Chapter 1: From Small Beginnings

An arrow buzz filled the air as it flew past a buck and landed on a tree next to the animal. A young human male dressed in hide armor with a green cape and hood stood up from a firing position."Dammit," Padan threw his bow on the ground in frustration.

"Hey!" An older human dressed in the same uniform came up from Behind Padan. "Pick it up."

Padan jumped at the sound of his father's voice and scrambled to pick up his weapon.

Aidheon walked over to his son, "Don't get discouraged we will re-track and try again."

The look of frustration faded from Padan's face and turned into disappointment. "We have been out here for hours, and I have yet to hit anything."

"Well," responded Aidheon "These things take time; you can't master every weapon there is overnight. You've done very well with a sword, you will get better with a bow in time." Aidheon kneeled down to the forest floor. "Do you remember how to track an animal ?"

Padan followed his father's movements, "Yes."

"Show me," Aidheon said firmly.

Padan looked at the pine needles that littered the forest floor to find the tracks left behind by the deer. He found a trail and followed it with Aidheon not far behind. Padan looked around him for more hints of the deer's trail. Trees surrounded him, and their roots protruded from the ground alongside blankets of moss that covered the bottom of the forest floor and to the top of the trees. As Padan walked further into the forest, the heads of the trees acted as a shelter with only light leaking through to create spots along with the wood. After a long while, Padan lost the deer's tracks. "It stops here." As soon as Padan spoke, there was a snap of a twig behind him. Padan turned around to see a creature at least ten feet in height. The animal had the head of a deer but teeth the size of Padan's arm. Its hind legs were shorter than its front, and its back was hunched forward. It had antlers on top of its head that intertwined with each other.

"Get down. It's a Hernjika !" Aidheon took out his bow and shot an arrow right into the side of its head. A screech of pain filled the air as it positioned itself to attack.

Padan reached for his sword and climbed onto the beast grasping its fur. The Hernjika charged towards Aidheon swinging its massive hoofs at him. Aidheon dodged his aggressors' attacks and rolled under the Hernjika and thrusting his sword into its underbelly. Blood spewed on to the forest bed as Padan followed his father's actions and proceeded to stab the Hernjika in its neck. A final cry bellowed throughout the forest followed by a thud. Padan stood up and dusted himself off. "Thanks, father." Aidheon looked at his son and gave a slight nod. Padan looked over the carcass and saw the body of the deer they had been tracking. "Look!"

Aidheon grabbed Padan by the shoulder before he could run off to the dead animal. "Look closer the Hernjika ate it, its saliva is all over it it's no good."

Padan looked more closely at the dead animal's body and saw a slimy texture covering it.

Aidheon started to walk over to the Hernjikas corpse and put his hand on its head. Padan looked over at his father "What are you doing?" "We were in its territory. It was only protecting itself, so I'm blessing its passage into the afterlife. Come, put your hand on its head and say a prayer." Padan walked over beside his father and put his hand on the beast's head. I'm sorry your life had to end so soon may your journey to peace be short and safe.

"Alright," Aidheon kneels up. "Let's go." Padan opened his eyes and followed his father.

After a few hours of walking, Padan and his father reached the forest's edge. It was dusk, and the moons were rising in the distance. Padan closed his eyes and felt the cool breeze of the open plain. He could hear the movement of the grass dancing along with the wind.

Aidheon broke the silence "You did well today I'm proud of you."

Padan opened his eyes, and turned towards his father and smiled.

Aidheon tried to hold his stern face but eventually smiled "Alright you're done for today."

Padan got on one knee facing his father with his fist on his chest "Thank you for the lesson father."

Aidheon put his hand on his son's head and ruffed up his hair "You're dismissed."

Padan got up and looked into the field again and saw a distant light. "Oh! The festival is starting in the village can I go?".

Aidheon gave out a laugh "Of course, give me your equipment."

Padan threw off his bow and quiver then unstrapped his sword and handed it to his father. Aidheon took the weapons " Don't be home too long after dark, we have lessons early in the morning"

Padan nodded then took off into the field running straight for the village entrance. As Padan walked in the streets were filled with people running around. Lanterns hung across the roads to clothing wire. The smell of fresh pastries flowed from dwarfish bakeshops. High elves and wood elves were consumed in their artwork making lanterns and paintings. Hobbits were sitting on rocking chairs smoking a pipe, reading, or weaving baskets.

