By Bryant

This story of reincarnation is not one featuring a hero put on a pedestal from the day they are reborn. No, those people get corrupted by this nations royalty and live like kings until they take their last breath, they become tyrants while the rest who have no money die of starvation, and if by a miracle they manage to survive they don't survive the falling of sprites

Our nation is built on a history of war with the Areta also known as the dark sprites. They live on nothing but the suffering of humans, so in short the more we fear them the stronger they become. Naturally our nation was a definite target for them and we have been at war with them for decades it seemed we were to be nothing more than a buffet setting to them, the ideal place for the Areta to thrive. I couldn't stand it, but i could do nothing to stop it. I was a humble bodyguards in service to my country, I was granted the great honor of being in charge of military affairs in the castle, and when you consider the fact I am nothing special that is a big deal. My swordsmanship was negligible at best, I wasn't rich, nor was I a prodigy, I had no affinity for magic in-spite of been predicted as a mage. In fact the only real reason the title was bestowed upon me was because my tactical skills were a little higher than the rest due to my many years of experience. I was just too powerless to attempt anything.

"This is getting out of hand" I said no longer able to hold it in, "We can't keep ignoring the cries of the people as we continued protect the Charisin, the very people who should give us shelter," I said this to everyone that would lend me an ear. I begged and pleaded while naively thinking to myself "Surely I'm not the only one who cares for the people, there must be someone who will hear my words," those words ran through my mind repeatedly back then.

Word of what I was doing had now made its way to the king and I was summoned at once,

"Soldier, what have you been saying down there," he said with a voice so cold it could stop demons in their tracks, "I hear you are dissatisfied with the way things are run in my country." I thought in that moment that it were a great opportunity to talk to the king on the matter, however if I said anything to displeaseDI will immediately be revoked of my position as a noble's bodyguard.

"My king," I started "It has come to my attention that the people in your country are suffering, while I know that their lives serve you no purpose I humbly ask that you spare them some food and protection." The king thought for a moment, and then laughed a wicked and empty sound "You wish for me to 'protect' these people, these lower life forms. Ha don't be absurd." He warned me that he would have me executed if he heard word of this again, but I could no longer be silent, and carry out his orders, I had to do something, anything.

As I walked down the castle halls I met a man, he came to me saying "Do you wish to protect those who cannot protect themselves" I was awed at how bold he was to say this in such a bold manner, and in the castle halls no less, it was something even I didn't dare to do. I didn't give him an answer then because before I could he had disappeared. "Where could this strange man that stood right before me have gone?" I thought to myself, "Could I have imagined him?" Then I saw a letter on the floor; it was an invitation and it said

"Dear gallant hero

I wish to speak with you personally, however I fear they may use that as an opportunity to claim my head so I would ask you to meet me where the 'sun meets the moon' in three days

By: Uknown "

I spent about two days trying to find meaning in the phrase but found nothing. I tried moon river, the sun garden everything I could think of but no luck. My time limit was nearing its end so I decided to take my map mark off all the places I had visited in hopes of narrowing my search. After hours of searching I narrowed it down to one place, the baliot's lair. Its a secluded place no one cares about anymore, and in the lair of the baliot there is a legend that says the eye of the Baliot stores the heat from the sun, and once a year when the moon is fully aligned with it's eye releases the sunlight directly at the full moon creating what we call the blood moon. It's considered one of the most beautiful shades of scarlet in the continent. However no one has confirmed this because no person who enters ever comes out the same and so over time it became written as just a rumor spread by the one person that came back alive from the lair. His name was Norman Adler and he uttered these words till his dying breath.

I did not think myself above him when I entered the lair, no, the thought never crossed my mind. All I knew was I needed to meet this man. I had questions for him, and they needed answers.