Hey Guys! Here's an extremely long chapter for you! (9244 words) I got a little carried away but I guess you guys would be okay with that, right? ;) Hope you guys are liking the story so far so feel free to leave a like or comment.

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Hyrah was sitting in the courtyard tending the royal gardens just like every other day. She'd pull out weeds cropping up trying to suffocate the beautiful flowers that gave life to the gardens, water the plants as to keep their luster and grace, and plant new herbs to add more variety in the gardens. The staff always berated her for doing manual labor but she would always counter with how enjoyable and peaceful it was.

While she did enjoy gardening, she also had an alternative reason for spending her time in the courtyard. The guards and staff could almost always see her at the edge of the garden by the walls and the evidence presented itself with the most beautiful flowers nearer the wall than the castle. They always wondered why she worked there but they never questioned the princess. The princess, however, knew exactly why she was gardening in that area.

Being close to the wall allowed her to listen to the citizens outside the wall. She always wondered what it would be like to walk amongst the villagers and participate in everyday village life. However, she was only able to look out her bedroom window to see the village and its inhabitants. She longed to step past the suffocating walls but her father always forbade it.

His excuse was always the possible dangers and assassins that lurk outside the walls that would gladly take advantage of a princess wondering around like a commoner. However, in the past 250 years, there had never been a single occurrence of physical violence, kidnapping, or anything to that nature. Hyrah may have understood her lockdown if there were attacks every once in a while but there weren't. Guards were always posted around the city protecting the citizens so she would always have protection if she left.

Hyrah sighed wishing to leave the walls for a day to start an adventure, explore the village, make new friends, browse through the shops, and just enjoy village life. The only activities she ever did inside the gates were gardening, royal balls, reading books, and presenting the image of a joyful princess. Her favorite activity would always be gardening because hearing the villagers through the walls gave her knowledge on what village life was like. Whenever her father had open gates for villagers to come and state their worries, he would always tell her that the villagers' problems weren't her problems and to not concern herself with them. However, she felt disconnected with them whenever she was pushed away and wished her father would let her stay. Sometimes she would leave but instantly turn around and listen through the door. Sadly, guards making their rounds would always catch her and tell her not to concern herself with the villagers' worries and personally escorted Hyrah to her room.

She brought her focus back to her gardening and immersed herself into the task. When it was about midday, she felt a presence all of the sudden appear and she instantly looked up. She could tell something was hiding behind the tree and it apparently didn't want to be seen. She could tell it wasn't a fairy or her magic would react differently to the presence, so it must be a being of a different race. However, Lyrin rarely had visitors from other planets and they only ever came when her father was having a political meeting. Considering this being was hiding behind a tree, she doubted it was here for a meeting even if there was one today.

One thing she did notice however was that the being had a startled aura. It never had a threatening aura meaning it wasn't here to cause damage. It actually had an aura leaning more towards calm but determined before she startled it into hiding. She laughed to herself inwardly and decided to just be wary and not make hasty decisions.

She spoke in a calm, coxing voice saying, "You can come out. I won't hurt you." She stood there knowing she had to let it come out on its own or it could run away. One peculiar thing about it was that it seemed like a person but since it was not a fairy, she didn't understand why it would hide behind a tree. She was brought out of her musings when it spoke, "Just ..." she was caught by surprise at how young the man's voice sounded. She also couldn't detect any fear, just trepidation. "... Don't jump to conclusions." She wondered why she would jump to conclusions but she got her answer when he stepped out from behind the tree.

She instantly put on her guard seeing the assassin outfit. After she realized he wasn't going to advance, she took a closer look at him. He had a solid black coat with a deep green liner on the body part of the cloak and a flame orange liner on the head part. His mask was also solid black with the same two colors swirling around creating a very intricate and beautiful design. The cloak was open with his hands sticking out so she knew he didn't have any weapons in his hands. However, the opened cloak revealed throwing knives across his chest that were easily assessable if he decided to use them and there were also two swords strapped to his waist. Additionally, she saw a scabbard on his back with only one sword sheathed and she wondered if he lost the other.

After she finished assessing him, she said in a monotone voice, "Well you look like an assassin judging by your clothes but your posture and aura are nonaggressive which is unlike an assassin. So why are you here?" She watched as he straightened his posture, though still not threatening luckily, and looked her in the eyes. She inwardly gasped at the beauty his eyes possessed. His irises were a rich, sea green color with orange flecks dotted across his entire iris. It was like little lanterns floating in the sea. One place she always wished to visit was the ocean to the west of the kingdom but father never let her. However, she felt like his eyes were a perfect representation of what it would look like just with more artistic design to it.

She was once again brought out of her inner thoughts and trance like state when he said in a business tone, "I came to ask the king for something so I was heading to the throne room." She looked at him curiously and wondered why he didn't just talk to the guards. Surely they would have brought him to see the king or at least delivered a message. She voice her thoughts, "Why wouldn't you just ask the guards to see the king?" His posture seemed to slightly slouch at her question like it was a stupid question. That annoyed her a little bit but she kept up her mask as to not let the man now it. However, when he chuckled, she knew her mask slipped.

