Leon walks towards the Head Office where he found his Grandma, Grandpa, Head Butler Bart, and some of the Oliver family warriors. He was quite messy in appearance due to the earlier scuffle.
Grandma Elizabeth saw that Leon has returned to the office and saw his bloodstained hands. "Little Leon! Are you okay?! Were you injured?! Why is there blood on you?!"
Grandma Elizabeth was immediately distressed when she saw Leon's appearance. Leon blanked out for a while. Suddenly, he began trembling and lost his strength for a while as he felt the adrenaline leave his system.
Lord Oliver also stands up to help Leon up. "Little Leon, were you attacked on the way here?" Lord Oliver asked Leon with concern.
Leon can feel the concern in their eyes. "No Grandpa. Grandma, I am not wounded. The blood came from a servant that I rescued earlier. He was hurt so I stopped the bleeding and sent him to the doctor." Leon explained.
Head Butler Bart immediately went on his way to find some towels, water and a first aid kit to help Leon clean up for a bit.
...
After a while, Lord Oliver resumed his meeting with the warriors. The Vice Guard Captain is currently the one in charge of the defense as the Guard Captain is away to deal with the earlier incident in the mountains.
The Vice Guard Captain, who is named Rondell, began his overview of the current situation. "My Lord. Currently, the bandits are being held at bay near the Southern Canal separated only by the 2 centuries old rickety wooden bridge. The battle continues as we speak." The Vice Guard Captain began with the current site report.
Lord Oliver is poised to continue listening. "Well, what about the current situation in town? Why did a battle take place over there in the first place?" Lord Oliver inquires as the current situation can be dangerous to the civilians living in town.
The Vice Guard Captain has previously received a report about the earlier attack. "I believe the enemies who launched the attack in town were those of a separate group. They are well armed, so they might be an elite group that separated from the main bandit team. The soldiers said they might have come from Cold River Plains as they were first discovered in the western side of town. My Lord, I think this may be a set-" The Vice Guard Captain was cut off by the Lord.
Lord Oliver did not allow the Vice Guard Captain to continue and asked. "What is the current damage in town? The bandits this time around is quite ruthless in their ways." Lord Oliver is concerned that there might have been too many casualties on the civilians.
The Vice Guard Captain wore a slightly relieved face as he proceeds with the report. "Fortunately, we have strengthened the town defenses tonight and increased the patrols so the emergency response was faster. There are no casualties reported from the initial attack as of yet. However, there have been severely wounded people in the reports so the case is yet to be final." The Vice Guard Captain proudly declared the 0 casualty rate of the attack.
Lord Oliver is half pleased with the current results as he stands up to look out his window. The dark night has obscured the multiple battles currently happening. "There are still skirmishes in town. We should deal with it immediately. Perhaps, we can chase them back to their hideout and end them for good. Bart, prepare to head out." Lord Oliver decided to personally deal with the matter.
Grandma Elizabeth is calm throughout the proceedings inside the office. She is already used to these circumstances. The North always have rowdy visitors every year. However, all her attention is currently drawn towards Leon. He has been trembling terribly as though he was scared of something.
Grandma Elizabeth is quite concerned to see this. "Little Leon, you have been trembling for a while now. Is there something wrong?" Grandma Elizabeth asks Leon.
Leon's mental condition is quite bad. It was his first time killing a person. He was not well prepared for the situation. It came as a shock that he was already capable of killing a bandit, even more so a normal human being, with his current strength.
Leon decided to tell his grandma of his earlier experience. "Grandma, I think I may have killed a person earlier." Leon told his grandma slowly.
Grandma Elizabeth is shocked to hear his words. "Little Leon, what do you mean? How could you have killed someone?" Grandma Elizabeth is even more concerned now.
Leon continued on. "Earlier, I was covered in blood. It was true that it came from a servant. But that servant was previously being pursued by an attacker so I decided to rescue him. I did not think I was strong enough to beat the attacker. When I hit him, he was totally floored, no longer breathing. I actually killed a man so easily." Leon is trembling even more as his words ended.
Lord Oliver overheard their conversation and decided to join in.
He spoke to Leon slowly. "Little Leon. What you did, I can not deny that there will be no consequence. But remember this, had you not decided to protect one of yours, you would probably be consumed by a stronger guilt. Perhaps, you would be thinking of your cowardice later. It would consume your whole being, rendering you useless. But, you did not falter. In the face of injustice, you instinctively knew which was the good side. I will not say that what you did was the best. But it is definitely not the worst."
Lord Oliver walks toward Leon and looks him in the eye.
"Little Leon, it seems you have grown up throughout this whole week. I am proud of you, son." Lord Oliver smiles at Leon as he walks out of the office. It has been decided that they will sortie for battle.
As Leon processed what his grandpa just told him, he felt his eyes grow heavier as the tears began to build up. Grandma Elizabeth continues to sit beside Leon, giving him some moral support. Leon managed to muffle his cries while he is in his grandma's embrace.
...
Lord Oliver is currently preparing together with the warriors as they will begin to sweep the town of the stragglers. Head Butler Bart is also coming with him.
Right now, they are in front of the manor as the warriors, who are currently gathering, is going into formation.
