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The sword is Mightier.

The Swordbook of Midgard.

By Peter HurnyPublished 5 years ago 9 min read
The sword is Mightier.
Photo by William Daigneault on Unsplash

New York, after midnight.

Life was terrible, hard and suffering from lack of purpose and no life goals, thought young Peter. He wished he had money right now. But no, he has to work four part-time jobs to support himself, his sister and his ill mother. He can’t just escape, his mother needs him.

One night on the path to his next job, to be on time he had to take those sketchy alleys to get to his job. He sees some man fighting in the corner of the alley. He can’t afford to stop, just runs as fast as he can just to not get into trouble. Behind him the fight broke to a very loud boom of noises, while things were thrown in different directions. Something hit Peter but he didn’t stop. He was too afraid. He could hear them screaming and metal clashing. Very weird. Well, never mind he thought. I am safe now. They won’t follow me anymore.

He got to his job, getting ready for the shift at the 24h Dinner and resting his clothes on the rack. But something was heavier than before. He locked inside his hood from the jacket. There was a small black notebook. That had a sword embroidered on his cover, stylish. He glanced inside and it was empty, no owners contacts. Well that's luck. I got a free notebook. He thought. He loved to write stories and escape into his dream worlds. His mind was strong and imaginative. He was looking for a notebook to write as his old one was full to the brim. But after work.

____________

In the meantime the fight in the alley has concluded. One fighter remained. Or more like one beautiful woman in a black hooded long coat. She was standing on the top of the other man staring at him with her sword transforming back into her hand. The man dissipated into particles and disappeared. “It's over. Now where is the notebook?” She searched the area for hours and couldn't find it. “Damn it! Where is it!? Did it got destroyed in the fight?” No, it's too powerful for that. Did someone pick it up? Possible. Well if it will be used I will know, so just wait patiently. While she left the back alley she was looking everywhere and sensing for flows of energy fluctuations. The notebook was special so it needed just someone to activate it. Well wait patiently at the dinner next to the alley. “Let's get some food!.”

The boys shift at the dinner was half way done as the girl entered. He saw a beautiful girl entering the dinner. “What can I get you?” he asked the hoodie girl in the long black coat. She pointed to the picture with burgers on the top bar, “That.”. Well … ok. She found a seat at the bar and waited. In that time she was noticed by the hooligans in the back. They eyed her, and they were interested. The boy noticed that too. He knew that would happen.

Julia, the girl in the black coat. Was so hungry that she didn't care about the gangsters in the back. They are not a problem for her. Just some nuisance. But what was more interesting was that she felt something else. The boy in front of her was different. There was this energy coming from him. He wasn’t bad looking, she thought. Maybe if he trained he would be a good partner for her but that just isn't gonna happen. Anyway let's get some food.. The burger was ready. Bon appetit!

After a time she felt a hand trying to grab her hip. It was one of those disgusting hooligans. She immediately grabbed his wrist and twisted it till the painful scream of the man was heard by the other hooligans. The boy immediately jumped out from the bar and stood between the other members and the girl. Trying to shell her from the rest. She was impressed. He had guts but lets what he will do.

The boy was staring with his empty brown eyes at the group of men that were about to get up. But they stopped as they looked at the boy. They knew he wasn’t normal. His eyes were scary and fierce full. Nevertheless they went forward to attack him. In the midst of the situation he kicked two members of the gang in the face with such force that they fell back on the other group. They were shocked. “What is this strength?” The girl still munching on her fries stood up still holding the man's wrist. She pushed him in front of her and kicked him in the chest on the pile of their other members. She noticed the scenario and wanted to chip in but the food!! She grabbed the burger and devoured it like a lion so fast that the boy and the men were astounded.

“Now I am ready to kick ass!” She screamed taking out her dagger knife. It wasn’t the sword from before but still impressive in size. In that moment the men understood that it was pointless to go on. She is not a pushover. They scrambled, left money on the table and fled the dinner. The girl was disappointed. “Ohh man!” While the boy was relieved.

“You know you are pretty good with your kicks.” She said. He didn't reply to that but instead criticised her. “Why would you come at this hour to this kind of neighbourhood?! Are you too dumb to understand that this is a dangerous area in New York?” She was shocked to hear that and said back." I am not dumb. I just wanted to eat something. I was starving all day.” The boy assumed that she must been a sex worker or some kind of hostess. “Well fine enough, would you like one more burger.” “Yes, but apologize first!” “Ok, I am sorry, '' the boy said.

