Province Of Aswen

The bandit and the young Arden charges at each other, determined to end the fight in this one charge. It was an intense moment as their life really depend at this charge.

But then…

The 2 of their swords should have met in the middle but they missed each other bodies by a few centimetre. The 2 of them quickly turn around with their swords ready and…

The bandit swung his sword widely, aiming for Arden’s head and to kill him once and for all. But…

Crack

The sound of a sword in breaking human ribs from the inside can be heard there. Arden pulled his sword and a stream of bloods gush out from that wound in a powerful stream.

What really happened there in just a few seconds? After the 2 person turns around to attack each other. Arden ducked down in the right time and quickly stab the bandit on his chest.

…

Clap, clap, clap

The bandit leader’s in the back ground laughed while clapping, “Hahaha! Very good you man, I’ll keep my promise, you can go now. We might see you again later!”

The bandit groups left the place, leaving their fallen comrade and the young boy beside it. Arden fell to the ground and look at his hand covered in red blood and thinks to himself.

‘Is this the feeling to kill people? I can feel a little bit of… pain in my heart, this might really not be my best occupation…’ He then falls to the ground and looked at the sky covered by the leaves of trees.

Just a few seconds later, he fell asleep at that very same spot he is laying at because of exhaustion. The vision of his hand covered in the red bloods soon come up in his mind as he was sleeping.

Arden woke up from that and was sweating heavily like he was experiencing that moment again and again. He check his hand and found it was clean before sighing in relief.

“Hey kid, you already awake? Go to the duke’s tent and guard the place there, I’m going to sleep now” One of the soldiers he was not familiarized with plucked out his head and said the words to him.

‘Guess I don’t have any choice’ He was forced to do his duty and soon grab his sword and his shield that is beside him all this time. He got off from his carriage to see people sleeping on the grass with only a sheet of clothes as their bed.

He quietly walks around them and try not to wake them up, there were many twigs on the way and he stepped on some, wasn’t enough to disturb the soldiers sleeping like a death and exhausted person.

He made his way to the biggest tent amongst the handful of tents in the field and saw a guard guarding the entrance. He quickly places himself on the other side of the entrance of the duke’s tent and began his shift.

…

The sky covered in darkness is really quiet, the sound of burning touched were the only things that could be heard, even that was too small to make a sound. But the fact that there were many twigs on the camp were undeniable.

Arden heard many twigs breaking sound and it was one of the biggest sound that night. With some delay amongst the breaking sound.

But one sound, really catches his attention, twigs breaking sound like normal. But this time, its continuous, he could feel something or perhaps, someone is sneaking at the camp.

He whisper to the guard beside him, “There is someone at the outskirt, I’ll check there’

The guard nodded and Arden soon make his way toward the outskirts of the camp. When he reached the outskirts of the camp, there is one of tent there and a guard is in front of it.

Sleeping while standing, with a bubble coming out from his nose. Arden quietly approach him and plop the bubble, making him instantly wake up.

The guard was about to scream “intruder” after he saw Arden but the young boy quickly placed his index finger on the guard’s lips and whisper to him, “Quiet, there is an intruder”

The guard nodded understandingly and let Arden continue checking the outskirt of the camp. He was getting nowhere until he reached the place where the army kept the horses

There is a shadow trying to untie one of the rope on a wooden pole embedded into the ground. Arden quickly charged at him without having mercy but when he was charging at the shadow.

Another shadow came out from the side and attacked him, it was a lucky day for him to block whatever weapon using by the person that attack him with his sword.

The shadow that is trying to untie the rope quickly went to help the other person attacking Arden. Soon he saw their faces, the face a young boy and a young girl.

He look at them with a surprising expression with his sword holding the girl’s simple stick and his shield holding against the boy’s axe. He quickly gritted his teeth knowing it’s still his duty.

‘Such a pity they need to be defeated today! It’s still my duty!’ He pushed the girl away by giving a little force on his sword and quickly swung his sword to the side aiming for the boy’s head.

The boy quickly dodged, leaving his axe falling to the ground, he soon unsheathed a little dagger. As the 2 young people were about to charge again, there is another shadow from Arden’s side.

‘Another person?’ He thinks to himself before he saw the most unmerciful things to do. A spear impaled the young girl at the stomach and he immediately know who it was.

The guard he woke up earlier

The boy also looked at this and there were tears coming from his eyes. He gritted his teeth as hard as he can and said to Arden and the guard, “You both will die toda…”

Even before he could finish his words, as word stabbed him in the chest and straight to his heart. He looked at the person straight in the eyes and said to them, “I’ll… meet you… in hell”

It was Arden, the young 14 years old Arden, killed another human for this day. He avoided the boy’s eye but his eyes began dropping tears not 3 seconds after he stabbed the young boy.

“Good job kid” Said the guard beside him as the body of the boy he just killed slides toward the ground form his sword.

…

The next morning, he did not talk to anyone at the next morning and the army continued on their way toward the Province of Aswen. Soon after they have entered the province of Aswen, they reached the Castle of Lania.

Life were normal after that, sparring at the field, sleeping at the barrack and other stuffs.

But there were one day that he soon found out himself special. The day started with a little sparring session with a random person named Gilbert.

He was a veteran soldier and needless to say, he lost to the guy. Because of that, at the afternoon, where most people have gone to the local pub at nearby city, Arden stayed at the field.

He trained and trained, perfecting his skills, from a simple thrust to a more complicated move. As he was training alone by himself, the boy that is in the scout about a few days ago approaches him.

Arden notices him from the distance and when he was close enough. Arden asked with a little bit of intimidation at his voice, “What?”

The young boy were a little bit intimidated but soon calmed himself and said to Arden, “I’m Ady, I want to thank you for a few days ago. Might we train together to perfect our skill?”

Arden looked at the young boy and then said to him, “I’m Arden, do whatever you want, Just don’t disturb me”

…

It all started with a training alone, but soon they moved to sparring and then better and better. Didn’t take long for the 2 of them to become a best friend in the span of 4 days.

This was only the beginning of the special days because there were much more. One day when the 2 boys were sparring in the afternoon like every other days.

The commander approaches them and said to them with an assertive voice, “You guys are good on this field”

The young boys said thanks but didn’t even gave an eye toward the commander. The commander soon continued his words, “His highness the duke ask for your presence at his office”

The 2 of them stopped their things and soon found their selves on the office not knowing why they were called here. The duke sit there relaxing and doing nothing at his chair before saying to the 2 young boys.

“I’m making you 2 my squire”