaver the size of a human head.


    "Help! Help! Doyle!" shouted Mylene.


    "Doyle!" yelled Grey. "Go get the guards! Stop these g-"


    "Shut up."


    Sam hit Grey harder. Grey''s body shook and trembled.


    "Ah!" yelled Mylene.


    "Old fellow, if you know what''s good for you, you''ll stay quiet. This is street business. What goes in the alleys stays here."


    The big man leaned over and rolled up his sleeves of his shoulder. A tattoo of a dragon coiled in a circle could be seen. Doyle looked at the kid''s meekly. Mylene yelled for help. Grey looked  silently at Doyle, blood on his cheek.


    "Ah, sorry for bothering you then."


    Doyle turned and left. The screams and yells for help falling on his ears. His heart ached, but even still he wanted to live. That person was part of that group, a group that no merchant could offend in this city. He ventured off, and went to bar to drink his thoughts away.


    Grey saw Doyle leave. A shock ran through his heart. Were they not friends? Why...why did he go....


    "Haha, seems like you quieted down now. Let''s go meet some of your new friends."


    Sam brought the two kid''s inside and tossed them in the basement.


    At nightfall a large caravan moved through the city, carrying goods of all sorts. A large cage was hauled onto one of the last wagons. In it were chickens, pigs, and two children. Grey and Mylene.


    "Where are they taking us?" whispered Mylene. Her voice hoarse. She had yelled for help all day. No one had come.


    "I don''t know," said Grey, remembering Doyle leave. On his face, there were only feelings of betrayal and sadness. "I don''t know anything."


    He cried the rest of night softly.

 (Vol I) Chapter 15 : Largos De Varion

    Chapter 15


    Largos De Varion


    In the 98th Dungeon in the Kingdom of Gahol. There can be said one of the largest reserves of ore in the world.  The Primitive Dungeon, Largos De Varion. In a large camp in front of the dungeon cave, a caravan stocked with supplies has come to a rest.


    "Get out!" yelled a big man. He grabbed Mylene and Grey and tossed them out of the cage.


    The big man pointed to a large crowd of kids in front of the cave. "Get in line. Now!"


    Mylene and Grey nodded weakly, walking to the crowd. A man standing on a pedestal tapped his stand with a long wooden stick. On his head was two round glasses, wearing a flowing robe that dropped down to his legs. To either of his side were imperial soldiers, dressed in battle armor, holding spears.


    "Vagrants! Orphans! Runaways! According to the imperial decree by Governor Yu in an effort to stem the flow of scum on the streets. All of you are conscripted to work for his majesty''s realm. Who can say this isn''t the highest of honor? Shout if you acknowledge this honor."


    The children looked at each other confused. Many of them wear rags, but a few here also wore some elaborate silk embroidery.


    "Sir!" said a young boy near the front. "I think there is some mistake! I was walking with my dad when I was accosted so unjustly! Can I go home?"


    "Me too!"


    "I want my mom."


    "My stomach hurts."


    The man waved his stick and slammed it into the ground. "Enough! I have heard your complaints, but your parents have given their full cooperation. You are to stay here till they come to pick you up."


    Several of the children looked relieved, but those dressed in rags could only question further.


    "But I don''t have any-"


    "Then you''ll be returned at a later time. If you are good, then surely we will not be unkind. You will be fed and roof over your head. Do you dare be ungrateful?!"


    The rest of the children stayed silent.


    "Now, take a number from the box in front of the cave and report to your overseer. The tunnels are labeled 1-10. If you do not know how to count then ask the guards on your way in. You are not allowed to trade numbers. Now leave!"


    The children filed away in lines.


    "Grey, what will happen to us?" asked Mylene. Her voice trembling. While she was not a clever child, she already knew the man was lying. He was only telling the children whatever they wanted to hear.


    "I don''t know," nodded Grey. "Let''s just follow them."


    Grey went to the wooden box and pulled out a number. The number three. Mylene was right after him. She pulled up the number four.


    "Ah," whispered Mylene. Would she be separated from Grey? They had journeyed so long together. She couldn''t bear to be apart. She looked at the guard holding the box. "Sir, can I take the same number as him? I-"


    "No," said the soldier solemnly. His face as unmoving as stone. "Move along."


    "But," Mylene looked at the guard. Grey pulled her arm. "It is okay come lets go. Don''t cause trouble. We can still see each other even if we are in different places."


    Mylene and Grey made it to the line in front of the tunnel. Guards were lined up on either corner of the tunnel every five feet. Grey looked in front, trying to see the inside of the cave.


    "I don''t like this," said one of the girls. "I was supposed to be shopping today with momma, but now this happens. If my father ever hears about it these people will be punished."


    "This is kind of exciting," said a boy with a bandana over his head. "Look how big this cave is? What is in here anyway?"


    Mylene could spot the number three in the boy''s hand.


    "Ah, you there," whispered Mylene. "Yes, you with the thing on his head. I must have that number. Can you trade with me?"


    "Huh?" said the boy turning around, "Why should I trade it? Is there something amazing about my number?"


    "No, but my friend has number three. I don''t want to be separated. Please?"


    "Okay, I don''t mind I guess, but if there is something amazing that way give it back to me okay?"


    "Thank you."


    The guard saw this and walked towards the Mylene. He grabbed her hand.


    "Overseer! This one was trying to switch numbers!"


    "Ah, how uncouth."


    The overseer was a portly man with a large leather whip. He moved sluggishly from the front of the line of children to Mylene. Mylene trembled. Her legs shaking.


    "Little girl. Rules are made to be obeyed. When one breaks the rules, others are sure to follow. Here is a little pain to remind you right from wrong."


    The guard turned her around. The overseer drew back his whip and struck her hard on her back. The clothes ripping, leaving a bloody line.


    "Ah!" cried Mylene, tears falling from her face.


    "Now who was it that you switched with child? Give the number back to him and let him taste punishment as well. Ten lashes for both of you."


    The boy with Mylene''s number was shaking too. His eyes wide. Mylene looked at him. But before anything happened. Grey stepped forward and bowed. His thoughts collected.


    "Oh?" said the overseer. "Boy was it you?"


    "Sir, please let her off. She did wrong. No need to punish anyone else."


    "Oh? So polite? Child you have such terrible clothes yet your speech is quite fancy. Did you not hear what I said? Offenders should be punished. If you are not the offender out of the way."


    "Elder, you are right to be upset, but we are all young. If you hit us so much then perhaps we will not get up. Do you wish to kill us? If you kill us will we not be able to return to our parents?"


    The other children looked at Grey. Many of them who were enjoying themselves were suddenly reminded of how they were kidnapped.


    "Little kid," chuckled the overseer. He could see he was being threatened by a child and it amused him. "If you are so brave, will you take all the lashes yourself? You say you will die if you get hit by all of them. I say you are wrong. Dare you take my bet?"


    Grey''s eyes widened. He did not expect this adult so be so cruel! The overseer laughed inwardly. This little kid thinks he is so clever, but even so he is still a child! Will he dare take all the hits. The overseer thought not!


    "I-I''ll take all of it!" said Grey. His face pale.


    "What?"


    "I''ll take all the lashes. Please forgive her."


    The overseer face contorted into an ugly shape. This little kid! Did he think he was bluffing?


    "Then lay on the floor. Your back outstretched. If you can endure twenty lashes without screaming then I shall say this matter was settled."


    "Grey!" yelled Mylene, crying.


    "It''s okay. Please be quiet," said Grey, lying down.


    "One!"


    The whip sank into Grey''s back. His body arch in a horrible manner. The loud crack echoed through the cave. A bloody mark coating his clothes.


    "Two!"


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.A few minutes later, the children moving forward. The only two left in near the front of the cave were Grey and Mylene. Grey''s back was bloodied. His eyes nearly rolled over. He wheezed. Blood trickling over his mouth.


    The overseer stood there panting. His breathes heavy. His eyes furious. The child had not screamed once. He turned away with disgust, not bothering to say anything. The guard let Mylene go.


    "Grey! Why! You, you," sobbed Mylene. She could not even touch Grey. His flesh exposed. A dark red.


    "Its...okay...lets go...."


    Mylene lifted Grey up to his feet. His arms around her shoulder. They limped to tunnel labeled number three.


    ~~~


    A few days later, Grey limped to the mine. They organized the groups of children into pockets of five. Given a pickaxe, they chiseled away at the edges of the dungeon wall. Every so often large gems and ores would fall out and they would put them in their bags and take them to the mining cart.


    Mylene stood next to him. Her eyes full of worry.


    "Grey you don''t have to work hard. Let me take these sacks to the cart."


    While everyone carried their sacks on their backs. Grey could only drag his on the floor. His back horribly scarred.


    "Sorry," he said.


    "What''s there to be sorry about. I am strong too! Even if you decide to sleep all day. I can do enough for both of us," smiled Mylene, softly. She took his bag and headed down the tracks.


    Grey headed down another part of the tunnel. Here several children, scrawny and thin, lay collapsed on the walls of the tunnel. Cave sickness. No one knew what it was, but every now and then a child would fall ill and not get back up. These were the ones closest to death, and also the ones that had been here the longest.


    He walked up to one of the children. The boy leaned on the wall. His eyes glazed over, yet his chest rose and fell.


    "Are you awake? Herbert?"


    "Ah" said a rasped voice. "Grey have you come to visit me again? Why not let me go in peace you weird fellow."


    "How can I leave a clever kid like you alone? Do they not say birds of a feather flock together? Let us clever kids talk for a bit."


    Herbert chuckled. No one dared go near those infected with cave sickness, but this boy had figured quite early that the sickness was not contagious. After all, there were sick people all around, yet only those who had been here the longest had gotten sick. The sickness was caused by the cave, not by people.


    "They do not give us enough food. I am worried that we will starve to death. Yesterday''s meal was a little bit less than the last. Some do not notice, but I went hungry for a day to compare both."


    "Then eat the dirt."


    "What do you mean?"


    "There are monsters in a dungeons. Do you not know how they survive without food? Some parts of the cave dirt is quite nutritious. Most people would not eat it, but when you get hungry enough. You will eat anything."


    Grey picked up a handful of dirt from the ground. His face confused.


    "Haha, even though I cannot see. I see you hesitate. Do you think I am lying? How do you think I am still alive? I lie here all day long. Yet am not dead."


    Grey put the dirt in his mouth and chewed. It had an earthly taste. Too bland to be called food. It tasted like white paste. He spit some out in disgust.


    "Haha, it''ll taste better once you get hungry," laughed Herbert.


    "I guess so," laughed Grey. Food had been a large worry in his mind. Even if it tasted like poop. He would rather eat than to starve to death.


    "About this cave? Is there any way to escape?"


    Herbert smiled. "You think I''d be like this if I could escape?"


    "Perhaps," smiled Grey.


    "Haha, we are both quite clever. Grey you mean to ask if I have prepared something in my years here and you want to use whatever I''ve done to escape!"


    "Haha, you got me," laughed Grey.


    "I-I must say I have nothing."


    "Nothing? Have you not lived here for many years?"


    "This place is meant to kill people off."


    Grey eyes hardened.


    "The guards here are too many and you are tired all the time from working. You think you can run messed up like that?"


    Grey sat in a stupor. Herbert was a smart child. Three years older than Grey. Herbert grew up in a small town, and with an insatiable curiosity could name all manner of herbs, trees, and stones. If he could not figure out a way. Was it really hopeless?


    Herbert smiled. "If you really must know. I have found two ways. Come closer. I shall tell you."


    Grey leaned closer and Herbert whispered in his ear.


    ~~~


    In a small campfire. Two children sit next to each other eating their rations. A loaf of bread and two pork buns.


    "Grey," said Mylene, watching Grey. "Grey why are you thinking so deeply."


    She could see Grey''s eyebrows furrow. In the last couple of days, she had began to notice his subtle expressions. Even if he said nothing. She could now guess his feelings.


    "I talked to Herbert today. He said if we ever get hungry we can eat the dirt!"


    "What! Why would we do that?"


    Grey sighed deeply. He did not want to tell her the truth behind the dungeon. Will she not get depressed and sad knowing such horrible things.


    "If they run out food. We might get hungry. So I asked him a few things."


    "B-But dirt? I know we are not doing so well, but I''m okay eating less. You need more food."


    Mylene took one of her buns and put it on Grey''s lap.


    "Mylene. You are working more you need...."


    "Lalala. I am not hearing it. You eat it or I toss it away."


    Grey sighed, smiling.


    "I also talked to him about some things."


    Mylene''s eyes glistened. Grey had told her a few days ago he had made a new friend. Though Grey did not let Mylene meet this friend. This fellow Herbert had helped them learn a lot of good things about the cave.


    "I learned two ways to get out of this place. If one fails the other is guaranteed to work."


    "Really!?"


    "Shush," chuckled Grey. "Don''t let everyone know."


    "Okay," whispered Mylene. "What are the two ways?"


    "The first way is to endure. We wait for our chance. Someone might attack or there might be an inspection. Something that will give us a chance to escape."


    "That doesn''t sound much like a plan," mumbled Mylene.


    "Haha, the world is so vast. How can anything stay still and not change. If it is hopeless now, who can say the same in the future?"


    "Grey," said Mylene. "You said if one fails the other will work for sure? So if we wait long enough your other thing will work 100%? Tell me what is the other plan?"


    Grey smiled. His heart a bit heavy. Truthfully, if it came down to that. He really did not want to use the other method. "If I tell you it might ruin the plan. Will you trust me and follow what I say?"


    "Okay."

 (Vol I) Chapter 16 : Promise

    Chapter 16


    Promise


    In the darkness of a cave, a girl waits in line of children, carrying a bucket of water. Her eyes bright. Her hair as golden as the sun. In front of the line there is a group of guards by a table. A large stack of food set next to a parchment. A lean guard scribbles some notes and hands the next child some food.


    "May I have some food, two please," asked Mylene, having arrived in the front of the line.


    The guard looked at her oddly.


    "You still feeding that fellow? Why not let him ago?"


    "What I do is none of your business," said Mylene, shaking her head. "Two please!"


    "Very well," muttered the guard. He handed two pork buns and waved her off. Mylene skipped along the tunnel. She makes several turns in the deep corridor. She opened a wooden door in the tunnel to her right. The room lit dimly by a single torch.


    "Grey? Grey are you there?"


    In the darkness, there is a boy hunched against the wall. His eyes glazed over. His body horribly scarred.


    "Mylene?" croaked Grey. "You are back early."


    "Hmph. Of course. That so-so guard is such a nosy fellow. Telling me this and that. Here I have lunch. Open your mouth."


    Grey slowly opened his mouth. His lips crusted. Mylene took a pork bun and tore a piece. She placed it in his mouth, and massaged his throat. She took a small cup from her bucket and lifted it to his mouth.


    "Drink slowly."


    The bun tasted stale but Grey ate it in one breathe. He coughed as a piece got stuck in his throat. Mylene gently pulled him upright and patted his back.


    "Thanks..."


    "It is nothing."


    Mylene looked at Grey. Her hands running down his scrawny arms. So many scars. These last two years had been unkind to him.


    "You need to take better care of yourself," scolded Mylene. "If I am gone how will you survive. If you are so clever be more obstinate! Who cares if someone is about to hit me."


    "Haha," laughed Grey, "It is just you are too pretty. To hit such a precious treasure. Isn''t that a crime?"


    "Aye! There you go praising me again. Your flattery has gotten better," smiled Mylene, pointing her nose up.


    Grey laughed. Mylene fed him some more and ate her bun. She gathered some dirt and ate it too, feeding some to Grey. She had been so reluctant to eat it a year ago, but now it was naturally as breathing the air. She wiped Grey''s face clean.


    "Ah, so shall we cultivate again? I have break for a few more hours."


    Mylene raised her hands. She took Grey''s hands and held them with her own. Connected. She closed her eyes and moved their hands in unison in a circular motion. Grey opened his mouth and recited.


    "From breathe there is life. From life there is motion. From motion is direction. Magic is motion. Magic is imitation. Magic is imagination. Feel the motion of the arms as they move in a circle. The way the air passes from one place to another. When I was training I had nothing but nature to around me. In this place, nature too exists. The dirt, rocks, and earth. The darkness the lights this room. The heat from the torch. Imagine these things in your mind. In your body. As you do so breathe in and take in the world."


    Mylene takes a deep breath.


    "Now exhale, allowing the world return to its original place."


    The space around the two children distorted for a moment. The dirt around them scattering like leaves in the wind.


    "Ah!" smiled Mylene. "I finally did it! I can use my aura!"


    Grey chuckled. In truth, it took Mylene  a year and half to grasp the concept of magic. For her to try so long and not succeed. He did not think that was possible.


    "Then now you can be a great and powerful mage."


    "Of course! If you don''t hurry up with your cultivation. I might even beat you!" laughed Mylene.


    Grey smiled, but inwardly he heaved a deep sigh. He dare not tell Mylene the truth. Magic required one vital component. Sight. To be able to visualize and create. Grey''s eyes had long ago faded and gone dark. Even if he underwent the Ritual of Awakening. He could no longer do magic. A cripple both in a mind and body. He finally understood why magically training involved both. Without one the other becomes an empty shell, screaming behind a locked cage.


    A boy with a bandana opened the wooden door.


    "Dieter?" said Mylene.


    "Hi Grey. Hi Mylene."


    Two years ago, Grey had saved him from such a vicious punishment. Though the years have been long. He held this moment close to his heart and had become close friends with Mylene and Grey.


    "Hi Dieter," coughed Grey.


    "Don''t overexert yourself Grey," said Dieter. His voice full of concern. To see his savior in such a state. It pained his heart greatly. "The overseer wants to see you Mylene. I''ll try to bring the next bucket of water on my shift. I have to work in a moment so I''ll see you guys later."


    Dieter nodded and left. When he was gone, Mylene turned to face Grey.


    "Could it be?" Mylene looked at Grey with fear. She was always self-conscious that she was growing up. She had grown much in these years, blossoming as if spring. She held Grey''s hand in worry. Did the overseer want to do something to her?


    Grey shook his head. "If it is what I think it is. No need to worry."


    Mylene tilted her head.


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    "Grey what do you think it is?"


    Mylene could see a soft expression on his face, as if he were expecting it. In all these years, even if Grey had become a cripple. He was very smart.


    "Just go and you''ll find out," smiled Grey, coughing.


    "Okay. Take care of yourself," said Mylene. She got up, patted his back one more time, and left.


    Grey''s head felt dizzy. As Mylene left the room. He turned to the ground next to him and spat out blood.


    ~~~


    Later in the night, the bells rang signaling the end of the day. Everyone returned to their rooms. Mylene walks in with a heavy heart. Untouched, but fatigued. She walks over and sits next to Grey. Her head leans on Grey''s shoulder, waking him from his slumber.


    "Mylene?"


    "Tell me Grey. When are we going to get out of this place? Have we not waited enough? Let us get our things and run at night. We can say we have a stomach ache or-"


    "Mylene....What did the overseer tell you?"


    "Does it matter what he told me? We need to get out of here remember?"


    "Mylene..."


    Mylene''s eyes teared up. She wiped the tears off and her voice trembled.


    "He told me I would be leaving the mines tomorrow to Urich. He says I am to work at some place for so-so years before I am free. But I told him no. I said I wasn''t leaving. Not unless he let you go too."


    "Mylene," coughed Grey.


    "Calling me name won''t change my thoughts. Who cares about some place? If I leave then what will happen to you? Are you telling me to let you die here alone?"


    Mylene''s eyes looked on the ground, downhearted. Her thoughts a swirl of despair. Who cares if she was safe? She was only safe because Grey had taken her punishment every time she did something wrong. To abandon him. She wouldn''t allow it!


    Her thoughts muddled. She began to realize something. The words that Grey had said to her two years ago. "If the first plan fails the second is guaranteed to work."


    She turned to Grey accusingly.


    "Grey, tell me did you know this would happen?"


    Grey turned his head and dared not answer.


    "Grey!" Mylene cried. Did he want to die? What kind of plan was this?


    "I knew..."


    Suddenly, years of mysteries made sense. How Grey had not told her what happened to Herbert. Those smallest infractions, begging to protect her from harm, so that even after two years her skin was as fair as it was when she entered.


    "Tell me Grey," her eyes watering. "What will happen to me?"


    "You''ll be taken to a brothel and worked there for a few years. But with the training I have given you. It''s likely a mage like my master will take notice and buy you off for your talent. Even if it takes a few years. I am certain that you will be able to escape."


    "And you?" her voice, trembling.


    "I will stay here."


    "You will die!"


    "It is okay."


    "No, it is not okay. Why do you always say that."


    She moved to hit him, but gently pounded her fist on his chest.


    "You think you can leave me! I won''t allow it! Didn''t you say you would be a great hero? What kind of hero dies like this..."


    Tears falling. She sobbed quietly on his chest.


    "I saved you didn''t I?" he coughed. Blood fell from his lips. Mylene could only look on with more despair.


    "Then if you don''t save me will you not die? If I yell and scream and kick they will not be able to take me."


    Grey''s face lost all color. For Mylene to say such things. Will all his work go to waste? Mylene could see the pain on his face and could not bear to look him in the eye.


    "I''ll do it you know. I''ll raise up such a fuss that they will think I am crazy or sick. Who will take a sick person?"


    "Please..."


    A single word that pierced through Mylene''s heart. She looked at him with anguish. Grey moved with all his strength. He lifted his arm and held her hand.


    "Please go."


    Thoughts rushed in. Her feelings for him had grown so strong over the years. She wished to hold him and for him to hold her. But the strength faded from his hands. She could only weep and hug him alone.


    "I promise to never forget you. Even if a thousand years have passed. Even if I am lying on the road spitting out blood. I''ll definitely remember this moment. I''ll kill all these cruel villains so that they may know the pain I feel today."


    She moved to his face. Her breathe on his neck. She kissed him deeply. The warmth of her feelings flooding into his body.


    "I''ll never forget....I''ll never forget...for a thousand years..."


    Grey leaned his head against hers and both of them fell asleep.


    ~~~


    "Why this one?" asked the guard. He led a long robed woman down the tunnels. Her hair flowing a bright white color. Colorful fabric flowed like water from her body. Her eyes like emeralds. She looked at the boy leaning alone by the wall in the lonely room. His eyes a murky white. His arms scarred beyond belief.


    "The girl that was with him a few days ago would be something, but this guy is already half dead."


    "Does it matter why I need him?" spoke the woman, softly.


    Her eyes gazing deep into the boy''s eyes. Rage. Sadness. Regret.


    "I see something I like. So I shall take it."

 (Vol I) Chapter 17 : Evil

    Chapter 17


    Evil


    Grey woke in the light of day. He could not see his surroundings but there was a soft breeze and rapping of the window against the wind. His hands opened and closed to touch the fabric at his back. A soft comforting feeling that he had not felt in a very long time. A bed. He lay on the bed. His body weakened. He did not have the strength to hold himself upright. His eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. Eyes as white as pearls.


    "Are you awake?" says a woman''s voice.


    Grey looks to the direction of the voice.


    "You are?"


    A woman sat next to the bed. Her hair flowing like silk white. The wind seemed to flow unnaturally around her long robes.


    "I am Iris. This is my home. Did you want a cup of tea?"


    Grey nodded.


    "Yes, please."


    Iris held out a teacup and gently placed it in Grey''s lips. Grey took it cautiously and took a sip. His face turned a funny shape.


    "Haha, it is a little strong. I had tried to make it better for your wounds."


    Grey nodded his head. He didn''t know who this woman was but he knew she had saved his life.


    "Thank you."


    "No need to thank me," smiled Iris. She gently stroked his hair. "When you get good enough to stand. Let''s take a trip outside."


    "Okay."


    The days passed then months. Grey lay in the bed most of the time. He had not moved in such a long time and took a long time to recover. All the while he had thought of Mylene. She had been sent to such a terrible place. He did not think she would suffer for the first few years, and would work as a maid, but later who could tell? Already his thoughts were of how to get her out safely.


    "Iris," said Grey. In his hand a stick. He walked with her in a garden the bees buzzing around them. Every so second, Grey would tap the ground in front of him. His legs wobbling.


    "Iris. I had a friend who was with me in the mine. I know this is sudden and may cause you a lot of trouble but may we go get her too? Last I heard she was in Urich."


    "Grey," said Iris. Her emerald eyes glistening under the rays of the sun. "The fellow who owns that mine owes me a favor. So I am allowed to save a child of my choosing every so year. Though that mine is a vicious place. It is one protected by people who profit from its wealth. It is not so easy to get anyone who comes from the place. If your friend was sent to Urich. She will not be a place open to common folk."


    "But," asked Grey. The fear rises in his chest. If such a place was not open to the public then she could go her whole life without meeting a mage. "Isn''t it possible to tell the guards or the king? Will they not understand and stop that sort of malicious thing? We could tell them and have a just reason to take my friend back."


    "Grey when you first came to my home. I asked you about your past didn''t I?"


    Grey nodded. In the months he spent recovering he had talked with Iris. They would speak about their experiences, grief, and loss. She had been a weak child from birth. Unable to walk out of her room. Confined for 16 years by her parents. It was not until a childhood friend of hers took her out of the house and a traveling priest kindly took her in that she began to heal in mind and body.


    "Do you think there is right or wrong in the world?"


    "Of course! Wrong is to hurt people. To cause them suffering and laugh at their pain. These people are the most vile in the world."


    Grey remembered the eyes of the overseer, that black knight, and the men laughing by the fire among the burning bodies. What kind of evil nestles in men''s hearts to cause them to such terrible things?


    Iris shook her head.


    "I don''t think that is the way to look at things."


    "What do you mean?" asked Grey. He had known Iris to be a devout and good person. She was a traveling priest who went around saving the sick and dying. Why would she say such a weird thing?


    "Grey if you look at the world in such a way then everything will be evil. Who has not caused suffering to others. Who has not wronged? You have told me that you have wished to be a hero, but have you not caused such terrible suffering on the people around you?"


    Grey took a step back. Shocked.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Your master had also thought the same as me. She had told you not to be pig headed. To not seek justice so blindly to ignore your  surroundings. You ignored her and fell into the dungeon to punish a girl. Causing such mess. A large group of monsters chasing you then chasing others. Did you think your fun was good? You have killed several people without noticing it. Those too slow to escape the masses following you."


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    A jolt ran through Grey''s body. His eyes widening in realization.


    "You ran back to your home. Ignoring all reason. All sense of danger. A clever kid like you should not have let your emotions get the better of you, but still again you did. Causing your master to come get you. And in doing so, you led her into a trap she would have otherwise avoided. Killing her as well."


    Grey''s hands trembled. He dropped his stick and fell to the ground. Guilt poured in as if a rush of water.


    "When you escaped. Doyle called out to you to not run too far. To avoid danger that could lurk in the streets. You ignored him as well for your sense of justice would not allow the thief to get away. And in doing this you led not only yourself but the girl with you to two years of suffering in the most horrific of places."


    "Ah." gasped Grey. "Ah."


    "And at last your cleverness led the one person who was left caring for you to go about her life in a place where no one would ever see her. You sentenced the girl to suffer for eternity, chained to the very people whom you call evil."


    Sweat dripped from Grey''s face. His eyes dilating. His legs felt like weights, anchoring him to the ground.


    "If you call such people evil. Then the truly evil ones are those who do things out of good will and cause needless suffering among their loved ones. The latter is malicious the other ignorant. Both do wrong, but while a malicious person is easy to see, easy to hate. The other sinks deep into the hearts of people. Not noticing. Like a parasite. My parents were the same. Telling me I was too weak. Telling me lies that sank into my heart to this very day. Grey evil does not exist. I tell you this. Only people, people and their intentions."


    Iris helped Grey up to  his feet. Grey''s hands trembling as she took him up.


    "Let us go back inside. I think the air is not so good. You should rest some more."


    Iris walked Grey back inside and lay him back on the bed. She got out a wet rag and wiped his face gently before leaving. Her eyes staring back into the room as she closed the door. She could hear him whispering something under his breath and smiled.


    ~~~


    Later that night, Iris sat in her study. Her quill moving she wrote on a parchment. A shadow moved through the curtains behind her. A shadow dark and black.


    "Falin?"


    "It is I." whispered the shadow. It took a seat by a chair. The darkness covering the creature''s body like a cloak. "How goes your new initiate? I shall have gathered my candidates in the coming days."


    "I have only one."


    "One? Do you mean that cripple that you keep in your room all day? He remind you of yourself?" the shadow sneered.


    Iris eyes flashed towards the Falin. As her gaze rested upon his eyes. He could feel a impending danger. A chasm as large as an ocean rushed up to swallow him whole. He leaped back and raised his battle sense.


    "Why so scared Falin?" said Iris, softly.


    Small beads of sweat formed on the shadow''s face. Who wouldn''t be scared in front of this monster?


    "Ah, it was a jest. Please forgive my words."


    Iris turned her head and returned to scribbling notes on the parchment.


    "I think I will have him meet the rest of the candidates tomorrow. Bring all of them. Now leave."


    "As you will," bowed Falin. He vanished in a whiff of smoke.


    Iris leaned softly to a small painting at her desk. A man dressed in a full regalia of plated armor. A sword by his side. A little girl with white hair. Her eyes as green as the grass around her. A man in leather armor. His beard long and gruff. A woman with a bow and a bright smile. And last a little boy next to the little girl. He wore a long robe and a hat too big for his head. He smiled weakly, holding the girls hand. Five people all happily staring at the painter in front of them.


    "Watch over me friends. I shall show the world. True despair."

 (Vol I) Chapter 18 : Friends

    Chapter 18


    Friends


    Grey sat in a stupor, depressed. All the things that had made him who he was were being distorted...changed. He could not put a finger on it, but it was as if reality was different. That the books he had read were wrong. He sat in his bed thinking all night. On Iris''s words. He had done those things to himself. He had caused himself misfortune and killed many people. But was it really his fault? No...It can''t be.


    Good things happen to  good people. You treat others as you would treat yourself. He had saved Mylene because it was right. He had ran from the monsters because the only choice was to die. He went after his family because his family had loved him. But even so...he could not deny that what she had said was true...that he had caused the people around him such great pain. His face contorted in anguish. What was right? What was wrong? In his mind. Grey was no longer sure.


    The next morning. Iris stood by Grey''s room. She entered like she had always had. A light tap on the on the door and in she came. She had a herbal tea with her. His favorite. Jasmine with a lotus stem dipped into its center. He could not see the flower, but the smell told him it was there. His tongue lightly dipping into the cup. He could taste its soft but sweet texture. He coughed, having drank the tea a little too fast then settled down in his bed.


    "Iris?" he said, feeling the warmth of her hand on his. "You came a little early today? Is there something happening?"


    His eyes staring blankly in front of him. Grey could usually felt the warmth of the sun when Iris came in his room. His world was a pitch black, filled with nothing but touch and sound. Hot and cold. Loud or quiet. This was his world now. An empty place of voices and feelings. Where everything had a vague and unshaped form. His mind turned to fill in these senses with a familiar scenes, and while Grey could not see. He imagined this room as if it were his room back in his home. A room fill of books. Where his mother would come in one day and tell him to come downstairs to eat breakfast.


    "There are some children I wanted you to meet," said Iris, holding his hand. "They are kind of like you and I think you might enjoy a little company being in your room all the time. Will you walk with me outside?"


    Grey nodded, "Okay."


    He took his walking stick at the side of the bed. His feet touching the hard floor. He stood up and with Iris made his way outside. The sounds of laughter could be heard as children raced back and forth through the grass. The wind blew lightly and pressed on his short hair, causing it to wave in front of his head. A boy''s voice came from Grey''s right.


    "Oh! He is finally out!" said the boy excitedly. He ran to Grey and suddenly grabbed his hand, shaking it violently.


    "The name is Bernard. My father named me after some bear in the woods. So that I would be as strong as a bear. See how strong I am!"


    Grey could feel the boy crushing his hand. It was painful but there was a sort of playfulness in the boy''s voice that made Grey smile. Grey heard several more children approach him.


    "Hi Grey. My master said that we would be meeting someone special today! He must mean it was you. We heard quite a few things about you. Sorry if we are too straightforward. My name is Ciara."


    Grey felt Bernard release his grip and a softer hand take its place.


