The cold winds blew against Rapl's black hair, more frigid than in Kendro, and warmer than in Nerio, it made the boy realize how much he had changed. A few months ago, he was no more than a village orphan, with the title of a child from a war hero being his only achievement. But in a very short time frame, he had rivaled the strength of a country's mightiest adventurer.
So as the dark clouds began to grumble, and the carriage Rapl was currently on top of stopping, the boy already knew it was time. Cracking his knuckles, Rapl Tsukumo, a Kendrian-born boy, fighting for the nation his own parents fought so hard to suppress, prepared his heart, for it hindered him before, and he would not allow that to happen again.
As Rapl jumped down the roof of the carriage, four people were already waiting for him. Bok, a boy a few years older than Rapl, one with no memories of his past, fights so that maybe he can find himself. Leena, an enigmatic archer and princess of an order on a faraway continent, fights to free herself from her past life. Sevi, a young fire mage, one whose temper he can't control, fights to survive in this cruel world. Alex, a young ice mage, one whose thoughts Rapl can never decipher, and because of that, he doesn't know why she fights yet.
These are people that Rapl coincidentally met up within the city of Krome, and his mind started to wonder, 'What if I met different people? Would they be fighting with me today? Would I be here right now?' many questions entered his mind, but none he answered yet.
"No distractions," he said to himself as he gripped his fists, his eyes sharpened as he regarded his friends, "Are you all ready?" He asked.
Bok, after finishing sharpening his blade, turned to Rapl as he nodded, "Yeah, I've got an orc I need to settle something with."
Leena, who was inspecting her arrows, replied to Rapl without turning to him, "Hmm, I've been ready ever since we recovered."
Sevi finished up his stretching as he turned to Rapl, his eyes burning with emotion, "I can't wait to finish this guy off finally, he's been pissing me off with his wind."
Alex, ever the enigma to Rapl, merely scoffed, her eyes looked uncaring, but Rapl knew the deadliness behind those crystals, "Looking forward to it."
The young Lich, seeing that his friends were prepared, murdered all his fears as he walked ahead of the four, "Then let's show them the might of Zan."
It had been a few days since Artefus had saved the city of Krome from the army of Dyrin. During that time, Artefus taught the five how to go about their individual fights. All the while, Quix sent out his soldiers to find the location of Dyrin and his captains.
So as Rapl, Sevi, and Leena managed to walk again, Quix had already determined the Huldian pirate's location. The five walked cautiously, careful for they knew their opponent had also recovered well. But as they made it into the camp where one of Quix's spies had seen the five pirates, no soul was there.
Sevi and Rapl instinctually used their perception, but they sensed no big mana cluster near them. Searching through the camp, the five eventually found a note. Picking it up, Leena decided to read it: "Follow the arrow behind our tent. It will lead you to an open field. We warriors of Dyrin are waiting for you there."
The five found it suspicious, and talks of a surprise attack came up, "We'll follow as instructed." But like a torch in a dark night, the words of Rapl instantly got everyone's attention.
Sevi, ever the strategist, disagreed with Rapl, "It is clearly a surprise attack, I would do the same strategy if I was in their position."
"But you aren't them," Rapl quickly interjected catching the four off-guard. But before Sevi became more angry, Rapl continued, "Five champions surrounded by the stronger enemy, Dyrin and his soldiers have no hope of escaping, yet, they have the hope of being remembered, they know they will die even if they defeat us here, so they want to fight us the way they always wanted it, honorably."
With this, Sevi's mouth along with the other three was shut as Rapl led the walk. The four looked around the entire time, careful for any surprise attacks, but Rapl kept looking forward, unflinching.
But after a few minutes that felt like hours, the five came across a massive open field. The grass on the ground still held the dew of the morning as the dark sky produced its first few raindrops. And about fifty feet away from the five stood Dyrin and his captains, their faces, even in front of desolation, still bore smiles that utterly stunned Rapl and the other four.
"Here they are," Dyrin stated, his voice sounding the brightest Rapl had ever heard him. Rapl, Bok, Leena, Sevi, and Alex prepared themselves for the last time, with Dyrin, Ja'Klei, Frieda, Tuck, and Verti doing the same.
But as it looked like they were about to pounce on each other, suddenly, Dyrin and his captains took out knives and made a small cut to their hands. Rapl and his group stared in wonder as the other five smeared their blood on their body, "What are you doing?" Rapl asked his tone stern.
"An initiation," Dyrin instantly responded, "a duel to the death, where you lose when you retreat." Using Heal, Dyrin and his captains immediately recovered the scar, but the blood was still present. "I think we know our opponents. So shall we give ourselves time to separate?" A nod from Rapl followed the Huldian suggestion.
Bok and Ja'Klei locked eye contact, and with nothing being said from the two, walked to their dueling area. As for Leena, she took up a bow and shot Frieda, but the warrior easily caught it.
"Got your attention?" Leena taunted as she made her way to where they were going to battle. But before following her, Frieda turned to Tuck.
"Hey, make sure to win your battle okay?" She remarked, her voice a bit down, but her eyes widened suddenly as Tuck kissed her on the lips.
"I love you, Frieda, always will," he said, his voice vulnerable, his eyes on the verge of tears. But staring at the two was Sevi, whose whole demeanor changed.
"No, not now," he told himself as he felt his body tense up, "I need to win, I need to win, I need to wi-" But interrupting his thoughts was a grab, as the young Sevi was tossed into the air, with Tuck propelling himself to the fire mage, grabbing his collar as he looked at him with a serious expression.
"This ends here," Tuck warned Sevi. In response, Sevi grabbed Tuck and darted to the ground, where they would battle.
Frieda's heart skipped a beat as the sounds of fire and wind began to emanate, "You done?" But Leena's words cut through her worry like a razor, "Don't think I'll hesitate just because you have a special someone."
As for the last pair who had not battled yet, Alex stared daggers at Verti, as the halfling returned the same gesture, "Verti," but she was suddenly stopped as Dyrin's voice called for her.
"Yeah?" She answered, her heart racing as she turned to Dyrin.
"...Thanks for not killing me that day, and thanks for always believing in me." Verti's eyes widened as she saw Dyrin's smile, hopeful, even in front of such despair.
"Dyrin," her mouth moved on its own, "After we win, can I tell you something?" She asked.
Dyrin nodded his head slightly as his eyes closed, "You can tell me anything in the world." And with that, Verti's blade swirled with water as she charged at Alex.
The ice mage was not surprised however, as she used her ice to lure Verti to their destination.
And there, as the rain began to fall, and the clouds continued to darken, two warriors stood, two souls remained, two stories halted, as both know, only one may pass.
"Tell me, who are you?" Rapl asked, catching Dyrin off-guard, yet he quickly calmed himself, still with closed eyes, he responded.
"Dyrin… I am Dyrin, a boy sold off by his own parents into slavery, who fought so to show the Children of Elios the joy of life… when it is very hard to find it… that's who I am, Lich Ashkin… please, remember me."
And in that instant, Dyrin's knife ignited with flames as Rapl's fists began to swirl with wind and flames, "THEN CARVE YOUR NAME INTO MY MEMORY!! DYRIN THE UNBREAKABLE SPIRIT!!"