It was an unusually cold night. The air was not just cold, it also gave the feeling you get when you roll around on itchy grass. This, however, did not frighten Cedric, the hero of the Romans. Cedric had men following him, not enough to fight in a battle, but enough tough looking men to discourage any threat.
            “Sir, our head scout has come back from his mission. Would you like to see him?” asked a man who had a small beard poking out of his helm. He was armored well, just like any other man, except his armor was more of a full-plate mail rather than chain mail. His voice was hardened and he was barely visible through the darkness of the night.
            “Yes, Balthemus. Let us hope that it is only good news.” Cedric replied. His voice was stern and noble, powered by not only pride, but also wisdom.
            “Right away, sir.” Balthemus said. He rushed up several steep rocks, and disappeared from the horizon.
            In moments, Balthemus and a man on a horse were seen at the edge of a cliff. “Ah, Kurama, it is good to see you.” Cedric said. He put his hand up as if to salute, but he did not say anything more. The men behind him began to shuffle about, searching for places to sit and listen. Cedric began talking once more, all while lowering his hand, “So, what is it with Korogath? Have we arrived in time?”
            The scout, Kurama, sighed deeply and said, “No, my Liege. I arrived at Korogath before the sun had set today. To my surprise, I found the city of Korogath in ruins. I searched for survivors, but I found none. Sir Edward the Wise, whom I am sure you were trying to get too, well, I never found his body. I fear that they might have taken him prisoner.”
            “So, Korogath has been destroyed. Who do you think could have done that?” There was little change in Cedric’s voice, and yet, beyond his helm, was the frown the disappointment.
            “I’m not sure who would or why. But I have a hunch that Draco, the Truebeing, will know.”
            “Well, I guess we should find him. Many myths say that he lives just past the lair of the doomed on the peak of the Forsaken Mountains. So, we shall head to the Forsaken Mountains and pass through the lair of the doomed.”
            “My Liege, we will need more supplies for that kind of a journey! We were only expecting to go to Korogath and make camp.” Balthemus said.
            Cedric chuckled, and said, “Yes, Balthemus. But we will also need fewer warriors. I will personally hand pick two dozen soldier to come with me. Now, my men sleep well. Tomorrow’s trails will take more than self-discipline to pass.”
            The men bustled about, readying their beds and tents, and eating their small dinners before sleeping snuggly with the dreams of fighting alongside the Roman Hero, Cedric, to get to the Truebeing of the world.
            Once Cedric was sure that all of his men were asleep, he called Kurama to the Cliff. He looked around to find Balthemus on sentry, and he began to speak to Kurama in a course whisper. “Kurama, I need you to tell me something.”
            “Yes?” Kurama asked.
            “I know of many myths about Draco, but not all of them are good. Some involved treachery beyond belief. Do you think that it is the most reasonable way to go? Are you sure you saw no bodies of any different people that weren’t from Korogath?”
            “I checked everything I could. Korogath was a neutral place with no enemies that I have ever heard of. The city was basically defenseless. If they could have killed an enemy, I would have found the body. The Truebeing is the wisest being in our realm who has lived for years and who sees the past. He is the only one that knows who attacked Korogath. I have my faith in him completely, sir.”
            “Let us all hope that his foresight is right and can end this tragedy,” Cedric said. He took off his helm, which was made so differently from everyone else’s, that he could be distinguished from any other from miles away, and rubbed his eyes. His face looked troubled, but his back was facing the moon, which coated his face with a shadow. With that, he excused Kurama and went to sleep himself.
            The next morning wasn’t as rigorous as most of the men figured it would be. They awoke when the sun reached the tips of the trees and were told to not suit up. They ate a light breakfast and lined up in a single file line.
            “Only twenty-four of you will be able to come with the three of us.” Cedric pointed to Kurama, Balthemus, and finally to himself. Cedric then tested his men on their sword fighting skills, the ability to walk and run for a long period of time, and he even tested each and every person’s ability to work with others.
            By the end of the day, Cedric had found all of the men he needed, and had already sent the rest of the warriors home. After a full day of traveling, Kurama revealed important news, “My Liege, this path-“ He pointed to the right side of a v-shaped trail and continued, “detours through Shaman Valley. It might save us entire days’ worth of travel.”
            Cedric pondered for awhile and frowned. “I’ve never heard of Shamans Valley, Kurama.”
            One of the soldiers took a step forward and began to speak without permission, “Sire, I’ve heard of it before. It is not a valley, but indeed a desert. There are hardly any Oases though. I’m not sure if we have the proper materials to cross it. It might save us the entire journey – time wise – through the Dark Forest Maze, however.”
            “Soldier, never speak out of line again. Your opinion will only count if I think it is accurate.” Cedric replied.
            “We have enough supplies, sir.” Balthemus said.
            “We shall go in then?” Kurama asked.
            “Yes, I want tight formations in this area. Ration the water until we can find an Oasis. Now, let’s move.” Cedric took the lead and his men followed him. Balthemus was in the far back, and Kurama was next to Cedric.
