The cold wind of the morning comforts the citizen of Tarwood as they are slowly waking from their beds. But for William, it is the most exciting day of his life as he and Sir Eldric will begin their two-day travel to the capital to participate in the Grand Tourney that occurs every five years. The knights of the realm can compete for a chance to win money and grant their deepest wish with the grace of King Edward.
William heads to the stables and prepares their horses and luggage for the road when greeted by his friend, John Leads.
"Look at you up and about this early. You just began being a squire last year. Now you turned 16, you surpass the rest of us, and you are now the formal squire of Sir Eldric!" John says as he hands William a pouch of medicinal herbs.
"John, we all turned squires at the age of 15," William replied, "I am just a year older than you. There is no special training here. I just did what Sir Eldric instructed me, and I did it by heart. I've been a squire for a year, and it will take more than cleaning the stables and swords before I can be knighted, so why the long face?"
It's written on John's face. William can see his friend's sadness stems from John's inability to attend the Grand Tourney with William and Sir Eldric as the barracks only allow squires and knights.
"You will get your chance to be a squire next year, but I do wish Sir Eldric reconsider bringing you to the Grand Tourney," William replied as he placed the items neatly on the back of the horses.
Like a thief, Sir Eldric sneaks towards the two and gives them a good fright. The two boys leapt in fear while their mentor laughed as he saw the two boys' faces turned white as a sheet.
"And the answer is no. Just look at you two. I managed to sneak behind and give you the scare of your life. What if I was a bandit and mugged the two of you?" He laughed and helped the two back to their feet. "Since William will assist me on the tourney, I will need you, John, to keep the other page in check while we are away. We won't be gone for long. We will be back once the tourney ends, within two weeks or so."
John grabbed Eldric's tunic and gave him a big hug. "Don't worry! We will be here protecting Tarwood till you return, and I will make sure the kids are properly trained."
"Ata boy!" Eldric hugs John and treats him as if his child. Eldric doesn't have any legitimate children. Instead, he adopts orphan children. His heart can't bear seeing a kid without a future. This was his motivation that led him to his knighthood. With the riches he gained over the years, he turned an old settlement within the forest into a walled village that accepts anyone that needs help.
Eldric and William ride their horses and begin their long trek toward the capital. John waves goodbye to his friend and their mentor.
As the morning turned to a harsh afternoon, the two decided to rest their horses by the river. William prepares their lunch while Eldric grabs his sword and practices his swings and form.
As William was cooking their gruel, he noticed a pair of eyes by the bushes near them. Alarmed, he quickly notified his mentor about the unwanted visitor.
Eldric dropped his sword and turned his head towards the bush. "A guest! Please join us for our lunch. My name is Eldric Tarwood, and this is William Forrester. We mean no harm, and we are just passing thru your territory. We will leave after we have our lunch."
William stands up and yells in protest, "Those are the folk of the trees! Pagan worshippers and turn to savages!"
Eldric turned around and gave William a stern look. "Who do we serve?" Eldric asked William.
"The crown", William replied with clench closed.
"What does crown represent?"
"The king that protects his people from harm. Especially from the -"
"Does the crown represent the monarch?! Or does it serve the higher purpose?" Eldric cuts him off.
William holds his breath and remembers his lesson when he was raised in the orphanage. "God. The crown serves as a link between God and the kingship of the realm."
"Exactly. And does killing the innocent give us the security we need?" Eldric asks his squire once more.
William was at a loss for words. He was blinded by the stories of the knights defending this realm from the bandits and other atrocities made by their enemies. The gossip from the kingdom led him to believe that these people were heathens are quick to violence. Taking whatever they wanted from their realm and killing anyone that they got in their way.
Eldric was angry with his squire's judgment but, likewise, was quick to let his anger go and understand where the boy is coming from. William was found as a baby in the middle of the forest. He was taken care of by the nuns of an orphanage. Four years ago, the village that William was raised in was beset by bandits, taking away their food and burning everything on their path. It was by chance that Eldric was passing by and immediately jumped into action. He drove all of the bandits away, but the fight severely wounded him. The villagers took him in and nursed him back to health. He thought that it was some doctor that healed him, but it was this kid. He saw the good in him and his capability as a healer and was convinced this kid could be a good knight. This was the reason he took William under his wing.
