A bright light pierced my eyes, as I tightly squinted, screaming. The sounds of shuffling, words in an indiscernible tongue, and the feeling of a rough, coarse sponge gliding across my stomach, I began to sob. As I did, my eyes began to open, and although blurry, I could make out the visage of a woman. Bright, orange, soft eyes, gleaming with tears. Cherry red cheeks of soft and calming love. Brownish hair, waved in locks of transcending flow. And a warm, loving smile, which drew across her face like a calm, ‘it’s okay’, spoken just to me.

I felt something I had not felt in a long time. 

My sobbing slowly stopped, as I drifted off to slumber, my presumable mother gently rocking me. I walked through the darkness for a long time, after my death. Like a never ending void, the plane of pitch black nothingness became host to what I assumed to be my spirit, after death. I had come upon a door, wooden, ornate, and dusty, and with nothing but meager hope, I entered. 

Five years have passed since my birth in this new world. Life here was meager, but rewarding, very rustic. My mother, Charlotte Veinn, and my father, Lord Coale Veinn ruled over a domain as noblemen. They came from two distant lineages, that of a farmer's daughter turned baronette, and the son of a sheltered scholar, turned baron. But that was all I was able to attain from eavesdropping. Alongside my younger sister, Dawe, and my younger brother, Francis, twins at the age of 2, and my parents, we went about our daily lives. My younger siblings were to young to do much, and spent most of there time being doted on by my mother and maids. My father was generally busy working in his office, from what I could glean, not doing much. 

Dinners together with each other were rare, and my parents stood on rocky ground. The tension whenever they were in the same room felt tangible. Didn’t help that I could barely communicate, a birth defect, I was near mute. Thankfully, this defect came in more handy then one might think. Without being able to communicate traditionally, I was given essentially free reign to study, allowed to explore the world of literature, in place of family time. The head butler, a very kind man named Sean, found time out of his day to teach me literacy. His glasses astute with a serious, knowledgeable aura, I was drawn to Sean. I kept my distance nonetheless, his teachings were more of a musing to him anyway, as every night I could hear through the floor as he discussed with the maids about how ‘easy I was’. 

This relentless feeling of dread every night I heard more of his musings drew me to distance myself from more than just Sean, but nearly all the staff in the manor. In the end though, I found my true solace from dread in physical exertion. I had a nice routine, getting up every morning, always ten minutes ahead of the maids, and going out for a ‘morning stroll’. This morning stroll would invariably turn into a 5 mile run, pushing my tiny legs way beyond their limits. After that, I would walk back, much to the maids chagrin, and dress myself as my family rose from their slumber. From there, I would eat breakfast, generally consisting of bread, cheese, and a few somewhat unusual but healthy seeming vegetables. As my family journeyed to get breakfast themselves, I would already have found my way to the study, generally unnoticed, in order to begin studying more of this world. Beyond that, I would also spend those hours practicing my writing ability, in order to get ahead of the game.

Then sometime after lunch, I would head out through a small window in the study to the garden, where I would proceed to do up to a hundred push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, as possible. Following that, I would practice my swinging arm by using a large wooden plank I had found, nearly as tall as me, wide as me, and thick as me. I had fashioned a piece of cloth around the bottom, to act as a hilt, and found it to be great strength training. Of course, after all this, I would sneak into the kitchen through a small window, from there, I would gather a meager meal of bread and fruit, which I would sneak back to the study. After eating, I would rest for a bit, generally in my favorite spot, just above the first floor, leant up against the large, round window which faced out to the forest behind the manor, the majestic mountains in the distance. 

From here, I would continue my studies, and then return to my chambers around an hour after nightfall, ensuring I stopped by my mothers room to reassure her of my existence. She seemed content with my lifestyle, always able to provide a smile and encouragement, never unable to provide comfort. Of course my natural defect had its drawbacks, of which there were many.

My father had practically disowned me, much like he did the rest of his family, but me he forgot the most. Whenever our eyes met, his forehead veins would bulge, and his eyes would grow tense, and he could barely hide his seething rage. It didn’t bother me though, I didn’t see him as my father anyway, nor did I see my mother as my mother. They certainly were caretakers, and I do love the mother I have, but it isn’t easy to make such parental changes like that. But, I had already decided that whether my mother or not, the lovely woman who cared for my being was special. Important. 

I digress. 

My daily regimen wasn’t just for show, I had more than a good reason for it. My father, the lord of the domain we resided in, ruled over a small town by the name of Veinn, on the far outskirts of civilization. Far up in the mountains, we were at constant odds with nature. Creatures that books and locals called Monsters roamed and stalked the woods and countryside at all times of the year, kidnapping livestock and burning villages. There were many, many types, but the main contenders were no doubt the Orc Clans and the Goblin Tribes, both of whom occupied the forests and caves surrounding us. Veinn is completely encircled by them, and the harsh elements, a single, dirt road leading in from outside. A deadzone, one might say.

Likely the reason for my fathers mental state, as he was at one time a highly respected aristocrat, and his scholarly nature had awarded him the kings blessing. Of course, he, in his conceited ways, expected to be given a swath of valuable land, to live in the lap of luxury for the rest of his days. But the king did not. When I learned of this from Sean, I couldn’t help but snicker, as that bumbling old rage filled fool was nothing but an egotistical idiot. I had a special hatred for my father, for more reasons than one. 

In order to ensure my survival, I needed to be strong, and smart. In my past life, I had been in the military for a while, but back then I didn’t need that kind of strength for day to day life. Now though, that strength was necessary, I was doomed if I didn't have it. Bandits, monsters, magical entities, and war were all abound, and I was sure to be swept up in it. But strength is only half the equation, on the other, it is knowledge. I wouldn’t say I’m the smartest, but I certainly have to keep my head on a swivel if I want to keep up with this world. Magic exists here, as something only those of noble blood can use, as Kings and Emperors have the ability to grant various magics to noblemen. In fact, noble societies are mostly built around the strength of the sole leader, as the leader will duel other leaders in magical bouts of prowess to gather territory and resources. 

The night grew dim on the eve of my fourteenth birthday. I had grown considerably stronger, and my routine had gone nearly unchanged, as I found my stride. Sean fell into the backdrop, as I no longer had use for him, and his musings had gone from confidence to annoyance as I heard him mutter to himself in the halls. This night seemed to be like no other, as I fell to sleep on my cotton bed, straight as a board, breathing slow, deep, long breaths. And then, the sound of footsteps, just beyond the door, out in the hall. Muffled voices echoed a conversation.

“Woman, you produce dogshit!” A man shouted, followed by a slap.

“You are human trash, you hear me! Human trash!” He shouted, the sound of a woman sobbing intercutting it.

“Shut up!” He shouted again, another slap, followed by the sound of a kick. 

“Now let me exercise my right as the lord of this territory!” He shouted again, the knob on my door jiggling. 

“No!” The woman's voice shouted, presumably grabbing his pant leg. The sound of stumbling echoed, as a still silence reverberated. And then, the sound I had not wanted to hear. 

The sobs and wails echoed ever more, as the man unsheathed his sword, and proceeded to swing it. Once. Twice. Thrice. The wails grew ever louder.

“Don’t question me, human trash. I never loved you, and I never will. Now get out of my sight,” He said, sheathing his sword.

I welled up with anger. This was the second time this month that that bastard of a man had raised his hand against my mother. She had done her dearest effort to help him, as he spiraled into alcoholism, drinking day and night. His duties, of which he already had few, had clearly fallen to the wayside, in favor of his drinking habit. He always had disdained my mother, but he only ever raised his hands once, and when he did, he seemed at least a minute bit remorseful. But now, he didn’t care. He used his grandfather's rapier to slash onto her back, and was actively out to kill me and my siblings. My anger unfortunately, was not granted reprieve. My day to day of study and exercise now had more hiding, running, and sneaking away. Family gatherings no longer occurred. The warm smile my mother showed now no longer appeared across her face, as the maids attended to my siblings constantly. 

In my anger, the next morning, I set about my new purpose. To be rid of that foul man. I wouldn’t be old enough to inherit the estate until I was 16, but I was mute, and I was untrained in magic, so I would be a laughing stock of the noble society no doubt. My status might even be revoked by the king himself. This country I reside in, Selsev, doesn’t allow widowed noblewomen to take over lordship, and if twins are born, neither are to inherit the estate unless one dies. 

But rules are made to be broken. 

I planned and plotted, all the while, secretly watching over my siblings from the shadows. That day, for the first time in a while, I ventured out to town. It was quite the walk, but I was quick with my step, and so I made it there in record time. I steered clear of town mostly due to the large vagrant and slaving community there, as they found this solitude in the mountains to be invaluable. As I stepped off the dirt path, into the town, wooden and stone buildings all around, folk of all type roaming the stone streets. Many dingy, dirty, scruffy men and women, even some children sat in the alleys between buildings, clearly homeless. In the center of town, a man stood, just above the job board, on a stage, marketing out to many gawking folk about slaves. Held with chain cuffs and bound with rope, a few men and women, clearly starved, beaten, and dirty sat. 

Unfortunate, but no one is going to buy them, I thought to myself. Passing by them, I walked to the job board. Many needed help in this city, but the most that needed it were farmers near the woods. They needed people to collect missing livestock, a very dangerous venture. Other than that, a few local businesses needed chefs, laborers, and guards. I ignored it, it wasn’t what I was in town for. Swiftly walking past the town square, into a store with a sign above reading ‘Veinn General Goods’. 

Inside, I walked to the counter, just behind a man, scrawny but scruffy, with a set of small round glasses. He looked for a moment, staring as if expecting a word from me. I gestured to my throat, and he gasped, nodding quickly in understanding.

“What’ll it be, young lad?” He replied.

I passed a note, alongside a small pouch of coins onto the counter. He opened it, and somewhat wide eyed, nodded. He disappeared under a curtained doorway, returning moments later with a sack full of the goods. “Here you are, take care,” He said, as I swiftly grabbed the sack and headed out. Inside, three sets of bandages, a medium container of medical ointment, and a set of sutures.

