Mageria Talsheir's Story

Mageria laid on the bed for a few moments after Luckas and Ess left; just taking the chance to breathe. But then the commotion outside got a bit louder. She sighed heavily and sat back up. Levering herself carefully to her feet, she bit back a curse or two as her muscles protested. She’d only taken a step or two before remembering that she was basically half naked. With a growl she grabbed a nearby shirt, working it over her right arm and wrapping it around her left side. Grim must have slung her around with that arm at some point, she couldn’t really move it all that well.

Well, now she was ‘dressed’ and the loose shirt had the added benefit of hiding just how bashed up she really was. The only damage that could be seen at the moment was the bruises on her throat and face, which would cut down on the rumors of her being half dead.

She’d only taken a few more steps away from her bed, Tala at her feet and the medics headed her way, when Grim pushed his way in leading a battered Crys. He left the battered empath in the hands of the medics and headed her way; a foreboding expression on his equally battered face. She could feel proud of her bruises, considering that he had a set that matched her own.
“Mageria where is my sword? I know you . . .” he stopped abruptly when he saw her, eyes flickering over her face. She couldn’t stop a small smile.
“This is nothing; you should see the other guy. And for the record, if anybody is going to be calling someone a worm and then do something that leaves bruises behind, it’s going to be me. And I’m going to be dressed far differently.” She leaned to the side just a tiny bit, enough to see the man standing behind Grim. He gave a tiny nod, telling her that they had indeed been the ones to take care of Grim’s missing weaponry. It was so good to have smart people working for her. She nodded back and faced Grim squarely.
“Sit down, old friend.” She gestured to a nearby bed as she went back to her own, sitting down with Tala curled up next to her, watchful eyes fastened on him.
“We have a hell of a lot to talk about.”

Mageria had dropped into a light doze when she felt a slight touch on one arm. Startled, she tried to grab at the wrist of whomever it was, but the pain of her injuries caused her to freeze up instead. Hissing in pain, she dropped back down and peeled her eyelids slowly open. A pair of dancing green eyes met her gaze, in a face that most people would have found to be very familiar if they happened to look around.
“Easy now, Captain. You have to rest after playing with the big boys.” Anna, one of Ella’s maids, scolded her gently.
“Should you even be here?” Mageira managed to raise one eyebrow. “I’m not exactly the person you want to be seen with right now.”
Anna snorted softly. “It’s easier to get you alone right now than it would be tomorrow. And you don’t think I’d let you walk away without so much as a goodbye, do you?”
Mageria grinned and closed her eyes. “Of course not. Not after all that time I put into training you.”

Anna had been handpicked by Mageria three years ago for a very special purpose. She was to be a bodyguard to Ella, one that the girl would never suspect. She could fight, she could spy, and best yet, she could think. And she had a very useful Enlightenment, one that would come in very handy soon.

“Can you keep up the act? Are you willing to?” Mageria’s voice was light, barely a whisper. Anna leaned in closer and kept her tone at the same level.
“Yes; because if nothing else, you’ll need it now more than ever.” Anna’s eyes were grave. “Your not . . .”
“Leaving you alone? Of course not. There will be a crew in the City, a couple in the Castle itself. The rest of us will be out at the training grounds. We can be back within twenty minutes. Just send the word. You still have what you need?”
“Yes, Cap . . . Mageria.” Anna nodded.
Mageria shifted slightly, pulling out a slightly crumpled letter. It was folded and sealed with a blob of wax. “Here. This is for Lady Ella. Make sure she gets it?” Anna nodded and tucked it away, reaching up to brush a strand of hair off her forehead.
“I have to go. Take care Captain.”
Mageria sighed and settle back to sleep, comforted in the knowledge that Ella wouldn’t be alone.

Later that night, a battered letter appeared on Ella’s pillow, just before bed.

Ella

I’m sorry.

I’m sorry that my past choices are causing you such trouble. I’m sorry that I’m leaving you like this. But I have to admit that I’m not sorry about what I did. Honestly, I’d do it again and dance on the son of a bitch’s grave. There’s a reason that I was never chosen to wear White. I never could follow all those rules.

But that’s not what this is about. The Council is breaking their ties with me and mine, but that doesn’t negate the fact that we swore oaths of our own. Oaths that we will not break. We will continue to watch over Newhaven, just not in the way we have in the past. It is my hope that someday we might be welcome in Newhaven once more, but until that day we shall do what we do best. Survive and deceive. There will be some of us around, those of us that are best able to conceal themselves. The rest will come when needed. If you need to get in touch with me for any reason, leave a letter sealed with black wax on your desk. It will find it’s way to me.

Until we are welcomed back, please be careful. Try not to go anywhere on your own, at least take one of your maids with you. I have enough white hair as it is.

I hope . . . I hope that you will be able to forgive me, someday.

Mageria

---------------
Blackpond

Sham watched her quarry from a secure hiding place and tapped her fingers impatiently. There was a young woman working in the secondary kitchens who looked enough like her that she could take her place. Sham had learned a couple of things living in the Newhaven Castle for the past few years, one of them that very few people looked at those who worked in the lowest levels of serving, and more importantly, nobody really gave a damn. She’d take the woman’s place tomorrow, working in the kitchens for what would usually be barely enough to keep her alive. But she wasn’t going to be going for the wage or the benefits. The kitchen that produced the food for the other servants also produced the food for one other group. The prisoners. And if she could work her way into delivering the prisoner's food, then she could find Jake. One problem was, it was going to take a good long time. Hopefully Jake could hold on that long. But it would be worth it if she could help him break out.

Heaving a sigh, Sham went to find a place to sleep for the night. It was going to be a long couple of weeks.

--------------

Thomas ran one hand wearily through his hair. He was going to be up all night, trying desperately to restructure things so that Mageria’s absence wouldn’t be disastrous. He had barely gotten started when there was a loud thudding and yelling at his door. He snatched it open only to find that Xypher was standing there, clutching a splinted hand to his chest.
“That . . . bitch tried to kill me! She had some mind raper dig around in my memories and was torturing me for the hell of it!!” The elderly noble was half screaming, eyes ablaze in a righteous fury. Thomas felt something akin to a blow to his chest. Xypher could only be talking about Mageria. He could almost understand what she had done in the past, but this? Even if she had a reason, how could she be that stupid?
“Let’s go find her then.” Acid burning in his gut, Thomas waved for a couple of the Guard to follow him as he headed towards the Black’s wing. If her things were gone, then he would know that she was running. Which was something that he would never have guessed for her.

Striding into the Black’s wing, Thomas snapped out an order for Mageria’s location. A couple of people pointed towards the medic’s ward, saying that she was resting. Thomas’s eyebrows started knitting together. From what he could hear of people talking, she had been in a fight of some kind and evidently she was supposedly resting. Pushing in through the door, his eyes landed almost immediately on Mageria’s figure lying limply on a bed, a wolf curled up on her feet. She also looked beaten to within an inch of her life.

Turning to a nearby medic, he asked how long she had been there. Confused, the medic replied that the Captain had been in the ward for hours, ever since she had been brought in after a fight with the former Sir Pondus. She hadn’t left or even been out of anybody’s sight the entire time. Feeling a growing rage, Thomas left and all but drug the Warlord down the hall, ignoring the way he kept snarling and threatening all sorts of things. Finally, he had enough.
“Warlord Xypher. I don’t know what the hell you are doing, but enough. Mageria couldn’t have attacked you, not when she was lying in a bed in the medic’s ward. And given that she doesn’t have an Enlightenment, there’s no way she could have done anything. So, kindly shut the hell up.” Stalking away, Thomas made a mental note to have the Warlord closely watched for the next couple of days. The man obviously had an ulterior motive.

Mageria nearly screamed when she woke up. Literally everything on her body hurt and it took all her willpower to move. But she had to move, had to get things done. Her grace period ended today and at the rate things were falling apart, she had to get her people out of range fast, before fate could take aim at them. With a hissed curse coming from between her clenched teeth; she sat up, attracting the attention of a nearby medic.
“Cap. . . Mager . . . You shouldn’t be up and moving.”
“You want me to stay here and take up space for the rest of the week?” Mageria smiled wryly as she used the medic’s shoulder for balance as she stood up.
“No, but you shouldn’t be moving. Not on your own like this. You need more rest.”
Mageria sighed heavily as she started rummaging through some supplies on the table, choosing a couple of vials to shove in a pocket.
“I’ll rest when I’m dead. Might be sooner than you think. But not till then.” She choose one vial and ripped the cork out with her teeth, spitting it to the side and gulping down the contents in one long swallow. It left a vile taste in her mouth, but the painkillers were enough for her to move with some ease. She grimaced and left the room, leaving the medic sputtering behind her. At her feet, Tala whuffed happily; apparently Ess hadn’t returned overnight and the wolf was still in her care.

Mageria shuffled down the hallway, hearing it echo just a bit as she took in the emptiness. Her people were getting ready to move out and it showed. It seemed like most of them had stayed awake throughout the night, packing and probably smuggling things out. Although they still hadn’t told her what was going on. She continued her shuffling down to her room, opening the door and blinking in surprise. There wasn’t a scrap of furniture left; it had been completely cleaned out.
“That blind friend of yours did a lot of damage in a real short period of time.” From the side Mathew stepped around the door.
“She was caught up in the berserker rage of Grim’s. We’re lucky that all that happened was some furniture damage.” She sighed, looking at the room she had lived in for the past seven years. It seemed oddly appropriate that there was nothing left.
“There’s something that I though you might like to know. There was a bit of a dust up at the Inn last night. None of ours, it was between the Pack and some new faction. But there’s a really interesting bit. The Alpha was involved; injured, and is still holed up there. We could take a few people and . . .”
Mageria shook her head sharply, ending the thought before it began. “We’ll not be the one’s to break neutral ground. We might need it ourselves someday. But I do want to have a chat with our esteemed Alpha. Thanks for the update.” She looked over with one raised eyebrow. “Are you ever going to tell me what the hell is going on?”
Mathew grinned. “You remember the training camp? The one that we have to keep chasing the birds out of? We’re taking it over. It’s far enough that no one will care and close enough that we can take care of business.” He shrugged uncomfortably. “We figured you felt the same way that most of us do; we don’t want to leave people without someone to look after them. Fought too hard in the first place to keep them safe, can’t just walk away now”

Mageria wrapped herself in an old cape and slipped out of the Castle, grateful for the cold that let her cover herself from head to toe and not be noticed. Of course, the fact that Tala still trotted at her heels made her a bit noticeable; but not, perhaps as the Captain of the Black Knights. Former Captain, anyways. She sighed, a cloud forming around her face momentarily. That was going to be hard to get used to. But she pushed the thought away, concentrating all her energy on moving without limping too badly. The herbs had done their work, the swelling was down enough that she could see out of both eyes; now she just had to sell the idea that she wasn’t that badly injured. Although the fact that her face looked like someone had decided to paint the left side of her face didn’t help that any.

She had to stop for a moment to catch her breath outside the Inn, stubbornly refusing to show any weakness in front of those that she knew would be inside. She smiled crookedly down at Tala. “Let’s go put on a show, shall we?” Tala whined a bit, jumping up a bit in what seemed like excitement. Mageria brushed her fingers over the wolf’s ears and pushed off the building, walking into the Inn with a steady gait.

Pushing through the door, she had to stop for a moment and survey the damage that the fight from yesterday had left. At least none of her people had anything to do with it. Walking to the bar, she waited patiently for the woman behind it to come over.
“Mistress Innkeeper.” She nodded respectfully. “I have it on the best authority that the Wolfpack Alpha spent the night here. I’d like to talk to him.” She raised one hand. "Just a talk. Unlike some others, I respect the fact that this is neutral ground."

Sheila was overseeing a couple of other workers as they cleaned up the mess of broken chairs and tables; the blood specs and other messes had already been cleaned the night before. As the door opened she slowly made her way to the counter, watching the woman who entered with curious eyes and a smile; that until she asked for Sean. No one was supposed to know he had been hurt, not even within the clan, although the rumors were probably reaching camp already. "The Alpha does not wish to be disturbed by visitors, Miss...?" She gave room for a name before continuing. "I can ask him, if you like, but I doubt he will be willing to see anyone right now..."

