The group of men continue their march in the steppe, even when the sun is no longer in the sky. Their torches show the way in the darkness, although the moon and the stars help somewhat. There are more than fifty men in total, all walking silently, led by a man on the horse, with an eye-patch covering his lost left eye.

-…

Rudo holds his gaze to the sky as he watches the stars beyond, up to the Draconis constellation – a group of stars forming up to shape a dragon spreading its wings. There’s an old saying that wherever the head of the dragon points to, the North will be just ahead. An old tale to help travelers navigate the path - Rudo thought, but considering the continent of Nereus – the former home of all dragons of Airumel, lies in the Northern part of the world, maybe it isn’t just a simple tale.

Either way, Rudo compares the direction his men is marching and the head of dragon. He comes to the conclusion that they are on course, the Northern village of the Aherin tribe won’t be far.

Telling himself he must hurry, Rudo commands his men to speed up. But suddenly, he feels a chill down his spine, and instinctively grabs the spear behind his back.

-Ambush!

Rudo yells. At that moment, a volley of arrows come out of nowhere and start picking off his men one by one. Rudo twirls his spear to deflect the arrows aiming at his position, but the initial attack got his men good. Even so, they are quick to regroup and assume battle stance to prepare for battle.

Whatever kind of bandits these men are, they are very good at the art of warfare.

-Square formation, spears up! Riders incoming! Keep them from breaking formation no matter what!

Rudo barks order to his men like a commander to his soldiers, and without giving doubt a moment, his men instantly follow Rudo’s order to the tee.

Arrows volley, night attack in the Great Steppe. Only one tribe currently in the North has the gall and the capability to do such thing. The very tribe these men are seeking, the Aherin tribe. And when it comes to the tribe of the horsemen, it’s natural to expect riders.

And just as Rudo predicted, coming out of the nearby hills are riders of the Aherin tribe, led by an elderly woman whose age makes her ferocious riding looks like a fantasy of a drunkard about his angry mom. While he has a horse to ride, all of his surviving men are still on foot. If they run away, their horsemen would pick them off one by one, they would lose the moment the first men turns his back and run. Only by gathering around and fight do these men have a chance to see the dawn of tomorrow.

-Hold your formation, I’ll go and engage the enemy leader!

Rudo orders his horse to charge toward the elderly chief by himself, without any support from his men. The chief herself seems to have the same idea, as she orders her riders to pick off the men under Rudo instead. Soon, the two of them approach each other, one with a spear, and one with a curved blade

CLANG!

Their weapon clashes, briefly illuminates the night through the flash of clanking metals. The two riders are now apart from each other, but it doesn’t seem like both of them are hurt. This is merely for testing water - the two of them thought. In the next blow, the result won’t be a draw.

But that’s not what Rudo wants. Looking at his men, he feels a chill down his spine as another group of riders with bow on their hands approach his men. The formation may keep the riders from completely annihilate his men, but the archers will put a stop to that. So of course, Rudo must put a stop for all of this before it’s too late.

-Stop! This is all a misunderstanding ! We are not here to fight you!

Rudo yells. Even so, that does not put a halt to Nephele’s blood lust. Ignoring the plea of her enemy, the chief of the Aherin tribe continues to attack. There’s no need for her to listen to the words of her tribe’s enemy, but the truth is much more complicated than that, something Nephele is not aware of, which prompts her shoot her horses off the ground and flies toward Rudo like an arrow, with her blade as the arrowhead.

CLANG

Rudo barely blocks her blow, enough to keep him alive, but not enough to keep the balance of himself and his own horse. He finds himself blown away along with his horse from the sheer physical force from an old woman’s attack. The horse stumbles for a moment, but quickly finds its feet again to help its master. Even so, that brief window is enough for Nephele to decide the fight, as she already has a follow up attack prepared to strike down Rudo before her opponent can get back up and retaliate.

CLANG!

But it seems like fate itself has yet want Rudo to die, as someone else interferes before Nephele can deliver the killing blow. His crystal sword glows like sunlight in the dark, just as bright as the mark of God on his right hand. Of all the people in this world, the bandit leader Rudo does not expect a chosen hero of Lielos would be the one to save his ass from the reach of Death.

-What is the meaning of this, Hero?

Nephele asks, still with her curved sword in hand. Meanwhile, Fino, the hero in question, has already sheathed his crystal blade, seeing no further use of it, even with his back turning to the leader of a bandit band that he is actually aware about. Both Rudo and Nephele can’t tell whether this is bravery or foolishness.

