Exiting his assigned bedroom, Guan Yu with his trusty guandao at his side, held within the right hand as he exhaled deeply through the mouth, turned his attention to his left, glancing at the boy's room, moving towards it, and knocking on the wooden door gently. "Seth, are you awake, child?" The warrior asked in a kind tone.
Seconds passed by without response. "Perhaps he is still fast asleep," he figured, figuring that Seth must be tired from yesterday and needed some rest. "He had quite an eventful day, it seems," chuckling at his own thoughts before turning around, intending to depart the premises by walking across the long set of hallways he was in.
Knowing he doesn't belong to this world in the first place, the general doesn't know what to expect from this new place, but he knows for certain that it appears to be better than the one he had prior. It was not like he had high standards to begin with.
Few servants and guards alike had greeted the large warrior as they passed by, some being cautious of him due to his imposing presence. He didn't pay attention to such trivial things and continued to find a place to eat where he could replenish himself with sustenance.
Moments later, he reached the dining hall after entering through the massive double doors he found within this very hallway. Inside are many various-sized wooden tables with plates filled to the brim with food, including meat, fruits, and vegetables of varying kinds.
Several maids with aprons over their dresses served the many guests, fellow knights wearing their silver armor as their helmets were off, revealing their various looks: bearded men with long hair or beardless ones, while a few had short hair and one even had a short beard.
The older men had some scars but were otherwise in good health and shape, chatting with one another and exchanging stories of their time in service to the empire. It was all good when one of the maids dropped her empty plate, staring directly at him in shock.
All the attention was directed to Guan Yu for his grand height and aged beard, along with his carrying his weapon by the side. Most of these knights hadn't seen anyone of his stature before except the King, who is comparable to that of an average human male, but nevertheless, they were flabbergasted by the sheer size and intimidating appearance of a warrior.
One of them, elderly graying hair and a shaved beard, waved at him to sit with him. "There's a spot open for you, my friend," signaling for him to take the vacant chair. "Come and join me for a meal; you must be famished from traveling!" Exclaiming with cheer, welcoming the foreign warrior to take his seat at empty table.
Feeling honored of being invited by this gentleman, Guan Yu politely nodded and took his invitation, sitting himself down at the offered chair, which creaked loudly of bearing the weight. "I appreciate your generosity, stranger," he responded in gratitude before looking down at the empty plate.
The man who offered him a seat noticed his gaze and said, "Servant," directly focusing on a maid with auburn hair tied neatly to a ponytail. Fetch him food and drink immediately; he is our guest," making the request in a calm voice to her.
She nodded before quickly returning with a full tray, placing a bowl filled with soup and a small plate of grilled pork ribs alongside a cup of mead. "Here you go, sir." The female servant spoke politely as she laid out the items before him.
Guan Yu stared at the dish in front of him, picking up the cup first and taking a sip of it, swishing the liquid in his mouth for a second before swallowing, "Alright." Setting the cup back down while picking up the fork, cutting off a small piece of the ribs before taking a bite with a knife, chewing slowly, and tasting the flavor
The atmosphere of the dining hall was silent before one of the many knights returned to their conversations, allowing everyone to resume doing what they were doing before they were interrupted. "this taste is..." The general paused for moment as he set his fork and knife down. "It is decent, as expected of a cuisine from a foreign land."
Picking up the bowl with both hands, he gently placed it against his mouth, drinking the warm beverage with slow motions. "Refreshing," he muttered in between sips. There were whispers that spread across the room when some of the younger men were commenting about his height and attire, especially the weapon calmly placed next to him.
When he placed the now half-emptied bowl down, he looked up to the individual and asked, "May I have your name?" His question got the man's attention as the old knight turned to face him with a friendly smile, agreeing to his request, "Of course, my name is Garret," introducing himself before asking in return, "What's yours, my good friend?"
"Guan Yu," he introduced himself, serious but respectful in manners, "a former general serving under warlord Liu Bei during his campaign for Northern China." Explaining his current occupation before inquiring in regards to his acquaintance, "For what is your role in the capital?" Curious about the old man's own profession.
"A former general..." He said thoughtfully, scratching his chin with deep interest, "What brings a man of your stature to abandon the battlefield?" Garret is intrigued by the question and seeks an answer, for he has seen many fights in his lifetime but never seen someone like him before. "Do tell, Guan Yu."
The man's question piqued the interest of the others who had turned their attention towards them, waiting for the legendary warrior to continue with an explanation: "Very well, the man I served under, who was brother to me, had alliance with Wu only to be later broken, betrayed by our allies due to their dishonorable conduct." The memory is still fresh within his mind: "I was subsequently captured in an ambush by Sun Quan's forces with my son, but..." Regret and remorse filled his heart for being unable to protect his own children.
Hearing this heartbreaking revelation made the others sad, with the old knight sighing heavily, "I see..." Garret lamented his fellow warrior's loss: "It's hard to see children being taken from parents during such a harsh and cruel time." The old man remarked with slight anger towards this betrayal but not towards this man, "So you were a father too."
"Unfortunately, yes..." Closing his eyes momentarily as he hung his head low, "the experience of being taken away from my son during that time made me realize what I did and how cruel of a parent I have been." His grip around the spoon tightened. "I should have never allowed them to join my war," he admitted solemnly while opening them.
