Chapter One Draft

This is the first chapter of my new project. It's a lot slower than the Prologue, as this is just the beginning, so bear with me, it will pick up in the next few chapters. Also, it's a lot shorter than the Prologue.

CHAPTER ONE

In the years since her split with the Order of Protectors, Rain had never enjoyed her freedom more.

She walked down the dirt road, a lone traveler in the chilly autumn afternoon. The trees nearby did little to shield her from the wind’s embrace. Her cloak whipped around her legs, forcing her to put a hand to her side to keep the article in place. If she chose, she could simply ignore the cold, but she sometimes liked to appear to be a normal person, instead of the powerful magic user that she was.

She crested a hill and spotted her destination through the trees. Padau was a large town that sprawled across the fields bordering the eastern woodlands of Aldera. It was only midday, but she had not slept in a real bed for two weeks, and felt that she deserved the break. Her journey was only going to grow even more difficult as she traveled farther north.

Four months ago, King Dehan had been assassinated in his palace in Therin, the capital city of Aldera, in the northern region. Rumors had spread like wildfire across the nation. Some stories told of a legion of fiery demons that came in the middle of the night, killing hundreds of people. Other tales spoke of a single man, wielding a Crysblade, burning his way through the palace. Rain suspected that the latter may be true; after all, the news of Renker’s death had reached her as well. Like her, Renker had found his own path, away from the scheming of the elders.

But now, he was gone as well. The thought made her uncomfortable. He had been an excellent swordsman, one of the few who used a perfect blend of might and magic to defeat his opponents. He had also been one of her closest friends.

Rain put a hand to the violet scarf she wore around her neck, the ends hanging down her back. Only a handful of Protectors ever fully mastered the ability to actually change a Crysblade into something else, so as to disguise it. Rain liked to be able to enter a room full of people without a sword looming over her shoulder at them.

Reassuring herself of the scarf’s existence was a habit she had developed recently. The world seemed unstable since the king’s and Renker’s deaths, as if everything she had known were coming undone.

Aldera had known peace for decades. Soon after Dehan’s death, though, his brother Tordain vied for control of the throne with Gedric, Dehan’s son and rightful heir. Almost immediately, Tordain and a group of nobles retreated to the southern lands, and the kingdom was divided. Suddenly, in the midst of civil war, soldiers who were supposed to serve the crown returned to their homes, fearful of what their own countrymen would do.

It had all happened too fast, in Rain’s opinion. That was part of the reason why she was heading north. Despite her departure from the Order, she still felt it was her duty to end conflicts and seek the truth whenever possible. She intended to see who had murdered one of the few friends she had in the world, and uncover the reasons behind Tordain’s secession.

She came to the top of another hill, trying to clear her head. The landscape in these parts was beautiful: green fields, ample for farming, extended for miles, bordered by the woodland she stood in. She spotted several farmhouses as she set off again. Most of the men in and around Padau were farmers. Some of these families had lived here for generations.

Judging the distance, Rain guessed that she was just under a mile away from the town proper. Hopefully, the people of this town would be accommodating. Despite the way folk tended to react toward Protectors these days, Rain tried to keep a positive attitude. She wanted to remind them that there was still some good to be seen in the Order.

Rain took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air. After having spent most of her life in a city, she found the openness of the countryside both inviting and soothing. Even with the chill in the air, she found the familiar presence of the trees comforting. They reminded of her of her childhood, though most of it had become foggy over the years.

One memory that she could always grasp was a time when she would explore the forests near her home with her father. He had been a woodsman, guiding travelers to the correct trails that would send them to their destination. He had taught her everything he knew, hoping that she could make a living following in his footsteps.

And then he had passed on, only days before Rain’s eleventh birthday. Even now, fourteen years later, she recognized it as the turning point in her life, which had eventually led to her desire to be a Protector.

Presently, she came to the edge of the woods, stopping on the tall hill that overlooked the town beyond. Finally free of the shade of the treetops, the world seemed to turn brighter as she moved on down the slope. The road widened as it extended toward the town.

Despite the reputation Protectors carried with them, Rain enjoyed being around other people. She had not seen another person in two weeks, choosing to camp in the wilderness. It made for faster traveling, but she missed the company that others offered.