            For hours they walked. They took little sips of water every so often, but they were running extremely low. By mid afternoon, everyone was starting to think that they had made a bad choice.
            “Sire! Who is that?” Kurama asked. He pointed at a distant figure that was cloaked. He was standing in the shade of an oasis with a small lake next to it.
            Cedric and Balthemus approached the cloaked stranger slowly. There was a musty scent around him and his face was not visible because of the dark shadows casted upon it. “Cedric . . . I have long expected you after the incident in your homeland.” A voice echoed throughout Cedric’s mind. It was a calm and secure voice, but also a voice that seemed to tell no lies.
            “Who are you?” Cedric demanded. His eyes moved quickly, searching for some sort of visibility of the body that was speaking to him, but he did not succeed. “Show yourself!”
            “I show myself to those who prove themselves worthy.”
            “How must I do that? I am already a hero of the Romans!”
            “A mortal can only be a hero for such a small amount of time. Yet, you have the choice to become a legend.”
            Balthemus, dazzled by seeing his master talking to a cloaked figure that hadn’t said a single word, took several steps back. “What is going on, sir?” He asked.
            “Nothing Balthemus.” Cedric said.
            “Send him away. This is our business, not his.” The cloaked figure said in Cedric’s mind. “You must only think for me to hear you.”
            So, with a hushed movement, Cedric signaled Balthemus away. “So, what is this all about?” Cedric asked through his thoughts.
            His thoughts echoed to the strangers mind. “This path you are taking can be shortened by me. I know of whom you speak.”
            Cedric’s mind was thinking of this stranger’s short lived respect. What if he betrayed them? Little did he know, but the stranger knew of everything he was envisioning. “That is a lot to say, stranger.” Cedric thought.
            Cedric felt the stranger’s eyes burrowing into him, marking deep wounds in his body. Cedric began to tremble. “I . . . I will take your offer, but what must I do to repay you?”
            “You will see soon enough, soon enough . . .” The stranger kept saying that over and over again, until he said, “It will happen tonight. Be the only one on duty this night.” The stranger suddenly vanished.
            And so, with a watchful eye, Cedric was on duty that night. “This whole thing is a bunch of balog-“but just before Cedric could finish, a giant gush of wind struck him and his encampment.
            “It is time.” A voice said in Cedric’s head. He suddenly remembered the voice, the strangers. Light appeared upon his encampment and made a barrier around it. It was an extremely bright light, but, as it formed more and more into a circle, it began to change into darker colors. “You will be at the Truebeing’s home in a matter of moments. Please now, be quiet.”
            Cedrics men were aroused and were already beginning to get suited, as if they had no idea what was going on. Neither did Cedric . . .
            Cedric felt like he had slept for an eternity when he awoke. He was sprawled out across a rocky surface. The room was dank, but it had no scent. Cedric could see the dark figures of his men, slowly rising as if they were undead corpses.
            “Ugh,” Balthemus said, scratching his head. “What just happened?”
            “We took a shortcut, I hope.” Cedric muttered. He scanned the room around him, and found some steps. “This way,” He gestured towards the pathway and marched onward. He looked back at his comrades as he reached the stairs. His eyes had fully adjusted to the darkness by this time, and he could see his soldier’s blank eyes. “What is the problem?”
            “Sire, we’re missing some people.” Kurama said.
            “What? Who?” Cedric was not able to see who was missing; several of his soldiers were blocking his view as they got closer to him.
            Cedric had begun a head count, but he suddenly stopped when he got to 17, when he heard Kurama yell, “Quick, snag them!” A giant sack went over Cedrics head and he felt his arms being tied behind him. He heard several other gasps of pain and fright from several of his soldiers, and also heard Balthemus struggling with Kurama. His world went blank and he fell to the floor by the blunt handle of a sword.
            Cedric awoke several minutes later, and struggled with all of his might to pull off the ropes. “Let me get that.” A voice echoed through his mind. “This shall only take a few moments.”
            Cedric felt his ropes loosen, and immediately pulled off the sack on his head, and looked around for the person that helped him. He saw nothing, except for a dagger with a gem shoved in the back. “Thank you,” He thought, and he began to cut off his soldier’s ropes with the gemmed dagger.
            “Thanks.” Balthemus said as he rubbed his wrists where the rope had been. “Any ideas as to why Kurama did such a thing?”
            “Plenty,” Cedric said.
            They marched up the stairs; swords armed, and found themselves at a canyon. “Which way now?” one of the soldiers said in a panicked voice.
            “Across,” One of the soldiers interjected. He picked up a rock and threw it in the gap between the cliffs. The rock plummeted down, but then bounced on thin air. “It’s an illusion.” He said.
            “Good job, Corporal.” Cedric said happily, as he strode across the invisible floor.
            “Corporal?” The soldier asked astonishingly. He shrugged and followed Cedric along the invisible path.
