What seemed like hours to Gunner....{20 Min's}
He was having a really hard time to bring himself to fire his weapon at the dragon.

He had to admit to himself that the dragon looked kinda cute. Never mind the fact this 'cute' dragon would love to have him as a morning snack.

"What a pet that he would be." He thought to himself. Coming though any town with a pet dragon by your side. Now THAT would be a attention grabber. He was broken out of his thought as the dragon hissed once again......... Despair returned.

"Come on dragon!" Gunner screamed. "Why don't you go after a wild........Turkey or something! I don't taste good in the morning. I'll give you gas!" And all he got was a slight roar from the dragon.

Gunner didn't want to use his weapon on it. He had a soft spot for dumb animals. But the creature wasn't giving him any other choice. He removed the rife from the harness strapped on his back. It was positioned in an angle that it didn't interfered with his movements. He reached into a small leather pouch and removed a razor sharp pointed bolt and inserted it into the rife.

As soon as it was locked into place, he took aim at the dragon. "This is your only chance dragon," Gunner shouted. "Go away and leave me be! Or your hide will be the new lining on my boots!"

The dragon rose to it's feet and hissed a little louder, showing his razor sharp teeth. Clearly expecting something to happen.
Gunner took aim and held is breath. He was wondering if the bolt was going to do any kind of damage to the creature. He knew the bolt was sharp enough to penetrate the armory skin of the dragon. But it was the size that worried him. They were made to kill people, not dragons. It might drive it away.....Or it would bother him like a gnat. But he had confidence in 'Viki'. And she never let him down. He took another deep breath......held it and fired.

Gunner was aiming for the dragon's eye. But at the last moment it tilted it's head and the bolt caught the dragon just above the eye instead. The dragon gave out an ear splitting roar as the bolt sank half way into it's skull. It reached up with one of it's huge fore-claws and removed the bit with it's first swipe.

"OK.....it was a 'gnat' to him." Gunner said as he reloaded.

The dragon looked up at Gunner with fire in it's golden eyes and showing his needle sharp fangs.

"OK, dragon! That was just a warning shot," Gunner shouted. "I won't be so nice with the next one."

But Gunner would never get that chance, because the dragon placed it's large head against the base of the tree and began to push against it. Almost instantly Gunner knew what it was planning to do.

"He's knocking the tree down!" Gunner said in amazement as the sounds and movement of the tree penetrated his mind. Frantically
Gunner took another shot and it bounced harmlessly off the scales of it's back. It stopped pushing to look up at gunner. And he swore that the dragon was smiling at him.

"I thought you dragons were suppose to be stupid at this age!" The dragon hissed opened mouthed. as if it was saying.......{Guess again, Human!}
And started once again to push against the tree, this time with even more force.

With seconds before the tree collapsing, Gunner placed 'Viki' in it's holster behind his back and timed his leap from the tree as it began to fall over. He landed on the forest floor hard, but he managed to catch himself, turning his fall into a roll, so that he was not injured and was able to scramble up before the dragon could react.

The fall had knocked some of the wind out of him, however,and he was less then ideally steady on his feet. But he wasn't going to give the dragon the chance to go at him. When he was in control of is actions, he wasted no time in dashing away from the dragon, aiming for the thickest woods, where, with any luck, the beast would not fit between the trees. He didn't have much of a lead, but the monster had expected him to stand and fight, not to flee, so that it did not immediately purse him.

Gunner didn't think, didn't look back, just put his head down and ran for all he was worth, hoping that the dragon would not follow, or would tire of he chase. But of course..........that wasn't the case.

As it happened, it was several seconds, almost a full minute, before he heard the dragon crashing though the trees behind him. That gave him significant head start. Furthermore, the underbrush slowed the monster down far more it slowed down the man. Gunner was able to maintain a slight lead for quite some distance, though he knew dragon's speed was much greater then his own.

