"I don't enjoy killing, you know."
The morning light spread across the fields. The air was still, as if the world hadn't quite woken up.
Today was supposed to be a good day. At least, Paul thought so.
A gaunt , pale blond man stood over the corpse of a mountain bandit. Blood ran along his saber, dripping to the ground. Behind him lay a trail of bodies , each torn open by deep, jagged cuts.
Paul looked up at the sky and took a deep breath, unbothered by the smell of iron in the air.
'What the hell was happening the night before?', Paul thought, as he wiped his saber clean while muttering some curses under his breath.
He had been going about his business in the Highlands, subjugating a group of bandits that had made their lair near a ruined castle on the outskirts of the forgotten forest. Only, there were no bandits present!
'What would cause these idiots to suddenly relocate in the middle of the night? And what were those sounds coming from the other side of the ravine?'
Paul's instincts were screaming at him to take a detour around the ravine the night before.
The effort of walking five extra hours did not seem like a waste to him anymore.
He picked up his backpack and started collecting the loot from the dead. He still had to cross over the lake to get to the village settlements on the other side of the valley.
Paul wasn't necessarily a 'good' man. He was passing through a ravaged village settlement near the outskirts of the forest when the village chieftain asked him to help recover their crops, or whatever money the bandits could get from selling them.
It was not uncommon for bandits to pressurize traveling merchants into buying their goods, at a high markup of course.
'Sorry Gramps, there was simply no goods left at the ruins. Those detestable bandits spent it all!'. Paul lamented, as he continued filling his backpack with coin purses. Of course, he had no intention of telling the truth.
Paul looked at the pile of bodies around him, humming a happy tune.
Although it took some effort to find and kill these bandits, he was satisfied with the result.
"Ah well, farewell my dear friends."
Paul started walked downhill towards the lake, wondering what investments he would make with his newfound treasure when suddenly, he saw a small speck of a man sprawled across the shore of the lake.
He concentrated on the outline of the mystery man, trying to make sense of what was before his eyes.
'What would a knight of the capital be doing in a place like this?'
The vagabond halted his steps, he scanned the surroundings anxiously for any enemies and decided to completely avoid the man.
Nothing good ever came by poking one's nose in other's business.
"Waaait!"
A hoarse sound came from the shore. Paul was shocked to hear a voice with such vitality from a dying man. But then again, Knights were no simple men.
As much as Paul wanted to avoid the man, a part of him wanted to learn about the situation that got him into that state, maybe he knew what had happened at the other side of the forest.
Paul started walking towards the figure, as his curiosity took the better of him. The knights were a fearsome bunch for sure, but this particular one posed no threat to him at all in his current state.
After a few moments, Paul stood near the knight as he asked-
"Hey….Friend? Who did you in? Perhaps something from the other side--"
"Please take him, I beg you." The knight interrupted. His voice heavy with almost no power in it, as if the earlier shout had taken all his strength.
Paul was confused by the sudden and unfathomable request.
'Take him? Take who?' As Paul was about to voice his thoughts, the knight moved his arm.
A small child was beside the man.
The child's body was glowing with a faint energy that was dissipating into the air.
"You used your dwindling life force to protect the kid?", Paul was stunned to see that the knight placed such great importance on the child.
However, before the knight could reply, Paul picked up the child and examined him closely.
"Hmm, a normal looking babe, black of hair, no sign of deformity… Aha! The core also looks fine!"
"Wonder what you'd fetch!"
"You- You-", The knight tried to stand up and pry away the child from Paul, but he had no strength left in him.
Paul was puzzled by the reaction of the knight.
'What does he even hope to do in a state like this?'
"Hey Hey save your energy, I will do no such thing. Children are off limits, even for me. I swear!" Paul said seriously.
"I..I don't have much time, the capital is dangerous right now, please, take him south to Solmere. The dusky pub , talk to dusky he'll know. Take whatever gold I have on my person after I… after I-", the knight could feel his energy dwindling by the second, his vision getting blurry.
"Take him yourself, come on, I'll try to patch you up." Paul interjected, he could smell the conspiracy and the web of annoyance that would follow from miles away if he were to go through with the Knight's request.
Suddenly, the Knight jolted up and looked back, towards the distant hills. He could sense a group of people approaching from the top of the ravine on the other side.
The knight dug into his liners and pocket and fished out a small pouch of gold and a pendant.
Paul looked at the items, his heart overflowing with unease, he really didn't want to be here any longer.
Paul looked up at the hills and frowned, " There… a group of people.." He glanced at the Knight and at the items.
'Fuck my life'
"Alright… I'll get it done. Solmere is not that far anyway, but those people coming down-", Paul was sure that whatever had put the knight in this situation, those people had at least half a stake in it.
The knight did not answer, he did not talk, neither did Paul.
A few moments later, the knight broke the silence-
"I will hold them off"
The mood grew grim between the two. In all of his twenty five years of living, Paul had not seen such loyalty anywhere, he could not help but smile for a moment.
Paul looked down at the child.
"What's his name?", Paul asked.
"Name him yourself, go now." , the weary knight replied.
"No, what's yours? " Paul snapped back.
The knight looked up at the vagabond. A strange feeling growing in his chest.
He had been in countless battles, completed every impossible task, faced threats that would make even the hardest of men scream in terror. But, when the time came to protect his liege's legacy, he failed him.
Smiling with unease, the Knight shifted and positioned himself to welcome his demise.
"Arthur, my name is Arthur Ashford, knight of the winter sun."
Arthur glanced back at the vagabond.
"What about you?"
"Graves, Paul Graves", Paul replied.
Paul smiled at him and picked up the items from Arthur.
"Alright, Arthur. May the moons bless you."
Saying that, Paul bolted away from him and started sprinting south with wide steps, almost flying.
Looking at the fading figure of the vagabond, Arthur grew somewhat eased. But then, with a resolute face, looked over the figures standing on the bottom of the hill on the other side.
Arthur knew that the winter sun would now set for a long and comfortable night.