It was in the middle of the night, as a full moon shined above the starry sky. Cicadas were heard buzzing in harmony while an owl hooted in unison. In the country side, high on a lonely hill, there was an stone house. Loud snoring was coming from inside of it. Daniel was fast asleep in his straw bed until there was loud knocking and banging on the door. He groaned and sluggishly sat up then rubbed his eyes and let out a big yawn. Daniel stood up and after he had taken his first step, he had stubbed his big toe on the table that was next to his bedside. Daniel let out a yell in pain as he began to stumble and fall down on the floor.

The loud banging on the door persisted becoming even more louder.

"Alright! Alright! I'm coming! Hold on a minute!" Daniel grumbled, irritated, as he was trying to get up.

As he opened the door, he froze as he was two of the king's guards standing outside.

"Sir Fortesque, the king has requested your presence at once!" One of the guards said, urgently.

Still half asleep, Daniel tried to process what they've said. "Wha?"

Wasting no time, the two guards quickly grabbed him and the next thing he knew he was in the throne room. Daniel was thrown to the floor at the kings feet. Slightly shaken and now wide awake, Daniel slowly looked up at the king, whom was like a father figure to him. Piercing dark forest green eyes stared back right into his, peering into the knight's very soul. Daniel swallowed hard as he tried to calm himself, feeling every nerve and bone in his body tense up. He was on the verge of having a nervous breakdown right in front of the king of Gallowmere.

Thousands of thoughts raced in the knight's mind as an internal battle raged within. (Did he find out?! Oh God! Of course he did! Otherwise, why would I have been summoned here in the middle of the night!) Daniel felt tears beginning to burn his eyes as he tried to fight them back, trying not to cry in front of King Peregrin. (I'm dead! That's it! Game over man! Game over!)

Silently, King Peregrin stared down at him with no emotion whatsoever with a stern expression etched across his face. Daniel braced himself ready for the king to shout or yell at him and commence his execution. But, something strange happened. Out of blue, Peregrin flashed Daniel a warm smile. He hopped off of his throne and helped the young man up.

"Fortesque! How goes my favorite storyteller!?"

Daniel jumped a bit caught off guard by Peregrin's excitement then nervously answered him "I-It is an honor to be here, your highness."

The king patted him on the arm "Fortesque, there's no need to be so jumpy."

Daniel cleared his throat. "I'm s-sorry, your majesty. What was it you summoned me for?"

The old king looked at him surprised then he hit the side of his head as he remembered. "Oh, right!" He face turned grim and he walked over to the window looking out of it. "I'm afraid there's trouble brewing. But I'm sure that its nothing you can't handle. You did slay giants and dragons and won countless battles, after all! Although, my personal favorite his how you saved an entire town that was being overrun by bandits!"

Dan laughed and quickly answered him. "Y-Yes, of course sir!"

Then King Peregrin turned to the knight, as he faced him. "You will be in charge of leading the army to the flood lands, to battle against Zarok, as my champion."

Daniel's face went completely pale and felt his heart stopped for a moment when Peregrin mentioned Zarok's name and began sweating nervously. (Wasn't that the evil sorcerer who tried to overthrow the kingdom and now he's back?! Who knows what monstrosity he's created!)

King Peregrin walked over to Daniel and he placed a hand on his arm. "I'm counting on you, Fortesque." He said, calmly.

Dan struggled to try and breathe and stumbled over his words while still in shock and fear over the news. Then he finally answered. "C-Consider it done, your majesty."

As Daniel walked down to the barracks to rally up the knights for the march an overwhelming feeling sense of dread filled his entire body. He was in deep turmoil with his mind, contemplating on what to do (Think! What can I do!? There are countless of lives on your hands here! What are my options...I could run away but I would become a wanted man then eventually hunted down. If I tell the truth...no, either way I'm dead.)

As Daniel entered the barracks, while still in deep thought, he didn't notice that someone had been following him and was now sneaking up behind him. They wrapped their arms around his neck and a high pitched voice, that sounded more like a girl, gleefully shouted. "Captain Fortesque!"

Daniel nearly jumped out of his skin and he quickly turned around to find the culprit. Standing in front of him, was his second in command, beaming at him with an impish smile. He was of medium height but short than most of the men, had short chopped brown hair that reached his ears, feminine features, like a tiny waist, pale but fair skin slightly tanned from the sun, with a beauty mark on the left side of his face on his cheek and oddly enough he was dressed like Robin Hood.

Daniel shoved him off, trying to calm down. He huffed and rolled his eyes when he saw who it was, it was his best friend, Canny Tim. Truth be told, Canny Tim was actually, in fact, a girl in disguise. Daniel was shocked at first when he had first found out but swore to keep it safe for Tim's safety, only he knows of her secret.

He frowned and grumbled at him. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Canny Tim laughed. "Aw, don't be like that! It was just an exercise to get your blood pumping. And by the looks of it, you're going to need it. Is there something wrong? You look disturbed."

Daniel wanted so much to tell him the truth but the only words he could muster were. "I'm just uneasy about the fight."

Canny Tim flashed him an surprised look then made an reassuring smile. "We all are, Captain. But, with you leading us, we'll gladly follow you anywhere. I know we'll win."

While, they were talking to each other they didn't realize that they were being watched by all of the soldiers in the barracks who were prepping and getting ready. A soldier snickered softly then replied. "So, are you two girls going to kiss or are you going to get ready?"

