A group of merts and their escort departed from Southall, heading towards Castlecrest, a renowned hub of erce. Their caravan was den with ons, farming, mining tools, and oods.

  After assessing the surroundings, the head of the escort announced, "This is a perfect spot to camp for the night."

  They had arrived at a cleariled between a mountainside, a forest, and a river—a well-known ndmark for its safety. This location, preferred by travelers, provided a secure resting pce with ample natural resources, including fresh water from the river and wood from the forest, making it an ideal ht stop on their jouro Castlecrest.

  They started ereg tents crafted from leather or colored fabrics, while others collected wood for the fire. Ohe fmes were kihey gathered in a circle, sharing bread and dried meat. A chilling wind desded from the mountain, hunting like a predator. The merts and their guards braced for the night.

  "A ghost must haunt this pce," one guard remarked, attuo the strange wind.

  "Perhaps it's a demon," another specuted.

  "There have been no demon sightings in this region," the captain of the guards interjected, surveying the encirg stones.

  A figure cloaked in a tattered hood emerged from the adjat woods.

  "Identify yourself!" the guards demaheir voices tense.

  The hooded figure stopped. "I am only a traveler seeking refuge," he said calmly. "My name is of no significe, and my true name will bring you fusion."

  "Please be more clear," a tall man asked, anxiously holding a small dagger and shield.

  "I thought I had already been clear enough for you."

  The head of the guards eyed him with suspi. "We have no food for strangers, but you may share our fire," a mert offered.

  The stranger nodded and sat down beside the fire. The merts tio chat noisily among themselves while the newer remained silent, staring absently at the dwindling fmes.

  "Where do you e from?" the young guard asked.

  "An irrelevant pce."

  "Why have you traveled so far?"

  "Because of the times."

  " we trust you?"

  "You must."

  " you show us proof?"

  "Why is proof necessary? Truth does not need verification. Lies are firmed by who speaks them. Is the voice aloo decide what truth is and what is false?"

  "Your voice seems trustworthy to me. I like the things you say."

  The hooded figure smirked. "There is only one w, and that w is just. An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth."

  As night fell, they settled down to sleep. "Stay alert; he could be dangerous," the escort leader warned.

  "Yes, captain!" the guards responded in unison.

  The unknown man gave the signal—a short whistle followed by a long one—from the middle of the camp. A group of masked and well-armed bandits appeared.

  "Whoever surrenders will remain alive," said a robber.

  The captain and his men watched in bewilderment, ons in hand, ready to defend the camp.

  The merts saw the differen forces, and most preferred to surrender.

  The first volley of arrows hit a guard in the neck. The man fell dead to the ground.

  The escort aried to fight, pulling out a short sword and rushing towards the robbers. They fired, and the warrior fell to the ground, bleeding from a deep wound in his shoulder.

  The attackers killed several guards and brought the others to their khey tied the wrists of all the surviving members of the group with ropes. Then, by the light of the fire, they gathered all the goods they wahey pced the escort leader aside and tied him tightly.

  "Make room!" came a female voice. There was silence, and in front stepped Syberta, their leader.

  Syberta had short, cropped hair that was held back from her face by a leather headband. Her armor was made of sturdy, dark leather and was adorned with tribal markings. She carried a bow on her bad had two sharp krapped to her sides. She stood tall and atention with her proud posture and fierce gaze. Her skin was tanned from hours spent outside, and she bore scars from battles woe being a woman warrior, there was a grad elegao her movements.

  She approached the prisoner's face. "Are you the bastard who walks around with a bunch of bare elbows, bragging he's going to kill me?"

  The head of the escort wao say something, but he didn't have time. With a surprising move, Syberta knocked him out of breath.

  She was walking around the makeshift camp when she heard a noise from a tent; she readied the knives, went to the back of the tent, cut the felt, and crept cautiously. She came out of the tent with a small child in her arms.

  "From now on, this is my baby."

  She looked up at the sky, saw the strange color of the moon, and tinued, "He will be called Kaer, whi the a nguage of our tribe means "The Keeper."