About three years ago, Pepe found himself lost as he wandered around the forest, and it started to rain. As he looked for a way back home, he found a suspicious and muscular old man wielding a blade. He spied on the old man as he swung his blade, slicing the air.
The old man had a beard and curly hair, but he was bald on top of his head.
All of a sudden, a bolt of lightning struck a tree. Every direction the old man swung his sword, lightning struck down on a tree.
As the old man left, Pepe watched in amazement and followed him.
The old man entered a cave on the side of a cliff. The entrance was covered by vines.
Pepe sneakily entered the cave.
Inside, there were multiple weapons scattered on the cave's walls. There was a blacksmithing table and an anvil, as well.
Pepe heard chatter in another room. He slightly opened the door to the room and peeked inside.
In a turn of events, a gun was pointed at Pepe's eye.
As the door opened, Pepe fell backwards.
Out of the room, a girl came out and pointed a pistol at him. Her hair was deep black and long. Her eyes were red. She wore a black jacket, a white t-shirt, and black pants. She had a sheath and dagger strapped to her belt, as well.
The girl demanded him to identify himself.
Pepe nervously introduced himself. He inspected the gun, and he wondered what it was.
The girl frowned and held her gun close. She, suspicious, questioned why he was there.
The old man, in the other room, was sharpening his sword. He ordered the girl, Cassandra, to lower her gun, and she did.
The old man revealed that he knew he was being followed. He ordered Cassandra to prepare a fire to warm the place.
Cassandra reluctantly complied.
The old man asked Pepe if he had lost his way home.
Pepe answered that he had.
The old man introduced himself as Old Man Blacksmith. Old Man Blacksmith gave Pepe directions and a map to head back home after the rain.
Pepe was grateful.
After a while, Pepe sat by the fireplace.
Cassandra stared at him. She questioned why a kid like him was out in the forest.
Pepe explained that he got lost chasing a bird. He felt something on his shoulder. It was an oversized jacket.
With a cold expression, Cassandra was standing over him. She claimed that he would catch a cold, and she handed him the jacket.
Pepe grabbed the jacket and put it on. He thanked her.
Cassandra muttered that it was not a problem. She approached the fireplace and pulled out a unique gun. She prepared a fire by shooting fire from the gun.
Pepe, impressed, commented that her weapon was cool. He still shivered.
Cassandra explained that the gun was designed to shoot fire. She turned to him and apologized for pointing a gun at him.
Pepe reassured her that he would have done the same thing. He questioned their motives.
Cassandra muttered that Old Man Blacksmith trained her.
Pepe wondered if the two were related.
Cassandra hesitated and revealed that she was Old Man Blacksmith's niece.
Pepe, in awe, stated that her parents must be proud that she's strong.
Cassandra looked at him in silence. She sighed and turned back towards the fireplace.
Pepe asked her what was wrong.
Cassandra did not answer. She sadly looked at her gun and muttered that she ran away from home. She expressed that her parents didn't care about her or her brother. She was just a burden.
At that moment, Old Man Blacksmith entered the room and questioned what they were talking about.
Cassandra apologized and asserted that it was nothing.
Old Man Blacksmith, disappointed, walked towards her and patted her head. He continued that she did not have to keep everything to herself.
Cassandra looked up at him. She stated that she had already told him everything.
Old Man Blacksmith nodded and understood.
Cassandra looked away and remarked that her family abandoned her. She continued that it was not fair. She turned around and shot her gun at the fireplace.
It exploded into a large flame.
Cassandra proclaimed that she would become stronger. She vowed to make her parents recognize her for who she was. She declared that her dream was to become a great warrior.
Pepe was surprised. Then, he smiled and clapped.
Cassandra, stunned, glanced back at him.
Pepe was amazed by her ambition and resolve. He encouraged her to work hard.
Cassandra, embarrassed, urged him to mind his own business. She lowered her gun, and she was flustered.
Old Man Blacksmith smirked and praised his student.
Pepe asked Cassandra how she shot fire from the gun.
Cassandra pointed towards her uncle and explained that Old Man Blacksmith taught her.
Pepe asked Old Man Blacksmith if he could be his second apprentice.
