Terror Dawn 7

Before I begin the ending of a project that I started in December of 2010, I just want to take a moment to thank everyone that has given me advice and suggestions on  each part of this saga.  I also want to take Raven.  I know sounds weird I’m taking my main character LOL but, I was in a rut.  I couldn’t get pass the first line in the first paragraph for months prior to the Raven Files.  Raven the Great came to me and I didn’t know it then but, the ride the last of the Entellician has taken me on, has revived my writing and raise the level of talent I believe as well.  Without any further delay here’s the ending of the saga.  Hope you enjoy it.

Raven looked at the mighty archway of Zaude and, knew that the time had come.  He knew that all the training, the travels and adventures had led him to this point.  His memories flooded his system and he witnessed all of his greatest moments in an instant.

Raven saw the first day he met his former student Leblanc.

Raven was in the Manor of the Wicked uncovered.  His mission was to observe the Blood Alliance’s plans but, his plans had a curveball thrown into it when the Barbos brought out a young knight.  Raven acted quickly to save this young man using his grapple arrow and his cloak of phase to help them both escape.

“Boy, I didn’t think Leblanc would become the great commander he is now at that moment”   Raven proclaimed.

He then looked over to Yeager and, his mind flashed over the many details of twists, perils and battles the two have had both together and against each other.  He remembered when they first squared off at Norpolico Stadium.

“Well, little birdie, you have to fight or I kill ya favorite little redhead”  Barbos laughed as he held his sword next to Kaufman neck.

Raven had to defeat three of the Blood Alliance’s finest warriors.  He had no trouble with Zagi, or with Cumore but, then he met Yeager.  Yeager was the first of the three that actually harmed Raven.  He swept his leg with his mighty sickle.  Raven quickly countered with a smoke bomb to give him the time needed to recover.

That was only the first of battles these two evenly matched fighters would have.  The second major encounter ironically took place right here at Zaude when both fighters were left injured with chest wounds that they will never forget, but then something changed their path.

Yeager saw the light and, gave up the path of wickness and joined Raven in his battle against the forces of darkness.  Raven now valued his worse most difficult rival as his most reliable ally.

Raven and Yeager formed Fortunate which no matter what took place today the group of justice and goodwill would continue on till the end of time itself.

Raven looked towards the top of Zaude and his memory flashed again to the first time he stood high on top of the sacred ring of Entellica.  Raven met one of his most devious rivals there.  Duke Fallons.

“Such power in a small package don’t you agree?  It’s called a gun”  Duke fired his pistol at Raven.

For the first time, Raven had faced off with forbidden weapons.  The same weapons that led to the destruction of the first planet.  The blue planet known as Earth.  On Vesperia, such devices were banned due to the dangers they could bring but, Duke had other ideas.

Duke used his weapons to wound Raven and Raven fell to the ocean.  He would had been lost to the world if it hadn’t been for Kam-Re.

Kam-Re the Pegasus saved the archer’s life and revealed a great secret to him.  That secret had led Raven to this point.  He was presented with a tablet that foretold the coming of a greater evil.  Adageagos the hydria Entellica.  The tablet was damaged at the end but, Raven now knew what the missing piece had said.

He rushed into Zaude and began to climb to its top.  His heart was heavy as he approached the peak but, knew he had to do what must be done.  He looked around on the top of the structure and saw the power crystal.  It was a huge blue diamond that floated above the ring.  He placed on hand on the gem and a large platform began to rise in front of the gem.  A huge metal T structure emerged and Raven placed his arms on his outstretch bars.  The cross lit up with a brillant blue shine and, Raven’s body began to course with pain.  He screamed out but, he didn’t lose his resolve.  He knew to save everyone from the corruption of the Adageagos the Zaude canon of purity had to be fired.

The ring glowed with the same blue aura that gem and Raven had.  The ring sent waves of light towards the great beast.  Adageagos hissed and groaned as the light burned his skin.  After two rounds of the pulsing light the ring fired a full assualt of beams.  The beams vanquished any evil that touched their path.  The whole process took only a few minutes but, it felt like an eternality for Raven who was in agony.

Yeager ran to the top of Zaude  and as the giant T platform let go of Raven’s body he caught his body.  Raven’s hands, feet and head were all burned from the time attached to platform.  Yeager was began to reach for his kit to help but, Raven grabbed his hand.

“No, it is my time to leave for now but I will return”  Raven’s body began to turn to ashes.

“Raven!  No”  Yeager wept.

Yeager could only watch as Raven’s ashes began to be lifted into the sky by the winds.  Just for a moment his ashes amazingly wrote out a saying.

“My body is gone, but spirit is with you forever”

The end

Terror Dawn 6

Raven and Yeager went upward a spiral column of steps.  While they journeyed up to the top they could hear the taunts from the multiple head brute.  They picked up their pace as light shined through the opening.  As they reached the top, Yeager looked around and noticed the huge archway behind them.  The arch had a jade crystal perched at its keystone.

“That’s Zaude!”  Yeager pointed.

“Of course, when you fighting an uphill battle you take the only advantage you can get.  I got the home field advantage”  Raven countered.

Adageagos merely laughed at the banter.  He breathed out a dark smoke from his center head and, Alexei appeared from the aura.  Raven and Yeager looked at each other and nodded as they were on the same wavelength.  Raven fired an arrow into the air near Alexei.  As the arrow reached its apex it burst open and showered the area with blinding light.

Raven ran past Alexei while his vision was impaired.  He tossed a serial of black balls behind him as he went which went boom after a few moments closing off any possible pursue.  Raven prepared to fire an arrow at the hydria but, it grabbed him by one of its many heads.

As Alexei’s eyes cleared he was greeted by Yeager’s Leviathan’s Claw.  Yeager swung the huge sickle swiftly back and forth near the herald’s head.  Alexei countered with a shot from his hand gun which grazed Yeager’s shoulder.  He fell to his side as the weight of his prized weapon was too much for his injured arm.  Alexei kicks him to his back and holds his firearm next to his head.  Yeager knew his time was short and options were limited but suddenly he saw one of Raven’s black balls that didn’t explode.  He reached for it and veers his head off the side to miss a shot from Alexei.  He rolled the ball at Alexei’s feet and he trips from the ball.  Yeager pulls out a kniife that he kept hidden away in his boot and slammed it down on Alexei’s wrist/

“Havenor Undine”  Raven chanted .

His brands began to glow and the light blinded the monster’s heads.  He landed on his feet as the creature dropped him.  Raven watched as the heads began to get a smirk on them in unison.

“I think a little brand warfare might be fun,  Polire Havenor Eros Adageagos Alexei Ifrit”  Adageagos chanted.

Alexei’s arms burned as the small black marks at his shoulders grew down his arms.  He grunted as he forced the knife out of his wrist.  He pushed away Yeager with little effort.

“No!  That doesn’t make an Entellican it makes a Sith to have that much power at once.  It supposed to grow and mature overtime with its user.”  Raven proclaimed.

“Yes, your point?  I am not like your spineless master Phaeroh”  Adageagos taunted.

“Havenor Ifrit”  Alexei sent a huge fireball towards Raven.

“Havenor Undine”  Raven countered with a stream of water.

To Raven’s amazement the fire overtook his water and threw him backwards.  He slammed into the wall of Zaude temple.  Raven attempted to get up but, before he could another blast of fiery magic his back keeping him face down to the ground.  When it seemed the most grim he remembered something that Phaeroh once told him.
“Though my life spirit is born of fire, I granting you a stronger force the element of life itself.  Everything lives cause of water and, don’t forget you control all of water’s powers”  Phaeroh echoed in his mind.

“All of water’s powers that includes ice!  Havenor Frosior!”  Raven froze the fireballs sending his way.

Alexei waved his hands in the air and began to spin a ball of flames that grew in size every moment.  His ball of fiery mass increased in heat till it went from red to yellow, to blue, then finally white hot.

“I’m doubting you can block a ball this big with your little ice”  Alexei laughed.

Suddenly Alexei felt a sharp pain in his gut.  He looked down and saw Yeager drove his dagger into his gut.  Yeager fell over as his strength faded.  Alexei stumbled backward and dropped the fireball which exploded

Raven rushed over to Yeager.  He held him in his arms and, couldn’t hold back his tears.  His tears hit Yeager’s body and he began to glow.  Raven watched in awe as the wounds faded away.  Yeager opened his eyes.

“Careful, Kaufman might get jealous”  He joked.

Terror Dawn 5

Raven approached Phaeroh and looked upward at the great phoenix.  He looked back towards Fortuate and, pointed at Yeager.  He curled his finger and motioned to come.  The entire team began to move but, Raven protested.

“No!  Only Yeager,  the rest of you go to Daghgrest and wait for us to return”  He ordered.

“Undine Eros Uno Harenos Phaeroh”  Raven chanted.

“Say what?  Want to try common tongue Raven?”  Kaufman shook her head puzzled.

“Please this is something I have to do, trust me”  Raven pleaded.

Kaufman, Nan and Kandor mounted their rides and, began to leave.  Kaufman was muttering under her breathe.  For the first time in her married life with Raven she was being left out of something and it troubled her.

Once their horses got enough distance that Raven could no longer see them he turned to Yeager.

“Yeager, I am about to undertake an important ritual.  I chosen you to be my support on this journey.  It will be a long and difficult trip, as well as very dangerous.  Be ready”  Raven ordered.

“Havanor Eros Intyius Undine”  Phaeroh recited.

A swirling light surrounded the two men and, and their bodies began to rise into the air.  The light got brighter and brighter till they had to close their eyes to  withstand it.  Raven woke next to a greenish spring with Yeager next to him.  Raven shook his best friend to wake him.

“Yeager, before we continue I must show you my greatest secret”  Raven took off his jacket.

Raven’s arms were cover in long black markings.  Yeager had seen tattoos in the past but, nothing like these.  The markings shined and appeared to move at times.  Yeager reached out to touch one but, Raven pulled away.

