------------ Dangou ------------

“Hey, Dangou are you okay…?”

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine. Great actually.”

“Okay… then can you stop grinning like a fucking weirdo?”

Having been kicked out of the empire by the Council of Nobles, Dangou had been thoroughly depressed for a couple of days. His once esteemed position of Queensguard had been lost, and instead of posters praising him for his good work, there were now billboards informing people of his banishment.

But recently he’d come to an epiphany.

“Look, Osiro. Don’t you think this is something like, the beginning of an adventure for us?” He grinned, “like with one of those Knights seeking redemption?”

“Uh. I guess?” Osiro frowned.

Unfazed by the lack of enthusiasm in his partner, Dangou continued.

“Okay, so here’s what we’re going to do-”

He paused to take a deep breath.

“We’re going to go around Ritorias* and pick up women until we become pick up masters.”

Osiro sighed.

“Stop being stupid.” She said.

“Uh no it’s not?” replied Dangou, defiantly, “We’ll build up a crap tonne of charm points and when we return, we’ll just walk straight into the royal courtroom and the Queen will just fall in love.”

The sword glowed an unenthusiastic blue before responding with a tired voice.

“Alright… firstly there is no such thing as charm points… How are you so good at strategizing in battles, but so bad at common sense?”

“Secondly, we have you. Picking up women?” Osiro snickered, transitioning to an undesirable green, “Oh please.”

For a moment, the former Queensguard wavered. He felt that though Osiro was being quite rude today, she did however have a point. Maybe even two.

“Well…” He muttered, “Not trying isn’t going to get me anywhere either.”

“Right. Well, why don’t you give it a try? What’s the worst that could happen? You’ve already lost most things important.” Osiro smirked.

------------ Story Break ------------

“OI DANGOU COME BACK! YOU CAN’T JUST LEAVE ME IN THE BUSH AGAIN!” Osiro shouted at the once-again-furious knight.

“I SURE CAN. ‘WHAT’S THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN’? " Dangou shouted back, stomping away.

“DANGOU! I’M SERIOUSLY GOING TO RUST!!!”

“I DON'T CARE!”

------------ Back to the Story ------------

-Three failed attempts at picking up women later-

“In the side alleys of the small town of Delsa, a figure stood depressed, leaning against a trashcan like the trash he is.”

“Osiro can you not.”

“Having already lost everything, he decided to throw away his dignity as well, by asking out random girls on the street.”

“I’m seriously depressed Osiro.”

“And as per usual, he was brutally rejected all three times.”

Dangou sat depressed, on a pile of firewood, at the edge of town Delsa, peering into the famous ever-green woods before him. Osiro, his trusty companion, lay beside him, trying her best to console the heart-broken man.

“Of course it didn’t work you retard, I was just trying to get you to recognise it!” Osiro sighed in frustration, “You have no experience with women!”

Dangou turned to look at the permanently callous sword.

“You’re a woman, aren’t you?” He suggested.

Osiro recoiled, and slid off the wood pile.

“Uh if you’re into swords, I guess yes?” She laughed nervously.

“Even if I was, you’d be the last sword I’d marry.” Dangou chuckled back.

Osiro turned to an angry red and let off a dangerous glint.

“I wouldn’t marry you either, moron!”

As the lively duo continued to chat idly, a sudden bloodcurdling scream disrupted their flow of conversation. Osiro yelped in surprise as Dangou snatched her from her sheath and took a tentative step towards the forest.

“The scream came from the east, about a hundred metres away.” Said Osiro, having calmed down.

“The east? Isn’t that the Gatherer’s Fields?” Dangou asked.

“Hmm yes. I think it might be.”

“Then let’s hurry.”

------------ Allie ------------

Allie stood frozen in the Gatherer’s Fields just beyond Delsa. It was supposed to be a safe-zone dedicated by the empire to families of lower class where they could gather plentiful food and raise livestock. But just metres from the innocent country girl stood a two-metre-tall monster, a Choski**.

Allie was careful not to move. Her grandmother, who held within her years of wisdom, had taught her countless times the methods of defusing such a situation. The beast, with its bloodshot eyes, was unsuited to day light and lacked proper vision.

To come to the large open area of the Gatherer’s fields… It must have been forced out of hunger.

Tilting her hat slightly, Allie glanced up at its eyes. Luckily, the Choski had not yet focused upon her as it’s head was still turned slightly to one side. Deciding that now was the time to take her chances, she took a delicate step backward. But the beast was quick to respond, immediately shifting its attention onto her now quivering foot.

Truly defenseless, she had been caught.

Managin to stay calm, she silently recalled her grandmother’s words. ‘When facing a Choski in daylight, throw something big to catch its attention, scream for help and run as fast as you can.’

But what did she have to throw? The mushrooms that she had taken all morning to collect? The pebble she thought was pretty from the springs? Her straw ha-

That was it! The hat!

As Allie reached for the hat which adorned her head, the beast’s gaze followed with nerve-wracking attention. She was certain it was now close to confirming its prey. Trembling with fear, Allie finally caught hold of the frill of her hat, and without a moment to waste, threw it as hard as she could towards and beyond the beast.

True to grandmother’s words, the Choski’s gaze snapped onto the bonnet and Allie, thanking the Gods as she sprinted away, screamed desperately for help as the hungry beast closed in.

------------ Chapter 1 End ------------

*Ritorias is the closest nation-state to the Empire*

**A horrific beast with a rats tail, wolves’ body and enormous, snake-like, venomous fangs.**