It's pretty hard to work on all these stories at the same time, but it's kinda helpful, and definitely not very stressful. Anyways, if you guys would like to give suggestions, send me an e-mail, and I will consider them. Realize please, that I might mix a few ideas together or reject one all together. I will however, give my thoughts on the idea. I guess this is kinda like my way of helping other authors. Anyways, on with the show…

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We've been traveling for a week now. There hasn't been a sign of Jennan. I can tell that everyone around me is getting tired. Especially Diney, she seems to be the most exhausted out of everyone here, and Lynia isn't too far behind.

I can't blame them though, the sun is beaming down on us, and there still a few hours of daylight left. I'm sure that the night will be a big help for all of us. I'm not sure I can take the sun much longer, but that's my own fault. What can I expect? I'm wearing a black cloak over me, and all it does is absorb the heat.

"Are you sure you want to keep wearing that?" I look behind me to see Diney looking at me, with a concerned but tired look on her face. I smile, but I shake my head, "I really shouldn't do that" She smiles, but then she seems to zone out.

I slowly come to a stop so that I am standing beside her when she stops. Just when she's about to fall, I catch her. Why is she always this weak? "Diney?…Diney? Talk to me…" I didn't get a response, she's out like a light. She's still breathing though. I then cradle her, the same way I did when she was drunk.

That thought brings me to the kiss that she gave me, I wonder why she did that?

I'll be carrying her for a while at least, I just wonder when the sun will go down so that we can rest for a little while. I'm sure that's all that Diney needs…

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It's cold. But I was burning up just a second ago. I can't see anything either, and I know my eyes are open. I feel groggy I can see a light on the ground somewhere.

Slap!

The sound is heard and seems to echo through my head as I slap myself in order to wake up. A campfire, and I'm in a tent. I wonder who's on watch now. I look around to see Lynia, and Leaf all sound asleep.

There's no use in staying here, I can't get back to sleep right now. I might as well get out, and I see a figure turned side-ways as he's sitting down in front of the fire. I can see the outline of the head of someone. The fire is glowing off of this person's face. But then I notice.

This person has Elf ears…and Leaf was asleep in the tent I just walked out of.

I then began to crawl up slowly, this mystery figure didn't seem to notice me but then all of a sudden this person turned towards me. And I saw red eyes widen as they met with mine. Suddenly, the rest of his head was covered by a cloak. The red eyes kept looking at me, and then I realized who's cloak that was.

I am now closer to knowing who Ekrux is…

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How could I blow it like that? I'm such an idiot!

I look over to see Diney smile brightly before sitting right next to me. I couldn't stop myself from asking "What did you see?" I keep looking at her as she smiles to herself. "I saw enough, to know that your related to elves in some way."

I sigh in relief, that'll leave me in the clear for a while. But then I saw Diney's face grow serious, as she began to give serious thought to something. If she gave serious thought to what she saw then…

"How are you connected to the dark elves?" Dang, right on target. I keep looking at her as I think of the worst way to answer her "What are you talking abo-?" "Spare me the excuses, everyone knows that from all the elven races, only dark elves can use dark magic."

Bull's Eye…now, what am I going to say? And she keeps looking at me with a serious expression on her face. She wants me to answer her, and if I lie, then I'm probably dead.

I really don't want to test her temper.

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I can't believe this. I'm not angry with him for being a dark elf, no, I'm just wondering why he wouldn't tell someone. I mean…aren't I trustworthy? As I kept thinking, I noticed that his eyes started to shift around. I guess I did put him into a tight spot, but I don't think I have that much of a choice. I want to know.

"I……well, ahem I, um……can't say"

…

…

…

"What!"

He shrank back as I yelled at him. I didn't mean to, but it really surprised me. I didn't expect him to give me that answer. He probably means it though. But I won't let him off that easy…

"Sorry…but, I want you to tell me something about you, something you've been keeping a secret even if it means people might hate you if they knew" Krux seemed to be looking into the fire as he pondered this. He then looked back at me and nodded, then he began to speak "I was born somewhere in Lodoss, and then I was taken away and was cared for in the larger continent. I was sent with Lord Ashram and Piroten the Dark Elf. They took care of me and taught me how to use a sword. For proof of that, I'll show you this…"

He then reached into his cloak and took out a sword. A dark looking sword, with purple linings around the edges. The handle had a purple and gold eye sign. I didn't need him to tell me who the past owner of that sword was but he did so anyways just to make sure. "This sword once belonged to Emperor Beld and then Lord Ashram held it's blade."

