Prologue

It was a cold winters eve. The suns’ drop left chills on everyone’s bones. All the nobles were suited up in their finest furs, furs to protect them from the bite of the wind. The commoners stood on the street, huddled together for warmth. The nobles had stalked out land to put out their chairs and ottomans. Each had a cup of tea, coffee, or some warm cider with a splash of rum. In the back of the pack is where the peasants reside. In their tattered clothes, they stood next to the fires they made, not even paying attention to the attraction that was taking place before them. All of the king’s men were on the stage. A stage so vast it could hold ten thousand men. Only the back third of the stage was in use. The rest was empty like a plain of wooden stained planks. Part of the stage was ajar. The black darkness contrasted with natural colors of the wood. The experience was about to begin. Sounds of cranks and pistons echoed from the ajar part of the stage. Pulling back, the panel reveled crimson covering that began to rise. It rose and rose until it stood towering over all the attendants. If one looked closely, you could make out human features, elbows protruding far enough out to be able to tell what they are. The king began to speak, a long speech was coming everyone knew. Most of the people fell asleep not caring for what the king had to say about the tragedy that had unfolded in the past years. When the speech was over, the king told his men to take off covering. It made a loud sound when it hit the stage, and everyone awoke. Reflecting all the sun that hit it, it was a magnificent object.




Chapter 1

A bump in the road shakes the carriage and I awake. Waking up raw, tried, and in a daze. I don not know where I am, but I can tell I am moving. My direction is probably south, I can tell because the pine trees change to oaks when you head south. I am dressed in tattered brown clothes; I can tell I am a prisoner because of this. The other inmates on the carriage are dressed in these same clothes. There are two people other people in the cart besides me. Both of them looked to be criminals, they have a shady look to them. This is probably the end of the line for me, to the chopping block I go. Being a war hero for the rebellions, I have a high price on my head for whoever brings me into the Imperials. That has already happened. The man who brought me in was a rebel who betrayed me for the money. He received a pretty penny, one hundred thousand dollars. He needed the money for his family. I can somewhat forgive him for that. Looking back on my life, I have done many great things. I hope I live to tell my tales and so the bards don’t have to singing them.

Chapter 2

It was 15 years ago and I just joined the rebels. They were fighting to gain independence from the Imperials. I was 17 when both of my parents were killed for treason against the Imperials. I was out getting fire for our stockpile because winter was approaching. I was collecting all the wood I chopped and was heading back home. It was not a far walk, only one or two miles, maybe twenty minutes at he most. I was a few hundred feet from my home and a smell of smoke filled my nose. It was a lot of smoke. It was more than a normal fire. That’s when I realized something must be wrong and I started to sprint home. I dropped the wood so I could run faster. Seconds felt like minutes. I could just not run fast enough. Finally, I reached my house. All I saw was a smoking pile of ash, stones, and my parents’ skeletons. I knew the Imperials were responsible for this. There was no doubt in my mind. That’s when I signed up to join the rebellion.

Chapter 3

When I join the rebellions, I was nothing more but a common foot soldier, but that did not stop me for reeking havoc on the Imperials forces. Some days I would ride out on my trusty steed Oliver. Oliver was the only thing left from my house, he was my prize possession. Oliver fur was a brown greenish color and that’s why I named him Oliver. We would ride out into the night and would try to intercept imperial letters or caravans that were carrying weapons or armor. I was very successful at this. It helped get my name out to the higher-ranking officers. Some days I would return with a whole cart full of much-needed weapons and armor. The others I would return with letters containing valuable information about the positions of the imperial forces. There was one letter that I intercepted that made me make drastic changes to my life.

Chapter 4

The letter contained information about my parents’ assassination. It confirmed my accusation. The Imperials did kill my parents. It also tells me who planned the slaughtering. He was a general and the highest-ranking one at that. His name was Maxime and that was it, no clan name. He was a cruel, ruthless leader. He would smite down anyone would get in his way. I guess that is what my parents were doing, just getting in his way. My parents would hold dinners for all the high-ranking rebellions, so they could conspire. Was it getting in his way? I don’t know I’ll have to ask him. I will certainly ask him and defiantly more.
Chapter 5

I told my superiors my plan and my reasons why. The supported my ideas and said their input. They were happy that I was finally going to get some real action. They told me it would not be easy to accomplish. He is heavily guarded also a brutal warrior. It would take months of planning and even more time to hone my skills. The next day I immediately started to plan. Where would be the best spot to strike? What would be the best time? Eventually, after long and hard thoughts, I decide to attack at night. It was the obvious choice. However, I had no idea where. Then the next day new information came in about the movement of their army, the whole army even generals. This would be my perfect chance to kill him. It would be easy for me to hide in the woods surrounding the road. I could even pick off a few foot soldiers with a well place shot of the bow. I began to practice sword, dagger, and bow skill. In a month, I would be ready to take my vengeance. Watch out Maxime.

Chapter 6

I am trained, well rest, and fueled up. I am ready to take my stand against the evil Maxime. I am ready to depart. I leave on my three-day journey to the caravan of the imperials. As I leave everyone around camp wishes me good luck and claps for me. It would be a long arduous journey through the forest of the Badlands. The caravan is going along the Thunder road, a path that runs the length of the Badlands forest. Maxime’s carriage would be at the back of the line. After eight hour of walking, I setup camp under an oak tree. I spend the night but I don’t get much sleep. The wolf and coyotes were howling and yipping all night and I could only rest my eyes. The next day was the same of the last, eight hours of walking and not much sleep in the night. As I wake up on the third day of my journey, I notice something different. There is a slight smell of smoke in the air. At first, I blow it off, not thinking a big deal of it at all, I just though the smoke was coming from the hunters who hunt in this area. As I continued on my journey the smell of smoke kept getting stronger and more of it. That when it hit me, the imperials must be stopping for a day or two near here. It must be 300 or 400 feet away. My plan is ruined I can’t attack at night. I can’t stay they wood see my fire. My only option is to attack now. I get in a sneaking stance. I draw my bow and get ready to snipe some imperials. I keep in my stance as I continue towards the camp. I try to find Maxime. I look to my left, then right. I saw a general, but I was not sure it was him. I look to my left again and I am positive I had to be him. He was drinking some and taking to one of his army friends. I continue closer, I am only 25 feet away. I am still unspotted and that is a plus. I thought they would of hear or saw me by now. I guess that training really paid off. I am seven feet away. I can smell his breath while he talks; it’s a fowl smell of onions mixed with tea. I am ready to send a shot right though his brain. I pull an arrow out of my quiver, place it in my bow, and get ready to shoot. As I begin to draw my bow, I make sure I have my sword next to me, as I draw my bow completely. I am ready to shoot; I just have to let go. I let go and the arrow makes a swooshing sound as it fly through the air. I drop my bow, pick up my sword, and get ready to run.