Chapter 1

Isaac was never one to encourage any form of violence. He always fought for peace.

But this was different.

This was something else. Fighting for peace is one thing.

But seeing thousands of mangled corpses in front of him as he stood alone in that battlefield made him wonder if all that sacrifice was worth it. Countless of lifeless bodies littered around him as the stench of blood and rotting flesh covered his nose.

Isaac wondered if he could've done anything different. He wondered if there was another way. Another ending to this story.

His path down this twisted fate started long ago. Before he was King. Before he was a leader. Back when he was just a simple handyman.

Line Break

Isaac usually loved his morning as he woke up in his cottage and had his favorite brew of drink.

He exited his home to see his lovely hometown, a small village a few kilometers outside the walls of Leadun Kingdom. The kingdom itself is one of many within the Sovereign Empire, the biggest faction in the world.

When he stepped outside of his house, a merchant cart was being pulled by a horse passing by in front of him.

"Morning sir!" The merchant waved as he passed. Isaac just waved back with a smile. The Leadun Kingdom was a popular place for commerce since it’s located in Central Arya, so people and merchants frequented the place a lot.

Isaac strapped on his toolbelt and went about to the village and its rocky path. He had a reputation for being the village's handyman and people often looked for him to get things fixed. He had no talent for farming or fishing, but he knew his way around a set of tools and had a knack to fix things.

He turned a few corners and greeted a few passing villagers before he arrived at the local tavern. The place where everything happens.

Despite being early in the morning, the tavern was almost full. It only gets crowded at night, so the scene came as a surprise. Maybe it had something to do with the Blooming Rose Festival in Leadun, but Isaac wasn't complaining.

The rustic design never gets old. Wooden floorboards that creaked with every step, old stone walls that look weathered, and lanterns that have seen better days. The air smelled of liquor and sweat from adventurers. Needless to say, it wasn’t an unfamiliar feeling.

Despite that, the place holds strong, even with the lodging on the second floor.

Isaac sat on one of the wooden stools and leaned against the counter. "Hey, Big Bob."

Big Bob was the bartender of the place. He was bald, had a scruffy beard, and a figure that could snap a person in half. If Big Bob wanted to, he could probably enlist in the Sovereign Knights because of his strength. But instead, he chose to be a bartender. No one knew why, but no one cared. Big Bob was a nice guy, and people weren't really keen on making the big dude angry.

Because if that happens, no one is going to serve them drinks again.

"There's my favorite customer." Big Bob grinned.

Isaac rolled his eyes. "You say that to everyone."

"Yeah, but I only mean it to you." Big Bob winked. "So, the usual?"

"You know me."

"Gotcha." Big Bob said. "One White Root Ale, coming up!"

Despite his massive hands, Big Bob handled drinks well.. Within minutes, his drink was ready. A milky white drink that smelled like lemons. As Isaac gulped it down, he felt the familiar sourness of White Root, pounding at his taste buds before settling down.

"That hits the spot." Isaac sighed in satisfaction.

"I swear, only you drink White Root." Big Bob said.

"Cause it's good for you," Isaac said. "You got anything for me?"

The local tavern is often the most social place in any village or town. Naturally, it's also the place where tons of information flow in and out of. As the bartender, Big Bob often hears the news from other people and the villagers.

If there's someone who’s gonna know anything about their town, it's the bartender.

"Some outsiders at the outskirts of the village." Big Bob said. "Came in last night and wanted a place to stay. I was fully booked, so I sent them to the old house at the edge of the village."

"That doesn't seem safe," Isaac said.

"Hey, they needed a roof and I gave them one. It’s not like I asked for any coins."

"That's fair, I guess?" Isaac doubted that it was fair considering the old house could collapse on them at any moment.

"I want you to check up on them. The house is pretty banged up and I don't want to have any outsiders show up dead in our village." Big Bob said. "We don't want another Relia Incident."

"Fine. I'll check up on them." Isaac sipped his drink. "Anything I should know before going?"

Big Bob shrugged. "Word is they're from Eastern Arya." He said in a whisper. "Can't tell for sure. They didn't talk much, but they looked important."

"How important? Are they nobles?"

Big Bob shook his head. "If I had to guess, they’re probably royalty."

Isaac inhaled sharply through his teeth. "That's some serious heat." Royal families are always a pain to deal with.

"Yeah. Better be quick with your work then." Big Bob said. Isaac gulped down the last drop of his drink before tossing a gold coin to Big Bob as payment. He waved the bartender goodbye before heading out of the tavern.

Isaac made his way to the edge of the village, where the scenery changed from a village to farmland. Acres of land here are tilled and planted with crops. Plenty for sustaining the village and enough to get them through winter, which was coming soon.

At the outskirts of the village, the houses were fewer and more spread out because most of the land was tilled. As he greeted some passing farmers, he spotted his destination. A small abandoned house made out of stones and straws. The house was liveable, for sure. Assuming a medium-sized wind doesn’t knock the whole thing down.

Outside, tied to a post were two horses. From that, Isaac knew that these people were important. Because normal horses wouldn't have armor and banners on their backs, carrying the Sovereign Empire's colors and insignia.

