~Remember I don't own Escaflowne or its characters!~
~I'm so glad the sites back up! I've been waiting forever to update!!!~
The Fate of Two Worlds: The Sequel
By Angel_Wings
Chapter 23 ~ Intertwined Paths
~~~ Dusty Plain ~~~
Tsuno sat down next to his two old friends with a haunted face like both of the other speakers. The rest of the group was quiet after hearing the past of the first three. Hitomi stared at the three elder warriors in disbelief. To think those three had gone through that…
Zaado had been forced to kill his own parents because they had turned out to be traitors to the Draconians…
Nazomi had seen her husband killed before her eyes by humans and then accidentally killed a small child…
Tsuno had run away from home when he had become a young teen and one day faced a human military ship. Trying to defeat his enemy with his powers caused drastic consequences that not only kill the humans, but also killed his own crew…
Not one of them held any warm feelings for the humans. For a long time they had kept hate against the being because of what they had gone through. Still things were unclear to Hitomi…
Zaado had said his power was of forming ice even during the hottest of circumstances while Tsuno had told them he could control water. What about Nazomi's gift?… She hadn't spoken about it…
Plus Zaado never did say what he had seen in the Ice Cave that had scared him so…
For now Hitomi let the unanswered items lay in the shadows. The three warriors had revealed a great deal in a single day. She did not need to push them. Besides in time she would know.
Softly the seeress looked over at the younger pair. Both had their heads bow with their hair hiding their eyes. Something about this made Hitomi uneasy. They seemed lost…
"So what are your stories?" came the rough voice of Zaado smarting the seeress out of her thoughts. The young queen looked over at the giant who was staring at Sian and Nembus. Gruffly the old man said, "Tell us your history."
Sian's jaw locked for a second and her hands became fists. Quietly she whispered, "It is not an easy story to tell…"
"So what?" retorted Tsuno angrily feeling somewhat betrayed, "We told our stories now speak of yours!"
"You don't understand…" she whispered hoarsely lifting her head. Nazomi gasped, as the other two warriors grew rigid. The forest warrior had tears streaming down her face as if a waterfall came from her silver eyes.
"It is hard for myself to even think about my past" Sian spoke lowly, "Let alone speak of it."
Nembus looked up slowly showing off tears twinkling in his own eyes, "I should know because I was part of her past even before we ever became guardians…"
"What?" exclaimed Zaado surprised.
Nazomi looked at them oddly, "You mean you knew each other before you became royal bodyguards??"
Both of the young fighters nodded solemnly. Hitomi looked at the pair silently thinking. The two couldn't speak of their pasts because it hurt them too much… though they wanted to tell it… Carefully the royal woman got up and stepped over to the two. The group watched the royal curiously wondering what she might do.
"Perhaps I can help…" Hitomi looked at the shocked pair as she calculated in her mind.
Sian looked at her queen numbly, "What can you do?"
"If you are unable to tell us your stories" she said quietly, "Perhaps I can help everyone see it through a vision…"
"A vision?" Nembus said uncertainly.
"But Hitomi you can't do that" Merle said doubtfully, "You've never been able to control your visions. They just… happen."
The seeress looked at the two warriors, "Maybe so, but I can sure as darn well try."
Slowly Hitomi reached out for the warriors' foreheads. Sian and Nembus on an unspoken command closed their eyes just before the pale fingers of their ruler brushed against their brows. A blinding light flew around the seeress and she gasped.
"Hitomi, what do you see?!" cried Van unable to see the light she saw.
The seeress blinked several times before closing her emeralds. Slowly a red and gold light surrounded her and shot out at each individual in the group. In a voice that echoed through the whiteness Hitomi said, "Watch and see…"
Abruptly each person occupying the small circle were tossed into the glowing vision as lone seers. Only Sian and Nembus kept their eyes closed as the vision progressed for the images set before their audience came from their thoughts.
~~~ Vision ~~~
A young girl no more than ten rotations stood in a small dirt ring with an old wooden fence acting as her boundaries. Her hair was of beautiful chocolate that was cut short. A nice green tunic was worn with clean white pants and black boots. In her hand was a small wooden sword. Her laughter echoed through the dream world as she swatted the pretend blade.
A man came into view suddenly. His eyes were a piercing gray and he had a distinctive mustache that hid his upper lip very well. His long chestnut hair with gray locks was pulled back in a ponytail. Dorn in a cream outfit and brown leather the man looked to be a proud figure. In his own hand was a sword similar to the girl's except much larger.
"Papa" the girl's sweet voice echoed, "How am I doing?"
The man smiled fondly, "For a girl who descends from the family of honors and warriors you are doing very well, Sara."
*Flash*
A tall man walked down an alley and heard the sound of an infant's wailing. Turning his eyes towards the sound the human discovered a small baby wrapped in a blanket hidden behind some of the trashcans. Startled by the discovery the man lifted the infant from its hiding place.
The man's blue eyes grew wide when he saw black empty ones open. Quietly the adult whispered, "Where are your parents, little one?"
The only answer that came was a new wailing. Glancing every which way for the orphan's parents the man said, "I wonder why you were left here?"
Smiling to the babe he whispered, "Don't worry. My wife would never mind it if I took you in. Besides we can't have children because she is barren. Perhaps the Gods have smiled on us with you…"
As he stepped out into the main street he never noticed the single feather lying in the mud…
*Flash*
The girl was about thirteen now and had a short ponytail as she held a large bow. "Papa" she said as she strung her weapon, "How long do you think it will take me to become one of the best fighters in the world."
"Many years" the man said now with more gray hair, "It takes time, practice, gift, and determination to become one of the greats. All of which you have."
The young lady look to the sky and asked quietly, "How long before the war is over?…"
He became sad at this and whispered, "Time can only tell, Sara. No one ever knows when a fray like this will end."
*Flash*
A boy with black hair raced over the rooftops. He hopped over the buildings laughing as he did, not even fearful to fall. Below a few spectators who roamed the market place gave a small smile or a suspicious glance. Coming to the end of the line of booths and houses the child leapt from the last building to the ground. A man nearby who was the soul spectator now of the child gasped. The drop was at least two hundred feet high!
Laughing happily the child released a pair of glowing wings that burst with pearly feathers. His descent slowed quickly and safely. Softly the youngster landed on the ground without a scratch and soon retracted his wings. The man who had witness the child's secret exposed stepped towards him. The boy's smile soon left as he noticed the man coming towards him.
Hanging his head guiltily he said, "Sorry, Papa…"
"What have I told you, Nicholas?" the man with dark gray hair asked sternly with arms cross and glancing around for other witnesses.
Ignoring his foster-father's actions the child repeated his father's rule, "Never show your wings in public."
"And why is that?" the man asked after searching the area.
Looking up sadly the boy said, "Because my wings scare humans making some of them want to hurt me."
"Yes" nodded the father, "It is especially important that you keep them hidden now during this war between our kinds. Showing off your heritage will not help people at all."
"I am so sorry, papa" the young one said with a few tears in his eyes.
The man smiled softly and knelt before his son. Ruffling the ebony hair of the youngster the parent whispered, "It's okay, son, but I'm just looking out for you. Your mother and I know that the humans don't like your kind much. Our species have become hateful and want to kill your people."
The boy stared at his father silently absorbing the information. Cocking his head to one side Nicholas asked, "Why is that, father?"
Sighing heavily the man began to walk home with his son in tow. Quietly the parent said, "Because sometimes people fear difference. Fear of others often leads to violence. When you're older you might understand this. For now, my son, keep your wings hidden."
"Yes, papa" the boy replied before taking his father's hand as they walked to the farm on the edge of town.
Never did they see the shadowy form disappear into the alleyway…
*Flash*
Somehow Nembus and Sian grew bolder with the images playing in their mind and slowly they began to narrate the visions.
Sian: "The year I turned sixteen, my village was attacked by an army of humans. My father being a great warrior led our town into the fray with my mother at his side. I was told to stay behind, but I was too thirsty for a battle to stay put…"
The young girl was older by three more rotations and laid flat on her stomach on top of a rooftop. Below in the village a vicious battle was taking place against angels and humans. Fire curled in battered buildings and smoke was pulled into the red sky. Sara shifted her bow as she reached in her quiver for an arrow. Aiming her weapon the youth released her arrow hitting her target sharply through his armor. Smirking the girl twirled her bow and readied another arrow.
Sian: "Unfortunately, we lost the battle and I watched as groups of angels were gathered into the center of town. I alone was overlooked."
The girl remained on the rooftop as flat as possible to keep from being seen. Several times men went under her spot and were never the wiser. Scanning the mass of men the youth tried to locate her family. It wasn't long before her father was pushed forward into the empty area of the center and placed before the commanding officer.
Sara growled as she saw a blade be dug into her father's neck. Tensely she stood on the roof forgetting about her safety. Down below the leader snarled, "Where are the other Draconian villages, old man?!"
Sara's father said nothing staying defiant. The commander was unimpressed, "Tell us where the queen has gone then?! Where is she hiding?!"
Sian: "You see during this time of the war as a last resort, Queen Iris decided to retreat to the Mystic Valley in hope of regrouping her forces. No one knew of the Mystic Valley."
Shakaku: "And all who approached the Mystic Valley and I would ward off. Making that a final option for them to leave the kingdom meant leaving their homelands in the hands of the humans."
Sian: "Yet, at this moment of the war the Queen was merely shifting about throughout our boundaries helping with the fighting. Rarely was she at the palace. Battles were constantly fought and our armies had become scattered. No human dared to enter the very heart of the kingdom for it was well guarded and plus, you had several lines of villages to go through before you even reached the Queen."
Sara's father squirmed under the sharp blade and growled, "I rather die then tell you!"
Angry at the man's defiance the leader reared his sword and shouted, "Then so be it!"
By this time Sara had had it! Her fingers clenched her bow dangerously and she swiftly leapt from the building shouting her warrior cry. Her shout caught the commander off guard and his strike came up short as he turned towards the noise, "What's that?!"
The army of humans swiveled about at her approach and abruptly she released her wings gliding a few feet over their heads. In shock by her arrival the men were motionless until she neared their commander. The general lifted his sword, but Sara was quicker and released an arrow straight at his heart. Sadly, the girl was off by an inch and just grazed a lung. The man howled as he collapsed onto the ground.
The second her feet touched down Sara swiftly tucked away her bow and pulled out a sword in one hand and a dagger in the other. Like the wind she rushed the group of humans striking down three males before the soldiers finally took action.
They were all around her grabbing for her wings and trying to stab her with their weapons. Torchers (guns that shot out fire) were unwise to use against her because she was in the middle of the crowd. They would easily kill one of their own men. Nimbly launching into the air the girl streaked down like lightning stabbing a man hard in the chest with her dagger. Leaving the blade embedded in the falling corpse the youth pulled another dagger from her belt that was almost identical to the first.
She had speed and fought with vicious attacks. Her evades were exceptional shocking the soldiers. How could a sixteen-year-old girl be so good at fighting? Landing back in the mist of the fighters Sara did an impressive twirl and kicked an attacker in the chest cracking ribs. This was her first battle with actual enemies and in her father's eyes she was doing very well… However, he noticed how outnumbered she was and the fact that she was slowing down. Sooner or later they would strike her down…
Rearing the legendary warrior of the Draconian race released his wings hitting several men away from him. Sara quickly turned to her father as he shouted, "Run, Sara! Get away from here!"
