Jay’s earliest memory from his childhood was of a spinning ceiling. He saw the ground, then the ceiling again, and finally fell, hitting the ground back first.
His mother screamed in horror. At only four years old, Jay couldn’t comprehend what had just occurred. He cried more out of shock than pain. It was only when he grew older that his mother explained to him: his father had thrown him, a four-year-old boy.
That memory remained vivid, occasionally haunting his nightmares. Perhaps because of that incident, even though Jay later became a fearless hunter, he was always hesitant to climb great heights.
On the cliff, facing Suvel, it was Jay who was terrified. What if Billy decided to abandon his ally and attack? How was he supposed to fight with an abyss beside him? One reason he heeded Kassel’s words and spared Suvel was due to that fear.
Most of the subsequent memories from his childhood involved getting hit. The taste of blood in his mouth became more familiar than the taste of the food his mother cooked.
His mother also suffered greatly at the hands of his frequently drunk father. Maybe that’s why Jay, who usually stayed out of other people’s business, would draw his sword without hesitation upon seeing a man striking his wife.
‘Just say the word! I’ll kill your husband right here and set you free.’
But he had never encountered a woman who actually wanted him to kill her husband.
As Jay grew older, his father began to become violent even without the influence of alcohol. Back then, Jay was only scared. It was much later that he felt the emotion of hatred.
“Your father was once a very famous knight. He acts like this because he wants to assert the authority he lost back then over us. You’ll understand when you grow up, Jaymer.”
His mother always consoled him with those words. Jay believed her, always thinking that when he grew up, he’d understand his father’s actions. He always saw himself as a mature child, understanding adult complexities.
At thirty, Jay’s mother looked younger and more beautiful than the twenty-year-old girls in the village. And that wasn’t just the naive view of a young Jay. Many handsome men tried to woo her, and some even suggested they elope at night. But she refused them all.
“I like you, but not in the way you think. It’s just friendship. Please leave. If my husband finds out, he might kill you.”
“I’m not afraid of such a coward.”
To Jay, that man seemed extraordinary. A man who wasn’t afraid of his father!
That night, once again, his mother was beaten because his father believed she had seduced another man. She screamed as she fell on the wooden floor, but all young Jay could do was watch. After beating her, his father always glared at Jay. Jay took it as a warning not to interfere.
The next day, the man who had tried to woo his mother appeared at the tavern where Jay was helping out. He boldly approached Jay’s father, who sat drinking alone, and threatened him.
“I’ve heard the rumors, Tion. They say you kidnapped a noblewoman and keep her as your own? Why not let her go now? Give her a new life.”
Jay’s father just scoffed at the bigger man’s threat.
“If you want to keep living your dull life, shut your mouth. Before I draw my sword.”
“You, who knows nothing beyond the bottle, dare to speak to me like this?”
Everyone in the tavern burst into laughter. As much as Jay despised his father, the thought of him dying filled Jay with dread. He later learned that the man courting his mother was an inspector from a nearby town’s patrol. With confidence, the inspector drew his sword and pointed it at Jay’s father.
“Do you think you can still talk big after seeing this blade?”
Jay’s father chuckled and said to Jay,
“Fetch me the fireplace poker.”
Confused, Jay brought the blackened, ash-covered iron rod used by the fireplace. His father grabbed it, brandishing it like a sword, and stood up, swaying slightly as if he might fall.
Jay’s father spoke with a somewhat garbled pronunciation.
“Kill me and offer my wife a fresh start. This is a proper duel. Everyone in this tavern stands as a witness. So, whether I kill you or you kill me, it’s not a sin. How does that sound? Will you accept those terms?”
The man who had casually brandished his sword changed his expression upon hearing Jay’s father’s challenge.
“Are you serious?”
“Are you scared?”
Jay’s father let out a mocking smile.
“Very well!”
The man exclaimed proudly and shouted to everyone in the tavern.
“Everyone heard that! This is a duel issued by Tion. Whether one dies, it’s a formal duel, so no one should intervene.”
No one verbally responded, but the acknowledgment was evident in their eyes. The atmosphere was tense. Jay realized that everyone in the tavern was wishing for his father’s demise, and he grew fearful.
Jay’s father gave his opponent the first move. The man swung his sword with the intent of shattering the tavern floor. However, Jay’s father dodged the attack and, with a swift move, pierced the man’s throat.
A chilling silence swept the tavern. The man gasped for air as he fell onto the wooden floor. People rushed to aid him, but it was too late. As if nothing had happened, Jay’s father, swaying slightly, returned to his seat and picked up his drink.
“First time seeing someone die?”
Jay’s father asked.
Young Jay just widened his eyes and nodded. The man with the pierced throat was still writhing. There was chaos—calls for bandages, for a doctor—but Jay’s father seemed completely detached from the uproar around him.
