Chapter III
Grass crunched and twigs snapped as Geno stomped through the forest seeking
adventure and experience. Not being especially bright, but never the less,
Geno was ambitious. He had stopped going to school around the tenth grade,
having to help his family around their job in the local castle. His father
was the personal escort of the nobleman of the castle, and Geno had to
replace his older brother Chino's place as the squire of the nobleman's
best knight, sir Raphael Delfort. He was taught simple swordplay and basic
combat by Sir Raphael, but when he reached his 18th midsummer, he left the
castle to seek the future he was sure he was destined to claim. His family
had always desired him to help out around the castle and fill his place,
but he had dreams of wealth and glory. To be a hero, more than a knight,
more than a nobleman, a defender of justice and champion of the people.
Plus, heroes led rather luxurious lives when they were successful.
Geno had passed a centaur farmer who suggested that he seek out
Erana's Peace, a haven for travelers. Not one for sightseeing, Geno
preferred to do some scouting. Not being very light footed, however, his
scouting was only successful in letting everything in the forest know he
was coming. Growing up, Geno had been regarded as the rough type. Standing
six foot two inches, he had no trouble intimidating men twice his age.
Doors were a problem sometimes, though. Throughout his teenage years, he
kept a strict workout program going to increase his strength and endurance.
As a child, he had dreamed of being a knight, like his brother. But with
the death of Chino, Geno decided that knighthood was not his destiny. He
instead chose the hero idea. He put all his anger and sadness into working
out and training himself for his life choice. Very broad and muscular in
appearance, he never had trouble in getting ladies to go to the castle
dances.
Stepping through a clearing of the forest, Geno observed a relatively
clear area with a few bushes and trees.
"Oh good, a place to rest."
Geno sat on a rock, oblivious to the bush creeping up behind him. He turned
around when the bush stepped on a twig.
"Hmmmm...was that bush there before?"
He then noticed the two horns protruding from the bush.
"Wow, Spielburg has some strange bushes."
He turned back around and pulled out a flask of water. Suddenly a goblin
jumped out of the bush behind him and flung itself toward him. But Geno
stooped over to examine a thorn stuck in his boot, so the goblin flew over
him, missing him completely. Geno looked up to see a goblin picking itself
up and pulling a club out of it's belt.
"What the hell? Where did you come from?"
Suddenly Geno remembered that goblins were aggressive monsters, and jumped
up, drawing his sword in his right hand and pulling his shield onto his
left arm.
"Have at you!" Geno yelled.
He brought his sword up and down. The goblin sidestepped and brought it's
club around in a horizontal swing. Geno blocked and thrust his sword out,
stabbing through the goblin's chest. It fell to the ground, clutching the
wound in disbelief. Geno lowered his sword and shield, gasping in ecstasy.
He had just killed the first monster of his career. He smiled and chuckled.
One hit and he had killed it. He didn't even think while he did it, it was
all natural and instinctive.
Suddenly, there was a loud sound, and Geno turned around to see three
goblins behind him. He turned to his left and there were three more. He
spun around to observe the fact that he was surrounded. He must have
ventured into their training ground or something.
"...Shit.."
He brought his sword and shield up.
"Bring it on!"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dante sat at a table in the inn, The Hero's Tail. He sipped his
coffee in patience, awaiting nightfall. He had already reserved a room with
the innkeeper, a katta named Shameen. He tapped on the table, a habit he
had whenever he was bored. There was nothing for him to do until night,
that was when he would commence his search for the local thieves. He
pondered the note he had found in the bar. B could have been anybody, but
Dante had a feeling they were less that savory. He finished his coffee and
leaned on the table. Memories from his home flooded his mind as he examined
the empty mug. His house had very fine mugs for drinking. Everything in his
house had been very fine. His father was a prominent nobleman, with
thousand of acres of land. He had an excellent education, but books bored
him. His father tried to teach him combat, but that bored him as well. He
found the most fun of his life was tricking people and taking their shiny
things. Ever since he was a child, he had an infatuation with shiny and
glimmering objects. Gems, gold, silver, pearls and other valuable things
stole his attention. So he thought it was only fair if he stole them. He
left his home when he was twenty-one midsummers. He decided to take from
the world all that it owed him, since he figured it owed him everything.
He checked the window. Dusk was approaching. Soon, very soon, he
would embark on his quest.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jester whistled as he walked with Darion. Darion had a very quiet
personality, never one to start the conversations, but always the one to
finish them. He was rather blunt and standoffish, but Jester had grown to
like him as a person. Not to mention the fact that he didn't have to worry
about any monsters with him around. Suddenly Darion stopped walking and
threw his hood off, swinging his head left and right, as if listening to
something.
"What?" Jester asked.
"A battle is commencing somewhere near."
