《A Paladin's Journal: Volume 1》


 Prologue: The Crying Skies

    IT WAS A STORMY NIGHT.


    The rain was pouring in sheets, sprinkling the matted fur over B¡¯jorn¡¯s body every once in a while. With every thunderclap that lit the churning skies, he could see the trees surrounding Sakoe bending and shuddering with the force of the wind. It was, indeed, quite an intense storm for this time of the year.


    Or at least that is what his parents had said on their way here.


    There was another thunderclap followed by the lightning hitting a tree far away in the distance, its dying screech audible even in the raging storm. Bjorn quietly chuckled, sitting on the porch of Uncle Kaizer and Aunt Viona¡¯s residence. The little one was getting quite a reception from the gods it seemed.


    Then he turned, moving to set the curtain aside to have another peek.


    Sounds of wailing instantly greeted him, aunt Viona was still at it, and he could just barely make out the horned silhouette of his mother from the further room who was helping her.


    His father stood cross-armed with his eyes closed as if in a very deep thought, leaning against the hallway¡¯s wall. Uncle Kaizer, however, was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°What a bastard!!¡± His father had said, the moment all of them had reached here ¡°His wife is in labor, where is that fool!??¡±


    B¡¯jorn supposed his father didn¡¯t know that Uncle Kaizer was a hero. That he was probably even now, saving some helpless village from annihilation at the hands of evildoers. Also, who knew, maybe he would appear. It wasn¡¯t impossible for a hero like him.


    ¡°B¡¯jorn!!¡± His father rumbled, ¡°What did I tell you?¡±


    ¡°Right!!¡± B¡¯jorn said and ducked back out onto the porch.


    It was not like he wasn¡¯t aware of what was happening or that he could not hear the screams from outside if he so chose to, but who was going to bother explaining that to his parents?


    B¡¯jorn sat back on the porch, hard, and puffed out his cheeks. Soon, his hooved foot started tapping the wooden boards underneath. He had been very excited when he had come, his father had promised that they were going to get him a little friend to play with. Alas, he had no idea that it was going to take this long. Couldn¡¯t the baby hurry a little?


    Even the storm that had seemed initially very intriguing was losing its charm.


    B¡¯jorn yawned, putting his head against the side of the doorway.


    Hurry up, Little one! He thought I don¡¯t wanna miss getting to see you, as the night finally took him.


    It was sometime during the night when he woke up again. Feeling discomforted. He didn¡¯t know how much time had gone by. There was no way to tell. It was still dark.


    As he started to regain his senses, albeit still a little groggy, he could feel something had changed. But what was it?


    He groaned as he stretched and then his eyes just flew wide open.


    The screams had stopped. Did it mean¡­ Did it mean the little baby was here? B¡¯jorn¡¯s pulse sped up. He quickly got up, rubbing his eyes and bovine face clean. All the drowsiness he had been feeling the whole night was suddenly gone, replaced by this sense of wonder and curiosity. But as he was just about to reach out for the curtain again, he heard a weird thudding sound, followed by his father''s voice. It made him stop.


    ¡°Eva, What happened? And wait, is that¡­¡±


    Then a silence followed.


    With his sharp senses, B¡¯jorn could just make out someone crying in the background.


    Aunt Viona? Was everything all right? Was the child¡­


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    Suddenly, B¡¯jorn could not decide if he should enter or stay where he was, the moment seemed too still, too fragile. Like a glass veil had coated the entire world, and it could shatter if anyone moved even a fraction of an inch.


    B¡¯jorn realized, as he stood frozen there, that while he was asleep the storm had seized behind him. There was only a sense of calm left behind, and it felt as if the entire world was holding its breath.


    Just then a single draft of wind hit the curtain blocking his vision, moving it aside for a second and B¡¯jorn got a glimpse of what had truly happened.


    Uncle Kaizer had returned, and stood in the hallway with his splendid silver armour and white cape, holding his child, living and breathing, wrapped in a blanket. Tired and barely standing Viona stood facing him with a shocked expression on her face on seeing him return so early. Tears constantly streamed down her fair human cheeks as she looked over at her husband standing with his child. B¡¯jorn could not completely fathom what went around in older people¡¯s heads but he summarized that these must be the tears of joy the adults sometimes talked about.


    The awful dread he felt lifted off him, and he rushed in to join the others.


    As he did, he saw Uncle Kaizer offering the child back to Aunt Viona, whose tired hand shakily went up toward the child and stopped, just an inch before touching his face. In the dim light of the lamps, B¡¯jorn could see an unreadable expression on her face that, as much as he tried, could not decipher. His own parents stood to the side looking seriously at each other.


    B¡¯jorn could not shake the feeling that he was being left out of the loop. But he was too excited to care. He went to his father and urged him to pick him up, so he could have a clear look at the baby. He did.


    The little boy was cute, very cute in fact for a human baby, if not as much as a Minatour like him would¡¯ve been. But he seemed like he would make a fine brother. He was flailing his little arms and legs around trying to reach for the hand Viona had stretched forward.


    Another gust of wind hit the curtain making it flutter noisily in the silent room, the lights in the rooms, agitated by the wind, suddenly danced wildly, hitting an angle where his eyes became visible, beautiful purple, eyes, that looked lovingly at Viona as delighted childlike noises escaped his little mouth.


    Viona looked at the child for a moment longer and then looked up at her husband who remained sullen and silent. Her tired hand started dropping back down.


    But before it could, the child caught it. He was only capable of getting hold of a few fingers of hers, but the moment the contact was made, her hand stopped, as if reinvigorated by the touch. The baby started giggling and chewing on her fingers as if he had found the world. Viona almost melted. She rushed in closer and took him in her arms as another hysterical sob escaped her lips. She slumped down to the floor holding the baby, rocking him back and forth as she hugged and kissed him.


    B¡¯jorn took this chance and scuttled off his father¡¯s arms and went behind Aunt Viona, where he could see the baby¡¯s face. His eyes instantly gravitated towards B¡¯jorn, apparently finding him the next most interesting item in the room and again, he started flailing his hands trying to reach him. B¡¯jorn complied with the little one¡¯s wishes and went near him. He grabbed B¡¯jorn¡¯s horns and giggled even louder.


    For a moment all B¡¯jorn could do was look slack-jawed at the little goofball, he found it hard to comprehend what he felt, but it felt akin to getting a new toy, playing in the woods, wrestling with his dad, talking with animals, and everything he loved doing, rolled into one.


    B¡¯jorn started laughing with him.


    All of a sudden, the awkward tension that he had felt upon entering the room had fully disappeared. Both of his parents and Uncle Kaizer were smiling, as if that one giggle of that baby boy was enough to sort out all their problems.


    And that was how B¡¯jorn met his little brother for the first time. Little Hammie. Hamend Stormborn. Otherwise known as Ham, son of Kaizer Silverdragon Stormborn and the greatest hero of the realm.

 Chapter One: Fate of Sakoe

    Ham picked up the little wooden figurine he had carved and gave it a thorough lookover under the sunlight. It still hadn¡¯t turned out as he had imagined.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Ham complained, ¡°What is it going to take to be as good as him!¡±


    He sighed and placed the figurine down on the workbench.


    Then dusted himself off, of all the sawdust and woodchips that had stuck in his clothes and hair, and carefully made his way out of the shop and into his house. He didn¡¯t look around as he did it, he knew it was only going to make him feel worse. The entire shop was stuffed with various carvings, masterfully crafted by his father, to which his own didn¡¯t even hold a candle.


    He could hear his mother working in the kitchen.


    ¡°Mother!¡± he shouted, ¡°I am going out.¡±


    ¡°Where to?¡± She shouted back ¡°Lunch is almost ready.¡±


    ¡°Gotta tend to Uncle Ragnar¡¯s animals. They left yesterday for Sand Doon Grove¡±


    ¡°Alright, but be quick, and see if you can find your father while you are at it,¡± She said, ¡°he should be near the church helping in the repairs there, tell him to return for lunch as well.¡±


    ¡°Okay!! I¡¯ll be back.¡± Ham said while opening the door. ¡°Love you__¡±


    The sound of mayhem washed in.


    It took a whole minute for Ham to make sense of what was happening. All the people he knew, neighbors, customers of the shop, all of them were running away from something, heading for the edge of the town.


    ¡°Wait¡­ what, what is going on?¡± Ham heard himself mumbling as an unreasonable fear seized control of his body ¡°M.. Mother! What is happening?¡±


    Viona was already making her way out toward the door, having heard all the ruckus herself. She pushed Ham back behind her and stood in the doorway herself, taking in the scene.


    Then a man suddenly appeared in the doorway, riding a majestic warhorse.


    ¡°Love!¡± He shouted from his seat, ¡°Take Ham, and anything else you need and run for the town¡¯s edge!¡±


    ¡°Enemies?¡± She asked, sounding surprisingly calm.


    ¡°Yes!¡± His father replied, equally nonchalant ¡°A Hydra just appeared on the East edge.¡±


    Then he turned his horse.


    ¡°Make sure that everyone escapes before you leave!¡± He shouted overhead as he galloped away, riding toward the said east.


    ¡°But father!¡± Ham shouted coming out from behind his mother, but it was too late. He had already gone past the hearing distance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry yourself, Ham.¡± His mother said as she pulled him back into the house ¡°It¡¯s just one lousy monster, Kaizer can handle it. Now, let''s go, we got some work to do.¡±


    In the subsequent hours, Ham did all he could to help his mother make sure that everyone in Sakoe was aware of the incoming threat, and that everyone was heading out. However, the more time that passed, the more it became impossible for anyone to not be aware of it. Fires were spreading to the east and smoke clouds were reaching as tall as the skies. The intermittent roars of the monster were also unquestionable. Once in a while, one could also see, one or more dragon-like heads, flailing about in the skies over the Sakoe.


    It was also impossible for Ham to not be worried about his father¡¯s safety. Did he even have anyone to help him? Even Uncle Ragnar was out of town, one of the few people who he knew could support him, and the last he had seen big brother B¡¯jorn was 4 years ago when he was leaving for the University of Magic, and there had never been any Dragonsguard stationed here, to begin with. Sakoe wasn¡¯t a military town, it was the town of Bazars!! What enemies was his mother even referring to?