    "H-Hi Ciara," stuttered Grey, surprised. He did not expect to meet people all at once and was a little overwhelmed.


    "Haha, look what you did. Now he is scared!" said another boy''s voice.


    "No, he isn''t! He just a little surprised that''s all," replied Ciara, pouting.


    "Haha, okay okay. No need to look so upset," laughed the boy. Grey could feel a rougher hand come and shake his hand. "My name is Madison. I heard that you had some bad things happen to you. Don''t worry. Things will get better. If you are in trouble I will definitely help you out."


    "T-Thank you," nodded Grey. His chest lightening. He shook hands with every child in the group. Bernard, Ciara, Madison, Lutz, Max, Oswin, Richard, Fritz, Madeline, Hadu, Alexis, and Rille. Twelve children. Thirteen including himself.


    Iris clapped her hands, calling the attention of all the children happily surrounding Grey. "Okay, that''s enough. Don''t bother Grey too much."


    "Yes, Mrs. Iris." said all the children in unison. Grey could feel the vague shapes leave him. He could imagine the smiles on their faces.


    "Now, does anyone know why I called you here?"


    "Oo! I know! I know!" said Madeline. Her voice as lithe as a nightingale.


    "Yes? Madeline."


    "You wanted us to meet Grey!"


    "Haha, that''s not the only reason."


    Bernard raised his hand next. His voice as fierce as a tiger.


    "Ha! I have it. Mrs. Iris is it time for our awakening?"


    Iris laughed. "Ah, that''s right."


    She walked towards him and ruffled his hair. He blushed.


    "Smart child. You are all of age. It''s time for you all to undergo your Ritual of Awakening."


    "Ritual of Awakening?" whispered Grey. He remembered he too had yet to undergo his Ritual of Awakening. "Iris! Could you mean me too?"


    "Of course. You told me you could use aura. It is only natural you undergo the ritual as well."


    "But," Grey said, "I won''t be able to cast spells even if I do go through the ritual. I am blind."


    Magic had three steps. Conceptualization. Formation. And Actualization. While Grey would be able to imagine his magic in his hand and form it once he underwent the ritual. The last step was impossible. Actualization required him to perceive his magic with his senses to make it real. Without sight. He could not properly bring out the magic. It would always come out as a bodiless blob of mana. A reflection of the vagueness he perceived in his surroundings.


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    "Grey. Do you think what is written in books is always right?"


    Grey head moved curiously.


    "Are you saying what I read was wrong?"


    "No," smiled Iris, "I am saying books do not describe the whole world. If they do not describe something it doesn''t mean it is impossible."


    "Then...." said Grey, thinking about his disability.


    "If it has not been written. It only means someone hasn''t figured out a way to do it. Grey, you are a bright child. Do you think you will not figure out a way?"


    "I...." said Grey, thinking. "I don''t know until I try."


    "That''s right," smiled Iris. "Grey. You are still young. While you have made some mistakes is there not time to change? I teach this group of children magic. Will you let me teach you too? Not only magic, but to help you live in a happy manner?"


    Grey looked at Iris, questioningly. Long years of suffering had left him unable to fully trust people but Iris had taken care of him for many months. Giving him food and kindly changing his bed. In her, he could feel such warmth that he had not felt in a long time. In his heart, he could not bear to be alone. If he said no. Would she leave him? Like everyone else? He did not think his heart could take anymore sad things.


    He bowed his head. " If I said no, wouldn''t that mean? Iris, I don''t think I have said it properly, but thank you. I-I had thought I would be dead, but you have been so kind. Please teach me. I promise I will listen to everything you say," tears trickled down Grey''s face. Remembering all that happened to him. Wasn''t his life right now so comfortable? He wished for such peace for the rest of his life.


    Iris smiled. She gently stroke Grey''s head.


    Bernard laughed. "Grey no need to be so sappy. You not know all of us have had such bad stuff too? We also made a lot bad choices. Even if Iris doesn''t tell you. We will help you figure out right from wrong."


    Grey nodded. "Thank you."


    The children gathered around Grey and hugged him to comfort him.


    ~~~


    On a large wagon sat thirteen children in two rows. Grey sat in the middle between Ciara and Oswin. Iris drove the wagon in the front. She gently heaved the reigns and the horses galloped on the dirt road. Their destination the 123th Dungeon. The Forest Dungeon of Alvis located in the Plains of the Undying Lands. A Ritual of Awakening can only be done in focal points, locations of power where the magic naturally gathers in the world. Here where magic is the most abundant one could break the barriers that naturally separated body from mind. To be able to think through your senses. This abstract feeling that only ones that possess magic could obtain. The Ritual of Awakening!


    Grey sat. The world bumping up and down around him. The darkness had become familiar. No longer scary or vague. The comfort of knowing the people around you cared for you. This feeling. Grey truly cherished. Lutz opened his mouth first.


    "So let''s go over it one more time. If you see a man on the road hunched back asking for food what do you do?"


    "I help him and give him food?" replied Grey.


    "Nu uh," said Lutz, shaking his head. "You have to remember where you are. The road is full of dangerous things. Think of the worst case. If it''s a bandit attack will you want to fall into a dangerous situation? Leave him. The most important person is you."


    "B-But?" said Grey. He could feel his heart chipping away. "Wouldn''t that be cruel if he was telling the truth."


    "There are a lot of sad things in the world," said Madeline across from Grey. "Can one person save everyone? Also, without knowing his story do you go through things assuming everyone is nice? That only invites bad things to happen."


    "Right," said Max two rows down. "A person should know the faults of their victims. By knowing you can truly help the world. Kindness is not something to be given on whim but something that requires careful thought."


    Grey nodded. Their words made sense and sank into his heart.


    "Grey do you truly understand? There is no good or bad. Only people. To be happy you have to let go of these feelings. They weigh you down," said Alexis. He could feel her hair waving in the air. Tiny strands lightly brushing on his cheek. "By seeing the world through feelings and not with your head. You are bound to make mistakes."


    "And some mistakes can''t be undone," said Richard, humbly. "Even if you feel a pain in your heart. Your head must win. Take for example a dog drowning by a river. Do you go to save it or leave it alone?"


    "I-I...." said Grey, hesitating. "I would save it?"


    Rille shook her head. She had a deep voice. One that was pleasing to the ears. "You should leave the dog alone Grey. The river has many dangers. If you go in and get eaten by some river monster it is over. Let things take its natural course. If in the wilds that dog had no help it would be natural to die. See the world for what it is. Not what you want it to be."


    See the world for what it is. Not what you want it to be. These words echoed in Grey''s head.


    "So repeat after me. I would let the dog die."


    Grey could feel his heart breaking. His mouth opened. Every fiber of his body rejecting everything that came out his mouth. He had to say it. He could not make another mistake again. Could not let more people around him die.


    "I would let the dog die." he croaked, his voice trembling.


    "Again," said Rillee.


    "I would let the dog die."


    "Again!"


    "I would let the dog die!"


    "I would let the dog die," said Grey, coughing.  His voice cracking. His voice making his words true in his head. Iris heard this from the front of the wagon and smiled.

 (Vol I) Chapter 19 : Ritual of Awakening

    Chapter 19


    Ritual of Awakening


    The Plains of the Undying Lands. One of the Four Great Plains. A vast land of withered trees, yellow grass, and rocks. An unchanging landscape as far as the eye could see. The wind bellowed and dust rattled. The wagon reached the end of the road and began to hover, carried up by the wind. Over the rocks and plateaus. The roof the wagon acting as one large kite, pushed up by powerful gusts of wind that rolled up from the ground. Iris took out large capes and draped them over the horses. Their hooves dangling in the air. The horses nervously whinnied as they were lifted up by the air current.


    "Oh!" exclaimed many of the children excitedly. In a world where no one could fly, the plains were the closest normal people could get to flight. To drift aimlessly along the land. Such a feeling. Many people would travel their entire lifetimes. Grey could feel his body lift up in the air. The world as light as a feather. The motions of the wagon had changed from a bumpy feeling to a gently swaying. Grey could hear the children gathering near the back of the wagon looking outside.


    Grey sits quietly and decides to move up towards the front, next to Iris.


    "Iris?"


    "Grey? Ah, you can''t see so this place must seem really boring to you."


    "No, its okay."


    Even though Grey could not see. He could smell. The air had a freshness to it. The subtle aroma of a several flowers. He could almost taste the sweetness in the air. Tangy and sticky.


    "I can imagine what it would look like."


    "Haha," laughed Iris. Her hair moving. She helped him the front of the wagon. She pulled a lever and steered the wagon using flaps at the side of the wagon. The fans making loud swoosh as they turned next to him.


    "Iris," spoke Grey. His hair swaying in the wind. "Was I wrong to think of becoming a hero? I have often thought that the way to go was to be as kind and gentle. A good child. Am I wrong to think so?"


    Iris smiled. The horizon opening before her eyes. A large forest coming into view. The tangled vines. Trees over a hundred feet tall. They dwarf the surroundings in such grandeur and girth to cause pause. As tall as mountains, they cast such long shadows.


    "You aren''t wrong, but you are too set in a way that is only a part of what the world is. You have to accept everything. The bad and the good. You should see them as the same. Everything has a reason, a purpose. Come when we arrive at the location let me show you something."


    Grey nodded his head. The wagon drifted into the forest. The birds sang in the tree tops. The vines large as houses, coiling around the trees like velvet. The wagon landed in a clearing. The children jumped off the wagon one by one and ran around the grass. Their feet kicking up mud, leaving footprints on the dark brown soil.


    Grey shakily jumped down from the ground. The jump though only a few feet felt as if he and leaped into a bottomless chasm. He shook for a bit, but Iris held his hand to keep his steady. He landed and smiled feeling the wetness between the soles of his shoes. He was on his adventure. The one he had spoken about so long ago back in his village. For the first time in years, he felt as if he was where he was suppose to belong.


    ~~~


    Iris gathered the children together in a circle. Grey stood next  to Ciara and Oswin.


    "I''ll the Ritual of Awakening and how to go about it. We will start it in a few hours so please prepare yourself."


    "Yes, Iris." replied all the children.


    "The Ritual of Awakening was discovered by studying nature. After all, the first creatures to use magic were not men, but monsters. Giants, Elementals, Spirits, Beasts. The four types of creatures in the world. All of them use magic in different ways. To awaken is to find your own path by living in nature. To see how it moves and to imitate with your body. Here where magic is the strongest will you find your own path."


    Iris moved her hand. A bright ray of light bathed the children in a warm glow. The light vibrated with a strange energy. Resonating it created music. Light music that filled touched each of their hearts.


    "Normally, in a fight with a magical creature. You will hear music emanating from their body. This is what we call battle music. It tells you that the creature sees you as a threat and has activated its aura. It is up to you whether or not to fight. In a dungeon the beasts don''t resonate this music but the dungeon instead does."


    The children gasped in excitement. Grey was baffled. He had never heard of a person creating battle music. It was a phenomenon reserved for beasts and monsters. In his heart he could only feel awe and wonder.


    "Normally, in a Ritual of Awakening is done in a large group of initiates and guardians who protect them, but for most this has one significant drawback. It keeps the candidates too safe. The magic they form is one under a shelter. Like a sapling covered by a towering tree. The true potential of the magic they form is far lower than those that are able to complete this ritual alone where the dangers of the forest are real. This is the meaning of battle music. To harmonize with the world. To take in the good and the bad."


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    She shook her head.


    "So, I''ll ask this of you. The chances of succeeding by yourself is very low. Will you still try it?"


    The children looked each other. Their eyes full of excitement and joy.


    "I will try it," said Max. His eyes gleaming.


    "Me too!"


    "Yeah!"


    Grey nodded his head. To be a mage was his fondest dream. To hear that you could do some spectacular thing that only few else could do! Battle Music! Why would he pass up this chance? Not even those hundreds of adventurers he had met years ago could do such an amazing thing.


    Iris raised her hand to calm down the children. Many of them were bouncing up and down and running around in circles.


    "I will leave by night fall. The secret to completing the ritual is to find a secluded place in this forest where you can meditate on a particular element of the world. If you want to be skilled in water. Find a waterfall. Wind find a high place where the wind blows. Earth dig yourself a hole. Meditate there. The magic will resonate giving you added insights every day. You will feel yourself changing, but pay no attention to it. Accept it as a part of you. Learn to control it. Avoid the beasts in the area and survive, learning to live off nature itself. I will come back in a week. If you are still here I will take you back."


    All the children bowed their heads.


    "Thank you, Iris."


    "No need to thank me. Just come back safely."


    The rest of the children began to unpack their things and set up a tent and campfire for the night. Grey stood there reflecting on what Iris had said. Meditate. The place he chose to stay for a week would determine his growth for the rest of his life. He had to choose carefully.


    "Grey what are you thinking about?" asked Ciara. Her sweet voice close to his ear. He turned slightly. "Ah, Ciara. I was thinking where I should meditate."


    "Ah? Why think about that now? Shouldn''t you worry more about how you are going to survive?"


    He tilted his head a little confused.


    "Grey," she said concerned, "You don''t tell me you forgot you are blind! You will have a harder time then all of us. Is it not better to pick the first safe place you can find and stay there? The rest of us can''t help you as it might mess up your awakening"


    Grey shook his head and smiled. "A lot of bad things have happened to me. I think I can handle the wilderness. Even if I may not know a lot of things about people. I should live without regrets."


    His mind thinks back a starry night. That time he had spoke these words to a girl. Sho.


    "That''s why I have to change. To learn right from wrong. To go through the world fearlessly so that sad things won''t happen again."


    He turned his head down on towards the floor. His stick poking the grass beneath his feet.


    "If I am to chose a spot it must be a spot that represents me as person."


    "Grey," giggled Ciara, "You have a cute face when you are serious."


    Grey blushed. He covered his face with his hand to stop her from looking at him. To Ciara it was even more funny as he covered the wrong side of his face. She gave him a light kiss on his exposed cheek. His face turned shades like a butterfly wing.


    "A good luck charm. From where I come we do this to people who we want to come back. Come back Grey," smiled Ciara.


    "Okay," replied Grey, wiping his face. The sounds of children laughing as they played around in the camp. The freshness of the air, tingling into his nose.


    Grey spoke to himself.


    "Sho? Does an adventure really need to have an ending? "


    <hr />


    Author Note:


    So people concerned about the tragedy. Well...I tell you it was not meant to be a tragedy....like I have said before. Which is why I was very reluctant to put that tag and the mature tag, even if it has elements of both. Because people have a tendency to...judge a story too soon. *sigh*.


    This story is meant to be one of triumphant of human will. It should empower the reader by the time they finish to do whatever they want to do and be happy by themselves. At least, something so grandiose, I hope to at least touch upon a lot of things. And my inability as an author I might not write them as great as I could and might not get the meanings down right, but of course I will try my best.


    I also wanted to drop a note and let people know I may take a break tomorrow. Maybe. Negative comments have also given me some things to think about. And while I like to think I''m as resilient as a rock. It takes me a moment to recover from them. Sometimes, I think I should have made a simpler story, haha. I need some ice cream and pudding...probably lots of pudding.


    Edit: Moved rest of the comment to different thread.

 (Vol I) Chapter 20 : Forest of Alvis

    Chapter 20


    Forest of Alvis


    The night was long and calm. The children ate and slept together. Their talks were ones of their pasts. Bernard who lived in a small village of Basho, Ciara who was the daughter of a seamtress, Madison the farmer''s child, and Lutz who spent his days as a mercenary''s son. Their stories mixed and whirled through the night. And in the early morning it was all done, as if a distant memory. Iris was nowhere to be found. The wagon and their belongings they had left in it had disappeared. The children sat a circle, eating breakfast. Oswin was the first to speak.


    "Alright, I''ll be the first to leave," he said. He finished eating his piece of bread, strapped on his bag, and tightened the strings on his leather jacket. "I''ll head over and see if I can find a good spot. There should be several places deeper in the forest that will increase my cultivation. I head off! Bye everyone."


    "Bye Oswin," said Lutz, patting Oswin in the back. One by one, the rest of the children quickly finished their breakfast and came up and wished him luck. The sun barely coming over the horizon, Oswin bowed respectfully to everyone and then left.


    Max spoke next. He was a lean child with freckles on his face and red hair. His bag was smaller than Oswin''s. It was more of a knapsack than a backpack.


    "I think it''s a good idea to split up," said Max, getting his things. "If one of us attracts danger the rest might get caught up in it. I''ll head slightly left of Oswin''s direction. I think as long as we are a mile or two from one another we will be more safe. I''ll take my leave! Good luck everyone!"


    Max shook everyone''s hands firmly. He stood in front of Grey. His hand gripped Grey''s tightly.


    "Grey. Take care of yourself."


    "Thanks Max," nodded Grey.


    Max gripped Grey''s hand one last time and then left. The large bushes folding behind him as he passed through the foliage.


    "I guess I should be going too," bellowed Bernard. His deep voice rumbling through the trees. "I think I''ll take as stroll to the right of Oswin''s direction since Max is going left. If we meet each other and you find a good earth location let me know. I want to be rock hard. Rock solid. Like a rock."


    "Yeah we know," mumbled Richard, remembering their conversation last night. "Rocks and stones and bricks and bones. Just get going you big oaf!"


    Richard gave a big kick to Bernard''s butt.


    "Hey! Fine I''m off. Good luck you bums!" laughed Bernard. He waved everyone off and disappeared into the trees.


    Ciara brushed off the lint and leaves off her clothes. All around them, leaves fell like water, touching the children with their soft wet texture. It wasn''t an uncomfortable feeling, but it rained constantly. The leaves vanishing as soon as they touched the ground.


    "I am next!" said Ciara, happily. "I can''t take sad things and do not want to be last, hehe. So I shall be the one saying goodbye! I''ll head over to the right. I smelled something interesting coming from that direction. I wish everyone good luck."


    "Good luck Ciara," smiled Alexis. She bounced over and petted Ciara on the head like a cat. "Next time we see each other we both might be mages. Then I''ll show you who is boss."


    "Who is going to show me something," pouted Ciara, her cheeks growing big. "You know I am totally so awesome. Don''t make fun of me."


    "Chubby cheeks!" laughed Alexis, poking Ciara on the cheek. When Alexis poked one cheek, the other cheek would puff up. Grey started to smile. Though he could not see from the sounds of their voices. He imagined something a little silly.


    Ciara shook her head. "Ah! Forget it. Bye-Bye. And you! Who says you can laugh at me."


    Ciara walks up to Grey and pokes him in the tummy.


    "Ah!" yelps Grey surprised. He flinches.


    "Take that! And that!" laughs Ciara, poking Grey. She found out he was ticklish last night and spent no time to capitalize on his weakness! He squirms and bubbles but he can''t avoid.


    Grey yelps, "Ah! Stop poking me." Grey moved his hand around and slapped Ciara in the face.


    "Aho?" said Ciara, cover her cheek. "You slapped me!"


    "I did?" said Grey surprised. He felt something soft, but didn''t know what it was. "Well you deserved it! You have no shame? Picking on me...can''t even see you or run away."


    "Hehe," smiled Ciara, her face playful. "That''s what makes it fun silly. Haha, okay, I''ll stop. I''ll see you all in a week. I can''t be too lazy out there. Bye everyone."


    Ciara waved everyone off and left into the forest.


    Alexis shook her head. She walked over to Grey and poked him on the forehead.


    "Ah?" said Grey confused. Who was poking him now?


    "Grey," said Alexis, "Didn''t you say you had two girls who you hold special in your heart. Sho and Mylene? Are you trying to steal my Ciara too! You ladykiller!"


    "What!" said Grey. Ladykiller? He did not want to be called that.


    "It is just that girl can''t leave silly boys like you alone. If she ever asks you out. You better say no! Or I''ll tell everyone you are a playboy! Low morals! Enemy of women! Mylene would shake her head if you ever fell so low."


    Mylene! She was still trapped in that brothel in Urich. Grey''s eyes suddenly turned serious. He remembered he had to save her. One of these days. He had to go back.


    "Hmph," mumbled Alexis, "Though she is right. Your serious face is quite good. Alright, I''m off everyone. Take care. I want to be close so if Ciara runs into any trouble. I can go save her."


    A smile forms on Alexis''s face. She swung her bag over her shoulder and skipped towards the same direction as Ciara, disappearing behind the bushes.


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    Richard sighed.


    "Grey," he said, patting Grey''s back. Grey snapped back to reality. Mylene fading from his mind.


    "Girl''s are really too weird," continued Richard. "Don''t get caught up in their pace or they''ll suck the life out of you. I hope we never get married."


    Richard gathered his things. He had a small knife tied to his waste, rope, and a backpack over his shoulder.


    "I''ll see you folks in a week. I''m off!"


    "See you later Richard," said Grey. The rest of the children join in and slap him on the back for good luck. He disappeared into the trees, a little to the right of where Bernard had left.


    Madison and Lutz were next. They shook each other''s hands with a strong grip.


    "See you on the other side ugly," smiled Madison, looking at Lutz.


    "You too you birdbrain," smiled Lutz, looking at Madison. "And make sure not to fall into a ditch. That would be sad."


    "Haha," they both laughed to themselves.


    "Alright, I''ll go to the left," said Lutz.


    "And I''ll go to the right," said Madison.


    "May we meet again everyone!"


    They both went their separate ways. Madison tripped over a branch the second he entered the bush and they both disappeared.


    Hadu walked up. Her black hair glistening under the sunshine. She looked at the remaining children and picked up her things. She shook everyone''s hand. She fiddled with everyone''s fingers. She moved each of their hands over their hearts. Grey had learned yesterday that Hadu was mute. This was the way she communicated. She then patted everyone on the back and left quietly into the woods.


    Fritz and Rille came up to Grey.


    "Grey," said Fritz. "We are the last ones left, but it would be sad to leave one person alone. So we should all leave at the same time so it doesn''t bring the last person bad luck."


    "Yeah," said Rille with her timber voice. "The last person is usually the one with the worst luck. It''s like those sayings when a soldier goes off to war and leaves behind his family. It makes the person who stayed behind feel bad. Let''s us three go at the same time so we will have a happy feeling when we leave."


    Grey nodded his head. "Okay, let''s all go together."


    "I''ll try to find a river. If I can find a river then water will be no problem. Even if I don''t find food I should be able to survive a week," said Fritz.


    "I''ll try going up," said Rille. "It might be safer on the treetops where I can see everything. I''ll decide on a direction after I get a good look at the surroundings."


    Grey thought carefully. "I''ll try to make my way to a shelter. It may not be the best place to cultivate, but since I can''t see I should find that first to avoid wild animals."


    "Good plans," said Fritz, "We last folks are always the ones who think the most. Let us clever kids meet again in a week."


    Fritz held his hand in the middle of them. Rille lead Grey''s hand and placed it on top of Fritz. She placed her hand last on the top.


    "Till we meet again!" said Fritz.


    "Till we meet again!" said Grey and Rille in unison. Their hands shoot up towards the sky. All three head their separate ways.


    ~~~


    Grey took a step into the forest. He was alone. The sounds of the rustling leaves and birds echoed in the air. Pieces of the forest would disappear around him. He would touch a branch. Walk backwards and it would be gone as if it were an illusion. The Forest of Alvis was a place unlike any other. The only dungeon to be entirely located on outside. The nature of the things here seemed to fade in and out of existence. Grey took note of this as he made his way through the forest. His walking stick in front of him checking the path ahead for any drops in elevation. Anything that might make him fall and stumble.


    He smelled the trees and vines. He decided to walk for at least four hours before looking for shelter. The amount of time required to get deep enough to the forest to find a place to meditate. His ears twisting to catch all the sounds around him. Water was also a concern and he longed to hear the trickling of a streambed. He would definitely try to find a place near a river or stream. He walked for what seemed like ages. His sense of direction was being shifted ever so slightly. He felt the ground beneath his feet tremble as if everything around him suddenly moved.


    Unaware, Grey leaned towards the ground. He had remembered reading that a few tribesman in the forest areas of Kingdom of Altea could hear a beast approaching by listening to the ground. So, he thought he might do the same. His ears pressed against the earth. He heard a distant rumbling. It was too far to be of concern, but the way the earth paused and shook. It was most likely something incredibly large, wading through the forest. Grey dug his hands into the dirt and began to cover himself in mud.


    Wild beasts had good smell. Maybe, if he smelled like the dirt. He could lay on the ground if he met trouble and they would pass right over him. He did the same to his stick and bag that Iris had given him to help him on the ritual. As the rumbling passed, Grey had a curious idea. If the creature was so large. Then perhaps it would not notice something as small as him. Beasts might fancy eating him, but this large thing? Did they dare approach Grey if this thing was close by? Maybe not? He listened again to the rumbling in the ground. It was much softer but he could still faintly hear it. He took a step through the forest and headed towards it.

 (Vol I) Chapter 21 : Magical Beasts

    Chapter 21


    Magical Beasts


    As Grey got closer, the rumbling got louder. He paused every moment to listen to the ground. The forest changed as he approached the large creature. Fauna spread out and his feet touched what seemed to be humungous leaf. Lilies twenty-feet long, their long sepal leaves, swaying beneath him. He was careful not to fall off their edges, he didn''t know what lay below these lilies. It wasn''t water that surrounded him, but something sticky and wet. A viscose goo that clung to his walking stick that prodded in front of him. He crawled past on the lilies, afraid to stand up. A sweet smell filled the air. Jasmine.


    A soft growl came from behind him. Grey froze.


    Grrr....


    A growl that traveled through his body. Grey''s thoughts raced. His breathing slowed. He lay flat. No sound. No movement. Grey could not hope to outrun anything. He could only wait for danger to pass. The creature was near him, a few feet away. It''s paws pressed softly on the lilies, sharp talons digging into the leaves. Grey could feel the lily he lay on sink into the goo. His feet touched something damp, but even so he dare not moved. Fear rising in his chest. He might drown like this. Drowned by fear. Deeper he sank. His waist. His arms. His neck. He waited, resisting the urge to scream as a deep wetness covered his body. As the slime reached his head. The thing flew off. It''s mighty wings beat in the air. Paws of a lion. Wings of a bird. A flying beast.


    Grey paused for a moment, waiting for the beast to get far enough away, then began to wade through the goo. His mouth barely over the surface. His head almost completely submerged. Beat. Beat. The beating of his heart. He calmly reached forward. Using his hands and feet. He began to part the goo as if he were swimming in slow motion. If he moved too fast, the goo would pull him down faster than he could swim. His hand clung to a nearby lily. Using the sticky goo, Grey slowly pulled himself on top of the lily and out of the slime. His stick and bag lost behind him.


    Breathing hard. His nerves racked. Grey threw up. An acid smell filling the air. His mind swirled with worries. He didn''t know why the monster didn''t notice him. Was it the mud? Was it sleeping and just woke up? Grey thoughts turned towards the sound in the distance, the rumbling couldn''t be heard from these lilies. He had to make his way back to solid ground to find that large beast. He placed his hand on the leaf, feeling its firm texture, and crawled the rest of the way through on all fours completely terrified.


    After a few hours, Grey had made it to solid ground. The moss on his hands. His heart felt a sigh of relief. He placed his head on the ground again and listened, but he could no longer hear the distant rumblings of that enormous beast. His mind sank in worry. He hadn''t found anything. His throat parched with thirst. He sat in a stupor wondering what he should do next. He had to think. He had to be clever. What could he do to survive? He listened to the sounds in the forest. The birds their shrilled calls, some loud and noisy, others soft and melodious.


    His mind thought back to his days in the mountain. Most birds stopped their calls during the day. And even if there were several birds here that called during the night, their calls must certainly be different. He could use this to tell when he needed to rest. When the day birds stopped their calls it must be night, and night was when most beasts were active. The question was how to sleep without being attacked? He thought deeply. His hands grasping at the things around him. Sticks, leaves, trees, dirt.


    How could he use this? He couldn''t hope to build a shelter made out of wood and leaves. He would have to gather all the materials and tie them by hand completely blind. Something he had never done before in his life. It might take him hours into the night by then he might already get attacked. Also, with him moving all the time it wouldn''t be possible for him to consistently get back to camp. The ground itself seemed to change with things disappearing and appearing at will. If he waited a few minutes, everything around him would change. He had no way of telling direction.


    His hands touched upon the dirt and then a reed that lay next to the lilies that he passed by before. He thought about drinking the weird slime that lay near the lilies but then thought against it. If it was poisonous that would be sure death. If he got desperate than perhaps he would try, but for now he would try to avoid such a bad ending. He cleaned the slime off his body, rolling over the ground and letting it stick to the dirt, wiping his hair clean using the dirt. He felt around after cleaning the slime and took a few reeds, leaves, and sticks he could find. He touched each one, getting a feeling for their shape in his mind. He tried to imagine a way to use what he had. His hand touched the ground again. Dirt. Dirt. Dirt as a shelter? He could maybe make the dirt his bed?


    He tried digging into the dirt and found it spread rather easily, as if it were a soft clay.  He could dig a hole. Dig a hole like a rabbit! Excitedly, Grey began to dig into the ground. He spent several more hours to part the dirt. He lay the entrance with leaves and sticks. Once he had a space big enough to fit his body. He heard the calls of the birds change. The loud shrilled voices becoming soft pale ''hoots''. Owls. It must be night now. Grey lay in the hole and slept. He passed his first night in the forest.


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    ~~~


    In the early morning, Grey woke up to a dry feeling in his throat and a grumbling in his stomach. He was still in his hole. He pressed his ear against the ground to listen to his surroundings. Nothing moved. Birds began their morning calls. Grey brushed aside the leaves and sticks he had put in the entrance of his shelter, and crawled outside. His body felt a little different. A little stronger. When he took in a breath of air. He could feel the air passing through his lungs. A cold gust of air that lingered in his chest.  Was he awakening? He remembered Iris saying they would feel a change after staying in the forest. He had to find his meditation area quickly.


    He crawled on the ground, feeling the forest around him. His sense of touch had gotten better. Grey could feel earth beneath him. It was small, but it was as if he could sense the world a few centimeters from where his hands and feet touched. He found himself touching a piece of grass he had sensed earlier in his mind. Grey crawled over a rotten log. His hands then touched a soft leaf. A row of ferns. He could hear a gently vibrations through the ground. A beast. He lay low. His heart as calm. The beasts moved slowly in through the forest. Their movements neither quick or slow. They simply moved from one location to another in a leisurely manner. Grey drew closer, wondering if the creatures were like deers.


    He crawled on all fours, breathing on the ground. He made his way to one of the moving beasts. So close. He heard the subtle chewing of teeth on grass. His mind relaxed. Unthreateningly, he kept close and waited. He could use this right? His head hurt from thinking, but he had keep himself collected. Ready. These creatures ate grass so that must mean they weren''t hungry for meat. So staying near them wouldn''t be too dangerous as long as he didn''t upset them. They also probably had a way of sensing danger so he was safer near them and could use their senses to his advantage. And lastly, these creatures must go to a pool of water sometime in the day. He only had to follow them to find his water source.


    He lay on the floor of the grass and waited. The forest all around him. He let his mind drift to the world and began to meditate. The leaves rustled. The wind blew. The earth shook. The trees swayed. The air it began to do things. A light shined beneath him. He could not see it, but the light was filling the earth. He could imagine it in his mind. Tiny particles of light rose up from the ground. Little white balls of fluff that floated in the air and touched the trees. Where they touched things grew and became life. The leaves as they fell to the ground they dispersed into light, returning power back to the earth. It was all connected.


    His mind returned to reality. The sounds of the beasts moving off to the distance. Grey followed them. His mind clearer than it had ever been in all his life.


    ~~~


    The creatures led him to a stream. The streambed was a trickle of water. Grey could lay on top of it and block it from flowing, but even so, the smallest water source was still water. He drank his fill, washing his hair and clothes. The creatures he had followed stood and filed in like a line, drinking one at time. They were much more slower moving than Grey had thought. He had one brush up against his face, curiously inspecting him. It felt scaly, a big snout that sniffed till it was content. He wondered if now he was a part of their herd?


    He drew close to them and reached out with one of his hand and pet its back. A back hard with a protective shell. A turtle? He crawled amongst them and began to familiarize himself with their personalities. Each turtle acted a little bit different. The largest one liked to cough and spit and things it liked. It found a spot and spat everywhere and stayed there for a good thirty minutes. The one with a two bumps on its shell liked to brush its face up against things. It rubbed on the rocks and on the trees and on Grey''s face. Grey grew fond of this turtle and named it Kuu.