As she said so, a voice sounded along with footsteps coming down the stairs. "It's fine, Sheila."

Sean came into the bar walking slowly and bearing the sickened looks of someone who recently lost a decent amount of blood, but other than that he seemed to be in perfect health. Sheila gave him a slightly severe look. "You really shouldn't be..." She silenced as the Alpha glared at her, bowing her head and heaving a sigh. "Something to drink, love?" She asked, realizing that it was stupid to argue with Sean.

"Some tea would be good." Sean replied, as he sat at a corner table, groaning softly as she lowered himself onto a chair. "Sit, Captain." He said motioning for the chair across from him. "Leave us." He added, glancing towards the workers, that had still been replacing broken chairs, as they left the bar. He then looked at Mageria with a raised eyebrow. "Didn't think the city Council was that severe, you look like a battered wife." He stated, with a little smirk. "So... To what do I owe the joy of your visit?"


Mageria snorted. "Actually, this," she gestured at her face; "was a conversation I had with an old friend. And you should see the other guy." Tala growled softly as she followed Mageria across the room, then curled up around her feet. She sat down a bit stiffly herself, then leaned back and rubbed her fingers against the wolf's ears.
"Actually, I was going to drop you a note, but when I found out that you were here, I decided to stop by." She leaned back and smiled. "Just a friendly warning, really. There's someone out there who's targeting Enlightened. You might want to keep an eye on your recruits." She snorted. "And that's the warning I would have given you before you pulled your little stunt." She waited for the tea to arrive and poured herself a cup. "Speaking of, do you have any clue what you've done?"

"Is that so?" Sean asked when Mageria mentioned she'd heard about him being in the Inn. "And how, if you don't mind me asking, did you find out that I was here?" He then poured himself a cup of tea and sighed, trying to assimilate the information she'd given him. "What, again? Didn't we already kill that guy?" He sighed. "I appreciate the warning, on behalf of my recruits." He stated. "And I know what I've done. In a way I am sorry that it had to be done, I know you have, had, have... People under your command who have nothing to do with this. I am sorry for them, but, as you may or not recall, I warned that there would be consequences if you or any of your people associated with that group of traitors. I simply kept true to my word, if you didn't listen, or didn't take me seriously, then there's nothing I can do about it."

"Do you really think that I don't keep this place under surveillance? Yesterday's activities weren't exactly discrete." Mageria reached out and took a sip of her tea, choosing her words carefully. "What you've done, my dear Alpha, is give well over a battalion of well trained men and women every reason in the world to hunt you and yours down. I do believe that the Wolf Hunters were formed in a similar situation." She raised one eyebrow and leaned backwards, smiling grimly. "Not that I'd allow them to do such a thing, of course. But I do wish you'd chosen your actions a bit more carefully." She tilted her head to the side. "How many people have you angered lately? You've never been on good terms with Newhaven, Blackpond is calling it's debt due, you've got the Wolves that followed Rivers . . . and now me and mine. It's said that it takes a genius to fight a war on two fronts. A madman fights on three . . . And you? Is there anyone you could turn to for help anymore?"

Mageria shifted in her seat and eyed Sean hard. "As for the consequences . . . you are the Alpha of the Wolfpack. Jake showed up in Newhaven without a scratch on him and not looking as if he's had so much as a bad nights sleep. If you can't manage to take care of one man in three years with all those highly trained assassins at your beck and call . . . Well. You figure it out."

"The Wolf Hunters, Captain, were a group of, I don't know... Five, six, seven people at most, who managed to almost wipe out our clan in one single night. Not matter how highly you think of yourself, or your people, comparing yourselves to them is ridiculous. Seven of your people alone wouldn't survive doing what they did." Sean leaned back taking a drink from his tea with a slightly amused look in his eyes. "You think I'd be worried in a situation like this, but I'm really not. Maybe I am crazy, or very, very, stupid... Pick one and believe it, I don't care. That's exactly how I got where I am in the first place. Arrogant people just make it that easy." He stated. "And Jake is a coward who hides behind the White Shadows until he feels like he has to do something to make himself feel like less of a selfish bastard, at which point he comes out of hiding behind the healers for five minutes to hide behind you. I do owe him however... If Dani hadn't sent his incompetent ass to Newhaven so he could kill her, I might not have gotten Crys where I wanted." Sean drank slowly and quietly until he finished his tea. "Say, did your surveillance people miss the fact that your idiot brat of a Queen paid me a visit? Well, either way, I gave her fair warning, but since she was too busy bitching about how pathetic I am, I doubt she paid it much attention. Either way... The Blackpond people have ordered a hit on Your Highness and, as I already told the little idiot, I'd rather not do that, I know first hand what killing a city ruler will bring me. At the same time, I don't have much of a choice and as you so kindly pointed out yourself, Newhaven is not much of an ally to me either way, so I have considerably little to lose." He set his cup down over the table and leaned forward, holding back a painful groan. "I have nothing against Ella. Not even after she wandered into a neutral territory, insulted my people and threatened them with execution, but unless I'm given a better option, and soon, I will make sure that the contract is fulfilled. At any cost." That said, he poured himself another cup of tea and leaned back again. "Pass that message along to the Whites if you can. I'm pretty sure Your Highness didn't take me seriously enough to do that herself."

Mageria snorted. "You seem to have missed the part where I lost pretty much any credibility I used to have up at the Castle. The fact that I'm talking to you right now will just make it that much better. But I'll pass the word along." She poured herself some more tea and set the pot down with a small thump. "You do realize that Blackpond is trying to cause trouble for their own reasons? That they have their own assassins if they really wanted the Queen dead. And given the offer they came to us a couple of days ago . . . their goal is to have us at each other's throats while they wait to take out the winner when they're weak. Typical, really. I could almost admire the strategy if it wasn't so underhanded." She eyed Sean. "It should be interesting to see if the Whites manage to work with you though. They have this thing about following the rules, normally such a thing would be left up to me. But now . . ." She raised one eyebrow.

Taking a breath and shifting a bit uncomfortably, Mageria drummed her fingers on the table. "Why make this offer, Alpha? Just because you don't want to take out our Queen? That will just get Blackpond after you in turn."

"I'm afraid you answered your own question, Captain. I know that Blackpond came to you first and I do realize they have their own motives, and I'm not fond of the idea of being used. Allying with Blackpond, back when I did, was necessary. Despite how careful your attacks were, I wasn't the only one uncomfortable with the fact that, had Newhaven wanted it, we would all be dead within a few hours. Thing is... Old man Rory was always good on his word, and I rather liked him... And I don't buy the fact that this unknown son popped up out of nowhere right after he was murdered..." Sean groaned, trying to adjust himself in his seat. "Bottom line: I don't like Rick. And if I'm going to have someone after me, then I'd rather it'd be for..." He laughed. "Well, not the right reasons, but at least my own." Sean paused for a second then, added with a frown. "Honestly, there is nothing I would love more than to get rid of those people. Absolutely nothing. All I need is a decent excuse."

Mageria resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Much as I would love to be the one to give you that excuse, I can't. I have my own reasons to go after them, but I doubt they're ones that you would be interested in falling behind. And I certainly couldn't hire you. Besides, you and I don't exactly get along, away from neutral ground." She shrugged a bit stiffly and carefully rolled her cup from side to side. "I met Hastings, before it all happened. He was an unmitigated ass, but . . . I've always had my doubts that he was the one that held the dagger."

Looking at the empty cup in front of her, Mageria sighed and pushed it away, shifting in her seat in preparation of getting up. "Much as this has been fun, I'm afraid I have to go. You've been good about keeping our business out of Newhaven for the most part, and I appreciate that. I'd suggest you keep to that, because while Newhaven has turned away from us, we still hold to our oaths. I also suggest you stay away from my people in the near future, because we have nothing holding us back anymore." She nodded in a sort of respect to an equal gesture. "Until we meet again, then. I'll be sure to pass your message along to the Whites, if I can."

Sean snickered. "Surely Captain, there's no amount of gold that would make me work with or for you." He stated, leaning back in his chair, holding back a groan. "There's is one thing I would happily trade for my services, by I'm sure you wouldn't even consider that offer, which, admittedly, is the main reason why will never get along. When does Jake come back from Blackpond again?" He asked absently, smirking a little and not expecting an answer. "Hope he returns safely, I'd hate it if he never got the chance to return my knife."

Sean didn't move or stand as Mageria said she would be going, only nodded his head slightly. "Until we meet again, Captain..." He replied, with a half amused smile. "It's always a pleasure."

A vicious smile crossed Mageria's face. "There are a couple other reasons, Alpha." She tilted her head to the side just a bit. "You see, when I killed my Captain, I had the balls to do it myself. And the son of a bitch stayed dead." She pushed away from the table and stood, tossing a coin down to pay for her half of the tea. "And it was indeed a pleasure. We'll have to do it again sometime." At her feet, Tala sneezed, her expression somehow conveying amusement. Mageria ran her fingers absently over the wolf's ears, drawing her away toward the door; on the way out she said a quiet thanks to the woman behind the bar.

Mageria walked out of the Inn, feeling every step jar up through her body, the pain burning away the painkillers far too quickly. She clenched her teeth, fighting an slight dizziness that washed over her. She didn't have time to loose to the need to rest, she had to get her people out of Newhaven and safe as soon as possible. She managed a couple of blocks before she had to duck into a alley, leaning against a wall and panting as the pain of abused and torn muscles burned like fire. Mageria leaned against the wall and took slow and even breaths as she fought to stay upright; slowly the pain died down to the dull roar that she could deal with. Pulling her eyelids open, she stared blankly at the wall before dipping her hand into her belt pouch and pulling out two different vials. One of them was the ordinary painkillers that she had used that morning and countless times before. The other then . . . It was a a vial of something called Dragon's Blood.

Dragon's Blood was a highly addictive combination of pain killer and stimulant, used only as a last resort when a fighter had no other choice. Used more than once or twice in a row and the side effects would be worse than whatever the fighter was trying to get past. Risks included multiple organ failures, addictive behavior and eventual death once one stopped taking the drug. But sometimes the need over came the risks. Tala whinned, picking up on the stress that Mageria was under. Mageria smiled down tiredly, leaning her head back against the wall and closing her eyes for just a moment. She still had so much she had to do. She had to get her people out of the City, she had to see the ones who were staying here settled, she had to get everything set up so that she could over see it from the base in the City. . . . There was no way that she was going to stay so far away, not when her City was in danger.

Mageria sighed heavily and twisted the cork on the vial of Dragon's Blood. There was too much for her to get done for her to be weak. She'd be careful, only use what was necessary. She raised the vial to her lips . . .

Lena had spent the night with old friends, also former healers, after leaving Luckas at the castle gates. A few good hours were spent catching up and reminiscing and a good night's sleep followed soon after. As soon as morning came she headed for the Castle only to discover that the person she wanted to see was nowhere to be found. She was informed that Mageria was in the medics ward, but as she got there, the woman had already left. A small conversation with Crys and she moved out to the city to see if she could find her on the streets. It was a long shot, but it was worth the try anyway.

The streets she walked first led her towards a familiar path. Much like Dani, she was never one to frequent the Inn back in her time as an assassin, but she had kept the habit of always stopping by the establishment whenever she was in town, even if she rarely entered. Entering now would certainly draw attention which she didn't need, so she simply planned on walking by and taking a peek inside. As she walked past the entrance from a far, Lena stopped in her tracks as the door opened and someone walked out. She recognized this person as being the woman she had been looking for, but she also recognized all the signs of someone who shouldn't be standing, even less walking around in the city, and she hurriedly followed Mageria until she entered an a nearby alleyway. "Captain..." She called, as she entered the alley and took in the sight of a battered warrior holding a vial of something possibly too strong to be safe. "What are you doing?" Lena asked, raising an eyebrow and giving Mageria a look that explicitly said she knew exactly what the woman was doing. Walking closer she absently smiled at the former Black Knight Captain, her eyes sparkling a brighter tone of blue for a split second only as she added in a severe tone. "This is not the kind of sacrifice you want to be making, Captain."

