I exited the castle, heading out with a new sense of purpose. I was given a set of armor, brand new. To note it, I chose a custom design. The armory gave me a full set of dark steel armor, which I declined. Instead, I wanted to adopt a new strategy for the incoming troubles on this long road to Marea. I wore a tabard, black of color. Underneath it was a breast plate, gambeson, and chainmail. The usual attire for a soldier. My helmet was irregular, a veil of steel and mail, with a helm that fitted my whole head inside. Holes poked out to give me vision and air. It had four spikes protruding parallel to each other on both sides of the helm. However, my addition was the removal of one arm's worth of armor. My right arm was covered in plates of metal; it had everything you needed, including pauldrons. But my left was uncovered, a simple studded cloth covering my shoulder.
To leave yourself unarmored is quite the risk, but it is also a great baiting method. High risk, high reward. Any attack your enemy sends out will be trying to strike that certain spot. If you're fully covered in armor, that pattern goes away, and it's an actual duel until exhaustion. But when the weak spot is so visible, you can predict what your enemy will try and do, then counter them ruthlessly. Of course, I could be horribly wrong about this and lose my arms, but let fate decide that.
I walked out to see my old Sergeant and Captain Rowan waiting for me. At first, they didn't recognize me. I pushed my helmet up, standing in front of them in brand new attire. They looked at me in a way I can only describe as two parents looking with a lot of pride at their son. Captain Rowan took her helmet off, a brush of mid-length boyishly cut hair appearing, her skin leather colored and tanned, and her green eyes shone directly at me. It obviously flustered me.
"Finn, you just won me twenty silver. Thanks." Krig looked upset, turning his head away. "Yeah, thanks bunches." I only laughed at this, chuckling at the Sergeant. "I guess betting on my destiny doesn't work well for you, huh, Sergeant?" Krig gave me a frown and then sighed, smiling once more.
"Finn, you're higher up the food chain now. No more need to call me sergeant." I blinked, realizing what this meant. "Ah, yes. That is true. I am, of course, your superior, and in every way it seems." I smirked to myself, a cocky grin appearing on my face as I unsheathed my newly acquired Palladium Longsword. "Take some notes, Krig. This is what the peak of the mountain looks like."
Krig wanted to say something back, only to get overwhelmed by the sudden laughter of Captain Rowan. "Hahaha! He's right, little brother, you are way out of his league now. Be careful, the Honor Guard here might put you in chains for treason if you speak up against him! Hahaha!" Krig looked unamused, his eyes squinting at Rowan. "Well, he ought to, before I do something I'm going to regret." In unison, the Captain and I let out a sound filled with obvious sarcasm.
"Ohhh, nooo! Please don't! Mighty Sergeant!" We started to laugh, Krig only gritting his teeth, obviously pissed off. We awoke to two bumps on our heads, sitting down on the ground, using our knees as seats. "I apologize dearly." We said at the same time, a bit of steam was released from the sergeant's fist.
The sun was high and mighty today, piercing through the clouds, a light blue sky trickling through them. My priorities have been set, and I have to finish preparing for my mission. This meant I'd need to have tools at the ready for any repairs, including my armor and weaponry. I needed equipment to cook, tomes of knowledge on how to survive properly in the wilderness, and a bestiary. The road to Marea would be a long, arduous journey. I already made a few mental notes:
- The travel time would be at least a month or so, directly north to reach Marea.
- Numerous dangers from wildlife, bandits, and mongrels travelling the roads.
- And along with this, I had to keep in mind possible distractions that could occur.
But with this journey came the benefit of experience and the opportunity to make a name for myself. If the chance came to engrave my name in the stone of popularity, then I would take it, with such a long journey, diversions would appear no matter what, and I had to take into account what my client would think of this as well. With a bit of luck, the flexibility he'll give me will be enough to accomplish my goals.
I was finishing my preparations, having gathered rations and the necessary equipment for the long road ahead. The sounds of hooves clopping could be heard as the wheels of a rugged wagon pushed through the streets. I pushed my head up to see that the wagon had stopped next to me, and the handler stared right at me. His golden gaze pierced right through me, and with a tone of excitement yelled.
"Guardsman, is it really you?!" The voice was familiar; it was the same one I encountered back at the tavern a few moons ago. The teenage boy shouted in excitement, a happy tune coming out of his voice, Avalonian accent be blasted, it was overwhelming.