Isaac cursed under his breath. He knew he was going to be in for a rough time. If it was someone from Leadun or the Three Coins, Isaac wouldn't have a problem with it. But someone from the Sovereign Empire can't be handled recklessly.

Royalties from the Empire are very fickle. They act like they can get away with anything, which isn’t wrong. No one dares to mess any royalty from the Empire unless they have a death wish.

Isaac made his way to the abandoned house and knocked on the door. No answer. He tried for a second time.

Still no answer.

Before he could knock a third time, the door swung open and Isaac found himself staring at the tip of a blade.

"Who are you?" The knight in front of him growled. At least, Isaac assumed he was a knight. His silver armor glinted in the sunlight. He was way taller than Isaac and looked big enough to win a wrestling match with a full grown bear. His face showed caution instead of anger. His brown hair gave out a warm color thanks to the sun, as his blue eyes glared at Isaac.

Behind him, were two figures draped in a black hooded cloak. Isaac couldn't see anything under their garments, save for the unmistakable fancy white wedding dress. The other one was wearing a black and white outfit with frills all over the dress.

A castle handmaiden, if Isaac had to guess.

"I'm, uh, Isaac, the village handyman." Isaac gulped with a nervous smile. He raised his hands up to show that he’s unarmed and tried to make himself look as friendly as possible. He found it difficult to talk when there’s a sword pointed at his face. "The bartender asked me to check up on you guys and the old house. He’s worried it might collapse on you."

The knight looked wary, but the hooded figure with the wedding dress behind him gently put their hand on his shoulder. "It's fine." The figure said gently.

The knight looked wary, but he lowered his weapon. When he did, Isaac let out a silent sigh of relief. The woman who spoke previously stepped in front. "Thank you for your hospitality. The place is a little bit run down, but it’s comfortable enough."

Comfortable wouldn’t be how Isaac described this old house.

"Ah, great!" Isaac said with a fake friendly smile. Anything to keep the big fella from pointing his sword at him again. "Well, you can just call me if you need anything. I'll be happy to help, uh, milady." Isaac bowed slightly.

The woman chuckled. "You noticed?"

"Well, your dress and your handmaiden’s dress don't blend in with the countryside. Mister Knight here is way too big and poised for a regular army, so I assumed he’s a Sovereign Knight. Only royalties travel with Sovereign Knights as their escort.” Isaac said with a nervous chuckle. “Other than that, the horses were a dead giveaway.”

"Seemingly so." The woman said. "I would appreciate it if you could keep it a secret since I don't want people to come snooping around."

"Oh, don't worry. No one will know." Isaac said again with a nervous smile. "Well, I'll leave you to it. Have a good day." Isaac was about to leave when he saw the cavalry of horses charging into the village.

Above them, their gold and black banner flapped violently against the wind.

It was hard to see, but the vertical sword over shield insignia was unmistakable. Isaac was very familiar with that crest. It was the same one he saw on the horses outside.

The Sovereign Empire.

"Shit." The Knight cursed. "They've caught up to us."

"You'd think they wouldn't dare to venture through the Flamewood Forest to catch up." The maid behind him muttered. "We need to get out of here."

"I'll get the horses." The knight sheathed his sword and went towards the horses, but the lady stopped him.

"We can fight them off, right?” The lady asked.

The knight looked conflicted. "My Queen, I appreciate your confidence in my abilities, but I can't take them all on. We're heavily outnumbered and Elisa is running low on Mana."

Oh great. She’s a queen. That makes things ten times worse.

"He's right. It'll be safer if we flee." The maid, Elisa, said.

Isaac processed the situation. It would take them a while to get ready and the Sovereign Empire was closing in. They would have no time to get away and would get caught, for whatever reason.

Truth be told, Isaac had no affiliation or obligation with any of them. He could’ve just walked away and let the Empire do their thing. Plus, if the Empire is after them then that means they’re on the Empire’s naughty list. Helping them would just add Isaac to that list, a list that he was perfect happy to stay out of.

But his moral compass was swaying on the righteous side and his good conscience can’t really leave them behind even though he didn’t know these people. He groaned internally and made a mental note to scold himself later on.

"You won’t make it.” Isaac said. “Hide inside the house. I'll talk to them."

The trio looked at him in disbelief.

"You’ll talk to them?," Elisa repeated, as if she couldn’t believe what she’d just heard.

"Trust me on this. Just hide. You need to avoid them, yes? You won't be able to run away on such short notice. Just go inside and don’t come out until I tell you to."

They exchanged looks among themselves. "Very well." The Queen said.

"Milady! This is no time to–"

"We have no other choice.” The Queen insisted. “We need to hide now!”

Isaac nodded as they went back into the house just as the Sovereign Empire party arrived. Isaac saluted the incoming party from the Sovereign Empire with a small smile. "Greetings. Glory to the Empire!"

The guy in front held his hand up. Judging from his armor being more regal than the others, Isaac assumed that he was the commander. "And you are?"

"Isaac of Rost Village." Isaac introduced himself with a friendly smile. Despite the confident bravado, he was very nervous and anxious. One wrong word, he could end up dead. These people were known to be merciless.

"Hm." The commander said. "We're looking for three people. A Sovereign Knight and two women. They've escaped from the Royal Capital. Have you seen them?"

