Pre-note: Well I must say. I hate French. Why I didn't take Spanish still annoys me... Oh wait now I remember why! The idiots in my school are taking Spanish! Ok well that solves all of my problems! ... not. Anywho as I have said before don't hesitate to review even if it's just like one or two words.
Right ok well yeah, "SPEACH" is the Dravir (or whatever evolved looking monster it is!) talking to one another or just to themselves
"SPEACH" is normal dialogue
and SPEACH is thinking. Oh and if anyone has any suggestions for this story please e-mail me or write a review. Well that's enough of my rambling for now... enjoy!

Chapter 1: A Page's errands

A girl came running out of the mess hall of Oaklore Keep, laughing as she did so. Soon after a man dressed in heavy armor came running after her, pink paint dripping from his person, "Sakura!" He bellowed, "Get back here this instant!"

Sakura continued to run her hair swinging wildly behind her, "Not a chance Sir Kuss!" She called over her shoulder.

"I will get you back for this! Mark my words you little minx!"

"You are definably not very enticing to say the least!" Sakura yelled this time turning all the way around so that she was running backwards. Childishly she stuck her tongue out and pulled down on her bottom eyelid and stuck her tongue out at Sir Kuss making a face. When he suddenly stopped chasing her, just standing there smirking she knew that something was going to happen. By the time she realized that there was something behind her it was too late and she had crashed into it. "Ouch, that hurt!" She cried rubbing her head.

She heard a grunt from underneath her and was startled, "I believe that I am in more pain then you are, dear Sakura." Sakura rolled to the side and scrambled to her feet, putting her head down her bowed.

"Sorry about that Sir Kit I didn't see you there…"

"I wonder why." Sir Casm mumbled under his breath as he walked by. Sakura mentally glared at the knight for his sarcastic nature.

Sir Kit sighed though; picking himself up from the ground he motioned for Sakura to follow him. In a few moments they had reached the training area, a small space with a few training tools consisting of a thick tree with marks on either side, a wooden sword and shield, and makeshift armor. All of which was kept in a chest with a heavy lock. "Sakura as your training today I need you to give this letter to Warlic."

Sakura looked a little amazed, "Sir, do you mean the Warlic? The great Mage?" Sit Kit nodded.

"Do you not want to go?" Sir Kit asked coyly.

"Of course I want to go! A chance to meet the great Mage in the flesh is something only a Page could dream about!" Sakura said excitedly. "When do I leave?"

Sir Kit reached into his armor plate and pulled out the letter and held it in his hand, "As a matter of fact, you are going to be leaving right about now, after you pack, of course." Sakura's eyes lit up and she was about to speak when Sir Kit held up his hand to silence her, "but before you become too hasty I first have to tell you the directions… and I surly do not need to remind you that you must not open this letter under any circumstances…" He trailed off waiting for a sign of recognition from Sakura, when he received a curt nod of her head he continued. "Great. Now, firstly you must travel along this path to Falconreach, when you arrive there will be an Inn there where I have already made sleeping arrangements for you.

Then when the first light appears you must head north towards the guardian tower, as you arrive outside there will be a portal there. Enter the portal and you will be teleported to another forest, fear not of it and continue North West, soon you will see a tent. That is where Warlic resides. Do you think that you can handle that?"

Sakura paused for a few seconds, "I think I can handle it- no I know I can handle it." She said cockily and Sir Kit rolled his eyes and handed her the letter. Sakura thanked Sir Kit and headed towards the Keep's living quarters.

Once in her room she quickly stuffed a change of clothes in her bag a loaf of bread wrapped in a white cloth from Sir Loin, a canteen of water and a cloak incase the weather took a turn for the worst. She ran back down the stairs and was almost out the door ready to start her journey when Sir Kit placed a firm hand on her shoulder, "Remember Sakura, that you must not state you business to anyone in Falconreach." She nodded, thanking him again and took off towards the forest, the letter in her breast pocket.


