“Here we are.” Alec heard Kevin’s voice from outside the box he was stuffed into. He had tried to escape, but he could barely move. The lid was shut tight and most likely locked. He had tried to get his sword loose, but he couldn’t move enough in any direction. They had apparently just thrown him in the box without bothering to take anything off of him. That would be good news if he were able to escape. Jacob had been taunting him since he had awoken and started making noise.

“Not so tough now, are you?” He had said. “I can’t believe you thought you had a chance with Alicia. You must not know who her family is.”

So, this was about Alicia. Alec had been worried at first that Tenneson had tricked him. Not that this was any better. If anything, it was worse. At least Tenneson would want something from him. He didn’t know what these guys had planned, but you didn’t assault and kidnap someone if you had good intentions. And Alicia? All he really knew of her family was that they were among the wealthiest in the area. Her father was a successful merchant who owned several trade routes. He couldn’t imagine that he would have taken such offense to Alec simply talking to his daughter. This whole situation had blown out of control. Alec imagined that Jacob and Kevin had taken liberties with the truth when sharing his and Alicia’s with her family.

“You’re locked in tight, though you can continue to struggle. It’s really amusing.” He’d continued. “We were generous and decided to let you keep everything you had on you. We didn’t want to get our hands dirty going through your things. Not that a peasant like you has anything that we would want.” Jacob’s constant laughing was beginning to irritate Alec. “I wanted to beat you to death, but Kevin says it’s better this way. They won’t be able to tie us to your death if they can’t find you. We have a nice, deep ravine we are going to toss you into.”

Alec’s heart skipped a beat. He desperately hoped that they were just trying to scare him. If not for the pleasure in Jacob’s voice, he might be able to make himself believe that. He knew they were serious though. He had to admit that this was a great way to get rid of someone. Especially someone like him. He could only think of a couple people that would even question his disappearance. His master would ask around, but after a while he would just give Alec up as another runaway apprentice. Sam, though, was a different story altogether. The way she had been acting towards him lately had him worried about how she would react to him just vanishing like this. He had no doubt she would find and question both Jacob and Kevin.

Alec’s real concern was what she would do when she found out. He was certain she would. Jacob wouldn’t be able to stop himself from making a smug comment about Alec’s disappearance. While Sam could be a bit dense sometimes, she was nowhere near stupid. She would see it was him, tie it to Kevin, and given her ease of violence lately, probably kill them and end up in prison. That was the last thing he wanted for her. He appreciated her concern for him but thinking of her throwing her life away like that hurt him to his very core.

The carriage stopped with a jolt, sending something rolling into his hand. He twisted his wrist awkwardly, getting the object between his hand and the wall before he could get it into his palm. It was round, warm, and hard.

Skill Gem

Rarity: Rare

Skill: Burst of Life

Effect: Triggered

Cost: Remaining Mana

Distance: Self

Cooldown: 24 Hours

Description: Drains 100% of user’s remaining mana to restore 50% health. Triggered when health falls below 10%.

The skill gem he had gotten for Sam. If they really were going to throw him off a cliff, this could save his life. If this was all some joke, Sam would understand that it was worth it even for the chance to save him. He absorbed the skill as Kevin took over the monologue.

“I gave you a chance, Alec, and you spat in my face. Consider this a consequence of that.” When Kevin had finished his brief gloating, the chest was lifted into the air. He felt himself being carried for several moments.

“Goodbye Alec, I do hope your troll won’t miss you too much.” Alec heard Jacobs laugh even as he felt himself being thrown.

He no longer stuck awkwardly to the bottom of the chest. His weightless form seemed to float, even as his stomach threatened to rebel. His insides were screaming at him as the wall of his prison became the floor. He was finally able to brace his feet against something. He pushed himself into a crouched position, bracing himself against the walls of the chest.

You have received 15 damage.

The chest struck something, sending it spinning. He pressed himself even harder against it. He lost all sense of direction until the chest hit something and shattered in every direction. Alec found himself bouncing of off a stone outcropping.

You have received 27 damage.

He was now flying free into what looked like a canyon. He was moving too fast to get a sense of his surroundings, other than the stone wall he was falling uncomfortably close to. The fall continued for what seemed like eternity but couldn’t have lasted more than a span of seconds. He expected to be flattened as soon as he came into contact with the bottom, or a side that jutted out into an overhang.

When his fall finished, it wasn’t with him being smashed into the earth from the force of the fall. His world exploded into pain and cold as he hit the surface of an icy river.

You have received 135 damage.

Burst of Life triggered.

You have been healed for 104 health.

Mana has been drained to 0.

Alec’s body spasmed from the cold of the water as he frantically swam to what he believed was the surface. The current fought him, trying to drag him under as he struggled to break the water’s surface. His lungs were burning as he broke free from the rivers grasp. His head exploded out of the water as he inhaled great, heaving breaths. He fought to stay above the water as he was swept along the ravine. He looked for a place to exit the water, but the sides of the ravine were sheer stone walls that climbed at a slight angle inward. The river had hollowed out the stone at the bottom of the gorge, making it wider here than it was at the top. He tried to stay near the center of the flowing water, avoiding any of the stone outcroppings that shot from the walls.

Hours later, a tired, cold, and beaten Alec found himself falling into a larger pool of water. The current stilled as he floated away from the small waterfall. He looked around slowly, his energy spent from keeping himself afloat. He had eventually leaned back against the current and let it take him, his face bobbing above and below the water, eyes closed. He lay just like that as his body slowly came to a stop.

