A young and, seemingly, fragile girl ran through the forest in terror. This young girl held her wrapped child close against her chest as she panted hard and looked behind her to see if anyone was following her. Her pointed blue ears were arched back and twitching trying to grab a hold of all the sounds within her area. The girl had jumped behind the nearest tree once hearing the sound of a twig breaking. To her surprise, it was only an animal escaping the heat behind the young girl. Yes, the place this girl knew and loved was being destroyed by a demonic energy. The smell of ash flowed into her nostrils, this terrified her even more. She was in a panic of what to do and where to go. The child that was being carried by this woman began to cry after hearing his mother's heart beating faster than usual. She began to hush him softly as she crept away from the tree she was hiding behind. She ran past a large gathering of trees towards and moved towards a pond. There she found her old friend Elien gathering mushrooms for, if she were to guess, a stew that would be his last meal for the day. Even though he was in his later years, she believed that he would be a good guardian for her child. She didn't speak to her friend; she never thought it was needed. All she did was nod to her friend in gratitude then kiss the forehead of her child. She then wrapped her body with her tattered and bloody clothing and began to run back into the forest. She was unaware that her husband was watching her from a distance, waiting for her. She didn't know he was about to kill her, she didn't know that he was the reason the forest was set ablaze. She didn't know her life would end so quickly and she didn't know that it was within seconds of her leaving her old friend and beloved child.
. . .
Zaku Chihiro had lived a fairly good life. He and his father lived in a large tree that was only a small part of the forest that was past the outskirts of the Imperial Citadel. It was spring and the birds sang a familiar tune that many poets and musicians would find their inspiration from. His ears twitched at the sound of animals gracefully running through the forest and he felt as if he being in this forest was breaking the normal cycle of mother earth. He never really blended into the forest environment. His purple skin, long purple hair, claw like hands, and muscular body seemed to be out of place in this multicolored and fragile wild life. He was peacefully lying against the trunk of his large tree as he heard the loud shout of his father.
"Zaku get your lazy ass over here!"
Zaku frowned in disappointment as he slowly got up and walked towards him. He wasn't a very handsome fellow. His ashy grey hair barely covered his head. His blue eyes always showed that of irritation. He wore a pointed red hat that would tend to slide off his smooth head, a light green shirt, a leather coat, and pants that seemed to fit for a five year old. With this bazaar fashion style, it seemed that this man was a gnome.
"Yes father?" Zaku asked while walking towards him. He could clearly see that his father realized that it didn't take that long to check the traps around the forest. He had gone, but he hated to see the animals all bloody from what seemed like a barbaric trap. Some of the animals were still alive and he had the immoral duty to end their existence. He understood that they needed to retrieve food for themselves along with using the animal skins for various different things but he still felt awful about committing what seemed like a murder.
"Don't stare at me like that Zaku, where did you go and where are our catches for day!" Zaku's father replied to his melancholy mannerism.
"We did not get any catches today father, it seems the animals are becoming smart to the low quality traps we put up every day." Zaku had replied in protest to this interrogation.
"Impossible, they aren't that smart. You put them up wrong, go redo the traps." He said as he turned to walk back home.
Zaku frowned at his father's assumption that he was the reason why there were no catches today. He gently crouched down and jumped into the nearest tree as if he defied gravity. Zaku had learned at a young age that his body was capable of jumping up higher and farther than his father and apparently, from what his father had said, from the humans as well. Zaku never truly understood why his father would constantly speak as if he wasn't a human himself. Zaku sometimes would sit against his tree and wonder why his father spoke in such an odd way. He was speaking as if it was third person or he believed himself a non-human. Zaku remembered a long time ago that he had asked his father why his skin was purple and his father's was a brown color. He had said that humans were all different and not only by mind, but by skin, hair, and speak patterns.
Zaku was thinking over all this as he went about his grounds to make un-seeable traps for the animals. He knew if tomorrow came with no catches his father may have fun with how many bruise he would be capable of creating. Zaku pushed the thought aside as he put it back to his work only.