Sakura had been trekking along the beaten path for a couple of hours now, and had only recently come into the darker part of the woods, "Although this is probably the most awesome quest Sir Kit has ever given me I still hate going through these woods… it always feels as though there is someone or something watching me." She shook her head, "I'm crazy there is no one there… I mean why would there be? It's a dark and creepy forest who would want to stay here?" She continued on walking but could still not shake the feeling that she was being watched.

Scarcely five minutes later she felt the cool tip of a blade press against her throat, and involuntarily gulped, "Give us your gold or we'll skin you alive." The voice belonged to a man but was muffled.

"Yes little one, give us; the Greywolf Renegades your gold and maybe we'll let you live…" Another one said his voice was too muffled.

Sakura could count three men in total two of them were in front of her and the other was still holding the blade to her neck, Well I suppose that this means that I wasn't imagining being watched. The two that Sakura could see were wearing bandanas around their faces with eye holes cut into them; there was also a bandana around the top of the head, a fitted top with random scatterings of armor and gloves with guards. For the bottoms they wore horsemen breeches and shin guards that were belted together and were attached to the knee high boots they had. There were also multiple spots that a bandit could conceal weapons.

"So what do you say little one? Will you cooperate?" The second bandit asked again.

Sakura foolishly shook her head, "What kind of bandits are you that you would stoop so low as to rob a child?" She spat out her voice quivering as the blade was pressed a little harder into her skin, not enough to draw blood but enough to know that these bandits were going to kill her if she did not comply.

"Fine," The bandit with the knife said dully, "If you won't comply then you are of no use to us."

Sakura closed her eyes tightly expecting to feel the sharp sting of a blade carving her skin but was greeted to the screams of the bandits. Once they subsided she opened her eyes and all she saw were the three bandits on the ground red liquid pooling out of the wounds.

Looking around for her savior, even after three minutes she could still not see any trace that anyone but her and the three bandits had been in this part of the forest. Until she noticed a glint under a bush, walking towards it cautiously she gingerly poked the shiny object and when it did not attack her she moved the bush away. There under the shrub was a pair of daggers, the blades curved up almost into a spiral, the handle was curved the opposite way and on the top of the hilt was a round red gem.

Sakura marveled at the design, "These are amazing… should I take them?" She thought of the bandits and decided on pocketing the twin daggers after putting on her cloak to conceal them. She continued walking towards Falconreach.

Eventually she reached the bridge that linked the forest of Oaklore to Falconreach and gave a friendly wave to Sir Pent, who was in charge of making sure that nothing happened to the bridge and also to keep invading forces out. "Good evening Sakura." He greeted with a nod of his head.

"Evening? What do you mean by that?" Sakura asked puzzled.

Sir Pent chuckled a little, "The sunset is almost over, therefore it is the evening… see," He pointed up in the sky, "There is the moon, and some of the stars are out as well…"

Sakura made an 'O' shape with her mouth, "Oh, I see now…" She shook her head, "Sorry about that, it has just been a long day." She gazed out on the water where the moon was now reflecting its full shadow.

"I'll bet," He said nodding, "You are off to Falconreach correct?" She nodded her head, "Well then I will not keep you waiting… off you go."

Sakura nodded and waved good-bye to Sir Pent and headed off. Looking to the left she admired the stillness of the water with the moon shining off of it and the mountains slightly glittering in the moonlight with dusting of snow at the peaks. She was so absorbed with the scenery that she had hardly noticed the bridge begin to shake, but when it was shaking violently Sakura was already face first on the ground.

"This is not good!" She yelled shakily getting to her feet; she grabbed the daggers from under her cloak and moved into a fighting position. Suddenly there was a splashing sound from behind her, turning around she was hit into the water. Sakura let out a meek scream before she hit the water. I'm going to die! And worst of all I won't get to be a warrior… With the weight of her clothes and her bag Sakura was sinking deeper into the water quickly loosing consciousness. As she was nearing the bottom of the lake something wrapped around her midsection and quickly pulled her up from the depths of the water. When she felt the water around her disappear she gasped for air, blinking the water out of her eyes Sakura looked down and noticed that it was a tail around her midsection, following the tail she found herself looking into the eyes of a giant serpent.