    Eventually, the day had started leaning toward the evening and except for a few stragglers, the town had completely emptied. And yet, the sounds of battle continued.


    As Ham and his mother stood there, a reddish haze coloring the sky, looking toward the central part of the town, a slow and horrible realization started dawning on them. Kaizer Stormborn, no matter how great a man, had been fighting too long. There was no human body capable of taking the kind of abuse he was being subjected to.


    His mother took his arm and unceremoniously started dragging him toward the town¡¯s edge.


    ¡°Mom!¡± Ham complained as he tried to dig his feet in the hard mud that made the roads of Sakoe, ¡°Mother, no! We have to wait. You said yourself. There is no way Father is losing to that thing.¡±


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    Viona did not answer or look back at him. Just kept on pulling him toward the town¡¯s edge.


    After a point, Ham gave up on trying to stop her, resigning to get his frustration out through tears that just refused to stop. He wanted to go to his father¡¯s help. There was no reason he had to fight such a dangerous beast alone. However, much as he would try his mother won¡¯t let him go. He hated every moment of it, he hated himself for not being prepared. Why hadn¡¯t he spent his time learning to fight instead of carving? Why the more he thought about the prospect of facing the creature the more scared he felt? Why couldn¡¯t he be strong like his father?


    The entirety of the way Ham¡¯s eyes never left the road, hoping against hope to find any sign at all of his father returning. It did not appear and they eventually reached the town¡¯s edge.


    Standing there, a little ways off from the remaining residents of the town who stood huddled together, they looked back one final time.


    And a new wave of despair hit them, it was palpable, like water slowly filling their lungs making it impossible to breathe. Their town, their homes were burning. A town known for its peace, its diversity, for crafts and its bazaars, now lay deserted, getting decimated by a mindless monster and there was no sign of its saviour anywhere.


    Then, just when it had started to seem hopeless¡­


    A bright white light suddenly lit the entirety of Sakoe coming from the Church of Bahamut, where Kaizer had been holding the Hydra back. Glaring in intensity it lasted only for a fraction of a second and then disappeared with a vacuous sound.


    Ham drew in a sharp breath as if revived by the light and jerked his hand free of his mother¡¯s iron grip. He all but ran toward the burning town.


    ¡°Ham!¡± His mother shouted before rushing after him, catching him before he could have gone any significant distance.


    ¡°It was father, mom!¡± Ham screamed ¡°Can¡¯t you see? He defeated the monster. He would be coming this way! Leave me, let me go help!¡±


    She did not let him go, and this time it was Ham who dragged her back. For a 12-year-old Ham, it was all he could do to slowly drag his mother with him as she tried to stop him. He did not have any special powers, he wasn¡¯t strong like Uncle Ragnar or his father, neither could he control plants and cast spells like Big Brother, but he could help his wounded father and he was going to do it. No matter what. Their struggle went on for a little while, as both tried to outdo each other, but then there was a sound that made both of them stop.


    They could hear hoofbeats with occasional whinnying and it was getting louder.


    Ham¡¯s eyes lit up and the ember of hope that he¡¯d been kindling in his heart blossomed into a raging inferno. There was no doubt in his mind. He knew it was his father.


    But still, as the hoofbeats came closer, both Ham and Viona couldn¡¯t help but hold their breaths in anticipation, hoping to see the victorious face of Kaizer, returning atop his horse.


    The smoke-filled haze and the ruddy light of the fires that still kindled made the visibility poor, but when the paladin emerged out of it, the effect was equally enchanting.


    It was Kaizer Silverdragon, with his two swords and silver armour with Bahamut¡¯s crest, riding his brown warhorse, coming out of the battle victorious. After saving a whole town full of people and his own family.


    However, the moment the horse reached them, Kaizer simply fell and the greatsword sheathed at his back slid out of its sheath to rest at young Ham¡¯s feet.


    Looking at him Ham could barely recognize him as his father, the honoured champion of Bahamut. There were huge chunks of his armour and torso simply missing, and no hair remained atop his scalp. His face was the worst part as it still sizzled with acid. In fact, he was barely breathing at all. It was some miracle that he had managed to even reach back to the edge of the town. His force of will was the only thing keeping him together.


    For Ham, it seemed like the whole world had fallen. He could not believe his eyes. That was simply not possible. That could never happen to him. There was so much that he wanted to learn from him. He needed him.


    ¡°No.. no, no no!¡± Ham mumbled as he dropped down to the ground ¡°No.. this can''t be happening. I am dreaming, am dreaming, am dreaming, am dreaming!¡± |


    Yet his hands worked on his own as he picked his father''s head into his lap, his mother sitting right beside him her hand resting on his father¡¯s chest.


    Kaizer looked at them both one last time and managed to muster just enough strength to say...


    ¡°Run!!¡±


    Then he was no more.


    His last words were punctuated by a monstrous screech that echoed through the night. There was no denying it, it was the wail of a predator. A predator that had been wounded. One that had been denied its prey and it was, unquestionably, back. And it was coming toward them.

 Chapter Two: The Stones of Power.

    Ham woke up with a start, panting heavily. His hands instinctively gripped the hilts of his two swords, his body tense, anticipating a battle.


    No multiheaded monster emerged from the woods to devour him and his family.


    As he slowly took in his surroundings, he realized where he was, and the terror began to lessen.


    Just a dream, he thought to himself, slumping back into the driver''s seat of his carriage, perhaps a bit too forcefully. His grip on the weapons relaxed.


    He was in Strixenguard, standing in the middle of a bustling food market, waiting for the runners he had sent to return with supplies for Chimney Comb. Their new home.


    It had been a while since Ham had such dreams, and the fact that he was having one now agitated him to no end. He had spent over a decade training his body and mind to prevent such lapses, so that when the time came and he faced the monster again, he would not waver.


    Yet, as he looked down at his gauntleted hands, he found them shaking.


    He tightened his fists, trying to force his nerves into submission.


    Sakoe was 16 years in the past now, and miles and miles away, deep within the Grove of Eljor.


    "Hey, Lester!" Ham shouted as he jumped down from his seat, prompting a young human to hastily emerge from the back of the carriage.


    "Take care of the carriage. I''m going for a walk."


    "Oh, all right, sir!" he replied in his timid voice, awkwardly snapping to attention.


    This forced Ham to crack a smile, and he shook his head.


    "Relax, it''s not an army, and I''m not your commander," he said as he approached the young lad, ruffling his already shaggy hair. "Just hang tight and don''t let any thieves near the cart until I get back."


    "Yes, sir!" he replied again, sounding more flustered this time than nervous.


    "Remember, you have the sending stone," Ham said softly, "in case you need my help," and then he moved past him and into the crowd.


    Lester was one of the younger children when Sakoe was destroyed, and they had to take refuge in the nearby mountains. He had grown up watching Ham and his mother Viona doing their best to establish, organize, and protect the community that was flushed out of their home by the Hydra invasion, and so he harbored a fair amount of respect for them.


    Ham didn''t believe that killing a few wolves or other wild animals that attacked the village from time to time commanded such respect. The one who truly deserved it had perished with the fall of Sakoe, and not even his remains were ever recovered. All Ham had done since was sully his legacy by hiding, just biding his time in the name of preparation. Perhaps a day would come when he would proudly head into Sakoe to terminate the horrid monster and reclaim his land, to stand up to his father''s name and legacy, but until he had done that, it was hard for him to buy into people''s perception of himself.


    However, as he walked among the bustling population of Strixenguard, the grip of the nightmare slowly faded, and Ham started noticing other things around him. The town, although almost always busy, being the centermost and the oldest city of Arcavios, seemed to have an even greater influx of tourists today. All kinds of people, be it Dragonborns, Humans, Elves, Githyanki, Gnomes, Dwarfs, and even a few races Ham had never encountered, were present, hurrying in and out of various shops and stalls, towing all manners of packs and bundles. All of their faces carried varying levels of excitement.


    After hearing a few conversations in passing, Ham was able to gather that most of the tourists were either prospective students or worried parents rushing about in preparation for the congregation ceremony and subsequent pilgrimage to the University of Magic, Strixhaven. It happened every year but it was the first time Ham¡¯s supply run for his village had coincided with it. The novelty felt rather refreshing to him.


    Ham never had any strong affinity towards the magical arts, so the only education he had gotten was in Martial skills, which he had learned through trial and error, and a few languages taught to him by his mother. Everything he knew about the university was from an outsider¡¯s perspective, however, he knew that apparently, if you had to learn any form of magic and really make a name for yourself, Strixhaven was the place to be. It didn''t matter if you drew your magic from nature, music, logic, or simply your blood, Strixhaven had a place for you in one of its five colleges of magic, established long ago by the five founding dragons.


    In terms of importance, saying the university was a place of knowledge was only scratching its surface. It was also where the most powerful mages resided, it was a place of research and history as well. Even the infamous vault of Strixhaven rested beneath the university where untold treasures and horrors alike rested in top security. In simple terms, it was just about the most important place in the realm, and being a part of it was one of the greatest honors to have in the Arcavios.


    It made sense that the students were elated by the prospect of joining there as freshmen. A younger Ham would¡¯ve been jumping on his toes if he was in their place.


    Ham soon emerged from Dragonfire Row, the market district of Strixenguard, and reached the Commons, otherwise known as the entertainment district. He was instantly surrounded by an array of inns and taverns, with some looking more humble than others and vice versa. Ham hadn''t planned it, but now that he was here, a drink sounded just the thing to take his mind off the dark past. But as Ham checked his pockets, he came up with only 10 golds in total.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    For Stormborns, being in charge apparently did not translate to hoarded wealth. He had added his own money to the supply funds so that they could stock up properly for the harsh winters of the mountains.


    "Hmm," he grunted and started looking around for the most lackluster of the bunch.


    He didn''t have to look far; somehow, the most central tavern of the district looked the most run-down.


    Ham was sure there was a story behind it somewhere.


