Dear Reader,
I am attempting to redefine my story line- where it's going, how it will end, sub-plots, the like. I'm not sure how long this will take me... more then likely longer then you or I wish. So, I shall now post what I have finish of the next chapter. Enjoy, and I shall return soon.

    "Ha!" Scoffed the sitting dwarf, drawling the eyes of everyone in the room. "An act of war, says the wanderer. That's utter nonsense! Peace has held the land for several thousand years. There is no way-"
    "That's is enough, Molek. I would hear what Gradwin has to say." Interrupted a dwarf sitting to the right of Gradwin and Smith. Several other voiced their interest. The king let this go on until all in favor had voiced their opinion, then nodded at Gradwin.
    "Thank you, good king. Here is the act- a group of Easterners have kidnapped a group of travelers in the Forest of Gorox and are headed this way-"
    "Please." Again, Molek spoke out. "Easterners in the Forest of Gorox? Impossible. And even more unlikely is the idea that they would head in this direction!" Several other dwarfs nodded in agreement.
    "Gradwin," Began the king, "did you see these Easterners?"
    At this, Gradwin paused. "I have it from a very reliable source-"
    "See?" Shouted Molek. "He has no proof! This is a second hand account. Hardly reliable."
    Gradwin slammed his staff against the floor, and the result was a resounding crack against the floor that echoed in the chamber and caused Molek to flinch. "SILENCE!" Gradwin gave Molek a hard stare. "I will not be interrupted by the likes of you, Molek Dimok."
    Several of the council members murmured among themselves at this. Only Gradwin would dare speak like that to the chief adviser of the king with such a tone. Molek seethed at being spoken to in such a manner, but remained silent. The king watch this with something between shock and amusement written on his face.
    After a moment or two, Gradwin picked up where he left off. "That source, if any still wonder, is a forest-dweller I know, and with whom I would and have trusted my life with. His word is as good as mine."
    The king looked thoughtful. After a moment of thought, he spoke up. "What would you have us do?"

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    Tina was about to collapse from exhaustion. Fit though she was, these Easterners seemed tireless, and they're leader the hardest of them all. Him being an elf, he did not tire as any man did. Safe to say, he could undoubtedly run longer then any of his men, who could seemingly run all day and all night with only a few hours sleep. What's more, he didn't seem to care about the condition of his men or prisoners- he just kept moving.
    Finally, Tina could go no further, and her knees buckled beneath her. She fell, and did not have it in her to get up. Even when the whip of her driver found her back, she could not get up. Then had covered sixty miles in three days time, and that was with only four hours sleep each night and very little food. She was far beyond exhausted. Even to say that she was dead tired would have been an understatement.
    After several more strokes of the whip, there was a shout. "Enough!" Tina raised her head just enough to see who came to her aid, and saw that it was the elf in charge of this company of solders. He was not looking at her, but rather at her driver, and there was something very close to rage in his eyes. He snatched the whip from the hands of Tina's driver, a huge brute of a man with tree trunks for legs and arms of steel. "They need to be kept whole! I cannot have you beating her senseless, you moron!" The threw the whip on the ground between them and then turned his attention toward Tina. Seeing her on her back, he look up at some solders standing nearby, watching him. "Raise her into sitting position." They hopped to the task, moving quickly. Once Tina had been rolled over and brought into a sitting position, the elf knelt as so to look her in the eye as he spoke. "What is your name, girl?"
    Tina stared at him, not speaking. No amount of exhaustion could take down her defiance. He met her glare, and in fact returned it, though sending a different message then she. He won, in the end, and she responded softly. "Tina."
    He nodded slowly. "I am called Myron, and despite what you may be inclined to believe, I'm not your enemy. I'm your friend." Tina smirked at this. "I know you don't believe me, but do not be so quick to swat my hand aside. You need a friend, if you are to make this journey with everything you began it with. These men can and would do far worse to you then simply beat you. Indeed, if they had their way, you already would have lost a great deal. I am all that stands between you and them."
    As much as she hated to admit it, she knew Myron to be correct. Many had called her a beauty before, though she had a harden edge some found unappealing. These men, she thought, wouldn't really care about things like that. She looked nice.
    "Now," continued Myron, "Do we understand each other?" Tina nodded, but the expression on her face made it clear that she by no means thought Myron a friend. And ally, perhaps, but not a friend. But that was enough for Myron. "Good. Now, can you get up?" In response she attempted just that, only to collapse again. Myron frowned, then looked toward Arcon. "You! Come over here." Arcon, his face stony, complied. Myron stood and removed a dagger from his belt. Then. with one smooth chop, he cut the ropes that bound Arcon's hands. He inclined his head toward Tina. "Can you carry her until she regains her strength?"
    Arcon stared at Myron expressionlessly for a long moment, then looked toward Tina. He nodded slowly. With that, Myron gave to order to move out again, Arcon picked up Tina, and they carried on.
    For the next four days it continued like this. Arcon, being an elf, did not at all mind carrying Tina; Earagorn used a endurance spell he knew to keep his strength up; Jalor, despite his age, did well, for he was used to long, hard runs like this. It was on the fifth day after Tina collapsed that she started running again. It was on that same day Myron saw a dragon.
    It was noon, and the troop had stopped for a brief lunch. Myron had finished his meal before anyone else, but instead of hurrying his troops and their prisoners through the rest of their meal, he stared at the sky, deep in thought. At first the dragon had appeared only as a speck in the sky, easily mistaken as an eagle or some other large bird... if you didn't have eye's like that of an elf. Myron frowned at the sight, then hurried his troops through the remainder of their lunch and pushed them on.
    All the way to the mountain, the dragon seemed to follow them, though always high enough up to be mistaken for a large bird to the human eye, and Myron never told his troops or prisoners what he saw. Then it disappeared. Myron thought little of it, thought he was wary entering the mountains.
    He followed the pattern given to him by the Norgins to pass through the tunnels. Left, right, right, center, left, right, right, left, left, right, right, center... and then came to a sudden and unexpected halt. Here, according to the pattern given, he was to take the center path. But the center path was caved in. So was the right. This can't be good... Myron thought, puzzled and slightly worried. He recalled the words of the Norgin Commander who gave him the instructions... "If the pattern says's to go center, go center. Any turn you make could lead to your death." Myron ran through the turns he had been making. Yes, he had stayed to the pattern. A cave-in must have occurred, blocking the correct path. Myron spun on his heels and started barking orders. "Make yourselves useful, men! Let see if we can't clear the center path." And so it began.
    For a great long while- no one is sure just how long they worked, for it was impossible to tell time in the caves- the Eastern soldiers labored at the rock wall, but seeing how that they had no digging tools, it was almost impossible going. Finally, after what felt like hours of futile digging, Myron ordered a stop, having only made a few inches of progress.

Dear Reader,
I know I haven't posted in a long while... this chapter is taking longer then I thought it would, and I haven't had much time to write as of late. However, I am working on it, and I hope to complete the chapter within the next few weeks.

Now with that aside, I will move on to the real reason of this post. Have you ever heard of Wayne Thomas Batson? He wrote "The Door Within", "The Rise of the Wyrm Lord" and "The Final Storm" in his series "The Door Within". He also wrote "Isle of Swords" and "Isle of Fire" in his "Declan Ross Series". I write this because he is one of my favorite authors, and he's come out with a new book.
Working alongside Christopher Hopper (The Rise of Dibor, The Lion Vrie, Athera's Dawn) they have created The Curse of the Spider King, the first book in their new series, The Bernifell Prophecies. I encourage my reader's to look into ether of these writers. If you enjoy my work, I have little if any doubt you will love their's.

To my readers,
I find myself unhappy with my current prologue. I have created a new one, but I must know... well, I shall ask once you read the new idea. It is as follows.

