The long walk to faith

I was finally free from my childhood and now out on the roads making my own destiny. Finding money to buy supplies became distasteful at times as I have grit my teeth to help others. Some of the early kind of jobs I took had to deal with tending stables and helping out on harvesting. Though free from my childhood, I had to save my money for the future that was about to unleash a new force in this world. Oh sure I could of stolen the money or take it from the people who had it, but them damn monks did manage to impose some values onto me. Maybe having Sparrow not taking up the spot light is what made it more bearable. At those times, I guess I was likeable.
I remeber one year, I spent it in Shandora. It was where I first met Guile Starter. I must of been like 18 and he looked about 12 or 14 to me. At those times, he was a young boy instead of the Royal Knight that King Tynac sent to destroy me. Just a boy. If I knew then what I knew now.... Nah, I'd still let him live.
He was a special breed of human. They were known as Mystics. Back then they were everywhere and mostly in the employment of the King of Homeland. Some had paladin like nobility while others had egos the size of a mountain. Guile was diffrent as he was noble yes, but also capable of leading. I watched him grow into his powers when I stayed in Shandora. Back then I was hunting game for food and selling off pelts in the town. I was watching him from my booth when he first strapped the golden blade of his family to his side.
Shandora was another favorite spot for me for another reason. I enjoyed the tavern that was there at the time. The Green Bear tavern back in the day was it's name. There I would go and have a few drinks as I listened for anything of interest amongst the new comers to town. Shandora was after all a Trade Center of the Kingdom.
Then one day I heard that there were bandits poaching claim to the bridge in the Dondra Forest. This bridge links over the Dondra River leading to the northern lands of Homeland where the Castle and many other important trade posts, and a vale that lead to the Archana. Bandits would raid any oncomer and steal whatever they could, and even kill them if they had nothing. For some reason, I was starting to feel noble as I snarled a grin and decided it was time to take my pelts up north.
I had packed up all my pelts I had collected over the couple of weeks before and started my journey northward to the Dondra Forest. Just as everyone said I was quickly greeted by several bandits as my carriage approached the bridge. I calmly stalked out of my seat locking the carriage in place and pulled back my cloaks to reveal the dark blade that had remained hidden all this time. They continued to gloat that they were going to kill me and all I could do was grin and laugh. I was flanked as I stepped closer to the bridge, and when they finally rushed in after me, my hand fluanted the black blade in such a quick manner and seared the air with it's dark aura as it sliced down my oncoming friends. Each falling with deep engraved wounds from my blade across their chest area.
I heard some of the others that were watching try to flee, and then I gave them chase. They led me back to their hide out where I finished slaying the rest and came across their loot and an odd character to have tied up. A clergy man was tied up and gagged in one of the shack they had. I freed the man and asked him who he was and where he was going. Selvin of the Temple of Wind, was heading to the Shandorian temple to complete his pilgrimage. The thiefs thought they could hold his life for ransom as he was just picked up a few hours before I came. I gathered up all the valuable loot that I could find and carried it back to the carriage with me and offered the pilgrim a ride to Shandora.
I know I said I was heading north to trade furs, but that was just my excuse to go play with the lives of these bandits. I knew I had to keep a low key since I killed the monks, that slaying the bandits, no one would miss that, and on top of that, I got their stash so trading furs was no longer needed for now. I was able to live off that loot for several years, and use it to make more money.
Soon I became known as the mercenary that killed the bandits and then I found a new occupation. Selvin thanked me and the church did as well. I didn't care for the feeling too much as I felt I was getting too much attention so I started to leave Shandora anyways, and move my operations to a more mercenary based, Pearl Lance