Everyone would remember the day that Robin Hood had died and no one knew who would get the Golden Arrow that was taken away with the man’s body after his death. Marian returned home to her mansion, walked up the stairs and saw her father as they briefly exchanged a look between themselves, and Thomas realized his daughter was in tears and broken due to the man she had loved being killed, and by her father no less. When she walked away to her quarters, Anna looked to her boss because she felt something had to be done but Thomas dismissed her. In the meantime, the nephews of Robin Loxley mourned for their uncle in the village of Merhaven and those who often celebrated life there now mourned it as well for the man they had lost, their leader, was like a father to them. He took from the rich and gave to the poor. It took three days for the Loxley Nephews and Brothers to decide their next move and it wasn’t pretty. Lee, on the other hand, woke up in a cellar underneath the earth, his wrists tied and his ankles chained. He had been down there for days with his mouth tied shut and his eyes covered until one day somebody unmasked him, and it was the curtal friar himself.

“Hello, Lee.”, the friar greeted him before he pulled a chair over for himself and took a seat. “We had to give you some time in order to process your thoughts and your emotions after what had happened to your friend. You need to understand, Lee, that none of us enjoy what we do but that it is necessary, that it is the very nature of our business…”, the curtal friar revealed his corruption in the clear sight of the knight that was disgusted with him now and forevermore.

Lee noticed there was a operating table close by with a human who looked quite pale that seemed to be operating on a body and on the opposite end of that table there was an elf, a malfhi, who seemed to be his assistant although she appeared to be blind. The human then extracted the Golden Arrow from the body and Lee knew that was his friend laying there.

“I was sent here on the behalf of the King Regent in order to tell you that all your debts are paid in full and your title deed, your family home, once again belongs to your family name. King John has given me the prized Golden Arrow to ensure that this happens and I, for one, do not quite understand what he sees in you or why he is so charitable in this matter, which brings me to the other matter at hand here…”, the friar spoke calmly and truthfully to the former knight, who was now stripped of his armor and his rank in its entirety. “The Curt Cut’s Clan, and others, have all agreed, due to your personal close friendship with your former friend there, that you have become a liability that we are no longer able to afford and therefore he has ordered you to be stripped of rank and status within high society. Not by name, just by rank.”, the friar would go on to explain and what he said last mattered for if he was stripped off his name, he would have lost all of his belongings and his family would lose everything as a result.

“All these acts done to you are of mercy and they are quite forgiving considering you threatened to kill the King Regent in public which is punishable by death.”, the friar reminded Lee.

“Therefore, I for one, believe you are a man who has experienced many miracles and once upon a time I thought some kind of god was watching over you, but what I am about to say next will prove to the both us that he does not. Everyone is concerned with your family, namely your son and your ex-wife, who have fled the city at an unknown time. They have been found and spotted, however, residing in the village of Merhaven and you know where that is, don’t you?”, the friar kept on talking and Lee’s eyes seeped with so much emotions when he heard about his family.

“The King Regent, for some reason, had told us to spare your family and in exchange for their survival…”, the friar paused and then sighed before he reached for a dagger that was in his sleeve. “You have to die.”, Lee then knew this was his mere final moments as the curtal friar stood up and then the former knight found some solace in his thoughts regarding his family.

“They will be safe.”, he thought to himself. “At least they will be safe.”, before he closed his eyes and the friar approached before he leaned forth to stab Lee only for blood to spill out.

Lee remained where he was and the single blow that was caused in that room caused the curtal man to choke on his own blood much like Robin once had. Lee opened his eyes and saw the friar was being held by the human doctor with the golden arrow lodged into the friar’s heart. The pale man held the friar by his forehead as he held onto the Golden Arrow feather-like a handle before the elf walked over behind the friar and placed one claw over his mouth before dragging her entire claw over his neck, each fingernail slicing the curtal friar’s throat open. It was horrifying enough to see him getting stabbed in the heart but now it was even more horrifying to see his throat being slit open so wide that his blood gushed everywhere. The human and the malfhi then let go of the curtal friar and he fell on his knees and then fell face first onto his stomach with a pool of blood forming underneath him that traveled towards the drainage in the center of the room. The human then leaned down and pulled the arrow of the curtal friar’s body and looked at Lee before he threw the Golden Arrow onto a platter as the elf returned to her station and the human followed. Lee was shocked and surprised to see Lady Eliza Elvira Bethory standing before him before she looked back to two malfhi wearing blackened robes that bowed their heads only to reach for the body of the dead friar that they then dragged out of the room. Lady Bethory didn’t even care and just walked over the blood despite the fact that it would stain her boots.