    He spent the rest of the day living amongst these turtles, learning their sensibilities so that by the end of the night. He could rub and prod the turtles in the direction he desired. If he could not see, then the turtles could see for him! He could still make his way to a better spot to cultivate. He fell asleep content. From the distance, a large owl, larger than any creature, a seventy feet long flew over the forest. It''s gaze piercing it howled through the night. A howl unlike any other, it silenced all sounds in the forest, leaving only a faint lingering vibration in the air. A human scream could be a heard from a distance, but in the morning it had faded. Too far away to wake Grey from his sleep.


    And thus, Grey passed his second night in the forest.

 (Vol I) Chapter 22 : Corpse

    Chapter 22


    Corpse


    On the third day, Grey pushed himself past the mist covered trees, deeper into the forest. Here the magic grew even thicker, the air itself distorting reality. Things no longer phased in and out, but even changed shape and form. The trees felt like hard stones, their branches hanging over his head, they towered and swung as like vines.


    Every now and then a large branch would swoop low and crash against the earth, before reeling back up like a whip. In this chaotic scene, Grey stayed close to the tree trunks, to avoid getting struck. It took him a few minutes to realize the things were branches, but after a few hours, he passed this area too, with his group of turtles.


    Kuu was like a wayward traveler. He would stick his head out, then retreat his head to avoid getting struck. As Grey approached the next area, there was a lingering sensation that nestled in the pit of his stomach. It was an odd feeling. He still could not see, so he did not know what it was about this new area that made him feel so strange, but there was something. Something here. The ground beneath his feet was rocky, there was a wall on one side. He imagined he was in a gorge. This uneasy feeling grew stronger when he went towards his right. Along the wall, it opened up to a cave entrance.


    The turtles themselves didn''t follow him this far no matter how much he prodded. But there was something here. In this cave. He gave Kuu a gently pet and decided to venture into the cave alone. His hands feeling upon the cold moist rock. He crawled on the ground, to make himself a smaller target for any curious eyes.


    A few hours into the cave, Grey discovered the source of his discomfort. His hands feeling upon a wet surface, a soft tissue. A human corpse. His hands patted down the body, feeling upon it. He touched a small knapsack. It was Max. He was dead. The shock ran through Grey''s body. He dared not touch it anymore. But...even so....something about it was calling him closer.


    The body seemed to have fused with the ground. Parts of it molding into the bottom of the cave. He had a curious and revolting sensation that this was one of the ways magic worked.


    "Accept everything. Good and Bad," whispered Iris in his head.


    "Sorry, Max." mumbled Grey, steeling his heart. His hands gently touched the back of the human corpse and there he meditated.


    The hours passed into a night and there Grey sat thinking about the corpse. How did it fuse into the ground? He sat and listened. In silence of the cave, Grey began to hear a thumping. Thump. Thump. His heartbeat. It moved down to his hand and echoed through Max''s body and into the cave.


    The cave magnified this sound in his ear. Body fused into the earth. Did this mean that the earth was the same thing as a human body? Grey breathed deeply. The same thing? He felt the skin on his hand and then the hard stone beneath his feet. He pressed his hand down on the ground and his hand sank into the stone.


    He pulled up and his hand rose from the ground. There was a terrifying feeling as he pressed his hand down that his hand ceased to exist. As if the earth had eaten it whole. Grey began to realize what Max had found here. He probably went too far and the earth won, eating half of Max''s body.


    Scary. Truly terrifying. Even so, Grey had a good feeling that this place had to be a very special. He couldn''t explain it, but he felt empowered in here. As if something was pushing him up, the vastness of the cave, making him feel much larger than he really was. He sat and thought. And passed the rest of the day in meditation.


    ~~~


    As he slept, Grey felt a pain at the back of his neck. He groggily woke up. His hands feeling his neck. He touched something wet and warm. Blood. His senses snapped to attention and the fluttering of wings spread out before him. Hands. Legs. Neck. Everywhere his body was exposed there were bite marks, oozing out trickles of blood.


    There was no pain. Just a trembling. He crawled towards the side of the cave wall. His hands shaking. Blood made everything slick and slippery. He felt noxious and weak. He leaned against a rock and sat there. He touched his arm. Blood. Everywhere. A winged thing came up and  clawed his face. He screamed.


    He tried to cover his face, but the thing would not relent, slicing into his arms, his hands. Blood fell like water droplets. Angry and confused. Fury began to swell up in Grey''s chest. What is this thing? Why does it keep attacking him? Stop hurting me. Stop hurting me or....His thoughts formed into one collective motion. Or I''ll kill you.


    Grey''s hand moves forward, ignoring the blistering pain on his fingers he grabs the thing by its neck. It''s wings fluttering. An primitive rage surges forth. His teeth open. Grey bites into the neck of the creature and sucks its blood. His mouth breaking the spine of the thing. It shudders for a moment, it''s wings kicking up a frenzy, but then it drops lifeless as Grey began to eat it whole.


    His rage subsiding. Grey breathed deeply. The dead creature in his hand. He didn''t feel bad about killing it. He had been the type of kid to be afraid of killing animals, but this time it felt right. He got hurt. So he hurt them back. Slowly, Grey heart began to change. And he felt strangely...good.


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    ~~~


    Days passed. Grey no longer kept track of the hours. He could only listen to the chattering noises of the winged creatures in the cave. They avoided him now. He was dangerous. Every once in a while a winged creature would try his luck, but every time Grey would eventually grab its neck and snap it into two, and have his meal for the night. Grey did not bother to cook them. There was no fire, so Grey ate these things raw. The blood trickling down his mouth. He became even more aware of the laws governing the world. Creatures were part of this world. They were made up of several different elements. Earth gave a person their form. Water gave motion. Fire gave energy. And wind gave meaning.


    Grey''s aura began to shift in the cave. The bats gave off a peculiar sound whenever they attacked. It was a melodic sound, the kind of music you would listen to while you were sleeping. The sounds of a soft violin. He listened to this and meditated further. Creatures had different auras based on their personalities. So what kind of person did Grey want be?  Strength. Power. Will. He had to become strong. For himself and for those he cared about.


    At this realization, Grey''s aura changed. No longer a vapor that came out of his body, it condensed into waves, taking physical shape it pressed down around him. The mana collected into his body around his heart. An orb no bigger than the length of his pinky formed. A mage''s second heart. A Magic Core. The body creates the mana, the mind gives it purpose, the magic core makes it reality. Grey felt the core in his body. As if a weight had been attached to his heart.


    It was an uncomfortable feeling. He felt as he stood up and walked around that he could not run without it tugging on his insides. As he thought about the implications about his magic core. He heard a new sound coming from the cave. It was a deeper sound, not as quiet as the winged creatures. It was deep crescendo that would rise up and go down. The sounds of a bell and a chorus of people, humming softly. Grey smiled, realizing the direction the music came from. It was his music. He had done it. He had awakened.


    ~~~


    Grey sat in the cave and began to experiment with his newfound awakening. As he had expected. His blindness was interfering with his magical formation. It came out a mess and couldn''t sustain its form. Even if he brought the magic closer to his body and said a few words of power. The magic would only last a second before dispersing.


    "It''s because I can''t see the shape," mumbled Grey.


    Can''t see the shape. So he couldn''t form it correctly. Grey touched his surroundings. Max''s dead body was still there. It hadn''t decayed. Instead it lay there unchanged like the earth. Grey had a curious idea. He touched the body, remembering the sensation he had felt when his hand sank into the earth. He could feel the body through his hands. He could feel Max''s body. Could he mold it like the earth? His heart suddenly froze up. He took his hand away and shook his head. A ghastly image came to his mind and his curiosity died immediately.


    Even if he did something like that, it would be too much. His heart began to weigh heavily on the fact he was desecrating his friends body and ripping monsters apart with his bare hands. He slapped himself. If he tried to remember the bad things, surely he would become depressed. Had to move on. Couldn''t dwell on the past. Be more logical. Cold. Unfeeling. He took a deep breath and gently felt the scabs on his arms and legs. The blood from the attack a few days ago had clotted up. Don''t think of the body as a separate thing. Humans are not special. His eyes clouded. His mind drifted. Feeling the skin on his hands. He felt blood running through his veins.


    Grey breathed out. His aura came out at once, a musical chorus. He no longer needed to breath in and out to sustain it. Rather, as long as Grey willed his aura would remain outside his body. This was the true sign of an awakened mage vs an initiate. Grey began to play around with his aura. He directed it towards the rocks and the air and then finally at himself. He tried to force his aura back into his body.


    To see if he could feel himself as he did the rest of the world. There was an intense pressure. He felt some of the scabs open up. The aura sank in where the wounds were. The blood taking back in his aura. Though it was a small amount. When Grey released his aura again. He heard a slightly different noise. One of the notes of his aura had changed, a little bit. To a normal person, they would have not noticed, but to Grey who was blind. He clearly heard a different noise.


    Grey curiously took a rock and made a small wound on his hand. He opened his aura and the energy sank into the wound, leaving a small portion of its energy behind in his body. It was truly a small amount of energy. As he inspected again, he felt it was barely anything. He didn''t feel any stronger. His aura had hardly changed, but that same note had changed ever so slightly. What was this?

 (Vol I) Chapter 23 : Change

    Chapter 23


    Change


    Grey held his hand. He felt the wound on his skin stop hurting. He touched it. It had healed into a light scab. Grey nodded his head curiously. This was definitely magic right? He picked up a sharper rock from the cave floor and stabbed his arm. It penetrated into flesh. Not deep enough to cause serious injury, but deep enough for him to grit his teeth in pain. He focused his aura, the wound slowly healing. It took fifteen minutes but it formed a light scab where the wound was. Magic. Healing Magic. That required no incantation.


    This was...? Grey wasn''t sure what this kind of magic was. Priests could heal wounds but when they did so the wounds healed completely. This was more natural process, with the wound having a scab. It was if he had accelerated his natural healing rather than repaired his skin. A new magic? He raised his hand and felt his body. Energy resided in it. He could feel his aura flowing through his veins. It didn''t fade, sustained, it remained even if he cancelled his aura. His own magic. He had created his own magical path. His heart felt light.


    Grey got up and gathered his things. There was a rising feeling in his gut that there was no longer anything here that could teach him. He took Max''s knapsack. He bowed once and twice and clapped his hands in prayer.


    "Rest in peace, Max. I''ll remember you."


    Grey made his way out of the cave. His hands patting down the walls. He walked slowly and out of the gorge. Though Grey didn''t know what time it was. He knew that Iris would soon be coming back. He had to wander to a place that was a little more visible. As he stepped out the cave. He felt a sudden warm glow coming from his chest. Iris. He remembered that glowing feeling when she had first demonstrated her magic. She was here! She was calling him back. He focused on that feeling. He released his aura and found it being pulled towards his right. That must be the way out. He walked towards the feeling.


    ~~~


    Hours later, yet another part of the forest, one with willows. The vines lay all over the ground. Their texture a soft mush beneath his hands. The vines would lift up and come crashing down, the scenery changed in a moment. Lifted up, Grey held with all his might as the vine he lay on flew up the air. It connected to a tree branch. He climbed up the tree. His arms touching nothing but air. He paused. Dead End? The branch shook unable to take the excess weight and then fell. Grey felt his body falling.


    "Ahh!" yelled Grey, flailing. As he fell, he landed on something soft.


    "Omph!" said a voice.


    Grey could feel a pain on his back. He scrambled to his feet.


    "Ow," said Fritz. He shook his head in confusion. Then saw Grey next to him. "Oya, it''s you Grey. Why did you fall on me. Were you trying to fly?"


    "Fritz?" whispered Grey.


    "Ah, yes its me," said Fritz, rubbing his aching head. Grey''s elbow had landed right on his skull as he fell. "I was hiding in a hole for like the last few days. It wasn''t very comfortable, but it beats getting eaten."


    Grey laughed. "I was in a cave and made some turtle friends. "


    "Oh, good thing you had it so easy," laughed Friz. "This large wolf was chasing me. It got a chunk of me, but you know. I beat it''s head and it ran off."


    Fritz held Grey''s hand. He moved him to the stump on his right arm.


    "Fritz...you?"


    "Yeah, I thought I would die, but you know a little bit of grass tied together can stop blood flowing pretty good. I found a place near lots of flowers, some of them were good for the fever I got afterwards. I ate a lot of them though. So that''s probably not good either. Haha."


    "I see," murmured Grey, thinking about Max. "Max didn''t make it. He got eaten by the earth. Doing something."


    "I see," said Fritz, thinking. "Fusion huh? Didn''t think he had the talent for it...well that kind of proves it."


    "Fusion?" replied Grey, confused. He scratched his head.


    Fritz nodded. "Sometimes I forget you didn''t take any formal schooling. It''s when people try to infuse elements directly into their body. Mostly, warriors do this to increase their strength. Rogues do it as well, but they usually use devices to achieve the same effect. Flash bangs and all sorts of weird things."


    "So then Max?"


    "He tried and didn''t make it," murmured Fritz, shaking his head. "It''s good you are here too. I was thinking I might be going crazy. Iris is calling us back right?"


    Grey nodded his head. "Yeah, I was going to start to worry how I would get back."


    "Haha, don''t worry. With us together we should be able to think of a way back. We might even find more people on the way back."


    "Hmm. Ok."


    ~~~


    After some hours, Fritz and Grey made their way to another expanse of the forest. Here a long grass meadow lay stretched out before them. Large butterflies, the size of birds, flew about. Their wings beating in the wind.


    "So how did your awakening go?" said Fritz. He tied a piece of rope to his waist to Grey''s waist. This way Grey could walk behind Fritz without too much effort. Fritz even found a stick for Grey to use as a walking stick.


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    "Good, I think I learned some new kind of magic. It just feels different from what I''ve read."


    "Really," smiled Fritz. "I think I have too. It is something pretty weird."


    Grey tilted his head curiously. "What did you learn?"


    "Ah, okay, but show yours too!" giggled Fritz, shyly. "Hehe. I''m curious. Ah, also you cannot see so you have to use your aura to feel it."


    Grey released his aura. A chorus of bells and people hummed in the background. Fritz smiled.


    "Good sound. Now my turn."


    Fritz released his aura. While Grey''s aura gave his surroundings a heavy feeling as if weighed down by something. Fritz''s aura gave a strange disorienting feeling. The sounds of chirping birds. Fritz stopped walking and clenched his fist tightly together. A blue fire came out of his fist, enveloping his hand. No heat. It burned everything that touched it. No, it didn''t burn them. It was doing something entirely.


    "It absorbs my surroundings. I call it Chaos Magic. It eats everything. Even fire itself."


    Grey felt his aura getting devoured by the flame. The flame growing larger and larger.  Fritz unclenched his fist and the flame disappeared.


    "Best part is I don''t have to use incantations. Its all in my head. Voiceless incantations. If this doesn''t make me a genius I don''t know what will."


    Fritz released the fire again, clenching fist, it engulfed his hand once again. The fire made a different sound as it appeared the second time. It sounded exactly like Grey''s aura! A chorus of bells and people.


    "Using this I can copy anything I can burn. In the future, will they say I''m invincible? Haha."


    Fritz looked at Grey.


    "So what is the weird thing you found?"


    At this Grey suddenly felt his achievements were much lower and sighed. To copy anything you burn. What kind of power was that...compared to his...


    "I can heal a bit faster. I don''t know exactly what it is yet though."


    Fritz frowned. "Really? Just healing?"


    Grey sighed. It was really too pitiful. "Yeah, I don''t need any incantations either, but the way I heal myself is really too odd. I force my aura back into my body and it seems to improve my natural healing. Also, I feel a slight change in my mana. I can''t explain it, but something changes every time I do it."


    Fritz thought deeply. Then spoke.


    "It''s okay even if it is nothing to amazing now. Perhaps, it will become quite scary later. You know how they say how flowers that bloom late are the most beautiful. The fact that you can also do voiceless incantations. Perhaps. Magic theory will change in the future."


    "Hmm?" said Grey, pondering. What did that mean?


    "I learned a few things. I used to be schooled in a prestigious academy back in the Kingdom of Neft. Back there, they were talking about a new field of study. They called it Science. To study the world without magic! Can you believe it? A world without magic."


    Grey tilted his head perplexed. Magic had been around for long and could do many wondrous things. Why would anyone study anything else?


    "They even learned quite a few things about how the world works. For example, they were mentioning that they were in the middle of developing a device that would allow you to port to different parts of the world. They are calling it a waypoint. Think about it! It takes years to traverse the whole continent. If you can do that in moments. Can you imagine the state of the world in a few years. Wars. Famine. These all could be solved in an instant."


    Grey shuddered. A waypoint! Porting required you to be in a dungeon. Everyone knew this. While no one knew exactly how porting worked. The fact that such a mystery could be harnessed by people...It was crazy. He remembered the feeling he had when the wagon was lifted by the plain winds. Would they learn how to fly as well?


    "Science," nodded Fritz, "Now that is a scary thing. And like that thing we too have stumbled upon some mystery no one has yet figured out. A thousand years later will they call us the founders of some new school of magic?"


    Fritz took Grey''s hand and shook it. "If we become so famous later. Let it be known I shook your hand first and you shook mine. Haha."


    Grey smiled.


    "So did you think of a name for your magic yet?"


    Grey shook his head. "Not yet. Unless you want me to call it the weird healing magic."


    "Haha," laughed Fritz. "Weird Healing Magic. It has a nice sound."


    "Hey!" said Grey, pouting. He knew it wasn''t a cool name, but Friz didn''t have to say it like that....


    "Haha, I''m just kidding," smiled Fritz, shaking his head. "I''m sure the right name will come to you eventually.  It took me a while to come up with a name for my magic."


    Grey nodded. He thought about it more and walked with Fritz out of the meadow. Two bright eyes glared at them from shadows. It sank back into the shadows, a low grumbling in the ground. It followed the two children through the underbrush.

 (Vol I) Chapter 24 : Fear

    Chapter 24


    Fear


    Fritz and Grey head out of the meadows and into large field of hedge bushes. A labyrinth of branches blocked their path. Fritz clenched his fists, his fire appearing in his hand, he burned a way through. His flames don''t spread away from his fingers. Controlled, they devour only the leaves and branches in front of him, flickering in the air. Fritz and Grey make it halfway through the bushes before Fritz sees someone in the distance.


    "Bernard?" he called, looking at the human figure. It looked like his face. His upper body was crouched over the bushes as if he were looking for something.


    "Hey!" said Fritz, "We are over here!"


    The figure turns over to Fritz. The upper body fell to the ground, bloodied teeth gnawing into its insides. Bernard was dead. His eyes cold and distant. Two yellow eyes gazed back at Fritz from the cover of the bushes. Man-Eating Spirit Tiger. The outline of its body glowed a reddish light. Music filled the air. Battle!


    "Ah," panted Fritz, releasing his aura. Grey heard a low growl from the beast and did the same. Three different melodies all resonated to create a single song. The beating of drums, chirping of the birds, and chorus of people. Fritz made no sudden movements. He circled the tiger, followed by Grey. His eyes keeping focus on its movements. A monster can sense fear. If there is no fear, there may be danger. The tiger looked at the children with an intense gaze, pressuring them to show the slightest fear. Fear meant it was food. Food or Foe which one was it?


    Grey gritted his teeth. The aura of the tiger was crushing. His legs  could hardly stand without shaking. He hoped that as they moved the tiger wouldn''t notice. They circled one another for a moment. Fritz flames in front of him burning a loud crackling noise. Then the tiger made its move. It leaped up into the air. Fritz ducked to the side, but Grey wasn''t so lucky. A claw slashed at Grey before he had the chance to move, severing the rope between him and Fritz and leaving a hideous gash on his chest. It wasn''t a deep wound, but it bleed and it hurt. It felt as if someone had set his chest on fire.


    A long streak of blood appeared on his clothes. Grey gripped his chest and tried to heal.


    "Grey!" called Fritz, afraid. Grey lay huddled to the ground, clinging on his chest. Fritz backed off trying the lure the tiger away. The sounds of his fire growing more violent. The Man-Eating Spirit Tiger looked amusingly at Fritz then turned its gaze back to Grey. It had sensed its fear. These were no enemies. They were food. Food to be eaten. Its mouth gaped open. It sank its teeth into Grey''s body.


    Grey shuddered as knives plunged into his body. His hands shook. His lungs crushed. He could not even scream, but gurgled blood that spewed from his throat. He flailed and grew limp. His eyes growing dim. He saw a deep blackness overtake him. The sounds of Fritz shouting in the background. Thoughts swirled in Grey''s mind. He had messed up again. Just like the time with Baylee. Not strong enough....still not strong enough....


    ~~~


    In his dreams, Grey could see things. He was in a forest again. It was night. The tiger was gone and here parts of the forest were replaced by parts of his village. Instead of a tree to his right there was a house. Instead of a bush. A small well. The chuckling laughter of men echoed in the distance. As he walked, his vision blurred. His feet felt unsteady. Shadows moved around him. Flickering flames with faces appeared in the forest foliage. A bush next to him burst into flames. Max''s bodiless face stared back at him through the fire. All smiles. All handshakes.


    Strong. He remembered the pain in his chest. A knife wound from a knight. Now a tiger''s bite. Man and nature. The strong survive. The weak they die. Was that how it was meant to be? His mind ventures deeper into his consciousness. His memories piecing together like a puzzle. The scene changes. He is back at the library. His home. Books come alive around him. Their pages swirling around in a whirlwind. Words fall off of each page, their letters spelling out the words that Baylee had told him. Don''t be so pig-headed. Then these letters changed again to what Iris had said. Accept everything.


    If you die it is over. Baylee and Iris said in unison. What could Grey have done differently? He did not know...he just kept making these mistakes. One after another. It was as if everything about him was wrong. His personality...was it wrong too? These thoughts sank in as the images around him faded away. His mind drifted for a moment, reflecting, changing before disappearing entirely.


    ~~~


    When Grey awoke. He heard the subtle crunching noises in the background. Of teeth sinking into flesh. His body battered beyond belief. Every breathe was unimaginable pain. The feeling of someone stabbing you over and over. He crawled on the ground. Not sure how he was even alive. The wound on his chest scraping on the ground. Four large holes dripped from his body. Blood. It no longer fell but was kept inside his body, resonating with some strange force. Grey moved deeper into the forest, away from the loud violent noises behind him. He could have sworn he heard someone screaming as he left. But even if he did. Did it even matter?


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    Grey came upon a spot on a tree several feet away. He leaned his back on the tree trunk. His wounds had begun to close up but the pain remained. Haunting him. His arms trembled. He could not cry. Grey eight years old. If his mind was not a steel bastion would he have long gone insane? He could feel the edges of his sanity breaking under the stress. Bad things keep happening. Why do they keep happening. He felt fear in his heart. Would his life be like this forever? Moments of kindness being replaced by sudden jolts of reality? Did Fritz die because of him?


    If he could see, if he had a more useful power....Grey clawed at his head. Ripping skin from his hair. What can I do to change this....what do I need to do to change....He felt a warmth in his chest. Iris was still calling him back. He had to return...if he didn''t know what to do then perhaps Iris would. He shook his arms and crawled on the ground, covering himself in mud, feeling as if he where the scum clinging to his body.


    ~~~


    Iris stood waiting at the same clearing in the forest. His hands twirling a flute. The wagon sitting as it had before she had left. She flipped through the pages of her book. Notes on each of the children were written inside. Oswin and Ciara sat near the campfire. Humming softly to each other. Oswin had wounds all over his back. Scarred. He played a harmonica. Ciara had an eye patch over one of her eyes. Her body thinner than it was before. She sang softly next to Oswin.


    Oswin. Brilliant. Read Iris from her notes. A little narcissistic but has a tendency to follow his impulses. Need to only to direct his interests to further his growth. Stroking his ego would work nicely to this effect. Ciara. Playful and nonsensical. Does anything she finds interesting. Rarely motivated or attached. As free as the wind. Need to tie her down to a goal. To push her forward. Perhaps, some external event is required.


    She flipped through the pages one by one. Max. Headstrong and stubborn. Smart, but lacks caution. Needs a sense of danger. Alexis is as playful as Ciara, but more serious. A deep thinker that acts when her goals align. She likes Ciara. So changes will involve the both of them. Richard the one with the most common sense. He believes what he sees and hates things that are too complicated. Best to let him experience events personally than to lecture.


    Grey.....Iris flipped to Grey''s page and read her notes. Kind hearted child, very resilient, but naive. Attaches strong emotions to people he cares about. That resiliency is problematic. Iris lightly massaged her temple. But....


    As Iris pondered. A rustling in the bushes caught her attention. Oswin and Ciara both stood up worried. The forest had attuned their sense of danger. They were both ready for anything. A muddied figure crawled on the ground. Teeth gritted. Eyes closed. It crawled on the ground, coughing violently as it did so. Oswin and Ciara backed away frightened, but Iris walked towards the thing on the ground. Her eyes gazing into its body. The thing reached out a mud covered hand towards Iris. It opened its mouth.


    "Iris..."


    Iris reached out and grabbed the muddied hand. She could feel a slight trembling in his hand, then a powerful grip. It wasn''t as strong as the grip of a full grown man, but for a child...this was...


    "Welcome back, Grey." smiled Iris.


    "Ah...I am back...."


    <hr />


    Author Note:


    Hi everyone. I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for your support! I thought as I am nearing 50k words. (115pgs) That I would like to say I am grateful for everyone and would like to share a bit of my goals for this series. Not any plot stuff, but my goals as a writer.


    I hope to send a manuscript of this in the next two or three months  once I hit around 70-100k words and get it published as a book after I redo the plot elements and fix some of the pacing. So, while I am doing this. I''ll be asking around on wattpad and royalroad for reviews to improve on this as much as I can. So if you have the time please leave any comments and reviews. I will definitely appreciate them and listen to them when I do my revisions.  It is my dream to become an author of a good book so reality should come before my own ego.


    Thank you again for reading £í£¨£®£ß£®£©£í

 (Vol I) Chapter 25 : Seasons in Passing

    Chapter 25


    Seasons in Passing


    "How are you feeling?" spoke Iris. She cupped her hand. Grey lay on a warm sleeping bag by the campfire.


    "Iris?" said Grey, shakily. Iris smiled. Oswin and Ciara sat next to Grey. They saw him wake up and both moved to towards him.


    "Grey!" spoke Ciara, "You made it!"


    She pinched his cheeks.


    "Ow!" yelped Grey. He was still weak from getting attacked by the spirit tiger and could not move.


    "Pain tells someone they are alive!" giggled Ciara, "Welcome back to living."


    Oswin put his hand on Grey''s shoulder, "Get some rest. It''s going to be rough ride in the wagon. Those wounds were pretty deep."


    His eyes gazed at Grey''s body. He already realized something was amiss when Grey returned in that state. Four large holes that pierced through half his body. Any normal person would have died. This must be...Grey''s awakened ability?


    Iris saw the look on Oswin''s face and nodded. The large claw wound over his chest had nearly healed, leaving a long scar across his body. Iris moved her hand over the wound, healing it further until it faded into his skin. More of a birthmark now rather than a scar.


    "I took care of most of the life threatening wounds. You should be okay to sit the wagon tomorrow. "


    "Everyone?" said Grey, a trembling in his voice. He dared not ask, but he must know. Did anyone else besides Ciara and Oswin survive?


    Oswin shook his head and spoke, "Iris has been here waiting for three whole days. Iris said that if you go too far then you''ll most likely be dead. She said to wait another day so we are here."


    Ciara eyes looked downcast at these words. In her heart she hoped Alexis would have survived as well, but she had not seen Alexis since the fifth day. Something must have happened to her.


    "Sad things again. At least the dangerous part is over," whispered Ciara. Her mind drifting to a memory. "But at least we three have come back. I thought I might be alone, but now I have you two fellows. Now you have to fight over me like those dramas I have seen."


    Ciara let a big smile. Her brown hair swaying side to side.


    "Eh?" whispered Grey.


    "Um..." said Oswin, looking the other way.


    "What! Did I say anything wrong?" said Ciara, cheerfully. Her eye glistened as if imagining some scene.


    Oswin put his hand up to block his view of Ciara. He wasn''t the type to deal with this...kind of thing.


    "Good luck. Grey," said Oswin, placing a firm hand on Grey''s shoulder. "This is what you are going to deal with for the trip back."


    "Eh!" said Grey, surprised. What? What!?


    "Hey! What is that suppose to mean?" asked Ciara, her cheeks puffing up. "Oswin you uppity fellow. You think you can shove me aside. Watch me place myself close to your heart. Then you will definitely be sad when I don''t give you attention."


    "Uh..." paused Oswin. "I think I have to meditate. I''ll be far away. Like so far away. No need to come after me you know?"


    Oswin cautiously got up and left near the wagon. Getting his things.


    "Hmph. That busybody. Grey you don''t think like that do you? Don''t you think I am quite cute and loveable?"


    Ciara pressed herself on Grey''s arm. Her chest was....flat..


    "Uh..." paused Grey. His brain racing. "Yes?"


    "Hmm. That''s right. That''s the right reaction."


    She poked Grey on the head. He flinched.


    "I''ll talk to you in the morning, okay? It''s getting dark soon and I am of tired from scary things. I think I will sleep the wagon. No more nature for me."


    Ciara walked up and into the wagon. Oswin giving her space as she passed him.


    Iris sighed. Out of twelve only three came back. 25% chance of survival. It wasn''t the best, but it was better than the last batch she had sent a few years ago. That one....only one survived out of thirty children.


    Iris gently patted Grey''s head. Grey felt reminded of the months that Iris took care of him. Those months of weakness, lying on the bed. The warmth of her hands seemed strangely comforting like those of his mother, washing away the fear and anguish from his heart. Was this also magic? He fell asleep. His heart growing more attached to her.


    ~~~


    In the morning, Grey woke up the rest of them. Oswin had finished unpacking the belongings that everyone had left in the wagon. It was bad luck to take a dead person''s things so he laid them out in 9 graves. Max, Fritz, Hadu, Rille, Bernard, Madison, Lutz, Alexis, and Richard. Iris, Grey, Ciara, and Oswin bowed, reciting an old burial ritual.


    They first bowed to the east towards the rising sun. The Azure Dragon of the East to give the departed souls the strength to move pass their life struggles. They bowed to the north. The Black Tortoise of the North protects them from harm on their journey in the underworld. They bowed to the west. The White Tiger of the West gives souls their purpose, the courage to pass through the Gates of Hell without fear. And last. They bowed to the south. The Vermillion Bird of the South sets them free of this world and into the cycle of reincarnation. To be born in another time, with a better life.


    Ciara clasped her hands in prayer. She sings a song.


    When was it that I met you? So long ago?


    After years, I see you again.


    I call you. You call me.


    Old names that we used to know.


    Fragrant flowers bloom.


    Pure and Lovely.


    I have longed for so long.


    Yet could never touch, nor feel.


    My heart it breaks, but it breaks the same.


    Even if the seasons change.


    Let us remain the same.


    Spring turns to happiness


    Summer turns to love


    Fall calls all things back together.


    Winter sets and we are warm.


    As Ciara''s voice fades. The four of them bowed one last time and set a cup of alcohol in front of each of the wooden cross-shaped graves. One drink for each. A promise to meet them again in another life. When they would one day all sit down and drink together. Iris nodded and the children handed back to her wagon. The wings on the side of wagon open, and the wagon is lifted up back into the plains and out of the forest dungeon.


    ~~~


    A few days later, on the fields of the Undying Plains, the golden flakes of grass around them. Grey stands firm on the ground. His legs shaky. He does not hold a walking stick but attempts to use his aura to guide him forward. His aura presses flat the grass around his body. He walks unsteadily, each step felt as if he were stepping off a cliff. Sweat trickles down his face, but he does it, slowly and steady before tripping over a rock.


    "Ow," sighs Grey. He walked for twenty paces before tripping. He could only feel the slightest bump in his surroundings. Only really big things rang out in his mind, the smaller pebbles were invisible to his aura.


    "Need help Grey?" said Oswin.


    Grey smiled. He reached out his hand towards Oswin''s voice. "Yeah, thanks."


