Sitting on a small couch a teen no older than 17, was reading a request he just received from the Guild master in front of him.
"…. So, they are active again huh… Haaah let me guess you want me to take this job?" he asked with an exasperated tone, its not like he couldn't do it but he'd rather not risk his own neck for a small reward like this.
The large imposing figure of the guild master crumpled as he too sighed, "Sorry kid, I would have given it to the knight order but the king sent specific word he wanted you or someone with your level of skill to take this on. You and I both know that the fire wolf party wouldve taken this if they were here but they wont be back before the target catches wind of this request… why of all times did they have to resurface now? I would have thought an evil organization like the Phantom Order wouldve stayed under the radar for a few more years… why they decided to resurface so soon after the death of their previous leader I don't know… but I do know that currently you are the only one nearby I can count on to get this job done." He finished, rubbing his temples at the issue.
Taking a minute, the teen reluctantly nodded giving a sigh of defeat, "haah… fine you've got yourself a mage there old man, But! Once I've done this, you owe me a weeks worth of drinks, a week you hear me!" sternly he pointed his finger in the guild masters face getting a hearty chuckle in response.
Nodding sagely the leader nodded his head, "Sure thing lad, just make sure you come back safe and I'll even treat you to some of my wife's cooking! But not too much, she's my wife after all!... speaking of wives, when are you finally going to get yourself one! A healthy young man with your status should have plenty of woman wanting to marry you! Don't tell me you swing for the other team~?" he joked out with a smirk pointedly looking at the young adventurer.
Eye twitching the young man just flicked his long-time friend on the forehead causing a large red mark to appear, "hah! Don't make me laugh old man, just because you settled down at your age doesn't me I will! Heck what kind of woman would like someone like me? I'm rude, I was raised in the adventurers guild for fuck sake, just because the damn kingdom calls me a hero because I beat the demon king doesn't mean shit when I didn't even get a proper reward for it! The only thing I've got going for me is my monstrous mana-pool and that's not something many people look for in a partner you know." Huffing the young man gave an annoyed glare and reread the request.
"So, the whole Phantom order is here in the city then eh? That means good old Falkner must be with them, that bastard got away last time… and now that I'm thinking about it, he probably took over the damn squad after he sold out Archibold… man I was really hoping he was gonna turn over a new leaf and join us… fuck! Okay I'll get my shit then I'll head out!" nodding to himself, he mentally started to tally up what supplies he should grab but realized most of the things he would need he already had but he did need to restock up on some potion ingredients for mana potions.
"Be careful out there kid! I don't know why they came out of hiding so soon but it means they have most likely gotten something powerful under their belt… good luck Sirius.
Waving at the guild master he left the room and went to get everything ready for his mission.
Xxxxxx
Now dressed like a proper adventurer Sirius was donning a white and light gray cloak with several different runes weaved into it with protective charm, he also carried his sword on his hip, no longer wanting to be made fun of like he was as a kid trying to have the scabbard on his back had gotten him a stern telling off from the knights and the humiliation of the entire guild at the age of nine. Had the guild master not found him he really didn't know how he wouldve lasted this long, but he was thankful for the old man taking him in.
Delvin had truly been a blessing when he arrived in the land of Ravia after only a short meeting with the goddess Harmonia who blessed him with an overly large mana pool and the blessing of Determination and will power, Something that was, very helpful in his first two months in his new world as the goddess wasn't powerful enough to find out about who summoned him, so she blessed him to help as much as she could, and while not powerful or uncommon, was very useful to him over the years gaining him two friends that would follow him throughout his life forever.
The two spirit kings, Aria the light spirit king and Avon the dark spirit king. Both incredibly powerful entities and the only two spirit kings Sirius had managed to find and get a contract with and gained in his rebellion against the church of Balam the one true church of the Tristanvia empire, they had forcefully contracted the other spirit kings to their 'Saintess". They attempted on multiple accounts to forcefully contract my partners to the 'Holy Saintess'… just thinking about that woman made him sweat, and bile rise in his throat…
Xxxxxx
"Alright now I just need to get to the sewers…. Why do those damn nobles always make me take the shit jobs… I'm taking a holiday after this damn mission." Nodding to himself as he walked, making his way through the city, saying hello to the folk he's helped and been helped by over the years, stopping at the bakery to say hello to his friend Arlong and his kid sister Sasha. Arlong had been the only friend he had truly made after he arrived in this world, and before he met Delvin… well, that's a time he doesn't like to think about.
