A/N OK i re-read my last chapter and found i did horrible so i got a beta and much of that should be fixed. I also did a lot of grammar changes and sentence structure and that sort of stuff so if anyone read the first chapter and managed to make it here then thank you for your support Mk enough ramblings of an author. cast thy eyes below the pretty line and read the second chapter of LoaL.

Zane awoke an hour later to his head throbbing and zero energy. He opened his eyes and cringed, it hurt too much to even look around. He squinted and found his sword by his side, at least no one had stolen it. After a few minutes he found the energy to try and sit up, but found he was too dizzy to do so. He opted to lay there and try to contact the sentient inside his sword. "Selkrom….Selkrom answer me, of course choose to ignore me that's fine" Zane sighed. He lay there for a few minutes before he finally got an answer "do you mind addressing me with a little respect boy, you never know I may answer you then" growled the blade into his mind. "Selkrom do you know who saved me. All I remember is blacking out and now I am in here?" The blade was silent for a few minutes then said "the red magic that exploded from you corrupted my sensing abilities, I can not tell you anything from the time you…whatever you did to an hour ago when I regained some of my ability. This is the first time I have ever been affected like this from any magic. This is very odd. I know this much boy, whatever happened to you was no accident. I felt another presence in you before I lost my ability. Now let me be to my own thoughts boy, I will call upon you if you are needed again." Zane thought to himself "but you did not call me sword, I called you." Zane sighed, closed his eyes to sleep and try to recover a little more energy before he headed back out into battle.

Inside Pellow Village, the Hooded Stranger sat on the edge of a fountain about a mile from the center of the village. He could feel the wheel, but had other things he had to do. Before he could get to it, there were a few people that he had done some favors for, and the pay date had come. He rose from the fountain then began a slow gait to the center of the village. The first one would be the hardest of them all.

When Zane finally awoke, he felt much better. His head still hurt, however he was able to resume fighting. He sat up, slowly rose to his feet, all the while fighting the dizziness that tried to claim him. As he rose, he noticed a piece of paper on the wall. He slowly walked over to it, read the note left for him, and froze. Whoever saved him knew about him. For the first time in his life he might learn of his heritage. As fast as he could, he grabbed the note. Still struggling he began to make his way to the Equilibrium Gate. About halfway there he noticed something, there was no noise. Nothing, the thunder of battle that had been there earlier was gone. All he heard was the wind blowing through the streets. He fought the dizziness that threatened to bring him back into the darkness. He ran as fast as he could for the gate. He had to know what happened to cause the complete silence. He looked up and saw the gate towering above him, about two miles away. As he ran his head began to throb again. He immediately knew he would not make it, but kept running anyway. Time began to blend together. Minutes felt like hours an hours felt like a minutes. Unable to tell the difference anymore, dizziness crept in and all went black for the second time that day.

Raven floated high above Ravenloss Village with Odgne by her side. She had taken a post in the air trying to see why it had become so quiet. She gazed across the village, never once noticing a single person. Had they all fled, or had they been killed. This was odd, very very, odd. She began cocooning herself in black magic to protect herself from a surprise attack. Odgne looked around, then screamed out in draconic "look, look Raven that boy. He just collapsed while he was running." She spotted him lying on the ground about a hundred yards away. Using magic to propel herself she dived for him to make sure he was alright. As she landed beside him she could tell he was still alive by the slow rise and fall of his chest, but barely. After a little more inspection, she noticed that he was not only unconscious but he had used all his magic. It was not regenerating as it should, slowly killing him. With urgency, she grabbed him up flying as fast as possible to the war camp near the gate. She had to get him to the healers stationed there. This would be close, still she knew there was no choice but to save him…She didn't want to see another life lost today, not if she could help it. Drawing on all the energy she had, she managed to muster a little more magic and propelled herself even faster toward the gate. The gate was about ten minutes away. The boys life force was already slipping.

The Hooded Stranger stood at the center of the village staring at the portal in the courtyard. This was it. He walked into the courtyard and called out "Vaal show yourself, don't you miss me old friend." With a grin, he then called out in the same dark raspy voice "or did you become weak and fall prey to your queen." In his fury, Vaal's portal began to flicker. He charged out launching attack after attack at the Hooded Stranger, who in turn deflected each with his katana and much ease. "Come on Vaal you were stronger than this, my old student. I'm ten years older than you yet I am not even winded. However, you are losing your breath and strength already." With that, Vaal roared and leaped at the stranger, trying to best his old master in close quarters. The Hooded Stranger blasted him back with a ball of energy slicing his right eye. "You owe me Vaal. If you don't help me there is plenty more were that minor cut came from. Got it." Vaal glared at him, finally nodding, knowing he would not make it out alive if he fought. He glanced at his master, then sat down ignoring him and began tending to his eye.