    "Bullywug Pissing Pot," Ham read as he made his way toward it.


    As he entered the tavern, the first thing he noticed was how full it was. Despite the rusty exterior, it seemed the place wasn''t any less famous than the rest. Or maybe the wait for the others was too long today, given that it was a busy morning. The second thing he noticed was the big, fat, not-so-clean-looking frog that sat behind the counter. There were two more of the bullywugs, just a little less well-off in terms of sheer physical mass, acting as servers and helping hands.


    Ham took another look at his pocket, hoping for a miracle to happen for a second, and decided that it wasn''t so bad after all.


    After a few rounds of drinks, Ham was finally feeling himself again, and his eyes started wandering. The tavern seemed to be full of all sorts of dubious patrons, busy doing all sorts of questionable activities, and it was actually fun watching some of them. For instance, a big, bald Goliath, sporting a respectable beard and wearing nothing but a loincloth, was having a series of arm-wrestling matches a few tables over, leaving many who dared to participate with broken hands and arms.


    Having a few drinks in his system, Ham was ready to give it a try himself when a dwarf woman stormed into the tavern looking somewhat pissed. To Ham''s surprise, all the racket suddenly stopped, and people started making a path for her as she passed through them. She didn''t lose a stride or look at anyone present as she jumped onto the counter and placed a poster on the notice board.


    "Mr. Mittens has gone missing again," she said in her high-class dwarven voice. "Anyone who finds him will get a 5,000 gold reward."


    Then she looked over at everyone present from her high vantage.


    "Be mindful that not a hair on his person is harmed!"


    Then she just jumped to the other side of the counter and disappeared into the back rooms.


    No sooner had she disappeared than the ruckus that had gone quiet immediately picked up again. Many people started pushing and quite literally throwing one another back to reach the poster.


    "Lora Frostfire!" someone spoke from right beside him, a feminine voice. "She is the owner of this tavern, not to mention the sister of the Jarl Mage, the most powerful wizard of Arcavios."


    As Ham looked to the side, he saw an armored girl with red hair who was fiddling with a flute.


    "You looked confused," she said nonchalantly. "I thought I should help."


    "Thanks, I was indeed wondering who she was, to have that kind of effect on a room full of drunkards," Ham said, smiling as he extended his hand. "Hamend Stormborn by the way."


    "Rhaldri Marsk, nice to meet you."


    "A local?"


    "Yeah," she replied casually. "Though you don''t look like a student."


    "Oh, I''m not. Most magic I work through is my sword," Ham said as he looked back at the greatsword sheathed at his back. "Right?"


    And the sword jumped out of the sheath as if in reply and casually flew around their table before going back to rest in the sheath again.


    "A dragon''s guard are you?"


    "No, not even that, just visiting to gather some supplies for my village, probably be heading back before the evening."


    "I see, do you want to earn some extra money maybe?" She said, "To help out your town perhaps, buy some extra sugar or spices?"


    Ham thought about it for a moment, he did have to return before the evening, the way was long and the routes could be dangerous, especially for the people he had brought with him. His thoughts went back to Lester. But on the other hand, some extra funds to help support the town could be useful.


    "All right," Ham said. "If it can be done before the evening. 2,500 gold doesn''t sound bad."


    "Actually," she said, counting on her fingers. "A little over 1,600."


    "Hmm?" Ham asked, "How so?"


    As she pointed ahead, the arm-wrestling Barbarian was lumbering toward their table with a poster in his hand. Behind him lay a few fast-asleep grunts and even more surprised ones just gawking at his back.


    "Meet Gharan," Rhaldri said.


    A few hours later, they were still roaming around the five districts of Strixenguard, trying to look for the enigmatic cat Mr. Mittens.


    Gharan had actually gathered quite a collection of these small furry beasts in the interim, and was non-ceremoniously towing them around the town until they unanimously revolted and launched an attack. They scattered in different directions after that and both Rhaldri and Ham had to try their best in stopping Gharan from going after them.


    Ham noticed that his skin was tough enough that a few cats had actually broken their nails trying to hurt him, doing very little damage to the Goliath.


    Eventually, they decided to look outside the boundaries of Strixenguard. For whatever it was worth, they had spent too much effort into the whole thing to give up now.


    They found themselves traversing what is called the pilgrimage road in Arcavios, where the students of the university take a somewhat dangerous trek to reach the university by foot, and this was where things took an interesting turn.


    The road was completely empty as the students still had one day left before they started their journey, but hiding behind a particularly dense brush was a lightly armored male Elf and a particularly beautiful water Genasi. Although clearly visible from their angle, it seemed they were trying to hide from or track someone.


    Without a spoken consensus, their own troop tried to hide and silently make their way toward the two.


    It wasn''t long before clanking from Ham''s armor alerted the couple much to the ire of the other two. The couple did not panic, however, and let them approach.


    As they reached their position, they could clearly see the reason why the two were hiding.


    A huge army was making its way out of the surrounding jungles and heading toward the northeast. Their troop seemed to be entirely made up of Drows, Orcs, and Demons. The kind of races generally aligned with malicious intents.


    "Whose army is this?" Ham ended up asking the Elf.


    "Seems like a cult of Lolth," he replied seriously. "The flag simply says ''The Hand.''"


    "Where do you think it''s headed?"


    "Well, the university is in that direction," the elf responded. "But they should know, they''ll be blasted to smithereens if they try a direct assault! The mages there are no joke!"


    "They look strong!" Gharan added as if to suggest that they could pose a danger still, but somehow Ham could sense the ''I want to fight them'' in his tone without him saying.


    "Shouldn''t we tell the Dragonsguard, Will?" the blue woman asked in her earnest voice.


    "We will," replied the elf seriously. "But first we have to get that cat."


    All three of their ears went up at that.


    "Wait, you are after the cat as well?" asked Rhaldri.


    "What do you mean as well?" Retorted Will. "We are the ones who found him."


    Then he turned and fully looked at all three of them.


    "I see you were in the tavern as well," He said, "but buzz off! We are not sharing our gold."


    "Is that so?" Gharan asked, standing up. "Make me buzz off, skinny wrist!"


    "Hey... hey," Rhaldri jumped in and ineffectively tried to pull him down into the hiding spot. "Chill down, big guy, they''re gonna see us."


    Just then a gong rang out, and all of their breaths were caught in their throat.


    As they looked, a portion of the army split off and started heading their way. For a few terrifying seconds, they were sure it was them they were coming after, but then they realized how worse it was.


    Only a small portion of the army had actually broken apart from the main force and their aim seemed to be the Soul Rocks, not them. The rest had just continued to march toward the university.


    The Soul Rocks, for those who don''t know, are five massive stones of power. It is believed throughout the realm that they hold immense power. Power to save the realm if it ever was in jeopardy. The power to become the Avatars of the five founding dragons. However, just like any other story, not anyone can pull out the proverbial sword of power from the stone, only the most worthy can. And so in the years since the university was founded and the realm of Arcavios was established, it had become a sort of a tourist attraction. People from all around the world would come to this place and touch the stones in hopes of gaining the powers that the stones hide, none has ever succeeded, but none has ever doubted their potential either.


    Now as the five of them watched, a small army of orcs were heading toward those same rocks. Their intentions were unknown, yet nobody among the group could believe them to be pure.


    "Shit!" Will cursed. "That cat is there."


    Then he took the girl''s hand and started running toward the Stones.


    Before Ham could stop them, they had both disappeared, vanishing into the thin air.


    Ham looked at Rhaldri, "Aren''t those stones like... you know, the national heritage or something?"


    "More than that!" she replied. "They are part of the ancient prophecy."


    "Then we should try to save them," Ham said as he pulled out the larger one of his two swords and threw it into the air where it hung lightly bobbing up and down. "Let''s go!"

 Chapter Three: The Night of the Falling Star

    As Ham sprinted towards the Soul Rocks, his dancing greatsword kept pace with him, following him like a true companion. His longsword and shield were now in his hands as he charged into what was easily the largest battle he had faced so far.


    Ham didn¡¯t look back to see if the others had followed, but he soon heard a battle cry as the barbarian he had recently teamed up with appeared by his side, wielding his fierce battle axe. Rhaldri, on the other hand, approached more gracefully, descending upon the gusts of wind created by her massive angelic wings to join him in the charge.


    ¡°This is insane!¡± she shouted over the racket. ¡°There are too many of them!¡±


    Now that the army was getting closer, Ham could make out more details about the troops, and it indeed did not look good for them; they were outnumbered ten to one, even counting the elf and water genasi on their side, which was presumptuous at best.


    ¡°They are a suicide squad!¡± Ham deduced as he ran. ¡°They¡¯ll be seen soon. We just need to foil their surprise and hold them back until the Dragonsguard arrive.¡±


    This seemed to reassure the others, or at least it did Rhaldri, and they continued their charge. Ham doubted Gharan needed any assurances; a good fight seemed more than enough incentive for him, judging from how eager he looked to intercept and engage the fifty battle-ready orcs heading to desecrate their sacred grounds.


    Ham did not know with any certainty if the Dragonsguard would notice their approach in time, for the whole town was busy preparing for the student congregation. More than likely, this was the exact reason the enemy had chosen this day to attack. But he was counting on it for everyone¡¯s sake.


    With every passing second, they got closer and closer, the faster mounts the orcs were using making up for the distance they had to cover in comparison to their small troop. It was hard to judge if they were going to be able to beat the orcs to the stones, but the gods knew they tried.


    Three hundred feet. Two hundred. One hundred. And then they were inside the rough stone boundaries, standing protectively around the stones.


    The orcs reached the place a moment after them and started circling the area on their mounts, hooting and jeering as they saw the three-person group of haggard individuals haphazardly guarding the five stones.


    Ham stood his ground, looking at the orc leader from across his shield, following him with his blade.


    Gharan looked ready to start ripping them limb from limb, and Rhaldri also hovered, covering his back.


    There were still no signs of the elf and water genasi, who had vanished. Ham cursed them under his breath, knowing he could have used their help.


