The sun's rays peeked beyond the eastern horizon, out from the nation of Coralith. Soon it would rise and cast shadows over all of Shinsora—and then, the ceremony would begin. A massive crowd had already gathered and lined the beautiful streets. Every vendor had already opened shop. People all around wore oni and fox masks and met up with friends and loved one under blooming cherry blossom trees. The rush of excitement filled the air, alongside the eminent threat of death, as dozens of men wouldn't make it past morning.
[Pang! Heavy Armor increased to Level 10.]
Her heavy armor set, or rather her father's armor, clanked against itself as she walked down the street. Salvos himself knows I hate Heavy Armor. I'd much rather have Odessa's Ninja armor, but Father is a Samurai, so what can a girl do?
She marched up to the Clerk's table and cleared her throat as gutturally as she could manage. The man glanced at her up and down, then straightened up. Sera had done her best to cover any traces of the armor belonging to Lord Jiro, but she couldn't hide how well-made it looked. At worst, she'd look like the son of some high-level noble.
"Welcome, Son," the Clerk said. She winced under her helmet. "Sign on this line, certifying that you are willing to die for the honor of our city-state and your family's."
Sweet Salvos. This is stupid. I'm so stupid. This is too risky; this is—
A cold wave swept through her and froze her to the bone. A chill ran through her spine as terror gripped her, and she saw a similar effect on the Clerk's face. His eyes widened, though his face didn't move elsewhere. Slowly, inch-by-inch, Sera turned around. She knew it was him, by the effect he'd had on her, and everyone else she saw was frozen in their tracks as well.
The man strolled through the sign-up camp and wore simple Samurai armor and five swords. One katana and wakizashi on each hip four a total of four, and a fifth massive odachi strapped to his back. Sera and the man stared each other down through face-concealing helmets—hers, a typical Samurai mask that revealed only her eyes, and his, a contorted demon mask that covered up his entire face. She drew one deep breath. Hello, Musashi.
Musashi finally averted his gaze and appeared to look over her shoulder. Sera turned back to the paralyzed Clerk. She grunted at him, not daring to speak, and signed her name in blood to participate in the ceremony. Another man at her side did the same, in lock step. Hm, this Samurai is the only other person besides me that can still move in Musashi's presence. Hopefully I won't have to duel him at the end…
"Ninja over there. Samurai over there," Musashi ordered. His voice could have carried across the entire island. "Demonstrate your Skills with honor. Those accepted into this year's regiment will move on to Final Examinations, and those denied will be sent home with heads held high—and still attached to their shoulders—to return each year until they qualify for Final Examinations. Begin!"
Holy fucking shit. Today I become a Shinsorai. Sera walked over to her group.
"The fuck're you doing?" the Recruiter demanded. "Samurai over there."
Shit. Sera cleared her throat again and lowered her voice.
"I am a Ninja, but this is my family's most honorable armor, and they wished for me to wear it despite my…deviation from tradition." As in—
"You mean a Ninja from a Samurai household?" Uh, no, not quite.
"Yeah, sure. I mean—Yes, Sir!"
"Right you are, and more power to you. Damn Samurai are nothing without the Ninja. Nothing! The name's Daiki, now, Smoke Runes, over there. Keep it close to you and don't interfere with the others. Go."
Sera walked over to a maze set up for the day. Other participants entered, and some exited. "Next!"
? Smoke ? ? Sight ?
A dark smog concealed Sera, and she entered the maze. She kept it close to herself and used her Sight Rune to see through it, until she exited the maze. A few others failed, as their smoke bled through the walls, or they got lost in the maze due to their own smoke. Getting sent home already? A shame.
"Doppelgangers. Go!"
? Multiply ?
A few dozen Sera copycats split from her real body. Recruiter Daiki walked over, drew his bow, and knocked an arrow. "Tend to the chores we've assigned, and dodged these." His eyes glowed and he aimed at her—and not her doppelgangers—and shot an arrow. Sera dodged it, while her copies attended to basic tasks, like cooking and sharpening blades.
