Old Todd Forrester owned the finest pub in all of the great kingdom of Adderghast. At least, he liked to pretend. His place wasn't marked on any map. It was just a place that travelers stumbled into on their way to locations far more thrilling. Most of them were surprised that it existed.

Todd had built his old girl from the ground up, right smack in the middle of the big cities, Ibaina, Feraway, and Tharsis. The only road to get from one of these to the other ran right in front of his pub, so most of his customers came from one of them.

The owner, himself, wasn't a traveler by any means. He'd grown up in the outskirts of Tharsis in a poor village named Puck, filled with thieves and thugs. Luckily, he'd been blessed with a good mama who'd taught him right from wrong, and a good uncle who kept him safe. But when he'd tried to make his way in the world, going into the big city itself, no one wanted a barely educated man from Puck. No one trusted him. They saw him as a fool from nowhere, who was not smart enough for them. None of them cared about the man's good heart.

With that good heart broken, Todd left Tharsis and traveled a ways until he found a good, peaceful spot and made his stead. He didn't think he would spend the rest of his life in the bar, but it had been forty years since he'd built her, and he was still stuck in the middle of nowhere.

He didn't mind so much anymore. Nearing seventy now, he was resigned to his fate. The man liked listening to the young and relating to the old. Even if most didn't know of his place when they found it, they never left disappointed. He had good ale and knew how to make a broken soul smile again. His place was simple, but he knew how to make it a home.

He liked helping people, getting to know them, hearing their stories. There were some excellent ones he'd heard from strange nomads. A travelling group of carnies came in once, and threw their own little show. Some con-artists had tried to one up the old man, but Todd had street smarts from growing up in the dumps and had them spinning their wheels in the end.

But some of his favorite guests were the knights from the kingdom's capital, serving in the king's castle. Those men knew how to drink for one thing, but it was their stories of battle and the wiles of the court that had Todd spellbound. They spoke of their great king, and his beautiful queen. They told long monologues of their adventures, wild hunts, and secret affairs.

Then there were the magnificent tales of the legendary knight from the western kingdom of Evocatus that all the men spoke of with a reverence. A few of them would brag proudly that they had actually met the hero of the world, as what many had come to call him. Originally, he had been just a normal knight, but now he travelled over multiple kingdoms, leading armies against raiders and tyrants. He had slain many enemies that had come against the four kingdoms of Venth.

The hero that was already a legend—a man Todd could only imagine. The old barkeep knew he would never meet him, because legends didn't stoop to enter an unmapped pub.

Todd swallowed, staring hard at a spot on his counter without realizing it as he continued to twirl his rag through the already clean mug. Sweat rolled down his temple, though the night kept the place cool. He'd always believed that to be true. Nothing exciting happened to him. Todd heard the stories, not experienced them... but now...tonight, something was different.

Another tremor from outside made the windows rattle and roof shake. Todd gave a start and broke from his trance, eyes refocusing on his stalwart home. Tonight, his place was devoid of nomads, carnies, cons, and knights. He'd done his best to usher everyone out, due to what lay in the back of his storage room. Unfortunately, one man remained, pouring heavily over a bunch of books and papers at the counter.

At the trembling, the other man looked up. "Feraway?" He glanced quickly at Todd.

The owner cleared his throat. "Yessir." He gave him the same response he'd given nearly an hour ago. "I told ya, storm's been brewin' over there all day. For hours it's been buildin'."

Todd guessed the man was from the capital, based on the slight click of his accent and the gold embroidered cuffs. The place was over a hundred miles southwest from the tavern, so the man was clearly fascinated by the town that had been cooking up a real bruiser since around dawn. Great dark clouds loomed over Feraway, rain falling in sheets. Lightning flashed and wind cycloned around it. It was known for being a sturdy city, but even Todd's little bar could feel the ricocheted hits they were taking.

"And it started sometime this afternoon, you say?" The man asked another question that had already been answered. Todd got the feeling he was more repeating it out loud for his own self assurance, but the old man gave a nod anyway.

