I woke up feeling refreshed, but still had a lot on my mind. What will happen between me and Lyra? Why did the council put these runes on us, and why did fate still choose me after I failed?
I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind and followed Mey out of the building. Today, she was going to take me to more places that might spark a memory.
We walked in the opposite direction we had walked yesterday. We walked about 300 yards when we heard a scream.
Mey and I looked at each other, then we ran to where we heard the scream.
It was only about 50 yards away. It came from a football stadium. Mey and I hid behind cars, slowly making our way to the entrance.
When we got to the entrance, I peeked around the corner. Some people looked like bandits, huddled around something or someone. I couldn't see what they huddled around through all the bodies, but I assumed it was a person based on the scream.
"What do we do?" I asked Mey.
"Up to you, but if you're going to fight, you're going to need a weapon." She then materialized a thin, black, curved sword, like a katana. Then she gave it to me. When she put it in my hand, I felt a burning sensation in my palm.
"That sword is now bound to you; you can call upon it anytime you like." She said, pointing at my hand, "Just think about the sword in your hand and it will appear."
I did the opposite of what she said to make the sword disappear. Then I made it reappear in my other hand.
"So, I can make this sword appear in any hand I want?" I asked.
"Yes, it's a special infused with the same magic as the rune on your body. As you unlock more memories, the sword will grow with you."
"That's pretty awesome. I'll use this sword forever."
She smiled, and then I stepped into the passage way that would lead me straight to the bandits.
One of the bandits noticed me and said, "Who is this skinny punk?" Then they all scoffed before someone, who looked like the leader, stepped up.
"And who are you?" He asked with a heavy coldness in his voice.
"My name is Kai," I stated matter-of-factly.
"Never heard of you before. What are you doing here?"
"I heard a scream, so I came to check it out." I could now see what the bandits were huddled around because they all moved and formed a big circle around me instead. "Turns out it was just a bunch of bandits picking on a helpless girl."
I recognized the girl; she was the one who was beside Lyra in my vision. She made eye contact with me, and in that moment, something in my mind shifted. I remembered her name, Penelope, but now wasn't the time; I needed to get her out of here.
The leader stepped back while the rest of them took one step forward. "Seems like boss is giving us the pleasure of beating you to a pulp, skinny boy." One of the bandits said coldly.
I counted how many of them there were. There were 15 bandits surrounding me. I didn't know if I would be able to beat all of them, but with my instincts and reflexes, I could at least dodge their attacks, grab Penelope, and get out of here, but with my new sword, I might be able to kill some of them to make it easier.
To my surprise, only one of them stepped up into the circle. From the way the bandit, who was the one to step into the circle, worded it, it seemed like I'd have to fight all of them at once. This is to my advantage, though.
He unsheathed the sword on his hip and gestured for me to attack him. So, I did.
I rushed him, and materialized my sword in my left hand, while my right hand swung from side to side below my hip.
He brought his sword up to block my sword, but at the moment I materialized it, then rematerialized it in my already swinging right hand, and it cleanly sliced him in half.
Then I heard a guttural war cry from all around me. All the bandits started rushing me except the leader, whose eye I caught, which was filled with curiosity.
I waited for the bandits to get close. I spun around with my sword at neck height, in my right hand, severing 6 heads cleanly. I brought my left hand up behind my head, and without turning around, I dematerialized the sword and made it materialize in my left hand, blocking a downward slash from a bandit who was coming from behind me. I then turned slightly to the left, and materialized the sword from my left hand, letting the sword slash right in front of me.
Then I materialized the sword in my right hand and stabbed the bandit through the chest. It would take a long time to pull the sword out of the body, so I dematerialized it.
Before I could make it reappear, a bandit rushed me from the front, slashing downward. I side-stepped the slash and punched him in his solar plexus, sending him flying.
Nine down, only have six more. I thought coldly.
I was enjoying this for some reason.
"You crazy bastard!" One of the bandits roared, "Why are you smiling?"
He charged me and I simply cleaved him in two, after materializing the sword in my left hand.
I looked around at the rest of the bandits, looking at all five of them in the eye before saying, "Weren't you guys smiling with kicking and punching that girl over there? How is this any different?"
They all flinched back before rushing me again. Spinning around again probably wouldn't work. Then a thought popped into my mind.
I started spinning again, and they noticed but couldn't stop in time. They did have enough time to bring their swords up to block, though.
I dematerialized the sword from my left hand, summoned it to my right hand in reverse grip, planted my foot, and started spinning the other way. Before they could react to my sudden change in direction, I had cut all their heads off.
"That's it?" I looked at the leader, "Is that all they've got? Please tell me you're stronger." I said coldly.
He looked at me, and horror clouded his eyes. "You want the girl? You can have her, take her, and go." He said, his voice shaky.
I went over to Penelope as soon as I bent down to help her up, I summoned the sword the sword in my right hand, and spun.
I looked at the bandit leader, who was now face to face with me, and simply smiled before piercing his throat with my sword.
He gurgled and choked on his own blood for a couple of seconds before going limp.
I then focused back on Penelope. She looked up at me with reverence in her eyes. I didn't like that; it was a reminder of being chosen by fate. It's how I imagined people would look at me once I ended this war, which I did not want that responsibility.
"Are you ok?" I asked simply, looking at the entrance of the football stadium, not wanting to see the look in her eye any longer.
"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you." She said quietly. I reached my hand out to her and helped her up. "What's your name, sir?" She asked.
I hesitated, thinking she might remember me, but I finally told her my name after a couple of seconds. "Kai Mercer."
"Well, thank you again for saving me, Kai." She said, louder this time.
"You're welcome. Do you have anywhere to stay?" I asked.
"I don't, my house was destroyed in the war." She said somberly.
"Why don't you travel with me? The more people we have, the better chances we have to survive." I said.
She looked at the carnage around us before looking back at me. "Looks like your chances of survival are already high enough." She said as she grimaced at the sight.
"These were only humans; there are much greater, and more powerful threats out there that I can't beat by myself," I said as I started walking away, "Besides, it's beneficial for you too."
"You're right." She paused, thinking about my proposal, "Fine, I'll travel with you."
"I have another companion, just warning you she's kind of menacing," I said, chuckling.
She gave me a confused look, but she decided to follow me.
As soon as we made our out of the football stadium, Mey was waiting, leaning up against the wall.
Mey and Penelope stared at each other, then Penelope started screaming.
"Is that a demon?!!"
I just chuckled. "Her name is Mey."