Ch. 1: The Pain of Life

In our world There are people who take the name adventurer, Guardian, and even Hero. All of these brave souls fight and eventually die in an attempt to preserve the races of man and in hopes to one day end the final bout of good and evil. These brave and selfless people go out to fight agents of darkness, most times they win but at a cost people die without warning and most disappear with only their body tags ever being recovered. The few whose bodies are recovered always come back mangled. The sad truth is there are no happy endings for these few who take up the torch, all that awaits them is either a closed casket funeral or old age lamenting over all their friends who died in this desperate struggle. This is the sad truth that was forced upon me from my childhood.

At the age of twelve I waited all night in Selka, the small village I called home. My Mother and Father were adventurers by trade, different from your run of the mill soldiers in the royal army. My Mother and Father were two of the best warriors in our province. That night of all nights an emergency quest came up. One of Satan’s armies neared the boundaries of the Confederation of Man’s land in the south west province. My small village of Selka which was only four miles from the frontlines was called on for help. All adventurers were to assist the Army in driving back the horde of foul creatures which intended to break through the wall and slaughter the villages closer than us to the border.

 That night like many nights when my parents left on a quest I laid there awake wondering what new tales they would have when they returned and if they would have any new creatures for me to draw. However that night my parents didn’t come home, or the next night. I figured their quest had run long at first and kept taking care of myself until the fourth day. That was the day I fell into the darkness and learned true despair. My parents had died fighting in this endless war as many others had. I couldn't bear the weight that was on my shoulders. Stricken with grief I approached the death cart, Where their corpses were. The bodies were so mangled and distorted I could barely tell it was the parents who left me three days ago. Father was missing his legs and his torso and face were charred.. Mother was missing a hand and had hundreds of cuts all over her body. These were not my parents. These weren’t the light hearted and loving people who had been with me all my life but instead dashed bodies that had come to replace them and instill fear and despair in my soul. The Village held a funeral the same day that the corpses came back to us and buried the bodies in Selka’s graveyard. As the child of adventurers who died I was to be given a weekly sum of 20 copper Bells by the Kingdom, just enough to get by and save a small amount for when I was to pick a trade. 

After the funeral I gave up on life. I stayed at home for two days. I laid there sobbing day and night with little rest other than an occasional moment when I cried myself to sleep. I was alone in the world, or so I thought until he arrived.

Ch. 2: Not Alone

 What’re you doing here boy? I heard a deep voice ask.

 I-I have nowhere else to go and my parents are gone, I replied quietly. 

Gone? So you’re Henry then? the voice questioned. Yes I am sir, why do you care who I am? I asked looking up. My eyes met with a large, older, and muscular man. He stood 6 '5 ``, a bit taller than my father was. He had blonde hair with sprigs of gray and white mixed in it and blue eyes that shone like the sun’s reflection in the small river that runs through the village.

I was your Father’s teacher, he came to me fourteen years ago to learn magic. The man replied in a sorrow filled voice. You’re his son Henry, I’m sorry about what happened to your father. Mark was a good man. He paused for a moment. In fact your father was one of the finest students I ever had and he was a dear friend to me, he said with a sigh. His expression looked as if he was a father explaining that one of his sons had died. My name is Jacob, nice to meet you Henry though I wish it was under better circumstances. I remained silent.

Henry listen, your father was an incredible man with a natural affinity for magic and the use of a short sword. Your mother was one of the few women that Mark respected on the battlefield so she must have been an amazing shield maiden, but you’re still young and you can still do whatever you like. Jacob paused again. What I’m trying to say is you can live a peaceful life in a nice town or village and be a tradesman. You don’t have to follow in your father's footsteps, you are your own man. Henry, I want to take care of you until you reach adulthood. I owe your father that at least, Jacob finished and gave the most sorrow filled stare I’d ever seen.

 I-I, I started to choke out. I want to be like my father, I want to protect humanity so others don’t have to end up like me. I quietly said. Jacob furrowed his brow.

Henry, I don't think you understand I want to adopt you. I’m a very wealthy man with a blacksmith forge and a store meaning I would teach you the trade and allow you to take over when I fully retire. You would become quite wealthy and you would never need to actually go to the front lines, instead you could give charity money to the adventure guild or royal army. Jacob said, almost begging me not to try to be like my father. 

Wealth doesn’t mean anything money won’t bring them back or save others from what is out there, I thought to myself. Sir, thank you for your concern but I don’t need your charity and I can make it on my own with the money the Church is giving me each week. I’ve decided to fight for humanity so thank you for everything you’ve offered but I’ll be ok now. I’ll begin taking care of myself from now on. I said in as confident of a voice as I could.

