Chapter 1: Edinmire
Thirteen men rode fast on a dirt road. They made their way through a dense woodland forest. Many squirrels and birds roaming about the tree branches.
The each rider wore a black hooded cloak with a symbol on them. The symbol was a white circle with a cross near the bottom.
Leading the riders was a man wearing black gauntlets and a glowing bag on his belt.
The man had long black hair and green eyes.
As the riders continued, the man held his hand up, the horses stopping when their ridders pulled on the reins.
"What's wrong boss?" One of the men asked.
The lead rider gave an uneasy look scanning the trees.
"We shouldn't have stopped. Let's keep going." He started before seeing someone in front of them.
A hooded figure stood on the road in front of them. The figure was just over six feet tall with a hooded dark blue jacket on. The jacket extending down and over his legs and trousers. Around the jacket was a mixture of leather and metal armor, and coming out the back of the jacket was a bushy grey and white tail.
The riders saw paw like feet at the bottom of the man's legs.
"Keidran move aside!" The leader said. The figure stepping closer in response.
"You should be more careful when traveling the woods Templar." The keidran said coming close enough for the riders to see under this hood. His face was humanoid and covered in white and brown fur. He had short black hair , a snout, and blue eyes.
"You might run into a wolf." He growled , revealing his hands with claws on the end.
As two of the horsemen charged at him. The wolf keidran smiled, his eyes glowing blue for a moment. The wolf then clasped his right hand. A small amount of blue energy forming in his hand.
The wolf snarled, his burst of energy causing the horses to spur and move to the sides. This created just enough room for the wolf keidran to reveal a black spear on his back. The keidran used the end of his spear to knock one of the cloaked men off their horses before stabbing up at the other one.
When the first one tried to get up with a hatchet, the wolf keidran easily knocked the hatchet away with his longer spear and stabbed through the man's leather armor under his cloak.
Upon seeing the energy come from the wolf's hand, the leader of the party quickly ordered the rest of his men forward. The horsemen surrounding the wolf who tried to keep them back with his spear. However, the leader's eyes glowed blue just like the wolf's. He held his hand open, blue energy forming that was larger than what the wolf conjured. The leader thrusted his hand forward unleashing a burst of blue magic that forced the wolf onto the ground.
The riders moved in for the kill, but their leader heard more galloping. He turned to see a basitin on horseback riding towards them. The basitin was relatively short, looking about five foot five. He was completely covered in grey fur with slightly feline and lagamorphich characteristics, a tail, yellow eyes and large pointed ears.
The basitin wore dark blue knight armor with a red cape. A sword sword in hand that was a gold-bronze color with with a slightly arching guard and a yellow colored gem in the pommel.
Two of the riders turned to face him, drawing shorter swords to face their attacker. The basitin reached them and caught one's sword. Sliding the blade inside and stabbing him. The basitin quickly pulled his sword free, using the motion of his horse to avoid the second rider's strike. Only two strikes were necessary for the basitin to gain an opening and decapitate the rider.
The wold keidran got back to his feet with his spear, diving across the ground to get out of the horsemen's circle. He managed to stab up and into one of the horsemen. Four more coming around him.
Two behind him tried to hack the wolf with a hatchet , only for one to be hit with an arrow that went through his back.
The second rider desperately looked around seeing movement in the trees, a figure in green crouching on a tree branch with a bow in hand.
Another arrow flew through the air and hit the man's neck.
With the basitin , wolf, archer and trees around them, the horsemen were unable to maneuver effectively.
The wolf's eyes glowed blue for a again. The unleashed magic blown into the horsemen pushing them closer together before he and the basitin continued attacking.
The horsemen leader's hands glowed blue with magical energy being unleashed into the keidran and basitin. The two knocked off their feet and the leader coming closer. However, another burst of the energy knocked several of the horsemen down.
The leader turning to see a human on horseback behind him. The human was a young man wearing a hooded black jacket similar to the wolf's, but just with leather armor. He had thick cyan hair, cyan eyes, and a cyan triangle like tattoo on his lower left cheek.
