It was a cold morning like any other for Bruno, he held a heavy hide blanket tight to his body to stave off the piercing cold flowing in through his open window. But while he lay there upon his bed he felt something slam into his stomach. For a few seconds he felt panic, wondering if this was the day the harsh freezing winds collapsed his home, trapping him underneath. To his surprise there was nothing of the sort, just a rather heavy book on his stomach. Bruno grabbed the book before casting off the heavy hide blanket and staring at the cover.
Thankfully Bruno was literate. His father, having saved a young scholar from the freezing winds when Bruno was a child, had gotten him a teacher. Bruno along with several other kids his age were taught to read by the young scholar. While it’s a blessing for commoners to be literate, it’s not as useful out in the frozen tundra to those that inhabit Schneeland. Bruno stayed sitting as he stared in shock at the cover, ‘An Autobiography By Bruno, Butler to Viscountess Sahsa Blutschmied at Eisengeboren Castle.’ The shock was short as his rational mind started to come up with answers, “Obviously this is just a person who’s also named Bruno. I’ve never written a book so it can’t be me. I don’t even know a Sahsa Blutschmied. A commoner like me wouldn’t even get close to a noblewoman.” His thoughts calmed as he soothed his irrational troubles, but that feeling of discomfort he felt when staring at the book remained. After lulling himself by slowing down his breathing, a thought crept into his mind, where did this book come from? Bruno started to consider the possibilities, “It wasn’t my parents. They left on a hunting trip a few day's ago to stock up on food in case the skies cleared." Bruno's parents were always worried about clear skies since that incident in Bruno's childhood. In Schneeland, clear skies are very dangerous and appear very rarely, usually once a year. They are dangerous because up in the clouds lay strange creatures that descend on clear days. They have the body of a stingray with tens of jellyfish like appendages on their stomach for grabbing. They possessed no wings and yet soared through the skies, when the skies cleared they would be unable to hunt using the clouds as coverage against large birds, so they hunted on the ground in packs. Each one of the strange creatures having the strength to pull full grown men into the skies. They weren't fast but didn't need to be, they were large ambush predators who were stronger and more durable then any common man, arrows would bounce off as though they hit metal. Only a crossbow bolt could pierce their tough hide, but they tended to travel in packs of four, so unless you have a group of men with crossbows it made more sense to offer up food outside your house while hiding inside. "I don’t think it was Rambert either, I doubt he could pick this thing up even if he used both hands. But where could it have come from?” Bruno took a quick look around his room while calculating. His room was small, there was only enough space for a bed and a small box of clothes; Anything more and he would have to step on his stuff to get to the door. If it wasn't for Bruno's large size he could have gotten some furniture but alas his bed took up most of the room. Bruno’s confusion lasted until he looked upon his open window. Since he was a commoner his window was not made out of glass but was a hole in the wall blocked by a sturdy piece of wood with some hide stuffed in around it.
A sigh left Bruno’s lips as he stretched, “Why the hell would someone throw a book through my window? It made no sense considering books were a luxury a commoner could hardly afford. Though, I can't believe I left my window opened, I could have died!” Bruno then sat down before looking outside his window and staring at the sun. He estimated it was almost noon, “Well, I still have an hour or two before I need to make my way to the elder’s house, I never should have let him convince me to help. Now my boss at the lumber mill is pissed at me...fuck it. Might as well crack this book open. I’m kind of excited, I haven't seen a book since Fulco taught me to read. He forced me to read that damn golden goose story like twenty times because I just 'couldn’t see the hidden message'. It's not that I couldn't, I just couldn't believe the man's stupidity. I wouldn't forget that story even if I had amnesia. I kind of miss him though, he showed me a joy I didn’t know I lacked. Hope he’s doing good.” As Bruno halted his thoughts he first looked at the table of contents, “Strange…there’s only one chapter, ‘Where it all went wrong.’? Don’t tell me this whole book is just one chapter! This thing could be used as a shield!” Bruno felt let down as he looked at the comical size of this book compared to its one chapter. He couldn’t help but feel as though this was one big joke by some wealthy traveler heading towards castle Eisengeboren. Bruno shook his head to clear his thoughts as he started to read a little.