“I apologize for that horrible gruesome display, Sir Lee, but it had to be done. The malfhi that you see to my right is the former stewardess to Robin of Loxley’s uncle and remained a faithful servant to his house until he died of a broken heart due to losing everything he held closest to his heart; home and family. Lulu Lalune and her assistant, Vincent Lang, will see to it that your dear friend receives the proper care a champion like him deserves.”, Lady Bethory explained to Lee while other clergymen entered the room in order to drag away the bloody seat that the friar had sat on previously, and Lady Bethory bowed her head and waved in order for them to leave.

“A war has started now, Lee Verysdale, and all of it because of one man; Robin Loxley. There is chaos through the city streets as we speak, the bodies of sinners and innocent alike can be found at every corner and each stone is marked with blood. The friar made it sound like it was hopeless but that is far from the truth. The Merry Men are out for blood…”, Lady Bethory described the events that were currently transpiring and she was right in every meaning of the word.

There were carriages that drove by besides businesses under the Curt Cut’s Clan protection and their doors opened only to be followed by gunfire and the sounds of arrows launching to meet their targets. Those who traveled through the transit system within the underground tunnels were met with bullets and arrows as well while the factories were torched by Molotov Cocktails. The Merry Men would use the disguises that Maid Marian had helped provide them with and use them to infiltrate the many establishments throughout Rottingham City.

“Even now, as we speak, the Merry Men and the Curt Cut’s Clan are killing each other in the capital city’s streets, and Thomas Curt has not made a single appearance. My brother foolishly believes that the Iron Fist Guard is capable of handling the situation but how wrong they are…”, she continued telling Lee the tale of what was transpiring and in detail she described to him the slaughter of the Iron Fist Guard who were not safe as they were gunned down in the city.

They were hunted, chased, murdered in broad daylight and left on display. Those who cowered within their barracks could not escape the vengeful outlaws that sought retribution against the King Regent’s corruption. No matter where the clansmen and the city guard hid, the Merry Men would strike at them when they would least expect it and. There was no way to restore the peace or uphold any law with Rottingham’s army fighting off in King Richard Lionheart’s crusade…

“However, my brother will address the people and lie to them to ensure that every little thing is going to be alright while in reality he will not be pleased with the war that is delaying his plans and therefore he will come up with a new plan, a simple plan, an outdated plan just like any other politician that runs this city…”, Lady Bethory continued to talk and Lee listened as he felt that she had greater plans for him, and his fists tightened with expectation on what they might be.

“For too long has the city of Rottingham been victim to the wicked criminal element that is organized crime and from this day forth I promise you a solution! I promise you that we will do everything in our power to eradicate this evil in the name of King Richard and bring about the end to gang violence, this disease that plagues the world of Albion, in order to bring a brighter future for our people!”, the King Regent held a speech that could be heard throughout the radio in every establishment where the innocent people hid within, cowering for their lives.

In some households, however, there were dead bodies of gangsters with only the survivors turning up the sound to listen in on the radio on what was being said by their ‘beloved’ ruler.

“The criminals will be driven out of our city and no matter where they hide we shall find them! Should they flee to the forests, we will hunt them down like the animals that they are! From this day onward, the members of the band that are known as the Merry Men are traitors and the enemies of the crown, and those who are found colluding with them shall be treated as such! Even now as we speak, the Lord Sheriff of Rottingham and his marshals are working on cracking down on the criminal element that still lingers throughout our city! People of Rottingham, rise up and help the marshals to defend your city and those that do shall be rewarded for any information that they might provide to aid our cause!”, the King Regent made the Merry Men the enemy of the people and this is what would bring up the next point that Bethory would make.

“Should the Merry Men continue to persevere, which they shall, then the politicians will squarely point the blame where they always do when they screw up; on the police force of the city and the guard itself. Thomas Curt and his Curt Cut’s Clan will not be able to hide forever, and as we speak they are planning to lure the Loxley Brothers into a trap but that’s where you come in. You want vengeance, don’t you? You want the man who has killed your friend brought to justice?”, Lady Bethory continued to talk to the former knight before she crouched before him and proceed to remove the rope that was tied around his head from out of his mouth. “I do.”, Lee replied in anger for he knew this was the moment for him to seize and Lady Bethory smiled.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“The King Regent wants a war?!”, said Gamwell to a crowd of Merry Men that booed the very notion of what their so called ‘ruler’ wanted. “He shall have a war more total and radical than anything he could ever imagine!”, Scarlett spoke from the rage in his heart and the Merry Men applauded him, saluted him and raised their arms as they agreed with him on everything.

“Now, Merry Men, rise up and let the storm break lose!”, Gamwell gave the order and the Merry Men would continue the onslaught and pillaging throughout the city, bringing total war to it.

