Shovel in hand, I kept digging. I knew that if someone caught me and discovered what I was digging, I'd have to serve time in jail. So I dug as fast as I could.
It's hard to know if what's buried here belongs to me or someone else. Depending on who asks, the answer I'd give would be different.
My hands were going numb, but I kept digging anyway. I was getting impatient. Just to be sure, I looked again at the tree in front of me. Yes, there was a cut. This was the right tree.
Even after an hour, I still couldn't find what I was looking for, so I kept digging. This time, around the tree. That tree had a cut, a cut made by an axe. I knew that what I was looking for would be around this tree, so I continued to dig.
Finally after another hour or so the sound of wood could be finally heard. A sound ominously similar to the one made by that person. I took a moment to look at the sky. At some point, without me realizing it, it started to rain. Almost as if the world was sad that I was so invested in digging this. I wonder what the gods are thinking, are they seeing this? Yeah, probably not. And there were signs that it was going to rain anyway.
In any case, the thing I was trying to get by doing this surprisingly dangerous activity was a rudimentary wooden box. A wooden box that was once a wooden tool box, but now it's just a wooden box. My father gave it to me a long time ago so that I could store my amazing treasures on it. That's what I did of course, but somehow, I managed to "lose it", which was quite a shameful thing to do. My father didn't believed me, but I argumented that it was my box so it was my problem and things like that, he bought it, after some time.
I put the wooden box on the ground. The wood was a bit rotten. The wooden box that was my first birthday gift, a gift that my fathers gave me just as I was starting to speak, was now covered in dirt. I made a mental note to give a farewell gift to at least my father. After all, even if my older brother received fancy toys instead of this lousy box. That lousy box turned out to be a lifesaver in the end.
I looked around one more time just to make sure there was no one around and then I finally opened it. Inside there was an engraved axe and a badge. I took a closer look at the badge. It said "Warden" alongside the name of our empire. Looking at it made my heart beat a little faster. It wasn't a magical object but it felt a bit magical to me. The warden badges are made of tin. Some people call badges like this "tin stars" although not only warden badges are called tin stars. It has an amazing design, the star in the center is remarcably well made. I wonder If the second emperor himself made this design. There are no tales who mention those kinds of things, at least not that I'm aware of.
There is also an axe, but I am not so interested in it, I am going to sell it at the first chance I get. Apparently, it's a fransiscan axe. The most relevant thing about this axe to me is the fact that it's made of magic steel, which is very pricy. But, even though I am not interested in it, I still took it.
It's a bit dusty but that shouln't be a problem. I only have time to throw it one time, I am already taking too many chances. I took position and faced a random tree four metres away. After a bit of aiming I threw it. It made a small cut, and the sound it made was also noticeable, but it didn't get embedded on the tree. The axe fell to the ground.
I was a bit disappointed but throwing an axe is more difficult than it looks, normally, I only manage to do it successfully six out of ten throws I do. I am better at handling swords and spears than axes. But axes are the most popular weapons between wardens.
I took the shovel again and I destroy the box. After making sure that it's now a broken wooden box, I bury it again. This time for good. I put the axe in my belt and the badge in my pocket and I carry on towards my house shovel in hands.
It's the middle of the night and my family already finished their first sleep, so I could go unnoticed if I play my cards well. I told my family that I was going for a walk. I have 15 years now, and I know how to fight, so they didn't asked too many questions. However, they can't know I have with me these things, If anyone found out, they could relate me to a criminal, and that wouldn't be nice. I could be called an accomplice. These objects belonged to him after all, people would wonder why I have them. And they could realize that I kind of helped him escape. So, yeah. I am indeed an accomplice. Of course that, I had my reasons.
I finally arrive at my family's farm. I take a look inside the barn and I see nobody, so I enter. I muster all the confidence I can gather on my steps. Finally, I found out what I was looking for. An empty grain bag. I left it here this morning, and hide it to make sure no one could find it.
I put the axe inside the bag and hide it again, behind the hay, I also leave the shovel. I should sell the axe as soon as I can, luckily, I already know who could be interested in buying it. I need the money to begin my journey afterall.
