Author's Notes: Okay, so... yeah. Had a plot bunny, it enticed me with its magical allure, and then I spent many a night in bed with it.
... Rather, thinking about it. ... No, that doesn't sound any better.
Anyway, had an Idea, needed to get it out so I could work on my other fanfictions.
Current list of things I'm actually actively thinking about and writing:
-Critical Hit! Massively Effective!
-This Merry Ol' Mercenary Band
-Cheat Codes: On
-[A Fate/Stay Night fic that revolves around a person Zelretch brings in because he thinks it'd be interesting]
Disclaimer: Own Final Fantasy VII, I do not. Like to mimic Yoda, I do.
NOTE [4/17/2014] : Edited the formatting of the chapter to aid flow. One of the flashbacks was turned into a small scene, since there was really no need for it to be a flashback.
Cheat Codes: On
Chapter 001
Trans D Drive Cheat: On
Location: Somewhere near Mt. Nibel
Date and Time: Unknown, Unknown
I'm running. My breathing is ragged. My legs are sore. I've got a black eye, a bloody nose, and numerous scratches cover my body. Still, I'm alive and running.
The tall pines prevent me from seeing the sky. The rocky terrain, combined with the many near misses with the randomly strewn about cliffs, prevent me from moving as fast as I'd like. With a nibel wolf hot on my heels, I need every ounce of speed I can muster.
Now, some may wonder why I'm being chased by a nibel wolf. Some may even recognize it as a fictional enemy from that old classic for the Playstation. At the moment, I am wondering just one thing.
How did it come to this?
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Date and Time: 2/13/2013, 8:37 PM
I'm happy. In fact, I am very happy. Today was a good day.
I got a decent amount of tips, deposited my paycheck at the bank, then came home and screwed around for a few hours. I had a good dinner with my family, got some studying done for class, and teased my brother all the while.
It was a good day.
It's been getting even better, though. For the past hour or so, I've been studying and making notes on one of my few passions. That is, I've been filling blank notebooks with everything relevant I could find.
The fact that the 'facts' I find are from fictional media doesn't bother me. The fact that I like to use old styles of books, with either mostly blank hard covers or leather bindings, doesn't bother me. The fact that I lug most of them around in a sidebag that says 'Bag of Holding' on it doesn't bother me, though my back occasionally protests.
No, the only thing about my love of magic, fictional as it may be, that bugs me at all is the ridicule I get every now and then. Even with that, though, it doesn't bother me much. I just love magic.
Comparing systems, styles, rules, methods, results, efficiency, idiologies, and cultural impact? Making page after page of notes on incantations, circles, runes, lore, and effects? Imagining the mass destruction the utterance of a single line could cause, stave off, or heal? Yeah, that sounds like a good time to me. Only if it's about magic, though.
Currently, I am writing down what I can about Materia and magic from Final Fantasy VII. However, it seems I need some more data than I can find on the internet or in my various guidebooks. I may need to play through the game again to properly comprehend how Materia 'uses the knowledge of the Ancients' to cast spells. It sounds fairly straightforward, but why does no one remember the spells after a certain amount of use? Surely it would be burned into their minds since 'a shock triggered by the human brain is required,' regardless of how it drains the caster's mental stamina.
I have considered that such a method could do just enough harm to prevent the spell from sticking in their mind, but surely there is some way to retain such knowledge? In addition, MP is mental stamina instead of actual magical energy. What, then, is the power source for that world's mystic arts? I don't remember the game very well since I last played it so long ago, so I must believe that at least some of the answers are in there.
As I pop in my copy of the game into the Playstation 2, I realize I don't know where my PS1 memory card is. "Gah. Man, what'd I do with that thing?" I complain aloud. I consider playing without it for a moment since I'd be starting a new game anyway, but I quickly toss out the thought. If only because I'd like to know where my completed save file is.
I start rummaging around my room, but don't seem to find it. I do, however, find some of my goodies I bought at Gencon. A glass 'potion bottle' and its leather holder with a loop for the belt, a pair of belt pouches designed after the ninja equipment in Naruto, and a bandolier with four pockets and a hole to sheathe a 6 inch knife. Since I'm in such good mood, I think I'll make an adventure out of this.
