Well if there were any doubts on who that stranger was they get resolved in this chapter.

Chapter 28

Blade snapped against blade, the young man grunted, tried to ignore how his arm was fast going numb under the raw power of his older opponent's strike. His arms twitched with fatigue, after all he had been on the brunt of several of these swings. When he thought his arms were going to fall off, his opponent stepped back, the young soldier fell on his nose and did not get up for several moments.

"Can't move arms.. too much pain..."

"If you can talk you can get up."

"And if I lay here for too long your gunna make me get up, huh?"

No response, course this man wasn't one for talk. He wasn't a swords master, a teacher, but a mercenary. He was noted along PalmaCosta for his grim demeanor, his laconic speech, and his sword skills. The wealthiest payed for his services, he had great repute for knowing how to get a job done, and for getting it done fast. No matter how vicious he had to be. All that a side though, the man was a master at the blade, brilliant, brutal, deadly. The soldier wanted to learn, and so he had done something that none of his fellow soldiers dared to do.

Laric had been persistent, had hounded this stranger for days and days, until finally the mercenary had agreed to have a practice duel with him.

Laric knew it was just an effort to shut him up, to get some peace.

That didn't mater though, he thought he could better himself by learning under this distant man, had tried to arrange lessons.

No luck there. The man was like ice, totally not interested in taking a pupil, totally distant from the pains of the soldier.

Laric was pulled to his feet by a cold hand. The mercenary, gesture of politeness done, left him alone in the square, well not totally alone. Laric's comrades stood in the shadows of the Government building, his fellow guardsman shook their heads. One of the few soldier younger then himself snickered, the others only looked at him in pity. Laric was one of the youngest soldiers in the PalmaCosta guard, over shadowed by a father who had served until his death three years ago. Always eager to show his skill, to become more powerful, Laric was well known to pick a fight just to get some practice in. Rain, snow, -though snow was rare in the sea side city- sun, he was out in the square practicing, training.

As the mercenary disappeared in the crowd Laric seethed. How the hell did someone get so good? He'd been training his whole life it seemed and this guy just tossed him around like a un-blooded greene. Suddenly, he couldn't take it, the snickering, the pity... Laric stormed off, taking a route that would lead him away from his companions, away from the damned mercenary, and into the mess of people who lived in PalmaCosta.

The sea, it always calmed him, he even had a little bench he frequented that looked out on it. He went to it, sat, and ignored how his armor scratched the wood. Laric was well aware of how the bench had many similar marks, scars from the other times he had come here to think, and it bore a gash that ran along the benches back from the one day he had lost it and lashed out with his sword. It was an old bench, this small scene facing away from the hubbub of the city, that looked solely on the ocean and was unmarred by buildings of the activities of men. Save for when the lone fisherman's boat would drift into view, but those times were rare, since the fishing in that section of the bay was very poor. The view, the area that it faced had no beach, very little of PalmaCosta actually was over land. Some mad man had suggested going beyond the beach, foundation pillars ran from building, sank into the soft sands of the sea, and where weighed down by stone centuries ago. And somehow that mad scheme had worked. Storm, tsunami, PalmaCosta had survived the worst that nature could throw at them. His mind was far from the though of natural disaster, or rather the one on two legs who had just bested him.

He was wearing chain mail, like all the other days, like every day, like every guard. But there were some differences, for one his leg and arm guards were more suited to a man wearing plate armor. They gave him a somewhat spiky appearance, and it wasn't something he minded. He admitted only to himself that he liked the spikes, it wasn't for the attention, it wasn't as if he wanted the girls to notice him. They'd be a distraction, and he could afford that right now. He wasn't like the other guards, going into the job to get the ladies, he went into it to learn the sword. That's it, that's all he ever wanted, to become the best. And in several ways he was, in several ways he was the best, better then all the men his age, better then most of the men in the Guard. Only the Arms Master could still get a hit on him, only the Captain of the Guard could nail him. And that was fine, that was good. He wouldn't serve anyone weaker then him anyways, and he did his job, and practiced the blade to get better.

Then what... three months ago this guy just shows up. He goes to the captain of the Guard, and he takes assignments along with the soldiers. This mercenary, this power house of swordsmanship, just starts taking jobs with the rest of them. Laric had lost a handful of jobs to the guy, but then everyone had at some point. He was making a few enemies in PalmaCosta, and seemed indifferent to it all. In some creepy way it was like the guy wasn't even there, he didn't care what the world thought of him so long as he did whatever he needed to get done.

That freaked Laric out.

But what really pissed him off, was that the guy didn't even look twice at anyone else. Didn't take a pupil, wouldn't teach anyone anything.

