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Okay, here's the next chapter of Chaos Rising. We're introduced to a new character. Will he become an ally to Celtic?
It was the following day since the Fun Box incident. The five Heroes and their parties had gathered in King Alvin’s throne room. They were awaiting their royal stipends for their efforts in the most recent wave. King Alvin was seated at his throne with five servants next to him. He looked over the room before clearing his throat.
“The five Legendary Heroes and their parties are all present and accounted for,” he said. “Then let us begin. I present to you your royal stipends for your efforts against Infinator’s forces. The Sword, Axe, and Bow Heroes will each receive 4,000 silver.”
Three of the servants presented the coin pouches to Ryan, Eric, and Jerry, who eagerly took them.
“Next up, as punishment for recent events, the Spear Hero will be rewarded 1,000 silver.”
Another servant held out a smaller pouch of coins to Lucas, who took them, grumbling.
“Finally, the Shroud Hero will be rewarded 6,500 silver, as it was his party that dealt the killing blow to one of Infinator’s Demon Generals.”
The final servant presented the largest pouch of coins to Celtic, who graciously took them.
Lucas grumbled, “Of course he gets the largest amount.”
King Alvin gave him an icy glare, making the Spear Hero flinch, “You should be thankful that I’m giving you anything at all, Spear Hero! After what you and Wench did yesterday, you’re lucky I didn’t dock you your entire payment. Not only did you violate another Hero out of selfishness and pride, but you also endangered the general public with that stunt. If any monsters get past the city walls it is a major deal, as they can, and will, attack indiscriminately, looking for easy prey. Be very thankful that they only focused on the Shroud Hero, as if any of those clown monsters had harmed a hair on a civilian’s head you’d be in even deeper trouble. So, you have absolutely no room to be critical about who gets the larger stipend, since you could’ve lost your entire paycheck if those Harlikills and Killjoys hurt anyone else! You and Wench are still in hot water right now, so I expect you to behave and not cause any more problems, especially to another Hero. Is that clear!?”
The Spear Hero sighed, “Yes, Your Majesty…”
Ryan turned to Lucas, stating in a cold tone, “You really crossed a line yesterday, Lucas. Eric, Jerry, and I may not like Celtic either, but we would never go that far and exploit his fear to our advantage. Especially me, since it was Celtic who helped me when my fear of drowning was forced out of me. And, just like King Alvin said, letting in those four monsters could’ve caused collateral damage to the area and civilians, something that no Hero should do. It was fortunate that the Harlikills and Killjoys didn’t pull stunts like taking hostages or it could’ve been even worse. So, you don’t have the right to talk about who gets preferred treatment and such since it was your reckless stunt that could’ve endangered innocent lives. You brought that upon yourself, so you’re getting punished for it. Simple as that.”
Eric and Jerry nodded in agreement, giving Lucas and Wench looks of contempt. Wench was muttering to herself, clearly thinking of ways to get revenge. Queen Amelia noticed this.
“I hope for your sake you’re not plotting anything else, Wench,” the Queen growled. “I can see that look on your face and in your eyes. If you try anything else you and a jail cell will be getting very acquainted with each other soon. Considering you spent the rest of yesterday cleaning them as your punishment and did a rather lousy job at it to boot, they’ll look quite familiar to you if that happens. So, don’t try anything or you’ll be sorry.”
Wench turned her head away, grumbling, “Yes…”
King Alvin stated, “You’d better, long ears. Why can’t you take a page from Lady Skye’s book and actually do something that doesn’t cause long-term problems for everyone? Lady Skye is a shining example of what a Light Elf should be, so you can learn a lot from her. Just a suggestion that I highly recommend you take into consideration.”
Skye gained a smug smirk, clearly enjoying the praise and Wench’s frustration. This did not go unnoticed by Wench, who was glaring at the younger Light Elf with hate-filled eyes. While King Alvin and Queen Amelia noticed this attitude they decided to leave it be.
“In any case, good job during the most recent wave, Heroes,” King Alvin said in a more pleasant tone. “With another Demon General down that gives us one more foothold against Infinator. We still have a long way to go, though. And, according to the Shadokor, this most recent wave has struck in the remaining areas where previous dimensional gateways to the Demon Realm once existed. Which means that Infinator will have most likely gathered the needed information to start narrowing down his targets. The Shadokor are checking the various areas where waves have taken place to see if the dimensional walls between Zakota and the Demon Realm have gotten weaker. When they gather that information, King Duskbane will present the information to all of us. This’ll help us try to predict where Infinator will strike next, which will be a much-needed advantage if we want to stop him. Now, with all that taken care of, you are all dismissed. We will have the celebration party for the defeat of another one of Infinator’s Demon Generals tomorrow evening, and I expect everyone to behave this time. You’re free to go.”
Celtic turned to his party, “Let’s go, team. We’ve got some work to do.”
“Right!” his party said in unison.
As he and his party left, Wench eyed them, secretly planning more schemes to use against them.
Meanwhile, in a far away location from Delgunner’s capital, a fierce battle was taking place. A young man wearing impressive armor and two women were bravely facing down a powerful-looking monster. This monster looked similar to a crustacean crossed with a scorpion, having a large armored body, three sets of large pincers, three sets of legs, a large, thick tail ending in a stinger, and a large, armored head with glowing eyes and a mouth full of fangs.
One of the girls stated, “There it is! The legendary beast known as the Desert Destroyer!”
The other girl replied, “It’s huge! Do we really stand a chance?”
The young man stood his ground, “We cannot allow this beast to continue rampaging! It has already killed well over a dozen people with its armor-crushing claws and powerful stinger! We must fell this creature here and now!”
The two girls said in a dreamy tone, “Oh, Sir Gram! So brave and noble!”
Gram raised his sword, which was a very impressive-looking one, having an appearance that seemed like a more stylized and bulkier version of the Legendary Sword with a dragon motif. He started to channel energy into it, his eyes focused on the beast.
“With the power of my divine sword: the Zenithton Blade, I will put an end to you here and now!” he roared.
With one swing of his sword followed by a massive burst of light the battle was over. The entire upper body of the Desert Destroyer had been vaporized, leaving only its legs and stinger, which flopped to the ground. The girls cheered as Gram smiled triumphantly.
“The Desert Destroyer has been slain,” he said proudly. “Never again will this creature terrorize the people of this area.”
“Oh, Sir Gram! You’re the best!” the girls cheered in a dreamy tone.
A week had passed since these events. Celtic and his party had just returned from a job request. By that point, each member of the party had acquired a second Spiria, much to the fury and jealousy of the other Heroes, who still had yet to acquire even one. At the same time Gram and his female party members had arrived at Delgunner.
Gram looked the capital city over, “So, this is Delgunner’s capital. It certainly dwarfs my kingdom’s capital, that’s for sure. I hear that the Legendary Heroes are working for Delgunner. Though, I wonder… why are all five here? Didn’t the world forum decide that they’d be distributed across the top five kingdoms? Why are all five of them here?”
One of the girls said, “Didn’t the Light Elves summon all five of them to their sorry excuse for a kingdom in a bid for more power?”
The other girl nodded, “Yeah, that’s true. But it doesn’t explain why Delgunner has all five now.”
Gram said, “Let’s ask, as it is rather strange that Delgunner now has custody of all five Legendary Heroes instead of distributing them across the five major nations like it was agreed. Besides, we could use a rest and some supplies.”
