A/N: Now this is more like it, I feel so much better. Three successful chapters and counting. Enjoy!


Perfect skills without a refined body don't mean much in the heat of battle. This was a lesson Lincoln learned the hard way two weeks ago in that fight with the Broodmother… a few broken bones later. So in addition to his sword training he developed his physique with semi advanced strength training.

"Come on, you got this!" Leni cheered

She sat perched beside a large tree that Lincoln sat on top of. His legs were wrapped around a branch as he curled up from bottom to top. Before this he had been working on his upper body through push ups and a bit of martial arts. This had been his schedule in preparation to leave the village. Well this and spending time with Cecile, she was a nice break from the training. Speaking of Cecile, over the past few days they had grown a bit more intimate. It started off small but soon ended up with them locking lips. He fell down from the tree with a perfect dismount.

"How many was that for today?" he asked

"Umm, ninety-three," Leni recalled

Lincoln lifted up his shirt and wiped the sweat from his face. Everyday he strived to better himself and the results showed, he went from a scrawny weakling to a more buff and defined build.

"So I tied my old record, thought I had it this time," he said slightly upset

"Don't worry Lincy, you've done more than enough. I'm sure you'll reach it eventually," Leni said

Currently they were at a makeshift training ground, using logs and tree trunks as training dummies seemed to work so they stuck with it. He saw the many battle marks left on the trees and saw them as a reminder of how far he came. He was also able to acquire funds by selling monster parts for a reasonable price. With this he planned to leave the village by the end of the week. The only problem was how he was going to break the news to Clyde or Cecile.

"It might be a bit dangerous but you could take them with us," Leni offered

He couldn't do that to Clyde, he had his own life in the village. But what about Cecile, he assumed she would come with him but would he want her to? If she ever got hurt and he wasn't there to protect her then-. He'd have to make a choice and quickly too. He sighed as he picked up Leni and a sack of assorted meats, whether they were monster meat or regular animals was unclear.

He went in through the front without sneaking Leni in first, if he was going to leave anyway then there was no point in trying to not get kicked out. Strangely enough whenever he went in, Miss Fatima was nowhere to be seen. Inside now, he saw Cecile sitting with her back to the wall and a book in front of her, her finger sliding across the pages. It was many of the books in braille that Clyde had generously gifted to her.

"I don't really have a use for them, so I don't mind," he said

He remembered the exact face Cecile made, one of pure joy and happiness. Although she had been here for a few weeks she still didn't feel too comfortable around many people. He smiled and went over to her and tapped her shoulder. She smiled slightly as she continued with her book.

"Who is it?" she asked playfully

"Lincoln," he said

"Hmm, Lincoln… did we go to high school together?" she asked continuing the ruse

"Yeah right,"

She giggled and he laughed as he took a seat beside her. They had spent their days just like this, enjoying each other's company, not needing much more. When he thought about the little things his heart felt loss, soon he wouldn't be able to enjoy this anymore.

"You've been coming home earlier, is everything okay?" she asked

"Yes, everything's fine," he lied

Cecile didn't seem too convinced by that and asked Lincoln to escort her to his room so they could speak in private. He did as he was told and held her hand leading her upstairs. When they both were inside they sat on the bed together which dipped under their combined weight. Cecile couldn't tell what face Lincoln was making but she felt something was wrong.

"Lincoln, you can be honest with me. Is something wrong?" she asked gently

"Cecile, the truth is… I'm leaving soon. I hesitated on telling you because I enjoy what we have. I didn't want to spoil what moments we have left," Lincoln finally admitted

"Leaving? Where are you going?" she asked worried

Well if it came to this he would leave everything bare. He told her everything from his past, his sisters and parents up until now and what he had been going through. When he was finished he looked at Cecile and waited for her to speak.

"You've been carrying such a heavy burden by yourself?" Cecile asked shocked

"It's true, I'm sorry I couldn't be honest from the start," he said

Cecile held her hands around his and looked him in the eye… she thought. From the look on her face Lincoln could already tell what she was going to say.