Still with his hand holding the rein of his horse, Fido replies Nephele’s question.

-He told you to stop. If he has something to say, let him say before we decide it’s better to talk with our blade than with our tongue.

-Are you mad!? He is the group of bandits seeking to destroy my people’s village! We need to stop him before he lay waste to my home!

The man in question rides his horse closer the hero, still with his spear in hand, not to strike an unexpected attack to the hero’s back, but to defend himself in case the Aherin chief does not feel like being reasonable.

-To clarify, we did not attack your caravan, neither did we send you a warning letter. All of us were played by another! Stop killing my men, your own village is in danger!

Rudo yells, even so, the Aherin chief still maintains her hostile gaze at the bandit leader. The only one standing between her and the chief’s head is the young hero, also the same reason why she has yet to rush at Rudo and finish the job she started. The hero and the chief exchange stares, from what she can gather, it does not seem like the Hero Fino has any intention to continue the raid at the bandits.

-Do you trust this man? Truth or not, he’s still the leader of a bandit group. For all I can tell, this maybe a ploy to get us drop our guard and become their easy prey.

Says Nephele.

-He helped us when he has no reason to, that’s why I’ll trust him even if I have no reason to.

The chief sighs, she looks irritated for good reason, but nonetheless, with a chosen Hero standing in her way, there’s not much she can do but to oblige. With a blow of her whistle, the riders stop attacking the bandit group, but they still remain vigilant, watching every step they make take and have their weapons ready when things start to look bad for them.

-Bringing you here may have been a bad idea…

In the meantime, Fino and the bandit leader exchange gazes, the one-eyed man does not believe he have an ally in such an unexpected time and place, but he does not let the amazement stop him from explaining the truth.

-I am Rudo, of the Rudo Bandits. We may be a bandit group, but we did not attack your caravan, neither did we declare an intent to attack your village. We have no reason to pick a fight with a mighty Beastmaster tribe so far out of our operating zone. But someone else did, they provoked your tribe by attacking your caravan, and us by claiming our name to perform the deed. Your tribe and my group fighting here was what they want all along. Your village is probably under attack by them right now, if we are not hurry, there may be nothing left for you to save.

The chief is puzzled, half believing half doubting the words coming from the mouth of a bandit leader, the kind that lead men to raze villages for women and riches. That being said, some of his words make sense, fitting the doubt Nephele had before she decided to settle the problem away from her village. If what Rudo said is true, then the current situation is grimmer than she thought.

-Men! We ride back! Our home is in danger!

Nephele decides to play a gamble with a coin flip, and she chooses the safety of her village as the bet. All of her men ride away from the bandits and follow her lead to return for the defense of their home. Nephele does not even say any words to the Hero waiting behind, as if she does not care whether his help would be needed or not. Or maybe, she is just confident the strength of her men alone would be enough.

In the end, Fino finds himself abandoned behind, with the Rudo Bandits regrouping with their leader. With a smile, Fino speaks.

-Well, that was awkward! So your name is Rudo, right? I finally know. Nice to meet you, Rudo, and thanks for your help earlier.

-No, thank you for your trust. If you didn’t speak up, my men would be slaughtered, and so will her people.

Rudo replies. There’s a smile behind this man’s rugged beard.

-I’m sorry, but don’t thank me just yet.

Suddenly, Fino stops smiling, replacing it with a saddened expression, and eyes that resemble a warrior preparing for battle, expressed by him unsheathing his crystal sword.

-You were right about one thing: if luck favors us, we will never meet again. But it seems like both of our luck has run out.

A light radiates from the inside of Fino’s crystal sword, it’s as bright as the moon in the sky, putting the bandits gathering around Rudo a step backward from its sudden appearance.

-My name is Sera Fino of the Empyrean Mercenaries, and I am here to destroy the Rudo Bandits.

Rudo’s expression doesn’t change much, no eyebrow batting, no dropping sweat, as if he expected this moment would eventually come, maybe he did the moment he met the Hero back in the Elowen forest. Nonetheless, nothing could change his inevitable fate, the last thing he could do is to stand tall and face it like a man should.

And thus, Rudo draws his spear, and prepares for battle.

-Isn’t a Hero’s job is to protect the people? The Aherin’s village is under attack, and you decide to waste your time on me and my band?

-Their riders are strong, and so is the companion I left behind in their village. Her help would keep the village standing long enough until the chief’s riders return. I believe in her!

-I see.

