Within the Woods of Vishta Leo rode along, glaring from side to side, up and down, front and back for any sign of the assassins that attacked his village. Feeling uneased with every step his horse took he stopped in the middle of the forest.
"Something isn't right girl." whispered Leo into his horse's ear "I can feel it."
After looking around for a second or two an axe flew by the right side of Leo's head, getting stuck in a tree behind him. From the bushes stepped five very filthy men, dawning weapons that didn't match their unruly appearances.
"What we got here?" said one of the filthy men.
"I it's a turtle I do."
"Reckon he'll stay for supper?" asked one of the larger filthy men, grabbing hold of the horse's reigns, causing it to get scared.
"Calm down you mangy beast!" yelled the taller, thinner filthy man, grabbing hold of the other end of the reigns.
"Get off!" commanded Leo, before falling backwards off of his horse.
"Ah, a meal fit for a king!" laughed the shorter filthy man, slapping his tongue across his lips.
"Get back!" shouted Leo, getting up from the grass and unsheathing his sword "I don't want hurt any of you, but if I must I will."
"Looky here." laughed tall filthy man "He's drawn a mighty pretty sword there. Let's put our new ones to good use."
The five men grabbed their weapons, surrounding Leo, who had hoped that his throat was enough to ward them off. But before any of the five men could strike a larger green being, wearing a red mask and furs landed on the head of one of the men.
"Get him!" shouted the tall man, running for the big fellow to stab him with his dagger.
Before the tall man's dagger could strike his skin, the big stranger grabbed his arm, lifted him from the ground and tossed him aside like a doll. The others charged him soon after, but the stranger took his club off his back and hurled it around, knocking out most of the men and almost knocking out Leo.
"Woah." gasped Leo, falling out of the way before being hit by the club.
In just mere seconds all of the men that had surrounded Leo soon fled, dropping their weapons behind. Leo got on his feet and thanked the large green stranger for his help... before being knocked out by the butt of the large fellow's club of course.
"Oh..." moaned Leo, looking up to find himself sitting next to a fire, the large fellow sitting across from him.
After shaking his head to gain his consciousness Leo noticed that the one who had saved him was in fact a turtle, much like himself.
"You are awake." spoke the large turtle.
"Yes..." spoke Leo softly, feeling of the sore spot on his head "Why did you hit me?"
"I thought you may have been a thief, like those others." started the large turtle "But after I took you and your horse with me to the Village of Sakaer, no one claimed your belongings. I then figured you must have been a traveler, which is still quite odd."
As Leo looked around for his horse, the large turtle picked up a stick with some cooked meat on the end began to chomp down.
"You should eat yours before it gets cold." said the large turtle, biting the warm flesh off the meat.
"You said you had my horse..." began Leo, realizing that his horse was not there "Where is she?"
"Down in the Sakaer. I asked Maribel to clean her up for you."
"Thank you." said Leo, hesitantly picking up his stick with cooked meat "Thank you."
"Only one question remains..." began the large turtle, chomping down on his meat "Why were you wandering the Forbidden Forest alone? You do know how dangerous it is, don't you?"
"I've only heard tales of the Forbidden Forest, I never thought it existed."
"Oh yeah. And usually nobody ever steps foot within it. They only go around."
"I assure you, I meant no ill will."
"It is fine. I know you didn't. I'm only curious."
"If you must know my master, before he died, sent me out on a quest to find four others like me. You happen to be the first one I've met that fits the description."
"I'd hate to be negative, but I don't think I'm anything like you."
"Maybe not in terms of power, or character, but you can't deny we're both the same species."
"I'll give you that one." laughed the large turtle "Tell you what, you help me scare off the rest of the bandits around here and I'll help you find these... others."
"Thank you." nodded Leo, glad that he was able to talk the large turtle into helping him.
"By the way my friend, I didn't catch your name."
"Leo. And you?"
"Reivoli Akmarin, but people in the village call me Rain."
"Well Rain, I suppose we should get some rest. Want to wake up bright and early for those bandits."
"That's the spirit." said Rain, taking the last bite of his meat.
In the deepest and darkest lands, far from where our heroes slept, the Shadowlord commanded his army be trained by his right hand, Ixnus.
"Go on." ordered the Shadowlord.
Ixnus walked out amongst the circle drawn in the dirt on the ground. He readied staff as the army came at him one by one.
"Do you truly believe he has what it takes to command the fleet?" asked Hun.
"With my teachings he will become even more than that." answered the Shadowlord, before being brought out of the conversation by a witch.
"Your highness." said the witch, bowing down to the Shadowlord.
"Why have you come witch?" asked the Shadowlord.
"I come to ask you if I could borrow a few soldiers from your army."
"Soldiers?" questioned Hun "What use could you possibly have for the warriors of the Shadowlord?"
"It is that blasted hunter again." cried the witch "The large green one."