Eldric ordered William to place a bowl of gruel near the bush. William reluctantly followed Eldric; he approached the bush with his right hand carrying the bowl and his left hand behind his back with a dagger at the ready. Eldric sees William shaking with fear and reminds the boy not to be afraid as the visitor wants a meal.
As William placed the food by the bush, small hands appeared and took the bowl inside the bush. The two can hear the slurps of their guest as it sates their hunger. Soon enough, the guest placed the bowl outside of the bushes with a loud burp.
Eldric asked once more to join them for lunch. Their guest cannot say no after that delicious serving. William puts up a brave face and steadies his hand on his dagger if this guest tries anything funny.
A girl emerged from the bushes with her arrow pointed at the two of them. Still cautious yet slowly trusting Eldric and William. Unkept hair, bearing no shoes, covered in mud. Eldric was right. This girl was not from their realm. Eldric surmises that this girl must have been hunting since the dawn of the day and yet haven't captured any food for breakfast.
Eldric approached the girl with another bowl of gruel and asked her to sit with them by the camp. She lowers her weapon and proceeds to grab the bowl from Eldric's hand.
William was ashamed of his mistake. He lowered his arm from his dagger and sat beside his master to apologize. Still, Eldric grabbed his shoulder and complimented him, "This gruel is delicious, William! Are you sure you don't want to be a cook? You might even bring peace to all with your cooking!" Then, with the mood set back to a happier one, the three enjoy their meal together.
After they had their fill, the girl stood up and bowed before them and began to speak. "I thought your people were just savages, but I was mistaken. Some of you still have a good heart. May mother earth guide you two on your path. But I would like to repay you two for the food you shared with me."
She brings forth a pouch full of smooth white stones with runes etched on it. She instructs Eldric to grab a handful of the stones in his palm. As he does it, the girl closes her eyes and prays over the earth. "Throw it!
As the runes fell to the ground, three of the runes came up "ᚦ ᚾ ᛠ". The girl looked up and grabbed the hands Eldric. "The earth tells us your destination will be a difficult one. Plight awaits you with thorns, and failure means death."
Eldric was surprised as the girl guessed their destination. "I am impressed. We're heading to the Grand Tourney, where knights of our realm will compete. But, unfortunately, death is a possibility as we are required to duel with each other."
"But no need to worry!" William says with enthusiasm, "Sir Eldric already won the Grand Tourney 20 years ago. And he is, if not one, of the best knights in the realm. And I will be here to assist him."
The girl looked at Eldric's eyes and reminded him to be careful. He won in his younger years, but it doesn't excuse him from being reckless, especially now he is older. Eldric thanked her for her warning and assured her he would take her words to heart.
The girl grabbed William's hand and asked to do what Eldric did earlier. As William cast the stones to the ground, three runes also turn up "ᛗ ᛟ ᛏ".
The girl laughs for a moment, "Yours says you, a man will inherit the land of the brave. But, I say this one is unlikely as you were shaking awhile ago with my bowl." William closes his fist and bit his lip. He wanted to tell his adventures with Sir Eldric to prove that he was brave as the rune says but, he figured it wasn't worth the effort and instead shook her hand in thanks.
The girl was about to leave, but Eldric stopped her to ask her name. "Ingrid is my name. Safe travels to you both, and I hope other people of your realm be as kind as you." As soon as she said her name, she ran toward the thick forest and was never seen again.
Eldric and William continued with their journey. Eldric remains steadfast in the duration of the trip while William is hung on the readings by Ingrid toward Eldric. Finally, when the sunsets, they made camp by the road. William prays that God favours Eldric on this tourney and helps him win every match he enters. Not because he wants Eldric to win the gold but to see him return safely to Tarwood and help him develop his training to be a knight.
As William dreamed, he sees himself as bowing before Sir Eldric, knighting him with John and the rest of Tarwood as a witness. He dreamt of going on an adventure to defeat all the bandits of the realm, get paid, return to the orphanage that raised him and give them the money for raising him.
As the new dawn breaks, they are awakened by the loud trampling of horses travelling by the road. Eldric wakes up to see knights carrying their banners and some touring a caravan with them. William wakes up and sees the same thing and asks Eldric why they don't have any banner or coat of arms of Tarwood.
"I never thought of it. But, you know what, when we return to Tarwood. I will let you design it. What do you say?" Eldric says as he points to the colourful parade of banners in front of them.
