Age Of Shifters

Chapter 2: Blood and Steel

Adraer Tirrin

I'm Rin, I'm the captain of the Rangers along my brothers, Wren and Tarnas. We take orders from King Derike. 10 years ago, we were sent out as new Rangers to find and kill the Dewshields. They never told us why but you never disobey the Kings order. We failed our mission, my brothers and I barely made it out, I still have the burn marks from the goblin that attacked.

She still lives.

This is my story

"Come on pansies get moving!" I shot up from my cot, the captains voice piercing the air. I slid my legs off the edge looking up at him with dreary eyes.

"Calm down Dre, were up." He glanced at me and walked out of the tent knowing he was trying not to blow his lid. The guys around me were holding back laughter, "Nice Rin."

We got on our armor and headed out the tent, the sun blinding us. People were starting to load up their horses, preparing for the final journey to finish the Dewshields.

We mounted up once we loaded. By that time I was awake, the cold morning chill against my neck sending a chill down me back.

My younger brothers were riding by my side. Wren looks over to me, "Aww is someone cold." I glanced back at him,"Wren can you ever keep your mouth shut."

He reached over and punched my shoulder and started laughing, "Relax Rin, I'm messing with you."

I ignored him for the rest of the ride. We got to the house finally, hopped off our horses and tied them off on trees.

The captain looked around, keeping his voice low, "Alright, spread out!" As we fanned out we drew our swords. We rounded the house, only to find one of them.

This is it. We circled him, he just stood and starred. Finally he spoke, in a deep old voice. "Leave, we don't want to harm anyone." No one listened.

"Attack!" It took me a moment to realize everyone was charging. People were thrown back as he shifted into a big white drake. We fought him, which was useless.

Dre was yelling for the ropes. They did as ordered, throwing ropes over him.We all pulled him down with a big thud, and Dre ended it then and there.

Its howl was ear piercing. We broke the door down, where stood the woman. She started using her magic, "You will never touch her!"

We tried to circle her as she threw fire from her hands. I have never seen magic, all I knew was that it needs to be gone.

Tarnas managed to get behind her, taking one of his daggers and drived it into her spine. She went limp after a second and fell. The captain gave him a pat on the back, "Good job"

Dre ordered us to look around the house and outside. Me and my brothers went outside looking around the trees.

We heard a sudden start of agonized screames, and ran back to the house to find burned bodies. 

As we got to the door we saw the girl, her long white hair messy, tears running down her cheeks, but no fear showed. As the goblin took the last step up the stairs he saw us.

He started to chant, morcordus dormutous. We turned to run, Wren yelled as the flame singed his leg.

I grabbed his arm and put it over my shoulder, "Come on we need to get out of here!" We ran all the way back to the horses. I thought we were safe, that only Wren got hurt.

As we rode, I heard the chant, but only faintly and then a burning that spread over my back.

Everything went black. That was the last thing i remember of that day.

10 years later, The night was cold. I was walking through a town I had been staying in for a while, following clues given to me by the neighboring people about the girl. She apparently came through with that goblin a few days ago.

I stepped into the inn, sliding my cowl down from my head. I found a seat next to the fire, a woman came over and asked if i wanted anything.

"No I'm fine, thank you though." I gave her a curt nod and she smiled walking away.

The fire felt nice, I haven't had a nice fire since home. I closed my eyes and leaned back enjoying the quiet, which didn't last long.

A rowdy group of men, obviously had one to many drinks, came into the inn causing trouble. They walked over to a group of girl, just seeming to be talking so I left them alone.

Well that didn't last long. A girl started yelling at one of the men who grabbed her and had her pulled in.

That's it.

I stood up and walked over, keeping a hand on my swords hilt, I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him away, putting myself between the girls and them.

"Leave before I make you." They laughed, the man stepped forward, "What are you going to do about it."

I gave him a hard stare, "I said go." That made him furious. He took a clean swing at my head, I ducked, feeling his fist grazing my head, and took a clean punch to his gut sending him back a foot.

That made him even more mad, "You little!" I pulled my sword out putting it to his throat.

"You just attempted to assault a Ranger, Get down on the floor. Now!"

He laughed, "You? A Ranger? HA!"

I swung the hilt of my sword to his head, sending him to the floor dazed.

The guards outside came in and grabbed the man. One looked at me, "Thank you Rin"

They took him out and to jail I assumed, the rest of them got out fast. One of the girls tapped my shoulder, it was the one he grabbed, "Thank you sir, i'm sorry if we caused you any trouble."

I smiled and nodded, "Its my job as a Ranger to protect."

I slid my sword back into its sheath and went upstairs to my room, undressing and laying down in bed, starring at the ceiling till I fell asleep.