"1. When I came to this world, I only saw fairies in the city and no other race. Since I don't know how you react to other races on your planet, I didn't want to start a possible conflict just be being here." She could understand that. It would be pretty intimidating being an odd man out when you're with people bigger and stronger than you. Also, fairies are not known to be very sociable which made that point a valid reason. "2. People would see my imposing but good looking outfit of an assassin and would instantly be wary of me and ask me to reveal myself. Which I won't by the way for my own reasons." She chuckled a little at that one and slightly relaxed. She did agree that his outfit would cause wariness from the people and most likely hostile action from the guards. She also wondered why he wouldn't take off his cloak and mask but put it down as him hiding what was underneath, other than the weapons of course. "3. Strangers from faraway lands asking to see the king without saying why are immediately told to leave or are attacked for attempted assassination." True true.

She studied the man closely and looked directly into his eyes. She didn't think he was lying and he didn't give any indication that he meant harm to anybody, her or her father. He also seemed like a funny guy once he was relaxed. She saw him uncomfortably shift a little under her gaze and decided that he really wasn't here to cause harm. However, she wanted to know what was so important that he had to ask the king directly instead of telling the guards at the gate. "What do you need from my father?" She could tell he instantly cheered up and wondered why he would cheer up at her question. He just said that he wanted to see the king but wouldn't tell anyone else. Unless ... he wanted her to take him to see her father since she could easily get past all the road blocks if she lead him. She wasn't necessarily mad at her slip since he still didn't have a threatening aura.

She inwardly laughed when he started to nervously rub his neck and she could tell that he didn't want to tell her. However, she smirked because both of them knew she was his only chance at seeing her father. He anxiously said, "Umm, I came for ... umm ..." She waited patiently for him to finish and she got a little annoyed at his unknowing attempt to build up her curiosity. "The Light Sword." That was not what she expected to hear. Her main question tumbling through her mind was, 'How did he know!?' Only the royal family knew about the sword. She had to give him credit if he was able to track the sword down to this kingdom. She studied the man again in a new light. He seemed like a nice guy and they weren't exactly trying to prevent people from trying out the sword. They originally accepted the act of guarding the sword so only the worthy could find it and have a chance to wield it.

She inwardly chuckled again when he shifted like last time and she could tell he didn't like all the attention. While some may think being shy like this guy is a flaw, others see it as a show of character. Unless he was a top notch actor, she could tell he didn't seek glory or fame like other potential wielders of the sword. That was one reason why she decided to at least give him a chance. She was actually kind of excited at the prospect of someone being able to wield the sword. It hadn't been used ever since the battle between light and dark all those years ago, so she was really curious to see if this man might be the one. However, she didn't want him to see her excitement of someone finally being able to wield the sword so reeled it in.

"Hmmm," she started and watched at the growing curiosity in his stance. "I guess I could take you to Father." A smile crept up on her face and she saw his eyes light up and guessed there was also a beaming smile under the mask. She was also surprised when he did a slight bow. "Thank you princess. May I ask your name?" And that solidified that he wasn't an assassin. No matter how good of an actor he was, he asked that question in such a way that couldn't have been acting, and no assassin would try to kill the king without at least finding out his daughter's name. She smiled and responded, "My name is Hyrah." With that, she turned around and headed towards the castle knowing he would follow her.

She still kept an eye on him to make sure he didn't try any funny business. She noticed how he walked slightly behind her and smiled. He really was a respectful guy and his chances of wielding the sword were raising higher and higher. She slowed her gait for him to walk beside her and continued their journey to the castle. As they neared, she decided she could give him a tour while on their way to see the king. She told him all about the different paintings and artifacts and he silently listened and nodded his head. She wondered if he was really paying attention but if he wasn't, he didn't show it. She remembered all the lessons her father had her take to understand everything in the castle and the reasons behind it. The lessons were one of her least favorite classes she had ever took. They lasted for hours each day and she was glad when there was nothing left to teach her.

They also passed some guards along the way and Hyrah was glad that they seemed to instantly prepare for anything. Of course, so far he hadn't done anything except stare at the castle like he had never seen one before so she didn't think she needed the guards help. She was also glad that the guard listened to her and backed off without too much effort. They were still wary and watched the assassin looking guy closely just in case he did anything. That also reminded Hyrah that she didn't even know his name yet. However, they were already at the throne room doors so she sighed and guessed she would learn his name some other time.

She pushed open the doors and strolled in with her back straight in a proper manner, showing her authority in the room to make sure her father would at least listen to her. She watched unsurprisingly when the guards around her father instantly unsheathed there weapons when they saw the man. When she looked back to see his reaction, she couldn't help but let loose a small laugh at his oblivious to his surroundings. He was still entranced by the doors. She honestly couldn't blame him though. Those doors depicted the different generations of the fairy folk and the lives they lived. It was an exceptional masterpiece and to this day her eyes still slightly lingered on the history portrayed on the doors.