'My name is Bruno. I serve Viscountess Sahsa Blutschmied as a butler at the Blutschmied family estate. I have been through many things in my time, now reaching 60. But I shall start from the beginning of when my life changed forever more. I was sixteen working at the lumber mill when it happened. I had slept a little past noon and started hurrying to the Elder of my village's house as I had promised him the day prior to assist him with an errand. As I walked I saw what looked like soldiers marching down the street. Once they saw me, I was told the order for conscription had been made, and that all able young men were to be conscripted. That is when I joined the military. I said my goodbyes to my parents and to Auda. To this day I am sour to the fact I was never able to tell her how I truly felt, when I had returned to the village years later I learned she got married and moved to the city. From there I, along with my close friend, Rambert, may he be at peace, were taken for training for the next few months before being thrown on the front lines to the south. We trained at the garrison at Wasserstadt, a port city to the south west in Schneeland. After we finished the training we were put on a cart and taken to the southern wall. At the time, the kingdom held one port-city to the sea, it was mainly used for sea-trade. To get to the southern wall from Wasserstadt one would have to travel the roads. If one tried going by boat they would have to encroach on the tribals land, docking on a sand bed, and making a hell defying sprint to the wall which could take multiple days, it was simply safer to just take a cart to the wall within Schneeland territory. As you know, Schneeland has steep coastal cliffs, because of this we could not participate in sea trade for the better part of the kingdom's history. It must have been around 130 years since Wasserstadt was constructed. At the time the kingdom was undergoing civil war, and a Count decided if he could make an artificial port he could win the war economically. He died after establishing the port which was taken over by the current Royal Family. From then on the Royal Family has owned that port until today, it also set a precedent, all port's are owned by the royal family. Since it happened so long ago, I shall explain the conflict with the southern barbarians. It was called the Great Southern Push, it was a military offensive by the tribesmen to the south. They attempted to lay siege the Great Fort Wall that separated our territory from them in an effort to plunder our lands. The push lasted for 6 years and towards the end, I also lost my best friend. Rambert was on the eastern part of the wall when it collapsed from the tribesmen's savage magics. We found his body after pushing them back. I was stationed inside the eastern wall as well but survived the wall's collapse, along with a handful of veteran soldiers and Lord Godfrey. From there we held back the swarm of tribesmen before we were reinforced. I still do not know how I survived, but as I consider where my life has gone, I rue the day I survived the Great Southern Push. After we were reinforced the kingdom started to take the southerners seriously and deployed mages, along with the only Master Swordsman in the kingdom, Captain Of The Royal Guards, Brunhild Von und Zu Eisengeboren. I was not involved as I had been granted leave as a reward for my efforts...risked my damn life and held off an enemy force over ten sizes larger than ours and I didn't see even a single copper piece. Thinking back to that time fills me with rage as all the credit went to that bastard Godfrey. Even when I met him a few months after the wall had collapsed, he didn't bat an eye. I hope he rots in hell the prick.'
Bruno felt as though he suffered an aneurism, even with the words before him he wanted to close his eyes in denial. The coincidences were too similar, how many Bruno-s had a best friend named Rambert and worked at a lumber mill? But as Bruno thought to himself he came to a conclusion, he came to it when he read that this Bruno was going to see the Elder of his village because of a promise the day prior. This book was from his future self. But as soon as Bruno thought that he slapped himself, hard. Bruno felt as though such a logical person like himself should be ashamed for thinking that this book came from the future. Such things couldn't be done by high ranking mages regardless an older version of himself, it was just a VERY convenient coincidence. But, as though afraid, Bruno closed the book and dropped it onto his bed before closing his window. Bruno took a deep breath as he stood up from his bed. Physically Bruno had a pretty scary look to him and was a bit of a lout. At sixteen he towered over most men at 6'6 and that fed into his personality. He was more brawny than some trained soldiers what with working at the lumber mill. Because of his height a lot of the hard work was dropped on his shoulders by the older men who worked with him and over time it developed the physique he has today. His job at the mill was to move the logs. He would help unload them from carts and after the logs were cut, load them back on. Sometimes, if supply was low, Bruno would have to march with the other workers and cut down some trees, from there they would be loaded up, typically using rope and a fuck ton of leverage, onto a large cart. For Bruno, the pay was shit and the work was back breaking. He was lucky to not have a pronounced gut and his constant work had developed his physique, most predominantly his chest, traps, arms, and back. Bruno is the biggest man in the village with his father coming close at 6’0. He had a rare feature with black eyes. His irises were so dark you couldn’t differentiate them from his pupils, along with that his pupils and irises were small, giving him a terrifying stare. He had short brown hair and an ordinary face. His friend, Rambert, was one of the shorter men in the village standing at 5’5 with medium dark-brown hair and light brown eyes. He was also pretty skinny giving him a sort of craven vibe. However, his small stature betrays his vicious tendencies that in some ways make him scarier than Bruno. Pissing off Bruno just meant some bruises and damage to your dignity, pissing off Rambert is a multi-monthly process of being harassed. Everything from things being misplaced to all your tools being gross and dirty, Rambert torments people who annoy him by making everything about their life taxing, from leaving their house to doing their job. Because of Bruno’s violent habits and Rambert’s backhanded way of harassing people, the pair have developed a reputation of troubled youths. They weren’t indiscriminate, just very intolerant of terrible things like disrespect or violent individuals. They viewed themselves as the town's protectors against the scum that sometimes flowed through the village.
Bruno started to change into a heavy deerskin tunic, heavy deerskin breeches, and deerskin gloves along with a thick cap before slipping on his heavy leather boots and leaving his room. Bruno walked into the main room and saw its familiar space, a bench and table that his parent's and him ate at, when they were home. The cauldron and fireplace that Bruno tended to cook in. The fireplace was just a small pit with charcoal and wood. Bruno was hungry and thought about what he should do, he decided his parent's would forgive him as he went into the small pantry and cooked some already processed hare over the fire. The fire took awhile to make but not too long, while Bruno's parent's didn't teach him to hunt, they did teach him how to start a fire. After his meal, Bruno left the house. The first thing he felt was the biting cold slamming into him and piercing straight through his clothes. He felt as though he wore no clothes at all in the face of this fierce wind. Schneeland was usually windy but the winds for the past week had been much harsher than usual. Bruno figured he might as well go to the tavern until it was time to see the elder, been awhile since he had time to himself after all. As he walked he noticed that some of the people around seemed scared, women were hugging their older children tight and men had hard looks in their eyes as whispers of war spread throughout the village, “I heard from a merchant at the tavern that a war is about to erupt.”
