Ashura: A World of Sword and Magic

Chapter 1

You ever had those days where you feel like you’re in a dream, but you’re wide-awake? A dream where your imagination takes you to a world of fantasy and make-believe, escaping the cruel problems of the real world? Well, the tale I’m about to tell you is something like that, except that it isn’t a dream.

I woke up to find myself in a mysterious forest.

Wait…this isn’t my bedroom! I was confused and shocked, scanning my new found environment in a panicked manner.

I was lying on my back against a fallen tree. Without hesitation, I stood up and started walking east, or at least what I thought was east. I wandered in hopes of finding any sign of civilization. Unfortunately, all there was were more trees. I walked for almost an hour and I was starting to get scared. My breath became heavy as beads started falling from my brow. I was afraid I would be lost and that nobody might find me. Hell, I was even scared how much of a burden my disappearance would be to my parents. Suddenly, my distraught was nearly over. Up ahead was an opening, shining much more of the sun’s light in my direction.

So, I dashed towards it and when I made it, I saw that it led outside of the forest and right in front of me was a pasture with a single road made of cobblestone over small hills like something out of Sound of Music.

“Kya!”

I heard a scream close by. I turned my attention to the origin and saw a young girl being surrounded by five men. I couldn’t believe something that that was happening before me. Usually, you would see something like that out of a shounen manga. Hell! They even had swords also!

They looked like they were about to hurt the girl. One of them even holding a sword up to the girl's throat. I had to go and try to stop them. However, I didn’t have a weapon to begin with. I looked around and see if I could use anything. Luckily, I found what I needed. Reaching my hand up, I grabbed onto a dead branch that was still attached to the tree beside me. I yanked it with all my might as I heard cracking from the wood stems. With one last pull, I ripped it off of the tree’s trunk, but tumbled down the hill and landing right in front of them.

While I descended to the brae, I caught a word of what they were saying. Something about a “Princess” and giving up “All the valuable possessions you’ve got!” but then they stopped talking. Then, when everything stopped spinning, I realized the five men had turn their attention to me.

“What the hell is this?!” one of the men exclaimed irritably.

I stumbled a little while trying to regain my footing. When I managed to stand up straight, I held the branch in my hand up like a sword and held my guard up.

I replied justly with a stern glare, “You tell me?! I don’t know what I’m doing here or how I got here, but what I do know is that you ganging up a defenseless girl is wrong, and I’m here to put an end to it!”

Now that I was close, I was able to get a good look at the girl. She was about my age, either 16 or 17-years-old. She had long blonde hair, reaching almost to her waist, having blue eyes and fair peach skin. She wore a sleeveless beige dress with a loincloth covering the front and back of her torso, long fingerless gloves, and a pair of brown boots with white stockings she was even carrying a satchel over her shoulder.

Hold on! She has long ears! Is she an elf?!

That’s what came to mind when I noticed her ears. That’s when it all started coming back to me. How I got here, that is.

It was around Sunday, on November 26, 2016. I was in my room, surfing around the Internet, mostly looking up…ahem…”exciting” sites when suddenly a pop-up appeared.“What the hell is this?” I muttered to myself.

In the beginning, I thought it was just spyware…until I read the whole damn thing.

“Ashura: A World of Swords and Magic! Venture into a world of fantasy as you, the hero, travel through distant lands, boost levels and obtain treasures, form parties, and save the world of Ashura from the forces of evil and chaos!”

I didn’t think about it much and just assumed it was an ad for a cheesy, cheap-design MMORPG game. So, with a shrug, I clicked on the download icon but then…my computer crashed, or so I thought. Suddenly, a flash of light appeared out of my screen. I scream in agony. I felt like something was dragging me in. that’s how I wound up in the middle of nowhere, now fighting strangers to rescue an elf girl!

Back at the present, I snapped out of my trip down memory lane. Unfortunately, right at that moment, one of the men charged at me, swinging his sword horizontally in my direction. I ducked and swung upward, striking him right below the chin. The man went flying three feet before landing on the ground. Everyone gasped in surprise.

“You little shit! You’ll pay for hurting one of my men, and for ruining our theft!” said one of the thieves in anger.

They all charged in at once, swinging their daggers and swords at me. I was able to retaliate. Clash! Bang! I swung the branch in my hand as hard as I could while doing my best to not get hacked into pieces. Three of the men were down. Only one was left. However, he was nowhere to be seen.

Zap!

I spun around and was shocked to see the last thief standing right behind me, partially charred and semi-conscious. When I reached to touch him, he collapsed to the ground as he twitched like a nearly dead animal.

I turned and saw that it was the elf girl’s doing, holding up her staff with the tip glowing. She looked nervous, breathing heavily while she stammered.

“I-I did it!” she exclaimed.

“I managed to summon [Lightning]!”

She lowered the staff as she congratulated herself. She ran towards me with a concern expression.

She stopped and asked worriedly, “H-hey, are you…okay?!”

The elf girl sounded shy. Sweat dripping from her brow.

I smiled. I pointed out musingly, “I should be asking you that. Those thieves ganged up on you and I was worried they’d hurt you.”

She simply shook her head and stated, “They did not manage to lay a finger on me. They were just trying to intimidate me, so that I would hand over anything on my persons to them.”

She grabbed the necklace around her neck and held up the medallion up to my view.

“I guess it’s because of this insignia they knew I was of royal blood,” she commented passively.

The insignia was red with gold edges on the sides. Inside it was an amber-colored bird with its wings extended, made entirely of jewels.

I was enticed by its’ design. However, it didn’t last long. The elf girl tucked the necklace back into her dress while turning her gaze to me.

“My name is Keya Aieandora! What’s yours?” she greeted inquisitively.

“I’m Akio Yamazaki,” I replied.

She laughed.

I asked, “What’s so funny?”

She explained jocularly, “It’s your name! I’ve never heard of anyone with a name like that!” she didn’t mean to sound rude, but the way it came out was sort of irksome.

I couldn’t help but glare annoyingly at her.

“You’re not from around these parts, are you?”

My face became blank. Did she found out I wasn’t from this world?

“N-no! I’m…not from around here,” I answered. My tone of voice faded shyly as I rubbed my arms.

She looked surprised. Then she said astonishingly, “Really?! If you aren’t from around here, then where are you from? Are you from another continent?”

“Continent?”

“Yes! There are about five continents, each one populated by different races!” Keya said affirmatively, holding up a finger while explaining.

She continued, “We’re in the continent of Gaia, northeast of Ashura! The continent is mostly populated by humans, but is also inhabited by elves, dwarves, and other races too!”

I assumed Ashura was the name of the world I was taken to.

“So, which continent are you from, exactly?” she asked again.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t tell I wasn’t from this world because I doubt she’d understand that I was from another world. So, I played dumb.

“I-I don’t remember where I’m from,” I answered ignorantly.

Keya’s eyes widened in shock, looking at me with a concerned expression, repeating,

“You don’t know where you came from? Do you have amnesia?”

I didn’t like lying, especially to a beautiful girl, but it was either lie or tell her the truth.

“I-I guess, so. I just woke up in the forest and…everything was a blank.” I rubbed the back of my neck while I was fibbing through my teeth.

She just gave me a sympathetic stare. Placing a hand on my shoulder, she confirmed smiling, “it’s okay. Maybe if you come with me on my quest, we’ll find a way to get your memories back.”

Arching an eyebrow, I stared at her in confusion.

I questioned curiously, “What do you mean ‘quest’? Where are you going?”

“It’s…a long story,” she remarked dismissively. Brushing a strand of hair from her view, she demanded while running, “Come on! The next town isn’t far! We can find you some new clothes while getting something to eat!”

What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?

I would’ve been offended. However, Keya had a point. I mean, the way I was dressed…Ultraman t-shirt, sweatpants, socks, and bedroom slippers. I didn’t really fit in, on this world, did I?

I chased after her without any hesitation and we kept talking the whole way down the road.

“So, tell me more about yourself, Keya?” I inquired.

She blushed slightly and remarked, “I-I’ve never really talked about myself to anyone before. But…all right! I am from the elven kingdom of Ero Yanth, which is located up north of the continent. My father is the king and I, his daughter, am the princess of the nation.”

I knew she was a princess. Even after heard the word, highway bandits wouldn’t attack random strangers unless they had riches. Well, that’s what I’ve learned in RPG gaming.

I interrupted Keya, asking suspiciously, “if you are a princess, then why are you out in the middle of nowhere? I thought princesses were suppose to stay in the palace and be attended by hundreds of servants, or something like that.” my tone of voice shifted from curiosity to sarcasm throughout the second sentence.

“Well…yes, that is the norm for most princesses. However, I had a reason to leave my country,” she stated.

“Which is?”

“You won’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me?”

“Okay, well, you see…I had…a premonition that a great evil was about to befall onto the world.”

Hearing that, I couldn’t help but flash a look of disbelief. It did sounded a little ludicrous. Then again, it is a typical scenario in some games where the hero meets an oracle that receives a dream of a “great evil” arriving to the world. So, I didn’t want to rule out what the princess said as crazy.

She then continued, “So, I left my home and ventured out to become the best magician I can to protect my people.”

“I was wondering. Where did you learn to fight like that, back there?”

I wasn’t sure how to answer her question. If I told her, then she’ll know I don’t have amnesia.

“I learned it…um…”

“Oh, right, you don’t remember anything, do you? T-that’s alright! I didn’t mean to sound rude!” she replied, taking back what she asked before.

I was relieved. I didn’t have to tell her anything. It’s surprising how a princess would be impressed by my fighting skills, although I was a member of the kendo club in high school and was top of my peers. So, it would make sense.

Finally, we made to the village. Tora was its name. Keya and I sauntered in, observing the simplistic agrarian features around us. All of the houses were made out of stone with the roofs made out of straw. The people in the village were made up mostly of humans with an elf, or dwarf, here and there.

We wandered throughout town, hoping to find a tavern to eat. Unfortunately, Keya had another idea. She grabbed my hand and forcibly dragged me into a shop with a clothes sign over the door.

“What are we doing in here?” I asked flabbergasted.

I looked around and noticed that there were racks and shelves filled with clothes of different color, shape, and size. Standing in front of one of the racks, Keya turned and smiled innocently.

“I told you, silly! When we got to the village, I was hoping to get you some new clothes to replace the rags you’re wearing now!” she pointed out.

Keya returned to the rack, skimming through the wears before one could catch her eye. She picked up the set she needed and handed them to me.

“Here! Take this and go change! If you need any help, all be right here!” she demanded, hymning while giving me a wink.

Luckily, there was a changing room right next to the checkout counter. It was a relief that I didn’t have to change in the middle of the room, not that they would allow me to do so, that is.

I stepped into the first changing room I saw. Closing the blinds behind me, I started changing out of my pants and shirt until I was only in my underwear. I looked into the mirror in front of me as I caressed my hands through my spikey black hair. My body was slim, yet average. Toned for a kendo student.