    ¡°Your surprise is foiled,¡± Ham blurted out at the leader of the pack. ¡°Go back, the Dragonsguard is on its way as we speak! They¡¯ve been informed of this incursion.¡±


    It was a lie, and Ham was expecting uncertainty, disbelief, or even anger, but when the leader of the orcs started laughing, it would be a lie to say that it didn¡¯t give Ham a sudden pause.


    Had he missed something?


    ¡°You think your Dragonsguard scare us?¡± the orc grunted in his less-than-clear common tongue. ¡°Soon, they¡¯ll be slaughtered as well, alongside the rest of you sheep.¡±


    Then he heartily laughed some more, making Ham and the others exchange looks of confusion.


    ¡°I will not even bother asking who you are,¡± he said, turning his horse to the side. ¡°Kill them men! And destroy the Soul stones.¡±


    Gharan was halfway across the battlefield before the first of them could enter through the small entrance. The last thing that particular orc probably saw before he was sliced into four pieces was the sharp side of an axe.


    It was on.


    Ham rushed in after him, aiming to maintain the bottleneck caused by the narrow entry, but not before a few more of the orcs had stepped through with their horses. They instantly started laying into the exhilarated barbarian, who did not seem to mind getting hit. He had been sliced a couple of times before Ham blocked one of the sword attacks aimed at the barbarian¡¯s flank and swiftly took off the arm directing it. Then the flying sword came from the creature¡¯s blindside and speared it through, making it topple to the ground beside its comrade. The horse, now freed, ran away whinnying to the side. Rhaldri, meanwhile, had flown higher into the skies and was shooting bolts of radiant energy into one orc after another, harrying them badly if not instantly dropping them. This also made them glow, confusing them and making for easier targets as Ham and Gharan continued their assault. Their horses did not favor them either, in the tight quarters they were fighting, as it made it difficult to maneuver or surround them.


    As one more tried to push through with the horse, Ham saw Gharan roar again, his eyes red with rage, as he slashed down with his axe, shearing him from shoulder to hip, cutting into a significant portion of the horse¡¯s neck as well. Ham then stepped up onto the fallen beast and batted aside a flail with his shield before slashing the exposed gullet of the next orc in line. As he jerked it out, his sword flared up with divine energy, like it sometimes did, and Ham felt it slice through the entire neck of the orc like a knife through butter, momentarily showering the two of them in ichor and blood. His flying sword, almost an independent entity at this moment, dropped another one of the brutes to the right.


    Before they knew it, ten of the enemies were downed, but they had learned their lesson and now approached them on foot, leaving the horses outside. Their disadvantage gone, one of the stockier of the bunch managed to hit Ham with a warhammer and he felt his shoulder dislocate, more followed through, battering him. Beside him, Gharan¡¯s upper torso was starting to turn into such a mess of blood and tissue that it was hard to tell where one wound ended and another began. As more and more warriors kept pushing in, Ham and Gharan were forced to step back, their initial momentum seizing.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Ham realized that while his armor protected him from most slashes and cuts, it offered little safety from more blunt weapons, and there was plenty of exposed skin for the more experienced warriors to target. His first major battle was turning out to be a very painful lesson in humility. It seemed even Gharan¡¯s resilience was waning. One step after another, they found themselves back-to-back with the soul stones again, surrounded on three sides by angry orcs. Even Rhaldri had started to be targeted by the few archers the group kept at the back, and looked troubled.


    Things had started to take a turn for the worst, but just then, through the corner of his eye, Ham caught a glimpse of blue hair and skin, and his head whipped toward it. The elf and the water genasi stood near the edge of the boundary walls. The elf called Will, had a cat captured in his grip, and they were trying to jump the wall without being spotted.


    Their eyes met for a moment, and Ham could see a moment of indecision flicker through Will¡¯s eyes. Ham was sure it was weighing on his conscience, at least a little, to watch them getting overwhelmed like that. Then Ham diverted his eyes, lest the enemy saw and attacked them as well. There was no reason to doom them alongside their own. They had managed to hold the enemy off for a few minutes, but no Dragonsguard had come to support them. Without their support, it was a losing battle, even if the two of them decided to help. He was not going to take away their chance at survival.


    As Ham locked eyes with his enemies, the bloodthirsty orcs currently surrounding them, it started dawning on him what it meant. He was going to die. Out in the middle of nowhere, as a failure. His oath to avenge his father and slay the hydra of Sakoe never realized. He had also somehow dragged these two fools with him.


    Pain. Unbearable pain seized him, a pain that had nothing to do with the physical wounds he was carrying. It was an old pain. One that he had locked away, a pain of weakness, a pain of shame, of worthlessness. It was debilitating, and his weapons started lowering on their own.


    But then his eyes drifted to Gharan and Rhaldri, wounded and demoralized, just like himself but still holding firm, believing in his words, following him even when they had no reason to. He had a responsibility toward them. A flash of angry fire and images of fleeing citizens of Sakoe colored his perspective. He saw his greatsword, the one he had towed, all those years ago from Sakoe after it had landed at his feet. One that he had taken as his calling. Something that had gotten him through those dark times, gave him courage and hope, and trust in his own strength. Even now it hung in the air beside him, solid and unwavering.


    As he watched, the time somehow frozen to a stop, out of the ether, or perhaps his imagination, an image of his father coalesced around the sword. Holding it with both hands, wearing a splendid silver armor, smiling down at his enemies, unafraid.


    Suddenly, it did not matter if he was going to die. He was going to die protecting what he believed was right. And if his father¡¯s sacrifice had taught him anything, it was that there was no better way to die.


    The time resumed and a new wave of strength washed down to his arms, and he rushed forward for a final charge. He slashed past the first two orcs that barred his way, and they were both hit with a divine radiance that burned them from the inside, dropping in a pile of heap behind him, and Gharan and Rhaldri followed suit.


    A way cleared out for him as the bodies of the two orcs dropped and he found himself facing the leader of the orcs, who had finally taken the field. Ham swung his sword in a low arc, trying to topple him. But his luck had run out, he had miscalculated the lunge. The bulky orc simply picked up a leg and kicked him in the chest, sending him five feet back to land prone. His breath left him, and he lay gasping for air, in his suddenly, extremely, inhibiting armor. Ham knew it was over for him the moment he had landed, for falling and death are often held synonymous on the battlefield. A piece of ancient wisdom that he was going to experience first-hand. No one there was going to allow him the luxury to get up again, and Gharan and Rhaldri seemed too occupied with their own aggressors.


    The orc leader raised his jagged greatsword for what was going to be the final blow against the impudent rookie who had tried to foil his plans and killed nearly a dozen of his men. It was happening too fast to react, although Ham could still see it in painful clarity as the weapon came down aimed right at his cranium.


    Ham accepted it. He had made his mind to give his life to this cause, be it for better or worse, and no amount of pain could deter him now.


    Yet, unexpectedly, before the sword could come down, a blast of inky black energy hit the leader from the side and blew him away as if he were an autumn leaf, leaving Ham gasping on the floor with one eye closed.


    Will, appearing out of the shadows that momentarily coalesced in the space, apparated in front of him, then he pulled out an elegant katana from his side, and stood guarding him. An orc warrior tried to retaliate to his leader being thrown to the side like a ragdoll, but was shot through the neck twice before he could take two steps toward Will. Ham could tell the water genasi was on the move as well, although he could not see her or guess the trajectory of her arrows.


    ¡°Has anyone told you how stupid you are?¡± the elf asked as Ham picked himself up from the ground.


    ¡°Many times,¡± he replied, panting. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Get back into the fight first, you can thank me later.¡±


    And so Ham did. The following moments were a rush of images for Ham. He was losing his stamina, and it was getting hard to concentrate, but soon, with help from their new allies, the orcs were cut down to a third of their original numbers.


    Then out of nowhere, they had a lull in the fight, and Ham could see that even though still outnumbered, the remaining orcs had started to look uncertain.


    Ham watched as they stepped back, whispering amongst themselves.


    ¡°You see,¡± Ham shouted, still panting, as a little bit of bravado crept into his voice. ¡°You cannot get through us. Whatever your intentions are here, we won¡¯t let you lay a hand on these stones.¡±


    The orcs did not reply. Even their leader looked¡­ afraid?


    ¡°Ahh¡­ Hey, armoured guy,¡± called out the water genasi, coming out from behind a stone column to the side, from where she had been shooting the orcs with her bow, unobserved. ¡°I don¡¯t think they are scared of us. Look at the stones.¡±


    As they did, he saw something magnificent. Otherworldly. The five stones, before now mere stone columns standing side by side, had started to crack and quiver, shedding what seemed to be an outer layer, that crumbled and fell to the side. From beneath them emerged¡­ colors. Black, white, blue, green and red, each stone had a different hue and they glowed with a divine radiance, transcending the normal bounds, lightly pulsating.


    ¡°What the¡­¡± Ham muttered to himself.


    Then, as if that wasn¡¯t enough, suddenly the earth started shaking, and something darkened the entire skies. Thoroughly shaken, they looked up and saw something no mortal in the realm had ever seen. Something that was only rumoured and feared, spoken in prophesies. A star. Was falling from the skies.


    Big as a mountain it hurtled through the Arcavian skies, casting a shadow over the entire land and it was heading toward the university. The wind suddenly buffeted everyone present, making standing still a chore with the still-quivering land.


    It was all happening so fast that Ham hardly had any time to introspect, but he soon saw, more than heard, the leader of the orcs give the signal for a final charge against their troop.


    Ham did not know how, but it was obvious to him that all of what was happening was connected, and their enemy was going to do anything in their power to destroy the, now awakened, stones.


    All five of their eyes met as they all apparently reached the same conclusion. They pushed closer to the stones. Each covering one with their own bodies. It was no longer regional or localized, no longer mere assumption, the whole Arcavios was in danger and these stones were the keys to its survival. Ham found himself braced against the black stone, while Gharan stood protecting the red, Will and the water Genasi held green and the blue stones in safety and Rhaldri was perched upon the white one, ready to blast anyone who dared near it.


    In the distance they watched the star reach the university.


