It was raining. Storming really. Sheets of rain poured down on the High Forest, hitting the leaves of the trees and rising the moisture level of the forest. The rain was accompanied with rumbling thunder and flashing lightning across the sky. Animals were hiding in their homes, staying out of the rain. That was what they always did during storms.

As the rain fell, it struck against two tombstones right next to one another. They were soaked, but the magic that permeated both of the marble headstones prevented any wear to form on the stones. This place was to keep the memory of the Amazon people and their two greatest heroes. One of them hadn't even been an Amazon, but was considered a hero of theirs.

The one on the left was the stone for the Amazon, Twister. The one on the left was of the non-Amazon, the Elite Guard that the Manatheran government had sent to help them: Dragan.

A set of feet stood there in front of the marble and a set of eyes stared at the stones. The rain had washed down over him, soaking his clothing, hair, and skin down to the bottom. However, the boy didn't notice it. He was busy staring at the stones of his parents, wondering what they would be like.

Five year old Dravin missed his parents. He'd never known either one of them, but he'd heard many stories from his uncle Pool. The man was forever telling him stories about them and he wanted to know them. However, he knew that he never would. That was a source of great pain to him.

He felt the tears prick in the back of his head and he closed his eyes. He tried to fight them back, but he knew from the past that nothing would stop them. They would come and they would come for a while. He didn't know why he cried for his parents. He had never known them after all. How could one agonize over people that you'd never know? He didn't know, but he did.

The boy was small, only standing at a little over two foot tall, and slender. He had short brown hair that framed his face and golden eyes set in a tanned, boyish face. He wore a simple long sleeve white tunic tucked into plain black leather pants and black leather boots on his feet.

Dravin was but a boy. However, he knew more about the cruelty of the world than most people his age did. He wasn't too happy to have that sort of knowledge though.

His uncle - the King of the Amazons - had told him many times that he looked like a younger version of his father. However, he had his mother's eyes was what he was happiest about telling his nephew. There was no telling if he was going to be like either one of his parents though. He could only hope that he was as heroic and mighty as his parents had been.

Dravin - in the back of his mind - didn't believe that was going to happen though. In the back of his mind, he believed that he was going to be nothing more than just another Amazon. No greater of a warrior than the others. He wasn't going to be anything special in his own mind.

In the mind of King Pool, things were different. He'd told the young Prince time and time again that he was going to be someone. That he was going to be the villages mightiest warrior, and more than likely, the next King of the Amazon people.

The King had no children of his own and he wasn't married. However, he was still young though. He could get married and have children yet. The young Prince knew this and that was why he didn't worry himself over the future of ruling his people. Because he doubted it would happen.

That was neither here nor there though. Dravin ran one of his hands through his wet hair, brushing it back from his eyes. His dark hair had become saturated with the rain and his clothes soaked through with the liquid, but he didn't care. He would dry.

"Dravin." called a familiar masculine voice quietly from behind him. Closing his eyes, the young Prince knew that he'd been found. And it really didn't surprise him who had found him either.

Turning on his heel, he looked up and up and up until he was staring into the eyes of his uncle, Pool.

The King was tall, standing over six foot tall, and broad shouldered with a light packing of muscle. He had long red hair that flowed down to the middle of his back unrestrained and bright blue eyes set in a tanned, handsome face. He wore a long sleeve green tunic with a black leather breastplate over the top of it, tight fitting black trousers, knee high black leather boots, and a lightweight black leather belt with a broadsword sheathed at his left hip.

From what he knew about the King of the Amazon people, he was mighty. His sword was unlike that of any other broadsword. It was serrated and was more of a shaving weapon than a slicing weapon. However, it was rare that the King had had to draw the weapon. Rare was the one that would challenge the King of the Amazon people. In fact, the only time the King ever drew his weapon was when there were raids into the village.

There had been such a raid earlier in the week. Dravin had seen the raid and he'd watched from the window of his bedroom as the battle progressed. By surprise, the attack of the Orcs had come about in the middle of the day, but most of the people were out going about their daily routines. However, when they were attacked, that all changed and they took up arms to protect themselves.

One of those warriors had been Pool himself.

The five year old Prince had watched, riveted, as his uncle had drawn his serrated broadsword and struck against the Orcs. There had been dozens of them, but the King had made such short work of them. His attacks had been like that of a dance, easily countering and side stepping the attacks of the enemies before flowing into counters, cutting down the enemy. He could only hope that he would be half the warrior that his uncle was when he got older.

"Uncle." Dravin choked out as he turned fully to face the older man. Before he thought about it, the Prince sank to his knees before him, bowing to the man. He was family, but he was still to the King, and as such, he deserved respect.

"I wish you would stop doing that. I've told you to stop bowing to me." Pool replied, his voice weary. When the younger Amazon raised his eyes, he saw that the older was rubbing a hand over his forehead, staring down at him. He was still standing a few feet away from him, but when they locked eyes, he smiled a little bit. "You are a Prince, and most likely, the future King. But most of all, you are family. You have no need to bow to me."

Shaking his dark head, the Prince stayed where he was on his knees before the older man. "It is only respectful." he replied, staring up at his uncle.

The older man stepped towards him and stood over him. The King looked down at him, and upon hearing his words, he let loose a very audible sigh. Shaking his head once again, he reached down and placed a hand under the younger Amazon's armpit, lifting him to his feet.

"You came here to remember your parents. Not to show me respect." Pool replied solemnly as he moved past the boy. He stared at the two tombstones, staring at them with sadness evident in his bright blue eyes. "As I've said in the past, they were both great warriors, but they were both good people too. All they cared about was peace and the kindness of one another. All they wanted was peace for the Amazon people, but it would seem that complete peace will never come. At least not in this generation. Perhaps in yours, when you rule, there will be peace."

