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"You heard about Oakvale?"

"What's this?"

"That fella Sabre was right in the town. Middle of the night. Beat some man, threatened to rob him and then dodged the guards to escape. He even got past Avatar!"

Two traders had decided to take a brief respite at the foot of a tree. Their packs sat along beside them in the relieving shade. And above them, a nimble figure clung to the tree branches listening in. Sabre's greatest sources of information were, without a doubt, the passing traders. They rarely had any reason to look up and therefore never noticed the tattooed outlaw. They gladly conversed believing they were the only ones within earshot.

"How do you get past a hero like Avatar?"

"Beats me. Maybe that Sabre is a hero himself. Just none of us know it. He's got a hero's title after all."

"I doubt that. You hear about the big stink in the Guild of Heroes? None of them folks is happy with what Sabre's been doing. They went and put a bounty on his head. Made it public knowledge."

That was unsettling news. Sabre had at most thought himself a nuisance like any lone bandit would have been. It seemed he had graduated into an actual threat.

"I'm betting Avatar will take care of it. I mean what's this Sabre anyway? He's a common bandit, right? What's he gonna be compared to someone as great as Avatar?"

"Giving him the slip would be mighty embarrassing though. But I'd put my money on Maleficus making some sort of go at him. From what I've heard, he's been rearing his ugly head again. Terrorizing towns and leading bandit raids. Ever since he cowed Twinblade, he's had command over that bunch of scoundrels."

"Yeah, but Maleficus ain't never won in the arena like Avatar. Just you watch, Avatar will handle this."

"Speaking of which. HAHA!"

The trader stood up and clapped his hands in the air cheering and whistling. The other soon followed and they were both doing their best to show their approval for none other than Avatar was now approaching them. Sabre peered through the leaves and was able to get a better look this time around than the previous night. The brightly plated armor adorning the muscular frame of Avatar shone in the afternoon light. He carried his helmet under his left arm to reveal a head full of perfectly trimmed golden hair. Surrounding his head was just the faintest glow of what could only be described as a halo. He smiled at the traders as he approached.

"What an honor!" The first trader swelled with pride. "Seeing a hero like you taking a stroll through the forest. Who'd have thought?"

"A common route and who am I to deny you folk a show?" Avatar smiled broadly and puffed out his chest giving the traders the spectacle they wanted.

They responded in kind with more cheering and laughter. But Avatar didn't waste too much time taking the helmet in both hands and setting it back on his head.

"If you'll excuse me, gentlemen. I have some Guild business to attend to." Avatar drew the curved blade from his back gripping its hilt with both hands.

"Of course, sir. Don't let us get in your way." The traders picked up their packs and went on their way giddy with the events that had just unfolded.

But Avatar remained motionless watching them go. When they were a sufficient distance away, Avatar hoisted the sword up and swung with his full force against the tree. The Solus slammed into the bark sending splinters flying and jolting Sabre out of his position! The unexpected tremor shook the branch out of his grip sending him toward the ground. A deft movement on his part put his feet below him and he barely managed to land standing up. Avatar pried his sword from the tree and gave a grin.

"You're either very clever or hate trees." Sabre growled. "Either way, that was incredibly rude."

"I suppose I could have just robbed the traders but I hear that's your hobby of late. I'm not one to step on another man's toes. Now THAT would be rude."

A silence fell between the two. Avatar set his sword's point into the ground and leaned on it but Sabre kept the same neutral stance. It gave the bulky hero a moment to observe Sabre. He was smaller than one might have expected. Brown hair pulled back into a pony tail and the howl tattoo covering most of his face. A vest common with bandits opened to reveal a balverine tattoo on his chest. Despite his size, Sabre was actually a menacing looking individual.

"So was that all? You wanted to knock me out of a tree?"

Avatar gave a hearty laugh. "No, that was simply to get your attention. Admittedly I forget how much force I have behind my swing from time to time."

Another silence fell between them. "Those tattoos are an interesting choice. The one on your chest is a depiction of the very creature anyone wearing the one on your face is famed to have hunted. So tell me, have you hunted balverines before?"

"You have my attention. Would you care to address something more than my tattoos?"

Avatar's smile faded. "You're right. I'm wasting time. Sabre, I'm here to arrest you by order of the Guild of Heroes, I hereby…"

"Save it. I'm not going with you."

Avatar huffed a moment. He honestly hadn't expected an interruption.

"Listen. You're marked by the Guild of Heroes. Come with me to the Guild. I don't want to hurt you to make you come with me."

