Chapter One

I carelessly strolled down a battered path to my home, entering the local village. The villagers have all went into their abodes for the night, and the illuminating lights from their home put a tear in the solemn darkness engulfing the area. It was a serene sight. I proceeded with my walk and eventually arrived at my welcoming hut. The cool wind pushed the door open, beckoning me to enter. Fatigued by the arduous course of the day, I hugged my bed like a soldier hugging his family after years of war and dozed off into a deep slumber. I have got to get another job.

The sun dawned over the lands and a new day has blossomed. I walked to the city and successfully managed to file my resignation. “What should I do now?” I asked myself. Ambiguous on my next course of action, I decided to simply follow the most profitable occupation in the city: a guard.

I arrived at the esteemed guard barracks, the prestigious home to the honest, hardworking guards of the city. This legendary location was were they honed their skills to perfection; the glory of being in its presence send a feeling of admiration coursing through me. I clutched onto the door knob, ready to enrol myself there. I entered.

“Hey buddy lets get drunk on mead and jump off a flying dragon and somersault into a volcano of vodka,” babbled a drunkard throwing himself at me.
“Excuse me?” I asked, utterly baffled.
“You know volcanoes. Like the things were aliens come from. Like you know the stuffed animals that children play with. They come alive when people aren't looking and kill dragons to absorb their power because they have like the same blood type as them.”
“What on Earth did you drink?”
“Your momma hahaha.”
“I am an orphan.”
“Ohh sorry, I meant your father.”
“That makes no difference!”
“Hey, at least you are not like that one guy who got the powers of an insect and lost his uncle because he was too lazy to stop some convenient store robber. I think his name was like Beter Barker or something.”
“Alright that’s enough. Come along now Cyrus, you had too much to drink again. Sorry if he disturbed you sir,” said another guard, dragging Cyrus to his room.

“This wasn’t what I was expecting,” I thought to myself as I headed towards the commander’s office to file my application. I entered his room, only to find myself before a man who was going through several documents with a quill dripping with ink in his left hand. I approached the man and seated myself unto a velvet chair in front of his table.

“So you desire to serve and protect the hold and its people,” stated the commander as he kept his eyes on his documents.
“No, I want money,” I sincerely replied with a cheerful, crescent smile on my face; my elders at the village always told me that the secret to an interview is always honesty and faking an amiable personality.
“Well I am sure we could use someone with your talents and experience. Here is your uniform,” nonchalantly replied the commander like an actor repeating a scripted dialogue, and handed me my attire as a guard.
“What will my first assignment be sir?”
“Ohh yes assignments. There’s a small problem at a nearby tavern involving drunk men. Partner up with Cyrus and do something.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good, head out first thing tomorrow. Your new life as a guard has begun.”