Kalrie City

A year had passed since Adrian fled the Baron's estate and arrived in Kalrie, a bustling trade city at the heart of Duke Silverthorn's domain. These days, he lived quietly, spending his time managing accounts and drafting letters for a local merchant.

The merchant's name was Tomas. He ran a modest business specializing in the import of rare spices and fabrics. Though his operation was small, Tomas had earned a reputation for being a shrewd and cautious merchant.

Adrian had been taught to read and write during his knight apprenticeship. While literacy was common among the noble class, it was quite rare among the commoners. These skills made him valuable in the city, where many were illiterate. After a few days of searching for work, Tomas offered him a position. Tomas needed help with accounts and correspondence, and without hesitation, he took Adrian in. When asked about his past, Adrian gave a carefully crafted story: he was the son of a merchant family from a small town. He was taught to read and write to help with his family business. After his parents death and the decline of their trade, he had come to Kalrie to seek better opportunities.

In exchange for his work, Tomas provided food, a place to stay, and a modest wage of five silver pennies a week. The pay barely covered Adrian's personal expenses, but the stability it offered, along with the safety of being hidden from the bounty hunters, was invaluable.

Knight breathing techniques were typically inaccessible to commoners, as they were strictly controlled by the nobility. Without being a noble or serving under a noble, acquiring these techniques was extremely challenging. Anyone who had learned them from a noble and ran away would be hunted down relentlessly. Adrian knew this made him a target, which was why he decided to stay low for a few years, hiding in the city, avoiding attention until the danger of the beast horde passed. He blended into the quiet rhythms of Tomas's shop. The city was vast, and as long as he didn't draw any unnecessary attention, he would be safe.

Tomas's shop was located on the outskirts of the marketplace, near the river. It wasn't a place where the nobility often visited, but it attracted a steady stream of traders and customers from all walks of life. Tomas had a small staff to help run the business, mostly young apprentices and laborers, all busy sorting goods or haggling with passing customers.

The back room, where Adrian worked, was a quiet refuge from the bustle of the marketplace. It was a small stone chamber, its walls lined with shelves filled with books, scrolls, and jars of ink. The single window allowed enough light to illuminate Adrian's desk, where he worked on papers and ledgers.

While Tomas managed the trading side of the business, Adrian handled the accounts, correspondence, and any written work. It was a task that kept him occupied for most of the day, leaving little room for distractions. Although Tomas had a few apprentices who helped with physical tasks, Adrian was the only one in the shop who could read and write with any fluency. It made him invaluable to Tomas, who, despite the modesty of his business, knew the worth of having someone skilled in such matters.

The days passed slowly, and the work was tiresome. But Adrian had grown to appreciate the peace. He spent his days writing inventories, copying letters to merchants, and keeping Tomas's books in order, all while training at night. Each day felt much the same, and that sense of routine helped him forget, for a time, the life he had left behind.

However, there were moments when the sound of quills scraping against parchment and the murmur of Tomas bargaining with customers faded into silence. During those times, Adrian's thoughts wandered. He wondered what had become of the castle and his friends. Yet, whenever he thought of them, the looming threat of the beast horde crept back into his mind. He clung to the faint hope that the rumors he had spread would give them a better chance of survival.

By drawing early attention to the horde, he had hoped they might stop it—but it was only hope. He could do nothing more.

The sense of longing never truly left him, though he tried to bury it beneath the monotony of his work. No matter how much he missed the life he had left behind, he couldn't afford to go back.

One day, as Adrian was working, a deep and hurried footsteps echoed in the back room as a middle-aged man with graying hair and a thick, ruddy nose entered. His face was pale, his steps hurried.

"Tomas?" Adrian called, looking up from the ledger he was reviewing. "You're back early. Is everything all right?"

Tomas closed the door behind him and bolted it, his usual calm demeanor replaced by nervousness. "I have to leave," he said, his voice low and clipped. "Immediately."

Adrian set down his quill, alarmed by Tomas's tone. "Leave? Why? What happened?"

Tomas hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "Just… business. A deal that needs my attention."

Adrian frowned. "What kind of deal? Can't it wait?"

"No," Tomas said firmly, avoiding Adrian's gaze. "I'll be gone for a while. You'll need to look after the shop until I return."

Adrian's unease deepened. Tomas was always cautious, meticulous. This sudden departure was out of character. "Are you sure everything's fine?"

"Just do as I've asked," Tomas snapped, though his tone softened almost immediately. "Keep the shop running. I'll explain when I'm back."

Before Adrian could press further, Tomas grabbed a small satchel and slipped out into the night, leaving Adrian alone with more questions than answers.

Adrian stood alone in the quiet back room. He felt an uneasy feeling in his chest. Tomas was acting oddly, more so than usual. He hesitated, sensing that something wasn't right.

Was it about the beast horde? Had Tomas heard something? The merchant's sudden departure felt too rushed. Adrian had worked for Tomas long enough to sense when something was off, and this was undeniably one of those times.

Setting his quill down, Adrian leaned back, a sense of unease gnawing at him.

This was the Duke's territory, far from the Baron's lands. Could they really reach this far? He couldn't be sure. The memory of the horde was still fresh in his mind. But there were still two years of time before the horde could even reach the Baron's territory. With the spread of rumors, they would have more time to prepare. Even if the beast horde destroyed the Baron's territory, they still needed time to reach this city.

Kalrie was at the heart of the Duke's domain, a bustling hub of trade and power. If even this city wasn't safe, then nowhere in the kingdom could be considered secure. The thought sent a shiver through him, but Adrian shook his head, pushing it aside as mere paranoia.

Returning his attention to the ledgers, Adrian forced himself to focus on the familiar task. Tomas would be back soon enough, probably with an excuse about an urgent deal or an unexpected meeting.

"I'm worrying for nothing," Adrian muttered to himself as he dipped his quill back into the ink.

For the next few days, everything continued as usual. The shop was quiet, and the routine mundane. Adrian's thoughts often drifted to Tomas—where was he? What was so urgent that he had to leave so suddenly?

Then, one day, just as Adrian was sorting through some new goods, the door to the shop opened. The bell above it jingled, and a group of armored figures stepped inside. Adrian froze when he saw their insignia—the unmistakable emblem of the Templar Order.

The Templar Order was an elite faction of knights under the Church of the Sun God, tasked with enforcing both the faith and the Church's authority. The Sun God was the central deity worshipped not only in this kingdom but also in the neighboring kingdoms. The Church's influence was immense, its reach extending to every town and city, where it held sway over both the noble and the commoner alike.

The Templars? What are they doing here? His heart skipped a beat.