It was almost dusk when I heard the creak of the front opening. As I looked up away from Mina, who I had been playing with for a few hours, I saw my father standing in the doorway holding a finely wrapped sword “Dad, you finally back.” I said is I stood meanwhile Mina was already running over to him.

“Papa, you 're back!”

“Oh, give me a hug sweet pea”

As he said that, my father bent down and picked Mina up in one arm, spinning around a few times before finally setting her back down.

Mina sat down then looked into dad’s hand noticing the gift he was holding

“What are you holding, Papa?” she asked, tilting her head to the side

“This here is a surprise for your brother. Now, why don’t you go fetch your mom so we can celebrate.”

As he said that Mina ran to the back to get mother while I walked over to dad “Welcome back dad.”

When I said that, Mom walked into the room while holding Mina in her arms

“Now that your dad is back, why don’t we get the party started?”

With that we all sat down at the dinner table my mother had prepared beforehand on it there were baked potatoes, salad, several slices of meat, and the big surprise dish and small cupcake just for me mother must have got the sugar needed for it since the only way to get sugar was to find it in one of the many dungeons through the continent or to buy it at a dungeon market in one of the bigger cities.

“Mom, you’re the best!”

“I know.”

I looked back down and the cupcake before picking up a knife and splitting it in half before sliding a portion over to Mina who had been pouting ever since she saw it but now that I had shared she was sporting a big smile and reminded me just how much of a bundle of joy she was.

“Thank you, thank you thank you, Sam.”

After my sister displayed a face of pure cuteness, my father stood up and walked over to me before saying “Sam now that you are an adult and going to be attending the academy me and your mother both agreed we would get you a gift so I asked my friend in the smithy to forge you a sword to celebrate now it may not look fancy buts it good and hard steel and will serve you better you're going to need to practice with it every day if you're ever going to get as good as me but I’m sure the academy will drill that into better than I could.”

When my dad finished his speech, I reached out to the sword and could feel the weight of it in my hands. As I held it I stared into it like I was trying to find its soul it was just like my father said no ornamentation no fancy designs just a strong sword, my sword a sword I would use to start my life a sword I would use to make my family proud while I continued to look at the blade and its simplicity I felt a pain in my back maybe it was heavier than I thought I would have to work on that.

“I’ll make you proud, dad when I get to the academy. I’ll train every day so when I visit I can show you I’m better.”

“I’m sure you will, Sam.”

Then from across the table my mom spoke up “Sam you need to make sure you take care of yourself while you’re away, you also need to study hard and well, Oh and make sure you make as many friends as you can.” Then she ran over and gave me and my dad a big hug with Mina soon running over to join in.

After a few minutes of hugging and a few tears, especially from Mina, I helped clean the table, but my back was still killing me. I was holding the sword for a few minutes and if that was all it took to tire me Then I could only imagine what academy training will be like.

With all the dishes collected I carried them out to the back to wash them my back was hurting even worse now after I finish here I should go lay down hopefully it would be better in the morning when I finished washing and drying the dishes and was heading back inside I could feel a warm liquid running down my back how did I spill water their I wonder then suddenly the worst pain I had ever occurred it was almost as if my back was being torn apart.

With the instance of pain coming from my back my legs give out sending me flying face-first into the ground, the plates I was carrying shattering in the dirt.

It felt like hours had passed as I laid there in the dirt I was feeling tired as if I could sleep for days as the thought of getting a good long rest crossed my mind I saw dad running outside yelling, wait why couldn’t I hear him or move it’s getting rather hard to think now dad will know what to do I’m sure he will I better just rest I’m sure when I wake dad will have fixed whatever was wrong with me.

As my vision darkened, I noticed a black feather fall to the floor. The feather was beautiful; it was unlike any feather I had ever seen before because unlike normal feathers; it seemed to shine like it was admitting some force of power but as these thoughts played out in my head. My vision continued to wane the total darkness.