After she ate, she needed to rest and find a place to continue her search. She looked at the boy. Maybe he would know a place. “Hey, what's your name?”, she asked. He ignored her. She leaned over and screamed “Hey boy, what's your name?” He ignored her again. She got furious, jumped over the counter, grabbed his ear and screamed inside it. “What's your name?” so loud the people in the chairs turned their heads. That's where she saw the name tag: “Peter”.

“Oww! That hurts. What's wrong with you?!” The boy was shocked how she jumped over and grabbed his ear. He didn't notice at all until it was too late. “Well if you would not be so deaf I would not need to scream into your ear”, Julia said. “Ok, ok, it’s Peter, what do you want!?”.

“I know it's late and I don't know this place well but could you show me a location to sleep. I could pay you. I just need a sofa and a pillow.” she quietly mother those words while her face was red. He didn’t know her and yet she asked so casually for a place to sleep. But if she can pay, she could sleep on my sofa, he thought. “How much and just for tonight at my place?”. “Ok, is $100 alright?” She asked. “ No, $200 or no deal” he snorted. After a pause “Ok, fine. $200. But I will kill you if you do anything stupid” she said. “Great, wait till my shift is over.” She smiled.

After the shift ended, both left the dinner, he showed her the apartment and his sofa. Gave her some pillows and a blanket. He didn't say anything else, he just wanted to write and relax in his bed. He left her and went to his bed. She waited for him to leave and set something up with her hand around her. A spell?

_______________

Finally I can rest and escape the stress, he thought. This notebook finally will come in handy, as he opened it... The first thing he wrote was: “Dear journal I wish today could have been a better day and I wish I could earn the $20,000 for my mothers medical bills fast. If just miracles really happen. Maybe now she would be healthy and safe. But I won’t give up and will keep fighting!” Nevertheless let's write an adventure and he scribbled a majestic story about a boy fighting countless monsters. Acquiring amazing powers and fighting for good and saving countless people. It is fun and liberating to escape the struggles of this world in a moment.

He wrote and wrote until he fell asleep in his bed.

This is the time that the notebook awoke, it was special. It listened and understood. It waited till the boy was deeply asleep while it tapped his dreams. The boy's body enlightened in glow , swept in the air and disappeared. In dreams anything is possible. Sweet dreams little boy.

At the same time a high energy flow spurred the girl out of the sofa and swiftly barged into the room of the boy as she witnessed the moment of the boy's glowing body disappearing into nothingness. She was too late but she knew what would happen next. He will be back and she will wait. No wonder she felt something from him. It was the sword notebook. “I wonder …will I have to kill him too?” she murmured.

A vast landscape of fields, forests and mountains enlarged itself from the foreground to the distance. While gently, the boy was awoken by the surroundings. He knew something was off. Where is he? What's going on?. At that time a voice sounded in his head. “Welcome to the Midgard realm. You were transported here according to your wishes to claim the riches of the world and fight evil.” “Is this real?”. “Yes much soo.” the voice answered. “What am I supposed to do? This is not my world? I want to go back!”, he shouted. “Peter, let's get to the point. I can’t do anything without your help. I have a quest for you. If you manage to overcome it. You will be sent back.” A voice message came up in the boy's head. Saying: “Defeat the monster in this area until the requirements are satisfied. Extra bonuses will apply after you achieve slaying over 1000 monsters. 0/1000. Rewards: 20,000 gold, extra skills and level ups.”

“So I don’t get a say in this?” Asked the boy. But something familiar showed up in his vision. It was the castle town from his story. “Wait, was this world created according to my imagination?”, he asked. “No, this world is in a different dimension, created by gods and you are not the first one to visit here. Here use me as your guide, comrade and sword to gain what is rightfully yours.” as the voice finished a black notebook sprung up and hovered in front of him. The book opened on the page showing the boy his quest. What's more, as he read, there were more pages with his skills and status points. He had basic swordplay, world knowledge and language skills. And some other unknown skills.

“But how will I fight? I don't have a sword?” the boy said. Just as he finished the books transformed into a majestic black sword. “This is how!” the voice said. “Now let's get crackin’, we don’t have all the time in the world and you need to learn a lot, if you want to master me and the magic around you.”

And in such a manner a new adventure was forced upon the boy. He didn’t know but the reward were real. And thus he would earn the money for his sick mother, just as he wished for. But nonetheless it's a different story to tell as the time has come to end this chapter.

Thank you for reading and keep fighting!

_______________

fantasy

About the Creator

Peter Hurny

Visual Effects artist, good man, right and just. Open minded and kind. Not tolerant of discrimination and racism.

Just want to have a life without issues and be oneself with the world. Meaning understood.

Thanks

P

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