Ahhh...
So close...So close...
A bloodied, armoured figure, slowly limped along the stone path. His dented armour slipping from his frame and revealing torn flesh. With each bloodied step and fractured huff, he forced himself towards an old almost run down stronghold with wooden constructs.
"You! Stop right there." A guard by the side of the door readied his spear forward.
"Who are you and what business do you have here?!" Another guard stepped forward, he raised his own spear slightly higher.
"I-I-I" The bloodied man stutters as he forwarded his hand, his blood dripped to the ground.
"Who are you?!" The guard stared at the man.
"I won't ask again!" His grip tightened on the spear.
The bloodied man, his head wavered as his eyes looked at them, his back slightly hunched over as he moved his hand closer to his chest.
Not enough strength, How would I...
An idea struck his weary neurons.
"H-Here..." He muttered as he taps on his chest. His fingers revealed a symbol behind the dirt and blood.
"What in the world..." The guard squinted his eyes as he moved in closer to the man.
"No! It could be a trap!" The other guard lowers his spear as he reached his free hand towards the guard.
The guard moved forward, ignoring the other guard's warning as he's closer to the man. The bloodied man, barely able to stand as his body whimpered and his dented armour loosened from his body.
Moving his hand to the man's breastplate, placing his hand on its centre and his eyes focusing on the symbol behind the grime.
"No...It can't be..." The guard shocked at what his eyes see, his voice sounding shaken.
"W-What is it?" The other guard moved closer to the man, with his spear up by his chest.
"No! Wait!" The guard shouted as he put his hand in the other guard's direction.
"We have to let this man through." His face filled with dread as he placed his hand over his mouth.
"But the banquet within..." The other guard questions as he shakes his hand.
"Can't you see the state of this man?!" The guard shouts as he points at the bloodied man, dropping his spear to the ground.
"..." The other guard's neck elevated up, his lips slightly parted.
"Now come, help me lift him." The guard carried the man's arm, placing it on his shoulders. The other guard just stared at the two of them, his body subtely vibrated.
"No...I don't understand your reasons for helping this random stranger." He clenched his fist as his head faced down.
And I might never.
"You can do it yourself, I--I don't want to be involved, if anything happens." He shuddered.
The guard looked at the other one with the edges of his mouth lowering. Nodding his head as he alone carries the bloodied man past the other guard.
"Weak livered boy!" The guard cursed under his breath as he reaches the door. The other guard, his head still lowered not looking back.
...
The heavy doors slowly creaked open as it tore the idle chatter in the hall. Every head turning towards the door.
"Sir!" The guard barked at the top of his lungs, as the bloodied man on his body groaned.
"The king was so generous, wasn't he?" A man decorated in badges sipped his wine with his red plumped up cheeks as he spoke to a young woman. The woman he was talking to, looking past his head, towards the door.
"Wha..." He turns back in her sight's direction as some of the wine in his goblet spills onto the stone floor.
In the bloodied man's free hand, his sword dragged against the floor, loose from his grip. The people covered their ears against the screech, their eyes looked at him as if it was horrid monster.
Heh… If they think this is a sight, they should've been there.
The bloodied man thought, as his head slightly jerked up and down.
"Where's the lord?! Or the general?!" The guard shouted as he forced his grip back on the bloodied man, preventing him from slipping off.
"Anyone?!" He let out a strained shout.
---The end of chapter 1---