Ferc looked at the chess board in front of him; He was playing against himself to see strategy. Once I move the bishop, I can take the queen. Then, there's all the pawns to deal with. This will prove to be a short game for Nero. He thought to himself. He grabbed the torch. The words were ringing through from his earlier letter: There is only one family who would know of the information that'd make a person want to kill you. He started to think: But, what if Nero is part of that family? Then, I've just been caught in a trap.

Natalia looks at the protective necklace Nero gave to her , she sits near a lake she sees Audrey and Nero but decides that she will let Nero come to her when he's ready.She plays with the water and has a terrible vision.

Nero looked at her

"You can never control what happens to others, we just have to do our best to protect those closest to us from any kind of harm" he said with a normal voice "luckily for you, I'll help you in any way I can, but you'll have to ignore my little imperfections, deal?"

He gave his hand to Audrey to seal the deal

((Hey, Balatro! I just wanna know what you think: What if Ferc and Audrey were twin brother and sister? I mean, the same age, hair (kind of), and eyes... it looks like a twin thing! You know, they could've been seperated as children into different famalies. I'm just saying. :D ))


Audrey looked at his hand nervously. At first, she wasn't sure... but then, Nero was a good person to her. So within a moment, Audrey took her hand into his hand.

She looked up at him, and smiled. "Deal."

Second objective accomplished, said Nero in his mind, and he gave a smile to Audrey

"Don't worry, you will not regret it!" said Nero "Now you should go back to camp, it's going to be dawn soon, well have to start the journey and you have to cook breakfast" said Nero with an innocent smile on his face

Audrey shrugged and grinned. "Yeah. I guess. See ya later, Nero." As she went back to the tent, Audrey noticed that Natalia looked troubled. She ran to her, and knelt, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey? You okay, Natalia?" Something felt uneasy for Audrey as well. She couldn't point out what it was... but she felt it.

((Sure. Why not?))

Ferc waited for the next morning to talk to Audrey. He had recieved another letter, claiming something along the lines that Audrey was his twin sister. Ferc didn't believe it one bit, though. He wanted to see if his uncle was wrong.

Natalia told Audrey of a vision she had of Ferc killing a silver cloaked being. She couldn't make out who he was killing.She told Audrey that she didn't know if it was a past kill or a vision of someone he would kill.

Audrey looked down and thought about it. "That's... that's awful. We better keep a sharp eye out on him. I hope that evil side of him would go away... soon." She helped Natalia up. "Ya sure you're gonna be okay?"

" Yeah, I will be fine. I feel that my feelings for Nero will only make Ferc more enraged.Plus I have this feeling Nero's keeping something from us." she confided in Audrey, feeling she may for the first time have an actual friend.

Audrey rubbed Natalia's arm in comfort. "Aww, don't worry, Natalia. And as for Nero... I dealt with him already. But... try not to make Ferc jealous though. Ya know, just be friends with Nero."

She looked around, and smiled. "That's the best way to handle things." Then she replied, "I'm glad we became friends. At first, I wasn't sure about you guys, but now... you're starting to be a true friend to me. And I respect that."

Natalia smiled. Her father was all wrong about them." Torsh should take the crown and make you queen. Theres too many people out there with too much power and their not using that power for good. We need more people like you and Torsh or else were doomed." Natalia said to Audrey. She got up and left to find Ferc, she owed that man a few apologizes and hoped she could turn him good.

Audrey stood there, speechless. Her becoming Torsh's queen? That would be wonderful! But... she was afraid she wouldn't do something royal like. It didn't matter, because she had Torsh and the others.

But Natalia was right. They had to reach the palace before all of Shindalar was doomed. Audrey headed for the tent. When she got there, she found Torsh, still sleeping well in his sleeping bag.

Audrey smiled, and slid in her sleeping bag as well. As she laid her head on the pillow, and turned the other side, Audrey thought about what tomorrow was going to be like. Finally, she closed her eyes, and went to sleep.

