It was three weeks out, and Kane still didn't know the names of all the companions with him, but he didn't find it necessary to know all their names either. Kane had taken a liking to the damsel Senyela. It must have been her blue eyes that reminded him of his mother, Eve. In the past few days, they ate small game, thanks' to her king eye with her bow. Kane didn't like what he felt, and wanted to keep it to him, hoping it would pass. The company had reached a field with man tall grass in the area; the baron had stopped them for further investigation.

"What do you think Sir William the Strong?" Baron Ile asked.

"Two words, baron, raptor bate." Sir William announced.

"Kane?" the baron asked.

"I worth willed chance, this will cut are travels by three days ride, and we'll be upon the area in an hour's time. There is again no guaranty that raptors are indeed in the grass, though I would say it is unlikely. I think we are seasoned warriors who can take this small challenge." Kane replied.

"What about your talk about not taking unnecessary risk?" Senyela asked.

"I would walk through this grass." Kane replied, "A pack of raptors are still predictable animals."

"Can you believe him?" Sir, William raised his hand in disbelief, "He actually wants us to go through the grass."

"I understand, if you all rather travel round, not everyone here has been trained as I." Kane said with facts.

"You keep talking big, what makes you think you could walk through a raptor field without being noticed." A soldier from Senyela's company said.

"I've done it before." Kane replied, with a straight face.

"Yeah, and you wrestled a bear with your bare hands." The soldier mocked.

"I apologies I meant no offense. But I must say I find your lack of faith insulting, never had such people doubted my abilities before. If you like, I can walk through along, and meet with you in three days' time?"

"Seriously." The soldier said, jumping off his horse, "And what makes you so tuff."

"Stand down soldier!" Senyela command, as the soldier walked up to Kane.

Kane leaped off his horse, sizing up the man in front of him. They were roughly the same size, given a few inches on the other man. Kane smiled. Brushing off his shoulder, Kane smiled at him.

"You don't want to do this. I rather not fight, especially at a moment like this, follow your commander's words and saddle back up. It's not worth it."

"Says who?" The soldier yelled, "I'm wondering why we even brought you."

"Soldier" Senyela shouted.

Suddenly Kane caught the man's flying fist, The Wyvern Knights, wowing. The baron himself looked impressed, and Senyela disappointed.

"I'm going to let go of your hand, but will you walk away?" Kane said.

The man went for another bunch, trying to sock Kane in the jaw, as Kane caught the other one as well.

"Stand down soldier! Fall back into line!' Senyela shouted, as Kane shoved the man to the side.

Stumbling over, in humiliation, the man turned back with a clenched fist. Kane saddled his horse watching as the man approached once more. Kane just shook his head.

"Stop, now." The damsel replied, pointing an arrow at her own soldier, "I have no use for soldiers unwilling to follow commands, saddle your horse."

The man turned from Kane towards his saddle, as his commander withdrew her arrow. Gently Senyela place her bow back on her back, and the arrow into her quiver.

"Senyela, will we go through the field, or around?" the baron asked.

"I think we should walk through, under Kane's lead, if he can truly sneak past raptors." Senyela tested.

"Very well, Kane lead the way." The baron announced.

"Raptor fun time, I suppose." Sir William muttered.

"We will have to unsaddle, or the raptors will see us on top the horses and we will have to gather the horses in the middle of are troops."

"Why?" a soldier asked.

"Because I rather keep the horses alive, the raptors, if any, will see them. We have to be willing to defend them." Kane replied.

"Oh and this is supposed to be easy? This is a stupid plan!" A knight complained.

"If the Iron Knight is truly killing people his next target is a village half a week's ride from where the ruins are, he should be there by next week, if we don't go through this, that puts us three days behind to investigate yet another village. I just want to save lives." Kane replied.

"Well said," The baron replied, "off your horses, do as the man says; he will lead us from this point forward."

The group mumbled under their breaths, as they followed the baron's orders. They were walking into a fire, in all senses of the metaphor. As each member pulled out their weapons walking through the grass, Kane walked forward, weapons sheathed. His feet fell like death on old age, without a sound and unpredictable. Kane glanced to his left and right, as the horses, gave heavy breaths of fear, their instincts giving them away.

