Donghae had hunted and killed a lot of animals for food and their precious fur and hide. He had tracked down and helped in the capture of five lawbreakers, but he had never killed a man. He followed the Oracle’s command to join twenty five of the best Solaris Knights to capture Prince Jaejoong and save the Oracle Wisdom. He easily tracked down the footsteps of the two into the Forest of Ferrest and into the City of the Dead.

Never once did he think that he would have to kill Prince Jaejoong. But neither did he expect to fight for his life against thousands of undead last night!

The horde of undead that attacked them all throughout the night could only be the start of the coming danger and darkness that threatened the peace of Haldor as prophesied by the Oracle. He didn’t have proof, but his guts told him that Prince Jaejoong had a hand with such abominations!

Five of their comrades lost their lives while fighting the undead. But that did not compare to the deaths of ten of the bravest knights that faced Prince Jaejoong’s warrior companion today. Donghae had no idea who or where Prince Jaejoong met the lethal warrior. But if the Prince was capable of finding and recruiting someone like that warrior, then he could build a very powerful army that could overrun the whole of Haldor. Darkness and bloodshed would cover their beloved land!

He could not allow that to happen! He was the chosen one. The Oracle had seen that he was the only one who could stop the coming of the Lord of Darkness. And by Prince Jaejoong’s own words today, he had arrogantly claimed that title! He was indeed the prophesied darkness!

Donghae watched as the warrior joined the Oracle Wisdom up on the hill. Prince Jaejoong remained below and faced them. He clearly was waiting for his answer.

"Use all the arrows you can carry, Donghae!" the prince shouted. "If you can kill me right now as the Oracle had predicted. I will accept that fate. But if you fail to kill me, then you must accept that the Oracle’s words were false. That the Oracle was lying!"

Donghae was stunned. He heard the knights behind him gasped. Others muttered words that condemned the blasphemous words of the prince. The Oracle was the truth. No one ever questioned her words!

Such accusations from Prince Jaejoong would warrant an immediate execution! That was the law!

"Are you willing to put your faith to the test, Lee Donghae?" challenged Prince Jaejoong.

"I do not need to test my faith! My belief in the Oracle would never waver!" he said with conviction.

The prince gave him a wry smile.

"Then you won’t mind if we put that into the condition of our fight?"

"A condition?"

"If you will be the next king of Haldor, you should start learning the art of negotiation. Negotiations bring good results and foster friendship and harmony between the five regions and the City of Solaris. This will be your first negotiation as Haldor’s future king."

"I will not negotiate with the Lord of Darkness!" "Would you prefer that my protector kill everyone of your comrades?

Would you rather go back to the Oracle empty handed and alone?"

He could never allow that!

"If you negotiate with me the terms of our fight today, then I will face you and settle once and for all the validity of the Oracle's prediction that I will die by your hands. Prove to everyone here that you can really kill me, the Lord of Darkness."

Donghae's hand gripped his bow. Part of him wanted to start shooting arrows at the prince. But that would be the act of a coward and a traitor. He had always been an honorable man. He would never take the life of anyone through treachery, even if he was the Lord of Darkness!

"What do you really want, Prince Jaejoong?"

"As I told you before, this will be a test of the truthfulness of the Oracle. You have everything to gain if you kill me. That is what the Oracle has foretold, isn’t it? But what if, you failed to kill me? That would be clear proof that the Oracle’s words are not always the truth. And that you were never really the chosen one."

"The Oracle’s words are the truth!" he insisted.

Prince Jaejoong dropped the Sword of Truth on the ground.

"I will not use any weapon against you, Donghae. You are free to use as many arrows as you can to kill me. If I still managed to survive this, it would be undeniable proof that the Oracle has lied and that she does indeed can lie and distort the truth.

"But that is not the only thing I want from you, Donghae. If you cannot kill me today, you will come with me and give me your pledge of loyalty! You will follow and serve me dutifully until the day you die! You will become my protector and would never again try to kill me or use others to have killed."

Protestations from Captain Jang Hyuk and the other knights rose simultaneously.

"Silence!" Donghae commanded the group. "He will not get what he wants because the Oracle speaks the truth! For thousands of years, she has guided us. The Oracle’s prophecy will be fulfilled today!" He dismounted from his horse.

"Do you accept my challenge, Donghae?" yelled Prince Jaejoong.

"I accept it!" He faced Jaejoong and looked him straight in the eyes. "And I give you my word that I will follow, protect and serve you for the rest of my life. And I promise to never again try to kill you or have anyone kill you if I fail to end your life today. My word is my honor. My honor is my life!"

"Then start shooting your arrows, Lee Donghae!" challenged Prince Jaejoong.

Donghae took two arrows from his quiver and placed it on his bow. The prince began running to the left!

Donghae had never missed a target. He was the best archer in the region of Ferrest! And if Prince Jaejoong thought that he wouldn't be able to kill a man, or that he would hesitate to send his arrows to his heart, the prince had gravely