A rough start
A kingdom is destined to fall the moment a weak king takes the crown and the empire called Helton was no exception. A weak king and a weak prince that were never truly respected because of how incompetent they were. corrupted ministers controlled the emperor easily from the shadows but they were still unable to act as freely as they wanted as the prince was still alive so one day the prince went missing after he went hunting in the forest. after three days of continuous search, they finally found his corpse which was eaten by wild animals to the point that they only recognized it because of the clothes the corpse had on. The king was so shaken to his core by the news of his son passing away that he neglected his duties even more while drowning his despair in wine giving even more authority to the ministers who increased taxes and started slave trading in the whole empire.
Two years later, the city called Jaxen became the new home for a homeless but noble young teen named Leonard who used to live in the imperial capital before losing most of his money.
After realizing the mistakes he made he decided to first gather information about currencies "and what better place to ask than a local treasury?" thought Leonard as he entered the highly decorated jaxen treasury, But he was instantly mistaken for a homeless beggar because of how poorly he dressed as most of his clothes had stains of blood from his wounds that were incompletely healed and with torn edges on his sleeves so he was awkwardly welcomed by the receptionist at first but then we asked to exchange money a person in the back seemed to notice something so asked the receptionist to handle this situation himself then led Leonard to a soundproof room to meet a representative so that he can exchange money and ask questions which were answered right away which seems weird at first but he thought it was just good costumer service so he started by asking about the currencies. "coins are classified from lowest to highest as bronze, silver, gold and platinum coins with each coin being a five hundred times more valuable than the previous one" explained the representative "but may I ask why you need that information in your current state my dear customer?" he added. silence filled the room for a few seconds before Leonard opened his mouth "just didn't want to waste the last coin I had" he said as he slid a gold coin from his pocket to the table while observing the shock on the representative's face who had doubtful eyes that felt like daggers." if I don't get a reasonable explanation, I will have to assume you being a thief and call the guards" said the doubtful representative, and with no other choice he started telling how he was a rich noble from the imperial city who didn't care about how much he used to spend considering he had as much gold coins as he wanted which made him consider gold coins as the normal currency however that mistake was his undoing as in one of his journeys he mistakenly revealed his wealth in front of greedy mercenaries who worked as escorts for his carriage. later in his journey when they were away from the main city the mercenaries ambushed him and tried killing him while stealing his gold, and while he miraculously survived he was heavily injured and was left with this single gold coin." that doesn't make sense....nobles always have guardian knights dedicated to their service and safety...and where are your noble clothes...which noble family did you come from?" asked the representative with a sinister grin " I tore my cloth to cover the wounds to stop the bleeding. Due to special conditions I had to travel without my knights, but I can't reveal which family I come from" answered Leonard naively not knowing what he was getting into. another few seconds of silence passed as the quiet before the storm and the one who broke that silence was the representative " I heard there were a group of fallen nobles who opposed the royal family....to think that I would meet one here today like this...it must be another gift from the heavens he said while laughing "don't worry I can keep secrets for a low price like that one coin you have there...unless you have something better to offer me "
Leonard:... I'm here to exchange my money ...will you do it or not? and don't you think this is a lame way to threaten a noble?
