Wesley
*It is here were our story begins in the land of Tadon-Barana were we see a 21 year old boy working on horseshoes for the family business in town. This boy we are looking at is named Hanz Humphrey, and he has a wild story ahead of him. Hanz is a normal boy who works for his father in the smith works as family business. But Hanz wants more to his life though by swinging swords or shooting bows or using magic. But for this part of the chapter we just see a normal blacksmith boy.*
Anthony
*The Kingdom of Tadon-Barana was in turmoil. Yet another succession conflict has broken out, and the kingdom fell into one of its periodic civil war. Hanz's village were spared the ravage of war, until now...*

*Far away on the horizon, a few pillar of smoke rose into the air. It was in the direction of a village three miles east from here, where Hanz and his father might've bought their iron from. Raids were not uncommon, and village were known to light beacons to warn others ahead.

But something looked different this time. There was multiple pillars - and there was only beacon fire per village...*
Wesley
*Hanz and his father would see the the smoke in the distance wondering what on earth was going on out there.*

*Hanz: "Father, do you see that?"*

*Hanz's father: "What you saying bo-
... Hanz, get in the house and gather our belongings."*

*Hanz: "Father what is it ev-"*

*Hanz's father: "GO BOY!"*

*As Hanz goes to gather his stuff he looks out the window and see's a rain of many fire arrows.*
Anthony
*As Hanz gathered the belongings, he could see well armoured horsemen charging into the village. The village's gate were broken after a minute, and the armed men flooded in, while villagers scattered and fled in all directions.

Hanz could flee out of the house and see what is going on..*
Wesley
Hanz: "Dear lord there must be more than a thousand raiders here! But wait a second..."

*Hanz now realized that these raiders weren't from Tadon. The foreign enemy's had bandit heads on the top of their pikes with their coat of arms below it with an X on it to possibly show a sign of being unstoppable. 
Hanz saw people having their heads slacked off. Many of the soldiers of Tadon were no match for the enemy soldiers strength and soon there was no one left to defend the towns people.*

*Hanz then looked to his right just in time to see his father chopped right in half from the waste by an axe like butter with instant death. Hanz just stood there like time itself had stopped.*
Anthony
*In front of Hanz, a group of soldier - recently released from garrison duty, were fighting off the raiders, forming an improvised shieldwall so the rest of the villagers could escape. One after another arrow dropped into them, and it seemed like their shield would crack at any moment. One of them saw Hanz standing there, dazed, and waved at him to get away, pointing at the rear exit of the fortified village.

As the world seemingly froze, the soldier fell one by one, and a horseman charged at the soldier, swinging his mace at one of the soldier's head, knocking him down. He turned toward Hanz, swinging it at his head too. The mace connected, knocking Hanz out. Yet, luckily enough for him, his skull was tough, and the hit wasn't square on, saving him from debilitating brain trauma...*

*Hours later, Hanz would awake. In front of him were the corpses of the soldiers, now stripped bare and clean of their equipments. The stench of corpses filled the air, but none of them has began to rot, thanks to the hot, dry climate of the surrounding. Hanz was surrounded by burning and burnt out building, with the disemboweled corpse of his father next to him.

The raiders are long gone...

Perhaps he should look around the village for something useful. Five miles west were a fortified castle on top of a plateau, where the local lord resided. Surely he could fine refuge there?*
Wesley
*Hanz would begin to sulk for a straight 30 minutes until he recovered*

"I can't sulk for the rest of my life here... I'll have to find many more valuables as I can. I still have my money at least but I'll have to find some food or something and then head to Grundwald castle at the plateau."

*Hanz would be able to find 5 apples and eat 3 and save the other to. A axe just in case he needs to fight back, and he found his horse so he'll be able to get to Grundwald faster.*
Anthony
*The ride was thankfully, quite short. After an hour, he arrived at the castle, without running into any of the raider that attacked his home village. The castle was well placed on top of the plateau, with only one way up. In front of it he could see what seems to be a skirmish zone, with hundreds of arrows scattered, all of them shot from the direction of the castle. Several dried blood stains were on the ground.

