When I first started this story, I was 13, and did not understand a lot about writing in general.
I am now 20, and I'd like to think that my writing prowess has improved a bit. And as such, this story is getting scrapped and rewritten entirely.
I'm not gonna lie: 13-year-old me made a lot of mistakes initially writing this. The main character I created was a definite Mary Sue; the way I followed the game's real story line wasn't integrated well (or I didn't stick my OC in there properly, take your pick); and a lot of it was just bad writing in general.
I've recently gotten back into the game, and remembered this story I was telling. I decided it would be easier for me to just rewrite it from the ground up than try to go back and edit all the chapters I have.
The main premise is still going to be the same: Max retains his memory of everything that happened before he wound up on in Guardiana (who he is, who Kane is, what their mission is, all that stuff). Max is also going to be genderbent, as I did in the original way I am telling this story. Her name is still Rilee, and I did fix the spelling of her name. The title will remain the same for now, but it is in the works (if you have any ideas after the first few chapters come out, please hit me up).
Final note: yes, all the chapters have disappeared. I took them down myself. Once the new first few chapters go up, this note will also go away. I know the website really hates author's notes like this, but it was kind of the only way to get all this information out.
So for the like, 4 people who still have this story in their alerts (why?) this story is about to get a massive makeover. The new first chapter should be done and up sometime next week.
If you just barely discovered this story, congratulations! You missed the train wreck the original version was, and you can look forward to a hopefully better story. Enjoy!

Everything is black. The wind blows gently against my back, carrying the ocean smell; loose wisps of hair brush my cheeks. My feet grind into the sand. I fight to control my ragged breath. The sword is heavy in my hands, and my arms hurt from fighting with it for so long. Every morning is the same. I wake up early to train with Varios for hours, until he gets called away for something else. My training sessions had gotten more intense as time went on, and I'm still not used to this stupid sword.

Varios' voice shatters my thoughts. "What are you doing?" he demands. "Focus your mind!" I only nod. Inhale. Open my eyes. Charge.

My arms are too tired to get the weapon up into position. Varios' blade swings down. The metals clash and the vibrations flow down both my arms. He pushes me back, and I stumble a few steps. My left hand slips form the grip, and I let the tip of my sword fall into the sand to help me stay balanced. My eyes close again. "Call that a strike?" he taunts me. He's right. We've both seen me perform better than this. "The real battle begins now!" I listen as his hooves press into the sand and wait - one, two - I duck and twist, dragging my blade with me. The swing of his sword buzzes over my head, then open my eyes.

I stand, both hands gripping the hilt of my sword. Varios turns and lunges again, not allowing me any time to prepare. This time I managed to keep the sword in place and counter him. After a few strikes I see an opening and go for it. He blocks me, but takes three steps back. I spin away, once again letting the blade rest in the sand.

"Good!" Varios says, taking a deep breath. He's finally starting to get tired. This session should end soon. "You're doing good. Now breathe." He points at me. "One more time." Stifling a groan, I mimic his breathing pattern and lift the sword from the ground.

For a moment, I close my eyes again. I keep my breathing steady and remember. Memories flash by in my mind and emotions cloud around me. I latch onto the one that will do the most damage: anger. My eyes open and I can feel the fire burning behind them. My arms hurt, the sword is too heavy for me, but my rage is stronger than anything else. I swing the sword around wildly, balancing my strength lifting it up and letting its weight bring it down. Varios blocks most of the strikes, but I force him backwards.

I hurl the weapon up - the clash of the metals rings. I push my sword until the cross guard collides with Varios' blade and twist it. Varios loses his grip, if nothing else than to keep the blade from hitting him, and I catch it as it falls. The tip lands in the sand, along with my own sword, but I have two weapons and he is defenseless. The battle is over.

Varios looks at me surprised. I have never completed a move like that, not against him. Instead of questioning me, he only nods. "If you can remember to breathe like that, you'll become the best swords-woman in Rune." I release my grip on the swords, letting them land on the ground. I already am the best swords-woman in Rune, I think bitterly, I'm just missing my sword. Varios continues, "Let's take a short break. My old bones need a rest."

"Oh, thank gods!" I drop to the ground, exhausted. I close my eyes and rub my face and the back of my neck.

"Don't sound too happy," Varios comments. He kneels of the sand in front of me. I exhale and look up at him.

"We've been at this for a year, Varios." My voice rings with despair, and I make no attempts to hide what I'm feeling. "You told me that this was just a precaution, a way to get people to trust me. It was only going to take a few weeks at the most. Yet here I still am, and I'm tired of waiting."

Varios sighs, about to give me the same speech about patience he has at least a hundred times already, when another voice cuts in.

"You're incredible, Rilee!" My head drops back in my hand as I stifle a groan. "You're holding your own against Lord Varios!"

