I had some tough decisions to make. I wanted to continue my pursuit of Xanedyer, but I knew he already expected a large group of us to show up, and he would probably be thrown off balance if only a small group of us covertly stopped his plans. So I told Kathleen to bring the rest of the knights home to The Order's base, and got her to tell Luke to wait until I returned. I fully intended to go on my own, but Strycnine and Adra convinced me to take them with me. So I draped my black hooded cloak over my shoulder and we left. We headed across the countryside for days following Xanedyer's trail, and we often ran into small packs of knights who had decided to return to The Order, and were heading back the way they came. I told them to tell Luke that Marius had sent them along their way, and continued forward. One night several weeks after we had headed on our way, we came upon Xaedyer's camp by accident, and he was furious. He was shouting in anger and cursing all the knights who had deserted him. I smirked. "Its because of you Xanedyer." I called. Xaneyder's head snapped up and he began frantically searching the darkness around him for the source of my voice. He pulled his sword from its sheath and spun around. "Marius you dog! Where are you?!?" He shouted, enraged. "It is not I who is the dog Xanedyer. Your knights are leaving because of your leadership abilities. Or lack thereof." I said, slowly moving away from my original position. An archer near Xanedyer fired off an arrow at where I once was, and he grew angry he had wasted an arrow on air. "Do not lecture me about leadership Marius. It was your friend's leadership that split The Order in two!" Xanedyer shouted. "I have talked to Luke already, and he now believes my suggestion is the right way to go." I said, knowing I spoke for Luke in saying that. "You lie!" He shouted. By now I was behind him and his rouge knights, so I emerged from my hiding and pulled my sword from its sheath. Strycnine had a bow with him, and he set an arrow upon it and aimed it at Xanedyer from where he was. I placed the tip of my ebondy blade against Xanedyer's neck, an he flinched and spun around. "You filthy, arrogant blood-sucking vermin!" Xanedyer said. I smirked and slugged him across the face with my free hand. He went down hard, and slowly pulled himself back up. "Let's not forget you are also a blood-sucking vermin as well Xanedyer." I said. He snarled and pointed the tip of his sword at me. I batted his blade aside and glared at him. We stood in silence for a moment, and he looked as though he had thought of something. I stood straight and prepared myself for what it might be. "I challenge you to a duel. If I win, I take my Rouge Knights to the government and we work for them. If you win, then I will go back to The Order with you and my knights." Xanedyer said, bringing his chin into the air defiantly. I thought about it for a moment. I was the most skilled swordsman in The Order, save Luke, and I also knew that Xanedyer was a gifted swordsman as well. I knew if I defeated him he would probably have his knights attack me in anger, and if he won I would be slain. "I accept." I said. I hoped Strycnine and Adra would stay concealed in the darkness long enough for me to defeat Xanedyer and defeat his knights if need be. Xanedyer shrugged his brown cloak off of his shoulders, and it fell to the ground behind him. I reached up with one hand and brushed my black cloak off of my shoulders. It fel to the ground behind me. Xanedyer gripped the hilt of his sword tightly in both hands and prepared for combat. I did the same and prepared for Xanedyer to make the first move. I knew this duel would decide to fate of The Order, and there was no way I was going to lose.