    It was midday. It was also murder. A male body, slumped on the floor of an elegant, yet impenetrable castle. An empty drinking glass. A flask of wine. And no witnesses. Sherlock Holmes, eat your heart out.
    A man is in the room. This man is the killer. He is tall, with raven black hair, shoulder length, and has a imposing build. His eyes are grey, and they coldly eye the body on the floor. He kicks it, as so to make sure it's dead. The man on the floor does not respond. Clearly dead. The killer claps twice, and a handful of guards, as cold and heartless as the man they serve, enter the room and roughly remove the body. The killer watches, but says nothing as the guards take it out a secret passage, leading to the rear of the castle. As soon as the guards have left the room, the killer summons the commander of an elite branch of his army. The commander enters and bows.
    "All is in place, I trust?" The killer asks, eyeing his commander.
    The commander smiles cruly. "Yes... all in in place. Come tonight, the Queen and Koman's only heir will be as dead as he is." He chuckled humorlessly. "Then..."
    "There is no need to recited to me my own plan. Just get your part done, and you will live to see my victory." Said the killer with a icy glare. The commander bowed low and averted his eyes, unable to meet the look he was given.
    Night. An army of men in dark armor move soundlessly across sleeping contryside. They move toward a silent castle with one purpose in mind- to kill the queen and her child. They had yet to breach the walls of the Castle Jaylon, but it was only a matter of time. The lines of defenders was growing thin, and the enemy, whoever they were, had sent more then enough men to overrun the small fort, one not even build for defence, but rather as a summer home for the High King.
    A lone man hurried down a castle corridor, taking no notice of the sounds of battle outside. Here was a man on a mission.
    He quickly turned into the Queens bedchambers, finding the High Queen dressed in riding clothes, hardly her normal attire, and scared, listening to the sounds of battle outside. She was holding a small boy, her only son, who was just over a year old. He was whimpering, clearly scared, yet not wailing. For that, the man was thankful. The High Queen looked up upon his entry.
    "Forgive me for intruding like this, but time is against us. We must fly." Said the man (whom we shall call Rescue, for his name was lost to history). The High Queen nodded. Rescue was in a hurry and impatient. It was an impatience born out of urgency. "Come. We must move, less they fall upon us before we leave." Again the High Queen nodded, and she, still holding her son and hurried after Rescue, who was moving quickly down the corridor, his staff tapping against the stone floor.
    They moved quickly to the stables, where Rescue had come earlier and prepared horses for the group. "I shall take the boy. He will be more safe if he rides with me." This brought a few tears the the High Queens eyes, but she nodded and handed Rescue the boy. "We will stay to the plan. If we become separated, you know where to meet me." She nodded again, tears running freely now.
    "May I say a quick goodbye? I may not see him again." Asked the Queen, still crying. Rescue gave no thought to the matter, merely handing the boy back to his mother for a few moments. The Queen wiped the tears from her eyes and face, holding her son close.
    "Hush, little one. Everything will be fine. No need to cry. You shall be fine." She looks up at Rescue. "You'll take good care of him?" Rescue nods solemnly. The Queen returns her attention to her son, holding him gently, trying not to cry. "It is going to be okay, sweet child. It will be okay."
    After a few more minutes, waiting until the boy was sleeping, Rescue gently removed the child from his mother arms. The boy slept on, undisturbed. Rescue gently placed the child in a made basket that had been made for this moment by his own hands. After making sure the child was secure and would not fall out in the rough ride, Rescue mounted himself.
    "Quickly now. Out the servant entrance. It's the only one that isn't guarded." Said Rescue. He turned his horse in that direction himself, and pushed his horse into a fast trot with the Queen following closely. As soon as the entrance was cleared, the horse broke into a gallop, and Rescue made no effort to slow it. The Queen was not far behind.
    It was then that a small portion of the attackers were circling around the back of the castle, and caught sight of the fleeing horses. They shouted for more troops and took off in pursuit.
    It was a hard chase. The horse of the attackers were faster, but tired. The horses of the Queen and Rescue were, on the other hand, fresh, and could run for a while yet without tiring. Yet the attackers were relentless in their chase. They pushed their hose to the brink of collapse, but it payed off. One of the men had a crossbow at hand, and began firing. Several shots went over the head of the man. A few more landed a short distance behind ether horse. The crossbowman muttered a few choice curses and took aim once more. This time, he was more careful in his aim. After a few moments of aiming, he let the arrow fly.
    Moments after the shaft was let lose from the crossbow, the Queen gave a cry of pain. The arrow had hit her in the back. A moment later, her horse gave a cry of pain, for it had been shot in the flank. It lost it's balance and collapsed, throwing the Queen to the ground.
    Rescue, paused for just a moment. He looked at the Queen, unable to tell if she was dead or not. Well, if she wasn't yet, her attackers would soon be on her, and then she would be. There was no time to turn around. The attackers were closing fast, and Rescue had to worry about the child. It was time to fly.
    Rescue stopped his horse and turned him around as so to face the oncoming attackers. They had galloped right pass the Queen, now thinking only of the man ahead of them. The crossbowman took aim once more. Rescue raised his staff in the air and muttered something that no one, even the boy in front of him, heard or understood. There was a sudden flash of light, and the attackers horses reared and whinnied, startled and a little scared by the sudden light. Then, as quickly as it came, it left.
    The attackers were startled by what they saw, once their eyes had readjusted to the dark. The boy and the man were gone. There weren't even tracks to tell where they had gone. They just... disappeared. They conferred briefly about how they were going to explain this, then turned their horse around and headed back for the castle.
    In another place, far, far away from the attack and the dark knights and attacking forces, a similar flash of light occurred, this time outside of a modest sized house. All the lights were off, save one- the residents were just waking, and the child slept sound. Again, Rescue was thankful. He turned toward the east. It was almost dawn. The man of the house would be coming out the door in a matter of minutes.
    Rescue dismounted and removed the basket from his horse, and made his way toward the front door of the house, moving like a phantom, making no sound at all and blending with the shadows. He gently placed the basket, with the sleeping child inside, on the doorstep, and then retreated back into the shadows, to watch and wait.
    Within a few minutes the man of house opened the door, ready for work. It was at the very moment that the child work and began crying. Startled, the man stared at the baby for a moment in a stupor. Then, his senses returned, in force. He shook himself as if waking, then checked the street for anyone who may have left the child on his doorstep. He did not see Rescue.
    Seeing no one, he quickly took the basket inside and called for his wife. Rescue smiled. Mission success.


So tell me, which do you like more, this one or the other? Please comment!

Hubert Baldar

To my readers.
Resently, I combined several of my earlier chapters in order to make them longer. This does not change the storyline, so don't get to worked up. But we are now in chapter five.

Hubert Baldar

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    Arina raced through the Forest, pausing every so often to brake a branch on a tree, or to push some stones together with her feet. Behind her was Gradwin, the strange hermit of the forest, followed by Smith Philips, a fifteen year old with no idea what was going on. An unlikely group at best. But then, these were unlikely times, when no one knew what would happen the next day... or if they would be around to see it.
    Arina was enjoying herself immensely. It had been long since she had been able to lead her brother like this. With all the trails she had left behind, it would be long before Arcon caught up to her. Not to mention it got her closer to Smith...
    Smith, on the other hand, was showing signs of exhaustion. Being woke at the crack of dawn, having a small bowl of oatmeal, and running through the forest for hours was not his idea of a pleasant morning. In fact, it was quite the opposite. And he didn't even know where he was going or what he was running from!
    He looked at Gradwin, who showed no signs of tiring whatsoever. Did the man ever run out of energy? He never failed to surprise Smith. And then there was Arina. The Elven princess had, seemingly, dropped out of the sky into the forest, and still, despite spending several hours with Smith, had yet to say so much as a single word to him. Smith was starting to wonder if he could turn invisible, he just didn't know it. He frowned. He would never understand Elves. Ever.
    "So... remind me... why we're... running... again?" Smith managed between gasps.
    "I believe, my dear Smith, that we are not running from someone as much as we are trying to beat someone to somewhere. Make sense?" Gradwin responded without turning or braking pace.
    Suddenly, Arina stopped running. No, she froze in place. She tensed, listening intently, and when Smith moved to ask what she was doing, she put a finger to her lips and shushed him. Smith frowned, but said no more, and listened to the surrounding forest, as Arina and Gradwin were doing. Though he heard nothing, he knew that Elves had hearing far advanced to humans... or at least, in Lord of the Rings they did.
    Suddenly, the forest behind Smith came alive with the noise of a large animal moving at great speeds. Smith spun around, hand moving towards his sword hilt. But it was too late. Whatever had been moving through the forest had reached its target... him. Smith was knocked over and pinned to the ground by a huge, wolfish beast. It look like an Alaskan Tundra Wolf, only it was as large as a Shetland Pony. Arina quickly nocked a arrow in her bow and Gradwin moved in, though he was armed with nought but a staff that he always carried around.
    "STOP!" Barked the wolf in a deep voice that sounded part growl. "Move again and the boy dies!"
    Then, the forest came alive with the sound of a whole pack of these large wolves. They snarled and growled, snapping their jaws. The wolf on Smith, who was apparently the head of the pack, growled deep in his throat and said, "Who are you strangers, and why are you in our territory?"
    Gradwin studied the wolf for half a moment, then relaxed. "Oh, enough of this nonsense, Jel! You know very well who I am, and you know Arina, too! The only stranger here is Smith, but he is with me, and you know me, so enough!"
    Smith was shocked by the tone with which Gradwin addressed the wolf, but that was nothing compared to the shock he had when the wolf smiled back!
    "Gradwin, my old friend, I did not recognize you with that beard! You have grown old." The wolf whom Gradwin called Jel chucked. "And what brings you to my side of the forest?"
    "The destiny of all of Yith." Gradwin stated, then, after a glance at Arina, added, "And childhood games played by grown elves."
    Arina, who had also relaxed, glanced at Gradwin, and Jel chucked again. "'Childhood games'? Does that mean your brother will be along shortly, Arina?" Asked Jel, shifting his gaze toward where Arina was standing. Arina nodded shortly, and Jel grinned wolfishly. "Then I shall make sure he is welcomed to the pack lands." He nodded towards his pack, and they sped away into the forest. Smith, still slightly stunned by all that had just happened, maneged to pick himself up and brush himself off.
    "Come. We must be getting on. Jel will keep my brother occupied for a while, but he will soon be on our trail again. We must hurry." Arina stated as soon as the wolves had left. Smith inwardly groaned. More running!

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    "She came through here." Earagorn announced while examining the ground.
    "Can you tell how long ago?" Jalor asked.
    Earagorn continued studying. "No more then two hours ago." Earagorn look up at the small group, grinning. "We're catching up."