“Remember this well. No matter how big someone is, if they get even a hole the size of a coin in them, they die just like that.”
It was the only life advice Jay’s father ever gave him, and arguably the most valuable lesson he imparted.
Just as there was no woman as beautiful as his mother, there was no man who could rival Jay’s father. And it didn’t seem like it was just because they lived in a countryside village.
From that day onward, not only the villagers but Jay himself began to fear his father more. Still, Jay didn’t think of him any less as his father. Jay’s father wasn’t always violent; sometimes he took him hunting in the woods, and occasionally he’d hold Jay’s hand warmly.
These were rare and unpredictable moments, but Jay cherished them. However, all that small happiness shattered the day his father got drunk, chased prey, and tumbled off a cliff.
Jay’s father became lame. While his mother genuinely pitied him, his father, not wanting any cheap sympathy, would swing his walking stick with rage. Jay tried to protect his mother, but as if waiting for that moment, his father struck Jay even harder.
A man who once lived with pride in his swordsmanship had lost a part of himself.
Having experienced a hunter’s life himself, Jay somewhat understood his father’s feelings. However, he couldn’t forgive his father for taking out his hurt and frustrations on the only two people who loved him.
Why did his mother stay with his father? Why did such a beautiful woman become the wife of such a brutal man? It wasn’t until Jay was about ten that he began to understand the complex relationship between his parents.
“I’ve heard there’s a knight named Tion in this village?”
One day, knights from the city came looking for Jay at the tavern where he worked. At a glance, they wore fine clothes and bore high-quality swords. Pointing at Jay, the tavern owner replied,
“That boy is Tion’s son.”
A handsome knight with a neatly trimmed beard smiled warmly, taking Jay’s hand.
“You’re the son of the knight Tion. Can you take us to your father?”
From behind, the innkeeper sneered,
“I knew that Tion used to be a knight, but now no one thinks of him that way. He’s just a thug with a bad temper. His wife? She’s a dim-witted woman, too afraid of her husband to utter a word…”
At the innkeeper’s words, one of the knights drew his sword.
The knights threatened with an intense glare, “If you spoke such words about that woman, knowing she is Anasha, the daughter of the past magistrate of Upher, no one could blame me if I killed you right here.”
The innkeeper froze in place. Back then, those who were unaware spread rumors that Jay’s father was a disgraced knight from a nameless family. About Jay’s mother, they gossiped recklessly, either labeling her a promiscuous widow or a harlot who had committed sins. At that time, Jay didn’t fully understand those words.
Had his father believed that hiding his past was the best way to prevent any dishonor to his former order of knights? Those who had come were from the Dragon Knights, seeking their old comrade.
Upon seeing them, for a brief moment, Jay’s father displayed a hint of happiness, but it quickly turned into a hardened expression. He soon shouted in agitation.
“Leave at once! Jaymer, I told you not to bring strangers home!”
Habitually, Jay’s father clenched his fist. Jay instinctively braced himself for a blow. But a knight’s hand intercepted Jay’s father’s raised fist.
“Hold back, Tion. I could never imagine you, from ten years ago, laying a hand on a child… I’ve heard about Lady Anasha too…”
“Did you travel all this way just to pry into my private life, Kar?”
Jay’s father’s eyes blazed with fury, but Kar, the knight, didn’t flinch.
“No.”
He slowly released Jay’s father’s hand and said gravely, “Captain calls for you.”
“The Captain? Who’s the Captain now?”
“Deradul Machi.”
“Deradul?”
Jay’s father looked genuinely shocked.
“The Dragons have awakened and are on alert. Although it’s not confirmed, we’ve received intel that Lontamon is amassing a significant army. War has already broken out at the Camort border, and the Royal Knights of Irophis are preparing for battle. The atmosphere is tense, Tion. That’s why Captain Deradul is summoning the knights from our past.”
Jay’s father, rubbing his chin in deep thought, finally responded, “That’s kind of you. But turn back.”
With his limp, Jay’s father turned away, saying, “What can I do with this leg? I’m no longer a knight from our past; I’m just a criminal.”
As Tion limped inside and slammed the door, the Dragon Knights stood outside, discussing amongst themselves.
“I’ve heard of his reputation, but do we really need to involve such an old man? Our order of knights aren’t that weak, Kar,” a younger knight said in a disappointed tone. But Kar shook his head.
“Don’t speak like that. Although his leg is injured, he still possesses a skill that few young ones could match. In his prime, he was one of the top ten within our order.”
“Even so, didn’t he tarnish his reputation by getting involved with any woman he met, even going so far as to touch the daughter of a magistrate? I’ve always thought…”
“Watch your mouth.”
Aware of Jay’s presence, Kar cut off the young knight’s words.
He approached Jay and patted his head gently, “I see bruises all over you. Who did this?”
“My father.”
