《Inquisitor [HIATUS]》 Book 1, Prologue: The Shimmering of Shadows Prologue The Shimmering of Shadows
¡°Hold close what you cherish most, else you may find it turned to ash before your eyes.¡± - Kithric Erdomet, Scribe of the High Magistrate
Applause rumbled through the air, shaking the arena as two strong warhorses took to the field. Sat atop these steeds were two knights clad in heavy steel armor. Each knight carried with them a large broadsword, along with a shield kept to their sides as they eyed off against each other. They clad one knight, the obvious preference of the audience in the most beautiful of armor. This set had a squared helmet with a face-guard shaped in the form of an owl. Attached to both of its sides were two short antlers. They rounded the shoulders, narrow and large. It decorated them with two smaller blades on each side, curved towards the backside. The other knight, however, dressed in a far more freeing uniform. They fashioned him with a rounded helmet with a loose face-guard shaped in the form of a dragon. Attached to the top were several small spiked talons, scattered all over. As he galloped down the track, he swung his broadsword into the air to draw attention and liven the crowd. They cheered in reverence as he did so, many of the commoners who had come out to watch the show would cheer for whoever was the most entertaining, so they¡¯d applaud and shout over anything that seemed exciting. After some time passed for the beginning ceremonies to begin, the crowd quieted down, some returning to their seats so they could watch in comfort. The air filled with an eager silence as the show was about to begin. The two riders took their places. They faced one another, with only two dozen meters separating them. Their horses kicked into the dirt as the two men adjusted themselves, shuffling their heavy broadswords to their correct sides. The air turned silent as everyone awaited the declaration. ¡°Ahem!¡± a loud cough overtook the arena. The source of this sound was a single older man. He rose to his feet, draped in the most elegant of robes, his fingers covered in more rings than one could imagine, and most of all, atop his head, sat a simple yet ideal crown. His arms, kept beneath his long and vibrant cloak, slowly raised out, stretching forth to embrace the air before him. ¡°Allow this old man a word before we begin this marvelous duel. From all of my years of ruling, I¡¯ve come to find an appreciation for the simplest of things. From experience, I¡¯ve learned that you must always speak truthfully and not hold anything in, rather than that, I¡®ve learned you must be honest to oneself. If you can¡®t be honest with yourself, who can you?¡± The old monarch paused for a moment to look across the sea of people, all of whom were awaiting the start of the duel. ¡°So please, allow me to tell you all just how pleased I am with how everything has turned out. I¡¯m pleased with our new found peace with Ashon, I¡¯m also pleased with the success of the great markets. Even more so, I¡¯m pleased with the people.¡± He nodded his head in approval before continuing, his expression turning more serious and melancholy. ¡°However, most of all, I¡®m pleased to announce thatmy son Gregor, my second-born, shall succeed me during the coming peace negotiations with Ashon. I¡¯ve considered this for quite a while, and I believe this is what I must do for the prosperity of all my denizens.¡± His sudden and unexpected declaration caused a flurry of whispers to spread throughout the crowd. To pass the crown onto his heir, a second-born, caused quite an eruption of debate and gossip. ¡°Now then, I¡¯ve spoken and made my peace. So with that, allow me to say... let the games begin!¡± The two knights kicked down at their horses as they galloped at each other, broadswords risen to meet each other¡¯s strikes. The crowd had forgotten what the King declared as a newfound sea of shouts and cheers roared out. That, or they were placated and distracted. As the arena rumbled beneath the excitement that bled through the air, a lone man sat within the waiting corridor. It was a dark room as only one brazier hung from the ceiling, casting only a faint light down to the ground below. Dust rained down from the stone above as the echoing shouts of the noblemen thundered in the background. The lone man rose to his feet, a single silver coin flipping between his fingers as he cloaked himself in a shadowed cowl. ¡°Well, it seems I¡¯ve my work cut out for me,¡± the man spoke to no one in particular, most likely just the air itself. His steps muffled as he walked through the passage, the sounds of sturdy boots walking above were the only footsteps one could hear. He whispered again, ¡°Revered God, my deliverer, as I speak I stray further and further from the path of righteousness and closer into darkness. Forgive me, for I did not read your scriptures on the holiest of days, I did not live the life my father wished for me. I accept your punishment, deliver me from evil. Show me your mercy so I may delight in your will.¡± He continued mumbling to himself as he lurked through the darkened corridor. In front of the man appeared a sturdy wooden door, one that wasn¡®t opened often as they had allowed the dust to build on the ground where the door would swing open. The arena constructors wouldn¡®t have used this style of door unless to symbolize the entrance to a private room or section. He placed his ear against the door, listening for the slightest of sounds. After hearing nothing, he dragged the door open, his hands becoming almost shadow as he did. By the time he opened the door enough to slip through, he had already transformed. His entire body concealed itself, leaving behind only the faintest of shimmering light as his cloak blended together with the light of the room. As he moved through the room an almost illusioned shimmer of light followed behind him where every step he took his cloak would adjust to match the ambient lighting and shadows. It was as if he weren¡¯t even there, a mere phantom gliding through empty air. The entire brickwork shook as thecrowd cheered and stomped,marking a climactic moment for the duel. This, however, only exaggerated the limited time that the man had. ¡°Must hurry before the opportunity escapes me,¡± he snapped to himself, a voice reverberating through shimmered nothingness. He winded up through the staircase, climbing up one of the few watchtowers that sat at each of the four corners of the arena. He stopped before arriving on the top level, only to exit the corridor and tuck himself into the corner of a new hallway. Pacing through the hallway were two decorated guardsmen, complete with full plate armor. They walked back and forth once or twice only to stop as the cheers from outside grew louder. They moved toward an opened window as the torches that hung on the wall had danced, the flames breathing with the wind. The guards began cheering as they watched the duel, their eyes diverted from the rest of the hallway. The hidden intruder moved closer to them, sneaking across the opposite side of the hallway, practically hugging the brick wall. His cloak continued to shimmer as light reflected off of him, revealing only a faint illusion as he walked. He moved past them, avoiding their senses as they enjoyed themselves, believing no one was watching. He was almost to the other end of the hallway when a voice shouted out from behind him. Paused, beads of sweat dripping from his forehead. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± a grown man shouted. ¡°You two, get back to work! Stop loitering!¡± ¡°Aye, yes captain,¡± the two guards replied in unison, both shaken at being called out. They returned to their pacing as they moved further down the hallway from where the intruder had come from. The intruder had practically choked upon hearing a voice call out like that, but to his surprise and delight, it wasn¡¯t for him. He hurried through the hallway as quickly as he could, if only to escape that place. As he left, he continued down another flight of stairs that sat on one of the other four corners of the arena. Halfway through descending he stopped at a thin window, a torch hung on the wall next to it as the glass sat open, letting the wind through. With a single pull, he forced himself through the window, and out onto the outer layers of the wall. Below him was a crowd of people all cheering for their victor, while above him was a brick walkway filled with well-prepared guardsmen. The only way through was to crawl across the banister. It came with a risk, but he couldn¡¯t afford to not take it. The arena thundered once more as the man could see the two knights charging toward one another, their broadswords swinging down towards their opponent¡¯s shield. It seemed to be an even fight between the two men, which only seemed to excite the crowd even more. He pushed himself across as his glistening cloak blew in the wind, revealing hints of himself as the wind built. Ambling, he arrived in the center of the pathway. Below him was his destination. A single balcony with a cloth canopy covering the top. Beneath the canopy were two well-dressed knights with their hands sat comfortably on their swords hilt. He found a thin divot between the canopy and a spot just behind the two knights, adjusting his footing as he drew out a thin blackened blade from beneath his cloak. Whispering to himself, ¡°Revered God, my deliverer, forgive this selfish one, for I must send another to greet you. Sustain me so it may alleviate me from my anguish. I plead this of you in your hallowed name, o Revered master. I await your conviction so I may make amends for my actions.