- Flashback -

The light of dawn was shy towards the forest grounds as it peeked through tree tops with little rays of light. It was the kind of light that shone alone and shined brightly enough to teh point that one could see particles in the air. Tall oaken trees stretched out their branches as squirrels ran across them jumping tree to tree in search of acorns. Leaves dead and green covered the forest grounds afterall, the third season was approaching. The forest silence was broken by the giggling of a young girl running across the forest causing the leaves to rustle and the squirrels to watch in curiosity.

"You can't catch me! You can't catch me!" teased the innocent and delighted voice of a young girl wearing a light blue dress.

She jumped and twirled around in the forest ecstacily afterall, common grounds wasn't fitting forone of royal status. Creativity sparkled in the blonde girl's emerald eyes as she plucked a few flowers from the ground and created a crown on flowers for herself.

"Come Natalia, slow down!" huffed a middle aged woman as she climbed a leave dominated hill to reach the young girl.

"Please let me rest, I am weary!" said the woman barely able to catch her breath as she held on her knees for support.

"But Nanny, I am not weary yet," replied the innocent child. "But you may sit down if you tell me a story."

"Very well, very well" sighed the woman dusting off a boulder before she sat on it.

"What should this story be about Natalia?" asked the woman still trying to capture her breath.

"My favorite story, the story about The Black Man," answered Natalia looking up at her nanny earnestly.

"The way he haunts this very forest, and carries a big and heavy book with him, and how he walks this forest at night to meet anyone and everyone in this forest, and how he gives them a quill made from the feather of a phoenix from hell with blood as the ink and they are to sign their name in his big book, also about his pale white skin and his blood red eyes!" giggled Natalia as her nanny looked at her in amazment.

"And where did you hear this story?" questioned the nanny superstiously looking down at the young girl.

"I remember one time I meet five girls here in the forest when father took me here, the girls they were amazing, the way they could make fire appear out of nowhere, and they could fly nanny, they could fly!" exclaimed Natalia as her anticapation grew.

- End flashback -

Natalia's mind snapped back to reality as she almost dropped her cup of hot chocolate when the grandfather clock in the inn lobby struck 11 pm. That once young and naive child was now all grown up and held incredible power for she was one of royal status. Her name was Natalia Luzu Kimlasca Lanvaldear and she was princess of Kimlasca.

Strange though, how a princess of the age of 19 was out of her throne not too mention her kingdom. She was on no man's land, it was a freed ground out of the grasps of politics. The town was called Solidor for its founder. It was a quiet little town, the shops and homes were all pretty much log cabins as it was at the edge of a forest. Not just a forest, the famed Black Blood Forest which was the origin of many famous ghost stories especially, "The Black Man". Natalia always enjoyed hearing frightening stories it even disturbed her father and her nanny a bit. But she never showed any evidence of being psychotic or malevolent for she was a kind ruler to her people. The people of Kimlasca loved her so much, she would help the needy, hire the jobless, and use teh money of the royal treasury for the better of her people.

Staring at the final flames of the fireplace that danced and turned into smoke, Natalia drifted off into sleep, it had been a long day. She had waited, waited an entire day for someone to respond to her wanted poster she posted outside the inn. She needed someone to go with her into the Black Blood Forest. She saw him the other night, The Black Man, the villagers of Solidor mentioned seeing him walk around the border between the village and the forest and soon rumors spread to Kimlasca. In Kimlasca Natalia was ecstatic to hear her favorite ghost story could be a reality. And so she snuck out of her castle understanding every single trap door in her castle to sneak out sucessfully from her castle.

She arrived in Solidor, to confirm the rumors and she did confirm them afterall. She waited inside the Black Blood Forest behind a boudler waiting silently for night to break and The Black Man and his witches to come out. And she did see them, it was a puf of flames that signale dtheir entrance. A song of laughter filled the air as many women of different ages danced around a flame and drank wine teh color of blood next to a man dressed in all black. Natalia was shocked to see what she was and was so excited that she greeted the man.

Forgetting her royal status and the stories about the man and his minions she danced with him and sang with the other women. Then ,the man opened a heavily clasped book and handed her a quill.

"I can offer you power if you offer me yours in blood," smiled the man as Natalia looked at the many names uponmany pages within the book.

