--------
"There's blood on my hands, and I'm not sure from
where.
 There's tears in my eyes, and I don't know why.
 Now I find myself caught in this evil stare,
 And I can't think of anymore tricks to try."
---------
18 years ago.....

"Grampa... What's an 'oly 'venger?" The boy sat at the
foot of the chair, eager for more instructions from
his wayward ranger grandfather.

"Max...what do the words mean?" The elder Ericson
smiled as he scribbled some notes in a book.

"Holy... means divine? Like the gift?"

The elder Ericson nodded. "And what does 'Avenger'
mean?"  He looked back down and paused, waiting for an
answer.

"When you make something hurt because it hurt you?
Like when you go out and beat up Fallen?"

The elder Ericson chuckled.. ."Right Max.  Sort of.  So
you see, a Holy Avenger is a Paladin weapon....". 

The boy simply nodded, and waited for a better
explanation.

 "An Avenger can be the best and worst
thing a Paladin can find Max."

"That don't make sense."

"You have to understand what makes an Avenger Max... a
paladin has to fall in order to be avenged... and thus
Holy Avengers are only made and empowered when a
Paladin is lost in a way the universe feels
inappropriate..." 

The Elder Ericson looked up, and saw
the boy's father coming into the room. 

"Lesson's are over for now Max.  Ill come see you again soon." 

The elder Ericson laid the book on the floor and smiled.

"I'll be asking you about this stuff later."  He the
exited, glaring at the boy's father.

The boy read the book intently, ignoring the arguing
voices outside.
--------

"Freaky kid."  Max fell back, holding his jaw. Nothing
seemed more possibly brutal than the possibility of
flesh and bone crashing into flesh and bone to this 6
year old.  He looked up at his assailants, sniffling
slightly as they berated him.

"You stink like a Ranger!"

"You go get lost in the woods like your worthless
grandpa!"

Max almost whimpered a protest, but was met with a
quick kick to the stomach.  He panted for air, at a
loss for what to do.  Then he felt a shadow stand over
him.

"Orrin! Run!!"  The kids scattered, obviously victim's
of the aforementioned's abuse more than once. Orrin
simply looked down at Max and snickered slightly. "  How
long are you gonna let them keep doing this?"

"Paladins don't hurt little kids...."

This was met with even more laughter, and the larger
boy helped the smaller one to his feet...

--------
2 years later

"Max, after today, I probably won't get to see you
again."

"Why is that grandpa?"  The boy looked up, a bit
puzzled. "Dad won't let you visit anymore?"

"No, I have a rather dangerous task ahead, and I
probably won't be back. That's why I'm giving you
this.."  The elder Ericson handed the boy a tattered
book, obviously older than himself.  "It contains
everything you need to know about being a paladin Max.
Hopefully, you can learn from it just as well as you
did me."

The boy looked up, half hurt.  "Why are you leaving
me?"

"I have to Max.  It's just the way things are."

"That's not true! You're leaving because you want to!"

"Max. A paladin rarely gets to do anything he wants
to, and instead has to do what he must.  Hopefully,
you'll understand some day." The elder Ericson stood
and started to leave the room.  He looked back at the
young boy, who simply turned his head and stared at
the wall.

"Goodbye Max."
--------
6 months later

"Freaky kid."   The girl fell to the ground, shoved hard
by her larger assailants.   "Kids like you don't belong
in Azderan.   You should go out to Tantor, with the
other weirdo kids." The boy nudged her with his foot
and laughed as the girl started crying.  "Spoiled kid.
Don't you realize your tears aren't going to help you
here?"

Max and Orrin walked through the town, looking for the
vendor they were delivering goods to.  The boys paused
as they heard a familiar bunch of kids playing around,
and Max instinctively stepped behind Orrin.

"Eh. It's alright Max, they're picking on someone else
today."  The two boys looked and saw as the gang of
kids teased and tortured a girl who was on the ground
crying. "  Let's go Max, we need to get this stuff to
Mr. Roberts."  The two boys paused and looked at the
scene once more, and Orrin started walking up the
street. Max however, grabbed his practice "sword" from
his side and started walking towards the group of
kids. "Max, are you crazy those kids are just gonna
kick the crap out of you again!"  Max ignored his
friend's words and kept walking towards the gang, who
were oblivious to their would be attacker.  "Max.. You
don't want to do this..."