"But what about you?!" she cried desperately as she ran to him, unwilling to give up on her parent.
"Go, Sara! Listen to your father!" he exclaimed frantically as he fought off several soldiers, "It's too late for me! Go and live out your days! Take revenge for our people!"
Sara's eyes twinkled with tears as she stared at her father. Glancing around she noticed the multitude of fighter rallying and coming straight for her. There was no way she could defend herself from all of them. Whirling her face back to her father she saw him give a final plea, "GO!"
She hesitated for a mere second as she shakily watched her father disappeared into the monstrous fray. Seeing the soldiers growing closer the girl quickly turned around and raced for the tree-line…
*Flash*
Nicholas stood in the town square next to the center fountain. Around his neck was a rope tied so tight it nearly cut off his oxygen. A strong strip of fiber was tied around his wrists keeping his arms immobile. His clothes were tattered and tinted with blots of blood. He snarled as the holder of his bondage tugged on the rope while stepping before the crowd surrounding the two of them.
Raising one arm over his head the man shouted, "I bring before you my people a wolf hidden amongst our flock. Nicholas, son of Trabet, is not truly human!"
Mutters broke through the crowd and suspicious eyes stared at the youth who was no more than sixteen. The speaker smirked, "In fact this boy here is not even Trabet's son!"
More words were passed between the people as tension mounted. Nicholas growled under his breath as he glared at his captor's back.
Nembus: "For a long time my foster father kept the truth of my heritage hidden from the villagers, but one day I slipped up and someone witnessed my wings. For three years nothing happened until the war grew vicious and humans became savage against my kind. One day while I was running some last errands for my father in the village I was beaten and captured. In a matter of minutes the town was rallied and I was brought before them…"
The speaker waved his free arm at the angle youth as he continued to shout, "Years ago I saw this boy jump from a rooftop to the ground which was a two hundred foot drop!"
Anger began to simmer in the people's hearts as they began to put the puzzle together. Feeling the swell of victory in the air the man shouted dramatically, "Yes, my people. You have guessed why this boy who should be dead now stands before you with life running through his veins. It is because he had wings to glide him safely to the ground!"
Cries suddenly burst through the crowd and fingers were pointed at the quiet youth. Nicholas took a step back feeling dread take hold. This crowd was really growing ugly. The captor lifted the rope into the air in a tight fist and shouted, "What should be done with him, my people?!"
One within the crowd replied, "Stone him!"
The teen flinched slightly at this and grew very nervous. He suddenly wished he could wake from this nightmare. Glaring at him people began to pick up rocks from off the ground around them. Nicholas struggled against his bondage trying to escape, but it was hopeless…
*Flash*
Sara raced into the forest with some of the soldiers hot on her heels. Her tears trailed behind her sparkling the way to her. Though she could easily avoid them by flying away she feared their long distant weapons. Their guns were very accurate and she felt safer with close range battle. The men shouted at her tossing daggers and shooting arrows at her. Their guns were too heavy to use while running so the soldiers kept to their lighter weapons to Sara's liking.
Glancing one last time behind her Sara dove into the brush of shadows losing her captors easily. The men raced through the vegetation only to halt a few yards into it.
Where had the child disappear to?…
Abruptly one of the men fell to the ground dead with an arrow heavily embedded in his chest. The soldiers whirled around wildly looking for their attacker. Only the sound of rustling animals and quiet breeze met their ears. Shadows and moonlight were the only things their pupils reflected. Slowly the soldiers placed their backs to each other with their guns ready all the while keeping their senses on the alert…
This only frightened the men more. Silence only made them tenser and with each second their pounding hearts grew louder in their ears. Their weapons constantly edged this way and that looking for its hidden target.
When the twig snapped one of the men lost it and fired wildly at the direction of the sound. As the fire blasts were shot off in one direction searing several large bushes a shadow raced towards the circle from the opposite direction. The men who had been facing the direction of the shadow before was now trying to calm down his trigger-happy friend. Occupied with the circumstances he never saw the dagger even before it slit his throat.
Landing in the mist of them Sara knocked one of the males in the head with her bow knocking him out. Twirling around the girl counted who was left in a spilt second. There were three left. With perfect execution the skilled youth brought her foot beneath her opponent throwing him onto his back. Once he crashed onto the ground she quickly stabbed him in the heart killing him in seconds.
The other two hurried to shoot her, but she released her wings and zoomed into the branches. Several leaves floated down and the men quickly cocked their guns into their shoulders and fired rapidly. Golden fireballs struck through the branches and several of the limbs crashed down around the soldiers marking the damage. Soon they stopped their firing to see if they had hit their attacker. The moonlight streamed through a small hole the men had created and washed over their still forms.
Where was the girl?…
Their answer was quickly given as she streaked out of another portion of the branches and kicked one of them square in the chest. Ribs could be heard snapping and then puncturing the left lung as the man fell. Twirling in mid-air Sara threw one of her daggers at the other man hitting him right in the heart. Landing on a bent knee the girl waiting for her corpses to land. The bodies fell to the ground with a 'thud' and Sara eyed her work sadly. She never had killed anyone before and yet it had come so easy to her.
It usually was hard on a 'green' fighter when they made their first kill… and here she stood with five deaths on her hands and she wasn't even shaking…
A moan caught the girl's attention and she swiveled her silver jewels towards the man she had knocked unconscious. Quietly she muttered, "Make that four deaths…"
Walking to the groaning soldier Sara grabbed his collar and put her face into his angrily. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and she furiously shook him snarling, "Wake up, human!"
The shaking must have done the trick for he soon opened his eyes fearfully at her and pleaded weakly, "Don't kill me, please! I have a wife and children!"
Sara only grew madder at this and growled savagely, "And I had a father and a mother before you came here and destroyed my village!"
The man's eyes grew wide with fright as he stared at the young girl who held his life in her young hands. Snarling like a wild dog Sara glared at her captive thinking over what she would do with him. It only took a few seconds to decide…
"Because you showed my father no mercy" she exclaimed dramatically as she raised her dagger, "Then I won't show you any either!"
With a flash of her dagger the point of blade came down…
*Flash*
Nicholas tensed up as he saw the stones being pulled back.
"STOP!" came a frantic shout from the crowd's bellows, "PLEASE, DON'T!"
Out from the mass of people stumbled a man wearing fairly worn clothes with dirt staining the knees marking him as a hard labor man. His hair was a bit disheveled from his struggle to get to the front of the audience and once he came into the clearing their were many gasps.
The beaten youth gave a weak smile as he whispered out his hope, "Father…"
"Trabet!" cried the speaker disdainfully, "What are you doing?!"
Swiftly the man leapt in front of his only child stretching out his arms crying, "I won't let you kill him!"
Automatic cries came from the people as they lifted their hands grasping stones to shout:
"He is one of them!"
"The Draconian Demons are our enemies!"
"We must kill them all before they can destroy us!"
"What are you saying?!" Trabet shouting at his own people, "The Draconians have never done anything to us! They are a peaceful group of beings that have not once gone against our own race! Yet we are ready to slaughter them when they show they might be superior to us!"
Sadly, his words fell on deaf ears and soon uproar came. Stones were hurled at the two males. Trabet being in front of Nicholas got the brute of the assault, but was only given minor injuries. Cries from the crowd erupted again as more rocks were flung at them:
"How can you side with them?!"
"If you side with them you are against us!"
Trabet felt the pain of his villagers as the stones hit him hard. Behind him Nicholas watched in disbelief as his father sacrificed himself for him. Tears sprang from his eyes as he shouted desperately to his only living family, "No, Father! Don't do this!"
The man didn't seem to hear his child as he shouted again at the violent humans, "The Draconians are not our enemies! My son is the proof! He has never harmed any one of us no matter our blood!"
A heavy stone whizzed past the man's head and grazed his cheek pouring forth blood. Trabet dodged another rock making sure as it passed him that it didn't hit the youth behind him. Another larger stone came through the air and struck him hard in the chest knocking some of the air out of his lungs. Falling to one knee the man clutched his chest while taking small gasps. As another volley flew towards his son Trabet quickly jumped up shielded his boy from the violence.
Blood began to trickle down his body, but he didn't care. He had to protect the only child he had ever took care of… For a long time the man had struggled with the boy's heritage. Several years after he and his wife had claimed the orphaned child as their own Trabet finally saw the wings protruding from his foster child's back. He had fought with the rage of burning in his human blood for several years,… but every time he saw the boy's face… he lost his burning rage and felt a gently fondness for the youth… With time that feeling grew into the love relationship of family members bringing him closer to Nicholas…
Trabet learned that no matter who you were there was still a soul inside the body of an enemy. No matter what there could be good inside your enemy's heart. Watching over his son as the years progressed he decided it was time to tell Nicholas the truth. When he did reveal the heritage of his child Nicholas seemed unaffected by this. All his life he had been accepted by his parents as their own blood and humans had been kind to him, even though they were hostile towards Draconians. With the love of their family they grew closer forgetting the differences between them…
That's why Trabet was willing to protect his son through this execution… willing to suffer through the pain they wanted to inflict on his son… because he loved him…
*Flash*
Sian: "I remember very little of what happened after I killed those soldiers in the world… completing my first kills… My memory only started when I had stepped onto the red stained soil of my village…"
The stars in the heavens were beginning to fade as Sara stepped out of the forest. The blue blackness receded to allow the golden colors of the dawn to envelop the sky. Sara stumbled towards the ruins that were once known as her home feeling numb as she walked. Her clothes were ripped in several places dotted with blood of her enemy and the soil of the earth. The only injury she wore was the sleep deprivation in her eyes.
The coals simmered in the dawn and smoke curled from the remains of the town. The intruders were gone and the battle had ended finally,… but with a price… Laid sprawled out in the twist of the rubble were hundreds of bodies… From women to men… to elders to children… From parents to offspring… None had been spared… Only one had survived… and she had been destroyed, too…
Sara walked through the town as if in a trance… Every face she saw was marked in her memory as she scanned the mass of bloody corpses… Faces of her dear friends and schoolmates didn't even make her wince… Her heart was dying… Coming to the center of the town she saw the array of twisting figures laid out of the ground. Amongst them laid the soul being she was searching for…
Her father…
*Flash*
Nicholas strained against his bondage screaming to his father desperately as he did. Trabet slowly fell back as the last of the bombardment ended… As he dropped to the ground he caught a glimpse of his son's face dripping with tears. As the internal bleeding took place inside his body killing him and causing him great pain the man whispered one final phrase that forever remained buried in the youth's heart, "I love you,… my son…"
The body of the human crumbled onto the earth and the waves of stones came to a halt as the people stared at what they had done. One of their own laid dead on the ground because of them… The speaker dropped the rope in shock allowing the youth to loosen it into his escape.
Nicholas threw down the rope frantically and raced for his father. Kneeling at the bloody form the youth gently took the man in his arms. Silently the audience watched still numb with the consequences. Bringing a hand to stroke the bloody face the youth whispered, "No…"
*Flash*
As she walked towards the person she had always looked up to the girl felt her fatigue take over. Sara stumbled the rest of the way to her father and landed hard in the dirt yards away from his still form. Crawling the last few feet to his side the daughter of a mighty legend grieved for her father…
Her shoulders began to shake gently as tears and sobs erupted from her body. She had waited till she had reached him to cry the tears she had held back when she had passed the forms of her love ones. Her young, yet bloody fingers, curled around the dead man's hand clenching it snuggly.
