Chapter 6: chapter 6
Dawn broke with a brilliant wash of colors, bathing the landscape and the city of Horizon in its gentle embrace. As the morning sun cast its golden rays upon the cobblestone streets, the hills of tall grass, the forests and the mountain tops, everything stirred to life. The air was crisp and fragrant, carrying the distant scent of baked goods, brewing tea and other products.
Meanwhile, at the residence of rein shroud and his companions, james was out in the woods sitting on a hollow log and looking into his smartphone hoping to get some information about swordsmanship so that he can practice them and learn how to fight to Horizon, a grand, ancient archway stood majestically against the backdrop of the verdant landscape.
As he swiped through various tutorials and techniques, he couldn't help but feel a sense of determination.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching. He immediatly placed the iphone into his pocket before turning around and looked up to see Tania, the elven archer, walking towards him with a mysterious smile on her face. She was holding a bundle of cloth in her hands.
"Morning, Kale," she greeted cheerfully. "I thought you might need this." She handed him the bundle, and as he unwrapped it, he found a beautifully crafted, polished wooden sword. His eyes widened in surprise.
"Tania, this is... well lets say this is good for training, at least until i can get a sword of my own." james said
as he held the wooden sword tightly in his hands. "I'm glad you like it, Kale. Rein made it since he heard that you are now an adventurer. He thought you might need a practice sword," Tania explained, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
James looked at the sword, tracing the intricate patterns etched into the wood. It was surprisingly well-made, with a good balance and a comfortable grip. He felt a surge of gratitude towards rein.
"I'll make sure to thank him," James said, standing up and giving the sword a few testing swings. It felt good in his hands, and he couldn't wait to start practicing.
meanwhile arios was watching james in the distance
from behind a tree. he was curious to see what james was doing with that wooden sword. he was thinking, 'what is that beast tamer doing with a wooden sword? he can't possibly be serious about learning swordsmanship with that thing.' he thought to himself as he was about to march up to james and confront him about it , but something caught his attention. arios noticed james' movements as he started to perform a series of strikes and blocks with the wooden sword. there was a strange fluidity and grace to his movements, as if he had been practicing for years. arios was taken aback, his curiosity piqued. 'how can this be? this beast tamer? he's never held a sword before, yet he moves like an experienced swordsman.' he thought to himself as he watched james from a distance.
james, is aware of arios' presence, continued to practice his swordsmanship.
He could feel arios' gaze upon him, but he didn't let it distract him. Instead, he used it as motivation to improve his technique. He remembered the countless hours he spent watching anime, movies and reading light novels in his past life, he's also been studying the movements of skilled swordsmen. Now, he was putting that knowledge to use.
After a while, arios stepped out from behind the tree, his arms crossed over his chest. "Impressive," he said, his voice laced with sarcasm. "I didn't know beast tamers could handle a sword."
James paused, turning to face arios. He offered him a smirk.
"You're not bad, Beast Tamer. I didn't expect you to actually know how to use a sword."
James shrugged. "I've picked up a few things," he said, twirling the wooden sword in his hand. he needed to make sure to keep his past life a secret from everyone around him and not reveal how he knew these techniques. "Well, don't get too full of yourself. You're still just a beast tamer," arios sneered, trying to hide his newfound respect for james' skills. "Oh, I'm well aware of my place, arios," james replied, his voice calm and collected. "But I also know that a sword is a useful tool, regardless of who wields it. however there are greater heroes that don't need swords." james said. arios scoffed, "You're comparing yourself to me now? You're no hero, beast tamer." james laughed, "I never said I was, arios.
But I do know that heroes come in many shapes and sizes. Some wield swords, others use magic, and some, like you, have their own unique abilities. But at the end of the day, it's not the weapon or the power that makes a hero, but their actions and their heart." arios' expression darkened, "You dare speak to me about heroes? You, who are nothing but a beast tamer?" james didn't rise to the bait, instead he said, "I'm not here to argue about definitions, arios. I'm just saying that everyone has their own path to walk, and their own way of making a difference.You don't have to be the strongest or the most powerful to be a hero. Sometimes, it's the smallest acts of kindness or bravery that make the biggest impact."
