"So, there it is, Castle town. Never thought I would be coming back here," I muttered to myself. I was on top of a hill overlooking the city. It was still far away, but I could make up the King's Castle and some of the roof of the surrounding buildings as well as the wall that surround the city. For the past month I have been making my way here to see how the King plans on dealing with these waves. Whether I like or not, I'm probably going to have to work with him again and that very thought built up anger inside of me.

I could here some rustling in some bush behind me, I turned to see two orange balloon monsters appear. I quickly whipped out my revolver from my holster and fire two shoots instantly making them pop. I shouldn't waste bullets on low level monster like those one. Bullets were rare to come by in this country, but it was a lot easier and quicker then fighting with a sword. I still had a sword for more close quarter fighting.

I re-holster my gun on my side and fixed my cloak so it would be hidden from view. I didn't want to stand out. Although, it was common to see someone with a musket or one-shot gun, but a revolver was very uncommon, and it would instantly make me stand out. My main goal was to stay low and out of sight of the guards and knights. I wasn't sure if I was still a wanted man in this country and I didn't want to find out with a sword at my neck.

I continue my way down the path that led down the hill. I was still in the forest and was a long way from the city. Even if I walked all day, I still won't reach Castle Town before the main gates closed for the night which would mean making camping. I didn't really have problem with making camp on the side of the road for the night, but it would be nice to sleep in a bed for a change. I took out my map of Melromarc and found Castle Town on it which was the Capital. I looked around and found a small village that was just outside of it that was along some of the trading routes. I couldn't read what it said being written in another language but if I recall correctly, that village was called Riyute.

The village of Riyute or also call Lute was a mostly farmland village with also a small coal and metal mine. It was position on some major trading routes, so it was not uncommon for people to stop in the village. It was also relatively close to Castle Town so I could be a good place to lay low and plan my next move.

As I made my way out of the woods and into a clearing, I could see what looks like the remains of a burnet out farmhouse and barn. Damn, looks like the wave hit this area hard as well. It seems who ever owned it, abandoned it after the wave. I continued my way along the path and back into the forest and on my way to Riyute

A few hours of walking and I was in Riyute Village. The sun was beginning to set in the sky. The village was very peaceful, they were farmers returning from working in the fields and children playing the street. I had pasted by this village many times before, but I never stayed here in the past. I was always stay in Castle Town or camp off the road.

I made my way into the local inn. By the look of it, the first floor was a tavern well the second and third floor were probably rooms for rent. This was the most common style of inns around this country. The inn was rather quite thought. There were a few people chatting among themselves, but they just looked like locals, but in all it was quiet. I could almost hear the wood cracking from the fireplace.

"Welcome, what can I do for you?" A young blond woman behind the counter of the tavern greeted she was around my age which was twenty-two. She was cleaning an empty mug with a rag.

I smiled back, "I just need a room for the night ma'am."

"Sure thing, one silver for the room and that is with food."

Wow, that was not a bad price. Most of time in Castle Town, you pay easily at least ten sliver and that is without food.

I sat down at the counter and placed a sliver coin on it. She exchanged the coin with a key from under the counter.

"Your key for your room sir. Room is upstairs, second one to the right," She said, "Would you like your food now or later."

"Ill take it now," I responded as a grabbed the key and placed it in my pocket. I might as well take it now because I wasn't planning on sticking around down here.

"Excellent, I'll be back with your food in a few minutes." She said and then left for the kitchen.

It was kind of odd to have an inn this close to a city only for it to empty like this, where were the traveling merchants, and adventures. An inn this close should be pack with people not wanting to pay the high price inns in the city and they were on a trading route. Could this have something to with the wave.

She returned with a bowl of food.

"Here is your food," she said and placed it in front of me. It seemed to be a bowl stew.

"Thank you very much, You guys don't get a lot of travelers out here."

I responded before I took a spoonful and ate it. It was pretty good but very hot.

"Well not lately, ever since the first wave, the roads have been loaded with monsters and a lot of people want to stay behind the big city walls, and since the mine is close down due to a monster infestation, a lot of the workers have just left the village looking for work elsewhere" She said with a said look. "But hopeful that will change." She changed with a smile

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't you hear, the King has summoned four heroes wielding legendary holy weapons. Not too long ago."

"Four heroes, legendary holy weapons, what are you talking about?" I asked. This was all news to me.

"Yeah, you don't know about the holy weapons." She said with a surprised look "I figured you were an adventure coming to join up with one of their parties."

"No didn't hear anything about any heroes being summoned let alone four of them. I'm, just passing through town. But what is this about Holy Weapons?"