Quickly checking to take sure I wasn’t seen, I ducked into a nearby alleyway, filled with hapless vagrants. Finally toward the back, unseen, in the cover of the dark, I seated myself next to a group of unmoving children. “What do you want?” One of them piped up, slowly, gravely.

They looked at me for a second, as I opened the sack slightly to show the contents. They looked up, startled, as I peered at them. 

Raising my hand, I gently placed it on the shoulder of the child closest to me, a small boy, blackened hair, covered in soot, dirt, and trash. His left eye carried a long scar across it, blackened out, clearly half blind. I gently closed my eyes, relaxing my chest inward, and breathing out as slow and carefully as possible. A gentle, green light appears around my arm, swirling like a gas, flowing onto the boy. He looks both shocked, and terrified at the same time, before closing his right eye, wincing in fear. The spiraling green light moves from my arm, to his shoulder, before splitting off into different swirls, going up and down his body, from head to toe. Dissipating, the boy cautiously opens his eyes, as I release my hand from his shoulder.

I nod, gesturing for him to inspect himself. “...” A steady silence, as the boy stands, no longer as thin as bone. He looks over himself, all the minor cuts and bruises, infections, and fatigue having gone. Tears well up in his eyes, and just for a moment, a smile flashes onto his face.

He looks at me, before lunging at me, grabbing around my neck, hugging me tightly.

“Thank you…” He whispers into my ear.

I gently rub his back, and using my other hand gesture to the other onlookers, now having gathered a small crowd of children and adult vagrants alike. For the next hour, I use the entirety of the medical supplies, as well as my healing magic to heal the vagrants, slowly cycling through them, eventually most move on. The only ones to have stayed behind after the treatment being that of the young boy who I healed first, a little girl, maybe only four years old with dirty blonde hair, and an elderly woman, graying brown hair and somewhat wrinkled face. 

I stand, leaving the sack behind in the alley, and begin to walk out into the town square, exhausted. A perk of all my intense training, magical fatigue draws from both your mental and physical capabilities, so as long as one or both are strong, one will generally stay awake after a long day of casting. Footsteps, just behind me. A small hand grabs at my shirt as I step a single foot out onto the town square. I turn my head slightly, seeing the young boy having grabbed at me. I peer at him for a moment, before looking up. Basking in the glow of the fall sun, I close my eyes, and sigh. 

I turn around, and place my hand on the boy's shoulder, the other two a little ways behind him, watching on with anticipation. 

“Can… Can we go with you?” He asks, meekly.

I nod slowly, and motion to the other two to follow me, standing tall and strong. I turn, and gesture for them to continue with me, to which they happily do so. Heading out of the town, almost out of the town square, I hear a meager squeal, followed by the snicker of a man. I turn around swiftly, to see the trio standing, cowering in fear, the slave trader from earlier having stepped down from his podium. The little girl hovers in the air, the man holding her by the hair, causing her to wince in pain. A jolt of rage overcomes me, and in a mere moment, I send my fist hurtling into his side. With nearly no time to react, the fat, vile man crumbles like a piece of parchment, falling to the ground. I squat down, and gesture for the young girl to climb on, to which she does cautiously. 

Nodding to the elderly woman and the young boy, we quickly take off, as several small, agreeing nods from townsfolk egg me on to continue, cheering up the boy and woman significantly. Out of the town, I take left, heading opposite both the town and the manor, off into the woods. After several minutes of traveling, we cut off from the path, and begin to walk through some brush and bramble, stepping over them, climbing and scaling up and through the dense trees. And, into a small clearing we find ourselves. With the sunlight gleaming through the dense leaves of early fall, centered amongst a seat of trees and ruin, sits an abandoned building. 

Large, wooden, stone in foundation, and not completely destroyed. This little slice of paradise, I like to call my own. I happened upon it whilst out on my morning runs, which happened to begin extending out toward the woods as of late. I stepped out and began walking toward it, the lady and boy just behind, the little girl having fallen fast asleep on my back. Entering in through the somehow intact wooden door, we enter into what appears to be the remnants of a boarding house, now long gone unused, in disrepair. 

Dusting off a table I lay the little girl down onto it, and pull my coat off, folding it into a pillow, which I then slide under her head. I turn to the boy and woman, and pull out a set of dusty chairs from beneath the table. I gesture for them to sit. After they sit, I begin to gesture wildly, often most at my throat, attempting to indicate that I am mute. They sit confused for a moment, the young boy even giggling slightly. 

“Are you… Mute?” The old woman asks. I snap my fingers together, and point at her, nodding vigorously. “Oh… Heavens dear, I'm so very sorry,” She says, resting her hands against her chest.

I nod my head slowly, left and right, my eyes closed. I pull a small journal from my pocket, and begin to write in it using a lead pencil, before turning it to the woman. “I… I can read that yes,” She replies, to which I sigh a grand sigh of relief. I quickly begin sketching, before turning it back to the woman.

“My name is Mael, and this young boy is..” She begins to speak, turning toward the boy.

“Fate! My name is Fate!” He pipes up, happily, almost like a chirping baby bird.

I nod in agreement, before returning to the journal, quickly sketching down a few things. 

To begin with, I think to myself, writing quickly. For several, painstaking minutes of anticipation on the others part, I write down important information. I use this method to explain to them my circumstances of being mute, not deaf, just mute, and also that they are welcome to stay in this abode. I also explain that I plan to renovate the boarding house overtime, by my own two hands, and that in exchange for my healing, food, and the place to sleep I expect them to assist in the renovation. They both happily agree to this arrangement, almost immediately. 

Somewhat shocked, I continue to explain that, in secret, I am the eldest son of Lord Veinn, and that I plan to fix the Veinn territory, no matter the cost. I gently explain that this is a secret, and not to be spoken of outside of the boarding house. They hurriedly nod their heads at this, clearly they feel they have too much to stake on this to go around revealing my secret. I then leave them with a note explaining that I’ll be back with food, and that i’ll be slowly gathering supplies, using the boarding house as a storage facility as well. They thank me, and I take my leave by midday. 

That night, I established the routine that I would have for the next three weeks. Every lunchtime, while the kitchen staff were on break, i’d sneak in and steal a sack of food, not enough to notice. Then that evening, after dark, I would sneak in and steal leftovers, before they got tossed, nothing partially eaten, which was especially easy because my father had taken a habit of not touching his food, more in favor of munching on easy to consume fruits followed by heavy amounts of alcohol. The kitchen staff didn’t even care, I watched on several times as they simply shrugged their shoulders at the missing meals. 

Between days, whenever I found the chance, I would venture off into the forest. Alone, with nothing but stones and sticks, I'd spend hours scouting out small goblin encampments. And then, i'd lay traps around, turning the area into a dangerous place to move. From there, I'd spend the night picking them off, one by one, using stones and sharpened sticks to do the job under the cover of darkness. Providing the loot and weapons they carried to the general store usually only netted me a few coins, but that wasn't the main source of my income anyway, I found that in the treasury at the manor.

My father, so absorbed in himself, didn’t notice when a few coins went missing here or there from the treasury. He wasn’t exactly doing accounting, nor did he have an accountant, and the money would partially replenish itself with the next wave of tax, so I had nothing to worry about, and was how I had procured the funds to purchase medical supplies the last time. Every day, after my exercise, instead of studying, I would venture to town, and purchase construction supplies. As they readied it, I would heal the sick, suture the wounded, and converse with the non-vagrant children, even some of the adults. The slave trader always scowled at me from the background, but whether due to fear, maybe of knowing my status, or fear of the townsfolk who had grown to like me, he never did anything rash. 

Then I would bring the material back to the boarding house, and begin repairs. Over the course of one long, tenuous month, filled with me forcing myself to hold back against my father, I managed to repair it. The basement came first, and I had to use a large amount of stolen coin to purchase insecticides and rat poisons from the local general store, and then use it sparingly alongside hand-made traps (courtesy of Fate) to get rid of the infesting vermin. Then the foundation came, no doubt the hardest part. Fate, Mael, and the young girl who didn’t know her own name alongside me spent countless hours in that basement, repairing the foundation, improving it. I stole plenty of books from the study, bringing them to the boarding house alongside rations for Mael, Fate, and the young girl. 

Once the foundation was repaired, we went about the last week and a half repairing the first and second floors. It was rather easy, in comparison to the foundation, as we simply had to replace boards, windows, drywall, and paint. Beyond that itself, Mael took up a craft in gardening, using seeds from fruits I had given them to plant a small garden in front of the boarding house. Almost exactly on the last day of that month, the boarding house renovations were completed, and all excess material was stored in the basement. We even installed a furnace, of which I stole the excess parts from the manor to build, to warm it during the coming winters. 

I bought thread and needle, cotton and fabric, and set Mael and Fate to construct beds and blankets for our newly built bed frames. I even ended up stealing clothes from the manor storage for them, to which they happily wore them. That day, they seemed the happiest I’d ever seen them. I sat in front of the door, on the porch, as Fate and the young girl played happily, clean and fed. Mael sat in a chair, watching them both, sewing together blankets under the morning sun. 

But that night was surely the most dangerous i’d ever lived in this world. 

That day, whilst digging through the dusty storage rooms for clothes, I happened upon it. A sword. Rusty, but sharp still, an ornate carving of a tusk on the hilt, short but stout. My hands felt natural, as I gripped it. My plan had finally found something to ensure it would come to fruition. That night, under my blanket, fully clothed, wielding the sword, my father stammered down the hall once more. The hushed and tempered whimpers of my mother standing on the other side, to once more defend me, my anger swelling to its peak. I felt the blood rushing to my brain, from my temples and my face heating up, I carefully and quietly stood up, sword in hand. 

And it began, just like every other night.

“Ugly whore, out of the way!” He shouted, another slap.

“No!” She shouted back, crying.

“Do as I say!” He shouted, unsheathing his sword, throwing her to the ground. 

“And that’ll be another slash, for disobedience!” He shouted.

