Kail walked his horse, courtesy of the village of Eastthorpe, towards the west entrance of Yamato, where traffic would be leaving and entering. He had his sword sheathed over his back, and he wore some new leather armour, bought with some of the earnings from his latest job. He had another one lined up, but this time he planned to sell his services as a guard protecting someone leaving the city instead of paying his way to his destination. He had his hair tied up as well to hopefully look more the part. He found a promising group. Three wagons being drawn, with people preparing to leave. He went over to the ones holding weapons and they pointed him to the merchant who was leading the group.

The leader of the group was talking to a boy, shorter and younger than Kail, dressed in what Kail recognised as a squire’s clothes. The clothes he wore seemed to be the high quality clothing that nobility would wear, but he also wore a tabard adorned with a knight’s colours, although Kail didn’t know which knight it was. Kail approached the merchant leader; a woman wearing extravagant and exotic clothing, displaying her profits, with a wild hair style too.

“Excuse me, my Lady” Kail awkwardly started. The woman smiled in amusement. “I heard that you’re heading over to Hombruck?” he asked.

“You heard right.” She answered. “And what of it?”

“I have a horse and I have a weapon, and I’m well versed in combat. I’m from the mercenary guild Anima. Would you like an extra guard?” he asked. The woman’s eyebrows raised at the mention of Anima, who were well known around Yamato. She looked at him in suspicion, and he showed her a necklace that he hadn’t needed to show anyone in quite some time. It was a simple chain necklace that carried a tag representing Anima. It served as proof of membership. She nodded in approval.

“I have enough guards” she said. “And I don’t have enough money to spend on extra guards just for the sake of it” she lied. “However, if you’re going our way anyway you’re welcome to travel with us and camp with us. You can lend us your protection and in return you’ll have the security of riding with a large group such as mine” she offered.

She really knows how to call it, huh? Kail thought. He wanted to head to Hombruck as soon as possible. He could head there alone, but it wouldn’t be a smart choice. He’d have to take this offer.

“Very well” he answered. “I’d be honoured to ride with you.” She smiled in satisfaction.

“Hold on!” said the boy. “Who are you?” he asked, a frown on his face.

Kail looked straight at him. “My name is Kail. Nice to meet you.”

“You don’t look any older than me!” the boy protested. “and you’re a guard? Or a mercenary? I doubt it!” he said. Kail couldn’t help but grin. He has the accent of those from the inner city. And the ignorance.

“Again, I’m part of the group called Anima. And I am well trained with the sword.” Kail said.

“Well I’m the squire of Sir Walter Day. I don’t feel safe being protected by someone so small. I’ve been taught how to use a sword. Have a duel with me. If I win then you’ll be staying behind” the boy said.

Kail looked to the merchant lady for help.

“Eh. I don’t care either way.” she said, waving her hand in dismissal and walking away.

“Stay here” the boy said. “I’ll get my training swords” and he walked off to one of the wagons.

“I didn’t agree!” Kail called after him. The boy ignored him, so Kail followed him. He came out of the wagon holding two wooden swords. He threw one to Kail and glared at him, standing ready with his weapon. Kail didn’t want to make an enemy out of nobility, but he needed to travel with this caravan.

“Fine” he said. He didn’t bother to take off the sword strapped over his back. He held the wooden training sword. It was light. He decided to hold it in one hand. The boy narrowed his eyes in annoyance and came at him. It was a simple attack, and it wasn’t particularly executed badly, but he didn’t have any real combat experience. Kail deflected it to the side and slapped the boy’s hand with his sword. The boy shouted in pain but regained his composure and tried again. That time Kail hit him on the other hand and once lightly on the head. The boy was very angry. Kail was reminded of the many times he’d been in the same position, when he had been trained how to fight. Despite being painful at the time, he looked back on the memory fondly. It brought a smile to his face. Then the boy tried again, this time flailing wildly, trying to be unpredictable, even though it created the biggest opening so far. Kail walked into the attack, guarding with his sword, and grabbed the boy, pulling him over Kail’s outstretched foot and sending him tumbling to the ground. Kail then closed in and pointed his sword at the boy’s throat. The boy looked shocked, angry, and… scared. Kail withdrew his sword and offered a hand to help the boy up. The boy refused and got to his feet himself.

“Fine, fine!” he said. “I guess you’ve had a bit more training than me.” He looked around desperately, then his eyes lit up. “Hey you! Come here!” he shouted. Kail looked to see one of the guards walking towards them, confused. “Hey, I want you to fight this guy here!” he said, pointing to Kail. The guard shrugged as if to say Why would I do that? “There’s money in it for you. Just a practice fight, not a real one! I’ll give you… 500 caps if you can beat him.”

He really is nobility. Kail mused. 500 caps? Ridiculous. The guard was shocked too, but he greedily agreed. The boy handed him his wooden sword. The guard looked at it dubiously.

“Don’t think I’ve ever used one of these” the guard said with a smirk. Kail threw his own wooden sword to the floor and unsheathed his real one.

“Let’s use these.” Kail said. The boy looked at him, shocked. He seemed even more shocked when the guard agreed and unsheathed his own sword. “Don’t worry, your highness” Kail couldn’t help saying sarcastically to the boy. “We won’t kill each other.”

