Greg staggered back falling to one knee, his broadsword clattered to the ground as he let go of it, he ignored the pain from his throbbing leg. It was dark and neither could he see the pool of blood left by the gaping hole in his leg, his eyes were focused forward.His hand tightly held the scroll he had been entrusted with, he was the last one who remained, they were a party of four sent out to report the rumors that had been heard around the borders of The Blackened Lands.The team leader Scar, had given him the scroll, commanding him to deliver it to the clan while they held off the unknown, a creature of Chaos long thought to be banished to the depths of the underworld, his attention snapped back at a sudden movement. He hadn't expected the attack, yet he couldn't have evaded it. He was certainly sure he didn't have long to live if he kept dawdling about, his eyes kept searching through the thick fog, and then he caught a sudden movement to his right.He instinctively rolled over

Kirin slowly approached the pavilion of the Thunder Clan, he walked slowly through the thicket of snow, still reeling from the effects of the frostbite that had eventually gotten to his fingers, he would've given anything up for a hot cup of wine.Seth stood in front of him leading the way, they walked into the Pavilion, heading towards the pagoda looming ahead in the distance, the snow fell more lightly here but that didn't mean it got any warmer.Eventually, they stood in front of the doors to the pagoda, the guards opened the doors for them to enter, all the while they kept their eyes on Kirin, unfortunately, he couldn't be more bothered, after all, he was the misfit of the clan.Inside, an elderly man sat cross-legged sipping tea and seemed unperturbed by their sudden arrival, his hair was long and white from old age with wrinkles etched over his face, he looked to be beyond hundred if using the mundane human years of counting, but underneath his garment was a well-toned body that

"You sure you want to come along today with us, I mean, it's your first time Kirin," Seth whispered to Kirin who walked beside him. Kirin seemed different, more confident, something that Seth had always found amiss in his dear friend."Something happened with Grand Zenin right?" Seth asked, Kirin simply smiled at his dear friend."I wouldn't be here if something didn't happen you know," his puffed, eyes brimming with confidence. Seth seemed confused but also increasingly curious."So tell me, did you finally break through and heal that unknown sickness of yours?" He said in a hushed tone, other warriors looked towards them for being so chatty, and also because of the outcast.Kirin wasn't supposed to be here, they saw him as a liability, a risk, but no one could say anything about him. After all, it was The Grandmaster who had approved him being on this mission, it was a covert mission, to investigate and report back."First off I'm not sick, and no I didn't heal it or whatever, but I

Kirin lay flat on the ground, looked up at the sky seeing the clouds disperse, he felt the wind against his body and knew for a fact that he was entirely naked."Shit"He had also found another eerie fact, he seemed to have total immunity to lightning. This was something he had never heard of nor had he expected it. Anyone could be attacked by any element, even the one that you were primarily trained up in as the base for your cultivation. He had never heard of a case where one had total and complete immunity to an element.Yet here he was, completely unscathed by the attack that came from the heavens, he smiled at himself as he covered his eyes with his right arm, the tears swelled up but he pushed them down. He had survived, he escaped death.Kirin heard footsteps walking towards him and turned to see who it was. Tharros looked at Kirin, his jaw slack, eyes wide with surprise."By the gods, boy you actually survived that?" Tharros asked genuinely surprised. He had never met a sing

After a few moments had passed and he was all alone, Kirin stood and picked up the Odachi blade that Tharros had left for him. Through his pain and hurt he couldn't hide his excitement, Tharros had given him his very own weapon, a blade forged for a peak martial master.He slowly unsheathed the blade in the darkness, the steel itself was hazy blue and beautiful, and it reflected the light of the Moon rising up ahead, he completely removed it from his scabbard, holding it with his hands he slowly took his stance.He breathed in and out calmly, turning his focus to just the blade, he sent his energy through the blade and felt its natural slender curve, the sharpness, the lethality.He forgot every other thing around him, the men that camped earlier and the songs they sang, or the thickness of the fog as the night grew darker, he completely focused on one swing.Calmly and steadily, not taking any stance whatsoever, to make a single cut, a single slash imbued with intent. A slash with a