Prologue

A young woman, in her early thirties with flowing black hair, watery blue eyes and a solemn frown upon her face, was kneeled at the foot of a grave beneath a lone maple tree atop a hill. A stern wind blew against her face, pulling a single tear from her eye to roll down her cheek. The person she mourned on this day, was the love of her life, a man who had been led to his demise by an evil that had plagued the Earth for the past seven years...a darkness.

The woman flinched as a flash back attacked her mind, a flash of him being swallowed by the darkness. Once the darkness dissipated, her love reappeared in a lump on the ground...dead. She remembered screaming in fear, running toward him, pulling him tight in her arms, cradled him, rocking back and forth, and sobbing hopelessly over his lifeless body. His face still haunted her dreams, how it looked so peaceful, as if he were asleep, but he would never wake. Blinking away her tears, the woman placed a single rose at the bottom of the head stone. She then looked up at the dark, ominous sky.

"How?" she said, "How could you take him from me? He fought for you, in your honor!" Her tears came on stronger now, and her gaze never left the sky. It was almost like she were waiting for someone to respond, and when there was no one, she dropped her gaze and sighed. It had been four years, four long, hard and lonely years since her love was taken from her. She felt so lost without him, but she had to be strong, if not for herself, then for Hope. Hope needed her, she depended on her for guidance, for survival in a world so cruel. Hope was all she had left of her love.

The woman sighed once more and stood. She didn't have time to dwell on painful memories, the world was in a state of peril and on the verge of extinction, and she was on a mission. She turned to leave, but stopped at the sight of a lone figure wrapped in a hooded, dark gray cloak. Instinctively, she reached for her right hip where a special twelve inch blade was holstered. Her hand lingered there as the figure drew near, and with a sigh of relief, she removed her hand and closed the gap between her and the hooded figure.

"Jack," she said with a relieved laugh, and hugging him, "you know you shouldn't be out here. You're exposing yourself."

"Aye," he responded, his Irish roots curving around every word, "but I refuse to keep meself confined just because I'm a wanted man. Demons or no demons I'm going to live my life by my rules. Besides, what compelled you to leave the Stronghold at such an ungodly hour, Dotty?"

Dotty looked down at her hands, and picked at her nails. Feeling some slight shame for leaving, she said, "I wanted to talk to him."

Jack was confused by this at first. Then he noticed where he was, and spotted the head stone behind her. He ran a nervous hand through his hair and pulled Dotty into another hug.

"I miss him too, Dotty. We all do. But, I don't think Mark would have you out here all by yourself with who knows what's lurking out in the darkness. Be an insult to his memory it would." Jack said as he led his friend away from the grave stone, and back towards the safety of the Stronghold.

"I know, Jack," Dotty said gently, "I know."

As Dotty and Jack walked off towards the Stronghold, some distance away, the pair completely oblivious to its presence, was yet another lone figure. It stayed stationary for some time, watching Dotty and Jack.

"Don't worry, Dotty. We'll see each other again soon." The figure spoke softly, and swiftly departed.

Auhors Note: Okay so there isn't much to go by here, but I like the idea of a little mystery, and I much prefer depicting Mark as an actual hero, not one he plays in a game, and I'm not a shipper. Mark/OC if anything. Also, Dotty is my character. Much more will be revealed as the story progresses. Hope you like it! R&R!