"Bollocks!" Sabre snapped. "How many bounties have you gone after before and issued that same line but were all too willing to resort to it at a moment's notice. Why do you want me to come with you anyway?"

"You're a criminal."

"Liar!" Sabre's body tensed as he spat the word at Avatar. "Tell me the truth. Why did you really come here?"

Avatar looked perplexed. "Why else would I come here? You rob traders and the citizens of Albion. You're a menace!"

"If that were true, you would be out every single day arresting every bandit out there. You wouldn't kill them. No. Glory. That's why you're here. Renown. Fame. You know that if you arrest me, the world that already sings your praise will begin to vomit tales of glory at the mere mention of the word hero. You call yourself a hero but all that you do is take a strict moral path that you believe makes you a better person. If it came right down to it, you would choose to have the power and the fame over your good deeds. You would take your trophy and show it to all who have eyes. So here! Come claim this trophy if you want it."

Sabre pulled the bow from his back and felt the influence immediately. It was an evil weapon but one would have to give in to its influence before it had any effect. But Avatar's reaction was not quite what Sabre expected. His jaw had dropped as he stared in disbelief at the very weapon of Skorm.

"Why do you have that bow? Where did you get it?" Avatar gawked.

"An excellent question!" A brassy voice called.

A newcomer called the attention of both Sabre and Avatar. Standing in his own aura of darkness and garbed in the crimson robes of a will user was Maleficus. Sabre had only ever heard of him but never actually been in his presence. It was disturbing to say the least. It was almost as if the light shining through the trees of Greatwood was dimming wherever Maleficus stood. The horns that reached almost a foot above his head scraped the leaves of hanging branches as he walked toward the standoff. A mane and beard of gray hair was the only indication that this might have once been a human being. The hollow eyes made Sabre's heart sink as Maleficus formed the third point in the triangle of men.

"I have spent years in service of Skorm and never once laid eyes on that weapon. Not that it would do me much good of course. I prefer other means of attack." Electricity arched between his fingertips.

"Maleficus, I have claimed this bounty. It is rightfully mine!" Avatar snarled. "Leave and I won't be forced to kill you for everything that you've done."

"Don't listen to him." Maleficus's eyes remained focused on Sabre. "He's inconsequential. Simply angry over an old fling I cut the throat of years ago."

That was all the incentive Avatar needed. He roared with rage and in a blast of heat, he charged toward Maleficus leaving behind a trail of flames! Lightning blasted from the hands of Maleficus as the Solus Greatsword came down at him. The lightning met the curved metal and the fight had begun. Avatar put all his might into bringing the blade down but the erratic lightning held against him. The grass began to char and neither hero had even moved yet. Maleficus dodged to the side letting the blade strike nothing but the ground. A relentless Avatar lifted his blade again bringing it to slash at Maleficus once again. The sorcerer leapt back with fire lapping at his hands. He began hurling fireballs in Avatar's direction who batted them away. One flew wide crashing into the ground next to Sabre! He felt the heat as it singed his clothing and his skin. He leapt away from the fire forming on the ground and turned back to the fight to see he had come too close. He now stood only a few feet from Avatar.

"Siding with him, are you?" Maleficus spat and lifted his hand.

Lightning fired from his hands but Sabre quickly dove behind a nearby tree. The lightning tore away at the bark and spat dirt up across Sabre's face. Avatar gave another wide swing at Maleficus but his blade bounced away. An eerie light surrounded Maleficus and Avatar immediately understood he had conjured a magical shield.

"Let's see how well that protects you." Avatar threw his head back roaring and began to grow in size.

His muscles bulged and he began to tower over Maleficus.

"Come now, Avatar!" Maleficus cackled. "You think your magic can stand against mine!"

But Avatar was no longer in the talking mood. He now held his greatsword with one hand and began battering against the shield of his opponent. It was an awesome display of power and magic the likes of which, Sabre had never seen before. He had barely any comprehension of Will knowing only that every hero was taught to use it. It would only be so long before they remembered his presence and he decided to make himself scarce. The branches hung low enough for him to hoist himself up and before long, he was high above the fight and ready to leave.

With another swing, Avatar sent the shielded form of Maleficus soaring and slamming into the very tree Sabre had just climbed. Sabre lost his footing and nearly fell were it not for a quick hand reaching to catch himself.

"Enough of this!" Maleficus stood back up and erupted in flames.