After making sure that the axe is succesfully hidden, I leave the barn, not without petting my horse of course. Even after all this time I still haven't put him a name. I don't want to grow too familiar with him afterall, he could die or I could sell him. But maybe one day, I will. He is a mustang with a bay pelt.
Finally, I enter my house. My family is probably praying in the living room. They usually pray before their second sleep, sometimes, I join them, but I am not much of a believer. Not of that kind at least. In any case, I go up the stairs and I enter my room. As soon as I get into my room, I leave the badge inside my chest. Luckily, I have my own room, the same cannot be said about my two siblings.
I think I am going to sleep and get it over with. I am tired from all that digging and the second sleep should be about to start. I wash my face In the basin and get into the bed. Sweet dreams I teel myself as I close my eyes. Something I am doing more frequently as the winter gets more and more closer to end. Once the winter ends, there will be the festival, and once the festival ends. My journey to the capital will begin. I need to be ready when that day comes. After some time, I fall asleep.
***
There is a tale that everyone is familiar with. It's a story that dates back thousands of years, about how the first emperor of our empire defeated a dragon that terrorized these lands. Then, wounded from battle, he retreated to his hometown and from there he united this territory, founding our empire alongside his battle companions and family.
It was later discovered that the soul of that legendary emperor came from another world. A famous mage discovered this while trying to heal the emperor's war wounds, something no one managed to accomplish until the end, not even him. Those wounds contained a curse cast by that dragon.
In any case, by the time it was discovered, the emperor was already old. So he couldn't have expected that what that mage discovered would be what would finish him off, and not that dragon's curse.
When the news that the emperor's soul came from another world became known, all the respect that emperor had by his people diminished.
The very empire he founded, and even his companions, went from admiring him, to... fearing him, or even envying him. At the very least, he was no longer as respected as before. It was common to hear people say things like, "Oh, so that's why he's so strong. He's literally from another world. Perhaps he even made a pact with the devil to come to this world."
The emperor denied having known about that world. But that mage was very famous and respected, and, unlike the emperor, he was "cautious," not a risk taker. So it was said that if he had said that, it was because he considered it was more dangerous not to say it.
Naturally, they believed him, and even asked for his advice. Having lived a life without taking unnecessary risks, and having harnessed his own magic to heal and strengthen himself, he was far beyond the emperor's age, yet despite that, he still retained some youth. He was one of the longest-lived humans in all of history.
Several storytellers emphasize how the mage was in the royal garden, sipping jasmine tea, and several of the emperor's companions, some advisors, and even family members, approached him and asked how he thought they should act.
Supposedly, the mage elegantly stroked his beard and said, "If he comes from another world, perhaps that world is trying to invade us. Perhaps even the fact that he doesn't know that he comes from that world is a side effect of a spell, that distorted his own knowledge of his world, so that we wouldn't know about it."
The mage also told them that if they were to send someone from that world to this one, it would make sense that they would send someone with the potential to become an emperor, with the goal of controlling this world.
What happened next is not entirely clear, but all the storytellers agree that somehow, the mage overthrew the emperor and became the second emperor of the empire.
He led his people wisely and founded the wardens, with the goal of ensuring that all tribes and villages can communicate with each other and to try to keep the monsters under control. I personally believe that If he founded the wardens, someone else must have come up with the idea, but who knows.
In any case he gained the favor of his empire, and many mourned his death. The storytellers don't agree on what ultimately happened to the first emperor. Some say he fled, others that he was assassinated, others that he was exiled.
The storytellers don't forget to mention, however, that this story potentially demonstrates that it is better to be cautious and cowardly than brave and heroic.
And that's how this story was told to me as well, but from a certain point on, telling it only reminded me of my purpose. It's not just been told to me, of course, but to all the young people in my village and probably to all those throughout the empire.
This story, and others, are often told to prevent people from adventuring or taking unnecessary risks. The goal is to make it clear that even if you were the strongest in the world, you could still be surpassed or defeated. Or in this extremely particular case, overthrown.
In this empire, adventurers, soldiers, wardens, heroes, knights, and warriors are openly despised, and parents try to prevent their children from becoming interested in things like swords. However, not everyone despises them, of course.