Hatman1801

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Alvios let out a small sigh of relief, and looked Jenso in the eye. "I was sent to approach Luke for an alliance between Corona and Diver's Paradise by a the leader of Corona, Apollo. Tensions were extremely high between the people and the higher-ups in Apollo's circle. I had been told that Luke's men could help settle the tension, and that Diver's Paradise could use some supplies from the trade routes that used to come through here. I just tried to help. I didn't know just what Apollo was like."

Alvios slumped back into his chair, and sighed. "Didn't take long for him to decide and attack Diver's Paradise. Called them out as bandits who were going to invade the town. I didn't believe a word of it; Luke didn't seem the type, nor did anyone else. Before I could find out more though, the cavern connecting our two towns was sealed off by Luke. Apollo was praised as a genius leader for his 'forethought and perception' in dealing with the situation. I would have just left this place after that, explained to Luke what happened, but I had...personal reasons to stay." Alvios' eyes looked down, and he clasped his hands together. "Wasn't even two months after that when the Swarm started attacking. Now I can't leave. Underhanded politics and trade deals don't work against mindless creatures, so now I'm the touted 'village hero.'"

Alvios looked up at Jenso now, as if studying him. "If I hadn't agreed to be Apollo's messenger boy, I could have gone to Diver's Paradise for help with this real threat. But... if you know Luke, you could ask him to unseal the cave! I could explain what happened! Get Apollo's lies out of power!"

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Alvios stepped back, aghast. "Betrayal?! I would never betray him! Curse it all, is that what he thinks? Apollo would make it seem that way... Listen, Jenso, I think you've been misinformed. I wasn't the one who betrayed Luke." Alvios needed to do something before Jenso outright attacked him What if he wasn't convinced? He certainly looked angry.

Alvios reached to his side and unclipped the sheathe to his blade, letting the weapon fall to the floor, and pushed it towards Jenso with his foot. "I swear on my life. Let me explain. Take my blade if you don't trust me."

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Alvios' eyes widened as soon as he mentioned the name, and he shot up out of his chair, in shock. "Luke?! How do you know Luke?! Is he alive?!" Alvios calmed down slightly, before taking a step towards Jenso. "You must tell me what you know about Luke. Please."

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Alvios gave Jenso a wary glance after his brief talk with Melina. It wasn't just his outlook, as he wasn't nearly as curt with her as he was to him. Suppose I'll find out in a moment... He felt a familiar twitch in his fingers that wanted him to reach for his blade, but he also didn't necessarily feel like this man had killing intent in him.

Alvios stepped past him, leading him to the end of the hall, and stepping into the last room, sitting down in a chair next to a small desk, looking curiously at Jenso. "So, what is so urgent that you need to talk to me privately about?"

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Alvios had just been pulling out a chair for himself before Jenso spoke, and he furrowed his brow at the comment. He seemed so enthusiastic earlier...what's his problem? He sighed, pushing the chair back in, and waving a hand towards the stairs. "I have a permanent room here, we can talk without being bothered in there."

A Hero Tale {Complete}

"I told you not to call me that. And don't give me all the credit. Fix us some food and drink, because we've got a guest." Alvios stepped aside and gestured to Jenso, smiling to the young girl. "This is Jenso, and he helped stave off the Swarm today! Treat him well as long as he chooses to stay here." Alvios turned to Jenso now, raising an eyebrow at his forced compliance. "No need to be so tense now, they don't attack more than once a day."

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Alvios swam his way back to shore, sheathing his blade at his side and wringing blood and water out of his shirt. "No need for the credit. I'm just glad to have some real help for once. You're the strongest person I've seen in a long time; not that many people wander over to this place anymore for me to judge."

Alvios sheathed his blade and began walking back towards the town, motioning for Jenso to follow. "Come with me, we'll relax and I'll tell you what's going on. The name's Alvios by the way, stranger."

A Hero Tale {Complete}

"Fire-guy! That stuff is acidic and poisonous! Don't touch it!" Alvios charged towards the water, sword at the ready. From an outsider's perspective, how he planned on killing things offshore with a sword seemed like a mad idea at best, especially since it would be much harder to dodge the blobs of death from such a close range.

Didn't stop him though, as once he reached the shore, a burst of light came from his feet and he launched himself high above the creatures, and with another flash, began propelling himself down, intending to carve through the creature from above.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

"Little demons haven't learned your lesson yet, have you?! Crawl back into your holes or burn away!" Alvios ran into the thick of the grotesque monsters, flashes of light from his blade taking them out in swathes. It took barely any time for him to be standing solely between the town and the swarm. It would have looked like suicide from a distance, as Jenso approached, he could hear the townspeople cheering for the lone swordsman, and then louder as flames engulfed dozens of them.

He didn't let Jenso distract him from cutting through the beasts, but he did acknowledge his presence. "Welcome to Corona. There's a sale at the bakery, closest tavern has just been refurbished, and there's a swarm of monsters at the doorstep. Ask questions later, leave or fight now."

A Hero Tale: Alvios

Alvios pulled his torn jacket and shirt up, looking down at his wound. The skin was red, but it looked like little more than a hard slap now. It likely wouldn't even leave a scar. How it had healed so quickly, he couldn't explain or understand, but it meant something, just as being able to ignore the minor technique that masked man had used on him meant something. It meant he could fight.

"Joseph, Manfred, I can't explain, or even begin to understand what happened here today. I don't think I'm what either of you need to focus on right now. Go to the civilians who are left, console them, and help them rebuild before worrying about me." Alvios looked down to the ground, kneeling to pick up the metal sheath that used to hold his now-disintegrated blade. "The chaos that happened here today might not stop at this town, and after what I did to that girl, that man who brought it upon us may come back for me. It's best that I go."

Alvios stood up, and tucked the sheath at his side. "First though, I'm going to need a new sword."