II:
"This is a steel from out west," A voice said, awakening Altan. Instinctively he jumped up and twirled around and saw what seemed to be a young nobleman or something like that on the other side of his cell door, holding his dual nomadic sabers from his home country.
"A Divirian steel... that's where you're from I assume?" The Nobleman asked Altan. "Yeah," Altan replied groggily. "I've seen many Divirian warriors wield these swords in books and such but I've never seen someone wield two of them" The Nobleman claimed, examining the two sheathed sabers in his hands. His fingers ran across the engravings and such upon the snakeskin sheath.
"The second sword is a backup mostly" Altan explained "I only use the two of them at once when I either feel like it or if I'm going up against an opponent with a larger sword or with dual swords as well"
"I see... Well I'm just going to get to the point now, I need your help Divirian but the court wants to execute you for murder" The Nobleman said "So I've bargained with them to have you fight for your freedom in a duel and-"
"Ok woah woah woah!" Altan interrupted "Ok first of all what the hell do you need me so badly for man? Like who the hell goes through all the trouble for this?"
With a hushed voice, the Nobleman explained "I believe we have a werewolf terrorizing our village of Kod". Altan, with his interest piqued, stepped closer to the cell door and said "You believe in such things? I always assumed everyone in Fjorde (especially Nobles like yourself) believed that just the thought of such things could be called heresy"
The Nobleman sighed and said "I know, and I fear such beliefs will tear this empire down. But I'm not here to share my beliefs with you I'm here to beg you to help me, I may not be proud of my kingdom in this empire but the people of Kod are still my people and since I have been placed in charge of them it is my job to make sure they are safe"
Altan nodded understandingly "So you're a king?" he asked.
"Yes sir, I am Beckett, King of Kod" Beckett replied
"You seem to be an honourable man Beckett so I may help you, but that does not mean I am honourable myself. Depending on whether I live in the duel I would like to be compensated both in advance and after I help you with your werewolf problem. But if I am unable to, you have full permission to take back all the Sols I am paid in advance and to banish me from your kingdom, Hell you can try and tell the Emperor of Fjorde to banish me from the country entirely and throw me to the pirates out at sea"
"Well" Beckett started "Let us hope it doesn't come to that Divirian"
"They haven't told you my name?" Altan inquired. Beckett shook his head. "Well, I am Altan Nergui, If I am to die don't send my remains to Diviria, send it to Raja. Deliver it straight to the Emperess"
"Why do I need to do that Altan?" Beckett asked curiously.
"It's private but it has to do with this" Altan said, raising his metal-gloved left arm. "I see" Beckett replied "Well I've prodded enough on you".
Beckett looked down at the dual Divirian sabers in his arms and said to Altan without meeting his eyes "I'll have these smuggled into the armory for you before you start the duel".
The two bowed to one another and when Beckett turned to leave he stopped and said "You're gonna have to tell me about that bottle in the corner over there" before he finally left. Altan smirked, pondering on what he got himself into.