I looked at the clothes Keya handed me. Strangely, they appeared to be of my size, which was unnerving how she was able to guess my measures.

Before I started putting them on, I heard the curtains slid open and someone asking, “how are the clothes? Are they to your…” Keya stood right in the opening, frozen in exacerbation as we glanced eye-to-eye. She stared at my chest while her face turned red. Closing the blinds, I could hear her running out of the way, shouting “sorry!” in embarrassment.

I sighed while crushing the bridge between my eyes. Then I proceeded to change my clothes. When I finished, I was now wearing a v-neck white shirt under a black trench coat with grey lining and a single shoulder blade on the right, a pair of grey trousers with a silver belt buckle, and black boots with steel spats on the front.

I stepped out and showed myself to Keya. She clasped her hands and grinned widely.

“Oh, you look amazing, Akio! With your skills and your new fashion, you look like a proper warrior!” ironically, that’s the class I always choose when playing games.

Her comment embarrassed me a little. Scratching my left cheek, I said timidly, “Umm…thanks, Keya, but can you afford this? I don’t want to make you spend all your money on me.”

She waved her hand nonchalant and remarked, “Don’t worry about it! I have enough money to last for a long time!”

After paying the owner of the store, we went to get something to eat.

“Maybe I should get a proper weapon!” she suggested happily.

“I’ll stick with the branch,” I deadpanned.

The girl might have a spending problem, even if it’s for someone else.

30-minutes-later, Keya and I were back on the road. We were heading straight when something obstructed our view.

“Is that what I think it is?” I pointed at what looked like a sword in the middle of the road. We both dashed towards it, but halted when we noticed the sign. It read: Beware ye you glanced at the Blade of Accord for those who pluck it from the ground shall be cursed and we soon meet with death by one's own hands!

Most of it sounded it corny and wasn’t that much intimidating. I don’t think the person who wrote this took time to look it over.

“I ‘ve heard about this sword! I remembered an urban legend where, when leaving the village of Tora, people would see a sword sticking out of the road and those who remove would die of unusual circumstanced.” Keya recalled in acknowledgement. She added as she trembled, “I-I heard that t-the last person t-to wield the sword, d-die impaled to a tree, yet n-no one knows how!”

I shook my head as I moved forward. Keya was shocked when she saw me reaching for the sword’s hilt.

“What are you doing?!” she yelled, bewildered by my action.

I grabbed the hilt and smirked, saying, “Oh please, Keya, I’m not intimidated by curses, nor do I believe in them! Somebody must’ve put that sign there s a joke!”

Boy was I wrong for as I removed the sword from the ground, everything became silent. Just then, the forest around us turned dark while the sky became blood red. Suddenly, a chill went up my spine. Keya screamed and pointed, causing me to swirl around. Right in front of me was…me but it wasn’t me. It was my shadow! This was the curse for when you pull the sword, you must challenge yourself to prove your worth or die by your own hands.

Chapter 2

I was taken aback by the dark apparition before me, terrified by its’ very presence. I face-palmed while flashing an irritated glare.

Oh, that's right, this is a fantasy world! My world's logic doesn't apply!

The doppelganger raised its' sword up and charged, swinging at me with such precision that it was hard to dodge. I gripped the hilt of the sword. All I could hope for is if my kendo skills are good enough against myself.

“Be careful! Shadow Doppelgangers can mimic the moves of the person they are a part of!” Keya shouted informatively.

She was standing far away from the fight. It was relieving to know she found some cover because she didn't look much like a fighter. Then again, appearances are deceiving.

The doppelganger charged again, lifting its' sword up before striking down. I managed to block the attack, pushing me back while sparks flew from my blade. It cocked its' arm and parried its' sword. I evaded the doppelganger's move and swung my blade at its' head. However, the shadow creature blocked and brought me into a stalemate. Suddenly, I felt the creature's swift kick against my abdomen, pushing me to the ground. I coughed before standing back.

“This is harder than I thought!” I muttered to myself.

If it were an MMORPG game, it would have been over in just a minute. But this was not a game. My eyes widened in shock. The doppelganger was about to strike. I picked myself up and gripped my sword as I regained my battle stance. We both changed at each other at once. Clash! Our blades struck once more. This time, the blow was so powerful; it sent a slight shockwave throughout the area.

“Had enough yet?!” I said fiercely to the doppelganger.

It didn't respond. It just remained silent. Before it could make its' next move, I pushed the shadow back and thrust my blade forward, hoping to pierce through its' heart. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my forearm. I looked and saw the creature's blade penetrating the skin. I screamed in pain, feeling the blood flow out of my arm as it pulled back. I was angry, but not like before. I was becoming enraged. Seething in agony, I gritted my teeth as started getting angrier and angrier. Then, everything turned red. With a bellowing roar, I sprinted and swung my sword. It tried to block but, this time, its' attempts were all in vain. The blade glowed of a red light and with one strike, the shadow's blade came flying out of its' hands. With one thrust, I pierced through its' heart. I watched it dissipate before my eyes.

I breathed heavily and saw my vision becoming clear. Afterwards, in a matter of seconds, the sky returned to being blue and the forest, and the fields, returned to normal. I didn't know what had happened. I was fighting my shadow, and the next thing I know I had become stronger and faster than I was before. Suddenly, a deep surge appeared, causing me to drop the sword in my hand and grasp my upper right arm.

“Ah!” I screamed excruciatingly.

Throughout my entire life, I have never been stabbed. Sure, there were the occasional cuts and bruises from accidents, kendo trainings, and from getting into scuffles with the high school yanki's. However, this was a different feeling.

“Akio, hang on!”

 I snapped my head and saw Keya running as fast as she could. She crouched down beside me and told me to give her my arm. She started rubbing the wound, disregarding the blood staining her hand. I seethed when I felt her apply pressure.

However, I was stunned to see a green light flashing from her hand.

She stated attentively, “This will only take a second. The healing spell takes a lot of focus.”

She removed her hand. I looked and was astonished to see the wound on my arm was completely healed.

“Thanks. You save my life,” I said in gratitude.

She shrugged and smiled.

“It was no big deal! I would've used my healing ability on anyone who's injured, or ill!” she replied, waving a hand nonchalant while her cheeks turned red.

Smiling, I couldn't help but pat her on the back in thanks. I turned to see the sword face flat on the floor. I reached in, grabbed it by the hilt, and held it up to admire its' design.

“Well, at least I won't be using the branch, and you didn't have to spend anything on weapons, Keya,” I mused, flashing a half-hearted grin as I placed the Blade of Accord into my belt.

 Since I didn't have a scabbard, putting it there would suffice. I just hoped the blade didn't cut through the leather.

Walking up to my side, Keya added in awe, “I was amazed that you were able to unlock [Rage] on your first challenge! Usually, it takes level 1 warriors days before being able to use it!”

“What's [Rage]?”

“It's a class trait, common among the warrior class. It allows the user to challenge his rage and fury throughout their body, giving them enhanced strength and speed but only for about 60 seconds,” she lectured analytically.

That sounds oddly like the super-saiyan transformation from Dragon Ball Z!

“What about your healing powers? Is that all part of being a magician, or did you have to learn to use it?” I questioned, pointing at Keya's ability.

She corrected me in a straightforward manner, “Actually, the healing spell was taught to me by the palace's private healers. However, I haven't fully mastered it and it takes a lot out of you.” the tone of her voice contained hints of fatigue.

Later, Keya and I continued on foot, getting back on the cobble stone road. Frankly, we should have stayed in town and checked into an inn. The sun was beginning to set.

Turning to Keya, I asked, “How far is the next town?”

She answered, “About 3 miles.”

That was a good thing to hear, meaning we didn't have to camp in the middle of nowhere. Also, I wouldn't know the first thing about setting up a camp to begin with. 1-hour-later, we made it to the town of “Kor”. My legs were getting tired and were about to give out. Keya wasn't looking so good either. She leaned against my shoulder, using me to support her exhausted body. Luckily, the inn wasn't too far from us. In fact, it was close to the entrance. It was probably built close by, so to attract more customers better.

We waltzed right in, signed us into a room, and paid the innkeeper at the check-in counter. Unfortunately, there was only one room vacant, at the moment. Not really much of a problem as long as there was an extra bed. However, that was not the case.

The two of us sauntered into the first door on the left. As we entered, we discovered the room was a little small, and that there was only one bed!

Wait! I have to share a bed with Keya?! The thought about it was both exciting and horrendous. For starters, she was a princess, a member of royalty, and if I did something to her and someone finds out about it, they'd cut off my head. Also, she was a girl and I was a boy, meaning it would be too uncomfortable for both of us the entire night. Even though I've only known Keya for a few hours, I could tell she was innocent. She wouldn't forgive me if I took advantage of her. Taking a glimpse, I could tell she was just as embarrassed as I was, noticing her flushed red face and flabbergasted gaze.

Maybe I should sleep on the floor. Then again, there doesn't seem to be any extra sheets and since this isn't a hotel, I doubt they would have any at the front desk.

“W-well, let's get ready for bed, s-shall we?!”

I was snapped out of my train of thought by Keya's voice. Turning to her, I watched her walked over and started moving the sheets back.

“Come now, these sheets aren't going to move themselves!” she demanded, gesturing me for help.

She was pretending to not be embarrassed, but I could still tell it on her face. I strolled over and began helping. Keya's hand fidgeted as she pulled back the covers. I could feel the vibration emitting throughout the fabric. Sweat started dripping from her face in agitation. I placed a hand on hers. Keya tensed up and turned her attention toward me.

I smiled and assured, “Don't worry, Keya! I'll be sure not to do anything dirty to you!” I couldn't help but chuckle at the end. I just wished she bought into my facade because, at the same time, I was freaking out.

Keya chuckled, also. She smiled reassuringly and moved her hand out.

“I-I know you won't. I'm just nervous because…this is my first time sharing a bed with a boy,” she claimed, fidgeting with her fingers like a shy schoolgirl. She snapped out and continued while stuttering, “N-not that there's anything wrong with you! I-I mean, you're very attractive and n-nice, b-but it's just…I mean…”

I interrupted her breakdown, raising my hand up in a nonthreatening manner and said to her, albeit taken back, “Okay! I get it! Please, don't force yourself to say it!” honestly, I'm just as nervous as you are!

After the bed was finally set up, Key asked me to leave the room to give her privacy to change. I wondered: did she pack her pajamas in her rucksack?

So, I waited outside of the room until she finished changing.

“Okay! You can come back in!”

I strolled back into the room and was bewildered by the site before me. Standing in the middle of the room, Keya was dressed in a silver nightgown that stretched passed her thighs, and nothing else. My face immediately turned red and I felt my nostril dripping blood.

Keya cringed after seeing the blood from my nose. Snapping out of my daze, I wiped my nose with my sleeves, clapped my hands, and put on a fake smile.

“W-we should probably hit the hay! Early to bed; early to rise, as the saying goes!” I remarked fastidiously.

“Y-yes! We should get right to sleep! We have a busy day tomorrow!” she concurred, having the same embarrassed expression as me.