Jacob let out a large sigh. You’re definitely your father’s son, I could hear Mark saying that any day of the week. Look, if you’re half as stubborn as your old man I know there’s no way to stop you and seeing as you're twelve you’ll be an adult in three years. At that point you’ll no doubt become an adventurer or maybe you’ll enlist in the royal army either way let me watch over you not only as a guardian but as a mentor. Henry, I want you to become my student. So what do you say you want to learn from a decrepit old adventurer who faced death more times than you’ve taken baths? Jacob asked with a smile.

 What would you teach me sir? I asked, curious to see what his answer would be. 

Well my main ability lies in Light magic however I was a skilled swordsman and would often mix the two in combat. Jacob said with a smile. Then I accept your offer sir, I said with the first bit of joy I had felt in a while. Don’t call me sir I don’t need a reminder of how old I am just call me uncle Jacob. I'm basically your godfather anyways. Jacob said with an overzealous look. O-okay Uncle Jacob. I replied somewhat embarrassed. Good, Now then Henry, today we’ll leave this village and head to my home in the south west province. We’ll start your training after we rest for a day there. After Uncle Jacob told me this I immediately got up and began packing up all of my belongings.

I saw the sword that my father had made for me when I was ten. He ordered it to be made of the strongest material that was available to us, Ashenite, the sword nearly cost as much as our house. I remember mother scolding him for spending that much on a sword when I haven’t even decided what sort of trade I wanted to go into, to which he replied “whatever trade the boy goes into he’s going to need a good sword by his side and besides he may never have to use it but he’ll know how to if he needs to.” Father always told me he would train me how to fully use my sword when I was fourteen but I guess that won’t happen now. I will always have this sword with me to remind me of him and the good memories I have left of him and mother. I put the sword on my belt and made my way back to Uncle Jacob with my rough sack full of clothes and small items mother and father used on their adventures that they had left behind.

Mother, Father I guess this is goodbye for now. I thought to myself. I love you and I’m going to miss you. Although you may not agree with the path I’m choosing, my life has no meaning anymore so I’ll use it to save others. I promise that one day you’ll be able to look down and be proud of me so please just wait a little longer, goodbye. Are you ready Henry? Jacob asked with a voice that sent electricity through my body. Yes uncle Jacob. I said solemnly Imagining leaving this village I’d lived in all my life. Good, and don’t worry Henry you’ll get to come back here one day. Uncle Jacob said in a reassuring voice as if he could tell I was hesitant. 

For the next eight hours we walked until we reached a small inn just outside the capital of the south west province Gholorn. The journey had been uneventful besides the occasional village we passed through as well as passing through the wall that separated the south east from the south west. The inn seemed like a dreary place for those who were down on their luck. The roof had moss growing on the shingles giving it a sickly green color and the gray stone walls were beginning to crack in certain places. We entered the dimly lit inn and walked back to the dining area. It seemed a little too busy for the outer appearance of the inn. Some wealthy merchants, based on their clothes, were eating and talking about trade routes and business in the booth behind us. Across the way I noticed some peasants drinking and laughing. In the center of the room two men played dice while several others sat around them watching and making bets. Uncle Jacob ordered us some food and we ate in silence. We ordered the cheapest dishes: a quarter loaf of bread with potato and pork soup and a mug of the weakest ale in the inn as there were no fresh streams around to get water from. In total the food and ale for both meals only cost 4 copper bells which for an inn was quite cheap. We went to our room that Uncle Jacob rented once we finished, apparently the cheap prices of the food was offset by the 15 copper bells it costs to rent a room for the night.

 Upon entering the room I noticed two things: first there was only one bed and one chair and desk in opposite back corners and second the room was as big as a one room cottage inside. The room had one lone half window at the back wall that let in a little moonlight brightening up the room a little more than the dining area had been. Jacob looked over at me once he shut the door and locked it. Ok we need to get you ready for when you become an adventurer or join the army, tonight we’ll take turns sleeping so you can learn to operate on minimal sleep. Uncle Jacob explained. I’ll take the first shift so go get your sleep Henry, Jacob finished his sentence and silence fell on the room.

I understand Uncle. I replied as I took off my shoes and slipped into the bed. I was so tired that I was asleep almost as soon as I closed my eyes. After what only felt like a few moments I woke to find Uncle Jacob shaking me lightly. Is it my turn already? I asked exhaustedly. No wake up, there's something strange going on. Get your sword and get ready to defend yourself. Uncle said with a grim expression on his face and a serious tone. Okay I’ll grab it. I said as I slipped on my shoes. As I grabbed and began to slide my sword from its sheath Uncle Jacob grabbed my hand and put a finger to his lips indicating to be silent. We sat in silence for a few seconds though it felt like hours passed in mere moments, I could hear my heart in my ears as if a predator was stalking me from the shadows.