A man wearing a sharp uniform and the notorious red armband stood lazily at the entrance of the prison, watching as a strange man approached. The energy he gave off was low, but it was there.
'Bastards at the gate must have missed this one'
Sachi grew closer as the man locked eyes with him.
"The hell do you think you're doing, Lesser? Back the fuck up."
Sachi returned a cold gaze to the man, the other two red armband wearing guards now honed on Sachi.
Sachi scoffed.
"Are your senses that dull to think I'm a Lesser? Let me through."
"I've never misjudged a Champion before, and I don't think I have now."
The man nodded to another guard on his side. This one didn't seem to be a Champion, meaning he could hurt Sachi.
Or the other way around.
The man went to draw his sword, but before he could unsheathe it Sachi had already slashed the man's arm off.
The searing fire from Fiery Embrace cauterized the wound instantly.
'Good thing I put all my free points into DEX.'
Sachi turned around to face the man at the gate.
"He'll live. Could a Lesser Champion do that?"
Another guard drew their weapon.
The man with the armband held up his hand in protest.
"That sword had fire on it, he works for Aelthys."
He looks back to Sachi.
"You a new general or something? I've never seen so little energy before."
Sachi held out his hand, expecting keys for the building.
"Something like that. I've been ordered to move them out."
The man laughed.
"Damn, Kaelthar must be impatient to come back already!"
He tossed the keys into Sachi's hand.
The door clicked and he pushed his way in.
The room greeted him with almost nothing. Just a single small room with a wall of bars in the back. Behind the bars were just a few frail looking people.
Sachi went to unlock the door.
"Come on, we're getting out of here."
A mixture of confusion and anxiety came from the group.
"Please, you can't do this!"
The lock clicked and the door swung open.
"I know, I'm not. You're free, just follow me out."
The murmurs died down.
"Is that really true, sir?"
A frail brunette woman with curly hair approached.
"My god wishes to thank you but… we're very weak at the moment."
Sachi nodded. The woman looked like she hadn't eaten in days.
"Whatever you do from here on doesn't matter to me, I just won't let you die without the chance to live."
The woman tried to tug on his armor, but the rules of the safe zone prevent it.
"Then… can I come with you?"
The others agreed, all chiming in with support.
'I expected them to be thankful but this is a bit much…"
"Absolutely not."
Sachi turned to leave, motioning for them to follow him out.
"Ah, wait!"
As Sachi stepped out, the lazy guard waved him down.
"You gonna need help keepin' them in line?"
Sachi dismissively waved the man away.
"No need."
The small herd of people funneled out behind him, and followed him back towards the gate.
[You have left a safe zone!]
He stopped and turned around. The people following him had stopped before leaving the city.
"You're afraid I'm gonna kill you?"
The group each shared a pensive look, except one.
The brunette woman stepped out of the safe zone first, her short hair bouncing with each step.
Her clothes were torn, likely from the scuffle that got her captured in the first place.
"My name is Lyra, I'm the Champion of Zephyr, the God of Wind."
She held a timid look.
"Please let me travel with you."
Sachi tapped her head.
"No. I'm barely holding on by myself, I can't watch over someone in your state as well."
His gazed returned back to the city itself. He might have time before the Eternal Flame returns, but he wasn't going to risk that.
"I think I made some scary people angry too."
He turned to walk in a random direction. Away from the city that he came from, and away from the hilltop that he arrived on.
"Your lives are yours once again."
He passed through the fields, through the forest and arrived just on the outskirts of a desert.
His stomach began to rumble.
'I should've gotten something to eat before I left…'
He felt a tap on his shoulder.
He quickly spun around with his hand on his katana, ready to strike.
Instead of an enemy, all that stood in front of him was the brunette girl, Lyra. She held a piece of cooked meat in her hand, and ate another with her free hand.
Speaking with food in her mouth, she asked. "You hungry?"
Sachi was practically drooling staring at the slab of meat.
She let out a chuckle and pushed it into his hands.
Sachi bit down on the meal, the flavor tasted like pure bliss as the meat melted in his mouth. An overload of flavor he simply could not resist, within just a few bites the whole piece was gone.
"Don't be shy, sir. There's plenty left still. I had some experience hunting before I came here so I got some for you."
Sachi certainly wasn't complaining. He saw that she had even made a small campfire. He sat down and began to dig into his second piece.
"But I didn't see any wildlife around, how did you get this?"
She laughed once again.
"Maybe it's because you're wearing that big suit of armor."
Sachi looked down at his Emberheart Plate, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"That could be it…"
The chatter was interrupted by a familiar sound of flapping wings.
"Serendelle! Where have you been all this time?"
Sachi was slightly angry that he trekked so far away and his companion hadn't said anything.
"I was out making friends, much like you have."
A falcon as brown as Lyra's hair landed on her shoulder.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, o' savior of mine."
Sachi finished chewing on his piece before replying.
"The God of Wind, I take it?"
"I'm honored you remembered."
The falcon flourished its wings.
"But what good is honor if I can't even repay a debt to my Champion's savior?"
He hopped off Lyra's shoulder and turned into his true form. A tall, scarcely clothed man with short hair. Despite there being no wind around, his hair was always moving as if there was. His skin itself was almost translucent, Sachi could make out the scenery behind him still.
"I would say you're quite lucky, Sachihiro Takahashi, but truthfully I know your patron had a hand in this."
From the mist that surrounded him, Zephyr revealed a brand new katana. Its sheathe was a beautiful white with finishing touches of dark green clouds along the side.
"I must apologize, it doesn't seem to go well with your outfit, but I hope you accept it nonetheless."
Zephyr extended both of his hands with the katana fastened in them.
"For what it's worth, it came out much better than expected."
[Kazekiri]
[Epic katana]
[+30 DEX]
[Skill: Gale Slash]
Sachi stared in amazement at the blade. Every inch of it was crafted with perfection.
"It was my brilliant companion's suggestion to get you a new weapon, said the one on your hip was bland"
Zephyr nudged Lyra, who was covering her radiant smile with another piece of meat.
Sachi was dumbfounded.
"Thank you."
[Equipped: Kazekiri]
[Name: Sachihiro Takahashi]
[Class: Samurai]
[Level 3]
[Unused points: 0]
[STR: 4 (+10)]
[DEX: 7 (+30)]
[VIT: 4 (+40)]
[INT: 4]
[LCK: 4]
[CHA: 4]
[ALL (+80%)]
[Skills:]
[Power Slash]
[Gale Slash]
[Traits:]
[Favored by Luck]