"Let me come with you,"

Lincoln shook his head, it was dangerous to begin with. With her eyes it would be suicide, he couldn't do that to her no matter how much it hurt. If he could just somehow heal her of this ailment then maybe-. That's when it struck him, every time he got hurt he was fine the next day, and how it did it.

"The river," Lincoln said

"The what?" Cecile said confused

Lincoln picked up Cecile and carried her on his back. She was startled by the sudden change of pace and held on for dear life. Lincoln hurried through the cave and made it to the left most side, he reached the stairs and once he was above ground he smiled.

"I'm an idiot for not thinking of this before," he said

"Cecile, I think I know a way you can get your sight back," Lincoln offered

"How?" she asked genuinely curious

He instructed Cecile to take off her clothes which she strongly denied. She held tight to her clothes and blushed strongly. I mean they were technically dating but there was an etiquette to this, you had to be subtle.

"Don't worry, I'm turning around, all you have to do is step into the river for a while," he said

Taking his word for it Cecile, still slightly embarrassed, removed her clothing and stepped forward into the river. It was cold and gave her goosebumps but she stayed in it. It wasn't long before she felt a sensation in her head, the color of the world slowly faded back in. Her vision, it was coming back to her… along with something she couldn't quite understand. She stepped out of the river and covered her privates before putting on her clothes.

"How is this possible?" Cecile asked as she looked over to Lincoln

"I'm not sure myself but I found it one day," Lincoln said with his back to her

"You can turn around now," Cecile said

For the first time Cecile got to see what her boyfriend looked like. When she saw him she was floored by how handsome he actually was. She didn't have high standards but this was much more than she was expecting. From his chiseled face to his toned muscles, everything was just… wow.

"How do you feel?" Lincoln asked

He held out his hand and she took it graciously, she always knew his hands were bigger than hers but being able to see them now, she felt protected. She looked at Lincoln and saw something floating to the left beside him. (Name: Lincoln Loud, Species:???, Affinity: Cecile Lumbridge, Loud Family. Description: "A kind-hearted young man traveling the realms in search of his lost sisters.") She saw every letter crystal clear.

"I feel fine," she said ignoring that list

"Now that you have your sight, I have something to show you," Lincoln said

He reached around his back and undid a strap. He unsheathed an elegant looking sword that glimmered under the sun. When she looked at it the message board came up again. (Leni Loud, Alias: Wyvern's Claw, Strength: , Affinity: Loud Family, Abilities:??? Description: "A simple minded yet compassionate girl, transformed into an expertly crafted demon weapon.") Cecile blinked and listened in on what Lincoln was saying.

"This is one of my sisters, I was lucky enough to find her deep in that cave," he said

"It's nice to meet you. Thank you for caring for my brother," Leni greeted

"You too, I mean… no problem Leni," Cecile said slightly nervous

"How'd you know my name?" Leni asked

Cecile told them about the mysterious message board that popped up when she looked at them after stepping out of the river. All the information that was written on them had been true as well, not a single fallacy. The river healed her eyes but Cecile never recalled being able to see something this advanced before.

"Now I could actually be helpful to you," Cecile beamed

"Well that might be true, but you have no combat training," Lincoln said

"How hard could it be?" Cecile said nonchalantly

How hard huh? Lincoln swept her leg and pinned her down to the ground in two seconds flat. He made sure not to hurt her, just to prove a point. She pouted in response as Lincoln let her up. To make it up to her he did two things, one: kissed her cheek, and two: offered a proposition.

"If you can knock me down in a fight I promise to bring you with me," he said

"I leave this Saturday so that gives you six days. Happy training," Lincoln said

Before he left though, Leni whispered something to Lincoln and he looked back and forth. In the end he sighed and came back to Cecile. He left Leni in her hands and headed off back to the orphanage.

"What was that about?" Cecile asked

"Well I felt it was unfair that you didn't have someone to teach you, so here I am," she said excitedly

"Don't worry, I've trained up Lincy and looked how he turned out,"

With that, Leni took Cecile under her wing and taught her how she could win. Leni opted to to begin with going on offense, stating that defending would come naturally.

"First take a basic stance, spread your legs slightly with your right foot slightly in front,"

Cecile awkwardly shifted into the optimal position and continued to listen.