¡± The wind had covered his prayer as he dived down, landing behind one knight, his steps muffled through magic. He rose his dagger toward his face, blocking his eyes from the world. He waited, knowing he could only strike when the perfect moment presented itself. The crowd cheered. A song of death and sorrow played through the assassin¡¯s mind as the thundering sound of applause shook the wind. He brought his dagger to one knight¡¯s throat, ripping it across quickly as the man could only suffer in silent anguish. The other knight turned to look as he heard the odd coughing, and right in front of him, the assassin dived for him, dagger in hand. Missing his throat, he instead sliced down through his shoulder. The knight moved to draw for his sword, but something stopped him. He foamed at the mouth as he coughed out a question, ¡°Po-poison?¡± Watching the second knight struggle to stand, the assassin moved closer, cutting the man¡¯s throat to end any prolonged misery. ¡°Go now, to the embrace of the Revered one. Curse me in the afterlife so I may join you all the sooner.¡± The assassin moved through the balcony and entered the room which sat next to it. Elegant flags hung throughout the room as a beautiful table waited in the middle. Several odd papers and scrolls littered the table as the assassin made his way through the room. A single door sat open within the room. The door which led to where the king had placed himself, the royal perch as most would call it. A place where the members of the royal family could oversee the games while also remaining out of sight of the commoners, at least when they sat. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The assassin approached the door as his heartbeat sped up more than before. He could see through the crack between the doors that there were still people sat outside. Pulling open the doors as his cloak did its best to blend him into the shadows, he snuck closer, lurking just out of view. ¡°Now don¡¯t be like that, it¡¯ll all work out,¡± the old King said to another younger man who sat to his side. They were arguing about something. ¡°Father, how could you leave everything to Gregor of all people? Why didn¡¯t you talk with me about this beforehand?¡± the other man, a Prince, asked in frustration. ¡°You must understand¡­ Gregor has never been good with conflict. You can leave him a well-preserved egg and he¡¯d treasure it, but the moment a crack shows itself he¡¯d toss it out.¡± The King chuckled to himself as he tried reasoning, ¡°Oh Adrien, you and your stories.¡± ¡°Father!¡± Prince Adrien shouted, ¡°This isn¡¯t a story, this isn¡¯t a hypothetical. Leaving the country to Gregor will be the death of us!¡± Just as everything was heating up, an elderly woman intervened. She turned her attention toward Prince Adrien and shook her head, ¡°Oh my poor son, I know it may seem unfair to you now¡­ but with time you¡¯ll come to find this a godsend. Ruling a nation is not a fun task, nor a simple one. Let your brother handle it, not only will he enjoy it but he¡¯ll have plenty of able hands around to provide him with help.¡± ¡°Mother, don¡¯t cover for father, please. He must know how much of a horrible idea this is. You said it best mother, how Gregor will need help throughout his rule, but as you know, it¡¯s my brother who will rule as King, not those helpers. He¡¯s unpredictable. Do you wish to hand over this country to him when he could bring everything to ruin in an instant? I wouldn¡®t trust him to hold a sword¡­ to rule a country? Absolutely not!¡± From within the shadows of the balcony, a lingering mirage sat there, shimmering away as moonlight befell upon the horizon. The audience continued to cheer as someone delivered yet another strike between the knights caught in a duel. As the audience cheered, so did the King, as he let loose several calming claps to show his approval and interest. ¡°Now now Adrien, your brother shall succeed me and that¡¯s final. Come morning I shall sign the decree and the throne will be his.¡± Prince Adrien lowered his head in defeat as he lifted himself up, ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­ I have much to do before the night is through. If you¡¯ll excuse me, mother, father.¡± With that the Prince left, leaving through the door which had remained open. Passing the cloaked intruder without even realizing it. Now was the perfect time. It was now or never since the Prince would discover the two bodies outside if given enough time. If he could alert the guards beforehand it would become nigh-near impossible to strike from surprise. The assassin made another prayer, this time in his head. It took only a moment before he once more drew out his poisoned dagger. His shimmering black cloak rose as he approached from behind the royal family. ¡°Oh, that boy¡­ sometimes I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do with him,¡± the King grumbled to his wife. ¡°What we¡¯re doing for the boy isn¡¯t too cruel, is it?¡± ¡°Oh heavens no, my dear Feodor. He¡¯ll learn to love and appreciate what you¡¯ve done, sparing him the responsibilities of the throne. Now he¡¯ll be able to live a much less restrained life, able to even travel and marry the woman of his choice and not just some princess.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± King Feodor chuckled to himself, ¡°I was lucky enough to marry the woman of my choice.¡± His wife blushed, ¡°Oh stop, our sons still inside.¡± Feodor looked out over the crowd as his line of sight turned away, ¡°Just look at them. Adoring people, not even knowing how close we came to war with those damn Ashics.¡± There were no cheeky responses to his comment. Feodor turned to look, perhaps his wife had been drinking from her glass. ¡°My love?¡± What he saw was unsightly. Two bloodshot eyes stared over at him, the owner of these eyes being his wife. A disgusting crimson liquid washed down her neck as a cloaked marauder stood behind her chair, a dagger in hand as the man turned his attention towards Feodor. Just like that, someone had taken his wife from him. So suddenly, so horribly. He could practically feel his fingers grasping his wives¡¯, the two so intertwined as to become lost in their own little world repeatedly. What he was feeling, however, was her bloodsoaked arm as he had plunged himself at her. ¡°No! My beloved! No, ahHh!¡± The assassin spoke up, his voice sharp and venomous. ¡°Revered God, eternal light in the darkness,¡± he moved to position himself behind the King as he continued to preach, ¡°I must relieve my heart of sin. I fell from the path, I broke a promise I should¡¯ve kept.¡± ¡°Keep away from me you bastard!¡± Feodor shouted as he grabbed for a sword which sat at his feet. He was no longer a master, nor was he capable of even fending off the average knight, but he had to try something. His would-be killer went on, ¡°Relieve me of my sins, heal me of these self-inflicted wounds.¡± ¡°AhHhh!¡± Feodor struck out with his sword. All of his shouting covered by the cheering of the crowd, the sounds of the two steel blades colliding was only background noise to the dueling knights as one strike after another landed. ¡°I accept your retribution so I may rid myself of this guilt and live life afresh.