Chapter 5

Bane, the wolf of the moon

Thanks Silver meta dragon for allowing me to put you in my story, your character contribute has not gone unheard.

A wolf ran through the forest at a zooming speed, holding his naginata, or a double bladed sword, his black coat hid him well, his clothes gave him a great look, he escaped from the town, escaping from his execution, he never died from an execution, because he always got out somehow. His silver stripe on top of his head shined in the moon, his black fur allowed him to hide well. He was a mercenary.

"Let them come…I'll be waiting right here."

Ariaz looked down from his tree top and looked at the Lupine, wondering why he was standing there, then he noticed Cerinian guards walking towards the shore, the lupine hid away from them, circling around a tree to come behind them. He held his naginata high and zoomed through the guards, everything was quiet, then he stomped his foot, and the guards fell apart, split in half.

"Wow, he'd make a perfect ally!…but something is wrong about him…he radiates a dark aura."

Ariaz hopped down, catching Bane's attention, he gripped the red handle on his weapon tightly, keeping his eyes on every part of Ariaz, making sure he wouldn't make a successful attack. Ariaz leaped forward and swung his sword, blocking the lupines attacks, but it was hard, the lupine attacked twice with each swing, Ariaz couldn't get out of the frenzy of slashes.

"Can't…hold out…much longer!"

Ariaz pushed the lupine away with his blade and flipped over him, but had to block even more of the naginata's attacks, Bane's weapon was long and able to attack twice, but Ariaz was still greater in skill, his speed and keen eyes made him the king of the thieves, his swordplay was also unmatched. But this lupine was no push over, he was powerful with his weapon, he plunged it into the ground moved his hair our of his eye sight.

"You're no normal human I'd expect…who are you?"

"Ariaz, king of thieves."

"I am Bane, mercenary of Corneria, master of close range combat."

Ariaz didn't bow, knowing that would give Bane the chance to attack, he didn't greet him in anyway, he just waited for the next barrage of attacks, but the name of the wolf made him remember. Where did he hear that name?

"I'll make this quick thief king, no one on Cerina can stand against my naginata, but I don't blame them, they use magic against me when I'm immune to all elements."

"No…then you…must be…the wolf of the moon!"

"That is correct young sir, I am Bane, the wolf of the moon, I am feared in many ways all over the lylat system, now, why should I trouble myself into fighting someone as weak as you?"

Ariaz leaped forward with a high speed and plowed Bane into a tree, but he was unharmed, padding himself of broken bark and leaves.

"Now I actually have a challenge, Well...COME ON!"

Now Bane was faster withhis slashes of his weapon, Ariaz couldn't keep up with the speed to attack back, but he could still block the attacks, Ariaz rolled to the side and Bane had his weapon strike the ground, gettting stuck, then Ariaz swung his sword upward, slicing Banes back, but he was unharmed, he turned to Ariaz with a smile.

"Really now, you think that is going to hurt me?"

Bane didn't bleed, but he had only a shirt, pants, and a jacket on him, how come he was unharmed by Ariaz's sword? Ariaz looked closely at the jacket, then his eye's became huge: the jacket was made out of pure diamond!

"HOW IN THE WORLD? WHERE DID HE GET A DIAMOND JACKET?"

Bane cocked his head and twirled his naginata, then relaxed it on his shoulder.

"Your attacks will get you no where."

Ariaz looked for a weak spot, knowing the head wasn't a good attack place at all, and he didn't know if the shirt was made of diamond too, there had to be a way to strike the wolf.

Bane attacked again, but only sliced the air, Ariaz wasn't in front of him or around him, he had disappeared into the tree tops, Bane had a disappointed face as he looked up into the tree tops, relaxing his weapon on his shoulder.

"Ah come on, you could have won…when hell freezes over."

Ariaz wasn't going back down, Bane shrugged and jumped up onto the tree top with one jump, looking at the Haven in awe, it was beautiful, but he wanted to find Ariaz: Once he began a fight, he had to end it.

Ariaz's house

"Ariaz, what happened? We heard clashes down below."

"A black lupine attacked me…he…"

"Bone?"

"No…Bane…a powerful lupine with black diamond clothes."

"And you…"

"Yes…I retreated back to the haven, the battle couldn't be won."

Carol wrapped her arms around Ariaz as they knelt on the Hammock, she looked directly into his eyes, and slowly closed hers and Ariaz closed his, ready to kiss each other, until Bane bashed opened the door, arrows sticking out of his back, Ariaz sighed and stood up, holding his sword.

"Will you ever give up?"

"Once I start a fight, I end that fight."

The two walked outside in the center of the haven, thieves all around them, it was going to be a bloody fight in a bloody arena.

"Lets make this an even fight okay? No diamond clothes."

"Alright, I can agree with that."

Bane removed his shirt and jacket, his pants were going to stay on, his chest had a long silver X across it, he twirled his naginata and then held it in back of him. Ariaz was unafraid of the lupine, he removed his shirt and revealed his minor muscles. He lunged at Bane, now they were in a frenzy of blocking and attacking, swinging their weapons like so fast that a couple slashes was a flash, flashes were seen all through the battle. Ariaz performed the same counter he did on the ground: rolled and swung. But Bane was ready for the attack, Ariaz swung his blade upward, but noticed that his attacked failed, Bane's spine was pushed inward, giving his back a curve just avoiding the slash but a inch.

"Even without the Black diamond clothes he's still very skillful. Think, how can I strike him when he's fast as me?…think…think…Ah ha! Make him hit himself with his weapon!"

Bane swung his naginata at Ariaz, starting up the Frenzy again, flashes containing over 12+ slashes each, the two weren't even tired, but their weapons were red hot from clashing so many times, one weapon would soon break if this had kept on going.

"Alright Ariaz, time this right, and you just won."

Ariaz moved his foot forward and swung his blade upward with brute strength, having the naginata cut Bane across the face. Bane reeled away and held his face in pain, blood dripping from the scar, he looked up, Ariaz stood over him with his sword relaxed on his shoulder.

"It takes more then skill and a weapon to be called a man…remember that Bane. (Looks at Carol as she gave him a sad look) Alright…Bane…if you wish to stay, I will allow it, I'll let you live, if you side with me."

Bane stood up, using the naginata for support, he placed his shirt and Jacket on.

"Ariaz…"

Ariaz looked at him with a normal face, not smiling but not angered.

"You have deal."

Ariaz shook Bane's paw, he had a powerful ally at his side to fight against Krystal now.