The lingering feeling of disgust in his stomach made any further reading impossible. Thus, rather than try to push any further and waste time, Jake left the Library. He was still sleeping when he triggered the sigil, which resulted in him being sent into a sort of dream state. What he saw weren’t dreams, though. Images crossed his mind of potential futures. Horrors of what might be if he let his selfish greed get the best of him. Jake saw blood, heard screams, and felt fire. The skies were thick with ash, and he could feel the heat on his face. He could see burning homes swallowed by an unstoppable blaze. Corpses littered the streets of the large village, and armored knights lay scattered around his feet- all dead. Black figures flew about in the sky with massive, wide wings carrying their massive bodies as they spit molten fire onto their victims below.

It was hell. There could be no other description. In that hell, Jake found an odd comfort. Among all of the chaos and all of the pain, the suffering, and the terror, he felt at ease. Because just off to his side he could see a large shadow. An eight-legged beast the size of a building stood tall, its eyes glowing as it stared at Jake. The beast stood in the center of a massive blood curse rune and its fangs chittered. While the skies fell, his friend was once more alive. But, while Jake found comfort, he was not happy. He could not smile as he looked at the scene before him.

The cost of his choice was high. He felt the burden, the weight of those lives, bearing down on his shoulders. Chul’s eyes beamed out of the dark and glowered at the boy, practically cursing him from how hard the Arachkin was staring. Jake could only meet those eyes for a short time before he eventually looked away, unable to meet them again. He felt ashamed.

“This is not your path, Child…” Chul’s voice vibrated into his mind and his heart. “Lonely and difficult as it may be, this is not your path. You are far too kind for these fires.” Even though Chul was in front of him, Jake felt pressure on his right hand. He looked down to see a black limb touching it, the limb extending behind him. However, he could not turn. But, the heat of the flames burning the world faded. The smell of blood receded, and the sounds of the monsters overhead were drowned out by the rhythm of Chul’s voice.

“I am gone, too soon for us both, and I know you must hurt. I wanted to see much of what your gift would bring to the world, but I am content. I have played my part, and now it is time for you to play yours. Raise your head and look forward, boy.” Chul’s leg pulled away from Jake’s hand and thumped firmly on the ground. The ground quaked, but Jake didn’t look up from it. He squeezed his jaw and held back the tears, trying his best not to crumble.

“There is a fire in your eyes. Pride in your chest. And a will in your heart that is far stronger than my own. Continue to struggle, continue to ask. Seek out the knowledge of the World, and you will be okay.” Chul lowered his body down, bringing his face closer to Jake’s. The boy squeezed his eyes closed as he listened to the clicking of the Arachkin’s fangs. Chul let out a slow sigh and gave Jake’s hand another gentle nudge.

“The pain will pass with time, but do not let it stop you. Your future is bright, but you will have many challenges to face. Do not fear the dark, the unknown. Even without me, you will grow up to become a great man. Just as your Father was.” Chul let out a low laugh and he pulled away again. Jake’s hand curled into a fist and he finally looked up. His friend stood there before him, the massive Arachkin peering down at him. In between them, the air began to glow and a purple sigil appeared. It looked familiar, but Jake could not recall where he had seen it.

“My mana crystal contains my final gift to you. I could not make use of the gift which was given to me, but I hope you will. Be strong, boy. Be brave. And whenever you feel tired or like you cannot go forward, know I will always be watching. Willing you to take another step.”

The dream faded to black, and Jake’s eyes eased open. He stared up towards a dark ceiling as he came to his senses. His cheeks felt wet again, but he wasn’t cold or sore. He was warm, the floor beneath him was soft, and he felt pressure on his side. He looked over to see a surprising sight- Yae was latched onto his arm, and he was laying on a bed. The most unsettling piece was the lack of clothing on Yae, and what she was wearing didn’t particularly cover much. Jake gulped, hard, and forced himself to look away from the erotic sight. When he looked across the room, he saw both Tul and Xul sitting at a small table, quietly whispering to one another as they played some kind of game.

Since he was facing the direction of the bed, Tul noticed the movement first, his lips curling into a sleazy grin. Jake felt his cheeks grow hot and decided it was best he get out of the bed. He slowly peeled himself away from Yae’s arms to not disturb her sleep and crawled off the comfortable cushion. He eased to the floor, the pads of his feet tapping softly against the stone as he walked over to join the other two. He sat down, and Xul got up to fetch something from the small kitchen area.

“Sorry for sleeping for so long,” Jake mumbled, careful to keep his voice down. Tul shrugged and cleaned up the table. Xul returned quickly with a small bowl that had a cream-like liquid and some spongy square thing.

“Sleep okay. Yae happy.” Tul said with a chuckle as he gathered up a set of the cards and cubed objects. He organized them neatly into a box. Jake felt his cheeks get even hotter as Xul grinned wide and winked at him.