“A buddy of mine told me the kingdom is going to start a war with the tribes to the south.”
“Apparently…” “I heard…” “I don’t want…” “Finally we'll kill those…”
Talk of impending war wrapped the village in a cold blanket of fear as Bruno walked towards the tavern. On his walk Bruno started to piece together what he heard, “So, it seems the king wants to declare a war on the southern tribes past the wall. Normally I would not have paid much attention as the savages southward are witless dullards but...if that book...no, NO! Just forget about it. If that book is real my mind might just rupture.” Bruno’s troubled thoughts ended as he arrived at the tavern.
The tavern was bustling with activity as a large number of travelers seemed to be stopping by before travelling through and as Bruno walked through the doors he could spot Rambert in the corner chatting up some rather overweight men. Bruno wandered over to his friend, “Hey Rambert, surely there's a spot for a friend?”
As Bruno's heavy voice bellowed out Rambert stopped his conversation and looked up at Bruno, “Of course ya ox,” Rambert’s grating voice left his mouth and he turned to his left at a sickly looking fellow, “Take a walk aye?”
The man, seemingly intoxicated, starts to kick up a fuss before Bruno picks him up by the scruff of his clothes, pulling him off the bench, and in a low menacing tone, goes, “I think you’ve had too much to drink, friend. How about you walk it off before you wake up with a headache?” Bruno’s significantly higher stature and menacing frame seemed to frighten the drunk. As Bruno stares expectantly at the drunk with his black eyes the drunk starts to cold sweat before curtly nodding. Bruno then lets go and the drunk walks away timidly towards the stairs leading to the tavern's second floor where they keep rooms. Bruno then cracks his neck before signaling the pretty tavern wench.
As she approaches Bruno takes in her appearance as though it was the first time, The wench had long red hair and gentle brown eyes with freckles going across her cheeks and nose. Her lean face sends Bruno’s heart aflutter for a second, she asks, “The usual Bruno?”
“Aye. In fact Auda, I’d like two beers for my new friends.” Bruno motions to the two overweight men. Auda nods before walking off. Bruno stares at her behind as she walks away before turning his gaze at his new ‘friends’ with a smile that would look reassuring…if it wasn’t Bruno producing it.
The first to speak up is Rambert, “So, what stirred your pot this morning? Ya seem a little pissed.” With those words, Bruno grimaced as he recalled the book.
Bruno spoke nonchalantly, “Some prick threw a heavy book through my window. Landed straight on my stomach.”
Rambert chuckled, “Ah, bad luck aye? Maybe next time shut your window. Well, don’t worry about it. You're as big as an ox anyway. If anything you probably damaged the book!” Rambert let out a wheezing laugh that then infected Bruno and then the two overweight men.
Bruno’s laugh bellowed out from him as he spoke with a high spirit, “That’s true! At least I'll damage the person who threw it if I find them, could have seriously hurt someone with a book that heavy.” Bruno then looked at the strangers before motioning to the two strangers at the table, “You gonna introduce us or are you feeling like being an ass today?
Rambert let out a snort before clearing his throat, though the ugliness of his voice was still apparent, “The one on the left is a merchant that's heading towards Castle Eisengeboren. He said he came from overseas and is looking for the Earl on business. The one on the right is his brother, he’s apparently a noble.” Rambert then whispers a bit to Bruno, “I don’t think he's really a noble. At most he’s low on the totem pole.”
Bruno soaks in the information and compiles it together in his mind, “Interesting, a foreign merchant and a supposed noble in town right when rumors are going about. Seems fishy. Perhaps they’re trying to destabilize the country before attacking fiercely from the sea? They seem a bit Skullduggery to me. Never seen a day’s worth of hard work that’s for sure…perhaps I should inquire about the rumors going around.”
Bruno started to smile and talk with the two men as he collected any information they might possess about the rumors.
The rotund man on the left spoke with a flemish voice as though he had a cold, “Oh it’s terrible it is. As me and my associates traveled to port we could see what looked like hundreds if not thousands of savages making their way north. I think they're preparing to besiege your southern wall! As soon as I get a quick drink I'm heading for that castle and then getting out!” As the man spoke Bruno studied his face meticulously, looking for any hint of deceit but alas the fat man seemed, at most, to embellish what he saw. Nothing about his demeanor or inflection pointed to malicious deceit.
Bruno nodded along before asking, “Sounds like a shitty situation. Not only are we going through a second week of straight icy winds but now the Southerners are aiming to knock our wall down and rape our women. You heard anything about a war in Wasserstadt?”
The fat man on the right spoke up now, he spoke with a kind of elegance that did not suit his pig-like frame, “Ah yes. As I am a noble who’s visiting this country I had an opportunity to speak with the king's brother Duke Kolr Zu Wasserstadt due to some...business. It appears the flames of war might come to your lands soon. I can’t speak much on it but it appears some of your kingdom’s scouts went missing when they were sent to the south. A large southern war party might be coming northward.”