Padan's village was named Balsmat. It was a prosperous trading city located on the border of the Qên badlands and attracted many different races from around the world. Sun Elves came to exchange knowledge, Dwarfs came down from their mighty mountains to trade metals and propose new technology. Even the introverted Wood Elves would come out from their dark forests to sell their new crop. Padan walked to the center of the town where a fountain was spitting water in various directions. Merchant carts were littered throughout the town center with their stands taking up the people's attention.

Padan walked to an outside bar with a dwarf attending to customers. "I'll have a pint" Padan threw some coin onto the counter.

"Comin up lad," The dwarf turned around to face a large barrel and started pouring the drink.

"Done with lessons today Padan?" Padan turned around to see a human mage dressed in fine silk leaning on a wooden staff engraved with runes and shining crystal attached on the top. The mage was tall and had some muscle on him. His hair was a dirty brown and long.

Padan's eyes lit up with excitement "Harern! Sit! Drink with me!" Padan pulled out the barstool. Harern sat next to Padan "I'll take another pint!" Padan took a sip out of his drink "How goes your studies at the Guild of Seiress?"

Harern took the pint from the dwarf "Very well I've learned a lot from my master. I have my spellbook now!" Haren reached for his satchel and pulled out a huge book decorated with glowing gems and an iron-binding with stitches showing. It was evident by looking at the right side of the book that the paper was old and worn.

Padan looked in wonderment. No book he has ever seen has been made with such care and delicacy.

Harern put the book back "How are the lessons going with your father ?" Padans face instantly showed exhaustion. "It's been constant training every day from the early morning to late at night combining almost every survival skill and weaponry aspect you could think of."

Harern smiled and broke into a laugh. "Well, what exactly were you expecting? You are training to become the king's elite guard!"

Padan chuckled. "Ya I guess so, what has the Guild taught you?".

Harern took a sip out of his mug and wiped his lips with his sleeve. " I'm learning how to craft and cast spells from my master. We do a lot of small jobs around the village to exercise my spell casting skills".

"Do you get paid for the work?" Padan asks.

Harern shakes his head. "We aren't allowed to accept payment. I wouldn't accept the payment anyway because some of the people we help wouldn't be able to pay."

Padan's face became confused "Why wouldn't you ask for money? Doesn't your family need it?"

Haren becomes offended but doesn't allow it to show on his face. " Not every good deed requires payment Padan. Sometimes you need to be kind to others because it's the right thing to do. "

Padan shrugs off Harern's statement and continues to drink. After a while of silence, Padan becomes uncomfortable and decides to change the subject "How are your parents doing?"

Haren face turns to instant dread "They are healthy but struggling to keep the farm from going bankrupt it's hard without me on the farm to pick up some extra work."

Padan notices his friend's face and realizes what he has done "Hey don't get upset. I mean think about it, once you are finished with your training you'll be able to buy your family a second farm and all the extra hands they need".

Harern realized they he has allowed himself to show his emotion and tries to mask it "Yeah, I am sure everything will be fine, how about we go find Aithene."

Padan and Harern wandered the streets of their village heading towards Aithenes home. As they walked festival music filled the night air, and a cool breeze passed over them. As the pair are walking, they hear the sound of something big being dropped onto the ground.

"What was that?" Harern said concerned.

Padan looks towards where the sound came from, "I think it is coming from that alleyway."

Padan and Harern moved toward the source of the sound. Harern stays behind Padan as he lit the crystal on his staff. A few minutes go by before light could be seen at the end of the ally. Padan heard cheers and laughter as he rounded the corner of a building. Harern dimed the crystal light as he follows Padan to the end of the alley. Once their eyes adjusted to the scene, it was not what the two were expecting. They saw a wooden stage with a rope around all four sides, a girl around their age, and a full-grown man stood in the center. The girl had the shape of an hourglass, her hair golden blonde, and the appearance of a frail young woman. The man, on the other hand, was very muscular, had a full-grown beard, and a bald head. Padan and Harern thought the girl crazy for wanting to fight someone who was so clearly going to overpower her, but as Harern was about to speak, another man walked on stage.

"Alright gentlemen who's ready for the next round!" The crowd erupted into applause and roar was heard. The announcer gave off a laugh "Alright, alright, don't get too impatient. Your entertainment will start soon. In the right corner here, we have the lovely Aithene. And on the left, we have the fearsome Keghan! Alright, beauty and.." The announcer's head turns to see Keghan and immediately changes expression. "..Beast" His head turns back to Aithene. "I want a clean fight. No cheating and no one dies." The announcer falls silent "Hopefully... Alright, begin!"

