It was sundown in the town of Kopur. Kor had long since dragged Faeyo back into Red Bounty. Blizzard, having got bored of jsut waiting around and annoyed at the strange looks he was getting, left to go hunt around in the woods. Kor was sitting at the bar, talking to Ikro about what had went down earlier. The bandits, the Black Ember Company, had rolled in here about 10 months ago. They started small, bullying the local farmers and traders, but then started siezing control of the whole town. The only thing that slowed them was a band of Scoitael fighters that had set up shop to protect the village. They slowed them, but failed to stop them. Their leader, an elf named Lomi, fought with Hutu in a brawl 10 months ago. Lomi was far more skilled but Hutu was a dirty fighter. He threw a bottle of griffin acid in Lomi's face. While Lomi was screaming in agony as his eyes burned to nothing, Hutu ran his dagger through his head. After that, Hutu's men killed the rest of the Scoitael band. No one else tried to stand up against him, even when Hutu killed Lomi's wife.
"That's the story, or at least what the villagers told me when I asked" Ikro said tiredly. Kor sat there still processing the story he just heard. "I thought Scoitael hated humans, why would a band of them stay to protect an all-human village," Kor asked. "I haven't the slightest idea, I only got here 4 months ago. Me uncle used to run this place. When he died at the hands of a wandering forktail, this place went to his last of kin, me." Kor looked over at Faeyo, still out cold from the beating he took. "Then what's his deal then," Kor said gesturing to Faeyo. "No idea about that either, no one told me anything. But he must really want Hutu's head on a pike. It's tge same every time. Hutu comes to collect payment, the kid draws his sword, the kid takes a thumping, Hutu leaves, and the kid takes up space in my bar to sleep off the pain. Can't hate his determination though." Ikro said jokingly. "But nows I got biiger problems. If I don't give that ass double the usual, which I can't even if I wanted to, he'll burn this place down, with me and about a down kegs of booze in it."
Kor thought for a moment. "I'm a monster slayer, and these guys sound like trolls in human form. I'll take care of him" Kor said confidently. Ikro looked at him in sheer disbelief. "Many a man have said that smae line, but since you're the first to say it with nary of drop of drink in you, I guess you mean it. Do this, and I'm sure the elderman would give you a king's ransom."
"Alright then, when they come for the payment, me and my little friend Blizzard will be waiting" Kor said before getting up to leave. "And do me a favor, drag sleepy over there to his house. It's the green one closest to the front gate. Do it and I'll lend you one of the inn rooms for free," Ikro said without looking up from the glass he was cleaning. Kor nodded before grabbing Faeyo by his arms and dragging him out the door. As he got out the door, he turned to see Blizzard, his maw bathed in blood and a elk leg in his jaws. "I'm guessing your hunt went well", Kor said. 'I see your' did too, a little skinny for my tastes but I won't judge you' Bilzzard said smugly. "I ain't eating this kid, you gluttunous clod. But another type of hunt went well. We got ourselves another job. I'll explain on the way but for now drop the leg and grab his" Kor said. Blizzard grabbed one of the boy's legs and together carried him to his house. Kor dropped the part of Faeyo he was carrying and opened the door. There was almost no furniture except for a dirty matress and a a small trunk in the corner. The only other things in the house was a sword rack, a roughed up training dummy, an bare armor stand, and a long wooden crossbow sitting in the corner. Kor and Blizzard dragged Faeyo to what they assumed was his bed and droped him. He started to stir. "Dammit Ikro, could you have dropped me a bit softer" he said. He opened his eyes and saw not Ikro but Kor and Blizzard. He sat up fast and scurried to the wall. "Werewolf! Never knew they came in white", Faeyo exclaimed in fear. Kor shook his head disappointedly.
"Relax, Blizzard's only a danger to bandits and beasts," Kor said angrily. Blizzard snorted and went to lie in an empty corner. Faeyo leaned off the wall he backed into and got into a sitting position on his bed. Kor leaned against the wall next to him. "Pretty nice place you got here, Faeyo," Kor said, looking around the room. "Save it,asshole. I don't care about fancy objects. All I care about is getting strong enough to kill Hutu and finally reap vengance." Kor looked down in suprise. "What is it with you and Hutu anyway. I get nobody likes bandits, but not even knights are as persistent as you. And what vengence?" Faeyo quickly stood up and stared Kor down angrily. "You want to know why I hate the marauding bastard? Not only is he a bully and a rapist, but he took my family from me!"
Faeyo sighed and clamed down a bit. "My mom was just a simple herbalist. Not good enough to stop a plague but she could kill a fever and patch a cut. My dad however, was the leader of a band of Scoitael rouges. They had been injured when taking down a forktail in the woods. Me mum saw to their leader and my dad Lomi. She fell in love with his valor and pure heart and he fell in love with her kindness and good will towards man. They had me about a year later. Things were good, him and his band fought off any monster or bandit threat that set a foot or claw near Kopur. For 17 years until he came. Hutu started small so people let him be. But when he killed a merchant for not selling him a sword for a cheaper price, my da knew he had to stop him. He confronted Hutu and Hutu challenged him to a duel. If my dad won, Hutu and his goons would leave. If he won, Hutu would stay and me da would leave and take his band with him. My dad accepted, believeing that Hutu would be an honorable warrior. He wasn't. I heard my dad scream in agony as his eyes burned from acid and watched as he earned a sword through his skull. My mom ran and threw herself over his body. Hutu chopped her head off with one swing from his sword. I took my carving knife out and raced for him, but he caught my hand, broke my wrist and kicked me in the head. I don't know why he didn't kill me. Maybe he was merciful, maybe he was sadistic and wanted me to live with the memory of my family getting butchered in front of me? I don't know, but I know this. I won't stop until I run my sword through his chest. Then my ma and da can rest in peace"
Kor looked downtrodden having heard Faeyo's story. "Look kid, if you've tried that many times, you don't stand a chance. I saw you fight earlier. You belong nowhere on the battlefield." Faeyo looked up suddenly and angrily. "You shut your gob, drifter! My dad was a skilled swordsman and I am his son. I can handle a sword, I can throw a knife, I can kill Hutu!" Kor sighed. "Being the son of a swordsman doesn't make you a swordsman. My dad used axes, but I could never handle an axe well enough to use them. I felt like I was a weakling. But them my dad said something to me" Kor started getting teary eyed as he remembered his dad's quote. " He told me 'Son , don't be the kind of warrior I am, be the warrior you are. Be a different warrior instead' and then I picked up swords and found that better. Don't be a warrior like your dad. Be a warrior like yourself." Faeyo slumped down on his bed. "I'm taking care of Hutu's band tommorrow. Stay inside and have a think on what I told you. Come Blizzard," Kor said as he walked out the door. Blizzard looked at Faeyo before following his captain. Faeyo just layed down and stared at the cieling. 'Be the warrior I am' he thought as he contimplated about what to do about tommorow.
Review please. Pretty pwease