The horseman saw the young man across from him smile. The leader conjured some of the energy and unleashed it at the young man in response.
The young man's eyes glowed blue as his hands did the same. He waved them in front of him forming a shield like barrier , deflecting the magic from the horseman.
The younger man then waved his hands at a few tree branches. The branches moving on their own while snatching the horseman's arms, holding him in place.
The young man on horseback brought his glowing hands together before thrusting them forward. A dragon shaped burst of energy flying from his hands , tearing through the horseman's man felt blood fill his mouth, his body feeling heavier and heavier when it came down from the horse.
Within the next few minutes, the last of the horsemen were dead, their horses running off into the woods.
With the fight over the wolf Keidran howled in victory.
The basitin dismounted his house and punched the wolf keidran to the ground.
"What the hell were you thinking Ash!? We were suppose to wait until Trace gave the signal!" The basitin shouted only to be kicked in his face.
The basitin backing up and holding his jaw as the wolf got up smiling.
"They were getting close to the edge of the forest, we had an advantage here with the trees keeping their horses corralled. I saw an opportunity and trusted you guys would see it too. I think I made the right call Keith."
"If we are a team then you need to start listening to Trace!"
"You mean you, noble basitin knight." Ash said smiling while Keith gave an irritated look, coming closer and grabbing the collar of his jacket.
"Undisciplined wolf!"
Ash grabbed Keith and growled, bearing his teeth.
"Uptight basitin!"
"Stop!" They heard, the figure from the trees coming down and running over.
The figure removed the cloth over her face, showing she was a keidran like Ash, only a tiger keidran. She was a young woman with a slender body and yellowish eyes. Her hair was light brown hair and went past her shoulders. Her chest relatively small but her behind not being as small. She wore a green shirt shirt but had no trousers or undergarments on.
"Stop fighting!" She shouted grabbing their shoulders and pushing them away from each other.
"We're friends! We're a family! This isn't how we should treat each other!" She shouted in great concern.
"Flora's right, could you two get along." Trace said , taking the bag from the body of the leader.
Trace opened the bag and saw it was filled with glowing blue crystals.
"Well looks like you were right Ash, mana crystals, and a lot of them." Trace said.
"Safely out of the hands of the Templars." Ash said smiling as Trace put the bag on his belt.
"Alright let's scavenge what we can from them and get into town before more Templars show up." Trace said.
"….Why don't we just leave them?" Flora asked, giving an uncomfortable look at her companions looting the bodies.
"We need money Flora." Keith said taking coins from one of the men.
"It's ok Flora, when the Templars find their companions, they'll bury them." Ash said emptying the purse of one.
Ash mounted one of the Templar's horses while Keith mounted his own. Trace got back on his with Flora getting on as well.
Flora sat behind Trace with her arms around his waist and her head resting against his shoulder.
The three began riding down the road towards the town.
They made their way past a few farm fields and houses before reaching the town itself. The town being relatively large with many buildings. The roads were brick and concrete, most of the houses made of wood and more than one floor. One or two of the buildings being made of marble.
The town itself looked as if it had seen better days. The roads weathered and dirty, many of the houses in poor repair. Grafiti painted on the buildings , rotted or cracked wood, and other damages as well.
The streets of the town were filled with various people. Many of them human, but there were just as many keidran. The keidran were of various races, fox keidran, dog keidran, and jaguars. The humans wore mostly dirty or worn clothing, some of the keidran wearing similar or even more worn clothing, some wearing barely anything at all. Flora not being the only one without trousers on.
Many of the keidran were doing very menial tasks. Several of the farms they passed had keidran hands working them. Those in town were cleaning the streets and graffiti with some of the lower humans joining them.
As the horses continued through the town, they saw more graffiti on the buildings. They were the same symbols as the ones the Templars had. There were also pictures of Templars wielding the energy over lesser beings.
