Demarus trained for days with Requiem. His father didn't approve of the sword much, but started to accept it after seeing how much Demarus has gotten stronger and he could gather more firewood. All seemed fine for Demarus, until one day, when he was watching boats at the pier.

A ship just sailed by, and he watched a young man step off. The man looked tired, and walked towards his father's bakery.

"Heh. Looks like business is picking up."

Demarus stood up and followed him into the bakery. His father saw that another customer had come by.

"Hello. I'm kinda hungry, so if you could give me your cheapest loaf of bread..."

"2 gold pieces for the smallest loaf we have."

"Oh, I don't have any money."

"Sorry, kid. No money, no food. I'd really want to help, but I can barely manage my own family."

"I'll pay for it, dad."

"Demarus? Helping strangers, I see. Okay, Demarus. You're lucky my son is willing to help, kid."

The man got his bread, and Demarus led him to a table.

"Thanks for the food. Demarus, is it?"

"Yeah. You don't have to pay me back."
The man chuckled, and was about to leave. Then, he turned around and looked at Demarus.

"I'm unfamiliar with this place. Would you mind if I spent the night?"

Demarus agreed to share his room with the stranger. Night came, and everyone was about to sleep. Demarus' father turned off the lamps, and then it was quiet. About an hour of silence passed until a loud thump was heard on the roof. Demarus was the first to wake, and went onto the roof. Nobody there...

"What was that noise?"

But then, a warrior wielding a dagger approached him!

"Oh, damn. I thought I could get away with sneaking in, taking your food, and maybe burning down the building, but no. You had to get in my way."

"You... oh, wait. My sword!"

Demarus left Requiem back in his room. The thief swung the dagger at him, but he evaded the attack, following up with a kick to the chest.

"Argh! You're gonna pay for that!"

"Demarus! Take this!"

Demarus looked back. The man he helped earlier tossed Requiem to him. Then, he pulled out his own weapon to assist in the battle.

"Heh. The more, the merrier. I'll take you both!"
The 3 battled on. Demarus swung with all his might, but could not hit his swift opponent. His ally, however, managed to take him down with his own. Demarus hovered above his fallen enemy, and was about to drive his blade through him.

"Sorry, but I have no plans of dying now. You see, I have my own ambitions. I'm going to become the greatest warrior in the world!"

The thief pulled out a smoke bomb and activated it. In a moment, he was gone.

"Damn! He got away! Oh, umm... hey, thanks for the assisstance."

"I guess we're even now."

The 2 were about to head back inside until Demarus found something taped to the door. It was a letter.

"Huh?"

"A letter? I have one exactly like that!'

"How? What's going on here, exactly?"

The next morning, they decided to both show their letters to Demarus' parents.

"This is odd... hmm... have you opened them yet?"

"No, dad. Let's open them."

When the letters were opened, they received the same message:
"You have been watched this past few days. Your skills have impressed us, and we cordially invite you to come to the Mobius School of Combat, located secretly in the mountains near China. Directions on other side of letter. Arrive at the school before May 15th, or you will not be let in.

-Master Sho Pereban"

"Unbelievable! Our son... enrolled in a conbat school?"

"Oh, dear. We must be proud for the boy. I mean, he is another step closer to reaching his dream. What's the date? April 2nd! You don't have much time to get to the school!"

The 2 were about to head east until Demarus' father stopped them for a moment.

"Son, i want you to have this."

'What is it?'

"It's a belt your grandfather had. It was said to grant strength to the wielder. I think it's a bunch of garbage, but who knows? You can use it to think of your mother and I. Good luck, and I'll see you in a year, kid."

The two friends left town, and Demarus just had to ask:

"By the way, what's your name, anyway? I mean, we're gonna be on the road for a while. Might as well get to know each other."

"Rayn Soavan. Why?"

Sure, they didn't possess the qualities of heroes yet... but the future can be very unpredictable...