Old Man Blacksmith inquired if Pepe wanted to learn to fight.
Pepe replied that he did.
Old Man Blacksmith looked at his first apprentice and thought about her having a rivalry. It would be good for her to get to know someone her age. Old Man Blacksmith proclaimed that if Pepe could pass a trial, then, he would take him in as his second apprentice.
Excited, Pepe thanked him and questioned if Old Man Blacksmith could train his talented brothers, as well.
Back to the present, the brothers and Pepe made it to the master's cave.
Pepe explained that Old Man Blacksmith taught him everything he knew about fighting.
The brothers were surprised.
Pepe clarified that Old Man Blacksmith was a legendary blacksmith that could make any weapon. He continued that his master would have something to help them against the zombies.
Inside, Old Man Blacksmith hammered a weapon on an anvil. He wore gloves, an apron, and goggles.
As the four of them entered, he, still hammering, commented that Pepe and the trio had arrived.
Pepe introduced Old Man Blacksmith to the brothers.
Old Man Blacksmith placed his hammer to the side and greeted them by their names.
Stark asked how he knew them.
Old Man Blacksmith explained that he knew who they were because Pepe would mention them. He continued that the zombies have invaded their sacred forest and must be stopped.
Hafen questioned him if he knew who the Exalted One was.
Old Man Blacksmith muttered that he did not know much. He divulged that The Exalted One was a figure shrouded in mystery, and people in the outside world fear him. He wondered why he asked him that.
Hafen elaborated that he was at the school when the zombies attacked.
Old Man Blacksmith was worried, and he pondered if The Exalted One was responsible for the zombie outbreak. He insisted that The Exalted One must be stopped.
Hafen questioned what he planned to do.
Old Man Blacksmith declared that the brothers would undergo a trial to test their skill. He uttered that if they passed, he, personally, would take them in as apprentices.
Pepe looked at the brothers and revealed that it took him a whole year to pass the trial. He grasped a lance from the wall.
Stark was eager to show off his skills. Hafen was intrigued. Matteo was unsure and nervous.
Old Man Blacksmith ordered Pepe to give them a tour of his mancave first.
Pepe nodded and showed the three brothers around.
During the tour, Matteo realized that they passed a room and tried to open it.
Just then, Pepe exclaimed to them not to open the door.
The brothers turned around and looked at him.
Matteo remarked that it was locked.
Hafen asked why the door was locked.
Pepe explained that the other side of the door was dangerous, and no matter what, to never open it.
They moved on with the tour.
That night, Old Man Blacksmith led the brothers to the top of the cliff. He explained that the trial was to survive a night at the top of the cliff with only what you were given.
They were given a backpack, and Old Man Blacksmith left.
The brothers found three swords inside the backpack. They were intrigued by the swords, and they, each, picked one. However, the brothers were confused on how a blade was going to help them survive the night, and they wandered into the forest.
In the forest, they split up and gathered wood to set up a campfire.
As he sprinted through the forest grabbing wood and berries, Matteo stepped on a camouflaged pressure plate.
All of a sudden, multiple arrows were launched towards him.
Surprised, Matteo barely dodged all of them.
However, one of them was delayed and caught him off-guard. The arrow was inserted into the back of his leg, and he screamed in pain.
Matteo fell to the ground, and he was crying. As Matteo crawled away, his arm was caught in a rope, tied to a branch.
Suddenly, his body was hoisted into the air and spun around.
Matteo screamed and struggled.
Meanwhile, Stark heard Matteo's screams, and he rushed towards him. He jumped down a hill into a patch of leaves for a soft landing, but it was a covered-up hole in the ground. As he was falling, he reached his hand out.
Stark grabbed a rock on the wall and was able to break his fall. At the bottom of the hole, he noticed sharp spikes poking, and he was relieved that he didn't fall onto them. He looked up and saw a boulder at the edge.
The boulder, all of a sudden, fell down.
Stark was shocked. He dodged out of the way, and the boulder barely missed him. He trembled after he almost got squished. He snapped and demanded to know whose idea it was to have deadly traps.
He sighed and glanced around. He wondered how he was going to get out.