Prologue V (Updated)

The night was still at its peak, and it had been a half-hour since the pair took to the beaten path in the middle of the woods. The well-worn path was lit due to the favorable position of the crescent moon hovering directly above the knight and mule, unfettered by the trees around them, acting as their guide in the large island to the northwest of the mainland. Everything around them was quiet, but not silent, as the nocturnal inhabitants around them gave a faint but audible clue to their presence.

The island once served as refuge to those that would seek respite from the constant wars back in the larger continents. One could easily see how its relatively untouched tranquility, even now, would serve as a beacon of sanctuary. It changed, for a time, when the green creatures and red beasts from the mainland sprung up from seemingly nowhere, annexing the western portions of the island in a choke hold of war, bringing the other kingdoms under the glowing crystals' influence from their whence they came with them. The kings and queens, the barons and nobles, all of them establishing colonies and keeps near those glowing harbingers of doom, in hopes of defending these newly-formed Nemesis Stones. As of now, the Stones are dormant in their hostilities to the other, bringing harmony back to this island and an uneasy peace back in the mainland, marking this age as the first in where there are no ploys to conquest in this world, but as the people in this broken world all know: good things never last forever.

The dragon hunter took another peek at the map, taking note of his surroundings and any possible signs stating the divide of the path that would either lead one further into the now peaceful western regions of the land, or to the south-east harbor, where both bustling city of Farraige and his means off this island reside.

Not too far now, until they have reached the meeting point, so says the parchment.

The woods rustled and the knight marched along with his companion while he took a swig of water from his designated magic bottle that the mule carried. He remembered his encounter with a humorous old man in blue from the Wailing Mountains that gave him this mystical container for free, along with a few quips, on the side.

The knight had finally reached the crossroads, and a chipped wooden sign stood in between the diverging paths through the forests. The left road would take him outside the island, and the right would take him elsewhere, where danger would have made its home. Besides that, nothing else was there. Not anymore...

Davion simply took a seat by a nearby fallen log on the right side of the road, easing his legs. The mule followed and stayed near his owner, giving a soft neighing. The small, little thing nestled into its master's arms.

The woods behind Davion rustled loudly. Someone's lost dog, perhaps? No, as the greenery sounded louder, there came a dreadful and almost frantic feeling weighing heavily in the air. The mule felt this as well, and neighed even louder. A rhythmic pattering came soon after from deep within the right route in the woods, slowly but steadily growing in volume. Then, Davion could see a dark, cloaked figure on a horse that also wore some coverings. He could swear he can see a faint glow coming from both their eyes in the darkness.

The rider finally draws near the two, with the smaller of them quivering in fear. He says to them:

"Ahh...So you must the one whom troubled my minions, are you not?" The man said, the voice calm and as deep as a well. He carried a menacingly cruel cudgel at his side, lined with spikes and having a familiar dark orange glow of swirling energy near the end of it. Davion looked up to greet the eyes of the carrier, but found an abyss of a face, covered in a shade of dark provided by the large hood of his massive cloak. His eyes were not truly eyes, just more of the odd energy. In it, the hunter nearly lost himself in a maddening frenzy, but not before turning away.

"Yes, and I am surprised I'm not being ambushed, as of right now." The knight said, confused as to why he had not brought any of his underlings with him, unless he had them in hiding and they are all around him right now with their weapons trained at his vitals in a hypothetical charge that would leave him skewered.

"Mmm, you mistake me for a dishonorable craven." He says, his horse giving agreement with a deep, distorted whinny. "Fear not, if there were any true grievances between us, it'd be settled much more...Intimately."

"Well then, what did you summon me here for, if not for your 'men?'"

"I assume you have read the parchment, yes?"

"I have, and I would like to hear your word on this, perhaps before anything 'intimate' happens."

"Very well, bold one." He quips, his tone still cool and low. "But first, let me introduce myself. I am a traveler from distant lands that adheres to the name of Nessaj. I have heard many tales of a lone warrior dubbed by many as the Dragon Knight. I would assume that is you, if I am not mistaken."

Davion looked through the wanderer on the horse, careful to avoid eye contact. That caught his attention, for sure.

"...Yes, I am that man. Do you need something of me?"

"I am scouring the lands, seeking worthy individuals to accompany me on a mission to hunt my damnable sibling down. I have come here to hire your skills, as you are a hunter of astounding precedence, or so I hear." Another whinny from the horse.

"What say you?" Says the dark horseman.

"Who is this sibling of yours, Sir?"

"An ancient male rider that goes by the name of Ezalor. He wears a pure white robe and a shining staff. He does not belong here." He says, "Heh. And by that logic, neither do I. Have you seen him, perchance?"

Ancient, his brother claims him to be. One has to wonder just how old this cloaked fellow is.

"No, I haven't." The horseless knight replies.

"That is a shame... At any rate, I had best be going to the Kingdom of Elze, surely they will know...If you see anything, I will make it worth your while if you take him to me." Said the horseman. As his horse turns about, the rider leaves the Knight perched on the wood with one last thing: "I can reveal your true self, and your power, mind yourself on that. Regardless of your answer, I will be seeing you soon, Sir Knight. Hyah!"

His horse galloped off, down into the left path in the road.

A.A.N.

Here is Davion, staring down something while sitting down. Kinda brave, and a bit foolhardy? I'd figure he needs to be. He killed more than his fair share of beasts more than twice the size of Nessaj.