Disclaimer: The following chapter contains strong language and violence

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Leodore stood outside the castle. The clouds were strange and dark as charcoal. He looked around the city hall. He saw the ancient Great Library and not too far away from it the Church of the Faith. Its giant doors were open. And Leodore saw... Blood. Flowing out of the opened church.

Suddenly he heard screams of people from all around. And a loud crash as the castle behind him crumbled.

The prince jumped out of bed, covered in a cold sweat.

"A nightmare..." - He thought, trying to calm himself.

The letter from the elves sat on his table. He brought it here yesterday to make sense of it. They warned them of the strange rise of darkness. Leodore tried to tell his father, but the notion was completely ignored.

The young prince got up and after a few minutes, he was dressed, ready for another day. He walked out of his chamber and headed towards the meeting hall. As he got closer he saw that the doors were open. And everyone was discussing something intently.

"Hello everyone." - Leodore said walking into the room.

"Prince Leodore we have more bad news! This is really urgent." - Aveline said as soon as she saw the prince enter.

"What is it? It can't be worse than yesterday." - Leodore asked.

"It is. A noble killed a beast woman yesterday... And now the beastfolk are rallying for justice. They have surrounded his mansion." - Aveline said with a saddened look.

"Oh for god sake. Who is this noble and why did he murder the beastwoman?" - Leodore said annoyed and angry.

He knew the beastfolk were treated horribly here despite doing nothing wrong.

"It's Rean Tyrequin. He didn't give a reason for the murder. But the people around him claim it's because the beastwoman refused to listen to him." - Aveline replied, reading a letter.

"In the name of the great fucking light. Seriously these people, we are already in deep shit and they go out of their way to murder innocents. Stirring more trouble." - The old man said.

Berteram Singlestrike who had been silently sitting in his chair, his gaze full of grief. Leodore hadn't seen the old man like this. Suddenly Berteram rose up from his chair.

"We will ride for his estate. I heard the beastfolk rallying and protesting outside his home are getting attacked by the shits private army. This injustice cannot go on. We have sat for hundreds of years hating others for being different, treating other races like they are beneath us."

Berteram hit the table with his fist as he said the last part.

"How many lives have been lost because of pampered lords like him... I'll show him."

"Old man... Please calm down, let's not do something stupid." - The Prince said, trying to calm his mentor down.

In all his years he rarely saw Singlestrike lose his composure. That could only mean there were deep wounds somewhere in the old man's heart. And this had touched them.

"Don't do anything stupid? Son, what's happening there is stupid. Innocent people losing lives is stupid. I'm riding there with you or without you, doesn't matter..."

"Okay okay... We shall ride there. Should I get a few more men?" - Leodore said giving in.

"There will be no need for that." - Berteram said as he walked out of the hall and headed for the nearest exit from the castle.

Leodore motioned with his head for everyone to follow him. Aveline and Mial looked at each other and after shrugging followed the young Prince and the old man.

...

After a few minutes, they were all on horseback and rode out. The ride was dead silent. Leodore couldn't shake the feeling of strange nostalgia. It was not a pleasant one, reminding him of those times when he would follow Singlestrike into battle. Back then he was a squire - young and stupid. Leodore quickly learned that war is nothing like the books and stories told him.

"Old man! Can I ask you something?" - Leodore said riding up to Berteram.

"Of course, what is it?" - The old man responded though he still gazed at the distance.

"Back in the castle and even now I can tell, something is on your mind. If you don't mind me asking, what is it?" - Leodore said.

He needed to know what was hurting Singlestrike.

"Okay, I'll tell you, son. See, about 40 years ago when I was still making a name for myself as a knight under your grandfather. We had a battle against the demon kingdom.

Dante and his whole royalty were there and so, in the end, there was only me and your grandfather left and so we stood against Dante and his family."

"What a battle it was! Dante and the rest of the vampire folk are no joke, but I was young and I had the King by side. We fought for hours but in the end, I was the only one standing."

" Your grandfather was injured and so was I, but we had managed to defeat the demon royalty and that's all that mattered."

"All said and done I couldn't move much, I was bleeding out, meanwhile, the demons had long taken their royalty to safety. But we didn't have any soldiers left to help us and so we laid there and eventually, your grandfather passed out."

"I thought he would die there and so would I. But at the last second, a young beastgirl came. She brought us medicine and treated our wounds with magic. And only thanks to her did we survive. And I, young and naive, fell in love with her."

