Chapter One:

Fateful Meeting

Guy sat down on the bench, rubbing his cold hands together. He sneezed violently. He was not used to this weather, in Sacae it had always been a mild and pleasant temperature. The winters were generally cool. He sighed, pushing away his homesickness, but his heart still ached to see the endless plains of Sacae; to feel the satisfying wind in his face. But instead he was stuck in the snowy mountains of Bern, many miles away from Sacae. He sighed again.

As he sighed, he noticed his reflection in a frozen pool of ice. He winced slightly as he saw the cut across his face, but it could be healed with white magic. His emerald green eyes glinted back at him in the frozen puddle. He had his long jade hair flow loosely over his back and a blue headband around his head. A golden earring hung from his left ear. It was his mother's keepsake and it was the only piece of jewelry he ever wore.

"Never knew you to look at your own reflection Guy!"

Guy yelped and jumped up drawing his sword, thinking it was an enemy. The person behind wasn't as so much startled by Guy's weapon. Instead, he looked more amused than scared.

"Put that down before you decapitate yourself with it, Guy."

Guy recognized who it was and breathed a sigh of relief. He sheathed his sword and glared at Matthew.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"If you had never tricked me in Pherae I wouldn't have to be here freezing to death!"

"What you're still sore at that? I thought we had an agreement."

"I had been starving for ten days. You were cooking meat." Guy said in an angry voice.

"Which I only gave to you if you said that you would serve me with your life if we ever met again," Matthew said in a cherry voice. "And we did meet again and because you swore the deal on your honor, then you are honor bound to complete the deal. The people of Sacae never lie right, Guy," Matthew grinned infuriatingly.

"You… I didn-… Arrggghhh!!!!!" Guy cried out in frustration pulling at his own hair.

Matthew watched in amusement for a few seconds before he decided to change the subject. "So what are you doing in the back lines today?" he asked. "You're usually up in the front lines seeking to prove your worth."

"And your usually in the far back cowering like a whipped dog," Guy retorted, still sore.

"Hey, I'm a thief and a spy," Matthew said cheerfully, shaking the snow out of his chestnut brown hair. "You can't expect me to run into an enemy army head on."

Guy rolled his eyes in exasperation and got up from the bench. He was about to make another sharp comment before he was rudely shoved aside. He nearly fell into the snow but balanced himself in time. He looked up in anger at who had shoved him.

"Hey you, what's your problem?!" he yelled.

The assaulter said nothing. He just turned around and gave Guy a cold stare. The assaulter's long raven black hair billowed around him in the wind, giving him an aura of menace. A bloody sword was held in his right hand. Inside Guy felt intimidated but he tried to put up a brave front.

Matthew spoke up, "Hey you're the new guy, who just joined us right?"

The person looked over at him and gave him a small nod.

"What's the name then?" he asked.

He didn't say anything for a few seconds and all that could be heard was the wind. Then, after a few moments he said his name in a very soft voice, "Karel"

The name sounded familiar to Guy but he dismissed the notion. Matthew continued to talk.

"Well Karel, here in this army we do things a little differently. First of all we don't go around shoving people, we say excuse me and if it's a woman you have to be extra courteous. Secondly, you must…" his voice petered out when he realized nobody was listening.

Karel was staring into the distance, like a hound who had sighted a rabbit. His grip on his sword had tensed. It was completely silent. Not even the wind blew, this time.

There was a fearsome cry behind Guy. He whipped around to see enemy soldiers appearing out of a nearby fort. Guy cursed and quickly drew his sword, but by the time it had left its sheath, one of the enemy soldiers screamed and fell dead to the ground. Blood was pooling out of him, making the snow a bloody crimson.

Guy looked around in confusion on what had killed the soldier so fast. Then he saw Karel standing in the middle of the soldiers. Guy blinked in bewilderment. How had Karel gone from here to the fort so fast?

Karel became a blur and two soldiers fell down, their backs having been pierced by a swift sword strike. The other two soldiers looked around in confusion until they spotted Karel. With a cry they charged at him, spears raised.

Karel neatly sidestepped on soldier and kicked him to the ground. He parried the other soldier's spear and slashed once at his neck. The soldier fell down making a retching noise and feebly grasping at his throat.

The other soldier was petrified with fear. His face had gone pale and he was trembling slightly. He pathetically tried to lift his spear off the ground. Karel slowly approached him, wiping the blood off his sword with his own hand.

The soldier gasped. "You-You're th-the Sword Demon!" he said in a frightened whisper.

Karel made no reply. He just stepped forward and lifted his sword.

"Wait! You don't need to---," Matthew shouted trying to stop Karel. But he was too late. With one swift slice, the soldier's head came rolling off his body.

Guy was sickened. Never had he seen someone killed in such a brutal fashion. When Guy was fighting his own enemies he tried to knock them out and if he had to, kill them in the most humane way possible.

He quickly looked away at the head. Next to him he saw Matthew looking pale but outraged at what Karel had done. He looked like he was about to yell at Karel until

Guy remembered something the soldier said.

Sword Demon

Guy was hit by realization. The Sword Demon, a mysterious person who was a master of the sword. He was a merciless killer but his form of the sword was unmatched throughout the land. The Sword Demon had defeated every one of his enemies, and anyone who was foolish enough to challenge him was killed.

Guy didn't know the Sword Demon's real name but he did know that he came from the Djute Clan, one of the three tribes of Sacae.

And now Guy had the Sword Demon right in front of him.

"Y-You!" Guy stuttered.

Karel didn't reply. He just looked over at Guy.

"Are you the Sword Demon of the Djute Clan?" Guy questioned praying that he was right.

Karel didn't reply for a few moments. Then, he nodded.

Joy flooded into him. Finally after all these months of searching, here he was. No more inquiring people at pubs, no more dead ends. He had finally found him.

Guy quickly went down on one knee and bowed his head. Behind him he heard Matthew say, "Uh Guy, what the heck are you doing?"

"Forgive me for snapping out at you like that, sir" he said addressing Karel.

"What do you want, pup?" Karel asked, a hint of annoyance creeping into his voice.

Guy bristled at the insult but kept his cool. "My name is Guy and I am of the Kutolah Clan."

Karel didn't say anything.

Guy continued, "You're swordplay is known all throughout Elibe. They say you are a one man army and can take on the entire Bern army by yourself."

"Hmph, if you believe all of that crap you certainly are a fool. I ask you again and I'm not going to ask one more time, what do you want, boy?" Karel growled

Inwardly, Guy cursed himself. So much for flattering him. He decided to lay down the truth. He lifted his head and looked him straight in the eye.

"Sir, can you teach me the art of the sword?"

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Matthew raise his eyebrows in surprise but he kept quiet. Karel just kept looking at him with his frosty stare. Minutes passed by in silence. Guy's knees were starting to get sore. He was starting to feel impatient. He also felt foolish, bent up in the kneeling position for so long. Why wouldn't he answer?

"Hey what's with you?" Guy said in an annoyed tone. "Why don't you—

"Be grateful for you inexperience pup," Karel said in his harsh voice. "If you were stronger I would cut you down right where you stand. Fortunately you are weak, and I do not have time for feeble opponents."

With that he turned around and walked away, leaving Guy and Matthew alone.

Guy was stunned. "I…I don't…" he spluttered. Finally he exploded and yelled, "What's your problem?!"

Karel didn't even look back. He just kept walking.

Guy got up in disgust. He angrily kicked the snow and stomped towards camp, muttering under his breath.

Matthew watched him for a few seconds. Then, he sighed regretfully. He ruffled the snow out of his hair one more time and set off after Guy.