Worlds' Strongest

by Simon Archer

“Maybe so. That doesn’t mean we can’t go.” I nudged her with my shoulder and smiled.

  “You mean it?” Elle grinned.

  I nodded. She looked back at the building, an excited gleam in her eyes as we continued walking. We turned down a road of houses. It was almost comforting the way it looked like a normal street. The houses all looked a little unique from one another. None of them had the same shape or apparent layout. In neighborhoods back home, most of the houses were identical to only two or three different designs.

  “People build their own houses here?” I asked.

  “In Grave?” Elle pondered that for a moment. “Mostly. They might hire help from professionals, but I think they pretty much do it themselves. Of course, most people get to inherit their houses these days, but when there are multiple siblings, you know?”

  I nodded as I looked at the surrounding structures. Most of the architecture was creative, like one house that seemed built in a ring around a tree. Another house had vertical planters built into the walls, so it almost looked like the house was built out of plants. Some of the houses had images burned into the wood, like portraits or symbols. Some of the windows were colorful, and others were simply bare with curtains, no glass.

  “This is pretty cool,” I muttered as we walked.

  “I always liked seeing the houses when I was younger,” Elle said as she glanced around. “Some of them seem a little silly now, but they’re nice.”

  “Where does your friend live?”

  “Right here.” She pointed to the house at the end of the road. It was probably the biggest on the street. The entire house had a tented patio built around it, with sheer blue curtains paneling the perimeter. A few in the front were tied back so I could see the house within. It looked simple, a one-story rectangular building with clear glass windows.

  “Wow,” I raised an eyebrow, slowing to a stop a few feet in front of the patio. Elle continued on, her boots thumping against the wood as she walked up to the door and knocked, not a second of hesitation.

  The moment she alerted the house to our presence, a sense of worry pooled in my gut. If this guy was as stubborn as Kistro or some die-hard believer in Draco’s claims, he might turn me in or decide to kill me himself. Elle said herself that she hadn’t seen him in years. I hadn’t even considered the risk I was taking by asking this guy to set aside what he’d been told and trust in me as a complete stranger, not to mention hopefully taking me in and agreeing to teach me. I’d just gotten lucky that Elle and her family were on my side.

  What were the odds I’d get lucky again?

  There was a moment of silence before I heard shuffling around within the house. There was a small window in the door where the light from within the house cast itself on Elle. Finally, a head moved in front of the glass.

  Almost immediately, the door flung open to reveal a tall man, maybe six foot two or so. His wavy black hair, slung in front of his shoulders, fell the length of his torso before tapering off at the end. While he wore a silk robe over black slacks, it was shaped more like a bathrobe than anything, very different from the tunics I’d seen in Eon. It was a dark navy blue with orange and gold patterns woven into the bottom.

  I jumped at the sudden sound the door made when he threw it open, immediately feeling on edge. But instead of an aggressive response, the man seemed to smile.

  “I’m not looking at young Elle, am I?” he boomed.

  “Hi, uncle!” Elle smiled.

  The man opened his arms wide before wrapping her in a large hug. She hadn’t mentioned anything about being related to him, so I wondered if calling him uncle was a sign of respect and familiarity or an actual relationship.

  “What brings you here, child?” ‘uncle’ asked. “Oh, no, you’re not a child anymore. I can’t say that. I haven’t seen you in a decade. Please, come in, come in!”

  “Uncle August,” she stepped aside, looking back at me, “this is my friend, Ren. Can he join us?”

  “So, this isn’t necessarily an informal visit.” There was a touch of hesitation on August’s face, but he nodded. “By all means, come in. Both of you.” He stepped back and held the door.

  Elle smiled at me, not a care or a worry apparent on her face as she gestured for me to come in. I followed her into the house, bowing my head swiftly as I passed by August.

  “Thank you,” I muttered.