¡± ¡°AahHhh,¡± Feodor coughed out as the assassin¡¯s dagger pierced through his lower abdomen. Without pause the King¡¯s attacker slashed his dagger forward again, this time aiming for the veins hidden beneath his wrists. King Feodor fell backward as it struck him, knocking a chair over as he hit the floor. His crown fell from his head as he could feel blood sliding along his arm and down to his fingers. It¡¯s warmth soon turned cold and, as it reached the tips of his fingers, the droplets fell to the ground, soaking the ground red. Feeling dizzy, King Feodor saw the world as it spun around him. He momentarily paused as it overcame him with sickness, the poison had taken its toll. ¡°My so-sons¡­¡± the King coughed out through bloodied breathes. Tired, he felt so tired. He thought he¡¯d take a nap, a quick one. He couldn¡¯t even keep his eyes open any longer, he needed to rest. Everything seemed to come to a halt as his eyes slowly folded in on each other,one final naphe thought. King Feodor had moved on to another life, leaving his body and world behind. His assassin stood over him as he lamented over the loss of this man and of the act of taking his life. The assassin didn¡¯t have long to mourn, however, as a shriek of anguish echoed out through the arena, cutting through the cheer of the arena at last. Everyone present looked dazed and confused as no one could locate the source of the scream. ¡°Guards, guards come quick! My God¡­ father¡­ no!¡± The young Prince Adrien had returned, perhaps hoping to handle the situation after some consideration. It was only by horrible happenstance that his father and mother was taken from this world mere moments ago. Prince Adrien rushed forward as he tore out one of the decorated swords that had hung on the mantle of the room. ¡°You son of a bitch, you¡¯ll pay with your accursed life!¡± The assassin side-stepped the Prince¡¯s swing, bringing his own dagger up to counter-attack. His blade struck against the sword, creating a sharp clang that shot out into the arena. ¡°Little Lord¡­¡± He spoke matter-of-factly, ¡°It was not your life I had come here for, stand down.¡± ¡°Stand down?!¡± Prince Adrien coughed out as he lifted his sword back into the air in an act of bravado. He brought the blade down toward the assassin¡¯s shoulder, hoping to carve him clear through. The assassin¡¯s dagger came up to match it. He needed both of his arms up, bracing. ¡°Ugh,¡± the cloaked marauder coughed out as Adrien¡¯s sword smashed into his dagger. The Prince dashed forward again as he shouted out in teary breathe, ¡°You¡¯ll die for what you¡¯ve done to mother and father! Only your head will satisfy me!¡± The two continued exchanging blows as the King¡¯s knights arrived within the room, surrounding the nest where they fought. The assassin moved slower than usual as he shot a glance around, taking in the surrounding situation. He held restraint in his fight with the young Prince as any skilled assassin would with someone who was not the specified target. ¡°Young lord, I beseech you one last time. I am not here for you, so halt your blade and instead mourn your loss.¡± The Prince ignored the man¡¯s request, as it had been a foolish and idiotic request, instead opting for another barrage of strikes. He rushed forward once again, sword in hand. ¡°Revered God, guardian of souls, please grant me your audience. Kindle my inner fire so I might overcome this obstacle¡ª¡± he prayed again, however, Prince Adrien¡¯s brutal attacks interrupted him midway through. A heavy strike came crashing down near his arm, with enough power behind it to crack stone. The assassin hesitated none longer, allowing his body to form into midnight and shadows. As if becoming one with the illusion himself. His body faded, disorienting his opponent just enough to delay his attack. He rushed out the end of the prayer, ¡°I plead this of you in your almighty name, my Revered Master. Anoint me with your illustrious soul.¡± Upon completing his prayer, something within the air changed. A pressure almost, as if some dark magic had descended upon the freshly arrived night sky. The force of pressure was just enough to cause the Prince and his knights to show hesitation and fear as they froze in their steps. The assassin didn¡¯t waste this opportunity as he turned back around toward the end of the King¡¯s nest, overlooking the arena. He jumped up, landing on the lip of the nest, nearest the railings. As soon as he stepped out onto the edge, his shape came into view as the crowd chattered to themselves. An intruder, within the King¡¯s nest? Whatever could this mean? Those were the questions that spread through the crowd the quickest. ¡°Farewell, little Lord. Perhaps any other day and you might¡¯ve caught me, but I¡¯m afraid that within the shroud of Night I held the advantage. Also, you may not understand, no, I know you don¡¯t understand, but I am truly remorseful for your loss. If only there could¡¯ve been another way...¡± With that, he jumped down from the nest. He landed near the public seating as he dashed forward into the crowd of witnesses. As he did this a panic spread through the crowd as they found themselves involved in the conflict with no prior warning. Using his mysterious magic, he faded into the crowd as if being swallowed by the sheer number of people. Just as quickly as he arrived, the cloaked assailant disappeared from view as the fresh moonlight embraced him. ¡°My lord!¡± One knight shouted out as he saluted the Prince, who only now had time to look at his parents. ¡°I¡¯ve ordered the King¡¯s guard to oversee your protection. Also, the knights¡­ I¡¯ll make sure they turn the entire arena upside-down to find that man.¡± The Prince ignored him. No, he couldn¡¯t hear him as he was lost in thought. ¡°Mother¡­¡± Adrien murmured out, ¡°Father.¡± He took a moment to recollect himself, and even then he was hanging on by a strand. He turned to face the guards who surrounded him, and with a quiet, hiccuped breathe he ordered. ¡°Bring me that bastard¡¯s head¡­¡± Book 1, Chapter 1: Dawn of the Festival Chapter 1 Dawn of the Festival
"No matter what path you walk in life, it''s better to walk it with a friend. Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light." - Peres Telle, Scholar of the Hamilsley House
A chilling breeze flew past Troley as he inhaled for breath, filling his lungs to the brim with ice. The cold burned. Every step he took one could hear the crunching of frozen blades of grass crackling beneath him. The rough winter storm had passed through the night, leaving a comfortable blanket of white over the countryside. It engulfed everything within sight as it overtook the fields, transforming the plains into a gentle wonderland. The morning dew permeated the air as it lightly fell from the trees, dripping off the crisp leaves. The sound of neighing horses and grinding axes could be heard from all around him. Everyone within the small, quaint little village of Almerry was awake and active. Troley looked out over the plains from his vantage point to see how everyone went about their duties, from the men who carved firewood and managed the farms to the women who plucked wild snowberries and knitted together new comforts to protect the villagers from the harsh winter nights. The young boy was quite accustomed to this way of life, as it was the only one he had known. As he departed his vantage point, entering further into the village, he¡¯d find several people call out to him as he walked, some with morning greetings while others with seemingly more snappy tones, as they were more interested in putting him back to work. These people all shared a love for their home Almerry, in their own special way. Listening to some of the villagers call out to him, allhe could do was let out a laugh. ¡°Some people just aren¡¯t morning risers, are they? Ah, they mean well.¡± Troley always tried to hold his head up high and look to the brighter side of things. Sometimes you had to just to get by, especially since he wasn¡¯t the biggest or tallest out of his group of boys. There were many other boys going through growth spurts who had already surpassed his size in only a few months, but he couldn¡¯t be too disheartened, as they were mostly abnormalities. In truth, he quite liked how he looked. Not only did he care dearly for his comfortable garments, which included a dusty brown tunic along with a thin-stranded belt of knick-knacks that he collected dangling off of it. His leggings shared the same brown coloring of his top as they bagged down his thin figure. What he liked most about himself, however, was his attractive yet slightly effeminate face, with smooth pale skin and neatly trimmed ginger hair adding to his already bountiful looks. Actually, there were many in the village who swooned over him, only they were mostly all middle-aged women who found him, as they would say, adorable. He continued through the village, walking past several small farmed fields as he went. He was still only within the outskirts of the village, where most of the villagers resided while working the numerous farms and countless crops and animals. Stopping in front of one residential house, in particular - Troley called out into the air with a confident gusto, ¡°Giles! Come on out already, we need to hurry to the festival!