Arios' expression softened slightly, but his eyes remained cold. "You speak as if you know something about being a hero, beast tamer.
But you're just a pet lover, nothing more," Arios sneered, trying to regain his composure after James' unexpected words.
James chuckled, "Well, Arios, I may not be a hero in the traditional sense, but I've seen my fair share of them.
Arios' eyes narrowed, "Your past life? What are you talking about?"
James waved his hand dismissively, "Oh, it's just an expression. I meant that I've read a lot about heroes in books and watched them in movies. I know that being a hero isn't just about having power or being the strongest.
Arios' expression darkened, and he took a step closer to James, his voice low and dangerous.
James didn't back down. Instead, he held Arios' gaze, his voice filled with empathy. "I know about your battle with rein, Arios." jame said as Arios' expression turned from anger to shock and confusion. "what! rein told you!" arios exclaimed. james however stood his ground and shook his head "no, i seem to have an ability to look into the past. but i cannot reveal the future... just a little reminder arios, your destiny is to defeat the demon king... not focus your vendetta against rein over some battle. not to mention you cannot let that obssesion for revenge get to you, cause some people can take advantage of that... even the demon king and his minions." james explained calmly. Arios' eyes flashed with anger, but James pressed on, "I'm not saying you should forget what happened, but holding onto that anger will only consume you. You have a greater purpose, Arios. Don't let your desire for revenge cloud your judgment."
Arios' hands clenched into fists, but he didn't move any closer. Instead, he seemed to be wrestling with his emotions. "You're saying I should just let it go? After everything he did to me?" he growled.
"if it means focusing on defeating the demon king, YES! plus it could be a good lesson for you, there might be people out there who might be stronger than even you." james said as he continued to practice his swordsmanship.
Arios watched him, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he spoke, "You're saying I should just forget about the Hero of Horizon, the one who humiliated me in front of everyone?" His voice was low, dangerous.
James paused, turning to face Arios. He saw the anger and pain in the warrior's eyes, and he understood. He had felt that same way when he first died, when he lost everything he held dear. But he also knew that holding onto that anger would only consume him.
"No, Arios," James said, his voice steady. "I'm saying you should use that pain, that anger, and channel it into something productive. You were selected as the destined hero to defeat the demon king, there are a lot greater things than revenge." james continued until an idea hit him "i have heard some chosen heroes have fallen down a dark path and became fallen heroes or rogue heroes.
i don't want that to happen to you, arios. You may have the blood of the hero, but you must choose your path wisely otherwise you'll end up like... she who i shall not name." James said as he lowered his wooden sword and looked at arios with a serious expression.
"I've seen it happen before, Arios. Heroes who let their desire for revenge consume them, who lose sight of their true purpose. They become something... twisted. I don't want that to happen to you."
"And what makes you think I would fall into that trap, beast tamer?" he challenged. "I don't know you well enough to say for certain, Arios. But I do know that holding onto that anger and bitterness will only eat you alive. It's a dangerous path to walk down."
Arios looked away, his jaw clenched. "I...
I never thought of it that way," Arios admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. James nodded, "It's not an easy thing to see, Arios. But it's important. You have a destiny to fulfill, a purpose greater than your personal vendettas. Don't let your anger cloud your judgment." Arios was silent for a moment, lost in thought. Then, he looked up at James, his expression determined. "fine beast tamer... but don't think that this means i'll be your friend or anything." Arios said, his voice still gruff, but there was a hint of something softer in it. James chuckled, "I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Arios. But I'm glad we understand each other."
Arios turned his face to james be for asking, "you say that there was a chosen hero that you don't name... who is this... she?" arios asked as James went silent for a moment before speaking "her name was monica... monica eclair" james replied,
his voice barely above a whisper. Arios' eyes widened in surprise, "Monica Eclair? what happened to her?" he asked, his voice filled with curiosity. James sighed, "I can't tell you everything, Arios. But I will say that she fell from grace, consumed by her desire for revenge. She let her anger and bitterness cloud her judgment, and it led her down a dark path. She became a fallen hero, a rogue, and eventually, she was lost to the shadows. i strongly suggest that if you ever happen to cross paths with her... don't speak or make eye contact with her... understand not a word." Arios' expression darkened, and he looked away, lost in thought. "I see," he said, his voice barely audible.