Someone left an arming sword - without its sheath, on the ground during the chaos. And it seems there was a perfectly serviceable kite shield left here, except for the three arrows stuck out of its front.

The castle is now some six hundred feet away. Someone on top of it is yelling at him.*

"IS THAT HANZ!? GET OVER HERE!"
Wesley
*Hanz would come galloping in on his horse.*

*"Help! My village has been attacked and I need to get the heck in there before they try an kill me again!."*
Anthony
"The gate is open! Comon in!" *The soldier yelled.*

"They just came over here and tried fighting us!" *Indeed, the gate to the castle were open - but half open, ready to be lowered at any moment. Hanz should probably consider picking up the equipments left on the floo.*
Wesley
*Hanz would look to see equipment on the ground it was a Sabre from the foreign invaders. Though it was a bit new looking to hans for he's never seen a sword like this. He would also pick up the shield just in case.*

*Hans would then faint after feeling the pain from the blunt he had on his head.*
Anthony
"What?" *The soldier murmured to himself. He scrambled down stairs, taking one of the horse and riding out to Hanz. He quickly placed him on top of his horse, and strapped the equipment to him, except for the scimitar. Then he slowly led himself and the horse back up to the castle.

Once securely inside, the gate would be closed, and Hanz brought over to the barrack for recuperation. Luckily for him, a mage was present, and sat down next to him, casting the spell healing touch to heal him...

There was a mug of water next to him, and some bread on a tray. The mage sat on the chair next to him- An old-looking male fire macen, with visible white hair.*
Wesley
*Hanz would begin to wake up.*

*"Were am I?*"
Anthony
"You're in Grunwauld castle. You fainted outside. Are you fine? You must be one of the villager from the village, right?"
Wesley
"Aye I was a smith in the vill with my father David Humphrey until we saw these strange and unknown raiders attack us. I've never seen these types of raiders before in my life and they killed all the known raider clans in the nation. It was unbelievable. And they spoke a different language as well so I definitely know they aren't from here."
Anthony
"You sure about the part? They must be foreign invaders, taking advantage of the chaos in this land to pillage... Still.." *He sighed,*"With the country at war, there's not much we can do about them. What do you plan to do, Hanz?"
Wesley
"I wished to burry my father but he's nothing but ash in the ruins of the town. My goal is to fight these bastardized invaders in any way I can. But I don't know how to hand a weapon."
Anthony
"M'lord need men to fight in his war, you could enlist. We could also use a good smith - You know how to forge a sword? Arrow? Repair them?" *The mage asked.*
Wesley
*"I only forged tools and horseshoes, but no weapons."*

*"Maybe we could get started right away."*
Anthony
"Come here. I'll bring you to a man you'd like to meet." *The mage stood up, helping him up with his hand. He led Hanz over to the castle smithy, where a blacksmith is working on a sword blank.*

"I've brought you a new apprentice!" 

*The blacksmith turned to the new comer. Perhaps Hanz will know him and his name.*
Wesley
"FREDERICK GROSHEN IS THAT YOU?"

*Hanz would say with a great happy voice.*
Anthony
"Hanz! I thought you were dead! The whole village was torched. You lived! Ah! I would hug you right now, but I have a sword here to finish..." *He hammered the sword into shape, and then quenched it in water. After a minute, he set the half complete sword aside, running over to hug him tightly, with the strength of a blacksmith.*
Wesley
"That is one fine cutlass you made there Fred, I also see a nice spear there as well."

"I didn't know you could craft such beautiful weaponry."
Anthony
"Indeed, they were ordered by the lord. The best steel in Tadon-Barana. Johnson here want you to be my apprentice. I'm willing to take you on and teach you the art of forging such beautiful swords. What say you, Hanz?" *Frederick was eager to skip over the tragedy earlier today.*
Wesley
*"Sounds fine by me but I was wondering if you could teach me how to use one of these weapons?*"
Anthony
"A spear is easy to use, but I am a blacksmith by trade. Captain Sigurd will drill you - after all, you are now under Lord Grunwauld's care. He will teach you to use a spear and sword and shield. He will be back in an hour from a scouting trip." 

*In the meantime, perhaps Hanz could help himself to the food.*