Kings and beasts!

"Master! Master!...Father!!" Arthur's voice went from being distant to getting louder and louder.

"...Huh..Ah! Sorry! Sorry! What was I saying?"

"You said there was another reason for you wanting to die in battle?" Arthur looked perplexed as he saw a smile on Sedah's face, but not the kind of playful smile he usually wore, but a sad smile.

" ... never mind, don't worry about it!" He said while reminiscing back about all his precious memories with Lyanna. He was slightly red in the face just thinking about it.

"Father, do you have a fever?" Arthur had been confused quite a lot recently; he thought that Sedah was so strong he couldn't ever get a fever.

"Hah! I'm too strong to have a fever." Sedah thought the same of himself...

"Wait...when did you start calling me.."

"You're imagining things!!" Arthur said without a moment's notice. "Master! Master! That's what I said; you're mishearing things."

"Ah really? I could've sworn that.. never mind..Arthur.. I've been asking too much of you..to have you battle me with the intention to kill would be too cruel- pushing my ideal onto you was wrong..so don't worry about it now...and I'm sorry..or something like that." Sedah said while scratching his cheek, looking away from Arthur.

"Anyways! Just because that damm swordsman appeared for a bit doesn't mean you get to skip out on sword training. Also, we must work on your perception, and then after, I'm going to teach you more about survival skills and drill in different types of monsters, understand!?"

Arthur saddened about the fact he has to train his swordsmanship, nods his head low in spirit. However, he had gotten used to this extreme regime of training. His day typically consisted of waking up and hunting for breakfast.

Then he'd pick up any quests from the local adventurer's quest and complete it. Returning from his quest, he was then trained rigorously in both body and swordsmanship. Sometimes meditating in a waterfall to feel the magical energy around him (this was also his bathing time).

After, he'd been taught by Sedah about all kinds of monsters and survival skills. Then he'd hunt more animals or monsters for dinner. This was his schedule for six gruelling long years.

-----------------------------------------

"State your buisness!"

The King of Vastos: Cornelius Ivory Routhebolt, Age 40, had a stern, wrinkled face, and spoke bluntly, but he had an experienced mind. His hair was brown, and his beard was long; surprisingly, he had a well-built physique. He ran the country diligently, carefully and intelligently, always loyal to his people.

"Yes, my king!" The swordsman spoke with the utmost respect. "Thank you for-"

"-Cut the pleasantries and get on with it, speak wisely."

The swordsman looked up at the King of Vastos up on his throne with large steps leading towards it. Knights fully lined up along each side, decorated with armour, both their posture and spears always straight, never changing and always disciplined; the king's eyes pierced at him, looking displeased.

"-at once!" He put his head down to the floor, always kneeling, "You see there's a problem towards the North! A - "

"-I already know about all that! What kind of king would I be if I didn't know about news from neighbouring countries? I've already sent out a group to carefully observe and, if need be, kill this young boy named Shun."

"I plead with you not to kill this northern boy!"

"Hooooh ~ why is that?"

"Well, it's complicated.. but if you do, a larger threat will be on us."

"Larger threat? What is this larger threat?"

"I can't say but-"

"Silence! I will deal with this northern boy as I see fit. I have no interest in some threat you can't even speak up about!" He stroked his beard, thinking carefully, and then he spoke, "Time and time again, you have proven loyal to your kingdom, so I will bear your advice in mind, but if he does become a threat to my kingdom, he will be executed."

"Thank you, my King!"

-----------------------------------------

"Tch! This Kraucher is agile, and its bite force would easily crush my bones!" Arthur had moved with no hesitation, dodging the bite of this monster.

Krauchers are an A-Class monster. Its body is akin to that of a leopard, its fur black, with feline yellow eyes and a nose coloured blue. They have a keen sense of smell. Their teeth and claws are tough as metal; often, they sharpen their claws by scratching rocks or boulders; they have quite a vicious personality. They are extremely territorial. Most importantly, they always travel with a pack, hunting together all kinds of prey. However, Kraucher cubs are said to be quite cute and playful.

"Goddamit these things are fast!" Arthur ran fast, enchanted by the wind on his feet. Gaining a great distance between the pack of 8 krauchers' and himself, he turned around, breathing steadily. "Don't mess this up.." He had thought to himself, completely focusing on himself and the enemies in front. "Find the source of magical energy", he had thought to himself, closing his eyes and completely succumbing to his senses.

"That's it their tails!"

He opened his eyes wide, his vision filled with the jaws of one of the krauchers, but as soon as he saw the threat coming, he swung his sword vertically, seemingly only once, but the tails of all 8 krauchers had been cut off.

"RAAAAGGHHHHH!!" All 8 of them had let out a painful cry, but with even more ferocity they all charged at Arthur's head on lunging at him.

"Enough it's time to end this!" He waved his hand across the air and a high wall of earth encircled all 8 of them. He then jumped on top of the wall, looking down. You're all weak now." One of the Kraucher tried to lunge up as he opened up his palm but it was too late. Fire came spewing out, burning both their bodies and bones, the magical stones dropped were the only remains.

"Ah, these stones are quite big; they'll go for a good price; well, it's time to head to the village to collect my reward, sweet!"

Arthur went to the village and thought to himself, "Ah! This village has gotten quite big, well I guess it's more of a town now. Times flew by." He had a great, big smile on his face as he headed to the adventurers guild.

He entered seeing an array of characters,

big brutes drinking beer, singing cheerfully and dancing arm and arm:

"♫ ~ Oooooh, ooooh the great big Sedaaah, his sword so bright and his heart so big!!"

"♫ ~ Ooooh, oooh the great hero Sedaaah, his tales so valiant and his sword so bright! HAHAHAHA!! All cheers to Sedah!!!"

They all sang in unison and raised their mug of beer.

Arthur felt a little embarrassed hearing the song. The century-long war was long ago, and even though Sedah's face had been forgotten, his actions had not. But people did grow sceptical if it even ever happened. However, adventurers loved his tale, aspiring to forge their path like Sedah, whether or not it was true.

"What's all the celebration about?" Arthur said to the rough barbarians.

"Ahhhhh!!! If it isn't Arthur." They said with a great warm smile. "Come! Come! Sit! Have a drink!" They all said in unison. Offering beer to Arthur, he was loved by the people in this particular adventurer's guild and had grown quite popular.

"Ahh! I won't drink anymore!" Arthur said shaking his head.

"Come now, what's the issue? You tried it when you were younger. Hahaha!" one of the barbarians laughed heartily.

"I was 11 years old then! I can't believe you offered me a drink at that age!"

"HAHAAH! One sip and you were out like a light!"

"And that's exactly the reason why I never touched a drink again. You all just bullied me! I know better now."

"Come to think of it, you're quite taller than you used to be, and your frames much bigger. Nice defined muscles as well! How old are you now?"

"I'm 17 years old. Ah! I have to get back to master, sorry!" Arthur rushed out quickly waving one of his hands. "Bye, everyone!"

One of the barbarians scratched his head and turned to the rest, "Come to think of it, he never mentioned who his master was?"

"Who cares about that? It's time for celebration!! The country won a great victory against Coldera."

"Your right, your right! It seems Vastos has greater odds of winning the war now. Cheers!" Everyone raised their mugs again with great, big smiles!