As he ran he prayed to the Goddess of luck to pull his sorry butt out of the fire once again.
The ground was uneven, and Gunner found himself running up a sun-dappled hillside. The upgrade slowed him somewhat; he could feel the dragon drawing closer to him. When he reached the hilltop and abruptly ran out of forest. He was charging down into a virtually treeless river valley, and what he saw ahead of him was a camp. And what he saw in the camp made him smile and set the wheels in motion in his head.

It was the men that was chasing him yesterday. And if he do this right, he would kill two birds with one stone. He didn't need to look back, the hissing told him all he needed to know. The dragon was still hot on his tail. He put his head down and call every last ounce of speed he had, and headed for the camp.

As soon as he was in ear shot of the camp. He started shouting the word, 'DRAGON'. And as he ran into the camp, he continued shouting Dragon. No sooner as he past the camp, men stormed out of there tents looking around. The dragon had been charging after him, but it now slowed as it saw the tents and the people among them.

Gunner could guess what it was thinking. Why go after one difficult meal when here were a dozen that weren't running?

And indeed they were not running; instead they were ducking into there tents after there weapons. The dragon approached slowly, as if it hoped to avoid frightening them away its prey, while the men began appearing with cocked and loaded crossbows. Another man barked a command, and the quarrels flew.

Gunner decided not to stick around to see the battle's outcome. For he knew as soon as the men dealt with he dragon, they'd be searching for him once again.

Besides, had more pressing matters to attend to. He had to meet up with Uber in the grassland area. He was sure that he would have his head for this. But that would be better then being a snack for that dragon.

Once again the Goddess of Luck was smiling down on him. And with that, all was good with Gunner.

"Thank you my sweet Goddess! What would I do without you!"
Gunner was sure, it would be in jail, dead, eaten or something worse.............If possible.

With that he continued his journey.

By the time they agreed on the terms of the exploration it was well past noon. Uber was eager to get under way immediately. But Rand told him it would be better if they got started during the evening, for the heat in the day time is intense. Rand was about to ask Uber a question, but he noticed that he had a worried look on his face as he stared off to the north west.

"Is there a problem?" Rand asked.
Uber blinked his eyes and turned to face the old man.

"I'm sorry, sir." Uber said in a soft voice. "It's just that I didn't plan to come here alone. I was suppose to meet up with one of my men before I reached your home."

"Do you think something may have happened to him?" Tosh asked.
"I don't think so," Uber replied. "Gunner is a tracker. He knows how to get around in nearly any envioment. So I don't worry about him in that way."

"Then what is bothering you, then?" Mentokka asked. Uber paused for a second.

"I'm little embarrassed to say this," Uber said in a low tone. "Gunner is what you would call a 'Lady's man'.................At least, that is what he claims. Always trying to......score with the ladies."

"Sounds more like a skirt chaser to me." Tosh said with a grin. Uber turned away embarrassed.

"He's just the kind of person if he isn't doing his job. He's either chasing some girl. Or he's being chased by someone OR something."



"AFTER HIM!" the man shouted. "Don't let that Bastard get away!!!"
The marsh stank, with a sharp, briny stench that seemed to fill Gunner's head. He paused for a second to catch his breath. He had a good enough distance on the men that was chasing him. He stared out across the maze of tall grass and shallow water for a long moment and then reluctantly marched onward, avoiding it.

"The last thing I'm gonna do is step into this muck and lose my boots like the last time."

Gunner was in this predicament like this a year ago. He successfully romanced a Daugther of the captain of the Royal Guards in the Kingdom of Fatoran. And he lost them in the forest. He decided to go though the marches in that area and lost his boots, when the ground beneath him; sank over his knees. He muttered an obscenity when he pulled his legs out only to see his muddy bare feet.

With the soldiers closing in on him he had no time to retrieve his boots from the brown muck. The ran forward though the wet green and stinking, coastal marshes. It took him almost a day, but he got away. Saying a small thanks to the Goddess of luck. He couldn't count how many time he got away by the skin of his teeth.

He suppose, he could of turned to the right and go straight into the marches, tried to lose his pursuers in there. But he thought against it and decided to left and enter the forest instead. He had been running for a couple of hours and still he wasn't able to shake them off his trail. At least the forest would be different. If it came down to it. They'd be easy to pick off in the forest.

