Rise Of The Forgotten: Paths Cross

CHAPTER FOUR, MORALES BEING YOUR OWN

Three days have now passed since Diomede left the farm he had called home. Diomede reached the top of a hill overlooking the small river-side village called Blue Stream, named by the youngest child of the village's founder Cage Kain. He was five and he had not known the difference between a river and a stream. The evening sky rested just above the village. The blue and pink shades from the sunset blended. The sight was one perfect for an artist to have spent their whole day waiting for. Strangely the village was lively for one so small, Diomede took note of this and made his way through the village. He stopped a man and asked which way to the tavern, the man pointed him in a direction and told him, "It be called pinky Toe." Diomede looked back at the man with an aroused eyebrow, the man laughed showing his missing teeth, "It's called that because the owner was born without pinky toes!" The man turned and walked away laughing. Diomede left confused, made his way to the "Pinky Toe". As Diomede walked in he saw multiple people sitting around the "Pinky Toe'' no doubt regulars or, so they would at least appear to be. He made his way to the bar and sat directly in the middle with his back to everyone. The Bartender came from behind the curtain that divided the back room and the bar area. As the Bartender tied his apron around his waist, he greeted Diomede, " Ah another new face, we have been getting a lot of you newcomers lately." He walked over to Diomede and began to pour liquid from under the bar. Diomede raised his hand and stated he didn't want any ale, beer, or any form of alcohol. The bartender smiled, "I know, you just want water and the answers to the questions you have or at least any new rumors of the area." Puzzled Diomede looked down into his cup, it was filled with water, clean water, in fact, a lot cleaner than he thought it would be. Diomede looked to the Bartender who now held one of the biggest smiles Diomede had ever seen. Diomede asked, "How did you know what I wanted to drink and what I was after?" The Bartender answered with a joyful tone, " I have seen many adventurers come through here and most of them that don't buy up all my inventory always ask for water as a courtesy before asking for answers to their questions, either way, they mostly always pay." " But by the look of you, you might not have any money on ya, no offense but ya gear looks old and dirty not to mention your smell." Diomede smiles, "OK Barkeep, tell me then what you know about any attacks done by the self-righteous holy knights of Umar." The Bartender's smile quickly faded, he reached out to Diomede, grabbed him by the shoulder, and leaned into his ear. "Listen lad whatever has happened to you for you to be looking for the knights let it go." " They aren't the types to mess with, especially now with war brewing with the Boarkar Lords." " War with The Boarkar? Diomede asked. The Bartender leaned in closer, "Yes, it seems some of the Boarkar have carved their way north through the Dyken and Nesfundur territories." Diomede was taken aback by this information and he continued to ask about how all this was happening. The Bartender told him how many say it is because the Boarkar Lords want more land for themselves and are willing to do anything for it. Others say it's because the Blood Tusks caused trouble within the Boarkar Lands and raised a rebellion. Diomede took all this in, not aware that the world had changed so much in the short time he spent on the farm. The Bartender tightened his grip, and in a desperate voice, " So please lad, don't go asking questions about the holy knights or any other knights. They protect us from those who would wish us harm." Diomede took the bartender's hand off his shoulder and sat back, He turned to the people in the Tavern and pointed out to the different groups. " Why because Umar holy knights are sitting right here?" The Bartender in shock, " You..You knew there were holy knights here and you still asked your question?" The groups stood up and their forms began to change shape, revealing their golden armor plates and different types of weapons. A young knight with blonde short hair drew his sword and yelled out to Diomede, "You, I think you have asked enough questions and it is time for you to make your way out of town." Diomede finished off his water and stood up, turning to the three groups of men, Diomede gave the young knights a once over. Noting that most of them were barely twenty or so. "I'm not going anywhere, and I would like for you to make me leave." The Holy Knights, confused by this, ready their weapons; a few with swords and shields, others with spears. They surrounded Diomede as he walked to the middle of the Tavern. Diomede revealed his twin axes on his belt and tapped the top of them, he turned to the blonde holy knight who had made his way to the front of the groups, " Now listen when this starts please forgive me, I haven't fought in a long time and I am a bit rusty." Confused, the knights began to close in on him slowly, each