This is the first out of two chapters where you begin to see the change in Lilith. An important chapter to read!

I'm Changing Too Fast…Or Maybe Not Enough

I ran through the trees of a dark forest. The sun was setting, leaving me with little light to use. Oh well. I heard the light footsteps of the other archers. I quickly found a low tree branch and jumped up onto it. I positioned myself and pulled my bow off my shoulder and into my hands. I glanced around and saw the other archers finding spots as well. Some where already pulling arrows back, waiting.

I looked out from the cover of the trees to the large meadow which would become a bloody battlefield. To my right was a large fortress where the enemy was currently. The fortress looked intimating. It's high cement walls and I could see the numerous soldiers up on the walls. My fear for the fortress was little. I felt oddly confident. It was very strange. I had always feared battles and disliked fighting. Now here I was, an archer for a murderess who I shouldn't be trusting.

To my left I saw Callisto's army rising over the small hills. Callisto sat aboard horseback, leading her army towards the fortress. I watched Callisto closely as I clearly remembered what she told me:

"When the enemies appear, shoot."

I wondered what my father would have thought about this? No! I had to focus. Lives were depending on me. I had a job to do. Plus Kelton was out there. Kelton…my only friend in this extremely confusing world. The only person I could trust. If he died…no I couldn't think that way. He was an archer, but he was with the army out in the meadow. Callisto didn't want the enemy to know where the arrows were coming from. Smart and evil all at the same time.

The giant doors to the fortress slowly opened as an army poured out of the doors and stood their ground. I watched in total silence as I drew out an arrow and pulled it back with my bow. This was it…the battle I had to fight in. Shoot…shoot…shoot…there was no other option in war.

Then…it started. Both armies ran down the meadow screaming out bloody war cries and waving their mighty swords. It hit me hard to see men screaming, ready to kill. My fingers slipped and the arrow shot through the air. I gasped as I watched my single arrow fly through the air, soundlessly. It dove down until it struck an enemy soldier in the shoulder. I had injured the soldier enough for one of Callisto's men to slaughter him.

Many more arrows from other archers followed mine, killing many men. I did not move as my sapphire eyes remained on the dead man on the battlefield. I had killed him. Well I was the cause of it, but still. A cold feeling coursed through me as my hand suddenly reached for another arrow. I pulled it back and released it into the air. It struck another enemy soldier in the heart this time.

I didn't understand the cold feeling inside me. It scared me but I embraced it. I found strength in it. It was weird. Almost evil. Wait…maybe it was evil? But my hand would not stop shooting arrow after arrow. My aim was incredible! I was fifteen and I was able to injure men in a heartbeat.

The bloody battle went on for about an hour. It was obvious that Callisto had won the battle. Tell me something new. I watched from my spot up in the trees, as the last of the enemy soldiers were slaughtered. I did not flinch anymore. I was use to the sight: blood. Headless bodies and bodies missing limbs, that was nothing to cringe at anymore.

A loud victory cheer echoed throughout the entire battlefield as the archers jumped down from their hiding spots to join in the celebration. I jumped off the branch I was perched on and slid my bow over my shoulder. All my arrows were gone, out with the dead bodies. Once my feet hit the ground I quickly ran onto the field in search of Kelton.

I found Kelton cheering with the other soldiers while he held in bow in hand. He had used up all his arrows like me and his face was dirty and his clothes had splattered blood covering them. The wardrobe of a soldier returning from war. Only Kelton was never going top return anywhere but to Callisto. Pity. "Kelton!"

Kelton turned and his smile grew as he saw me. "Lilith!" Kelton hugged me for a long minute before releasing me. "We won! We won!"

I nodded as men brushed past me to cheer some more. I looked away from Kelton and over to where Callisto sat aboard horseback. Unlike her fellow soldiers she was not cheering. Instead she was staring off at the giant fortress. All the soldiers were dead. Why did we attack the fortress again? A warlord? I forgot, oh well.

Callisto turned to look at her army. "To the fortress!" Her orders ended the cheering as many men ran across the meadow towards the fortress. Callisto followed at a calm pace. Kelton took my hand like I was some kind of child and we followed Callisto.

"What's going on?" I asked Kelton.

Kelton did not look at me as he spoke. "To see the defeated warlord. Callisto wants to talk to him about a prize."

"What's the prize?" I asked.

Kelton paused, not answering right away. "Information."

"Information!" I almost laughed but suppressed it. I was sure that Callisto was listening. Better not get her angry. "What kind of information?"

Kelton sighed and looked down at me. "The important kind. Just be quiet and listen. You're going to see Callisto in action."

"She's going to kill him?!" I exclaimed!

Kelton smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "It's a possibility."

We stormed the fortress and we eventually found a large treasure room which the warlord was in. Callisto entered the treasure room followed by a few soldiers along with Kelton and I. Everyone else stood guard outside. I could tell by the warlord's face that he was terrified of Callisto. Well why shouldn't he be?! Only a fool was not afraid of an insane murderess.

"What do you want!" shouted the warlord.

Callisto smirked. "Information regarding another warlord."

"So I can be attacked again? Are you insane!" exclaimed the warlord.

"Damon's emerald!" Callisto's sudden anger made the warlord jump. "Who has it?"

"Why Simeon Damon of course," replied the warlord.

"No, Simeon Damon is dead," Callisto's voice was cold, making me shiver. "Someone killed him. Someone with an interest in the emerald. Who has the emerald? Tell me and I might spare your life."

The warlord gulped. "Look I only know that the attack was ordered by Grim himself. He sent his minions to do all the dirty work."

"Grim?" a look of confusion crossed Callisto's face. "Grim is miles away! More than a month's walk."

The warlord nodded. "His minions retrieved the emerald and killed Simeon Damon. There are rumors that Grim's mercenary did all the dirty work when it came to Damon. As for where the emerald is…I do not know."

"And Grim himself?" pressed Callisto.

The warlord smirked at Callisto. "You know the madman never shows his face in public. He could be anywhere. He never stays put."

Callisto nodded and pulled out her sword. The warlord gulped as his eyes filled with fear. "Thank you. Now for my other prize…" Callisto plunged her sword into the warlord's chest, making him gasp out in pain. Callisto laughed as she watched the life in the warlord's eyes empty out. "…I win."

Callisto pulled her sword out of the dead warlord's chest and stared at the crimson red blood now staining her sword. She smirked and looked over at the few soldiers in the room. "Take what you want. We move at nightfall." The soldiers emptied out of the room. Callisto's insane eyes found Kelton. "Kelton! Come."

Kelton nodded towards Callisto and looked back at me. "Go with the others. I'll meet up with you later." I nodded and left without a word. Kelton sighed as he looked back at Callisto. "The Knights from Hell are Grim's army."

Callisto slid her sword away and walked over to Kelton. "Yes…and the emerald is with Grim or in route to him. But his mercenary sacked Lilith's village two years ago."

"When are we going to tell her the truth?" asked Kelton.

Callisto eyed Kelton and smirked. "Where's the fun in that?" Kelton frowned at Callisto, angry that she was hiding stuff from me. "Oh Kelton Lilith will figure everything out soon enough. Give her room to move and time. She'll learn about the emerald and find Grim."

"I do not want her to lead a path of violence, Callisto!" exclaimed Kelton.

"Too late, Kelton. Two years too late," Callisto paused as she eyed the dead warlord. "I've noticed how fond of her you are. You won't cry when she leaves will you?"

Kelton glared at Callisto and marched out of the room. Callisto laughed insanely as she watched one of her best archers leave the room.

Next chapter coming soon! Please review. Thank you for those who have.