I can still hear the king's soldiers following him on the path of the crowded forests that lie between this small town and the capitol, though I hear other things too.
The villagers of this small coastal town shocked and scared from the sight of their beloved blacksmith hanging from a wall, lifelessly swinging in the breeze.
It was the king who ordered him dead.
The old ruler seemed to have failed his goals that he set out for. And so, he decided to shame the first poor soul he laid his heartless eyes on, and it just so happened to be the blacksmith.
The king insulted the man's life work, and when the arrogant villager had had enough he decided to insult his king back. Now he's hanging in front of a crowd. It was not his fault, but it is rare to see a man willing to say something about comments of royalty.
I do notice one more thing though. A boy, sitting facing away from the body. He has short, straight, dark brown hair like the man on the rope. Average height but it looks as if he works a Labor intensive job. He could quite possibly the blacksmith's son?
He's young, maybe only 17, and he looks more angry than anything, as if he refuses to cry, refuses to show weakness at a horrid sight.
It may not be business of my own but I could help the child with his wishes, It is my purpose after all.
"Boy." I called him hoping he'd realise I was talking to him.
"What? Are you here to end the blood line entirely?" he mutters under his breath.
I make sure to assure the boy that I have no such intensions.
I explain to him that I am a servant of the fallen god, the one who lost his power to act and now has men such myself to carry out his wish to help the people of this world.
The boy doesn't seem to care, though it's to be expected.
"To put this simply," I say.
"Is there a wish you ask of me to grant?" I ask to the boy with the most caring voice I can make.
"Yes." he says.
"Kill the king of Varinn. The one who ordered the death of my father." He states as his dark brown eyes look at me with all the confidence he could probably muster up, it almost looks as if he's demanding it of me.
"You have my word, young master" I say to him in an reassuring way.
"Though for such a dangerous task my god would ask for a single coin in the case of his servants death." I say.
As if he no longer cares, he finds me a silver coin from his home and smacks it into my hands, likely not even knowing if I'll even do the work or not.
Before saying another word I throw the silver coin into the restless ocean as far and as fast as I can, enough so that I can hear the piece of metal whistle though the air before plopping into the sea.
"Why in living hell would you do that?!" the young boy asks as if I had hung his father personally.
"I said I am paying my god for it, not myself." I explain to the boy.
"Asides, is this not more of a reason to trust that I'll do your bidding? If I'm not taking money for myself then why would I bother saying this in the first place?" I continue on.
The boy has no response.
After telling him I'll be heading off, I jump onto my brown horse and start to head off towards Varinns capitol, Valorr.
I only make it 100 meteres out the small town before hearing a loud scream.
"WAIT!!" I hear the boy shouting on the top of his lungs.
"Take me with you, gasp, Just for extra reassurance" the boy says riding a horse he seems to have prepared in a minute.
"Very well then young master" I tell him before we finally start to head off.
After a few moments of silence I ask the boy what his name is, after all I can't serve someone if I don't even know the most basic information.
"Seth Irling." he tells me.
"What's yours?" he asks..
I tell him my name is Aldred. He asks if I have a surname myself but I have left such things behind before journeying for my church.
After the introduction, conversing becomes a little bit easier. A few questions are asked towards myself, such as the religious symbol tattooed onto the back my right hand, or the robes I wear that cover my body.
After asking some about him I found out he doesn't have a mother, likely being why he was able to leave without much problem. That is saddening, that he now has no parent alive, but maybe his newfound sense of freedom may help him to be a little happier, he does already seem to think of his father just a little less. Well, at least he did for a while.
"If you do your gods work then why couldn't you arrive any sooner to save my father?" he scowls.
"My god does not control us people, so with the power we have in the world my god can only guide us in the direction that we hope will work." I tell the boy.
"I am truly sorry about your father, but there is nothing me or my god could do." I tell him.
The boy sighs but seems to accept it, he never seemed like the type to argue anyways.
After talking a little longer I started noticing differences around the environment. Birds weren't around, rustling would come from behind us, plenty of signs to tell me one simple fact.
We are not alone.