Darkness still.
Ren floated in it – or maybe sank. Hard to tell. There was no body to check. No hands to wiggle. Just that same dull ring in his ears and–
Wait. Who was that?
Hello?
Ren thought, or maybe said.
"Ah," the voice returned, sounding a touch more annoyed now. "So you are still in here."
Still? Wait, who–
Pain laced through his skull.
Colour slammed into his vision. Fire. Smoke. Screaming steel. A roar – guttural, wet, and damn close.
Ren's eyes snapped open just in time to see a massive cleaver split the ground beside his head, stone shattering like glass.
He scrambled back on instinct – limbs moving before he even registered them – and the voice inside his skull roared.
"Left! Left, you dolt! That was a strike, not an invitation!"
He tumbled to the ground, face-first into a pile of rubble, sword clattering uselessly beside him.
"Who even sold you this sword if you are unable to wield it?"
"Then you do it!" Ren shouted, rolling away from the massive cleaver that slammed down where his chest used to be.
Asshole.
"If I could move, do you not think I would?" And you do know that I can hear your thoughts?"
Right. That part.
Ren was controlling his body. Kind of.
It was hard to tell where his reflexes ended and the shouted orders began.
You tend to do something when someone shouts it into your ear loud enough, and he couldn't get much closer than inside his literal cranium.
Or maybe it was his prefrontal cortex?
Maybe he'd ask Aki later – assuming she didn't laugh in his face and call him schizophrenic.
"And you do know that I can hear your thoughts?"
Yikes. Sorry about that.
A guttural roar bellowed behind him. Ren grabbed his sword, turned to face the ten-foot slab of muscle now barreling toward him.
This was the last time he'd skip the tutorial.
He raised his sword in defence.
"No – your body is too weak to block that! I cannot move – you must act. Dodge, now!
Ren barely had time to think. He rolled, clumsy, barely missing a second strike that cratered the ground behind him.
"Listen to me," the voice said, low and quick. "I am Soren. This is my body, and somehow–"
Hold on a minute, dude. Last time I checked, this was MY body.
"Listen boy, I am legendary Knight Commander Sir Cassian Soren, I have been a knight longer than you have been alive. I am certain I know what body is mine."
Sir Cassian Soren – why did that sound familiar?
"I am legendary, after all. Nevermind that, roll left!"
Ren obeyed without thinking – and just in time too – as steel met steel with a deafening clang, the force throwing both him and the brute backward in a shockwave of dust and dirt.
"If you want to live. Follow my instructions."
Ren had no clue who this guy was. Didn't trust him, didn't plan to. But something about Sir Cassian Whatever-His-Name-Is – the way he spoke, the sheer conviction in his voice – against his better judgement, Ren listened.
Alright then.
"Good. We shall uncover the magic behind this later – once this brute is dealt with. He is strong and powerful, but slow. Exploit that. Your speed will be your greatest strength – your edge."
Speed, edge, cool. Got it.
"Taunt him, with the intention to dodge. Wait for him to strike, then cut him down while he is vulnerable."
Sir, yes sir.
"Come here orcy-orcy!" Ren taunted.
"Such a lack of class."
What? You told me to taunt him – and guess what? It's working.
Ren was right. The brute let out a bellowing roar, raised his club, then charged at him.
Bingo.
SLAM!
Dodge. Roll. Close in. Strike.
The brute cried out in pain.
"Good! Now again!"
Ren didn't stop to think.
Duck. Weave. Slash. Clumsy, mostly – but with Soren barking orders in his head, each move landed closer to intentional.
They were messy. Uncoordinated. A rookie and a ghost of a knight. But somehow – it worked.
Blades clashed. Sparks flew. Stone cracked underfoot.
Bit by bit, Ren was whittling the brute down.
"Left – no, yes! Dodge! Strike low! Yes, like that!"
There was no room for thought. Only instinct, steel, and Soren's relentless commands.
The brute raised his cleaver high, wide and overextended – an opening.
"Now's your chance! End it!"
Ren twisted beneath the swing, kicked off shattered stone – and drove his blade straight through the orc's side – shattering inside the brute.
The roar died in its throat. The cleaver dropped. Then the brute followed, landing with a thunderous crash.
Silence.
Panting, trembling, Ren stepped back – watching the corpse slump into the rubble.
"Well done," Soren congratulated, surprisingly soft now. "You did not completely disgrace yourself."
Ren dropped to one knee.
"Thanks. I'll take that as a compliment," he said aloud.
> ORC BRUTE DEFEATED.
> + 500XP
"What are these incandescent hieroglyphics?"
He can see them too?
"Of course I can, and for future reference, it is rude to talk about someone whilst they are present."
Oh right, sorry.
Soren was it?
"That is correct. Sir Cassian Soren, Knight Commander of the Eastboarden Vanguard."
Cassian? Soren? I definitely remember that from somewhere.
