Kaelon woke up early in the morning, the sun shining through cracks in the walls. His mother, Elara, lay next to him, her frame ever thinning. She had been sick for years, but things took a turn for the worse once he turned twelve two months ago. Now, his mother barely moved and never left their dilapidated home.
He had to take up work, becoming an errand boy for a local gang. The Last Coin, a gang that ran various gambling dens all throughout Altium City. Slowly Kaelon got out of bed, trying his best not to disturb his mother.
Feeling his rustling she turned back to him, her face pale as she blinked awake. A smile crept onto her face as she looked at her son. Weak whispers escaped her and her bony hand reached for his face.
"...Kaelon, my boy... I'm sorry... I couldn't give you a better life..."
Kaelon held her hand against his cheek, kneeling beside the bed. His mother said things like that every once in a while. But he shook his head as always.
"You don't have to apologize Mom. You did what you could, it's my turn to help you. I will get us out of these slums in no time, just stay strong until then."
Tears welled in both their eyes, Elara wiped his eyes. Her voice growing weaker.
"...Don't worry about me... Make sure you leave this shadow behind... Step into the light Kaelon, reach for the sun... Altan will watch over you..."
A sigh escaped her and her eyes glazed over. Elara's hand began slipping from Kaelon's face, her strength leaving her body. Kaelon gripped her hand tight, refusing to believe it. Tears streaked down his eyes as his mother took her last breath.
Intense grief completely overwhelmed him, his voice shook as he closed her eyes forever. A slight burning rose in his chest as he spoke.
"I will... I swear it... I will reach the light Mom, just watch."
It had been four years since his mother took her last breath. Since then Kaelon hadn't made much progress on his promise. He still worked for The Last Coin and lived in the slums. He had even been promoted to muscle from an errand boy a few months back.
Now he guarded a small gambling den in the slums, usually accompanied by Hans. A boy around his same age with a penchant for trouble, taking any chance he got to use his dagger.
Today was no different, Kaelon sat at the den's entrance a rusted sword at his waist. Hans stood right beside him, his dagger drawn as he played with it. The two sat there with bored expressions, looking out into the despondent slums.
The night was deep and the darkness seemed to stare back at them. Recently the slums had been tense, conflicts between the gangs running rampant. Even when The Last Coin and Madam's Grip were at war last year the air wasn't this oppressive.
But things had changed, weakened by the conflict both The Last Coin and Madam's Grip were vulnerable. The Grate Lords saw them weaken and ramped up their attacks on them. Even a year later that conflict was going strong, Madam's Grip had all but been wiped out, their brothels falling to The Grate Lords.
The Last Coin had already lost a large amount of its territories to them as well. Leaving only a few bases still operating. Tonight it seemed as if a fight was unavoidable, the air stinking of sewage.
Hans perked up at the smell, he had been at the frontline of many conflicts. He knew what it meant when the stench of the slums thickened. A smile creeped onto his face as he turned to Kaelon, his tone playful.
"You ready Kaelon? Your dreaded first kill is coming up. You better get hold of yourself or you'll be the one bleeding out on the floor when the lizards get here."
Sounds of fighting began to rise all through the slums. A man came leasurely walking toward them. A silver lizard pin decorated his shabby leather armor and a sword hung at his waist.
As soon as he came close enough Hans shot at him, his dagger flashing as he rushed to attack. The man had a smile on his face as he drew his blade to meet him. Sparks flew as their weapons clashed but Hans was clearly on the losing side. The man's strength forcing him back, his hand trembling and his grip slipping.
A sign escaped the man before he rushed forward. Hans had no time to react, barely raising his dagger to defend against the blow. But he wasn't strong enough to block. His dagger flying across Kaelon's vision as the man's sword broke through. Blood sprayed from Hans's neck, his head rolling down his body as it fell to the ground.
Turning to a frozen Kaelon the man spoke coldly.
