Becoming Legend

The town was enflame.

Long, terrorizing flame engulfed half of the town. Razed with the hungry, death-loving Devourer. The town went from grandeur to grungy.

Despite the razing, the town hall proved to be as sturdy as what the inhabitants say. But nothing lasts, eventually, like the rest of the history. Everything will become nostalgic.

Following the incident where the Devourer mined Ned's heart. Sir Edwin, afraid to lose the Mark, wrecked by the Devourer's tide-turning beam of mass-energy, used his Life Force to deal a significant amount of scratch at the dragon's bone armor.

Diamond Level against an unknown level of monster, possibly Grade SSS or worse, Lord level. The Knight used wits, tactics, and life force which enabled him to successfully mask their presence and made a daring escape. Eventually leading them to the town hall where he and the lifeless Ned made shelter.

Armor broke, arms twisted, wound-gaping holes, almost pale to blue skin. The knight knew he won't last long. He won't be able to hold any longer if a horde of ghoul attacked them. But from time to time, some wandering ghouls made its way inside the town hall. Sir Edwin had no choice but to defend. Forcing himself to use more of his Life Force - or what was left.

Aside from Mana, there was another form of energy that magic-users could use. This was the energy all living creatures had the moment they were born. The energy that supports life. The Life Force. For magic users, the use of Life Force is near to forbidden. The moment magic-user uses Life Force, their lifespan was exhausted as well. Once exhausted, expect that death would follow.

Clinching his fists. It frustrated Sir Edwin why he had to save Ned when he already knew the kid was already beyond saving - if not dead.

Inside the hall, a broken piece of antique, old, and burdened scrolls scattered. It would rather be called an exhibit room than a hall. In the middle, there lies Ned. The Devourer curved a perfect hole into his chest. Pale, cold, and beyond saving. The one kneeling, as if he was guarding Ned, was the Knight. "Too young to die. I'm sorry, Ned. This is beyond me," Sir Edwin muttered. His head swayed down at the lifeless body of Ned. Arching his body, his hands hung freely, while blood run down from his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. Unfortunately, it wasn't just Ned who's beyond saving. The two of them hung their foot near the edges of the underworld.

"After everything I have done, I guess, I deserved all these. I'm sorry, Testa. To think I would put you together with the person I hated the most. I couldn't save you. Not without the M"—along with the sticky and dark blood, Sir Edwin coughed—"not without this kid. I couldn't," the Knight scuffed. "What am I doing, talking to myself. Maybe this happens before we die. Talking to ourselves, trying to comfort."

"Legend..."

"Calahir, seriously?" Ned moaned.

Hearing the lifeless voice of Ned. Sir Edwin lifted his head to look at the parched and beyond recognition body of Ned. "Isashil!" The Knight almost cursed the Maker, whom they asked guidance for. Wiping the blood off his eyes, it left Sir Edwin beyond speechless. Behold in front of him. The hole that killed Ned was slowly and delicately repairing itself. The dark and mellow substance covered the edges of Ned's wound.

"What in the Maker are you, Ned! No! All hope hasn't been lost! His Life Force! Impossible! It's… it's coming back," Sir Edwin said. Mesmerized by the sight in front of him.

Beyond his blurry and dark vision, The Knight peeked at Ned's gesture when he tried to move his hands. "You're alive, Ned! You're alive!" Sir Edwin cried. He doesn't care if his lungs were torn apart from shouting.

"Who are you..." Ned said faintly.

"What?" Sir Edwin said. Narrowing his torn and bloodied brow, he was confused. He forced to move and lean his body towards Ned. Closed the gap between him and Ned, he asked. "Can you hear me, Ned?"

"Status…" Ned muttered.

"Your status? You're… you're alive, Ned," said Sir Edwin. Every second passed, the hole, that was almost a foot in diameter, slowly closing itself. "What magic is this!" The Knight bellowed. It frightened him with the phenomena happening in front of him. Frightened yet reserved with excitement.

Sir Edwin fell to silent when he sensed the mindless beasts were approaching. Instinct told him to yank open the pouch Ned had been tucking in. "Of course!" Grabbing the Rune, he himself gave Ned, was a surprise. Pulling the Rune and lifted it midair. The knight displayed a smile. Injecting his Mana, Sir Edwin threw the Rune on the ground. The Rune aimlessly bounced before it emits a fluorescent white light. Which made the incoming ghouls and Alghouls shriek in surprise. The Rune then formed a barrier, able to shield the two which will give them some time.

Without Mana, or Life Force. Sir Edwin would have a hard time battling even a couple of ghouls. Now, they were surrounded by dozens of Alghouls. Thankfully, the Barrier Rune came in handy.

"What!" Ned cried.

"Something's happening with you, Ned," Sir Edwin said. "The Mark! Yes! The Mark! It wasn't lost!" Joy outwitted pain. Sir Edwin was blissed that he forgot he himself was dying.

Sir Edwin wasn't even surprised anymore when he saw Ned's hair got bald. And regrow another hair. Silver and strong, short hair fixed on Ned. "Evolution?" Sir Edwin muttered. "He's not a beast, so why?"

Sir Edwin waved his hand, then a rough-edged cube appeared. A Record Cube; a Keeping Claim which records both visual and noise of the surrounding or the user.

Moments passed, Sir Edwin waved a hand, then a shiny stone piled in form of him. "And here's another, to aid you, this is my Personal Token. I injected my remaining Mana to prove that I gave it to you. Proof that you're my apprentice. Remember the deal, Ned. Even though I'm dead. There are still organizations or individuals who would go after the Mark. So, I suggest you make haste."