"I'm afraid not," Isaac said apologetically while keeping his tone and manners as respectful as possible. "I know of most things that happen in this village, but I haven't heard of anyone like that passing through."

"We have word that they have been here." The commander said. "These people are wanted by the Sovereign Empire. If you've been found to have helped them in any way, then you shall–"

"I'm very aware of the consequences." Isaac cut him off. People tend to believe your intentions if you already know what they’re talking about. "But I do sincerely hope you believe me. Crossing against the Empire is not something I intend to do after all."

The commander glared at Isaac. He was about to say something when the soldier behind him shouted "Commander!" and pointed at the two horses wearing the Sovereign Empire colors.

"Those are horses from the royal stables." The commander pointed out. "Only people from the Royal Capital can get their hands on them."

Isaac's hands were getting sweaty. “I know, right?” He said with a nervous laugh. “Imagine my surprise when I found them here. I had half a mind to take them for myself."

"So, you’re saying that you just found them here." The commander said, but Isaac knew he was having a hard time believing that excuse. “With no one to care for them.”

"Believe me, I'm just as confused as you are." Isaac shrugged. "But I have not left this village in months, so it would be impossible for me to get these horses from the Royal Capital by myself.”

That’s when Isaac decided to lay out the bait. Using solid arguments and logic to gaslight the enemy. First, provide them with a weak hypothesis of what might’ve happened.

“If I had to guess, some of the pesky merchants from Leadun stole it and left them here. You know how those merchants are. They'll grab anything for some easy gold."

The commander was still glaring at Isaac as he looked around. People were starting to stare at them, wondering what the commotion was about.

Then secondly, provide the more likely option.

"Or perhaps, they belonged to the people you’re after.” Isaac said, planting little ideas in the commander’s head to make him doubt his factsl. “The horses are from the royal stables after all. I would assume they are easily recognizable even if they weren’t wearing the Empire’s colors.”

Judging from the look on the commander’s face, Isaac knew that he was starting to think what Isaac said made some sense.

“If I were them, I would probably leave the horses and get other means of traveling. Maybe procure other horses or get one of the merchants that’s passing by to give me a lift.”

“What are you saying?” The commander asked with an edged tone.

“I’m merely suggesting.” Isaac said respectfully. “The Blooming Rose Festival is happening in Leadun right now and merchants are constantly going in and out of this village. It wouldn’t be the craziest idea to say one of the merchants would smuggle them out of the village for a quick bag of gold, right? If they arrived last night, they’re probably already halfway to the Kroa by now.”

The commander scowled. He seemed to hate the idea of his targets getting farther away from him. Isaac’s plan had worked. Now, it's time to strike.

"Tell you what, you could stay here for the time being," Isaac said sympathetically. "You'll lose some ground, sure, but at least you'll be fully rested for the journey. The Royal Capital is a long way from here and it must’ve been a while since you’ve had a good rest. I’m sure you’ll catch up to them. They couldn’t have gotten far.”

People get more determined when they know their objective is within grasp. With a slight reminder of what failure tastes like, they will become even more motivated. And people like that tend to have tunnel vision and lose sight of what’s logical in pursuing their goal.

His men looked wistful at the promise of rest, but the mention of possibly losing track of his target steeled his determination. "Let's go." He told his soldiers, ignoring Isaac’s offer. "And bring those horses.” They untied the horses and brought them along for their wild goose chase as they continued their journey.

When Isaac couldn't see them anymore, he sighed heavily. Thankfully, the trouble has passed for now. If he's lucky, they won't come back here.

"You can come out now," Isaac said with relief. The knight came out first as he looked around for any enemies. "They already left with your horses. Sorry about that."

"I told you to get rid of the horse armor," Elisa said from inside the house as she stepped out.

"The horses could get attacked by bandits. You'd never know. It doesn't hurt to be prepared." The Knight argued.

"Relax, both of you." The Queen stepped out. "At least we're safe. We can afford to lose some horses."

"Well, they're gone now, which is probably for the best if you want to travel in low profile," Isaac said. "I know someone who could get you three horses for a fair price. I'll talk to them."

"Thank you, Isaac." The Queen gave a slight bow. "I appreciate what you did for us."

"Yeah, well, I'm just afraid they're gonna come back for you guys." Isaac sighed as he looked off into the distance where the cavalry rode. "I suggest you leave by sunset. On the off chance that they do double back, I won't be able to lead them away again."

"He's right," Elisa said. "We can't stay here any longer. We'll be caught and they'll raze this village to the ground."

Isaac was hoping that she wasn't serious, but he knew what the Sovereign Empire was capable of. They are the biggest faction in all of Arya and most kingdoms have already pledged their allegiance to the Sovereign Empire, save for some cities.

"I will get you the horses," Isaac said. Before he could leave, the Queen stopped him.

"I'm coming with you." She said.

Isaac was a bit surprised. "Uh, I'm not sure that's a good idea," Isaac said.

"I agree with the handyman," Elisa said. "That's not a good idea."

"It will only be for a short while." The Queen argued. "Plus, we're leaving as soon as we get the horses, right? It's bad manners to leave a village without taking a look around first."

