The smell of fresh air, a joy for everyone. The moment when you can finally go out and take a breather.

Tarex was outside the castle looking at the city he once knew. Behind him were Roisin and the fugitive, whose name was Cyrillus. The two of them were trying to pull out Shepherd out from the wall.

"Good thing you had your enhancements."

Roisin began to tickle Shepherd, just to tease him a bit. She was laughing a hearty laugh, while the older man did his best to keep a straight face. On the other hand, unfit for the pleasant scene before him, Tarex was simply standing there, looking in the void.

Cyrillus, sitting a little ways away from the comedy duo, looked at the silent armored man next to him.

"Is something wrong, your highness?"

Cyrillus was intrigued by the self proclaimed king, and if he really was as old as he stated, that would be the perfect find for him. A living relic.

"...We are in the the Grand City of Silacet, aren't we?"

Upon hearing the man's words, Tarex tilted his steel-covered head towards him. For a few seemingly endless moments, he gazed in Cyrillus' direction, his gaze apparently directed somewhere behind the man.

The city he knew was the city of a golden era, full of people, life, joy and music. The city he knew was a beauty you could only know from bed time stories. What was standing in front of him was not at all what he knew. In this lifeless place, there weren't any sounds, let alone any songs. Tarex could not fathom what had happened during his slumber.

"...W-what is this? My people...my family...my brothers and sisters? W-where are they?!"

Hearing the giant break down before them, both Roisin and the now liberated Shepherd quieted down and looked at him. They didn't understand what had happened there, and so, after a few moments, they started explaining their findings.

"Ahem, so, basically, there's nobody here. I found some tracks, and they were pretty recent, so at first, I assumed they were from you, but seems I was wrong. Those seemed to be female footprints."

Shepherd spoke to the king. Behind him, Roisin sat quietly, her laughing having been intrerrupted by Tarex's sudden shout.

"...So, there is nobody here... Nobody... Ahem, well I shall look around the city, to confirm it with my own eyes. Please leave today, or at least tomorrow! I don't want people around, for the time being."

"Well, we have to send this guy back, so we were going to leave anyway. I'm sorry we're not who you expected. Sometimes, life just screws you over and won't say sorry, so lemme do it instead. Hope it makes you feel at least a bit better. See ya."

The three of them left the city. Everything seemed to be silent yet again, but life seems to return. Silacet, returning to it's former state slow and steady.

The king wandered off. He was in deep thought trying to put the pieces together.

"What a joke. Nobody is here either. I wonder what happened with everyone... My kind lives forever, so it's impossible for them to be dead. Seems I have to check the archives."

In the capital city Shepherd and Roisin brought back the 'prisoner' and went to talk with one of the nobles in the goverment. They were to report back after they came in the city. Get their money and no questions, that was all.

"Well, I would like to say that it was a pleasure doing business with you, but I would lie."

"Trust me, you were not my first choice either, yet that old hag said you are the one to be sent. Honestly I hate that bitch, thinking she is so high and mighty."

"Hey mate, I don't care, just give me the money and we won't see each other again."

The man threw the coin purse at Shepherd.

"Here, take it and leave."

Cyrillus was in his cell awaiting his punishment. He was just dropped off by Shepherd. The cell he was holded in was special. Under the capital's palace.

"Ah, those idiotic peices of shit, all I did was to search some artifacts and now they want me dead, sure, democracy. I hope someone will murder that bastard. I don't want to die... I don't..."

At that moment a very tall woman came in front of his cell. She had medium-lenght hair, it was as gray as steel. The woman was wearing the same robes as him. She too was from the goverment. The color of the clothes sugested she had a higher rank than him though.

"Are you Cyrillus?"

"Y-Yes...?"

"Good, I will talk with the guards to release you. I need you for something... special."

He gulped, but his face lightened up.

The guy who hired Shepherd and Roisin was named Hashim. He was in charge of the army and military operations. When he heard about that city he gave the order and sent around three hundred soldiers to set an outpost and search around the city. Of course he only knew about the city and not about the one who lived there.

