"Stop!" Erica halted in her tracks and forced the Zilian to do the same.

Even though they had been able to create a safe distance between them and the stranger, they had only run for a very short while. "We can't, we got to go." He urged, not feeling confident enough of the distance.

"Zilian, you can not just jump here and run there! At least not without telling me why we are doing the jumping and running for. So who was he?"

He stood defiantly reluctant but quickly gave in since he knew he would be wasting time otherwise, "I have no clue who he is exactly, but I suspect he is with the Mountain."

Erica eyes widened in alert upon hearing the word Mountain, "How do you know? All he wanted to know was where the town Falos is." Her eyes darted back and forth, keeping a wary lookout.

Zilian shook his head in sorrow, "Was."

"What?" She queried puzzled.

He started explaining after a sigh, "Where Falos was, that is where I grew up. The Mountain ambushed the small town, even though it was a neutral town."

"I see. Was he searching for you?"

He gave a droopy shrug, "I don't know. It‘s possible the villagers returned and the Mountain is sending more troops there."

"What makes you think he is not from that town?" She reasoned with him.

He responded with another shake of the head, "It was a small town, I knew everyone there and everyone knew me. No one ever left the village and few ever came."

"I see what you are saying, he has no reason to be heading there at all. Still, you could have told> me in the first place."

He gave her a smiling thumbs up, "Then I will try to remember that."

Seemingly something had caught her attention since she raised her head, he went silent too and thought to himself Did the stranger come back? But he heard nothing.

"What is it Erica?" He whispered.

Her reply was not hushed, in fact there was no worry in her tone at all, "I hear water."

He listened much more carefully and heard it too, the faint sound of rushing water. "You're right, sound like it is coming from there." He pointed to the east of the woods.

They approached the sound of churning water, it grew louder it as the closer they approached. The forest then opened up to the base of a grand waterfall, the source of the roar that now seemed to engulf all else. He tilted his head high to see the tip of the fall spilling the waters down, to where it foamed around the constant splash.

"It’s beautiful." Erica remarked in awe.

"Yeah, it is amazing." He had to agree that the green grass in this charming basin was very appealing.

He approached the river and knelt down to take a sip from it, the water tasted sweet and refreshing.

"I guess we will camp here?" He asked while laying down, relaxing.

"I guess this is as good it could get for us."

"Surely beats razor sharp stones and the never ending, story-telling Sarri." He chuckled to himself, glad that that chapter of his life was over.

"She wasn't that bad."

He sighed in disbelief, he could not believe she had just defended Sarri, "She was that bad. Glad that I won't be needing to see her again." He stood up after having rested a bit, heading back into the forest.

"Where are you going?" Erica called after him from where she sat.

He hollered back, "To get some fire wood. Want to have plenty so we stay warm tonight."

He dug through the scrub, picking up twigs and stick to get kindle started. He was feeling quite confident of himself now, all they needed to do was make it to Kenplar and he would handle everything else. Farame was surely delayed in the Swamp, where he would be safe. Maybe he could ask Kenplar to escort them to the Swamp if it was possible.

Upon returning to camp, he dumped his pile of wood where he was going to start the fire. He began to panic when he noticed Erica was nowhere to be seen, but he saw her swimming in the pool of the waterfall as he was about to call. He eased up from seeing that, at least she was relaxing, she had been worried far too much about her grandfather.

He went to gather another arm full of wood, and as he was dropping his second pile of wood a sinister voice came from nowhere.

"So you thought you could escape my notice?"

He jolted in a startled jump to confront who it was, Erica splashed out of the water to see who was the intruder too. It was the young man, the same one with the massive buster sword.

Zilian nervously stammered, "Wha-what do you mean?" He could feel the sweet rolling down his cheeks.

He pointed at the sheathed sword strapped on Zilian’s buckle, "That does not belong to you, that belongs to my master. Give it to me or else." His voice deepened threateningly.

Zilian gave his sword a final glance, remembering the promise to his father. "Seems like the 'or else' is the option I am gonna take."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Without another word, the young man unhooks his sword off his back. Zilian steps aside as the sword swings forward, and Erica yelps sharply in terror. Without thinking much, he dodges the lunge by ducking. He follows up his next move by stepping aside as the youth hit the ground with it like a hammer after lifting it up for another strike, which now kicks up dirt in the air that momentarily blinds him.

"You are not talented," He taunts Zilian, "No more then just a petty thief."

"I didn't steal this." He contends.

The man replies with a disgruntled growl and shoves him back, "And liar too."

A series of frenzy blows on all sides led Zilian into blocking all of them, either by dodging or parrying, even though parrying was less effective since he has the weapon advantage over him since it is heavier. Zilian is surprised of how dexterous he is, after he aims a blow on his shoulder he has already set in motion to strike on the other side in a blink of an eye. He was proving to be relentless as blow after blow crashes onto the ground, having not wavered even for a moment from missing.

Zilian takes a jump back as his enemy does a swift body spin, swinging the blade all around. Even though he dodges the spin, he trips on a log and falls down backwards on his butt cheeks. His sword falls out from his grip, leaving him defenseless as his opponent holds the tip of his sword pressing close towards his forehead. He glances Erica who is hiding behind a tree in her soaked clothes.

His victor grins in glee, "There is only one way you had attained that blade, and that was if you had slayed Shavo yourself. So this is to avenge Shavo too."

Zilian’s eyes widen realizing now how mistaken he is, he shouts the short truth that will set straight this confusion, "Shavo was my father!"