Natalia stared at the black metallic book for a while but then remembered her people. The people of Kimlasca who still needed her, and what was she doing there anyways in a forest of witches and a demon? She came back to her senses and ran faster than she ever imagined before. She ran and ran and onlyheard the laughter of the woman and The Black Man as she ran back towards town.

Upon reaching the town she ran to the inn quickly, and took parchment paper to write a wanted poster. Specifically a wanted poster for a warrior or fighter. The innkeeper looked at her quite puzzeled at how excited she was, the way she scribbled quickly on the parchment and how she accidently knocked over the ink bottle.

She was going back into the forest tommorow but she would need assistance from maybe one or three others for she heard rumors that the Black Man was powerful. She heard in the story of teh Black Man how he lived in a castle on a lake on teh northern most part of Black Blood Forest.

She wanted to go after The Black Man, she wanted t face down her favoritie nightmare. All in vain glory, she wanted to fight him, to see if he was worth being her favorite ghost stoyr. Not only that but also, the people of Solidor needed him removed for everyone became tense of the thought of a demon near their village, so she was doing a favor for the people by going in to destroy the Black Man.

So she would wait, and wait for a mercenary or someone to help her fight The Black Man and his minions. Maybe she was waiting to long, it has been a whole day and no one responded yet. She recalled in the afternoon how many people discussed about the Wanted Poster and its handsome pay. No matter how handsome the pay was, everyone was probably to frightened to go inside that forest. Afterall, many who went inside that forest at night never came back out.

That wasn't enough to scare Natalia though, and now she continued waiting for a few mercenarys to show up, and she was growing quite impatient.

Drifting back into her sleep again Natalia waited quietly. (well she kind of snored so I suppose it's not so quiet)

Vance Allerion rambled into town, his was not the best shape to be in. His white robes were tattered and torn, soaked in blood, belonging to both him and the coven of witches he encountered. His staff was notched and cracked, and the sword at his side was broken in two. Every step he took, he winced in pain and the sword rattled around inside its sheathe.

As he approached the inn, he heard various townspeople talking about a bounty, one no sane man would go after, even for the price offered. But Vance was no ordinary person. He was an angel, a holy being with unimaginable power, even if he only was a fledgling. From the bits of conversation he heard, he figured out that the person offering the bounty could be found in the inn.

"I suppose I'd better see what this is about." Vance muttered to himself. "If this bounty is the same man in the forest, I have a blood debt to pay him. I won't rest until my sword bathes itself in his blood!"

He rambled up to the inn, and after several persuasive gold pieces, he found the room of the Kimlascan princess. He rapped on the door three times.

"Hello?" he asked "I'm here about the bounty on the Black Man."

Natalia slept on a chair in the inn lobby and remained asleep for quite sometime. Actually, it was already morning and people were already in the inn lobby drinking and enjoying conversation. It was amazing how all the laughter and conversation didn't wake the princess up yet.

Curiousity got the better of some men as they watched the blonde princess sleep on a chair in the middle of the inn. They woul cock their head to the side to get a better view of the sleeping princess and laughed as they made remarks about her perfect figure. One of the men got up from his seat and moved across the pakced lobby towards the princess. Other men in the lobby watched as other women rolled their eyes and shook their head. Theman standing besides Natalia poked her on the shoulder and only got a small fidget from the princess for a response not to mention a snore.

"Hey she snores!" chcukled the man loudly as the other men laughed as well.

Natalia still sat asleep woth her arms folded and her legs crossed as she continued to snore and sleep in the prescence of somany other people.

"I swear I've never meet a bigger group of idiots than all of the men in this village!" yelled a the inn bartender walking towards the man standing next to Natalia.

"Don't you have some job to attend?" asked the bartender as she poked the man with her serving tray.

"Okay okay fine!" responded the brown haired man as he rubbed his belly.

"I'll leave the girl alone... after I steal a quick kiss!" exclaimed the man dived down quickly at the princesses face.

Before theman could get any coser than he already was to the Kimlascan princess her eyes shot wide open and without even thinking she grabbed the man by the throat and slammed him onto a nearby empty table. Natalia quickly garbbed an arrow out of her quiver and stabbed it right next to the man's on the table. Natalia stared fiercely into the brown eyes of the man who apparatley was horrified.

