The Blades of Apocalypse

Chapter 3: A Warm Welcome

After a long, yet comfortable jurney, Ive finally reached my destanation, the trade city of Carcasa. My plan for locating the monk that came from the Obsidian Castle is to Start asking the people near the city gates if they've seen anyone with the same description.

To my surprise, however, the docks were full of injured people. Peeking my interest, I approched one of the doctors treating an injured man. I asked him what happened for so many injured people to find their way up here in the docks.

The doctor said that these injured people are all bandits that were locked in deadly combat with the very person I've traveled all the way here to meet.

From what the doctor gathered, there are over four hundred bandits currently located within this city. They came from three separate gangs that decided to form a temporary alliance to take down the monk, now dubded with the monicker the Blade Wielder.

The doctor also informed me that the battle has been waging for over two hours now, and the casualties have been estimated to be over a hundred. Fifty two deceased while around eighty heavily injured people are being treated. Since the city hiospital can only house fifty patients, and there are still about three hundred bandits scattered around the city, the remaining patients had to be transferred here.

The Scene around me was nothing short of chaotic, as medical mages were scrambling to treat horrific injuries from severed limbs, large slashes on their torso, to even crushed body parts. The air within the docks are strongly scented with blood and viscera, something that would be akin to an unsanitary slaughter house.

The longer I stayed in there, the more nauseated I became, not just from the sights and scent of the horrors within the docks, but from the notion that the monk I came all the way here to find was the very same force of nature capable of hurting and even killing these many bandits in such a short amount of time.

After thanking the doctor for the information he provided, I hurriedly made my way out of the docks. Due to the twisting of my stomach from the gastly surroundings threatening to evacuate the meal I had earlier, I was not mindful of where I was going and bumped into someone.

The persone I bumped into was a mountain of a man. Towering over me with a grim expretion on his face. As he was about to accost me for my deed, he paused, as though recognizing me from an encounter far flung from his memories.

He uttered my name in a questioning manner, to which I answered yes. I then asked if he's read my novels, since the back of the hard covered books has an image of me on them, to which he also replied yes.

He told me his name is Richard and introdused himself as a city guard. A claim I highly doubted since his armor is similar to the injured bandits, and he has a tattoo of a dragon on his forearm. This is the simbol of the Desert Dragons, one of the gangs hunting down the Blade Wielder. though I didn't voice my doubt of his identity out loud.

He said that he will escort me to city hall for my safety. I wanted to decline his offer, since I have no idea of what his true intentions were, but I was suddenly surrounded, by whom I would assume are his fellow bandits, and marched out of the docks.

I was thankful to be led away from the horrors of the docks, but now I may be facing similar horrors of my own. To my surprise, however, the men did lead me to city hall. As Richard escorted me to the mayor's office, I was greeted by an unusual sight. Not only the mayor, but three other figures were within the office, all clad in bandit armor.

Richard told the people who I am, to which the three individuals in full armors reacted rather animatedly. Richard then reintruduced himself as actually a bandit, which again I've already deduced. Then, he introduced the people within the room to me one by one.

The man behind the large desk in the room was the mayor, Worgin Mascov. The mayor is a rather small man, a foot and a half smaller than myself. And I'm only five feet 9 inches tall. The large man, even larger than Richard who probably stand at over six feet, is name Regon Bardek, also know as the desert executioner, is said to be the leader of the War Axe gang.

The woman on the right corner of the room is Roxa Reever, a woman with a tone, yet shapely figure and is wearing an eyepatch over her left eye, is the leader of the Roseta gang, and is also known as the Hegiyet Harpy

And last but not the least is an older gentleman who's near the window is named Jorvinlax Dardune, but he is more famously know as The Dragon of Hegiyet and the leader of the Dersert Dragons.

While each holding small rectangular boxes, these bandit leaders approached me in unison. "You truely are Jinbu Pakesh." Jorvinlax said to me as he examens my face. "Y-yes, Mr. Dardune." I replied nervously. "Have you read my books too?" I asked. He chuckled from my question as they opened the boxes to reveal a copy of by book, The Lovers Beyond the Lycoth Seas. "May we have your autograph?" The deadly leader of the Desert Dragon gang asked.

"My father and I really love you're books." Richard said, disclosing his relationship with Jorvinlax.

"I can't believe that you people are all fans of my book?" I stated, still in disbelief as I sign thier books. "But of course." Jorvinlax exclaimed. "We bandits rarely, if ever, get to set foot anywhere near the ocean. So we at times settle with reading about them in books." He explained.

"I read it because of the love story between Captain Dorian and Lady Fausta." a surprising remark from the berly Regon. "The ending is a real tear jerker." He continued as tears starts to manifest from his eyes.

"Stop crying, you giant child." Roxa told Regon. "Well, personally, I love the detail you put with the combat. The way you discribed how a sword cleaves a limb impressed me a lot." She continued.

"T-thank you for liking my book," I said to these dangerous people. "So, are you all here because of the monk from the Obsidian Castle too?" I Asked them. "Oh... So you came here because him as well, huh." Jorvinlax stated. "Well let's just say someone is going to pay all of us very handsomely to secure these daggers he has." He continued.

"So, you're already sure that he has the blades of Apocalypse?" I asked them with wide eyed excitement. "Yes." Jorvinlax answered with asmile on his face.

