It’s the year 3162, six years had passed after the robe wearing men tried to kill Leonard after sealing a demon inside him. It was a warm, sunny 4th day of the Hunter’s Moon. Leonard grew to a healthy, physically strong six year-old, because he had a nice and overall carefree childhood since. His mother woke him up to have breakfast with him, so he jumped up and tied his long black hair to a pony tail while the shorter hair covered his forehead and a bit of his left eye and then quickly rushed down into the dining room where some pancakes waited for him.
He no longer lived in Kalfait where his biological parents were killed to abduct him, but instead he now lives in a small village called Garmun which isn’t so far away from the cave he was found in. Overall it was a relatively quiet and rural village in the old roman style that was still very lively due to the fact that it was a miners‘ village that was trading goods made out of Aranithium, a crystal ore that enhances the power of magic when the user wore it. In Garmun rarely anything bad is happening, since it’s surrounded by a massive mountain range that leaves only one way in and out of Garmun, which is through a giant forest. The mountain range that surrounds Garmun goes by two names - it’s official name being Mt. Aranon due to the fact that it’s the only source of Aranithium in this world and due to it’s location it’s also known as the ‚Heart of Ylisses‘, which is the name of the giant continent that’s 90% of all land mass in this world.
Leonard ate up and just as he swallowed the last bite, he heard a familiar voice calling for him from outside "Yo Leo, are you coming outside?" He looked at his mother who just nodded and he immediately went outside, where his four childhood friends waited. He first greeted Jack, a rather slender boy with white shaggy hair and purple eyes who was very well-educated due to his love for reading. Then he went over to the twins Selena, an unconspicuous and shy thin girl with light blonde, long hair and light blue eyes and her lookalike brother Alex, who had a pot hairstyle and was a hot head just like Leonard. And last but not least he looked over to Lilly, a rather happy-go-lucky kind of girl with brown shoulder length hair and green eyes, and smiled at her.
The five childhood friends often played until sunset, but that would change on this day however. A group of bandits rushed into the village and panic was spreading, but some villagers grabbed their weapons to defend the village and its people. After a while they saw Leonard and they immediately recognized him as the boy that was sought after by the Magician Guild of Kalfait, so they captured him and took him with them, despite Leonard’s struggles to fight off the men which were completely in vain. Leonard gave them a hard time getting through the forest though, because he wriggled around and shouted "Let me go!" and yelled for help over and over, upsetting not only one of the bandits so one of them said to another
"Couldn’t you just shut this little shit up?! I’m fed up by this yelling nuisance and I don’t wanna kill ‘im, since they want ‘im alive for the reward of ten billion Zegat!", after which Leonard just smiled and said "Why don’t you go fuck yourself and let me go then?!"
"Relax, we’re not far from Kalfait. You just gotta suck it up for now!" responded another bandit before the first bandit that spoke could lay a hand on Leonard.
Soon after, as the bandits were almost through the forest, a blonde, gruff looking and musculous young swordsman stood in front of the bandits with his arms crossed. One of the bandits asked him "The hell’re you doin‘ ‘ere?! You wanna die, kid?!", but instead of responding the young swordsman grabbed the huge sword on his back and within the blink of an eye he stood behind the bandit who asked the question.
His sword was dripping with blood as he held it in front of him and the bandit fell to the ground, because his body was sliced in half by the hips. Then the young swordsman mumbled "Anyone else wanna try to threaten me? Or do you value your life enough not to make that mistake?" The bandits immediately stepped back from the young swordsman who then scoffed and said "Thought so. Now fuck off! Oh, and that boy you have there, I’ll take him with me."
"No way you take ‘im with ya! He’s worth ten billion!" responded one of the bandits, but a mere second later a gurgling sound could be heard as the young swordsman yet again appeared behind the bandit who spoke to him, this time decapitating his victim and he said in a less calm tone "This wasn’t a question. Leave the boy here and fuck off!" Now the bandits just dropped Leonard on the floor and ran away.
As the young swordsman approached him, Leonard asked with a shivering voice "Wh-what are you going to do with me?"
"Relax, I’m gonna bring you back home!" said the young swordsman with a smile after cutting Leonard loose. Leonard thanked the young swordsman, although his stern black eyes intimidated Leonard at first and immediately asked "But why do you help me? And what’s your name, if I may ask?" the young swordsman chuckled "Two questions at once, huh? I’m Claude and I have no specific reason for helping you. I was just around and thought you might need my help with these bastards." Leonard responded with a smile "My name’s Leonard, nice to meet you Claude!" Then Claude nodded and asked "By the way, I forgot to ask… where do you live?" and Leonard said quick as a gunshot "In Garmun!" Then Claude nodded again and began walking towards Garmun with Leonard. As they reached a big lake in the middle of the forest Claude suddenly stopped and asked Leonard "You know that this will happen again, don’t you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I just remembered that I’ve seen your face on a wanted poster… that means the Magicians‘ Guild of Kalfait searches for you, which then means that bounty hunters will hunt you down. You need to know how to defend yourself!"