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    "We're here." Arina announced proudly. Smith glanced around the small glade they stood in, hands on his knees, panting. Nothing about the glade look unusual... in fact, it couldn't have looked more natural. No ruins, no sword in a stone, no odd-looking rocks, nothing save a large hill in the center of the glade. Was the hill what they were racing Arcon, Tina and Jalor too? He looked at Arina.
    "Uh... where's 'here'?" He asked, clearly confused.
    For the first time since meeting him, Arina spoke to Smith. "This is the Place of the Forging. Centuries ago, it was inside that very hill that the Great Swords were forged. And it was here..." She turned as so to look Smith full in the face. "... It was here that young hopefuls were brought to train, to master the art of sword fighting. That is why we are here."
    Smith was now more confused then before. "So... so this is why we've... been running all morning? To... to hone my skill with the... blade? Then why the... the race?"
    "Oh." Arina grinned. "That was for old times sake." Smith blinked at Arina, but asked no further questions. He glanced at Gradwin, who had not said a word since arriving. Gradwin made eye contact, raised his brows, and said nothing. Smith looked back at Arina, who was circling the hill, studying it, obviously looking for something, but just what escaped Smith, who was still trying to catch his breath after the long run. After several moments had gone by, Arina gave a small cry. "I found it! This way!" She exclaimed from the other side of the hill. Gradwin and Smith hurried over to her.
    They found her examining a small rock pile. "What is it?" Asked Gradwin.
    Arina did not answer for a few moments. Then she pressed one of the smaller rocks at the bottom of the pile in, and the side of the hill opened up! "That's it." She said excitedly, and hurried inside. Gradwin was quick to follow, with Smith in tow.
    Inside they found a very cave-like room with dirt floors, walls and ceilings. It was circular in shape as so to maximize the space and fit the hill. In the center of the room was a large furnace, presumably where the workers heated the metal when the forge was in use. There were eight anvils placed in a circular pattern around the room, each with it's own set of tools hanging from the ceiling, such as hammers, tongs and vices. The walls were lined with weapon racks, filled with every weapon imaginable. Swords, spears, arrows, battle-axes, maces, flails, daggers, and javelins. Standing like silent sentries were suits of full body armor, place in between weapon racks, as if to prevent thievery. Glistening silver armor, still shining in the light the open entryway. In fact, everything was still glistening, as if it had just been made yesterday. All the swords, spears, maces, flails, battle-axes, daggers, it was all shining in the light of the sun. How could all this stay so well preserved?
    Smith shook himself, as if to shake off the amazement that the place seemed to inspire. He looked to Arina to find her looking over the weapon racks, occasionally picking up a sword, as if to test its weight or balance. Finally she called to Smith. "Do you prefer heavy swords or lighter blades?" She asked, not taking her eyes off the sword in her hands.
    "Uh... I like broadswords. But I have my own-"
    "These are better." She interrupted, and tossed the sword she was looking at to Smith. "Catch!" She shouted as she threw the blade in the air. So Smith did... barley. He did not anticipate the weight of the broadsword thrown at him, and was almost knocked over by the sudden weight!
    "Oof!" Smith grunted as he caught the blade. After getting his balance back, he gazed at the sword in his hand. It was the most beautiful sword he had ever seen, perfectly balanced, with an elaborate hilt design, seeming of gold, with a large amethyst in the center of the hilt cross. Something was written on the blade, but it was in a language Smith could not read. Smith managed to clear his mind long enough to think about seeing how it felt. He swung it around some, carving the air around him. It was a perfect balance, almost as if it was made for him. "Wow." He mumbled. He quickly removed his sword from it's sheath and replaced it with the new blade. A perfect fit.
    He glanced around the room to see Gradwin and Arina in a heated debate of some kind on the other side of the forge. Not wanting to get involved, he moved outside further test the new sword. After several minutes, Gradwin came outside as well, but not in a very bright mood. He, without so much as a glance in Smith's direction, headed over to a fallen log about twenty feet from the hill and sat down, pulling his pipe out of his sack, and stared into the forest, puffing away. Arina follow a moment later, only she had a blade of her own, and the smug look of triumph on her face.
    "Smith! It is time to test your abilities with the blade." She said.
    "With what?" Asked Smith, sheathing his new blade.
    "With these. They're blunt right now, but that can be fixed in time. Right now, it is time to train." She said, getting in the ready position. Smith, who had expected something like this, didn't wait for her to finish setting up. He launched himself at Arina with all the quickness he could muster given the morning's run, swinging a deadly horizontal chop that, if the blade was sharp and it connected, would disconnect Arina's head from her shoulders. But Arina was faster then Smith had thought. Not as fast as Gradwin, but faster then Smith. Arina ducked low, swinging for Smith's legs. Smith only barley managed to jump in time. Smith swung low as soon as his feet touched the ground. Arina dodged easily by flattening herself on her back against the ground. She entwined her legs around Smith's, then flipped herself, tripping Smith and causing him to lose his grip on his blade. It landed ten feet from where Smith had fell. Arina jumped up, grinning. By now Gradwin was watching the fight, not making a sound or even moving from his spot as so to get a better view, but watching intently just the same. Arina moved in for the "kill"... when something unexpected happened.
    Smith was desperately trying to reach his sword, crawling on his back and wiggling as so to get closer. Then Arina was on top of him, drawling back for the "killing" blow. She planted a foot on one of Smith's arms as so to prevent "escape". Smith made one last desperate grab for the sword.... and the sword came to him. As soon as his hand felt the hilt, he drove the blade upwards, towards Arina's stomach. He stopped the thrust just as the sword point touched Arina's stomach.
    "Dead." Smith said, grinning. "Now let me up!" Arina did so, a shocked expression on her face. Gradwin chuckled in the background. Once Smith had got up and brushed himself off, he turned to Gradwin, who was still watching with a glint of approval in his eyes. "Now would you care to explain what I just did?" Smith asked as the full weight of what he had just done sank in on him.
    "What make you think I know?" Gradwin asked, studying Smith closely.
    "The fact that you're the only one that's not shocked by what I just did." Smith said, frowning ever-so-slightly. This brought another chuckle from Gradwin.
    "All in good time, dear Smith. All in good time."


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    Tina, Jalor, Earagorn and Arcon raced through the forest, moving as fast as the dense shrubbery allowed. They stopped every now and again to check for signs or tracks and to be sure that they stayed on the proper trail. As they moved along, they reached a spot that Earagorn had to stop and study.
    "There was... as scuffle here." He said slowly. "It looks as if... Smith was thrown to the ground... by a very heavy animal." He moved on to study a different set of tracks. "This is where Arina stood. She's ready to fire her bow... but something stops her. And here," Earagorn mumbled, looking a set of footprints not far from Arina's. "I don't know who these belong to. But, whoever this is moved to about here." He said, pointing to a spot about eight feet from where Smith was. "And stopped. They were surrounded..." He said, moving about. "By wolves!"
    "Yessss..." Came a young sounding male voice from the surrounding forest, follow by a humorless chuckle. "Yes, they were." Then, all at once, the forest was alive with knights in dark armor, armed with crossbows. Jalor and Tina grabbed for their swords, but the voice spoke again. "I wouldn't. My archers never miss. You'd be dead before you could put the blades to any use."
    Arcon looked in a state of disbelief. "No... it... it couldn't be..."
    The voice chuckled again. "Oh, but it is. It most certainly is."