¡± Several minutes passed by as he impatiently waited in front of the house, only being alleviated from his boredom for a moment by a passerby, an older woman carrying a finely weaved basket filled almost to the brim with rags and clothing. She spoke out toward Troley with a smile on her face and a light chuckle as she held a bounce in her step, ¡°Don¡¯t go getting into trouble Troley, I know what sort of influence you can be on poor Giles.¡± Troley shared a smile as he nodded and replied back, ¡°Of course Miss Barnard, I¡¯ll be good, I¡¯m always good.¡± Her smile grew even larger as she went on her way, laughing all the while. Troley was quite a little amusement to the common folk, at least. As she escaped Troley¡¯s view, the front door to the house finally stretched open, and a similarly young boy stepped out. He shouted out, ¡°I¡¯m coming, I¡¯m coming! Don¡¯t get too impatient waiting for me, Troley.¡± ¡°Well hurry up then,¡± Troley laughed as he spoke, ¡°Why am I always the one to get you, and not the other way around?¡± Giles arrived in front of Troley as he replied, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s on you, man. You¡¯re the freak who likes to wake up in the earliest parts of the morning.¡± The two boys looked each other up and down as they prepared themselves for the coming festival. Giles was similarly built to Troley, only he stood a good three inches taller. Not only that, but he also fashioned a thick head of perfectly groomed blonde hair that awkwardly hung over his long, cheerful face. His cobalt eyes had a smart gleam as they affectionately watched Troley shuffle around him. Troley gave a comfortable nod as he questioned aloud, ¡°Hold up, is that yet another new scarf I see? Well knitted, too.¡± ¡°Eh, you noticed? You¡¯ve got some sort of freaky eye for that sort of thing¡­ don¡¯t you?¡± Troley nodded as he held his fist to his chest, as if saluting the air, ¡°We¡¯re a team, aren¡¯t we? All teams need to be able to function as one unit, and so we¡¯d need to know the working conditions and gear of everyone. I¡¯m practicing, it¡¯s practice.¡± Giles could only shake his head as he brushed his hand through the air a few times as if trying to exaggerate a sigh. ¡°You laugh now, but you won¡¯t be laughing when my know-how saves your life.¡± ¡°My life?¡± Giles repeated in doubt, ¡°Aren¡¯t you getting ahead of yourself, mighty warrior?¡± ¡°Alright, fine.¡± Troley waved his hand toward Giles, seemingly trying to move onto a new subject. ¡°So, what¡¯s up with the scarf? Your old one rip or something?¡± Giles exhaled slowly as he shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s my mother, she keeps making me these things for every occasion. It seems almost every chance she gets, pretty much. Truth be told It¡¯s quite maddening at times, but you know how she gets. Well, at least they are useful during these cold snows.¡± As he listened, all Troley could do was give a slight nod and agree. ¡°Your mother seems to have good intentions, but if she continuously makes new ones, how are you supposed to appreciate the old ones? Ah, well, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t see where she¡¯s coming from.¡± they both understood her desire to provide for her son, so they couldn¡¯t fault her too much. ¡°I suppose, but it is exhausting watching her knitting almost all hours of the day.¡± Troley nodded. ¡°Say, I hate to change the subject, but it¡¯s been driving me crazy all week. Tell me, who do you think will receive the Baron¡¯s honor this year? My guess would probably go to Obadiah, ooh, or maybe it¡¯ll be Linus.¡± Giles shook his head, ¡°No way it¡¯s going to be Linus, he¡¯s too weak to be picked. Hm, Obadiah isn¡¯t a horrible choice, though. Actually, the Baron¡¯s honor is just some dumb old tradition that we as a village never outgrew¡­¡± ¡°Old tradition or not, I still like it. To receive gifts from the Baron as a reward for your service to the village, it sounds quite rewarding for us common folk. Things like specially crafted armor, a new, freshly shined sword handcrafted to your liking by the Baron¡¯s blacksmith¡­ those sort of things. How can you not appreciate that tradition?¡± ¡°It just seems self-congratulating, to me. I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s probably because I¡¯ve never been that invested in the holiday so it just seems to sneak up on me,¡± Giles explained with a light shrug. ¡°That¡¯s why you have to pay more attention to things, like me. Always be on the lookout for adventure,¡± Troley smiled as he spoke, ¡°If you don¡¯t pay attention adventure may end up sneaking up on you and biting you in the-¡± The sound of ringing bells interrupted him as it cut through the entire village, causing both boys to look toward the source of the noise. ¡°Ah, the Baron must have arrived! Come on, if we hurry we might be able to watch as the knights ride in.¡± Troley eagerly led the way through the outskirts of the village, their destination being the heart of town. It didn¡¯t take the two boys long to arrive amongst the gathering crowd within the village square. The towns-guard had been put to work separating the gathered villagers and moving them aside so that the newly arriving knights could gallop in on horseback without trampling anyone. Troley and Giles had been pushed to one particular side as they watched, wide-eyed and excited. It wasn¡¯t every day these common folk had the opportunity to see real knights in action, moving with a fierce certainty and expectation. Their horses were all well groomed and fed, the beasts seemed more observant of the crowd than the knights. An older man, dressed in a fine linen cloak and fur shoulder pads, stepped forward to greet the decorated knights. ¡°Welcome to our humble village, Lord Wyn.¡± The speaker lowered himself before a single man. ¡°Hmph,¡± The man, Baron Wyn, coughed in response. ¡°I¡¯ve traveled a great distance with very little rest, I¡¯m of the mind to rest before we begin any of the festivities.¡± The man lifted his head up as he stared the Baron down, examining his appearance. Wyn was a bulky man, with long arms and muscular features. Not only that, but he possessed an expansive beard that covered everything from his chin down to his chest, only stopping once it hit the middle. The linen draped man responded with a delighted smile, ¡°Yes, of course. Shall I escort you to our finest inn, Lord Wyn?¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Wyn looked over the man opposite him as he thought for a moment, only speaking up after a few seconds. ¡°You are sir Elbert Mantle, yes? The man whom I¡¯ve written to prior to this?¡± ¡°Indeed I am, sir. After my father passed eight months ago, I was assigned in his stead to oversee this village and it¡¯s occurrences.¡± Elbert Mantle once more gave a firm bow as he spoke, ¡°I do hope my actions will not displease you, or my father.¡± The Baron nodded understandingly, ¡°Very well. If you could, I¡¯d like to rest and clean myself up before our meeting. Please, show me to my residents.¡± Elbert turned to his side as he waved for someone to his side to approach, ¡°Of course Lord Wyn, I shall guide you as my companion here will show your knights to the stables so that they may dismount. I¡¯m sure everyone would very much appreciate a bit of a break from riding.¡± A few knights who were situated closeby to the Baron nodded, showing appreciation for being considered. The two boys stood there as they watched, they were merely another pair of faces within the crowd. Troley¡¯s face showed an awed expression as he paid close attention to the formalities of the Baron¡¯s speech, while also keeping his eyes glued onto the knights as he saw them scan through the village square. ¡°Amazing¡­¡± He chortled out, appearing almost pious as he watched, taking in everything from the sounds to the sights. He didn¡¯t want to forget this event, to be able to see true noble knights right in front of his eyes. He admired those warriors a great deal. ¡°Troley, come with me, the crowd is splitting again,¡± Giles called out as he grabbed onto Troley¡¯s arm, pulling him to one side. All Troley could do was let out a brief sigh as he nodded along with Giles¡¯ logic. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right¡­ maybe I¡¯ll even get to see two knights duel.