"Highness, wouldn't it be favorable for them each to pick a man and then draw straws?" Vanel stepped forward.

"Who is this to say anything? You low life dog." He was spat on. He remained calm. He had expected such treatment when he stepped forward.

"This is my servant and speaks very wisely." She stepped forward.

"That he does." A woman stepped forth from the left side of the road. A man was selected from each side for the fight. The man from the left lost the draw. "So I guess it is in the hands of fate."

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Macky- It's continued.

Anknaraskysurfer- I'm glad you like Vanel's character. I think he is kind of cool but even his character is still developing.

Warrior of Silence- I hope that you enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 19

Vanel bowed respectfully to the man. "Your name please?"

"I am Solon of Troy. I hope you win but I will not hold back." Solon said the last part so that only Vanel could hear him.

"Nor will I." Vanel caught the sword that was tossed to him. He smiled only slightly recognizing the feel of his own sword.

They began with thrusts and parries almost as if they were playing a game.

"Highness what are they doing?" One stood before her.

"They are testing each other." She spoke in silence with only the clash of the swords. She knew part of what they had to do was make peace without Princess Xena and Prince Melan becoming another Romeo and Juliet.

The two men didn't speak as they parried but neither of them from what anyone could tell they hadn't even begun to sweat yet. 'I don't know who you are but you are not a slave. Slaves don't fight this well.' Solon thought, "Is this all you have?"

Vanel's only response was to dodge a direct attack and kick out at the side. Solon looked a little surprised at the maneuver. "This just might be a good fight after all."

The group around them stared in awe as the two were no longer playing but had begun to actually fight. The fight was so fast that there wasn't a soul that could follow who was making what move.

Vanel smiled at Solon. Solon had taken well to the martial arts mixed with sword fighting. A smoke screen appeared all around them. "Finally, they won't step through this."

"Won't it clear in a minute?"

"No because the wind is practically non existent today." Solon said. Both of them were breaking out a sweat. "You're tiring out."

"As are you, Solon." The two talked while they battled. The smoke had cleared a few minutes ago but they had never stopped. Both Solon and Vanel had cuts and bruises where a fist or a sword had been.

Loanna was starting to worry they had been fighting for two hours and both of them had started bleeding. The other problem was that they were evenly matched. They hadn't stopped even for a minute. She connected with his mind. Vanel you must stop you two are going to kill each other before this is over."

Vanel took one second to look her way. He couldn't connect with her because he knew that this was far too important. "You aren't what you seem."

"It seems that I do a terrible job being a slave then because as you can tell that's what I am." Vanel answered back.

"I'll let you play that but I don't buy it. There isn't one person here that has held up against me for so long."

"Why do you fight? Why not runaway from all of this?" Vanel asked.

"My sister fights within this world and yet she knows more about what is going on then any of us here. I stay to protect her."

"That I can understand." Vanel nodded. "You missed with that one."

"But I won't miss with this." Solon pulled out a spin kick that Vanel had delivered him a little while ago. "That is such a good trick tell me where you learned that."

"I learned to fight from my Okaasan."

"I've never heard of women fighting like that."

"Trust me where I come from they can."

"Well since we seem to be getting nowhere let's dispense of our swords." Solon suggested. The swords were sheaved at their sides before they continued in hand to hand. Vanel dodged a back kick before delivering his own low swipe. As soon as Solon was down Vanel felt his feet tangled in something that toppled him backwards. "Ouch." He muttered. He threw his feet over his head and rolled back onto his feet. Solon sent a punch to Vanel that was blocked with Vanel's hand. Vanel sent a series of kicks all of which were blocked by Solon's hands.

"You are good." Sweat was pouring in Vanel's eyes. He had started switching to his senses a little while ago but he was tired and knew if he couldn't keep up like this much longer then Solon definitely wasn't gong to be able to.

Solon had gone into a new form of battle that Vanel didn't know but he had seen it before. Somehow on the ground they had found some staffs and they had begun fighting with them. Vanel had one advantage over him. He had trained in the martial arts field with these. He blocked a few of the attacks. He was losing ground but they were still going at it hard. He was beat back and was about to be knocked to the ground only to reverse the situation causing Solon to fall flat on his back with a staff at his neck. "I win and the fighting stops." Vanel said before he was pulled off by Loanna.

