Prologue:

The thunder cackled over the small town of livenrow, as if in forbearance to the awful events that would soon occur. The animals fled into the woods as cumulonimbus thunder clouds began to gather in the night sky. Joshua had been hunting in the woods and had returned in hopes of avoiding the oncoming storm. He carried with him two dead fawns slung over his shoulder. His wife, bearing his third child, waited in for his safe return. The town was silent as he approached; the inhabitants of livenrow were most likely snuggled inside their houses waiting out the storm.

Joshua had lived in Livenrow most of his life, and although he had visited the continent and most of the smaller islands during his time as a soldier, Livenrow had always been his home. His wife was on the edge of childbirth when he left. He walked into his house to witness his wife strewn across the floor, the local village doctor talking and soothing her through the birthing process. Her breathing huffed intensely as she as she labored to bring forth the new life that resided in her womb. Joshua approached his wife and began to comfort her.

"Come on Marianna, just a few more pushes. Your almost there."

Marianna continued to push and scream, grapping Joshua's hand in a stranglehold. Slowly the baby became visible and after a few more labor-intensive breaths the baby was born. The doctor reached up handed the baby to its mother.

"It's... It's a boy, Marianne bellowed as she cradled the newborn child in her hands, affectionately drawn into his eyes.

Joshua stared at his newborn son. Never in his life had he been as happy as that moment. After the disappearance and misgivings with his two older sons he never thought he would have the chance to prove himself as a father. This was his opportunity to prove to himself that he could be a good father, one that is children and Mariana could look up to. His wife held up his new child as if beckoning him to take the child in his hands. He gently rocked the baby back in forth, cradeled in his arms. The baby's mouth passionately sucked on his thumb. The baby's violet red eyes slowly opened as he got his first look at his father. Tears gently flowed down Joshua's face as he cherished the life he had created.

These tender moments with his newborn child were destroyed as a chilling scream from across the village rent the air. Startled, Joshua jumped to his feet. He grabbed his sword and bolted for the door.

"Joshua!"Marianna screamed.

As he ran from the house he caught one last glance of his wife and child. Marianna clutched the baby to her chest. Joshua leaved without a word. The rainstorm had come while he had been inside. It pattered relentlessly against the house and surrounding fields. Joshua made his way towards the spot in which he had heard the scream only to be stopped in shock. The once quiet town was now alive with noise as townspeople fled into the night. Several houses were on fire as savage men wearing dark, scalely armor pillaged the town. They brandished short black swords and brutally slayed all who came within their distance.

"No...this can't be" Joshua whispered as his breath swallowed within his throat. He swiftly fled the scene to return to his house. By the time he had come within view of the house he was out of breath.. The house was a burning inferno and fire erupted from the windows like the bowels of a volcanoe.

"Dammit"! Joshua screeched as he flew into the house. He scavenged the building frantically looking for his wife and newborn child. He found his wife, dead, impaled with a short sword, her head missing. His child was gone. Joshua stood in disbelief as he stared down at his now dead wife. How could his life, once filled with happiness gone down hill so fast? Would god not allow him the chance at happiness? Joshua came back to reality as a crash came from behind. One of the savages who had raided the village stood behind him in a drunken stupor, a bottle of whiskey in one hand, and in his other hand he held his wives severed head by the hair, blood dribbling down her lips. The man reared back and let out an obnoxious laugh as he stumbled and threw the decapitated head to the floor. Joshua screamed in anguish as he swung his broadsword, severing the head of the savage in one sweep. Joshua left his home without a second glance. The home that he had lived in for the past twenty years with his family. The home that he had raised his kids in. The home that had brought him both life, and death.

