Ralis had always been considered by his peers to be a tracker of almost mystical ability. It was no surprise that with his wolf lean frame, sharp extraordinary skills, that he chose to be a hunter of men. He removed the head ban that kept his thick brown locks in place, and wiped the sweat that was running down into his eyes. A man in his early fifties, Ralis still possessed all the physical ability of someone half his years. A formidable knife fighter and fair swordsman he felt fully confident in his hard won prowess, but that confidence did not ease his doubts on this particular hunt. The man he was hunting wasn't a typical outlaw, he was an assassin, and though Ralis had hunted many such, none were akin to Kayden. A hunter could judge his quarry by the trail they left behind. How often a man changed directions, how hard he pushed his horse, where he made camp; all these things, so many insignificant details told of a man or woman's character. And by determining their character Ralis could predict them as if their mind was his own.

Kayden's trail was more than troubling to him. From what Ralis could tell the man had only rested once every three days, and only hunted for food twice in that time. Even more disturbing was that nothing showed Kayden being fatigued from the lack in food and rest, his pace was consistent. This though sent a shiver down his spine. Demons needed to feed almost as regularly as any living thing, even if the epitaph 'Ice Demon' were true it wouldn't explain this mystery. Leaving the puzzle for another time, Ralis lead his brown gelding to drink beside a shallow stream. Stripping himself of his sleeveless leather shirt and saddle brown leggings he waded into the stream to wash himself. Years of experience taught him to always carry a supply of mint leaves in his saddlebag. It was with these that he washed the stink of horse sweat from his body. Rising from the water fully refreshed he quickly dressed himself and tended to his horse. He felt something cold in his stomach, and his became skittish. His gelding pushed its ears back flat to its skull and began to tremble.

Ralis turned around on instinct only to find a knife at his throat. "I see you haven't lost your touch old man." Said the cold-eyed stranger. He wore a dark cloak, black long sleeve shirt, and black leggings made of leather. He wore gauntlets on each hand each possessing a throwing knife, four more of which he wore on his sword belt. But most impressive were the twin swords that hung at his sides, they were a dark legend within themselves; much like the man who carried them. Having never met Kayden before Ralis was surprised, he knew Kayden to be fierce and harden killer approaching thirty-five. The handsome young man standing before him looked to be no more twenty. His blonde hair trim and his face clean-shaven, the young man could have easily past for a priest if his clothing hadn't given away his identity. Ralis swallowed hard, "I must have lost my touch if a young pup like you can sneak up on me like this. It's good of you to wait for me to clean and wash myself before I die, very sporting of you."

"I don't recall saying I that I was going to kill you,' the young man began sheathing the knife, 'however if that is you wish..." he let the threat hang. Ralis began to relax. No, if you'd meant to kill me I'd be dead, he thought to himself. "Knowing that I still have a few moments to live has mad me rather hungry, would you care for some food?" A wry smile crossed Kayden's face that sent an involuntary shutter through the older man. He went to the saddlebag and returned with a meat pie, two rounds of cheese, and a single wineskin. He handed one of each of these to the young man and drank deeply of the wine before passing it over. "I was beginning to wonder for awhile if you ate or slept at all. Then I found the rabbit snare. Not far from there I found the tree you slept in for a few hours." Kayden ignored him as he dug into the meat pie, it was the single most exquisite thing he'd eaten in years, and the wine was to die for. The meals at the monastery were usually black bread, cheese and a thick vegetable soup, no meat was aloud and rarely did the drink wine.

