Richard gazed intently past the trees on the back side of his house. His breathing uneven and a glimpse of anger in his eyes. This was the third attack on him by the shades of Ravenwood. These shades were the worst kind they did not care about how someone suffered and screamed for mercy they just killed. This was why they were after him to kill him, he thought they would have long by now but for some reason every time they got near they just dropped dead. Richard was beginning to draw his sword when a hissing ball of fire blazed past his face. All he could think was to draw the sword and creep up on the shades.

As he started to creep close they spotted him and before anyone could cast a spell he was on them like a pack of wolves on a helpless deer. He was furious, multiple times he was almost killed by these things and now they were begging for mercy? He stopped and looked down at one of them, “I will release you but carry these words to this employer of yours, you try to harm me one more time and I will come after you!”
In this state no one wanted to be near him, but usually they did come near and asked the same questions, “What’s wrong”?



Martin sprang up startled, something had disturbed his nap. Nothing was bold enough to do that he thought. Then he saw it, a blue cloaked figure sprang up from the bushes. A shade wearing blue he thought. They only wore black he guessed this one was different so he grabbed his bow and notched an arrow. With a whizzing sound the arrow thudded into the person’s thigh. A perfect shot he thought as he rushed down there and tied up the person. “Who are you and why are you here?” asked Martin.
“I am here on business with Master Richard,” he replied.
“Well then let’s go see him if you really are who you say you are.”



Lincoln ran as hard as he could, he needed to find Richard! He needed to warn Richard of the danger coming his way. I won’t make it in time he thought. That person in the red Cloak was coming for Richard and Link couldn’t let him reach Richard. Richard was important, more important than anyone thought he was. Finally Link reached Richards home and out of breath he rushed in. He was amazed to find that the red cloaked man was a messenger with a message from the king. Link spun around as he saw two people approaching Richards home on horses.
“Richard get your sword!” he yelled but Richard just smiled and said
“It’s only Martin and I think he has a cloaked person with him.”



When they all sat down Richard got up and took off the man’s cloak. The messenger started laughing “it is only the runner for the king; he is supposed to scout ahead and tell them if everything is safe for the king to pass.” “The runner was supposed to scout ahead for any danger and not get caught, but I guess he failed,” Richard started laughing, they all started laughing when Martin just looked down and turned red cheeked. “It’s okay no one could have known that it was a scout.”
“Yes but you’re not the one who just wounded one of the king’s personal scouts,” whispered Martin. “I think I’ll get executed for doing that, or even worse I might be banished from Mortimaar and I’ll never see my friends again.”
The messenger just said, “this is one of the least important men the king has this man just needs a healer that’s all.”
Richard said, “I’ll apply some herbs to his wound and well take him back by horseback.”


The king was happy to get his messenger and scout back all in one peace. The king had to pass through Mortimaar to get to his kingdom but with all those shades around it was difficult for the king to get through. Richard led the king the most quickest route past Mortimaar and into his land. “That was enough amusement for one day let’s get back t our homes and get some sleep.” They all nodded vigorously and as they left they waved goodbye until the next time they meet.
Richard sat on the craggy cliffs of Mortimaar overlooking the forest green land. The smell of pine and spruce trees filled his lungs and finally the smell of spring. He loved it, he loved spring and he absolutely adored the summer despite all the tedious work. He loved the sight of green trees everywhere it was as finally they had clothed themselves. All of a sudden some birds exploded from the trees finding a new place to perch. Richard gazed down to get a better view of whom or what was coming. By the sound of the brittle branches snapping he knew it was too big to be an animal. Only he knew the way through these parts of the woods without getting lost, but now obviously someone else did too.



Richard knew if they disrupted the peace here this would only mean trouble. He got up and started racing his way down the lightly worn down path that was trotted on by so many of his horses. As Richard came to a grinding halt behind a massive rock and immediately found what he was looking for. His bow was right where he left it, he notched an arrow and waited for the “thing” to spring out and attack him. He sighed as he saw it was only his two best friends Martin and Lincoln they nicknamed him Link for short.
“Look who it is, its Nature Boy,” joked Martin.
“Well if it isn’t the city dweller Martin, what are you doing in this neck of the woods?” asked Richard.

“I’ve come to see you of course!”

“Well I was just out hunting when I went up there for a look around now that its spring,” Richard replied as he pointed to the place he was at a second ago.

“Looks like I was to be the hunted,” Martin said while laughing.

“I can do that too if you want,” said Richard trying not to laugh. As if on cue they all burst out laughing at the same time like all friends do.




Some time later after having their hunt unsuccessful the three men when back across town to Richards house. Martin had told them that the army was now recruiting soldiers and that they should join too. “Well don’t you think that is would be just amazing if we joined the army and became war heroes,” said Link.

“Well if you want to join then you can but I like my life as it is,” Richard replied. They sat in silence as Richard got up and got the kettle off the fire.




All of a sudden they heard a crash and a shrill cry for help. They all drew their swords and rushed outside. Shades! Richard spun around and slashed one open and as his insides poured out but in that moment of time Richard leapt into a group of them. Link ran up to two of them ran one through and hacked one into two pieces. Martin jumped out of the way as a bolt of lightning hit the tree behind him. Richard was furious he knew he warned them but they still came he killed five more and ran to help Martin.