The trial went on for ten minutes until an idea sparked. This isn't an endurance test…
? Multiply ?
Another batch of doppelgangers erupted from Sera. She had all of them mosh together, alongside an original batch copycat that was making a potion.
? Dissolve ?
The newest batch of doppelgangers receded back into her body, and Recruiter Daiki shot an arrow at her. The arrow went clear through the illusion, and the real Sera waved from the alembic.
"Passed! Move on down the line to Invisibility," Daiki said.
Next, she was charged with wading through a pool of of water while masking herself. Before she went, she witnessed a few contestants get shot with arrows, failing their task. Invisibility doesn't get rid of the missing water a body displaces…
Next in line, she uttered a few Runes and dove into the water.
? Smoke ? ? Sight ? ? Multiply ? ? Conceal ?
Before she struck the water, a cloud of smoke surrounded her. When she entered the pool, doppelgangers split from her body, and each one turned invisible and raced to the other side. Arrows pierced all around her, but she escaped to the other side unharmed.
"Passed! Your next assignment is to pickpocket something from a family member who has come to watch you." Crap, I don't know if any of them are even here.
The other recruits who had passed their latest test dashed away and disappeared. Won't be left in the dust!
Sera disappeared as well and searched around for some time, desperate to find any relative, until she finally found one sitting under a cherry blossom tree, in disguise. Oh Salvos, of course she's the only one to come. Well, better show her how good of a teacher she is. Hidden by a Concealment Rune, Sera reached inside a pocket and grabbed a dagger—but Odessa gripped her wrist.
"And what in Salvos' name do you think you're doing, my dear Sera?" Just like that, Odessa's dagger was back in her hand.
"Finishing what you started six decades ago." Sera swiped it back.
"Pah! I tainted the family name." Odessa smacked Sera's face with a newspaper. When Sera looked down, the newspaper had replaced the dagger in her hands. "But you will ruin it."
"I think you and I both know I already have." Sera swiped a jade hair pin from Odessa's hair.
"Oh no, dear. Not that. Never that. That is something out of your control, versus what is." Odessa wrenched Sera's hand behind her back and took her pin. "Such as throwing your resentment and angst into the face of the culture that raised you."
? Entrap ?
"I'm shocked to hear you say that." Sera's hands dragged up to their opposite shoulders. Straight jacket's a new technique. Think I'll steal it.
"Not as shocked as I am to see you here, today, my dear." So you knew?
"Dammit, Luca." Ah, her face. She didn't know, and I just gave that away. Sorry, Luca…
"That'll be another enticing conversation for me today," Odessa said. "I tell you—old age is still full of misadventure."
Sera broke through the Script and swiped the dagger again. "Why don't you support me—"
Odessa repeated her Script, and this time Sera's legs locked up, as well. "My dear, I only sought to break some traditions. Not all of them. The honor of permission is still near and dear to my heart. Like you are." You can't mean…
Sera broke the Script again, though she could tell Odessa allowed her to this time. They'd garnered quite the crowd by now, and even so, Sera knelt before her and touched her helmet to the ground.
"I am sorry, Elder. Do I have your permission to honor our family and take The First Step?"
Odessa waved her hand around. "Of course, child. But only if you can take back my dagger—"
"You mean this one?" Sera held it up. "You let your guard down, Grandmother."
Odessa's eyes grew wide. She swiped the air, but Sera had already slipped into the shadows. From afar, she saw the pride in her grandmother's eyes. Sera returned to Recruiter Daiki and handed him the dagger.
"This crest." The Recruiter smacked his lips and glared at her. "I know you."
Her heart skipped a beat. Do I threaten him back? "Say one word and—"
"What? Cause a scene, and disgrace your family? Is that what you were going to say? Well, I'd have a formidable opponent in your father for the rest of my life. No… No. I think I'll allow you to move on to the Final Examination, so you may die here, and prove yourself, and your little cause, wrong."
You son of a bitch. "What are the odds that I get to duel you later this morning?"