Jay, always bad at lying, spilled the truth when asked.
“And where is your mother now?”
“In the fields, working.”
“Can you lead me to her?”
Feeling the need to get permission from his father, Jay rushed to the door and hesitantly reached for the knob. From inside, he heard his father’s sobbing.
Stunned, Jay quickly withdrew his hand. Instinctively, he felt he shouldn’t open the door.
‘Dad is crying! Dad cried!’
Jay led the knights to the fields where his mother was working. Upon seeing her, Knight Kar knelt before her and wept for nearly half an hour. Was it the sight of her bruised lips, still managing a smile from being hit the previous night, that moved him? Jay had never seen an adult cry so openly before.
What was the difference between his father’s tears and those of Knight Kar? Either way, it seemed to Jay like an adult world too complex for him to understand.
“Don’t cry, Kar. I’m okay. Instead, please look at Jaymer. He’s young and innocent but is suffering because of the unfortunate parents he has. Can you take him away someday?”
“Of course, Lady Anasha. If you wish, I’ll turn him into a Dragon Knight. I promise.”
“Aren’t the candidates for the Dragon Knights selected from the age of twelve? Then come back when it’s time. I’ll keep him safe until then.”
Kar nodded firmly.
“I will return, Lady Anasha. I will prove that my vow to you was never empty words.”
He turned to Jay and said with a deep voice, “Son of Tion, no, no… son of Anasha, Jaymer. As his junior, I can’t punish your father. Before I became a knight, I was just a young man in love with your mother. Therefore, I have advice for you in lieu of my anger. Keep the anger inside you hidden. Save it for when you meet me again in three years. Your father must never know you’re growing up.”
Kar left the village after leaving those words behind. Jay had a vague notion that Kar would become his mentor. Jay was excited for a few days thinking about the next three years, but soon realized he’d have to endure hardship throughout those years.
Three years later, Jay turned twelve. Yet, by that winter, Kar hadn’t returned. Occasionally, traveling merchants brought news of a war breaking out across the continent. Not just the Dragon Knights, but all the armies of Carnelock maintained a combat-ready posture.
Jay continued to endure beatings from his father, and now even felt threatened for his life. His mother no longer silently endured her husband’s abuse. She sometimes screamed, shattered dishes in protest, but it only led to increased violence.
After a decade of marriage, despite her efforts to resist domestic violence, there were limits. She no longer looked beautiful but appeared older than the women of her age in the village. Even the men who once admired her began to treat her disrespectfully.
Eventually, winter came, and Kar still hadn’t shown up. That day, a heavy snowfall blanketed the village. After squandering all their money on gambling, Tion limped back home. All he had to say was, “I’ve spent all the money, so we need to economize.”
His wife responded with disbelief, “What more is there to economize? The villagers don’t give me work anymore. There’s nothing growing in the fields in winter. How are we, and especially Jaymer, supposed to survive?”
Tion glared at Jay, who sat huddled next to the fragile staircase.
“He’s grown up now. He can fend for himself. Just tell him to earn money.”
“Jaymer already earns more than me. He works at the tavern, and even in this cold weather, he always brings wood from the mountain.”
“Then let him spend his own money. Damn it, what did you put in this soup? It’s tasteless!”
Tion grumbled as he stirred the bland soup, while his wife held back tears.
“Aren’t you ashamed as a father? Now you want to take money even from your twelve-year-old son? Look at him. He’s now the tallest in this village. Have you ever really looked at your son’s face? There’s no boy in the village as handsome as him. But look at those ragged clothes he’s wearing. He doesn’t buy himself clothes because he gives all he earns for our living expenses. Can’t you see he’s tall but so thin? You’re not even fit to be called a father…”
At that moment, his father hurled the soup bowl he was eating from. It struck his mother’s forehead, and she let out a short scream as she fell.
“Get out of my house right now!”
His father yelled, and his mother sobbed, whispering something. Though her voice was barely audible, Jay, sitting by the staircase, could hear her words.
‘It wasn’t out of pity… I should’ve let him be executed back then…’
Jay couldn’t understand why that was such a harsh statement. However, to his father, it seemed more insulting than any other curse.
No matter how severe the beating had been in the past, there had always been a limit. But that day, his father looked like a cruel mercenary handling an enemy prisoner. He not only threw punches but also slashed at the clothes his mother was wearing with a kitchen knife. Her fear wasn’t out of embarrassment but genuine fear for her life, and she screamed and fought back.
During the struggle, she got cuts all over her body. Eventually, his father, grabbing her by the hair, dragged the naked woman out into the snowstorm. When a shocked Jay tried to rush out, his father shut the door and blocked him.
“Leave her be. Your mother needs to cool her head.”
Outside, the desperate cries of his mother and the pounding on the door filled the small living room. The snowstorm rattled the windows, and the old house creaked in the wind.
