The townspeople had a complex relationship with those who dwelled in the forest. Many inhabitants of the forest, other than those under the care of the Yerr Clan, were human traffickers, drug peddlers and many other criminals who aimed to ‘do business in peace’. Every now and then, a deranged soul would kill a Yerr Clan member, steal their uniform and besmirch their name at the town. Because of this, at the border of the town and the forest there was strict security.

“...I am a member of the Yerr Clan.” Kael said for the tenth time. “And get your filthy hands off of my hound!” he snapped at a guard who was trying to restrain the beast. He did it not for the dog but for the guard…what would happen to his reputation if it tore his head off?

“We cannot let in anyone from the forest just like that, can we? This creature, I saw the bloodthirsty look in its eyes when I tried to restrain it. I see the sword strapped at your side. The guards are quite familiar with those of the Yerr Clan as they frequent here, but I have no recollection of seeing you.”

Kael rubbed at his temples…he was developing a grand headache.

“And, sir, your attitude truly does not seem like that of the clansmen-”

Kael stared right into the guard’s eyes. “What part of me does not seem like a clansman?”

The guard seemed to be quite convinced that he had caught a criminal in disguise. “The clansmen are humble and patient- dignified as well. I have yet to hear any of them curse so vulgarly. Let’s not mention that if we were to say the same thing to any of them, they would simply state their title and we would let them through. You’ve been here for a while, yet I do not even know your name nor title?” He said arrogantly.

Kael’s fingers were itching to unsheathe his sword and thrust it into the man’s chest. Did this guard think he was undignified? Kael leaned forward and whispered into the guard’s ears.

“Do you think I did not know of our usual customs? Do you take me for a fool? If I were to state that I am the Swordmaster Kael Lachiel, would the townspeople not rush to grovel at my feet and disturb me? I know, for that is what happened to both the Spellmaster and Lord, is it not?”

His subordinates were never keen to return to the town. The Lord was sought out by ambitious parents who wanted him to name their children, to bless their children, to touch their children. There was also the occasional lady who was ‘willing to become his mistress’. Thalorin, on the other hand, was sought out by young women who were eager to throw themselves on him. Local nobles would arrange meetings with him to discuss marriage proposals- leaving the man quite irritated.

And Kael? He had yet to arrive in the town since he had become Swordmaster.

The guard did not move an inch, and the look on his eyes made it clear that he was even more sceptical of Kael’s identity. He was quite composed in contrast to the situation- and the other guards who were trying to surround Kael.

Kael’s eye twitched. He was tired, hungry, and very irritated. He might as well behead everyone here out of spite and truly become an outlaw. However, he was a civilised being, so he decided to concede and forsake his blissful rest. Just as he was pointing his feet in the direction of the forest, the sound of heels echoed.

“Release this man immediately!” A feminine voice rang out, exuding authority and a bit of entitlement. Kael felt the bitter taste of foreboding.

Upon hearing this voice, the guards all released a “tsk” in unison. They hesitated for a moment before they knelt one by one. Only the guard who was being heard at sword point by Kael was standing, at a loss on what to do.

“Milady, he has one of our men” A brave soul said after much silence.

Hearing that, Kael quickly sheathed his sword. His face was cold as ever, but only he k could feel the heat creeping up his face. “How did I forget to withdraw the sword…” he cursed at himself inwardly.

“I don’t care. He’s not dead, is he? I have a feeling this poor soul just wants to enter. Since when have we not welcomed our protectors from the mountains?” The lady finally came into view, and she laid her eyes upon Kael as well.

She was a stunning woman, and was obviously an elite. At first glance, Kael appreciated the woman’s boldness and inwardly gave her a nod of approval- he had assumed that the woman’s attire meant that she could fend herself well enough. He noticed that her bare legs were well-built, which would prove her to be efficient in running and dodging swiftly. However, after a few more seconds Kael just wanted to slap her for her half-assed behaviour.

She wore a tight-fitted dark blue dress that stopped right around her knees, and a heavy pelt coat of a white tiger on top of it.

Kael was stupefied, “was she not afraid of being dragged into alleyways?” he thought.

Even if she were to try to flee, her sharp heels that matched her dress would surely be a hassle to run in. The heel was so sharp that it might as well puncture the ground. Kael wanted to chip it off the heels’ edge and keep them as a last-resort weapon. He wanted to teach this brazen noble who came without guards the horrors of this world- he was secretly plotting to take the pelt off her shoulders and use it as a rug.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Perhaps it was how the rich were. They feared nothing. They answered to no one.

Just as he was planning his grand ploy…

“Your gaze is rather obscene I see, are you not grateful?” The women asked. She used a finger and twirled a strand of her light brown curls around her finger. Her hazel eyes stared straight into Kael’s soul.

Kael’s fatigue made him barely able to keep his eyes opened. He currently was very focused on the lady, analysing her head to toe while his eyes were half-opened and looked like he was squinting. He just realised that he probably looked like he was ravishing the sight of the woman.

“What am I? A barbarian?” Kael knew what the nobles relished all to well. They wanted the interior to bow their head and whisper them sweet words.

But Kael did not want to entertain them.

“Just let me go. I am unfamiliar, but part of the Yerr Clan nonetheless. I cannot be denied access.” Kael hissed.

The woman smiled deviously. “Yes, I know that you are innocent. Guards, let him through.”

Kael returned the woman’s sharp gaze. “Do you truly have that much faith in me?” He questioned before the guards could move an inch.

The lady chuckled. A typical noblewoman’s laugh, but it sounded odd. “Of course I do. I had a hunch. And everyone in this town knows.” She smiled sweetly but it did not meet her eyes. “My hunches are always right.”

