“Mom! Dad! Where are you?”
Earlier in the day, Rojan had arrived at his parents’ farm, but the two were nowhere to be seen. So, after tying his horse to a pole, he entered the small shack his parents called home.
Thankfully, the shack still showed signs of being lived in, its pantries half-full with food. Clearly, his parents were just out farming for the day. Realizing this, Rojan took a deep breath then walked out into the fields, in search of his parents.
After a few minutes of wading through the fields, Rojan saw two figures in the distance, busy at work plowing the field.
With rising anticipation, Rojan picked up his pace and ran as quickly as he could toward the two in the distance. As he neared, he saw that the two, indeed, were his parents.
“Mom! Dad! It’s me, I’m back!”
“Hm?” Rojan’s mother, Lily, had better hearing than Rojan’s father, Roran. Decades ago, he had worked in a smithery, and the constant noise had permanently impaired his hearing. Hearing Rojan’s shouts, Lily struggled to straighten her back, then looked around.
Upon seeing Rojan, she suddenly jumped into the air, then slapped her husband’s back. “Honey, your son is back!”
“Who? Ah? Ah! Rojan? Where?” Upon hearing that his son was present, he straightened his back so quickly that several bones cracked, causing him to shout in pain. Despite this, he craned his neck, searching for his son.
“Mom, dad! Over here!” Rojan sprinted toward his parents, stopping only when he was within a few feet of them.
The trio examined each other, Rojan, his parents, his parents, Rojan.
Seeing his parents’ graying hair, withered bodies, weak limbs, Rojan couldn’t help but feel tears welling up in his eyes.
“I’m back.”
That night, three sat around the shack’s only table, eating congee sprinkled with some chives. Yet, the congee could only wait and turn cold, for tonight, there was much conversation to be had.
Rojan’s parents questioned him repeatedly regarding several things - his status in the Tero Kingdom, his recent accomplishments, and his relationship status.
But, after all of the typical topics had been covered, Rojan’s expression turned serious.
“Father, Mother. The surrounding world has always been chaotic, you know this. But, the reason I came today, in addition to visiting you, was to beg you to please, leave this farm, and come with me.
“The next twenty to thirty years will be the most chaotic this continent has seen. Of the current powers, perhaps none of them will survive. Nevermind this farm, this village that is so close to the Tero Kingdom’s border with the Krohan Empire, but even the Tero Kingdom itself is likely to fall.
“Please, come with me on my travels. At least that way, I will be able to protect you.”
His father and mother glanced at each other, then shook their heads. His father softly, but firmly answered Rojan.
“This land is where we were born, son. We’re so old already, and we’ve seen this land change through the years, through our blood, sweat, and tears. Your mother and I would very much like to rest here.”
Rojan’s brow furrowed. “What if we compromise? If you’d like to stay in the Tero Kingdom, you and mother could make way to the western coast. That would be the safest place for you two, and you would be able to spend your days watching the sun set. As for money, I have ample amounts of it for you to live hundreds of lifetimes in comfort.
“Please, this time, please listen to your son.”
This time, it was his mother who responded. “Son, it is not in comfort that we wish to spend our days. This land… has been in your father’s family for how many generations now? How many times has this village been claimed by one power or another?
“Yet, here we are. Son, do not underestimate the ability of the common man to survive.”
Hearing this, Rojan finally relented, and sighed. “Fine, fine. I expected this already, so I’ve requested one of the Tero Kingdom’s top battalions to be posted nearby. They will be responsible for the village’s safety. Hopefully, it will be enough.”
With that, the conversation ended.
Rojan stayed a few more days with his parents toiling in the fields and performing basic chores for his parents.
All too quickly, however, it was time to leave.
He stood by his carriage, in an embrace with his mother and father.
“Mother, father. Listen for my name in events to come.”
With that, Rojan climbed back into the carriage.
“Yah!” He shouted at the horse, spurring it to trot forward. Even as the farm disappeared, far behind him, he did not look back.
As for where he was going to go... After his years in close quarters with the Tero Kingdom’s nobility and generals, he had long decided that the Tero Kingdom, for all it had achieved, lacked the leadership needed to unite the continent.
Rumors from the northern Armoa Kingdom, along with their declining strength, showed that they were no better.
This left the Kerta Kingdom, Werstaw Kingdom, State of Altina, the Kerwin Kingdom, the Alliance of the Rising Sun that Mark and Celina had mentioned, the Peslir Kingdom, and the current behemoth of the Blair Continent.
The Krohan Empire.
Nearly as big as every other power of the Blair Continent combined, the empire had hundreds of millions of citizens, millions of soldiers, and thousands upon thousands of famous generals and strategists under their banner.
Yet, little was known about the Emperor. Was he an honest, righteous man seeking to unite the realm for the good of the people? Or, did he pursue lands only to satisfy his ambition and selfish desires?
Rojan had decided during his travel to his parents’ farm. He would see for himself the Emperor’s true face. So, it in the direction of Albun, the capital city of the Krohan Empire, that Rojan’s carriage headed toward.