Chapter Four

Eden strolls down the cobblestone road to a dirt path with Sanders. The sun shines bright, and everything drips wet from the rain.

Loud hammering sounds echo from the Trench. The noise is unusual, considering how quiet the place usually is. There's also a group of well dressed nobles gathered together with their attention focused on something..

Eden approaches the crowd. He peeks through what little he can see; it's a group of builders from town constructing a house. Eden raises his eyebrows with Sanders then makes his way through to have a better look. Upon closer inspection, a house is actually being demolished, not built. Widening his eyes in shock, Eden gapes at the small structure being torn apart, stud by stud.

It’s his house.

Instead of the old green metal home, it looks more like a pile of junk now. "Stop! Stop! What the hell is going on!?" Eden shouts as he storms toward the builders.

The nobles turn their cold eyes to Eden. His ears twitch at the clamoring whispers about him.

“That’s the One Star.”

“Serves him right.”

“How pathetic.”

Poisonous words quickly fill the atmosphere like a spreading disease. Eden’s eyes meet with nothing but cold stares; he glances between the people and the builders, waiting for an answer.

One of the construction workers approaches him. "We've received a request to take down this building."

"What, from who?" Eden protests. His eyes rapidly blink.

"From me, One Star."

Eden cocks his head in the direction of the familiar voice; his eyes turn dead cold. Travis Bigge. He arrives in a carriage with the door open. "Why are you doing this?"

Travis smirks and turns his head away, "Did you forget about our deal?"

Eden holds his breath to what Travis is about to say next.

"All of your money."

"Eden, you made a deal?" Sanders questions.

Eden exchanges a hesitant look at Sanders then shoots back at Travis. "I do remember, but why is my house being destroyed!?"

"There seems to be a misunderstanding." Travis mocks. He doesn't once glance at Eden and instead looks at his fingernails as if to find dirt on them. "When I said all of your money, I meant everything."

Eden's eyes shoot daggers at Travis as he continues to spout.

"All the studs, tiles, and your belongings all had a price before you had them," Travis laughs. Their eyes finally meet; a broad smile reaches both of Travis's ears as he watches Eden shake in anger.

Struggling to find words, Eden just gives up in a heavy sigh.

Travis sneers and lets out another laugh.

The crowd's chatter grew louder, with more people coming to watch. Eden doesn't have the will to look back at the folks around him, so he stands in the middle of it with his shoulders drooping like the spotlight is on him.

A pat on Eden’s back captures his attention to Sanders, standing next to him with a frown. "It's okay, son. You can stay at my place."

Without exchanging a look at Sanders, Eden gloomily nods, then walks away from the construction. They cut through the crowd of nobles without batting an eye to anyone.

"Oh, Before you go. I need to tell you that you owe me 239,900 coin," Travis calls back.

Eden freezes. Slowly turning back, he meets the eyes of the devil. Just looking at the snarky smile on Travis's face boils Eden's blood. "What are you talking about?"

Travis playfully takes giant steps through the crowd and looms over Eden. "You. Owe me... two, three, nine, nine, zero, zero coin." Travis cocks his head from side to side for every number that flew out of his mouth.

"Why?" Eden narrows his eyes.

Travis inhales and loudly laughs. "You owe me for the destruction of your home, and it's because I don't like you." He sticks his tongue out at Eden and continues chuckling to himself.

Nails dig into Eden’s palm as he clenches his fist. The desire to cut him down gnaws at him, but he already knows that Travis is just provoking him to do it. Before he could say a word, Sanders raises a hand to stop him and places his groceries, including the umbrella, on the ground and steps forward. He gives out a fierce glare making his presence menacing as a demon.

A knight approaches behind Travis as his bodyguard and unsheathes his sword. Travis raises his hand to stop them. A slow smile builds on his face as he gets closer to Sanders like he’s going to pet a dog.

"Enough of your crap," Sanders growls. "My boy has stuff he needs to do; he doesn't have time for your bullshit!" The words come out as sharp as blades, cutting everyone's ears; his demonic presence scares off some of the folks. Even the knight starts to shake.

However, Travis looks like he's enjoying the moment. He doesn't say anything except smile with a piercing gaze.

"I suggest you go back home and stick that silver spoon of yours back up your ass." Sanders fumes with his eyes flaring as if flames will shoot from them, but Travis is able to take the heat without batting an eye.

Eden becomes speechless; he never once saw Sanders make such a scary expression before. Sanders looks like a totally different person.

"Well, well, well," says Travis, grabbing his chin and examining the old man’s physique. Sanders has his fists clench, muscles flex, and his legs plant apart. Travis playfully nods his head. "I didn't realize that the Trench had such a horrifying bear here," He chuckles.

