CHAPTER ONE
ORCBANE:
IN THE SHADE OF THE MOON
‘A monster is not judged by its size and ferociousness, but by the devastation it brought.’
- Sage the Fireheart
Founder, Fireheart Hunters’ Guild
First Emperor of Arcadia
An Oddjob and an Orcjob
A boy runs in a hurry along the narrow streets of Rand. He bumps into people and tramples mud puddles along the way, leaving
people cursing and yelling behind him – some even check their tunic to look whether the boy has stolen their purses or
anything valuable.
The streets are real crowded here in Rand – as the city in the kingdom of Lore becomes a center of economy and culture.
Thanks to the hunters and the hunters’ guild, the risk of monsters and bandits’ attacks has been lessened – at least less
than other major cities in Lore: Varestine, Wagnerport even the capital, Alceste. Merchants, caravans and travelers usually
hire hunters as escorts, unless, perhaps they are well-skilled, well-armed and can defend themselves or hire personal
bodyguards.
The boy ignores all the curses and yells upon him, and runs along several blocks until he enters a shabby-looking
tavern with a yellowish ram with the text ‘The Golden Ram’ badly carved on a signboard hanging in front. The Golden Ram is
the cheapest, shabbiest and dirtiest tavern-inn in Rand. The wine and ale there are bad, but it is always full of rowdy,
strange and suspicious people with their own strange, shady businesses – gambling, brawling, having fun with tavern maidens,
and even talking in low voices. Well, secret talks in loud voices can be made in here too, as it’s too loud there – rest
assured your talks won’t be heard by the neighbor at the next table.
The boy looks around desperately, and once in a while ducks to avoid flying objects like wooden mugs, stones –
fortunately no sharp ones, though. After a while, he finally notices someone and comes to a group of people gambling on a
corner. They are shouting in frustration or muttering things like ‘Damn, he won again!’ and all sorts of curses. One of them
– a man with silvery, unkempt hair - doesn’t yell, though and coolly extends his hands to collect the crowns (gold coins),
florins (silver coins) and zennies (bronze coins) on the table and pour them all into his purse. Although he apparently is
the winner, he doesn’t smile. He only stare cautiously around him, readies himself as though anticipating something bad. And
it happens. One of the gamblers, an ugly, fat, unshaven and badly dressed man gets up, bangs on the table and puts his one
foot on the chair, screaming.
‘You CHEATED! Bloody cheater!’
The two other gamblers are puzzled for a while, staring at him – but they instantly understand, and scream along
to support him.
‘Yeah! Winning seven times already! That’s impossible!’
‘Must be sumthin’ behind ‘ees hands!’
‘And he ain’t even smile all the time! Mus’ be afraid he’s gonna be found out!’
‘Thrash ‘im!’
‘Search him! Make him return our money!’
The cool silver-haired guy raises his face. He is handsome, although his face is sallow and looks somewhat
feminine, but his calm, serious and cautious behavior gives an air of someone who has endured great hardships, tragedies and
traumas. He always wears a leather breastplate in front of his shirt, and always ready with a kiliji (a curved long sword)
neatly hung inside its scabbard under his shabby blue hood and robe. The boy recognizes him perfectly at once, and is about
to call him, but the silver-haired man notices the boy and signals him to keep quiet and keep away.
‘Hey, won’ speak a word, eeh? No reveal your secret!?’
‘Maybe you will talk after we rearrange your pretty face!’
‘O’ you hungree? Wanna eat? Here, taste THIS!’
The bald man launches his knuckle sandwich towards the silver-haired man’s mouth, but the silver-haired man simply moves his
head aside with great reflexes and avoids the hit altogether. He gets up, and is ready for the next attack.
One thought comes into the silver-haired man’s mind:
Even if I speak, these stupid brutes won’t listen – they just want to rob my winnings. Well, it’s time to show them who I
really am, as Pear is already here…
To avoid revealing too much of him, the silver-haired man avoids most of the attacks using knuckles, knifes and a wooden
chair, and finally counterattacks, catching the bald man’s punch and kicks him straight on his jaw, sending him flying
backwards and falls crashing on the wall, knocking him out. The fat guy and the one-eyed scarface are astonished to see this
display of strength, but thinking that it was only a lucky strike they attack the silver-haired guy altogether. The
scarface’s attack misses, but the fat guy successfully hit the silver-haired guy’s shoulder as he is avoiding the scarface.
But the silver-haired man’s expression doesn’t even change in pain, instead he ducks and sweep-kicks the fat guy’s feet,
causing the fat guy to fall tumbling on the floor.
The one-eyed, badly-scarred man loses his guts and runs away at once.
The fat guy tries to get up although he is irritated with his friend’s cowardly behavior. But the silver-haired
man doesn’t waste time and instantly draws his kiliji (an Aurelian version of Katana Sword that looks like a long saber) and
points it directly to the fat guy’s throat. Then he finally speaks.
‘Get out now. I only kill monsters and bandits, unless you are one of them.’
The fat guy whimpers, ‘Ah, you’re a hunter?’
A tavern guest cuts in.
‘You’re new in town, heh? He’s a hell of a hunter, you know.’
The little boy named Pear speaks, ‘Mister Orcbane?’
The silver-haired man replies, ‘Sssh, I’ve told you many times, just call me Robert.’
‘Aw, it’s easier to remember you as Orcbane, as it is so frequently said at the guild.’
‘Ah, Pear, now you’ve done it.’
Robert the Orcbane then talks to the fat man with a threatening tone.
‘Well, what will it be now? Still want to rob my money?’
‘Your money WHAT? You must be cheated, I can tell’.
‘I didn’t cheat.’
‘Then how come you won seven times and only lost twice?’
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Posted By Andry Chang to FireHeart Saga at 8/29/2009 05:10:00 PM
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