Chapter 3

  Drakkel woke up in a poorly built guest house.

  Sunlight shined through the window only covered by a thin curtain of hay. With his eyes being unused to it, Drakkel had to wait for them to adjust to the bright light.

  When his sight finally cleared, he noticed that someone was sleeping soundlessly next to him.

  Many would say that the two disciples of Rodius Fowl, the strongest Sword Master in the world and the one who revived the once declining Sacred Sword Swords Clan, were handsome and refined like two gems. Although the older one didn't quite match the looks of the younger, he still had his own grace in his gentleness and kindness. So, many would say he was a fairy with the personality of a saint.

  As he laid with his back against the bed, his long silky black hair splaying cleanly on the pillow and his blue and black robes perfectly complimenting his glowing delicate skin, Drakkel could tell what they meant.

  Gazing at him a little longer, he began to feel that something wasn't right.

  When he looked closer at His Senior Brother, his eyes widened.

  That's right! He remembered now! The Aurien Wavel next to him was only 16! Somehow, he was transported back 15 years! Looking at his hands, he now realized how small they were.

  He immediately began to panic.

  Maybe he died after all?

  “Drakkel?” Aurien Wavel sluggishly asked, now awake and staring up at him.

  “Yes, Senior Brother?” Drakkel asked.

  “You're awake already? You know you can get more rest. You did most of the work defeating the sacred beast yesterday and it's still early in the morning. Did you have a bad dream?”

  Drakkel shook his head. “No, I’m just restless. I want to get back to Master and the rest soon.”

  Aurien Wavel nodded. Sitting up slowly, he said, “If you want to go that bad, we can pack up and leave now.”

  Drakkel saw that although his Senior Brother said this, he still seemed tired. His eyes were squinted and he struggled to stay awake. “No! It's ok, Senior Brother. You get some more rest. I’ll just take a walk around.”

  Aurien Wavel was uncertain about this. “Are you sure? I can rest more when we get back.”

  “I’m sure. Really, don't worry.”

  Aurien Wavel needed no further prompt. He nodded, yawned, and settled back into bed.

  With this, Drakkel could only shake his head.

  His Senior Brother was really too nice for his own good!

  As he got off the bed, he heard it creak along with the floors. Now that his Senior Brother had told him about the Sacred Beast, he remembered where he was.

  So-Ony Village was located south of Immortal Peak and close to Densai Forest, which divided the outer towns and the inner towns and cities. The Forest was a place said to be filled with Powerful Sacred Beasts. Most people who attempted to traverse it didn't make it back.

  Those who lived to tell the tale, said they were lucky to be alive.

  At one point, the previous King, or the Emperor of today for the sake of where Drakkel was, offered a reward to any who could find a clear path through the place as it would save funds on travel and make it easier to assist the outer towns if they needed it.

  So, many Swords Clans joined in. But in the end, not only could they not find a path, they even lost some of their lower and mid-level Sword Fighters in the process.

  So that was that. If even the Sword Fighters couldn't get through it, no ordinary person could. the Emperor, in response to this, 13 years ago, or two years after the events of today, issued a warning that those who wished to go through the famously dense forest would be putting their lives at risk.

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  That was why, the only approved way in the present day, to travel between the inner and outer cities and towns was by passing Shadowy Ridges and Lunala Isle.

  Also because of their locations, some villages and towns located near the Forest were prone to Sacred Beasts attacks. After the Emperor's excursion to find out the mysteries behind the Forest, it made sense as to why such places were always susceptible.

  So, in response, over time, such villages and towns were evacuated. By the present day, villages and towns no longer existed within close proximity of Densai Forest.

  Now that he found out more about the situation, Drakkel believed he knew what happened. He was going through a Sword Energy Deviation Memory Barrier.

  When one was going through a Sword Energy Deviation, sometimes in order to protect the psyche from the pain the body was in, the body would lock the mind within a sea of memories. This would usually happen when one was close to death. The way out was difficult to glean, but it’s not like a deviation was unsurvivable.

  Cases of survival had been recorded, but most involved external factors. Drakkel’s situation was different though. No other person had two different types of energies causing their deviation.

  Drakkel knew his time was limited. From what he had observed so far, the Memory Barrier would compel him to act as he had in his memories.