"How do you know?"
Jester strained his ears, but could hear nothing.
Darion broke into a run, unsheathing his sword as he dashed. Jester ran
after him, but Darion was in much better shape. After what seemed a
marathon to Jester, they appeared in a clearing. They stopped just in time
to see a large blonde man pick up a dying goblin and throw him over his
head. Darion pulled Jester out of the way of the falling goblin that landed
at Jester's feet. Goblin bodies scoured the forest floor and bushes. Blood
covered nearly every inch of green. The man turned to face the last goblin.
He brought up his shield and rushed the goblin, knocking it off balance.
The goblin tried to regain it's balance, but the blonde fighter swung it's
sword left, then right, taking the goblin in the torso, reducing it to two
pieces. The blonde man gasped and his breath came heavy. He turned around
to face Darion and Jester. They then realized that he was not a man, but a
boy. No more than 19 midsummers at most. Blood covered his bare arms and
hands. His brown leather jerkin and blue pants were stained red in almost
every area. Blood trickled down his head from where he had received a
wound. His long blonde hair was spotced red in several places. His blade
and shield were covered in blood and organs. A true portrayal of a
barbarian. Jester was genuinely intimidated and frightened. Darion regarded
the lad with a nod.
"This must have been quite a battle."
The blonde kid raised his sword and pointed it at Darion.
"You want some too?"
Darion chuckled. "Boy, you wouldn't last long."
Jester gaped and stared at Darion. This boy had taken out an army of
goblins. Jester could count at least fifteen bodies. How could Darion be so
confident?
The blonde made an aggressive stance. Darion lifted his hand.
"Please, there is no need for further violence. You are a valiant warrior."
The blonde smiled and sheathed his bloody sword and slung his shield over
his back.
"Thank you. I plan to be the hero of Spielburg."
He struck his heroic pose.
Jester suddenly had an epiphany.
"Hey, do you know where Spielburg is?"
"Of course, I just came from there. I can lead you to it if you wish, oh
defenseless travelers!"
Darion scoffed. "Defenseless."
Jester nudged him.
"Lead on oh valiant hero!" Jester said.
The blonde smiled foolishly and turned around.
"This way! Oh, and by the way, my name is Geno Star!"
" I'm Jes..."
Jester barely got the words out of his mouth as Geno started walking.
Darion shook his head.
"Not the brightest flower in the garden."
Jester shrugged.
Grass crunched and twigs snapped as Geno stomped through the forest seeking
adventure and experience. Not being especially bright, but never the less,
Geno was ambitious. He had stopped going to school around the tenth grade,
having to help his family around their job in the local castle. His father
was the personal escort of the nobleman of the castle, and Geno had to
replace his older brother Chino's place as the squire of the nobleman's
best knight, sir Raphael Delfort. He was taught simple swordplay and basic
combat by Sir Raphael, but when he reached his 18th midsummer, he left the
castle to seek the future he was sure he was destined to claim. His family
had always desired him to help out around the castle and fill his place,
but he had dreams of wealth and glory. To be a hero, more than a knight,
more than a nobleman, a defender of justice and champion of the people.
Plus, heroes led rather luxurious lives when they were successful.
Geno had passed a centaur farmer who suggested that he seek out
Erana's Peace, a haven for travelers. Not one for sightseeing, Geno
preferred to do some scouting. Not being very light footed, however, his
scouting was only successful in letting everything in the forest know he
was coming. Growing up, Geno had been regarded as the rough type. Standing
six foot two inches, he had no trouble intimidating men twice his age.
Doors were a problem sometimes, though. Throughout his teenage years, he
kept a strict workout program going to increase his strength and endurance.
As a child, he had dreamed of being a knight, like his brother. But with
the death of Chino, Geno decided that knighthood was not his destiny. He
instead chose the hero idea. He put all his anger and sadness into working
out and training himself for his life choice. Very broad and muscular in
appearance, he never had trouble in getting ladies to go to the castle
dances.
Stepping through a clearing of the forest, Geno observed a relatively
clear area with a few bushes and trees.
"Oh good, a place to rest."
Geno sat on a rock, oblivious to the bush creeping up behind him. He turned
around when the bush stepped on a twig.
"Hmmmm...was that bush there before?"
He then noticed the two horns protruding from the bush.
"Wow, Spielburg has some strange bushes."
He turned back around and pulled out a flask of water. Suddenly a goblin
jumped out of the bush behind him and flung itself toward him. But Geno
stooped over to examine a thorn stuck in his boot, so the goblin flew over
him, missing him completely. Geno looked up to see a goblin picking itself
up and pulling a club out of it's belt.
"What the hell? Where did you come from?"
Suddenly Geno remembered that goblins were aggressive monsters, and jumped
up, drawing his sword in his right hand and pulling his shield onto his
left arm.
