A Sword In A Stone

'The Rising...'

At the edge of Wasteland Island a small row boat slowly pulled up the the island.

In the boat an old man could be seen.

The elder man let out a small hum scratching his chin. "Now... Lets see if I can find where you've gone... Orion."

Meanwhile...

Davi slammed into the water with a powerful force. He felt the water wash down his throat and he gagged, and felt himself sink, and his head slam into a rock, blood slowly dripping down his head. The waters hit him hard as he sunk in deeper and deeper. He never learned how to swim...

It was hard to think straight but he felt something sink into his right wrists. A pair of teeth. Before he could figure out what was biting him though he felt the the teeth tug on him as he was dragged out of the water crashing onto the shores next to him gasping out. He felt the teeth let go and the tongue that belonged to Jakey as the Oddity Beast began to lick him.

"I... I'm alive?" Davi coughed slowly turning over to his back and staring up towards the bright blue sky up ahead. He hissed in pain when he felt the gash on his head, but thankfully it was already healing. A benefit he got from being the child of his mom. "What happened..." He sighed. His mind slowly drifted for a moment.

"Eaters!" Jakey barked speaking in Jack's voice for a second.

"Eaters... Sis told me about them... They're like the planets magic... They emerge when a person walks off the course of fate? Usually they kill that person but we're both still alive... So that couldn't actually be Eaters right?"

"Look!" Jakey barked in his own voice pointing at something with his cat like tail.

Davi's vision was still kind of blurry but was starting to get better. He looked up staring with wide eyes when he saw what his dog was pointing at. The space around him began to bend and twist as if a strange rippling effect was passing over making Davi's eyes get wider.

"Crap! An Oddity Land!" Davi yelled out feeling the strange sensation pass over him. It felt like he was sleep walking for a moment. Like he was staring out of his eyes but wasn't in control. The landscape seemed to bubble up and change into something else. And within a few moments Davi no longer found himself on the shore of a the lake...

Oddity Lands weren't rare, but they weren't common. They were forbidden for normal people to enter. Even those with Mana like Davi weren't allowed. Only Arcane Hunters were supposed to enter and even then only when the King gave the order... Oddity Lands were to say, a big deal. Often called Dungeons by most people. An Oddity Land or Dungeon was a pocket space that could randomly appear one day. A person could just be walking down the road and would suddenly get that feeling that they were sleep walking. They were told to instantly leave. Walk away and not go any further. Should someone not listen and keep going they'd find themselves no longer standing in the real world as they entered the pocket space and emerged into a new world...

A Dungeons size varied as did what was inside of it...

Mostly though Dungeons would be filled with many, many power Oddity Beasts, all ranked higher than that Baron he had taken down, as well as traps that could press high leveled Arcane Hunters... In order to leave the Dungeon one would have to pass the trial and make it to the end...

"Damn it! I won't be able to fight Oddity Beasts found in a Dungeon... Those things are far to high leveled." He cursed backing up and feeling his back brush up against a wall that hadn't been there.

The image finished changing fully now and Davi found just where he ended up at...

A new location...

It was a small stone room. No doors or windows. The sight making him panic as that meant any Oddity Beasts would be spawned in right near him... But there was nothing besides him and Jakey. No monsters... In fact... The only thing he saw that truly made him stop was something in the center of the room...

A large stone slab with a sword stabbed through it...

A sword in a stone.

The blade was large. It looked like a broadsword but even bigger. Like a great sword. It wasn't unreasonably big though. With a cross emblazoned on the faces of the blade. The entire sword was a pure faded gray color saved for the cross which was black. The hilt was a faded gold. One on side of the blade painted in red writing in a weird crossed way the words 'Demon Blade' could be seen. While on the other side a Black 'One' was painted on it as if to number the sword... The blade wasn't thin. In fact it was very wide and thick. It wasn't so large that a normal person couldn't wield, but the blade, didn't have an edge. Like it was a blunt weapon... How odd...

"Sword in the stone... I feel like this should be in Camelot-"

"Davi..." The voice that came out of Jakey made Davi stop once more... It was his fathers voice. The cat stared up at him with wide eyes as it cocked its head to the side and opened its mouth once again, speaking in his fathers voice... "Davi... If you're hearing this than... I'm dead."