The younger man stroked his thick dark beard, that held a few faint streaks of gray, before looking down at his many scraps of parchment.

Todd had tried to figure out what had this man so buried within himself, but the words on the papers and in the books were scrawled all loopy and were terribly long. Todd knew very few words. It always bothered him to no end, especially when this odd man had all these books and papers that made him curious, and he doubted he would receive much of an answer.

The old barkeep pulled away and glanced behind him at the door leading to the back, then back to his busy occupant. Todd cleared his throat again. "If you'll excuse me a momen'. I'll be back, Sir."

The young bearded fellow bit his thumb, looking, in some ways, more anxious than Todd. He showed no sign that he had heard Todd at all, so the owner quickly slipped away behind the door.

Down a small dark hallway, he passed the ladder that led up to his loft, and went straight to where he kept his storage of ale and beer. The room was pitch black, but Todd pulled out a gift that one of the carnies had given him.

It was a stone, called a starlight, that glowed white when one whispered the word: Daza. It was an old magic trick made by an alchemist that the juggler had been friends with. Apparently, the circus man had several and had decided to give one to the old bartender. It was very helpful—far brighter than any candle or lantern and easier to use, but he knew he had to stow it away when the peacekeepers came around. They would definitely not like it.

The room came into vivid color as he murmured the magic word. It primarily held his many barrels of liquor, but the moment the light bloomed, a shadow moved from the far corner.

Todd tensed.

A broad-shouldered giant of a man rose up from behind one of the barrels. The light cast on him revealed long curling blonde hair, and pale green eyes that squinted at the sudden shine. He wore simple peasant clothes, but Todd had immediately recognized the legend that every knight in the four kingdoms could never stop talking about. A painter had some old scrap drawings of him that he'd shown Todd once, and now Todd knew that the artist had been very good at his job.

This was Sir Armin Grey of Evocatus, hero of the world.

Todd's hand that held the starlight shook as he stumbled forward in a clumsy bow. "Lord Grey."

"I told you, Mr. Forrester, I am no king." He had the richest, warmest voice Todd had ever heard.

"The words I've heard of ya make you out to be far greater than any king I heard of before." He inwardly cringed at his own rough, uneducated drawl.

A large hand, covered in calluses and scars, landed softly on Todd's shoulder, nearly causing his knees to buckle. "They are just words, and I am just a man."

Todd glanced up through his thin white strands up into the face of the great knight. Armin Grey had his own curling beard, that grew around his strong jaw and under his slightly crooked nose. This man had seen war, illustrated by all the old wounds that decorated every corner of him, but ladies all over adored the man. Even with his marks, he had a young, beautiful face. But maybe it was because of his eyes that held something that Todd had never seen in another man so openly before. Love. Deep, profound, full-hearted, unconditional compassion that gave Todd the most bizarre urge to cry.

The old man slowly straightened up. "And please," The knight smiled like a burst of sunshine. "Call me Armin."

Todd's lip trembled. Before he could say anything the sound of faint cry echoed up from the place the Evocatus knight had been crouched, making Armin's head turn and Todd to look over his shoulder.

An extremely short yet slender woman rose too. Her own pale, flaxen braided hair extended down to her waist. She peered shyly out through her long lashes. In her arms, a bundle of ratty blankets rustled as the small babe inside made another cooing noise.

"Are they gone?" The woman whispered. "Are we safe?"

Armin returned swiftly to his wife and pulled her to him then glanced up at Todd for an answer.

Todd swallowed. "Mostly, miss. There is jus' one man left. He's very occupied, an' if you' like, I could try an' slip you out now." Todd had no idea why the great hero of the world needed to slip away, but Todd would do whatever this man asked of him without question.

The woman held the child tighter to her as Armin's hold on her became firmer too. The knight shook his head. "We can wait a bit longer."

Another ground shuddering quake shook the little tavern more fiercely than any of the others thus far. The pretty young lady held her child closer, closing her eyes, but the child didn't make a sound. A boom of thunder made her gasp, and her husband rubbed her arm comfortingly.

