No Fight No Life

1.

"Zac, get up!" Nadja shouted at our protagonist, shaking him around. "We're already late, and I'm sick and tired of trying to wake you!" His bed was high enough that Nadja could barely peek her head over his gray sheets. Zac rubbed his eyes. He opened them soon after, and saw that she had an irate look on her face. Zac, being a late sleeper, had spaced the fact that he was meant to have an assignment meeting with Grandmaster Kelton. Kelton was a terrifying man, taller than any creature to exist with in Thaea. He was not someone you wanted to cross.

"X to Doubt, Nadja.. I've still got some time..." Zac yawned out. Nadja grabbed his blue, plaid comforter and pulled it off and away from him. She, by habit, started to fold it neatly and set it onto the floor.

"That was two hours ago." She remarked. "You were the one who was supposed to wake me up."  The sunlight from the window had reflected off of the trophies around the room seamlessly. Zachary Abramov, the Great Grand Hero of Thaeus accompanied by his Perfect Little Princess Bat Nadja. These trophies were statements to everyone in town that he was a respectable hero with many victories. Granted, he only had these victories because of Nadja. The public hadn't known about that, though. Grandmaster Kelton was very good at keeping certain unlikable things from the public, such as a chimera saving the day instead of a natural born Thaeun.

"Nadja, it's like... ten. Go back to bed." Zac shooed. He pulled off the gray sheet from his bed and pulled it over his shoulder, trying to get comfortable yet again. Nadja's anger was slowly increasing.

"Zachary Abravich!! If you don't get up this instant, I'll-- I'll..."

"You'll what? Suck my toes?" He said in a very mocking tone. "God, why do you care so much anyways? It's my fate, not yours." Nadja resisted the urge to scream in utter frustration, leaving the room and slamming the door behind her.

"You're the worst hero to exist, y'know! I have to win all your battles for you!" She yelled through. "Don't blame me when the Grandmaster shows up to beat your ass!" Zac could hear her stomp up the stairs. He took a deep breath and slowly sat up on his bed. Once he stretched his arms a bit, he looked over at the clock that read "14:09" and immediately bolted up and out of bed, leaving his beautiful gray sheet in the dust.

"Goddammit, Nadja!! Why didn't you wake me up?!" He raced upstairs. "Nadja! Get over here!" But no one came.

His anger was more powerful than ever before. He didn't take the moment to realize that she did attempt to wake him up, and three times. He looked around everywhere in the house, yet could not find his sidekick. He sighed and let his head fall into his hands.

"Kelton is gonna kill me..."

After a very sudden BANG, bricks and pillars fell all 'round him, in a perfect circle. Our protagonist looked up at the ceiling, seeing a very large silhouette of a man of high stature.

"ZACHARY ABRAVICH." The voice boomed. "YOU HAVE FORTY-TWO SECONDS TO EXPLAIN YOURSELF." Zac whimpered in utter fear, but another silhouette appeared, with a much more... chill voice.

"Hey, hey, now man. We gotta offer him some advice on how he can do better! Everyone makes mistakes, especially when they're developing." The manly voice of Grandmaster Kelton gave an exasperated sigh.

"Whatever you say, Grandpaladin." He gilded to the side, and the seemingly leader had flown down and softly landed onto the hardwood floor.

"Zac, mah dude! Haven't seen you since you were... ever!" He gave a hearty laugh.

After Zac stood up from his knees, he wiped away the tears he had from the fear. "Uh... who the hell are you?"

The man stopped laughing.

"Who...? Boy, you don't understand who you're working with, do you?" The room became dead silent.

"Are you... going to answer my question?" Zac said, thoroughly confused. "I don't have a level of Respect for you if I don't know who you are."

"My level of Respect is twelve, young man. That's all you need to know." Zac awed at his level.

"Repose level?"

"Forty three." Zac put his face in his hands, bowing.

"Forgive me for this question, ser." Zac choked out. "How do I know to trust you?" The man gave another laugh.

"My name is Lord Frank the Grandpaladin. Is that enough for you?" He smiled. Zac melted with more fear.

"Forgive me, forgive me..! I didn't mean any Disrespect!" He cried out. Lord Frank lifted him up.

"No Disrespect given. Now, do you remember why you were called to a meeting in the first place?" Grandmaster Kelton sighed once more.

"HE WAS TO MEET US ABOUT MS. AGNEW. RESPECT LEVEL TEN, REPOSE LEVEL FORTY ONE, HEALTH LEVEL 90/100, HEROIC LEVEL TWENTY."

"Kelton, I must remind you that Zac needs to learn from his mistakes, not told them." Lord Frank said. "Though it is true. Zachary Abramov, you are given the Velvet Paper mission, and you must meet Ms. Agnew at 10 AM sharp at the beach to start your training." He gave a big smile and a wave. "See you there."