Hiero

Chapter One (Ox City)

The town of Bok was known for its shady deals, unruly townspeople, and power-hungry merchants. This is the town Hiero grew up in with his family until the age of 15, this was when he ran out of money after his family left him for a better place. They left Hiero because he was the youngest and in his family's eyes was less capable of making money for the family. At the age of 15, alone and afraid of what might happen to him if the Town's townspeople discover his family's disappearance, Hiero thinks of a plan to buy him some time to meet up with his family. Hiero worked as a stable boy in the morning. When it became evening time he turned all the candles in his house on, at midnight he turned all the candles off except for the one in his father's room because he always worked past midnight. He made sure the candle was shorter so that it would burn out at around the same time his father would go to bed.

Thankfully his father was a solo merchant with few friends who would visit him from time to time. Hiero had this plan working out for him until one day when he returned from his work and saw that there were debt collectors at his house, sneaking by he overheard the debt collectors talking and heard they were looking for him. Hiero, shocked by this, goes into Town and buys as many supplies as possible, and leaves to follow his family's trail. A couple of days later he spots a merchant wagon damaged on the road with his family name on it. Knowing what happened or assuming the worst Hiero sets off for the City of Ox.

Hiero sees the City as an opportunity to try to start a new life, But each time he tries to look for work it is something that he has no experience in, with such a fast-paced city no one has the time to train someone how to do work if they are going to pay them, so he keeps getting declined time after time Until he stumbles upon a rather young blacksmith that is 4 years older than him, his name is Stren. Stren offers Hiero a Job as his assistant, Hiero, hungry and not doing anything else accepts, Stren shows him his room and gives him a list of things that he will be regularly doing, Lucky Hiero knows how to do everything on the list to a professional standard. The City of Ox is firmly against Assassins and Bounty Hunters, anyone known to be currently holding one of the two statuses within the Walls of The City of Ox will be executed and anyone harboring or supplying them will also be brutally punished and exiled. Stren was a young Black Smith who was still mastering the arts and did not have regular customers, So to keep the forge going he resorted to supplying the very 2 people he was supposed to avoid at all costs. Every morning a Bounty Hunter or an Assassin would come over to Stren's Forge to pick up their weapon, Hiero took note of what Stren did, even though Hiero was frustrated after finding this out he could only keep his mouth shut because this was the only way he could exist within The flourishing City of Ox.

One Morning Oxian Soldiers came knocking on Stren's Door for a surprise inspection, as they looked around they asked who Hiero was, Stren explained as the Oxian soldiers looked up and down their list to see if he was a Bounty Hunter or an Assassin, they scoff and leave the forge. Hiero saving his money up looks for better ways to make more money but does not find one with the stress of not being able to find extra work he dozes off in the forge when he wakes up Stren is attending to one of his customers who need their blade mended, Hiero awake sits and listens in to there conversation.

Stren says: Hey Govan it has been a while are you ever going to get a new sword? This one is almost at the point of no return you can only mend a blade so many times.

Govan replies: I am saving up for a new sword maybe I will get one of those Oxian swords I hear they are made of strong ore and last a couple of years the only problem is they cost too much.

Stren says to Govan: Why not participate in the Ox's Horn this year, I hear the prize money is double that of last year because of how well the City has been doing, I could also sponsor you as well.

Govan says: Eh I don't think so those things are for the best and I don't want to break my blade thanks for the offer though.

Govan waves at Stren as he leaves

Hiero walks up to Stren and asks him about the Ox's Horn 

Stren says: The tournament is to see how skilled or strong someone is with their weapon versus another weapon to enter you need a Blacksmith sponsor and acceptance from the Ox Officials
 this is the only reason why Blacksmiths can create swords in the City.

Hiero asks Stren: Can you make me a sword

Stren jokingly says: Have you held a blade

Hiero Replies:  no,

Stren says: Then you can't join, you will lose before the tournament even starts. Why do you even want to participate in the tournament?

Hiero replies: I want to get stronger for my own reasons

Stren says: Don't worry if you don't want to tell me I won't pry. But you need training, good luck finding that in this City.

As they are having this conversation a regular customer of Strens arrives for their monthly mending, Ava The Assassin is getting her dagger repaired. Hiero Asks Ava if she can teach him, Ava declines at first, but when Hiero gives her all the money he has been saving since he escaped from Bok she reconsiders and teaches Hiero how to fight with a blade.