When the Lights Are Down

A young girl was dancing in a clearing outside Hama Town, waiting for the ebony-armored knight who saved her life a few years ago. She kept her ears perked for any sound close to his signature warping spell, or his heavy metallic steps. Getting tired, she laid down on a blanket and quickly fell asleep.

No sooner had she fallen asleep then the very man she was waiting for warped into the area, tip to toe covered in armor and a red and black cape, cut up from his recent battle, clainking as he walked. When he got to where the girl laid, he smiled, glad she was at peace, remembering a time when she could not sleep no matter how tired she became. To idle away the time, he began taking off his armor, revealing a white tank-top and pants to match. After the dismantled the armor, he streatched out along the grass and inspected the cuts on his hand and arms, shallow but still painful. Not wanting to sleep, he began hefting his silver broadsword singlehandedly, finding the task to be easy without his armor on. Taking a combat ready stance, he began swinging the blade to and fro, each swing gaining momentum from the one prior. When his speed reached a frienzied pace, he accidentally let go of the sword at the apex of his swing, landing only a few feet away from the girl, who woke up, sensing someone was near. The man smiled brightly. "Morning Leathe. I trust you had a good nap?"

Leathe's eyes widened when she saw him standing there without his sword, and noticed where the blade was. Passing it off as nothing, she ran up and hugged him tightly. "Shade, I;m glad you made it back in one piece. What took so long?" she asked, giving him the stare kids always use to get their way.

Shade sighed, breaking contact with her so he could show her his arm. "Got into a little fight with someone. It's nothing major, just a bit sore from using so many moves inside the armor. The guy was good though. He cut the gauntlets without any difficulties. I'm surprised he's not a Kensei." He winced as pain shot up his sword arm.

Leathe laughed. "You don't look fine to me. Looks like the guy got you good. The wounds are shallow, so healing them isn't a problem. Give me your hand." Once she had his hand in hers, the healing Kido began, a faint green light wound its way up Shade's entire arm, into his body and down the other arm, healing the wounds. "Where's your armor? Might as well fix it up while we're here."

Shade led her over to his armor, which laid in a very neat pile. Leathe placed her hands on the armor and used a special Kido to revert the damage done to the guantlets and chest plate. After the repair, she yawned, drained of her energy. "The armor's fixed, you're fixed, and I'm beat. Will you tell me the story again?"

Shade reached into a bag of provisions and pulled out a second blanket and laid it out next to the second. "Lay down and get comfy." He said, streaching out on the blanket. Leathe jumped onto him, causing him to groan in shock. before rolling onto her blanket. "Ok start the story."

Shade smiled. "Alright. Once upon a time, there was a princess who remained forever young because of her castle and the faries that lived within it's walls. Then the day came where someone from another land came to her and said his king asked for her hand in marrage. the Princess agreed, and was wisked to the kingdom from beyond the way. But the king would not follow through with the wedding, because the princess was too young. He ordered her lands be annexed to his own, and she, the poor thing was to be condemned to the dungon, with only one other man inside. The man would not move or speak, no matter the prodding done by the princess. Then a week later, the man was brought before the king and was asked what he wanted most. He replied that he wanted the princess' lands as his own, and it was given him. He then bargined the princess' release for her lands in the same deal, The man and the princess were banished from the king's land, but no sooner had they crossed the borders, then the corrupt king lost his vast lands to famine while two lived in comfort. The end."

Leathe was asleep before the story ended, but Shade finished it from habit.He stood up and covered her with the blanket, careful not to wake her up. He picked up his blade and placed it next to his armor and proped himself against a tree before sleep came upon him.