I took off my jacket, boots, and pants, which was usually how I slept. After turning off the lights, Keya and I crawled into bed together. We faced away from each other, trying to make the situation less awkward as possible.

We couldn’t sleep. The feeling of each other’s warmth under the sheets kept the two of us awake. I turned slowly; enough to see the back of Keya’s head, but not enough to alert the elf girl.

“Hey, Keya…are you awake?”

“Yes.”

“Just making sure.”

Then, something came to mind.

“By the way, Keya. What…are we doing tomorrow?” I questioned puzzlingly.

She answered, turning to face me, “Oh! Well, tomorrow, we’re going to the nearest guild office in town to sign us up to become official warriors and magicians. That way, when we’re out adventuring and honing our skills, we could make money from the bounty we’ve collected along the way.”

That made sense because it’s common in games to register in guilds. That way, players can gather wealth and fame from their exploits. Until I learn a way to return home, I should sign up and be a warrior. After we talked, we finally went to sleep, falling deep into slumber as my vision went dark.

The next morning, the sun shined through the window. The sounds of bird’s chirping ringed in my ear. My eyes fluttered, only to gasp when I found myself snuggled up against the elven princess.

What the fuck?! Why the hell are my arms around Keya!?Oh god, I need to fix this before she wakes up!

My eyes bulged as beads of sweat fell from my face. Slowly, I moved my right hand away from her. Hell, even the way were positioned was raunchy. I could even see a nipple hanging out from her nightgown, no that the dress wasn’t too revealing to begin with. I tried to escape without alarming the sleeping elf girl. Unfortunately, my left hand was pinned by Keya’s side. So, with caution, I gingerly slid the other arm out but right when it was all the way out, Keya’s eyes flew open and met with my own. The atmosphere grew tense. She looked around, probably noticing how close I was standing over her and how close my face was to hers. She gasped, letting out a loud scream wither face turned red and before I had the chance to explain, a flash of blue light emanated from the princess, blowing up the entire room around us.

45-minutes-later…

We were sitting in the corner of the inn’s tavern, facing each other while we ate. I was eating of eggs, bacon, and bread while Keya was eating just eggs and bread.

 Like yesterday’s lunch, she refused to eat anything with meat. I asked her why she didn’t want bacon. She explained that elves are vegetarians and possess a deep bond with the earth, meaning that eating meat was a major taboo amongst elven society. After that, Keya and I didn’t speak. She was still mad at the ordeal that happened earlier.

“Look, Keya, I told you. Nothing happened. I accidentally slept on your side and I was just trying to move away before you woke up…”

“So, it WAS your intention to touch my body, wasn’t it?!” She accused judgmentally.

I was trying to explain, but it just made the situation worst.

“N-no! I didn’t mean it to happen! It just happened! I would never have my way with you! Honest!” I pleaded as best as I could.

Instead of saying anything, Keya glared at me. It felt like she was piercing me with daggers from her gaze. Then she took a deep breath and responded calmly, “I believe you. I can tell from your eyes that you wouldn’t do anything indecent, on purpose.”

 That brought me relief to hear.

“However, that doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven you,” she continued seriously, waving her index finger like an instructor. “After we register at the local adventurer’s guild, you’re going to have to treat me to something…special.”

I didn’t really like the sound of that. Frankly, I would do anything to put an end to the misunderstanding. However, didn’t have any cash to afford to treat her.

Keya beamed, giving me a devious smirk.

“You’re thinking that since you don’t have any money, how would you treat me? Don’t worry, after you sign up, the guild masters will provide you with a 50 copper coin starter loan to set you off. Once you receive it, I’ll be sure to tell you what we’ll be doing with it.”

After we finished breakfast, we checked out and headed to the guild. Unfortunately, due to the damage we caused to the room, half of the money we had was spent for the repairs. That nearly left us broke.

We walked out of the inn and strolled up the street.

The adventurer’s guild was about a block away from where the inn was. It only took us 12 minutes to arrive but when we got there, the place was packed. The inside of the guild was filled with wooden support beams, having white walls and lanterns hanging on the ceiling. There were even blue flags with a horizontal white line and three golden lions, hanging between the beams.

This is going to take a while. And it did, about an hour, to be précised. Once we made it to the front where Keya and I signed a bunch of paper work.

"Name: Akio Yamazaki. Age: 17. Race: Human..."

God! it was tedious! After we were done, they then branded the back of our hands with a symbol of an X inside a circle. We were now officially guild members and certified adventurers. Despite the agonizing wait and the uncomfortable amount of documents needed to sign, it was all worth it.

“So, what now?” I asked as Keya and I exited the guild house.

“Now, we just have to find a job on the quest bulletin board, but before that, you still owe me a treat.”

I was hoping she would’ve forgotten about that promise. Maybe elves have better memories than humans, I guess. Instead of protesting, I complied and let Keya guided me on where we needed to go.


Chapter 3

1 day ago…

“Where the hell is he? Where is the hero?!”

Somewhere on another part of the continent, twelve men and women stood in front of the edge of a large glowing pentagram dressed in black robes that concealed their faces. In the pentagram was, not only an inverted star, but also a ring of strange writings and orbs with symbols of the elements at the end of each tip.

“We’ve read the incantation correctly, so where is the hero!?”

One of the men and women vented angrily. Something had gone array and much murmurs of dismay began echoing throughout the room.

“Calm down, Representative Kar! You know the summoning spell is fickle! It’s unknown where the hero had been teleported to, but what we do know is that it was a success! The hero has been summoned to our world! If he hadn’t, then the circle wouldn’t be glowing right now!” Remarked the second man beside the first man, Representative Kar.

“Oh no, this isn’t good, at all! Without knowing where the hero is, then we won’t have enough time to prepare for the Dark Lord’s arrival!”

One of the female members in the circle became hectic, trembling in anxiety while shaking her head with her hands clasping the sides.

She turns and asks the second man, “What are we going to do, Representative Ameloni?!”

“First off, we are all going to remain calm! It’s not the end of the world! Not yet, that is!” barked Representative Ameloni authoritatively. He continued, “There is still hope! Track the hero’s whereabouts will not be impossible! However, finding someone who will volunteer will be somewhat hard as they have to be brave enough to travel the continent while searching for the hero!”

Then silence fell amongst the group. After a few seconds, the silence was broken. “What if we send in the…Halfling,” One of them slurred in disdain.

They all laughed in amusement. Ameloni stated, “We would make good use for the girl! Ranging and hunter are the only two, useful things her people are good for!” with that, they’ all laughed even harder.

They ordered the guards standing at the large, oak door to bring the “Halfling” and, in only under 3 minutes, they returned with a young woman. She had long amber hair in ponytails, accompanied by luscious hazel eyes and pale skin. she wore long tanned boots, tight brown pants, a blouse and a pair of fingerless leather gloves. A dagger hung at her waist.

She bowed to the men and women before her, taking a knee with her head lowed. She questions respectfully, “What is it that you need, my lords and ladies?”

“We require your services to find a very…special individual, Leni,” stated Representative Kar in a straightforward manner.

“We had summoned the hero to our world. Unfortunately, the spell somewhat backfired, sending the hero somewhere else and not here, in this location,” explained one of the female members, interpreting the situation in a monotonous tone.

She continued, “We need you to track down the hero, find his whereabouts, and retrieve him here.” She precedes to hand the Halfling girl a necklace with a lavender crystal. “Take this amulet. It’s capable of tracing the hero’s aura. Once you find the hero, use this orb to contact us.”

After handing the girl a crystal ball, the Halfling, Leni, bowed her head in thanks and went on her way. Once Leni left, the woman cringed in disgust and wiped her hands on her robe.

God! I can’t believe I touched that thing!

“So…how long do you think it’ll take the hobbit to find the hero?”

Smiling, the lady mused deviously, “Probably longer than we think…as long as there aren’t any taverns, or fields, for her to work or stuff her face.”

From that remark, everyone within the room, even the guards at the door, laughed hysterically. Unbeknownst to them, the girl heard everything outside of the room with the squared-helix of her ears while walking down the white-stoned hallway. She didn’t storm in and make a fuss. She didn’t object to what they were saying. Instead, she just shed a small tear. However, she tuned out their laughter, wiping the tear away and proceeded down the hall.

Back in the present day, in the town of Kor, Keya and Akio were busy with their day. The elf girl was forcing the human boy to bring her around town, dragging him to different parts of the area. From parks to food stands, Akio brought her everywhere. It cost him 49 copper coins, leaving him with only one left.

“Keya, can we stop now?! I think I’ve been punished enough already!” Akio pleaded, sluggishly walking behind the cheerful elf princess.

Flashing a sly grin, Keya turned around with her hands behind her back. She remarks, “Okay, you’ve been punished enough. I say we can end this date as it is, for now.”

Akio let out a sigh of relief. Finally, it was over and the princess was no longer mad at him.

“So, want to go find a job?” Keya inquired jovially.

Akio nodded and the two started walking together.

So, with that over, the two began heading back to the guild building—the Wild Bunch Guild—to look up the request board. Sauntering into the building, the two walked up to the board on the right of the building. They examined the board for any appealing requests until one finally caught their eye.

“How about this one? ‘Prevent the invasion! Eliminate Goblin Campsite outside of town! Reward: 3 silver coins’!” Akio informed, grabbing the pamphlet and reading it to the elf girl.

“Sounds like a good deal,” Keya confirmed.

They grabbed the paper before anyone else could. After picking the quest, they proceeded to the exchange counter to hand in the pamphlet, so to accept the job. Once they handed it in, Keya and Akio were ready to head out.

The two walked on the cobble-stoned road out of town. Akio couldn’t stop staring at the mark on the back of his hand.

Turning to Keya, he says inquisitively, “I’ve been meaning to ask. What is this thing?” he shows her the mark.

She examines the tattoo and explains, “That is a status mark. I heard it magically tells you of your status as an adventurer, even telling you what level is at and what skills you have.”

That sounds like the status bar and page you see in games!

Grabbing his hand, Keya continued, “All you have to do is tap on the mark and it’ll activate your stats.”

With one tap, she activates Akio’s status bar, revealing every aspect of his character in the form of a holographic screen. He was bewildered, reading everything that was written on screen. He thought: wow, this has everything about me down perfectly! Wow, guess fighting that doppelganger really boost my level up to 2! I better work harder to get a higher level.

When he finished, Akio removed the screen and the two then resumed their journey. However, unbeknownst to the two, someone was watching them from a distance. Crouching in a far away location, the Halfling Leni was observing the two while sitting on a tree branch, watching them through a spyglass as she ate a handful of lime crackers.

“Leni, come in! Have you found the hero?” said a voice coming from her rucksack.

Scrounging through, she pulls out a crystal ball and spoke to it in a respectful manner, “Yes, Representative Kar, I have the hero within my sights, and he seems to be with an elf. They have just left the town of Kor and seemed to be heading up north, probably to the goblin campsite on a quest.”