Laric wanted this guy to teach him, wanted to be as good as him.

He had tried everything he could think of... tried even offering to pay the guy and...
"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"

Laric came to himself, growled something at the old man, and moved to get up. Not that he cared if the man had a seat or not, he just wanted to be alone and didn't want some nosy old person giving him well meaning advice. His father had given him enough of that to last forever.

"Don't go... I was hoping to have someone to talk to."

This was weird, it wasn't the normal I'm desperate and old talk to me please it was different. Laric snorted stood, but did not leave, and the old man took the other half of the bench. He was dressed in a rich blue, his hair was grew, with silver highlights, his eyes were mere slits in his face, his lips were a thin wire. He grinned at Laric, smiled without showing the teeth.

"I saw your little performance a while back young man, and I would like to hire you for your skills."

Laric shuddered, the guys voice was like oil, it was slick, too slick.

"If you saw what you did, then why don't you hire that Merc?"

"He doesn't have what I'm looking for, you on the other hand do. It's so refreshing to see hate in the younger generation, it gives me such hope for the future."

There was no sarcasm, the guy was sincere.

Nutcase, senile old nutcase.

"Hey, I got a shift in like an hour, I ain't takin' any jobs now alright. Go to the office, write a petition like anyone else, and it'll get handled."

"What are they paying you, a hundred gald per job? No.." Laric felt a kind of stabbing in the back of his head. "Next job you get fifty, because it's a minor guard station, no risk, little profit. I see that adage still plays.. or should I say pays... true in this place. I'll tell you what young man, I'll pay you five hundred thousand gald if you do me a little favor and skip your duties for the evening."

Laric stopped breathing, that was two years pay for one job! No it was more then two years pay! He couldn't even begin to imagine how much it was, how to spend it all!

"How squeamish are you boy?"

Here was the catch, the snagging point, Laric braced himself.

"I'm not... I've killed a few people when it's needful."

"Good... Very good... What if I were to tell you that the man who just beat you cheated?"

Laric's hands clenched in rage, and the old man chuckled.
"Temper my boy, temper... He probably didn't even realize he was cheating really... after all being a monster an all that he is. You see boy he isn't human, he is a lesser demon that posses as a man. He has bewitched two innocents and..."

Laric wasn't listening, all he heard was that the mercenary had cheated. The old man smiled, changed tactics.

"You hate him, and have good cause rest assured. After all he never saw your potential, never saw your skill, and casually tromps on your few weaknesses because he has cheated. That's why I think you will like this job."

Laric was paying full attention now.

"Yes, I do think you will enjoy this job a great deal, tell me what would you do if I told you this man's greatest weakness..."

"I'd use it against him."

"Good, you do have great potential to me then. Come, is there perhaps a tavern in which we can continue our conversation over a bit of food?"

"I know a few..."

"Good, let's go then."

Xxx xxx xxx xxx

"Daddy!" Lloyd was getting better at talking, and grabbing, he was very good at grabbing.

"Hello Lloyd." Kratos bent, unclasped his sons hands from his leg so that he could walk. "How have you been today?"

"Good!"

"That's good." Kratos smiled, Lloyd beamed at his father. "Now where's Mommy?"

"Garden, playin' plants." Lloyd yawned, and Kratos chuckled.

"Really, have you been helping Mommy?"

"Nope," Lloyd yawned again, as if to say plants were boring. Kratos smiled, Lloyd did tend to get bored a little quick with Anna's plants.

"Were's Noishe?"

"Noshy nappin'."
"Lloyd, is that Kratos?"

"Yep Momma, Daddy's home!"

"That's good, could you two come out back?"

"'K"

Lloyd scampered ahead, then looked back, and the mercenary followed. Lloyd was very serious about getting his Daddy to his Momma, and would only go so far ahead before turning around to see if he was being followed. Kratos chuckled, and kept his slow pace as they walked through the small three room apartment they called home. Lloyd and Noishe were of course together, Anna and Kratos slept in the room across the hall from their son, the rest of the house served for living space for them. It was barely large enough to serve as kitchen and living room, it felt cramped compared to the house they had owned in Izoold. If it weren't for the small garden in the back that faced the sea Kratos knew Anna would have made his life miserable. As it was he knew that she would want to move out when Lloyd got older, and Kratos agreed with that, thought they wouldn't be moving to a larger house when that time came. They would probably have to flee PalmaCosta, perhaps journey again to Tethe'alla.