"I won't let that happen to me, beast tamer. I won't become a fallen hero."
James nodded, satisfied. "That's the spirit, Arios. Now, how about we put that determination to use? I could use a sparring partner to test my skills."
Arios looked at James, then at the wooden sword in his hand. "You want to spar with me? Now?" he asked, an eyebrow raised.
"Well, why not? It's not like you have anything better to do," James replied with a smirk. Arios scoffed, "You're asking for trouble, beast tamer.
I'm not holding back just because you're using a wooden sword." He drew his own sword, a gleaming blade that seemed to hum with energy.
James grinned, "which is why we are both going to spare with wooden swords, i have no intention of fighting the hero's sword without a real sword of my own. but i'll make an exception... have you ever heard of the art of the silent fist." James said as he lowered his wooden sword and looked at Arios with a serious expression. Arios' eyes narrowed, "The silent fist?" he asked, his voice laced with skepticism. James chuckled, "It's a technique that focuses on fighting without fighting at all." james explains as arios shrugs before scoffing "What kind of nonsense is that? How can you fight without fighting?" arios asks as James continued speaking "the silent fist is a skill to fight one's opponent without touching them and letting them tire themselves." james explains as arios shrugged, "that sounds like a waste of time. I'm not going to tire out my opponent by letting them swing at me." he said with a smirk.
James chuckled, "That's not how it works, arios. It's about using your opponent's momentum against them, about anticipating their moves and countering them without ever actually touching them." he said as he began to demonstrate the technique, moving with a fluid grace that belied the simplicity of his movements. Arios watched, his expression skeptical, but intrigued. "You're saying you can fight without ever laying a hand on your opponent?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief. James nodded, "Exactly. It's about precision, timing, and understanding your opponent's movements. It's not about brute force, but about using your opponent's own energy against them."
Arios crossed his arms, his expression still skeptical. "And how do you expect to use that against me? I'm not going to let you tire me out by letting me swing at you."
James chuckled, "I'm not expecting you to do that, Arios. a ninja master developed the Art of the Silent Fist as part of his vow of pacifism following his reformation after being freed from an evil influence which originated from the venom of an evil snake that can grow endlessly as it consumes anything and everything around it." James explained as arios' eyes widened in surprise. "That's... that's a lot of information, beast tamer. I didn't know ninjas could be so... philosophical." Arios said, his voice laced with disbelief. James laughed,
"Well, Arios, the world is full of surprises and stories. but who knows, maybe you'll find that the silent fist is just the technique you need to become a true hero. but being a true hero isn't about one's strength, but the strength of his heart." james explained
as he began sparing with arios, although the session was a long one and arios was learning slowly but surely.
james was able to dodge and counter arios' attacks with ease, using the silent fist technique to anticipate and counter his movements. Arios, on the other hand, was growing increasingly frustrated. He couldn't land a single hit on James, and it was starting to grate on his nerves. "How are you doing this?" he growled, his sword slashing through the air where James had been standing just a moment before. James chuckled, "Like I said, Arios, it's all about anticipation and timing. You're telegraphing your moves, making it easy for me to read you." Arios' grip tightened on his sword, his eyes narrowing.
