Next to Lowen laid a pile of sticks as tall as him, each one was a potential magic tool but now they're nothing more than failures. In front of him lay 5 sticks each clean and bare without any bark to speak of. On each stick were grooves of ancient writing, although each symbol represented something magical, to Lowen it only looked like chicken scratch and ugly scribbles. The reason why Lowen ended up with so little even though he started with such a huge pile of materials was the difficult nature in inscribing. In order to make a magic tool, you have to inscribe it and when you write the ancient symbols down you can not pause for even a second or the entire process will be a failure not only that you also have to continuously supply magic energy into the magic tool during the entire process. once more if you stop then the magic tool will also be a failure. The final thing that made Inscribing so difficult was the fact that Lowen was only a 1st circle Mage and not a 2nd.

Technically he shouldn't be able to inscribe with magic at all being only a 1st circle Mage, but since he can use ki he can just barely manage. The first circle of magic was called the circle of nature when one becomes a 1st circle Mage their abilities are quite limited. At that level, one can only summon the elements and that's about it, however at the 2nd circle of magic, the circle of force, one is able to not only summon an earth element but they can also manipulate it without touch, change its shape and even make said earth element even denser then it currently is. In order to inscribe you need this 2nd circle force to move your magic energy into whatever material you are inscribing on. Lowen didn't possess that so instead he would use his ki to basically push his magic into the sticks. With this process, he could succeed but the difficulty was obvious, out of 200 sticks he had just managed to create 5 magic tools, each with the same earth ball spell inscribed on it. With a 2.5% success rate, Lowen shook his head in bitterness.

(Damn, this has taken me all day and yet I only managed to make 5 of these stupid sticks.)

Lowen wanted to throw them away in disappointment but at the same time, he just couldn't bear to. These 5 sticks were the only things that represented all the hard work and effort he had put in. After testing these new magic tools and confirming they each worked, Lowen simply put them away.

Standing up Lowen stretched his back in satisfaction. Smelling the sun on his fur cloth and feeling a cold breeze nip at him Lowen's disappointment soon faded away. Picking up his bow, he slung it on his back along with some arrows. As he was about to walk away he remembered his family sword, although Lowen wasn't much of a sword user but knowing this sword was special made him want to treasure it more. Lowen had no sheath or anywhere to attach the sword on him and he didn't want to carry it in his hand the whole time. Thinking about this problem Lowen remembered one of the inscriptions on the sword meant [flexible] and that all he needed to activate it was a bit of magic energy. With a thought, the sword in his hand was filled with earth energy and with another, the sword began to bend like rubber causing quite a funny sight. Taking the sword Lowen wrapped it around his arm and with a thought, he extended his arm with great speed, causing the sword to jump in his hand and harden instantly. With another thought, the sword left his hand and wrapped back around his arm like a snake. Lowen stood there for a moment, a large grin plastered on his face.

(How useful, with this I could surprise my enemy, possibly dealing a lethal strike before they even know what hit them. The only problem now is the fact that I don't have sleeves, so anyone that has eyes can see my sword wrapped around my arm.)

With a quick movement, Lowen launched his Shadow Steps racing off out of the village and into the nearby forest. With nothing to do and a new found strength as well as a treasured sword, Lowen was curious to test all of the above.

------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, someone was moving stealthily through the village. As this figure came upon Nia and Ben's home he cursed in whispered breaths.

"Fucking piece of trash, you think I'd ever let that go."

As this person tore off the cloth that hung on Nia and Ben's home as a front door, the person jumped into the little shack ready to kill, however, upon seeing no one around, this person once more swore to themselves and kicked over a cooking pot, spilling the contents everywhere. The person then turned around and left just as quickly as they had appeared, off in search for the person they loathe.

Nia and Ben were in the village square completely unaware of the happenings of their home, instead they were trading meat they got from Lowen for vegetables and spices. Now that Roland had declared that no one is allowed to mess with Nia or Ben or the would have to deal with him, all of the villager's attitudes had done a complete 180. From the once hateful sneers and scornful words, everyone now acted as though that never happened. Ben was still very naive and didn't understand why all of the adults had suddenly changed and didn't really care, he was just glad that no one was mean. Nia, on the other hand, was older and she understood the situation perfectly. Seeing all of these people putting on false smiles and pretending to be nice, Nia, she could see thru it all and was disgusted with these people. After everything Nia went thru over the last year, this had caused her to not only change emotionally but mentally as well. Besides Lowen and Ben, there was no one else she trusted, no one else she would lower her guard for. Seeing these people smiling at her she too did the same, she too would act until she needn't act anymore.