After the battle the last of the shades vanished. Then some soldiers ran up to Richards’s house and asked, “did you three kill all of these?” All three of them just shot him a murderous look of does it look like we killed them or did they just fall out of the sky.

“I thought the soldiers were trained to help people in need and not come at the last minute to claim victory!”

“We do as the king wishes and nothing more you are thinking of knights or maybe paladins,” Replied the captain of the little group they had. “But anyways, would you like to join the king’s mighty army?”

Link jumped at the opportunity and replied, “I think I will!” Martin just declined because he was already famous from being the town’s warrior. When everyone left and went home Richard heard a distant voice, “my shades have failed me but when we meet only one will survive!” the voice hissed, Richard just dismissed the voice and went to sleep for the next day.
.…………



Richard rode hard but did not know when his horse was going to get tired. He chose the fastest horse available. As he rode he thought to himself wait until I get to you Darken drake. He did not care if he died trying, at least then he would join his family in the afterlife. Darken Drake had sent his best assassins to kill his family and they succeeded. They had only made one mistake though, the mistake that cost them their lives. They had attacked the dummy he made out of hay too soon. But before they could turn to go he jumped in and stabbed two then killed the last three without any trouble.



After that the soldiers gathered their troops they had left to find Darken Drake with Link leading them. Link thought it was awesome that he got the position of captain of the guard. Now they just had to keep up with Richard but it was very hard because moving two hundred thousand men was a pretty slow task. Martin was with them though and Martin was the towns Champion fighter. They were going to stop Darken Drake. “This is going to be epic don’t you think?” said Martin. All Link could do was just nod.



The leader of the wizard part of their army shot a bolt of lightning forward ahead of the troops to tell the scouts to keep moving forward. They were marching double time to keep up with Richard. “HALT!” Link shouted. They all came to a grinding halt and Link’s booming voice shouted, “SET UP CAMP!” He saw Richard’s fire on top of the hill so he rode up there to him, “Richard why did you stop here?”
“Take a look for yourself,” Richard said while pointing towards the valley.
Link gasped, “How many are there?”
“About three hundred thousand with one hundred fifty thousand are shades!” he said while looking at Links troops.


The next day came very quickly and the troops were well rested and ready for war. Richard said to Link, “I will lead us all to battle!” “I dragged you into this so it’s the least I can do.”

Link agreed to it and said, “Alright then let’s get this over with.”

Richard drew his sword and Link shouted, “FORWARD!” As his men started running the enemy charged at them too. The shades on the opposite army released roaring balls of fire erupted toward Richard.



Richard just thought about how it was all his fault all these men were going to die. All of a sudden the flames stopped in front of him in a curve and just hissed in front of him. The wizards are doing their part. He took a step forward and the flames moved back. The shades were shocked about what just happened. But Richard started running forward while flames roaring in front of him. The enemy was burned to death right where they stood and Richard ran forward. Then he hit the shades, he slashed about as Links troops behind him dispatched some of the remainders. Suddenly the flames went out and Links troops charged ahead of him and slaughtered tons of enemy troops.



Richard ran through the rest of the men and saw his target. He drew an arrow and aimed at Darken Drake he fired it. Darken Drakes son Dellgus jumped in the way and got hit in the heart and died immediately. Darken Drake saw Richard and cast a bolt of lightning towards Richard. The bolt stopped in front of him and Richard imagined it flying back at Darken Drake then the lighting suddenly flew back. Darken just dodged it and sent an arrow flying towards Richard. Richard jumped out of the way and caught the arrow notched it into his own bow. As he spun around he already aimed it and shot while Darken Drake did the same thing. Richards’s arrow thudded into Darken Drake’s head and Darken Drake Dropped dead. While Darken Drake’s arrow hit Richard in the chest. Richard dropped to the ground and heard voices shout get him out of the line of battle.



Richard awoke in a tent feeling horrible, his chest hurt a lot but at least he wasn’t dead. Link and Martin were hovering over him. “Wow, you took a shot to the chest it went all the way through and you’re still alive,” Link said.
“We are just happy to have you back,” Martin said.
Richard just asked, “Who won?” “After you killed well over a hundred men with your fire and sword you killed Darkens whole future generation by killing off the boy and the father, our men fought hard with the wizards keeping the shades busy with their spells.” “Then our men just yelled with rage and charged them with extra vigor!” “We killed them all!”



“Great, now I can go back to my nice forest in the mountains and try to live my life peacefully.” said Richard.
“We like being the center of attention so I think we will stay at our current positions,” said Martin and Link. “Let’s get out here,” said Martin.
Richard felt well enough to ride a horse and the call of his forest was much too strong to resist, “Sounds good to us all!” they said then Richard and his friends set off towards Mortimaar happily. “There is no place like home,” said Richard.
“You said it,” said his friends as they set off back to their homes. “I will never forget this battle!” said Link.
“You think anyone will?” asked Martin.
“Guys let’s just see how good you are at keeping up,” Richard shouted while all three of them set off back to their new lives. They all were happy, why not they had just became adventurers and heroes at the same time. They all rode away toward their homes back to their new lives of fame that Richard did not want. But was happy when he got back home why shouldn’t he be he was free and his whole city was free from the evil clutches of Darken Drake. But for how long will that peace last?