Slowly Sara brought the palm of her father's hand to her face. She flinched at its coldness at first, but soon buried her teary eyes in the lines of blood. Tears dripped and mingled with the blood as she furiously searched for the life the hand once held. Gradually the hand slipped from her grasp falling dead to the owner's side. Letting the sea of salt droplets stream down her cheeks the girl lifted her head to the heavens that not glowed with gold colors of the dawn and cried out, "FATHER!"
*Flash*
"FATHER!" Nicholas cried as clutched his dead parent to his chest. For seven years since his foster mother had died he had become extremely close to his father. His major dependence of life was clinging to his parent. As his age progressed his hold on the male figure of the family became less and less until he barely held the man's hand any longer… his fingers barely touched the other's skin… Unfortunately the moment the father began to be taken away from the youth Nicholas took hold of his parent's arm clinging to it as if it were its life jacket while he was left in the sea in the middle of a storm.
As the crowd watched the boy embraced the dead corpse a round of silence came following by the deep sobs of the youth. Gradually his shoulders began to shake with sharp, jerky motions. With his head hanging down his bangs fell over his face blocking the view of his emotions from the crowd.
When his sobs became dark laughter though the audience became very nervous shifting a few steps back. Slowly Nicholas lifted his eyes letting the people see his face. His eyes that had once been soft were sharp like daggers and burning with fire. As his fingers dug into the dead body of his dead family the youth whispered darkly, "For the murder of my father I shall claim justice!"
Nembus: "In those few moments my heart shattered and my morality snapped in two…"
Mysteriously a cold wind swirled around the boy and the father causing the world to flutter. The dust swirled around the youth in a majestic circle as Nicholas began to shout, "No more crimes will I let you commit! The race of humans is evil, barbaric people that shall be ELIMINATED!"
Abruptly after he said those words the wind of cold air blast outwards in all directions with immeasurable force.
*Flash*
Sara stood over her father and mother's graves numbly looking at them. The dawn had already come and gone and the barest twinkles of the twilight had begun. All that day the youth had spent burying her love ones living her parents as the last two. As she stood there she clutched her bow tightly in her fist. Quietly she turned away from the mounds she had created in the very heart of the destroyed town making sure to carve in the hardening clay the names of the two bodies left there. Heavily her foots fell as the moonlight began to cast its illumination on the exiting girl.
Silently the girl fingered the weapons she had taken from the town's remains. A long sword was kept on the left side of her belt while two daggers were strapped to the crossing strap of her quiver going over her chest. Three other daggers were snug on the right side of her belt letting their hilts gleam. In a small pouch next to her scarab was a clutter of star shaped steel pieces that could fly through the air like frisbees cutting most objects with its sharp points and edges. Last was a pair of daggers tucked into holders on each boot she wore. Heavily armed and well train the girl was a perfect assassin, but more or less she was not. In her eyes she was the executioner,… the one who killed people for their crimes…
Sian: "That day… a battle was fought in a small town,… but in the following day another similar battle was fought… a battle between an individual and their soul… I rushed into battle a mere girl,… but after the end of it all I walk out a war woman bent on taking revenge for the crimes against my people. That night, I became the Huntress… the one who preys on the darkness of others… and executes the criminals…"
"With that lodged in my mind I disappeared into the shadows of the vegetation never to be seen for several years. It was then that I became the dark monster that roamed the royal forest, which stretched out many miles. I was know as the 'Shadow' who killed at such speed and surprise that you never got to see who was attacking you before it was too late. For two years I dwelt there slaughtering any humans that dare cross into my territory…"
*Flash*
Nicholas stood in the center of the debris gazing over the destruction with a dark smirk. Nothing stood for at least ten miles for everything had been leveled in that radius by the dark wind that had suddenly struck out. All that was left was even rubble…
Carefully the youth lifted himself onto his feet cradling his father's body in his arms. Firmly he walked out of the debris with a deep scowl marking his face. With the approaching night the man buried his father on a small hill on the outskirts of what use to be a town. Clutching his father's sword at his side the youth who was now a man left the scene with a dark heart.
That was a day the humans created a second monster that would plague their lives…
Nembus: "After that day I ran amuck murdering humans left and right. My soul sought for the revenge of my father's death and not a single day went by when I did not think of it. My own mind was tormented with the scene of my father dying slowly before the crowd. I traveled the globe searching out my enemies and slaughtering them as if they were nothing. With my killings my skill grew and soon I became a great, but deadly warrior…"
*Flash*
A group of soldier burst through the vegetation disappearing into the ruff. Amongst them was a beautiful woman with long chocolate hair that was placed into a large bun with a single braid coming from the center of the tangled orb. All of the people there were dressed in white armor with silver mail and wore the golden emblem of the Draconians on their chests.
With a roar another group enter the line of vision chasing after the white soldiers. These people were dressed in silver armor and mail with red trim and symbol of varies nations on their chests. It was another fight between the humans and the angels…
The brunette angel woman who appeared to be the leader cried out for her group to scattered hoping to lose their enemies. Automatically the angel folk divided off with the woman going off with three soldiers. The humans quickly separated also showing they outnumbered the Draconians.
Above a lone figure studied the way the groups went with eyes that twinkled in the shadows. A limb yawned as the being leapt to another tree disappearing into the depths of the dimness…
The brunette leader glanced over her shoulder mentally counting off the men chasing her and her guards. Snarling she shouted to her second-in-command, "They outnumber us three to one, general."
A blonde warrior with green eyes and scar on his cheek nodded as he raced through the forest, "Yes, that means we have little chance of surviving a fray. Hopefully we will lose a few of them before we reach the check point station."
Lady Iris dodged a low limb before muttering, "Darn the humans for attacking us in the forest. If we had clear shot at the sky we might have been able to get high enough to escape their weapons, but the branches lie in our path. It takes to long to get by and sometimes one grows tangled amongst them. We must rely on our speed today."
"Yes" nodded the general stumbling over a root a moment before regaining his footing, "Unfortunately, though the humans are not relatively fast they are more experienced to running along the earth especially in such tight areas."
Suddenly the Draconians came into a small clearing where the branches block the sky, but the trunks gave enough room for them to span out. Queen Iris and her group raced for the other side, but were met with several soldiers in silver. Sliding to a stop the woman glared at her opponents on both side and growled at her lack of observation. Half of the humans that had been following them had circled in front of them.
"Darn!" the royal hissed as the guards circled about her to protect their queen.
The leader of the humans sneered at his catch and began to advance saying, "We have caught the Mighty Queen of the Draconians!"
There were a few shouts of victory as the royal angel snarled, "We shall never surrender! I will fight to the death before I let you take me or my followers!"
With a shrug the other leader replied, "So be it. I prefer killing you anyway."
Slowly the humans began to advance and the angels shifted their weight as they took fighting stances, however both sides froze as a cry sounded in the forest air. All heads looked up as the warrior shout echoed in the corners of the vegetation.
One of the human soldiers gave a low cry to his commander, "We should leave here, sir. This forest is said to be haunted."
The leader snorted angrily at his fighter, "Keep your wits, soldier. That's just superstition. All that junk about the 'Shadow' is untrue."
Even as he said those words though the commander clutched his sword a little tighter. All of the occupants of the clearing grew tense even after the cry faded into the background. Their eyes darted back and forth gazing deep into the shadows looking for the speaker.
Abruptly a shadow darted from the treetops landing squarely between two of the humans. With graceful agility the blurry figure kicked one hard in the head knocking him out while then coming into a weird form of handstand to knock the other in the chin. Everyone gasped as they heard the man's lower jaw shatter. As both men flew through the air the attacker dashed back into the maze of branches and out of sight.
The sides began to shake at the stranger's quick strikes watching the two men fall to the ground in pain. One of the humans cried, "It's 'Shadow'!"
Snarling the commander snapped, "Shut up, man! Keep your sanity in check! If this 'Shadow' person is alive then he must be mortal! Surely we can take his very life!"
Before anyone could reply to their leader the figure appeared again this time only a few feet away from the human commander. The man swung frantically with his sword, but the attacker was swift. Dodging the blade all together the stranger leapt over the man's head and used his back as a send off as the blur leapt towards the other silver soldiers. The men readied their weapons as the dark figure flew through the air on invisible wings. As she reached the peak of her jump she suddenly through back her arm releasing dozens of metal stars. The sharp discs whizzed through the air and embedded themselves in men's flesh easily with fatal consequences. Three fell dead.
With that the stranger once again disappeared. The commander snarled as he saw that a fourth of his soldiers had been taken out in mere seconds. Darting his eyes every which way the man held his weapon readied. His men were becoming skittish as they nervously edged for the trees. Seeing their retreat the leader barked, "Hold your ground, men! If you want to survive you have a better chance here together or he'll pick us off one by one out in the forest!"
One of the men who stood nearby hissed fearfully, "Pardon me, sir, but he's doing a pretty good job of that already."
On the other side of the clearing the angels shifted tensely also eyeing for the attacker. The guards wondered if they would be struck next as they waiting for the next appearance of the stranger. The second-in-command quietly whispered over his shoulder, "Queen Iris, do you think it would be wise to escape into the forest now while the humans are distracted."
The ruler narrowed her emeralds on the men ahead as she locked her jaw tightly, "No, I've heard stories of this being known as 'Shadow'. He is said to have dwelt here many years, but it has only been the last few rotations that he has killed all whose come into this section of the royal forest... I thought they were only stories…"
Green eyes grew distant as she thought of the situation carefully, "To run from him will only attract him to us. For now he seems more interested in killing the humans. Besides if we should race into the trees he shall have the upper hand. I've heard he can race through the thicket faster then we can fly and from the looks of it his skill is very impressive. I'm sure he can fight very well in narrow places while we can barely hold our on. It's best to stay in the clearing…"
"Should we attack it?" asked one of the other guards nervously.
"No" Iris replied quietly, "Might make him switch his focus of violence onto us if we don't. Best sit and wait, but keep ready."
Suddenly the figure dashed out of the underbrush startling the sides for they had thought the attacker was still in the treetops. Gracefully the stranger rushed the nearest human stabbing him in the chest. Leaving the blade in the silver soldier the blur ran towards the next victim slicing a deep gash across his chest with its sword. The soldier that had had his jaw shattered stumbled into a stand. With perfect execution the attacker flipped over the man landing just behind him. Before one could blink the man's throat was cut and the stranger gone.
The commander growled as he saw the next group die. Angrily the leader shouted, "Blast it! Where are you?! What are you?!"
A dark laugh echoed through the treetops causing a chill to run up the spine of each who heard it. With shadows plaguing the speaker's voice the stranger hissed, "I'm here… I'm here… Among my dwellings… I am the one known as 'Shadow' that hides in your fears and strikes out in your panic. Usually my prey is far clever than what is set before me today. Come now, general, try to stop me…"
Another round of echoing laughter as the figure dropped from the heavy limbs and charged two soldiers. With a gleam of the stranger's weapons two daggers were quickly stabbed into the men's hearts. Twisting its body in the air the shadowy blur dug her heels into the man's shoulder. Before he fell flat on the ground the figure pushed off and crunched a heel into his chest. A sickening crunch of ribs erupted as one of the bones stabbed his heart.
