Act One : Beginnings and Endings

The town of Wildefort buzzed with life. In the busy, dusty streets, adventurers and townsfolk alike walked past each other on their daily business. Guards stood watch at the doors of the shops that lined the main square. For Wildefort was no ordinary town, but a gateway to adventure - the great Northern Desert lay to the north, and beyond that, swampland and countless mountains. So, on any given day, it was a given chance that one out of every two people in the town would be an adventurer seeking to make his fortune. A popular venue to visit was the Wandering Phoenix, a tavern in the center of town, where the townsfolk would gather after a long day's work to talk and make merry.

But interestingly enough, the cloaked figure's destination was not the tavern.

Dressed in a worn, dusty cloak, the Wanderer stood outside the door, watching the assortment of individuals wandering in.

"Patience," he said to himself.

"Any day now, he will arrive..."

Cinderblast had set off in search of the one who left the insignia on his right hand plate glove. He had been traveling many days in search of the town of Wildefort. As he was walking he saw a village in the distance. He stared at it and thought to himself "is this the town i have been looking for?". The souls buzzed in his head whispering "The town of Wildefort, The town of Wildefort, We adventurers roam and the tavern is home" He began to walk towards what he could only assume to be the a a tavern in the bustling town.

The Wanderer allowed himself a small smile.

"He has arrived."

Striding over to the armored warrior , he hailed him. "Welcome to the town of Wildefort."

"I expect you are looking for something...."

"Cinderblast of Fallgate?"

Cinderblast was surprised by greeting. He turned towards the cloaked figure. He wondered at first how the figure knew his name. As he heard the words Fallgate the spirits of his mind began to whisper angrily with the ferocity of a thousand angry hornets. They shouted at him "FALLGATE, FALLGATE, FALLGATE" he focused himself on figure again. Who was he how did he know him and what is this Fallgate. Cinderblast said "How do you know my name and what is this fallgate you speak of" it echoed through his armor as he spoke it.

Christopher hadn't noticed the sun was setting, so he quickly set about gathering logs sticks and anything else he could fine to put together a quick shelter, while out searching Christopher sees light emanating from the edge of the tree line, hearing voices of laughter he drops his pile of sticks and paces towards the light, he soon realized it was a tavern he was looking at, a sharp memory stung at his head when he thought of the old tavern in his old village, he slowed for a second while the memory passed. He continued on his way towards the tavern. It had been months since he had a mug of ale and he wouldn't miss out on the opportunity of having one. After passing over a few pieces of metal, thats all they were to him just pieces of metal, he asked for a room and was forced to fork over more metal, any bed would be softer then the ground he would of being sleeping on.

The Wanderer gave him a cryptic smile, his hidden eyes flashing beneath his hood.

"How do I know? I am the Wanderer. I know many things."

"Fallgate is - or was, the name of your old village."

And the second one has arrived, he thought as Christopher walked past, into the Wandering Phoenix. As he was standing at the counter, he called out to him.

"Christopher Nordalyle!"

Cinderblast wondered how this person knew so much about what happened ti his village. Did he cause the destruction that had befallen him? he thought to himself but the souls whispered "He is not the one he did not buuuurrrrnnnn ussss" Cinderblast asked the cloaked figure "if you know where i came from then do you know who gave me this" Cinderblast extended his right hand showing the figure the initials A.R carved into the metal of his plate glove.

His smile grew wider.

"Indeed, I do. But that is information that I will not divulge to you - yet."

A glint of steel - and then the suit of animated armor found the blade of an Elvish knife at his throat.

"For first, you must prove yourself worthy of me."

"Now.... fight."

Christopher walked towards the stairs, but heard his name shouted, he turned, it wasn't they barkeeper "it must have been a mistake" he thought "I haven't heard that name in years their is no way any one here could know it" he continued his slow walk up stairs passing a few youthful couples, and reaching his allocated room, he fell down onto his bed and fell to sleep with another thought...

Around them, passers by, seeing the two combatants, hurriedly ran for cover. If there was a fight, they were the last ones who wanted to get in the way.

"SO BE IT" Cinderblast said loudly. Cinderblast tilted backward and shot off into the air with a blast of fire. He landed several meters away from the figure and and drew his blade from the darkness. With a roar of battle the blade ignited with magical fire. Cinderblast charged towards the figure with his blade held high.

He did not move, passively letting Cinderblast charge under he was almost onto him - then he lithely flipped over him, landing on both feet behind him.

" First lesson of combat: Never charge at someone faster than you."

