“So you were a knight,” Crimwal said.

“I didn’t say that I was a knight. I just said that there was once a knight and he went on an adventure, ok? Now look, you've made me lose my train of thought.” Raymond said with a pout.

“Anyway, there was once a knight, a powerful one. He spent many of his days in the midst of battle and enjoyed the glory and honour that came with every victory. He was happy, but what he didn’t know was that with each person he killed and each monster he slaughtered, he slowly became that which he had long hunted. This, however, was not enough to rattle the knight's will. He decided that he’d serve his order as a human or otherwise.” Raymond said as the wind howled outside the cave.

“But things became far less simple during one of his conquests. During one of the order many marches, the knight came across a small tribe of nomads. They were simple, but happy people who lived one day at a time. One of them caught his eye. The knight could have sworn he’d never seen a woman so beautiful in his entire life…” Raymond trailed off into his thoughts leaving Crimwal to silently stare.

“Umm… Ueel?” Crimwal asked, forcefully jerking Raymond back to reality.

“Oh! Yeah, he’d never seen a woman so beautiful. Her long brown hair danced with the wind as the evening sun illuminated her beautiful brown skin. I approached her. My heart beating out of my chest plate. I had fought in the darkest pits of Nar' Agrun and the highest peaks of discord yet the knight had never felt so flustered… so… taken away.” Raymond said as the dim embers from the near-dead campfire danced within his eyes.

“I took off my helmet and introduced myself. She knew what I was as stories of our conquests had spread far and I was sure that she was going to turn her back to me and walk away, but to my surprise, she looked me over and smiled gently. I then realised that several of her tribesmen were also looking at me with amused faces. I ran over to a nearby water urn and saw on the water's surface that my hair was a mess and my face was covered in dirt. Overcome by embarrassment, I decided to return to my men, who had set up camp nearby. I spent the rest of the day thinking about that woman’s smile.” Raymond said.

Crimwal smiled as he watched Raymond drift in and out of his thoughts.

“Later that night, the knight got up and walked out of his tent to stretch his legs only to see several of his men harassing the nomads. The knight completely understood what battle did to men. Many of those he’d fought with returned to their homes, yes, but their original selves were forever lost. Replaced by a dark husk that craved the sensation that came with having their blades in the necks of their enemies and if they couldn’t find that feeling, they’d hunt for substitutes. Wealth, rank… women. However, I must clarify that these were the bad ones, that there were some good men on the battlefield. The knight descended to the nomadic camp and ordered his men to halt their actions, but one particular knight had gotten rather physically with the woman from before so I grabbed the soldiers head and threw him with the others. I don’t know why, but at that moment, I expected the woman to praise me, but she instead took off for her tent. I followed her and loudly apologized outside her tent. I even went so far as to go on my knees and beg for forgiveness, but the woman ignored my pleas. Depressed with the thought of never happily talking with the woman of my dreams, I returned to my camp and slept whatever remained of the night away.” Raymond said.

“Our conquest continued and we eventually left the nomad tribe behind. I hadn’t even gotten to learn the name of the woman whose hand I so dearly wanted to hold. Several months passed and I always did my level best to ensure that my superiors would deploy me anywhere near where the nomadic tribe was. I’d often drop in and check if everything in the tribe was fine and dealt out punishment to any knights who dared ruin their peace.” Raymond said.

“After some time and a lot of begging, the woman I’d met all that time before finally talked to me. She told me her name was Aluin. That name would be forever etched onto my heart.” Raymond said with a yawn.

“Ok, that’s enough for today,” Raymond said as he rolled over.

“What? Not fair! I told you my life story in one piece.” Crimwal cried.

“Shh. You’ll wake the others. Besides, you’re not the only one with itching curiosity, isn’t that right, boy?” Raymond said as he looked at the unmoving body that was Kalos.

Crimwal was confused, but then he saw Kalosýni’s brow twitch slightly.

Crimwal let out a defeated sigh.

“Fine, but you’re going to tell me all of it before the week ends,” Crimwal said before going to sleep.

Raymond slept soon after.

.

..

Kalos was the first to awaken, he took a look outside the cave and saw that the weather was calmer than before.

So he began packing his things as the others awoke as well.

Estella and the others packed their things and they were ready to go.

The group made it's way further up the mountain.

“Crimwal, do you know of any towns or outposts up the mountain? The only I can think of is Tolman, but quite far and quite high.” Raymond said.

“Actually, Tolman is the only one. There other small outposts merged with it but I heard it’s filled to the brim with knights from the order.” Crimwal said as he walked closely behind Raymond.

“I see. Oh, have you ever been to Eslaf Retnec?” Raymond asked.

