A long time, on a world known as Albion, there was a knight that drove a carriage through the oak and birch tree woods of Merwood, and all the while he was listening to a curtal man he knew so well that disgusted him for what he was doing at the back of the carriage. The knight steered the horses the usual route but then, all of a sudden, he heard a strange sound from under his carriage and then a few men in the woods pushed what appeared to be, well, wood that exposed them. They screamed, they roared, they raised their weapons and the knight quickly raised the reins and wanted the horses to speed up. The horses sped up with the carriage and suddenly the carriage stopped, as if it was locked in place, and the knight was pulled from the horse as he fell down stomach first over the ground only for the horses to drag him away. The knight then let go of the reins, turned quick and the band of hoodlums that wore green surrounded the carriage. The knight reached for his sword and one of the men in the hood raised a bow and arrow.

“Ah, nah, nah, nah…”, said the human. “Unless you want to keep your pretty little balls, I would suggest you put down that sword.”, the man warned the knight who kept his sword out anyway.

“Uncle, we found a fat curtal friar and…!”, a boy that was eighteen years old spotted someone he fancied the moment he saw her. “Hello, gorgeous!”, the bowman kept his eye on the target while his eyes swerved only for a second with curiosity before turning back.

“And what’s your name?”, another man, appeared to be in his twenties, leaned over the carriage door before he was suddenly kicked in the head by the woman’s boot.

The men in the hood then pointed their crossbows and bows towards the carriage as the woman that had dark red hair, wearing a black gothic-like dress, with green eyes looked to the man.

“My name is Maid Marian, shithead, and you can fuck off.”, the bowman’s eyes then swerved back and forth before his head then suddenly turned. “Maid Marian?!”, it sounded like he did recognize her and then the knight stepped forth, placing the tip of the blade against the throat of the marksman that smirked upon realizing the man he faced had balls.

“Oy, you get your weapon away from my uncle or I’ll kill this bitch!”, the young man that spoke before got violent and pointed a revolver at the maid that rolled her eyes. “Don’t shoot, I am just a man of our dear lord.”, said the friar and then the other man that was kicked looked at him.

“Oh, yeah, then what business does a friar have spending time with a harlot in the back of a carriage and driven by a knight of all people?”, asked the man. “For god sakes, Lee, sheath your weapon. You won’t allow these brigands to kill a man of god, will you?!”, the friar shouted and the brigand that was kicked in the head earlier then pointed his revolver closer to the friar while the other, the younger one, didn’t look quite pleased with how the friar worded it.

“Hey, friar, in the eyes of the lord we are the merry men, capiche?”, this scared the friar even further that he then decided to use his ace in the hole. “For god sakes, Lee, they’re going to kill your own daughter! Put that bloody sword down now!”, the friar shouted and most of the merry men then turned to face the knight that rolled his eyes, turned his head to the side and the bowman looked at him with disbelief, staring into the man’s eyes and then he laughed out loud.

“Your daughter is one of the maids of the Sinful Sanctuary and you’re a knight? Oh, lord, this is too good!”, the knight then raised his blade between the man’s thighs who then realized he should have kept his mouth shut. “It’s the life she chose, yes.”, the knight replied and then Maid Marian got very annoyed by her father as she stepped forward and pointed at him.

“The life that I chose?!”, she raised her voice “Fuck you, Lee!”, and cursed him out in front of everyone before the young one then whispered to his siblings. “Guaranteed that she has daddy issues.”, and then she turned to punch the boy in the nose, knocking him back over.

“God damn it, Scarlet, first Gamwell gets kicked in the god damn head and now you get punched in the face. Now both of you get your shit together and learn to respect the poor lady who clearly hasn’t been treated well in her childhood by her father.”, the man then turned to face the knight and said. “No offence.”, the knight impaled his blade into the ground and shrugged.

“None taken, I am her adopted father.”, said the knight. “He’s not my father, he isn’t jack squat!”, Maid Marian shouted back and then the ringleader shrugged his shoulders. “I guess both fathers failed in your upbringing then.”, it was then that the knight raised his blade and struck the ringleader in the jaw with the hilt of his blade that knocked him over.

Every merry man then approached to aim their rifles, revolvers, bows and crossbows at the knight who just leaned over to look down on the ringleader.

“Now you can insult me, that chubby fuck over there too, but you don’t ever dare to insult my daughter ever again. Family is sacred, you hear me?”, the ringleader looked impressed by the knight until Scarlet spotted what appeared to be two barrels, one each laying underneath the booths of the small carriage that they had stopped, and he immediately called for his uncle.

“Uncle Robin!”, he called as he reached inside of the carriage. “The dear lord truly has the charity it seems to bless us with a few good ales, isn’t that right, friar?”, the lad raised lifted one of the barrels out and then Robin looked at the knight once more.