A man stood in his tower as he watched the land beneath the large castle that stood on top of a mountain. This castle seemed to give off a demonic aura to anything around it. The trees and plants died in a complete circle that surrounded the castle. There were many rumors about this castle; some said that it had given birth to the demons of the west that were known as Vampyres. Other myths were that this castle's makers were embedded into the wall as protectors to ward off humans and beast alike. This castle was named by many, but the current owner named it Devika's Bane.
His smile was that of the cursed. His brown eyes showed the demonic flare that was hiding within his soul. His long black hair was pushed back by the cool air that was brought by the mountains. He stood six feet tall as he crossed his arms thinking of all the sinister plans he had. His dark magic aura surrounded his body to the point that it seemed he was Satan himself. He had a mage's robe that showed everyone that he was a master mage. He was enjoying himself until he heard the steps of his servant Geralde.
"M-Master Revan…." The little Orc said cowardly.
"What is it Geralde?" The master mage asked in irritation.
"L-Lady Arienette has brought news from the south." Gerald spoke looking at the ground feeling that if he were to look into the eyes of this mage he would turn to stone.
Revan smiled in pure delight as he moved past his servant to head down from the tower where he stood. Once walking down the spiraling stone stairs, he began to think of a way to manipulate this woman for his own sinister plans. He smirked evilly in a confidence that would send an ogre screaming in terror. She came from a city towards the south called Seth. Lady Arienette was one of the servants of the Priestess named Arcane. His mind slowly slipped to the reason why she was named Arcane if all her business was spread throughout the kingdoms. Revan had arrived at the end of the staircase as he walked through a doorway into his foyer. He saw a cloaked woman standing, what seemed to be, impatiently. The only thing visible was the tip of her white nose and her chin that was held high. He came from the door behind her and moved in front of her so he may look upon the woman he hadn't seen for what seemed like a lifetime.
"Well, if it isn't Lady Arienette from the city of Seth. It is so good to finally meet you." Revan gave a fake smile to her. It wasn't if he personally hated her, she was just an ignorant woman, he hated ignorant women. Revan was then reminded of her hazel colored eyes. They seemed misty, as if she held so much pain inside her that her own soul was screaming. Her hair was a rustic brown color, and surprisingly was naturally curly. It would seem that she wasn't a full blooded southern.
"I would say the same but in all honesty I wish I didn't have to be here." She frowned at the man before her.
Revan frowned and had the notion to smack the woman to put her in her place, but was able to control himself before he raised his hand. "Well, I hope that your stay will be very quick then." Revan brought his hand back and lowered his head to her as if to say this way. Arienette walked in the direction Revan had given her. She was brought into Revan's own library. Shelves upon shelves were covered in books. This room, much like the others, was made of stone that seemed to send chills down your spine. Revan walked to the table and cleared the area of books to show a large map with red and black marks amongst the different enemy towns. Arienette stood surprised as she traced her hand to each spot.
"T-This is…..amazing…How did you get all this information?" She asked her eyes widened in the shock that seemed to fill her gut with a trouble feeling.
After seeing her reaction, Revan smiled at his accomplishment. "I had my spies infiltrate the towns and made them live amongst them for years until they were able to obtain the trust of the townsfolk, soldiers, and a couple of times, the kings. This allowed them to learn information on where our enemies' army marched, along with what weapons and armor they had in their possession." Revan pointed to the city of Seth to show a black X on it. "Right here is where they plan to attack your lovely city. They already have inside men, but none of my men know of whom nor where they are. I can redirect the men to a, in a hypothetical sense, trap if your Priestess would only work for me with no questions asked."
Lady Arienette looked up her amazement, changing to anger as she gave a cold glare towards Revan. "The Order isn't one to take briberies. Even if my Sister's did, I highly doubt that they would do so to a man of your…title."
Revan smirked towards her. "It isn't a bribe at all Lady Arienette, we are making an exchange. I wasn't aware that you were the one in charge, Lady Arienette."