The serpent seemed to grin as it tightened its light hold on Sakura, she let out a gasp. "Let her down vile creature!" Sir Pent yelled jumping into the air slashing the serpent down its scaly back, making the creature drop Sakura onto the bridge with a loud thump. Sir Pent continued to fight the serpent and after cutting off most of the smaller fins and slicing bits of the scales the serpent returned to the lake with an angry hiss, "Yeah, yeah, hiss all you want you foul beast." Sir Pent growled sheathing his sword. He kneeled down to Sakura gently he propped her up on his arm letting her head lean against his chest, "Sakura?" He called, "Sakura are you alive?" She let out a groan in response. "I will take that as a yes." Sir Pent said with a light chuckle. Sakura lightly glared at him through her half-closed eyes, "Now is that anyway to thank your savior?"

She shook her head, "No." She croaked out.

"That's what I thought… now; I think that you are going to need an escort across this bridge." He said getting up off of the ground then leaning over to help Sakura up.

"Thank you." Sakura said grabbing Sir Pent's hand allowing him to pull her up. "And thank you for saving me back there." Sakura looked around the bridge to find her daggers; she noticed them dangerously close to the edge of the bridge. Carefully walking up to them she crouched down picking them up and pocketing them, moving aside the dripping wet cloth of her cloak. "The letter!" She suddenly thought of. Rummaging through her pockets she found the letter wet but still intact, Perhaps I should let it dry and try not to touch it… Sakura thought carefully putting the letter back in her pocket.

"Well are you coming?" Sir Pent asked already walking towards the end of the bridge. She ran after him, well as fast as she could considering the heavy clothes she was carrying. Sir Pert guided her to the end of the bridge and stopped, "I must get back to my post now, get to the Inn and sleep. You'll need it after all of that." He said referring to the serpent attack.

Nodding Sakura made her way through more forest, soon enough she came upon a clearing with a broken fence near a hill leading to the shore, and a man in a tattered black cloak with a hood, or at least it looked black in the darkness. She fully meant to walk by him and straight to the Inn but he had called her over, "Yes?" She asked feebly looking up at him, the sky seemed to get darker around the man, the stars had temporarily disappeared and the glow of the moon seemed to dim.

"You are training to be a knight correct?" His silky voice asked. All she could manage was a simple nod, "And all you have are those simple little blades?" He asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Sakura nodded again then paused, "Wait! How did you know about that?" She asked the mysterious man.

He chuckled, "Why my dear, I know all, and I see all. And I can tell that you will be something great… but to achieve greatness you will need one of these," He reached through the opening in his cloak revealing a black glove and shirt. A darkish light radiated from his hand, Sakura averted her eyes from it when she looked back there was a large axe in his hand. He gripped it so the front of the axe was facing her; the skull on the axe looked deadly as did the small bonelike fingers stretching from the torso on the centre of the axe. The blade its self looked tired and worn like it hadn't been used in ages but the bones were as white and new pearls. "Do not let its appearance fool you little Sakura, this is a weapon of unequalled power."

She looked at it for a second more then tore her eyes from it, "What use would a small page like me have for a monstrous axe like that?"

"I will let you figure that out for yourself." He said simply, "Now don't you need to get to the Inn? After all you have a long trek ahead of you."

That caught Sakura's attention, "Pardon?"

"I believe you heard me just fine." He shot back.

"Just who are you?"

"I am no one, but you are someone whom I find interesting."

"I can tell… but that does not answer my question. And it seems that you are avoiding them."

He closed his fist tightly around the axe and it disappeared. "Really?"

Sakura's eyes went wide; she gulped, "Yes." Who or what is this man? There are only few who can do magic like that.

His put his hand to his chin in thought, "Hmm, interesting."

"What is?"

He returned his hand to the inside of his cloak "That you can talk with such authority for someone so small." His voice was amused again.

Sakura shook her head, "What are you?"

"Just a humble salesman-"

"Who can do amazing sorts of magic!" Sakura finished off for him.

"Perhaps, but all magic is, is a slight of hand… but really it must be very late, shouldn't you be going?"

Sakura glared at him, "Maybe, but please at least answer me this."

The man nodded, "I will try my best…"

"What was that weapon called?"