When the man finally tore his eyes off the door and saw the threat, he let out a slight show of surprise and she giggled again which earned herself a glare without malice. Luckily, the guards took her laughing as a sign that there wasn't an imminent threat so they slightly lowered their weapons which in turn made the man relax.

Her father finally spoke up from his throne and said, "Daughter, who is this man and why have you brought an assassin in these halls?" She watched as his eyes nervously shifted from her to the man and back again and she assumed he still must fear for her safety. She gave a small smile and was thankful for the concern. Hyrah composed herself before speaking. "This man has a very interesting request that I would like to see fulfilled." She looked back at the man still with amusement from his door scene. When she looked back to her father, he had a confused and contemplative look on his face. "And what is his request?" Hyrah looked back at the man letting him relay his request.

He stepped up in a proper stance just like she entered the hall with and said, "I wish for the chance to wield the Light Sword." Silence ensued his statement and the occupants of the throne room stared at him in wonder and amazement at how he knew where the Light Sword was. Hyrah inwardly laughed and smiled remembering she had the same expression on her face when he asked her his request just moments ago. However, the smile was wiped off her face when she saw her father don a livid expression.

She was confused as to why he looked so angry. She already said she wished him to try to wield the sword so he should at least hear him out before becoming angry with him. However, she soon found out why he became angry, "I shall not give someone who seduces my daughter into telling them we have the sword any chance to even get close to the sword!" Hyrah stared at her father wondering how he got seduction out of his request. It wasn't like she was hanging off him as a love struck fairy. She quickly turned to The man waiting for him to blow up or something and yell at her father. On the contrary, he seemed to relax and she guessed he thought it was a simple fix. "Sorry sir but I just met your daughter half an hour ago. While she is a fair maiden, I would never seduce her into doing anything. I was raised to respect women and treat them respectively. Not use them to your advantage." She blushed a little at being called a fair maiden but quickly hid it because she knew a blush wouldn't help his case.

Before either could further hinder the man's request, she tried to say, "Father, he is ..." However, it was not meant to be. Her father's booming voice interrupted her. "NO! I will not let him coerce me through you into giving him the sword." She stared at her father wondering why he was this livid. He wouldn't even let her defend herself. She watched as he turned to the man with a furious face and yelled, "Leave now or I will force you to leave!" She even gasped a little at his outraged tone and turned to the look-a-like assassin waiting for him to start yelling that he deserved at least a chance. However, she was proven wrong again when there wasn't any anger in his stance or hate in his eyes.

He just sighed and said, "I will leave. But I want you to know that I honestly just met your daughter today and I would never seduce her." She was impressed that he was able to keep his anger in and was astonished that he even did a calm bow of respect after being yelled at. That made her wonder if he was just able to keep his cool or was he used to being yelled at and having to stay calm. She hoped it was the former but she didn't know anything about his history and he said that he wouldn't take off his cloak for his own reasons. She inwardly gasped and wondered if he was hiding results of abuse. That would be a legitimate reason as to why he wouldn't want to take off his cloak and mask. She was brought out of her thoughts when he, once again, said in a respectful tone, "Sorry to disturb you Milord." With that, he turned around and left the throne room in a calm manner like he wasn't just thrown out.

She wanted to glare at her father and tell him that he didn't do anything that he was just accused of but she knew he wouldn't listen. So, she just walked out of the throne room trying to talk to the assassin look-a-like ... she really needed to learn his name or it was going to drive her crazy. She tried her best to follow him but she could now see his anger coming out with how quick and heavy his steps were. She just hoped that once she finally reached him he wouldn't blow up at her. However, judging by his past conversations and how he handled the king, she doubted he would yell at her.

He finally slowed down and she quickly strolled up to him and was just about to speak before he quickly interjected. "Sorry for making your father think this way. I promise you it wasn't my intention." She was just about to say it was okay and then thought it would have been a perfect attempt to cause strife in the kingdom. With the king and his daughter fighting, the kingdom would definitely suffer and it would be easier for enemy spies to sneak into their ranks while the two were arguing. However, she knew he wouldn't have came here for that and he definitely wouldn't have told her that if he wanted to cause strife. She just gave him an expression like 'why are you apologizing?'

Once he looked up, Hyrah remembered that she wanted to know his name so she asked, "What is your name?" He hesitated for a moment and she wondered why he wouldn't just say it. He still didn't look threatening so she didn't think he took offense for asking his name. When he took a step forward, she knew she flinched a little at the unexpected movement and he stopped for a second probably frowning before continuing. He leaned forward and whispered into her ear, "Omega." She had never heard of that name before but she guessed where he came from had different types of names. She watched as he stepped back and waited for her response.