Arienette's anger subsided slowly until she had control of her voice level. "The Goddess knows that my place is as important as the rest of my Sister's in my Order. I will speak to them of what I have learned and we shall send a Priestess of our decision."
"Aw, you do not want to come back and see me? That saddens me Lady Arienette." He smirked at his sarcastic tone.
Revan was able to see her shoulders tense up as if she was clenching her hands into a fist. She turned without another word and left the castle to start her journey to the city of the Seth. Revan couldn't contain his happiness as he walked back to his bedroom knowing the Priestess decision. His plans have already begun to work to his liking. Soon, the Priestess' power will be his and then nothing would stop him. He lay down on his bed as darkness consumed him into dream land.
Zaku's train of thought escaped him as he heard the rustling of tree leaves to his right. He reached down his deerskin shirt towards his dull daggers that his father had given him so long ago. His deer skin shirt had two attachments to the sides of it. The deerskin shirt held two open compartments used to hold the daggers. This allowed him quick access for a finishing blow to any animal that he would have to deal with within the forest. He gripped his dagger tightly within his right hand, turning it slightly for a slashing attack for quick execution.
Zaku's ear twitched at the sound of something heavy stepping along the area. Zaku quickly jumped into the nearest tree. He was completely concealed by the foliage. Once Zaku made sure nothing heard his gravity defying feat, he searched in the area that the noise came from. He spotted a grotesque creature that was preying upon a smaller animal. This creature seemed to have some type of intelligence for it had one long sword, large Oak bow, and a carving knife. This creature also had clothes made of black boars. Zaku closed his eyes as he heard a quiet voice calling this creature an "Orc". This was the first time hearing the name of the Orc, but it was not the first time he had heard the voice within his mind. It was with him since he could remember anything. It soothed him with its prayers, and read stories of the gods until he was asleep.
Zaku shook himself out of the trance as his ears moved forward to hear more of what this Orc was saying. The Orc pounced upon the unknowing animal quickly swinging his sword to decapitate it as the animal's body still standing up as the body twitched until flopping over. The Orc quickly jumped onto the lifeless body and began to dig its piercing spiked teeth into the animal ripping it into pieces for him to swallow. The Orc was now completely covered in his prey's blood. He didn't seem to have any hair to worry about, and his eyes seemed to have a type of cover so that he would be able to kill without ever being blind. Zaku began to speculate on what his options might be. On the one hand, this Orc seemed to be a scout, so it may be better to kill him then for the Orc to find where he lived and tell his buddies, if he had any. On the other hand, it would be hard to even find where he lived, and maybe he would just leave without any worries. The drawback to his first option would be that if others went looking to find this scout dead, they may think they needed to look for any danger.
Zaku looked at the Orc one last time before deciding to let it be. He jumped off the tree and quietly moved through the forest heading to his home.
Zaku arrived home while the sun was setting. At this time, his father would love to sit onto the trunk of the tree and gulp down his disgusting mixture. He would gulp several drinks down before finally passing out. Zaku would often sit and listen to his many overdramatic stories about his battle days. In all honesty, Zaku never really beloved his father's stories, but he still listened to him, plus Zaku loved his father's company. His father would always end the stories in the same way.
"After that my boy" he said "They would shout to me saying 'Oh Nalen, please never leave us.' Where I would reply saying 'Haha, there is never enough women in just one town to please me' and I would be off on my way to the next town, the next bar, and the next set of women."
Zaku smiled at the thought of even a single woman liking him. Zaku asked one day if the women looked the same as men. His father would be in an uproar about how men and women were always completely different. Zaku lost him after the whole talk about who wore the pants in each relationship. Zaku would often think that if men were the only ones wearing pants, that the women wore nothing at all. This disgusted him. When Zaku was younger, his father would have a slight tendency to beat him for roaming around the forest completely naked. His father would always say "Don't disgrace the wildlife like that, they taste horrible with a sudden shock." As if the fact that we would trap them, then kill them to be burned over a fire wasn't shocking enough.