I change into my favorite red sweater and pair of worn, old, patched up blue jeans. I then pack as if I'm going on a camping trip, making sure to stuff an extra Bag of Holding with a mess kit, toiletries, sewing kit, first aid kit, firestarting kit, and extra wool socks and underpants. I fill up two canteens of water, grab my pocket knife, a box of granola bars and a few cans of food. Oh, and three ponchos, just in case. I grab a set of thermal underwear as well. It's cold this time of year, you know.
Of course, I don't go anywhere without my bag of books, so I need to pack that too. All of my notebooks on magic not already in my first Bag of Holding get carefully placed in the second. I grab some game guides, as well as my binders full of complete information on certain fantasy worlds, and an almanac or two, just in case.
By the time I put on my boots and figure out how to get all this on my person without burdening myself too much, I figure I really only need to play up to Kalm. The tutorials where Cloud explains how to use Materia should be enough, right? I shouldn't need my save files.
Location: Somewhere near Mt. Nibel
Date and Time: Unknown, Unknown
I shake my head, knowing I don't have time to waltz down memory lane. I can hear the wolf's barking loud and clear, meaning it can't be too far behind. If anyone ever asks, I will let them know that 'not too far behind' is also known as 'far too close.'
The trees are starting to thin as I climb higher up the mountain, and the sun begins to peek through the canopy. In hindsight, I should have started running down the mountian. I might've found a settlement by now.
I hear two more sources of barking now. Great, the wolf called its friends. The ground is getting even more rocky as I run, and the cover the trees had occasionally provided is quickly disappearing. I can see the sun cast either mid-morning or mid-afternoon shadows. I don't know which.
As the vegetation thins further, I can start to see a large cliff. On that large cliff may be my salvation, for I can see a rope bridge. Bridges are built by people, and I really need some help.
Rushing forward now, I suddenly slip on some deceptively loose rock. I put out my hands to catch myself and end up cutting them on the stone. The pain makes me fall on my side, knocking the wind out of me. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see the two of the wolves closing in from the sides. The largest one is already in the air with its maw wide open!
Am I really going to die here?
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Date and Time: 2/13/2013, 11:56 PM
All right, perfect game so far. I wasted a little time, so I'm walking into Kalm in just a few hours. I didn't find out the information I wanted, but that's all right with me. I'd almost forgotten how fun this game is. Now that I remember, I figured I might as well finish what I said I would. The flashback sequence is going smoothly, and I'm about to mess with the piano. Now if only I can remember the how to play that one song...
No, I don't remember in the slightest. However... this sort of reminds me of the in-game cheat codes in other games. Like in Banjo-Kazooie, where you had to ground-pound the cheat code into the floor. I wonder if any of the codes I know will work here? I mean, this would be the place to do it.
Okay, let's try the Konami Code! ... Wait, that won't work. There isn't an A or B button on the Playstation controller. What about the Golden Sun: The Lost Age renaming code? It doesn't need an A or B button. ...Nope, that didn't work. Let's see... How about the button combo for the Hadouken? ...Nope.
Well, okay. None of these seem to be doing anything, and I doubt button mashing is going to get me anything. If it did, the code would be up on the net by now.
Ah, there is a cheat code I remember seeing recently, though I doubt it will do anything at all. I mean, Megas XLR came out after Final Fantasy VII, so there's no way it would work. Still, why not? Let's give it a whirl.
Up, Up, Circle, Square, Right, Triangle, Down, Circle, Circle, Left...
Yeah... Nothing. It's fine, I didn't expect anything anyw- Huh? I'm glowing? Why? Oh crap! Don't tell me it actually-!
Location: Somewhere on Mt. Nibel
Date and Time: Unknown, Unknown
Transported me across dimensions. Universes. Realities, whatever! The code shouldn't have even worked without Megas's messed up layout and a Transdimensional Drive, of which I had neither! Somehow, I got sent to this forest after putting in the code.
"What does this mean for me?" I asked myself when I first figured it out. Well, it means I'm going to die via a video game monster wolf thing, just because I wanted to screw around with cheat codes I didn't think would work! I'm boned!
Those teeth are getting closer. I can smell the dog's breath. I can see the hunger in its eyes.
It starts to descend upon me. I raise my arm. It bites down, causing pain to fill my mind.
I start to tear up, making it even harder to see. I let a whimper escape from my throat. I am afraid of what comes next.
I am going to die.
I hear a loud crunch, followed by a dull thud. Then another. The wolf releases me, growling loudly as it turns around... and is sent flying with that loud, bone shattering crunch. Rather, a bone shattering punch.
