The travel was hard, but we pressed on. Sometime between the cave of Koilos and the Forest of Tel'bac our partner was lost, but that did not stop us. Nothing would stop us.

I had been traveling with my brother, Grayhem, for a fortnight with barely any sleep and little food. I, Taurclax, was mortally wounded, blood dripping down my back, blood dripping even from my chestnut hair into my blue eyes. My brother was carrying me over the deserts and wastelands that pockmarked the land and plunged it into etheral darkness.

            It had been a tortuous ordeal, the traveling. Even when we had a night off from continual watch, it wasnt a night off. I couldnt sleep longer than an hour for fear of losing my life in my slumber. Grayhem slept even less than me, making sure I was always alive. It was possibly the first time he had ever cared for me so. When we were children, he pushed me farther than I could go on swordplay. I regretted it then, but was secretly afraid to use it. I am at heart, a pacifist. It pained my father to forsake my birth rite and go the way of the priest. But that changed yes indeed. A year before, a wandering monk named Ternevsky showed up, and threw my world for a loop.

Grayhem looked at me almost fondly, 'Were almost there, save youre strength for the climb over the last rise.' he said, and I nodded, and let him carry me over the nameless hill.

            I saw the majestic city ahead of us. The marketing area itself was miles long, and the residential plots stretched as far as the eye could see. The last rise of land was quite hard, knowing I was back in the city of my birth after two-dozen years of absence. 'I can see the city guards, my brother. Hold onto your life for a moment longer and the temple healers can make you whole again.' My brother pleaded to me, I only spat up blood on his shirt.

            I didnt expect to live much longer. It surprised me every time I woke up after fading into unconsciousness. My wound was pretty severe. I still wondered with every waking breath how I even survived the initial attack.

            'Come, hurry!' He called out to them; they looked at Grayhem funny, but came to us. 'This man is in need of serious care. Rush him to your finest medical facility, and make sure he stays awake. He fought a brutal fight, and won. But he cannot go on without aid on his behalf.' My brother gave the head guard a small bag of geld, which was our last bit money.

            I was rushed somewhere, but I do not remember where. I passed out from loss of blood, and woke up later, in a soft bed, my head under a mountain of feathered pillows.

            Before I got a bearing on my surroundings, my brothers deep, resonating voice echoed through the darkness. 'You are alive.'

            My eyes came into focus, and I saw sitting on a chair in the corner of the small room he and I were in. Leaning back ever so slightly in it, he smirked.

            'Yeah, suppose so.' I said. I could feel actual strength in my words. My back, which had been paining me since our encounter, was fine. I didnt feel light-headed when I moved back and forth, nor did I feel the fingers of death crawling across my neck.

            'The healers here, they have amazing powers. I would believe it if I hadnt seen it with my own eyes. They brought your spirit back into alignment and made your body whole in a matter of minutes. You wouldnt have survived the night.' My brother got up from a chair and came to my bedside. 'You must make me a promise, little brother.' I nodded. 'No matter what, you cannot die, I do not know how long I have, but I do know you have a long and illustrious life ahead of you.'

            'Of course, but I do not understand what you mean.' I said, and sat up.

            'No, I suppose not' He said rather distractedly, and a troubled look crossed his face

            'Whats wrong, my brother?' I asked, my physical strength returning slower than my emotional strength.

            'It is not something you should concern yourself with' My brother was getting more and more withdrawn.

            'Gray, we fight for the right thing?' What I had actually done was coming back to me in small doses. I mean, why so many deaths? I was feeling sick to my stomach. I had always steered clear of violence, I didnt have the stomach for it. It was my first time out in the field, and I had actually killed men. It wasnt a feeling I lusted after. 'Hey, you still awake over there?' He was staring off into space, not paying attention to me.

            'Oh? Oh yeah, sure. What was your question again?' My brother was acting less like his usual self.

            'Did wedid we fight for the right reason?'
            'Yeah, yeah we did. Do you think the Holy Monk Ternevsky would have come with us if it wasnt righteous?' My brother sounded nearly disgusted. 'To tell you the truth, he probably knew he would die on this journey. Probably welcomed it. Nothing holier than dying with the mandate of heaven.' The disgust was obvious in his voice now, not trying to hide it anymore.

