Chapter Two - The Pulling Ceremony

Negan enters to see a huge room that stretched far down. People stood everywhere filling the church. Candles and guards lined the walls. There was a stage in the very back with a desk on it. And next to the stage there is a huge black Boulder with two guards standing by it. The boulder so big the guards are barely taller then it.

"This way." Sam said, as he waves Negan to follow.

Negan does and walks behind Sam towards the stage. He can see on the left side of the room there's a man standing behind a counter. The man was wearing some weird glasses. Negan thought. As he sees Sam stop behind a group huddled by the stage.

 A tall woman with dark hair and a black robe walks up on the stage and begins to speak.

"Welcome all name day participants. We are so glad to see all your bright young faces here today. My name is Lisa Page and I am the Guild Master here in Everdale."

The crowd of people clap.

"It is an exciting day for us all. What the future may hold is truly a fascinating thing. Three months ago we had a child who pulled a heroic bow."

The crowd claps again in excitement.

"Yes indeed, we have seen some very nice weapon's this year. Now let us begin the ceremony. Please remember to be patient and calm no matter what is pulled. Since you never know I will be sure and go over the rules and laws involving the ceremony." She said and begins reading a from a scroll.

"The law states in the month of one's fifteenth name-day they can pull their life or soul weapon from the catalyst."

And she points down at the black boulder. Then continues,

"Once pulled you can not return, exchange, sell nor damage your weapon. You must accept your weapon completely. You are solely responsible for your weapon and it's actions and it is against the law to use your weapon in any unfit way that may degrade the name of the kingdom."

"Weapon's grade's and form will determine what level and type of job you may have in society. The grades range from heroic to common. Once you pull your weapon you are legally an adult from that moment forth. You are responsible for your actions as well as your weapons and your weapons well being and safety. You must follow these guides and obey the weapons charter at all times. If you are found to be breaking any of these laws. You will be subject to a penalty deemed fit by the church or state. That is the law."

She finished and then looked out at the people.

"Everyone will have to sign an agreement before pulling their weapon. To acknowledge that you understand and agree to the law."

The tall lady smiles as she walks back and forth on stage now looking into the crowd periodically. Sam notices and steps to the side behind another person lowering his head. Negan notices Sam and thinks that's odd what's Sam doing.

"Now in time, Your weapon will grow as you grow. And in some special cases your weapon may even evolve into a being with a full form like mine." The lady on stage said.

She stopped pacing and whisked her hand. Then a bright wave of yellow light bursts forth. And a beautiful short young girl with long curly blond hair, wearing a yellow dress and barefoot appears. Standing next to the tall dark haired woman on stage.

Negan felt a uneasy cringe. As the girl on stage in the yellow light turns her head slightly and looks at Negan with a sinister look. Negan notices her gaze. And he feels a shiver. As the uneasy cringe gets worse. It was as if he could feel resentment.  Negan thinks he may collapse from it. Sam ducks down some more behind the person in front of him.

"You see here my Sandy is a fully formed or fully evolved weapon." The dark haired lady said. "Thank you, that is enough Sandy" And the light and girl disappeared into nothing as fast as she appeared.

Negan instantly felt a weight lifted as he exhales strongly and catch's his breath.

"Such is the way of the world and has been for over a thousand years. All must follow these rules and laws of the land. Now I will call your number you will sign your weapon agreement and pull your weapon. Then step aside to have it gauged. So you may know what you are qualified to apply for as well as get your I'd card." The lady said.

"Now number one please step forward."

A girl with a pink pony tail walks up.

"Hey Sam, that's the girl I ran into earlier. I think she said her name was Helen." Negan says to Sam quietly.

Lisa the tall lady on stage looks down at the girl.

"Well girl what is your name?"

"My name is Helen Lakes." The pink hair girl says.

"Oh, she's from the Lake family." Someone in the crowd said out loud. And the entire crowd started talking.

"Ok well sign your name. Then go pull your weapon." Lisa yells over the talking crowd with a grin.

Helen walks over to the desk on the stage. She turns looks down and grabs the ink pen sitting on the desk. She starts to sign the parchment and soon as she's done the ink shines as if the magic was activated. The parchment rolls up and starts floating next to Helen's head. Helen turns and walks down and over to a giant black Boulder the guards step back.

"Is that it?" Asks Negan looking up at Sam.

"Yeah boy that's it. Its been here for generations. No one really knows why it was put here exactly. But we do know it was put there by the being of light. No man could ever move that." Sam says with a serious look on his face.

Negan turns and watched. As Helen now is inches from the boulder.

Sam looks down. "Do you know why they call it the Catalyst boy?" Sam asks Negan.

"No Sam why do they? I often wondered."  Negan replies.

"It's cause it changes people." Sam Said in a serious tone.