As he made his way down the ravaged road he saw the invaders leaving over the small hill on the western side of the town. Once over the hill they could easily slip into the deep recesses of the forest. Joshua chased after them and easily caught up to the remaining three stragglers at the top of the hill. The fighters brought their swords into defense positions in preparation to defend themselves but they were match for Joshua, who was once known as one of the best swordsmen from the islands milita. He slayed them in artistic fashion, finishing all three before one of them even hit the floor. Joshua, who was not in as good of shape as he had once been, was quiet exhausted from the fighting and slumped on his knee's in exhaustion.

" Bravo... Bravo" a voice behind Joshua chuckled.

Joshua turned around and a look of horror crossed his face at the realization at who the man was. The pale skinned man clapped steadily as if amused at the feat that Joshua had just completed. His long hair was bleach white and his eyes were as red as the blood running through his veins. "s-son" Joshua stammered as he rose to his feet.

"Don't call me that!" the man screamed in response. "I am NOT your son!"

"Alright…Ezekiel" Joshua responded. "what the hell is this? Is this your doing?"

"Im glad you like it" Ezekiel slyly replied. "I just thought I would pay my new baby brother a visit" what a coincidence that my visit would come on the night of his birth!"

"Do you have him Ezekiel, have you kidnapped him, because I swear by every god on this planet that if you have I will kill you!" Joshua screamed into Ezekiel's face.

Ezekiel brushed the threat of with a high-pitched laugh. "I'd like to see you try, and yes I have taken my younger brother. I have use of him, and after how you raised me, I can see that he would be in much better care in somebody else's hands.

"Ezikial, there was nothing we could do. We cared about you, you must know that"

"Shutup!" Ezekiel flared. "shutup! Shutup! Shutup!" " you and that stupid whore of a wife didn't care about me in a minute of your lives. Now I am going to rescue my brother, Rescue him from the hell you would put me through."

Joshua stood and raised his broadsword in an offensive stance. "Not if I stop you first. I was hoping that one day you could be a son to me again, but if I have to kill you to regain my son, then I will sleep no worse at night."

Ezekiel smirked "so be it. I have been looking forward to this day, the day I kill my sorry excuse for a father. Ezekiel unsheathed his sword, sherri. The black sword was narrow and sleek, slanted to the tip. He cherished the blade, carrying it with him at all times, using it well past its prime. Ezekiel raised the sword slanted downward above his head in a defensive stance, waiting for Joshua to lead.

Joshua charged, sword raised high, a blood curling battle cry ringing echoing from his lips. Ezekiel's hands twisted into different motions at breakneck speed, whispering cantations for teleportation under his breath. Just as Joshua was about to bring his sword down on his sons head, he disappeared underneath his sword in a puff of smoke.

"Damn!" Joshua seethed under his breath. He had not seen his son in many years and did not realize his son knew how to perform cantations. Ezekiel reappeared standing on the side of the broadsword that Joshua still carried. Ezekiel slowly raised his sword level with his father's face, the tip almost touching his nose. Joshua overturned his sword as Ezekiel back flipped off, landing on the ground not far from where Joshua stood. Ezekiel quickly signed the cantations for speed, and flew at Joshua in a gust of wind. It took all of Joshua's strength to hold is ground from the collision as their swords impacted, the sound of metal against metal ringing through the hills and forest. Father and son continued to exchange blows, and to anyone watching the fight would have seemed like nothing but reverberations in the sky. Finally Joshua managed to gain the upper hand and pushedpush Ezekiel to the ground. He jumped in the air on top of Ezekiel ready to bring his sword down but before Joshua could strike he was gone in another flurry of cantations and smoke. This time he reappeared behind Joshua sword already in mid swing. Joshua barley managed to turn around in time to parry the blow, but still managed to take a gash in the side of his left arm. Joshua flew to the slowly strode toward Joshua laughing like a small child.

" This is just TO easy. Where is all of my fun? He stood over Joshua and began to violently step on Joshua's open wound, blood splurting everywhere. Joshua's voice left his lungs as he was beat into submission. When Joshua was nothing more then a wreck on the floor, Ezekiel stepped back to catch his breath. Thinking Joshua was finished, Ezekiel turned his back and begin to walk away. But Joshua was not done, not by a long shot.