"Forgive me hunter, but I've been locked up in that monastery and my own company too long. The meat pie was delicious and I've gone without wine for longer than a man should allow." Having followed the pie with half the round of cheese, not to mention all of Ralis' wine, Kayden stretched himself out along the grass. Ralis was further intrigued by the mystery that was Kayden, the so-called 'Ice Slayer'. The man could go days at a time without food or rest and seem none the worse for it, and yet he had devoured a meal two men could have shared. Ralis himself had only managed a small portion of wine and was too full for any of the cheese. Besides which, Kayden had drunken nearly the entire wineskin that should have lasted Ralis another three days, without so much as becoming tipsy! "You've been hunting me almost a month Ralis, what do you think now that you've found me?" Kayden asked. Not usually comfortable with people Ralis found himself relaxing in the company of the most dangerous man he'd ever known. "I think that I've enjoyed tracking you this last month, mind you its been a pain in the ass. I can't say I don't like you young man, for all that is an assassin I don't sense much evil in you, and I heard what they did to your brother."

Ralis thought he'd said too much, at the mention of the word brother something dangerous flared within the young man's eyes for a moment as was gone. In fact it was the fathers of the surviving noblemen who had put a price on the young man's head. Kayden had already been traveling toward the city of Carthis for his brother's wedding; in fact he was the priest who was to marry the couple. When he arrived he'd already known the circumstance of his brother's death and the death of his fiancé. Four noblemen and two of their servants had been hunting in the woods and happened upon the young woman and set about raping her. When her husband to be came upon the scene he killed one of the noblemen before the others butchered him and cut the girl's throat. The official story however is that the young lords had been out hunting and came upon the couple hearing the woman cry out. Thinking she was being raped they ran to her aid of course.
Naturally the killed the would be rapist and by the time they realized their mistake the woman had taken a knife and killed one of their fellows before cutting her own throat. The magistrate of course confirmed all of this, and a huge compensation was paid to the girl's family. The young lords however had left something out of their story. Somehow they knew that their victims brother would be arriving at his home within a few days and laid in wait for him there, under the pretense of wanting to give the young priest there sincere apologies and make funeral arrangements. As the noblemen tell it the young man wasn't a priest at all but a sorcerer. They tried to reason with him, but he ignored them as he began his spell casting and materialized two demon-blessed swords. The men desperately tried to defend themselves against this foul mage, but overmatched the three survivors fled for their lives. Fearing for the safety of their children the fathers of the young men contracted hunters to find and kill Kayden, and also petitioned the Duke to send soldiers searching the countryside for the former priest. Over two dozen other hunters had began the hunt with Ralis a month ago, and another fifteen or so had joined since. Ralis had been keeping a tally of the bodies he'd found so far. Nineteen bodies.

"Tell me why I still live Kayden. You at least owe me that much for the meal; you could have and still could kill me at anytime. We both know you have no qualms about killing, you were a soldier, and after that an assassin. You've killed Nineteen other hunters, why am I so special?" The older man asked. Kayden looked at him, his features seemed somehow soften, and his expression was genuine. "You really want to know? You've been studying me by my trail Ralis, you know who I am and how I work. But I've studied your trail also. You're patient, you treat your horse as if she were your wife, and you respect the land. The other hunters were arrogant, greedy, and had no redeeming qualities. The world will not miss the kind. You Ralis, you're worth ten of them, and a hundred of me for that fact, for I am worse than the men I killed, all twenty three of them." Either Kayden had picked off another four hunters in the last three days, or Ralis hadn't found all the previous bodies, neither thought pleased the older man.

"That is all well and fine master Kayden, and I do take it as a compliment, but you are still evading my original question, why haven't you killed me?" The young man sat up and stretched his muscles. "Because you hunt for the hunt and not for the gold. While hunting me you knew that there would be a chance that I'd try to stalk you, you covered your trail as if you were the prey. That's rare, and you took care in camping out in the open and near the road, the very places a hunted man avoids. In short its because you are the type of man I wish I had been, the man I might have been if not for these." As he spoke he pulled the 'storm swords' from his belt and in one fluid motion rose to his feet. The blades were a dull steel blue that glinted in the sunlight, the hilts polished silver with a single blue gem in the center. Ralis was caught in awe of the magnificent blades. A great deal of workmanship and quality went into those swords. It was then that he realized the hilts formed dragons clutching the blue orbs.