"Move on to close quarters combat. Don't fuck it up. You've already passed."
PATIENCE
Patience gazed down from on high, as was his right. Despite its towering and jagged spires, the city lied far below them. Dunes shifted all around it, causing markets to disappear and reappear elsewhere, every day. Always a hassle, but how I have missed the desert.
"Fucking savages," the man next to him said. Patience stared blankly at the man the Cat of Ninetails had sent as an escort.
"What ignorance makes you think this way?" Patience demanded. The man stuttered and couldn't form a coherent string of words. "No one can protect you from the desert. It claims all that it sets its eyes on. You'd do well to remember that."
The man grunted. "Well, fuck Hinomura, fuck the Nomads, and fuck The Nomad, far as I'm concerned."
"Yes, there you go. You found your words again, if not mostly just one."
"Don't forget, Spider. You may work for the Maiden, but I work for the Cat of—"
"Pilot, please lower us directly into the city."
"W-What!? I thought we were going past The Verdant Domain, to Obsidia!?"
? Silence ?
The man's voice once again evaded him.
Minutes later, Patience stepped out of the zephyr onto the sand, which also whipped about in the air. Completely ignoring the growing crowd, he closed his eyes and inhaled sharply through his nose. The dry air almost instantly relieved him of some congestion he'd gained during his last two stops, Lustris Haven and Marina Veridia. It feels so good to be back.
"Ain't seen a zephyr in decades," a man, much too close to Patience, said. I'm sure you haven't. Not since the 16th War, anyway. A hundred men and women had already gathered around in a tight arc that grew by the second.
"I assure you, I loathe zephyrs more than you do." Patience snapped his fingers over a shoulder. The pilot and his crew dragged out a chained man and tossed him into the sand face-first. He thrashed about, coughed, and inhaled more sand with every breath. Patience grabbed the end of the chain and dragged the man to the crowd, carving a thin trail that receded away like the dunes. "The Spider arrives with a gift. Tell the Desert Mouse that I will be waiting for him in the outskirts."
"I wish you would stay silent, you insufferable fool." The man thrashed about in the sand, seemingly desperate to tell Patience something of the utmost importance. "Fine, you may speak. But if I don't like what you have to say, I'll actually take your tongue out."
The man gasped when the Script was rescinded. "He's—He'll kill us both! Any sign of an Elementalist, and the Nomads are supposed to kill on sight!"
"Yes. I believe that's the point." The man went silent again and stared into Patience's cold eyes. "Good, you understand. Now, you may work for the Cat of Ninetails…" Patience glanced around. Swords appeared all around, as Nomads rose from the dunes. "…But I work for myself."
"You fucking bastard, you soulless, lifeless bastard…" Don't cry. Not yet. We aren't to the fun part.
"My, my," Patience continued. "I see sheep everywhere, but no mouse. Why do you hide from your dearest, oldest friend?"
Patience felt it before he saw it. He spun around, drew his rapier, and parried the scimitar's slash. The force of the redirected attack removed the imprisoned Elementalist's arm from his shoulder. Patience and assailant looked into each other's eyes for what felt like an eternity, before gravity pulled the man down to the sand.
"Straight to your Vessel, I see," Patience said. He studied its wielder, who had changed little in the past few years.
Still wears the cloth robes and mask like the rest. But more colorful, in your own way. Black hair still much shorter than mine, though you are certainly trying to catch up to me, as always. A few new trinkets added to your collection. Eyes are still amber; a good sign given your preferred company. And what's this, another—Oh Salvos, man would you shut the fuck up?
? Silence ?
The writhing Elementalist quieted down again.
"You've improved. A few years ago, that would have killed you."
"I am Pat of the Dunes, after all."
"I'm all too familiar." Patience winced at the word. "So the Cat brings a rat to my doorstep." How perceptive of you. "Friends—That what we are now?"
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
"I prefer rivals, if you insist on accuracy." Patience looked at the severed arm. "Which I see has grown dull."
The assailant sheathed his sword, and the other Nomads followed. "I prefer sworn enemies, of the blood feud type, given your present company."
