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41.66% Legends: The Path of Pride / Chapter 4: History*

Chapter 4: History*

Author's Note:

I posted four chapters to kick start the novel. I still have a decent amount of chapters lined up so don't worry about me stopping the novel midway through. I will continue to post one chapter a day with approximately 1000-1500 words per chapter.

Hope you enjoy <3

***********

"Who did you kill?"

Adren picked up his boots and moved to a chair so that he could pull them on. "Why does it matter? Do you want me to tell you that he deserved it? Whether he did or not, the ones that love him grieve his passing. I made a harsh decision to take a life that I have to live with, and one day die for."

Adren braced his elbows on his knees and looked up at her. "You think I don't know what you are thinking, Muta? Look at Axel Silverguard. A total royal prick. Arrogant asshole who only thinks about himself. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Spoiled, rich and blessed beyond people's wildest dreams. Believe me that hatred boiling in your eyes doesn't faze me whatsoever."

She glared at him, "You know what your family did to mine?"

"I know exactly what they did to every other family that came across them. Slaughtered them. Actually, it's quite surprising that some of you escaped." Adren replied with a nonchalant tone which seemed to infuriate her.

"If they were willing to slaughter other families for power, what do you think they did to each other?" He continued.

"You've seen the scars littered all over my body. How many of them do you think were caused by my relatives?"

Never mind, no need to dig deeper, it wasn't like she would understand. "Look, Muta, I'm not looking for any sympathy or pity, and I'm sure I don't want your anger and hatred. I won't defend my family for the things they did. I also won't make excuses for the actions I was forced to do in order to stay alive. If you want to kill me, do it. You're in luck. I'm in too much pain to care for my life, anyway."

He then folded his arms over his chest and closed his eyes.

Adren knows he probably came off like an asshole. But everything he said was the truth. He and his relatives were at each other's throats all the time, that included his brother.

He opened his eyes when he heard the door close. He didn't understand why, but he felt her absence like a physical ache.

Probably because he doesn't have anyone to talk to for a long time. In fact, Adren couldn't even remember the last time he held an actual conversation with someone. Most likely, the banker that said his assets were frozen when he had been on the run. An event that lead to over ten assassins all who he had to fight and kill to escape.

From then on, he spoke as little as possible and avoided everyone, fearing that they would recognize him, and decide to kill him, turning themselves into the next overnight millionaire.

He wiggled his toes through the hole of the boot and sighed. Wouldn't his brother laugh at him now if he saw him like this.

Oh how the mighty have fallen, they would sneer.

Refusing to think and reopen old mental wounds, he thought of what he would do next once they dropped him off at their next stop. If he could avoid legion enforcers and grim assassins, he would be able to pick up some tech work, maybe even some mercenary work. Usually, they are desperate enough to hire someone without papers.

@@@@@

Rebecca left the cabin and went to check up on the crew, it was her job to be fair.

"How did the salvage go?" she asked one of the group leaders.

"Nothing much in cargo and coin, but we were able to recover the ten crystals that powered their engines. They should sell for a pretty penny."

She nod in acknowledgement. The money they made off from the crystals should be enough to pay all the crew for the journey. Seriously they lucked out. If Lilya had been sold there would have had no way to know where she had been taken. It was only due to some previous relationships with smugglers that they were able to get some leads.

"Rebecca. I need a word."

A deep voice called her. Though she was the captain of the ship there were still some that held power against her. One was her brother where he could always rat to their parents.

"What are we going to do with the Silverguard? You know he can't stay with us. No one at the base will accept him once they find out who he is." Johnson stated.

It was true, once someone found out his true identity, it would be game over for him. While most would be able to hold back their animosity with him, the bounty made it too tempting. Hell, even she was debating about handing him in. The money would be enough to purchase a whole fleet of advance heavily armored and armed ships.

"He saved Lilya's life. He deserves more than to be thrown somewhere like some trash being thrown aside."

"I know you want to follow the Kylmia new blood tradition, but the people aren't going to like it. I know, for sure mum and dad aren't."

"I need to set an example for the rest of the people. If their leader doesn't follow tradition then why would they?"

It was Kylmia tradition to allow someone that had done the Kylmia a great favor to allow him or her to join their ranks. They would be given a new life and all their past wrongdoings would be forgiven, though Rebecca wasn't too sure if they would forgive Adren of his family's actions.

