Grabbing his gear Mark, he looked around his small room that was had only a small cot and a closet for his belongings. Finally Mark thought as he exited his room that had housed him through his training in the Frostvar family. The Frostvar family is famous for their warriors that had trained to create an almost impenetrable defense causing even the most determined attacker to bash their heads against the ground in frustration but the Frostvar family being famous for their defense usually sent their warriors to lead the vanguard forces of any expedition to the danger zones.

Danger zones were sites where there is a concentration of some kind of energy that had yet to be discovered cause the production of creatures that roamed the areas but were unable to leave due to their need of this energy to continue to exist. Many noble families sent groups to explore these areas in the hope that they might come across an ancient document detailing a technological advancement, but also it was to gain weapons that had been sitting in these zones that had over time absorbed this strange energy that could give birth to life. These weapons were the basis that noble families built their power and influence which meant that the more weapons that a single family had the more power or influence that their family could exert on others. Mark was the latest addition to the famous team of explorers called 'Star's Descent' because they had lost their vanguard in an exploration into the danger zone dubbed the 'Jungle Law'.

Walking in a brisk fashion Mark entered the main hall of the Royal Explorers Guild to join up his team. The main hall was a huge long hall that extended one hundred feet and had the width to hold fifty men abreast. Crude wood tables and benches matched the spartan decor of the hall and also matched the men and women walking the hall dressed in leather or iron armor with weapons sheathed around themselves. The aura created by the hall would be oppressive to an average person but to the average adventurer this could be a walk in the park compared to what they might have to face in the danger zones. Spotting his team on the second floor Mark approached them with a skip in his step for this would be his first official dive in to a danger zone and he was excited to be starting his career off with an excellent note by diving into one of the most dangerous danger zones called 'Emperor's Wrath' due to the atmosphere and the creatures patrolling around as if they were guarding something. Meeting the team he looked at each one with excitement but also apprehension. 

Setting off on their journey Mark fell into the rhythm of travel and the monotonous clop of hoofs of the horses as the trotted along the beaten path that wound  around hills and valleys. The days pass and the scenery slowly changed from lush plains into cracked dry ground and oddly shaped rocks started appearing and some even look human. Pushing these thoughts out of his mind Mark focused as they approached the boarder of the danger zone.

The entire atmosphere changed as soon as they had stepped over the border causing the tension to skyrocket as they approached the first group of patrolling creatures. Unsheathing their weapons the team advanced with Mark at the front as he had developed an obscene defense. When they reached within 100 feet of the group of creatures they were immediately noticed but as soon as the creatures turned to face them a shower of arrows peppered them and three fell with arrows sticking out of either their head or heart. With the arrows fired Mark raced forward to engage the creatures and he was reinforced by his teammates that had engaged the flanks of the creatures aiming to cut the flanks away from the main group that was face with a wall called Mark. The creatures sensing that fighting Mark was a hopeless venture split off to attack the rangers and archers behind Mark but the explorers were prepared for this move by hiding some of their close combat members within the group of archers to directly combat any force that would seek to destroy their ranged attacks. The flanks finally collapsed from the pressure of the swordsmen which caused the creatures to flee but the swordsmen were ruthless and cut down all of the fleeing creatures brutally. The creatures that had tried to kill the archers were brutally hacked apart be the longswords and axes that the warriors, hidden within the archer group, held. Using the same strategy their team decimated many groups of creatures as they advance and they eventually came across a small hall that had gray stone doors that had terrifying beasts carved into the stone.

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A gust of chilling air rushed out from within the stone doors. Taking a deep breath to steel himself for the unknown Mark advance as his imagination went wild with images of fiery beasts and flying dragons raining death on his team. The sound of rocks being ground under Marks armored feet echoed throughout the small has that was barely big enough to contain four wagons, but it contained an oddly smooth stone mound that strangely had what seemed to be hands poking out from the main structure. Quickly survey the area and determining that the surroundings were safe the entire team gathered at the foot of the statue to build their campsite. Mark situated his tent towards the door so that he would be the first one to combat any potential enemies. Cleaning and sharpening their armor and weapons the team gathered around in a circle to discuss their further actions.

"Well done everyone, we have cleared further than any other team," began the team leader.

"As most of you know, I am Karden Sildrien the heir of the Sildrien family and also the youngest Day Seeker and the captain of this team,".

"We all come from either the four arch houses or the shadow clans," Continued Karden.

As his short introduction finished the team that were intently listening nodded their heads in affirmation. Mark knew what it meant to be from either the Arch Houses or the Shadow Clans because he had suffered directly or indirectly from both of these groups. When he was tested and found to have the talent for both the role of Vanguard and Shadow Walker, his parents were approached by people from the Shadow Clans that wanted to recruit Mark for their special programs that used children of common descent as their spies. When Mark's parents refused the offer the representatives left and as their figures were reduced to black silhouettes a group of men appeared in a circle around Mark and his parents. What came next permanently scared Mark. The men drew daggers and taught Mark the true meaning of the Shadow Clans and as the pools of blood dried and the screams became silent Mark blacked out and when he regained consciousness he was broken into the program.

"Now, get some rest, we have more challenges ahead of us," concluded Karden.

Everyone then retreated to their respective tents and concluded their first day on their exploration of "Emperors Wrath". As they slept unknown to all they were being watched from the most unlikely of places.

Arwyn listened with glee, how naive these so called explorers are, they will play their part of getting me out of here.