Mageria sighed heavily, sagging against the wall as she turned to look at Lena. "With all due respect, I have an entire company of people to move to a safe place before the end of the day, I have people in danger in Blackpond, I've been exiled and am under threat of death, and I had one HELL of a day yesterday. I don't have a choice in this Lena." Her voice started to crack. "I have to take care of things and in order to do that I have to be on my feet and able to take care of things. So unless you have a better idea, this is what's going to happen." She took a long look at the vial she still held. She'd seen quite a few mercs over the years that had taken the same road that she was considering right now, and very few of them had managed to pull back in time. Dragon's Blood overdose was an ugly way to die; the only reason anybody used it was because they were truly desperate. And she was. Yesterday she had managed to mask just how badly she was really injured, keeping moving through sheer will and force of personality. But the truth of the matter was that she had several cracked ribs, torn muscles all over, bruises over almost every inch of her body . . . She had always been a fast healer but this would take her a few weeks for her to recover from. And she had only a matter of hours to get an entire company of people who depended on her to safety.

Mageria pressed a hand to her temple, feeling the pain gnawing at her control. She was so damned tired . . . But she couldn't stop. She couldn't ever stop. She sighed heavily. "I've lost almost everything I've worked for in the past seven years. I need to make sure that my people get to safety. I need. . ." her voice broke for a moment. "I need to make sure that one thing that I've done works out the way it should."

Lena sighed softly, but her eyes maintained the stern look they held. "With all due respect to you and your people, what kind of a Captain are you if you can't rely on your men to move to safety without you holding their hands? Yes, you need to be there for them, but is being there for them now worth maybe not being there when you're truly needed Captain?" Lena tilted her head to the side slightly. "Or maybe your ego is getting the best of you and you think the world will just fall apart the moment you're not there to control everything? Either way, I think we've both seen enough of life and death by now to know that it just doesn't work that way."

Lena took a long pause during which she eyed Tala curiously, recognizing the wolf from the walls of the house she had been to the night before. She gave the wolf a half-amused smirk as she mumbled under her breath. "Stubborn people everywhere, huh?" She then lifted her eyes back to Mageria and added, reaching for the arm holding the vial and gripping it gently. "It's been a rough couple of days, Captain. I understand that. Just as much as I expect you to understand that, as is, I can and will overpower you, take that vial from your hands and drag your stubborn ass back to the sick ward. I may not be able to sit around and babysit you all day, that's true. So if you wish to be stupid later, I won't be able to stop you. But don't tell me, or yourself, that there is no choice. It is a choice and if you go through with this, you will be making it: Own up to it. It's just a bit pathetic, the way I see it, that after everything the contents of a little vial will get the best of you. Is that really how you want to go?" She waited for a second maybe two before she went on. "So, Captain, what will it be? Will I be forced to knock this stupid idea out of your head?" She smiled. "Today, I'm pretty sure I can take you."


Mageria sighed in defeat, pushing the cork back into the vial and holding it out to Lena. "If my mere presence and my actions of seven years ago can bring down something that was started back in the time of the Twins; doesn't it mean that it really is all about me?" A weak laugh escaped her lips. She wrapped her arm around her chest, cradling sore ribs. "I suppose that does sound conceited, doesn't it?"

She leaned back against the wall again; shoulders slumping as much as the bindings around her ribs would allow. "Besides, you couldn't take me down without making things worse, and I think that's against that code of yours, isn't it?" She cracked the seal on the ordinary painkillers and tossed back a dose, grimacing at the taste. "Healers are all bullies at heart. Everybody knows it." She drew in a couple of deep breaths, waiting for her aches to settle down to a manageable level. "Honestly, I'm not usually this crazy. I just . . . It's because of me that my people are losing everything. How do you make up for that?" Then she looked up suddenly, a puzzled look on her face. "What are you doing here anyways? Shouldn't you be . . . No, you wouldn't have heard yet. That item you told me to watch for. It's in Blackpond."

Lena finally let laughter escape her as she took the vial, hiding it into one of her pockets. "Captain, things end, with or without your help. I'm sure if not now, in a year, or ten, or a hundred, something would have done the trick. Nothing is built to last forever." Her laughter toned down to a simple snicker as she added. "And I'm no longer a White Shadow, so... What code do you refer to? Taking you down would be, to my eyes, the lesser of two evils. I've come to believe that to truly be the closest one can get to doing good in this world." Lena stated, absently reaching down and scratching behind Tala's ears. "You borrow the wolf from a woman named Essence, I assume. Why was she pretending to be you and torturing the city Warlord with Luckas?" She shook her head. "...Or maybe I don't really want to know that."

She stopped to look Mageria over as if wondering if the woman would manage to walk or if she would need to eventually be carried; the wounds were serious and that much she could easily tell. "As for how do you make up for your people's losses... You don't. You can't. And if you could, killing yourself is certainly not the way to go." As she heard the news of where the dagger had ended up, Lena raised an eyebrow. "Blackpond... Of course it is. Where else would it be? I assume Jake would be getting himself in trouble over there then? Someone needs to knock some sense into that boy." She sighed softly, holding in the rest of the scolding for whenever she ran into Jake. "I'll be heading there later in the day, actually, so if you have a more specific location, I'll try and look into it. I only came by to make a couple of visits... I got word while I was in the Castle that Ella is Queen now. Is that so? How long has it been since...?" Lena's voice trailed off for a moment, deciding to keep the focus on what she was there to say and do, not asking the question she actually wanted answered. "And Thomas is Captain of the Whites, now?" She asked as if to confirm the information she had already been given. "Suppose I'll have to see him as well." She added, mostly to herself. "So little time..." She chuckled. "And I thought retirement would give me a chance to rest." She stated jokingly, as if trying to draw attention away from the fact that she seemed in a hurry. "Do you think you're alright to walk now, Captain?" She asked, hiding her hand into her bag and blindly searching for something inside, the sound of what seemed like a thousand small vials being shuffled around could be heard as she did so. Finally she pulled out three, very small, vials from the bag; its contents a pearly-white substance. "These are your average painkillers, with one mighty kick of something that can really only be found in the mountains, and that if you know where to look. I made it for my personal use mostly, but I suppose it's a fair trade for the much more dangerous stuff. Each vial is one dose. More than one dose in a period of twelve hours and you'll regret it deeply, but otherwise it takes the pain right out." She smiled. "It does not mean you won't have to lay low either way."

Mageria took the vials, tucking them safely deep in her belt pouch. “Luckas and Essence were torturing the Warlord because of some things that happened when our dear Alpha was kind enough to produce proof that I was the one who dispatched the last Black Knight Captain. He was . . . too eager to get rid of me, there had to be an ulterior motive. And I think Luckas was pissed purely on my behalf. But they used my image? That’s going to cause some problems. Damn.” She pushed away from the wall and slowly started walking out of the alley and towards the Castle, taking a path that would keep them away from the main flow of traffic so that they could still talk without being overheard.

“And yes, the dagger is in Blackpond. The Castle, last I heard. Probably not there anymore, giving that Jake got the information to me via a telepath being held prisoner. That bit of information would buy far too much for me to believe that it would be kept secret.” She kept her pace smooth and without a limp purely by a force of will, however her breathing was labored and her voice had a tendency to fade out momentarily.
“Let’s see, Ella’s been Queen now for about a year. Sarris fell victim to a fever before that, it hit so suddenly that there was really nothing we could do. We called on the Healers, but all they could say was to tell us that it wasn’t a poison of some kind. And yes, Thomas is Captain now. Very rule bound, you’ll have to watch out for that.” She kept walking as the Castle walls came into view, although she had slowed down noticeably.

“You do seem to be rather busy for retirement, Lena. Mind sharing what that’s all about? You know, to keep my mind off the pain?” A small smile worked it's way across her battered features.

Mageria glared a little bit after Lena, she'd really wanted the answers to her questions. It seemed very important, important enough that Lena didn't look as if she'd had much rest since she disappeared three years ago. However, it wasn't as if she could chase the woman down and question her, not in her current state. So she'd have to bide her time, wait for a more opportune moment.

Instead she turned and smiled wryly at Ess, waving away her offer of help. "Not exactly a casual stroll, just something that needed doing." While she'd wanted to give the information about an Enlightened-focused killer to the Wolfpack to begin with; there had been more of a reason that she went this morning. She'd wanted to look Sean in the eye and let him know that much as she might have been down, she wasn't out. Not quite yet. She'd find a way back to where she belonged.

Turning back towards the Castle, she started leading Ess in. When one of the Guards tried to stop her, she simply stared him down, waiting a few moments as he started to fidget, then sweat, before finally letting them through.
"You look like your ready to go, Ess. But are you sure that you want to be following us out to the middle of nowhere? You have a life here, that you'll be leaving behind." She sighed wearily. "I just don't want you leaving without thinking it all through."

Ess nodded as Lena left her and the Captain, followed by a sigh as Mageria tossed her assistance aside. She was expecting as much, so she didn’t push anything further. Ess did notice how the Captain glared after Lena and remembered her own cryptic conversation she had had of her own last night and chuckled. “What, she dancing around your questions too? I may have only just met that woman, but she is strange...fiery but a bit irritating.” Ess shrugged, slipping into deep thought, contemplating Lena once again as they arrived to the Castle. Once the Guard gave up in trying to prevent her and the Captain from entering, Ess scoffed, mumbling, “That’s what I thought...”

Shaking her head at Mageria’s comment to leaving the city behind, she answered, “M’am, what am I really leaving behind here? Only name I made for myself was in disguise and was as a whore...course that was business and business only. I left more behind at far more hellish places before this life anyways.” Ess winked at the Captain. “I am all packed and ready, and besides, I was thinking if you need...I do have my home on the lower side of the city and someone could stay there to keep and ‘eye’ on things. Just may want to mention to them that they may receive visitors looking for me..” Snickering at the last part, she rested her arm along the hilt of her sword. “Where are we all going anywho?”

Mageria smiled just a bit. "We'll be sure to 'discourage' them in an appropriate way." She moved towards the stables were she knew her people were getting ready to move out, loading supplies into wagons that they were 'borrowing' for the day. They'd return them.
"We've got a camp out in the middle of nowhere; one we used to use for training. No one but us knows about it, so it should be safe. It'll be tight, it's only built to hold about half out numbers; but we'll manage. Somehow." She sighed. "Not that we have a choice in the matter."

She looked around at the quick and efficient packing going on. Lena had been right, much as she hated to admit it. Her people had things well in hand and it looked as if they would they would have the last load ready to go in the next half hour. The children were standing to one side, their packs at their feet and Puppy curled up next to Lily. She went over and leaned against the wall next to them; watching the hustle with half lidded eyes.

Mageria looked over at Ess and half smiled. "Looks like we're almost ready to go. You ok with that?"

Ess chuckled at the Captain’s words to discourage anyone looking into Ess’ future whereabouts, following her towards the stables. As the Captain went on to explain the basic plan and where’ they would be going, Ess listened but walked away from Mageria to assist a women lifting several crates of supplies into a wagon. “Sounds doable Captain, I just need to load up my horse and I’ll be ready. Meet you outside the city?” Ess smiled as she walked back over to the Captain. With a nod she whistled for Tala to follow, who trotted happily after her as they made their way back out the Castle walls; giving a playful wave at the children who were staring at Tala curiously.

Ess had the stables in her sights when Tala sprinted forward excitedly, sneaking through a random man’s legs knocking him to the ground comically. She couldn’t hold back a giggle as she walked by with an innocent expression as if nothing had happen. Tala was leaping around a redheaded woman, her back to Ess where she paused listening curiously to the owner argue a bit with the customer.

“Guess my wolf knows everyone in town now, eh?” Ess whispered, stepping forward to run her fingers along her horse’s back soothingly. Shockwave appeared to be the topic of conversation, standing between the redhead and the owner. Quirking a brow Ess thought she recognized the woman.