Lloyd fumbled for the doorknob and Kratos chuckled and opened the door for his son. He was still too short to have it easy with doorknobs and the such. Kratos didn't mind it that much, he had no problems with Lloyd being small, or young. It was in fact the opposite. As Lloyd grew up their would have to be a series of talks, very awkward conversations and revelations. Already the local priest of Martel was nagging him to why their boy wasn't in school yet, it was custom here for youngsters at four to join the classes and learn... no be brainwashed into believing in Martel. Kratos just couldn't think of Lloyd in one of those schools, the thought turned his stomach.

Anna smiled at the seeds she was putting into the earth, feigned not seeing Lloyd, and mock fell over when she was tackled and hugged by their son. Kratos stood in the doorway, and watched as Anna, with soil sheathed hands, tickled Lloyd.

"Daddy! Help! Eeek!" He squealed as Momma found a ticklish spot, he tried to get away. With a whoop Lloyd evaded Anna's hands, ran to his Father, and was firmly picked up and brought back so that Anna could go back to what was important.

Tickling their little boy.

It took a while before Anna decided to get back to her planting. Kratos took Lloyd away, both Aurion men were filthy from their play and needed a bath. Shame Noishe had missed the whole thing, but then maybe it was for the better. Giving Noishe a bath wasn't a chore, it bordered on torture. Lloyd sputtered, grumbled, and argued, the whole time while Kratos cleaned him up. He squirmed, and tried once to actually crawl out of the washtub. Kratos firmly kept him in, continued to scrub the dirt away until he was satisfied that every inch was as clean as he could manage.
"Ick.." Lloyd glared at the tub as if it was to blame. Kratos smiled, toweled his son down, and lay his clothes on the floor. He picked up the small tub easily, then took it outside and emptied it. When he came back Lloyd was hopelessly tangled up in his own clothes, having tried to put his pants as a shirt... Saving Lloyd from small things seemed to be Kratos' main job, he guessed it was part of being a Father. He liked that, Kratos the Father, much better then Kratos the Mercenary, Kratos the Seraphim, Kratos the Ancient hero of the Kharlan Wars...

It felt right. All the other titles were shards of his past. Being a Father not only gave him a present, it gave him a future.

Lloyd was safely dressed, dried, and he watched as his Father filled a larger tub that was always left hanging on the wall.

"Big." Lloyd noted sagely, Kratos chuckled.

"Yes, it is a little big, isn't it?" Kratos grimaced at the water, it would be freezing cold, part of him knew that even though he could not feel it. Kratos gave his boy a firm look and Lloyd turned around. Anna would have laughed, she thought his modesty was silly. Kratos though could not get himself to bath with anyone watching, not even Anna. He recalled their argument about it the first time it came up, he fumbled with his belts, leaned his sword against the wall but in hands reach, then worked off the rest of his mercenary outfit. Anna's ultimatum rang in his ears even as the water of the tub lapped at his knees. He sighed, sat, and shifted a bit in the tub, then gave himself a firm scrubbing. There would be another argument on the horizon if he didn't clean himself up good. Lloyd was bored, shuffled around a bit, then turned.

Kratos froze, then gave his son the turn around now glare.

It of course didn't work.

"Lloyd you have till the count of three to turn around, one..."

That always worked, Lloyd turned swiftly, he only once challenged his father and let the count go all the way down. One spanking was enough for Lloyd, and it was enough for Kratos too. He hated when he had to hurt Lloyd to bring a point home, to discipline, and only did so when absolutely nessicary. Normally his voice, his words, his tone, his gaze, were enough to cow Lloyd in. Satisfied that he would have to do no more, Kratos went back to his bath.

"Mamma said to scrub behind your ears..."

"I normally do that."

"Nu uh!"

"I forgot, once."

Lloyd giggled, sat on the wooden floor. He wanted to turn around, to watch his Daddy play in the tub, but he knew better then to do so. When he was done Kratos snatched the towel, did a fast drying, and wrapped it around his middle. He went to the small chest, opened it, and armed with a comb descended on his un-suspecting boy.

"Ack!" Lloyd tried to run, Kratos firmly snagged him by his orange tunic, and held him down. Lloyd for the life of him was trying to run away.

"Why is it you let Mommy do this, but give Daddy such a hard time?" Lloyd only kept trying to run. "Lloyd Aurion, settle down!" Seeing this was getting no where Kratos called in his last defense. "Anna! A little help here!"

Xxx xxx xxx xxx

The Aurion's sat at dinner, Kratos eating a small portion while Anna and Lloyd made up for his lack of appetite. Anna was experimenting with the fish that she bought at the market, this was one of her more successful attempts. If only... Kratos sighed, then while Anna was busy trying to get Lloyd to eat his meal scrapped as much of the tomato sauce off of his side of fish as he could. He had so little need for food he wasn't going to torture his tongue by eating tomatoes. No mater how lovingly Anna had prepared them.