“Yae very happy,” Xul repeated. Jake coughed and peered towards the bowl and the sponge object. Both smelled edible, but the presentation certainly could use some work.

“Food?” Jake asked, poking at the sponge. It jiggled. There was a sticky glaze on it that stuck to his finger. Jake hesitated to lick it but he found that it had a very sweet taste to it.

“Food,” Xul acknowledged and nodded his head.

Jake picked up his fork and carefully cut off a small piece of the sponge. The fork was made of thick wood, and its side had been sharpened to work as a knife. It wasn’t perfect or a clean-cut, but it did the trick once Jake applied enough pressure. As he lifted the sponge to his mouth, Tul and Xul watched him carefully. Though, there was little to fear when it came to Jake’s sense of taste. Although he lived in the desert, surrounded by dunes and very little greenery- the caravans always brought plenty of strange foods from different places. When Adventurers tagged along with them, the variety was even more so. His Auntie always made use of the range of ingredients to make up delicious meals.

When the sponge hit his tongue, it practically melted. A sweet, fluffy cream spilled out from the layers of moist crumble, spreading into his mouth as he squeezed the cake with his tongue. His stomach rumbled as he chewed the mouthful tenderly, his teeth shredding the gooey sponge. It was hard to narrow down exactly what it tasted like, but there was a fruity sweetness to the cream, and the sponge itself tasted like fresh bread. Whatever it was, this had been baked today.

The delightful flavor of the sponge urged Jake to taste the soup next, and he was once more surprised as the spoonful brought a blast of tastiness to his tongue. There were several strange vegetables in the soup, but they all came together to give the soup a slightly salty but beefy taste. A few chunks of the meat reminded him of fish, but they were shredded and looked more like actual beef. It was an odd combination. One that he indulged in until there was nothing left.

His plate and bowl were empty, but his stomach still growled. Xul laughed and fetched him a second serving. They didn’t have any more of the cake, but Xul was able to provide a few bowls of soup for Jake to slurp down. It wasn’t a hearty meal, yet not a single complaint came from Jake. He took what he was given and didn’t let his greed get the best of him. Xul fed him only four bowls and then closed off the large pot he was fetching the soup from. There was still some left- portions saved for the other mouth to feed.

They sat in silence after Jake’s meal, fidgeting while Yae’s steady breathing kept them quiet. Jake eventually found himself to be far too restless to just sit there, wasting away. He would have liked to go to the Library but he didn’t find that fair. He stood up and walked over to the window. With no sense of time within the ravine, he didn’t know if it was day or night. The village was still lively, the lights still bright in the distance, and the murmurs of life still radiated from those public areas. The lights along the walls hadn’t dimmed nor did they change colors- a steady veil of blue projected light down onto the village below.

“Tul?” Xul mumbled. The two spoke softly to each other for a bit. Jake looked back to see Tul sigh. Xul grumbled again and then stood up as well.

“Scout leader, curious. Wants to see you.” Tul said. The annoyance in his tone was clear. Who that frustration was directed at, Jake didn’t know.

“Scout leader? You mean that Chief guy you mentioned before?” Jake remembered Tul mentioning their leader but Tul didn’t elaborate very much about the individual. It was almost like he didn’t want to or that doing so would be a pain. Jake was tempted to prod but Tul just sighed again and nodded. If meeting this Chief was that painful sounding, then Jake wasn’t so sure he wanted to do it.

“Why? Is it because I’m from the Surface?” When he had first walked into the village, Jake was ready for there to be a bit more hoopla over the fact that a Surface Walker was down in these pits. Instead, the village continued as normal, as if Jake was just another passerby. He hadn’t seen any other Surface Race within the crowd so it was strange.

“Chief strange. Surface Walkers rare here, but not new. Wants to fight you.” When Tul clammed up, Xul decided to speak for him.

So, Jake wasn’t the first down here. He really should have expected that. Adventurers had been attempting to “conquer” the Ravine for centuries. If someone never found this place in all of those years, then it would have been a miracle, even with Chul being around. The tunnels that the residents, or the Maedra, carved out of the rocks likely spread out in all different directions, some of which likely reached the surface or the ravine itself. If an Adventurer happened upon one of those tunnels, then finding this village or others like it wouldn’t be impossible. It would just take a lot of effort. Chul wasn’t omnipotent, so he couldn’t be everywhere within the ravine at once.

“He wants to fight me?” Jake now knew why Tul was sighing so much. Hopefully, this Chief wasn’t some kind of battle maniac like Zara.

Tul and Xul cleaned up the dishes and gathered a few items with them to carry. Tul checked on Yae, making sure she was still sleeping comfortably in the bed, and then led the way out. They headed into the alleyways and returned to the lively center of the village. Using the main road, they walked to the far side into a district that sat a bit higher than the rest. The road was sloped here, and the houses progressively became nicer as they walked. Jake didn’t need an expert to point out the different living conditions he was now surrounded by.

