Stories of Acoptia

Ch. 2.5 Jacques #1 - The Uncrowned King

The chamber was dark and the indistinguishable smell of rot and decay was in the air. But Jacques had gotten used to it over the years.

"5 years... Time sure flies by. It wasn't good at all but a lot of memories nonetheless." - He said to himself closing his diary.

Life had gotten a little easier after he became the leader of The Monster Hunter Brotherhood. The Uncrowned King they called him now. Most people here were murderers, rapists and other vile criminals but despite that Jacques was in charge of keeping them safe. He was their leader in the end.

The young man got up from his chair as he saw the first rays of sunlight shine through the boarded-up window. It had to be after an infernal flew in through the window last month.

Jacques put on his light leather armour and a black cloak. And so dressed in all black, which was a signature for the Brotherhood. It was to blend into the dark, to pass through unseen.

"Ah... I'm 18 now. If I was out free I would be considered a man now. With the freedom to do whatever I wish." - He thought to himself.

Putting on a necklace, with a red gem on it. This gem was the sign of The Uncrowned King, it was passed on to the successor of choice as the Uncrowned King died. Jacques had been the chosen one this time around.

The young man hadn't chosen to be here. No one chooses the Brotherhood on their own volition. It's a road you take as a punishment. Many choose it over a death sentence but he sometimes wondered if this is any better than death.

You may escape it but you will still stare into eyes of danger every day here. Most who are sent here end up dying in gruesome ways.

Jacques got sent here while he was still a boy. Only at 13 years old. He still felt the pain of that day in his heart. He never understood what he did wrong and why his friend betrayed him.

He had fallen in love with his childhood friend, she just so happened to be a noble. And so when the noble family found out they put him on trial. All because he was a commoner. And in the end, no one stepped up for him. That lead to him ending up here.

"Aveline... Leodore..." - He muttered gritting his teeth and clenching his fist.

Jacques couldn't get those names out of his head. The girl he fell in love with and the guy he considered his best friend. Yet neither of them stepped up to help him that day. When he needed them most.

Jacques sighed, gathering his composure.

"There is no time for self-pity anymore." - He said to himself as he stepped out of his chamber taking his sword and sheathing it.

Jacques ran his fingers through his messy black hair trying to somewhat fix it.

He slowly descended the spiral staircase and opened the door stepping outside into the yard.

Many were already there, some still eating supper and the others training.

A giant figure noticed Jacques and roared.

"Jac! My King! Join us, we are eating some good stew before training!"

"I'll be there in just a moment." - Jacques said smiling and waving at the half-giant.

Olgrolf despite his giant size and demeanour was one of the best men he had ever met. And one of the only friends Jacques had.

He looked up at the sky, the sun still rising. Jacques couldn't help but smile as he took a deep breath in.

"All right! Listen up men!" - He exclaimed.

"By the courtesy of an old friend Sir Singlestrike, who sent us two barrels of premium dwarven ale. And I know I don't allow it much but today you can feast!" - He shouted out with a smile.

The men suddenly lit up like a bonfire. Cheering and chanting could be heard from all around the yard.

"You all deserve to have a good night!" - Jacques added, retreating back into the tower.

He had a reason to boost the morale of his troops. Jacques had noticed a huge rise in the numbers of monsters and their aggression. He knew that couldn't mean anything good and so he had to keep his men sharp and motivated.

Jacques walked into the meeting room, which was bigger than most sleeping chambers in the "Tower of Hope". Which the young man always thought was ironic since this tower brought despair.

The meeting room was pretty well kept. At least compared to the rest of the tower.

Jacques sat down and pulled out a sheet of paper.

"We ask you, to provide us with 50 short swords, 50 great swords, 20 bows and 1000 arrows. Also, we request food to last us the entire season. I must also inform you about the confusing increase of monsters." - He wrote down.

He took a raven out of its cage and after feeding it, the young man let it go.

The previous Uncrowned King and Jacques mentor always spoke about the inevitable rise of darkness that will come. Dorkzin was a good man, an old and wise battle-tested veteran, he was one of the few people who took up the Brotherhood of his own choice.

When he was young he didn't have anywhere to go after his entire noble house was brutally murdered in a conspiracy. So to avoid certain assassination he ended up here. He quickly became the Uncrowned King and lead for 15 years.

But sadly the old man died in a mission a year ago. Appointing Jacques as the next Uncrowned King. The young man learned a lot from Dorkzin. To him the old man was a beacon of hope and morality in this decrepit place. That's why Jacques took his words seriously and so had started preparing for the worst.

The Brotherhood had one of the hardest training regimes out of Acoptia.

First two years the hunters are taught basic combat with swords, spears, bows. At the third year, if they survive, they have to learn various martial arts. And for the fourth year, they were sent to the Mage Guild in the Free Cities to learn some basic magic.

All while throughout these years going on missions, meaning most of the brothers end up dying before the first year ends. Those who survive all 4 years are considered veterans. It is said, 1 veteran brotherhood hunter is worth more than 10 men from any army.

Currently, there were about 100 veterans at the tower, including Jacques. Their numbers have dwindled over the years. Overall there were 212 Brothers situated here. A number far less then it was a few years ago.

But after becoming the Uncrowned King he started improving conditions for the Monster Hunters. Jacques couldn't shake the feeling that they will be needed one day.