Suddenly, they noticed Celtic and his party, their eyes widening.
“Hey, isn’t that the Legendary Shroud?” one of the girls asked Gram.
“Yes, it is!” Gram replied. “Talk about perfect timing. I bet he’ll know why all five Heroes are in one place. Hmm?”
He then noticed Skye and the slave crest on her chest, his eyes widening in shock.
“W-What?! The Shroud Hero has a slave as a party member?!” His eyes narrowed, “That cannot be allowed. No noble Hero should have a slave.”
He started to storm up to the party. Zuzu was the first to take notice of him.
“Oh, great,” she said. “Look out, Celtic, as it looks like you’re going to have to deal with another headache-causing warrior today.”
Celtic merely sighed before turning to Gram, “Can I help you?”
“Are you the Shroud Hero?” Gram asked.
“Yes.”
“Then tell me. Why do you have a slave on your team?! A man with your title should not be permitted to keep a slave on your team! Free her at once! I demand you do so!”
Celtic rubbed his eyes in an annoyed fashion, “Before you go about making demands, you should tell me who you are first.”
“Very well. I am Gram Liechien, a proud warrior from the Flugel Kingdom. I have a few questions for you. But before that, why do you have a slave in your party? A Hero shouldn’t be allowed to have a slave on their team, as it is completely wrong! It goes against everything that the Legendary Heroes mean! I demand you free her right here and now. If you don’t, I’ll fight you in a duel to free her. I’ll even wager my divine sword to get my point across.”
Skye placed her hands akimbo, “Hey, Grammy, did it ever occur to you that you’re looking at this situation at face-value and not taking a moment to actually think what the truth is?”
Gram wasn’t listening, stating, “I demand you fight me here and now.”
Celtic, clearly having enough, immediately transformed his arm into Fighter Sword and lunged at him.
“Fine, then take this!” he roared.
Gram just barely dodged the preemptive attack before drawing his sword, surprised that Celtic would fight like that. Celtic transformed his arm into Mag-Bolt.
“Have a taste of my Mag-Bolt!”
Celtic activated the magnetic power of Mag-Bolt. Before Gram could react the magnetic energies snatched his sword from him, eyes widening in response. Celtic then used the sword that was being held by the Mag-Bolt’s energy to slam the flat side down on top of Gram’s head. This attack knocked him out instantly, causing him to crumple to the ground, out cold, much to his female party member’s dismay.
“That’ll teach you to go about making demands like that and shooting your mouth off,” Celtic said acidly. “And there is a reason why helmets exist. Try one of them instead of a circlet for headgear.”
Zuzu couldn’t help but snicker, “Fighting like a true demon. That’s something I like about you.”
While still holding the sword with the Mag-Bolt, Celtic examined it. Leon looked it over as well.
“I could be mistaken, but I think that’s a Zenithton Blade,” he said. “From what I know, it’s said to be just one tier lower than the Legendary Sword itself, just like my Starburst Bow. They say it has tremendous raw power and capabilities similar to the Legendary Sword. In fact, if I’m remembering correctly what I learned back with the Templars, they say that the Zenithton Blade was considered an early design for the Legendary Sword. While, obviously, the Legendary Sword became its own weapon, the Zenithton Blade is considered strong enough to rival it because it was the original design. I’m surprised this guy has one considering how insanely rare they are.”
Viola observed the blade and the knocked-out Gram before stating, “Judging how easily he was beaten once he was disarmed, I’m guessing this guy has been relying on the blade’s raw power and abilities to the point that any actual skill as a warrior has been stunted.”
Rupert rolled his eyes, “Great, we’ve got a Legendary Hero clone. Just what we needed. As if we didn’t have enough issues with the actual Legendary Stooges, now we have a copycat warrior.”
Skye shook her head, “And the nerve of the guy, taking my situation at face-value and making demands of just simply asking about my situation instead. Really, this whole conflict could’ve been avoided if he didn’t act like Lucas and charge head-long into this fight.”
The cogs in Celtic’s mind started to spin as he looked the situation over. An idea came into his head, gaining a small smirk. The other party members noticed this.
“We know that look,” Tyroe said. “You’ve got a plan for him, don’t you, Cel?”
Celtic replied, “You could say that Tyroe. The question remains if he’ll play his part in my plan correctly or not. Anyway, we’re done here. Let’s go grab some lunch.”
As Celtic placed the Zenithton Blade in his Tek-Pak the two females in Gram’s party stepped up.
“Cheater!” one girl spat. “We won’t accept this!”
“Give back the Zenithton Blade now, we demand it!” the second girl stated.
Skye gave them a look that made them flinch, “You did hear that he wagered it as part of this little ordeal, right? Celtic won, so the Zenithton Blade is now his. Deal with it.”
As the party walked off, the girls spat, “Some ‘Hero’ you are!”
Celtic rolled his eyes as they walked, thinking, “They’ll be singing a different tune once I’m done with that Gram guy. This was just the beginning. I have plans for him.”
A few hours later the party was at their favorite spot by the large fountain in the center of the city, simply taking it easy. However, Gram and his female party members walked up to them, clearly in a huff.
“Shroud Hero!” he stated. “I’ve heard some pretty nasty things about you!”
Celtic, who didn’t even bother to look up from his book, replied, “Let me guess. You talked to Spear Hero? Or maybe Wench? Either way, sounds like those two are spreading propaganda about me again. They never learn.”
“Yes, I spoke to the Spear Hero and he told me a lot of horrible things about you! I demand…” but was cut off by Skye grabbing the front of his breastplate and lifting him up, surprising him with her strength.
“You really need to get your facts straight, Grammy,” she hissed. “And you went to the absolute worse source for information. The Spear Hero, or as we call him Pointy Stick Boy, has a vendetta against Celtic because of the lies that my species created about him! He’s nothing more than a puppet to Wench, my spoiled, rotten, irredeemable, vile sociopathic older sister. You clearly haven’t caught up with the current events, otherwise you’d know that Celtic is the only Hero who has lived up to his title while the Sword, Spear, Axe, and Bow Heroes have been walking disaster zones! Then again, you said you’re from the Flugel Kingdom, so that would explain it, as they are notoriously known for getting the world’s current events late due to how isolated the kingdom is. But I suggest you start playing nice with Celtic, as he’s not only the Shroud Hero, but also the long-lost prince of both Shadoria and Wichwoode, the Shadokor and Druid kingdoms. So, he’s also royalty, thus you should be more respectful toward him.”
Gram’s eyes widened, “T-The Shroud Hero is the prince of both Shadoria and Wichwoode?! How?!”
Viola, who was lounging in her favorite tree, replied, “His father was Noir, the prince of the Shadokor, while his mother was Gardenia, the princess of the Druids, though she was forced to give up the right to the throne upon marrying Noir due to the Druids’ ‘codes’. They were attacked and killed by Sylph when Celtic was just an infant, but due to a botched teleportation spell he got sent to Earth, where he was raised by a human couple before getting dragged back to this world to become the Shroud Hero. The current rulers of Shadoria and Wichwoode, King Duskbane and Queen Rease, confirmed that Celtic is their long-lost nephew: thus is considered part of both royal families. As a result, Celtic gets extra benefits because he’s both the Shroud Hero and a member of two powerful royal families. So, you really need to get your facts straight before you give Celtic grief.”
Gram’s eyes widened even more, turning to Celtic, “I-Is that true?”