            In no time, they had crossed the cliff and had arrived at a cave. They walked through the cave and saw a giant room. It was lite by nothing and yet it was bright. There was a throne in which a mighty creature stood. It was cloaked in bright clothing, but every so often, you could see a skeletal hand out of the long sleeves. His clothing was being drafted – by the looks of it – by a sword. The sword had no scabbard and looked like a combination of a scimitar, a scythe, and a halberd, with a handle bar in the middle of the double sided blades.
            “So, you have finally made it to my lair, Cedric,” The being said. His voice sounded powerful and godlike, yet also calm and gentle. His voice flowed fluently and smoothly as if bird were playing a wonderful melody. “I had to deal with some of your problems, you know.”
            “What do you speak of?” Cedric asked.
            “There was a rebellion being plotted against you, as you have seen moments ago, if I recall.”
            “Yes, but we have more important matters to discuss. You are Draco, I take it?”
            “That is Truebeing to you, mortal!” Draco boomed. His voice was no longer as calm and gentle as it was before.
            “We need your help. Edward the Wise was killed in Korogath and we do not know who killed our priest to the Holy Gods!”
            “You fool! Edward was the one in charge of the rebellion. The Capitol was were they all had gathered. I see and hear everything, Cedric.”
            Several of Cedrics soldiers took several steps back, as Draco stood up. “Now you heretics will face the same doom as your beloved Korogath!” Draco picked up his sword and began to mumble “Incindo Summon.”
            Six Skeletons rose from the cracks in the floor. All of them were armed and looked ferocious. “We’ve got trouble!” Balthemus said.
            “Get these buffoons double teamed!” Cedric yelled. They slashed swiftly and powerfully, and eradicated the skeletons almost instantly.
            “Ha! This fool couldn’t throw a punch if his life depended on it!” Balthemus said, chuckling.
            “I am already dead, mortal.” Draco said, pulling off his cloak, revealing his skeletal body. “Let’s see how you fare against me.” He started spinning his weapon around his hand wildly, gaining more speed with each full turn.
            “Stand your ground!” Balthemus yelled.
            Draco flew forward, his sword still gaining speed. He went towards the left side of the circle around him and cut three throats before anyone – except Balthemus and Cedric – could realize what happened. Several men charged at him and were slain instantly.
            “Is this all that you mortals have to offer?” Draco laughed demonically. “I thought you would have been more of a challenge.” Draco ran towards Balthemus and Cedric, his sword still spinning rapidly. Sword met sword as Draco clashed against Balthemus and Cedric.
            Time after time, they knocked each other back, when finally; Draco was knocked onto the floor. As he got up, Cedric threw his sword. The speed of it was like lightning and it went through Draco’s skeletal rib cage and stuck fast into the stone.
            “You can’t kill the Truebeing.” Draco said, his eyes gleaming red, “The Truebeing kills you!” He pulled his sword up, and tilted it so that his sword was vertically straight and murmured several words. His hand looked like he was holding a long pipe, and lines that looked like electricity made a V towards his hand. As he pulled his hand back, the V turned into an even bigger V. He yelled a word in a strange language and released the electric pipe. A giant red arrow came spiraling towards Cedric. But, before Cedric moved an inch, Balthemus jumped in front of Cedric and took the blow in the heart. His body turned red and started to sweat non-stop. Sooner or later, he was going to implode if he didn’t disintegrate first.
            Cedric was stunned, but came out of it when he felt a slight vibration in his belt. “The dagger . . .” Cedric gasped. He pulled it out to see what was happening to it. The gem that was on the dagger began to expand into a miniaturized version of Draco’s weapon. It was then that he knew what he had to do. Draco charged towards him, using a different technique than before.
            A sensation inside Cedric told him to duck as soon as Draco pulled the handle of his sword to his chin, and he did. As he twisted his body, he fumbled the dagger, and regained it. But, in doing so, his left shoulder was exposed and was cut into by Dracos sword, and he felt poison flowing into his veins. At the same time, he plunged the gemmed edge of the dagger into Draco’s skull and his body began to crumble.
            “With my last breath . . .” Draco gasped, “I shall destroy you!” Draco seized Cedric, who was beginning to feel the effects of the poison, and then disintegrated into dust.
            Cedric, aware of his poison, dropped the dagger and sat in the throne. Little did he know, the stranger who had shortened his journey stood in the darkest area of the room and shouted, “Well done, Cedric! Now, as your quest is complete, you must repay me, by fulfilling my destiny.”
            Cedric was shocked. It was the first time he had ever heard the stranger non-telepathically, and he could hear a demonic sound coming from him.
            “You foolishly dropped the antidote to a curse, the same exact thing that Draco did before he became the Truebeing, and the Truebeing before him. My quest was to continue the legacy of making a new Truebeing every one hundred seventy-five years, and now, Cedric, your time has come.”
            Cedric made a horrified expression, as a circle surrounded him and transformed him too, into a Truebeing. His muscles and organs collapsed and he felt like he was gaining infinite knowledge. But whenever he tried to leave his palace room, he would feel like he was decomposing, trapped forever, just as Draco had.

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