The five year old shook his own head, not understanding. He came to stand beside his uncle, staring at the simple, unforgiving stones of his parents, their names etched into the smooth magicked marble.

"I never knew them, but I miss them just the same, Uncle." Dravin told his uncle in a voice filled with sadness. He stared at the ground, ashamed of the emotion in his voice. As a warrior, he wasn't supposed to show emotion. He'd heard this many times from different people in the village, always addressing one another and never him. After all, he was just a child and he wasn't important to them even though there was little doubt that they knew who he was.

Turning his head, the King smiled a little sadly. He moved to one knee beside his nephew, placing his hand on his shoulder, treating him just like he would treat a man.

"I feel that part of that is my fault." Pool replied with a little chuckle. The boy opened his mouth to protest, but he placed a finger to his lips and shook his head. "I have told you the stories of your father and mother. The things that they did in their lives, the sacrifices, their deeds, and how they were. I've painted you the picture of who your parents were. Because of this, you know them though it be second hand, and through this, you are able to miss them because you DO know them."

The young Prince stood there, staring at his parents' graves, and thinking that over. It made sense in his five year old mind. He'd lived out the experiences and who they were through the words of his uncle. That was why he felt as if he knew them.

"I want to make them proud, Uncle." Dravin said suddenly with a conviction that neither of the Amazons knew the boy was capable of. He turned his head, his golden eyes meeting the King's. The King stared back, blinking a couple times to hide his emotions, and then he smiled happily.

"They are already proud of you Dravin." Pool replied honestly, reaching for the boy's face. However, he took a step back and his hand fell to the side. He stared at the boy, frowning a little bit. "What's the matter?"

The Prince had his dark head bowed down, his eyes on the ground. His shoulders were up high and his hands balled into fists. Suddenly, he looked up and met the eyes of the other. In his golden eyes was a determination, a determination that he remembered being in both of his mother and father's eyes when they were ready to sacrifice everything that they were for the good of the Amazon people.

"I want to be strong like them. Like my parents were. I want to protect my people." Dravin told his uncle, his voice filled with his conviction.

Sighing, the redhead had figured that he would say something like that. He'd thought from the moment that he'd taken the boy into his home that he was going to be someone special. He was definitely his parents' son. Stubborn to the bone and willing to sacrifice everything to become what he needed to be for his people. However, that had been his intention when he'd come to find the young Prince that day anyway. He'd been coming to discuss something important with the boy; something that would help him reach his goals though it would be hard.

Suddenly getting to his feet, the older Amazon turned his blue gaze to the marble headstones once again. He could only hope that they would understand why he did this. Why he was going to do what was the only option that he had left and he knew it.

Forgive me aunt Twister, the King thought to himself. With that thought, he closed his eyes as he felt tears prickle at the back of his eyes. He didn't want to release any tears in the presence of his nephew, but not because it was weak. He didn't want the boy to see the hurt over what he had to do and decide not to do it. Because this would have to be his decision. No one could make it for him or force him into it. Otherwise, it would all be for naught.

"There is a way for you to do just that. To be what you want to be for your parents. To protect your people." Pool told the boy, his voice surprisingly calm despite what he was about to do. He turned his attention down to the boy of whom was staring straight up at him. He had wonder and curiosity burning in his golden eyes, eyes so much like his mother's.

The Prince stared up at him, his eyes showing his shock. "How? I'll do anything!" Dravin cried, staring into the older man's eyes with an eagerness that shouldn't have been there, in the eyes of a child trying to be a warrior.

Forgive me, the King thought to himself once more before turning his attention to the other once again. Then, he smiled once again. "You can't become powerful like that here in the village. You'll have to leave." he told the boy, sure that would stall his dream; his willingness to become powerful. "To the Wasteland of Andaria and the Tribes that dwell there."

To his surprise, the boy didn't even hesitate.

"If it will make me powerful and help me to protect my people, then I'll do it." Dravin told his uncle, surprising him. The surety in his voice and the conviction in his eyes was that of a grown man unafraid of anything.

You will learn to hold your tongue in the future, the Amazon King thought to himself. Nodding his head, he reached down, clapping a hand on his shoulder in camaraderie.

"Ready yourself then, Nephew. Pack clothing and belongings you wish to hold onto to. You shall be leaving tonight and you shall be gone for a long time." Pool replied, staring into his eyes. He didn't want the other to go if he were honest, but he knew that it was better for him. It was for the best.

The young Prince nodded his head, acting as the adult that he wanted to be. However, the King knew that he wasn't an adult. He was only five years old standing in the shadows of his parents' headstones.

He was a child, but Dravin would learn soon enough. He would be forced to grow up too soon and he could only hope that Dravin dealt with it better than others would.

The rain had stopped. That was the first thing that Dravin was aware of when he came awake the next day. He was laying in his bed on his side, curled up into himself. His head was resting on the simple, feather filled pillow and he groaned from sitting still too long. Pushing back the thick covers, he sat up and blinked his golden eyes a couple of times. He ran a hand through his short chestnut colored hair, brushing it back from his face.

As always, the Prince had gone to sleep with nothing but a pair of shorts on. That way he could be the coolest he could possibly be. Pulling back the covers, he yawned slightly and stretched his arms over his head, popping his shoulders.

Allowing his hands to fall to his sides, the Amazon blinked a couple of times. He slid his legs from under the covers and pushed to his feet beside his bed. Tucking his thumbs into his white shorts, he pushed them down, leaving his five year old self standing there naked. Then, he walked towards the closet of his large, dark colored room. He opened the doors, stepping inside to get dressed.

