The night is cold with the early autumn breeze, and the city is sleeping this late into the night. A temple stands tall at the highest peak of a hill, towering with its marble pillars, and in its center a great statue of a man wearing a horned helmet, and a pair of four wings on his back, they gradually spread outwards in spectacular detail.

Honta, the human god of justice and righteous fury. With his ornate silver armor and fantastical spear of Vengeance, he points its end forward to whoever seeks to be judged by him. And tonight, it is a young man.

Barely old enough to be called one, he already has the tear and wear of a troubled man, their numbers ever increasing in this cursed world. His hair is black with wide white strikes that only a man forty years older should have. He has a little bit of stubble on his tired but handsome face, and pair of green eyes that look down at his reflection in the water.

The entire ground around the statue is a small fountain, where you enter barefooted and kneel, looking down at your reflection to seek forgiveness from yourself first before you dare stand in front of Honta and seek his judgment.

Because like this world, Honta is unforgiving.

The young man dresses like a guard you would see anywhere, except his tabard bears no shield to associate himself with any house, it is more expensive and if a trained eye looked up close, could notice the expert craftsmanship of its chainmail and textiles.

His tabard has a golden sword pointing down, wings next to the handle.

"Honta won't punish you even if you spend all night in there" A voice, honeyed and sensual, spoke from behind the statue.

"Who is there?" the young man asked, but not with alarm as looked up at the base of the statue.

From behind it, a man appeared, dressed in a mixture of robes and decorative bronze armor, he had unnaturally long blonde hair, straight and perfectly taken care of it reached down to the water of the fountain, but just near enough to look as it touched it without actually doing it. His face is thin but delicate, almost feminine in its care, his eyes hidden behind the golden hair.

He was a priest, but one glance at the ceremonial sword he held in both hands with care made the young man avert his eyes as a sign of respect.

"Forgive me, Sentinel. I didn't mean to disrupt the peace of the temple"

"No need to ask for forgiveness, if you are here then you know that was meaningless to us" the Sentinel gives the man a sly as he walks closer to him, barefooted as the rules demand "But for such a young man to be this late still begin for punishment...what troubles you?" he asks with practiced concern.

"I...I wasn't there for someone who needed me, and now they are dead" the young man confesses, his voice breaking as he looks at something in his hand, wrapped in silk it is as big as his hand.

"This is a cruel world, young man. We can't hope to be there at all times for those that need us. Tragedy strikes us all the same, but justice prevails in the end" the sentinel stands next to him, resting a hand on his unkempt hair.

"I want justice...I want to right my wrongs"

"And I'm sure you will, you are already on the right path, the Knighthood of Gold will grow in power with your fiery conviction" the sentinel lets go of him and takes a few steps forward, turning his back on him "What is your name, young man?"

"Liam Winterskorn" he replies, putting the wrapped object with care in a leather pouch on his belt.

"Liam, I had a dream some time ago and I admit that at the time I didn't think much of it. But now that I know your name and I see your face...I know this meeting was predestined"

"What?" Liam asks, his curiosity made him stand up, still not daring to face the sentinel.

"Yes, I dreamt of a crestfallen warrior, carrying a heavy weight on his shoulders, but not only for the guilt he felt...no, but it was also because unknowingly he also carried a great destiny" the sentinel glances back, his eyes were an unnatural white, it seemed like mist escaping from his sockets and quickly dissipating.

"Destiny? But...what do you mean?"

"Look at me, Liam. Look at me in the eyes" he whispers as he approaches the young man, Liam turns around, an uneasy expression as he meets the ghostly eyes of the sentinel "Ah...yes, I see it now" he places his hands on his face, Liam is taller than him almost by a head "Boy, you bear a hatred within you, a righteous hatred...whose demise do you wish to bring forth?"

Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

"I..."Liam's own green eyes slowly disappear as they turn completely white "I hate demons, I want to kill them all, rid this land of their influence and safe those that would suffer under their influence" he confesses, anger twisting his face and quickening his breathing.

"Of course" the sentinel whispers with a satisfied smile "You Liam, carry with you the fate of a Hero"

"What?!" He has shaken away from the trance, his eyes returning to normal as he is physically taken back by the revelation "But I, it cannot be. I'm not worthy" he falls to his knees, lowering his head in front of the sentinel "I am not worthy, I have sinned...I have broken my vows more than once before and after I made them"

"Liam, heroes are not chosen among the most pious of humans. They are chosen among the most worthy, among the most powerful, and the most willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to rid this world of evil and carry humankind into its glorious future!" The sentinel raises his sword in both hands "And I know without a doubt, that you have been chosen by Honta himself! Are you willing to prove your commitment?!"