It was a beautiful sight to see a sea of colours. So moved by colors, it instilled pride within William, and he promised to do good by creating a banner that they would be proud of.
After a long and exhausting journey, William and Eldric finally arrived at the capital. The Grand Tourney spiced up the capital; the street is booming with traders, swordsmiths, and armourers are selling their items like hotcakes, and all inn are packed with tourists to witness the first round of the Tourney, duelling contest.There is still time before the ceremony begins, giving the two to have their well-deserved rest."A man can't fight with an empty stomach!" Eldric says as he takes William to a tavern so the two can have a hearty meal. The tavern is busy as ever, but now knights, squires, and even their spectators fill their halls. Commoners and royals gather here as they conduct their bets to see which knight will win on the first part of the Tourney, Dueling.Knights brandish their swords and boast how sturdy their armour is, but William stays quiet. He can see that these knights were not cleaning their armour enough as rust formed on the edge of t
The night turned orange as the capital started a parade. Citizens flood the street as they celebrate the first day of the Tourney draws to a close. Most are in a festive mood but not William, as he still insisted on Lenato's shady action. Eldric shrugs it off and replies that he and Lenato were rivals in their younger days. But, if anything, Lenato wanted his son to avenge him when Eldric defeated him 20 years ago in the Tourney. And to that, he sees this challenge. William can't stress this enough, but Eldric reassures him that Lenato is kinda like that, a sour loser. The two share a laugh and proceed to eat their dinner. As they were enjoying their meal, William asked Eldric how he had defeated George. Eldric replied that when he slammed his shield against George, he felt George's leg lose its balance. This was George weakness, and Eldric decided to force George to work against it. "That's what I said to my grandson before the match but he insisted
For days, William used hisSenseas he cautiously navigated his way out of the swamp. He ensures that he leaves no tracks so those assassins will not follow him. William created a makeshift bow during his travels and dedicated his time to training his hunting skills. He made sure he used his time honing his abilities while making his way back to Tarwood.He made it out of the swamp and found himself on the road. William can rest easy, but hisSensetells him otherwise. He hides inside some nearby bushes. William detects three adult figures hiding behind the trees facing the road. William hears the faint iron chiming on their waist as the wind blows past them.They are armed. William wants to take them head-on are bandits, but he knows he might not win against them due to his weak state."Not without bait!" William says as he patiently waits for a moment to strike.
No man dared to enter the Dark Forest. Bandits, wild animals, and even so-called killers lived here. But William is not deterred! He will need to push thru the Dark Forest to reach the foot of the mountain where the hunters lived. During his week-long trek, he was using the most out of his Sense; always moving to keep him safe from predators. What felt like an eternity; William emerged from the Dark Forest and into the foot of the mountain. There he met an old woman who was part of the hunter tribe he was looking for. The woman noticed his arrival but was too busy throwing runes stones on the ground. William approached the woman and asked for directions to reach their village but the woman held up her hands as she read the runes, "Child who escaped death is here to learn the ways of the wild?” The woman examined William closely and found nothing out of the ordinary. She isn’t impressed with him and throws the rune again. William found this familiar as this is the same way that Ingri
The villagers saw the huge smoke coming from the Dark Forest. They feared the soldiers of the capital are arriving and some rival tribes have come to attack them. They prepared for an attack and all hurried below the mountain.But once they reached the foot of the mountain, they found their Elder hugging her granddaughter tightly and two teenagers beside her. The villagers drop their weapons and begin to celebrate the return of their stolen princess. As for William and John, they are greeted as heroes for saving their stolen princess.They were carried back to the village while the villagers are singing stories about their adventures:The Princess was snatched away by Shadow ScaleOur people wept as our hunters returned to fail.
