An excerpt from Stories by the Fire, written by Chronicler Dara.

The Wolf clan tells a tale of a silent hero—a young man that is swift on his feet and nimble like a cat. We don’t know if he chooses not to speak, or if he can’t speak at all, but his actions demonstrate his character better than any words could. With his sword, he’s stopped countless bandits from preying on the innocent. No one knows where he comes from, but he always manages to appear right before danger strikes.

A Wolf maiden recalls a time when she was out collecting herbs for a stew. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone approaching her. Within moments, she was bound with a rope, met with a gang of roving bandits. Y’see, they had been looking for a caravan or something of the sort, but a pretty maiden would have to do for now.

As they were about to do what they pleased with her, one of them dropped to the ground, dead—a small dagger sticking out the side of his neck. The bandits turned, only to face a shadow that slashed through them in mere seconds. The stranger walked into the light, only his keen brown eyes visible, the rest of his face covered by a dark cloth. He undid the ropes and helped her up, not saying a word. She looked at him, and he nodded, then walked away, disappearing into the thicket.

The maiden says he was tall and thin, like a tree, but his snowsteel sword was unmistakable. His technique was unlike that of the Wolf Clan, yet he was as fast as any warrior she had seen. There are guesses as to his origins, perhaps a hero from the Fox Clan, or some other place, but we will likely never find out. All we know is that he is of the noble sort, not asking for payment in return for his deeds, or even praise.

Theor, the Hero of the Second Great War, always listens intently to the stories of this unknown savior, grinning like a fool. No one knows why he’s so excited to hear about this one man, but maybe it’s because he is fond of people with an air of mystery, or he sees a bit of himself in a man fighting for justice in a cruel world.