“Good. Make sure you don’t lose them. Keep following them and report back when you have more information on the hero, and don’t lose them!” the representative ordered in an authoritative tone.

The communication ended. Leni placed the orb back in the bag and proceeded to follow them, hoping from treetop to treetop to catch up to the two. She was determined to carry out her mission, even if it meant going into enemy territory to do so.


Chapter 4

Keya and I walked for nearly an hour. By that time, we were already 4 miles away from Kor. We stopped to take a break.

“How much longer are we to the goblin campsite?” I questioned, trying to catch my breath as I stood next to the princess.

Keya checked at her status mark, looking up the map section and read our location. She turned and assured positively, “Don’t worry, Akio! It’ll only take us another 2 miles, east, and we’ll be at our destination in no time!”

That was good to hear. I wasn’t much of a runner in high school and avoided track as possible, and another moment of walking my legs would’ve given up. Turning east, Keya and I strolled through the woods. We passed trees of different shapes and color. Suddenly, we stopped and hid behind some shrubberies. We heard commotions coming from about 15 feet away from where we were. There were two goblin guards out on patrol.

They were about 4’10 in height, having green skin, long floppy ears, and short bulbous noses, wearing only a leather cervelliere helmet, a loincloth, and a stomach plate.

I opened up my status bar and scanned the two. They were surprisingly low level, being around 2 to 3 in level. I closed the bar and sighed.

Gripping the handle of my sword, I tried to rid myself of the internal guilt inflicting me. Forgive me! Those were the only words I thought for what I was a bout to do.

Looking at Keya, I raised my hand to extend three fingers to her face. I counted down. Three! Two! One! When we were at zero, we charged and attack. However, the goblins weren’t as easy as I thought.

Pulling out their short swords, the goblins retaliated. The first one struck a low blow to the legs. I jumped and slashed down. However, the goblin deflected my attack with his sword.

“God! These things are tougher than they look!” I said to myself in frustration.

Keya wasn’t doing so hot either. In fact, she started sprinting back whenever her opponent fought back. Then when she got to a good distance, about 5 feet, she points her staff and chants: now, o’ spirit of fire. Ignite thine heart and strike ye who transpire! Out of the tip of her staff, a blaze of fire appeared and struck the goblin, incinerating him but only to a minimum. I guess she needed a wider range to use her magic.

I snapped back to my opponent who was still slashing his blade at my direction. I blocked and deflected as fast as I could, trying to find the opportunity to return the blow. I found the moment and parried through the goblin’s shoulder, watching the creature wreath in pain as blood spattered from the wound. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the creature. Nevertheless, I had a job to do and shouldn’t let empathy get in the way. With one final blow, I pierced the Blade of Hope straight through his skull, killing the goblin while he was distracted. After a moment of grievances, I went over to Keya to help.

“Hang on! I’m coming!”

I dashed over hitherto but slowed down. My jaw immediately dropped to the ground, seeing that Keya had already defeated the goblin soldier.

Turning and smiling, she stated, “That’s okay, Akio. I’ve already taken care of it. I used my fire spell, one more time, and I managed to kill the poor thing.” Her response after killing someone was a little scary, especially with that grin.

I looked down, seeing the charred remains of her opponent. What came after that surprised me even more. Kneeling down, Keya began searching through the dead goblin’s body, taking out a knife and cut off its’ fingers, one-by-one.

I was horrified by what she was doing. I questioned in disgust, “W-what the hell are y-you doing?!”

Her smile faded into a blank. She gasped and stated, “That’s right! I forgot to tell you that goblin fingernails are worth a lot in the market! Blacksmiths use them to strengthen the density of the weapons and armor they craft. However, while it’s strong, it can’t compete to the strength and magical potency of dragon scales and demon horns.” I didn’t want to ask how she knew all of that.

After stuffing the fingers into her pocket, Keya and I proceeded to the campsite. Since we had killed two of their scouts, the possibility of them sending in a search party for their missing comrades was highly likely.

Dashing even further, we found the campsite near a riverbed. There was about twenty goblins, lurking around and sharping their weapons. It looked like they were preparing for battle, probably to assault Kor. Where ever the Wild Bunch Guild got their information, they intend for us adventurers to wipe them out before they could execute their plan.

Without a second to lose, Keya and I charged. Swinging my blade, I had killed four goblins before they had a chance to retaliate. Keya summoned [Lightning] at the riverbed, electrocuting the three goblins near the lake. I tried to summon [Rage] in an attempt to end it once and for all. Unfortunately, nothing happened. There wasn’t anything to make me mad.

Then I heard a scream. “Kyaa!” I snapped my head and saw one of the goblins tackling Keya to the ground, pinning her down and was about to drive a dagger right into her heart. That’s when it happened. Eyes turning red, I roared furiously as I burst of energy flow out of my body. I dashed with such tremendous speed and struck a hard blow to the goblin, sending the pieces of his body flying all over. The remaining goblins trembled and started backing away. At that moment, I barely control of my body.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?!” That wasn’t me talking. That was the rage.

I didn’t show any mercy. Wherever I went, I killed any goblin in front of me. Some tried to fight back, but it was futile. By the time I had finished, the campsite was completely desolated. The rage had worn off and I just stood in the middle of the campsite. My clothes were drenched in purple blood. There were bodies of goblins everywhere, all mangled or mutilated in the most horrendous way possible. I was stunned. I couldn’t believe I was responsible for so much death.

“Akio!”

Keya ran towards me while waving her hand frantically. When she stopped she just stared at me with a terrified gaze.

I reached out with a grimaced expression, saying in a low voice, “Keya…I couldn’t control it! I didn’t mean for this to happen!”

Keya didn’t back away, no matter how shocked she was. Instead, she sprinted and wrapped her arms around me. She didn’t even seem to care that the blood on my coat was soaking into her dress.

“I understand, Akio. It’s not your fault. You’re still a low-level warrior, so it’s hard to maintain control of your [Rage],” she remarked affectionately. She felt so warm and loving that all my grief melted away. She gave me the most sympathetic grin and added, “We’ll just have to keep working hard until you’re able to master it.”

I smiled and simply nodded my head in response. After that ordeal was over, Keya and I started scavenging all that remained of the campsite. I walked all over until I stepped on something…peculiar. My eyes widened in horror from what I found.

Keya wandered over, asking cheerfully, “So, Akio, did you find anything interesting?”

I was crouching down with something in my head. I looked over my shoulder at the elf girl, taking a deep breath before standing up.

I said to her puzzlingly, “Tell me, Keya. That poster said the goblins were preparing for an ‘invasion,’ right?”

“Y-yes, that’s what it said,” she confirmed, nervously nodding while a droplet of sweat formed on her temple.

I threw something at Keya and watched her catch it. “Then tell me. If this really was a military camp, then who in there right mind would bring their children to an invasion?!” my expression fell grim while my tone of voice became somber. Looking into her hands, Keya saw that what I handed her was a doll made of straw. I learned, on that day, that it wasn’t a military camp, but a settlement…and that I had committed murder.


Chapter 5

3-hours-later, back at Kor…

Keya and I were standing in line at the exchange table. We were tired and low on morale. Ever since the incident at the campsite, we just…want to pretend it was all a bad dream. My eyes were half-open, staring at the ground and going through the motion. I couldn’t stop thinking about their faces. The goblins that died and the mistakes we both made.

Back at the campsite, Keya and I were sitting in what use to be the goblin campsite we were tasked to wipe out. However, when we finished the job, we soon discovered that it wasn’t actually a campsite for a new goblin settlement, but I guess the human kingdoms didn’t like that. So, in my opinion, one of the kingdoms must’ve put up that poster for any adventurer dumb enough, optimistic enough, or just plain desperate-for-cash enough to take up the job. God, it was like Scorched Earth where soldiers would desolate an entire village that’s useful to the enemy, or the Conquistadors’ genocide of the Incans.

After the atrocity we had just committed, all we could do at the moment was grieve. Then the rain came. I felt the wet moisture of the drops slowly washing away the blood from my clothes. It only me want to cry some more.

“So…there really was no invasion, was there?” Keya grimaced, depressingly sitting on the floor with her arms around her legs.

I shook my head in response, addressing somberly, “No, there wasn’t, and we just killed innocent people…all because nobody wanted them here!”

“How do you know that?” she asked.

“Why else would they send adventurer’s to do the job? Must be because they didn’t want to get their hands dirty,” I countered rhetorically.

Keya looked away, avoiding eye contact as I stared at her. Then she remarked in realization, “That explains so much! The Human Coalition and the United Goblin Principality have always been in a state of war! I just can’t someone would be capable of doing something so…monstrous!” I watched her sob, covering her faces to hide her tears.

You have no idea…

In the end, we gathered what was left of the settlers. It took us a long time to find all the pieces of those lacerated. We buried them all in the remains of the camp, giving them a proper burial and praying that they would have a safe journey to the afterlife. 20-minutes-later, we left heading back to Kor.

Back in town, the line began to move until we at the front. The receptionist was a young human man with short brown hair and a slender frame. I gave him our name and he flashed a sly grin.

He said amusingly, “So, you managed to kill all those goblins in a day! Serves those green bastards right! Thankfully, there are people who can get the job done.”

The smug look on his face pissed me off. I sneered as he chuckled. I wanted to drive my fist into his mouth and knock all of his teeth out. Who am I kidding? I would just be no different than that asshole.

Letting out a deep sigh, I released my grip and glared at the receptionist.

“Just give me my 3 silver coins,” I demanded sternly.

He was taken aback, but complied. After he handed me the reward, Keya and I walked out of the guild house and headed straight out of town.

50-minutes-later, we stopped in the middle of the grasslands and set up a bonfire, gathering whatever was around us to make a makeshift camp for us to sleep under. Since we didn’t have enough money for an inn, camping was our only option. I should’ve mentioned that one room in an inn costs about 12 gold coins, which was completely outrageous.

Anyways, we managed to establish a camp. Despite the recent rain, the sticks we found were still dry, allowing us to light a fire for Keya and I to stay warm. We stared at the fire, watching its’ amber glow flicker before us.

“So, now what?” I inquired.

“I don’t know,” she said straightforwardly. She lowered her head somberly as she added, “I didn’t expect adventuring to be this grim. It’s not like how they portray in romance stories!”

True. You should never believe something you read in books because, in real life, you would be disappointed from experiencing it first hand.

“Well, I guess the only thing we can do is continue on our journey. Who knows? Maybe it won’t be so intense on our next quests,” I assured, trying my best to change the tensed atmosphere.

Keya lifted her head and smiled, nodding her head in agreement. Suddenly, we head a loud sound like bubbling water. We both groaned unbearably. It was getting dark and about time for dinner, meaning we needed to forage some food.

Turning back to Keya, I asked, “You want to go look for food, or should I?”

Keya replied blankly, “Let’s do it together.” We both stood up off the ground with Keya ordering, “I’ll go find some herbs and vegetables while you go look for some meat.”