Celtic replied in a bored tone, “Yeah, it’s true. It surprised me, too, as I never knew I had royal blood in me. Life’s strange like that.”
“But why do you have a slave? A member of two nobilities and a Legendary Hero shouldn’t have one.”
Skye put him down before stating, “Did it ever occur to you that I’m fine with this situation? Let me give you a brief recap of what happened to me. I was the second princess of the Light Elves. Because I kept uprooting my race’s various get-more-power-quick schemes they decided to get rid of me by selling me to slavery. I didn’t go down without a fight, though, but I ultimately ended up a slave. Celtic, fresh off from my species’ betrayal due to their stupid hatred of darkness, purchased me because he learned I was also violated by the Light Elves. Thus, as he put it, ‘misery loves company’. He wasn’t in his right mind at the time because the betrayal was just one part of his issues, as he hates slavery. But once I had been purchased and rebranded, he came to his senses and tried to free me. However, I had learned of what had happened and pledged my allegiance to him willingly. Celtic is a kind master to me, although at this point that’s more of a technicality, as I’m more like a loyal soldier who follows a beloved general. Celtic ultimately saved me and I’m proud to both be his slave and right-hand woman. I will eventually have this slave crest removed, but presently I have my reasons for leaving alone. Do you now understand?”
Gram looked stunned, “Y-You actually don’t mind your current status? Even though it’s wrong?”
“Slavery is wrong, as Celtic agrees with that, but it’s better than rotting away in a cage. Besides, Celtic isn’t the first Legendary Hero to have a slave and won’t be the last, so it’s nothing new at this point. He treats me with dignity and respect despite that status, and I love him for it. I’m more of his slave by choice now and I’m not getting forced into anything I don’t want. Again, I’ll have this status removed eventually, but I’m perfectly fine with it for now. Being Celtic’s slave was pretty much a blessing in disguise, as it allowed me to finally put my treasonous race in their place and pretty much freed me from my horrible past. I owe Celtic my life, and I’ll proudly march into battle for him, especially given the current situation. I’m not blindly loyal, however, as I can see his vices as well as his virtues, but that doesn’t stop me from loving him because of how well he treats me. I’m his second-in-command and right-hand woman despite being a slave and I’m perfectly fine with that. For Celtic’s sake I will eventually have the crest removed, but I have my reasons for leaving it be for the time. Hopefully I’ve educated you about my true status, as taking my situation at face-value is just asking for a whupping. Do you understand now?”
Gram looked stunned but nodded, “Yes… yes I see that I was wrong to charge in without actually taking the time to learn about the truth. My apologies.”
Celtic merely said, “There’s hope for you yet. Apology accepted.”
“But I need to know. Why did the Spear Hero speak so negatively about you? And, for that matter, why does Delgunner have custody of all five Legendary Heroes?”
Leon replied, “The Spear Hero has had a very antagonistic relationship with Celtic since Day 1, mainly due to the lies of the Light Elves. And even to this day, despite the mountain of evidence against Wench, he still believes her to be innocent of her numerous crimes. Not to mention he and Wench recently tried to prey upon Celtic’s fear of clowns by siccing a pair of Harlikills and a pair of Killjoys on him right in the middle of the city purely out of petty spite. Celtic ultimately prevailed and both Lucas and Wench were punished for it by both King Alvin and King Duskbane, especially since it endangered civilians. However, they’re blaming their punishment on Celtic despite the fact they were the aggressors, though it’s nothing new at this point, as they blame him for everything, especially if it’s their fault. Plus, Lucas is an idiot. Even the Sword, Axe, and Bow Heroes, who also cause numerous problems, see him as an idiot and actually took Celtic’s side on this one. This is rare since all five Legendary Heroes have a mutual dislike for each other.”
Tyroe then added, “As for the reason why Delgunner has custody of all five Heroes, well, the other nations want nothing to do with the other four Heroes. The four of them have been causing numerous disasters on their solo missions, are next to useless if not outright liabilities in Infinator’s waves, and are basically an absolute disgrace to their titles and Gear. It says a lot that both us AND Sylph can agree on just how bad the other Heroes are. As a result, the other nations want Delgunner to keep them on a short leash, as they want nothing to do with those four loose cannons. And poor Celtic has had to run around and clean up after them, working himself ragged, and has also had to carry them through Infinator’s waves. The guy must have a spine of titanium, as it should’ve collapsed from all the heavy lifting he’s had to do thanks to those four by now.”
Gram looked alarmed, “The other Heroes are THAT bad?! I’m… I’m at a loss. Why are they that bad?”
Zuzu, who was floating lazily above them, replied, “They see this world as one big game. From what we know, they’ve played numerous games that have a similar setup as this world, called RPGs. As a result, they automatically assume that this world is just another one of their games and not a real world. Celtic has been trying to hammer the truth into their heads since Day 1 but they refuse to listen, especially since they’re furious that the ‘useless’ Shroud Hero is more competent, heroic, and beloved than they are. As someone who has lived long enough to see at least the previous generation of Legendary Heroes, those four are absolute disgraces to their titles and Gear. It’s the one thing that Infinator’s faction and our party can agree on.”
Gram looked horrified, “They’re treating this world like it’s a big game?! I’m… I’m speechless. I’ve heard so many good stories about past Legendary Heroes. The fact that the Shroud is the only competent Hero in the current generation is alarming. Our world won’t survive if they keep that destructive behavior up.” He then got into a hasty bow, “M-My apologies for everything, Sir Shroud Hero! I was wrong to cause a problem for you! Forgive me!”
Celtic merely sighed, “At least you understand the situation now. That’s reassuring, as I don’t need a Lucas 2.0 giving me grief.”
The warrior looked up, “B-By the way… I know I have no right to ask, especially since I wagered it, but will you return my Zenithton Blade to me? I can’t fight without it.”
Celtic put his book down and stood up, “And that’s another problem that the Legendary Stooges have. They are relying on their Legendary Gear’s raw power and default capabilities to carry them, not investing in themselves or learning things like strategy, which is why they’ve been beaten by Infinator’s forces so many times. You’re doing the exact same thing and that’s disappointing. However… you have potential, yet you’re squandering it by relying on your Zenithton Blade’s raw power and capabilities. You need to invest in yourself and become a real warrior, one that the world can respect. While you’ve probably racked up quite the good reputation because of your weapon, as I proved in that fight, once you’ve been disarmed you’re a pushover. That’s unfortunate, as I can see you’ve got almost untapped potential within you.”
Gram looked up, surprised, “Y-You mean I’ve been doing the exact same thing the other Heroes have been doing? T-Then what should I do?”
Celtic smiled inwardly, thinking, “Good, this one is actually listening to what I have to say. My plan may just work.” He then said aloud, “I suggest you go purchase a regular sword from a blacksmith and use that instead. Here’s some words of wisdom that I learned on Earth: The weapon does not make the warrior, but the warrior holding the weapon. If you train yourself to become a better warrior then it won’t matter what weapon you’re wielding, as you, yourself, will be the weapon. A weapon is just a tool, after all. You are the force behind it and the one that guides it. It is you who ultimately wins the battle, not the weapon. By training yourself you will become stronger than any weapon could ever hope to be, with the weapon in question supplementing your power. I know that for a fact I’ve trained myself alongside my party to become a weapon, as the Shroud has restrictions that I had to get around in order to become the warrior that I am today. I still have room for improvement, but, as the old saying goes, ‘Perfection should be seeked, but not obtained’. You’ve got the potential to become a warrior that could put even the other Legendary Heroes to shame, but you need to master the weapon that is yourself first. My suggestion is this. Go to Danial’s Blacksmith, he's just a few buildings down to the east from this fountain. He’s got good quality stuff for equally good prices. I suggest you pick up a Skeleton Soldier sword from him, as he should have at least one or two reforged by now, though his magic iron swords are not too shabby, either.”
