A month has passed since our victory. Immediately after I got my sword from the flames, General Arthur found me and questioned me. He determined that what I did was not in vain, as it did help tremendously in our victory.

Captain Tristan was found dead, from the reports he was killed in single combat. I believe it was that man who came sprinting out of the ship and tackled the captain, taking him somewhere to end him. I never got a good view of him as he came and went fast, he seemed to be targeting the captain. When he was found it was described as gruesome.

There were piles of blood all over the floor he had his fingers sliced off, his leg was broken, and missing an arm. I couldn't read the rest of the report because of how detailed it was but the most horrifying of all, he had his eyes and tongue cut out.

“Alexander!”

Whoever did this vile act seemed to leave a clue for us, there was a logo scribbled onto the wall with the blood of Captain Tristian.

“Alexander!”

The logo was drawn on the report so I know what it looks like.

‘Alexander” Peter called to me standing in front of me as I ate in my bed without giving a thought to my surroundings. His face was filled with joy.

“ we're going home man, the general has received a message saying the war is over and we are to head to the capital.”

My heart skipped a beat, We can finally go home. How long I've been waiting to hear those words come out of anyone's voice

All around us in the barracks were soldiers being told of the same thing, cheers erupted.

People hugging and high-fiving. There will for sure be a celebration, I just want to get home so I hope it won't last long.

“All thanks to you Alexander!” said a middle-aged soldier who grabbed me, lifted me off my bed, and brought me into a hug.

Ever since “The Siege of Hazel” I've been seen as a hero by some, others hate me for killing our comrades. Some want to kill me for killing their friends.

After this gluttony fellow finished with his hug, more came by and did the same. I looked around and many eyes were on me. A lot were filled with hatred.

I don't feel like a hero either. I know those who I killed that day forgave me after speaking to me with the flames. But consciously I still don't feel good about it and don't believe I ever will.

The sword I was given was so beautiful that I had to put leather cloth on the handle and cover it up to not raise suspicions. Everything else was good and so far not many people have asked me about it.

The last few hugs came and once everyone was done praising me, Peter and I headed out to the city.

Informing the guard at the gates of who we are he let us walk on by.

I've been back here in the city only a handful of times in the past month. The people here love me and view me as a hero, I'm the man who saved the city for them.

So like all the other times I've explored the city, I keep getting stopped and praised by the people. Some hand me valuables and others hand me food to taste.

I must say the food is quite good here. The ones I'd been handed this time were doughy circle bread with glaze on them. I must visit the baker here in this city one day.

But I was here for a whole different reason.

Peter and I made our way toward a back alley. There, we found a clinic that seemed to not be upkeeped from the outside.

“You sure this is the place,” I ask Peter, he was the one who told me about this doctor who could check out the stone in my chest.

“Yup, I asked around the city and everyone said this place is good, though I assume they meant as in treating. Not keeping this place clean.”

We laughed as we entered the clinic.

Entering, there were a couple of people sitting waiting to see the doctor, there was a front desk with a lady sitting there. Compared to the outside, the inside was a tad bit cleaner.

“ hi Sabrina, here to see the doc, brought along my friend this time.” Peter pointed toward me with his thumb.

The lady whose name was Sabrina's face lit up.

“ ahh yes yes! You must be Alexander! Your friend here spoke of you and the “thing” on your chest when he came to get his eye checked out.” she said with ecstasy.

So Peter came and got his eye checked out here huh. I haven't really been thinking of his eye lately, he always covers it up with an eyepatch and it's just something I've grown used to seeing every day. To him, he must adjust to only having one eye and it makes things much more difficult like fighting for him.

“ Give me a second gentleman, I'll inform Doctor Ray of your arrival,” she says leaving to a room that connects to the waiting room.

For a second it was quiet then a pair of two powerful voices began arguing loud, me and peter looked at each but his face seemed used to this.

Sabrina stepped out and waved us in.

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Entering the room it was filled with all sorts of equipment. Scrolls, papers, and much more lay all over the desk that was at a corner of the room, bookshelves with hundreds of books, some of which seemed centuries old. In the middle of the room a chair that had a table next to it filled with medical equipment, and on the other side of the chair was another wooden table but this time it was filled with potions both sealed and opened, some of which were bubbling like acid.

“Keep this place clean, got it doctor Ray!” screamed out Sabrina before slamming the door shut to the man cleaning a potion that had been spilled on the floor.

“Ahh, what do you boys need huh make it quick I'm getting scolded by the lady I employ!”

Spoke the old doctor, the man was old somewhere in his 50s with deep lines etched across his face. His hair was a frizzy mess, he was hunchbacked which made him appear shorter than he actually was, and he wore a big long full white beard the same color as his hair, making him look like a wizard from a children's book. Yet when you think of the word wisdom, this man seems to be the embodiment of it.

“Relax old man, here to get my friend checked out on that weird stone on his chest. You know the one I spoke of last we met.” Spoke up, Peter.