His father stared expressionlessly at Jay. Instead of feeling pity for his mother, Jay was more curious about what was going through his father’s mind.
Jay wasn’t fully aware of what had transpired between his parents. However, he believed that whatever had happened couldn’t justify what was occurring now.
Jay was the biggest among his peers. He was the strongest too. He had once given a beating to a village bully four years his senior, with his bare fists. So, he harbored hope that he might be able to push his father aside and rescue his mother.
His father was about five steps away. If he sprinted that distance, he thought he might be able to tackle a limping man wielding a knife. Jay clenched his fists.
In that instant, Jay perceived another space between him and his father. It was a phenomenon he couldn’t describe even now.
At that time, he guessed that space was the reach of his father’s knife. Oddly, the knife’s reach seemed only two steps, not the actual five steps. Jay sensed that if he recklessly charged in to save his mother, he would be within that two-step range and would be cut by the knife.
Startled as if he had truly been cut, Jay sat down in shock. His father, probably thinking his son was paralyzed with fear, chuckled and turned away to finish his drink.
Outside, the desperate banging and cries of his mother gradually faded. The latch on the door rattled less frequently until it stopped, swayed only by the wind. Still, Jay couldn’t move. His father sat, sipping his drink, with the knife still stabbed into the table, but the knife’s reach still seemed to be just two steps.
‘I’ll die if I try to go to the door now. I can’t.’
That’s what kept Jay immobilized. He merely stared with wide eyes at the knife’s blade reflecting the candlelight.
“What are you staring at?”
His father asked, slurping his spoon. Jay found the soup stains around his father’s mouth disgusting. Kar’s advice suddenly came to mind.
‘Never let the anger inside you show…’
Jay lowered his head and responded.
“It’s nothing.”
And then, deep inside, Jay spoke to his father. Of course, he never uttered those words until four years later, on that scorching summer day. Instead, Jay deliberately spoke in a terrified voice.
“Mother’s caught a cold. If she stays out there like that, she’ll die.”
“If she’s to die, let her.”
His father muttered in a hushed tone. After finishing his bowl, he spoke again.
“Let her in.”
Jay quickly opened the door. By then, his mother had lost most of her strength and wasn’t even shivering. Jay laid her on the bed and held her close, his body turning cold as if embracing a block of ice. Nevertheless, he never let her go. With the constant fear that she might die, Jay cried throughout the night.
“I’m sorry, Mother. I’m so sorry.”
Luckily, his mother didn’t die, but her cold worsened. After that severe illness, she never stopped coughing until the day she died.
Jay no longer addressed his father as ‘father’.
Of course, his father didn’t care at all.
When Jay turned fourteen, Lontamon invaded Carnelock. Even though they were in the countryside and not directly impacted, the villagers were quite anxious.
His father brought several swords into the house. Whenever Jay’s curiosity got the better of him and he went near the swords, he received stern warnings, making him observe them from a distance. For some reason, Jay felt a thrill upon seeing a real sword.
Wars were wars, and everyday life was separate. Despite her persistent cough even in midsummer, his mother continued working. Jay also earned money by helping out in neighboring fields or carrying heavy loads at the gristmill. Because he was strong and diligent, he even earned a respectable position as the mill’s manager.
One autumn, when rumors spread that Lontamon’s army might invade their village, the local bully who disliked Jay appeared, bringing along goons from a neighboring village. There were six of them, all older than Jay, including one who was six years his senior.
Jay was returning home from his mill job and his only weapon was a wooden staff he used for lifting loads. However, the thugs carried wooden swords, and some even wielded real blades.
Fear gripped Jay. If it were just a brawl, he’d brace for a beating and give it his best shot, but with knives in the mix, it was a different story.
“Hey, Jaymer. Beg now, and I’ll forgive you for breaking my two teeth. In return, I’ll just break four of yours.”
The bully’s face was marred by two broken front teeth.
Jay didn’t want to apologize. He had beaten the guy because he tried to harm a girl from a neighboring village. Jay hadn’t even received a thank you from the girl, but he was sure that what he did was right.
‘Even if I get cut here, I won’t apologize for that.’
Jay firmly replied.
“I can’t.”
“Then die, bastard.”
The thug swung his blade. Jay quickly stepped back, raising his wooden staff defensively. The group laughed at Jay’s worn-out staff. As Jay retreated, maintaining a few steps distance from them, he suddenly felt they were much farther away.
‘Five? No, six steps?’
In reality, they were only two steps away, but in Jay’s mind, the distance seemed much greater. No matter how much they swung, their blades wouldn’t reach him. Reminded of his father’s knife from the past winter, Jay felt a sense of distance and time.
