The End of a Legacy

Puddles of blood stained the soft soil beneath their feet, splashing upward with every step they took. They were constantly shifting and maneuvering around the aggression of the Reclaimer, and trying to keep her off balance. The Honor Guards had been preparing for this day for more than a year, fearing that it would come to this, but none the less preparing for it. Their duty was to protect the Grandmaster at all cost. The method of attack was constant movement, attack and retreat, yet remaining completely unpredictable in their actions.

Elena swung and missed numerous times. They would come within reach of her sword and then retreat. Some of the guards did not dare to attack at all and simply ran across her path as another attacked. She couldn't track their patterns at all. They were mixing their movements and attacking at random; yet it was too organized to be random.

The sky grew cloudy as a storm began to brew, blocking the afternoon sun as thunder rumbled within. The Grandmaster and her watchmen support simply watched on as the lightning flashed in the distance. They ignored it, and watched as the honor guards toyed with the Reclaimer, each knowing that at any moment Elena could turn the tied on them.

Elena shouted in pain as a blade struck across her back. She turned frantically, swinging with full aggression, yet missed the man by inches. Again she felt pain, and swung toward nothing. Their strategy was affective, confusing her senses with the constant shifting of their positions. If one began to attack, he would quickly retreat as another repeated the act behind her. She didn't know who was going to approach.

A third time, but this time it was a spear into her hip. She gripped the spear and pulled the man closer, ramming her sword deep into his stomach as he stumbled toward her. The man should have let the spear go, but he was too aggressive, and it cost him. The man shouted in pain as the sky opened up and released its down pour of rain.

Elena staggered as she pulled the spear from her hip and slung the man's corpse to the ground. How long were they going to do this dance? Attack and retreat, retreat and attack, it was organized and well planed. Elena was feeling its affects. She was growing tired. She had already slain five hundred Watchmen before she began to duel with the Honor Guards, and now she was beginning to feel the weight of her sword. She had to think. She wasn't going to be able to maintain her poise for much longer. But she had to fight on; she had to fight longer than the Honor Guards. She had to find another level of energy, or cut these men down before she could no longer fight.

The sound of heavy breathing caught Elena's ears and she zeroed in on the source.

One of the guards was gasping heavily, growing tired. She found a weak link in the Honor Guards tactics. She dashed toward him, ignoring the others as they motioned toward her. The honor guards were forcing her into being defensive, but she knew she had to take the offensive if she were to survive.

The man watched her approach and jumped clear, hoping to get away, yet he wasn't faster than Elena's determination. She was upon him before he could manage to think of an escape. Elena cut through him as two swords racked across her back. She shouted in agony, her mind finally succumbing to the numerous wounds. She was exhausted. She had been fighting none stop for almost an hour, and the blood loss wasn't helping. She staggered forward and planted a knee in the muddy, blood soaked, top soil.

"We have her!" One of the guards cheered, and along with four other guards, they charged.

"Fools!" The Grandmaster shouted, yet her words entered their ears too late.

Blood flashed across the landscape and mixed with the falling rain, as body parts tumbled to the ground. Even weakened, Elena was still a powerful foe. They had attacked all at once, and she cut them down with two mighty swings. She stood to her feet, her legs shaking from the strain, and faced the last four men.

Michael glared her sternly. He had yet to attack or make a move, and Elena wondered why he was holding back. The last three of the Honor Guards at his side quickly surrounded her, and they watched for an opening. Michael watched as Elena struggled to hold up her sword, her muscles had finally met their limit… yet the words of the Grandmaster filled him.

"This is the potential of a pure Reclaimer at its peak; a monster."

Elena was wounded, bleeding heavily, exhausted, yet she still stood upon weakened legs. How much longer could this monster fight? Michael knew that he himself was a Reclaimer, but he was not nearly as foolish to believe that he could match Elena's skill. She had the addition of training within the Ark, and using the teachings of the ancient Forerunner ways. His only hope was to get her as weak as he could.

He would wait as the Honor Guards drained her last bit of energy, and then deliver the fatal blow; if he could.

The three guards kept their distance and jabbed their swords inward. Elena shuffled away, trying to avoid and block their swings, but she was stabbed in the thigh. She winced in pain, and attacked the closer of the guards. He retreated and the other two came to his aid; stabbing Elena twice more. Blood seeped from the fresh wounds as rain water dripped from her mask.

The mighty Reclaimer crashed face first into the soupy mix of blood and mud.

- - - - - - - -

"Stand, Elena. If you can't hold your stamina, than you will never be able to fight an army alone."

The voice softly echoed in her mind. It was her father. She was recalling a distant memory, from many years ago. The training her father had given her to defend her ground against constant attacks.

"Remember child, balance is nothing without foresight. Strength is useless without a clear mind."

"Father…" Elena sobbed, her memories swelling into her. If she died, if she failed, than the Watchmen would win.

"Face them or fail! Defend your ground. This is all you have to do."

- - - - - - - -

The three guards watched as Elena planted her palms into the muddy ground. They wanted to charge at her exposed back, but they had witnessed that mistake earlier. They continued their game of chess; attacking and retreating. One man stabbed Elena in her back as she stood, but she made no sound, as if she was unaffected.

