Fruits Of Labor

The first rays of sunlight seep through the curtains and illuminate the room. Last night's rain had made the weather much more better. Einar groaned as he yanked the blanket on top of his head. And then it happened, just like yesterday. 

Loud bangs to the door are heard. He curses in his mouth as he gets up and opens the door. The first thing he's seen in two days as soon as he woke up was the beaming face of Thoman.

"Good morning, Einar. Sir Cadus told me to pass a message to you.

He said that the men are ready, after breakfast you should head towards the mine." Thoman explained and went back to whatever he was doing.

A cold shower and moldy bread with broth which was more just water was a great combination for him. He finished it and started to work. First he made his way to the barracks. Sir Cadus sat at his own chair while multiple knights were present in the room waiting.

Four deserters, two old knights and one teenager who was eager to prove himself.

"Cub, these men will be the ones who will go into the mine with you.

Take your pickaxe, and go." Cadus declared.

"We're short on resources. If there's danger, leave it."

"Why not join me yourself, old man?" Einar questioned.

"Because if I did, who would guard the gate? It's definitely not gonna be you. Maybe if you were an Ardent then I'd say you had a thirty percent chance." Cadus chuckled.

"I'm close, I can feel it. I did survive alone with a chipped sword in the Wyrmbreak Wastes." Einar declared.

"I wouldn't get cocky over this cub, sure you survived but have you questioned yourself how and why?" Cadus hinted at something Einar should be self aware of.

Vessence depends on the emotions of a person, if a person doesn't understand themselves they won't advance. Einar's mothers death and the trauma following it was likely the cause for him to still be a Resonant at his age.

Einar grabbed a pickaxe and strapped the sword Cadus gave him on back. He left the barracks first and saw Hedra and Thoman, they stood not too far away.

"Einar, come back safely so we can have another drink today. This husband of mine will join us today." Hedra said with a smile on her face.

"Her take this, I was fortunate to find some good apples when I went into the forest earlier." Thoman said as he gave him an apple.

Einar then waited for his team to come out and walked to the western side of Blackvale. Just a few miles away was a mine, years ago it was functional but now it was an abandoned mine. No one knew what would be inside the mine, but they marched towards it proudly. 

"Say Sir Einar, how was the capital like?" The teenager who called himself Finn Greyhart asked catching up to Einar.

Einar looked at the boy, barely seventeen was following him into danger with a bright smile on his face. It reminded him of the good times, when he was carefree and could waste hours upon hours reading history books.

Now he did not have that luxury nor was his life style like that. He was a fallen prince, destined to die in the Wyrmbreak Wastes. But he survived, his will and the thirst for revenge moved him forward, to a day when he squishes his former family under his foot like insects.

*****

After an hour of walk they arrive at the entrance of the mine, rocks covered the entrance and cobwebs went from one end to the other. Einar pushed away the rocks and lit the oil lamp he had. The inside of the mine was worn out. 

They saw years old mining carts, broken lamps and strange claw marks on the walls. Despite that Einar pushed forward. They salvaged any cart which could be used and started their work. Einar took the lead and pushed himself forward. He didn't stop even when his arms ached.

Soon sweat enveloped his body, he took off the tunic and wrapped it on his waist as he continued to swing his pickaxe. Then the mine shook as one of the deserters accidently found an opening leading into a cave.

"Oh wow, I guess we were lucky." Finn exclaimed as he put his head inside the opening to inspect the cave.

Einar grabbed his shoulder and yanked him out as an arrow struck the opening where Finn's head just was. That was a close call. Having a kid younger than eighteen who had lived in Blackvale since birth die on him would make him hate himself more than his former family.

He did not scold him, nor did he show anger. He just put his hand on the boys head and sighed.

"Finn, I know during this age you're curious of things but don't do something like this again. Okay?

I can't be present every time to save you." Einar emphasized.

"Y-yes, I'm sorry. I will try my best not to do that again.

But what was that arrow from?" Finn queried.

"I don't know for now. Could be a trap set up by goblins or could be actual goblins." Einar answered.

He went back to his mining as he told them to cover the hole for now and focus on the task at hand. They soon found a resource vein and in it iron, a lot of iron. They finished in a few hours and took the ores back to the entrance using the carts which were operational.

"Okay, now that we have done this we will take a fifteen minute break and explore the cave a little bit.

I think it might be in Blackvale's interest if we did. Anyone who is exhausted enough to not go can stay here. I don't mind" Einar declared as he put on his tunic and rested the sword Cadus gave at his hip.

Apart from an old knight everyone agreed, even Finn. He was told to stay in the back and to run back to Blackvale to get Sir Cadus if needed. 

They made the entrance to the cave big enough for the men to pass through easily. They marched inside with Einar in the front. As they went deeper the stench of rotten flesh and bones got stronger and stronger.

Some thought this was a bear cave but they were mistaken, this was one of the cave which led to a goblin den. A goblin scout yelped and dozens emerged. They were shorter than average humans but hunched and had twice the arm strength.

"Ready the formation!" Einar shouted as he unsheathed the sword and cut two goblins which jumped him.

The group formed a circle formation, with Finn in the middle. They continuously cut and slashed the goblins but their numbers increased. Just before the formation tightened anymore Einar emitted his vessence, a blinding light illuminated the whole cave which gave him enough time to imbue and cut off a dozen goblins in a single slash.

He then switched to one hand, he parried the goblins and shot his finger beams, killing multiple with it. He pushed forward and shielded others with his own body. He cut, parried and cut them again. His body bled as he stood in the front.

Blood dripped from his body but he kept swinging his sword. Flashbacks of his fight in the burning village come back. He did the same back then. He pushed forward despite his bleeding body. Dozens of goblins got slain by his hands but the final boss had yet to reveal itself.

From the left a huge goblin brute leapt towards the group, he swung his axe towards Einar but one of the old knights jumped in the way taking the blow. The man fell down, his left arm fell a few meters away from him. He twisted and turned in pain. His screams filled the entire cave.

Something broke, inside of Einar. He was high on adrenaline just a second ago but now his mind was calm and clearer than before. He saw a path in his mind and let his vessence flow like that.

Fire erupted from his arms and moved towards his sword, his blade now imbued with fire shone brightly and as Einar closed his eyes, a white light erupted from the blade, the fire now white was intense. Then he muttered, 'Emberflash Cut'

The goblin brute attacked again but this time its axe didn't even reach Einar because he was too quick. With a single quick diagonal slash he had cut it in half, the arc of the cut broke through the wall behind it.

Einar staggered and went on one knee. He somehow was able to use a soul signature. He had finally progressed. Being stuck at Resonant since he was fifteen he had finally stepped into the Ardent stage. 

As he put pressure on the severed arm of the old knight, he carried him on his back until they reached the exit of the mine.

Atop a cliff not far away stood Cadus. His eyes shone with a dark brown hue and a smile crept up to his face. 

'Ardent already...eh...cub? You're burning faster than I had anticipated.' Cadus thought as he turned and walked back to Blackvale.