Around this part of town they also saw dozens of humans and a few keidran each wearing Templar robes. They were creeping around the alleys and corners. Some subtly or not so subtly mugging passerbys.
Also on the streets were human and keidran men wearing military attire. They wore green standardized tunics with light leather armor over them and parts of their trousers. Over their torsos were lorica hamata esk chain mail shirts with short sleeves. Some of them wore galea like helmets, others didn't. Each either having a spear in hand or a short sword, some carrying scutum esk shields.
These human and keidran soldiers exchanged unpleasant looks with the Templar gangs. Flora had an uneasy expression as they passed by the Templars and soldiers. She saw a fox girl getting groped blatantly and against her will by a pair of Templars. Across from them were a trio of soldiers, two being human and one being a fox keidran. The fox keidran soldier gritting his teeth and tightening the grip on his spear, having to be restrained by one of his companions, the other putting his middle finger up to the Templars.
Keith heard growling from Ash while they passed by.
"Easy." Keith said eith Ash slowly turned his head away from the Templars, turning to a few of the soldiers. A panther keidran soldier and those around him nodded to Ash as he nodded back.
The four got deeper into the neighborhood and the number of Templars around the streets increased. Many staying around a large castle like estate with walls around it. Keith and the others kept their hands near their weapons as they passed the estate. Many Templars patrolling the walls of the estate. Those around it holding weapons and watching the group closely as they passed by.
Eventually they reached a tavern with the name "Riftwall East Tavern" on the front.
The four sat down at the bar inside, a snow leopard keidran woman with black hair wearing a black corset like dress.
"What can I get you lot?" She asked.
"A tall ale my lovely madame." Ash said smiling as the keidran woman smiled and put her hand over her mouth, laughing a little.
"Alright, and you sir Basitin?"
Keith kept a watchful eye over the bar.
"Regular beer will do fine."
"Alright, and you…" She started before seeing Flora sitting on the stool next to trace, her arms around him as she nuzzled her face against his.
"I'll have an ale, Flora?" Trace asked.
"Red wine."
"Alright , coming right up." The keidran woman said.
Ash put down four bronze coins
"I'll get this round to celebrate a job well done." Ash said smiling with his hands behind his head, the bartender taking the coins.
Around the tavern were humans and keidran alike. Some sitting together, others separating themselves from the other race.
Keith kept his eyes on a few Templars at a table, and three soldiers at another who gave the Templars uneasy looks.
Trace opened the bag and looked at the mana crystals. He picked one up and carefully examined it.
"Glad we got these, I can sense they're quite powerful. Definitely don't want them in the Templar's hands." Trace said.
"You want to keep it down, there are Templars here." Keith said.
"Lighten up would you." Ash said before they saw a little keidran girl who was a snow leopard with white hair that carefully tried to hold a tray with their drinks.
"Awww." Flora said when she saw the little girl.
The child nearly lost control before Ash caught her and helped her back to her feet.
"Gotcha!" He said smiling as the girl looked relieved to see the drinks hadn't spilled.
"Sorry." She said.
"It's fine. Thank you for bringing them to us." Ash said as he took his drink and handed Keith his.
Flora took hers and gave Trace his before kneeling down in front of the girl.
"What's your name?"
"Maeve."
"I'm Flora, are you a waitress here?"
"Sometimes when mommy needs help."
"Aren't you sweet." Flora said rubbing her head.
Trace smiled as he saw this. He turned back to the keidran woman behind the counter as she filled some mugs.
"I'm Trace by the way."
"Adira." She said.
"This town seems like it's seen better days."
"I thought you were travelers."
"What gave us away?" Trace asked.
"Not many basitin around here, plus aside from the an occasional Templar, there aren't any magic users here." Adira said as Trace almost choked on his beer.
"How?"
"I can always tell my friend." She said smiling.
"Former Hospitaller?"
"Yeah." Trace said.
"And him?" Adira asked as she looked at Ash who guzzled his ale.
Trace gave a slightly embarrassed look.
"My student."