A moment later, Dravin stepped out of the closet. Shutting the door behind him, he grinned a little bit. He ran a hand through his hair once more, brushing his hair back from his forehead. He was now dressed in a long sleeve white tunic tucked into tight fitting black pants and black leather boots on his feet. He wore a lightweight black leather belt around his hips with a dagger sheathed at his left and right hips.

The Prince was but a child. However, he also happened to be an Amazon. As such, he was expected to be a warrior, despite not having any training just yet.

Going to the wooden dresser that was settled against the wall, the Amazon picked up his plain bone comb. He brushed through his thick hair with the bone comb, straightening it out. It fell loosely and straight against his head. With this done, he sat the comb down and turned from the dresser. He walked out of the room and into the hallways of the home that he shared with his uncle.

There were no noises in the house. Usually, the sounds of movement would at least be present, but this morning, there was nothing. There wasn't even the sound of talking. True, the King was the one and only person that lived in the house with him, but people were always visiting, striking up conversations with the King about one matter or another. Sometimes it was just a soldier that the King had been friends with and had desire to have pleasant conversation with.

Dravin walked down the hallway and entered the living area. It was there that he found the redheaded King. He sat on the leather bound couch, his long legs crossed. He was staring at the floor, his hands folded in his lap, and his eyes thoughtful.

Frowning, the Prince stopped in the doorway. He wasn't sure what to think of his uncle's pensive look. Was it something bad? Had he done something? Or did it have something to do with what they'd discussed yesterday in front of his parents' headstones?

Such serious thoughts never should've crossed a five year olds mind, but they were. The Amazon had no choice but to think of these things. He was five years old by age, but so much older mentally and constitutionally.

"Are you alright?" Dravin asked hesitantly as he took a step towards the older man.

The King's head shot up, his eyes widening as he saw his nephew there. He shook his head, his eyes clearing a little bit. He chuckled and showed a false smile to the young boy. However, he was able to see right through it.

"Yes, yes of course I'm fine." Pool said with a laugh and a dismissive wave of his hand. He uncrossed his legs, a smile on his face. "I was just thinking about things. Stupid things."

Frowning, the younger Amazon shook his head. "What do you mean, 'stupid things'?" he asked with a raised eyebrow as he walked over to the couch. He sat down on the couch next to his uncle, staring at him. He was a child, but he was smarter than the average five year old.

"It's nothing." Pool replied and looked away from the other. He couldn't look him in the eyes and the child Amazon had to wonder why. Before he could ask though, there was a knock on the front door of the house.

Frowning, the young Prince shook his head as he watched his uncle get to his feet. The redhead walked across the floor to the front door and opened the door. Golden light spilled from the outside inside, but there was no one there from what the young Prince could see. However, a second later, a dark shadow filled the doorway and he frowned, staring at the form.

"Your here." Pool said in a calm tone of voice and stepped aside, allowing a good look at the figure. "Come inside."

A second later, the figure walked through the door on silent steps. There wasn't even the slightest sound of a boot on the wooden floor of the home. The younger Amazon pushed to his feet, standing there on small feet as he looked up at the strange individual.

There was no way of telling what gender it was, but for some reason, Dravin believed it was a mall. It was tall and extremely slender. It wore a long sleeve black tunic with a black leather vest over the top of it, tight black pants, knee high black leather boots, a black leather belt with a longsword strapped to its left hip, and a floor length black cloak with its cowl pulled up, obscuring its features.

The Prince stood there, intimidated, but not showing it. He was an Amazon after all. Even if he felt fear, he would never show it. It wasn't the way of the Amazon. The Amazon way was to keep cool headed under pressure, never showing fear or intimidation no matter what you were feeling inside.

"This is he." the figure - the voice obviously male from the baritone - said as he stopped in front of the boy. The figure was staring down at him from under its cowl and the Prince nearly looked away. However, he steeled his nerves at the last minute and narrowed his eyes on the figure. "This is the boy. This is the son of Twister and Dragan. This is Prince Dravin."

"It is." Pool stated simply, stepping up behind the figure. However, he showed no sign of stopping the figure from doing whatever it wanted. There was no sign or feeling of malice in this situation though. Only a coldness that was expected from such a strange figure.

"I see." the figure replied with a nod of his head. Then, the figure took a step back and his hands - slender but surprisingly dark - reached up for his cowl. The figure pulled the cowl down around his shoulders, showing his face for the first time since he appeared in the house of the Amazon King.
He was tall, standing at six foot three, and willowy though he seemed to be strong. He had nape length dark black hair and dark black eyes set in a dark, ebony face though it was strong. The clothing he wore showed that he was one for blending into the darkness; into disappearing into the shadows to do his job no matter what it was. And there was little doubt from the look of coldness in his eyes that he knew no mercy.

"Who are you?" Dravin asked defiantely, balling his hands into fists. His golden eyes sparked as he looked up at the older figure. There was little doubt that the cloaked figure could easily cut him open and leave him dead before his uncle could do anything. However, he would stand and continue to be who he was supposed to be. He was an Amazon and the Amazon Prince at that. No one was going to intimidate him.

The figure grinned a little bit, showing the coldness of that smile. However, it wasn't an evil smile. It was one that the young Prince had expected from a warrior, an assassin. "My name is Jakal, one Tribe Leader among the Andarian Wasteland." he told the boy, his voice showing no pride in them. He just was who he was and was merely stating it.

The younger Amazon furrowed up his brow while staring up at the black clad figure. Then, he turned his attention to his uncle of whom was completely silent. He'd been watching the entire thing without saying a word, merely listening and watching how they interacted with one another.

