by Jesse Wilson
“Alright, let's get back to work so we can get out of here at a decent time, anyway,” Shane was feeling left out.
“Yep, we're totally going to do that,” Pen agreed with him and knew now that it was a bad idea mentioning anything at all.
Chapter Three
The night after work, he was restless. He wanted to log on to Snowcraft and tell everyone that he met her and brag about it, but part of him knew this was a bad idea. Pen was confused on what to do exactly. He logged into Snowcraft after doing his nightly ritual and was met by his clan.
“Guys you're never going to believe who I met tonight at the castle,” he said to the others, deciding to go for it.
“Who was it?” Forge asked him along with the others. “Princess Tatiyana, I met her tonight,” Pen said and there was silence from the other members of the clan.
“Really, was she as hot as when she was in the magazines?” Iceshaper asked him. “No, it was way better in real life. She was totally cool too. Nothing like you'd think a princess would be like and, get this, she actually plays Snow,” Pen said.
“No way, really, that's awesome, but let me guess she didn't give you her in game name,” Flake replied.
“Well, no. We didn't talk that long, but if we meet again I'll be sure to ask her, I promise,” Pen said and was sure he'd never see her again, but if he got the chance he'd take it.
“Yeah, do that. I'm sure you can sweet talk a real life princess into joining our little club here, that'd be great,” Forge said and laughed about it. “Yes, I'll see what I can do, because, yeah,” Pen trailed off with a sigh. “Sounds like you've got a crush,” Iceshaper said with a laugh.
“What can I say? I guess I have a soft spot for rich, hot princesses who play Snow. Call it a character flaw if you want, but I don't care. It was awesome,” Pen replied to her but tried not to sound defensive.
“Alright, cool story but can we please accomplish something before we waste the whole night here, I don't like doing nothing, if I wanted to do that I could just play Alternate Life,” Forge complained. “Yeah, yeah stop complaining, we can do a raid on the fire trolls tonight. I'll be the healer. You guys kill everything else that moves, if win we'll get a high leveled item we can sell.” Flake said, everyone agreed.
“At least it's not like that game Fate, where no matter how good you are its random luck if you win anything useful or not,” Iceshaper replied.
“Yeah, I hear that, Fate is a terrible game that people just can't stop playing, it's very weird,” Pen agreed with that. With the excitement of Pen's story behind them, the small group proceeded with the game.
Hours past and once again, the ritual continued as it had for years. It was three in the morning again and Pen needed to sleep.
“Guys, I hate to do this, but it's time for me to go again, good game and I'll see you later. I don't celebrate it but, happy Blade day,” Pen said to this team.
“Aww, look at that, someone is trying to be nice, it's appreciated anyway. See you later Pen,” Forge replied.
“I'd get into it with you, but I'm too tired, see you all later,” Pen said again and logged out. Once again, he pulled himself out of his chair and did what he did every night.
He was not looking forward to tomorrow, it was going to be miserable for him, but the party was all that was important. That and the ritual they did every year to celebrate Blade day.
Pen lay down in his bed and passed out in the dark just like he did every other night. Tonight, his dreams took him to a strange desert. Sand as far as the eye could see and the sky was black but the sun still high in the sky, everything was wrong.
“What, where am I?” Pen asked, his voice echoed in all directions.
“Son, you're not supposed to be here, how did you get here?” Pen looked over and saw his Dad standing there, looking like he did the last time he saw him.
“Must be the season, sometimes dreamers venture into this cursed desert,” he said to him. Pen was still shocked that any of this was going on.
“Desert, what do you mean, what's going on?” he was confused. “If you're here that can only mean one thing,” his dad said and Pen was lost. “What do you mean by that?” Pen asked, but as soon as he did the sky above him erupted in emerald green fire and it shocked him awake.
Chapter Four
The sun was streaming through his window, but his cell phone alarm wasn't set to go off for another ten minutes. He hadn't felt like he slept at all and awoke with such a start that he was full of energy.
“Damn, what was that all about?” Pen asked as he sat up.
“Just a bad dream is all, shake it off and get ready for a rough day at work. One more day is all you need to do, you can do it again,” Pen encouraged himself to get to work, stood up and faced the most hated of all holidays.
It was Blade Day again.
The day wore on quickly as it always did when you were anywhere else but working. Soon it was time to go in and face reality. He was tough, he could handle it and he knew it, as long as Shane showed up there wouldn't be a problem for anyone.
He drove to the Castle. Now it was all decorated in the traditional gold and silver lights of the holiday. It made him cringe a little bit. Thankfully enough, the castle only decorated for the day of the event, not a month before like most of the local stores in Antacia did.
He ignored it as he parked in his spot and did what he always did. Shane was already in the room getting stuff ready, but he usually was there before Pen was.
“Hey man, are you ready for one hell of a night?” Shane asked him.
“You bet I've done this a couple times before, remember,” Pen replied to him.
