Chapter 2: Noblese Oblige 

Chapter 2: Noblese Oblige

Heiro and Jakob came to a halt. They didn't even hear the soldiers trekking through the woodlands, let alone see them before they were set upon. Heiro sent out a cautionary pulse of preception, which explained why. Cin, which explained why.

'Legionnaires don't tarry nor make noise outside of commandment orders.' He should know; he spent his formative years in the legion, as did all Hwedo.

Their feet slammed together, and they saluted. Customary legion salute and one denoting to their service to the empire.

"Corporal. I'm Herio, of clan Hwedo."

"Lance Corporal. I'm Jakob, no clan of note."

Captain Lagos scouts discovered the two men before him hours ago. They could have avoided the two, but the scouts and the lady with the boy mentioned the fragment. He regarded the two men as his preception flowed over them.

He sighed internally. The boy was a noble squire. He was afforded specific protection inside the legion; like most of his ancestry, he would be protected by a contingent of legionaries when out on missions. His mission was for him to defeat the ferocious wolf pack that had been stalking King's road. This man-made his job easier but placed themselves in the way of pompous noble with a sense of grandeur.

Lagos didn't look toward the lesser man. Hwedo wasn't nobility but is still considered a member of the aristocracy. No clan of note meant many things, but usually, your forefathers weren't great individuals and a possible lineage of mortal cultivators.

He queried. "Levyman, Wolf brigade?"

Heiro decided to communicate, not missing the disregard of his sworn brother. "As you say, Captain. I served ten consecutive years as has all the lineage of Hwedo."

Heiro cut his eyes toward Jakob, but the man was a statue and remained in salute. He sighed, but it wasn't worth the trouble. He refocused on the Captian.

Posed strikingly in purple and gold atop a formidable beast bread for war and marching, the nobleman interrupted.

"I'm aware of the most prominent local clans," he said languidly. "Yet, Hwedo isn't one of the clans that have stood out regarding Kingswall protection."

Hwedo shifted toward the noble and bowed his head, teeth gritted. "Apologies. Hwedo clan has suffered a generational loss during the last beast tide. We defended an area abandoned..." He didn't finish as Lagos's aura spiked, and the man stared at him intensely.

He looked down at Heiro. "Ah. Excuses. I don't dare to waste time and continue this line of discussion; clans such as yours are like weeds anyway," he looked toward Jakob. "And this commoner with you, an archer, is he even a good shot? I can't imagine his family having a heritage to pass down." He said, causing Jakob to raise his head with dark cloudy eyes.

Captain Lagos turned and silently communicated to the smiling youth. His job just got more complicated.

"It is suspected a clan from the dreaded region will be granted barony." The Captain said, putting the intention back on him. His warhorse pattered nearer the two.

The conversation between the legion and the two friends continued before their stoppage became known.

Jacob shook visibly. Their presumed betters, nobles, began to encircle the two-man. Jakob unslung his wooden bow.

'They were kites, damnable bloodsuckers.' Heiro spat on the ground in disgust. Heiro released the leather straps on the Claymore on his back.

Their respective weapons unsheathed and their energy circling with alacrity. Their battle readiness returned to them like the evening tide.

"This is highway robbery! You expect us to hand over our loot to you because you're the legion?" Heiro let out angrily all pleasantries forgotten after the insults of the instigating noble.

"Taxes," the legionnaire private said snidely, holding his hands out mockingly as his eyes darkened with sinister light.

Jakob said. "We served too! We're active-levy man, men, and women of the outskirts have always served their time in the legion."

Lagos warred with himself internally. Noble, too but from a much-loved family, would typically balk at such a deed. Also, he's known to be extremely harsh on highwaymen and cutthroats.

But he had a duty outside of his commandment. He had to ensure the noble youth mission was completed. Even his clan couldn't block the might of the youths.

His legionaries are recruits, and their eager itch to rob the two men at the behest of the noble wouldn't go unpunished. He noted they knew their deeds wouldn't be questioned. These men would possibly rob and pillage without cause, and he silently apologized to the men and would make sure these privates were sent to the frontlines and bleed.

Lagos swiped his hands in the air, signaling them to be silent. "Commoner, per the law, the legion can levy tax on its citizenry," the legionnaire said. His gut twisted as he knowingly twisted the law. He pressed forward hand on the saber clasped against his waist.

