Sooooooo................ i kinda forgot something important........... introducing an antagonist................ kinda a fuck up right right? whelp here it is, see if you can spot it, hint: its REALLY OBVIOUS!!!!!

Enjoy!!!!

Zair Foaster: Heroes companion, “Bastard Bladesman”, “Swift Death”, “The Unslain”

I have been called many things, done many things I’m not proud of, but this wasn’t one of them.

{Truly impressive mortal, you slew ALL of them… I feel you dying here as your friends go on to claim all the glory and rewards for your sacrifice would be a waste.} (???)

You shouldn’t talk about shit you don’t know anything about.

I looked away from the annoying box thing and up at the woman I loved. She was crying, she shouldn’t be crying this was a good day, a day that would be remembered forever along with her and her brother. This wasn’t a day for tears, especially not for me. We all knew what it meant when we chose to follow the heroes, it’s why companions never get written into the legends.

{Why not make a deal with me? I can make sure your friends there are safe from the remnants of the Mad King’s forces. Oh and his inevitable resurgence and kingdoms betrayal…..}

WHAT! He can’t rise again! I made sure to stab him in the heart with the sacred sword! He will never plague this land again! And the kingdom-…

{Yes the “sacred sword” whoever told your little group what it does? The kingdom that sent the two summoned “heroes” out on their own to defeat a force with superior military power because they had high magic potential? Even if one was only a child and the other an untrained girl? Tell me why would they give those two such an important relic if it even exists? No that was not their intent, but the “heroes” killing the enemy’s king was a good turn of fortune for them….} (???)

I had seen all I needed, the box was right. None of this had ever made sense, I knew that from the beginning. I just didn’t have anything to lose back then so I didn’t care. That changed.

I looked up at the woman I had seen grow, fight, and BELIEVE for the last three years. The woman who I came to love, I reached out and wiped her tears.

“ZAIR!!! Zair hold on! HEAL!!!! HEAL DAMNIT!!!! HEAL!!!!!!” (???)

I just smiled, she always did try to do the impossible didn’t she? No healing magic is going to save me now…. But I can still save her and her brother….

“Nat… KACCCKKKKK!!!! KACK KACKK!!!! DAMNIT!!!........ Nat, listen to me. The kingdom betrayed us, no, was never on our side in the first place. They sent you and Garret to die, that isn’t the sacred sword. I… KACCKK HHUUUUUGGGHHHH!!!!! KACCKKK KAACKK!!!! I think you’re just a liability to them now…. Be careful……… Garret……. Take… your…. sister… away… now…. she……… shouldn’t………… see………………. this…………………….” (Zair)

{………….impressive mortal……. Truly you are a tribute to the best of your kind. Your heart shouldn’t even beat anymore but you still power through to warn your love of danger……. Yes I think you’ll do JUST perfectly….}

Heh I was always a stubborn bastard wasn’t I?…..

As I saw Garret dragging Nattily away from where I lay dying I thought back to how I got here…..

I never was one much for the Chivalry of the knights. No good could ever come from absolute adherence to a code that contradicts itself on multiple fronts. I was much happier being a mercenary for hire. Like that the only rules I followed were my own, never kill children or the innocent and honor my debts honestly. I had worked like this for the past four years, since I was fifteen. I taught myself how to use the sword, none of those fancy knight fencing techniques, just simple killing and disabling styles of my own design. I got very good at that.

When I meet the two heroes I was only traveling with them to make sure the kid Garret didn’t die on the road. His sister, Nattily seemed to know how to hold a sword, but that’s where her knowledge ended. I figured I could give them some pointers so they didn’t end up like all the other dumb kids who went out to “adventure” without knowing anything. They ended up following me on my next few jobs, nothing big just some bodyguard work and some bandit subjugation. I think it helped open up their eyes to the truth of this life. Kill or be killed.

