From Boy, to Legend.
It was simple day, the brutal sunshine gleaming down onto my near vampire-like skin. It wasn't that I didn't go outside, I just didn't tan well. I was doing a hunt for Clan Centurio, a hunting clan based out of Rabanastre, the capital of Dalmasca, which is also my home country. I was in the Westersands, a desert just west of Rabanastre, hunting a Mutant Urstrix known as a Crow. It was supposedly 10 feet tall, crimson eyes, carbon steel feathers and a wingspan of 15 feet! It was an old guy, Gastly was his name. He said he had something just like it happen about a year ago, during the rebel uprising to retake our home from the Arcadians up north. But that's a story for another time. Gastly told me it resided in the Corridor of Sand. I double checked my small pack, making sure I had Hi Potions and Eye Drops I drew my Kotetsu katana from it sheath as I entered the area, keeping my blues eyes pealed for any out of the ordinary creatures. I slew a few Cockatrices, birds the size of small boulders and a few regular Urstrix's. Seeing as the Mark I hunted was a Mutant Urstrix, I came to the conclusion that it was likely the leader of the pack and if I slew enough of its comrades, it would eventually have to come stop me. So I killed... and killed... for hours on end. Nothing. Nothing at all. The sun had gone down and I was resting under an overhanging rock, constructing a small fire with a little black magic and some pieces of a destroyed trading caravan. Likely the work of the Mark. I had my fire lit, the chill dying away quickly as I rested from my long day. My white shirt and brown pants were bloodied from the foes I killed and the injuries I sustained. I dug out a Hi-Potion and drank it, feeling the liquid numb my wounds. I stared into the night, holding my katana for safety and dozing off every few minutes. I heard a powerful gust and before I knew it, my fire was out. The cold set in as I attempted to re-light said fire, but the gusts of sand and wind denied me. Then I heard a horrible, demented screech in the distance. I slowly got to my feet, crept out of the over hang and raised my weapon. A sand storm was starting to set in, and that wasn't good news for me, especially if my Mark showed up. Time passed painfully slow, another screech sends signals to my brain to run, hide, anything but face the horrid adversary.
"COME ON!" I called in challenge, trying to pump myself up. Another screech, closer that time.
"I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU! I HAVEN'T GOT ALL NIGHT! COME ON!" I called again, getting more pumped as the words echoed into the night. The wind picked up even more and the sand storm had arrived. I could hardly see my hand in front of my face, as the saying goes. I squinted my eyes to prevent the sand from blinding me and attempted to put a face to the enemy. I watched as a grey winged figure with a carbon black torso emerge for the night, only the wings being visible. It was my Mark, I knew it. I took a defensive stance, measuring my weapon up to the Crow's midsection, waiting for it to attack, waiting for an opening.
As the Mark approached, it began to tower over me, the presumed wingspan and height becoming an accurate representation. Evil, blood red eyes glowed through the sand storm, through the night and stared me dead in my own. I did not falter, I wasn't allowed to in a situation like that. The Crow was 10 feet away, approaching slowly, analyzing its target. Me. It lunged, bringing its colossal wings back for an attack. I charged, weapon raised and stabbed directly into its stomach, a chilling screech tore from the Crows body. I twisted the weapon and tore it out, making it echo in agony. It brought its right wing back for another attack that I attempted to block. My guard was broken and the sheer impact of the wing knocked me from my feet and sent me at least 10 feet away. I landed harshly, nearly landing on the back of my head, and got back to my feet. I raised my blade and dodged an incoming wing before being smacked by the other, throwing me to the ground. I rolled out of an incoming wing, got back to my feet and slashed upwards, stunning it. I 360'd and slashed again, brought my weapon back and stabbed it all the way to the hilt. An ear wrenching screech pierced the night and I let go of my weapon to plug my ears. The sheer pitch of the Mark's screech brought me to my knees in agony as I held my ears and slammed my eyes shut.
