• Chapter 2 Jason’s Past
    “Jason……Jason……” whispered a distant voice. “Huh….who’s there?”Jason whispered back. He saw a blurry image of a girl in a dangling blue shirt, with a ponytail sticking up. She had the smell of roses, and held something pure white in her hand. She looked about the age of twelve-about his age- and held an umbrella in her other hand. She was tan, and had a perfectly formed face. “M….Mum?” Jason stuttered. The girl then made a confused expression on her face. “Mum? I’m not your mom” the girl responded. Jason stared at the blurry image of her, confused. “Then……who are you?” he asked. The girl then giggled and tapped Jason in the head with the umbrella. “I’m Nicole sleepy head!”
    “Um… thanks for giving me my glove back!” Jason said, slowly putting on the glove. “No problem!” Nicole responded. She stared at the scars and bruises that laid on his body. “So, um, where’s your home?” Jason peered at the alley and noticed that this wasn’t the best place to live at. “Uh… this is my home!” Jason responded back, putting both of his arms high in the air. “Well, just for now at least” Nicole’s eyes widened. “Wait, so you’re saying you’re a traveler?!But you’re so young! ”Nicole said excitedly. Jason peered down at his arm. “Well…..you could say I am…..” Jason held his arm up high, making a swish sound. “I wouldn’t be one if it weren’t for this arm” Nicole gasped. His arm was dark brown, and the brown infection started from his right hand to his right shoulder. “What happened?” she asked, trying to keep her eyes off the arm. Jason turned around. “Why do you care anyway? Why are you even still here? I’m glad you gave me my glove back but…..” Nicole clutched his shoulder. “Well since I did you a favor, then you should do me a favor by telling me what happened to your arm.” She giggled. “Okay….I’ll tell you….” Jason said slowly.
    ***

    “Uncle, uncle, Kin is going to the woods, can I come?”Jason asked, jerking the old arm back and forth. His uncle let out a slight chuckled. “Jason, you know you’re too young to go in the woods. Your brother is getting meat for the family, he is not going there to simply have fun and play in the woods.” Jason rolled his eyes. “But all I’m going to do is follow him around. I won’t get in his way and I won’t slow down his pace” Jason complained, making puppy dog eyes. His uncle rubbed his gray beard and then let a grin. “Bring your brother here, if he’s not already left, and I’ll think about it.” Jason grinned and then, with a ‘Thank you’, without hesitation, sprinted out of the wooden cabin.
    Jason breathed deeply as he sprinted past a bunch of acme ridden tweens (back in those times, they didn’t have acme cream, so most people with acme had to go out with their lives with the disturbing blemishes. Jason pushed aside a merchant and leaped over a pile of boxes. “Where the heck did he go?”Jason asked, now slowly walking on the pavement. He scanned across the small village and peered everywhere he could creep his eyes into. After many searches and peering through many boxes, he slumped down onto the wall, shrugging down on it. He let out a sigh and then bit into an apple. “I guess he’s not in the town. Must’ve already left to go off in the woods.” Suddenly, a grin formed his face. “Well, it’s not like he has to know I’m not here” Jason schemed, trying not to giggle out loud. And with that, he dashed out, out toward the gate where the forest was.
    “Jason, how could you?” Nicole said, amazed at what he just told her. “You know you weren’t supposed to go there!” Jason rolled his eyes. “I was ten back then, what was I suppose to do?” Jason said, using an excuse. “Well, you could have followed orders like your uncle said you should” Jason, yet again, rolled his eyes. “You sound just like my mother. In fact, you look like her too” Jason said, studying her appearance. “Oh really? Was your mum pretty?” She asked, blushing. Jason, just as her, blushed also. “Um… I think I should get back to the story” Nicole nodded and then focused her eyes on Jason.
    Jason sped past some leaves and trickled over a pile of sticks. The only sunlight that was shone was the light that rarely crept through the cracks of branches that lead out a small amount of space, making thin beams of light shine out, and the beams of light got smaller as he walked. “Kin?!” Jason said, calling out. Jason leaped over a log and tried not to step on a snake. “Kin?!” Jason screeched again, this time a bit more loudly. Jason sighed. “It was stupid for me to come all this way outside the forest. I should’ve known I couldn’t find him in this big amount of space. I better go or Uncle’s going to kill me, and mom would probably kill me next.” Jason whispered to himself.