"I didn't understand yet, that the world was truly cruel and hateful. Me and her had something, more than any amount of gold or glory could get, we had love. After I was granted the title of Sir and became Singlestrike I went back, to her, to the tribe of beastfolk but all I found was... a burned village."

"The faith and few nobles had been somehow offended by the tribe and slaughtered them all. Blinded by rage, I took justice in my own hands and killed all of those involved. I was stripped of my title and was banished from the kingdom, yet it didn't matter to me, I had lost something more than that."

"Afterwards, I travelled throughout Acoptia, duelled, learned a lot and met many new people. After 20 years I came back after I heard your grandfather got sick, which is when I met your father. I quickly got my title back and I and your father went on many wars after, and eventually, time healed my wounds of loss."

"But whenever I hear anything about injustice such as this it reminds me, of the time I lost the most important person in my life."

"I-I'm sorry to hear that, I didn't know it was this serious" - Leodore said, clearly taken aback by the old man's story.

"No matter, we can discuss it more afterwards. We have arrived." - Berteram said stopping and getting of his horse.

Leodore followed the old man's lead, unmounting and looking at the carnage before them.

The manor of Rean Tyrequin stood before them. It was a giant estate, with crop fields to the right of the giant house, consisting of three floors and large windows. Even amongst nobles, this was quite an impressive residence. The fence surrounding it stood tall, Leodore estimated it to be at least 3 meters tall.

Where the gate stood was a big crowd of beastfolk, the prince could hear them shouting in anger, trying to enter. But there were at least 20 guards from what Leodore could tell. Some of them were hitting the crowd, others laughing.

"They are abusing them, those disgusting rats." - Aveline said, getting off her horse, followed by Mial.

"The private army of his, a bunch of paid honourless thugs." - Berteram spat out with a voice full of spite as he slowly made his way towards the gate.

Leodore quickly followed suit, with Aveline and Mial hesitantly moving by his side. As they got closer to the turmoil, the young prince got a familiar sense of dread. The dread reminded him of all those times he had watched Singlestrike in battle. With every step taken, Leodore could make out more of what the crowd was shouting.

"Murderer!" - A beastman shouted.

"We want justice! Answer for your crimes!" - A beastwoman added.

"Justice! The suffering of our people has to end!" - Another beastman from the crowd shouted.

All of their voices, each word, was full of the purest hatred and anger. A beastwoman, with wolf-like features, tried to get in through the gate but was hit hard, with the hilt of a sword, by a guard. She hit the ground, yelping in pain.

"Stay down filthy creature!" - The guard shouted, lifting his sword in the air and stepping closer to her.

"In the name of the king, stop this madness at once!" - The old man's voice boomed, full of authority.

Suddenly all other noises seized. The crowd and the guards, the one holding the sword over the beastwoman slowly lowered his sword to his side, all stood in silence. As Berteram started walking towards the guards, the crowd of around 50 beastfolk quickly made way for the man, their silence turned into hushed whispers.

Berteram stepped out in front of the crowd, facing the guards who all stood in shock. Leodore could only watch now He knew that once the old man makes up his mind and walks with such purpose, there's nothing that can stop him.

"I, Berteram Singlestrike, the General of the Human Kingdom, order you to move aside at once. I have come to bring justice to Rean Tyrequin." - He said, staring at the guards defending the gate.

The three guards who stood up front looked at each other and nodded. They all knew who the man standing before them was. It was clear by the way their legs were shaking.

"You all are good for nothing mercenary thugs. Drop your weapons and leave, if you wish to remain unharmed. I give you this one chance." - The old man said, taking another step closer.

About 10 guards who had been standing in the front lines quickly dropped their swords. Some of them took off running, while others retreated deeper into the residence.

Suddenly, a big hulking figure pushed his way through the remaining guards. Leodore recognized the massive man. It was Clark "The Butcher" Silverbrace, holding 33 wins and 3 losses in duels. He was quite famous for his fighting style and ruthlessness, both on the battlefield and duel arenas alike.

The nickname he had earned was for his violent style of fighting, he wielded a giant war axe, which he used to chop his victims into pieces. He had killed more than a few of his duel opponents which had brought him infamy.

As he stood, looming over Berteram, and laughed. Leodore could easily tell that the man was around 200 centimeters tall, while the old man measured at around 176 centimeters. Silverbrace truly looked like a giant compared to Singlestrike.

"Ho, ho, who do we have here. If it isn't the legend himself. I've always wanted to meet you old man, I dreamed about gutting you in a duel for such a long time. And here you come barging in, straight to me."

"Perfect, and since those weak maggots won't stand up, I'll do it for them. The more the reward for me, the better." - He said, spitting on the ground and looking around.