"Please. We've had quite the few misadventures together. Thought we would have built more trust than a sneak attack."
"After you stabbed me in the back all those years ago? Lucky wisdom guided me, and not revenge." He looked at the Elementalist, who slowly kicked himself around in a circle of sandy blood. Or is that bloody sand? "To what do I owe this displeasure?"
"I have a contract—"
"Ah, fuck off! I know who your employer is. She garners no sympathy in the desert. Men—"
"I am on my way to becoming a free agent. After Marina Veridia, the tides have changed."
The swirling wind halted, and the sand dunes quit shifting around. "No waves here. Nor riptides, in my world at least—you know, the one you abandoned?. Now you and yours…" Patience remained silent. "I always knew That Bitch was up to something else, using Sins as pawns in a larger game."
"She was always a stepping stone for a higher calling," Patience said. The Elementalist arched his back, further than it should be able to, and tried to drown himself in the sand.
"Fuck's sake…"
? Heal ?
"The fearsome Desert Mouse strikes again. I didn't know mercy was in your playbook."
"Mercy by itself is not. Mercy killings, on the other hand…" The Desert Mouse approached the fallen Elementalist. Patience stepped between them.
"Hold fast, Jafar of the Ishida Clan."
"Left that name behind a loooong time ago, but you already knew that. It's Jafar of the Nomadic Clans, now."
You'd claim all of them? How fitting. "I see the pleasantries are over, so I'll get straight to it. Wrath is a wildcard that must be snuffed out."
"The hell do I care what Wrath does? He's never come to the desert."
We've already caught him in our web, Charlotte. "He is on his way to rendezvous with one of Kazuma's agents, tucked away deep within the Shinsorai." Jafar glared at him. I have your attention, now. The Nomads lowered their weapons, just slightly. "The 17th War is coming, Jafar. Will you turn a blind eye, or snuff it out before it starts?"
"Speak, since you're dying to get to the bloody point." Impatient ass.
"Wrath seeks to open his Seal." Time for the final thread. "If he does, and he goes unchecked, then your side will stand no chance." A greedy smile spread across Jafar's lips. Caught you. Now wrap him up tight, Charlotte.
"All that power. Be a shame if someone else got ahold of it." Precisely.
"Which is why I need you to help me kidnap the girl, and lure Wrath to the right spot. Our mutual acquaintance will take care of the rest."
"I know loyalty's not your thing, so I have to ask—this girl, she like you?"
"She most certainly is not. When Wrath has opened his Seal, and fallen into our custody, you may have the girl, but not until then."
"I'd rather have something else, though I'll certainly take all I can get." I bet you will. Jafar pressed his foot to the Elementalist and rolled him onto his back. "Bet the girl will know more than you."
"So, do you agree?"
"One last thing that bothers me. Doesn't sound like you're a free agent, yet. I must be missing something." Foolish of me. You saw through that piece.
"Once Wrath has opened his Seal, I will be free to dispose of any and all loose threads."
Jafar rolled his head all around. I despise the way he mulls things over. "Will this girl lead me to Kazuma directly?"
"There's only one way to find out."
"Ha! Fuck you, Pat." Jafar spat off to the side. "Men, take this fool prisoner."
What!? Where did I fail?
The Nomads gathered around the Elementalist and dragged him away. Relief filled Patience. You enjoyed watching me squirm there, didn't you? Jafar approached Patience and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him into close to his face.
"So when do we take flight? Ya know, I've always wanted to ride in a zephyr."
"Are any of your friends coming with you?"
"Oh, just one…"
[Mouse Trap — Quest Objective COMPLETED: Hire the Desert Mouse.]
[Mouse Trap — Quest Objective ADDED: Capture Wrath with the help of the Desert Mouse.]