I kicked the door open, and as he turned his head, a smile rose to his face, the rapier in the air, almost about to come down on my mothers exposed back. 

“So the devil child appears?” He said.

I looked at my mothers back, and the scars of other slashes adorned it like the markings on a jail cell wall. My rage swelled to its breaking point, I was seething internally, barely able to keep it from showing on my face. My father, in his drunken stupor, then looked down at my sword, finally noticing it. “Wait…” He muttered, in drunken contemplation. I smirked.

I lunged, pointing the sword out, and in his drunken state, he didn’t have the ability to react. The sword pierced into his throat, out the otherside. Blood flowed down like a gushing waterfall, as he gurgled and gagged on the sword.

As he fell to his knees, I placed my foot on his chest, pushing him off the sword. I swung the sword away, sending his blood flying onto the carpet. 

My mother, now watching, turned to look at me. I attempted to give her the warmest smile I could, but all that overtook her face was that of sorrow. She almost seemed disgusted at me. I stared at the corpse for a while. It never looked the same, my rage having subsided, I knew that the ramifications for this would be no doubt grand. 

The very next day, my mother would take her own life. The maids found her hanging from a sheet noose in her bedroom, smiling wide and bright. That was the only time I had cried since my birth, when I ran into her room, the maids standing in solemn shock, as I attempted to clutch her cold corpse. I hoped, in some sad idiocy, that hope could bring her back. But it didn’t. 

That day, now the eldest successor to the Veinn lordship, at the age of only fourteen, I had become an orphan. The duke presiding over me as a baron arrived the very same day that news had broken of my mothers and fathers deaths. The slimy, greasy man watched me intently, as I presented my case through Mael, who I presented as my ‘servant’, to which he expressly denied my attempt. He explained that the Veinn estate would in fact be mine, but lordship would not, and that the town and nearby areas would fall under the duke's rule until a new baron was found. 

That very same day, I fired all but two staff, one maid, and one butler. I even fired Sean, who on the way out of the manor, gave me a very awful look, that of anger, rage, bitterness, and an expression I can only describe as I’ll get you for this. The rest simply accepted the reality, moved on, and I found myself in charge of the estate. The duke had seized all the funds, and we were no longer getting tax revenue, and simply had a small inheritance from my father, and mother combined. 

That day, I bought the forest that the boarding house resided in for a measly five gold from the realtor, who was ‘happy’ to get it off his hands. I accepted it as luck, and went about the rest of my day organizing the manor. With the help of Mael, Fate, and the young girl alongside the maid and butler we carefully organized our stocks into a set of crates and barrels. From there, I consolidated the supplies, and sent a good chunk of our food, water, and clothes to the boarding house with Mael to organize it all. After that, I consolidated my bedroom into the study, alongside my fathers desk to use as an office. I gave the maid and butler the bedrooms, and my younger siblings simply kept their rooms. 

The next day I spent entirely with my siblings, foregoing much of my routine, as I now had free reign over the manor. They spoke some, mostly to each other, and stayed quite a distance from me, only attending meals and going to the study if they needed something specific. It didn’t matter to me though, they saw our mother and father as our real parents, unlike me, and were no doubt more affected by the loss then I. 

Eventually, that night, I convinced them to sleep in the study with me, as I used my healing magic to visually act out a bedtime story. They seemed entranced by the basic display, and slowly drifted off to sleep in my arms. The next morning, I exited my bed, the light shining through the large window in the study, as I walked down the stairs.

“Big brother?” My younger sister muttered, now sat up on the bed, rubbing her eyes. I smiled, gently nodding my head, and continuing down the stairs. She simply yawned, before laying back down, going to sleep. 

I journeyed to my wardrobe, dressing myself, and grabbing my sword, sheathing it on a small scabbard I had found. Aside from that, my fathers rapier sat on its own scabbard. I stepped out onto the grass of late fall, and began my trek to town. It was early in the morning, but I had no choice but to go there now. On the path there, I met up with Mael, Fate, and the young girl, and we all headed to town as a group. Into the entrance of town, I passed by the scummy slave trader once more- however now he seemed less afraid. It didn’t matter, I simply ignored him and his sneering, as I headed to the alley. Just as I reached it, a group of vagrants appeared. 

“It’s good to see you!” One of them said, 

“It’s good to see you as well,” Mael responded, before beginning to speak. 

“On behalf of this young man here, I wish to offer you something,” Mael continued.

“What is this offer?” The man asked.

“We have a lodge, and it has plenty of room. We are willing to take in the homeless, however they are going to be expected to work,” She continued. 

“Food?” One of the vagrants piped up.

“Comes as part of the deal. Food, medicine, shelter, the works. I can vouch for it,” Mael said.

The vagrants discussed amongst themselves for a bit, before turning around. 

“... You’ve done a lot for us, young lad, and Mael is a good friend of ours. We’ll take you up on this offer, where is this lodge?” The man in front said.

I nodded, and Mael smiled.

“Follow us, the young lad here has to pick up a few things and will meet us there,” Mael said, turning around, heading toward the boarding house. 

I continued, heading toward the general store. A glint of eyes from the shadows, skeevy and slimy, from under the gutter. I noticed, but concealed my knowledge of it, I felt as though I recognized the eyes. I continued into the store. “Here to pick up the order?” The general store owner said. I nodded, and he lifted up a large sack onto the counter. “Here you are,” He said. I grabbed it, lifting it onto my back. “I like you, kid. Keep up the good work, I'm rooting for ya!” The man said, I smiled, giving a beleaguered thumbs up as I pressed onward, out of the store. 

Headed out of town, up the path and toward the boarding house, I entered onto a dirt trail that went off the normal path. Continuing up it, I found myself at the boarding house, now in prime condition, the overgrowth more of a statement rather than a detriment. I smirked, and walked in, Mael and the vagrants gathered around the small fireplace in the entryway. 

“You’re back!” Fate shouted, jumping at me, grabbing me in a hug. 

I placed the bag down, and patted his head, as he smiled, and I looked up at Mael. She smiled, and I gave her a scroll of parchment from under my shirt. She turned to the vagrants, and began to speak.

“I, a citizen of the Veinn domain, hereby declare that I will work for- Elgritch Veinn, in the work of; Disposal of monsters, vermin, and other harmful entities. The recovery of lost cattle, farmland, and materials. In payment for this service I will be fed, clothed, and sheltered, and will be given training in both the art of combat and literacy. Once you have established yourself as a member, you will begin getting payment on a contract per contract basis. Please sign here,” She said, before laying the parchment down onto a table nearby, and presenting an inkwell and feather pen. 

The vagrants looked at each other for a moment. “Don’t feel pressured. It is wholly your decision, and there will be no bad blood if you say no,” Mael continued, smiling. 

They looked on for a moment, lost in thought. And then, the man who had spoken up before stepped forward. “Yeah, I will!” He said, jovially, signing his name crudely onto the contract. Soon after, many others stepped forward, signing their names, until all of the fifteen vagrants had done so. 

I smiled gleefully, and opened the sack. Inside, I fetched sets of clothes, and handed them to each of the vagrants. “The washroom is off to the left, there is soap, clean towels, and fresh water to clean yourself, and it is big enough for a few people at a time. Once you’re cleaned, get dressed, and the young sir here will take a look at your physical conditions. After that, you’ll get designated a room, and food will be served at the strike of evening, be sure to be in the dining hall,” Mael said, before rolling up the parchment, and handing it to me. 

I stuck it back under my shirt, and continued onward, going down a set of stairs to the basement. There, I dropped off the bag, and then headed right back up to the first floor, and seated myself. After about an hour, all the vagrants had cleaned up, and had gotten dressed in the regular clothes I had gotten them, and I went about checking them for injury. Some small cuts, bruises, a few infected spots here or there, nothing my healing magic couldn’t take care of. After they all had been checked out, I alongside Mael designated them each rooms, where they would bunk with two others, which they all seemed more then happy with. 

After that, with Fate and the young girl in tow, I left Mael there in charge, as we headed back off to the manor. 

A month later, and everything was running smoothly. Having gathered some swords, and basic leather armor with the last of our savings, I began physically training the vagrants. Everyday, at early hour, just before the sun rose, we ran fifteen miles, all the way to the manor, and all the way back, twice. Most were exhausted, but there was nearly no reprieve. We then went about sword swings, swinging the swords while still in there scabbards to increase endurance. After that, we went to breakfast, which Mael cooked perfectly. Then, we practiced literacy for nearly an hour, which most seemed to pick up on easily. After that, we went back out, and did two hundred sets of push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, and other exercises for the rest of the day. Sword swings were included. 

By the middle of the month, they had become hardened, and although it was still rough, they had acclimated. And so I began the sword lessons. I was by no means a master of the sword, nor a teacher, but I had killed before. That, and I had been practicing with a sword for nearly all my life, so I had more experience then them, if only by technicality. They didn’t care though, they were exhausted, as I taught them move, after move, after move. Then we moved onto brawling, where they paired up, and began brawling with each other. I taught them basic moves, so that they could adapt and switch it up on the go, for different targets. 

They took to it well, and the tough training alongside Mael’s motherly nature seemed to bond them under a form of camaraderie. By the end of the month, all the savings I had sunk into it seemed to bear fruit. Our first contract. By way of a job board, we learned that a local farmer had several cattle stolen by goblins, and he suspected them to be responsible for many attacks on the road into Veinn. We took it, and as a group of fifteen, armed and trained folk, we headed off. Leading the expedition, we met with the farmer, who saw us as quite a shock. But he accepted our help nonetheless. He explained that the goblins had set off west, and after finding some tracks, we set off into the woods ourselves. 

We found ourselves at the foot of a hill, descending onto the mouth of a cave. Just outside of it, a gang of goblins, green and hairy, menacing in features, sat around the burning remains of a cow. I sent four around to flank, and the rest of us descended on them from various points in the trees. Surprised, the four goblins were no match, and even when they had gathered to defend, they had not expected a flanking maneuver, and not a scratch was laid on us. 

