Book 1: LIFE

CHAPTER 11

THE SCHISM

The man raced by over the rocky landscape. He rolled under the gnarled roots of a tree and sat there in hiding as he saw the eel-hound pelt by. Once he had caught his breath and the coast was clear, he pulled himself up out of the dirt. Before he even had a chance to brush the dirt off of himself, he heard something shift from above.

A man in a grey cloak jumped off of the nearest rock and aimed for his throat. The man wearing the black robe side stepped and drew his dusty sword. They clashed just before another man in grey crawled out of the bushes and held the man in black from behind. The man in front brought about a swift end.

Up on the ridge, the old man groaned. "No!" one of the men flanking him shouted as he tried to make a move towards the canyon. The old man threw up a hand and caught him around the chest.

"It's too late. He's already gone." The leader said. The men in grey scanned the area, trying to see if more were around. They seemed satisfied and sped away into the dust as quickly as they had arrived. "That makes two men this week." The old man snapped. He gave his hooks a good spin before he turned around and marched back to his eel-hound.

"Well, what can we do?" the other man asked as he grabbed onto his superior's boots. "At this rate, they will overtake us soon enough."

"You think I do not know that!" The superior roared as he kicked out with his boot, sending the man tumbling backwards into the dust. "I do not know what can be done but I do know that something will be done. Now get back to the base and tell the others to step up night guard. I suspect we will be seeing the beasts again tonight." With that, the superior kicked his mount and sprinted off into the vast wilderness.

Zhong plowed down the small hill and straightened himself off at the bottom. He glanced around and then fixed his shoulders straight ahead. He moved past tumbleweed and sat to rest under a large palm. He wiped the sweat from his brow and cut off a piece of his shirt off to tie around his forehead. 'Funny' Zhong thought to himself. 'Last time I killed, I was too afraid to stand. Now, running from it again, I don't seem to be bothered at all.'

Zhong noticed an enclosure up ahead, wedged next to the tall plateau on the plain. He got to his feet and shook the dirt off of the back of his pants and, clearly having learned nothing, marched forth to the enclosure.

It was a tall, metal barrier that met him as he crept up. No towers were visible and it seemed as if it was just a large wall plopped into the middle of grassland. Zhong checked the large bolts that were keeping the wall together and then proceeded to search for a door. "Hello." Zhong shouted up to whatever might be in the enclosure. "Is anyone there?" Zhong drew his sword and prodded the door violently.

He felt himself hoisted up by his ankles, slamming his head into the wall and causing him to black out; not before he saw a group of people in black cloaks unhook him and drag him over the wall.

"Should we dump him off in the marshes?"

"No, it would be too far and night is coming."

"We should just kill him here and not go through all the trouble of going anywhere."

"We could just keep him in the holding cell."

Zhong's eyes fluttered open to a very dimly lit store room full of barrels and crates. Through the open door, he could see that they were in some sort of subterranean chamber with a clear view of the sky. He tried to sit up but he was pulled back to the ground by the chains that bund his arms to a strong metal bar hanging on the shelf above him.

The sound of the clattering chains attracted the men in black robes just outside the door. The one with the spear moved into the room and thrust it towards Zhong's throat.

"I am no threat!" Zhong shouted as he tensed.

"Silence" the man hissed as the other two moved in next to him.

"Why were you at our wall?" the superior asked Zhong.

"I was just passing through and wondered what lived here." Zhong stated. "I am by no means a threat to you."

"That's exactly was an intruder would say." The other man said, holding a cross bow in his hands. "I say we kill him."

"No, wait!" Zhong shouted. The spearman raised his arms and prepared to drive through Zhong. "I could be of use to you."

"How could a man such as you be of use to assassins?" the man with the crossbow asked. "We are skilled enough."

"But, I was a member of the global army. I could provide you with tactical support." Zhong pleaded. The spearman clearly did not buy this.

"If you were part of the global army, then why are you not with them now?" the spearman asked. "I know that you are flubbing."

"Wait!" the superior commanded as he stepped forward, shoving the spearman aside with a sweep of is hand. "I do believe we could use you after all. We seem to be having some…troubles as of late."

"Like what?" Zhong asked.

"I do not think it is right to ask this outsider for help." The crossbow man shouted.

"Be silent. He may be our only chance." The superior shouted back as hooks descended from his sleeves. He returned his attention to Zhong. "We have been attacked by a rival assassins group, the Raging Wraiths. Every night, they attack our fort and every day they single out our members and kill them. We must end them before they end us. With your services, we will consider releasing you unharmed."

Zhong gave a laugh. "A little gang war is your problem?" Zhong asked. He spat on the ground and looked up with a smirk. "I think I could help with that."

Night fell on the grassland. Nothing seemed to stir in the inky night. Soon, a red light appeared at the end of the savanna, bobbing out of the thin tree line. It seemed to be floating in the air. It split off into twelve other little balls of fire and spared over the tall grass. As it zoomed along, a low growling was heard.

Strangely, no activity was happening inside of the fort. The balls of fire took no notice and continued to zoom along.

Zhong's muscles tightened as he reached into his armor and gripped his knife tight. The ball of fire was only a few feet ahead of him. Just a few more inches. Zhong gave the signal.

Suddenly, all of the fire was extinguished.