With a silent flip the stranger dove once again into the vines and branches disappearing. Glancing about you could see that there were only two humans and the commander left. Nervously the remaining soldiers shifted the weight on their feet while warily watching the darkness. Even the wind grew still as the tension grew. Where was he now?…
Suddenly a figure deposited herself into the center of the clearing letting the barest hints of the moonlight touched her form. Vines and patches of vegetation could be seen worn over the stranger's clothes as the figure stood there. Body paint was marked all over her body and her face was shadowed. Who was this person?…
In seconds the 'Shadow' was on the other side of the clearing with two dead soldiers at his feet. The figure was deep in the shadows when she turned to face the only remaining human. The commander gasped and began to step back. Now what?…
Before the human could take a mad dash for the trees Shadow spoke darkly, "If you dare to run, general, I suggest you don't for I will not let you escape…"
Glaring at his mysterious attacker the commander shouted in a rage, "Then fight me, 'Shadow,' and let me see your true skill!"
A smirk came on the hidden figure's face before she suddenly disappeared. She moved so fast that she almost was invisible to the naked eye, yet you could here the wind whistle as she sped through the clearing. Suddenly she was behind him and on reflex he swept his sword backwards. A gleam of silver and Shadow's sword locked with the officer. They shoved against each other for a second before the stranger backed off making the general stumble forward.
Leaping into the moonlight the figure suddenly allowed the illumination of the night to unmask herself. One could see that the being was actually female. Covered in green rags that were too small for the stranger the figure had vines intertwined around her limbs. Mud and green paint was pasted to her skin with black lines drawn under both of her silver eyes. A fur from some beast was draped over her back with part of it constructed into a pair of boots. Daggers were tucked in several leather scarabs over her body and she wore a large quiver that was closed shut for now with a small rope. A sword, metal stars, and a bow were the last of her weapons. While she hung in the air for that brief moment she looked much like a jungle hunter or wild girl.
In that small fraction of a second the general's eyes widen with surprise as he whispered, "You're a woman!…"
Sara released a warrior cry as she flew down from the air. Too stun by the new fact the commander was unable to block her attack in time. It didn't matter she wasn't trying to kill him with the attack. Sweeping her blade mystically his own sword flew from his hand landing somewhere in the shadows. Next came a sharp heel to his right shoulder making him twist and fall on his face. Sara narrowed her eyes on the man's back before once again moving faster than one could see. Soon she held the man's collar in a tight fist and as she held him just high enough so his feet couldn't touch the ground. Snarling like a wild animal the forest woman threw a punch at his face and he flew back as she let go of his collar.
Time slowed for a split second as the soldier of high status fell. To all who saw the event were unable to see the woman move, but if one could control time and slow the speed a bit you would have seen something miraculous. As the man fell at an extremely slow rate Sara moved to his side swiftly at a much higher rate of speed. With a gentle twirl of her body the woman delivered a heavy kick to his back sending him flying once again, this time forward.
The angels blinked as they watched the man be punch in one direction and suddenly fly towards the other direction. Each guard gaped as they saw the woman blur race throughout the clearing nearly losing sight of her one or more time. Queen Iris who stood behind her three chosen warriors watched over their shoulders with her emeralds narrowing, almost as if she could see everything that was happening.
Sara took her placed in front of the man flying towards her and took a step to one side. As his slow form began to pass her she brought an elbow into his stomach knocking him to the ground. There he laid in a fetal position coughing rapidly. Thunderclouds flickered in the woman's hard eyes as she glared down at him. Her fingers tightened around the hilt of her sword as she raised it in the air.
The commander frantically coughed out, "No, please!--*cough*-- Mercy, I beg you!"
A hard growl came Sara as she slightly eased up. Angrily the wild girl snarled, "Did you show mercy when you attacked this group?! Or when your kind leveled Draconian cities?!"
He looked up weakly at his attacker with pain etched in his expression, but she didn't quit; in fact she began to shout out, "You invaded town after town burning down homes and murdering poor innocent people. You and your kind have slaughtered hundreds in the last three years alone though the war has started long before! The body count has gone beyond our perspective! How many more must suffer before you show us mercy?!"
Saying nothing the general just stared up at his opponent unable to say anything. Tensing up again Sara proclaimed sharply in a phrase similar of which she had spoken years ago, "You have not once shown mercy on the Draconians thus I show you none either!"
With a shout of effort the blade came down and the commander cried out in fear.
"WAIT!" came a shrill voice.
The point of the mighty sword came to a mere inch before the man's nose as Sara looked over at the speaker. The young queen stood in front of her guards now after she had pushed them out of the way to stop the forest woman. Iris quietly said to Shadow, "Please, spare him…"
For a second the wild woman could only stare at the royal…
"What?!" Sara shouted after she had come over her shock, "You want me to let this scum live even though he and his kind are the direct cause for this war?!"
Closing her eyes silently the royal whispered, "Yes…"
The forest warrior snarled angrily as she glared down at her prey, "Why?! By all rites this man should have his throat slit, his blood drained, and his flesh left for the birds to pick at!"
"Perhaps" Queen Iris spoke wisely, "But I will not allow this to go further. I will not let you or my kind go down to the humans' level. We shall show mercy when they do not."
Sara angrily hissed, "I have learned, lady, that it's an eye for an eye. I slaughter every human for every Draconian that was killed."
"You twist words, stranger" replied Iris sharply, "That ancient phrase means that for every strike you get offer your opponent another strike at you for if you lash out you only become what they are. Do not succumb to the hate in your heart."
"Sorry" replied the woman mysteriously in a low voice, "But you're too late for that."
Iris quickly begged, "Than do this on the request of a Draconian. I ask you to spare him for me."
Sara twitched momentarily caught between decisions. She could not back down from murdering him for just any one,… but for a Draconian… the queen… just maybe… Gradually the female backed off the fallen man with an angry growl. Weakly the general stumbled to his feet and raced towards the trees disappearing in the darkness. For a few minutes Sara quickly tuned in the man footsteps making sure he was leaving and not returning to attack. After his steps grew so distant in her ears that she had to strain to hear them she turned to the four angels. They stared at one another curiously before Sara turned away and headed towards one of the dead soldiers.
"Who are you?" demanded the second-in-command sharply as he eyed the woman as she pulled her dagger from the corpse's chest.
"Does it matter?" Sara replied uninterestedly as she proceeded to another dead body to retrieve another dagger. The blood of their enemies dripped from the blade and the girl began to rub dirt over the dagger rubbing off the red on it.
"It matters" the queen spoke quietly, "I could jail you or possibly punish you for the things you've done today."
Sara laughed, a real laugh, before chuckling, "You would jail a woman who saved all your lives?… Besides, milady, do you think you could even catch me."
The two females stared at one another for seconds before the younger woman of the forest whispered, "My name is Shadow."
"Your true name?" Iris claimed sarcastically as her emeralds caught on the moonlight. The girl shifted stiffly as she sized up the group. She really didn't enjoy becoming personal with these strangers no matter who they were. Fidgeting occasionally as she eyed them Sara began to drift towards the trees.
"Please, don't leave!" cried Iris as she realized what the woman was doing, "I want to know who you are."
Hesitating for only a mere breathe Sara raced into the forest vanishing in seconds…
*Flash*
A camp of soldiers was out in the middle of the field at night. Rays of the moon blended with the illumination of the fires set out the tents. The humans laughed heartily as they ate their suppers forgetting the war for a moment. Shadows danced with the flickering flames along the creamy tent flaps. Only a scant few of the military residing there (only the highest commanding ones) were occupied in the main tent discussing war tactics and strategies.
On the roll of the field where the darkness bordered stood a lone figure almost invisible to the world. The guards on watch never noticed the stranger as they gazed over the land lazily. Silently the figure stepped forward as suddenly a monstrous wind blew across the field. The abrupt force of air snuffed out the numerous fires startling the men into tense surprise.
Soldiers swore loudly and others fearful warnings of superstitious curses as the field grew dark. Only the rays of the moon lit the land forcing the men to slowly regain their sight. Abruptly the leaders burst from their tent as the wind grew a bit stronger. The force of air was so powerful that several soldiers fell to the ground as tents were swept into the sky. Howls of astonishment were heard as the dark figure was suddenly noticed.
It was a young man with dark garments over him. Heavy ebony armor draped over his body gleamed in the starlight marking his strength. Only some of the strongest men could wear such weighed down armor. Spiky ebony hair reached down to his shoulders and swayed in the wind nimbly like razors. Empty eyes of pure hatred burned in the reflection of the moon. In one hand was a glorious sword that was marked with various symbols on its hilts; all of which were Draconian.
One of the men catching sight of the symbols quickly cried, "He's Draconian!"
Cries of astonishment quickly came and the crowd grew tense. This was their target: the angel people who were considered demons to most of Gaea. For years these people had been the cause of a war;… at least in the humans' eyes. The men snarled as the figure began to stride towards them. Angrily soldiers rushed him feeling nothing, but rage for the accused monster. Weapons were raised violently as the army surged forward.
Yet, as the dozens of warriors charged towards him the stranger did not flinch. He seemed unafraid of the approaching danger. His eyes of darkness suddenly narrowed and momentarily glowed soft lavender before the wind grew unexpectedly fierce. The currents of air were so powerful that it threw half the crowd back from him and into the heavens the remaining tents standing went. Sharp stakes that had held the tents into the ground became suddenly airborne flying at the soldiers dangerously. With a flick of the stranger's wrist the wind's currents changed directions. Abruptly the air twirled around the pointed stakes sending the deadly weapons at several humans. Cries came as flesh was punctured and men died. Slowly the crowd was cut in half…
Gradually the shadowy figure of the night made it to the large audience with his blade tightly clasped in his hand. The men grew tense as the wind swirled as gentle as a breeze now. The leaders of the infantry suddenly shouted, "Attack!"
There was, but a few seconds of hesitation before the men roared with rage for the death of their comrades. Charging the crowd surged forward on the lone man, not even making the stranger flinch in fear. The invader's eyes flickered lavender and an abrupt air pocket knocked the front line back twenty feet taking several of the other soldiers behind them along. Tensely the man stood knowing now he would have to resort to more physical fighting.