After saying hello, I finally made my way to the 'pit' as everyone around here likes to call it… let it be known that I hate this name because its literally just a giant pit in the ground… be original people.
Looking down inside, I hate to admit but it is literally just a pit for dumping waste into the sewer. The stench is staggering though so I bring out the mask I made for the mission nothing fancy more or less just a pouch of strong mint-like herbs to keep the horrid stank away.
I leap down, aiming to land farther away from the center of the giant mound of waste laying about. "God this place is disgusting. But I can see why the Phantom Order would set up base down here, be it themselves or the stench no ones going to come back down here…" as I trekked on through the cavern under the city, signs of activity start to show, muddy footprints, ash from torches and finally, "fresh food… who the fuck has the stomach to eat down here…" shaking my head in disgust, I finally come to the end of the cavern.
Only a large stretch of stone wall in front of me, meaning one thing. "Why do they all feel the need to make hidden doors! Quit making my job so tedious…" taking my time, I slowly start pressing into the nooks and crannies on the wall as I attempt to find the trigger for the door.
a long and arduous process, I'm not willing to talk about involving two feathers, a rock and a string the door began to grind open, very much so giving away any chance of stealth I would have had.
"Fucking useless Assassins… hah. Theia, Avon how do you both want to do this? Fast and easy or longer and slightly more entertaining?" calling out, two spirits thrummed out from my chest appearing as a small white kitten with a golden halo, and the other a shimmery black raven with a silver monocle.
"Mmm… this place is boring. I vote fast and easy!" a sweet and cute voice sounded out from the white kitten, but was promptly denied by the raven speaking over her, "Sirius, you and I both know that you'd get in trouble with the kingdom if they found out you didn't do this properly, they would try and control you even more if you don't do this proper. So, I vote the Slow and Proper way" he finished, giving a sharp look towards his opposing spirit.
Shaking my head, I couldn't help but be slightly amused. "you two don't have to fight every time you know. But I do think Avon's right this time Theia, I really don't want to fight these guys again and again, we need to make sure we don't miss anything this time." Nodding at them, they respond in kind, though it really is strange to see a raven smirking, spirit or not.
Starting the descent, I couldn't help but feel like something was off, normally in the case of a raid on a guild like this they all jump at one after another and give some boring spiel about whatever evil god they serve before they get taken down, but I haven't even heard a peep yet… troublesome indeed.
The farther I went the creepier it got, green torches, big as fuck spiders, the smell of copper, and finally as I descended the last step, chanting coming from beyond the giant stone archway. Glancing in, I see around twenty different mages chanting around a large circular podium with a giant magic circle slowly charging up with their mana.
"Okay you two we're going with plan c, they're too far apart for me to use fireball but since they are all chanting means I can pick them off one by one. Avon, I want you on the opposite side of the room hitting the opposite ones from me, Theia I need you covering my back, take a look to see if I missed any from my quick look once I run in there, alright lets go."
Unsheathing my sword, feeling the frost like chill it gives in my grasp, my sword the legendary Muteki No Shori, the sword of unkilling victory, any blow cause by this blade causes no fatal wounds no matter the condition of the opponent this detriment is opposed by the blessing it gives to boost the chance of the users victory against an opponent, thankfully this detriment doesn't prevent the target from passing out from pain or blood loss. One of the few things I managed to steal from the Church when I escaped from their "welcoming".
The temperature in the room dropped the moment the blade touched the air, the breath in front of me being the first clue to its appearance, the blade itself was rather simplistic in its design, being that of a silver-colored rapier, hiding that its true material was that of mithril. Embedded onto the patterned hilt was the one thing that truly stood out from the thin sword, a large black opal.
the battle began, each thrust of my sword had another mage falling to the ground. Front, side, block, slash. Less and less mages continuing the chant, the power of the circle slowing but still growing brighter, "Not enough yet, Gotta get more!" crying out I continue the onslaught, leaving behind a trail of unconscious enemies, those can be dealt with after I get them all down, better dead than captured…
taking a slash at my next target, my sword struck something it couldn't slice. Turning my head, I see a man dressed in crimson robes, madness filling every look he gave, "Good evening… Sirius! It has been a minute since we… Last met! Have you perhaps come around to my way of thinking~ No?... too bad for you then~! Hoo- HAA HAAAAA! You see ever since old Archie passed I realised something… you… you are the problem I keep running into, so I did some digging~ and I found something REALLY interesting… I found out that a few years back the church of Balam attempted a variant summoning ritual… and instead of a beast or spirit… they… got… You~" madness seemed to drip out of his eyes as a red mist began to rise from the magic circle below us, seems I was too late to stop it.
