CHAPTER 1
Thousands of years ago,there was one simple rule;what is created must also be destroyed.
As the sun sets,someone inside a hut notices the fading sunlight and quickly strikes a match using it to fuel a lantern, and the person places it on their wooden desk with lots of large pieces of paper each with well labelled sketches of door hinges,belt buckles, and so many swords
with intricate labellings. He would mix and match handles with different blade types,when he saw any he was displeased with him, and he would squeeze that paper and toss it to the bin in the corner adding it to the pile that didn't enter
the empty bin.
He did this for so long,the light of the lantern started to die, and his eyes became heavy, but he couldn't sleep;he didn't want to.As the fatigue overwhelmed him, he had the same dream that continues to plague him:
He's much younger,seated in a dark forest hugging his legs and in tears,his back against a tree,he tries to call out to the pointy eared silhouttes walking away from him, but the growling of wolves got so close,he could swear he could perceive the last unfortunate creature they
devoured.
"Help me…"He mutters as he awakes to a new day with the sun shining on his green skin and pointy ears.He sees the teardrops on the paper just as there's a
loud knock on his door.
"Grymm!I hope you're up!"Bellowed a man with a strong Scottish accent.
"I wouldn't be responding if I was!"I shout
back.
"You got a smart brain in yer noggin boy- o,I just hope you didn't forget the orders for today!"He shouts from the other side of Grymm's locked door,he packs the papers together and walks to the door, turning the key to unlock it and sees a large man with thick locks of hair connecting from his bushy moustache to the vast amount of hair from his head.It looked like a lion's mane, hence his nickname "Lionbeard."
He notices Grymm's red eyes, and before he can inquire,I hand him a piece of paper and start speaking:
"This is Sir Edgar's door hinge,Lord
Stoker's Belt buckle and…oh yes ,madame
Arakawa's Nightstand."
"Thank you for doing your job."He says in a sarcastic tone.
"Thank you for paying me."Grymm responds in a similar tone.
Grymm pushes the door to close it, but Lionbeard puts his boot to stop the door from closing.
"What?"Grymm asks,stressing his syllables.
He peeps in to see the sketches of swords on my desk.
"Those are pretty good designs."
Grymm tries to block his view with his body.
"Thanks…it's not like I'm strong enough to use any of them."
He looks at his own scrawny limbs.
Lionheart signs,hiding his lips in his beard.
"Listen, boy-o,everyone has a role in this
world …"
"I know…there would be no knights if there were no blacsksmiths…"Grymm says as he looks down at the tiles.
"Yeah, they wouldn't even have armour. Can you imagine a man fighting a dragon in his undies?"
Grymm grins in response.
"Ah…so ye can smile after all."
Grymm growls in annoyance and pushes the door to try but is unable to close it.
"Hey,I'm going away for a few days, but l promise the day I return,we'll forge one of your swords."
"Wha…?Really?I thought your forge was only for work?"His ears perk up as he asks.
"There are other forges we can use, whatever ye do,don't stop trying and Grymm …"
Before he can finish his sentence, the whistling of the kettle catches his attention.
"Dragons…I need to turn off the stove and be on my way,take care of the house, and help me fill out the tasks for the rest of the week.Please don't forget …"
".…Don't forget to wear my cloak,I know… Grymm says, rolling his eyes.
He leaves the door, and the house Grymm looks as the hefty man leaves through the window,not knowing that would be the last time he would ever see him.
He reads a note pasted on the kitchen door with a list of chores to do. "Of course he couldn't just let me have a
free day."He groans as he reads the contents of the list:
1. Deliver the grey bag of tools to Vilo the merchant. He owes me 15 silver from the last one.Remind him to add that to the list of 30 gold coins he's to pay for this
package.
2. I took Valon with me, but I wasn't able to clean his mess. Do help me sort that out.
3. Wear your cloak when you go out.
He rolls his eyes at the last one on the list, and as he wipes his face in the mirror, he notices his eyes are blood red, his hands are trembling, and his vision starts getting blurry.Suddenly, he's able to hear the sound of someone counting gold coins very far away from the house.
He staggers to the kitchen,leaning against the wall.He struggles to crush a bright yellow leaf with a spiralnpattern on it and mix it with hot water, making a purple liquid,with trembling hands, he ignores the putrid smell like that of burning rubber, holds the cup up to his face and braces the bitter tasting fluid.After just a sip, his hearing returns to normal.
MANY YEARS AGO
A muscular grey skinned creature , so large, his head is touching the roof of the prison room despite being on his knees, his with thick skin riddled with cuts and scars, adorned in only in a loin cloth cough and breathinh heavily.
"This is where you will remain, you foul creature, you shall not see the light of day ever again."
A tar black cloaked man tells the creature.
"Don't you have anything to say, monster?"
"She was only a year old...you and your band of bastards took her life without remorse...and I'm the monster?"
The cloaked man unsheathed a katana with a bright orange blade with an inscription on the blade.
He plunges it into the creature's chest and the blade ignites generating flames and filling the room with the smell of burning flesh and the helpless screams from the creature as he struggles against the chains hangingfrim binding his arms.
"Don't you dare speak so freely, you vile savage ; a relic that should've been burid long ago."
He pulls the sword out crelessly making the creature grit its teeth screaming between them.
He turns around and wipes the blade with a cloth.
"Is that the worst you can do? I thought you wanted me dead."
"Worry not, monster, this prison shall be your tomb."
"I was hoping to meet my family soon and to die by your blade would truly be a blessing."
"I see you've learnt some manners, grovel and I may just grant your wish. "
"Ichi, leave that creature, let's go we've done our job and delivered him."
A female voice speaks from outside the room.
"She's right, we've done out part."
"True...she is your leader after all."
The man turns around, holding the blade with both hands and growling.
"Any last words?"
He asks, excited and grinning.
"...don't miss."
He swings the blade and black blood oozes from the creature as it's hand falls .
The man is shocked and before he could swing again the creauture impales him with the bone poking out from his severed wrist.
"I warned you..."
The creature sings.
The hooded female knocks on the door.
"What's going on in there?"
As she enters, the body of the man is thrown at her, slamming her against the wall behind her.
She gets up seeing the creature sliing off the chain holding it's left arm, holding the handle of the blade in it's mouth.
The woman unsheaths her rapier with an inscription on this blade as well.
The words glow and the air in the room becomes bone chilling.
She rushes to the creature's neck but he punches tge ground beneath them making her lose her footing and momentum.
The creature grabs the secered chains and swings it at her , she guards with her sword as he swings repeatedly without reprieve.
She struggles to even advance but ashe she does so, the creature lunges the orange blade at her, she doshes but is cought by the chain swung at her, itstrikes her arms making a loud crack as her wrists are bent inwards and she's unable to even close her hands.
She looks up at the creature bow seeing the detals of its face, pitch blak eyes with a scowl that looks like it would frighten even a demon.