Chapter 1
The cloaked figure solemnly regarded the man dressed in the garb of a General. "We are counting on you," General Ly-san-ter told the person in front of him. "Do not fail. We need Sakon Lexington to commit himself to our cause or else all is lost."
The person nodded and lithely mounted the magnificent white stallion that awaited patiently. The General watched the pair leave and his mouth twisted wryly. "Good luck Ayame."
**********************************
His nostrils flared at the metallic scent of blood. He was covered in the stuff and still he fought on, knowing that if he dared stop, he would be dead. The screams of the wounded filled his ears and he felt as if he was going insane. Just when he thought that he had made some sort of progress, they swamped him again.
He felt the hands clawing at him and he smelt the stench of decay all around. As much as he struggled and fought, he couldn't seem to break free. As he spun his sword in an arc, thinking to clear a path, something buried itself in his left shoulder, causing excruciating pain.
He fell to his knees and heard his enemies laugh in glee as they converged on him. He stared up at them, knowing that he was about to die. One of them reached down and grabbed a handful of his long hair, yanking his head up to expose his neck. He stared mesmerized at the glittering blade in the man's hand, recognizing it as his own. The blade descended and he felt the pain as it sliced into his flesh.
"No!" Sakon bolted upright in his bed, his body drenched in sweat. He looked wildly around his room, one hand pressed to his throat as if expecting to find a cut there. He shook his head to clear it and swore softly. That damn dream again.
He had been having nightmares for almost a year now - ever since his last battle in the Red Crater. He had almost lost his life that day and he thanked his lucky stars that his brother Nick - a fighter pilot had happened to be passing by overhead and had seen Sakon go down with an arrow to the back. Nick had landed and transported his older brother to a medic. It was touch and go for a while because the tip had been dipped in poison but Sakon was a fighter and he had recovered - at least physically.
The light turned on, momentarily blinding him. When his eyes adjusted to the glare, he smiled at the gorgeous blonde standing in the doorway. Aphrodite Lexington - Nick's wife looked at him with concern in her lovely violet eyes. She walked into the room. "Are you okay?" "Yeah. It was the dream again. That's all." Her brow furrowed. "I still don't see why you won't see a therapist. It'll help." He chuckled. "No offense Aphro, but I don't really like the idea of someone poking about in my head." "Yeah," a third voice piped up. "It might scare them to death." They turned to face the petite brunette who was lounging in the doorway. Sakon smiled and gestured for her to come in. "What brings you here my dear?" Ryona Lexington bestowed one of her famous glares on her brother-in-law. "Oh get real! With all that noise you were making? I'd be surprised if the horses are still asleep." With a wicked grin, Sakon replied, " I can assure you that Nick and Kit still are or else they'd be crowding my room too."
Ryona hit him with a pillow.
They were still laughing when a male voice interrupted. "Is this a private party or can we join in?" Three pairs of eyes focused on the entrance to the room where two identical blond haired, green-eyed men stood. Nicholas and Christopher Lexington, Sakon's younger brothers were surveying the scene with smiles on their handsome faces. They each walked to their wives and regarded their brother fondly. "What's the problem?" Nick asked as his wife snuggled into his chest. Sakon grinned at the look that darkened Nick's eyes but it faded when Ryona answered. "He had the nightmare again." Suddenly, he was tired of all the fussing and the sympathy. He shook his head. "I'm fine. Honestly I am. I just need some rest. You kids go have fun." "Huh?" Aphro asked and then caught the knowing look that passed between Sakon and Nick. "You bugger!" she laughed, punching Sakon in the arm. Nick swooped her up in a fireman's hold and left the room but not before emitting a loud Tarzan-like yell. Ry and Kit laughed and went, leaving Sakon by himself.
He shook his head and laughed. Those four were never boring. Ever since the incident, he had moved out of his luxurious apartment in the city and come home to the family mansion to live. The Lexingtons were extraordinarily wealthy and as sole descendants, the three brothers had all of the family's wealth at their disposal.
Sakon was staring at the ceiling when a movement to his right caught his eye. He turned quickly and caught a glimpse of thick, black, shaggy fur and a mouthful of fangs. It was gone so quickly that he was not sure if he had even seen it.
The sound of breaking glass and surprised screams from the direction of Kit and Ry's room proved that it was not an apparition. Sakon flew off his bed, grabbing his longsword in the process and darted down the hall to where Kit and Ryona stayed. As he burst through the door, he saw Kit and Ry huddled in a corner, terrified looks on their faces.
He saw why the minute he got a look at the assailant. The abomination had long, sharp fangs and claws, the same black, matted fur that he had seen earlier and was over seven feet tall. In addition to that, it stank. Sakon wrinkled his nose as he approached the creature, which was so intent on the duo that it did not see the warrior approaching it. With one swipe, he sliced through the thing's head. It screamed shrilly and emitted a noxious scent along with a thick purple-black slime. Then, it vanished.
