“Awaken, my dear. Rise with the pull of our Dark Moon.”

  My eyes snapped open and I immediately sat up, resulting in an excruciating amount of pain across my body.

  “Easy, there. Or else the stitches holding your two halves together'll tear.”

  My vision slowly cleared to see that I was in a decrepit, ash-covered temple and tending to the forge next to me was a wizened old man whose arms were barely any bigger than the handle of his hammer. His skin was sun-kissed, almost leathery and lined with wrinkles. He wore a filthy, short-sleeved shirt along with a pair of leather pants. The top of his head was entirely bald and from the rest grew long white hair that was bound in a tight ponytail

  He wore a pair of tiny spectacles and tattered gloves.

  I finally looked down at myself to see a scar going from my right hip all the way to my left shoulder.

  “Ahh!” I gasped upon seeing that my left arm in its entirety was gone. In its place was a prosthesis of metal and bone which almost seamlessly attached to my flesh, most of which was far from healed as it painfully ached.

  I held up my replacement arm and frowned in surprise upon feeling that it was almost exactly like my old one only the slightest bit heavier.

  “It may not be of flesh but it should feel like your own in no time.” The blacksmith deeply breathed before finally turning to face me, revealing that his eyes were so severely burnt, that the skin covering them had scabbed over, permanently sealing them.

  I tried speaking but the pain from moving was so intense all I could do was let out a series of coughs.

  “Now, now. You’re free to rest for as long as you need. Her Grace insisted that you’d need weeks of sleep but here you are, wide and awake after only a few days.”

  I followed the blacksmith’s gesture and looked to my right to see, seated on an old and ornate wooden pedestal at the front of the temple, Ranni in her miniature form only she was glaring at me.

  “What?” I weakly croaked.

  “That was unreasonably careless of thee.” Her eyes narrowed.

  “How was I supposed to know he was that strong?” My brow knotted further.

  “In any case, thou were to keep thine distance and analyse the situation further before throwing thineself at his blade!”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  I sat up.

  “I understand that… but there was no way I could have known he was going to cleave me in two!”

  “I tire of thine excuses. Let us instead focus on how we will deal with that man since thou clearly aren’t ready.”

  I bit my teeth.

  “I just need to find him and this time, I’ll crush him.”

  Ranni wanted to say something but before she could, the blacksmith spoke.

  “Pardon the interruption but while I am most sure that you have the strength and power to challenge the Blood Drunk Wolf, he bested you in terms of skill. So much so that he cut that damned blade of yours in two. An impressive act given the fact that I have yet to even dent it in the time that you have been asleep.”

  “But I… I felled a god.” I muttered as my eyes fell.

  “While true, that fact does not mean thou art invincible. Now, sir blacksmith, wouldst thee kindly share thy knowledge of that man?” Ranni asked.

  “No need for the title, your grace. I am but a humble smith. Nothing more.”

  “And what, pray tell, is thy name?”

  “The name’s Boldwin, your grace and the man you are after is what can only be described as bloodshed incarnate. I heard from the rare few who are still around that he was once a leal servant of the lord that ruled these lands but, during a civil war that only recently ended, he appeared to have lost himself on his quest. However, even more frightening than his skill is the rumour that he is immortal.”

  Ranni and I froze.

  “Many have stepped onto that field of flowers to face him and the meagre few who have managed to land a fatal blow watched him rise from death. That’s what I’ve heard, at least.”

  Ranni and I exchanged perplexed glances.

  “I thought I released Destined Death…” I muttered only for Ranni to press her fingers together in her usual manner.

  “It is clear that, just as I sustained thee with the power of our Moon, perhaps he is being aided by those meddlesome Outer Gods.”

  I let out a contemplative drone.

  “Could they be the ones behind his incredible power?” I asked only for Ranni to scoff.

  “It is entirely possible but do not, for even a second, think that I will allow thee to use that as justification for our humiliation.”

  I rolled my eyes before groaning onto my feet.

  “Of course.” I sighed while catching sight of my shattered weapon as it lay pitifully by Boldwin’s side.

  I recalled the battle.

  How fast it went by.

  It almost seemed as though he moved on a set of principles entirely different to mine.

  Like he was… playing a different game.

  I shook away those thoughts and instead chose to focus on the present.

  Boldwin was right.

  I was simply outclassed in terms of skill so that was the first issue that needed to be addressed.

  “I have fought everyone worth fighting in the Lands Between. Tell me if you would, Blacksmith Boldwin, where can I hone my skills?”

  Boldwin polished the katana he was working on.

  “Even now, as it crumbles as ash, this land is filled with those who lust for blood and violence. Their minds long since shattered by the advent of the dreaded one. I am sure most of them would fight you upon seeing you. So be careful, on that note. You still need to pay me back for that arm and this, after all.” Boldwin sheathed the katana in its own, fairly plain wooden housing.

  “This sword has no name and is littered with cracks but, If you manage to stay alive long enough, it will become an ally like no other.”

  I accepted the katana as he offered it and promptly drew it, seeing that it was indeed covered in cracks but… even then, it felt solid.

  “Made from drained Bleeding Steel, it will grow in strength with each drop of blood you spill.”