Great more rain, the only time it stops raining here is when it snows. “What are you thinking about Ashen?” “Just how sick I am of this rain.” “I love the rain. It’s so peaceful and calm, stop being so negative.” She started running down the road and when I looked I saw Reit. Thaia, always so positive, wonder why she’s dating that jerk. All he does is beat people up in training and brag about how hot his girlfriend is. “Hurry up Ashen!” Theia called. “Why do you always hang with this runt?” Reit asked, “Reit be nice he hasn’t had as long to train as you have! He has only been here for three years.” Three years… three years since that day.



I feel the sweat trickling down my cheek, but do nothing about it. All it proves is that I’m tiring too quickly. I need more stamina if I am to fight him! I picked myself up all the ground and start running again. Five times around the yard then I can be done. I push myself as hard as I can. One-lap… two laps, my legs burn then I see someone. “What are you doing out here all by yourself?” I see the sneer on his face; he already knows what I’m doing. I slow down to a jog then stop in front of him, knowing all too well if I had ignored him he would have close lined me. “Why do you care?” I asked in between breaths, a mistake. “Oh so now I need to ask permission to see how you’re training is going? Are practicing something to help you beat me? Let’s see it then.” “Look I don’t want to fight you.” “To late for that now, stop being a coward and fight me.” He brought up his right fist making it look like he was going to hit me with it but I saw through the feint, he was left handed after all. I dodged the punch then took two steps back just out of reach. “You aren’t even going to fight back? Fight me or I promise this will only last longer and hurt a whole lot more.” “Come on Therif, I didn’t do anything!” “Exactly!” He shouted as he started towards me. I am a lot faster than him, but he hasn’t been working out for the last hour and knowing his skill and strength the first will knock me back and the ones after will end me. Think Ashen Think! He moved up and I blocked the first two punches, and then threw one of my own: and I lost. He grabbed hold of my wrist as he dodged then thrust his palm straight into my nose. The force of the punch would have knocked me back except for his hold on my wrist. I felt the strain on my arm then the force of a horrible punch to my stomach. Then he let go and I fell to the ground. “Pathetic, and to think you carry the same name as me. I should kill you and end the shame you bring to this family, and to think you used to be the heir to the throne. Father chose well when he gave that inheritance to me.” Then I heard his cruel laugh and then his foot smashed cruelly into my head and I was out.



“Ashen are you okay?” Thaia voice snapped me out of my daydream. “Yea, fine.” “He probably just reached his limit from that little jog to catch up to us. He has to be careful not to push himself too far. He is a little runt after all.” Reit tossed his blond hair out of his eyes and sneered at me. “Reit!” shouted Theia then he just turned and started walking up the road. “Sorry about him.” Said Theia we started up the road a little behind him. “I told you not to stick up for me. I can handle myself, and if you would just stop dating him then you wouldn’t have to apologize to everyone for everything he did. You two don’t seem to anything in common anyway.” “Well did I ask you for your opinion on my relationships? No, and I can handle myself as well so just butt out!” She speed up to walk with Reit. Great job Ashen, this is going to be a long walk back.



I looked at myself in the mirror. My Black hair hung down just about eye level, and was very think. I was scrawny still but still very fit. Then I looked at the scar on my left shoulder blade, where the arrow had pierced me when I ran away. I almost bleed to death after that, passing out the woods. Still I made it by some miracle then fled to this land and eventually becoming a trainee Night Stalker. Only the head master knows my true identity. We decided to tell everyone else I was just a runaway from an abusive family, and nothing else. I heard a bell sound from the head house, three rings telling that everyone should be present. I walked out the house and looked across the road. Riet and Theia walked out the house and Theia looked at me and just shrugged. We walked to the head house and into the meeting room. It was a large circular room that could fit maybe two hundred people that sloped down to a flat floor. The space was occupied with a circular table that had many maps laid out with fifteen chairs surrounding it. Everyone came in and quickly took a seat quietly. It was unusual to have random meets that hadn’t been scheduled. Especially ones that everyone was to attended, not just the full-fledged Night Stalkers. When everyone had taken a seat the Head Master stood up and began to talk.



