Aleynonlia is the country which holds the greatest military troops in the entire world. Outside forces dare not intervene for fear of their demise and trades are close to unneeded with the lands abundant crops and rich natural materials. It is here where the journey shall end after hundreds of years in the cycle of war.
Chapter One: The First Meeting
The carriage rock as the citizens of Bama rams through the crowd to get a better view. A bump in the road ejected Adam off his seat into the leather cushion opposite. He steadied himself and peek through the drawn curtains before turning back into his seat with a loud sigh.
"Is it really that big of a deal just to get a look at me?" Adam confided in his bodyguard.
Blade replied with an overly casual tone. "Well, hardly anyone has ever seen you before. They think you live in the big white castle back there." He ended with a gesture to the direction of where the castle lies.
Adam sighed again. "Why did my father have to ask me to live with the people in the first place?"
"You already know why."
"Yeah, yeah, he can't observe how the citizens act naturally if he's a King so he sends me to 'mingle' as a commoner." Adam explained to himself more than Blade.
"It's not that bad. You're just frustrated because of your fans. Don't worry; they'll clear up once we pass the Second Gate."
"Yeah, and after that we still have to make through another group of Adam's fan club. At this rate, we'll reach the First Gate when the sun burns out."
Bama is the country's capital surrounded by three large circular walls. In between each walls is a specific district and the tightness of security may vary. After the First Wall is the trade district or outer district with the First Gate located at the south. Securities there are limited only to a few soldiers and archers stationed at the wall and daily patrols by volunteers which includes Ryan, Valentine and the occasional, Yun. Traders and farmers gather there from across Aleynonlia to sell their wares and is one of the most thriving trade spot in the land.
Behind the Second Wall is the housing district or the middle district. The Second Gate is located to the north. Though people can enter and leave as they please; the security there is top notch as the district house nearly eighty percent of the citizens of Bama. The thousands of archers lined up at the wall and daily patrols with troops from Royal Knights in-training, one can hardly expect even a small pickpocket to go unnoticed. But of course, there are exceptions.
The Third Wall is the last line of defense for the Royals. Trained rune archers and knights stand guard at the wall while the Talon Calvary, founded by Adam's own eldest brother, Talon Law keeps watch over the people. The Talon Calvary is a group of riders trained in both sword and bow and being adepts at rune magic makes them one of the most formidable opponents in the land.
As Adam pondered over their predicament, an idea jumped at him and he immediately turned his attention back to Blade, hoping to gain his approval before executing the plan he had in mind. Even if some miracle was at work and the carefree Blade didn't agree, the young prince would go ahead with his plans anyway.
Blade caught Adam's stare and let out a loud sigh. Picking up his rapier from beside him, Adam smiled, knowing that Blade had got his point. "From that look, you've got another bright idea haven't you?" His voice filled with sarcasm over the word 'bright'.
Adam's smile grew wider and he kicked open a trapdoor in the floor which was build incase the carriage got attacked by bandits and the like so royalties could make a quick escape if possible. Blade sighed again, knocking the wall of the carriage with his knuckles three times to signal to the driver of their leave. Two knocks back told them the message was received.
"What was that about?" Adam asked with one of his foot through the trapdoor.
Blade replied with the same casual, joking voice, "That was the 'Prince had another stupid idea' knock."
Blade has joined the party.
Adam dropped onto the cold stone floor and rolled out from under the carriage followed swiftly by Blade. The two got on their feet as soon as they were out to avoid being too suspicious and being trampled and slowly made their way through the crowd.
Adam stumbled out on one foot, only to find Blade already out of the mess. The bodyguard gave a smile and walked on towards the Second Gate as Adam took one last look at the crowd following the empty carriage, not knowing that the one they had hoped to meet has already passed by half of them unnoticed.
XXX
The inn bustled with people going in and out, drinking and singing, merry making and the likes. There were groups of travelers gathered at different corners of the bar, discussing their next destination or just citizens coming in for a drink. A group of swordsman and archers, presumably bounty hunter gathered round a noticed board beside the entrance. They were speaking in hush whispers amongst themselves, deciding which target they should take first. A person, covered in a brown traveling coat the hood up entered into the fray of hunters.
Taking a quick sweep of the board, he snatched a poster seconds before another hand reached out to grab the same parchment. The picture was the face of a young man, around the early thirties with think styled back blond hair with what was presumed his name, Doyle printed in large bold letters on the top beside the reward money… two hundred million potch.
The cloaked stranger walked towards the counter where Lucas was cleaning out some of his beer mug. Lucas is the twenty four years old proprietor and barkeep of the Dancing Firefly, the most well known inn in Bama and residence to the elusive Third Prince, Adam. His daily work attire are always the same, a full black tuxedo with a white shirt inside gave him the look of a professional waiter.
By the time he reached the counter, half the hunters were looking at him with a mixed expression of curiosity and respect. Lucas took one look of the man in the picture and glaze into the deep purple eyes of the cloaked stranger.
The stranger let his hood down to reveal the face of a teenager who looks no older than sixteen. His brown hair is spiked up with multiple strands of white and he carried a look of total serenity.
"Doyle the Bandit King? What an interesting choice." Lucas said with an intrigued voice, his sound loud and clear, echoing in the minds of all who hears it. "Are you sure you want to take this guy?" the teen nodded and Lucas sigh. He slides a piece of rolled up parchment which contains the details on Doyle to the teen.
Just as the stranger was about to pick up the parchment, a hand appeared from the right and placed itself with the utmost gentleness onto the paper.
