(CHAPTER 27: LESSON 1)

"Where, what is here-" Awaken in darkness.

"Hero." He heard a faint call.

"Huh? Brine?" He recognize the voice.

"Save me." It echoed once more.

"What." It is so soft, he couldn't hear it right.

"Save me. I can't see." This time louder, but further.

"What, where are you?" He look around, he saw a light afar, drifting further from him.

"I can't see, it's dark, so dark, save me!" He is now sure the voice is from there, he ran towards the source of the light and voice.

"Where are you, don't stop talking, I am coming all right!" Her voice grew smaller and smaller, but he is getting closer to the light.

As he approaches, the light grew brighter and brighter, until he could finally see something, It was a sphere, and within it he saw a girl, she look exactly like Brine. She was floating inside some unknown green neon liquid that is the source of light. She seems unconscious though, and wore a very bizzare outfit that seems to be outside this world. "What the heck." As Hero stare at the girl within it, the world collapses, he open his eyes and barely manage to catch his breath before a punch was landed right on his face.

"Ow!" Hero screamed but before he could react, another punch was landed right into his abdomen, air escaped his lung and he could hear one of his rib crack, the pain totally wake him up. Another punch was about to land on his temple but hero managed to roll his way out from it. The figure grab him by his shoulder and lift him up before tossing him against the wall. His body hit the concrete wall hard, the shoulder bone that impacted against the wall was completely shattered like a China cup, he could fell the bone shard pierce through his meat.

The figure approached and lift him up from the grab by his collar before lifting him up midair effortlessly. Through the dim moonlight that shone through the window he could take a good look at the attacker's face.

It was Arthur.

He curled his fist up into a ball and lunged another punch right at his face before tossing him back to his bed. "Rule number one." He crouch down and look at Hero, who is barely breathing by now, his eyes is swollen, his arm is completely broken while a rib has punctuated his lungs, causing his breath into a short wheeze. "There is no signal for a fight. It happens all time, so stay alerted, alright kid?" He crab him by his hair and pull him up, his cold dead stare send a shudder down Hero's spine, he nodded ever so slightly and barely say a "yes" through his deformed mouth. "Good." He plop him back at his bed before leaving, as if nothing had happened. It was moments before Hero faint and drift to sleep due to the pain.

The moment he woke up, he truly hope that last night was just a dream.

But the aching pain make him face to reality. His head spun, his injury is quite serious, how could he be so relentless? Just when he was about to head down to the kitchen for breakfast, he noticed someone was beside his bed. It was a girl, somewhere similar to his age, or even younger. Her skin is fair, not fait but pale white. Her eyes is bloody red, so do her hair, which was tied into a braid that was so long that it dun down on her lap like a snake. According to the way she dresses, she looks like a witch, but at the same time also has a professional aurora She was treating his broken shoulder by pouring some potion onto it. "Wha- Who are you?" Hero almost screamed, he was almost completely naked right now, except from a short he have wear beneath the blanket.

"Stop moving nut head." She grumbled and took out more potions, this time pouring it onto his body. "What the heck, why are you her-Argh!" Without any warning, she stab a needle onto his body and began mumbling. Hero was about to ask why she does that but she began mumbling some words, the potion began to shine, brighter and brighter before it finally fades, alongside the pain of his wound. "Move your shoulder a bit." She ordered. Hero lift his shoulder up and throw some punches, there is no single pain, as if the injury never existed. "You meet my medic?" Arthur suddenly appeared at the doorstep. "Shut up Arthur, you should've pay me more for this boy." She rolled her eyes and began packing up her items and headed down to the kitchen.

"Did she live here?" Hero waited until her footstep disappear before finally asking. "I thought there is just two of us." "She live in the attic, every knight have a medic." Arthur explained. "I don't know that" Hero grumbled and began dressing. Both him and Arthur walk down the stair and towards the kitchen where breakfast is served, out of curiosity Hero asked. "Are you guys related? Like girlfriend or something?" "She is 15 Hero." Arthur sighed and knock his head with a bonk. "Stop asking weird questions, she is the only Healer we could afford."

Upon reaching the kitchen, they sat around the wooden table and began dining. Breakfast was simple, mushroom soup and wild vegetables from the outskirt of the kingdom. From what he know, Arthur is one of the poorest knight, or maybe the poorest people in the Plains Kingdom. This is because the knights usually earn their money from taxes of the people by protecting them from raids, or helping traders reaching their location safely. But Arthur think what he does is his responsibility. He wanted, need to do it, not he is paid to do it. That's why he could barely fed himself, or get a house or even a proper healer that a knight usually needed. The healer he has right now is Eve, and she is currently just a student.

But because of that people here are close to him. Compared those knights who live in huge castles, mansions and palace, Arthur is always hanging around the streets, or in the bar, getting drunk and fooling with children.

He is like a family.

"Finish eating?" Arthur tap the spoon against the wooden bowl, pulling Hero back from his thoughts. Hero nodded and push the bowl towards Eve, who took it to the kitchen. "Let's head outside," Arthur stood up from his seat and dramatically do a stretch as he yawns. " We will began our training now."