The Phoenix Order

A Buried Past

The horn blew, it was the early morning and it was the yearly tournament ceremony, the test of skill for the fighters, soon, all Three Hundred of these young fighters will participate in the following days with a fight to show who was the strongest. But Zorina was busy getting her Kamas forged by Melver, "So, Zorina. You really sure that it's necessary for you to have an extra pair of daggers that can hide in the bottom of your Kamas?" Melver asked, "I think so, uncle Mel," Zorina said as she looked at the melted liquid metal that was contained by the pot, "Well, it's your choice Zorina, so I wont bug you," He said as he poured it into a mold for the new Kamas, fitted with hidden daggers in the bottom and now high-carbon steel and nickel-rich steel are poured down into the mold, forging her new weapons.

"You know, I was a lot like you growing up," Melver said as he worked on the Kamas, "What do you mean by that?" Zorina asked, Melver sighs, "You know, living the life of fighting, trying to become the best," "And you gave up?" She asked, curiously. "No, it's not I gave up on purpose, but it was because I knew-" He said as he worked on it, "-But I knew, one day, I would need to step down from my game and work on other things in life.... Look at me for an example, sure I may look like your average blacksmith, but in all honesty, I make a good living doing this. And, yes it's not fun, but it get's me through." He said smiling, cooling the blades.

Zorina looked around the shop, looking at his weapons, paintings and portraits, she was curious about one, it appeared to be a younger version of Melvin, his eyes sharp, his hair lively and free as he stood at a top of a rock, with a sword in hand. "Was this you back then uncle?" she asks, pointing at the portrait, "Why yes that was me, it feels like a lifetime ago when that happened." he chuckled as he stopped. "Then why did you step down? you looked like you had a lively career as...... whatever you were doing there." Melvin chuckled slightly, "You will understand this one day kid; Life will find a way to give it's purpose for you, I pursued gladiatorial combat, but life spared me of death by making me a blacksmith." "I dont understand" "You will someday Zorina-" Melvin said as he started forging once more, "But today may not be that day, now go, the Kamas will still need some time to finish." He said, continuing on his work.

Meanwhile, Galgavun was on his way to get to Cassaport, to communicate once more with Afleck.

But he was ambushed by a familiar figure, "You again!" Galgavun said, covering his cut wound, "Indeed," Sorrichiro replied,  his dark blade gleaming in the moonlight, Galgavun stared at him, narrowing his eyes, "I escaped you once, I can get away once more shadow," He replied, taking his battle axe and rushing towards him, "You may run, but the shadow is always behind you," Sorrichiro said, charging towards Galgavun, their blades clashing, both meeting each others eye, "But the shadows eventually catch up." Sorrichiro said as he released his blade, taking Galgavun's lack of armor as his advantage, using a small dagger to stab the orc in the chest. Galgavun backed away unfazed by the dagger stuck into him, and took another swing at Sorrichiro, who calculated the move, moving away from the axe and getting to Galgavun's back, "And once the shadow catches you," he said as he raised his Katana, "You cannot escape it"

Galgavun stumbled, his heavy breathing filling the night air as he clutched at the dagger, now embedded in his back. He ached, but his eyes burned with a furious defiance, a deep growl rumbling from his throat. Sorrichiro stood motionless, his katana gleaming faintly in the moonlight as he observed the orc with a calm, calculating gaze. The blood dripping from his previous wound barely seemed to bother him, it was the one that wsa now in his back is what immobilized him.

"You fight well for a shadow," Galgavun spat, his voice guttural, laced with both pain and anger. The battle axe in his grip shook as his muscles tightened, readying for another strike.

Sorrichiro tilted his head, an almost imperceptible smile was forming in his lips. "I am no mere shadow," he said coldly, his voice a low whisper in the wind. "I am the shadow."