Eden narrows his eyes to Travis's hand as it travels to his sword; his leg twitches, and he lunges himself in Travis's personal space, making him jump back. But Travis has already foreseen the outcome; his grinning becomes more sinister.

"You trench rats are so predictable," Travis laughs. He pushes Eden away from him and grips his sword.

Eden maintains his balance and clicks his tongue at Travis. Instead of drawing his sword, Eden turns his back on Travis and walks away. He has enough of today; he just wants to sleep all of this off. Being rejected by the training camp, beaten, humiliated, cried, and witnessed his own house being demolished. He’s done.

Travis aggressively pulls Eden's shoulder to stop him. "What's wrong, don't want to lose in front of your fake daddy?"

Heat flushes through Eden’s entire body. He turns around at the noble and attempts to draw his sword, but Sanders cuts in front of him.

The knight behind Travis reacts and draws his sword then lunges. Sanders grabs a hold of the knights' arms, stopping him from swinging his swords. They butt heads with each other and push. Sanders’s feet skids across the dirt as the knight advances at him. With a loud roar, Sanders quickly shifts his footing and hurls the knights over his shoulders like tossing a fishing net in the water. The knight crashes on top of the destroyed house and yelps.

Travis clicks his tongue and draws his sword, "You, old man, have now committed treason to the Kingdom of Basintroll!" He announces."Your punishment for committing treason shall be your head!" A dire smile stretches on his face as he raises his sword and points straight at Sanders.

“I won’t let you hurt him!” says Eden. He takes out his shield at the ready, waiting for Travis to launch himself toward him. Instead, his body begins to shake again, just like back at the training camp. He can feel it, like the claws of a monster gradually crawling through his body, consuming every bit of confidence he has. His hands become clammy as he tightens his grip on the shield and looks straight at Travis.

“You can’t stop me, One Star. You’re just a pebble beneath my feet!” Travis lunges with his sword high in the air.

Clutching his shield near to his body, Eden braces himself.

"STOP!"

Travis comes to a sudden pause, only inches away from Eden's shield.

Eden turns his head toward the voice. But it wasn't just a voice; it sounded as though the word "stop" was shouted in unison.

A group of men in tank tops, dirty pants, and carrying fishing poles and nets stand behind the crowd of nobles like soldiers ready for war.

Eden’s mouth drops. All the fishermen from the pier line up together. Their numbers are infinite; they're so many of them as far as the eye can see that they fill the horizon like an ocean. But not just men; the women and their children stand beside them as well.

"If our two brothers committed treason, then all of us are guilty as well!" The fisherman in the front shouts. Then the rest repeats what he says. The army of fishermen and their families make their way through the crowd and stand beside Eden and Sanders.

"You wanna kill these two, then you'll have to go through all of us!" another fisherman yells, raising his fishing pole. The entire pier roars in harmony, raising their own fishing poles into the air. They throw their fists out and bump it with Eden and Sanders.

Eden can’t help but laugh with Sanders at their friends and family coming together and standing with them. He fist bumps with them and thanks them. Then he turns his fiery gaze back on Travis.

The crowd of nobles and construction workers run off, leaving Travis standing alone.

The army of fishermen shouts in unity like they're getting ready for war. All of their feet stomping, voice roaring, and buckets banging are loud and powerful like a raging storm; the thunder of their shouts deafens all of Basintroll. Above the Trench, the town folks come out of their homes, pause their businesses, and witness the cacophony.

"This is ridiculous!" Travis scoffs. He points his sword toward the army. "All of you would risk your lives for this One Star and his wannabe dad? Ha!" He vigorously shakes his head.

"Travis..." Eden addresses in a stern voice; he unsheathes his sword from his shield and stands solidly.

Travis lowers his weapon and turns to face Eden.

"I'm going to be a Legion."

Travis's eyes widen, almost bulging; he clenches his teeth and points his sword back at Eden; he opens his mouth to say something.

"No matter how many times you break me, insult me, and humiliate me-" Eden takes the first step forward; he holds his chin high and his eyes steely. "I will still become a Legion!"

Travis clicks his tongue and spits on the ground. "A One Star being a Legion?" He intensely glares at Eden, baring his teeth. "Then let's see your resolve!" He shouts and lunges.

Eden doesn’t budge, nor does Sanders or the fishermen. They remain there together and strong.

Travis closes in on the gap between him and Eden; he shouts at the top of his lungs and thrusts his sword toward Eden.

Eden, still not moving an inch as the sword comes closer and closer.

Travis stops. His blade, only a few centimeters apart from Eden's neck. Not even flinch from the One Star; his eyes, still steely and staring straight at Travis.

"Master Travis!"

