Chapter 3: The Journey Begins
Ephraim, Tana, Forde, and Kyle begin their journey towards Frelia. Riding through a forest, Tana starts whispering to Ephraim about their wedding plans. "Uhhh! I can't believe this! I don't mind getting married on the same day as your coronation as king, but we have to postpone it because of this threat," Tana said. "I understand how you feel and I'm sorry about this. I can't control the world you know," Ephraim replied. During their conversation, Forde rides closer and closer to get in on the situation. Tana started to talk again saying, "Listen to me Ephraim; I really don't need to hear this from you right now. Think about it for a second. We have to cancel the caterers; we have to replace the dead flowers, we…." Ephraim stops her from talking "Listen, I'm sorry, and all that matters is that I love you," Ephraim said in a romantic voice. "SPEAK UP, LOVEBIRDS! I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" Forde shouted. Ephraim's face then was covered in a red veil of embarrassment. Tana also blushed. "Forde, SHUT UP!" said Kyle. "Come on, I'm just picking," replied Forde.
They decide to stop and rest in Ide until morning. In the middle of the night, Ephraim hears some noise coming from downstairs. "Are you sure this is where they are staying?" asked a mysterious voice. "Yes boss, they are upstairs," replied a different voice. Ephraim jumped out of bed and ran out to find that they were ambushed by a band of bandits. Ephraim runs into Kyle and Forde's room to wake them. "Get up, we've been discovered by some bandits," Ephraim said quietly. Ephraim turned around to find that the bandits were making their way upstairs. He ran into his room, grabbed his lance and ran to the head of the stairs to fend them off. From below the stairs he saw a big figure come into the doorway. Kyle and Forde ran from their rooms and joined Ephraim. They ran down and started fighting them off. Ephraim glanced down the stair case to find that the big figure was also fighting the bandits along with another person. The fight finally progressed outside. After the bandits were killed, Ephraim walked towards the two people that helped them only to find out that it was Ross and his father Garcia. "It's been a long time. How have you two been?" Ephraim exclaimed. Garcia replied "Pretty good now that those bandits are gone from our village. We've been tracking them all week, but we were just too outnumbered." "But now with you guys, we've taken them out with ease. My skills are starting to even impress myself," Ross said. "Son, you still have much to learn." Garcia said laughing. Ephraim looks around and notices a mysterious looking man standing in the shadows. "Show yourself where we can see you!" Ephraim shouted. The man looked up and Ephraim noticed an eerie purple glow emanate from his eyes. The man replied, "Sure, young and future king of Renais." The man started running towards Ephraim, pulling out a sword. Ephraim dodged his feeble attempt to strike him, and countered by thrusting his lance towards his legs to hopefully disable him. The man kicked the lance to the ground and jumped off of it into the air. In the air, the man started chanting. As time progressed, the chanting became more vigorously, and then a ball of dark energy rushed towards Ephraim. Ephraim ran to his left but the ball just chased him. Ephraim tried to shake it off but nothing worked. He then decided to try and make the ball hit the man. Ephraim ran to a small cottage and leaped to the roof and did a back flip and went over the man. The ball followed and hit the man in his back. The ball imploded and the man fell to the ground. Ephraim walked up to him and asked, "Who are you, and who sent you?" "That doesn't matter, Prince Ephraim. Your time is coming, and when it arrives, there is nothing you can do!" The man's body crumbled and turned into a pile of purple dust, and blew away in the wind. In amazement Forde said "Prince Ephraim, look at the bandits' eyes!" Ephraim looked around and noticed that all of the dead bandits' eyes started to glow purple then the bodies turned into that same purple dust and blew away. "I wonder if those were real people we fought." Ephraim wondered. Tana then walked outside and said, "What was all that noise out here?" Ephraim explained, and they went back to bed. Next morning, they packed up and got ready to head out. Garcia and Ross came to see them off. "Do the two of you want to come with us?" Ephraim asked. Garcia replied, "I'd like to, but instead, take Ross with you." "Father? You want me to go without you? What about Ide?" Ross said. "Don't worry, I've got everything under control here." Garcia assured him. "Ok then dad. I'll make you proud." Ross said. They continued their journey to Frelia only wondering who those bandits were, and what will happen next.
To Be Concluded in Chapter 4