    Countless lives were present there, countless children, women and elders alike, and for a moment they were sure they were going to witness them all die in a fiery explosion. But Strixhaven had its own cards in the deck, it was not going to just stand there and do nothing. A magical barrier visible miles and miles away, suddenly erupted from the ground and encased the entire complex. Shielding it from the asteroid which slammed against it, causing a light show unlike anyone had seen before as both forces clashed. The whole Arcavios was momentarily lit. Then the barrier cracked, slowly with a lot of protest, and the stone landed, somewhere within the university grounds. The top of it still visible from their angle, if only barely. Its impact, although drastically reduced by the barrier, into the realms of non-existence, still caused a minor earthquake to shake the continent.


    Then the orcs were upon them.

 Chapter Four: The Avatars

    Ham found himself screaming at the top of his lungs, and he heard the rest of his allies doing the same, bracing for the final wave of orcs to crash into them. He had hardly any strength left to hold them off, and he doubted any of the five could claim otherwise.


    Their world, as they knew it, was thrown into chaos, and it seemed they were at the center of the turmoil. Ham felt this was one of those historical moments people wrote books about, but he wasn''t sure he''d be around to read it. A critical point in history, even if they didn''t yet grasp its significance.


    But it didn''t matter; nothing mattered to him in that moment. He was beyond conscious thought or reasoning. It was do or die, and he knew it. They all knew it.


    So, he swung his sword down, only vaguely aware of the similar actions taken by the others supporting him in the defense of the Soul stones. He wasn''t aiming at all¡ªgods knew there were enough bodies coming toward him¡ªbut he was sure as hell putting every last scrap of his strength into it.


    His sword clashed with the opposing warrior''s weapon.


    He was still screaming, almost everyone was, and the clashing of weapons was loud enough to wake a whole village. But somehow, through all the ruckus, Ham could hear the ''clink'' as the two weapons met. Then, everything went white.


    For a few moments, all Ham could hear was static. The sensation was extremely akin to an explosion, but Ham had no way of knowing that for sure or what could have caused it.


    When his senses didn''t return immediately, he had to wonder if he had actually died this time, and if that was how it felt. He did remember an array of weapons coming toward his head just a moment before. Maybe one of them, or a few, had found their mark, and the explosion was nothing but his body''s sensory response before he passed away.


    But no! He could still breathe, he could still feel his body, his hands firmly gripping his sword and shield. The familiar weight of his armor was still on his shoulders, albeit not as oppressive.


    What he couldn''t feel, however, was the earth beneath his feet or the hits from numerous weapons coming at him from all sides, as it would have been if he were still in battle. The bone-deep weariness was gone.


    There was a burning sensation in his chest, radiating outward into his limbs. As Ham reached out, curious, and touched it with his senses, he felt it for what it was: pure, unadulterated power, a power that was both alien and familiar to him at the same time. He could tell it was an ancient power, at least as old as the realm itself, for he had never felt anything like it before, and it was coursing through him.


    There was a shift in the air, as if simply acknowledging it had given Ham some form of control over it. Then the haze began to clear, and Ham saw what had really happened.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    The land where the orcs had been moments before was now an outward-facing crater, spread in a semi-circle, leaving the ground where the stones still stood like a small island, untouched by the carnage outside. The crater was filled with the strewn about bodies of the remaining orcs, who were apparently blasted away by some immense force. Was it them who did that?


    Ham could see only one orc who was still mobile, and even that only barely¡ªthe leader. He was dragging himself back through the crater by one hand, the other side of his body simply missing. For the first time in the whole battle, Ham noticed genuine terror on his face.


    He was looking at Ham.


    Ham cringed at the pitiful state of the man and finally moved his gaze inward to verify what he had already half-guessed.


    He found himself floating 10 feet off the ground, with black and green tendrils of smoke leaking from him, coating his weapon. He looked like some sort of avatar of death, sent from the heavens to deliver justice, to wipe out the wicked. It felt almost comical to him in his current mental state.


    On a hunch, he looked above, following the wisps of black energy that were leaking from his sword and all his armor joints. It was all coalescing behind him, or rather linking him, like so many moving ropes, to a majestic black dragon made of what seemed to be some sort of poisonous gas. It was poised as if guarding him.


    Ham wasn''t the most educated person around, but he wasn''t so dumb as to not immediately recognize the figure. It was myth made manifest.


    "Lord Beledros Witherbloom," Ham gulped, his heart racing once again, seeing the image of one of the five founding dragons of Strixhaven appear like this. "Holy cow!"


    It finally clicked¡ªthe orc leader wasn''t afraid of him, even if he was a part of it. It was one of the freaking founding dragons whose appearance had finally broken his will. Ham didn''t blame him.


    As Ham looked about for his companions, still somewhat dumbstruck, trying to find something familiar in a suddenly bizarre world to ground himself, he found himself failing in the attempt. There were similar scenarios unfolding with each member of their group.


    Rhaldri, glowing with a divine light, stared in amazement at Shadrix Silverquill, another of the founding dragons that manifested as a being of pure white light. Beside her, Gharan looked much like his usual self, though he appeared fully healed¡ªHam figured perhaps that was impressive enough that embellishments were deemed unnecessary. But he too faced a founding dragon: Velomachus Lorehold, a dragon with a body that appeared to be carved from solid stone. Gharan looked ready to throw down with him for some reason, which terrified Ham.


    Nearby, the blue water genasi was confronted by Galazeth Prismari, a dragon whose form mirrored her own heritage, composed entirely of water. The two seemed almost like reflections of each other.


    Finally, Will stood at the center of a network of green light, beams connecting him to Tanazir Quandrix, a dragon made of intricate geometric patterns of the same green energy. He was the only one who seemed to be taking it in stride.


    When Ham looked back at Beledros Witherbloom, he found him looking at him, regarding him, almost measuring him. Ham''s breath was caught in his throat; he had never felt so exposed. He was sure that being could read more off him than he knew himself. But apparently, whatever the dragon was looking for, he found it satisfactory.


    Then he simply looked up and roared, breathing out a jet of poison and gas.


    Ham¡¯s eardrums nearly burst apart as it was synchronous with the other dragons as well, who each shot out their own breaths. Each of them differed radically, made of different elements and configurations, many as impressive as they were beautiful. Geometric patterns of energy, an amalgamation of natural elements, shockwaves that crackled, and pure radiance. All together, the cacophony of their roars could be heard the world over, and the display of breath weapons seen through the half.


    At first, Ham thought it to be a challenge, to perhaps let the enemies know that they would not be allowed to have their evil ways, but soon he realized it. It was not a challenge but a declaration. A declaration that the time had come. That the dark prophecy was running its course. That the war was upon us. And the champions of the people, who would be leading the war efforts and people alike, the Avatars of the founding dragons, the Avatars of Arcavios¡­ were chosen.


    Ham was not entirely certain how that felt to him. Him, the Avatar? Leading the war? What about his own ambition? His revenge? Sakoe?


    Before he could delve too much on that, the forms of the founding dragons started dissipating, and they all dropped to the ground to land on their backs. As they watched, the stones of power, now spent, faded back to a dull grey. The imagery, otherworldly a moment before, suddenly went mundane.


    Then, before they could properly collect themselves and their thoughts, they started hearing footsteps, hundreds of them, walking nearer, with the clacking of armors audible, loud and clear.


    "Drop down your weapons and surrender!" Someone shouted. "It''s the Dragonsguard."

 Chapter Five: A Heros Dilemma

    Chapter Five


    A few hours later, Ham and the others were still at the Soul Stones¡ªthough not by their own volition. They were chained and cuffed, being interrogated by a tall, lean elf wearing full plate armor.


    ¡°So, again,¡± the elf said, ¡°how did you say you saved the Soul Stones?¡±


    Ham exhaled through his nose, barely restraining himself from rolling his eyes.


    ¡°Look, Sir¡­¡±


    ¡°Call me Captain Trask,¡± he said, smiling.


    Ham chewed the inside of his cheeks.


    ¡°Captain Trask, then,¡± Ham said, frustration evident in his tone. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you what happened. We saw the stones were in danger¡­ and as responsible citizens of Arcavios, we did the best we could to save them.¡±


    ¡°Right, right,¡± he nodded. ¡°And you five defeated, oh, fifty or so battle-hardened orcs all by yourselves?¡±


    ¡°I killed more than nine!¡± Gharan confirmed proudly in his gruff voice.


    Rhaldri chuckled, and Captain Trask glared at her.


    ¡°Sorry!¡± she said before falling silent, and Trask turned his attention back to Ham.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Ham said. ¡°Most of them, at least. The last dozen or so were taken out when the Founder Dragons appeared.¡±


    ¡°Oh right, the Founder Dragons,¡± he said, condescension dripping from his voice. ¡°Which of the ten were present today?¡±


    Ham snapped.


    ¡°There are only five! You think I¡¯m joking?!?¡± Ham yelled. ¡°See, I don¡¯t know what your problem is, but there¡¯s a freaking meteor that almost crushed the University of Magic.¡±


    Ham pointed toward it.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you people be doing something more useful, like, I don¡¯t know, maybe rushing your forces there to secure it, help the wounded, maybe?!?¡±


    A sword was at Ham¡¯s neck in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°Look, kid!¡± the elf said, his nose close enough to touch Ham¡¯s own. ¡°You¡¯re telling me that after all these centuries, the Founder Dragons actually appeared in person and selected¡ªnot one of the Dragonsguard, or any other respectable warriors and heroes¡ªbut you all? A bunch of amateurs? Who we found in suspicious circumstances having nearly destroyed one of the most sacred grounds of Arcavios. Yes! I think you¡¯re joking!¡±


    Ham heard growling from behind and the clacking of chains as Gharan and the others stood up. Nothing made friends like surviving a battle together, and Ham was grateful for the support, but he didn¡¯t think it the best time to duke it out.


    ¡°Umm, guys¡­?¡± Ham urged silently. But they didn¡¯t hear him.


    ¡°Oh, just give me a reason!¡± Trask snarled, standing up himself and eyeing each and every one of them, his sword still eerily still at Ham¡¯s jugular.


