Chapter 4

Ten Years Ago

"Davin, davin!" the little kid rejoiced. "Today's the day! Today's the day you finally promised me to show me inside the Kingdom!" Pause ran up to the tall and bulky man and tugged at his legs. "Come on!"

Pause's older brother smiled. On his back he carried an impressive looking quiver, certainly made out of the Kingdom's most precious resources. In it were a couple of dozen fine, hand-crated iron tipped arrows. And to top it off, the older brother held a Olympus in his right hand, a powerful and brilliant bow. His gear and appearance certainly indicated that he was a very skilled Ranger.

Davin knelt down so he was with his little brother's height and answered: "Now now Pause, we'll have plenty of time to see it today, I promise. But Davin's a little busy today." He put down his bow and picked up his brother. "I'll give you a tour at night. I heard it's much more beautiful then. How about that?"

"Oh boy! Can we see King Guude? Please big brother, please!?" Pause was gleaming with joy. " I've heard so many great stories about the King... I really wanna to meet him big brother!"

Davin laughed. "Pause, you know that the King is extremely busy with his own work. He doesn't have time to meet with person in the kingdom; he's doing a very good job at keeping us safe you know"

"Aww, I know. But I'll definitely meet him when I become a Ranger, just like you! Then he'll have to see me! I'll be his best archer in the world… After you of course big brother" Pause giggled.

"Oh, come here you" Davin said as he hoisted his little brother in the air. "You're going to be great one day, I know it."

M.C arrived at the waterfall. It was engraved into the side of a mountain and towered over 100 feet. Bright-leaved trees and colorful plants surrounded it. The aroma that the scene let out was enchanting; M.C had never seen anything more beautiful.

"Woah... Hey Etho! I found something really cool!" he yelled as he turned around to look for his new companion. Only miles of flat plains stretched in front of him with no Etho to be found. Huh? Where'd he go? M.C thought, confused.

M.C turned around again to face the waterfall, this time looking more closely at the site. Behind the waterfall, he noticed, was a cavern opening. He looked around for a path to get there, found one, and decided to explore. *Boy oh boy this is an adventure and a half!* M.C thought.

As he entered the cave, M.C caught site of a shiny blue ore he had never seen before. His eyes gazed at the thing; it was like love at first site to him.*So purdy...Must have*. M.C, being the hasty and impulsive kid that he is, took a quick glance in the pitch black darkness, decided it was safe, and headed toward the mysterious ore.

Even though he heard the arrow before it launched, M.C was far too late to escape his defeat. The arrow grazed the side of his leg, implanting it's self into his right calf. "Fudge-nuggets!"M.C yelped, grabbing the impaired flesh. Just seconds after another arrow was on its way, but this time, M.C was able to narrowly avoid it by rolling to his side. *This isn't good.* M.C thought. A 3rd and a 4th arrow zoomed by M.C's body. He was getting lucky, but at this state, there was no chance of M.C's survival; he had lost feeling in his right leg and was unable to escape the attacks of the terrifying monster. The skeleton soon emerged from the darkness, eyes fixed on M.C, and was determined to land the final blow to eliminate the human. M.C looked up, saw the ruptured, white bones and the dark, oppressive eyes of the skeleton, and braced himself for death...

But instead of hearing the skeleton place the life-ending arrow onto his bow, M.C heard the skeleton crinkle, cringe and shatter to it's death. Three arrows had founds its mark in the skeleton's body. Shocked at the turn of events, M.C turned around and saw Etho running towards him.

"Are you alright? I barely got here in time..." Etho inquired. "Oh my goodness, your leg! Shiz, I'm not a cleric... We need to get this patched up immediately." Etho looked around in the cavern. *Man he didn't light up the cave well.* Etho sighed to himself.

"I'll be okay, thanks! Erm, hey Etho, do you have a.. iron pickaxe on you by chance?"

Etho stood, agape at M.C's last question.*An iron pickaxe!? The kid is bleeding to death! Why on earth would he want a freaking pickaxe now?!* Etho mentally facepalmed.

"Hold, up, I'm almost there... Just... a little... bit... more..." M.C announced, ten meters away from where he just was. Etho cringed at the site of a nasty blood trail M.C's crawl left behind. "Found it! Etho look, isn't it beautiful? Oh my gosh I just want to soak up it's bluey-goodness." He pointed at the shiny blue ore on the wall, overjoyed with his new discovery. Etho looked at him once, baffled. *Should have just left him to die...* he joked to himself.

Meanwhile outside the Kingdom a man cloaked in black walked through the night. He traveled in a steady pace and did not stop or hesitate once until he reached a large cave opening on the side of a mountain. There, after looking both ways to check to if he had attracted any unwanted followers, he proceeded to enter.

A dark corrider with dim lights on each side lay in front of the man. Cracks were numerous in the ground and water constantly dripped from the ceiling. If a commoner was to wander into this place he or she would assume that it was an old hideout, used in times of the war. The place hadn't been properly utilized in a decade, but it was where the man would find his master.

Finally he arrived to the end of the hallway. Placing his hand on the pedestal in front, a secret room revealed itself. The presence of another man was already there. Upon seeing the new man, the other man, much older, offered no greeting or condolences to him.

It was time.

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-Weltis