¡± As Giles guided Troley away from the splitting crowd, Elbert led the tired and sleep-deprived Baron Wyn toward the village inn. It was a quaint little cottage with only two floors, but it was more than enough to house the slightly less than a dozen knights and the Baron whom they served and protected. ¡°Mister Elbert, was it? I¡¯m always shocked and surprised whenever I come to this village¡­ such a crowd. If I didn¡¯t know any better, we may have to start calling Almerry a town soon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that big,¡± Elbert chuckled as he replied, We''ve had good harvests and soft storms, so our crops continued pouring in, which in turn meant more villagers were living happy lives and would decide to make a larger family for themselves. That, of course, meant more future workers are being born, which cycles into what we have now.¡± ¡°Very true,¡± Wyn agreed, ¡°When you have constant good harvests and very few storms you end up with an abundance of happy people, which in turn creates even more work for your village as more mouths mean more food. I will say this, among the many villages within my province... Almerry has been one of the most successful in terms of yield." The two discussed as they walked. Two of Wyn¡¯s knights accompanied behind him as two village guards towed behind Elbert, respectively. ¡°Here we are, the Frozen Rabbit, or so the villagers have gone to calling it.¡± Wyn chortled as he nodded his head, ¡°Right, I remember from my visit last year. You were practically still but a boy from what I can remember¡­ my, how you¡¯ve grown so quickly. This tavern shall serve me and my men well for the night. We will rest for a few hours, so if you could provide us with warm meals, we¡¯d be much obliged.¡± Elbert lowered his head as he spoke, ¡°Of course, Baron Wyn. We of Almerry live within your hold, and survive due to your protection¡­ if we couldn¡¯t bring you a warm meal at the minimum¡­ I¡¯d be a failure in my father¡¯s eyes.¡± Wyn entered through the front door as his two knights followed closely behind him. They were prepared for anything, but they weren¡¯t particularly on edge. Each of the knights had been given their own room to stay in during the festival, and in exchange, they volunteered to oversee some of the villagers'' training sessions and provide them with suggestions on how to improve. This, however, was only applicable to the adults who served as village-guards. Several hours quickly passed as the village began preparing for the festival. The men constructed the tents and eating arrangements, while the women went around preparing the meals themselves. Troley was bored as he and Giles could only wander around the village with nothing of significance to do. They could, of course, volunteer to help with basic preparations and cleaning, but such work was considered menial and required little to no effort. It wasn¡¯t that they held themselves above the work itself, it was more they didn¡¯t have the patience to accomplish it. So instead, the two of them decided they¡¯d much rather goof around instead. ¡°You promised me knight¡¯s dueling, Giles¡­ I don¡¯t see any duels.¡± Troley pouted out of sheer boredom. ¡°When is the festival going to start, anyway?¡± Giles shrugged his shoulders together as he murmured out a faint grunt. ¡°You do realize I¡¯m in the same boat as you, right? I don¡¯t know anything that you don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­ I know,¡± Troley said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do, is there? We¡¯ve got to wait for nightfall most likely.¡± As if fate had decided to mock him, he was once more interrupted by the sound of ringing bells, only this time Troley and Giles glanced at each other in confusion. The bell rang to signal the arrival of visitors, especially an entourage of them. For the bell to ring a second time in a single day was almost unheard of, especially since the Baron wasn¡¯t expecting anyone else. ¡°Hm¡­ let''s go check out what¡¯s going on.¡± Troley spoke, leading the two of them back toward the village square where the entire village had gathered only a few hours before. The two boys weren¡¯t the only ones curious, as dozens of the other villagers had dropped their work to go investigate the commotion. The more people who went, the more commotion was caused, which created a cycle of interest. Within the Frozen Rabbit, Baron Wyn was sat within a dining hall along with half a dozen of his knights. They were devouring down a freshly stewed meal, quite happily too. The door to the tavern flew open as the village representative and leader Elbert entered, accompanied by the man from before who had guided the Knights to the horse stable. ¡°Lord Wyn, please do forgive my interruption¡­but there seems to be a situation that must be handled quickly. You wouldn¡¯t happen to be expecting visitors, would you?¡± Wyn looked up in confusion, ¡°Excuse me? I¡¯m not sure I understand the question¡­¡± ¡°Ah, well yes¡­ it seems our watchers have spotted a band of knights carrying your banner¡­ they seem to be approaching the village on horseback. They aren¡¯t signaling to us or sending a messenger ahead, so I wasn¡¯t sure how to handle this.¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± Baron Wyn simply waved his hand in the air as if to excuse the odd circumstance. ¡°Are you sure your watchers saw everything correctly? I had ordered the rest of my men to remain behind within the fort¡­ for them to come all the way here only a few hours after my own arrival¡­ nonsense.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s true,¡± Elbert reasoned, ¡°If it were only one report, I¡¯d ignore it¡­ but I¡¯ve been informed on three different occasions over the last hour alone that a group of men carrying your banner has crossed into our territory.¡± Baron Wyn finally took the situation seriously as his face became more rigid. He turned to face one of the knights who had served at his side since their arrival, ¡°Go check everything out, report back to me once you¡¯ve made your assessment. I¡¯ll prepare my equipment here. Inform me of anything changing, also, make sure you have spare birds ready to send out a message.¡± The knight nodded as he clambered onto his feet, the heavy metal of his armor once more weighing down on him. ¡°As you command, my Lord.¡± The knight exited the tavern with a firm glare in his eyes as if overwhelmed with a sense of urgency and duty. ¡°I¡¯ll remain within this tavern until I hear more about the situation from him. Unless you had anything else for me, I¡¯ll finish my meal and prepare to receive these travelers.¡± All Elbert could do was lower himself as he said, ¡°Very well, my Lord. You shall be the first informed when they arrive.¡± Another couple of hours flew by as the village continued to prepare for the festival. The fires within the stoves were lit, and the vegetables were carved. Things were moving forward quickly, as planned. Tonight was a rare occurrence, after all. The dusk of moonlight had begun to overtake the fields as night approached. Several villagers had halted what they were doing to watch as what appeared to be a band of knights marched towards their home. Elbert stood atop one of the watchtowers that had been constructed on the edge of the village as he awaited their arrival. It had been several hours since he¡¯d found out about them, but only now did they arrive within view. It was a good thing that the village had constructed an efficient network of scouts, who used lightweight birds to deliver their messages throughout the region. Baron Wyn clambered up the rough-looking staircase to the watchtower. He soon arrived next to Elbert as the two of them waited. ¡°Hm, that is definitely my banner¡­¡± Wyn claimed as he held a handmade telescope up. ¡°That man¡­ I recognize him. He was one of our runners within my fort. Why are my own men here, of all places?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find out soon enough,¡± Elbert replied. ¡°Judging by their pace, they¡¯ll arrive within the hour. Hm, right when we¡¯re supposed to kickstart the festival.¡± Baron Wyn gave a firm nod as he spoke, ¡°I¡¯m afraid the festival may have to be delayed, at least until I know what is happening. You see, for them to come in person so quickly must mean something has happened¡­ otherwise, they could¡¯ve simply have sent a pigeon." ¡°Very true,¡± Elbert agreed, ¡°I¡¯m afraid to say, but this isn¡¯t a good sign. Perhaps our long enjoyed peace is about to shatter¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think like that,¡± Baron Wyn tried to reassure Elbert, ¡°Peace cannot be broken so easily¡­ this is most likely something more personal.