As the man finished speaking, Auda returned with beer, “Sorry for the lateness chaps. We ran out of beer so old Fulbert had to go grab some in the cellar.” She handed out the beer to the three men.
After receiving his beer Bruno spoke, “Thanks Auda. Since you took so long I've been damn thirsty. Maybe you can pay me back?” Bruno then whistled and flashed a lecherous smile at Auda.
She returned a flirtatious smile before her face turned neutral and she spoke deadpan, “Not in your life ox breath.” Laughs resounded around the table but Bruno’s face still held a playful smile. Auda, after waiting a few seconds, spoke once more, “Although, perhaps if you finally pay back your tab…” Auda brought her face close and flashed Bruno a beautiful smile as his face turned beet red.
Bruno coughed as he stammered, “We-well you know I don’t make much so that’s not gonna happen for a while.”
As though Bruno had walked into her trap she started gently turning left and right repeatedly while pressing her arms together, causing her breasts to pop out more from her apron. Bringing her face close to his ear she spoke softly, “Well, maybe we can compromise…” At this point, Bruno’s face was bright red as he stood up and hurried out of the tavern.
But when he was at the door, Auda yelled out, "Aye, what about your beer? And the money? Oh, is it going on your tab like the last three times you visited, you drunkard!" Bruno looked like he wanted to drop himself into a well as he left the tavern, leaving Auda's seductive voice behind as he thought about what to do next.
He realized he might as well go to the elder’s house. There's not enough time for him to do anything so he just walked through the blistering cold to his destination. As he walked he realized there were a lot of soldiers around, this left Bruno uneasy as he remembered the book and the noble's words. Bruno walked, feeling nervous, as he quickly went towards the Elder’s house. As he arrived at the Elder’s home on the north side of town, Bruno saw what looked like a small army camped northward and two soldeirs outside the Elder's house. The two soldiers were guarding the Elder’s front door, they seemed to be men-at-arms with their jerkins, scars, and experienced eyes. If Bruno had any sense he would have gone back home but he had promised the Elder he would meet him today and so even with what looked like a one-way ticket to hell, Bruno walked up to the soldiers. They held swords and shields with the left one speaking up, his voice was gruff and he seemed to have a graying beard “State yer business or walk away in peace.”
Bruno felt nervous but spoke confidently, “I’m here to see the Elder. I promised to help him today.”
The soldier on Bruno’s left stared hard at Bruno before warning him, “Look you seem like a nice, strong lad. If you don’t want to get conscripted I’d walk back home and hide.”
Bruno’s face held hesitation as he remembered his conscription from the book, but, in for a penny, in for a pound. Bruno shook his head before saying, “I still have a job to do.” The old guard sighed before gesturing for Bruno to stay there. The soldier opened the door and walked inside the Elder’s home.
After what felt like an eternity out in the freezing cold the soldier came back, “Alright kid, you just won yourself a one-way ticket to hell. Congratulations.” The man's tone was dry. He then motioned for Bruno to go inside the house.
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Bruno felt a little pissed and shoulder-checked the soldier, giving into his destructive impulses. The soldier was shoved to the side with Bruno hearing the man curse under his breath as Bruno walked inside. Once in he saw the Elder standing, his body supported by a cane, as a very well-groomed man stood to the Elder's front. As soon as the elder saw Bruno his eyes widened in terror. It was as though his eyes shouted for Bruno to get away, but alas it was too late, the well-groomed man looked over at Bruno. Bruno could feel a pressure pressing down on his body causing him to stop breathing for a moment. It was as though Bruno had stumbled upon a bear in the woods.
The well-groomed man was around 6’0 and he held a very stern face. His face was rigid, handsome, and full of interest as he stared at Bruno. He had short dirty blonde hair, was clean-shaven, and his left eye held a large scar that occupied most of the left part of his face. His right eye was an intense green color and he seemed to be in his late twenties. As Bruno and the man stared at each other the Elder spoke up in a worried tone, “Young Bruno, this here is Lord Godfrey Blutschmied. His Family serves the Von und Zu Eisengeboren. Bow.” Bruno felt shocked at the name before reluctantly bending slightly. The elder looked terrified before shouting, “I SAID BOW BEFORE YOUR L-” The Elder was stopped by a wave of Godfrey’s hand.
Godfrey spoke, his voice was smooth and held a very dignified tone, “It is to be expected. His ignorance doesn’t offend me. However…” Godfrey’s eye turned cold, “His blatant disrespect towards someone of superior strength does.” After those words left his mouth, Bruno, who felt challenged, took a step forward despite the feeling of absolute dread in his body. The height difference was large with Bruno making Godfrey look like a kid and yet any onlookers would see that Godfrey would not lose, he just had that atmosphere of confidence around him. Godfrey smiled and spoke softly, “While your disrespect displeases me, I am impressed by your bravery. Not many men would so blatantly challenge me like this, even the ignorant and stupid would feel the danger before backing away. But you…” Godfrey smiled and offered an ultimatum, “How about this? Tomorrow you'll undergo a trial by combat if you impress me, I won't execute you for disrespecting a noble. If you refuse…” Godfrey drew his longsword with his right hand before the air turned tense. It stopped Bruno and the Elder’s breathing.