"Not many keidran magic users out there. I didn't even know the Hospitaller took them."
"Well it's like you said, former Hospitaller." Trace said.
"My daughter's never seen magic, would you mind?"
"Well we're actually trying to not get attention drawn to-" Trace started before he heard something. Turning to see Keith shaking his head and Ash kneeling beside Maeve as he conjured some magic, Maeve giving an excited look.
"….Ourselves." Trace said in a pessimistic tone.
"I like your friend." Adira said.
"Ash is something. Anyway, can you tell me more about this place?"
"Edinmire is not so different from your average frontier town. Far from the bustling imperial cities. agriculture runs the local economy."
"A lot of keidran and humans here. Typical of a town on the edge of the empire. How are the tension's here?" Trace asked before Ash finished his ale and howled. A trio of human men sitting at nearby table looking annoyed.
"Damn keidran." One said.
"As you'd expect." Adira said.
"I've seen worse." Trace said.
"I'll bet you have."
"What about the Templars?"
Adira sighed.
"They haven't helped us here. They first started spreading their influence here about a year ago. I heard the stories about Templars practically taking over towns across the empire, but I didn't think it was true until I saw it myself. Street after street fell to Templar gangs, they recruited lots of disgruntled human farm hands who lost their jobs to keidrans who worked for less. The streets got rougher and rougher, I became afraid of letting Maeve out of my sight."
"The local auxiliary troops didn't do anything about it?"
"The garrison commander was tough on them at the beginning. Kept them from spreading in the town, but then something happened to him. He got sick, then It was like he lost all his nerve and backbone. He ordered his men to leave the Templars alone. Now they do whatever they want."
"I'm sorry." Trace said as Adira sighed.
"Why, it's not your fault."
"Where is this garrison commander?"
"He abandoned their fortress, now he stays here in one of our rooms."
"Thank you." Trace said as he finished his beer.
After Adira left, Trace motioned his companions to come closer.
"Alright so we have the mana crystals. We need to plan our next movement." Trace said.
"We have them, the smartest thing to do is to get out of here, there's a train leaving tonight. We get some distance between us and here, the Templars will be looking for their missing crystals." Keith said.
"Look at this place, I'm tired of leaving towns with Templars crawling all over and degrading everything. Let's force them out." Ash said.
"Force them out? The four of us are going to force out all of the Templars in this entire town?" Keith said sounding irritated
"We take their garrison they'll lose their footing. You should have seen the soldiers here, if we start going after the Templars they'll join us real quick."
"Their commander ordered them not too." Keith said.
"Well I can personally attest auxilia aren't quite as disciplined as legionaries." Ash said smiling.
"We could make a real difference for these people." Flora said.
"Spilling blood all of over the streets isn't going to help anyone. People will get caught in the middle of it." Keith said as Flora thought about what Keith said.
"That won't happen, we overrun their garrison and the others will fall apart, the auxiliary troops will contain the remaining Templars."
"How do you propose we take a fortress?" Keith asked.
"Well, you do have two magic users."
"One still being trained." Trace said as Keith smiled a little.
"Anyway, we also have a whole bag of mana crystals."
Keith, Trace, and Flora turned to the bag.
"We use those and we could easily take the garrison."
"…..He's not wrong." Trace said.
Keith looked at them for almost a minute.
"….Ok, I get what you're saying, and I agree that it would be great to get rid of the Templar's in this town. But we have a bigger mission here. Those crystals could save our lives or be used for something more important." Keith said.
"There are places worse than here." Flora said reluctantly.
"It's a nice idea Ash, but you know it's true." Trace said as Ash sighed.
"Alright, fine." Ash got up.
"Where are you going?" Keith asked.
"Around."
"No , we stick toge-" He started before Ash walked off.
"….I can't believe he was a soldier." Keith said.
"Well if it's any consolation , he wouldn't have made it in the basitin military." Trace said putting his hand on Keith's shoulder.
"No, he wouldn't." Keith said before he went after him.
