• Near the forest in the town of Tarne, a group of children played. They were not allowed out this close to the forest due to the increase in the wild animal population. Many predatory animals such as jaguars, panthers, and wolves were prowling closer and closer to the town. Great amounts of livestock and some people had gone missing only to turn up dead weeks later in the forest. Hunters would return home not with game but with corpses of friends and family. It was a dangerous time. The young children, however, were oblivious to this fact and were only having fun enjoying the warm summer day.
    The children were running around playing hide and seek. Many of the children ran to hide in the forest behind the lush green trees and under fallen rotted logs. A young girl named Aiana Larveen was hiding in a short green bush her long black hair starting to tangle. She heard a rustling next to her.
    “Hello?” She said a little scared.
    A cottontail rabbit leapt from the bush and dashed away through the trees. Aiana breathed a sigh of relief. It was not any of her friends trying to catch her. She heard a twig snap and froze. She was sure it was one of her friends this time. She kept very quiet as she looked out of the bush. Alas it was not one of her friends but a very large wolf. Her breathe caught in her throat as she tried to keep as quite as she could her bright green eyes filled with fear. The wolf sniffed the air and turned to face her hiding place. She cried out and jumped out of the bush. She began running through the trees. She could hear the wolf on her heels. She tripped and fell to the ground. The wolf stopped in front of her. It eyed her greedily. It was a large wolf with an eye and many tuffs of hair missing. Death was on it’s breath. It crouched down preparing to pounce when a rock flew out of a tree and hit it square in the face. A boy with hair the color of the trees bark dropped down to face the wolf.
    “Run Aiana! Run!” He shouted.
    The girl jumped up and ran. The boy bent down and picked up another rock.
    “Okay wolf you had better run!” He shouted his gray eyes filled with confidence.
    The wolf growled and once again prepared to pounce. The boy threw the rock at the wolf. The wolf wasn’t even phased. It had death in its eyes and it would kill this pest and have a meal.
    The wolf pounced and the boy cringed, closing his eyes waiting for the inevitable. He imagined the pain he would be in when the wolf hit him and started eating him. He imagined his bones crunching and the wolf snacking on his innards with him still alive. His father had warned him about these wolves, how they begin to eat animals before they are dead.
    The pain never came however. The boy cracked open one eye and saw the wolf laying on the ground dead, it’s blood staining the ground. He opened his other eye and looked around. There stood his savior. He was a large man, with bulging muscles and a large broad sword on his wide shoulders. He had hair of as black as a midnight with no moon, his eyes the color of a great grizzly bear and twice as fierce. He was wearing a leather vest over a bare chest. The man was battle hardened and very large in stature. The boy was amazed that there was a man like him in existence. The man although in very poor clothes had exceedingly fine jewelry. He had what looked like a dragons tooth earring and a necklace with many different gems on it. He also had, on his right hand, a ring of pure gold. The man was tense looking around, with a serious look on his face.
    “Well boy are you just going to stand there gawking at me or are we gonna get out of here before more of that things friends show up.” The man said calmly.
    “Umm… yeah… lets go” the boy stammered.
    They started briskly walking out of the forest. While they walked the man spoke up.
    “Hey kid.” He said getting the boys attention.
    “Yes?” said the boy with wonder in his voice.
    “That was a brave thing you did, saving the girl from that wolf. Did you know what it would have done to you if I hadn’t come along?” The man asked
    “Yes, it would have torn me to shreds. I know I was stupid but she is like my younger sister. I had to protect her.”
    “I see… I did not say it was stupid what you did I said it was brave. How old are you?”
    “I am seven years old.”
    “Really? That is not like a seven year old kid to step up in the face of danger and risk his own life for the sake of another.”
    “Well like I said she is like my sister.”
    They left the forest and walked into the town. The warrior looked around and sighed.
    “What is it? The boy asked.
    “Nothing don’t worry about it”
    The town council ran across the town square. They stopped in front of the man.
    “So the children are okay that is good. We have you to thank for this wondrous thing.” The head council member said with a sigh.” May we ask your name and profession warrior?”
    “Not my name but my profession is a hired blade.” The warrior said patting his sword.
    “WHAT! Get out of this town immediately!” The head councilman roared. “And boy, go home! NOW!
    The boy jumped. He tore through the town, sprinting all the way to his father’s forge.
    “Father, Father, I’m home!” he cried, panting, trying to catch his breath.
    “Oh honey you’re here. Thank the Gods!” his mother came running out of the back room. “Aiana told us that you protected her from a wolf. I feared for the worst when you did not come home. But you are here now. Thank the gods.”
    “Mother, where is Father. I really need him. Now.”
    “I believe he is in the back.” She answered, “Why do you need him?”
    The boy ran to the back he saw his father sitting talking to Aiana trying to calm her down. He looked over to the boy and stood up. The boy ran to him talking extremely quickly all of his words running together.
    “FatherIwasjustsavedbyamanintheforestandheturnedouttobeahiredswordandtheeldertoldhimto
    leaveIthinkthatheisagreatmanandbelievethathedeservesthanks.” Said the boy
    “Whoa, slow down there bucko, tell me what has happened. Start from the beginning.
    The boy recounted his tale up until the point where the elder told him to go home.
    “So the man is leaving and you want to thank him?” The father asked.
    The boy nodded “Yes Father I do.”
    “Well let’s go then. I would very much like to meet the man who saved my son.”
    So boy and father walked out of the forge. They hiked around the town searching for the man. Near the tavern they heard a scuffle.
    “Listen I told you we will not serve you here. The town council told you to leave and I will not disobey the council. Now get out!” And with that wanderer walked out of the tavern.
    He was mumbling something under his breath and looking back.
    “Father that is the man!” The boy said pointing at the wanderer.
    The father walked up to the man.
    “Hello sir. I do believe I owe you my thanks stranger. My name is Daren. This is my son. You stopped the wolf from killing him and for that I owe my thanks.”
    “Ah yes I do remember he is that brave kid who saved that little girl.” The wanderer said, “I know that you will be a great swords man one day if you seek out the master Leon Detora. What is your name boy?”
    “ Darius Torana sir.”