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    Smith and Arina were about to begin another bout when they were interrupted by Jel, who crashed out of the forest in a hurry, a distressed, almost panicked look in his eyes and cut across his body. "Gradwin! Arina! I bring grave news! There are Easterners in the forest!"
    Gradwin was up in a instant, eyes wide. "Where are they headed?"
    "Toward your friends! They were lead a Elf!"
    Arina now spoke up. "Are you sure?"
    "I have seen enough elves to be sure when I see one. This was most certainly an elf. He had hair as black as night, eyes a steely gray, and a face chiseled from stone. He was leading a group of Eastern Warriors to the same spot where you first encountered my pack. I had my pack set up an ambush, but the black knights had the skill of elves with their crossbows. Most of my pack is now dead. I myself only survived by the grace of the Great One."
    Smith, who had been listening quietly until now, raised his voice. "We have to save them! There's no telling what will happen to them once the Easterners get them behind their borders."
    "Agreed." Arina said quickly. "We must not allow my brother to sit in chains while we drawl breath!"
    Gradwin put a thoughtful look on his face and sat back down, puffing away at his pipe. He chose his word's with caution, seeing the unstable mood both Arina and Smith were in. "I... agree. We should do something. But with caution. If this group was big enough and had the skill to kill off most of Jel's pack, then they are more then we can handle." He said slowly, staring at the ground thoughtfully. Arina frowned.
    "Gradwin! Every second we spend in thought is another second those Eastern rats get closer to my brother!" She said impatiently. "We've got to do something! NOW!!" She gave Gradwin a fiery stare, which Gradwin ignored. He didn't want a fight started, though he could have easily won, unity was important if they were to rescue Arcon, Tina and Jalor.
    "Tina... may I speak with you for a moment?" Gradwin asked, looking Arina in the eye.
    So they did. They moved a short distance away, as so not to be heard. It looked to Smith as if Gradwin was trying rather hard to calm Arina down. At long last, the confrontation appeared over. Arina let out a sigh, saying, "Fine. You win this round. We shall wait... for now."
    Gradwin nodded at Arina, then softened. "We will save your brother." His gaze moved to Smith, though he continued speaking to Arina. "There is more at stake here then you may realized." He then seemed to snap out of a daze, for he shook his head, put his pipe away, and took Smith to the other side of the hill. "Smith," he said quietly, not wanting anyone else to hear. "Let me see that blade."
    Smith was quiet confused by Gradwin's mysterious behaviour, but handed over the sword. Gradwin studied it for a moment, then paused, as if just remembering something. He reached in his pack, the same pack he kept his pipe in.
    "I believe..." Gradwin began slowly. "That this belongs to you." He finished as he withdrew the mystery book the stranger had given Smith in the ally.
    Smith was dumbfounded. "But how... I mean... that's... how did you get that?!?"
    Gradwin chuckled. "So then it is yours."
    Smith wasn't sure how to respond. "Well... kinda. I mean, I guess it's mine. It was given to me... by a guy... who SAID it was mine, sooo... yeah, I guess it is." Gradwin handed it over, and a remarkable thing happened. As soon as the book's cover touched Smith's hands, it opened and the pages began turning, as if blown by a breeze, though there was none. It came to rest close to the center of the book, on a page that had a picture of, of all things, the sword Arina had given Smith while in the hill. Smith looked up at Gradwin, looking for any hint of knowledge about what had just happened, but found none. He turned his eye's toward the opposite page, where he found a description of the sword. Only the writing on the page were in the same runic tongue that the writing on the sword itself was in. Smith was unable to read it, or even guess what language it was in.
    "Gradwin... I can't read this." Said Smith, handing the book over to Gradwin, who studied the page for a few moments. Then something dawned on Smith. "Hey... how come you can see the writing, but my parents couldn't?"
    "It is because, Smith, this is no ordinary book. Only special people can see what's inside these covers. I'm sure your... father is a fine man, but is not one of the Chosen, therefore, he cannot see what he is not meant to see." Gradwin glanced up at the confused look on Smith's face, and smiled. "In time, Smith, you will learn to read this, as understanding comes to you." Smith was still confused, but he nodded his understanding. "Good. Now then!" Gradwin clapped his hands and rubbed them together excitedly. "Smith, there are many things this sword can do, but for right now, you only need to know a few of these things. The rest will be revealed in good time." He handed the sword back to Smith. "You will be needing this, I think." Gradwin said as he reached into his pack yet again and withdrew a small pouch, just big enough to fit the book. "You may carry the book in this. I thought it would be of use, seeing how it saves you the trouble of carrying the book in your hands at all times."
    Smith took the pouch, placed the book inside, and placed the pouch over his shoulders. The weight felt good. He turned his attention to the sword. "So," Smith began, addressing Gradwin. "What can she do?"
    Gradwin paused, thinking over the sword's many abilities, trying to decide which would be most useful. Picking a few, he began. "To start, as you have already learned, the sword can come to you, if you truly need it. To do this is not hard. In fact, it requires nothing. The sword will come to you. How it does this, I am not sure. But it does, and that is all that need be known. Also, in times of dire need, the sword can give off blinding flashes of light, stunning most creatures of darkness. This can be done quite simply. Hold the sword above your head, and shout 'Give me light'. Then, depending on how you say it, the sword will do one of two things. It will ether, as I said before, give off a burst of light, stunning enemies, or it will give off a small glow, allowing you to see in dark places. It all depends on what you what at the moment and how you give the command." Smith nodded, then gazed amazed at the sword. He looked back at Gradwin.
    "How does it do this?" He asked, wonder and suspicion in his voice. A sword giving off light? Unheard of.
    "I do not know all things, Smith. The workings of this sword are as mysterious to me as they are to you. Some say one of the Great Beings forged the sword, along with the other seven. Others, that after the forging of the blade, it was blessed by the Great One as a special blade, for a special purpose. But no one knows for sure."
    Smith still wasn't convinced the sword could do what Gradwin said it could, but Gradwin had never been wrong before, so he went along with it. They headed back to the others, only to find Jel gone. Arina said that Jel said that he had somewhere to be, though where exactly she couldn't recall. He had left shortly after they had gone to the other side of the hill, and she hadn't really payed much attention. She had been preoccupied.
    Gradwin reached into his pack, pulling out a map of Yith, and spread it out on a rock. "We are here." He said, pointing to a spot on the map. "I would guess that our friends are about... here." He pointed at another spot on the map, not far from where they were. After a moment of study, he finally came to a conclusion. "We will need help, but I know where they are headed."
    "Where?" Asked Smith, peeking over Gradwin's shoulder.
    "Here." Said Gradwin, pointing a mountain range along the Norgin border.
    For a moment, Smith was confused. "Why would Easterners head for Norgrus? Norgrus and the Eastern Empire have been at war with each other for longer then any other races on Yith!"
    This caused Gradwin to pause for a moment. "Tell me something, Smith. How else would Easterners get into the Forest of Gorox, if not through Norgrus? There is no way they could have passed through Nictar, and sailing through the Southern Ocean is far more dangerous then most think, for it is the only ocean that still hold Leviathans and Sea Serpents. So how do they get here?"
    Smith studied the map for a short time, and when he was unable to find any other path, he shrugged. "It just seems unlikely, that's all."
    "It is, but not if Norgrus and the Eastern Empire aligned."
    Arina balked at this. "That crazy! Even if the Eastern Empire did go along with the idea, Norgrus would never-"
    "There is no other option. That is where they are headed. We must get there first."
    Again, Arina was the first to protest. "How? Unless we have dragon steeds, there's no way-"
    Gradwin again cut her off, this time with three short whistles. Then he hurried to the top of the hill in the center of the glade. Arina and Smith quickly followed. Before long, there was a small dot to the north, quickly growing larger, until you could almost make out the wings. Sunlight glinted off the scales, and the shape of the magnificent creature came into focus. Smith stared, dumbstruck.
    "A real dragon..." He whispered in awe. As the dragon got closer, one could make out the color of the scales... this one's were red, with a yellow underbelly.
    "Quick, get off the hill! This is where he shall land." Said Gradwin, hurrying down the hill, closely followed by Arina and Smith.
    Arina quickly closed the distance between her and Gradwin, obviously upset. "Gradwin! Are you mad, trusting a dragon?!? They aren't trustworthy!"
    "Since when?" Asked Gradwin, turning to face Arina.
    "Since the Betrayal of Denoth!"
    "That was years ago, and only a single dragon did that, not the whole race."
    "But that single dragon was the Dragon King, and his race follow in their kings footsteps!"
    "Not all of them. I know this dragon, and would- have trusted him with my life. A great many of the dragon race are followers of the Great One."
    They continued back and forth, never noticing the dragon, who had landed without a sound, intently listening in. Nether party took notice of Smith.
    After letting the argument continue for a few moments, the dragon interjected. "If I may, I would like to speak on behalf of my race." He said in a deep voice that seemed to shake the ground. Arina jumped, startled by the sudden intrusion. Gradwin merely nodded his head. The dragon, in turn, inclined his. "The Betrayal of Denoth, though many years ago, is nowhere near irrelevant. Indeed, most of the dragons that were alive then are still alive today. I myself was but a youngling at the time, so I have no recollection of the event. However, Denoth was denounced by near the entire race for his actions, and was banished by the High Council of Great Dragons, and has not been seen since. All of the dragons that were with him on the matter, left with him. There is no evil left in the race."
    Arina still wasn't convinced. "Then why did you go into hiding, if it is as you say?"
    The dragon gazed into Arina's eyes for a long time before speaking again. "I understand you mistrust, for it was the Elvish race that was hurt the worst by the betrayal, but it is misplaced. Me and my race went into hiding because the other races of Yith would no longer have us. It would have come to war, and brought about unnecessary death and destruction. We could not have that, so we left for the good of all Yith. Though we do in fact wish to reconnect with the other of the Four Great Races, we must first shake off the shame we have carried for so long, for some of us feel that the sins of one of us reflect upon the entire race. I, myself harbor no such feelings, but one dragon cannot move the heart of an entire race."
    Arina still didn't like the idea of riding on a dragon, but in the end she went along with it... until she found out that the dragon, who's name was Paradel, could only carry two riders at a time, so she would be unable to come along. This she fought with all her might, but Paradel was insistent that he would be unable to carry more then two riders, and Gradwin was unmoving in his decision that the two would be himself and Smith. After much arguing, Arina gave in and said that she would catch up later. Gradwin nodded at her, then turned his attention to Smith.
    "Now then. Smith, I can assume you've never mounted or rode on a dragon before?" Smith nodded, still somewhat awestruck by the fact that he was standing in the presence of a real dragon. "Not surprising. Few have. Well, no better time then the present to learn. It is rather easy, really. Do you see that one spot, right at the base of the neck?" After a moment of study, Smith nodded. "Very good. Now that is where we will sit. Usually, a special type of saddle is used, but we don't have one of those handy, so we shall have to make due without. Now Smith, all you must do is climb up the tail to the spot at the base of the neck and seat yourself. I will be right behind you."
    It only took a few minutes to mount Paradel, and then they were off. The assent was so sudden that Smith desperately clung to the neck of Paradel with all his might and would not let go. Paradel did not seem to mind. Once they were air born, Smith started to relax just enough to see below. The view was breathtaking. Almost the most beautiful thing Smith had ever seen. Almost.
    For hours they flew, and Smith never tired of it, though his legs were very sore by that night. However, it was well worth it, for they had far outdistanced they foes... that is, if they were coming this way.
    "So Gradwin..." Started Smith, looking at the huge mountain range that lay before them. Each mountain was easily as tall as Mt. Everest, so going over the mountains was near impossible. And according to the maps, there was only on way through this natural wall... the Balmor Gap, home of the Fortress of Yin, which, in turn, was the home to 650 of the best trained knights and warriors in the land. It was probably the most well guarded fortress in Yith, other the Nixon Goroth, the Black Fortress.
    "Yes, Smith? You had a question?"
    "Yeah... why is it so important for us to be here first? What are we doing?"
    Gradwin answered without looking at Smith. "There are only a few ways to get past these mountains. The first, and most well known, is the Balmor Gap, but it would be impossible for a group of Easterners to get though there. That leaves one of the many tunnels and caves that riddle the insides of these mountains. However, most of those tunnels are filled with ether Goblins, who would sooner chop your head off then look at you, Cave Trolls, and I won't ever begin to speak of what they have been known to do to their prisoners. That leaves Dwarfs, but they rarely intervene with travelers in these tunnels, unless you are in theirs. We must enlist the help of the Dwarfs to stop the coming Easterners."
    Smith understood instantly. With the Dwarfs help, it would be impossible to pass through the mountain without their approval or knowledge. "But, how can we enlist the help of Dwarfs? They never come out of their caves anymore."
    "That is where you come in." Respond Gradwin without hesitation, stunning Smith for a moment.
    Upon recovering, Smith tried as hard has he could not to look totally shocked. "Me? What have I got to do with this?"
    Gradwin looked kindly at Smith, and said, "Smith, dear boy, there is much more happening here then you may realise. You will learn all in time, but for now know that the future of Yith rest in your capable hands. That is why I am here. To help you, advise you, and guild you." He placed a hand on Smiths shoulder. "You are never alone, young Smith. Know that, if nothing else, and you will be fine."

