His thoughts were interrupted by the stranger's voice. "By the way, my name's Rei of the Izenth. We've been living in the Lost Valley for decades." He pointed towards the sprawling valley which lay next to them in the same manner as a proud homeowner showing off his prime property. "While other Exiles choose to live in the open, we have been hidden from harm in the safety of the valley. No Noble has intruded on our land for generations; well, not until last night." There was a hint of despair in his voice; he seemed to be deeply troubled by the intrusion of Nobles onto his homeland.

Rei took a quick look around to make sure no one had seen them, then whispered to Amadeus, "Come, we must hide in the shadows, it is not safe out here." He then silently and skillfully glided into the shadows. Amadeus, who did not want to be left behind, ran quickly (and rather clumsily) behind Rei towards the shade of the trees which covered the entrance of the Lost Valley.

Once Amadeus entered the Lost Valley, it was as though he was transported into another dimension. The surroundings changed immediately. From the open plains of white snow he had just passed, Amadeus was instead greeted with green grassy ground which was covered with shadows that danced in harmony with the wind. The shadows were cast as streams of sunlight peeked through the thick tree leaves which swayed under the wind, causing the entire ground to appear as though it had come alive. The trees, which were unlike any that Amadeus had come across before, stretched across the entire breadth and width of the valley.

Snow periodically trickled down the branches of the trees, and littered the grass on the floor with heaps of white. Instead of the piercing cold, the valley appeared to be insulated by the thick trees, and Amadeus no longer shivered under the shreds that remained of his tunic. The atmosphere was cool but comfortable, and Amadeus rushed to the nearest glimpse of sunlight that could be seen penetrating through the thick trees.

He knelt there and rubbed his hands under the sunlight's warmth, cherishing the moment. Amadeus felt as though he had stepped into an enchanted forest, much like those in the stories Madam Marcella used to tell him when he was a little boy. Animal sounds echoed through the trees, sounds which were entirely foreign to Amadeus' inexperienced ears.

I'm here! I can't believe it; I actually made it to the Lost Valley! I think this is definitely up there on the list of my most impressive achievements, along with shirking my daily chores and escaping from bullies.

Amadeus would never have imagined that he would be standing at the entrance of the Lost Valley, breathing in the damp forest air. This was the furthest he had ever ventured from the commoner camp of White Harrow. When he first stepped foot out of the camp's boundary, he had initially doubted that he would make it this far, or even manage to survive the night.

Amadeus took a moment to catch his breath. He was quite out of shape and lacked basic stamina. He was starting to regret all those times he avoided manual labour; it would have at least gotten him in shape for this journey. Sadly, it was too late for regrets. He was less than prepared for a long and tiring journey such as this. Compared to the lazy mornings in White Harrow, this was indeed all too much excitement for the beginning of his day! He was in the Lost Valley with an Exile, whom he had only ever heard of in stories.

I can't let the excitement get to me. I don't have time to explore or chat with the Exiles. Lives are depending on me. I need to make my way to the Jagged Peaks before the three days expire. Concentrate! Amadeus reminded himself as he followed closely behind Rei.

Once they were safely hidden in the shadows of the trees, Rei slowed down to a walking pace. As he navigated without hesitation through what appeared to be a hidden path beneath the dense underbrush, he started to talk about his people.

"My people came to this valley many years ago even before the Purge. We knew that something was about to happen and pre-emptively relocated. It was difficult at the start as we had no idea how to hunt or survive in this vast forest. We finally found that we could avoid behind eaten by wild animals by carving out the largest trees and hiding in them. We started out surviving by eating the fungus and greens that grew inside and near the trees."

Amadeus cringed at the thought of eating fungus. Rei either did not notice him cringing, or chose to ignore it. He continued.

"We then learned to hunt small animals. We adapted over time and learned to respect the forest. We hunt only what we need to survive and took care of the forest and the creatures within. By doing so, we decided to stop being nomads and just live sustainably in this valley. From then on, our tribe grew and we put our roots in this valley. We never ventured out of the valley unless it was absolutely necessary. Let the Nobles and other tribes fight all they like, we will remain hidden and safe here."

"Have you ever been attacked by the Nobles?"