In her dreams, a voice echoed inside her head. "Audrey... you have a twin brother..." The voice was Tyla. Audrey looked around in the dreamscape. "What? I have a twin brother? Well... who?! Who's my brother?" Tyla's voice answered, "Ferc Kast." The name shocked Audrey's ears.

She fell down on the dreamscape's ground, and shook her head. "No... No. It can't be. But how?"

Natalia found a nearby a nearby tree to rest on. It was turning into night.She still hadn't found Ferc.She also felt very vulnerable without her machettes ,no matter how much a necklace can protect you, you feel a lot safer with a sharp object by your side ,she thought. She wondered what Nero was up to. She liked him but she was doubting his trust as a fellow traveler and as a companion. She knew if Audrey stopped loving Torsh ,Nero would gladly take his place. At least Ferc was more honest, ok evil, but more forthcoming with information about his mission and himself. Nero was good or at least appeared to be and he did give her a protective necklace after she gave him her machettes. Natalia put a glass of water before her and then added something to it that turned it black.She then chanted a spell. She drank the glass. As the poison took over her body she said to herself ' Whoever wakes me with true loves kiss I shall marry ,and know they are my true love.' Her body is taken over from the poison as she layed down near the tree.

Soon the morning came and Torsh woke up. His back still hurt a little so he used the Herbal Medicine Nero had gave him. He looked to his side and Saw Audrey sleeping so quietly. He got up and yawned he was about to enter the pub for an ale or two when he saw Natalia lay down by a tree.

He then looked up to the inn where he was hoping Ferc would be.


"Ferc! Ferc get down here now!" He then ran back to the tent shook Audrey madly and then shouted for Nero. Many more people around the village of Metri gathered to see the danger.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah" groaned Nero as he woke up, keeping in mind that he was still on a tree, and took a look at the camp, "Seems like they are still sleeping, what a pair of lazy people!" he muttered to himself

"You're one to talk boss" said Merky, who came down from a higher branch and surprised Nero, who almost fell from the tree

"YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT ME, NOT GIVE ME A HEART ATTACK!" said an infuriated Nero

Merky was about to reply when they both heard Torsh yelling in the distance

"Seems Mr. Royalty is giving out orders already" said Nero with a tired tone,"This is going to be a long day, remember to stay hidden, got it,?" he said as he was getting ready to climb down to see what was going on

"You don't have to tell me again boss" responded Merky as he banished into the forest

After a few minutes of walking, he reached Torsh, "Hey what's all this commotion abo...." he didn't could not finish his sentence, because he saw Natalia laying near a tree, he rushed to her side, and began checking her pulse, which was weak, he saw an empty glass nearby, noticed that her lips had a little black shine into it and came to the conclusion that she had been poisoned

"This is bad!" he exclaimed to Torsh,"this type of poison spreads fast into the body, I can counter it, but the method of administrating it is a little ackward, will you help me hold down Ferc if he shows up? for this girl's?"

Audrey woke up when Torsh shook her. "Huh? Wha..." she mumbled. She got up and scratched her head. When Audrey got out of the tent and saw Natalia lying by a tree, she gasped. Now she was fully awake.

"Oh my God!" Audrey ran by Natalia's side, and touched her forehead. Natalia felt cold to Audrey's hand. She glanced up at Torsh. "What happened to her? Last night, we were talking... but now she feels cold." Then she noticed the glass. "Oh no..."

"She's been poisoned!" exclaimed Nero to the worried Audrey, "I have a medicine ready to help, it should eliminate the toxin, but I need your help to make Natalia take it" he said with a worried tone, "the method is alittle strange, soI need you to hold back Ferc if he comes"

"I'll see what I can do. I'll be back." Audrey ran to find Ferc. Then she remembered that dream she had. Was her granmother telling the truth about Ferc being her twin brother? They did have some sort of similarities, but she still wasn't sure.

