The Age of Solace: The Silver Wolf

Chapter 6: The Complex

Faradeigh was wheezing as he was being pulled along by the older female warrior. He was covered in wounds, though none too major. He was bleeding from his right shoulder where a crossbow bolt had been removed from. Even though he was only twelve years old, he had been put through more torment and combat than most veteran soldiers.

"Come on, we have to hurry runt!" The female known as Meyna called, "They're catching up!"

Not answering, he found his inner strength to run after her. Although a combat master in his own right by this point, without any weapons and wounded as he was, he would be pretty useless in an encounter at the moment. And as incredible of a warrior as Meyna was, all she had on her was a very crooked, demonic dagger. In an exchange against multiple foes that they were likely to encounter, the two would be fish in a barrel.

The unlikely pair ducked into an alley behind a few storage crates, waiting for the pursuing soldiers to quickly investigate and move on. However, the soldiers hunting them did not wear the armor of Cardinal soldiers, but rather garb that was unique to each individual. Faradeigh had never seen such warriors; as different as they were, they were still obviously together as one. It was evident by the way they communicated and acted as a group.

"Corvin's Blades..." Meyna hissed to Faradeigh. "Likely after me. I suppose we did cause quite the commotion back there. No matter, if we can just get out of this town, then we can make our way to the Rosenguard kingdom."

"But why?" Faradeigh asked, eyes filled with fear, "Isn't that where they come from?"

"Yes, but there is something else there as well..." She replied, giving Faradeigh a concerned look, "Something we must do. A place we must go."

Faradeigh looked to her long red hair, her once green eyes now having a yellow glow, a sign she was distressed. He knew her well. They had met in a place known simply as "The Arena," where criminals were sent to die, or possibly earn their freedom through mortal combat. Faradeigh had been sent there at the age of eight, roughly four years prior, for stealing bread. But it was quite obvious that such a charge was only an excuse, though he longed to know the true reason.

On his second day of training for the fights he would partake in, there was a female who had died; a direct hit on her head that ended her life. But then she got up, eyes glowing gold as she decimated her opponent. Soon after, she presented herself to Faradeigh, telling him what she was straight away and promising to teach him her fighting ways. Needless to say, it did him good. In order to escape The Arena, Meyna had been forced to expose herself as a demon and call upon a truly unique power. She then explained that a group known as Corvin's Blades would hunt her down for what she was but had not been strong enough to exist in the world without the host body, lest she perish from wounds to her original form. Essentially, she was left highly vulnerable and exceedingly limited in combat.

"Over here! I sense a presence!" The voice of an older warrior claimed.

Faradeigh had also been told that the group known as Corvin's Blades was seeking the strongest warriors, ones with abilities others do not have. Warriors, who are said to be able to destroy monsters that most men would piss their pants at the mere mention of their names. And it would appear as though one such warrior was about to be their downfall.