Dear Readers,
Chapter Five is taking much longer then I expected. It shall be a while yet before I am able to post it. However, rest assured that I am working on it, and it moves closer to completion with every passing day. Stay faithful in your reading!

Until next I write,
Hubert Baldar

Earagorn (?)

 

Dear Readers,
I'm afraid I have some bad news, as the title of this post states. My computer has what I think to be a virus. I cannot get on it anymore. At least, not until we get it fixed. So my posting shall become rather... spaced. Bare with me, though. I'm am working on the next chapter, I shall post the end of the last chapter below, and I have began the editing phase in my earlier works, and plan on REposting them once finished. Hang in there!!

The Writer.



And now, chapter six, part three.

    Tina and Jalor exchanged slightly worried looks, then turned their attention to the woods behind them. "Hello?" Tina called. "Arcon, is that you? Come on out!" This was met with rustlings from the woods as the unseen archer moved toward the small clearing where Tina, Earagorn and Jalor stood.

    When the archer was fully in view, Earagorn whistled. "You are pretty pretty. Do I know you?" Tina elbowed him sharply in the side.

    Tina started over. "We are in your debt..."

    "Arina."

    Tina nodded her greetings, as did Jalor. Earagorn had turned a shade paler at the name. "I do know you." He whispered, more to himself then to Arina.

    At that moment, Arcon exited the wood. "Sorry I was not back sooner. I encountered a group of skeleton warriors trying to flank us, and I had to dispatch of them, or they would've dispatched of-" It was at this point that Arcon noticed Arina. He was visibly shocked. "Arina..." He whispered.

    Arina had spotted Arcon as well, and she was also visibly shocked. "Arcon... but... but they told me you were dead. How..." Tears began to build up in her eyes, and she bit her lower lip. Arcon smiled gently and moved to embrace Arina. She fell into his arms and embraced him fiercely, crying into his shoulder. He patted her gently on the back and kissed the top of her hair. Tina watched all this, then glanced questioningly at Earagorn, who was standing beside her.

    "I am as much in the dark as you are, Tina. He never told me about her."

    "Then how do you know her?" Jalor asked, for he was standing close by when Earagorn whispered to himself earlier.

    "We had a bit of a run-in in the past." Jalor nodded, but couldn't help but wonder what kind of "run-in".

    After a few seconds, Earagorn couldn't stand being in "the dark" any longer. "I... hate to interrupt." He started, "But would someone mind telling me what is going on here??" He directly addressed Arcon. "Look, buddy, how do I not know about this? I thought we shared everything with each other!"

    Arcon smiled apologetically. "This was a piece of my past that was too painful to mention... but now, I suppose introductions are in order!" He smiled at Arina, then gestured for everyone to come closer. "Tina, Jalor, Earagorn... my sister, Arina."

    Earagorn stood there for a few moments, gaping. Arcon had... a sister?? And he never told him?? Earagorn was having trouble coping with the facts. "So, let me get this strait," Earagorn started. "You have a sister, and you never told me??"

    Arina frowned at Earagorn. "Have you gone deaf?" She asked, her voice sharp as she defended her older brother... not that he needed it... "He said I was a painful memory. You would have him recall bitter memories just so you could know about them?"

    Earagorn was stunned by this... this girl. No one had ever talked to him like this before now. It was unheard of. He was, after all, a Keeper! Guardian of Legends! His eyes flashed with heat of an inferno gone mad, and he gripped the hilt of his sword. Earagorn, you must understand, had an uncontrollable temper, when aroused. He was at the point of losing all control when he felt a hand on his arm. He turned to see Tina, her eyes filled with worry and... fear. She was afraid. Of him. He glanced at Arcon, his long time friend. He was watching him warily, his hand on his knife hilt. If it come to a fight, family first. Earagorn shifted his gaze to Arina. She was fumbling with her bow, her eyes wide and locked on him. Earagorn shook his head and took a deep breath, attempting to control himself. This was not the time nor the place for such an outburst. He glanced at his hand, still gripping the hilt of his sword. He forced his fingers to relax.

    "Sorry. I have a bit of a temper, and I've never been hated before." He put just enough edge to the last line to communicate what he thought of Arina's tone. Though his face bore a smile, he was still steaming on the inside.

    It took Earagorn four day to cool off. During those four days, the group wondered around the Forest, trying to find only-Arcon-knew-what. Arina stayed around for only three of those four, however. One morning, three days after Arina joined the small group of wanderers, she wasn't there. She just left in the early morning, leaving only a note behind. The note read as follows:

       

        Dear Arcon,

    Do you remembir when we used to hide in the woods, leaving klues behinnd, and the other tried too find the hider? Pretend that wewre doing that again. I have some where to be. It is in the Hill, to the East. Eaisy to finds, right?

        Arina

    Arcon frowned at the note. It wasn't like his sister- or of elves in general, for that matter- to make so many mistakes. Earagorn, who had awoke as well, looked over his friends shoulder.

    "The 'Hill'? What's that supposed to mean?" He was frowning as well. He then went on to point out every error in the note, asking what it meant. Finally, Arcon grew tired of the questions.

    "Would you just be quite for a moment and let me think??" Asked Arcon, a mixture of annoyance and _____ in his voice. "Let me think..." Arcon said again, mumbling to himself. He read the note again, this time writing every error in the dirt with his knife point. After that was done, he and Earagorn stared the writing, which looked like this: iknowwhereheis

    Arcon frowned at this. Earagorn, who was watching this go on, glanced between the dirt writing and his friend. "May I ask what you are doing?" Earagorn asked after a few moments. Arcon did not answer. So he tried again. Still no response. By now Earagorn was frowning as well as his friend. He tried snapping his fingers. That only served to wake Tina, who, after rolling out of bed, joined Arcon in his puzzling.

    Finally, Tina spoke up. "If what we're trying to do is make since of the letter jumble, I don't see what the problem is." Earagorn looked up, startled. Arcon studied Tina.  "It looks pretty clear to me." Tina took out her own dagger, and drew four lines in the dirt. The writing now looked like this: i|know|where|he|is. Tina smiled in satisfaction... and at the bewildered look on Earagorn's face.

    "How did... I mean, what did... I mean... it was that obvious?!?" Tina's smile only grew at this remark. Even Arcon's lips bent upward at this.

    "Yes. It was that obvious. Is that bad?" Tina asked sweetly, still smiling. Earagorn shot her a glare that would wither a forest.

    Jalor, who had awoke at Earagorn cry of disbelief, chose this moment to change the subject. "Who's 'He'?"

    No one answered. Arcon, though he knew the answer, said nothing, for that would give away much more then he wanted anyone to know at this point. He simply stood to the side, watching them try and decide who "He" was. It was rather amusing, but he let his face betray nothing. After a few moments, he broke the silence that had settled over the group. "Well, let's go." He said, swinging his pack over his sholder.

    "Go? Go where?" Asked Earagorn, more then a little confused.

    "We're going to follow my sister."

a.  Name: Arcon Elyas Pelador


b.  Occupation: Legend Keeper; it is his job to watch for the coming Deliverer, and to ensure that the ancient prophecy's come true.


c.  Place of work: Yith


d.  Home: Yith


e.  Age: 450


f.  Physical appearance:

          Head Shape: Oval
          Hair (color, texture, style): Light blond; smooth; strait and long
          Eyes (color, shape, eyebrows): Dark blue; almond shaped; thin
          Nose (size, shape):Medium sized; long, narrow
          Mouth (size, shape, color, teeth): Small; oval; pale red, almost pink
          Skin (color, texture, hair): Pastel; smooth; very little
          Physical Build: 6'11", 200lb., lean and somewhat lanky
          Posture: While sitting: Strait back
            While standing: Strait back
            While walking: Strait back
          What you notice first: His silence


g.  Background:
         
          Place of birth: The Elven city of Nygra
          Parents: Jacom & Bethal Pelador
          Siblings: Arina (younger sister), Myron (older brother)
          Places lived: Too many to record
          Childhood experiences:  First word: "Bow!"; Favorite expressions:
          Education: Home schooled! He learned most everything he knows from his parents.
          Special Training: Archery.
          Jobs worked: Forest sentry; Legend Keeper
          Travel: All over.
          Friends: Arina, Earagorn, Gradwin, Humton the Dwarf
          Relationship with God: Excellent.
          Greatest successes: Winning the Junior Archery Contest in Nygra


h.  Characteristics:

          Special skills or knowledge: Reading (in Yith, very few can read), writing (also a rare talent in Yith)
          Collections, talents: Had a large collection of books and scrolls at Nygra; he is the best archer on Yith
          What people like about him: His sense of humor
          Interests and favorites:
                       Favorite food: Elven foods (any kind!)
                       Favorite drink: Grape juice
                       Favorite music: Pipes
                       Favorite book(s): "The Last Stand of Nyxon; a historical account" by Goth Nixten; "Tales of the Great Kingdom" by Goth Nixten; "Legend of the Dragon Keeper" by Hogor Bynax
                       Favorite sport: Archery
                       Favorite recreation: Sparing with Earagorn
                       Favorite way to spent a weekend: Weekends mean nothing to Arcon
                       Dislikes: Boulders, Cave Trolls, Ice Trolls, Giants, Norgans, Kotu Adam



There you have it. The bio of Arcon. I didn't add a character history (a bio) because there is too much to tell! As you may have guessed, Arcon didn't sit around much in he 450 years of life. Maybe I'll make one and post it later. I don't know. But, today, this is what you get.


Until next I write,
The Writer

Dear Reader,
I am afraid I am suffering from a case of Writers Block at the moment. I am trying to create the next (and final) part of chapter six, but I am having trouble thinking up a suitable ending. I shall post any further progress.
In the mean time, I still want to know, what do YOU want next? A bio? Or the final section of chapter six?

