Hi everyone. Yeah so I decided to redo chapter 13/ my last chapter because I wasn't really feeling it and after I got a pm from a reader I realized that they had some misconceptions and weren't feeling this one either so I decided that lazy_as_hell was right and I wanna take a sec to give him a shout out real quick.

Thank you so much for trying to reach me since I totes forgot that I actually wanted to get this fanfic done -.-

I wanna get to the good stuff so bad but chaps like this one keeps getting in the way =.="

Anyway I decided to readjust it and get this show back on the road. I hope you all like it and if not then drop a comment and let me know.

And now without further a due.

Chapter

"What I seek is thunder!"

Ryner cursed, wincing at the pain in his thighs as the blood seeped though the fabric that clad his numbing legs. Beside him Ferris swung her sword, brutally cutting down anyone or thing that stood in her way. But they were hell bent on keep them apart knowing one would never flee without the other!

Damn it!

Ryner dodged an array of flames before weaving his way through a flurry of attacks and wild jabs that webbed around him, displaying a fluid grace he had thought lost after his stomach began to shadow his toes.

"Izuchi!" the cry saw a flare of lightning projecting from a magic symbol which appeared on thin air, cutting through the mad mod of mercenaries but it wasn't strong enough and within moments the path was filled once again.

To think that raiders were so persistent was ridiculous but despite recognizing them as raider, Ryners could tell by their skills and their spells that these guys weren't just common bandits, rogues and thieves but many were mercenaries, trained blood hounds that were keen on their desires for blood.

They were a mixed group and sadly many of them were trained assassins.

It had been less than half an hour on the path north and well enough but for the first time they were bu=in attacked by a horde of vandals and sadly he was becoming more and more certain that these guys wanted more than just his merchandise. They wouldn't be able to escape easily or any at all.

Not like this.

He knew it had been a bad idea leaving Tiir and the others behind but once the chart had been loaded Ferris had taken the reigns and headed at full speed. He had tried to dissuade her but she was dead set on this, saying something about wanting their last trip to truly be the last. He didn't know what the hell she was talking about so he had just left it at that, beseeching himself for never considering going without Tiir in the first place.

Now he wished he had fought a little harder to stop her.

Using a roar of fire to shield him from a rush of flame arrays he braced from the impact of the explosion whilst those around him and been taken by surprise.

"I have to say I am impressed," a voice somewhere in the distance had Ryner spinning on his heels out of the way of a brutal swing from a heavy set fellow behind him.

"You should have kept Tiir with you, with how weak you've gotten you know you were going to need him," that voice again had Ryner looking over his shoulder but amidst a mod of attackers yelling for one reason or another, it was hard to pick up on who it was.

Was that what this was about?

Did they somehow manage to find out about his pregnancy? Was it Sion, was it an enemy who wanted revenge? The possibilities seemed endless and none of the facts were adding up here.

"That's why they've gathered, that's why the bells keep ringing, on the journey forward you are going to endure and the burden you shall face will be immense,"

Ryner grimaced blocking a hit to the face with his arm before firing off another round of spells if only to create some distance between himself and his attackers.

"Call for him Ryner, you need to conserve your energy for the worst to come,"

Ryner gritted his teeth and glanced around.

Who in blue blazes was that?

"The military has been alerted they're on their way,"

"Who the hell are you and what do you want?"

"Now if I gave you all the answers where would the fun be in that?"

Before Ryner got the chance to reply he was yanked aback hard enough for his heart of miss one beat short of cardiac arrest.

"You fool!" the familiar voice he longed to hear since this all started drew Ryner's attention to the slender pale fellow with eyes the hue of violet yet as dark as night.

As a blinding light engulfed the land Ryner shielded his eyes.

"Why didn't you call for me, no matter where you were I would have heard and any one would have killed themselves running to your aid," Tiir grimaced with bright red eyes staring on as he shoved Ryner behind him.

"Melloy I need you near," it was a whisper as the scorching light faded but sure enough in a rush of gathering light and a curling faint trace of shadows Melloy appeared next to them.

There wasn't a trace of blood on him but Ryner could smell it on him. He could smell the death so thick you'd need a machete to cleave it in two. In under an instant Ryner was certain just how many men Melloy had taken out. Unlike Tiir, Ryner wasn't certain what kind of Stigma bearer Melloy was and now that he had seen that light he was far more curious yet over a thousand times more weary.

But he didn't understand once a stigma bearer used their powers it would always show in their eyes and when he looked at Melloy he could see nothing there.

"Report," it was an order as Tiir's form blurred vanishing and reappearing somewhere just beyond Ryner's field of vision.

"Damage control forty seven percent and climbing," Melloy responded cutting down anyone who dared to approach them with a sway of his hand that left a trace of white in its wake that faded seconds later.

"Asda and Samir are recovering the merchandise lost, Salem and Mira are on survivor termination but the military are on their way as fast as the hummingbird flies. This won't end well if we don't measure our steps carefully,"

"Fine then we'll leave the rest to the others, our imperative is to get these two out of here," Tiir stated with a menacing edge to his tone that told Ryner that his worries have yet to begin, as he reappeared with Ferris close in tow.

