Yarrow, a name passed down in their family, learned from an early age he could control the animals of the forest with ease. He would leave the large tower his father owned on the outskirts of Yew and venture into the forest, bringing with him nothing more than fruit and tailored armour.

He was born of Yarrow RueSong, his father, and Belinda RueSong, maiden name Kahler, on the full moon. Many speak of this as an omen of what is to become of their child, but both refused to believe it. At a very early age young Yarrow loved to play with the animals. The cat, the neighbors dogs, and the ladys down the street cows. He was distraught. He rarely talked to his parents and never had any friends, besides his animals. His parents ignored these ominous beginnings and gave him as much love any good couple could. But at the age of 12, their life and his was turned upside down

                Abarax, also named after his father, lived a very different and difficult life indeed. His mother abandoned him at the age of 3, and his father was a crazy, evil intentioned necromancer, who felt his son should follow in his footsteps. But Abarax, minus the ancient and obvious evil name, was a gentle soul. He only wished to live among his animal friends, and cared not for any sorcery other than the art of healing. But his father would hear nothing of it, and forced him to take many classes of the dark arts, and sadly he went along. He was drilled in necromancy, until he thought his head would cave in. As if that wasnt enough, he also was forced to learn how to cast hurtful magical spells, the least ones he liked.

On his 18^th birthday, his father, who had grown a reputation for being a ruthless and unforgiving man killer, took him to the recently discovered lands of Ilshenar. There, he led him to the dungeon of the Ki-Rin, a mystical and ancient animal. But his father told him to wait, and the older man went on ahead, leaving his son alone. A young lad, barely into double-digit years, who was absolutely sure of himself, greeted him. Abarax sized him up, even against his own wishings. The teachings had been engrained into his system so deeply he could not take hold of himself. The young lad grinned with cockiness, and spoke the words of explosion, a fire-based attack, lethal to many. Abarax, even surprising himself, spoke several spells under his breath, and unleashed them unto this lad, who fell to the ground, burned to death. And then his spell struck Abarax. His skin was boiled, his eyes ceased to see, and he couldnt hear anything. He fell off his horse, and sank into unconsciousness.

                Yarrow loved the Ki-Rin Dungeon; there were new faces all the time, and many creatures to defeat. Sometimes he got in over his head, but found a way to survive. Then he happened upon the nightmare nest; a ravenous beast that only the greatest rangers in all the land could tame. They even had trouble with it. Immediately he was fascinated by it. But the deadly Acid Elementals blocked his path, and he feared them most of all in the Dungeon, except for maybe the Poison Elementals, which were smarter and more dangerous than their brethren.

                He didnt want to give up though, and he devised an ingenious plan to destroy defeat the Acid and get himself positioned to tangle with the nightmares. He pulled his plan off, and made it to the nest. He loved it. He had never felt more at home than ever before. A nightmare charged him, seeing fresh meat. Yarrow looked the creature in the eyes, and soothed it with his voice, but this creature was having none of it. It wouldnt listen to anything he said, and slammed its skull into his chest, knocking the air out of his lungs and breaking three rips. Yarrow could no longer stand up, and the beast kept attacking. It seemed to be a spell-caster, and hit the adept tamer with lightnings and fireballs, scarring his skin and draining his life force. He fell to the ground, blood trickling from his mouth and a grimace plastered on his face. His last thought before the nightmare bit into his shoulder blade was: Damnit, that creature would have made a fine pet.

                Abarax woke up in unfamiliar surroundings. He still couldnt hear, but his sight had returned. And dead skin was peeling off him, painfully. A wizened old man approached him, carrying a water jug and a tray of food, which Abarax eat and drank greedily, even with the pain that flared across his entire torso. His sight returned, after the last bite. It shocked him. The old man chuckled and replied with, 'some things are meant to stay secret, and that my young adventurer, is one of them.' Abarax shrugged and slowly sat down into a plush chair.

                'Where am I?' He asked, seeing the richness of the room.

                'You are in master RueSongs house. The gentlemen went looking for his son and found you instead. Knowing he could never abandon a young man in trouble, he stopped and carried you back here.'

                'Where is here?' He needed to contact his father, or receive the usual 40 lashings for misbehavior.

                'Four clicks from Yew. A scant distance.' The old man said, pressing cold compresses against Abaraxs chest and arms.

                'That feels good, would the master mind if I stayed here for a little bit, I cant seem to remember when I live, or even whom I am,' Abarax was lying, but he didnt want to trek 60 clicks and more just to come home to 40 lashings.

                'I see not why he would object. Why was such a gentle person such as yourself in a horrible dungeon like that.' The old man trailed off, and changed the subject, 'on second thought, would you like to meet the man who saved your life?'

                'Sure, seems like a good idea.' And he did meet the elder Yarrow RueSong, and his wife, Belinda.

                Young Yarrow woke up, his chest in extreme pain, in fact his entire body screamed at him in agony. He couldnt move his head and he cold barely feel his feet. 'Good, youre awake. Now it is time to being the sacrifice!' He heard a voice through the haze.

                'Sacrifice... wha... do... you... mean...?' Yarrow asked in-between the painful shudders encasing his body.

                'My son has gone missing. And I need him for an awakening, but to do that first I must sacrifice you.'

                'When my father hears of this, he'll kill you and anyone who was here to witness this today!' Yarrow screamed, frantic.

                'If he could find about this, I would give him my most high honors, as I'm not even sure he has heard of the land we are in.' The old necromancer grinned, and chanted a very devious spell. Yarrow felt his insides grow hot and the skin on his face crawl. The old man was covered in a billow of smoke and fog, which engulfed them both. 'Now it is time, I call forth, the greatest necromancer in the-.' He was cut off, as someone had stepped into the household.

                'Father, I cannot allow you to do this. This person has done nothing wrong, and its not right to kill anyone, ever.' A voice echoed across the smoky room.

                'You're home! I am so rel-.' He was cut off my four paladins rushing the room, striking him down with enchanted weapons.

To Be Continued...