One of them swung a real sword at him. Jay simply dodged with a slight tilt of his head. The thugs, emboldened, changed their plan from scaring Jay to injuring him. In that moment, the distance between them and Jay shrank to three steps. It was a bit scary, but when he thought of the two-step distance he perceived with his father, this didn’t seem as dangerous at all.
As Jay had predicted, the sword moved in a predictable pattern, and it was easy to dodge. The blade whizzed past his ear, coming close to grazing his cheek, but to Jay, it felt as though they were swinging their swords from three steps away. After a few successful dodges, it even started to become fun.
‘Should I close the distance?’
Out of curiosity, Jay reduced the distance to one step between one of them and eventually to ‘zero’.
With his staff, Jay jabbed one of them in the throat. As another thug came at him with a sword, the perceived distance suddenly stretched back to two steps. Jay quickly dodged and snatched the sword.
Even though he moved slowly, the man seemed oblivious to the fact that Jay had disarmed him. As Jay contemplated reducing the distance to ‘zero’ again, he found himself thrusting the stolen sword into the man’s abdomen.
Attacking was less thrilling than dodging.
The remaining thugs, seeing their wounded companions, fled. The one who had been stabbed by Jay survived, but the one jabbed in the throat by the staff didn’t make it. The local guards deemed it self-defense and considering the thugs’ notorious reputation, the incident wasn’t taken seriously.
“I killed someone.”
Upon returning home, Jay reported to his father.
“So?”
His father, while sharpening his blade, responded indifferently. Jay didn’t say any more. Though he later got a significant scolding from his mother, it was soon forgotten. However, the villagers began to fear Jay. He had always liked people, so their avoidance saddened him.
Jay became more reserved. His interactions with the villagers lessened, and he grew indifferent to it. But he disliked the whispers that he was becoming like his father.
Whenever his mother faced Jay, she cried. She was no longer the strong-willed woman she once was. She had aged significantly, resembling a grandmother. His father, coughing frequently, refused to sleep in the same bed with her and banished her to the floor.
Jay offered his room to his mother, while he slept at the gristmill or in the meadows. His mother struggled to accept her grim reality, but she had no choice.
Jay wanted to learn swordsmanship. The only person in the village capable of teaching him was his father. Yet, Jay never asked him, knowing he wouldn’t teach even if asked. So Jay secretly observed his father practicing with a sword in the backyard. Watching him and remembering his movements proved more beneficial than practicing hundreds of times on his own. But merely learning the stances wasn’t satisfying.
Jay decided to practice in real combat. In actual fights, no one came within two steps of him. Jay came out unscathed in his first real fight. He kept his impressive results a secret, lest his mother scold him again.
While the villagers despised his father, when rumors spread of Lontamon’s army lurking nearby, they sought his help. In return for leading the guard and teaching swordsmanship, his father demanded and received a hefty payment. With that money, he bought a woman and shared the bed he had once shared with Jay’s mother.
For the first week, Jay’s mother confided in Jay, crying about her misery. Later, exhaustion silenced her. Jay no longer found his father’s actions repugnant. However, seeing his mother, who had placed all her hopes on him, in such despair was deeply painful.
During such times, Jay would remember the promise he made to himself when he was twelve.
Soon, the villagers discovered the flags of Lontamon shredded and hung on the mountain entrance near their village. There lay the bodies of around twenty soldiers, left for a long time. No one knew who did it.
“Tion said one person did it.”
Rumors of a mysterious swordsman who single-handedly defeated an entire army spread throughout the village. There were also whispers that Lontamon’s army would soon seek revenge, but nothing happened, and the incident faded into oblivion over time.
When the news arrived that the army of Carnelock had been defeated by Lontamon, and the Dragon Knights had fallen to the Excelon Knights, Jay had turned sixteen and even found a girl he liked. Named Ewini, a nineteen-year-old maiden from a neighboring village, she visited the barn where Jay slept every night. Skeptical of her pure intentions, Jay questioned her bluntly.
“Why do you visit me every night? Just so you know, I’m not interested in women, and I don’t have money to give you!”
Ewini laughed heartily and replied,
“I like how you stay silent most of the time, but then suddenly come out with such cute remarks.”
Jay was taken aback, but from that point onward, they shared many conversations. He faintly recognized this feeling as love.
On a rainy day, she undressed in front of Jay, and they shared a physical intimacy for the first time. She called him Jaymer, a name he came to like.
Considering Jay hadn’t been with any woman during his eight years as a hunter, their relationship, which lasted for three months, could be considered quite long. It might have been the only happy memory in his wounded childhood. But an unfortunate event led them to part ways.
Every third night, his mother would sleep with him due to her persistent insomnia. One such night, she unexpectedly came to the barn. Seeing her son with an unknown woman, both naked, was a sight too overwhelming for her gentle heart.
She attacked Ewini with a broomstick, and the startled girl fled, still unclothed.
“Please calm down. She’s just my… girlfriend.”
Jay tried to calm his mother.