“You don’t want to touch these, you would get a shock literally.  Entellexians when they are born are branded by the Entellica they are swore to serve.  In my case, Phaeroh.  The brand starts small on one side at the top of the arm and then grows a little each birthday till it gets all the way down, which is ten years then as you can see  it begins again on the right.  I got brandings on my legs as well but I didn’t think wanted me to take off my pants”  Raven laughed.

“Yeah, I’ll take your word on that one, so fearless leader what are we doing here, and better question where is here?”  Yeager stood and looked around.

“This is an Aer Krene, they are springs of power for my race.  I am going to empower my brands with its energy then we’re going to kill the Adageagos”  Raven dived into the spring.

Yeager watched as the markings began to shine with the same greenish hue the spring was.  He knew Raven’s powers were incredible but, he had his doubts that only the two of them could take out the dark Entellica.

“I know what you’re thinking how can only the two of us beat him.  Well, stop worrying about that I’m fighting the hydria, you just going to fight his herald”  Raven arose from his swim and began to dress.

“His herald?”  Yeager asked.

“Alexei Rosenberg, he picked him to be his servant.  The good news is because Adageagos picked an adult Alexei won’t receive the abilities of my race that’s only when you select a herald as an infant”  Raven explained.

“Like Phaeroh picked up, I got it, but then why doesn’t the others pick someone?”  Yeager puzzled.

“They can, but the brotherhood are very selective.  At the moment there’s only three Entellexians,  Well two and a half really, Alexei, myself and my daughter”  Raven walked over to a huge boulder.

“Daughter?  I didn’t know you had a child.  Wait Kaufman is so young”  Yeager proclaimed.

“My first love, I met her during the great war…Sabrina died during the war.  I couldn’t father the child so I made arrangements that she be taken care of at Aspio/  I hear she’s become quite the inventor”  Raven pressed in the center of the huge rock and it rolled away.

“Ahead is our enemies/  Remember you keep Alexei busy, Adageagos is mine”  Raven ordered.

Terror Dawn 4

Adageagos grabbed each of the Entellica with one of his many heads and chained them with magical bonds that even they could not break.  He then breath out waves of dark energy that called forth undead spirits that rose from their graves.

“You there, your name Alexei correct?”  Adageagos echoed as all his heads spoke in unison.

“Yes”  Alexei nervously spoke.

“I need a general for my new army, you will be my general or you can die like Raven did”  Adageagos began to laugh insanely at his own offer.

“Well when you put it that way, I guess I’ll be your general”  Alexei shouted back.

Yeager and the rest of Fortunate went to business on the walking corpses.  He beheaded one with his sickle.

“I guess you can call me your Grim Reaper you zombie freaks!”  Yeager proclaimed as he chopped down two more boney soldiers.

Much to Yeager’s dismay though as he struck the horde down they only got back up and kept coming unharmed.  Even the beheaded one from earlier had replace his skull on his frame.

“Give up and agree to serve me faithfully and I will let you live”  Adageagos offered.

“Never!”  Yeager countered.

Adageagos suddenly noticed a huge portal of light opening in the distance.  The portal glowed a brilliant yellow and blue streak.  The whole battlefield stopped as the portal began to spit out large lit runes.  The runes lined up in sentence form.  Yeager recognized them as Entellician the language of Raven’s race but had no clue what they were stating.  Then one line at a time the runes changed form and became common tongue.

You tried to kill me
You tried to banish me
But you forgot one thing
I am
Protector of the innocent
Defender of Justice
But most of all
I am
Raven the Great


As the last line translated a volley of arrows flew out of the portal hitting many of the zombies.  A hooded figure stepped out of the portal and it closed behind him.  Though Yeager couldn’t see his face, he knew that was Raven.  He pulled back the hood and his silver eyes shined a blinding light.

“The dead should stay dead”  Raven ordered and the light from his eyes froze the rotting horde in their tracks.

The bones fell where they once stood and laid without an trace that they were once moving before.  Raven rose one hand and pointed at Adageagos.

“You have bonded the brotherhood but you are the one that needs those chains!”  Raven proclaimed.

Much to the hydria’s surprise the locks unclamped on the Entellica and began to grasp each one of his heads.

“Impossible!”  The monster defiantly threw off the shackles.

“Impossible?  Don’t you know nothing is impossible!  You wanted me broken but all your Tower of Terror Dawn did was make me stronger”  Raven countered back.

Adageagos knew the battle was lost but, he was ready to end this war.  He dived deep into the ocean.

“This isn’t over Raven”  He taunted.

Terror Dawn 3

Apathia are crystals of great power.  The power was so great that for many years it was thought that the power couldn’t be honed but, Rita Mordio had an idea.  She was the youngest researcher of the Aspio Academy of Research.  Rita knew where others failed in tapping the power of the gem.  She took an apathia called a Cyan Cyclonias and, placed it into the containment unit she made the day before for the experiment.  She called the Sphere Ossenfinder.  She did not know at the time but, she had just created the most amazing invention of all time.  The Cyan Cyclonias’s core glowed and flashed faster and faster as the core began to push against the small ball.  Rita watched in amazement as the ball that started the size of a walnut began to grow to the size of an orange.  The core of apathia slightly poked out of the top of the sphere forming a button.  Rita grabbed a long pole and pressed the button in at a safe distance.

“Change”  A voice echoed around the room.

“Change what?”  Rita asked.

“Change me, tell me form”  The voice boomed across.

“A horse”  Rita said.

The ball lit up the entire room.  Rita had to look away as the blinding light came her way.  A few moments later she heard a neighing sound.  She looked back and saw a silver horse with a cyan mane.  She approached the animal with caution.

“Well that’s just great, I’ve lost the gem and turned into a horse, how am I going to revert this?”  Rita asked herself.

“Revert”  A voice boomed and the room lit up again.

The Sphere Ossenfinder landed into hands.  She looked it over/  She could see the black diamond shaped gem inside but, the core of apathia was now missing.  She looked at the cyan button it made a low glowing light as she stared.

“The core merged with the Sphere giving it a life of its own.  The Sphere Ossenfinder possesses some kind of shape shifting power.  More research is needed to better understand this all”  She recited into her audio journal.

Terror Dawn 2

Phaeroh the Phoenix king of the Entellica looked over the dark sands of corruption.  Adageagos his fallen brother had unleashed the darkness of hate onto the world and it was the first time this took place.  Eons ago, the Entellica lived on a blue planet that the natives called Earth.  The Entellica’s time and presence on this world was recorded in myths and legends of an ancient country called Greece.  Phaeroh screeched out a loud booming sound wave that echoed all across Vesperia.  A loud rumble followed as his brotherhood made their way to his crag.

“Brothers, these are times most dire”  Phaeroh opened the meeting.

“I say we crush him, he’s only one and there’s four of us”  Gustoes the Griffin grunted.

“Do I have to remind you how powerful the ten head hydria is? “  Phaeroh asked.

Phaeroh exhaled fire and, within the flames images appear.  It was a past battle back on the blue rock.

“We should not protect these little creatures, we should be their gods!”  Adageagos proclaimed.

“No!  We are the guardians of the world, we have protected  this place before the humans and will continue when their era ends”  Phaeroh countered.

Adageagos grabbed Phaeroh by the throat and threw him into the ocean below.  He then held the fire bird down in the water until his fire was burned out.

“I’ve killed Phaeroh, bow down to me now or die as well”  He shouted to others.

Gustoes took to the air and clawed one of his many heads.  Kroma the Dragon scorched the earth with his red fire.  Kam-Re the Pegasus kicked the giant monster in the gut with his heel feet.  Adageagos grabbed both Gustoes and Kam-Re at the same time and slammed them into each other and then threw Gustoes into Kroma.  He was so gleeful with his success he didn’t notice the red glow coming from the sea.

Suddenly a bright red light flew out from the water.  Phaeroh was even larger then he was before.  He grabbed the hydria and threw him into space and that day he became the king of his people.

“It took me dying once to get the strength to get rid of him.  I rather not have to do that again.  We need to bolstered our ranks.”  Phaeroh explained.

“I have a candidate”  Kroma spoke.

The others had their jaws dropped as Kroma was the least spoken of the four.

“Continue”  Phaeroh ordered.

“A hybrid dragon subclass, he is smaller then me but, his strange but yet powerful green fire maybe even hotter then mine”  Kroma explained.

“Alright get this beast here, I’ll perform the Rite of Enlightenment”  Phaeroh answered.

Kroma returned few minutes later with a dark red winged lizard.  The small but feissy reptitle was attempting to burn the larger black dragon.  Kroma sighed as he finally got tired of the attempts.  He hit the smaller dragon with his mighty tail and knocked him to the ground.  Phaeroh landed next to the dragon.  He leaned down breathe into him an aura.

“The breathe of knowledge and enlightenment I grant you.  Now stand and join your brothers and tell us your name”  Phaeroh ordered.

The small dragon got back upright and looked around.  He placed his front legs on his head as it was being flooded by information.

“Ouch my head hurts.  Me, Efreet”  Efreet told them.

The others all laughed as they remembered the same experience.

“So now we get the traitor?”  Gustoes asked.

“No, first we save Raven”  Phaeroh commanded.

Terror Dawn 1

Raven picked himself up and, took a look around.  The area was dark and damp.  There was screams of pain and suffering in the distance but, that wasn’t what caught Raven’s attention.  His personal effects were all missing.  Raven felt naked without his carry all bag which carried a wide assortment of bombs, flares, and other tricks that have come in handy more then a few times.  His quiver of arrows both ordinary and extraordinary was also gone as well though they wouldn’t been much value without his bow Dein Nomos which was also missing.  Finally but not least his prized Cloak of Phase had also vanished.  Raven  turned in all directions looking all over for his belongings.

“Hello”  A voice from behind.