"Wait, what?" Negan asks quickly in a panicked voice turning to Sam.

"At first it was said people didn't notice. Some thought it was family issues or curses. But eventually once enough people had noticed. They realized the truth." Sam said.

"What truth?" Negan asked curiously.

"Once someone pulls their weapon. Something inside them awakens. For most it's something good. Like a need to protect or even just self-survival. But for others it could be something worse. Like stealing or even murder." Sam explained.

"Wait so I could become a killer?" Negan asks Sam with a scared look on his face.

"No boy." Laughs Sam. "You would never be a killer."

"Well how do you know?" Asks Negan.

Sam exhales and looks down with a serious look on his face. "Cause I'd kill you before I'd let you be a murderer." Sam said

They both just pause for a moment.

"Ha-ha. I'm Just kidding ya kid lighten up ok." says Sam laughing as he pats Negan hard on the back.

"Besides it's not instant change. Anyways you never know when or how it will affect someone. Some its so small you can't even tell. So don't worry ok. Oh look she's pulling it." Sam says as he signals to Negan to look.

Negan still a little shocked and confused by what just happened looks up to see the girl pulling what looks like a beautiful staff.

"Wow" The crowd explodes. "Wow, that's awesome!" One guy said. "No way" A few mumbled.

Lisa the tall dark hair woman on stage says. "Very nice, a staff what looks to be a Heroic grade at that."

People are all murmuring amongst themselves Lisa walks down to the girl holding a staff.

The staff was a very dark red color. And had some engraving on it. It looked like a rose but it was to hard to make out from where Negan was standing.

"This is remarkable. The details are amazing on this staff. It truly is beautiful." Says Lady Lisa to Helen.

Helen was standing there with he brightest smile on her face. Like she knew what she was getting and just confirmed her dreams. Then she turns and walks over to the counter where a man is waiting wearing specially made glasses. She hands him the staff. He looks it over several times and stands there for moment almost in disbelief. And finally says. (It's not a heroic level.)

The crowd explodes almost louder than before.

"Everyone calm down!" Lisa yells from the stage.

"What is the level?" She asks.

The man behind the counter looks up and says. (Rare).

"Oh wow, well you see there it all comes together." Says Lady Lisa.

The crowd starts to calms down. Helen the pink hair girl goes and grabs her staff from the man with the glasses. The moment she touches her staff for the second time. The scroll of parchment that was previously floating just around her head. Burns away and disappears. She holds her staff up and bows her head slightly and walks off to the side.

Lady Lisa is still standing up on stage. "Oh my what a marvelous first pulling for the ceremony. Well shall we continue then?" She said.

Sam looks down at Negan and smiles.

"Wow I'm glad we got here early. You never see a rare grade get pulled around here. Let alone one that was almost a heroic She must be a high ranking nobles daughter or something. She should be able to apply anywhere with a rare staff as her weapon." Sam said.

Negan looks up and asks Sam.

"If you pull a weapon of common level. Can it ever become a rare weapon or heroic? I know weapons can evolve even into becoming a full being. But what about common ones like a hammer?" Asks Negan to Sam.

Sam looks down and says with sternness. "No, no matter how much a common grade weapon can grow. It will never fully form into a heroic weapon. That being said a weapon's worth and grade directly reflect their puller. So If one works hard enough one can level up their weapon. One maybe even two grades is possible. Take my hammer is a rare grade but it was only a common when I pulled her."

"Oh wow." Said Negan excited now.

"But I've never heard of anyone leveling their grade higher then two. So the answer is no. Your bond with your weapon and respect is what matters. That's what will help you both grow together. Never forget that Negan. Our weapons have feelings of their own. They deserve respect and kindness. But You don't need to worry about all that now. Look boy you will be fine. Just remember me colleen are here. No matter what you pull ok." Sam tells Negan with a slight smile.

"Number seven, number seven." Lady Lisa calls out from on stage.

"Negan go boy, she's calling you" Said Sam.

Negan just noticing he's being called stumbles up to the stage and looks up to the tall dark-haired woman.

She looks down at him. "Are you number seven?" She asks.

"Y-Yes" Negan says stuttering

"We'll get on with it. Go sign your agreement." Lady Lisa said in a rather rude tone.

Negan walks over to the desk looks down at the parchment and grabs the ink pen up.

It reads. I the undersigned agree to protect keep safe and take care of my weapon at all times. Never to use it in any unfit way.

Negan scrolls over the rest and just signs it. And just like before the ink starts to shine. And the parchment rolls up and starts to float next to Negan's head. He turns looks at Sam standing in the back. Sam gives him a nod as if he saying go on do it.

Negan then looks up at the lady on stage.

She looks at Negan and says "Ok now go and pull your weapon."

He turns now walking towards it. He staring right at the boulder black as the night it was like looking into a well so dark. He stops just in front of the boulder and looks around.