After that, we headed into the forest; Keya going left and me going right. I stalked the forest for about 10 minutes, scouting around for any sign of an animal. Unfortunately, there were none present. Just then, a wild boar appeared out of the bushes, snorting while probably looking for truffles. I stood my ground, waiting for the opportunity to strike. The boar turned its’ back, giving me the perfect view. Even though it is wrong for a kendo student to strike an opponent from the back, but this was survival of the fittest and I need to eat.

I charged in, pulling out my sword and about to slash down. Seconds later, I was knocked against a tree. Everything was spinning. I didn’t know what hit me. After my vision became clear again, I saw that it was the boar that hit me like a bag of bricks. It even started shaking its’ rump at me in pride.

“Oh, shut it! Pig! You just got lucky!” I shouted with a comically angry expression. If this was an anime, my eyes would be white and my teeth would be sharp with a sneer.

This only made the pig gloat even more so, which started to piss me off. I stood up and regained my composure, holding my sword up as I charged at the boar again. However, when I swung my blade, it dodged and struck its’ tusks at my back, sending me flying and falling face first into the dirt. Cowardly move striking its’ opponent in the back.

I turned and huffed at the boar. The damn creature laughed at me. I started getting even madder than before. However, I took a deep breath and kept my anger under control. I didn’t want a repeat of what happened last time. I charged in again, holding the blade upside-down and swinging right at the boar. In its’ hubris, the creature thought it was victorious. However, this time, I was the victor. As I struck my blade, the boar tried to jump back, only to give m the perfect opening.

I sliced the pig’s stomach open, watching its’ blood spew outward. It fell on its’ back, wreathing in agony while bleeding to death. It finally stopped when its’ body turned cold and its eyes became lifeless.

Down on my knees, I prayed for the beast a safe journey to the afterlife. Despite it mocked me and humiliated me, the beast put up a good fight. It would be callous not to pray. I clapped twice, signaling my prayer’s end. I stood up and carried the board out of the forest. However, before I could proceed back to camp, I hung the boar by its’ legs on a tree branch, draining the blood so it would be easier to cook. My grandfather and I use to go hunting and he taught me how to prepare the animals we caught for cooking. Even though my parents disapproved of it, the skills seem to have come to great use right now.

“Oh, there you are!”

I turned and saw Keya, walking out of the forest with a smiling on her face and a hand full of roots and vegetables.

“I…s-see you’ve got your m-meat,” she cringed in disgust.

Her face contorted while it turned a little green from seeing the dead boar carcass.

“So, how are we going to cook these?!” she puzzled.

We didn’t have any pots or pans to cook our food. Luckily, I knew another trick my grandfather taught me. Under my instructions, we brought the food together around the bonfire where, using Keya’s dagger, we started cutting the vegetables and roots, piece-by-piece. Once we finished, I went into the forest and returned with a large flat stone I had found in the area.

“What are you going to do with that,” Keya asked.

I turned to her and smiled. I answered contentedly, “I’m going to use to cook, of course!” she just stared at me with a skeptical frown and a raised brow.

I placed the rock beside the fire, wedging it between the burning wood and waited as it started to hat up. I should’ve washed it, first, but I doubt we’ll get any sickness if the heat burns all the bacteria.

I proceeded to skin the boar, cutting off the unnecessary parts and removing the fur, and tusks. Then I removed the meat from its bones. It as a lot tougher than how granddad showed me, but I was able to get some of it off and onto the hot slab. Mixing in the meat juices with the vegetables, the aroma was heavenly and ambrosias.

“What do you think? Smells good, huh?” I inquired enthusiastically.

My eyes bulged in shock, seeing Keya passed out with her face turned green.

“What the hell?! You just passed out from smelling meat?!” I shouted in disbelief. I guess living off of a vegetarian diet would make the elves nauseous from tasting, or smelling, any food not made out of green.

The food was ready, and it was time to dig in. Keya recovered and regained her appetite. However, she sat about 12-feet-away from me, not wanting to go through the nausea again. I took a bite of the grilled boar and onions, and sighed in ecstasy of how amazing they tasted.

Keya was also enjoying her meal, having been sent into a trance from just nibbling on her grilled carrots and radishes, which surprisingly resembled daikons.

Again, we didn’t have any plates, so we used small flat rocks with green leaves on top as a substitute. I’ll worry about dysentery later.

After we finished eating, Keya and I just stared at the fire, doing what we can to pass the time. I turned to notice Keya holding a piece of dead wood, using her dagger to carve away the rough edges. Arching an eyebrow, I scooted over to get a closer look. It wasn’t complete yet, but the shape of it appeared to be that of an animal. She blew away the shaving and placed it on her side, on the ground. It was a boar. Not just any boar, but the same boar I had killed.

“You can carve wood?” I pointed out inquisitively.

She brushed a strand of her hair to the side and grinned weakly. She replied, “Y-yes, I can. It’s been a hobby since I was a child. Father never approved of it, thinking it was just a waste of time, but…I never could stop loving it.”

I picked the wooden figurine up and admired its’ precise detail. Just looking at it made me forget everything that has happened, almost like there was some magic in it. Not that there was, that is.

I said wholeheartedly, “I think it’s beautiful.”

She blushed and looked away.

“Tell me. Why did you carve the boar though?” I asked with a puzzled expression. I held the statue close to my face. She even got the scars and wounds I inflicted right down accurately.

Then her face fell into a frown. Making eye contact, she explained, “I wanted to immortalize the creature. It was a mother with children of its’ own, but now that since the mother is dead, the piglets will probably die.”

“How do you know it’s a mother?”

She analyzed, “You can tell from the way her nipple were erect, indicating that it was suckling its young, and the way its’ coat was distorted from childbirth. Don’t worry. I’m the younglings are old enough to fend for themselves.” The way she spoke was cold and sorrowful. This was not the Keya from before, which scared me a little.

Then again, the way she said all of it made me feel bad for killing the boar, even though it was a boastful jerk.

She clasped her hands and regained her smile, saying, “Now then! What shall we do for the rest of the evening?!”

Glad to see the old Keya back!

I drew my sword, noticing the blood stains on the blade. It’s not because I forgot to clean it. It’s just because I didn’t have anything to clean it with, which I should’ve done back at the village.

“Hey, Keya. Do you have anything to clean a sword?” I asked.

Keya raised her eyebrows as she stared at me.

She answered, “Actually, I do.” She reached into her rucksack and pulled out a rag and a bota bag. Then she gingerly handed them to me.

“This bag is filled with water. Use it with the rag to wash the blade off, but make sure you dry it well. If not, the blade will rust,” she instructed conversantly.

I took the rag and bag and smiled, thanking Keya for her assistance. I said reassuringly, “Don’t worry. I’ll be sure to clean the rag and give it back to you.”

She grinned, stating in a mild manner, “That’s alright. You can return it any time you want.” She waved her hand nonchalant as her cheeks turned red.

Opening the cap, I poured the water onto the blade, washing some of the blood off before I stopped. After putting the bota bag down, I grabbed the rag and began whipping it against the wet steel. The blade was clean. I could see my reflection on the surface. Just then, I noticed a 3 in crack in the middle. Oh boy. This is not good.

“Hey Keya. You’ve been in the area long enough. Do you know if there are any blacksmiths around?” I asked clueless.

She rubbed her chin in deep thought, raising her brows while trying to remember. She replied uncertainly, “I’m not sure. Maybe the status’s map might give us a location.”

I checked the map. I was relieved to find a town 13 feet north of our location. It was called “Strongfair” and, according to the map’s database, it’s a forgetown, meaning that it’s a town of metalsmiths.

“Well, I guess that settles it then.” Standing up, I stretched and put my sword back in my belt. “Starting tomorrow, we’ll head to Strongfair and, along with getting my sword fix, we’ll see what else we can find there.”

Keya arched an eyebrow and retorted, “That long of a journey? Just to fix a minor crack in your sword?”

When she said it, it did sound a little stupid. I rubbed the back of my neck, flashing a nervous grin while letting out a soft chuckle. I countered light-heartedly, “Yeah…I know it sounds ridiculous, but I just thought we could find something to do to and maybe find some adventure there, instead of staying around this campfire and do nothing, or wander around until something comes towards us.”

Shaking her head, she grinned and agreed blithely, “Alright! You convinced me! We can go to Strongfair! With the 3 silver coins we earned from our last quest, we might not only be able to afford repairs, but also might find something useful to purchase.”

Once that was all settled, we waited for the fire to die down. Only a small ember was left as we lied on the moist grass, staring at the stars in the sky as we drifted into a deep slumber.


Chapter 6

    The morning arose as the sun’s golden glow illuminated across the landscapes. The buzzing sound of the cicadas echoed throughout the forest. Walking across the cobblestoned road, heading north, was Keya and Akio as they headed upward to Strongfair. They had walked a mile away from their campsite and didn’t stop to enjoy the scenery.

    Stretching his arms before hearing them crack, Akio turned to Keya and asked, “So, are we any closer to the town?”

    “Indeed, we are. We’re about an hour away from reaching Strongfair,” She informed gladly, checking the map setting before turning back to me.

    That’s a relief! I thought we were going to be walking forever. However, I can’t help shake the feeling we were being watched.

    Observing from a distance, Leni carefully leaped from branch to branch, making sure not to be discovered by her targets. She thought: It’s been four days since I’ve been sent to spy on those two, but it’ll all be over when I’ve got enough information to prove that this “Akio” boy is the hero summoned to this world! After the ordeal that happened at that Goblin Campsite—Creator rests their souls—and the boar fight that happened yesterday, I still don’t have enough evidence to support it. Gods! When is something else going to happen, so I can go home?! She groaned in frustration as she started losing little patience.

    Snapping out of her train of thought, Leni panicked, noticing how much she had lost track as the two were now far from where she was. She quickly dashed to catch up.

    Shit! I trailed off again! The Representatives will have my head if I lose sight of the hero!

    Meanwhile, Keya and Akio had finally arrived at Strongfair’s entrance and compared to the previous places they were at, the town was much different.

    “Umm…is this the right place,” Akio asked in bewilderment. Keya felt the same, having a similar astonished expression on her face.

    A giant wall made out of steel surrounded the town with the only access inside was a giant double door made of strong oak. Lucky for the two, the door was opened all the way, allowing them to see the entire interior. As a forge town, Strongfair lived up to its’ name.

    Looking at the map, Keya cringed in intimidation as she replied, “Yes, this is the place.”

    They took a minute to take it all in. with a deep breath, Keya and Akio quickly sauntered in as they did not want to keep the people behind them waiting.

    The two looked around and were amazed by the sight before them. On every corner were smith shops, selling various weapons and appliances, from swords to even forks and spoons. Keya and Akio were astonished by how many blacksmiths populated the town, watching them work as they forged outside of their shops in outdoor smithies.

    “Look akio! They ven have elven smiths too!” Keya remarked, pointing at a shop to her left.

    While they saw many human blacksmiths, they were amazed at smiths of other races as well.

