Chapter 6

After taking the small boy back to the village, the group found themselves heartbroken for him; though it would be tough he would have to survive with the village, for now he had no one to look after him. Again the Black Knight had taken away some ones loved one for his own games and in the end he has won again. This made Van even more upset time and time again even after they had destroyed these towers. Again Raijion would win in some way he would get the better and they were left with nothing.

They had nowhere else to go now but to the famed Golden City of Alsuran, there they could rest and find yet another tower, but before they could do that they had to pass through the valley of death to get there. A plagued area that had undead monsters and sickness spread where ever you looked. Here there was said a dark witch lived and any who crossed paths with her were either killed or if they showed promise taken in by her and then changed to the very monsters that walked that space of earth. They would have to travel by foot there for the horse would go nowhere near the valley at all, for fear of the creatures that lurked in the woods behind it.

"Van do you think we can take another path, heading this way is just too dangerous, anything could be waiting for us there, and what happens if something goes wrong, it's a risk that could cost us a lot." Zelliea said as she looked on the map, this was not a place that looked to be the best route even if it was the fastest it still looked to dangerous.

"No we are taking this path we can't let the Black Knight win anymore, to many people are being hurt, and we can't let that happen anymore, if we continue to slow our pace then he wins in the end. This I cannot allow Zelliea I'm sorry but we are going to head through the valley, even if it is dangerous we all knew the risks we would have to take when we took this quest." Van spoke slowly as the turned into the woods now that would lead them to the valley.

The valley's wood laid dark and dying as the continued on, it was like death itself lived here, but then again death's army did live here. Monsters from myth and lore walked these earth and the ones that were only told in stories waited in the dark for those that were not smart enough to stay away. Off into the distance the group could hear a howling in the wind Leon and Zelliea pulled out there weapons and got ready.

"Hunters… they must have gotten our scent this is not going to be good." Leon spoke as he back into the group and began to watch all sides now, as he did he thought quickly, Hunters were werewolves of old, complete animal in nature yet they had fear of fire, it was the one thing that they dared not go into for their flesh would burn easy. "Here the both of you take these." Leon said as he passed them a red crystal, "They are flame crystals they will allow you to cast a fire spell, use it only if they came at you in the mean time we must make it to the valley they will not follow us in there! Move now!" Leon said as he could see a pack of them heading down a hill now, blood lust in there yellowish eyes as there fangs were bared. Their claws digging into the ground to gain more speed to overtake there now sighted prey.

The group moved quickly now heading for the valley Leon leading the way, as one of them leaped into the air he quickly spoke a spell and from his hand produced a fire ball that burned at the creature sending flying over the group as it yelled out in pain. Its body burning alive, a few of the pack turned and began to rip and tear into their own kin; to them the creature was now food. The rest of them continued on not wanting the meek flesh of their own kin but the raw and living flesh of the group. Van turned to see one coming close to Zelliea as he lifted his hand the crystal lit up and let out a ball of fire hitting the creature dead in its face as it fell to the ground dead. Zelliea turned to thank him but then saw it was a trap; there off in the distance was another pack, ready to attack from the front and sides of the group.

"Van look out, there is to many! We can't take them all!" She said as she lifted the crystal to kill yet another one that came to close.

The group ahead now took off full speed and head for Van and the others, there fangs ready to rip and kill as they would now trap them all. Van, Zelliea, and Leon all stopped and waited for them to come now, they got their weapons ready Zelliea firing now 4 arrows to take down a few of the monsters, yet more took its place. Leon began to cast a spell but it was too late, the monsters were now on them.

Van saw everything in slow motion now, 'Is this the end. Is this how the goddess is going to let us die, here by the hands of monsters? Raijion will win and all happiness from this world will be taken and killed.' He thought to himself as he lifted his sword to shield himself. This was the end for the group; this was going to be how they fell and how darkness would consume the world.

Chapter 7

This was there end they were finally going to die, they awaited deaths sweet embrace but then lifted there gaze as they could hear the creatures crying out in pain. Van watched as daggers flew out from the shadows and pierced every single one of them with deadly accuracy. Hitting them as if they were targets on a field. Effortless in their aim as one by one the monsters fell in death. The group looked around as now all of the pack was destroyed in a swift and single strike Van looked around the woods to see who had helped them but then turned to see into the valley, his heart beat faster his hands gripped his sword tighter now as his anger began to build. There off in the distance stood one of the Black Knights Generals, Rouge herself in all her beauty, and there at her left was the Black Knight himself holding his Dark Blade down into the ground as his hand rested on the hilt of the blade.

"You… you bastard!" Van shouted out as he took off to the valley now full speed.

Zelliea and Leon turned to see him shout and take off both of them looked to one another as they took off after him. It was then that Leon saw that it was that had him on edge, so the Dark Lord himself had graced them with himself now. Zelliea moved faster now to keep pace with Van as she tried to take lead from him before he did something out of text, she would not lose him here, and she cared to much for him to go rushing into the battle in case there was a trap.

"My Lord wait! Stop! It could be a trap!" She shouted but nothing she said went to him, she then moved faster now faster than anything she had done before and cut in front of him, "Van stop!" She yelled out stopping in front of him now and causing him to hold his speed.

"Zelliea move, this is my fight now." "No it could be a trap, just think will you what happens if you die, who will destroy the towers! We can't do it alone Van." She said as she looked at him hurt now. "Van looked away then looked to her again, "I'm sorry Zelliea." He said as he placed his hand on her shoulder then turned to face the Black Knight, "What do you want here?" He said still angry at him his sword pointed in his direction.

"Well now is that how you Holy Order people greet a friend, I can see why the village fell so easy, you have no order even in your own group Van, how sad and you even have the act to bare your fang at me, right after I just saved your lives. This is a disrespect to someone who has shown you mercy my friend." His cold emotionless voice rang out from behind the huge dark armor. As he picked up the large blade spinning it around over the top of his head and aimed it to Van, "I can see that you don't intend to let me talk so if you want to attack me if you dare Van."

Van gripped his sword tightly but then placed it in the ground as he looked at him still with hate, "We are friends no longer Raijion what you did is unforgiveable, you killed the King and left the Queen in bare fear of you, then you went against the Order and killed innocent lives! No! No friend of mine would ever do that to us! Never! You are dead to me like the monsters you command. I don't know why you wanted to save us but I'm not going to thank you for it either. I will not play your games." Van said as he clinched his fist.

"Well it seems that you didn't know the half of it then, your Order, your goddess is all fake my friend, it is the wrong path, I tried to tell you once before but none of you would ever listen to me… No you chose to turn away and think that I was speaking nonsense about it. If anything my friend you were the one that betrayed me, you turned against your best friend when I came to you for help and spat it back in my face, for this I will not forgive you of." Raijion said as he placed his sword into the ground. He then turned away from the group as he looked over to the now raising sun.