Raven turned around and gasped at the sight of a floating head.  The head had bluish tint and had three horns going across its forehead.  Raven had seen many strange things in his life but never a floating blue demonic head.

“Who are you and what is this place?”  Raven demanded.

“I am Rangar and, this is my Tower of Terror Dawn.  Which you will remain here forever unless…”  Rangar raved.

“Unless what!”  Raven grunted.

“Well behind me a set of stairs which lead to set of trials.  The first four trials will be to recover your belongings.  The next set of trials will place you in melees with people that you have encountered during your travels, and  final set of trials will see if you are worthy to take on your ultimate challenge, I’ll be watching you”  Rangar’s image faded into nothingness.

Raven ran up the first stair case and, heard a rumble.  He looked back for moment and noticed the steps were crumbling as he rose to the next level.  There was no turning back.  Raven reached the top of stairs and saw a doorway.  He opened the door and was pulled inside by a strong gust of wind.

Raven got up and dusted himself off.  He saw his bag of tricks in the distance at the top of another set of stairs.  However when he began to head for the stairs a black blob slammed on the ground.  The blob rose and, became to form features of two dark eyes, and an evil smile.

“Oh does little black bird want his bag?  You have to defeat me first”  The blob shouted.

Raven racked his brain as the huge black creature slowly approached.  How was he to defeat to such a monster without any weapons at all.  Raven looked around and, saw that he was on a cliff top.  Raven ran towards the edge hoping that the creature was as dumb as it appeared.  As he hoped the blob followed him.  He picked up a rock and tossed it at the blob’s left eye.  The partly blind monster lunged at Raven but he sidestepped its lousy attempt.  The blob’s lunge sent it too close to edge and slipped off the cliff.

Raven ran up the stair case and placed his bag of tricks over his shoulder.

“I made that one easy out of the goodness of my heart, the next one will be tougher I swear”  Rangar declared.

“You are full of hot air you disembodied head!”  Raven yelled back.

The Raven Files Poems

Raven Files Poems

Raven--Something in me

Dreams and desires
A great legency is mapped out
For me
Some people would run
Knowing that this path
Leads to a short life
And never being at peace
But I dive into it
Not for glory

There's Something in me
That says not to accept
That just because
Ancient texts told
That I would die
If I fight the evil one

Something in me
Says I write my own destiny
That I will win and, bring peace
But if I should fall
I know I have planted seeds

New heroes will stand
And continue what I started
I lead them now but, I am confident
When they are on their own
They will prove themselves

Something in me
Says this is not the end
That there's more just beyond
The next corner
I know it won't always be easy
But...

There's something in me
And if you haven't figured out
I won't let anyone
Stop me from doing what needs to be done
Cause there's something in me
And it's ready to end this evil??


Yeager--A little more free

I was always loyal
But I was betrayed by jackals
That were afraid that I was too powerful
So to the World Series of Villains
Thank you for giving up on me
It only open a new doorway for me
And with a group that appreciates
What I can do
This is where I can be
A little more free

Kaufman--Undeniable

I don’t know where you came from
And sometimes I don’t understand fully
What are you
But, what you do to me
Is so unpredictable
It makes my heart race
It is so uncontrollable
Our love is sometimes illogical
But, above all
It’s undeniable

Raven--Rain

Some days the clouds follow me
Trouble seems never to give me any peace
But, I like the rain that falls
It’s nature cleansing

So it looks like rain today
But that’s alright with me
Wash away my troubles
And bring a bright rainbow
To shine my way to golden pot

Kaufman's Fortunate chapter 9

“What are those things?”  Nan gasped.

“Some kind of mobile canon”  Raven  proclaimed.

The mobile canons trek across the Sands of Kogoth with an eerie crawl with a trial of tread marks behind them.  Suddenly, from the lead one of the three huge war machines a figure rose up from its underbelly.  The individual pulled up his goggles to reveal his red eyes.  He raised his hand up high and as he dropped it all three canon fired in unison.

Raven and Fortunate ducked down as the huge shells whiz by them.

“We can’t survive a direct hit of that!”  Nan shouted.

“It’s a canon right, why can’t we just plug it up?”  Leblanc asked.

Raven looked at his former student and, gave him a pat on the back.

“Leblanc, you have learned a thing or two didn’t you?”  Raven ran towards the mobile canons.

“Knights protect, Raven the Great”  Leblanc ordered.

Raven pulled out three arrows and, made his way to the lead canon.  At one point the canon fires at him but, a knight shoves Raven out of the way.  Raven got back up and looked back.  He silently promises that his sacrifice won’t be in vain.  Raven fired his first arrow and breaks open right before it hit’s the lead canon’s barrel.  Glue was released that stuck onto the end of the mobile canon’s barrel.

“You will pay for that!”  The man jumped down from his platform.

Ringbores goes whizzing by both Raven and the man which catches the man’s attention.  He watches as Nan catches her giant ring on its return.  He heads towards her.

“Hey knife ears, how dare you share the same air I, Alexei Rosenberg breathes”  He lunges at Nan.

Kandor gets between them though and slams Thororion into Alexei’s gut.

“We can breathe the air, it doesn’t belong to you”  Kandor grunted.

Alexei sighed as he had dirty his hands with this dwarf.  He was created the perfectly and, all those who were not like Alexei were no different then the sands of the desert.  Alexei took out a small whistle and blew it.  The other two mobile canons fired and Kandor was thrown backward.

“Kandor!”  Nan went to him and held his head.

“Kandor is fine, she-elf”  He grunted.

Raven fired glue arrows into the barrels of the other canons rendering them useless or at least the firing ability anyways.  He ordered a retreat to the crag which Duke and his cohorts believed they had the advantage which is but, Raven had a trump card still.

“Stop Duke!  For the kid gloves are off now!  If you continue this battle, it will lead to your peril”  Raven warned.

Duke began to laugh insanely.

“If you haven’t noticed you are trapped between a rock and hard place”  Duke crackled as he could taste victory.

“Look again Duke, or I should say look up?”  Raven pointed to the top of the crag.

Duke looked up and his laughter ended as he saw his true situation.  Perched on top of the crag was a huge bird.  He had never seen this bird personally before but, knew it was Phaeroh  the phoenix Entellica.  Suddenly he heard a rumble behind him and there was giant dragon blocking their escape.  Kroma the dragon Entellica took a deep breathe in and burned a wall of fire around the war machines.

Alexei cleaned out the glue in the barrel of his mobile canon but, as he orders for it to be fired Gustoes the griffion Entellica picks up the mobile canon and drops it on another one of the mobile canons.

Duke pressed a button on his head set and metal bird swept in and he grabs on an escape ladder.  Raven took a quick look to see that Phaeroh was healing Kandor’s wounds with his tears, as well sees Kam-Re landing near him.

“He can’t get away, let’s go Kam-Re”  Raven climbed up on the winged horse.

Raven followed the metal bird on his winged friend.  He points down to Mount Temza to direct Kam-Re to head there. Kam-Re got ahead of Duke’s plane and, as Raven expected Duke followed them towards the huge mountain.  Kam-Re continued to head right at the side of mountain.  Raven pulled hard on the reigns just before they colliding with Temza but, Duke wasn’t as lucky.  His plane smashes into the mountain.  There is a huge boom as Duke’s corpse is burning and cover in a mix of his blood and oil.

As Raven landed back near his friends a huge rumble came from the ocean.  A huge monster with ten heads rose out of the water.

“Oh no it’s the Adageagos, we were too late”  Kam-Re sighed.

Raven walked over the huge creature.  He extended his arms looked into the many eyes of the monster.

“If you were here to destroy this world, I will stop you!”  Raven proclaimed.

“Ah, the server of my brothers, I could crush you and then everyone would bow down to me but, I think this will be more fun”  Adageagos picked up Raven and threw him into a dark void.

“Raven! Where did you send him?”  Phaeroh demanded.

“To the Tower of Terror Dawn, of course”  He answered with an unison laugh from all his heads.

The end

To be continued in The Tower of Terror Dawn

Kaufman's Fortunate chapter 8

“Raven!  Have you lost your mind?”  Kaufman shook her head in disbelief,

“No, the longer this fight goes on, the more that will get hurt.  We have to end this fight right now”  Raven declared.

“Yeah, but why here?  It’s so hot”  Nan wiped the sweat from her brow.

“Three reasons.  First one, no people live here so no innocents will be caught in the crossfire of this fight.  Second one, It’s a part of my plan, and last reason, because I have a friend that lives around here and, I think it’s time for Duke and him to meet”  Raven explained.

The whole group looked at each other and all around.  They wondered who would live in such a desolate and hot place?  Raven looked over the desert field and noticed the rocky crag to the south.  He drew a sand map with one end of his bow.

“Ok, listen we have to keep that crag behind us, we can’t let Duke get between us and that crag.  If things get too troubled fall back towards that crag.  Understood?”  Raven pointed at the crag.

The group all nodded in unison but, they couldn’t understand what Raven was planning.  What was so special about that crag?  Before they had the time to really consider it though a huge dust field began to sweep towards them.  Raven took out his looking glass and saw three auto-coaches like the one he saw before.  In the middle one, there was Duke who had some strange looking horn in his hand.  No doubt another banned machine Raven thought.  To Duke’s left was the Blood Alliance’s boss, Barbos who had replaced his trusted sword for one of Duke’s long guns.  On the right was Duke’s right hand, Evan Eagles who had a smirk on his face as they approached.

Duke put the strange horn to his mouth and his voice boomed across the lands as if he could be heard across the entire planet.

“Ah, Great archer we meet again, I never thought you would want to fight me again after I left in the condition you were in at Zaude”  Duke laughed.

“Duke!  Listen to me, you are leading the world to its ruin.  A monster is coming and it’s drawn to the banned machines.  If you won’t stop yourself, then I will end your reign of terror”  Raven declared.