Max glanced over his shoulder.  "It's not about doing
what I want, it's about doing what I must."

--------
12 years later

"You know I have to do this Father."  Max frowned as
the older Max present continued stomping around the
room.  "It's just pointless to keep cowering behind
this barrier and waiting for things to change while
doing nothing!"  The elder Max stopped pacing and just
stared at his son defiantly.  "Not everyone can be
happy trying to  raise food like some scavenger in a
cave!"

Ericson VII looked at Ericson VIII with a  hateful
glare.  "You're just like your worthless grandfather.
Always concerned with shirking your responsibility to
go do something pointless and heroic. You have a
responsibility to this family!"

VIII looked at VII.  "Exactly. A responsibility YOU
shirked."

"Get out of my house."

"Gladly."

--------

"I have to leave you for awhile."

"Why?"

"I can't progress any further inside this cage."

"But you are coming back?"

"Yes.  I am coming back."

--------

The elderly man known as Cain sat across the desk,
eyeing Max thoughtfully.  "And why is it that you
decided to be a ranger?"

Max looked down slightly as he spoke.  "I have... the
gift. It'd just be going to waste in Azderan."

"Gift?  Ah.. you're a paladin?"

Max nodded once.

"And what was your name again?"

"Max Ericson the Eighth sir."

"I'll have to look in my books to see if there's
anything about the Ericson line..."

Max replied almost instantly.  "Don't bother. We've
never done anything of note."

-------
Everything had become a blur.  His time as a ranger had
been a hectic one, but what he was seeing now was
something his grandfather had warned him about.  The
barrier had been breached, and the Fallen were
invading Tantor.  Everything was a simple blur of
motion and blood, and he wasted no effort in his
movements.  The battle was epic in proportion to any
conflict he had experienced, and he felt as though it
may be his last.  Finally, he made a mis-step, and the
tearing pain in his thigh was a sure sign that a
Fallen had capitalized.  He fell backwards, and as he
did, he cursed his own ineptitude.  The skeletal
warrior raised his sword high, and then fell backwards
as a greatsword cleaved it in two.  A hand reached down
and pulled Max back to his feet, and Max looked up in
surprise, to see his saviors, an old friend and an
apprentice.

"Should have known I'd end up saving you again
eventually."  Orrin propped Max up on his shoulder.
"Can't you do anything about this wound."

The apprentice nodded quickly, and moved her hands
over the gash in Max's thigh, as it magically closed.
"Should be better now Max."  Max nodded to her, and
steadied himself back on his feet.

"I can still fight."

"Then, I think we three have a "cage" to help
protect."  Max chuckled at the apprentice, and the
battle began again.
-------
The battle was over, and the barrier had been
restored.  Max watched from the safety of Tantor and
breathed a sigh of relief.

"You've changed Max."  Max looked over to see the
battle scarred face of Orrin and shrugged a bit. " You
seem much more confident now. I assume you'll be
leaving to aid the rangers as soon as possible?"

"Yeah."

"Good.  Maybe we'll cross paths again."

"Yeah."

"You gonna say goodbye to your parents?"

"No... Can.."

"Yeah. I'll tell your mom you're ok."  Orrin looked
past the barrier and took a deep breath. "You still
don't believe in that curse do you?"

"Its not a curse.  It's just.. fate."

"Fate, Curse, Destiny.. Whatever."

"Orrin, no Ericson paladin has ever returned from the
other side of that barrier permanently.  We all
eventually just disappear."

"You know, you could very easily change that."

"I am.  Because I'm the last Ericson paladin."

"That's not what I meant Max."