“What did you do, huh? What?!”
“I know I’m young, but we like each other, and…”
Jay, both then and in his childhood, never excelled at defending his actions or explaining his feelings. He stumbled on his words without giving a proper explanation.
“You’ve betrayed me.”
His mother yelled at him to leave the barn.
“Yes, you’ll leave me, just like everyone else did. Like my father, who abandoned me in this godforsaken place and never came back. Like all those knights who promised to adore me for a lifetime! Yes, you’ll betray me too. Just like Tion did, just like every other man in the world…”
“Please, listen to me, Mother!”
“No more words! Seeing you, my child, with another woman, was enough. Not you too. Not you…”
She cried out as if screaming. In an attempt to calm her down, Jay impulsively slapped her.
It worked, but not as he expected.
She immediately stopped crying and stared at him, wide-eyed. He stared at the hand that had slapped her for what felt like an eternity, then finally spoke.
“I’m sorry, Mother. I’ve grown up, and I have the right to be with a woman.”
“You… you slapped me.”
Her voice trembled with fear.
“Yes… I forgot. You are his son.”
“What do you mean?”
Jay tried to reach out to her, but she recoiled and fled. After that, she never spoke to Jay again.
Shortly after the end of Lontamon’s continental war, a short letter arrived from the royal family. It conveyed the deaths of Upher, his mother’s father, and Kar, of the Dragon Knights. Their long silence wasn’t because they had abandoned her.
It was unclear which death hit her harder. Upon reading the letter, she fainted and later fell seriously ill. The physician, after checking on her, prescribed no medicine but advised preparing for the inevitable.
His father didn’t seem to care, but Jay felt he couldn’t wait any longer.
That day was Jay’s sixteenth birthday. He sat beside his dying mother’s bed, holding her wrinkled hand tightly. Since the slap, she had never listened to him, but now, on the brink of death, she looked at Jay with weak eyes.
For a long time, Jay had sat beside his mother, caring for her, preparing himself mentally. Not for his sake, but for hers. The little time she had left to be his mother. When he walked out of that room, he’d no longer be her son.
Jay whispered into her ear,
“Should I kill Tion?”
His mother’s eyes opened wide, but she couldn’t speak. Jay revealed a blade he’d purchased with money he’d secretly saved. The blade, which had never tasted human blood, shone with an almost disturbing clarity. Jay planted the blade into the ground, kneeling before it in the manner of the knights he’d heard of.
“Son of Anasha, Jaymer awaits Lady Anasha’s command.”
Tears formed in his mother’s eyes.
“My son…”
What did she want to say? She didn’t finish her sentence but just nodded faintly before drawing her last breath.
All this took place right in front of Tion, who was seated on a bed across the room. Flames of anger danced in Tion’s eyes.
“What did you just say?”
Jay slowly drew his blade from the ground.
“I thought maybe your Knights did something like this. Draw your sword. I don’t want to spill your blood near my mother’s body.”
Jaymer stormed out of the room.
Staggering, Tion followed with his sword drawn.
“You think you’re grown just because you’ve looked over my shoulder and picked up a bit of my swordsmanship? Foolish boy, our experiences are worlds apart. In this fight, the only life at stake is yours.”
“I once tried fighting twenty men, thinking experience mattered. It didn’t really help.”
“Twenty?”
For the first time, Tion showed signs of panic.
“You’re the one who killed Lontamon’s soldiers?”
“You think I’d be playing with local thugs and stand before you if I weren’t?”
“You call that actual combat?”
Tion’s voice lacked its usual confidence.
Jay held up three fingers.
“You haven’t gotten within three steps of me since I was fourteen. Not even when I took half a step towards you!”
Jay roared, drawing his sword. For the first time, their roles were reversed. Now, Tion looked at Jay with terror-filled eyes. As Jay closed the distance, Tion retreated.
“Fathers always see their sons as children. You didn’t think I’d grow up, did you?”
Jay had always thought seeing his father’s terrified expression would be satisfying. But it only intensified the pain of his mother’s recent passing.
‘I should have done it sooner. Why did I hesitate?’
His grief turned to rage. Jay shouted words he’d been holding back for years.
“Look at me! See how your son has grown!”
With that, Jay thrust his sword forward. Tion was unable to block the clearly visible blade.
Just as father had said, a person could die from a wound no larger than a thumbnail. Jay’s novice sword skills couldn’t make Tion’s death more painful. Tion died too quickly, faster than Jay had hoped.
Leaving his mother’s body on the bed, Jay set the house on fire. He then sat down in front of it, blankly watching the flames engulf everything.
The villagers came running with buckets of water, but seeing Jay’s determination, they refrained from dousing the flames. They momentarily watched the spectacle, but as Jay glared at them, they retreated. However, one individual remained.
It was Ewini. She sat beside him, staying until the fire died down.