"Next make a bend at your knees and turn your hips," she said

"Tuck your elbows in tight and keep your fist at around cheek level,"

Using the tree as a training dummy, exactly how Lincoln once did, and prepared herself as Leni instructed. She threw a quick right punch and winced in pain.

"You didn't have to punch the tree! Practicing against the air would've settled for now," Leni said worried

"Wish I knew that earlier," she said through clenched teeth

After dipping her hand in the river, she was back in action. She threw strikes at air continuously. There were times when she broke formation and had to be corrected or lost her footing but she steadily made progress.

"Good, good, now for more versatility you'll be combining another style," Leni said

Cecile nodded as Leni informed her of the next fighting style. It involved being able to block kick freely. Taking a similar stance she began again.

"Make sure to keep your guard up as you kick," Leni said

She did as she was told, it wasn't very fast but her movements were just about perfect. They continued until it got dark, when morning came they'd be back.


The past few days blurred together as one until it was Saturday, Judgement Day. Lincoln and Cecile stood in the open field of what they dubbed "The Sanctuary". The grass around them moved in the direction of the subtle wind and the hilltop tree looked down at them both.

"You sure you don't want a weapon?" Lincoln asked as he offered a wooden sword

"Yeah, and if I'm being honest I only trained my fist and legs," Cecile said while cracking her knuckles

Lincoln smiled, the girl had spunk. He told her prior that he wouldn't hold back so to not hold back either. Leni would be referee for the match, whatever happened they both agreed to accept with protest.

"Ready," Leni started

Both got into their optimal fighting stances, time seemed to slow down as the world held its breath in anticipation.

"Go!" Leni exclaimed

Like a flash they both bolted from their starting points faster than Leni could take notice of. When they clashed their fist came together, they held on well against one another. Lincoln had normally relied on using a sword so Cecile had the upper hand with her exclusive fist fighting experience. They traded blows each evading or blocking evenly. A quick leg sweep from Cecile caused Lincoln to need some distance.

"Almost had you," Cecile taunted

"In your dreams," Lincoln retorted

Closing the gap Cecile tried an aerial sideways kick. She shifted into the air and shifted her weight, tilting her body and putting as much strength behind it as she could. Lincoln blocked with his right arm and went for a counter with his left. After she was back on her feet she didn't slow down, rushing forward for a punch. Lincoln grabbed her wrist and threatened to slam her down.

She planted her free hand on the ground and attacked with her feet, causing him to lose his grip. Cecile was the one to back off this time. Focusing her eyes she looked for anyway through his defense. The index that she first saw days ago appeared again and soon everything was clear.

"Tired?" Lincoln asked looking winded himself

"Not even close," Cecile said fiercely

The gap she left had quickly disappeared and she went on the attack. She threw a swift right kick aimed at Lincoln's temple which he had block again. This time was different though as Cecile launched from his shoulder and brought down her left leg hard. He stumbled and reacted a bit too slow, unable to get into the proper guard position he took a heavy amount of damage.

She landed behind him and swept his leg successfully. She grabbed hold of one of his legs and pinned his throat behind her arm. Soon after his back made complete contact with the ground.

"G-Game," Leni announced

Cecile let him up and pumped her fist into the air. She won, all her hard work paid off.

"You really did it, I guess I was wrong. For your victory I also bought a little something for you," he said

Cecile glanced over and saw Lincoln remove a small black box from his pocket.

"W-wait, isn't it a bit too soon for that?" Cecile asked embarrassed

"What do you mean?" Lincoln said as he opened the box

Instead of whatever she was thinking of, there was a pair of leather gauntlets with metal lined across the fingers and knuckles. Oh, it was just fighting gear… her mind always seemed to wander to strange places. She accepted the gauntlets, they felt sturdy and flexible.

"What would you have done with this if I lost?" Cecile asked curious

"They'd be my final gift to you," he admitted

"Well I expect more presents from now on," she joked

Cecile admired the craft of the gauntlets and finally thought it was time to do something. She made her way to the "Regenerating Oak" and cleared her mind. With the assistance of the index she took her right fist and struck hard. A large gaping hole was left in it's center, but it soon grew back though.