"I think manners went out the window like you did when we ran away from your wedding." The Knight retorted.

"It'll be fine." The Queen brushed them off. She went over and grabbed Isaac's wrist. "Come, I want to see the village."

Line Break

Isaac planned to walk through the village without attracting too much attention, but that's kind of impossible when everyone knows who you are.

And the Queen in the wedding dress wasn’t helping.

In Rost, Isaac was known as 'that-one-guy-that-everyone-knows'. He's helped almost everyone in this village in some way and they appreciated him for that.

As they walked, every passing villager greeted him good morning. He even stopped by to lift some food crates off of a wagon for the village merchant.

When they resumed their journey, the Queen asked. "Everyone seems to like you.”

Isaac shrugged. "This village raised me and I want to help them back as a way of saying thank you."

"Isn’t that nice." The Queen sounded wistful. Isaac figured she might be sad, but it was hard to tell with the cloak she was wearing.

"Figured you'd be happier since you're from the Royal Capital and all that," Isaac said.

"Yeah." Her voice sounded so small all of a sudden. "I thought I'd be happy as well."

Hearing her voice, Isaac decided not to push into the subject further. Instead, he changed the subject. “Well, at least you’d be able to rest easy knowing the Empire is going the wrong way.”

“How did you do that, by the way?” The Queen asked.

“Do what?”

“You . . . I don’t even know what to call it.” The Queen said. “The thing you did with the Empire back there.”

“You mean lying?”

“I wouldn’t call it that. I’d say it's more towards manipulating.” The Queen said.

“Well, let’s just say I’m really good with words.” Isaac said which was not wrong.

“Hm? Is that so?” The Queen chuckled. “So, how do I know you’re not manipulating me right now?”

“I don’t make a habit of it.” Isaac said. “I’m honest most of the time.”

“I see.” The Queen said. “But why did you do it?”

“You mean why did I lie?”

“No,” the Queen said. “Why did you help us? You could’ve just walked away. We don’t know each other. You had no business risking your life like that. So why?”

Isaac thought about it for a while. “To tell you the truth, I have no idea.”

“So you just did it on a whim?”

“Not really.” Isaac said. “It seems like you needed help, so I helped.”

“That’s the definition of doing it on a whim.”

“Maybe, but even so, I can’t just leave you in trouble. It just doesn’t feel right. Even if I don’t know any of you, I’d still help.”

“You’re very interesting.” the Queen chuckled.

"Speaking of not knowing you, what's your name? I keep calling you 'Queen' in my head."

The Queen sighed. "I'm not gonna tell you."

"Why is that?"

"Because if I do, you won't treat me like this anymore."

"Treat you like what?"

"Like a normal person."

“I mean, I already know you’re a Queen. It’s not like it could get more royal than that.” Isaac shrugged. “I’ll start then. My name’s Isaac.”

The Queen sighed. "My name is Scarlet. Scarlet Snow. Also known as–"

"The White Queen." Isaac tried not to freak out, but he could feel his mouth twitching. This woman being the White Queen was so unbelievable it almost made Isaac laugh.

The White Queen is a mysterious figure who runs a kingdom to the far north, across the Whitewash Peaks in Northern Arya. It's one of the few factions in Arya that hasn't sworn allegiance to the Sovereign Empire, mainly because of where it's so far north. Coupled with the snow and harsh traveling conditions, only a handful of people would take that risk.

Isaac had heard the news that the White Queen was to be married to the Sovereign Prince, son of the Sovereign Empire's King, Prince Solus himself. The reason for the wedding is to unite the White Kingdom and the Sovereign Empire.

But since the Queen was here, Isaac figured that the wedding didn’t go according to plan. When he learned of the facts, a rough idea formed in his head that explains why the Sovereign Empire was after them.

"Well, it's a surprise indeed," Isaac admitted.

Scarlet seemed confused. "Aren't you going to report me to the Sovereign Empire?"

"I said I'd help you, and I meant it." Isaac grinned. "Besides, when I think of people, I see them as people first. Titles and lineage can be granted or taken away. You can have the noblest title or the highest status, but that won’t change the fact that you’re still a person."

Scarlet seemed surprised as if this had been the first time anyone has said that to her. Under her hood, she smiled. "You’re wiser than you let on, handyman."

The couple went their way through the village. After a couple of small chats and greetings from other people, they reached the other end of the village where their horses were waiting.

The person that they were going to meet owned the largest plot of land in the village, which isn't saying much.

They had turned the land into a massive pasture for all kinds of livestock, including horses. The house itself was pretty normal with stone walls and a wooden roof. What's impressive is the barn.

It's easily bigger than the village tavern, which was the biggest building in the village. Ironwood logs were used as walls, lined up vertically instead of horizontally. The planks that made up the roof were weighed down with stones to prevent being blown off by strong winds.

Scarlet whistled. "Nice place."

"You're a Queen. Surely, this isn't that impressive."

"We live up north," Scarlet said. "Yes, we have big houses, but not for animals because, well, they die."

"Is it really that cold? I haven't been up north. At least, I’ve never been beyond Whitewash Peaks."