JULES
The sun had just risen, and the streets of Shinsora were more alive than Jules ever knew a city could be. People greeted each other left and right. They'd bow slightly, exchange gifts, smile and compliment each other, then stroll down the streets, arm-in-arm. Everyone and everything was so clean and well put together. It was the most immaculate city Jules had ever seen—it expanded way past what he ever dreamed possible of a society. People would even nod at incoming traffic and get out of their way, no matter how big or small someone was, hold old or how young. And everyone was quiet, so quiet, no one yelled or got rowdy, despite whatever festival was about to start Holy cow. Holy crap. Holy Salvos Himself—Everything here is so…clean!
"Julisha, you're walkin' too slow!" Katarina turned around and smacked his wide open jaw.
"Hurry up—we need to go this way!" Cyrus, face consumed by a map, pointed out into the crowd, and a man had to duck under his extended arm.
"No, you moron, the plaza is this way!" Katarina yanked Jules and they bumped into a young couple.
"But the biggest bar on the island is over here!" People stared at them in horror as they passed by.
"You and Whiskers got drunk enough last night!" This time, people actually stopped in their tracks to stare.
"Oh my Salvos—you guys!" Jules ran through the crowd over to a banner. "Today is the Shinsorai's annual tradition of The Shadow's Path!"
"The what?"
"Who cares!?"
"New Shinsorai recruits are going to take The First Step into the Shadows today!"
[New Quest Available: Step into the Shadows]
[New Reward Available for Step into the Shadows: Join the Shinsorai Faction.]
[Step into the Shadows — Quest Objective ADDED: Complete “The First Step into the Shadows”]
"Uh huh." Cyrus put his hand to his chin. "I need to find an Etherealist outpost. They could be connected!" Oh yeah, you get it.
"How are they connected, dammit!?" Katarina shouted. "We need to focus on our mission, our sole mission, remember?"
We need to get off the streets, Whiskers thought to Jules, Katarina, and Rukia—but not Cyrus. We are causing quite the scene. Jules sensed Whiskers feeling self-conscious about his three tails.
Get me outta this fucking backpack right now!!!!
"Cyrus, we're getting some privacy." Jules yanked him away by the collar, and everyone stopped to stare at them as they shuffled through the crowd.
"We need to go this way—"
"No, I'm right!"
"No I am!"
"No, I am!"
"No, me!"
"GET BACK IN THE BACKPACK RUKIA!"
"If we can't agree," Jules said, "then why don't we just split up?"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
"I hate you and this stupid backpack!"
Katarina stormed off with Whiskers close behind.
"Cy, take the fox," Jules said.
"What?" Cyrus demanded.
"What!?! Are you serious, Jules!? You'd abandon me??" Rukia whined.
"I've got something I need to do on my own." Jules pet her head gently.
"Oh, OK, well in that case, have fun, Julesie!"
"Don't look at me like that, Cy. As if you aren't."
"Fair point. Be safe." Cyrus grabbed the backpack and walked away.
Jules walked through the aisles of a store and mumbled to himself. "Tell me to be safe? Me? I'm the strongest on the team!" The shop owner looked at him like he was crazy. "What? I'd like to buy all this Shinsorai—uh—memorabilia, please."
"Right," the shopkeep said. "Think you'll sign up for The Shadows? Not the first, I'll tell you that. I'm not supposed to sell gaidjinns this stuff today. Too many sneak in and—"
"What'd you just call me!? And of course I'm gonna go try out."
"Sorry, you'd have a better chance of finding the Tree of Wishes, kid. No sale."
"…I'll triple your price."
"Quintuple."
"Quadruple."
"Deal." Worth it.
Jules ran into an empty alleyway and changed into his newest set of armor and equipped the Shinsorai katana. His new helm masked his face and just let his eyes peek through so he could remain incognito. He wound his way through town until he reached a sign up table. "Hey, I'd like to sign up."
A cold wind rushed by that froze Jules' heart. A heavy pressure, thick with seemingly limitless Ryoku, weighed down on him. He looked up from the Clerk and saw the Alter—Musashi—and admired him. Alters everywhere I go, I swear. I hope Cy stay clear of here…
He turned back around to the Clerk and noticed he was still frozen. The person to his left turned around and signed their name and shoved it in the Clerks' face. Hm, looks like you're the only other one who can move. Better look out for you.