"I hope you're not as disappointing as this guy. At least last long enough for me to have fun."
His words snapped Kaelon out of his reverie, his hand shooting for his own blade. Immediately he drew the rusty blade he'd looted from a dead city guard. Facing the man he held the sword tight, disregarding his fear he resolved himself to fight. A burning rising in his chest.
A smile spred onto the man's face as he faced Kaelon.
"I like that look in your eyes boy, that's good. You already seem more fun than your friend."
The man dashed forward, his sword coming down on Kaelon. Barely reacting in time Kaelon met his attack with his blade. But the man didn't let up, putting even more strength into his swing. Kaelon shot back, retreating before the man could completely overpower him.
The man's sword crashed down on the ground as Kaelon rolled backward. Raising his sword he took advantage of the opening and attacked. Rushing forward he brought the rusty blade down on the man as his chest burned hotter.
The man met his attack with a tilted blade, parrying his sword. Kaelon's blade fell to the ground, guided by the man's sword. Suddenly he felt a shiver of cold in his gut. Looking down he could see a hilt pressing against his side, the blade sticking out from his back.
Immediately his face paled a little and he slowly stepped back. Kaelon felt the blade as it slid out of his side leaving behind a terrible wound. His blood splattered out on the grimy street and he pressed a hand against the wound.
The man smiled watching him stumble about, relishing what little of the fight he had left. Kaelon looked back at him finally steadying his footing. He raised his sword with one arm, leaving the other hand pressed on his bleeding wound.
His chest burned hotter as he waited for the man to come finish him off. Now that death was at his doorstep, Kaelon felt a deep defiance rise inside him fueling the flames in his chest. The man didn't wait long before rushing for him, smiling wide as he went for the kill.
Kaelon's eyes flashed gold and his hair turned red as his perception was heightened. Suddenly the man's movements became clearer, slower in his eyes. His blade was coming for his head, aiming to decapitate him as he had Hans. A bewildered expression appeared on the man's face, looking into Kaelon's golden eyes. Realization appeared in his eyes but it was too late.
Kaelon waited until the very last possible second to react, the blade stinging at his neck as he ducked. Not only that he dashed forward miving to attack the man jumping up with his blade in hand. His sword plunged into the man's neck and a loud crack was heard as his blade broke.
Kaelon was left with only a hilt, the blade of his sword half lodged into the man's neck. Staggering back the man's blood dripped from his mouth as he fell forward. The impact forced the broken blade deeper into his neck, a gurgling scream leaving the man as the pain settled.
Kaelon watched as he died, frozen in place. He knew that if he didn't kill the man he would've been the one on the floor. But that didn't change his reaction to taking a human life for the first time. Falling to his knees Kaelon puked for what felt like an eternity before gaining his bearings again.
He stood up slowly and took off the rags he called a shirt. Looking down at his bleeding abdomen he wrapped the cloth around it tightly. A grimace of pain on his face as he tightened the knot. Looking down at the dead man he reached for his sword.
Being left without a weapon would be a death sentence. Plus dead men had no use for swords, lifting the blade he wiped the blood off its edge witb his pants before sheathing it. In the end he even took the man's chest piece, the leather being a bit too big for him.
The conflict was heating up, the sounds of fighting intensifying around him. Looking around Kaelon decided to hide out in his house, it wasn't far from here. He walked througb alleys covered in darkness, hoping to avoid the fighting.
But he couldn't avoid it forever, this time The Grate Lords had come to finish what they started. The fighting wouldn't end until all of The Last Coin and the remnanfs of Madam's Grip were eliminated. Just blocks away from home Kaelon saw a crowd fighting in the streets.
Blood spilled onto the streets as men fell in droves. Kaelon watched the fight unfold from a dark alley. His pulse rising as he tried his best to remain hidden. Suddenly a man was knocked into the alley in the chaos of the conflict, a lizard pin on his chest. Falling right in front of Kaelon he looked up at him with a confused expression.
