Chapter II

By the time Taurus reached the South Gate of Rune Midgard Prontera, it has already started to rain heavily. Cursing the gods for the rain, he held the girl on his shoulders tightly and started to run towards the city's orphanage home, whose matriarch was a childhood friend of his.

"Taurus, what a pleasant surprise," said Katrina Mannon, a high priestess of the Pronteran Church and matriarch of the orphanage home as Taurus charged into the house.

"Cut the chit-chat," said Taurus, looking around the room. "Can you spare a bed for this girl and tend her wounds?"

"Taurus, you're a priest yourself for god's sake. Can't you heal her wounds yourself instead of barging into the orphanage home and asking me to tend her wounds?" said Katrina as she chased after Taurus up the stairs, trying to look at the girl on his shoulder's face. Taurus did not reply Katrina's remarks. He kicked open one of the room door in the house and dropped the girl onto the bed nearby the door.

"There, she's all yours," said Taurus. He walked out from the room and headed to the bathroom. He stared at his reflection in the mirror as he dried his Sweet Gent and his long black leather trench coat.

"There's something about this girl, but what is it?" thought Taurus to himself, washing his face and hair.

"I see that you're still having it," said Katrina's voice by the door. Taurus looked up at her. "She'll be alright. She just need some rest. Where did you find her?"

"Somewhere outside the South Gate," replied Taurus shortly and stared deeply back at his reflection in the mirror.

"Don't let her out from your sight," he added, putting his Sweet Gent back on and hanged his trench coat on his arm as he exits the bathroom. "There's something about her that I would like to find out about."

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The House of Aeroth was well known for producing the finest of warriors in Rune Midgard Prontera, and Aragon Aeroth was one of their proudest sons. He joined the Swordsman Academy at a tender age of ten and later on graduated the following year, an achievement only the most talented ones can achieve. Although the House of Aeroth is mainly famed for producing strong and brave knights, Aragon instead became a paladin, following the footsteps of his father. Aragon's father, the late Sylvas Aeroth, was King Tristan III's most trusted one among his line of generals of the Royal Pronteran Army. Sylvas Aeroth died before his time while serving his kingdom in a war against the army of the self-proclaimed Emperor Li-Chen of Payon to over-run King Tristan's throne. The war ended when the Emperor himself was over-thrown by one of his own generals.

Despite Aragon's outstanding achievements from the past, he also endured many difficulties. He was often pointed as a spoilt brat and often got picked by others. His father died when he was only nine years of age and his mother, Natasha Aeroth, a year later. Aragon's mother was brutally raped and then murdered while she was on her way back from Geffenia by a wanted high wizard and his apprentice despite the valiant struggle that she put up. They were caught a few days later after raping and murdering Natasha Baltimore-Aeroth with the charge for rape and murder. They were sentenced to death and Aragon was granted permission to execute the death sentence. Ever since that day, Aragon Aeroth was a changed man.

At the age of fifteen, he was asked to become one of the captains in the Royal Pronteran Army. Aragon took the job until he was eighteen. With his superb fighting talent and charisma, he was looked up as one of the most respected captains in the army other than being the youngest captain of the army at that period of time.

Recently, he had formed a small guild with some of his friends. His guild is basically a special protection agency which deals with escorting or protecting important figures in Prontera. His guild had managed to protect all of the important figures that they were assigned to protect from assassinations and harms way ever since the guild was formed.

In his office based in the Realms of Valkryie, Aragon was just about to finish reading the newspaper when Taurus came into the room, wet from head to toe.

"What have you been doing, dancing with some dancers in the rain?" asked Aragon, putting down his newspaper on the table and looked at Taurus' wet state.

"I wished," replied Taurus coldly. Aragon shrugged and looked outside the window while Taurus dried and cleaned himself up in his private room. Few minutes later, Taurus came out from his room, dressed up in his first ever robe given by the Prontera Church before changing it to the long black leather trench coat that he is currently wearing. He walked up towards Aragon at the window and looked outside with his arm folded.

"Have you heard the news? About the assassination of the noble family from Payon," said Taurus. Aragon nodded.

"We were hired by the Alexander family to escort them to their place but because of that incident, it was not meant to be," said Aragon. "The noble family from Payon is the Langleys, famed for one of their well refined bow passed down from generation to generation, supposedly unbreakable. I supposed it was the cause of the assassination."

"So? Are we gonna do anything about it?" asked Taurus.

"I've already sent Kiara down to investigate this morning. She should be back soon."