The Grandmaster's eyes widened, as she watched Elena rise into an unconscious stagger. "Micheal! Now you will see what the Forerunners have made!" Elena seemed refreshed, renewed, almost as if she had found more energy. But the Grandmaster knew the truth, that Elena was no longer conscious of her body. Her mind had switched into warriors trance, and her physical injuries would no longer slow here down. This was what she was expecting, but fearing that it would happen. "Archers, ready your arrows! The monster … has awakened; the weapon of the Forerunners. It will not stop until it can no longer breathe." The master pulled up her knife, not that it would do her any good, but she held it firm. This wasn't the first time she had seen this display. Elena was displaying an almost animalistic quality, her mind shutting down to its most basic of instincts; survival.

An honor guard slashed at Elena, but within an instant of hitting her she dodged it, gripped the sword with her free hand, and split the man in two with her sword. The other guards retreated quickly and attacked, repeating their earlier games. But Elena seemed to ignore their display. The guard jumped around her, circling her, and then stabbed at her back. The moment the blade touched her, she spun on her heel, swinging her sword in a wide arc and cut through the very rain itself. Her sword split the guard's sword and his arm. He yelled in pain as he stumbled backward, but Elena quickly stabbed him in the chest, ending his blood curling shriek.

Michael and the last guard backed away. "She was barely able to stand a moment ago. What is this?" Elena turned her head toward Michael and the guard, flinging the dripping water from her mask. She lowered her stance and sprang into the air. The guard jumped in front of Michael as Elena fell toward him. His sword jabbed upward, grazing Elena across the shoulder, yet she still swung her sword with a clean stroke; cutting the guards arm off. Elena then planted her hand on the Honor Guards face and aggressively pushed him into the ground. She squeezed his face as a low growl rumbled from her mouth; crushing his skull in her palm. Michael took the chance and swung his sword across Elena's head. He was fast, much faster than the guards, and struck her mask dead on, knocking it off.

Elena was jostled by the blow and tumbled to the side. Her life was saved by the thickness of the metal mask, and she quickly rolled to her feet. Michael gazed into her eyes and saw only her ferocious display of raw aggression, and the lack of emotion within.

She hissed toward Michael and sprinted toward him, swinging her sword wildly without control or order. He blocked her blows, but the power behind the swings caused him to stagger backwards. He kicked out, catching Elena in the gut, yet she fought on, uncaring. He tried to fight back, but she was too fast and too aggressive.

"What are you?" Michael questioned aloud as he watched blood poor from her wounds. With every flex of muscle in her body, blood boiled outward from the cuts and wounds. Elena was bleeding feverishly yet she didn't care. What Michael was seeing was humanly impossible, even for a Reclaimer. Elena struck Michael across the chest, putting a sizeable gash in his skin, but it merely tossed him several yards away. He slid in the mud and blood, and shook the shock from his head as he stood to his feet.

The Grandmaster stepped forward. "Archers! Fire!"

Elena stood alone as a wave of Arrows began to flow toward her. She snarled at Michael and prepared to charge him, but the sound of splitting air caught her ear. She turned as the Watchmen's arrows streaked toward her. There was no way to dodge them; to avoid their deadly path. But within her crazed mind, she knew that she had to end it. The Grandmaster was unguarded.

Elena reared back her sword and flung it true. The sword sailed clean through the approaching arrows as dozens of them struck her. End over end the sword flipped until it met its target, and implanted itself within the Grandmaster's chest. The master gasped as she fell backward, unable to dodge the speed of the flying sword.

The Grandmaster tumbled backward to the shock of all the Watchmen at her side. Michael ignored Elena's falling form as she slumped to her knees and then fell backward into a puddle of her own blood.

Michael slid to the master side, pushing the other Watchmen away. "Master."

"It is done… Michael. The bloodline is done. There… there are no longer any breeders… none left. Yet … there is an impure line… the Watchmen women still carry the gene. Raise them… find it. Free the Ark… and complete our duty." Michael pulled the blade from the master's chest, though life had left her. He stood to his feet and glared back at the fallen body of the pure blooded Reclaimer, the last of her kind.

"Watchmen, it is done." Michael dropped the sword and let the rain wash away the blood from his face and chest. "The blood feud has ended."

"What of the Ark and our duty?" A watchman questioned.

Michael looked back to them, somewhat concerned that they cared. "Without the Key, there is nothing. It would be best if we merely forgot it all."

The Watchmen were perplexed by these words and looked to each other in confusion.

- - - - - - - -

Egypt
3115 BC

The sun shined brilliantly overhead as Jacob climbed the steps into the temple of King Narmer, passing guards without concern. He was the most respected man in Egypt, second only to the royal family. He was the advisor to the King, the Pharaoh of all Egypt. He stepped into throne room as servants and hand maids attended to the King's young and wife.

Jacob stepped slowly and proudly across the room. He had bathed, shaved and dressed in his royal robes, all to regain his place at the King's side. As he walked into the highest room, a servant pulled back the curtain, unblocking his path into the massive room.