Duke smirked and yawned in boredom.  He pressed a button next to him and a mounted gun rose from the back end of his vehicle.  The gun was different from the other ones that he had used before. Instead of one barrel, it had several that ringed around a center barrel.  He pressed another button and the mounted gun’s barrels began to rotate and fire.  As each barrel made its way to the top of circle it fired.

Raven and Fortunate had to duck down into the sand to avoid the continuous fire.  Raven tried to stop the multiple fire gun but, his arrows bounced off with no effect.  Then Raven remembered how he noticed the rubber tires on the auto-coach.  He fired two arrows.  The two arrows hit the front wheels.

“Nice try archer but, your arrows won’t make them flat.  These wheels were once called run flat tires”  Duke laughed at his own joke.

However the joke was on Duke though.  Raven figured that his arrows wouldn’t alone make them flat but, he didn’t fire ordinary arrows.  After a few seconds, the left arrow blew up.  The auto-coach hunched over from its left side.  Then the right arrow also exploded.  The mounted gun broke off its mount as the auto-coach crashed down.

Duke still had an arrogant smile on his face as he gave a glance over to both Barbos and Eagles.  The backend of the two cohorts’ auto-coaches opened and twelve troopers came marching out of each machine.  Raven fired a barrage of arrows at the troops but, their armor protected them.

“Finally!  Some fun!”  Kandor grunted.

Kandor rushed the unit of thugs.  They fired their long guns but, nothing could slow down the dwarf.  He slammed his mighty hammer Thororion on the ground.  The earth shook and the troopers fell over.  Yeager swept the legs of one trooper but, as he was going to drive Leviathan’s Claw into his torso, Barbos tackled him.

“You will die by my hand laddie”  Barbos began to choke Yeager.

For Yeager it was rare for him to be in a battle that he wasn’t the biggest but, the brute was not only taller then him but much more heavier.  Yeager remembered a move he had learned recently from Nan that would be perfect.  He chopped the elbows of Barbos with quick slaps.  Barbos grip loosen and, Yeager pushed him away.

Nan was surrounded  by an unit of troopers.  She pulled her large ring and threw it in a circular motion.

“I just hate crowds”  Nan grabbed Ringbores as it came back to her.

Duke grunted in disgust at the poor display of his  army.  He pressed a button next to his right ear and a small microphone extended out..

“Send in the fighters”  He said into the microphone.

Suddenly a roar came from the distance.  Raven looked over towards the commotion.  At first he thought it was just more auto-coaches but, these machines didn’t have wheels.  They trek across the sands with tread bands but, that was not what all of Kaufman’s Fortunate was staring at.  In the front of each machine was huge long canons.

“We’re seriously outnumbered here”  Nan sighed.

“How do you like my tank fighters, little birdie”  Duke laughed sinisterly.

Duke’s joy ended quickly when he heard another rumble coming.  He looked back and saw several hundred horsemen in full gallop entering the area.

“Stage one of my plan is compete, now we’re in stage two”  Raven said to himself.

Kaufman's Fortunate chapter 7

Kaufman’s Fortunate entered the village of Mantinea and noticed a commotion around the town center.  A man was standing on a podium and, screaming his doubt and fears among everyone around him.  Raven got off his horse and took a spot in the crowd as he listened to the crazed man.  Raven heard a teenage girl counter his rants by saying that “Raven the Great is coming to help”

“Raven the Great is a myth.  Everyone says he’s eight feet tall and can shoot fire from his eyes.  He isn’t coming to save you, we’re all doomed!”  The crazed man screamed

Raven grabbed the mouth of Nan who was about to speak up.  “I’ll handle this myself”  He said quietly.

“You’re right, Raven is not coming.  Why would someone that big and powerful waste his time helping people and you’re right Raven isn’t going to save you, because you will save yourselves.  I will teach you how to fend for yourselves.  Yes, Raven isn’t coming, for I am Raven, and I am already here!”  Raven proclaimed.

“You’re not Raven, you are not even all that big”  The crazed idiot countered.

“People can make a difference no matter how big they are,  Meet my friend Kandor, he’s a dwarf, and yet he is one of the strongest warriors I’ve ever known.  Meet the incredible Nan, she isn’t big either but, her skills are so fine that she can tackle people much bigger then them and as for me, I am an archer and with proper training and practice the bow can be very powerful for anyone no matter what size.”  Raven declared.

Kaufman’s Fortunate set up training areas for the village.  Raven taught archery.  He fired an arrow with Dein Nomos.  He did it slower then usual  so the crowd could see how he pulled the bow back.

“Duke’s agents use the gun but, it has a weakness.  The gun only has one shot.  It takes them forever to reload.  I can fire seven arrows in one minute, while I don’t expect the same from a new archer, I believe you can do three arrows which is still two more arrows then the one bullet from their guns”  Raven explained.

Nan taught star throwing in the next station.  She threw a throwing star in each hand at the bulls eye.  She watched as the villagers threw theirs.  A few stars hit the target while others went into the ground.  The young elf slapped her forehead.  “This is gonna be a long day”  She said quietly.

Yeager’s station was meant to teach how to use the common items they had as weapons.  He swept the leg of a training dummy then stabbed it with Leviathan’s Claw.

“You can do this with the pitch forks you use everyday on your farms.”  Yeager explained.

Raven looked over the gateway as a trial of dust swept across the land.  He could barely see a metallic reflection in front the sweep.  He reached into his bag of tricks and pulled his looking glass.  He zoomed in and saw some kind of stage coach but, not an ordinary one.  There were no horses pulling this metal object along the ground.  He realized that it had to be another one of Duke’s machines.  He looked the machine over and noticed its wheels looked black and, made of rubber.  He wondered if the rubber could be pierced?

“Everyone to your positions!  They are coming!”  Raven ordered.

Most of the villagers hid in various spots.  Which left only Raven, the rest of Fortunate, and the town elder out in the open.  The auto-coach came to a stop and a man stepped out.  The man had a long range gun strapped across his shoulder, two more hand guns to each of his sides, and over his right eye was a red lens monocle.

“I want my weekly, payment old man”  He pointed at the elder.

“They’re not going to pay you anymore, stranger”  Raven countered.

“Ah, Raven the Great, my boss told me about you and your cohorts, but you are wrong these people are so afraid and…”  The man snapped his fingers.

Suddenly from the back of the auto-coach, opened and rushing out were twelve blood alliance thugs which each of them had a long gun in the hands.

“As you can see, you are outnumbered”  The man laughed.

“Now!”  Raven shouted.

A volley of arrows came flying out from the distance.  The frazzled troops fired their guns in random directions.  They then were forced to fumble around with their gun trying to reload them.  Before they could complete the reloading another volley came soaring towards them.

“They’re not afraid of you anymore.”  Raven proclaimed.

The second unit came in next with their throwing stars.  None of the stars did any damage but, the small spinning metal objects continued to put the thugs on edge.  They stumbled about as the third unit came ready.

“I didn’t catch your name by the way.  Send a message to Duke for me.  I’m tired of this crap, come meet me in the Sands of Kogoth for a epic battle to decide all”  Raven ordered.

“I’m Evan Eagles, and if you are that stupid to have a fight with Duke, he’ll be glad to crush your spirit”  Eagles laughed.

The third unit ready with their pitch forks tripped the thugs and disarmed them with a quick sweeping move.  The troops got up and ran away screaming in fear.  Eagles shook his head.

“Good help is so hard to find, well I guess I’ll be off, I’ll deliver your message, little birdie”  He got into the auto-coach.

Raven laughed as he looked around at the villagers who were no longer afraid but, rejoicing their victory.  Raven mounted his horse and, began to ride off.

“Wait!  How can we thank you for saving us?”  The elder asked.

Raven turned his horse back and rode up to the elder.

“Did I fire those arrows?  Did I throw those stars?  Did I wield those pitch forks?  No I didn’t save you, you saved yourself as I told you that you would.  Now you know how to fight for your home and will let no bully take it from you”  Raven rode off.

“One question Raven, why the Sands of Kogoth?”  Yeager asked.

“The only advantage we have is to pick the venue dear friend, and well I have a plan”  Raven explained.

Kaufman's Fortunate chapter 6

“And that’s what I’ve been up to since we last saw each other”  Raven said.

He looked around and all their jaws were still dropped.  He didn’t know it was about the flying city, about the tablet that spelt out his destiny or that Vesperia was endanger to being eaten by a large monster.  As Yeager was about to finally say something a tiny bird flew into the room.  A note was tied on the avian’s leg.  Raven gently picked up the bird and, removed the note from its skinny leg.

“What’s that?”  Nan asked.

“It’s what separates a good spy from the great ones.  Information, I have informants all over the world that provide me intelligence.”  Raven explained as he rolled out the note, and fed the bird before it flew back off.

Raven read the note silently.  The next moment surprised everyone, the cool and calm leader slammed his fist on the table.

“Bastard!  What kind of man does that?”  Raven screamed.

Yeager picked up the note and read it aloud.

“Dear my friend, it’s terrible, Duke and Barbos have made a labor camp of women.  They are torturing them and holding their children imprisoned.  Come quickly my friend we’re at Halure, rescue them please, signed Cumore”  Yeager read.

“Cumore?  He is a spy inside the Blood Alliance, I never expected”  Yeager added.

“I have quite a few Blood Alliance members secretly working for me, you included remember Yeager”  Raven proclaimed.

:No longer working in secret”  Yeager countered back.

“Kaufman, have the course set for Port Torim that’s the closest we can get to Halure from sea”  Raven ordered.

Raven knew that was why Duke must had chosen that area.  Being that it was landlocked no one could attack him from seaside.  Raven also knew that meant that instead of a rescue he needed to take control of the camp for they couldn’t get the prisoners out quickly cause of the location.  Raven quietly wrote a note and placed it on a leg of another bird.  He whispers something to the small bird before letting it fly off.

“What was that for?”  Yeager asked.

“Just in case”  Raven answered.