"Well legend has it, there are four heroes that are summon when we are on brink of destruction. Each one wields one of the four legendary weapons, a sword, bow, spear and shield."

So, he summoned four new heroes to fight off the waves wielding legendary weapons. It almost sounds like a video game, but this world was very like a video game. You kill monster and gain XP and level up with that XP. This world reminds me some of the MMO I use to play back when I was younger, but this was not video game, this was real life.

Not only did he summon four heroes, but he also gave them legendary weapons. I wasn't sure what that meant but I am assuming that they were very powerful weapons. When I was summoned, I was given access to the royal armory but never any legendary weapons.

"So, when were they summoned?" I asked.

"A couple of weeks ago, but I did hear a rumor though," She said.

"What kind of rumor?" I asked.

She bent down closer and whispered in my ear.

"I heard that the Shield Hero is a rapist, Rumor has that he raped a girl in his party the first night he was here."

"Wow, you don't say. Doesn't sound like much of a hero,"

I usual take rumor with a grain of salt. I been to inns across the continent and usual all have a little to no truth.

"Yeah but they are only rumors, like the one where the Lone Ranger is going to return and save us. I know for a fact that he is dead."

Lone Ranger, there is a name I have not heard in a while.

"Yeah what makes you say that?"

"The King said so. He sent His elite guard after him and successfully killed him. Brought his body to the capital and burned it."

Well, I guess I'm a dead man. This might be easier then I though. But I wonder who they kill to think it was me. Still though, it less likely they would be looking for me. I had grown a small beard so that made me look a little different, but I still must keep my guard up. Never know who is watching.

"Hey are you ok?"

"Oh, yeah fine, stuck in thought. "I said with a smirk "Thanks for the info"

"No problem, I will leave you to your food," she said and took off into the kitchen.

I finished my food and head upstairs to my room.

That night, I spent a good chunk of it looked out the window at the village. The village was peaceful and quite at night. I could hear the wind blowing against the trees and crickets chirping in the background.

I sat there unsure how much time had passed but I was stuck in though. All I could think about was the first wave, the screaming the death and how I was hopeless to stop it. I wiped out entire bandit camps, killed to knights by dozens but this was something very different. It didn't matter how many you killed, more would always take their place.

I look over at my revolver and sword that were lay on the table of the room. I must figure out how I can become stronger for the next wave. I'm fast and can kill my enemy close with my sword or kill from range with my revolver but I have no defense. One wrong move and I'm dead. I can get heavier amour but that would slow me down and…. Ah forget I got to get some sleep.

I left the window and made my way to my bed.

Last night was long, I tossed and turned and barely got any sleep. Maybe I would have had a better sleep if I made camp on the side of the road or maybe being this close to the capital is putting me on edge. I back up my things. As I did that, one question kept popping in my head. How am I going to get stronger?

My current level was 27 and that took me a whole year to get to it. This world didn't reward any XP for kill people no matter what kind of person they were and would instead limit the amount of XP I could gain for 24 hours. I guess this was this worlds way of keeping people from killing each other.

I made my way downstairs with my stuff.

"Here is the key for the room miss, thank you for the room for the night" I told the innkeeper. She was the same one as last night.

"Not stay in town?" She asked taking the key and put under the counter.

"Nah, I got business in the Castle Town. Any word on the road condition,"

"Well those two over there just arrived this morning from there, you could go ask them" She said pointing over at a table.

I look over at the table to see two people sitting there. One was a young adult male wearing a green cloak. He had black messy hair and almost looked like a normal villager if it wasn't for that shield on his arm. The other person seemed to be a young girl. From my best guess she was nine or ten years old. She had long chestnut with raccoon like ears. She was one of the demi humans, but I couldn't remember what her species was called.

I took another glimpse at the man and almost went in shock when I realized who he was. Naofumi Iwatani, my old childhood friend. No, it can't be him, is it? I took another glimpse and yep. It was indeed him.

"Hey Sir, are you ok,"

I turn and smiled at her.

"Yes, stuck in though again. Thank you for the room again." I turned and began to make my way to the door.

"Take care and come again," She called out.

I gave her one last look and walked out onto the street. The street was quiet. It was still early morning and most of the villager where working the fields this time of day which made the street rather quiet.

I grabbed my white bandana out of my pocket and tied over my nose consoling my nose and mouth. Then I throw my hood from my cloak over my head. This black cloak allowed me to console my revolver, but my sword sheath stuck out of the back. It also gave me a little bit of a stealth boost.

