The two ladies are surprised to see a small old man holding a wooden stick with his two hands. He appeared out of nowhere. The ladies are hesitating, looking at the old man he looks like he’s weak and he will not stand a chance against the shadow. His hair is only growing at the side of his head; it is white just like his beard, along beard that touches his chest. His eyes looked tired it feels like he’s about to fall asleep anytime.

“I don’t think you can help us sir, we appreciate your kind gesture but it is dangerous for someone like you.” Arunna said

“Yes, people nowadays rely on the appearance of the person but not his skills. I guess I’m really old.”

“I believe you don’t have a choice since no one wants to help you ladies. I am the only option you have.”

Arunna and Kaleena looked at each other and nodded

“I think we don’t have any other choice, come with us sir” Arunna said

Arunna and Kaleena jump on to their horse and the old man brought his own horse, it is a white muscular horse that with a silver mane. They rode out of the city to save Lord Ulric.

After sometime they arrived at the fight scene there is blood everywhere, the trees are broken it looks like a sword cuts it. Arunna and Kaleena dismounted and so the Old man. The ladies are shouting their fathers name while going around the fight scene. The old man stands still in the middle and closed his eyes.

“You must not worry I can still sense the aura of your father, I believe he was taken.”

“We should head back to the city we cannot move without a concrete plan, plus it is still dark we should continue our search in the morning.” The old man said

“Our father will be dead by then if we head back now!” Arunna shouted

“Don’t worry child I have an idea who’s the one who took your father.”

Arunna and Kaleena had no choice but to follow the old man’s suggestion. They head back to the city.

“You can stay in my house for the night we will move out in the morning so be ready.”

They arrived at the old man’s house it is a small house that has tattered walls and broken roof.

“How can we rest here safely?” Kaleena asked Arunna

“We won’t stay here for a long time it’s just one night Kaleena.” Arunna replied

They went in the house there is one wooden table in the middle of the house and a single broken chair there is one bed and a filthy kitchen. The old man looked at the ladies

“Well I apologize if this is the best that I can offer you, if you want you can rent a room at the tavern but I can’t guarantee your safety there.”

“It is alright this will do since we don’t even have money with us we can’t pay for a room at the tavern; we thank you for this kind gesture.” Arunna smiled at the old man

After some time

Kaleen was already asleep in the bed; Arunna is beside her on watch and staring at the old man

“I understand that you don’t trust me fully yet, they call me old man Ed.” The old man smiled Arunna

Arunna was surprised by the expression of the old man when he smiled she suddenly felt a warm aura surrounding her it makes her comfortable and relieved. She is assured the she is in a safe place.

“What are you old man?” Arunna asked

“I’m a simple man with a small home.”

“You should take a rest we will have a rough journey tomorrow.”

The morning comes

The old man is outside of the house waiting for the ladies; Arunna and Kaleena went out to see the old man sitting on top of his horse ready to ride out anytime. Arunna and Kaleena mounted their horse and they immediately went out of the city to the forest. They arrived at the forest it is getting darker as they go deeper into the forest.

The old man looked at the ladies

“You should stay on your guard ladies you don’t even have a weapon with you. But do not worry I will protect you” the old man smiled at the ladies

Kaleena felt the same energy Arunna felt last night when the old man smiled at her

After sometime travelling inside the forest they found a cave, a cave that has markings on its wall. A dark energy is flowing from the cave it is so strong that Arunna and Kaleena got scared immediately they can’t move; they are sweating a lot they feel like there is someone staring at them inside the cave.

The old man dismounted on his horse and told the ladies to stay on their horse and don’t do anything.

Suddenly a the shadow came out from the cave to attack the old man, the old man easily stopped the attack with his wooden stick, he blocked the sword of the shadow. Arunna and Kaleena were surprised on what they just have witnessed.

The old man smiled at the shadow

The shadow immediately pulled back, it is on a defensive position it is staring at the old man waiting for the old man to make a move.

The old man gently lifts his wooden stick up and hit it on the ground a huge shock wave is coming towards the shadow

The shadow immediately jumps to the side to dodge the shock wave, the shock wave almost destroyed the whole cave, the shadow immediately charge in to launch a counter attack aiming at the side of the old man so fast that Arunna and Kaleena can no longer see him.

The old man slowly turned his head facing the direction the shadow is coming from he then smiled and a huge shock wave from above hit the shadow destroying the ground. The shadow is on the ground not moving severely injured blood is flowing from its body. The old man walks toward it

“Where is Lord Ulric?”

“Why is a thug of one of the Worst Ten here?”

“Should I end you here right now?”

“Answer me, Midnight”

The shadow was shocked that the old man knows his name he looked at the old man with a surprised face; he removed the dead soldier’s face of Brocton revealing his face for the first time, his face is full of blade wounds and his eyes are huge with black iris.

It is a bandit thug who wears a black cloak that covers his entire body, he has a hood that covers his long black hair, and he was holding a katana on his hand. This is the first time Arunna and Kaleena see what the shadow really look like they are surprised that it is a normal person.

“That person is no longer with me.” Midnight replied while laughing hysterically

“To think that old man Ed will come for me, it is really an honor to be killed by you.” Midnight smiled and bowed his head

The old man smiled and a shock wave coming from above sliced the body of midnight into two.

“Why did you kill him!?! We can still get more information from him!” Arunna shouted at the old man

The old man turned to Arunna and replied

“You don’t know the true nature of bandits my lady, they never sell their comrades out it is one of their rules.”

“I don’t need to question him any further plus I know someone who can help us to track down the person who has your father.”

“Why did you kill him!?! We can still get more information from him!” Arunna shouted at the old man

The old man turned to Arunna and replied

“You don’t know the true nature of bandits my lady, they never sell their comrades out it is one of their rules.”

“I don’t need to question him any further plus I know someone who can help us to track down the person who has your father.”