"You go and I'll stay put with the others," Melloy responded leaving little to be discussed as he held a hand out to them.

"Fine then but be quick about it," Tiir gave a distant reply as he took the opportunity to sweep Ryner of his feet before a cold wave of light engulfed them.

0.0

Ferris landed on her feet easily, sword in hand she was ready for the world at it's worst.

Ready to kill first and ask questioned later she glanced up as an awareness to magic in the air made her senses tingle, she glanced up just in time to see Calib appear with Ryner in tow in a burst of light.

"Is he alright?" Ferris lowered her sword as Tiir came to land in a low crouch a good pace ahead of her with Ryner clinging to him.

Calib didn't reply as he rose in on fluid motion seeming to debate with the idea of putting Ryner down or not.

"No he's not, he needs to see a healer, somewhere to rest and food," Tiir stated with bright red eyes on Ryner as though he could see past Ryner's skin and bones which he no could actually do.

For a moment Ferris remained quiet and simply watched. It was obvious that Calib was upset with her but now was not the time to argue not when Ryner's safety was still in question. She had suspected it for a while now but now she was certain. This Calib character, was another stigma bearer and by far one of the strongest she had lived to see.

And then there was Melloy…

Ferris suppressed a shudder, to think that they had such a….such a…creature working with them all this time and never once had she sensed it. Never had she even suspected the amount of bloodlust he carried within him.

0.0

There had been so many of them.

No matter how many she had cut down twice as many would seem to appear. She had been separated from Ryner as first priority leaving the raid of their merchandise to be second on the agenda. She had been careless, she should have at the very least taken one of the handy helpers along for their last trip but then again she had no intentions of returning.

Times were ill and many sought to find Ryner if only to collect the bounty on his head that was higher than the Devil's ransom by now.

She couldn't let that happen and regardless of all the promises of a peaceful life that Lorna's Bae could offer she knew that they would only bring them trouble and if they found out he was a stigma bearer would they be so welcoming as they are now.

Ferris highly doubted it. And she didn't want to see Ryner or his little one hurt.

But she should have waited until their duties as travelling merchants had passed but she didn't and this was what had come of it.

"Ryner!" she could see him but that was about it.

Caring little if she killed whoever stood in her way she kept her eyes on that unkempt mass of brown hair she had grown to appreciate at this very moment.

"Izuchi!"

He was lost in the desperation to stay alive, to keep his child safe but from his subtle glances she knew he had heard her. He was still a fine warrior but his skills, his agility…his awareness had all dwindled significantly, that added to the fact that he didn't want to kill anyone told her very clearly that he would not last until she somehow managed to reach him.

One wrong move and that would be it for him…

Ferris sought to fight even harder, doubling her efforts to clear a path to Ryner but these were skilled assassins and mercenaries who were hell bent on blocking her path!

Damn it all to hell!

She deflected blast of flamed with her sword before leaping out of the way of a brutal and accurate swing of an iron mace to her head.

And that's when it came…

There was a sudden rush of light that was scorching to the touch, it was paralyzing and blinding to behold and within mere seconds the light grew critically bright, she felt a subtle wind chilling yet soothing at the same time and that was it. There was silence as the light faded and around her was a sight she never wished to see twice in one life time.

All of them on the eastern side where she had stood a good eight paces next to the raided overturned chart…

Every last of them…

They had all been mulilated…

No mutilation didn't come close this, these guys were sliced to ribbons, the flesh flayed clean off the bones…

Ferris simply stared too stunned to move as her eyes were drawn from the field of blood around her to a familiar figure that appeared in the distance in a curl of shadows and fading light. From the shapely form and shoulder length lazily black hair she could mistake him for no other.

It was Melloy…

Dear Goddess above…

A shudder coursed through, her heart tripped, stumbled and fell flat on its face in terror as Melloy suddenly appeared in from of her. The usual jovial and bemused air around him was gone and in its place was something she had only felt when…

When…

When Ryner's Stigma had gone berserker…

There was such wounded sadness, malice, anger…

And…

…so much…

…Bloodlust…

It was so thick so bitter she could all but taste it on her tongue.

Her eyes widen as Melloy leaned in closer to her. She felt herself shaking violent with her sword in hand yet unable to move a muscle as Melloy settled a grave cold hand on her shoulder and whispered in a voice that she would have missed if he wasn't said so close so much so that she could feel his lips against her ear.

"If you pull a stunt like this one again next time there will be no next time," letting his hand fall from her shoulder in favor of slicing a fool in two with his bare hand as he came charging at them, Melloy vanished in the same manner in which he had appeared.

As though she could breathe again Ferris took a breath that proved to be her undoing when the gore around her finally registered to her stomach and acidic taste of bile came rising in her throat suddenly.

She vomited for what felt like an eternity leaving her throat raw and hoarse at the very least.

It was a short while later was when Calib came and his presence if anything was far more menacing then even Melloy could ever hope to achieve.