A Warrior's Redemption (The Warrior Kind)

I would remember that jubilant moment to the day I died. My fingers had curled into the rich forest dirt and I had sucked in moist forest air like it was fine wine.

The feeling of euphoria at my release from hell had been so sharp I could fairly taste it, even smell it with every breath I had taken in. My companions had been right along with me in what I had been feeling in the moment. We had begun to grin and then laugh, which soon overtaxed our already worn out lungs. Wheezing from laughing I had shakily gotten to my feet and walked to the forest edge. The laughter had disappeared from me at the sight of the glistening city in the distance. The others had gotten to their feet and come to stand behind me.

"Zeventhal what will we……?"

I had held my hand up cutting off the speaker's voice.

"Call me by that name no longer! My free name is Roric. Call me by that name only from now on."

Seething anger had coursed through my body as all the injustices done to me flashed by in my mind starting with the unjust death of my father and the breakup of my family.

The anger had left me cold and full of resolve as to what I wanted to do.

"What is to be done Roric?"

Asked the man from Rauin quietly. I had turned and looked at him and then the rest of the men for a moment and then I had glanced back at the city in the distance, where it sat gleaming like a jewel in the fading afternoon rays of sunlight. My fists had tightened at my sides and my jaw hardened.

"I intend to make the Zoarinians pay for what they have done to me. To all of us! They will rue the day they took me captive, as I will become a scourge to their empire and if they plead for mercy, all they will hear will be my laughter! If you wish to share in my revenge then its welcome you are, if otherwise then just go!"

A big rough looking fighter, who came from the northern coasts gruffly broke the silence.

"Roric?"

Turning I had faced the man not sure what to expect from this man, who I had seen crush the backs of grown men, but hold and care for a pet sparrow with only one wing, as if it were a beloved child.

"In this plan of yours boss does it involve eating soon?"

My seriousness of focus had dropped away as we all had broken into laughter. "Yes, Olaf we'll eat soon! I promise!"