The peaceful, calm, and clean streets thinned and thinned as the houses and plots of walled rock spaces increased in size. At the top of the street, the road forked into three directions- each pointing towards a large walled-off compound. The center road was blocked off and heavily guarded. The right road led towards a building where violence echoed out from behind a large door. The left was quieter, and that road was the one they took. They paused at a small archway and two guards checked out Tul and Xul for identity verification. The guards didn’t even give Jake a passing glance before they ushered the group to pass through.

Beyond the archway, Jake was greeted with a wide-open slab of rock for a courtyard. It was flat and smooth, and several individuals were sparring within the space. On the far left, a building with several windows and four floors stood tall. To the right, there was a stout two-floored building with several individuals lingering around it. Ahead, two buildings stood side by side with the gap between them leading to a building carved directly out of the side of the cavern itself.

The trio didn’t make it very far before a few individuals spotted them from near the carved structure. There were eight in the entourage, with the one in the middle being slightly shorter but just as lanky and thin as the rest. It was a woman, and she walked with her head up and chest puffed out. Unlike Yae, the woman only had a little bit of hair on the very top and back of her head. It was tied into a knot, with a braided tail dangling down past her shoulders.

What stood out the most, however, were the scars on her body. Her gray arms were covered with cuts and burns, and she was missing the pinky of her right hand. She had two dents in her skull, and her face was covered with small scars. Two burns on her right cheek looked more like impact points of teeth. Judging from the evidence on her skin, Jake assumed that she had seen quite a bit, and Jake was intimidated by the harsh look in her eye.

As the woman and her group approached, Tul and Xul lowered to a knee. Their spears were slammed into the ground, tips high, and their heads dropped down low. Jake stood behind them, both not wanting to make the wrong gesture and not quite a fan of kneeling to someone he didn’t know. Gods were one thing, but she was no God. It wasn’t in his culture to bow his head to anyone except a village elder, Shalam, or his Auntie. This woman was neither.

Tul greeted the woman and the two began to converse in their language for a short time. As they did, the woman’s eyes drifted over as she began to size Jake up. Her eyes glazed over his frame and figure, a lack of amusement building in her expression.

“This is Chief,” Xul said as Tul conversed with the woman. Jake nodded, assuming such.

“Surface Walker,” the woman finally addressed Jake, her voice causing him to stiffen.

“I am Talia, the Scout Warden and the leader of these mutts.” Unlike the others, her Common tongue was smooth. She was comfortable with the language- a nice change of pace for Jake.

“It is nice to meet you, Talia. I am Jake Furrow.” Jake dipped his head slightly as he introduced himself, sticking to his customs as he also took a moment to look at the woman’s legs and feet. Unlike the others who were barefoot, she wore small sock-like shoes. They were minimal and efficient. They protected her feet from the rough ground and provided a bit of ankle support due to the tight wrappings around them.

“Xul told me much about you, but you don’t look very impressive. From a Surface Walker who fought the Maedra, I thought you might be… bigger.” Ouch.

“Spar with me. I would like to test your skills.” The woman nabbed a spear from one of her underlings and then tossed it over to Jake. He caught it, with both hands, but felt discomfort with the weapon as he held it. He didn’t quite know how to grip the thing.

“Uh, I’m a magician, not a fighter,” Jake admitted, holding the spear out in hopes they might take it back. They didn’t. Talia only smirked.

“Unfortunate. I hope you learn fast.” Talia reached behind her and pulled out two knives from her lower back. Unlike the stone weapons he was used to seeing, these were forged from metal. The blades had a dull gray sheen to them, and the handles were a flat black with red tassels dangling off the hilts.

“Wait, I don’t-!”

Before Jake could voice his complaint about the current situation, the woman tilted forward and lunged. The distance was around fifteen meters- a decent gap that would have given the magician an advantage. However, she eliminated that advantage in a blink. Her light and nimble frame darted forward, her blades already spinning as she committed to her attack. Jake barely had time to react before she was in his face, his view full of her waist as she twirled and cut through the air in front of him. Instinct drove him backward, causing him to jump back in an attempt to dodge.

Talia’s momentum carried her forward and her follow-up attack was almost instantaneous, piggybacking off her first. The expert twist of her hips as her body pinwheeled was visually impressive, and equally dangerous to his life expectancy. Jake forced himself to jump to the left and he awkwardly lifted his spear to block an incoming blade, pushing it away from him. He was barely able to get his footing before she was on him again- this time in a low slice at his legs.

Rather than move, Jake fired mana into the floor and triggered a Rock wall in front of him. The stone didn’t rise too high, but it shot upwards into her path and covered his lower body. At the same time, he extended his left hand and fired off a large Wind Ball. The sudden appearance of the low wall caused Talia to jerk backward, opening her to a direct shot by the ball. It hit her square in the chest, shoving her backward and slamming her to the rocky floor. The woman rolled with the impact, flipping over her shoulder and back up onto her feet.