Raven looked over towards Kaufman and, softly growled.  He was still fuming over this behavior.  He still was having trouble understanding how a man could treat women this way.  He would never lay a hand on his wife or any other female either and, the idea that Duke was torturing innocent women and keeping them from their children just boggled Raven’s mind.

At Torim, Raven dipped several of his arrows into a poison.  He knew his usual tactic wouldn’t work.  He usually never intended to keep someone.  He would do just enough  to get the job done but, that was against men.  He had figured out that Duke isn’t a man at all.  A real man wouldn’t do such a thing.  Real men know that they are nothing without a good woman along their side.  For she completes the man and gives him balance in their lives.

“No, that bastard is no man, he’s a monster”  Raven declared.

They traveled during night to give them more an edge approaching Halure in secret.  Halure had a huge wall around and barb wire wrapped around the top of the wall.  However Raven, had something for that wall.  He pulled out an arrow and fired into the wall.  Few seconds later, the arrow exploded and the four heroes rushed in through the gap.

Raven fired arrow after arrow which dropped each thug with effective toxic that quickly took their health and fight out of them.  He did not see the two he really wanted to get a taste of his venom though.  He did see though women both young and old with blood stained clothes.

Yeager ripped through former members of his Blood Alliance with mighty swings of his sickle.  He reached the prison gate and broke off the lock with a slash of Leviathan’s Claw.  The image of young boys and girls shaking in wet and cold clothes made him as anger as his fearless leader.

“It’s alright come with me, Lady Kaufman has food and blankets for you”  Yeager led the children out.

Kandor slammed his hammer on the ground and the thugs fell down from the rumbles.  He continued to grunt and slam his hammer as he took on each enemy.  Suddenly, one  of them though tripped him with a lasso.  The killer stood over him with his sword ready to end the dwarf’s life.  Kandor closed his eyes as the sword began to come down towards him but, then he heard a thump.  He opened his eyes and the thug was on his back and Ringbores was lying next to the thug.

“You alright?”  Nan offered her hand to him to help him up.

Kandor froze for a moment.  The thought he was just rescued by an elf girl was a blow to his pride but, after giving it some thought he reached up and accepted her hand.

“Aye, but don’t think this will become a habit, I don’t need your help elf”  Kandor grunted.

“You’re welcome”   Nan replied.

Raven continued to fire arrows all around and, making his way to command center.  He wondered who Duke might had left in charge of Halure until he saw a familiar face.

“Miss me Raven?  Did you really think our fight was over”  Zagi said.

“I warn you Zagi, my arrows are poisoned, if you do this it will be to the death”  Raven replied.

“That’s fine with me, my daggers are poisoned as well”  Zagi threw a knife at Raven.

Raven dodged the small blade.  Before he counter though Zagi was on top of him.  He grabbed Zagi’s wrist as Zagi attempted to stab him with a toxic blade.  Suddenly, there was a great rumble from the distance..

“It’s the Knights!”  A Blood Alliance thug shouted.

“That was the just in case”  Yeager said with a smile.

Zagi got off Raven and began to ride off on a black horse.

“No, I don’t think so this time”  Raven fired an arrow as he rode off.

It hit Zagi in the leg and, he fell off his horse.  Zagi pulled the arrow out and continue to limp away.  Nan was about to throw a throwing star but, Raven stopped her hand.

“He’s already dead, he just doesn’t know it yet.  Don’t waste the star”  Raven ordered.

“Raven!  It’s good to see you old friend”  Leblanc rode up on a horse.

“Sir Leblanc, I offer the order of the Knights this fine fort for the order.  Take good care of it”  Raven hugged his former student.

“Perfect, we take a place from Duke and give it to one of our allies, that’s killing two birds with one stone Raven”  Yeager laughed.

They all laughed together.

Over the next few days, Kaufman provided warm clothes and meals to those who had been mistreated by Duke.  Leblanc had been named the commander of Fort Halure and, was given an unit of two hundred knights and thirty archers to help him defend his new post.

It was a victory today but, it was only the first fight of many to come.  Raven received another message bird that told him a small village was being bullied by Duke’s Agents.  He gathered his friends and, wished his former pupil well.

“I’m very proud of you, Sir Leblanc, we have to go to help more people being mistreated”  Raven explained.

“Thank you my friend, if you ever need help, just send message my men and I will serve Raven the Great!”  Leblanc shouted as Raven rode off.

Kaufman's Fortunate chapter 5

Raven fell from the top of Zaude.  Drops of red raining down ahead of him as he descended to the ocean below.  Raven closed his eyes as he was to hit the water but, suddenly he wasn’t falling anymore.  He opened his eyes and he was lying on the ground.  He got up and, looked himself over.  He noticed the eight holes from Duke’s gunfire had closed up.  The only sign that he had ever been shot was the blood stains and holes in his top.  He looked around and saw nothing familiar to him.  The area had ivory houses all around and golden roads running through.  He walked towards a huge gate and looked beyond.

“Whoa, this city is in the sky”  Raven gasped.

“Welcome to Sky City”  A voice behind him said.

Raven turned and saw a huge winged horse.  The Pegasus was white and had huge golden wings.  Raven noticed the silver eyes as well which told him this was an Entellica he had not yet met before.  Raven bowed in respect to the great flying horse.

“I am Raven the Great, the child of the full moon, forgive great Entellica but I am not familiar with you“  Raven introduced himself.

“I am Kam-Re the Pegasus Entellica.  I watch and protect this great hidden city of Sky City.  Wait did you say your name is Raven? “  Kam-Re asked.  “A raven was a black bird”  Kam-Re added quietly to himself.

“Yes, I am Raven”  Raven answered.

Kam-Re grabbed Raven tossing him into the air and placing him on his back.  Kam-Re began to ride to the biggest house of the city.  As he reached the doors they swung open for the winged horse automatically.  Inside was a huge wall inscription in Entellexian language.  Raven looked it over.

“One day, the black bird will come, and he will usher in generations of peace, and be a protector of the innocent, and a defender of justice, but the black bird will receive a great defeat by an evil using the weapons agreed to be no longer used, the black bird will return with a new friend who has wings of gold and great bow of bravery, he will defeat his enemy and stave off the Adageagos”  Raven red the story.

“Well, I am the black bird, it is talking about, friend with wings of gold that be you, Kam-Re.  The enemy that using banned weapons that’s Duke, but what is the bow of bravery and what is the Adageagos?”  Raven asked.

“I am sorry my friend, but I am not familiar with the Adageagos; however the bow of bravery on the other hand.  It’s a weapon that was made by my brotherhood.  It’s one of four weapons that great heroes must be tested and earned to use.  The bow’s name is Dein Nomos.  There’s also Leviathan’s Claw, Thororion, and Ringbores as well.”  Kam-Re explained.

“Phaeroh would know can you take me to him, Kam-Re”  Raven asked.

Without hesitating Kam-Re ran out of the house.  Raven had to hold on hard not to be thrown off.  Kam-Re jumped into the air and began to flap his huge wings.  Kam-Re soared smoothly through the air.  Raven looked down and saw trees looking like small bushes.  Raven then saw the great Mt Temza look like a small hill from the heights they were.  Kam-Re landed at Phaeroh’s Crag.  The huge firebird rose his head as saw the Pegasus.

“Phaeroh, can you tell me what the Adageagos is?”  Raven asked as he got down from Kam-Re.

“Adageagos was once an Entellica but, he betrayed the brotherhood.  As you know, Raven we are guardians of the world.  Adageagos destroyed a planet long ago and, thus we cast him out into the realm of space itself.”  Phaeroh explained.

“So, what sub-species is he?  The picture at Sky City was damaged”  Raven replied.

“I know you are familiar with the human names we received when my kind lived on the planet of Earth.  Do you remember the legend of Hercules from Greek legend, in that story he fought a many sea monster with many heads which devour people with and to make matters worse if you remove a head.”  Phaeroh was cut off by Raven.  “It grew three more, so Adageagos is a hydria”  He said.

“Kam-Re I need to do some things before I can return to my friends, please watch over them.  I’ll meet you when you are ready for collecting the great weapons of old.”  Raven walked off towards Mt. Temza.

Kaufman's Fortunate chapter 4

The trio turned to see a hooded figure walking towards them. The hooded man took a place in a line across with Yeager along his side, and Kandor and Nan making the right end of the lineup.  He pull back his hood to reveal his face.

“I knew that idiot Duke couldn’t put you down”  Yeager declared.

“Who the heck is this human?”  Kandor grunted.

Yeager was about to answer that outburst but, the man grabbed his arm.

“Who am I?  I am one of the last of the children of the full moon, I am a member of a dying race, I am not a human, Dwarf!  I am Raven the Great, and the leader of Kaufman’s Fortunate!”  Raven proclaimed.

“In these caverns, there are four weapons, they are no ordinary weapons, they grant special powers to those who are deemed worthy of them.  Dien Nomos the Bow of Bravery, Leviathan’s Claw the Sickle of Strength, Thororion the Hammer of Honor, and Ringbores the Ring of Reality.  You each will have to pass a test to earn your weapon”  Kam-Re instructed.

Raven led the four into the caverns.  He reached into his bag of tricks and pulled out a flare.  He lit the flare and saw the symbols on the walls.

“This is Entellexian script”  He said.

“What?”  The trio said in unison.

“The race you know better as the children of full moon are the Entellexian, which are the evolved form of Entellica race, which I’m sure you noticed Kam-Re and all other of his kind have silver eyes like mine.  Most of my race dyed out in a war with the Kritian many centuries ago though.”  Raven explained.

“Well then, what does this stuff say?”  Yeager asked.

“Those who seek the arms of Entellexian must prove themselves worthy,  Each corridor contains one of the four.  For the archer that faces and passes his fear, he’ll received the bow of bravery,  For the reaper who proves he has true strength, he’ll earn the sickle of strength, for the ninja that proves that they can tell what’s real and what’s not will gain the ring of reality and, for the warrior who proves he fights with honor will be bestowed the hammer of honor”  Raven read.

