• A Dark Friend Awakens

    Many years ago in a far off land there was a kingdom called “Timberfur”. It lied in a deep valley surrounded by high mountains. In Timberfur there lived two young boys who were both squires on of them was named Joey and the other named Xander. They were both training and learning to become knights. Both boys were only 11 years old and they still did not know each other. But one day there was a competition of the squires and was to be held at the arena where the knights battle and train for entertament or just to practice their skills. So both Joey’s and Xander’s knight signed them up to battle one another in the competition. They were the youngest in their group so they started talking before the first match was to begin. Suddenly music starts and stops when the king started to talk. “Attention my fellow people of the kingdom let the competition begin”. They call out the first contestants “Xander and Rothan. “Well that would be me” says Xander. “Good luck” Joey says. “Come on” Xander’s knight said pulling Xander’s arm. The knight put Xander on the horse and told him the rules of jousting and gave him a lance and the advice that he would need. At the end of the day’s competition, there were only two contestants left and their names were Joey and Xander. “The final match shall now begin” said the King. Both of the young squires got on their horses and got ready to joust with one another remembering that they were friends. They started charging towards each other with all or their might, closer and closer with wooden lances bearing down on each other until the lance shattered into the armor of each rider. Then each of the squires came flying off their horses and onto their butts, each moaning and lying in pain on the ground. The crowd was in suspense waiting to hear who would be declared the winner of the joust. The King starts to talk, “Both of these young squires fought long and hard to get where they are now, so instead of declaring one of them the winner they will share the win and both become full fledged knights when they are 18 years of age".


    7 YEARS LATER

    (Throne Room in the King’s Castle) "I the King of Timberfur, shall grant these two men into Knighthood”, said the King. The King pulled out his sword and lightly tapped the right and the left shoulders of both men and said, “I dub thee Xander and Joey full fledged Knights of Timberfur”. Everyone started to cheer and then the King gives both Xander and Joey a beautifully crafted sword, “I honor both Xander and Joey with these Swords of Timberfur for their strength and honor seven years ago when they were very young but overcame the challenges and defeated all of their opponents but each other”. After the ceremony, everyone went home to prepare for the feast that was to take place that afternoon. When everyone went home to prepare for the feast Xander and Joey went to have a drink together at a nearby pub and while enjoying a mug of ale they begin to talk. “So where are those two shillings you owe me for the food I paid for you at the jousting competition” said Xander. “Heck Xander, it’s been seven years and that’s the first thing you say to me” says Joey, and punches him jokingly in the arm. So Xander and Joey reminisce about the old days when they were squires and how they first met and their adventures together. Later in the day at about 4:00 p.m. the Noblemen and Knights go to the huge dinning room in the Castle for big feast. Xander and Joey start to walk out of the pub and they are two of the many Knights attending the fest so they are provided with a ride to the celebration in a carriage, however, as they are entering the carriage in their finest dress robes and carrying their new swords at their sides and their shields on their backs, Joey sees something unusual in the far distance. “What’s that” Joey says, squinting his eyes trying to see better. “Looks like a really dark cloud, almost black” Xander says. They ask an old man what he thinks it is and he screams, “Ahhhhhhhh, the Darkness”. Xander and Joey look at each other and say, “Oh crap”.


    The get into the carriage and tell the driver to go as quickly as he can to the Castle. Xander and Joey start talking in the carriage. “Maybe that man was delusional” Xander said. “Maybe we both saw that cloud and when I looked into it, I felt an overwhelming feeling of pain and anguish, and I bet that you did too” said Joey. Xander looked away because he knew that Joey had described exactly how he felt when he looked into the Darkness, the rest of the ride to the Castle was dead silent. Xander and Joey come through the gate to the Castle where the guards are at the entrance, “Halt Knights, what business do you have here, the feast in not for another hour” said one of the Guards. “We must speak with the King, it’s urgent, and a matter of life and death” Joey said. “Hmmmmmm the king has no appointment now I shall ask and see, please wait here” said the same guard. (Ten minutes later)One of the guards shows up in front of Xander and Joey who was waiting in front of the castle, “the king shall meet your request talk about this life or death situation” the guard says. The guard leads both knights to the king’s quarters. They come in the door “oh there you are now have a seat and tell me what is so urgent” said the kings. The guard leaves which makes the king alone with Xander and Joey. “Sire there is something that I think you might want to see” Joey says. Xander goes to the window that shows the entire kingdom and the mountains “what is it all I see is the kingdom is this some kind of a joke” the king says “Sire look above the mountains that dark cloud we think uh it may be the darkness that almost wiped out our city 50 years ago” Xander says. “That’s preposterous” the king looks out his window “no it can’t be but it is” the king says. The king thinks for second “Guards!” three guards burst though the door “Yes sire”. “Scramble the knight’s prepare for a battle evacuate the kingdom and set the catapults. “GO HURRY” the king yells “yes sire”. The king looks at Xander and Joey “get ready knights, to face the darkness”. “Yes Sire” Joey and Xander said. They left his quarters and headed for the armory to get their armor, where they suited up for battle. The ladies and young people went deep into the castle keep for protection while the soldiers and knights manned the castle walls preparing to fight. After waiting for a while they see the Darkness and hear its terrible roar, then the King command the army to commence the attack. The battle last all through the day and night until the break of dawn. “Ahhhhh” Joey screamed, “Huh Joey” Xander said, as the Darkness carries Joey away. “Joey, Noooo”, Xander cries out.