Ever relentless, she threw a dagger and launched it at a high speed as she rolled to her feet. Before Jake could react, the sharp weapon stabbed into his right shoulder. Pain shot into his body and the shock of the impact made him drop his spear. It clattered to the floor as Jake staggered backward. He suddenly felt light-headed and his vision became foggy as Talia advanced on him. The surprise of the throw had knocked Jake off balance, and the woman pounced. Jake tried to get away, but she used his wall as a foothold. Her stride widened and she accelerated as she shoved off it.

Jake shut his eyes and brought his hands up to protect his face as her knife dug into his forearm. He was pushed onto his back as Talia’s weight squeezed onto his chest. They slid a few feet before the two were frozen in place. Talia withdrew both of her weapons and held them at Jake’s throat, digging the blades lightly into the skin. They were sharp and if she applied any more pressure, Jake was sure they’d split his flesh. However, she showed restraint.

“Another weakling, like all Surface Walkers,” she scoffed. Jake opened his eyes to see her glowering eyes. His blood-stained her blades and he felt the two wounds in his body throb as red leaked from the injuries. His body trembled and he felt his stomach twist from the pain.

“If you want to survive down here, you will need proper training, or you’ll die.” She pulled away and stood up, sheathing her daggers. Afterward, she motioned for him to get up. Jake shivered and slowly rolled over onto his knees. As he did, she lowered down and placed her hands against his shoulder. Her hands began to glow a faint green, and his wound slowly closed up. Jake clenched his teeth and held back his anger as she fixed his forearm as well. What a pathetic way to introduce himself.

“I was only taught magic, not swords and spears,” Jake mumbled. It was an unfair fight from the beginning. He had never used a spear or any kind of weapon before. The only time he had ever used a weapon other than his bare hands was when he got into a scrap as a kid. He had cracked another boy’s head open with a bowl that just happened to be within his reach. In actual combat, he had only used magic so far. Getting too close to the Maedra wasn’t something he wanted to do. Especially with him lacking any kind of swordsmanship skills.

“Then you will learn. Down here, the blade is your best friend. Not magic.” Talia turned away, having healed his wounds, and she returned to where Tul and Xul were watching. “Tul, bring him to Mur. Mur will be his Rayha.” Talia didn’t stop walking as she spoke, and her underlings quickly moved to follow her.

“B-but Chief! Mur is too-”

“There is no discussion,” Talia shouted something in their language again and waved to end the speaking. Tul frowned and Xul sighed. Whoever Mur was, Jake wasn’t sure he was going to enjoy meeting them.

“Come. Mur this way.” Even though he was visibly against it, Tul followed the orders he was given and waved for Jake to come with him. While still frustrated and not wanting to play along with that woman’s attitude, Jake picked up the spear he had been thrown. If there was one thing she was right about it was that Jake needed to get stronger. If she was going to give him a way to do that, then he would at least give it a chance.

The three crossed the large courtyard and approached the far building. Several individuals were sitting around it, all of them looking tired and weary. A few had broken spears, shattered daggers, and wounds they were waiting to have healed by one of the two women walking around them. Behind them, and inside the small building, Jake could hear the sounds of fighting and shouting. Clashing of rock and metal echoed from the large entryway, all of which were followed by violent shouts and a few pained yelps.

The source of all of the noise was eight individuals, all sparing in pairs. Most were holding spears, but one had a rusty knife in his hand. They occupied four squared-off arenas within the large room and were each moving about in an attempt to strike at their opponent. An individual knelt at the edge of each square, ready to intervene should one too many strikes land.

The shouting came from a large, four-armed beast standing in the center of the room. He had two large weapons strapped to his back, one a hammer and one an ax. Two daggers were strapped to his hips. He too had his head shaved and the remaining hair tied into a top-knot and a braid. But unlike the others, he had two eyes and large canines jutting out from his lower jaw. His muscles were thick, his body bulging with strength and raw power. His voice was deep, raspy, and violent. However, those eyes of his missed nothing as he paced and moved about the room.

Each word he spoke was a stiff correction, a fix to a mistake. Whenever a mistake might have meant death, he was swift to end the match and order two more to take the stage for a duel. He was efficient with his training and merciless with his words. He held nothing back, but his students soaked it in and made their adjustments immediately. No mistake happened twice.

This was Mur.

As the trio stepped into the room and made their presence known, Mur stepped into the center of a near-fatal climax of a fight to put an end to it. The loser was kicked out of the room, while the winner received immediate treatment and was told to return to the wall. Mur then turned to another fight to shout corrections, even though he hadn’t directly looked to see it. Jake felt something off about that and he reached out with his mana to sense the possibility of there being a spell somewhere. He didn’t find anything, but Mur reacted immediately to the move. Mur’s eyes leveled on Jake instantly, causing Jake to stiffen.

