'...and I must say Mister Oakwood, this must be my greatest work yet. The materials and components you brought me were exquisite! I never even dreamed of working with the Aetherian Metals much less the masterwork of the Arkanian smiths! It was an honour to make such a fine instrument, whatever it is, and I thank you for this opportunity. With regards, Master Smith Leonard Cornelius.' love thy choice of names!
"He was this ecstatic about making it huh? Can't wait to see his face when I tell him I want a second one..." Mumbles the man as he finishes reading the letter atop his horse.
The girl sitting in front of him only giggles. "I can't wait to see it either!"
The man only smiled to himself and patted her head slightly.
That day he felt calm and relaxed yet he also felt something he didn't exactly feel in the past few decades. He felt happiness, they say money cannot buy happiness but he did not believe that. After all that had happened to him he had very few things that would make him genuinely happy, aside form the little girl finishing gathering all the knowledge and materials needed to craft his new weapon however, was one of them.
He had his coat, light plated armour, trusty sword and the cutest company he could ask for the road. And so he joined her in watching the terrain, it was somehow soothing to him. The green fields of grass and occasional tree must've been the source of said soothe, he always did like vibrant colors and most of them green.
Slowly falling asleep on his horse his peace of mind was interrupted by a dream of a fond memory of his.
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A man whistling stopped him and his horse in its tracks.
Even though surprised the man simply slowly raised his head and made eye contact with the one responsible for the interruption. "What do you want..."
"Oh well Mister..." Came a voice out of a bush next to the road. "I'd just like to do mah job, Mister..." The source of the voice was now in plain sight, a rugged looking fella that did not look very friendly, even with his pretentious smile.
"And what exactly IS your job ?" He asked as he dropped from his horseif that is a phrase, I never knew!, in a deep voice that beckoned dark intentions.
"Well you see, my job is to keep these roads safe for travelers like you. Since all the daemons and other despicable persons started to appear more and more lately... And as it goes, every good and honest work needs to be paid. So I am here to collect your... generous offers."
"I am no traveler..."
"Then a Knight ?"
The man smirked and then responded. "Of sorts... You won't find any generosity nor mercy coming from me though..." The Knight started walking towards the robber with a look that would make most men tremble in fear.
"Uh... eh, hold it right there! Gimme all yo-" Before he could ever finish his sentence the blade holstered on the knights back was unsheathed and slicing through his chest in one fluid move. He drove the blade back up, slicing again, and then with a stab pierced his chest completely. Without a word the knight simply placed his left hand onto the bandit's neck, the claws of the armored gauntlet ripping slightly into the skin, pulled out his sword and threw away the corpse like a ragdoll. The dark blade of his sword without a single drop of blood on it shone in the sunlight as he hid it back into its sheath.
As he walked towards his horse he suddenly heard a loud scream of agony followed by confused yelling and some beastial roars. The knight looked at a nearby forest where these sounds came from. He looked as though he was contemplating the situation and after a moment of silent thinking he rolled his eyes. "Ah what the hell... might as well check it out." He gave his horse an order to move up using a whistle, and jumped onto it while already in motion.
Not a long time of trotting led him deep into the forest where he found a small path layered with signs of battle. Blood, tatters, corpses and dropped weapons all around it. He dropped down from his horse and unsheathed his weapon. "Stay here girl." Was the order given to his horse.
As he slowly walked the path of destruction he found a small bandit camp that was now completely destroyed. There were corpses, fires and broken tents everywhere. First clue he got were the marks on the corpses. Second the eaten livers and third the shimmer blood in moonlight.
"A werewolf... These are rather rare around here..." Kneeling above one of the bodies he looked at a nearby cage. "Smugglers then?"
Investigating further he discovered that the camp's inhabitants had a nice sum of Crimeriam gold on them. Another discovery he has made was that they were not only bandits and smugglers but also slavers trading with mostly beast races.
His search seemed to be almost at its end when he heard a loud scream. Scream of a young woman or a child. The knight ran to where it came from right away only to find about a dozen more cages at which he only grimaced with anger. "Slaver scum...." He commented through his teeth.
The cages were all broken and the slaves within them were torn to shreds much like their masters. From one cage came a small wheeze and a groan of pain, wasting no time he dashed to it only to find a small girl with bright red hair on the ground with her chest badly wounded. Blood pouring from her wounds that took the shape of a giant claw strike. "This is recent...." With realization he turned around to see the wicked grin of a werewolf that launched itself at him the second they locked eyes. Again, in one fluid move the knight slashed the monsters snout and even dodged to the side.