Crystal left the castle knowing that she needed a horse if she wanted to make it before nightfall to the desert. The bird had only circled the castle a few times, that means there was no immediate danger, but she still didn't like it in one bit. Anyone who passed the blind woman on the street would hear her mumble to herself as if thinking aloud. "Horses... Horses... Horses..." She was sensing her way to a familiar stable. Once inside she took her time to check the horses until she stopped by one that caught her attention. It was a wild spirit that one, truly beautiful. As she approached it, it snorted loudly in protest. "Hush now, easy." She whispered, placing one hand on its muzzle, and smiled widely. Crys was always fond of animals that had a strong personality, like many other things in life, she judged that trust and loyalty were worth more when earned, even if from a horse.

"This one's taken Miss... Crystal?" A voice called behind her in a bit of surprise.
Crys turned to smile at woman who owned the place. "Hey Rachel. Long time no see, right?"
"Long time? I thought you were dead! What are you doing around these parts?" The woman asked cheerfully.
"I'm looking for a ride. And you tell me this one is taken?" She said, patting the horse on the neck cheerfully. "That's disappointing Wouldn't you make an exception for me? I'll pay you double for him."
"I'm sorry, I just sold him to this Lady. You know I don't cheat my custom-"
Crys' frowned slightly as the woman's voice silenced mid sentence, and soon she realized why as a very familiar furry creature approached, jumping about her in greeting. Crys chuckled amused, getting on one knee and scratching the wolf playfully behind the ears. "Hello my friend. I see you are done watching over the Captain, huh?" She stopped as if trying to hear something. There was a man there as well, and a woman. Crys thought she had met the woman somewhere, but couldn't quite place her. She took a few seconds, absently petting the wolf. "You make me miss home, you know that?" She whispered, smiling brightly, before looking up at Rachel. "So, you will not let me have this horse, huh? That's a shame, he's truly beautiful." She told the woman, getting back on both feet. "Same old story everywhere, all the good ones are taken... If I can't have the one I want, then I trust that you will get me the one you think is best." She stated. "Can you have it ready for me in a few minutes?"

The woman simply responded with a cheerful "Absolutely." before wandering away. Crys stood before the horse and smiled. "I hope you have worthy owner then." She said, rather amused at the whole situation. She didn't recall ever saying the word 'I'll pay you double' before in her life. Nor had she ever considered the possibility of taking something that had already been taken by another. This horse, however, seemed truly worth the coin and trouble.



Essence smiled between Tala and the woman, overhearing how she wanted to purchase Shockwave for her very own but Ess had beaten her to the punch. “Guess you and I have similar tastes, Miss...” Moving closer towards the woman her smile faded as it slowly dawned on her who the woman was, except she appeared in a rougher condition than she was the day before. A blind woman with an eye patch seemed to tickle Ess as funny, although she kept her composure.“....Rivers....right? Yesterday, with the Sai?” Ess nodded before she got a response, pausing in her step to give an appropriate distance between herself and the woman. Jokingly she added, “And no...you can’t have Tala either..”

Snapping her fingers, Tala barked up at Crystal before moving to sit beside Ess. The wolf seemed to enjoy the extra attention she was receiving as of late, almost reluctant to move away from her new friend, yet nuzzled Ess’ hand repeatedly for her affection. “Sometimes, I think she’d run off with just about anyone that gave her a bit of attention..” She snickered. “I’m sorry, how rude of me...You’ve already met Tala....this here...” Ess reached passed the gate sifting her fingers through her horse’s mane. “..Is Shockwave....and I am Essence Talon.” The stallion whinnied, stamping a hoof along the dirt as if in approval causing Ess to giggle. “Well I’m not sure but I think he approves of his name...but I have yet to see if he lives up to that title.”

Crys chuckled slightly as a woman spoke and she recalled where she had sensed her before; she was the one Luckas was with back at the Inn. "It seems we've crossed paths before then, small world. I only ask you don't judge me by my actions at the bar, I was trying to get some information on a friend's whereabouts, and the innkeeper was being less than helpful. Suppose I get a bit nervous when people do, or refuse to do, things simply out of spite. It tends to make me rather spiteful myself." She stated, a pleasant and amused smile crossing her features. "I do remember you, I believe I spoke with your friend briefly, odd little man." She said absently.

"Oh, I wouldn't consider it." She replied, at Ess' statement that she couldn't have Tala. "If anything, I think Mageria would've beaten me to it if that was an option." She snickered. "Intrigues me though, to meet a wolf outside of the forest, how long has she been with you?" She inquired, a bit curious, as Tala moved back to the woman's side. It seemed to be a strong bond they shared, and it was truly an interesting thing.

The high pitched screech of a bird sounded at this moment and Crys slightly winced at the sound. Perhaps she should have just chosen a horse instead of asking the woman to pick for her. It seems she was a bit concerned with making up for not being able to sell Crys the horse she wanted. Even with those thoughts going through her mind, Crys didn't lose a single word spoken, and politely nodded. "Essence... Crystal Rivers, as you seem to already know, but please do call me Crys. And I have a strong feeling this one has a more than appropriate name." She stated, with a little smirk. "I'm just sorry you beat me to him."

Ess tapped her nails inattentively along the hilt of her sword as she remembered the scene at the Inn. “...Lets just say rumors don’t do you justice...and well, I’m not sure if that display tells me we’d get along famously or we may be at odds.” Quirking a brow, her smile broadened. “...Ah yes, Luckas...with no last name. Odd, yes...intriguing yes....a little out of sorts...definitely..but there is just something....I can’t figure....” She trailed off momentarily losing her thought before her attention came back to Tala.

Tala moved from her side, squeezing through a space in Shockwave’s stall, slipping beneath the horses’ legs, inspecting the creature curiously. An annoyed whinny escaped the stallion, snorting out an exasperate breath at the wolf. “Tala...don’t get kicked now...” Ess shook her head as if she were warning a child not to go too close to the fire.

“Oh, so that’s how you two met, through the Captain.” Ess giggled, “Guess us redheads flock together...I mean we do seem to have the most...fun. Were you with her when she took on Pondus, Crys?” Again, her eyes scanned the woman with slight concern. “And...Ess is what most call me too by the way.”

Back tracking on the conversation a bit, Ess began bragging a bit about Tala and her intelligence. “..By the Twins..it seems like I’ve had that wolf by my side forever....over seven years now I believe...This Spring.” Motioning with her hands in what seemed like a random direction, actually was pointing out the main gates of the city she continued, “I found her a couple miles outside NewHaven, stuck in a snare. Luckily it was nothing too crude for the pup...” Ess’ expression changed, as if she were admiring a small child. “She was soo cute.” A sudden defiant bark startled Ess a bit as Tala appeared behind her. With a short laugh she responded, “My apologies Tala...You are still very cute...even beautiful.” Tilting her head, she stood with a playfull attitude, hands on her hips as she looked at Tala. “So...whatcha think of our new friend here?” Without turning back towards Crystal she stated cheerfully. “Well, if we cross paths again and I come across another high spirited specimen, I’ll be sure to send him or her your way.”

Crys tilted her head slightly in curiosity. "Rumors? Oh, those can be so inaccurate, can't they?" She chuckled. "Oh, well... Suppose we'll have to see about that getting along or not thing, huh? I see no reason why we wouldn't, but of course that is not entirely my decision to make." She stated with a light shrug of her shoulders, followed by a little snicker. "Oh, yes... Luckas is quite a character. If I didn't know better I'd think he was trying to make me nervous." She said casually,a discrete tone of sarcasm mixed with amusement in her voice. Crys raised her eyebrows in amusement at Ess' comments on redheads. "Oh, Ria is a redhead, huh? I should have figured that..." She laughed. "Suppose we do have the most fun." As the subject went on to her fight with Pondus Crys' smile shut momentarily. "Oh, well... No. I wasn't with her exactly. Empaths and berserkers should not mix, and..." She pointed at her eye, her most obvious wound, with a grin. "If they do this happens. I wasn't even that close. Gladly no one else was there..." She chuckled. "Made packing a lot easier for the Captain though, that's for sure." She asked jokingly. "When you see her, make sure to let her know I apologize for leaving without speaking with her, but I do have to go back, and that... I'll keep in touch. Will you tell her?"

As she asked that, Rachel brought a saddled and rested horse, carefully placing the reigns on the blind woman's hand. "You can keep her as a gift, Crystal. God knows I owe you for all your mother has done."
Crys chuckled lightly and pulled two small bags of coins from her pack, forcing them onto Rachel's hands, taking a serious tone with the woman in order to make her understand. "Do not repay me for things I haven't done. If you feel you owe my mother something, pray for her. Although I'm positive she wouldn't accept even that for helping out a friend." She then smiled at the woman. "It was good meeting you again."
Rachel whispered something, leaning closer to Crys, before wandering away, leaving Crys to examine the caramel colored mare she was given. She had a good spirit, but still Crys decided she would let Indrani have her once she reached the desert.Turning back to Essence she smiled kindly. "My ancestors believed that wolves are sacred and that Heart still speaks to them from the Afterlife, and that's why they don't give their loyalties to just anyone... I think you and Tala are blessed to have found each other."

Ess gave a slight sigh. “Luckas.. is definitely not all he appears to be...sort of like myself...guess that’s one of the reasons we seem to get along. Course...” Ess shook her head, her tone sounding almost intrigued. “...He may just know something about you....he does that, fair warning. I say this from personal experience.”

Essence stretched her arm out to unlatch the gate to the stallion’s stall, untying the rope from his bit to the wall, gently leading him out. Glancing around she saw a saddle set aside for her and her horse, yet she decided to hold off on that crude thing, since she preferred bareback anyways. Shockwave snapped back his head as he slowly stepped forward, his eyes wide as he looked from Ess to the wolf almost in a panic. Gently Ess slid her hand over his muzzle, leaning in close to stare into his big brown eyes. “Shh...there...no one will hurt you...” She whispered before lulling the creature to calm by humming harmoniously, the horse’s eyes closing a bit to their normal composure. Still stroking the muzzle she turned back towards Crys, “...I am not versed in Empaths, you would be the first I’ve ever met...least you don’t look as seasoned as the Captain.” Ess nodded to herself, “I will be sure to relay your message to her...And as I assume we both have things to attend to, I will not keep you any longer Crys.”

Ess turned back towards the stallion and effortlessly hopped up over his side onto the middle of his back, causing Shockwave to shake his head suddenly, Ess entertwining her fingers into his mane. “Thank you for your kind words. I am blessed to have had such an unconditional love from a wild creature. Can’t say the same about people...but I’m sure you understand what I mean. Til next time..” The horse was growing impatient, not comfortable with the fact Ess was on his back, Shockwave began to pace backwards, rearing on his back legs a few times. Ess wondered if he was testing her weight or if he could knock her off, which of course did not occur; she only leaned closer to the beasts’ neck, smiling a bit devilishly. “Oh, this is going to be fun..” She giggled, the horse trotting forward before breaking out into a full blow gallop without so much as a tap from Ess. Ess didn’t even try to steer the stallion at first, just simply enjoying the ride he was giving her as she tightened her hold shouting words of encouragement to go faster, almost slamming into a passing wagon. Tala was not far behind, barking excitedly from behind as they exited the city’s main gates a few moments later.

Mageria resisted the urge to sigh as she watched Thomas stalk away. It wasn't right to manipulate things like that, but the Black Knights had never been accused of being overly nice. And the man was going to have to get used to getting his hands dirty now, so a trial by fire was as good as any. She wished him luck. He was going to need it.

"Saddle up!" She whistled several signals that had all of those that still answered to her throwing the last of their belongings into the backs of wagons and settling the children into safe perches. When it came time for her to mount her own horse, she was forced to suffer the indignity of needing a mounting block to get into the saddle; but she wasn't going to be hauled out of Newhaven in the back of wagon like a bit of spare luggage. She refused to give the Castle any long lingering looks, even though she was about to leave the only home that she had known for the past seven years.

Never look back; it gives the enemy time to aim.

A bit of wisdom from the man who had raised her after her family died. The old warrior had more quotes than a tree had leaves and dispensed bits of wisdom with a free hand. She owed all that she had become to him. Sitting there, ready to leave her home while leaving behind broken oaths and betrayed trusts, she wondered what he would think of her.

“Move out!” Mageria pulled her horses head around and lead the procession out the gates. It was mostly silent as they went, people stopping and staring in the street as they went by. Silently, she swore to those watching that she would find a way to keep protecting them, even from a distance. It might be against the God’s will that she be able to uphold one oath while breaking another, but still she would try.