    The tension was palpable for a few dreadful seconds as they all stood in a standstill. Ham found it somewhat scary that of all the hundred or so Dragonsguard present, none came to support Trask. Either they were seriously underestimating the five of them¡ªeven if bound and weaponless¡ªor Trask was¡­ one hell of an accomplished warrior to command such trust.


    ¡°Trask!¡± a voice boomed. ¡°I think you¡¯ve done your work. I¡¯ll take care of things from here.¡±


    Captain Trask¡¯s expression immediately went passive, like a slate being wiped clean.


    ¡°Yes, Jarl. As you say.¡±


    The sword was off Ham¡¯s throat and back into its scabbard as swiftly as it had come out.


    Ham finally felt comfortable enough to breathe, and anger started boiling within him once again. However, he decided to do nothing about it¡ªthese were their own people, and he was tired and pretty much surrounded.


    As Captain Trask stepped aside, Ham saw two dwarves walking through a parting crowd of Dragonsguard soldiers.


    He was immediately able to place one and guess the other. Lora Frostfire, the owner of the Bullywug Pissing Pot, whom he had seen earlier in the day, was walking toward them, just a step behind her brother, Jarl-Mage Orvund Frostfire.


    Ham had heard about the man, but it was the first time he was seeing him. He looked old and gray, holding a staff covered in ice crystals at the top, which was slightly larger than his own. He looked like a regular old grandfather but had a regal air about him that warned you from trying anything funny. He was smiling lightly as he stopped in front of them, and Ham could feel his aura brushing against his skin.


    That was indeed one powerful wizard.


    He looked at them all one by one, sniffed as if catching something nasty in the air, and waved a hand.


    In one smooth motion, all their manacles came loose and thudded onto the grassy land.


    Ham sighed and straightened, giving Trask a sidelong glance, then bowed to the wizard.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Ham said to him. ¡°It was getting uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, old man,¡± Gharan agreed from beside him, as the rest of them also gave short greetings.


    The wizard kept smiling pleasantly, even at being addressed so informally, like he didn¡¯t have a care in the world¡ªwhich was somewhat odd for a man in his station, considering a huge meteor had almost destroyed Strixhaven just hours earlier. And it was now reportedly under siege by a sizable force of orcs, demons, and drows.


    ¡°Apologies for the inconvenience,¡± the Jarl Mage replied. ¡°So, I hear you five valiantly defended the stones while we were busy in the congregation ceremony.¡±


    ¡°We did what we could,¡± Ham replied, and the others nodded in agreement. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Impressively done!¡± the Jarl said, looking at the destruction around them.


    Ham smiled, a natural response to the Jarl¡¯s friendly demeanor. Then Will stepped forward for the first time and addressed the three authority figures as a whole.


    ¡°Honestly, the two of us wouldn¡¯t have minded passing up on that,¡± Will said, pointing to himself and the water genasi, ¡°but a certain cat was hiding here, and there was a big reward on its head.¡±


    Lora¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Mr. Mittens? You found him?¡±


    ¡°Kaly?¡± Will spoke to the water genasi behind him, and she stepped forward with an ornate lamp in her hands. She sat down and started rubbing the lamp gently. Ham expected a genie to pop out, as most genies lived in lamps, though he had heard a few even used crockery. What came out instead was the cat, Mr. Mittens. The girl could apparently use that thing as a pocket dimension.


    ¡°There!¡± the water genasi said before standing up again.


    The cat started circling on the ground, taking stock of its surroundings. It soon saw Lora Frostfire¡ªwho squealed in pleasure¡ªand jumped into her lap.


    Then¡­ it spoke.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to send people after me every time I go out for a stroll, you know?¡±


    Ham¡¯s mouth flew wide open. *The cat could speak*. But when he looked back to find anyone who might share his surprise, he found only questioning eyebrow raises. He realized in hindsight that perhaps a talking cat wasn¡¯t so impressive in a world where ninety percent of the population could use magic to some degree. He shut his mouth.


    ¡°You were missing for five hours!¡± Lora Frostfire complained, ruffling the cat¡¯s ears, sounding much like his own mother sometimes did.


    Mr. Mittens rolled its cat-pupil eyes and simply said, ¡°You¡¯re impossible,¡± before settling snugly into her embrace and closing them.


    ¡°Take this!¡± Lora said as she unlatched and threw a hefty bag of coins to Will, who caught it with elven grace.


    ¡°Thanks!¡±


    ¡°Greedy arse!¡± grumbled Gharan, and Ham found himself sharing his opinion.


    Will had remained mostly quiet throughout the interrogation, letting Ham deal with the captain and not mentioning the cat at all, which might have helped make their story more believable. But¡­ Ham figured it didn¡¯t really matter. The important thing was that Will had come to help when Ham needed him. He could keep the money; he deserved it.


    ¡°By the way,¡± the cat spoke, eyes still closed, over the excited whispers of Kaly, who had started counting the coins, ¡°they¡¯ve been telling the truth, Captain Trask. I was watching most of it.¡±


    Ham saw at least ten different expressions flit across Captain Trask¡¯s face before settling into sullen acceptance.


    Ham was seriously starting to wonder what his issue was with them. Was it jealousy of some sort?


    ¡°Well, now that *that¡¯s* settled,¡± the Jarl Mage said jovially, ¡°Greetings¡­ Avatars of Arcavios.¡±


    Then he bowed deeply. There was a sudden hustle as all the soldiers, knights, and squires alike rushed to emulate him. Even Captain Trask and Lora Frostfire.


    It was so abrupt that Ham turned left and right, looking at his companions to see if they were witnessing the same thing.


    Will smirked and glanced to the side, pocketing the coins, while Kaly and Rhaldri smiled. Only Gharan shared his incredulity, mumbling something like ¡°Weird skinny people.¡±


    As they all straightened back, Ham spoke up.


    ¡°Wait, just like that?¡± he asked the Jarl Mage. ¡°This guy had us detained for two hours and didn¡¯t believe a word we said. Now, you trust us all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Not that we mind!¡± said Rhaldri, stepping forward and giving Ham a weird glare. "I''d like to get to the things that really matter."


    ¡°Well, Mr. Mittens is a trusted friend; he just confirmed your story,¡± the Jarl replied. ¡°Also, there¡¯s no denying that the dark prophecy has begun unfolding¡ªwe all saw the star falling.¡±


    He pointed with his staff toward the university, where the star was still slightly visible, like a distant and peculiar mountain.


    ¡°It¡¯s only natural the new Avatars would be chosen. I¡¯ve been trying to tell them that, actually,¡± he said, looking back at his sister and Captain Trask. ¡°The whole realm heard those roars; they could not belong to anyone other than the Founder Dragons themselves.¡±


    Then, without giving the two time to respond, he forged on, focusing on Ham and the group.


    ¡°Obviously, Captain Trask was justified in trying to confirm that you aren¡¯t enemy agents,¡± he said in a teacher¡¯s voice. ¡°He is, after all, the leader of the entire Dragonsguard.¡±


    Captain Trask looked away with slight chagrin.


    Ham nodded¡ªpartly because that¡¯s what you do when the most powerful wizard in the realm explains something, and partly because it did somewhat justify his behavior. But inside, he was still sulking: he¡¯d nearly died multiple times back there, doing his duty, and that man had only shown him contempt in return.


    ¡°Since he¡¯s usually also the bridge between the Founder Dragons and mortals, being a Trask,¡± Lora added conspiratorially, ¡°I think he was also in denial that he wasn¡¯t informed.¡±


    ¡°Lora!!¡± Orvund snapped.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± Trask interjected. ¡°She¡¯s right. I think I overdid it.¡±


    To Ham¡¯s surprise, there was honesty in those words¡ªeven a hint of apology. Maybe he wasn¡¯t so bad after all.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± the Jarl continued, ¡°I do believe introductions are in order; Arcavios will want to know the names of its Avatars.¡±


    Ham found himself slinking back as others stepped forward. For some reason, he didn¡¯t like how that term sounded. How it placed him in a position of such responsibility. Not that he minded responsibilities¡ªhe had one already: his village, his people, his mother. Ham suddenly remembered young Lester, who might still be waiting near the cart. Not to mention his people back in the Chimney Comb, waiting for the supplies he¡¯d promised.


    Beyond that, accepting this mantle might mean abandoning his oath to exact vengeance against his father¡¯s killer. He didn¡¯t want that. Saving one sacred site from orcs was one thing. But did he have time to¡­ save the world? Could he even do that?


    The others began giving their names: Rhaldri Marsk went first, then Gharan, then Will stated his full name as ¡°William Winnthrop.¡± Then the water genasi, ¡°Kalypsiana of Aliana.¡±


    That last one made the Jarl muse for a moment before he turned to Ham. He had no choice but to comply.


    ¡°Hamend Stormborn,¡± he announced.


    The whole crowd fell silent¡ªeven the Jarl.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Ham asked uncertainly. ¡°You can just call me Ham, if that¡¯s too long.¡±


    ¡°A Stormborn,¡± the Jarl breathed, studying Ham¡¯s face with renewed interest. Then Captain Trask rushed forward.


    ¡°Wait, a Stormborn¡­¡± He slammed a hand against his head. ¡°What¡¯s your father¡¯s name?¡±


    Ham glanced between them, still uncertain.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Kaizer. Kaizer Silverdragon Stormborn.¡±


    Captain Trask gaped at him for a moment before snorting. He looked at the Jarl Mage, laughing.


    ¡°Can you believe that?¡±


    ¡°Fate is mysterious sometimes!¡± the Jarl replied with a shrug. ¡°Not sure we could¡¯ve wished for any better.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what are you talking about?¡±


    Ham noticed even his friends whispering among themselves.


    ¡°Well, kid,¡± said Captain Trask, placing a hand on his shoulder, the distrust suddenly gone, ¡°do you know what your father¡¯s other name was?¡±


    ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°The First Avatar,¡± he replied fondly, almost wistfully, as if recalling something nostalgic. ¡°Not the Avatar of the Founder Dragons, mind you¡ªthe Avatar of the Platinum Dragon, Lord Bahamut himself.¡±


    Ham knew Lord Bahamut; he worshiped him, as his father and mother had. He even wore an amulet of him around his neck. Bahamut was the creator of Arcavios and progenitor of the entire dragon race, including the Founder Dragons.


