A small fire burns in the darkness, amongst an opening in the trees, a small band of men gather round a roaring fire, drinking, talking loudly and being merry. They talk of their recent work, murdering and pillaging a local Villages. they describe the blood curdling actions with laughter and a sense of pleasure in their voice, From a Distance they hear a loud snap like that of a tree branch, the camp goes quiet as they dropped their drinks and begin to look around into the forest clutching the handles of their swords, silence.....
"it was nothing, most likely just a animal" one drunken voice says putting away his sword and pouring himself and friend another drink one-by-one the camp goes back to their merriment ignoring the noise they just heard.
Meanwhile in the background the amongst of the trees and bushes six soldiers lurk watching the band of people drinking around the fire each of them shrouded with a dark Cloak but underneath are they are in full armour, one soldier begins to slowly creep forward. He put up a hand signal and raises his crossbow as he does this the rest of his Men follow each raising their crossbows as well, as soon as the man gets to the edge of the trees he signalled once again and the other five other men begin to spread out around the camp still hidden amongst the trees. After a few seconds the first soldier stands up and aims is crossbow at the large fire in the middle of the camp and Whispers an incantation, with this his bolt begins to glow with a reddish writing going down the shaft he fires the bolt directly into the flames of the camp. As soon as the arrow hits the flames it sends off a burst of energy, exploding from that point sending a pulse force and Flames from the fire outwards knocking back each person gathered round it. What followed was no less than a organised massacre, the Soldiers took their shots swiftly killing any people that where not gathered round the fire at the time, each soldier then Drew their weapons and moved in on the crowd of people, swiftly doing away with them has the fire began to dim down.
In just a few seconds the entire drunken party was reduced to a single person, this man was cowering on the floor soaked in the blood of his companions and looking up at the six soldiers surrounding him. Each one of the Soldiers holding their swords to him their full suits of armour now on show shining with the flames of the fire gleaming off them, Each of them with a symbol of a red tree in the centre of their chest plates with the dark cloak hanging off their backs. Two the soldiers look a little older than the rest and their armour looks rougher as though they have seen much more battle in their time, "please mercy" the man askes looking with tears and fear for his life in his eyes, "MERCY!" Shouts the head soldier as he raises his sword "DID YOU SHOW MERCY TO THE VILLAGERS YOU SLAUGHTERED, TO THE CHILDREN YOU MURDERED!" He continues to scream as he swings his sword towards the prone man. Before he struck the man the soldier is tackled by the soldier on his left pushing him back "STOP IT VICTOR! " The soldier shouts "i know what this scum did but you know we cant, we must return him to the king, THAT is our mission".
Victor looks back at the man, nothing but anger in his eyes, his breathing is heavy, after a few moments his hand holding his sword begins to shake with rage then after a few more seconds stops, Victor closes his eyes composes his emotions and sheaths his sword "put him in chains, and get him out of my site" he says. Four of the Soldiers put manacles on the man and begin to take him away towards their horses hidden deep in the forest, Victor has turned away from his own men and begins to look at the night sky "why? Why do we protect him?" victor asks in a sad soft voice "can you tell me Thomas?". Thomas, the other older soldier, steps next to victor and looks up with him " we serve the King, we have for many years Victor, you and I we've been doing this since we were old enough to hold a sword. together we always had each other's backs we got through training together, we even survived Wars together and now we're both part of the King's personal guard, it was our dream remember to become what we are" Victor looks down "but why save him?" Victor says looking at Thomas, Thomas looks back at Victor and then to the floor " you know why, the kings order is to bring back his son alive, no matter what he has done he still our Prince." Victor lets out a hiss "that sack of crap is not my prince!" he says as he begins to walk into the woods towards the other soldiers.
Three days later Victor is alone in a dark and dank Cell in the bottom of the King's dungeon, nothing but a dim light from a torch reviles the blood Staines on the floor and walls. Victor is no longer wearing his armour but he is not chained up either he's standing facing the back wall of a cell, wearing only a sweaty and blood soaked shirt and trousers, punching his fists into the solid stone walls, his hands are bloody and even from a distance you can tell that some bones are probably broken. With each punch he throws he screams out, not in pain but with blind rage, the guards of the cell block standing far away from the cell, The door is open but they do not dare enter, for a few moments the punches stop and the entire Dungeon goes quiet and all that can be heard is the muttering voice of Victor "free" he mutters with anger "how can he be free? " soon after this he lets out a Yell and continues his bombardment on the wall. Thomas walks down into the dungeon and approaches one of the guards "what's going on?" he asks " it's Sir Victor he's at it again..... but I've never seen him this angry before" the Man says in a quivering voice, Thomas nods and begins to approach his cell " now Victor what did that poor Wall ever do to you? each time your angry you take it out on that wall" Thomas says in a friendly and slightly condescending tone "you know bloody well why! that pig swill, he sits up there as if nothing happened! his actions have been forgiven by the king, what a load of crap!" Victor angrily replies slamming his fist into the wall. Victor stops and turns toward Thomas, "and yet we are still expected to serve him as we would our king" Victor spits on the ground "it disgusts me, i cant do it anymore" "what are you saying Victor?" Thomas askes in a concerned voice, Victor turns round to face Thomas and falls to his knees with is blood soaked hands on his lap he looks down at his hands they are shaking with pain and yet Victor talks calmly "either i leave or that so called prince must pay for his crimes" Thomas is taken back hearing this "Victor" he snaps back "what you say is treasonous, to harm our prince its unthinkable, no matter what he has done he is our kings son and you know if you up and leave you will be seen as a deserter. If it was commanded of us, myself and the rest of the guards will have no choice but to come for you". Victor looks up a Thomas he can tell the Thomas is cross with him so he looks back down and says "im sorry my old friend, please leave me now" " old friend huh! at least you remember that much, I am your friend Victor I wish never to be put against you..... Do not dwell on this for much longer and for gods sake get yourself treated if you ever want to hold a sword again you had best fix those hands" Thomas says turning and walking back towards the exit, as he leaves, Victor remains on his knees until two guards slowly come in to the cell lifting Victor to his feet and carry him off out of the dungeon and towards the Medics.