"Why is he here, uncle?" Dravin asked the redhead, his voice completely serious. Once again, his fists were balled up with his confusion. He heard his uncle's sigh and watched as he took a step forward.

"Please, excuse my nephew and I for the moment." Pool told the man, stepping up next to him. He turned his head, staring into his eyes.

At first, the other man didn't look like he wanted to comply. Then, he merely nodded his head in acquiescence before turning sharply on his heels. Walking away on quiet heels once again, he opened the door and stepped outside, leaving them with their privacy.

The young Prince stared at his uncle, waiting for him to speak. He had no idea what was going on here. True, they had discussed his training the night before, but he hadn't thought that he would actually be sent away. And with such a cold person too! It was a complete shock to his young mind.

"I'm sorry, Dravin, but this is the best way." Pool suddenly said, snapping the boy out of his reverie. The older man was staring right into his face, his own expression completely serious. "While I could train you and so could everyone else in the village, it's not enough. You must be trained by those who are truly powerful and the Andarians like Jakal are truly powerful. They will show you the things that we would never be able to."

"But why?" Dravin asked incredulously and he shook his head. He stared up at his uncle, hoping this was all a joke, a game, something that wasn't very funny, but he would laugh at. "Why must I leave the village and go all the way to Andaria?"

The King stared down at him, obviously not feeling too well about this decision. However, it wouldn't waver either. His conviction was one of the good qualities that he had as King, and once he'd made a decision, no amount of talking or attempting to finagle would get him his way. He knew that, but he could still try.

"There is no way that we could train you properly. We could teach you how to fight as a normal soldier. The Andarians can teach you more; things that will help you survive." Pool informed his nephew with a slight grin. "Stealth, assassination skills, ranged attacks. All of these things will help you in the future and you'll need them to become a powerful warrior. And a ferocious, mighty King, Dravin."

The Prince knew that his uncle was right. The Amazons were well known for their direct way of fighting. Because of this, the raids of the Dark Races were about the only types of invasions that they'd dealt with well. They just weren't the type to hide among the trees and fire down on their enemy like the Wood Elves. The Amazons weren't patient enough for all of that. However, the Andarians were different.

They had lived among the Andaria Wasteland for generations without anyone even being aware that they existed. The only reason that the residents of Aries knew that they existed was because one of the tribal leaders had come out of hiding and became allies with King Acheron before Aries was an official nation.

Ever since then, the Andarian Tribes were allied with Aries though not officially.

"When do I leave?" Dravin asked, feeling defeated. However, he knew that he wasn't defeated. This hadn't been a battle and the five year old was just being helped to become a better warrior and future King.

"As soon as possible." Pool replied with a nod of his head. He moved over to the door, opening it and allowing the other inside. The Tribal Leader strode through to stand in front of the boy.

The Andarian stood there, staring down at the boy, completely silent. Then, he nodded his head. "Come then. We should get going." Jakal told him before turning sharply on his heels and stalking out of the house. Not sure what else to do, the Prince picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulders. Not even bothering to look back at his uncle, he walked after the man.

His future had just begun and Dravin knew that it was going to be a bright one.

It was early morning and the sun was just starting to rise over the horizon. The sky was turning a bright orange, the clouds barely visible. The golden light lit upon the land of Aries and the High Forest. Walking through the thick foliage of the High Forest was a single figure, but one couldn't see his face. The cloak that he wore - with the cowl up over his head - obscured his features from the whole world.

The figure walked slowly through the High Forest. However, his heart was beating fast, showing himself his true anticipation. He was eager to reach the village of the Amazon people. Once there, he would be home. Home for the first time in twenty years and he couldn't wait.

The black cloak the figure wore was growing hot and heating the man underneath. Because of this, the man made a decision. He had intended on not taking down the cowl until he was back in the village. Then again, that might've been a bad idea in the first place. The Amazon people weren't very trusting people. To see someone walking towards them with a cowl up would more than likely have gotten him filled with arrows.

Shaking off that thought, he pulled back the cowl and revealed his features. Running a hand through his short cut dark chestnut hair, he blinked his golden eyes as they were revealed to the sunlight. He groaned lightly and pinched the bridge of his nose. He could feel a headache building behinds his eyes, but he knew that it had nothing to do with being exposed to sunlight. It was the change of crossing the border from the Andarian Wasteland into the Kingdom of Aries.

The man was tall, standing at six foot two, and broad shouldered. He was packed with heavy muscle that had been built based on his heavy training regiment under the Andarian Tribal Lord, Jakal. He had short cut dark hair that he wore swept back from his forehead and golden eyes set in a tanned, handsome face. He wore a black leather bodysuit that clung to his frame, knee high black leather boots, a black leather belt with twin curved daggers sheathed at both of his hips, and a glossy black cloak that flowed to the back of his knees.

Save for the half mask that he used to wear, he looked every inch the Andarian Assassin. However, he wasn't even Andarian. He was a native of Aries, but had spent twenty years of his life in Andaria.

He had been sent there by his uncle when he was a child. He hadn't wanted to go at the time, but at the same time, he wanted to be powerful. He wanted to earn the respect of his parents and his people. To do that, he needed strength and his uncle had informed him of a way to do that.

The only way was to train under the Andarian people.

Dravin had trained with the Andarians for the past twenty years. He hadn't been alone though. There were many children of his age that had trained under the Tribal Lord, but of all of them, he had excelled. He had been the one to become more skilled than any of the natural born Andarians. He was sharper, more in tune with his instincts, and quicker. He was far sneakier than any of the others that had trained with him.