I made my way across the street into an alley between two building. I found two crates to lend up against and watch the door of the inn. It just can't be Naofumi, it doesn't make any sense or does it? The innkeeper last night told me that four heroes where summon not to long ago so maybe he is one of them. That does explain his shield, he must be the Shield Hero but what is with the little girl and I wonder if the rumors are true about him being rapist. No, I doubt the rumor I heard are true about him. He was not that kind of person when I last saw but a lot can change in a year.

About half an hour went by until they left the inn. They made their way down the street. Ok looks like they are heading for the abandon mine I can beat them there. I turned and made my way for forest, I can beat them there if I cut through the forest. My best guess was he trying to make some easy money, every MMO I ever played with him, he was focused on making quick money, but does he know the dangers in that mine.

I made my way up onto a hill that overlooked the entrance of the mine and crouched behind a fallen tree. Any minute, I should be able to see them and bingo. There you two are.

Walking down the path towards the mine was Naofumi and the little girl. Something looks very familiar about her, but I can't put my finger on. She was definably demi human but that face, I've seen her before. Wait is that a slave collar on her too. Yeah, and those are slave braces on her arms. Naofumi, what have you been up to?

They stop in at the old wooden shack at the entrance, the shack seemed to be a resting point for miner back when this mine was operating, but it has long been abandoned. They chatted for a second, but I couldn't hear them. They then entered the shack and out of sight. A few minutes passed by and just as I almost got ready to walk down to see what they were up to, they walked out of the shack and into the mine.

That crazy fool, you are going to get yourself and that little girl killed. Damn it really shouldn't follow but I don't think I have a choice do I. I slid down the hill and made my way over to the min entrance. I could just barely see there light as it faded away as they went deeper in the mine and began to follow them.

I was walking down the mine tunnel. The mine had switched from wooden supports and dirt to tunnel carved out of rock. There were small holes in the along the roof of the tunnel that provide just enough light for me to make up the sides of cave. I stopped and looked at ground. I saw what looks to be large dog's foot and it was fresh. They were definably monster in here.

"Where did you go, Naofumi?" I murdered to myself. I seemed to have lost where the light from their torch.

"Maybe there is a side tunnel I missed?"

I began to turn around when I heard screaming down the tunnel.

The scream, it sounds like it was coming from that little girl. I quickly started to run down the tunnel in the direction I heard the screaming. Dammit, Naofumi what did you do. I reached cavern that seemed to be lit by gem that where reflecting the light that was coming from the openings of cavern. I slide in behind a rock when I spotted it. It was jet black with red glowing eyes but what made it stood out was the two heads. So that is the kind of monsters that lives in this mine.

I peaked over to the rock and noticed it moving toward the bottom of cavern. Good it didn't t notice me, lets keep it that way, but what happened to Naofumi and that girl. I quickly moved to another rock to get a better look at where it was going. I took another look and saw two figures climbing out of the stream that flowed through the cavern. There you two are, they must jump off when the monster appeared.

As they climb out, the monster began to close in on them. I scanned the area and realized that they only got one way out and that was through that monster.

"Shit, I have," I was bout run down when I saw Naofumi run in and attack the monster head on. You crazy fool, what are you doing. The monster quickly with one of it head bit into his shoulder. I unholstered my revolver and aimed it at the monster and pulled the trigger.

Click.

Crap, bullet was no good. It tried again.

Click

Click

Click

Fuck it. I was down to my low-quality bullets which had a chance of not firing. I rehosted my gun and unsheathe my sword. Looks like I'm going to have to do this the old, wait what. The next thing I saw I couldn't believe. The little girl that was with Naofumi quickly jump in the air with her sword and stabbed the monster in one of its head. With a wipe of it head the monster flung her back and she land on her butt, This is when it made her the main target, It quickly ran toward her only to stop dead in his tracks like it hit an inviable barrier and that where she went in for the kill stabbing the creature in the chest. She could work on her form better when attacking but still, a young girl taking out a monster like that, she had some skills.

I stood there frozen, I couldn't believe what I just saw. That little girl just took down that monsters with pretty much two strikes. I watcher her run over to Naofumi and hugged him. It seemed like they where going to be there for a while, so I decide to make my way out.

Ill catch up with them later.

A few hours had gone by since I was in mine. I decide to do some hunting and gathering around the town to make a few extra coins. Although I had plenty of money to last me a bit, it didn't hurt to make a little extra when I can. I managed to get five small animal pelts and about half a bag of healing herbs. I sold it off to merchant in town and managed to make ten silver. In most case I would have liked to keep the pelts and make some amour that I could have sold for a little bit more profit, but I had neither the space nor the crafting reagents to do so. It was easier to just sell them rather than carrying them around.