Liam raises his head and looks at the sword ready to strike him, his mind is filled with the possibility of failure, what would it mean to be chosen and then have to live in shame if he failed...but it was a risk he HAD to take, to become stronger, to finally begin his dream of ridding the world from the poisonous presence of demons and all the monsters that plagued the humans.

Swallowing hard, he finds within himself the strength to say the words.

"I do!"

The sentinel slashes with his blade.

The moon witnessed that night the birth of a new hero, or at least, the beginning of his struggle to prove himself to the world as one. As the waters of the fountain are tainted with blood...

Autumn passes, and winter is at an end when in a town far into the borders of the kingdom a guard rides fast, coming from the woods as he blows a horn alerting the rest of the guards.

"Liam," A woman says with a sweet but mature voice, her clothes a ceremonial robe with steel plates and a white hood that almost covered her eyes unnatural white eyes. Auburn hair fell her shoulders and the steel plate of her chest. A golden sword on it and her lips are pink.

"Let's go, Ludica" Liam replies, standing from a chair inside one of the taverns of the town, several other men and woman rushes out.

Now dressed with complete steel plate armor, he has an expensive-looking red cloak made with silk, a golden sword with two wings near its handle embroidered on the back. A sleek steel barbute showed his face, now groomed and more lively than before, with a scar going from above his closed left eye, down to the right side of his face.

On his hand, there is a bastard sword, the handle obsidian black, and the guard decorated with gold and silver wings. The blade itself seemed to be made with obsidian, but a closer look would prove it wasn't glass, but something greater than steel.

They exit the tavern together, reaching for their horses and rushing to meet the alarmed guards. As soon as they reach them Liam speaks up, his voice louder and clearer than anyone else's.

"What has happened?!" He shouts at the guards, who look at him annoyed and as if they were about to lash out at him, but as soon as Ludica appears riding behind him their expressions change completely, looking terrified and nervous "Well?!"

"A-A caravan, it has been completely butchered by goblins when it was carrying supplies for the new settlement of Uslaham. They killed all guards, ate their bodies, and stole the carts!" The guard who blew the horn says.

"No!" an elderly woman screamed, she approached the guards and held on to one of them "No! Adam was there! He is my grandson he couldn't have died!!" she wailed as tears fell her wrinkled cheeks.

"Let go of me old fuck!" the guard yelled and kicked her away, the old woman falling to her back with a painful scream.

"LIAM" Ludica said, her voice silencing any other sound except for the wind " We do not harm humans"

The guard then looks away from the old lady and all blood drains from his face as Liam holds his sword with both hands high up, to bring it down and end the life of the man. He whispers several sorry as Liam lowers his sword and guides his horse away from the group.

"That caravan was under the protection of the Knighthood of Gold! And as such, I take charge of this matter!" He announces to the ever-growing crowd surrounding them "I swear to find those monsters and slay every one of them! For Honta's righteous wrath will guide us!"

The group cheers with fury as they raise their fists, at least most of them. Others simply look in silence, all too used to the death that living so close to the border brings.

"Ready two dozen of your best men, and we ride as soon as they are carrying enough supplies to search for their lair for a few days. The faster we find them, the better"

The guards look at each other uncertainly, they lack discipline, in the border towns, cities, and settlements most guards are criminals that have been paid to take up arms and defend the people, after all, it's either that or banishment into the lands between, where monsters roam.

"SCUM" Ludica speaks directly at the guards, who cower behind the might of the priest who sees every crime they have committed, the sin and impurity seeping from their very beings like ink that tells a story only she can witness" Do as the Knight ordered, or I will bring forth my punishment on to you and seek better-suited men!"

The guards spring into action and each goes a different way to ready for the journey ahead. The crowd disappears quickly as people return to their houses and businesses, some still raising their fists at Liam, while others bow in the presence of Ludica.

"You are more on edge than usual. Something bothering you about this?" Ludica asks Liam, riding closer.

"Goblins...those bastards, I hate them as much as I despise the demons" he replies, his voice full of spite.

"I can see it" she whispers, and as a priestess, she truly can. The anger leaves Liam's body like a red mist demanding blood "Such anger...they have hurt you, haven't they?"

Liam's hand lets go of the horse's reins, resting on a leather pouch on his belt, the object he carries bringing memories of times of blissful ignorance and young passions. Only to be all changed after a single decision, a single moment when he didn't do what he was supposed to.

And that made him lose that which he cared about the most...if only had he known sooner. All while two hooded figures looked from afar.