Rudo closes his eyes in preparation for what is to come, but his men don’t allow it as they rush forward to shield Rudo away from the reach of Fino’s sword, all with weapons in their hands and determination in their eyes.

-You will have to go through us before you can reach our Boss!

For a brief moment, Fino sees the brave men who fought and died by Origen’s side, but reality quickly hits him as the men before him are not the brave soldiers fighting for the good of the Alliance, but mere bandits seek to kill and steal whatever they can lay their hands on. Yet those same bandits are trying to protect their leader like a soldier would for his general. For what reason do these bandits have such a loyalty to Rudo?

-Stop, all of you will die if you face a Hero, and I don’t want anyone of you to throw your life for a dead man. If it’s the Rudo Bandits that he want, then I, Rudo, has to face him alone! My death will mark the end of the Rudo Bandits, whether you continue to pursue our ideal, or lower yourselves to become real bandits are up to you.

Leaving his men behind, Rudo rides his horse forward and faces the Hero, but Fino has yet to attack, before they begin, there’s something he wants to know first.

-Why would an honorable man like you resort to banditry like this?

Asks Fino.

-There are many things that would drive the strongest man to a desperate path, losing your wife and daughter is one of them.

-What?

Fino mutters in surprise.

-Before I was drafted to Metallum’s army, I was married to a woman, plain but devoted. Together, we had a daughter, she was barely a year old the day the enlist officer came knocking on my door. And I found myself standing in a strange land far away from home and family. I told myself: If I put all my effort to the war, maybe the war will soon end, and I’ll eventually reunite with my family. But the truth was bleaker than I thought it would.

Somehow, Fino understands what Rudo is implying. After all, he was present in the days before Origen’s breakthrough that once again sparked the flame of war across the Eostre continent, but before Origen’s impact…

-Soldiers became errand boys instead of fighting demons like they should be. I tried to climb the rank only to find I am in charge of digging holes just so the noble generals can have a comfortable place to shit! The most contact a common soldier could do to their enemy was watching them from afar and hope all of them instantly drop dead. But that was wishful thinking, the war was there, but no one bothered to fight it, while the army still enlisted men to keep up the illusion they were fighting for a just cause. And that’s when I decided to give up, I deserted the army, and with some help from my former comrades, I got on a boat to return to my homeland…

Rudo gives his talk a pause before continue, for a good reason.

-…only to find my town barren, my house burned down, my wife laid bare on the ground as a burnt corpse with my daughter embraced within her hands. I didn’t remember much, but I can remember a rage filling all of my blood veins at first, until I calmed down and seek the one responsible. From the talk in a nearby village, I found the culprit to be a notorious bandit gang operating in the area for sometimes, but never been hunted down by the army. And I did what I had to, I seek revenge. Let’s just say in the aftermath, my left eye wasn’t the only thing I lost, my hope also died that day as I skewer the leader of those scums of the earth.

Rudo touches the eye-patch covering his lost left eye as he resumes his tale.

-Even with the death of the bandits, my vengeance is yet to complete. The true problem lies in the incompetence of the current King of Metallum. He decided a ghost war was more worthy of his attention than the welfare of his subjects. If no one is going to drag him down, then I will. Gathering my old comrades who share the same sentiment as I am, we ventured to this continent, seeking to increase our strength and influence. We started hunting rich towns, but not without sending a warning prior to see whether there are any who would be willing to throw their lives away to protect their home. We recruited those people, and stole from those who left everything behind in their escape. Little by little, we will become stronger and stronger, until we can become a force strong enough to drag down the incompetent King currently ruling Metallum. But it would seems Fate itself isn’t on my side. No, it’s already on your side from the start, Hero.

Fino stares at the bandit leader, his thirst for battle has died down a bit, but he has yet to sheathe his crystal sword.

-You have my sympathy, but you won’t have my forgiveness. Whatever justice you’re seeking, trying to bring more bloodshed to the land of man won’t solve anything.

-Said the Hero with spotless honor, seeking to bring justice to the mortal soldier turned despicable bandit.

Fino falls silent from Rudo’s words.

-People call me by many titles, Hero, idiot, idiotic Hero, some true, some false, but spotless honor is farthest away from the truth. People revere Heroes like an existence outside of their world, but deep down, my blood is just as red as yours.

Sharpness returns to Fino’s eyes as he loudly yells.

