Chapter 11: Rohan

(Chapter 11 Rohan)

"Take down... Your Father, Young Master?"

Rohan looked at Tempest with confusion, wondering if what he heard was right or if he simply misheard it.

"That's right. Well?"

Tempest looked at Rohan. his face bearing no emotions and impossible to read.

'I might throw him overboard if he declines...'

Tempest thought to himself.

"Can I ask you something first before I give you my answer? Young Master?"

Rohan asked him, the cold breeze of the night chilling him to the bone. Tempest's glare made the frigid air even more unbearable, piercing through the darkness with an intensity that seemed to freeze the very atmosphere around them.

"What is it?"

Tempest simply asked him.

"Why do you want to replace your Father? Young Master? And what do you intend to do next once you've done it?"

Rohan asked him a question, his voice trembling slightly. He gulped, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead, betraying his nervousness.

Tempest turned his head away and began gazing at the sea, contemplating whether he should reveal the truth about his relationship with his Father.

"I hate my Father... It's as simple as that. When I replace him, my first act will be to restore House Proudmoore's allegiance to Fontaine and the Hydro Archon. I want to see my house serve with honor and pride once more, just as it did in the days of old."

Tempest answered his question while still gazing at the sea.

"So the rumors are true about you, Young Master."

"What rumors?"

Tempest finally glanced at him, wanting to know what these rumors were.

"About the rumor about you and your Father were not actually close all along. I actually noticed it as well, Young Master, after spending two years being a knight for the Proudmoores."

Rohan tells him.

"Is that so? Yes, it is true, we've never been close..."

Tempest answered and again started to gaze back into the sea.

"I want to stop him before he sells my sister to Snezhnaya. I need to end his dealings with the Fatui once and for all. More than anything, I want to kill him, for hurting me when I was young, for hurting my mother, for stealing my emotions away. I want to kill him."

Tempest curled his right hand into a fist, the hatred in his heart burning like wildfire. Despite the intense emotions raging within him, his face remained as emotionless and unreadable as ever, his mask concealing the storm brewing beneath.

Tempest heard the unmistakable sound of a sword being unsheathed behind him, his eyes widening with surprise. Without hesitation, he felt the Pyro Delusion in his pocket activate, and suddenly his entire left arm was infused with Pyro, forming a fiery gauntlet. Swiftly, he turned around and aimed his blazing left hand at Rohan's neck.

"Y-Young Master!?"

Before Tempest could grab his neck and throw him overboard, he noticed Rohan kneeling on the ship's floor. Rohan had reversed his sword, with the tip of the blade pinned to the deck, a gesture signifying a knight's pledge of loyalty to someone.

"You..."

"I accept! If you truly intend to restore the Proudmoores to their original purpose, then I gladly accept. It would be an honor to serve as your knight, Your Grace."

Rohan said while bowing his head.

"I almost killed you... Get up, someone might catch us, and don't call me 'Your Grace'."

Tempest narrowed his eyes at the title 'Your Grace' from Rohan. Nonetheless, he extended his right hand towards Rohan. With a smile, Rohan accepted the gesture and stood up.

"That was terrifying... You had a Pyro Vision all along? Young Master?"

Rohan asked him, as he looked at the fiery gauntlet at Tempest's left hand.

"No, this is a Pyro Delusion."

He said after a few moments the Pyro Delusion in Tempest's pocket dimmed and returned back to its original state, the fiery gauntlet subsided shortly.

"A Delusion? From the Fatui?"

Rohan asked him, his eyes widening slightly as he sheathed his sword back into its scabbard on his hip.

"Yes, it was a gift from the Knave. She visited the mansion yesterday, attempting to convince me to join the Fatui. I refused, but as a sign of goodwill, she left me this."

Tempest took out the Pyro Delusion in his pocket and showed it to Rohan.

"I see, I heard these things can make you bend the elements like Visions, but with a cost to its user... Young Master, are you sure you should be using it?"

Rohan said, a tinge of concern in his voice.

"I will use anything in my arsenal to take down my Father, Rohan. So far, it hasn't given me any side effects despite using it twice already."

Tempest explained to him.

"I see... Just don't overuse it, Young Master."

"Mhm, well enough of that, Tell me about yourself, Rohan."

Tempest said stoically and Rohan raised an eyebrow at Tempest's question.

"Me? What do you want to know, Young Master?"

"Anything."

Tempest simply said, not even looking at him as he was back gazing at the sea, Rohan thought for a moment then he answered.

"My full name is Rohan Silverash. I am seventeen years old and I was born in Fleuve Cendre in the court. My Mother raised me alone for four years until my Father was released from the Fortress of Meropide."

"Fleuve Cendre? Where is that?"

Tempest asked Rohan.

"It's an underground gray area beneath the Court of Fontaine, where the Gardes have limited access. Many residents have spent time in the Fortress of Meropide and seek a new life there. It's also a refuge for the less fortunate residents of Fontaine."

Rohan explained, his face slightly darkened, remembering the times he spent down there.

"My apologies, for not knowing."

Tempest apologized but his face remained the same.

"It's fine, Young Master. My Father taught me swordsmanship down there for a few years. Thanks to his experience as a sellsword, I learned many of his techniques and adapted them into my own style over the years. I was called a genius in the sword down there, Ha, how naive was back then... So I left that dump when I turned fifteen."

Tempest listened intently to his story, he watched him take a deep breath and he then continued.

"I originally did not plan to become a knight of the Golden Hand, Young Master, I wanted to become a Champion Duelist to the court."

"Interesting, what stopped you?"

Tempest asked him.

"I wanted to become rich and a noble, to be honest. So I can make my parents retire, the quickest path to achieving both was through becoming a Champion Duelist. So, I entered the entrance exam for it thinking it would be a breeze. My opponent was a woman two years younger than me, with long dark blue hair and bright purple eyes."

Rohan sighed before continuing.

"I was ignorant and stupid back then. I thought I was skilled with the sword and would win easily, but I was wrong. Hard work cannot always overcome natural talent. I failed miserably, her sword techniques were like something out of a fairytale, reminiscent of the Marachaussee Hunter from the books I read as a child."

"What was her name?"

Tempest asked him, eager to know who this person was.

"I think her name was... Clorinde."

Rohan tells him.

"I see... So how did you end up in Stormwind?"

"When I lost to her I was disqualified immediately... But I saw an opportunity after that, Stormwind was recruiting people, so I used all my money to get a boat to Stormwind, even though my parents tried to convince me not to go there because they didn't want me to become a knight for the Proudmoores, no offense, Young Master."

"None taken."

Tempest immediately answered.

"My hard work was recognized in Stormwind, and within just a few months, I became one of its youngest knights. That defeat in the duel humbled me and made me realize that I'm not special, I'm simply hard-working. Though I'm not rich, Stormwind pays well and I'm happy I could send money back to my parents who raised me in a harsh environment."

Rohan smiled after finishing his story.

"Well, you're going to be special, because once we take down my Father you will be the new Commander of the Knights."