“-oy! Boy, can you hear me! It’s important you pay attention so you understand what’s expected of you!”, shouted Captain Elianne.

Suddenly he remembered where he was, in Captain Elianne’s office. After awakening from fainting during the Assignment, he was there. Captain Elianne was currently doing her best to explain what it was he’d be doing for his task.

“Crow… I know what happened with your parents was traumatizing, but you know you have to do this… There’s just no way around it.”, she said smoothly, looking down at his fidgeting hands on her desk.

Elianne had known his parents before they were taken, she worked closely with his father during training mission because of both their soul skills sharing fire aspects.

“I-I know that. It’s expected of me. As a soulless... “, he said quietly and sat on his hands to stop them from shaking. Looking into her eyes he did his best to harden his gaze and gave a slight nod, “Continue ma’am”.

She pursed her lips slightly and gave a nod of her own, “As I was saying earlier… A merchant travelling through the valley from Rosh’ka has disappeared. We need you to investigate a nearby cave for any bandits or”, she paused briefly, “...monsters. IF you are to find either, you are not to engage. We do not expect that of you, only that you investigate.”

“Alright. When does this need to be done? And how will I get there?”, he asked half-heartedly, hoping that it might be a ways off.

“... Tomorrow is the soonest time a wagon travels to Rosh’ka, as you know summer is coming and no one wants to be caught in that sand pit in the heat. That means that if you want to get there in any reasonable amount of time you have to leave then. It’ll only be a day’s journey in wagon, but three days’ journey on foot.”, she replied, ending quietly.

His heart sank further and further in his chest with each of her words. Tomorrow. That was no time to prepare mentally or physically. Not that there was much he could do physically regardless.

“Alright.”, he said, “let lord Hammon know that I’ll be leaving tomorrow then…”, he finished, feeling his mind start to sink, searching for emotionlessness.

Lord Hammon was the ruler of the city, Endural, his family, the Strethon, were close to his father’s the Aperon. Both families were once very powerful and contested for leadership. Nearly all the Aperon were killed in wars with the Harang, a nearby society of nomads. It was after this that the Strethon overtook the council of families that was in place, uniting the kingdom of under a single leader, thereby quelling most in fighting and finally pushing back the Harang.

After his parents disappeared he was given the name Crow, which was often given to descendants of the Gifted that ended up being soulless, oftentimes by their own families.

“Meet the wagon at the stable tomorrow then, a satchel of tools and a bit of food will be provided, enough rations for three or four days. You’re dismissed.”, she finished with a grim look on her face.

He stood and left the office returning home through the gate.

On the way back many of the soulless he passed wished him luck. As he stepped through the front door Baba was waiting at the table.

“Hello Will… I heard about the Assignment.”, she whispered, “Niko is asleep, he was crying all evening after hearing…”, she finished dismally.

He didn’t know what to say, so he stayed silent.

“Go get some rest dear, Niko and I will see you off in the morning.”, she finished tearily.

“Alright Baba”, he said as he gave her a half-hug and headed to his shed. When he arrived he collapsed into his bed and wrapped himself in burlap, trying to hide from the day.

***********************************************

He awoke with a start the next morning, the nightmare taking hold of him once again the night before.

He brushed his off and stepped out of his shed, the sun just starting to rise. Standing there waiting were Baba and Niko.

Baba was smiling faintly and Niko was gripping a knife, his knuckles white.

“Good morning guys.”, he said lightly.

“Oh c’mere boy!”, Baba said and embraced him in a hug, to which Niko soon joined.

After the embrace ended Niko spoke up, “Mmm, here.”, he said, gesturing for him to take the knife, “This knife is Niko’s but he will lend it to you for protection. Return it safely, please.”, he finished with a careful nod.

He couldn’t help but smile, “Okay Niko. Thank you… Very much.”, he finished tearily, “I’ll do my best guys.”

“And that’s all that Edge can expect from you. Good luck, son.”, Baba said slowly, and kissed my hand gently.

“Now go! The wagon drivers hate leaving after dawn!”, she said quickly.

He gave them each another hug, nodded and ran toward the stables.

*********************************************

*Budump Budump* The wagon shook as William and the driver cruised down the road.

It’d been about five and half hours travel, mostly spent in silence, when suddenly the merchant spoke up.

“So what they got you doin’ boy?”, the wagon driver asked.

“Scouting a cave. I guess…”, William replied.

“So you think they’ll be monsters or somethin’?”, the driver pushed.

“Erm. I really hope not. But it’s possible, likely even….”, William finished dismally.

“Well boy. Lemme tell you something. When I was young they forced me into Assignment too, and if it weren’t for that I don’t know where I’d be now.”, he looked on wistfully, “‘twas because of falling into the well they sent me to check on that I finally awakened.”, he recalled sagely.

“What’d you awaken too?”, William asked, interested.

“Hmm? Oh ‘is called ‘Heft’ les’ me carry and heave things many times over what my body should be capable ‘f”, he said, “‘is why I became a merchant and transporter. And between you and me, I’m a hell of a scrapper.”, he finished with a wink.

“Well. That’s better than being a soulless I guess, afraid I might have more to deal with than a bit of water.”, William said, an empty smile on his face.