  He shut the door behind me and gestured to the center of the room, which held a long, thin ceramic table with a few chairs on either side. I followed Elle to the table and sat next to her, across from him. August’s eyes gave away his suspicion. No one else had seemed to notice anything strange about me, but apparently, he did.

  “What brings you here?” he finally asked the question on his mind.

  I glanced over at Elle, whose smile was much less dramatic, plain on her face as she answered.

  “Uncle, I ask for your complete transparency,” Elle began. “If you plan to refuse our request, please let me know.”

  “As opposed to…?”

  “Turning us in.”

  August raised an eyebrow, but nodded. For some reason, with the way Elle spoke about his experience level, I expected him to be older. He looked to be closer to her father’s age. He had hard lines on his forehead that denoted a focused demeanor as well as smile lines around his mouth. I got the feeling that when he wasn’t hosting a fugitive, he was probably a very jovial man.

  Elle began to explain our situation to him. She recounted what had happened in the past few days and everything I’d told her, including many details that were not quite relevant. August received a very unnecessary description of the katsura tree near my grandmother’s house in Morioka, although I had to admit I was impressed that she retained the names of locations so well after hearing of them only once. She told him what she’d heard about my initial run-in with Kistro and when she set out to find me, attributing her search to sheer curiosity. Only at that point did I realize I’d never actually asked why she came looking in the first place. I took it for granted that she stumbled upon me by accident.

  It was strange to hear someone else’s interpretation of recent events, but she described everything with a surprising amount of detail, even if her perception was biased. I didn’t realize until hearing her speak how fascinated by me she truly was. The way she described everything I said, all of my questions, how I’d been doing on the minimal training we’d done, there was a level of awe to it that felt similar to the way I felt about this world.

  One thing Elle was sure to mention in her description of me was that she was positive I didn’t mean any harm.

  “August,” her voice grew serious suddenly, “dad said you would understand. He said you’d know Ren wasn’t a threat.”

  For the first time during her story, she left a pause for August to respond. He raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised by what she’d just said. I wondered if Solem had told her before we left about the stranger before me, or if August knew about him too.

  “Do you know why he said that?” he asked after a pause.

  Elle shook her head.

  “Your father and I learned a long time ago that a lot of things aren’t what they seem to be,” August said with a simple nod. “That’s true in many ways. I’m assuming he was counting on me to remember that.”

  I glanced over at Elle and could tell she wanted to ask what happened that led them to this shared conclusion, but she opted to be respectful and simply nodded.

  “What is your plan exactly?” August asked, turning his gaze to me.

  A chill ran down my spine, nervous about how this stranger might react to what I had to say, but I took a deep breath.

  “I want to find Draco,” I explained. “He’s the only other person to arrive like me. He might know how it happened, and I’m hoping he’ll help me get back home.”

  “And how do you plan to find him?” August pressed.

  “Um, Elle suggested it would be dangerous to see him if I’m any lower than Platinu
m Class. So it was her plan to see if you would train me to that level.” I looked to August expectantly.

  He nodded. “And you want to train as a fighter?”

  “I guess so.” I reached up to rub the back of my neck.

  “If he wants to find Draco,” Elle added, “he’s going to be in danger. He needs to learn to fight to protect himself, especially against the soldiers.”

  “I’m not sure I need to wait that long, though,” I said. “Surely, this guy has to listen to reason. I’m obviously not a threat to him, so maybe if I just talk to him-”

  “Hold on,” August interrupted, leaning forward on his elbow. “You want to forego any kind of training and walk into Coil where bored soldiers with orders to kill you are just waiting for a chance to do just that? They know you’re here now. You would never make it to Draco.”

  Frustration built inside of me, but I merely tensed my jaw and nodded.

  “You have two options, as far as I see it,” he continued. “You train up to Platinum or Gold so you can get an audience with him under a false name. Only after you’ve met and established you mean no harm, do you reveal why you’re there. That’s the long game.”

  “What’s the other option?” I sighed.