"Yes, I previously mentioned I'm a legendary swordsman-"
Yeah alright, I get it dude. I meant from somewhere else, not The Daily Fantasy Mail.
"The Daily Fantasy Mail? Am I a joke to you? My exploits are renowned across–"
Ren snapped his fingers.
That's it!
He pulled up the in-game UI, and navigated towards the CHARACTER section.
> PLAYER: REN
> CHARACTER: SIR CASSIAN SOREN, KNIGHT COMMANDER
Ren blinked.
Wait. Waitwaitwait.
So I am playing as you?
"Why do these hieroglyphics display my name? What is the meaning of this?"
It means – I'm you, dude.
"No. That cannot be."
Well, I mean the UI says it right there.
Ren pointed to the UI hovering in front of him.
"UI? Is that what this ghostly banner is? 'PLAYER: REN', what sorcery is this? Some enchantment? A curse?"
Soren, chill – this is just the character screen.
"So you claim I am some kind of… character? Inhabited by you? So you must be a mage or wizard then? Possessing my body!"
Yeah, a wizard with my mouse. CPS of like 17, heh.
"CPS – Concubine Postal Service? So you've… lent your body to 14 courtesans, then?"
Concubine? Courtesans? What, no—I'm not a male stripper. That's Haruki's thing!
"I see."
Anyways–
"–and my sheer mental fortitude has allowed my psyche to break through the chains of mental enslavement and–"
Hold it, dude. One: I'm not some sort of dark, evil mage. And two: slavery? That is so 1800s.
"So not a mage? A child has enslaved me. How far have I fallen?"
No slavery, and, ouch – not a kid. I'm 16 years old.
Soren looked into the reflection of one of the magic crystals. He did seem to be older than a child.
"So you claim that some external force has caused my essence and your essence to share the same mind?"
Pretty much.
"But I am Sir Cassian Soren, Knight Commander of the Eastboarden Vanguard–"
Sure you are.
"Let me finish."
Yeah, that's my fault. Carry on.
"Ahem. As I was saying – Knight Commander of the Eastboarden Vanguard, sole wielder of Steelthorn Lockdown."
Oh, so that's your broken ability.
"There is nothing broken about it! She has served me well. Perhaps you are just not worthy of wielding her!"
Yeah okay. Are you done?
"Yes."
Nice – sure you are. And I'm Batman.
"I do not know this 'Batman', but there is nothing vespertilian about you – and I suspect I could swiftly best this 'Batman' in combat."
What is this guy's deal?
"What is that supposed to-"
Ren cut him off.
Anyways. I don't believe you.
"Do I strike you as a liar?"
That is true – you did save me back there.
"So you believe me?"
Not quite.
An evil, knowing grin formed on Ren's face.
Close your eyes.
"What?"
Close them.
"Will this prove my identity?"
We'll see. Close them first.
Soren obliged. He didn't know how, but he did.
Ahem. Welcome to class today everyone.
"What is this baboon muttering about?"
Pop quiz time. Passing mark is 65%.
Ren pulled up the CHARACTER section of the UI, then scrolled down to INFO.
Let's see.. What's your name?
"We discussed this mere moments ago."
Oh yeah, true. Alright then… Height?
Soren gave out a mental sigh.
"6'1."
"Eye col-"
"Blue"
I didn't even finish!
"Yet my answer holds true, does it not?"
Jeez, no need to be such a smug asshole about it.
"I can still hear your thoughts."
Yikes, sorry.
Mother's maiden name?
"..."
What? Cat got your tongue?
"No, I just can't recall."
Huh. That's strange. Alright, what about this – your apprentice in the vanguard?
"..."
"I… I don't know. "
"I… remember their existence. But their names, their faces – they are lost. Like smoke in the wind."
Ren felt bad putting him on the spot.
Not just because Soren didn't know – because it clearly bothered him that he didn't.
It's alright. I think that's about 65% – I've never been good at maths anyways.
"..."
Shit.
We kicked ass out there today, huh? My buddy is going to flip when he finds out I took down a boss without him.
Soren's mood flipped.
"That was not a boss."
Ren was glad that he was able to get that issue off Soren's mind.
What?
"That was an orc brute. Common infantry. Likely among the weakest in their ranks. I myself have slain many in my time."
Oh.
So that wasn't a cool, badass moment?
"No."
…
"Well – if you and I shall be sharing the same body for the foreseeable future, it is my duty to ensure that you are well trained."
Ren's eyes sparkled.
Wait… so this is like the Sensei x Student x Training Arc then? Are you a knightly Mr. Miyagi?
"I don't know what half of those words mean, but yes – we shall train. And also, I believe that I would be able to swiftly best this Mr. Miya–"
Yeah, yeah I get it – 'I would swiftly best this Mr. Miyagi in combat.'
"Good. So you are starting to understand me then."
No, wait, that was–
Ren let out a sigh.
Nevermind.