"I'll deal with Tyren when we get back." she stated while staring her brother down.

With his hands up to show that he surrendered, "Hey, I'm just warning you of the consequences as your brother."

@@@@@

Adren had been in deep thought about what he would do once he was dropped off. From possible risks and their mitigations. All the possibilities were running through his mind like a film.

He looked up as the door was opened, breaking his concentration. He could see that the woman returned, and in her hand was a tray. The smell that radiated from the tray was of something that was warm and delicious. It him him like a wrecking ball.

"I thought you might be hungry."

His throat instantly dried. He couldn't speak. At least not when he was this close to what smelled like a real meal.

For once, he wasn't hallucinating. He didn't care if it was poisoned, pissed on or spat in. He'd take whatever and bear out the consequences. Anything to stop the gnawing hunger.

Once the lid was lifted, he instantaneously attacked the meal with his bare hands like a savage of Mandasia.

It was only after a few second that he glanced up and caught the horrified expression on her face.

"Would you like a knife and fork? Maybe a napkin?"

Embarrassment flooded him, "Sorry, it's been a while since.." he went back to eating but with the knife and fork this time.

"Since you had food or company?" she finished his sentence.

Swallowing what he had in his mouth, "Either"

"I'm not judging you. Please If I had known you were this hungry, I would have brought more."

Adren didn't speak as he continued to inhale the food and drink that she had brought.

AHHH TOTALLY SATISFIED.

He leaned back against the chair in satisfaction and patted his stomach.

"You're not what I expected from a Silverguard…" She commented as he regally placed the napkin, fork, and knife on the plate.

"You still hungry?"

"You want the polite answer or the truth?"

"Truth."

"That was the first time I had eaten in over a week. Where do you think the hole in the boot came from?" He tease, though it was the truth. Rubber might not taste good, but it was good to chew on, and makes one forget about his hunger.

"I'll send someone to bring you more. I wouldn't want you walking around with your wound." As she walked out of the room she bumped into Lilya again.

"Lilya, what are you doing?"

"Um… I came to see the Silverguard."

"Call me Adren or Axel, there is no Silverguard here." Adren replied with a smile.

She instantly brightened a little, "So Axel, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. How about you? They didn't hurt you?"

"Nah. But big sis' cannons almost made me deaf. Were you awake when they fought?"

"No, I missed it."

"That's unfortunate! big sis blew them to shreds. It was amazing!"

Rebecca smiled as her little sister praised her.

"But big sis, you should have seen Axel fight! He kicks even more butt then you do."

She arched her brow remembering the bodies that littered the ground when they entered the tavern. "Where did you learn how to fight?"

"Um, let's just say being part of the royal family allows you access to a lot of resources."

"Hmm," it didn't seem like she was satisfied with the answer.

"Grim and Legion."

She nodded and left to do well on her word of getting him more food. "Come on, Lilya. let's give him some space."

Once they left, he exhaled a sigh of relief. It was hard conversing with other people after spending five years in solitude.


Chapter 5: Silverguard's Past*

Author's Note:

Posting an extra chapter hope you guys enjoy. Please sends me some powerstones if you can to help me rise the rankings for the competition <3

***********

Knock Knock Knock

Adren woke up to the knocking on the door. For the past couple days, he had been staying inside the cabin only coming out to grab some food before slipping back into the cabin. He hadn't slept as much as he can since he was on the run.

"Are you awake yet?" Rebecca asked

"Yes, I'm awake."

The door opened and she walked in.

"I still haven't gotten your name yet."

"Haven't I mentioned it yet?" She seemed surprised by the fact, "My name is Rebecca Fyre."

"So Rebecca, I was wondering why you are always the one to check up on me. Why not just send one of your crew members?"

"The Kylmia have a tradition of new blood. Since you saved Lilya, I am vouching for you to join us. That is if you wish to. Because of this, you are my problem and mine alone."

Adren was surprised for he had never heard of these traditions before, but to be fair, he was never one that enjoyed world history.

"I'm here to check up on your wound. Usually Darren the doctor would do so, but unfortunately, he had to take care of some people who got wounded dealing with some Balki that attacked last night."

Balki, cloud sharks, nasty creatures that have a nasty bite. They typically stay in groups and attacked merchant ships.