"You sure can hold a grudge," Lincoln said coming up behind her

"Better believe it," she said

"I thought you seemed different from the other girls," Lincoln said lovingly

"Like you've been with other girls," she giggled

They held hands and interlocked their fingers, it was time to head out on the open road. Their first stop was the city of Khismere . Lincoln had packed in advance and brought both of their things with him. He slung the large bag onto both of his shoulders and positioned Leni between his back and the bag.

"Did you say your goodbyes?" Lincoln asked

"Don't need to, your the only one who I care about," she said fondly


The city of Khismere, a town bustling with life, home to adventurers and merchants alike. Going from a small village with barely any people to something like this was stressful. The street was lined with shops and facilities that brimmed with people of all species.

"I'm so nervous, I feel like everyone's looking at us," Cecile said

"Well they might be, you do kind of stand out," Lincoln said

Cecile seemed bewildered by this statement, while carrying the corpses of two absurdly huge monsters, two tri-horn grizzly bears. She defended her actions by saying they snuck up on her and that if she just left them there it would be a waste. Surely a small girl carrying like that would garner a few stares.

"Anyway, where are we going exactly?" she asked

"Well in order to find stronger dungeons we'll need to apply as adventurers," Lincoln said

They made their way to the heart of the city, one of the many Adventurer Halls spread across the world. Lincoln and Cecile went through the door walking past a vast variety of species and races. They made their way to a receptionist with red curls that sat behind a wooden desk that connected to the wall. A small name plate sat in front of her, Marigold. She looked up from her large pile of paperwork and saw Lincoln and Cecile. She took note of their attire, shabby and rundown, she seemed to know where this was going.

"Hi, we'd like to apply to be adventurers," Lincoln said

Just as she assumed, there was always some kids from unfortunate backgrounds that think that they could make it as an adventurer. Despite that it was still against regulation to prevent anyone that wasn't a criminal to apply for a license. The good news was that once they saw the test they had to take, chances are they'd back out quickly. Leading the duo outside to a practice battleground she began her explanation of the test.

"This is your instructor, General Galus. He will determine if you are ready to become adventurers," Marigold explained

Both children looked at who she was talking about and saw a large armored man clutching an axe in his large hand. He had a single red horn protruding on the right side of his head. While a sight like this would normally discourage the weak-willed Lincoln and Cecile seemed confident in their ability.

"Roshambo?" Lincoln asked

Cecile nodded and rested her right fist above her left palm, Lincoln did the same. Patting their palms three times, they threw. Lincoln with rock and Cecile with paper.

"Best two out of three?" Lincoln asked

"Nice try," Cecile said as she prepped for her battle

Tightening her gauntlets and stretched, Galus seemed to be irritated by Cecile's lack of seriousness. Impudent brats need to be put in their place, and he'd be the one to do it. Marigold and Lincoln stood back as they began their battle, while Marigold seemed a little worried, Lincoln just grinned.

"Don't hold back now," Cecile taunted as she punched the palm of her hand with her fist

The fight was over just as quickly as it had started, a crushing defeat… for Galus. You'd think Galus would have the upper hand with his physical prowess but Cecile seemed to easily overpower him. With that fight over with, Lincoln prepared himself.

"Good job," Lincoln congratulated

"Did you doubt me?" Cecile asked jokingly

Since Lincoln was using a weapon, Galus had opted to use his axe. He had underestimated Cecile, he wouldn't make the same mistake twice in a row. He held tight on his axes handle and Lincoln unsheathed Leni, prepping his stance.

"We're fighting Lincy?" Leni whispered

"Yeah, but don't worry, I won't kill him," Lincoln said

Once again the fight ended and just as the last one, Galus had lost. He didn't seem upset though, in fact he seemed happy. These two showed promising potential, he couldn't wait to see how they grew. Giving Marigold his approval to allow these two their licenses they set off again.

"I must be getting old, I've gotten soft," Galus said to himself

After being omitted they walked down an elegant and artisan crafted hallway that seemed to stretch on forever. A bright light shone in the distance, it's source a large and beautiful crystal resting above a podium. Marigold and another attendant they didn't see before had been there to guide them.