His blade twirled once as he came into a fighting stance. Tonight there would be many deaths,… but not one would be his…
With agile grace and powerful strength the invader dove into the chaos of soldiers striking them down wildly and swift. In minutes a full dozen was laid out on the ground motionless in their own blood. The man was quick and when he struck he made the blow fatal. He knew when to strike… how to strike… and how to evade… It's like the old saying goes… Fly like a butterfly and sting like a wasp…
Before the delicious rays of the morn reached the highest peak of Gaea the whole camp was left in waste. The only survivor of the battle was the single being who had started the fray… Nicholas…
~That's it?! Isn't there more to Nembus and Sian?! You bet there is! There was so much to include in their story that I had to continue it in another chapter. Any way in the next part of our story Sian reveals how she first met Nembus and how she became so close to Queen Iris. Also the friendship of our two warriors is suddenly put under the microscope as the group realizes there more between them then one could ever surmise! Next chapter I hope to get out in the next week -- "Chapter 24: First Sight"~
~PLEASE I BEG YOU ALL WHO READ THIS STORY OF MINE! TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! I KNOW RIGHT NOW IT'S KINDA BORING, BUT I PROMISE IT'S GOING TO GET EXCITING AFTER THIS NEXT CHAPTER! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!~
~I'm so glad the sites back up! I've been waiting forever to update!!!~
The Fate of Two Worlds: The Sequel
By Angel_Wings
Chapter 23 ~ Intertwined Paths
~~~ Dusty Plain ~~~
Tsuno sat down next to his two old friends with a haunted face like both of the other speakers. The rest of the group was quiet after hearing the past of the first three. Hitomi stared at the three elder warriors in disbelief. To think those three had gone through that…
Zaado had been forced to kill his own parents because they had turned out to be traitors to the Draconians…
Nazomi had seen her husband killed before her eyes by humans and then accidentally killed a small child…
Tsuno had run away from home when he had become a young teen and one day faced a human military ship. Trying to defeat his enemy with his powers caused drastic consequences that not only kill the humans, but also killed his own crew…
Not one of them held any warm feelings for the humans. For a long time they had kept hate against the being because of what they had gone through. Still things were unclear to Hitomi…
Zaado had said his power was of forming ice even during the hottest of circumstances while Tsuno had told them he could control water. What about Nazomi's gift?… She hadn't spoken about it…
Plus Zaado never did say what he had seen in the Ice Cave that had scared him so…
For now Hitomi let the unanswered items lay in the shadows. The three warriors had revealed a great deal in a single day. She did not need to push them. Besides in time she would know.
Softly the seeress looked over at the younger pair. Both had their heads bow with their hair hiding their eyes. Something about this made Hitomi uneasy. They seemed lost…
"So what are your stories?" came the rough voice of Zaado smarting the seeress out of her thoughts. The young queen looked over at the giant who was staring at Sian and Nembus. Gruffly the old man said, "Tell us your history."
Sian's jaw locked for a second and her hands became fists. Quietly she whispered, "It is not an easy story to tell…"
"So what?" retorted Tsuno angrily feeling somewhat betrayed, "We told our stories now speak of yours!"
"You don't understand…" she whispered hoarsely lifting her head. Nazomi gasped, as the other two warriors grew rigid. The forest warrior had tears streaming down her face as if a waterfall came from her silver eyes.
"It is hard for myself to even think about my past" Sian spoke lowly, "Let alone speak of it."
Nembus looked up slowly showing off tears twinkling in his own eyes, "I should know because I was part of her past even before we ever became guardians…"
"What?" exclaimed Zaado surprised.
Nazomi looked at them oddly, "You mean you knew each other before you became royal bodyguards??"
Both of the young fighters nodded solemnly. Hitomi looked at the pair silently thinking. The two couldn't speak of their pasts because it hurt them too much… though they wanted to tell it… Carefully the royal woman got up and stepped over to the two. The group watched the royal curiously wondering what she might do.
"Perhaps I can help…" Hitomi looked at the shocked pair as she calculated in her mind.
Sian looked at her queen numbly, "What can you do?"
"If you are unable to tell us your stories" she said quietly, "Perhaps I can help everyone see it through a vision…"
"A vision?" Nembus said uncertainly.
"But Hitomi you can't do that" Merle said doubtfully, "You've never been able to control your visions. They just… happen."
The seeress looked at the two warriors, "Maybe so, but I can sure as darn well try."
Slowly Hitomi reached out for the warriors' foreheads. Sian and Nembus on an unspoken command closed their eyes just before the pale fingers of their ruler brushed against their brows. A blinding light flew around the seeress and she gasped.
"Hitomi, what do you see?!" cried Van unable to see the light she saw.
The seeress blinked several times before closing her emeralds. Slowly a red and gold light surrounded her and shot out at each individual in the group. In a voice that echoed through the whiteness Hitomi said, "Watch and see…"
Abruptly each person occupying the small circle were tossed into the glowing vision as lone seers. Only Sian and Nembus kept their eyes closed as the vision progressed for the images set before their audience came from their thoughts.
~~~ Vision ~~~
A young girl no more than ten rotations stood in a small dirt ring with an old wooden fence acting as her boundaries. Her hair was of beautiful chocolate that was cut short. A nice green tunic was worn with clean white pants and black boots. In her hand was a small wooden sword. Her laughter echoed through the dream world as she swatted the pretend blade.
A man came into view suddenly. His eyes were a piercing gray and he had a distinctive mustache that hid his upper lip very well. His long chestnut hair with gray locks was pulled back in a ponytail. Dorn in a cream outfit and brown leather the man looked to be a proud figure. In his own hand was a sword similar to the girl's except much larger.
"Papa" the girl's sweet voice echoed, "How am I doing?"
The man smiled fondly, "For a girl who descends from the family of honors and warriors you are doing very well, Sara."
*Flash*
A tall man walked down an alley and heard the sound of an infant's wailing. Turning his eyes towards the sound the human discovered a small baby wrapped in a blanket hidden behind some of the trashcans. Startled by the discovery the man lifted the infant from its hiding place.
The man's blue eyes grew wide when he saw black empty ones open. Quietly the adult whispered, "Where are your parents, little one?"
The only answer that came was a new wailing. Glancing every which way for the orphan's parents the man said, "I wonder why you were left here?"
Smiling to the babe he whispered, "Don't worry. My wife would never mind it if I took you in. Besides we can't have children because she is barren. Perhaps the Gods have smiled on us with you…"
As he stepped out into the main street he never noticed the single feather lying in the mud…
*Flash*
The girl was about thirteen now and had a short ponytail as she held a large bow. "Papa" she said as she strung her weapon, "How long do you think it will take me to become one of the best fighters in the world."
"Many years" the man said now with more gray hair, "It takes time, practice, gift, and determination to become one of the greats. All of which you have."
The young lady look to the sky and asked quietly, "How long before the war is over?…"
He became sad at this and whispered, "Time can only tell, Sara. No one ever knows when a fray like this will end."
*Flash*
A boy with black hair raced over the rooftops. He hopped over the buildings laughing as he did, not even fearful to fall. Below a few spectators who roamed the market place gave a small smile or a suspicious glance. Coming to the end of the line of booths and houses the child leapt from the last building to the ground. A man nearby who was the soul spectator now of the child gasped. The drop was at least two hundred feet high!
Laughing happily the child released a pair of glowing wings that burst with pearly feathers. His descent slowed quickly and safely. Softly the youngster landed on the ground without a scratch and soon retracted his wings. The man who had witness the child's secret exposed stepped towards him. The boy's smile soon left as he noticed the man coming towards him.
Hanging his head guiltily he said, "Sorry, Papa…"
"What have I told you, Nicholas?" the man with dark gray hair asked sternly with arms cross and glancing around for other witnesses.
Ignoring his foster-father's actions the child repeated his father's rule, "Never show your wings in public."
"And why is that?" the man asked after searching the area.
Looking up sadly the boy said, "Because my wings scare humans making some of them want to hurt me."
"Yes" nodded the father, "It is especially important that you keep them hidden now during this war between our kinds. Showing off your heritage will not help people at all."
"I am so sorry, papa" the young one said with a few tears in his eyes.
The man smiled softly and knelt before his son. Ruffling the ebony hair of the youngster the parent whispered, "It's okay, son, but I'm just looking out for you. Your mother and I know that the humans don't like your kind much. Our species have become hateful and want to kill your people."
The boy stared at his father silently absorbing the information. Cocking his head to one side Nicholas asked, "Why is that, father?"
Sighing heavily the man began to walk home with his son in tow. Quietly the parent said, "Because sometimes people fear difference. Fear of others often leads to violence. When you're older you might understand this. For now, my son, keep your wings hidden."
"Yes, papa" the boy replied before taking his father's hand as they walked to the farm on the edge of town.
Never did they see the shadowy form disappear into the alleyway…
*Flash*
Somehow Nembus and Sian grew bolder with the images playing in their mind and slowly they began to narrate the visions.
Sian: "The year I turned sixteen, my village was attacked by an army of humans. My father being a great warrior led our town into the fray with my mother at his side. I was told to stay behind, but I was too thirsty for a battle to stay put…"
The young girl was older by three more rotations and laid flat on her stomach on top of a rooftop. Below in the village a vicious battle was taking place against angels and humans. Fire curled in battered buildings and smoke was pulled into the red sky. Sara shifted her bow as she reached in her quiver for an arrow. Aiming her weapon the youth released her arrow hitting her target sharply through his armor. Smirking the girl twirled her bow and readied another arrow.
Sian: "Unfortunately, we lost the battle and I watched as groups of angels were gathered into the center of town. I alone was overlooked."
The girl remained on the rooftop as flat as possible to keep from being seen. Several times men went under her spot and were never the wiser. Scanning the mass of men the youth tried to locate her family. It wasn't long before her father was pushed forward into the empty area of the center and placed before the commanding officer.
Sara growled as she saw a blade be dug into her father's neck. Tensely she stood on the roof forgetting about her safety. Down below the leader snarled, "Where are the other Draconian villages, old man?!"
Sara's father said nothing staying defiant. The commander was unimpressed, "Tell us where the queen has gone then?! Where is she hiding?!"
Sian: "You see during this time of the war as a last resort, Queen Iris decided to retreat to the Mystic Valley in hope of regrouping her forces. No one knew of the Mystic Valley."
Shakaku: "And all who approached the Mystic Valley and I would ward off. Making that a final option for them to leave the kingdom meant leaving their homelands in the hands of the humans."
Sian: "Yet, at this moment of the war the Queen was merely shifting about throughout our boundaries helping with the fighting. Rarely was she at the palace. Battles were constantly fought and our armies had become scattered. No human dared to enter the very heart of the kingdom for it was well guarded and plus, you had several lines of villages to go through before you even reached the Queen."
Sara's father squirmed under the sharp blade and growled, "I rather die then tell you!"
Angry at the man's defiance the leader reared his sword and shouted, "Then so be it!"
By this time Sara had had it! Her fingers clenched her bow dangerously and she swiftly leapt from the building shouting her warrior cry. Her shout caught the commander off guard and his strike came up short as he turned towards the noise, "What's that?!"
The army of humans swiveled about at her approach and abruptly she released her wings gliding a few feet over their heads. In shock by her arrival the men were motionless until she neared their commander. The general lifted his sword, but Sara was quicker and released an arrow straight at his heart. Sadly, the girl was off by an inch and just grazed a lung. The man howled as he collapsed onto the ground.
The second her feet touched down Sara swiftly tucked away her bow and pulled out a sword in one hand and a dagger in the other. Like the wind she rushed the group of humans striking down three males before the soldiers finally took action.
They were all around her grabbing for her wings and trying to stab her with their weapons. Torchers (guns that shot out fire) were unwise to use against her because she was in the middle of the crowd. They would easily kill one of their own men. Nimbly launching into the air the girl streaked down like lightning stabbing a man hard in the chest with her dagger. Leaving the blade embedded in the falling corpse the youth pulled another dagger from her belt that was almost identical to the first.
She had speed and fought with vicious attacks. Her evades were exceptional shocking the soldiers. How could a sixteen-year-old girl be so good at fighting? Landing back in the mist of the fighters Sara did an impressive twirl and kicked an attacker in the chest cracking ribs. This was her first battle with actual enemies and in her father's eyes she was doing very well… However, he noticed how outnumbered she was and the fact that she was slowing down. Sooner or later they would strike her down…
Rearing the legendary warrior of the Draconian race released his wings hitting several men away from him. Sara quickly turned to her father as he shouted, "Run, Sara! Get away from here!"