From there, we spent the night prepping. We stationed guards for any incoming goblin patrols, stationed to ambush at the sight of trouble. A few others got rid of the corpses by carefully burning them in a small pit. The rest of us lit torches, and descended into the cave, slowly and in defensive order. Our preparedness and carefulness awarded us victory that day, as we found ourselves in combat with over twenty goblins. They outnumbered us greatly, and they were armed to the teeth, but we managed to secure victory through sheer gumption and wit. 

Unable to order the men around, a man by the name of Johan rose quickly as the leader. He barked orders fast, hard, and full of information without wordiness, and due to his quick thinking and tact, the group spread out and gathered in various formations. Blood was shed that day, and without my healing skill, many would have died. But we slaughtered them, and found ourselves in the possession of several cows, alongside bags full of loot from the goblin horde. 

Exiting the cave, we found our ambush party to have secured a few kills, and recovered another cow from a patrol. We stationed ourselves in defensive positions, as a few were sent in to collect the corpses, as we amassed a pit full of dead goblins, which we promptly burned. 

Around evening, we returned to the farm with the cows in hand, and plenty of loot to our name. The farmer thanked us, and gave me the payment of some 10 silver coins, which would be enough for now. We returned to the boarding house, and the crew got together to eat a meal courtesy of Mael. I stayed behind in the basement, going through the loot, of which there was plenty. Nearly a hundred gold coins, on top of jewelry and gemstones which could be more than valuable in and of themselves. I tied the coins and gems up into a pouch, and the rest of the miscellaneous loot which included armors and weapons were left stowed away in the basement. 

I thanked the crew, and Mael, and headed off toward the manor as the sun set below the trees. Arriving, I walked in to the entryway to see Fate and the young girl playing candidly with my siblings. They seemed happy, and although not talkative, their expressions showed that of joy and calm. Fate seemed the most happy to see me return, grabbing me in a hug as soon as he noticed my presence. I patted his back, and as he released me I kneeled down to their level. I gently patted my siblings heads, and the young girls, before waving the butler over. 

“Yes sire?” He asked, calmly. I lifted my small journal from my pocket, and quickly wrote down some instructions. I passed the note to him.

“Ah yes, children, I need you to accompany me,” He said, turning to them. The children gathered around, and they all set off toward the dining hall. I smiled slightly, not enough to be seen, and set off toward the kitchen. 

Once there, I lit the stove, and using small amounts of meat, bread, cheese, fruits and vegetables prepared a meal of toasted bread, sliced cheese, and porkchops. My cooking talent wasn’t near as good as that of the chefs who had cooked for me most of my life, but I knew enough to ensure it was edible. Prepared, I loaded them onto a cart, and met with the maid outside of the dining hall, and readjusted my shirt. She nodded, and I entered, seating myself. 

Soon after, the maid entered with the cart, and served the meals to me and the children, before taking her leave. That night would no doubt be the first actual family meal I had had in this new world. The children laughed, chatted, and ate greedily, as I watched with nothing but as comforting a smile as I could muster. They seemed content with this, and as we finished our food, we all journeyed off to our rooms, my siblings accompanying me to my room in the study. 

The moonlight shone brightly, yet softly through the large study window, as I sat on the bed, a book in hand, my siblings awaiting another story like the night prior. As I gently used my magic to visualize the story, my siblings gently drifted to sleep, smiling all the while. The twins were now asleep and comfortable. I stood up carefully, so as not to rouse them. I closed the book with my hand, clapping it together quietly, and gently walked to the window. Peering out down onto the garden, I couldn’t help but feel something. A sense of… Happiness. Something familiar, yet unknown. But what does it matter? I thought to myself, simply relieved for things to be going well at all. 

The next morning, I awoke, and the twins were still fast asleep. The cold had come in the night, secretly, and the soon to be frost of winter was setting in. I shivered a bit, but bit my lip as to not make noise. I quietly got dressed, and holstered my scabbards, before throwing on an extra coat and pair of gloves to be sure. I glanced at the twins, before smiling gently, and turning and exiting out into the manor. I passed by the room Fate and the young girl were sleeping in, and gently took a peek, to see them calmly resting, Fate whimpering in his sleep. I quietly approached, and placed my hand on his head. A faint, slight green glow appeared, traveling down to his head, and the whimpering faded, replaced with that of a smile. 

I turned and took my leave, heading out of the room, and then out of the manor itself. 

This would be how the next two weeks of my life were spent, simply getting up in the morning, grabbing a piece of bread, and heading out to the boarding house. I would then check with Mael about the status of our crew, and then head to town as they rested. As not many would be out at that hour, I took my time overlooking the board, carefully selecting a few jobs, which would always invariably have us battling goblins, orcs, and sometimes even kobolds. Our reputation grew quickly in the town, as farmers and villages began to actively seek us out rather than post jobs, getting us quicker work. The loot we had gotten from the goblin horde was no doubt the most we would ever get that way, as most goblin tribes, orc clans, and kobold groups didn’t carry coin at all. It didn’t matter though, the coin we got from doing the work was generous enough as it was. 

Mael even sewed together some patches, with an insignia on them, and lettering. A sword, crossing a rapier, and the words ‘Veinn Protects’ on it. Each of the crew, Johan included, took the patches and sewed them onto their clothes with pride, much to my shock. As the winter months began in earnest, I made an effort for me and the crew to actively partake in the community. Whenever we weren’t training or on a job we’d either be relaxing at the boarding house, manor, or in town helping other vagrants get on their feet. Using Mael, Johan, and Fate as mouth pieces I’d even held a public rally against slavery, just to piss off the slave trader. 

Johan and Mael seemed equally pleased with the reaction of the slave trader, his sneers and wicked expressions anointing them with happiness. Fate didn’t seem to understand, and that was okay. 

I awoke in mid december, or the equivalent in this world, and went about my routine. I dressed myself, armed myself, nabbed a piece of bread and headed out the door. Straight to the boarding house, I helped Mael with making breakfast before turning to head out to town. Entering off the path, I walked toward town square, and decided i’d check out the job board. Out of the shadows, the slave trader approached me, a wretched sneer across his face. 

“This one!” He shouted, pointing at me. I looked at him perplexed for a moment, before the sound of horses caught my attention. I whipped around, and lo and behold a group of four knights, all horseback, the insignia of Duke Halberd on them. The leader opened his helmet, a grin on his scarred face, and began to speak.

If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

“Elgritch Veinn, I hereby arrest you on four counts of disrupting the peace, and you are to face summary trial and execution,” He said, pointing his blade at me. Other townsfolk, having heard the commotion, walked out of their homes, and we're watching on with awe. Many cowered in fear. Being afraid of Duke Halberd wasn’t uncommon, the skeevy lecher of a man was known for his wicked and corrupt ways. I didn’t care though, he was simply another obstacle.

I unsheathed my blades quickly, a rapier in one hand, and a short sword in the other. I lurched back, landing in a slight crouch, and as the men readied for a blow, I shot at the leader with as much speed as I could muster, sending my rapier into his hand,piercing it. 

As he gripped at it in pain, I spun, and slashed my short sword at another knight, sending him off his horse. Now in between the knights, I proceeded to lurch on top of one, stabbing him through a small exposed section of himself through the armor, before lurching to the next. As I hopped down from the second stabbed knight, they scattered, and the leader  had fallen off of his horse in the scuffle. He stood up, and grabbed his blade, preparing for a fight. 

With the most wretched expression of anger I had ever seen, he charged, and with as much elegance, speed, and movement I could place into a single dash, I sliced through his exposed wasteline, and cut his hand off. He fell to his knees, screaming. His helmet having fallen off, I walked behind him, and with a swift slice of the rapier, slit his throat. The other knight on horseback charged me, as I barely had time to raise my short sword in defense. 

I slid back on the ground, as he prepared another charge. I rose from my state quickly, and charged right back, leaping into the air at the last second. A single slash across the throat, which had become exposed, and the man fell off his horse, dead. I sheathed my blades, and walked back to the job board, as nonchalantly as I could. The slave trader suddenly appeared, and with a solid punch, I fell to the ground, my nose bleeding. He cackled, looking down at me. I lifted myself up, and wiped my nose, before drawing my fist back and slamming him directly in the face as hard as I could, knocking him down, and unconscious. 

I looked around, and people who had been cowering before looked at me with glee. Many began to cheer. Not expecting this, I began to laugh nervously, before Johan and the crew arrived in the town square, accompanied by a townie, armed and angry. :Boss!?” Johan said. 

I nodded, and gestured to the corpses of the knights. “Thank goodness!” Johan continued. As I began to write down in my journal instructions for the crew to get rid of the corpses, claim the armor and horses, the townsfolk began to gather around the general store owner. Johan nodded as I handed him the list with instructions, and he quickly began barking orders at the crew, to which they moved out in an orderly fashion, collecting the corpses. 

“May not look like it, but I used to be a horse rider. Sure I'm probably rusty, but I know the basics. Would you like to learn how boss?” Johan said, standing next to me. I nodded yes. 

“Alright! We’ve got plenty of horses now, and they look quality,” Johan continued, jovially inspecting a horse one of the crew had brought over. 

And suddenly, the group of some forty odd townsfolk approached. The general store owner leading them, he stepped out in front of them, and began to speak. 

“Lord Veinn,” He said, before kneeling down in a respectful pose.

“We as the residents of the Veinn territory wish to have you as our leader. You heal us when we are sick. You give jobs to the needy. You help those who need it most. You protect us, and care for us. You have no doubt more capability than your father, or Duke Halberd, and we wish for you to lead us,” He said, before looking up at me. I quickly scrawled on my journal, before turning it to him, it reading ‘YES’. He looked up with glee, happiness, and joy, before standing and turning to the crowd. “He says yes!” 

That month became the most busy month I had had on record. With my new title, I quickly began to delegate. Lord Halberd most likely wouldn’t receive the news until the month after, and even then his most likely decision would be to simply lead a regiment of knights to attack us. It didn't matter to me though. I ordered the establishment of a town workforce, and with the taxes no longer going to Halberd but to me, and my stockpile of funds from our work, I was able to purchase a bulk of construction material. I hired an architect, and began the construction. Many vagrants found themselves under our employ, and we began improving the town. All dirt roads were paved with stone, a sewer system was installed, and we constructed large stone walls on the edges of town. 

