Tales of the Citadel

Episode 1: The Question

Standing ominously in the mountainous region of Nolern, the Citadel cast its eerie presence in the landscape. Unlike the pragmatic and straightforward Nolern style, the old fortified city had kept its austere gothic architecture and imposing towers that loomed over the snowy scenery, overshadowing the two people standing guard in front of the tall iron doors of the citadel gates. The cold and the falling snow only added to the harsh environment, making the Citadel hard for any outsiders to reach. Despite the remote location, the Citadel was the home of many people, as witnessed by the smoke coming out of the stone chimneys and the barely audible hum of activity from behind the walls.

At the main gate, the two figures, clad in black armor, exuded an imposing aura as they watched the horizon in their vigil. Their dark attire were progressively covered by snowflakes, only to be brushed off by their hands. In this cold weather, their skull shaped visor created small clouds as these guardians slowly breathed. While one was lithe, the other had a lean frame, making it easier to tell them apart.

After a few minutes of silence covered by the snowy wind, the lithe one turned his head to his colleague. Softly tapping the hilt of his saber with the index, he said to break the windy silence, "Hey, Dagger. I've been thinking recently..."

The guard beside him, carrying a sheathed dagger, turned his skull-shaped helmet to face his comrade, his armor creaking with the movement. Despite concealing their face behind their visor, the lithe guard knew that his colleague sported an amused expression.

"You've been thinking? Saber, you always think," Dagger chuckled, his laugh echoing in his helmet. "Alright, share me your wisdom."

Saber, still idly tapping his hilt, let out an amused sigh, which created a large cloud that seeped through the eyelid of the visor. This large condensation briefly warmed his red cheeks from the cold. He quickly regained his composure. "Are we the baddies?" Saber asked, his worry muffled in his helmet.

Dagger's confused look was hidden beneath his visor, but Saber knew him too well to know what his friend was thinking. He could see the smirk on Dagger's concealed face. Silently, the lean guard slowly looked down at his black armor, which was adorned with a crudely painted skull on its breastplate. Then he looked at their ominous helmet and at the looming towers with red banners adorned by white skulls on them. The long silence was deafening when Dagger finally stared at his friend. 

"Are you really asking this now?" Dagger replied having a hard time to stifle his amusement. "What makes you say that?" he asked sarcastically.

Saber understood his friend's sarcasm, but he wanted to get his doubts out of his chest. "Well, we are called henchmen," the pensive guard stated. "And we don't really have a friendly aesthetic either. I mean, we have skulls everywhere. On our armor, our banners and on the front gate," Saber declared while pointing at the iron door behind them.

In silence, the pair stared at the gate for a solid minute, sharing yet another awkward moment. The henchmen shared a surprised look, as if they had just noticed the giant skull painted on the iron doors. They have been working there for five years.

Saber continued. "I even saw a veteran henchman with a skull painted on his coffee mug!" he exclaimed, getting his helmet filled with condensation and the absurdity of the revelation.

"Alright. Let's say that I believe you about the mug," the sarcastic henchman conceded. "But if the skulls are your only problem, we can bring it up to the Dark Lord - Oh..." Dagger said, his voice fading at the sudden realization.

"You see what I mean?" Saber insisted, waving his hands to point at the ridicule of their situation.

Dagger scratched the back of his helmet only to make metallic scratching noises. Oddly enough, it wasn't the first time they had this kind of conversation, nor would it be the last. The last time, it was during a battle between their patrol and the King's champion and her retinue. Though they were in the middle of a burning village that been abandoned for months.