    “Hey, Keya. Are Elven smiths any good?” Akio asked with a curious expression. “There are stores with elven blacksmiths, but are they any better than other blacksmiths?”

    Keya stopped and twirled in front of him. The elven girl looked insulted, glaring at her companion with piercing eyes. She placed both hands on her hips and puffed her cheeks. She reprimanded fumingly, “How dare you! Our blacksmiths are the most talented of the elvish race! It is an insult to say that anything they’ve crafted is less than befitting!” she was unaware of the attention she was drawing from her outburst.

    Akio backed away in shock. It was the first time seeing Keya so angry compared to her sunny disposition. He smiled and raised his hands nonthreateningly. He whispered in an apologetic tone, “Calm down! I didn’t mean anything offensive! I was just asking!”

    They heard chuckling from behind them. Keya and Akio turned their attention to a shop where two dwarves sat outside, smoking long wooden pipes while lounging in the sunlight.

    They took a hit and blew rings of smoke as they exhaled. Keya glared, waiting for one of the dwarves to speak.

    “If there is something you wish to say, then speak!?” she hissed through gritted teeth.

    Tapping the bottom of the pipe to throw away the burned tobacco, the red-bearded dwarf spoke up. He said in an accent, “You say the elves are the best blacksmiths, lass, but you be mistaken.”

    “Ay! The best blacksmiths in the world are the dwarves for we make the strongest, sturdiest, and most durable weapons to ever exist,” said the black-bearded dwarf with pride. “The only thing the elven smiths know what to do is carefully placing jewels on silverware and rings!”

    Then the two burst in hysteria. Unbeknownst to them, Keya was about to lose her cool. She had been so insulted in her life. However, this was not an insult to her personal pride, but an insult to the elven people, and she just couldn’t stand it when people besmirched her race.

    Biting down on her teeth, Keya exploded in a maelstrom of fury and rage, spatting at the dwarves who seemed unfazed by her ranting, saying, “Listen here, you arrogant little knuckle-draggers! We elves have known the craft of metal before you lot burst out of the grown, and you have the gull to say…”

    Luckily, Akio was quick to silence her, covering her mouth with his hand and restraining her as he moved back, trying his best to hold her still despite her body thrusting furiously.

    He smiled meekly and bowed his head. He said in respect, “I’m terribly sorry for my friend’s outburst! We’ve been walking all day and she’s just tired! Please forgive her and we’ll be on our way!” with that settled, Akio dragged Keya away, ignoring the looks they were receiving from that little incident.

    30-minutes-later, Keya finally cooled down, albeit still looking a little earnest as she walked beside her friend with a scowl.

    “Did you really have to yell a those two just because of a one little insult?” Akio questioned with an arched eyebrow.

    Puffing her cheeks, Keya snapped her neck to the boy and countered while crossing her arms, “Yes! Yes, I did! As a noble lady of the elven race, I was taught to be proud of my heritage, no matter what other races say…especially what a bunch of dwarves have to say.” The last part she said was low yet seethed with venom.

    Akio was flabbergasted. This was a side of Keya he had never seen before. All Akio could think was: What does Keya have against the dwarves?

    25-minutes-later, the two had walked into one of the smith shops. Albert’s Repair Shop was what it was called. Keya and Akio proceeded inside and when they brought the Blade of Accord to the owner, he examined it with a pair of goggles with three lenses to adjust the view.

    “Well, this is a very old sword!” the owner said in astonishment, carefully holding the blade up to his face. “I might be able to fix it…for the cost of 20 silver coins.”

    Keya and Akio’s jaws immediately dropped to the floor upon hearing the price.

    “We…we don’t have that much money!” Akio exclaimed with bulging eyes.

    “D-don’t you h-have a cheaper price f-for repairs?!” inquired Keya, stuttering while droplets of sweat fell from her pretty face.

    Scratching the stubbles of his chin, Albert leaned back from the counter against the wall and shrugged. He declared with a half-hearted apology, “I’m sorry, but that’s the price for repairs in my shop, and even if you ask another store, it’ll be the same. Nothing’s cheap in Strongfair.”

    Sad and dejected, Keya and Akio were about to exit the shop with their heads staring at the floor. However, they halted their leave when the shopkeeper called them out.

    “Although, there is one shop that has cheaper prices.”

    The two looked back, listening carefully with long grins filled with hope.

    “There’s a shop about three blocks away from here, up west, that’s owned by an elderly dwarf and his granddaughter,” he continued.

    Keya’s grin quickly dropped from hearing the word “Dwarf”. Akio noticed it, but didn’t bother to ask, “What’s wrong”. So, he turned and resumed listening.

    “The old man’s is really talented, able to make high-quality weapons with only the finest materials, yet it’s a mystery where he get’s them. I met the guy myself and he’s a real queer fellow, always jolly and humble, and never being rude or miserly with the customers. Probably, the reason why they’re at such a cheap price is because he’s a nice guy and just makes enough to survive, or something like that.

    His granddaughter, on the other hand, is a real spitfire. While she helps her grandfather around the house, she can be like a stubborn caretaker, working around the house while making sure her grandfather doesn’t croak. She even haggles the customers with higher prices, making them spend more money on the items that don’t even cost much.”

    She sounds like someone you don’t want to mess with! Akio grimaced at the thought of such a girl. Keya, however, remained deadpanned.

    “If you are going over there, make sure it’s the shabby brown and red shack with the sign ‘Faldrum’s Smithy.’ If you go pass that, you’ve gone too far.”

    Keya and Akio left the repair shop, thanking the shopkeeper for all his help and proceeded up west. It took them 15 minutes of passerby’s bumping into them, but their faces lit up when they saw the red and brown shack in front of them. However, they were dumbfounded as there were three red and brown shacks standing up against each other.

    “So, which one’s the right shack?” Keya asked.

    They examined the signs, thoroughly checking each one.

    “Tyr…Goldemar…ah, here it is! Faldrum!” Akio shouted happily, having a wide smile on his face. He pointed the finger of his right hand at the house on the right and he and Keya strolled right onto the front door.

    When they got a good look, they were baffled.

    Akio remarked in a critical tone, “Is this really a shop? It looks like someone’s house, instead.”

    Shrugging her shoulders, Keya mused, “Well, you never know. A dwarven house is known for being very deceitful to the eyes.”

    Walking up, Akio gingerly knocked on the door three times. There was no answer. So, he tried it again. This time, it was much harder than before. Suddenly, I loud scream was heard from above. The two looked upon and were surprised at the sight of someone falling right at them.

    Smack! Akio couldn’t see anything. his view was shrouded in darkness and the only thing present was the throbbing pain in the back of his head.

    What the hell is this? Why is everything so dark and…what smells like lilies?!

    “Akio, are you alright?! Say something?!”

    He heard Keya’s voice and was relieved that it was close by. He called for help. Unfortunately, there were no words, but a muffling sound. He struggled to breathe, unable to see or move. A soft, warm leathery and somewhat squishy pillow was pressed against the boy’s face. It took Akio a moment to realize the logical reason behind this darkness…someone was sitting on his face.

    Leaning back up from her almost nasty fall, a young dwarf girl with peach-colored skin, red hair, and emerald green eyes observed her surroundings while rubbing the back of her head. She was dressed in a brown leather bodice top that exposed her cleavage and midriff, tight leather shorts, ankle-high five-laced boots, and a pair of bronze gauntlets with black straps wrapped around her arms.

    “Hmm…oh! My head!”

    She was made aware at what she had crashed into when she looked down behind her. She gasped with her jaw dropping to the ground. Akio tried to say, “Get off me!” But the message fell to death’s ear as the dwarf girl quickly got up and punched the boy right in the face, over and over. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing, you freak?! Pervert?!” shouted the dwarf girl in anguish.

    Keya just stood still, covering her eyes and cringing in fear while she did nothing, and allowed her friend to be pummeled. Akio attempted to speak up, hoping to reason with his assailant. Unfortunately, it fell on deaths ear as she lifted him up, pile-driving him right into the ground, despite her small size.

    Akio’s face was covered in bumps and bruises with a trickle of blood coming out of his nose.

    “That’s what you get for planting your face in my but, you sicko!”

    “Akio!” shouted Keya. She was shocked and horrified, hovering over the boy’s unconscious body. “That was a little too much, don’t you think?!”

    The dwarf girl clapped her hands to remove the dust. Turning her attention to Keya, she retorted, having a scowl and a hand to her hip, “Not at all. Had to teach the creep a lesson.”

    “B-but he’s not a creep! We’re just here looking for someone to repair Akio’s broken sword!” Keya protested in anger.

    Crouching down, she helped Akio up while providing him leverage to regain his equilibrium.

    “Eh?”

    The dwarf’s face turned pale followed by a nervous gulp.

    “Why I have the nerve to turn you over the authorities for reckless brutality!” Keya threatened with a glare.

    Waving her hands, the dwarf girl attempted to calm the elf girl. She pleaded, “Woah! Woah! You don’t have to go that far!”

    She grabbed the boy’s hand and shook it rapidly.

    “It was just a mistake, you see! Also, I didn’t properly introduce myself! My name is Grimhilda Faldrum, granddaughter of Torstein Faldrum, at your service! Sorry about what happen earlier, but it was a good thing it didn’t get ugly!” she chuckled nervously at the end.

    “I have minor head trauma and you don’t call that ugly?” Akio deadpanned in anger. His face had mysteriously returned to normal, yet he could still feel the pain throughout his body.

    Letting go of his hand, Grimhilda strolled up to the door and opened it with the key in her pocket.

    She called while gesturing a hand, “Come on in! We just started opening up shop!”

    “At this late in the afternoon?” Akio pointed out.

    Grimhilda chuckled while scratching her face. She explained, “Ay…my grandfather sleeps from 6AM to 1PM. So, it’s hard to open up shop when the blacksmith is not working. Fortunately, it does give me time to spruce up the old place before we open.”

    Keya and Akio sauntered into the house, closing it behind them as Grimhilda guided them into the living room.

    Sitting in a rocking chair, there was an elderly dwarf with a long gray beard taking a nap while he emitted a loud snore. Grimhilda groaned and walked up to the old dwarf. Placing her hands on his right arm, she carefully shook him awake.

    “Grandpa! Wake up! We have costumers!” she said in a calm tone.

    The old man ceased snoring and instantly opened his yes. He snapped his head rapidly in confusion. It took him awhile to collect his bearings before turning to his granddaughter, and then to Keya and Akio.

    “Hilda, what time is it? We don’t open shop until 1PM,” he pointed out.

    “It’s one already, you old fart!” Grimhilda irate.

    Having a shocked expression, Torstein quickly got up out of his chair, threw his blanket to the side, and gingerly waltzed out of the room.

    “Why didn’t you wake me up sooner, lass! We need to get everything read before the costumers leave!”

    He started to panic. His motion was very slow, carefully not straining himself while having a hand on his back while stomping like there was no tomorrow. With each step, he shook the ground with such tremendous force. Keya, Akio, and Grimhilda had trouble keeping their balance.

