An Old Warrior Returned

[LeoRabbit99 360]

 

Many years ago, a warrior, who in spite of his orders, gave himself to save a fallen comrade--Giles Curthose of Halsworthy. It took setting at the battle of Xionfall, where the valiant Winter Frontier fought the unknown threat of the wall to protect the southern people of Atlas. A soldier was stripped from the fortifications the defenders prepared and was quickly slain by the hordes of enemies. Helpless, they slowly closed in. Giles surged from the safe area and heaved him on his shoulder. The enemies quickly blocked their path back, and although Giles attempted to flee with the man upon his shoulders, he was caught by the demon leading the assault. He was beaten and left to his fate.

 

A group of Halsworthians scoured for Giles’s body after the battle of Xionfall, but returned in vain. They assumed the worst. To their oblivion, Ajax Ironwood found him first, who was previously rescued by the hands of Giles. In repayment of his debt, he brought him to cloud temple where the monks preserved his life. However cheating death came with a price. Giles woke up, blinded from a head injury when he battled the demon. They did their best to nurture him back to health, but attempts to cure his blindness ended in failure. Giles remained at cloud temple for some time, aging into his caducity. However, a few years after the establishment of a new temple in Arcas, Giles set off into the world again.

 

Giles moved among many groups over the next decade, who each tended to his needs and provided for him, but his travels eventually brought him to Sutica. There, he remained for some time. Giles’s moments in Sutica were uneventful, and slowly pieces of the man began to melt away. He was growing old, and he sensed that his time would soon come to an end. He became a full-time beggar, hardly surviving on the scraps he was given. The once renowned warrior was brought to a faint shell of his former self, longing each day for the swift end that would finish him. He felt like nothing more than a parasite of the fruits of other’s labors.  

 

An ordinary day rose, and Giles, as per usual, pondered the streets in search for a perch to rest his frail stature. Busy merchants came and left the streets as they pleased, few taking pity to him and leaving behind donations. As he did most days, Giles sat blankly for many hours, body hardly keeping him awake. Although Giles didn’t recognize it at first, Leofwine Curthose, Giles’s older cousin and father figure, had arrived in Sutica that day. He offered Giles a donation, which got the two talking. After a while, the conversation eventually led to an introduction. It had been so long...Leofwine was reluctant to believe that it was Giles at first but was convinced in time.

 

A wealthy man, Leofwine had a keep west of Arcas in the wildlands. “I’ll take you there. A cozy home to die in?” Leofwine said with a chuckle.

 

Giles agreed, but he wasn’t going there to die. Before he parted this world, he would make a difference--a positive difference. He had work to do, but at least now, he was back with his family...

---

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

Spoiler

Prelude:

 

 

[osumanduas 1442]

Moved to The Great Library. It shall be sorted into the appropriate category shortly.

 

If you feel this is a mistake, please contact myself or any FM and we'll restore it.