Waiting for your response,
The Writer

Dear Reader,
I am writing this today in order to see what you want next. So I ask you... what next? More chapters? Another bio? If it is a bio you want, then on who? Tina? Arcon? Or maybe Earagorn? I have questions, and only you, the reader, have answers. input is vital for the survival of this blog.


HELP ME!!!

 

            Jalor then went to the outpost in Hi-Gormath to join the Drilacian Army. Noreen went with him. Once there, they settled in and Jalor began his training. Noreen, being a woman, was not allowed to join, but she was allowed to live close by. For the next seven years, Jalor worked hard to become the greatest swordsman there ever was. Two years into his training, he and Noreen had a son, Julis. Two more years latter, Noreen gave birth to a girl, Rachael. Three years later, Noreen gave birth to yet another son, Markos. By this time, Jalor had finished his training and was serving in the army. For three years, he was not moved, but steadily climbed ranks. At the end of his third year, he reached captain, and there his ascent ceased.
            Four the next four years, Captain Jalor traveled around the country side, moving from city to city, following Norgins where ever they went. If a Norgin was south of the Norgin border, Captain Jalor was on it's tail, making sure that it's stay south of it's border was a short one. (His family did not go with him on his Norgin hunting trip's- they stayed behind in whatever city they were staying in at the time.) For five years it was like this. Jalor was often away, sometimes for months. Whenever he was home, as little as he was, he always made sure to spend at least one whole day with his family before leaving again. However, as his eldest son, Julis, got older, Jalor traveled less and less, as so to teach Julis a trade, as well as the many other things young men must know.
    Julis wanted to become a carpenter. Jalor, grateful his son did not want to join the armed forces, apprenticed him to a master carpenter. It was in that same year, his seventeenth, that Julis met the beautiful young Rebeca, and a year latter, they were wed.
    Jalor, of course, attended the wedding. He also stayed for several weeks to help the two settle into their new home and life. Then he returned to traveling. One year latter, Julis and Rebeca had a daughter, whom they named Tina. Jalor managed to be there for the birth, and stayed for one week afterwards to help where he could. Then he returned to traveling, though never very far, and he was never gone for more then two months at a time.
    For the next seven years, that is how life ran for Jalor. The he received word that a Norgin hoard had taken a city in the north, Nix-Ulgard. He left immediately. Upon arriving, he was surprised to find that he was to plan the attack, as well as lead the men into battle. He accepted the role, and for the next six months, battles were waged in Nix-Ulgard. Finally, after a long and desperate struggle, Jalor drove the Norgin hoard out of the city.
    The battle had not been over for more then five hours when word reached the celebrating soldiers that a raiding party of Norgins had been spotted heading south. Jalor and his men took off in pursuit.
    It was a hard race. Jalor and his men, tired from six months of battle, fell behind at a slow but steady rate. Indeed, by the last day of the chase, it was only the smoke in the distance the kept the men going, hoping beyond hope to get there in time to save some one.
    They did save someone... Jalor's granddaughter, Tina. The Norgins had attacked Hi-Gormath, where his family was. He was too late to save anyone but Tina. All the others were dead. Poor Tina was almost dead, as much from fright as from the beatings the Norgins gave her. Why they did not kill her, no one is sure. But Jalor was just grateful they didn't.
    Looking out upon the once fine city, now just smoldering ruins, Jalor was filled with a rage unlike anything he had ever felt before. He led his troops into battle, killing every Norgin in the raiding party.
    Jalor never recovered from losing most of his family. From there, he took Tina and moved to Bel-Garmas, where he was named Steward of the Fortress of Bel-Garmas, which was primarily used for trained young new recruits. Tina took up the training herself, dispite the fact that her grandfather disaproved of the idea. It is there that they stayed for the next seven years, until Smith came into the fort, led by Arcon, whom Jalor had met in his travels. It is there I leave him.


As you can see, this was quite long. This is why I did not... could not post sooner. I'm sorry if you got antsy.

Your comments are enjoyed!
The Writer.

This is a more complete bio of Smith. It has WAY more details, so hang in there!


Smith Philips:

 

a.  Name: Smith Jacob Philips


b.  Occupation: None


c.  Place of work: None


d.  Home: A one story, two bedroom, two bath house in a small neighborhood.


e.  Age: 15


f.  Physical appearance:

                Head Shape: Narrow; rectangular; smaller at the jaw.
                Hair (color, texture, style): Chocolate brown; soft; wavy.
                Eyes (color, shape, eyebrows): Flashing light blue; almond shaped; thick and bushy.
                Nose (size, shape): Smaller sized; button shaped
                Mouth (size, shape, color, teeth): Medium sized; oval shaped; pale red, but not pink in color; white teeth
                Skin (color, texture, hair): Tan with olive undertones; smooth; very little body hair.
                Physical Build: 6'2"; 145lb.; lean; shoulders slightly broader then lower body; rather lanky.
                Posture: While sitting: Slightly slouch.
                             While standing: Strait back.
                             While walking: Strait back.
                What you notice first: His flashing eyes.


g.  Background:

                Place of birth: Smith was raised in Wyoming, U.S.A
                Parents: Hanna and David Philips
                Siblings: None
                Places lived: To memory, Wyoming and Virgina
                Childhood experiences:  First word: "Funny!"; Favorite toys: Mr Potato Head, Legos, Spider-Man stuffed doll; Favorite expressions: "Holy Cow!", "Dag-nab it!"
                Education: Standard public schooling.
                   Special Training: None
                Jobs worked: None.
                Travel: Recently moved from Wyoming to Richmond, Virgina.
                Friends: Currently: Amy, whom Smith met shortly after coming to Richmond; George, whom Smith met at a very young age, now pen-pal; Logan, best friend from Wyoming
                Relationship with God: Okay; he reads his Bible every day, was an active member of the church youth group in Wyoming, but has not prayed much since the move.
                Greatest successes: Winning the youth Bible-Bowl in Wyoming.


h.  Characteristics:

                Special skills or knowledge: In Yith, master of the Broadsword.
                Collections, talents: Large Spider-Man comic collection, fiction novel collection; no special talents to speak of.
                What people like about him: Funny, caring, always tries to point out the best of people.
                Interests and favorites:
                                                Favorite food: Spinach
                                                Favorite drink: Pepsi
                                                Favorite music: Christan Rock
                                                Favorite book(s): The Lord of the Rings
                                                Favorite sport: Soccer
                                                Favorite recreation: Swimming
                                                Favorite way to spent a weekend: Out and about- At the mall OR local bookstore OR movies
                Dislikes: Pizza, doing laundry, mud baths, bossy people
                Typical expressions when:
                                                    Happy: "Oh, yeah!" OR "Yes!!"
                                                    Angry: Angry silence and a death glare, to avoid bad language.
                                                    Sad: "Man..." OR "Bummer."



Is your head spinning yet? I plan on doing this for EVERYONE.

Your comments are enjoyed!
The Writer

It has come to my attention that it is a good idea to create "character outlines" when writing a book, and I have yet to do this. Therefore, there will be no more chapters until I have done this. (It shouldn't take too long. Hold in there!)
In the meantime, I would still like to know... what should I do a bio on next? I have two (last I counted) votes for one one Earagorn, but that is hardly enough. Does anyone else have a request?