Over the hills, under the caves, the mountains' plains, and the path to the forest are filled with death. Smoke fills the air, and the dead paint the Chief's way to the hunter's last stand. The hunters put an excellent resistance, sniping their enemies from the top of the mountain, using their traps for such an occasion, and using the remaining vegetation of the forest as weapons.Ingrid led the hunters, and with William and John at her side, their attacks effectively pushed the invaders back. She was level-headed at all times is quick to think on the offensive! No one was able to penetrate their defenses under her watchful eye.The Princess teachings are proven helpful to John. He stood among Ingrid's men as their tactician and coordinated his plan with Ingrid's. He took charge and kept the hunter's formation to counter their enemies and created strategic retreat if needed. His mind and Ingrid's wits are what keep them alive.William fought like a hurricane. He
William wakes up in a dimly lit cave as hundreds of wounded soldiers moan in pain. He sees tribe members of the Hand are now lying beside other wounded of Ingrid's tribe. Noticing the patchwork on him, William figured that William must have passed out due to the blood loss from the Chief's attack. He figures that they won the war but wonders how did they won. The last thing he knew was that he was standing beside his friends then his vision began to darken. William stood up and began to walk around the cave for the exit. As he carefully navigated his way, he was stunned by this old yet beautiful painting that tells a story of a tribe: a tribe who grew powerful and ambitious that they became a mighty nation, the Zonian. A story that William is aware of and is still shocked about it. He clenched his fist in anger. Cruel is the fate that brought him to this world. Whenever he is happiest, the Pentalium always finds a way to turn it for the worst. First, Eldric and now his new home withi
William turns to the blunt end of his blade and smacks the intruder's head, leaving him unconscious. John also engaged with his intruder and quickly disarmed him without any effort. William's Sense picked up another person walking towards them. He hears footsteps underneath his room. Then a trap door underneath his bed opened and crawled a woman. A familiar scent of flowers and lavender fills his nose. He put down his sword and knelt to the ground; it was the Princess. The Princess held a finger to her lips and pointed two dimly lit lanterns outside William's window. William took a peek, and with his Sense, he could hear bowstrings pulled with the coughs from their archers. John entered the room slowly and dragged his unconscious intruder to their room. John was surprised to see the Princess but was well aware of keeping their silence. William immediately ran outside while John stayed behind with the Princess, grabbed his bow to support from afar if things got messy. Assassins from
The word of the Inquisition's return spread like wildfire, striking fear into those who had lived through its brutal reign forty years ago. To them, it was a grim reminder of the horrors that once gripped the Kingdom. However, the Inquisition's revival was welcomed by the younger generation, those who had not witnessed the bloodshed firsthand. They viewed it as an efficient means to root out the Pentalium.The Frostholds wasted no time leaving the capital, their unease palpable. While they understood why the majority voted for the Inquisition, they could not forget the scars it had left on their house. During the war against the Sand People, Frosthold knights had fought bravely alongside the King. But while Berg led his men to the front lines, the Inquisition waged its battle within the Kingdom's walls. When Berg returned, victorious yet broken, he found the families of his fallen comrades under suspicion. The Inquisition was convinced that Frosthold wine shipments reaching enemy hand
Abigail hearing her loyalists marching towards them gave her confidence that she would live another day. Unfortunately for her, once the crowd got nearer, their cry for her execution became louder.Fear filled Abigail's eyes, demanding the boys what they had done to persuade the loyalists to their side. John pointed to the ceiling above them and claimed that all he had done was burn the obstruction from the pipes above them while William distracted him."You do have a beautiful voice. Undeniably your voice." William said, teasing her.Abigail began to panic, realizing she could not deny her voice and what she said. No amount of reasoning or money will save her from the mob coming for her. Left with no option, she pulls out a poison vial from her garb. Luckily, William still uses his Sense's power and reacts faster than her. William grabbed the candy from his pocket and threw it in her fingers, causing Abigail to let go of the vial and crash onto the floor. Humiliated, she turned her b
The boys were in awe of the underground city within the mines. Shimmering stones illuminated the surroundings as sunlight filtered through the cracks above, guiding them toward the city's center. The rhythmic sound of miners striking the earth with their tools created a harmonious dedication to their work. John and William decided to split up to search for Abigail's whereabouts.William decides to enter the tunnels, blending in with the workers because he believes Abigail will be there, particularly in the section where the heaviest work occurs. Once inside, he discovers their flexible work schedule; miners can work anytime without meeting quotas. They are motivated by Abigail's belief that their efforts will bring them closer to justice.As he observes, two miners catch William's attention as they discuss the previous location of a large slab. To his surprise, William realizes he is somewhat familiar with that location. Trusting his instincts, he follows the clues and arrives at the