            'That doesnt surprise me, you never were the religious type.'

            'Suppose not, never struck my fancy, I guess.' Grayhem got distracted again, and stood up abruptly, 'Ive got to go.' Without another word, he walked out of the room, his cape billowing out behind him. I had always envied it; father had given me something more useless than fancy clothing: a sword I had no plans on ever using.

            It was somehow significant, that cape. When we had approached the gang of infidels, they had whispered, and I heard his cape mentioned many times. Some of them were more afraid of Grayhem than the Holy Monk, who was a great spell caster, known everywhere for his ability. And it had been proven true, all three of us ran in there, and Grayhem fought as if possessed by a daemon. Ternevsky spoke the spells so fast it was gibberish, and I hacked at anything that moved. The gang, while not being highly trained, numbered over 100 people. We fought them to the point that the ground was a small pool of blood; over 40 bodies were strewn on the ground. And that was when an arrow struck Ternevsky in the shoulder, having the force to knock him down. I tried to get to him, and got a knife in the back for my efforts. Grayhem did something after I lost consciousness, something that killed them all. During the ensuing clean up, I also got a knife in the leg, but the healers overlooked that.

He was out the door and halfway down the hallway before I got up, and I got up as quick as I could, and tried to follow him, but he was quicker than I. I saw his cape flutter to the ground down the hall, and I hobbled after it. 'Grayhem, where are you?' I yelled, and got no answer. He had left yet again, and I barely had a chance to thank him.

            I went back to my room. He was gone, he had spent a month trying to save my life, and now he wasnt going to let me return the favor. I slumped to the ground, holding his lost cape.

            I left town the next full moon. I couldnt bear staying there for a second longer; too much history. I was given a good riding horse, and a single rusty old sword. My trusty saber had been lost in the near fatal battle. I had several copper pieces left, and swapped those for a weeks ration of meat and potatoes. It had been awhile since I had been on the open road. I wasnt much for travel; it just wasnt in my blood.

            Now, my brother and my father were different, they lusted for adventure, and took it whenever the opportunity presented itself. Of course, that was what ultimately killed my father. I never looked back when he didnt come home after one splurge.

            I took up a residence in a Monastery, hundreds of miles from my home and the place of my birth. I lived there for most of my life, forgetting my background and living in harmony with others and myself.  But as usual, my past reared its ugly head and bit down. A wandering monk stayed at our Monastery for a few days, and quickly learned my name. He had known my father, and was looking for his sons. Grayhem and myself. A month later Grayhem showed up, and news reached us of a syndicate of shady folks, gathering near a farming community. They burned out all the farmers and took all the women as reward to themselves.

            I couldnt stand for that. But Ternevsky cautioned against hasty emotions, and told me to stay put if I wanted to live, the time is not right and all that garbage. I wasnt buying it. When the syndicate attacked another three farmlands, I told Ternevsky I was going with or without him.

            He sighed, but agreed to go with me. Grayhem, who was still living in the town where the Monastery sat, also said he was join me in the fight. No others would even acknowledge me when I spoke to him. I resigned myself to going with only three fighters, but at least it was Grayhem and Ternevsky with me. And the rest is as they say, history.

            Maldrok was a very small city, having nothing more than mining quarry, and a small foundry. With around a hundred occupants, most of which were older men and who worked the quarry for the Lord of The Realm.

            One small inn, having only half a dozen rooms, was at the outskirts of the residents houses. I traded my horse for a weeks stay there, and they gladly accepted. The inn had a small bar, and I took up a stool, ordering nothing.

            'Might I help you, sir?' A barkeeper asked me, but I just waved him.

            But then I stopped and motioned him to come back. 'Can I get something to eat here, also?' He nodded eagerly, and yelled into a kitchen I had failed to notice until just then.

            The food was horrible, only slightly better then what I had with me already. I ate it, but didnt have anymore. I didnt stay there even three days and nights.