"Come now Lloyd, you need to eat your tomatoes to grow big like Daddy..."

Lloyd only glared at his food.

"Daddy.." Anna gave him a meaningful look. "some help here."

"Anna I am out of my depth, as a child I never ate tomatoes willingly."

"Well you both will now! Lloyd, every tomato you eat Daddy will have one with you so you know they aren't all that bad..."

Kratos felt some nausea coming on.

"Ahh I have eaten all I can, and was about ready to get up anyways."

"Don't even think of leaving the table mister!"

Kratos meekly sat down. Anna then stood over them firm as any drill sargent, making them eat three tomatoes a piece. The second she left the room Kratos gave his son a look that the boy recognized. He slapped his hand against his leg, and Noishe slipped into the room. Firmly Kratos took both Lloyd's plate and his own. He scooped the tomatoes on Lloyd's plate onto his own, then left his plate on the edge of the table. Noishe needed no second invitation. Kratos went to the bucket that served as their sink, then acted as shocked as Anna to the site of Noishe's tomato smeared face. The protozoan was firmly smacked, and chased out of the kitchen, then seeing her meal ruined Anna sighed and took away both their plates. Noishe was left outside for the rest of the night as punishment, but Kratos slipped out long enough to leave a blanket for their dog.

Xxx xxx xxx xxx
"Hoy mercenary!" Kratos turned, startled to see the young guard approach him so cheerfully. He had figured that the man would be avioding him after his defeat. He seemed like that type. "Have a note for you, some fellow named Rumswell came by looking for a Ruian, he very well described you, so I..."

"Hmm I have a half brother named Ruian." Kratos lied easily. His face was cool and collected, while his soul shivered with warning. "I will take that I guess and give it to him when I next see him."

"As you will." The guard smiled, then whistling a tune, trotted off.

There was something wrong with the young man. Kratos considered the prideful guard, considered the uncharacteristic warmth and cheer, and toyed with the letter in his hand. He slid it in a pant pocket, and watched as the young man wandered off. It was in how he walked, there was a smugness in him, and a eerie grace that was not their before. For a long moment Kratos considered going to the guard house, going with one of the small groups on his regular monster hunt. The letter seemed to weigh him down, the sense of something wrong made him hesitate. Kratos slipped into a side ally, then once sure no one was near by ripped open the letter.

There was no note inside, only something wrapped up in a piece of red fabric. Wet, the fabric was wet, crimson dripped from whatever was inside and fell on the envelope. Slowly he opened the fabric, long accustomed to gore the sight of a human finger did not un-nerve him, it was the implications that did. Letting the letter and the morbid gift fall to the cobble stones Kratos ran back to his home.

Xxx xxx xxx xxx

Noishe growled, paced by the front door and snarled. Anna looked up from cleaning the last dish from breakfast. Lloyd was asleep, taking a nap in his room, yet here was Noishe pacing in front of the door. That was strange because Noishe would watch over Lloyd when he slept.

"What's the mater Noshy?"

Noishe whined, his eyes were wide as if in fear.

"Is there something bad outside?"

Noishe did something very strange then, he nodded his head, no bark, no whine, he just mutely nodded.

"There aren't any monsters here Noishe, don't worry, we're fine."

Noishe whined, his eyes still looked panicked, tortured. It was like he wanted to talk, he wanted to say something, but couldn't. Anna tried to shrug it off, tried to ignore it, but she couldn't. Kratos had once told her that Noishe's judgement was as keen as his. But that was ridiculous, Noishe was a dog. Dogs, while smart in there own way, couldn't be that smart. Noishe whimpered, backed away from the door as someone on the other side knocked. Baffled Anna considered the door, then considered Noishe's reaction. She decided not to answer it, let who ever was knocking to go away.

"Ms. Aurion, be a good lass and open the door."

Anna almost dropped the plate, she knew that voice. Shivering she quietly put the plate down, then pulled a knife out a cooking from the bucket of dishes to be cleaned. It still had some fish on it from this mornings meal...

"Don't make this difficult for me, you've been running a long time now, be a good girl and I promise you wont be hurt... Well until we get to the Ranch, but you know how that is."

Trembling with every step Anna picked her way across the room, sidled up to the door, but did not open it. The hand holding the knife trembled. Her pulse hammered in her throat, she shook, fought back her terror as much as she could and waited.

"Hmm.. you are going to make this difficult aren't you? As you will Mrs. Aurion, as you will."

