12 I Accep (1/2)

Darius put the metal cylinders back down on the desk. He was defeated and he knew it. Even though there was no more that needed to be said, the eldest clerk still took still took it upon himself to say, ”And to think that the likes of you swarm these halls like vermin each year, disgraceful! I will not tolerate your filth anymore! When you return to wherever it is you come from, I want you tell everyone there not to show their faces in this noble and honorable guild ever again!”

Darius cringed as he looked around him at the massive crowd as if looking for some empathy and understanding but all he found was a sea of cold, uncaring faces. He slowly began to slouch off into the distance, the salty tears streaming down his face as he walked. It was a long walk back to the entrance through which he had come in and Darius found that he couldn't get out fast enough. Far in the background he could hear the clerks processing the other, more worthy applicants.

Within a large decorated office sat an old man meditating on his chair. His office was illustrious, with incredible weapons, medals, gifts and other regalia lining it everywhere. The old man stopped his meditation and opened his vigorous eyes. The moment they opened, the aura of an expert washed over the room. ”This doesn't make sense. Why did he give up so easily? Last night he completed ten thousand refinements with ease, yet he gave up so easily? Truly odd! He also barely has any spiritual essence affinity. Just how many refinements must he have gone through to achieve his current state. Amusing! Truly amusing! This old man will follow him and take a look haha!” With those words, the old man's body flashed and his body was no longer within the room....

A few hours later Darius found himself brooding alone on the hill, staring blankly at the castle he had dreamed of for more than six years. His tears had long since dried as he sat with his legs folded on the ground. He felt broken inside, the dream he had fixated on for so long had just been shattered in one five minute conversation.

He felt a plethora of feelings rushing through him. He felt hurt and abandoned in a harsh and unforgiving world in which he had been left broken and alone. His breathing grew heavier as he watched the sun set and the great doors through which a better life had been denied to him sealed shut.

Darius could feel the miniature sized anvil in his pocket. It felt heavy and warm as the sensation began warming his right leg, he cold tell it was time to begin striking it again, but in his current state of mind, he rashly pulled it out of his pocket, stared at it for a moment and raising his arm threw it back over his shoulder. Finally getting rid of the accursed thing.

Much to his dismay it simply grew back to its original size, this was all Darius needed to push him over the edge. Various new emotions began surging up out of him as his face contorted from that of immense sorrow and despair into one of immense rage.

As he looked at the large anvil, motionless yet somehow mocking him from where it stood on the soft grass, Darius' breathing became deeper and more audible. ”Fine then.” he breathed through clenched teeth as he ripped his hammer out of its strap and walked straight for the anvil.

In a fit of uncontrolled anger he began striking at the anvil, harder than he had ever done before. Immense shock-waves were sent out from where he struck. They were so powerful they were visible to the naked eye, like ripples moving outwards through the air.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Darius gave it all he had, the sound could be heard like thunder as it rang out, loud and clear.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Instead of feeling despair and pity foe himself, Darius now felt anger, rage, and most of all, he felt cheated. He had played it safe his whole life and what had that gotten him? Absolutely nothing.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

His breathing became louder and more rapid as an expanding ring of bare earth began forming around the anvil. He was no longer the same Darius who had been bullied by everyone at the orphanage and had done nothing about it. He wasn't the same Darius who allowed himself to be trampled on by everyone around him. No, he was now the real Darius Omen, and nothing was going to stand in his way.

Bang!