Max sighed, and leaned on his sword slightly.   "You
can't fight fate Orrin.  You can only guide it.  At
least this way I'm making sure things end on my
terms..."
-------

"Max, they left already, a few days ago.  We don't have
any more supplies, and there's no way you'll catch up
to them.  Even if you don't get killed, we don't have
any more ration plates to spare."  The council members
continued to try and sway Max from his course.

"Doesn't matter. I'm going."  The paladin started
heading toward the tavern door, without looking back.
"I just thought I'd let you know where I was heading."

-------

"You're leaving again, aren't you."

"You know I have to."

"I'm not sure if that's the case."

"I may not be coming back this time."

"You're just leaving because you want to!"

"Being a paladin isn't about doing what you want, it's
about doing what you must.  You'll understand one day."

"I'll be waiting for you."

"Don't."
-------

Max eventually caught up with the others, and managed
to witness the world of light known as Dra'Nar, the
ancient defenders of Vewol, and the mighty black
dragon Tyraxus.  The latter had just returned in an
undead state, and chased the rangers from it's lair,
thanks to the lich Mikel.  But finally, Max had a
chance to catch his breath.  He watched as Victor and
Janet discussed the dragon egg they'd found, and
laughed to himself.  He then looked again at the blade
he held and smiled.  It was a holy avenger, probably
wielded by a warrior trying to slay the dragon.  And
now, it was his, to help defeat the Fallen.

"Max, what are you gonna do when this is all over?"

Max looked at the monk quizzically, and repeated the
last word. "Over?"

"Yeah.  Me, I was thinking of being a baker.  I could
probably knead dough really good."

"Ah guess ya gahna feed your dragon biscuits?"  Max
laughed at Janet's comment, and then shook his head.

"I hadn't thought about it. I guess I'll settle for
living in a large house somewhere, surrounded by
beautiful women." Max laughed again as he saw the
group's reaction, and Janet and Victor returned to
discussing the dragon egg.   "What about you Ghera.. You
think we'll ever actually see this thing be over?
We've had an awful lot of luck recently."

The blue skinned girl didn't turn to face him before
answering. "We have been lucky so far, but Fate is an
odd mistress Maxericson the eighth ranger. For
example, what would you do if you found yourself with
all the beautiful women you desire, only to find out
they were succubi?"

Max frowned a bit.  "I was kidding Ghera. I haven't
thought at all about what I'll do if I'm around when
this thing is over."

"Well Maxericson, maybe you should indeed start."

"I dunno, maybe I'll train some paladins, and explore
the world or something."  Max said the words, but he
really didn't mean them.  He quickly tried to change
the subject. "What are you gonna do?"

-----

The rangers again rested in a camp, this time after
freeing the souls captured in the great war from their
eternal imprisonment.  It had been an eventful day, and
apparently most of the group had trouble sleeping.  Max
himself felt exhilarated, as the area was filled with
divine energy due to the release.  The group quickly
began to discuss their success again, and the
discussion turned to what they'd done before becoming
rangers.  Max and Janet discussed their differing
pasts, and showed off what they had learned in the
trip.  Max also shared the story of how each "even
numbered" Ericson was a paladin, and the other a
merchant.

"Ah see.  So it's like a tradition."

"A tradition that's going to be broken with me."

"Huh?"

"Let's just say that I'm positive there's no Max
Ericson the ninths running around."

"Ah.  Well now you'll have to make it through all of
this and back to Azderan.  You've got an obligation to
fulfill!" Janet smirked a bit with the statement, and
Max laughed.

But for some reason, be it the party's success, or
just the divine energy saturating the area, Max didn't
feel that normal gloom he did when discussing the
future this time.

-----

His legs were trembling, his arm ached, and his mind
was numb.  He wasn't sure when the last time he slept
was, but he knew it'd been too long.  And now, the
party had everything they needed, only to face an army
between them and Azderan.  They quickly battled the
demons, and pressed onwards, even though some of them
fell to exhaustion in the process.  And now, they were
just in site of the barrier, and the lich Mikel had
arrived to taunt them with an image.  Before they could
react at all, they all stepped back as they saw the
undead dragon they had escaped back at Mount Jylant
land between them and the city.