Thirty minutes later the rush began, the place only had so many plates and forks to go around and these two were responsible for every single one got recycled back into the kitchen so they could be used as best as they could. For hours the rush continued with no signs of stopping. Then at seven pm, the rush started to slow down.
“The ritual must have started, lets catch up while we can,” Shane suggested. “I heard that, let's do it,” Pen replied and the two of them started to break down the mountain of dishes from the kitchen and the party alike.
In the middle of doing this, there was a loud knock at the dish room door. This was unusual to say the least. Shane was closer so he opened the door.
“Hello?” he asked.
“Yes, is there a Pen Kenders in the room, King Lom requests his presence immediately,” a man dressed in a very expensive suit said to him.
“Pen buddy, you sent a dirty plate out and the King got it, you're going to be, for the lack of a better term, terminated,” Shane said and ran his thumb across his own neck to Pen as he dropped the plate back into the soapy water in shock.
“But I'm a mess I can't go out there like this,” Pen tried to find an excuse, but the man at the door didn't buy it for a second. “Please, sir, come with me. It's very important,” he insisted again.
Pen shook the soap off his hands and despite being soaked walked to the door.
“Alright, lead the way,” Pen said and the man began walking down the hall, Pen's legs were stiff from not moving for so long that he was having trouble keeping up with the guy, every step felt like fire moving up his legs at this pace.
Pen was scared, he had no idea what was coming next but knew that it couldn't be good for whatever reason to be summoned by the King on such a big day.
The direction they were going. Pen knew it led right to the main hall of the castle, he couldn't imagine any reason for him being summoned like this but when the King called your name saying no was always a bad decision.
Chapter Five
Pen and the thin man in the suit walked down the path that led to the Main Hall. Each step was making him more nervous that the last and he didn't know what to expect. He wanted to ask questions, but at the same time didn't want to be annoying.
Whatever his fate was to be, he'd face it with all the courage he had. The thi
n man pushed open the door and stood to the side of it.
“Walk straight ahead and remember to not look at anyone else, go straight to the King,” he said in a whispered voice. Pen swallowed his emotions and walked out into the hall, smelling like dishwater and still being soaked by it.
Against the polished surface against his wet shoes he found that gaining traction was difficult, it was almost like walking on ice. He felt eyes on him as he walked down the center of the large ball room. Surrounded by tables of knights, royalty from all the kingdoms. All the world's power was right here and in the middle of it all, a dishwasher. A nobody in the scheme of it.
Everyone was watching him, he didn't know why. Pen walked until he made it to the steps of the throne, he didn't dare look up.
“Do you know why you were summoned?” Lom asked him in a voice he'd become used to from the television, but something about it sent chills down his spine. “No,” Pen replied, still not looking up at him.
“Uh, why are you looking at the floor, do you like your own reflection?” Lom asked him. “No, I was told not to look at anyone,” Pen replied.
“Look at me, Pen, we have a dilemma,” Lom said and Pen couldn't believe or understand what kind of problem he'd could be involved in when it came to the issue of royalty, Pen looked up at the king. An older man, clean shaven but eyes of blue that felt like they were looking right through him.
“In the ritual of Loa, as you and everyone knows, eight names are burned into the sacred pages of the book of names, as to the will of each deity of the guardian for each sacred blade,” Lom paused and continued.
“Normally the names are that of accomplished knights, and seven names proceeded as expected. The last name that was burned into the page was yours first and Sir Galia's name second. This happens sometimes and the tradition is clear. We must ask if you would accept the responsibility of being the Guardian of our mimic blade for the next year,” Lom finished.
The air was tense, Pen could feel it that something had happened here just before he arrived. Everyone was seeing what he would do. Galia was there and his eyes burned into him most of all.
Pen hated the holiday. He hated the story and didn't believe any of it. Here he was standing in front of all eight of the kings, their families and the knights expected to be the new protectors of the blade as it had been done for thousands of years.
Galia was everything Pen had always known he was not, good looking, ambitious and a leader. Pen knew this guy wanted the blade to add to his collection of titles. So, he did the obvious thing, the only answer he could give.
“Yes, I'll take that blade home with me,” Pen said it, never taking his eyes away from Galia just to see the reaction he was going to have. That knight's brown eyes went from a glare to the expression of silent rage, the rest of the hall erupted into a low murmur.
“It has been decided, then. Pen Kenders will be the guardian of the Mimic blade for the next year,” Lom said, reached to a table beside him that Pen didn't notice before. He grabbed the hilt of the blade and pulled it off the table, with surprising grace he spun it around so that the hilt was facing Pen.
He reached out and put his water worn fingers around the handle, slowly lifting it and taking it from the King, to his surprise the thing was not as heavy as he imagined it to be. “I'll take care of it,” Pen said as he held it in his hands, the blade was warm against his skin and it actually made him feel a little better.