Because of this, the Amazon hadn't been too popular among the Andarians. Most of the others had shunned him because he showed them up. They were of the mindset that he shouldn't have even been there. He shouldn't have been trained with them in the secret arts of the Andarian warrior. But the simple fact of it was that he had been trained with them and he was the best of them.

However, the Prince had had one friend. A girl, but more than that. She was the daughter of the Andarian Tribal Lord, Jakal. Her name was Sara and she was a very likeable person. Shaking off his thoughts of her, he refocused on getting home.

Dravin took note of one of the trees as he passed it. It had a carving into the trunk, low to the ground where a child would've been at eye level. Smiling at the sight of it, he stopped and bent down. Fingers running over the inscription, he shook his head. It was a carving of a broadsword and it was pointed straight down.

The Amazon had carved that himself on his first time allowed out into the High Forest. True, his uncle had been with him the entire time, but he hadn't known that at the time. He'd THOUGHT that he was alone. He had intended on showing his bravery by tracking down a wolf and killing it. He would've brought back the pelt as proof that he'd killed it.

The Prince had even managed it. He'd tracked down a wolf and he'd pulled out his knife. As soon as he unsheathed the weapon, the wolf had spun on him, having obviously heard the drawing of the weapon. The beast had growled at him, seeing him as a threat. The beast had lunged at him, and despite his fear, he had stood his ground. Because of that, he was tackled to the ground by the wolf and its weight pushed down on him. Before the beast could kill him though, he'd cut its throat and was sprayed in its crimson blood. The body had collapsed on top of him and he'd been unable to life the wolf off of him. It was then that his Uncle Pool had made his presence known. He'd stepped out of the woods and easily lifted the wolf corpse off of his young nephew. The five year old had stared up at him in shock. He hadn't known that he was there at all. But he hadn't said anything to his uncle about it. Instead, he'd skinned the wolf, separating meat and fur from one another. Then, he'd returned to the village with the fur pelt and everyone in the Amazon village had been impressed with his feat.

It was Dravin's greatest achievement before he was sent to the Andarians.

The Amazon heard the sound of howling in the distance. Head coming up, he smiled a little bit. An idea occurred to him suddenly. Just as when he was a child, he would return to the Amazons with a wolf pelt and meat. That would cement his place back among them he was sure.

The Prince rose to his feet and turned to where he'd heard the howl come from. He was an expert tracker and was sure that he could find the wolf with little issue. They were known for being near water so they could keep their litters well taken care of. Because of that, he was sure that he knew where this wolf was. Or at least, a perimeter in where it would be.

Trekking further through the High Forest, he soon found himself beside a pool of water. Walking over to it, he knelt down next to the large pool. Staring down into the pool of water, he stared at his reflection for a moment. Then, he turned his attention to the surroundings of the pool. He moved around, searching for anything to point him to where the wolf was. Then, he found it. Several tracks leading to and away from the pool.

Smiling, Dravin reached down into his boot. Pulling out a single curved dagger, he tightened his hand around the blade. Then, he stood up straight and followed the tracks further into the forest. He could only hope that he would find them quickly.

It didn't take the Amazon long. Only thirty feet from the pool of water was a small group of trees with a large hole dug out of the ground. He knew from personal experience that wolves tended to create dens, often dug out underneath one tree or another.

Tightening his grip around the hilt of his dagger, the Prince moved silently towards the den. Despite how stealthy he could be, he knew that the ears of his prey were sharp. They could probably pick up on his presence if he was just a little too loud.

Stopping at the entrance of the den, he peered into the darkness. Narrowing his eyes, he still couldn't see anything. It was too deep and too dark to see anything. To just charge in would be foolish. To do such a thing would get him killed more than likely. He wasn't going to take that chance.

So instead, Dravin decided to do something that he'd learned while he was in Andaria. He was going to smoke them out.

Backing away from the den slowly, the Amazon was careful not to step on anything to make any noise. He didn't want to alert them before he was ready. Turning from the den when he felt like he was far enough away, he moved around and started gathering up twigs. Finding some thick underbrush, he wrapped it around the sticks tightly. Then, he gathered on his magic and a small flame appeared in his palm. With that, he grabbed the underbrush and felt it grow warm under his palm. When he pulled his hand away, the underbrush and the twigs were on fire.

With that, the Prince walked towards the den with the torch in his hand. As soon as he stopped in front of the den, he threw it into the den. He watched it light up the darkness, but there were no wolves to be seen. However, that didn't matter. The den was small and the smoke would gather in the den, effectively driving out the wolves within.

Moving off to the side of the den's entrance, he tightened his hand around the hilt of the dagger. Waiting patiently, it didn't take long before it garnered results.

A single wolf ran out of the den, choking and coughing. The beast sneezed as it came out into the sunlight, clearing its sinus' of the smoke that had easily gotten inside. As the wolf moved out of the den, he noticed that it was rather large and muscular, indicating that it was an adult. It was covered in thick brown fur and had golden eyes set in an elongated maw filled with razor sharp teeth.

Dead, Dravin thought to himself with a smile on his face. With that, he lunged forward and stabbed the wolf in the throat. The beast let out a whine and cry of pain. It fell to the ground, blood pooling around its head. In seconds, the four legged beast was dead.

Straightening, the Amazon stared down at the wolf. It was a truly majestic creature and he had great respect for the beasts. That was why he saw them as true trophies unlike a bear or a deer.

Turning his attention to the den entrance, the Prince frowned a little bit. Normally, wolves only created dens if they had families. That was what was curious about this. Only one wolf had come out of the den. That was very uncommon and he would investigate further.