"Have at you!" Geno yelled.
He brought his sword up and down. The goblin sidestepped and brought it's
club around in a horizontal swing. Geno blocked and thrust his sword out,
stabbing through the goblin's chest. It fell to the ground, clutching the
wound in disbelief. Geno lowered his sword and shield, gasping in ecstasy.
He had just killed the first monster of his career. He smiled and chuckled.
One hit and he had killed it. He didn't even think while he did it, it was
all natural and instinctive.
Suddenly, there was a loud sound, and Geno turned around to see three
goblins behind him. He turned to his left and there were three more. He
spun around to observe the fact that he was surrounded. He must have
ventured into their training ground or something.
"...Shit.."
He brought his sword and shield up.
"Bring it on!"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dante sat at a table in the inn, The Hero's Tail. He sipped his
coffee in patience, awaiting nightfall. He had already reserved a room with
the innkeeper, a katta named Shameen. He tapped on the table, a habit he
had whenever he was bored. There was nothing for him to do until night,
that was when he would commence his search for the local thieves. He
pondered the note he had found in the bar. B could have been anybody, but
Dante had a feeling they were less that savory. He finished his coffee and
leaned on the table. Memories from his home flooded his mind as he examined
the empty mug. His house had very fine mugs for drinking. Everything in his
house had been very fine. His father was a prominent nobleman, with
thousand of acres of land. He had an excellent education, but books bored
him. His father tried to teach him combat, but that bored him as well. He
found the most fun of his life was tricking people and taking their shiny
things. Ever since he was a child, he had an infatuation with shiny and
glimmering objects. Gems, gold, silver, pearls and other valuable things
stole his attention. So he thought it was only fair if he stole them. He
left his home when he was twenty-one midsummers. He decided to take from
the world all that it owed him, since he figured it owed him everything.
He checked the window. Dusk was approaching. Soon, very soon, he
would embark on his quest.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jester whistled as he walked with Darion. Darion had a very quiet
personality, never one to start the conversations, but always the one to
finish them. He was rather blunt and standoffish, but Jester had grown to
like him as a person. Not to mention the fact that he didn't have to worry
about any monsters with him around. Suddenly Darion stopped walking and
threw his hood off, swinging his head left and right, as if listening to
something.
"What?" Jester asked.
"A battle is commencing somewhere near."
"How do you know?"
Jester strained his ears, but could hear nothing.
Darion broke into a run, unsheathing his sword as he dashed. Jester ran
after him, but Darion was in much better shape. After what seemed a
marathon to Jester, they appeared in a clearing. They stopped just in time
to see a large blonde man pick up a dying goblin and throw him over his
head. Darion pulled Jester out of the way of the falling goblin that landed
at Jester's feet. Goblin bodies scoured the forest floor and bushes. Blood
covered nearly every inch of green. The man turned to face the last goblin.
He brought up his shield and rushed the goblin, knocking it off balance.
The goblin tried to regain it's balance, but the blonde fighter swung it's
sword left, then right, taking the goblin in the torso, reducing it to two
pieces. The blonde man gasped and his breath came heavy. He turned around
to face Darion and Jester. They then realized that he was not a man, but a
boy. No more than 19 midsummers at most. Blood covered his bare arms and
hands. His brown leather jerkin and blue pants were stained red in almost
every area. Blood trickled down his head from where he had received a
wound. His long blonde hair was spotced red in several places. His blade
and shield were covered in blood and organs. A true portrayal of a
barbarian. Jester was genuinely intimidated and frightened. Darion regarded
the lad with a nod.
"This must have been quite a battle."
The blonde kid raised his sword and pointed it at Darion.
"You want some too?"
Darion chuckled. "Boy, you wouldn't last long."
Jester gaped and stared at Darion. This boy had taken out an army of
goblins. Jester could count at least fifteen bodies. How could Darion be so
confident?
The blonde made an aggressive stance. Darion lifted his hand.
"Please, there is no need for further violence. You are a valiant warrior."
The blonde smiled and sheathed his bloody sword and slung his shield over
his back.
"Thank you. I plan to be the hero of Spielburg."
He struck his heroic pose.
Jester suddenly had an epiphany.
"Hey, do you know where Spielburg is?"
"Of course, I just came from there. I can lead you to it if you wish, oh
defenseless travelers!"
Darion scoffed. "Defenseless."
Jester nudged him.
"Lead on oh valiant hero!" Jester said.
The blonde smiled foolishly and turned around.
"This way! Oh, and by the way, my name is Geno Star!"
" I'm Jes..."
Jester barely got the words out of his mouth as Geno started walking.
Darion shook his head.
"Not the brightest flower in the garden."
Jester shrugged.