Kaelon and Arka got into position, standing on opposite sides of the courtyard. Kaelon gripped a training sword he found laying around and Arka held his staff. The two stared at each other for a moment before bursting into action.

  Arka moved first, dashing at Kaelon while whipping his staff. Kaelon stood firm observing his approach. His sword ready to move ag any moment.

  Arka closed in on him and brought his staff down on. Kaelon parried the strike by angling his sword, forcing the staff down to the floor. Immediately he moved to counter and his sword lashed out. Arka jumped back dodging the blade.

  The two once again stared each other down. This time Kaelon took the initiative and shot at Arka. His sword stabbing forward with all his strength.

  Arka raadied his staff to block the attack. His body didn't even move as they clashed, Kaelon's sword intercepted by Arka's staff. Instead of letting his momentum die Kaelon kept going forward.

  He spun to the side while retrievinghis sword and readied another attack. Arka reacted quickly and turned to face him as Kaelon's sword reached him. The staff and wooden sword clashed once more.

  This time, not being properly prepared, Arka was forced back acouple steps. Kaelon didn't let up and continued on with a fury of blows. Arka met most of his attacks head on with his staff but a few did get through.

  Kaelon tried to press his advantage but Arka had a different idea in mind. Before Kaelon keep attacking he jumped backwards, creating space. Then they both shot at each other simultaneously readying their attacks.

  They clashed again, Kaelon's sword finally pushing aside Arka's staff. But Arka didn't lose, he dropped the staff and sent his now free fist straight at Kaelon. In the end Kaelon held his sword to Arka's neck and Arka held a fist to his.

  Kaelon looked the monk in the eyes with a smile. He retrieved the sword and put it down.

  "That was a good spar, Arka. I gotta say, you're pretty strong man!"

  Arka pulled his arm back and nodded at him.

  "You're strong as well. This was fun."

  After sparring Kaelon and Arka went their separate ways. Kaelon returned to the guest quarters and finally fell asleep. That night he dreampt of Vinhal being attacked. A horde of kobolds larger than he could ever imagine assaulted the walls.

  He awoke with a start, drenched in sweat. Quickly Kaelon composed himself, going outside for some water. The day was quite normal, but Kaelon couldn't shake a bad feeling.

  He was training to take his mind off of it when Kane appeared. He rounded up the squad and sat them down, much like before they left. Of course now they were one person less.

  Kane looked around at everyone before speaking.

  "In my talk with the Abbot yesterday I got a clearer picture of what's going on in this city. Simply put Ludwig II, that guy we met at the gates, is trying to take this city from his father. The Abbot informed me that the lord of Vinhal has recently fallen ill. His son, a power hungry man, poisoned his father and colluded with dark forces to bring about this monster wave. He got rid of his father's supporters leaving the city vulnerable to the monster wave."

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  The squad was apalled by his words. As religious and pious people they were intolerant of what they called 'dark arts'. Powers that fed on negativity and curses and often involved sacrifices.

  A bold member of fhe squad got up immediately.

  "We must go capture that bastard, Captain! Someone who uses dark arts should never be allowed to run free!"

  Kane turned to him and nodded.

  "I agree, but it's not that simple Carter. We can't accuse nobility of something that heavy without proof. This monastery has been trying to find something solid but they can only do so much. Our position in Vinhal is much weaker than it is in Altium, we don't have authority here."

  Kaelon tilted his head in confusion and voiced it out.

  "Then what do we do? Are we just supposed to let the moster wave come?"

  Kane's expression darkened but he nodded.

  "Yes, I'm sorry but even I can't just barge into the castle and drag him out. Even if I want to, the world doesn't work like that. We just have to save as many people as we can and reinforce our brothers of the monastery. That was our mission in the first place."

  The atmosphere turned sour, they all wanted to do something but couldn't. Kaelon eventually just left to clear his head. He kneeled before his father's statue in the monastery's prayer hall.

  "Father, if you can hear me please offer some guidance... This city is in danger and the one who caused it is the one who sits at the top. I'm not sure what I can do except wait for the danger to come."

  He waited in thought for a moment but his Father didn't reply. Some things he just had to figure out on his own. The rest of the dah Kaelon spent training. He did the exercises that Arka had taught him the day before.

  It was a kind of calisthenics routine taken to the extreme. His body was left immobilized after just four hours. After a short rest Kaelon decided to leave the monastary, go take a look atound the city.

  Walking outside he wore a cloak and hood that covered his stand out appearance, The streets of Vinhal were empty, the people bunkered in their homes. What Kaelon went to see though, were the slums.

  It didn't take long for him to arrive in the slums, here the people didn't bother hiding. Vagabonds and gangsters littered the streets drinking their sorrows away. Kaelon flashed his weapon at them, making sure they knew he wasn't to be messed with.

  As he walked Kaelon remembered his upbringing. He had lived in slums just line these until three months ago. He was reminiscing when he spotted a figure he recognized. Ludwig Vinhal II was sneaking into the slums. Just like Kaelon he wore a cloak and hood but it wasn't enough.

  Once Kaelon spotted that mustache under the hood he immediately made the connection. He hurriedly began following him from a distance. Making sure not to be spotted.

  Kaelon watched as Ludwig approached a rare stand alone building at the end of the slums. It looked to be an abandoned house but Kaelon felt his senses tingle. Something unnatural was in that building.

  Ludwig knocked on the door in a weird rhythm that Kaelon committed to memory. The door opened to reveal several more cloaked individuals waiting for him. That was all Kaelon saw before the door slammed shut once more.

  With no other choice Kaelon just sat at a distance, observing the house. Over time some others came in but no one had come just yet. Three hours after he first arrived Kaelon finally saw someone leaving.

  He immediately took action and followed the figure from afar. The cloaked Kaelon moved through the shadows peering out at the dark figure. Once they got far enough Kaelon decided to take action. As the figure entered an alley in the slums Kaelon brandished his sword.

  Coming up from behind he grabbed the figure and held his sword to their throat. Kaelon held the figure tight and infused some divinity into his blade. The sword turned red as heat began to pur off of it.

  The figure let put a yell as it made contact with his neck.

  "Argh! Who are you?! Do you know who you're messing with!!"

  Kaelon scoffed at his words and shot back.

  "I'm the one who asks the questions. Who are you? What are you doing in that house?"