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The view of the valley was breath taking. I sat and stared, not wanting to ruin the moment. I would be going into the city there, to face my doom if I must. My destiny has driven me to the most diverse places. The battle at Haven, the destruction of Qualinesti, becoming a knight, and now the Valley of Nereka.
The Valley of Nereka was a peaceful place. Now, it is filled with the troops of the evil Rendor Klaman. His attempts of bringing Takhisis back into the world have failed, but for how long? A few rebels have stood against him, but they have failed. The entire Knights of Solamnia have fallen, leaving only one to face him...me.
I am no knight, that is certain. That is why I left the Knights when I was younger. I roam the continent of Ansalon, searching for a way to defeat Rendor. I carry the great Wyrmslayer and my bow. I might as well tell you my story, and why I'm here.
It started when I was thirteen. I helped my mother with the farm while learning archery from a friend. I always stayed around the fields when I needed to run off, and I never had a lecture from my mother. We lived with one man; an outcast from his elven home of Qualinesti, Silvanas. When the Knights of Takhisis came around, you either had a man around the house or you we fixing to be married, so Silvanas would pose as my brother.
Silvanas was fifteen, and he taught me how to shot a bow. He was more like a brother to me than a teacher, which gave my mother the idea for him to pose as one. He lived in the upstairs bedroom and helped with the fields and the firewood for winter.
The day was in winter, mother and I in the house making dinner while Silvanas was out chopping wood. The Knights of Takhisis came and knocked on the door. I ran out the back door to get Silvanas while mother stood up and answered the door.
I forgot my cloak in my rush, but the heat of my running body was enough to keep me warm. I saw Silvanas and my speed increased. Once he saw me running and the unknown horses, he grabbed pieces of wood he had chopped and handed them to me. I took them as he grabbed more off the ground. He had to make it look like I was helping him, and he did a good job of it. Once my running warmth was over, Wynter noticed I wasn't wearing a cloak.
"Girl, you're going to catch a cold without a cloak. Here, take mine," Silvanas said as he wrapped his cloak around me.
"Thank you. I had forgotten my cloak in the rush," I answered. He smiled and we walked back to the house.
Once we were there, mother was in the hands of the Knights, kicking and screaming. I was fixing to charge one of the men to free my mother but Silvanas's hand was upon my shoulder, restraining me. He stepped forward, dropping the wood he carried.
"What is the meaning of this?" he asked.
"This wench hit one of my men. She must be punished," the Captain replied.
"You will unhand her, or face the wrath of our King.""Are you threatening me, boy? Restrain him!"
Two guards walked up to Silvanas to tie him up, but I decided to take over. I ran up and kicked one guard in the shin and hit the other in the stomach. Silvanas grabbed a hold of me before the other guards could. He turned to face me, a grin over his face but he quickly surpressed it."I can't believe you did that," he yelled. He lowered his voice: "That was pretty good, Kara. Couldn't have done better myself." I smiled.
"I had a good teacher," I replied silently.
"That witch!" one of the guards screamed. Another guard tended to the wounded as the Captain walked over to us. I received a slap on the face. I flinched only the slightest bit.
"Why are you wearing a cloak and he isn't, girl? Does your wench of a mother not have the money to make you one, boy? For that, the woman dies," the Captain said silently to us.
"No, it isn't like that," Silvanas stated calmly.
"It isn't?"
"No, I gave my cloak to her because I had outgrown it. Mother was going to use the hides from tomorrow's hunt to make a new one for me," Silvanas lied.
"Does that explain why there is another cloak in the house? Yours I presume," the Captain asked me.
"Yes, it is, but..."
"Kill the mother! Leave these children alive."
"NO!" Silvanas yelled in an inhuman voice. I stepped back. I've never heard him yell like that.
"What did you say?" The Captain asked.
"You will not kill her. You have to go through me first." Silvanas stood his ground. The Captain shrugged. Winter turned to me as two of the Knights came up to him.
He whispered, "Go, Kara! Go and never return!"
I was reluctant to go at first, but when Silvanas widened his eyes and drew his sword, I ran. The sound of steel clashing against steel made me run even faster. I heard a deafening scream of pain that almost made me stop in my tracks, but my fear drove me on. Then another one, a more manly voice this time.
Silvanas had fallen.