Audrey shrugged, and continued to find Ferc.

"Ok, let's see" said Nero, trying to figure it out where in the world he had put his batch of medicines, "that ones for headaches, this one for stomachaches....got it" he said, taking out a mixture of herbs from a small bag, he then put them on his mouth and began to chew them, they have to be mashed together and the ill person shall swallow it

After chewing them from a few minutes, he took out the paste and put it on a small leaf,"now all she has to do is swallow it" and he putted it on her mouth and.... nothing happened

"Crap, come come girl, you're tough as nails and you can't swalolow some medicine? come on, come on!" he exclaimed, but still nothing happened

"Ok, its time for the crazy stunt, you Torsh, hold back Ferc when you see him, ok? he's going to kill me for what is about to happen" he said, he took a full sip of water rom his canteen and drove his lips into Natalia's, trying to make the water drive the medicine itno her system, relinquishing the toxin

"I sure hope this works" he said, and lay Natalia down into the grass, with fingers crossed

Ferc ran to Natalia. "What do you think doing with her?" He asked Nero, coming from a different path than the one Torsh was blocking. He had his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it from its' steath at any given second.

Audrey stopped Ferc, and placed her hand on his arm. "Ferc, stop! He's trying to help. Give him a chance." She looked at him with sadness in her eyes.

"Hey, kill me later, okay?" explained Nero, "your girlfriend seems to have wanted to commit suicide, I wonder why" he said looking at Ferc

"But I got here on time to help her, I hope, its all up to her now" he said, trying tocalm down Ferc

Natalia still sleeps but can hear them." It's not suicide, I put myself under a true love spell . Only a kiss from the man who truly loves me will wake me.Maybe I should have left a note.If I concentrate maybe Audrey will hear me ."

Ferc breaks free of Audrey's hold. He moves past Nero.

"I won't let him. My feelings tell me he means to kill someone. I don't trust him." He said.

He then runs to Natalia and kisses her. Tears started to fall from his eyes. Let grace be upon her as it is upon me. Let her live. He thought in desperation.

Natalia's body starts to reawaken.Natalia notices Ferc next to her . She smiles." You kissed me and broke the spell. Wait a minute so did Nero. But I didn't wake up right after, so my true love must be you Ferc."

He turns to Audrey. "You were saying?" He said, sardonically.

Ferc then turns to Natalia. "Evil no longer." He whispers in her ear. He waits to see her reaction. "I love you. I was ready to sacrifice my life for yours, if it had come to that." He then declared loud enough for the others to hear.

" From this day forward I am yours and yours alone.Whatever path you choose I will follow. You broke the spell. My heart is no longer torn. I am betrothed to you , if you will have me." Natalia said to Ferc.

Third objective accomplished, now all is well, for now thought Nero, but he did not show it in his face, which showed an smile

"Phew" he exclaimed "you had me a litttle worried there girl, I though my reputation as a small time healer had been destroyed!" he said in a playful tone "and about that kiss thing, I put no feelings put forth when I helped you swallow the medicine, because you truly love this guy" he said, looking at Ferc, "I'm glad you did not kill me, it would have been very unfortunate if you did" he said in a calm-cold voice

"Well then, now after all this, I' hungry, Audrey, how about you be a doll and make breakfast? Im starving!"

Natalia sat on the grass happy to be alive and in love .She would wait for Ferc. She sensed his troubles.

"I would. Your example will surly keep me away from the dark path." He replied to her. He stared at a pair of birds flying together nearby. They flew north in perfect unison.

He stabbed his sword into the grass, letting the dew clean the blade. He pulled it out of the grass. It now was entirely white.

"Audrey come with me" he whispered in her hair and he ran off into the distance round the corner of a house. He had to have a sreious chat with her. It was dead important.

Natalia rested her head on Ferc's shoulder." What troubles you my love. You seem to be carrying a heavy burden."

