After roughly half an hour the two arrived back in Basin, the name of their hometown. Basin is a region unlike any other, for Basin is completely surrounded by mountains. There was a passageway in and out of Basin called the "Traveler's Gate," but it no longer exists. Over 400 years ago this gate was sealed by the people of Basin to protect themselves from the great war taking place all around them.

It all began when Calamar, the emperor of the large northwestern country of Thalmasar, sought out to conquer its rival country of Ghan'dali on the far corner of the world. Calamar demanded Basin to ally with it to assure victory or perish along with Ghan'dali. Basin, having no real governmental organization whatsoever, withdrew into its sanctuary and sealed the passageway with a great rockslide, destroying the Traveler's Gate and all contact with the outside world. This story was lost long ago.

"Ruhollah where have you BEEN?!?" screeched his mother.

"Well, you know-"

"No I do not know would you mind ENLIGHTENING ME?!?"

"It's just that...well," he seemed to be searching for an excuse, "Rurik decided to go hang out by the cliffs and I had to go get him, seeing how I am a very responsible young man and Rurik has no respect for how others would feel if they lost him."

"But, That's not how-" Rurik stuttered.

"I told him mother," Ruhollah began again, "I said, Rurik, what happens if you get hurt, or worse? What am I supposed to tell your family, that you were around the cliffs that we weren't supposed to be around?!?! He just doesn't listen mother."

"Rurik..." began Ruhollah's mother, "Is he speaking the truth?"

"Well..."

"IS HE SPEAKING THE TRUTH?!?!"

"No," replied Rurik, recieving a swift kick in the shin in return.

"FIRST YOU GO WANDERING AROUND PROBABLY NEARLY KILLING YOURSELF AND THEN YOU PON THE BLAME ON YOUR BEST FRIEND?!?!? I KNOW I DID NOT RAISE MY BOY LIKE THIS, I KNOW I TAUGHT YOU BETTER!!."

"Well," interrupted Rurik, "I'll just... go home then?"

"Of course, and bring this fresh cherry pie home to your mother, she brought over potatoes this morning and I knew I just had to repay her somehow so I just thought- WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE RUNNING OFF TO YOUNG MAN?!?"

Rurik hurriedly sprinted away, forgetting the pie entirely. He's rather go home and not chance taking the wrath of Ruhollah or his mother. He was just as strong, if not stronger than Ruhollah, but just couldn't stand fighting back in case he ended up hurting someone. Rurik was always the one to follow orders and Ruhollah was always the one to give orders. Rurik never had a problem with this system, it seemed to wrok until now.

A tall figure trodded along the barren cliffside, ever so slightly as to no slip and fall down the rocky hill. From the looks of him, one would guess his age to be a few years older than that of his true age. This man was roughly eighteen years of age, but he had talland slender with shaggy hair and eyes that yearned for adventure.

"Ruhollah, what are you doing over there?" shouted a high voice from behind, "You know you can't go over there, it's unsafe! What are you thinking? There's falling rocks, holes, and you could fall off the edge! Get back over here!"

Ruhollah turned around at the mention of this, almost losing his balance.

"Rurik, why can't you ever have any fun?"

This other man appeared to be the same age as Ruhollah, although Rurik was hardly the adventurer like his friend. His eyes seemed strange, always darting here and there, making him very alert.

"Ruhollah, what happens if you get hurt, or worse? What am I supposed to tell your family, that we were around the cliffs that we [i]weren't supposed to be around[/i]?!?!"

"Fine, fine. I'll come back. You can't always be such a spoilsprot, you know?"

Ruhollah began his walk back across the edge of the cliff to his friend, Rurik. After almost slipping twice, he finally made it back.

"You see that Ruhollah? You almost fell. I don't want to lose you man, you're my best friend." 

"You can't go around every day for the rest of your life afraid of losing everything, Rurik, because then one day... you will."

"Heh, well aren't we the philosopher? Come one, let's go back to Basin."

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Yeah, that's like... page 1 of chapter 1 haha. Will update sometime. I'm busy.