Selection of the king's bodyguards

"We need to get close to the king if we're going to have any chance of killing him," Ryker said, her eyes scanning the bustling streets of Kragnir.

"But how?" Arin asked, his brow furrowed in concern. "The king's guards are the best in the land. We'll never get past them."

"We need a plan," Erian said, his mind working overtime. "Something that will get us close to the king without arousing suspicion."

"I think I have an idea," Thorne said, a sly grin spreading across his face. "I've heard that the king is holding a contest to select his new royal bodyguards. If we can win that contest, we'll be granted access to the king himself."

"That's a great idea!" Ryker exclaimed. "But we'll need to be careful. We can't let our true identities be discovered."

"Agreed," Erian said. "We'll need to keep our wits about us and our skills sharp if we're going to pull this off."

The four friends nodded in agreement, their minds racing with the possibilities. They knew it wouldn't be easy, but they were determined to see their mission through to the end.

As they made their way to the contest, they could feel the weight of their task bearing down on them. They knew that they were taking a huge risk, but they also knew that it was a risk worth taking.

The selection process for the King's bodyguards was a rigorous one, with only the most skilled warriors eligible to compete. The contest was held in the grand arena, with the King himself in attendance.

The four friends, Ryker, Erian, Arin, and Thorne, had all decided to enter the competition, eager to prove their worth. The contest consisted of various challenges, including sword fighting, archery, and hand-to-hand combat.

In the sword fighting portion of the contest, Arin and Thorne faced off against each other. Despite their lack of strength, they had developed a unique fighting style that relied on strategy and agility.

Arin, with his quick reflexes, dodged Thorne's attacks with ease, using his smaller stature to his advantage. Thorne, on the other hand, used his longer reach to keep Arin at bay, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

The crowd watched in awe as the two friends clashed swords, their movements swift and precise. In the end, they both emerged victorious, their skills evenly matched.

Ryker and Erian also impressed the judges with their sword fighting skills, their strength and technique leaving the competition in the dust.

After the contest, the King himself announced the winners: Ryker, Erian, Arin, and Thorne. They had proven themselves to be the most skilled warriors in the land, and were thus chosen to be the King's bodyguards.

The four friends stood proudly, their swords held high, as the crowd cheered and chanted their names. They had done it; they had achieved the first goal and were closer to killing the king and completing their challenge.

As they walked away from the arena, Ryker turned to the others with a smile. "We did it, friends. We're the King's bodyguards now."

Erian nodded, his eyes shining with pride. "We make a good team. Let's keep it that way."

Arin and Thorne grinned at each other, their bond stronger than ever. "We may not be the strongest," Arin said, "but we've got brains and strategy on our side."

Thorne chuckled. "And we've got each other's backs. That's all that matters."

As the new royal bodyguards, Ryker, Erian, Arin, and Thorne were tasked with protecting the king at all times. They started their work with vigilance, always on the lookout for potential threats.

At first, they were met with skepticism by the other guards, who doubted their physical appearance and saw them as strangers and outsiders. But they quickly proved themselves to be skilled and dedicated, earning the respect of their colleagues and identified themselves as Kragnirs.

However, as they followed the king to the temple, they were faced with a new challenge. The king worshiped at the altar of strange gods, gods that were unfamiliar to the Eridorians.

"This is madness," Ryker whispered to Erian as they stood guard outside the temple. "We can't just pretend to worship these gods. It goes against everything we believe in."

"I know," Erian replied, his voice low. "But we have no choice. We have to do this if we want to get close to the king."

Arin and Thorne nodded in agreement, their faces set with determination. They knew that this was a difficult task, but they were willing to do whatever it took to complete their mission.

As they entered the temple, they were struck by the strange symbols and artifacts that adorned the walls. The air was thick with incense, and the sound of chanting filled the air.

The king approached the altar, his eyes closed in reverence. Ryker, Erian, Arin, and Thorne followed him, their hearts heavy with the weight of their deception.

They went through the motions of worship, pretending to pray and make offerings to the strange gods. But their hearts were not in it, and they couldn't shake the feeling that they were betraying their own beliefs.

As they left the temple, Ryker turned to the others with a troubled expression. "I don't know how much longer I can keep this up," she said. "It feels like we're losing ourselves in this charade."

Erian placed a hand on her shoulder. "We'll get through this," he said. "We have to. We owe it to our people to see this through."

Arin and Thorne nodded in agreement, their faces set with determination. They knew that this was a difficult task, but they were willing to do whatever it took to complete their mission.

And so they continued on, pretending to be loyal bodyguards, all the while waiting for the perfect moment to strike. But as they delved deeper into the world of Kragnir, they couldn't shake the feeling that they were losing themselves in the process.