One of the guards huddled to open the gate, while another theee pointed their blade at Kael. “Do not speak imprudently to the Lady.”

Kael did not care and just walked to the open gate, while his hound shrunk itself to the size of a mere household pet and followed behind him. The two exuded a cold air of arrogance and authority. Kael passed the lady and asked. “My lady, may I know who you are?”

Kael merely wanted to know her title and which family she was from.

The guards’ were about to dash and restrain Kael for the rudeness, but the woman just held out a hand. She chuckled once more. “If we meet again, you shall find out. And I have a hunch that we’ll see each other again soon.”

With that, she walked into the expanse of the forest and disappeared into the mist, while the swordmaster strolled into the bustling city. Neither looked back or wondered even a second about the other. But both knew, somewhere in their hearts that they would see each other again.

With Kael’s back to the blasted gate, he could not help but think about the people at the gate. The Swordmaster’s poise was dignified and graceful as always, but his thoughts seemed more like a degenerate.

“Those bastards! Kill me if I were some crook in the woods! Who do they think I am?” He raged inwardly. “And that lady…curse the underworld, who is she? She appears, says a few words then leaves? Was she looking down on me?”

Sensing his irritation, the white hound at his side began to slowly distance himself from him. Naturally, the Swordmaster notices this. “Don’t want to be with me? Scram then!”

The hound whimpered, and its ears drooped. Normally, it would disappear immediately. However, it continued to follow the Swordmaster for some reason.

Kael was too caught up in his miserable predicament to waste any more energy on the hound. In fact, he had no more energy to stand.

Even with his bruises and aches, even with his fatigue, the Swordmaster stood straight and looked forward with that unapproachable look on his face.

By the time he reached the inn, Kael found himself unable to speak a single world. He merely took out a few coins and slid them on the table as he stared into the innkeeper’s eyes. The innkeeper shuddered, unable to hold the overwhelming stare. He felt extremely uncomfortable but still had to do his business.

“G-good sir, would you like a luxury room?” The innkeeper thought that the man before him would have to be a noble, a merchant or something of the sort to have such a fierce demeanour. His intuition was right, as Kael was quite wealthy. However, little did he know.

Kael glared daggers at the man and lightly shook his head. To a stingy man such as him, even the notion of a room upgrade caused him great offence. The innkeeper wanted to run out of the inn seeing this, but he somehow mustered up the courage to hand Kael over the keys to his room.

“Your room is on the floor above, thank you for your patronage.” The innkeeper gave a sheepish smile.

Kael said nothing and left, his hound following him. The innkeeper half-opened his mouth to say that animals were not allowed, but he thought better of it and let the good sir have his way. This way perhaps the innkeeper could keep his life.

Kael trudged to the staircase, where he faced a grave problem. He could barely stand, how was he supposed to climb? The beast following him made a sound akin to a chuckle. Normally, Kael would have threatened to eat it but he was too busy trying not to collapse.

As he went up the stairs, Kael felt the muscles in his legs pulling. With every step he took, his vision blurred even more. The weight on his head and shoulders had doubled by the time he was at the top of the stairs. The damn stairs were endless, he thought. However, his back was still straight.

In front of the door of his room, Kael tried to insert the key into the keyhole, but dropped the key multiple times. Each time the beast picked it up and looked up at Kael with sympathy in its eyes. The beast looked up at him with the keys in its mouth, yet Kael felt it was looking down on him.

Kael’s patience was at its limit as he took the key and plunged it into the keyhole, aggressively turning it clockwise twice. He then flung the door open, kicked off his shoes and immediately crashed on the bed. He had not even closed the door, and the poor beast had to stand on its hind legs to retrieve the key and close it for him.

Kael’s body immediately sunk into the soft expanse of the mattress, and his head was cradled affectionately by the pillow. It took less than a second for him to succumb to slumber, sweet as honey in the bitter life.

While Kael slept peacefully, the hound leaped onto the bed and curled up at his side. It too, was weary from its master’s endless abuse. It was just about to follow its master into slumber when it felt a strange presence. Its ears perked up and it bared its teeth, eyes looking all over the room.

Its steps did not make a single sound- it did not want to wake its tired master. It did not growl, but released a dense aura that coated the room.

No threat was any match for the centuries old beast.

Detecting sharp movement within its perception realm, the beast lunged in the direction of the movement- under the door. It made not a single noise, and had successfully captured its target within its paws.

It opened its paws only to reveal…

A snake skin?

Its grip on the skin immediately loosened.

The beast pointed its snout towards the dead skin, and as soon as the scent wafted into its nostrils, its ears lowered and its tail loosened from its rigid state.

The carpet on the floor rustled, and a large presence suddenly appeared. Even when it sensed the presence of a third person in the room, the beast was no longer guarded against it. It was as if it had complete trust in its presence.

The silhouette of a person appeared before the hound, stroking its fur as it licked them. The oversized dog regarded them as a delicacy and savoured every taste. The person eventually pushed the beast away and said in a hushed whisper.

“Did you know?”

There was not a single candle or lamp lit in the room, and the curtains were all closed. It was pitch dark, and yet the person’s blue pupils were still seen in the dark. The person’s gaze was fixated on the man sleeping peacefully.

At that, the beast’s tail began wagging, and it was so excited that it was almost going to yelp. At that, the person held out a finger to their mouth, signalling the beast to remain silent. The beast complied, completely docile.

However, Kael’s keen hearing had already picked up the slight noises and had begun to rouse.

“Don’t reveal me.” The person winked at the beast. “Just act natural.”