"These filthy beasts standing around have gotten on my nerves too, they don't deserve sympathy, causing problems is all they do. Maybe I'll butcher them too." - Clark added, looking at the crowd standing behind Berteram.

"You'll do no such thing, thug, I now give you your final warning, step aside. Now." - Singlestrike said, looking up at the mercenary.

"Don't you dare to talk down to me, you old piece of shit!" - The Butcher screamed out abruptly, swinging his axe at the old man.

Leodore's heart skipped a beat seeing this as he watched in shock as the giant axe closed in on his mentor. Who stood unmoving, calm. Then, in a split second a flash of light, resembling light bouncing off a reflective surface, blinded the prince as the large war axe hit the ground with force, shaking the ground even 10 meters where he stood. The impact had caused a dust cloud to form, obstructing the view of the aftermath.

The crowd sat in silence waiting for the dust to clear. As it cleared Leodore could finally make out the outcome. The axe was stuck in the ground, where Berteram had previously been, while the Butcher stared wide-eyed, looking down where the old man now stood.

Singlestrike had covered the distance of about 3 meters in a split second and now his shortsword was piercing Clark's chest. The blades, shined in the light, a magical light Leodore knew this well as he had seen it many times before. It was the sword art of Berteram Singlestrike, the Sword Dance of Light.

"An end befitting the likes of you, scum." - The old man said, pulling his sword out of Silverbrace's chest, sheathing it. As the large man fell over dead, hitting the ground with an audible thud.

The beastfolk stood in awe as the young prince smiled.

"A single strike is all it takes when you are facing him, the greatest swordsman in Acoptia. Hence, Singlestrike." - Leodore said walking up to his mentor.

"That was scary." - Aveline said, following close behind with Mial.

"Truly, in a spectacular way." - Mial added, looking at the old man.

"Old man, I see you're still as quick as ever, my sight couldn't keep up with your speed at all." - The young prince said, kneeling next to the body of the now-deceased mercenary.

Singlestrike had struck him straight through the heart, in a fraction of a second a well-known veteran of war with countless scars, experience and known for his durability fell in one strike. Leodore knew the power that his mentor held and yet it surprised and scared him every time he saw it in action.

"My name is Sir Berteram Singlestrike and I would like to apologise for the actions of my kin. I will make sure to bring justice in the name of those who were hurt or died by these scum, you all have my word." - The man said bowing before the crowd of beastfolk.

"Bring me Rean Tyrequin, and put him on one of your horses and take him to the capital. There he will await trial to answer for his crimes. Also, make sure the families of those beastfolk who have suffered because of him in any way are rewarded." - He added turning to one of the guards.

"I figured it wouldn't go smoothly, but this went better than I expected." - Leodore said, cracking a smile.

"I-, Sir Bertram, I have a question. I'm sure you know there will be backlash from the other nobles. How do we deal with that?" - Aveline mumbled, looking slightly concerned.

"Just let me handle it, I'll make sure to tell the king and sort it out." - Berteram said rubbing his scar over his right eye.

"There will be no need for that, Sir Singlestrike." - A voice said from behind them, as the sound of 3 horses approached.

Leodore immediately recognised the voice and turned around angrily glaring. It was Arnet Lionheart, the last council member and the captain of the Crownsguard, and two other prestigious members of the Crownguard.

"Well if it isn't the prince, oh and my dear sister, truly a pleasure to see you here." - He said looking over the three of them.

Arnet took his golden helmet off, the helmet of the crownsguard. The armour glittered in the light, the engraved bronze coloured sun sat in the middle of the chest. That was the attire of those who belong to the Crownguard, whose main function is to protect the King.

Only the most respected knights are chosen for this position. Arnet smiled, fixing his dirt blonde hair, which reached his neck, his hazel eyes met with Leodores. The young prince knew the man in front of him way too well.

"The Pride of Lion" a nickname gained for his amazing accomplishments at such a young age. At only 23 years, he had amassed 50 wins and 0 losses record in duels, also becoming part of the Crownguard at age 19. Leodore had seen him as a rival from the day they met and Leodores losses came by the hand of the very same man.

"Why are you here, Arnet?" - The young prince responded, ignoring the mocking tone of Lionheart.

"I'm glad, you, asked. See I am here for you dear Prince. The King has summoned you as he's not very pleased with you to be exact. So how about we get on our way?" - Arnet grinned.

"We shall go then." - Leodore said, heading towards his horse, deep in thought of what this could entail.

"I'll guess I will soon find out."