“Ahh yes yes the boy who saved my city, Alexander. Sit in the chair boy! Come on, I don't have all day!” spoke the old doctor with an impatient voice

I feel if I hang around this man for a long time I'll start speaking to him the way his assistant does.

“I see why your assistant speaks to you the way she does sir” I mumbled under my breath as I went to sit in the chair in the middle of the room.

Ray the old doctor merely frowned at me as he himself took a seat at a nearby rolling chair and got close to me.

“ Now, off with the shirt boy, come on!” he says, staring at me intensely.

Taking my black tunic off I let the old doctor come up with a diagnosis.

“ hmm boy this is what you came in for a mole!” said the old man but soon after I felt his hand touch the stone in my chest, and soon he was caressing my chest feeling me up

I looked at him with disgust.

“ What boy, you want me to come up with a diagnosis here don't you” he said snickering, amused at my discomfort.

“ Enough with your jests, Old man, on with it, what is it that I have?.”

“ seems someone doesn't enjoy a good joke” the doctor pouted.

He examined the stone carefully, even trying to scratch it off with his nails as if that would work.

“ how did this get here boy”

“ Well I passed out after a fight laying on the floor but Peter tells me he found me lying against a boulder with crow's pecking at me and flying over me. But he says one specific crow pecked at me and pulled the skin that was once located where the stone is now, and well yeah. It doesn't feel unnatural, I don't even feel or sense it. It's just there.” I reply, looking at Peter, a look for him to jump in at any moment in case he wants to voice something.

“ Hmm, this is not normal at all, boy. It's not any sort of disease nor an infection, Are you pulling a fast one on me? A crow did this, boy?”

I frowned

“ No one is pulling your legs, Doctor. It's the truth, I have no clue either why a dam crow would do this and Peter wouldn't lie either.” I say looking over at Peter who was going through the books on the old man's shelves.

The old man sighed and continued “Fine boy, the good part of it all is that nothing bad has happened to you. As long as the stone doesn't cause something you'll be fine…I think. Anyway, this has piqued my interest, boy, I'll be digging around, if I find anything I'll let you know.” the old doctor says, signaling me to put my shirt back on.

Putting my tunic back on, I looked down at my sword, I then remembered it had a Raven on the pommel.

My eyes widened

There must be a connection between the crow and this sword, right? First I get a stone put in me by a crow then I get a sword by flames which has a pommel of a raven with bright red eyes. What is the correlation here? Raven and crow?

“ Doctor Ray”

The man looked over at me.

“ Look into magic as well, I have a feeling magic may be the root of this.” I stood up and walked toward the door, Peter right next to me.

The old man walked toward me and reached his hand out for me to take

“ will do boy, take care, understand there's no telling if this thing will end up being a curse.”

Taking his hand I shook it firmly. “We have been told the rebellion is over and we are no longer needed here, doctor, if you find anything send it with a messenger. Till then I'll be waiting”

Me and Peter waved at Sabrina as we left.

“That doctor is interesting; he owns a lot of ancient books and occult books. I have a feeling he'll find something very soon Alex.”

We walked down to a bar near the clinic, a short 10-minute walk. Jim has been at this bar almost every other day drinking his ass off so he'll be there that's for sure. We took the alleys to the bar to not have people praising me if we walked down the streets.

Mid-walk, I spotted a young lady holding a baby sitting down on the floor. She was dirty and so was the infant in her hand's.

Pulling out a handful of silver coins, I handed it to her.

“Th-thank you s-sir.” the young girl said.

Getting a look on her face she was too young to have a child, she seemed to be a teenager. She was probably a prostitute, I feel bad for this woman and her child. I have no power to change the rules, nor will I ever come into that sort of power in my life. The type of power to make people like her lives better.

I nodded to her with a smile and continued walking.

Entering the bar with Peter at my side, cheers erupted the moment we entered.

“ the young savior! Drinks on the house in honor of the young warrior!” yelled out the bartender. Soon after another set of cheers erupted.

Honor, I am far from honor.

“Boys you're here! Ready to get fucked up or what!” Jim said, wrapping his arms around our necks. Coming out from who knows where.

He led us to the counter and handed us some ale. Different from what I normally drink which is beer, but Jim has been here almost every day so it's natural he tries something new.

“We leave soon by the way Jim, and there will for sure be a celebration in the barracks before we do,” I say to Jim, taking a sip of my drink.

“Oh, I know Alexander, precisely why we must have fun right now! And more fun at the celebration that will be held soon at the barracks! Drinking and whoring at its finest! That's the life of a soldier who is risking his life!” Jim said with raw emotion.

Me and Peter laughed at our friend who's long been drunk before we arrived. Celebration, celebrate our victory here.

And celebrate the ones lost.

The ones I killed.

Giving myself a mental shake, I held out my drink to my childhood friends and simultaneously we clung our drinks together and drank.

The bar was getting noisy, and music was playing. People were dancing with each other.

The night is young, and we will celebrate it.