Waving another hand, Praha's Cube appeared out from his Spatial Ring. The record cube then turned dim. Put it in front of Ned together with the Praha's Cube. Lied down. Closed his eyes. And smiled. "I'll be going first, Testa." He whispered.

Not noticing the event happened beside him. The hole, Ned had, was now completely healed. Ned moved, jerked, and opened his eyes. "I would like to proceed as myself," Ned said with pride.

[Welcome back, Ned.]

"We're too late, ICE," Ned muttered. He stood, then saw the knight lying on the ground.

[Ned, thirty-two ghouls surrounding our position.]

"The Barrier will hold, lets wait it out," Ned said brusquely. Feeling his chest, Ned nodded satisfactorily. His old hunter's clothes remained tattered with a visible hole in the front. Leather hide piped to cover his legs down to his old hunter's boots. Old, yet valuable. Looking down, he noticed a set of items piled on the floor, besides the knight.

"Praha's Cube," Ned said faintly. Ned grabbed the Cube and issued a command. "Inspect."

[Notice: Praha's Cube was made with unknown materials.]

ICE, what's the meaning of this? I thought you could recognize items once inspected?

[Correct. But, Ned. If the materials weren't recorded in my system, I wouldn't know what materials they used.]

Your system, what's it based on? Ned asked within his thought.

[Calahir made my system according to the system of Sskat. Merged with the data Kamma gathered from Earth. If an item is unknown, then there's no record of that material in my system, neither does Earth. Unknown materials are yet to be discovered.]

So that's it.

With a thought, Ned put the Praha's Cube inside his inventory.

[Notice: item received 'Praha's Cube'.]

Ned grabbed the rest of the item the knight left.

[Notice: 30, 000 Mana stones received. A personal Token was received. Keeping Claim Received.]

"Keeping Claim, wonder what's inside," Ned injected Mana but was stopped abruptly by a voice.

"My will," Sir Edwin muttered.

"I thought you're dead, knight," Ned replied in a flat and uncaring tone.

"I thought too," replied the Knight. He remained to lie on the ground, for his life force was about to go to zero.

"You're dying, Knight, I can feel it."

"Now you can feel life force, what have you become? You looked," Sir Edwin paused. "Distinct. Your eyes looked exactly liked the King. Uncaring and uncanny."

"It should not concern you," Ned replied. "How about this, tell me how to open the Cube?"

"It's my Mana that is needed and my intent. Even if you force me to inject Mana, it won't open as long as I'm unwilling," explained the knight. "But, we had a deal, fulfill it, and you'll get to open the Cube." Forcing himself to talk was the most excruciating thing Sir Edwin did.

"What's the point of all this, if you're dying?"

"Doesn't matter if I'm dying," replied the knight while catching his breath. "What's important is my wife," he paused. "She's inside the Cube. I wanted to have the Mark and give it to my wife, so she would live longer."

[He's not lying, Ned.]

I know I can see it. But I don't want to burden myself with all these. I just want my Master, Ned replied mentally. "I don't care."

"You won't. I can see it in your eyes. But remember, you won't save your Master if Testa won't receive the Mark. If Testa dies, your Master will die. I made sure of it."

Ned furrowed. "So you're the only one who can open the Cube?"

"Correct," replied the knight. He coughed. Blood dripped. But continued. "I'm dying Ned, but I already injected Mana into the Cube and made a rule. If you have the Mark, the Cube will open. My wife will appear first. You give her the Mark. Once completed. The Cube will release your Master."

He's exactly like me. Will do everything for the people he loved. Ned thought. "It's a deal then. But this is the end for you. I don't want to keep a debt. So thank you for guarding and carrying me here."

"I know, I only did it for the Mark. You died, Ned. I knew it. I felt it. Your life force dropped. And you died. So, how was dying?"

"Well," Ned paused. "It's like sleeping."

"I'll take it with a grain of salt then, goodbye, Ned. Tell Testa. I love—"

"Wait!" Ned cried. Along with the echoing and screeching of the ghouls outside the barrier.

The knight paused, he's dying. Why would Ned want him to wait?

What do you think, ICE? I could just leave him to die here, I don't care. But seeing him like this made me feel like seeing my old self. Should I give him the chance?

[Logically. It's only right to give him a chance. He saved you. So, saving him will pay the debt in full. Plus, he's the only one who can open the Cube. That's less burden for you. You just need to extract the Mark.]

ICE's soft voice echoed.

Then it's decided then. Can I use Inspect on him?

[Negative. Inspect skill only applies to a non-living entity, but you can inject your Mana to see his overall status.]

Ned walked near the lying knight. Knelt and put his hand resting on Sir Edwin's chest. Ned noticed different shakes of bruises, scratches, and cut.

"What are you, Ned?"

"Giving back the favor," Ned replied. He then injected a negligible amount of mana into the Knight's body.

"This… your Mana… is so pure…" Sir Edwin muttered. "But it's too late, Ned. I'm beyond saving."

"You won't know it until you try."

ICE, how was it?

[Multiple organ injuries, failing system, massive amount of impurities, Life Energy is at 11%. His left hand. He won't be able to use it if wasn't repaired in time. Mana is completely depleted. Overall. He is at a critical level and dying.]

But it wasn't too late, Ned told ICE. He stood, walked towards the barrier. And smiled.

[Correct. If you can find someone who's able to use a high-tier healing spell. Or you could learn healing spells. The Knight and even your Master will recover.]

"Ned, what are you doing, I'm dying, leave me now," said the Knight.

"No, it's your lucky day," replied Ned. "You will live."

Within his thoughts. Ned ordered ICE.

ICE, connect, and prepare the pod.