Mur whistled loudly over the noise and shouted something, which ended all of the sparrings. The injured took knees and were treated, while those without any real wounds simply sat down to take a break. Mur strode up to the trio, but more so directly up to Jake. He was much, much bigger when he was within a few feet and Jake’s meager frame was completely covered in the larger fellow’s shadow.

Tul went to speak, but Mur held up a hand. The silence was immediate.

“You’re from the surface. From which side of the Ravine have you come?” He asked. Jake swallowed a nervous lump in his throat. Was he this thirsty ten minutes ago?

“U-Uhm. From the desert. I’m from the village of Hawa, from the country of Solar.” Jake’s voice shook as he tried to spit out the information. He spoke a bit quicker than he would have liked but he didn’t honestly care. Just so long as he walked away with his head still not caved in, he’d take that as a win.

“Solar, huh? Your kin is revered for their horse riding and curved blades. Why do you have a spear?” Mur snatched the spear from Jake’s hand and began to examine it closely. He didn’t look impressed. Jake opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out. Before he could formulate anything to say, or build up the courage to say anything at all, Mur tossed the spear to Xul. Xul caught it with ease

“Pathetic. These Oryx know nothing but the spear and meager daggers. You will not use either.” Mur stepped away and approached a large chest. Jake clenched his teeth as the large man slapped open the wooden chest and fished inside to retrieve two massive weapons- one a familiar shape, and the other something else entirely. He spoke as if things were already decided and Jake felt out of place.

“Would you prefer a short or long blade?” Mur asked, his eyes assessing both weapons before he ditched the strange one and began searching for another.

“S-short? I’m… I’m sorry, what is going on?” Jake had an idea of what was about to happen, but he wasn’t exactly going to play along without a proper explanation. He came to this place under the assumption he would be fighting someone. He had done that and lost. So now why was he still here?

Mur ignored him and pulled out a shorter, sleek, and elegant-looking weapon. It still had some rust on it but the sheen was remarkable. It was a smooth silver with a light brown hilt that would curve with the hand. The blade was about as long as Jake’s forearm, and the entire weapon just a bit longer with the hilt included. Mur tested its balance, twirled it in his hands, and huffed before bringing it over to Jake. He stuffed it into the boy’s hands. Jake immediately felt the weight of the weapon and clutched the handle firmly to keep himself from dropping it.

“You’re here to learn,” Mur spoke bluntly and grabbed Jake by the scruff of his neck. Jake winced as he was dragged into the room and towards an open square. “I saw your fight, and you bring shame to the Surface Walkers. Under my guidance, you’re going to learn how to not look so painfully pathetic. Magic won’t protect you from everything, runt. It is necessary for you to know how to defend yourself and fight should your wizardry fail.” Mur’s grip tightened just as he tossed Jake into the center of the square. The boy flopped onto the floor in a heap.

Rolling onto his back, he stared upwards as Mur drew the ax hanging off his back. It was a massive, black and gold masterpiece of craftsmanship. The design in the axehead shimmered and the gold glittered as light flowed over the lines. The handle was made out of thick wood and lacked imperfections. Where Mur gripped the ax, the wood was worn and the man’s hands sank into their natural positions. The ax must have quite the timeline of life if the wear and tear on the handle were that apparent.

“But I’m not a sword fighter! I only use magic!” Jake scrambled to his feet, his hands grasping awkwardly onto the sword hilt as he wagged it in front of himself. Mur huffed and narrowed his eyes.

“After today, that will no longer be the case. Now. Pay attention, boy, and learn.”

Jake complained for a short time after, but Mur’s guidance was absolute. Any resistance was met with violence and a stern slap or a violent swing from his ax. If left unchecked, the swings would certainly bring harm. Jake was forced to either shut up and listen or dodge until he was eventually caught and hit. Tul and Xul eventually left him within the hall, and the doors closed and locked behind them when they left. A few students also left, unable to continue due to injury, but a majority remained behind. They sat silently along the walls and watched as Mur ruthlessly started Jake’s first day of swordsmanship practice.

By the end, Jake could barely stand. Bruises covered his arms and legs. A thick layer of sweat coated his skin and soaked through his clothes. He could hardly breathe. Holding the sword hurt, his forearms ached and cramped, and his hands wouldn’t close all the way anymore. Mur stood a few paces away, his two large eyes glaring at the boy as he observed Jake. Jake tried to maintain his stance but his knees wobbled and weakened. He fell, dropping to his right even as he tried to remain upright. Mur huffed.

“We’re done for the day.” Not elaborating further, Mur turned away and shooed off everyone else in the room. Jake released the sword in his hands and groaned as he sat down. The motion drew attention to him, and Mur angrily turned around.