"What!" Davi felt as if he had just been punched in the gut as his back hit the stone wall behind him. He began to slide down it and grabbed his legs with his arms as Cath stared at him. "D... Dead... Dad you're..."

"Nah. I'm just f##king with you."

"What." Davi blinked a couple of times staring at Jakey with wide eyes.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Did you fall for that? I can't see or hear you since Cath is just repeating what I say but I bet you totally began to cry right? Ha. Dumbass. In all seriousness I'm fine son. Well... Maybe not fine. But I'm alive. I'm also guessing that... You found Cath. By now you should be seeing it right... That sword. Your Destiny... I know we haven't talked in forever, but please believe me when I tell you, I have an important goal... A goal I want you to have now Davi... Please draw the sword in the stone... And deliverer Cath to its rightful owner... Me."

"D... Dad..." Davi whispered staring at Jakey with wide eyes.

The Oddity Beast cocked its head at him as the message ended. Its tail pointed to the sword once more as Davi frowned.

Finally he nodded his head. "I get it... Okay... I... I'll try... I don't know if I can do what my father wants. I have no plans to leave this island. But I'll draw this sword. Or at least try to..." He stepped into the room all the way every step making his eyes dart to the corners as if a beast would pop out at him. Once he was near it he felt the warmth of the sword. "Whoa... This is amazing... This has to be a magical item right? I bet I could sell this for some serious cash!" He took a deep intake of air and nodded. "I can do this..." He wrapped his fingers around the sword and pulled with all his might...

"I believe in you Davi..." The voice of his father said coming out of Jakey. "Please do this... For your sisters Gloria, and Iris."

Davi's teeth clenched as he pulled up and the sword came out with a soft 'pop' as golden light seemed to go into the air for a second. Davi stared at the sword with a look of wonder. "So cool-"

The entire sword shattered into a soft powder as the blade and handle snapped apart and a small purple rock fell out...

"Oh... I broke it."

There was a loud cracking sound as the dungeon around him shattered into nothingness leaving Davi standing near the edge of the water a small purple rock in his hands...

"Whoops..."

Sometime later...

"Ha, ha, ha! That's quite the story!" Jin laughed.

"What? You don't believe me?"

"Well considering you don't have a sword with you..."

Inside of the village that was on Wasteland Island, an old dinner rested. A very popular place for people to stay at. Within this Dinner three people could be seen. The first was Davi who rested at the counter, and was still a little wet, but no longer hurt. Jakey rested on his back, with his head over Davi's shoulder. In front of Davi, behind the counter the second man stood. Jin his grandfather. And next to Davi eating a large cake was Bronze who was gulping it down.

"Good!" Bronze barked.

"I told you!" Davi said waving his arms around. "When I drew the sword it turned into this thing!" Davi held up a small purple rock, with a black 'one' painted on it.

For a second Jin's eyes seemed to flash open as he stared at the stone cocking his head to the side. "O... Oh..."

"You know what this is?" Davi asked suspiciously.

"Err.... N... No... Just some dumb rock. Tell ya what Davi let's go throw it out into the ocean." Jin shrugged.

"That sword though... It just vanished! And everyone thinks this rock is just a normal rock I painted! And Tom, and Mary are gone! They totally ditched me and left me to die..." He sighed leaning forward. "Oh well. I don't really blame them. Not like they could have done anything, or knew about it... Still this rock is so weird..." He sighed holding it up to the light and watching it glow.

Bronze hummed for a moment. His entire mouth, or rather his snout was covered in cake. "Well... It does look just like a rock... I don't even sense any magic coming from it..." He shrugged. "It's a little hard to buy your story... You got attacked by a bunch of Eaters, monsters that affect Destiny itself, but most people think they are just a myth, than you fell to what should have been death, where a sword happened to be, that when you drew it, turned into a rock... I know we have magic, but even that's a little much. And I'm a dog man!"

"Yeah he's a dog man Davi!" Jin said nodding his head. "Your story is all weird... Also why is there a dog man eating cake? Can dogs have cake-"

"I'm not a dog! And I'm here because he's repaying me for saving his sister!" He announced barking his dog head and pointing at Davi. "He's buying me cake!"