After I sold them, I head for the inn. I walked into the inn, the innkeeper looked at me a smiled.

"I thought you be back."

"Yeah, well something came up," I said as looked around the tavern and focused on Naofumi and that little girl sit at a far table in corner.

"Have they payed?" I asked. She looked over at them.

"No, they just showed up, I was about to take their order."

"One room for me and I'll cover their cost," I said as placed three silver coins on the counter. I took a seat at the counter and she placed a key on the counter for my room. As I grabbed the key, she filled a mug with ale.

"This one is on the house," She said as she placed the mug of ale on the counter. "I'll go inform them of generosity," She said, I let out smile and took a sip of my beer. I placed the mug and took my hood and placed it over mt head.

Some time went by and then final,

"Hey, so why did you pay for my night here." I heard Naofumi ask behind me.

"Naofumi Iwatani, you always had a hard time saying thank-you," I responded.

"How do you know my name," He responded with some anger in his voice.

"Mine is a dangerous place but it seems you have that little girl to protect you."

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?"

"Naofumi, Naofumi. So how was Japan since we last talked, what has it been, a year." I said as I looked over, I could see his face was full of anger and I could see that he was ready to bash my face in.

"Relax, Naofumi, this will explain everything." I said as lift my hood.

Our eyes locked and his face lost all anger and changed to shock face almost turn ghostly white.

"Alac… Alca… Alcatraz," He was so shocked he could barely get his words out.

"Hello old friend, it has been awhile."

"But how?" He asked,

I got up and put my arm out toward the table he was sitting at.

"I'll explain everything, but you have a lot to explain for too."

"Master Naofumi, who is this?" the little girl asked Naofumi.

I sat at their table across from both Naofumi and the little girl. I took a sip of my ale.

"Alcatraz, how did," he started but I quickly cut him off by put my finger up.

"I get to ask the first question, What with the girl?"

"Well um, this is Raphtalia,"

"Raphtalia, my name is Alcatraz, Me and Naofumi are old friends." I said to her with a smile as I reached over the table to shake her hand. She reached and I shook it with her tiny hands.

"it's nice to me you, are you one of the heroes like Master Naofumi,"

"No, just a traveler."

I let go and took another sip of my ale. I wasn't even close to a hero in this world.

Raphtalia let out a yawn. She must be tired after today in the mine.

"Raphtalia, why don't you head to bed." Naofumi told here.

"Ok, what about you Master Naofumi?"

"I'm going to be up for a bit, we have a lot to discuss."

He handed her the key for there and she began to make her way towards the stairs.

"Hey Raphtalia. Good job today," Naofumi callout to her.

"Thank you," she said before she made her way up the stairs towards their room. We waited a few moments then.

"So, what are you doing here," He asked me.

I was focusing on a group of villagers that was clearly ease dropping on our conversation. I noticed them when I first sat down here.

"I'll explain, but we have to somewhere more private," I told him.

We went up to the second floor of the inn. It had a built-in balcony that had tables and chairs which I was guessing was for guest to enjoy a meal and beverages outside. The sun had already set, but the moon was out and very bright tonight night.

We went over to the ledge and I took cigar out of my pocket and lit it with my lighter. The lighter was one of the only things I managed to bring from Earth to this world. I managed to craft some fuel that works just like lighter fuel back home.

"You know, you should quit smoking those things before they kill you,"

"We are all going to die someday,"

"Yeah but you will live longer, all the reason why you should quit."

"Hey, we didn't come here to talk about my bad habits." I said as I took a puff of it.

I took out a piece of paper out of my pocket and hand it to him. He took it and unfolded and read it over.

"No way, by order of King Aultcray Melromarc XXXII Alcatraz Foxtrot Also know as the Lone Ranger is wanted for murder as well as for Robbery. Reward of 500 gold for his head or 1000 gold if brought in alive. Is this real?"

"Yup, I'm a wanted man in these parts." I said as tapped some of the ash of cigar into an ash tray.

"But for murder and Robbery?"

"Allow me to start for the beginning, from when I first arrived here. You know I served in the Canadian Military, right."

"Yeah, I remember Skyping you all the time and you were always in a different country on some mission."

"Yeah, well there is a lot I never told you, Joint Task Force 2, Canada own special ops team. That was the team I worked with." I really shouldn't be telling him that but see that we were on another world, I see no problem with telling him.

