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The Crusader Saga Chapter IA single wooden ship was smoothly traversing the open seas. The winds were softly whispering against the turgid white sails as it journeyed to its next port of call. The boat was small and could be classified as a sloop. It was currently on order from the king to bring a

important individual to a mysterious neighboring land that was said to be inhabited entirely of human like beasts. This individual was a man.The man in question was a crusader, the only remaining one from the legendary ninth crusade. He was none other then Sir Warren, or as the people of the kingdom of Tyriel called him 'The Lord of Death'. He was a solitary man not one for frivolous social gathering or events. He was frictatious and quick to anger. Yet for as angry and ill mannered as he was he was equally noble and chivalrous. He developed a repute for being kind to women. In any case He was still feared throughout all the lands as the most dangerous and ruthless of all of the kings knights.A hard won reputation that was amplified at the Gates of Thermopylae, where he and ten other crusaders held it against the hoards of demons that had decided to make the lands of Tyriel their next conquest. They were the only ones there as the knight commander Bartamus proved cowardly and abandoned his post along with his men. Leaving Sir Warren and his retinue to hold the line. After three days of relentless and bloody warfare he emerged victorious as reinforcements arrived to bolster the defense and repel the demonic invaders. Sadly they were too late to save his companions. Being the only knight left he was transported back to the kings fortress of Krakenguard. The Knight was quickly thrown into a private meeting with the king. The king 'Lord Leonid The Courageous' wanted to prevent such a shameful secret from being exposed to the public eye and offered to make him a hero, but he would have to deny that the knight commander had cowardly retreated. Sir Warren had violently refused. In retaliation he was forced to leave the kingdom that he had protected his entire life. His banishment was disguised from the people who adored him as a noble pursuit for the king as his messenger to a foreign land. In reality he was no longer to return to his homeland under the penalty of death.With little time to spare he was thrown onto a small ship, a sloop called the 'The Winds Grace'. The very man this all had happened to was standing on the prow of the ship he was cast upon and was gazing out in the foggy morning air as he pondered on the recent events that had molded his fate into what it was now. His solitude was breached as the ships captain, the only one aboard the ship that knew the real reason he was sent on this journey, walked to stand beside the troubled man. The grizzled captain looked at the most famous Crusader knight in Tryriel. Sir Warren was a very imposing person. Standing at six feet and ten inches out of armor with low cut midnight black hair, piercing blue eyes, and heavily muscled, he was bulkier then the strongest oarsmen aboard this ship. "Ye be spending too much of ya time here ladie." The gruff captain told the man breaking his concentration.The cold gaze from those sapphire orbs he mistakenly called eyes that looked back at him chilled his blood and made him question the wisdom of disturbing the hulking man and interrupting his brooding. "What does that matter to you." The baritone voice of the knight all but hissed back. The mans voice felt like it had physically moved the aged captain as he stumbled backwards. Not willing to backdown he summoned what was left of his tattered courage and replied. "Not much lad but ye be distracting my crew with your presence." He mumbled.With that said Sir Warren took another glance at his surrounding and noticed that all the deckhands were staring at him in fear and awe. "Very well I shall endeavor to move myself." He growled as he vacated his current position and with heavy steps he returned to his quarters belowdecks. With a relieved sigh the captain slumped against the railing "dear lord that lad is something else." Realizing his crew saw his disheveled state turned to address them. "what are all ye staring at get back to work ya damn scoundrels!" He raved at them. Quickly moving to get away from his ire they scattered and went back to their respective duties.Belowdecks the irritated knight was pacing his room with barely restrained anger. 'That pox spewing bastard! Warren thought to himself. 'I can't believe that I devoted my life to him!' He continued to rant in his head as he paced unceasingly around his small accommodations. The room slowly tilted side to side and his personal effects listed around lazily as the small waves rocked the ship. 'He's no longer any king of mine! I will never go back to that wretched corrupted place he mistakenly calls a kingdom!' He spent the better part of an hour in his cabin before he was calm once more. Figuring that his time could be better spent he pulled a well read novel out of his travel bag. It was titled 'One Mans Journey' and it was about a man-at-arms who was thrust into a quest to save a princess. As he leafed through the small novel he couldn't help but scoff 'it's never that easy' he muttered as he reread the book that used to so enthrall his younger self. As he wrapped up the short book he was unsurprised to once more discover that the man had indeed saved the princess and wedded her and became a prince. With another scoff he tossed the book back upon his bag and laid down in his wobbly cot. He began to once more seethe with unbridled rage when he was broken out of it with a trembling knock oh his wooden door. "What!" He shouted at the infernal nocking."M-m-my...lord?" A young frightened voice mumbled "w-we are a-a-approaching the mainland." With an explosive exhale of breath releasing most of his pent up anger Sir Warren answered "thank you kid now go away.""R-r-right a-away sir" He could hear feet scrambling away from the door. Getting up with a groan he moved to gather his equipment. Once his bags were packed he went over to a huge sturdy chain locked chest and inserted