We cleared out large swaths of forest, and using my healing magic alongside soil purchased from traders from the east, we began recovering the land into usable farmland. I quickly began selling the land cheaply, and invited many farmers to both expand their farmsteads or new farmers to open new farmsteads. Of course, due to the season, these benefits wouldn’t come in until the new season, but they would be beneficial. Many farmers chose to buy in and increase their farmsteads as to increase production by the end of next year. This also increased jobs because they needed hands to help with the new land.

I personally purchased two dozen cattle, and leased them to the farms cheaply, and then moved on to inner town improvements. I lowered the tax rate slightly, and began the construction of another pathway through the mountains to Duke Fargoths domain, to open trade with them. I nationalized my crew into a defense force against monsters. Using materials and labor I expanded the boarding house into several, converting them into a barracks. I promoted Johan to captain, and gave Mael the authority as cook and caretaker of the barracks. I also inducted fifteen more to the crew, who I now designated the Veinn Guard, and put Johan in charge of training them. 

With the swaths of paperwork that come from this, I was sheltered into my study office for nearly a week on end, and found myself being pestered by both Fate and my siblings constantly. As much as that sounds bad, I found it to be more invigorating then annoying, as each time they came to see me I felt another wave of courage wash over me, as I had something to protect. 

After the paperwork, came the hard part. 

Within the Veinn territory, many slave companies had thrived. In the seedy parts of town, in the woods, and in caves around the mountains, the slave companies captured the vulnerable and sold them at the highest bitter for mostly Noblemen to use for any purpose. Carnal desire, sadistic want, experimentation, labor, anything really. Suffice to say I alongside most in my company had more than a little hatred against slavers, but there was little I was able to do before my lordship, as they were a legitimate business. But now, I could do something.

In a public decree, I outlawed slavery within the Veinn domain. I declared through Johan that all slavers, slave owners, and others would be sentenced to either execution or exile. Of course, many scrambled to escape, but it was far too late. My guard had already been split and stationed alongside various slaver establishments within our domain, and as soon as the decree was made, they were captured violently, and rounded up. By the end of the week, we had collected all the slavers and tied them up in the town square. 

Many had a bone to pick with the slavers, as they were responsible for Veinn’s bad reputation, and many had lost family and friends to them. They were all publicly executed. 

I personally greeted, sealed, and clothed all of the slaves at my manor, where most seemed drawn back and reserved. Now free, I offered them to either join the guard, my public labor office, or find work elsewhere, and gave each two gold coins as compensation. Of the sixty slaves rescued, twenty joined the guard, ten joined the labor force, and five found themselves joining my manor staff. The rest went into town, and found employment somewhere else. 

With all of that resolved, I spent an entire day relaxing. I enjoyed the company of my siblings, Fate, and the young girl. They played about in the garden whilst the butler and I watched on in relaxation, seated in the study, watching out through the large window. I sipped a small cup of tea, whilst the butler sat sipping a small cup of coffee.

"That girl... Sire, something is odd about her. She has this ability to just... Vanish, go unnoticed by anyone. It's peculiar. Do you have any clue as to what that might be?" The butler asked, calmly. I simply shrugged my shoulders, unsure myself. 

I finished my tea, and saw myself out to go into town. It looked a lot brighter, even despite the snow, and townsfolk happily greeted me, while some dressed in nice work clothes toiled away on the alleys, cleaning them and repairing them. Dilapidated homes now repaired, occupied, and clean. Storefronts now open with products, sales persons, and customers. Farmers going in and out of town to trade produce. Thriving was the best word to describe it, in spite of the cold. 

Johan suddenly walked by from the path, a group of ten guardsmen just behind  him, following in marching order. They all stopped, and bowed. I gently raised my hand with a warm smile, and they all stood back up. “Sire, what might you be doing in town on this fine day?” Johan asked.

I shrugged my shoulders, and half-hazardly gestured toward the town itself. 

“It is nice to bask in the winter hours sometimes, and it is certainly thriving now, thanks to you sire.” Johan said, before bowing, and marching off toward a path out of town, paved and new. The path toward Duke Fargoths domain was constructed in record time, however goblin attacks on construction rest sites were growing ever more frequent. I suspected Johan was scouting out the forest with a contingent, as I had requested he handle the situation for me. 

I walked a bit down the path to Duke Halberds domain, as it crested onto a hill which peered off into the territory. Across the plains, the forests, and the villages a city sat nestled on top of a hill, sprawling, and a single keep toward the edge of the city, covered in a thick miasma of purplish color. It sickened me just looking at it. Noblemen could use magic, and Duke Halberd was no exception. Depending on its usage, it can change color, typically darker colors indicate nefarious use, and lighter colors indicate generous use. But over the years, it appeared as though Duke Halberds isolated position as well as general power within the kingdom made it so not a soul cared about the haze. But that would soon change. Whenever Duke Halberd attacked it would no doubt be fast, and hard. He was the type to believe he is supreme, so we can adjust for egotism, and ambush him easily. But he wouldn’t go himself, no, he would just send some forces to handle it. So he would be back, and each time, he would be more prepared than the last.

So we have to make a stand, and build up so we can attack him directly. 

As I stood there, lost in thought, a sudden movement from the trees. I cocked my head, and reached for my swords, when she appeared. Somehow unnoticed, this woman in ragged religious garments walked toward me. “Savior…” She said, as I stepped backward a bit. 

“You are our savior, yes?” She continued, pressing her hands into her chest, looking on with soft eyes. I simply stared on without flinching, my hand on my rapier.

“You don’t have to say anything… Just a nod… Or a movement…” She said, long and drawn out. I shook my head no, and stepped back another bit.

“No?... But aren’t you the lord of Veinn?....” She said. I nodded yes, and gripped my rapier tightly. 

“So you are… Can I seek asylum in Veinn?” She asked. I nodded my head yes, cautiously.

With an elated expression, she waved her hands out, and from the trees groups of men, women, children of all races appeared in rags. 

“Thank you… Savior…” She said, the ragged folk gathering around her.

“I am bishop Attain, from lands west aways. Our… Beliefs are persecuted in most places…” She said, smiling.

“We believe in the power of magic, and that it dwells within all of us. Do you have an issue with that belief?” She asked. I shook my head no, and released my grip on my rapier. I quickly took my journal out, and scrawled down the location of an abandoned church in town. 

“...!?” With a shocked expression, Attain shed a few tears, before wiping them away. 

“You really are our savior, lord Veinn,” Attain said, before continuing off toward the abandoned church, the ragged group in tow. Bizarre as that was, I had important business to attend to, so I set off back for the boarding house. Through the town square, up the now paved pathway through straight to the boarding house. In place of the measly boarding house that stood before, a swath of land had been cleared out, and two other near identical boarding houses had been erected nearby to the first. Archery targets sat between them, and a storehouse off to the left had horses housed in makeshift stables just in front of it. 

Mael stepped outside, a wash bin in her hands, a smile drew across her face as she silently hummed to herself. The sounds of guardsmen training behind the boarding house in the training grounds echoed out toward me. “Sire!” Mael said, walking toward the storehouse. 

“What might you… Oh yes you needed a horse didn’t you. You mentioned that yesterday, go ahead, they are already saddled up. But before you go, I think some of the recruits might need some encouragement, if you don’t mind that is,” Mael said, tilting her head a bit with a smile. I nodded, and headed off behind the boarding house, and found a group of some odd thirty men and women in guardsmen clothes swinging heavy metal sticks in the vague, blunted shape of swords over and over again. 

Others were brawling, practicing punches, lunges, kicks, and ramming maneuvers. They all stopped dead in their tracks as I approached, and gathered around me. “Sire?” Many asked in unison. I gently raised my hand, and let a gleam of healing magic flow onto them, healing the injured and clearing the fatigue of the weary. With a warm smile, and a big thumbs up, I took my leave, as they hurriedly and excitedly got back to training, invigorated. 

I hopped onto a horse, and with a swing of the handle, I set off toward town. 

My plan was rather simple, I needed to make it a ways down the path opposite of the path to Duke Halberd's territory, and head into the mountains. My reading had told me of an ancient myth, one which if true, could turn the tide in our favor. Supposedly, amongst the ruins of an ancient mountain race known as the Dafeasl, there was an artifact which could transpose the users thoughts into words and echo them for all to hear. Not necessarily the most valuable, hence why there was not a booming treasure hunting business in Veinn, but for a mute person like myself, it would be invaluable. 

Supposedly it was a brooch, which when worn gave the effects. Thankfully, some of my men in the guards had stumbled across a man made cave entrance a while ago, which had Dafeasl markings on it. Most likely, this was where the brooch was, and, I needed to collect it on my own time, by myself. It would be my ace, as Duke Halberd was no doubt aware of my condition. I knew well that if not Halberts, somebody had certainly planted spies within the ranks of my men or townsfolk already. 

I made haste through the woods, past the farms, and eventually onto an unmarked path just south of one of the larger farmsteads. In the woods, at midday, I halted my horse. Quickly tying him to a tree with a lead that had been hoisted on his saddle, I walked off toward where the men had said the cave was. And after just a few minutes of walking through the brush and brambles, lo and behold there it was. Two large, ancient seeming pillars jutted out of the ground near it, the overgrowth on them nearly making them appear as trees. Stone pathing, partially buried beneath dirt and overgrowth sat beneath the cave entrance, and I pushed inward. Pulling a torch from my belt, and lighting it quickly with the strike of a flint, I pressed into the darkness of the cave, runic Dafeasl covering the walls in almost mad ravings. 