I do a double take through my blurry vision. Yes, that is indeed a fist that sent that wolf flying. I don't hear the other wolves either, which means...
"You don't look so good. Here, let me help," I hear the man's rough voice say kindly.
He kneels over me with a glowing, marble-sized green orb. I can't really see his face, but, judging from the blob of white, he seems to be old. I hear him mutter something, and a warmth fills me. It's small, but the soothing heat covers my whole being.
As it does, I start feeling... better. My wounds close up, the shiner on my eye disappears, and my energy seems to return to me. It takes another casting of the spell to fully heal the bite, though.
"Thank you..." I manage to warble, my voice not yet normalized from my near death experience. My first brush with death, ever, was really scary, and I'm just a bit emotional right now. Honestly, just thanking this guy is almost enough to set me crying again.
How embarrassing.
I sit up slowly, my body still sore from all the running. Apparently healing spells don't take care of lactic acid. Perhaps due to it being a natural process?
It feels much worse now that the adrenaline has worn off. As soon as I'm upright, wipe my eyes of tears. When I can finally see, I am surprised.
I think anyone else might be surprised as well, considering I was just saved by Zangan. Zangan, traveling martial arts master and the one who teaches Tifa to fight. If I recall correctly, I was just saved by a legend.
My surprise must be showing, because the old man in the red cape just put on a knowing smile. There was nothing else it could mean. Actually, it could mean that he knows the fear I had, but I'm certain it means he knows I know who he is.
He offers me his gloved hand, which I gratefully take. After a moment of staring in amazement at his scarred and well-muscled arms, that is. Dang! How much action do you have to see to get like that?
He pulls me up to my feet with a quick jerk. Unfortunately, I realize just how badly I had strained myself only now that I'm standing. I'm not sure I'll be able to walk, even if I have the energy to do so.
Once again, Zangan shows his observational skills by asking if I would like help to the nearest village. I accept happily. This, funnily enough, leads to him carrying me bridal-style down the mountain. Every now and then we encounter monsters, but he never has to put me down to fight them off.
No doubt about it, Zangan is a badass.
It's a bit uncomfortable, but we're making good time. The sun is beginning to sink, so it must be evening time. About halfway down the mountain, he asks me a slightly confusing question. "So, you're a survivor of the Sacae?"
I look up at him, but he refuses to meet my gaze. In fact, it looks like he's looking somewhere else entirely. Rather, somewhere aside from the path in front of him.
Okay, that needs some investigating. Sacae was the name of the great plains in 'Fire Emblem 6: Sword of Seals' and 'Fire Emblem 7: The Blazing Sword.' Knowing that, I really can't contain my curiousity.
"Sacae?" I ask with heartfelt confusion, hoping it will convince him to spill what he knows.
Zangan stays silent, still refusing to look at me as he carries my dead weight. I close my eyes and sigh in dissapointment. I really wanted to know...
"What's your name, young man?" he says suddenly, his rough voice cutting off any potential thoughts. Meaning I answer without thinking.
"Caelin," I near blurt. Unfortunately for me, that is nowhere near my real name. Oh well, I'll just have to run with it. I hope lying to Zangan doesn't come back to bite me later.
When he doesn't speak any further, I open my eyes to check his mood. Surprisingly, he doesn't seem to notice. His gaze is probably on some far off memory. He's old, so I suppose it isn't unreasonable to think he has memories he can get lost in.
I just hope it isn't a bad one.
Location: Nibelhiem Inn Room
Date and Time: May 23, [ μ ] εуλ 2000, 8:04 AM
The sun had long set by the time we made it to town. I had rested enough during the trip that I thought I could walk, but I was mistaken. The old martial arts master had to help me limp to the inn due to my constant cramping. Aside from my attempts to keep my whimpering down, the entire trip had been made in silence.
It was late enough that no one was awake to see us. Zangan even had to wake up the Innkeeper so he could pay for our room. As soon as my head had hit the pillow and my cramping had died down, I fell asleep within moments.
Waking up, however, is nowhere near as pleasant. I'm sore, I'm tired, and the sun coming in the window makes me want to shoot it. That is, if I could shoot sunlight to any visible effect.
"You're awake," I hear someone say. "Get up, there's a shower waiting for you at the end of the hall. I'll explain things once you're clean."