¡± They continued chatting for a few more minutes. All they could do was wait and guess what had happened, but in truth, they knew they¡¯d only know the truth once those knights arrived. They were counting down the seconds. The village was finally ready for the festival to proceed, which truly emphasized the disappointment as the people received word that the party had been delayed. Nothing else could be done but wait, unfortunately. This did, however, create an almost unhealthy interest in why the festival had been delayed, and so many villagers had set it upon themselves to investigate, Troley and Giles included. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe after all this time they decided to just delay things even further¡­ what are the leaders thinking¡­¡± Troley complained as he and Giles walked down the moonlit side-street together. ¡°I¡¯m going to get to the bottom of this, mark my word!¡± Giles spoke up in retaliation, ¡°Please for the love of all that is holy, don¡¯t cause any trouble for the Baron or any of those Knights¡­¡± ¡°Trouble? There will be no trouble, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d even suggest that.¡± Troley looked at Giles with a sad look in his eyes, as if to say how he felt betrayed by his friend for assuming he¡¯d cause trouble. ¡°Just¡­ don¡¯t do anything you know I wouldn¡¯t.¡± Giles begged, knowing he most likely couldn¡¯t stop Troley even if he wanted to. Troley was a determined person, after all. If he wanted to pry into someone else¡¯s business, he would. The main thing that kept him under control was that nothing had grabbed his attention before, not like this. ¡°I can promise you that¡­ probably.¡± Troley chortled out with an ornery expression. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry one lick about me, I¡¯ll be just fine. I have a duty to this village to protect it, so I¡¯m duty-bound to investigate this.¡± Giles shook his head as his palm rubbed against his forehead, ¡°You¡¯re not duty-bound to anything¡­¡± Troley wasn¡¯t having any of it, however, as he quickly rushed off from Giles¡¯ side. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t cause any trouble¡­ don¡¯t cause any trouble.¡± A sense of determination burned within Troley¡¯s gaze as he journeyed through the village, his destination being wherever his investigation would lead him. ¡°The bells rang¡­ so that must mean someone is approaching the village, which would mean everyone is most likely gathered near the entrance.¡± His reasoning was surprisingly on the mark as he wandered his way over toward the village entrance where the Baron had previously arrived from. He intended to be there to witness firsthand what was causing the delay, whatever it may have been. Book 1, Chapter 2: Dusk of the Old Throne Chapter 2 Dusk of the Old Throne
¡°Heavenly master, my refuge and salvation, I need you now in my time of need. Show me the way so I might overcome my obstacles. I plead this of you in your divine presence, o'' brightest light. Provide me with your illustrious soul." - Viscount Destrian, a prayer chanted during the Battle of Zunn
¡°Open the gate!¡± A lone voice broke through the night¡¯s embrace as it barked out orders. The source of the voice was an older man, dressed in dirtied leather attire. Stood to his side were both Elbert and Wyn, who both waited impatiently as the towns-guard slowly opened the entrance. The gate creaked as it moved, making way for the new arrivals. They draped over their horses in exhaustion as the trained beasts slowly walked on, entering the village. Baron Wyn looked out over this small band of men. He had recognized from a distance one of them, and now that they were before him, he began to recognize more and more. Each and every one of these men was a well-trained knight forged in combat and dedicated to the cause. They were the ones who served him and his fort. Why they had come here in such condition, however, was beyond him. ¡°Elbert, those men are indeed from my regiment, but why have they come, and in such disarray?¡± The freshly arrived knights seemed to hold a mellow and gritty expression on their faces as they were covered in dirt and sweat. Their horses practically exhaling from overwork. This wasn¡¯t the condition these knights were prone too, as they would have usually been well maintained and in pristine order. ¡°Lord Wyn, did anything happen before your departure that would''ve led to this?¡± Elbert asked, trying to understand the situation from a more planted position. However, all Wyn could do was slowly shake his head, ¡°No, nothing of the sort. I had left my fort in working order, and these men weren¡¯t instructed to depart until my return.¡± ¡°I suppose all we can do is ask them ourselves.¡± The two men nodded to each other as they turned toward the staircase that led down the watchtower. They hastily made their way down the steps as Wyn firmly planted his feet down onto solid ground. As he arrived among the commotion one of his knights took notice of him. The man glanced around, and then back toward the Baron. He began to dismount his horse in a tired motion. The Knight stirred in place, awkwardly shuffling his gear on his back as he impatiently began to walk, his destination being Lord Wyn. ¡°Stop, don¡¯t move! Only after the Baron orders it can you move even an inch!¡± One of the knights who had accompanied the Baron on the original journey spoke up, stepping between the two. To everyone''s surprise, however, Wyn arrived next to his knight as he patted him on the shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m sure this sort of treatment isn¡¯t necessary for my own men, now is it?¡± He walked on, arriving in front of the exhausted knight. ¡°Hmm¡­ let''s see here,¡± He thought aloud as his eyes scanned the man, ¡°You¡¯re Tobey, aren¡¯t you? A good lad, been at the fort for some years by now. So Tobey, tell me what has caused you all to ride here with such urgency?¡± The knight seemed to be caught off guard by his name being suddenly addressed. ¡°M-my Lord¡­¡± He stepped forward again, only this time he lowered himself onto one knee, allowing himself to kneel before Wyn. ¡°I have terrible news, my Lord¡­ I and the rest of my men have journeyed for what seemed to be countless days to find you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you were always one step behind us as we traveled,¡± Wyn explained, ¡°I¡¯ve only just arrived within the village of Almerry this day, only a few hours ago.¡± Tobey¡¯s eyes widened as he nodded, ¡°I see, so that¡¯s how it was.¡± ¡°So Tobey, you¡¯ve come all this way to tell me something that I imagine couldn¡¯t be left to a pigeon,¡± Baron Wyn¡¯s face stiffened as he continued, ¡°What has happened back home?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Tobey choked up, his face becoming red and emotional. ¡°It¡¯s horrible, my Lord. Only four hours after you had departed, an eagle arrived from the capital.¡± He hesitated. ¡°Well? An eagle should mark a royal decree, so what did it contain?¡± Tobey looked up, meeting Wyn¡¯s gaze. ¡°My Lord, I¡¯m afraid this message...¡± Baron Wyn began to understand the severity of this news and had quickly caught himself before he continued to push. ¡°Elbert, I¡¯m afraid this message must be contained, so as to spare the people from panic. I¡¯m to assume you have somewhere for occasions such as this?¡± He glanced to his side, shocking Elbert as he was called out. ¡°Mhm,¡± Elbert nodded his head and sighed. ¡°I can show you to the tents, they¡¯ve been set up for the festival, but that will have to wait. Please, everyone...¡± he gestured, ¡°Come with me.¡± Baron Wyn, accompanied by all of his knights and several of Elbert¡¯s closest guardsmen followed behind, departing the village entrance as their horses were left alone with the stablehands. It didn¡¯t take long for them to all arrive within the designated tent. The townsmen waited outside as Elbert was permitted to stay, under Wyn¡¯s personal suggestion. The knights, of course, remained as well. ¡°So Tobey, what did the eagle''s message have for me?¡± The knight went into his satchel as he pulled out a loose scroll, placing it on the table that sat in the middle of the room. ¡°My apologies, sir.¡± He unfurled the paper as his nose began to crease. With each word, his face showed a different expression, ranging from concern to sorrow. ¡°This is horrible¡­¡± Wyn murmured out as he lifted his face. ¡°Who else knows of this?¡± The knight replied, ¡°Only the men who oversee your fort, my Lord. Under Scribe Reave¡¯s instructions, we¡¯ve kept this information from the general population.¡± He coughed as he continued, ¡°I¡¯m afraid to say that news will spread, sir¡­ we can¡¯t hide this forever, and once it does we''ll have widespread panic.