    Suddenly, he heard a clank of a blade, crashing down on a chunk of wood. “What was that?”Jason asked himself, sprinting toward the sound. He sprinted toward a wide open field, with a teen, looking at the age of sixteen, holding a blade and swinging it onto the chunks of wood. “Kin!” He shouted, sprinting toward him. “Jason?” His brother whispered to himself as Jason crashed in front of him. “Hey Kin, what are you doing. I thought you where suppose to be getting food for supper. Why are you swinging that sword around at wood except at animals?” Kin blushed. “Well…..what are you doing here? I thought I told Uncle Luke to not to let you come” Jason rolled his eyes. “Well you still haven’t answered my question!”Jason complained.
    Kin sighed. “Okay, I had the meat with me, it was an easy kill, but a bear stole my food and I knew I couldn’t come home without it so I began searching for the bear, but I couldn’t find him, so I got bored and I just stuck out here, practicing my blade skills.” Jason burst out laughing, tears streaking from his eyes. “Ha-ha, you lost your food to a dumb old bear!” Jason joked, pointing his finger at Kin with one hand and holding his ribs with the other. “Ha-ha, real funny. You’re laughing at my irony.” Jason suddenly stopped laughing and wiped the tears off his face. “Tell you what.” He said, nudging his brother on his arm with his elbow. “I’ll buy you some meat from the merchant since I know you have no coins.”Jason said, with a big grin forming at his face. Kin shook his head. “This wasn’t only for the meat, this was for honor, and the hunt, and the lust for the kill!” He said, raising his sword high in the air. “Okay, so I guess you don’t want the meat.” Kin shook his head panicky. “I never said that. But if you give me the meat, what do you want; because I know you’re not just going to let me buy something with your money scot free, without me giving you something.”
    “Well….” Jason said, stretching out the ‘ell’ in the word well. “I always did want to know how to use a blade.” Jason said winking. “Okay then, you buy the meat, and I show you a lesson on the art of the blade!” Kin said trying to impersonate a Japanese person’s voice. “Um…okay, now show me how to use a blade!” Kin nodded. “Okay, here we go! Ready for lesson one?”Kin asked. Jason nodded. “Okay, Lesson one………..”
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    The stars twinkled in the night sky. Kin’s blade bathed in the moonlight as he crashed the sword onto a chunk of wood. “Lesson fifteen, aggressive attacking” Jason stared at his brother in amazement, and then peered down at the chunk of wood. “Holy crap! How did you do that?” Jason screamed excitedly, staring at the split piece of wood that laid in front of him. Kin grinned. “It’s all in the wrist!” he said, shoving his blade back in its sheath. The sheath was light brown, and had an engraved pattern of a rose on it. The blade shared the same insignia and pattern as the sheath, except the blade was silver and shone in the moonlight. Wow, he’s amazing! Jason thought, examining his brother. Kin basically looked the same as Jason; they both had a dark shade of black hair, and had dark blue eyes and crystal white teeth. On the other hand, Kin had extremely large muscles, and he wore a dark mail and shaggy brown pants.
    “Really? Well than that should be easy!” Jason said, reaching into his brother’s sheath. “Hey, what are you doing?!” Kin said, reaching back for his blade. “Don’t worry Kin, I’ve got this!” Jason jerked Kin’s arm away then swiftly brought up the blade in the air, making a swift noise like a bee. “Pass me a block of wood, Kin” Jason said, peering toward him. Kin sighed. “Okay, but if you hurt yourself, I’m not defending you when mum screams at you.” Kin lectured, tossing a thick block of wood. Jason nodded. “Okay, here I go!” Jason screamed. Jason suddenly swung the blade down and hammered it to the wood. Pieces of oak shattered and filled the area. Birds screeched and flapped their wings and glided out of sight. The sound of frantic chirping filled the air. Beads of sweat filled Jason’s fore-head. Oh my gosh! Kin thought to himself, closing his eyes so the sawdust wouldn’t intrude in there.
