Rock’s Past

Arthur was looking to the Robert who was forging a sword.

Robert was an old man that was probably older than Rock. Arthur was more understanding the experience of him when he forged the sword every time. His way of working was so amazing that as he forged the sword a light was glowing and lightening the face of Robert.

Robert with his white hairs and glasses was sitting in the bench that he made swords. As he was starting to forge, the sword was being shaped and becoming powerful.

Arthur started a conversation,

"Hey Robert, your friend Rock is really strange."

"Why is that?"

"Why is that guy so tough?"

"Because of the past that change us."

Arthur sit next to Robert,

"You know what, I changed my mind. Everything is strange about this place."

"About the maze? Are you an outsider?"

"Let's say I am. Would it be a problem?"

"Well not really."

Robert stopped working and looked to Arthur,

"Rock was once a great man. He was a maze traveler."

"Maze traveler?"

"Yes, the people who travel the Maze and discover new locations. And sometimes they clash with the bandits. It was great once."

"So what happened?"

"The Maze stopped changing hundred years ago and about twenty years ago the discovered locations were over."

"Which means they couldn't do their job?"

"Yes, and everyone of them started to join wars."

Arthur remembered that Rock interrupted his speech a few times.

"What? So this is what Elizabeth talked about. I thought Rock was angry to me because I was talking with beautiful Elizabeth. But he didn't want me to talk about the wars."

Robert continued to work but didn't reply to Arthur. Arthur was thinking, trying to understand the Maze and other things that he learned. Arthur,

"Robert, tell me about Rock."

"Do you want to hear something about Rock? Am I hearing alright?"

"Yes. I don't know what happened at the past but as I understand these guys don't even have a battle order to fight. They are all different from each other."

"Your observations are correct. You can't win wars with maze travelers but they are good against bandits, scouting and against monsters..."

"What? Are there also monsters?"

"Yes but if you stay at the kingdoms it won't be a problem."

"Okey, I get that they don't get well with knights and other elite units. As I think elite men are more useful in a war."

After Arthur spoke, Robert started remembering the old days. He spoke with a low voice,

"When kingdoms started declaring wars to each other at first there were a lot of travelers. But some kingdoms were wiser than the others, they trained some units specialized in battle. Many of the travelers couldn't return from the battles. They fought well but they lost the wars because they lack battle tactics and harmony."

"So what about Rock?"

"Rock was a great traveler. They have discovered a lot of important locations."

"Who are they?"

"His friends, most of them died at the battles."

"I'm sorry about that."

"Why didn't you ask that to Rock?"

"He wouldn't tell me if I asked."

"Yes, but he liked you kid. That's why he wants you to stay with him."

"What? He will go to the arena city states with my prize money."

"It's probably he thought that you are one of the enemies of the city state. That's why he came with you here."

"Fuck, not again. But this is not logical."

"Believe me kid."

"But you said he is listening Ragnar."

"Because he don't need to go and report to the Castle. This is not a job of a traveler."

"This is complicated. Well, don't expect me to believe you."

While they were talking, Robert kept his work to finish the sword he is working.

Arthur started talking again,

"But this is not everything right? I'm not sure but if these guys started wars so quick then they always wanted to fight. There should be something to decide the borders of the kingdoms when there were no wars."

"The Arena."

"Of course The Arena! So are we talking about a normal arena? Like the people fights?"

"Yes, the arena was the place where kingdoms sent their best men to win. That's why the tribes, clans and factions stayed for all that time."

"These Forgotten Masters were smart aren't they?"

"So you are too."

"What happened to the arena?"

"It still works. But after the Masters didn't use their magic to change the walls, the wars started."

"Rock was at one of them?"

"Yeah he entered the war between Kingdom of Westonia and Kingdom of Castfort"

"Hey Robert, are these kingdoms close to each other?"

"No they are not. Actually they are very far from each other except one place. The Maze includes lots of tribes, clans and factions. This is why they can't occupy wherever they want."

"Robert, thanks."

Arthur was looking to the swords that the Robert made but suddenly,

"Arthur."

"What?"

"You should go from that town."

Arthur was surprised, "Will you let me go? Don't joke to me."

Robert started talking seriously this time, "Listen young man. You must go quickly."