Scarlet nodded. "We barely have crops or livestock. The only food source we have is from the ocean, but lately it’s been scarce. We used to have merchants traveling in and out of the kingdom, but since Icirin made Whitewash Peaks her new home, that option is now gone.”

Icirin, more commonly known as the Snow Dragon. The dragons in Arya were known as Lords of the Sky, and Icirin was one of five.

The only route by land that’s moderately safe to travel through to the White Kingdom was to get over Whitewash Peaks.

Which was now the Snow Dragon's lair, making the place go from somewhat dangerous to very dangerous.

"Why don't you just move someplace else?"

"And go where? Southern Arya is out of the question, Western Arya is currently being dominated by the Church of Light, and the rest of Arya is under Sovereign rule. Considering those options, I’d take my chances up north.”

“Well, you can always live on the ocean as a pirate.”

“Aren’t you funny.” Scarlet sighed.

Isaac understood where she was coming from, so he didn't argue. But one detail stuck out to him.

"If you hate the Sovereign Empire, then what was that wedding about?" Isaac asked. He could feel Scarlet tense up when he asked the question.

Isaac half-expected for her to let it slide, but she replied. "I was desperate." She said, "My people were suffering. We've been running low on food ever since Icirin made Whitewash Peaks her home."

“I’m guessing there was an agreement to help your people in exchange for your hand in marriage.”

“Something like that.” Scarlet said. “But as the wedding day got closer, I realized how much I despise the Sovereign Empire. So I ditched the wedding. I’ll come up with another solution for my people.”

As they were talking, Isaac knocked at the door of the barn house and a jolly girl in a brown dress and black hair came out. Her green eyes regarded Isaac with excitement. "You're here!" She exclaimed and crushed him with a big hug.

"Yep." Isaac managed. For a small girl, she was really strong. All that farm work did well for her. "I can't breathe, Myrna."

Myrna giggled before letting go. Her gaze focused on Scarlet, who was still cloaked. "Who's this?"

"A friend of mine. We're here to buy some–"

"Isaac's friend!" Myrna crushed Scarlet with a huge hug.

"Ow, ow, ow," Scarlet groaned. "I'm flattered." She croaked out. When Myrna let her go, she gasped for air.

Isaac managed a chuckle. "You okay?" He asked Scarlet.

"Cracked my spine, but otherwise I'm good," Scarlet said.

"So, what can I help you with?" Myrna asked.

"Oh, we're here for a couple of horses," Isaac explained. "Fast ones, preferably."

"Then you came to the right place!"

Line Break

Isaac and Scarlet were now on their way back with their newly acquired horses.

"She's an interesting one," Scarlet said as they walked through the village while gently pulling the reins.

"She can be a bit much, but she means well." Isaac smiled. "And as promised, three horses for a fair price."

By the time they got back, the Knight and Elisa were worried. "Where have you been?" Elisa asked. She had her hood off, which finally lets Isaac see her face for the first time.

Unlike the White Queen, Elisa was slightly more tanned. She had emerald-colored eyes and short auburn hair. Despite her handmaiden outfit, her eyes looked regal and intimidating. It’s like she’s challenging everyone to mess with her if they dare.

"Relax, everything's fine," Scarlet said. "We got the horses."

"Good." The Knight stood up and hefted his leather satchel. "Let's head off. The longer we stay here, the more likely that the Empire is going to catch up."

"Agreed," Elisa said.

Scarlet turned towards Isaac. "I guess, this is goodbye."

Isaac felt kind of wistful. He'd only known the queen for a few hours, but he felt as if he'd made a new friend despite their difference in status.

Isaac smiled. "Stay safe out there. Remember to always keep moving. And don't trust anyone. The Sovereign Empire has eyes everywhere."

Scarlet looked hesitant for some reason. All of a sudden, she stepped forward and embraced Isaac. Unlike Myrna's embrace, this one felt comforting. Isaac was unsure what to do, but he returned the hug.

When Scarlet pulled away, her hood had fallen off her head and Isaac finally had a clear look of what she looked like.

And staying true to her status as a Queen, she indeed looked like one.

Her snowy white hair was tied into a single braid. Her pale complexion almost glistened under the sunlight. The one blaring detail about her was her eyes. Just like her name, they were red. It looked calm and fierce at the same time. Her eyes looked like it gave out authority, fitting for a Queen.

“I’d give your hug a passing mark.” Isaac said. “At least you didn’t crunch my spine.”

Scarlet chuckled. "Thank you, Isaac." Scarlet said. "For your help and for being a friend."

Isaac was surprised. Their time together was indeed a short one, but it was enough for Scarlet to see him as a friend.

"Anytime." Isaac smiled. "Goodbye, for now."

"Goodbye." Scarlet smiled at him. Isaac felt his heart skip a beat when he saw the beauty of her smile. "For now." She was on her way to her horse before she stopped and glanced over her shoulder. "Keep an eye out."

"For what?" Isaac asked. Without answering, Scarlet just winked.

As Scarlet went with the knight to get her horse prepped, Elisa went over to him. "The Queen doesn't normally show her face to anyone she just met, let alone hug them." She said, "Whatever you did, you must've left quite the impression for her to trust you."

"I was just being myself." Isaac shrugged.