    And they were saying his father was His Avatar?


    So Ham asked the only viable question: ¡°Really?¡±


    Everyone burst out laughing.


    ¡°Now that I¡¯m looking at you again,¡± Captain Trask said between laughs, ¡°you do remind me of him. So that bastard never told you anything, huh? Typical!¡±


    ¡°Well, he died when I was twelve,¡± Ham said, ¡°and Mother never told me anything beyond the usual. I guess so I wouldn¡¯t get ideas.¡±


    ¡°We did hear he¡¯d passed,¡± Captain Trask said solemnly. ¡°Too late to do anything about it, unfortunately.¡±


    ¡°Could¡¯ve used his help today,¡± added the Jarl Mage, glancing at the smoke rising from the university.


    ¡°But you¡¯ve got his son now!¡± countered Lora. ¡°And four other brave souls, right?¡± All eyes turned to Ham and the others again.


    Once more, Ham felt his feet go cold. It was all happening too fast. What did they expect him to say? He couldn¡¯t take his father¡¯s place! Kaizer had been a true hero¡ªstrong, brave, unshakable as a mountain!


    He couldn¡¯t match him even in something as trivial as woodcarving. How could he match him in heroism? His heart began pounding louder and louder as time crawled to a halt, the world turning monochromatic.


    When Ham blinked the next time, he was that child again, holding his father¡¯s corpse in his small arms, crying over him, wishing he could have done anything, anything at all to save him, to have enough strength in him to make a difference.


    The next blink brought him back to his current body, and he found himself standing at the edge of Sakoe, the current long-abandoned graveyard that was still the lair of that hydra. Somewhere in the back of his mind, the power of the Soul Stones boiled and burbled. Today, he had the strength he had always wished for. In this moment, he was sure that even if he were to head into the village alone this day, he¡¯d have enough strength to defeat the monster and bring justice to his father. The power was almost urging him to do exactly that. But should he?


    The next blink sent Ham into the skies of Arcavios, looking over at a burning realm. It occurred to Ham that this was no different than that day at Sakoe. Yes, the monster was bigger, the battlefield was larger, the stakes were higher, and there were a lot more people to save this time around, but in principle, the situation was exactly the same. Only there was no Kaizer to help this time.


    In his place was Ham. One lousy, not so bright, often reckless Ham.


    Ham, who had taken an oath of vengeance against his father¡¯s killer, his enemy, the Hydra of Sakoe. Who had studied and trained his whole life for that sole purpose. But who was foolish enough to think that it was the extent of his responsibility. He turned and looked over into the direction of Sakoe, which seemed like the only place that was not aflame in this apocalyptic reality¡ªor rather, the only place that had burnt out.


    Ham had a choice in that moment, even if the others couldn¡¯t see it. He could choose the greater good and be the Avatar of Witherbloom as everyone expected him to be, delaying his revenge, even risk breaking his oath, or he could prioritize his own qualms and leave. They could not force him to fight a war that he did not want to fight.


    The latter sounded way more appealing to him than the former. His revenge, after years of waiting, was in his reach. But was that the kind of person he had aspired to be his whole life? Was that what his father would have done?


    Obviously, there was more to his father than he knew. But he knew enough to realize that his father had sacrificed himself to save the rest of the village. Those were not the actions of a selfish man¡ªone who made enemies for his own sake¡ªbut of a man to whom anyone who threatened or oppressed the weak and helpless was an enemy.


    Ham¡¯s pounding heart finally calmed.


    The moment snapped back into place, and Ham found himself still facing the three leaders of the Arcavian forces, looking at him expectantly. Ham wiped the panic off his face, sighed, then put on a slight smile and whistled. Much to everyone¡¯s confusion, from somewhere in the crowd, a greatsword came flying to him.


    To their credit, none of the three were spooked, and Ham caught the greatsword without any objections.


    ¡°As of this moment, my sword is dedicated to the realm!¡± Ham thundered, going down on one knee and hefting the sword high with both hands. ¡°The realm will not fall until I am alive!¡±


    ¡°And my Axe!¡± Gharan roared, raising a borrowed axe high (snatched from a nearby soldier), prompting a cheer to run through the gathered warriors.


    ¡°My younger brother is at the university,¡± Rhaldri told them seriously. ¡°He¡¯s the only family I have. Avatar or not, nothing is stopping me from reaching the university.¡±


    ¡°Lady Rhaldri!!!¡± shouted someone from the crowd, initiating another round of cheers.


    ¡°We¡¯ll help too,¡± said Will, as Kalypsiana nodded vigorously to some more cheer. ¡°I¡¯m kind of liking all this acclaim!¡±


    The Jarl Mage nodded.


    ¡°Then we shall start preparing!¡±

 Chapter Six: The Dark Knight.

    Chapter Six


    It was almost evening by the time Ham and the others reached Strixenguard.


    It was in chaos.


    The same delighted parents and students Ham had seen earlier in the day were now panicking and rushing about to get as far away from the university as possible. He guessed that nobody wanted to send their children to a Strixhaven that had nearly been crushed by a prophetic meteor. It was wise of them. The university was no longer a place for young children; it was now a warzone, and it pained Ham to think about the students who might¡¯ve been caught in the fray when the Hand¡¯s forces laid siege to it.


    It further frustrated Ham to see how slow everyone at Strixenguard moved to respond to the siege. Yes, it took time gathering soldiers, equipping them with weaponry and rations, but understanding that didn¡¯t make it any less infuriating. Every second they wasted was a second longer the students and teachers at the university had to suffer.


    Ham eventually gave up on simmering and decided to put his energy to better use.


    He started looking for Lester and the other members of his group.


    He found them in the market, where he had left the cart. Cyrus, Derrick, and Fanny were all back as well.


    ¡°There you are,¡± Derrick said as he spotted him. ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting here for hours! Thought you¡¯d gone ahead and actually got yourself killed this time?¡±


    Derrick was one of the older members of his troop with a scruffy white-and-black beard.


    ¡°Well, almost!¡± Ham said with a little snicker. ¡°But I pulled through.¡±


    Then Cyrus spoke up, the tall, emaciated boy with a little hunch to his posture, who had always given Ham an impression of a praying mantis.


    ¡°We heard¡­¡± he said between pauses, ¡°you¡¯ve been fighting the orcs who were trying to destroy the Soul Stones.¡±


    ¡°And that you¡¯ve become some sort of Avatar,¡± finished Fanny, the only female in their small group, taken along for her expertise in selecting the best produce and her negotiation skills. Sort of a sisterly figure for Ham.


    ¡°Is it true?¡± Lester asked from behind. ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ham said simply, while examining his left hand, which had been leaking black and green smoke during his transformation but was now as mundane as ever. ¡°And there is something I need you all to do for me.¡±


    They all stood up.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Derrick asked, his tone hinting utter compliance while his hand went to his short sword. The other three tensed up as well.


    ¡°It¡¯s not what you¡¯re thinking,¡± Ham explained. ¡°I just need you all to take the supplies back to Chimney Comb without me.¡±


    They all looked at each other as a quiet understanding passed between them.


    ¡°All right,¡± Derrick said.


    Ham was taken aback.


    ¡°Wait, no objections? I assumed you¡¯d all at least try stopping me!¡±


    ¡°Nah¡­¡± Derrick replied. ¡°I knew your father, son. There¡¯s no way Kaizer¡¯s offspring would stay bound to a small village forever.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Ham found himself grasping for words. ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to go! I would gladly stay at Chimney Comb, serving the people.¡±


    ¡°But you have bigger responsibilities now,¡± Derrick completed. ¡°We get it!¡±


    Ham saw the other three nodding in agreement, and his eyes started watering.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about your mother too much either,¡± Derrick said, putting a hand on his shoulder. ¡°She¡¯ll be mad at first, but I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll understand.¡±


    ¡°Also, sticking around you for so long, we¡¯ve learned a few moves of our own,¡± said Cyrus, pulling out his rapier and performing a flashy maneuver. ¡°We¡¯ll protect the village in your stead.¡±


    Ham knew this wasn¡¯t a complete boast. These men could handle themselves, though Ham had been the best among them.


    ¡°Keep my mother out of harm¡¯s way while I¡¯m gone. She sometimes starts channeling my father¡¯s spirit.¡±


    To Ham¡¯s surprise, Lester¡¯s tinny voice rang loudest: ¡°I¡¯ll keep her safe even if it kills me!¡±


    That lad was going to turn into a fine warrior one day, Ham thought to himself as he watched them prepare the cart.


    Then, the four of them were on their way to Chimney Comb, and Ham was left alone on a rather busy road.


    After that, the next two days slipped by for Ham as he found himself lost in preparations for their unique pilgrimage on the road to Strixhaven. It seemed the Jarl and the others were planning to send the five of them ahead as a spearhead to clear the way for the army, to investigate and disarm any potential traps or bottlenecks. Which was kind of weird at first glance, but according to the Jarl and Captain Trask, that¡¯s how the Second Great War had been fought and won as well: the best heroes Arcavios could offer, led by Kaizer, had left the army behind and worked as a precision force until it was time for the two armies to collide, successfully avoiding any large-scale traps and casualties until the very end.


    Naturally, the Jarl didn¡¯t want them to just die facing the first threat they encountered, so he had allotted them a big grant to be used on weapons and magical gear. However, wherever they went now, they were treated with respect, and shopkeeps gave them extra discounts on top of the grants. This meant they were soon loaded with the best gear Strixenguard could offer. And it could offer a lot, thanks to people like Merlin the enchanter, who were best at what they did.


    Their old weapons were replaced with enchanted magical weapons¡ªeven though Ham did not part with his Dancing Greatsword. Their armors and shields, at least for those who used them, were replaced with shining new ones. Ham was now clad in a golden plate that looked kind of gaudy but solid enough to take a few hits. Gharan, on the other hand, who did not like armor and thought it was for people with fragile constitutions, had gotten himself some bracers which could act as a measure of protection in a scuffle without robbing him of his mobility. Rhaldri, Kalypsiana, and William all bought various magical do-hickies that they thought could come in handy during their journey. Like a magical hole that you could use as storage. A portable fortress that you can just pop out anywhere and use like a house or even a defensive structure. And many more things of this nature.


