Welcome back everyone. Here begins another romance arc, which will be a smaller arc within a larger arc. The romance arc shall be called "The Grievous" arc and the larger arc that it is a part of shall be called "The Backstabber" arc. Take a wild guess why. Now technically, the Backstabber arc began in the previous chapter. Croi-Dragon is the protagonist overall, he's the main character of the entire story but romance arcs have the couples as their main characters but for the Backstabber arc Chris isn't the main character per say, he's more like Dracula, Diablo or Carmen Sandiego. It is an antagonist title and Chris is the token evil teammate. Now carrying on, I have made more skins on Novaskin for this story. I am currently working on Louis from the Spectral Arrow arc, so I am getting the skins made. Anyway, done with all this. On with the show! Enjoy and review.

Riding

The next day, Bryan rode upon Bucephalus while Chris rode alongside him on his own horse brown horse Keshi. As they rode they saw a boy being pursued by a spider jockey. The spider jockey had a bow and the boy had a sword.

"Lets go!" Bryan began to ride forward until he turned and saw Chris keeping Keshi still. "What's the matter with you? He needs help!"

"Let him die! Let it be survival of the fittest!"

Bryan rode up to Chris and stared him right in the eye. "Only a villain would say such a thing!"

"Then let all the world know me to be a villain!"

"Not as long as you are upon Keshi."

"What?"

Bryan slapped Keshi's rump, causing the horse to go running toward the scene of pursuit. Laughing, Bryan turned Bucephalus around and rode into battle to aid his subject as a leader should.

Quickly, Bryan brought his sword down onto the skeleton's skull and it was over. This only caused him to wonder where Chris was. Then he looked and saw Chris with sword raised ready to bring it down upon he whom they had just rescued. As he did, Bryan placed his own sword between them protecting the boy.

"Chris, I swear an animal such as you does not deserve to be in society." Looking at the boy, one his own age, Bryan now spoke. "Sorry about him, he isn't right in the head."

"You're him aren't you?" asked the boy. "Bryan Croi-Dragon."

"The same." Bryan then looked at Chris. "And this thing is Christopher the Backstabber."

"Don't call me that!" objected Chris. "I have improved as a combatant."

"Not enough to get yourself a new sobriquet apparently." Commented Bryan, turning his head to look at the boy. "Now, you know who we are. Who are you?"

"Taden." Stated the boy. "And it is you I have been searching for!"

"Oh, why?"

"My love, Oloa, has been taken captive by our mayor." Stated Taden.

"His name?"

"Alberich. He claims to have served under the Backstabber here during the campaign against the Arctic Deep Empire."

"I don't recall having had an Alberich in my battalion." Commented Chris.

"I'm sure." Bryan looked at Taden, trying to figure out how to best ask the question. "W-Who is Alberich for?"

"Not anyone officially." Replied Taden. "But I can't help but feel he is for your cousin."

"Oh, and why's that?"

"The only person I've only heard him praise who isn't himself is your cousin." Replied Taden. "Even then it was only once compared to the endless praise he heaps upon himself."

Chris laughed. "A man after my own heart."

Bryan shook his head. If only Chris had been someone else. If only he had been someone trustworthy. "For what reason has Alberich taken Oloa captive?"

"For criticizing his constant praise of himself when he has done next to nothing but go looking for gold and even then he has brought nothing back." Replied Taden. "Of course, I doubt he actually does any mining since he never brings a pickaxe when he leaves town."

"Then he must be a liar of the worst kind!" concluded Bryan.

"That is my opinion of him." Confirmed Taden.

" A man after my own heart indeed." Laughed Chris. "Or rather when I could not back my boasts. I can back them now and I'll teach this Alberich how to skip." Bryan could only roll his eyes. It seemed Chris lived for fighting now. Did he care whom he fought for or did he only care that he fought?

""Alright, then." Said Bryan. "We'll help you."

"We'll what?" asked Chris.

"We'll help Taden, Chris." Stated Bryan. "What are we if we do not help our own?"

"Smart." Commented Chris. "The law states that everyone should be for themselves."

"What law is that, Chris?" asked Bryan. "The law of the blackguard?" Chris said nothing. "I'll take that as your answer."

"It is my answer." Stated Chris. "

"An why is it your answer?"

"Because it is at it should be! People should not put anyone before themselves!"

"Your parents put you before themselves." Stated Bryan.

"And look where it got them! A stroke and who knows where!"

"A stroke is a health problem and you should do better at knowing where your relations are." Commented Bryan. "Besides, I'm not letting you out of my sight. When you are out of sight you do horrible things."

"I do horrible things when I am in sight." Returned Chris. "Horrible things are what I do."

"You need a hobby."

"Horrible things are my hobby."

"Then maybe I'll just keep a shorter leash on you." Said Bryan. "And make it literal."

"You wouldn't dare put a lead on me! It is impossible to put a lead on a person!" exclaimed Chris.

"Just shut up and move!" Bryan hit Chris on the back with the flat of his sword. "Lead the way, Taden!"

"Is it wise to bring the Backstabber with us?" asked Taden.

"I am here!" exclaimed Chris. "I can hear you!"

"Unfortunately it is a requirement." Replied Bryan.

"Why?" asked Taden. "Surely the horrible things he has boasted of are merely that, boasting."

"Boasting?" asked Chris. "Boasting! I will flay you alive!"

"Yeah and I'm Notch." Scoffed Taden.

Bryan merely shook his head. "I wish it was just boasting. I'm not leaving him behind to do who knows what. He's not the coward he once was."

"I have improved greatly and don't anyone forget it." Chris held his sword close. "And it is best you watch your back or my sword will be in it." The last bit Bryan silently mouthed, having heard it before.

"Is he always like this?" asked Taden. That was a question those who did not know Chris well often asked such things.

"Regrettably." Replied Bryan. Hearing so much of the same thing from Chris only made Bryan realize how much the guy repeated himself. "Makes me wish he was mute."

"Mute?" asked Chris. "I wouldn't be able to boast or make threats if I were mute."

"My point exactly."

Taden gave a chuckle and looked down. There was no way this could have possibly been a dull adventure.

"My lords, will you come this way?" asked Taden.

Bryan smiled and nodded. "Yes, Taden. To your town! May I know it's name?"

"Paluldon." Stated Taden.

"Quite the name" commented Bryan. "A fine name."

"King Charles named it himself." Stated Taden. "My ancestor was one of his closest confidents."