The Last Legendary System

"I have an idea."

Benign’s eyes never left the toy horse. He couldn’t remember its name, but he knew how many adventures they had gone on.

The little boy sniffled loudly, rubbing his nose with the back of his sleeve. "You like rangers, don’t you?" Benign asked.

The child nodded vigorously.

Benign smiled. "I thought so."

Another heavy step. Tuff approached with a smile that somehow made the cave feel even smaller.

"Are you running out of ideas already?"

"Actually..." Benign handed the revolver to the child. "I just found one. It seems illegal, but overlook it."

He crouched before the boy. The child stared at the strange silver object in his hand curiously. The boy looked up at Benign for confirmation.

"Yeah, this is a revolver. Don’t worry, it’s not your dad’s. You wouldn’t get in trouble for using it."

The boy blinked.

"So. As a ranger, I have a job for you." Benign stood from where he crouched. "Protect me."

Wide brown eyes sparkled. The boy nodded firmly. Benign smiled despite himself.

"Can you do that?"

Tiny fingers wrapped around the grip firmly. Benign waited to see if he could find the trigger. The boy’s little hands reached it. "Huh..."

The weapon remained perfectly still in the child’s hands. Benign exhaled. "That worked out."

Tuff laughed. "Did you just arm your younger self?"

"If I die here, he ceases to exist. Fair trade."

The werebear’s grin widened. "Interesting."

Then his large body disappeared. Benign barely raised the Blade in time.

CLANG!

A fist crashed against the flat of the sword. The impact launched Benign backward, his boots carving trenches through the soft ground.

Tuff lunged again, but Benign met him halfway.

The Blade hummed before it struck. The silver edge carved across the bear’s left forearm. A slight cut that rapidly grew bigger.

The wound shriveled instantly, but the flesh didn’t fall off. Tuff glanced down. "So that’s what the Blade does." His flesh didn’t grow back.

Tuff’s smile only grew. "I like it."

A roar burst from his chest, sending a violent gust through the cave. Benign planted his feet, trying to find his balance, but it was too late.

The wind swept around him and raced straight toward the boy.

"No!"

Benign’s heart skipped a beat.

The boy gasped, gripping his toy to his chest. But instead of freezing, the child’s eyes sharpened.

He ran. His small legs sprinted across the chamber just before the blast slammed into empty stone.

BOOM.

Dust exploded where the child had stood. The boy gracefully fell on the ground, spilling his toy and the revolver.

He gathered himself off the ground, snatched his toy and dusted it, before he picked up the revolver. Then he hurried behind a boulder and covered his ears.

Benign blinked. "He dodged it... Wow." The relief hit him harder than any punch.

A small smile crept to his lips. The child had once lived in a war-torn town. Safety drills were a way of life.

Tuff chuckled. He rolled one shoulder. "This is the first time that this trial has become two against one."

Benign stepped forward, separating the boy from Tuff. "I’ll take that as a compliment."

"It is."

Benign rushed forward. Blade met claws again and again. The Blade bit deeper each exchange while Tuff’s strength forced him backward.

A massive paw finally slipped through.

BAM!

Benign crashed into a wall, and stone shattered around him. "Argh..." The pain shot through his ribs, forcing him to slide to one knee.

Tuff slowly approached. "You left your partner alone."

Benign looked up to find that the bear wasn’t facing him. He was walking toward the child. Fear gripped him harder than the pain shooting through his body.

"No..."

The little boy stood frozen, hands trembling around the revolver. Benign pushed himself upright, but his legs refused.

While his younger self always played with his father’s revolver, he was scared by the recoil during the few times he ever made a shot.

He never attempted it again till he was older.

"Run!"

The child shut his eyes.

"No, this isn’t the time not to look." Benign slapped the ground. "Run—"

The child raised the revolver with both hands, with his eyes closed. He shouted at the top of his lungs.

"L-Leave my country alone!"

BANG!

The shot echoed through the chamber, and the child fell from the recoil. The bullet struck Tuff square in the right shoulder. He staggered. His hands loosely limped by his side.

Benign stared at the scene.

Tuff fell to his knees, still looking at the boy whose eyes were still shut. "Both my arms are done for now. Fine. You passed."

The boy slowly opened his arms. Seeing an enormous bear didn’t assure his safety. The revolver dropped from his hands. He crouched down, covering his ears and began sobbing.

Then the soldier laughed. A genuine laugh. "You really... you really used that line..." He remembered annoying his mother for months. "Leave my country...."

Every stick became a sword, and his blankets became a cape. After every win, mostly his parents letting him get the last laugh, he would shout the exact thing. Benign covered his face, as heat spread to his cheeks and ears. He had forgotten.

Before the wars, and their funerals. Before survival became more important than his dreams.

He used to want to become a ranger and have chants sung for him, and iconic lines people would quote later. Because rangers always protected their country.

His chest tightened. "That’s why."

He walked over, knelt in front of the boy, and pulled the boy into a gentle hug.

The child opened his eyes. He sniffed. Small arms awkwardly hugged Benign back.

"Did I protect you, sir?"

Benign smiled. His eyes stung a bit. "Yeah."

"Like a ranger?" the boy asked again.

"Like a ranger." The soldier released the boy.

The boy smiled too. His body gradually dissolved into warm strands of light. Benign’s smile faded, but he knew it had to happen.

The toy horse vanished last.

Silence returned.

Tuff groaned, rolling on the ground with his injured shoulder. "You two are adorable. This is so worth it."

Benign turned to him with a frown. "You really had yourself a show, didn’t you?" He left the ground. "Let me help you up."

"No need." Tuff swung both legs forward, letting the motion carry him upright without relying on his battered arms.

Impressed, Benign’s brow instinctively raised.

"You passed," Tuff said again. "You really have what it takes to be a Protector." He glanced down at the blade. "No wonder it chose you."

Benign stared at the blade fondly.

"Come. Your second trial awaits."

The soldier’s shoulders slumped. Now that the fighting had stopped, every ache from being thrown around like a rag doll caught up with him. "Can’t I have a few minutes to rest?"

"Your next opponent isn’t very patient. She even wanted to go first."

"Great." Benign rolled his eyes. "Another bully."

Tuff tapped the cave wall, and an ember flared to life, its light hanging in the air like a screen. He stepped aside and nudged Benign forward.

Benign glanced sideways at the glowing image.

Lyra?

An elf sat upon a silk-covered throne, flowers growing around and through it. Her body almost blended into the giant tree that formed the throne itself.

Dark purple eyes regarded him coldly. Light-red hair, framed by blonde streaks at the front, rested against her small face.

The resemblance to Lyra from Kiron Station was unmistakable. Twins?

She shifted her gaze from Benign to Tuff.

Tuff cleared his throat.

"Lady Alana."