Raven took the corridor that the bow would lead to.  He had no idea how the test might be like but, was confident he’ll pass.  After about fifty feet in, the corridor opened up to a large room.  Raven gasped as he saw Nan on the far end of a gap.  He was about to leap over to the other side when he saw the vipers in the gap below.  Raven stopped in his tracks.

“Why did it have to be snakes?”  He said.

Suddenly, a large snake grabbed Nan’s leg.  She screamed.  Raven’s fear of snakes was great but, his nature to helping someone in need was greater.  He reached out his zip line arrow and fired it across the gap.  He swung across the gap.  A few of the legless reptiles tried to take a bite at him but, he kept his body up high on the line.  He kicked off the snake on Nan, and was about to help her up when Nan disappeared.  In her place floated in midair was a golden bow.  The bow had diamond and ruby gems around its handle and on the inside arch was written.

“True bravery is to do what’s right even when you are scared.  This is the bow of bravery, Dien Nomos”  Raven read.
Yeager walked down the path set for Leviathan’s Claw.  He wondered how the sickle would be?  He also wondered what would be his test of strength.  He entered a large room with a huge rock pile in one corner.  He noticed Kandor standing next to the pile.  He was leaning against the rock pile.  The pile began to get loose.  A huge rock fell on top of the dwarf.  Yeager rushed over and began to try to push the huge rock away.  Kandor grunted in pain as Yeager failed to move to the stone.  Yeager took out his sickle and stuck the blade part under the rock creating a lever.  He pressed down as hard as he could.  His sickle’s handle bent as far as it could until it snapped.  The recoil of the snap moved the rock the last few feet to free Kandor.  Yeager went to help the dwarf but mist came and, where Kandor had been was a huge sickle.  The sickle had a scale armored rod and, the blade looked like it was made of a large animal’s claw and inscribed on the blade was its name.

“Leviathan’s Claw, I see where you get your name”  Yeager said as grabbed the reaper.

Kandor murmured to himself as he went down his path.  He was intrigued retrieve this weapon but, he was still steaming that he was taking orders from others.  Especially; from a human and a humanlike creature.  He entered a large room and saw Raven in the middle of fight circle.

“I’m challenging you Dwarf to a battle!”  Raven shouted.

Kandor fired out a war cry and, raised his hammer.  He rushed in towards Raven.  Raven fired a barrage of arrows at Kandor but, he ignored them and swung his hammer at the archer.  Suddenly the earth shook and Raven lost his balance.  Kandor stood over him with his hammer pulled back and ready to slam the archer.  Kandor froze in his tracks though, he grunted a few times as he put down his hammer.

“Nay, Kandor will not take a victory like that”  He reached down to help up Raven.

Raven faded away and, in his place was a huge war hammer that had ivory crusting.  Kandor looked at the hammer for several moments then he noticed dwarf script on the handle.

“Victory without honor is a defeat.  Always fight with honor and Thororion will never let you down”  He read.

Nan went down her journey.  She wondered what was in store for her.  She also wondered how the others were fairing.  As she entered a large room a ring of fire engulfed the area trapping her inside it.  

“This can’t be real”  Nan said.

She saw Yeager on the other side of the ring and he was on fire.  She wanted to help him but, she was afraid to get burned.  Then she remembered the test.

“Ring of Reality”  She said as she walked into the fire.

She felt no heat from the flames and when she reached Yeager he faded away as well.  A huge silver crested ring that she could tell she could throw and spin it like her former big star.  She noticed elfish writing on the center handle.

“If you know what’s real Ringbores will always be true”  She read.

She left the room and reentered the main corridor she was greeted by the others who also had received their prized weapons as well.
“Now let’s get back to the ship, so we can start taking the fight to Duke”  Raven ordered.

The foursome began to walk back to the Fietra.

Kaufman's Fortunate chapter 3

Kaufman moored the Fierta near a beach that was a day or two travel via horseback to Daghgrest.  Her way of thinking was that the Blood Alliance would be ready for them to dock at Daghgrest directly.  She noticed a new tower in the middle plains away from all of living signs.  The huge metal tower had giant canon on its top.  She kept wandering through her memories that she had seen a canon like that before but couldn’t recall where.

As they rode pass the tower the canon moved and aimed towards them.  Kaufman gave her ride a nudge to pick up its pace.  The canon began to fire huge fiery blasts.  They continued to ride hard as explosions crashed around them.  Kaufman led them towards the bridge that entered Daghgrest when suddenly the huge canon blasted away the bridge.  She pulled back on her horse to stop.  As she turned around though they were surrounded by members of Blood Alliance.  She also noticed they had a dwarf in bonds.

She gave Nan a look over and eyed the dwarf.  Nan nodded as she had the same idea.  Nan pulled a small ninja star from her belt and threw towards the dwarf.  The star sliced through the chain links with ease.  The dwarf grunted a war cry as he drew his war hammer and began to slam and smash his former captors.

The giant canon fired again and, shook the ground.  The Blood Alliance thugs grabbed Kaufman and held a knife to her throat.

“Drop your weapons or I kill the Lady Profit”  The thug proclaimed.

They sighed as they were forced to do as they were told.  The thugs led them to the huge tower.  It looked even taller up close.  The tower rose several hundred feet into the air.  Kaufman noted that the guards had guns like Duke’s gun.  “Are they working with Duke?”  She quietly asked herself.

“Well, what do we have here laddies?  Maybe I ought try out my new toy on you girlie”  Barbos pointed a gun at Kaufman.

“I thought the Blood Alliance didn’t play second fiddle to anyone, but now I see you’re just Duke’s lapdogs!”  Kaufman boasted defiantly.

Barbos slapped Kaufman across her face with the butt of his gun.  The others grunted in anger as she fell down.

“Take them to the cell”  Barbos ordered.

Guards grabbed Kaufman and drugged her across the floor while other guards ushered the others along as well.  The guards picked up Kaufman and tossed her into the cell and then the others were pushed in as well.

“Fine rescue you did”  The dwarf grunted.

“We were trying to help you” Nan took off her pink headband to use to clean Kaufman’s face.

Kaufman looked up at Nan and noticed for the first time that she had pointed ears.  The telltale sign of the elves.

“No wonder this rescue didn’t go as planned with an elf on the party”  The dwarf snorted.

“Well, maybe we would do better if you would carried your own weight shortie”  Nan shot back.

“Enough!  Both of you, this solves nothing, we have to be a team to get out of this, so Nan and I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name”  Kaufman raised her hands to get their attention.

“Me?  I, Kandor of Aspio”  Kandor introduced himself.

The cell door opened and a tall figure stepped in.  Kaufman’s green eyes burned with anger as she glazed over him.  The Blood Alliance’s second-in-command Yeager just looked her way for a few moments without saying a word.

“Leave us!”  He ordered the guards/

“But, Barbos said no one could be in here without an escort.”  One guard countered.

“Who am I?  No, better question who are you to question my orders?  I’m Barbos’ right hand, what I say is the same as his word for you now obey me or I’ll slay you where you stand”  Yeager raised his sickle.

The two guards sprinted out of the cell.  Yeager gave a small grin as they flew out of the door as fast as bats out of the abyss.  He turned back towards the group.

“Is it true that the Archer is dead?”  He asked Kaufman/

“What did you come to gloat and celebrate his death!”  Kaufman shouted back.

“On the contrary, my Lady Profit, Raven and I made had been enemies, I respected the man, and I know he shared the feeling, I don’t celebrate the death of my equal in battle.  Especially, if what Duke said is true.  Did he really gun down Raven like a coward?”  Yeager sighed.

“He did.  We were there, Leblanc and me, we saw it all.”  Kaufman replied.

“By the maker!  No great warrior deserves to go out that way!  I know, we have been enemies Lady Kaufman but, I have to make this right.”  Yeager opened his jacket and weapons rolled out from under.

He undid their bonds and, the warriors picked up a weapon from Yeager’s stash.  A small arsenal of throwing stars for Nan, a small battle ax for Kandor, and a short sword for Leblanc.  Yeager left the cell first.  He distracted the guards as the others slipped out as well.  Once Yeager saw they were all out he gave a quick and powerful punch across one guard’s jaw and, before the other could respond, Nan broke a flower pot over his head.

Yeager took lead as they continued to make their way to the exit.  He swung his huge reaper to keep away former compatriots.  Barbos grunted as he saw the betrayal right before his eyes.

“Yeager, you’re dead you lousy traitor”  Barbos shouted.

“You’re the traitor, Barbos, you sold out the Blood Alliance to Duke!”  Yeager countered back.

The group made their way through bad shots that couldn’t hit even a point blank range.  Duke’s guns that he had given the assassins were only good for single shots.  After firing the handguns reloading them was a pain in the neck.  Yeager used the reload time to move the group out the tower.  He knew that the worse part wasn’t over though.  For the last  line of defense wasn’t even Duke’s doing.  The huge canon on top of the tower was the same canon that Raven witnessed months ago on Mount Temza.  The canon that had a life of its own.  Kritian’s Heracles canon had been stolen by the Blood Alliance with help of Duke.  The canon fired a few shots around the heroes.

“Look it’s that winged horse again!”  Nan pointed into the sky.

Kam-Re flew round and round the tower which had the canon spinning trying to hit him.  He was too fast for the canon however.  The canon began to smoke as its turning gears overheated.  Kam-Re noticing the overheating landed next to the canon and gave it a huge kick with his hind legs.  The canon fell off the tower and slammed into the sand below.  Kam-Re landed next to the group.

“You lost some of your weapons my companions.  I know where you can find replacements if you are up for the quest”  Kam-Re pulled tossed a bag which he had in his mouth at Yeager’s feet.

Yeager opened the bag and saw a map.  He unrolled the map and looked it over.  He saw a cave marked on the Mecca land.  They continued their way back to the Fietra.