Now on foot, I walked thirty miles to the Lord of The Realms town, a great, sweeping city, named after the egotistical madman himself, Lord Raistilin. I had been sent there once when I was younger by my Monastery to set up another one. It was there where I left my namesake, a beautifully crafted sword, of great deadliness. The rusty sword that sat in my scabbard was hardly worthy of being there, but I had kept it nonetheless.

            I went to the royal weapons shop, where the Lord himself kept his weapons, and requested mine. I might as well get it I told myself.

            After procuring it with a bit of haggling, I decided to check out the local Monastery for food and shelter. But they wouldnt allow me access, because I carried a sword.

            That angered me much, but of course I did nothing, and started to walk away, when a young lady cut me off and asked very nicely, 'Hail, kind sir.'

            'Can I help thee?' I asked, with kindness. I decided to return the respect she showed to me.

            'That sword you carry, it is very fascinating.' She paused as if working up the courage, 'Could I buy it from you?'

            'Sorry, its not for sale. I was given this by my father within days of his death.' He also told me of the great power it held, I thought.

            'Okay, sorry to trouble you.' She bowed to the waist, and left. It surprised me she gave up so easily; most merchants would have tried to negotiate, even a little.

I was half-tempted to take the weapon back to the shop, thought better, pulled out the old nasty sword from my scabbard, placed it in there, then left myself.

I felt someone following me. I felt eyes on my back, heard a shuffle if I turned more than a quarter step, but I never looked back, knowing that would tip the person that I knew. I stopped briefly to ask an innkeeper for directions to Fujita, the largest and most expensive town in all Arcadia, ten times grander with twenty times more people than Raistilinville. I could probably get a job as a guardian to a rich merchant, and start making money.  He told me to follow the path I was on, it would carry me to the outskirts of the town, and I could find the sign with an arrow to point me in the right direction. I thanked him and continued.

            I followed the path until it headed into the deep forest, at which I veered off. There was a small divot in the ground I was barely able to miss. I heard a crash behind me; the person must have fallen into the hole. I pulled out a dagger from a mostly concealed sheath against my inner thigh and threw it end over end, and heard a thunk. I followed the sound and found the dagger imbedded into a large sycamore, with a weirdly familiar young girl cowering under it. 'So the stories are true. Kill me quickly.' She spat at my feet. Fear and hate entangled in her eyes.

            'What stories?' I asked, after drawing her up and holding her ponytail in one hand. I didnt like being followed.

            'The stories that everyone knows. Of a great warrior that can wield any weapon, who can see in the dark, who wears a multi-hued cape made out of clothe very rare. The evil one he is called, and kills all who lay eyes upon him.' She said in one breath.

            'I see, and in these stories, was there ever any description of the evil one?' I asked callously. She had lost much of here hate, but the fear was still there.

            'Not that I can recall but cloaks like that arent for poor people, but you had no money at all when you haggled with the weapon smith for your sword.' She said, still expecting death.

            'So, you were following me even before the shop' I offered a tail of the cloak to her. She ran her fingers over it, and stared at the cloak in awe mixed with shock. 'I say it again, I am not the Evil One.' I paused for a second. 'If I was the Evil One, you would not even have had the chance to argue your point. I would have killed you straight away.'

            'I guess youre right' She trailed off, and backed away.

            'Hold on a second. You were the one who tried to buy my weapon!' I said, and she ran off. I thought about chasing her, but decided it was too much trouble. She was a nuisance I wouldnt have to worry about again.

            I pried my dagger out, and placed it back into my pack. 'I dont believe it.' Was all I got out, and ran in the direction of the girl. 'You had better pray I dont catch up to you!' I yelled, still feeling my scabbard, empty of my fathers sword.

She ran like the wind, not caring what she hit. The sword in her arms was heavy, but did not weigh her down enough to slow her. The man had seemed nice, but she needed the money, and this weapon would sell nicely once she reached the big city. The fellow did not know what he had in his stock. With a weapon so rare, she knew he was either the evil one or a great warrior, but his actions were nothing like the legends, and she knew all the tales. A mighty roar came up behind her, and she quickened her pace. Men dont roar like animals, he is the Evil One, whether or not he knows it. She thought the forest behind her came crashing down, and she thought twice about carrying the heavy weapon. She would probably be caught and killed by him, so she doubled her resolve, and kept running.