My first thought? Oh yeah, that's Zangan.
My second is about answers, and how badly I wanted them. Suffice to say, I hurry off to the bathroom.
I have to admit that I didn't expect showers, even though I know they exist in this world. I mean, when I think of 'fantasy,' a nice, hot shower isn't the first thing that comes to mind. If I have to think about fantasy worlds and their bathing, I end up wondering what they use for soap.
I look down at the bar in my hand. Shit. I will spent the entire shower wondering about that now.
Location: Nibelheim Inn
Date and Time: May 23, [ μ ] εуλ 2000, 9:40 AM
I stare absently at my plate as I stab the scrambled eggs with my fork. My long hair is in a mess, I'm sore as hell, and I still don't have any answers as to how I got here.
The red-caped old man in the seat across the table from me doesn't seem as bothered as he did last night, so that's good. In fact, he seems quite happy now that he's explained thing. However, he gave me instructions to keep my mouth shut until he could start teaching me how to speak the right language. Naturally, this makes me grumpy.
However, he was not wrong to do so. From what I can hear from the people around me, they don't speak English in Nibelheim. No, they are clearly speaking German, and any attempts I could make at communication would be wasted.
I look up at Zangan again, hoping he'll tell me something, anything that could possibly be good news. He doesn't say a word, though. So, eating my food as quickly as I comfortably can, I mentally go over the recent events since coming to town. It is all a little much to take in.
Eventually I get jolted from my thoughts by a heavy hand landing on my shoulder. Startled, I look over my shoulder to see Zangan. He nods toward the stairs, then turns and walks that way.
I realize he wants me to follow, and that he's probably going back to our room to further discuss the situation. That's a great relief for me. I have still have many, many questions I will be hoping he can answer.
I look back at my plate to make sure I finish all my food, only to realize I had eaten it all while thinking. I frown. Considering I hadn't been thinking that long, I must have wolfed it down.
Oh well. At least it didn't go to waste.
I start on my way back to the room as well. As I climb the stairs, I get lost remembering about what he has already told me so far. It's all just so... unbelievable.
Location: Nibelhiem Inn Room
Date and Time: May 23, [ μ ] εуλ 2000, 8:18 AM
"If you go southeast of a small town known as Kalm, you'll find a wide, grassy plain where you can find wild Chocobo. Those are the plains of Sacae... although, no one calls them that anymore. That name, along with the people who lived there, have all but been wiped from the face of the planet," Zangan expains from his seat on the bed. He does so without promping as soon as I had shut and locked the door behind me.
"The people of Sacae were a proud, nomadic folk that lived and traveled in tribes, and often wielded bows and katanas. The Sacaeans were well known for their tracking, riding, and hunting skills as well. When an invading force appeared, whether it be bandits or an army, the tribes would all band together and cut the enemy down. Their Chocobo mounted archers were feared by many, and the number of invaders cut down by their skilled bladework is not few."
He pauses, his face set carefully so as to avoid showing emotion. I take the chance to pull up the desk chair and take a seat. I must admit, I am genuinely interested. So far, these Sacaeans sound exactly like the ones from Fire Emblem, if you were to replace their horses with Chocobos.
"They were a diverse people, with some tribes looking Wutaian and others Continental. Their customs and traditions were as many as the stars in the sky, and they valued independence and freedom more than anything else. However, they were often looked down upon by the more 'civilized' people as 'barbarians' because of their stubborn, and often simple, way of life."
Okay, that's new. The Sacaeans from Fire Emblem were more like Native Americans in dress and attitudes. They might've wielded katanas, looked Japanese, and had funky green hair, but they were a definite race of people. Not at all like the mixed fruit bowl like the old man is telling me about.
Zangan continues without stopping though, so I almost miss what he says. "Before the Wutai War, there was a different war. A war with Sacae. Shinra thought that the plains would have plenty of Mako since people lived there. It was a trend that seemed to hold true just about everywhere they went. They were wrong, though. The plains that aren't right next to the marsh are dry, and the nomads had to cycle through areas often so as to not kill the land.
The people of Midgar, having never grown up on the plains, didn't know this. President Shinra didn't care for the teachings of the people who lived there. He just wanted their land. So, in 1981, the Shinra Power Electric Company sent a representative to Sacae in order to secure a deal to build a reactor. After a discussion with the major tribe chiefs about how the reactors work, the representative was chased back to Midgar with a message. 'Shinra is an enemy of Sacae.'"
