chapter 4- First mission

" Its been a week since you started your training with Kenshi. You've really come far, Benjamin". Polo says as he walks onto the moss-covered stone floor of the training grounds.

It was just Ben, Kenshi and King Polo in special training spots near the ocean. It used to be used for heavy combat among stronger Demon Gaurd members.

Ben's forehead was dripping with sweat. He had never tried so hard before. He enjoyed it too, which was a rare thing. Ben was the kind of person to go along with life. Whatever happens, happens.

" I don't think I've gone so hard before", Ben said whipping his forehead free of sweat.

" Well, Ben I'm glad you're having so much fun. How does your katana feel", Polo said putting one hand over the other on his staff.

Ben looked at the sword he held with one hand. The handle was made of a soft and comfortable material that would absorb the impact of combat. The fabric had a beautiful transition of dark purple to a lighter pink. Ben didn't want those colors what the way the fabric was placed it looked as if dragon scales. The hilt was an all-white dragon. Same as the sheath, it was a white sheath with a golden dragon. The blade was average except for the word," Enlightenment " that ran down the middle of the blade.

" I have news for you…You're going on your first mission".

Ben was shocked and joyful underneath but he didn't want to show it Kenshi. He was becoming like a rival of sorts for him.

" That's fantastic!" Ben said holding in his emotions.

" And Kenshi, you're going with him", King Polo added.

Kenshi jumped." What!" He said viciously.

" What's the mission?" Ben interrupted.

" I have a boat being built in Portside. I need you two to retrieve it", King Polo answered.

"That's not even a real mission. My first mission was to slay the beast that lived in the waters of Gallomae. Retrieving a boat from Portside is significant to none!", Kenshi exclaimed.

" It doesn't matter. It's Ben's first mission and he needs supervision", King Polo explained.

Kenshi sulked in his own selfishness.

" Are we going right now?" Ben wondered.

King Polo nodded." As soon as possible. You'll be going through the portal atop the hill. You'll come out at Portside and sail the boat over. It should take three to four days".

" Can we go now!?" Ben asked as he looked up at Kenshi who had his arms crossed. " If we go now we'll be back sooner. So I guess so", Kenshi grunted.

Ben and Kenshi started to walk in the direction of the portal before King Polo stopped them.

" Wait! Ben, I have something for you".

He held a green Kimono with black decals. It was extremely similar to his own but slightly different.

Ben took it into his hands and then threw it around his shoulders." Thank you so much, King, but what's it for?" Polo picked his staff of the ground and said," Its a Kimono. It's used to protect you from demons. It is your first mission". They exchanged smiles, then Ben was off up the hill.

Like magic, they were up the hill and at the portal. As Kenshi stared into the, seemingly endless, blue swirling portal, he looked down at Ben." You know the rules right?"

Ben nodded," Think of nothing but Portside. Only Portside".

" 3…2….1", Kenshi counted. At the count of 1, they jumped in, eyes closed and almost, just as easy as the first time.

They appeared on the snowy, mountainous island of ships. Although Ben had never been to the island of shipbuilding he still had a rough idea of what it looked like.

"Woah…" Ben said as he slowly twirled around in the same square foot of space.

Surrounding the portal were giant wooden pillars with etchings in them. Ben couldn't make out what the images were.

" This island's culture is much different, than that of The Royal Island. The pillars represent the spirits of the founders. They're supposed to give protection to those who enter and exit". Kenshi said without even looking up.

He marched forward and Ben followed.

Ben caught up and tries to keep the same pace as Kenshi.

They made their way down the hill that would eventually lead to the main city.

Kenshi broke the silence," These shipbuilders are gonna try to sell you something. My first time here, I bought three boats. Don't talk to anyone and stay close".

Almost out of nowhere buildings started appearing and as they got farther in town the buildings got denser and denser. And as the buildings got denser and denser, the voices of people got louder and louder.

Without notice, people dressed in tattered rags tried to sell things to the duo. Kenshi grabbed Ben's kimono and continued to walk at the same pace, without straying his eyes away from the same direction. Slowly but surely the merchants and shipbuilders assumed they were mute and stopped they're selling of supplies.

Kenshi stopped in, what seemed like the middle of town, next to a fountain of a dragon spitting water into the air. He sat on an old wooden bench and released his grip on Ben. He started to move his hands in an odd order.

" What?" Ben whispered. Kenshi sighed and said," I gotta teach you to sign language".

Kenshi took out a piece of paper and read it," The builders' name is Wolf Arashi".

Ben gave a puzzled look." Do you know what he looks like? I don't think we can find someone just with a name".

Kenshi stood up and said," I have an old friend here" as he crushed the piece of paper and placed it in his pocket.

They walked almost one hundred feet before they reached a darkened wood building. The door creaked as Kenshi slowly pushed it open." Casy", he whispered.

An old woman stepped out into the light." Kenshi? Is that you handsome devil". The old woman waddled to the door as she wrapped her wrinkled arms around Kenshi's waist.

" Oh goodness. I haven't seen you in at least three years". She stepped back to admire how much Kenshi grew. She poked his belly," No-no-no. This will not do. You need some food".

" No. Casy I'm not hungry. I'm actually here to find someone you might know".

Ben noticed that Kenshi talked softly around this lady. Could his weakness be an old woman who wants to feed him?