"And that's enough." Elisa smiled. "Consider us indebted to you. Whenever you find yourself in the White Kingdom, we will repay our debt."

The White Kingdom . . . Isaac had never really traveled far before. The furthest he'd ever been away from Rost was Sarca, which wasn't very far and was considerably easier to reach compared to the White Kingdom..

"Will you be making your way there?" Isaac asked.

"We'll try." Elisa seems worried. "But we don't know our way around. We’re not familiar with these lands."

“There’s also that thing where you’re wanted by the Sovereign Empire.” Isaac added. Elisa looked unimpressed. “Sorry. I have something to help you out.” Isaac pulled up a piece of folded leather parchment from his pouch and handed it to Elisa. "It's a map."

Again, Elisa looked unimpressed. "Uh, thanks, but we already have a–"

"Oh, this isn't a normal map," Isaac said. "A merchant gave this to me a while ago after I fixed his carriage and helped rein in his bull. They tend to run into trouble with the Sovereign Empire as well, so they made this map with some ancient magic.” Isaac said. “It’s embedded with the Sovereign Empire's crest, the tooth of a rooster, the shadow of a cat, and the blood of a mountain goat."

Elisa stared at him in confusion. “The blood of the – what?”

"The point is, it shows anyone who bears the same crest as the Sovereign Empire. It won't show you those that are far away, but you can see those who are nearby. So you'll be able to find out if they’re with the Sovereign Empire or not. Of course, it doesn't apply to people who don't have the crest on them so you still have to be careful." Isaac said. “Or something like that. I’m not sure how it works myself. Simply put, it shows if there is anyone from the Empire anywhere near you.”

Elisa's eyes widened in disbelief as she took a look at the map. From the map, they could see that there are only two Sovereign knights close to them, just a few miles away from the village. They’re probably just border patrols.

"This is incredible," Elisa said.

"And it's instant as well, so you won't have to worry about them not showing on the map."

Elisa looked hesitant. "Isaac, I don't know. This is a very valuable tool. Surely you'd want to keep this for yourself."

Isaac smiled. "It's fine. Plus, you need it more than I do. You’re the ones being chased by the Empire and I don’t even leave the village much."

Elisa's expression relaxed. "I see now why the princess trusts you. You have my eternal gratitude, handyman." Elisa bowed slightly.

"My pleasure." Isaac bowed in return. "Now I suggest you be on your way." Isaac walked over to the others. "You can make it to Whitewash Peaks in a week or two if you rest at night, assuming nothing goes wrong.”

“You’re good at pep talks.” Elisa rolled her eyes.

“For the night, I suggest you make your stay in a town just outside Ironwood Forest. It's a town of lumberjacks and there's little to no Empire influence. You can get there by sunset."

"Thank you." The Knight said. "Let us be off," he said. Scarlet said her final goodbyes with a small wave before she pulled her hood up. She climbed onto the same horse as the knight and the two rode off, followed closely by Elisa with her horse.

For some reason, Isaac felt a bit wistful.

After that, Isaac went on with his day with the usual, helping people and fixing stuff. It was almost midnight by the time he was done with his errand. When he got back, he was greeted by Big Bob himself.

As usual, the tavern was lively even at midnight. It was not until dawn that things would settle down.

"So, what happened?" Big Bob asked. Isaac did his best to tell a story without giving out any confidential information.

"Long story short, they're making their way to the next town," Isaac said.

"Hopefully, the Empire won't come back knocking." Big Bob said. "If I were you, I'd leave Rost for a few days."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's more than likely that they're gonna come back here on their way back to the Royal Capital. If you're here when they're back, you're gonna be sent to Sarika."

Isaac shuddered at the thought of being sent to one of the harshest prisons in Arya. "I'll be on my way tomorrow. I’ll head to Sarca, I guess. Might as well visit Saori while I'm at it."

"You need help? I can get you a ride."

"Nah, I'm good," Isaac said. "Thanks for the offer.” 

Line Break

The next day, he packed for a journey to Sarca, a town just south of Rost. It would take him a day or two at most to reach Sarca, but he’s been on this journey before so it was nothing uncommon. Isaac had already informed the villagers that he’d be gone for a few days until the Empire’s manhunt for the White Queen cooled down for a bit.

At least he gets to visit his cousin. Saori is his cousin from his dad’s side and is way older than he is. She currently lives with her parents in Sarca where the three of them run the family business of selling weapons and armor for adventurers.

After packing what he needed, he set out on his short journey on foot. He plans to at least stay for a week or so before coming back.

As he stepped out of the village, he heard a loud whistle behind him. He turned around and saw Myrna waving at him with a gleeful smile. Behind her was a stallion, already reined in and saddled up.

Isaac sighed with a smile. Big Bob must’ve told her about this.

“You didn’t need to do this.” Isaac said.

“I know, but I want to.” Myrna smiled. “Remember, if she gets lost or gets hurt, I’m charging you extra.”

“I know.” Isaac said as he took the reins from Myrna. Like her usual cheerful self, she gave Isaac a tight hug. One that quite literally took his breath away. “Thanks.” He grunted out.

“Be safe, Isaac.” Myrna said.