She looked over Omega and wondered what she was going to do. Her father clearly didn't want him trying to wield the sword, but she knew that he could be the one to wield the sword. He was kind to her and was respectful to the king even when he was being yelled at. He was also hilarious with his obliviousness but she could see a fire in his eyes showing his fighting spirit. She knew she already made her decision right when her father kicked Omega out, so she stared right into Omega's eyes to steal some courage from him. "Omega ... Follow me."

~~~

Omega hesitated for a second before following Princess Hyrah. The look she gave him when she asked him to follow her was filled with determination and Omega had a clue what she was doing. They walked down many corridors and turned left, right, right, left ... Omega wondered if magic was in play because he had never forgotten his way through a castle. Definitely not after only 5 turns. However, he just followed the princess wherever she was leading him and he inwardly crossed his fingers that she was taking him to the Light Sword. He knew that would going against her father's orders but it would make sense with how much determination she had and how her steps were filled with confidence.

After making who knows how many turns, Omega officially concluded magic was in play, they came upon decently sized double doors. They were made with the same material as the throne room doors but without all the intricate designs plastered on the doors. Hyrah stopped 10 feet from the door and turned around to Omega who was only a couple of steps behind her. She said, "There will be one challenge before you have a chance to wield the sword. I've heard rumors that even if you pass the challenge, there is no guarantee you'll be able to wield the sword. So, good luck." Hyrah stepped out of Omega's way so he could walk up to the door. As he passed her, he gave a slight bow of appreciation and respect. "Thank you very much for your kindness. If I'm ever around and you need me, don't hesitate to give me a holler." He turned back to the doors and pushed them open with relative ease.

Inside, walls were filled with different varieties of weapons that reminded him of the Pit prep room. Of course, these weapons were much nicer than the ones in the Pit and were also different styles that probably suited fairies. In the middle of the room sat one of the biggest and broadest fairies Omega had ever seen. He had long, braided brown hair that reached down to his hips. He wore loose clothing under a breastplate, arm guards, and shin guards and had a gigantic broadsword strapped to his back. He was at least seven feet tall and very burly with a light orange tint to his skin. All in all he looked like a tall dwarf with soft facial features.

He walked inside to about 10 feet from the man while the doors shut on their own, most likely locking him inside. He waited for a second until he noticed the man was actually sleeping! He, of course, wouldn't attack him while he was defenseless since Omega was an honorable fighter so he just sat crisscross-applesauce like the man and went into his meditation/sleeping state. Ever since he gained immortality, he had never had to fully sleep like he used to. Now, he only had to go into this meditation state. It rested his entire body and mind but allowed him to keep his other senses so he could tell if something around him changed.

Five hours later, the man finally started to stir and looked up at Omega. Omega woke up at the slightest movement so he was already looking at the man when he looked up. Omega was a little confused when he gave a small, approving smile and he wondered if he approved of his outfit. 'That would be a first.' Omega thought.

Omega was surprised when the man spoke in a powerful voice that if Omega was standing he might have bowed to him. "Hello young one." He definitely had a better authoritative voice than any other king he had met and the kindness in his voice could have be found in a children's orphanage. He continued in that entrancing voice, "My name is Rufeir, Guardian of the Light Sword. I assume you wish to try your luck in wielding it." Omega nodded and quickly reassessed him. If he was extremely old, then he would have plenty of knowledge and experience in many techniques and variety of weapons. That would definitely pose a problem since he only had around 70 years of training under his belt while Rufeir probably had a millennium.

Omega only waited a second before replying, "Hello Rufeir, my name is Omega and yes, I would like to gain the honor in wielding the Light Sword." Omega could already tell the first challenge was to fight Rufeir and he couldn't wait to see what skills were lying dormant inside fairy. He didn't want to use any of his abilities to win this match so he wouldn't use them unless his life was threatened. Who knew? Rufeir could be the best swordsman in the galaxy and that would explain why he was the only test between the entrance and the sword. Omega could also tell that every word and action he said was part of the test so he definitely thought about his words before speaking.

Rufeir nodded his head and said, "Then are you prepared to fight for it? There is no going back once you start unless you are rejected by the sword. Do you still wish to continue or turn back now and guarantee your life?" Rufeir had seen many soldiers come not prepared to give their lives for the ultimate treasure. If they were unwilling to put their lives on the line for the sword, then they would most likely put their lives first on the battlefield once their life was threatened.

Without a moment's hesitation, Omega nodded his head and agreed to the battle, waiting for the fairy to make the first move. Rufeir pulled out the silver greatsword that was strapped slightly titled on his back. It was beautifully crafted with small red and green gems on the handle and a grey streak going up the middle of the sword while the rest was silver. It was also polished so it reflected the light in the room and could pose a serious problem for someone who depended only upon their eyes.