Before the man could make a noise Kaelon moved. His sword plunging into the man's chest. He fell to the ground before hus last breath escaped him. The second kill didn't unsettle Kaelon nearly as much as the first. He watched as the man fell, still sick to his stomach but with cold resolve.
But it was pointless, simeone did take notice and saw him kill the man. A yell echoed through the street as The Grate Lords finished off the last of their opponents on the street.
"Hey! There's somebody in that alley! He killed Rick!"
Kaelon froze for a moment before taking off in the opposite direction. He could hear the men chasing after him yelling curses and threats as he ran. As he ran, the men chasing him diminished, some giving upnon the chase.
He ducked into alleys and behind corners, trying his best to lose the smaller crowd before they could catch up. At this point he had come quite close to the wall of the higher districts. The wall that confined the slums into a single dark corner of Altium City. He ran straight for it hoping the city guards at the border would take note of his attackers.
"Hey! Down here! Help! I'm being chased!"
He yelled out for the guards but no response came. They didn't even turn to face him and his desperate pleas. Suddenly a crossbow bolt struck his left leg. Kaelon grimaced in pain but continued to run, stumbling as he ran.
He ran along the wall, not knowing where to go from here. The situation seemed hopeless, his leg wound had doomed him to death. But as he ran along the wall, a single ray of hope appeared in sight.
The high district's sewers dumped their waste directly onto the slums. A pipe potruding from the wall pouring waste into an already overflowing pit of wastewater. Looking up to it Kaelon rushed for the pipe. Straining his already tired legs he jumped up and grabbed the edge of the pipe. Climbing up, wastewater dumped straight onto him as his pain intensified.
'Disgusting'
He covered his nose and spit up the water that had made it into his mouth as he caught his footing in the pipe. Peering down it, he could see a grate blocking his access to the high districts's sewers. Luckily it was heavily rusted due to lack of upkeep.
Stepping up to it he could hear shouts from behind him.
"Where did he go?!"
He delivered a swift kick with his good leg and a loud crack echoed in the pipe as a section of the grate was destroyed.
The men outside immediately turned to the pipe. But none of them approached, they didn't dare to climb up there. The upper districts were death zones to them, they wouldn't risk going up there for some kid. All it took was running into one guard and their lives would be forfeit.
Kaelon looked back in fear, dreading that someone give chase. He was already at his limit and his head was light, the bloodloss starting to get to him. Wandering through the sewers he searched for any place to rest, blood ripping from his wounds.
After walking for a while he came across a ladder, climbing it would tale him to the upper district. He put a hand to his side and felt the blood soaked cloth that had been his shirt. The promise he made to his mother suddenly echoed in his mind.
'If I'm going to die anyway, I won't die in the slums.'
Slowly he began climbing the ladder, his face grimacing in pain at every movement. Making his way to the top he forced the sewer lid up. Sticking his head out he found himself surrounded by men covered in silver armor.
Paladins of Altan, no doubt. His face paled and he was about to climb back down when an aged voice came from behind the men. An elderly woman stepped up to Kaelon, gesturing for a paladin to come help her.
"Hello there boy, don't worry. We're not here to hurt you."
An iron grip settled on his arms as a paldin carried him out of the sewer. Kaelon began to speak, but his wounds got the best of him and his consciousness slipped.
"Don't kill me... I... Run... Gang... Chase... No choice..."
With that he fell unconscious in the paladins grasp. The old woman turned to the man and gave an order.
"Let's head back to the temple. Try not to jostle him too much or his wounds will get even worse."
The paladin looked down at her, his blue eyes shining in the night. He was a giant of a man, his blond hair striking like gold. His voice echoed out, a little hesitant to ask.
"...You're sure it's him?"
The old woman turned back and answered without missing a beat.
"Without a doubt in my mind, Kane. This boy is who Altan was talking about in his revelation."