"But what about you?!" she cried desperately as she ran to him, unwilling to give up on her parent.
"Go, Sara! Listen to your father!" he exclaimed frantically as he fought off several soldiers, "It's too late for me! Go and live out your days! Take revenge for our people!"
Sara's eyes twinkled with tears as she stared at her father. Glancing around she noticed the multitude of fighter rallying and coming straight for her. There was no way she could defend herself from all of them. Whirling her face back to her father she saw him give a final plea, "GO!"
She hesitated for a mere second as she shakily watched her father disappeared into the monstrous fray. Seeing the soldiers growing closer the girl quickly turned around and raced for the tree-line…
*Flash*
Nicholas stood in the town square next to the center fountain. Around his neck was a rope tied so tight it nearly cut off his oxygen. A strong strip of fiber was tied around his wrists keeping his arms immobile. His clothes were tattered and tinted with blots of blood. He snarled as the holder of his bondage tugged on the rope while stepping before the crowd surrounding the two of them.
Raising one arm over his head the man shouted, "I bring before you my people a wolf hidden amongst our flock. Nicholas, son of Trabet, is not truly human!"
Mutters broke through the crowd and suspicious eyes stared at the youth who was no more than sixteen. The speaker smirked, "In fact this boy here is not even Trabet's son!"
More words were passed between the people as tension mounted. Nicholas growled under his breath as he glared at his captor's back.
Nembus: "For a long time my foster father kept the truth of my heritage hidden from the villagers, but one day I slipped up and someone witnessed my wings. For three years nothing happened until the war grew vicious and humans became savage against my kind. One day while I was running some last errands for my father in the village I was beaten and captured. In a matter of minutes the town was rallied and I was brought before them…"
The speaker waved his free arm at the angle youth as he continued to shout, "Years ago I saw this boy jump from a rooftop to the ground which was a two hundred foot drop!"
Anger began to simmer in the people's hearts as they began to put the puzzle together. Feeling the swell of victory in the air the man shouted dramatically, "Yes, my people. You have guessed why this boy who should be dead now stands before you with life running through his veins. It is because he had wings to glide him safely to the ground!"
Cries suddenly burst through the crowd and fingers were pointed at the quiet youth. Nicholas took a step back feeling dread take hold. This crowd was really growing ugly. The captor lifted the rope into the air in a tight fist and shouted, "What should be done with him, my people?!"
One within the crowd replied, "Stone him!"
The teen flinched slightly at this and grew very nervous. He suddenly wished he could wake from this nightmare. Glaring at him people began to pick up rocks from off the ground around them. Nicholas struggled against his bondage trying to escape, but it was hopeless…
*Flash*
Sara raced into the forest with some of the soldiers hot on her heels. Her tears trailed behind her sparkling the way to her. Though she could easily avoid them by flying away she feared their long distant weapons. Their guns were very accurate and she felt safer with close range battle. The men shouted at her tossing daggers and shooting arrows at her. Their guns were too heavy to use while running so the soldiers kept to their lighter weapons to Sara's liking.
Glancing one last time behind her Sara dove into the brush of shadows losing her captors easily. The men raced through the vegetation only to halt a few yards into it.
Where had the child disappear to?…
Abruptly one of the men fell to the ground dead with an arrow heavily embedded in his chest. The soldiers whirled around wildly looking for their attacker. Only the sound of rustling animals and quiet breeze met their ears. Shadows and moonlight were the only things their pupils reflected. Slowly the soldiers placed their backs to each other with their guns ready all the while keeping their senses on the alert…
This only frightened the men more. Silence only made them tenser and with each second their pounding hearts grew louder in their ears. Their weapons constantly edged this way and that looking for its hidden target.
When the twig snapped one of the men lost it and fired wildly at the direction of the sound. As the fire blasts were shot off in one direction searing several large bushes a shadow raced towards the circle from the opposite direction. The men who had been facing the direction of the shadow before was now trying to calm down his trigger-happy friend. Occupied with the circumstances he never saw the dagger even before it slit his throat.
Landing in the mist of them Sara knocked one of the males in the head with her bow knocking him out. Twirling around the girl counted who was left in a spilt second. There were three left. With perfect execution the skilled youth brought her foot beneath her opponent throwing him onto his back. Once he crashed onto the ground she quickly stabbed him in the heart killing him in seconds.
The other two hurried to shoot her, but she released her wings and zoomed into the branches. Several leaves floated down and the men quickly cocked their guns into their shoulders and fired rapidly. Golden fireballs struck through the branches and several of the limbs crashed down around the soldiers marking the damage. Soon they stopped their firing to see if they had hit their attacker. The moonlight streamed through a small hole the men had created and washed over their still forms.
Where was the girl?…
Their answer was quickly given as she streaked out of another portion of the branches and kicked one of them square in the chest. Ribs could be heard snapping and then puncturing the left lung as the man fell. Twirling in mid-air Sara threw one of her daggers at the other man hitting him right in the heart. Landing on a bent knee the girl waiting for her corpses to land. The bodies fell to the ground with a 'thud' and Sara eyed her work sadly. She never had killed anyone before and yet it had come so easy to her.
It usually was hard on a 'green' fighter when they made their first kill… and here she stood with five deaths on her hands and she wasn't even shaking…
A moan caught the girl's attention and she swiveled her silver jewels towards the man she had knocked unconscious. Quietly she muttered, "Make that four deaths…"
Walking to the groaning soldier Sara grabbed his collar and put her face into his angrily. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and she furiously shook him snarling, "Wake up, human!"
The shaking must have done the trick for he soon opened his eyes fearfully at her and pleaded weakly, "Don't kill me, please! I have a wife and children!"
Sara only grew madder at this and growled savagely, "And I had a father and a mother before you came here and destroyed my village!"
The man's eyes grew wide with fright as he stared at the young girl who held his life in her young hands. Snarling like a wild dog Sara glared at her captive thinking over what she would do with him. It only took a few seconds to decide…
"Because you showed my father no mercy" she exclaimed dramatically as she raised her dagger, "Then I won't show you any either!"
With a flash of her dagger the point of blade came down…
*Flash*
Nicholas tensed up as he saw the stones being pulled back.
"STOP!" came a frantic shout from the crowd's bellows, "PLEASE, DON'T!"
Out from the mass of people stumbled a man wearing fairly worn clothes with dirt staining the knees marking him as a hard labor man. His hair was a bit disheveled from his struggle to get to the front of the audience and once he came into the clearing their were many gasps.
The beaten youth gave a weak smile as he whispered out his hope, "Father…"
"Trabet!" cried the speaker disdainfully, "What are you doing?!"
Swiftly the man leapt in front of his only child stretching out his arms crying, "I won't let you kill him!"
Automatic cries came from the people as they lifted their hands grasping stones to shout:
"He is one of them!"
"The Draconian Demons are our enemies!"
"We must kill them all before they can destroy us!"
"What are you saying?!" Trabet shouting at his own people, "The Draconians have never done anything to us! They are a peaceful group of beings that have not once gone against our own race! Yet we are ready to slaughter them when they show they might be superior to us!"
Sadly, his words fell on deaf ears and soon uproar came. Stones were hurled at the two males. Trabet being in front of Nicholas got the brute of the assault, but was only given minor injuries. Cries from the crowd erupted again as more rocks were flung at them:
"How can you side with them?!"
"If you side with them you are against us!"
Trabet felt the pain of his villagers as the stones hit him hard. Behind him Nicholas watched in disbelief as his father sacrificed himself for him. Tears sprang from his eyes as he shouted desperately to his only living family, "No, Father! Don't do this!"
The man didn't seem to hear his child as he shouted again at the violent humans, "The Draconians are not our enemies! My son is the proof! He has never harmed any one of us no matter our blood!"
A heavy stone whizzed past the man's head and grazed his cheek pouring forth blood. Trabet dodged another rock making sure as it passed him that it didn't hit the youth behind him. Another larger stone came through the air and struck him hard in the chest knocking some of the air out of his lungs. Falling to one knee the man clutched his chest while taking small gasps. As another volley flew towards his son Trabet quickly jumped up shielded his boy from the violence.
Blood began to trickle down his body, but he didn't care. He had to protect the only child he had ever took care of… For a long time the man had struggled with the boy's heritage. Several years after he and his wife had claimed the orphaned child as their own Trabet finally saw the wings protruding from his foster child's back. He had fought with the rage of burning in his human blood for several years,… but every time he saw the boy's face… he lost his burning rage and felt a gently fondness for the youth… With time that feeling grew into the love relationship of family members bringing him closer to Nicholas…
Trabet learned that no matter who you were there was still a soul inside the body of an enemy. No matter what there could be good inside your enemy's heart. Watching over his son as the years progressed he decided it was time to tell Nicholas the truth. When he did reveal the heritage of his child Nicholas seemed unaffected by this. All his life he had been accepted by his parents as their own blood and humans had been kind to him, even though they were hostile towards Draconians. With the love of their family they grew closer forgetting the differences between them…
That's why Trabet was willing to protect his son through this execution… willing to suffer through the pain they wanted to inflict on his son… because he loved him…
*Flash*
Sian: "I remember very little of what happened after I killed those soldiers in the world… completing my first kills… My memory only started when I had stepped onto the red stained soil of my village…"
The stars in the heavens were beginning to fade as Sara stepped out of the forest. The blue blackness receded to allow the golden colors of the dawn to envelop the sky. Sara stumbled towards the ruins that were once known as her home feeling numb as she walked. Her clothes were ripped in several places dotted with blood of her enemy and the soil of the earth. The only injury she wore was the sleep deprivation in her eyes.
The coals simmered in the dawn and smoke curled from the remains of the town. The intruders were gone and the battle had ended finally,… but with a price… Laid sprawled out in the twist of the rubble were hundreds of bodies… From women to men… to elders to children… From parents to offspring… None had been spared… Only one had survived… and she had been destroyed, too…
Sara walked through the town as if in a trance… Every face she saw was marked in her memory as she scanned the mass of bloody corpses… Faces of her dear friends and schoolmates didn't even make her wince… Her heart was dying… Coming to the center of the town she saw the array of twisting figures laid out of the ground. Amongst them laid the soul being she was searching for…
Her father…
*Flash*
Nicholas strained against his bondage screaming to his father desperately as he did. Trabet slowly fell back as the last of the bombardment ended… As he dropped to the ground he caught a glimpse of his son's face dripping with tears. As the internal bleeding took place inside his body killing him and causing him great pain the man whispered one final phrase that forever remained buried in the youth's heart, "I love you,… my son…"
The body of the human crumbled onto the earth and the waves of stones came to a halt as the people stared at what they had done. One of their own laid dead on the ground because of them… The speaker dropped the rope in shock allowing the youth to loosen it into his escape.
Nicholas threw down the rope frantically and raced for his father. Kneeling at the bloody form the youth gently took the man in his arms. Silently the audience watched still numb with the consequences. Bringing a hand to stroke the bloody face the youth whispered, "No…"
*Flash*
As she walked towards the person she had always looked up to the girl felt her fatigue take over. Sara stumbled the rest of the way to her father and landed hard in the dirt yards away from his still form. Crawling the last few feet to his side the daughter of a mighty legend grieved for her father…
Her shoulders began to shake gently as tears and sobs erupted from her body. She had waited till she had reached him to cry the tears she had held back when she had passed the forms of her love ones. Her young, yet bloody fingers, curled around the dead man's hand clenching it snuggly.