It almost seemed as though his eyes glowed red, "If you had asked that first I would have gladly answered it but better late then never I suppose…" Sakura cocked her head to the side in confusion, "A doom weapon is something of great strength, only the strongest will possess one, their greatest powers have yet to be unlocked. Is that all?"

Sakura shrugged then shook her head; All I would get out of you would be cryptic answers anyway.

"Well then, do you know where the Inn is located little warrior?"

Sakura looked surprised for a second then blushed thankful for the darkness, "No." She managed to get out.

"All you must do is continue down this path, once you find a cottage like place with a hanging sign that has a mug on it go inside, there you will be greeted." Sakura thanked him and set off, he continued to stand there but the moon gradually got lighter as Sakura walked farther away from him.

What a strange man. Sakura thought to herself as she walked passing two shops, one with a giant pair of scissors on the sign and the other a potion bottle. The next place was the Inn, Sakura pushed open the door slowly and walked in, she was greeted by the warmth of a fire.

"Welcome to the Falconreach Inn." The innkeeper said grinning, "How may I help you?"

Sakura walked up to the woman, "Um… I think that I have a reservation…"

"Oh…?" The innkeeper drawled, "And under what name would this reservation be?" Sakura shook her head, "You don't know?" Again she shook her head, "Well I guess it's good for you that I have extra rooms eh?" Sakura nodded looking around the Inn, "You must be tired being out so late in the evening, what has kept you out so late?" The Innkeeper asked curiously as she grabbed the key's to the rooms and started to walk to the end of the room towards a door.

"I was just talking to someone…" Sakura said following her.

"Oh? Who is this?" She opened the door and stepped through the threshold, "I'm Maryann by the way."

"Sakura, and I don't know the name of the man that I met but he seemed scary."

Maryann stopped in her tracks and Sakura almost walked into her, "Was he wearing a black cloak?" She asked turning around to Sakura.

Sakura looked down to the floor and shuffled around on her feet, "Well I couldn't tell because it was dark but I think that it was. Why?"

Maryann looked unimpressed, "Do not talk to that man; he is a wicked man and a young girl such as yourself should not be around such and appalling man." She stated turning around again and continued walking, up ahead there were stairs. "But on a brighter note where do you come from?"

"Oaklore Keep." Sakura answered beginning to walk up the stairs.

"Ah, yes Sir Kit sent word that someone would be coming here to rest; I had not realized that the person in question would be so… young."

"Hmm, well Sir Kit told me that this was part of my training…" Sakura said trailing off looking around at the Inn.

"Well if Sir Kit is training you, you will most definably be a warrior."

Sakura looked up at Maryann, "Really?" She asked cocking her head to the side.

Maryann only nodded, "So how old are you?"

"Eight… um I don not mean to be rude but where is my room?" She said yawning.

Maryann looked sheepish, "Oh I'm sorry Sakura." She said apologetically, "It's just with the new war threatening to break out warriors and guardians from all over are flocking to Falconreach and this is the only Inn."

Sakura looked puzzled, "New war?"

"Yes it seems as though something is going to be happening soon… what it is I don't know but I pray to the maker that it will not be major." Sakura nodded unsure as to what to say. Maryann stopped in front of a wooden door, "Here we are," She said turning to Sakura and handing her a key, "this is to your room. Have a good rest." Maryann said smiling, and then turned to most likely go to her room and lock up the Inn for the night.

Sakura put the key in the key hole and turned it, when she heard a click she opened the door. Walking in she noticed that the room was rather small, and the furniture rather sparse. There was a bed to her left with a red quilt and a window to the right of that also next to the window there was a ledge with a few assortments of ointments and potions, I suppose that there are a lot of warriors come in here to be healed as well. Sakura thought while walking over to the table, she threw her cloak over the chair and her bag on the table. Remembering the letter she removed it from her pocket and let it dry on the table by her bag. She rid herself of her wet clothes and rooted through her bag for some dry ones, once she found some she put them on and took the rest of her clothes out of her bag and put them around the room allowing them to dry. Afterwards Sakura walked over to the bed and crawled under the sheets and drifted off to sleep.