They passed through the gates and out of Newhaven’s shelter; from there to pass into the shadows of the surrounding forest.

It was heading towards evening when several cloaked figures moved swiftly down the corridors of the Castle. They had heard about what had happened earlier in the day and while they were there to deliver a message to the Warlord Xypher, there was a more important mission at hand first.

Mageria had debated long and hard about what to do with the children that she had taken under her care and at last had come to the opinion that they would be safer in the Castle then dragged off into the woods where they didn’t even know if they would have enough supplies for everybody. But that was obviously not the case, not if somebody could just walk up and threaten one of them. Or if somebody or somebodies could just walk in and enter their rooms with no problem. Something needed to be done.

Thom, Shara and Lyssa were the ones that entered the room, easing through without knocking. Jason was sitting wrapped up on his bed, staring at the wall. The rest of the children were huddled together on the floor, several of the youngest had been crying. They looked a bit relieved to see friendly faces, Lily running up and grabbing Lyssa around the leg.
“When are Maga and everybody coming back?” Lily was especially upset as she was young enough that living with the Black Guard was all that she knew.
“They can’t come back, sweetie. But you all are going to go live with them now.” All the children looked up at that, Jason even showing a bit of hope before looking defeated again.
“But she’s not going to want me after everything that happened.”
“Jason, she’s going to welcome you with open arms. After all, you know what happened with Grim and she though of him as her brother.”
“But . . .”
“No buts. Now everybody pack up your things. We’re going out the back way.”

It was the work of a couple minutes to shove things into bags for the children, and then they were wrapped up in cloaks and carried out, still with none the wiser. If anybody did see, then they were wise enough that they stayed silent. Out the back corridor, then down to the stables where a small cart waited. Without any undue fuss, the kids and their gear were loaded into the back and sent on their way; leaving the City in the rush just moments before the gates were closed.

-------

Out in the forest a group of dark clad people waited in a clearing. It was a rocky, hilly region; with a couple ancient trees spreading sheltering branches over them all. The cart rattled into the clearing, the sound and the ceasing of the movement waking the children who had fallen asleep almost as soon as they had left the City. They were lifted out of the cart and carried off to one of the buildings, Jason being the only one still waiting behind. Mageria also waited, a gentle smile on her battered face. He didn’t say anything, simply looking up at her the way that only a child who had been left behind too many times can. Finally she held out her hand and nodded off across the clearing with her head.
“Come on. It’ll be close quarters, there’s not enough beds and we’ll all be sharing the floor, but there’s room in my cabin.”
Jason took her hand and followed after her, a sigh of contentment escaping from his lips.

Week One

It was one thing to be in charge of a group of people when you had the support system to make things easier. It was an entirely different thing to be in charge when you were making up how to do things out of whole cloth, New challenges every day, new needs, new problems. They had some supplies set aside from last year, and some that they had managed to steal from the Castle, but not as much as they would need to get through the winter. And so she had sent her people out to hunt throughout the surrounding forest, but it wasn’t easy. Her people were used to hunting other people, a skill that didn’t necessarily transfer over. There were a couple of small towns nearby that they managed to buy some food from, but it wasn’t enough to make her feel easy. Something that did help was that she had sent a letter to the White Shadows as soon as they started settling in, if they ever needed help then she didn’t want the Healers wandering around in the woods looking for them.

It was just a few days in that others started working their way to the camp, lead by some of the men who had been left behind in Newhaven. They were the families and loved ones of the soldiers that were now in the camp, coming to join them because things were becoming hard for them. They believed that they would be more help in the camp and they didn’t want to continue to put up with the stares and snubs of the city folk who knew who they were related to. And for the most part they were right. Jess, the pregnant wife of one of the Guard, moved into Mageria’s overstuffed cabin on the basis that it was currently the warmest and most weather proof of the available structures. She was invaluable in helping take care of the children, given that Mageria could still barely get around at that point. In her free time she sewed and had decided that she could repair the tattered remains of Mageria’s winter coat. Mageria didn’t think that there was enough whole material left, but she left the woman to it. Slowly, she healed and trained Ess; taking on duties as she could.

Everybody was building and working, trying to make the camp as comfortable as possible. There was plenty of material to work with, as they were in an abandoned lumber camp. Even without the help of one guard who could shift earth and stone; they would have built fast. The cabins were built into the sides of hills, with roofs of branches covered over with a mud/plaster combination. There would be enough room for everybody, even if it was a bit bare. They might be sleeping on bare dirt, but they were in out of the snow, everybody who wanted to be.

Week Two

It was in the second week that she started having the nightmares again. She’d be walking in the woods, tracking something; when she caught the scent and start running. She’d be chasing whatever it was, eventually catching it. It was only when she tore out the prey’s throat with her teeth that she realized that she was the prey. She’d wake up shaking and near screaming, walking outside to take deep breaths of the icy air. One night it seemed as if she was drawn out of the camp by a force that she couldn’t name. Padding through the snow in her bare feet, she avoided anybody who might question her. It was a couple hundred feet outside their perimeter that she found a torn up mangled carcass. It had been torn apart, not killed. Whatever it was that was hunting wasn’t doing it to eat, but for the joy of killing itself. Mageria crouched down, taking in the scene and breathing deeply of the scent of blood.
“I know you’re here; old friend. It’s going to be one or the other of us this time. Do you realize that?” Sighing, she stood up and walked back towards her cabin, watchful gaze on the trees around her. It was a good thing that she’d been planning for this for the past few years. It was finally time to kill the Child of Death. And Daniel Zimmerman with it.

Mageria was going over the supplies when Matthew knocked on the warehouse door, a grim look on his face.
“Captain, we’ve found some more animal carcasses, all torn to bits like you told us to watch for. Huge clawed prints all around.”
Mageria sighed, leaning against the wall. “Anything else?”
“Isn’t that enough?”
Mageria snorted a laugh. “Yeah, it is. You know the plan, right?”
Matthew nodded. “Aye. We’ll be ready.”
Mageria thought for a moment. “Ask around camp for volunteers, I only want willing people going up after this thing.”
Matthew nodded again. “No problem Captain. We’ll get rid of this thing in no time.”

-------

That night, Mageria had a chance to reconsider the insanity of her plan, given that she was waiting completely alone for something that could tear her apart in the time it took to blink.
“Then again,” she muttered as she tracked a rustling in the bushes. “I’ve never been accused of being smart.” The rustling got louder, branches snapping as something pushed them to the side. There was a loud coughing snarl as a figure from her nightmares walked into view, a stray beam of moonlight highlighting it and gleaming off it’s teeth. Mageria smiled, lips pulling back from her teeth in response as her heart beat suddenly thundered in her ears.

The two of them stared at each other, the Beast in all it’s savage glory against one overly stubborn woman armed with a couple blades and a crossbow and a set of mercenary’s armor. Long moments stretched by as they fought a silent battle of wills, the strain pulling tighter and tighter until she finally broke it with a snap; the quarrel flying from the bow to plunge deep into the shoulder of the Beast. Mageria spun in place, running away as fast as she could to where the next part of the plan would take place. Behind her she could hear the Beast charging after her, the wound barely slowing it down. But the poison she smeared over the quarrel slowed it down just enough that she was able to keep ahead, leading it over suddenly rocky ground and plunging into the mouth of a cave.

Mageria ran blindly into the darkness, memory guiding her feet to where the others waited. Breaking suddenly into a pool of light in the middle of a cavern, she snatched up another crossbow and kept going, whistling shrilly to alert everybody else. She could almost feel the Beast’s breath on her neck as she ran, trusting those that were waiting to make the next hit count.


Two weeks of training were just the tip of the iceberg, and never did Essence think this would be on her To Do List. This creature that crawled out of the depths of nightmares, or perhaps a montage of the evils of men, just wasn’t going to quit. She was listening and staring at the entrance to the center of the cavern from above, a crossbow already aimed, waiting for the signal. Her knowledge of hand to hand combat was minimal, and she only just began learning dual daggers as Mageria thought those weapons would suit Ess more than her sword and dagger. Besides her relics, several throwing knives were habitually hidden along her body, in addition to a basic steel pair of daggers tucked along the small her back. By no means would she be packing light for this escapade.

Ess had managed to climb upon a boulder pillar, the rock stairs steep extending about twenty feet into the air, the shelf about two feet wide by five feet long from where she sprawled flat upon her belly. Time seemed to drag as she waited with the others, her form hidden in the shadows in between some scattered torchlight, her violet gaze staring off to her left listening to the sound of water drip steadily off the cliffs of the cavern.

The sound of hastened footfall echoed into the cavern causing Ess to intake a cleansing breath, a sharp whistle soon followed. Catching a glimpse of the Captain below, Ess aimed her bolt just behind Mageria, leading the creature on her heals she pulled the trigger, the bolt flying in between some spikes along it’s back. Not even sure it hit, she didn’t expect it to dally in its stride much, but it was just enough to give the Captain another few paces ahead. Ess continued to release bolts as quickly as she could load them, some appearing to hit, others bouncing off the creatures thick hide aimlessly, the whipcord snapping violently in it’s repetition. Soon enough she ran out of quarrels, moving swiftly she pushed herself to her feet, leaping across to a brother boulder. Teetering briefly as she caught her balance, and watched waiting for an opening.


Vane simply waited for the right moment, the bow was held by his left hand; his quiver with 36 new arrows, and his whole conscience calmly searching any sound that would declare that the Beast was near. His eyes lied close for now, it didn't matter for him, he memorized where everything was and kept track of his allies movements by sound. He could listen their breathing, the torches slowly burning, he lied three meters away from the entrance that Mageria showed to the group, his back met the cave's wall many minutes ago, his right hand rested, if anything would happen he would need all his strength. Vane cleared his mind, returning to listen any motion in the cave, and then he heard it.

Mageria should have entered the cave less than a minute ago, and close to her something moved, it was big, but the steps were almost silent. It ran fast, but probably was wounded. Vane removed one of his arrows from the quiver, smiling as he opened his eyes; the light blinded him for a few moments, but he eventually got used to it. "Get ready," he whispered, not even carrying to check that the others heard it. He knew that Mageria would soon be there, because now he could hear the Beast's claws meeting the ground as it ran. The woman ran through the entrance, the creature following her too close. The girl with purple eyes shot a few bolts, too many in Vane's opinion. A few of them hit the Beast, but the wounds were not deep enough to create a flow of blood. Vane analyzed the creature before releasing the bow's string. Horns, thick skin, no arrow would get through that. His eyes moved to the creature's leg.

"The tendons! Aim for the legs!" he screamed, releasing the string. The Beast's eyes were fixed at Mageria, not expecting any hit from behind. The arrow penetrated the skin, where the joint should be. Vane made another arrow ready as the first one flew, he released it, hoping, in his mind, than that would slow down the Beast.

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Mageria ran as fast as could, feeling arrows actually whizzing past her. The beast screamed, the echo bouncing around until it seemed to be coming from all directions. She was perhaps four paces ahead of it when she got to the area that she was aiming for. In between two boulders, a sturdy stick had been wedged crossways. As she ran, Mageria reached up with one hand; grabbing the branch. Lithely, she swung up and over, as if she was an acrobat. The Beast ran under her, going too fast to actually stop when she got out of the way.

Finishing her flip, Mageria landed hard behind the Beast, knowing she had about a second or two to act; she raised her crossbow and fired full into the back of it, using Vane's advice and aiming for the vulnerable tendons. She didn't have anytime to reload, instead she threw the crossbow to the side and pulled the warhammer from her side, waiting for the next move.

The Guard around them acted as soon as they saw that she was momentarily out of danger, raining small boulders and heavy chains down upon it, doing everything that they could to simply slow it down long enough for a truly damaging blow to be struck.


Ess stood upon the pillar above of the current chaos, a rope stretched from her feet across the pool of water in the middle, to the other side of the cavern. She had tested her weight a dozen times earlier, but it didn’t change the fact she shook at the thought of it giving way as she began to balance the tight rope, pushing herself not to pause in the screams of the beast. Watching in silent awe, Ess smiled at how easy Mageria made her efforts look, hoping one day she would learn something similar.

