Hi, the first four chapters of this story was written by Foxfires Fighter. But I will be continuing on from chapter 4. So please enjoy.

Disclaimer:I own nothing. Do not sue. I have nothing to give. I am just having fun with this world. :]

Rebirth of the Legacy

Chapter One

Following after her mother, the two of them slowly started to walk after the man in the mask. While the man's persona was calm and happy, the two elves following him were tense and remorseful. Pulling her hood down the older elf tried to shake the water from the hair it had captured and the younger elf did the same; both were almost identical to one another betraying their relationship. Winding down the hallways after the strange man, they looked around. On the obsidian walls, hung torn and tattered tapestries signaling the wealth and beauty that this castle used to have. In silence the man in front of them stopped and opened up a grand door that they hadn't noticed while walking up the hallway. Entering through the door, they emerged into a grand room that was brightly lit just like the hallways. Raised upon a platform type design in the floor sat three highly decorated but slightly tarnished thrones, each one of them occupied. On the highest one sat a man. He was slightly balding and the rest of the hair on his head was black with slight grey streaks. His build was heavy set with a protruding gut from what looked like one too many pints of ale. The younger man next to him seemed to be his son with the same black hair and build. Then at the other side of the king, the elves guessed, was a woman with long sandy blond hair and light blue eyes.

"Welcome! It's nice to see people from the lower world take interest in our work. I'm Morzan, the young man on my right is my only son, Murtagh, and the woman on my left is my wife, Serena. Who might you be?" Morzan said, standing and gesturing a welcome at them while stepping down to meet them at eye level.

"I am Islanzadi and this is my daughter, Arya," Islanzadi said, gesturing to Arya and herself. "The letter I have sent to you should explain why we are here and what kind of person we are looking for."

Morzan's smile grew wider. "Yes, I did receive your letters and I do believe we can offer you something that would be perfect for the war situation you explained to me. Also I would like for you to understand that the creatures I am going to show you are in no way people. They are animals and should be treated as such. Now, would you like to rest or go and see the stock I have arranged for you to look at due to your specifications?"

"If it's alright with you we are on a very tight schedule and would prefer to be away from here as soon as possible."

"Very well then," Morzan sighed. "If you would please follow me, I'll show you to the creatures that we have matching your requirements."

Shaking his head Morzan turned away and started down a narrow opening behind the raised platform, gesturing for them to follow. With more confidence they followed him, hoping that this would finally help end their problems.

"In your letters to me you said you wanted intelligence as well as physical strength and loyalty. Intelligence isn't very common in the creatures, they can only understand feelings and pictures and if you're lucky you will choose one that will be able to understand basic words. Every one of them has a manual of sorts to go with them letting you know what has and hasn't been used on them, etcetera. It's very helpful so you don't use a spell that's already been put on them. Any questions?"

"Yes, you said something in your responses about a bonding to a person these creatures seem to have. What is that exactly?" Islanzadi asked, knowing full well that if it was what he had previously explained her daughter would be in for a big surprise.

"Ah, yes, the bonding," Morzan exclaimed. "It's a very extraordinary thing, almost as strong as the connection between Dragons and their Riders. Which one of you will be doing the bonding? It's a powerful thing so be forewarned."

"That would be me," Arya stated never looking at the man, only studying the walls and how the farther they seemed to walk the darker things seemed to get. After she had confirmed that she would be the one bonding to the creature, the three of them fell silent, their footfalls echoing in the dead silence that surrounded them. Coming to a descending staircase and taking a torch from the wall, Morzan led the way down into the bowels of the palace. The farther down they went the colder it became. The marble walls gave way to rough grey stone, and every so often Arya would see water trickling down from a hole somewhere in the building's construction. Looking ahead once again she saw Morzan take a sharp right and turn down an even narrower passage way.

"We're almost there. I've had them assembled in the training area so you could see them perform if you wished," Morzan called over his shoulder. Her mother only nodded in response to his statement and carried on. Arya had a feeling that this was easier for her mother to do something like this than it was for her. She held her people's customs and teachings to the highest regard and respect, and what they were doing made her skin crawl. Why did they have to purchase a monster to fight a monster? Why from this man? Everyone in this castle put her on edge. She couldn't help but notice how everyone here seemed to be wearing some sort of mask, real or not. A light suddenly shone out into the damp darkness and Morzan swept through a small arch and they followed him into a brightly lit arena.

"Alright," Morzan grinned clapping his hands together, "let's get the line up in front of these ladies, please, they're on a tight schedule so hurry it up!"

From a side entrance a line of people filed out holding leads to the creatures that followed behind them. The creatures looked deformed; part animal, part human. They were all ugly although the good thing was that their strength was close to that of an elf. All had broad shoulders and were male as far as they could tell. Some had several silver bands while others only had one or two.

"Now, I know what you're probably thinking," Morzan said, pursing his lips. "They are ugly creatures but this is them at their full strength, half in and half out of both of their bodies. With a simple snap of my fingers they can turn either way. Would you like me to demonstrate?" He poised his hand ready to snap if they should say so, but they had no intention to.

"Give us a minute to look them over. Their appearance does not particularly matter to us as long as they are fit for the job we have for them," Islanzadi murmured raking her gaze over the ten men assembled. "Although, Morzan, I have a question for you. What are the silver bands for?"

He looked pleased with the question but in a twisted sort of way. "The silver bands are the marks of their strength. The bands sap their energy and store it so their masters can give it to them when they feel their pets need an extra boost. It also helps us control them by taking away their energy leaving them easier to handle. The more bands they have the more powerful they are…"

Glancing at him, Arya noticed he had wanted to say more but had stopped himself for some reason. He looked familiar to her upon closer inspection, but she didn't dwell on it. Her mother broke her from her suspicious thoughts as she told Morzan which ones to take away.

