When you're not allowed to die.

The sounds of rampart cheering came from the bate crown room in Obel palace, the celebration of the war's end had carried on into the night with the sounds of glasses clanking against each other, the roaring of the many pirates who, incidentally, were given temporary amnesty due cause to their role in the war. Among all these noises, the most prominent of which was a loud sneeze with an odd magical echo, followed the sound of many confused drunkards.

Outside of the alcove palace sat a young looking boy, around seventeen to eighteen year old in looks. He was sitting on a small brick border surrounding on of the four decorative waters. The boy about five feet seven inches in height sported a very light ginger hair, brown eyes and was wearing a tanned grey buccaneer's jacket with crated sleeves covering his wrists. Most noticeable are the stained-brown leather gloves, the left of which was covered in blood down the inseam and looked like they hadn't been washed in several years. This hand was being slowly caressed by his right, allowing a small sliver of light to seep from under the glove with each motion pulling the glove back. This light was eerie, and if you were able to get close enough to it you would hear the sound of children crying, women screaming, and the faint voice of an old man trying to converse with the owner of the gloves.

"Ted!" shouted a loud boy with a shrill voice from within the palace "Ted! Hey man, what are you up to?"

"I'm leaving…" said the boy called Ted.

"You're leaving? Where are you going to go man? If you're going to the inn tell Sophia that she still owes me that cold cut."

Ted rose to his feet, while doing so; he slipped off the glove upon his right hand and let the light show to his friend.

"Do you know what this is Aldo?" The slightly older boy called Aldo looked at Ted's left hand briefly and then slowly looked him in the eyes. The puzzled look given to Ted made him continue talking, even though he had been expecting some sort of reply. "This is the Soul Eater… It is one of the twenty seven true runes, it is also known as the rune of punishment. It is a curse, nothing more, it was carried by my grandfather for over four hundred years, and It has currently been wielded by me for the last one hundred and four year, six months and nineteen days."

Aldo was stunned; this revelation was almost too farfetched for him to take in. He looked at Ted intensely and tied together the few words he could think of.

"Hum… You're not going to the inn are you…?" said Aldo with a light stutter.

"Yeah, I have to go, I am looking for a great witch, I honestly believe that she is the only one, who, can get rid of this accursed rune and not use it for her own gain." Ted Paused "Lazlo and I met her on the Fog Ship." replied Ted in a melancholy voice.

"So, where are we going then?" said Aldo, who had suddenly gained a large grin covering the most part of his face. At this point, Ted stood abased staring at Aldo, Ted was wondering why Aldo had invited him self on a mission that was so personal. Aldo and Ted weren't the best of friends, Aldo had, in fact, just attached him self to Ted due to their similar personalities.

"You cannot come Aldo; this will be dangerous, more so than this war, more so than Wilder's first mark." Said Ted, his voice was so stern but his volume remained static which made the effect of his words even more powerful.

"You are the first person I have ever been able to relate to, I don't care about what lies in your past or your future. I have no friends, nothing; my parents were killed by some witch…" Ted's eyes began to water and he flinched slightly, this was one of the few signs of real emotion that he had shown during his stint in the Island Nation's army. "…called Windy," continued Aldo.

"What!" exclaimed Ted; his voice was raised contrary to common actions. The noises from within the palace dulled down in connection with the shout. "Win… Windy…?"

"Yes… wh… why?" replied Aldo with slight fear in his voice, he had never seen such emotion from Ted, let alone had it targeted on him.

"You can come, but we leave now… let's go."

Ted and Aldo ran down the set of stairs leading towards the inn, Ted branched off towards the door to the inn where there was a box of Roc darts. He detached the leather quiver from his coat and took the darts.

They continued on toward the pier, ready to begin an epic adventure that would evidentially lead to Aldo's death, and the meeting between Teo McDohl and Ted.

To Be Continued