Gram asked, “Why a Skeleton Soldier sword?”
“Skeleton Soldier swords are surprisingly high-quality. They’re well-balanced, durable, long-lasting, and quite beefy in the Attack stat department. Considering that Skeleton Soldiers seem to be the bread and butter of Infinator’s monster army means that their swords are not hard to come by, though they need to be reforged first to unlock their full potential. Again, go to Danial’s, as he’s got really good quality for the price. Plus, we go to him, so we know first-hand how good his stuff is. Use that sword instead of the Zenithton Blade so you can train yourself as both a warrior and a person. Another suggestion is to go to the knight’s training area and use the Shadow Simulator. It’s a Shadokor-designed training simulator that allows the user to fight three ‘shadow’ monsters, which possess all the stats, abilities, and techniques as the real deal but cannot legitimately hurt you, effectively giving you all the benefits with none of the risks. I should know, I had a hand in designing it. If you do, the knights there will give you the rundown on it. And don’t worry, it’s free for the public to use, so you won’t have to worry about being barred from using it.”
Gram nodded, standing up, “Okay, so I should go to Danial’s Blacksmith and get a reforged Skeleton Soldier sword and also check out this Shadow Simulator at the knight’s training area. But… what is the fate of my Zenithton Blade?”
“I sold it.”
The warrior looked alarmed, “You SOLD it!? Please tell me your joking!”
“Yeah, I am,” Celtic said with a wry smile, causing Gram to stumble.
“Whew… so, where is it?” he asked.
“I traded it for some rare materials for crafting.”
“You TRADED it!? Please tell me that’s a lie!”
“Yeah, it is,” Celtic said with a bigger wry smile, making Gram stumble again.
“Please stop doing that…” Gram sighed defeatedly. “You’re going to give me a heart attack if you keep that up.”
“Humor me,” the redhead smiled. “I’m part demon, after all, we love to mess with people to get their reactions.”
Zuzu chuckled, “He’s right you know. As I’m a Succuryn, a female-only species of demon, I can certainly confirm that. We demons just love ruffling other people’s feather for our amusement. It’s just part of being a demon.”
Celtic then turned around and said, “Tek-Pak, eject item number 001783.”
A light formed from underneath the Shroud, projecting something, causing Gram’s sword to appear, making his eyes widen.
“My Zenithton Blade!” he cried happily.
Celtic transformed his arm into Fighter Sword and pointed it at Gram to keep him from grabbing the sword, “Not so fast. While I am returning this to you, you need to keep your promise about picking up a different sword and using that from now on. You can still use the Zenithton Blade, but only use it if you’re hopelessly outmatched against a foe. Effectively, turn the Zenithton Blade into a trump card and not your default weapon. Do that and you’ll become a warrior of the highest caliber, potentially even worthy of a Spiria.”
Gram’s eyes became as wide as saucers, “S-Spiria!? The Spiria have returned!? How? When?”
Skye chuckled, “Boy, you really are behind on the times. The Light Lighthouse was activated recently thanks to Sylph stealing the Light Gem. We’ve managed to plug it back up with a replica while the Druids are working on a perfect copy with anti-evil properties to act as a more permanent solution to keep Sylph from just plucking it as well. Because of the sudden increase in elemental energy the Spiria emerged from a long hibernation and have returned to the world. We were the ones who ‘discovered’ this, although, to be technical, one took a liking to Celtic and hitched a ride without us knowing. We only discovered it because it started snoring, alerting us to its presence. And, as it turns out, we’ve all proven worthy of the Spiria, as we each have two now. As further proof that we’re the superior Hero’s party, the other Heroes haven’t earned a single Spiria, with some of our Spiria having escaped the other Heroes and bonded with us instead, like Zuzu’s first Spiria.”
Gram looked at Celtic, “Is this true?”
Celtic replied, “I’ll show you.” He held out his metal hand and stated, “Gust, Icicle, come forth!”
Two spheres of light formed, orbited around him before landing on the ground, taking the form of Gust and a new Spiria. Icicle had a somewhat lanky body, mostly ice blue in color, with a light purple belly, short legs ending in long feet, a long tail ending in a drill-like shape, small fringes on its back, a head vaguely shaped like a knight’s helmet with a trio of crests, and deep orange eyes. Gram and the girls in his party went slack-jawed at the two Spiria. Celtic bent down and scooped them up, allowing the two Spiria to jump on his shoulders and nuzzle against him.
“These are my two Spiria: Gust and Icicle, a Wind and Ice Spiria, respectively. Gust was my first Spiria and the one that Skye mentioned just a moment ago, the one that we first ‘discovered’, so to speak.”
The girls in Gram’s party gushed, “They’re adorable!”
Gram looked at the Spiria, his eyes sparkling like a child at Christmas, “Those are Spiria. They’re amazing! I never thought I’d see one in my life! They’ve actually returned after 2,500 years. And you’re saying that the other Heroes have proven unworthy of the Spiria but you and your party proved worthy? Wow, I was really wrong about you. And… and you think I could become worthy of one myself?”
“It’s possible. As you are now, I doubt it, but maybe if you train yourself in earnest and become a stronger, better person, a Spiria may come to you. Spiria have high standards, so earning one can be hard, but if you prove worthy of one then you’ve made a friend for life.”
Gram nodded, taking his Zenithton Blade back before standing up, “Then I will abide by your suggestion. If it’ll make me a stronger, better person, possibly even worthy of the legendary Spiria, then I will do as you say.”
Celtic nodded, gaining a smile, “Good. Considering I’ve tried to hammer that lesson into the other Heroes but they won’t listen it’s rather refreshing to see someone actually listening to what I’m trying to teach. Do that and you could become a warrior that can run circles around the Sword, Spear, Axe, and Bow Heroes. And maybe, just maybe a Spiria will come to you. They can sense things on a level that puts even the Druids to shame, so if you work hard and train yourself and you could possibly become worthy of a Spiria. Now, go forth and become a warrior that the Flugel Kingdom can take pride in.”
Gram nodded, “Yes, I will. Thank you. And… again, I’m sorry for the trouble I caused. You have surprisingly high wisdom with equally wise words despite being a rather dark if pragmatic Hero. But if your track record is as solid as you say, then I trust that wisdom. Farewell, noble Shroud Hero. The next time we meet I will be a stronger, better person.”
He held out his hand to Celtic, who gave him a smile and shook it, making the rest of the party smile. Gram and his party headed toward Danial’s shop to follow up on the Shroud Hero’s advice.
Celtic said mentally, “My plan worked perfectly. I was able to mold him into a form that would help him grow out of his bad habits and become a better person. If only the Legendary Stooges could learn from his example. He’s got the potential, that’s for sure, so hopefully he’ll learn to tap into it and become a warrior of the highest caliber. One that even the other Heroes will have to respect. Only time will tell if this diamond in the rough will glow brightly.”
Next Chapter: The Devil’s Maze
And that's all for now. Looks like the Shroud Hero party has a new friend. Will he help them? Tune in next time to find out.
