The moonlight gently caressed the surrounding area, illuminating my path. The moon guided me, no matter my intentions…
I looked at the pathway… blood. He couldn’t have gotten far. I brandish my sword, whipping the blood off of it. A short sword of pure silver with a black handle. It shines with a murderous sheen. It’s hungry for blood tonight.
I can’t ignore its request.
I walk through the forest, only hearing the sound of my own breathing. The patches of blood grew thicker. Where is he?
I kept walking until I found myself in a clearing. The moon was clear in the sky, and in the middle sat the man. Haggard and bloody. He wore old and torn clothes, a dagger in one hand, the other holding a small silver pouch. My pouch.
Bloody gashes were scattered around his body. He was bleeding tremendous amounts of blood, dying the soil red.
???: “You stole from me…”
The man whimpered and tossed the pouch to where I stood.
Thief: “Th-there… take it! Just please… don’t kill me. My family is sick… I needed money, please, don’t do this!” He fell on his knees and begged me for my forgiveness.
I grabbed his hair and tugged on it hard.
Thief: *AHK* Sudden pain hit his head. He dropped his dagger.
???: “This amount of money? Worthless to me, but the fact that you dare steal from me.” I smiled. “Gives a good enough reason to kill you.”
His eyes went wide and my sword cleanly cut his head off. His body slumped. I tossed away his head, the terror in his final moments, etched on his fleshy grave for the rest of eternity. My sword was sated… for tonight.
I pick up the pouch and empty the coins on his body, blood gentle caressing the metal.
???: “Money for your sick family.” I looked up at the sky. The moon was brighter than ever.
???: “I think its time to go home now…” I swipe the sword downward, the blood flying off its pristine edges. I sheathe the blade and head back home.
???: “I wonder if anyone noticed I was gone…”
---
The City of Chē – The Constables Station
A large man wearing a half plate paced back and forth. His belt carrying a great sword, comparable to his size. His face was scrunched up with worry, his mind somewhere else. He bore a small gold insignia of a magnificent sword on his armour, this badge representing his position as head constable.
He sudden stopped and looked at the door as if he expected magic beasts to barge in and kill everyone here, but when nothing entered, he resumed his pace back and forth.
Around him, men and women ran around the room. Some dressed in armour, others dressed in common clothing, yet no one was staying still. Papers were magically flying to various other locations, the entire place was busy with action, but there was not one person who wasn’t worried.
Everyone was running around in fear of their boss. The noble who owned Chē. Once a powerful general who lead their country to victory, now a retired war hero who spends his days reshaping the once crime-filled Chē into the crimeless trade center it is today.
Well… almost crimeless.
A strange string of events started happening a month ago. People started to go missing, their bodies often found in the forest, beheaded with a pile of coins mocking their afterlife.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
With Chē being the marketplace that it is, it was expected that there were to be some unsavory characters trying to get their hands on some money, but in this case, it was the opposite. The victims were all impoverished, their lives ruined by the war, and instead of taking money, many gold coins were simply dropped on their bodies, ridiculing them.
Now, the nobleman was a very honest and lawful person. He fought in the war only to end the bloodshed, and was able to do so successfully. When he was tasked to govern the declining Chē, he didn’t falter like other nobles. Instead, he took the reigns in his hands and using his own money, eliminated most of all crime.
These murders were like insults to him and the nobleman got very angry. Now everyone is working hard in order to avoid that wrath, but even after a month, they still haven’t been able to find a single clue related to the murderer.
Because of this, the Nobleman decided to take the reigns once more, and was arriving at the station. This was why everyone was in such a panic. Even the burly head constable.
They were working frantically as usual when a knock echoed from the door. All movements in the office stopped. The head constable walked to the front of the room, all eyes on him. He grabbed the handle and opened the door.
In walked a man dressed in elegant, white and gold robes, wearing a thick suit of pure iron armor underneath. By his side was the very same sword inscribed in the constable’s badge. A sword made out of a rock that absorbed magic. The Lightbringer.
His face was a mix of chiselled handsomeness, and ugly anger. His gaze seemed to crush anything it passed.
Behind him was his personal guard. Crusaders, wearing a full suit of armor, still held the same colour palate as their master, gold and white.
He walked into the room, knocking aside the head constable who quickly scrambled to his feet. Hand to his forehead, saluting the noble.
Head Constable: “Welcome noble Amell Abna!” Everyone else in the room stood up straight and saluted, sweat dripping down their heads.
Amell: “Any leads?” Getting straight to the point, Amell turned around and stared right at the head constable, who under his gaze, no longer looked as imposing as he did before.
Head Constable: “N-No, my lord… our men have scoured the entire city and found nothing.” He was twiddling his thumbs looking downward, unable to look directly at Amell.
Amell grunted. “I figured as much. We place the city under lockdown! No one leaves without my permission!”
Once of his personal guards saluted and ran out of the building.
The head constable raised his head. “But sir… that could cause problems with the merchants!”
Amell stared at him even more. The head constable lowered his head once again.
Amell: “Many of the merchants here rely on Chē’s strategic positioning for their business, our port connects directly to many of the other kingdoms and we are right beside the Nuvea Kingdom. They’ve been our trading partners for a long time. If they lose my favour, they lose Chē. They won’t argue.”
Amell’s powerful words were amplified by his voice. His reasoning may have had problems, but even the most silver-tongued of business men would be unable to disobey one of the strongest men in the Empire.
Amell: “I want all guards out there searching for clues about the killer. If you stumble upon another crime in the process? Deal with that too. I want to make sure every crime-doer in this city is eradicated. No longer send them to jail. Just bring them to the centre of the city. We’ll exile them from Chē. We need to make an example!”
The guards inside the building eagerly saluted and ran out, some running to inform the others, while the rest were starting the search early. All of them relieved not to be in the same room as Amell.
Amell: “Lastly, I want to the paper workers to check the documents of all criminals. Find any that could be related to this case. I want this done quickly and efficiently.”
The rest of the men and women in the office saluted and the papers started flying around even faster this time.
Amell: “Finally I come to you Head Constable. You are heading this operation and should you fail, consider your position lost as well. I trust you understand me?”
The muscular man nodded his head up and down, he ran out of the building, preferring to help search rather than staying inside the Station.
Amell sighed. The anger drained from his eyes and a soothing aura surrounded him.
Personal Guard #1: “You push yourself too hard my lord. You shouldn’t have to come down here and tell the guards what to do. They should be capable of their own actions.”
Amell smiled gently. “I do this because they aren’t experienced enough yet. When they learn, they will become independent. Until then, I must guide their path.”
Amell turned around and walked out of the Station. Outside a carriage was waiting for him. He walked in, accompanied by his personal guard. The carriage took off, heading towards a large white mansion sitting on a mountain ledge, overseeing the entire city.
Amell gazed out to look at the work he had done. The city was healing more and more by the day. It brought him joy to see his city grow.
The carriage quickly arrived at the mansion, and Amell got out, his guard following him and his second guard waiting for him at the main doors.
He pushed open the door and a young boy about 15 years of age was standing there waiting. A single weapon by his side. Only the black handle was visible. Adorned in a silver and white robe, he bowed. A flash of silver coming from the blade as he showed respect.
Aenios: “Welcome city lord.”
Amell: “Haha, being formal now, are we… son?
End of Chapter One