CHAPTER ONE: UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER

Elroy trots his horse on the dry dirt, swarming with dead leaves along a narrow trail - running through the woods - a portion of the kingdom of Riana - it is a forest of thick growing tall trees bearing brownish leaves.

Elroy is an average height, fair alluring young gentleman with a good physique. His hazel green eyes beamed with his smile so cheerfully even the unkind twilight breeze rejoicing with the creaking branches found comfort in his short wavy brunette hair.

“At last Celsius, our journey to the Kingdom of Riana is finally over.” Elroy strokes the mane of the stallion, gazing up at the thick stone walls of Riana miles away.

Riana is the supreme and largest kingdom in the western regions, ruled by his majesty; King Eric Levia.

At about half a mile, Elroy halts his stallion catching glimpse of a boy struggling with a large bag. He trots his stallion closer to the boy, willing to give him a helping hand.

“Where are you heading boy?” Elroy glanced about in case it was a trap set by bandits.

“The kingdom of Riana sir, "the lad took no turn to see who was speaking, he kept pulling the bag, "I’ll be highly grateful for your assistance.” The filthy looking lad pleaded.

Elroy wanes off Celsius, taking the burdensome bag from the swollen hands of the young lad - yet keeping an eye out for sudden moves.

“Wow!” he exclaimed “This is heavy, what’s in it?” he asked with a suspicious thought.

“Muerte y anos de sustantivo (Death and years of suffering)”

Elroy recognized the Eastern tongue. “Aha! You must be from the Eastern-lands.” Elroy replied jokingly, not knowing what the young lad had said to him.

After mounting the bag on the back of Celsius, a familiar stench came upon Elroy's nose; too familiar he tries to grasp the stench when a bright light flashes behind him, enough to cast a huge shadow in front of him. Elroy instantly turned around in a bit to draw his sword.

He trembled in fear, his body unwilling to move, for the aura blazing out into the atmosphere signified nothing but death.

Before Elroy came back to the realism of the situation; he found himself spinning in the air, with a brutal force enough to knock a child out cold he landed on the ground meters away from the creature.

The creature saw no pity in devouring Celsius alive; it nibbled and chewed, scratching and tearing Celsius apart like it hasn’t eaten for days. Elroy lay numb - unable to move or flinch a finger, on the verge of blacking out Elroy beheld a flash of lightning followed by the head of the beast gyrating into the dark.

BEGINNING OF THE END

At once Elroy opened his eyes with a weighty breath, exhaling at a snail's pace.

What was that? He thought. It felt so real, was it a dream? He took a good look again and noticed he was lying on a bed in an unknown room; his hand cuffed to each handle of the bunk.

Regarding the room, it seems like one owned by a healer, it was stuffed with various sizes of kegs oozing with medicinal stench. By his side was a large mirror and from his reflection he could see a white cloth tied round his head as well as a man standing by the entrance of the room which he turned over to.

“Hey! You.” He called out to the tall sender man, with bristly white hair, dressed in black woolly cloak.

“Why have I been restrained?” Elroy demanded an answer.

“Seems your memory is not yet restored.” The man spoke with a shallow tone, disgust roving all over his ripened face, “either way I will get paid.”

“Let me go this instant.” Elroy demanded, shaking the bunk as he tries to set himself free.

“Not at the moment, you must recompense for the carnage you committed, Sara!!”

A young lady dressed as the healer was, rushed into the room.

“You called for me sir.”

“Go get the Soldier, tell them the boy is awake and fit, don’t forget to collect the pay.”

“Yes sir.” Sara stepped out of the room.

Elroy was lost in confusion of how he ended up in such an obscure situation, he couldn't remember anything, how he got here-what he was planning-what he did to get such a cruel treatment and what he was doing before he got here; arguing in his thoughts he failed to notice the healer falling down unconscious due to a hard whack to the back of his head.

He soon snapped back when a figure approached him, turning over, he sets his eyes on a pale, young lady, endowed with rare magnificence, holding a wooden staff - he could have sown he knew her scent from somewhere but he can't recall a single thing.

Her dark-long hair put up to form a bun by a black band along with the brown leather sleeveless and pants gave her an expression of a foe rather than friend.

“Who are you?” Elroy was concerned.

“Let’s make a deal, stay still then I won't have to leave you to the fate awaiting you.”

Elroy nodded to avoid further implications while the maiden tried unlocking the shackles holding his hands.

Not quite long from when she had opened the shackle a Soldier stepped in, clad in dark-blue leather armor with a large four-point white star crested at the chest region; Elroy recognized this one thing - how he knew he wondered - the capital armor for a soldier of Riana.

Looking at the floor the Soldier could see the unconscious body of the healer, over at the bed Elroy being freed by a strange lady.

“You there, stop!” the Soldier ordered, reaching for his sword.

“What seems to be the problem sir?” the fair beauty asked kindly as she straightened up.

Not minding the words of the lady the Soldier drew his sword from the scabbard hanging by his side which matched his armor, killing intent engraved in his eyes, but somehow the young lady had closed unto him; a swing from her staff unto the unguarded head of the Soldier shattered the staff, knocking him out.

Meanwhile Elroy had fully unlocked the shackle on his hands but most of all amazed at the maiden’s reflex.

“Well don’t just sit there," the maiden charged Elroy, "we don’t have much time, there is a troop of cavalry waiting downstairs.”

“Then how do we leave this building?” Asked Elroy while he stood up on his feet.

Devoid of much thought, the maiden gazed towards the wide window, "Are you scared of heights?"

"No, hopefully." Elroy wasn't sure.

"Good." She smiled.

She dashed towards the window pulling Elroy with her, off the window they went from the third floor of the four floor cottage, yelling until they crashed on a large pile of haystack.

Like the maiden knew what was coming, five Riana Soldiers stormed into the room with arrows nocked on their bows ready to annihilate any enemy. As Elroy and the maiden got off the hay everyone in the hectic neighbourhood began staring at them, indistinct murmuring springing out from the gathering crowd.

“Are you insane?” yelled Elroy, his heart still racing. “What were your chances of landing safely?”

“Quite down and enjoy the moment,” the maiden spoke with gladness.

“I’m not going anywhere, not until you tell me your true motives for helping me.” He stood firm, awaiting an answer that may help him remember.

Within that instance, an arrow breezed Elroy’s face, placing a sharp cut on his cheek before piercing into a moving wagon.

“Seven hells." Elroy held his cheek, staring at the arrow on the wagon.

An archer standing inside the room missed his mark due to the prickly rays coming from the afternoon sun; the young lady didn't wait to know what happens next, she quickly pulled Elroy towards the crowd.

As they force their way through the enormous and eventful crowd, a group of Riana Soldiers still slacking behind raced after them.

“Hope you know how to fight?” Asked the maiden, now wearing a serious look.

“As much as I remember, to an extent.” Elroy assured himself - feeling sure.

“You’re going to need it.”

As soon as they came to an open space in the district square, two Royal guard wielding their long swords hurried out in front of them.

Heavy armored Soldiers, attached to their Riana armor is a black cape to single them out from normal Soldiers; although their brute nature already did so.

Splitting from each other one charged towards the lady while the other towards Elroy.

One look at the advancing Soldier Elroy, for some reason knew what to do from the attack coming, as soon as the Soldier swung his sword Elroy - nippy on his feet avoided the fatal blow, which sent the Soldier crashing into the dirt. One of the limitations of using a large sword; Elroy without delay followed the maiden, who had already knocked out her foe and fled towards the bridge leading out of the district.