Gram the Gallant
It was the following day since the Fun Box incident. The five Heroes and their parties had gathered in King Alvin’s throne room. They were awaiting their royal stipends for their efforts in the most recent wave. King Alvin was seated at his throne with five servants next to him. He looked over the room before clearing his throat.
“The five Legendary Heroes and their parties are all present and accounted for,” he said. “Then let us begin. I present to you your royal stipends for your efforts against Infinator’s forces. The Sword, Axe, and Bow Heroes will each receive 4,000 silver.”
Three of the servants presented the coin pouches to Ryan, Eric, and Jerry, who eagerly took them.
“Next up, as punishment for recent events, the Spear Hero will be rewarded 1,000 silver.”
Another servant held out a smaller pouch of coins to Lucas, who took them, grumbling.
“Finally, the Shroud Hero will be rewarded 6,500 silver, as it was his party that dealt the killing blow to one of Infinator’s Demon Generals.”
The final servant presented the largest pouch of coins to Celtic, who graciously took them.
Lucas grumbled, “Of course he gets the largest amount.”
King Alvin gave him an icy glare, making the Spear Hero flinch, “You should be thankful that I’m giving you anything at all, Spear Hero! After what you and Wench did yesterday, you’re lucky I didn’t dock you your entire payment. Not only did you violate another Hero out of selfishness and pride, but you also endangered the general public with that stunt. If any monsters get past the city walls it is a major deal, as they can, and will, attack indiscriminately, looking for easy prey. Be very thankful that they only focused on the Shroud Hero, as if any of those clown monsters had harmed a hair on a civilian’s head you’d be in even deeper trouble. So, you have absolutely no room to be critical about who gets the larger stipend, since you could’ve lost your entire paycheck if those Harlikills and Killjoys hurt anyone else! You and Wench are still in hot water right now, so I expect you to behave and not cause any more problems, especially to another Hero. Is that clear!?”
The Spear Hero sighed, “Yes, Your Majesty…”
Ryan turned to Lucas, stating in a cold tone, “You really crossed a line yesterday, Lucas. Eric, Jerry, and I may not like Celtic either, but we would never go that far and exploit his fear to our advantage. Especially me, since it was Celtic who helped me when my fear of drowning was forced out of me. And, just like King Alvin said, letting in those four monsters could’ve caused collateral damage to the area and civilians, something that no Hero should do. It was fortunate that the Harlikills and Killjoys didn’t pull stunts like taking hostages or it could’ve been even worse. So, you don’t have the right to talk about who gets preferred treatment and such since it was your reckless stunt that could’ve endangered innocent lives. You brought that upon yourself, so you’re getting punished for it. Simple as that.”
Eric and Jerry nodded in agreement, giving Lucas and Wench looks of contempt. Wench was muttering to herself, clearly thinking of ways to get revenge. Queen Amelia noticed this.
“I hope for your sake you’re not plotting anything else, Wench,” the Queen growled. “I can see that look on your face and in your eyes. If you try anything else you and a jail cell will be getting very acquainted with each other soon. Considering you spent the rest of yesterday cleaning them as your punishment and did a rather lousy job at it to boot, they’ll look quite familiar to you if that happens. So, don’t try anything or you’ll be sorry.”
Wench turned her head away, grumbling, “Yes…”
King Alvin stated, “You’d better, long ears. Why can’t you take a page from Lady Skye’s book and actually do something that doesn’t cause long-term problems for everyone? Lady Skye is a shining example of what a Light Elf should be, so you can learn a lot from her. Just a suggestion that I highly recommend you take into consideration.”
Skye gained a smug smirk, clearly enjoying the praise and Wench’s frustration. This did not go unnoticed by Wench, who was glaring at the younger Light Elf with hate-filled eyes. While King Alvin and Queen Amelia noticed this attitude they decided to leave it be.
“In any case, good job during the most recent wave, Heroes,” King Alvin said in a more pleasant tone. “With another Demon General down that gives us one more foothold against Infinator. We still have a long way to go, though. And, according to the Shadokor, this most recent wave has struck in the remaining areas where previous dimensional gateways to the Demon Realm once existed. Which means that Infinator will have most likely gathered the needed information to start narrowing down his targets. The Shadokor are checking the various areas where waves have taken place to see if the dimensional walls between Zakota and the Demon Realm have gotten weaker. When they gather that information, King Duskbane will present the information to all of us. This’ll help us try to predict where Infinator will strike next, which will be a much-needed advantage if we want to stop him. Now, with all that taken care of, you are all dismissed. We will have the celebration party for the defeat of another one of Infinator’s Demon Generals tomorrow evening, and I expect everyone to behave this time. You’re free to go.”
Celtic turned to his party, “Let’s go, team. We’ve got some work to do.”
“Right!” his party said in unison.
As he and his party left, Wench eyed them, secretly planning more schemes to use against them.
Meanwhile, in a far away location from Delgunner’s capital, a fierce battle was taking place. A young man wearing impressive armor and two women were bravely facing down a powerful-looking monster. This monster looked similar to a crustacean crossed with a scorpion, having a large armored body, three sets of large pincers, three sets of legs, a large, thick tail ending in a stinger, and a large, armored head with glowing eyes and a mouth full of fangs.
One of the girls stated, “There it is! The legendary beast known as the Desert Destroyer!”
The other girl replied, “It’s huge! Do we really stand a chance?”
The young man stood his ground, “We cannot allow this beast to continue rampaging! It has already killed well over a dozen people with its armor-crushing claws and powerful stinger! We must fell this creature here and now!”
The two girls said in a dreamy tone, “Oh, Sir Gram! So brave and noble!”
Gram raised his sword, which was a very impressive-looking one, having an appearance that seemed like a more stylized and bulkier version of the Legendary Sword with a dragon motif. He started to channel energy into it, his eyes focused on the beast.
“With the power of my divine sword: the Zenithton Blade, I will put an end to you here and now!” he roared.
With one swing of his sword followed by a massive burst of light the battle was over. The entire upper body of the Desert Destroyer had been vaporized, leaving only its legs and stinger, which flopped to the ground. The girls cheered as Gram smiled triumphantly.
“The Desert Destroyer has been slain,” he said proudly. “Never again will this creature terrorize the people of this area.”
“Oh, Sir Gram! You’re the best!” the girls cheered in a dreamy tone.
A week had passed since these events. Celtic and his party had just returned from a job request. By that point, each member of the party had acquired a second Spiria, much to the fury and jealousy of the other Heroes, who still had yet to acquire even one. At the same time Gram and his female party members had arrived at Delgunner.
Gram looked the capital city over, “So, this is Delgunner’s capital. It certainly dwarfs my kingdom’s capital, that’s for sure. I hear that the Legendary Heroes are working for Delgunner. Though, I wonder… why are all five here? Didn’t the world forum decide that they’d be distributed across the top five kingdoms? Why are all five of them here?”
One of the girls said, “Didn’t the Light Elves summon all five of them to their sorry excuse for a kingdom in a bid for more power?”
The other girl nodded, “Yeah, that’s true. But it doesn’t explain why Delgunner has all five now.”
Gram said, “Let’s ask, as it is rather strange that Delgunner now has custody of all five Legendary Heroes instead of distributing them across the five major nations like it was agreed. Besides, we could use a rest and some supplies.”
Suddenly, they noticed Celtic and his party, their eyes widening.