Suddenly a raptor leaped into the air, jumping towards a horse. The raptor was greeted with nothing more settle than an arrow in the eye, from the damsel's bow. The dead scaly body fell to the ground, as more raptor noises were heard in the distance. The horses freaked as they saw the raptors body.

"We need to run," Kane said calmly, as he started to sprint forward.

The rest of the group followed his lead, as their heavy armor weighed their steps. Within seconds a raptor could be heard whimpering as Kane stood atop, slamming his sword into its heart.

"Keep going!" Kane yelled.

Kane dodged a raptor leaping threw the air towards him and pulled out the butcher knife from his waste, watching the raptors moves. The reptile hissed at him as the tip of Ragnar followed the raptors movements. The raptor pounced once more at Kane. Kane moved quickly dodging the attack, and slamming the butcher blade through the raptors spin. He glanced forward seen that the party had continued as he had commanded.

The baron and the group stopped at the end of the long, yellow grass, looking around for Kane.

"Kane," Senyela shouted.

"Kane." The baron said more softly.

"Leave him, he's a goner. We need to get out of here before we are a raptor nest's next meal." Senyela's soldiers announced.

Suddenly from the grass leaped a raptor towards the baron. In his steel plate suit, he swung his heavy battle axe in a circular motion, the blade of the weapon hitting the raptor in the stomach, knocking it to the ground as the baron decapitated its head. The noise from the raptors suddenly stopped, every man on nerve. When raptors went silent it was never a good sign

"They won't be hunting us anymore." Kane replied coming out from the long grass.

The rugged man, carried in his hand, a raptor's head, and in his other, a blooded claw. More or less, unscratched and maimed, the man walked forward with his bloody clothes. He smiled as he looked at the group.

"You just have to reassure these raptors you are on top the food chain." Kane announced.

"Ye idiot!" the baron yelled, followed by a grin "I'm starting to like thee even more."

"I say, it is man who knows his legend!" Sir William shouted.

Kane walked forward dropping the raptor head, and keeping the claw, he decided he would make Yalin something from it, when he had the chance. The soldiers were mainly surprised to see the man still standing to saddle his horse. What words could be traded with a man who could make raptors fear him?

"That was stupid what ye did back there never do that again." Senyela whispered as the company trotted down the path.

"I had to prove myself." Kane replied, "How else was I supposed to earn the companies respect?"

"So your solution is to risk everyone's lives to show off?" Senyela announced.

"No, I honestly thought the raptor's field was the best option to save the most lives. And you agreed with me." Kane replied.

Senyela ride quietly for a moment, before reply to the man, "I had my reasons, you've also give me no reason not to trust you."

"But what would make you trust me enough to place the safety of your men in my care of judgment." Kane said.

"The fact that ye could have destroyed one of my men, but decided to keep him intact tells me I can trust thee with their lives. Ye seem just as concerned with their lives as I."

Kane nodded, "So would you say you trusted me?"

"Not yet." Senyela replied riding forward away from Kane.

"She playing hard to get," Sir William asked, catching up with Kane.

"It's not like that, William." Kane replied.

"Ah, really, she doesn't seem to think so. She always gives ye her opinion. I say she has had eyes for thee sense day one, what you did to earn her beauty is beyond me." Sir William smirked.

"Maybe so, but would you bet your life on it," Kane replied.

"I wouldn't bet my life on anything."

"Most men would say the same. The fact is, I would never bet my life for anything I didn't know."

"If ye know the answer, then is it still betting?" Sir William replied.

"I suppose not." Kane replied with a smile.

"We're almost here boys." The baron announced pointing towards a ruin in the distance.

Though seen in the distance it was just after noon, when the company finally was at the scene. The body of nine soldiers laid litter about the abandoned fort. Written on the walls with their blood were words from their attacker in the form of a poem.

"Spell Bound and forced to wander

I carry my claymore ever sounder

With the blood of each victim

My power grows stronger,

Baron catch me

For I am he

You want to slaughter"

Kane glanced down finding another set of words bellow.