"Welcome to the elite Samurai division of the Shinsorai. Today, we will determine your basic level of competency in Katanas, Archery, and Earth magic. Those of you accepted will move on to the Final Examination, also known as the Death Match—"
Uh, what?!?
"—And those of you who fail will be conscripted by the Binding Vow you just signed to show up again next year, after extensive training. It is not a dishonor, so think nothing of it. You have already dedicated your lives to the Shinsorai, and will meet an honorable death, regardless."
How did I miss that part!? With no time to think, the Recruiters corralled Jules into a training ground with other green recruits to showcase their Skills with katanas.
First was a single-wielded blade with a shield, for safety reasons. Why does safety matter again, if we have to kill each other later!? A smaller recruit approached Jules, and with a single strike, Jules crushed his shield to bits. He looked around and noticed that no one else around him would be much better.
"Hey, where are the higher Ranked guys?" Jules asked his Recruiter, who jerked his head over to the sidelines.
"Nobles're over there. And if you had to ask, you ain't one. Continue with this lot."
Jules grumbled to himself and stormed off. Next was a single-wielded sword, one-handed and without shields, and Jules disarmed his opponents one after the other. This is not what I imagined…
They moved on to two-handing single-wielded swords, but all the other recruits cowered away from him. The Recruiter growled at them all and picked up a dull blade to spar him. They parried and deflected each other's strikes, neither one able to land a blow.
"Now this is what I'm talking about!" Jules exclaimed.
"You can move on to the Nobles. I like what I see, you could show great promise with some structured training. Name's Recuiter Aki."
"Thank you—I truly appre—"
"Ha! Don't thank me yet. Them lads won't be happy to see you, but the Shinsorai as a whole will be. Now, hustle!"
Jules hauled ass over to the Nobles, who all tilted their heads at him upon his arrival. Looks like they're dual-wielding, and I only have one sword…
? Summon ? ? Sword ?
Jules conjured a purple, ethereal sword in his left hand. The surrounding recruits balked, shook their heads, and continued sparring with themselves. Jules noticed Recruiter Aki run his hand down his face, likely in embarrassment. Sorry man, didn't mean to catch you flak. Guess summoning weapons is faux pas here.
Jules dropped his weapon to the ground, and it evaporated away. He picked up another sword from a stand and walked up to two recruits who'd just finished their sparring. "Anyone wanna go again?"
"Let's see what you've got, Prole." Gaidjinn and Prole? At least it's not demon or Sin…
Jules blocked one strike, then the second, but the third connected to his abs. Before they could erupt, he felt sparks ignite around his eyes, and concentrated to contain them—and was promptly struck a second time in the shoulder. Pissed off, he dropped both swords and grabbed both man's blades on his next attack with just his gauntlets on, then wrenched them from his opponent's hands.
"Dishonorable."
"I'm not used to fighting with two swords."
"It's not my fault you didn't study the curriculum." Hm, that would have been nice. "Let's see how you fare at Archery."
The boys gathered around Jules at the firing range, and one of them handed him a Shinsorai bow. He thought he heard some stifled laughter in the back of the pack. Yeah, I'm too smart for this. It's probably broken or sabotaged. Jules tossed the bow to the ground and summoned his own bow, then shot the bullseye, shot after shot, splitting his own ethereal arrows. He noted all the boys looking at each other as he walked away to the Earth magic staging area, where he has to form columns, walls, spikes, and tiny ornate monuments in Shinsorai architectural design. Only the last task tripped him up. Yeah, screw this, too. I just wanna fight with swords, man.
? ? Stoned Flesh ? ?
Jules whipped around to witness a Scroll he'd never heard of before. One of the recruits armor was now covered in chunks of levitating rocks and clumps of earth that intercepted arrows shot at him. He rushed over to the boy.
"Hey, can I learn that?"
"Uh, sure, but why haven't you already learned this one?" Oh, must be part of that curriculum.
