I turn and run faster than I have ever ran in my life. My adrenaline was pushing me to run, my drive to protect Claire pushed me even harder. I made it to where the scream came from and I see Edward unconscious and his rapier’s blade broken. No sign of the other part, maybe it was in the thing that took Claire. I lay him down and leave him knowing a professor will take care of him. The person I was worried about was Claire. I quickly find a trail of footsteps and start to follow the assailant’s trail. I realise what creature made these tracks and my heart sinks, Claire was taken by goblins.

How did the goblins get past our security? I thought the academy was safe from monsters and that I was here for human assailants. I start up sprinting, hoping they haven’t done any horrific things to Claire. That’s when I hear their demonic snarls as they speak to one-another in their language of grunts. I switch to my blue eye and can understand what some of what they say. “Payment” and “Hostage” are the ones I can make out the clearest. I’m just thankful they aren’t taking her to their underground caves, you can already assume what happens to women when Goblins take them. I turn the corner and they spot me.

I can’t trust my sword so I duck under a swing from one of their axes and slam my fist into the goblin’s face. I pick the ax up and use its iron handle to block another’s sword. I kick the goblin’s knee and he stumbles. I bring the ax down on him and kill him on impact. I pick up his sword and cut off the arm of the second to last goblin. I stab him in the chest and turn to face the last and biggest Goblin who is setting down Claire.

“I see a worthy challenge.” it says in a deep, demonic voice.

“Well this is unexpected, a goblin who can actually speak.” I say

“I am superior to my kin in intelligence and strength, think you can defeat me?” He says.

I ready the goblin sword and he pulls out a sword about the size of me. This might be harder than I expected. He charges at me with incredible speed, but I manage to dodge his bumrush and I spin to confront him. He hits the wall, cracking the stone, and turn to face me. He swings the sword in an overhead strike and I move, he follows it up with a quick horizontal swing that I barely block. I hear a cracking sound and the sword I was using has a massive crack in it. I throw it to the ground and it breaks.

“Useless piece of shit.” I say “Just like the rest of your kind.”

He didn’t like that last part and he gets enraged, luckily this is what I wanted. A raging bull is easier to predict than a smart one. He charges and I dodge creating distance between us. I use the time he takes to recover to think of what I should do, while his back is turned I see the other end of Edward’s sword and smile. “He actually did something.” I think to myself.

“I should have known you would try to enrage me, but my pride made me charge you there.” He says rubbing the spot where his head hit the wall.” This time I think I’ll take my time approaching you.”

I’ve run out of options, no sword or weapon is within my reach. Except the Dao sword at my hip, it’s my last choice and I don’t want to use it. He’s halfway to me and I start to feel the panic set in, maybe I should run. I shake that thought out of my head and know I have to stay and save her. I take a deep breath and pull the sword out of its sheath. The tiredness I felt from running and fighting leaves me and I gain a second wind. This is what I was afraid of, I lose sense of my limit when I use this.

“So you finally use that sword at your hip. I thought it for decoration.” He says

“I guess your employer didn’t tell you about me and the sword I wield.” I say coldly.

“He said something about a merc-” He tries to say, but I cut him down before he can say anything else. I was too fast for him to even comprehend while he was talking. I sigh and put the sword back in its sheath, then the fatigue hits me and my legs buckle. I black out with the last image I see was Claire stirring.

I wake up in a hospital bed and try to get up, but fall back due to a massive headache.” It’ll pass in a while.” the nurse says.

I sigh and can feel the tension and soreness in my legs and arms. That sword allowed to me move with incredible speed, but its cost was never worth using. If there were any more goblins in the school I would be dead. I look to the left and see Claire and Edward in beds next to me. They are talking and I can hear Edward apologizing for being useless. I feel sorry for him, awhile ago he was on top of the world, but now reality hit him.

“It’s alright” Claire says to him.” It’s not like I did anything useful either.”

“How did the goblins even get in?” I ask.

They turn and both of their faces change from sorrow to joy. I guess they are happy to see me.” The headmaster is looking into it right now.” Edward says.

I sigh,” Even if she figures it out, I doubt she’ll give me a straight answer.”

“How are you feeling?” Claire says with worry in her voice.

“Pretty damn sore,” I say.

“So that sword of yours steals your stamina when used?” Edward asks/

I nod and say,” I was told a great hero forged it and used it in battle, but when I first used it, I passed out for three days.” I remember when it was given to me by the older sibling, Amus, when we were ambushed. He told me to use it without telling me about the downsides. If my buddy, Thu’ane, wasn’t with me, we would’ve been caught.

“Kyle? Are you even listening?” Claire says and I nap out of my thoughts.

“Sorry, was remembering when I first used this sword.” I apologize.

“The spell you and my father put on it is gone now. I can see why you would hide it.” She say.” The hilt has many intricate details that looks impossible to recreate and it’s unlike any I’ve seen.”

I smile and say,” It’s a legendary blade according to those who gave it to me. I should probably tell you about them, they are pretty rare people.” I then explain the job I did about a year and a half ago. I was tasked with smuggling two siblings through the North Banrir country. They were a rare breed of Bird Banrir, they were white swans and were being hunted by an unknown organization. The end goal was to put them on a ship and send them to the Isles of the Elves, which was home to elves and fairies who promised to protect them. We ran into a pack of Minotaurs right before reaching the port and that’s when I first used this sword. Thu’ane was also a rare individual, a white Dragonic. He was exiled because of his father’s attempt at a coup.

“That’s a very interesting story, those siblings, Amus and Adela, what were they like?” Edward ask.

“About ninety percent of the time they acted more like lovers than siblings. They weirded us out a bit so we kept talking to a minimum. Besides that Adela was a very good healer and Amus helped restore magicka and stamina. Apparently he was the reason I didn’t die the first time I used the sword.” I say

“And Thu’ane?” Edward asks.

“He’s the closest thing I have to a best friend, and he’s a really fun drinking partner. He’s back in his country investigating the downfall of the King’s Shadow. I was told I was becoming obsessing over the investigation and made me leave it. So that’s why I was wandering for the past year.”

The doors fly open and the Headmaster walks through.” Hello children, want to know how they got through our defense?” she says with that childish glee I’ve gotten used to.