Glaring at Falkner my vision started to turn red, "What do you know of those Balam Bastards!" snarling out at the piece of shit I once thought was a friend… and charged.
He smirked, "at~ta~ta! Wouldn't want to hurt you're little friends now would you?" he sang out, holding the weakened forms of my partners. All I could do was freeze. How did he get them? How did I not feel them weakening through our contracts? Shit why cant I unsummon them!
"What do you want Falkner!" glaring at the bastard who would stoop as low as targeting my family, "oh nothing much. After all, I already drained them of the majority of their mana they're of little use to me know!" he cried out.
I watched in horror as they flew, almost in slow motion I saw them make create small craters in the wall. "You… You Fucking… BASTARD!" crying out, I charged desperately at the maniac in front of me, slashing and stabbing at him only for each attack to be dodged or blocked by a small dagger… I was outmatched.
I could feel my blood boil in my veins as the adrenaline coursed through, I couldn't care less how horribly outmatched I was, the only thing that mattered was that I put the bastard in front of me to death.
My anger continued to skyrocket as I chased him around the podium, slicing a large corner cleanly off as he redirected my swing. When did his skill get this good? Was he always this talented or was he hiding his true strength?
A malicious grin grew wider on his face, "aww, poor baby, couldn't handle his spirits being used as mana stones? HAH its too late now hero, the circle has been infused with all the mana it needs. With this, I'm free of you… for good!" he whispered out the final few words yet across the chamber, they echoed in a roar as the magic circle's light started to turn blinding.
It had activated…
Quickly, I ran over to my partners and sent them back to their realm, praying that given enough time they could recover. Feeling my heart calm some when I felt a blade slice across my cheek and I felt my body lose its strength, I was hit with a numbing poison… Turning my head back towards Falkner. Watching me with that damn grin still plastered on his face as he aimed his arm towards me and finished the chant. "Komme Tilbake!" as he cried out the final words, the circle lashed out with a sharp rope of mana attaching itself to my chest and began to accelerate off the ground, spinning faster and faster until it reached the ceiling… and smashed through it all the way to the top opening the chamber to the sky, and rose above the entirety of the kingdom of Kalanick as a bright red glow started to shine down and cover it in its entirety.
"What… what is this magic…?" whispering as I tried to calculate the sheer amount of mana required to do such a spell…
Waving his hand in a mock goodbye, "oh? Don't know this one, eh Sirius? I should've guessed not, after all… why would a summoned hero not send themselves back to their home if they knew it…"
'…. home… earth… I-I haven't thought of that in years now… my mom…' shaking my head, 'no… I couldn't not after Delvin took me in, he's my father… but… mom…'
Standing in disbelief was all I was capable of, the idea of finally getting to go home to my family was enticing but… how would I fit in… I've been fighting for the past ten years doing quests and protecting others is all I know how to do at this point…
But at this point… it was too late… sorry Delvin, I wont be able to get those drinks…
Using the last of my strength, I pulsed out my remaining mana to try and halt the magic circle long enough to send my goodbyes to my loved ones here with a sending spell. A feeling of relief washed over me as I saw the two ghostly pigeons flash off through the sky towards the guild and the bakery… they'll at least know I'm not dead…
As the relief settled into my body, the magic circle started to hum and a large beam of red light slammed down into the chamber, grabbing onto the hero as his adversary laughed in triumph. He had failed his job for the first time after he had become a hero…
Xxxxxx
"-h? That's not something you see often… oh and a child falls from the magic circle as well… I do love a surprise…" a small voice narrates, pausing twice to sip its tea.
xxxxxxx
"-nd where did he come from!?" …. "The sky? -ezu you understand how ridiculous that sounds? A magic circle in the sky! You expect me to believe that! bah! -e do my work and get out of my infirmary… -'ll call you when his condition start to improve…
Xxxxxx
And that's chapter 1 of Return of the Magic Swordsman
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