“No sitting in the arenas!” Mur swung his ax with trained ease, the massive weapon crashing into the floor a mere few inches away from where Jake sat. The boy’s eyes widened in surprise and he flailed as he quickly jumped to his feet. He cleared off the square and stood at its side. As the others left, Jake looked down at the blade Mur had given him.

“Mur,” Jake called out, turning to face the massive man. The large beast’s eyebrows lifted curiously as he turned toward the boy.

“What?” He rumbled, his voice deep and tone flat.

“The Maedra. Will becoming a strong fighter help me beat them?” Jake asked. Talia had bested him without breaking a sweat and that showed Jake the futility of using magic in close combat. Without someone to protect him, Jake was vulnerable to a fast and violent opponent. The Maedra fought with such tactics. So far, he had been lucky to have time to set up his spells. He wouldn’t always get that chance. That might have been what Talia was alluding to.

“No, the Maedra, or Beasts as these Oryx call them, are not so simple. What will help you beat them is violence, boy. It matters not if that violence comes from a blade or spell. You must overwhelm them, cripple them, and show equal aggression in the face of such a foe,” Mur said. As she spoke, she placed the head of his ax down against the floor and balanced his hands on top of its pommel. “You are a mage, but these tunnels are not kind to such people. The Maedra hunger for mana, and they will target you when given a chance. Today was a test. Xul spoke to Talia and mentioned a potential new scout, but one that would need a lot of help. Your fight against her was atrocious, but you have good instincts and good reflexes. I can mend such things, but it is up to you to put in the work.”

Jake looked down at the sword in his hand as Mur spoke to him, his eyes taking in its shape and the faint reflection of himself. It felt odd in his hands. Its weight both physically, and mentally. The weapon was forged to end life and cause harm. Holding it, wielding it, swinging it. The motions would all lead to inevitable bloodshed. Magic allowed Jake to avoid that burden of thought, but the sword would make it a lot more personal.

Magic had failed Chul against the Maudrake. Jake had suffered from a mana explosion. The requirement of knowledge, practice, and the ever-present possibility of failure meant that Magic wasn’t foolproof. Becoming a powerful mage would take a lot of time, a lot of effort. If Jake wanted to become a strong adventurer and see the world, he needed to accept that Magic may not be the perfect answer to his needs. After watching Tul fight Zara, and then after losing to Talia, Jake had learned that.

“Understood. Thank you, Mur. I look forward to your teachings,” Jake bowed his head and lowered at his waist. Mur let out a huff and shooed him out of the Hall.

Outside, Xul and Tul were nearby, sparring with one another. The third guest had decided her nap was over- Yae was sitting a short distance from them, watching with a smile. In the brief moment Jake could see, Xul swiftly out maneuvered Tul and whacked Tul’s spear out of his hands. A single additional jab towards the throat ended their fight as Tul’s spear clattered to the ground a few feet away.

Rather than show excitement and joy, Xul’s face contorted with contempt. He glared at Tul and his mouth snapped with aggression as the two faced each other. Tul looked away, saying nothing. The frustration on Xul’s end was evident, but with Tul practically shutting down- there was nothing more to say. Xul whacked Tul on the head with his spear and then left. Jake walked up afterward, letting the two handle their problems.

“Tul?” Jake called out, but Tul said nothing. He quietly picked up his spear, mumbled something to Yae, and then walked towards the main building. Yae shook her head and stood up. She walked to Jake and began to heal his cuts and bruises.

“Are they okay?” He asked. Yae nodded.

“Normal. Tul too slow. Xul not know why. Xul thinks Tul better, but Xul actually better.” Yae spoke with a giggle as she looked over to Xul’s back. The other boy was shaking his spear and talking to himself, likely berating himself for the scene. Tul, on the other hand, walked with his head up. As if nothing had happened at all.

“He must respect Tul a lot,” Jake mumbled as he looked at the two. Truly, they were like brothers both in their care for one another and their squabbles.

“Yes. Xul does.” Yae’s smile softened as did her eyes. Jake smirked and waited patiently for her to finish with his injuries. Afterwards, she patted his shoulder to get his attention and grinned. “Food?”

“Food.” Still hungry from his little adventure and now from training, Jake’s stomach ached. The soup and sponge cake wasn’t enough in the first place, so he definitely needed more sustenance. Yae spun around on one foot and then stepped off towards the far, multi-floored building across the courtyard. From how it was laid out, Jake could tell it was some kind of housing complex- a dormitory. Several people were walking into it, tired from the day, and he could smell a mixture of delicious scents radiating from one of the windows.

Yae led him inside and guided him to a large cafeteria. While it was mostly empty, there was still a short line and plenty of people behind the counter slaving away behind large pots and pans. There was a big menu, but the patrons all seemed to be ordering similar things. When it was their turn, Yae ordered for them both. The result was a massive tray of food being set in front of Jake, while Yae only received some salad, soup, and bread. The discrepancy was confusing, but even if he wanted to complain- the only one he was sure to understand was Yae. And she wouldn’t listen to him at this point anyways.