"I just like to smash things with swords. I spent my time Leveling Up Blades and Hand-to-Hand." They got to work, and within a few minutes, Jules became proficient with the Script.
"You're clearly not a Noble, but your Skills are impressive. Where did you train?"
"Who cares where some Prole trained?" Another recruit approached them, eyes and tattoos aglow. Great.
? ? Vines of the Earth, Ensnare ? ?
Vines ripped out from the ground and surrounding trees. They laced over Jules' body and trapped each of his limbs to himself, and one even curled around his throat. Adrenaline flooded his veins; he reached up to the vines around his neck—
THUMP-THUMP.
Jules was back in the Coralhaven Shrine, fighting the Leshen, or at least his mind was. His eyes ignited into yellow flames, and he spun around with his flaming sword and slashed them all away. The recruits crashed to the ground several feet away, some on fire, even the boy who'd taught Jules his new Scroll.
"What in the hell is going on over here!?" Recruiter Aki demanded. Still triggered, Jules thought about striking the man down, but he focused on regaining his composure, and the flames died down.
"Seems you have quite the new blood here, Aki," said another Recruiter that approached them. "I have just the recruit for him to duel."
Recruiter Aki stared at the newcomer, then lifted his chin and smiled. "Ah, yes, I see, Daiki." He directed his attention to Jules again. "You have Passed. Move on to the podium."
Really don't want to fight anyone to the death. I need to find a way out of this situation…
Coerced by the surrounding Recruiters, crowd, other fresh recruits, Musashi himself, and his newest opponent, Jules climbed up onto the circular fighting platform. A grid system spread across its surface, and Jules wondered how that could help him fight. His opponent also took the stage, wearing similar armor to himself.
"Thought I was supposed to fight Ninja?" Jules asked his Recruiter, Aki.
"Oh, they are," Daiki replied in Aki's stead. They?
"Lord Musashi," Aki bellowed to both the Alter and the crowd, "we now have our first Final Examination bout. Now, duel to the death!!"
"Hey," Jules said, "killing's not really my thing. I can just quit now." Jules scanned everyone in the crowd; they all stared at him with blank, confused, and occasionally, very judgmental expressions.
"Then why'd you sign up… No, forget it." Aki snapped at one of the Samurai nearby. "Set up the barrier!"
? ? Stone Barrier ? ?
? ? Ryoku Shield ? ?
? ? Step into the Shadows ? ?
A cage made of stone encased the small arena, trapping Jules inside with his Ninja opponent. Iron spikes protruded at each intersecting lattice of stone, and Ryoku Shield encapsulated the cage's exterior.
Oh, shit. How do I get out of this!? And what was up with that Shadow Script?
The Ninja disappeared, and dagger pierced its way through the back of Jules' armor, near a kidney. Jules spun an elbow around and knocked them to the ground. Damn, can't take him lightly.
? Multiply ?
A dozen or so Ninja ruptured out from Jules' opponent and filled their cage.
? Summon ? ? Arrows ?
Jules blasted arrows from his palms at every doppelganger, hoping to strike the real target. One must have landed, because they all turned invisible with another of the Ninja's Scripts. Jules closed his eyes and focused on their footsteps, blocking dagger strike after dagger strike. He bumped into an iron spike at the edge of the cage, and, in his lost focus, heard a whirling sound hone in on him—
"AHH!!" Jules dropped to one knee and ripped out the shuriken from his side.
? Reveal ?
A blinding light, courtesy of Cyrus' instruction, revealed Jules' opponent again. No more doppelgangers, thank Salvos. Finish this in one blow, just strike their shoulder—
Jules crouched down and leapt to the Ninja and struck their shoulder, but they deflected with one dagger and cracked the blade with another. In pure frustration, Jules threw his ruined sword to the ground, and it shattered.
"Piece of shit! Worse than Siren's Cove steel!" He rushed in to fight the Ninja with his Hand-to-Hand Skill. Can't use too much Ryoku on offense and kill him, so focus on defense so my Regeneration doesn't show.