At 24 years of age. Life has been one adventure/ misadventure after another for Gunner. Stand just under six feet tall. He was a wiry built, but very flexible and incredibly fast. He had short cut black hair and a pair deep Hazel eyes that caught the attention of the ladies. No matter what he wore, he always wore a brown scarf and a long brown cloak.......{The only thing that was owned by his father}

His weapon of choice was his custom made Crossbow Rifle. His saying was "Death from a Distance".

His father taught him how to pick off a target..........{human or animal} from as far as a hundred yards with a crossbow. But he wanted to do more. His lucked changed when met a man from the Scarlet River Empire. He said he was a weapon smith. And told Gunner that for the right price he would create a special weapon that would easily triple the the killing range that he was use to.

Gunner was leery about the man's claim, but he was interested all the same. After agreeing on the price, Gunner told him he would get paid when it was completed and it passed his use of the weapon.
Two months later and more then thirty shots fired from as close as 30 yards to as far as 250 yards. It passed with flying colors. He happily paid the man and went on his way.

He named the weapon 'Viki'. Stories his father told him about a ditsy teleporter he was fond of during the Great Rift War. And for more then a year, 'Viki' never failed him.

It was late in the evening when gunner finally gave the fools the slip. He knew he'd promised Uber that he would meet up with him before dawn. But he was way too tried to travel any further, and decided to rest some sleep. Even though it was a cool night, he made no camp, lighted no fire; instead he climbed a tree and wedged himself into a fairly secure perch. He had seen no sign of pursuit, but after fleeing for so long from the posse that was chasing him, he wasn't taking any unnecessary chances.

Gunner awoke at dawn, feeling very cramped and stiff. He untangled his hands and feet, but before lifting himself out of the tree he glanced down at the ground below.

He froze.

There were still no sign of the men that was after him, but he would almost preferred that to what he saw instead. Looking up at him at the base of the tree was a small dragon.

He stared down at it in dismay.

"This..........This is NOT good." he muttered to himself.

It was a glossy metallic black color, and he figured it to be about 15 feet, counting the tail. It was a small dragon, so it was a young dragon, and young dragons were notoriously stupid. It had it's wings folded down against it's back, so that he couldn't judge it's wingspan, but he guessed that the fact that it was down on the ground and he was up in the tree meant it could not fly...........yet.

It glared up at him hungrily and hissed, a sound like the dousing of a bonfire. It left little doubt of it's intentions.
Gunner wondered if it was a wild dragon from birth, or whether it has been bred by the dragon riders to the north and had escaped or been freed. If it was raised as a military dragon, he might be able to control it.

"Ho Dragon!" he barked. "Rest Dragon!"

The Dragon just stared up at him and hissed again. Seeing that plan didn't work. He had two options. Get out of the tree and make a break for it. Or use his crossbow rifle and hope that his single shot weapon will do some damage against it. And at that moment neither options looked good.

If the goddess of luck was with him.............She must of been asleep at the moment.

Half way though there talk. Uber though it would be a good time as any to ask Rand for his help. But it seemed that the old man already knew what he was planning to ask.
"The Pondor, " Rand said calmly.

"What?" Uber said, quickly snapping his head towards the old man.

"The Pondor......That's why your here........am I correct?"

"Well......yes. B-but how did you know?"

Rand had to chuckle. "What else would you be here for?
I'm sure your not to see Tosh or Mentokka." He said looking at the two of them. Making to two of them chuckle under there breath. I'm sure you could learn about fighting and magic casting from places much closer then coming all the way out here......am I correct?"

Uber knew it was just common sense. But it surprised him all the same.

"Hmm? This old guys is sharp as a razor's edge." He thought to himself.
He half though that this old man would be a babbling old fool, much like his father.
Always talking about how great he was during the time when he was fighting along side the rebels against The Scarlet River Empire all those years ago.