“You too.” Isaac said as he climbed on the horse and started his journey. Since he now has a horse, the journey would only take only half the time. So he’d probably arrive by either tomorrow morning or late tonight.

Line Break

Isaac arrived at Sarca the day after. Fortunately, his journey was uneventful though he was pretty sure that he saw an orc playing with a bunch of wolves like they were puppies.

Sarca was just as plain as he remembered it. It was a town, far bigger and advanced than Rost. The houses were built with bricks and logs instead of stones and planks. It was surrounded by a ring of simple stone walls that was designed to keep small monsters and animals from entering. Isaac arrived at the main brick road pathway that leads to the town square. He decided it would be best to let his horse stay in the stable for now.

He pulled the reins lightly as he entered a wooden building where all the horses were ‘parked’, so to say. Isaac paid the caretaker a few coins and had him take care of his horse for a week or so.

Now, his next destination. The Flamebrand’s family shop, where his relatives were staying. Since he’s been here, Isaac knew his way around. The town barely changed from his last visit, so navigating through it was easy. He found the shop within minutes. A cement-wall two-storey building with a wooden roof. Behind it, Isaac could see black smoke billowing from the chimney, signaling that they’re probably working on something in the forge.

A smile crept to Isaac’s face as he opened the door, knowing how excited Saori would be when she saw him. Similar to how Saori and her family are the only living relatives of him that Isaac knows of, Isaac was also the only relative that Saori knows of.

Well, the only one she liked, anyway. She’d mentioned her dislike of her other cousins, saying how they think women don’t belong in a forge. Saori also has a bad habit of punching anyone who gets on her nerves.

The bell dinged pleasantly as Isaac swung the door open gently. “Hello?” Isaac called.

“Welcome!” A familiar voice greeted from the counter. “Have a look around. We have newly forged swords made from wyrm spines, and we also have–” She was cut short when she finally saw him. “Isaac?”

“Hey Aunt Aya.” Isaac gave her a lopsided grin.

“Isaac!” She exclaimed happily as she stepped from behind the counter and crushed Isaac with a big hug. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m just visiting for a few days.” Isaac said with a smile as Aya pulled away. Her old age had been more evident as the years passed. Her pink short hair had streaks of gray in it and Isaac noticed slight wrinkles under her eyes. She wore the usual Flamebrand uniform, cotton shirt that’s covered with soot, leather pants, and a leather apron.

“You should’ve told us you’re visiting.” Aya said. “I would’ve cleaned your room up a bit.”

“It’s okay. It was a last minute decision.” Isaac said. Then, he heard the loud clang of a hammer being struck onto metal and a surprised scream.

Aya didn’t seem bothered by the scream. “That’s probably Eldric. He’s handling a massive order from Leadun right now. I’ll go tell him and Saori you’re here.”

“Oh, that’s okay. I don’t wanna interrupt them if they’re busy.” Isaac said.

“Nonsense!” Aya exclaimed as she went to the door that leads to the forge. “Honey!” She called out loudly.

“Yeah?” Her husband, Eldric, called out loud over the sound of clanging metal.

“Come over here. We have a visitor. You too, Saori.”

“Is it Lumgard? If it’s him, tell him I’ll be done in three days.”

“It’s not Lumgard. It’s a special visitor.” Aya said with a hint of a smile on her face.

“Do I have to come as well?” Saori’s voice echoed from the back.

“Yes, both of you. Don’t keep our guest waiting.”

There were sounds of rummaging and things falling down from behind before the two peeked their heads from the door.

“Who is it?” Saori asked.

“Hey everyone.” Isaac said.

“Isaac!” Saori exclaimed. She rushed over so fast that Isaac barely had time to react. For a blacksmith, Saori was fast. She tackled Isaac with a hug. “You’re here!”

“Yep, I’m here.” Isaac grunted as sat up from the floor. “Good to see you too.”

“This is certainly a nice surprise.” Eldric said with a smile. Isaac gave him a warm hug. “What brings you here?”

“Just thought I’d visit. It’s been a while.” Isaac said which was the truth. Just not the whole truth. “I see you two are still working hard in the forge.”

Just like her mother, Saori had pink hair but hers was longer and tied in a braid. She’s how Isaac imagined Aya would look if Aya was younger. If she wasn’t a blacksmith, she could be mistaken as the wife of a prince. The only difference in her was her amber eyes that she got from her father. Eyes that sparkled with curiosity and ambition.

Eldric looked good for his age. He had more wrinkles under his eyes than Aya and he was older than most people Isaac knew, but he had the body of a wrestler. If he wanted to, he could probably snap Isaac’s arm in half. All that time swinging a hammer has made him buff.

And like Aya, the two were wearing aprons over their clothing. Except theirs were much more covered in soot and dirt.

“Just got a big order from Leadun. Saori’s been helping me, so it’s not too bad.” Eldric said with a tired grin.

“I swear those royal families are messing with us.” Saori huffed. “I don’t see the need for them to have two hundred iron swords in such a short notice.”

“Two hundred?” Isaac’s jaw dropped.

“Well, if we don’t do their request we’ll be in trouble with Leadun and by proxy, the Empire. And I don’t want that.” Eldric said.

