The old man looked at me with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion, his eyes squinting in the fading light. He was tall and wiry, with a long white beard that reached down to his chest. He wore a simple tunic and pants, and had a staff in his hand, adorned with small bones and feathers. The air around him seemed to vibrate with an otherworldly energy, and I could sense a deep wisdom in his eyes.
"What do you want?" he repeated, his voice low and gravelly, like the rustling of leaves.
I stood there, trying to look as non-threatening as possible. The Scrabbler was hiding behind me, peeking out to watch the old man with big, round eyes. I could feel its tiny heart beating rapidly, and I knew it was ready to bolt if needed.
"Im just looking for shelter"I said, trying to sound calm.
The old man looked me up and down, taking in my leather armor and sword. "So you're a fighter?, which rank?" He asked
"F-rank" I muttered. "Eh?", "Im F-rank" I said
The old man closed his mouth trying not to laugh
"It's not funny, anyway I'm on a quest".
The old man raised an eyebrow. "A quest, hmm, let me guess to defeat the dark lord?"
"Yes".
I glanced around the hut, taking in the strange objects and potions on the shelves. There were jars filled with mysterious liquids, and books bound in leather that seemed to hum with power.
"You're F-rank and you're trying to defeat the dark lord, believe me kid when I saw you can't if you even train for another 1000 years" he said then put his hand on my shoulder.
"I don't have a choice".
He stepped aside, gesturing for me to enter. "Come in you can stay for the night"
I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should trust this old man. But the Scrabbler was already darting past him, into the hut, and I followed it.
The inside of the hut was cozy and warm, with a fire burning in the center. There were shelves and cabinets filled with strange objects and potions, and a large wooden table in the center of the room. The air was thick with the scent of herbs and incense, and I could feel the weight of the old man's gaze upon me.
"Sit down, sit down I'll get you some tea" He said then ran into his Kitchen
I sat down, feeling a bit overwhelmed. The Scrabbler was curled up by the fire, watching me with its big, round eyes. I could sense its contentment, and I knew it was happy to be safe.
The old man busied himself, ripping some herbs and boiling water in a pot. He handed me a steaming bowl of soup, and I took a sip, feeling the warmth spread through my body. The flavors exploded on my tongue, and I realized I was starving.
"Thanks" I said, feeling grateful. "The name's ryker".
The old man smiled. "Arin" he said.
We sat in silence for a while, eating our soup and watching the fire. I was exhausted, and the warmth of the fire was making me drowzy. The Scrabbler was snoring softly, its little body twitching as it chased after something in its dreams.
"So can you train me so I can defeat the dark lord?" I asked
"I'm telling ya kid the dark lord is far ahead of you".
"Are you going to train me or not?" I asked looking serious for the first time since I got here.
"Okay training starts tomorrow then, but I'm warning you kid my training my be enough to Push you to B rank or C but the dark lord is SSS+ rank so from then on you'll handle the rest yourself,Ifbyou can do that" Aria said then grinned
He stood up, ripping through a cabinet, and pulled out a small leather pouch.
"Here" he said, handing it to me. "Take this it will help you heal faster"
I took the pouch, feeling a surge of gratitude. "Thanks, Arin" I said. "I owe you a big one"
Arin smiled. "Don't thank me yet" ' he said. "You'll need all the help you can get"
He sat back down, his eyes serious.
"Ryker,"he said. "I can teach you some things, help you get stronger. But you have to promise me one thing"
I nodded, feeling a sense of anticipation. 'What is it?"
Arin leaned forward, his eyes intense.
"You have to promise me you'll use your power wisely"he said. "The Dark Lord is not to be underestimated. He's powerful, and he's ruthless"
'Yeah…. I already know that' I said to myself.
I nodded, feeling a sense of determination.
"I promise" I said. "I'll use my power wisely."
'Then when I defeat that dark lord and his bum I'll get out of this shithole'
Arin nodded, a small smile on his face.
"Good"he said. "Then let's get started. You have a lot to learn"
"I thought you said Tomorrow?" I said as we began to walk outside
"I changed my mind, training starts now"
He stood up, and began to pace around the yard
"First, let's start with the basics" he said. "You need to learn how to control your energy, how to channel it into your attacks"
I nodded, feeling a sense of excitement. This was what I was here for.
Arin smiled, and began to teach me.
The hours passed, with Arin teaching me the intricacies of energy control and combat techniques. I was a quick learner, and soon I was able to channel my energy into my sword, making it glow with a soft blue light.
"Not bad"Arin said, nodding in approval. "For an F-rank that is"
I smiled, feeling a sense of pride. But quickly the smile faded because of that last comment
"One I defeat the dark lord I'll run it all on your face"
"Don't get too confident"he said. "You still have a lot to learn"
"I know"I said. "I'll keep training"
Arin nodded, and handed me a small wooden sword.
'
"This is my phoenix, you need to be at least B rank to gain this" He said then the aura disappeared "Im just showing you what you're gonna see when I stop going easy on you" He smirked
I grinned, and took the sword. "Bring it on"