“We can’t go on this quest until your names are cleared”  Yeager took out a letter gave it to Leblanc.

“That letter will clear your names, it contains proof that you’re innocent”  Yeager added.

Kam-Re landed on the deck.

“Let me fly you, young knight to Daghgrest to get this clear up”  Kam-Re offered.

Leblanc tried to get on the winged horse but, fell off.  Yeager grabbed him and lifted him back up there.  Kam-Re flew off with Leblanc hanging on as tight as he could.

“It probably take some time before he gets back, I say we go find these legendary weapons”  Yeager ordered.

“Wait who died and made you leader?”  Kandor grunted.

“One, I am the only one with command experience.  Two, I am just  filling in until the real leader arrives”  Yeager said.

Mecca land was the most mountainous area of the entire world.  It had a ton of caves that many could get lost in.  Yeager suggested that Kaufman remain with the ship since the dangers.  She reluntically agreed.  Yeager reached the cave the on the map and noticed the carvings of a bow, a huge ring, a hammer, and a reaper.

“If I’m reading these symbols right there’s four weapons in there somewhere, but there’s only three of us.”  Yeager explained.

Kam-Re landed in front them.

“The knight has cleared their names, but he has been ordered to stay and take part in knightly duties, and yes you will need a team of four for this journey”  Kam-Re proclaimed.

“Ah, are you gonna be the fourth bird horse”  Kandor murmured.

“No, I had more him in mind for that”  Kam-Re pointed with his gold wings into the distance.

Kaufman's Fortunate chapter 2

The winds died down and the Fietra had to come to a stop until the wind picked up again.  Kaufman knew they were still a day away from Daghgrest however it was the nature of sailing.  She was at the mercy of the wind currents.  Kaufman looked over the water astern and saw a metallic shine.  “Another ship?” She said to herself.  She continued to watch the small object begin to get bigger and more in focus as it came her way.

“That can’t be a ship where is its sails”  Nan proclaimed.

Kaufman continued to watch the ship continuing to head their way.  She noticed the lack of sails as well but even if it had sails it wouldn’t been able to head in that direction.  The winds were gone so sails or not it shouldn’t been possible.  Kaufman began to hear a humming.  “Is that coming from the ship?”   She asked herself.

That’s when she saw it though.  Her heart sank as she saw the row of metal birds on the top of ship.  This ship was Duke’s, and that meant it was using some kind of technology that wasn’t supposed to exist.  She knew they were in great trouble.  Her greatest foe was bearing down on her proud ship and, without any wind they were as good as dead.  Suddenly in the corner of her eye though she saw a figure in the sky.  She thought for a moment it was a bird but, as the figure left the glare of the sun she saw the mane.

It was a large white horse.  The sheer size and the beautiful white frame were quite a sight but, that wasn’t what Kaufman was staring at.  She kept looking onward on the horse’s pair of golden wings which the horse began flapping quickly.  The Fietra’s sails began to fill with breeze from the winged horse’s flapping.  Kaufman took the wheel and steered them away from Duke.

Two hours of running away the wind died down again and, Kaufman walked across the deck.  She saw the huge winged horse.  It stared at her with its big silver eyes which made her think about her fallen friend Raven who had the same color.

“Lady Kaufman, I’m Kam-Re of the Entellica”  The Pegasus said.

“How did you know my name?”  She asked.

“My brothers and I have been made aware of what the human called Duke is doing, and we can’t let him destroy what we have sworn to protect.  I‘ll be watching over you”  Kam-re flew off into the glare of the sun.

Kaufman's Fortunate chapter 1

Sodia and Witcher continued to go through the files that had found several weeks ago.  Witcher noticed something strange with the next folder of files.

“The handwriting looks different in this folder”  The young aide handed  his commanding officer the folder.

Sodia gave him a glare that only she could.  She took delight as he shuddered in fear from her look.  She looked at the files and, she was surprised that the young man was correct.  The first writing was from someone that was clearly left handed.  She could tell because she noticed the ink blots caused by the hand being dragged through while the ink hadn’t completely dried.  Sodia saw the signature below one of the files.

Lady Kelly Kaufman


Kaufman and Leblanc left Zaude hanging their heads.  She was still in shock that Raven had fallen to his death.  She also knew though that the man responsible for killing the great archer was going to be trouble for the world.  She knew that if Raven was here he would say that  “We have to stop him, because it’s the right thing to do”  His words echoed in her head.  She also knew that she would need help to carry that wish out though/

She ordered the Fietra to head for Norpolico Stadium.  She hoped to find great warriors that fought and won in the games.  She would even pay for their services if that was what it took.  She and Leblanc was about to head over to Stadium when Natz saw them and ordered the guards to attack them.

“I forgot those idiots made us wanted too unfairly”  Kaufman said as they ran the other direction.

A guard tackled the petite redhead.  She tried to kick him off but he placed his blade against her throat.

“Enough of that Lady of Profit or I’ll make sure you never make any money again”  He threatened.

As the guard’s blade got ever closer and closer to her skin a metal star came flying in and knocked him backward.  Kaufman looked up and saw a girl.  The girl was dressed in a black and pink leather top and matching pants.  The girl picked up her big metal star and hoister it over her back,  She offered her hand and pulled up Kaufman.

The guards surrounded the trio and smirked as they believed they had the advantage.

“You two, stay low”  The girl pulled her big star.

She pulled the star back and swung it around three times before releasing it.  The star flew around in a circular motion becoming a saw blade that ripped through the guards’ armors.  The guards ran in fear as the star returned to her hand and she pulled it back as if she was going to throw it again.

“That’s right run you idiots!”  She shouted.

She began to walk off but, Kaufman grabbed her arm.

“Wait for a moment, I have an offer for you”  Kaufman proclaimed.

“You want to hire me for something don’t you Lady of Profit?”  She asked.

“Yes”  Kaufman replied and explained the situation.

“Well, count me in, oh forgive my manners, I’m Nan of the Hunting Blades”  Nan smiled as she accepted the offer.

“Your first member of your army, you doing well already Milady”  Leblanc said.

“Well what do you expect?  I know how to make a good investment”  Kaufman took the wheel of the Fietra.

Nan was a good first pick but, Kaufman knew that she would need more then just one warrior for this assignment.  She decided to head off to the Daghgrest next for more recruiting.  She knew they would have to be more careful for now on but, at least if Nan was a sign of things to come her army was going to be something special.

Raven Files chapter 11

Raven led the trio to the huge gateway in the middle ocean.  Once again Zaude, grabbed his ship as they approached in some strange red aura.  Raven did not fight the beam as he remembered from the last encounter.  He moored the ship next to ring and helped Kaufman and Leblanc off.

Raven went in through the same hole as before and began to head to the top of the staircase.  Until he got into the chamber that he had the fight with Yeager before.  Other then two small pools of blood there was no sign that the fight ever took place.  He continue to head to the top of the archway.

“Why is so important we get the top?”  Kaufman panted out of breathe.

“Cause if the legend is true, we can’t let it fall into evil hands”  Raven explained.

“What’s it?”  She asked.

Raven heard the question but ignored it.  He feared even thinking if the legends was true but, Zaude was supposed to be just a myth, not a real place, so maybe he thought the rest of the legend was true too.  Zaude was a piece of ancient technology from the Kritian civilization’s star traveling days.  Zaude was supposed to remain lost for a reason, and he figured a good one as well.

Once they reached the top the archway an opening that led to the crystal top appeared.  Raven continued to move at a breakneck speed.  He saw a figure in the distance but couldn’t make out who it was.

“Hey!”  Raven shouted.

The man just looked his way and smirked.  He had long blonde hair and had a strange object in his hand.  The object was small.  It had a handle and place to put the index finger in a small ring.  The top of the object stretch out towards where he pointed it and there was a small hole at the end of it.

Raven didn’t know what this was but, he knew it wasn’t anything good.  He pulled his mini crossbow which already had a dart ready to fire.  He fired at the man.  Raven was puzzled by the man’s response of laughing at him.

Suddenly, the man pulled the trigger his index finger was on and, the object made a huge noise.  The noise was followed by a small metal projective flying towards Raven.  He slid over just barely missing the metal projectile howling pass.

“Stay back!  This guy got some kind of magical weapon!”  Raven ordered.

Kaufman was frozen in fear for a few moments.  She did not want to leave the love of her life but, Leblanc grabbed her arm and pulled her away.

“We can’t leave him!”  Kaufman proclaimed.

“We’re not leaving Milady, but Raven can’t be his best worrying about us”  Leblanc countered as he continued to lead her back inside.

Raven reached into his bag of tricks and pulled a small black ball and waited for his moment to use it.  The man pointed the object at him again.  Raven threw the ball into the air.  As it reached its apex, the ball broke open and a high pitch sound roared out.  Raven had spent many years developing the ability to focus his senses and filter out what he did not want.  As suspected the man had to cover his ears to the blaring wail.

Raven aimed his bow and fired an arrow directly into the hole of the object.  The man defiantly tried to use the weapon again but with the arrow lodged inside the object backfired and blew up in his hand.  The man screamed out as his hand was burned almost to midnight black skin.

“Who are you and what was that thing?”  Raven interrogated him with his bow still ready on him.

“I’m Duke, and that was a gun, my dear birdie”  Duke laughed insanely.

Duke rushed Raven and before he could fire his bow the man got pass him.  As Raven looked back he saw Duke reached into his pocket and pressed a button on another small object.  Suddenly, a huge roar came from the distance.  A huge metal bird swooped in.  The bird hovered just a foot above the surface of the roof and, it’s upper lip flipped up and Duke climbed inside.

“Some kind of flying machine?”  Raven asked himself.

Kaufman headed back outside as Duke made his ascend.  She was approaching Raven as the Duke flew towards Raven firing his metal bird’s guns at Raven in rapid fire.  Raven stumbled backward as he was hit again and again with metal projectiles, until he fell off the edge of Zaude.

