Supreme Swordfiend

Their family didn't talk about the Vanishing.

Aria always remembered the look of sheer panic in her mother's eyes when she'd come home from school, just an eight-year-old little girl at the time and asked whether anyone in their family had gone missing.

She'd denied it, immediately and vehemently.

The brief verbal war began and ended in a few scant minutes, Aria suffering banishment to her room for rousing her mother's temper.

Another taboo to tiptoe around- joining the Dark Years and how her father had lost a hand as topics not to be broached with her parents. Her little brother learned the same lesson two years later, though he took the rejection with far more grace.

Her mother's voice snapped Aria from her daydreams.

"Dinner's ready Aria!"

The TV blared from the living room, her father's good hand nursing a beer as Aria's mother bustled around the kitchen, loading plates with fried chicken.

How strange. Her mother had never approved of fast food.

Fair brown hair held in a neat ponytail still in her Federation suit and tie, Aria's mother didn't look her age, not a wrinkle or blemish to be seen despite the fact Elizabeth Hayes turned forty a year prior.

"What's the occasion, mom?"

"Oh, nothing dear. Busy day at the office- your father and I are running on empty."

Swiping a bowl, Aria joined her father in the living room.

With his neatly shaved head and bulging muscles that strained against his suit, Tony Hayes cut an imposing figure even while seated.

Her father's prosthetic hand raised in a tired salute to greet his firstborn.

"What're we watching Dad?"

"Old pre-Dark Days movie kiddo. One of your mom's favourites."

Three men performed on screen, two of them engaged in a masculine showing of scars while the third looked on, unable to contribute.

"What's the movie about dad?"

"A shark."

Elizabeth joined her family, lightly slapping the back of her husband's head.

"Tony! It's about masculinity, man versus nature- the struggle of a man who's never been able to assert himself, a doormat who finally takes a stand for himself."

"Sweetie- I love you, but I'm pretty sure it's about a shark."

A notable absence prompted a change in topic.

"Where's Julian mom? Out 'working'?"

A scathing glare from her irate mother shut down Aria's antipathy.

"He's at the old house. Offered to clear it out for you young lady- you'll need a place of your own one day and Julian's always been a capable little handyman."

The television flickered, the screen fading to darkness, a message soon replacing the empty screen.

"Federation Emergency Broadcast- Remain Calm. Stay Indoors."

Before Aria could open her mouth, Tony Hayes had snatched a phone from the inside of his pocket, already on the line to his boss.

"The hell is this? No, don't tell me to 'wait and see' Michael, that's not gonna fly. Bullshit you don't know, this why we were busting ass today? Yeah? Alright Michael, simmer down. Look, gimme something, something I can tell my kids."

Aria watched all blood drain from her father's face.

"Michael that can't be right."

The call dropped, right as her mother reached Julian.

"Julian- listen to me. The TV, the old one in the house. Turn it on, don't leave the house. We'll come over and pick you up but you need to stay inside. Okay?"

Light flared from the television, Aria's eyes locked on the programme playing out before her, a pair of alien-looking men talking over a highlight reel of some kind, each clip showing a fight of some kind- it all looked real to Aria, too real to be fake.

"Earth's Tutorial ends! The highlight show begins- those of you just joining us from the universe's hottest topic- welcome! Now, let's talk winners- chief among them, the Stormbound Swordsman."

Footage played of a scruffy young man clad in a tank top and sweatpants, hair tied in a messy ponytail, beard and moustache untamed and wild.

The footage then panned out, showing the subject watching as a shark devoured another man. His cold blue eyes betrayed no emotion as others around him broke down.

The announcers chimed in.

"That in the business is what we call foreshadowing folks. The little psycho's fight against that megalodon is coming up, but first, let's show you how he got there."

The show kept on rolling, showing fight after fight and every time the swordsman won. By the time he stood in the volcano, facing down a demon Aria felt revolted by the callous bloodshed.

"Now this last fight- what a doozy! Old Stormy had to fight up half a Grade, and still pulled off a win! But that's not all- the kid's declared war on anyone invading his home. I don't know about you Grag, but I'd clear out of there if I had the chance."

A clip followed, of the swordsman declaring bloody and violent retribution on the world before the announcers chimed in again.

"Griswold, Griswold, Griswold- you're forgetting that these factions have peanuts for brains. They'll serve themselves up as offerings for this kid, fuel his ascent. His people will rally around him- he's the strongest warrior their planet produced after all. We can only hope the kid deigns to broadcast some of his exploits for our viewing pleasure."

A loud buzzer interrupted the two.

"That's all we have time for tonight folks- tune in next week for our coverage of Krona's Chosen- same time, same place!"

The screen flickered as the old movie came on again, a serious whisper from her mother sending Aria to her feet.

"Aria. Go to your room."

Aria never did find out what her parents discussed that night.

The Show, as it came to be known, became another taboo, one surpassing all others.

The mere mention of it, or God forbid, the mention of the first episode would invite stern looks and commands to drop the subject.

Soon, it faded into the background, Aria's life returning to some degree of normalcy as the months wore on.

The impending feeling of crisis dissipated, slowly, gradually.

Her parents began working longer hours and so she found herself with far more freedom.

Freedom she used, spending more time than before with her boyfriend.

Stefan became her rock, a constant in a life where Aria could never say for certain when people would be home.

A lazy summer's evening saw them taking a trip to the old house.

Her grandparents had left the property to Elizabeth and Julian had been slaving away at cleaning it up for nearly a year.

The young couple chattered as they made their way over the threshold.

"Your dad collects old media?"