Bruno felt as though he had made a massive mistake, the man had an aura of danger around him, more danger than any thug Bruno had dealt with in his life, but Bruno refused to succumb. As a vigorous young man, he was full of confidence and pride, amplified by his overwhelming size. Bruno clenched his teeth so hard blood started to dribble from the corner of his lips as he forced out some words, “I'm…not…scared…of you. Bring it!” Though he couldn’t move his body, Bruno's spirit refused to bend. At his proclamation Godfrey sheathed his sword with a smile, the tense air started settling down allowing the Elder to cough for air and Bruno to gasp for breath.
Godfrey looked up at Bruno before speaking in a sincere tone, “If you have any business left in this life I’d advise you to settle it today. You may very well die tomorrow should you fail to impress me. I will send an order for a makeshift arena to be constructed a few yards north of the village. This trial shall be observed by both my soldiers and the villagers. Should you die it will send a message that the nobility is not to be mocked by commoners. Should you impress me, you will live and be rewarded; should you instead disappoint me…the village will pay the price for your crimes. And don't think about warning the villagers either. Travel will not be permitted until the trial is over. Any caught discreetly leaving will be executed.” Having said his piece Godfrey left the house leaving Bruno and the Elder alone in the oddly hot room.
The Elder was on his hands and knees, the pressure having been too much to bear with his old body which caused him to collapse to the floor but he nonetheless spoke first amid his recovery, “Oh Bruno. How could you be so foolish? Lord Godfrey is an experienced combatant. He's been serving with the southern gate garrison since he was a boy…” The Elder seemed to lose his temper, “HE’S A SWORD EXPERT BRUNO! If he so desired he could cut you down even if there were 100 of you!” After the Elder’s wise words melted into the surroundings an air of despair arose. For Bruno, he felt great guilt at what transpired. Due to his ego he put his whole village in danger. His thoughts spiraled downward as he collapsed to his hands and knees, “If I just bowed…if I had just shown a Lord his proper respect…damn it…DAMN IT! Why am I so foolish! I have no excuse, I’m not some dumb brute, I’m highly intelligent, and yet…who am I kidding? What type of smart individual would have done what I had done…maybe if I give him my life he’ll spare the village…”
The Elder composed himself and stood with the aid of his cane. He then gazed upon Bruno who had been overcome with despair. Bruno had trapped himself in a downward spiral of negative thoughts that only brought him further down the spiral. The Elder knew what he must do, he must ask Bruno to give up his life for the village, his duty to protect the village demanded it, and yet…
The Elder thought back to when Bruno was born. It was a cold night, the wind blew strong and collapsed some of the houses in the village as Bruno’s mother, Bertha, went into labor. It was hectic, especially since Bruno was such a large baby. Bertha almost didn’t make it. It was a blessing that an Apprentice Healing Witch was staying in the village at the time as well as the fact that she was willing to save Bertha’s life. Magic users are known to be exceptionally arrogant and believe themselves to be superior to all life. To most mages, human life is as precious as the many grains of sand at the coast, or the bugs that crawl in the forest. But not that apprentice, the value she placed on human life was exceptional. As the Elder thought of the young Witch a level of resolve started to nestle itself in his heart.
As the Elder was deep in his thoughts the images of Bruno overlapped. The baby, the child, the teen…and the man before him now. The Elder walked towards Bruno, placing his hand on Bruno's shoulder. The Elder whispered “Bruno…I beg of you…live.” The Elder's voice cracked under the heavy force of sadness that attacked his throat. The Elder Croaked, “All of us here in the village love you Bruno,” the Elder’s hand tightened, “Even though you can be violent, egotistical, and sometimes downright malicious…you care.” The Elder’s voice started to pick up volume, his sad voice filled with pride, “Whenever the villagers were harassed by thuggish travelers you protected them! When Auda was almost raped by that wanderer you broke into his room and saved her!” The Elder’s voice was now downright screaming, “As much as we’re important to you, you're just as important to us!” The Elder’s heated speech entranced Bruno as he stared into the Elder’s intense and proud eyes, “If it’s you Bruno, I know you’ll impress Lord Godfrey! The village believes in you! WE BELIEVE IN YOU!!!”
As the words sunk into Bruno’s mind, he got overwhelmed with emotions. Tears streamed down Bruno’s cheeks as he got back on his feet. Bruno said no words but as he wiped his eyes, an intense resolve cemented itself in Bruno. Even if he couldn’t impress Godfrey, he would not disappoint him. Bruno nodded to the Elder before giving him a deep, sincere bow, as Bruno walked to the door, the Elder's voice sounded behind him, It was old, frail, and full of care, "Don't die Bruno."