The King and his royal guards, clad in thick armor, made their way to the Silverhand estate. Behind them marched four hundred men—knights, squires, and soldiers from their respective families and estates. Following closely behind the knights were the catapults and war machinery. The King hoped that this display of force would deter Abigail and her men from further conflict.Forests, hills, and rivers characterize the southern part of the Kingdom. While there are many paths they could take to reach the Silverhand estate, the King chose the shortest yet most dangerous route, leading them toward the ravine, believing it would be less guarded. The ravine tends to flood when the ice melts in the northern part of the Kingdom. Although the water reaches a child's height, the King was confident they could safely cross it on horseback, and the catapults were large enough to be pulled across by their ropes.Upon arriving at the ravine, the King and his men observed loyalist soldiers armed with
A large army of the Kingdom's soldiers gather on the largest fortress in the south. The soldiers hold the fort to prepare for the knight's arrival in a week. Only then can they muster a large force and launch their full force towards Abigail's estate. The fortress has effectively limited the movement of the Silverhand's loyalists by the vast stone wall that spans the forest region. It will force Abigail's force to move towards the fortress to get to the Capital, or they will have to climb the jagged path of the cold ranges where a slip can cause a man's life. The soldiers are confident that no one can get past them. These walls have driven countless invasions, such as when the tribes of ages passed attacked the Kingdom and when the Eastern army tried to muster their way into their territory. Abigail, cunning and devious as she is, moved to destroy her enemies inside the impenetrable fortress. She organized her subjects to dig in the mines and followed a map she had laid out from an o
Before the King and the Royal Court, Sir George delivered the cure and claimed that the assault and destruction of the Keep were his doing alone. But he didn't divulge anything about the Pentalium as he didn't know yet who to trust.The King, pleased with the knight, tasked Sir George with leading the Kingdom's alchemists in reproducing the vials he had obtained from the Keep. The Royal Court was in awe of this knight's actions, all but one: Abigail Silverhand. Abigail Silverhand is the head of a royal family situated south of the Kingdom and a member of the Pentalium. Upon hearing George's bold claim attack on the Doctor, Agibail used her connections within the Royal Court and Pentalium to track the alchemists assigned to George. She took her time killing them, appearing as an accident, and sabotaging the lab, delaying the cure from reaching the hands of the public.With their illness worsening, the people began to trust in any herbs, incense, and tea that they could get to relieve
The ocean waves crashing against Keep's wall spelled its doom. Every wave that hits the wall weakens its foundation, making the Keep give way against its weight. The Keep's walls and floor broke as the pillars supporting the Keep weakened when the Study collapsed. The alchemists sprang from their lab and began to flee. The guards abandoned their post, fearing for their lives. But despite the situation, George and the two generals stayed. George prayed that the two boys survived their fall, while the generals were confident that the Doctor would return and lead their town back to glory. The loud clash of blades awakened John. When he comes to his senses, the dimly lit sewers beneath the Keep greet him with hundreds of dead rats around him and thousands more alive, staring back at him from a distance. William jumped behind John to deflect the knives flying toward him. "John, stay close to me," William said as he reminded his friend that the rats would not eat him as long as
The infected gathered before the Doctor, and she promised them to be her general if they managed to capture the infiltrators. Thou they didn't know about the escaped Sir George; they are just too happy to kill anyone who isn't them and present their corpse to the Doctor.The generals, guards, and initiates are in an uproar, looking for anyone who might blend with them. The commotion allowed John to slip away from the initiates and proceed back to the room where the Doctor held an audience with her chosen initiates. With the guards out of the way, John entered the Study. Towering catalogs, scrolls, and books about alchemy, anatomy, and pet training fill the Study. The place was majestic and colorful, but the table at the corner of the room with the vials caught John's attention.The vials twinkled in John's eyes, luring him into a false sense of security. John was reaching for the vials when the Doctor leaped from the darkness. She stopped John from grabbing the vials and pierced his
"Incredible, you Frosthold are something else." The Doctor commends George for standing up after her guards beat him until he is bruised. They were expecting him to confess, but his lips remained sealed."Leave us. I will squeeze him till he gives me what I want." The Doctor said to her guards.George wished the guards never leave. He feels safer with them as the dread within the Doctor's plague mask intensifies with every second passing. He can feel the mask holding back a demon inside. The Doctor slowly approached George. George can see the Doctor's eyes begin to flicker into a reddish fire within the beady glass. George's heart skipped a beat as he saw something unnatural and unholy before him."The northern town of Frosthold is resting beneath the cold mountain region of our Kingdom. I wonder why its knight abandoned its post and prefers to meddle in my affairs. Why is that?" The Doctor asked while looking at George with unusual red eyes. But even with her intimidation, George re