"Tristan, correct? I see, I shall be accompanying you on this journey. You have my promise that you will be safe with me at your side." I said as professionally as I could, giving a small bow with a single hand on my chest. The boy nodded, staring at my side to see a black beast. "Is that your hound? Will he be joining us?" I nodded, and Tristan fisted the air in joy. I wanted to give him a proper response, but my attention had been diverted; both I and Mutt could hear sounds coming out of his wagon. I looked back at the boy. "We will be having a guest for the road, I presume, yes?" Tristan looked back, surprised. "How did you know? Uh.. I mean.. Yes! If that isn't a problem, great guard." Tristan unveiled his wagon, the leather mesh covering it unveiling another familiar sight. Mutt barked at her happily, climbing up to greet a small girl whom both of us had encountered some time ago. "The wood elf? She was with you this whole time?" Tristan was again shocked at how much I just knew about his entourage. "What's up with you? Did you spy on me this whole time? How do you know about her?" I looked over to the girl; she seemed glad to see Mutt again, but when she looked at me, she distanced herself. I stepped back, accepting the outcome. "She showed up at my house, actually. Mutt found her, and I brought her to my home. I mistook her for a goblin. She's a wood elf, you know that right? Can't understand a word we say." Tristan nodded, looking away from me and back to her. "Yes, I know. She and I travelled from Avalon here. We can't communicate with our voices, but I've managed to figure out some things about her using my hands. It's easier to speak that way to her." Sign language was a useful skill, and it surprised me to see that he knew it. But there is a rumor that artists, at times, can become skilled in multiple languages with ease due to their extensive studies.
"Her? What about a name?"
"It's difficult to talk with hands. I don't know how to ask that, nor does she know how to answer it. And she barely speaks as is, when she does, it's in her native tongue, and I simply cannot understand Wood Elf tongue."
"I see. Two to protect, huh? Alright. But I'll require some things from you once we begin our travels. ONE. Always listen to me, obey my orders. TWO. In combat, hide. I can't have you be a liability. THREE. If there are requests you have to make of me, we cannot have them rip us off our road. Understood?"
"Understood, alright. But don't worry, I can defend myself, no problem!" Tristan said with a cocky grin on his face, patting at his short sword sheathed away in a leather scabbard. I locked eyes with his confident smirk and pondered if that was truly the case. I didn't see the mark of a warrior on him.
An hour silently passed, and we loaded up any luggage that was left. I instructed the boy further on what routes we would take and what stops we would have, the routines and etiquette that should be applied on the road, and made sure to check up on any gear we had missing. There was nothing left to do; everything was ready. We rode off through the city, and as we passed by my house, I felt anxiousness build up within me; the idea that I was already leaving really baffled me.. It was such a busy day, but barely had morning passed. I couldn't linger on the thought; however, the sky had become cloudy by now, and our daylight wouldn't last long, so we had to travel as far as we could by the end of the day.
We were nearing the city gates, humongous steel doors, taller than a tower. They nearly reached the clouds, or so I would think. There was always a haze of white smoke that covered it, it really looked as if it hit the edge of the sky with its sheer size. I could see a group of huddled figures together, waving towards the caravan, and as we reached them, a familiar sight had come upon us. Guardsmen dressed in black, one, two, three, four, and lastly five. My old squad, along with Captain Rowan, had come to see us off.
I took off from the wagon, greeting them warmly, and so did they. We exchanged our farewells and promises. Each of them had a little something to gift me with.
Brugo the Orc gifted me with a bone pen to mark every warrior I've defeated in my travels.
Yorsen the Dwarf gave me a special hand cannon, it was outfitted with its own Hematrix. When attached to one's body, it uses blood to give the weapon magical power.
Lanor the Elf gave me books to read so as not to get bored on the road, along with my very own journal.
"Thanks for everything, you three. I'll bring you each some trinkets when I come back from my travels, I promise." I said, thankful to my old squad. Yorsen quickly butted in, his accent gushing through like a bad cut. "Lad, if you can, when you visit Marea, please see if me grandmother is still alive, she turned two hundred and four last summer, and I never had the chance to send a letter!" The orc quickly stomped the dwarf with the palm of his hand, moving him away from my face. "I heard the best blacksmiths are in Marea. Could you bring me a new axe? Mine is getting rusty." Lanor would quickly push the orc aside, moving right up in my face. "Corporal... Please bring me along... don't leave me with these two foul beings!" I stepped back, overwhelmed by all the requests. The three began to argue, a cloud of battle brewing up amongst them as the sergeant grabbed me away from them.