Zangan stops and lowers his head. From here, I can clearly tell that this personal for him. He closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths before saying more. His speech is filled with pauses even then.
"The Shinra knew that they would never get a sneak attack in on the Sacaeans. Their senses were too sharp, and the plains far too open. So they marched right up to the entrance, a valley between two mountain ranges. They found the gathered Sacaean warriors waiting.
In one enormous battle, the plains were dyed red. It was short, but also extremely brutal. The men and the women, the elders and the children, it didn't matter to the company. They were all to be killed. A few managed to escape with their families, but most fought to the death.
Once the fighting stopped, Shinra owned the plains. He was about to start making plans for a celebration when the scientists told him that there wasn't enough Mako in the plains for a reactor. He went into a rage and had the survivors hunted down.
In the end, only one family returned, though they deny being Sacaean. I believe they use their knowledge of Chocobo raising and breeding to run a ranch, now."
My face lights up with recognition of the Chocobo Ranch. Who knew that the Grassland Area had such a history? Certainly not me. Still, as interesting as it all is... I didn't hear why he thought I was from Sacae. I didn't miss anything, did I?
I voice my thoughts. Zangan just chuckles. At me, no doubt.
"The Sacaeans tribes were many, and each often had different their own language. To keep the peace between them, a common tongue that they called Anglish was made. You were speaking it when I found you."
My eyes widen in surprise. Wait, what?
The martial arts master shakes his head, reading my thoughts like a book. "During the hunts, seeing if they could speak Anglish was the only good method of telling who was Sacaean and who wasn't. As a people, they were just too diverse. They could blend in anywhere.
The worst part about the hunts is that no one cared. The Sacaeans weren't connected to anyone who didn't see them as savages. They were simply too independent. Too self-reliant and self-sustaining. They never needed help for anything before. They had no reason to interact with the world at large.
So when the time came that they did need help, they couldn't communicate with the rest of the world. They could try, but only the elders and chiefs could speak Continental. By the time Sacaean pride would allow them to ask for help, they were all dead."
He pauses again, this time for a long time. As I wait, I realize he must have been there to say all this with such certainty. I also realize I should come up with a cover story. I don't think he'll believe that I got here by using a cheat code.
Location: Nibelheim Inn, 2nd Floor
Date and Time: May 23, [ μ ] εуλ 2000, 9:53 AM
And then he offered to buy me breakfast.
Finished with my mental recounting of events, I realize I've been staring out the second story window for a while now. I berate myself for losing track of time, but I don't try to pull away. The scene is rather beautiful.
I just need to soak it in, I think. I mean... this is really Nibelheim. The real one, not some pixilized game map. It really is somewhat unbelievable. Scratch that, it's completely unbelievabe. Regardless of how believable it is, though, here I am, gazing at it from the second story window.
The grass is pretty green and the trees look healthy, which I find surprising since this town is so close to a Mako Reactor. The people look busy getting ready for the day. There are a bunch of people in the square with swords and what appear to be hunting rifles. With some short observation it becomes fairly obvious that a hunting party is being organized. I wonder what they might be hunting, but that thought is quickly replaced when I see a young, spiky-haired blonde rush out of his house with a blade that's just too large for him.
Cloud...
He's a kid, so can't be any older than fourteen, period. The official timeline said he made his promise to Tifa in December, then left to join SOLDIER soon after. That happened supposedly about seven years before the start of the original game, in which he was twenty-one.
I should have printed out a copy of the official timeline. I imagine that would help me immensely. There's no way I'm going to remember everything by the time the events of the games come around.
Kid Cloud seems to be talking to the armed group, but he just gets scolded. I watch him walk back home, his shoulders drooping and a sulking pout on his face the entire way. I kind of want to laugh, but at the same time I want to comfort him.
It isn't my problem, though, so I should stay out of it. Besides, I couldn't comfort him if I wanted to. I can't speak German.
Remembering that Zangan is waiting for me, I hurry back to the room, taking long strides and walking as quietly as possible. Someone might still be sleeping, after all. Just because I'm rushing doesn't mean I should be a dick and wake people up.
I grab the doorknob, but I'm struck by an unsettling thought before I actually enter.