While he shouts the words, the man swings the blade to do a finishing blow against him. Zilian cringes thinking it is over for him, not opening his eyes until realizing he is still breathing after a while. Raising his head to see the man, he holds the blade firm inches from his face. He loosens his muscles and reattaches his blade back on his harness.

"Heh-heh. Sorry about that." He chuckled awkwardly. He offered him a hand up, which Zilian took with a firm grip.

Standing upright after all the drama, he exclaimed angrily, "You nearly kill me and all you can say is 'sorry'?"

He shrugged, "I tend to leap before I think. Didn't know Shavo had a son, so what is your name?"

He hesitated since this was a sudden change of character, "Um, Zilian."

"Zilian? That's an unusual name."

He gestured his hands out whatever, "Yeah well, it is my name. Can you at least tell me yours?"

"Mine's Blade." Blade smiled proudly.

"What was that again?" Zilian strained his ears to make sure he heard that right.

"My name is Blade." He repeated.

"Now that is a weird name. Your father named you Blade?"

"Yes. I mean no. That is my name." He held his thumb against himself reassuringly

"Is that your name name or just a nickname someone gave you?" Zilian pressed.

"Let's stop talking about my name, there were two of you. Where is the other one?" He said to completely change the topic.

Erica sneaked from around a tree, "Here."

"Hello. Sorry again, for my, uhm..." He scratched the back of his head.

"Our untimely approach of death." Zilian commented.

"We'll be nice and say rudeness." Erica defended as she stood alongside Zilian.

"We’ll be nice? Ouch." Erica elbowed his ribs. "Yeah, we'll be nice." No use in arguing with her.

Blade grabbed Zilian with both of his hands, kneeling apologetically, "Truthfully, I am really sorry. I should have asked who you were first. It is just I was expecting the worst, but since you are here Shavo must be fine, right?" He lifted his head in hopeful expectation.

"Sorry, but Shavo is not fine." He shook his head sadly in reminisce of what had happened, it felt as if it had occured just yesterday.

"He is not?" Blade shot straight up, "Tell me what happened! No wait, if happened to him, this is going to be a long story."

Blade offered to help gather wood since it was getting dark and it will be night soon. When they gathered as much twigs and sticks right when it became dark, they all sat down next to the warm campfire.

"So you tell me your story first." Blade directed.

"Shavo was taken many months ago, around the middle of Spring."

"Who took him?"

"The Mountain. My village was raided by a man named Garadem."

Blade grunted in anger, "Should have guessed the Mountain."

Zilian told what happened that day, of how Shavo bestowed him the responsibility of the blade's upkeep. Then to how he met Erica and Farame, recounting their narrow escape from the Mountain at the farm. The sad farewell of Farame's brother, and being chased by the Mountain through the forest when they made it to Kartick. As well as their adventure through the caves with Sarri to reaching their destination of Greyus, and not leaving out the suspicious young girl.

"That's why we ran from you. I thought you were from the Mountain." He concluded.

"And I thought you were the Mountain too." Blade ended.

Blade went on explaining his story, "See, I was looking for Shavo because my father knew yours many years ago."

Zilian looked up, "He did? Where is he?"

He shook his head solemnly, "I am afraid he died in an attempt to allow me and my city to escape the Mountains raid."

"Oh, I am sorry." Zilian understood how it was to lose someone close.

Blade gave him an encouraging thumbs up, "No need to, we both knew that day was going to come sooner or later. My training isn't complete, but you and I together should be able to take on the Mountain." He clenched his fist in the air.

"Take on the Mountain? You must be crazy, I am trying to stay as far away from them as possible." Zilian exclaimed in surprise.

Blade's enthusiasm plummeted, "What do you mean? Shavo should have trained you better then that!"

Zilian rose a curious brow, Blade was talking about things that made no sense to him, "I don't know what do you mean about training, but I do know the Mountain is dangerous for me."

Blade jumped and raised a finger at him angrily, "There were two things I thought when you said you were Shavo's son, one is that you were shorter then I expected. Second, with the stories of what dad told me, you'd at least be different from your father. But it seems I am wrong, you're both cowards!"

Zilian lurched to punch him in the face, but he was tugged back. He turned to see Erica was grabbing his arm to keep him away from pouncing Blade.

However, he still bellowed back, "Dad wasn't a coward and neither am I!"

Blade crossed his arms, "Yeah, you’re doing a great job trying to impress me then. You just a minute ago said you were running from the Mountain. You should be helping me stop them, or what else is that knowledge of the Blades any good to you for?"

Zilian let his shoulders drop, "Sorry again, but Shavo never told me anything about the Blade. That day he gave me the sword to protect was when I learned about this sword."

Blade stared, his glare piercing his skin and burning his heart, "I don't know who is the greater fool then. Your father for not training you, or you even now not knowing what to do." Blade turned towards the forest, where his horse was tied to a tree. He hoisted himself up and accommodated the sword on his back to ease his travel.

Before Blade left and without turning his head around to even give a proper goodbye, all he said harshly, "We'll see each other again." He kicked his horse sides, the horse galloped off into the shadow of the dark night.

"So Zilian, mind explaining me what is special about this sword." Erica asked behind him.

Zilian's head drooped in a mix of emotions - anger, fear, frustration. He lost a person who could have revealed his father past but instead ridiculed him, and Erica heard enough to understand there is more going on than what he had shown. He sat down on the log, coughing to clear his head. Maybe Shavo was a coward after all, he had not even so much as mentioned the sword to him.