A few days later the soldiers arrived in the city. It was raining.They were wearing hide armor and some of them heavy mail armor. They camped under the buiilding ruins to dicuss the plan, what they need to find. After around half and hour Shepherd and Roisin came here as well.

"Hey, what's happening here?"

The one in charge rose up and went to check them out.

"This is a military operation, please leave this area as soon as possible."

"This area, is not controlled by the capital, so you have no authority here."

The soldier looked at Shepherd for a few seconds. He saw the enhanced weapons and armor and decided it was not worth the trouble. In the end, this was only an expedition.

"So, found anything strange?"

"No... but I can't help but feel like we are being watched."

"Hmmm... Hey Roisin, come here for a second!"

The girl rushed to him.

"Did anything happen?"

He told her to get closer.

"Watch out. If you wander off, there might be something in the city."

"I understand."

A unit of soldiers was returning to report. Then something strange happened.

"Hey what's that!?"

The soldier looked at one of the gargoyle statues. It started to move. The stature created out of thin air a bow and shot an arrow right at the soldiers feet. Nothing happened, when they saw the force of the arrow they thought it might be something strong, but the arrow couldn't even pierce the ground.

It was a moment of relief, then the arrow started to glow.

"EVERYONE SCATTER!"

The arrow exploded and left a dark-purple mist behind for a few minutes.

"Every soldier take cover!"

The gargoyle saw they weren't in its line of sight any longer, and was waiting. The soldiers were preparing for the fight. Shepherd was on his guard as well, but he didn't draw his weapon.

Suddenly the earth started to shake. The statues of knights started to move. The stone was transforming into metal and cloth. These knights were tall wielding straight swords and tower shields. They walked slowly, the plated armor was barely making any noise, but the steps were heavy and could be heard clearly.

The knights were searching for the intruders, but the soldiers hid quietly, waiting to ambush them.

After waiting for waht seemed like an eternity, they started to rush out from their hiding spots and lunged at the knights with all they had.

The sounds of swords clashing and screams could be heard in the entire city. Many soldiers would go and try to put down a knight, all ending in vain. It was as though they didn't feel pain.

The knights were very strong and could easily fight fifty soldiers at once, but these guys were tricky. With a lot of effort they managed to put one of the knights down.

When the soliders looked inside the knights' helmets, there was nothing. The suits of armor were empty. The knights were merely husks killing intruders.

One of the knights was behind Shepherd. He looked at him, then moved on. Then his suspicion was confirmed.

"Everyone sheate your weapons."

"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?!"

"Yeah are you insane?!"

Many soldiers gave him the same reaction.

"Just do it and they will stop attacking."

Everyone was reluctant about it, yet some of them tried, better than being butcherd. It was as he said, the knights started to ignore them. Even so, they lost more than half of the troops. Their morale was low and there didn't seem to be a way of cheering them up any time soon.

"Thanks mercenary, who knows what could have happened without your help."

"You guys would be dead , that's what. I can't believe how you can be dumb enough to not at least try to observer the enemy."

The soldier was annoyed by that affirmation, but it was the truth.

"You have my deepest thanks."

Even though he said that, his animosity was clear. He wished to strangle the Shepherd.

The knights seemed to wander around like lost children for a while. In the end, they returned and transformed back into stone.

Roisin was in the old garden near the castle stairway. She just couldn't stay put. There were some flowers and herbs she didn't know about. The girl wasn't so interested in them, but even so, they were noted in her journal in case she ever needed.

As she walked she heard some steps from a building nearby. It was large, not as big as the castle, but still large. Inside was Tarex, reading old manuscripts and scrolls. These were as old as him, if not even older, yet the paper was still intact.

"Dark magic enhancements, no, not this one... Notes of a plague... Hmmm... W-What?"

"Hello, your majesty!"

"Ah, the annoying girl. I told you to leave, didn't I?"

