章 16: The tale of Voren, The Steelheart Wanderer
I come from a distant land on a journey of self-discovery. My path is not one easily understood by naive minds. To you, it may seem as though I was following you, but I was merely following my destiny. So tell me, Lady Knottingwell, why do you seem distressed?" The man's deep voice answered the girl's question. Sara studied the man with a cold glare before shaking her head.
"Is that supposed to reassure me? I do not know you, mister, and frankly, I do not care about your destiny or whatever it is that told you to follow me around. Or are you one of the low lives that rape and kill young women? If so, then you are the worst of their kind to attempt to do such a thing in the holy cathedral. Don't you fear the Lord's wrath?" She calmly intoned, her left hand moving to her necklace. He calmly observed her and smiled.
"I assure you, Lady Knottingwell, I am not a man of that caliber. I go by many names: some call me The Blackguard Avenger, Steelheart Wanderer, Rogue Paladin, Blackbound Outlaw, Crimson Renegade, Ironclad Outcast, Scarlet Saboteur, Lone Wolf Crusader, Forsaken Champion. These are all my names, but you can call me Voren." Sara's eyes went wide the moment he started calling out his names. Here in Sif'ur, everyone knew the tale of The Steelheart Wanderer, but as the daughter of Sedna, she knew more than the average person about Voren, The Steelheart Wanderer.
In the land of Nesa'i, where verdant forests met jagged mountains, and ancient rivers carved through valleys of stone, there lived a man known as Voren the Steelheart Wanderer. His name was whispered through taverns and noble courts alike, synonymous with resilience and honor, forged through a life of hardship and adventure.
Voren's journey began as a knight in the service of King Baihan, a benevolent ruler whose kingdom flourished under his just hand. Voren was a loyal and skilled warrior, his prowess with a blade unmatched, and with his honorable sword, Sika, he was a foe no one wanted to come across. However, fate's cruel twist came during the Siege of Aldergrove, where betrayal from within the king's council led to Baihan's downfall. Framed for the treachery, Voren was stripped of his title and exiled, branded a traitor.
As he wandered the lands, disowned and dishonored, Voren's heart grew as hard as steel, yet he remained steadfast in his principles. His travels took him to distant villages plagued by bandits, towns suffering under the yoke of corrupt lords, and cities where the cries of the oppressed echoed through the streets. Everywhere he went, Voren fought for those who could not defend themselves, his sword a beacon of hope in a world shadowed by injustice.
One evening, under a blood-red sunset, Voren arrived at the village of Hallowell. The villagers spoke of a fearsome warlord named Vehema Montri, whose band of marauders extorted the town for gold and resources. The villagers had tried to resist, but their efforts were met with ruthless violence.
Determined to help, Voren devised a plan. He spent days in the village, training the townsfolk in the art of defense and guerrilla tactics. The blacksmith, a stout man named Thrain, reforged Voren's old armor, embedding it with inscriptions of protection that glowed with a faint blue light under the stars' serene gaze.
When Vehema and his men arrived to collect their tribute, they found the village seemingly abandoned. As they ransacked the empty homes, Voren and the villagers launched their ambush. Using the element of surprise, they struck swiftly and with precision. Voren, clad in his newly forged armor, was a whirlwind of steel, his blade dancing through the enemy ranks.
The battle was fierce. Vehema himself, a towering brute with a spiked mace, confronted Voren in the center of the village square. Their clash was like thunder, each strike reverberating through the night air. Vehema's strength was immense, but Voren's resolve was unbreakable. With a final, decisive blow, Voren disarmed the warlord and ended his reign of terror.
The villagers celebrated their victory, hailing Voren as their savior. Despite their gratitude, Voren knew his journey was far from over. He refused offers of wealth and land, choosing instead to continue his wandering. His mission was not yet complete; there were still those in need of a protector.
As he departed Hallowell, the villagers bestowed upon him a new title: "The Steelheart Wanderer," in honor of his unyielding spirit and unbroken heart. With each step he took into the unknown, Voren carried their hopes and dreams, a solitary knight forever bound to the road, his legend growing with every new tale of his heroism.
Thus, Voren the Steelheart Wanderer became a symbol of endurance and justice, his name echoing through the ages as a reminder that even in the darkest times, a heart of steel can forge a path to the light. This was the story of the Steelheart Wanderer, but this was the version told to regular people. The real story was a little different. For a man with so many titles, each title had its own story. So when the man in front of her claimed to be Voren, she thought he could not be lying. No one would want to claim that name and the weight it bears.
Sara hesitated, her grip tightening around her necklace. 'If you are truly Voren,' she said slowly, 'then prove it. Show me your sword.' Voren nodded, understanding her caution. He unsheathed his blade, Sika, revealing the intricate inscriptions that glowed faintly in the candlelight. Sara's breath caught. It was exactly as described in the legends, both the fake version and the original. It was rumored that no one else could remove the sword from the scabbard other than him. His short, damp, messy hair stuck to his forehead, and his untrimmed beard gave him a regal appearance. His skin was tanned because of his countless travels, and his black pupils made it seem as if one was staring straight into a bottomless abyss. Yet, there was also a regal charm about him.
Sara's eyes were glued to the man before her. A living legend was standing in front of her. Sara was not yet a Konqueror, but she had artifacts that helped her sense Arcanum, and she could now feel it leaking out from him. She did not know whether he leaked it out on purpose to help her realize he was being truthful or it was so immense his body could not contain all of it.
"Why are you here?" Sara asked, her tone now mixed with fear and respect.
Sighing heavily, Voren facepalmed. "I told you I was guided here. Do not ask me by who; some things are better left alone. All you need to know is I did not just stumble upon this place, and you did not just bump into me for no reason. Our meeting was arranged by destiny." Voren's explanation still did not make sense to Sara, but she kept it to herself.
"So what now?" She asked, not sure of what to do. "Do you have a place to stay?" Voren shook his head.
"The wilderness is my home, so do not worry about me. Now please tell me, what is troubling you?" he asked.
The tears in her eyes began falling down as she remembered the reason she was in the cathedral. "He left. I saw him leaving with that man he calls his cousin, and he did not even look at me when I tried to stop him." Sara spoke as she remembered what happened.
"Every step he took felt like a dagger in my heart. We were supposed to be together on the day of the moonlight festival, and now he's gone," Sara said, her voice breaking. She wiped her tears with a trembling hand. "I followed him up until he reached the gates hoping he'd turn around, hoping he'd see how much I needed him. But he never did."
Voren listened intently, his expression softening. "Sometimes, people must walk their paths alone. It does not mean they do not care, but that their journey demands solitude."
Voren placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, Sara stiffened a bit before relaxing. "You have a strength within you, Lady Knottingwell. It is evident in your resolve to confront me, a stranger, without hesitation. Use that strength to find your path. Do not let his absence define your worth."
Sara looked up at him, finding an unexpected comfort in his words. "Thank you, Voren. Maybe... maybe you're right. I just need to figure out who I am without him."
Voren nodded. "And you will. Destiny brought us together for a reason. Trust in the journey, even when it seems uncertain."
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