I began to feel myself sweat, I guess I really didn't expect this, it was a little much. Ashram was a name that no one else would wish to hear, and I know that father wouldn't be too happy hearing the name either.

He keeps looking at me as I begin to calm down. Before I can say anything he starts to talk "I noticed something while we were walking along and during the fight against the sand snake", I nodded, happy for a change of subject. "If you want, I can help you out with that and train you."

I guess you could say that my world stopped for a little while. I found myself realizing how I had seemed pretty weak and frail during the last battle and during this trip. I'm a good swordsman, at least, I'd like to think so. But, I guess I never did too well in endurance, or in planning on the run.

The snake chase is proof of that. If it weren't for Krux, I wouldn't be even this far. I nod to him, I know that he must have gone through some intense training under Ashram, the Black Knight.

His eyes under the hood widen as he nods himself and stands up. He pulled me up, and we headed out into the desert. I picked up my mothers sword and then my fathers sword.

I thought he would be able to help me use my fathers sword better, or maybe he could use it better.

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Once Diney and I reached the camp, I took out Lord Ashram's sword. I don't think I can ever call this, my own sword unless it is completely remade, and I won't remake it unless it is absolutely necessary.

Diney stood in front of me with the two swords she had. A thin and long one that seemed more suited for her than the other. The other was heavy and was near the same size and length of that of Lord Ashram's sword.

She put down the heavier sword and then pulled out the thin one. When her stance was ready I spoke "All right, the first thing we need to work on, is the strength of your attack and how long you can keep it up…so, attack me"

She looked a bit puzzled for a moment as I readied my own stance. But, she quickly begins her attack and swings at me with great ferocity. I parry each of her attacks with great difficulty, the long sword seems to be quite handy in quick and lethal strikes.

However, I can see how she gets tired in her attacks.

Not only is she consistently changing the position of her sword in order to hit a different direction, but she's giving everything she has in her swings, leaving barely anything to stand or even hold her sword. Even now, I can see how tired she's starting to get.

"Stop!" I yell out. She does so, and begins to take slow deep breaths. Her face is soaked in sweat and her sword hand is shaking. I quickly drop Ashram's sword and put my hands out in front of her, in case she passes out again.

After a while she's rested enough and seems ready to go again. "Let me fight, I know I can do better" I shake my head as I answer "Your not ready yet, first I need to tell you what mistakes your making…"

She sits down as she listens to what I'm about to say. "Your putting a lot of effort into your sword, but your using all of your stamina in order to get me. Your technique is good, and you can get good strength in attacking, but you haven't gone through the training that will let you go on longer while you attack…if you want to have anything left to defend, you need to try a little less, understand?"

I think she's beginning to understand but she looks down at the sand. I decide that maybe I should sit down beside her in order to see what was wrong.

I made the right call.

She was starting to cry, I guess what I said seemed to make her sad. She spoke in a cracked voice "I guess, my father's training was in vain!" I shake my head and quickly grab her. I don't know why, but I started to shake her in order to stop her from going hysterical.

It worked because once I stopped she was only crying a little bit, and she was looking at me. The look she gave me was, kinda cute, and she seemed to be asking me to answer her all the questions she had, and then kiss her goodnight. If she were to ask me anything about me right now, I would probably answer her truthfully. I don't think I could say no to such a face.

I was able to shake myself out of it and then spoke to her, "Your father's training was not in vain, but he probably went through other battles in order to gain his own endurance, that's why he never trained you in that part. You've taken your father's training well."

She seemed a bit skeptical about what I said but in the end she relented and nodded. I sigh in relief, she's calm now, and she'll be able to train well.