As soon as the announcer finished his sentence, Keghan rushed for Aithene with his arms wide open, but as soon as he reached the other side of the ring, she was gone. Keghan looked around in confusion and felt a tap on his shoulder. As Keghan turned around Aithene delivered him a power-filled uppercut and he soared right into the air with his head hung back. Watching this Harern looked nervous, but Padan was having a laugh and enjoying himself. Harern looked over to Padan after hearing laughter "Why are you laughing? She could get seriously hurt!" "Calm down she has this under control." Harern looked back to the ring to see Aithene unleashing a storm of punches onto Keghan. Slowly Keghan's face became bloody and bruised with each blow.

The referee came onto the stage in a panic and pulled Aithene off the considerably large man "Alright I think we have our winner ladies and gentlemen!". The crowd chanted Aithene's name as they clapped. Aithene grabbed the money out of the referee's hands and climbed out of the ring. A crowd soon surrounded the petite girl, and a thousand questions were being asked all at once. Aithene ignored her new fans and squeezed her way through and looked around to see Padan and Harern. She made her way over to them and put her hands on her hips "I didn't take you guys to be fighting fans."

"You just got out of a fight, and you are already starting?" said Padan.

Aithene smirked. "I can see Harern enjoyed himself." Harern rolled his eyes, "You ready to go?"

"Hold on!" Aithene slips her hand into the pocket of a bystander who wasn't paying attention and pulls out a coin purse. Aithene then leads the way away from the ring with a skip. "Alright let's go to my house."

As time passed, the night continued to push the light out of the village. Candles in windows and lanterns hung over the streets acting as stars in the sky. Padan, Aithene, and Herern walked from the market into the slums of the town. Padan became unnerved by the look of Aithenes part of the village. He had been to Aithenes house over a thousand times, but he never got comfortable with the surroundings. He imagined living in a one-room hut with thatch for roofing and rock walls. The very idea made him cringe. Aithene's voice drew Padan back from his thoughts.

"Alright guys, be quiet going in. My parents are asleep."

Harern and Padan gave her an odd look. Aithene turned back from the door and started bursting in laughter.

"Haha, kidding!"

Padan let out a chuckle while Harern looked unamused. Harern finds Aithenes willingness to joke about her abandonment unamusing. Padan, on the other hand, was not concerned. In his eyes, he felt that Aithene could take care of herself. If she had gotten this far, she could probably get further. Aithene opened the door and walked in. Padan and Herern followed suit. Aithene lit the candles in the house and pulled three chairs around a small table. Both Padan and Harern sat in the chairs as Aithene brung over a pitcher full of mead and three cups. Aithene poured the cups full and handed them out.

Harern took the cup from Aithene, "Thank you."

Padan reached out as Aithene hands him his cup, "Thanks."

Aithene then poured some mead for herself and sat down.

Harern looked over to Aithene. "You do realize that you are going to hurt yourself fighting right?"

Aithene looked up annoyed, "No I won't!"

Harern's voice got more stern than usual. "Maybe not today or tomorrow, but eventually you will bite off more than you can chew and who knows what will happen."

Aithene turned from annoyance to anger. "Why don't you just mind your business? What I do has nothing to do with you!".

Harern screamed as he got up, his face flaming with anger "Fine!" he then caught himself and calmed down. "Apologies I must return to the guild, I have early studies tomorrow." He then walked to the door and opened it, then walked out and swung it shut, all while Padan's face showed annoyance.

Aithene looked over to him "What?"

"You two always argue, and it's the same reason every time. You do something he fears might hurt you, and when he brings it up, he won't shut up about it." Said Padan.

Aithene crossed her arms in anger. "So?".

Padan took a sip out of his drink. "Because of how you two reacted. I don't know, and I find it annoying when you and Harern argue."

Aithene got up and sat on her bed. "Oh shut up and come here."

"Fine."Padan put down his mead and walked over to sit on her bed and leaned his back against the wall.

Aithene laid her head on Padan's lap. "Remember when we were little and he never acted so serious?"

Padan chuckled, "Yeah the Guild of Seiress has changed him. He's matured so quickly."

Aithene scoffed. "I would hardly call him mature, and he acts like he has the brunt of a dagger up his ass."

Padan laughed, "Well... You never know."

Aithene let out a giggle.