Max paused, and took a defensive stance.  Then he heard
a voice in his head. "That's the bastard that did me
in! C'mon Max, we can take this thing."  Max chuckled
at Lynkris' statement, and nodded once.

"We can.  You've got to have your revenge, and I have
to get through that barrier and see this through."  And
without another thought, the ranger flew at the
abomination, with nothing held back.

-----

"And so that's what you did while you were gone?"

"Yeah."

"Sounds like you had quite the adventure Max."

"I guess..."

"Better than me. All I've done is hit the training
dummies repeatedly, and occasionally peek outside the
barrier."

"Don't do that anymore."

"Yeah I saw, you apparently pissed them off."

"I didn't do it alone."

"True.  So, Max, what did you learn this time outside
the "cage"?"

"I learned that nothing is absolute... Not even fate."

"That's an odd statement to hear you make Max."

"That's an odd statement for me to make."

"So, you're not leaving me again?"

"Not if I can help it. Here.. I want you to have
this."

"This is the sword you used to defend Tantor isn't
it?"

"I figured you'd find a use for it, now that I have
Lynkris. Just think of it as a way for me to always be
at your side."

"Thanks Max.. Thanks."

-----

The party had been separated, and Mikel's trap seemed
to be coming into effect.  With everyone else locked
behind another door,  Max and Ghera had no choice but
to journey down the other passage.  What they found
there, was another of the strange creatures that Ghera
had called the Shanla'ok, and the duo had been
thoroughly trounced.  Max wasn't sure what this black
space he was in was, but he wasn't sure he liked it.
He looked around, and saw an old paladin at a table,
with a deck of cards in his hand.

"Sorry Max, but I can't deal you in yet."

"I'm in the sword?"

"No, you just think you are.  But for now, you have to
get up."

"I have to get up?  Did I fall?"

"Yes you did.  Rather badly.  But it's not important how
you fall, it's important that you get back up.  You
have to get back up, and make sure the others are ok."

"Right..."

"Don't worry Max, we'll see each other again.  But for
now.. Just get up."

Max snapped awake.

------

He wasn't quite sure where he was, but he felt numb.
The last thing he knew, he'd been drinking with Janet
and Ghera, and now he was stumbling through the
streets of Azderan, looking for a decent pair of
clothes.  His armor had sand in it, and he was
miserable.  No, it wasn't the sand that was making him
miserable.  It was the platoon of rangers he'd led to
their deaths that was making him miserable. It seemed
lately, things had turned upside down, and he was
happier when he wasn't being a ranger than when he
was.  Finally, the nerves and drunkeness kicked in, and
he dropped to his knees.  He had no clue where he was,
but he knew that this was likely where he was going to
pass out for the night.

"Shome hero I amsh. I---"  Whatever drunken truth was
about to be spoken was cut short, by the onrush of
bile and stomach acid, and yesterday's lunch.  The
paladin kneeled in the street, clutching his stomach,
and cursing his own stupidity for multiple reasons.
Everything seemed to be turning black, and then the
sky split open, and light poured forth.

No wait, that wasn't the sky, it was a door.

"You know Max, if you wanted my attention, you could
have just knocked instead of puking on my doorstep."

"Huh?"

"Max Ericson the Eighth. Are you drunk?"

"Yesh, I think sho."

"You know, you don't have to be drunk to come here."

"Where am I?"  He looked up, and laughed at the irony
of looking up at his own apprentice.  She smiled
semi-sadly down at him, and extended her hand, and
helped him to his feet.  "Thanks."

"So, where are you staying tonight Max?"

"Tantors?"

"You can't walk all the way back there.... not in this
state."

"Hrm.  Then withsh yous?"

"Well it wouldn't be the first time now would it?"  

Max paused a second, and stood his ground.  "Not
tonights, I thinksh I got a headache."

The apprentice laughed, and urged him inside the
house.  "That's ok. We can talk about what has you in
this state to begin with."

"Okaysh."  And the two walked inside the house, without
any witnesses as usual.

-----
Max groaned as he came to, and sat up in the bed.  He
heard a chuckle, and payed no attention to the source
of the cup that was now in his hands.