Lowe's short body jogs down the back stairs of the church building towards Varios and I. Varios' voice is kind as he greets what I "lovingly" call my stalker. I cut to the chase.

"How long have you been watching me?" I glance at him without a smile, my hand still covering at least half my face.

Lowe takes a step back, and raises his hands a bit in defense. "Only that last round, where he told you to breathe. I swear." I sit up straight. I'm not elated by his confession, but it's better than previous answers he's given me. "I don't know why you don't want people watching you, though," he continues with a smile. "You're a natural! Who'd have thought such a great fighter would join our ranks?"

I turn to glare at him. Lowe blanches, realizing what he'd said. Even Varios looks alarmed, and watches me closely. I can't lift either sword, but that doesn't mean I can't punch Lowe in the face. Again.

"Oh, um, I mean, uh, would soon join our ranks?"

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to stay calm. I understand why I can't join the knights - it's the same reason Mother was so against me learning how to fight in the first place. I hear her words ring in my head: "A lady does not need to be concerned with such.. unwholesome things. Your father and brothers will protect you. You've no need to learn for yourself." That was before everything started trying to kill me. My brothers began teaching me then, claiming that there would come a day where they wouldn't be around and I would have to protect myself.

I wish they had been wrong.

The knights here are as reluctant as Mother was. I'm a girl; why would I need to join them? They have it all covered. They don't need me.

They don't know what I do.

"It's a pity," Varios speaks up, "that for all your talent you can't recall your origins, or your past." I hear him stand and open my eyes again. He offers his hand to me. "How 'bout it, Rilee? As you've said, it's been a year. There must be something."

I take his hand, and he pulls me up. Everything. "Nothing," I shake my head, "but don't worry about me. I'm sure my memory will come back soon enough." I offer a brief smile, then begin to head towards the church. Varios keeps pace with me.

"I see. Perhaps your amnesia is a kind of trial that you've been given to overcome," he muses, mostly to himself.

"Yeah, one of many," I add under my breath.

"But still," he continues, "I sincerely hope that we can officially welcome you into our ranks. It has been long enough."

"Yeah!" Lowe chimes in from a few paces behind us. "If they don't let you join now, they're crazy!"

I stop in my tracks, and turn to look at him. "Why did you say you came all the way out here?"

Lowe stumbles. "Oh, um, I didn't actually say - I have a message for Lord Varios!" he finally spits out. Varios turns his attention to the boy. "They need you, at the castle, right now, the King and his, counselors. Something about an attack, over in the east?"

"What?" My head snaps to look at Varios; the expression of shock on his face matches my own. Guardiana is a peaceful kingdom - why would there be any attack? He takes a few steps towards Lowe.

"Is this true?" he asks, his voice calm. Lowe nods, his shaggy hair moving with the motion. "Hmmm. I see."

"I don't?" I say, trying to get his attention. "What's going on?" And can it please involve me?

Instead of answering, Varios begins towards the church again. I have to jog to keep pace with him, while Lowe wobbles behind us. He doesn't speak until we reach the stairs. "I'm sorry, Rilee, but our time is up for today. I am needed at the castle. We'll go again tomorrow." He gives me a kind smile, the same one I've seen hundreds of times, then takes off.

I stand on the stairs and watch after him. A year, I've been staying here, and I've never seen him react to a summons like this. Whatever this 'attack' was, it must be something big. I must be running out of time.

Lowe's short gasps for air break my concentration as he comes up from behind me. "Did you see - his face?" he asks between breaths. "Varios was - white - as a sheet!"

"Lowe, what's going on at the castle?" I demand, crossing my arms.

"I have - no idea." I roll my eyes. "But I'm gonna go - have a look." He walks past me up the steps, still trying to get his breathing under control. I watch as he walks into the church, then pokes his head out the doorway again. "Meet me there later!" he tells me, then disappears before I can tell him no.

Something shiny catches my eye on the beach. The sword is still laying in the sand. Varios remembered to take his with him. I left that one there because I don't like it. I sigh and go to pick it up. It isn't a bad sword; and Lowe's right - I'm amazing with it. It's just not my sword: lighter than air and stronger than steel. That's why I've had such an issue adjusting to it. And if everyone thinks I'm amazing with a simple long sword, I can only imagine what they'd think when they see me handle my real one.

I gaze out over the sea. The waves are calm, and the sand is soft. It's been a year since I first washed up on this shore. A year later, and I'm still stuck here with no sword, and no brother. I thought for sure he would have found me by now, or my sword would have washed up, too. But the year as been nearly wasted. Even if I didn't have what I needed, I still should have tried to complete the mission anyway, instead of staying here and being compliant. And if what Lowe said is true, and there is an attack over in the east, then this is only the beginning. The Ancients are right.

Things are going to get so much worse.