I was no linguist, but records indicate that the dialect used primarily in Duke Halbert and the Veinn territories are partially descended from the Dafeasl tongue, so I could make out a rough outline of the words. Mostly it read ‘RUN’ and ‘GET OUT’. I wasn’t deterred, and pressed on. Almost immediately, the winding tunnels and dips in elevation became noticeable, and the ruined pillars, stone, and structures showed that the movement of tectonic plates over time had done a number on the ruin. It would be a miracle if anything of value survived, much less the brooch. After nearly an hour of scaling, walking, climbing, and more walking I arrived from the cave into a large cavern. Almost as if this small section of the mountain had at one time been hollowed out, and a hole near the roof let light pour in. The town sized cavern clearly went down at least a hundred feet. I swallowed my fear, and pressed on. Just beyond the exit into the cavern, a small stone bridge, clearly once part of a larger floor crossed onto the only remaining building, a single, quaint stone construct atop a pillar of stone. 

Using a nearby rock, I was able to test the stability of the pathway. It shook, but not by much, and a bit of prodding showed that it could handle my weight, but just my own. I carefully tip toed my way across, eventually arriving at the stone construct. A large, foreboding doorway sat between me an entering it. As I went to enter, my foot passing through the door, I felt a shiver run down my spine. I continued anyway, and in the center of what must have once been a library stood a podium. Atop it, the brooch. Covered in dust, carved from a jade gemstone and plied with iron, shaped with ornate spirals, patterns, shapes, and runic symbols. 

As I touched it, it began to glow, and I quickly attached it to my shirt collar, and it begins to glow a small amount, and I feel an invigoration. I go to speak, opening my mouth, and think,

‘...Hello?’ Silence. And then, suddenly, from the brooch, an echo

“Hello?” 

I tear up a little, and quickly wipe it away. But just as I go to leave, a voice from the darkness.

“Who are you who dares enter our domain?” The echoey, deep voice booms. 

“Who are you!?” I shout back, simply opening my mouth for formalities sake.

“I am the keeper of this sanctuary. You are an intruder. Why do you use the brooch to speak?” The voice booms.

“I am mute. Hence why I have sought out… What I can only presume is your brooch,” I reply. 

“Hm. Very well, that was its intended purpose after all. What is your name, young one?” The voice speaks, slightly warmer.

“I am Elgritch Veinn, and you are?” I say.

“I am Seftere, Elgritch,” The voice says, now coming from behind me. I turn, and out from the shadows, from behind a bookcase, a man appears. His face round and large, a scruffy beard, donning thick white robes. 

“How did you!?” I say, in shock.

“Hm~ It’s a trick of the trade. Speaking of,” He says, stroking his beard. He snaps his finger, and all of the sudden, as if having been a mirage, the rest of the floor appears in the cavern. Dozens of buildings, all similar to the one I entered appear, of different shape and size. Out of them, women, men, and children, all of a slightly smaller stature appear from the buildings, watching on in curiosity. 

“As you can see, we have deemed you worthy,” Seftere says.

“So I take it you are-” 

“Dafeasl, not quite extinct, eh?” Seftere says, cutting me off.

“We were a small settlement to begin with, we only produced brooches like that to help with hearing loss. A common defect amongst our peoples. But its been generations since the last Dafeasl who could craft one lived, even amongst us it is a lost art. In fact, that is the last of its kind,” Seftere says, smiling calmly.

“And we want you to have it. You are the only person to have come here for a purpose. A purpose other than to raid us for riches, and destroy our mark on the world. Thank you,” Seftere says, grasping my hand and shaking it in gratitude. “But…” I begin to speak, but am cut off.

“Could you do an old man and a dying race a favor?” Seftere asks.

“... I suppose,” I say. “We are always under attack from goblins, orcs, kobolds, and religious zealots who believe us to be spawns of evil. But those have died down recently, and we would like to know why, as it worries many of us greatly,” Seftere says. I raise my hand nervously, and my face curls in anxiety. 

“Erm… I may actually be responsible for that,” I reply, shakily. 

“!? How so?” Seftere asks.

“I am actually the lord of Veinn, the town near here. I’ve recently formed a group to fend off the monsters, and we’ve been making strides against them. We’ve racked up a kill tally in the hundreds already, although we haven’t reached the higher mountains where the tougher foes lie,” I say. With a pleased expression, Seftere scruffs his beard a bit more.

“Oh dear.... I don’t think a brooch is enough for your service, is there anything we could do for you?” Seftere asks, solemnly. 

“The Dafeasl are a race that according to historical texts were masters of construction, and all types of craft. Would you be willing to help me with expanding our construction capability?” I ask. “Hm… We aren’t as good as our ancestors, but their techniques have been passed down. I will discuss with my people, wait a moment,” Seftere says, before turning back and gathering a small crowd of denizens. They discuss quietly, in a huddle for a few minutes, before Seftere turns back to me. 

“We’ve come to a decision. We would be more than willing to do this, and we would like to ask something else of you,” Seftere says.

“Go ahead,” I reply. “... This cave is falling apart. That mirage that was made from my magic wasn’t half wrong, this city used to be much, much bigger. The thirty odd left of us… Are all that we know are left. Our farms are failing, and this winter is sure to be more harmful than most. Would you allow us to seek asylum in your domain?” Seftere asks, the crowd gathered a bit behind him.

After a moment of thinking, I reply swiftly.

“How about becoming my subjects?” I ask. Seftere looks shocked for a moment, before replying. “I… I think that would be perfectly fine. But would we even be accepted there?” Seftere asks.  “I’d imagine so. I carry a lot of weight there, and with you having helped me recover my voice, I’m sure they will be happy to accept you. Besides, the churches that persecute you hold no power in my domain, I can assure you of that,” I say. Beaming with light, Seftere and the other Dafeasl rejoice, swayed by my words. ‘

I set out from the ruin on horseback, brooch in my possession, with more than I had gone to acquire. As fast as I could, I arrived at the barracks and met with Johan, who had been in the midst of training several new members of the guard. I, still on horseback, began to speak.

“Johan,” I said. Johan looked up, my mouth not moving, in pure shock. 

“...Sire?” Johan said.

“Yes, I have acquired the Brooch of Voices. But that is of no matter now, we have guests to our domain coming, and they are in need of a place to stay. I am mobilizing the guard to clear out a section of forest likely occupied by monsters. Just off of the back road, near Hersae’s farmstead,” I said.

“... Yes of course sire,” Johan said, after a few moments of contemplation.

I quickly sped off, toward town. Arriving in town square, I carefully trotted my horse to a house just across from the general store, large and well taken care of. I stopped, and tied my horse to the fencepost, before walking up to the door. With a swift knock, a large, bulky man covered in tattoos answered.

“Boss?” He asked.

“No time to explain, gather the workforce. Head to the forest just south of Hersae’s farmstead,” I said. With a look of shock, the man quickly ran back inside, before coming back out dressed in overalls. With intense speed, he ran from house to house, knocking on doors and giving the run down to the other workers with intense speed. I quickly ran to the general store, and gave my order to the owner. He looked just as shocked as the rest, but rather than any hesitation, he simply walked me to a wagon outside the store and loaded it with the materials. Bags of sand, gravel, blocks of stone, wood planks, and a barrel of water. 

It wasn’t nearly enough to build the space likely needed for the Dafeasl, but we had some openings in town, this was going to have to be done in the beginning of construction. I explained to the owner to pass along to the lumber mill owner who frequented the shop to meet with me when he could. I paid my thanks, the coin owed, and then quickly attached the wagon to my horse before setting off toward the woods.

The next three days were hellish to say the least, I had made no prior preparation for a sudden influx of people. The slaves at least had homes that would take them in, as they were human, but the Dafeasl lived under totally foreign culture. Beyond that, they were despised by religious folk, as were many other races. With Halberd's invasion soon to be, I had neither the time nor the ability to ensure a slow and peaceful transition to co-existence with my subjects. So they would have to suffice with being slammed together into one large community at once. 

My laborers worked hard and fast, and we barely managed to acquire the material on time. Several Dafeasl even ended up pitching in as architects, which was a big help. By the evening of the third day, all of the Dafeasl moved into the small village we had constructed on the man-made clearing in the forest. We ensured the path to town was paved, a wall was constructed around the homes, and that there was room for the residents to store belongings. 

Seftere, beyond his magical inclination, turned out to be a genius architect, and I immediately appointed him as the Head of Development, and put him to work planning the town's expansion. I also imported several forges and smelters, which I leased to the Dafeasl at a good rate of a few swords, spears, and shields a month, materials comped for a year. They seemed beyond elated at the sight of forges, and were more than willing to take the leasing agreement. The path to Fargoths domain seemed to be our most helpful tool, and although trade through it was slim to none, we could at least send envoys to purchase goods directly. Duke Halberd was sure not to sell anything to us, he would more likely kidnap our envoy and torture him for information.

I sat outside the barracks, watching as Johan trained the fifty members of the guard, now equipped with chainmail, leather, and metal cufflinks with large, advanced swords, all of which had Dafeasl markings and unique design implements that made them several cuts above a basic sword. The Dafeasl had made well on the lease agreement ten fold already, as they seemed perfectly content to forge weapons, especially after I explained our tenuous political situation with Duke Halberd to Seftere. Johan and the other guardsmen were excited and proud of the new swords and armor, claiming them to be much better and more useful. 

Johan personally complimented the sword, which as he was shaping up to be a master swordsman in no time at all, was a valued compliment indeed. As I sat on the steps watching, I was contemplating all the while, about our tactics for victory. 

Halberd's knights that I had fought previously were untrained, weak, and pompous. But those were an envoy, most likely more akin to tax collectors than actual soldiers. I had no way to gather intel but to see the knights in action, and that was unlikely to happen until the battle itself. I thought long and hard on it, and eventually came to a rather simple solution.

The best defense is a good offense.

I hated that sickening man’s guts as it was. With my solution decided, I stood up, and went inside to find Mael. Catching her in the middle of sewing some damaged clothes, I began to speak. “Mael. Have any of the slaves that have joined the force lived in Halberds city?” I asked.

“Well… Yes I think a few have. Not really open about it, as I’m sure you imagine,” Mael said.

“Could you gather them for me?” I asked.

