Chapter I: Negotiations

No, I will not risk my life going on a mission I wont get anything out of, even if I succeed. Who is this crazy queen anyway? Olivia Emerdal, your sister. No, thats not possible. A reaper killed her five years ago in the Ruins. I saw it happen. I was there. Guess where this queens new castle is, If it was there, then I can get in easily. Why dont you just send your elite soldiers on a mission to kill her? They could take her on. No, its too dangerous and now there is a complex system of defensive obstacles. I know what they are, but I cant pass them without someone with your level of skill. I already have three others with different skills that will help pass the defensive system. Fine, Ill help, but only for my sister. Good. I have special weapons for the journey. My servant will take you to the weapon room and I will see you in the throne room. I hope you find what you need.

Ely Selden 5 FRP Product

I am Jack Emerald. I have studied archery my entire life. People say that I am the most skilled archer in Camelot, and some say I am the best in all the land, but I am a robber. I have robbed banks and houses and caravans using me archery and acrobatic skills. I havent always been a thief though. After my sister died, I went into a grief phase and lost all my money gambling drunk. After wallowing in my filth on the streets for a week, I was summoned by a very rich man looking for a robber to do a job for him. Someone had suggested me, but I never found out who it was. I completed the job, which involved a caravan with only two armed guards, a snaek hiding in the back, and a driver. I took out the first three of them with my bow in less than five seconds. Then I jumped down from my hiding spot in the trees onto the caravan and sliced through the canvas. At that moment a spearhead stabbed up, almost through my neck. I took the hidden knife out of my sleeve and sliced of the sharp spearhead and threw it back down onto the guard. I jumped down into the caravan through the hole I made. I looked for the package I was trying to snatch and found that it was the only

Ely Selden 5 FRP Product package in to cart. I put it into my bag and flipped out the back through the canvas flaps. After that mission, I guess the word got around that I was good because, in the next couple days, I got at least thirty requests. I picked out the ones that paid well and completed the missions with ease. Soon, I became quite wealthy and barley took any missions that did not challenge me or pay well. After not working for nearly a month, a man in a dark cloak and a hood came the door of my new and fancy house. I have a very important mission for you, he said in a low, raspy voice as I closed the door behind him. The king has something of mine that I would like back. I will pay very generously. So I took the job. I didnt find out until I was caught in the palace that he was the royal entertainer. He had been paid enough extra that the king got him to trick me into coming into the palace and give me the plans on how to get in. He said that what he wanted was in the throne room and that I would have to go at a time when the king was out. So the next morning on the first day of the month, when

Ely Selden 5 FRP Product the king normally sat in court with his attendants and talked about the ups and downs of all the things that had happened the previous month. I came into the palace dressed in a stolen guards uniform and walked right through the front door. I marched all the way to the empty throne room in plain sight of all the soldier and guards in the castle, oblivious that I was walking into a trap. When I got to the throne room, I silently opened the large door, closed them softly behind me, and slipped out of the uniform. I raced across the floor, feeling like I had already achieved my goal, when I hear the doors swing open behind me. I turn around and see a small army of soldier with King Arthur himself leading them. And that is how I got to where I am now, walking behind a sentry into a royal weapon room. Choose wisely because you will only be able to carry so much, said the guard kindly as he left the armory. The selection was amazing. There was everything from throwing knives to mini handheld cannons. To start, I looked at the bows. I choose a lightweight cross bow and a precision long bow. Then, I swept across the throwing knives, grabbing many different sizes and shapes so that I would not run out on the journey. I took my

Ely Selden 5 FRP Product special knife that could be used for anything, even throwing around corners, out of my boot and put it, along with a large arrangement of other knives, in a satchel that pulled close to my body and hid under my shirt. After I browsed the shelves for more potentially helpful weapons. I took a utility knife and stuck it in my boot and I grabbed a large satchel of crossbow bolts and a shoulder bag for my longbow arrows. I made sure everything was on right so that I could run and jump and climb. After I thought I had sized everything perfectly and was about to meet the king, a guard cut me off. You cant go see the king in that, he said, Let me bring you to the dressing room. So I followed him down the hall a little ways and turned into a large door with intricate patterns on the handles. The entire room was full of clothing for different occupations. There was a section for guard and a section for metal workers all in the same room, but my favorite section was a portion for assassins. It had dark shirts, shoes, pants, and hats. And they all looked like they could be worn doing anything. The fabric had a very thin layer of steel that was easily bent and moved like cloth, but could stop a sword from getting through. I was very

Ely Selden 5 FRP Product impressed by the work and felt that I needed to thank the king for allowing me to wear these combat clothes. When I was done changing, I did a couple forward handsprings and a few rolls to make sure everything was in the right place and allowed me to move freely. Everything fit perfectly except for the bow because I wear it over my shoulder and I cant roll without it jabbing into me, so I resolved to hold it in my hand when ever I was running or moving through places that required me to be agile. Hurrump, the guard cleared his throat, The king would like to see you now. He started to walk away, so I ran after him. As we walked down the hallway, there were so many beautiful and expensive works of art and gems I could have stolen, but every time I reached for one or tried to grab anything, the guard would clear his throat loudly and give me a sideways glance that just meant dont even think about it. After a while, I started to wonder where we were going. I was about to ask when the guard stopped, and disappeared. Chapter 2: The Crew

Ely Selden 5 FRP Product Hello, where did you go? I asked cautiously as I backed away from where the guard was standing a moment ago. I was about to turn around and find someone to help when, the king stepped into the hall from nothingness. I stood still with me mouth agape. Come in and close your mouth, you look like an idiot, he said in a deep, manly voice as he turned around and reentered the invisible door that hid the briefing room from the rest of the world. I slowly put my hand through, and suddenly, I could see the entire room. There was a throne facing the door with King Arthur sitting in it, and smaller chair with the guard I was following in it. Except, he wasnt a guard anymore. He was in robes and had a staff leaned against his chair. He was Merlin, the most powerful wizard in the land. The rest of the room consisted of four chairs, three of them occupied. Now that I had my bearings, I boldly stepped into the room. In the chair closest to me, there was old man with a satchel that smiled at me. I shivered. His teeth were crooked and yellow and one of his eyes was lopsided.

Ely Selden 5 FRP Product This is Luc Jenkins, but everyone calls him Crazy Jenkins. He specializes in explosives, the king said slowly, as if not to startle him. Jenkins opened his satchel to show me his collection of bombs. I shivered again and walked to a monstrosity of a man who was hefting a club over his shoulder and wore a whip around his waist. This is the greatest fighter in the arena. He goes by Thor. Thor grunted and stood to shake my hand. His hand was tough and calloused. The third member of the group was a mysterious person in a dark cloak with a hood. As I walked over to whomever it was, they seemed to move farther away with every step I took closer to them. This is Gretel, shes a sorceress. She pulled her hood down, and she was the most beautiful woman I had seen in all the kingdoms. Hello Jack, she said in a dark, intriguing voice. Now that everyone has met, lets get on with the plans, the king said as if he was sad that we were finally getting the show on the road. He looked a Merlin and, Poof! Everyone had a piece of parchment with a map and a quill.