"But I never learned to defend myself… I’m just a kid!"
"That’s where I come in play… I’ll teach you how to fight with a sword, but this will take two years."
"What if my mother is against it?"
"Don’t worry about it, I’ll find a way to convince her."
Then they continued walking through the forest and after a while they reached Garmun and Leonard’s home shortly after. Leonard’s mother immediately hugged him and thanked Claude for saving him. Then Claude explained to Leonards mother that it might be better for Leonard’s well-being if he stayed with Claude for two years to learn how to fight to defend himself. Surprisingly Leonard’s mother agreed to this, although with doubts at first, because she was worried about Leonard, but Claude assured her that Leonard will be fine. After that she nodded and Claude took Leonard home with him.
Time flows differently in this world however - four moons exist here, each is visible for 90 days in the night sky that are separated into five moon phases of 18 days each, after which the calendar goes. Each moon brings a different season, since each has a different elemental property that influences the environment.
The green moon with elemental properties of nature brings spring season with it, as it lets plants grow as snow melts.
The red moon with elemental properties of fire brings summer season with it, as it heats up the environment.
The purple moon with elemental properties of darkness brings autumn season with it, as plants slowly wither and leaves fall while the climate slowly cools down.
The light blue moon with elemental properties brings winter season with it, as the climate cools down rapidly to the point that even snowfall and hail is possible.
Claude woke Leonard up relatively early the next morning and the two boys had breakfast together. During breakfast Leonard broke the silence to ask "Claude… is there a reason for you to volunteer teaching me how to fight with swords?" Claude was surprised about that question and asked back "How come you ask me that now? Don’t you want to learn to defend yourself anymore?"
"I do… I’m just curious, since you could’ve delivered me to the Magician’s Guild as well to cash in the reward… one of the bandits said it was ten billion Zegat, right?"
"I ain’t that type of guy… and I knew your father well, he asked me to teach you how to fight once you’re old enough."
"Wait, you knew my father? What was he like?"
"He was a mercenary like me, we had a few quests together… he was the one who earned the money for the three of you… until the day he died… that was five years ago… and his last wish was that you’d survive, so I’m gonna prepare you for every situation there is!"
"And you seriously think that a six-year-old is old enough for this?"
"Well, that’s not the case… but given the fact that people are after you now because of that bounty on your head, you have to know how to defend yourself. And you’re gonna, after those two years!"
"I see… then we gotta get started right after breakfast… I’m so excited!"
"Keep in mind though that my training won’t be child’s play… since I’m gonna teach you everything I know about swordfighting defensively and offensively."
"Sure, I’ll get through this, no matter how hard it gets!"
"Now that’s what I call fighting spirit!"
Claude grinned, he knew Leonard would get through his training. Shortly after they finished breakfast Claude took Leonard to the big city of Manahz. It's a rather modern trading metropolis with numerous shopping miles that were crowded by people. Leonard saw people in cafés laughing, chatting and some even cursed and argued. He heard the sounds of birds singing here and there, watched a cat cross their path, he even saw cars and motorcycles driving through the busy streets. It was awfully different from the quiet village that he grew up in - he never saw cars or motorcycles before, he wasn’t even used to so many people in one place. But since Leonard needed a sword of his own, Claude needed to go to the blacksmith of Manahz. It didn’t take long at all, since Claude knew the city very well.
The two boys entered the blacksmith’s weapon shop and Claude immediately greeted the store owner like they were good friends, after which he explained why he was here. The store owner laughed and showed Claude a few rather handy swords while Leonard looked around the shop until he saw a black broadsword with red edges that was shaped like an arrow with a zigzaging middle tendon. He was immediately drawn to it as if he was in trance while his eyes began glowing blood red, instead of the usual sapphire-blue. The store owner noticed this and pointed it out to Claude just as Leonard took the sword and held it up effortlessly, although it was as big as him.
The store owner looked in awe and said quietly "That’s… impossible! No one was ever able to even touch this sword without screaming in immense pain because of its dark aura… it looks like this sword has chosen your little friend, Claude! You know what? You can have it… it was a non-seller for a long time anyways, so getting rid of it benefits me as well, since it scared away many of my customers… by the way, I heard its name was Lunargand!" Claude was surprised about that decision, but still thanked the store owner kindly, after which Leonard came to his senses again, dropping the sword out of shock. Claude asked him Iis something wrong, Leonard?" and Leonard responded "Y-yeah… I don’t remember picking this sword up… I saw it and then I just held it up the next moment!" Claude found this odd, but he still explained Leonard that this sword named Lunargand was his now, since the store owner gave it to him for free. Leonard thanked the store owned with a smile, picked up Lunargand and both boys went back to Claude’s house.
