New Blood

The deadline for the invasion drew closer. Keita had to sign up with a party of at least three or he wasn't going to be allowed to join the forces.

"I know." he whispered, as to not be heard by the surrounding militia soldiers.

The headquarters were even more lively than usual. An invasion wasn't only a good way to make profit for the Aerch soldiers, but also promotions on the next rank. Heroes have made their name known in these kind of battles for the first time and it wasn't unusual for Alcione to bestow Gifts to those she considered worthy.

"I'll be fine. If it comes to that, I will just follow the army to the desert and go my own way..." he continued whispering to himself. He felt a familiar touch on his hand, but there was nothing there. His clenched fist relaxed, as he slowly calmed down.

Thinking about it wasn't going to change anything, so Keita decided to go look for a simple quest to pass the time until the invasion.

As he made his way to the quest board, he was welcomed with disdainful looks. The soldiers reading the pieces of parchment firmly nailed to the board made way for him, even though their obvious hostility.

{Party of three looking for a fourth.} read one of them.

Keita picked up the parchment made of goatskin. It felt rough on his fingers.

"Are you looking to join?" a voice asked from behind him.

Keita turned around and he was met with a youth, about his age. He had brown spiky hair and clear green eyes. He was wearing hide armor and on his back there was a full blade almost as tall as he was.

Keita looked at the youth and then the paper on his hands. He turned to return it to the board but the young man quickly stopped him.

"Wait, wait please!" he said.

Keita turned around once again. There was no spark on his eyes. He looked at the youth again, this time thoroughly.

"We put this notice three days ago but we had no takers. Can you at least come over and talk to the rest of the party? Please!" the youth bowed his head.

Keita was troubled. The browned haired soldier was talking in a loud voice and making a scene. He didn't much care for the eyes of strangers but even he had to admit he was starting to feel embarrassed.

The young warrior, slightly raised his head, waiting for an answer. Keita exhaled and nodded his head to which, the youth smiled brightly and showed him the way to the rest of the party.

"Guys, this is our new member..." the young man tried introducing him in a triumphant voice but he just remembered something. "Ermh... I forgot to ask your name..." he said, his ears red with embarrassment.

"I never said I was joining you did I? I'm only here to take a look at your party, so shouldn't you start by introducing them instead of me?" Keita finally opened his mouth. He was irritated at the youth's overly friendly tone. He noticed his smile which hasn't relaxed since the beginning, twitched.

"Yeah, that's right. I am Isse." the youth said.

Keita kept looking at him.

"That's it?" he asked as his irritation rose.

"I mean..." Isse scratched his head, not sure what to say.

"Your class! Your rank, experience. Are you serious about this? Making a party isn't the same as making friends! You need to know the other's abilities and form strategies that suit each member best. Are you even taking your role as the leader seriously?" Keita exploded. Issei's laid back attitude didn't fit a soldier or a leader.

"I never said I am the leader." Issei complained.

Keita felt tense. He inhaled to relax his shoulder and glared at the other two.

"I-I am Yuna." a girl in a witch's robs and hat said. Yuna almost jumped when Keita looked her way. She was too short and her features too childish to be called the same age as Keita but the Aerch Militia didn't admit anyone bellow the age of seventeen, so he didn't question it. "My class is Mage. I can use lighting based spells as well as a few fire based ones. I-it's nice to meet you." the girl bowed her head deeply after stuttering a few times.

'Her magic power feels strong enough to be a Mage...' Keita thought 'But she is too timid.'

He then moved his eyes to the last person.

"Hyugo. Warrior. I just joined the militia." he was young like the others. He had long black hair, strapped in a ponytail which touched his waist and a sharp nose. His thin cheeks made his cheekbones stand out, giving him an intimidating look.

Keita took a look at Hyugo's equipment. He wore scale armor and a chainmail underneath. On his right he had a long sword and a small round shield on his left. A metal helmet that left enough visibility to his sides was on the table.

'His gear is clearly second handed but at least he knows his trade.' Keita thought. Hyugo's equipment left a good impression on him.

"So are you the leader?" Keita asked.

"No." Hyugo simply answered. He didn't seem like the talking type.

Keita's eyes sifted to Yuna. She seemed shy but mages could watch the whole battle from a distance, making it easier to give orders.

"I-I am not the leader." she jumped at Keita's sudden expectations.

Before he could ask though Isse though...

"Ha, ha. We are a new party so we haven't decided on leader yet. I am a Sword-mage by the way. We all just joined together." Isse laughed.

"A Sword-mage?" Keita involuntary asked, even though there were other, more pressing matters.

'I can feel small traces of magic power through his sword but...' he thought.

Sword-mages were rare. There was no guild or way for someone to become one other than a cursed or possessed weapon. If the weapon was cursed, it meant it had certain limitations. In his days as Pride, Keita remembered a cursed weapon that consumed it's own wielder if he killed an enemy. The pacifist's blade, was what the Demons called it and the name was passed around as a joke. But the strength it gave the wielder was very real. Keita even saw the blade with his own eyes once.

'But this one feel's different...' he thought, his eyes glued to the blade.

"Is it possessed?" he asked.

"Eh, you can tell?" Isse held the blade with both hands. "Well, it's no secret. I found it in some ruins when I was a kid and accidentally bonded with it. It's not a very strong weapon and sometimes it becomes annoying, but the guy living inside isn't a bad person."

Bonding with a cursed or possessed weapon was not a laughing matter. If the wielder did not maintain a will of steel, the ghost living inside the weapon could take over it's user. There were a few exceptions when the ghost did not desire the wielder's body, or bonded with it's wielder in a spiritual level and saw them as a partner. This was different than the bonding that Isse talked about though. Bonding with a possessed weapon and becoming a Sword-mage meant that the weapon couldn't leave his side. If it was damaged, it would feed on Isse's magic power until it looked brand new, weakening him the whole process. In return, he could make Skills that no one could copy. Usually Sword-mages could make their weapons fly, teleport and change form. Others with strong affinity with the elements - like actual mages - could add those elements to their weapons.

'Fighting side by side with a Sword-mage is certainly tempting...' but there was something holding him back.

"So how about it? Wanna join us?" Isse asked, his green eyes filled with expectations.

"Before that, there is something I need to ask." Keita said. "Have any of you ever been in a battle before?"