Representative: A fallen noble to be exact...this is the only reason why you wouldn't reveal your noble status
Leonard:this doesn't feel like it's your first time in a similar situation
Representative:that's because we met a fallen noble before so I asked a colleague of mine to keep watch for anyone who acts the same way that man did when he first came
Leonard: what do you even know about them to be so confident that you can win in negotiations against one
Representative: nobles who tried to overthrow the emperor but failed and now are on the runway from him ....any fallen noble caught are executed on the spot and anyone who finds any information on them is treated as a hero and given a handsome reward of 500 silvers
Leonard:what makes you think that things will go your way
Representative:with how you look now no one will recognize you as a noble unless you reveal proof of your identity or after contact with your family... I can tell that you are a noble just from the way you talk but what power do you think you have in your current condition to act all mighty.... you need to hide your identity so what do you think would happen if accidentally spill your secret ..... I will take half the exchanged amount and after three months I expect you to pay me a visit with ten gold coins as a gift to keep your secret MR. Leonard pr else I will just have to collect the reward of spilling your information
Leonard couldn't afford to have his identity revealed as it was very risky to his plans so he agreed after asking for the representative's name which was aviditos. Leonard was then escorted out by aviditos after receiving 500 silver coins and a lesson -never reveal too much to strangers-. A new strategy was needed to leave the city starting from getting new cloth as how a person dressed and looked apparently played a huge role in how they were perceived by those around in society and so he visited the tailor shop nearby and bought high-quality merchant's clothes for 2 silvers which didn't seem that much for Leonard however as he now looked like a merchant the guards at the city gate requested identification papers which Leonard claimed to be lost and tax payment confirmation papers which he didn't have either saying that he is not a real merchant. suspicious of his behaviour the guard wouldn't let him through and asked him to place his hands on a magic ball which changed colour whenever a criminal touched it however after the ball did not react to him the guards said that he must pay a fine of 300 silvers as a punishment for a merchant travelling without identification and tax payments confirmation which was the law. With no excuse to use he now had less than 100 silvers to use for the rest of his journey. He stayed in a near city called gefangnisstadt which was famous for relatively high crime to forge an identification card which was very expensive costing him 50 silvers and buying more normal clothes that will help him blend in with people but then 3 weeks later he started running low on money with less than 10 silvers remaining in his pocket. At that point the noble started worrying for the first time in his life about how to survive and how can he obtain food if things kept going the way they are for him. soon he had no choice but to think of a way to earn money however his pride did not allow it and he spent a few more days before completely running out of money. with nowhere to stay the streets became his new home and after a week he didn't even look like a normal person anymore but just a starving homeless person on the streets however not once did he try to steal or beg for help as he silently endured it all. the next day was the guard's monthly patrol to collect taxes and because Leonard didn't have a single coin he was arrested without pity from the guards it only got worse after he tried resisting them and running away making his punishment even more severe. later he was thrown into prison and Leonard was with the guards leading him to his cell at that moment he thought that he at least had food to eat but his soul was crushed after realising how cruel the world and the people can be. as he was walking the guard found no empty cells so they headed to a lower floor of the prison dungeon until they reached the lowest floor and found a dark cell that seemed empty but after entering he overheard the guards talking
Guard 1: why is this kid going to a dark cell this deep down in the dungeon?
Guard 2: all the cells on the upper floors were full and this cell was the only one with space remaining
Guard1: but what about the other prisoner ....isn't he a dangerous criminal that could use this chance to escape?
Guard 2: don't worry he has been silent for months now
As he heard what they said, Leonard looked around to find a man lying at the corner of the cell seemingly dead with something glowing in his hands. Fear prevented the teen from checking the light despite being curious and decided to sit on the opposite side of the cell while despairing from his current state. A day passed and the kid would only move to get his food and then run back to where he was. Day after day he would do the same but never once did the other prisoner move a single muscle but the light in his hands kept glowing more whenever Leonard got closer as if it was calling to him. At that point, Leonard felt like he had nothing else to lose so he let his curiosity get the best of him and slowly walked toward the other prisoner with each step, the light kept getting brighter till the whole cell was fully lit which alerted the guards so they came running toward the cell after calling for reinforcement and surprisingly the source of the light was a gold ring on one of the prisoner's fingers and after Leonard touched it he felt weird magic that connected him to the ring but it wasn't a sinister feeling instead it was a warming feeling for the first time in a long while then for the first time the other criminal moved his hand and slowly opened his eyes but before he could even do anything he was shot down by the guards who ran down to the cell and saw him move
"People these days have no manners.... back in my day they used to shout out how they wanted to kill me before shooting, what kind of people shoots before even giving a heads up?" said the criminal sarcastically as he slowly stood up and wiped the dirt off his clothes while looking at the guards as if challenging them. The guards were terrified out of their minds to the point that they dropped their weapons and ran away.
" they put cowards to guard me? Just how much have the mighty nobles fallen" said the criminal as he punched the door open with his bare hands and as he was stepping outside the cell he stopped for a moment and then looked at Leonard and asked"what are you waiting for? Do you want to spend the rest of your life here?"
Leonard:me?
Criminal:yeah you ..is there anyone else...cmon let's go
Leonard:Why would I go anywhere with a criminal like you
Criminal:Oh right I forgot to introduce myself... I'm robin ...nice to meet you...now let's go
Leonard: nice to....what ?.....what's with the 180? Aren't, you going to threaten me or something?....