"With a lost history, and a lost name, I give my hate, my anger on those to blame"

"Baron there appears to be a message for you." Kane said, as the group spotted the blood stained wall.

"This is very bad, we need to hurry." The baron stated.

"What's going on? Do you know this man?" Kane asked, looking at the baron.

"I'm hoping I don't" the baron said, "We've been here long enough we must hurry."

The company took the road a while longer, and in three days they had reached the village where the knight was presumed to be, each unsaddling their horse to investigate the untouched town.

"Baron, are you sure he is here?" Kane asked.

"Yes, I believe he is; he's looking for someone." The baron replied, "If this is who I think it is.

The town was ghostly quit, windows closed on one of the last days in summer. The sun started to set, as a fray was heard echoing throughout the small village. The sound of begging and screaming was heard, as Kane rushed to the scene, a ways away. The company suddenly stopped, the rustic iron figure was spotted, his cruel claymore slammed into the belly of Senyela's man.

The baron stepped forward with his axe held high, "So ye are thee Iron Knight?"

The figure's face was hidden under his helmet, looking up noticing the baron. The Iron Knight simply retrieved his blade as he walked forward, with his claymore by his side, the point scrapping the ground.

"I thought you were dead." The baron continued, "So this is just a personal vendetta, then?"

"What are you doing Baron Ile, he's a blood thirst devil!" Sir William announced pulling his lance in front of him.

"Baron." The deep voice echoed within the mask, "Tell me what death taste like."

The figure approached closer, as Senyela arrived on the scene, her bow in hand drawn back. Kane unsheathed the butcher blade leaping forward to attack. The figure swung his claymore with ease, trying to slash at Kane's exposed body, but the man's agility was too great. Kane had cleared the blow just in time, ducking to avoid decapitation.

"You're nothing but a nuisance little warrior." The knight said slamming his sword towards Kane's position.

Kane leaped to the side slashing at the iron armor, scratching the metal with the butcher blade. The knight starred down at the scratched metal just in time, as an arrow flew into his helmet, being repelled.

"That must be a magical blade." The Iron Knight's voice echoed.

"No, it's not; it's just out of this world." Kane replied with a smirk.

The knight's leaped forward, attack the man with their dragon's bane weapons, swords, spears and axes. A flurry of blows physical force pushed the Iron Knight to one knee, as he slammed his claymore into the ground for balance. Kane took his chance, slamming the butcher blade against his back, the blade making a minor scratch once more in the rustic armor.

"Ha, ha, ha, ye think this will stop me?" The knight laughed, with a venomous tone.

Suddenly, the claymore ripped out from the ground, slashing through a Wyvern Knight's throat, his head rolling on the ground. The iron figure didn't stop there, as he slammed his blade through the abdomen of another man. Senyela waited for her shot, waiting to get it through his armor and into his eye, but there were too many in the way for a clear shot, as the Iron Knight gripped Sir William's throat, with his iron hand, squeezing the breath out of him.

The Iron knight kept squeezing even with all the blows, until Baron Ile slammed his battle axe into his back, toppling the knight to one knee once more.

"You still don't remember me?" the baron shouted.

"I remember you alright, old man!" The voice spat out with hatred.

Within a moment's notice the knight slammed his claymore into the baron's stomach, ripping right through the steel plate he wore. The blade came straight through out of the baron's back. The force of the blow caused the knight to lift the heavy set man into the air, hovering off the ground. Kane leaped forward attacking once, more, only to find the baron's body being launched at him. Sir William shanked the knight with his spear at his underarm, but to no avail, as the spear shaft bent, with the grand impact.

"Nice try!" the knight replied, slamming his double fist down upon Sir William the Strong.

The other Knight's kept fighting, their numbers ranging to two with their fallen comrade. Kane had dodged the baron's body, and jabbed Ragnar into the Iron Knight's chest. The blade didn't even dig into the armor, just scrapping off into the side. The night responded with slam of his hilt into Kane's back. At that moment, Senyela took her shot, the arrow entering through the knight's helmet.

"Aargh!" the knight screamed, falling to his knee.