Uber was about to speak when Rand spoke up. "I can see it in your eyes, Uber. Learning the secrets of the Pondor is one of the most important things in your life......Am I correct?" He nodded.
Rand could see the look in his eyes and the set of his jaw told him he was right.

"Sir... I'm sure you understand what I mean when I tell you, trying to find out it's secrets is like dying of thirst and your an inch away from a pool of water, and all you can get is a drop of water every once and a while. Information I learn is the same way. Your standing in front of a ocean of knowledge and all you can reach is teaspoons at a time. Makes me want to SCREAM!......Makes me want to bang my head up against a wall."

Rand could actually see Uber shaking with anger as he thought about all he has gone though. Rand calmed the man by putting his hand on his shoulder.

"Trust me, young man." Rand said, looking at him with those ancient brown eyes. "I know how maddening it is. But I believe it's done for a reason."

"A reason?" Uber asked looking at Rand. "What do you mean?"

"Uber," Rand said in a flat tone in his voice. "I've spent nearly forty years learning about the Pondor and it's secrets. And there are people.........Some in very high places of authority and power that do not wish for those secrets to be known for one reason or another. I'm sure you've run into some of these people?"

"Lornina, Kwike and Tilley."

Rand sucked his teeth and shook his head when he heard those three names. "Ooohh yeah! Those three. We've ran into these three once before."

"And once was enough, Uncle Rand," Tosh said. "That Kwike thinks that all the Pondor Ruins he finds belong to him."

"And that Lornina always says she 'Only deals with strong people'," Mentokka said. "Tosh was going to beat her within an inch of her life if Uncle Rand didn't pull him off her."

"So!" Tosh shouted back. "She said I looked weak and challenged me to a fight!"

"And let's not forget about Tilley," Uber said. "He always says......."
"Humans must NEVER learn the secrets of the Pondor!"
Rand, Tosh and Mentokka said at once. The three looked at each other and started laughing.

"Oh yeah! Let's not forget Alex." Tosh said. "All he looks for is TREASURE!"

"True, but you remember he's the one that found the Energy Channeling Rings I'm wearing." Mentokka said.
She walked over to where Uber was sitting to show him to two rings that she was wearing. Uber was amazed at the craftsmanship of the two rings.

"At first Alex though they were lost Pondorian Treasure. But we found out later they might instead be stolen from the Kingdom of Fatorian stashed in the Pondor ruins instead." Rand said. "I offered to buy them for him."

"He charged us Ten Thousand Potch for the two of them!" Mentokka shouted. "That man was a Crook!"

"That's true, Mentokka," Rand laughed. "But I liked the man, he a Rouge. But I'll never figure out how did he ever get a beautiful wife like Anna. Another one of the great mysteries of the world."

Rand told Uber when he took the rings home to examine then how they worked. When Rand and Tosh tried them on.........{only because they looked like they fit there hands} Nothing happened.
Mentokka asked to try it on, only because Rand thought they were just plain fashionable rings that cost him a small fortune.

When she tried one on. A great light flashed from her hand. She let out a cry of shock and fell to the floor. When Rand and Tosh helped her to her feet they noticed that the right fitted her slender finger perfectly. As if it was made for her. Rand asked he to try the other ring on, and the same thing happened. The flash of light and the ring shrinking down to fit her finger. It was learned that it had the ability to channel any kind of rune energy. Offense or defense.

Once again as if the rings were waiting for Mentokka to put then on.
The only down side was that it took alot of energy to wield the Rune magic of the rings. So Mentokka has to eat lots of food to keep up her strength. Tosh says she eats like a Horse and NEVER gains a pound.

Rand asked Uber a question. How did he find out about the secrets of the Pondor. He told him mostly reading translated books in libraries or scriptorium in several kingdoms.
Rand had to laugh when he heard that. "Now I understand why it so maddening to you when your trying to learn any of the Pondor's secrets."

"I don't understand what you mean, Rand." Uber said.

"What did I tell you before........{People in very high places of authority and power that do not wish for those secrets to be known}." Uber wasn't following him.

"What I'm telling you is that I believe that those people NEVER fully translating the books or texts that the let the population read."