"Holy shit, so you're like some kind of elite solider, but what does that have to do with you being here,"

Took another puff of my cigar.

"I'm getting to that part. My last mission, it was a little bit more than a year ago. I was on a plane with the team I was part of, we were parachuting into a remote village in Chile to capture a high value target but that's when the plane was hit by a SAM,"

"SAM?"

"It short for Surface-to-air missile but going back to the story, it hit the front of the plane killing the pilots. I managed to get in the cockpit and kept the plane from diving, well my team made their escape out of the doomed aircraft, but I wasn't so lucky. Last thing I remember is seeing the side of a mountain getting bigger, and then nothing."

"Then you woke up here,"

"Yeah, in the great hall of the castle."

"Yeah, but why did you summon here?"

"Well, Melromarc was a very different place back then. They just end a war with the kingdom Siltvelt, Melromarc demi human neighbors. Like with every war, you build up your army but when it ends, there is no need to have a massive army. Some of the soldiers that were let go from the army felt betrayed and started forming gangs and bandit groups. They were raiding villages and robbing traders traveling the roads. Melromarc was on the verge of collapsing into a civil war as some of the bandit groups began working together."

"So, you were summoned to stop them,"

"Yes, I was summoned to put an end to it, and I did. Two months of hunting down bandit leaders and destroying their camps brought the country back into peace and the roads became safe. People began to call me the Lone Ranger because I worked alone."

"So why is there a bounty for your head then? You must have done something very serous to have a bounty that high?"

"Well, I kill a bunch of royal knights. Malty, the King's daughter asked me to escort a bunch of knights to village that was being threated by a bandit group. But she never plans on protecting the village, instead she wanted it looted and destroyed for reason I still don't know. I got no problem taking some one life, but I do not kill innocent people. I was brought here to kill bandits and raiders and that is what I did."

"So that why you got a bounty on your head,"

"Yeah, that is the main reason why, there is some other stuff like robbing couple of noble men, but they got what they deserved. I been on the run ever since. I traveled to different county doing small jobs here and there for a bit of coin until I fell in with a gang for a while. I spent a few months with them until we went part ways."

"This world is full of scum. I hate this world." He responded with anger in his voice.

"Not this entire world is scum, there are many good people in this world."

"Yeah, where were they when I was falsely accused of raping my companion?"

"You mean Raphtalia?"

"No, Myne. She was the only one to come to my side when no one else did in the beginning when I first arrived. I thought I could trust her but really, she was after my money. The next day I woke up to royal knights at my door and they arrested me under rape charges."

"But you didn't do it,"

"OF COURSE I DIDN'T DO IT!" He yelled out which probably could have been heard across the village.

"Hey, keep it down, you want wake the whole village,"

"Sorry, just everyone thinks I did it."

I put my cigar out in the ash tray.

"Well I don't," I said as I put my hand on his shoulder, "I have known you for years and your just not that kind of person."

"Thank."

"So, what is with the girl, Raphtalia?"

"I bought from a slave trader shortly after I was framed by Myne and released by the King."

So, she was a slave.

"When no one would follow you, you went and bought someone too."

"The shield can only defend, and I can't use any other weapon so what choice do I have,"

"But a little kid, you know better then to have a little kid do all the fighting for you,"

"She was the only one I could afford and," he paused for a moment,

"And?"

"And I remember have a dream, the day before I was summoned here. I was on a cliff and she was there."

"Hhhmm," My time as a solider, I have seen many children forced to become child solider I hated to see this again but slavery with demi human was legal here and he was by law not doing anything wrong.

"So, what happened to her parents?"

"Died in the wave, she still has panic attacks almost every night due to it."

Even if she was freed from Naofumi she would most likely would end up in slavery again. Whether I like it or not, she was safer with Naofumi. She was healthy, given food and clearly not abused and I guess there are worst situation she could have end up in.

"So, what is your plan Naofumi?" I asked.

"Survive the next coming wave,"

"Well, your going to need some help and that girl of your is going to have to learn to hold a sword properly."

"So, you are going to help me."

"What kind of friend would I be if I were to walk away from you. Get some rest, we start early tomorrow,"

He nodded and left to his for his room. Leaving me on the balcony alone.

Whatever happens, I cannot let them get wrapped up in my mess I have made myself, but he is my friend and I will help him as much as I can.

Author Notes

Hello! Long story short I felt the need to rewrite this chapter because I wasn't happy with way I was taking the story in the begin. ILiekFishes brought up good points in the review that I failed to see with plot so that is why I am fixing them. Chapter two, three and four and getting full rewrites and that is why I took them down.

Thanks