  “There’s a chance you could send someone,” August mused. “They’d practically have to be Gold or Diamond Class, but if you found someone and got them on your side, they might get an audience with Draco and ask him your questions for you. I’ve only heard stories of the man, so I couldn’t say how reasonable he is, but I can ask around. He may listen to reason. He may be easy to trick. Either one is possible.”

  I sat up straighter as he spoke. We hadn’t thought of that before. “What about you?”

  “I’m a Platinum Class fighter. That isn’t enough.” He shook his head. “The only people who reside in Coil are those of the highest classes, so there’s no respect for Platinum Class there.”

  “How close are you to Gold?” Elle asked.

  August sat back in his chair and pondered that question. “Relatively. I’ve been Platinum for a decade. It should take two or three more years.”

  “What?” I frowned. “Why does it take so long?”

  Both of the Solivann natives gave me a look before August began to explain.

  “Each class requires intensive training, and each requires more than the last. A child can reach Copper with about three and a half years of focused training. Nickel takes at least five. You have to understand, a person has to cultivate their body and their mind, and that takes years to do. It’s one thing to develop both, but to unite them harmoniously is another entirely. To reach Gold from Platinum usually takes at least fifteen years, often more. I’ve been training more intensely than most for the past decade.”

  This didn’t feel real. If it weren’t for the terrifying idea that I might never see my home again, I think I’d actually be excited. I grew up watching Star Wars and The Karate Kid, and now I felt like I was on some hero’s journey of my own. A week ago, I was a computer science major who spent more than ten hours a day staring at a laptop. Now I could see without opening my eyes and shatter daggers with my bare hand.

  “August,” Elle said, “would you train us, at least until you reach Gold Class? At that point, perhaps you can travel to Coil on Ren’s behalf.”

  He shook his head. “I won’t make any promises, but you two can stay here as long as you need. And… while you’re here, I’ll continue my own training. You’re both welcome to join me.”

  “We’re very grateful, uncle.” Elle smiled and nodded. “Thank you so much.”

  August smiled back at us. “Where are you, Ren? Training-wise?”

  “Oh, um, not very far.” I bit my lip. “I can block with a quarterstaff and see with my eyes closed.”

  The man’s eyes grew wide, clearly shocked at my lack of experience. He nodded slowly.

  “Very well,” he said at last. “We’ll get started in the morning then.”

  “August is renowned,” Elle said. “He trained me when I was small, and he was the best back then.”

  “And I’m still the best now!” He laughed. “Though you might be a match for me with weapons, Elle.”

  I furrowed my brow and glanced at Elle. Was she that good?

  “He’s exaggerating.” Elle chuckled and shook her head as though she heard my question. “He’s skilled with weapons, but his focus is hand-to-hand combat. That’s a misnomer, though. He could destroy an opponent who had weapons using his bare hands.”

  Something about the way she phrased that clicked with a memory in my head, and I looked over at August.

  “Can a weapon cut you?” I asked abruptly.

  His laughter tapered off into a confused expression. “That’s a jarring question to ask someone, you know. Yes, I’ve been cut by a few weapons in my time. Why?”

  Elle’s expression shifted, her thoughts going down the same path mine did.

  “Earlier today,” I began, “Elle and I were- Well, we had a misunderstanding, and she came at me with a dagger. I caught it with my hand, and…” In lieu of an explanation, I held my palms out to him.

  He frowned, taking my hands in his and looking closer at them.

  “He shattered the dagger,” Elle added, “by hand.”

  August’s face shot up from my palms, looking from Elle, to me, and back to my hands. “The dagger must have been brittle and dull. There’s no way-”

  “It was one of my father’s.” She shook her head. “It was a dagger I’d used a dozen times before. I sharpened it myself.”

  “How…?” he muttered, looking back at my hands. “Which one?”

  I lifted my right palm. He dropped my left hand to focus on the other.

