The Crimson Empire:

Chapter 3

Somewhere in the middle of the woods lay a small cabinet that could easily care for a small family. In it lived a young boy who tried to make it his home. However, this was his place of survival. The young boy tried to find ways to make the place of Hell be considered somewhat of a home. He had small figures he carved out of the wood when he had the small free time. Of course, he hid the figures from the Old Wolf. The Old Wolf would not allow the child to have anything that could distract him from his training.

The young boy slowly stretched as he climbed down from his bed. He had to get ready for the Old Wolf's return. It had been a week since he saw his master as the young boy had to work on the apparent attitude that he had been showing. The young boy couldn't blame himself though. It was his ninth year and he was being treated as a warrior. He did not yet understand what his training was for.

The young boy barely got dressed when the main door opened.

"Once again I got through all your traps with ease." said a grizzle voice that came from a hooded figure that stood close to seven feet tall. And was as wide as a tree. The young boy could not imagine why anyone could be brave enough to face the Old Wolf. Perhaps they were all stupid enough he thought to himself.

"Yes, well it would be bad if I killed you then your lady would be in danger" the young boy gestured to another hooded figure that stood outside. He did not know who she was, but he always saw the Old Wolf and her together.

"Ha" the Old Wolf let out a hearty laugh "She could probably kill us both. Remember doctrine three: Never judge opponent on looks alone"

His stupid doctrines thought the boy. "Yes, Old Wolf" he replied with a smirk. He knew how much his master hated being called Old.

"I'm not old!" Old Wolf replied, pulling back his hood which revealed his grey beard that matched the smoke from the fire. His long hair he had tied up in a bun on the back of his head consisted of mostly grey hair over his brown hair.

"Is that why I see mostly grey hair?" asked the boy.

Before the Old Wolf could reply the hooded lady let loose a laugh that echoed throughout the woods.

"I never knew he called you Old Wolf! You shall always be called Old Wolf!" she added.

The boy who had never heard her voice before was taken back. Her voice was much higher than both the Old Wolf and himself. To him, her voice sounded like what honey tasted like.

"Old Wof... I mean Master who is she?" asked the boy for the first time. Despite it not being her first appearance he knew better than to ask the Old Wolf questions as he usually replied with grunts or pushed the question aside much to the displeasure of the boy.

"Ahh now you are asking the right questions" replied the Old Wolf. "Come let have you meet your Emperess."

***

Leo woke with a jolt in the back of the wagon. He had grabbed his dragger in his abrupt awakening but realized he was safe. Slug was still fast asleep in his hammock that he was able to hang thanks to his stabilizers. Long metallic polls helped stop the sway from the wagon. Slug had once explained his invention, but Leo did not understand a single part of it. Slug offered to design him one, but Leo preferred the base of the wagon over being suspended; he rolled too much. Of course, Axilya had one as well, on the opposite side of Slugs. They had taken up close to the wall of the wagon. He was always impressed with Slug's inventions even if he did not understand them all. After all, this was no normal wagon, though it might look normal.