Thornblade Chronicles - Volume 1

Chapter 1

Before exiting, the swordsman waited. If someone were nearby and heard him attack the cell bars or the crumbling wall, they would come and check. Moments passed with nobody appearing. After taking a deep breath, the man snuck out of the cell. He felt as though he was walking on eggshells; his steps had to be silent if someone were around.

Peering into every cell revealed they were all empty. There was no sign of anyone staying in the cells. Furthermore, the only furniture in any room was a rag on the floor, outlining a makeshift bed. As the number of uninhabited cells increased, so did his anxiety. If nobody were guarding the prison, how did he get there? Why was he there? Who locked his cell? He was trapped in his mind, unable to come up with any answers. Hastily, he fled the facility.

After stepping out of the establishment, the swordsman sheathed his sword and took in a deep breath. He closed his eyes as he embraced the breeze flowing out of prison. His problems seemed to vanish. Looking around, he noticed the only building around was the one behind him. Nature surrounded him. The prison was built into a hill range that covered his current whereabouts. A field of tall grass and cyan flowers stretched from the building and continued into a thin forest ahead.

As he began walking towards the forest, the sounds of nature calmed his nerves. His hand dropped and began grazing the blades of grass as they rustled together. The sounds of birds singing echoing throughout the forest became louder as he approached it. Within minutes, he was surrounded by trees. Indeed, the prisoner felt free from the navy and black prison he had found himself in earlier. The man came across a fruit-bearing tree and used his sword to cut an apple down. It was fresh and juicy, giving him the energy he needed to continue.

Several minutes of walking passed as he allowed himself to get lost in the forest. Though he could no longer see the prison through the trees, he could make out the hilltops. Believing he could get a better view of the land, he decided to head to the top of the hill. Rejuvenated with energy, he ran.

The hill itself wasn't steep, and the terrain was simple enough to run on. In only a few minutes, he had reached the top. Though, the man was out of breath. He looked over the forest he came from, noticing just how large the area was. He could have spent hours running through the woods without finding an end.

The other side of the hill was more open, and the area was mostly a flatland. A nearby kingdom caught his eye, attached to a forest much denser than the one he had just come from. A river flowed between that forest and the territory. If the prison belonged to that kingdom, he believed the answers to his questions could be there. However, if that prediction were correct, and he was a prisoner, traveling there would be a risk. He sat down on a rock and weighed his options. Considering how little he knew, the man would be satisfied with any information, especially knowing it would mean being around other people.

And so he began climbing down the hill, which was much steeper on the way down. The terrain was rough and rocky, and he had to watch his footing for the first half. But when the second, smoother, and grassier half began, he allowed his legs to run free as the wind blew in his face.

While in the field, he did not slow down. He hoped to reach the kingdom as soon as possible. The hill's momentum carried him into a full sprint as the details in the territory walls became clearer. His brain cycled through all the questions he had, internally begging for someone to answer them all. By the time he reached the kingdom, the sun had set behind him.

At the stone walls which surrounded the kingdom, two guards stood in a purple uniform. They wore masks that covered their heads, but the swordsman could see one had blue eyes, and the other had green eyes. The emblem on their armor was of a bear with its mouth wide open.

"Halt!" one of the guards called, almost robotic. The guards formed a cross with their swords in front of the kingdom entrance. "Who goes there?"

"I mean no harm!" the prisoner yelled, raising his hands above his head. "I awoke in a facility west of here! I do not remember anything and only wish to find answers. Please, let me in!"

"None may enter the kingdom," the other guard, a female, responded. Her voice was almost monotonous.

"Maybe one of you could answer my questions, then? Please, I beg of you!" the man kneeled to the guards.

"Leave now or face the consequences," the male guard replied again, almost like he was in an entirely different conversation.

"But-"

"None may enter the Lord's domain!" the guards yelled together. The swordsman stood up and placed his hand on his sword. He began sweating nervously, gazing between the two guards. Something about them felt off, but he could not pinpoint what.

"You wish to die? I will release you from this life," the male guard continued, stepping forth and aiming his sword at the swordsman.

"Please..." the man choked. Before he could get another word out, the guards charged at him.