1 Stand Fast

To walk upon the empty plains of Invildhim could be seen as a privilege of the weak, the stubborn, and the elderly. A verdant sea of rolling hills stretched as far as the eye could see. The wondrous smell of early morning dew slowly made its way across the plains while in tune with the receding dark. The grasses stood tall and uncut, slowly waving in the whispering breeze. Among these fields of green, small houses of cobble and wood stood as the few signs of life in this vast expanse.

To live within these lands, was to live a life of peace and perhaps prosperity. The deep, rich earth had not been stained by anything larger than a mouse in over a hundred years.

Such a feat was not achieved easily though. Beneath the grasses could be found both blade and horn. Each and every hill was forged with frames of bone and filled with earth made rich by fallen sons.

Long ago, knights had fought here for both their code and country. The lords of Astar had not only sent their sons, but participated themselves. Every struggle, every foot lost and gained was an inch closer or further from victory.

However now, over a century later when stories are still only told from mouth to mouth, the grand monuments upon the capital are the sole reminder of the grand feats of titans long past. Many have long forgotten the enemy mankind once shared so much hate for.

Yet still, there are a few who stand fast, and the Knight's Order had never

forgotten their opponent. The tomes and records of elder Templar were like shadows cast upon them by the monolithic warriors who stood guard over the future.

The grand hero's who once guarded the future, now left warnings for brothers long gone into the new age.

…

To stand guard over Invildhim was a privilege of the strongest knight of the Order. Whether a young prodigy, or seasoned veteran, the prize was still the same. To watch over the burial grounds of their brothers was an honor most high amongst those who upheld the code.

'Or so I was told.'

Over two decades of service had led him here. Once prodigy, twice veteran, the Templar Gale now stood tall amongst the plains. A steel claymore rest upon his back, forged amongst the trade routes of Faytin, and branded with the sigil of the Order.

In his thirty years of life, he had served the Order high and low. His sword had claimed the lives of both man and beast in the name of prosperity. However at the peak of his strength, at the height of his power, he was told one thing by the high council.

"Go rest amongst the plains, you have earned the right to stand alongside the greatest of our Order."

It was quite the disappointment, and though he thought to argue, he knew the importance of the task he had been handed.

The plains were not uninhabited, and neither were the dense forests that were beside it. While beasts and brigands roamed the forests, only farmers and young men lived upon the plains. If either the former or latter of the forest inhabitants passed into the plains, disaster would be the only outcome. Thus, with his heart pulling him to stand tall, he reluctantly followed the traditions of the Order.

…

The glint of steel in the distance was a familiar sight to Gale. Whether it be brigands or armed escorts, he knew it well. So when he saw it within the shadows of the forests, he drew his weapon and stabbed it into the dirt in front of him. The armor he wore, though hot and heavy as it was, meant that no dagger, arrow, or axe could be thrown with enough force to even stagger him.

So instead, though vigilant, he held no fear of the newcomer. He was instead intrigued by what he then saw slip out of the shade. A man clad in the grand silver of a Templar walked leisurely towards him, faded scarlet streaks of paint grasping onto polished steel with a ghostly grip. Upon his back was a paladin's shield, the blackened, iridescent marks of searing flame had painted its surface with experience and fortitude.

Upon seeing this obvious fellow veteran, Gale lifted one hand from the pommel of his sword and struck his chest in greeting.

"Great Templar, what brings you here upon this uneventful day?" Gale's booming voice resounded across the plains like a stone skipping across water, before sinking into the depths of the wooded abyss.

"I greet the Invildhim Guardian with great respect. As for your query, I am simply here to end my days." The quiet voice of the man held neither malice nor pride, only the weight of a tired mind.

Gale frowned, as the response was not what he had been expecting. "What do you mean, end your days?" The question, though simple, held the man's fate in its clause.

"I have left the order, I am here to live out my days and expand my horizons." His slow, quiet, plodding speech felt empty to the ears of a now suspicious Gale.

"Well certainly living out your days here will expand your horizons, for the one before you is empty!" he said, waving his arm at ever-rolling hills that stretched further than the eye can see.

"It is the peaceful life here that I yearn for, not excitement."

"This is not a place for Knights, Templar, or Paladins to rest while living, but a place for them to be LAID to rest."

"But I hold no such titl-"

"Then why introduce yourself as one."

"I did not, you assumed such a thing."

"Our armor is an introduction in itself, those who wear it uphold the code to the extent their title would command!"

The man grew silent. A howling wind swept between them, almost personifying the indignation of the younger warrior.

"I will only ask once more, who are you?"

"A failure, and a coward. Is that what you wanted to hear? I gave up my title and ran, I abandoned the code, I left the order, and never looked back!"

Once again, silence reigned upon the forest's edge. Neither spoke, or moved from their spots.

Then, finally, in a voice carried by nothing but an empty gale, three words were spoken.

"Welcome, to Invildhim."