“I’m getting married,” she said, breaking the silence.
“I heard. Congratulations,” Jay replied, his voice emotionless.
“I’m being sold to pay off my father’s debt.”
“You’ll manage, I’m sure.”
“And you?”
“I’ll leave this village. I want to hone my swordsmanship further.”
“You’ll join a swordsmanship academy?”
“I doubt there’ll be anyone there to teach me. It’s best if I wander. Maybe become a bounty hunter? I can legally kill the bad guys.”
“You’re cruel! Besides, if you do that, you won’t live long.”
Jay chuckled and leaned in, giving Ewini a peck on the cheek. “Thank you, Ewini. I really liked you.”
“And now?”
“Now, I’m not so sure.”
Ewini laughed, but there were tears in her eyes. “I like your honesty. If you come back alive, come to me, Jay. My older husband might be dead by then.”
“Seems I might not return alive.”
“I don’t need a dead man.”
“Neither would I need you when I’m dead.”
Jay picked up his packed bag and started walking, without saying goodbye.
“Where will you go?” Ewini called out without following him.
“I saw a poster at the guard post about a bounty. I’ll start with him.”
Ewini’s voice cracked as she shouted, “Remember, I don’t need a dead man!”
Jay didn’t reply but simply waved. Ewini kept waving, even though she knew he wouldn’t turn around.
☆ ☆ ☆
After parting with Irine, Jay passed the Red Gate and within two hours caught up with Billy and his group. They’d left the main road to evade any pursuers, but for Jay, tracing the tracks of nearly twenty men, especially before the rain erased them, was no challenge. And capturing one person from a group of that size wasn’t difficult either.
He’d done similar tasks before.
Once, he was tracking down men who’d kidnapped a noble’s daughter for ransom. The noble was so concerned for his daughter’s safety that he wanted to pay whatever was demanded without negotiations.
Jay advised, “If you do that, she’ll be kidnapped again, probably for a larger sum.”
Enraged, the noble tried to kill Jay on the spot. Jay demonstrated his skills by breaking all the guards’ weapons and then said, “Pay me one-tenth of the ransom, and give me permission to kill the kidnappers. I’ll bring your daughter back.”
Desperate to get his daughter back, the noble agreed. It took Jay half a day to find the kidnappers’ hideout and another half to annihilate them. The noble’s daughter was rescued unharmed.
This was familiar territory for Jay. Twenty or so was quick work. But his Master had instructed him not to attack head-on, so Jay waited for nightfall.
Jay was especially observant after eliminating the first of the group. He needed to identify the strongest member. Suvel was his first target; he seemed to have the ability to spot bodies hidden in the shadows. Approaching Suvel was no easy task. Next was Billy, a leader with authority. Jay planned to leave them for last.
Finding Captain Wolf was easy. He was tied up, and Suvel had called him Kassel.
Lightning flashed in the eastern sky. Jay grew anxious, anticipating another rain, but no thunder followed. It might not have been lightning at all. Worried about the origin of that light, he waited for a while, but no other flashes illuminated the sky.
When everyone seemed to have fallen asleep, Jay approached them, taking one out silently. He had intended to take out at least two before making an exit. Yet, despite his caution, he was discovered by one. It was the Black Knight. The very man he had only heard of through others. They called him Black.
Jay momentarily forgot his Master’s warning to steer clear of Black and initially retreated. But he approached Black again. Predictably, Black detected him.
‘Let’s see what he’s made of.’
Jay closed the distance between them swiftly, expecting some reaction if Black was as skilled as Irine. Yet, Black didn’t reveal any gaps in his defense; he just readied his weapon.
‘So, he’s on the same level as Irine. No need to find his weak points.’
Jay backed off. Even without his Master’s warning, Jay would have done so upon realizing Black’s skill level.
He pondered over Black’s small movements until dawn. Before meeting Irine, such a display from Black would have sent a paralyzing fear through Jay. But after witnessing Irine’s red magic sword and the gray-robed demon that succumbed to it, Black’s presence was just a ‘bearable fear’. He shook off the dread.
During the subsequent hunt, Jay acted cautiously to avoid Black. One by one, he hoped his presence, which instilled greater fear in them than they had of Black, would slowly corner them. Though his hunt targeted thirteen individuals, the only real threat in his mind was Black.
The skirmish in the meadow confirmed it. Jay intended to finish it all in that ambush. Billy and Suvel had some skills, but if he fought using the meadow as cover, they could be easily overpowered. But everything changed with a single halberd thrown by Black.
That’s when Kassel fled.
It was unexpected for Jay. From his observations, Kassel seemed passive, feeble, lacking in judgment, and had an overall hesitant demeanor.
‘Captain of the Wolf Knights? That’s a joke.’