"You stole my target." Said the male teen the hand belonged to with an extremely casual voice. The other hunters looked at him with an equal amount of respect and curiosity as the cloaked teen.
The teen who interrupted the process wore tight light black jeans with grey sandals and dark leaf green shirt. The long black hair which nearly fully covered the eyes of equally pure black made it seems like you were looking into the night sky. The barrels of two silver revolvers dangled outward with the handles connected to long sheathes, presumably hiding the blades of twin swords hung around his brown traveling belt which also held a small money pouch in the front. Judging from the size of the two sheathes, the blades would most likely belongs to that of a katana.
"I would like it back." The teen said with the same casual voice to the stranger.
A smile spread across the stranger's face and in a flash, a saber was pulled from under the cloak and a slash was made. Lucas and the others in the bar expected blood but that was not the case. The teen had pulled his right gunblade out by three inches, blocking the blow of the saber. Both travelers could care less about the poster right now as their eyes met, black and purple, purple and black.
The stranger was left handed as he drew his blades with it. The hand was wrapped in bandages though there were seemingly no stains of blood or any form of injury.
"At least you have some decent fashion sense." The teen said, referring to the bandage. "It looks good."
The stranger smiled and the two pushed away from each other. The teen managed to fully draw his gunblade with the blade held in reverse like some samurais would with their katana. But once he looks up, he finds the stranger had already placed the tip of his saber inches away from his neck.
The stranger gave a smile to which the teen returned and he looked down. The teen had his right revolver pointed at the guts of the stranger. They were equally matched in skills. The teen sheathed his gunblades and took a step back.
"Fine, you win." He said, tired of the senseless conflict. He headed back towards the board and took the second highest bounty there. The hunters all made way for the skilled fighter.
The teen paid Lucas for the info who still looked stunned at the amazing display of swordplay he witnessed and headed for the door.
The teen looked back to the stranger, "See you around," A purple glow emitted from the bandaged arm of the stranger who looked at it in shock before turning his attention to the teen who, through the thick hair, had a glow of black coming from his forehead. "Koran." The teen finished, stepping out of the inn and disappeared into the bustling streets.
XXX
The bell rang as Adam and Blade stepped into the familiar provision shop ran by their friend Stephanie. The shop was just set up around four weeks ago and has been getting attention from the things it sell which are both reasonably cheap and of high quality. The interior of the shop is like all others. A large oak counter is the first thing a customer will see and behind it is a shelf full of jars of herbs and medicines alike. Another shelf is placed on the left against the wall which is stocked up to the point of nearly collapsing with products such as bread, sewing needles, cloth, small toys and the like. On the right is a long table lined with fresh fruits and vegetables. There is only one two by one meter window and it doesn't provide enough light so a lamb is dangled from the ceiling, its flame constantly burning.
A door behind the counter opened and out came Stephanie followed by one of the local farmer Tad.
Stephanie is eighteen years old and was the daughter of Teal, the lord of a small town in the west of Aleynonlia called Shivak. Teal died along his wife fifteen years ago or more exactly, murdered by Leon, a murderer now serving his time in prison. An orphan at young, Stephanie was taken in personally by Alton, Adam's father and the King. The reason was so as Teal was trying to safeguard a royal belonging which Leon attempted to steal and was killed because of his heroics. Alton, seeing as what belonged to him caused the death of a dear friend; he decided to take in Stephanie in other for her to have a better future. Just two years ago, she left the castle to earn her own living and finally ended opening up the shop she have today.
She wears a headband given to her by her mother which holds up her long silk black hair. Her eyes were of brown and she wears a white silk shirt with a medium length purple skirt. She is most liked by her customer for the fact that her smile is always true.
Tad, is a twenty eight years old farmer who lives west in the trade district behind the First Wall. He delivers fresh supplies of fruits and vegetable to Stephanie once a week and to others all around the capital on every other day. He wears a typical light brown farmer shirt and white knee length shorts which have been stained with mud from his work in the field. He has on, a straw hat which he made himself and never takes it off other than when he baths and sleeps.
"Oh, customers!" Stephanie exclaimed as she looks at two figure standing at the door, face hidden in shadows from the light of the street entering the dim store. "Welcome to- Oh, it's just you guys." She said disappointed with whom she saw once the door closed with the ringing of bells again.
"What do mean Oh?" Adam exclaimed in his own disappointment, emphasizing on the 'Oh'.
Stephanie smiled. "Just kidding guys. Now, what brings you here? Aren't you supposed to be on a carriage to Lottrinbram?"
"Adam here had another bright idea to ditch the carriage and head there on his own." Blade explained.
"There was bad traffic!" Adam retorted back.
"Well in any case," Stephanie continued. "I won't let you use Star." She ended firmly, aware of their intentions.
"What! Why not?" Adam exclaimed. "Everyone knows Star is the fastest horse in Bama!"
"Exactly!" Stephanie yelled in his face. "The last time you rode her out, she came back half dead!"
"It was only a little trip!"
"To Likala! That's one hell of a trip you went don't you think so?" Stephanie continued. "Do you even know how far that is?"
Tad cleared his throat loudly, surprising everyone as they nearly forgot he was there. "I've got a couple of steed back at the farm ready to go you know."
Adam was about to say something but Blade cut in, knowing fully well of what he was going to say. "We'll take the offer then." He told Tad.
Tad joined the party.
"See you next week then Tad and stay out of trouble you two." She said, directing her sentence to Adam who can only smile weakly.
Star of Destiny
Chitou Star, Folding Star: Tad
Weapon type: Hoe
Weapon name: Harvest
Element: Earth
Right hand rune: Earth Rune