Jorvinlax then told me of messengers that gathered all three leaders of all three gangs on the day the Blade Wielder left the Obsidian Castle. These messengers each had a magical crystal comunicator that connected with eachother so that they can all talk with one another. These messengers then told them that their master, an unknown party that the messengersrefused to name, will give the gangs five million Gold Vintria coins (the highest form of currency in this world. One Gold Vintria can buy you a large house) each if they take the blades from the Blade Wielder and deliver them to a safe location disclosed by the messengers. The gang leaders were paid in advance of one hundred Gold Vintria coins each as a down payment, and were told they will get the full amount once the blades are secured.

They then maid a deal with the mayor to clear out any law inforcements and soldiers within the city, in exchange for three hundred Regular gold coins and a guarantee that the city will never be targetted by any of the three gangs again.

Since they had over three days to stalk the Blade Wielder and plan for his arrival, they planted some traps and set up some fighters to try and take the blades from him, but they were all killed and the traps were all destroyed. They then knew why the messenger asked all three gangs to join forces to take the blades, fore the Blade Wielder is a formidable foe.

"So, now you know why we are here, Mr. Pakesh." Jorvinlax said. "The only question for the rest of us here now is, why are you looking for this man?" He asked me in a serious tone. "well, you see..." I stammered. I then told them of my dream to tell the full story of the legend of the mighty Prince Vintry in a new light, and to follow the exploits of the would be new wielder of the mythical weapons of great destruction.

"That book would have possibly been a great read indeed." Jorvinlax said. "Sad to say, however, that it would never happen." he continued. "W-why is that?" I asked. "Because this is the day the Blade Wielder's journey will come to it's end." Jorvinlax answered.

At the same time he said this, another gang member entered the office and said that they have lead the Blade Wielder in the center of the city near the very city hall we are in. "Well, Mr. Pakesh, it's time for us to meet this so called Blade Wielder face to face." Jorvinlax said while sporting a sinnister grin.

We made our way out of city hall and went straight to the plaza, the center of the city. We are lucky to be in an elevated part since city hall was made to be the highiest point of Carcasa. The City hall has an impressively large and well made flights of stairs leading down to the plaza. the plaza itself is remarkably spacious, roughly over four hundresd meters wide from the center of it. This is the place the city holds all their special occasions like festivals, concerts, and tournaments. right now though, incompassing the entire plaza are hundreds of bandits. And at the very center, a man in green, tattered robes holding a sword on his left hand, and carrying four blades on his waist.

At first glance the so called Blade Wielder would seem to be in unimaginable danger. His clothes are, as I've mentioned, in tatters from numerous attacks the bandits have inflicted on him. Yet, upon closer inspection, you well see no wounds upon his flesh or a drop of blood beneath his feet. Infact, he pressents a defiant stance, while  the bandits surrounding him seemingly tremble from his meer presence. Only archers and crossbowmen taking shots at him. The Blade Wielder dorging and deflecting the arrows that came his way. Performing a deadly ballet, not skipping a beat.

A man named Dearik,wounded and tired, repported to Roxa regarding the battle that's been waging for hours now. He said that the Blade Wielder has killed over ninty bandits and wounded over a houndred and fifty, and that he, Richard and two others are the only high ranking bandits left, and even after a dragged out fight, the Blade Wielder is not showing signs of fatigue.

"This boy's really interesting." Roxa said. "I might just let him live, and turn him into an obidient dog. After I've cut off all his limbs and breake him every way I know how, of course." She continued.

"I can't believe you're plotting to cheat on me, Roxa." Said Regon, tears starting to gather in his eyes. "I've already profested my love for you countless times. I would even marry you anywhere and Whenever you want. Please don't cheat on me." he countinued, now with rivers of tears streaming down his face. "Get away from me, you giant gorilla. No one wants to marry you." Screamed Roxa. Her vains popping out of her forehead in anger from what Regon said.

"Enough from the both of you." Jorvinlax exclaimed in annoyance. "We're lossing men left and right. We have no time to waste on either of your nonsense. It's time for us to step in to the fray." he continued

As the three Bandit leaders descend from the steps, Regon turned to me and said "Don't worry. Once the Blade Wielder guy is dead you can just make a novel about me and roxa's undying love." "Shut your mouth, you delusional gorilla" Roxa said, making Regon look depress as he walks down.

I stayed at the top of the stairs, steering clear from the dangers of the battle. As the cacophony of the battle echoes throughout the plaza, Jorvinlax's loud and impossing voice boomed through. "Ceasefire!" Souted Jorvinlax.

"So, you're the so called Blade Wielder that's been going around, killing our men?" Jorvinlax said. "You're quite the fighter, I'd admit. However, It's only a matter of time until we take you down." He continued.

"But, since I don't want to lose any more men than I have already , might I suggest a more... honorable way to settle this?" Jorvinlax said to the Blade Wielder. The Blade Wielder then waved his right hand in a gesture that urges Jorvinlax to continue.

"We three will fight you, right here right now. No one else from our group will interfere." Jorvinlax said. "If we win, we take the blades, obviously, but if you manage to kill just one of us three, we let you go been on your way. How does that sound?" He asked the Blade Wielder. "I don't care how we fight. The outcome will be the same either way. All of you dead." The Blade Wielder confidently stated

With the crowd jeering in anger from the staments made by the Blade Wielder, the three bandit leaders ready themselves to fight the Blade Wielder in a battle that I, and everyone in attendance that day will never forget.