“Hey, isn’t that the Legendary Shroud?” one of the girls asked Gram.
“Yes, it is!” Gram replied. “Talk about perfect timing. I bet he’ll know why all five Heroes are in one place. Hmm?”
He then noticed Skye and the slave crest on her chest, his eyes widening in shock.
“W-What?! The Shroud Hero has a slave as a party member?!” His eyes narrowed, “That cannot be allowed. No noble Hero should have a slave.”
He started to storm up to the party. Zuzu was the first to take notice of him.
“Oh, great,” she said. “Look out, Celtic, as it looks like you’re going to have to deal with another headache-causing warrior today.”
Celtic merely sighed before turning to Gram, “Can I help you?”
“Are you the Shroud Hero?” Gram asked.
“Yes.”
“Then tell me. Why do you have a slave on your team?! A man with your title should not be permitted to keep a slave on your team! Free her at once! I demand you do so!”
Celtic rubbed his eyes in an annoyed fashion, “Before you go about making demands, you should tell me who you are first.”
“Very well. I am Gram Liechien, a proud warrior from the Flugel Kingdom. I have a few questions for you. But before that, why do you have a slave in your party? A Hero shouldn’t be allowed to have a slave on their team, as it is completely wrong! It goes against everything that the Legendary Heroes mean! I demand you free her right here and now. If you don’t, I’ll fight you in a duel to free her. I’ll even wager my divine sword to get my point across.”
Skye placed her hands akimbo, “Hey, Grammy, did it ever occur to you that you’re looking at this situation at face-value and not taking a moment to actually think what the truth is?”
Gram wasn’t listening, stating, “I demand you fight me here and now.”
Celtic, clearly having enough, immediately transformed his arm into Fighter Sword and lunged at him.
“Fine, then take this!” he roared.
Gram just barely dodged the preemptive attack before drawing his sword, surprised that Celtic would fight like that. Celtic transformed his arm into Mag-Bolt.
“Have a taste of my Mag-Bolt!”
Celtic activated the magnetic power of Mag-Bolt. Before Gram could react the magnetic energies snatched his sword from him, eyes widening in response. Celtic then used the sword that was being held by the Mag-Bolt’s energy to slam the flat side down on top of Gram’s head. This attack knocked him out instantly, causing him to crumple to the ground, out cold, much to his female party member’s dismay.
“That’ll teach you to go about making demands like that and shooting your mouth off,” Celtic said acidly. “And there is a reason why helmets exist. Try one of them instead of a circlet for headgear.”
Zuzu couldn’t help but snicker, “Fighting like a true demon. That’s something I like about you.”
While still holding the sword with the Mag-Bolt, Celtic examined it. Leon looked it over as well.
“I could be mistaken, but I think that’s a Zenithton Blade,” he said. “From what I know, it’s said to be just one tier lower than the Legendary Sword itself, just like my Starburst Bow. They say it has tremendous raw power and capabilities similar to the Legendary Sword. In fact, if I’m remembering correctly what I learned back with the Templars, they say that the Zenithton Blade was considered an early design for the Legendary Sword. While, obviously, the Legendary Sword became its own weapon, the Zenithton Blade is considered strong enough to rival it because it was the original design. I’m surprised this guy has one considering how insanely rare they are.”
Viola observed the blade and the knocked-out Gram before stating, “Judging how easily he was beaten once he was disarmed, I’m guessing this guy has been relying on the blade’s raw power and abilities to the point that any actual skill as a warrior has been stunted.”
Rupert rolled his eyes, “Great, we’ve got a Legendary Hero clone. Just what we needed. As if we didn’t have enough issues with the actual Legendary Stooges, now we have a copycat warrior.”
Skye shook her head, “And the nerve of the guy, taking my situation at face-value and making demands of just simply asking about my situation instead. Really, this whole conflict could’ve been avoided if he didn’t act like Lucas and charge head-long into this fight.”
The cogs in Celtic’s mind started to spin as he looked the situation over. An idea came into his head, gaining a small smirk. The other party members noticed this.
“We know that look,” Tyroe said. “You’ve got a plan for him, don’t you, Cel?”
Celtic replied, “You could say that Tyroe. The question remains if he’ll play his part in my plan correctly or not. Anyway, we’re done here. Let’s go grab some lunch.”
As Celtic placed the Zenithton Blade in his Tek-Pak the two females in Gram’s party stepped up.
“Cheater!” one girl spat. “We won’t accept this!”
“Give back the Zenithton Blade now, we demand it!” the second girl stated.
Skye gave them a look that made them flinch, “You did hear that he wagered it as part of this little ordeal, right? Celtic won, so the Zenithton Blade is now his. Deal with it.”
As the party walked off, the girls spat, “Some ‘Hero’ you are!”
Celtic rolled his eyes as they walked, thinking, “They’ll be singing a different tune once I’m done with that Gram guy. This was just the beginning. I have plans for him.”
A few hours later the party was at their favorite spot by the large fountain in the center of the city, simply taking it easy. However, Gram and his female party members walked up to them, clearly in a huff.
“Shroud Hero!” he stated. “I’ve heard some pretty nasty things about you!”
Celtic, who didn’t even bother to look up from his book, replied, “Let me guess. You talked to Spear Hero? Or maybe Wench? Either way, sounds like those two are spreading propaganda about me again. They never learn.”
“Yes, I spoke to the Spear Hero and he told me a lot of horrible things about you! I demand…” but was cut off by Skye grabbing the front of his breastplate and lifting him up, surprising him with her strength.
“You really need to get your facts straight, Grammy,” she hissed. “And you went to the absolute worse source for information. The Spear Hero, or as we call him Pointy Stick Boy, has a vendetta against Celtic because of the lies that my species created about him! He’s nothing more than a puppet to Wench, my spoiled, rotten, irredeemable, vile sociopathic older sister. You clearly haven’t caught up with the current events, otherwise you’d know that Celtic is the only Hero who has lived up to his title while the Sword, Spear, Axe, and Bow Heroes have been walking disaster zones! Then again, you said you’re from the Flugel Kingdom, so that would explain it, as they are notoriously known for getting the world’s current events late due to how isolated the kingdom is. But I suggest you start playing nice with Celtic, as he’s not only the Shroud Hero, but also the long-lost prince of both Shadoria and Wichwoode, the Shadokor and Druid kingdoms. So, he’s also royalty, thus you should be more respectful toward him.”
Gram’s eyes widened, “T-The Shroud Hero is the prince of both Shadoria and Wichwoode?! How?!”
Viola, who was lounging in her favorite tree, replied, “His father was Noir, the prince of the Shadokor, while his mother was Gardenia, the princess of the Druids, though she was forced to give up the right to the throne upon marrying Noir due to the Druids’ ‘codes’. They were attacked and killed by Sylph when Celtic was just an infant, but due to a botched teleportation spell he got sent to Earth, where he was raised by a human couple before getting dragged back to this world to become the Shroud Hero. The current rulers of Shadoria and Wichwoode, King Duskbane and Queen Rease, confirmed that Celtic is their long-lost nephew: thus is considered part of both royal families. As a result, Celtic gets extra benefits because he’s both the Shroud Hero and a member of two powerful royal families. So, you really need to get your facts straight before you give Celtic grief.”
Gram’s eyes widened even more, turning to Celtic, “I-Is that true?”