Bruno nodded then left the Elder's house. As he left he was approached by a group of soldiers, at the lead was the older man who Bruno had talked to earlier. The group stopped in front of Bruno, then the old soldier spoke, “You just got yourself into deep shit junior. If I was you I’d run as far as I could b–” The old soldier stopped speaking as he lost himself in Bruno’s endlessly deep, dark eyes. Bruno spoke no words and yet it made more of a statement than any words could. The soldier released a nervous sigh before speaking, “My apologies young warrior. I thought to tease you but I don’t think I’d live to tell the tale with that look in your eye.” The soldier gave a nod of respect before heading back towards the soldier's camp, pushing the group of soldiers behind him to his sides.
Bruno ignored the remaining soldiers and headed towards the tavern, if he was to die then he wanted to have no regrets, no what-ifs. As Bruno walked to the tavern he felt as though the burden on his shoulders had been lightened somewhat. It was due to the confidence of a man who will do everything he can to succeed, even if it costs his life. After arriving at the tavern it seemed the activity had died down somewhat as it was quieter than it was earlier. Before Bruno could enter he was cut off by three men, one of which was the drunk from earlier. The drunk smirked as his two buddies surrounded Bruno. To Bruno’s left was a wide rotund man around 5’11 and to his right a rather tall and muscular man around 6’2. The drunk in front of him was around 5’6. The drunk started to speak but his words were so unimportant and petty that they refused to settle into Bruno's memory. Bruno right now was a man on death row, he was not the same man he was earlier today. This Bruno would not hold back and give the fools a few bruises, no, he had the resolve to take a life. To any onlookers seeing this, it was like watching a group of chimpanzees poke a lion till it wakes up and kills them. A man of Bruno’s size dwarfed the three men in both presence and size, Yet the group didn’t look nervous, as though they couldn’t see the danger they were about to get into.
Bruno stared down the drunk before engaging the three, he grabbed the men to his left and right with each hand, with a mighty roar he lifted them past his head before slamming them down into the frozen ground. It wasn’t elegant or tactical, it was a show of pure strength. Of course, the two men were still conscious, just in great pain, the wind having been knocked out of them as they lay on the cold ground. As they laid on the ground Bruno let go of their jackets before grabbing the paralyzed drunk by the throat and into the air with his left arm. As the two men lay on the floor they could see their buddy get lifted into the air but instead of slamming him, Bruno reeled back his right arm and proceeded to beat the drunk half to death. From their perspective on the floor, they could see their buddy violently try to break free but quickly go limp as large streams of blood fell from the drunk's face forming small pools of blood on the floor. The two men felt paralyzed as they saw Bruno let go of their buddy. The drunk crashed to the floor like a broken puppet. He was missing most of his teeth, his jaw was shattered along with some of his skull, and his left eye had popped out of his head. He was alive if barely and not for long if he didn’t receive medical attention.
Both of Bruno’s arms were covered in blood and spots on his chest were as well. He had some blood on his face, his pants, and his shoes were a nice shade of crimson. Bruno paid the dying man no mind and walked into the tavern. He couldn’t see Auda so Bruno walked up to the old barkeep Fulbert who was working the bar. Bruno showed no sign of impatience and was disturbingly calm. Bruno spoke in a measured tone, “Hey, Fulbert. Do you know where Auda is?” Fulbert looked up from the glass he was cleaning at Bruno. He paid no mind to the blood but felt a tinge concerned with the strange look in Bruno’s eye. Fulbert spoke in an even, wise tone, “You good Bruno? You don’t seem normal right now.”
Bruno smiled, “I just got myself into some serious shit.”
Fulbert’s eyes narrowed as he questioned Bruno, “Does it have to do with all that blood?”
Bruno chuckled before shaking his head, “No, I just did something stupid. Right now I need to see Auda, if I don’t…I’ll never get another chance.” Fulbert stared into Bruno’s eyes as a sense of understanding emanated from the two.
Fulbert went to the back. Bruno could hear a bit of their conversation.
“Bruno’s here…wants to see you…if you don’t meet him now…I don’t know but it feels like he might die tomorrow…don’t worry about this and just see him.” After that Auda came out from the back; her hands were wet, she must have been working on something in the kitchen.
She moved the hair on her left side behind her ear as she leaned forward, she spoke in a gentle tone, “Let’s talk in my room upstairs.” She cast a bright smile and to Bruno, it was stronger than any spell or weapon. The two walked upstairs in silence. Once they entered the room Auda grabbed Bruno’s hands and led him to the bed where they sat down. She looked worriedly at him and spoke in a caring tone, “What’s going on Bruno?”
Bruno took a deep breath and just said what was on his mind, in a tone of seriousness he confessed while staring into her eyes, “I love you Auda.” Auda looked shocked before her face erupted into an embarrassed, red look. Bruno continued his emotional talk, “I’ve loved you since we were kids. Your long red hair, your sweet brown eyes, those cute freckles that go across your face…” Auda couldn’t say a word as Bruno continued, “I love the way you talk with that playful tone that hides your caring nature. I love the way you walk, throwing all you have into each step. You enjoy life so much, putting all you have in your every action. I even love the way you piss me off or when you don't want to talk to me.”