eventually rein kanade, tania, luna and sora arrived as they saw how arios was sparing with james . Rein looked at the two of them with a curious expression on his face. "What's going on here?" James looked up, a smirk playing on his lips. "Just teaching Arios a lesson about patience and anticipation," he replied, his voice casual. Rein raised an eyebrow, "Patience? Anticipation? he asked, his voice filled with confusion. James chuckled, "I'm teaching him the art of the silent fist, Rein. It's a technique that focuses on fighting without fighting at all." Rein's eyes widened in surprise, "The silent fist? i've never heard of that before." rein said feeling curious about that skill. "It's a technique that focuses on using your opponent's momentum against them, anticipating their moves and countering them without ever actually touching them." james explained as rein's eyes widened in surprise. "That sounds interesting, Kale. I'd like to see it in action." he said, his voice filled with curiosity. James nodded, "Sure thing, Rein. But for now, I think Arios needs a break. He's been trying his best, but he's still struggling to grasp the concept." he said, looking at Arios who was panting and sweating from the intense sparring session. Arios glared at James, "I'm not done yet, beast tamer. I won't give up until I can land a hit on you." James chuckled, "I admire your determination, Arios. But you need to learn to pace yourself. You can't just keep attacking without any strategy. You'll wear yourself out and leave yourself open to counterattacks." Rein stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with interest. "I think I understand what you're trying to teach him, Kale. But perhaps we should take a break and discuss this further. Maybe we can come up with a training regimen that will help him improve his skills." James nodded, "That's a good idea, Rein. Arios needs to learn to control his emotions and think strategically.
He needs to understand that being a hero isn't just about brute force, but about using one's wits and intelligence to outmaneuver and outsmart the enemy. Rein nodded, "I agree. We should take a break and there is something that i would like to discuss. so for now, let's get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." james suggested, Rein agreed, "You're right. We should all get some rest.
Dawn broke with a brilliant wash of colors, bathing the landscape and the city of Horizon in its gentle embrace.
The day began with a communal breakfast at the inn where they were staying. Rein, Tania, Luna, Sora, and Kale gathered around the table laden with freshly baked bread, cheese, fruit salads, and steaming cups of tea.
it was then later james requested some answers of how rein met luna and sora
.
"So, Rein, i heard that you met sora in the heart of the lost woods to get the shield of truth for the heroes party as a small job after bumping into them." james spoke out before glaring at arios across the table. "not to mention she told you about her sister being held hostage by a shadow knight who was sent by the demon king am i right?" james asked rein as he took a sip of his tea.
Rein nodded, his expression softening as he looked at the twin fairies "you know rein i think there might be something very big going on here than the shadow knight's intentions to destroy any ultimate species that are a threat... i think he was sent to not just destroy the fairy village but also the shield of truth." james suggested, this seemed to have surprised the group and the hero's party. rein and arios were both surpised and very confused but also shocked by this theory of his.
aris put his hand on his chin, his brows furrowed. "What makes you say that, beast tamer?" arios asked, his voice filled with curiosity.
rein put a hand on arios' shoulder. "Easy, Arios. Let's hear him out," he said, his voice calm.
james nodded, "I appreciate that, rein. You see, I've read and heard a lot of stories about heroes and villains. And one thing I've learned is that villains often have complex plans, and they don't just act on impulse. The shadow knight attacking the fairy village and trying to destroy the Shield of Truth could be a part of a larger scheme, one that we might have overlooked... remember the shield of truth is important to defeat the demon king so i can assume that the demon king is trying to prevent his destruction. with the shield of truth out of the picture... the hero won't be able to defeat the demon king."
James looked around the table, making eye contact with each of arios and reins companions.
Rein nodded thoughtfully, "That's... a plausible theory. But how does that connect to the shadow knight and the fairy village?"
James leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. "Well, think about it. The fairies are an ancient and powerful race, right? And their village is hidden thanks to a tree that is located in deep in the lost woods protected by a magical barrier of illusion magic.
To destroy the fairy village, the demon king would need to break the fairy's most powerful defensive barrier. The only way to accomplish that is by using a fairy to lower the magical barrier by force. like a hostage or something. if the sora had lowered the magical barrier then it would mean the destruction of the fairy village and the shield of truth. ether way both luna and sora could have been killed anyway." james explained further.
"well its a good thing she didn't lower that barrier right away." Rein agreed.
mina then took this moment to process it all "illusion magic, so that is why we couldn't find the shield of truth. it was protected by a fairy spell that held anyone in the forest away from the gateway to the fairy village. and they were guarding the shield of truth." mina said, her voice filled with realization.