"If you can, and pass by the High Elf cities, get me one of those new flight boards, alright?" I groaned at the Sergeant's request, this whole gift idea I had went from a warm gesture to a corruption of my kind conscience! "I'm just messing with you. But, Finn. It's time you head out on your way. I have no doubts you'll fulfill your task." I nodded along. "Yes, Sergeant. I won't fail." Krig smiled, patting my shoulder. "I know you won't, soldier. But leave behind the formalities. Finn, this is it. You have a chance at achieving what you sought for so long. I'm glad, and I'm even more glad that you are my friend. So don't mess it up, okay? Give it your best."
It was hard to keep up my calm facade; the anxiety left me long ago after these guys showed up, but now I was faced with a new feeling: bittersweetness. I got my wish to come true, but it meant leaving behind those closest to me. I was taken out of the trance by a slap on the back by a familiar hand.
"Don't worry, Honor Guard. We'll do without you for a month or so, no worries. Be careful on your travels, Hensman." Captain Rowan spoke brightly, her chest pumped, and her hands on her hips as she smirked towards me. "Guess I won't be seeing you like I promised, huh, Rowan?" She turned her head to the side and wrapped an arm around me. "We'll do that later, alright? You have more important things to do, alright?" I nodded, but, in the end, sighed with a bit of sorrow in my voice and a feeling of longing for something, for an old memory. "Maybe, when I'm back.. We could visit that barn from all those years ago. What do you say?" Rowan's expression went silent, she looked at me, her smile gone, but quickly coming back this time with only warmth and tenderness to radiate. "On a rainy day.. with only hay to keep us warm. Yeah, I'd like that." She quickly latched onto my arm, embracing me. If only I could keep that fleeting moment a bit longer, but I knew it would be gone the moment I stepped out of these gates. "Good luck on your journey, Hensman."
I said my goodbyes to my squad, and the only one left was Krig. He and I exchanged a simple look and shook hands. "I believe in you. Finn. Remember where you came from, remember your skills, nobody will be able to take you down." I nodded towards the sergeant. "I know that, Krig. I'll be back soon, believe me." Krig pulled me in, wrapping his arm around me, and so did I. He pushed himself away, looking at me straight in the eyes. "Farewell, Honor Guard," I replied immediately. "You too, Guardsman."
The wagon had taken off, and the gates were far behind us now. Fresh road was ahead of us, and a bright sky had cleared now that we had left the cursed city's skyline. We passed through the nearby towns and fields, heading up towards where I had marked the road for us. The goal was to reach the Great Forest by the end of the day. Though what awaited me, I had no clue for now.
Finn closed his journal, putting away his pen. He looked up ahead, and a clearing was in sight, and he breathed in the fresh air. Ahead was a single bush, with a line of trees that would lead to said clearing. The youth, Tristan, gave a look over to the Honor Guard.
"Say, what are you writing over there?" Finn looked ahead, staring at the path in front of him, his eyes glancing towards the bush ahead of them, only a few dozen meters away from them. "Just what life has offered me thus far. We are entering the Frontier of Enigmora, so I want to take notes of everything we will encounter." Finn, in that moment, dropped his journal, landing behind the young avalonian. He bowed down to get it, leaning towards his ear. "We have company up ahead. Get your sword ready." Tristan's eyes widened, and as Finn rose with his journal retrieved, he tucked it away in his cape. "Yes, it's my personal telling of my grandiose life. There are many things we will encounter on this road, such as..." His hand played about in his cape, laying away his journal and retrieving his tucked hand-cannon. "Bandits."
A single shot was fired from a rapid-release of the trigger, and flame and smoke were released from the weapon as it delivered a single impact into the bush ahead of them. The sound pierced the air, and the two donkeys stopped moving, their ears ringing from the loud bang. Numerous footsteps could be heard, and the wagon stopped.
Steel clashes in the land of Ebonvale, gunpowder and smoke cover the air, and the battlefield can be anywhere in this Frontier.