Narmer stepped passed his lead architect, leaving the table plans as they were, and addressed his returning advisor. "Jacob, my friend!"

"My King, it is good to see you once again." Jacob bowed respectfully.

"And I am for you as well." Narmer laughed. The two men shuffled off to a quiet corner to speak in private. "Do you have news of my mother? What of the war?"

"All has been settled." Jacob softly added. "I believe there is nothing more to worry over. You have nothing to fear from you mother, or the Reclaimer. This world belongs to humanity now."

Narmer smiled. "Good. I will advise my army to hunt down the last of the Watchmen. We must be certain that the Ark is hidden, and we can not risk them sharing its location. And what of Tisha and Michael, have they survived?"

"Michael fought bravely, and thanks to your mother, survived against the Reclaimer." Jacob smiled. "But Tisha did not survive. However, everything still went according to plan."

"I wish it did not have to be this way. But it is for the best. When Michael returns, I want him to be proud of his duty. He has helped end the feud, and now we can all live in peace." He looked to Jacob, "How did Tisha die."

"Michael killed her."

Narmer frowned heavily in disapproval. "To be killed by the one you love most. This was my mother's doing. She had no intentions of finding a peaceful solution, and tricked Michael into killing his own blood."

Jacob agreed. "Yes. Yet Tisha was quite formidable. If the tied was turned, she would have killed Michael for betraying her family. Aside from this pain, what shall we do with the Ark?"

"Nothing. Let it stay where it may. My mother's followers will soon be dead, and Michael will return with any information he gathered." Narmer looked out of the window nearest his location and smiled softly. "Michael will be happy to see his wife again."

Jacob laughed in return. "Yes, he has not seen her in two months. But more importantly, does this mean that I should address you as the Grandmaster now?"

"No, Jacob. Ending this blood feud was all that mattered. If I take a title, it will only restart things." Narmer pulled up his wrist guard and examined the fresh crystal within it. "Tell the Archangel's that their debt has been paid, and they can now consider themselves a part of the family once again. All of this blood shed for one tiny crystal."

Jacob sharply questioned. "The Archangels?"

"Yes. A man named Gabriel arrived several days before you. I knew he was an Archangel the moment we met. He brought me the crystal, as it was what Tisha had ordered him to do."

Jacob sighed softly. "So you have the key. Tisha was far wiser than I thought. To think that she knew you were involved with this."

"She will be greatly missed. Her death, and how she died, will forever be a strong blow to my heart; as well as Michael's. Though he may not show it, as Reclaimers are a complex people; even the impure ones."

"The location of the Ark will once again be secret, as soon as the last of the Watchmen are dealt with." Jacob folded his arms and watched as Narmer gazed at the crystal on his wrist.

"Even still… so much has been done for this tiny rock."

- - - - - - - -

Back in the south, the blood soaked soil was quickly being washed away by another heavy rain. Dozens of men continued to dig graves for the hundreds of fallen men and women; those that had stood against the Reclaimer, Elena. It had been four days since that bloody battle and the bodies were being scavenged by vultures and parasites. The smell upon the air was foul and rotten, but these men knew that they had to work or disease and bacteria could begin to spread.

One man stumbled upon the fallen body of young child. Her lifeless corpse was blue and cold and the foul stench of her deathly wound began to fill his nostrils.

"Poor child." The man stated as he knelt at her side. "I have found here!" His scream echoed across the site and many of the men tossed their digging tools and raced to his side. Even in the rain they knelt at her side, showing respect for the young child that had reunited them with their tribe. The Archangels were no longer outcasts, or exiles, but had finally been reunited with a tribe that no longer existed. The Reclaimers were gone, and only King Narmer's court carried the last of their seed, the impure.

"Lady Tisha, we thank you for your sacrifice." One of the Archangels spoke with a heavy heart. Another man reached down and began to wrap her body in bandages so that she could be carried to a nearby temple, where her organs would be removed and her wounds sealed. She would pass on to the afterlife as a Queen in their hearts. "May the Gods keep you, and protect you in the next life. And may it be peaceful and pleasant for all eternity."

The Archangels stood and returned to their duties of digging graves for the dead, while two men finished wrapping Tisha in bandages and carried her away. One man turned and began to head toward the center of all the bodies and upon the ground he found several arrows covered in blood. He knelt beside them and examined them closely as another man came to his side.

"What have you found?"

"These arrows look as though they were torn from the body. Yet I have not seen any of the dead with arrow wounds." The two men examined the area thoroughly in an attempt to find a body that had been pierced by arrows, yet none were found.

"Look at this!" The man knelt and picked up a muddy slab of steel. As the rain fell it washed away the mud, and revealed the Reclaimers mask. "This belonged to the lady Elena."

He turned to the group and shouted aloud, "Has anyone found the Lady Elena's body?"

Finale… "And the start of a new"
Coming soon

Notes: Sorry for the short length. This chapter left me somewhat mixed. Though I liked it, it still felt... well... I don't know, It was as if I was "outside myself". Comments would be greatly appreciated.

-Soulguard