Head Butler Bart approaches Lord Oliver. "My Lord, it seems that the Young Lord has taken a massive toll in his mental capacity. He is still an inexperienced warrior. I am worried it may affect him moving forwards." Head Butler Bart's concern is indeed sensible.
Leon will be taking on the helm of the Lord Oliver in the future. If he is too mentally unstable to do his work, it may affect the territory greatly.
Lord Oliver however, has different thoughts. "You have been with me since we were children, Bart. You know I have the best eye for people. Little Leon may be inexperienced now. But I believe he can grow up. He can get stronger both mentally and physically. You can be with me on this one." Lord Oliver spoke confidently.
"When he spoke of his experience a while ago, I saw his eyes. There was no doubt within them. He was only expressing his sadness and anxiety towards his newfound strength. The strength to kill, is not the best strength to have. It may be the most favorable but it can consume you whole. I believe Little Leon does not have this kind of strength. What he has, we both do not have, Bart." Lord Oliver said as a matter-of-factly.
Head Butler Bart saw that his lifelong friend may be unto something and asked. "What is it that the Young Lord has that we both do not have, my Lord? It seems that I may be growing too old quickly, I am not as sharp as before."
Head Butler Bart and Lord Oliver already have a few strands of silver hair jutting up their heads. They really are getting older.
Lord Oliver chuckles. "Kuhahaha! Indeed! Old Bart, we are growing old! Our ways are still the ways of old and our strength is still the strength of old. What we both have is the strength to kill. It is what we thought to be the best strength to have, the most favorable one. But Little Leon. He chose to be different. He has the strength to protect. A heart of killing and a heart of protecting. Such a big difference. I am looking forward to Little Leon's growth." Lord Oliver expectantly said to Head Butler Bart.
The Vice Guard Captain approaches the duo as the warriors completes their formation in front of the manor. "My Lord, we are ready."
Lord Oliver looks at the warriors and spoke towards them in his aged voice. "Tonight, we have been visited by some unruly uninvited guests. They have harmed our harmonious night and injured many people. Some are still unaccounted for. The Oliver family has always advocated three ideas strongly. Equality, Justice, and Freedom! We will not condone any unjust ways! We will strive for equality! We will grasp our own destiny!"
"Ha!" The warriors grunts in unison.
The warriors get heated up as they listen to the lord speak.
They grew up in this place. They know how the Lord and the Lord's predecessors have brought up this place. And so, they have been instilled with those values as they bring the helm of warriors.
The warriors of the North are as disciplined as ever.
"Now, brave warriors of the North" Lord Oliver addressed them.
"Ha!" The warriors shouted in unison.
"The territory is in danger. Are you willing to fight?!"
"Yes, My Lord!"
"Then bring forth the swords of justice and freedom towards the necks of the oppressors. We shall prevail!"
"We shall prevail!"
The shouts of the Northern warriors reverberates in the night.
-
In the other end of town, east of the Southern Canal battle. A shadowy figure is currently dashing through the woods as though to avoid gaining attention.
The figure saw some markings on the trees confirming that it was the correct route.
As the figure continues on, he saw a small camp near a small cave and approached it. It seems that its target was at that cave.
When the figure arrived, he was surprised by a sudden sneak attack.
"thwack- thwack-" It was a pair of short knives.
The figure dodged the two knives and looks around in a bid to find the one responsible of the assault.
He saw another figure jumping from branch to branch. As nimble as a monkey. The shadowy figure immediately recognized the attacker.
The shadowy figure speaks towards the nimble figure. "So this is how you greet me, your friend, when we haven't seen each other for 10 years?"
The nimble figure slowly climbed down and approached the shadowy figure. "Well, we have not seen each other for 10 years so I thought your skills might have gone rusty. Don't blame me. You know me, I can get quite curious." The nimble figure playfully said.
The shadowy figure did not buy the other's reasons at all. "Che, get out of my face. I need to show the Boss what I was fussing all about."
The nimble figure shrugged and asked the shadowy figure. "Hey, a 10 year reunion suddenly ends like this? What a bummer. Does having a daughter change you that much?"
"What does having a daughter have to do with this? Anyway, stay away from me, Nimble Blade. What I'm currently carrying is a huge secret." The shadowy figure retorted.
The nimble figure called Nimble Blade appeared persistent. "Bah, don't you underestimate me. I already had the Boss tell me what it is that you were so interested in. Is it really that valuable?"
The shadowy figure thought that it is indeed the case. This friend of his can be very persistent to the point that it could get annoying. "Yes, it is definitely very valuable. If we could get our hands with more of this technology, we could become as rich as a country!" The shadowy figure exclaimed.
"Anyway, I have to go see the Boss. I will catch up with you later." The shadowy figure walked towards the lit up tent inside the cave.
The shadowy figure then approached the tent and spoke. "Boss, this is Poison Viper. May I come in?"
A voice sounded out from within. "Hmm. Come in."
The shadowy figure who called himself Poison Viper, went inside the tent and greets the person inside. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you once more Boss. The 1st born of house Oliver, Boss Anton Oliver."
The man called, Boss, also known as Anton Oliver, looks towards the person who greeted him. "It has been a while, Poison Viper." Anton Oliver looks at the man intently as he contemplates for a while.
"Or should I rather call you, Arnold Bell?"
Poison Viper, or rather Arnold Bell responds with a slight smile on his face.
"It has been a long 10 years, Boss."