At last, she stepped into the town, walking between the houses that lined the street. Most of the men were working in the fields, harvesting as much as they could during the day. Their children, those not old enough to help with household chores, were free to play through the streets. They gawked at the strange traveler that entered their town. Rain flashed them a smile, and they went about their games, unaware of the fear most people regarded her with. Their mothers, however, were not as welcoming, scowling at her as she passed by.

She found the sign she wanted, a painting of a shepherd’s crook above the door of a two-story building. A smaller sign hung from the first, depicting a mug. The signs marked the building as both an inn and a tavern. Many merchants passed through Padau to buy the produce grown in the region, as well as other travelers heading to the larger cities in the north.

Rain turned the handle and pushed open the door. The tables in the dining room faced toward a stage for entertainment for the patrons. The main counter was to her left, a door behind it leading to the kitchen. Only a few men were there, eating their midday meal. The inn would see more business later that night as the workers came in for the day.

A portly man stood behind the counter, idly wiping the pristine surface with a cloth. He looked up as Rain approached. His eyes lit up as he recognized what she was. Her unusual garb always made her stand out. While most women wore dresses, she wore tan shorts and a lightweight blue shirt, pulled snug by a sleeveless white vest that flared out at the bottom. The violet scarf and cloak completed the outfit.

“Welcome to Padau, traveler,” the innkeeper said, keeping a polite smile on his face.

“Hello,” Rain said, smiling pleasantly. “I’d like to rent a room for a few nights, please.”

He eyed her suspiciously, most likely wondering what a Protector would want in his town. “That’ll be one silver mark per night,” he stated, remaining stiffly formal.

She reached into one of the pouches on her belt and produced a single gold mark, worth ten silver marks. “I believe this will cover the expense.”

“Yes, that’s correct,” he replied quickly, taking the coin from her. He bent down and pulled a box from beneath the counter. He unlocked it and deposited the coin within. “If you’ll follow me, I will show you to your room.”

He came out from behind the counter and led her through the dining room to the staircase in the back. They ascended to the second floor, and he led her to the second door on the right side of the hallway. He reached into the pocket on his shirt and grabbed a key. He unlocked the door and handed the key to Rain.

“Is there anything else I can get for you?” he asked. His initial mistrust seemed to have faded now that she had paid for the room.

“I would like a meal brought up, please,” she answered, handing him a silver mark.

“Right away, ma’am,” he said, heading back down the staircase. Rain entered the room and observed her surroundings. A bed sat in the far left corner, a nightstand with a candle standing next to it, and a wooden trunk resting at the foot of the frame. A brass tub and a washbasin were located against the wall to her right. She grinned; after two weeks on the road, a real bath would be welcome.

Light shone through the window above the bed. Rain crossed the room, throwing her cloak down onto the bed. She removed the four pouches from her belt, setting them on top of the cloak. They were filled with an assortment of items, including two extra sets of clothing, carefully rolled up so as to fit inside the belt pouches.

A soft knock on the doorframe made her turn, noticing the serving woman. Nervously, she handed a platter with a large dome covering to Rain. She opened her mouth to thank the woman, but she hastily retreated down the stairs.

Rain sighed. It was always the same. Paying it no heed, she closed the door and locked it. She placed the platter on the nightstand; she would open it in a few minutes.

Carefully, she unwrapped the scarf from around her neck and held it straight. It stiffened and began folding in upon itself, transforming into an elegant, single-edged blade. Like her gloves, the crystal housed in the blade was a pale violet.

Violet suited her nature. As a mixture of red and blue, she was able to help others or destroy them. The dichotomy made the color difficult to wield; few other Protectors chose to use it, instead staying with the primary colors.

Holding the blade in her hand made her feel secure. The uncertainty she had been facing since Renker’s death faded, leaving behind steely resolve. She would find his murderer, and make the criminal pay for his crimes.

Finally, her routine complete, she sat down on the edge of the bed. She removed the covering of the platter and was assaulted by the scent of cooked meat, potatoes, and steamed vegetables. She intended to enjoy this meal.