“No. But my mom has, she says it's pretty nice. Clean streets, low crime rates and it serves as the true centre of the order of Eirini. Actually, I heard that the city is located at the centre of the world.”

“According to who?” Raymond asked, his voice laden with scepticism.

“The order. They think that the golden heart serves as an entrance to both Nar’ Agrun and Nesrafaar.” Crimwal said.

Raymond let out a groan but otherwise remained silent as the climb steepened slightly.

“So, care to continue your little story as we walk,” Crimwal said, his breaths heavy.

“Mmm? Oh, that. Umm… where was I?” Raymond asked.

“You had the name of some lady etched onto your heart.” Kalos reminded.

“Ah-ha! So you were awake! Also, that’s no way to speak about your mother” Raymond yelled.

“What are you asked talking about?” Estella asked.

“Ueel is telling me his life story,” Crimwal said.

“Wait, mother's name was Aluin?” Kalos asked but Raymond ignored him.

“Oh? Sounds interesting.” Estella said as Kalos walked carefully beside her.

“Anyway, I was in love. But I didn’t want to force that love onto Aluin so I kept my feelings inside, although I suspect she might have known the whole time. Things took a turn for the worst when our order began taking more forceful actions in our conquests. Tribes were destroyed and kingdoms to the far north were plunged into darkness, all so that ours could shine brighter. I then heard that the order would be taking various pieces of land in Carimae, one of them was exactly where Aluin and her tribe was. In a moment of panic, I took my horse, rode to her tribe and warned them of the coming doom. They laughed my warnings off and said that they’d just move if the order really wanted the land, but I knew that wasn’t how things were going to play out. I ran to Aluin’s tent and told her what I knew. I offered her a place in Faacri and promised to keep her safe, but she said she’d rather stay with her tribe. This presented a rather problematic situation for me.” Raymond said as he climbed over a large boulder. He looked down the path they came from with narrowed eyes.

“What is it?” Crimwal asked.

“Not sure. I just feel like someone is following us.” Raymond said.

“Same feeling as yesterday?”

“Anyway, it might be nothing, so let’s keep moving.” Raymond said.

“Now, where was I? Oh, yeah. My little big problem. Aluin didn’t want to come to Faacri, but her tribe's territory would soon fall under siege. I approached my superiors and begged that they spare her tribe. They said no, which didn’t really surprise me, but it did strengthen my desire to protect Aluin and her people.”

“You’re a kind man, aren’t you,” Estella said.

“No. I am a monster among monsters. I just liked someone and wanted to do what I could for them. Anyway, the conquest began and the order acquired a lot of land in less than a year, we had done what we set out to do and I carefully made sure that our armies would march nowhere near where Aluin’s tribe went.”

“You must have been pretty high ranked. To change the course of literal armies… that’s no easy feat.” Crimwal noted as they approach a rather steep part of their climb.

Raymond easily hopped up the boulders and stones, Crimwal followed closely behind, Eevana was slowly catching up while Kalos helped Estella up. He even went as far as to carry her at one point.

“High rank? No, I think I was persuasive in my begging, hehe. Anyway, our conquest ended and I returned to Aluin’s tribe. My body was tired but my heart hadn’t lost an ounce of strength. So, for the umpteenth time, I asked if she would give me her hand.”

“She said yes?” Estella asked from behind, while in Kalosýni’s huge arms.

“No. She said she wouldn’t marry me, but she would join me in Crafton as a friend. She told me she’d always wanted to explore the continent and that I was her ticket out of her monotonous life as a nomad. Yes, she loved her family and friends in Carimae, but there was so much of the world she wanted to see. So, after consulting the tribe’s chief, we returned to Crafia. There, I asked my superiors if I could go adventuring a little and off we went.” Raymond said as he walked around the little boulder.

“Oh, there it is,” Raymond said as everyone caught up to him.

“Tolman. Oh and look at that. No dead horses or broken carriages in sight and guess what Crimwal?” Raymond asked as he narrowed his eyes.

“What?”

“No suspicious little men are being attacked by traeltors,” Raymond said as he hopped down, beginning his descent.

Kalos put Estella down and they too went down the precarious path.

Eevana walked up to Crimwal and gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder.

Crimwal sighed in defeat.

He had told Raymond that he meant him no ill will, but it seems as though Raymond’s guard was still up.

Crimwal followed the others as they entered the mountain town of Tolman.

.

..

Kalosýni’s eyes widened. He had never seen so many knights in one place.

One hundred- no. One thousand or even more.

There were so many knights wearing so many variations of their silver armour that Kalos had a hard time taking it all in.

Some of the knights shot curious glances at Raymond’s group, but Kalos didn’t care. He was way too enamoured by their shiny appearances that he didn’t even notice that most of everyone they passed had their eyes on Estella.