Robin: I'm not here because I'm a criminal here because I was betrayed....you must have a lot of questions but for now just follow me until we get to a safe place then you can decide if you want to stay with me or not
Leonard: and how do you know if I can be trusted? and there is no reason to trust you either
Robin: I never said I trust you I'm only telling you to escape with me for now ... I know you are no criminal... real criminals don't react to what happened the way you did...
With no other options, Leonard followed robin out of the cell.
The glow from the ring started settling down for a while until it finally disappeared and the area became pitch black dark again just as the guard reinforcements arrived to start investigating
"Wait for me here kid I'll deal with them then come back for you" whispered robin as he stopped Leonard from leaving the cell. unable to process the events that happened so fast Leonard nodded and stood in the cell quietly as he started to hear the sounds of gunshots, fighting and people falling which kept going on for a full hour before robin came back with blood all over him and at that moment Leonard realised that robin was shot even before he even started moving so how was he still alive put aside defeating all the guards? But before he could ask about it robin pulled him out of the cell and told him to start running before time runs out.
As he got out of the cell he realised none of the guards was dead as they were still breathing heavily
"I'm no murderer I just put them to sleep so just follow me" said robin
Then with a sense of relief, Leonard started following robins instructions without questions, and with more faith in this mysterious man that defied common sense in more than one way. as they moved to the upper floors of the prison dungeon they tried avoiding the patrolling guards who were searching for them after the emergency alarm was activated however they weren't always lucky as sometimes, their location was discovered but robin just knocked down the guards who found them and as the passed by cells they would hear people there shouting for help or cursing the nobility or swearing that they were innocent and needed help. every time Leonard heard their cries for help it felt like eating away at his soul but robin never stopped to help then at one of the cells on the floor they were in Leonard suddenly in front of the cell and tried opening the lock but Robin stopped him.
Leonard:don't get in my way
Robin:if we let them out it will become a battlefield full of chaos and it will be easier for us to escape but this place will turn into a blood bath for both the guards and the people you are trying to free and the ones who will get out will easily be rearrested and brought back here...just leave them alone
Leonards's feet felt heavy with every step he took while stepping away from the cell and the prisoners' cries for him to come back didn't help ease the pain instead it made it even worse then one of the prisoners shouted with all his strength
Prisinor: THE BASTARD WHO TOLD HIM TO LEAVE US BEHIND...IF I EVER SEE YOU WHEN I GET OUT I'LL KILL YOU
Robin: sure...be my guest
Then three hours they finally got out of the dungeon and saw the light of the sun again but they didn't have the time to enjoy it instead they ran away to find a place to hide till they found a back alley that they hid in for the night as they talked.
Leonard: now it's time to get some answers ..who are you and how are you still alive even after getting shot in the cell?
Robin: as for who I am ...I told you my name is robin...no details needed and I am still alive because of the magic I use...now my turn...what year is it
Leonard: what year?...1760
Robin: so twenty years locked up huh...isn't it funny how time flies?
Leonard: just how old are you
Robin: probably 39 I sopped counting after I entered the dungeon
Leonard: So you were thrown into prison when you were the same age as me ...just what happened?
Robin:some things should remain private for now.. let's focus on how to get out of this city first
Leonard:we have no way to leave town and no money to even buy food ...what do we do now
Robin(laughing):don't worry I borrowed some money from the guards I knocked down at the cell....call it my hospital bills. I think I collected about 15 silvers so we don't have to worry about food and transportation for now ...oh and I also borrowed a pocket knife....it has been a while since I last shaved and trimmed myself
Leonard: .....
