The Phoenix Order

After the fall of the sorcerer Nero and his forces were banished back into the darkness from which they had come from, the humans and elves began to sever their bonds, the elves in which they wanted to stay hidden.

On a sunny morning, Afleck made his way up to Ki no doku, The place where Grand Bowmaster Bushido stays with his clan, The Poison Darts clan, a deadly archer clan that prefers to stay hidden and will most likely stay hidden for a long time, but on this very day, something felt off Afleck had been called upon by his ally due to his dilemma and he needed his assistance.

As he approached the dojo, a sense of nostalgia washed over him, seeing visions of the past when him, Bushido, Foxtrot, Siegfried and Kanok were all there, just enjoying the time while darkness was amongst them, he took a sigh and looked more. The wooden structure rose above the tree line, its elegant eaves curving like the wings of a bird in flight. With a firm knock, Afleck stepped into the dojo, "Hello? I got your letter Bushido, is this another ambush?" Afleck was greeted only but silence, but was instantly met with an unexpected ambush. Bushido, leaped from the cover of shadows, causing Afleck to flinch, and his movements swift and made him look like a blur of colors to Afleck. In an instant, Afleck found himself in the soft tatami mats on the floor of the dojo, the air escaping his lungs as he hit the tatami-matted floor. Shock was the best way to describe Afleck at that moment "Your still are a fairly rounded headed person Afleck, Smooth Brain and all!" Bushido said as he stood up.

But Afleck was not one to stay down for long. With his strength, he sprang back to his feet, a grin spreading across his face. "Wait? was that all of it old man?" he challenged, him as he took off his armor and sword to give him a better control of his body. The two of them exchanged grins, and both of them knew, this would be one really good fight, they fell into a sparring match. The dojo transformed into a whirlwind of movement, kicks and punches dancing through the air like a tornado was caught inside the dojo. Minuets slipped away as they engaged in their friendly rivalry, yet eventually, fatigue seeped in.

"Enough," Bushido finally said, stepping back and wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. "It seems we both still have the power if worst comes to losing our weapons, but this could go on forever." A flicker of nostalgia crossed Afleck's face as he nodded in agreement. They descended from the elevated wooden platform of the dojo, wandering down a path that led them to the serene river that meandered through the valley below. There, sitting on the smooth stones by the water's edge, he asked, "So why did you ask for my assistance?" "Well, I was bored and it wont hurt if I sparred with another strong ally once and a while," Bushido replied as he threw rocks at the river, making them skip across before falling into the bottom, "Well your getting old, isn't it yet time for you to stop pushing yourself?" Afleck asked as he puts down his sword, Bushido quickly retaliated with a swift soft throw at Afleck, "Hey. Never judge a old man just because he's an old man," Bushido replied as he looked back to the river and continued on.

Afleck felt the pull of the past. After a moment of hesitation, he reached into his satchel and pulled out a medallion—a token crafted from brass, engraved with fine emerald that drew the poison dart's arrows was shown into the light after years of being in there.

"I have one of these," he began, his voice slightly lower than before. "Many years ago, I fought for my life in the gladiator pits of Aeloria. This medallion belonged to one of your men whom I was forced to battle. He was a fine warrior, most likely captured and put to slavery. I feel pity for you to lose one of your men and... I wanted you to have it back. In honor of the fallen" The revelation hung in the air, heavy and charged. Bushido looked at the glimmering piece, a medallion, hand crafted with the finest emerald, glinting in the suns rays and it was one of the more elegant ones, it was one of his more elite soldiers. His expression turning from bemusement to shock and sorrow. "You were a gladiator? I had heard tales of a fearsome warrior in the arena, but I had no idea it was you." "Indeed, the night you and your men rescued my mutiny and Kanok was the same night that we broke out of our chains and ran like free men," Afleck said, his gaze distant. "I fought to survive, to free myself from the shackles of despair. But those days are behind me now. I owe it to my past to honor those I fought against, and those who had fallen with honor."

Their eyes locked, a silent understanding passing between them. After a moment, Afleck broke the stillness. "We need to talk further about this, and after we do, I would like to challenge you again." "What's on your mind?" Bushido asked, intrigued.

With a deep breath, Afleck spoke of his vision. "After the last war, I had seen myself commanding an army, creating soldiers that swore to protect our realm until the last drop of blood left their body, I want to form, The Phoenix Order—a brotherhood that protects the innocent, teaches the ways of peace, and prepares for the inevitable darkness that rises from conflict. We will be a light in the shadows, reborn from the ashes of battle and shall fight once more."

