A/N: Let me know what you think a review is GREATLY appreciated. I've been told it's alright so far but I'm a perfectionist, so please do let me know any complaints you may have. I can handle it ;)

Chapter 2: Goodbye, Old Friend

The others were asleep, my eyes were shut tighter than a noose, and yet sleep wouldn't find me. I guess that's a side effect of becoming a murderer. By now the fire was only a pile of ash and a few desperate and persistent coals. I swore I heard whispers in the distance.. I couldn't make out the words, just the hushed tone of secrecy.

I stood up alertedly and glanced around cautiously. Were there more of them? No, there was nothing in the darkness, only trees and their fallen leaves and twigs; perhaps an animal or two somewhere.

Whoosh!

A horrible stinging pain emanated from my right shoulder. I reached at it instinctually and felt the warm crimson pooring from my wound. I shouted in both pain and alarm. Shal leaped from his makeshift bed and drew his favorite katana, Hellscream. Ignos got up alertedly and readied his spells, a fireball hovering above his palms. I tore the arrow from my shoulder and screamed "Who are you!" We glanced around "Come out coward!" Shal Demanded.

There was a cackle in the distance. Was it the distance? It seemed so far away yet... It was almost as if it were in my head, as if there was someone standing right in front of me. "You've no right to demand anything from me, Shaladur," Shal, for once, had a look of despair on his face. He was no longer the fearless man I'd seen before. "I give you power beyond imagination and first you abandon your master and now you attack my minions," Ignos and I were both puzzled. Power beyond imagination? A master? "What haven't you told us shal?" Skeletons, exactly like the ones we slaughtered earlier emerged, dozens of them, then hundreds.

"Go," Shaladur said calmy. He had a look of despair on his face, but also one of determination, of redemption. A wicked, almost entertained laughter erupted through the forest. "You seek to save them?" The voice said, humorously. Shaladur looked at me and Ignos with a sad look, a look you gave to a friend when you knew it was the last you would see of them. He said "Go," He said once more. He turned slowly and shouted in a berserk bloodthirsty howl of absolute rage "I WILL CRUSH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR MINIONS DAGE! I WILL GRIND EVERY SINGLE BONE INTO DUST BEFORE MY BLADE TASTES YOUR UNDYING FLESH!"

"HAHAHAH," The voice laughed uncontrollably. "Kill them," The skeletons leaped in at us to attack, we were swarmed in seconds. "GO, NOW!" Shal shouted, this was the last I would hear of him. Me and Ignos obeyed his final wish.

We ran through the undead, slaying as many as possible, but it wouldn't be enough.

We reached a hilltop, I saw Shal cutting down undead almost effortlessly. Hellscream gleamed as it danced around, breaking bones like twigs.

Arrows flew in from behind him and punctured his back. Already injured, skeletons began beating him as well. Blades cut his flesh, maces battered him brutally and mercilessly. He fell to his knees, bloodied and beaten. Blood oozed from the crator where his nose was, before it was bashed in by a mace. He struggled to even lift his arms, he was still trying to fight. Arrows sprouted from his thick flesh.

A dark figure, glowing with power approached my friend from the darkness.

I could see him fully well, by now the sun was beginning to rise. The entirety of his armor was black. His helm was open, yet only a blue glow came from within. His chestplate was thick and was designed as a gaping skull. Massive skulls with jutting horns were perched on his shoulders. A greatsword was sheathed on his back. Along it's blade were carved what looked like the faces of condemned spirits, always screaming in anguish. A powerful light blue aura surrounded him. Dage was like nothing I'd ever seen... or heard of before.

He was not among the living.

"Tsk, tsk" He uttered, wagging a finger. " Dage picked up Shaladur's blade. "We meet once again Hellscream," Dage said eyeing the long katana. He raised it high above his head, It shone in the newly risen sun, and brought it down swiftly onto my friend.

He fell quickly to the earth with a thud. His head tumbled away in the dust. "NO!" Ignos screamed, trembling and in tears. He blasted a massive fireball into the distance, the force of which knocked many undead into pieces, and even knocked a tree down, before incinorating a fraction of the forest. "We have to go," I said, shocked at the event.

Ignos and I ran for what seemed like hours. We made it to the small town of Willowshire. It was a quaint little place, a miniscule farming village in the Greenguard province of King Alteon's sprawling kingdom. We went into the Inn and sat down. Ignos was still trembling, he'd finished crying before we made it to the town. Shaladur was dead. I didn't care what he did to that bastard, but I would avenge my friend. Shaladur's sacrifice would not be in vein, Dage would die.

A/N: Stay tuned! More coming up soon!