    “Hey brother, there’s sawdust in my eye. Tell me how I did?” Jason whispered. Kin nodded and the peered at the location the piece of wood was at. He saw grass, dirt, sawdust…but that was it. No wood. No hint of wood even being there but sawdust that laid on the ground. Kin stared in amazement. “Holy crap, where’s the wood?!” Kin screamed, searching for any block or piece of wood. Jason balled his fist and scrubbed his eyes. “So, how did I do?” Kin just stared at Jason-eyes wide-in amazement. “Y-you………you broke the wood! Yo…….you crushed it!” Jason grinned with satisfaction. “It’s all in the wrist!”Jason mimicked, flexing and holding the small bit of muscle he had.
    “Wow, you where pretty good back then.” Nicole said. Jason blushed. “Yeah, I was. I’m kind of rusty with a blade now though.” Nicole nodded. “Yeah, you don’t look that strong” She giggled. He suddenly turned red. “Hey, that’s not funny!” Nicole tried not to burst out laughing. “Okay, just tell me what happened next!” Jason nodded. “Okay so after I pulverized the wood……..
    “Kin, I swear I’m okay!” Jason complained at Kin, jerking his arm away from him. “You must be a defected child or something. How did you become that strong?” Kin asked, flopping Jason’s arms left and right. “I said, all I did was swing my sword down and it was broken!” Kin rolled his eyes. ‘‘I know how you are Jason. I’m not falling for your little tricks.” Kin grabbed at Jason’s arm. “Now we are going home and mum is going to see what’s wrong with you!” Jason jerked and pulled, but it was no use. He got dragged in the dirt and whined the whole way there. He trotted and yelped, but he knew it was no use. There was no way he convince his brother that nothing was wrong with him. Suddenly, the smell of smoke filled the air. It wrapped around Jason’s nose, and he jerked his arm violently from Kin. “Do you smell that smoke? I can’t go there; someone may be invading the village!” Kin rolled his eyes. “Yeah right, somebody is probably just cooking something” So off Jason trotted. As they walked closer toward his house, the smell of smoke came stronger.
    “That’s it!” Jason screeched, doing one strong pull, nearly knocking his brother over. “Oh my god Jason, what is wrong-‘’ and then he just stopped. His eyes widened and his heart pumped heavily because lying, right in front of him, was the village in burning flames! Smoke arose from the village and ashes laid everywhere! Bodies of misfortunate souls laid on rooftops or on streets, with blood streaking out of their flesh! “Mother!” Jason cried, charging into the village. “No, don’t go, you’re only going to get yourself killed!” Kin screamed, but it was too late.
    ***
    Jason charged into the village, trying not to get caught in the flames that surrounded the area. “Where’s uncle?” Jason whispered to himself. Jason peered left and right and all he could see was ashes and bodies laying in the ashes. “Uncle?” Jason called out once, squinting his eyes so he could peer through the smoke. A soft voice sud¬denly filled his ears. This voice called out the name “Jason”. Jason suddenly recognized the voice. “Uncle Luke?” Jason said, trying to follow the voice to where it came from. Jason peered left and right and saw a figure, under a fiery block of wood. “Uncle!” Jason said, dashing toward him. “Jason…” he called again. “Is that you?” Jason knelt down where the crusty old man laid and saw that the fiery block of wood was preventing his uncle to stand up. “I’m about to get this wood off you!” Jason said, putting his hands on the wood and pulling. “No Jason, it’s okay. I’m too old to live on anyway. The smoke has already probably filled up my lungs by now.” His uncle coughed then squeezed Jason’s hand tightly. “The prophecy…must be…..fulfilled……” his uncle stuttered, slowly closing his eyes. Jason laid his hand onto his shirt and then squeezed tightly. “What prophecy? What are you talking about?” But it was too late. His uncle’s hand slowly felt cold and Jason laid his hand on the floor.
