Who Are You?

Arc 3.8 - Luther Abravel

Bright sun and beautiful skies, children were laughing, tourists and citizens bustled around, everything looked so vibrant. But slowly the sky became cloudy with swirls of grey.

A storm would soon be upon them.

Abruptly everything paused as a yell of fear called out to the crowd, "Move out of the way!

The crowd slowed as they looked on in what seemed to be curiosity, slowly turned into stark fear, unease, apprehension, and awe.

Everything quieted down. The crowd spread apart to make way of the horses rushing past. The ground thundering at their every step.

Parents pulled their children closer, patrons whispered hushly to their companions, vendors glared at the disturbance in stalling customers.

As they rode through the capital city, the heart of downtown, many looked on at the intimidating group with fear. There was no one in the kingdom, especially the core city, that did not recognize the uniformed soldiers of the Zenith regiment.

Prominently known as bloodhounds born from monstrous training. Even the nobility were not spared once they joined their ranks. Everyone knew them to be the craziest section of Avrailium's military, even their own citizens feared them.

Only after the army and their horses thunder past the crowd did everyone begin to relax and mellow out.

"Did you see the leader?"

"I couldn't see..."

"Is the commander as devilish as they say?... did anyone see his demonic appearance...?"

"My god, the Zenith Military Regiment..."

"I was so scared, they came out of nowhere."

"The direction over there, are they perhaps headed to the palace?"

The incident soon became a gossip piece for everyone around the market.

At the palace gates, the guards approached the small army for identification confirmations. After presenting their badges they were granted passage and rode through the one of the most majestic gardens within the kingdom. Slowly, they came to a stop.

A man smoothly dismounted from his black horse, as a harsh wind danced through their direction, the dark hood of his coat flew off, letting long silver strands wisp through the air.

The men behind him also began to dismount off their horses, after him.

An older, middle aged man came rushing towards them through the garden with haste in his footsteps and fear in his expression. Once he approached, he immediately bowed down.

"M-My sincere apologies Commander Luther! Please forgive this lowly one's tardiness in greeting the Zenith regiment."

Luther's cold expression showed no change as he gazed upon the flustering man.

10 seconds passed. Luther's eyes narrowed.

More than 30 seconds passed and the trembling man still hadn't risen from his bow.

His mouth formed a hard line as he realized the man wasn't budging even after a whole minute passed, so he spoke.

"Lead me to the King." His words quiet yet composed of assertiveness, took no concern of the middle aged man's fearful demeanour.

"Y-Yes, of course. This way," the man almost sagged in relief after what seemed like hours from those seconds of silence from the white haired man which only served to spike his fear to the point of almost pissing himself. The young man's reputation was, after all, vicious and feared by all who know of him. He shakily gestured towards the path leading up the stairs in entrance to the palace.