"So you're worried about him?" Trace asked while smiling.
"…I just don't want us to miss the train because of him." Keith said as Trace kept smiling.
"Flora, I'm going upstairs for a while."
"Alright." Flora said as she stayed by Maeve.
Ash walked through Edinmire, looking around at the Templars there. He saw a Templar with a group of people wearing Templar tattoos.
"Magic is the key to everything. Magic created us, it gives us strength, it powers our world. With it we we'll build a better world."
Ash tightened his grip.
He took a deep breath before clasping his other hand.
A rock rising from the ground while the man paced, tripping him. Ash smiled a little.
He continued walking through the town before seeing another Templar.
This Templar had a child with him, a human boy no older than ten.
"Let's go." The Templar said leading the child towards the fortress.
"…Come on, don't do it. Keith will be mad, we might miss the train."
Ash saw the boy get lead inside the fortress.
Ash stood on top of a house near the fortress. He took a deep breath as he waited for the guards to move out of the line of sight.
Ash sprinted forward and leapt onto the fortress wall, grabbing a ledge, pulling himself up and scaling the walls before reaching an open window.
Ash pulled himself in and looked around. The hallways were lit by glowing crystals a small waterway also pumping water through the interior.
Ash carefully moved through the fortress interior, taking out a curved knife as he heard footsteps. Ash hit behind a corner as they got closer.
"Damn keidran, and here I thought joining the Templars meant I'd get away from them. I swear the next keidran I see I'll." The Templar started as he rounded the corner only for Ash to slash across his throat and then stabbed his back while covering his mouth.
Ash grabbed the body and carefully set him down. Peering over the corner only to see a second Templar walking the other way.
Ash moved carefully but quickly through the hallway and tackled the man to the ground, stabbing the back of his neck.
Ash slowly got up and sniffed, smelling a familiar scent. Looking around the corner to see the little boy with the Templar.
"….I should go home. My mom is going to be worried."
"You don't need your mother anymore." The man said, Ash carefully followed them.
He considered assassinating the Templar, but then thought about a ten year old boy seeing a man's throat get opened up.
"…Damn it." Ash said as he put the knife away.
Elsewhere Flora was with Maeve , helping her deliver drinks. Maeve delivered some beer to the three soldiers, one of the smiling and taking them.
"Thank you very much." He said before taking out a bronze coin.
"But you already paid?"
"A good sever should get a tip." The man said as Maeve took it.
"Do I have to give it to mommy?" Maeve asked.
"No, it's yours, you could buy yourself anything you want with it. Some candy , maybe a new doll." Flora said.
"Really!"
Flora smiled and nodded.
"So Flora, if you're not from here. What do you do?"
"…..Well, I go from place to place, and help people." Flora said trying to think of the best way to say it.
"Is that human your master?"
"Trace? No he's my husband."
"Husband? You married a human?"
"Yes, they're actually quite nice if you get to know them." Flora said rubbing the top of Maeve's head.
"The nice wolf and strange knight are your friends?"
"Yes, they are. Do you have any friends?"
"I did. But mommy doesn't let me leave this place much."
"I'm sure she's just worried about you. This town is full of bad people. Besides I'm sure you're friends still visit you."
"Sometimes they do, but I miss Tim the most."
"Who?"
"Tim, he's a dog keidran. He was my best friend, until a few months ago. He stopped showing up."
"Stopped showing up?"
"My mommy said people took him away to work on a farm far away from here."
"….Oh." Flora said realizing what was going on.
"…..Illegal, and they still do it." Flora said to herself.
Trace reached the upstairs area and passed by a few of the rooms.
He reached a room guarded by a wolf and human soldier.
Trace glanced inside and saw an older tiger keidran wearing officer's armor standing by a physician who looked over a very sick middle aged human man in the bed.
"Because doctor, you've been looking at him for almost a year now and you still can't tell me what's wrong with him!" The tiger growled.
"I just don't get it, it's like it's magic."