After it had passed she opened her eyes and looked back at Todd. "Is-Is the man out there...a peacekeeper?" Her voice quavered.

Todd blinked at her. No one liked the peacekeepers, they were cold, stiff, and to the point. But the barman had never heard that kind of fear in someone's voice when speaking of them. It made the old man wonder if she was...perhaps one of them. One of Chaos's children. That would make sense as to why the great hero of the world would be trying to run away...

Todd looked at the young mother, so soft and fragile, clinging to the small babe in her arms. She couldn't hurt a fly. She wasn't anything like the monsters on the posters or the nightmares that the peacekeepers constantly warned others about.

Todd shook his head. This gentle lady loved her child and husband and just wanted to protect them. The storm couldn't be helping her nerves, either. He was starting to feel a little anxious about it himself. "No ma'am. He be jus' a trav'ler."

Armin nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Forrester, for all that you're doing for my family."

Red blotches surfaced on Todd's wrinkled face. "Oh, no please, Sir! It's been no trouble. An' you've got no need to be—I mean—you can—I mean I can—you can call me Todd, Sir." He finished, more ashamed and embarrassed than when he had started. He cleared his throat. "I'll go see how much longer he'll be now." Then Todd slipped out of the room before either could say more.

Rushing to the door, he saw that the dark-haired man was still there, now with a highly detailed map in front of him. As Todd approached he realized the map was of Feraway, the home of the ghastly storm itself. He couldn't read much, and he'd never been there personally, but he recognized the symbol for the great estate belonging to the king's brother, Prince Kay, Duke of Feraway.

The odd man had a strange, angled device that he seemed to be measuring with and making marks with a quill.

"You don' plan on actually goin' there now do ya'?" Todd asked, hesitantly.

The obsessed man tore his gaze away from his map and stared up at Todd, his eyes tired and strained. A startling look of desperation on his face threw Todd. He'd sworn it hadn't been there earlier.

"I don't know what I'm doing," the man from the capital whispered, pursing his lips. "It's utter madness, but I can't let it happen." He shook his head, folded up his map and shoved it into his bag with his other books and papers. His gaze traveled to the window staring out at the dark sky that now had red and purple swirling clouds that flashed and roared over the city in the distance. "Even if it means my death."

A shiver passed down Todd's spine. "No, death isn' an answer," he said softly, even though he hadn't the faintest idea what this man was saying.

The lost, haggard man looked back at Todd. "You have a stable out back, I noticed. Do you have any strong horses?"

"What about yer own horse?" Todd asked.

"He couldn't do what needs to be done. He's too old. Please, can I see your horses?"

The owner took a deep breath and glanced back at the door behind him before returning to this stranger. "Okay, follow me."

Todd led him outside where the wind ripped at them causing them both to stagger to the little stable that Todd had also built many years ago. He owned five horses. Four strong mares and slightly wild stallion.

"Yes, one of these will do," the man said, drawing toward the ebony mare Todd had called Midnight. She was a beautiful creature that Todd had raised since her birth in this very stable. But now he watched as the man carded his hand through her mane. "I will return her when it's done." The mysterious fellow pulled away from the horse and approached Todd, taking out a small purse, and handing the whole thing to him.

Todd stared, and then looked down at the pouch and opened it to see its contents. His eyes widened further. "This is far too much!" He cried out as the other man saddled the mare.

"Consider it insurance. If for any reason I cannot return the horse, then you may keep that money as it should be more than enough to pay for her." He opened Midnight's gate and swung aboard her.

Shakily, Todd went over to the large stable doors to open them for the man. "Buch'you promisech'you would bring her back." The doors slammed open harder than he meant as the wind barreled against it.

"That's my intention!" The man shouted over the gale force of the storm and Midnight's whinny as she reared up from the loud noise.

Todd quickly caught her reins and settled his girl, then he looked up one last time at the middle-aged man that had poured over his books and papers, desperation and insecurity riddling him as he insanely decided to ride into his possible death. "I have to ask, Sir. What is the madness that's in Feraway? Why mus' you go after it?"