Raymond saw what looked like a motel, so he led the group there.

Tolman may have been a town full of sturdy reinforced buildings and knights, but here and there, one could see a merchant, blacksmith and various other people.

Raymond’s group entered what looked like a regular motel.

A kind looking gentleman awaited them at the reception table.

“Welcome to the Saepenar, how may I help you on this fine afternoon?” The receptionist asked.

Crimwal noticed that Raymond’s eyes had narrowed considerably.

“Uh- we’d like a room,” Raymond said while taking out his coin purse.

“And how long do you plan on staying?” The receptionist asked.

“One night,” Raymond said.

“That’ll be ten silver coins.” The receptionist said with a smile.

Crimwal saw sweat rolling down Raymond’s forehead as he handed the receptionist ten silver coins.

“Your room is the first one on the second floor.” The receptionist said as he took the coins.

The group made their way to their room which was surprisingly clean and surprisingly spacious.

“I didn’t know the great Ueel was a cheapskate,” Crimwal said as he put his bag down.

Estella made her way to the large, comfortable-looking bed and sat on the grey mattress.

“I’m no cheapskate and I didn’t see you contributing a single coin back there, Mr. Adventurer,” Raymond said as he sat on a chair in the room's corner.

“Umm… I- yeah.” Crimwal sheepishly said.

Kalos peeped outside the window. He curiously watched as dozens of people passed by.

Each of them with different destinations and different stories to tell.

Kalos sat next to Estella on the bed and took out his red book which he read with reignited enthusiasm.

Raymond had already passed out on his chair, Crimwal rested his back on the bed and tended to his dagger. It was old and considerably rusted.

“Umm… Kalos. Can you forge me a dagger?” Crimwal asked.

Kalos flipped a single page of his book, but before he answered, his father spoke up first.

“Ten silver coins,” Raymond said.

“You are awake?” Crimwal asked trying to change the subject.

“Doesn’t matter. Ten coins.” Raymond said, his eyes still closed and his head down.

“Umm… don’t you think that’s a bit steep? I mean, Kalos can forge them at will, no?” Crimwal asked.

“Shh!” Kalos hushed. Crimwal then noticed that Estella was peacefully sleeping. He turned his head and found Eevana sleeping on the chair opposite Raymond.

“Kalosýni’s blades are made from light and dark magic. They're purely… pure. Balanced. Perfect. Matter fact, you should be paying me with an Emperor's note. Those are still around right?” Raymond droned, half asleep.

“What? Those are worth a fortune. I think my mom has one or two, but she values those more than my life.” Crimwal cried.

“Bah, whatever. Give him a weapon Kalos. But you owe me.” Raymond said with a scoff.

Kalos forged a dagger and handed it to Crimwal.

Crimwal was astonished by how light it was, but its edge was so fine when he aligned it a certain way, the blade seemingly disappeared.

Crimwal tested its sharpness by running its edge along a leather strap and it instantly cut through.

“Thank you,” Crimwal said before he too joined the others in sleep.

Only Kalos remained awake and he read the afternoon away.

.

..

Nightfall came quickly and Kalos hadn’t stopped reading the old book. According to what his father and Eevana had taught him, the book was about a knight and his journey in Nar' Agrun.

This confused Kalos as he thought only the dead could ever set foot in Nar’ Agrun.

The book was titled “The First Descent".

Kalos wondered if somehow, the order of Eirini was able to send people into Nar' Agrun.

Kalos also wondered why they’d want to do so in the first place.

According to what his father had taught him, Nar' Agrun was the realm of darkness in its purest form. Pain, misery and suffering formed its lands while hatred flowed through its seas.

It was inhospitable and yet the more Kalos read, the more he found himself reading things about members of the order of Eirini willingly entering Nar' Agrun.

Kalos was confused, but his confusion was then dispelled by the sounds of people yelling just outside the motel.

He stood up and looked out the window to find several knights surrounding a single man.

The man looked strange to Kalos. But he couldn’t be sure, it was late in the evening so Kalos couldn’t make out the details.

“Uh- dad. Somethings going on.” Kalos said as he ran over to Raymond, who woke up instantly.

“What?” Raymond asked as he sluggishly got up. He then took a glance outside the window.

“He’s dreaded,” Raymond said, his voice low.

Kalos didn’t hesitate as he walked up to the sleeping Estella and gently woke her up.

“What’s going on-“ Estella stopped talking suddenly as her eyes widened.

“What’s wrong?” Kalos asked as Estella’s face twisted as though she was in pain.

“The- the baby…” Estella said while desperately held back her tears.

“Ah!” Eevana screamed, waking Crimwal up.

“What’s going on?” Crimwal asked.

“The child… it’s singing.” Raymond said with a low rumble in his voice.