Sebastian's History
Sebastian looked around the empty tavern. From here, from the stage, you could see everything at a glance. There was no one around except the maid, quietly putting the jugs on the counter...
The school hall was just as empty, where many years ago Sebastian learned to play the lute on his own. Not his own, but the one that belonged to the school. He was gone for days, repeating simple melodies from a greasy music book. Time and again the metronome beat the rhythm: one, two, three, four, one, two, three, four... Dreaming of performing at the school "Talent Festival", the boy tried his best. He was happy when the organizers made an exception, allowing such a young but diligent candidate to participate. And terribly disappointed when in the midst of his performance a string broke treacherously on the old instrument. The students laughed and pointed. Where are they now?
The musician checked the tuning pegs with his usual movement, ran his fingers along the strings from the nut to the stand. Got it - the lute is fine!
A tired-looking man entered the tavern. He waved to the maid and sank down at the table. The visitor's face was wrinkled, and his eyes were full of sadness.
Sebastian remembered the tired and guilty look on his father's face when he told his son that he couldn't afford to pay for his music school. And his own joyful laughter when he told him that, having become the best student of the course, he had received a large scholarship that would allow him to study for free until graduation.
The musician struck the strings. A chord, another - and the eyes of the tired man lit up with joyful fire, the wrinkles on the lightened face smoothed out. Meanwhile, a woman with a neat haircut and a distinctly military bearing entered the tavern. "She looks like Keira! Except for the strange smoothness of the movements..." thought Sebastian
He had just graduated from music school when the war broke out. The first war with the Darkness. My father, who knows where he got the money from, bought an old lute and presented it to Sebastian. "Good luck, son!" he said and waved goodbye. They, young soldiers, were assigned to Captain Keira's squad. Greasy soldier jokes about this beauty were canceled by her cool temper, sharp mind, and incredible fighting skills. And discipline, of course: The captain had a strong character and steely self-control. Only a few times did Keira let the tears fall from her eyes - when she sat over the fire and listened to Sebastian's incredible lute. Under Keira's leadership, the young musician turned into an experienced fighter. Sebastian remembered the day when they were informed that Keira had been transferred to Wilheim, where she would lead Lady Octaviana's guards. Oh, and the uproar was then! Less than a year later, the soldiers learned the sad news about their beloved captain...
The stern woman at the table relaxed a little and nodded to the lute player. At that moment, a crowd of ruddy boys, noisy and cheerful, burst into the tavern. Tables were moved, mugs raised. Sebastian's melody flew up and down, flowed like a turbulent river, and rose like the sun because of the morning fog...
The fog that morning was so thick that you couldn't see the fingers of an outstretched hand. The unit was going to help in the Western Mountains and had to stop for a rest somewhere near the Dead Mary. It was a bad place, but the fog was so thick that it was impossible to move on. And not a single mage nearby capable of dispelling this darkness. Someone was making a fire, someone was cleaning weapons or drying trousers - everyone was busy. Until something bizarre happened: the fog dissipated, exposing the clearing, and it turned out that half of the soldiers were no longer there. And these who remained were like speechless, frenzied beasts, rushing at each other, wounding and killing. A strange, enchanting melody called them somewhere, threw them into a maelstrom of madness. The melody was also in Sebastian's head, but in a different way: the musician appreciated it, decomposed it into notes, frets... Immediately, the music lost its mesmerizing charm.
And then the first screams rang out. Terrible, raging screams of dying people. And the new soldiers went into the fog, killing each other... Unable to shake off the veil of obsession, they cut down their colleagues as irreconcilable enemies. The melody was eating into his brain, and even Sebastian realized that in a moment he would not be able to resist it. Sebastian grabbed his sword and rushed into the fog. His lute was still hanging on his back. Where the enemy is - you can't make out, where your own - you can't see either. All around is a white shroud, a melody, and death screams. The musician realized that the sword wouldn't help. Here, he thought, nothing would help.
Sebastian paused for a moment. The noise and conversation among the numerous spectators of the tavern stopped. Everyone looked at the stage where the musician was sitting in silence.
Sebastian remembered when, in a sudden flash of insight, he threw down his weapon and grabbed his favorite instrument. He remembered how he closed his eyes and played, played, played... His mind was drowned in a riot of sounds, tormenting the soul, like hands torturing strings. A huge shadow flashed before his eyes, a terrible howl, and something terrible with a loud sound fell into the swamp. Swamper! That's who attacked them! The mental strength of this monster could not resist Sebastian's wonderful game. She scared, drove the monster away. The final chord made her scream in pain! The soldiers, awakened from the obsession, supported the musician with fire and blade. Swamper was defeated! Each of the fighters, not believing their salvation, tried to personally thank Sebastian. They, who for the most part, only know how to fight and celebrate victories in rampant stagnation, have discovered a new instrument of victory - the great power of art. The news of the feat spread instantly throughout the Dominion!
The lute danced and sang in the master's hands. The people who filled the entire space of the tavern clapped, shouted, and rose from their seats. The audience applauded the maestro - they came to his concert. And they learned the great power of music, which fell into the hands of an unsurpassed master. Not a magician, not a magician, no - the power of an ordinary person and his many years of work. The power that hides behind the mask of a dandy and a favorite of the public, a harsh soldier who has passed the hardships of war. Sometimes it doesn't take a miracle to accomplish a feat. Sebastian knows this and uses his skills for the good of the country!
P.S. By the way, a woman with a military bearing really turned out to be Keira. After learning the fate of one of her wards, she personally volunteered to visit Sebastian, tell him her story and invite the hero to join the Guardians.