Rein nodded, "That's right, Mina. fairies are ultimate species too and they are powerful magic users as well and stronger than dragons."
leane couldn't help but wonder how an illusion spell effected them "but how were we affected with the barrier in the forest?" leane asked with disbelief and confusion. but tania chuckled softly before providing a logical explanation "the magical barrier is used to create an expansive magical field so powerful that it can permeate the brains of its targets and then manipulates the victims audiovisual processing, in other words we've were under the influence of a spell that cause us to do nothing but walk in circles for the last several hours. more of a barrier than a spell" tania explained, her voice filled with a mix of amusement and relief.
the hero's party was surprised after tania explained how the magical barrier works, even leane was dumbfounded that she never seen this coming.
"ugh the great leane the mage with of over a thousand spells has failed again first by a dragon person in a two on one face off and only now to find out i was outwitted before by powerful fairy folk magic." leane said as she began groveling over failing twice due to magical barriers and how she couldn't see past them.
Tania giggled, "well, it's not every day that a powerful mage like you is outsmarted by a spell meant to protect a forest. You should be flattered that you were challenged so."
Leane scoffed, "flattered? I should be... I should be..." she trailed off, unable to find a comeback.
James chuckled, "Don't be too hard on yourself, Leane. We all have our weaknesses and make mistakes. And besides, you and the hero's party were among those who had been affected by the spell. just like rein's party, no offense though." james finished, before Arios scowled, "So, the shield was guarded by a bunch of fairies and not by monsters all this time, huh? That's... infuriating." he admitted, his voice filled with annoyance.
"nya it sure was confusing to me too." kanada said feeling cheerful on the other hand as she was looking at the two of them. "i mean i couldn't figure out why we were going in circles for so long. i thought maybe we were lost."
"Well, we kind of were. But not in the way we thought." tania said with a giggle.
"So, how did you manage to break free from the spell?" leane asked curiously, tilting her head towards rein.
Rein shrugged, "I didn't. tania helped guide us through it. She was able to detect the magical field while we were wandering for hours."
tania then spoke out "you see the skill i used to find the source of the barrier was called 'material search' it allows me to search for the source of powerful magic like illusion magic." tania explained as leane looked at her in awe. "that's... that's an impressive skill, tania. i've never heard of such a thing." leane said feeling admiration for her.
"Well, thank you, leane. it's a skill that is unique to the dragon tribe, developed over centuries of facing various magical threats." tania replied with a smile.
"So, the demon king sent the shadow knight to destroy the fairy village and Shield of Truth and prevent the chosen hero from using it against him. but can't enter the gateway to their village because of the magical barrier so he waited for one or two fairies to exit the barrier and capture one so that he can demand them to remove the barrier." mina summarized, her voice grave.
"And if the fairies refuse, the demon king would use the captured fairy as a bargaining chip to force the other fairies to lower the barrier, leading to the destruction of the village and the Shield of Truth." aggath asked as he tries to process it all
james nodded solemnly, before arios spoke out "thanks to that beast tamer, cat spirit and dragonoid, they were able to stop the Shadow Knight and save that fairy village and the shield of truth. And now, we have the Shield of Truth to help our fight against the demon king." arios said his voice filled with cockiness and a hint of rudeness.
James rolled his eyes, "Well, Arios, I'm glad you're taking this so well." he said, but sora spoke out "hero arios, we know you still feel bitter after losing to rein but if it weren't for you to send rein into the forest to find the shield of truth, he would never help me save luna and who know what might have happened to her." sora said, her voice filled with gratitude.
Arios looked at her, his expression began softening before luna spoke out as well "yeah otherwise i would have been exposed to some nasty, unseenly unspeakably, inappropriate stuff mr. arios." luna said as arios and the entire hero's party pause at luna's words trying to process what she said. luna grinned deviously and teasingly spoke "looks like someones male instincts got to them i see." luna said before sora interjected "my goodness luna, don't be so outrageous and impure!" sora exclaimed with a hint of anger in her voice about her sister's habits.