The graying man stared ahead determinedly. "The madness is Chaos. And for the sake of countless lives, I will be the man to stop it." Then with a flick of his wrist and a kick of his heels, Midnight rode, and Todd watched the man vanish around the bend.

For a long time, Todd just stared, his mind spinning, not understanding what the man was talking about at all. The only Chaos that he knew of was the evil fate, himself, but he wasn't a physical being. Perhaps that storm was of the dark god's making, but none of what the stranger said made sense to go toward the destruction. He had been afraid. He knew what he was doing was reckless, but he had been fierce-fully determined. Todd found that to be rather honorable.

Hurriedly, Todd returned to the knight of Evocatus and his family. Armin rose and Todd gestured for him and his wife to follow him. He led them quietly through the empty pub. But just as the old owner reached the door leading back out into the windy exterior, a whole brigade of pitch black chargers, darker than Midnight, galloped up the road.

The hero's wife shrunk back in horror for this time these men were instantly recognizable as peacekeepers. Their pale, parchment robes whipped around them like bone white flags, and their redwood staffs beat against their backs as they bounded on their steeds.

Todd put up a reassuring hand and the three Grey's tucked themselves deeper into the bar as the old man tottered out to meet the men.

The lead horse's eyes were icy cold for an animal, and it met Todd's gaze, making the old man shiver as the cold entered his bones. The expression of the man astride him, was hidden under his hood. Todd again cleared his throat and called up to him. "What can I do fer' the peacekeepers this evenin'?"

His words were nearly stolen away in the wind, but the man heard him and gave a grunt in response. "That storm over Feraway, how long has it been raging?"

Todd blinked, suddenly wary. "Several hours, Sir. Since sometime this afternoon."

The peacekeeper's head nodded and gestured with his hand for the rest of his crew to follow. "It is nearly midnight! This must be it!" He roared back to them, and with a strike of his whip, he sent his steed racing after where the other man had vanished, not ten minutes earlier.

The others followed without hesitation, save for one. They slowly brought their horse up to Todd, surprising him as it was a woman straddling the shadowy beast. She also kept her hood up, but he could see the stiff line of her rich, dark mouth as she murmured, nearly inaudible over the tempest: "Was there anyone else that went to Feraway this night?"

Another chill washed over him as he stared at the woman. It was a simple question, but her crisp, heartless tone, made him want to run. A faint threat wove into her low resonance. Threatening him or the dark-haired stranger, he wasn't sure. The old man shook his head. "No, ma'am. The only people crazy enough to ride into that city right now are you and yer' people."

The woman hissed. "We are not the crazy ones." Then she flicked her whip. The backlash skimmed Todd's cheek and made him tumble back as she bounded after her comrades.

The bartender stared after her, holding his cheek where he could feel the heat of a forming welt. He was unsure if that had been an accident or on purpose. Todd shook himself and turned as Armin approached him with his wife close behind. "Are you alright?" The knight held up a cool handkerchief, his look of concern apparent.

"Fine," Todd waved him off, now both his cheeks feeling warm. "Come on, I'll get you a horse."

Bringing the couple into the stable he led them to his prize, named Noon.

"Noon?" Armin chuckled.

"I had a horse named Midnight after a twelve a' clock time so, I thought I'd have another an' call her the other twelve time."

Armin laughed heartily. "What wonderful logic you have!" He grinned, ensuring that he was not making fun of Todd but actually meant it. Then he set about saddling her.

Armin's wife, Lavender Grey, stood beside the old barkeep with her currently sleeping child, which he could now fully see. The baby was veritably small. All babies were small, but this one seemed more so. From the looks of it—Todd was not the best judge on this—the child had to be no more than a few days old at most. The woman was obviously drained.

Again, Todd found his mind wondering what could possibly make the greatest man on the land of Venth up and run away with his newly birthed child and exhausted wife.

The small, fluffy haired bean shivered in the thin sheet he was swaddled in, and Lavender did her best to wrap her arms tighter around him as if to give all her warmth to her child.