He remembered Irine’s frustration over Captain Wolf’s lack of qualifications. Jay’s perception of Kassel was akin to a sheltered noble daughter being taken hostage.
But Kassel ran. Swiftly and bravely, at a moment no one anticipated.
Jay assumed Kassel would run to the village, begging the villagers for help. Instead, he ran towards the mountains.
For Jay, that was convenient. He could attack freely in such a desolate area.
‘Is he doing it for me? Or did he just run blindly?’
Chasing Kassel’s trail, Jay remembered Black, who was left behind with the cart.
‘If I go now, I can have a one-on-one duel. Overcoming Black, the man even my Master fears, would mean I’d overachieve Irine’s task…’
Deciding to turn his back on Black wasn’t easy.
Initially, Jay cursed the fleeing Kassel. He was making it too easy for Jay to track him.
‘Idiot, they’ll catch you in no time if you keep going that way! Why aren’t you taking this path?’
Then, Jay noticed the tracks Kassel left were intersected by those of Billy’s group, revealing Kassel’s intent. To verify this, Jay followed and took out another man.
Soon after, Suvel discovered signs of Kassel being injured. Jay, who was closely tailing them, initially believed Kassel had genuinely been hurt.
‘He’s not injured. He’s just pretending to be. Why? Is he setting a trap? And for what? This sort of behavior usually hints at a strategy to catch the enemy off guard and counterattack. But a guy who can’t even use a sword can’t counter.’
Jay took a risk.
‘Is he implying that he’ll serve as bait so I can counter? Why would he? He doesn’t even know me.’
In the end, the situation was created by Kassel, and Jay merely played along. Suvel and Billy recognized the scenario slightly after Jay and dispersed one by one. This gave Jay the opportunity to deal with them individually.
‘He’s luring them to follow, using himself as bait? Did he plan this?’
It seemed more like a reckless move than a brilliant insight. Jay felt like he was playing a high-stakes game. If only they hadn’t fought near the cliff’s edge! He hated heights.
“Hey, how much further?”
Lost in his thoughts, Jay stopped in his tracks when he heard Kassel’s voice from behind. Kassel looked weary, his legs wobbling. Anyone would’ve been exhausted after running that long. Jay was tired too.
“We should be safe from them for now. Let’s rest here.”
“Who were they? The ones who had you?”
Jay bluntly asked.
“Can we talk about it later? Do you have any food or water?”
Jay handed him some cheese wrapped in leather and a water pouch. Without hesitation, Kassel consumed it all. Finally, he looked revitalized, steadying himself.
“Who sent you?”
Kassel inquired.
“Master Irine.”
“Irine? The former White Wolf?”
“Likely.”
Kassel looked surprised.
“Wow, if Azwin knew, she’d be thrilled. Where is she now?”
Jay pointed towards the Sky Mountains. Even from the high rocky mountains with a distant view of the plains, the first of the Sky Mountains still looked magnificent.
“I’ve heard no one can enter the Sky Mountains.”
“I’ve heard the same.”
Jay shrugged.
“Azwin always told me that once we passed the Red Gate, we’d see the Sky Mountains. She said every mountain had a name and legend and promised to share those stories when we arrived. When we finally passed the Red Gate and I remembered her words, tears filled my eyes.”
Kassel reached out for a handshake.
“My name is Kassel Wolf. Are you from the Wolf Knights?”
Instead of taking his hand, Jay questioned.
“No. Are you really Captain Wolf?”
Kassel, still extending his hand, replied.
“Yes.”
“But I heard you can’t even wield a sword. Barol Wolf didn’t fight either, right?”
“That’s right.”
“I saw multiple opportunities where you could’ve escaped if you knew how to use a sword, but you didn’t.”
“Now’s a bit tough, let’s talk later. But if you must know, I truly can’t use a sword. So, don’t swing one at me just to test.”
“I can tell without doing that.”
“Ah, that’s a relief.”
Kassel smiled.
‘Was he sincere? Seems naive for just brushing off what I said.’
Kassel, hand still outstretched, said,
“I’d like to know your name.”
“Jaymer.”
Jay, slightly annoyed, took Kassel’s hand. It was weak.
“Jaymer. That’s a good name. Thank you for rescuing me.”
Jay nodded curtly and let go.
“You’re a man of few words, Jaymer.”
“I prefer not to speak unless necessary.”
“That’s better.”
Kassel sounded somewhat melancholic.
“What’s the next plan?”
“Head to the Gold Gate. Master said she’d wait for me in Nadium, so I need to follow.”
“Can we rest a bit first?”
Jay, walking ahead, replied.
“Not here. It’ll get cold when night falls.”
“Really? Then let’s head down quickly.”
Kassel trailed behind Jay.
‘Was the situation he created during the chase just luck? A childlike guy like him wouldn’t know strategy.’
Jay reconsidered his earlier thoughts.
–TL Notes–
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