Until next I write,
The Writer

    Now you undoubtedly want to know what Smith's friends have been doing since we left them. Let's allow Smith to sleep for now, as he will need his rest later, and move to Arcon, Tina, Jalor and Earagorn. When we last saw them all, the whole group was all together again... well, except for Smith, of course. Tina was the first to comment.
    "Grandda! Arcon! How did you find us?"
    "I believe the question is, how did you find your way here? And before us?" Responded Arcon, puzzlement in his voice yet nothing on his face.
    "After I lost sight of you, I just ran for all I was worth. I stumbled across here, had a little... disagreement with a large pack of huge wolves-"
    "Disagreement?? More like a fight, from which I saved you." Interrupted Earagorn, chuckling to himself.
    "-Met Earagorn here, and now your here, so we're all together again, except for Smith, who's still missing." Tina finished, ignoring Earagorn. Arcon was disturbed by the news that no one knew where Smith was, and it showed on his face. For once.
    Earagorn noticed his friend's worried expression. The two of them went to the side for a moment. "Arcon, my friend, what is troubling you?"
    "Smith has gone missing. That is what troubles me. Only the Great One knows what could happen to him in this forest." He looked out into the thick forest that surrounded them. "I pray for his safety."
    The group camped at the ruins that night. The next morning, Arcon and Earagorn went into the ruins to look around and see if this was the fort they were looking for.
    "Arcon, how, if I may ask, are we going to tell if this is the right fort or not?" Earagorn asked once they were out of earshot of everyone else.
    "Well, for one thing, the fort we are looking for will be enchanted. Look for moving, inanimate objects, or doors closing on their own, or perhaps a dark sense of dread and death." Arcon responded.
    "Cheery."
    "I wasn't joking with you there."
    "I was." Arcon rolled his eyes and Earagorn grinned.
    The two friends moved through the giant once-great fortress, wary and silent, each looking out for the other and ready for anything... or so they thought.
    As they moved toward the inner-keep, they began to notice more and more skeletons skewed everywhere, many still waring their armor and holding their weapons in their hands. As the duo moved deeper into the keep, they had yet to see- or feel- anything out of the ordinary. There were old tapestry's on the wall, each displaying still-vivid images of epic battles, golden halls, beautiful ladies and brave knights.
    "Amazing." Mumbled Arcon, gazing at the tapestries. "These tapestries still hold all their color, and hardly show any age."
    Earagorn glanced behind them. "I see something even more amazing." He said, turning Arcon so that he would look behind them as well. "All the skeletons are gone."
    Arcon glanced around. "That cannot be good. Come on, let's get back to the others." The two began making their way back to the front of the fortress, keeping on the lookout for anything that could mean trouble. As they moved along, they noticed that there were no skeletons left anywhere. Earagorn looked they slightest bit nervous, and was looking around so much, Arcon told him to stop before he shook his brains out.
    They reached the front gate without incident, and Arcon told them that they needed to keep moving. He received questioning looks, but since no one else knew exactly where they were, no one argued. Arcon looked around, glanced at the sun, and started off.
    It was just past noon when Arcon's highly sensitive ears picked up the soft pattering of many feet following them. He motioned for the group to stop, and whispered his hearings. "I will do a quick scouting of the area, just to be safe." He moved soundlessly into the wood. Within moments of Arcon's disappearance into the wood, an arrow flew out of the thicket and hit a tree right next to Tina's head! Everyone turned in alarm to where the arrow had come from, and none believed their eyes when they saw the archer. Standing in a clearing, trying to string another arrow into it's bow, stood a skeleton in battle gear!
    Suddenly, nineteen more skeleton archers popped out of the surrounding wood, and they began unleashing a rain of arrows upon our brave group of travelers. Tina, Earagorn and Jalor scrambled to get out of the line of fire and find cover.
    "What in the world is going on?!?" Demanded Tina, shooting a wicked glare in Earagorn's direction. He shrugged innocently from his hiding spot.
    Jalor, who had fought in many a battle, surveyed the situation with a battle-hardened gaze. "I think the bigger question is, how to we stop it? They're already dead! Or at least, should already be dead." He glanced at Earagorn. "This is out of my league. I fight Norgins and Eastern rats, not skeletons!"
    Earagorn nodded, then glanced out to the wood. "Come on, buddy, where are you?" He whispered.
    At that moment, four arrows shot out of the wood behind Earagorn, each hitting a skeletal warrior right in the chest. To the great surprise of all who watched, all four dropped dead! Before anyone could so much as blink, four more arrows came out of the wood, only this time, from behind Tina. Once again, they all hit their mark, and once again, the skeletons dropped dead. Again.
    At this point, the remaining skeletons were in utter confusion. They no longer were aiming their arrows at Earagorn, or Tina, or Jalor. They were aiming at the wood behind them, firing at their unseen foe with the lethal arrows. Arrows continued to fly back and forth, but the only ones that hit something besides trees were the ones coming from the unseen archer. Before long, there were only five skeletons left, and they had dropped their bows and drew swords, hoping for better luck with these. They charged a reckless charge, and three of the five were "dead" before they reached our party. Tina, Earagorn and Jalor drew their own blades and took to the offence. The last two were swiftly dealt with (as it were, they died like anything else) and Earagorn threw back his head and screamed an inhuman scream at the sky. When he was done, everyone was staring at him, including the unseen archer, who had yet to be seen. Earagorn grinned.
    "Sorry!" he said. "Couldn't help it." He was still grinning. Wolfishly.

I want to know, readers, who you all would like to see a bio on next. I have one, maybe two, (I can't recall exactly) for Earagorn. Give me the word and I will write a bio on him! But not until I hear (er, read?) the word.

I know I said I wouldn't post chapter six until I got five comments on the last part I posted. Well, I got five comments, they're just not all online. So without any further ado, I give you chapter six, part one...




    It took Smith a moment to compute what Gradwin had just asked. The history of Yith?
    "What... part of history? I know the origin of almost every race on Yith... I know how they came to the island... what don't I know?" Questioned Smith, now curious.
    "Well," started Gradwin, "I suppose you just need to wait and see." Responded Gradwin, a familiar gleam in his eyes. "The story I am about to tell you is the same story my mentor told me once, as his mentor told him. Nothing has been changed since it was first told. Now let me spin my tale..."


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    "Yith, as you well know, was once united under one ruler. Elves, dwarfs, and men lived in peace with one another, each with their own king, and each king paying tribute to the High King Koman. The tribute was not enforced- the kings payed it willingly, for all loved High King Koman... or at least, almost all. There was one, Hogarth, who did not like High King Koman.
    "Hogarth was once king of men, but was force to give up the throne because one of his unhappy subjects sent a letter to the High King complaining about the high taxes Hogarth was pushing on the people. The High King had responded, sending an letter to Hogarth, requesting that he 'lighten the load on his peoples back'. Hogarth did not take kindly to someone telling him what to do, but he knew better then to tell the High King that, so he responded with a letter telling the High King exactly what he wanted to hear, but did not lighten the taxes by even a copper. He also began checking all letters that were to leave his kingdom, as to insure that High King Koman got no word of the taxes. He also began to publicly beat all who complained about anything.
    "Now High King Koman was not one to play the fool, and if he smelled a rat, he did not stop until the rat was gone. And he smelled a rat. One day, he turned to his chief adviser and asked,
    "'What should I do? I do not trust King Hogarth any farther then I can throw him, and that isn't very far. Everyone knows he wants my crown. Yet if I tell him outright that I do not trust him, he will turn what I say against me and make another grab for the crown. How should I go about this?'
    "'Well,' began his chief adviser, 'What if, on your Majesty's next royal holiday, you went out to Jalyon, the place of your birth, saying you wanted to return to your roots for a while. That land is under Hogarth's rule, and if he still is taxing the people, that land would suffer as much as any.'
    "High King Koman thought about this. Yes, this was wise advise. This is what he would do, and he told his adviser so.
    "'Your Majesty, I must advise caution. This would be the perfect opportunity for Hogarth to murder you.' Said the adviser, fearing for the High Kings safety.
    "'Do not be absurd. Hogarth may not like me, but he is not going to swoop so low as murder to get my crown.' Chuckled the High King.
    "Several weeks later, the High King Koman went on his annual holiday, this year to Jalyon. As he traveled through the country side, he took notice of the small houses, the underfed children, and the scrawny animals. Despite the fact that there was no lack of food, the people were starving, and there was only one explanation, and it was heavy taxation.
    "Once he arrived at his local palace, he immediately sent a servant to the castle of King Hogarth requesting an audience. High King though he may be, he was not above manners. King Hogarth responded immediately. Whenever the High King was ready he could come. And High King Koman was ready.
    "Once the High King Koman arrived at the Castle Gwanist, King Hogarth's home, he immediately went into the sitting room, where, he was informed, King Hogarth was waiting for him.
    "'Your Majesty!' started King Hogarth as the High King entered. 'This is truly a pleasant surprise! Come in, come in! Can I offer you some wine?' The High King nodded, as he was very thirsty, and suspected nothing as Hogarth poured both cups from the same jug.
    "After taking a long drink from his cup, the High King Koman turned to King Hogarth. 'It is by no means a surprise that I am here, Hogarth. You know very well why I have come.' The High King paused as King Hogarth's face darkened. 'You did not easy the burden on the backs of the people. And whats more, more then half the people in Jalyon alone look as if a drought has swept through the country side, yet you sit here very well fed.' The High King sighed. 'I know this is your kingdom, but as high king it is my job to look after the people of all the kingdoms of Yith, not just the ones under my direct rule. And if you cannot be trusted with the well fair of your people, I will be forced to find someone who can.'
    "Despite everything that was being said to Hogarth, he remained an unearthly calm. 'Your Majesty,' Said Hogarth slowly, 'I do not think you will have the time to find a replacement for me.'
    "No sooner had the words left Hogarth's mouth then the High King dropped dead. For you see, Koman's cup had a deadly powder already in it, so even though the wine was not poisoned, the cup was. Hogarth calmly watched the former high king fall to the floor, and then nudged the body with his foot to ensure that it was dead. Satisfied, he called for some handpicked guards to come and dispose of the corpse. As they were leaving, Hogarth called out to them, 'And make sure the boy and his mother are dead. He is too young to take the crown now, but we cannot risk him trying in the future.' Hogarth then turned and headed into a secret room in the back of his chambers, where a crystal ball awaited him.
    "Several days later, the whole of Yith had heard of the former High King's untimely death, and all were ether grief-stricken, filled with rage, or a deadly combination of both. And once they heard that the King had died, according to reports, somewhere between the Castle Gwanist and his palace, every finger on Yith pointed at Hogarth as the killer- if not directly, then the work of his men. Wars were waged, and the once peaceful land was torn apart. Dwarfs left their mines for the first time in centuries, elves left their wooded realms to fight along side men and dwarfs, and farmers turned their pitchforks into spears and plow shears into swords and lined up for battle.
    "But their foe had an army beyond measurement. Foul creatures of all shapes and sizes, from Minotaurs to goblins to giant-sized cave trolls, his forces could not be stopped. They attacked relentlessly, pushing back the Army of the Western Kingdoms, for that is what they were called.
    "But Hogarth had more to throw at the united western forces then an army. He threw deception and distrust in the mix. By enlarging the natural dislike that dwarfs had for elves, he drove a wedge between the two races, to the point where you couldn't get the two together for any reason at all. He also began to capitalize on men's distrust of elves, causing the Union of Western Kingdoms to collapse. The dwarfs returned to their mines and locked their doors, the elves returned to the woods and never left again, save a daring few, and the men continued the battle...



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



    "...And they have been fighting ever since." Gradwin concluded. "And that, dear Smith, is how the Great War began."
    Smith sat for a moment in silence. Finally, he spoke. "How long ago was this?" He asked.
    "Nearly one thousand years, our time. Your world has a very different time. In your time, it couldn't have been more then... around fifteen years ago."
    "So, Hogarth is no longer alive."
    "Correct. He married... though it was forced, and only because he needed a heir. The current ruler is one Kotu Adam."
    "What of the boy Hogarth spoke of?" Asked Arina, for she had never heard the story before ether.
    Gradwin paused, as if trying to decide what to say. Finally, with one last, uncertain glance at Smith, he spoke, saying: "That is a different story for a different time." With that said, Gradwin got up, put his pipe away, and retired for the night. Arina stayed for a few more moments, studying Smith very carefully. Her gaze make Smith feel uncomfortable, and he excused himself after a few moments to retire as well. Smith quickly slipped into a fitful sleep.

