Episode 20: The Stormblade Knights
The Stormblade Knights led by Grand Duke Decius numbered exactly fifty—a compact elite unit.
They acted solely on the Grand Duke's direct orders, undertaking no other missions.
Five generals each oversaw nine elite knights.
Though few in number, they represented the empire's absolute cream of the crop.
Every knight had been meticulously selected from the empire's most promising talents and forged into a flawless hierarchy through rigorous training.
Their iconic T-shaped helmets shielding foreheads and noses marked them as Stormblade Knights.
The light armor they wore for ease of movement testified to their combat confidence.
Flaking gray paint and abundant sword scars on their gear proved recent battlefield experience.
"Hmm."
The helmetless Grand Duke Decius stood speechless before the ghastly panorama.
Though veteran of countless battlefields, he'd never seen corpses uniformly frozen in terror like this.
At the blood-soaked epicenter stood a lone boy.
'Could one person...?'
Decius's brows twitched as he scrutinized the youth. The boy's detached expression suggested he inhabited another realm entirely. Without the surrounding carnage, he might have passed for ordinary—though Decius's instincts screamed otherwise.
Tousled curls veiled the boy's eyes. His lean frame belied dense musculature honed to perfection.
"Release them."
Decius gestured at the iron-barred wagons. The knights moved with machine precision—half liberating prisoners while others formed defensive perimeter, several encircling the boy.
Their collective aura roared like a living tempest. Each knight radiated lethal competence.
A black ponytailed youth named Syung darted toward the boy. "Karone! You alright? Got caught sneaking earlier, huh? Barely escaped! Then stumbled upon these folks."
Decius's eyes sharpened. Few dared speak so casually before his knights.
Karone kept silent, but not before raking the Stormblades with a blade-like glance before resuming his vacant stare—a detail Decius noted.
"Karone? The boy's name?"
The mounted Grand Duke inquired after overhearing. When Karone stayed mute, Syung answered:
"Y-yes! He's... not much for words. Practically mute! Ha..."
Syung's awkward head-scratching and forced laughter worsened rather than eased tensions. The elite knights' hands drifted toward sword hilts, murderous intent sharp enough to flay skin—living proof of their Stormblade moniker.
'Fascinating.'
Decius found himself inexplicably reminded of his recently adopted daughter. Though older, this boy shared her peculiar aura.
Dismounting with two knights flanking him, Decius asked: "Did you slaughter all these people?"
Karone finally met his gaze. After protracted silence came the flat reply: "Yes."
Fifty blades of glacial hostility unsheathed simultaneously. As lethal energy crested, Decius casually raised a restraining hand—the tension evaporating like morning dew.
"He means YES! Right, Karone?" Syung desperately backpedaled, pounding Karone's back. "Sorry! Social skills of a rock! Even disrespects me! Ha..."
Decius ignored Syung, examining corpses until spotting Kaelden's severed head—a clean execution cut, not battle injury. Supreme skill... yet the boy showed no remorse for mass slaughter?
"Saved us the trouble. Impressive for your age. Origins?"
"Drifter mercs."
Karone's curt response made a hulking knight roar: "You little shit! Asking to die?!" Axe-bearing behemoth Valtara unleashed crushing pressure.
Syung squeaked and hid behind Karone.
"Valtara."
Decius's razor gaze made the giant retreat, snorting. None drew steel without explicit orders.
"Forgive his temper," Decius smiled. Karone's expression shifted minutely—first time encountering someone both powerful and perplexing. The entire knightly order thrummed with strange energy.
"Who're you?"
"Ah! Forgot introductions!" Decius smacked fist into palm. "I am Grand Duke Decius of the Great Rob Empire! Commander of its finest—the Stormblade Knights!"
Knights averted eyes, familiar embarrassment surfacing. Reactions diverged:
Karone: 'Why's he like this?' face
Syung: Jaw drop → full prostration → "Y-your Grace! Forgive our insolence!"
Decius (hoisting Syung): "Rise, lad. The boy stands plain too."
Syung (scrambling up): "A-apologies... Your Grace..."
Karone's silent stare radiating 'pathetic'
"My turn!"
Decius's demeanor inverted—180 degrees. Crushing authority poured forth, forbidding even thoughts of deception.
"Why the massacre?"
Karone calmly pointed at chieftain Kaelden's tent where knights hauled out loot. "We're righteous thieves. Taking what bandits stole."
Syung gaped as if struck. 'Righteous thieves and bandits—same difference!'
"Bwahaha! Righteous thieves! Never expected that!" Decius's laughter dispersed tension. Syung exhaled relief, joining strained chuckles.
Karone omitted mentioning Blue Crows—something warned against complications.
Still chortling, Decius remounted and tossed a heavy pouch. "We'll take the bulk loot. Forty gold coins inside—exchange for 40,000 silver. More than those trinkets' worth."
"40,000 silver?!"
Two thousand silver covered a mercenary's monthly pay—this equaled two years' wages.
As Karone pocketed the pouch, his glance at freed slaves didn't escape Decius. "Worry not, 'righteous thief.' We'll return healthy slaves to homelands."
While they conversed, knights finished loading prisoners.
"Where to now?" Decius asked.
Syung answered for silent Karone: "Port city Vaela."
"Vaela's lawless... but no matter." Decius eyed Karone before asking: "Consider joining us?"
"No."
Karone's blunt refusal stunned Syung. Decius roared laughter: "Refreshing! Pity—rare talent. Change your mind? Find me in capital."
The faintest nod.
"To capital!" Decius wheeled his steed.
"YES!"
The knights' spirited reply echoed—men finally returning home after months campaigning.
When the Stormblades' oppressive aura faded, Syung jabbed Karone's shoulder: "Why refuse? Stormblades are continental elite!"
"Don't serve anyone."
Syung's eye-twitch screamed 'I want to strangle you.'
"Fine! Let's move!"
They retrieved hidden horses in woods.
"Split the gold, right?" Syung eyed the pouch. "I helped distract them!"
Karone mounted, scoffing: "Money's that important?"
"Obviously!"
"Proves my point."
"You joking?!"
"Dead serious."
"Ugh!"
Syung tore at his hair before suddenly composing himself. "Let's just go!"
"Try stealing. Lose your hands."
Karone's whisper froze Syung mid-swallow.
'Devil spawn.'
Outwardly beaming: "M-me? Steal? Never!"
"Why Vaela?"
Karone's ambush question tripped Syung.
"Uh... Demon Orbs gathering there! Big score!"
Karone's flat stare lasted seconds before he rode ahead.
Syung's brows knitted.
'Does he know? Doesn't? Can't read him. Total pain.'