Over time our little group grew fairly fond of each other, and they offered me my last job. They asked me to join them and become a hero, and I accepted. Someone had to keep these two from kicking the bucket on this ridiculous quest of theirs and ii had nothing to lose and no one to miss me. I figured it might as well be me, and who knew they might even manage to finish this impossible quest of theirs.

Over the next three years we grew even closer, meet with many people both good and bad. I feel in love with Nattily, and we picked up other trusted companions who wished to join us on our quest.

I told Nattily how I felt about her, and she seemed to feel the same. Garret already saw me as some sort of older brother after being together so long and teaching him so many things, so he was just as happy as we were. Our little family grew closer and for a month everything was perfect.

That changed when we eventually set off to sneak into the enemy’s castle and kill the Mad Demon King.

Tiskel the mage died first when he missed dispelling a protection ward.

Carla the archer went next as she covered our advance into the castle’s inner walls.

Anton held the bridge to the main tower for an hour. He was a brave man.

When we got to the throne rooms door, I knew it was my turn. Nat and Garret couldn’t kill the Mad King if they had to focus on an army breaking into the room at their flanks.

I told them that I would hold the doorway. That I would join them soon. That “No damned solider just outta training would bring me down.” I lied to my family.

When they came they stopped before me, they were probably wary after Anton’s final stand.

I wouldn’t disappoint them.

I waded into their ranks like death itself. My bastard sword took limbs and heads alike. I didn’t care if they hurt me, I didn’t notice the cuts and rends my body picked up. I didn’t care that my plated leather armor was as good as destroyed. All that mattered was that I was alive, I could still fight, and I was between them and the door. Eventually the tide of enemies ended. I had killed them all, but at the cost of my left arm, my good sword arm, and a lame leg that couldn’t support my weight. It was fine, I could still fight. I could still help my family.

I cast heal to stop the bleeding, there was no time to do anything more serious than that.

I went through the doorway and saw that things had taken a very poor turn.

Garret was gritting his teeth and holding an obviously broken arm that still held the sacred sword, and chanting “heal” to get it back into working order.

Meanwhile, Nat was holding off the Mad King in direct combat. Judging by the blood coming from her armor, she wouldn’t be able to hold out too much longer under the Mad King’s great sword.

The siblings needed a chance, and I would give it to them.

I rushed to meet the Mad King, he turned and with a flick of his sword brushed mine aside. It didn’t matter, it distracted him long enough for Nat to pull away and heal her brother. Garret was shit at healing magic, and if we had to wait for him this fight would end VERY poorly.

I fought the Mad King, and I feel I did very well considering. Yes he was just toying with me, making little cuts periodically to let me know he could kill me at any time. I didn’t care, he didn’t have anyone coming to help him anymore, Carla, Anton, and I made sure of it. Any time he gave us would only hurt him.

The siblings eventually rejoined the fight, and we might have even been winning at some point, but then the Mad King made a second sword out of magic and thrust it at Nat. she was open and wouldn’t be able to block in time, but I could.

I turned so I faced Nat directly in front of her.

I felt the sword pierce me through, but I didn’t let it fell me. I used everyone’s shock and I grabbed the sacred sword from Garret’s hand turned and Pierced the Mad kings chest with it.

I looked him in the eyes and smiled when I saw the shock in them. No one seems to keep their guard up after delivering a mortal wound…

We both fell, me towards my family, the Mad King towards his throne.

I felt Nat pick me up as I saw her and Garret crying over me.

“….. We Did it!..........” (Zair)

I felt my life start to wane.

That was when I saw the box appear…..

{You are nearing your end Zair Foaster, but I still have some use for you. You seem to have a knack for pulling off the impossible, and killing the unkillable. I have a future Demon King that is in the way of my plans, and I’d like you to remove it for me.} (???)

If you’ll take care of my family…… I’ll do anything…………..…..

{I’ll see that its done. you’ll be going to an all new world my new chosen…………..} (???)

thats REALLY it...... see ya'll tomorrow............

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