-I have a dream! That is one day, there will be peace in the land of man! Something so simple, yet unachievable for a thousand year. I knew killing Demon Kings won’t solve anything since I was young. And so, I asked for my childhood friend’s aid, to make both of our vision come true. By the time I was ready, he was running a newly established mercenary company, with me as its sole fighter. The first step was always the hardest, how can a no name mercenary company reach the shore of Eostre without any reputation and money in hand? We didn’t have many choice, or rather, we did, but my friend picked the choice that helped us build our fame the fastest, a choice I always regret making.

-Just what did you do?

Says Rudo as his own curiosity gets the better of him.

-We took the job to quell a farmer rebellion. Yes, the first blood I had on my hand wasn’t the blood of evil demons, but the blood of innocent farmers instead. People who rose up to fight against the injustice of a King ignorant of his subject’s need, the current King of Metallum. And I slew them all. At first, I vehemently objected to this kind of job, but I was still inexperienced back then, I failed to convince my friend, or maybe I just too ignorant to think I can make our dream come true without dirtying my hand and . When I faced again the angry farmers by myself, I attempted to negotiate, I tried my best to tell them I don’t want a fight, on how people would be hurt if they use force to get what they want. But desperate farmers were desperate farmers, they care not about talk of peace, nor a Hero with a chosen mark, they wanted the death of the King, everything else is irrelevant. And I did what I must as they point their pitchfork toward me, seeing me as another obstacle to overcome.

Fino closes his eyes as he try not to get too sentimental about what happened in his past.

-I blamed my friend for choosing this job, but also myself for directly took part in their death. We were young, and were in need of prestige and resources to make our vision come true. Thanks to us, the King continues to live, unknowingly causing more and more tragedies by days. But no matter what, we didn’t believe killing the King would achieve anything but chaos. We paid the cost for a chance to make a difference, to defeat the Demons, to end the war, and to prevent further tragedies from happening. With whatever honor I have left, I swear I will make a world where people won’t need to fight another!

Fino’s sword glows even brighter. Solais, the Sword of Purity, legends tell only one with a pure heart can wield the sword, let alone use it. Yet even Fino himself is surprised after all he went through he can still hold and use the legendary sword. Was it because of pure belief in his cause, pure determination, or simple pure foolishness? Even Fino cannot tell, but as long as he can hold his sword, the young Hero will make his vision a reality.

-Grand ideal for a naïve Hero, I guess that is to be expected. But ideals right now no longer matter. Do what you must, Hero, as I would do mine. Even if fate itself is on your side, I will not back down! Only one of us can walk out of this alive!

No longer feeling a need to talk, the bandit leader rides his horse and charges at the hero. He points his spear toward Fino, the long weapon certainly gives him more advantage when compared to the hero’s sword. Fino himself also charge forward, with his sword by his side. The two riders quickly clashes with each other.

And in a flash, Fino finishes the fight with a slash by Rudo’s chest, cutting through the steel spear on Rudo’s hand. It is over in the blink of an eye, even the bandits cannot believe their leader was effortlessly cut down like that. The two riders ride far away from each other. Even though blood is flowing through the wound on his chest, Rudo has yet to fall, but it won’t be much longer, the wound is fatal, he is having the last breath of his life.

-If only…Origen did his rebellion…sooner…then maybe…I would still have…a purpose.

Rudo falls down on the back of his horse, finally succumbs to the wound from the brief clash. All of his former underlings yell his name as they rush to his side, ignoring the hero who did the deed…but not for long, as soon as the grief is gone, the feeling of vengeance now fill their heart, and the former Rudo bandits now point their weapons at Fino in search of revenge.

-The Rudo Bandits died with Rudo. If you are going to attack me, may I ask what group of bandits are you?

Fino’s statement is very vague, considering he is standing in front of the remnants of the Rudo Bandits, but the wiser members are quick to catch on what he’s attempting to do, or rather, what their leader Rudo attempted to do by challenging the Hero alone. They tell the more furious members to back down and retreat, together with Rudo’s corpse by their side. Luckily, they are quick to understand and follow along to take care of the remain of their leader. Their future is ambiguous with the death of Rudo, but they certainly won’t cross path with Fino again. His job here at the Suntos continent is done, giving him another regret in his life. But that is reserved for the future, when his vision become reality, that when he’ll allow himself the leisure to feel regret.

-Now then, back to the village.

Fino rides his horse back to the way he came from. The Aherin riders must be close to their home as of now, together with the help from Elisha to defend the village, maybe his help won’t be needed, but he still have to go back. Strong as he is, Fino is not omniscient. Fate is his ally, but that doesn’t mean it is an ally to his own allies. There could be something unexpected that would happen, the more reason why he should return fast.

For some reason, there’s a bad feeling inside my heart…