Slowly Sara brought the palm of her father's hand to her face. She flinched at its coldness at first, but soon buried her teary eyes in the lines of blood. Tears dripped and mingled with the blood as she furiously searched for the life the hand once held. Gradually the hand slipped from her grasp falling dead to the owner's side. Letting the sea of salt droplets stream down her cheeks the girl lifted her head to the heavens that not glowed with gold colors of the dawn and cried out, "FATHER!"
*Flash*
"FATHER!" Nicholas cried as clutched his dead parent to his chest. For seven years since his foster mother had died he had become extremely close to his father. His major dependence of life was clinging to his parent. As his age progressed his hold on the male figure of the family became less and less until he barely held the man's hand any longer… his fingers barely touched the other's skin… Unfortunately the moment the father began to be taken away from the youth Nicholas took hold of his parent's arm clinging to it as if it were its life jacket while he was left in the sea in the middle of a storm.
As the crowd watched the boy embraced the dead corpse a round of silence came following by the deep sobs of the youth. Gradually his shoulders began to shake with sharp, jerky motions. With his head hanging down his bangs fell over his face blocking the view of his emotions from the crowd.
When his sobs became dark laughter though the audience became very nervous shifting a few steps back. Slowly Nicholas lifted his eyes letting the people see his face. His eyes that had once been soft were sharp like daggers and burning with fire. As his fingers dug into the dead body of his dead family the youth whispered darkly, "For the murder of my father I shall claim justice!"
Nembus: "In those few moments my heart shattered and my morality snapped in two…"
Mysteriously a cold wind swirled around the boy and the father causing the world to flutter. The dust swirled around the youth in a majestic circle as Nicholas began to shout, "No more crimes will I let you commit! The race of humans is evil, barbaric people that shall be ELIMINATED!"
Abruptly after he said those words the wind of cold air blast outwards in all directions with immeasurable force.
*Flash*
Sara stood over her father and mother's graves numbly looking at them. The dawn had already come and gone and the barest twinkles of the twilight had begun. All that day the youth had spent burying her love ones living her parents as the last two. As she stood there she clutched her bow tightly in her fist. Quietly she turned away from the mounds she had created in the very heart of the destroyed town making sure to carve in the hardening clay the names of the two bodies left there. Heavily her foots fell as the moonlight began to cast its illumination on the exiting girl.
Silently the girl fingered the weapons she had taken from the town's remains. A long sword was kept on the left side of her belt while two daggers were strapped to the crossing strap of her quiver going over her chest. Three other daggers were snug on the right side of her belt letting their hilts gleam. In a small pouch next to her scarab was a clutter of star shaped steel pieces that could fly through the air like frisbees cutting most objects with its sharp points and edges. Last was a pair of daggers tucked into holders on each boot she wore. Heavily armed and well train the girl was a perfect assassin, but more or less she was not. In her eyes she was the executioner,… the one who killed people for their crimes…
Sian: "That day… a battle was fought in a small town,… but in the following day another similar battle was fought… a battle between an individual and their soul… I rushed into battle a mere girl,… but after the end of it all I walk out a war woman bent on taking revenge for the crimes against my people. That night, I became the Huntress… the one who preys on the darkness of others… and executes the criminals…"
"With that lodged in my mind I disappeared into the shadows of the vegetation never to be seen for several years. It was then that I became the dark monster that roamed the royal forest, which stretched out many miles. I was know as the 'Shadow' who killed at such speed and surprise that you never got to see who was attacking you before it was too late. For two years I dwelt there slaughtering any humans that dare cross into my territory…"
*Flash*
Nicholas stood in the center of the debris gazing over the destruction with a dark smirk. Nothing stood for at least ten miles for everything had been leveled in that radius by the dark wind that had suddenly struck out. All that was left was even rubble…
Carefully the youth lifted himself onto his feet cradling his father's body in his arms. Firmly he walked out of the debris with a deep scowl marking his face. With the approaching night the man buried his father on a small hill on the outskirts of what use to be a town. Clutching his father's sword at his side the youth who was now a man left the scene with a dark heart.
That was a day the humans created a second monster that would plague their lives…
Nembus: "After that day I ran amuck murdering humans left and right. My soul sought for the revenge of my father's death and not a single day went by when I did not think of it. My own mind was tormented with the scene of my father dying slowly before the crowd. I traveled the globe searching out my enemies and slaughtering them as if they were nothing. With my killings my skill grew and soon I became a great, but deadly warrior…"
*Flash*
A group of soldier burst through the vegetation disappearing into the ruff. Amongst them was a beautiful woman with long chocolate hair that was placed into a large bun with a single braid coming from the center of the tangled orb. All of the people there were dressed in white armor with silver mail and wore the golden emblem of the Draconians on their chests.
With a roar another group enter the line of vision chasing after the white soldiers. These people were dressed in silver armor and mail with red trim and symbol of varies nations on their chests. It was another fight between the humans and the angels…
The brunette angel woman who appeared to be the leader cried out for her group to scattered hoping to lose their enemies. Automatically the angel folk divided off with the woman going off with three soldiers. The humans quickly separated also showing they outnumbered the Draconians.
Above a lone figure studied the way the groups went with eyes that twinkled in the shadows. A limb yawned as the being leapt to another tree disappearing into the depths of the dimness…
The brunette leader glanced over her shoulder mentally counting off the men chasing her and her guards. Snarling she shouted to her second-in-command, "They outnumber us three to one, general."
A blonde warrior with green eyes and scar on his cheek nodded as he raced through the forest, "Yes, that means we have little chance of surviving a fray. Hopefully we will lose a few of them before we reach the check point station."
Lady Iris dodged a low limb before muttering, "Darn the humans for attacking us in the forest. If we had clear shot at the sky we might have been able to get high enough to escape their weapons, but the branches lie in our path. It takes to long to get by and sometimes one grows tangled amongst them. We must rely on our speed today."
"Yes" nodded the general stumbling over a root a moment before regaining his footing, "Unfortunately, though the humans are not relatively fast they are more experienced to running along the earth especially in such tight areas."
Suddenly the Draconians came into a small clearing where the branches block the sky, but the trunks gave enough room for them to span out. Queen Iris and her group raced for the other side, but were met with several soldiers in silver. Sliding to a stop the woman glared at her opponents on both side and growled at her lack of observation. Half of the humans that had been following them had circled in front of them.
"Darn!" the royal hissed as the guards circled about her to protect their queen.
The leader of the humans sneered at his catch and began to advance saying, "We have caught the Mighty Queen of the Draconians!"
There were a few shouts of victory as the royal angel snarled, "We shall never surrender! I will fight to the death before I let you take me or my followers!"
With a shrug the other leader replied, "So be it. I prefer killing you anyway."
Slowly the humans began to advance and the angels shifted their weight as they took fighting stances, however both sides froze as a cry sounded in the forest air. All heads looked up as the warrior shout echoed in the corners of the vegetation.
One of the human soldiers gave a low cry to his commander, "We should leave here, sir. This forest is said to be haunted."
The leader snorted angrily at his fighter, "Keep your wits, soldier. That's just superstition. All that junk about the 'Shadow' is untrue."
Even as he said those words though the commander clutched his sword a little tighter. All of the occupants of the clearing grew tense even after the cry faded into the background. Their eyes darted back and forth gazing deep into the shadows looking for the speaker.
Abruptly a shadow darted from the treetops landing squarely between two of the humans. With graceful agility the blurry figure kicked one hard in the head knocking him out while then coming into a weird form of handstand to knock the other in the chin. Everyone gasped as they heard the man's lower jaw shatter. As both men flew through the air the attacker dashed back into the maze of branches and out of sight.
The sides began to shake at the stranger's quick strikes watching the two men fall to the ground in pain. One of the humans cried, "It's 'Shadow'!"
Snarling the commander snapped, "Shut up, man! Keep your sanity in check! If this 'Shadow' person is alive then he must be mortal! Surely we can take his very life!"
Before anyone could reply to their leader the figure appeared again this time only a few feet away from the human commander. The man swung frantically with his sword, but the attacker was swift. Dodging the blade all together the stranger leapt over the man's head and used his back as a send off as the blur leapt towards the other silver soldiers. The men readied their weapons as the dark figure flew through the air on invisible wings. As she reached the peak of her jump she suddenly through back her arm releasing dozens of metal stars. The sharp discs whizzed through the air and embedded themselves in men's flesh easily with fatal consequences. Three fell dead.
With that the stranger once again disappeared. The commander snarled as he saw that a fourth of his soldiers had been taken out in mere seconds. Darting his eyes every which way the man held his weapon readied. His men were becoming skittish as they nervously edged for the trees. Seeing their retreat the leader barked, "Hold your ground, men! If you want to survive you have a better chance here together or he'll pick us off one by one out in the forest!"
One of the men who stood nearby hissed fearfully, "Pardon me, sir, but he's doing a pretty good job of that already."
On the other side of the clearing the angels shifted tensely also eyeing for the attacker. The guards wondered if they would be struck next as they waiting for the next appearance of the stranger. The second-in-command quietly whispered over his shoulder, "Queen Iris, do you think it would be wise to escape into the forest now while the humans are distracted."
The ruler narrowed her emeralds on the men ahead as she locked her jaw tightly, "No, I've heard stories of this being known as 'Shadow'. He is said to have dwelt here many years, but it has only been the last few rotations that he has killed all whose come into this section of the royal forest... I thought they were only stories…"
Green eyes grew distant as she thought of the situation carefully, "To run from him will only attract him to us. For now he seems more interested in killing the humans. Besides if we should race into the trees he shall have the upper hand. I've heard he can race through the thicket faster then we can fly and from the looks of it his skill is very impressive. I'm sure he can fight very well in narrow places while we can barely hold our on. It's best to stay in the clearing…"
"Should we attack it?" asked one of the other guards nervously.
"No" Iris replied quietly, "Might make him switch his focus of violence onto us if we don't. Best sit and wait, but keep ready."
Suddenly the figure dashed out of the underbrush startling the sides for they had thought the attacker was still in the treetops. Gracefully the stranger rushed the nearest human stabbing him in the chest. Leaving the blade in the silver soldier the blur ran towards the next victim slicing a deep gash across his chest with its sword. The soldier that had had his jaw shattered stumbled into a stand. With perfect execution the attacker flipped over the man landing just behind him. Before one could blink the man's throat was cut and the stranger gone.
The commander growled as he saw the next group die. Angrily the leader shouted, "Blast it! Where are you?! What are you?!"
A dark laugh echoed through the treetops causing a chill to run up the spine of each who heard it. With shadows plaguing the speaker's voice the stranger hissed, "I'm here… I'm here… Among my dwellings… I am the one known as 'Shadow' that hides in your fears and strikes out in your panic. Usually my prey is far clever than what is set before me today. Come now, general, try to stop me…"
Another round of echoing laughter as the figure dropped from the heavy limbs and charged two soldiers. With a gleam of the stranger's weapons two daggers were quickly stabbed into the men's hearts. Twisting its body in the air the shadowy blur dug her heels into the man's shoulder. Before he fell flat on the ground the figure pushed off and crunched a heel into his chest. A sickening crunch of ribs erupted as one of the bones stabbed his heart.
