Edward was born fatherless. He never felt the touch of his fathers skin, or the breath of his fathers speech. He never had a dad. His father had died so that he may remain, fighting in the civil skirmishes that the Xitian aggressors commenced. He never had a man to teach him to use a sword, or saddle a horse. He never had the man to act playfully with, to display his affection. In return for his fathers bravery, Edward simply received mockery. The boys his age would laugh and jape, asking where his dad was. One day they would sorry..

Edwards mother cared for him very much. Adepta had learned to cope with being alone with her son; she had grown to excel at caring for him. During the mornings, she would harvest crop for a rich land owner in the village. After midday however, she would go down into the town square and perform puppet stories for the children. They would all gather and sit around the small theater as the wooden marionettes danced around the floor. Edward sometimes helped, sometimes he watched. By the age of five he could run a small performance alone, if his mother ever let him. His favorite performance was the story of the harrowed prince.

When Edward was six, the soldiers came. The horns sounded a harrowing warning and the flames licked the jet black sky. His home village was subject to a fierce raid. He grabbed a weapon as fast as he could; a fire-poker."Hide, Edward. Hide now". Edward ignored his mothers commands, he wanted to be powerful, like the heroes his mother showed him in her puppet stories. When the men came in however, Edward was useless. He cried, and ran and hid. They beat his mother mercilessly, with the fire-poker he had chosen as a weapon. Their vile acts continued, assaulting Edwards mother repeatedly. They laughed and cheered as they did so "How's that Agarth? You still think I'm too soft with these civilians"?! It was this attack that brought Edwards sister, Poppy into the world. He loved his sister best he could, but he knew what she was. He knew what they had done. He knew that one day, they would be sorry.

This event changed Edward, he needed to be a man and grow up quickly. He needed to defend his family. He was so useless, he needed to be strong, to make them pay. He took to going out during the night's, with his bloodstained fire-poker in hand. It was there and then he met the traveler.


Edward stepped tentatively down the street, his new found terror evident in each step that he took. He had the fire-poker tucked in his waist, like a knight from his mothers tales. He was a plucky 7 year old ready to take on the world. His sister, Poppy had been born a week ago, 4 days after Edwards own birthday. and she was a typical baby. Edward went out at night if anything to get way from the sobbing; though he did hold a soft spot for the infant. He turned a corner and spotted the man. He was darker of skin than Edward and had long, black, shoulder length hair, with a short beard tied at the chin. He spoke fluently, but with a slight accent of which Edward could not decipher.
"You have a fire-poker on your belt, boy." The man uttered as Edward passed.
"Yeah! I know how to use it, be careful! I cant afford a real sword, I don't need one!"
The man smiled at him and drew his rapier. Edward did not understand his grin, he couldn't tell: friend or foe. the man tossed the sword in the air and caught it by the blade, offering it to Edward. The boy took it, his eyes filled with glee and held it like he had seen in his books.
"No no no!" the man said "Like this". He reached over and grabbed Edwards fire-poker, he stood with it side on. "You see?"
"But then how do I block with my shield?!" Edward protested.
"A shield? Pah! If you learn to use that weapon m'boy, it is your shield. It's your offense and your defence. It's called a rapier."
Edward admired the blade, and then mimicked the stance that the traveler had made. "I'm Edward, who are you?".
"My name is Slixor. It is good to meet you, Edward." Slixor beamed down at the boy.
"Will you teach me?" Edward said, waving the blade gently.
"Doesn't your father insist on teaching you swordplay?"
Edward's eyes welled. "My father is dead."
Slixor shook his head and displayed a disgruntled facial expression. He turned away from Edward, pondering before pivoting on his heels and beginning to walk away from Edward and towards the forest.
"Come along then, Edward. There's much to learn".


The art of swordplay became second instinct to Edward. He trained every night in the forests near his home. He would spar with Slixor, each day improving his finesse, his posture, his discipline. Slixor taught him how to take on animals, such as Boars, Wolves and Bears with the blade. He used the pelts of these animals as well as the meat for income to support his new sister and struggling mother. Slixor saw a lot of himself in the boy. His drive and morale. Every day, the two grew more and more inseparable.


Edward stepped in through the front door and wiped his feet. He had grown, 15 years of age. His shoulders were broader and his legs were bulkier. The warmth of his home greeted him. The house was a single room. He glanced over to the cottage, Poppy was fast asleep, 8 years old and very pretty. She was blessed with beautiful strawberry hair and pale skin. Edward walked over to her, slinging his fire-poker onto his bed. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss onto her forehead, brushing her hair quietly as he shuffled away. He turned to his mother, who was sat at their table, staring over at Edward. She suddenly burst into tears. Edward hastily moved towards his mother, embracing her.
"Edward, I-.. I don't have the money for Poppy's birthday gift. I thought I had worked it out right but with both of your birthday's being so close I-.. I just-.." Edward stopped her and reached into his jacket. He slipped a handful of coins into his mothers, closing her hand upon receiving it.
"No, Edward. I gave you this to pay for a sword for you." Edward hushed her again.
"It can wait. I won't bear to disappoint Pop' on her birthday."
His mother wiped her eyes and nodded, sniffling gently. Edward released her and went to grab his fire-poker.
"You're going back out?" He questioned as Edward made for the door.
"Yes. I'll return before dawn. You make sure Poppy get's her doll." And with that, he exited his house.