"Mother," Arya whispered at her ear, "don't I get a say in which one is to be bonded to me at all? Or am I your puppet in this situation?"

"Nonsense, Arya," Islanzadi muttered at her, glancing back towards her. "I would never use you like that. The creature we get here is the pawn. You will be its controller. I hardly think that that is being used."

Shaking her head at her mother's thoughts of pawn and controller she turned her attention back to the five creatures assembled before them. All of them had at least four bands around their wrists and were what looked to be a combination of large cats, for their transformation forms. The first was a lion, the second a tiger, then a jaguar, a cheetah, and lastly a cougar. She had to admit that all these animals possessed amazing strength and could probably help them with the war. But did they really want a person that could do all of this? What would happen if they turned on them?

Glancing at the disturbing figures standing before them, Arya swore she could hear her mother playing a guessing game to help her choose. She knew her mother would most likely go for the tiger shape-shifter because of her personal preference. Wincing as she saw her mother's mouth start to move to confirm her choice of creature…

BAM!

Startled by the sudden loud noise, Arya, Islanzadi, and Morzan all looked around only to find dust settling down in the far corner of the arena next to a splintered column of wood and a dented stone wall. Listening closely they could hear grunts and curses as well as snarls, more dust being stirred up from the apparent struggle. She and her mother raised their brows at Morzan who looked to be furious as well as agitated by the unwelcome interruption. "If you ladies would excuse me for a moment, I'm going to go and take care of this situation," he muttered in a clipped tone, striding off towards the ruckus.

Watching his back curiously Arya whispered to her mother, "What kind of creature of theirs do you think caused that to happen?"

"I have no clue, Arya."

Turning back in Morzan's direction she watched for any sign of him returning to continue with their deal. Listening closely she heard him arguing with someone.

"What do you think you're doing, you idiot, bringing the Basterd to the arena? He could ruin everything. Put him back into his cell," Arya heard Morzan hiss at someone in the dust.

"S-s-s-sorry, Master Morzan, the others said he needed exercise so I thought the arena would be a good place. They never told me how untrained he was," a voice squeaked. Then a loud grinding sound erupted, encompassing the whole arena as the snarls grew in volume. Then a snap, a few shouts and the creatures in front of them skittered to the side and were being pulled roughly away by their handlers. Looking to her mother, Arya saw her looking at the spot in the corner with narrowed eyes. Then out of the dust a young man came barreling towards them, he looked to be about eighteen or so with short dark brown hair and light brown eyes. Blood ran down his chest and forearms from small but deep lacerations on his neck and shoulders. The only piece of clothing he had on was a long pair of black cotton shorts. Suddenly the light from the torches was caught shining off the thin silver bands around his arms, legs, and neck. In all there was around ten, showing that this was a creature in Morzan's care.

Sinking back on his heels, the boy stopped in front of them. He looked like a regular human with no trace of his transformation anywhere in sight. Panting slightly his gaze tore between Arya and her mother at a rapid pace, a single drop of blood falling from his lips. Morzan could be heard running from the corner towards them.

"Don't touch him!" Morzan hollered at them. "That one is to be put down immediately! He's caused enough trouble for a lifetime." He finished running up with what looked like a needle in his hand.

"Why in the world would you want to kill what looks to be a very powerful creature? Surely he would be good for your breeding stock?" Islanzadi asked with a frown.

"Because, Highness, this boy here was not born a creature like the rest. This little bastard was abandoned when he was young and thought he could help us improve our understanding of the formulas we created. He's not powerful at all, just rambunctious and destructive. Now, if you'll pardon my next actions, I must put him down in front of you otherwise we won't be able to get him out of the arena," Morzan huffed, stalking towards the boy. Seeing Morzan come at him, the boy barred his teeth and growled, backing away slowly and never letting his eyes leave Morzan. The muscles on his body rippled as he moved about him. Arya and Islanzadi watched it all with rapid attention. This boy seemed like a good fighter and one that wouldn't back down when threatened.

"Wait, Morzan," Islanzadi called softly still gazing at the boy. "We'll take him off your hands if you'll let us. Paying you the price of all five of the others combined, for him."

Shocked, Morzan looked at them frowning slightly. "You would pay a small fortune for this beast that is so untrained and stupid he'd lick his own ass if you let him?" he said astounded. The boy growled and advanced when his head was turned. Islanzadi nodded curtly at Morzan, keeping one eye on the advancing creature. "Very well, you can have him if your daughter can bond with him, without any of my men around," Morzan smirked.

Glaring at him Arya snorted, "Alright, Morzan, then get out of my way. How do I bond with this creature?"

Chuckling, Morzan was almost gleeful to explain. "First you must cut yourself along your fingers, length wise of course. You must do the same to the creature but after you cut each finger, you must cut a circle in his palm. After that put both of your hands together and voila, you're bonded."

Looking at the savage boy gazing at Morzan with such intensity, Arya smiled. Gently she brought out her dagger on her belt and swiped it along each of her fingers until her crimson blood rose and fell from the small crevices. Raising her eyes to the creature, she noticed his eyes had strayed from Morzan to her, looking at her hand curiously. Shifting in the sand Arya pried free a loose stone and kicked it at Morzan hearing the satisfactory yelp and whimpering that came from him, causing the beast to turn his attention away from her. Swiftly with her Elvin speed she ran behind the boy, swiped her dagger along his fingers and a circle in his palm before he could fully twist around again to attack her. Then she forced her bloody hand upon his, gasping as a fire seemed to rush through her veins and anger snapped behind her eyes. She could only guess, though, for the next thing she knew everything had went black.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed it. Review please! Thanks! :]