"Pre-Dark Days stuff. Movies his own dad liked and ones mom remembers enjoying. Don't tell me your dad doesn't have any weird hobbies."

"He plays war games. With mini figures. Drives my mom mad, our whole basement is taken up by tables of plastic men."

The sound of the TV from within clued Aria into Julian's presence.

"Julian! You here?!"

A scuffle of movement, then silence as the TV cut off.

Julian came dashing round the corner, a smile plastered on his face. He'd started growing his hair out, tying it up in a ponytail and refused to shave his face anymore.

His attempt to grow a beard inspired pity in all who beheld the peach fuzz.

He wore merchandise- a shirt depicting a victorious swordsman standing over a dead dinosaur, captioned with the phrase 'Great Fight'.

"Whassup 'o sister 'o mine? Ah, mi brodre from another modre, what's good yo!"

Stefan left Julian hanging just long enough to make the younger man squirm before bumping his fist.

"I'm good Julian. You watching something in there?"

The sixteen-year-old dithered, hemming and hawing before answering.

"I'm not s'posed to watch it yo, mom freaks if she catches me. So like, be cool and don't rat on me. But this shit's fire bro, you guys see last week's episode? Aqua Edge got written off early on then she bounced back, totally fucked shit up! Course, the Stormbound Swordsman would beat her, ten times outta ten, easy, no diff."

As though only now noticing the open door, he retreated further in, motioning his sister to follow.

"Come on! This week's episode is about some dude called Mud! The hell kinda name's Mud, bet he dies. Come on, you're going to miss it!"

Aria sent a pleading look to Stefan who shrugged forcing her to engage in whispered negotiation.

"I'm so sorry- Julian's really into this show."

"I get it. I don't mind, your brother's probably one of the only people who aren't analysing that whole thing to death. It's refreshing."

Another shout from Julian.

"Shut the door yo! She'll hear it, even from all the way across town- guarantee it, Mom's hearing is no joke man!"

Julian had taken to furiously tapping on his phone while waiting for his somewhat reluctant watch-along partners, a flashy game dominating his phone's screen.

From the screen came a chime as the word 'Victory' flashed, little characters performing their victory animations, the MVP throwing both swords into the floor and quipping to the screen.

"I thought this fight would be fun, but you're starting to bore me!"

Sighing under her breath, Aria kept her eyes on the screen as the TV flared to life.

"What game's that?"

Stefan's question invited playful scorn from Julian.

"Seriously brotenheimer? You haven't heard of Proving Grounds Master? It's like the hottest game ever! No one online even knows who the developers, these guys called Hellstone Incorporated, are but the game rocks, you like collect all the coolest characters from the show, and make 'em fight. There's PvP and a kickass story mode plus the whole thing's free! They've even got characters the show hasn't shown yet, it's so sick, like a preview kinda deal."

That got Stefan's attention.

"You know that show is real right? The Vanishing, the Dark Days- my parents say it's all going to go bad soon, 'least they do when they think I can't hear them. Real soon. Julian, how popular is that game?"

Both Julian and Aria swivelled to look at Stefan in shock.

Aria broke the awkward silence, the show forgotten.

"We never talk about this sort of stuff. Our mom can't handle it, she lost someone in The Vanishing."

Julian cut her off.

"Our uncle. Grandma told me before she... y'know."

"Right, an uncle. Our dad lost his hand in the Dark Days Stefan. Both of them work for the Federation because they never want those days to come back and they don't like bringing those days up."

Stefan shifted uncomfortably on the couch.

"So you two don't know?"

Julian snapped before Aria could.

"C'mon brotendo, spit it out. Bros don't leave bros hanging."

Taking a deep breath, Stefan launched into an explanation.

"It's scrubbed from the internet and most adults won't talk about it- but if you get someone drunk enough they'll spill. So, on the day of The Vanishing four aliens attacked Earth. No one knows why but some people got an offer. To take part in a Tutorial, to prepare for the world to come. Most people didn't even get the option but those who accepted? Poof. Gone. Vanished. Now, twenty years on the aliens are back and they're showing off the death game people went through to survive. At least, that's the theory online anyway. Some people say it's all a Federation scare tactic."

The noise from the TV filtered in.

"... unconventional tactics aside, Mud certainly earned a place in the top ranks with those victories. For our final show here's a little announcement to our friends on Earth. All the victors are on their way back- make sure to give them a hero's welcome!"

The television's screen winked out, a blinding flash of light revealing a man in golden armour standing where there had once been nothing.

Before the teens could react, two swords emerged from their scabbards, one pointed at Julian, the other at Aria and Stefan.

The armoured man laughed as he saw their eyes go wide with fear.

"You're right to be scared. Now get the hell out of my parent's house before I cut you open. Go on, beat it!"

Petrified, Aria and Stefan remained seated as Julian spoke in a reverent whisper.

"You're the guy..."

"Damn right I'm the guy. The guy who will bury you little punks in shallow graves for squatting in this house."

"No, you're the guy from TV!"

The swordsman's helmet melted away, revealing a butchered haircut and a messy beard.

His cold blue eyes took in Julian's shirt and as he moaned out a complaint as his swords lowered.

"I thought Zerasos would sell all the merch shit far from home. Goddamn, that's embarrassing."

Julian, emboldened by the shift in tone, pressed his luck.

"Hey, Stormbound Swordsman- what's your real name?"

Sheathing his blades, Leon threw a hand to his face.

"Oh great you even know that corny little nickname, awesome. Just what I need, ten seconds on this planet and I meet a fucking fanboy. Name's Leon, Leon Knox. Now, who the hell are you?"