What an emotional girl, but I guess, that's what makes people want to get to know her, I know I do. And yet, now that I think about it, I don't seem to know anything about her. Sure she's a half-ling, and that of a high elf no less, but who are her parents?

I never asked, so I can only blame myself for not knowing.

All the while I'm thinking this, I notice that her face is coming closer to mine, and in a second I pull away.

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What's wrong with me? I don't know what this guy looks like and I'm trying to kiss him? No not just that, I feel like I want to fu- nononononononono!

A blush covers my face, and I am glad for two things.

That it is nighttime, and that Krux did not go through with the kiss. Although I can't help feeling dissapointed, I understand, or at least I think I understand, that I shouldn't do such things with someone whom I really don't know so well.

But I can't help it for Marfa's sake, I feel like I know him well enough that I want to be with him.

During that time, I was under a lot of confusion, and I could easily tell that Krux was doing no better. It was at that time that we noticed something. The sword that he held, the Demon Sword forged by the Demon King and wielded by both Emperor Beld and Ashram the Black Knight, was glowing.

It was...resonating? If so then why...

My eyes widened as I looked over to my father's sword which lay on the sand. It was still in it's sheath, but I could tell that it was vibrating, and the minute I took it out I noticed that it was glowing.

"The Holy sword of Valis..." I turn and look at Krux, nodding my head before speaking. "My father gave it to me for this mission...the other sword belongs to my mother."

"You're the daughter of Parn the Knight of Lodoss and Deedlit the High Elf?" Usually I think him to be cool and collected but right now, he seems to be completely out of it. I guess he never really expected it, and I understand why.

Ashram was father's arch nemesis, they lived to fight each other. And Ekrux was taught by Ashram.

It did not make Ekrux the same person, but he may have something against my own father, and thus something against me.

"I am sorry I didn't tell you." His eyes found mine as they widened then immediately softened his gaze towards me.

With a shake of his head he said, "Don't be, I never asked. It just seems to surprise me for such a twist of fate to occur. I thought of Ashram and Pirotess as my parents, and they treated me like their son. What are the odds that we would meet so soon after we set out for our missions."

He was right, but it was beyond anything that any of us could understand. Perhaps the Gods willed that we meet each other, but what difference did it make?

I smiled, and walked up to Krux with my father's sword in my hands. "Krux?"

"Yes?"

"I am happy to have met you, and I only hope that our missions will be similar...because now that I've met you I don't want to see you go." I don't know where this is coming from, maybe the Goddess Marfa decided to take matters into her own hands and help me out...Thank you so much!

"As long as you stay I don't care if it was fate or just dumb luck that led us to meet. And although Ahsram raised you," I noticed him cringe at that, "I know that he was actually a good man, my father told me so. So I know that in truth, you are also a good person, and I trust you completely."

I completely sheathed the Holy sword, and held it out for him. "This is my symbol of my trust, please take it..."

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She's giving it to me...

...wait

She's giving it to me?

As I go into a light shock I think about what she says, "A symbol of your trust?...but then, how can I repay such a symbol."

She smiled, "You know what you can give as a symbol of your own trust, you simply need to time to come to truly trust me and our comrades."

She wants to know about me...

Well that's a sign of equivalent exchange, and as I reach out for the sword my mind speaks to me as a different being.

'Are you prepared to tell them?'

Not yet

'But you think you will be?'

Yes, I do

'It needs to be soon you know'

It won't be long, I know that, I can't go on with this mission without gaining the full trust of my comrades.

'Things will be different this time, I swear'

You always were the optimistic one.

I picked it up, and held it in my hands. And yet I did not dare to even tap the hilt of the Holy sword, at least not yet. I need to gain time, I don't deserve to use such a sword without giving my symbol in return. I turn to look at Deylia but she's already walking away...and I can't help but notice that she's flirting with me with a few moves of her rear.

...not bad...

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I know that I've been out of it for a long time. Well it just seems that my head hasn't exactly been able to stay on target with my chapters and all that. Also that, I felt like I was losing touch with my creativeness and my ability to write. I now feel that I can continue with no problems. Please continue to read when you get the chance. It's time I understood just how far I can go with my writing.