He opened his eyes to see the walls that had been closing in on him had disappeared. He tilted his head to the side to see a wide lake surrounding him. Best of all was a gently sloping shoreline not far to his side. He gathered his energy and began to kick himself to the shore, too tired to move his leaden arms. Eventually, the back of his head scraped against wet mud. He kept kicking, leaning his head to his chest to allow his shoulders, and then his back, to gain purchase on the solid ground. He forced himself to roll over and crawl out of the water, collapsing as he managed it. He was asleep before his side fully hit the ground.

-----

Tenneson received Omar’s report with a disappointed grace. He’d had hopes for the boy. A trait that allowed one to permanently transmute a blade to a higher tiered metal was not something he’d seen before. There were plenty that allowed summoning of personal weapons, but this trait would allow someone to arm entire companies of men with armaments not seen since the days of legend. He wasn’t sure how the kid did it, but this power must have had an equally high cost. Traits were always balanced in their own way. Strengths and weaknesses.

“As per your orders, I did not interfere. I did, however, find the identities of the boys that assaulted him, as well as that of their employer. It seems our young friend attracted the attentions of the daughter of a powerful merchant. And quite so. She was apparently enamored enough with him to send him a bottle of wine from her father’s cellar.” Omar released his version of a laugh, a small hissing sound. “He was none too pleased when the banker’s son visited him, giving him information on the boy. From what I’ve heard, he was painted as a gold-digging viper set out to charm her away from her fortune.”

“I’ll take it this banker’s son had a hand in kidnapping?” Tenneson asked.

“Him and a group he seems to lead. There were several laborers and another boy named Jacob Hickens, the son of a bank employee. Seems to be his right hand, fat kid with a temper. Our boy put him down at an event a couple nights ago, embarrassed him in front of the merchant’s daughter.” Omar continued.

“Ah, the folly of youth. What is your estimate on the boy’s survival?”

“Not high. They did leave his sword on him, so if he manages to free himself, he should be able to take care of any trash on the way back. Depends on how far they take him really. If he doesn’t escape and they toss him in a gorge like they plan? Well, I wouldn’t bet on him returning.” Omar was a little disappointed as well. After getting information on the boy, he’d started to take a shine to him. A kid that independent, who didn’t take anyone’s crap, even though he had no backing was something to be respected.

Tenneson stood in thought for a moment before letting his thoughts be known.

“It’s a long shot but track the boy. If he’s injured but alive, bring him to me. If he's somehow alive and well, track him but don’t help him. If he’s dead, return with his sword.”

Omar left the city, going in the direction of the wagon the boys had thrown Alec in. If the boy was alive, he’d find him.

-----

Sam sat on her bed with her head in her hands. Everything had gone to the hells. She had meant to impress Alec with her strength in the dungeon. The dive was supposed to be where she showed him that she could hold her own and was worthy to be his sword. She had fantasized about it the entire day before. She would walk through the tunnels confidently, taking out any enemies with a swing of her mace. Attacks would be stopped flat as they came in contact with her armor. Alec would stand behind her and see her strength. He would know she was worthy. They would get to the boss and dominate it, laughing as they walked away with its loot.

Instead, she had screwed everything up and nearly died. She could still remember his voice as she lay there. He downplayed his strength even as he kept her alive. She knew that he didn’t understand yet, and it made sense. People in town barely looked at him, seeing him as just another gutter rat. They avoided meeting his eyes and underpaid while making him do the work that not even they would touch. But she had always seen his strength. It was hidden just below the surface, but it was a solid, dependable, and fearsome force sitting just beneath the surface of the meek teen. She had felt the power of his mana as he used his trait to fill her with life. It had been a torrent of power unlike anything she could imagine. It was a controlled storm, burning away her pain and giving her a sense of peace. She was embarrassed to admit that, once he found her, she knew he would save her.

When she returned home, her parents were beside themselves with concern for her. Claira wrapped her in a hug, tears falling down her cheeks. Sam downplayed the danger she had been in, but her parents were still the overprotective mother and father they always had been. Her father had tried to forbid her from following her path but had been overruled by her wiser mother. She understood, at least, that Sam’s life was her own. They had settled into an uneasy silence, allowing Sam to slip away into her room.

She sat there, vowing to herself that she would make it up to Alec somehow. She would do anything that needed to be done to protect him.

-----

Alec woke on the shore of the lake. He sat up, looking around the lake with fresh eyes. The first that he noticed was that he was in a gigantic cavern. He looked toward the ceiling, seeing bright, glowing crystals filling the roof of the cavern. They produced enough light that he would judge it to be just before midday if he were outside. The ground around the lake was muddy and slick before giving way to a rocky cavern floor. From his current perspective, he couldn’t make out a single wall. If not for the cavernous ceiling, he could easily believe he were outdoors.

He took stock of his belongings. His pack was gone, he vaguely remembered feeling the shoulder strap tear during his fall. Somehow, his sword remained sheathed at his side. He prayed a small prayer to the goddess for that. Who knows what creatures claimed this area as their home. His pocket was empty as well, the few healing items he had were lost in the river. He had no food, and his stomach was reminding him that he hadn’t eaten since before going to Tenneson’s shop. There was no telling how long ago that was. The lake water would do as a drinking source, though he would much rather be able to boil it before drinking it.

A glint of light in the distance claimed his attention as he was getting his bearings. It was a steady shine, almost like the crystals above. It was sitting atop a cube like structure, maybe a building of some sort. With no other options, he knelt down, drinking his fill of the lake water. He figured that he had swallowed enough water on his trip here that if he was going to get sick, he couldn’t stop it now. He put his hand on the comforting grip of his sword, shivering lightly as his still damp clothes stole his warmth. Glancing around one last time, he began walking toward the only landmark in sight.