Omega pulled out his two swords on his waist and got into a ready position with a flawless stance. Both assessed each other and neither could find a weak point in the other's stance. Rufeir could tell Omega wasn't going to attack so he quickly charged the small distance in between them seeing if he could catch Omega off-guard. Omega saw he held his sword high in the air just like the brute from the Pits to slash him clean in half. However, Omega knew Rufeir wouldn't do such a basic and easily foreseen attack so he waited for the real attack.

At the last second, Omega was proven right when the sword rapidly dropped and swung up instead of down. Omega jumped to the side using his sword to help push the greatsword out of the way. Before Omega could go on the attack, Rufeir kept his momentum going and came back around with his sword. Omega dodged again and quickly tried to slash at his calf. However, he soon found his sword blocked inches away from his target.

He was instantly put on the defensive after that while pretending to be at his limit. He could probably go on the attack and find a weak spot much sooner than waiting for one to show but he wanted this to be a challenge and to also further assess Rufeir. So far he really liked him even with only the bits of conversation they had. However, Omega believed that fighting could tell a lot about someone and he had to say that he really liked fighting Rufeir.

Omega patiently blocked or dodged every attack trying to find a hole in his defense. He was actually quite impressed with Rufeir's skill with the greatsword. Many would say greatswords are all power and have a slow attack rate but Rufeir was definitely proving that theory wrong. Even with Omega's quick attacks with his dual blades, he wasn't quick enough to strike anywhere and his blades didn't have enough strength to fully block Rufeir's sword to stop his momentum.

He waited around 5 minutes blocking and dodging until he found an opening. When Rufeir brought his sword down from his left side, his left foot was left open for a second right before he moved it back to finish his attack. Right when Rufeir performed his maneuver, Omega took action and quickly sliced the top of his foot opening a couple of inches which would hinder his maneuverability while also losing a good bit of blood. The attack also made Rufeir slightly falter thus allowing Omega to slash his left forearm before he could recover himself. After a few more minutes of fighting, Rufeir's attacks started slowing down and Omega capitalized by going on the attack.

Omega slowly but surely pushed Rufeir back until he was flush against the wall. Rufeir tried one more power slash but it was swatted away leaving Rufeir defenseless and open for the kill. Rufeir closed his eyes when he saw the swords aiming to slice his neck. He was prepared to die to such a skilled warrior even though he would be revived again in a couple of minutes as long as his body stayed in the room. However, death didn't overtake him. He opened his eyes to see Omega panting with his two swords crossed in front of his neck. He dropped his greatsword signaling his defeat. Rufeir signed and resigned himself to dying saying, "You achieved victory. You may finish it."

Omega, however, didn't wish to kill such an honorable and skilled warrior so he sheathed his swords and said, "I don't wish to kill unless necessary. You seem like an honorable man and you have given me no reason to take your life. Well, I guess other than the fact you tried to kill me but I don't blame that on you since it is your job."

Rufeir smiled at Omega and thought, 'The sword may yet be wielded again.' Rufeir did a slight bow of respect and said, "You have passed all the tests presented to you. You may go through those doors and find the sword." All of the sudden, Rufeir straightened his posture and got a glazed look in his eyes. "He who wishes to obtain the Light Sword beware of its power. If you wield it, you may be consumed and forever want more power for yourself. But if you don't seek to use this power for others, then the sword will reject you and remain unwieldable. The commander who wielded this sword before fought against a consumed wielder. Try at your own risk." Rufeir got his wisdom look back instead of the mystical one and said "I wish you luck and hope you come back with a new sword." Rufeir smiled and nodded towards the double doors before going back to his meditating spot. The way Rufier acted after the warning reminded him of Rachel back at camp when she revealed a prophecy. They both acted like they didn't just give a prophecy or warning that could drastically change future events. However, it was most likely they didn't remember.

Omega thought about how similar the Light Sword's warning was to the Dark Sword's premonition. They were pretty much the same except for the used for good part and fighting the consumed leader instead of being him. He shrugged and walked up to the doors before taking a deep breath and pushing open the doors. The room inside was the exact representation of the dark sword room except for the raised platform where the limper sat. He was actually quite happy there wasn't any creepy guardian there to give a warning. He much preferred Rufeir.

He walked up to the sword and prepared himself for the mental intrusion that he was pretty sure was coming. As he suspected, right when his hand grabbed the handle, he felt the same type of rush into his mind searching his memories. However, this one just felt intrusive, not completely uncomfortable and definitely not painful unlike the Dark Sword. He mentally thanked the Light Sword for being the kinder of the two. When it receded, he took a deep breath and lifted the sword. He stood there for a moment surprised that he was actually able to lift it since he could lift its counterpart. The swords were meant to be polar opposites and no one person could wield both. However, Omega just thought about how many other times he did the impossible and just shrugged off this impossibility.