"So magic is doing this too him?" The tiger officer asked.
"I don't know. I'm not a Hospitaller." The doctor said as Trace revealed himself.
"Well it just so happens, I am."
All four turned to him.
"…..What?"
"Hello, Trace Legacy, I'm a former Hospitaller. I could tell is magic was affecting him."
The tiger gave an uneasy look before looking at his commander.
"Alright." Trace came in. He looked over the bald man in the bed, his advanced aging seeming almost artificial and his sickness seeming just the same.
Trace's eyes turned blue as he waved his hand over the man. Trace's suspicion being confirmed as he felt a strong enchantment over him. It eroded his will and forced the sickness upon him. Trace whispered as his hand glowed, trying to break the enchantment, however, the enchantment was too strong, even for him. Trace realizing a mana crystal was clearly used in enchanting it. Trace having another idea.
Ash followed the Templar and the boy to another chamber where a few Templars were waiting.
Ash hid behind the corner and watched carefully. The boy looking very afraid as one of the Templars came closer.
"Is this him?"
"Yes sir."
"What's your name?"
"John." The boy said shaking.
The older man revealed a mana crystal and put it in the boy's hand.
"John, I want you to breath and push your hand forward."
"What?"
"Just do it!" The man said forcefully.
John did so, a burst of energy coming out.
The man smiled.
"Well done Phil. John you're very special, you can use magic. It means you're a key to unlocking the future of our world."
"Please I just want to go home."
"This is your home now, you're a Templar now".
Ash felt his grip tighten before he saw a pedestal with a mana crystal embedded into it.
He took a deep breath.
"Here we go." Ash's eyes glowed blue while he clasped his hand. A burst of magic hitting the mana crystal and knocking it off the pedestal. The crystal lights went out as the room went dark.
John got scared when he saw flashes of blue light and heard a loud commotion.
Finally a hand grabbing him. John yelped before he saw a glowing hand and wolf keidran.
"John? My name's Ash, I'm going to take you home."
Ash moved fast with John close, the fortress dark with footsteps all around them.
Ash saw two Templars in front of them.
"John close your eyes." Ash said as he took out a short sword and dagger.
John did so and heard more commotion. Ash knelt down and opened his eyes.
"Come on." Ash said.
He kept John looking away from the bodies on the ground.
Ash heard more footsteps coming closer as they reached a window.
"Close your eyes, and hold on." Ash said picking up John in his arms and began scaling down. However, when Ash did, John looked down and yelped. Ash looking down to see a group of Templars waiting for them.
"Shit." Ash said.
A Templar looking out the window above them.
"Ash." John said.
"It's going to be alright." Ash said when they heard a commotion below them.
Ash looking down to see Keith on horseback standing over four dead Templars.
"Come on!" Keith shouted.
Ash quickly climbing down.
"Let's go!" Keith shouted.
Ash and John got on the horse.
Keith rode fast, getting away from the Templar territory.
They stopped in front of a house near the edge of the town, John ran into the arms of a woman and man.
Keith and Ash watching as the boy reunited with his parents.
"…..I can't believe you did that. Do you realize how stupid that was." Keith said.
Ash smiled.
"And yet you came."
"…"
"You're not heartless Keith, I think you're a big softie under that armor."
Keith elbowed Ash's face as Ash grunted.
"Sorry, pulled the reins back to far." Keith said smiling while they rode off.
Flora was with Trace at the tavern. Flora rubbing Maeve's head.
"It was very nice meeting you, I hope to we can see each other again some day. Now be a good girl and do what your mother says." Flora said before she stood up.
"Come on." Trace said as he and Flora got onto a horse and rode off. They met Ash and Keith at the train station. A brick, wood, and marble building with several seats near the rails.
Ash, Flora, Trace, and Keith waiting as the train arrived. The black engine coming into sight first followed by over a dozen passenger cars made of metal and wood.
"Where are we going again?" Ash asked.
"The coast , to a larger town called Riftshen." Trace said.