“Will you stop us in partaking some of the lord’s fine ale, crusader?”, Robin asked as the knight focused his eyes on the ranger. “Why do you think I was a crusader?”, Robin smirked to the knight’s own question before one of his own helped him to stand up on his own two feet.

“When I was very, very young and very, very dumb…”, the knight focused on Robin’s eyes, listening intently and studying his manner of speech. “I killed a couple of Merwood rangers and for my crimes I was sent to fight in the good old King Richard’s Crusade, negotiated by my good uncle. Gamwell over there killed his father’s steward and my uncle saved him from a death sentence too.”, Robin explained and then Lee cut in the conversation.

“By sending him to the crusade?”, asked Lee. “By sending him to the good old crusade.”, replied Robin and the knight sighed and Robin continued. “I can recognize a crusade’s armor from a mile away, so can Gamwell. Ain’t that right, nephew?!”, the nephew nodded his head from afar.

“Look, believe it or not I've known Marian since I was like fifteen years old, alright? I have no intention of robbing you. I am no father but I feel like a father with the boys I’ve raised. Hell, one tried to kill me once in the name of the crown and am not joking either!”, Robin explained and Scarlet raised his hand, he seemed like a tinkerer of sorts. “Guilty!”, and admitted his faults.

“Look, all I ask is for a drink, one drink. Hell, I’ll shoot for it.”, said Robin and the knight leaned his head. “See what looks like a bulls eye on that tree, that like little…”, Robin pointed out to Lee that nodded his head as he could clearly see what the ranger was implying.

“If I hit a perfect bullseye, you stay for a drink. If you hit a perfect bullseye, you are free to go and I’ll even give the barrels we took back to ya.”, the merry men chuckled and laughed for they knew that Robin was the best marksman they ever knew. “Deal.”, said the old knight.

“Game on.”, said Robin who then immediately raised his bow only to launch an arrow in a split second without even looking as he hit a perfect bullseye, the men cheered and applauded as some of them even began to laugh once more at the knight whom they were certain would lose.

The knight then let them laugh before he suddenly raised his blade with both of his hands and everyone was startled as he hurled the massive blade directly towards the tree. It not only split Robin’s arrow but it also scored a perfect bullseye and everyone was shocked and in awe.

“It seems to be that it’s a draw.”, said Lee who then looked at Robin. “But I tell you what, since I absolutely despise that fat fuck. What say you and I have that drink anyway?”, Robin smirked and the merry men then all cheered only for a bonfire to be started shortly thereafter.

The Merry Men dressed in fancy green clothes, most of them stolen, and it resembled upper and middle class clothing of 19th century London. The society of Albion consisted of human survivors of the lost world of Earth and most of humanity began to adopt the old forgotten fashions of their now ancient society once again. The Merry Men, however, chose green in order to blend in with the oak and birch-like forests of their native lands. They were such a fun and laid back group that even the friar got drunk and hammered partying with them that night.

“So why do you hate that fat fuck, huh?”, asked Robin. “Because he preaches the lord’s will and lord’s grace but doesn’t represent either.”, replied Lee. “What do you mean?”, asked Robin.“My son, you see, he killed a knight and squire in a fair joust. However, this knight that he killed was none other than Count Bethory.”, Robin spat out his alcohol. “No…”, he couldn’t believe it.

“Yes, and I was forced to mortgage all of my goods and landholdings to raise the sum of four hundred pounds from that fat fuck over there in order to save my boy and you could say that sometimes I do side jobs for him in order to help pay back my debt.”, Robin listened to the knight’s tale and felt sorry for what he was going through as they passed the alcohol.

“So what will happen if you can’t recover your land?”, the knight smirked at Robin’s question as he took a sip of the alcohol from the bottle and shrugged his shoulders. “I guess I will become a sailor and see the rest of the Holy Land as a pilgrim.”, both former crusaders then looked at each other and then laughed out loud to one another as they knew that was a joke.

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“What about your friends? Do you have any that could help you out?”, the knight smirked at the question that the ranger asked him. “Do you?”, he asked Robin who focused his eyes on him and then the knight pointed out the Merry Men partying in the distance. “Hell yeah.”, replied Robin.

“The reason I am an outlaw and this is the fucking truth is that me and my little nephew over there.”, Robin pointed out Gamwell. “We encountered that guy.”, it was then that the knight stood up so quick and reached for the handle of his weapon as did the green skinned brute that stood in front of him with razor sharp teeth, long black hair and large tusks.

“Relax, Lee, relax, that’s the guy I am talking about.”, said Robin and this confused Lee for a moment. “I battled this orc on a bridge when the crusade was still going on in Murkwood and he knocked me off. The fucker swam after me and leaped out of the water like a fucking fish in order to kill me. Tell him what happened then Little John.”, Lee looked to the kazari, a nazirh, whose species were known to be tall and muscular in nature as well as green.