The King Regent thought he would scare them. He thought that the people of Rottingham would assist them and the foolish and those seeking fame would while the wise remained hidden and hoped that this would turn against their ruler’s favor for he had wronged them for far too long. The killings continued for an entire week and anywhere anyone would walk the city streets would be empty for none dared to step outside of their home, and those that did were either accidentally gunned down or robbed by the brigands and thugs that tried to make a name of their own now, basic criminals that broke into homes and other establishments to seize this moment to better their own status and acquire wealth that was out there free for the taking. Lee moved through the city streets and wondered how it all got to this moment…

“So do they.”, when Lady Bethory revealed Jan’litle, the nazirh, to the human and is when Lee saw the rage within the greenskin’s eyes only to remember that which he wished to forget.

A long time ago Lee remembered fighting in King Richard Lionheart’s crusades and how he stormed the muddy swamps of Murkwood. In that time, he promised himself that he would return to his family no matter what it took and provide for his family no matter what it cost. He arose to a highly prominent position in King Richard Lionheart’s Crusader Army and he, like so many others, witnessed the assault of his homeland by a relentless army of kazarian raiders that came from the depths of the tides of Albion. He witnessed countless acts of brutality and so many unspeakable horrors from on top of the walls of the many settlements he protected.

“Lee!”, the voices still echoed in his head of friends closest to him, that made him happy. “Lee!”, of his dying brothers and sisters calling for help. “Lee!”, of his many commanders and soldiers alike requiring his assistance and then the voice of the man he would follow until the end.

“Lee!”, King Richard Lionheart called and then his trance from the battlements as he turned, made his way and kneeled down to his true King. “Take the last group of refugees to safety!”, he remembered when the King gave him that order. “Go, now!”, and demanded him to move at once to secure their safety to which the crusader did. “Yes, my King!”, he replied immediately.

Lee did as he was commanded. He gathered every single refugee and he would lead them away from battle even when the orcs broke through the village gates. As the city was being besieged, he would lead the way through the tunnel passes within the mountains and when the catapults launched their projectiles, they caused many tunnels to cave in and so many to fall. The knight never forgot the responsibility given to him as his King and men fought to buy him time. The orcs were relentless and would stop at nothing to see all of humanity scoured. Lee remembered seeing a boy that reminded him of his son holding onto his mother’s hand and the very orc that had killed his father, a man that Lee knew and that was once his best friend. In present time, Lee stood in the rain while Jan’litle observed him and closely approached him but Lee was stuck in the past, thinking of those events he could not easily forget and he carried the burdens of his past until this very day deep within his heart. Lee remembers coming upon a group of orcs that he saw and that same orc that killed his friend stood at the entrance of the temple, and in that moment something burned with the paladin’s heart.

“We need to go, Lee, we need to see our people to safety.”, whispered one of his lieutenants and then Lee turned to face him. “Take the path through the tunnel, I’ll rejoin you when I can.”, Lee gave his lieutenant the order and the lieutenant could not believe what he had just heard.

“Forget them, Lee, I beg of you. These orcs will pay but that day is not today.”, the commander tried to reason with his friend that then turned to him and said. “That’s an order, Mr. Banbury!”, Lee grabbed the shoulder of the soldier before pushing away. “Now go!”, and waved his arm.

It was then that a few of the crusaders looked at each other and Lee then sighed as he leaned his head on the side before he would raise it to address the entire crowd.

“The path is safe, the light will be with you, now go!”, he assured everyone present and the three commanders present did as they were told; they lead the crusaders away to reach safety.

Lee, on the other hand, was put in charge to see the refugees to safety but he strayed off that path due to the horrors and suffering that he witnessed, and despite all his vows it was vengeance that burned in his heart to the point that he even lied to his own people in the eyes of the gods. Back then Richard went into battle with a tabard that carried the symbol of the Red Lion Head sigil of House Lionheart and his weapon was not a sword but rather a large mace. Lee charged with it in hand towards the nazirh that were present and spotted a human on the ground that was defenseless, crawling away and raising his arms to defend himself from the orc that intended to take his life. However, it was for that reason that the nazirh, that very orc, noticed the paladin that charged at him with his hammer too late. The nazirh reached for a sword made from bone in order to confront the human in battle only to have his arm bashed by the paladin’s hammer that broke the nazirh’s bone. Another nazirh close by then quickly reached for his axe made from bones as well and raised it as he intended to strike the paladin down but Lee responded quick by bashing the hammer quickly into the orc’s chest, and the nazirh dropped the axe to the ground in pain. The nazirh whose arm was broken then turned only to be met by the mace of the paladin that struck him in the head and cracked his head open like a watermelon, and Lee remembered the blood that sprayed on the ground that night. Lee then turned and saw the other nazirh attempt to reach for the handle of his axe only to get stuck in the jaw by Lee’s hammer and then the paladin stuck the nazirh’s head into the ground, breaking his face in and killing the nazirh on the spot. It was then that Lee slowly turned to face the human survivor.

