1 The Inheritance 1

The Sun was over their head, shining with intensity as Kain and his convoy journey towards their destination, the viscounty of Dyke. Kain was to be the new lord of the Viscounty after his father, the former Viscount and second eldest brother died in a bandit raid.

The news had come to him out of a sudden. Kain had left his home five years ago in search of his prospect as a squire to a wandering knight since he was the third son of his father. He had never dreamt of inheriting the house but fate brought him to become a lord.

"Young master, we will be reaching the castle soon," Said Robert. Robert was the Steward of the late Viscount and the one sent to retrieve Kain along with a retinue of soldiers of the Viscounty. The reason Robert was sent instead of a Knight was because Robert was the one who practically raised him from a toddler. Another reason was that he was a former Knight and one of the strongest warrior in the Viscounty, A Sky rank 4 warrior.

"Castle Dyke," said Kain as he caught a glimpse of the wall of the castle, looming in the distance.

Kain had been in a tavern in a town of one of the Eastern Cantons, travelling the land and looking for his next employment when Robert suddenly burst in. His master had died in a war but not before making him a Knight, two months prior. He had heard only few news of his house and none had node well.

It was here that Kain saw the first road in the Viscounty. It was a mud road leading to the castle from the village, and it wasn't even maintained well. The pace of the convoy hardly increased after treading on it. In fact, some of the wagons were getting stuck in the mud and being pulled out by the guards every now and then.

As the walls got larger and larger in his view, Kain saw the people waiting to receive him at the gates. They were led by a well-dressed man who looked to be in his fifties. To his right was a middle-aged blonde man wearing full plated armor, looking solemn and dignified. The two were Gerard, the minister and Roland, the head knight, respectively.

Behind them were retinues of people dressed in civil as well as military garb, many who were familiar faces to Kain.

"We welcome you, Young Master Kain," everyone said in unison, bowing their heads when he arrived. They hadn't called him the viscount or lord since he had not been officially ordained yet.

"Thank you," Said Kain, dismounting from Danko, his warhorse.

After he got used to his feeling of his legs after traveling for nearly three weeks, he approached the well dressed man leading the group.

"Hello, Gerard," Said he," how are you doing?"

"I am doing well, Young Master. I hope to serve you well."

Kain turned his eyes to the blonde, middle-aged man in plate armor.

"You have aged well, Roland." It was not a jest. It was a matter of fact. There was a speck of wrinkle nor a strand of grey hair on the head Knight.

Roland didn't retort back. He simply bowed and said,"This Roland is a Knight of the Dyke family, knighted by your noble father. I hope to serve you better than I have served him."

Kain could feel the guilt in the Head Knight's voice. He understood where it came from. The master and his heir apparent had died in a battle while the head knight was still alive. Kain, if he didn't knew better would have blamed him but through his experience he knew there must be a reason why the man was still standing.

"Ahem," Gerard cleared his throat and said,

"These are civil servants and military officers of the family."

"We hope to serve you well, Young Master," said the group in unison.

It took a while for the pleasantries to end. The group open a path for Kain and his convoy to go forward.

From the corner of his eyes, around the corner of the castle, a group of dishevelled kids were peeking at them only to be pulled back by wary adults. They gave Kain a familiar feeling.

Refugees. He didn't gave them any mind. He had been through many a battlefield and participated in two wars. Refugees were a common sight.

The first sight he saw inside the castle was the main Street. It look better than the other roads though some parts were still muddy. The other roads were more like pigsty than roads. The houses inside the castle were old and barely standing. It was a poor place. It look far worse than the time he had left and left a nagging feeling in his stomach.

However, what surprised him was the state of the people. For such a ill time, the people look well fed and healthy, though their dress and face looked wretched and dirty. It meant that the granaries were full atleast.

A warm feeling surged inside him as the towers of the keep came into view. The keep was built on a raised hill in the middle of the castle, made of white stone in contrast to the black granite of the walls. Several vegetation and trees surrounded the keep.

It was his home and it had his fondest memories, the innocent memories of his childhood. If his elder brothers didn't die, he will never had inherited it nor was he sure he would have seen it again. Afterall, he was the youngest son. In addition to that, he had left his home because his father sent him away.

Kain still remembered his father's word as he went along with Ser Alrond Multry, a heaven warrior and wandering knight. His father didn't sent him to die or exiled him. It was because his father wanted him to mould himself as a warrior. The reason was because, Kain was considered a prodigy as he had reach the realm of the exalted Warriors when he was twelve years old, a thing never heard of before.

The convoy reached the keep while the mild sun was still above. Kain stepped into the keep first, ignoring the raggedy assortment of servants and maids. There weren't many. The nagging feeling in his stomach churned again. It took a few tours to get familiarise with the place again. Everything reminded Kain of his childhood.