"Are you two alright?" Loanna asked.

"We are." They said at the same time.

"No you two are not!" A new female voice said beside Vanel but he could no longer see her.

-Later that day-

Vanel could feel a cold cloth and a probing mind trying to connect with his. "Loanna don't do that." He muttered. "Let me up."

"You won't be able to move for a few days. Loanna's voice said. "You know you fought for about three hours. I didn't say you had to kill yourself."

"How is he?"

"My brother is fine and thanks to you this fighting now stops." He could hear the smile in her voice.

"You're the reason he keeps fighting." Vanel tried to push Loanna away so he could sit. He only pushed the rag off his forehead but he wasn't able to sit up. Loanna was able to keep him down.

There was movement across the tent. "Solon you're awake."

"It's finished." He whispered. "Is he alright?"

"I'm fine." Vanel spoke almost normally.

"Good, I trust that you will be staying for the night."

"It's late. We won't be able to get any farther tonight." Vanel felt the connection to her mind and drew from some of her strength. She winced when she felt Vanel push himself up. He looked down where he was bandaged up. "You shouldn't be moving you will open your wounds."

"Nonsense. I will be fine." Vanel pushed himself up. Loanna took his waist to keep him from falling over.

"Stubborn man." Chosen one or not you still have to survive the night.

"You know he's right. We will be fine." Solon was also supported by his sister.

The two met halfway. "I don't think that I have had that much of a challenge since I was a young lad and was learning how to fight."

"You two almost were killed. Do you two think that you will be able to walk?"

They both nodded affirmative. The two girls to the sides of them and took their arms. "Woman get off of me." Vanel shook Loanna off of him.

Vanel!" He stood tall and proud in front of her.

"Let me do this myself." It wasn't a request. She shook her head at the darkening of his wine colored jade eyes.

"What is it?" The four of them looked at him.

"It is near." It was all he said before he led the way out of the tent.

The four were met be a crowd of people that parted before them. "You did well young Lord. We will follow your adventures closely." Vanel was handed what looked like a mail shirt but it was a shiny multi colored gleam in the sun. It also held what looked like dragon scales. "Use it well for there will come a time when it is needed the most."

"You will take your Prince?" Loanna asked nodding to Prince Menal behind her.

"Yes everything is set."

-At the castle-

What is this?" Hitomi was on edge just slightly as Van read the invitation again.

'Trouble.' It was the only word that came to Hitomi's mind.

"Hitomi you don't think this could be part of what we saw when we were in those caves, do you?" Millerna asked.

"What do you mean?" Van looked at Hitomi.

"Millerna was worried about Princess Najeh." Hitomi started. "We went looking for her. She's in same caves but she is running the show. She asked if it was almost ready. They wait only to find the final building plans."

"Building plans for what?" Dryden asked.

"We don't know but I have a theory." Hitomi answered.

"What?" They looked at her expectantly.

"I think that it is Atlantis." Hitomi tensed. She remembered very clearly the vision that her Grandmother had shown her.

"Atlantis? I thought that we destroyed the destiny machine." Van looked at her. He remembered pushing through the light to get to Hitomi all those yours ago.

"Atlantis is more than the Destiny Machine." She remembered the machine that made all wishes come true. While it was a good theory; good theories didn't always play out so well. This one would have destroyed Gaia.

She shuddered at the memory. "Hitomi what do you mean?" Dryden asked.

"I don't know." She looked out the window.

"We can't accept that our children are missing. We have to find them." Millerna was ringing her hands.

"Our children are safe for now. We have to go." Hitomi turned and left the room.

The trio watched her walk out surprised. "I guess we're going." Van said in the silence.

"Yeah, I think that there is going to be trouble." Dryden looked around the room.

-Elsewhere-

"He's awake you fool and she's not dead."

"My Lord we thought he would die and that she would be far more vulnerable."

"You idiot!" He was slapped to the ground. "I want her dead."

"Yes, Milord. Let me have one more chance. I promise not to mess up again."

"You better not. You can be replaced." The soldier didn't like the thought of being replaced.

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Well that's the last of this chapter. I hope that you enjoyed and if you read it please review. I hope that the chapters don't slow down too much when classes start.