"Oh... I see... Seems my grandson Davi is doing a lot of weird stuff today huh."

"Whatever." Davi stood up pocketing the stone. "I'm leaving-"

"Wait!" Jin said placing his hand on Davi's shoulder. He gave a kind smile for a moment as he stared at Davi. "Davi... I hate to ask because I'm certain you'd have told me but... Have you heard from your father at all? Maybe your mother? She was a creepy woman... Have either of them talked to you at all?"

Davi was silent for a moment remembering the words Jakey had said. "Nah... I doubt I will either. My old man, and mom, are dead beats who left sis, and I here trapped on this island. I mean Sis can't even leave the island due to her curse... I don't even know if the old man is alive. I don't care either. I don't need him. I'll keep Gloria, and Iris safe no matter what..." Davi nodded his head as he clenched his fi. Jakey stared at him for a moment before its eyes went wide. It let out a small bark but Davi and Jin didn't notice. They also didn't notice as it walked towards the door which had just opened as someone walked in...

Jin let out an amused chuckle. "Your definitely take after your fathers strength that's for sure... Even without magic you're one of the strongest people on this island. Not counting me of course."

"That runts the strongest?" Bronze laughed. Bronze slowly stood up. "Well. Whatever the case. If you ever feel like joining a guild boy hit us up." He grinned. "I'll give a word to the Master. I'll even ask them about this sword story. If anyone knows something about it it'd be them."

"Seriously? Thanks."

"No issue. Now... If you'll excuse me I promised this one guy I'd watch his sister in exchange for cake." Bronze announced marching out of the shop.

"What a strange, strange, creature." Davi mused as he watched the reverse werewolf leave.

"Why thank you!" A new voice announced making Davi, and Jin jump. "I've been training everyday after all!" The two of them turned around blinking a few times when they saw the old man from the boat now standing there in the broken doorway that Bronze rammed through. "Hello!"

"Uh... Hi..." Jin said staring at the old man with a weird look for a moment. "Wait a second... Are... Are you Mer? Mer something... Mer? You were a friend of my dads right?"

"Wait but great grampa has been dead for a while?" Davi asked with wide eyes.

"Ahh you must be Jin!" The old man announced with wide eyes, that went unseen due to his sunglasses. "I am in fact Mer Wyllt!"

"The Mer huh..." Jin nodded. "Come to think of it... I have a memory of when I was six... You were old than to..."

"Who's this Mer guy gramps?" Davi asked throwing his arms behind his head.

Jin kind of shrugged awkwardly. "Well... Believe it or not... This old man, was one of the strongest people in Camelot."

"What! This old guy! Well... I guess if he was a friend of great grampa's, he must be ancient then right? So I guess he lost his prime like you gramps."

The old man hummed as he stared at Davi for a second. "Ahh. You must be Jins Grandson!"

"Yep. Names Davi."

"Davi isn't technically my grandson. He's adopted. But... He might as well be family." Jin shrugged.

Mer stared at Davi for a moment his eyes slowly drifting down to Davi's teeth. "Adopted you say... And those teeth..."

"Something wrong?" Davi asked.

"No. No." The old man shook his head for a moment scratching at his chin. "I forget in my old age any how..."

"Oh... So you lived here old man?" Davi asked leaning back.

"No..." Mer shook his head letting out a hum. "I was born in... Well it had another name, but we call it Camelot now, much like your grandfather... I moved to Avalon. After that I moved to this island nearly... One hundred and five years ago, and lived there until I found my apprentice which would have been when your grandfather and his boy moved here. And we stayed a few years..."

"How old are you!"

"Hmm... Three hundred and thirty three."

"What! Are you lying? That's a really coinvent number..."

"Mer would have actually been here around the time you were nine Davi." Jin hummed. "He left the same day your dad did."

"Oh? So why are you back Mister?"

"I was in the area and thought I'd stop by... That and... I sensed something..."

"You sensed something?" Davi asked raising an eyebrow.

"Mana sensing." Jin noted. "A Rare trait. Mana Sensors are rare, and can sense changes in the flow of nearby mana."