¡± Elbert spoke up in concern, ¡°Excuse me, I hope I¡¯m not speaking out of line...¡± ¡°Ah yes,¡± Baron Wyn had forgotten about Elbert and the village for a moment as he caught himself. ¡°I suppose you should know of this, as well. You see, a royal decree has arrived from the palace¡­ his majesty, along with his beloved wife¡­¡± Wyn hesitated for a moment. ¡°They¡¯ve gone to meet God, together.¡± ¡°What!¡± Elbert shouted out in shock. ¡°They¡¯re¡­ d-dead?¡± ¡°Please, calm yourself. Yes, his majesty is no longer with us¡­ but that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re without hope.¡± Wyn responded in a calm yet shallow voice. ¡°I hold faith in the royal family. I imagine soon one of the King¡¯s sons will take the mantle.¡± The room went silent for a moment as Wyn glanced around, the knight¡¯s faces lowered so as to not meet his gaze. ¡°It¡¯s a terrible fate, but all we can do is maintain the peace and pray for the royal family.¡± One of the knights coughed out as his legs shook with exhaustion. He had begun to lose control of his footing. Elbert rushed to the man¡¯s side as he caught him, ¡°Are you alright?¡± Wyn watched. ¡°Elbert, I hope this isn¡¯t too much trouble, but it seems these men will need a place to rest while I prepare a letter. Ah, Robyn, you wouldn¡¯t happen to have one of my seals handy?¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The knight who had accompanied the Baron from the start adjusted his stance as he lowered his head, ¡°Yes sir, shall I assume you''ll be needing it?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Wyn nodded as another knight pulled a stool over toward the table for him. ¡°I must inform my Scribe that the message has been delivered. Elbert, you wouldn¡¯t happen to have a spare pigeon?¡¯ Elbert shook his head as he shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about any of that, let me go find out, it will only take a few minutes.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Wyn replied, ¡°Ah yes, Tobey¡­ go rest with the others, I shall have you called upon come morning, so be ready.¡± ¡°As you c-command¡­¡± the exhausted Tobey grunted out as he wiped the dirt from his cheek. It didn¡¯t take long for everyone to move, some having already exited the tent by the time the Baron had started on his message. As he wrote he occasionally bounced ideas off the loyal knight Robyn, who stood by his side. Elsewhere, Tobey and the others rested as the townsfolk went off to prepare the meals and cots for them to sleep on, all the while Elbert searched the village for a trained pigeon that was healthy enough to trust everything to. Everyone had a job to do, and knowing what the royal message contained, they couldn¡¯t afford to falter in their actions. Outside the tent, two familiar boys lurked near some shrubbery in an attempt to eavesdrop on whatever they could. They were careful, however, knowing there were limits even for them. They didn¡¯t try and push their luck too far as they kept to a relatively safe distance. All they really hoped to achieve was to pass the time. ¡°You hear anything yet?¡± Troley asked in a mischievously sly voice. ¡°Shh!¡± Giles hissed back, his head turned so that his ear aimed toward the tent. Troley shook his head as he watched this, knowing it had no effect on whether or not he could hear anything. ¡°If you didn¡¯t hear anything just tell me, you don¡¯t have to pretend¡­¡± Giles turned to face Troley as he spoke, ¡°Who said anything about pretending? I heard something, alright? Maybe if you stopped talking so much I¡¯d be able to tell you what I heard¡­ but because of you, it was mostly just gibberish.¡± ¡°Mostly?¡± Troley repeated with a smirk. ¡°Mhm,¡± Giles began to change his tune, becoming more ornery as he continued. ¡°Something about a royal decree... meaning a message directly from the King, right?¡± They thought for a moment as Troley finally quieted down and listened. If Giles could hear that, what else could they pick up? Almost as soon as they started, the tent¡¯s flap opened up as a familiar face stepped out. Elbert was accompanied by a small group of knights as they all wandered off in different directions. Troley whispered, ¡°What¡¯s up with those guys? Were they here when the Baron first arrived?¡± Giles turned to look, and to his shock, there were numerous knights following behind Elbert. Dirt coated their faces and armor, while they carried themselves with a slower pace. ¡°No, they weren¡¯t here originally,¡± Giles mentioned, as he had memorized most of the knight¡¯s faces when they first arrived. He was good with faces like that. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re why the festival was prolonged.¡± ¡°Either way, we need to get to the bottom of this!¡± Troley chimed in, his voice carrying itself a bit farther than anticipated. As he spoke, one of the few townsfolk who had remained in the area lifted their head, caught off guard by the sudden sound. He glanced around, trying to find the source. Troley and Giles ducked their heads beneath the shrubbery as they held in laughter. Giles whispered, ¡°You idiot¡­ go follow those knights, I¡¯ll keep an eye on mister Elbert. Meet back in the square in one hour, alright?¡± They both nodded in acknowledgment as they went their separate ways. Giles followed Elbert while Troley trailed the exhausted knights. The knights, unknown to them that they were being followed, wandered over toward the inn which the others were bunked in. There they would find a warm meal and somewhere to rest, at least until morning. They had a long few days ahead of them, that they knew for certain. Troley lurked between trees and bushes, staying out of sight from the usually well-trained knights. It couldn¡¯t be helped that they had relaxed their guard once they arrived. They quickly arrived within the tavern. Upon their arrival, they were greeted by a small handful of townsfolk who had been warned ahead of time to prepare them a meal. Something simple, such as a stew would suffice. ¡°Tobey, come rest over here, will yah? We¡¯ve done all we can, nothing left for us but to wait until morning.¡± One of the knights spoke up, calling the depressed Tobey over toward their table. ¡°I suppose so,¡± Tobey said, ¡°But it¡¯s just not fair. It¡¯s not fair to us, it¡¯s not fair to the royal family¡­ it¡¯s not fair to anyone.¡± ¡°Fairness has little to do with it,¡± The knight expressly said, ¡°The world isn¡¯t fair, it¡¯s up to us as people to keep things fair, but there¡¯s only so far we can go. We¡¯re a sort of¡­ moral compass, if you will. We have to balance our duty with what we find to be fair¡­ too much of one thing and the scale flips.¡± ¡°I suppose so, Noah,¡± Tobey murmured out, ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡­ I signed up to be a knight so I could protect the royal family and their vassals¡­ but when they needed us most, we weren¡¯t around¡­ I couldn¡¯t do anything.¡± The knight Noah patted Tobey on the back as he tried to reason with him. ¡°You can still protect the peace here, in Almerry. Also, don''t forget you still have a Baron who would very much appreciate your service.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Tobey chuckled, ¡°I suppose so.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit¡­ and don¡¯t forget we still have the Princes to serve and even the young Princess. We¡¯ll protect the peace out here, so they can mourn without worry. That¡¯s our duty as their protectors. Don¡¯t get so stuck up on the smaller bits and end up forgetting about the bigger picture.¡± As they discussed, Troley lurked around outside the tavern, trying his best to listen in from outside the opened window. All he could hear were fragments of their conversation, but it was enough for him to come to the conclusion that something had happened. What it was, though, was beyond him. Something about the royal family and a bigger picture. ¡°So something truly has happened¡­¡± He whispered to himself as he crouched beneath the window. Thanks to the dark of night he was able to stay out of view, otherwise, he may have found himself spotted by passersby as they prepared to wait out the night. The festival was prolonged, that was all the townsfolk had been told. Most were satisfied with that explanation, not needing anything more until it was necessary, but Troley certainly did not share their conviction. ¡°Maybe if I get a little bit closer,¡± He murmured as he tried prying himself closer to the conversation. Inside the tavern, the knights continued to chat. Tobey had already undressed most of his heavy armor as he sat in the dining hall, chewing on some hard bread. ¡°Robyn should have more for us tomorrow, I imagine.