There were three types of quests in Legends of Kraust.
The first were World Quests—quests that influenced the world at large, allowing players to create favorable conditions in the fight against the Apostles.
The second were Unique Scenarios—random quests triggered by character choices throughout the playthrough. These were vital to the game's lore and often granted powerful, one-of-a-kind abilities that could drastically affect the outcome of the run.
The last were the Fixed Character Quests. Each character had them, unchanging across all playthroughs. It was a core part of their story. However, the difficulty of these quests varied depending on the player's choices.
This was Arlen's first character quest.
The Refugee Train.
It was a tricky one.
"Four escape points…"He stroked his chin thoughtfully.
The journey to Felrod had begun.
"If I remember correctly, the four escape points are the major villages on the road to Felrod…"
Escaping the refugee train wasn't the end of the quest—it was just the first phase. After that, he would have to trek through dangerous forests to reach the city of Felrod on his own.
But why not just stick with the soldiers and make it to the city safely?
The answer was in the quest name itself: "A Great Tragedy Befalls."
According to the lore, the refugee caravan headed to Felrod would be ambushed by a small but elite unit of Centuria knights.
The attack was made possible due to spies within the Melrose ranks.
The result?
A massacre.
Most of the civilians and soldiers were slaughtered. Only a handful of soldiers and the junior commander survived and returned. The civilians were all killed in action.
It became a black day in the history of Melrose's Southern Command.
A turning point.
In response, the enraged Melrose Commander rallied the southern forces and launched a brutal counteroffensive, vowing to eliminate all forward Centuria bases within a week.
And he did.
None of it mattered to him.
All Arlen cared about was survival. He had no luxury to worry about others' lives—nor the strength to change their fate.
But first, he needed a weapon.
Anything that could help him in the quest.
He kept pace with the caravan. It wasn't as bad as he'd feared—his body could handle the long trek without tiring. All the while, his eyes scanned the caravan for anything useful.
The convoy was made up of numerous carriages, most loaded with supplies and wounded soldiers. The healthy soldiers marched alongside the civilians, while only the squad leaders, captains, and higher-ranking officers rode on horseback.
Arlen found himself near the front of the pack. From his position, he could see the back of the Junior Commander who led the caravan. The man wore distinct armor and a unique helmet, marking him as someone of rank.
Even without turning around, his presence was undeniable.
Arlen could feel the weight of his aura from a distance—the sheer strength that radiated from him.
Each time the Commander's gaze swept over, Arlen felt a sharp, electric sensation across his skin.
He was powerful.
After what felt like an eternity, the caravan halted, and camp was set up in a wide, open field for the night. Both the soldiers and able-bodied civilians worked together, and in less than an hour, the tents were pitched, fires lit, and meals distributed.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, darkness swept over the land. After finishing a warm, hearty meal, Arlen sat near a crackling campfire, gazing up at the sky. The stars sparkled above him like scattered white paint across a canvas of deep black.
'We'll reach the first village tomorrow,' he thought.
His tent was cramped with too many bodies, and he was nervous. Restless, he stepped out to take a stroll around the perimeter of the camp.
The night was quiet. Only a few patrol soldiers remained on duty, and they didn't spare him a second glance.
As Arlen wandered, he spotted two soldiers pulling equipment out of a wagon in the distance.
'That must be the weapons carriage…' he thought, eyes narrowing.
"I could probably steal a weapon from there…" he muttered under his breath.
Only two guards were stationed nearby
Just then, the bush beside him rustled violently.
A smirk grew on his face. 'Perfect.'
Meanwhile, near the wagon, one of the guards yawned.
"Man… this shift is killing me."
"Right? The Junior Commander's being paranoid again," the other replied, stretching his arms.
"Wait—what's that?" one of them asked, squinting into the darkness.
A boy came sprinting toward them, panic written all over his face.
"Help! Help—there's a beast!" he gasped, stumbling over the wagon's wheel and crashing into the wet grass.
The soldiers jumped to attention. "What? Where?!"
The boy, face pale and wide-eyed, pointed toward the shaking bush.
Then the 'beast' emerged.
A small, fluffy critter with a tiny horn.
There was a beat of silence. Then both soldiers burst out laughing.
"You serious?!"
"It's just a horned critter! Hahaha!"
One of them reached down and pulled the boy to his feet. "You had me for a second there!"
The other clapped him on the back. "So? What are you doing out here this late?"
"I couldn't sleep, just taking a walk," Arlen replied sheepishly.
"Well, head back before someone else spots you. You'll get in trouble," one warned.
"Right. Thanks." Arlen nodded and waved as he turned back toward his tent.
"Take care, kid!"
"Man, I really thought we were in for a fight…"
What the soldiers didn't realize was that during his fall, Arlen had quietly scraped a small mark onto the side of the wagon using a piece of stone.
He now knew exactly which one to come back to.
"That should do it," Arlen muttered with a yawn as he made his way back to the camp.
As he passed by a tent, faint voices caught his attention.
'Soldiers?'
Curious, he slowed his steps and leaned in slightly, focusing on the hushed conversation.
"I've already informed them of our departure route," one voice said.
"Good. I'll take care of that man myself. Inform the others," came a deeper, colder reply.
"Yes, sir."
"We cannot afford to fail this mission… Hail Centuria."
"Hail Centuria," the other echoed.
Arlen's eyes widened slightly.
Unknowingly, he had just stumbled upon a secret conversation between Centuria spies hiding within the Melrose ranks.