Raising his head to meet the old man's gaze, he asks, "Is there a reason for asking about my past?" He inquired, hoping to have answered his own curiosity about these individuals and their country itself, "For what would you gain from learning about it?" The general asked in a confused tone.
Garret chuckled heartily at his questions while placing the napkin over his lips, wiping away the crumbs and remaining morsels of food that once lied there, "merely a learning curve to know my sparing partner." In faster than the eye could blink, the table was quickly flipped over, scattering its contents across the floor as he unsheathed his scimitar from the waist before bringing it downwards.
With a quick reflex, Guan Yu grabbed his weapon and blocked the incoming attack with the blunt side of the blade, as the table was cut half way in a mere second. Using his foot, he kicked it at Garret, who merely swung his weapon, splitting the object into pieces as the impact sent it flying into a nearby crowd of spectators, startling them.
Controlling his footwork, the old man slides swiftly like a snake as his blade is pointed forward with precision, striking the center of the warrior's chest, who skillfully parry it by raising his guandao and slashing at him horizontally.
Reacting quickly, the old man deflected the incoming attack before sweeping his leg underneath Guan Yu's feet, tripping him to the floor. Falling to the ground, the warrior used his momentum to roll backwards and away before being stabbed on the ground. "Nice show of reflex," Garret praised him while laughing heartily at his attempts.
Standing up, he stroked his mighty aged beard, smiling at the man's praise in return. "Age has yet to rob you of your skill, I see." His expression changed into a serious one as he took a fighting stance with both hands gripping the shaft. "Indeed, you are a man who knows the arts of combat." Guan Yu admitted in delight to having an opponent fight on equal footing.
Garret chuckled, swirling his scimitar with fingers before assuming battle position. "But are you capable of withstanding my full might?" The old knight questioned, beckoning the mighty warrior to bring it on with a gesture, "Show me what you are capable of; it's been long since I fought an opponent capable of matching my quick pace," grinning in excitement for having someone worthy of sparring with.
"If that is what you wish, then so be it." Nodding respectfully, he proceeded to strike his foe as the two warriors engaged one another in fierce combat. They are battling throughout the halls of the palace while displaying their prowess against each other; the sound of their weapons clashing echoes throughout the entire building.
Many have gathered around the vicinity to witness the duel unfold, cheering for both parties' combat abilities as the two engage in a one-on-one fight to see who is superior. Some were watching from their seats, but most were standing up, marveling at the sight before them.
Despite Garret's impressive use of fast attacks, he lacks the skills of defense, relying on evasion to dodge blows. But his speed is not something to underestimate by any means, for even an experienced fighter such as Guan Yu had difficulty landing a single hit with the guandao.
Guan Yu isn't lacking in this area since his counterattacks are strong enough to push back Garret, forcing him to keep defensive when attacking repeatedly in quick succession, but using his strength and smarts rather than speed itself, the general is capable of putting pressure on the old man.
Glancing at a pool of wet noddles on the floor, he used the Green Dragon Crescent Blade to quickly flick them at the old man from the ground, who in turn was surprised by the unexpected tactic: "dirty tricks." He was growling with displeasure at him as it hit his face.
Allowing the warrior of China to quickly close the distance, he thrust forward with a horizontal swing of his blade aimed at Garret's exposed neck, only stopping near inches when he felt the tip of the blade touching his stomach.
"It seems we were even..." A smile grew on the veteran's lips as the noodles fell from his face, allowing him to open his eyes and say, "Your prowess and skills are remarkable, friend," complimenting his sparing partner's impressive strength and technique.
"I am quite impressed by your swordplay," he said, retreating his weapon away from the man's neck. Garret, in return, pulled back his sword. "It seems I'm not the only one who is the greatest fighter in the realm," smiling at him while both sheaths back into their respective places.
"Not bad, Guan Yu," praising him once more, he extended his hand, offering him a place of recruitment. "We need men like you for the Empire's army if you're willing to serve for a fair compensation and honorable salary," he proposed to the man, who simply laughed in amusement, shaking his hand in response.
"I'm afraid I can't do so," politely declining this proposition due to his contract of accompanying the two children in their quest to defeat the dark lord, "but thank you for consideration of my talents." Grateful for having his skills acknowledged, "it has been a while since I have seen a man capable of having equal footing, let alone putting pressure on me as you have."
The audience applauded the display of his performance, showering him with praise for his superb combat. "That was awesome, Guan Yu!" One of the knights shouted out of the top of his lungs while others were disappointed in the draw.
The double, large doors opened loudly, resulting in everyone stopping what they were doing and turning to the source of it, seeing panting Titus, who was clearly exhausted from the whole running. "Titus!" Garret yelled out upon recognizing the youth's face, "What brings you here, my boy?" He asked, wondering what this young man is doing here.
His lowered back and hands on his knees tells him that this man must be in desperate need of air, "is Guan Yu here?" Titus raised his head upwards, seeing the legendary general standing tall before him. "The king needs to speak with you; it's urgent!"
Studying his facial expressions carefully, he noticed fear written across his face. Wasting no time, the warrior approached him with a look of concern and confusion. "What is this matter the king requests of me?" Inquiring in a concerning tone, Garret, who was by his side, joined in the conversation as well.
Catching his breath, he then spoke with a horrified tone, "His daughter is missing!" The answer caused Guan Yu and Garret to widen their eyes in shock: "Her servants couldn't find her anywhere in this castle!" Titus words sent a chill down to the elderly knight's spine.
