Prologue

A Chapter by RFThat1Guy

5 years before the actual beginning of the book.

An exhilarating rush passes through me as I empale a goblin with my blade. He makes a grunting sound and struggles for a few seconds before going limp and falling over on me. I slide my sword out of him and push him past him as I look around taking in the battle scene.

Few houses are left standing from the fire that the goblins started prior to our arrival. A few houses still have small fire within or on them. Corpses are littered around the village both human and beast. The stench of blood and smoke hangs in the air. The only movement I notice is the rise and fall of an armored wolf’s chest.

I walk up and drive the point of my sword through it’s neck and the breathing stops. I pull out my sword and wipe it off on the building next to me. It looks like it used to be a granary before being burned down. I turn the corner searching for any more monsters or remaining allies but find none. I continue walking until I come to an intersection and hear screaming coming from the right. I look over and see 4 goblins over a body repetitively stabbing it with their knives.

I charge them with a loud battle cry and they stumble over each other in surprise as they try to flee. I slash one in the back of the neck as he runs but the others manage to get away. I sheath my sword and observe the body. Multiple stab wounds leave it absolutely coated in blood but I recognize the armor of the acolytes. He must have been one of the people in your party dispatched to protect this village from the goblin attack. Apparently, the church hadn’t known just how bad the threat had been. I look around at the ruined village. Ok, the church really didn’t know just how bad the threat had been. It was strange though. Goblins have never invaded in such force or organization before. They seemed to have been moving in groups.

A movement behind me gains my attention and I turn around gripping the hilt of my sword. The goblins I had scared off before have come back to investigate. Seeing that there is only one of me they begin to grow confident and move slowly towards me, daggers in hand. The bravest (or most stupid) of the three breaks from the others and lunges at me.

I make an upward slice in the air, taking off his arm and he falls down, yelling pain. He tries to drag himself away but stab his neck and he instantly goes limp and quiet. The other two seem shocked and during their confusion I rush forward and slash one through the face. The final goblin makes an attempt to get away but I run after him and quickly bring him down with a slash through his spine.

I take another look around and perceive no more threats so I sheath my sword and move on. Sounds of metal clashing together from the street next to the one I am on draws my attention. I dash into a connecting alley to get to the street when something lands on top of me, causing me to fall down. I struggle under it as it begins hitting me in the back, harmlessly bouncing off of my armor. I manage to get my feet under me and jump up as hard as I can, causing whatever was on me to fall off onto the ground.

I spin around and see an enormous spider on the ground getting back on it’s feet. I quickly stab it in its abdomen. It shrieks and backs away, taking my sword with it. Left without my sword, I take my knife out and crouch low, ready to strike at the spider again. It slowly begins to approach me, baring its fangs at me. It jumps at me, attempting to latch onto my face. I hold my knife out in the direction it leapt from and it impales itself on it.

It struggles quickly and goes stiff. I pull out my knife and tug my sword out of it. I quickly put my knife away and run through the rest of the alley to get to the street.

When I arrive, I see signs of what looks like signs of an explosion and the corpse in shining, white armor with gold edges. I run towards it and push it over. It reveals the face of my dead paladin and a gaping hole in his chest and his eyes wide open in what seems to be shock.

I close his eyelids and stand up to observe him. I had never gotten to know him since I was only recently assigned to his chapter. I haven’t even learned his name yet. I notice his helmet next to him on the ground. It is undamaged or stained in any way implying that it was taken off and not knocked off. He must have taken it off in respect of whoever his opponent was seeing as though it was still there and not in a goblin’s loot sack.

I begin to turn around to leave when I realize that the church will want his helmet in order to set him up a place of honor at the Temple of Paladins.

I survey the village and find no further signs of life.

An entire village and a defence party wiped out… It was unheard of. No attack from monsters had ever been so successful before. But then again, monsters have never been this organized before either. Something wasn’t right.

I look up and realise I’ve been walking towards my horse this entire time and now stand in front of him. His name was Steven. He used to belong to some other zealot before he died in battle. The horse was given to me when I was promoted to zealot. He was a sturdy warhorse and had kept together well in battle. He now lay in front of me with a large cut in his neck surrounded by matted, red hair. I realize with a sigh that his death means I’ll be walking back to Talvan.

I stop by the well to refill my water jug for the journey and I being walking along the major road that passes through this village. With any luck I’ll find some sort of caravan that can take me the rest of the way.

Suddenly, I hear an explosion come from the village. I spin on my heels and see a black figure engulfed in dark red and black flames staring right at me. I swallow hard and realize that I had found out what happened to my paladin. A demon.