Zaku would often ask about his mother, but he would grunt and mutter about things of how selfish I was. He would image his mother as a large fearless Amazon, or a mystical magician who controlled the weather, he even thought about her being a great Queen that his father had met in one of his adventures defeating the demons who pillaged and killed so many within the land. In the end, Zaku thought he would never be able to find out which she was. He closed his eyes as the voice in his mind spoke on how to control emotions in battle. The voice seemed to be a type of teacher of everything. The voice taught him how to fight hand to hand, and how to fight with a weapon as well as disarm an opponent. He never was able to have any practice, but Zaku believed he would be able to subconsciously execute these techniques without so much as a step.
Zaku opened his eyes, and to his surprised saw that it was well within the night. He had fallen asleep for at least three hours. He looked to his right and his father was asleep still holding onto his mixture. Zaku smiled and looked around wondering what it was that woke him. Once standing up, Zaku looked towards the moon to see its beauty. However, as if to mock the moon, a light jumped from the middle of the moon and headed towards Zaku. His eyes widened once realizing what it actually was. The inflamed arrow struck the large tree that was Zaku's house and began to make the area where the arrow struck black as it continued to burn up. Zaku looked back in the direction that the arrow came from as several other arrows followed from the same area.
Zaku quickly turned and picked up his father as he jumped a safe distance away before the arrows struck in numerous places all over the tree. "Father wake up!" Zaku screamed to his still passed out but stirring father. His father jolted awake at the sound of Zaku shouting.
"W-What is going on boy!" Nalen sound looking around still being carried by Zaku.
"We are under attack by flaming arrows!" Zaku was panicking and was showing it by looking around for any danger.
"Boy let go of me!" Nalen said after punching Zaku's chest to stop his panicking. Zaku let go of his father as Nalen quickly assessed the problem. Their tree was on fire along with their possessions.
"Boy, go into the tree and get the things from my chest and anything you need for yourself. Do it quickly!" Nalen listened into the darkness as he heard the screeching and cries their attackers in the distance. "Orcs! Here? Why?" Nalen sputtered with unanswerable questions.
Zaku didn't take long before running into the tree and grabbing with one hand his father's chest, and with his other all the possessions he kept in a deerskin bag that he strapped across his chest. Once he ran outside, he spotted his father running to him. "Fathe-" Zaku began to say before his father raised a hand to silence him. Nalen grabbed his chest from Zaku and opened it to find several throwing axes along with a dwarven double sided ax. Nalen looked to Zaku before taking out an animal skinned pouch. Within the pouch jingled several gold pieces. "Boy, listen closely, you take this and go to the citadel. Before entering the gates, find a merchant that sells clothing. Get enough clothing to cover your body from head to toe. You find a job in the Citadel that doesn't make you speak to many people. Don't speak to people unless need be do you understand me!"
"B-But father!" Zaku began to stutter.
"No boy! Do as I say! Run as fast as you can stick close to the roads, but don't interact. You don't fight you run!" Nalen said pushing Zaku hard away from himself.
"N-No father please!" Zaku cried out tears coming to his eyes.
Nalen growled as the Orcs heavy steps began to be heard through the now surrounding wall of fire in the forest. The Orcs were advancing with swords and axes in hand. "GO!" said Nalen one last time as he saw the only family he has ever had run away through the cloud of smoke caused by the fire. "I am proud of ye Boy" Nalen said as the first Orc ran to him ready to strike. Nalen turned taking his large double sided axe to cut down the first Orc as the other Orcs advance to attack Nalen.
Zaku heard Nalen scream in a blood thirsty rage fighting the onslaught of Orcs. Zaku was confused, and crying from the events that had taken place so quick. He only heard the orders his father told him and moved fast from fear and sorrow. Even at his speed, it would take Zaku at least two days before finding the Citadel gates, but he ran and jumped through, as well as between the trees. "I can't do this." He said slightly not daring to say too loudly in fear of the attackers finding him. The smoke behind him seemed to destroy his old life, and the darkness he was running through seemed to be an omen for his future. He now regretted ever hating the boring life he had.