It had been over a month and a half since Rorek had blown up his hand, since than he had been accepted into the MageKnights. He and four others had been inducted; one of those four was his best freind Freya, she and Rorek had grown up and trained togather. Freya also had a line of Knights in her family and she was finaly ready to make them proud. Freya was tall and lithe with straight black hair and pale skin, her eyes were a elegant crimson color; she was a master with the bow and infused her arrows with spells. As it would be Freya was assigned to be Aschlyn's new private guard while to his amazement Rorek was given Devlyn as his charge. They had woken early in the morning, saddled quickly and left fast; Devlyn, Rorek and two other regualr castle knights set out to hunt deer in the surrounding forest. The four horses cantered slowly and quietly through the thick expanse of trees and shrubery, the only sounds where those of the forest animals, a snort or whinny from the horses, and the crackle of the leather reins and saddles. Devlyn was a more than experienced hunter as was Rorek, the others were just there was back up guard. Devlyn abruptly stopped and raised his hand, a regal 6 pointed buck was drinking from a small brook and had not noticed the hunting party. The prince swiftly drew his bow and notched an arrow, taking careful aim he concentrated on some magic and placed a shock spell on it. He released the arrow which flew and hit its mark, the buck reared back on its hind legs and got ready to run when the spell went off. A weak shock rippled through its body paralyzing it, it dropped to the leafy ground and twitched pitifully. Devlyn looked to the other knights and said

" Go finish the job and collect it" He slide off his horse resting his bow and quiver on a tree, than slowly wandered off into the forest. Rorek quickly dismounted as well, only he took his bow out and softly followed behind the prince at a distance. He was still sure that Devlyn thought him a fool, the only contact they had was the training room incident...but Devlyn snapped him out of his reivere by calling his name, or nickname

"Sparky come over here." Rorek quickly made his way over to him and said " Yes my prince?" Devlyn was perched on an outcropping of rocks with a puzzled face on he pointed to a scant plume of smoke rising from the trees beneath them. " We're you informed of any one else hunting today?" Rorek shook his head saying "No my lord it was just to be-" He heard it before it happened the thunk of a bow string and the wind whistling over the airlones of an arrow. He grabbed Devlyn by the shoulders and spun him to switch places, the arrow lodged itself into Rorek's shoulder and he let out a growl of pain. Ignoring the wood and steel in his back he turned to see the archer a fair amount away, he raised his hand as another arrow came wizzing at them. It halted in mid-flight and burst apart, Rorek forced out another spell; this time a fully formed sphere of flames sped toward the archer.It tore the limb he was sitting on apart and he fell to the ground with a dull thud, Rorek drew his blade and made his way over. The archer was dressed in heavy clothes of black with a length of cloth around his nose and mouth, his skin was a strange grey color and covered in black tribal tattoos. He rose quicker than Rorek expected with his thin sword in hand already, they met with a clash of steel and the fight was on. The man moved with a robust grace and was rather fast, Rorek barely had time to parry and block his attacks, he could tell this man was a Kai one of the dark assassin elves of the Shade Forest. The Kai brought his sword down hard on Rorek's causing a massive vibration to run down his weapon and arm, he dropped the sword and cowered back. The elf went for a killing blow but Rorek wasn't going to die on his first day, he channeled what magic he had left and spire of rock ripped fromt he ground impaling the assasin in the stomach. He coughed up a river of green blood and his head hung limp, Rorek rose to his feet his adreniline finally wearing off, he looked down to see the bloody head of an arrow sticking out from his chest. When he fell the arrow was pushed in and through him, the next thing he saw was Devlyn's rushing over to him as the ground came up to meet Rorek's face...than he knew no more and fainted from blood loss.

End Chapter 3