Chapter 10: Mark of the Knight

Of course, Master Will couldn't accept that his apprentice failed. First mission and he failed. He made sure to choose this island cause he knew, that it would be easy for Ned to accomplish the mission.

But to think that it was too easy, that he killed all monsters and none was left to be tamed. Incredulous, that's what his master thought.

"Kid, when accepting a mission, details is the key. " Line was formed on Master Will's brow. "Knowing, is half the battle won."

"But Master, I actually made a friend." Ned pointed at the cat that was happily eating a lump of meat. "Hey, cat come here."

Meow?

Besides the cat, Ned knelt and stroke its furry head.

"Is that?" Master Will frowned even more. "A stray cat? I don't sense any magic coming from it Ned."

Meow!

The cat looked at Master Will, with narrowed eyes. Pride could be seen on its electric blue eyes.

"Me too Master, at first I thought it's an ordinary cat." Ned then bit a skin on his finger and fed the drop of blood to the cat. "Until it licked my blood, and..."

After the cat sipped a good amount of blood from Ned, an ablaze of intimidating white and blue light erupted out of the cat's body together with a pulsating sound of electric cracking could be heard.

Every time the cat walk, mini shock waves could be felt and a deep popping sound was coming from its paws.

One, two, and three. Surprised. Almost three whole eggs could fit on Master Will's gaping mouth.

The tiger suppressed its lightning and it slowly shrunk into its body until none could be seen or felt. Now its pure white fur was shining against the graze of the sunlight.

The tiger was huge, that Master Will need to tilt his head upward just to look at the tiger's eye.

"Hey, tiger. You look fearsome." Master Will said while he was trying to stroke the tiger's fur.

Groar?

But the tiger snubbed him and walk away eating more meat.

"I told you to tame at least Grade F magical creature. But you actually manage to befriend a Mythical Creature, Ned." Master Will's face lit up.

It's more like a symbiotic relationship. But we'll. I guess it's fine. Ned perplexed his thoughts on what would be his future together with the cat. "How do you know the cat was a Mythical Creature, Master?"

"You don't seem happy with the cat Ned?" Master Will said. "Well, all I know is that your cat came from a family of Elemental Cats, and an adult Elemental Cat only grew the size of a human. But yours, doubled the size, Extreme Magical aura, and its element was a rare one. More affiliated towards Thunder and Light element and it can transform into its final form. So yes, those are the traits of a Mythical Creature."

"I'm happy Master, it's just that if only I could make a pact with it. We could share Magic together. But the cat's actually strong Master."

"I can see that." Master Will looking at the huge cat. He saw the tiger, with its big size, was rolling over and was happy eating meat. "Is it a he or a she?"

After a moment the tiger turned to its normal size. From tiger to a cat. The cat was now sad to lose all those powers. But eventually, it's attention was directed to the meat again.

"Hey, cat." Ned looking at the cat. " Are you a he or a she?"

Meow?

"Are you a she?"

Meow?!

The cat seems to understand Ned. It swayed its head left and right.

"A he?"

Meow!

The cat seems satisfied.

"So you're a he." Ned who's proud of his new friend tickled the cat's belly. "From today, I will call you Cat!"

Meow?

"I'm not sure it's a name, Ned." Master Will laughed.

"Well, I'm not really good with naming Master."

The three of them rode the boat back to O'rriadt Island. With the help of Master Will, it took them only a few hours to navigate the mist of Abada Island. It was already late at night when they arrived at the shores of O'rriadt and they went directly to the market.

After they sold their materials - which includes monster parts, Cores, and herbs, and earned a good amount of Pica. They then went back to home.

The cat was happy to have found a new home when the three of them arrived at their underground hill house. With the cool atmosphere and the breeze of fresh air, the cat jumped and rolled around his new home. With all those energies used, he unknowingly fell asleep.

Inside the hill house, was two rooms. One for Master Will and one for Ned, both were made of wooden room stuck in a speck of dirt. Gloves, socks, winter clothes, wooden spoon, knife, and many other things that are for everyday uses, are arranged and hanged in an orderly manner. Master Will went out of his room carrying a scabbard for The Butterfly, the design was intricate and resonates with the sword's handle. "Kid, follow me."