"You have magic, why don't you deal with him yourself?" said Hun.
"For now there is another." answered the witch "One dressed in blue."
"The army stays where it is." demanded Hun "Now leave here."
"Wait." spoke Ixnus, turning away from his training "I will lend three of them."
"Are you aware of what you are doing Ixnus?" asked the Shadowlord.
"I am." answered Ixnus "This one wearing blue, I witnessed him Vyskuer. He fought against the assassins. He was swift. Able to dodge each assassin's attempt to kill him."
"But what does this "blue" fellow have to do with anything?" asked Hun.
"He gave chase to me while I was heading for the tower." explained Ixnus "I was able to grab one of the mystical katana blades... the other I could not find. I assume this one clad in blue may have it."
"What makes you assume that?" asked the Shadowlord.
"Because I saw him. As I left with the one katana in hand I looked back at the crumbling tower. He was swiftly climbing to the top... obviously to check on his master and retrieve the second katana blade."
"Then we should hunt him down." sneered Hun.
"No." spoke the Shadowlord "Take your three assassins witch, and make sure they don't die."
"Only three?!?"
"Be thankful we're letting you borrow that many."
"Very well, pick the ones you want and I'll take them to my hut."
Ixnus turned to the assassins and pointed three of them, giving the go ahead to follow the witch.
Within the Woods of Vishta, Leo and Rain began their hunt for the bandits. After checking the banks of the river the two decided to call the unsuccessful hunt off.
"I guess you ran off the last of them." said Leo, following Rain back to Sakaer.
"It's kind of strange, there's usually some hanging around the river with camps set up."
After a walking a couple of minutes Leo turned to look at the treetops.
"Why'd you stop?" asked Rain.
"I just feel like something is following us." answered Leo, turning back around to follow Rain, but remaining cautious of the trees.
Once inside the village of Sakaer Rain lead Leo to the stables to grab the horses.
"Maribel, we're back for the horses." said Rain, to the young lady carrying food for the horses to eat.
"I'm afraid I cannot let you take them." said Maribel, softly.
"Why not?" questioned Rain.
"I just cannot allow you to take them." hissed Maribel.
"Maribel, what's..."
As Rain approached Maribel into the stables, behind one of the bales of hay he witnessed an arm, with blood flowing to the hand. Rain looked at Maribel, or who he thought was Maribel as her face began to change to that of a much older frail woman.
"What have you done?!?" yelled Rain, taking out his club.
"Now!" the old woman shouted, resulting in three ninjas jumping out from the hay bales.
Leo looked closely at the ninjas and soon noticed that they looked like the same ones who attacked his village.
"AHH!!!" shouted Leo, anger in his heart, he ran at the ninjas with his katana blade held high.
With one quick swing he ripped open one of the ninjas, killing him. Leo turned to another as they prepared to fight. The two ninjas jumped up, grabbing a beam above them and kicked Leo into the wall across from them.
"Leave him alone!" yelled Rain, swinging his club down only to miss the ninja he was aiming for and hit the other.
With one hard hit to jaw, the ninja Rain meant to club flew backwards into the hay and the mud. But he wasn't finished, the ninja returned to his feet and threw two throwing stars. One hitting Rain in his bicep and the other pinning Leo to the wooden wall he was leaning against. Rain seethed as he removed the star from his arm and threw it on the ground. He ran at the ninja with his club, before the ninja could throw another star Rain punched him through the wall, knocking him completely out.
"Let's see you try something again!" boasted Rain, not noticing the old woman coming from behind with a dagger in hand.
"Auurgh!" screamed the witch, falling to the ground with a star in her back.
"Thanks." said Rain as Leo bent over to pick something off the old hag.
Around the witch's neck was a pendant, blue and gold. On the back was some strange writings that Leo couldn't figure out.
"What is that?" asked Rain.
"I don't know." answered Leo, gripping the pendant in his right hand "But I'm sure if this witch had it it may be important."
Leo stood up and tried again to read the writing on the back of the pendant.
"I... I can't make it." nodded Leo, squinting at the writing.
"Let me see."
Leo tossed the pendant to Rain, who also couldn't quite make out what was being said.
"The only thing I sort of understand is either water... or lake." said Rain, stuffing the pendant in a bag hanging on his belt "I heard of guy who lives just north of here, a scholar, maybe I could take you there and he can read what it says."
"Very well." said Leo "Do you know the way?"
"I believe I remember the directions, but we can pay a visit to the map maker just to be on the safe side."
"Good idea." said Leo "Lead the way."
Rain and Leo left the stables with their horses to visit the mapmaker and to visit the priest to make sure Maribel could get a proper burial. Once they had their map they set out north, hoping to find the scholar.
"Master… they are dead."
"And the witch?"
"Dead as well. And they now have the pendant."
"Go Ixnus, take as many as you need and stop them."
"Before we go master, I would like to the box with us… just… in… case."