Travis irritably growls, lowers his sword, and turns to face whoever called his name.

An old man wearing a suit approaches Travis. His face is drenched in sweat as if he ran a marathon. "Master Travis! your father summons you." He pulls out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat off his forehead.

Travis clicks his tongue. Sheathing his sword, he walks away but gives Eden one last cold stare, "I'll deal with you later.”

Eden's eyes stay the same, steely and unflinching. He watches Travis enter his carriage and leave with the knights and builders.

The town folks watching above also leave the scene.

All of the fishermen and their families roar in victory like a tidal wave washing over the pier. "Yeah! We did it! We scared him off!”

"Hey Eden, we got 'em!" One of the fishermen beams.

But Eden just stands motionless, almost like he's frozen.

"Hey Eden, what's up?" The fisherman gently nudges Eden. Then he stumbles down to the ground—everyone gasps.

"Yo Eden!" Sanders yells. He quickly gets down to check on Eden.

Eden's expression is blank and emotionless, then he loudly gasps. "I- I-"

"What is it, boy?"

"I almost died!"

. . .

"What?" Everyone all says at the same time.

Eden shoots up from the ground, "The last thing I- I saw was the uh- the tip of the blade!"

Everyone around him bursts out with laughter, even Sanders.

"Guys! I'm serious; I almost just died!" Eden exclaims. He starts getting annoyed by all the laughter that he keeps yelling at them to stop.

* * *

Dusk comes upon the kingdom of Basintroll. The army of fishermen and their families all slowly return back home; both Eden and Sanders rummage through the debris to scavenge anything that wasn't destroyed. They manage to pick up a few spare clothes, the True Hero book, and the photo of Eden with his parents.

Eden sadly smiles at the picture and folds it in his back pocket. They bag the rest and leave the broken home.

Sanders's house sits right next to the pier, so he can immediately go fishing in the morning and come back without wasting too much energy. The outside of the house is small but more significant than Eden's; Sanders also has a shack where he keeps fishing and woodworking tools. Outside of the shed are a table and some sawhorses.

Sanders takes out a key and inserts it in the keyhole, then turns the doorknob. They enter the home. The place is unchanged and looks the same as when Eden used to stay here with Sanders after his parents had left him. To the right is the small living quarters; it has a couch in the middle facing a fireplace, the walls are built of pieces of wood lined up, and a bunch of boxes in a corner. The left side of the house is the kitchen. The kitchen is smaller than the living room; it has all the utilities a typical kitchen would have, like a stove, fridge, sink, and dining table. The bathroom is in a hallway from the kitchen, and Sanders's room is across from it.

"Make yourself at home, boy," says Sanders.

Eden places his bag of belongings next to the couch and sits down, sighing.

Sanders stores the groceries he bought in the fridge and turns on the stove. Silence creeps in and fills the house; the clattering of dishes and knives chopping on a cutting board is the only sound.

Eden picks up his Armaments and polishes them. Looking at his weapons makes his heart race; they're a sign that makes him a Legion. The sword and shield both glow pristine. He stares at the star as he holds it; a massive eight-pointed grey star. Eden sighs at the sight of it. He stops. He tilts his head and raises an eyebrow. Eight-pointed star? But Travis and Isaac's Armaments have five-pointed stars. Eden remembers the five rainbow-colored stars on their swords; they're definitely ordinary five-pointed stars. Eden shrugs and goes back to polishing his weapons.

"Yo Eden, foods' ready," Sanders calls out from the kitchen.

"All right," Eden replies. He gets off the couch and makes his way to the dining table. He pulls up a chair and sits down.

Sanders brings a pot of fish stew. Eden sniffs deeply and smells the ginger, the herbs, and the fish as Sanders places it on the table then sits across from him. They fill their bowls with fish and stuff their mouths.

"Yo Eden, I just wanna tell you that I'm proud of what you said today.”

Eden looks up from his bowl; he beams and scratches his head chuckling.

"I'll do whatever I can to help you become a Legion son. So please, tell me how I can help."

Eden grabs his chin and ponders, "Hm... I don't know yet, but I'll tell you when I get an idea." he replies. "For now, I think I'll practice swinging my sword around."

Sanders narrows his eyes, "You're going to need to do more than just that," he sighs. He sticks his finger in the air. "We need to focus on strength training."

Eden's eyes start to sparkle like diamonds, "Oh yeah! I should do that too."

"Then starting tomorrow, I'll work you to the bone," Sanders grins.

They both laugh and continue eating their stew. Having bright intentions for tomorrow, Eden will strengthen his physical body and practice wielding his weapons. And the fire inside Eden reignites by Sanders's determination to help him, that he couldn't wait for tomorrow.