The two sat down at the back of the cafeteria near the windows, and Yae bowed her head. She whispered a quiet prayer before she began to eat. While her food was light, Jake’s was not. There were four slabs of thick meat stacked, with a brown syrupy liquid over the top of them. A bowl of soup with a mixture of vegetables and chunks of some white vegetables sat on the side of the meat plate. There was a hot slab of bread, but in its center was a gooey yellow substance with some white cream poured over the top. To finish his tray off- a small salad with both vegetables and fruits mixed in. Jake could only wonder where they grew all this stuff.

“Yae,” Jake leaned back in his chair and stared across the table at the woman. She peeked up through her bangs towards him, her mouth full of soup. “I know Xul and Tul want to help me, but I can’t stay here. I have to return to the surface.”

Indeed, while learning swords and knives would be useful- Jake had come to the ravine for one purpose. To fix his mana, or to at least find a way to make it better. He had done that, and a lot more. He’d lost Chul, fought more Maedra, become a stronger mage, and made a few friends. This adventure was becoming far more than he bargained for and he could only imagine how his Auntie was feeling right about now. With no word from him for likely days, possibly a week now, she must be terrified. Especially when he left with little word of where he was going or when he would be back. Even when he had made his lunch for the trip- he kept many of the details to himself.

Staying here to learn how to fight would be beneficial, but he couldn’t stay forever. It would take a long time for him to become a competent fighter. If he was going to stay here, then he needed to at least send a message home or visit his Auntie first. He felt uneasy not doing so, and it made him sad thinking she might be worrying for him. The least he could do was tell her he was alive and well.

Yae didn’t take that well. She frowned and set down her fork. She placed both hands in her lap and stared down at her tray, her face partially hidden behind her hair. Jake maintained the silence for a bit, letting her think, but he found it to be far too grueling for him.

“Yae… I won’t be gone forever. I just need to see my family for a little bit, okay?” It was true. While Jake had practically been tricked into the swordplay for the day, it was something he too felt he needed to learn. Mur was right- magic wouldn’t protect him from everything. Especially in a place where any one of the Maedra could just so happen to be resistant to magic. Swords were also quieter, so handling the Maedra without causing a scene would keep him from dealing with another horde. Once back on the surface he wouldn’t need to worry as much, he hoped, but there was always that chance of a sharp and witty enemy that could counter or dispel his magic.

Learning the blade would only save him in the future.

“But… what if…” She started to speak, only to turn inwards on herself more. She curled up in her chair and placed her forehead on her knees. “What if… no return…?”

She wasn’t wrong to ask. If Jake left now there was a high chance he simply never came back. The ravine was a dark, dreary, and cold place. The Maedra lurked within every shadow. Even with security around this village, its safety was always a question. The Maedra could come at any moment and overpower the guards. What then? The village had no escape route except the other tunnels, and most of them also led to Maedra. It was a miracle the place continued standing for this long.

However, Jake understood his weakness. After losing so poorly to Talia, Jake at least had the common sense to piece together how weak Magic truly was in the face of a skilled fighter. He wasn’t the best mage and his spells lacked quite a bit. Sure, if he was more prepared he might put up a better fight next time, but Talia was getting stronger for sure as well. And training just to beat her would never prove worthwhile, as Jake would just come across someone stronger. That outside, unknown variable was what Jake needed to train for- that person or monster who was faster, stronger, or smarter. He needed to prepare for his adventures thoroughly if he wanted to survive them.

Magic would only get him so far. Magic could take down large foes, dismantle the smaller ones, and disorient those with little intelligence. However, larger and smarter beasts would have magic spells of their own. They would know to counter him, they might even know how to throw his own spells back at him. So, when magic failed- he would need an alternative. Or, the other option would be to combine the two- a Battle Mage.

“I’ll come back. I promise.” Jake smiled and picked up his utensils. His stomach rumbled, the smell of his food reminding him that he was starving. “We can talk more after we eat, okay? I’d like to talk to Tul and Xul about this, too.”

Reluctantly, Yae nodded and her feet peeled away from the seat. Jake cooed her to eat and began to cut into the meat on his plate. Yae’s expression remained solemn, but she listened and slowly poked at her soup and salad. Jake felt a bit bad but he didn’t want to lie to her. It would only hurt her more if he just left suddenly and never returned.

Before they could finish eating, Tul appeared and joined them for the meal. He said little and ate in mostly silence, rarely looking up from his tray of food. Jake and Yae waited for Tul to eat, and then they left together to go find Xul. It wasn’t hard- Xul was in the alley outside of their home, practicing his spear skills. The boy was nimble and quick on his feet, rarely coming down off the balls of his feet as he danced in the narrow space.