Dear Readers,
I am very pleased with the comments I have received thus far in my writing, and in order to be sure everyone knows, the more comments that are posted, the more often I will write more. Otherwise, I am incouraged by your votes of confedence, and I look forward to more as I continue writing.
Now I am going to ask a favor of you all. I would very much like to know where you would like the story to go, of where you think the story is going. Whether or not I use the ideas posted depends on how much they fit with what I had in mind. I have a general idea of where I'm going, but I don't have a map, so I'm asking for directions. Who thinks they are enough of a writer to come up with something? I dare you to post! =)


Until next I write,
The Writer

At long last, it is here! The last part of Chapter Five!



   That evening, after Gradwin had decided they were done, Smith asked a question that had been burning in his mind since the first blow. "I had NO idea you could move that fast! Could you teach me that?" Smith asked, thinking to become one of the greatest swordsmen on Yith and trying to ignore the pain that coursed through his body. Gradwin chuckled.
    "What have I been doing all day?" He asked, smiling.
    Smith put on a convincing fake frown. "Hurting me. Beating me up."
    "I prefer the term, 'knocking some sense into you'." Said Gradwin, a gleam in his eyes. They shared a laugh and headed back to Gradwin's "den".
    As Gradwin and Smith neared the large tree under which Gradwin's home was located, Smith smelled something he had never smelled at Gradwin's before... the smell of cooking food. You see, Gradwin never cooked at home. When he did, he only made this oatmeal-like substance. It wasn't bad, but Smith grew tired of it rather fast. It was like having oatmeal every day, for every meal.
    Smith cast a questioning glance at Gradwin. Not only did he not cook, but he had not been home since that morning.
    "Ah... I see Arina has stopped for a visit." Glancing at Smith and taking notice of his questioning gaze, said, "Arina is an Elf, one of,,, no, the last Elf in the Forest of Gorox. I think you'll like her. And even if you do not," he paused, inhaling deeply, and finished, "her meals are to die for." Smith nodded his understanding. I wonder if this is the same girl who was here on my first day in the Forest. Smith thought to himself with mild curiosity.
    "Gradwin! You're home!" Came a voice from inside. The same voice Smith had heard when he first awoke. A moment later, a beautiful young woman sprang out of Gradwin's home and embraced Gradwin like a child with her father. "I made dinner. It's all ready. I hope you're hungry!"
    "Oh, we are. Starved, in fact." Smith piped up, feeling a bit left out, and forgotten. Arina took no notice of the new voice, and sprang back inside again instead. Smith followed, frowning a bit.
    Allow me to take a moment of your time to describe Arina to you. She was blond, wearing her hair long and wavy with small braids in the back. She had a slim figure, with smooth, light colored skin. Her eyes were chocolate brown and bright, and held a look of nobility, as if she was a elvish princess, or was one. Her face was flawless, everything in perfect balance.
    As soon as Smith entered the den, he was hit with the aroma of fresh-baked bread, roasted deer, and several other scents Smith couldn't place. He moved into the dinning area, and was amazed at the small feast set out on the table. Apples, some sort of meat pie made with deer, honey bread... no, elven honey bread, and figs. Where she got the ingredients need to make all this, Smith didn't know. He was just glad she did.
    After they had all sat down to eat, Gradwin opened in prayer. This surprised Smith, who didn't know anyone here believed as he did, and he had never thought to bring it up. He bowed his head, as did Gradwin and Arina, and listened. It was simple enough, mearly a prayer of thanks, and then they started eating. Smith never receved so much as a glance from Arina.
    After dinner, they all moved into the sitting room, where a fire was crackling in the harth and a pipe awaited Gradwin, who sat down in his arm chair, puffed a few ring, and then turned to Smith.
    "Smith," he began, "how would you like to know the history of Yith?"

Greeting, one and all!
    I have, as you may have noticed, added a chat-box to my sidebar. Please do me a favor and make good use of it! Comments, suggestions, and just general "what's up" is what that thing is for, so don't be shy!
    In other news, I am writing the next part of chapter five, but it may be awhile yet. I want this part to be a bit longer, instead of the short bits I've been giving you all. So just bare with me here, it will be done soon enough!

Until next I write,
The Writer

       Tina spun around to face the owner of the voice so bold as to question a pack of large, hungry wolves. What she was faced with was a man, about average height, dressed in weather-beaten cloths. He wore a heavy looking two-handed sword at his side, and had a gleam in his eye as he faced the pack.
    "And who are you to question our control of the Forrest of Gorox?" Snarled the lead wolf.
    The stranger smiled dangerously. "Earagorn."
    As soon as the name was out of Earagorn's mouth, the lead wolf flew into a wolf behind him. Chaos followed. Wolves were suddenly flung into the air like playthings, tossed into each other, and spun around. And Earagorn was grinning like a child at a circus.
    After about thirty seconds, the chaos stopped. "Had enough?" Asked Earagorn, still grinning. The lead wolf staggered to his feet, snarling, and sounded the retreat. The pack fled into the Forrest.
    "Thanks." Said Tina, somewhat shocked at what had just occurred.
    "No problem. Helping damsels in distress is what I live for." Said Earagorn, flashing a grin. Tina frowned.
    "'Damsel in distress'?" She asked, still frowning.
    "Yup. Would you rather be a child in distress?" Asked Earagorn, grin coming back. Tina's frown deepened, and her brow furrowed. Then Earagorn frowned. "Oh, come on. Lighten up! Say, maybe you can help me."
    "And why would I do something like that?"
    "Because I just saved your hide, that's why." The grin was back. Tina decided she hated that grin.
    "Fine. What do you need?" She said.
    "I'm looking for some one. Tall, doesn't talk much, carries around a bow and arrows-"
    "Arcon?"
    "That's him. You know where he is? Or, did he get lost again?"
    "Again?" Came a new voice, only one recognized by both Tina and Earagorn. And Arcon stepped out of the trees, follow by Captain Jalor.
    Earagorn glanced at Tina. "This doesn't count. You still owe me." Tina smirked.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


        For a few hours every day following the day of getting lost, Gradwin would come and sit beside Smiths bed- he was not allowed out of it, due to his ankle- and answer questions. Smith had a lot. And was thinking of more every day. Within a week, not only was he well enough to get out of bed and move around, but he was nearly an expert on everything Yith. He had the landscape almost memorized, he had a reasonably sized data bank on almost every race in Yith, and was learning more every day.
    Though Smith was well enough to leave Gradwin and the small underground den, he chose to stay, at least for a while. There was SO much Gradwin could- and would- teach him! And Smith wanted to learn as much as he could. He already knew much more then he did when he first came, and that wasn't all. But there were other reasons Smith wanted to stay a bit long, other then the lure of knowledge. He wanted to find out who that girl was he had seen. Though he was up and about quite often now, he didn't so much as catch a glimpse of her. But that only served to increase Smith curiosity.
    One day, Gradwin woke Smith at the crack of dawn, telling him he wanted to teach him something in the Forest. Smith, curious, complied.
    They walked for several, minutes, never stopping, through the Forest, until they came upon a small, roundish clearing, roughly the size of the sword ring at the fort. They entered, surrounded by the sounds of the Forest, with sunlight streaming down from above. Gradwin walked over to one side of the clearing and picked up a large, strait stick, and tossed it to Smith. He caught it in midair. It had been sanded smooth, all bark removed, and was roughly the length or a two handed broadsword, though not as heavy. Smith stared at the stick for a few moments, not comprehending the meaning of the stick, or what Gradwin wanted to teach. Only when Gradwin picked up sticks of his own did Smith get it. He started to laugh.
    Gradwin turned to face Smith. "What do you find so amusing, young one?" He asked, as gleam is his eyes.
    Smith managed to stop laughing long enough to answer. "You are... (chuckle)... are going to... (heh heh)... duel me?"
    Gradwin's face sobered, though his eyes disagreed. "Yes. Why is that funny to you?" He asked, his face bordering on insult.
    Smith stopped laughing and regained composure. "Sorry, Gradwin. It's just that... well... I held my own against some of the best sword fighters I've ever seen, and even beat one or two. So-"
    "So you think that I wouldn't offer a challenge." Gradwin finished. Smith nodded, looking a little sheepish. Gradwin nodded knowingly. "Well, I plan on duelling you anyway. So let's begin."
    Smith nodded, and the two combatants circled each other. Smith struck first, darting in with a high-to-low chop that would kill anyone with less the lighting fast reflexes. Gradwin didn't have that.
    He had better.
    Moving faster then a man of his age should have, Gradwin blocked Smith's attack and counter attacked with speed that would shame a striking cobra. Smith only barely managed to defend himself. The weeks of intense training under Captain Jalor paid off. But Gradwin wasn't done yet. Instead of locking with Smith, then drawling back for another strike, Gradwin bounced off Smith defence and spun around to the inside, striking Smith on the shoulder.
    "Ow!" Smith cried out in pain. He hadn't had time to react, and now his shoulder throbbed. Smith blinked at Gradwin. "How... how did you do that?"
    Gradwin chuckled. "Not as harmless as you first thought, eh? Wait until I get warmed up!" And with that, Gradwin struck again. And again. And yet again. For the rest of the day, Gradwin and Smith battled... or rather, Gradwin stuck Smith repeatedly with a stick, teaching him "the way of the sword". By that evening, Smith was covered from head to toe with bruises, and Gradwin had none.