As the two made their way thru the village square suddenly a shout from behind was heard.

"Greg, who let you out?"

This villager grabbed Greg on the shoulder, looking to hold him until others arrived. He knew straight away that something was off and shouted loudly trying to attract attention. Usually, if someone has broken the rules but is later released by the elders or the chief, then at that time there would have been some sort of announcement. Seeing as there was none though, the villager immediately knew something was wrong.

Greg ignored this man and shook himself loose, as he spotted Nia and Ben in the crowd, his eyes flashed with anger and he pulled a knife from inside his waistband. The villager saw this and shouted again.

"Someone help! Greg has escaped and he has a knife, help me stop him!"

The villager's heard this and everyone's eyes focused in on Greg and the sharp blade in his hand. Many people grew panicked while a few of the calmer men ran over to Greg trying to get a hold of him and free the knife from his grasp. Greg, however, was not actually a bad fighter and he quickly cut a few of the men causing many in the crowd to scream and scatter. Nia saw this and grabbed Ben by the hand and raced away but how could Greg let them escape. He sliced another man in the hand and stabbed another in the shoulder before catching up with Nia and Ben with a grab he wrapped his large arm around Nia's neck while kicking Ben squarely in the stomach.

*THUD*

Ben was hit so hard that he instantly fell to the ground and rolled several feet. Grabbing his stomach in pain Ben couldn't even scream as the impact had completely knocked the wind out of him.

"BEN, NO!"

Nia screamed in horror as her brother rolled around in agony but Greg was having none of it.

"SHUT UP!"

Greg turned Nia around.

*SMACK*

Giving her a strong backhand Nia's bottom lip busted open and the corner of her mouth poured blood. Tears immediately welled up in the corner of her eyes but she was terrified, covering her mouth she cried silently as she looked on in terror. Those few villagers that were brave enough had finally surrounded Greg, Nia, and Ben but with Greg waving that cold sharp knife around like an insane wild animal, none of the villagers dared approach, especially those that had already been cut by him. Standing around Greg the villagers didn't know what to do, none of them had encountered a situation such as this before. Some of the villagers shouted at Greg and some called him a coward for harming children but all of it only seemed to infuriate him more. As he stared furiously at the crowd of villagers with his one and only eye he shouted out repeatedly.

"Where is the boy, bring him and I won't kill these two, not yet anyway, hehe."

It was clear for all to see that Greg had gone mad but still all the villagers could do was shout and argue with him, this though only infuriated Greg further.

"If you don't bring him to me right now then I'll fucking kill these two right here right now."

Seeing everyone stand around, Greg thought no one was taking him seriously so in a fit of rage he grabbed Nia's arm and with one violent movement.

*SNAP*CRACK*

He broke her arm like a twig. Nia felt a pain she had never experienced before in all her life, with it, she shrieked at the top of her lungs like a wild dying animal. Looking down at her now limp arm she continued to scream out in anguish. Seeing the bone protruding from her skin as well as the blood pouring down her arm quickly forming a small red puddle beneath her, Nia's eyes began to roll back inside of her head but just as she was about to faint.

*SMACK*

Greg had again smacked her, causing her to collapse on the ground in shock. Ben seeing this struggled to his feet and ran at Greg trying to tackle him, punch him, kick him, anything he could to protect his sister. Greg receiving a child's attack became even more pissed. Lifting the sharp blade high up above, Greg suddenly swung down, aiming at Ben's head.

*Swoosh*

The large knife sliced right into Nia's back, she had moved just in time to save her brothers life. She was now hugging her brother in her arm and while tears poured from her, she whispered gently.

"Your ok little Ben, big sis is here, I'll protect you, I'll protect y...."

With the end of her strength now gone her consciousness drifted away. Ben's thoughts were in chaotic disarray as he balled his eyes out he yelled louder and louder.

"BIG SIS, BIG SIS, NO NO NO NO NO, YOU CAN'T DIE, YOU CAN'T."

Greg didn't care anymore.

(Fuck it, I'll kill these two and then I'll find that piece of shit Lowen and finish him.)

Raising his knife again he was going to first kill Nia and right after, he'd kill Ben. Ben seeing this lunatic aiming for his sister jumped in front of her with arms spread. She protected him and he was gonna do the exact same and protect her. As Greg took a swing Ben's eyes slammed shut in fright all he could think of was.

(Big Bro, please save big sis.)

As the blade came down upon Ben suddenly a shout came from the crowd.

"STOP!"

But Greg ignored these words and the blade in his hand still came slicing down.

Magical energy exploded out from the crowd and came rushing at Greg.

"I SAID STOP!!"