Leaving the wolf there, he made his way towards the den entrance. Ducking his head, he entered the dark, smoky den. Narrowing his eyes, he made his way deeper into the small space. Finding the torch that he'd thrown in the middle of the floor, he cast his eyes around in search of the other wolves. Off in the corner, he found four small bodies huddled tightly against the wall. They were whimpering lightly, their eyes casting around as he walked closer to them.

Mere pups, Dravin thought to himself with a wince. That wolf...had a family and I probably just killed their mother.

The Amazon felt a pang in his chest, but he ignored it. He felt bad for the wolf pups, but there was nothing he could do for it. It was the way of the world. However, there was one thing that he could do for them.

Kneeling before them, the Prince reached for the pack he wore strapped to the back of his belt. Untying it, he took it into his hands and unlaced the bag. Reaching inside, he found a piece of salted beef and pulled it out.

"Here you go." Dravin called to the wolf pups with a smile on his face. He held out the salted beef and he waited for them to come to him. He could only hope that they would look past his scent and being hungry enough, would approach him.

One of the wolves looked up at him. It blinked, obviously a bit wary of him. One of the wolves moved away from the other two cub mates and moved on slow, shuffling feet towards him. Obviously the little beast was overwhelming his own fear to sate his hunger.

The creature whimpered at the sight of the food being offered to it as it approached. It stopped right in front of the salted beef, it's eyes coming up to look at him. Then, the wolf slowly opened its mouth and took the beef between its teeth. The Amazon released it, watching as the wolf quickly sucked the beef into its mouth and began to chew on the beef. It looked more than happy to be slobbering on the food too.

As the Prince looked on, he noticed that the other two wolf pups were looking at their litter mate. They were obviously curious and he smiled gently. Reaching back into his pack, he pulled out two more pieces of salted beef.

"If you want some, come get it." Dravin called to them. He wanted the wolves to come to him willingly. He wasn't going to force them to come to him.

The two wolves moved away from the floor, heading towards him. Obviously, the food was more than enough for the wolves to trust him. This sort of made the Amazon feel a little bad. He'd killed their mother after all.

They grew closer and the Prince sat the salted beef on the ground. He sat back on his haunches and watched as they approached the beef. They bent their heads, licking at the beef. Then, they opened their mouths and swallowed the beef into their mouths. They smacked as they ate the food, growling low in the backs of their throats as they did.

As soon as they were done, they licked their lips and looked up at him. He nodded his head to them, feeling at least a little better. He'd given them a meal at least. They would survive at least a little longer.

With this done, Dravin tied the pack back to his belt. Straightening, he nodded to the wolf cubs and turned around, walking out of the den. Stepping out into the sunlight, he winced as the sunlight poured into his eyes and he blinked his eyes a couple of times to adjust. With that done, he leaned down and picked up the corpse of the wolf cubs' mother.

Hefting the wolf over his broad shoulder, the Amazon turned and made his way back through the High Forest. Stooping beside the pool of water nearby, he sat the body of the wolf down on the grass. Then, taking his knife out once again and began to carve up the wolf. Separating fur from meat, he cleaned the fur away and tucked the two items away. With that done, the Amazon felt that he could return to the village without having to prove anything else to them.

With that done, the Prince pulled the black hood back over his head. Then, he turned and made his way back to the Amazon village.

XXXXX

The sun poured through the trees of the High Forest, bathing the land in its golden rays. Shafts of light fell upon the Amazon village, exposing it to anyone that might've been nearby to see it. Standing just outside of the village was one of its lost sons, one that had left many years ago and was just now returning today.

Dravin.

The Amazon still wore his cowl over his head, obscuring his features. He was seriously questioning whether he should go into the village like that or not. If he were to do that, he was inviting suspicion and possible death. The others would obviously think of him as an enemy and probably attack him. He didn't want that, but he supposed that he could stop that before it came to that.
Turning his golden eyes towards his home, the Prince took in the buildings. They were all built of thick wood that all seemed to gleam in the golden light of the sun. There were guards in leather armor and carrying heavy weapons walking up and down the streets. Because of those guards, the streets of the Amazon village was nearly devoid of any crime.

Besides that, there was the special warriors that lived within the village. One of those happened to be his uncle, Pool. The Amazon King was a mighty warrior and could cut down just about anyone. There were very few people that he knew in Aries that could cut down a warrior of his uncle's prowess.

Shaking off that thought, Dravin made his way towards the village. As he grew closer, people looked out towards him. Because the village was built within a clearing, it was easy for the populace to spot him. A splotch of black against the greenery of the High Forest.

As he reached the outskirts of the village, the Amazon noticed that more than one person was looking at him now. Just as he'd thought, they were looking at him with suspicion. A few of the guards were already reaching for their broadswords.

Damn it, the Prince thought to himself. He knew that there was only one way to put the guards at ease. Reaching up, he took hold of the cowl. Staring at them, he pulled the cowl down, revealing his features to everyone that was looking. Which by now was the majority of the village that was on the streets.

Just as he thought would happen, the Guards' eyes widened in surprise. They recognized that he was one of theirs, but they probably weren't sure exactly who he was. However, his features were of one that came from the Amazon blood lines.

Feeling more confident, Dravin strode forward into the village. Everyone watched him with close eyes. But he wasn't about to do anything that would set off the guards and have them draw their weapons on him.

That wouldn't be good for the guards or their careers. He wasn't going to ruin someone's life with his return home.

It wasn't long before the Prince found himself in front of his childhood home. It hadn't changed in the twenty years that he'd been away either. Uncle Pool kept it simple it seems, he thought to himself with a light snort and a fond smile that lit up his golden eyes.

