Virtual Sword God!

Novis slowly closed his eyes to sleep for the day. As he slowly drifted into a deep sleep a big plain green field came into his mind. The grass was cleanly cut and it seemed to carry on endlessly without an end in sight. It was beautiful yet not at the same time. There was no other life, no plants, no animals, just the view of the grass field and blue sky.

It was a strange dream Novis thought as he looked around. Most dreams were kind of haze but this was as clear as day, it felt almost real. He bent down to feel the blades of grass run through his fingers. As he knelt back up again suddenly there was something he could see that wasn't there before. It was a man holding a long sword stuck in the ground.

The man looked like a prince from a fairy tale. So handsome and strong. Novis had come to know this man quite well, it was Arthur.

"I'm even having dreams about you now." Novis thought.

Novis started to move closer to Arthur as he looked at him, he couldn't help to think, why hadn't he been given some of the genes that Arthur had. Novis wasn't ugly by anyone's standard but when next to Arthur it made him look average.

"Why couldn't I be as handsome as you," Novis said.

"Relax, you're only young, you never know what will happen in the future," Arthur said as he lifted his sword out of the ground.

"Right it's time for training."

Novis was suddenly spooked out about how real Arthur seemed currently in front of him.

"Training, what do you mean training this is a dream right?"

Novis started to pinch himself just to double-check and as he did, he felt no pain. This only confused him even further.

"Don't look so confused, I am a part of your mind and decided to create this space in your subconscious. This way we can train even in your sleep."

Novis was still finding it hard to believe, but it was true that the two of them did share minds. He always wondered what happened to Arthur while he was asleep. Had he always been there, or was he in this space that he created? Then a thought came to Novis mind, had Arthur seen his dreams? Novis face started to turn red.

"Don't worry, I haven't seen any of your dreams. While you sleep I spend my time here." Arthur said while looking at the blue sky.

Novis couldn't help but think that Arthur looked incredibly lonely.

"Why do we need to train here, will it even help?" Novis asked.

"Although there will be no physical difference, you are able to gain experience and skill. You are years behind everyone else in fighting and this is how you will catch up to them. You will have more time than anybody else to train."

Arthur then proceeded to get in a fighting stance with his sword.

"Wait! I don't have a weapon!"

"It's your mind Novis, make one!"

Arthur then quickly started to run over towards Novis. Novis was panicking, what did Arthur mean by making one? As Authur got closer to Novis closed his eyes and started to imagine a sword similar to Arthur then suddenly it appeared in his hands.

"Good!" Arthur shouted. "Now lesson one, Survive."

Arthur went to strike Novis on his head, Novis lifted the sword and was able to block in time. Straight after Arthur was on Novis again, attack after attack. Arthur was attacking with just enough speed and strength so Novis was able to block. Gradually he would begin to increase the speed and power.

The first thing that Novis needed to learn was how to block and defend himself. When in a fight the most important thing is to survive.

Novis felt helpless against Arthur's attacks, he knew Arthur wasn't using his full strength or he would have been dead by now. But Novis didn't even know what would happen if he were to die, After all, it was only a dream right? Novis was too afraid to find out so he did his best at blocking all the attacks coming at him. He wanted to try to strike back, look for an opening but found none.

Arthur would allow Novis to take breaks in between. Arthur would then analyze and give pointers to Novis telling him what he had done wrong and what he should do. Novis understood but when he attempted what Arthur was telling him his body just couldn't keep up.

After a total of five hours of training were complete Arthur stopped and said, "Alright, it's time for you to wake up."

"What do you mean it's time for me to wake up?"

Arthur then quickly dashed towards Novis and threw another strike with his sword. But this one was different from all the others before, Novis didn't even have the chance to move his blade in time. The strike connected and as soon as it hit Novis, his eyes opened up.

Suddenly, Novis could see a white ceiling above. He had woken up and was in his bedroom. After all the training Novis thought he would feel sore but he felt nothing. It felt like he had just woken up as usual.

As Novis went to look outside he noticed that the sun had hardly risen, there was a grey dull light outside.

"Huh, what time is it?"

"It is 5:00 Am, every day from now on before school you shall run 5 kilometres"

Novis eyes were about to pop out from his skull

"5:00 Am are you crazy, what's the point, the game characters have their own stamina anyway."

"Novis, the game characters are limited, but if your true body surpasses that, then you will be able to do things you have never done before. Your stamina will be greater in the game, you will have a body that is your own to use."

Novis didn't have a clue what Arthur was talking about and was beginning to regret asking Arthur to train him but then an image of Lucas game into his mind. How determined he was to win that game. If Novis wanted to catch up to them, then he needed to do everything in his power.

Novis put on his clothes and was ready to run.