Uber had to lean back in his seat. His mouth open in shock. "Of course! I never thought of that! He leaned forward and rubbed his eyes. "I always thought it was me not looking in the right places. But THIS make real sense!"

Rand warned him it was just a theory he had. He was not completely sure if it was true. But when Uber asked him how much did he believe it was true. Rand smiled and said..... {About 99% sure}.

Uber asked was he interested in working with him with a newly discovered Sindar site that he and his people found. Rand Looked at Tosh and Mentokka and smiled broadly.

"Do Bees Buzz?"

Uber woke, uncertain of where he was. The angle of the sunlight coming in though the window told him that it was late in the morning.
The night's events returned gradually, and a glance around told him that he was in a small bed chamber. The room was cluttered with books, scrolls, and arcane paraphernalia, jammed on the shelves and overflowing from the tables.

"Definitely not a neat freak," he thought to himself as he rose from the bed.

He got to his feet and he wished he hadn't; he had done far too much walking in the past couple of days and his feet were aching. He sat back down on the bed and noticed that his weapons and his pack of provisions was on the other side of the room near the door.

"OK.......I'm not a prisoner here," the muttered to himself. "Might as well take a look around and see what's outside this room." Several minutes later after checking his things, the door opened and a young girl stood in the doorway.

He had to admit to himself. She was a very pretty girl. Couldn't of been no older then twenty. Uber was in thralled with her silver white hair, that flowed down her shoulders. Odd for a girl with dark skin with such a colored hair.

"No doubt dyed", Uber thought
She wore a white peasant's dress with a strip of blue around the bottom. This seem to bring out the 'innocent girl look' to her.

"Good morning, sir," the young girl called. "It's good to see your awake. Would you like some breakfast? Uncle Rand is awake, and I'm sure we all have much to talk about. So please follow me."

Uber said nothing. Just nodded his head, looking at the young girl very cautiously. But the rumbling in his stomach told him that he hasn't eaten since yesterday afternoon ad he was ravenously hungry.
The girl turned away and bounded away, with the energy of a young girl. As Uber followed her he noticed that he couldn't remember having that kind of spring in his step. The girl was making him feel old. Even though he was about eight or ten years older then she was.

The two strode into the kitchen. Two men were sitting at the table. One was a young man, mid to late twenties. The other was an old man around sixty maybe sixty-five. The young man was devouring a loaf of bread and a thick slab of cheese. The old man was reading an old book and writing something down in another book. No doubt translating something from the book.

"Ah! I see your awake," the old man said as he looked up from his work. "Please.......have a seat. You must be hungry. Mentokka? Get some food for our guest please."

The old man was Rand-Tor. One look at him. and you'd see the older image of his nephew Tosh. Only difference was the fact that his thick, kinky hair was gray. And his skin was weathered but firm.and clear. Uber noticed the strength in his eyes. They were deep brown, and it was clear that he didn't miss much. Like Tosh, Rand was solidly built, especially in the chest area.

"He must train hard to keep himself in such great shape," Uber thought.

He wore a long brown robe with black legging and black boots. He also wore leather wrappings on his writs.

Uber walked over and took a seat next to the old man as a large portion of eggs, cheese and bread was place in front of him. Before Uber starting eating the old man spoke up.

"Tosh? Mentokka? Don't you two have something to say to our guest?"

Mentokka had a slightly pained expression on her pretty face. "Sorry 'bout casting a spell on you last night, sir."

Tosh forced down the last of his food and looked at Uber. "Sorry about hitting you." saying the words as if was something sour in his mouth. "But he did call our place a dump, Uncle Rand."

"That's right!" Mentokka said. "I heard him say it also!"
The old man had to chuckle when he heard that. "Does that justify your action, you two?" The two looked down not able to meet his glaze.

"No, Uncle Rand" the two said nearly at the same time.

"Let me be the one to say I'm sorry to the three of you," Uber said, rising to his feet, open Palm at his shoulder, head lowered. " I disrespected your living quarters and I'm truly sorry for my words."