"Sneaky bastard..."
The beast turned around with its jaw barely hanging on and with a deep growl attacked again. Now instead of running the knight met the attack head on. He raised his sword and their blows connected, the beast's claws were shattered and the blade crawled up its limb and towards its head.
But the battle continued, the beast now fueled by rage and even more dangerous than before.
This time, the knight decided to dodge the clawed attack. While dropping to one knee he also spinned around resulting in an effective dodge and attack at the side of the beast's torso. A whimper and a growl. "The slavers I approve of..."
They charged each other once again. Two quick swings created an X on the chest of the werewolf and as it frantically threw its limbs around a simple dash to the side followed suit. "But fellow slaves..."
The werewolf let out a tormented and rage filled howl right before going on all four and charging the knight, traversing the small distance between them in just a few heartbeats. Before he knew it, he was staring down the beast's rows of teeth and eyes filled with blood. The werewolf froze, as did the knight, and the convulsed tongue of the beast fell limply into its mouth, right beside the sharp blade of the knight that had pierced its head vertically.
After placing the armored gauntlet upon the beast's head he pulled the sword out.
Then he blinked with realization and quickly hid his sword while whistling for his horse again. When it came he pulled some bandages and bottles out of the saddle bags all neatly stored in a sling-bag marked with an insignia of a burning sword with angelic wings. He dropped to his knees beside the girl, after pouring the contents of the bottles all over her large wounds and putting bandages over them he lifted her head slightly and gave her some more medicine to drink.
She was unresponsive, unconscious.
"Damn, that might leave a scar..." He effortlessly, but cautiously, picked her up and climbed atop his horse. "If you survive this." With his left hand he held her in place on the horse in front of him while he gripped the reins in his right. Then he took off on his horse with immense speed.
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As the grip around her little waist tightened she only looked up and asked. "Master? Are you okay?"
"Oh, sorry, just a bad memory… don't worry."
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The wooden doors burst open, the knight held a small body in his arms and the thunder outside raged on. "Sammuel! Sammuel, get me some bandages and healing potions from the laboratory!" The butler that was tending to the fire in the large log house quickly got to work.
"What is this commotion?! Ah, Mister Oakwood, back so soon?" The woman who said this was an elderly person, much like the butler Sammuel, and when she saw the girl she gasped loudly. "My, my, who is this?! And what happened to her?! Mister Oakwood!"
Oakwood ignored her and kept going closer to the fire, so that she was warmer, where he placed her on the ground. "Miss Serana, if you want to yell at me for trying to save this girl do it after you bring me hot water and bandages."
Without a word, she nodded and hurried away towards the kitchen area.
Not long after Sammuel came back with a bag full of medicines and bandages. Serana's worried questions about the girl's health were silenced by Samuel who took her to a different room.
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The girl was bandaged quickly by her saviour and after he finished pouring more medicine into her mouth and istructing both Samuel and Serana to keep an eye on her and to prepare dinner he went into the basement to change, or rather shed his armour and coat, leaving only a tight black shirt and his heavy trousers, and to take care of his equipment.
When he returned into the large living hall the girl was lying on a small mattress next to the fire and she was looking a lot less pale. After they all had dinner both Sammuel and Serana went into their respective bedrooms while Oakwood spent some time writing an entry in his journal and drinking whiskey in an armchair next to the fire and the girl.
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A small twitch in the hand, fingers closed into a fist, leg kicked up and then the eyes opened wide, pupils unfocused and the man standing in the large room in front of the fire. Oakwood quickly calmed down and sat down and leaned into his arm chair. He drank some of his whiskey and went on about his day.
First, he checked the girl who was getting a lot better very fast. Then, he went into his workshop where he worked on an old crossbow and sorted out some old papers.
When he finished his little task he went back up where Serana already had breakfast ready and Sammuel was outside chopping wood.
"Say, Mister Oakwood, weren't you going to go somewhere yesterday?"
"Yeah, found the kid on the way..."
"And you're not going today?"
"Nope."
"Might I ask, why? Is it perhaps that you care about the little girl too much to leave her in our care?"
"Not really, I just refuse to leave a small kid in this home with just the two of you."
Missis Serana was both surprised and angered by that comment. "Oh? You don't think old Serana and Sammuel could take care of one little child?"
Oakwood picked up his plate with a pie that she cooked and started walking away. "Maybe..."