Outside, one could see that short grasses are sprouting on the surface of their hill house. A man-made house that looked to be natural.

Master and Ned treaded the depths of the forests. On the way, they saw Rabbis hopping around looking for food, or maybe a new mate. It was almost winter, so rabbis, if lucky, might find a partner to heat them up. White, brown, or gray Rabbis could be noticed in the distance under the low-light.

For almost fifteen to twenty minutes of walk, they saw a comforting green tiny balls of light scattered in the forest. This light appeared to be curious fireflies randomly flying in the forest.

Inside the depths of the forests, in an open space with scattered trees, vines crawled looking for a tree to hug, knee-high grasses, and three pillars of stones that were randomly placed laid to rest. Master Will came to a stop. The azure shafts of the moon give an intimidating emotion.

"What are we doing here Master?"

"Go in the Middle, and kneel." Master Will commanded, with a deep voice and serious looks on his face. "We will start the Bestowal."

Without hesitation, Ned walked in the middle, bent, left knee on the ground. With his right arm resting on his right lap. He lowered his head. Memories of his Master flowed through Ned's mind.

'Master look!' young Ned holding a blue colored stone.

'It's just a stone child, put it down.'

'uhhh, what's a mana stone Master?'

'They're magical stones.'

'Magical? I want magic, magic, magic!'

'When you grow up child, you will have all the magic you want...'

'Again! That's not a proper form!'

'Yes, Master.'

'Again! Control your breathing kid!'

'Yes, Master...'

'Remember, you will become a knight! And knights never give up! Again!...'

'Kid, you can't have Magic, you're a Hollow...'

'Hey, kid!wake up! Kid wake up!..'

'Master.'

Master...Ned thought, I never had someone whom I can rely on, I never had someone whom I can call father. thank you for everything. Every sacrifice you made. Every learning you shared. Thank you for enduring me Master. Thank you...father. Ned was fighting back his tears. Eventually, his eyes glossed.

Unsheathing the Butterfly, Master Will pointed and leaned the sword on Ned's left shoulder. "In the name of the Maker," he breathed deep. "I, Sir Othor Willam Strat, bestow you, my companion, my partner, my savior. The Butterfly."

Lifting the Butterfly, he moved and leaned the sword to Ned's right shoulder. "With my Life, my Soul, and my Wisdom, I bestow you the Mark of the Knight."

[Ned.]

Together with ICE's prompt, a white light appeared and was inscribing a symbol on Ned's right hand. The symbol shone was a shield and inside that shield was an ancient language written as 'Paracletus'. That, somewhat Ned could understand. Which means 'Defender'.

The Mark disappeared on Ned's hand. Like water slowly evaporated.

Together with the fireflies now surrounding both of them, Master Will lifted the Butterfly, this time leaning on Ned's head. "With that, I pass onto you my Legacy."

"Now stand up kid, and accept this sword." Beads of sweat started to form on Master Will's forehead.

"Thank you, Master," Ned accepted the Butterfly. From green, it turned to obsidian black again. This time, Master Will's eyes glimmered. "Master, what was the symbol that appeared on my hand?"

"It's called the Mark of the Knight kid, there are different Marks, Mark of the Wizard, Mark of the Dead, Mark of Life, Mark of Nature, Marks I lost count of, who created it, was unknown. There could be only one Mark in every Bearer."

"Do you know what the symbol means Master?"

"No, but when my late Master gave it to me, it gives me a feeling of protection, when I had that Mark, it gives me an impression to defend someone. I'm sure different Mark gives different feelings to the Bearer."

This Mark, I was sure I understood the symbol, but people of this world don't understand it. How. Ned pondered for a moment. "Thank you, Master!" Ned put his right hand on his chest, leaned, and bowed.

"Take good care of the sword and the Mark." Master Will's eyes showed a hint of tears. "Now, I know you want to be alone with the sword, so I'm going to leave you here. But make sure to go home early. Tomorrow will be a big day for you."

"Yes, Master!"

After his Master left, Ned put the sword on his waist and rested in the middle of the forest. Lying down on the ground.

"ICE, what was that?" Curious, he sounded ICE.