At this point, Auda couldn’t hold back and she shouted with a red face, “Why, WHY ARE YOU SAYING THOSE THINGS!” Bruno could only form a weak smile in response. Auda’s pupils started to shake from overstimulation as she looked into Bruno’s eyes. As they sat, gazing into each other’s souls, memories started to resurface in Auda’s mind. Last year Auda was working at the tavern and as a kind gesture she brought food up to people's rooms to celebrate the tavern’s anniversary. One of the men she brought food to started to hit on her. She sternly shot down his advances and as she walked towards the door he grabbed her from behind, covering her mouth with one hand and dragging her to the bed. He pinned her down and started to rip off her clothes before she bit his hand and screamed out. When she screamed she could hear running outside the room. In what felt like seconds the door was broken down. She saw the door explode into splinters and there she saw Bruno’s hulking frame in the doorway. He covered the distance in seconds before brutally deconstructing the man. In a minute Bruno had turned the man into a pool of blood and pulp. In that moment she felt true fear as she stared at Bruno. Bruno was completely doused with blood, and before long he looked at Auda. At that moment she accepted her death but to her surprise, the bloody giant took off his, now crimson, coat and wrapped her up. At that moment her heart beat fast as she felt a strange, foreign emotion. Yup. She liked Bruno ever since he saved her. To her, Bruno was her knight in shining, crimson armor.
Bruno noticed a strange change in Auda’s demeanor, she no longer looked embarrassed but instead her eyes possessed a strong longing in them. Before Bruno could break the silence Auda wrapped her arms around his neck and initiated a strong passionate kiss. The air started to get heavy and hot as the two embraced each other. Auda broke away, leaving Bruno on the bed. She began to speak as she slowly stripped, “I love you too. Ever since you saved me. I was so scared but…when I needed someone the most you were there…” She threw off her jacket and shirt, ”Men always looked at me like dogs in heat…but you saw me for me…” She took off her boots and pants, every second that passed she felt more seductive, “I love the way you're so protective of everyone.” She teased the bra, slipping it half off, her nipples barely staying covered, “I love the way you never back down.” She threw off the bra, her firm breasts laid bare, “But most of all…” Auda walked close and mounted Bruno, she sat on his lap facing him, wrapping her arms around his neck and whispering in his ear, “I love your deep, black eyes…” That whisper started a reaction and before long he gently tossed her on the bed before standing up.
Bruno started to strip, starting from his jacket and shirt, as he took off his shirt his muscles showed below. He wasn’t shredded but had large muscles that when mixed with his stare of pure longing caused Auda to feel butterflies inside. From where Auda lay on the bed she could see a large rod protrude from his pants. As he finished stripping and was laid bare, he slowly walked forward towards the bed, his stare intense and smoldering. When he reached the bed the two engaged in intercourse, it was Bruno’s first time sharing a woman’s comfort, and at first he was awkward, but before long he got into a rhythm that left Auda and himself in a state of bliss.
After a passionate time the two laid still, tired but fulfilled. Bruno’s hands were behind his head and Auda rested her head on his biceps. Just like that a full day passed and when the two awoke they found themselves with each other. They both looked blissful in each other's embrace but as the mood shifted to a second rumble in the sheets a knock sounded at the door. From behind the door a voice rang out, it was Fulbert. His voice sounded urgent, “Bruno! You’ve been called for a trial by combat. This must be the deep shit you were talking about. I don’t know what in the hell you were thinking, challenging Lord Godfrey, but it starts in ten minutes so get your ass up NOW!”
Bruno’s face held regret as he separated himself from Auda. Her face held worry as Bruno dressed himself. The clothes were stained with blood but they would have to do. As Bruno went for the door, Auda’s voice sounded from behind him, it was weaker than usual, “Bruno…will you be back?” Her voice was on the verge of cracking as Bruno slowly turned, his left shoulder facing Auda.
He turned his head towards her before smiling, “I will.”
Mustering up all she had to keep herself from breaking down she asked one last time, “Promise?” Her eyes squeezed tight as tears started protruding from her eyes. Bruno walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her before giving her a passionate kiss.
As he pulled himself away Bruno spoke, “I sure as hell don’t plan to die.” He then smiled before leaving. As he made his way to the north of the village a weak Auda was left alone in her bed. Fulbert then walked in.
Auda covered herself much to Fulbert’s annoyance, “Girl, I’ve known you since you were a little cunt suckling on your mother’s tit and shittin’ everywhere. You'd think after being under my care for ten years you'd stop being such a squishy thing.” Auda looked annoyed at the old man’s strange logic. Fulbert sighed before turning to leave, but just before he left he spoke, “If I was you, I’d get dressed as fast as possible and haul ass to the arena on the northern part of the village. Bruno’s gonna need all the support we can give him if he's to survive.” Having said his piece Fulbert left the room and closed the door before hauling ass to the arena.
As Bruno ran to the arena he noticed the streets were empty and as he got closer he could make out a large crowd in the distance. It took five minutes for Bruno to reach the arena, but what he saw made him nervous, most of the villagers were surrounding the makeshift arena. The arena itself was just a square fence around 40 feet wide. As Bruno arrived he was guided by some soldiers who took him inside the arena. As Godfrey and Bruno stood away from each other a younger soldier walked into the arena before bellowing out in a booming voice, “Today, Lord Godfrey Blutschmied, a noble in service to the Von und Zu Eisengeboren family, has issued a trial by combat for the commoner, Bruno, for the crime of disrespecting Nobility! The rules are as follows, ‘As there is a massive strength difference between combatants the trial will be conducted with the goal of impressing Lord Godfrey Blutschmied in combat. Should the participant succeed he will be spared and rewarded by Lord Godfrey. Should the combatant fail to impress Lord Godfrey then he will be executed for the crime of disrespecting Nobility. Should the participant disappoint Lord Godfrey then not only will the participant be executed but so will the village he resides in’ those are the conditions of the duel.”
