Dragon Nest: Small Towns Volume One

Chapter IV: Strength in Burden (Xian)

     Every warrior’s strength comes from their will and their choice of weapon. For them… it is not just a tool… it is a symbol of who they are. Their movements and flows come from the way they take care of their giant swords, hammer, or their axes. Some warriors find their power by rage and desire… but some find it by the burden they carry. This warrior had a lot of burdens to carry now that he lost everything, his friends scattered missing, his mother brutally murdered, his father abandoned him, and his town destroyed. But it was fortunate for him that a wandering adventurer took care of him as he was running from fear.

Chapter IV: Strength in Burden (Xian)

Prairie town… despite the small area they live Humans and Elves still manages to defend and maintain peace in their land. Rough winds shake those blossoms and the smoke from the blacksmith area. Blacksmith Dorin was the best known blacksmith in Prairie Town and also the worst. However, his two-legged hounds jumping at the fireplace to continue the fire weakens and productionand walking towards him was a young, cool looking guy with blonde hair, and warrior clothes fit for everything.

     “Hey Dorin… I need you to sharpen my Axe.” I said.

     “Sorry Xian, you’re going to have to wait… I still have some weapons to fix and enhance.” Dorin said.

     “What’s the problem? I expected you to be faster than this Dorin?”

     “It’s the hounds… they seem to keep the fire getting colder. I don’t know but Merchant Delilah said that these are top notch hounds. I feel like I’m being scammed.”

     “How about I have a little chat with Delilah? Be back in a bit.” I’m not angry though just want to cooperate with her. I walked to her store and saw her looking at the right. I called her but she wouldn’t listen or she can’t hear me. So I pointed her to her arm and she regained her sensibility.

     “Oh I’m sorry… may I help you?” she said.

     “I would just like to complain about the hounds that Dorin brought from you. You said that they were top notch but the productions being made are slow. I would just like to add for a refund.” I said.

     “Sorry… that is store policy, and I do believe that they are top notch.”

     “So you are not going to give us a refund?”

     “Nah…”

     And now I felt like this really is a scam… but then I looked to the right and saw Captain Steve that became clear to me about her… so I said “How about I tell Captain Steve about your feelings for him.”

     She startled and her legs weakening. “Ho- How did you know that?”

     “Because… I’m a people’s person. You know what… I’ll just go straight to him and…”

     “Okay… okay! Look I can’t give you a refund since it’s against store policy and if I did it would be unfair to my other costumers. The hounds are indeed top notch but they may feel a little bit of weak or homesick from Saint Haven so that can’t work harder if you don’t treat them much. Try getting some hound grass just outside somewhere of Prairie town and come back soI can make some hound feeds.”

     “I didn’t know that hounds get homesick…” I said“… I thought that they only know how to eat.”

     “Yes well… you should get going then…”

     “Yeah sure… well thanks for the information.” I got my feet moving and went outside of Prairie Town with my giant axe behind my back. In time, I found a platform with large crops of hound grass… I started picking up some grass and stacking them in my pack. I guess that was enough… I was certain that there was nothing else to do here but something caught my eye. I went near it and pulled some hound grass around it. I saw a grave… but it was not an ordinary grave… there was an inscription there saying…

Sylica… protected Xian, his son, until her dying breath.

     Then it hit me… it was my mother’s grave. I didn’t know that she was buried here. I was young… I didn’t exactly know what happened… I was too scared to fight back when the Dragon Followers attacked our town. But I do remember this… our door was going to break and dad was probably fending off the attack with the others. Mom placed me under the fireplace as I hear the hostiles banging the door and the cracking wood.

     “Xian… whatever you do… do not come out of here until it is safe. And I love you dear… don’t ever forget that.” She was holding the sword that Dad and I created. The squealing of the table moving by mom rings in my ears.

     “Mom!” Tears started to flow and fear started to consume me. I hear the door broken and the clashing of the swords. I heard someone speaking a spell and thunder being cast. Lot of people stumble but I still hear her fighting but eventually I don’t hear anything anymore. Some of them were nearing from where I hid as more tears started to show. Someone opened the table slowly and I closed my eyes wishing that they wouldn’t kill me.

     “Come on.” He said. “Grab your things and we’ll get out of here.” Uncle Dorin pulled me up. I looked at my mother and saw that she was badly wounded. Uncle Dorin was treating her to stop the bleeding. “Go… I’ll take care of her.” Dorin pressed the wound as I went up stairs and packed my stuff… some clothes, drawings, toys, and other stuffs. He went up stairs and pulled me. “That’s enough… let’s go!” Dorin carried me down stairs but I saw my mom lain down. I see flames burning on roofs, people dying, Dragon Followers attacking, my town… being destroyed. We ran without looking behind and one thing is sure… mom is dead.

     I admired the grave where my mom was back at the hound grass place. It made me felt mournful and I sat down for a while talking to my mom.

     “Hey mom…” I grinned. “I didn’t know that you were there. I always kept thinking about the past and still wondering where dad is. I hope your happy on where ever you are and hope that you are proud of what I have become… a warrior. Uncle Dorin is taking a good care of me and…” My smile loosened and later on saddened. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you. I was scared, I was weak… I didn’t know what to do. I was never fit to be a warrior back then. You should’ve hidden and maybe they’d spare my life. But right now… want to find dad, I will become the best warrior there is, and I will help everyone in need. So for now… good bye and… it was good to talk to you after a long time.” I stood up and looked at the sky. “I will look for dad.” I started walking. “I will fight the good fight.” as I reached the tip of the mountain where I can see Prairie Town… I understood that…

“This is my start.” Then I heard someone crying for help.

.

************************************************************************************

Check the Updates for news both related and unrelated to the story.