These types of kazari, the nazirh, carried human blood in their veins that were sometimes referred to as the orcs by humanity. They were the arch-enemies of humanity and often consisted of nomadic clans that fought for each other and their mutual enemies. When Lee saw one talk and in the human language, he for the first time met a nazirh that was, well, different…

“I missed the human and hit a fucking stone, knocked me right the fuck out.”, the orc talked and revealed what had happened that caused Robin to laugh out loud. “Then I thought just to leave the fucker there, you know, only to fucking fall down a massive waterfall with him.”, Robin would tell details of how they met further and both the orc as well as the human laughed.

“The human and I then woke up on shore intending to continue our duel but we were both badly bruised. So we mutually agreed to cease hostility and, well, we’ve been good friends since.”, the orc’s explanation and how he properly spoke the human language surprised Lee that looked at the nazirh still unsure about him but decided to finally answer the question.

“My so called friends all abandoned me in the end and all I have to my name is ten shillings in my trunk, an ex-wife that became a nun, a daughter I adopted that despises me and a son that can’t pursue his dreams until my debt is paid.”, the knight explained and the orc chuckled. “Ten shillings?”, the nazirh didn’t believe the human. “Bullshit!”, this response surprised the knight that then gestured back towards the carriage. “See for yourself.”, the knight assured him.

“What?”, the nazirh asked. “It’s underneath the seat in the carriage that is hidden within a small hidden compartment and believe me that no one would go through such efforts for ten coins.”, Lee explained while Robin looked to the carriage and then the orc, gesturing for him to go and check the carriage to which the nazirh did immediately.

“Why are you telling us this, if this is all that you have?”, asked Robin. “If you are willing to take ten shillings, all that I have left, from me after all that I told you then you need it clearly more than I, and I mean spiritually.”, the knight replied which caused Robin to chuckle.

“If that is all that you have in the trunk, then I promise you that I will assist you financially.”, Robin said and Lee looked confused. “Why would you do that? You’re outlaws.”, replied Lee and Robin shook his head. “No, we are merry men. We are happy with what we have and usually when we acquire any sort of currency we squander it on drink, food and pleasurable company. You only live once, my brother. When you die, you don’t take your home or your belongings with you. They are just objects, they are ephemeral. The human spirit, however, now that will forever be eternal.”, Robin’s words moved the knight that caused him to nod his head in silence.

“I can’t believe this!”, said the orc who walked up with a opened small trunk and showed it to Robin who saw nothing more but ten shillings at the very bottom. “Well, I’ll be damned…”, replied Robin. “And it was hidden well. We would of never found it if you didn’t tell us about it.”, the orc explained while the knight nodded his head, showing a sad expression.

“Yeah, that’s just enough for my meals.”, the knight added. “That’s why I had to keep it hidden from that fat curtal fuck.”, the knight’s distaste for the friar was clear as the blazing sun.

“You know, we could always just kill him for you?”, said the orc. “No!”, Lee shouted which surprised Robin Hood. “My daughter would lose her job and as much as I would like that, she would hate me further and her employer would not like that the friar had died while wandering with her in the forest.”, the knight explained before Robin asked. “Who’s her employer?”

“Thomas Curt, the Lord Sheriff of Rottingham.”, once the knight revealed the identity of the one that was the employer, Robin Hood’s face turned blank for a moment. “And believe me; he would stop at nothing to hunt the ones down that are responsible. He’s one of the wealthiest people of all of Albion.”, the knight continued and the orc looked to Robin, knowing full well that what the knight stated was all but true as everyone knew the Lord Sheriff of Rottingham.

“A man like that would certainly blame you for the loss of the friar and only serve to place you in further debt.”, said Robin and Lee nodded his head, agreeing, before Robin sighed. “David!”, Robin called and then a human turned before blinking out of existence and appearing before him.

Robin wore green attire just like the rest of the Merry Men, including the young David.

Robin is a former ranger of the Crusades; an expert marksman that Lee noticed carried a quiver on his back, a gun in one pouch and a crossbow in the other. There were two miniature steel swords he had sheathed and a belt hanging over his shoulders that served to hold up his bow. David Doncaster, however, was rather young compared to the ranger who was in his forties. David was one of the youngest of the group and Doncaster was more of a title than it was his surname. He was an Arca’nar Mage, a renegade magus, with brown wavy hair who was clean shaven and wore golden shoulder straps, had feathers behind his neck collar, long brown boots and bronze gauntlets. He looked wealthier compared to Robin Hood who in comparison had short brown hair, a silver necklace, silver shoulder straps, silver gauntlets, brown gloves and boots. The right eye of the ranger seemed to be dimmer than the other and it seems he suffered a wound he could not find a cure for, most likely given to him during the crusades with hair under the middle of his lower lip, a short trimmed beard from ear to ear and a mustache that matched it.