"What would he have sensed-" Davi stopped when he remembered the glowing sword, and Jakey, as well as the Eaters. "Oh I know! It has to do with Jakey or something right!" Davi announced standing up.

"Jakey?" The old man asked raising an eyebrow.

"My... I don't know what he is... I think he's a Oddity Beast? Not to sure. Anyways he's..." Davi stopped suddenly when he looked around only to realize that Jakey wasn't anywhere to be seen. "He's gone!" Davi said with wide eyes. "My badass pet left! I was gonna use it to beat my grampa up!"

"What?"

"What."

"Makes sense..." Mer nodded. "People shouldn't keep Oddity Beasts anyhow... A Oddity Beast is a powerful magical creature, and there are many kinds such as Hell Hounds, Drakes, and all sorts of manner."

Oddity Beasts were a common thing in the world. Mostly the things Arcane Hunters would fight. Demons, Dragons, Sharks with wings. Basically if it was a danger to the world, or not a normal animal, it was classified as an Oddity Beast.

"Yeah but this one could mimic sounds." Davi sighed. "And he helped me find my cool rock. And he looked like a cat!"

"Rock-"

Before any of them could say anything else though the entire building shook as the wall was suddenly blasted down by a large wave of wind. Jin's eyes were wide with horror as he watched the side of his shop get blown up. "Where is it..." A Voice hissed out in a sneer. Standing in the doorway a new man could be seen. He was dressed in a long black cloak, and he had long pink hair, and light pink eyes, as well as dark skin, and on his cloak was an upside down skull of a dragon head. On his arm was a strange metal gauntlet with a barrel coming out of it. A Mana Cannon.

"My shop!" Jin cried out in horror.

"Where. Is. It." The man asked brining his arms up as the gun on his arm began to charge.

Mer let out a groan. "Great... You're here already huh... Still you're just a weak one. You don't even have a Dark Eater do you? That gun is all you got."

"Hey! I don't know who you are, and you clearly aren't from our Village... You better have serious Bells, because you're paying for this-" Davi began only for the man to deliver a powerful back hand slap so hard Davi was sent tumbling out of the store and crashing onto the road below scaring several people. Davi let out a groan grabbing his cheek. "T... The hell.... This guy hits just as hard as gramps... No. Even harder actually?"

"Davi are you alright!" Mer asked seemingly just appearing next to Davi from how fast he moved.

Davi rubbed at his face which badly stung as he gritted his teeth. "What's that guys issue and what's that weird gun he has?" Wasteland wasn't in any of the four great Kingdoms. They were outsiders. They had no idea about the massive war, the terrorist groups, or the magic techknowledge that was being invented in the rest of the world.

"Davi." Mer said sternly. "You should run-"

A fist slammed into the back of Mer's head knocking him to the ground as Davi's eyes went wide. The man stood behind him, a large smirk on his face after just bashing the poor old mans face into the ground. "Why did you come back to this place." The man growled. "You must know 'his' location right-"

A fist slammed into the guys face as Davi unleashed a powerful punch sending the man to the floor in one attack. "I don't care if you hit me. I'm tough, and I can take it. But I draw the line at hitting on the elderly." Davi said cracking his knuckles. "You're going down-"

"Sneak attack!" Mer announced loudly as he pulled a grenade out of his jacket and pulled the pin. It was a flash grenade. There was a bright white flash as Davi, the man, as well as any other person who was in the area, all screamed out in pain suddenly. Davi felt an arm wrap around his as he was suddenly being dragged. When his eye sight came back he saw the back of Mer who was dragging him through the forest. "That was brave but very stupid my boy." Mer laughed. "Laying a hand on a member of Dagon Dwellers wasn't smart..."

"Dragons Dwellers?" Davi asked running along the old man now. Or at least he tried but Mer was seriously fast for an old guy, moving so quick his legs mixed together in a blur.

"That's the group that man is in. I was hoping I'd get more time to find the Devil Heir but no luck-" Mer suddenly came to a stop as he stared ahead with wide eyes.

Davi looked forward and saw Jakey, the Oddity Beast was sitting in the forests path staring at them as it cocked its head to the side and let out a loud bark.

"Cath... Is that you?"