A spark hit Todd over the head and he put a hand on the woman's shoulder. "Hold on a momen'." He bustled over to a large chest at the end of the row of corrals and cranked it open. It held many thick woven quilts that he'd put over his horses during the cold seasons. Most of them were far too big, but as he dug through, he came across a bright red blanket that he remembered receiving as a gift from the strangest man he'd ever encountered.

The man with no name had sauntered into the pub with a bizarrely wide grin and green catlike eyes. He'd worn outlandish clothes and had hair the color of a freshly picked orange. Todd would have taken him for another carnie, but he'd been alone. He had asked for a drink and instead of talking on and on to Todd like all the others, he barely said a word. Instead he sat and listened to the old man, which was odd, since Todd didn't think that he would have much to say to anyone. After that was all done with, the stranger had stood and tipped his uniquely tall hat before pulling out the red blanket, almost magically, from his purple coat. "The money's inside," he'd said, nodding at the vibrant quilt. "You'll know what to do with that when the time comes."

It was a peculiar thing, and Todd wasn't sure that this was what the eccentric man had in mind, but that baby needed something better than the worn material if he and his family planned on braving this storm.

Unfortunately, it was Red Reaper's color. Todd knew of people who saw it as an omen of death, since the color was forever linked to him. Todd didn't personally believe a color could bring that kind of misfortune, but he'd admittedly never put it on any of his horses. So it was the cleanest blanket in the chest...

Uncertainly, he returned to Lavender and the baby. "This might help. It's light, but it's pretty sturdy, I think."

Lavender gave a grateful smile, and without hesitation, grabbed the red offering. She turned and lay her child on a bale of hay, placing herself between Todd and the baby as she tucked him into the warmer blanket.

She's one protective woman, Todd thought.

As she finished, her husband returned to her and held out his arms for his son. "Let me see him, Lavvy." Then he tenderly took the babe from her grip, giving the child a look that no other could ever receive from him. It was love far greater, deeper, and more powerful than what naturally radiated from him. Todd found himself looking away as if he were intruding on something purely private.

The knight guided his wife over to Noon and gently helped her aboard. Then he handed the baby back to his mother, the man's fingers lingering on her hand. Armin then turned back to Todd.

The old man straightened up as he approached and once again rested his hand on his shoulder. "I cannot thank you enough for all that you've done for me. I wish I could pay you, but I have no money now. And I don't think I could ever get her back to you."

Todd quickly shook his head. "There's no need, Sir. She's yers'."

"You are so good and kind, Todd. Thank you." Armin's hand slipped away and he swung his leg over the mare, in front of his wife and infant son.

Todd sighed. "That's all I be, Sir. It was an honor fer' a poor insignifant' man like me to help the hero of the world." He pulled the doors open, and the wind slammed into him like a wall.

Noon, his youngest horse whinnied, but Armin easily settled her. He didn't dash off immediately, instead gave Todd a hard stare. "I am not someone so special, certainly no more than you, Todd Forrester. I have met many men in the line of duty and travel, and have discovered that there's not a single good or kind man that is in any way insignificant." Then he gave a nudge to the horse, starting her galloping away in the opposite direction of the uproarious city, away from the peacekeepers, away from the mysterious dark-haired man.

Todd lurched out after him to watch the knight and his family disappear into the ravaging night. He raised his hand as the rain poured down on him as well. The old barkeep couldn't explain it. A strange feeling in his gut stirred that made no sense at all. The events of the night were odd and exciting but appeared to be unrelated and random. However, he couldn't help but think that that was wrong. It was like there was a string...as if the corner of that red blanket had frayed and now flew out behind Noon, stretching across his vision in the opposing direction. It led somewhere ahead of the stranger that raced Midnight into the eye of the storm. They were bound in some kind of way. Now, they ran away from one another, but it would all come together in the end.

Old Todd didn't know how he knew, but he had just witnessed the beginnings of a new legend designed by none other than the fates themselves.