    Oswin grabbed his hand and helped Grey up.


    "Rough being blind," said Oswin. "Always seeing the darkness. Isn''t that a little scary?"


    "You get used to it," nodded Grey, "It''s not too bad though. And I can use magic, even if it is a mess. Compared to people who have to wait till their twenties to use magic. I think I am still quite fortunate."


    Grey remembered Baylee''s words so many years ago. With his awakening, Grey must be at the elementary stage of magic. It was just he couldn''t use any spells yet besides healing....Blind people can''t use magic...He had to make his own path, figuring out the secrets of magic one step at a time. Magic that did not need to be visualized to work. What kind of magic would that look like....


    Oswin saw Grey thinking and smiled. "Grey you told us that before that Fritz discovered a weird way to use magic. You too have also used a weird magic to keep yourself alive. I''m curious, but haven''t you wondered if me or Ciara if we discovered a new way to use magic as well?"


    Grey looked astonished. "Oswin? You mean you?"


    "Heh," smirked Oswin, "Don''t think Fritz was so powerful. Compared to mine. His was rather too simple. Let me show you."


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Oswin unleashed his aura. It dampened the surroundings. It was a loud beating deep drums that rumbled along the ringing of harps. "I do not have a name for this magic...but I like to call this ability. All Sense."


    Grey could feel Oswin''s aura wash over him.


    "To perceive oneself and others. My ability allows me to feel someone''s emotions and senses. All danger around me is detected instantly. Whether they know I am here. I will feel it. And like you I don''t feel like I have unlocked the potential for my magic. I sense emotions now, but what about memories? Thoughts? The potential to mind read your every move and weakness. Can anyone say they will win against me in the future?"


    Oswin bent the aura around him. It swirled, energy bursting into small fluttering leaves.


    "Fritz could copy things by burning it. But probably when I am at my strongest I can copy attacks by simply looking at someone''s face. Is not my power the most fearsome?"


    Grey titled his head curiously. His mind in deep thought. It was just as Fritz had said. Everyone was creating their own magic. Who knew what the future would look like in a few years.


    "Heyo! What are you folks talking about so seriously over there?" shouted Ciara. She skipped towards them from the wagon, having finished her exercises.


    Oswin smiled. "I was just showing off a bit. Aren''t I the strongest of us three?"


    "Is that so? Hmph. So what if your power is so special. You think I am going to sneak up on you. I''ll beat you up head on," pouted Ciara. She unleashed her aura. A flute and piano blew loud and quick notes. Softening into a low arpeggio. Something appeared in her hand. No...the air felt distorted.


    Oswin''s face changed immediately and grew pale. "Hey, Iris said you are not allowed to use that on us."


    "Oh? You look so scared. What? Didn''t you say you were so powerful. Come take a taste of my power then," crowed Ciara, swinging around her hand.


    Oswin leaped away. His eyes deadened in fear. He dared not approach her and ran backwards. Ciara hand swept across the grass. Everywhere it touched. The thing vanished into thin air, as if it hadn''t even existed. Grass. Rocks. All vanished without a trace.


    "Haha, that''ll teach you a lesson." said Ciara. She snapped her fingers and the strange distortion disappeared.  Grey stood there confused. He had not seen anything and could not tell what had happened apart from Oswin running away from Ciara.


    "Ayo," said Ciara. She poked Grey on the head. "I forgot you cannot see. Ah, my power makes things go away. I call it wish away. I was in danger a lot so I just wish the bad things away. Isn''t it so cool?"


    "Huh!?" said Grey. "What kind of power is that? Do things like fly off and disappear?"


    "No," said Ciara. "I am not sure what Iris told me, but it was something like they aren''t there anymore. It isn''t very strong. I can''t wish big things or things with lots of mana away. Iris touched me just fine even when I was going full power. But for this uppity fellow. Hmph. He thinks he so strong. We are the same level. So I should be able to do something to him."


    Ciara looked at Oswin who was hyperventilating. Oswin looked like he saw death several times over. Ciara took a tongue out at him. "Naa! Teach you a lesson. I am the strongest here."


    Ciara looked over at Grey. "Ah, but don''t worry Grey. I won''t bully you. You aren''t like that fellow. You are quite nice, even if your power isn''t so good."


    Grey felt a pang of pain in his chest. Did everyone have to rub it in that his power was totally useless...Grey smacked his head.


    "But," thought Ciara, "I always thought voiceless incantations was something special. Yet, we three here all can do it. Not to mention battle music. Maybe, those stinky teachers at the school were lying to me. Hmph."


    Iris approached the group smiling. She had watched the whole thing and was amused. "Haha, don''t be so rough on your friends Ciara. Strong people should be humble or else they will attract a lot of attention."


    Ciara looked and bowed to Iris. "Yes, Ma''am."


    Oswin came running up next to Ciara to hear what Iris had to say. He humbled bowed as well.


    Grey turned towards Iris''s voice. "Iris. I have learned quite a few things in the forest but...."


    He not dare ask Iris again for help with Mylene. The forest had taught him that bad things would happen if he was not strong enough. If he went to save her? What would happen? Someone stronger comes out of nowhere and beats him senseless for trying to take her away. He felt he learned a bit more common sense.


    "You are thinking of Mylene again?" smiled Iris. Her hands run through his hair. He turns away embarrassed at having his thoughts read.


    "Remember you still have time. I have looked into that matter for you. They do not take children till they are around 12 years old. Even villains follow a set of standards because the place she was taken to enforces strict rules to keep its secrecy."


    "Its secrecy? You mean it is backed legally by the law?" said Grey, his voice trembled. Why enforce such a rule if it could be shut down at anytime.


    "Yes, it is one of the requirements the prefectural governor imposed to allow it to keep running. All people have certain morals even if they are twisted," said Iris.


    "Then?"


    "Then work hard," smiled Iris. "I think it is good to send you away for a bit to learn some social skills. Better now while you are young and unsuspicious You will need these skills when you are older while you train your talents. And in a few years, Grey we will go pick up Mylene. I think by then we will have something to get her out."


    Grey nodded, thankful.


    "Aww," complained Ciara, "Are you sending us to school? School is so boring. You have to follow this and that. I can''t wear pretty clothes and the other children will be so much weaker than us anyway. I don''t want to!"


    Oswin grinned. "I am guessing you don''t want us to show our talents either? Not like those teachers will be able to detect something so strange, but how will we hide our magic cores? A simple Anathema Flame Test will show our aura''s true powers."


    Iris smiled. "No, you''re not going to school. And of course not. That''s why I have this Jade Chrysanthemum Herb."


    She took out a small purple flower the size of her index finger. "One petal is eaten before you take your magical potential tests. It will suppress the nature of your magic core and the music from your aura. Try not to get into any fights. If anyone sees your true powers. You must kill them you understand."


    Grey shuddered at Iris''s words. Kill?


    "But?" asked Grey.


    Iris shook her head.


    "Grey this might be hard for you but you three have really strange powers. If anyone with any inkling on how magic worked saw you. They would run all sorts of tests and torture you until you broke. Battle Music is also not something normal people can do. It is reserved for monsters and beasts. If you show that bit off. Even save someone. They will come for you, all of you. Experts will think you three were shape-shifting monsters who had changed their forms to children. "


    The image of getting stabbed by the knight flashed through Grey''s eyes. The hatred of men surpassed reason.


    "But I am a child," said Grey. "I...even if I had the will I don''t have the power to do such a thing. I can only heal myself."


    Oswin nodded in unison. His power even though it had fearsome potential could not harm a fly. The only one who could do anything was Ciara.


    Iris smiled. "By the time we''ve reached our destination, you''ll have learned something."


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Editor''s Notes: 4/14/15


    HELLO READERS. This is tentatively the conclusion of the first Volume in the Dark Lord Saga. The Author wrote subsequent chapters for another arc, but has decided against the direction he was going with. The first volume is still in progress, so please mind the gap. We will update the content here as we go along. If you are a new reader, please go straight to the first chapter of volume II.


    Happy reading! :D :D :D

 (Vol II) Chapter 1 - The Guild

    (Vol.II) Chapter 1 : The Guild


    A group of adventurers sat in their guildhall in the city known as Medelia. It was a small city located in the Kingdom of Lukoil at the edge of The Great Tundra, a wide expanse of frost that few dared venture across. Here in the guildhall, many adventurers and commoners mingled and gossiped about the latest news.


    Standing in front of a wooden chair, a man  animatedly moved his arms and legs, making various gestures and poses.


    "Okay," said Coren, happily. "Guess who I am now?"


    "Um," said Gwyne, "Are you carrying a sword!?"


    "No, an axe," said Coren. He tried to make a more threatening pose.


    "Huh...Aloth the Axebreaker?"


    "Aloth breaks axes; he doesn''t carry axes."


    "Oh, then how about Leyra the Battle Maiden?"


    "Lerya tosses those bladed tiaras-"


    "Okay, enough of this," said Weyd. He banged his his mug on the table, interrupting the game. "We have to go back to the Summer Veil. We should be investigating the disappearance of those adventurers in Gahol."


    Coren looked at Weyd blankly.


    "The Summer Veil is off limits. The gates have been closed for a year. There is no path from Lukoil to Gahol from here. Not to mention we¡¯re on that guild assignment,. Remember? The one that lets us keep our guild badges."


    Coren took out a medallion from his pocket and waved it in front of the bearded man. It had the image of a great dragon breathing fire and a claymore in the background. He flipped it once before placing it back in his coat.


    "We finish the escort mission, and then we will be free for another six months."


    "That doesn''t mean I have to like it,¡± said Weyd. ¡°And why are we escorting a pair of princesses anyway? What happened to their guards?"


    Coren shrugged. "It''s just extra security. There''s that killer that''s been running around, The Heart Seeker Killer."


    The Heart Seeker Killer had been on the lips of many adventurers lately. He left his victims with a gaping hole in their chest, having ripped their magic cores straight out of their bodies. A prefectural investigator, Yan Dee, had been sent from the imperial capital to track down this murderer, but so far the criminal had eluded him.


    "I thought he went after people with magic cores? Are the princesses magic users?"


    "Not yet, but I''ve heard they''ll undergo their Ritual of Awakening soon, sometime in the next year or so."


    "So, they are adepts then. They don¡¯t even have their cores."


    "Tell that to the royal family. Either way, it should be an easy assignment. Now sit and drink something."


    Coren ordered another drink from their server. The girl smiled and winked at him, carrying a mug that smelled of strong ale, okra, and gin. She brought back a large jug to place in front of Weyd. He picked it up and inhaled the refreshing undertones of cinnamon.


    ~~~


    On the other end of the world, a woman and three children walked upon a well-trodden road. The woman smiled at the children, speaking in hushed tones as they came upon a large city that rose up from a hill.


    "I have some people I want you to meet," said Iris. "I don''t think I¡¯ve told you about the guild I belong to."


    "Guild?" said Grey cheerfully. Adventurers usually claimed membership with a guild. Guilds offered protection and training for dungeons, as well as a place to acquire high quality equipment.


    "What kind of guild is it? Can we join?"


    Grey grew excited. Having gone through the Ritual of Awakening, he was now an elementary level mage. He qualified as an adventurer!


    Iris laughed. "Yes, it is precisely why we are here. I want you to meet some people and register you at the guildhall. We are going to need some help if we want to free Mylene."


    Grey''s face reddened a little. His normally stoic disposition was replaced with worry. Mylene. His thoughts became muddled and sad.


    "Come now, don''t make that face," smiled Iris, "Nothing bad will happen to her anytime soon."


    Iris held Grey closer as she led the children into the city.


    The city was laid out like a well-furnished room. Each detail was carefully thought out, from the arched rooftops to the colorful signs that made it simple to find what you were looking for. Need food? Then look out for the blue signs. Those were the taverns and restaurants.  Need a place to sleep? Look for the light brown signs. Those were the inns and boarding houses. Even bakeries were easily identified; their shops were shaped like muffins, each with a bright orange sign outside their door. A young girl wearing an apron was waving down people outside a large muffin with colorful stones on its roof.


    ¡°Get your hot melon bread! Freshly made with tender love and care! One bite and you¡¯ll go to heaven. You sir! Don¡¯t you want this lovely bread? Look at it; don¡¯t you feel like it¡¯s calling you to eat it?¡±


    The little girl carried a pair of baskets filled with bite sized portions of bread. She reached out to people passing by, waving at them to come taste it.


    Oswin looked curiously at the melon bread. Iris had ushered the children towards the  bakery  to avoid walking through the uncomfortably crowded street.


    ¡°I want to try some melon bread,¡± smiled Oswin. He reached up and took a piece out of her hand.


    ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± said the girl, bowing politely. ¡°Please go inside if you like the taste! It¡¯s absolutely the best in the city.¡±


    Oswin took a bite of the bread. His eyes turned to glitters. ¡°Wha!? What is this? Heavenly feeling. Ciara come take a bite of this.¡±


    Ciara looked at the piece of half-eaten bread in Oswin¡¯s hand.


    ¡°You ate it already!¡± Ciara exclaimed. Her mother had often told her not to eat half eaten food. It was unbecoming of a lady!


    ¡°Just take a bite! Eat it! The way it goes down to your belly.¡±


    Oswin shoved the rest of the bread in Ciara¡¯s face. She flailed wildly at her assaulter, accidentally poking him in the eyes.


    ¡°Ow!¡±


    ¡°Stop your weirdness! I can eat it with my own hands.¡±


    Oswin, one hand covering his eyes, stuck out the bread for  Ciara to take.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you get, hmph, making me eat this thing.¡±


    Ciara ripped off the edges of where Oswin had bitten into and took her own bite.


    Ciara¡¯s face flushed red. Her eyes dilated. ¡°Amazing! What kind of bread is this? Wha! Give me more!¡±


    She looked at the girl carrying the basket of bread. The baker girl could feel Ciara¡¯s eyes honing in on her.


    Ciara¡¯s eyes overtaken with desire, mouth watering, hands poised, she stalked her prey.


    Grey could sense Ciara¡¯s impending terror, having wrestled with the girl for food before.  This poor shopkeeper didn¡¯t stand a chance, he decided to step in. He slowly treaded towards the concentration of doom and spread his arms to try and shield the girl from Ciara.


    ¡°Stop!¡± said Grey, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Wha?! Grey, this bread is too good! You must try it. Just let me get closer so I can-¡±


    Whack!


    Grey chopped Ciara on the head.


    ¡°Ow!¡±


    ¡°A person told me that silly things should be punished, so stop being silly. Be more mature.¡±


    ¡°Wha? Mature¡­¡± mumbled Ciara. She continued staring at the girl holding the basket, licking her lips. The bakery girl flinched.


    ¡°If you want more, then where is your money?¡± said Grey. He held out his hand. ¡°You can¡¯t buy bread without money.¡±


    ¡°B-But she is letting us have it for free¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a sample! If you want more, then definitely, you must pay. Right?¡±


    Grey turned to face the delicious smelling cakes. He nodded in her direction, trying to  make his intentions understood.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± said the bakery girl. ¡°Please pay if you want more.¡±


    ¡°Tch,¡± said Ciara. She flipped her hair flamboyantly. ¡°Fine. When I get some money, I¡¯ll be back. You better be ready!¡±


    She pointed directly at the girl, then stomped off to look at the scenery.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said the bakery girl. She politely bowed to Grey.


    Grey nodded. ¡°It is okay, she is not a bad person. She just gets carried away.¡±


    ¡°I see. Are you from around here? I haven¡¯t seen you before?¡±


    ¡°No, I just got here today.¡±


    ¡°A traveler?¡±


    Seeing a child her age travelling was curious.


    ¡°What is it like outside the walls? I am not allowed to go out of the town.¡±


    Before Grey could speak he heard Iris calling for him.


    ¡°Ciara! Oswin! Grey! Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Iris had been hovering in  sight of the children the whole time, watching over the three like a mother hawk. Her eyes pierced any wandering glances that fell towards the children. The potential thieves in the crowd were most definitely  unnerved by her eyes. No one had dared approach any of the children.


    ¡°Sorry, I have to go. Maybe, we can talk some other time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. My name is Ran! If you have time please come back. We will definitely have more bread for you to eat.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± smiled Grey. He waved her goodbye and followed Iris down the street.


    They had passed through the Eastern Block and the Foreign Quarter to get to the Marketplace and the bakery. The guildhall was located in the Military Quarter which was still one district away, on the other side of the Residential District.


    It was easy to tell the Military Quarter from the rest of the city. The walls here were much thicker, the buildings less fanciful, and shapes more practical as if hewn straight from a mountain. They were round in design, like large boulders, built to withstand blows from siege engines. The only thing that looked out of place were the five guildhalls. Each was made out of wood instead of stone. Their curved roofs and twin sword placards indicated their function.


    Iris led the children to the guildhall shaped like a temple, incense sticks burned in front of small altars near a red door. Iris tapped on the door twice, then three times. It opened automatically, powered by some strange mechanism.


    A small pool of water bubbled next to the counter where vines dangled from the ceiling. Iris brushed the hanging vines aside and moved towards the receptionist. A young woman in her twenties greeted them at the receptionist counter.


    "Ah, Iris. It''s been a long time. Do you have an appointment? The leaders would be interested in hearing your latest report."


    "Tell Kolfecg and Lupites that I have returned. I would like to speak to the council as well."


    "Right away, and these children?"


    The woman looked at the three children at Iris''s side. Grey was clinging to Iris''s dress, partly hiding behind her. He was not allowed to use his aura out of combat so he held onto Iris to help him walk and avoid tripping over small rocks on the ground. The receptionist found it cute.


    "They are the new generation. The council may ask their questions when we meet."


    "Of course," said the woman bowing. ¡°Let me get the necessaries."


    The woman wrote a few things on a piece of paper and handed Iris three medallions. Iris gave them to Grey, Ciara, and Oswin. It had the shape of a large serpent eating its tail.


    "They call it the Ouroboros, a mythical creature of old," said Iris. "It is the symbol of my guild."


    Grey felt the medallion curiously. His heart fluttered with excitement. "Iris? Does that mean I¡¯m now an adventurer?"


    "Yes, though you are technically still a trainee. You need to get to the intermediate stage of magic before you can be considered a full fledged adventurer"


    "Y-Yes!" said Grey. He had become an adventurer! His hands gripped the medallion firmly. He remembered those dazzling attacks, when adventurers had fought over that precious King Emerald Gem. Back then, the world of adventures seemed so far away, like a dream off the pages of a book. Now, he had become a part of them!


    Ciara nodded in agreement.


    "Does this let me go places?" she asked, breathlessly.


    "It will let you enter towns without a letter of intent. As adventurers, we receive special permission to travel. Most people aren''t allowed out of their towns and villages unless it''s on official business. It stops foolish people from getting attacked by bandits, you see."


    "Ah," said Ciara. "So that''s why mother and father didn''t let me go out."


    "When will we start learning spells?" asked Oswin. "I want to get stronger! I want to be powerful!"


    "Soon enough," smiled Iris. She ruffled Oswin''s hair and looked back at the receptionist. "Has the meeting been scheduled?"


    "In three days," replied the receptionist. "The message is being transmitted through the usual routes. The place is-"


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation."I know where it is," said Iris, waving her hand. "Do you have any low level quests?"


    "For the children?" asked the receptionist.


    "Yes, for the children."


    The receptionist pulled out a large leather tome and flipped through the pages. She scrolled down the most recent page until she came across a note she had made earlier today.


    "There is a Monster Subjugation quest offered by the governor. Appears to be a pest problem in the Slum Quarters. Alternatively, there are a few deliveries that need to be made, and the usual requests regarding auction house purchases."


    "Give us the Monster Subjugation quest. Are there partial completion rewards?"


    "Yes, of course. There are already a few adventurers on the task so just bring your daily count back here and we will log it in," nodded the receptionist. She brought out three pieces of parchment from underneath the counter and signed her name on it. She then stamped each parchment with a wax seal.


    "This is proof that the quest has been formally recognized by the guild. We will provide all the necessaries if anything should happen. I do require blood from each child to finish the contract."


    "Blood?" whispered Grey. "Why blood?"


    "It''s an old tradition," said Iris, "It doesn''t have any power, but it''s scares away people who might be pretending to be adventurers."


    Iris took out a small knife, the same one she used to peel fruits, and handed it to Grey.


    "Just prick your finger and press it on the parchment at the counter."


    Grey felt the knife in his hand, and turned to Iris a bit worried. He did not want to hurt himself.


    "We can''t go on the quest until you poke your finger, Grey."


    Grey hesitated and winced as he cut himself on the finger. A little drop of blood came out. He walked up to the counter and felt around the table till he touched the parchment. He pressed down next to the wax seal, leaving a little red fingerprint. Grey then handed the knife to Oswin who then handed it to Ciara. In the end, there were three little red fingerprints on each of the quest parchments.


    "Congratulations on your first quest," giggled the receptionist. "I''ll see you all later today to count your progress."


    "Thank you, ma''am." said the children in unison. They bowed respectfully and followed Iris out the door.


    ~~~


    In stories, the Slum Quarters were where criminals made their dens and monsters lurked in the darkness, but as far as Grey could tell, it was like any other part of the city. The buildings here were modest and the people were friendly. It had it¡¯s own collection of inns, blacksmiths, and tailor shops.


    "So what are we doing?" asked Ciara. She raced around, up and down the street. "I don''t see anything."


    "Well," said Oswin, looking at the parchment that the receptionist gave them. "It says: rat problem in loom shop; nest in sewers; proceed with caution; collect rat tails as proof of work; ten rat tails will be rewarded with ten copper pieces."


    "It doesn¡¯t pay much, but I imagine it will keep you from being lazy. Especially, this lazy girl right here."


    Iris picked up Ciara and tickled her. Ciara giggled and laughed before Iris let her down. "I''ll let you three decide how you want to do it. If you need me, I''ll be at the inn over there. I need to fill out some things for the guild."


    Iris pointed to a sign with a large fish.


    "It''s called the Fisherman''s Cove. Our rooms are there so come back when you¡¯ve finished collecting your rat tails."


    "Wait," said Grey. His hands began to get clammy holding her dress. "Won''t you stay with us."


    Grey remembered what had happened the last time he wandered around a city alone. Now that he was blind, he was certain something would happen if there was no one to protect him.


    Iris kneeled down to be closer to the boy and gave him a light hug. "There will be a time when you''ll be completely on your own, Grey. Besides, you are now a part of my guild. No one will kidnap you."


    She took the medallion resting in his pocket and placed it on his palm, to remind him that the guild would protect him.¡±


    ¡°Trust me. You will be fine. Now what was the name of the inn we¡¯ll be staying at?"


    "The Fisherman''s Cove," said Grey, rubbing his eyes. Iris stroked his head before standing up.


    "Good. If you need me I''ll be inside. Just remember one thing: do not use your aura. Remember, people who notice that your aura has music will become very suspicious. Alright? Oswin? Ciara?"


    "Yes, Iris." said the children in unison.


    She pat each child on the head and then left for the inn, leaving them alone on the side of the street.


    Oswin walked over  to Grey and slapped him on the back. "I think Iris just wants us to be more independent. We are kids, but we¡¯re also adventurers now. It would be embarrassing for her if she had to come help us with every little thing."


    Grey could only stand there. "I guess so."


    Ciara jumped on Grey''s back. "Don''t be like that, Grey. If you mope around too much, you''ll become a potato; that''s what my dad always said to me. Don''t be a potato like your mother. If you don''t stop moping, then I''ll take a bite out of you to wake you up."


    Grey could feel something warm and wet wiggle around his neck.


    "Hey!" giggled Grey. "Ewww, stop. That tickles."


    "Ha, you cheered up, see! Stop feeling so down."


    "Okay," said Grey. "I''ll stop moping. So what are we doing for the quest?"


    "Well," said Oswin, holding the parchment.


    "There¡¯s a little map here on the parchment. It shows us where the entrance of the sewers is. We could go there or visit the loom shop to see if there are any rats left."


    "Maybe I should get changed," mumbled Ciara, "I don''t think I want to walk down the sewers in my dress. I''ll be back in a bit. Just wait here okay?"


    Ciara raced towards the inn Iris had pointed to. Iris had mentioned that their luggage had been delivered to their inn as soon as they arrived at the city.


    "Alright!" said Oswin and Grey at the same time.


    Oswin leaned over Grey''s shoulder. Grey was feeling the parchment in his hands. The ink had left an impression on the paper. He could make out a few words, but could not understand the rest.


    "So, what do you think?" said Oswin. "The sewers or the shop? Where should we go to first?¡±


    ¡°I think we should go to the shop first. The sewers might be too dangerous. If there is a big monster we might not be able to take care of it.¡±


    ¡°But the sewers might have treasure. And we¡¯ve already seen a lot of scary things in the forest. Unless, it¡¯s some ancient legendary creature we should be alright.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but I don¡¯t think Iris would be happy if one of us got hurt.¡±


    ¡°Iris said we could do as we saw fit. Besides, if you are so scared about a sewer, what will you do when you go back to a dungeon? You can¡¯t just run away all the time.¡±


    Oswin was right. Even the most cautious person could not avoid all the bad things in the world. Wouldn¡¯t it be better for a person to face disaster after disaster? That way, if one survived they would be very strong.


    "Alright, we can go through the sewers. We will need some paper and quill, though, so we can draw a map so we don¡¯t get lost."


    "I¡¯ll go get some from Iris. She should have some to spare."


    "Okay,¡± smiled Grey.


    ~~~


    For a place that rarely saw sunlight, the sewers were hot. The air was heavy, giving Grey the sensation that he was suffocating slowly. The entrance to the sewer was actually a manhole in the middle of a street. Oswin and Grey had to move the large slotted brick that covered the hole to get to the ladder. As they climbed down into the murky darkness, the sound of squelching boots announced their arrival.


    "It stinks!" said Ciara, pinching her nose. "Why do rats like these smelly places?"


    "Don''t know. Don''t care. I just want to kill ¡®em," said Oswin. "There are torches lighting up the corridors. Three ways to go: right, left, and straight."


    "We should make the map," said Grey. He took out the parchment, quill, and ink bottle.


    "I can''t see so...can someone draw?"


    "I got it," said Ciara, snatching the quill from Grey''s hand. "So this is where we are. And these are the three paths."


    She doodled the map on the back of the parchment, placing an ''X'' for their current location and three lines that represented the passageways. She announced what she was drawing, so Grey could imagine the map in his head.


    "Is there anything special about the passages?"


    "Not that I can see," said Oswin. His boots squelched forward. "Let''s go right? It''ll be easier to find our way back if we go the same direction. We can also mark our trail using whatever we find here."


    "Okay, sounds good." replied Grey.


    The three made their way down the right passage. The bricks that made up the tunnel walls were overgrown with moss.


    "You guys see anything?" whispered Grey.


    "Not yet," said Ciara. The sewage seemed to flow in the same direction that they were walking. They had not come across any other open passages.  "I think I see some wood planks. They¡¯re covered in black goo though."


    "Wait," said Oswin. "I think I see something. Come look, Ciara. Over there, by that pile of garbage."


    More specifically, it was a  large mound of rotten wood. Sludge had caked the random bits into a disgusting lump, but there were enough holes and cracks for a small creature to cozy into. Oswin had spied a mouse peeking up behind the pile. It raised its nose and wiggled it before burrowing into a small crevice.


    "There is a mouse!" whispered Oswin. "I am going to try to move around the right. Ciara can you try to get it from the front?"


    "Okay," said Ciara, moving into position.


    "Grey, just listen and tell us which way you hear it going in case it escapes."


    "Okay."


    "Ciara. Attack as soon as I wave my hand."


    Oswin got into position. His eyes focused in on the small patch of fur still visible through the sludge. He then raised his hand and waved it. Ciara pounced into the pile scattering dirt everywhere. She got up and spat out dirt as the mouse leapt off her head. Music filled the tunnel. The mouse, even as a low-level monster, had its own battle music!


    Oswin raced to cut it off but the rat didn¡¯t run away! It was looking straight at Oswin. It leaped up and scratched at his eyes. He batted it off his face and fell over backwards. The rat then raced towards Ciara, slipping into her shirt.


    ¡°Wah!?!?¡±


    She shrieked. It was crawling all over her, little feet tickling her as it crawled down her pants. Her legs jerked as she fell into the water. A high level mouse! Even as small as it was, it knew exactly how to beat these kids!


    In all the commotion, Grey could tell something was amiss. It didn¡¯t take long for him  to realize the mouse was intelligent. He slowly bent down and began to form balls of mud.


    Oswin had finally recovered from his fall to stand up. The mouse raced towards him. It zigzagged across the water before leaping off the wall. Oswin swung at the mouse but missed. It was too small! It landed on his hand and scurried under his clothes. Oswin began spinning around in circles, before finally falling over.


    The mouse appeared under his collar, squeaking triumphantly as it sat on Oswin¡¯s head. It had beaten the human! That¡¯s when a ball of mud struck it and knocked it into the wall. Stuck, it¡¯s eyes peered out through the mud. Another ball smacked against it, and another, and another. The mouse tried to dig its way out, but the mud bogged it down. Although, the mouse was very fast it wasn¡¯t very strong! Exhausted from trying to dig through so much mud, it gave out a weak squeak and lay still.


    Grey cautiously crawled towards the mud pile, his hands feeling his way through the sewage.


    ¡°Did? Did we catch it?¡± she asked as she wiped the mud off her hands. She looked at Oswin who was still seeing stars. As Grey¡¯s hands came across the pile of mud, his hands began searching for the mouse. Before long, he pulled a wriggling mass out of the goop.


    ¡°Stop!¡± squeaked the tiny little mouse. ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt me!¡±


    ~~~~~~~~~~~


    Editor''s Notes:


    HELLOOO READDERS :D :D :D Here is the next chapter in the story''s progression as promised. Some of you may be rightfully confused. Instead of continuing where we left off, the Author has decided that the school was not a good direction for the book. We may return there someday, but right now we are rewinding the clock to right after Chapter 25 of the first volume. We are still working hard on reworking the first volume so please mind the dust :D :D

 (Vol II) Chapter 2 - The Mysterious Mouse

    Chapter 2


    The Mysterious Mouse


    Grey sat there astonished. Many years ago, he had told his childhood friend that monsters could not speak to humans. All of the books that he had read said the same. Monsters were incapable of human speech, although there were some theories that monsters could understand it. It appears there were some things his books got wrong.


    "Ciara! Is the mouse talking?" asked Grey. His mind refused to believe his ears. Ciara looked at him blankly, scraping the sludge off her clothes. She had seen Grey capture the mouse and wondered why he had not killed it yet.


    "What are you talking about? The mouse is in your hand, Grey. Kill it already."


    The mouse covered it''s head with its paws and trembled.


    "I don''t want to die," it spoke again.


    Grey began to feel sorry for the mouse. He gestured for Ciara to come closer. Oswin was still laying next to him unconscious. Grey''s hands felt around the ground until it touched his chest. Oswin was breathing slowly as if he were just sleeping.


    "No, I can really hear something. Listen."


    Ciara walked up to Grey and sat next to him. She gave the mouse a funny look. It was squeaking and making all sorts of noises, but none of it was intelligible. She shook her head confused.


    "Grey, I hear nothing. Are you okay? Did you get hit in the head?"


    Ciara placed her hand on his forehead.


    "It doesn''t feel like you are sick. You¡¯re bleeding, though. Did you cut your hand?"


    Grey could feel a little pain in the hand that held the mouse. There was a little blood near his thumb near where he had given blood for the quest


    "I think I might have scratched myself on something on the ground."


    He had crawled on his way over to the mouse. Something sharp probably pricked him on the murky stone floor.


    "So only I can hear the mouse?" Grey¡¯s thoughts began to spin.


    Ciara raised her eyebrow and looked closely at the mouse. "So what is it saying?"


    "It¡¯s telling me not to kill it."


    "Does it have a name?"


    Grey turned towards the mouse.


    "Mouse? Do you have a name?" he said, politely.


    "Y-You can understand me?" said the mouse, surprised. "My name is Ham. Please let me go! Don''t grill me up. Or do bad things to me."


    Mice were truly afraid of humans. There were many stories of how humans would eat and torture mice for no reason!


    "What are you doing here?"


    "I was searching for food, and then you attacked me!" cried Ham. "I thought I had found a good home too. It got all messed up."