Even though Cinderblast could not see his mouth, he would hear just the slightest hint of mockery in the voice.

"Well?"

Cinderblast turned on his heel. And swung his sword in an ark towards his fighting partner sending a large ball of flames towards him.

Avalanche has finished his latest mission and now heads towards the city of Wildefort to collect his pay. The fools who hired him do not have the information he needs to solve the mystery of his reincarnation but at least their money is good. He could see an epic battle rising in the distance, as if fire and air were clashing at an impossible speed. He grunted. A good brawl is what I need to raise my spirits he thought. He raised Evening Frost and strode towards the battle...

Christopher turns over in his dreamless sleep...

"Shadow Shield."

And with those two words, a wall of purple-black darkness surrounded him. But Cinderblast's magic was strong, and with an explosion of fire and darkness the shield dissipated - to reveal.... nothing.

Suddenly, the Wanderer leapt down from his concealed position on the roof of the Wandering Phoenix, hoping to take his opponent by surprise. His blades were aimed at his chest, and as he fell, he noticed Avalanche striding towards them.

The third one has arrived....

Everything is going as planned.

Cinderblast hurled around in time to see the figure flying at him from above. As the Animated Ice armor arrived Cinderblast saw the figure notice his presence and he used that small instance to move to the side and hurl another fireball at his fighting partner but the figure was too fast and it missed him and sped towards the side of the wandering Phoenix.

The fireball hit the side of the Wandering Phoenix, exploding and leaving a blackened scorch mark on the stone. The Wanderer altered the trajectory of his fall as the bolt sizzled past him, landing on both feet, and springing into another flip within two seconds, he launched a kick at Cinderblast.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Town Watch had been alerted by several panicked civilians of the altercation.

"What in.... Oh, Gods in Heaven, not another fight... I'll be right there."

Turning to one of the men beside him, he gave a swift order, and the troop of twenty five well trained soldiers marched off in the direction of the tavern.

The figure's kick hit Cinderblast full on in the chest sending him tumbling backwards into the street. Cinderblast got to his back to his feet and said "well your awfully quick. But can you handle the heat" Cinderblast Burst into a magical flame like the one that encased his blade, the Morning's Flame as it was called, and began to run towards the figure while slashing his sword in a fury of strikes at the air causing multiple lines of fire in the air.

Christopher sub-coniously pushes off some of the bed's covers because of a sudden surge of heat nearby.

The Wanderer remained impassive as the warrior charged.

"Perhaps."

As the hurricane of blows descended on him, he pulled out both knives and began to parry them with ease, moving in a blur at speeds no human could match. However, his strength began to falter, and soon the swordsman cut a deep gash into his right shoulder.

Rolling aside before the next swing could do any more damage, he stood beside him.

"Good."

His face remained as calm as ever, despite the burning pain in his shoulder.

"Strength of the Tiger."

An aura surrounded him, shaped like the beast he had named, roaring defiantly. Then, as it subsided to a green, luminescent glow, the Wanderer, his strength massively augmented, charged at Cinderblast, aiming another strike at his chest again.

"Let's see if you can handle this one."

The souls in Cinderblast's head Screeched "NOW!" Cinderblast activated his plan. The trails of fire that were drifting in the air and the flames that covered him converged on the spot directly in between him and the figure creating a wall of fire. Cinderblast also move his arms into and X shape in front of his chest to protect him if the flames did not stop the fighter.

The Wanderer smashed into the wall with great force. The flames licked at him for but a second - then, in a swirl of darkness he was gone - reappearing behind Cinderblast, standing on the roof of a nearby shop, cloak only mildly singed.

"Impressive. However... it seems that you have other things on your hands right now... meet me in the Wandering Phoenix in two days."

"That is, if you want to know anything about A.R...."

And with that, he vanished in a puff of smoke.

Just then, the captain of the Watch ran in with his men. Armed with spears,swords, bows and dressed in chainmail, the twenty - odd soldiers surrounded both Cinderblast and Avalanche, spears bristling menacingly. They weren't going to take any chances with adventurers.

The captain, himself armed, called out in a voice full of authority.

"You! Cease all unlawful activity immediately, hand over your weapons, and come with us immediately for prosecution.... or face the consequences."

"And what would these consequences be" asked Cinderblast questioningly as his blade dissolved into pieces of ash that blew away in the wind.

The captain regarded the figure with a disapproving eye.

Blasted adventurers.. think that they can get away with anything...

"We would have had to use force. Now, come with us."

When Avalanche did not move, he halted the march.

"Sir, I am asking you to come with us."