the specially made key, and with a harsh twist unlocked it. Reverently opening the container he looked upon his vestments of war. He slowly lifted out his helm and stared at its ebony perfection. It was a full helm stylized as a fanged human skull. The upper jaw being the area lifted to reveal ones face when talking. It was specially made by his close friend Ragnar the blacksmith who had found a fallen star and made this and the rest of his armor and weapons as a gift. This helmet was one of the most famous armor pieces in Tyriel. Sir Warren had seen many men, demons and other abominations die by his hand through the vacant sockets of the renowned helm. Placing it down carefully on his cot he brought another armor component out of the chest and into the light. In short order he removed his gauntlets, vambraces, pauldrons, breastplate, greaves, and finally his Plated boots, Every single one of them was black as death due to the strange properties of the star-metal. Additionally each piece of armor was etched with ancient red runes of protection inscribed by the Mage Lord Maleverous, several years later they still faintly glowed with untapped power. Underneath all of that lay his chainmail undersuit and his black cloak.With that done he turned to the tall yet compact cabinet built in to his rooms wall and opened it quickly to unveil his armaments. Hanging on hooks lay his longsword and dirk that were placed behind his tower shield. His longsword, dirk, and shield were made by the same blacksmith using the last ingots of star-metal. These Weapons had also been equipped with runes of flame by Maleverous so that if Warren pressed on the activation rune they would burst into searing flames hot enough to cut through all known forms of armor. The downside being that it would only last a short amount of time before it needed to recharge. His tower shield was also rimmed with protective runes that would help divert inertia and impacts so that most of the force would glance off or dissipate dealing minimal damage. Now that they were easy to access Warren went back to his armor and took several minutes to don it. Once that was complete the even taller and more frightening man sheathed his sword and dirk on his back and hip respectively grabbed his massive shield and exited his room for the last time, but not before taking all of his personal effects.Quickly striding back to the top most deck he ignored the terrified sailors as he towered above them menacingly and moved to the captain who stood at the prow of the ship as Warren had an hour before. The poor man did not hear Sir Warren as he stood behind him. His only warning was the immediate silence that preordained his arrival. Curious at why his usually rowdy crew had ceased there rambunctiousness he turned to investigate. What his greeted his eyes had probably shaved a few years off his already long and harsh life. Towering before him was the master of death himself. This terrifying specter of the underworld was garnished in the blackest plate the captain had ever laid eyes on. It was also covered in archaic blood red runes. The most horrifying aspect of this monster was its helm it was a fanged skull that seemed to look down mockingly on the frail captain. Thankfully most of its demonic visage was shrouded in a cloak of pure darkness with a hood that covered the helm up to its skeletal brow. The most startling thing was the familiar deep voice that emanated from this spectral figure. "Have we arrived captain?" The voice of Sir Warren snarled from inside the skull helm. "Y-yes lad we will be pulling into port soon." After receiving his answer Sir Warren nodded and ceased talking. The silence of the huge armored man next to him was unnerving and in a attempt to strike up conversation he started to speak. "Uh...Sir Warren are you aware of the land you will be staying at for the foreseeable future?"When the menacing sockets of the skull helm turned to regard the cowering captain he began to regret talking. "I know very little." He paused for a moment. "Would you be so kind as to fill me in?" He causticly asked."Why of course lad." The captain said glad to be on a topic that could make the situation less...intense. "These be the lands of Aloratheia or as we sailors call it the land of the beast men." Taking the silence from the knight as a sign to continue he did just that. "We've had near to no real dealing with them unless me and the boys be needin supplies but I have to say they are a strange folk. Covered in fur, feathers, or scales they are some odd creatures. But don't let that fool you they are as smart and deadly as any man perhaps more so."Hearing this Sir Warren scoffed darkly "I bet they die like any other man." Continuing with a gulp "be that as it may lad it would be wise ere on the side of caution treat them like animals and you would not live long enough to regret.""I do not need your advice!" The Knight barked making the nearby crew jump in fright.Loosening his stiff collar the captain tried to steer the rapidly sinking conversation to safer waters. "My apologies Sir Knight I meant no offense." Luckily all he did was mutter and let the captain continue. "The king in his infinite kindness" the captains said sarcastically clearly not as fond of the king as Sir Warren "had sent a letter ahead by bird for them to expect your arrival, apparently you are now employed as a mercenary as a gift from Leonid to their queen." By this time the ship had started to sail into port but the foggy air diluted the view of the docks so that the figures of the people were obscured. "So when you disembark a squire will be waiting to take you to the castle to meet with her. And a final note I know you feel betrayed by your king and people but know that I am aware of the truth and will do my best for it to be known."Sir Warrens helmeted face gazed down at the captain but he couldn't feel any anger or similar emotions coming of from him and was surprised to hear "thank you for your kind words and information captain I hope that your return voyage will be swift and peaceful." After those rare kind words the armored knight and one time hero of Tyriel turned and walked away.