The white knight was all set with his ten specially selected warriors, who he had trained with passion and heart.
All the ten warriors he had with him were masters in battle and skills, it was claimed that they were alone strong enough to take on any army and would come back with no injuries at all but it was just a claim and what they had in them was yet to prove.
As he stepped out of the kingdom of Yorkan, the clouds in the sky started to collect together and the wind flew cold with some waves of precipitation.
But it was not enough to make them stop, they continued their march to the town of Yskiu where it all started…
"Ser, it's almost dark, and it's pouring. We should find cover now," one of the soldiers came to him wheezing a little after a small run.
Nido turns his head slightly toward him and makes quick eye contact with him before facing the sky and realizing the weather is overcast and rainy...
It appeared as if he was unaware of it, but it was to be expected of a person who had recently lost someone loving, his death had hit him so hard, and made him feel lost... it was like he had lost his ability to feel anything after his death.
After collecting himself, he points to a large tree and speaks gently, "there, let's set camp there tonight, get some men and build a fire."
As soon as the warriors received the order to build the fire they got on work, they wasted no time pleasing their master and it was also a reason they were the best,
but still it was not enough to make the white knight feel any better he still stood alone in the dark, watching at the black gloomy sky lost in the memories and regrets.
Every warrior saw him worried and lost. Some felt pity for him while others were concerned about their mission because to them their leader was not ready and it could lead to a bigger problem.
In the midst of this a warrior was returning from the deep jungle with a massive rabbit in his hands, the rabbit he held in his hands was big enough to make the stew for five men,
only one man had that good hunting skills and it was Eriso, the best student of Nido who surpassed every man in every skill there was, he was an ideal example of what we call perfection.
"Hey Eriso, you did it again, huh? Perky bastard ha-ha" a warrior called him with a joyful tone and approached him laughing, applauding him for the good hunt.
"Yeah ha-ha, still smaller than the fox you got last time," Eriso compliments him back in a way to show gratefulness.
"Give me that, I will give it to the cooks. By the way did you see master? He is not feeling okay I guess he still haven't got over his brother's death, maybe you should talk to him, cause everyone else is a bit scared to ask and you are a bit closer to him too you should see him" he takes the rabbit from his hand and persuades him.
"Yeah, I will see what I can do, you prepare the dinner and I'll go talk to him, okay?" Eriso quickly moves to him after patting the warrior on the shoulder in a form of assurance.
"Ser, come join us." Eriso slowly approaches him from behind and speaks casually, as if he was oblivious to his situation.
"Oh Eriso? No, go enjoy with others. I will join you guys later. I want to spend some time alone," Nido puts a smile on his face and replies with his emotions hidden behind the smile.
"Are you okay? Are you still thinking about him?" Eriso's speaks softly in a comforting tone but his words struck him like an arrow in the knee.
"You see, I never gave him the love he deserved. It's not that I didn't love him...it's just that I never conveyed that love and care to him.
I always just made him feel like a comrade, never a brother, and that's what I regret the most," Nido lets his heart out all the feeling he had inside himself came out hard, Eriso did nothing but listened to him while both them drenched in the rain.
"It was my fault all that happened because of me if I had never given the orders to raid Yskiu he'd not be dead...I failed Eriso... I failed as a brother" he broke into tears, with his heart shattered into a million pieces and no one there to collect it.
"It's okay master, it wasn't your fault, you're were his brother, you never failed him but inspired him to be like you and as much as I knew him he always looked up to you and respected your decision he knew that your decisions might be wrong but your intentions weren't," Eriso consoles him with sadness in his eyes,
A sad smile appears on his face and he whispers into Eriso's ears, "Thank you for talking to me. It made my heart a bit lighter. I hope he'll be at peace now."
"Yes, he is, but now you must eat and rest. We need you... to slay that beast to avenge our dead brothers" Eriso spoke with enthusiasm in his voice.
"We shall, Eriso... we will," replies the white knight.
"I will go to the camp. Come soon, we will be waiting" he bows his head in respect and walks away to the camp, shading his head with his hand.
***
Alexios sat beside the young guy in front of the fire as he kept throwing dry wood into the fire to keep it going.
"At least tell me your name, enough of the riddles, just tell me." Alexios stares at him with annoyance in his eyes and his head slightly turned toward him
"Yeah, I know, I'll tell you, my name is Leon...the Prince of Yorkan," Leon finally speaks and the first words that come out of his mouth hurt Alexios like a bullet.
"WHAT, SO YOU WERE THERE..." without a second thought Alexios throws his blanket and leaps to his feet to grab his sword.
"ALEXIOS, PLEASE WAIT...FIRST LISTEN TO ME," Leon swiftly halts Alexios.
"WHAT'S there to listen, you... your people massacred my whole world?" Alexios grabs him by the collar and pins him by the tree behind him and cries out loud in pain.
"ALEXIOS... listen to me, I'm not the one you believe I am."
"Fine, tell me everything that's going on here," Alexios yells with rage in his eyes, ready to kill him with a blow of his blade.
"It happened a long time ago…."
-to be continued