Rei seemed surprised by Amadeus' direct question. He nodded his head. "While we were and still are passive Exiles, the Nobles came here often in the past looking to settle the score with those of us who escaped. We started out by hiding, and became masters at stealth. We tried avoiding them, but they were relentless. They never gave up hunting us no matter how well we kept hidden. While most of us survived by hiding, eventually we learned how to fight back."

Amadeus pointed to the icicles which were secured firmly to Rei's belt. "With these? What are they anyway?" he asked curiously.

Rei smiled as though he was expecting that question. "Icicles," he replied.

"Icicles," repeated Amadeus with a raised eyebrow as he gave Rei a 'tell-me-something-I-don't-already-know' look.

"These are not just normal icicles. You see, there is no metal in the Lost Valley for us to forge weapons. These icicles have been harvested from the roof and floors of caves and reinforced using a special method which is known only to my tribe. This method, increases the density of the ice and enables it to withstand the greatest heat and pierce the thickest armor. My people – every man, woman and child train all their lives to wield these reinforced icicles which are held solely by members of the Izenth tribe. We use these for both hunting and defense." Rei paused for a moment as his footsteps came to a sudden halt.

He bent down and carefully picked up a thick tree branch which was lying on the ground. The branch was about as thick and as long as Amadeus' leg. It appeared to be really heavy and sturdy.

"Watch," he said. In a single motion, he threw the branch in the air, drew the icicle from its sheath and flung it with ease. Amadeus watched with his mouth slightly agape as the icicle hit the branch clean in the center and split the bark into two pieces before driving itself into the trunk of a tree.

Rei stopped at the skewered tree and twisted the icicle free, pulling it out of the deep hole it made in the tree. "If I had thrown it harder, it would have penetrated through the entire trunk of the tree as well."

Amadeus could tell from his tone that he wasn't trying to brag, but was just stating a simple fact. He also realized that all the stories he had heard about the Izenth in his childhood were not exaggerated at all. The Izenth were indeed incredibly skillful combatants, ever ready to defend their beloved home.

Rei sheathed the icicle and secured it onto his belt, before continuing down the hidden path in silence.

Amadeus was starting to feel uncomfortable by the silence and decided to make small talk. "Where is the rest of your tribe?" he asked.

"They are all safely hidden within Ichi. That is the name of our home. The entire area is guarded by our warriors. I doubt any Noble will be able to make it into the perimeter without getting skewered by a dozen of these." answered Rei with a grin as he pointed at his weapons.

Amadeus realized that Rei had a particularly unique grin. His eyes would turn into slits whenever he grinned, making him look very boyish and playful.

"Why are you wandering outside here alone then?"

"One of our scouts had been patrolling near the area where the Nobles had set up camp last night. The scout never returned to Ichi and was suspected to have been captured or killed by them. I'm going to mount a rescue mission."

"Why are you doing this by yourself?"

Rei had a troubled look as he answered the question. "The scout that was captured is my only daughter. After receiving the news of her capture, I requested that a rescue party be sent out. The chief rejected my request. He could not spare any warriors. Instead, he stationed all of our warriors at strategic locations; ready to defend our home at any cost. If the Noble intruders manage to reach Ichi, all our women and children will be in danger. He would rather lose one scout than to risk the entire tribe. I can't say that I blame him."

Amadeus nodded and remained silent. He wondered if the Nobles that had just appeared in this peaceful valley were because of him. Were they looking for him?

Rei interrupted his thoughts by asking a question, "Look, I know you have no reason to help me, but since you're already here, perhaps you could help me rescue her?" Rei paused and tried to gauge his reaction while waiting for an answer.

This Exile must be either really desperate or really crazy to ask for help from me, thought Amadeus. He looked worse for wear – bruised body, dirty face, and smelled as though he had crawled out of a dung heap. He glanced downwards and deliberated his response. On one hand, I would need Rei's help to navigate through the valley, or I would most definitely get lost in one of the multiple winding paths ahead. If I don't help him, I could be wandering in circles for days trying to find the way out of the Lost Valley. On the other hand, it was extremely probable that by helping this Exile, I'm going to get myself caught or...

Amadeus gulped nervously. Killed.

He was no good in a fight, and even if he could manage to sneak into the Noble's camp, what good would it do? He was close to hopeless at combat, and would probably get captured.

"How many of them are there?" asked Amadeus.

