A Dull Blade

'I forgot where I am. This nauseating feeling is making me loose consciousness. When was the last day I ate?'

"What's gotten into you brother"

Reggies words snapped me out of my trance. I was spacing out while chopping firewood. Sharp pain returned to my hands from the sheet friction of cutting wood all day. Winter was around and as always it was hard on us.

'It's been a while since I heard those drunkies fight inside the house. Starting to think I miss them a little.'

Our circumstances were'nt getting any better as I had no way to get into the Rifts momentarily. I had no job, no proffession and no way of feeding my twin brothers.

"Come on Raph, stop spacing out and come inside I made us some sugar water."

Rennie's gentle words sounded through the huts small open window. Reggie ran inside to get himself a cup of the water.

'That's all we can afford this week huh...pity'

Letting out a big sigh I grab the net of logs carrying them over to the cabin. When I was done sorting I pulled out two books from the shelf and handed them over to the little runts as a way to keep them busy.

'They've gotten skinier, I have to find a way to earn.'

Both of my brothers had gotten pale from lack of nutrients and surviving on rations from the Syndicates tents. They only gave two rations for both of them since I'd reachen 15 and supposedly no longer needed support.

It was enough to survive on for now but sooner or later I'd have to do something about it.

[Knock, Knock]

"Raphael, by order of the RWC you are to participate in a solo mission on sunday the fifth of this month."

These kind of orders came from lackeys of the corporation to people that seem like they would make for decent lab rats. Mostly sent off on scouting missions inside of Rifts labeled as unexplored or unstable. 80% or cases I studied never came back and the remaining 20% came back barely hanging on to life.

It wasn't surprising, for a family of three rotting beside Dark Waterfalls we were just that insignificant to them. But since I need the money I wont reject the mission. Not like I could reject it in the first place without being hunted down like a dog.

The suburbs of The Sanctuary of Dawn were dangerous places that were filled with criminals, convicts, escapees, fallen nobles and multiple organizations that managed them. Getting out of it was nothing short of a miracle.

Becoming a Rift Walker by chance was the greatest thing that ever happened to me until it wasn't. I had no awakened abilities and only had my bodily strength built by doing manual labour. Meaning I could only enter rank 5 rifts.

Rank 5 rifts were pretty rewarding but since I made a deal with the devil for a fake Rift Walker license I had to give 80% of my earnings to the RWC if I wanted to stay out of prison.

Earlier on after the "Incident" happened and my parents died I'd scraped by stealing in allyways and resorting to all sorts of underhanded dealings. It was rough but somehow I managed to raise both of the twins decently.

'I guess I need to take out that blade huh'

A dull blade that I pulled up a few years ago from a tree stump accompanied me throughout my hardships.

"Now that I think about it, why was it stabbed exactly in the middle of that stump. It way too symetrical."

Well this isn't a fairytale and I am not King Arthur. This was just a two handed blade that with time became more and more dull. With no money for repairs I'd kept it that way.

But the secrets this blade kept were dark, it has experienced well beyond what the innocent mind could imagine.

"Brother stop spacing out."

I jolted for a moment, my knee hitting the wooden table that I was sitting in.

"Dammit"

****

"Hey lab rat, unfortunate to see you here."

"That mouth is dirtier than those sewers you came out of Drigs make sure to wash it when u have time."

"After today's mission I doubt you'll ever be within smelling distance anyway Raphael."

The look on my face gave away the frozen fear of that fraction of a second and a huge grin appeared on Drigs face the supervisor for the lower floors of the RWC in charge of 5th rank rifts.

"Make sure to pay respects to your drunkies when u pass to the other side."

Moving along the hallways my mind was drifting as to what Drigs could have meant by that. Was it an impossible clear mission. 'They usually gave those to slaves why would I be put in that. Am I no better than a slave?'

"Move along Raphael the Rift is ready be on standby inside the platform we'll begin shortly."

A nauseating feeling had captivated me almost trance like dragging me towards the rift. My consciousness slowly started to fade as I entered the rift.