Senyela drew again, getting ready for another arrow in the other eye. The knight pried his hand away, as he starred at the blood.

"Blood must be paid with blood." The knight said, swinging his claymore behind him, at the constant slashing of men.

Kane was able to leap back in time, but some were not as lucky, as the last two men's head rolled to the ground. Sir William blocked the blow with his own claymore, as his weapon shattered, and the force making him fly back. Kane glanced over, watching the knight approach the damsel. Kane leaped forward attack the knight.

The Iron Knight had been expecting such a move from one of the leftover men, closing the distance and punching Kane in the stomach. Kane coughed, at the blow, though in heavy armor the knight was faster than he expected. The claymore was lifted over Kane's head about to swing down on his body, as an arrow hit the back of the Iron Knight's head.

"Wait your turn" The knight shouted back, as Sir William slammed the baron's battle axe into the knight's side.

The force of the blow would have at the least dented most armor, but not the iron prison that the knight now wore. Staggering back, it was knight to knight, as Sir William the Strong went for an overhead blow.

"Just die already!" Sir William yelled.

It was too late for Kane to act to save the knight's life, as the claymore ripped through his dragon scales chopping his body in half. Not even one of Kane's potions could save the man.

"I could have said the same." The Iron Knight replied, his weapon dripping with blood.

"You'll die for that!" Kane replied with his weapons in hand.

The Iron knight laughed, "You simply don't understand, I can't die!"

Kane dodged as the knight went on the offensive, swinging his claymore with both hands. The speed and voracity, was double that of the knight's attacks beforehand. The iron colossus swung one last time. Kane thinking fast had no way to dodge, blocking the blow with Ragnar. As the two blades collided, Ragnar exploded, shards flying everywhere impaling Kane. As the dust cleared in the air, the knight stood back up with another chip in his claymore.

The knight turned his head back, at Senyela as another arrow ripped by him, this time, missing by a few degrees.

"What has ye worried." The knight's deep, venomous voice asked.

Senyela dropped back to her back, knowing she was no match for the man. She drew another shot, as the knight simple slammed his foot into her chest, and hit the bow away with the blunt of his blade.

"Tell me if death is as sweet as they say." The knight replied slamming his blade into the woman's chest.

Kane watched with one eye, knowing it was more important to live to fight another day, than die here. His wounds were bad; he just hoped that the knight would leave soon enough, for him to save Senyela, and himself. The knight withdrew in seconds, placing the blade over his shoulder as he walked away.

Senyela shivered as the cold hit her, she was lucky she had even three more breaths to take, as the knight barely missed her heart. The blood seemed to ooze out like a small fountain; her hands were shaking and her breath shallow, as she tried to breath. She couldn't help but feel the warm sun, as a cold ray of ice, coming down on her, as the shadow of the figure walked away.

Kane moved quickly as soon as the knight had turned his back away, crawling against the ground with the stealth training he had been taught. In seconds Kane was hovering over the shivering woman, with a potion in hand, as the knight gave them no heed.

He opened the bottle as he whispered to her, "Drink this, if you want to live."

The woman obeyed as the drink went down her throat. The warmth of the drink almost brought her voice back, as it flowed down her esophagus, like water down a drain.

"Stay quit, even if you feel pain, don't even grunt." Kane said, as the woman nodded in agreement.

Kane ripped off his jacket tying it around the woman's wound to keep it from bleeding. The pressure was almost comforting to the damsel as she continued to bleed. Kane himself was bleeding badly, not even twitching at the pain he felt when he moved. Every motion made his own wounds worse, but he knew they were less fatal, and more easily taken care of with rest. Kane slowly picked up the woman, as the knight carried on his marry way. Senyela passed out in his arms as he rushed to cover a distance off. They were out of sight from the knight as Kane ripped the woman's breast plate off her body. Her clothes underneath being torn right above her heart, as Kane dumped a red potion over her chest. Kane watched as the wound stopped bleeding, oozing a green foam from the wound. He knew the potion was working, which meant she was still alive.

Kane threw his bloody jacket over the woman, too keep her warm. Glancing at his wounds, as the woman rested against a tree.