Stories of Giladriis: The Paladin's Squire

Part One

Warden Kabel Windrift and what remained his twenty man strike team arrived at the stone stairway that would lead them to the roof of the stronghold. So far their task had cost them the lives of seven of his people, and had pushed the others to their limits, but the true fight was just beginning. One of the strongest Warlords of the Army of Mythos, the very same one who commanded the stronghold and all its assets, awaited them on top of the roof.

    Kabel Windrift joined the Paladin Order the day he turned six, a little over twenty six years ago. Like every generation of Windrift before him, Kabel had thick, straight, platinum blond hair was ran half way down his back. While dressed in his shining silver and gold colored plate armor he always kept his hair neatly pulled back and tied. His beard was just as thick as his hair and was kept neatly trimmed and groomed. On any other day his forest green eyes would have made him look kind and caring, but in battle they always looked bold, fearless, and threatening, especially to those standing on the other end of his sword. He could sew fear deep into the souls of his enemies just as easily as he could charm a woman.

    Like most of the Windrift who came before him, Kabel had chosen to become a Warden in the Paladin order. The wardens used their swords, shields, and minor use of magic to defend themselves and others from danger just as often as they used them to attack, if not more. The wardens were known as the most serious members of the Paladins, and Kabel took his position more seriously than a majority of even them. He was also the most skilled out of all the wardens, which was exactly why he had been picked to lead the attack. The thirteen remaining members of his strike team all looked nearly as capable as him.

    All of them except perhaps for his squire.

    Razeem Lugso was only fifteen and about half the height of his teacher. He had been Kabel's squire since he was seven. Kabel picked him to be his squire because he saw a potential in him that no other paladins could see. Razeem had been passed over by at least four other paladins before Kabel decided to take him. If Kabel had also rejected him, he would have never made it into the order. His father's incompetence during his time as a paladin was behind why nobody wanted him as a squire. Most young ones were judged off the actions of their parents, if they had also been a part of the order. Since Razeem's father had been kicked out for his stupidity, he had been automatically marked as a failure waiting to happen. Instead of becoming that projected failure he ended up becoming one of the most promising of the next generation of paladins, thanks to both Kabel's training and his determination to prove the order wrong. Within the next two or three years Razeem would be a full-fledged paladin, perhaps even a warden.

    Razeem kept his black hair tied in almost the same way that his teacher did, besides the fact that his hair was half as long. His eyes were as blue as Serpentire Lake. Compared to the seasoned paladins, warriors, and dwarves that surrounded him, Razeem looked extremely young. His only armor was a set of steel chain mail that covered his torso and shoulders, and covered his arms from the elbow up. His steel short sword's sheath rested on his hip while the holster for his small iron buckler shield was attached to his back. He held the sword in his right hand and the shield in his left. His deep blue eyes shifted around nervously as he advanced with the rest of the group. He stumbled and tripped a few times due to the fact that he was the only one walking backwards. As ordered by his teacher he guarded the rear, and would alert the others should any survivors inside the stronghold tried to ambush them from behind. He could fight if he had to, but his teacher had given him strict orders to only defend himself and to let him or the others take the majority of the fighting. His chain mail made rattling noises with every step he made up the stone steps.

    One of the other members of the strike team, a bald dwarf with a long copper colored beard, grabbed ahold of the shield's harness on Razeem's back and hoisted him up the last few steps. "Ah come on lad, I don't know why Windrift be draggin' ya around with us, but ya need to be keepin' up!" The dwarf's deep voice echoed off the stone walls and back down the stairway.