The Sword Saints

1. The Giant and the Goldstrider

(Melias)

"Steel your heart and temper your pride. Stand up in the face of the Vices and those that fall to their influence. There cannot be Virtues without Vices, but if the latter were to prevail, the world would plunge into darkness,"

- The Book of Bravery: Ch. 1 verse 2.

The evening was young, the room lively, and the alcohol was flowing as Melias the Giant sat down at the lonely plush booth in the back of the Grey Rose Inn. It certainly wasn't the most glamorous establishment, but Melias preferred to entertain his time in more humble surroundings. He may have been raised in a castle, but he had always felt more at home among the common folk.

Outside, the sun had begun to set and cast its dying light over the river port city, its golden orange glow pierced through the foggy glass windows of the inn. This time of day, the inn was at its busiest and that was fine by him. The more people meant the more Melias would blend in. He sat in his booth with his back against the back wall, his eyes on the door. He was expecting a guest and preferred to not be caught off guard.

All around him, Melias watched as the small inn was consumed by the everyday drunken reveler. In front of him was a table of big, boisterous bargemen. There was a table to his right where three fishermen sat and played cards, loudly talking and shouting jeers, profanities being thrown about every few seconds. Must be playing a round of Stranger's Shuffle, thought Melias. That game always tended to get heated, no matter who was playing.

Two old men with bronzed leathery skin came in and sat across from a lone Harvenshire city guardsman with auburn hair. Behind him were a few kids that were maybe a decade younger than Melias. They shouldn't have been in such a place, but Melias wasn't one to care too much about such trivial things.

Busty barmaids with their bosoms practically spilling out of their tight white tops scampered about the room trying to attend to every patron in a timely manner. A bard leaned against the wall to Melias' left, near the bar, and played a song about a Sword Saint from four centuries ago; Terron the True. He smiled. If only the bard knew that a real and living Sword Saint was sitting at that very inn.

The inn was booming with business, but it still didn't hide Melias from the eyes of those around him.

He intended to be as inconspicuous as possible, but he failed that night, as he often did. At some point throughout the evening, every patron present sent him darting glances; at him, at the massive obsidian great-sword sitting at his side, and at the bloody brown sack at his feet. There were looks of suspicion and some of anger, but most were the wide-eyed looks of fear. Melias smiled. Fear was good. Fear would keep most of them from doing something foolish.

And it did. No one bothered him. Whether they knew who he was or not, he gave off an intimidating aura that would deter even the most courageous of drunks. Nearly half of the people in all the six realms were foolish enough to believe that the Sword Saints were a hoax. Some thought that they were real, but without the legendary powers they were said to possess. Others simply thought that weren't real in any facet. That was fine by Melias, as anonymity was an advantage for him.

Regardless, Melias went through three pints of ale while he waited for his client. He was beginning to grow impatient when the doors to the inn were flung open loudly, causing everyone to look up from their revelry to see the newest guest. In walked a man that Melias hadn't expected, a man he unfortunately had the pleasure to call an acquaintance.

The whole inn was enamored by him as he strode in and marched towards Melias with a devilish smile adorning his handsome features. He had always had that effect on people, especially on women, but even men. Maybe it was his perfectly flowing golden hair, or his mysterious golden eyes, or his sun-kissed gold skin. Perhaps it was the beautiful and deadly golden scimitar that hung at his waist. Maybe it was all those things, but they had no effect on Melias.