The evening sun was setting in the west, as Edward spotted Slixor making his way down the path towards him.He held a package draped in rags in his arms. Edward was ecstatic when it revealed his own rapier.
"Custom forged for you, m'boy. I hope you like it"
"Thank you, fathe-.." Edward held his tongue, his mind went blank. Why had he said that? Everything became too much. Edward ran away.


Children swarmed the square, running and playing games. Puppet shows were on-going as well as food stalls and drinks. A banner was atop the town hall

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY POPPY!"

Edward was sat on the squares fountain with Slixor next to him smoking his pipe. It produced an earthy, pungent smell that fit all too well with the warm summer evening. Edward felt relaxed, for the first time in a long time. Poppy came running over, with her new porcelain Dolly in her hand.
"Look Edward it was the dolly that we saw in the toy shop that I wanted!" She was beaming.
Adepta interjected "It was your big brother that picked it!". Her smile widened.
"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you big brother! I love you!" She set her dolly on the side of the fountain and wrapper her arms around her brothers waist, hugging him sweetly.


Edward was 20 years old when Slixor left his village... He left nothing. Nothing but his old horse tied to Edward's fence and a note:

Quote: Edward,

I'm sorry to do it like this but I have no other choice. I have to go, I have something important I must do. I will be leaving this village and I won't be returning. I want you to know, you plucky little knight, that I love you like you were my own son. I admired you since the first time I saw you wandering the streets 13 years ago. But now I must go. I left old Bill for you, I know he hates you and you hate him, but this is the horse you learnt to ride on and you'll need him more than me.

We'll meet again you know, Edward. I promise you that.

Slixor.

Hatred once again consumed Edward as it had in his youth. His father had abandoned him, for the second time. The men rode into town that very day, with their horns and banners. 'The Dusk Portal has re-animated!' they cried. 'Xitian invasion is imminent'! Edward didn't care about that, he didn't care about the portal, or the Xitians. People around him ran, scrambling to grab their things and get home. They wanted to lock their doors and hide. Edward saddled his horse and rode to spill blood. A single named echoed through his head. Agarth.

He tracked him to a small fishing village and waited until the dead of night. The man was aged and no longer in service. He had reached his 60's and retired and now was under the care of the villages local militia and guard. Edward clocked when they did their patrols and struck, in the blackness of the eve.

He narrowly escaped. The militia had spotted him leaving the old Lieutenants house. Edward spurred his horse at it's full pace. Men chased him, shouting and he could hear bells tolling in the village. Edward closed his eyes whilst riding and breathed a sign of relief, a sigh of victory.

THUNG

Edward was rolling on the floor, mud staining his eyes and clothing. He heard shouting. His vision was blurred and his head was heavy. He snapped out if it. He had to move. Scraping himself from the floor, Edward took off on foot. Over his shoulder he saw Old Bill the horse, with an arrow protruding from his head. A sickness fell upon Edward, but he knew he must address this later. The men's chase failed to provide any lead and Edward escaped to a port village, hiding in the docks.

He stopped at the banks of the ocean, close to his home and spied a nearby port. After cleaning himself of blood with the seawater and removing his guise he spotted it: A boat to the forbidden lands. This is what he needed. Maybe he would find Slixor?! He rode home at double the pace he had escaped in. This is when his stomach churned.

The smoke could be seen a mile out, and screaming echoed twice as far through the foothills nearby. Edwards eyes filled with tears as he approached his 'home'. it was a pile of ash and rubble, with his mothers tortured body strewn across the middle. She was dead. He had failed. Hate had consumed Edward and on this day Edward learned that hate truly breeds hate.

Edwards heart sank when he saw Poppy hidden behind a rock in the foothills. He sprinted to her, hearing her solemn sobbing in between violent coughs. Poppy was muddy and had blood on her purple dress. Edward had to save her, as he could not save his mother. The rode to the port and boarded the ship to the forbidden lands together, hand in hand.

The voyage was tough, and it became apparent very soon that Poppy was ill. Her cough was more violent and she suffered cold sweats at night. He hardly slept and sobbed in agony every night she continued in this world. She would beg Edward to stop the pain, weeping into his chest. Edward was not the fatherless boy he had once been, he was a man now and he knew what his duty entailed. In the dead of night one evening, Edward walked into Poppy's cabin. She was deep in slumber, as she had been drugged by a home brew recipe of herbs and weeds. Edward looked at her, laying helpless. Her long strawberry hair falling down into a wet pool of sweat. Her skin as pale as the moonlight. He slid his blade quietly through her heart, saying a solemn farewell to his sister.
"I love you, Poppy. Goodnight."
It was over. Her pain was all over.

But Edwards was only just beginning.