Fortunatley for the frightened man, Natalia looked up at her surroundings and saw many villagers with their mouth hung open staring at the princess.

"Oh good morning all!" smiled the Princess as she stood up tall and performed an elegant curtsy.

The villagers still stared in shock and quickly pretended they were doing something to avoid any contact with the princess.

"Oh how rude," muttured Natalia as she flipped her strawberry blonde hair and picked up her Great Bow.

Natalia walked casually through the lobby until she turned around and looked at the man from eariler while giving him an icy look.

"I'll deal with you later," stated the princess as she snapped one of her arrows in half frightening teh man even more.

"Ugh... I feel dirty," said the princess as she covered her mouth as she yawned.

Natalia was somewhat half awake this morning as she climbed up the stairs towards her inn room. Natalia almost slipped but fortunatley she caught herself on a wooden rail.

"Ah!" screamed the princess quickly as she looked down to see that blood was the source of her almost slipping.

Natalia now fully awake ran towards her room only to see a trail of blood was actually leading her to her room.

Too make matters even worst their was a body at her door.

"Oh my!" gasped the princess as she ran to check the body to see a young boy covered in blood.

"Ugh...so...hungry," Isenet moaned as he walked into the town. The baby boar beside him lifted its feet wearily, suffering from the same hunger. Stopping by a building, Isenet sat down and took out his pouch.

"Yuck...still empty," he sighed as he shook out the dust in it. Five pieces of gald fell out.

"Hm? So it wasn't quite empty!" The archer bent over to pick up his finding, when a shadow passed by him. It disappeared with the gald.

"...I hate thieves..." He got up again and began walking. A piece of paper flew into his face. Isenet quickly clawed it off and looked at it.

" 'Wanted: Fighters' aid in ridding town of demon. Demon is called Black Man.' Hmm...the Black Man? Let's see...Ah! Yes! He's the witch-master. All those under his cursed power are recorded in his book and are known to be especially evil...I wonder I'm in that book," he added with a malicious grin. He looked up to see people staring at him questioningly.

"Uh...sorry...Stop staring at me!" The townspeople quickly resumed their businesses. Isenet continued to read the poster.

" 'Reward-' Woah! That's a ton! Who's the spon-oh...'Signed by Her Majesty, Princess Natalia Luzu Kimlasca Lanvaldear.' It'd be nice to be able to buy food again...wonder where she is..." Isenet glanced at the location, then glanced at the building near him.

"You!" he told his familiar, "Go find where the princess is in that tavern." The boar vanished. Isenet entered the building.

"Hey! Kid!" the innkeeper shouted at him, "Need a room?"

"Actually, I'm looking for the Princess about the wanted ad."

"She ain't in here."

"Riiiight..." His familiar reappeared in front of him, grunting. Isenet followed it.

"Hey! You can't go up there!"

"Of course I can, I'm on business...And if you don't let me in..." He quickly withdrew the Dragonfly.

"Erm...go right ahead!"

"Thank you!"

Isenet continued up the stairs, and easily spotted the Princess with someone else. The someone looked very familiar...in fact...

"Mage angel! What happened to you?"

Vance reached into his robes and brought out a blue bottle. He removed the cork and chugged the liquid inside. Instantly, the dirt cleared from his face and his wounds closed up.

"What happened to me?" he asked outraged "I'll tell you what happened! I've been walking through a forest, being savgley attacked by wolves, birds, and other monsters. I've had my sword broken, my staff rendered unuseable, I've been beaten to a bloody pulp by a freak in a black cloak, and spent five days drenched in my own blood, but I'm still alive."

He unsheathed what was left of his sword and examined it under the light.

"I'll need to fix both this and my staff. So therefore, I'll bid you goodbye while I find a suitable place to do so.."

He walked downstairs, and shortly after, the inn's door slammed shut.

"...Uh...good for you?" Isenet said to the closed door with an uplifted eyebrow, "Of course...I've learned to fix staves...but..." He shrugged and turned to the Princess.

"Well now, Princess Natalia Luzu Kimlasca Lanvaldear..." He gave a slight, almost mockingly small, bow from the waist, keeping his eyes up.