"This device measures magic aptitude, the brighter it glows the more powerful your magic ability is," Marigold said

"There are two types of magic. Regular magic for casting spells and such and strengthening magic that can boost your attack strength," the attendant said

Coming from a non-magical oriented background this was all new and exciting to them. After they did this they would eventually be able to tap into a reservoir of magic. Cecile was up first, resting her palm flat against the crystal's smooth surface.

It glowed a bright shade of orange that reminded Cecile of a sunset. She had been told, she had enough magical aptitude to use strengthening magic. Cecile wasn't sure but she swore she felt a little stronger. Next up was Lincoln, he did the same as Cecile but something was different. The crystal had darkened and became an abysmal black.

"Is this supposed to happen?" Lincoln asked worried

Soon the crystal began to crack and he was instructed to hurry and remove his hand. Everyone looked at him and then back to the crystal.

"You said you've never used magic before, right?" Marigold asked

"Yeah, is something wrong?" Lincoln asked

"No, no, it's just your magical aptitude is very strong. You could easily cast spells and possibly enchant weapons," the attendant said

Being assured that nothing was wrong, the two of them left along with Marigold. Before that however Marigold told the attendant to make a report to the guildmaster, "Keep those two under close surveillance,".

"So your names are Lincoln Loud and Cecile Lumbridge," she repeated

They nodded and Marigold started the finishing touches on their licenses. Although their potential was a lot more than that of a normal adult, let alone a child, they'd have to start at the bottom. She explained the ranking system to them. Starting from F-Rank they'd progress up the ladder.

Quests are the easiest way to rank up alongside Guild Raids and Special Events. In fact they had come at a good time, a special event would be occurring within the week. Next up would be levels, which are tracked by their licenses. Alongside rank, everything aforementioned would raise levels too.

Finally was dungeons, all dungeons were regarded as dangerous. In order to keep their adventurers alive, you could only take on dungeons of your rank or one higher. If you join a high rank party though you can participate in higher rank dungeons.

"So that's everything for beginner's. By the way, if you two have any monster materials, feel free to sell them here.

"Ooh, I think I have something," Cecile said

She headed outside and picked up something she left there earlier. Cramming it through the small door without breaking it was a bit difficult. Once inside it was obvious what she was talking about-

"Tri-Horn Grizzly Bears?!" Marigold exclaimed

"Yeah, sorry they're not properly dismantled though," Cecile said

It was like a puppy carrying a dead bird to its master in hopes of praise. Lincoln found it adorable while everyone else had been a bit fearful.

"I think I got something too," Lincoln said reaching into the bag he packed

He had a few dismantled materials after returning to the spider lair. Fangs and tendrils from the underlings and the Broodmothers egg sack, since he couldn't carry more.

"Okay, we'll uh- take those off your hands," Marigold said

After doing some calculations she came back with a large amount of gold.

"The material price plus dismantling fee for the bears comes to 9,530 gold pieces," Marigold said

She handed them a large coin sack. While the Spider Lair parts were worth more, the bears came to a large price themselves. The coins knocked against each other with every subtle movement as they headed to the exit.

Lincoln and Cecile heard a few whispers on their way there. Some of admiration and some of envy, it was a new feeling for both of them. With gold in their pockets, they went to explore the city. From restaurants to blacksmiths and alchemists, everything was so alluring. They went shopping for miscellaneous things and before they knew it the day had come to a close.

"Ready to call it a day?" Lincoln asked

He looked over to Cecile who nodded lazily. Taking that as a yes they made their way to an inn. The price of the room just barely made a dent of the money they made in one day.

"Being an adventurer sure has it perks," Cecile said

"But we can't forget the reason we're doing this," Lincoln reminded

"Of course, your sisters take priority. We'll be together every step of the way," Cecile assured


I rewrote the last section of this chapter because I felt as if it was a bit sloppily put together. The change probably won't have too much of an impact but I just wanted it to be as good as I could make it. I know I can improve so please let me know how I can.