“Sure!” Mael responded, placing the clothes down and heading off outside. After a bit of shouting, Mael returned, pulling a young girl by the ear. “Now listen hear you troublemaker!” Mael said, angrily. “The lord wants to talk to you, I suggest you listen,” Mael continued.

The girl begrudgingly sat down across from me, and I placed my hands on the table, curled up inquisitively. “Guardsmen…” “Ava, my name is Ava, sire,” Ava said. 

“Good, well, I have a few questions regarding your time in Halberd’s domain, is that okay?” I asked. Ava’s eyes glanced blankly at me for a moment, glassy and foggy, before answering.

“What would you like to know about that hell-hole?” Ava said, stilted.

“Erm… If this brings back any bad memories, we don’t have-”

“It’s fine. Just ask, it doesn’t bother me any,” Ava said, interrupting me.

“Okay then… So, what is the city like? In as much detail as you can give, please,” I asked.

“It’s about as it seems from a distance. Literal hell on earth. Veinn may have a bad reputation as a place where vagrants and slavers gather, and while that isn’t true, it certainly applies to Halberd’s city, Taft. Taft is… Covered in an almost tangible hatred. Everyone there is violent, mean, and awful to one another. Nearly all the children are orphans… I was an orphan too. Slavers just pick kids and women up off the streets, giving them the appearance of being clean. Orphanages just sell kids to them, and Halberd even has a monopoly on the slave market himself. The mines to the west of Taft, and just directly north of here are filled with slave labor. Halberds own slave company runs it. A ‘mercy’, they call it. It’s a hellish place, worse than the city. They take orphaned kids, the sick, criminals, vagrants, and psychopaths and toss them into the mine with pickaxes and tell them to work until they drop. After that, you can imagine how much… awful things happen there. That… That… I-I can’t” Ava said, now sobbing. 

“It’s okay, that’s plenty of information. Thank you, Ava, you have been a great help,” I said.

“Okay…” Ava said, still sobbing. I carefully pat her head, with as warm a smile I can muster, before looking at Mael and mouthing to her, ‘Go easy on her,’. Mael nodded, and I stood up, heading out. 

I immediately hopped on my horse, and rode to town square. Catching Seftere, stood outside the newly constructed tavern, flirting with a local woman. 

“Now, I'm a builder. You know, I could build you a house, maybe we could get… I don’t know~” Seftere said, leant up against a fence post, clearly a bit tipsy.

“Why don’t you go build yourself a piss-off machine, and then we can talk,” The woman said.

I snickered a bit, as the woman walked away. Seftere, now noticing me, approached, as I got off of my horse. “At least it was an honest attempt, lad. Not like I see you making any moves eh?” Seftere said. “Too busy for love. Not like it would benefit me. Anyway, we need to hold a meeting at the manor soon, tonight. Can you be there?” I asked.

“I’ll be there. Want me to bring booze?” Seftere said.

“It’s not a party. Bring enough for yourself, if you want, but that’s your prerogative,” I said.

I turned around, and headed back to my horse. That’s when I noticed it. Just across from us, in between a few homes, a woman and man in robes of black and violet stood preaching, calmly and peacefully to passersby. Many of them stopped and listened, taking a pamphlet and continuing on. What in the world…. I thought to myself, heading toward them. As soon as I did, they stopped, and both turned to me. “Savior,” The man said.

“It is an honor,” The woman continued. 

“Are you…” 

“We are the Church of Almain, and you are the one who saved us when we needed it most. Thank you savior. Our bishop, Attain, has actually been meaning to see you. Would you be willing to visit our ordained temple?” They asked me. 

“I… I guess I don’t really have a choice, do I?” I said. They both just continued to warmly smile. 

I sighed, and turned back around, hopping on my horse and riding off toward the church I had granted to Attain when I had met her. 

This can only turn out… Actually I have no idea how this is going to turn out, I thought to myself.

Traveling from the town square, I arrived at what had previously been an abandoned, small church on the outskirts of town. Now stood a large temple, constructed of wood and stone, marked with runic symbols and wood carvings of spirals and masks. 

Standing outside, preaching to an audience of churchgoers which consisted of men in robes and regular townsfolk, Attain. Approaching from a distance, and getting off of my horse, I slinked around the crowd and to the side of the church itself, near Attain. As she finished what I could have only presumed to be a sermon, I walked to her, mentally preparing myself for… whatever this was. “Savior… So you have come. I wish to ask of you to convert to Almain, if you would be so kind,” Attain asked, her hands clasped in a permanent pose of prayer.

“Er… I’m for secularism, thanks,” I replied.

“Secularism?” Attain asked.

“All religions are accepted,” I said.

“Oh no- heavens no, I don’t mean for you to adopt the religion as our lord, but rather as yourself, as our savior,” Attain said, quickly, and nervously. 

“Oh… What is the doctrine of this-”

“We worship magic. Not the people who use it, or those who scorn it, but magic itself. We believe that magic is in and of itself a deity, and that it flows through everything. From time, to fate, to the fabric of reality itself. We don’t really pray, and people don’t have to follow a set code of rules beyond just doing what they feel is best. Magic comes to those it goes to for fate to be set correctly, no matter what,” Attain said, interrupting me.

“That sounds pretty reasonable. Not saying I believe it, but why would you guys be persecuted over such simple beliefs?” I asked.

“~ It’s simple really, those above in power believe magic is a right granted to them. They have a desire to be better than others, and thus, magic is only for certain people in their eyes. We disagree, and when Almain was more common, we often clashed with local governments, nobles and kings who thought us instigators for rebellion,” Attain said.

“... How popular would you say Almain is in Veinn at the moment?” I asked.

“We have reached out to the community, and the community has reached back. They think of us as traveling scholars, and many have joined us seeking enlightenment. We have offered education to the young, and healing to the sick, and knowledge to those who seek it. We have had twenty join our ranks as Journeymen as of our arrival here, in Veinn,” Attain said. 

Shit. Well if I wasn’t a thorn in the side of the ruling class, I sure am now… I thought to myself. 

“Well, I'm going all in, I suppose. Yeah, I’ll join the church of Almain. Just… It can’t get in the way of my duties, you got that? Oh and erm, I grant you the right to preach in town. Not on private property, and no more than four of you guys can preach at a time, so as to keep the peace. I’ll write up a document for it later,” I said. Attain began to tear up again, before muttering thank you, and running off inside the temple.

What a weird girl… I thought to myself. I set back off, the communion of worshippers having scattered inside and out of the temple.I hopped back on my horse and headed back to town, and from town to the guardsmen barracks. Stopping just outside, the men and women, now fewer, more elite, training with sword and shield, all loaded down with heavy stones and weights. Instructing them was Johan. “Johan,” I shouted.

“Yes sire?” Johan said, walking to me.

“I plan to hold a meeting at the manor tonight, you are to attend,” I said, to which he nodded.

“I’ll be there,” Johan said.

“Good.” I said, turning around and taking off back to the manor. I had much in the way of preparation to make. 

For the next hour, I spent time with Fate and my siblings. They had been excited to see me speak, none more happy than Fate. The young girl also seemed happy, although she had become more reserved in recent days. We played and chatted, I told a few stories, and Hersae stopped by with produce and goods I had ordered from his farm. I thanked him, paid, and then helped my butler and maid stow them away in storage. 

From there, I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening preparing parchment, and writing decrees. Firstly was the license to preach for Attain and her communion, and then several business permits requested by Dafeasl citizens. A few requests for swords and armor, and a manifest for food, water, and large quantities of construction material to be sent to Fargoths domain. Secondly, I traced several maps of the Halberd domain, to the north of us, and west of the city of Taft. I then planned out a path of conquest, and then supply lines, fort placement, and defensive infrastructure for Seftere to work on for the town. 

After that was all prepared, I used my remaining time to draw up some basic posters requesting volunteers for the guardsmen. After that, Seftere, Johan, and Attain showed up, although she I suspected showed up for the decree, she ended up staying for the meeting. 

We gathered around my table in the study, and discussed amongst ourselves. I explained my feelings about Halberd, to which they all agreed, Seftere especially after I divulged what Ava had told me about his domain. Johan agreed, describing his time as a horse trainer on the border of Halberd and Fargoths domains, where they often faced persecution by guards who patrolled the border. Attain was most affected by the story, sobbing quite a bit after my telling of it. I then brought out the maps, and explained my solution to this ever growing anticipation for Halberds invasion.

The best defense is a good offense. 

For the next week, we would ramp up guardsmen recruitment, and stage several raids on higher level goblin, kobold, and orc camps. Once dispatched, the guardsmen would be repositioned, a scouting party would advance to the mine to the west, where they would survey the Halberd Domain defenses under the guise of traveling scholars. From there, we would invade his territory, and form a defensive line around the mine, and the surrounding village of Gern. 

Thankfully, the mine's proximity to Veinn made it an easy target, as once encircled, we would ambush the mine in the night, and take it for ourselves. Once that was done, Halberd would have no choice but to mount a defense. While he mustered his forces, we would scramble together a construction force, and build forts, outposts, and pave roads throughout the taken territory, as to enhance our defensive capability. 

Johan made a few adjustments, and concluded that a force of two hundred would be required to take and hold the territory. Our measly 75 guardsmen didn’t scratch enough, and the domain's population sat at a mere 1,500. My plan nearly had to be scrapped, but an adjustment was made, and I decided what would be done. 

The next morning, after the meeting, Johan rallied together a small force, and with some purchased horses (20) a group of guardsmen, elite, set off. I began setting up the posters, and alongside a public rally which I held personally alongside Mael and, asked for help from the populace. Almost immediately, we had 150 volunteers. I quickly set about expanding the barracks, setting Seftere to it, and by the end of the week we had tripled the size of the barracks, and had a constant stream of equipment coming in from the blacksmiths at the Dafeasl village. Supplies and foodstuffs came in through caravans from Fargoths domain, and this seemingly perked ears from traders, and almost by the beginning of the next week did we get an influx of travelers. 