    Grimhilda dashed and grabbed her grandfather’s arm, stopping him and flashed him a reassuring grin.

    She confirmed, “Grandpa! The sign is already turned over, so they’ll know that the store is open. But, what I mean to say is that we already have customers, already!”

    Keya and Akio were bewildered by the two, having the same thought: These two can’t possibly be related!

    Torstein turned his attention to the two. He noticed the medallion around Keya’s neck and gasped, bowing his head in respect as he greeted, “I’m sorry for wasting your time with my laziness! It is a pleasure to have such esteemed patrons within my humble establishment!”

    Confused and surprised, Keya and Akio didn’t know how to respond to the old man’s comment. A droplet of sweat formed on Keya and Akio’s heads as they were taken aback. Keya gestured her hands down calmingly and smiled, correcting in agitation, “No! No! You are mistaken! We aren’t esteemed in any way! We’re just here to repair my friend’s sword and also browse!”

    They’ all sat in the living. Grimhilda and the old man made some tea for their guests, treating them with the best hospitality they could muster. Akio handed his sword to the old man and he examined it with caution.

    “My…this is a very old sword. I’m surprised it’s still in one piece!’ commented Torstein.

    “Does that mean you can fix it?” Akio asked straightforwardly.

    The old man scowled at the boy, giving him an annoyed huff as he placed the sword on the table. Standing up, he shouted in hubris, “Of course, I can! I can fix anything with these old hands of mine!”

    His granddaughter dragged him back down on the couch. Grimhilda pinched the bridge of her nose while shaking her head in irritation. Her grandfather caught up and flustered as he became embarrassed from making such a scene.

    “H-however, it will cost you,” he remarked.

    “How much?” Keya questioned.

    “1 silver coin.”

    The two were relieved at how cheap it was.

    Tornstein added, “Unfortunately, it will take about a day to seal up the crack, which is lucky for you, young man! One more swing and this sword of yours would’ve shattered into pieces!”

    Akio did not like the sound of that.

    “In the mean time, we have some extra rooms. We’ve been talking so long it’s already pass afternoon! So, you can stay here for the night until your sword is ready.”

    “What?!” Keya and Grimhilda shouted in unison.

    “I don’t want some…pervert sleep under the same roof as us, grandpa! I’d rather get captured by an ogre than let him sleep in the guest room, along with his elf bimbo!” Grimhilda protested, flustering as she pointed at the boy.

    “I have a similar feeling when the thought of sleeping in a house filled with uncouth barbarians!” argued Keya. She had been offended by the dwarf’s statement and couldn’t help but retaliate.

    Grimhilda sneered as she turned her attention to the elf girl.

    “What did you say?!”

    Standing up, Keya walked up to the dwarf girl, staring down at her with a glare.

    “Oh, you heard me! I said I didn’t want to sleep in a house filled with uncouth barbarians!”

    The two then growled at each other, but not before Akio grabbed his friend and dragged her upstairs. He shouted, “Thank you for the room, good sir! Sorry for my friend! She’s just having an off day! She didn’t mean anything! We’ll get settled in real quick while my friend cools off!”

    “Be sure to go into the last room, on the right!” said the old man

    “Thank you!”

    Akio brought his friend into the guest room before throwing her onto the frill-covered bed and closing the door behind him. At that moment, he started banging his head against the door, but then stopped as he started receiving a headache.

    “Akio?”

    Keya cooled down. She was puzzled at her friend’s action, but tensed when she saw Akio beaming at her. She didn’t understand why he was angry but she was about to find out soon.

    Trotting up to her, he yelled, “What the hell is wrong with you?! How could you say such a thing when that man just gave us a place to stay for the night?!”

    “Me?! Didn’t you just hear what that pint size girl said to us?! She called you a pervert and me a bimbo?!” Keya argued.

    “Yeah, I heard, but I try to be the bigger person and turn the other cheek! That’s another thing! What do you have against dwarves?! What have thy done to you?!”

    Keya took a deep breath and chuckled, planting a hand on her face, as she looked away form Akio. The boy began to feel uncomfortable by this. His anger then disappeared, becoming unnerved by Keya’s gesture.

     She looked up with somber eyes at the boy. Then she stated, “That’s right, you have amnesia. So, you don’t know the whole story then, I see.”

    She patted the other side of the bed, gesturing Akio to sit next to her. He complied. Once he sat down, she started telling him everything.

    “For as long as my people can remember, the elves and the dwarves have been enemies since the beginning of our two races. We elves feared, hated, and envied the dwarves, and I guess it’s vice versa for the latter. Most times, we fought over certain things like land and resources. Other times, we just fought for no reason. We even told our children stories to scare them into behaving! It was the same with me, and my brothers and sisters.”

    Then silence fell upon the two. Neither one of them spoke, or continued to speak. Finally, Keya continued, “I’m sorry, Akio, for yelling at you and causing such a stir in the center of town, and even nearly starting a fight with Grimhilda. It’s just…I was taught to hate the dwarves, but I never asked myself WHY I hated them.”

    She tensed up as she felt the boy’s hand on her shoulder. She blushed and turned towards him, feeling warmth from seeing his understanding smile. He lectured sympathetically, “It’s okay, Keya. I’m not angry at you anymore. After hearing all of that, I can see why you couldn’t help but lash out at Hilda after what she said to us, but you shouldn’t think the way your people think. Being proud of what you are is a good thing but having the same kind of pride as your people? That’s not pride. That’s arrogance. And that’s not healthy. You need to throw away your people’s views and create your own, and that way you can be your own person with your own ideas. Not a parrot repeating what she was taught. Who knows! Maybe Grimhilda and her grandfather are savages, or maybe they’re nice folks. You never know until you try to get to know them.”

    Keya thought deeply about all Akio had just said and smiled. Standing back up, Akio reached his hand, wanting Keya to grab it. He said, “You ready to come back down stairs?”

    She nodded, “Yes…I would like that.” she gripped and lifted herself up.

    “Oh, by the way…” Akio twirled and faced the elf girl while arching a brow. “What’s a…parrot?”

    Parrots do not exist in the world of Ashura. So, Keya would be confused by such an alien word.

    “Umm…it’s nothing! Just…something that popped into my head!” He lied.

    “Come on! Let’s not keep our hosts waiting!”

    They waltzed out of the room and headed down stairs. The Faldrums had prepared dinner for all of them. Beef stew, it was, and it looked delicious. However, right before they could eat, Keya had passed out from the stench of boiled meat.

    Meanwhile, back in the chambers of the Twelve…

    A messenger walked into the circular stoned room, having a tight grip on his parcel as he became nervous.

    “M-my lords and ladies. I-I have such dire news!” he said with a stutter.

    Representative Kar scowled in annoyance, ordering, “Well, what is it?! Spit it out, good man!”

    “The Dark Lord’s forces are advancing from the southeast of the continent! They’ve desolated five towns and are continuing to the nearest one!”

    This was very stressful to the council as they began murmuring loudly amongst themselves. Some even breaking down in distraught and terror.

    “Oh no! We’re doomed! The dark Lord’s forces are already making their move!”

    “Wait…Isn’t the Halfling Leni positioned in the southeast?” said one of the representatives.

    Shrugging his shoulders, another representative replied, “Oh well, I guess we’ll have to send in another on. Those vermin breed faster, so they’re expendable.”

    “But, isn’t the summoned hero somewhere in that area, also?”

    A moment later, it became quiet. Then one of the representatives responded.

    “…Oh, damn it.”

    Somewhere in the southeast…

    There lied a village. It was burning and was completely in ruins. Bodies littered the streets. Men, women, and children…all of them were dead. Except for only one. She crawled, dragging her mangled body across the dirt road.

    “Have to…get help…” she kept telling herself. She was so close to the entranceway. So close to escape from what befell her poor village. However, it was all in vain as she gasped in unbearable pain as a sharp spear pierced right through her back and into her heart.

    Gripping the spear was an arm without skin or muscle with the rest of the body having decayed for years. Its’ eyes glowed ominous green while its’ dried and withered hair blew in the wind. Pulling the spear out of the dead girl’s back, the undead soldier continued its patrol around the village, searching for any more survivors, and it wasn’t alone. More undead soldiers wandered throughout, dragging each body outside of town and piling them up, one by one, and setting fire to all of the buildings.

    “Is that all of them?”

    The soldiers turned and trembled

    Standing before their presence was a tall, robust knight with withered blonde hair, black eyes, and inhumanly gray skin with a hole on each side of his mouth. He was dressed in beaten and worn out knight’s armor with a tattered plaid scarf around his neck and steel chains around his chest plate to hold it all together, two skull-shaped shoulder blades, and chain mailed trousers with steel boots, and leather straps around his legs and waist. On his back was a long cross-shaped spear with a shield made of bones keeping it in from falling off.

    The knight looked and flared his nostrils, satisfied at the carnage that had taken place. He turned to the soldiers as he stared down at them from his tremendous height. Then he turned to pile of corpses.

    “Is that all of them?” he asked, turning back to his men with a glowered expression.

    “Yes, my commander. Every carcass in the village as been gathered and accounted for,” one of the soldiers answered in an eerie tone.

    The knight sauntered over to one of the piles, lifting the hand of one of the bodies and made sure they were still intact. He says exuberantly, turning back with his hands behind his back, “Excellent. The master will be pleased. These bodies will make perfect recruits for the Dark Lord’s Army.”

    He marched forward and the brigade of the undead followed, heading north to their next destination. The bodies were placed in 3 carts pulled by skeletons that quickly caught up to speed with their group, leaving the village behind as it burnt asunder.


Chapter 7

The next day came. I woke up and got ready for breakfast. Thanks to the Faldrum’s having a lot of spare rooms, Keya and I could sleep in separate beds. Thank god! I didn’t want another repeat of what happened in Kor and we didn’t have enough money for compensation.

Well…let’s get this day going.

For some reason, I couldn’t help but shake this awful feeling of gloom. Almost like something was coming. Last night, I had dreams of a dark shadow, wrapping its hands around my body before it consumed me into a black abyss filled with horrifying creatures and malformed abominations, tearing me limb from limb as I screamed for it to end.

I gasped when I heard a knock on the door. The sound brought me out of my recollection.

“Hey pervert! Time to get up! Breakfast has already been prepared! Stop having wet dreams and get out here!” Grimhilda’s voice appeared behind the door.

“Alright! Already! I’ll be out as soon as I get dress! You half-pint!” I snapped. I felt my blood boiled as a cross-shaped vein formed on the side of my head.

The door slammed again. This time, it was louder than before with cracks forming on the wood as she irate loudly, “What did you call me?!” her tone scared the crap out of me.

After getting dressed, I headed out and climbed down the stairs, and straight into the dining room where I saw all Keya and the two dwarves sitting together, eating on plates made of jade. Keya and Grimhilda were at the front of the table, sitting face-to-face while they ate. I was surprised that there wasn’t any comebacks or yelling towards one another. However, the two would pause and glare before they resumed. The old man, however, looked blissful as he ate, either unaware of the animosity of the two or pretending to be oblivious.