Zhong had knocked one of the Raging Wraiths to the ground. He tumbled over the grass where he had been hiding with the assassins. He could hear commotion all over the savanna as the assassins took down their opponents. But he knew something was wrong. "Why aren't you fighting back?" Zhong hissed as he threw the man he had been fighting with to the ground.

It was nothing more than a straw dummy that had a lantern attached to it.

Then how had it been moving?

Zhong felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck as he spun around. Eight red eyes met his eye sight. Then came the horrible screech as the beast moved forward with its large, gaping jaws. Zhong dodged the jaws but he felt the creature's long leg catch him under the chin. He fell backwards and heard the same fear arise elsewhere around the savanna.

The Canyon Crawler moved forward with such speed that Zhong only saw a blur before he felt teeth clench around his arm. He let out a scream and then plunged his dagger into the beast's head. The Canyon Crawler fell backwards dead as Zhong stood up. He felt under his chin, the sticky red blood covering his fingers. He looked around and saw Canyon Crawlers littered around the savanna.

He took off towards the assassins to help them but was jumped from behind. A man in grey stood over him with a sword, ready to kill but Zhong got there first. He dropped the man into the dirt and then scanned the area, knowing that another would not be far behind.

A man in grey snuck up behind him. Zhong turned but saw another man in grey jump out to his right. Zhong looked back and forth as he tried to figure out whom to get first. He heard the screech and knew what was coming. He ducked and then flipped himself onto the Canyon Crawler's back. The large jaws clamped down hard on one of the Raging Wraiths and just missed the other. Zhong took hold of the rope on the creature's back and steered him towards the other man.

The man tried to flee but it was in vain. Zhong took off into the tall grass again with his new mount. He had only gotten part of the way when he felt he Canyon Crawler give a lurch. He was tossed off as the Canyon Crawler turned back around to face his meal. An assassin leapt out of nowhere and hit the creature across the face with his hooks and then gave a large slash. The creature fell.

The superior turned to Zhong and offered a hand to him. "We were tricked. They sent the Canyon Crawlers to distract us while they snuck through the grass."

"How are the rest of your men doing?" Zhong demanded.

"Last time I checked, we had only lost one man but…" The superior threw Zhong to the side and lashed out with his hooks. He impaled the Raging Wraith in the head and flung him to the side. Zhong turned and slashed another's throat in one quick move. "Watch out!" The superior threw Zhong aside as another Raging Wraith was taken out with dual swords. The other assassin raced to his superior's side.

A large screech was heard as a Raging Wraith came into view atop a Canyon Crawler. The superior shoved his apprentice aside and took a blow to the head. He reeled backwards, shouting out in pain as he fell to the ground. Zhong raced forward, killing the rider and beast quickly.

The battle was over in a matter of minutes and as dawn broke, the bodies of the Raging Wraiths were scattered everywhere.

The superior kept his hood up. A large piece of burlap covered the side of his head that had been smashed off from the Canyon Crawler's attack.

"Well, it seems that we owe you many thanks." The superior said as he filled up Zhong's pack with supplies. "We are in your debt."

"It was no problem. Always good to get out there and practice your trade I suppose." Zhong gave his new scar a scratch. The Canyon Crawler had given him a good one.

"If you enjoy it so much, then why did you leave the army?" the superior asked as he sat down on a chair next to Zhong.

"Well….you see…I had to go out and find out what I wanted exactly." Zhong told the superior bluntly.

"And why is that?"

"Well, my leader…he hasn't been straight forward with me and I just need to get away and see if I can just find out who I am and where I'm really supposed to be heading in life." Zhong answered.

"If your leader has been unfair to you, then you shouldn't run from him." The superior said, getting shakily to his feet. "You should return to confront him. There must be some other reason that you are running."

Zhong paused for a moment. He heaved a sigh and then looked up at the superior. "When I was little, my parents were killed. I left to find the man who killed them and finally get justice."

"Ah, revenge." The superior sighed. "I would advise against following such paths. It can only lead to rage and blind fury. That much raw anger could be detrimental to a person."

"Yes, I know that." Zhong answered with a bow. "Thank you."

"I would return to your master and see what he has to say for his actions. After that, leave to start your own life. Closure is what I think you need know more than anything."

"I will." Zhong turned and walked up the stairs and out the open gate. He stopped and then turned around. "By the way, who have I had the pleasure of helping anyway?" Zhong asked.

The superior smiled. "We are the Screaming Banshees."

The gate closed with a thud as Zhong walked off through the tall grass back to where he had come. He gave his scar a scratch and glared up at the sky. It was time for the Master to answer for what he has done.

"Tell me everything again." The Master demanded in a husky voice. Aitoku was sweating before him.

"We went to the Kiwajou Tribe and interrupted the murder of Zhong." He told the Master quickly. "Nothing more."

"You lie!" the Master shouted. "You spoke with Zhong. What did he tell you?"

Aitoku gulped loudly and then sighed. "He said that he had killed." Aitoku hung his head. "He said he liked it."

The Master's face lit up with new found life and a wicked smile passed across his face. "Then he is ready." The Master bent down from his chair and gripped Aitoku around the throat. "My pawn is ready to be played." Aitoku gaped for air but the Master's hold did not loosen as his grip on Aitoku's mind sealed itself.

The Master General was ready.