"I'm here on that poster about hunting down the Black Man? But before we get into details...I can get some food?"

"Oh my, this inn allows hobos to aimlessly wander around in the hallways of rooms where people stay at?" frowned Natalia as she put her hands onher hips and looked at the dirty and sweaty male before her.

"But none the less, I will not take my time criticize your misfit appearance since you are probably the first one to respond to my wanted poster," said Natalia placing her palm on her cheek.

"Then again... an amazing archer such as myself and a hobo versus an onslaught of witches and a legendary Necromancer, the odds donot favor me there..." sighed the princess.

"Oh well, I must accept all the help I can take," stated the princess who looked down at a boar who was at her feet, soshe decided to kick it lightly to move it away from her.

"AHEM, If you do wish to assist me, I will have to have an interview with you down atthe lobby and there I will pay for your food and such, but first PLEASE go wash yourself!" whined Natalia as she opened the door to her inn room.

"I will be waiting down in the lobby," stated Natalia as she walked back down the stairs to the lobby of the inn.

Vance layed his sword on a table down in the inn.

"I can't beleive it." he muttered "No blacksmiths in town. I'll have to use this table as a makeshift anvil."

He lay the two pieces of his blade together, and willed his wings to appear. A flash of light told him that they had. He reached behind him, pulled off one of the feathers and lay it over the break in the sword. He put two of his fingers against the feather.

"Repair" he said softly

Instantly, a brilliant light shot out of the feather which would blind any normal person, and the blade was mended.

"Perfect." Vance said "Now for the staff."

He whipped out his staff and examined it under the dingy bar lights.

"Hmm..." he muttered "I didn't realize it was this bad, that freak nearly broke it in two. I can't get anymore sacred wood at the moment, so I'll have to do my best with what I have. Unless that princess happens to have some with her..."

He stood up and ran up the stairs, almost slipping in a pool of blood. He reached the Princess and the half-elf again, his wings still billowing out behind him.

"E-excuse me." he said "You wouldn't happen to have any...sacred wood would you?"

"My arrows are made out of sacred wood!" smiled Natalia cheesily as she took out one of her arrows and waved it around in Vance's face.

"You recovered quite quickly," said Natalia remembering when she saw him nearly dead ten minutes ago.

"And you cleaned yourself quite quickly," said Natalia looking oddly at the two.

"I wish I could move that fast," said Natalia a she poured some hot tea from a tea kettle into a tea cup provided by the inn.

'That's nice." Vance said sarcastically, "Why don't you give me about 6 of them so I can repair my staff?"

"These are expensive, so NO!" responded the princess as she flipped her hair back.

"But... I would be happy to give you some if you are willing to assist me in the killing of The Black Man," smiled Natalia darkly.

"Of course I have to move fast...monsters aren't going to stop for you to use the bathroom..." Isenet said, speaking around the bread roll he had stuffed in his mouth. He chewed it quickly and swallowed, following it with a cup of tea.

Taking another roll, he dropped it on the floor for his boar. The innkeeper opened his mouth in protest.

"Quiet or I'll spear you with an arrow," Isenet growled. The innkeeper shut his mouth.

"Get on with the interviews, Princess," Isenet muttered, placing a slight inflection on the last word.

"Yeah, yeah, sure, whatever." Vance said "Kill the black-garbed freak who nearly killed me. You don't have to ask me twice."

"Yes you're right," agreed Natalia as she took out a piece of parchment.

"As you both know, I am a talented archer and a healer, but that wouldn't cut it in a fist to fist fight so I need some backup, which is where you two come in," smiled the princess.

"So all I need to know is if you two have had any fighting experience before, and what you can do in battle and such," stated the princess.

"Oh yes, I've had fighting experience." Vance said slightly laughing "Almost 3000 years worth to be honest. As for abilities I'm a magician as well as an angel, meaning I use all of the magical elements in battle. I'm also quite proficient with this." He unsheathed his sword. "This is a sword I had comissioned to be forged from feathers from my own wings. In times of crisis, it will reveal it's true form to me, and I will be at one with the weapon."

Isenet rolled his eyes.

"All right, so I've been living a considerable less years less than he has, but, yes, I certainly have fighting experience. One and a half years of living by myself against the monsters has taught me that..."