With a silent flip the stranger dove once again into the vines and branches disappearing. Glancing about you could see that there were only two humans and the commander left. Nervously the remaining soldiers shifted the weight on their feet while warily watching the darkness. Even the wind grew still as the tension grew. Where was he now?…
Suddenly a figure deposited herself into the center of the clearing letting the barest hints of the moonlight touched her form. Vines and patches of vegetation could be seen worn over the stranger's clothes as the figure stood there. Body paint was marked all over her body and her face was shadowed. Who was this person?…
In seconds the 'Shadow' was on the other side of the clearing with two dead soldiers at his feet. The figure was deep in the shadows when she turned to face the only remaining human. The commander gasped and began to step back. Now what?…
Before the human could take a mad dash for the trees Shadow spoke darkly, "If you dare to run, general, I suggest you don't for I will not let you escape…"
Glaring at his mysterious attacker the commander shouted in a rage, "Then fight me, 'Shadow,' and let me see your true skill!"
A smirk came on the hidden figure's face before she suddenly disappeared. She moved so fast that she almost was invisible to the naked eye, yet you could here the wind whistle as she sped through the clearing. Suddenly she was behind him and on reflex he swept his sword backwards. A gleam of silver and Shadow's sword locked with the officer. They shoved against each other for a second before the stranger backed off making the general stumble forward.
Leaping into the moonlight the figure suddenly allowed the illumination of the night to unmask herself. One could see that the being was actually female. Covered in green rags that were too small for the stranger the figure had vines intertwined around her limbs. Mud and green paint was pasted to her skin with black lines drawn under both of her silver eyes. A fur from some beast was draped over her back with part of it constructed into a pair of boots. Daggers were tucked in several leather scarabs over her body and she wore a large quiver that was closed shut for now with a small rope. A sword, metal stars, and a bow were the last of her weapons. While she hung in the air for that brief moment she looked much like a jungle hunter or wild girl.
In that small fraction of a second the general's eyes widen with surprise as he whispered, "You're a woman!…"
Sara released a warrior cry as she flew down from the air. Too stun by the new fact the commander was unable to block her attack in time. It didn't matter she wasn't trying to kill him with the attack. Sweeping her blade mystically his own sword flew from his hand landing somewhere in the shadows. Next came a sharp heel to his right shoulder making him twist and fall on his face. Sara narrowed her eyes on the man's back before once again moving faster than one could see. Soon she held the man's collar in a tight fist and as she held him just high enough so his feet couldn't touch the ground. Snarling like a wild animal the forest woman threw a punch at his face and he flew back as she let go of his collar.
Time slowed for a split second as the soldier of high status fell. To all who saw the event were unable to see the woman move, but if one could control time and slow the speed a bit you would have seen something miraculous. As the man fell at an extremely slow rate Sara moved to his side swiftly at a much higher rate of speed. With a gentle twirl of her body the woman delivered a heavy kick to his back sending him flying once again, this time forward.
The angels blinked as they watched the man be punch in one direction and suddenly fly towards the other direction. Each guard gaped as they saw the woman blur race throughout the clearing nearly losing sight of her one or more time. Queen Iris who stood behind her three chosen warriors watched over their shoulders with her emeralds narrowing, almost as if she could see everything that was happening.
Sara took her placed in front of the man flying towards her and took a step to one side. As his slow form began to pass her she brought an elbow into his stomach knocking him to the ground. There he laid in a fetal position coughing rapidly. Thunderclouds flickered in the woman's hard eyes as she glared down at him. Her fingers tightened around the hilt of her sword as she raised it in the air.
The commander frantically coughed out, "No, please!--*cough*-- Mercy, I beg you!"
A hard growl came Sara as she slightly eased up. Angrily the wild girl snarled, "Did you show mercy when you attacked this group?! Or when your kind leveled Draconian cities?!"
He looked up weakly at his attacker with pain etched in his expression, but she didn't quit; in fact she began to shout out, "You invaded town after town burning down homes and murdering poor innocent people. You and your kind have slaughtered hundreds in the last three years alone though the war has started long before! The body count has gone beyond our perspective! How many more must suffer before you show us mercy?!"
Saying nothing the general just stared up at his opponent unable to say anything. Tensing up again Sara proclaimed sharply in a phrase similar of which she had spoken years ago, "You have not once shown mercy on the Draconians thus I show you none either!"
With a shout of effort the blade came down and the commander cried out in fear.
"WAIT!" came a shrill voice.
The point of the mighty sword came to a mere inch before the man's nose as Sara looked over at the speaker. The young queen stood in front of her guards now after she had pushed them out of the way to stop the forest woman. Iris quietly said to Shadow, "Please, spare him…"
For a second the wild woman could only stare at the royal…
"What?!" Sara shouted after she had come over her shock, "You want me to let this scum live even though he and his kind are the direct cause for this war?!"
Closing her eyes silently the royal whispered, "Yes…"
The forest warrior snarled angrily as she glared down at her prey, "Why?! By all rites this man should have his throat slit, his blood drained, and his flesh left for the birds to pick at!"
"Perhaps" Queen Iris spoke wisely, "But I will not allow this to go further. I will not let you or my kind go down to the humans' level. We shall show mercy when they do not."
Sara angrily hissed, "I have learned, lady, that it's an eye for an eye. I slaughter every human for every Draconian that was killed."
"You twist words, stranger" replied Iris sharply, "That ancient phrase means that for every strike you get offer your opponent another strike at you for if you lash out you only become what they are. Do not succumb to the hate in your heart."
"Sorry" replied the woman mysteriously in a low voice, "But you're too late for that."
Iris quickly begged, "Than do this on the request of a Draconian. I ask you to spare him for me."
Sara twitched momentarily caught between decisions. She could not back down from murdering him for just any one,… but for a Draconian… the queen… just maybe… Gradually the female backed off the fallen man with an angry growl. Weakly the general stumbled to his feet and raced towards the trees disappearing in the darkness. For a few minutes Sara quickly tuned in the man footsteps making sure he was leaving and not returning to attack. After his steps grew so distant in her ears that she had to strain to hear them she turned to the four angels. They stared at one another curiously before Sara turned away and headed towards one of the dead soldiers.
"Who are you?" demanded the second-in-command sharply as he eyed the woman as she pulled her dagger from the corpse's chest.
"Does it matter?" Sara replied uninterestedly as she proceeded to another dead body to retrieve another dagger. The blood of their enemies dripped from the blade and the girl began to rub dirt over the dagger rubbing off the red on it.
"It matters" the queen spoke quietly, "I could jail you or possibly punish you for the things you've done today."
Sara laughed, a real laugh, before chuckling, "You would jail a woman who saved all your lives?… Besides, milady, do you think you could even catch me."
The two females stared at one another for seconds before the younger woman of the forest whispered, "My name is Shadow."
"Your true name?" Iris claimed sarcastically as her emeralds caught on the moonlight. The girl shifted stiffly as she sized up the group. She really didn't enjoy becoming personal with these strangers no matter who they were. Fidgeting occasionally as she eyed them Sara began to drift towards the trees.
"Please, don't leave!" cried Iris as she realized what the woman was doing, "I want to know who you are."
Hesitating for only a mere breathe Sara raced into the forest vanishing in seconds…
*Flash*
A camp of soldiers was out in the middle of the field at night. Rays of the moon blended with the illumination of the fires set out the tents. The humans laughed heartily as they ate their suppers forgetting the war for a moment. Shadows danced with the flickering flames along the creamy tent flaps. Only a scant few of the military residing there (only the highest commanding ones) were occupied in the main tent discussing war tactics and strategies.
On the roll of the field where the darkness bordered stood a lone figure almost invisible to the world. The guards on watch never noticed the stranger as they gazed over the land lazily. Silently the figure stepped forward as suddenly a monstrous wind blew across the field. The abrupt force of air snuffed out the numerous fires startling the men into tense surprise.
Soldiers swore loudly and others fearful warnings of superstitious curses as the field grew dark. Only the rays of the moon lit the land forcing the men to slowly regain their sight. Abruptly the leaders burst from their tent as the wind grew a bit stronger. The force of air was so powerful that several soldiers fell to the ground as tents were swept into the sky. Howls of astonishment were heard as the dark figure was suddenly noticed.
It was a young man with dark garments over him. Heavy ebony armor draped over his body gleamed in the starlight marking his strength. Only some of the strongest men could wear such weighed down armor. Spiky ebony hair reached down to his shoulders and swayed in the wind nimbly like razors. Empty eyes of pure hatred burned in the reflection of the moon. In one hand was a glorious sword that was marked with various symbols on its hilts; all of which were Draconian.
One of the men catching sight of the symbols quickly cried, "He's Draconian!"
Cries of astonishment quickly came and the crowd grew tense. This was their target: the angel people who were considered demons to most of Gaea. For years these people had been the cause of a war;… at least in the humans' eyes. The men snarled as the figure began to stride towards them. Angrily soldiers rushed him feeling nothing, but rage for the accused monster. Weapons were raised violently as the army surged forward.
Yet, as the dozens of warriors charged towards him the stranger did not flinch. He seemed unafraid of the approaching danger. His eyes of darkness suddenly narrowed and momentarily glowed soft lavender before the wind grew unexpectedly fierce. The currents of air were so powerful that it threw half the crowd back from him and into the heavens the remaining tents standing went. Sharp stakes that had held the tents into the ground became suddenly airborne flying at the soldiers dangerously. With a flick of the stranger's wrist the wind's currents changed directions. Abruptly the air twirled around the pointed stakes sending the deadly weapons at several humans. Cries came as flesh was punctured and men died. Slowly the crowd was cut in half…
Gradually the shadowy figure of the night made it to the large audience with his blade tightly clasped in his hand. The men grew tense as the wind swirled as gentle as a breeze now. The leaders of the infantry suddenly shouted, "Attack!"
There was, but a few seconds of hesitation before the men roared with rage for the death of their comrades. Charging the crowd surged forward on the lone man, not even making the stranger flinch in fear. The invader's eyes flickered lavender and an abrupt air pocket knocked the front line back twenty feet taking several of the other soldiers behind them along. Tensely the man stood knowing now he would have to resort to more physical fighting.
His blade twirled once as he came into a fighting stance. Tonight there would be many deaths,… but not one would be his…
With agile grace and powerful strength the invader dove into the chaos of soldiers striking them down wildly and swift. In minutes a full dozen was laid out on the ground motionless in their own blood. The man was quick and when he struck he made the blow fatal. He knew when to strike… how to strike… and how to evade… It's like the old saying goes… Fly like a butterfly and sting like a wasp…
Before the delicious rays of the morn reached the highest peak of Gaea the whole camp was left in waste. The only survivor of the battle was the single being who had started the fray… Nicholas…
~That's it?! Isn't there more to Nembus and Sian?! You bet there is! There was so much to include in their story that I had to continue it in another chapter. Any way in the next part of our story Sian reveals how she first met Nembus and how she became so close to Queen Iris. Also the friendship of our two warriors is suddenly put under the microscope as the group realizes there more between them then one could ever surmise! Next chapter I hope to get out in the next week -- "Chapter 24: First Sight"~
~PLEASE I BEG YOU ALL WHO READ THIS STORY OF MINE! TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! I KNOW RIGHT NOW IT'S KINDA BORING, BUT I PROMISE IT'S GOING TO GET EXCITING AFTER THIS NEXT CHAPTER! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!~