Stretching her arms out, vertically above her head, Ess bent her knees and hopped to the side, her fingers clutching painfully around the rope as she caught herself in her momentary fall. Slowly she strained underhanded movements forward, swinging her legs to assist as she continued over where the Beast was being pummeled by large rocks and chains, the attempt causing it to roll in a loss of balance exactly beneath her feet.

Without hesitation, Ess let go, falling no more than about fifteen feet or so, her arms reached out to grab onto the beast as she landed rough along it’s back, some of the spikes tearing small gashes along her arms and legs. Gritting her teeth, she held on as the Beast gathered itself in it’s confusion, bucking hard to throw Ess off of it. Holding on for dear life, the Beast paused to turn direction away from Mageria towards a boulder; Ess taking the second to retrieve both daggers along her back, attempting to stab one through the thick hide of the beast’s head in repetitive thrusts. Another scream escaped the ugly bastard as it began running straight for the boulder.

Just before they collided, Ess raised the free dagger high and as they came to a violent halt, her body lurched forward in the force of the momentum in time as her blade struck sickly into the Beasts distorted eye. In that moment, Ess’ body flew forward into the boulder, her entire back colliding with the rock with a curious pop, temporarily losing consciousness.


Vane held the bow's string as he saw the scene, the arrow ready to fly to the Beast's body, although he was far more amused by the purple eyed girl that just landed on the creature's back. Ess was her name? Vane wasn't sure, but that was impressive, and yet foolish. She was thrown against a boulder, but apparently she managed to stab the animal on the face. "Insane, but not that bad," he whispered before focusing on aiming the arrow against the creature's legs. The thing moved fast, avoiding the arrow. He ran closer to the creature, only stopping when he was close to Mageria, two meters away from her, but in a manner that Vane could aim at the Beast. The man got another arrow ready and allowed it to flew, the creature was doing her best to reach the soldiers that threw the boulders.

"Cap'n, if that thing doesn't stay still for at least," he released the string again, the arrow flying close to the Beast's left ear, "a few gods-damned seconds, my arrows will hit the stone." He made another arrow ready, aiming for the left leg's tendon since the creature's mouth was close to entertain a soldier's leg. It pierced through the skin, making it scream again. It turned around, looking to the direction where Vane and Mageria were. The Beast ran as fast as it could, but in a rather clumsy way due to the two arrows hanging on the rear legs. The man raised an eyebrow as he made another arrow ready. "That wasn't... truly expected."


Mageria grunted. "Holding still . . . might be a bit of a challenge." She darted forward with a few quick steps to get in front of the archer and waited for just the right moment to swing her warhammer, smashing it into the Beast's jaw, smashing it up and to the side. Vane choose that moment to take a shot, sending an arrow deep into it's throat. Behind the Beast, two men took that moment to grab Ess and drag her to safety.

It wasn't a kill shot, but it did weaken the thing, sending the Beast stumbling backwards. Mageria shouted an order, waving one hand in a signal. Her Enlightened soldiers leapt into action, obeying her previous orders to use their skills carefully and wisely. Twin gouts of flame flared up in it's face, while fist sized rocks pummeled it. With a shout of effort from one woman, a heavy skein of rope snaked through the air and wrapped itself around the Beast's limbs, momentarily binding it. Mageria screamed an order to everybody who could hear her . . .

"TAKE YOUR SHOTS!!!"


A glint of light and a steel headed bolt crashed into the dirt where the enemy should have been. The unnatural thing had seen it coming in easily, leaping off to avoid collision. The metal dug into the earth, the shaft had broken easily with its own weight, one half deep into the dirt, the other mere splinters over the clammy floor. The rope that bound it wouldn’t last, and it was just enough time for another member to take action.

A heavy hand grasped Mageria’s shoulder, a soft squeeze to reassure her against this monstrous foe. Even if she would never show it, the enemy was an unnerving sight to look upon. To know it existed shook the very foundations of reality. It was maddening to see such a thing straight from the fiery dreamscapes of the most wretched of night terrors. The Beast was an example of everything that man always feared corporal. The Blade pushed ahead, placing Vane and Mageria to his back as he stepped forth. The creature was still coming but the crossbow had managed to detract its path.

Grim lobbed the heavy bolt thrower aside, its clatter the only sound besides the clicking of claws on hard flooring. The Raging Demon was downed in full armor for this conflict, the black just glinting in the miniscule luminescence. A cape of brilliant red wafting at his back, signaling where he was so that the troops would not foolishly fire upon him. Like a statue of metal wrought in obsidian, every joint accounted for save his arms, where he would need the most speed. A walking fortress, a man of insurmountable protection, and the iron will of a warrior.
The Giant’s Knife screeched as it was drawn, in his hurry the edges mashed against the scabbard , Grim was ready now. Dramatically he dragged the tip into the dirt, making a line in the dingy cave floor. The Black Knight poised behind it, his weapon upraised and his feet spread.

“Daniels if you can hear me, may the gods have mercy upon our souls….”

The Beast cared not, it crashed over the metal like a tide. Though it stood almost as tall as the Blade, it appeared to rival his determination, and outmatch his strength. Back the grieves slid, the ground building up around Grim’s feet as he was forced back. Barely the soldier held his footing, nearly falling back from the power that collided against him. This thing was unnatural in all ways, spikes and protrusions that dug into alloys and leather. It’s lust for death seeping through horrid fangs and soulless eyes, it hounded for this fight.
They were nearly back to Mageria and Vane when Grim managed to will his predicament into a standoff. Forcing the Beast back momentarily. Within War stirred, perhaps the magic in Daniels had alerted it, but it was hungry. Grim clutched at his heart, his free arm barring back the demon while he fought for control. In its presence War was riled and anxious, magic pulling upon magic. Little red lights dancing inside the black helm, threatening to break the entire operation.

“N-n-no.. I am not a monster, I am not a monster… I am not a monster…”

The words slipped hurriedly and almost desperately, he couldn’t risk losing control here and now. Yet he couldn’t deny that he and Daniels shared a kinship, and perhaps it was their similarities that called out to each other. It had been occupied with Mageria and no doubt would still once Grim was out of the way. Maybe in a way theirs was a magic against each other. Rivals in a test for the ultimate power, which was the superior, War or the Beast?

Something snapped, in Grim’s frustration he lashed out taking the thing by its skull and driving it into the dirt. No Enlightenment, but the raw power of man pushed too far. Impossibly he managed to keep it pinned long enough to regain composure and ready the Giant’s Knife.
With a sweeping motion he batted the Beast back rolling its wretched body with a grand gesture. Rushing in to bring the edge down, spiking the thorny body against the ground. The flesh never broke but it surely felt pain as it squealed with sounds too horrid to recall.

“I’ll send you back to hell Daniels! BACK TO HELL!”

Up he flipped it, tossing it like a child would a ball. Down he slammed the thing, using his massive weapon like an arm to catch and force the fell angel where he willed. Crashing down again and again, his sword bruising and bashing but by some evil will never breaking the thing’s thick hide. Dancing over the damned with an uncanny wrath dashing it all along the cave and splattering it against walls like a man driven mad.
When at last the Black Knight had exhausted himself he stood his ground, allowing the Beast to rise. Sadly it seemed hardly perturbed by the punishment it had received. Grim readied again, his shoulders sagging now, he was weary and it showed. Making a critical mistake in letting his emotion get hold, of allowing his anger to control his arms. It was an impressive spectacle, but he wasn’t prepared now for the forthcoming counterattack.

The Beast smashed against his armor again bringing its long black claws over the metal, scratching up its surface, leaving exposed grooves on its black exterior. Grim panicked, and pulled out his ace in the hole. His skull crashing down against the Beast’s face. It was a mistake he’d soon regret, the Beast shook off the blow in seconds and flipped the unbalanced Black Knight upon his back.

It straddled over his stomach, leering over Grim’s helm as it went to work. Claws that were digging against the chest plate trying to shovel through the outer layer. Sparks flying into the air where the talon met the armor. In its glee it wheezed and sputtered saliva black and acrid, its eyes aglow with its evil intent. The Blade raised up his arms and intercepted as best he could, but eventually it would strike him and that would complicate things infinitely.