The loud clang of steel shocked the boy as Kail and the guard’s swords met, deflecting off each other. Kail leaned forward, a feint, and the guard swung his sword at him, but Kail had judged his range and leaned back to avoid it, then swung his own sword at the guard, who hastily brought his sword back to guard against it. Kail tried it again, leaning in, but the guard was more careful that time and didn’t take the bait. Kail leaned in and swung his sword next, the guard moving his sword to meet it, but that had also been a feint. Kail brought his sword back then hit the guard’s sword from the other side, knocking it wide. He then swiped at him, narrowly missing him. The pattern repeated itself. Kail would draw the guard in then attack in a different way. After a while the guard lifted a hand in surrender.

“I concede” he said, sighing.

“What!? But he didn’t hit you” the boy angrily objected. The guard looked at him in annoyance.

“He doesn’t need to. He could have if he wanted to. If he had, then I’d be on the ground bleeding right now.” he said. He shook his head in frustration and walked off. The boy was speechless.

“He’s not bad” Kail said to the boy. “But he’s not quite as good as me. Sometimes you need to know your own strength.” Then he walked off, back to his horse, and waited until the group started to move.

The journey to Hombruck was peaceful. The roads were dangerous for the unprotected, but having armed guards served as a good deterrent. During one of the nights, when they had set up camp and made a fire, the boy unexpectantly approached Kail and sat next to him.

“My name is David. David Dowden” he said. The Dowden family was a rich family, confirming Kail’s suspicions.

Kail nodded in greeting. “Why are you going to Hombruck? Shouldn’t your Knight be training you?” he asked.

David looked down. “He sent me to deliver some letters to some important people. He told me I should practice with these wooden swords as much as I can.”

“Doesn’t he ever personally train you? Sparring?” Kail asked.

“No… not really” David responded.

A lazy knight, I guess.

“Can you teach me?” David asked. Kail thought about it, but it didn’t seem like a good idea.

“No.” he said firmly. “I’m just a mercenary. And I’m going to be busy with the job I’m on.” he explained.

“What job?” David asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Well…. A friend of mine… A mercenary like me. I guess it’s his job really. But he hasn’t returned, and it’s been a long time, so I’m going to join him, and make sure he’s alright.” Kail explained.

“Is he also a good fighter?” David asked, seeming more like an innocent child than an arrogant noble.

“Yes.” Kail answered with a smile. “He’s actually a better fighter than me.” David seemed in awe.

Kail found himself in Hombruck, standing before a large mansion. The owner of the mansion had sent the job. He had left the merchants on fairly good terms. They hadn’t encountered any trouble, and the guards seemed to like him because he had beaten one of them. David had also warmed up to him, wanting him to teach him how to fight.

Kail felt increasingly uncomfortable as he walked to the front door of the mansion. Nobility made him uncomfortable, but he pushed down his feelings. He was doing this to find Kin. He knocked on the door.

The door opened to reveal and elderly lady. She looked at Kail in confusion. Whether it was because of his strange appearance, or his lack of expensive clothes, Kail couldn’t be sure.

“I’m here for the job.” Kail quickly said. “I’m from the mercenary guild Anima.” He revealed his necklace.

“Ah I see.” the lady responded. She indicated for Kail to move inside and she closed the door behind him. “Follow me.” she said, leading him through the house. Kail couldn’t help looking around. The high quality candles, the smooth walls, the expensive furniture. It all screamed nobility. Kail’s skin crawled. He found himself becoming short of breath but he forced himself to calm down. The lady led him to what seemed to be some sort of waiting room and told him to stay. As he sat down on an expensive looking couch Kail heard the door lock, as if he wasn’t nervous enough already.

Soon enough the door was unlocked, and a middle-aged woman walked in. She looked thin, and haggard, as if she hadn’t slept or eaten well in a long time.

“You’re from… Anima?” she asked, her eyes frantic.

“Yes. You must be… Lady Bennet?” he asked.

She nodded. “Someone from Anima already came here… a.. a young gentleman… like yourself. Tall.” She said.

Kail nodded. “We haven’t heard from him so I’ve come to investigate.” he said.

“It’s…. it’s the monsters! No one will believe me! He seemed like he believed me…. But he never came back. Just like my daughter…” she said, tears welling up.

“Please tell me everything, so I can find Kin… the other mercenary, and your daughter.”

She nodded, hope shining in her eyes. She smiled kindly. “Thank you…” she said.

Then she explained everything that had happened so far. There was a forest nearby: Ookami Forest. There had been rumours about the forest, strange sightings. They were just that though, rumours, at first. Her daughter, curious, had gone to have a look, and she had never come back. That had convinced Lady Bennett that the rumours were true. There must be monsters in that forest. No one had believed her, however, and people had distanced themselves from her. So she had sent a request, to a certain mercenary guild that she had heard good things about: Anima. Then Kin had arrived, listened to everything she had said, and set off for Ookami forest. That had been a month ago. After hearing everything, Kail assured her that he would head to the forest as well, and that he would find her daughter, even though he himself was more concerned with finding Kin. He hurriedly rushed from the house and set off for Ookami Forest.