ready to strike Diomede. In a voice that echoed throughout the tavern, Diomede said with an emotionless expression, "Now when I draw my weapons I intend to use them to kill my enemies, are you prepared to be my enemy?" The Knights began to shake, their armor rattled. The blonde one yelled out for them to attack him now. No one moved, not a single knight raised their weapons, and after moments passed their weapons fell to the floor and all of them except the blonde Knight ran out of the Tavern. The blonde knight stayed standing shaking in his armor, his heart pounding in his chest. But still, he kept his weapon gripped tight. Diomede walked over to him, towering over the young knight, and looked him in the eyes. Diomede knocked the sword from the young knight's hand with a half-effort slap and turned back to walk to the bar. Diomede in a stern voice told the young knight, "Don't feel shame for feeling fear, it's a part of what makes you a strong fighter." The Knight perked up at this, and started to calm down, Diomede continued, "You have to listen to what your body is telling you. Pain, your body is telling you there is damage or discomfort to be aware of. Fear, that is your body's natural alarm telling you that you are in over your head." Diomede kicked the weapons that lay on the floor. "But to overcome that alarm well takes some real courage." Diomede continued, "And to have the ability to not piss yourself when facing something like me is a feat most don't have the pleasure of attaining." The Bartender, still frozen by what had just happened, began to move again but stumbled through a puddle at his feet. Diomede sat down and turned to the young knight, " You have heart boy, and a strong conviction. But I fear that it has all been misplaced and is being used by a rather unworthy order and kingdom. I hope your morales are your own and are not aligned with those in power." The young Knight picked up his sword and stared at it, his reflection showed how he was filled with fear in a stranger's face. He gripped it tight and rushed at Diomede, the bartender frozen yet again at the sight of the rushed attack. The young knight who had closed his eyes opened them to an alarming sight. He had stabbed Diomede in the chest, in shock he looked up into Diomede's eyes. As he looked into the eyes of the man just stabbed, the young knight's core was filled with a cold feeling. Like one in the middle of the winter months. Diomede stood with the sword in his chest. The young knight fell to the floor, Diomede pulled the blade from his chest and cleaned it off. He handed it back to the young knight, and in shock, the young knight did not move. As Diomede placed the sword next to the knight, he remarked on how he did say the young knight had never faced anything like him before and how he requested that the knight not go screaming about this. Diomede turned and poured himself another water. The young knight stood up, and he put his sword away. As he slowly walked out still in shock and his head hung down in shame, he asked Diomede, " You would have killed us in an instant, we never stood a chance of killing something like you." Diomede put down his drink, " No you lack the ability and power to kill something like me." The young knight walked out at a slow defeated pace, as the young knight made his way through the village, his fellow knights came running up with reinforcements behind them. They stopped at the site of the young knight, one called out, " Clayton, what happened? Did you kill that bastard?" Clayton looked up at them collecting himself, and answered, "No I didn't, his blood wasn't worth it to spill." The Knights looked puzzled, and one spoke up, "Then what happened?" Clayton began to walk through town as the knights followed behind him. Afraid the others would go and attempt to fight the stranger, Clayton began to boast to them, " I spared him, he was just a drunk old man who was all talk." " I told him to leave town and he did." The Knights began to make fun of the stranger saying he was probably just an old veteran trying to live his old glory days. Another chimed in," Yeah plus Clayton is the best swordsman in the barracks, the old man never stood a chance anyway." As they reached the barracks. A few knights that were there were surprised everyone had returned so quickly. All the knights surrounding Clayton sang his praise and told how he ran the old drunk off. The knights put back the weapons they had pulled from the shelves. Some ask about the ones that were left at the tavern, but a knight spoke up and said the Bartender would return them. As Clayton put the sword that he used to stab Diomede back on the shelf, his mind raced with questions. Who was that man? Where did he come from? What even was he? How do I kill something like him? Before Clayton could begin to unravel and form answers to these questions. The barracks began to shake, a large tree came crashing through the roof and crushed a dozen knights under its weight and the darby of the barracks. A roar rang out as a Gultonk came crashing through the wall killing more knights.