The rooms filled with people he's never met before. He sees the pink-haired girl standing in the back. There was a few others who had already pulled their weapons standing by her aswell.

He exhales slowly and closes his eyes. Then reaches his hand out as he can feel it sinking into the boulder. Its endless like the abyss like reaching into a bucket of emptiness. (What am I suppose to be grabbing for?) He thinks to himself as he reached around inside.

All of a sudden it felt as if time stopped. It seemed as if the whole world froze. All sound faded away and then he heard something.

"I'm stuck! Help me!" A girls voice cried out. "Help please!"

"Who's there? Can they even here me?" Negan thought to himself.

"Please help me master Negan!"

"Huh, she knows my name?" Negan thought shocked some.

And he reached out his arm as far as he could. As if his arm would've left his body if he pushed it out any further. And then finally he grasped something.

"I can feel it he thought." And he closed his hand shut tight. Then pulled his weapon out with all his might. Crash onto the floor!

Negan opens his eyes. Everyone's is gasping and panicked. (What's going on?) He's thinking. He looks around as he's on the floor now. But something is on top of him.

It's a GIRL!

A small toddler girl. With straight short blue hair, that was parted to the side. So it covered the right side of her face completely. Was laying naked on top of Negan still holding his hand. She looks up at him.

"Her eyes are the most beautiful dark brown I've ever seen." Negan thinks. As the little girl reach's her little arms around Negan and hugs him tight.

"Wait, what are you doing? Who are you?" Negan asks confused.

She looks up at him crying a little while smiling and says. "I've been waiting silly."

A few tears falls down her cheek. Sam yells at Negan to get up at this point Negan notices the room now. Everyone has their weapons out and pointed at him and Sam. Negan is in shock.

"What's going on Sam?" Negan asks panicking.

"Listen here boy do exactly what I tell you do. Do you understand?" Sam says in a serious manner.

Negan nods his head slightly. Then a guard Rush's forward towards Negan and attempts to grab the little girl from off of his lap.

"Hand her over!" The guard demands.

In that instant. Sam pulls his hammer out in a second and with a flash of green is behind the guard. Sam smashes his hammer over the guards helmet knocking him out instantly. The guard falls onto Negan and the little girl. Knocking the little girl out.

Sam looks at Negan now laying under the guard and girl.

"Listen boy take the girl and go home. Tell Colleen everything. She will know what to do." Sam said.

"What do you mean Sam? Let's go together! What's wrong? I don't get it!" Negan yells out. Confused and scared by what he just saw.

Now trying to get out from under the guard and Looking around Negan notices the scroll that was floating by his head disappeared as soon as he touched the girl. He then turns and can't help but notice at a bright yellow wave of light on the stage.

Sam grips his hammer tightly and throws it at the stage with a such a strong force that it ripped up all around it as it moved. Flying towards where the yellow light is shining on stage. The hammer gets moving so fast it starts glowing green. It gets close to the yellow light on stage. Before suddenly out of no where. It bounces back flying at Sam even faster as if it had been knocked back by something.

It hits Sam in his left shoulder and shatters his whole left side. Sam falls back against the wall blood pouring out of his shoulder now. He turns and slams his shoulder into the wall with a painful scream. Knocking it back in place. Then he leans back against the wall. He stands there for a moment leaning against the wall in pain bleeding. Then picks up his hammer with his right hand.

"Well I never imagined I'd see you again Sir Samuel." The tall dark haired lady on stage said with a wave of yellow light glowing all around her now and a magnificent glowing yellow bow in her hands.

"Ah my dear Lady Lisa, It's been awhile." Said Sam.

"Figures it had to be you here today. Only a few people who could send one of my hits back at me that hard. You just Had to be the one here today of all day's." Sam said as he walked away from the wall some.

"Don't suppose you would be willing to just turn your head a moment. While me my son leave would ya." Sam asks the lady on stage with a small smirk on his face.

Negan now kneeling over the blue hair girl to check if she's alive rolls the guard off of her and then stands up and looks at Sam as a chill rolled over him. Negan's never seen Sam with such excitement in his eye before.

"You know I can not allow that Sir Sam. He must be taken in for questioning." The lady on stage said to Sam.

"To think the great Sir Samuel was here in Everdale all these years. Is quite embarrassing for me as the guild master here. I'm sure you can imagine. It seems I must be growing dull in my old age." The lady on stage said.

"Well then guess your not giving me much option here Lisa." Sam said as his hands tightened around his hammer. A green wave of light started over flowing from it. Then it spread to Sam until Sam is completely surrounded by the wave of green light.

All you could see was the power starting to radiate from them both. It was blinding. Yellow on one end of the church and green on the other.