"Never turn your back on an enemy!" Joshua screamed as he jumped to his feet, sword him hand. Joshua swung with all his might, severing Ezekiel at the waist. As his upper torso twisted in the air and fell to the ground, a twisted smile crossed Ezekiel's lips. The corpse disspared as the upper torso touched the ground. Joshua stood in stupefied shock until he felt sherri slice through his rib cage, emerging out his stomach.

"an...an allusion"

Joshua huffed, staring down at the blade protruding from his stomach. He was dying.

"these cantations are amazing creations" Ezekiel chuckled. "With them I can do whatever I want! He took the blade and slowly twisted it inside Joshua's body as blood splirted out his front and back. "Now say hello to mother for me!" Ezekiel angrily said as he pulled the bladeout of Joshua, and finished him with a final slash. Joshua fell first to his knees, and then to the floor, dead.

"hmmm" Ezekiel said with a finished tone as he sheathed his sword and turned to face burning village. His old home, now just a pile of burnt cedar. He stood there in silence examing the beautiful destruction he had caused. One of Ezikiel's commanders approached him from behind. "We are done here and are ready to move out. Has the boy been taken care of?" Ezekiel said as he addressed one of commanders.

"Yes sir." the commander responded. "We have taken him into hiding in the woods to wait until you were finished. They are waiting for you. Ezekiel smirked. "Good, good. I guess it's time I met my baby brother.

Jeremiah ran down the slowpy hill in the forest as fast as he could, trying to get as much distance between the town and him as possible. A baby was nestled in his arms, fast asleep. His instructions were to get as far from the town as possible with the baby. When the town was destroyed Ezekiel would find him and take the baby. Jeremiah had been running for the past 30 minutes and was growing tired. He saw a clearing at the base of the slope he was running down and decided that it would be the perfect spot to wait for Ezekiel.

There was a small creek running through the clearing. Jeremiah set the baby down and greedily began to take large drinks from the creek. Thirst quenched, Jeremiah stood up and stared into the forest. A deep rustling was coming from within the bushes. He tensed, drawing the short sword that was strapped to his back. The commotion got louder and louder until finally a small fawn trodded out from the bushes. The fawn was crippled and had to hobble on three legs. He had come to the clearing to take a drink. Jeremiah laughed at his own stupidity. Afraid over a stupid fawn! Jeremiah continued to laugh as he kicked the small fawn to the ground. When Jeremiah had finished kicking the fawn he turned to pick up the baby he was supposed to be watching.

The baby was gone.

"what the-" Jeremiah squelched, but his sentence was interrupted as a dart flew from the trees above him and imbedded itself into his neck. Poison from the dart drifted through Jeremiahs blood causing him to foam and keel over in pain. A man jumped down next to Jeremiah from the trees above him. The man had long, spiky, coal black hair. He carried the baby in his hands. The baby Jerimah was supposed to be watching. His skin was tan, and a sash covered both of his eyes. Jeremaih wondered how he could see. The man had two blades strapped to his waist and as he approached him he drew one of them. Jeremiah spit in extreme pain at the man who stood above him. He raised his sword above Jeremiah, and brought it down piercing Jerimah's heart. The man cleaned his blade in the creek and dried it on the grass. By the time he was done, he could hear the voices of the savages coming from the distance. He quickly jumped back into the branches above him and raced through the trees away from the clearing.

Later that night the man would come upon a small village. The villagers were fast asleep, and did not notice as placed the baby besides the bed of one of the families. Before leaving the small child, he gently placed a black necklace with a gray stone around the small boys neck. The stone was shaped like a tear, and it lay gently against the small child's neck. They also did not notice as he snuck back into the woods. The man regretted leaving the child, but he knew it was the best place for him to be. The village was small and secluded enough that he did think the child would be found easily. The man retreated back into the forest.

It would be some time before he saw the boy again.