Daniel flinched at the soldier's comment, realizing the soldier's huge mistake. He quickly looked at Tim to see her glaring at the guy. Before he could do anything, Tim quickly took out her crossbow and aimed it at the soldier then fired it. The soldier screamed as she released the arrow and quickly shut his eyes. He slowly opened one of his eyes, only to see that the arrow had struck in the wall right beside his head, inches away. He looked back to see Canny Tim towering over him with a menacing smile and a evil gleam in her eyes.

"You were saying?" Tim taunted.

The man's whole body shook as he tried to salute and weakly replied. "N-Nothing, sir!"

Tim smiled at him innocently then patted him on the shoulder, as if the whole incident never happened "Good! Then off you go!"

Daniel walked over to a rack that was lined with armor and began to put his on, one which king Peregrin had requested and had made for him, then walked over to the weapons rack and tried to pick up a sword. But, during the process, he had also knocked all the others down causing them to clash and clang to the floor. Unfortunately, everyone had heard and saw the whole incident. He winced and silently cursed at his own clumsiness, while heard everyone behind him either laughing, snickering, and commenting about what had happened.

"I know that you like to joke around, Captain Fortesque. But this isn't exactly the best time to be doing so." Canny Tim laughed.

"Ha! Hes acting like he's never held a weapon before!" One soldier cackled.

"Maybe its a new battle strategy!" Another pitched in.

Daniel stashed the sword in its hilt beside his hip feeling the sense of dread begin to eat away at him even more. He was leading himself and these men to their deaths. Everyone gathered and prepped supplies for the long journey and were now marching out of the village while the villagers cheered them on and waved at them as they left.

And so, Daniel led his army on a long march towards the flood lands to find no one there, just silence. He heard his men grumbling and whispering while being on alert. Suddenly, Tim saw someone on top of a cliff and pointed out and yelled. "CAPTAIN, LOOK! Up there!"

Daniel quickly looked up and his eyes widen at who he saw. Daniel froze where he stood. He couldn't breathe and felt his heart stopped. On top of the cliff, Zarok looked down at the army as if they were tiny ants then smirked "So, this Is what Peregrin has to offer? How pathetic. How would you all like to meet my friends on the other side?~"

He raised his Trident like staff then slammed it into the ground and the sky began to turn dark turning into a ominous dark green color. Daniel and his army gazed up in horror, as they saw the clouds began to swirl around. Winged gargoyle like creatures began to pour out of it by the dozens while the ground began to shake and skeletal hands burst out of the ground as the undead began to climb up out of the ground. Everyone could only look up in horror and hopelessness, they were completely outnumbered.

Zarok narrowed his eyes scanning the whole army "Who is Peregrin's champion?" until he laid his eyes on Daniel who was trembling slightly. Zarok looked at him in disbelief then he began laughing maniacally. "Fortesque? Ha! HE is what Peregrin chose to act as his champion? That senile old buzzard!"

Zarok gestured behind him and replied "Here's my champion, Lord Kardok!"

A man appeared beside Zarok, riding a horse who had a hood concealing his entire head. He pulled out his bow, while signaling the rest of the undead army to follow the same, then pulled an arrow from his quiver and on the string of his bow and drew it back getting ready to launch. Daniel was still standing, completely frozen up and paralyzed with fear.

Tim quickly glanced at Daniel and asked. "Captain Fortesque, what are your orders?"

He didn't respond, and Tim tried again, urgently yelling at him "Sir, what are your orders?! They're getting ready to fire!"

Finally, Tim's voice have gotten through, Daniel quickly shook his head breaking out of his shocked state then drew his sword and gave the command.

"Charge! For Gallowmere!"

As the army charged, Kardok drew his arrow back, along with the others, then aimed it high and released it. It sailed high in the air along with hundreds of more, raining down on the advancing army. Then it all happened fast, and the last thing Daniel felt was a piercing pain in his left eye then total blackness. He fell backwards from the blow tumbling on the ground while the rest of the army charged on. Tim was in complete shock as she saw her friend hit by the arrow drawn by Kardok.

"CAPTAIN!?"

She quickly ran towards her fallen friend, and knelt down calling out to him but received no response, Daniel was dead. Tears began to burn in Tim's eyes as she grieved over the loss of her best friend "Daniel..."

Then a surge of anger began to boil deep within, Tim turned her head, quickly, and glared at Kardok then howled in anger. "You...You FOUL MONSTROUS BEAST! GO BACK FROM WHENCE YOU'VE CAME!"

She quickly raised her crossbow and aimed it directly at Kardok, while he readied his own bow.

They both released their arrows, time slow down as they both flew past each other, heading to their targets.

Canny tim's arrow hit it's mark as it went directly into Kardok's eye and he fell to the ground with a hard thud. Unfortunately can be said about Kardok's arrow, Tim looked down to see that Kardok's arrow was lodged dead center into her chest. She smiled then fell backwards looking up towards the sky. Tim took in one last breath and softly laughed.

"Ha...an eye for an eye." Tim joked as she spatted out blood. Her vision went dark. "Captain Fortesque..."

Zarok began to panic when he saw his best warrior had fallen then he saw some of the soldiers were getting dangerously closer to him while others were holding off his army. He called out to his hordes.

"Fall back! Retreat!"

Then he looked back at the few remaining of Gallowmere's soldiers as they made it to the top of the cliff and loudly boomed.

"This isn't the last you've seen of me! I will be back to claim what's mine!"

Then he vanished without a trace, not seen or heard of for years...

Until now...