"Huh!?" Shen blurted.
He knew he was the lowest mortal rank, barely capable of sparring with Runza — let alone the Grandmaster of the temple, a fire-rank fighter and mage. The thought chilled him like a bucket of ice-water dumped over his head.
"Let me finish," Shu said, voice calm but edged with steel. "I will not use my full power. I'll restrict myself to physical combat only — no magic, since you barely know how to heal a scratch. Just sparring." His eyes narrowed, sending shivers down Shen's spine.
"Frankly, you've been here a long time, and you've not been remarkable… nor well-behaved."
Shen swallowed hard.
"But," Shu continued, "if you defeat me, even when I'm holding back, they may see you in a different light."
Shen felt the weight of it settle on him. He wanted to be remembered — and what better way than to be known as the boy who bested the Grandmaster?
"How long do I have to prepare?" Shen asked, voice tight.
"One month." Shu raised a single finger.
"Only a month?! You want me to get better than you in a month!?" Shen shouted.
"Would you rather it be a day?" Shu snapped back, one brow raised.
"N-no! A month is fine!" Shen forced a fake smile, sweat running down his neck.
"Good. Then you leave tonight," Shu said flatly.
"Huh? Tonight?" Shen's jaw nearly hit the floor.
"You need time away from the temple… and the other students," Shu replied, turning toward the door.
"…Yeah, that's fair," Shen muttered. He couldn't argue with the logic, even if it felt like a death sentence.
"Gather your things by sundown. A word of advice: you'll likely run into trouble. Stay hidden while you train."
"Okay, mom," Shen whispered under his breath.
"What was that?" Shu's glare cut back at him.
"NOTHING! GOTTA GO, BYE!" Shen bolted out of the room. Shu smirked as the sound of hurried footsteps faded down the hall.
---
Packing for the Journey
On the west side of the temple, Shen stuffed clothes, food, and water into a small pack, grumbling to himself.
"I don't even know where to go… Guess the map will have to do."
A knock on his door startled him. He opened it to find Jin — the Grandmaster's messenger, a short man with green hair and steady brown eyes.
"The Guild Master says to be careful," Jin said. "The beasts are acting… strange."
Shen frowned. "Strange how?"
"Not sure. Just that they've been avoiding part of the forest. You'd be wise to do the same. He also said to train somewhere secluded, where no one will bother you."
"Alright… I'll do that."
Jin gave him a nod and left. Shen hoisted his pack, waved to Shu at the temple gate, and began his descent down the mountain.
The sun dipped below the horizon. Cold winds nipped at his heels. Shadows stretched long through the pine forest.
'If he was so worried,' Shen thought bitterly, 'why send me off with no warning? And why did he look so damn sad?'
He shook the thought away as he entered the dense forest below. Towering pines blocked what little light remained, the smallest trunk at least two feet wide. Soon he couldn't see five steps ahead.
Shen found a stream, set up a fire, and cooked a small meal. But his thoughts kept circling back.
"Why here? Why now? How does this make me stronger? Ughhh…"
Exhausted, he pitched his tent against a massive four-foot trunk and smirked to himself.
"I'll get stronger for those daggers, Shu. You can't stop me."
Sleep came quickly.
---
A Hunter in the Night
Two hours later, Shen woke to a loud crash outside his tent.
"Raccoons?" he muttered, grabbing a pan like a weapon. He stepped outside and shouted, "Scram, you little—"
He froze.
Three wolves, each taller than him, stood at the edge of the firelight. Their yellow eyes gleamed with killing intent.
"Oh, sh—"
They lunged. Shen dove aside as claws ripped into the earth where he had stood, snapping the massive tree behind him like a twig.
He ran.
Branches whipped against his face as he sprinted deeper into the forest. The wolves crashed after him, one flanking left, another leaping forward. Shen vaulted desperately over it, hearing the sickening crack of another tree as the beast collided with it.
"Sht. Sht. Sh*t. Son of a—" Shen's curses flew between panicked breaths.
Still, he ran. He didn't dare stop, didn't dare look back. But then… silence.
The wolves stopped.
He risked a glance over his shoulder — and immediately regretted it. His foot met only air.
"Aaahhhh!"
He plunged into a massive pit, the size of a football field.
The world spun. His head cracked against stone. Darkness swallowed him.
---
The Pit
When Shen woke, pain screamed through his body. His leg was twisted grotesquely, bone protruding. Blood ran warm down his temple.
Through the pitch-black silence, a voice whispered:
Come closer, child… closer.
Shen crawled toward the sound, vision swimming. He found a sturdy stick and tore a strip of cloth from his pants. Bracing himself against the stone wall, he picked up a rock the size of his fist.
He knew what he had to do.
Thwack!
"AGHHHHHHHH!"
His scream echoed off the cavern walls.
Thwack!
"AAAGHHHHHHHH!"
The bone shifted, nearly set.
One more strike.
But the pain was overwhelming. Darkness clawed at his vision. His strength faltered. The world tilted again, and his consciousness slipped away.