I saw her in the trees, and went through the sticky bushes in the way. I didnt know I cared about the sword so much, but I found out when I thought about that it was not the sword I was after, it was my father, or the only thing I had to identify with him. He had been dead for so long, I barely remembered what he looked like.

            I bellowed again, and ran faster after her, and caught her. I yanked on her hair, and she tumbled to the ground. I said in between deep breaths, 'Give me one reason why I should not kill you.' I was truly prepared to kill a defenseless girl, I was so angry.

            She wasnt winded in the slightest, and told me without a single pause for a deep breath, 'I do not care, Evil One.'

            'I told you, I am not the Evil One. I did not even begin wearing this cloak until a month ago' I trailed off, and realized it was my brothers cloak, he was the Evil One! How had that eluded me for so many years? But it did explain many things about my past, like why my brother was gone sometimes a year, and came back more sorrowful, and saddened. 'I am not the Evil One.' I said for the dozenth time or so it felt, 'I realize my brother was the Evil One. He left me in the city of Iromhan last month, barely alive, if it was not for him, I would be dead.' I sank down to the ground, clutching my fathers sword, put my head in between my knees, and cried. 'I looked up to my brother, for all my life. I was always lesser than him, in everything. But all my skills are learned from him. If anyone could right the wrongs that he may have caused, it would be me. I can bring his name back into the glory of god himself.' I said, and clenched my teeth firmly. The young woman looked at me with new respect in her eyes.

            'You would travel the world, devote your life to changing the few people who survived the Evil Ones wrath?' She asked, approaching me slowly. 'But your whole life is ahead of you, dont you think he should right his own wrongs?'

            'I would not only be easing his wrath on this world, I would forge new alliances amongst the hinterlands. I will civilize this country!' I paused to catch my breath, thinking about what I said, and more calmly spoke, 'And sometimes what one cannot do, another can. I have done nothing admirable in my life. The only time I have fought for justice, I nearly died. It was my brother who saved me. I know him to be a good person, and a terribly gifted warrior. I was never able to match his level when we sparred, he was so far my senior. If something infected his mind, he could have been corrupted. And besides, whats life for anyway? I want my brother to not go to hell, I will do everything in my power to keep him from there.' I answered back.

            'I want to go with you.' She said, without fear, only anticipation.

            'That would not be wise on my part. You are nearly a grown woman, it would take me years to teach the ways of the warrior, nor do I have magical talents to speak of.' I said, and bowed my head. My mad romp through the thorns had torn my Monkish robes in dozens of places, including the neckline, which was completely ripped out. I was just beginning to feel the tears at my flesh, my adrenaline going back to normal levels.

            She had started talking, but I wasnt paying her any attention. 'Hey Monk guy, did you hear what I said?' She looked at me crossly.

            'No, I missed it. Was actually in fact thinking what a mess I was in this tattered robe. I always thought it was survive me.' I chuckled blandly at my own joke, and she tried to go on explaining herself. 'And dont call me Monk guy, I have a name you know. Its Taurclax Everwood.'

            'Oooh! Youre father was a great adventurer, wasnt he? Thats amazing!'

            'Yeah, its amazing all right. Its also what got him killed, leaving me parentless. Oh yeah, it was amazing indeed.' A dark cloud passed over my face, and she sobered up a bit, but only for a second. She explained herself finally.

            'I could become a magi. I have always been skilled with a pen, and am quite adept at inscription. I could go back to my former teacher and learn. And when I am ready, you could come back to the town and pick me up.' She said with real eagerness, and could barely stop from bouncing around.

            I forced myself to calm down a bit, and said, 'I dont know. I guess it matters which city you teacher lives in.' I had already gotten up.

            'Its not far. The city of Fujita.'

            'I guess you are lucky then. I am on my way there.' I smiled told her to follow me.

            I gave her a letter heading, one bearing my familys crest, so she could track me down in case I didnt go into Fujita again.

I dropped her off at a tavern near the minters shop, I gave her the family signet, which she could she show me when her training is complete, and I left her to herself. There was a bulletin board with escorts needed, and I signed myself down for several of them, to begin my search for money and redemption.