  “But then I tried to cut my left hand with this.” I reached for my belt with my free hand and pulled out my own dagger. “It didn’t work.”

  He shook his head in disbelief for a second, then reached for the dagger. “May I?”

  I bit my lip and swallowed the lump in my throat, preparing for what was about to happen. I handed the dagger to him and watched him examine it, turning it sideways to see the profile and the edge. The blade was certainly sharp. I took a deep breath as he lowered the dagger to my palm.

  “Stop!” Elle said sharply. “August! What are you doing?”

  “Elle, please,” he spoke softly as though what he was doing was perfectly reasonable. I didn’t necessarily blame him. It was hard to believe if you didn’t see it.

  “It’s okay.” I looked over at her with a weak smile.

  Elle frowned, crossing her arms over her chest, but she didn’t protest again. I took another breath, closing my eyes, so I didn’t see it happen.

  I felt the pressure of the metal against my hand. There was no pain, though, no sharp feeling at all, even as the pressure built. When I opened my eyes, there was no blood. There was no cut.

  “Oh my…” August dropped the dagger, letting it clatter against the tabletop. “And you broke the dagger? With your bare hands? One of Solem’s daggers?”

  I simply nodded. I had a knot in my stomach similar to the one that formed when Elle realized she hadn’t been able to sense the vicious herald coming into the woods. Now not only was she confused, but so was this man who was allegedly some kind of master or expert.

  “I assumed it was something, like, to do with mental strength, like seeing with my eyes closed,” I muttered, looking between the two of them. They both shook their heads.

  “No,” August answered. “It’s not.”

  “Wait,” Elle blurted. “He was cut, though, when he first got here. Kistro cut him.”

  “He cut me with the light,” I pointed out. “Does that mean anything?”

  “Maybe,” August said, still staring at my hand. It was actually starting to feel a little weird. I pulled my arm back as casually as possible, returning it to my lap as he continued speaking. “You were cut with a sword using a window?”

  I nodded.

  Au
gust sat silently in thought for a second before he finally stood. “It’s getting late. I certainly can’t come up with an answer tonight. I need to think about this, and we all need to rest.”

  “Of course,” Elle said, standing. I quickly followed suit. “Thank you again, uncle. I don’t know what we’d do without your help.”

  “No need to thank me.” He shook his head. “If you two are hungry, help yourselves to anything in the house. You know where the other room is, Elle. It still has the extra bed in it, and you two can sleep there. Will you be alright if I retire?”

  “Of course,” she smiled and gave him a hug.

  “Thank you, sir,” I nodded.

  He nodded back at me and waved goodnight before turning and heading for a door behind what seemed to be a kitchen.

  “Follow me,” Elle nodded at a doorway that led to a small hall. I followed her down past two doors before she opened the third and final one in the hall. We walked into a bedroom that was fairly roomy, but I couldn’t see anything.

  It took Elle a moment to dig around her bag and find matches. She lit a candle sitting in a sconce on the wall so we could see part of the room. It was larger than any room I’d ever had. There were two beds, one in the back corner that looked pretty close to a king-size, and a smaller, full size in the opposite corner. There were two chests of drawers near either bed, along with short nightstands.

  Elle walked around with the match, lighting two other sconces. There were a few more in the room, but three provided more than enough light for the time being.

  “Wow,” she chuckled. “It looks exactly how I remember it.”

  “Is it normal to keep multiple beds in guest rooms here?” I asked as I walked over to the full bed and set my bag down next to it.

  “No, he bought that for us.” She smiled, setting her bag down against the wall and wandering around the room. “Mom and dad slept over there. Kaia and I would sleep in the smaller bed. He only got it so we could be comfortable when we visited. Kaia had nightmares if she had to sleep in another room.”

  “What about Maylon?” I asked curiously.

  “He wasn’t born then,” Elle reminisced. “I think we took one trip with him before mom died. She set up a little pallet for him, I think.”