"There are not many of them, a small party of five. I would go myself but they have set up strange markings all around their camp, no doubt a magical trap for intruders." Rei replied

Amadeus sighed to himself. Five Nobles! Those are terrible odds. This is starting to feel more and more like a suicide mission. I don't need to go on another suicide mission - I already am on one.

"I need to get to the Jagged Peaks as soon as possible; will you guide me there if I help you?" asked Amadeus.

"I know this valley like the back of my hand. I can show you the shortest way through the Crystal Plains without any trouble at all. You'll be on your way once we have saved my daughter," replied Rei confidently.

"Rei, facing five Nobles would be considered an act of suicide. You do know this, do you not?" Amadeus continued.

"I know it," replied Rei grimly.

"Then pray tell, why do you insist on sacrificing your life by going there alone?"

"Ah, the naivety of youth," the Exile sighed, shaking his head from side-to-side. "When you have a child of your own, you will understand this - There is no measure of love greater than a father's love for his child." His easy-going face turned serious with determination. "I would gladly sacrifice my own life if it would mean that my child may be spared. I know what the odds are, but I must succeed."

"And what if you fail?" asked Amadeus.

"Well, it would be better to have tried and died than not to try at all. If I do nothing, she is as good as dead anyway." Rei looked at the sky briefly before turning back to Amadeus. "Now, are we going to stand here and ask each other questions or are we going to do this?" he asked with a tone of finality.

Amadeus seriously considered this proposition for what seemed like the longest time. Okay, it doesn't look like I have a choice. I need his help to get out of the valley. I'll need to make a deal. But seriously, what is this guy thinking? Facing five Nobles? Finally, he reluctantly answered. "F-Fine, I'll help you, but you have to promise to lead me out of the Lost Valley and through the Crystal Plains after we are done."

Rei nodded solemnly. "I'll take you to the base of the Jagged Peaks myself if we get out of this predicament alive." He then slipped out an icicle from his belt, pricked his finger lightly and smeared a streak of red blood across Amadeus' chest. It was the Izenth custom, which was done whenever a member of the tribe made a promise to another. It signifies his agreement sealed in blood.

Amadeus, who was not used to this custom, was quite shocked. However, he managed to conceal his surprise and just smiled politely, signaling that he respectfully acknowledged the agreement made. Rei stood there, waiting for Amadeus to reciprocate by smearing his blood on Rei's chest. There was an awkward silence for a moment as Amadeus stared blankly at Rei.

"You're supposed to smear your blood on me to seal our agreement," Rei explained.

Amadeus was not particularly enthusiastic about drawing blood from himself again. He had already lost enough blood last night; thank you very much. Quite frantically, he searched his body to traces of blood that had remained from last night. Rather uncertain if this was against their custom, he slowly and carefully tore off one of the shreds of his blood stained tunic.

Hesitantly, he lifted up the blood stained shred and smeared the remaining traces of blood onto Rei's wolf skin chest piece. He then shifted his gaze towards Rei, wanting to see if the Exile had took any offense at his unorthodox way of smearing blood. Rei appeared unaffected and nodded solemnly, accepting his blood as a seal upon their agreement.

"We are bonded by blood; let us not go back on our words."

Amadeus gulped nervously at Rei's words, still unsure about his decision. He now had no choice but to go along on with what seemed to be like a father's deranged suicide mission.

"Come, let us move quickly." Rei said as he jumped without much effort onto the nearest tree branch and gracefully surged forward, leaping from branch to branch, tree to tree. His movements were fluid and natural, like he was gliding effortlessly on air. Amadeus stood there for a moment with his mouth wide open, admiring the agility and swiftness of Rei's movements. Try as he may, he could not get used to seeing such agility; which was to him, incomprehensible.

Only after the Exile had shrunk into the distance did Amadeus start running off after him, not wanting to be left behind in this strange valley. Next to the gracefulness and speed of the Exile, Amadeus looked like a lumbering bear.

As Amadeus stumbled awkwardly behind Rei, trying not to fall behind; above the valley, on top of the thick green trees draped with snow, the sun had risen above the mountain peaks. Unbeknownst to Amadeus, the Noble camp was starting to stir with activity as a familiar foe was just about to rise from his slumber.

Author's Note: Amadeus may seem really clumsy and hopeless at the moment as the main character, but give him time. He just needs a push in the right direction. Do you guys feel difficult to relate to him or root for him to succeed? What are your opinions of having a weak main character?