After putting his sword in the empty scabbard and freezing ice over it to hide its aura, he stood there for a second before he started jumping around like a little kid; he was so excited. Once he calmed down and stood there thinking, he actually felt whole. The aura of the sword felt kind of like his own aura just concentrated on the positive emotions such as happiness, love, hope, comfort, etc. The aura felt like it completed him and mixed perfectly with the aura of the Dark Sword. He took a deep breath in and let it out reveling in the feeling of completion. He now understood himself completely instead of just halfway with the Dark Sword. He looked back at how he didn't even think that the Dark Sword's counterpart would be the other half that completed him and he mentally slapped himself. He really could be naïve and not think things through sometimes.

A big smile was plastered on Omega's face as he walked through the doors into Rufeir's room. As he neared Rufeir, Rufeir rose and smiled at Omega when he saw the empty slot in his scabbard filled but wondered why he couldn't feel its aura. He voiced his thoughts, "Good job Omega! But, may I ask, why can't I feel its aura?" Rufeir was pretty sure Omega smirked under his mask before he said, "I froze water over it to hide its aura so others won't know I have it. Of course, when I fight with it, they would instantly know what the sword was and would know they picked the wrong fight. Surprises play a major factor in battle as I'm sure you are aware."

Rufeir wholeheartedly agreed with that statement and smiled at the smart young man. However, if his ice blocked the Light Sword's aura, he wondered what the other sword in the scabbard could be and if ice blocked its aura. He decided that since the Light Sword accepted Omega as its wielder, it deemed him trustworthy enough to have the full power of the Light Sword and any other forms of high powered items. He was brought out of his thoughts when Omega waved goodbye and said, "It was a pleasure fighting with you. Maybe next time we can go full force and see who wins." Omega walked out like nothing was wrong with that statement but the one left in that room thought everything was wrong with that statement. The wise and honorable warrior was left dumbstruck with only one thought in his head, 'He wasn't going full force!!!'

The first thing Omega saw when he excited Rufeir's room was a worried looking princess who was looking at the ground and pacing back and forth. Luckily, the doors must have been greased recently or something to do with magic since they didn't make a sound. Omega smirked and thought, 'I could have some fun with this.'

He listened to her rant of 'I shouldn't have let him go in there and risk his life to get the sword' all the way to 'my father is going to kill me when he finds out.' Omega decided to interrupt her at the father killing her part and said quite suddenly and loudly, "He wouldn't be a very good father if he killed his own daughter."

Omega burst out laughing when she jumped ten feet in the air with a small bit of dust falling from her wings and hovered there for a second before realizing it was Omega. Which, once she figured that out, led to a red hand print on his left arm. Omega guessed it might have been his face if he didn't have a mask on so he graciously accepted it on his arm.

Hyrah gave him a stern look to the still laughing Omega and said, "That was not funny! You almost scarred the dust out of me!" Hyrah watched rather annoyed that her statement seemed to make Omega laugh even harder and made him lean against a wall to support himself. In turn, it lead to another red hand print mark on his right arm. She slightly calmed down as Omega pretended to wipe tears from his eyes through his mask. She then noticed that the scabbard on his back now had two swords instead of one which meant he got the Light Sword! However, she couldn't feel its aura like her father said it emitted.

She voiced her thoughts a little worriedly, "Omega, why can't I sense the aura that is supposed to be emitted from the Light Sword?" Omega finished laughing and answer her question, "I froze ice around it to hide its aura so others won't know I have it." She thought that was an excellent idea and very ingenious in battle. However, soon the full weight of his statement hit her, "WAIT! You can control ice!" She had only ever heard of a few races who could control water and even fewer who could turn water into ice. That information would drastically dwindle her list of possible races.

Omega was surprised at his statement then silently cursed himself for letting that information get loose. Seeing no way out of it, he just nodded his head to the surprised princess. Before she could ask more questions, he said, "Thank you for your help Hyrah. I am deeply in your debt and couldn't have acquired the sword without you. I'll take my leave now before your father finds us and 'kills' us." He added quotation marks referring to her earlier statement until he said, "Well, actually, he might try to kill me so let's go."

They walked silently back through the castle with Hyrah leading the way since the magic was still in effect. They meandered their way through the castle back into the courtyard where they first met. They both were surprised with how much happened in such a short amount of time. The Light Sword now had a new wielder. That in itself would drastically change the future. They stopped before the gates where her boundaries made her stop. She looked at Omega and said, "Omega ... Thanks you for making this day exciting. I don't have many of them because my father keeps me in the castle area. So, feel free to come again whenever you like."

Omega nodded and said, "I would love to." He was about to walk away when Hyrah asked, "Before you go, may I feel the aura of the Light Sword?" Omega looked at her nervous face and chuckled a little. He liquefied the ice around the sword to let the aura seep into the courtyard. Omega watched as Hyrah gasped and a serene expression found its way onto her face. She took a deep breath in, savoring the pleasant feeling and asked one last question, "What sword is in the scabbard next to the Light Sword."

Hyrah watched as Omega came to whisper in her ear again just like he whispered Omega. "The Dark Sword." With that, he unfroze the ice around the dark sword letting its aura loose to mix into the Light Sword's aura. He quickly mist traveled back to Vinesta leaving a surprised princess behind.