“I am Wat Dale.”, said the human that then took the sword of the departed nazirh after he would reveal his name to the paladin. “Down that path you will find…”, Lee was going to point the human out but Wat quickly silenced him. “No, I am not leaving here without my sweetheart until I find her, dead or alive. I don’t care which, hopefully alive.”, Wat Dale was in love and back then so was Lee, and with every day he hoped he would come back home to Asa.

It was for that reason that he allowed the human survivor to go with him and they both made their way up the steps into the small chapel that was left abandoned within the small hills. The paladin walked into the chapel to see blood stains everywhere and the priest crucified on a cross just above the altar that sent chills down his spine. What was worse, blood was pouring down from the altar steps and Wat saw a woman at the very top of them, and so did Lee. The paladin, in that moment, knew Wat would run and the paladin tried to catch him when he did.

“Allana!”, Wat called for his beloved that was already slaughtered only to be met by a nazirh that leaped into the air. “Look out!”, and Lee’s warning came too late as the orc impaled the massive tip of a spear into the human’s body, killing him instantly, that caused Lee to seep with rage.

In that moment, Lee vowed and swore that he would avenge all the countless lives of the humans that had perished, and in the memory of them he charged to face the nazirh headstrong. The orc then pulled the spear out and the two engaged in combat in front of the altar. The nazirh swung his spear around several times with his claws around him and it struck the hammer of the paladin several times until Lee found an opening as he turned around and then swung the hammer so hard that it broke the spear in two. The nazirh was caught off guard and by surprise at this very sudden turn of events before Lee and the orc charged at each other, the spearhead and hammer’s head itself hitting each other, and then Lee swung the hammer that threw the spear on the side before he swung the weapon back into the nazirh’s right jaw and then swung it again to smack the other side of his jaw. He then proceeded to kick the nazirh back and the orc struck a column with his back only for the paladin to roar as he smashed the enemy’s head in with the hammer. As the nazirh lay there, defeated, the paladin heavily breathed and once he had realized that not only Allana was dead but also Wat that he failed to save lives. Once he realized the nazirh had died his vengeance was complete but at what cost? And so the paladin struck out to find the refugees he was ordered to protect. In that moment, the paladin realized his most grievous sin and mistake, and his heart fell. The path that he had ensured his people would be safe was not and the light that he ensured would be with them had forsaken them instead just as he had.

“Lee?”, called Jan’litle and the human turned to face the orc. “I fought your kin in the war, Jan’litle, and so did Robin, but he saw something within you that none other could and found within himself the greatest virtue that I’ve been searching for my entire life.”, Lee described.

Jan’litle stood there, staring at the human, wondering what he meant and the other nazirh around their chieftain wondered the same. Jan’litle then decided to approach the human…

“And what is that?”, asked Jan’litle. “Forgiveness.”, said the paladin. “I saw you as one of those nazirh I had fought during the crusades and I spoke to you out of necessity, not friendship.”, the human described and Jan’litle then looked to the ground. “So now you finally speak to me as a friend, you mean, after you searched deep within your heart to find the means to forgive our people for the horrors of war?”, the orc asked the paladin that simply nodded his head in return.

“No.”, Lee replied. “I found it in my heart to forgive myself for what I had done and I realize now that you have nothing to forgive for you are not one of those I fought during the war. The faces that haunted me were of others, including my passions that I had once allowed to turn to bloodlust.”, Lee told the nazirh about everything that he had gone through to realize this.

“I know…”, Lee said. “That we might not return from this but if there is even the barest chance of preventing the atrocities that we have witnessed from happening again within these walls…”, Lee said and then stepped forth, raising his hand to reach for the nazirh’s shoulder.

“Will you follow me into the jaws of death itself as a friend, not as a necessity? Will you help me to save Rottingham and avenge our fallen friend?”, the human asked the nazirh that then only smiled towards him before the orc reached for the human’s shoulder. “We are all haunted by our past, human, and that is what makes us strong. We had both learned from our mistakes and therefore we are no longer pawns in a game. I followed Robin Hood because he wanted to save lives; it didn’t matter whether they were nazirh or human lives. He treated both races equally the same and that same love is what I saw in your eyes despite all the pain that you went through.”, the orc patted the human’s shoulder and then lowered his claw before the nazirh would ask.

“What took you so long?”, the former knight smiled in return to that question. “I surrounded myself with the wrong people until now.”, the nazirh smiled back and both veterans nodded their heads as they then heard gunshots in the background along with explosives going off.

“Shall we get it over with then?”, the nazirh asked and Lee nodded. “Let’s…”, he replied.