He was again hurling fireballs but this time, the forest was paying the price. Fires were catching everywhere including the tree Sabre hung from. Flames quickly climbed the tree's trunk and Sabre had little other choice. He let go and fell to the ground. In the middle of two warring heroes was a terrible place to be and it's precisely where Sabre found himself. He caught the searing heat of a fireball and fell back to avoid it. Another fireball and flames began to rain down on Sabre. He was to his feet again in a dead sprint but the heroes refused to keep their fight contained. As Avatar swatted the fireballs, they fell in Sabre's path blocking his exit each time he turned. He turned to look for other exits only to see another fireball crash into him! He felt the blisters form and the agony as his clothes caught. Flames surrounded Sabre in every direction and now they covered his body. He tore at his clothing putting the flames out but still the world around him burnt. His salvation was near though.

A towering oak tree with low branches beckoned him. Leaping from the ground, Sabre caught hold and felt the tree lift him upward. He cried out in celebration. Swinging his legs upward, Sabre was in his element again standing in the safety of old friends. Agony racked every inch of his body from the burns and the exertion. He was barely able to remain standing after each leap to a new tree. As consciousness slipped away from him, Sabre felt the wind rushing past him even as he stopped willing his body to move.


"Absolutely inconceivable!" The Guildmaster roared. "Two heroes at each other's throats while a notorious bandit eludes them!"

A nervous apprentice stood nearby trembling. "The oath of Avatar demanded blood, sir."

"Don't cite his oath to me!" The Guildmaster snapped. "I don't blame him for following the oath but they could have at the very least found time to subdue Sabre. Instead, we watch Greatwood burn. It is lucky for us that the fire did not spread much further than their fight. How did Sabre avoid them, anyway?"

"Well…uh, he…he was flung."

"Flung? By who? Where was he flung to?"

"I don't have those answers, sir. Nearby traders merely saw him leaping from the trees and then was soaring but asleep it looked like."

"So now he sleep jumps, is that what you're telling me?"

"No, sir. I believe the trees were…well…"

"Out with it!"

"Throwing him! The trees were throwing him."


Sabre awoke to a blur of colors and a cacophony of chirps and voices. Water dripping and then a cooling sensation. The cool touch of a wet cloth focused his mind and sight a little bit. Enough to see the shape of a woman bringing the cloth to his cheek and down his neck. His hand reached up to bat her arm away but she grabbed it and set it back down.

"Just a moment. I'm almost done." The voice was sweet and melodic.

Sabre tried to roll his body over but her hand pushed his shoulder down and again, he was left helpless.

"If you could see yourself when I found you, you'd bleeding well know you're not going anywhere." She said. "Pardon the language but you were badly burnt when I found you. You heal quickly it seems but you're still filthy and hurt."

Sabre moved his lips attempting to speak but his voice caught in his throat. He lifted his head and it fell back on the pillow. He squinted trying to focus but the room kept spinning.

"Where are we?" He finally coughed.

"Oakvale." She stood up and left Sabre's field of vision.

When she returned, she held something to his lips and he felt water trickle into his mouth. Sabre greedily drank the entire glass of water down and he sank back down.

"I wasn't sure when or even if you'd be waking up. You really don't know how badly you were hurt." The woman rose again and sat against the sill of a window.

Sabre's eyes and mind were finally able to focus enough that he realized he was without clothes or weapons. He sat up and the room began spinning again but he ignored it.

"My bow. My clothes. Where are they?"

"They're in that chest." She pointed. "But I don't think you should be moving just yet."

"It doesn't matter." Sabre rose from the bed and the floor came up to meet his face.

Sabre lay flat on the ground now with barely enough strength to push himself back up. Darkness began pushing inward the center of his vision. He felt the woman's hands and arms touch his shoulders and lift him back to his feet. She laid him back out on the bed and remained at his side this time to keep him in place.

"My name is Rebecca." She offered.

Sabre was silent.

"Have you got a name?" She poked his side.

"Why do you want to know?" Sabre managed to choke the words out.

"Curiosity. When a half-naked burnt man falls out of a tree on to my father's grave, it brings the curious side of me out. That and it's a bit frustrating when I'm trying to pay my respects."

He took a moment to consider the chance that she would report him if he told her but knew she wouldn't stop bothering him otherwise. "My name is Sabre."

"Sabre? Odd name."

"More of a title really."

Rebecca's eyes lit up. "A title? So you're a hero? They always have those fancy titles. You never really know their real names."

Sabre groaned. "No, I'm not a hero."

"I'm sorry!" She was quick to stop the moment he showed pain. "I got excited. Okay, so you're not a hero. I'll remember that. But I'm guessing you haven't eaten that much recently and you've been out a couple of days. I'll go make some stew and be back up with it, all right?"

Rebecca stood and left the room leaving Sabre to look out the window to the town he had been in only a few days before. How did he get back here?