"Seems I'll have to get breakfast for myself" said Nero at the sight of the leaving Audrey, he wondered what Torsh wanted to speak to her about

Then he turned to the other two companions, "I'll leave you two love birds alone, I'll have to go find something to eat before I faint" he said in his usual joking voice, and then gathered all his medicine pouches and started for the town, his objective: a juicy breakfast!! ( and some info from Merky)

Ferc tossed a rock onto the lake. He watched as it bounced downstream towards the sun. "My heavy burden? I'm just torn between the past and the present. I can still see the blood of my bretraying friends on my hands. And, I can't find a way to wash it off." He said to Natalia, while looking at his clean hands.

She kissed his hands." I have blood on my hands as well." she looks him." Theres something else though."

Just a Note to everyone.

The reason all of us are at the Metri Lake is to buy weapins and see the Fighting Contest if your skilled like torsh you'll be entering. Now Go do what you gotta do!

Natalia could tell he needed to process whatever was troubling him so she went to buy new weapons while there she noticied a Fighting Competion and entered ,see as she was now an exiled princess and that don't pay ....well anything.

He saw a sign for a Fighting Competition. Time to prove myself worthy of her. He went to sign up for it. He looked towards the line. Wow. I've never seen such a long line before. He got in line and waited patiently.

Nero just finished eating breakfast :xp:

"Ah, that was great" he said as he payed the bill and got out to walk, to help his body digest the food, and on his way, he noticed a paper on the floor, he picked it up, and read that a contest was taking place in town today

I bet the others are entering too, he said to himself, "this is going to be great" he said it out loud, and everybody turned in his direction

"What? have you never been happy before?" he said to the people that were staring at him "go back to your own business already"

After that, he headed to where the contest was taking place, he registered, looking forward to the fun

Torsh didn't see Audrey so he shouted aload.

"Look Audrey I'm enting the fight competition! You don't need to worry for me no ones ever died there.. yet!"

He came into th3 line behind Ferc.

"So your entering?" Torsh asked.

Nero had just finished registering when he saw two familiar faces, both Ferc and Torsh were in line to enter the contest, and he approached them.

"You guys want to have fun too?" he asked them "you have no chance of winning now that I have entered it, so you should just go back to camp" he said in a playful voice

"I am indeed." Ferc said, proudly. He stared at Torsh for a second. "And, I assume you are too?" He asked. He checked his bow to make sure it was still working properly. Good. Nothing can stop me, then. He thought to himself, grinning.

Natalia poked at Ferc." You signed up too. May the best man win...or shall I say woman."

He noticed that Nero had joined in for a battle too.

"Course I am" he replied to Ferc. Then he gave a note to both of them.

"I know we are good friends but this is where we turn nasty" he grinned devlishly. Suddenly the line went down by half. The tournament had begun. Suddenly Torsh was paired up with a weird women as Nero and Ferc were too!

Soon he was thrown into one of the battle arenas out of ten.

Natalia looks around" What am I chopped liver?"

As a big fat man from higher above on a podium shouted...

"321 Let the Battles Commence!" The next ten battles including his own had started and the woman picked a staff as her weapon and Torsh thought it would be interesting if he did too.

[CSI says hello, and expresses his compliments to us. "Good job! Keep up."] Thank you CSI!!! :D

Nero laughed, "We are now friends, huh?" he said to the both of them, "ok, I guess I can live with that"
---------------------------

After all the preparations were complete, Nero had put on his battle gear:
-some cut out gloves with some metal armor on them
-chest and back protection, but nothing in the shoulders, to keep him agile
-light protection in his arms to be agile and at the same time protected,
-his longsword inhis back, ready to be drawn outm and his knife on his side
ready for a quick cut

He headed of into the ready area of the place, ready to fight

Ferc pulled out a wooden pole. It's go time. He used it as if it were a sword. He let his opponents come to him. Here's where the fun begins He thought.

Natalia sat on the sidelines, watching and rooting.She pulled out when Ferc entered the compition. She decided to root for him.