Burning crisp and sizzling sound bathed the room. Candlelit lamps were hung exuding dim yellow radiance and hand-drawn paintings of mountains and trees were what their eyes could see wherever they looked at.
Wooden pillars were seen on the four corners and the room was covered with a meaty aroma.
Random chatters were heard first as Gerald and his drill instructor entered the room. They received a welcome from all the students they trained till that day.
The day before they all become proper Paladins arrived. Their teachers all went to the point of treating them as a proper send-off.
Albeit just a normal feast with grills set on the center of the table. It all looked luxurious for the students, especially Troan.
Sir William or Will for short, who was the drill instructor, was busy turning and coating the meat with spices.
The room they were in was hot and it was rented the night on that special day. Sir Gerald was also there and was a little emotional, albeit he hides it with all his might.
"Gentlemen, the time has come that you will all become Paladins. Tomorrow will be the day you all will become full-pledged! You will all become recruits no more! Hope you will remember us. We will miss you all," Gerald said with a cup of wine on his right.
"What's with the dramatic speech? Let's all be merry!" Troan shouted.
"Yes!" they all agreed.
"Pass me the oyster sauce and the other sauce. I will have to make it tasty!" Mikael said.
"Hmm, the smell! I like what will come out of this," said Sendrick.
It was then, that they all stared at their teachers who were cooking.
"Wait, why do our teachers sound lonely?" asked Mark.
"Yeah," Troan narrowed his eyes.
"Don't mind us. We will all see each other in the camp. Remembering how brutal the general is, gives me shivers," Gerald said to them with pale eyes, staring down at the table.
"Don't scare them, at least we are alive with a few limbs left right?" William said to him while patting his back. Comforting him only made them feel it unsettling.
"Few limbs left?" Troan asked alarmed.
"Well, they dueled us to death and then gave us big potions enough for us to regenerate our limbs. Don't worry, you will all experience it," said William.
They felt like they wanted to bail out. They didn't sign up for this. It was then, that Gerald smacked his shoulders.
"Experience it?" Sendrick almost shouted.
"If you would want to be promoted on your rank that is," William said to him.
"I don't wanna get promoted then!" Mark blurted out.
"A total waste of rejuvenation potion! They should have kept it for better use. Minding that potions are so scarce!" Mikael blurted out.
"Yep, it is but the general said that it is needed to push one to the limits. Though it is excessive for me. He also said that rejuvenation potions are for life and death battles and also for the ascension of rank. There are stocks of that potion funded for that ceremony. Just his personal preference," William explained.
"What did you eat just now? Let us celebrate this moment! More meat!" Gerald said to them.
It was then, that the meats were put into the platter. They were evenly cooked and were having charred lines from the grill.
Putting the fresh ones sounded sizzling while they perched the hot rods. The smell of its aroma made them drool. Even more when the sauce was brushed on the meat.
Other students can't wait and were hasty in flipping it around. With them having fun bickering on choosing their sliced meat. Others said that they reserved it while others claimed it was theirs.
Rice wine was served and they drank without limits. It will be the last day as recruits and they will transcend to being proper Paladins.
Others planned to marry if they have stable income while others wanted glory so they will have stories to tell their children.
Well, they were just teens ignorant of the outside world. Wonders were still unexplored, the same with the horrors that lie beneath the surface.
They sat on the floor settled and comfortable. With the burning embers of the grill to heat up that chilly night. It was then, sir William grabbed a harp and sang like he was in the center of attention.
It was what he liked best and was good at it. First, the intro was melodious but then, it became jolly. Claps were made to make up for the beat then they all danced.
With Gerald on the violin to back him up. They danced merrily but others were dizzy enough to slam on the floor.
The drinks made their purpose and so was exhausted from all those excessive dance moves. Several of them liked it and wanted to do more. But they were tired, gaggling while panting after all those laughs.
It was then, that a scout entered the room. All attention towards him. He was panting and sweaty, he then whispered to Gerald and that made him bulge his eyes.