“Then it has been decided, all eight of this year's guardians have been decided,” King Lom announced, and stood up at the same time.
“Let the celebration continue,” he finished. “Um, thanks and all but I still have a job to do,” Pen said but the only one who seemed to notice he said anything was Sir Gaila. The crowd started to disperse and it was as over before he knew it.
The celebration had continued, after the tradition was complete it was clear not too many others cared much about it either. The guardians had been chosen and it was business as usual.
Chapter Six
Pen took his blade and proceeded to walk back out of the room. He slipped through the double doors, found himself again, thankfully. He put the blade over his shoulder and started back towards the dish room.
Shane was doing his best to try and keep everything in order but being alone, the job was proving to be too tough.
“Shane, buddy. Look what I got,” Pen said as he opened the door. Shane turned and looked, dropped the glass he was holding as he saw the blade in his hand.
“Oh my God, how did you get that?” Shane asked, barely able to contain his shock. “Guess my name came up on the book in that silly ritual, now I'm stuck with this for a whole year. Since no one has ever refused a summoning in, well, since forever, I supposed I wouldn't be the first to do it,” Pen said and set the blade behind the door as he closed it. Shane went into a panic.
“Hey don't put it on the ground you'll ruin the sheath, the chemicals will eat the leather, put it up here,” Shane pointed to a dry shelf.
“You do it,” Pen said, not caring too much about the state of an ancient and likely fake blade. Shane walked over, grabbed the handle to lift it, and it shocked him, he groaned in pain, drew his hand back at once.
“Damn it, this thing bit me,” Shane said as he tried to fight off the pain. Pen walked back to it, picked it up and put it on the dry shelf. “Sorry about that, does it hurt?” Pen was distressed about the turn of events.
“No, it's not so bad. It was just a like an electric shock is all,” Shane said, as he made a fist with the shocked hand to make sure it still worked.
“Maybe it's magic after all,” Pen said, wondering if it wasn't all crap like he thought. Now he had to get to work so they could get out of here for the night. All of that could wait until later.
Hours past, it was just before midnight when they were finally finishing up.
“That sucked, let's not do that again until next year,” Shane said as he dried his hands off. “Yeah, I hear that,” Pen said and started to walk towards his jacket.
“Don't forget your new toy either,” Shane replied to him, but didn't want to get close to it again. Pen didn't really know anything about this ritual or the blades themselves, not the details really.
The story behind them didn't make much sense to him and he'd long ignored it most of his life.
“Yeah, that'd be terrible if I left it here on my first day as its protector,” Pen said as he put on his jacket, moved to the shelf and picked up the sword. Picking it up didn't even make him feel any different.
“Good luck, Pen and I'll see you later,” Shane said and walked out the door. Pen put the blade over his shoulder again and started walking out of the room.
Sir Gaila was waiting for Pen as he left, leaning against the opposite wall. Shane was standing there in awe of the man, he'd never been this close to a knight before. Gaila looked at Shane. “Hey, mind if I talk to your friend?” he asked him.
“Uh, no,” Shane barely croaked out, turned around to quickly walk off.
Pen came out of the room. “So, how did you manage to get in the Loa book and get to be from an invisible dishwasher, to the guardian of the blade?” the knight asked and pushed himself off the wall. “I don't know, man. It's not like I asked for it, you know?” Pen replied and Galia sighed.
“Well, it's not really a tough job, just make sure to take care of it. Don't make our kingdom the laughing stock of the world next year,” he replied and Pen shifted weight of the blade a little. “Don't worry about a thing, I got this,” Pen replied with too much confidence.
Galia stared at him. “Just because your dad was some kind of a hotshot in all of this, doesn't mean you can talk to me like I'm another person that works in the kitchen. Don't let this title go to your head,” he said to him and walked off.
“And you have a good night too,” Pen said mostly to himself before he went in the opposite direction.
Pen got to his car, the parking lot was empty. No one was waitin
g for him like he had feared. He opened his car door and put the blade in the passenger side. Then he got into the driver's seat. The car started right up, soon he was on his way home. The trip home was uneventful and routine.
He pulled into his garage and this time was able to take his new thing with him. He walked into his house and to his room. He tossed the blade on his bed. He went back to his nightly rituals. Sometime in between taking a shower and sitting down he lost interest in moving any more than he had to.
It was a rough night and the only thing that was going through his mind was nothing but how much pain his feet were in right now and turned on the TV.
“We don't know much about the new Guardian of the Blade, chosen by the ritual of Loa and—“ Pen shut the TV off.
“Oh come on, I'm famous now,” Pen said and didn't remember seeing any cameras there but he didn't look too closely either. His biggest worry was that he'd be swarmed with reporters and ruin his routine.
He grabbed his computer and logged back onto Snowcraft to get his mind off of everything, but just as he expected no one else in his group was on. Holidays made for a slow internet day. Spending a few minutes in a virtual world was annoying with no one else there so he logged right back out.