The villagers' faces went pale knowing their lives rested on Bruno beating Godfrey, a most impossible outcome. The young soldier then left the arena before starting the trial. To make things somewhat even, Godfrey held no sword or armor. He stood there in heavy wool clothes to protect against the cold but they were of a noticeably higher quality and that was all. Even though Godfrey looked unarmed Bruno didn’t relax for a second, Godfrey was exceptionally dangerous with or without a sword.
At first the two men circled each other, each one eyeing the other for any weakness or slip-up. Godfrey had a more steady and agile stance, ready to pay Bruno for any offense he attempted. On the other side Bruno held his hands open and his arms wide, utilizing his long reach, he resembled a bear trap, ready to spring once Godfrey got into range. It was very tense in the audience, nobody wanted to make a sound less they distract the combatants. Soon Bruno started to slowly approach Godfrey, the latter replying in kind. Once they were within arms reach Godfrey dashed forward before hopping back, Bruno went for a grab but only snatched air as Godfrey slipped to Bruno’s left side and threw a hook to his body. The blow smashed into Bruno’s liver. Bruno had never taken such a blow before and was left paralyzed, he didn’t buckle but that just made him an easier target. Following the livershot Godfrey went for a roundhouse kick to the defenseless Bruno’s right side. As Godfrey’s kick pounded into Bruno’s side the latter gagged and saliva dripped from his mouth.
Bruno dropped to his knees as his vision grew blurry, he could hear the villagers start to chant and telling him to get up but his body just hurt too much. He didn't want to move anymore. The fight hadn’t even lasted fifteen seconds before Bruno was on the floor heaving from multiple bodyshots. As Bruno kneeled Godfrey spoke, “You know commoner. I’m getting mighty disappointed, with all that size and you can’t even touch me. So are you going to get up or…is the trial over? If so, I'm sure you know what will happen.” Godfrey’s voice held a certain menace to it which caused Bruno to stand up. His body felt like he’d been kicked by a horse yet he still stood. He couldn’t fail, not now.
The fight resumed as both men got into their stances. It resembled the beginning of the battle but as they approached each other, it was Bruno who lunged forward. Catching Godfrey by surprise Bruno successfully grabs Godfrey’s arm. As Bruno started to swing his arm to fling Godfrey the latter grabbed Bruno’s thumb and dislocated it before slamming his fist into Bruno’s throat and his knee into Bruno’s groin. These series of strikes knocked Bruno to the ground before he received a front kick to the face. There was a sickening crunch as a few teeth flew from Bruno’s mouth. This continued for the next five minutes. It wasn’t even a fight but instead a one-sided beatdown. Godfrey hadn’t received a scratch while Bruno looked like a human bruise. His lips were heavily swollen and he had cauliflower ears. His eyes were greatly swollen and underneath his clothes he had large bruises all over his body. Every time Bruno got knocked down he’d get back up only to experience the same thing again. After getting knocked down one last time he didn’t get back up. He breathed heavily and laid on the floor.
Godfrey also breathed heavily but spoke calmly, “Is this really all you have? I was expecting more. Well, if this place is going to be destroyed anyway, I might as well get my pick of a whore tonight.” After saying those words Auda screamed Bruno’s name from the crowd. As Bruno saw her he started to move, he tried getting up with all his strength but could only get to his knee. After turning to Auda, Godfrey smiled, “I think I'll choose the loud one.” Hearing those words leave Godfrey’s mouth Bruno stood up. His legs shook and his expression was dark.
Godfrey smiled and Bruno reacted, “I’m…going…TO KILL YOU!” Bruno released a war cry and dashed forward. It was a reckless charge, he didn’t defend any of his vital organs and yet he didn’t care. Godfrey took advantage and kept swaying just outside Bruno’s blows while striking his vitals. Bruno refused to drop as he chased Godfrey like an animal, all the blows that should have knocked him down didn’t seem to faze him as he charged. As Godfrey backpedaled he slipped up and fell to the floor. In a second Bruno pounced upon Godfrey before punching down with all his might. The punch was extremely powerful to the point that Bruno’s fist broke and his wrist snapped upon impact. But to Bruno’s horror, Godfrey remained unfazed as a semi transparent blue colored thing appeared. Bruno uttered in shock, "Is that Aura?" Bruno had heard of Aura before from traveling warriors and merchants. It was exceptionally rare and powerful force only used by elite warriors. Godfrey didn't reply as he swiped Bruno off his feet. Godfrey then got to his feet as Bruno fell in shock before sending a kick to Bruno's temple.
Bruno’s mind was foggy as he was knocked unconscious, ”I failed huh? In the end I couldn’t protect the villagers, I couldn’t protect anyone…I’m sorry…Auda…”