The Amazon didn't even bother to knock on the door. Instead, he opened the door and walked right through. Stepping into the living area, he looked around, frowning at the sight of the inside. Once again, nothing had changed. The room was large and circular in shape. The floors were simple wood and there were a few oil paintings on the walls, but nothing fancy. That was how his uncle was. Simple, plain. Very unlike a King of any people. There was a large, green couch in the middle of the room and a plain wooden table right in front of it. Off to the side was a hallway that would lead to the bedrooms.

Feeling that he needed to see his uncle, Dravin made his way down the hallway. Stopping in front of the room of his uncle, he took a deep breath. He hadn't seen the man in twenty years. There was little doubt in his mind that he'd changed, but he doubted that it was very much.

The Prince opened the door and peered inside. The room was dark, the curtains drawn to drown out any sign of sunlight. Frowning, he shook his head. That's unusual, he thought to himself as he stepped inside. Uncle Pool is normally up at this time of day. Hell, I've never known him to be sleeping when the sun still hadn't come up in the morning. Then again, it's been twenty years. Maybe things have changed with him.

Just as that thought crossed his mind, the Amazon heard it. The slightest creak of a wood board right next to him.

Eyes widening, he stepped forward, avoiding the dagger that would've stabbed right through his skull. Turning, he could see the outline of a man lunging towards him once again, stabbing at his chest.

Cursing under his breath, he reached out and caught the man's wrist. He twisted it to the side and heard the sound of the man cry out in pain. The wrist felt rather large, but brittle under his hand. That was a clear indicator of age and left little doubt in his mind just who this man was.

"Uncle, it's me. It's Dravin." Dravin called out to the older Amazon, hoping to cease the struggle. "I've come home finally. Please, stop this."

A second later, the figure stopped moving and his body stiffened. As the younger Amazon was able to turn, he saw that it was indeed his uncle who was staring right back him, his eyes wide in shock.

Pool was tall, standing at six foot two and slightly soft due to his old age. He had long dark red hair that he wore in a loose ponytail down his back but it was streaked with a generous amount of grey and dark blue eyes set in a lined, but handsome face. He wore a simple green tunic tucked into brown linen trousers and black leather boots on his feet.

The older Amazon stared back at him, shaking his head from side to side. There was the slightest bit of a red stubble on his chin, showing that he'd missed a few places when he shaved last. However, he still looked like the same uncle that he'd known twenty years ago.

"Your back." Pool croaked out, his voice sounding quite different. It sounded like it had been damaged by smoke, but he wasn't going to ask about that. Not now anyway. "By the gods, your actually back!"

With that exuberant cry, the Amazon King lunged forward and wrapped his one free arm around his nephew. Grinning, the Amazon Prince allowed the older man's other hand its freedom and that arm joined its brother around him, squeezing him tightly. Much tighter than should've been possible for a man his age, but he was still the King for a reason.

Laughing, the younger Amazon hugged him back. Closing his eyes, he relished in the feel of his uncle hugging him so tightly. He hadn't had family to hug for many years. True, the Andarians had attempted to pretend to be his family, but no one could replace his real family. No one.

"Aye, I'm back. I'm finished with my training and I've come home to stay." Dravin told the older man. He pulled back from the hug, staring down into the eyes of the older man.

"Let me look at you." Pool said with a light chuckle and took a step back. His hands came up to grasp the younger man's upper arms and his bright blue eyes worked their way over his body, taking him in. They seemed to miss nothing despite his age. Finally looking back into the eyes of his nephew, he grinned widely, revealing his still perfect white teeth. "Boy, save for your eyes, you are the striking image of your father. You look just like Dragan."

The Prince felt a tightness in the back of his throat at that declaration. He had never been compared to his father before. Not to be surprising considering that the Andarians had no idea who his father was. They wouldn't know whether he looked like his father or not. None of them had ever met the hero of the Amazon people. No one had ever met the Manatheran Elite Guardsmen other than the Amazon people themselves.

"Come, we will have a feast prepared to welcome you home and you shall tell us of your experiences." Pool told him with a grin. Taking a firm hold of the younger man's shoulder, he guided him outside and was obviously not going to give him any choice.

He stepped outside, a smile on his face. Dravin was very happy to be home.

Later that night, Dravin weaved his way down the hallway of his uncle's home. He could feel the world spinning around him and he tried to orient himself. He knew that he had drank too much, but he didn't care. It had been a party and one hell of a party at that!

Everyone had been in attendance to welcome the young Amazon home. Everyone had been happy to see him and had insisted that they drink with him. They had feasted on deer that had been recently felled and even the delicacy of roasted rabbits legs. There weren't much meat on them, but what meat there was, was rich with flavor and spices.

The young Prince had told them the stories of being in the charge of the Andarian people. He told them of how the Andarians seemed to be in different caste systems, but that each caste was respected. Warriors, archers, politicians, hunters, blacksmiths, etc. were all the different kinds of castes. He was sure that there were even more, but he hadn't been there to be trained in the culture of the Andarian people. He'd been trained to kill like them and he'd picked up those skills quite nicely.

Rubbing a hand over his face, Dravin staggered back towards his room. He could only hope that he would find his way into the room with no troubles. Pushing open the door to the bedroom, he stumbled inside. Then, he slammed the door closed and cursed inwardly as he heard how loud it sounded in his mind. He might have just woke up the whole house if anyone was asleep. He really hoped that he hadn't though. This was his first day home and he didn't want to piss anyone off.