"How is it healing up?" reaching to see for herself.

He step out of her way, "It's fine."

"Let me see."

"I'd rather you not."

"Why?"

Adren growled and turned to face her. "I have enough reminders of things I can't have. The last thing I need or want is to feel the hands of a beautiful female touching me when I know how repugnant I am to you. I'd rather bleed to death." He glanced at her hair with a bitter longing before stepping back and looking away.

"You're not repugnant."

Adren snort a rude contradiction.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that I don't believe you, Muta. I have as much evidence to prove so, including the way you involuntarily curl your lips every time you glance in my direction, as if I'm a pile of excrement someone has lit on fire and placed at your doorsteps."

A long silence followed his statement. He had originally thought she would leave after his comment but surprisingly, she didn't.

"I'm sorry." Adren was surprised that she would apologize, but what surprised him more was what she asked afterwards. "How long has it been since you slept in an actual bed?"

"A couple of months. Why?"

"Then instead of going back on the run, come back with us."

"Back where?"

"to our base. You can find work there. Safe housing where no one will hunt you. You got any skills?"

"Quite exceptional at pissing people off," he comment with a cheeky grin. She laughed, "Anything marketable?"

"I can do all sorts of tech work, from crystal encrypting, to ship design and repair. Also mercenary work."

"We can use those skills at our base. Once we make it back to base, I will get you registered to work. If you would prefer to come with us."

The Kylmia pirates, free people who come together for one common goal to survive. Maybe there he will be able to start with a new identity. Work his way up, and save enough money for his own ship. Though it was all but a far fetched plan but it did gave him hope for a better future.

"Ok, I'll try."

"Good. Let me tell Barson to change course." She turned around and spoke to someone outside the door. "Lilya, you can come in now."

Lilya's small figure slipped through the door and past her big sister. A big smile could be seen on her face. "You're going to love it at the base! By the way, do you like cookies?"

"Cookies, who doesn't, you're going to share them with me though, right?"

Rebecca looked at the two of them, "Stay out of trouble, you two."

Adren nodded to Rebecca.

"Axel, can you teach me how to fight like you do?"

"You don't have to be afraid of me, Lilya," he said softly to the girl. She was so nervous when she asked him that she was practically shaking in her seat. "You know I would never hurt you, right?"

Grimacing, Lilya scratched her nose, "You're really big, like a titan. Are all Silverguards as big as you?"

Silverguards was a name they got because Ybowen was known as a silver trove. His family had mined and sold the resource for generation, thus they were known as the Silverguards.

Once they got wealthy, greed overtook them like it does to anyone, and they started expanding and taking over other smaller empires. Thore, the empire Rebecca had once been a princess to was one of the invaded empires.

"I'm larger than a lot of others, but there are still some that are bigger than me. Yer that being said the people of Throne have much stronger and robust bodies."

Lilya gasped, "You know we are from Thore?"

"Your facial features gave it away."

"If you knew I was from Thore then why did you save me. I thought the Silverguards hated the Thores, since they invaded them."

He handed her the last cookie, "i will let you in on a little secret."

"Sure."

"One of my closest friend was from Thore."

"His name was Chris Blak. His family had died and he was sold as an attendant to my family. He was my attendant and closest friend. He would always talk about his family and how much he missed them."

"That's why you gave me your wallet to get home?"

Adren smiled, "Family is the most important thing. Never forget that."

Funny thing how he should say that given how much the Silverguards backstab each other and that he wanted his cousin's head on a spike.

"Thank you, Axel."

He brush his hand through the girl's hair, "About wanting to learn how to fight, you will have to wait till you're a little older. Focus on your studies first."

"Aw. But I'm smart enough and I'm very strong." She flexed her muscles.

"For now, let me and your brothers and sisters fight the battles for you. It's the least I could do for you given that you saved my life."

"Okay… so, Axel, you want to play a game while we wait till we get to the base? I have a bunch."

Adren smiled at the girl and her innocent enthusiasm. he couldn't remember a time when he had been so open with a stranger. Royal treachery and politics would never allow for such. As long as he could remember everyone had always wanted something from him. Even Chris.

No one in his past had ever had as pure of a heart as the girl beside him.

This was completely new terrain for him, "Sure, Lilya, What're your pleasure?"

She pulled out some cards from the cupboards. "WAR!"


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