"Sounds great." Ash said.
"So what did you guys do?" Flora asked.
"…Not much." Keith said as the train stopped, the doors opening.
They got inside with the other passengers. The train car interior furnished carped with some lounge areas that had couches and chairs.
"Alright two rooms. See you guys in the morning." Trace said.
He and Flora went into one room.
Ash and Keith went into another compartment, a pair of bunkbeds.
"Top bunk!" Ash shouted as he tossed his bag onto it and jumped up.
Ash laid back while Keith sat down on his bunk.
"Alright, I'll admit, it was a good thing you did today."
"We did, I wouldn't have pulled it off without you." Ash said.
"Just try to be less reckless in the future."
Ash smiled.
"I knew you cared about me."
Keith smiled a little before laying back.
In the engine, the engineer got a signal from the conductor.
"Let's get going." He said as his partner took out a mana crystal and put it in a compartment. Blue dust coming out of the engine's chimney before it's wheels began moving.
The train racing along the tracks away from Edinmire.
In another compartment Trace took off his jacket and revealed his somewhat muscular chest with a few scars there.
"What a day." Trace said as he got in the bed.
"I liked that girl Maeve. When we have a baby, I want them to be just like her." Flora said as she took her shirt off and cuddled up beside Trace , putting her arms around him and kissing him.
"What if we have a boy?"
"He can be like Ash."
"…Really?" Trace said as Flora smiled, licking the side of Trace's face.
"By the way, what did you need to do upstairs in the tavern?"
Trace smiled, looking at the bag of mana crystals, one of them not glowing anymore.
Back in Edinmire, the local garrison commander looked years younger as he stood in his armor beside the tiger officer outside the fortress.
The gate was broken down with dozens of auxiliary troops storming inside, others arresting Templars in the dozens with local humans and keidrans cheering.
The soldiers taking delight as they arrested of killed Templars who resisted. The leader dragged before the commander.
"Hello Bob, that enchantment you had on my is gone."
"Edric I-"
The commander punched the Templar.
"Get him out of my sight."
In another location an middle aged man wearing a Templar robe sat before a fireplace. He read from a book and sipped on coffee.
"Master Randal." He heard, turning to see a tired looking Templar messenger.
"Ahh Joseph, come in." The master said, his messenger looking nervous.
"You look tired, sit , have some coffee." The younger Templar slowly sitting down and taking a cup of coffee.
"I have knows master , from Edinmire. The mana crystals , they were stolen."
The master had a surprised look and lowered his cup.
"Stolen? Bandits took down our men, a magic user?"
"No, it was the Trace Legacy and his companions."
"Trace, so they're in this area again. That's bad news indeed, for me at least. I know a few masters still want him alive for our side." Randal sipped more of his coffee.
"So they have the mana crystals?"
"Yes master, they also broke the enchantment we put on the local garrison commander. Our gangs were rounded up in retaliation by the local garrison." The messenger was still afraid, but Randal remained calm.
"Exactly the reason we need to push our schedule forward. The people in these provinces are afraid of the imperial legions. They're a symbol of fear and oppression. When we're done, we'll give the people hope that they can break free from the Kord empire and live freely, independently."
Randal sighed.
"But I need those mana crystals for the Chaos ritual."
"What do we do?"
"Everything's going to be alright Joseph. I'll find a way, I always do."
Author's note
So this is my reimagining of Twokinds, all the real credit goes to Thomas Fischbach. His amazing webcomic, story, characters, and artwork
For those who haven't read twokinds and liked this I would highly recommend it
Now this story is going to be a bit more episodic than some of my other stories, maybe not quite as episodic as my pokemon sentai ones, but still more episodic than the other stories like gate
More characters will come over time, and I'm quite excited for this story
For those who haven't read my stories before, please do leave reviews telling me what you liked and didn't like, how I can improve and what I'm doing right.
Also feel free to PM me any questions so I can answer them directly
So until next time,
Please review, comment, suggest or ask(VIA PM)