Hyrah stared where he used to be in wonder at how he just disappeared before the words started to sink in that he wielded the Dark Sword! Only someone with a fighting spirit and a dark soul could wield the Dark Sword. And if he had both swords ... then he would be unstoppable. She stood there in horror at what she had done. She just sentenced the universe to a death sentence by allowing Omega to wield both swords. She was about to burst into tears when she remembered something she was told as a child in her mother's melody.

One moment she felt horror and the next she felt hope. She remembered the melody her mother sang to her about how a warrior of dark and light would fight many battles to protect the universe and become the savior of the people. She remembered that just a moment ago when the two sword's auras mixed and blended together like they were finally able to agree on something and form a bond. She knew she was right about Omega and it filled her with pride that she helped a soon to be legend start his journey of being the savior of the universe, unbeknownst to her that he was already the Savior of the people.

2 days later

The king was nervously sitting on his throne thinking about what happened two days ago. Since the assassin found out about the sword, then others surely could and would certainly come to try and steal it like that man. He was appointed protector of the sword by his father and he would give his life to keep it safe. He couldn't fail his biggest job that was probably the biggest in the entire universe!

He debated on his plan of action. The only thing he could think of was strengthening up the castle's defenses to prevent anyone from getting in. He would definitely have to talk to his guards to see why they would let a stranger in. 'And would let him seduce his daughter,' he added.

He decided he should probably start taking action instead of just sitting on his throne so he went to visit his most trusted friend who he hadn't seen in over a hundred years. Of course, it was the king's fault since he was the one who made him the permanent guardian of the sword and said to never leave the room, but he needed the best of the best to guard his most valued treasure. And who would be better to guard the sword than his most trusted friend and greatest warrior on the entire planet.

He felt a little bad about taking advantage of his friend's skill and kind nature to guard the sword his whole life but he couldn't think of a better person. He quickly walked down the many corridors until he reached the door that stood between him and his friend. He was quite proud of the door. It took a lot of magic but his people were able to enchant the doors to only open if one of royal blood of the fairies willingly gave their permission to open it. It can't be forced out of them.

He pushed opened the doors and saw his friend sitting in the middle of the room meditating like always. This brought a smile to the king's face to finally see his friend again and that he wasn't in any way troubled like if the assassin came and tried to steal the sword. Rufeir looked up to see the king standing in the doorway.

Rufeir respected the king and his decisions but he would never forgive him for making him suffer all alone in this room for a millennium. He was proud of the honor it brought to his family to be the guardian of a sacred treasure (even if they didn't know it was the Light Sword) but he would instantly trade it for a normal life with his family and possible future with making his own family.

Rufeir hid his thoughts with practiced ease and put on a smile, "Hello, my king. It has been a while." Rufeir knew it had to do with the Light Sword for him to visit him. Rufeir just didn't know how much he knew about it.

"Hello to you too, Rufeir. You know you can call me Randar. It's not like we didn't grow up together." Rufeir chuckled at this. Yes, they did grow up together and were inseparable. However, when Randar became king, he started to change and the power took hold on him. He wasn't a bad king, quite the opposite. He was just not the same. He used to be a fun addict and they would get into loads of trouble together. Of course, nothing too serious but still trouble. They would help the younger kids with anything they needed and almost never thought of themselves.

But, when he became king he became narrow-minded and forgot about others unless they were the ones helping his kingdom. Rufeir still helped the people in the village but it wasn't the same. Soon, he was asked to guard a powerful object and the king needed someone he knew he could trust completely. Rufeir agreed to it not knowing he would have to give up his life to guard it 24/7. After he found out about it, he didn't want to go back on his word so he reluctantly agreed to be the guardian of the Light Sword.

After coming back to the present without an actual present, sadly, he said, "Of course, Randar. So what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" He might as well get the business over with and see if he also came to actual spend time with him and catch up. Rufeir didn't know what was happening outside the kingdom and the most exciting event that happened in the past few centuries was Omega challenging him.

The king proclaimed, "I believe we need to add some extra defenses to the sword to better protect it. Someone came into the kingdom two days ago and somehow seduced my daughter into telling him about the sword!" The king raised his voice towards the end because of how much that man infuriated him.

Rufeir knew the king was lying even though he could tell the king believed he was telling the truth. He assessed Omega in combat and knew he would never seduce a women. In addition, the Light Sword chose him which doubled his belief that Omega found out about the sword another way.

"Randar, what makes you believe this man seduced your daughter?" The king looked at his friend wondering why he wouldn't be just as outraged by this. But, Rufeir sounded almost like he was defending him. However, he hadn't met him so he must have been curious the king concluded.