"Drink this. It'll make you feel better."

He nodded as he sipped, and shook his head a second.
"Ugh..."

"Max, do you really want to quit the rangers?"

"I dunno... it seems like my heart's not in it
lately."

"That's not true."

"Well.. it seems like my heart is split in two places
right now."

The apprentice smiled at him, and then hook her head
again. "You're just feeling bad because the last
mission went semi-badly.  And still, look what you did
manage to accomplish."

"True I guess."

"You can't be afraid of being responsible for others
Max, it's part of the duty of being a paladin."

"True enough..."

"Just go out there again one more time, and if you
really don't think you want to anymore, I will not try
to talk you out of it.  We can just stay here forever,
and live normal lives."
 
"Maybe you're right.  Yeah.. You're definitely right."

"Good boy.  Now get dressed, I think they already have
something planned."

-------
The illusion was so cruel,
he had to be a fool,
to think he'd ever escape the fate,
that he'd slowly forgot to hate.

Life was more than a girl's pretty face,
and he couldn't carry the human race,
he'd finally been put to test,
and he'd failed and was ready for rest.

Something deep inside had broken,
he wasn't sure of what was spoken,
this surely wasn't the time to fight,
what he was doing wasn't right....

There's blood on his hands, and he's not sure from
where.
There's tears in his eyes, and he doesn't know why.
Now he finds himself caught in this evil stare,
And it hits him... It's just his time to die.

Max looked up, and saw the sorceress Shanla'ok point
at him. "I'm sorry little angel, but it looks like
your training ends here."

Ironically, he never actually heard the word that
killed him.

-------
Epilogue, Part one:  In the light.

He woke up, lying face up in a field of grass. He
paused, as the sun hit his face and he smiled
slightly.  He wasn't sure where he was, but he liked it
already.  He rose to his feet, and picked a random
direction to wander off in.

He had somewhere to explore.
-------
Epilogue, Part Two:  In the darkness.

He wasn't sure where he was, but he was pissed.   He
recognized the location, he just wasn't sure how.

"Sit down kid, now I can deal you in."

"I'm in the sword?"

"Yeah, you're in the sword."

"What!?  What do we do now?"

"We wait till someone needs us again.  I think you know
the guy carrying us now."

"...."

"At any rate, we're just advisors now.  Sorry it has to
be this way kid, but you know it's the price of
wielding an Avenger."

"I somehow didn't think this is what it meant."

"Neither did I kid.  Neither did I."

-------
Epilogue, Part Three:  In the heart.

She was crying, and there wasn't anything he could do
about it.  He knew where he was now, his grandfather
had told him of such things.  He reached out and
touched the silver wall he was looking through, and
sighed a bit.  He had promised he'd always be by her
side, but this wasn't exactly what he'd meant.  Still,
it was reassuring to know he'd still be able to look
after her now.
-------
She stood there, eyeing the practice dummy warily, as
though it were a real opponent.  She hadn't fought a
fallen since the invasion of Tantor, but she wasn't
about to lose practice.  But there was something wrong,
in the back of her mind.  She swung again, and missed
her mark.  For some reason, her vision seemed off
today.  She eyed the old sword Max had given her, and
recounted how he was proud of how much it'd been of
use.  It seemed like a standard issue ranger silver
sword, but she knew it meant much more.  She paused as
she thought she saw his reflection in the sword's
surface, and looked over her shoulder.

Of course, no one was there.  She sighed, and dropped
the sword, and started crying again, at the foot of
the practice dummy.  She leaned on the sword for
support, and found it oddly reassuring, almost as
though Max was there.  She paused, and pulled out the
tattered book she had received from him, and flipped
through the pages to something the sixth Ericson had
written.

"You have to understand what makes an Avenger... a
paladin has to fall in order to be avenged... and thus
Holy Avengers are only made and empowered when a
Paladin is lost in a way the universe feels
inappropriate..."

She smiled a bit through the tears, and drew the sword
closer to her.  It wasn't much, but it was better than
nothing.
------