    The mouse looked at the spot where the pile of mud used to be. There was nothing left but a few pieces of scattered wood.


    "Well," said Grey, "stop making houses here."


    "Wah."


    "It''s dangerous. And there are people who want to kill mouses here. Didn''t your mother teach you better."


    Grey began to lecture the little mouse on the dangers of the world. He did not know why, but he liked this mouse. There was something funny and familiar in the way it talked to him.


    "Why are people trying to hurt us?"


    "Because they are on a quest," replied Grey in a matter of fact tone.


    "A quest? What is a quest?"


    "It''s where people are given money in order to do something. You know, I am on a quest too. I was told to go kill some mice and that''s why I am in the sewers."


    "Kill mice?! But why? Why would you kill me."


    The mouse remembered why it had been captured in the first place! These humans had attacked it! It began squirming and squeaking wildly.


    "Mice were causing trouble at a human shop, so someone wants all the mice dead."


    Ham gasped in shock.


    "But, I wasn''t at a human shop today!"


    "It was a few days ago."


    "Oh, then maybe I was..."


    The mouse looked sheepishly off in the distance.


    "But even if I did do something. You shouldn''t kill me over it!"


    Grey felt the blood drain from his face.


    "Well," replied Grey. "I won''t kill you."


    Even before he had said the words his mind had been made up. He was a good person, and killing a mouse that was talking to him would definitely be a bad thing. His heart was sure of it.


    "Really!?"


    The mouse¡¯s eyes quivered in the torchlight..


    "Yep. I won''t kill you, but-" said Grey, raising his finger, "can I ask you a favor?"


    "Yes," said Ham, bowing her head. "You can ask me anything. Just don''t hurt me."


    Grey shook his head. "I''m not going to hurt you. I just want to know more about you? I have never spoken to a monster before."


    "Oh," said the mouse. "You definitely won''t kill me right? You won''t say just kidding and kill me right? The cat''s always play games like that."


    Grey giggled. "I am not a cat! See. I''ll let you down. Just don''t run away? Let us talk like two normal people."


    Ciara began interjecting as she saw Grey putting the mouse down..


    "Shush. Don''t scare her."


    ¡°But -¡±


    "Shushhhh!" whispered Grey. He placed a finger on her lips. "The mouse is going to tell me something."


    "What is the mouse going to tell you?" whispered Ciara back.


    "About other mice."


    "O-Okay..."


    Ciara gave Grey a strange look, but quieted down. She looked at the mouse on the ground, scrubbing its fur clean of dirt. While Ciara did not believe Grey, the mouse was acting rather strangely.


    Ham bowed to Grey.


    "Thank you, kind human. Um..you wanted to know about mouses right?"


    "Yup," replied Grey back eagerly.


    Ham nodded and began to explain.


    Originally, mice lived in the meadows or grasslands, but as humans started building over their homes, their burrows became covered by bricks which gradually formed the sewers over several years. It took a while for mice to adjust. Ham said their father never really got used to the dirt and mud, but as a young mouse this sewer was all Ham had known. They loved the smell of it, and the food that sometimes fell from the upper levels down to their nest.


    Ham also talked about how mice got stronger. Mice were usually a low level beast. They were born with a tiny life seed near their heart. It allowed them to do simple magic such as running faster or concealing themselves in one''s shadow. However, it was very difficult for a mouse to get stronger magically and physically, since one wrong move often got them killed. But if a mouse was able to survive their first five years, there was a good chance they would transform into a higher level mouse beast.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    "I could become a dire rat or a stone rat," said Ham. "Then I''ll really be something strong. One bite from me and even you humans would not be so happy."


    A high level mouse could infect their enemies with diseases and poison! Grey began to see why the quest was so urgent. If one were to leave a nest of mice alone for too long, there would be many high level mice that could kill hundreds of people.


    "What happens when you transform?" asked Grey. "Does your body change?"


    "I am not sure. The only one I know that has transformed is Blue. They¡¯re the boss of our colony. They¡¯re a stone rat. They are much bigger than me and have even defeated a human guard! They are really strong."


    Ham tapped her feet, her tail swirling behind her. Ham spoke happily about famous mouse heroes. Mouse heroes! Grey had not thought monsters had heroes of their own, but Ham talked about them the same as Grey about his own. He began to see why he liked this mouse.


    "But even Blue isn''t as strong as some of the other mice! There was Swiss! Oh! They were a very good mousey hero," said Ham. "Bright and yellow like the sun, they fought off cats and men and would always return with a sack of food. They say that when you see holes in cheese, that is because Swiss was there! That''s why they call it Swiss Cheese!"


    "Haha," laughed Grey. He did not think cheese had such a history.


    "So why did you go into a loom shop? If you did not cause problems there, then there would not be a quest asking to kill all the mice."


    "Well," said Ham, twitching her whiskers. "I have not heard of any loom shop. What do they do there?"


    "They make stuff for clothes there."


    "Oh, I have been there once, but since there was no food I did not do anything. It might have been another mouse.


    "I see. Do you know who else might have went there? Maybe, if we find out who is causing problems we can find a way not to kill all the mice."


    Ham pondered a bit. She placed her paw up to her mouth. "You can speak to Blue. I think they will know what is happening."


    "I see. That sounds good. Ciara could you wake up Oswin. I''ll explain as we walk, but I think I might have a way to help solve our quest. "


    "Hmmm. Okay. But you must tell me how you did it," said Ciara, curiously. She had never seen someone talk to a monster either and wondered if she could do the same.


    Ciara splashed water on Oswin''s face. Oswin woke up with a startled look.


    "Oswin wake up! We need to follow this mouse," said Ciara.


    "Mouse? Where?"


    "This mouse here."


    Oswin looked at the mouse sitting politely in front of Grey.


    "Hello," said Ham, bowing its head. The mouse looked up at Oswin and squeaked.


    "The mouse!! Catch it!!"


    Ciara slapped Oswin.


    "Let me explain..."


    ~~~


    In a remote village, a man with hair as white as snow walked to his horse. Villagers parted for him, not daring to make eye contact. At his side was a long sword. The light glistened off the surface of the blade and gave it a sheen of running water, as if a river flowed from the the hilt of the sword all the way down to the tip.


    A few of the children in the village who were playing tag looked at the man with open eyes. Their mouths gaped before being shooed away by their nervous parents. He paid them no attention. They were blades of grass parting in the wind. Insects.


    Yet, something strange happened.  A villager carrying a bucket suddenly stopped moving. It was a move so sudden his eyes subconsciously moved towards the man. Foot mid-step,  bucket perilously tipped over to one side, drops of water suspended in the air.


    The birds stopped chirping. The leaves stopped falling. Everything around him went still and silent. Time had stopped. No...this was not time. This was an spell. The world melted before him, replaced by a scene of purgatory. The heavenly cycle, Samsara, the wheel of reincarnation. The eyebrows of the man furrowed. Godrealm.


    The man readied his sword, drawing it in front of him.


    "Who dares!" he boomed. His voice carried power, shaking the earth beneath him. A dark laughter echoed on the wind. It seemed to come from all directions, mocking the captive adventurer where he stood.


    The world shifted, the ground became replaced by field of knives. The man swiped a knife with the tip of his sword. Impact. All these knives were real. The ground erupted. The knifes spun in the air and shot towards him.


    Hands raised, an incantation. "Breaking Cascade. The White Wave."


    Moisture coalesced in around him forming a dense wall of water. The knives struck and pierced through the wall, cackling maliciously before dissipating beneath the magical pressure of the watery defense.


    The sword wielder felt a force begin to eat away at his mana.


    It can be said there are two ways to penetrate a person''s defense. One was with brute force, the other was by causing damage to a spell''s internal structure.  The knives seemed to operate by the latter. The damage was severe, forcing him to expend even more mana to keep his defense active.


    The man leaned down on one knee and pressed his hand on the ground. "Sweeping Waves. The Deep Abyss."


    The ground beneath him turned into water, and he sank below. Stopping  near the bottom of his manmade reservoir, he collected his magic.


    Specks of light appeared around his fist. He opened his palm and they gathered into a ball at the center of his palm, taking on the shape of a small white cloud. Little lightning bolts sparked from its surface. He tossed the cloud up, using magic to propel it to the surface of the lake. As it reached the surface of the water, the cloud erupted into a web of lightning bolts.


    "Charged and Discharged. Flash Point."


    Sparks no bigger than one''s pinky spread across everything within a mile of the lake in a gentle rain of electricity.


    A shadow by the edge of the lake swiftly moved back.


    "I found you."


    The man propelled himself from the  lake and launched himself at his attacker, bringing his sword upon his opponent''s head.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Editor''s Notes:


    OMG. WHAT IS GOING ON?!?!?!?! Enjoy :D :D :D


    Sorry for the delay :D :D :D <3 <3 <3

 (Vol II) Chapter 3 : The Secret Beneath the City

    Chapter 3


    The Secret Beneath the City


    ¡°We need to come up with our own formations,¡± said Grey, walking behind Ham. The children had followed the little mouse down the sewers. The tunnels had gotten strange, and old. The mossy brick walls were eventually replaced with hard stone, as if the whole place was carved directly from a mountain.


    ¡°Formations?¡± she replied, casually.


    ¡°I mean, I remember my old teacher used to talk about them. They are things adventurer¡¯s use to keep themselves safe when traveling in dungeons.¡±


    ¡°It could be worth a shot,¡± said Oswin, inquisitively. ¡°But? Will we really need it? I don¡¯t think a mouse can really hurt us.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± shrugged Grey. ¡°A mouse did just beat you up.¡±


    Oswin coughed. ¡°That¡¯s because I didn¡¯t use any magic. Next time, it won¡¯t be so easy.¡±


    ¡°Grey? What is a formation?¡± pressed Ciara,


    ¡°It¡¯s the placement of people in a group,¡± said Grey. ¡°You know how magic works by hand seals and diagrams right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you mean the things Iris taught on the way here to the city?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± nodded Grey. He made a few movements of his own. His hand tracing the shape of a pentagram in the air. ¡°The elemental pentagram which holds all the elements. The alignment of the moon and the earth. The distance between the sky and the stars. Important things give meaning. By aligning our bodies in a pattern. We can give ourselves protection even if we don¡¯t say any words.


    Grey released a little of his aura. Tracing a magical shape in the air. His hands lowered and his legs stretched out in a horse stance. He curled his hand into a fist and swayed making circular shape in the air.


    ¡°So, it is kind of like that saying a person is but a grain of sand, but even sand can become a mountain if gathered together.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± murmured Oswin. ¡°Grey, I have not said it yet, but you are quite smart. Sometimes you sound like Iris. Haha.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that smart,¡± said Grey. ¡°I just know some things.¡±


    ¡°Anyway,¡± continued Oswin, ¡°What are these formations? Did you want us to get in a line or something?¡±


    ¡°I asked Iris a few things while traveling. Let me show you,¡± replied Grey.


    A few minutes later, a group of children stood in a jagged line. Ciara was the front, Oswin was in the middle, and Grey was in the back.


    ¡°So you hold your hands like this and then and then tap. This is the Constellation of Aries. You usually do it with more people, but as long as we have the general shape, even this has some power.¡±


    Grey did as he practiced with Iris. He did not release his aura but focused it internally, directing his aura through his finger and striking Oswin in the back. The power coursed from Grey to Oswin. Oswin likewise struck Ciara in the back. Connected. A faint glow emanated from the children and power radiated forth. Their aura¡¯s coalesced together and formed a shape. They moved in unison. Left arm. Forward.  Right Leg out. Swivel on their on leg. Knee raised. Then down into a low tiger stance. The image of a large tiger, teeth raised, projected forth from their auras. It¡¯s paws gripping on the walls, shaking the earth.


    Grey breathed in deeply and then released his finger from Oswin¡¯s back. The formation broken, everyone¡¯s separate auras returned back to their bodies. Ham shook in a corner terrified. Grey had told Ham that they were trying to practice something, but this was too much for a little mouse!


    ¡°Wha! Grey, I did not know you were a tiger! Sorry! Sorry! I¡¯ll never attack you or any humans ever again!¡±


    Grey looked surprised, and then smiled. ¡°I am not a tiger. It¡¯s just when we do this things like that happens.¡±


    ¡°That was amazing!¡± shouted Ciara, leaping into the air. ¡°If you knew this then perhaps we should have done this in the beginning before we attacked Ham.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think we would need it for a mouse,¡± shrugged Grey. If they had use this on Ham, there probably wouldn¡¯t even be a rat tail left for them to collect for the guild.


    ¡°It¡¯s better than getting beat again,¡± replied Oswin. ¡°Let¡¯s just use it if we are in danger and we can¡¯t run.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Grey in agreement. Ciara nodded as well, bouncing up and down. Imagining all the things they could do with it. If they did different formations would the three of them transform into another powerful creature? This made her giddy in her heart.


    A few hours later, the tunnels grew dark and eerie. The torches gradually changed, their shape and texture were wholly unfamiliar. They burned brightly with light, but the light had slowly turned green instead of the usual orange. Oswin whispered this in Grey¡¯s ear and before long they came across a long corridor where no light shined at all.


    ¡°What is this?¡± replied Oswin, peering into the darkness. ¡°It¡¯s completely dark!¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡± said Grey, teasingly. ¡°I can¡¯t tell.¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry.¡± said Oswin, quickly. ¡°I forgot you are blind.¡±


    ¡°It is kind of scary. I wonder why all the lights are out here,¡± said Ciara, leaning to her right. She tried to see if bending sideways would let her see something. ¡°No, definitely can¡¯t see anything.¡±


    ¡°I got a torch,¡± replied Oswin, taking one of the torches off the walls. ¡°If it goes out, maybe we can use our aura to come back?¡±


    ¡°We could,¡± replied Grey. The only problem was it took mana to project aura; eventually they¡¯d get tired and have to go back.


    ¡°Let me take a torch,¡± said Grey. He reached out towards Oswin. ¡°Ciara should take one too. So if one goes out we can light it with another one.¡±


    The children each took one torch. They left the corridor and proceeded deeper in the sewers. Grey asked Ham as they walked if there were any monsters here. The little mouse replied.


    ¡°I usually run every time there is noise! So, I think so but I haven¡¯t seen them.¡±


    They came across a vast underground chamber. The walls here had strange engravings in the stone. Oswin came near one of them and lit it up. The wall stretched so far up that it looked like there was no ceiling.


    ¡°How far did we go down,¡± murmured Oswin. The engravings in the wall formed a picture, a large dragon breathing fire down on a lonely man carrying a sword. No, the man wasn¡¯t alone. Behind him there were four other figures. Their images obscured by time. The only person he could make out was a little boy who had a hat too big for his head.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t look like the sewers,¡± said Oswin, touching the engraving.


    ¡°It does not,¡± said Ciara, shining her torch at another wall. Here a different picture was engraved into the wall. A city on fire. Hundreds of people set aflame. Their faces contorted in anguish. But...as Ciara stood back a few feet. These faces formed one larger face in the background. Their screams forming a smile, the fires forming its eyes.


    Grey walked forward. His hands feeling on the cold stone. An image flashed in his head. A bright light, the wings of a dove fluttering in the background, a calm melody. A second and it was gone, leaving him stunned.


    ¡°Ham?¡± said Grey, feeling on the stone wall. He could not see the picture the engravings were making, but he sensed something was here. It wasn¡¯t magic. It did not give off that feel. This was something older, more distant.


    ¡°Grey,¡± said Ham, scratching her ear. She waited at the far end of the room. Her tail wagging beside her. ¡°What is wrong?¡±


    ¡°This place? Do you know what this is?¡±


    ¡°Ham doesn¡¯t know,¡± said Ham, but her voice did not come from the front. The voice came from his side, as if Ham was inside the wall.


    ¡°Ham only knows what Ham knows,¡± the little mouse continued. Her voice echoing from the floor.


    ¡°Ham doesn¡¯t know many human things. Come! We are are almost there,¡± repeated Ham. Her voice returned to normal. She was in front of Grey, looking at him with beady eyes.


    Grey started to sweat. His mind full of doubts. A dove...Ham¡¯s voice¡­.


    ¡°Oswin!¡± shouted Grey, turning his head back towards his friends. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I am okay,¡± replied Oswin, nonchalantly. ¡°Are we almost there? This place is really weird.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± murmured Grey. He wondered if it was all in his head. He had heard that sometimes people will hear or see things  that were real.


    ¡°We ready to go?¡± jumped Ciara. She walked by Grey and tapped him on the shoulder. ¡°I want to see this boss mouse. We might even get to use our special attack!¡±


    ¡°We are suppose to talk to it,¡± smiled Grey. He playfully pushed her forward to get her to walk.


    The distance between the walls got farther and farther the deeper they went. Oswin could no longer see from one end to the other, the chamber had become a vast cavern. He could hear things scuttling in the darkness. A rock bounced off the stone floor, disturbed by a shadow that moved just out of sight. A single light in vast ocean of darkness.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± said Ciara, slightly trembling. It was dark, everywhere around her. There was nothing to hold onto. Nothing to touch except for the ground on her feet. She felt as if the floor suddenly flip over  she would fall sideways and never come back up.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Grey furrowed his eyebrows, listening to the shadows in the distance. There was a sloshing of water, slowing inching its way towards them. He stopped Oswin who was walking next to him.


    ¡°Oswin do you hear that?¡± said Grey, nervously.


    Oswin stopped and listened.


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it is coming closer. Ham? Ham are you there?¡± called Grey. He waited for the little mouse¡¯s voice to come up in front of him, but heard nothing. The mouse was gone.


    Ciara held Grey¡¯s arm, shaking. Her courage had evaporated. Her mind remembering her ordeal in the forest. ¡°I don¡¯t like scary things. I don¡¯t like scary things. Alexis...Alexis...¡±


    ¡°Grey,¡± said Oswin, calmly. ¡°We should do the formation.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but¡± replied Grey, turning towards Ciara. ¡°Ciara. We need you to get in front of us. We are going to do the special attack. Wake up. Wake up.¡±


    Grey gently slapped Ciara on the face. She didn¡¯t respond, repeating the words. ¡°Alexis...Alexis¡­.¡±


    Oswin¡¯s face paled. They needed to move in unison for the formation to work. The sound had already gotten close enough that he could almost feel the water touching his skin.


    Grey smacked Ciara in the cheek, but she repeated her words even louder.


    ¡°She¡¯s gone stupid!¡± said Oswin, ¡°Grey stay behind me. If I start falling down. Hit whatever it is with your torch.¡±


    Grey readied himself behind Oswin. The thing approached. It was a slime. It¡¯s green translucent body came into view, pieces of a sword and armor in its stomach. It moved slowly towards Oswin, tentacles shooting forth from its body. Oswin whacked one of the tentacles and unleashed his aura. Iris said not to use their magic, but Oswin feared for his life! He leaped and dodged out of the way.


    Grey stood behind him and unleashed his aura at the same time.


    ¡°Oswin what is it?¡± cried Grey, only able to hear the battle.


    ¡°It¡¯s a slime!¡± said Oswin, panting. Oswin looked at his torch. It went out. The tip of it had completely melted as soon as it touched the slime¡¯s body. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it! It melts things it touches.¡±


    Grey¡¯s heart nearly leaped from his chest. A slime! Even adventurers ran away from them because one swing and their weapon would be broken. Grey¡¯s first reaction was to¡­.run!


    ¡°Oswin let¡¯s run back!¡± shouted Grey. He turned to move but Ciara held him in place. ¡°Ciara!! We have to run! Move!¡±


    Grey tried to budge the girl remained firmly planted on the ground. She shivered. No longer making as sound.


    ¡°Grey!¡± said Oswin, watching the scene. The slime was close. Grey¡¯s mind raced through a dozen possible situations. He focused his aura internally in his body, allowing it to envelop his fist. The slime lurched its body forward to swallow him whole. Grey punched the slime, wildly swinging his free arm in front of him. Smack. Smack. The slime recoiled and retreated a few feet.


    Grey continued to wildly swing, not knowing where it was. He felt a stinging pain in his hand and quickly used his other hand to touch it to make sure it was still there. There were burn marks on his hand. It had melted the top layer of his skin. He focused his aura and slowly began to heal himself.


    ¡°I-I can punch it,¡± exclaimed Grey, shaking. He slowly wrenched himself free from Ciara¡¯s grip and listened for the slime.


    Oswin stood there surprised, and then remembered Grey¡¯s ability. Healing. He could do it.


    ¡°Grey, the slime is to your right. It¡¯s crawling away. Give me your torch.¡±


    Oswin quickly walked to Grey and took the torch from his hands. Oswin followed the slime, and directed Grey towards it. It might come back to kill us. It might kill us. Grey remembered the winged creatures in the forest. He told them to stop, but they wouldn¡¯t stop. They just kept hurting him, even if he did nothing. Even if he cried and shouted for them to stop. That¡¯s right...things that hurt him should die. Die, so they wouldn¡¯t hurt him anymore.


    Grey found the slime, slithering away. He focused his aura around his hands, and pounded away. Again and again. Grey punched it till his hands were raw and his bones were showing. In the end, the slime became nothing more than a pile of goo. A sword that lay inside its body now remained uncovered along with a battered shield.


    ¡°It dropped something,¡± mumbled Oswin. ¡°Grey...are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I am fine,¡± said Grey. He couldn¡¯t feel anything in his hands. He sat down and began to focus on healing his body, the sound of his aura changing as he did so.


    Oswin ran back to Ciara who was still laying on the floor talking to herself.


    ¡°Ciara. Look. It¡¯s dead. It¡¯s dead. Grey killed it.¡±


    Ciara looked at Oswin. Life returning to her eyes.


    ¡°Dead?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± replied Oswin, pointing at the pile of goo. ¡°Dead.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± sighed Ciara, picking herself up. ¡°Ah...sorry.¡±


    ¡°It happens,¡± said Oswin, patting her on the back. He too had his share of nightmares in the forest. Had the situation been a little different, he might be the one on the floor. ¡°It dropped a few things though. We got some loot!¡±


    ¡°Loot?¡± smiled Ciara. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but let¡¯s look at Grey first. He did most of the work.¡±


    The two children came up to Grey. He was still concentrating on his wounds. The muscles in his hands were beginning to form over his raw bones and tendons. His face contorted in incredible pain. He had been hurt all the time, but no matter what he never got used to it. The tiger nearly ripping his body in half. Those winged creatures ripping at his face. Being hurt was frightening. Even a small cut on his finger made him remember those near death experiences. As if he had never really escaped the forest or that knight back at his village.


    Ciara touched Grey on the shoulder, soothing his thoughts.


    ¡°Grey, I¡¯m sorry. I...messed up.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± sighed Grey, calming down. ¡°I am kind of messed up too.¡±


    Ciara looked at Grey¡¯s bloody hand, and felt guilty. If she had done their formation. Perhaps, he wouldn¡¯t have been hurt so. She gently patted him on the back.


    ¡°Grey, the slime left some loot!¡± said Ciara, leaning towards the slime.


    ¡°It did?¡± said Grey, a little happy. He had heard monsters sometimes ate weapons and dropped them when they were killed. ¡°What did it drop?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± said Oswin, walking towards the slime. He picked at it carefully, avoiding the puddle of ooze the best he could. He took out the items, cleaned them with a rag, and lay them in front of Grey. ¡°There is a sword, a shield, a ring, and a necklace.¡±


    ¡°We should split it up,¡± said Grey, happily. ¡°Can I have the necklace? It¡¯ll be easier for me to find it since I have to use my hand sometimes when I walk around.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± nodded Oswin, picking up the necklace. He handed it over to Grey. ¡°Ciara did you want the sword, shield, or ring?¡±


    Ciara shook her head. ¡°If I panic again. It won¡¯t be good. I¡¯ll take the ring.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the sword and shield then,¡± said Oswin. He picked up his items, and Ciara picked up the ring. Oswin swung the sword a couple of times through the air. He was still a child, so the weight was a little heavy for him.


    ¡°I wondered what happened to Ham,¡± sighed Grey. He turned his head and called out. ¡°Ham! Are you there! We killed the slime! Come back!¡±


    Grey¡¯s voice echoed through the dark cavern.


    ¡°She might have gotten scared,¡± said Oswin. ¡°Do we know the way back from here?¡±


    ¡°I think so¡­.¡± said Grey, cautiously. ¡°Ciara, the map?¡±


    ¡°I have it wait,¡± replied Ciara, rummaging through her bag. She pulled out her map. ¡°We just need to head back towards the¡­.¡±


    She stopped. Her face lost all color.


    ¡°What?¡± said Oswin. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°We have a map, but...which way is back?¡±


    She looked all around her. Darkness. They were lost.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Author¡¯s Note:


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Hello everyone. It¡¯s been a while. Working on trying to publish the first book, my job, and other miscellaneous things have gotten me a little muddled. So, good news and bad news. Good news is my editor got a job! Yahoo! Bad news is he won¡¯t have as much time to spend on editing my work as before, so things are going to get a little sloppy.


    Also, I¡¯ve been getting hung up on making things perfect that it¡¯s messing with my creativity lately. I¡¯m getting the feeling I should just post, and call the whole thing a draft. So things might not make as much sense, and the kinks might not work out, but I think posting the story out there, and then coming back to it later to fix all the mistakes is what I need to focus on.


    So, I¡¯m going to try to return to the daily posts and dear goodness try to flood the rest of the second volume on here, so I can start on the volume book. Thank you readers for all the support. (>_<). I¡¯ll see you guy¡¯s next time!

 (Vol.II) Chapter 4 : Land of Lies

    Chapter 4


    Land of Lies


    The children stood in the middle of a vast dark cavern, each one had their own thoughts, but all of them were thinking of a way to get out of this place. All of them, except Ciara.


    "We are lost!" cried Ciara.


    Ciara," said Grey, calmly. "If we go far enough in one direction. We will eventually hit a wall and be able to go back."


    "That''s right," nodded Oswin, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Get a hold of yourself. Stop freaking out."


    "Okay," said Ciara, shaking her head. "I am calm. I am like a leaf in an ocean. Inner Peace. Inner Peace."


    Ciara took in a deep breath.


    "I am okay. What now?"


    "This way," said Grey, feeling around the floor. "The ooze is over there, so if we head away from the ooze we should be going backwards."


    The children nodded in agreement, and followed Grey through the cavern. The darkness parted like an ephemeral veil, always present, yet far away. Grey was going the right way. He was sure of it, but when he stopped. His hands felt the cold touch of an iron wall before him, and not the stone wall he had expected. He gasped in surprise.


    "Whoa," replied Oswin, behind Grey. "Was this here before?"


    "I don''t think so," said Grey, feeling around the peculiar barrier. There were no inscriptions. No markings. It was slick and polished. Their reflections could be clearly seen on its surface, as if the wall was one large mirror.


    "I think I can see something," said Ciara, touching the surface. Her sweet face was there. Her short hair, fringes on the side, with bangs going over one of her eyes. She had lost an eye during her awakening and hated to look at it, calling it unfashionable. Still, there was beauty in there. Mesmerizing. Her eyes opened as her reflection began to changed shape, growing into a gorgeous woman.


    Her powers had been fully realized. She did not control the elements. Her magic was something else entirely. She levitated blocks of stone around her. She could fly.


    "Ciara what is it?" said Grey, worried.


    In an instant, the illusion vanished, leaving behind a little girl with pants too large for her body and a worn out shirt.


    "Ah, nothing." murmured Ciara. She looked at herself with a bit of disappointment.


    Oswin walked behind her.


    "It''s just our reflection," said Oswin, looking into the mirror.


    He was a boy with unkempt blonde hair and blue eyes. He had not grown up as he had wanted to. His body was too small, too weak. The frail arms on his side an attestment to that. Weakness. He hated it. Though he would never admit it.


    Never admit your mistakes. Always be perfect. That was what his mother had told him. If you want something hard enough, then it will be so. His reflection changed before his eyes. He did not recoil, but grinned, watching the young boy change into a man. It was not a strong man. No...but one that radiated power. He touched, and people''s memories became raw to him. He played with them as if they were toys. He was...


    "Oswin!" said Grey. He did not know what happened, but Oswin suddenly muttering to himself. An illusion? Grey began to grasp at the nature of this unnatural wall. "This place is not safe. We should leave"


    Oswin shook his head, waking from his stupor. "It...shows you things Grey. I am not sure if it is in my head, but it is a nice dream."


    "We should try to find a way around it," said Grey, walking next to the door. "All these things under the city...."


    Oswin shrugged and followed close behind. Ciara did the same. Then, as they walked for a few more minutes, Oswin saw something scurrying in the reflection. It was a mouse. Ham!


    "Grey, stop for a moment," said Oswin, looking at the wall. It really was the mouse. Oswin looked behind him, but the mouse wasn''t there. It was inside the wall.


    "Huh? What is it?" said Grey.


    "It''s Ham?" said Oswin, looking deeply  But she is inside the wall? She looks like she is trying to tell us something."


    Ciara looked at the scurrying little mouse. It almost was like the mouse was trying to invite them in. It''s paws opened wide, pointing at a crack between the floor and the wall. Ciara touched the crack, feeling strange warmth in her body.


    "This? Is this magic?" whispered Ciara.


    "Magic?" said Grey, curiously. The illusions. The monsters. It would make sense if this was all magic. However, there was something about that vision Grey had back in the tunnel that felt off. Magic was like a pressure. You pushed and it pushed back.  That wall didn''t push. It pulled, taking pieces of you into it. Pieces of....


    "I am going to do something," said Grey. "If I get into trouble. Don''t come after me."


    "Huh?" said Ciara, "What are you?"


    Grey breathed in deeply and released his aura. He touched the wall with his hand. He felt a vibration running along the entire length of the wall, shaking the floor beneath him. He began to realize, it wasn''t the wall shaking. It was him. He felt himself being sucked in. A moment later, he heard a little voice next to him.


    "Grey, you made it!" said Ham, "I didn''t know if you could do it."


    "Ham?" said Grey, "Is that you?"


    "It is me! Ham is Ham. Grey is Grey. You are here at my home," said Ham, bowing her head.


    "Oswin? Ciara?"


    Grey heard a loud bang from the wall next to him. He had traveled to the other side of the iron wall. That must have been Ciara or Oswin. He turned to face the wall, and put his thumbs up. It wasn''t before long till he heard a loud plop next to him.


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    "Ow," said Ciara. "Grey are you there?"


    "I am here," smiled Grey. He found Ciara next to him, and helped her to her feet.


    "Why did you do that so suddenly? Don''t you know we are a team! If something happened to you then-


    "I am sorry," said Grey, politely. He bowed graciously to Ciara as an apology. His head held very low.


    "Well, as long as you know." smiled Ciara, patting him on the head. "Where is Oswin?"


    "Oomph!" cried a voice next to Ciara. Oswin lay on the floor, and shook his head. "That was...different. Grey are you alright?"


    "Yes, I am fine." said Grey. "Look, I found Ham. She says this is her home."


    Her home. Oswin looked back at the iron wall. It was not iron on this side, the wall was painted over with a picture of a lush forest. The ceiling had a sun, a light that shone across the land, and a castle in the distance. The first thing that Oswin noticed was that was everything here was fake. Oswin looked at a tree next to him. It was a perfectly sculpted rock that had been colored over. That sun shining in the water colored sky was made out of glittering gold, dazzling the eyes.


    "What kind of place is this?" said Oswin, looking around him. "It almost looks like the city, but that castle. I have never seen a castle like that. Everything here...is painted?"


    Ciara nodded. She touched the grass near the trees. All the rocks had been carved to imitate life. There were sculptures of animals, birds, and even monsters. A fake slime, roamed across the grass, being swatted by a flock of birds.


    Ham bounced up and down and front of them.


    "I guess we can look at these later," murmured Oswin, remembering their quest. They had to meet up with that stone mouse, and figure a way to not kill all the mice. Oswin gently pushed Ciara forward, away from the glittering flowers, and followed the mouse.


    Grey walked behind them, feeling the ground. The children walked passed a forest of large trees that towered over their heads, a farmland, and eventually came across a small village. Grey realized that the place they had traveled to was enormous, nearly as big as the city above them. So much land, underground. His head was reeling.


