[Flashback] To Lead By Sword (Solo)

[Mason]

[Summer - AV 500 - 41]

Mason watched the water ebb and flow on the beach. He was supposed to be meeting Trillm but he didn't feel like it today. He had an extra hard day today and was not in the mood to receive another lesson. He felt that everyday was just a battle uphill. He wasn't settling into his new position in Zeltiva well. Instead he was having a difficult time adjusting. He was looked at weird whenever he said he came from Linsar. He found that people believed that it was a ruined city, plagued with treasure hunters and pillagers. He didn't care what they thought. He knew his past, he knew what happened. It didn't matter to him if they believed him or not about his living there for a short time.

He would toss a thin rock at the water and watch it skip a few times. He would then hear the familiar voice of the Professor behind him. "You were late." Mason wouldn't look at the professor as he was a little ashamed of skipping his lesson. "Sorry Professor...I just...didn't feel up to today's lesson." Mason was normally not one to miss anything so Trillm knew something was a matter.

"What's wrong lad?" He had a look of concern in his eyes as he placed a hand on Mason's shoulder. Mason didn't really want to talk about this but he supposed that he needed to. He really appreciated Trillm's advice and concern. It sometimes seemed that he has taken on a sort of fatherly figure for Mason. "Well...I'm having problems making friends here. When I was in the orphanage things were simple and easy...here...everyone is tense and focused. I don't seem to have much in common with anyone. Hell, most the kids my age are already trained in ways to protect themselves. I need something like that."

Professor Trillm seemed to ponder what Mason said and then smiled kindly and said "Well then, perhaps our lesson for today shall be in protection?" Mason would hear a hollow thud and he would look near his feet and see a wooden version of a scimitar. It had the curve and everything but it was wood and useless as a weapon. Mason would look at the professor with a quizzical look. and Trillm would motion to the training weapon "Take it. I have a lesson in mind that you just might enjoy."