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Gondose sat at his throne. His eyes fixed on the door. Tapping the tip of the arm rest with his finger. The tip tap of clinging of his metal gloves hitting the wooden throne, echoed through the halls. He focused himself as gaurds stood in petrified motion standing to the sides of him. Yet in only a few moments, a man dressed of black entered the throne entrance.

"I've been waiting for you. What has taken you?"

The man pulled a small sword from the chest of a man dressed in weakly chain shirt of the Verdaneal cloths draped over. The man turned and looked at Gondose with a grin under his hat. Slowly walking towards the throne. Gondose only sat, waiting for a reply.

"Your pety gaurds proved stronger than I pressumed."

Gondose smiled and nodded.

"Quite, trained by the best I should say."

Gondose stood as the man in the darkened capes sheithed his sword. Pulling a new one from the other hip of himself.

"It's your turn, old man."

Gondose turned to his gaurds and nodded between them both. They both started to approach them. The man in the darkened cloak immediatly stopped. The gaurds were heavily equipped with heavy plate and halberds of great quality. The man shifted his eyes in slight fear, looking for something to help him. One of the gaurds lifted his visor and glanced him a grin. At that moment the man widened his eyes and bent over in a quick steadiless motion, pulling a small dagger from his leg.

"Hey! What are yo..."

The gaurd fell to his back. Dagger indulged into his face. The other gaurd flashed a look between the man and the fallen gaurd. Gondose raised a brow at the man. The gaurd flashed a look back at Gondose and he only replied with a nod. Still looking at the man with a slight wonder. The gaurd approached the now more confident man. The man closed his eyes.

The gaurd lay on the solid cold ground of the palace. The sword sliding from the back. Gondose cocked his head.

"Interesting..."

The man turned and looked up from the body, turning to look at Gondose still standing in front of his throne. He smiled at him.

"Who sent you?"
"Words of Sylvanis..." the man whispered with a touch of darkness.

Gondose widened his eyes. The man calmly walked to confront Gondose in the face.

"You will feel the pain as I have..." he whispered angrily into Gondose's face.

With a quick motion he jabbed a small dagger into his stomach. Gondose fell and sat against his throne. The man slowly walked backwards.

"The job is done..." the man turned his his cape bellowing and he walked out of the palace. As nothing had happened.

Gondose felt the numbness grow inside of him.

"But father... Who will take charge?"
"I have arranged of a new replacement to take my place. Everything will be fine."

Gondose swung the a large black cloak over himself.

"At least wear your correct cloak father..."

Gondose, for the first time in his life, shrugged his shoulder over. Walking lightly, holding a hat in his right arm. Ignoring his son. He walked to the door, stopped for a moment. Looking down at the crack of the bottom of the door. And then pushing himself against the door, throwing it open. Showing the halls. He gazed upon them all. Pictures, paintings, statues, of himself. He brewed the anger inside of himself. He let out a cry and began running through the hall, pushing over statues, ripping down cloths of the Verdaneal markings, removing pictures, large paintings, and stabbing them with his daggers. Leaving it all to float and gather dust as a wreck. He threw the main doors open to the stairs. Walking down them, he placed the hat on his head. Tipping it to hide his face, he disapeared into the crowds of merchants and consumers.

He had to make his visit. He had to see an old friend. To settle the scores.

Gondose sat against a tree. The waves rustling. And the fire crackling. He dangled a stick in the fire, to keep himself easily amused.

A crack in the woods.
He jerked his head into the darkness of the trees.

The moon had started to rise further now. Almost a foot from the waters.
He picked himself up and brushed himself. Looked around a bit. With a quick smile, he said to himself aloud,

"Not enough sleep old one. Not enough sleep."

He slowly forced himself into the forest, looking for a suitable tree.
Another crack. This time, it followed with a few brushing leaves.

He raised a brow this time.

"Who's there!?"

He whispered a yell.
A few quick rustles of leaves and another loud crack. Light walking, was given up.
Gondose jumped deeper into the woods. Sniffing the scent, following the tracks.
The sounds were now running. Whatever it was, it feared him now.

"Stop!"

Gondose covered his head in the way of the branches. Trying to see his best in the night driven forest.

"Stop!"

A clunk.
Gondose lay on his face. Silence. No noise.

"Stop!"

No running.

"Stop!"

No fear.
Gondose turned his head, he lowered his breathing. Listening for the ever movement, of anything.
There was nothing.
Gondose laid there, not moving.

His hat perched on a branch.
The sun risen high.
Blackened clothing lay on the shore.

Gondose swayed in the ocean's waves. He rose and fell.
He felt close. He was ready for his time. He was ready for the time.
What he was looking for, was near. And he knew it. But what could he do about it? Chase it forever? When you lay in leaves for unknown amounts of time, you start to realize, what am I doing?

What was he doing?
A crack in the woods. Gondose lifted his head slowly from the ground, his hands helping his torso up. The night grew older.
He slowly built himself up to his feet.

The cracks continued.

"Show yourself!"

Gondose twirled his head about the woods and trees, grasping the situation in its entirity.
Silence.
Another crack!
Gondose jerked his head towards the noise and leaped into the fear.

"Bastard!"
"Me!?"

A struggle in the woods. Leaves crushed and sticks snapped. Two grown men laying, struggling.
One to get away, one to keep the other in grasp.

"Get off me!"

Yelled the strong voice.
Gondose flung his head back from a force he could not tell of, he spun himself around to his feet. As he watched the other running. He continued his chase. This time, his prey in veiw.

"Stop! Your face! Stop!"

Where this man led him, the unknown.