    In the village there were sculptors of people frozen in place. A couple of boys ran from a dog, knocking over a basket of apples. A woman''s hair blew in the wind. Her dress rippling behind fields of wheat. People smiled and laughed oblivious that it was all not real. Ciara touched the face of a young girl who was offering a flower to an elderly man. She leaned closer to the little statue''s face, admiring her life like appearance before hearing a tiny whisper.


    "Help me," cried the statue.


    Ciara''s eyes opened in shock and ran after Grey and Oswin who were talking together about how real everything here was. They turned towards Ciara a little surprised.


    "Did you find something?" said Oswin.


    Ciara shook her head, unwilling to tell them what she had heard. She wasn''t sure the statue had been talking to her. It must be a trick of her mind. It had to be. She walked behind Oswin and Grey as they followed Ham through the village.


    A castle stood on the top of a hill, overlooking the village. It had long narrow ramparts and twisted pointed towers. The gatehouse, several hundred feet tall, stood opened. A sea of skeletons littering the entrance inside. Ham led them over the mountain of skeletons and into the courtyard.


    "Let me find Blue. He is somewhere in the castle. I''ll be back!" said Ham, scurrying away under the door.


    Grey sat by a fountain in the courtyard with Oswin and Ciara. They all looked at each other with anxiously.


    "This place," said Oswin. "Skeletons. Fake grass. Fake sky. Who would make something like this?"


    "Maybe it wasn''t made." said Grey, calmly. He had been in so many near death experiences that even skeletons hadn''t frightened him much. "I mean it feels like this was too much for one person to do...it could be something else."


    "Someone had to paint it," said Ciara, sweating. "Those people. They seemed real."


    Grey nodded. "The monster''s too. This might a place of power?"


    Grey touched his chest, remembering his magical core next to his heart. The awakening had feeling similar to this. They might be able to meditate here and gain some worldly insight.


    "I don''t know," said Oswin, grasping at Grey''s words. "I don''t feel any magic here."


    "I don''t either," nodded Grey, "but there is something special about this place. It''s too unusual. That wall we had to pass through had to have been made by something powerful."


    "That is right," murmured Oswin.


    "I''ll do it," said Ciara, "We won''t be doing anything anyway till the mouse comes back."


    "Okay, I will do it too," scoffed Oswin, shaking his head. He took a spot on the opposite end of the fountain. Ciara shuffled to Grey''s left and sat on the floor. She tied a knot into her hair.


    "Good Luck. Good Luck. Good Luck," Ciara whispered to herself before falling into a deep trance.


    Grey took in a deep breath, relaxing his body. Breath in. Breath out. His breath slow down. His arms started to drop. The darkness fading into the background. He felt the warmth of light on his cheek. A light shining in the sky. He opened his eyes. He could see.

 (Vol.II) Chapter 5 : Visions and Dreams

    Chapter 5


    Visions and Dreams


    He could see! It had been such a long time. Grey stood there stupefied, looking up at the beautiful blue sky. He rubbed his eyes, and laughed to himself. Was this a vision? A worldly insight? He wasn''t sure, but he could see.


    "Oswin! Ciara! I..." said Grey. He looked to face them, but when he turned around they were nowhere to be found. Instead, numerous shadows slithered beneath the surface of the courtyard, each carrying a different form. They whispered amongst themselves, eyeing him hungrily like a sea of snakes wading in shallow waters.


    He looked at these shadows a little frightened, and took a step back. A shadow coalesced in front of him, forming out of the ground. A mouse, vividly rose up from the darkness, and touched him. Two black holes where its eyes should be.


    "Give them back," said a little tiny mouse. "Give them back."


    Grey touched his eyes. His eyes which should have been his, but on his head he felt nothing but gaping hole. He screamed.


    ~~~


    Grey awoke with a sweat, a little mouse was there at his feet poking at him. "Grey are you alright?" said Ham, twitching her nose. "I have come back!"


    "Ham," said Grey. His world had become dark again. An illusion. None of that had been real. He was still blind.


    "Oswin? Ciara?"


    "Hmmm," murmured Ciara, waking from her slumber. "That was weird."


    Ciara shook her head and went off to wake up Oswin. They both returned a moment later.


    "I found Blue! Come follow me! Then you can talk to him," said Ham. Grey nodded, shaking off the fear from his body. He had seen something, a mouse. His eyes.


    "I see with eyes that are not mine," whispered Grey, recalling his vision. He wondered if that was the path he should be taking. If that gaping hole in his head was his worldly insight. He had to ask Iris about what it meant after they got back.


    Ham led the children through the castle into one of the halls. A stone altar lay in the middle of the room, a statue resting on top of it.


    "Blue! I''m home! How have you been?" said Ham, cheerfully. The little mouse scurried up near the altar. As the little mouse went up, the statue suddenly moved. Its head turned. Dust falling from its body, revealing long haggard whiskers, and two sapphires eyes. A stone mouse!


    The stone mouse looked playfully at the little mouse that came up and started bouncing on its head. Its eyes closed and open as if waking from a dream. As the stone mouse looked around, its eyes came to rest upon the three children, two of which looked absolutely shocked. It let out a horse yet deep growl that echoed through the chamber.


    "Grey, here''s Blue. What did you want to say to him?" said Ham, happily.


    "Ah?" frowned Grey, scratching his head. "I can''t understand him,"


    "Huh!?" shouted Ham, surprised.


    "I don''t know why either."


    Grey had only heard a feral growl. Had Ham been special? Or was there something he was missing to be able to speak to monsters?


    "Ham, since I can''t speak. Could you translate for me?" said Grey, turning towards Ham.  "I could ask through you and you can ask Blue."


    Ham nodded. "Okay, I don''t mind. Blue, this is Grey! A human child. He said people were coming to kill mouses for a quest, and wants to help us out."


    The stone mouse, tilted its head curiously, and yawned revealing a row of crystalline teeth. It twitched its whiskers sheepishly, letting out a quick studded sound. The sound of rocks churned inside the stone mouse''s belly. A deep reverberating squeak came out of its throat and then the stone mouse lay back on the altar as if where sleeping.


    "Blue said that he doesn''t mind. There are too many mice in the first place?! Blue! How could you say that. Why are you smiling. Stop laughing!"


    Oswin and Ciara could see a slight grin on the stone mouse''s face as the Ham bounced up and down on its head furiously. Ham than raced all over the larger stone mouse''s back and then started nibbling on its tail.


    Blue opened its mouth, the rocks churning in its stomach, and let out what Grey thought sounded like sigh. Blue said a few more deep squeaks and rested its head on its paws.


    "Hmph. Hmph!" said Ham, pouting. "That''s right you better be sorry."


    Grey giggled. "So, does he know anything about the loom shop?"


    "Ah, that''s right," nodded Ham, turning back to the stone mouse. "Blue! Grey said that they came to kill mice because someone is making trouble in the human cloth shop. Do you know anything about that?"


    Blue closed his eyes and started snoring.


    "Stop making fun of me!!" cried Ham. "This is why I left in the first place. Stop pretending to sleep."


    The stone mouse snorted playfully and made a few deep squeaks.


    "Blue," said Ham. "Blue says that it was probably one of the newer mouses. Ginger and Cinnamon. He doesn''t know what they did to cause such a problem though."


    "Cinnamon?" said Grey, curiously. "I have been meaning to ask but how do mice name themselves?"


    "We name ourselves after our favorite thing in the whole wide world," cried Ham. "I like ham. So my name is Ham. Blue likes blue things. So his name is blue."


    "I see," smiled Grey. "That''s not a bad way to do things."


    "Of course not!" said Ham, shaking her head.  "It''s the best way! How do humans name themselves?"


    "Well, we name ourselves after our parents. So our names sometimes come out funny. We also name ourselves after things we want to be."


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    "So since you are a boy. They call you Grey Boy?" asked Ham, playfully.


    Grey laughed, remembering his books. "Kind of. If your dad is John. They sometimes call you Johnson. Cause you are John''s son."


    "Humans are so weird," scoffed Ham, "My dad was named Yellow. So if I was human I should be called Yellow Ham. Everyone knows Ham is not yellow. So sad."


    Grey smiled "I guess. Anyway, now that we are here. Can we look around? Where can we find Cinnamon and Ginger?"


    In truth, Grey was a little curious about the world these mice lived in. Monsters. How their lives must be similar yet different to humans. If they spoke did they make their own cities? A monster city. Grey shuddered at the thought. But even so, as Ham spoke to Blue again, Grey was drawn to the strangeness of this room.


    "Blue says they like cookies. So they will be near bakery."


    "Looks like we have to get of the sewers then," sighed Grey. He remembered the bakery girl he met earlier. Ran. Should they visit her shop? No way.


    "Hmm?" said Ciara, looking at Grey. "Grey what happened? What did the big mouse say?"


    "Blue said that the mouse who were causing problems are probably near a bakery."


    Ciara''s eyes lit up. "Melon Bread! M-M-Melon Bread!" She danced around happily.


    Oswin too started to smile and stretched his arm over Grey''s shoulder. "Well that makes things easy. Let''s go back to that shop. That reminds me. You didn''t get a taste of that bread did you?"


    "I did not," chuckled Grey, casually. Ciara had acted so silly at the time, he had been embarrassed to ask for one.


    "When we grow up we should definitely make it a law to eat that bread forever," giggled Oswin. "So that all shall know the power of the Melon Bread!"


    "Haha, okay," giggled Grey. "By the way Oswin. I feel something different about this room. Could you tell me what you see?"


    "Oh? Is it magical? I feel no magic, but...hmm. You are right something is different."


    Oswin looked around the ceiling and at the walls. Tree roots. This place was filled with tree roots. There were a few bricks, shattered wood over the floor, and strange drawings on the walls. The stone altar in the center.


    "This place...looks like an old temple," said Oswin.


    "A temple?" said Grey, incredulously.


    "Yes. I have seen a few temples. There are drawings on the wall. Pictures of some old battle. The big stone mouse sits on an altar at the end of the room. These wood boards on the floor look like they used to be seats."


    Oswin walked over and picked some of the shattered wood debris on the ground. He pieced them together, forming a phrase.


    "Keep us safe. Keep us sound. Return all things. To where they are found?"


    Oswin flipped over the boards. "Sounds like a chant. I wonder if this is a spell?"


    Grey nodded. "It could be, but don''t try to use it. Iris said that magic can be dangerous. Magic without purpose-"


    "-can only hurt us." smiled Oswin. "I know. Okay, Mr. Worrywort. I am just curious that''s all. Just curious."


    Oswin placed back the wooden boards back on the ground and then realized that together these wooden boards created a larger image when lined properly on the floor. He gently kicked the boards slightly to the side so that Ciara wouldn''t see them.


    "We should be heading back soon," said Oswin, looking around the ruins. "Iris said to come back before it got dark."


    Grey nodded. It had been a few hours since they had left for the sewers. It they waited too long then they might not back to the inn in time. At night, most inns close their doors, and they might get locked out.


    "Ciara! Come on let''s go back. It''s getting late" called Grey.


    "Coming!" replied Ciara, dropping rock. She whipped out the map from her bag and started to make her way out of the chamber.


    Ham then looked at Grey. "What are you doing?"


    "We have to go back to our ''home'' to sleep," said Grey. He thought about using the word ''Inn'' but realized mouses might not know what an Inn is. "Did you want to come with us? We can talk more and I can give you lots of ham!"


    "Really!" hummed Ham, dreamily. She ran up to Grey''s sleeve and snuggled next to his cheek. "Would you please! I would really like you. Maybe, add some honey? Oh and glaze it with the fire."


    Grey smiled. Iris did have a little bit of smoked ham from their travels. She would understand right? "Yep! And you''ll even get to sleep on a soft fluffy bed."


    "Hehe," said Ham, drooling. "Ham...Ham.."


    ============


    Author''s Note:


    ============


    Hi everyone so a little bit about my editing process at the moment. I have been reading a bit on how books are published, and I have heard it usually takes a few total revisions before the final product is out. That is the writer goes out and rewrites the whole thing from scratch 3-4 times until it comes out right.


    While I am not sure if that is true. It does feel like if I went through this a second time it would go a lot faster. The end goal is to make a manuscript. I will be looking at some resources these coming days and maybe do a novel swap with a few other writers to get some second hand opinion on plot, direction, and pacing. I do have enough material currently for a book, but I feel some things in the first volume, while they can be expanded upon, I am not exactly sure how to do that at the moment.


    Anyway, I will see you all next time. Thank you for reading. £í£¨?¨R _ ¨Q?£©£í

 (Vol. II) Chapter 6 : Chain-Linked System

    Chapter 6


    Chain-Linked System


    By the time the children pushed aside the heavy stone brick covering the sewer entrance it was nighttime. The stars glimmered in the sky. Torches lit across the city.


    "From one dark place to another," mumbled Oswin. He climbed out of the tunnel and looked around before helping Ciara and Grey up. They hastily closed the entrance behind them and made their way to the inn. The innkeeper was closing the door when the children came running from the corner.


    "Stop!" said Ciara, trying to catch her breath. "Let us in!"


    "Children," mumbled the old innkeeper, shaking his hand. "Go off to bed."


    "We are with a person named Iris. Let us in," said Ciara, anxiously. She walked up to the door, but the innkeeper stopped her.


    "No runaways," said the old innkeeper firmly, holding his nose. She smelled like sewage water. He blocked her with his arm and pushed her back. She fell down to the ground.


    "Hey you," said Oswin, a little angry. "You didn''t have to push her down."


    "Just last night, I had to kick a few of you younglings out of my door. Are you the same children stealing food from me too? Darn city kids."


    Oswin was about to say something when Grey stopped him. Grey bowed respectfully, to the innkeeper.


    "Please sir, we came with a person named Iris. I have this."


    Grey pulled out the guild seal out of his pocket and showed it to the innkeeper. The innkeeper scoffed, and reluctantly let the children in.


    "Second Floor. Room 4," scowled the innkeeper, shaking his head. Ciara picked herself up and rubbed her arm. They went upstairs and lightly tapped on the door. Iris called them inside.


    "Grey. Oswin. Ciara," smiled Iris. She was sitting at her study, reading a book. She took off her reading glasses and placed it on the table. "You didn''t go to the guild today? Is everything alright?"


    "We nearly died," said Ciara, walking to her bed. She fell over, and plopped onto the soft mattress.


    "Died? Grey? Oswin?" said Iris, looking for an explanation.


    A mouse popped out of Grey''s shirt, looking around the room.


    "I...well," said Grey not knowing where to begin.


    "We saw something in the sewers," said Oswin, taking over. He told Iris about their trip through the tunnels, their meeting with Ham, and the strange ruins underneath the city. Iris raised her eyebrow, but quietly listened to the whole story.


    "And then that innkeeper pushed Ciara onto the ground," said Oswin, angrily. "Why did he have to do that? He could have just told her to show him proof."


    "That''s just the way he is," said Iris, gently. He went over and ruffled Oswin''s hair. "No need to get angry. Anger clouds your judgment."


    Iris took out a handkerchief from her table and wiped down Oswin''s sweaty face. He moved away embarrassed and took one of the beds closest to the door.


    "Your things are in the closet. I unpacked them earlier," smiled Iris. "We can talk about this more in the morning. For now, let''s go to bed."


    Grey walked over to his luggage on his bed, put on his pajamas, and sank underneath the bed sheets. He hadn''t been in a bed since he had first met Iris. At that time, he was still bedridden. His body infirm and weak. He opened and closed his hands, to remember the feeling.


    Iris kissed each of the children on the forehead, and blew out the lights. The night closed in and the darkness took over.


    ~~~


    In dreams, Grey could hear the cries of a little girl in the cave. She had hair as gold as the sun, and wept softly by a rock. A boy lay next to her, withered away like a twig. Arms no bigger than the bones on his flesh.


    "Why would you leave me," said the little girl, banging on the boy''s chest. "You were suppose to be a hero. What kind of hero dies like this."


    Grey remembered this scene. It was him, back when he had been enslaved. He went over to the young girl to comfort her. As his hand touched her shoulder. She turned around and glared at him. She had two holes where her eyes should be.


    "Give him back. Give him back to me!"


    Grey awoke with a startle. Iris was there beside his bed. The soft touch of her hand on his forehead.


    "Another bad dream?" said Iris.


    "Yes," said Grey, pushing her hand away. He got up and out of bed.


    "This little mouse is pretty interesting," smiled Iris, playfully teasing the mouse on the nightstand. She dangled a piece of ham over the mouse''s head, teaching it to spin around twice, before giving the mouse food.


    "Ham. Ham," squeaked the mouse, happily.


    "Iris," said Grey, suddenly. He touched the edge of the bed and made his way to the window. He felt the warmth of the sun on his cheek. "Can I ask you about my vision? The one I had in the sewers?"


    "Yes," said Iris, curiously. "You can ask me. What did you see?"


    "I could see Iris. My eyes. I saw an ocean of shadows at my feet, and then there a mouse with no eyes. The mouse told me that I stole its eyes. That''s when I wake up. What does that mean?"


    "Grey, let me ask you something," said Iris, standing up from his bed. She went over next to him and opened the windows, allowing a gentle breeze to run through her hair. Grey could almost see her. Her hair blowing in the wind.


    "Why do you want to save those mice? The quest was to kill them remember?"


    "Because it''s the right thing to do," said Grey.


    "You are still saying that?" smiled Iris.


    "Sorry," said Grey.


    "It''s okay, that''s not something I dislike about you," said Iris. "A person should have things that they believe in. Just remember it is better to bend the rules you follow rather than to break them."


    "I''ll try to remember," nodded Grey, getting out of bed. "But? The shadows? Are they telling me something? "


    "One often sees different things. Dreams. Visions. They represent a part of who we are. Let me ask you this," said Iris. "What is it that you think the visions are telling you?"


    "I think if I want to see again. I have to take someone''s eyes," said Grey. "I have to grab it with my hands and take it from their head. I don''t want to do that."


    Iris smiled. "Think a little harder. Answers are always better when we discover it ourselves."


    Grey sighed to himself. Answers. Dreams. Visions.


    "I will say this though," smiled Iris, patting Grey on the head. "No more questing for you. I thought I had given you something easy to do and instead you have gone and set off on something difficult."


    "But! I told them I''d help the mice. That I''d save them from-"


    "The humans?" chuckled Iris, "Grey have you forgotten you are human?"


    Grey''s cheeks flushed red in embarrassment. He felt a little silly. Save monsters from humans? Wasn''t it the other way around? Already, his mind scolded him for thinking like that.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "It just doesn''t seem fair. I feel bad. If monsters really could think and if they had families. I don''t think I would have been so happy to kill them before," said Grey, fiddling his thumb.


    "Here," smiled Iris, pulling up a chair. "Let us talk about something a little easier then. You taught Oswin and Ciara the ''Constellation of Aries'' didn''t you?"


    "I-I did," replied Grey, nodding his head.


    "How did that go?"


    "We changed into a large tiger," said Grey, moving his hands. "It was a big one with teeth and fangs."


    "Were you able to complete the second phase of the transformation?"


    "No," said Grey, shaking his head. "I didn''t hold it very long. I just showed them how to do it."


    "Ah," said Iris, a little disappointed. "Well, we can try it next time. Come get dressed. I have thought of a place to take everyone today."


    "Wher-"


    Iris stopped Grey. Her finger over his lips. "No more questions."


    Iris roused  a sleeping Oswin and Ciara out of their beds. Ciara nearly jumped out of bed ready to fight while Oswin sleepily rolled over the bed onto the floor. There was a loud thump as he hit the floor. Iris nodded to the innkeeper at the counter, and then led three sleepy children and a mouse to a dojo located in the Market District.


    An instructor stood in a large hallway lined with training dummies.


    "Fight!" boomed the large man, "Thrust! Attack!"


    "Vincent," smiled Iris, walking up to the burly old man.


    "Iris," coughed Vincent, "I''m teaching a class here. Children this is Iris, an old friend of mine."


    A children, six to nine years old, looked up to Iris.


    "Hello, Iris!" they said, bowing.


    "So?" said Vincent, "Why have you come to visit me old friend?"


    "I have a few children I need to keep out of trouble. I don''t suppose I can bother you to introduce them to the chain-linked system? They have some experience."


    "Experience you say?" said Vincent, curiously. He looked at each of the children, assessing their talents. "Then it shall be no problem."


    "Then I leave them with you," chuckled Iris.


    She turned to face Oswin, Ciara, and Grey.


    "I will be back. Behave."


    "Yes, Iris."


    ~~~


    "What skills do each of you have?" asked Vincent, as Iris left the hall.


    "I can make things disappear," said Ciara. She lifted one of the leather balls on the floor. She touched it, concentrating her aura. Vapors poured out of her body. A melody came soft to the ears, and the tingle of harps. The ball vanished into thin air.


    Vincent''s eyes narrowed, and mumbled a word.


    "Hmph?" said Ciara, sweating. "Did you say something?"


    "Nothing," replied Vincent. "You there with the blonde hair. What is your skill?"


    Oswin released his aura and smiled.


    "Attack me and you''ll find ou-"


    Oswin stepped back as a knife landed straight down, striking the ground and narrowly avoiding his head. He looked up to Vincent who was laughing.


    "I know what your power is now. A fellow I dislike is similar to you. Now, you brown haired boy. What is your skill?"


    Grey sighed, and shook his head. "Healing. I can heal myself."


    "Is that so," said Vincent. He did not say more, but merely glanced at the scars near the base of Grey''s neck. He had worn long-sleeves and pants to hide the scars, but if one was careful enough they could still see.


    "I shall teach you about inner and outer techniques," replied Vincent. "Inner techniques are known as ''nen'' and outer techniques are known as ''xia''. Nen is to breath. Xia is to exhale. Two halves of one whole create physical techniques and magical spells. "Carissa. What is it that makes magic?"


    A young girl bowed her head , "When we breathe we take in the world for what it is. When we exhale we give back to the world what we are. We are one and the world is part of us and who we are."


    Vincent crouched into a low stance. His knees shoulder width apart. His hands in front of him. He pulled back his arm, resting it on his waist and threw a punch with his other hand.


    "Strike out! This is the world. You hate it. It stops you from becoming who you want to be. People. Family. Memories. These are the things that hold you back."


    "Hai!" cried the rest of the children in unison, copying him. Grey had to stumble before he realized he had to imitate the movement. He did not see what Vincent had done, but Ciara showed him by positioning his feet and hands with her hands.


    "Inhale. This is you. You are the earth beneath your feet. The sky above your head. Purpose. Will. Courage. You are the master of your own fate. Of your own despair."


    "Hai!" cried the children.


    "Break through the doubts in your mind. You are children today, but someday you will grow up. What sort of person will you grow up to be? What sort of things will you do? Your life can only be written by yourself!"


    "Hai!" cried the children.


    The room grew heavy with magic. Their voices carrying power, each child emanating their auras. Grey began to realize he was not alone. That there were many children who underwent the ritual at a young age.


    "Chain-Linked System!" shouted Vincent.


    Magical chains materialized from Vincent, wrapping around each child. Grey could feel his body lifting up. He was floating.


    "One body. One mind," said Vincent, "This is nen."


    Vincent struck out, magical chains whipped across the room, striking a practice dummy in the middle of the hall. The dummy broke, shattering into a million pieces.


    "This is the change we wish to see in the world. This is xia."


    Vincent calmly clapped his hands together, and the aura surrounding each child slowly dissipated, allowing them to gently float to the ground.


    "Now run five hundred laps."


    =============


    Author''s Note:


    =============


    Direction. That''s something that''s been on my mind lately. What direction do I want to take this story? I think about the wuxia novels I''ve read online, which was what got me started, and even the fictions on this website. I feel a lot of them are missing that emotional drive. That rush I get when I watch anime and movies.


    So I feel the direction I should take for this fiction is to infuse it with emotion, both intellectually and story wise. To drive the plots that are familiar, but add enough details to give them more meaning. To have a magic system that is both alive and dynamic. That death, uncertainty, and loneliness are the price we pay to live a truly good and transformative life.


    Just some reflective thoughts. I shall now retreat to my secret cave.

 (Vol.II) Chapter 7 : Four Truths

    Chapter 7


    Four Truths


    "You need to block more," said Tamora. She was a young girl with freckles, wearing two spades over her eyes called glasses. In another place she might have been mistaken for a primary school student. Here she was Grey''s opponent. The enemy. A punch flew out and struck Grey right in the cheek. He fell down with a plop.


    "I don''t get it," said Tamora, shaking her head. "Why are you fighting like this when you are blind? You can use your battle sense to find me you know?"


    "I wanted to see if I could learn something," coughed Grey. "I can''t rely on my battle sense all the time."


    "Suit yourself," shrugged Tamora, readying her fists. She struck out again, right punch towards his gut. Grey heard the sound of her feet propelling her forward, and moved out of the way. It was clumsy. His feet tripping over the ground as he did so, but he avoided the punch and swung around throwing back a punch of his own.


    Tamora parried the off balanced assault with a overhand block and struck him in the chest with both palms, launching Grey backwards. He fell with another plop on the bamboo mat.


    "That was a little better," smiled Tamora. "How did you see me coming? I hit you the last five times."


    "I was just thinking about what Vincent had said," coughed Grey, trying to catch his breath. "I am just trying to  believe in myself."


    "You take things way too seriously," laughed Tamora. She leaped into the air and gracefully landed on the mat. All around her, the other children sparred, displaying dazzling feats of physical endurance and dexterity. Carissa, the girl who had spoken earlier, was fighting against Oswin. She nearly walked on the walls, dashing left and right, sliding underneath his legs and striking him in the back.


    Ciara was running around one of the practice dummies. Her opponent was a fellow named Damien, a broad shouldered young man with a chiseled chin. He struck at the dummy at incredible speeds, attempting to land a shot at Ciara. One punch and the dummy flew back, nearly hitting Ciara behind it.


    "Time!" shouted Vincent. "Stop your practices and sit in a circle."


    Grey followed Tamora and took his place amongst the children. Many of them murmured to themselves, sweating from their exercises. Oswin came up behind Grey.


    "Ugggh," said Oswin, falling to his knees. "Why is everyone here so freakishly strong. This isn''t fair. I got beaten by a girl!"


    Grey laughed. "There is always someone stronger than you. Iris is stronger than you too."


    "This is different though," sighed Oswin, "Iris is a grown up. I got beaten by a little girl!"


    Carissa glanced towards Oswin. She smiled and gave him a thumbs down.


    "See! Look at that cocky little. I am going to beat her one of these days. Just you wait."


    "Everyone!" boomed Vincent, calling the children''s attention. "I hope you take today''s lesson''s to heart and continue your cultivation with an open mind. Your greatest enemy is yourself. Now go back to your retainers."


    A group of adults stood by the door of the dojo. One of them, a man dressed in a black hood, nodded to Vincent. Vincent turned away with a ugly expression on his face. The hooded man smiled. Carissa and Tamara ran up to him.


    "Lupites!" said Tamara, "Did you get to see me? Wasn''t I so awesome?"


    "Master," said Carissa, bowing. "Has you trip been well? I heard from Stella you attacked one of the Heavenly Kings. How did that go?"


    "Humph. Heavenly King," murmured Lupites, "Certainly, Ixial deserves such a name, but in the ways of the subterfuge he is still my junior. It was a draw."


    The hooded man''s eyes glanced towards Grey, Oswin, and Ciara. "Those children. I have not seen them before. Who are they from?"


    "They are from Iris," said Tamora, "Though I did not think they were at first. They are all so clumsy and flatfooted. You think they had never trained in their entire lives."


    "Did you use spells against one another?" said Lupites.


    "We did not, but Vincent had asked for their abilities and so we learned them all. The girl can make things disappear, the blond boy can avoid things thrown at him, and the blind boy can heal himself.


    "Make things disappear?" said Lupites, intrigued.


    "Yes," said Tamora, "She picked up a ball and it disappeared."


    Lupites scoffed.


    "Are they more talented than us?" asked Carissa, concerned. She had always thought of herself as one of the best. Would her place be taken by one of these new children?


    "It is too early to say," chuckled Lupites. "But it appears Iris had gotten herself some interesting toys. I shall examine them thoroughly when the council has come."


    ~~~


    "She has still not come yet," said Grey, worried. The other children had left except for them. Iris was nowhere to be found. Ham scurried up his shirt, popping her little furry head out of his collar.


    "Grey! Grey!" said a little squeaky voice.


    "Ham," smiled Grey. "Where were you? Did you get scared again?"


    "Ham does not get scared all the time," pouted the little mouse, "Ham just wanted to take a look around."


    "Ha-ha, is that so. Did you find anything interesting?"


    "Ham did not. This place is so smelly. Like a bathroom, but with no toilet. Why did you fight with all those humans? Did you get hungry?"


    "I did not get hungry," laughed Grey. "It is training. We fight each other to get stronger."


    "Do you kill each other?"


    Grey shook his head. "It is for practice. We attack each other and stop when we beat the other person. It helps us get stronger."


    Ham pondered for a moment. "Can Ham train too?"


    "I...I think so?" replied Grey. He had never heard of a monster training, but if humans could do it. Couldn''t monsters do it too?


    "But not here," said Grey, shaking his head.


    "Why not?" pouted Ham


    "Because someone might see you."


    Grey poked the mouse on the head, and hid it back under his shirt.


    ~~~


    A few hours later, Iris came to the dojo. She gave a few words to the children and took them back to the inn. That night they slept soundly, too tired to dream. The next morning, Grey woke up to the chirping of birds. Iris was at her study, writing on a parchment.


    "Iris?" said Grey, drowsily.


    "Yes, Grey?" smiled Iris, writing. "Today is an important day. We will be doing your initiate rites for the guild. A few tests nothing more."


    "Tests?"


    "Do you not want to?" said Iris, "You don''t have to take them. They are just so that other people in the guild get to know what kind of person you are."


    "No, I will take them," said Grey, quickly. "I just...I didn''t know we had tests. I could have studied for them.


    "You could have," said Iris, "but then again I wanted you to learn something else. The chain-linked system. Tell me your thoughts on it."


    "It''s a formation," said Grey. "like the ''Constellation of Ares'' but it feels a lot different."


    "Good," nodded Iris. "What else? Tell me what you felt."


    "I felt strong, powerful. When Vincent crushed a training dummy into a million pieces it felt as if I did that with him. That it was me that crushed the dummy and not Vincent."


    Grey motioned his hands, recalling the feeling.


    "It also felt like I wasn''t in control," said Grey. "I felt strong, but it felt as if someone else was pushing me towards something. Was...was Vincent controlling me?"


    "In a way he was," said Iris, folding the parchment at her desk. "Originally, it was way to communicate from far away, but in combat it can be used to direct magic towards a particular target, even if your allies were unconscious. Just remember the feeling for it. Everything else is not important."


    Grey had more questions to ask, but Iris stopped him, lightly tapping him on his forehead.


    "Wake everyone else up," smiled Iris, "We have to be there in an hour."


    ~~~


    "Oswin? What are you doing?" said Grey. The children were walking behind Iris to the guildhall.


    "I am writing down my skills," said Oswin. He had an empty book in his hands. He took out a quill dipped in ink and started to write a chart of his strengths and weaknesses. "It is so I know how strong I am and what I need to learn."


    Oswin scribbled some notes and started to draw a portrait of his face. Ciara leaned over and took a look.


    "What are you doing?" said Ciara, curiously.


    "As I was saying," said Oswin, "I am writing down my skills. I am now drawing my face so that I know this is me."


    "Why do you need to draw that?" said Ciara, leaning closer. Her eyes nearly plastered on the page.


    "It''s my book, and I wanted to draw my face," sighed Oswin, placing his hands up to push away Ciara''s face. "Anyway, go away. This is my space. Know some modesty."


    "What are you talking about," said Ciara, "I am modest! Grey am I not modest?"


    Ciara leaned towards Grey and nearly kissed him.


    "Yes," said Grey, uncomfortably. He pointed straight in front of him. "Oh look what is that?"


    "What is it?" said Ciara.


    "That thing that is far away. Can you see it? It has that shiny top on the roof."


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    "Where is it? I can''t see anything." said Ciara, rising up on her tippy-toes


    "You have to get closer," said Grey. "It is far away."


    Grey heard Ciara walk away and sighed in relief. Oswin walked beside him and murmured.


    "She forgot you can''t see. She is going to be upset when she figures that out."


    "It''s okay," said Grey. "She will forget about it."