“I’d reckon. Best to be careful I’d say. First sign of anythin’ and you’d best run.”, the merchant agreed. “One way or the other, you’ll know soon boy. We’re only about fifteen minutes out.”

William nodded and shakily said, “Right. Soon.”, and tried to steady his hands.

************************************************

Many believed Redspot Hollow gained its name due to the dark, iron rich earth surrounding its entrance. It stood out like a bullseye against the hard packed sand and dead shrubbery the land had due to its proximity to Rosh’ka, the Great Desert. It was this dark red soil that William first saw as the wagon ambled forward on the road.

“Here we are.”, the merchant mumbled, “Take this waterskin and bread, for the scoutin’ and the walkin’ back.”, he said with a wink. “I trust you will be walkin’ back my boy.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence sir, and for the ride.”, William sighed out as he heaved the bag of rations, and himself, out of the wagon.

“Well I’d best be going gotta reach the rest spot before it gets too dark and all. Good luck.”, he finished as he turned to his oxen and clapped the rains down on their hides, “Forward!”, he said sharply.

“Of course…”, William mumbled softly as the wagon cruised around the bend, disappearing out of sight. He turned to find himself alone, as the sun sat lazily on the horizon. “Right!”, he muttered, “Best to get this over with and get out!”

He charged forward towards the cave opening.

20 meters, 15 meters, 10 meters, his mind raced.

5 meters… Gahhhh, he slowed to a halt as his legs turned to rubber beneath him, hitting his knees and grinding to a stop.

Gods damnit!, he told himself.

“GOD’S DAMNIT!”, he yelled to the world.

Why am I here… , he thought to himself, feeling his eyes cloud.

“Because that’s the way life is.”, he heard his mother’s voice say simply.

“Expect nothing from life, and you’ll never be disappointed”, he heard his father chime grimly, “It’s life’s job to forge expectations son, and it’s ours to take those expectations, bust them to bits, burn them to nothing, and excel past anything it could fathom.”, he could picture the nod coupled with the goofy grin for which his father had been known.

Nodding himself, he felt a grin stretch across his face, his eyes drying, and his fists clenching.

He straightened himself out, took a torch from his pack, lit it with the striker he was provided, and marched forward, the strength of the memories of his parents filling his steps.

He crossed the caves threshold and was presented with a dim, narrow tunnel. The tunnel was about three fourths a meter acrossed, just enough for him to pace through. In the distance he could see a faint turquoise luminescence at the other end of the tunnel.

No danger yet, he thought, a bit of hope filling him.

He trudged on, the air growing damp, then dry again, as he approached the other end of the tunnel. It appeared that it opened into a cavern of some kind. Stepping through the opening he could see strange crossing patterns made of some kind of string.

Then he felt it. Something wet trickle down his neck, he reached back and felt it, a sticky feeling. Looking at his hand he found it to be dimly glowing, a pale blue. Looking up he discovered what the Redspot Hollow was truly named after. Resting above the entrance to the cavern was a large, eight legged arachnid. It’s legs poised to spring, it’s coating a bleach white, spare for the bright red spot the size of William’s head resting on its thorax, and a massive luminescent web stretching behind it, up the wall.

William froze. He felt his will slip from him, his hands and feet turning ice cold. He fell backward, falling on his bottom, his hands scrambling for Niko’s knife on his belt.

The spider pounced, it’s form speeding through the air with whistling menace.

“NOOOO!”, William shouted as he laid backward, his legs directed toward the spider.

*SNAP*, both his ankles went as the spider’s weight bared down on him, a web of cracks forming on the spider as well.

The spider let out a screech as it’s mouth clamped open and shut, fangs slamming open and shut mere centimeters away from Williams face, sending pale blue liquid down on his face and body.

Suddenly William found his right hand on a wooden handle, quickly he unsheathed the knife and began slamming the bladed end into the spider’s body to no avail, it was simply sliding off the pale, shiny carapace.

William felt his legs begin to creak dangerously under the weight and the spider began to shift, trying to find purchase in its latest meal.

The spider finally shifted enough and sank it maw into Williams left shoulder.

*Crunch* He felt the collarbone snap.

NONONONONO, he flailed trying to the the spider off to no success. Finally the spider began picking him up. He was limply hanging, staring into the spiders eyes as his blood seeped out of his shoulder.

No, he felt a calm resolve overtake him. Not yet, not like this.

With the last of his strength he lifted the knife and heaved it toward the now placated spider’s eyes.

The spider, believing it had already won, did not see it coming. Usually prey didn’t fight back, this time it did.

It felt the blade thrust into its right eye cluster, slowly grinding into it. Panicked it let William fall from it’s mouth, a big mistake.

William now falling held fast to the knife, and felt as it slowly ripped its way through the spider’s delicate eyes and the soft carapace surrounding them. As the knife receded from the wound it bent at just the right angle, nicking the spider’s brain. Killing it.

William collapsed to the ground, the corpse of the spider resting before him. And then the window appeared, as music filled his head.

[CONGRATULATIONS]

Due to slaying your first monster you have attained your Soul Skill 'SYSTEM' (G)

Remember to use it wisely!