And another 14 against elves before that... he thought to himself.

"I've had years of training in magic, and am a most accomplished archer. I've also," he added, pulling out his bow, to the dismay of the innkeeper, "Invented a little attatchment to the bow, allowing for close range fighting." He squeezed the grip of his bow, causing blades to spring out. Their were two blades, the ends where a hilt would be were in the bow, touching the grip, while the barely tips passed over the tips of the bow. All in all, it wasn't too professionally constructed, but then, it was the only on of its kind, so there was no professional type to compare it to.

Isenet frowned as he went over who was in the (possible) party's weapons and abilities.

"All right...that's no good...Although there are two of us who can be close-ranged - although it's not our natural state - there aren't any that are pure close-ranged fighters. Archer and mage armor are horrible inadequate to defense, and monsters aren't going to go easy on us for that...Perhaps we should wait for a swordsman to come in, or something..."

"You're right." frowned Natalia as she studied everyone's weapons and capabilities.

Natalia she was an archer and so was Isenet but archers were only good for striking at a distance, once teh enemy got too close it was extremly difficult for archers.

Also, all three of them practiced some kind of magic, Natalia herself was a healer but didn't really know any offensive spells, Isenet was good at magic, and Vance was good with Angelic magic. Problem was they were going up against witches and a demon which obviously have a moderate defense against spells.

Isenet and Vance had swords as well but they weren't as proficient in swordsmanship compared to their other class.

Natalia sighed and put her hand on her chin.

"We are in quite the dilemna," said Natalia as she handed Vance six of her arrows that were made from Sacred Wood.

"Witches probably only use magic, but The Black Man in the stories I read, he uses Claw Gauntlents to fight and he's supposed to be very goo with them according to the tales," said Natalia losing confidence.

"I don't know what to do now," sighed the pincess sipping seom more tea.

Vance took the arrows, removed the tips and feathers, and attached them to his staff. He let out a shrill whistle, and a flaming bird appeared on his shoulder.

"Here, help me fix this, hold out your wing." he said to the bird

The pheonix looked at it, then let out a few caws and tweets.

"Yes, I'll play with you after this, just give me one of your feathers."

The bird held out one of its wings, and Vance plucked an orange feather from it. He then placed it on the tip of his staff, poked it with his finger,and concentrated. Suddenly, another blinding light erupted from the staff and then disappated, leaving the staff fully repaired.

"Now then, as to our predicament," Vance said "The witches won't be much of a problem, mainly because I killed almost all of them when I ran into the freak in black. But we still should wait for someone a little more famliar with getting up close and personal in a fight."

(sorry im so late =/)

"Man...There are no jobs in this town..." said Zayne. He was hungry and had left his village a few days ago to look for work. But he obviously hasn't had much sucess. He had reached Solidor a couple of minutes ago but he couldn't find any work there so far either.

"Huh? Whats this?" he said as he saw a bill posted.

"A bounty for the "Black Man", what a weird name...oh well, it pays good so I guess I'll go." said Zayne in a defeated sigh. Although he failed to notice where he was supposed to meet the person who put it up. After wandering around aimlessly in the town, he decided to wait outside the inn.

(Sorry if its a bad post, this is my first RP in a while)

Isenet rolled his eyes again.

"According to all reliable accounts (and most unreliable ones), the Black Man can revive his dead minions. Thus, you destroying them in your little excursion may prove pointless, as He might have already resummoned them..."

"As for what to do," Isenet said, glancing at Natalia, "We wait, we eat, and we rest, for this may be the last time we can do any of them..."

"The last time I did any of those was over 3000 years ago..." Vance said coldy "I think I'll go play with little book burner over here."

He left the inn, his pheonix close behind.

"Okay, I'll give you a 5 second head start." he said to the bird

The pheonix cawed and flew off into the air.

"Three...four...five, here I come!" Vance said as he flew off after the bird in their little game of tag.

Natalia groaned and banged her head repeatedly on the table she sat at, which was quite unladylike for a princess.

"This is pointless," said Natalia agitatedly as she ripped off a piece of chicken with her teeth and chewed it aggressively before she gulped it down.

"Why can't we declaw him or something?" said Natalia tapping her fingernails against the table.

