John of mulgar, head knight and Regent for the Margrave of the roughlands, Most loyal servant of Joc Zalera.
John was standing in joc's office and was staring upon the only painting that joc had ever commission of himself [ ahhh….. joc… WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!… I mean seriously… Who the in the helllands would commission a painting like this…..] The painting depicted the aftermath of the battle between Joc and demon king, but it was not one of triumph where the hero is standing over the Slayed villain, sword held aloft.
But instead it was a re-creation of the actual event, so instead the painting depicted a mutilated dead demon sprawled across the muddied and blood soaking earth, whom had eloquently S-curve horns, beautiful silver hair that could reach to the waist cascaded around the demon, a unnaturally handsome noble visage and a body clad in intricately designed regal armor. Next to the dead demon King laid the dying Joc Zalera, his right hand clutching a dagger that was plunged in demon king's left eye socket. joc's plate armor was crushed and torn to shreds, a broken shard of the demon King's blade piercing it and joc's abdomen. his left arm was a cleanly cut off from the bicep and the stump cauterized, both legs were violently blasted apart above the knee and the mangled stumps being partially singed a crispy black and were bleeding profusely. in the foreground you could see lying on the ground joc's helm severely dented and damaged. last of all you could see joc's face, which was severely pale from lack of blood and slick with sweat and blood, his salt-and-pepper hair that reach to his shoulders was matted and bloodsoaked, joc's normally well-kept long mustache and goatee was untrimmed and wild, the Eyepatch that normally covers his right eye was ajar showing the scarred eye underneath
[ … I can Understand the want of a depiction of such a triumph… But this… This.... It's TOO accurate!…. Not to mention the gore depicted in this makes it's revolting to look at…joc.. Why couldn't you go with the painters suggestion… something like standing over the slayed demon holding your sword aloft triumphantly…. Come on this is the only painting there is of you joc!... I understand you like being modest BUT this taking things too far… What's more WHO IN THE HELLLANDS would want to be reminded of such a memory… or be depicted in such a pitiful state…uggg…joc] John was shaking his head groaning at his lords poor taste in paintings. But Soon John was thinking about his masters many shortcomings.
[ugg… There is so much wrong with you joc… Not just taste in paintings either.. That foul mouth key among them…. Seriously you curse like a common footman….. 'fucking that' 'bastard that' 'shit' 'whoreson' 'bullcrap'… Sometimes joc you would use more curses then normal words..... And theirs that extreme modesty.... I mean after LOSEING YOUR LEGS AND LEFT ARM defeating the demon King … What did you ask for…. Did you ask for more territory…chests full of gems and gold… a Special title… NO joc you just asked to be tax-exempt for a few years to allow your territory to recover…. And then there's that workaholic nature of yours…..Which you always seemed to be trying to push on everyone else.... I have to admit you are a great lord… But you yourself will not acknowledge it … can't you just be simply be content with what you're doing and have accomplished… There's always more to do… it makes you joc one of the greatest men I know that…. But Working with you is no fun… and It's painful for your loyal subjects seeing you unable to unwind and relax…..] John's train of thought was halted when junior knight Han burst through the rather plain doors to Joc's office.
Hans had short sandy blonde hair and the still soft face of a teenager, with soft wispy facial hair. But this young face was currently pale, gaunt and slick with sweat. His appearance was disheveled and his clothes dirty, caked with mud.
The young han had Collapsed to the ground and was gasping for air "John they killed him…. The traitorous bastard….king Rudlag had Margrave Joc executed…. The other nobles…. Mistress Valerie….and master Alexan...no..NO one had come to the Lord's aid!.... Master joc is dead they hung him …they killed him!" hans had started to sob and was going hysterical.
John just stood there stunned his mouth agape unable to process what Han just said. [WHAT!?!?...NO HAN IS WRONG…. He has to be!... Why would Rudlag have Joc executed!?...joc was like a father to him!!] "What's in damnation are you talking about han! Why the would King rudlag have Lord Joc executed!?" "he kill him.... the lord dead....NO ONE!....NO ONE!..." But John could not get a coherent answer out of now hysterical hans.
[DAMN IT…something must of actually happened to joc for hans to be this hysterical….Ugg... there is no way Rudlag would have joc killed... if Hans is back then anton should be back as well… He might be able to explain what is going on] John burst through the simple wooden doors into the hallway's, he rushed down the undecorated halls towards the entrance way in hopes of Finding Anton. Hans had a un-shoveled appearance as if he just arrived, so it stands to reason that Anton Should be there or at the very least someone should know where he was.
As John approached he saw that Anton was simply sitting on the ground in the entryway blankly staring at the floor. Anton had dark brown hair which almost appeared black in the right lighting. His face like Hans was young, but unlike Hans he did not bear any facial hair. His appearance was too like that of Hans, gaunt, pale and unshoveled; his clothes also caked with mud.
Guards and servants surround Anton and were trying to figure out what going on. " he's dead….dead….he's…dead….dead….he's dead…." Was quietly repeating himself. "Anton WHO is dead?" "Anton what's wrong?" "shouldn't you be with lord joc, where is he?" The various guards and servants asked but Anton was just blankly stareing at the floor and repeat 'he's dead'. "Has anyone seen the Lord and how did Hans and Anton get here?" John had a sinking feeling in stomach. "Sir John, theirs is no sight of the Lord...… Both Sir han's and Anton appeared to have ridden by horse here alone...." A guard reported to John, knowing what his words meant in the context of what Anton was saying, The guard simply just couldn't accept it. None of the guards and servants were idiots, neither was John. They all understood what happened to some degree, they just simply couldn't accept it. Accept that their Lord who managed to survive against the odds in many a battle, the man who slayed the demon King… Was dead...….