I sat at the end of the table. There was a plate with food already in front of me. What was strange was that it was filled with just meat like sausages, stake, blood pudding, large strips of bacon, and there was even a turkey leg. There was enough meat on that plate to clog my arteries with fat. Having played a lot of games, I know that dwarves love meat and potatoes, which might be another reason why elves don’t like them.

“Glad you made it here, Akio,” said the old man. “I would like you to know that your sword is nearly complete.”

“That’s great!” I smiled ecstatically.

The old man grinned, taking amusement from my excitement. He continued, “Ay. It was easy to seal the cracks. However, It took me all night to replace the hilt and refashioned the handle as it had withered and rusted for years. So, I’ll probably have it ready in the early evening.” His tone was very casual throughout the sentence.

I deadpanned and pointed out, “So…it’s going to another couple of hours, huh?”

His lenient response had gotten to my nerves. Luckily, I was able to shrug it off. It didn’t hurt to wait for a couple of hours.

“In the mean time, you and your friend can stay and help around the shop. We can use some new blood to help with the sells, especially since we have a cute elf girl with us,” he offered cheekily.

Keya’s spit take was heard. She turned, facing the old man with red cheeks, yelling, “I beg your pardon?!” she took offense to Tornstein’s remark. Unfortunately, despite looking angry, many of us couldn’t help but chuckle at her flushed face.

Waving his hand, the old man smiled with a giggle. He corrected, “please, don’t take it the wrong way, Ms. Aieadora. I meant that with such a pretty young lady, we could attract more customers to our shop with such a beautiful smile.”

“Gee! Thanks grandpa! I was sure I had a beautiful smile, but I guess that misunderstanding is cleared up!” deadpanned Grimhilda sarcastically. She slouched with frown and a scowl.

“Well, I can’t help but say such things to a pretty lady. Besides, with your attitude, we keep losing customers,” admonished Tornstein as he scolded his granddaughter.

The dwarf girl growl as she became angry. She slammed her hands on the table and roared, “Well, excuse me for trying to make more money in this rat heap! I can’t help but try to squeeze some extra coins from those misery rich folks who walk in and take advantage for your charity!”

“That may be the case, but you don’t have to scare them away every time you try to haggle them, or even threaten them when you accuse them of looking down your bodice!”

I remained silent and ignored their bickering while eating my delicious, albeit overcooked breakfast. Keya, on the other hand, was still flustered and in a daze. I guess she’s unable to take so much complimentary in a single day.

1:30PM…

After breakfast, the costumers appeared in the shop. If you want to know, the shop is located in the back of the shop, and it was quite small. I was standing in front of the counter, taking people’s money as they bought the merchandise. Unfortunately, Grimhilda was my co-cashier and working with her was extremely strenuous.

“Hey! You touch it; you buy it!” she barked at a costumer who was holding a war hammer.

Seeing the dwarf girl’s snarling expression terrified the young woman, causing her to dash out as she screamed in fright. Her grandfather was right. She does scare the costumers away.

Keya, on the other hand, was doing okay by herself. All she had to do was stand in front of the store and look pretty.

“This is unacceptable!”

Like as if on queue, Keya stormed in with fury in her eyes. She walked up to the counter her face turning tomato while stuttering in embarrassment.

“Oh, come on, it’s not that bad,” I remarked.

Puffing her cheeks, she turned her attention to me in consternation. She shouted, “Not that bad?! Not that bad?! Look at what I’m wearing!”

She wasn’t kidding. Right when I got a better look, my face turned red as blood shot out of my nose. Right in front of me, she was dressed in a French maid outfit that was extremely provocative. I mean, the skirt length was too short, which gave a better view of her panties.

Silk and frilly…

The top was a little small, tightly hugging her breasts and amplifying her cleavage. Lastly, she was wearing black stockings that wrapped smoothly around her legs and black high-heels over them.

The sight of it was too much for me. The blood wouldn’t stop dripping out of my nose and I was about to pass out from blood loss. Keya looked worried and disturbed by it, reaching in to ask, “What’s wrong”.

Holding my hands out, I stopped her while holding my hands out to shield my eyes from gazing below her neck. I had never seen the outfit the old man gave her. So, I just assumed it was professional attire. I didn’t think Tornstein was a dirty old man.

“Okay! I get it! It’s too revealing!” I exclaimed.

Unless there’s a maid café in town, I didn’t want to know why that old man had such an outfit, but I can guess it was for something…weird. I snapped my neck to Grimhilda with bulging eyes. She looked jaded; her scowl was obvious. Shaking my head, I turned my attention back to Keya and tried my best not to stare.

She asked in distress, “It’s too revealing! Is there anyway I can gather costumers without wearing this harlot getup?!” she covered her arms around, doing her best to hide any visible parts of her body.

“I didn’t know the princess was so easily embarrassed,” Grimhilda mused sardonically.

Keya glared, as her cheeks got redder. “Yes! I’m embarrassed and if you were in my shoes, you’d feel embarrassed, as well!”

She was right, there was a much better way to attract costumers without that much fanservice. On the other hand, it seemed to have worked as the more Keya stood in that maid cosplay outside of the shop, the more costumers it attracted. That included the pervs that only stuck around to harass the poor elf girl.

After I told her, “I’ll see what I can do,” I stood up and sprinted out of the shop and into the main house. Before I left, I got a glimpse at Keya’s alleviated smile. I looked throughout the entire house, hoping to find Tornstein, so to convince him to get Keya out of that maid outfit. That’s when I noticed a trap door in the middle of the hallway.

I knew I shouldn’t intrude, but I shrugged and proceeded climbing down. After I set my food on the dirt-covered floor, I turned around and gasped, feeling my jaw nearly dropping to the ground. Right in front of me was an underground forger. It had everything. There was an anvil on the right, a forge in the center, and a water trough in the back, and a tool carrying rack on the left.

Tornstein was sitting on a stool as struck his hammer against a heated blade on his anvil, wearing protective goggles while sparks flew from the metal and struck his face. Once he finished, he grabbed his tongs and brought the blade to the trough, submerging it as it cooled and steamed began to fester.

“Oh, Akio. I didn’t think you would come down here,” said the old man in mild befuddlement. He was done cooling the blade and resumed hitting it again with his hammer.

I looked around in awe and asked, “What is this place?”

“This! Dear Boy! Is the Faldrum’s family smithy where every weapon produced in the shop originates and all done by these hands!” said the old man, holding his hands up to show the burns and scars.

The sight raised my eyes, but I shook it off and returned to being stoic. It explained why there was a chimney pipe leading straight underground. I walked further with my hand sin my pockets.

“So, what is it that you need?” the old man added inquisitively.

Scratching the back of my head, I asked in a fastidious manner, “Keya’s becoming too unnerved by the outfit you gave her. Would it be alright if she changed out of it into something more…comfortable for her?”

The old man rubbed his beard while he pondered the thought.

Then he inquired quizzically, “Why would she not like it? I thought she would enjoy wearing the maid outfit because it would make her look cute. Also, I assumed a woman of her noble stature wouldn’t mind the attention she was receiving.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well…Keya is of noble blood. So, it would make sense that she wouldn’t mind the attention.”

I had known the elf girl for three days, and I doubt she likes the attention, especially the attention she’s receiving at the moment. In fact, she downright despises it. Even while traveling, she tried to act humble at best, despite sounding a bit condescending at times.

I glared. Crushing the bridge between my eyes, I looked back and crossed my arms. I corrected the old man in an analytical manner, “Mr. Faldrum, Keya is not like that. She’s very reserved about herself and doesn’t like the attention. She hates being in that maid costume and doesn’t like the stares she’s getting, nor the groping she’s receiving.”

My face grimaced, recalling a time a man slyly grabbing Keya by the butt before pulling back. Frankly, I wanted to punch the guy, but Keya’s shocked reaction told me, “no”, so not to make a scene.

I then heard the old dwarf chuckle. I turned back and arched an eye.

“Sorry! Sorry! It’s just that when you’re my age, you start to lose sight of people’s character!” he remarked in a jovial manner. “Tell your friend she can get out of that wretched thing. I don’t know why I keep my wife’s old costume.”

I…didn’t need to hear that. Anyways, after nodding my head in confirmation, I proceeded up the stairs and back into the shop. My eyes furrowed in irritation from watching Keya having her skirt flipped upward by a young fat man in a brown tunic. I could tell she was holding back the urge to slap him, but still clenched her hands in restraint.

Once she calmed down and the pervert left, I strolled over and told her the news, which brought her much relief as she dashed out of the shop to go change. She came back, 20-minutes-later, into her old clothes.

“Huh? You changed out of that quickly. What? Did the princess not like to be gazed by horny men?” Grimhilda spoke up humorously, letting out a loud chuckle while receiving a glare from Keya.

“I’ll have you know, wearing that suit was the most excruciating experience of my life, having all those men groping me and touching me in places I didn’t want touch!” Keya countered, crossing her arms and staring daggers at the dwarf girl.

“Yeah! Well! I guess I’m fortunate I was born a dwarf because no cretin would dare touch someone like me! Then again, I’m surprise no one ever groped me since I do have the best curves!” mocked Grimhilda in a condescending manner.

Keya fumed as the dwarf girl grinned and posed. I couldn’t help but chuckle at their squabble. It was like watching two sisters bickering over nonsensical subjects, or a pair of cats fighting over a can of tuna. The patrons started to take some amusement from their little comical routine.

Suddenly…I gasped. I felt a dark presence looming over the fiber of my body. I lost balance in my body as I staggered and fell. Luckily, I managed to keep myself from tumbling over by lifting my body on the counter. My eyes bulged in horror and my breathing became frantic. I felt the beads of sweat falling from my brow and dripping onto the wooden floor.

Keya and Grimhilda stopped their bickering and turned their attention to me. Reaching her arm, Keya gingerly walked over and placed her hand on my back.

“Akio…are you alright?” she asked with a concerned expression.

Crossing her arms and arching a brow, Grimhilda’s observed the look on my face, saying while rubbing her chin, “Yeah, you kind of look a little pale.” She didn’t sound entirely worried, but more in a half-heated sense.

It was a feeling like no other. It was something dark, something evil, and something horrendous that was coming our way. Then, I heard a scream. Getting back my footing, I dashed out of the house with Keya and Grimhilda following behind me. We all stopped and stared wide-eyed at what was before us. a cloud of darkness over the city as the dead started climbing over the walls, and tried to penetrate through the city’s front gates, not even caring that they were closing. Citizens were running rampant in mass hysteria, retreating to any safe house and barricading themselves inside while the city guards fended themselves against the decaying horde.

I was frozen. I couldn’t move, and I wasn’t the only one. Keya and Grimhilda were stuck in place, as well, trying to comprehend the situation before hand. All I could think of was: what the hell is going on!