Luna just giggled and shrugged, "Well, it's not like I'm the only one who's been exposed to some... interesting things in the past." she said, her voice filled with a mischievous grin. rein was the first to break the silence "well that's bipolar opposites for ya" rein said as james nodded to him "yep they maybe sisters and look the same, but they are indeed opposites." james said as he looked at the two of them. "so, what's the plan now, Kale?" rein asked, his voice filled with curiosity.
James leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing as he thought. "Well, arios has the Shield of Truth, the holy sword and armor now, which means he has all the requirements to potentially turn the tide against the Demon King. But still there are somethings he needs to achieve before defeating the demon king. plus we also need to be cautious. We don't know what other tricks he has up his sleeve." james said with caution.
sora then raises her hand "if i many ask kale or james as you call yourself, what about rein, is he not the same as the hero in this regard." sora asked as the hero's party had taken aback by this sudden question and arios started getting angry by this question. rein however remembered the question she asked before and how he answered and the promise he made. james however remembered in his past life about the story of rein's future and took the time to figure out what to do to fix this without exposing his own secret and the future "i was hoping it would not come to this but i feel its best if i speak to rein and arios in private"
james said as he looked at the hero's party and the rest of the group.
Rein nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "You're right, Kale. Let's take a walk and discuss this privately." He stood up, gesturing for Arios to follow. The two of them left the house, walking through the bustling streets of Horizon. The sun was high, casting a warm glow on the cobblestone streets and the colorful buildings that lined them.
Rein and Arios walked in silence, the tension between them palpable. Rein led them to a quiet alleyway, away from prying eyes and ears.
"What's this about, Kale?" Arios asked, his voice tight with barely contained frustration. "Why do you want to talk to us in private?"
Rein leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. "It's about you, and arios"
Arios' eyes narrowed. "us?"
"you see arios remember the fallen hero i told you about. monica eclaire" James
began, his voice low and serious. Arios' expression darkened. "What about her? She's dead, isn't she?" James nodded. "no, she isn't, you see rein, yourself and monica are family branches of the hero bloodline."
James explained, his voice filled with gravity. Arios' eyes widened in shock. "What? That's impossible. I'm the last of the hero bloodline. I'm the only one left." Arios said, his voice filled with disbelief. Rein looked at James, his expression confused. "What are you talking about, Kale? I don't understand." James sighed, "I know it's a lot to take in, but hear me out. You see, the hero bloodline is not just passed down through one family. the hero was gifted by the gods blood, and his bloodline was passed down in many many in different branch families. yours, reins And monica eclaire's family are one of those branches.
The hero's bloodline is not a single line of succession, but a web of powerful families, each carrying a piece of the hero's power. but only one could be chosen to claim the title. but after rein's village was destroyed, the royal family thought that the shroud family was wiped out leaving you the next in line to be the hero." James explained, his eyes fixed on reins shocked expression. arios' brows furrowed, "But if that's true, then why didn't I know about this? Why was I never told?" he asked, his voice filled with confusion and a hint of betrayal.
James sighed, "Because, arios, the truth was hidden from each of Your families to ensure the safety of the hero bloodline.
The royal family feared that if the other branches knew about each other, they would fight for the title of hero, leading to chaos and destruction. So, they kept it a secret, only revealing the truth to the chosen hero when the time was right."
Arios' grip tightened on his sword, his knuckles turning white. "So, you're saying that I was lied to? That I was kept in the dark about my own heritage?"
Rein stepped forward, his voice calm and steady. "Arios, I understand how you feel. I was kept in the dark too and to be honest i'm surprised myself. i guess this might explain why i can make multiple contracts with other species and ultimate species too." rein said trying to be calm about it. james couldn't help but feel bad about telling rein and arios about the hero bloodline and the branch families "still i don't know about who this monica eclair is so kale can you explain who you guys are talking about?" rein asked, his voice filled with curiosity. James sighed, "Monica Eclair was a member of the Eclair family, another branch of the hero bloodline. She was a hero candidate and a former knight but