Leon trudged through the dense forest. Leon was one of Brishire's greatest swordsmen, why he was out in this forest he didn't understand. Surely the city watch could kill a single angry troll. He looked over his shoulder at the men behind him, and realized that perhaps he was wrong. Most of the city guard were not warriors. Potters and smiths, farmers and chefs who took up steel to protect their city in a time of crisis. It was no small wonder this troll had evade their scouting groups for weeks.
Leon truly hoped that bastard Slachorix was smart enough to realize what war would do for both nations, but it was a fools hope, he knew. Slachorix had been massing me on the other side of the boarder, more each day. Again Leon wondered why he was stuck deep in the forest when Slachorix could attack at any time.
A large stick cracked to his left. Leon held up his hand, and the men at his back stopped dead in their tracks, slowly unsheathing their swords. Leon slowly brought his own sword out. A light blue short sword, forged by one of the greatest smiths who ever lived, his father.
Leon's party was on a small, rarely used road, surround on both sides by dense forest. Another branch snapped, louder this time, closer. He turned back to his men for a moment, looking them over. Nine poorly trained men with steel short swords, not exactly the best fighting force.
"Incoming!" a man in his party yelled, much too loud. Leon looked into the dense brush, but saw nothing. For a second he thought it was just the forest playing tricks on his ears, then the creature emerged right next to the city watch. It was massive, easily ten feet tall, with dark blue skin and a giant war club. It's tiny black, soulless eyes scanned the scared humans. With a ear-shattering scream, it raised it's massive club into the air, and smashed it down on the nearest man. Bones crunched and blood sprayed on the men. None of them moved.
Leon charged the massive beast as it raised it's club for a second strike. Leon let out his own yell before he jumped onto the beasts back. The creature stumbled in surprise, as Leon raised his sword and plunged it deep inside the trolls neck. The beast yelled once more, and swung his club wildly around. Most of the city watch men had bolted when Leon jumped upon the creature, but one remained. The man raised his own swords and ran at the beast. Leon gripped his sword and pulled, however it wouldn't budge. He cursed and jump away from the beast. As he landed, he saw the guardsman rushing at the beast, he tried to scream at the man to get away, but words escaped him.
It happened fast. The rampaging troll, swinging it's massive club blindly with anger, roared again. The guardsman dodged the clumsy swings. Once, twice, three times. The guardsman but at the club-wielding arm, and the beast screamed once more. The troll dropped the club, and the guardsman saw his chance. He stabbed his sword straight up, into the creatures jaw. It was dead before it hit the ground.
Leon walked up to the dead trolls, and yanked his sword. The guardsman did likewise. Leon noticed his wasn't armed with the normal short-sword, this guardsman was using a special sword, much like his own. He was about to say something, but the sound of approaching horses broke the silence. He looked, expecting the captain of the city watch, or someone to that nature, but was surprised when a he saw the Redford Castle emblem on their shields. The knights dismounted their horses and approached the two men. Their leader spoke.
"Sir Leon Causle, King Galent requests an audience with you immediately. You are to report to Castle Redford." The knights pulled an extra horse forward.
"Did he give you a reason, good knight?" Leon asked, watched the seven knights that stood before him.
"No, sir" The knight said, with ample amount of disgust in his voice. Apparently this knight did not like him. It was expect, though. Leon had once been in the Redford Castle Guard, but had been expelled for disobeying orders, multiple times.
"Well, it seems I don't have a choice." Leon began to mount the horse, when the city watch man spoke up.
"Sirs, if you would. Can I please come with you? This troll killed my family, and I have nothing for me here now. I think I can be of some use to Castle Redford."
"You're a city watchmen, you have no place amongst knights. Go back to your shitshack." The lead knight ordered.
Leon had seen this young lad fight. He was better then most of the knights he had seen. And he was right, Castle Redford could use a man like this. "Well, either you take both of us, or neither. Your call, knight" Leon announced.
The knight quieted asked one of his peons a questions, to which he shook his head. "Fine, mount your horses, we must leave now."
Leon and the watchman mounted and road off with the knight. Leon couldn't help but wonder why King Galent had summoned him after all these years.