    "Grey!" shouted Ciara, a few yards away.  "I can''t see anything...wait a minute..."


    "I think she has figured it out," said Oswin.


    "I think so too," said Grey. He hid behind Iris as Ciara came running towards him.


    ~~~


    At the guildhall there was a lump on Grey''s head as he walked inside. Ciara was next to him with a big smile on her face. At the counter, Iris spoke to the receptionist. It was a different woman. She had a long velvet dress with a badge on her chest. It wasn''t the seal of the guild, but one of a dark purple crow. She smiled to the children, and led them into a room.


    "My name is Veronica. I shall be your host for the day. I come bearing alms from Lupites."


    "He is still alive is he?" said Iris "Disappointing."


    "As are the rest of the council," said Veronica. A sly smile beneath her words. "I shall take you to them, but first that mouse? It will need to be placed in a more....observable location."


    Veronica''s eyes glowed an eerily purplish light. The mouse''s body suddenly glowed beneath Grey''s shirt.


    Ciara gasped in shock. Oswin snapped to attention. Iris raised her hands to calm them down. "A scurrying ability. It shows things that one wants to find in the world. No need to be so frightened."


    "I don''t believe you have forgotten the rules," smiled Veronica. Her eyes no longer glowing. "Beasts are to remain in solitude while the meetings are in place."


    "Not at all," said Iris. She turned to Grey. "Can you give Ham to Veronica Grey? They will put her in pen with other monsters and food. At least till the meeting is over."


    Grey turned towards Ham who was looking curiously from his collar. "Can''t she just run around the city till we are finished?"


    "She can but it would be safer for her here," said Iris.


    Grey whispered a few words to Ham. She squeaked back at him and he handed her over to Veronica.


    "She says she is okay with it."


    Veronica smiled, watching Grey. She took the mouse from his hand. "When you are ready. Follow me, Iris."


    Iris nodded, and turned towards the children.


    "Wait here," said Iris. "I have to discuss a few things, but when I call you. You must come out. Alright?"


    The children nodded. Veronica opened the door in front of the children, and led Iris inside.


    ~~~


    A room darker than the darkest night. A row of chairs were set in front of several table, forming a large circle. Men shrouded in shadows sat across from one another. Their forms hidden by the darkness. Iris took her seat in one of the empty chairs. She knew each of the members by names. They had all met once, a long time ago, but that was before this hall had been built.


    "So why have you called us Iris?" said Lupites, "Have your tests been successful. Have you found your successor?"


    "I have not," said Iris, "They are still too young. Too naive."


    "Then why have you called us?" said Lupites, impatiently. "I was fighting the Ixial and had him till a standstill till I received your summons. Now, I must spend another twenty years to find him again."


    "And I had nearly broken through the fifth gate of the Imperial Capital," spoke Terenias, "I could have slain the king''s heir and yet you bring me back. I find this rather worrisome, old friend."


    "Come now," smiled Iris, "I think you will find some things interesting about this new batch I have gathered. I believe even you would find one that will suit your tastes."


    "Oh, is there even one for me?" said Claudia, cheerfully. A massive oriental fan waved beneath the shadows. "I do like them handsome. It always gets the blood flowing."


    "You speak so well of them," said Kolfecg with a boisterous voice. "Do you say they have better talent than my disciple. The Heart Seeker Killer."


    "Heart Seeker Killer?" whispered Saeda. "A little too tawdry for my sensibilities. Why not name oneself after a color or an animal? It makes it a lot easier if one didn''t know how you killed."


    "It was not my choice," scoffed Kolfecg. His shadow turned monstrous, spikes protruding from his flesh. "Very well. Send them in. Let us look at the fruits that you have picked."


    Iris smiled.


    "Oswin! Grey! Ciara! Come in."


    The door opened, revealing three nervous children.


    Iris stood up and led them to the center of the room, so that all eyes may see them.


    "I do like the blond one. He has such good eyes," said Saeda; several shadowy hands moved behind her, each carrying a different weapon.


    "It has not begun yet," scolded Kolfecg. "I shall ask the questions, but first do you know why you are here?"


    Grey nodded.


    "It is a tradition that we go through several tests. So that we can get to know the rest of the guild."


    "Yes," said Kolfecg. He looked at Iris suspiciously. "That is true."


    He stood up, and opened the palm of his hand.


    "Then, I begin. I will present to you four gifts. After I have finished speaking. You are to choose one of these gifts so that we may know what person you endeavor to be. Do you understand what it is I have said?"


    "Yes, sir." said the children.


    Kolfecg nodded and spoke.


    "The first gift I give to you is the power of strength. The strength to eliminate your enemies. The strength to beat back your fears. You will live the rest of your days knowing that you are the strongest and never know of defeat. This is the first choice I will give to you."


    Kolfecg released his aura and bathed the children in reddish light. There was no force behind his aura, save for a melody. A tune which reverberated in their souls.


    "The second gift I give to you is the gift of health. That no mortal blow shall ever harm you. That you will never grow old till the end of time. Your mind will not age. Your body will not sicken. You will be as fit and strong as you are in your prime. This is the second choice I give to you."


    He pressed down on his aura, and each child felt a slight pressure upon their necks as if a weight had been placed on their shoulders.


    "The third gift I give to you is wisdom. So that no trap can ever hold you nor lies ever deceive you. That no mind could ever outwit nor outthink. You will bend the fates to your will and live a life content and fulfilled. This is the third gift I give to you."


    A wind swirled in the room and caressed each of the children, their eyes shut closed in a trance. Images of their lives flashed before the councils eyes, a cloud  of memories that floated and dispersed into their minds. In it they learned their secrets, their desires. The children''s life lay bare and exposed. Kolfecg paused for a moment, recollecting scenes from Grey''s memories. He looked at the boy with interest, and a smiled.


    "The fourth gift I give to you is glory. I offer you fame beyond your wildest dreams. That riches may pour from the skies and that men and women may beg for your attention. I give you a world that bows to your whim and desire. That will love you till the end of the ages. This is the fourth gift I give to you."


    The memories gathered up into one collective form, a mist that formed over the children''s head, blown together by the wind in the room.


    "Now answer me, Oswin. What is your heart''s desire? "


    "I...I...desire," said Oswin in a trance. His words cold and unfeeling. "I desire...strength. So that I may be the strongest in the world."


    "Then it shall be so," cackled Kolfecg. A flash of light crashed down on Oswin''s head and he fell unconscious. "Now answer me, Ciara. What is your heart''s desire?"


    "I...desire..." said Ciara, "I desire glory so that I may be loved....that I will never be alone...."


    "Then it shall be so."


    Another flash of light crashed down on Ciara''s head. She fell down unfeeling.


    The last child, Grey, lay suspended in the air. A whirlwind of memories over his head.


    "Now answer me, Grey. What is your heart''s desire?"


    "I...." said Grey, diving into his memories. Baylee. Sho. Mylene. The people in his life looked down upon him. They were all gone. They would all leave him in the end one way or another. He knew it, in his heart. No one could stay forever....


    "I...choose health," said Grey. "That the choices I make....though they might be wrong...will be mine to bear...till the end of time."


    "Then," said Kolfecg. A row of jagged teeth, smiled in the darkness. "It shall be so."


    A flash of light. And all became dark.


    ============


    Author''s Note:


    ============


    Took me a while to write some of the dialogue, so late release it is! It still might be off in some places. But I think it''s alright. Going through the progression in my head, and on my notes.  I shall see you next time! (^.^)

 (Vol. II) Chapter 8 : Insight

    Chapter 8


    Insight


    Iris snapped her fingers, calling three servants into the room. They were all dressed in formal attire, two butlers and one maid. They entered the room and bowed reverently towards the members of the council.


    "Take them to the infirmary," said Iris, dismissively. The servants gently hoisted the children out of the room, closing the door behind them.


    Claudia lay reclined on her chair, amusingly twirling a quill through her fingers. She had seen many things in her long life, but even amongst them these children had been most intriguing. They each possessed a special skill, traits that were usually reserved for monsters, but what made them really special was that their skills were outside the four elemental pentagram. Healing. Mind Reading. Nullification. What kind of powers were these?


    Claudia revealed a row of razor sharp teeth and a grin that ran across the entire length of her face.


    "They are gifted. I''ll give you that."


    Kolfecg lumbered in the shadows. His hideous form hidden by the darkness.


    "Gifted, but not tamed," said Kolfecg. His eyes lingered on the children as they were taken away. "Why didn''t you cast a compulsion spell over them?"


    Iris scoffed.  "I want my prodigies to be intelligent not broken. The conditioning had to begin after their awakening. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have visions."


    "They also visited the painted world," murmured Saeda. Her many arms forming a question mark behind her. "I thought we had forbidden all contact."


    "An accident. Nothing more," said Iris, indifferently.


    "I have trouble believing that...but very well. And their cultivation?"


    "We will be taking the Nidara Pass up to the 47th Dungeon. There are herbs that I will be taking along the way. I trust none of you will interfere."


    "Hueh~. Is that so?"


    "As disagreeable as ever," said Lupites, stroking his chin. "they are physically inept. Two of them didn''t even last a minute against the legion children, much less my own disciples."


    Iris''s eyes narrowed. Her voice held a definite chill.


    "We can discuss this at a later time...If you still find me training them so disagreeable."


    Lupites grinned, readying his weapons underneath his cloak. Across from Lupites the silhouette of a massive suit of armor raised its hand.


    "Make them ready in a year," said Terenias, "Get them ready or we will divide them."


    Terenias opened the palm of his hand. In his palm there was a pile of red dust. He blew the dust into the air, revealing the image of a battalion of knights all of which were riding donkeys. They were headed into a nearby town, one surrounded by fields of wheat.


    "The Knights of Lukoil have started to investigate our activities. No doubt in response to someone''s favorite disciple."


    Terenias briefly glanced at Kolfecg. Kolfecg shrugged with a light chuckle.


    "Lupites do you have what I need?"


    "Of course," smiled the hooded man, stretching out his palm. A bright blue shard glowed in his hand.


    "A fragment of Myriel the Mirror Sword. Blade of the Water King."


    A tendril of darkness rose from the ground and picked up the blue shard, dropping it in Terenias''s hand.


    "Then let us discuss our plans."


    ~~~


    Iris stood in a room that had been painted white. The walls. The floor. All white. The only thing that wasn''t white was the cracks between the floor planks. The children - Grey, Ciara, and Oswin - stood patiently next to one another facing Iris.


    It had been a few days after their test in the guildhall and none of them could remember what had happened. They had been told they had passed the test and that the test had tested their mind in some way.


    Iris stood in front of them and spoke pleasantly.


    "There are many methods in casting magic, but we will be using a method known as sequencing. You channel magic through movement and formulate a spell. It is similar to formations. I will show you."


    Iris released her aura. She shifted into a low crouch, moving her hands down to the ground and up to her shoulders. She whirled her arms back and then raised one leg up before sinking down low, near the ground. She did the movement twice. Once with Oswin and Ciara watching and a second time alone with Grey. Allowing him to feel her movement''s with his hands.


    After doing the movements a second time, Iris released her aura.


    The room was transformed into a vast meadow filled with flowers. Grey felt the floor shift beneath his feet. The familiar aroma of earthly dirt and dense vegetation filled his nostrils.


    "It is an illusion," said Iris, picking up a flower. "None of it is real. Now let us try something simple."


    Ciara practiced with Oswin. The spell was fireball. Fire is malleable, hungry, and insatiable. It is powered by air, so air was the medium used to activate it. Oswin took in a deep breath and placed his hands near his mouth. He formed a fist and blew into his hands. He released his aura. Magic coalesced in his palm. When he opened his hands tiny little lights fluttered into the air and hastily grouped together to form a bright flame.


    "Heh," smiled Oswin, goofily.


    Grey sat by a corner. He did the motions, but the magic did not gather up in his hands. It sputtered and splintered off into several fragments not making anything at all.


    "Trouble?" said Iris, walking towards Grey.


    "I can''t do it," said Grey. He tried to channel the energy towards his hands, but it wouldn''t stick. It was as if he was trying to grab a pile of sand.


    "Hmm," said Iris, thoughtfully. She watched the motion that Grey was making. "Grey. Let me ask you. How does sequencing work?"


    "Magic is like water," said Grey, remembering his books. "It has no shape. So we have to give it shape, either through words or by movement. And once magic has a shape. We call that a spell. But...even then we need to be able to see to use magic. We need a clear picture of the change we want to happen in our head."


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Yes," said Iris, "There are two parts to magic. There is the mind and body. The mind is called Yin. The body is known as Yang."


    "Am I not able to use my Yin properly?"


    "No," said Iris, shaking her head. She took a seat, kneeling next to Grey. "that test at the guildhall showed that you have ample amount of Yin."


    "Then is it my Yang?" asked Grey. He could not imagine that his body was unfit. He had trained for hours. Running. Jogging. Push-ups. Sit-ups.


    Iris looked at Grey. While he had recovered most of his physique since his slave years the boy had a naturally thin and feminine figure. If he wore a wig then perhaps....


    Iris ruffled Grey''s hair, imagining the look for herself. Grey seemed to realize what she was doing. He gave her an unhappy look.


    "Iris...are you imagining me as a girl..."


    Iris smiled, stroking his hair.


    "I''m not a girl," said Grey, unhappily. He gently pushed away her hand.


    "I didn''t mean it like that," laughed Iris, "You are quite handsome."


    "But in a girly way," mumbled Grey, patting his head. "I need to train more."


    Grey turned to leave when Iris placed her hand on his shoulder.


    "Grey why don''t you mediate for a bit? When a person is stuck on a problem, it is often good to think a back on one''s experiences. You meditated at that strange place in the sewers for insight. Why not meditate to think of a way out of your troubles?"


    "I will try," said Grey. He sat right back down and turned to face Iris. "Iris. I asked before but what was that painted place?"


    "It''s a ruin," said Iris. "I didn''t explain that before to you did I?"


    "No," said Grey, shaking his head. "You said you would tell us later."


    "Let''s see....Where to begin. Ruins are like dungeons except they hold a mysterious phenomenon. This can be a fog that makes one lose their sense of direction or making things float in the air. They are notoriously rare. Only thirty-five known ruins in the world. All of which require special circumstances to enter."


    "Then...What we found was?"


    "It is a place known as the Armfell, the land of lies. I know a bit of the story of it, but the important thing to know is that all ruins are recent things compared to dungeons. They are created from powerful events while a dungeon naturally appears every hundred to a thousand years. Many famous battlefields become ruins. Honestly, I did not even think you could enter that place, but you still found a way."


    Iris playfully nudged Grey on the shoulder. A little mouse hopped on his head from inside his shirt. It was Ham. She wiggled her nose, having been waken up.


    "Now, meditate for a bit. I''ll come get you when I finished helping Ciara."


    Iris left Grey, approaching a young bouncing girl next to Oswin. Like the boy, the girl had also mastered fire, but unlike him she was using it to burn everything she could see while laughing like a maniac.


    Iris sighed and shouted at the girl. "Control! Control Ciara!"


    Grey scratched his head, and thought carefully on what Iris had said. Meditate my problems away? It couldn''t hurt to try.


    "Grey?" said a squeaky little voice. "What are you doing?"


    "I am not able to use magic," said Grey with a heavy heart. He was not anywhere closer to saving Mylene or finding who killed his parents. This made him upset, and a little frustrated. "So, I am going to meditate to try to find answers."


    "What is meditating?"


    "It''s..well...here let me just show you.


    Grey cleared his mind, and sat cross legged, allowing his hands to drop down to his waist. He focused on an image of his own body. Memories of his experience at the forest. His fight with the slime. His days as a slave. They swirled in a cloud over his head. His mind searched for answers. He remembered his battle music would change every time he healed himself. That his power activated by forcing aura into his body. Body. Mind. Spirit. Inner. Outer. Two pieces of one whole.


    "Grey! Grey!"


    Grey woke up from his trance. A little mouse bouncing on his head.


    "Ham?"


    He realized his aura was transforming. It had slithered out of his body, vapors that had manifested into ghostly appendages, imitating the body parts of monsters. He shook terrified, feeling with disgusting clarity the extra limbs. He quickly suppressed his aura, recoiling it back into his body.


    "What was that?" asked the little mouse.


    "I don''t know," said Grey, lifting his hands. "I don''t know."


    ~~~~~~~~~~~


    Author''s Note


    ~~~~~~~~~~~


    Hi everyone. I have been taking breaks to get my creativity up. Been having a rut lately, so I''ve just been working on the back stories for the nations, and a few summaries of what I wanted to happen later. Trying to get back on a schedule for posting, but I''ve been reminding myself that this is a hobby for me. At least till I get published. So I should endeavor to write just whenever I am able and not to force anything.


    In other news, I was reading Mushoku Tensei and it ended! I never though I''d see it end on a cliffhanger. Also, been looking up some books, and old animes I wanted to take a look at. I watched the original Macross Super Dimensional Fortress a long time ago, and figured it might be a good chance to see the rest of the series. Macross Plus, Macross 7, and Macross Frontier. It''s really too bad that they stopped making space operas, seems everything with an epic scale ended somewhere in the 80s-90s. I could be wrong though. So I shall search on.

 (Vol. II) Chapter 9 : Red Pin

    Chapter 9


    Red Pin


    On the sixth day of their training, Iris took the children to a smithy in the Market District. The sign of a two-headed goat hung over the door. A man stood behind the counter, sharpening a heavy axe. The scratching of a slick blade on a stone caught Grey''s attention.


    "Ah? Customers?" said the blacksmith, wiping the oil from his hands. He placed the axe on the corner, near the shelf, and stood up to greet them. "What can I get for you?"


    "I need an discerning eye for this," said Iris, placing the sword and shield on the table. They were the weapons that Oswin had picked up from the sewers. The blacksmith took off his gloves, and gently held the sword at the hilt.


    "The make is Maltes. Likely made in the fifth era. The designs on the blade give that away. It has flowery inlay near the base of the hilt. Maltes liked those sort of things."


    He gripped the sword, and gave it a swing.


    "Also, light on the hands. Quick slashing movements. Definitely their style."


    "Any properties?"


    The blacksmith took the weapon near the back, and held it up to a blue crystal. The magic glowed for a moment, and then disappeared.


    "None that I can tell. It does have a socket for a skill gem in the base of the hilt. See right here?"


    He handed the sword back to Iris and pointed to a missing gem at the base of the hilt.


    "Must have gotten torn off in a fight. Blade marks near the socket indicate a heavy weapon knocked it loose. Probably an two-handed axe. Surprised you were able to find one in this condition. Most end up brittle after a few years."


    Iris nodded, and inspected the missing gem piece. She placed the sword back on the table.


    "And the shield?"


    "Ah, now this is...."


    He hesitated. There was a dragon engraved at the base of the shield. Many shields had dragons, but this one was...shaped more like a snake instead of a lizard. Had it not been breathing fire, he would have guessed it was a Jade Viper. The blacksmith took a metal rod from underneath the counter.


    "Do you mind if I check the material?"


    "You may."


    He lightly tapped the edge of the shield where the metal rims were the thickest. Grey could hear a note every time the blacksmith struck a different part of a shield. If he listened closer, the notes sounded almost like dungeon music.


    "It''s not a metal. Made by monster bones. Don''t know what kind. You would need a priestess to tell you that."


    "Thank you."


    Iris took out her coin bag and left a few copper pieces onto the table.


    "It was my pleasure." He took the coin and nodded towards the weapons rack on the wall. "Are you looking for anything else? A new staff perhaps?"


    Iris looked around. The average quality staves were kept in a bundle in a barrel. The better staves, ones fitted with magic crystals, were tied to the wall with heavy chains to prevent theft.


    "I am looking for weapons for these children. They are under my care, and will be fighting monsters for the guild."


    "These children are adventurers?" said the man, astonished.


    Monsters were creatures far beyond any mortal man. Indeed, even the weakest one could kill a trained soldier much less a child.


    "They no older than my son! I don''t believe it!"


    "Believe what you like," smiled Iris, "We will need those weapons. Here or some other shop if you are not convinced."


    "No, I will show you," said the man.


    The man took them to weapon display on the right side of the shop. This display held daggers, swords, and an exotic variety of hidden weapons.


    "They call them butterfly knives," said the man, pointing to the pair of knives. "You can connect them at the base of the hilt so that they may be used like a pair of scissors. They get their name from the shape they make when joined. Hard to use in battle, but their small size makes them easy to hide underneath your shirt."


    "And that one," said Oswin, looking at a stick hanging from the wall. "What''s that one for?"


    "A swordstick."


    The man picked it up and twisted the handle, drawing out a hidden blade.


    "Good for travelers. Bandits think you are unarmed and won''t pay you much attention. Also, keeps it from scaring folk you meet down the road. Some people just get nervous at the sight of a weapon. Looters and all that. This one also has a knife at the end."


    The man twisted the other side of the stick, revealing a knife.


    "In the case they know there is a sword hidden inside. You can give up the sword and take out this knife when they aren''t looking. Brilliant really. You hide two weapons instead of one. So even if one is found out. You still have another ready to finish the job."


    Iris looked at a needle like sword from the wall. It''s blade was so thin that one could only see a dot if it were pointed directly at their eyes.


    "And this one?"


    "A Red Pin. A kind of rapier. Good for thrusting. Has reach. But I thought you were fighting monsters? A sword like this would break on anything tougher than a cow''s hide."


    "You would be surprised at what will or will not break," smiled Iris. "Grey what do you think?"


    Iris gently guided the boy''s hand to the sword, allowing him to feel the metal. She tapped her finger on the blade, allowing Grey to hear a sound. It was familiar. Soothing.


    "Would this be a good sword?"


    Grey thought deeply.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it."Monsters have weaknesses. Their eyes. Joints. Also, mouth and butt. As long as they aren''t made out of rock they can be injured."


    The blacksmith''s eyes widened. He knew a fair bit of monsters, having sold equipment to the city guard.


    "Kid, you are talking about a shooting an arrow from nearly a six hundred paces. You might be able to do hit it on a good day, with fair winds, but if you are talking about hitting those weak points all the time. It''s just not possible. There are better weapons."


    "But there are no weapons that are faster," said Iris. "We will take it."


    She looked at a bow that hung from the wall.


    "Do you have any medium ranged weapons? Pellets. Whips?"


    The man reluctantly picked up the sword, and led them to another room.


    "Of course. This way."


    In this room there was a painting. No...more accurate to say was the walls had been painted over, and together they showed the scene of a famous battlefield. A detachment of knights on a hill fighting impossible odds, surrounded by men on all side. Their flag, a gold faced griffon, waved proudly in the air as corpses piled in heaps beneath their feet.


    "The Battle of Yufil. Third Era," said the blacksmith. "Back then they had blacksteel. Ore so rich that the average man could cut through solid rock as if it were nothing. Nowadays, you only see such things when adventurers decide to show off." He nodded towards Iris. "No offense."


    "None taken," smiled Iris. "That whip over there. The one hanging from the man riding the silver steed. Let me take a look."


    "Of course."


    The blacksmith took it down and let Iris inspect it. Iris said a few words to Ciara who was standing next to her. Grey approached the blacksmith from behind, gently tugging on his shirt.


    "Sir," said Grey, curiously. "There is a painting in this room isn''t there?"


    "Why yes there is? It is all over the room.  Can''t you..."


    The blacksmith looked at the boy''s eyes. They were as pale as a corpse. Lifeless. Dead.


    "Dear God! Your eyes!"


    "Ah," said Grey. "I am blind. Sorry."


    Grey bowed apologetically.


    "No," said the blacksmith. "It''s not something you should be sorry for. I am sorry. It just startled me. I haven''t seen such a thing in my life. Battle wounds yes, but your eyes. Ah, let us not talk about it anymore. What were you saying?"


    "I was wondering if you could tell me what the painting looks like since I can''t see it and the story behind it," said Grey, embarrassingly. He loved stories. How could he not resist asking about it?


    "Well, it couldn''t hurt I guess," shrugged the blacksmith. "My memory is a little foggy, but let''s see. It began in a place known as..."


    The blacksmith recounted the scene to Grey. The knights were known as the Knights of Orbis. A group of knights famous for their exploits in the Chaos Wars. In those days a monster known as the Demon King had arisen. A true intelligent monster. Able of thought and human speech. He sought out to conquer the world, but was stopped by the Knights of Orbis as they stormed his castle on the Northern Plains. This battle was one of the last ones they fought in before they reached his fated gates."


    "Those knights whatever became of them?"


    Grey knew that of all the current kingdoms. There were none named Orbis. He felt disheartened that their noble deeds had not passed through the ages.


    "Disbanded. The war had destroyed their country and made them wandering vagabonds....but a few of them did stay at the old castle of the Demon King. To protect the world should he ever return."


    "And the Demon King''s Castle? Is it still standing?"


    "Are you looking to visit it?" laughed the blacksmith. "Well, I guess you being an adventurer. You might get close enough to see the gates. It''s now known as the Ivory Citadel. It is  in Elfheim. A region in Lukoil."


    "Ah!" said Grey, surprised. He had read books on each of the current kingdom, but had none of the books had mentioned the Knights of Orbis. If a few of their records remained at the capital. Then perhaps he could learn how the Knights of Orbis defeated the Demon King and become even stronger.


    "Thank you."


    "It is not something I need to be thanked about," shrugged the blacksmith. "Just don''t get hurt. I know you are an adventurer and all. And I won''t pretend I know how strong you are. You must be strong if you are one of ''them'', but I don''t feel right knowing children are out there killing things that would make a grown man fear for his life. If things get too dangerous, say you will run. It''ll ease my conscience."


    Grey smiled. This blacksmith had a good heart.


    "Okay. I will."


    The blacksmith took Grey''s hand and shook it. "It''s a man''s promise alright?"


    Grey''s face turned to despair. He remembered Baylee saying something like that to him. That a man''s promise was only worth as much as his strength. Grey shook the blacksmith''s hand weakly. He felt physically sick, as if he were lying to himself.


    Iris came by with the whip in hand.


    "I will pay for these. Twenty silver?"


    She haggled with the blacksmith and got the price to sixteen silver pieces. Ciara took the whip happily in her hand. As they left the shop, Grey thought about Baylee. How she died, apologizing for not being able to protect him.


    "Master, I am sorry. I am still too weak."


    His face downcast. He hurried up to follow Iris. Her footsteps echoing through the streets.

 (Vol.II) Chapter 10 : Art of the Sword

    Chapter 10


    Art of the Sword


    "Grey are you familiar with sword arts?" asked Iris. She stood in their training room. Oswin and Ciara practiced spells in the background. Their voices echoing through the spacious hall.


    "I don''t know much," said Grey, shaking his head side to side. He had read many books, but not much about swords.


    "I have thinking. I have not trained you in any of the weapon arts. I may not be as good as a warrior or rogue, but I know a thing or two about techniques. Would you care to learn?"


    Grey smiled. His heart remembering his dream. He had wanted to become a dashing hero, one who slayed dragons and saved princesses from malicious men. He could not hide a little bit of excitement learning things that drove him closer to those ideas.


    "I would like to learn," said Grey. "But is my body alright? My yang is not so good."


    "I know," said Iris, "but even people with an affinity for yin have techniques available to them. This is a reason why I did not chose a heavy weapon for you, but one that is light and flexible. You remember the sword I bought for you the other day? The rapier?"


    "Yes."


    "There are five styles which suit that kind of weapon. I shall explain why I wish you to go this path, and you will decide which style is best to cultivate your skill in."


    Grey nodded his head.


    Iris reached out her hand, and plucked a training sword from a rack in the hall.


    "In this world there is a saying that speed is king. Why is this so?"


    "If an attack is not swift enough. Then it will not hit and thus cannot hurt anyone. Being able to hit someone and not get hit. Wouldn''t you win all fights this way?"


    "Clever child," smiled Iris. "This is the reason I gave you that rapier. You need speed, not strength when fighting other opponents of your nature. I shall demonstrate."


    Iris took out the wooden sword. Her movements swift and light as water. The sword struck three spots on the floor in front of Grey. As the strikes hit the floor, force was transmitted from all three strikes to a single spot under Grey''s feet. He took a step back surprised.


    "The Cascading Force Technique. It is a style that specializes in striking weaknesses in one''s defense and breaking through by transmitting forces from those strikes to a single point."


    Grey could feel a slight indentation beneath his feet. He stepped on the wooden panels, feeling a hole in front of his foot. If that had been his body. He would have surely burst open from the inside.


    "Now the second style."


    Iris leaped backwards, gliding through the air. This was her ''lightness skill'' the ability to make one''s weight as light as a feather.


    After gaining a considerable distance, her sword hand swayed in a circular motion, rippling through the air. All at once, she flicked her blade. Her sword turning into a blur. Grey could feel a feint gust of wind pass him by. He touched his hair, and found some of it had been cut!


    "This is the Chasing Swallow Technique. To be able to reach one''s opponent no matter how far they are."


    Iris lowered her stance, drawing her sword close to her. Her feet in line. Her arms straight. The air around her became dark and heavy. Power surges from the forceful step of her feet, traveling up her body, and to her sword. The movement happens only for an instant, but in that instant the world seems to stop moving as if frozen in place. Her sword soars through the air. Her body follows at incomparable speed. She stops just short of Grey. Her sword missing the side of his neck, but even as it misses the force is dispersed into the air, launching Grey backwards.


    Iris catches him as he falls.


    "Shooting Star, Dragon''s Lament. The third style. The swiftest attack. The strongest defense. It specializes in powerful thrusts that will blow aside enemies agile enough to avoid it."


    Iris placed Grey down.


    "The fourth style is best felt. So I shall place your hand near my hilt. Do not move. Just feel the motion with your hands."


    She put his hand on her sword. Grey felt the sword in her hand vibrate. It was a gentle, swaying vibration. She moved the sword gracefully down into the floor. The strike didn''t meet any resistance. It sank into the ground, and came right up. Grey didn''t not even know if it had caused any damage. He felt around the ground with his hands, but could not find the mark where the sword had made.


    "Phantom Blade Technique. An attack that bypasses one''s defenses by resonating one''s mana. It does not work with all things, but in the case of a shield or a block of armor. It will go through as if it were nothing."


    Iris moved Grey''s hand one more time on her sword.


    "The last style is even more difficult to feel. It may even be impossible for you, but its effect is similar to the Phantom Blade."


    Iris took out a dagger from inside her robes. She threw it into the air. Iris sucked in her breath. Her hands relaxed. No resistance. No motion. Grey could feel the sword in his hand being guided towards the dagger. It was the gentlest of movements. The subtle bending of her wrist. She hit the dagger squarely on its point. She spun the dagger and flicked it back into the air. She struck it a second time, propelling it towards the wall where it sank so deep that only the end of the hilt could be seen at the end.


    "Vanishing Sky Technique. A style devoted to transfer of one''s force into other things. To make the weak strong. And the strong weak."


    Grey''s heart shook a little amazed.


    "Am I not able to learn all of them?"


    If Grey could combine the range of the Chasing Swallow with the penetrating power of the Phantom Blade. Then would that not mean he could hit anyone at any distance without fear of what they may wear?


    "You could," smiled Iris, "but it takes a long time to train in all of them. Is it not better to be good at one thing than to be mediocre in many?"


    Iris looked at Grey playfully.


    "Although, if you were to become proficient in all five then perhaps people will start calling you a sword prodigy and you would no longer need to worry about being a mage."


    "Ah," said Grey, blushing. He had thought about training in the other paths, but had stuck stubbornly to the mage path because of his dead master. If anything else, it may be his stubbornness that was setting him back from his true potential.


    "Then may I have time to think about which style I want?" said Grey. He did not want to make a hasty decision. At the same time, he did not want to upset Iris by making her wait a long time. She may get busy later, then how would he chose?


    "You may," smiled Iris. "I shall give you until lunch to decide. That is a few hours away. Think deeply."


    She walked toward the other children to check on their progress.


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    Grey sat in place and thought clearly about which style had the best merits. The Phantom Blade definitely had many advantages. In the case where your opponent is defending well. You could sneak in an unblockable attack that would severely injure them. However, Iris had mentioned it did not work on all things. So there would be cases where this technique would be ineffective.


    Against average opponents then surely this move would be certain death, but against experts? Wouldn''t they have countermeasures that would make it unviable? Grey did not wish to choose a move that only worked against mediocre opponents. For those people. He should be able to beat them normally. He crossed that technique out of his mind.


