((going to be trying to stay up late tonight, so hopefully will get another post or two on depending when you respond it's almost 10 at night where I am. And thanks, I thought I might as well throw something in))<br/><br/>After a bit of cat and mouse, the shadowed enemy following Alyxander's every move, the boy finally had decided to attack. Sneaking down from his perch, he snuck through the shadows. But not a hint of fear was in the air coming from his opponent.<br/><br/>"Knew you would come down."<br/><br/>Alyx watched the cloaked figure from the shadows, his hand on his sword. Using his speed to his advantage, he managed to dart at his enemy at a pace that should have been overwhelming. But instead, just as quickly, his opponent whipped out a sword of its own, deflecting the blow easily; as if it had known it was coming. The darkness of the sunset made it even more impossible to make out the shadowed face beneath the hood.<br/><br/>Alyxander jumped back as the figure lashed out swiftly, nearly catching his shoulder. The two exchanged blows, either one seeming to be even with the other. Neither one tiring nor backing down. After a bit, though Alyxander got the upper hand when his opponent stumbled, knocking the weapon away. A second later, the cloaked figure was on the ground, the hood having fallen back. A girl, probably a year younger than Alyx, looked fearfully up at him, helpless now without her weapon. Her curly blonde hair was dull in the darkness of nightfall. She looked up at her opponent with trembling blue eyes.<br/><br/>"P-please, d-don't kill me. I-I was j-just followin' orders. H-He would've k-killed me if I d-didn't."<br/><br/>Alyxander was temporarily stunned... the girl... he recognized her from somewhere. Memories hit him like a hurricane, both good and bad. "R-Reika..." He whispered without realizing it, and the girl cowered back a bit more. "H-how do you k-know my name?" She was obviously frightened to death now, unlike how she had acted before; so fearless and calm. "W-who are y-you?" Alyx backed off a bit, though the girl stayed where she was. Suddenly she lunged for her sword, managing to get it and stumble to her feet. She still looked scared though, spooked; but intrigued as well. That name he'd spoke was a distant memory of hers, yet this stranger knew of it. How? Alyxander quickly got to his feet, but instead of attacking the girl stepped back. "P-please, w-whoever you are. J-Just let me g-go. If not, I s-shall-" She was cut off when the boy was suddenly behind her, hands around her wrists. But his grasp wasn't painful nor overly forceful, he knew the girl was only acting strong out of fright; he was only keeping her from hurting him. "I am not your enemy. Just listen to my voice, Reika. Calm down."<br/><br/>Reika was shaking, scared to death. "I-I don't know you. J-Just let me g-go... Please." "You've forgotten me already? While I thought every minute that I would never see you again. You were never meant to be a soldier. Your heart was too kind for you to kill." The girl froze a bit, trying to think over what he had said. "F-forgot you? How... where'd I know y-you from?" "It was so long ago, no wonder you've forgotten. But think, think hard. Do you not remember a little boy whom had been orphaned in a fire? The whipping boy of Lord Draco?" The girl winced, though he shaking had suddenly stopped as a quiet gasp slipped free. "A-Alyxander? Is it.... no, Draco s-said you w-was dead."<br/><br/>((That kind of went in a wrong direction from my original plan, but whatever... perhaps John or someone is sent to find Alyx, as he hadn't returned with the archers... Johnathan tries killing Reika, as she wears the mark of lord Draco on her cloak, but Alyx protects her. How they know each other will be explained in a bit))