Celtic replied in a bored tone, “Yeah, it’s true. It surprised me, too, as I never knew I had royal blood in me. Life’s strange like that.”
“But why do you have a slave? A member of two nobilities and a Legendary Hero shouldn’t have one.”
Skye put him down before stating, “Did it ever occur to you that I’m fine with this situation? Let me give you a brief recap of what happened to me. I was the second princess of the Light Elves. Because I kept uprooting my race’s various get-more-power-quick schemes they decided to get rid of me by selling me to slavery. I didn’t go down without a fight, though, but I ultimately ended up a slave. Celtic, fresh off from my species’ betrayal due to their stupid hatred of darkness, purchased me because he learned I was also violated by the Light Elves. Thus, as he put it, ‘misery loves company’. He wasn’t in his right mind at the time because the betrayal was just one part of his issues, as he hates slavery. But once I had been purchased and rebranded, he came to his senses and tried to free me. However, I had learned of what had happened and pledged my allegiance to him willingly. Celtic is a kind master to me, although at this point that’s more of a technicality, as I’m more like a loyal soldier who follows a beloved general. Celtic ultimately saved me and I’m proud to both be his slave and right-hand woman. I will eventually have this slave crest removed, but presently I have my reasons for leaving alone. Do you now understand?”
Gram looked stunned, “Y-You actually don’t mind your current status? Even though it’s wrong?”
“Slavery is wrong, as Celtic agrees with that, but it’s better than rotting away in a cage. Besides, Celtic isn’t the first Legendary Hero to have a slave and won’t be the last, so it’s nothing new at this point. He treats me with dignity and respect despite that status, and I love him for it. I’m more of his slave by choice now and I’m not getting forced into anything I don’t want. Again, I’ll have this status removed eventually, but I’m perfectly fine with it for now. Being Celtic’s slave was pretty much a blessing in disguise, as it allowed me to finally put my treasonous race in their place and pretty much freed me from my horrible past. I owe Celtic my life, and I’ll proudly march into battle for him, especially given the current situation. I’m not blindly loyal, however, as I can see his vices as well as his virtues, but that doesn’t stop me from loving him because of how well he treats me. I’m his second-in-command and right-hand woman despite being a slave and I’m perfectly fine with that. For Celtic’s sake I will eventually have the crest removed, but I have my reasons for leaving it be for the time. Hopefully I’ve educated you about my true status, as taking my situation at face-value is just asking for a whupping. Do you understand now?”
Gram looked stunned but nodded, “Yes… yes I see that I was wrong to charge in without actually taking the time to learn about the truth. My apologies.”
Celtic merely said, “There’s hope for you yet. Apology accepted.”
“But I need to know. Why did the Spear Hero speak so negatively about you? And, for that matter, why does Delgunner have custody of all five Legendary Heroes?”
Leon replied, “The Spear Hero has had a very antagonistic relationship with Celtic since Day 1, mainly due to the lies of the Light Elves. And even to this day, despite the mountain of evidence against Wench, he still believes her to be innocent of her numerous crimes. Not to mention he and Wench recently tried to prey upon Celtic’s fear of clowns by siccing a pair of Harlikills and a pair of Killjoys on him right in the middle of the city purely out of petty spite. Celtic ultimately prevailed and both Lucas and Wench were punished for it by both King Alvin and King Duskbane, especially since it endangered civilians. However, they’re blaming their punishment on Celtic despite the fact they were the aggressors, though it’s nothing new at this point, as they blame him for everything, especially if it’s their fault. Plus, Lucas is an idiot. Even the Sword, Axe, and Bow Heroes, who also cause numerous problems, see him as an idiot and actually took Celtic’s side on this one. This is rare since all five Legendary Heroes have a mutual dislike for each other.”
Tyroe then added, “As for the reason why Delgunner has custody of all five Heroes, well, the other nations want nothing to do with the other four Heroes. The four of them have been causing numerous disasters on their solo missions, are next to useless if not outright liabilities in Infinator’s waves, and are basically an absolute disgrace to their titles and Gear. It says a lot that both us AND Sylph can agree on just how bad the other Heroes are. As a result, the other nations want Delgunner to keep them on a short leash, as they want nothing to do with those four loose cannons. And poor Celtic has had to run around and clean up after them, working himself ragged, and has also had to carry them through Infinator’s waves. The guy must have a spine of titanium, as it should’ve collapsed from all the heavy lifting he’s had to do thanks to those four by now.”
Gram looked alarmed, “The other Heroes are THAT bad?! I’m… I’m at a loss. Why are they that bad?”
Zuzu, who was floating lazily above them, replied, “They see this world as one big game. From what we know, they’ve played numerous games that have a similar setup as this world, called RPGs. As a result, they automatically assume that this world is just another one of their games and not a real world. Celtic has been trying to hammer the truth into their heads since Day 1 but they refuse to listen, especially since they’re furious that the ‘useless’ Shroud Hero is more competent, heroic, and beloved than they are. As someone who has lived long enough to see at least the previous generation of Legendary Heroes, those four are absolute disgraces to their titles and Gear. It’s the one thing that Infinator’s faction and our party can agree on.”
Gram looked horrified, “They’re treating this world like it’s a big game?! I’m… I’m speechless. I’ve heard so many good stories about past Legendary Heroes. The fact that the Shroud is the only competent Hero in the current generation is alarming. Our world won’t survive if they keep that destructive behavior up.” He then got into a hasty bow, “M-My apologies for everything, Sir Shroud Hero! I was wrong to cause a problem for you! Forgive me!”
Celtic merely sighed, “At least you understand the situation now. That’s reassuring, as I don’t need a Lucas 2.0 giving me grief.”
The warrior looked up, “B-By the way… I know I have no right to ask, especially since I wagered it, but will you return my Zenithton Blade to me? I can’t fight without it.”
Celtic put his book down and stood up, “And that’s another problem that the Legendary Stooges have. They are relying on their Legendary Gear’s raw power and default capabilities to carry them, not investing in themselves or learning things like strategy, which is why they’ve been beaten by Infinator’s forces so many times. You’re doing the exact same thing and that’s disappointing. However… you have potential, yet you’re squandering it by relying on your Zenithton Blade’s raw power and capabilities. You need to invest in yourself and become a real warrior, one that the world can respect. While you’ve probably racked up quite the good reputation because of your weapon, as I proved in that fight, once you’ve been disarmed you’re a pushover. That’s unfortunate, as I can see you’ve got almost untapped potential within you.”
Gram looked up, surprised, “Y-You mean I’ve been doing the exact same thing the other Heroes have been doing? T-Then what should I do?”
Celtic smiled inwardly, thinking, “Good, this one is actually listening to what I have to say. My plan may just work.” He then said aloud, “I suggest you go purchase a regular sword from a blacksmith and use that instead. Here’s some words of wisdom that I learned on Earth: The weapon does not make the warrior, but the warrior holding the weapon. If you train yourself to become a better warrior then it won’t matter what weapon you’re wielding, as you, yourself, will be the weapon. A weapon is just a tool, after all. You are the force behind it and the one that guides it. It is you who ultimately wins the battle, not the weapon. By training yourself you will become stronger than any weapon could ever hope to be, with the weapon in question supplementing your power. I know that for a fact I’ve trained myself alongside my party to become a weapon, as the Shroud has restrictions that I had to get around in order to become the warrior that I am today. I still have room for improvement, but, as the old saying goes, ‘Perfection should be seeked, but not obtained’. You’ve got the potential to become a warrior that could put even the other Legendary Heroes to shame, but you need to master the weapon that is yourself first. My suggestion is this. Go to Danial’s Blacksmith, he's just a few buildings down to the east from this fountain. He’s got good quality stuff for equally good prices. I suggest you pick up a Skeleton Soldier sword from him, as he should have at least one or two reforged by now, though his magic iron swords are not too shabby, either.”
