Chapter One
He stumbled along the past in a near zombie-like state. It had been days since he set out on this leg of his journey and he needed a soft bed. He legs barely retained his balance. He couldn't wait until he reached Nod. He kinda missed Ole Graffern.
He smirked at the idea and decided not to tell him that. He'd just have to walk faster.
Suddenly the sound of hooves was heard from up ahead. Curiosity withstanding, he hurried forward to stopped at the fork in the road to see four men blaze down the other trail. He watched them go and was nearly trampled by the next two riders, who pulled hard on their bridles to stop.
"Who are you?" the leader shouted, "Are you more Konan scum?"
He didn't answer, instead he asked. "Where did you come from?"
The leader looked angered, "Who are you to question knights of Druin?"
He didn't know what Druin was so he didn't answer that question either.
The leader drew his sword, "Are you from Konan?"
He drew his own sword, "Born in Konan."
The leader snarled, "You draw your blade at us?"
Before a reply was spoken, a loud growling noise was heard behind him. They all turned to look and the two riders nearly fell from their horses at the sight before them.
"It's a . . . a . . . a demon!" the other rider gasped in fear.
The huge, massive beast floated on equally massive wings. It was of dark green tint and reminded on of a praying mantis, except exceptionally larger.
"Run!" commanded the leader, and the two riders dashed down the opposite path.
He watched them leave and his eyes drifted back to the demon. It snarled in a bemused manner and slowly started to advance on him. He didn't stand there to let it come close enough to shake hands however and began running down the path the riders originally came from.
He ran and stumbled but the demon was slowly gaining on him. I fell upon his hands and flipped over to see the demon rear back a clawed arm --
"Reika Shinen!"
A river of fire cascaded across the demon's hide and it reared back and flew away, desperate to escape.
He looked up at his rescuer. He had fiery red-hair and was wielding an iron fan. He had a smirk on his face as he looked down at him.
"Hello there, boy," he said jovially, "You looked a bit overtaken."
He pulled himself from the ground and shook his hand, "Thank you, sir. My name is Horiko."
"I'm Genru, and don't mention it," the man smile faltered, "If only I got here sooner."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, the village had already been destroyed by the time I got here."
Horiko's heart stopped in his chest, "Village?"
"Yeah, the one up ahead. What's it called? Nod?"
Horiko's heart started up again with an overbearing thud. He slowly back away from Genru and turned.
"Wait! Where the hell you goin'?!" Genru shouted after him.
"Nod! I have to save them!"
"But it's gone, boy!" Genru shouted, but his words went through deaf ears.
The village was burning. He could see that no that he was out of the woods. The building had all fallen down. Why had this happened?
Horiko stopped at the first house and knelt beside the man there. "What happened here?"
The man sputtered blood as he tried to answer, "Dru . . . Druin."
"What's Druin?!"
The man didn't answer. His head felled over to the side and spoke no more.
Horiko stood up and ran farther into town. He saw Ole Graffern leaning against a half-fallen wall. He rushed to him.
"Graffern! Graffern! Are you all right?!" he shouted.
Ole Graffern looked up through unseeing eyes, "Ho . . . Ho . . . Riko? Riko? Is that you?"
"Yes, it's me. Are you all right?! What happened?"
Ole Graffern slumped and Horiko feared the worst, but the old man straightened back up and gazed past Horiko's shoulder, "I'll be fine, boy. It'll take more than a raid to end the Ole Graffern."
Horiko couldn't help but give a small smile at the old man's words, "You can't see me, can you?"
"Iie. The lights have gone out," Graffern muttered, even thought they both knew he was outside in broad daylight, "The smoke hasn't cleared."
Horiko placed a hand on the Graffern's shoulder, "Do you know what happened?"
"There was a raid by the Druin."
Horiko sighed, "Who are the Druin?"
"That's right, you left before they appeared. Did you find what you went looking for?"
Horiko shook his head, "No, just a small memento my father left behind."
"Really? What was it?" Ole Graffern asked, "He rarely kept anything."
"Just this red gem. I remember Father always had it," Horiko said, placing the gem into Ole Graffern's hand.
He fingered the gem softly, "He must have picked this up after he left Nod."
"Who are the Druin?"
"Oh, yes, right. The Druin seem to be a band of mercenaries that came out of the Kutou border. They first appeared about two years ago, only months after you left. They never raided us before now."
The Ole Graffern seemed to pause in his thoughts.
"What is it, Ole Graffern?" Horiko prodded.
"I think they took Krin."
Horiko was silent for a long moment, "Krin? But why?"
"I don't know. I saw her being pulled up onto a horse by a man in dark blue," Ole Graffern said, palming the gem back into Horiko's hand.
A moment's pause, "You'll go save her for me, won't you?"
Horiko didn't hesitate in responding, "Of course I will. I owe you to do so. You raised me like your own, Ole Graffern. I have a duty to rescue what truly is yours."
Ole Graffern smiled, "You are a good boy, Riko. A good boy."
They were silent for a while before Ole Graffern spoke, "You should be on your way."
"I can't leave you here alone, Ole Graffern."
"You won't be. Mrs. Brandyhill was here a moment ago. Most of the women had been down by the river when it happened. A lot of them are alive. We have enough to rebuild. I bet they took Krin to Briddidon."
"They must have. No other prison is near. You realize I'll have to cross the border guards to get into Kutou?"
"You're a bright boy," Ole Graffern said, "You can do it."
Horiko left the Ole Graffern only after Mrs. Brandyhill returned with a promise to watch over him. Horiko set out to Briddidon almost immediately, all thoughts of the soft bed forgotten.