    Xander watches Joey being sucked up into the dark vortex, the battle continues until mid-day, then the Darkness subsides. Xander is standing in the battle field alone surrounded by dead Knights the Kingdom is in ruins, Xander feels like he is going to be sick. “Joey, you are gone”, Xander says to himself, “I will find you, I promise, I shall save you”. Xander starts to run toward the mountain where the Darkness went, he follows the trail of destruction, he continues through the mountains and canyons and faces unimaginable challenges that bring him to the brink of exhaustion. After a whole year of exploring, scavenging honing his skills he finds another dark cloud like the one that attacked his Kingdom the year before. He follows this cloud until he comes to an opening in the forest that is as large as his homeland in Timberfur. Suddenly he sees a dark human shaped figure and he runs toward it until he is about one hundred yards away from it. “Show yourself” he yells. “Who goes there” yelled Xander as the dark figure starts to turn toward him, Xander quickly pulls out his sword and stands behind his shield. “What’s the matter buddy, don’t you remember an old friend” says the dark figure. “No, it can’t be” Xander says. “Oh, but it is, I am Joey and your name is Xander, don’t you remember me buddy” says Joey. Xander stands there completely astonished at what the dark figure in front of him has just said.


    Xander lowers his guard for a minute in amazement, “Joey” said Xander, his eyes start to water, “what happened to you”. “Hahahahahahahaha, I became more powerful than you will ever imagine” said Joey with a maniacal grin on his face. “Joey, come back……..don’t……go down this road please, I don’t want to hurt you” Xander pleaded. “Hurt me, you hurt me, ha, that’s a laugh” Joey said sarcastically. Suddenly Joey charged with the same sword that the King had given to him but it was different as it had a dark aura around it. Xander quickly blocked Joey’s blow with the same sword that the King had given to him when he became a Knight. Xander and Joey continue to battle but the attack is so fierce that Xander’s shield starts to splinter and come apart. “Joey, stop, you are a good person” Xander cries out. There was no answer from Joey. “All right then, if you won’t talk, I have to make you talk” Xander says, while he starts to match the power of Joey’s attack but Joey continues to get stronger as the battle continues. Suddenly dark flames start to surround Joey, “No more holding back RAHHHH”, Joey starts to slash at Xander’s shield with so much power that the shield practically explodes. Then the both break off the attack for a moment and Xander hears something in his head, it sounds like his old Friend Joey, “Help” Xander hears it but it is very faint yet he hears it again, “Xander, end this please I can’t take it, you must defeat me in battle”, and then the voice slowly drifted away. Xander now knowing what he must do feels an overwhelming power from within him suddenly his swords burst into a bright light and turns into the legendary sword Excalibur Xander feels so much power more than he could ever imagine. “WHAT THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE” says evil Joey. Xander charges, “Raaaah!” Xander yells. Joey tries to evade the blow but Xander is too fast and he stabs Joey in the heart, Xander lets go of the sword leaving it in his Friend. Suddenly all of the Darkness is sucked into Joey’s sword and the blade shatters. Then Joey wounded falls to his knees, “Th-thank you, my old Friend”, Joey says with his last breath as he collapses and dies. Xander cries out, “Goodbye, my old Friend” and weeps over his best Friend’s lifeless body.



    THE END