"I don't know. Hey, what language is that. I've never seen it before!"

"This is a language of the old. While I speak your language as well, these scrolls are much older, they were written by a civilization that even my people could hardly understand... I love history. It's like discovering a whole new world, but I suppose you wouldn't get it. Wait a second, you didn't answer my question!"

Roisin's eyes were sparkling. She found someone who shared her passion for history and the unknown. Even better, he himself was a relic of an unknown history.

"Well, I do understand! Maybe I can help. While I don't have so much information myself, in the capital there are lots of people that can help you with tons of records from the past years."

"Hmm... It might worth a shot, but I still have to check around here. Maybe they left some notes."

"You mean, your people?"

"Indeed."

She started to look around for something she could read. Unfortunately there was nothing she understood. Hope was not lost, however, there was one book. She could recognize the symbols.

"Hey, what's this book?"

"Hmmm...? What indeed? I have never seen it in the archives before."

"It says: "Alces Journal. Entry number eighty five: It seems I am the last one. My son, if you ever happen to find this, if you will ever awake from thy slumber, know that we won't be here any longer. We will try to protect you, but when you finally read this, we might already be dead[...] A plague started fifty years ago. I never thought it was something so bad, but people started dying. In the beginning, I didn't think it was something bad, but we managed to find the cure. That was no longer the problem . The dead bodies started to transform into vegetation. Everyone to move out. We couldn't leave you here, so I remained. Your mother and siblings should be safe."

"Did he note the year?"

"No. There are more passages, if you wish to see, but they are not about this, and the other paragraphs written in that old language."

"Interesting. Well, now I can calm down a bit. My family should be safe. If father believes it, then so it must be. As for him, I need to search. He must still be here, but the question is where exactly. There are many places around the city, and even more underground."

"Where would he go, or what would he do, if he wanted to watch over you?"

"Give me the book. I might find something in those paragraphs."

She handed him the book. Outside, someone was coming. Shepherd found them, again...

"Hey king. There is a little problem outside. Those statues, did you activate them?"

"What do you mean? Why would I activate a statue? I can animate one, of course, but there were none that I 'activated'. Or, at least, that's what I think. Who knows what the others did while I was asleep. Would you mind showing me what exactly happened?"

"Come with me then. You too Roisin. It's dangerous to be alone in this place. How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Sorry..."

The three of them went back to the place where the statues attacked. Tarex aproached one of them and checked for anything suspicious. He couldn't find a thing.

"So, you say when you draw a weapon they come to life, huh...?"

"Try it yourself."

Shepherd gave him a knife. He started to poke the statue, but it didn't react in any way.

"Hmmm. Draw your sword, Shepherd. Maybe they don't react to my kind."

He took the sword in hand. In that moment, the statue began to shake and transform yet again.

"Alright, alright, now put it back."

"So, what is this?"

"It seems to be a new defense mechanism. I know something similar. These are called sentries, but it's very, very strange."

"Why is that?"

"The sentries, would always come to life and patrol the streets. They were supposed to maintain order in the city, even so this ones only activate when you draw your weapon. I have to look forward into this."

"What is there to look forward to? You don't draw your weapons here, plain and simple."

"I see your intellect is blocked at strike first ask the questions later. Try to think a bit before you start talking next time. I admire the fact that you are able to learn from your enemy though, but that is all."

He was pissed, but Tarex said the truth. He couldn't think straight, but that wasn't the main reason. He simply wanted to stop the investigation. If things continued like this, Roisin would remain here to research with him, and that was the least thing he wanted.

"Yeah, yeah I heard words like that many times over, but in the end the strongest survives and not the smartest."

"You are wrong again, the one who wins must be indeed the strongest, but it has to be smart as well. "

"Hmph."

"Roisin, did you got anything from here last time you came?"

"There were a few things in my satchel, why do you ask?"

Everyone was looking around for whatever they could find. Tarex got closer to the girl and began to explain.

"There might have been something I needed in your satchel. Could you get them back?"