¡± ¡°Right,¡± The knight Noah nodded his head. ¡°Sir Robyn should have our orders ready by tomorrow, I just hope he doesn¡¯t have us depart back to the fort¡­ don¡¯t think my poor legs could handle it.¡± Tobey replied, ¡°True, I didn¡¯t think about that¡­¡± as he spoke, another older knight who had happened to overhear them approached their table. The older man calmly explained, ¡°You¡¯re young, Tobes. You leave the politics to our betters and prepare yourself. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if we have to leave first thing once morning comes.¡± ¡°First thing?¡± Tobey repeated with a hint of misery in his voice. The older knight chuckled as he said, ¡°Mhm, first thing. It¡¯s not a guarantee, but I wouldn¡¯t bet against it. So get some rest, you¡¯ll probably need it.¡± After that, the older knight simply turned away and headed up the short row of stairs. It didn¡¯t take long for the rest of the knights to finish their meals and follow suit, each of them quickly found their own cots as they prepared to sleep through the night. Growing bored, and quite exhausted himself, Troley had moved on from the tavern window and departed to the village square. Only after the knights had gone to sleep did he remember Giles¡¯ words. ¡°Meet back in the square in one hour.¡± That was what he was told, yet he had forgotten and missed the deadline. He wracked his brain as he walked through the silent, dark village roads. Only a faint glow lit the path as torch-posts sat randomly down the street. Their flames burned, but they provided very little warmth. Troley tucked his arms against his chest as he slowly walked. He yawned, drawing a heavy sigh as his eyes felt weighed down. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He murmured to himself, ¡°I suppose a bit of sleep wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone.¡± As he spoke, he turned directions and headed south through the village. He arrived in front of a small house, a dim light burned from within. He approached the door and twisted it open. ¡°Ah, the festival was going to be so good, too¡­¡± Entering the house, the cold from outside slowly began to fade. The change wasn¡¯t drastic, but it was there. He entered further inside, leaving behind his heavy clothing at the entrance as he wore only his raggedy linens. He gave another firm stretch as a yawn escaped his mouth. ¡°Maybe tomorrow¡­ they¡¯ll hold the festival¡­¡± His voice started to fade as exhaustion overtook him. His feet dragged as he entered another room. A single torch sat near its window as it flickered away. The village was deafeningly silent. ¡°I hope there¡¯s a big cake for tomorrow¡­¡± He carried himself over to a small cot that sat in the corner of the room. He brought himself to his knees as he crouched next to the bed. ¡°Well, goodnight mother¡­¡± He whispered, his hands held tightly together in a knot as his eyes faded in and out. He looked around the room for a moment as he climbed into his bed. He was the only one in the room. The only other thing of importance within the room was a single small shrine¡ªif you could even call it that. That single candle which had sat nearest the window had an old silver necklace wrapped around its small candlestick. Troley looked at the jewelry with a smile as he gave his own version of a prayer, even though it was more of a statement. ¡°I love you... and goodnight¡­ mother¡­¡± Book 1, Chapter 3: The Formation of Stars (preview) Chapter 3 The Formation of Stars (chapter preview)
¡°Dreams are windows to the soul, into long lost memories. A separate world that many believe allow one to both relive and correct old mistakes. A nightmare is simply a past memory that is irreversible." - The Foreteller, keeper of secrets and knowledge related to dreamwalking
A small hamlet set ablaze, burning away as a heavy cloud of black smog rose into the air. The sound of crows cawing as a lone shriek could be heard in the background. A dead world sat in the foreground, with no hustle that the village had only moments prior. ¡°Mother!¡± A youthful voice screamed out, ashen and broken. Heavy boots stepping over stone and wood, crushing everything underfoot. Crackling of old wood snapping beneath with each step. Accompanied by a low-toned sizzling of fire engulfing the few remaining houses, the wood and straw turned to ash and dust, destroying everything within. Troley tossed and turned, his mind vividly imagining these events. A single cold tear pouring down his cheek as his eyes moved and twitched underneath his closed eyelid. ¡°Let her go, please let her go!¡± A shrill voice shouted out, the sound originating from the small boy covered in soot and dirt. He stood there, faced against what appeared to be true monsters, demons even. A pale woman stood within the center of this group as violent looking men surrounded her, her tears had already dried down her face as the group of bandits laughed and grinned to themselves. They truly were the vilest of demons within the boy¡¯s mind. He burned their faces into his memory. ¡°Leave her alone!¡± Rushing forward as mud and blood soaked into his clothing, the woman could only watch on as heavy tears poured down her face at the sight of everything unfolding. The pitiable boy, the disturbing men, only reassured in her mind as she caught a glimpse of the world around her as massive towers of smoke built into the sky. One of the men who had been holding onto her, with the assistance of another, tied and restrained her arms behind her back. ¡°Someone shut that damn kid up!¡± Another man ordered with a cold tone as he spat out into the dirt. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°Please let her go! Let her go!¡± Right as the boy begged, he received a heavy blow against his stomach, landing him directly into the ground. His sight blurred for that moment as he felt his entire body twitch and recoil in pain. All he could do in turn was to violently cough and spit out his stomach¡¯s contents. The woman tried to scream and shout through the cloth tied roughly across her mouth, unfortunately only muffled noises could come out. Seeing this, these cruel men seemed utterly pleased with the events that were transpiring as one of them approached the boy once again. He pulled at the boy¡¯s hair as his teeth began to show, revealing quite a disturbing smile that only a mother could love. ¡°This damn brat should just shut up if he knows what¡¯s good for him¡­¡± However, the boy ignored the man as he twisted his head away from the man, once more toward the woman, shouting orders through choked coughs. ¡°Let her go! You won¡¯t get away with this!¡± ¡°This brat¡­¡± The man sighed as he stood next to the boy, simply rubbing his forehead. ¡°He really doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s good for him¡­ seems he wants to die.¡± ¡°Just do it and get it over with, he¡¯s driving me mad.¡± Another man stated, so calmly sentencing the boy to death. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Let her go! Take my life, just let her go!¡± The boy shouted once more, unafraid of the men while his full attention moved past them and fell upon the woman. He didn¡¯t even spare a second glance at any of them as he locked eyes with her, her eyes overwhelmed with tears as she looked on in sorrow and pity toward this boy who so happened to be her son. Her dearest child. ¡°He really is an idiot¡­¡± The closest man shrugged his shoulders, ¡°Seems there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. Hold still you brat.¡± Pulling the boy toward himself, the man lifted him up by the neck until he was at least equal in eye level with himself. As the boy struggled in his grasp, he brought his knife towards the boy''s chest, not hesitating even in the slightest as the blade firmly pierced skin. The moment the knife had made contact, piercing what seemed to be the boy''s heart, everything within the world shot to black. ¡°Ah!¡± Troley shot up out of his cot. His eyes red and beady, snot accumulated under his nose as his cheeks were red and warm. The sound of morning birds chirping entered his ears as he was brought back to reality. ¡°Oh¡­ it was just a dream¡­¡± Troley murmured to himself as he wiped at his nose. ¡°I¡¯ve been having that same dream more often than usual lately¡­¡± With several sniffles, he climbed out of his bed and gave out a heavy sigh, yawning his stresses away. The morning sun-rays entered through his opened window, brightening the room with its natural light. --------------- Inquisitor will continue in the foreseeable future.