“Raven!”  Kaufman shouted as she ran to the edge of the roof.

Kaufman could only helplessly watched as the world’s greatest ranger and her soul mate fell towards the ocean below.  Tears flowed down her face as hung her head in defeat.  She then decided maybe she could save him by jumping in herself.  She prepared to joined when Leblanc pulled her back.

“No, Lady Kaufman that’s suicide”  He said.

“He’s gone, Leblanc”  She cried into his arms.

The end

To be continued in The Kaufman's Fortunate

Raven Files chapter 10

Raven sat up and grabbed his chest.  The deep plunge of Yeager’s sickle was almost vanished.  Only an inch long scar in its place.  Raven looked around to see he had been moved while he was out.  He stood and gathered up his belongs.

“So you’re leaving without even a word”  A voice from behind.

Raven turned and saw a beautiful Kritian seeing in the doorway.  Her long ears nearly hit the floor and her blue eyes matched her dress.  Raven looked down at his hand where he worn his ring.

“If you were expecting, something intimate, I’m taken”  Raven raised his hand so she could see his vow.

“Oh I know, but your young wife is mad at you right now isn’t she?  You left her on that deserted island”  The female shook her finger and teased Raven.

Raven walked over to her and slightly pushed her to get by.  He wasn’t interested in endless drabble.  He had finally found Zaude and, because of Yeager and this bunny girl he was now not there.  He looked around and recognized Port Torim.  He slightly smiled and thought at least he knew where he was.

“Stop!  Murderer!”  The town guards shouted.

That’s when Raven remembered he had been framed for the murder of Don Whitehorse.  He reached into his bag of tricks and tossed a stick into the air.  When it reached its apex, the stick exploded and the flash blinded everyone around.  Raven was about to head away from town when he saw a ship docked.

It was the Fierta, he figured that Kritian girl used his ship to get him here.  He pulled out his mini crossbow and fired a dart at the anchor line.  Which it went clean through.  He ran as fast as he could and jumped on board.

“Permission to come aboard, Mr. Tskunio”  Raven dusted himself off as he stood.

“Permission granted Mr. Raven”  He bowed.

“If I’m said it a thousand times, I’m going to say it one more time, no mister, I’m just Raven”  Raven took the wheel.

Raven retrace his steps and, came across the same island.  He knew Kaufman would be pissed but, he hoped she had time to cool off by now.  He gasped as he saw an entellica had both Kaufman and Leblanc cornered.  He readied his line shot arrow.  He fired the arrow into a large rock on the island.  He gave it a quick tug to make sure it was secure.  He took his long bow put it across the top of line and slid over the line.  Three quarters across he took out his dagger and cut the line.   He somersaulted over the sand and went quickly to his feet.

“It’s about time you showed up, this is so going to raise my prices”  Kaufman crossed her arms and looked away for a moment.

“I love you too honey”  Raven said with a small laugh.

“We meet again, archer”  Gustoes clawed at him with his talons.

Gustoes the griffion entellica raised he big wings and, dived at Raven.  Raven had to roll out of the way.  He countered with arrow with hit one of Gustoes eagle like wings.  It didn’t even slow down the giant half eagle and half lion brute.  He reached into his bag of tricks and pulled out a small ball.  He threw at Gustoes.  The Griffion tried to knock it back but as his beak made contact with the ball it broke and released a sticky glue.  Just then a large phoenix landed next to Gustoes.

“I told you to leave the archer alone, Gustoes, obey me”  Phaeroh ordered.

The two entellica both flew off.

“I found Zaude, and before you go off on me, I was trying to protect both”  Raven explained.

“I don’t like being left, but you did return and save our lives, which is good for business”  Kaufman smiled.

Raven Files chapter 9

Kaufman was freezing, she tried to reach for more blanket but, that when she realized she didn’t have a blanket anymore.  She awoke to find she was no longer on the ship and, that next to her was Leblanc that was noticeable snoring louder then a hurricane.

“Oh he’s dead, I can’t believe he left me here, and with that idiot as well!”  Kaufman yelled as she stood up.

Raven knew that his friends wouldn’t be happy that he left them on the island but, he also knew that from this moment on, everything would be even more dangerous.  Raven looked out over the water and saw a large ring peaking out of the water.  Fearing the ship would crash into the large object he attempted to turn away but, the ring’s large crystal on top fired a light at the ship.  The wheel locked up and the ship began to be pulled towards the ring.

“Zaude, it has to be”  He said.

As the ship got closer the pull began to lessen.  Raven was able to dock next to Zaude.  He spent a minute looking for an entrance.  He suddenly saw a small hole in the bottom of the ring.  He approached the hole and investigated.

“This wasn’t natural, someone blew up a part of the structure to get inside”  He said.

Seeing no other options, Raven stepped into the hole and gasped.  Zaude looked so much smaller outside.  It was a huge city on the inside.  Raven figured that it must been some gateway to another world.  He walkthrough noting the large pillars of ivory, and the golden statues of Entellica.  He noted Phaeroh, and Gustoes which he had past encounters with among other Entellica that he hadn’t seen before.   Raven also noticed though that a large ivory formation of the Moon had been destroyed.

As Raven entered the next room he saw a tall and slender man with a sickle.  He recognized him from their last encounter at Norcpolio Stadium.  He took his long weapon and swiped at an ivory moon, which fell and broke.

“Yeager!  So it was you that broke in, and you who dishonored this holy place”  Raven growled in anger.

“Aye, What is the little birdie going to do about it?”  Yeager laughed.

Raven fired a barrage of arrows but, Yeager knock all of which down with his sickle.  He then went on the offense charging Raven.  Raven pulled out from his bag of tricks a small ball.  He rolled it on the ground towards the running combatant.  The ball opened as it rolled and smaller marbles rolled Yeager’s way.  Which he slipped on.  Raven stood over him as he laid on the ground however; not to be outdone Yeager swept Raven’s legs out with his sickle.

He rose and lifted his huge reaper over his head, and drove it down towards Raven.  Raven fired an arrow up at his chest as well and the two warriors got each others weapons into the chest.  Raven and Yeager laid on the floor sensing the end  maybe near for both.  Raven sees a figure in corner of his eye as he loses conscience.

Raven Files chapter 8

After looking over the map that the Kritian gave Raven, they cast off their new ship.  The Fietra was a step up from the Moneymaker they had before.  It had eight canon, and two sets of large sails that made the large ship just as fast if not faster then the small ship.  In the distance, Raven noticed a tower and much to his confusion Kaufman seemed to be sending their new ship right for it.

“Kaufman!  Veer left now we’re going to hit that tower!”  Raven shouted.

Kaufman looked over the landscape and, shook her head.  She saw nothing there.  She figured that the sea was playing tricks on Raven.  But suddenly the ship slammed into something.

“What?  There’s nothing there what did we hit?”  Kaufman shocked and in disbelief.

Raven stood next to the edge of the deck and looked over the tower which no one else seem to see.  Then he remembered something written on the map.  “The path of Zaude will only be revealed to those who have the eyes of the moon”  He said to himself quietly.  He took the wheel from Kaufman and pulled it hard away from the tower.  The wood of the Fietra cracked and popped as the ship brushed across the huge structure.

“We’re taking in water”  Kaufman declared.

“We need to moor somewhere and repair the hull”  Raven replied.

Raven looked around and saw Norpolico was in the distance but, he knew that wasn’t an ideal spot for them there.  The moment they docked they would be arrested for false charge of murder.  The next closet port was several hours away but, there was no choice for them.  He ordered Leblanc that he and the crew lighten their load as much as possible.

“Silverware, treasure, clothes, even the rum throw it overboard now”  Raven screamed.

“Not the rum sir”  They cried.

“Would you rather die drunk or live sober men?”  Raven proclaimed.

Honestly some of them probably would had chose dying drunk but, they followed the order anyways.  Raven continued to sail the crippled ship, when he sees an island.

“Kaufman do you see that island?”  He pointed at it.

“No, are you feeling ok Raven?”  She asked.

He had not the time to explain how he could see things others couldn’t, only thing he knew was at the moment that island was their best chance.  He sailed to it but, as he approached its beach huge waves began to pick up the ship and the ship was thrown onto the island.  Much to all their amazement the ship wasn’t damaged to badly in the process.

“Still think I’m seeing things that ain’t there?”  Raven asked.

“How is that even possible?  Were those things invisible but, if that was the case how come you saw them?”  Kaufman asked.

Raven took out the map and showed her the note about only those with the eyes of the moon can see the path to Zaude.  All Children of the Full Moon had silver eyes but, this was the first time he ever noticed that his eyes were different then other people’s.  He assigned repair jobs to various members of the crew then he went down to his quarters.  He opened a chest of his most prized belongings.  A dragon’s tooth, a griffion’s feather, a phoenix’s ashes, and a long wood instrument.  The instrument was an antique from Earth.  He had self taught himself to play it.  He picked the instrument.  After feeling along the bottom of the chest he found the other part of the instrument he placed it into the proper place and began play it.

The sweet melody of the ancient instrument traveled throughout the ship and prompted Kaufman and Leblanc to check out what the sound was.  Leblanc was about to say something in the middle of the piece but Kaufman placed her hand over his mouth.  When the piece was completed Raven heard a small amount of hand clapping.

“Wow sir I didn’t know you played the Baboon” Leblanc said.

Kaufman and Raven both put their hands over the foreheads and wondered what was the schools teaching the kids today?

“A baboon is an extinct animal from Earth, if I remember my music history classes that’s the oboe” Kaufman explained.

“It is, I got this baby as a reward of saving a music teacher’s life against blood alliance, I find playing it relaxing, and I think you both agree this is a stressful time”  Raven declared.

“The repairs should be done in a day or two, how about we have concert I have an ancient instrument myself called the violin”  Kaufman suggested.

“What’s a violin?”  Leblanc asked.

Raven and Kaufman both laughed and sighed at the same time.

“You’re hopeless”  They said together.