Robin gave half of the silver he had to Leonard as a sign of trust as he told him to go buy some new cloth and food for them
Leonard: I'm not your errand boy...I may look like this but I was once a noble
Robin was irritated by that response and lost his composure for a second
As he yelled, "DO YOU EVEN HAVE A BRAIN? your social status doesn't matter here and I don't care if you were a normal noble or if you were the emperor himself..... I will get out of this city and go back to him... If you are so confident in your abilities on your own then leave now "
Leonardo shook as he heard those words and couldn't help but feel powerless so he hesitantly apologised for his arrogance
Robin: the way I look now will be suspicious even for a child so after I shave I will go scout for ways to get out of this city unnoticed
As they were talking a few thieves started to approach them laughing while asking them if they got lost robin told Leonard to go and leave the thieves to him so
Leonard nodded and then went to buy clothes to help hide their identities. Leonard was at the tailor's shop and he couldn't stop thinking about robin who made him apologize for the first time in his life. what he felt wasn't anger or resentment Leonard felt ashamed of himself and how prideful and arrogant he was and that he couldn't do anything when he needed to take action the most but his thoughts were interrupted when the tailor told him that his order is finished
Leonard:two capes, two sets of clothing, a traveller's pack and two bags with a 100kg capacity
Tailor: yes... As for the payment, it is one silver three hundred coppers
Leonard: here...but I have a question.... this is my second time going to a tailor shop in clothes covered in mud and blood but no one said anything about it and helped me even without asking questions...why?
Tailor: do you think you are the only one trying to escape from the nobles? Because of them, many people were imprisoned unjustly...so for tailors like us, those who are successful in escaping are brave people worthy of respect...also a customer remains a customer no matter how they looked.
Leonard smiled as he thanked the tailor and gave him the payment and took the clothes" is there a place to change here" asked Leonard then the tailor pointed to a room where he can change his outfit. later at night, Leonard went back to the alley where he was separated from robin after he finished buying food and he couldn't even recognise robin after he shaved his hair and long beard that used to cover most of his torso. Leonard took a few steps in shock toward robin as the one in front of him was a tall man with a strong body that-apart from his clothes- looked like a prince of some kingdom
Leonard: Robin ..is that you
Robin:yeah...why are you so shocked?...either way..did you bring the stuff
Leonard: what do you mean why?...maybe because you look a little too healthy for someone who was a shut-in prison for twenty years...even your skin looks as smooth and healthy as a doll
Robin (laughing): sarcasm doesn't suit you..just leave it to the pros...but like I said... I can use magic and I have a few other secrets
Unable to reply, Leonard threw the bag containing new clothes to Robin who immediately wore them on then they started making an escape plan because security around the city became tight after the escape as now double the number of guards go on patrols around the whole city.
Leonard: What did you find out?
Robin: we dont have to leave through the gate....there is an area with the least amount of security on the other side of the city so if we go there I can blast a hole through the walls with my magic and the guards won't be fast enough to follow us
Leonard:Then what?
Robin:on the other side of the wall is the dark forest...if we go through it till the end we will reach a mountain where he lives
Leonard: you mentioned you wanted to go back to someone...who exactly is he and how can he help us
Robin:he is my father's friend and a great blacksmith who can craft anything...in fact, he is one of the few dwarfs who are still alive
Leonard:dwarfs?do you mean the legendary creatures with unmatched crafting skills and physical strength
Robin:yes and although dwarfs aren't known to be particularly friendly this one is a real charmer even if he is not good-looking... I wonder how he will react when he sees me
Leonard: let's talk later the guards are on their way here...do you know the fastest route to the place we want?
Robin:yeah...one of the thieves earlier shared the best routes with me after I talked some sense him
Leonard: talked?
Robin: it's easy when they are the type who talks with their fists...so I communicated using their way...just follow me
Then they started moving as soon as they heard the sound of the guard's patrol coming towards the alley. Avoiding the guards and moving in the shadows things went unexpectedly smoothly and they reached the other side of the city. then robin used an explosion spell that shattered the wall but also attracted the attention of the whole city so all patrolling guards headed there but it was too late as the two prisoners have already entered the dark forest by that time so a soldier returned to the commander to report back.
Soldier:commander....the prisoners reached the dark forest
Commander:How Can You Allow Such A Thing To Happen? I don't care about the other homeless person but the other one is a first-class criminal
Soldier:sir... do we call for backup from the Imperial capital?
Commander:if we do that all of us will be executed...send for backup only from the cities surrounding the dark forest...its a dangerous place so they can't survive there for long and they are not strong enough to enter deep into the forest so they will likely look for a place where they can rest and recover so tell the neighbouring cities that they should expect visitors soon.
Soldier:as expected from the commander...I will follow your orders