“Yes, Master Loxley?”, David was the only one who called him master and bowed. “I want you to give this knight some of our finest wine, new tack for his horses, and perhaps some better livery that better befits his station as not only a Iron Fist Knight but also as a crusader.”, Robin ordered and the knight could not believe what he had heard while the servant blinked again.

“That’s not necessary.”, said Lee. “No, it is.”, replied Robin. “I hereby decree you to be a friend and member of the Merry Men. Whenever you need us, drop by for a visit and we will talk. I have no love for the Kingdom but I do have it for its people. My home was taken from me and I fought for King and country just like you did. It seems the people, even the clergy, forget what we went through but we didn’t and we never will.”, Robin explained the reason behind his good deeds towards the knight that saluted him by raising a bottle before they enjoyed the night.

The next morning, the friar was lying in the carriage with empty bottles surrounding him and Marian taking money from his pocket that she placed within her clothes even though she didn’t sleep with him. The knight’s horses were given new tack, his carriage loaded with two barrels of wine and two more at the front, implying that the Merry Men wanted to sample the alcohol they stole from him even though they had many barrels of their own personal alcohol. The knight also wore new livery befitting his station and Robin saluted him as if they were still fellow crusaders. Lee had the same style of mustache and beard as his fellow comrade but wore silver-like armor that now resembled the heritage armor of his people, the Japanese people of the Lost World of Earth. His armor was fashioned to resemble the Japanese Samurai uniform and a red sash hung around his waist with two others tied just above his elbows. He was a man in his forties, just like Robin, and both men had their fair share experience of war.

“The fat man is going to be out cold for a while.”, said Robin. “I thank all of you Merry Men for your kind hospitality, it has warmed this knight’s heart and I will never forget this.”, said Lee and Robin bowed his head while the other Merry Men seemed to be happy to have helped.

“You come back one day, you hear? Don’t be a stranger.”, said the ranger that pointed at Lee.

“How may I find you if I should ever wish to return?”, asked the knight. “We will find you as soon as you wander into Merwood, Sir Verysdale. It was an honor.”, Robin replied before raising his hand to shake the knight’s hand who would then shortly thereafter depart for home.

The Kingdom of Rottingham to which he was returning to was the peak of the world of Albion’s civilization. The city, from the skies, resembled a large sphere with many gigantic trees growing freely within and the largest in the center. The city’s streets and structures resembling that of 19th century London that was overgrown with flora and fauna of nature due to the many shamans and druids that lingered within the city. There were spheres upon spheres within the city and between each sphere there were rivers that flowed freely throughout its canals. There were many pubs, brothels, inns, motels, hotels, and markets scattered throughout the entire city and most of the gigantic trees had homes constructed within them or hanging off beside them. The city was a reminder of humanity’s past and what little remained off their cybernetic technology after the Cataclysm of Earth. Humans within the city wore attire resembling that of 19th century London with cybernetic augmentation, the elven malfhi that lingered within the city often resided among its trees and gardens that wore tribal attire, and the haru as well as harlefi often made their own nests within the high perches of the trees as well as establishments of the city. The city had four separate entrances from the north, west, east and the south, each of them guarded by soldiers of land and air. The banners of the city were red for they represented the colors of House Lionheart that was a mechanical lion’s head with red and brown hair surrounded by cybernetic symbolism. The knight would arrive in front of the Sinful Sanctuary, a pub and a strip bar that also served as a brothel for the prostitutes. Maid Marian would exit the carriage and leave her adopted father without saying a word.

“Take care, Marian!”, shouted Lee. “Fuck off.”, she replied in a low voice before a man walked out, a cowboy with glasses that the knight recognized that approached the carriage. “You and the friar have been late for an entire day. The whore better have been properly paid for her time.”, said the Lord Sheriff that was accompanied by his henchmen who were wearing bandanas.

“We were jumped by brigands and I made an example out of them.”, the knight lied and Thomas looked confused as he noticed the knight’s new attire. “Let’s just say I killed them, demanded one of them to show me their way to their camp and, well…”, the knight waved his hand to display the tack of the horses. “That should compensate for the missing day.”, the knight stated.

“I see…”, the Lord Sheriff looked to the horses and then to the friar. “How is it that he’s drunk though?”, asked Thomas and the knight patted the barrel of alcohol. “I also acquired a few barrels from the battle and since I own the fat fuck they’re most likely going to belong to him.”, explained Lee and the Lord Sheriff thought about everything for a moment before leaning forth.

“Well, take the friar home and when you’re able…”, the sheriff spoke before pausing in thought. “Come back with the carriage and the horses in exchange for one of the barrels for using my carriage?”, the sheriff added and Lee bowed his head before he decided to take the friar away.