    “Oh my god!” Nicole said. Jason nodded. “Maybe if I was there, if I just followed orders like he said, mum and Uncle Luke would still be alive” Jason said squeezing his hand tightly. “Your mum?”Nicole asked in confusion. Jason sighed. “Okay, after that…….
    Wood fell on Jason’s head as he charged through the violent flames. Bodies laid on the ground with swords driven through them, making blood run down their waste. “Mum!” Jason screamed, searching around through the ashes and flames. He coughed and sprinted through the flames. A small house was barely seen through the thick fog of smoke. It was Jason’s house, except it wasn’t happy and merry as usual. Burning wood fell from the house and chunks of brick fell as well. “Mum!” he screeched again, tears rolling down his eyes. He sprinted toward the battered house and kicked down the door and slammed down a flaming chair that was in his way. “Mum, please answer me!” Jason balled, nearly streaming tears. “Don’t leave us like dad, don’t leave us!” Jason brushed through a hallway and leaped over another flaming chair.
    Suddenly, a whimper was heard and standing in a closet, laid a little puppy, a beagle to be exact. “A dog?” Jason said to himself. The dog barked and limped over to Jason. Jason bent down and picked him up. “Okay, mum’s alright, I know she is” he convinced himself. Suddenly a screech was heard from a doorway to his left, and a slapping noise continued after that. “Mum!” Jason screeched, charging through a bundle of flames. The dog howled as Jason busted through the flaming door. Then, in the room, with blood streaks coming down her mouth, sat Jason’s mum, beaten and battered with shut on her clothes. In front of her, was an orc, with a green hammer and brown skin. He wore dark armor on him and he had a brown muscular body. “Mum? What is he doing to you?” Jason asked, trying not to sob right where he stand. “Jason…….get out of here……this is none of your concern…..”.His mum struggled to say, coughing up a hint of blood through each pause. The orc peered at the boy and then peered back at her. “Who is this child?” the orc asked with his blood whipped teeth. Jason’s mum clenched her fist. “This…this is my son!” Jason’s mum stumbled to say. The orc flashed his eyes at her with anger. “A child? So there is another son! You lied!” the orc suddenly swung his hand back and hit her across the face. His mum screeched and then fell to the floor, tears rolling down her eyes and a blood stain crossing her face. Tears streaked down his eyes. “You lay your hands off her!” Jason said, searching around for a weapon. He peered to his left and found a silver blade with the words inferno engraved on it. Time to put those sword lessons to the test. Jason thought to himself. He grabbed it and held it in front of him. “Okay, I’ve got a weapon now. Now stay away from mum and I won’t hurt you”
    The orc gave off a wicked laugh. His chuckle drew fear into Jason, and he held his blade tighter. “Ha-ha, you think I’m supposed to be scared of you? You are so silly. You are nothing but a boy with a petty little blade!” He held his hammer in his hand. “But if it’s a fight you want, I’m not afraid to kill a child!” he said, grinning. Jason shivered. I’ve got to do this for mum. I don’t know what’s going on, but I know that this guy is trouble! Jason thought. “Okay…. here I go!” the orc said, charging at Jason. “No! He’s just a child!” Jason’s mum screeched, pulling on the orc’s back iron mail. “You witch!” the orc said, back hand slapping her to the face. Jason gasped. “You punk! Now I’m going to kill you!” Jason said, rushing at the orc, with his blade held high.
    Jason stabbed at the orc, but he swung his hammer down and bent the blade. “Your pretty fast with a blade” he commented, swinging hammer in the air. “But I’m faster!” the orc screamed, crashing his hammer down toward his head, but Jason quickly dodged it and swung his blade on the orc’s arm. He screeched in pain. “You rat! I’m going to eliminate you right where you stand!” He brought his hammer down and Jason yet again, dodged it, but his arm got hit by the hammer and it fell off, just as the orc’s. Jason screamed a bloodcurdling scream and fell on the floor, clutching his arm. “You have seen this coming naïve. You should’ve not threatened the almighty power of general Rith!”
    Darkness. Loneliness. Failure. All these emotions clouded Jason’s mind as he slowly closed his eyes. Only a miracle could save him now. Only a miracle