"-Holy arrow's-." Lisa yells. As she fires off her yellow arrows. There are so many and they moved so quick. Negan could only see the yellow streaks and then the impacts they made. As Sam knocks back some arrows with his hammer. Each as it lands destroying the church more. And crashing so loud when they hit it sounds like a explosion.

"Oh your going to have to do better then that. -Earth splitter!-" Sam yelled.

And he smacked the ground in front of him so hard it cracked the earth it self. Causing the church to crack down the center as a wave a green lights spreads through the church crashing it apart. And a shockwave that blows so hard that the desk on stage went  flying. The roof and walls start to fall apart inside the church everyone is panicking most the civilians have been evacuated by the guards by now.

"The great guild master lady Lisa page." Sam says mocking the lady on stage. As he still dodging and hitting back the yellow arrows.

"So strong and pretty. They all used to love you Lisa what happened?" Sam asked.

As a guard rush's him. He throws his hammer with a green light and it smashed the guard right in the chest knocking him down. Then Sam instantly appearing right next to the guard on the ground in a green flash. Picks up his hammer as two arrows come flying in at him. The first one he hits and it crash's into a bookshelf on the wall destroying it. Then he hits the second and sent it flying at another guard who was running at him. Sending that guard flying against the another wall. Lisa's arrows continue to rain down all over.

"They all still love me!" She screamed at Sam.

"I am the best guild master this town has ever known!" Lisa said with pride and anger. As she sent another fury a arrows at Sam hitting him with two this time.

Sam stops instantly and drops to a knee. Then pulls them both out as he grunts in pain. The church is destroyed by this point. Walls half missing holes in the roof and the ground ripped apart.

"Oh yea?" Sam says smiling a bit. Blood now all over him covering his entire left side.

"We both know that's a lie Lisa. Fear is not love, But you are right about two things here today Lady Lisa." Sam said.

"One is, I have been here this whole time. I've seen your love and now you shall be judged for what you have done to this towns people." Sam said in a vengeful tone as he stood back up blood covering him. A very serious look in his eyes now that scared Negan deeply. The lady on stage had a look of terror set in as Sam looked up and met her gaze.

"What else?" She asks. Eyes wide and not blinking.

"You said I was right about two things. What's the second one?" She asks as her voice cracks in fear.

Sam looks at Negan and winks. Then instantly with a green flash he disappeared and popped up right behind the lady on stage.

"The second, is that you did get dull in your old age." Sam whispered in her ear. A look of pure fear set on Lisa's face. As his arm reaches up over her head with his hammer clinched tight in hand.

"Final hammer fall!" Sam yells. As he unleashes the hammers force down on the lady from behind. Smashing her into the ground the wave of green light swallows the yellow light. And then the yellow light slowly vanishes and Sam falls back against the wall on stage. As the green light also fades away.

"She is done now." Sam said with a seriousness in his voice Negan had never heard.  Negan goes and rush's over to Sam and helps him up.

"Look Negan." Sam says,

"I've always known you were never going to pull a hammer boy. That's why we got you the clip that can hold anything. I know I've always said otherwise. But that was more me hoping more then actually believing it."

He looks at Negan and smiles. "I always knew you were special boy and so did Colleen. And now your journey begins. We all have one, me and Colleen both had ours. And the choices you make on your way will define who you will become. So make sure to make good ones ok. Oh and take care of that girl." Sam says sternly looking over at the blue hair girl knocked out.

"She's family now boy." Sam said looking at Negan with a serious look but smiling some.

"Now you need to get out of here. I just took out the guild master I'm sure  more guards are on the way. Take that girl and go home ok." Sam tells Negan.

"I can't just leave you here Sam." Negan says as he helps carry Sam back over to where the blue hair girl is laying. Right at that moment a squad of guards come rushing in the back of the church. And Sam push's Negan off of him.

"Ok boy this is it. LISTEN TO ME NOW AND GO HOME!" Sam yelled. And then in a instant Sam turned picked up the blue-haired girl and threw her into Negan's arms. Then he grabbed Negan and tossed him outside the church and smiled a little and winked as he turned away.

Sam slammed the door shut Negan could hear the sounds of screams, metal clinging and explosions from inside the church. He was filled with fear so he did the only thing he knew he could. He stood up still holding the knocked out blue-haired girl and ran home to the cottage in the woods.

Running as fast as he could. Negan ran through the town streets. As people all pointed at him as he ran past holding the girl. He turns the corner and starts running in the alleyway behind the shops. Until he gets to the gate that him and Sam used just that morning. Negan waits for no one to really be looking before he runs through the gate. Finally out of town and back into the woods. He keeps running he can feel his legs getting worn out but he push's on. And then he's finally starts to see his cottage just barely up ahead. Colleen is just inside the cottage door as Negan came running up with a small blue haired girl in his arms.

"What's going on? Who is that Negan?" Colleen asks.