"He came into the throne room with my giggling daughter and clearly pretended to be awestruck about the place just so he could smother us with compliments. Also, how else could he have possibly found out about the sword and get all the way to the throne room!?!" The king really didn't like that man.

Rufeir used his 'wisdom' voice and said, "There are many ways to find out information in the universe. There are even items that can track down other items. Do not be too hasty to judge or it can come back to haunt you in the end."

The king stared at his friend incredulously, wondering why he still wasn't agreeing with him. He was doing the total opposite! "Why are you defending him?!" The king yelled. Rufeir just shook his head, "Randar, I am not defending him or saying that he did not seduce your daughter. I'm saying there are other courses the man could have taken to get information. I am merely advising you and allowing you to make your decision."

Rufeir hoped this would calm Randar down but he was sorely mistaken. "Why would you defend someone you never met?!" Unless the king thought. "Unless ... you have met him." The king hoped this was not the case but when no response came from his friend he knew that man had came through here.

"What happened?! Did he steal the sword?!" The king was worried. It was his job to protect the sword and if he failed, the universe could be in danger. Luckily, Rufeir relieved his worries when he said, "No, Randar, he didn't steal the sword."

The king sighed relieved and had new determination to protect the sword from thieving intruders. "Good. Now, I think we need to put some enchantments in the hallways to stop people from even getting to this room and some traps for whoever tries to open the door." The king kept rambling along until Rufeir interrupted him.

"My king," he decided to address this formally if he had any hope of succeeding. "Isn't the point of me protecting the sword to test the physical and mental capabilities of the people who should get the chance to wield the sword?" The king just shook his head still thinking about all the traps he could set up.

"No, we need to do everything we can to prevent anyone from getting to the sword. No one is worthy enough to wield the Light Sword and we can't let anyone who is unworthy to even get close to it." The king was adamant about not letting people near the sword. He had actually taken great pride in being the protector of the Light Sword.

Rufeir just sighed and knew he had to tell the king, "Sire, there is no need to set up defenses for the Light Sword." The king looked at his friend incredulously trying to figure out why Rufeir would believe that.

"Of course we need more defenses! No offense but one man is not enough to guard one of the most powerful swords in the entire universe!" The king was getting angry at how his friend could not see the potential threat that would appear if someone got to the Light Sword.

Rufeir simply stated, "Two reasons. One, the Light Sword has its own defense that wouldn't let anybody wield it who is unworthy of wielding it." He paused to see the king's response and Randar quickly responded yelling, "I already knew that!"

Rufeir continued, "Two, it would be futile to put up defenses for an object that is no longer in your possession." The king was struck speechless. What did he mean it wasn't in his possession anymore! Randar studied Rufeir's face but it gave nothing away as to why he wouldn't have the sword anymore.

"What do you mean it's not here anymore?! You already said the man didn't steal it and it was here last time I checked." Rufeir just sighed and shook his head. "I said he didn't steal it. That is the truth. I didn't say, however, that he didn't take it. There are three things you need to consider. The doors to this room only open to someone with royal blood who has given permission for them to enter. Which means someone gave him permission to try and get the sword thus making it not stealing. Another reason, I battled him and assessed his skills and mental state like a guardian is supposed to do. At the end of the battle where he beat me, I believed he was worthy to have a chance to wield the sword. Lastly and most importantly, he walked out with the sword. Meaning, the sword deemed him worthy enough to wield it which I wholeheartedly believe also."

The king stood there in shock trying to comprehend that the sword was gone. Taken by a man who seduced his daughter only to gain more power for whatever selfish reasons he had. The king was furious. "You should have told me that he got the sword!"

Rufeir calmly replied, "I assumed you gave him permission to try to wield the sword since he came through the doors. Of course, I see now that you didn't. But there is no need to worry. He is a great warrior and has a kind heart. He shows mercy to others even when in battle. I wasn't able to verbally interrogate him but I believe a good fight tells a lot more about a person than words."

The king couldn't stand talking to Rufeir right then. His 'friend' was acting like the universe was safe and was not under any threat with that powerful sword on the loose. He needed some time to think so he just turned around and shut the doors on his way to his throne, his favorite place in the castle.

Rufeir just sighed. The king was too far engrossed in his power and was consumed by the sword's power without even wielding it. His guess was also right that he wouldn't get a friend to friend talk. However, he wouldn't let those thoughts bring him down. The wielder of the Light Sword was destined to be a savior of the universe which he couldn't wait to find out how Omega becomes one.

Rufeir stood up and left the room after a millennium of being stuck in there. He walked through the castle surprised that he remembered the way and it looked the exact same. He went all the way to the middle of town getting many amazed glances. He waved to everybody and they instantly waved back or hugged him saying they missed him.

While he enjoyed seeing his old friends, he had a destination set in his mind. He stopped outside a nice looking house and knocked. When the door opened, a pretty old women stood there, tears streaming down her face when she saw him. "Hi mom." And Rufeir engulfed his mom in a hug.