All of a sudden, neither of the two spoke. They sit in silence and enjoy each other's company. Padan shifted around the bed out of discomfort.

Athene felt this and looked up at him in confusion. "What are you doing?"

"My shoulder hurts from training," Padan said.

Aithene laughed. "You're such a pussy." She then let out a sigh, "Do you remember when we first met?"

Padan almost laughed as he responded, "Yeah my mother is still upset about it."

Aithene leaned up from Padan's lap. "Excuse me?"

Padan's swallow echoed throughout the room, "You didn't know? I thought you would have figured out that she doesn't like the.."

Aithene interrupted Padan, "Choose. Your. Next.Words. Carefully."

Padan began to speak quieter "Disadvantaged".

Aithene spiked up in a rage, "What is it with you fucking nobles always putting down the poor!"

Padan tried to speak. "But I don't!"

"Shut up!" Aithene snapped.

Padan grabbed one of Aithene's pillows to shield himself with, as Aithene went back to screaming.

"All you do is sit inside your ivory towers with your rich clothes and pretty things and judge others!"

Padan lowered the pillow and looked down at the floor with a look of sadness on his face "Is that what you think of us? Do you think that's how I am?"

Aithene looked at Padan and immediately came out of her anger. "No, of course, I don't think of you like that! I"

Padan interrupted, "No you have a point. The nobles are greedy and look down on the poor, But we aren't all like that. I am not like that. Neither is my father. The noble families have lost their ways. Honor isn't valuable to them anymore, and neither is tradition. I may be the last son of a noble that wants to uphold the original code of the Forsoth. I don't think these values will last."

Aithene sat next to Padan and put her arms around his neck. "Everything will be fine I promise. Do you want to stay the night?"

Padan nodded his head. He knew he would get in trouble with his father for not going home but at this point, he didn't care. Padan hated the nobles, and he hated what they stood for. Padan laid down and closed his eyes and consumed himself with his thoughts and eventually fell asleep.

***

The sun peaked through a cracked window of Aithenes house and shined on Padans face. Padan felt the heat on his cheek and woke up to hear the hustle and bustle of the street outside. Crews were cleaning up after the festival of the night prior. Padan sat up and rubbed his eyes. He looked over on the bed to see Aithene sleeping. Her body slightly lifted and slumped mimicking her breathing. She sleeps so innocently hard to believe she took out a man almost twice her size.

Padan then remembered what his father said to him yesterday and slowly began to panic, "Fuck, I'm late!" Padan quickly grabbed his things and ran out the door and slammed it behind him. This woke Aithene and she leaned up and rubbed her eyes, "Huh?" She then quickly realized she is alone and let out a sigh.

Padan hurried to his family's estate. Once at the gate, he flung it open and revealed his large house. It was three stories high and had at least twenty windows on each side. The house was made of stone and had a marble roof. There were statues in front of the house along with a gravel road that leads up to the gate. Various bushes and flowers were on each side of the gravel road and made symmetrical patterns on the lawn. Padan ran behind the mansion into the backyard and saw his father suiting up.

"You're late," Aidheon said annoyed.

Padan responded out of breath, "I'm sorry."

"Apologize all you like but your actions speak for themselves," Aidheon said scoldingly. "You said you weren't going to be out late, yet here you are. Not the early night but the early morning."

Padan's face turned red from embarrassment, "I know."

Aidheon's voice turned angry, "Do you? I don't believe you do because if you did you would have done what you said."

Padan fell silent.

Aidheon threw him his weapons and started to walk off. Padan put his sword in his holster and quiver around his back and followed his father. Aidheon leads Padan to the far side of the extensive estate to where they usually train. Aidheon stood inside a circle of sand with fencing around the outside of the ring.

"Today we are practicing swordsmanship again," Aidheon said as he tossed Padan a wooden sword. "Your form needs work, get in your stance."

Padan bent down his front knee and back holding his sword in front of him.

"Good," Aidheon said, "Now we shall begin." Aidheon got in the same stance and swung his sword at Padan.

Padan brought his sword up to block the attack then at his side and blocked the second blow. Aidheon was ruthless putting Padan on relentless defense with every swing beating the effort out of Padan. Padan couldn't put up with the strikes much longer. He was trying to think of a way to match Aidheons aggressiveness. Padan looked to his father's feet and kicked at them only to have Aidheon dodge it. Padan overstepped and fell forward. Once Padan rolled over on his back he looked up to see a wooden sword at his throat. All of a sudden they hear a shout.

