Lancelot

"They've done it now, General." A Captain of the Royal Guard, Claude, tells the General, Tigreal, after closing the door behind him. "Zerith has escaped prison, and sources say that he's rallying enough men to overthrow the King."

"We cannot let this holy place turn into a battleground... the most high forbids it..." Tigreal says. "We should evacuate immediately. Those who remain loyal to the King... will travel towards the Palace of the South."

The Captain nods. "Speaking of, General... the Southern Palace has heard about our current situation, and Lady Odette Regina, along with her personal knights are coming to our aid as we speak. Are you sure we shouldn't crush these traitors before they do any REAL damage?"

Tigreal shakes his head. Everybody knew that blood spilt upon the holy land will be sin on heaven's eyes. They were the servants of light for a reason, and should they break the covenant that they have made before they were placed into service... they would also be considered traitors in their own kingdom.

"Send a letter to Lady Odette." The General orders. "She would wait for us on the other side of the Great River and help escort the King to the south."

The Captain gives a salute before exiting the General's office. Tigreal stands up and faces the window. This would be the last time that he would see those beautiful trees again. A sad truth it was that paranoia and distrust would destroy even the purest of things.

Somebody knocks on the wooden door and after a few more knocks, Tigreal finally responds, "Come in".

It was no other than the new Prime Minister, Estes Moonlake. Estes comes in and tells Tigreal that something was needed to be discussed. Tigreal nods slowly and turns toward Estes.

"It's about the Dragonborne"

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Lancelot Baroque's POV

I was about to drink my last cup of liquor when Jeremiah, one of the 'usual people' in the bar, comes in, screaming. "They're coming... they're coming!"

"Sit down, lad." Larry, the bartender, tells him. "Who's coming?"

"The savages! Those magic-wielding savages!" He tells us. "They're burning everything on their way!"

I lift my face up, even with my drunken state. He was talking about the 'Izanagi Clan', who's powers were the grasps of flames and destruction.... I knew... I remembered it clearly.

I was one of the first AND the last Captains of the Kingdom of Light's "Immortal Legion", created during the last days of the Great King. It was an honor at first, and my family was quite proud that I became the man that they wanted me to be; a man in service to the King. The Immortal Legion was a group of over a thousand professional spellswords who swear loyalty to the King. It was said to be a blessing to join it, and only those who were strong and worthy enough could.

Having a talent that has gone back towards the days of my youth, I joined the first batch of Legionaires fit to serve the Legion, and one of our many assignments was to go forth and rid the Kingdom of the many tribes who live among it. We did.

We shed many innocent lives... all for the sake of peace and prosperity. These tribes were to pay us back, however. 3 tribes of the Wasteland banded together, planning to ambush us after our last attack. Well, we at the Legion were comprised of 10 Units, each made up of a Captain and 99 members. My unit decided to be the ones to go out front, and as the Captain, proud though I be, assured that nothing will go wrong as long as I'm at the battlefield. I've won a thousand battles and a hundred wars... a little skirmish would be nothing...

-or so I thought.

Full of wrath, they destroyed half my entire unit in just 10 minutes worth of fighting. I managed to destroy the rest of them... and to my horror, they all resembled those who I have killed. All those years, I have hunted them for no reason other than believing that it was the right choice. I did believe that it was the right choice.

That event traumatized me. When the other units rushed over to my aid, it was already too late. They found me lying on a pool of blood, having crushed the others who wished for my downfall. And that caused the end of the career of Captain Lancelot li Baroque... my career. I managed for a while on my own before eventually succumbing to liquor and beer. This was my life now. I never got married. Eventually, my father died of sickness... and as my mother had already been long gone, my family's possessions eventually became mine... and I spent it all on garbage like this.

But I knew that I was the only one who can stop them. I still believe in myself... or was it the alcohol? It was their turn... their turn to pay. They are killing innocent lives for no reason... they HAVE to pay.

I stood up and grabbed my sword. All heads turned towards me as I walked past each and every one of them, and into the outside. I was blinded by the sun's sharp light as I exited the tavern. This was the first time in many days that I got to see the outside world.

I could see the thick smoke emerging from one of the villages... and I knew where I had to go.

A huge group of mages awaited me in that village. These were the guys. They all wondered as to who I am and what I was doing there alone... but I sliced their heads off anyway. They all went hostile and started blasting at me... only to find out that I wasn't in that position. I was praised for my exquisite talent in the art of fencing and my supernatural speed... it was like a god had given me his powers himself during the night that I was born.

I killed them all one by one. In awe, the survivors of the village watched me as I broke each of the savage's formations one by one. I chased after the last mage before returning to the village.

"Thank you... thank you, good sir!" An old woman said after each of the remaining survivors went outside.

"No problem." I told her. "Do you happen to know where their camp is? I would like to finish this once and for all."

She nods, pointing over towards the West.

I thanked her and grabbed one of the horses the mages left... but before I went off towards the once familiar Creathe Wastelands, a number of people (mostly men who's wives and children were killed during the assault) wanted to join me in my hunt. I tried to tell them that I would stop them myself, but they wouldn't budge. They had nothing to lose anymore, since the Izanagi took everything away from them. It was nice to save people once again... it was what we in the Legion took an oath for... to serve the King and protect his people. All 41 of us was getting closer... I could feel it.

Arrows whizzed by in all sides. An ambush.

It was happening all over again. My allies were taken down one by one by enemy marksmen... just like what happened to my unit. I deflected most of the arrows and jumped off my dying horse, eventually gaining up on the attackers. I killed them off one by one... giving them everything I've got.

The rest of them fired at me, and since I wasn't a blessing from up high like the others believed me to be, I managed to get a couple of wounds. I didn't mind it.

To me, it was my punishment. My punishment for my past sins. My punishment for being too arrogant. Going off alone? I thought I've learned through experiences of the past... not to be proud of myself... I was wrong.

I couldn't save anybody. The men who were just with me a few minutes ago were dead. I was standing... standing on top of the bodies who were once living, breathing individuals with families of their own. It was the ambush all over again.

How could I not see it coming? It's as if that past experience meant NOTHING. I shook my head.

I was supposed to see it coming... however I once again believed in my capability to handle things alone... because of my extraordinary talent. I didn't even considered the fact that the people around me wasn't me.

I got out of there, ashamed... holding up my wounds... attempting to cover up the bleeding. I would return to the tavern... I would never volunteer for stuff like this again... I promise myself that.

It was getting hot all of a sudden. I looked up, and the scorching heat of the sun was burning me. I looked around for some shade. Lo and behold... a tree of the wilderness, there to provide me the aid that I need.

I managed to drag myself into the side of its own trunk. I looked over and inspected my bloody self. It looks like the enemy got me in all directions. I wasn't as unstoppable as I thought. This... this is what it feels like? To feel defeated? To feel... loss and pain? To die?

I smiled. This was the best way to die. Die learning. It would've been what my father wanted. Everything around me was fading as my eyes slowly tries to close... but before it did... I managed to caught sight of an angelic figure...

"A goddess? Was this heaven itself coming to take me home?" I thought as I tried lifting my head. It was no use. I had wasted all my energy in those fights.

The being knelt beside me and touched my wounds... and immediately it healed. It was indeed an angel... coming to take me to the skies.

"I want to see my teacher before I go..." I whispered, still smiling.

The pure creature smiled at me before moving her face closer to my ear. "I see. Who is your teacher?"

I was astonished as to why this being from up above never knew who my teacher was... I'm sure that my parents told me that they did. Nevertheless, I answered her in what was left of my voice. My wounds indeed heal, but my state of sight was still fading away.

"Tigreal... Tigreal Lionheart.."