  But the condition was unpredictable. He couldn’t waste time. Before anything else happened, he had to think of a method to escape.

  Drakkel took his sword, Swift Wind’s Breeze from its spot next to his Senior Brother’s Sword, Clear Skies.

  Clear Skies was so transparent one could see through its blade but also so sturdy even knocking it against a a strong metal or rock wouldn't be enough to break it. It was made of part of the same Sacred Beast that his Master's Dragon's Wrath was made out of, which was why some say that a dragon will always fly in clear skies unless one invokes its wrath.

  After grabbing his sword, Drakkel made his way out of the guest house. It was very early in the morning but many villagers still busied themselves with work, carrying around fruits, vegetables, hay and the like. As he passed them, they greeted him, thanking him again for getting rid of the Sacred Beast that tormented them.

  As he went along, Drakkel could only tell them that it was nothing and move on. But the villagers were really too grateful. After the tenth time, even simply nodding his head became tiresome. So, he purposefully left the village for some peace and quiet.

  He remembered that there was another village not too far from this one and went to check it out. It was only a few minutes away, separated from a short dirt path surrounded by forestry. As he walked this path, he suddenly overheard some young kids talking in the Forest.

  “Isn’t his hair color weird?”

  “I wonder if he’s related to the sacred beasts that have been attacking us!”

  “My father said he’s cursed! Raised by a single mother and with strange looks, he has to be some sort of monster!”

  “I heard he might even be a spawn of the sacred beasts!”

  “Hey, you! Why don’t you say something?”

  As Drakkel rounded the bend of a tree, he saw a group of five kids standing over one who was huddled on the floor.

  They continued to say, “Hey, if you don’t say something, we’ll have to assume that the rumors about you are true!”

  “I’m not…” The boy on the ground said quietly.

  “Huh?” One of the five boys said.

  “I’m not cursed!” He continued, now lifting his head, tears threatening to drop from his large and innocent dark brown eyes.

  “Did you hear that guys? The monster can speak! I was beginning to think his demon whore of a mother could only spawn a beast like herself.”

  The boys laughed.

  The little boy who was getting bullied finally stood up and raised his voice. But his stance was still weak and reserved. “Stop insulting my mother or…!”

  “Or what?” One of the boys asked.

  Another one said, “I think he might curse us! I heard throwing stones at such vile beings will purge any evil that leaks out of them, making them unable to curse others!”

  The boys all grabbed some stones from the ground and began to lift them.

  No longer able to stand and watch, Drakkel grabbed some stones of his own. Before any of them could make the first move, he used his sword energy to flick a stone to the back of the head of the one who talked the most.

  “Ow! Who did that?” He asked, looking around.

  “Maybe it blew in with the wind?” One of them suggested.

  The one Drakkel threw the stone to nodded and continued, his hand again raising in the air.

  Drakkel then shot another stone. This time it landed on the one who suggested that the stone that hit the first time blew in with the wind.

  “What the?” The boy asked.

  Drakkel smiled. He may have not been a sword master, but he was still formidable. He was at the level of Sword Sworn and up until this point, he had beaten most people of his level in mock fights, already achieving a name for himself. So, if he could defeat people at his level, then handling ordinary kids who knew nothing of sword fighting would naturally be a piece of cake.

  He continued to throw the stones, even throwing one at the forehead of the kid who was getting bullied so he wouldn’t get blamed for the incident.

  Once he was done, except for the bullied kid, he had hit each of the boys in several places before they were finally forced to retreat.

  “Ow! Guys, I think he really might be cursed after all! Let’s get out of here!” The one who spoke the most shouted.

  Not able to see where the stones were coming from, the boys quickly scurried away.

  The boy who was being bullied was still rubbing his head as he stood up. When he did, Drakkel was finally able to get a good look at him. He had short blonde hair and light skin with a peach undertone.

  The boy was not at all frightened by the occurrence. In fact, his grief-stricken face only fell to one of mild confusion.

  He looked around before focusing on the direction in which Drakkel was standing.

  “Is anyone there?” He innocently asked.

  Not wanting to be found, Drakkel used his sword step to swiftly leave the area.

  “Is anyone there?” He innocently asked.

  Not wanting to be found, Drakkel used his sword step to swiftly leave the area.