Chapter 1: An Unexpected Meeting

"Come on Mom! You know we need food! So why won't you let me go hunt?" whined Merlin, now seven years old. He and his mother had been traveling for years, and were nearing Gaul, where the bridge to Atlantis lay. They had stopped for a few days on the border of Germany and Gaul. While resting, they had been caught unawares, and had been robbed of all food and useful tools, thus starting the argument between Nasuada and Merlin.

"Because you're too young and you never know what night happen. I've already told you people are afraid of us, and will kill you if given the chance. Why can't you leave it at that?"

"But we're in the forest; there's nobody in the forest!"

"I can see you won't let this go. If I let you hunt, will you promise not to leave the forest?"

"Yes, oh yes! Thank you Mom, thank you, thank you, thank you! I'll make sure to bring back a nice big deer!'

"We could use a meal like that," chuckled Nasuada, "Well, go on now, before I change my mind."

Merlin was skipping through the forest, a bundle of joy. This was the first time Nasuada was allowing him to hunt! Now all those years of training with the longbow would pay off! He would see a deer, and send an arrow to fly right through the eye! It might be a little messier than a wand, but wizards don't start training until eleven years old, and even when Merlin finished his training and became a full-fledged wizard, he wouldn't need his wand; he was an excellent bow ans swordsman.

After a few minutes, Merlin became aware his singing was scaring away the animals. He resolved to stop. The very moment he did, he was rewarded; a magnificent, snow-white stag stepped out of the trees. There was a slight rustling noise as Merlin found a perch in a tree where he could send an arrow to the throat of the stag. Merlin silently and quickly strung his bow, fitting an arrow in the notch. He slowly pulled the string back, and . . . whizz! An arrow flew towards the white stag, but missed as the stag turned his head to face Merlin, and pranced back into the trees. Merlin sat there, shocked. It hadn't been his arrow. He sat in the tree, knowing the crafter of the arrow would come to retrieve it. And when he did, Merlin planned to ambush him.

He was astonished to find the other bowman was a boy about his own age, with black hair and red eyes. Even though the would-be-hunter was just a boy like himself, Merlin still planned to ambush him. As the boy bent down to pick up his arrow, Merlin silently dropped from the tree.

"Hello. If you are planning to ambush me, you will find I'm a very capable swordsman, and I do not wish to kill you." said the boy, unimpressed at Merlin's sudden appearance.

"How did you know I was up there? And who are you? Why were you hunting that stag?" asked a bewildered Merlin.

"So many questions, so little time. But I'll answer your questions. I sensed you in the tree, and I was hunting the stag for more answers."

"Speaking of answers, I'd like to have more. You haven't answered my second question."

"To tell the truth, I honestly don't know who I am. All I know is that my name is Shiroix, and I only know that because the stag lead me to a tree with my name carved into it. That's why I'm hunting it. I've answered you're questions, now you answer two of mine: what's your name, and may I join you for supper?"

"My name's Merlin, and yes you may."