    Next came the mounts, as traveling by foot could take too much time. Remi the Rider was more than glad to provide them the best of steeds available. Gharan obviously went overboard and asked for the biggest one he had and found himself a mammoth¡ªbut who was Ham to judge? Will and Kalypsiana bought themselves a pegasus to share, as the pair of lovebirds they were. Rhaldri decided there was enough space to ride on the mammoth with Gharan.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    When Remi finally asked Ham, he picked the Blue Drake out of everything.


    For those who don¡¯t know, a drake is a wingless, smaller variant of a dragon, and they come in all shapes and colors according to the dragon scales used to conjure them. Most are not large enough to carry another human, but this one seemed special.


    According to Remi, drakes were hard to tame, but caring for the horse his father had left behind had taught Ham the basics of dealing with animals, and Ham had very little trouble taming him. The two of them seemed like they were made for one another, and Ham named the beast Thorn on account of the sharp horn poking out from its forehead. They were soon bests of friends.


    It was not a fast ride, nor even the most dangerous one compared to the mammoth, but it had style. A Stormborn riding a blue dragon-like beast had a certain symmetry to it, and Ham loved it.


    Then finally came the time they had to leave Strixenguard and start their perilous journey to Strixhaven.


    In two days since the star fell, the smoke rising from the university had ceased. The reports confirmed that it was now fully under the control of the cult, but fortunately, they had decided to enslave most of the students and faculty instead of killing them outright, which meant they had time to save them.


    As the five of them stood near the edge of Strixenguard with their mounts, garbed in cloaks¡ªloincloth in Gharan¡¯s case¡ªcorresponding to their patron dragons (black for Ham, blue for Kalypsiana, white for Rhaldri, red for Gharan, and green for Will), a small gathering came to see them off. The Jarl, Lora Frostfire, Captain Trask, Merlin, Remi, and other important figures were there.


    There was a round of farewell wishes and best of luck, which was well received by the ¡°Avatars,¡± as they were now almost unanimously being called, and then they saddled up to head out.


    Except¡­ the unexpected happened.


    A soldier came pushing past the gathered crowd, causing a commotion, and went directly to see Captain Trask. For some reason, Ham stopped Thorn to observe the two, a sudden inexplicable dread settling into his stomach that had nothing to do with the dangers ahead.


    Captain Trask listened to the soldier, and his jaw stiffened. Then he looked at Ham.


    Ham was sprinting before hearing half the report from Trask, leaving everything behind but the armor he was wearing, having no time to unbuckle it. A confused group of Avatars followed him.


    His body had gone completely numb to all senses. All questions or protests met deaf ears as he ran. He did not know how many people he shoved out of his way as he rushed through the streets of Strixenguard. Only one thing mattered: to reach the infirmary, where¡­


    He did not even dare think on it. What if he didn¡¯t find her there? He didn¡¯t think he could bear it.


    He reached the infirmary a moment before the soldier leading them and slammed open the door with his shaking hands.


    Eight people. Only eight people were present in the room apart from the clerics, each occupying a bunk, being tended to in various states of unrest and pain. He could instantly recognize the closest ones; he had spent his entire life with them. They were people of Chimney Comb. Survivors of Sakoe.


    Captain Trask had told him, but it was a whole other thing seeing it with his own eyes¡ªa physical blow that knocked the wind out of him. He had hoped there was some misunderstanding. That perhaps the survivors were not from Chimney Comb but Strixhaven. That was the place under attack, right?


    Ham became selfish then and rushed past the wounded people in the front, barely giving them an apologetic look in passing. Desperately looking for his mother in one of the bunks.


    He found her in the end. Wounded and unconscious. But breathing. And it eased the clenching in his chest a little.


    Unable to contain himself, he rushed toward her, trying to take her in an embrace, but a dwarf he did not see threw him back with unexpected force.


    ¡°I have just sutured her wounds!¡± he shouted. ¡°Keep a little distance, will you?¡±


    At first, anger started boiling within him¡ªunreasonable, red-hot fury that could burn the world. But then a spell hit him from behind, and his emotions suddenly calmed. He looked back and saw Rhaldri. He wanted to be angry at her too, but he just couldn¡¯t; the spell was holding strong. Calmed as he was now, when he looked back, he saw¡­ the chaos he had caused in his wake. Strewn-about physician tools rested on the ground, a few clerics lay sprawled, and even a wounded one stood holding his hand. Ham gulped and breathed a few times.


    ¡°I apologize,¡± he spoke with his suddenly hoarse voice, his eyelids feeling heavy. ¡°Just let me help them. They are my people. I will leave then.¡±


    His voice held truth, and perhaps more importantly calm, and everyone listened.


    He reached his hand out to his mother and tapped the reservoir of healing magic that lay unspent within him. It was one of the talents he had developed sometime during his puberty, something he had assumed to be courtesy of Bahamut, their family god, and tried to heal her a little. It healed some of her wounds but did not wake her up, and Ham decided to channel the remainder of his healing energy into the other wounded people of his town.


    It was more of a gesture than actual help, as there were clerics here who could do a better job at healing than him, but he wanted to do something for them at the least. Since he had obviously failed in his duty to protect them.


    The last one that he healed, and perhaps the most wounded, was actually Derrick. The first person he had passed on the way in.


    Derrick looked at him smiling. He had an arm missing and still smiled as Ham closed the wound.


    ¡°We fulfilled our vow, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    Ham finally started crying. It burbled out of him in sobs and hiccups as he hugged the stump of Derrick¡¯s arm.


    ¡°I am sorry¡­ I am sorry I wasn¡¯t there.¡±


    Derrick slapped him across the face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool. You can¡¯t be everywhere.¡±


    ¡°But I abandoned my duty. If I was there¡­¡±


    ¡°You would be dead as well,¡± he spoke with unexpected sternness. ¡°The Hydra wasn¡¯t alone this time!¡±


    Ham looked up at Derrick with swollen eyes. Confused.


    ¡°Someone was riding it. They were looking for you and Viona. And they murdered anyone who did not know, or refused to tell them, your whereabouts.¡±


    Cold. It was as if someone had filled his lungs with ice. After 12 years, the Hydra was back, and it was not random¡ªit was looking for him. Ham started shaking and hyperventilating. The images of countless flailing heads, the scent of burnt flesh, the sounds of people running, and the screech, the horrible, horrible screech of the monster filled his head. That child, the scared little helpless child, was creeping back, and Ham could do little to keep him boxed.


    ¡°When we reached the village, the attack was already underway. Half the townsfolk were already killed, and your mother was trying to help get as many people out of the town as possible,¡± Derrick continued, as if he hadn¡¯t noticed the spasming mass of nerves sitting in front of him that was Ham. ¡°At first, we thought we could stay hidden. But the knight, that dark knight, could sense us. I lost my arm to him.¡±


    Ham tried to gulp down the fear, but his throat was so raw it did not allow it.


    ¡°Lester¡­¡± Derrick said, and his lips started quivering. ¡°That wonderful, stupid child¡­¡±


    His voice broke, and with it broke Ham¡¯s heart. He could sense what was coming next. With visible effort, Derrick resummoned his composure and continued.


    ¡°He took a final stand facing the Hydra and the knight. Fanny and Cyrus went with him.¡± Tears started dropping down from both Derrick¡¯s and Ham¡¯s eyes. ¡°It is because of them even the eight of us survived.¡±


    Ham fell back on his haunches, his feet unable to support his weight any longer, and he closed his eyes. He could not believe this was happening to him. Sakoe was over. It was 12 years ago. The hydra had made the abandoned town its lair and had never come out of it. Then how could Chimney Comb be attacked? And why?


    Lester. Young, timid Lester, who had always looked up to Ham. He was dead. He had died protecting his mother, just as he said he would. He would not see him again, and it was partly his fault to fill his head with notions of bravery and sacrifice. Now he was dead, and Ham was shamelessly still alive.


    That did it for him. All the fear and sorrow melted away as it gave form to something else. Something more primal and savage. Anger. Anger at himself for not being there. Anger at failing yet another time. Anger at animals who would commit such travesties. A fury so bright that his breath came out in vapors.


    Ham stood up.


    ¡°Which way did it take?¡±


    ¡°Northeast. Toward the university.¡±


    Ham nodded.


    ¡°Thank you, Derrick.¡±


    Then Ham spoke the words. Truly spoke them, not in dark rooms, in the dead of night, or within the confines of his mind, but out in the open. Giving words to the bottled-up pain and suffering of a decade, and the conviction he had always held and followed.


    ¡°I will avenge my father. I will avenge Lester, Cyrus, Fanny, and all the lives taken by the Hydra and whomever is controlling it. Nothing will stop me¡ªno mortal, demon, or god, not even death!¡±


    Something clicked inside Ham, like a latch being clasped. Suddenly, the amulet of Bahamut that he had around his neck started floating and glowing with a divine radiance.


    Ham had heard and read about oaths enoughs to know that they weren¡¯t governed by any gods but the cosmic energy present in each and every one¡ªit was an extension, a manifestation of one¡¯s willpower. But he knew as well that gods did oversee them. The words he had just spoken were recognized by Bahamut, permanently sealing his fate to that one vow until he fulfills it or dies trying. When he turned back, he saw all four of his companions standing with a resolute stance.


    ¡°So when are we breaking this Hydra¡¯s neck?¡± Gharan said, cracking his knuckles. ¡°Kaly tells me that it has a lot of them.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go get them now!¡±


    ________________________________________


    That evening, when a frustrated Ham lay down, putting his pain-induced journal to the side, it was after a hard march that ended at Grove of Souls¡ªthe halfway point between Marshtown and Strixenguard.


    Despite their every attempt at being loud and noticeable, they did not see the Hydra or the knight anywhere. Even though all sources indicated that this was the way the monster was last seen heading. It was as if it had completely vanished.