It seems odd, that Master Will knew Ned's name back at the Empire of Sskat.
But when Ned arrived at O'rriadt Island, thirteen years ago, his first word the moment Master Will took him out of the pod was his name. The next month, all the baby Ned could say was his name. It's like, he was telling him Master Will to name him Ned.
For a baby to speak a word the first month, he's a genius. But on the inside, Calahir programmed system ICE to let Ned, speak his name.
"That's how I got your name kid," Master Will said, brushing his hacked arm with a paste made from the healing herbs he pulled up the mountains. "Wherever you came from, I don't care. You're here, I took care of you. And I consider you my son." He smiled, full of care.
So that's how my name came to be, Ned thought. "Thank you, Master," he stood and bowed deeply that his head was about an inch away from the table.
"Thank you too, kid, from the depts of my heart," Master Will lifted a part of his lips, he smiled sadly. Cause he knew, that only a handful of days were left until Ned leave the island. He waved his hand, telling Ned to take a seat.
For the second time, Master Will grabbed the Butterfly on the table, unsheathing the sword and carefully observing it. He was satisfied, that not a single chip took over the edges. "Tell me, kid," he inquired. "Was the sword helpful?"
For a moment, Ned was fixated at the sword. The green lavish color of the sword reflected on Ned's dusky cobalt eyes. "Yes Master, it saved me a couple of times," he said, leaving an impression of satisfaction on his face.
The concept of the Butterfly was to absorb spell, a perfect weapon for mages. an Anti Mage sword. But with Master Will, he found the sword, not just an Anti Mage, but a Lord killer as well. Since Lord grades monsters are able to cast spells, almost infinitely, the Butterfly was their bane. Not just Lord, Mythical, and Unique Grades as well, as long as the enemy uses a spell, the Butterfly will come in handy.
The sword was made from a collection of unknown materials, carefully crafted to almost perfection. The sword already proved its identity to Master Will a long time ago, and now, Ned proved it to be of a different grade.
"Its grade is Unique, the Wereman back at the alley was correct." Master Will thought of the man that blocked them at the alley, George of the Were tribe. After Master Will flicked him midair, he was nowhere to be found. "All the materials melted into this sword were made from a number of different Unique Grade monsters," He added.
Depending on the user, the Butterfly could block attacks from monsters with different grades. Be it physical or magical. Master Will knew, that the Lord, Ned fought, was of the low Grade, cause he knew, that if the Lord's Grade was Higher than C. The Sword would break, or worse of could shatter to pieces, unable to be repaired.
"Which means, once it broke, all the materials needed to repair it must come from a Unique Grade monster as well," Master Will explained.
"Why are you telling me this Master?" Curious, Ned asked.
"You'll soon leave kid, I don't know what will happen, this is just a heads up. Just in case. The sword might not be useful to you anymore, or you might fight monsters stronger than the sword could handle. It might break," Master Will paused, he shrugged his shoulder and breath deeply. "Kid you already fought a Lord grade monster, and you didn't even leave the island yet. Everything in this sword is my battle and I passed it to you to aid you of your journey."
"I'll be back here Master so don't worry about me, leaving you alone on this island," Ned assured with a smile.
"I know," he stopped, Master Will wanted to continue but he paused, averting the mood, he continued. "Anyway, in case you needed to upgrade the sword, go the Kingdom of Beastman, and look for Halbjorn of the Horn, last time I was there, he's at a town called Tamadar."
"But Master, humans aren't allowed in the Beastman Kingdom."
"That's what the Kingdom told you, but here -" Master Will ran his finger on his neck, braiding a tie out of his neck, he pulled a necklace made of woven materials - "my personal Token, the last of it." He smiled, handing the token to Ned. "With it, you're free to go in and out of the Beastman Kingdom."
[Notice. Acute amount of Pure Mana detected.]
ICE prompted the moment Ned get a hold of the token. Pure Mana...Ned wondered.
The token was made of metal. On its head was a face of a lady, but the token was too old, that the face showed an obscured image. On the tail was a sword, it was thinner and longer than the Butterfly. It looked more like a needle than a sword. On both sides, the edges were engraved with letters. The engraved was deep but it wasn't readable because the Token was chipped and old.
Putting the token, Ned thought that his Master was once a great Hunter, to be able to go as he please in the Beastman Kingdom and to have a knowledge vast enough, he even knew someone from the Beastman Kingdom.
"Thank you, Master," Ned politely bowed.
Ned shared his story about the Selection. His Master shouted, smiled, and grunted every time Ned told his Master when he battled the Lord. his eyebrows knitted when he learned that his friend, Xi, was attacked by some monster. But was also happy, that his apprentice made a friend.
With the last rays of warmth brushed the Earflgard and only the rosy afterglow of the day remained. From the west, purple darkness approached rapidly. The breeze sliced through the hills like a sharp-edged blade, as if spring were only a faintly remembered dream. Winter's smell still holds to the surrounding, smell that gathered and mixed with the people of O'rriadt. Out of the evening's darkness, a figure entered the lamplight.
Ned, entered his room, with a mind of tomorrow to be unknown, yet excitement lingered his thoughts. The day after the morrow will be his last day on the island, leaving the life, he thought he deserved. But wasn't explored.
Ned lit a lamp of candle that brightened his room. The oak wall clanged with the sword as it was hung. Winter wind knocked his window.
His Master was a Hunter or used to be. Until he laid down his sword and exchanged it for a quill. If his Master is not hunting, from time Ned saw him wrote that appeared to be a novel or something. With the paper he got from his Master, Ned neatly stacked the paper in front of him, he sat, leaning his hand on the table, held a quill, and wrote his promise.
"ICE, are you ready?" Ned mumbled to himself.
[I'm always ready Ned.]
"Then, I'm in your care."
Ned's hand started to move on its own, with ICE controlling him, the blank paper was swiftly written. Seconds pass, an inscription was formed.
'The Anatomy of the Human Body - to Granny of O'rriadt' was written.