I could never get the thoughts of my mother out of my mind.

Before the downfall of the empire, she sat in front of me, crying. My father sat on the side, staring at me. I remember feeling pitiful. As if I couldn't do anything but sit there and watch the world burn. The screams from the outside, the alarms firing off in the distance. I wish I could go back to the days where I was truly happy. My dad looked at me and smiled.

"Move forward son." He said.

GREENVILLE: 12 years after the fall of the empire

I hate waking up from those nightmares. My bed soaked in sweat, the sun drying on the rays of my skin. I could see the pellets of sweat on my chest as I got up. I saw Ana standing in front of my bed. "Ana?" I said. She looks at me, serious. Today was the day. "It's time Alex." She said.

Greenville, the city of a swordsman. The dirt road on the outskirts of the city welcome brand new upcoming swordsmen and women ready to fight. They come from all over the globe, to fight in tournaments and to grab eye snatching bounties. Some new travelers come for the market, since Greenville is a huge market, and can be used to get rich. New items and armor is carried through Greenville to other factions and cities. Carts speed down the dirt roads, shops set up on every block. There is no stop in chatter here, and downtown Greenville is even more extravagant.

Greenville is thriving off of its people, and its people thrive off of it, that's how we live. It has given the talented a chance at life, the poor a shot at getting rich, and the depressed a place to be happy. But it can also turn everything upside down.

I walked outside with Ana, she looked at me and smiled. "We have a meeting tonight." She says. "I heard, what is it going to be on?" I say. We were walking towards downtown, ready for anything it felt like. The ruckus of carts honking at each other, the kids that ran everywhere, the aroma of food, I'll never miss this place. "Well, the bounty is tomorrow night, so I could only guess it would be about that right?" she says. "I don't know, I mean there is also a psycho running around Greenville." I say.

The dust flew off the dirt road in our face, but we have been used to it. "I'm just excited. This is our chance Alex, to get some coin, to upgrade. To get rich off talent." Ana said. "Money huh? I wish I could worry about that." I said. "Alex, you live in a broken down shack, what else are you possibly worrying about?" she said. "Excalibur, being a leader." I said. "Listen Alex, you are one of the top swordsmen in town, I get that, but being a king is not possible." she said. I look at her, and she smirks at me. "Nothing is ever impossible." I say. "There is no limit with you, huh?" she ask. "There is never a limit."

We both smile at each other. On the corner of the road we see Jayme's Junk Store, where you can find some of the best armor pieces in the city. It's an underground place, only the best of the best know of him. Jayme is a great guy, he has a positive presence around him all the time, but he is very intimidating. Seven foot, probably over three hundred pounds of pure muscle. I never understood how a person could be so big.

"Alex, Ana, I have been waiting to see you two for a while." Jayme says as we enter the shop. He stands tall behind a desk. "JAYME, oh Jayme. You remember that time I saved your life?" Ana asked. "My life?" Jayme responds surprised. "Yeah, of course. Anyway, we might need some armor pieces." Ana says. She jumps up on the desk, her back facing Jayme. "You know, we might actually need two sets of armor, for the big bounty." Ana turns around and touches Jayme's chest. "Come on big boy, just some pieces, please?" Jayme laughs. "Ana, we have known each other for how long? And you're still have the same old trick up your sleeve?" Jayme says. "I have seen it before." Jayme says. "See Ana, I told you it wouldn't work." I said.

"I hate you Jayme." Ana says. "No, you love me." Jayme says smiling. "Anyways, I heard of you a whole lot Alex, you're good I'm guessing?" Jayme says. "Top ten swordsmen in the city." I say. "Good job, but you owe me the armor you destroyed." Jayme said, he stopped smiling, and look ten times more intimidating then before. "I- I didn't destroy it, did I?" I ask.

"Listen Jayme, we are the best duo in the city, you know that. If you help us, we will not fail you." Ana says. "Well, I will say, you two haven't failed me yet, especially Alex." Jayme says. "And we won't fail you again. Promise." Ana says. Jayme smiles. "This is the biggest bounty held publicly in the last ten years, what makes you guys think you could win it?" Jayme asked. I thought about his question for a long time, how I dreamed of an opportunity to show who I am. How hard me and Ana worked, how I could avenge my mother and father.

"I don't know, we are good at fighting I guess." Ana says.

Ana and I walked out of his shop carrying heavy sets of armor, we could barely drag it down back to my shack, but we did it somehow. Ana laid on my bed, sweating.

"Good thing you were there, I would have never gotten those pieces." She says. "He would've, he has known you for a while." I say. "Alex, you are the one of the best swordsman, I'm just some archer that works at a cake factory." She says. I lay on the bed next to her. "So, who is coming to the meeting tonight?" I ask. "Well, Leo and his gang is coming, we also have a bunch of other good swords and bow men and women. We also have this girl named Cassey, rumor has it she is the most talented swordsmen out of everyone."

"Cassey, interesting." I say. "Very. Everyone that is in the top ten in all categories will be at this meeting." Ana sits up and looks at me, she looks serious. "But we are the best duo, we can't lose okay?" she said.

It came to me then. The memories of my mother zapped inside my mind. The trees, they stood still, almost never moving, until that day.

"Alex, Alex!" Ana screams. "Yeah, uh, sure…we won't lose. Promise."