"GOD-FUCKING-DAMMIT THAT'S LOUD AS LIVING FUCK!" I yelled in anger and agony. My eyes shot open as soon as I realized I had let go of my weapon and I shot to my feet to retrieve it. I was too late, the Crow had already brought back its wing and...well...basically sent me flying at least 20 feet from my previous position, slammed against the sand. My right shoulder exploded with pain and I staggered to a stand, holding my injury with my left hand. The Mark was gone. Just like that. My eyes darted all over the place, the sand storm getting even worse then before.
"Damn it all! Where is it?!" I asked myself in fury. I didn't have anything to protect myself and what little magic I wielded would be ineffective. I cursed the mutant bird and the man upstairs as I thought of what to do next, but then the right side of my face was met with a steel slap in the face, ripping 3 cuts across my face. I screamed in terror and pain as I staggered forward, whirling around to my assailant. It was the Crow, my katana sheathed in its torso, blood dripping and oozing from it wounds. My face burned from the blood and cuts, the tears of fear that now ran down my face. I'd realized that I had no chance against this thing, that I'd die to a mere creature. The Crow began to approach, each of its steps shaking the ground as I backed away at the same pace.
"Stay...back." I attempted to reason with it and I was foolish enough to think it'd work. It did not. The beast began to shake inordinately. It was going to finish me off. But just before it struck, a single arrow pierced its knee, making it screech once more. I didn't care where the arrow came from, but I ran up to the injured Mark and tore my weapon from its torso and began to slash it in an angry frenzy. I slashed twice across the Crows torso, leaving a large X on it, slashed out the leg that wasn't disabled and brought it to it knees. I finished it off with a downwards slash through the left shoulder and cut straight through the beasts heart, the Crow letting out a small weak cry of agony before losing all life completely and falling back to the ground.
"Heh...Close one..." I told myself as I pulled a Hi-Potion from my satchel and drank it. After my wounds healed after a little while, I proceeded to pull the sharp, prickly feathers from the Crow. The feathers were actually made of carbon steel as Gastly had said, and they would fetch a pretty profit or make a good trophy. Although I had originally steered towards the idea of sell the feathers, I kept them as a trophy. I winced as I grabbed another handful of feathers and ripped them from my dead opponent, the tiny needles on the feathers drew blood from my hand. I looked at the arrow that saved my life and wondered who had fired it. Who ever did, I owed my life to. The wind began to settle after a few more hours allowing the sun to break through. I set out East, heading back to the Royal City of Rabanastre.
"You've done me a great service, here's your payment!" Gastly was...well...ecstatic upon my return as he presented my reward. 2000 gil and a Magician's Hat. "And if you're ever down at the Bazaar, stop by my shop and I'll give you a good deal!"
"Thanks."
"No, thank you for saving my business from going under and keeping my family off the streets!" Gastly took off with a happy look on his face. I put on the white, floppy hat and felt my magic strength increase a slight bit. I exited the Sandsea, the drunkest place in Rabanastre and headed for the North End were Clan Centurio resided.
"Wow! You've been burning the midnight oil I see! You're now a Vanguard! Here's a reward for your hard work, Kupo!" My boss and leader of the clan, Montblanc, handed me three Hi-Potions and two teleport stones for my Rank Up and gave me a thumbs up, before returning to his duties. I walked downstairs and watched Monid and Bansat duke it out in a practice fight. "You show em', Monid!" "Kick his ass, Bansat!" The fight dragged on for a while, the winner being no one as they sucker punched each other at the exact same time, knocking both fighter's out. As they were dragged from the 'Fighting Floor' or so we called it, Montblanc called me into his office. "What's up?" I asked the moogle. Montblanc handed me an envelope. "It's for you." I took the envelope and looked at the seal. My father. I broke the seal and pulled out the letter from its holding.
Shaylum, it's your father. The family is having a get together on Friday next week, please come if you can. On another note, how's your mother? Have you talked to her in a while? Please let me know how she is, I'm worried. One last thing; keep your sword sharp and your mind sharper.
Your Father.
I smirked at the last part of the letter. Typical.