Gram asked, “Why a Skeleton Soldier sword?”
“Skeleton Soldier swords are surprisingly high-quality. They’re well-balanced, durable, long-lasting, and quite beefy in the Attack stat department. Considering that Skeleton Soldiers seem to be the bread and butter of Infinator’s monster army means that their swords are not hard to come by, though they need to be reforged first to unlock their full potential. Again, go to Danial’s, as he’s got really good quality for the price. Plus, we go to him, so we know first-hand how good his stuff is. Use that sword instead of the Zenithton Blade so you can train yourself as both a warrior and a person. Another suggestion is to go to the knight’s training area and use the Shadow Simulator. It’s a Shadokor-designed training simulator that allows the user to fight three ‘shadow’ monsters, which possess all the stats, abilities, and techniques as the real deal but cannot legitimately hurt you, effectively giving you all the benefits with none of the risks. I should know, I had a hand in designing it. If you do, the knights there will give you the rundown on it. And don’t worry, it’s free for the public to use, so you won’t have to worry about being barred from using it.”
Gram nodded, standing up, “Okay, so I should go to Danial’s Blacksmith and get a reforged Skeleton Soldier sword and also check out this Shadow Simulator at the knight’s training area. But… what is the fate of my Zenithton Blade?”
“I sold it.”
The warrior looked alarmed, “You SOLD it!? Please tell me your joking!”
“Yeah, I am,” Celtic said with a wry smile, causing Gram to stumble.
“Whew… so, where is it?” he asked.
“I traded it for some rare materials for crafting.”
“You TRADED it!? Please tell me that’s a lie!”
“Yeah, it is,” Celtic said with a bigger wry smile, making Gram stumble again.
“Please stop doing that…” Gram sighed defeatedly. “You’re going to give me a heart attack if you keep that up.”
“Humor me,” the redhead smiled. “I’m part demon, after all, we love to mess with people to get their reactions.”
Zuzu chuckled, “He’s right you know. As I’m a Succuryn, a female-only species of demon, I can certainly confirm that. We demons just love ruffling other people’s feather for our amusement. It’s just part of being a demon.”
Celtic then turned around and said, “Tek-Pak, eject item number 001783.”
A light formed from underneath the Shroud, projecting something, causing Gram’s sword to appear, making his eyes widen.
“My Zenithton Blade!” he cried happily.
Celtic transformed his arm into Fighter Sword and pointed it at Gram to keep him from grabbing the sword, “Not so fast. While I am returning this to you, you need to keep your promise about picking up a different sword and using that from now on. You can still use the Zenithton Blade, but only use it if you’re hopelessly outmatched against a foe. Effectively, turn the Zenithton Blade into a trump card and not your default weapon. Do that and you’ll become a warrior of the highest caliber, potentially even worthy of a Spiria.”
Gram’s eyes became as wide as saucers, “S-Spiria!? The Spiria have returned!? How? When?”
Skye chuckled, “Boy, you really are behind on the times. The Light Lighthouse was activated recently thanks to Sylph stealing the Light Gem. We’ve managed to plug it back up with a replica while the Druids are working on a perfect copy with anti-evil properties to act as a more permanent solution to keep Sylph from just plucking it as well. Because of the sudden increase in elemental energy the Spiria emerged from a long hibernation and have returned to the world. We were the ones who ‘discovered’ this, although, to be technical, one took a liking to Celtic and hitched a ride without us knowing. We only discovered it because it started snoring, alerting us to its presence. And, as it turns out, we’ve all proven worthy of the Spiria, as we each have two now. As further proof that we’re the superior Hero’s party, the other Heroes haven’t earned a single Spiria, with some of our Spiria having escaped the other Heroes and bonded with us instead, like Zuzu’s first Spiria.”
Gram looked at Celtic, “Is this true?”
Celtic replied, “I’ll show you.” He held out his metal hand and stated, “Gust, Icicle, come forth!”
Two spheres of light formed, orbited around him before landing on the ground, taking the form of Gust and a new Spiria. Icicle had a somewhat lanky body, mostly ice blue in color, with a light purple belly, short legs ending in long feet, a long tail ending in a drill-like shape, small fringes on its back, a head vaguely shaped like a knight’s helmet with a trio of crests, and deep orange eyes. Gram and the girls in his party went slack-jawed at the two Spiria. Celtic bent down and scooped them up, allowing the two Spiria to jump on his shoulders and nuzzle against him.
“These are my two Spiria: Gust and Icicle, a Wind and Ice Spiria, respectively. Gust was my first Spiria and the one that Skye mentioned just a moment ago, the one that we first ‘discovered’, so to speak.”
The girls in Gram’s party gushed, “They’re adorable!”
Gram looked at the Spiria, his eyes sparkling like a child at Christmas, “Those are Spiria. They’re amazing! I never thought I’d see one in my life! They’ve actually returned after 2,500 years. And you’re saying that the other Heroes have proven unworthy of the Spiria but you and your party proved worthy? Wow, I was really wrong about you. And… and you think I could become worthy of one myself?”
“It’s possible. As you are now, I doubt it, but maybe if you train yourself in earnest and become a stronger, better person, a Spiria may come to you. Spiria have high standards, so earning one can be hard, but if you prove worthy of one then you’ve made a friend for life.”
Gram nodded, taking his Zenithton Blade back before standing up, “Then I will abide by your suggestion. If it’ll make me a stronger, better person, possibly even worthy of the legendary Spiria, then I will do as you say.”
Celtic nodded, gaining a smile, “Good. Considering I’ve tried to hammer that lesson into the other Heroes but they won’t listen it’s rather refreshing to see someone actually listening to what I’m trying to teach. Do that and you could become a warrior that can run circles around the Sword, Spear, Axe, and Bow Heroes. And maybe, just maybe a Spiria will come to you. They can sense things on a level that puts even the Druids to shame, so if you work hard and train yourself and you could possibly become worthy of a Spiria. Now, go forth and become a warrior that the Flugel Kingdom can take pride in.”
Gram nodded, “Yes, I will. Thank you. And… again, I’m sorry for the trouble I caused. You have surprisingly high wisdom with equally wise words despite being a rather dark if pragmatic Hero. But if your track record is as solid as you say, then I trust that wisdom. Farewell, noble Shroud Hero. The next time we meet I will be a stronger, better person.”
He held out his hand to Celtic, who gave him a smile and shook it, making the rest of the party smile. Gram and his party headed toward Danial’s shop to follow up on the Shroud Hero’s advice.
Celtic said mentally, “My plan worked perfectly. I was able to mold him into a form that would help him grow out of his bad habits and become a better person. If only the Legendary Stooges could learn from his example. He’s got the potential, that’s for sure, so hopefully he’ll learn to tap into it and become a warrior of the highest caliber. One that even the other Heroes will have to respect. Only time will tell if this diamond in the rough will glow brightly.”
Next Chapter: The Devil’s Maze
And that's all for now. Looks like the Shroud Hero party has a new friend. Will he help them? Tune in next time to find out.
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