Another week passes, the prince sleeps soundly in his Chambers when he is awoken buy the creaking sound of a floor board coming from across his room, the prince sits up and quickly draws open his curtains and looks around but is unable to see in the darkness as the moon is shrouded by thick clouds. He quickly looks to the side of his bed grabbing the matches begins to try and light a candle, he begins to panic as every match he strikes either snaps or doesn't light, "dont bother" says a voice in the dark "a demon like you doesn't deserve to see the light, so i shall put you in permanent darkness", the prince hears the sound of a sword being drawn and without hesitation he shrieks with fear "guards!!!" a second later a guard burst into the room sword drawn and begins to attack the shadowed man, the prince tries making out the guard and the shadowed man but without a light he sees nothing but blurs fighting in the darkness he can only hear the clanging of the swords as they battle, the guard is push back briefly and the shadowed figure lunges his sword directly towards the prince. As the man hurls himself forwards towards the prince, the guard quickly finds his feet and jumps in front of the blade as it pierces through his armour directly into his chest. The guard drops his weapon and grabs the blade that pierces him with both his hands coughing up blood onto the floor, he then looks up and the shadowed figure that has now let go of the sword and has jump back clutching a dagger in his hand. The guard tries to talk spluttering blood as he speaks "that's enough now Victor, just go" the clouds move across the sky Revealing the bright moon, the light from it beams through the window revealing both Victor's and the guards face. Victor drop his knife" No... Thomas, i didn't mean, i i didn't know! " he says with a shaky voice, "it's ok Victor I know you didn't know it was me I've been afraid of your actions for some time now that is why I took this guard detail, I was afraid you would follow-up on what you said in the dungeon. I thought I could stop you before you ever got this far... I guess I failed" Thomas says as he spits up a large mouth full of blood again. "But why Thomas" Victor asks "why save him you know he doesn't deserve to live, we have both witnessed what he's done, the monstrosity of his actions! you must want this as much as I do!".
" You're wrong Victor I am loyal to the King and his command as you once were. From this moment on I guess I can't stop you did you killing him but if you have any love for me please just leave this kingdom" Thomas says with a sadness in his voice, "i cant leave you like this..... if I'm quick enough I can get you to a medic and we can sort.....", "im done!" Thomas interrupts "your blade is piercing my heart, i hoped this wouldn't happen and that you wouldn't lose your way but incase you did... I have one final gift for you, upon my death a message will be passed to the King it will be a confession from me about how I attempted to assassinate The Prince, I have also already spoken to the prince and told him how far his actions have pushed you and other guards, I believe he has now seen that is actions were evil and he has sworn to me that he shall live the rest of his life with compassion and try his best to be the prince and ruler that this Kingdom deserves. He will also confirm my story and say how you killed me protecting him he will also grant you the freedom to leave the royal guard, so as long as you disappear tonight, right now! you will not be followed, now take this and go" Thomas slides his sword across the floor to Victor. Victor kneels down and picks up the sword, it is clean and has a silver stream running down the blade giving of a slightly different shimmer in the light, "this is Silver Soul, the sword given to you by the elven lords years ago, there is no finer blade in the kingdom, i i cant..." victor says with tears in his eyes "dont be foolish what use is it to a dead man just swear to me if you die it will be passed on to one you love just as i have.... loved.... you.............. My brother." and with those final words Thomas on his knees, closes his eyes and lets out his final breath. Victor sheaths the sword then goes to Thomas's body, lays him down and puts Thomas's hands on his chest, he thinks to himself 'you will always be with me.... my brother in arms..... And by blood' he then stands and jumps through the bedroom window with a loud shattering of glass gliding down to the nearest rooftop then to the ground, Victor lands heavily on his feet then stands and with all his haste runs out of the castle grounds, through the streets and into the woods surrounding the kingdom leaving only a trail of tears shimmering in the moonlight behind him.
For several years Victor wondered the lands searching for a purpose and forgiveness for his actions. He eventually joined a Monster Hunter Guild taking on some of the most dangerous and reckless tasks that he could and although he would fight with all his might a small piece of him hoped he may put the rest by one of the evil creatures just as Thomas was killed by The Darkness Within him. After another year filled with dangerous missions Victor became part of a strange Twist of Fate that landed him in the company of a mystical elven woman and a crude yet kind-hearted Dragonborn.