Too long had gone by since Evin had a chance to see Mageria. It was the only reason he let Ella convince him to bring supplies to the camp that she had set up in the north. Ella couldn’t do it herself as the relations between Newhaven and Mageria’s group of mercenaries was no longer existent. If anyone saw Ella associating with the Black Knights, there would be a price for her to pay.
He rode into camp of a carriage with several horses that were towing him and a load of supplies. There was everything from food to weapons and even a couple of blankets to keep warm during the long nights. He drove along to rough path made out to where the center of the camp was. The path was only a line of flattened grass on a concaving ground. Guards all around him completely ignored his presence, passing by without a glace up at the big carriage as they passed by. Something was going on and although it was somewhat against Evin’s nature to actively try to find out what was going on, he couldn’t resist the temptation to at least ask. He rode up beside a younger guard who was gathering some of the little supplies that were left.
“Excuse me!” He called to the man. “Could I ask why people are acting all frantic?”
They man looked up at Evin, but then turned away. Echoes of the most dreadful sounds came from out of the lip of a cave to his left, instinctively forcing his head to look over at it. The sounds were those that only a beast from the deepest pits of hell could make. He had never heard an animal of any kind make a noise like that horrendous.
He looked back down at the man. All the supplies her was carrying were now on the ground, scattered around his feet. Some people just couldn’t handle the frightening. He knelt down on one knee, picking up the things he dropped while answering Evin’s question. In a shaky voice, he said, “That’s what has everyone on edge. Mageria’s down there with a couple of brave souls fighting something that even the Twins themselves might even cower before. Some of us have our doubts that Mageria will be able to take out the Beast so we are preparing what we have to get ready for it.”
Evin sighed. He knew exactly what this meant. He could walk away without Mageria knowing anything about his presence and he would have to deal with a fight. Then again, the two of them were companions of sorts. “That’s because she doesn’t have me there to save her ass. Do you have any explosive powders?”
“It’s all being used.” The man nudged his head towards the cave.
Evin wasn’t going in there with what he had on him. He only had a couple of daggers and his rope dart that he barely ever used. “Do you think I could use the supplies I’ve carried in for you here?”
“Well it isn’t really my decision.”
“Mageria won’t mind.” Evin said, jumping out of his seat, right back into the supplies he had brought. He found a few throwing knives, loads of thin rope, some fuses along with exploding powder. There were other things, but Evin instantly grabbed those things.

~~~~~~~~~~

When Evin finally got everything he needed prepared, he ran into the lip of the cave. Not too far in, things began getting too dark to see. He could tell that as soon as he got far enough in, that he would only be able to see a couple of feet in front of him. He closed his eyes and listened to the echoes of the yells and shrieks coming from the depths of the cave as the battle raged on. That wasn’t enough for him to be guided through however so Evin used his ability and things slowed down for him. He could catch every single individual echo coming from the cave. With that, he had a rough idea of where he would have to go.
Evin ran as fast as he could and soon he couldn’t see anything except the very tip of his nose. This is when he would rely solely on the sounds he heard again as to not hit a wall or fall into a hole. He listened to his footsteps and judged, based on the echoes of it around him where all the cave walls were. It was enough to get him where he wanted to be. Soon there was a dim light flickering ahead and the sounds of the battle raging before him were loud enough to hear without the aid of an echo carrying it along. He finally reached an area that was a little more open, with a few torches lighting it. There were a couple of people who were completely unrecognisable and then there were a few that caught his eyes immediately. One was Mageria of course, but then there was the other, who went by many names, but Evin knew more formally as Grim. He seemed to have been trapped by a terrible beast of some sort clawing his way through the man’s armour. Evin dug his foot into the ground to test it a moment. Surprisingly, there was some give to the ground as if some of it was made of a softer rock; maybe clay. It was enough give to drive a blade through and that was exactly his plan. From a pouch on his left, he grabbed a throwing knife attached to a long fuse and threw it directly beside his left right leg, where a second throwing knife was conveniently placed. He slid his hand down the second throwing knife, which was also attached to the same fuse, and flung his hand upward, which made the knife fly directly towards the distracted Beast’s face. With his hand naturally moving upwards, he grabbed a dagger that was sheathed on his back and swung it back down to hit the knife stuck to the ground. The two metals collided, causing a big spark which began running down the fuse towards the now completely blinded Beast.
Evin ran at top speeds in order to keep only a couple of paces between him and the fuse. Finally, the fuse reached the knife that had been plunged into the Beast’s face. The knife had been dipped into a flammable tar and coated with explosive powder before Evin entered the cave. The dagger exploded directly in the Beasts face, causing it to get off Grim and walk back a few steps, to try and put out the fire which had been over various parts of its body. The tar had done its job. Evin took this moment of it putting out the fires to sin across on its back and take a few stabs at it with his dagger. Before overcommitting himself, he backed off.
“Why does it always seem that I get dragged into fights when I’m around you Mageria?” He said with a wink and braced for the Beast to make its next move.


Ess wasn’t out for long, awakening just as two men dragged her away from the Beast’s reach, a sharp pain stretched out along her left shoulder causing her to release a small scream. When the men let her go, her arm was limp, dislocated from her collision with the wall. Cradling her left forearm with her right she looked at one of the Guard’s expectingly, the man braced one hand upon her shoulder the other hand grabbing her forearm and with a sudden yank and a sick pop her shoulder went back in place. Another grimace of pain crossed her face as she held back another yelp, trying to collect some sort of sense in the confusion and battle cries around her.

So much was happening at once. Ess’ violet eyes went wide as she watched the giant of a man, who could only be Pondus, take the Beast head on. The commotion exploded into chaos, the beast literally was on fire for a moment, a black eyed stranger who seemed to come out of nowhere was assisting in pushing the Beast backwards. Ess felt she needed to join the line, perhaps they could together push this creature back. Running forward she dove at the rock floor, barrel rolling beneath a random swipe of the creatures claw as she made her way around and back towards the group. Happily finding one of the daggers she had lost amidst the battle as she paused beside the group, she gripped the hilt, staring at the Captain, waiting rightly for a command instead of her impulsive behavior. Ess had realized what she was doing could of gotten her killed, but as she reached the back of the Beast, she knew changing her mind could also get her killed and so she had carried out the idea. Now, between them all, the beast was blind and furious, bleeding here and there in it’s screams of pain.


Vane was aiming at the Beast’s head when something exploded, it was a bit faster than he would have enjoyed, He lost his aim, but a new ally is always a good thing, the arrow met the creature’s stomach, making little to no damage. By the time he made another arrow ready Ess crossed his view, she didn’t spoke a thing as if she wait for an order. The arrow flew, hitting the Beast’s leg when the idea crossed is mind. It was perfect since the Beast was still distracted by the flames, the only thing they would need would be perfect timing.

“Ess!” Vane screamed, hoping that it was the girl’s right name as he tried to aim for the creature’s head, “need your help, be ready, the tendon!” His words made little sense now, but if everything worked. “Mageria! Be ready you too!” Vane walked and released the string. It flew to the Beast’s left ear, cutting the external part, it’s gaze met Vane. The pain on the legs crudely remembered who done them. Less than five meters laid between Vane and the fell creature. “Remembered me, eh? Come on! On me!” The man slowly walked back, the Beast following him in the same pace. His bow rested on his back, he was holding both of his daggers, just in case something went wrong. The Beast growled, as if it was taunting the man to make a mistake. ‘Teasing bastard, just hope that Ess and Mageria got the right message.’


Ess quirked a brow at the man screaming her name, not sure of his name as they were never properly introduced, yet he seemed to be making progress in slowing the Beast down with his arrows. For a second she wondered if she could ever be as skilled as this guy with a bow, looking from the Beast to Mageria. Twirling the dagger along her fingers she nodded towards the man, understanding what he was hinting at. Ess leaped forward in a sudden dash, diving along the ground in a pass of the Beast’s back leg, slashing and stabbing along the tendon, losing the blade in the weaker flesh. “Bloody Hell...” She spat, her body slid across the ground on her side, causing her flesh to burn from the action. Rolling to her feet, her head was swimming slightly at her quick movements. The creature bellowed out in pain as Ess backed away, Vane to her right, the group to her left. The entire scene seemed to slow down in the commotion, almost frozen in her eyes except for the displeased screams of the Beast. Retrieving her throwing knives she continued to aim at the back tendons, her accuracy much more impressive than with a crossbow. Several finger sized daggers scattered along the Beasts leg in unison yet only a couple penetrated the tendons in their spread.


"Evin? What the hell are you doing here? And now?" Mageria didn't even have time for an answer before the Beast started attacking again. Watching carefully as Vane and Ess worked together to take out one of the Beast's legs, she grinned in fierce satisfaction at the damage done.

"Hold fire!" She yelled as she stepped forwards, drawing up her war hammer to her shoulder. With clenched teeth and a grunt of effort, she swung as hard as she could, taking a bit too much pleasure in the sound of the cracking bone as she connected just above the joint. But she must not have done enough damage, because it spun around and slammed into her, pushing her to the ground and opening its jaws wide. With a yell, Mageria brought the warhammer around and shoved it into the Beast's teeth, jamming it back into the hinge so that it couldn't close it's mouth.

You have really bad breath.

Mageria was always a bit surprised at the thoughts that crossed her mind in situations like this. Drawing on all her strength, she kept the Beast's teeth away from her body. "A little help . . . here."


It leered, it ravished, it drew infinitely nearer though gaining no ground. From the deepest parts to this moment in time, when all the sins of past would finally meet its modern counterpart. Evil in the flesh, in its purest form, no mind or soul to chide or goad its thoughts. A thing of menacing thoughts and instinct, deeds forged from bloodbaths and destruction. Wants that belonged only to the wicked.
So intent so focused, it had to have her, to taste her flesh. So close, it was so close to its goal. Against impossible odds, it had found an opening, it had finally gotten to Mageria. It would not be stopped! It would have its--

Iron fingers clamped about its skull, heaving it back with a grunt of effort. It flailed wildly, claws lashing out in frustrated anger. Robbed of its victory, ejected from its seat of success. The knuckles eventually met at the creature’s throat, thick hands that pulled it into the air with such stark fury. Grim’s face couldn’t be seen beneath the helm, but none doubted his anger. How dare it!
Gurgling squeals slipped by a closing esophagus, somewhere beneath his hold something was cracking. The sickly sounds of tissue and bone breaking, the pop of fluids escaping the joints. It fought helplessly as it was upraised high, the Blade’s arms outstretched at full length, tightening the vice it had around the demon’s neck.

Eventually it stopped squirming, its alien body becoming silent. Its limbs hung loosely at its sides, and the glow of its eyes waned to lifeless grays. The Black Knight hesitated at first, after all the thing's very existence defied any sort of logic. It already showed plenty of qualities that nothing in Valcrest could compare with. In a way, even expired, the Beast was a frightening mystery.
Carefully he set the body down, watching it with a wary gaze. Waiting several minutes in the silence and murky gloom before turning toward his captain. Mageria looked alive as ever, and Grim was ever the thankful. He retreated to her side, wanting to return the Giant’s Knife to his hands. He had left the weapon buried in the dirt so he could work with his hands, but now it was time to sheath it and call their operation a success.

He fit the tool firmly into his hands and uprooted it just in time to hear cries of alarm. Spinning on palms of his feet he managed about with momentum enough to swing his mighty sword. The arc caught the Beast just under the ribcage tossing it back away from where he stood beside Mageria. Perhaps his first inclination on its intelligence was unfounded, it was smart enough to play possum after all.
He rested the edge of the Giant’s Knife against his pauldrons glancing side long to his leader and her warhammer. This thing was made of something quite stern, but it was on the wrong side of the battle. It was time to finish whatever pact was made so long ago.
Grim spread his feet slightly, reaffirming his stance on the ground. Lowering the Giant’s Knife into a ready position he nodded to Mageria. He would follow her lead.


Mageria gasped for breath as she got back up, war hammer in one hand.
"Back! Push it back!!"
Behind the Beast was the point of the entire fight, a net of chains welded together and weighted down with a couple of hundred pounds of rocks. It would hold the Beast in place long enough for the explosives piled around the column in the side of the room to do it's work. Wait for everyone to get the chance to run, lit the fuse and run like hell. It was a plan, of sorts.

From all around her came a hail of projectiles, arrows and rocks and anything that could be thrown; pushing the Beast backwards as it snarled and hissed. Mageria stood back and watched carefully, directing a certain attack when it was needed to aim the Beast a certain direction.

Finally . . . . "Now! Drop it!"


Evin was so confused. As if he was out of the loop to something really important. "What are we dropping?"
Mageria glanced at Evin sideways and couldn't keep an insane grin off her face.
"We are 'dropping' a net on that thing and then running like hell while somebody lights the fuse and then runs even more like hell." She gestured at the pile of casks mounded up around the main support column of the cavern.
"DROP IT!" The weighted net crashed down on the Beast, pinning it in place while it screamed in rage and fury; the tiny core of it that was still coherent realizing what was about to happen.
"Everybody out!" Mageria watched as people started to stream past them on the way out, counting them under her breath to make sure they were all getting out.
"Um, Evin . . . would you mind doing me a favor?"
He knew he didn't have much time to decide whether he would be the one to light the fuse or not. He looked back at the thing, struggling its way out of a net. It was an ugly thing. It would be a favor to the world if he was to light the fuse and stop it from killing anything ever again, but then again... "I believe there is a debt that we need to settle Mageria. I could do you this favor, but I'll only do it for a price." He smirked and sent a little wink her way. "And don't play the fool. You know that I've the best chance of getting out of this given my enlightenment.”
Mageria rolled her eyes, she couldn't help it. "And I suppose you have something in mind? What, a rematch of our last game?" Evin was right, he did have the best chance of lighting the fuse and getting out safely, but it was possible for her to do the same as well. Just a lot less likely. "Talk fast, old friend. That thing only has two targets left." The last of her people had steamed out of the cavern, leaving the two of them alone with it. It snarled deeply in its throat; straining at its bounds.
“Leave me to my work Mageria. You don’t want to be here to witness what I’m going to do.”