He sat down in his armchair and peacefully ate the pie while also reading over a piece of paper he pulled out of a small pocket on the inside of his coat.
"Need an escort for a trade caravan. From the village to a nearby pass, one full day, pay will be distributed upon reaching the pass, meet me in the tavern to discuss the job." He read aloud from the paper. "Sounds like an easy enough job. And since I have the delay... might as well occupy myself."
After finishing his piece of pie and packing only his sword, a flask of whiskey and coat to cover his more casual outfit underneath he prepared to ride into the nearby village.
On his way there he was stopped by Sammuel who had a grim expression in his face. "Sammuel, is something wrong?"
"Sir, I found some disturbing tracks on the outskirts of our land, close to the forest."
Oakwood stopped his horse and continued to speak with him from its back. "What tracks?"
"They were mostly humanoid but also some were... beastial."
Oakwood's curious yet concerned expression turned into one of anger. "It must've been the damn slavers... using some beastrace to track me and the girl..." He extended his hand towards Sammuel who accepted it and climbed atop the horse. "And here I thought I'd take a simple job and relax for a bit..."
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The Knight was once again brought out of his reminiscence. Only now it was by a tiny sneeze. And another one. And another.
"Well would you look at that. Must be all the pollen in the air. Here." He offered a piece of cloth to the sneezing girl.
"Thank you…"
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Doors of the large log house that Oakwood called his home opened with haste. Through them Oakwood himself stormed in and informed Mrs Serana about the situation. He then went into the basement and began preparing for the fight in his workshop.
A few hours later the windows were reinforced, Serana, Sammuel and the girl were in a room that had no windows and only one way to enter. Oakwood had equipped his armour made of dark Arkanian steel. He wore a big chestpiece, heavy left shoulder guard with plated trousers and greaves.
"Master Alexander." Said Sammuel in a much darker tone than his usual relaxed and pragmatic one. "Please be cautious."
Oakwood looked over his shoulder with a grim smile of anticipation. "In a situation like this? I can't be..." And as he looked at the doors he opened them with vigor, the grassfield was soaked with water from the heavy downpour and the sun was setting. Only the last of sun rays were lighting up the trees that circled the clearing on which his home was built.
He stood there, in the rain, his armor covered by a black cloak, his weapon drawn and buried in the ground. As he waited for his opponents to arrive the rain gained in strength and his surrounding had gone dark. The soothing sound of the rain and the strange solace the darkness offered were interrupted by a loud whistle and a warhorn. From the treeline armed men came onto the field but they all halted a few steps after leaving the cover of the forest.
Oakwood looked up and slowly unhinged his cloak, letting it fall to the ground.
Another blow of the horn came and from behind the men came running monstrosities such as ferocious wolf beastmen, lizardmen, werewolves and even poorly equipped slave soldiers.
His devilish grin grew with every step they took towards him, his teeth slowly showing in a vicious smile.
As the small army of enslaved beasts rushed towards him the ground beneath them exploded into fiery hell. The orange flames engulfed the battlefield but they quickly disappeared, leaving only charred corpses and smoke. Lots of smoke.
In the midst of the dark night and smoke created by the fire crests Oakwood had put around the field were still some surviving beasts, werewolves. One of them came charging straight at him from the smoke walů. His only reaction was raising his sword and dashing forward slightly.
The fight was over before it even began with his sword buried deep in the beast's head.
Another one came with a growl from behind him but Oakwood only twirled around, first hitting the beast straight on the top of its head with his shield and then burying his sword in the side of it, pinning it to the ground.
The slave raiders were creeping towards the smoke on the order of their cowardly leader. From that smoke came a few sounds of a blade slashing and beasts growling but then came disturbing silence.
The silence was broken by a few clanking sounds and a man charging through the smoke. He ran out of it like a hurricane and proceeded to fight the slavers closest to him. All it took was two or three strikes at most where the formula was always the same. If needed, break through their defence or deflect, then strike their chests or heads sending them to the ground with mortal wounds.
Oakwood himself suffered some wounds but they seemed to have no effect on him.
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The doors burst open. Sammuel aimed his crossbow at the entry but what came through was no beast nor slaver.
It was a bloodied figure of Alexander. He was covered from head to toe in dark red blood and when he stepped inside the house he dropped to one knee while supporting himself with his sword.
"Master Alexander!" Exclaimed Sammuel.
"They're... They're done for..." He breathed out heavily.
"I figured... Here, let me help you." Sammuel dropped his crossbow and helped Oakwood stand up.
