“Lord Ulric it is time to talk about the preparations for the upcoming journey to the city.”

A huge dark brown man with a great sword in his back walks in the dining hall, his body is like a rock it is solid and full of cuts, he wears a silver armor.

“Yes, Brocton please have a sit and we will talk about the preparations”

A man sitting at the end of the table who is in his forties, he has a strong face with a dark blue long hair.

“My lord, I heard that bandits are common in the route that we will be taking. I suggest that we should avoid the mountains.”

“Yes, I know we will be taking the route in the forest that’s why I want you to double the guards”

Suddenly the door opens and two beautiful ladies walked in, one with a dark blue long hair the goes down to her waist and the other one has a white shiny short hair.

“Greetings! Lady Arunna and Lady Kaleena.” Brocton bend down to his knees.

“Enough with the formalities Brocton go back to your sit.” The lady with dark blue hair smiled

“Please join us ladies” Lord Ulric said

“So how was your training Arunna?” Lord Ulric asked.

“It was fine father I easily defeated the right hand man of Brocton and I am now the second best swordsman in this estate” The dark blue haired woman responded.

A loud laugh suddenly is heard across the room; Lord Ulric is laughing and clapping after hearing the news.

“I see… I see…. Then maybe Brocton needs to train his soldiers more”

Brocton nodded his head

“How about you Kaleena how were your training in controlling your magic?”

“I am getting better father it will take more time to fully understand on how to control my power” The lady with white hair answered.

“My lord I think it is best to let the ladies hear about the plan for the upcoming travel” Brocton said with a deep voice.

*Ehem

“Now then what do you think on how should we plan for the upcoming journey ladies” Lord Ulric asked the two ladies

The two ladies are shocked and looked at each other

“Are you going to bring us with you father?” Lady Arunna asked

“Yes since you are both now in the right age to know the basics of being a merchant and to get to know our clients in the city” Lord Ulric answered while smiling at the two ladies.

The ladies are filled with joy after hearing this and gave their ideas on how they should make preparations for the upcoming journey, the preparations took a while and after sometime they finished and finalized it.

“Then I will be taking my leave now my lord” Brocton stands up and bowed to Lord Ulric

He turned and face the two ladies and bowed

“Ladies I will be going ahead”

The two ladies nodded

The next day

“My lord we are ready to move out!” Brocton yelled across the yard

Lord Ulric turned his head to Brocton and nodded and jumps on to his horse

The caravan has set out of the mansion with merchants and guards. Lord Ulric is the one leading the caravan beside him is Brocton and behind them is Lady Arunna and Lady Kaleena. They took the road between the forests to avoid the Steppe Mountains because there are reports of many ambush spots that bandits frequently use there. Basically the mountains are like a big trap for merchants.

After sometime Lady Kaleena asked

“Why do we have to fear the bandits that much father?”

Lord Ulric laughed so hard

“Are you seriously asking me that?”

“Well bandits should never be underestimated, it is true that they just rely on their numbers when they are ambushing caravans but there are still strong people amongst their ranks”

“Do you know The Worst Ten?”

Lady Arunna and Lady Kaleena was surprised when their father asked them

“Yes father, but I heard about them, they are just myth spread by the bandits so that people will fear them” Lady Arunna answered

“Well what if I told you that they are not a myth but they are simply real. The Worst Ten is the strongest amongst the bandits they are once in the same bandit group and they are the cause of the great famine. They are the ones who put a halt to all the tradings and deliveries of food across the country that is how strong they are”

“It is said the one of them can defeat an army of the kingdom, so the King who is currently sitting at that time needs to think of a solution, one of his advisers suggested that they should hire people who has great talents across the country to stand up to The Worst Ten.”

“Then they created the Mercs, they scouted people across the country, but they are not just any ordinary people these are people with special talents who can go against the strongest bandits, the most famous of them all was Laughing Edward also known as Almighty One. They said that Edward himself took down the two of The Worst Ten all by himself at the same time. Stories spread that Edward is the strongest man in the country that’s why The Worst Ten feared him the most”

“Incredible…. That person is the strongest man in the whole country” Lady Arunna whispered

“So where is Laughing Edward now father? By the way why is he called Laughing Edward” Lady Kaleena asked

“He is called Laughing Edward because whenever he walks around the city he is always Laughing and Smiling to the people, he became the hope of the city, the hope that will eventually vanish the great famine. All that happened 10 years ago. No one knows where he is now, some people said that after he founded the strongest Mercs guild in the city which is the Glory of Strength, he then retired and let his desciples continue the work for him and suddenly he banished.” Lord Ulric said

“Well some of Edwards comrades are still fighting as mercs nowadays such as Averitt the Beast, Emery the Heroic, Aunsellus the Titan and many more who are scatterd across the country with their own Mercs Guild.”

After sometime talking the sun begins to set and it begins to dark.

“That’s enough we will never know the truth, what is important is that the great famine is stopped because of the Almighty One and the others.”

“Brocton! Tell the company to prepare and make camp here for the night.” Lord Ulric commanded

“Everyone dismount! Prepare to make a camp here for the night”

“Guards! Check the perimeter and do round!” Brocton commanded his troops.

Suddenly night falls and the guards are patrolling around the camp

the camp is in the middle of the forest and it is surrounded by huge trees

The Guards started their patrol they carry a torch to light their way and they are in partners.

“Have you seen Lady Arunna? She is so perfect I wish I was a rich noble prince so that I could marry her.” One of the guards said

“Are you crazy?! If Lord Ulric heard you or Captain Brocton I am sure you would be dead by now!” The other guard responded

“Is it not free to dream? Plus I am just stating the tru---“

The guard was silenced and his body fell down to the ground making a loud noise, his head separated from his body and it rolled over to the other guard.

The other guard was shocked and stared at the head of the other guard while it is rolling towards him, he can’t shout or make a move, his body is frozen solid in shock to witness that before his eyes.

A noise coming from the forest

When he turned his head to look at where the noise is coming from a shadow figure sliced him and his head fell down to the ground.

Back at the campsite Brocton is checking the surroundings making sure that there is no problem he told the other guards to go on night watch so that he can prepare and take a rest for tomorrow’s journey. Brocton saw Lady Arunna practicing her sword in the middle of the night he went to her.

“You might surpass me quickly than I expected Lady Arunna you are very hardworking.”

“I still has a long way to go Brocton I need to train more to become a great swordsman” Lady Arunna replied. “Well it seems im tired already, I’ll go back to my tent now Brocton and get ready for bed see you tomorrow”

Brocton bowed and softly replied “See you tomorrow, Lady Arunna.”

Brocton is doing his final check-ups and looked inside Lord Ulric’s tent and see the Lord is sleeping like a child, he smiled and head back to his tent. He was removing his silver armor and about to go to sleep when he felt a sudden uneasiness. He felt a terrible feeling a bloodlust around the tent he can feel this because of his aura which can detect different kinds of mood within the surroundings. He quickly grabbed his great sword and he then rashly go out of his tent he saw his soldiers lying on the floor all dead and beheaded. He looked at Lord Ulric’s tent he then ran for it when suddenly a shadow figure quickly went up to him and attacked him.

He blocked the attack with his great sword and asked

“Who the hell are you!?”

The shadow smiled and said

“Knowing my name won’t save you….. Captain”