Tul tried to turn away and walk off, but Yae nabbed the back of his shirt. She scolded him and pulled him along, dragging him over to where Xul was dancing. Jake watched them from a distance, chuckling to himself as Yae yelled at the two. Both lowered their heads as she tore into them. This was why he needed to leave, but also why he needed to learn how to fight. They were a family and he didn’t want to intrude on them.

Smiling, Jake followed after the three as they finally climbed up to their house. Inside, Chul’s mana crystal sat on the table waiting for him. Its black, purplish color glowed faintly in the dimly lit room as he plopped down beside it. Yae began to dig around in the kitchen for some small plates and little cups, while Tul and Xul spoke quietly to each other. His own thoughts keeping him distracted, Jake stared at the mana crystal, eyeing the swirling ball of power within it. The other crystals he had seen so far had all gone dark once the Maedra were killed. Chul’s was strange, and Jake couldn’t exactly tell why.

As he stared at the crystal, his hands running over it slowly, he could sense a faint presence of mana pulsing at his fingertips. It wasn’t the mana in the air nor was it his own- the crystal was reacting to his touch. The sphere inside the crystal spun round and round, the runes on it pulsating slowly. In his dream, Chul had told him about the crystal- about how it contained some kind of gift. He didn’t know why or what it meant but as he inspected the crystal he started to understand. There was a chance some residual power had been left behind within the crystal. The runes were likely holding that power in place, keeping it from dispersing with the rest of Chul’s life force.

Surrounding the small orb, Jake could see several layers of runes all spinning in different directions and rotating almost randomly. As he stared, though, he noticed a pattern. They were all overlapping and the runes formed a perfect sphere around the power beneath. The faint purple glow wasn’t because the crystal was purple. The crystal was black. The purple came from the radiating mana trapped within the runes. If Jake wanted to get at that power, he would need to dismantle the runes to do it.

“Light magic…” Within the book explaining Light Magic, the author informed Jake that to dismantle curses, a magician would need to replace the runes with light magic until the runes were able to be removed safely. Failure would cause harm to the patient. While he doubted Chul would use curse runes, the idea Jake had was the same; apply light magic to the crystal, attach it to the runes, and then peel away the protective layers until he could access the power beneath. Then, he would need to quickly contain the power with his mana and pull it out. All without causing damage to the core of the crystal, or he might shatter the crystal or allow the power to escape.

With no telling how the crystal might react, Jake would be gambling with success once more. However, there was no other option but to try. He cared for Chul, but he couldn’t carry the crystal around forever. The mana crystal was the last physical memory of his friend, and he wanted to give Chul a proper burial when he could. The only thing keeping that from happening was the fact that the runes existed.

Jake nipped the tip of his thumb, his teeth gnawing at the flesh for a few moments as he stared at the crystal. He weighed the risk. Fail and lose it, or try and find out just what Chul left for him. Chul was the type of teacher to let Jake figure things out and only provided little nudges to keep the boy motivated, to keep the boy thinking. Jake doubted the power Chul left behind would be anything mind-blowing. It likely was something simple, or even cryptic that Jake would need to spend even more time figuring out. Lady Ferynith’s gift was proving to be vast and surprising in just what it covered, while the necklace he’d received from the Dwarf God, Thaedrun, had been silent so far. To the point Jake honestly forgot about the thing.

Chul had also received a gift from Lady Rastua, the Goddess of the Arachkin. What that gift was, Jake never learned. Chul never shared it. The only evidence that Chul had been given anything was the mark on his back. In his dream, Chul mentioned the gift. If that was what was beneath the runes- then it was even more imperative that Jake be careful. Success was the only option here, and Jake sweat just thinking about the daunting task ahead of him.

The runes were all different, all unique. The more Jake stared into the crystal, the more he felt uneasy with his task. There were no patterns or shared features. Eight runes in all swirled around the central power. Four layers, two per layer. The pairs were connected by two lines that linked to the tops and the bottoms of the runes. And while they rotated in perfect symmetry, the inner sphere also rotated, adding to the complexity of the setup. Based on how they moved, he would certainly lose sight of the runes as they spun about, so maintaining constant contact with them would be tedious.

In his focus, Jake failed to notice that silence had returned to the room. Yae had brought them all cups of hot liquid as well as pieces of the sponge cake. Tul and Xul picked at their cake and sipped their drinks, while Yae stared at Jake. Worry was all over her face and her right hand sat warily on top of the table. The way it shivered showed a sign of indecisiveness.

Jake pulled his hands off Chul’s mana crystal and let out a heavy sigh. He felt tension fall off his shoulders, the pent up stress from his conundrum slipping away for the moment. He looked at his new friends and swallowed a heavy lump in his throat.

“Xul, Tul.” He said aloud, getting their attention. They both stopped eating, but only Xul looked over at him. Tul stared at his plate.

“I need to return to the surface.”