    The next move he considered was the Cascading Force Technique. It allowed a person to transmit a force through multiple strikes to a location on a person''s body. So even if a person was defending as long as you hit something you could deal critical damage to their internal organs. It was similar to the Phantom Blade in that it would most likely bypass armor and other defenses. You would hit them on an inconspicuous place like the gauntlet or shin, and they would collapse having felt pain in their gut.


    The only defense that Grey could imagine where it would have difficulty penetrating would be some sort of magical barrier. He remembered from his younger days a few diagrams of mages casting a protective ward around their bodies to deflect physical attacks. Those barriers were not touching the mage''s body so even if one were to get hit it would not cause them critical damage. He also felt this technique was very similar to the Vanishing Sky in that both specialized in force transference.


    In the case of the Vanishing Sky such a barrier would not pose the same kind of hindrance. One could pick a rock from ground and launch it at the barrier in order to break it by force. The issue was such an attack would be too obvious. Could they not avoid something being thrown at them. Vanishing Sky may be better in terms of raw power, but in terms of versatility. No doubt the Cascading Force was more able to overcome a variety of situations.


    He crossed out Vanishing Sky and kept Cascading Force in the back of his mind to consider. He then thought about Shooting Star, Dragon Lament. This attack was all about speed. The speed to attack someone and overcome them. When Grey had witnessed this attack. He had only taken a single breath of air before being flung into the air. In terms of surprise. It was the best of all of the five. Also, it allowed one to close the distance in a fight.


    For those foes who lacked close combat capability, wouldn''t this be the most useful in putting them at a significant disadvantage? Also, the ability to knock back any form of retaliation made it quite useful in fights where one was faced with more than one opponent. You could attack each individual one at a time, using the winds accompanying your attack to defend against their counters.


    The technique, however, did suffer one major drawback. It could only be used one a person that was far away. It was a thrusting force, using momentum to push something forward. The power it needed to generate was just not possible if both fighters were already close together. And given the suddenness and raw strength of the attack it wasn''t likely a move that could be used effectively in quick succession.


    The winds created by the attack prevented an opponent from attacking you. Then you likewise cannot attack them as the winds would divert your strikes. It was motion that was only useful for a few uses. To penetrate an incredible powerful defense or eliminate an enemy in an instant. Grey kept Shooting Star, Dragon''s Lament in the back of his mind.


    The last style Grey examined was Chasing Swallow. This move allowed him to hit anyone at any distance. The advantage was not only reach, but subtlety. It was silent. Quick. A person might not even notice they were under attack until they were bruised and bloodied. It also meant that against fast opponents. One would always have a method to attack them with without using too much energy. Balanced and simple.


    If there was one thing that worried Grey about Chasing Swallow it was that it did not feel very strong. This may be because of quickness of the sword, but Grey liked to think his sense of touch had gotten much better in these coming years. It was his whole world now. He did not need to see a move to know how strong it was. He could feel it. In the way it shook the ground. In the way it hit his body.


    This Chasing Swallow struck but a hair, but compared to the rest of the moves it did not cause Grey fear, but surprise. As if it were a mild discomfort. He felt uneasy choosing it, though his mind could see many of its virtues. So now he had lessened his choices down to three. Chasing Swallow. Shooting Star, Dragon''s Lament. Cascading Force. He had a difficult time choosing and began to think about the words Iris had said about each technique to find some advantage one of the styles may have over the other.


    To be able to reach no matter how far they are. The swiftest. The strongest. Striking weaknesses and breaking through. To make the weak strong. And the strong weak.


    Wait...A contradiction.


    Grey thought of what Iris had told him of the Vanishing Sky. It is similar to the Phantom Blade. Similar to Phantom Blade. Not similar to Cascading Force. Grey had compared the move to Cascading Force because both moved force from one place to another, but there was a problem. When Iris performed the motion there was no force in her hand. No strength that could passed to the dagger. She had merely tapped the dagger and it had sank into the wall.


    More difficult to feel. It may even be impossible.


    The more he thought about it. The more it didn''t make sense. She had moved, two times. She had motioned her hand down to catch the dagger. She had bent her wrist to flick the dagger to the wall. There was nothing. Where did the power come from? An uneasiness sank into Grey''s chest. If he didn''t know how an attack was done, then he wasn''t sure how to defend against it. What it was weak against? What was it strong on?


    A fear nestled in his heart. It was like that monstrous thing that had come out of his aura. Scary and Uncontrollable. And at the same time there was a beauty to it. That the technique that was the most frightening was not the fanciest, the quickest, or the deadliest. It was the one which one knew nothing about. Of which no defenses or offenses could be made.


    Grey stood up, having thought of this deeply. He went to Iris with his mind made up.


    "Iris, I have made my decision. I know what style I wish to train in."


    Iris stood by a table, drinking some tea.


    "Oh, you have made up your mind. What is it?"


    "I wish to train in the Vanishing Sky Technique."


    "Is that so," smiled Iris. "Good choice."

 (Vol. II) Chapter 11 : Whispers of the Past

    Chapter 11


    Whispers of the Past


    And so it came to pass that Grey, only nine years old, began his training in the Vanishing Sky Style. It was the summer of the eighth era of mankind. An auspicious time that knew not of war but of adventurers and knights.


    In a white room in which all things could be seen. Grey swung his rapier. Six teacups were set on a table in front of him. The first cup was only a few ounces. The last cup weighed as much as a watermelon.


    Grey lifts each cup lightly by their handle using the tip of his rapier. The cups are filled with tea and when one spills he must try again. Training is slow, but after many weeks his sense of touch has gotten quite excellent.


    Iris is there next to Grey. They play a game with one another to increase his sensitivity. She taps the floor with a wooden sword. He is to tell her the direction it came from. She does this repeatedly, and then takes his hand. She dances with him. Her graceful movements help him remember the vibrations a person makes when they walk. And how to tell how heavy a person is by the sound of their footsteps. At first, Grey is embarrassed at his attempts to dance. Iris''s movements are tender and elegant. His are clumsy and ugly.


    Struck by unhappiness, Grey diligently applied himself to his training. He taps and listens to the people passing by the training hall. The scuffling of their boots. The laughter in their voice. By the third month his senses have become sharp.


    He was not yet able to lift all the cups of tea, only the lightest of the six, but he could walk with the sophistication of a high born noble. His footsteps light and lovely.


    "Grey, if you had more charm even I would marry you," giggled Ciara. She had been watching his progress, and liked to play with his long hair. It was braided, a grass hair clip allowed him to brush it to one side. On this day, they were taking a break from training. Oswin came up behind them, carrying his spell book .


    "Hello my friends. I have almost mastered fireball and Iris said that I have to choose between an element before I dive too deep into magic. Fire. Earth. Water. Wind. Which one do you fellows think I should I pick?"


    "Lucky," grumbled Grey. "For you to say of such things. I envy you. Didn''t Iris say it took people a year before they mastered that spell. You only did it in three months."


    "That''s right!" laughed Oswin, haughtily. "I am a genius! A super genius! Even Buddha would praise me."


    "What Buddha," muttered Ciara, brushing Grey''s hair with a comb. "Grey, don''t pay that little show off any attention. You may not have gotten better at magic, but in sword fighting you would beat him in two. It should be enough that you are skilled at one thing than weak in everything."


    "You know that is the same thing Iris told me," said Oswin, crossing his arms. He looked at Ciara a little surprised. "And I thought your head was made out of fluffy clouds. So the coconut has finally been cracked."


    "Are you saying I am a coconut?" said Ciara, puffing her cheeks. "Don''t you know I have two big fists? I''ll split your coconut and your bananas in half."


    Oswin grinned.


    "Two big fists? Don''t you mean two chubby cheeks. Try and catch me then! Fatso!"


    "Ugh!"


    Oswin ran off. Ciara chased him. Grey shook his head. He wondered if a day would come where these two would ever be able to sit in a room without trying to beat one another. He placed back his sword into his sheath, and cleaned the leather handle with vinegar. Ham ran to him from the entrance of the hall. She had started training too, in her own way. Grey had taught her about breathing techniques to help her utilize her own strengths.


    "Are you off somewhere?" asked Ham, happily. "Let me climb on your head. It''s gotten so soft and comfortable."


    Grey tied his hair in a bundle and put Ham on his head.


    "I am off to the library. Today Iris has finally given us a break so I thought I might visit a familiar place."


    "Are you not afraid they will point at your eyes again?" said Ham. When Grey had gone out alone. People would stop and stare. Lately, he had not seemed to mind as much.


    "I think it is fine now. People stare because something is unusual, but I have been walking down that street so many times. They might even be expecting me."


    "If you say so," said Ham, snuggling.


    The library was in the residential district of the city. Grey passed a peach blossom tree, near the central plaza, and arrived at the gate. A man in fine velvet greeted him and opened the door. An elderly man stood at the counter wearing glasses and a long robe. He had a beard which drooped down to his waist.


    "Ah, it is you child." said the elderly man, straightening his glasses. "Have you come again to read? What will it be this time?"


    "Yes," said Grey, greeting the elderly man politely. "Could you tell me which way to the history section? I am looking for things during the Chaos Wars."


    "Are you looking for something in specific?"


    "Not really. Anything during that time will do."


    In truth, Grey had become fascinated by the Knights of Orbis. Their tales of heroism. The  battles they fought. It was surreal and otherworldly. An era where the world hinged on the edge of a sword and mankind was on the precipice of defeat. When he thought of such stories his heart was filled with excitement.


    "Left side, fifth aisle." said the elderly man. "If you are looking for the histories of men during that era you''ll find that in the eighteenth aisle before the Poetry Section."


    "Thank you, sir." said Grey. He made his way to the fifth aisle and picked up a random book. He sat near a corner, and opened the page. Ham popped her head out of his hair.


    "Another book?"


    "Yes," said Grey, nodding. "Could you tell the first character on the page?"


    "Will you feed me some delicacies?"


    "I will feed you the best roasted ham dish, the Jealous Maiden''s Secret Delight. The pork is fried in a large roaring oven, seasoned with salt and spice, and cooked with ash seed. It is then washed with wine, and laden in a shelf for sixty days. The smell is said to be the most heavenly, that even a mile away one can smell the fragrance."


    "Hue~" drooled Ham, "How can you get something like that when you are only a kid. I don''t believe you!"


    "You do not believe me?" giggled Grey, "Then never mind the Jealous Maiden will just have to find a new lover."


    "No!" said Ham. Her whiskers twitching in eagerness. "I want to eat. No take backs. I will bite you."


    Grey laughed, feeling Ham tickling him at his neck. "Okay, but read me the letters and then I will feed you."


    "But Grey!" whined Ham, "Are we not best of friends. Do you not feel my fur and think I am cute and fuzzy."


    Ham rubbed lovingly on his cheek. "Please! Give me a nibble? One bite, before we start."


    "Not until we are done reading," said Grey, shaking his head.


    "Stingy!"


    "Prudent," giggled Grey.


    Ham looks at the first word on the page.


    "The first character is Human."


    "And the next one?"


    "Forest? Wait, my eyesight is not so good."


    Ham leaps from Grey''s head and down to his lap. She looks over the book.


    "It looks like the word for river.  It has two lines going down."


    "That means city," smiled Grey. "Quick. What is next?"


    ~~~


    Human City of Polach.


    Diary of Captain Arteri.


    587 A.C.


    The battle is harsh. Marina doesn''t think we can hold Polach. The rituals holding up the barriers have failed and those monsters now pour through the riverbank. I''m afraid to ask what has happened to those men at the basin. Polach is a coastal city, and if we lose here we have no way of crossing the narrow straits of Osann-cha. We will have no way home.


    The hellbound now strike at us on a daily basis. Just last night, fifty men disappeared with nothing but their screams to tell us they have gone. I have told the men to keep the torches lit at all times. That the creatures spawn in the darkness and fear the light, but what are men to do against such things? These soldiers are peasants and cattle-farmers. They know nothing of magic and are spooked at the sight of their own shadows. There is only one thing they are good for and that is to die. Die so that others can survive. I can only pray that after so many are dead there will be someone left to save.


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    Life was originally not meant to be like this. It was meant to be a hard day''s work plowing the field in a pasture with servants attending to my needs. I had a family. Two children and a wife. How long ago that must have been? I have not thought of them since the fifth invasion. Thirty years ago. The war has gone on for six hundred years and some say the monsters will not stop until all men have been slain. Till we are wiped from existence. I say unto them. Let them come and wipe me out. I shall kill the next one that makes it past our barricades, and the next, and the next, till there nothing left of my body for the carrion birds. If there is no hope. Then I have nothing to lose.


    If there is one sliver of hope I share, it is that we now have knights accompanying our company. They appeared in the mid-morning at the height of the engagement. I have not known many knights in my lifetime but their battle prowess is well known. They do not fear monsters like we do and charge full hardly into their ranks. The unity of their spirits. Their war hardened cries. Marina thinks quite highly of them. Even our Lord Commander has asked to see them after the battle to share in drink and food so that they may discuss stratagems for our ongoing skirmishes.


    My hope is that we stave off the invasion long enough for the inner kingdoms to prepare their defenses. I don''t believe we will win. I am sick and tired. And news around the camp have grown more grim with each passing day. A moment ago, I overheard a man wailing that the Demon King could not be killed. That the entire Kingdom of Servalis was annihilated. Millions sent to the afterlife. None were spared. Against such a thing are we not dead men walking our last steps?


    ~~~


    "Grey? Is that you?"


    Grey closes his book. Ham hides back into his hair.


    "I knew it was you," said the girl, standing by the bookshelf. There is a basket in her hand, the smell of pastries fill the air. "You are always here looking at some book."


    "Ran?" said Grey, "What are you doing here?"


    "I had deliveries to make in the morning, but my dad let me out earlier today. So I happen to come to the library. What are you doing here?"


    "Um," said Grey, turning the book over. "I am reading a book."


    "Tales of Chaos," said Ran, reading the title. "Stories during the Chaos Wars from the Sixth Era. That sounds complicated."


    "It is not that complicated," said Grey, smiling. "I like it."


    "You like it cause you are so smart," said Ran, "Mr. Smarty Pants!"


    "I am not that smart," said Grey. "I''m just a little smart."


    "Well, not-so-smart-grey," giggled Ran. "Did you want a cookie? I know you do not like it when I feed you, but maybe today you are hungry. I have extras."


    She brings out her basket. The aroma of chocolate whiffing into the air.


    Grey''s stomach rumbles..


    "I...I guess I will take one today," said Grey. He had not eaten earlier and did not wish for his stomach to be growling on the way back to the inn.


    He bows respectfully to Ran.


    "Thank you for the meal."


    "Oh it''s nothing," said Ran, blushing. "Okay, open your hands. And there. One Golden-Eyed Dragon Cookie."


    Ran drops the cookie in Grey''s hand.


    "My mom made too many this morning. So I have plenty leftover."


    Grey takes a bite, and feels his body grow lighter. His mind less burdened.


    "Are these cookies enchanted?" said Grey. He had heard some foods had special properties that could help a person in a pinch.


    "No," said Ran, shaking her head. "but my mom gets a lot of the ingredients from the forest. Maybe, it tastes a little funny because of that."


    "I see. They taste really good."


    Grey takes another bite, savoring the flavor.


    Ran scoots a little closer, watching him intently.


    "Tell me Grey. How are you able to read if you can''t see. I have always wondered."


    "A secret," said Grey, smiling. "Did you come to the library to read a book?"


    "I didn''t. You know my reading is not so good. I came because I know you might be here silly. You look so lonely. They say if a kid is lonely they turn into a troll. So I have come to rescue you from your fate."


    "My fate?" smiled Grey. "I am not lonely. I like being alone! Besides, what kind of troll can be so intelligent."


    "One that hides in the library and never comes out," giggles Ran.


    She pokes him in the tummy.


    "Hey!"


    "You are looking a lot healthier. Are you eating right?"


    "You don''t need to feed me," said Grey, shaking his head. "The guild provides me with money. I have food. It''s just I forget to eat sometimes."


    "That''s because you train all the time," said Ran, "One day of rest every two weeks? Is that not torture for you? You should rest more. Here let me try something with you."


    Ran places her hands on his head.


    "What are you doing?"


    "I am making you feel more comfortable," giggled Ran. She pulls his head on her dress. "Is my clothes not soft enough to be your pillow. See, nice and comfy. Take a nap."


    The softness of her thighs pressed against his cheek. His heart felt warm.


    "My mom says it helps my dad when he is tired. How is it? My mother''s secret technique! Lap Pillow!" said Ran, happily.


    "It is not so bad," said Grey, relaxing. A pleasant feeling rises from his chest up to his throat. He does not know what to call it, but it feels a lot like when he releases his aura.


    "Then stay there and rest," smiled Ran, petting him on the head. "Is your training going well? You will be leaving soon right?"


    "Training is...hard," said Grey, hesitantly. "I don''t improve much and I keep messing up my stances. My skills right now are in swordsmanship. The lowest level. It is better than nothing I suppose. So I am not that worried. As for the trip, I am leaving in two to three days. We have to gather a few more supplies, but all my belongings have all been packed for the journey."


    "Where will you go?"


    "We will head up Norwood, to the Misty Veil, and into the Summer Lands. The forest is teeming with beasts so we will follow the main road up the mountain pass. I am not sure where our final destination is yet, but Iris is planning it out. She will tell me if I need to know."


    "Iris is your teacher right?"


    "Yep. My second teacher. She is a good person."


    "Will you write to me?"


    "I could?" said Grey, "but I''ll be back in a few months? We can talk then can''t we?"


    "We can but," said Ran, fidgeting. Her mind seems to search for the words. "I need help in writing. Yes! That''s right. So writing to you will help me improve my language. Will you not write to me? My dad did say language is the root of all knowledge."


    "Well, I guess I can get familiar with the messenger pigeons," said Grey. "I have not used them so I will learn a bit about them on the road. Okay, I will write to you. But I can''t promise it will be every day."


    "Thank you."


    "It is no trouble."


    "So, can tell me again about that girl, again? Mylene. You did not get to finish the story you were telling me last time."


    "My time in the prison? I guess I did not finish. It was not a happy ending, so I did not feel like continuing."


    "But she''s still alive right? Somewhere out there?"


    "She is...alive," sighed Grey, remembering how he had saved her. "And one of these days. I will find her. I definitely will."

 (Vol. II) Chapter 12 : Meeting with a Sword Youth

    Chapter 12


    Meeting with a Sword Youth


    Magic was a mystery to behold. Even as Grey fervently improved his sword skills, he kept close to him a copy of the Magic Theory Vol. V book. A book that he had bought before he had left the city. He stayed inside the cart on most days, listening idly by as Ciara and Oswin argued about their strength and density of their spells. They had just left the city a day ago, having packed their things, and were on the road to a city called Beville in a wooden cart.


    He sat in a meditative position. His legs crossed. His arms at his waist, palms facing down.


    Magic had a weight to it like everything else. Heavier spells were stronger but slower. On some spells the average person could even see the arc tracing from incantation and jump out of the way if they were fast enough. Faster spells were lighter. Less apt at doing damage, but more suitable for disorienting or overwhelming a person''s senses. Blinding. Escaping.


    Grey tried to see if he could apply some of these speed principles to his sword skill. Vanishing Sky. He no longer trained with the teacups, but sat upright with his sword drawn. A candle flickered right in front of him. He set up a training method on his own to imitate what Iris had done when she had phased her sword through the floor.


    He was to cut the candle into five pieces without toppling it over. In a moving cart, this was even more difficult.


    One of his sword swings strikes the top of the candle. A miss. He adjusts and swings again. It hits the center, but at a slight diagonal. The candle flips over, spinning in the air, before falling down into two pieces. Grey picks the pieces up and heats them using another candle to combine them back together. He places the newly fixed candle back into place and tries again.


    He begins to understand the principles.


    The essence of the motion was speed control and angulations. If an object was struck at the correct angle and speed it would not fall over.


    Sixth Strike.


    The sword fades into the wax cylinder and comes out the other side. Success. The candle does not even wobble when the cart strikes a rock. The cut is nearly perfect. Grey feels the candle with his fingers. He is a little mesmerized. Advances come sparsely and without reason. Repetition only gives him more chances to replicate past successes.


    He spends the rest of the day practicing till his hands are sore from swinging. His skill has gotten better. 4 out of 10 swings. He would be able to cut the candle without flipping it over. A truly productive and well spent day. He fell asleep quite satisfied.


    A week past without anything eventful. The road was long and narrow. One of paved dirt that led away from the rocky outcrops and plains of the Eastern Northlands to the Western Northlands of the Gahol Kingdom. Red. Yellow. Purple. The soil has become a dazzling neon that stretched out into the horizon. There were no trees here. Simply patches of moss that speckled the ground.


    "What kind of thing is this!" yelled Ciara, excitedly. "Why is the ground so many colors?"


    "It is twilight moss," said Iris. She drove the cart, pushing the horse forward. "The moss here changes colors to match the sky between the hours of dawn and evening. The color the moss right now is the color the sky as it was in the morning."


    "Really?" said Ciara, looking up to the sky. Right now, it was light blue. White fluffy clouds drifting along the winds.


    "It changes at dawn silly," smiled Iris, "The sun has already come up so the sky has changed back to light blue. Wait until the sun sets and you will see it change again."


    "Okay," said Ciara, sitting back into the wagon. She looked at the ground curiously, imagining herself rolling on the ground. She wondered if the moss was as soft as their bed back at the inn. To her it looked like the whole world had been covered in fuzzy patches of fur.


    They set up camp in the evening. They had one sheet they pulled over the cart and beddings laid in the back. Ciara prepared the campfire. Oswin went and gathered some of the moss from the soil. In this world everything can be eaten as long as it is cooked. Even the most poisonous of things could become a famous delicacy if heated under an iron pot.


    Iris rinsed the moss in water and tossed them in the pot, simmering the moss over the fire. She adds six cups of water , eight peeled potatoes, four red pepper, and a slab of butter and mixes them together with a wooden ladle. When she was done three wooden bowls are set on a wooden traveling table and soup poured into each one.


    "This is a meal my mother taught me when I was a kid. It is called ''Three Spring Months.'' The first month of spring is Jia. The month for growing wood. So I added water to the moss so that it may become a delicious soup. The second month is Yi. When the wood is tall enough to be cut. So I add potatoes that have all been peeled so that the soup may have a rich earthen texture. The third month is Bing. The month where the sun begins to shine bright. So I have added hot pepper whose taste is strong and fierce."


    "What about the butter? Does it also have a meaning?" asked Grey.


    "No not really," laughed Iris, "Butter just helps bring out the flavor in the moss and makes the soup a little thicker. Come let''s eat. I will tell you where we are going next."


    The place they were to arrive to next was a Hamlet of Killua near the Great Forest of Tephra in the State of Ai.


    "We will meet up with a friend and follow them up the mountain passage," said Iris, sternly. "I received a message the other day that a bandit group has taken residence in the foothills. If we are lucky we will not need to meet them till we reached the city. Beville is about six kilometers from Killua, but in the case we do find the bandits before then all of you are to remain hidden in the cart. There is a secret compartment underneath the beddings that will keep you safe. Go there if I start to whistle."


    "But can''t I fight?" said Oswin, "What''s a bandit or two? They can''t use magic. I can fry them like boiled eggs."


    "And what bandit hasn''t attacked an adventurer?" said Iris, shaking her head. "You make one mistake and it will be over. Stay in the cart and I will let you know when it is safe. Okay?"


    "Okay," sighed Oswin, drinking his soup.


    "Ciara? Grey?"


    "Yes," said Ciara


    "Yes," said Grey.


    "Good," smiled Iris, clapping her hands. "Now for desert."


    At night when everyone had fallen asleep, Grey woke up feeling restless. He found Ciara using him as a pillow and holding him tightly. He gently brushed off her hand and put it on Oswin. She shifted her position and hugged Oswin tightly instead. His face grimaced in pain as if having a nightmare.


    "Sorry Oswin," whispered Grey as he made his way out of the cart. He could already imagine Oswin waking up the next day and smacking Ciara on the head. Grey got dressed and made his way to an open field of moss a few paces away. He took out his sword and began to practice.


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    The teacups taught him balance. That a light object can lift a heavy object given the right posture. The candles taught him speed and skill. That it was possible to swing a sword through an object without disturbing them. Grey began to grasp the secrets behind this technique. Iris had told him the Vanishing Sky Style was a style of motion. Of understanding how materials work in tandem with the forces of nature.


    Grey begins to dance, feeling the resistance of the air against his weapon. Swish! His sword cuts an imaginary bamboo stick in half. Slash! It pierces through an imaginary wall, straight and center. Balance and movement without the use of magic. He swings for an hour till he hears the sound of another sword slashing through the air. Cling! It was close by.


    "Grey," says a voice, startling him. It was Ham. She woke up having slept in his hair.


    "I thought you were in the box with the cheese," said Grey. "Didn''t you say you could sleep there forever?"


    "I was sleeping there, but cheese is not as soft as you this head," giggled Ham, comfortably. "What are you doing so late. You keep moving so violently. I was having a good dream, but you kept running around."


    "I was training silly," said Grey, lightly poking Ham on her furry forehead. "What kind of mouse can sleep through that. If later you become fat and lazy you will have only yourself to blame."


    "Hehe," said Ham, "It is because you feed me so well. Hmmm? What is that noise? Is someone else practicing?"


    "I don''t know," said Grey, a little curious. He remembered Iris''s warning about the bandits but they should be miles away. He approached the sound of the sword swings. A boy''s voice huffed mightily as he attacked Grey.


    "Sword Style! Pulsating Wave!"


    The boy extends his hand and strikes the earth. The ground ripples from his blow, shooting spikes into the air. Each spike is two centimeters wide. One centimeter thick. A hail of needles which flies in all directions.


    "Gah!" said Grey, surprised. He could hear the earthen needles fly towards him. He jumped out of the way and felt a few prick his arm. Ham stayed with Grey, hiding in his hair. Her eyes look angrily. Her teeth ready to bite!


    "Oh no!" cried the boy. Grey lay on the ground. His arm had been skewered. Two needles in his biceps.


    "Ow, it really hurts," said Grey, gritting his teeth.


    "I''m sorry! I''m sorry! I didn''t know you were there!" said the boy running up to Grey. He dropped his sword next to him and took Grey by the arm. He begins to put medicine on Grey''s wounds. "It is not bad. I am not so good at it anyway."


    He rips off a piece of his shirt and wraps Grey''s arm in a sling. "Good as new right? Are you hurt anywhere else? You definitely won''t tell my dad I did this will you?"


    "Tell your dad?" said Grey, incredulously. The pain vivid in his mind. "Why were you doing something so crazy. If I had not jumped away I could have been killed. This needle hitting my head instead of my arm."


    "Ack?!" said the little boy, feeling a guilty. If he had really killed Grey. Would that not make him a criminal? A murderer? He trembled and got down on his knees, touching the ground with his forehead.


    "It is like you said. I could have done you a great wrong. Please forgive me!"


    "Humph," said Grey, petting Ham on the head. She had gotten agitated and Grey could feel her fur standing up. He pet her gently, calming her nerves. To the boy it looked as if Grey was stroking his hair. This was because rats are born with a talent in stealth. If they do not wish to be found, then it is difficult to see them.


    "I guess I will forgive you," said Grey, after a long pause. The boy had dressed his wounds and apologized a lot. Didn''t this mean he was pure of heart with no evil intentions?


    "But tell me then why did you attack me? I didn''t do anything to you."


    "I didn''t attack you. I was practicing when I accidently hit you," sighed the boy. "My dad is a sword instructor and I have to carry on the family tradition and learn my father''s art."


    The boy shrugged and sat down, resting his chin on his hand in deep thought.


    "but honestly I am not that good. I have to practice when he isn''t looking...so I don''t become an even bigger disappointment."


    "I see," said Grey. "Is your camp nearby?"


    "It is a few paces from here by that big rock," said the boy. "Is your camp nearby too?"


    "It is over the hill in the back."


    Grey does not turn when he speaks, but simply points behind him.


    "So we are close by. We must have missed each other on the road."


    The boy takes a closer look at Grey''s face and is surprised to see his eyes are a dull white.


    "Your eyes? Are you blind?"


    "So what if I am," Grey frowned. "What''s wrong with that?"


    "No, nothing is wrong." said the boy. He leaned closer, inspecting Grey''s eyes. "I didn''t do that did I?"


    Grey shook his head.


    "I have been blind for a long time now. It is not your fault."


    "I see...so what are you doing out here late at night? Where you going to the bathroom?"


    Grey laughed, imagining himself getting attacked without his pants and sat on a patch of moss, rubbing his arm. He could heal himself if he wanted, but Iris had told him not to show that healing skill to anyone. He would have to wait till he got back to camp.


    "I wasn''t going to the bathroom," chuckled Grey. "I was feeling restless so I went out to practice my sword skills. I did not expect to get attacked though."


    "Sorry," said the boy, clapping his hands together apologetically. "Wait a minute? You practice with the sword too?"


    "That''s right," said Grey, "It isn''t something so fancy as your move though."


    He nodded towards the crater the boy made in the ground.


    A boy''s eyes started to sparkle.


    "I don''t suppose? I can ask you to spar?"


    Grey''s face turned to shock. "After nearly killing me! You want to kill me again. Is this what they call beating a cute puppy? You animal abuser."


    "No! No!" said the boy innocently, waving his arms frantically in front of him. "I am not beating anything. A meeting is a chance to improve. To compare one''s truths with the with the truths of others."


    He seemed to say it as if reciting a passage of a textbook.


    "If we never meet again then I would have truly missed an opportunity. Please! I will not use one arm. We will be even. Sheaths only. No edges."


    Grey hesitated. If things got too serious maybe they might accidently hurt each other. But on the other hand the boy was right. Skills did improve best by sharing experiences.


    "Okay," shrugged Grey. His shoulders felt heavy. "I guess it wouldn''t be so bad. Let me get ready."

 Notice

    Hi everyone,


    It''s been a while hasn''t it? Lately, I''ve been really discouraged by the comment''s I''ve been getting in the reviews. And l thought taking a break might do my self-esteem. (It helped a little). I''ve also been quite unhappy with a lot of things on this site that I won''t mention here.


    Anyway, I came to formally notify you all that I''ve decided to quit writing on RoyalRoad.


    I don''t think people realize this, but the hardest thing for me when writing is having the confidence to write a story that I''ve dedicated my heart into and when I read all of the recent reviews either bashing on the story or telling me how horrible something is about it. It is pretty demoralizing. As it doesn''t even tell me how to improve. Just quibbles on how they didn''t like that something happened.


    In hindsight perhaps the greatest mistake I''ve ever made was to post my fiction on this website. I''ve not only ruined my chances at getting it published due to first publishing rights, but I''ve essentially given a great story away for FREE at the expense of being treated on the internet as an idiot.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    If people think this story is so terrible that the last 10 ratings have been 0 stars.  Then it isn''t worth posting any more chapters. And it isn''t worth keeping it here for people to continually bash on it.


    I''ll be online for a few hours to maybe chat with anyone who is online, but this is really it. I won''t be coming back here for many months if at all. I just wanted to vent some of my frustrations and also say thank you to my readers. I did have a lot of fun here. Even if it was only for a short time.


    I''ve talked briefly with Wing(Admin) to delete my fiction. So if you guys don''t see this story in a few months. Just a heads up on what happened.

 #2 Notice [End]

    I have kind of deliberated this for a while and I think I have decided to make this kind of a long term web novel. One day it may become an actual book that a publisher may pick up, but I right now I wanted to try out writing it as if it were a web fiction for a bit and see where that leads. Just to see if it will go anywhere.


    I am going to start back from scratch and rewrite the story from the beginning to make it longer/fun for me as I reread old chapters. If anyone wants to follow me. I have a website up. Most of the chapters here will stay the same, but some parts will change here and there. Lately, just been inspired by chinese webnovels, but of course the english market is something else entirely.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Not much else to say. Was very reluctant to return here because I left upset, but for those long time fans of this work. I thought it was worth it to at least let them know where the story continues, and what I''ve been up to.


    -RPGlitchy


    https://rpglitchy.wordpress.com/dark-lord-saga/</a>