Whispering too at William, he made the same reaction. Gerald coughed and then smiled at them. Albeit forced and brief.
"So this is goodbye for now. William and I will have to attend to some matters. There are reports of killings inside the village. We have to investigate whoever did this," Gerald said.
"Rest well boys, you will all leave by dawn," William said to them.
Troan smiled at them and then the two left by the sliding door. Closing it then they all started to feel like going back to their barracks. All were full and others were still not sober.
They went to carry the others who were still drunk by their shoulders and then they went strutting on the streetlights. Others were walking zigzag and others stepped forward once and backward twice.
They soon saw the barracks having a fluttering flag and the wind rustles the trees and whooshes the buildings. They entered the guardhouse and it was silent, it was just the wind that replied to their calls. Although they have been shouting all along.
They entered the training field and saw that the campfire was still burning. They first sat at the campfire while others went inside.
It was then, that Troan saw drips of blood on the cooking pit. Sprinkled in random painting while the fire gives a yellow reflection on the blood.
He wiped and smelled it with his finger and was hit with a late realization. Whether it was true or not, they need to leave this place immediately.
"Blood! We have to get out of here! All the guards are dead! Quick!" Troan yelled.
It was then, that Mikael passed him his sword. Others sobered up immediately after they heard the distress call.
Putting up on arms then were on high alert. Upon running towards the gate, they saw a silhouette of a person. Has robes and dual-wields curved daggers.
Upon realizing it late, the others drew their swords. Ready to combat anytime, with just their swords and weapons and has no armors at all.
"Well, well, well. Look what we have here? Are the hatchlings still unable to fly? Let me help you by sending you off to a cliff!" the man shouted.
"Well, I thank you for the efforts! But I can manage," Troan said to him.
It was then, that the silhouette's shadow expanded and multiple shadows emerged from him. There were more and more shadows that emerged from all directions.
The top of the buildings and even on the walls. It was then, that the enemy attacked. Clashes of metals reverberate in the surrounding area and even sound blades cutting through flesh were mixed in.
"Troan! We will all get killed just by stalling time for this madman! We need someone to inform sir, Gerald, or Sir William!" Mikael said.
"I will hold them off for now. You will be the one to inform them!" Troan replied.
"But you will die!"
"Nope, trust me I can stall better than running," Troan replied.
It was then, that the two nodded. Troan then ran towards the madman. The enemy conjured daggers in his hands and then threw them in his direction.
Troan swayed and swatted his sword to the projectiles and only one dagger managed to pierce his knee. Making him immobile for a while.
He pulled the dagger while wincing then dropped it to the ground.
"Is that all you got?" Troan asked boldly.
The enemy then disappeared from his sight and went to his side. Luckily, he has a water container and was not able to make the dagger sunken too much with just several inches deep.
The enemy then tripped him on his feet and Troan pushed the ground while rotating, sword aimed towards his knees.
Whoosh!
The enemy was wounded on his thighs and was hopping a bit. It was then, that he was laughing.
"Such carelessness! Now that tickles my anger just now!" he shouted while running towards him.
Troan felt alarmed, only the two of them were left sounding and the place was silent. All he remembered was, that he was fighting with his comrades. It soon struck him with dread.
They were lying on the ground while bloody. The cold wind became colder and rain followed. Another robed man who has someone whom he was carrying entered.
And the face seemed familiar, it was the same face of the robed man he was fighting.
"Your comrade who you sent for help. Is this him?" he said while lifting his body one-handedly.
"Mikael!" Troan screamed. Mikael was limp and lifeless, not responding to his call. It was then, that he was stabbed from the back and the dagger pierced through his chest.
"No!!!" Troan screamed.
The enemy laughed maniacally and then dropped his body. Troan was infuriated, running toward him even though his leg was injured.
He slashed with greater force but it was all deflected. Slashing with rage, his enemy calculated all his moves.
While deflecting several times, he was able to land a slash on Troan. Making him bleed while the rain pours.
Troan felt like he was just being played at, with only him the survivor. Making also his death was not so easy to take for his enemy that attacked their barracks.