Rand slightly gasped when he saw the hand gestured of Uber. "That hand salute, young man? That's a hand salute from the 5th Scouting Unit?" Uber nodded. "I haven't seen that in years. Where did you learn it from?"

Uber told him that he learned it from his grandfather. Which made Rand smile. He said it was nice for some of the young during these times to value what some of us old people tell them, which made Tosh and Mentokka smile. With that Uber sat down and started eating his food, and so begin a talk between the four of them that lasted for hours.

A question Uber wanted to ask Rand that from what he was told. Rand-Tor was no older then thirty years of age. The three looked at him and smiled.

"No doubt you were given the wrong information. You have me confused with my nephew. Who's also named Rand-Tor. He got himself tangled with a very powerful Rune a few years ago. And lost part of his memory. He's currently in the Island Nations. Something about trying to find himself."

"There's another question I'd like to ask." Uber said.
"What was that spell you hit me with, Mentokka? It knocked me out, even though I'm wearing an equilibrium orb, which shouldn't of happen to me."
Mentokka smiled and told him to thank Rand for coming up with a spell that counters that very orb.

"I call it the 'Flash and Bang'. If done correctly it can unbalance anyone for a short time even if your wearing a rune or orb that prevents that from happen. I used the properties from the Water Rune, the Lighting Rune and the Fire Rune to create it. Only a few know about it right now. Most say it a marvel in rune creation. But the truth is that I was just lucky."

Uber was clearly impressed at the old man and thought to himself that this was the man he was searching for.

Now all he needed to do is convince him to join his group. And a part of him thought it wouldn't be so hard.

Hello. I would like to show you a story I'm writing.
I was planning to do it all at once. But I've decided to break it into chapters instead.
I hope you guys enjoy what I've done so far.

Chapter 1.

The night was warm with a slight hint of a breeze in the most Southern part of the Grassland area.
Any other time, Uber Pendragon would enjoy traveling under such conditions. But this wasn't one of them. Every step he took he felt like he was waking in quicksand. And the fact that he was carrying a large Bastard Sword didn't help.

"Damn-it all!" he muttered under his breath. "I can't remember being this tired"

And it was true.
At twenty-five years of age and five feet eight inches, Uber was in top physical condition for a person with his body structure.
It amazed people that he could wield such a large weapon. Most people would take one look at him and swore that his sword would make him topple over when he swung it. Most enemies thought the same. Usually there 'first' and 'last' mistake.

Uber stopped walking and looked up at the starlit sky and took a deep breath, held it and forced it out violently. He wiped the sweat from his brow and muttered something under his breath. He felt clammy as his muscles in his legs starting to cramp up slightly.

"Now WHY couldn't this guy live in the East Lake Republic, or in the Island Nation, or even in the Kingdom of Fatoran?" He said out loud as he continued walking. "But NOOOO! He has to live practical at the 'Bottom of the World'. The middle of Fuckin' Nowhere!"

After a while Uber noticed that he was shouting out loud and he couldn't stop. Rage was boiling in him and he needed to get it out of him or he felt he was going to burst. And right there, somewhere deep inside of him. He knew something was wrong.
UberPendragon was not a person to lose control. Not even under the most stressful conditions. Many of his friend said that you needed to check his pulse every now and then just to see if he was still alive. Because he was so level headed.

Suddenly Uber fell to his knees with his eyes tightly closed. He was shaking all over, his fists and teeth tightly clenched. Suddenly he let out a loud scream.
He screamed loud and long until there was no longer air in his lungs. But he noticed the feelings of rage and hatred was gone.
As he knelled there gasping for air. Two words softly escaped from his lips. "A spell."

Several yards away out of sight of Uber, two people looked down at him from a sand covered dune. A young man and a teenager girl.
"Looks like he broke your spell sis. And using just a scream?.......... I'm impressed.