Seeing this as a prime opportunity, I led the clearing of a large section of forest, and the restoration of its soil, as winter slowly came to an end. I began selling parts of the cleared area to potential homesteaders, and invited several trading companies to open forestry and lumber mills in the area, citing the lack of seen monsters in recent months. Only one, a small company named Fort Hogarth's Lumber, who had been beaten out by competition in Fargoths domain, accepted the offer. 

After negotiating the deals, Johan and the scouts returned, having mapped out and successfully gathered enough intelligence for our operations to commence. I put Johan in charge of the army once more, and with around 300 guardsmen (some more joined after the rally), I personally declared in a public speech our intent to move against Duke Halberd. Cheers and celebration came from the crowd, as a send off feast for the soldiers was held, funded out of pocket by me. Knowing I would be needed, I placed Seftere and Mael in joint charge of the town in my absence, requiring both of their signatures for emergency acts such as construction, and decrees. 

The first morning of spring, armed with Dafeasl weaponry which could only be called advanced, some on horseback, others on foot, and trained to the teeth, we set off through Duke Halberds territory. We split off into different groups, with caravans of construction workers and materials behind us. We sprouted off into smaller groups, establishing forts and outposts across the plains. Leading the main force, we crossed through the village of Gern, and fought the garrison. The small garrison of fifteen was no match for our now, albeit smaller but still large force of 230. In recompense for the bloodshed, we imprisoned the surrendering soldiers, and sent them back to Veinn with a small detachment. I also personally healed the sick and wounded inside the village, and gave the villagers each two gold pieces from my pocket to serve them well. 

I left a garrison of 35 men at the village, followed by the arguably largest construction caravan, who turned the small village into a small fortress town. 

Leading the remainder of the forces, we circled around the territory, hitting the mountain range to our west, establishing roads, forts, and outposts on the edge of our path as we went. With the last majority of our forces, 75 guardsmen, we traveled south toward the mine. It was a treacherous journey, filled with random monster attacks, disease, and somberness among our troops. My healing magic came in handy, helping those who didn’t travel well, or had caught an illness from an insect or plant. Two and a half days after our invasion of Duke Halberds territory, we had finally arrived at the mine, and in the midst of the evening, we ambushed them from all sides. 

It was a difficult fight, as the guards that although scum, were highly trained. Even a few of them seemed to be elite knights, but our overall choice of quality over quantity of soldiers, and the lack of an organized resistance led to our victory. 

Losses (Halberd): 35 Dead. 20 Imprisoned. 5 Neutral Casualties.

Losses (Veinn): 20 Dead. N/A. N/A

Veinn Victory.

It was a long night, that one. Spent burying the dead, both ours and theirs. Many of the slaves who we resuced volunteered to help, and we appreciated it greatly. I passed out sometime around midnight, after an exhausting and grueling night of healing the sick and injured, both slaves and soldiers. I personally, as lord of Veinn, pardoned all the criminals of their crimes, and released them all into freedom. I invited many of them to stay in Veinn, especially the children, and offered to send a detachment to lead them to town. Many accepted, but many of the criminals simply took the freedom and ran. I didn’t bother to stop them, maybe they would stir up trouble in Taft and further hurt Halberd’s image. 

With the mine empty, we took our spoils of war, and I sent a small detachment of soldiers to take the loot and now freed slaves who wished to back to Veinn. I alongside the rest of the soldiers woke up the next morning, ate some food courtesy of Johan and a few soldiers who helped him make it, and then packed up and set off for the border. Arriving, we linked up with the new forces. 

Yes, that's right, the new forces. Apparently uncommon in these times, many countries simply chose to use the forces they brought to the war, never making any more to replenish the stock during the conflict. I chose to go against the norm, and while I set off with the trained force I had, the other a hundred or so who had volunteered continued to train. Linking up with them, now having been trained to a likeable status, we rod out toward Gern. 

Arriving by the next day, we found the garrison and small town thriving, as each of the villagers had made good use of the coin and invested into their homes. I rode in, the army at my back, and we settled in for the day. I took the report from a garrison soldier, and found that the defense line had yet to be breached. A group of slave merchants had been placed under custody as well, as they had brazenly strode into Gern without realizing the garrison was there. 

Suffice to say, they were imprisoned, and the slaves they had been carrying to the mine were freed and sent back to Veinn as free people. The fort that had been constructed wasn’t large, nor was it of high quality, but the fortifications sufficed, and they also cleared out a section of land near by to Gern for us to set up our tents and sleeping arrangements for the night. Whilst the guardsmen slept, I alongside Johan spent the remainder of the evening planning our strike. We needed to make haste, and strike decisively at Taft before evening the next day, else Halberd might be able to muster a larger force than we could handle. 

And suddenly, a falcon flew down to our tent. Landing on the table, it dropped a note, and flew back off to whence it came.

‘It has come to my attention that you, Lord Veinn, have made military action against Duke Halberd. I as King Halifax the II fully support you in this effort, and publicly, this is not to be made known. I personally have been after Halberd for a very, very long time, but his influence is far too great in the north, near my domain. 

Thank you, and may bright spirits and good battle follow you, 

King Halifax the II.’ 

I felt elated at this message. This meant that indeed, the king wasn’t going to intervene in this affair. I had prepared myself mentally for the possibility, but in all likelihood it would have been a complete military withdrawal had the king intervened. I sighed, tossed the letter into a nearby fire, and went to bed, our plans having been drawn up. 

Early the next morning, we awoke, and with the some odd 200 guardsmen with us, we headed off toward Taft. Before the strike of midday, we had crested the hill before Taft, and seated below in front of the walled off city, a disorganized mess of an army sat, preparing to march. Not noticing us, and with little time before they did, I ordered the archers to fire, and those on horseback rode in first, the footmen just behind. 

Down the hill with great haste, we strode in, slaughtering those as we went. I personally stayed more to the back, healing the injured who could make it to the back line, whilst Johan led charge after charge on horseback, slicing down the unprepared men. By the time we reached the gates, we had imprisoned a dozen men and sent them back to Gern with a detachment of men. I personally led the charge into Taft, Johan at my side, on horseback. We poured into the city from the back and front entrances, slaughtering the garrison as we went.

Halberd was indeed not expecting us to take the offense, much to our advantage. 

We slowed our pace, in the inner city, as we passed by the streets, covered in muck and disease, the poor and downtrodden lining the streets, alleyways, and abandoned homes. Passing through a circular centerpiece, in place of a fountaine stood a tall tree, blackened with ash and a purplish miasma, almost imperceptible, dead and wilted. 

Corpses began to replace the poor, and cages filled with corpses, near death folk, and skeletons lined the streets. The abandoned houses became replaced with aristocratic homes, and one by one, angered guardsmen strode up to them, pulling the sleazy, greasy, vile folk inside out by the hair. Rain began to pour, as the executions began.

I said nothing. Not a word. And neither did Johan.

It seemed many of our rank, having been former slaves, had quite the bone to pick with their former masters. Not that it mattered, I had a man of my own to slay, and he sat in his keep high above the rest, the purplish miasma thick and clouding, formed overhead. I gestured to Johan to turn back and continue rounding up the slave owners and soldiers with the guardsmen, he gave me a simple nod, and left off to do so. With the sound of a lightning strike, I entered the keep, and unsheathed my swords. 

Drenched in rainwater, I marched to the sound of the rain, maids and butlers as thin as bone cowering in fear, having dropped everything they were doing. I ignored them, continuing on, through to the main chamber. Across, down from a long dining table, a throne sat empty. At every spot on the table, an aristocrat or staff from the keep sat, now dead, foam still freshly bubbling from their mouths. I gritted my teeth, and continued onward, a staircase lit by torches going downward just behind the throne.

Kicking the door open, the fat slob of a man, Halberd stood down below, on a lower level, carefully inspecting a slave in a cage. I hopped over the railing in front of me, landing on the floor below, carefully using my healing magic to fix my sprained ankle. 

“Halberd,” I said, pointing my rapier out at him.

“You. Here, now,” Halberd said, pointing to the slave in the cage, a young girl, not much older than myself. She, thin as bone as she was, complied with him, stumbling over to him, glazed over in the eyes.

He quickly grabbed her, beginning to fondle her inappropriately, while smiling a horrid smirk at me. “See this!? This is what you can do if you-” I dashed across, with my anger boiling, my veins bulging on my forehead, and pierced his throat with my rapier. Straight through, cleanly. 

He began to gurgle, grabbing at the rapier. I took my other sword, and stabbed him in the gut. Then pulled it out, and then stabbed again, and again, and again. My rage overtook me, as I stabbed and stabbed and stabbed, his eyes rolling back into his head.

By the time I had begun to pant in exhaustion, my mind finally clearing from the rage, I pulled my blades from him, the now mercilessly mutilated corpse that he was, and sheathed my blades. The girl had fallen over in weakness by this point, twitching and convulsing as if trying to move but unable. Without a word, I picked her up, and began walking up and out of the basement. 

Out of the keep, standing in the rain, I looked up at the moon, barely piercing the clouds.

Why? I thought to myself, the rain pouring down on me. I closed my eyes, and thought deeply for a while. For what felt like ages, yet only a moment, I stood, my eyes closed, simply basking in the rain, the girl in my arms, now cold as ice. 

She had died earlier, I was unable to save her, and yet that was not why I felt so…

So empty. 

I opened my eyes, finally, and calmly. I walked through town, passed the guardsmen, past Johan, who all simply stared at me in understanding sorrow. I walked, and I walked, until I stood out on the battlefield we had fought at. I gently laid her corpse down, and using a nearby sword from a fallen soldier, began to dig. Dig, dig, dig, and dig, the rain and sweat and blood mixing into a nasty, horrible smell. By the time it had reached three feet, I gently laid her corpse in the grave, and began filling it up once more. As I covered the last bit of dirt, I sat there, on my knees, and shed a tear. I pulled the sword I had used to dig the grave, and stabbed it into the earth, marking it, before standing.

And then it all went black.

END SEQUENCE 1...

BEGIN SEQUENCE 2.