Casy had a slight disappointment to her words." Oh, okay. Who do you want me to locate?"

"Wolf Arashi".

" Ah! Yes, an excellent shipbuilder. He should be at the east shoreline, with the words, ' Arashi ', on his building".

"Thank you Casy", Kenshi said as he left as if in a hurry.

They walked quickly down a slope, just ten feet from Casy's house. Atop this hill, they could see the entire ocean and every building down the shoreline.

" Why did we leave in such a hurry?" Ben asked, trying to keep the same pace as Kenshi.

" The people here don't take kindly to the Demon Guard. They think of us as terrorists trying to ruin their business".

"and?" Ben added.

" Casy's house normally has every window open. She can't see well so she needs a lot of light. There was at least one government spy in that house".

Ben's puzzled look once again took over. He could never understand Kenshi's thought process.

" Wait, government? Why does Portside have a government if Malema has a King?"

Kenshi signed." Every continent has the liberty to choose what they want in life. That's one of the perks of a world king, everyone gets liberty, no matter what. Portside chose to have a government make decisions for them, that's why this place is so corrupt."

" Corrupt how?" Ben wondered.

" With business. Every single citizen of this country wants money. With money comes greed. With greed comes hatred".

" There!" Kenshi yelled as he pointed at the big red words,' Arashi. The fast walk turned into a heavy jog.

" The faster we get there, the faster we get out of here", Kenshi said.

They took a hard right turn into a pathway in between buildings.

"Why did we turn?" Ben questioned.

" You didn't see them?"

" see who?"

" there were at least ten government officers in that crowd of people".

Ben was staggered by Kenshi's level of knowledge. He'd have to work hard to get to where Kenshi was.

They took another right and jogged one hundred feet. There in front of the duo stood the building of the supposed, best shipbuilder family on the island.

Every building had a dock next to it. Ben assumed that's where they stored their boats. Kenshi walked on the dock that was directly next to the 'Arashi' building.

The waves of the cold blue water shock the dock they walked on. As they reached the end of the dock they found King Polo's ship.

It was a basic wood ship, but it was painted all white with a red circle on the side that faced them. The mast a basic white sheet, same with the sail. The front of the ship had a golden dragon, roaring into the vast ocean, instead of the basic mermaid. This ship was clearly a ship of the Royal Family.

On the ship was a kid no older than Ben. Kenshi looked up and said, " Wheres Wolf Arashi?"

The boy answered," That's me, mate".

The boy wore tattered rags around his waist, fur boots, a tattered cloth material around each wrist that extended up to his elbow. The boy himself looked exactly like everyone else on Portside.

Kenshi, with a surprised look, climbed aboard cutting the rope that clung to the dock. Ben jumped on before the ship completely detached.

" Wolf", Kenshi extended his hand.

" Nice to meetcha", Wolf said shaking Kenshi's hand with too much enthusiasm.

Kenshi's nerves finally calmed." So". He touched the wooden log that held the mast in place. " You built this whole ship on your own?"

Wolf placed his hands on his hips." Well not exactly. I built every square inch of this ship except for the gold dragon on the front. I had to do a lot of math and such to keep the boat afloat, just for that dragon to be on the ship".

Kenshi laughed," My dad and his shiny things".

Wolf's face went blank." You mean to say…your father is the infamous King Polo?"

Kenshi nodded.

He scratched the back of his head." Man, I realized I was making a ship for King Polo, but I didn't know his son was gonna come pick it up, too".

" Well, Wolf, I'm glad your excited but I don't know how to sail and the government is on our trail…so".

"Right, right. Sorry mate. Can I call you, mate?", he rambled as he made his way to the wheel. " Hey! Boy with the lady sword! Can you pull the rope to your left?"

Ben wasn't one to get mad when insulted, but as soon as he heard Kenshi Laugh, he was in flames.

He pulled the rope and said, " Listen, 'mate' ", Ben mocked." I have more training with this lady sword than you do with shipbuilding ".

Wolf laughed," Listen, mate. I'm not one to get mad about something so simple, but my shipbuilding skills are nothing to put in your mouth ". He turned the wheel a little to the right as the sail caught wind.

Kenshi watched the government spies run onto the dock as they sailed away.

Kenshi made a gesture with his hand, as they sailed out of sight, and into the big blue.

" how much do we owe you, Wolf", Kenshi said as he looked up at him.

Wolf waved a hand, " Nothing. It's on the house".

" What?! No. You can't give free things just because we're royalty'.

" That's not why it's free. This boat is free because why family is corrupted with greed. I want to break apart from that greed and be different".

Ben spoke up." You should join Kenshi and me In the Demon Gaurd. It would be great. Kenshi could discipline you and you could even learn under King Polo". Ben's excitement took to a new level as he persuaded a newfound friend into a new and better life.

"That would be great. I've been trying to find somewhere that will discipline me". Arashi said, stirring the ship.

" The Demon Gaurd will do that for you. It's a brotherhood". Ben said convincingly.

" Hey, you with the shiny armor", Arashi said.

" Kenshi", Kenshi responded.

" Kenshi, if your dad has fur, why dont you?"

" Well my father told me that I'm only half his race, so I'll get it when I'm older".

" Interesting ".