"He fights with claw gauntlents so all we would have to do is take them off and we can take him from there," said Natalia but decided again after rethinking it.

"But then there are his floosies those witches, they'll be firing off spells in every direction not to mention black magic," said the princess.

"Maybe he has some weakness," said Natalia curiously as she searched through her traveling bag and pulled out a copy of The Black Man.

Natalia flipped through the pages of the thick book quickly searching for any mention of how The Black Man could of been defeated. It seemed hopeless for some time so she slammed the book shut stratling some nearby villagers.

"The book doesn't even have his weakness in it," sobbed Natalia as she put her fist against her head to lean against.

"Book... book?... BOOK!" squealed Natalia excitedly as she came back to life and looked at the two with large eyes.

"That heavy book he carries, he makes people sign it and they give up their soul in exchange for immortality and power," said Natalia excitedly.

"The Black Man is probably the source of the power and immortality for the witches, so if we turn his own book against him we can cut off that power and destroy him and the witches!" laughed Natalia.

"If we make him sign his own book in blood he'd be giving up his own soul and his immortality which cuts off all the power of the witches and himself!" started Natalia as others in the lobby listened intently.

"If he signs his own book in blood, he'll become mortal again!" exclaimed Natalia as she got up quickly and threw a heavy bag of gold at the innkeeper who happily acccepted it.

"Come on let's go!" exclaiemd Natalia.

"...Awww...I was just going to go to sleep," Isenet mumbled, indeed, sleepily, "And weren't we going to wait for a swordsman or the like? Come to think of it...does the Black Man have a soul? And how likely is it that we're going to get him to sign it? We'd have overcome him into doing it, and the book is how you're planning to overcome him with...circular reasoning...and that's a huge bag of gald..." he added, staring greedily at the bag the Princess had thrown. The innkeeper quickly hid it away. Isenet strode out of the inn, disgruntled.

"Oi! Mage Angel! Natalia thinks she has an - oomph!" Isenet stifled a curse as he looked up at what he ran into.

"Hey! Who said you could just stand in front of the inn...umm..." Isenet glanced around to see if there was anything distinctive on the man that he could describe him by. He spotted a sword.

"Okay, that'll work...wait a minute...a swordsman? Hey! Kid!" Isenet said to the newcomer, finally realizing that the man was younger than him, despite being taller, "You want to join up and go kill a devil of a man called the Black Man?"

I wonder what the Black Man's real name is anyways... Isenet thought to himself.

"A signature doesn't have to be neat or written inletters or anything, it just has to be some mark by the signer in ink or in this case blood," said Natalia as she walked towards Isenet who just stood there at the door.

"What are you doing?" asked Natalia looking over Isenete's shoulder to see a tall male with a sword strapped to his waist.

"A SWORD!!!!" said Natalia ecstaticly as she tried to get a better look at the warrior.

Vance dropped down from the sky, his pheonix in tow.

"What's going on?" he asked "Did I miss something?"

He quickly scanned the newcomer

"A sword huh? Perfect! Now, how'd you like to kill some demons and witches?"

He waited for a few seconds

"What's the matter? You act as if you don't see a princess, a half-elf, and an angel travelling together very often."

"Oh uh sorry. I was just waiting for the person who put that bill up to come out. But maybe I can help you with your demon problem after I finish here." said Zayne in a voice that almost made him sound nervous.

Wow...an Angel.....cool

"Bill...bill...bill...the wanted ad posted by the Princess Natalia Luzu Kimlasca Lanvaldear?" Isenet asked the young swordsman. He continued without waiting for an answer, "Well then! You came to the right place! Her (rather arrogant *cough*) majesty is right before you! Yeah, that one...the blondish haired one with the bow and the horrifyingly expensive clothes that'll probably rip quickly three steps into a forest..."

"Well, since you'll be joining us, I'll introduce you...I'm Isenet, master archer and accomplished mage. You should know the Princess and the angel guy is Mag- erm..., Vance," Isenet stumbled over the name he never used before, "He is a master of magic, both black and angelic, and wields a sword (though probably not as proficiently as you do). Well, introduce yourself to them and they'll fill me in later, 'cause I just spotted this town's (rather dingy) library!"