The two friends eyed one another, then their eyes drifted past the legionaries, who were now closing off their avenue of retreat; it was doubtful they could escape; these men were legionnaires and came with the standard gear and equipment needed to wrest control and defeat most pathstriders on the outskirts. Also, they couldn't discern the Captian's cultivation before them, which meant three things. The most common was suppression. The second was most unlikely was some form of treasure that hid his cultivation. The third and likely the man was a stage or more above them.

Heiro gave a sign to Jakob, unnoticed by the soldiers, as hunters and foresters of the woodlands only used the method. Noble Squire? Both of them cursed inwardly.

Heiro gritted his teeth, his knuckles popped, and the leather-bound hilt creaked in protest. "And as a citizenry of the empire, I recognize you, legionnaire, yet you fail to understand me! My taxes are fully paid, and you cannot request of me more, outside of wartime.... per legion law." He growled threateningly.

Yoman Flamewraith yawned loudly and rudely, interrupting the two groups back and forth once again. Yoman wished he was on clan territory; he would simply summon the aegis to kill the men and enslave the Hwedo family. He was growing tired. The trek through the woods wasn't as fun as he suspected. His instigation didn't go as planned. The men didn't cower back down readily from the lesion. He arrogantly sent out his perception, no technique behind his pulse, his cultivation viable and discernible by all present.

His eyes raised slightly and his warhorse sensing his bond weariness, trodded back. These two weren't weak. He looked around and caught the Captain's side glance. Lagos was disgusted at the boy. He would make sure the boy understood that personal power always trumped all. What was his clan name when he could die in an instant? He released his aura, not to detect but to pressure the surrounding area.

He had a mission to complete, and these two-man held an item that he needed.

Yoman regained his faculties before his face darkened. He lowered himself to whisper into the only other person outside of legionnaire Wardrobe, a darkly clad woman.

"Syntar, I want to know everything about these men. I want lineage, sect, organizations. Do you understand? He hissed at his Singulary.

Syntar nodded and smiled viciously at the men. The exceedingly handsome one gripping at the large blade excited her greatly. It's been a while since she toyed with a strong man, and this specimen before her will warm her bed and pleasure her before she slowly kills him. 'I hope he has a family. It always tastes best to take the wife with the husband.' She licked her lips and stepped to the side under the tree's shade, and her figure shrunk before vanishing.

The Captain's pressure made both men's legs quiver as their weapons grew increasingly heavy in their hands. Heiro gritting his teeth and pulling his Claymore from its back placement, slowly missed what Jakob's hawk-like eyes could see. he watched the woman's method of departure. A damnable specialist.

Heiro roared like a wounded beast as the pressure mounted. "I killed this beast. So this essence crystal fragment belongs to me. Why should I not be rewarded for my work?"

"My name is Yoman, Clan Flamewraith." Before One of the legionaries could answer, Yoman continued, "Cut the crap, or you'll suffer the consequences! Anger our family, and you won't have a chance to regret it. Hand over the essences crystal fragment to the young master, now."

It all made sense. The noble squire was on a quest handed to him by the legion. The Captain nodded slowly as Heiro's hands stopped drawing the large blade. He tapped at the saber on his drawing the men's awareness to the sword. The two friends stopped breathing as the Captain still silently nodded.

Damnable luck! Blade master, that tassel was a sign of a swordsman, outside of another master or someone above the swordsman realm wouldn't want to cross paths or technique.

Yoman arrogantly said. My ancestor once told me you can learn from your mistakes if you live to see a new dawn." He noted with unveiled hostility. "All those who did not listen to our family died a miserable death."

"Turn over your crystal fragment, or we will kill you!" The third legionnaire said, standing to their right. Heiro removed the strap that secured the essence fragment.

'My son is about to be born; this would have been a boon to him.' He gripped the yellow crystal fragment in his hand. His expression soured as his friend placed a placating hand on his shoulder, he turned, and the man shook his head softly.

All the novelty had drained from the two. His friend reassured them that they would go hunting again. Still, the odds of them gaining another essence fragment were abysmal unless they traveled deeper into the wood.

The two soon reached the city. Each relaxed somewhat. They were safe from the legionaries, but the sour taste remained.

Intact essence instead of fragments, putting aside the strength of the children from noble families, noble families, what the noble squire had done was so outrageous. He wasn't alone in his arrogance; many nobility were spoiled despondent. The children of the noble clans Would fail to understand the lives of such people. They seemed to look down upon everything in the world. Perhaps their noble birth and the ideal living environment made them forget that what others feared was not the children but the power of their family clan.