The air around her tingled, that familiar voice hissed a few arcane words. The door blasted in, splinters went everywhere. Through the smoke and dust Anna could see a man enter, she didn't even think about it, she attacked. She slammed into the man, brought the knife around to slash at his throat... The Desian whipper snarled, threw her aside. She fell to the floor in a heap. Calm, cold, Kvar strolled in after his guard, an arrogant smile on his lips.

"Mrs. Aurion, it has been so very long since we talked, I was merely coming through the neighborhood and decided to stop by for a visit." His slit eyes gleamed with wicked delight. "It's been far too long since we've seen each other, what three... four years?"

There was the crackle of electricity, the faint reek of cooking air. Shivering Anna found her knees, looked up at the sight that had haunted her nightmares for so very long. Kvar had his head cocked to the side, a thoughtful smile on his thin lips. There was just a touch more silver in his hair, a few more lines of age on his face, but he was more or less the same. Steel grey eyes slid across her, violated her without touching her. Anna was back in her nightmares, lost in her own private Hell that Kvar lorded over. He smiled, understood the animal terror, and took delight in it.

"You seem to be doing very well for yourself Mrs. Aurion. Married, in good health, a child I hear. Such delightful news! I can not wait to meet your little boy." At her startled look Kvar laughed. "You really should have kept in the wilderness, my dear! You are all too easy to track in the cities, parading yourselves openly, not bothering with any form of disguise. Ruian, Aurion, they aren't all that different... You've made this all too easy. Of course the hardest part was your husband, getting him away form you for any length of time. It was so hard, at least until you came to PalmaCosta... Then he got careless. But don't worry, no fear he will come to save you, or what's left of you when I am done."

Anna shivered, tried to stand, to fight, but found her body would not obey her will. Kvar wiggled his fingers at her. Then laughed, he laughed his insane high pitched laugh. As suddenly as it appeared all humor left his face.
"Where is your boy?" Anna tried to talk but couldn't, the Grand Cardnel smiled, and waved a hand at her.

"He's with his Father." Anna lied once her lips would work again.

"Really? Well well, lets check shall we?" Kvar turned to his guard. "Go through the house, kill everything that has life in it to kill. Unless... unless Mrs. Aurion would like to tell us if there is anything alive in the house... If she did that then you may not have to kill anything at all."

Anna shivered, part in fear part from the Desian spell cast on her. She remained silent, unable to speak. Kvar snorted, gestured for the guard to start his search. He went into Lloyd's room first, cried out, and was thrown into the hall. Noishe stood on top of the Desian, then with a growl ripped the man's throat out. Bloody muzzled, Noishe turned to Kvar, and showed off his impressive fangs.

"Hello there." Kvar smiled to Noishe. "Well this is the last bit of proof I need... So this is Lord Aurion's mutt..."

Noishe growled, crossed the room silently. Kratos' dog did not move like wild animal, a crazed beast desperate to protect his own, but took Kvar in with a eerie intelligence. With a smile Kvar pulled a wand from his belt, leveled it with the Aurion's dog.

"Bad dog." Kvar hissed. "Play dead."

Light flashed, Noishe howled. When Anna's sight returned to her Kvar was casually walking over the protozoan's limp form, going into Lloyd's room. He came out a moment later with thier son in his arms, Lloyd saw Noishe, saw the body of the Desian, and began to cry.

"Shh.. Shh little one, no one's going to hurt you now." Kvar turned Lloyd so he could not see his mother, so he had to look at the two corpses in the room. "These people tried to hurt you, I saved you that's all. Shh... I'm a friend of your father's I'm here to save you from the bad men who are looking for you..." Kvar met Anna's gaze, drew a knife from the air and held it to the back of Lloyd's neck. "Isn't that right Ms. Anna?"

"Y...Yes Lloyd...Kvar is our.. our friend..."

The knife disappeared again, Kvar smiled at her. He smiled much like a man smiled at a good pet.

"Yes, now hush hush, no more tears little boy."

Lloyd began to whimper, but at least he no longer cried.

"That's better, come on you and your Mother are coming with me for now." Kvar smiled at Lloyd, gave Anna a meaningful look. She could not refuse Kvar, not when he held her soul in his arms and threatened to drown it in blood should she hesitate. "Don't worry, we are going to leave your Daddy a little note." Kvar glared at Anna and the woman found her feet. "Hold him." He ordered her icily. Anna took her son, watched as Kvar left some strange black box in their kitchen table. "Come, you can hold onto him while we walk. Do not fear host body, you still have a use for me, so you will live, as will your boy, for now."