The cloaked figure solemnly regarded the man dressed in the garb of a General. "We are counting on you," General Ly-san-ter told the person in front of him. "Do not fail. We need Sakon Lexington to commit himself to our cause or else all is lost."
The person nodded and lithely mounted the magnificent white stallion that awaited patiently. The General watched the pair leave and his mouth twisted wryly. "Good luck Ayame."
**********************************
His nostrils flared at the metallic scent of blood. He was covered in the stuff and still he fought on, knowing that if he dared stop, he would be dead. The screams of the wounded filled his ears and he felt as if he was going insane. Just when he thought that he had made some sort of progress, they swamped him again.
He felt the hands clawing at him and he smelt the stench of decay all around. As much as he struggled and fought, he couldn't seem to break free. As he spun his sword in an arc, thinking to clear a path, something buried itself in his left shoulder, causing excruciating pain.
He fell to his knees and heard his enemies laugh in glee as they converged on him. He stared up at them, knowing that he was about to die. One of them reached down and grabbed a handful of his long hair, yanking his head up to expose his neck. He stared mesmerized at the glittering blade in the man's hand, recognizing it as his own. The blade descended and he felt the pain as it sliced into his flesh.
"No!" Sakon bolted upright in his bed, his body drenched in sweat. He looked wildly around his room, one hand pressed to his throat as if expecting to find a cut there. He shook his head to clear it and swore softly. That damn dream again.
He had been having nightmares for almost a year now - ever since his last battle in the Red Crater. He had almost lost his life that day and he thanked his lucky stars that his brother Nick - a fighter pilot had happened to be passing by overhead and had seen Sakon go down with an arrow to the back. Nick had landed and transported his older brother to a medic. It was touch and go for a while because the tip had been dipped in poison but Sakon was a fighter and he had recovered - at least physically.
The light turned on, momentarily blinding him. When his eyes adjusted to the glare, he smiled at the gorgeous blonde standing in the doorway. Aphrodite Lexington - Nick's wife looked at him with concern in her lovely violet eyes. She walked into the room. "Are you okay?" "Yeah. It was the dream again. That's all." Her brow furrowed. "I still don't see why you won't see a therapist. It'll help." He chuckled. "No offense Aphro, but I don't really like the idea of someone poking about in my head." "Yeah," a third voice piped up. "It might scare them to death." They turned to face the petite brunette who was lounging in the doorway. Sakon smiled and gestured for her to come in. "What brings you here my dear?" Ryona Lexington bestowed one of her famous glares on her brother-in-law. "Oh get real! With all that noise you were making? I'd be surprised if the horses are still asleep." With a wicked grin, Sakon replied, " I can assure you that Nick and Kit still are or else they'd be crowding my room too."
Ryona hit him with a pillow.
They were still laughing when a male voice interrupted. "Is this a private party or can we join in?" Three pairs of eyes focused on the entrance to the room where two identical blond haired, green-eyed men stood. Nicholas and Christopher Lexington, Sakon's younger brothers were surveying the scene with smiles on their handsome faces. They each walked to their wives and regarded their brother fondly. "What's the problem?" Nick asked as his wife snuggled into his chest. Sakon grinned at the look that darkened Nick's eyes but it faded when Ryona answered. "He had the nightmare again." Suddenly, he was tired of all the fussing and the sympathy. He shook his head. "I'm fine. Honestly I am. I just need some rest. You kids go have fun." "Huh?" Aphro asked and then caught the knowing look that passed between Sakon and Nick. "You bugger!" she laughed, punching Sakon in the arm. Nick swooped her up in a fireman's hold and left the room but not before emitting a loud Tarzan-like yell. Ry and Kit laughed and went, leaving Sakon by himself.
He shook his head and laughed. Those four were never boring. Ever since the incident, he had moved out of his luxurious apartment in the city and come home to the family mansion to live. The Lexingtons were extraordinarily wealthy and as sole descendants, the three brothers had all of the family's wealth at their disposal.
Sakon was staring at the ceiling when a movement to his right caught his eye. He turned quickly and caught a glimpse of thick, black, shaggy fur and a mouthful of fangs. It was gone so quickly that he was not sure if he had even seen it.
The sound of breaking glass and surprised screams from the direction of Kit and Ry's room proved that it was not an apparition. Sakon flew off his bed, grabbing his longsword in the process and darted down the hall to where Kit and Ryona stayed. As he burst through the door, he saw Kit and Ry huddled in a corner, terrified looks on their faces.
He saw why the minute he got a look at the assailant. The abomination had long, sharp fangs and claws, the same black, matted fur that he had seen earlier and was over seven feet tall. In addition to that, it stank. Sakon wrinkled his nose as he approached the creature, which was so intent on the duo that it did not see the warrior approaching it. With one swipe, he sliced through the thing's head. It screamed shrilly and emitted a noxious scent along with a thick purple-black slime. Then, it vanished.