prologue

Early in the morning just before dawn he was kicked awake by his master. "Start the forge you waste if space!" The master snorts with contempt as he walks away to wake his other slaves. Up and about the slave walks to the forge as he begins to light it. Of all 10 slaves that were owned by this man he was number 3. Because the slaves had no names they would refer to each other by there numbers and the numbers determined by the order in which you were purchased. As always In the morning him and the others would start the forge and begin there task.1-5 would be getting the list from there master and actually forge weapons according to how there master instructed them. Slaves were forbidden to hold weapons so the blacksmith had to but the edge on the weapons himself. While the rest of the slaves were made to take old armours soldiers often dropped off, purify them and then make them into bars of steel which would later be forged into whatever was required from the people who order from their masters shop. 3 was a slave his entire life and never In his mind questioned anything. "I'm alive and that's good enough for me " he would say to himself when he worked. Picking up a peice of steel he began to stick it into the furnace untill it was a nice golden color by the heat. Then he hammered out into whatever shape was required of him, today was a sword. 3 was skillful as a blacksmith and if he wasn't a slave he would've been renowned as the five forging slaves are what made the blacksmiths shop so prestigious. As 3 quenched a sword his fellow slaves 2 and 5 walked over to him. "you will be beaten if he sees you not working." 3 said to his friends with a frown. "we need to talk." 2 said as he began to continue talking he looked around and made sure that his master was our of earshot. "me and 5 have decided to escape as we all have wanted to live our own lives. there's an army coming and the city will be under siege soon we think this is the perfect time to go." 2 said as he cleared his throat and showed his determination. 3 nodded, he never really needed anything except his friends "as long as we're alive" he said showing that he was in on it. They went back to work and wanted for their opportunity.Outside on a hill not far from the city and army was outside on a military campaign. As of recently the two country's of silt and axium have been at war, while the country of axium had the advantage at the battlefront because of there superior iron weaponry the country of silt were kings of siege warfare taking town after town. Trying to seize weapons for there own the country of silt has decided to attack the blacksmith town of fredrickson to steal weapons and strike a blow to there enemies. The silt army tactics while genious were quite simple. Huge amounts of coal and wood were burned as they began to send smoke into the air untill the smoke carried by the wind was upon the city. with all the smoke the city guard was unable to see more than a few meters in front of them.As the smoke went into the sky the army would send men clad in grey armour with seige ladders and rams,and as they advance their prey could not see them approach.The city guard captain knew something was wrong as silt began to fall from the sky. Bells were sounded as they and the able bodied men of the city armed themselves and rushed to bar the gate as they prepared for there enemy. Rushing towards the gate they were about to bar the it but as soon as they were about to a battering ram broke through the gate as silt soldiers charged through and ladders with enemy soldiers on them climbed the wall and began there attack. Hearing the commotion outside 1,4 6,7,8,9 and 10 rushed outside. They had not planned to escape but seeing the opportunity ran at the slightest sign of freedom. At the same time three soldiers with rope ran towards the wall at the side of the city. looking back 3 said "shouldn't we go get the others we'll be stronger in numbers." he said as he watched his other slaves mates attempt to escape. No sooner than he said that the black smith who was in armor himself ran into the slaves that were still clearly dressed in there slave rags. "You trying to escape aren't ye." he growled unleashing a killing intent as he leaped and began killing his escaping slaves. Seeing this 3 could not contain his emotion "You monster!" the yell somehow catching the blacksmiths attention despite the battle happening before them. The blacksmith however recognized them through the armor and began to give chase with a murderous smile on his face. "run" the thought running through each of there minds as the ran to the wall casting the rope the stole over the side of the wall and began scurrying down. Running away from the city somehow unnoticed by the army that was attacking the city they ran untill they couldn't and needed to take a break. Laying on the ground they laughed together realizing they escaped. After a while 5 voiced the thought that they needed to hear. How were they supposed to get food. As slaves they knew only to forge and doubted they could catch anything. 3 speaking with confidence spoke " we could just steal from whoever passes by in the future." Not knowing much of the world they nodded and began to find a place to sleep. Hours later they heard saw someone on a horse and thought they had there first target. While stealing from the smith they had taken full armor with a sword and shield. Filled with ignorant confidence they ran towards the horse that was running towards them now. Yanking the reigns to a stop the man jumped of the horse with a large sword in his hand. Fear rushed through them as they saw the face of the man,it was the blacksmith. "no no no no no." 2 and 5 began to say with horror written on their faces as they began to run.3 for some reason stayed with his hand on his drawn sword and his shield in the other. " well would you look who's balled dropped." The smith said with a smile as he took a fighters stance with his large sword in front his head and his feet spread out. 3 thinking he could buy time for 2 and 5 who were creating distance between where he was and them he ran at his former master with with the determination to kill him. Still smiling the man took a step back and with a practiced stab struck him with the sword in his stomach. 3 fell over with pain coughing blood. seeing him in this state the black smith went to the horse and pulled out a strange device. it was a long metal peice with a tube like end that he could not identify. The black point the end of this barrel like tube towards 3's still running companion's. looking through a tube a glass on top of that he set his sights on five and pulled a small tab at the bottom. A loud sound could be heard as in the distance 5 fell over with a hole in his neck. "two down one to go. " said the former master with a evil glint in his eye. seeing that his friend would die if he used that weapon again 3 steeled himself and stood up with sheer willpower. The sword in his stomach sent pain through his entire body as he walked behind his former master. The former master not turning around to see the noise which he thought was 3 convulsing with his last breathes stuck a peice of metal into his weapon and took aim. It only took a second. 3 used all he had left and ripped the sword out his stomach and rammed it into his old master's right after a shot fired off. Seeing his friend fall too he fell along with his old master onto the dirt light surrounded him as he died thinking "and here I thought we were gonna have some magical adventure as a he died.