Chapter I
"Hey Jake, have you heard the news? A carriage of a Payonese noble family has been attacked in the forest by the Hassashin Assassins."
"Is that so?" replied a bald swordsman named Jake.
"Yeah. It was believed that the Payonese noble family was to come here to do some business trading with our local noble family. There were no survivours except one who managed to escape the massacre when the police reached the scene, or so they say."
"But how sure are the police that the ones who killed that Payonese noble family was by one of the Hassashins, Jarred?"
"Well, obviously from the signature left behind. Duh. Damn it Jake, you should learn how to read instead of sword fighting. I'm sick of you constantly asking me what's happening in the news and me telling you all about it," added a merchant named Jarred who looked annoyed.
"Ah well," said Jake who seemed to be trying to steer himself out of the topic. "By the way, did I tell you how I banged the daughter of...?"
Whose daughter or how did the bald Jake banged, it did not matter to Taurus Blackhart as he got up from his table and paid his bill. He thanked the owner of the inn where he had his meal in the small city of Izlude. As he stepped outside the door, something fell onto his head lightly. He touched his head and felt something wet. He looked at his hands and droplets of rain started to drip onto his hands. With an impatient sigh he put on his Sweet Gent, put his hands into his pocket and started to walk back to Prontera as it started to drizzle in Izlude. As he walked back, he was deep in thought on the conversation between Jarred and Jake.
"Not usual for a group of renegade assassins assassinating a noble family unless for a cause," thought Taurus. "Damn, why am I caring about things that do not involve me?" Suddenly, someone knocked into him from behind.
"Hey, what the hell?" said Taurus, staggering. He turned around and saw a small, hooded figure on the ground. Taurus reached for the shoulders and shook them roughly. The hood fell, revealing a weary and dirty face of a young girl.
"What's the big idea of ramming into me all of a sudden?" asked Taurus roughly.
"I-I'm s-s-sorry," stammered the young girl, tears forming in her eyes. "P-Please help m-me. I'm so tired an-and hungry. Please..."
Taurus studied the young girl that he was holding. There were twigs stuck in between her hair, cuts and bruises on her hands, legs, body and her face and not to mention her clothes were a bit torn. She must have been running through the woods, thought Taurus. Taurus let go of her and looked around. He heard a slight thud and saw the girl sprawled on the ground, breathing rather weakly. Although Taurus was a hardhearted person, there was something in the girl that made him soft. He picked up his hat, carried the girl on his shoulders and quickened his pace back to Prontera.