What happens if he calls me on my story? Worse, what if he calls me on it and asks me to tell the truth? What will happen then? Will he help? Not help? Outright refuse? Maybe he'll knock me out and keep me confined until he can get a Heal Materia, thinking I'm Confused? Although-
"Are you coming in or not?" Zangan's gruff voice calls out, muffled, through the door.
I scurry on in, thinking I upset him by taking too long. I only realizing he isn't mad upon seeing his amused face. I sheepishly close and lock the door, then sit myself on the nearest chair.
It's good, long, awkward moment as I try to figure out what I want to say. I look around at the room to try to calm myself. Fortunately, it's not the same room from the game. That one had three beds, I think. This one only has one.
There's a rectangular rug in the middle of the floor, and a bed across the room from the work desk I'm sitting at. There is a nightstand next to the bed with a small potted plant on it, and hanging from the ceiling is a fan and light fixture combo. It really isn't that large of a room.
What do I want to say? Should I start with my cover? Should I tell the truth? Should I grab something from my bag and bullshit my way through it all?
I admit to myself that I am very afraid he'll abandon me. I can't speak the local language, and small towns tend to not particularly care for outsiders. Zangan is likely the only reason I'm as calm as I am.
Accidently transporting youself into a video game and then nearly dying is somewhat stressful.
Zangan is watching me, expecting something. I don't know what, but it doesn't matter. I don't want to be alone in this place. I decide to talk first.
"I don't know anything about that. I could pick up a bit of what you told me here and there from some stories in my hometown, but my parents never spoke of such things," I tell him, making sure to look in his general direction without actually focusing my eyes on him. "My mother looks Wutaian and my father looks Continental. Our house was a two story building in a small wooded area, so we didn't have to deal with neighbors. At least, that's what my dad always said."
I take a long breath before continuing, knowing I could only say the truth. It just wouldn't feel right to lie. If he doesn't pick up on the stuff I'm leaving out, that'll be his problem. "There were no monsters there. A few really mean people, but no monsters. The boys would sometimes be trained as Scouts, learning to swim, tie knots, and survive in the wilderness. There were plenty of things to learn as a Boy Scout. Even so, I... I just wanted to learn magic."
I look away, hesitant to keep going. Ultimately, a gentle urging from the old man got me talking again. "I... was playing around yesterday, and put a sequence of symbols that I didn't think would do anything into a device I thought was not magical. I ended up in the woods on the mountain, and I think you know the rest."
I let out a sigh of worry. "Sir... Please help me. I don't know what to do."
I don't know how to fight really. I don't know how to cast real magic. I don't know if I'll ever find a way back home, or even if I'll manage to survive in this place. If I am to be completely honest with myself, I am afraid. If a Turk hears me speak like this, I'll be identified as a Sacaean. Bam! I'm dead. If I'm kicked out into the wild, forget my wilderness survival merit badge. I can survive the wild, but not the wild monsters. Bam! Dead.
It seems like a long time that I spend thinking, just going around and around my options in my head. I come to the conclusion that Zangan is my only hope over and over. There's no avoiding it. I can fire a shotgun, but I have no money. I can shoot a bow, but I'm not that great at it. I simply can't fight.
The martial arts master cuts into my thoughts. "You know, I have a reputation for teaching children martial arts," he states simply, assuming that I had known of him from his reputation. "Well then, I guess I'd better start training you then. I'll teach you to speak Continental since it appears you can't, and then we'll work on your people's arts."
After I process what he just said, my head snaps up so fast I think I almost break it. A wide grin springs onto my face as I realize he's going to help me. A great weight is lifted off my shoulders since I know I am in capable hands.
And all good feelings vanish as I see that excited, devilish grin on his face and the maniacal laughter in his eyes.
"Just so you know, I only teach martial arts to children. Adults, I train."
The color drains from my face. I nearly piss myself from the aura of menace and power that he is giving off. His chuckle seems to made of evil and sadistic glee.
He gets up from his seat and walks to the door. As he is about to leave, he turns his head to look at me over his shoulder. Master Martial Artist Zangan then summarizes what his training will entail with two words.
"Don't die."
Author's Note: Hooray~ Got a chapter up and running!
I know there's a lot of flashbacking in this chapter, but I don't intend to do that too much. I have enough of those planned to last a lifetime, and I don't need more than one every few chapters. One a chapter, at the most!
Anyway, yeah. That's that.
Take care, and I hope you return for the next chapter!
-Maxxus Herald