The quant town of Bellshire lay at the feet of the Gnarit Monastery like a soil mound to a Geranium. And like that infamous hardy flower it stood defiantly against the harsh climates of the Ranglong mountains which separate the solitary town of Bellshire from the rest of the mysterious world that is Fabula.

In an alley off of main street behind the Tanners workshop at the edge of town three teenage boys were playing out a scenario that would define their future character as men. The tallest and eldest among them was Jome sixteen and at his side a full head shorter stood his faithful lacky Hef, fifteen. Both sporting their wooden sparing swords and wicked smiles. Thirdly stood Nolo, fifteen as well and shorter than even Hef, he held his sparing sword with an awkward unfamiliarity all to expectant of a boy who spent most of his free time holding a book.

"Ok, stay quiet Nolo and you'll see the surprise." Said Jome in a hushed whisper. Hef laughed knowingly.

They were standing outside of the tanners workshop in the rear of his store.

"Right, when that light goes out we move in. I'll brake the window climb in and unlock the door from the other side just take as much as you can carry and we'll meet back at the barracks. If that god damn old man Halug comes out we deal with him." Jome said with a sinister smile.

Nolo had no idea this night was going to entail possible violence, he was no square but old man Halug was nice and always had a kind word for him and further more he was expecting the typical minor vandalism that was so standard to these two. But desperate for friends he had become pray to the manipulative ways that only a bad influence like Jome can muster in an introvert.

"I guess they are moving on up in the world... or down." Nolo thought to himself.

"Ok, ready, set..." Jome began.

"Wait." Nolo interrupted with obvious reluctancy. He knew he could not go through with this, it just didn't feel right and all he wanted to do was get back to the safety of the barracks library.

"What, idiot?" Jome spat.

Thinking diplomacy was the best tactic he started.

"Well it appears I am under qualified for this task and as I do not wish to burden your felonious endeavors I'll kindly go my separate way, keeping the knowledge of this adventure to myself of course."

Nolo said with his best neutral tone. The two would-be bandits looked at Nolo with a knowing smile.

"We knew you wouldn't go through with it wuss bag." Hef said smiling.

Just then it dawned on him, they were not twenty feet away from the eastern woods where there wasn't an adult in shouting distance.
Suddenly he was grabbed from behind by Jome while Hef landed a punch to his stomach that knocked the wind and the fight out of him. Quietly they dragged him into the woods all the while gasping for air. When they reached a small clearing they dumped him in the middle and began taking off their over coats and readying their thick hickory sparing swords.

"You think you're so smart Nolo, all those tactic training and strategy games don't mean a damn thing when it comes down to it! you've embarrassed me one to many times!" Jome spat with obvious hatred.

They started in on him striking his upraised arms beating down his feeble defenses. Nolo's soft whimpers and cries could be heard through out the clearing the eerie echos dancing back and fourth with the soft thudding of the wooden swords all the while littered with cruel laughter. Such a noise accompanied with these ominous sounds simply did not belong. And just as fast as it started it stopped the previous noised replaced with heavy breathing from the two attackers and pleading sobs from the victim.

"Do you want us to stop Merry?" Jome asked mockingly.

"Yes, please, it hurts." Nolo managed to say through his whimpering sobs.

"I'll tell you what smart guy."

Jome said as he kneeled down to speak to Nolo in a mock friendly tone.

"I wouldn't be doing this if you knew your place and didn't take advantage of the fact that adults are around to protect you all of the time."

It was his right to educate this spoiled brat after all no one else was going to do it, it was his duty.

"You're right, I'm sorry."

Pleaded Nolo. Willing to say anything to stop the pain wracking his body.

"I'll make you a deal Merry."

Jome said as he motioned to Hef who was off a little ways kneeling down making small patting motions with his hands. Hef immediately brought over a pile of mud rudely fashioned to look like a pie.

"Eat this entire mud pie and we'll stop"

Jome said through fits of laughter. He had to teach this kid a lesson and nothing would hammer that lesson home like a healthy dose of humility.

Nolo let out a particularly loud sob and walked on all fours over to the mud pie not having the strength to stand, all he had to do was suffer through this one last indignity then he could go home, he could be safe again.

When he was about to began this grizzly deed a loud voice rang through the clearing.

"No no, I simply can't abide this. My beautiful grove has been far to mutilated already I can't have partially digested mud vomit staining the fine grass"

A figure perhaps a little taller than Nolo entered the wood, clearly a boy of their age. He wore a brown robe that covered his face.

"An acolyte of Gnarit from the monastery." Said Jome to Hef in a confidential tone.

"Fine loser, we're almost done here anyways."

Said Jome as he raised his training sword to strike Nolo a final time. Before the sparing sword could even reach its peak The acolyte was only a few feet away.

"Touch him again and I will beat seven shades of **** out of you." The acolyte said in a calm yet stern voice. All his neutral pretense suddenly gone and replaced with cool confident thunder.

"Why don't you go pray or something." Jome said as he grunted to slam the sword down.

In the blink of an eye the Acolyte had closed the distance and landed a kick to Jomes crotch so hard that his feet lifted a few inches off the ground before he came straight down landing on his knees in a bone jarring crash. As his body lurched forward the acolyte grabbed Nolo and drew him on his feet in one swift motion. Clearing the way for Jomes earth bound forward motion.

Jome lurched forward landed on his hands and started to vomit in a heaving gut shattering motion. Hef immediately spun around and ran as fast as his legs could carry him.

"Watch this." The acolyte said to Nolo who in all of the commotion managed to forget his pain and stay erect.

The acolyte straddled the gut wrenching Jomes back and wrenched one of his arms behind his back, he let out a high pitched yelp that would have sounded more fitting on a little girl. With his other hand the acolyte grabbed Jomes index finger and without a word snapped it backwards like a chicken bone. The small pop was immediately followed by another one of those high pitched girl chirps and sobbing.

"Now you've gone and done it, you have vomited in my clearing you naughty little girl. Now do the right thing and eat that vomit!"

Jome jerked like an ill tempered mare and was answered with another broken finger, this time his pinky.

"He immediately gave up and began sopping up the vomit through defeated whimpers."

"Ok, thats enough." Nolo said not being able to take it anymore. Two wrongs don't make a right even if the bully had it coming. He had to admit though it did feel good.

The acolyte seemed to snap out of a daze. "Oh yes, quite right my good man." he said in a reasonable tone and let the vomit covered sniveling bully rise, as soon as he saw his freedom he didn't waist a second, he ran like a bat out of hell all the while making empty threats.

The acolyte threw back his hood revealing a face that was no more than a year older than Nolos. High cheek bones crested large knowing hawk like eyes and a smile that was so disarming and contagious that Nolo found himself doing the same.

"The names Jardack. I am an acolyte of the Chosen File. Nolo right? nice to meet you friend. I knew if I had given you more time you would have done something like that yourself but you'll have to forgive me I am very sensitive when it comes to my grove."