Finished with his monologue, Isenet dashed off toward the building he had gestured at. He took an abrupt turn, dodged around his companions to enter the inn, and came out eating food. Then he resumed his dash to the library, his boar trying to follow gallantly.

Turning around, he cried out to the others, "Get yourselves ready! Be sure to load up on supplies, especially gels! Princess Natalia, be prepared to cast Resist on everyone (you know, to up their magic resistance?). I'll meet you guys at the town exit...After I research some information on the Black Man, of course..."

"Whoa! You're Princess Natalia!!" shreiked Zayne rather exitedly, but then he thought for a moment.

"Wait...what would a princess be doing out here? Well...I'll worry about that later, my name is Zayne, I view myself as a pretty skilled swordsman, but you can decide that for yourself."

"You're like a ten year old..." said Natalia looking unimpressed at the child before her who wielded a sword.

"Even if you did know how to use a sword, you have the body of a child will tells me you wouldn't be able to hold your ground in battle," said Natalia as she sighed as it seemed almost hopeless to find a decent melee fighter.

"But we do not have much of a choice, so I will suppose you have to do for now," sighed Natalia folding her arms.

"Zayne you are now accepted and ruled by the conditions and terms of my Wanted Ad so welcome and prepare yourself for battle," said Natalia changing her doubting self to a somewhat less doubting self.

"What I need you to understand though is even if you are a child I cannot take responsibility to defend you in every situation because I will not always be available," explained Natalia

"Anyways, Isenet is correct about my clothes, they are to royal and expensive to be stained with blood, so I will be out looking for a more suitable battle gown," said Natalia as she looked down at her teal colored gown and white silken gloves.

"Be ready in approximatley 2 hours, since that is when the sun sets down and when the Black Man is present in the forest," explained Natalia as she flipped her golden locks and walked off to find some more battle suitable clothes.

"Don't worry about her." Vance said, "The royalty all have something wrong with them. Well kid, we'll all be back here at sunset, best be prepared."

That said he walked off looking for the nearest supply shop, after going a few meters he looked back.

"Listen, don't get yourself killed."

"Heh...you guys underestimate me because of my age, but don't worry I'll be fine, you should be more concerned about yourself." said Zayne confidently.

He started walking to a weapon shop to get his sword repaired.

Isenet was sitting at a table in the library, with three books open before him. One was (surprise!) actually information on the Black Man and his minions (supposedly from eyewitness accounts...). One of the other books was a book on an entirely different research (magic, if you must know), and the last was a book Isenet chose for "light" reading (a 1000 page tome isn't too "light").

"Hmm...that's interesting..." Isenet muttered, actually looking at the Black Man book. He jotted some notes down in his notepad (Zombie + Healing = Bad for Zombie). He swung his eyes over to the book on magic and flipped a page to write more on his notepad (All organisms may create a different effect when using the same incantation. For example, some mages may be able to produce full-fledged explosions with a simple "Burn!" while others need to use long, drawn out incantations for the simplest fireball). He then switched his eyes back to the book on the Black Man.

"Mmhmm...I know that...and that...and...is that true? I've read different...oh well...And...what the? ...Dang...that sucks...he doesn't bleed with normal weaponry...one holy/sacred weaponry...that means...the mage angel or the Princess will have to collect the blood..." He got up.

"Better go tell them...now...when did the Princess say we were to meet?" He realized he didn't know. He crept out of the library (hiding one of the books from the librarian's eyes) and spotted Zayne looking around.

"Hey! Swordkid! When did the Princess say we were going to meet up?"

Natalia the princess of Kimlasca appeared out of a clothing store inside Solidor with a completley new set of clothes. Instead of her turquoise silk ribbon that was decorated by a silken rose, a plain leather bow ran across the top of her head which kept her hair tidy. A durable but comfortable skirt and shirt covered Natalia upper and some of her lower body. Her clothing consisted of teal and white designs that were quite simple but still attractive. Around her body was a leather belt holding her quiver of arrows on her back. She also wore long stalkings which were covered by long white boots.

Of course the payment for the clothing was almost like paying for a speck of dirt to the princess, so she decided to give the store owner her royal head bow which she happily accepted for payment, the rest of her gown was to be shipped back to Kimlasca.