"Unfortunately, they are in the goverments possesion. I can't get them back soon."

"Could Shepherd help?"

"Unless you give him some good equipment..."

"Oh, that would be rather easy. Even our junk is better than your weapons and armors, no offense."

He turned his back to Roisin and walked to Shepherd to give him the proposal.

"So what do you say?"

"I can't say anything without seeing the goods."

"Alright then, let's go to the barracks."

They walked for around half an hour, but now the barracks could be seen. Tarex let the two wait outside and went to take the rewards for Shepherd. It was cold outside, the rain stopped, but the same feeling of peace could be felt.

"Alright, I think this might interest you."

"A ring and a mask?"

"The ring gives your armor higher resistance. You can get hit even with a balista and survive. It was forged when I was young for the royal guards. The mask is also a strong artifact. It will allow you to track anything, even flying beasts. These were used by the patrols, ah how I miss them."

"Do you really think I'm that dumb to believe all this stuff. Listen you shit, give me something that would be worth my trouble."

"If you really wish, you can test them first."

He hesitated a bit, but got persuaded by his own curiosity.

"Alright tell me when you are ready to be hit."

"I'm as ready as I can get."

"Alright Roisin, hit him as strong as you can."

The girl used Shepherd's sword with all her force. She was strong enought to fight and wield a sword, but what happened next was truly astonishing. It was for the two of them, the king simply watched unfazed.

"I-I-It shattered!"

Shepherd opened his eyes. The sword that should have cut his belly, was broken in tiny pieces.

"S-S-So you weren't lying..."

"Would you accept my proposal then?"

"Of course, but before that would you do something for me?"

"What more would you ask of me?"

Shepherd seemed sad, but there weren't many option at this moment.

"Keep Roisin safe. I know I wasn't a father for her. I merely kept her safe and made sure she had something to eat. So please just keep her around until I return."

Tarex understood. The truth is, he respected that man a little, but he respected him. Shepherd was a simple man, but honest.

"That would not be a problem."

"Shepherd, why do you go back alone?"

"So I can let you explore around for a bit longer. When I return we are going to eat those delicious pancakes you love so much."

He hugged the girl and left. He left this cold city of stone and went to retake the satchel.

A few hours pass and Tarex with Roisin still roamed the city. It was getting dark, but that didn't matter. They were close to the old church. Down this path were no satues of gargoyles or knights.

The road trought the forest was paved with stone. There was no source of light down the path, but everything seemed so calm.

Before the entrance to the church garden there were two large statues. Both of them made of quartz. They had two pairs of wings. The armor seemed to be plated. One of them wielding a fiery sword and the other a spear, holding in the other hand a scroll.

"What are these?"

"Well, I don't know what you believe in, but these are Archangels. The guardians of heaven and the guardians of people."

"Hmmm...? Most of the people in the capital don't believe in a god. The goverment has a problem with religion as well."

"Ah, well I believe weak people believe in god, to give them the strength and the will to continue. Those who won't believe think they are strong enough and don't want to rely on anyone, especially when they think it's a fictional being."

"Do you believe? I mean, you don't seem the kind..."

"I do believe, for God helped me in my time of need, so much that I lost count."

"...Really?"

"Hey, if I want to believe is my choice and if you ever want to do it, feel free."

"So why are we going to the church?"

"I just want to light some candles, for the dead and for the living."

"Ugh... why?"

"For the living to keep them safe and for the dead so their souls may rest in peace. Also there are the royal sentries and I want to check them out."

"Why do you wanna do that?"

"Would you stop asking me questions? For protection. There are people poking around quite a lot lately."

"Hehe, sorry, but it was a beautiful city, even in it's current state and I couldn't stop from wanting to explore it. Well Shpeherd had to get that guy, but I already knew about this place so I took my chances and came with him."

"I wasn't talking about you, but I understand."

On the left side of the church there were two rooms, separated. Here Tarex lit a candle and then moved to the other room and lit another one.

"Are you done?"

"Yeah..."