The young man was named Tosh. At twenty seven years of age he was solidly built, with short kinky hair that was going gray.........{Stress no doubt} with clear brown skin.
One the surface he was not a person that smiled much.......{missing front tooth was the cause of this}

But he laughs alot, even though many think of him to be rather stiff...........that's until they get to know him and they find out that he is very good natured person. He always wore a brown and black uniform with, black armor weaved leathered fingerless gloves, high black boots, and a leather tunic as his only form of protection.

"Well I'm not, brother." the girl said looking slightly peeved at what happened. "The Spell of Distress is a low level spell."
The girl name was Mentockka.........{Tosh's better half most said about her}
At nineteen years of age Mentockka is short. Standing just under five feet in height. Her hair is dyed a silver-white.....{To irritate her brother} that hangs down past her shoulders into a ponytail, with large brown eyes, and a very pretty smile. Unlike her brother, she wears a metal forged of a chain mail so fine to be all but invisible. Also a belted chained jerkin she designed herself over a pink-white blouse of feather silk. High boots matted in hammered black metal that protects her ankles and her muscled calves. She also wears a thin mailed three quartered lengthen black cape. {No doubt all created by magic}

"Low level or not. That guy broke it. And It's been a while since this happened last. That spell would make a person turn around and leave. And the only other person who broke Any of your spells is Uncle Rand."

"Should I hit him with another spell?" the girl asked, rubbing her hands together." The young man paused for a second. Looking down at Uber Pendragon.

"No.........I think we should tell Uncle Rand about him." he said with a slight smile on his face.

"Booorriing!" she said softly. That's no fun, Tosh! Let's attack him instead."

"Did I ever tell you..........Your a Violent little thing, sis?" He said, his grin getting larger. "I think we better hold off for now. Even though I love the idea......... Besides. In the condition he's in? He wouldn't last five seconds against us."

"Your right." Mentockka said with a small sigh. "No fun if he not a challenge."

"OK, let's get out of here." Tosh said as the two quietly left the area.

Uber slowly rose to his feet taking long deep breaths keeping his eyes closed, slowly feeling his strength return to his body.
When he opened his eyes. He couldn't help but smile. He felt good. Like someone splashed him with a bucket of cool water and he felt totally re-energized.

As he continued his walking. Three thoughts went though his mind.
One.........Who cast that spell on him? And what he planned to do to whom ever it was.
Two........Was this Rand-Tor as good as they said he was. Merc said he is one of the most knowledgeable person when it came to the Sindar with many years of experience.
And Three.....Was this hunt to learn the secrets about the Sindar was worth all this..........But he knew the answer. Of course it was!
He wanted to find out those secrets as bad as a drowning man would want to breathe.
And with that in mind. It was time to find this Rand-Tor.


It was nearly sunrise when Uber finally reached a small row of thatched roof buildings.

"Is this where Rand-Tor lives?" Uber muttered to himself as he stared at the houses. "What a dump."

Suddenly Uber felt a blow to the side of his head that send him off his feet. But Uber used the momentum of the blow into a roll that carried him further away. When he was in control of his actions again. He scrambled to his feet and drew his sword, facing in the direction of the blow. But to his surprise there was nothing there. He shifted his eyes and scanned the area. No footprints other then his own. No sound or smell of anything of anything other then the hot dry air.

Was his eyes playing tricks on him?
Not likely............That shot to the head was a fist. And it was sure enough real. And Uber was never a person that liked being sucker-punched.

"Show yourself!" Uber shouted, as he shifted his sword from the left hand to his right hand, prepared for whatever.
And of course............ he wasn't.
Everything vanished in a sudden violent blaze of intense golden light; he staggered and fell, dazed, to the ground.
He laid there for a long moment on his back, staring at the polychrome aftereffect of the flash, streaks and pinpoint dots spinning before his eyes. His sword was just out of the reach of his hand. When he tried to reach for it.

"Don't move!" a female voice called out as a foot gently stopped him from reaching his sword.
"Unless you want the next blast to actually hit you."

He looked up to see three faces staring down at him. Two men and one girl.
"I don't think you've come all the way out here just to complain about my living conditions."

"Oh Damn!" Uber muttered, as he was wondering what has he gotten himself into........This time.

Then all went black.