"I hope we're not interrupting anything."

Aidheon looked to the entrance of the dirt arena to see a ranger captain with two other ranger privates beside him. They had on leather armor on with a green undershirt. Long green capes flowed to the ground on their backs, and the privates had their hoods on. They also wore leather boots along with a green arm guard.

"Hold on Padan," Aidheon said while he walked over to the captain. Padan got up and dusted himself off. Eventually, Aidheon came back to Padan as the rangers left.

"What happened?" Padan asked. Aidheon sat on a wooden bench near the fences "I'm leaving in the morning."

Padan became concerned " why?"

"Can't say," Aidheon said, "But if the Rangers are being deployed, things aren't looking good."

Padan looked at his father with worry. For all his life the Rangers have never been deployed because there hasn't been anything to deploy to. The kingdom has flourished, and there has been peace ever since Padan could remember. Most of all Padan was worried about losing his father. The one man who spoke wisdom and knowledge into his life could be at the risk of dying. Aidheon had been there for him ever since Padan could remember, which is far more than what his mother did for him.

Aidheon spoke up. "Padan."

Padan came out of thought and looked into his father's eyes.

"There will come the point in your life where you are faced with two options. The first is the easy way. You could settle for what you have and give up not experiencing what challenges that lie ahead of you and just run away. The other is looking life in the eye and telling it. I'm not afraid."

Padan became lost in thought of what his father just told him. He didn't know if his father was saying this for Padan's good or his own.

"Alright," Aidheon said, "Let's continue."

Padan spared with his father until the sun began to settle and the moons began to light the sky. "Ok, that's enough," Aidheon said catching his breath "You're getting better."

"What am I going to do while you are gone?" Padan asked.

"Well," explained Aidheon. "You are just going to have to be responsible for your skills. I've taught you everything I can."

Padan becomes confused. "How?"

"Practice as well as read you'll become far more knowledgeable than I if you do that for long enough. Come, let's go inside."

Padan followed his father through the green grass of the grounds and into their home. Once at the door the help takes off Padans weapons and armor for him. Padan walked through the halls lined with candles on each side of the walls and curtains covering the windows. He opened the oak door to his room to see none other than Aithene sitting on the silk sheets of his bed. Padan panicked and quickly closed his bedroom window and whispered. "What are you doing!"

"I wanted to see you," Aithene answered innocently "Man it's been some time since I've been here I forgot how big it is."

"Yeah, because since you kept breaking in my mother hired guards to keep watch," Padan said, "by the way how did you get around those?"

Aithene laughed. "Remember how I won the fight last night?"

Padan's voice became cautious. "Yes."

"I threw them the gold I stole and told them to take the day off," Aithene said with a giggle.

Padan rubbed his forehead, "My father is going to be so pissed off. I'm supposed to be training tomorrow I need sleep."

Aithene crawled over to Padan. "he doesn't have to know."

Padan let out a sigh. "Fine, you can stay."

Aithene jumped up and down on the bed in excitement, "Yay!"

Padan tried to grab her and calmed her down. "Quiet! Someone might hear you!" Suddenly there was a loud audible knock at the door. "Sir is everything ok?"

Padan answered panicked. "Yes, everything's fine."

The servant opened the door and said. "I just thought I hear-"

She then got caught off by seeing Padan alone in the room.

"Heard what?" Padan asked.

The servant's face became red. "I'm terribly sorry I thought I heard another voice in here."

"It's quite alright thank you for checking in," Padan said.

Once the servant left the room, Padan closed the door and turned around to see Aithene back on the bed waiting for him.

"I see you've been practicing a quick escape," Padan said as he walked over to sit next to her.

Aithene smiled, "Yeah an easy exit comes in handy a lot more than one would think, by the way, who were those armed men talking to you and your father?"

Padan frowned, "They were Rangers. My father is leaving in the morning to help on a mission."

"Why?" Aithene asked.

"Not sure," Padan said.

Aithene hugged Padan, "Are you scared he may not come back?"

"Kind of," Padan said. "There hasn't been any reason to send out an elite squad to do something since I've been born. It's clear something big is happening, and I don't want him to die."

Aithene whispered in Padan's ear. "You know I'm always going to be here for you right?" Aithene then pulls the covers over herself and Padan, "How about we just fall asleep?". Padan falls on his pillow and closes his eyes and drifts to sleep.