The sound of birds singing echoes in the air, very nearby and loud. Peaceful and relaxing, soothing enough to lull any grown man to sleep. I should just lay back down and sleep. This is it for me. I know my body simply can't carry on any further.

That's when it hits me. A strong wave punches me in the face, filling my mouth and nose with potent salt water. Immediately I flip over, dig my hands and knees into the sand, and cough up a mouthful of water. I had lost hope of this moment ever coming. I flip back over stare up into the clear blue sky and exhale deeply. The sun is up, filling the air with warmth. My breath is still visible in front of me, though. The sharp bite of a cold morning has yet to go away.

I'm not out of the woods just yet. I still have a severe injury that needs attention. I reach over and brush my fingers over the wound. It's starting to seal, stopping the bleeding. With how much blood I lost, I don't even know if I have the strength to lift myself up onto my feet.

I have to try and move forward. Come on, Aero, you made it back to shore one kick at a time. You can carry yourself to salvation one step at a time. Just start with lifting yourself up. I call forward any energy in me and stand on my feet. I begin to stumble forward out of the sand and toward the woods. I am familiar with the area. Straight north there should be a small village I can take refuge at. They should have some medical supplies I can take advantage of.

The woods are a more dangerous path to take but I can't waste any more time following the shore all the way around. It takes a long detour in the wrong direction. I make my way to the tree line, grab onto a low hanging branch for support, and head in. Slowly taking one step at a time and leaning on tree after tree as I pass by. One hand on my shoulder.

I need to stop often and rest. My head is pounding and the world spinning around me makes me want to vomit. Since I haven't eaten anything in a long time it would be a painful dry heave. Despite feeling sick, my stomach is calling, begging to be given attention. I need to eat something, and soon. That's when I see it about 30 feet ahead--a rabenberry bush covered in bright blue rabenberries.

I make it there, fall to my knees, and grab a handful of berries. Looking down at them in my hand, I open up wide and pour right in. I have always enjoyed their taste. I grab another handful and eat. Then another, and another. Before I realize it, the bush is completely picked clean. Not a single berry left. I had to have eaten at least a pound of them, yet it still feels as though I haven't eaten at all. Just knowing I found food is good enough for now. Not to mention the berries are a small supply of water. Not enough, but it will have to do for now.

Before I have a chance to stand up I hear something straight ahead. It sounded like a branch snapping. There is a hill just ahead of me. I stand up and look down to see what it was. Just below me lies a small clearing. I don't see anything, though I can hear something moving in the bushes. I wait a few moments and out walks a deer one of the biggest I've ever seen. Its shoulders have to stand close to six feet tall. Almost taller than I am. The antlers coming out of his skull spread across a wide three feet and fork out into ten different directions.

He bends his head down and begins grazing. An amazing sight, though I must keep moving. Just as I shift my weight to turn, the ground beneath me gives way and sends me tumbling down the steep hill. Crashing through bushes and thorns. Bouncing off trees left and right. Rolling several times before finally slamming into the flat ground below. The impact knocks the wind out of me. As I lie there struggling to breath, I tilt my head up and look ahead. The deer is still there. Standing, looking at me. Not sure what he wants to do. He looks like he is fighting the urge to run the other way. Yet his eyes are too consumed with curiosity about me.

He slightly lowers his head in my direction. Careful not to startle him, I ease my way to a nearby log. Prop my back up to rest and continue to look at him. He does the same to me. One leg moves forward and stops. Not really paying attention to what I'm doing, I find myself rubbing my shoulder. It's bleeding again. Not a lot, only a small amount flows out. Still he stands watching. I've never been this close to a live one before. I don't understand why he insists on staying near me. Another couple steps forward he moves, pauses slightly, and continues without hesitation.

Now only a few feet ahead of me he stands. Head up high. I look straight up at him. He completely blocks out the sun, casting a shadow that covers me entirely. He looks much, much bigger from this angle. Looking off to the side for a moment, checking his surroundings, he eventually bends down within inches of me. I can feel his body heat like an aura surrounding his entire being. Then something strange happens.

He begins licking my shoulder. Brushing the exposed layers of skin. For a while I just watch. This is very odd. Does he pity my weakened state? Afraid to move, I slowly raise my hand up and begin petting his neck. He looks over for a second and continues on. After a while he's done, I look over at my shoulder and the bleeding has stopped. He managed to seal it shut again. Springing his head up he looks to my right and stares off into the forest. He heard something.

Suddenly a soft whipping sound flies nearby. That's when I see it. An arrow has pierced right through his neck. Immediately he drops to the ground with his head falling on my lap. His legs kick and he thrashes around violently. Slowly he comes to a resting state. The only movements he makes are faint breaths of air. Now looking up at me, his eyes close and the breathing stops. He's gone.

Have you ever felt the life leave something? At first it's one of the worst things you could ever experience. After time it becomes easier to handle. I've felt it many times before, and not just from animals.

All of a sudden three men come crashing out of the forest into the clearing. One holding a bow and the other two with swords at their sides. Dressed in a black and red leather. Upon seeing me the two in the back draw their weapons and take a fighting stance. Out of instinct I reach for my sword that usually hangs off my side. Nothing, I only grabbed at air.

"Hands up," the archer demands. He must be their leader. The other two haven't said a word. An arrow is nocked and aimed straight at my heart. I raise my hands up, being unarmed and outnumbered. Normally I could take them with no problem, but not in my weakened state. I have no choice but to, begrudgingly, comply. "Not another muscle," he yells, not taking his eyes off me for one second, barely even blinking.

Keeping his eyes in place, he slightly turns his head to the men behind him and whispers something I can't make out. They reply in the same quiet manner. One of the men steps forward and looks at his commander. They both nod at each other and he walks towards me. Raises the hilt of his sword up and strikes me clean across the head knocking me out immediately.

Darkness is the main image inhabiting my mind. From time to time I manage to crack my eyes open and get a blurry glimpse of the forest canopy above. Wide beams of light break through the branches to hit me in the face as I slide across the ground. Someone is dragging me by my feet.

The urge to fight him off is very strong, but I simply have no choice but to go along with it. If they had wanted me dead, it would have been done by now. No, they want something else from me. It's of no surprise considering who I am. I'll just have to regain my strength and escape at a later time. That is, if they haven't finished with me before then.

The man dragging me stops and I hear someone yell out, "Open the gate, we have a prisoner!"

I open my eyes and look ahead at a very large, ominous-looking gate that stands at least thirty feet tall. A fence travels left and right, and large trees rest not far in front of it, adding an extra layer of protection. As if the perimeter’s height alone wasn't enough. I fight to stay awake so I can get a good look at the layout of their fortress. I'll need to know it later.

"Thane is going to want to see this," mutters the man standing a few feet in front of me. A few men raise their heads above the fence line. A few seconds later the gate begins to open. I can hear gears turning and the loud echo of creaking wood. Slowly it pushes inwards, revealing small buildings, tents, forges, sparring circles, training dummies, and more men than I can count. Some watching what's going on, and others going about their business.

I get dragged into the fortress and shortly after the gate closes behind us. A man, simply dressed in small amounts of leather, says, "Thane just left yesterday. He won't be back for at least a few weeks."

The archer sighs in response to the news. "Looks like we have to hold him longer than expected.” He looks at me. "Markus, he's coming to, take care of it." My feet drop out of his hands, he turns toward me, unsheathes his blade, and once again knocks me out with the hilt.