"Well, you can propose that plan with the Elder, besides, after that war, the Elder lost many good men and we know that my clan can hold up, but not carry the entire burden of protecting this realm." Bushido said as he got up, "Indeed, so I need to convince him. I have a bad feeling that something may be brewing up down below." "Sure, but it's getting late, you want to get tea in the dojo?" Bushido asked, Afleck nodded and followed Bushido back up the dojo.

The two allies are faced together, another sparring fight shall ensue between them, the air inside the dojo was tense like a drawn bowstring, ready to release the arrow with deadly accuracy. With a slight nod, the sparring began. Bushido sprang forward, his movements were timed and well thought. He unleashed a series of rapid-fire strikes—quick jabs aimed at Afleck's torso and face. Each movement was a storm of adrenaline and technique, as if the aging fighter had renewed strength and fought like in his early years, a continuous flow of punches and jabs that are relentless and fierce. Afleck, however, read the rhythm with discerning eyes, awaiting the right moment to respond.

Ducking under a swift jab aimed at his head, Afleck pivoted, outpacing Bushido with a smooth sidestep. He countered with a quick lateral kick that just whispered past the old fighter's face. Though slightly surprised, Bushido swiftly regained his composure, flipping into a crouched position and executing a sweep aimed at Afleck's legs.

Afleck jumped, evading Bushido's attack and landing on the opposite side of the dojo, both of them exchanged glances and carried on. Afleck's countered with his signature blow, a powerful elbow strike aimed at Bushido's shoulder, a well calculated blow meant to test the older man's resilience, it did successfully land and made Bushido tumble and fall, But Bushido was yet still nimble, Bushido caught his breath as he stood up, "C'mon, that's it?" he asked as he rolled to the side, coming up with a spinning kick that caught Afleck's ribs. The strike landed with a solid thud, resonating throughout the dojo.

Grimacing, Afleck regained his footing, acknowledging the hit with a nod. He admired Bushido's spirit and Afleck was also impressed of his allies powers, Bushido may be Twenty Years older than him, but —each strike spoke volumes of his determination, proving himself as a worthy leader of his clan. As their battle progressed, the air thickened with energy, each move becoming more fierce than the previous, proving his power. The dojo echoed with the sounds of their training, breaths mingling with the shuffling of feet against the tatami. Bushido attempted another aggressive advance, closing the gap between them with surprising speed. He was a blur of motion, launching a flurry of punches designed to overwhelm. Afleck ducked and weaved, feeling the currents of the fight, but Bushido kept on going, faster and harder. Afleck was beginning to feel the weight of the training.

In a swift combination, Bushido feigned a punch to the right before executing a low kick. Afleck, was getting wary, shifted his weight; however, Bushido anticipated Afleck's move as he taught him that technique. Bushido knew what he can use to counter it, making his fist land an uppercut that landed it squarely against Afleck's jaw.

The sheer strength of the strike sent him reeling, and for a moment, time felt suspended, he was caught in the balance of victory and defeat. He staggered, trying to regain his balance, but before he could steady himself, Bushido striked forward, determination was etched on his face. With one final roundhouse kick, Bushido struck—a powerful downswing aimed at Afleck's midsection that sent him crashing down onto the tatami floor. The impact reverberated through the dojo, the silence of the duo surging forward like an aftershock.

"What was all that noise?" a voice asked, a male went near the dojo, "Ah, my apologies Grandmaster Bushido" the archer said as he bowed and left.

Afleck laid, breathless and stunned, staring up into the glowing lanterns above, yet he only sees yellow blurs of lights as he caught his breath. The swift and powerful attack had caught him off guard, a reminder of the dangers that lurked even in the practice of discipline. The pain was evidently painful as Afleck's ribs could've gotten fractured, but even sharper was a realization; He got bested by an old man.

You fought well," Afleck said, a smile breaking through the fatigue. "You are still a tough warrior to beat good friend." Bushido grinned, the glow of triumph lighting his eyes. "And you told me earlier that I was getting weaker." "Yeah, I take that back," Afleck said as he got up from the floor and sat down, recovering from the attack, Bushido quickly chuckled as he proved to him that a old man still had power, "Ah yes, sweet victory. But true strength is from pulling from defeat and getting back on your feet, the toughest and best way to succeed." Bushido said as he walked away, "Just stay there, I'm getting tea."