Chapter 3: One Year Earlier
A Small Beach in the Island Nation Federation, 337 Solar Year

"Woof, woof' "Come on boy, you'll have to do better than that if you want to catch the big one!" yelled a young man. Again, "woof, woof" as if in agreement barked a medium-sized and energetic Collie-styled dog complete with brown and white trim from head to toe started to run faster and faster toward the shore. About 3 paces behind the dog was running a young man who had medium sandy brown hair that was held back from his face by a long red bandana with 2 black serpent stitched into both sides of each end. He had a medium-size build and fiercely deep green eyes. He was wearing dark pants, boots, and a white shirt, but over the shirt was a type of vest that was light colored say for the black trim along the collar and edges where a series of small holes ran up and down each end where laces ran through left to right; like on a shoe. Two gauntlets on each forearm and a belt on his waist that had 2 short swords and sheaths attached completed his wardrobe. The garb, in addition to being a little worn and ragged, was also a bit big on him as though it were not made for him originally.

Running through the forest he could hear the waves of the ocean getting louder and looking up ahead he could see the brightness of the clearing, which the dog had just reached. As he approached the edge of the tree-line, he blinked his eyes quickly to adjust to the sudden increase of illumination.

A second later, as his vision refocused there before him was a barking dog standing between the deep blue salty sea and a giant reddish pink crab spanning over 5ft in diameter. "Careful Rain!" yelled the man. "Don't get to close to his claws" he said, as the man drew out his twin blades with a single fluid motion that only one with decades of experience could have done. Rain's barking became more intense as he moved toward the crab only to back away again.

Advancing and retreating, Advancing and retreating; "Ruff!" SNAP went the left claw of the crab, lunging straight out and up, then down toward its would-be furry block-aide. Seeing his opening the man drove forward like a bolt of lightning his right arm and sword extended out as the tip of his blade quickly made contact with the soft flesh of the beast. The crab rapped in pain and angered as blood and water started to stream out from under its joint where its body and claw connect. Rain began barking with all the more intensity and frequency as the king crab shivered and fought to rid itself of the searing pain of the human's sword.

Suddenly, the creature stopped squirming around and with all its might it brought its other claw around swinging full force at its predator. The man, detecting just in time the movement, tucked and rolled forward nearly adverting a direct blow that could have easily killed him. However, in this he had to release his one blade, which was still stuck in the underarm of the king crab and to make matters worse he had dropped his other blade in his process of rolling.

By this point, Rain, had stopped his advancing and retreating and was now running circles and pacing around the battle. Quickly and seemingly with ease the warrior rose to his feet and regained his balance only to abruptly have everything turn dark. "Damn, his ink! Stupid, how could you forget?" He said to himself. "Stay back boy, it's poison!" shouted the man as he tried to make his way back and out of the shroud of black mist before he passed out from no air or the poison got to him.

"Yelp!" cried the dog. "RAIN!" yelled the man as if seeming to no longer care about unseen danger picked up his pace and came running out of the toxic mist only to run into another swinging claw coming at him. This time falling down and sliding backwards towards the creature, the warrior was stopped suddenly and painfully as the arm of the now raging crab crushed the youth to a sudden halt. Looking over he saw Rain in the same position as he was pinned down under the maimed, but still functioning other claw.

The warrior struggled to free himself uselessly under the weight of the huge creature. As he looked up at the vexed beast only to have a small shimmer catch his eye. His sword was still plunge in the underarm of the crab. Not knowing where his other sword was, this one was his only hope if only he could free his arm to reach it. Looking to his left hand, "Guess, I have no choice! No, Rain might get hit, he's too close." thought the man to himself. Out of nowhere, suddenly, a whistling sound followed by a thud from impact, and finally then the roar of renewed pain. The crab turned toward the direction of this new attack freeing the man and his dog.

The man quickly rose to his knees and the dog ran behind his owner. Less than a moment later another whistling sound, thud, and roar. It was a second arrow. The creature uncertain of what to do as its new attacker was somewhere in the small dark linings of the forests where it could not go decided now instead to move toward the sea in its attempt to retreat from the unseen danger.

With his faithful companion safely behind him, the man, who now standing fully upright his left hand extended into the air murmured something under his breath as a sinister purple and green cloud began to glow around the king crab. It was utterly frozen in fear as an unworldly and haunted scream bellowed out in the surrounding area.

Then pop, snap, crack, as strange rays of dark purple, green, and crimson fell like rain on the creature's hard shell penetrating it like a hot knife through butter killing it instantly. The strange glyph that had appeared above the man was now gone along with the ominous light show and screaming. This whole deadly scene of events took less than a few seconds from start to finish.

Walking over to the now very dead and smoking crab, the man removed his other blade. Rain was still trekking close behind his master's side. "It is alright ol' boy I think, were both getting a little too old for this much excitement." he said quietly to his 4-legged companion. Shaking off most of the residue from his sword, he extended it to the forest pointing and said, "are you going to come out now, Flare?"

Stepping out from the tree line bow and quiver in hand was a middle-aged woman slender and beautiful, but starting to show her age, as her once shiny blond hair was now a bit faded and a few strains of gray were starting to show. Her green eyes though not as deep as the man's she was now staring at, but they still had a certain luster about them that displayed both seriousness and compassion. She met his eyes with her own, smiled, and said surprisingly "how did you know it was me!?"

Flare started to walk toward the two she had rescued saying "I would say it's good to see you back after all this time safe and sound, though I am not sure about the safe part." "What are you talking about," retorted the man smiling, "were perfectly safe, right Rain?" A small whine and whimper came out of the now tired and hungry canine. Finally, she stopped walking and stood in front of the two, taking her bow and tapping the side of the deceased crustacean. "You never were content with the small easy ones; you always got to go for the big ones, hehe" she said almost daring him to deny it.

"By your fletching," said the man. "What?!" ask the woman quizzically. "Before, you asked how did I know it was you, Flare, simple, you're the only one I know who still uses the old 3-feathered styled and colored fletching in their arrows. Most in the Federation now use the 4-feathered…anyhow who else would come to this little remote island, but those with the connections to know I was here." said the man with a light, but sarcastic tone to his voice.

"Well, it is good to see you're still just as sharp as your sword, speaking of which," extending her hand forward to the man with his other blade in hand, "you dropped this."

"Thanks, I owe you one" said the now very hungry warrior as he took his other blade and returned it to his sheath. "Staying for dinner, Flare?" "Of course, but I am not cooking that thing, Lazlo." replied the archer. "Cook? This guy is already charcoaled." responded the dual sword wielder with a smirk on his face and more sarcasm in his voice than before. Then, he said a bit more casually to his sister, "Come, let's setup camp before it gets dark."