Later, the two had arrived at the elders home. The exterior was weathered and cracked. Once inside, the elder barred the door shut and checked the port holes in his windows. Books lined one wall with the opposite decorated with armor parts and weapon hooks. The north wall had a small hearth with an iron kettle hanging on a hook.
“Warrior, for your actions I offer you my home for the night. Your armor weighs heavy on you.” The Nameless Knight shook his head and replied, “I cannot. Under my armor is a cursed visage. I fear my looks will cause more harm than good.” The elder seemed put off, but did not pursue that story. “Then, you can do as you like. Just know, that venturing out into the dark alone is suicide.” The elder began to boil water while they conversed. The subject of Epsol eventually came up.
“Five years ago, in an effort to keep better ties with neighboring kingdoms, King Rohan III went on a diplomatic campaign. He first was heading to our old enemies in Brevor… when he came back a month later, he had a man wearing that banner at his side.” The elder poured the hot water into a nearby stein over tea leaves. “Soon after that, he announced to the kingdom that the campaign was over. That their would be no need for strong relations after that day. He announced the new allies of Aldra, to be the strongest force among all kingdoms in the world. Aldra and Epsol were allegedly sworn to each others defense by blood and oath.” With a frown, the elder spat into the fire and discarded the tea leaves to a nearby sack.
The knight then spoke up. “What happened? The kings of Aldra have all been counted among the greatest warriors in history. Even before then, the Rohan’s have all been legendary warriors. Where is this kingdom?! I had never heard of this Epsol before, but now its presence is everywhere in the city.” The elder looked at him with a tired gaze. “No one knows. I’ve checked with the scholars, clerics, and even the shady, but not one person can say where this kingdom is. I even asked the Epsol guards once… All I got out of them was ‘on your way’.” The Nameless Knight nodded then replied, “I received the same reply to a much more mundane question.”
After another hour, the elderly man yawned and looked through the curtained window. “Its still dark. Might as well get some sleep. Sir, feel free to make use of my guest room. When daylight comes, you can move about the city freely.” The knight nodded and retired to the guest room. It was a simple room. A small fire and kettle, a single bed of average quality, and a small window. Sparking the fire, the knight began to meditate. In his solitude, the voices returned with unusual clarity. “For one so powerful, you have a crippling reliance on others… Don’t be coy. My little doll will get what you want… The human is formidable, but I will bleed him dry soon… I have no need for their titles… What good is a king if he dies as easily as the rest of his flock?”
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