Isaac understood where his uncle was coming from. Being in trouble with the Empire sucks.

“I can help out, if you want.” Isaac offered.

“Ah, it’s fine.” Eldric said. “We’re almost done anyway. Why don’t you get settled in first? Although, your room is in a bit of a mess right now. We weren’t expecting you.”

“I’ll have it sorted.” Aya said with a smile. “In the meantime, why don’t you take a look around town? There’s nothing new here though.”

“Sure.” Isaac said.

Line Break

After getting settled in, Isaac took a tour around town for some fresh air. The town had way more people than his village and most of them were in the town square for various reasons. Some came to promote their business, some performed as street musicians, and some were just there to hang out.

Isaac was in the third group.

Isaac was sitting in the middle of the town square where they’d built a fountain. He wasn’t particularly doing anything. Just looking around and observing. It’s like a little habit of his. He likes to observe people, trying to see if he could spot something out like if someone had a limp, what they do when they’re talking, what their behaviors are if they’re nervous.

Being observant has also helped him develop a skill which is reading people. He can somewhat accurately discern people’s true intentions.

Of course, they’re just guesses in the end.

He was deep in his train of thoughts until Saori walked up towards him. She’d cleaned up with fresh new clothes. “What are you up to?” She said.

“Nothing much. Just watching people.”

“In a creepy way or in a stalker way?”

“In a totally friendly and non-malicious way.” Isaac rolled his eyes.

Saori chuckled. “How’ve you been? Haven’t seen you since . . . Uh . . .”

“The Floating Lantern Festival, which was about half a year ago.” Isaac said.

"Oh yeah. You set yourself on fire that day."

"You set me on fire." Isaac argued.

"In my defense, you were asking for it."

"I was minding my business."

"You were playing with my stuff."

"You told me to look for your igniter."

"Not my problem."

Isaac sighed in defeat while Saori laughed. In the end, Isaac had a small smile on his face as well. This was their usual banter. They might argue and bicker or play mean pranks on each other, but in the end they're family.

Saori is the only close relative he has after his parents died. Because of that, he sees her more as a sister than a cousin.

An older annoying sister.

"Anything interesting happened for you to visit?" Saori asked. Isaac raised his eyebrow. "Come on, I know you wouldn't visit if nothing happened back in Rost."

"That's not true. I visit all the time."

"The last time you came here was because you got in trouble with the nobles." Saori said. "You know you can tell me anything. I won't tell mom and dad."

Isaac sighed. He knew he couldn't lie to Saori that easily. "Fine."

"Are you in trouble?" Saori asked.

"Not directly." Isaac said as he began telling Saori what happened. The visit from the White Queen, the Sovereign Empire search party, and everything that happened.

Saori gave an impressed whistle. "You're in big time trouble."

"Thanks for the support." Isaac grumbled.

"Relax. If they're after a high profile target like that, they probably wouldn't even bother looking for you. They're not gonna waste time on someone as unimportant as you."

"You have a weird way of comforting people."

Saori just shrugged. "You'll be fine in a few days."

“Hopefully.” Isaac smiled.

Saori gave him a cheeky grin. “Come. It’s almost dinner. We should–” Saori stopped mid sentence. Her eyes went past Isaac and was staring at something behind him. Isaac was confused as he turned around.

A massive cloaked figure stood next to him with a hood over their head. Isaac couldn’t see what they looked like, but they stood very tall. They would’ve had to duck down slightly under most door frames to enter a building.

“Um, hello?” Isaac called. “Can I help you with anything?”

“Hm,” The person said. Their voice sounded rough and deep. Isaac would describe it similar to the sound of thousands of rocks being crushed into one another. “Interesting.”

Isaac couldn’t see clearly under the hooded cloak, but the one thing he did see was the man’s eyes. It was emblazoned with willpower.

Unnerving. Intimidating. Relentless. Isaac could pick one of thousands of words to describe his eyes, but one got stuck to his head.

Powerful.

Whoever this man was, he was not to be messed with.

“Isaac, let’s go home.” Saori said. Saori was clearly intimidated by this strange man.

“Stay,” The man said.

“Let’s just go–” Saori tried again, but the atmosphere suddenly dropped. It felt like the air around him was squeezing him, making it hard to breathe. He felt so lightheaded that he almost passed out.

Next to him, Saori collapsed and fell unconscious. Isaac reacted quickly and managed to catch her before she fell to the floor. Isaac looked around him to see everyone else in the square was also collapsing, perhaps passing out.

The feeling of immense pressure was then gone and Isaac could breathe normally again. He took some deep breaths as he glared at the man, who stood unaffected. Whatever happened, it was probably caused by him.

“What did you do?” Isaac asked angrily.

“You’re still awake?” The man seems amused. “Very interesting.”

“What just happened?” Isaac asked as he cradled Saori in his arms. “What did you do to everyone?”

The man gave a small chuckle. “It seems she knows what she’s doing.” The man said as he pulled his hood back up. “I’ll be seeing you around.”

“Wait!” Isaac wanted to stop, but the man was already on his way. He wanted to go after him, but he can’t just leave Saori like this. He decided to get Saori to safety first.

He carried her in his arms and they headed back home.

Who was that?