When no one moved to come to the room to see if he was alright or what was happening, the young Amazon sighed happily. Good, he wouldn't have to deal with anyone else tonight. Honestly, he wasn't sure that he could deal with anyone else for the rest of the night. He'd had a headache for the past hour and that was why he'd begged off of the rest of the night. Fortunately, about the time that he did that, he learned that the whole party was being suspended for the night.

After all, he was the star guest, and with him gone, the party shouldn't continue. The party had wound down and the Amazons had left the home of their King, returning to their own.

No doubt the Amazons would be speaking about this day for a long time.

Shaking his head, Dravin looked around the room. It hadn't changed much from when he was a child. In fact, the only thing that was really different was the bed of which had been smaller had been replaced with a larger bed and new sheets. The floor was covered in a thick green carpet and the walls were completely bare. There was a small dresser against one wall and a nightstand was right next to the bed.

Yawning, the Amazon blinked his eyes lazily. He could feel the blackness washing over him and he knew that he was going to pass out soon. If he didn't make it to the bed, he was going to pass out on his feet.

Reaching the bed, the Prince plopped down onto the bed on his behind. He rested his face in his hands for a moment, trying to right his orientation. When he had done that, he pulled back and groaned. Reaching for the clasp around his neck that kept his cloak closed. Pulling the clasp open, he pulled the black cloak from around his body and dropped it on the floor next to the bed. Then, he kicked off his boots, and after some quick maneuvering, he found himself naked in the bed, the sheets pulled up to his chest.

He lay there on his back, staring up at the roof of his uncle's home. He smiled. It was sure nice to be home. With that thought in mind, he closed his eyes and soundly fell asleep.

XXXXX

Pool stood in his own bedroom, staring out the window at the sleepy village before him. It had once been much smaller from what he understood. Hell, in the last twenty years, the village had grown with more and more people. Something told him that at their core, the Amazon people would never change though.

That was something that the King was dearly proud of.

His people were dangerous and deadly warriors. They were feared by those in Aries and even some without. They were considered one of the most powerful forces within Aries. In fact, the only thing that was known to be more powerful were the Shadowblades that Nykrian himself commanded.

Thinking of the Indifferent King, the Amazon closed his bright blue eyes. Nykrian was one of the most powerful beings in all of Aries. Not just politically, but physically. He was by far only second to his own father, the former Assassin King Acheron, in power and skill.

Pool had been there when the Indifferent King had been coronated after the Abdication of his father. Acheron was still in the Capital, staying close at his son's side to assist him with political matters. However, it seemed to most that the new King needed little help in those matters. He was quite adept and eager to come up with ways to benefit both sides during an issue, but if he couldn't, he would favor one side in the end.

That was just the way of things.

Opening his eyes, the King smiled a little bit. Besides the Second King and his Queen, there was also the Mind Princess of whom happened to be his sister, Jessica, and commander of the Bezerker Unit. It was a powerful unit and one that would make a powerful enemy against any nation that would dare to attack them. Besides them, there was more to that. There was also the youthful, early twenties Prince Maverick, son of Nykrian and Mystra. He was said to be a genius and many were already calling him the Professor Prince because of his analytical, tactical mind.

Shaking off his thoughts, the Amazon King turned away from the window. He stared at his bed, but felt no need to sleep. Yes, he'd been up very early and he was an old man now. He needed his sleep. However, he had no intention of going to sleep just yet. He had a lot to think about in his life.

His nephew Dravin was home. That meant he had nothing to be worried about anymore. He could finally admit to what was plaguing him and had been for the past few months. Something that he'd been hiding from the villagers, but would no longer need to. Not with his nephew returned. Not with his heir ready.

Just as he thought that, he felt the normal rattling in his chest with his breathing. Chest tightening, he raised his hand to his mouth and began to cough. His body shook with each racking cough and he knew that it wasn't going to stop anytime soon. After about five minutes of coughing, it finally finished. Pulling his hand away, he felt the wetness on his palm and he knew what it was before he looked. Staring at the crimson liquid of his own blood, he sighed.

His time was growing close. He just hoped that his nephew was ready to lead.

With that thought fresh in his mind, Pool turned from the window and made his way down the hallway. Time to get some sleep for what was rest of the night. Something told him that he was going to need it.

XXXXX

Darkness ruled in the High Forest in the middle of the night. Nothing could be seen in the shadows of the trees, not even the light of the silvery moon overhead. At least, not in this part of the forest. It was thick here, a path that was rarely ever used.

It was the path towards the headstones of the two greatest heroes that the Amazons had. Moving down that path was a single figure, but one couldn't quite make out just who the figure was.

The figure wore a long sleeve black tunic, tight black pants, knee high black leather boots, a black leather belt, and a black cloak that flowed around its body. It had a cowl up, covering his face and hiding what he looked like.

The figure had a plan and one that was going to work towards the end of the Amazon people and all others that lived within the High Forest. That included the Wood Elves and the Wolfians. They were all the enemy and they would be utterly destroyed.

With that thought in mind, the dark figure stepped into the clearing. The moon light was pouring down into the clearing, revealing the contents of that clearing. Two simple headstones, both carved with names and dates within it.

'Heroes make the best martyrs.' the figure thought with a smile on his face under the cowl of his cloak. Clenching his hands together, he stepped towards the two headstones and crouched down in the middle of the two of them. Sliding his hands through the dirt, he felt the power of the soil and smiled a little bit. It was time to get started. He had a long night ahead of him.

Bowing his head, the figure reached into his boot and pulled free a ceremonial dagger. The weapon glinted in the low light of the moon and he grinned. Drawing it across his free palm, he drew his own crimson blood. Pulling the blade away, he allowed blood to drip freely of his palm and painting the dirt in his crimson.

'So it begins.' the figure thought with a smile and continued the ritual that he started.