"Now for some practice," said Natalia as she walked towards the entrance of Solidor to the grass field just outside of Solidor.

Natalia looked up at the sky, it was almost sunset maybe in another thirty minutes. The sky was painted pink and orange and the clouds seemed to start retreating over the horizon. Natalia picked up her polished bow that was decorated with silver and placed a long arrow made of sacred wood on it. Pulling the strings of her bow she looked for a target and spotted a faraway bird, aiming correctly she let loose the string sending her arrows soaring through the air, suddenly the bird feel from the sky to kiss the ground.

"Perfect!" exclaimed Natalia as she obsessed over her talent in archery.

"White magic next," said Natalia as she closed her eyes and meditated for a bit before she opened them again.

Resist all magical arts and omens of ill causes
Shatter any necromancy spoken to shed blood and sear pain
Anti Magic! exclaimed the princess as a sparkling blue crystal encased her as well as rings with glyphs and ancient languages written on them.

"I'm just to good!" laughed Natalia as she walked back towards town.

As Vance enterd the item shop, he counted the gald in his wallet

"Three-thousand one, three-thousand two, three-thousand three, Thats all?"

He walked up to the counter and put a pouch and the gald on the table.

"Fill the pouch with gels." he said "I want three-thousand gald worth of apple, orange, and melange."

The shopkeep hurridley filled his order and accepted the payment. With a nod of appreciation, Vance left the store. He went to the edge of town and practiced various sword skills. The sun wasturning the horizon a bright orange.

"That's enough practice." He said sheathing his sword, "Now to find that royal pain-in-the-neck so we can leave."

Aaahh...why does everyone call me a kid...all well, respect is something that must be earned I guess thought Zayne fustratedly

"We are meeting in front of the lobby according to the others. I was just on my way there now..." said Zayne as he began walking away but stopped and turned around to face Isenet.

"By the way, what kind of archery do you specialize in?"

Isenet grumbled, "And I was just getting to the good part in that book..."

He looked up to respond to Zayne's question, "Elven archery, of course. You know, where some magic is incorporated to allow for various effects, including, but not limited to, poison, burning, extra range, more precise shots, freezing, elemental damage, shock, piercing, duplication, et cetera. Now, what's with the curiosity? And get off my head!" he added to the boar, which had fallen asleep while riding on Isenet's head. It squealed and fell off with a thump.

"Well...we better get going...I have important information for the mage angel and the Princess..."

"Elven style...interesting, well anyway your right, we should get going."

This "Black Man" sounds like the type of person who uses all magic and can't be hurt by physical attacks...guess they were just hoping for me to stall him. thought Zayne as he began walking in the direction of the lobby.

"You have something to tell me?" said the feminim and yet arrogant voice of the princess who was trying to adjust to "commoner" clothing.

"The sun is almost down and we have some walking to do," stated the princess as she looked across the dirt road of the town that led in the direction of the gate between Black Blood Forest and Solidor.

Oddly it seemed a bit foggy in the forest today, Natalia concluded it was probably one of the Black Man;s scare tactics.

"Yes, I do have something to tell you," Isenet sighed, rolling his eyes again.
"According to these accounts," he said, holding up the book on the Black Man he st- borrowed from the library, "The Black Man is nearly invincible to physical attacks. He can, however, be injured by holy or sacred physical attacks (or similar). Thus, that means you or angel mage will have to shed his blood. That, swordkid," he said, turning to Zayne, "means we'll have to defend both of them from onslaughts from the Black Man and his witches. Also, if you can, try to knock the Book away from him. Got that? Oh, and Princess, if any zombies come up, zap 'em with healing magic, since it seems that can actually hurt zombies."

"Now...where's that angel mage with the supplies?"

"I'm here." Vance said dropping in from the sky. "And yeah, I know about the Black Man's Necrodermis, I fought him before, remember?"

He tossed Isenet the bag of gels.

"Here, I won't need them, you'd better keep them at the ready for yourself and the greenhorn."

He turned to Natalia with a cold expression on his face.

"We'd best get going, oh, and try not to get in my way. The annoyance with the pig should know how proficient I am in combat, and I'd rather be studying right now then ading some little princess who's chasing after a demon like it's a little game of hide-and-seek."