"Ugh, thanks but... don't touch the shoulder, pretty sure it dislocated somewhere during the battle."
"Oh... ummm..."
"Here, you can help out by carrying my sword."
"I shall do that, Sir."
Oakwood went into his workshop where he piled all his equipment and with the help of Serana, even through his protests, got bandaged up by her. Even though she insisted on helping him clean himself of the blood he took just a quick, lonely, hot bath.
Oakwood almost fell asleep in the bath but just as his eyes were shutting he stirred up a little. "Bed will be more comfortable. I think..."
With grunting he got up from the bath and got himself a towel, after several minutes of slow and cautious drying up he got clothed in a spare set of his black under armour clothing and went off into his bed. He was in no mood for either whiskey or food, all he wanted was to rest then.
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The following morning Alexander Oakwood was in a deep slumber and sprawled on his bed. His arm twitched. His leg twitched. Then his palms formed into fists and he quickly sat up. His expression of surprise and alarm quickly turned into pain and frustration as he held his bandaged torso.
He coughed violently and when he checked the hand he used to cover his mouth he saw black blood. Looking down he realized the bandages and the bed were soaked with the same black blood.
"Damn it..." When he started climbing out of the bed he noticed that the girl he had rescued was now lying by the end of his bed. On the ground. "Woa... what are you doing here?" When she heard him she curled up even more but then her eyes shot wide open and she raised her head with alarm.
"M-m-Master! I'm sorry!" She sat up with her head down and ... trembling.
"What for? I'm just surprised... I barely remember getting into my bed."
No response.
"Um... right." Alexander walked to the door and called for Sammuel who quickly adhered to his call.
"Yes?"
"What's the girl doing in my bedroom?"
"I assume she's sleeping sir."
"Why is she sleeping in my bedroom Sammuel?"
"She listened to neither me nor Serana, she would ask for you though."
"So you brought her into my room when I was asleep?"
"Yes. The little one seemed in distress and Serana though having the one who saved her close by might help soothe her."
"She was unconscious when I last saw her..."
Before Sammuel could respond any further Serana called from the bottom of the staircase.
"It worked, didn't it? Now come down and get your breakfast."
Alexander was about to say something but before he could another coughing fit struck him. Sammuel held him and when he saw the blood he got a worried look on his face and although he wanted to ask about it he kept silent as he knew that Alexander would not speak about it.
"I'll just wash this blood off... Sammuel, take the girl into the main hall."
Sammuel simply nodded and they both started walking in separate directions.
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After Alexander was done with his morning bath he clothed himself in the dark attire typical to him. There was no need to apply any more bandages as all his wounds were now healed, only large scars remained.
When he got back into the main hall Sammuel and Serana were already eating breakfast at the table but the girl was nowhere to be seen.
"Where's the girl?"
"She wouldn't listen to me." Answered Sammeul.
Serana decided to chime in as well. "I have a feeling she will listen to you though..."
Alexander rolled his eyes and went back into his bedroom where he found the girl in the same huddled up position at the end of his bed.
"Hey, we have breakfast down there so get up."
She fell asleep again while Alexander was changing and now she got up with the same amount of alert as before.
"Master! Breakfast!?"
"You know, food, the thing you put into your mouth then chew a bit so you don't die? Also why are you calling me master?"
"Because... you are my master."
"How exactly am I your master?"
"Well... you saved me... you... own me now..."
Alexander coughs a little and waves his hand at the statement. "I do?" After he said that the girl looked at him quizzically.
"Master? Do you know how a slave crest works?"
"Never had to work with one so no. How?"
"There are certain laws the crests abide, since you saved me and my old masters are dead I now belong to you..."
He stopped dead in his tracks and looked over his shoulder. "How about we discuss this after breakfast?"
The girl's eyes lit up and she quickly and somewhat less warily followed him downstairs and sat at the table where Serana placed a plate with bread, ham and jaw in front of her. She looked shocked and looked at Alexander who was about to leave again and go into his workshop. "M-master! Is... is this food for me?"
"Well yeah, enjoy?"
"Ah... um... Y-yes! I will! Thank you Master!"
"Thank Sery there, not me..." He said as he went around the corner and down the stairs into his workshop.
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As they rode on the horse together and his reminiscence came to an end he smiled to himself.
He did not know it then, but that day would change his life quite a lot. It would lit the fire inside him, the ember that cast a shadow of his former self would be reignited. And he would meet someone that meant quite a lot to him.