“This meeting has been called to plan out our plan of action in war that has been declared against this land.” Several people shouted out at this news. This land had been at peace for almost four decades. Mostly because of the skills of the Night Stalkers, they could go into enemy camps and kill people sabotage weapons, assassinate leading figures, and then slip into the night to return the next one. The army’s would often be defeated before any major battles took place. “Who is it that dares to wage war out again Fyruian?” someone finally shouted. “Assaeaa,” The Head Master answered calmly. I should have known, only my father and brother would be bold enough to attack another strong country like this. But they were at war just a few years ago. How do they plan gaining anything out of this? “The Assaeaa army is camped out in and around the village of Lasitad. They destroyed and raided it along with four other small towns on the way. They’re moving towards the city of Rangarth, but they won’t make it there. We are sending in 75 Stalkers to sabotage. I also want to assassinate the leading general. It will be the most dangerous part of the mission so first I will ask for volunteers.” I was about to raise my hand when Theia sitting next to me grabbed it. “Stop it Ashen this is a mission for the masters. You don’t need to do this.” If they are going to kill my brother I’m going with them, no matter what anyone says. I thought to myself. “You don’t understand Theia, I have to do this.” Then I simply raised my left hand, which was out of reach of her. The head master looked and me and nodded. Then looking around he noted everyone who had volunteered, then called out names of the people going. Me eight master Stalkers I didn’t know, and a friend of my trainer named rwogarth. “Now,” The head master called out. “Go back to your homes and rest and prepare we head out tomorrow night.”



We saw the lights of the fires from out vantage point. We were just beyond the edge of the clearing and I could actually hear a guard pacing back in forth keeping sleep away. Throughout the entire journey Theia had tried to convince me to back out of this mission and join her on the simple job of poisoning all the food, but each time I turned her down. I had to kill my brother; my blade should be the one to do it. All around the clearing Stalkers were hiding waiting for the guard change to attack and sneak in, as was the best time, and I was with the group of ten stalkers in my squad. I had thought about the best way to get the generals quarters and had come up with a plan, but I only told rwogarth. He thought it was risky but had agreed with me it would be the best plan of action. Then I saw a new guard walking toward the pacing one. A quick exchange of words and then the old guard left. “Now.” I heard someone saw. We silently moved towards the guard. One of the masters then snuck up on him and got him and then stabbed a knife into the back of his neck; instantly killing him. Then rwogarth started removing the armor and putting it on. “What are you doing?” someone hissed “Go help the others.” He said, “Me and Ashen will handle it from here.” I couldn’t see their faces in to dark but I'm sure they were puzzled. Then with all of the downed guards armor on, and a little too big for him, Rwogarth led me towards the camp.



Everyone is staring at us. Well of course I’m the missing son! What will they do when we kill Therif? Oh no, how will we escape this camp. I never thought about that. We walked toward the center of the camp, usually where the general’s headquarters are located. When we arrived the guards took one look at me, and then one went inside. When he came back out he told us we could go in. I walked inside and was immediately surprised. “Father.” I said. The tall strong man had a sense of authority about him. He was still very broad shouldered and must have dyed his hair black, because it should be graying. “Ashen, how are you it has been so long since you left.” I grabbed me in a hug and then I saw my brother behind him. “Where did you find him? My father asked Rwogarth “I didn’t find him, he just came up to me and I recognized him and brought him here.” “Well thank you.” My father shook his hand and then suddenly Rwogarth pulled out a knife and lunged forward, but my father side step and landed a crushing blow to his ribs. “You think I didn’t suspect you the se…” He never finished that sentence because at that moment I had shoved my knife into his kidney. I quickly pulled it and stabbed again for good measure, even though I could see bright red liquid running out. Then I spun around slashing my knife and where I remember my brother being. He was still so surprised from seeing me kill my father he hadn’t moved. The blade cut from the cheekbone to just right of his left eye. He fell down screaming holding his eye. Then I used to knife to slice a hole in to back of the tent and ran out. Solders looked at me from every direction. Without thinking I shouted, “Someone just killed my father! The king is dead! Save me!” It took about a second before every soldier moved at once toward the tent. Then I ran through the confusion as fast as I could back to the forest.


When I was just passing the last of the tents I Theia on the edge of the clearing. When I had run up to her she grabbed me in a big hug. “Why Ashen, why did you have to do this. I heard someone shout that the king was dead and everyone rushed to the tent.”

“Did Rwogarth make it back?”

“I think I saw the soldiers attacking the kings guards, so the must have thought him innocent”

I heaved sigh relief. Theia was still staring at me. I still hadn’t answered her question “He was my father. I- I needed to be the one to do it, or at least be there when it happened.”

She simply nodded and hugged me again. She may not have understood, but she knew my reasoning. “Come on let’s go home.” It was at that moment holding hands with a girl a loved, leaving behind everything I hated and feared, and going back to a place where I felt like I belonged, did I fell truly happy for the first.