Not a single strike hit its mark, and Jules felt like he was constantly behind the Ninja's movement. He's definitely not more Skilled in this type of combat. Illusion magic, then? I feel like I'm lagging behind.
"Hey," Jules said. "What's your name?" They never responded, not even to taunt when they slipped past Jules' kicks and punches. "Ah, screw this."
? Summon ? ? Sword ?
Jules summoned two katana and threw one to the Ninja. They caught it and tilted their head.
"Like that trick? Conjuration is my highest Skill, and your sword will last longer than mine, I promise you that." The Ninja looked at the sword again, then at Jules. "What? You're wearing that armor, you must know how to wield it. Come on, I don't like all the illusions and smoke and mirrors. Let's fight with blades."
The Ninja, dressed in Samurai armor, sheathed their katana in a sash belt and crouched low. Hey—Now we're talking! Hushed whispers spread throughout the crowd, and Jules turned his head slightly to hear what they had to say. Guess that's another thing I screwed up—
The Ninja launched at him and ripped the katana from its sash. Time slowed down for Jules. In one swift movement, he blocked the strike, twirled his blade around to disarm them, and pushed his blade to their throat. Check-mate.
"Before my world goes to hell, what is your name?" she asked. Wait—She!? That's definitely a woman's voice!
Jules froze, and he looked her straight in her eyes, through their helmets. He pushed her away and withdrew both his conjured swords, which evaporated away to mist. "I yield. I'd really like to quit. In fact, I'm not even—"
"Silence!"
Jules felt a chill to the bone. Just like when he'd signed up with the Clerk earlier that morning, everyone around froze in Musashi's heavy presence. Although he hadn't spoken the words in Sylvan and invoked a Script, his words had the same effect as if he had.
"You are both strong warriors," Musashi continued. "However, neither of you are a proper fit for the Shinsorai. Should you accept, I will relieve you of both your duty and Binding Vows to our Faction. Should you refuse, I will enter the arena—"
"Deal!" Jules shouted. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "You should take it, too."
The woman glared at Musashi, sitting up on high, watching the ceremony unfold. Musashi raised a hand, and the barrier vanished. The Ninja knelt on one knee, bowed at the Alter, and then ran off into the crowd and disappeared.
"We shall delay the remainder of the Shadow's Path." Musashi rose from his chair, which looked more like a throne to Jules. "Lords, Quartermasters, Recruiters—to my chambers immediately."
Musashi walked off toward the towering castle. Everyone eyed Jules and backed away from him. He heard more whispers in the crowd.
"Bad omen."
"Fight must be coming."
"Could it mean war?"
Jules fled the arena. He sprinted as fast as he could, until the crowd began to thin out on the streets, and changed his abandoned armor in an alleyway back to his normal clothes. When he was finished, he stared at the Shinsorai armor, scattered all over the wet cobblestone. Another dream crushed. I guess it can't be helped.
[Step into the Shadows — Quest Objective FAILED: Complete “The First Step into the Shadows.”]
[Step into the Shadows — QUEST FAILED]
Jules closed his eyes and reached out with his mind until he found them. Of course that's where they'd be… Sweet Salvos save us all.
He arrived at the pub, out of breath, and found Cyrus, Katarina, Whiskers, and even Rukia—she was tucked away, hidden in a corner of the booth—drinking their fill of ale.
"Why are you out of breath?" Katarina placed her hand on an empty glass, presumably for Jules, and slowly dragged it away from him and to herself.
"And why are your pants on backward?" Whiskers lapped up some foam, unable to tilt up his glass.
"What'd you just do?" Cyrus lowered his mug and revealed a foam mustache.
"Why'd you break that Binding Vow?" Rukia asked.
"HE WHAT!?" the other three demanded.
Jules hushed them and looked around. A young woman drank alone nearby, the only other patron in the pub. Jules glanced back over at her—for some reason she really caught his attention—then back to his friends.
Katarina was visibly twitching now, about to explode. "Jules, what did you just do?"
"So, uh…"