Looking into the slums Kaelon's blood ran cold. A war had spread completely unbeknownst to him. He clutched Bogar's sword as his mind flooded with thoughts.

  'I have to survive... Luckily I'm not in the thick of it....'

  He peered put the window to see a growing conflict. Eventually, even this building on the outskirts wouldn't be safe.

  'Where can I go? Is there anywhere safe around?.... No it's better if I stay here. I won't make it for long out there.'

  Kaelon contemplated his options while looking out the window. Out there, the fighting was coming closer. The Grate Lords were raveging the area mercilessly. Every bystander was a victim in the making.

  In the distance Kaelon saw a woman running in his direction. She was in horrible condition, blood covered her fair skin. In her arms she carried a small girl, no older than three years old.

  A man walked behind her, his eyes held a predatory glint as he scanned the running woman. He was enjoying the hunt as he let the woman run further.

  "Hahaha! Keep running slut! In the end you'll be mine regardless."

  The woman looked back in fear, her legs running faster. She yelled out for help as she looked around desperate.

  "Help! Please! Somebodh help me! At least my daughter! I have a child!"

  She kept running away from the man but he was getting impatient. Kaelon saw the man brandish a crossbow. With practiced ease he knocked a bolt and fired.

  The woman was running past the casino when the bolt hit her leg. She let out a piercing scream and fell to the floor. Her daughter flew out of her arms and landed in the alley.

  Cries filled Kaelon's ears as the man came closer. His body moved before his mind could form a thought. Kaelon dashed downstairs and out the building, sword clutched in his hands.

  The man's eyes widened a bit in surprise at Kaelon.

  "What are you doing kid? Playing hero?"

  Kaelon held his sword tight, his eyes narrowed as he focused on the man in front of him. Behind him the woman began scrambling to get up.

  "I'm no hero. But I can definitely kick your ass."

  The man's expression shifted as Kaelon spoke. Now bloodlust dominated his expression as he drew his sword.

  "You better back those words up, or you'll die right here."

  Kaelon steadied his footing and readied his sword. His eyes gleamed with focus as the man rushed at him. In the blink of an eye, a sword was coming dangerously close to his face.

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  Kaelon threw his sword up to counter the man's attack. The two swords clashed with a resounding clang. Kaelon wore a dark expression as he pushed the man back.

  'Damn.. It took all I had to push him back. I can't keep up... My body is too weak.'

  Laughter echoed through the street. The man looked down at Kaelon with a mocking smile. Behind Kaelon the woman shrank in fear, now embracing her daughter and trying to shield her.

  "Hahahaha!..... Oh kid you're funny. All this struggle for some worthless woman you don't even know."

  He pointed his sword at Kaelon's head and his smile dropped.

  "Didn't you know heroes don't live long?... Don't worry I'll teach you!"

  Woth his last words, the man shot forward again. Kaelon looked at the approaching blade, a burning resolve in his chest. The burning grew hotter and hotter as the sword came closer.

  He yelled out in defiance and swung his sword with all his strength. Sparks flew as the blades clashed. Kaelon's eyes shone a subtle gold as he put all his strength into his sword.

  In the end though, it wasn't enough. Kaelon was sent flying back by the man's sword. A bloody gash splitting his body. His sword tumbled through the air before siding across the grimy street.

  The man laughed once more as he walked up to Kaelon.

  "Hahahaha! See boy?!... Heroes don't live long."

  He lifted his sword as he spoke and plunged it into Kaelon's leg as he finished.

  Kaelon yelled out in pain, tears streaming down his face. As he struggled in pain his hair began burning subtly red. Kaelon looked at the man stabbing him with fire in his golden eyes.

  "Oh?... You still have some fire in you hero?"

  The man met his gaze and taunted him from above.

  Kaelon felt his resolve burn. He couldn't let this fight end this way, he wouldn't lose like this. His sword was still within arms reach, he could get out of this. All he had to do was distract him for a second to grab it.

  "Why? Can you at least tell me that? Why did you Grate Lords suddenly attack?"

  "Hahahaha! Are you serious? I'm about to kill you and that's what you ask?!"

  The man didn't take him seriously at all. In his mind he was completely in the advantage. He had nothing to worry about and no way he could lose.

  "Yes, I wanna know why? Why did this war suddenly go down?"

  "Why? I'll tell you why! Because we could! The Last Coin and Madam's Grip were weak. Their scuffles last year made them vulnerable...."

  As he began to go on Kaelon reached for his sword. Once he got it in his grasp there was nothing the man could do. Kaelon stabbed up with all his strength.

  Bogar's sword pierced through the man's stomach and he staggered back. Blood splattered on the ground as the man fell backwards. Kaelon stood up and limped over to the corpse.

  He looked on as the man drew his last breath and bled out. This was the first time he had killed a man. Kaelon stared at the gangster's face for a second before he steadied himself.

  He calmly looted the man and found some gold. Kaelon looked toward the setting sun with a conflicted expression before heading inside the casino. There the woman sat, paralyzed in fear clutching her daughter tight.

  "I killed him, you're safe now. At least safer than before you got here."

  The woman turned to him with desperate eyes. Tears streaming down her cheeks.

  "Thank you! You saved us! We would've died or worse if it weren't for you."

  Kaelon's eyes softened at her words. He was never one to save others but this felt good. It filled him with a warmth that was unfamiliar.

  "Don't worry about it. I couldn't just leave you once I saw what was happening."

  Kaelon peered out the window with a focused gaze. Outside the situation was no different. Gangsters filled the streets and conflict covered the slums.

  "You guys hide here. There's a back room behind the bar. The guards should do something about the fighting eventually. Just wait until the sun rises tomorrow before leaving."

  The woman looked up at Kaelon with fear.

  "What about you? Can you stay? What if someone comes?"

  Kaelon felt bad but he couldn't be responsible for their lives. He was already struggling to survive by himself. Especially now that he was wounded.

  "I'm sorry lady but I'm not some hero. I helped you out because I could. Now it's on you to survive."

  With that Kaelon stepped outside his resolve burning. He would survive this, that he swore to the gods.