Evin had a thing for flair. He wasn’t going to light that fuse in a regular way. He watched Mageria run out of the cave until she was out of sight. There was no determining how long it would take him to get out of the cave given his enlightenment, but he had the best odds. It still didn’t mean he wasn’t afraid of what may happen. If it was to clear a debt without having to pay a single bit of currency, he would feel good about it.
A growl from the Beast got his attention back on what was important. Mageria had to be far enough away for him to begin the process of stopping this Beast from doing any more damage to anyone. Reaching down to his belt, he grabbed a large pouch filled with the tar he used for the dagger he had thrown. He slowly walked closer to the beast who was struggling to get out of the trap that had been set for it. If Evin gave it enough time, it would eventually get out, but he wasn’t going to let that happen.
“Well,” he said, “wouldn’t it be fun to make you light the fuse that will inevitably stop you?”
When he got closer to the Beast, it began to attempt to claw and snap at him, but it just didn’t have the reach within its binds. The next moment that it opened its mouth, Evin threw the pouch of tar into its mouth. He took out his dagger and grabbed a rock from the floor, and as it hissed, he hit the two items together and created a spark. The Beast’s entire mouth was filled with fire. Evin did a backflip, kicking the Beast in the jaw. This forced the Beast’s head back and the tar spread deeper into its body.
The Beast was burning from the inside out, but the flair didn’t come until it actually began to scream in pain. The screams came with a wall of fire blasting from its mouth. It realised that its last chance to survive the fight was to hit Evin with this fire breath.
Evin backed away quickly from the beast until he was standing right on the fuse. He stared down the Beast, waiting for the moment that it would do what he knew it would inevitably do. The Beast however seemed smart enough to know what it would be doing too. For a minute, they seemed to stare each other dead in the eyes. Eventually it would see that the risk would be greater than the reward and it would attack. The minute felt like hours, but Evin kept his patience. A flicker in the Beast’s eyes gave a moment for Evin to react. He didn’t even realise he did it, but next thing he knew he was one the ground and fuse was beside him; lit. Not knowing the bulk of Mageria’s plan going into the fight, he wasn’t sure how long exactly he had to get out of the cave. He assumed, based on length that he had a minute at the most.
He jumped to his feet and ran to one of the tunnels, narrowly avoiding the second breath of the fire from the Beast. He wound down the tunnels which had been lit while the evacuation was going on. He sped faster than he had coming in, because he knew that he only had one shot to get out and that his chances of making it out of the cave in a minute were slim to begin with. Seeing a faint light in the distance, he heard the roar of the Beast, not far away, but nearly right behind him. He didn’t look behind, and just kept running.
Then, he heard the blast from far in the cave. There wasn’t much time to get out of the cave now. The only problem was that he would have to slow down the Beast that would have to slow down if he wanted to trap it under the rubble like he assumed Mageria wanted. Fire flew past him, and rocks around him began to fall. All the while, he was coming up with something that would slow the Beast down for just a few second. There was nothing he could do, so he just kept running and hoped that enough soldiers were waiting at the lip of the cave to do something.
If the yelling, fire-breathing Beast wasn’t enough, now, it was getting more and more difficult to navigate through the rocks falling around him. His reaction time was soon not going to be enough, so he had to use it. His eyes lit up and a quick jolt of pain went up his spine. He blocked out the pain and looked at the world around him. All slowed down to a point where he would be able to react just a little quicker and further the gap between him and the Beast.
He soon got close enough to the entrance to be able to where he was able to yell out to anyone at the entrance. “Arrows, arrows, arrows, arrows!” He yelled in quick succession. He knew that it would sound weird to everyone else who was listening to it at a regular pace, but it didn’t matter. A wall of arrows to the Beast would be just enough to slow it down and lock it under the tons of rubble coming down.
He continued to yell until he reached the entrance of the cave. A line of Black Guards were aiming down the entrance of the cave, not flinching at the fire spewing out towards them. When Evin made it out of the line of fire, they all shot. One more scream was heard from the Beast and the entrance of the cave collapsed in on itself.
"Yeah! Right in the knee," one of the guards yelled.
Evin collapse, resting his hands on the ground, heaving and coughing. He hadn’t run that fast in a long time and he hoped he would have to again in a while.


A collective cheer went up as the cave collapsed, burying the Beast under tons of rock. There was no way that anything could survive such a thing, especially given how injured it was to begin with. That's what everyone else knew. Mageria knew one last thing though. In that instant before the cave collapsed, she heard a whisper deep in her mind, in a place where nightmares came from.
" . . . thank you. . . ."
She knew it was that last remnant of Daniels, at peace at last now that he could no longer harm those that he sought to protect.
"Goodbye old friend." Mageria whispered as she watched the dust settle. "Rest in peace."

She turned around to see that her Guard were celebrating loudly, as well they should given that they managed to survive with no major injuries. With very little time passing everybody picked themselves and their gear up and were headed back to camp; with loud plans for a "celebration".
"No blowing things up!" Mageria shouted after the main group. Not that she really expected it, but things did happen. With a wide grin she wandered over and helped Ev pick himself up out of the snow, brushing him off and patting him on the back.
"Well, I don't know how or when you got here, but you can come hide in my cabin if you were planning on staying the evening. Maybe we could play some cards . . . ?"

Not too long after leaving NewHaven....

Mageria looked over at Ess, raising one eyebrow. "First off. Let's see how well you can run. Take the path across the river, out to the stone cross and back. It's about five miles all told. Let me know when you're back."

Essence stood from her squatting position where she was petting Tala. With a firm nod she obeyed clearly, “Yes M’am.” A curious, sharp, wind-like noise escaped her lips for her wolf to lead the way, smiling as she leapt forward to chase after Tala. The race was on.

Ess had awoken early that day, remembering Mageria’s warning ...promise to begin her training. She had eaten a bit of baked bread, drank a few gulps of water from her gourd, and made sure to stretch before she met up with the woman. Ess started off at a moderate speed, wanting to work her way up a bit, so not to exhaust herself before she was half way through, which gave Tala quite the lead. “Four legs VS two, Tala..” She complained.

At her current pace, she trailed Tala throughout the camp in a reasonable amount of time slipping between cabins hidden in the earth. Tripping over what she discovered to be a chimney, she stumbled over the obstacle, quickly recovering with a barrel roll back onto her feet. Her heart began to race as she picked up the pace, not letting Tala dare escape her line of sight. Rounding several trees and past her tent she pitched up by an ancient looking Oak tree, she leapt down along a sudden slope, skipping the drop completely not causing a delay in her stride.

‘So far so good,’She thought to herself, nodding at a few children playing by the rope bridge. Maneuvering by the kids, she crossed the river in the West of the camp, watching Tala disappear into the thicket of bushes and forest. A sudden updraft of icy wind stirred about dozens of black feathers left over from 'evacuation’ of the camps prior tenants: The ravens and crows. What a filthy mess those birds had made. Ess quirked a brow at a few men and women collecting a basket full of those feathers, unsure what they were going to do with them exactly.

The terrain got rockier along the path, sloping upwards causing Ess to have to push her calves harder as she ran up a hill, practically falling down the other side. In the midst of her heavy, burdened breathing, Ess managed to take in her surroundings, appreciating the winter morning. Even when she slid a bit to her knees, a muddy slush soaking them, she smiled at the muck pushing herself along the narrow path. Prickers clung to her clothes, her tunic tearing here and there as she forced her way past, superficial scratches accumulating in numbers across her arms and face.

Suddenly she came to a screeching halt, barely stopping in time before slamming into Tala. Her wolf was panting on the ground just in front of the stone cross, Ess on her hands and knees just beside her furry friend. “Shit..” Ess rolled forward tapping the stone wall of the cliff and turned around, calling for Tala to follow as she made her way back towards Mageria.

When Mageria was in her sights, Ess pushed herself as if she had Tala biting at her heels, although Tala was sitting happily by the woman’s side panting heavily in little white clouds from the winter chill. Falling to her knees in front of her furry friend she laughed between labored breaths. “Four...legs...Tala..” An hour had to have passed since she last saw Mageria and Ess knew she could of done better, but didn’t let it get her down for she would probably have to do it again later at some point.


Mageria smiled cheerfully at Ess once she finally got back, holding a long switch in one hand. It was about three feet taller than her, and clearly wasn’t going to be used as a walking stick.
“It’s time to really begin your training. Don’t bring any of your weapons, you’re not going to need them. Just meet me down by the river in two minutes.” With that she walked away, still obviously recovering from her earlier wounds, but walking steadily none the less.

Once at the edge of the river, Mageria carefully stepped out onto the poles sunk into the bank, walking out across them until she was about 10 feet away from the edge. About four feet under her, the river burbled away cheerfully, just a couple degrees above freezing. She waited until Ess came and found her, then gestured for the other woman to step out onto the branches as well.
“In a fight, the first and most important thing is to be sure of where you’re stepping. So. Your job here is simple. Keep moving, and don’t get hit.” She gestured with the switch she still held in one hand. “Good luck.” With that, she whipped the rod at Ess’s feet.

Ess’ legs buckled slightly from the stress of her run, her breathing slowing just enough so that the cold didn’t burn her lungs. Not giving herself much more than thirty seconds to catch her breath, she made her way towards the East of the camp. She nodded towards Mageria as she followed her out onto the river, stepping carefully from wooden pole to the next trying to get her depth perception to absorb the random distances between each pole. Starring down at the river, she feared the temperature if she were to fall into the water as she stretched down, her fingers touching her toes before she stood, finding her balance. Tala watched the two from the shore, with a curious smile planted along her wolf face, tongue hanging out lazily as if she were laughing at Ess.

Quirking a brow at Mageria, “Good luck...” Ess blinked, hopping backwards onto the closest pole, balancing barely on one foot. Quickly she noted the others were now farther away and she would have to leap quite far for many of them. She stared uneasily at the switch.

Mageria smoothly moved between the poles, not even having to look down to see where she was going. She kept her left arm tucked against her side, not having regained full movement from the fight with Grim. Instead she used her right arm, causally swinging the switch as she moved. Whipping it around, she forced Ess to duck and dance to the side, the girl nearly tripping as she hopped from pole to pole.
"Good . . . but you can do better." Mageria swung the switch again, a little faster this time. She had to fight not to smile, she did enjoy keeping people on their toes, so to speak. Instead she kept her face deadpan, in line with her role as Captain. But sometimes what she loved even more than being the Captain was having the chance to be the Trainer. But now it was time to push the girl. Mageria began moving faster, not giving Ess a chance to recover before she had to move again.

Ess began wondering how her flexibility would come in handy at this point. The first time the switch came in contact with Ess, Mageria had just slapped her arm, a small swell of pain similar to a bee sting enflamed the area. The second time, Ess was trying to avoid landing on her back in the near freezing water, the switch colliding harder along her back, enough to leave a bruise. A low growl of frustration escaped her lips, not at Mageria but rightly at herself. Of course she couldn’t expect to master such practice her first day, but she was disappointing herself. Ess managed to avoid the third swat across the face, her body arching back just far enough to keep her balance while her upper half went horizontal along the current. Yet, she over compensated as she straightened, falling flat on her face into the river, the sting of the icy water causing her body to twitch violently as she screamed, bubbles of pain boiling to the surface.

The cold made her muscles slow as she raced to climb out of the water and back onto the poles, her teeth chattering uncontrollably. She knew there would be no pause in Mageria’s swings as she fought to avoid them and the freezing river. About an hour passed, Ess feeling the switch several times and falling about three times all together. Her lush lips were turning a purple as she lurched forward onto her hands, her fingers grasping at the pole, using the force of gravity’s momentum to push back as she flipped onto another pole, her hand finding her balance at another pole at her side. Yet, she delayed in her surprise that she actually landed that flip, her hesitation costing her a thwack across the face, leaving a small welt additionally sending her to the depths below. All the wind was knocked out of her, her lungs aching for air and as much as she tried to fight it, she inhaled under the water causing her to hack and dry heave violently, the water screaming to escape her body. It seemed so far away, Tala barking in excitement...or mockery as she crawled to shore.


Mageria clenched her teeth against the pain as she stood balanced lightly on the poles. She had probably pushed it further than she should have, but it felt good to be moving. But she would pay for it later on. Moving stiffly, she stepped carefully from pole to pole until she stood on the bank again.
"Good enough for a first day. We'll get you warmed up and see where you stand on a few other things." Looking down, she saw that Ess probably wouldn't be standing up on her own. This was going to hurt. She started to kneel down to help her up, but was stopped by a pair of hands landing firmly on her shoulders. Looking up, she could see one of her Guard, Zane, frowning at her.
"Captain, you remember what the medic said." With an ease she envied, he leaned down and hauled Ess to her feet, keeping her steady when she staggered. "No lifting much of anything so long as your ribs are wrapped up." He looked down at Ess, who at this point was so cold that she had stopped shivering; shaking his head and hauling her off towards the medic's cabin, changing course when Mageria indicated that he should take the girl to her own cabin. Tala followed behind, ears up alertly as she looked between all of them.
"How long did she last?"
Mageria smiled a bit. "At least an hour." Zane lifted an eyebrow in surprise. "That's pretty good."
"Better than you, anyways." Mageria snorted.

Reaching her cabin, Mageria held the door open and let them both in, indicating that Zane could leave Ess by the hearth before leaving. Mageria eyed Ess before deciding that she'd need help getting her into some warmer clothes.
"Jess? Could you help me for a bit?" From the upstairs loft came a cheerful short blond woman, visibly pregnant but still moving well.
"Oh, the poor thing! What in the Twins names have you been doing, Mageria?" Mageria ducked back into her room to grab some extra clothes that she'd set back there just in case, grabbing a couple of towels as well.
"Training is all." She gently took Ess's chin in her hand, looking directly into the other woman's eyes to make sure that she heard. "Now Ess, sorry about this, but you need to get out of those clothes." With that she and Jess efficiently stripped the other woman, briskly toweling her off until the blue started to fade and she looked like she knew what was going on. Then they stuffed her into the dry clothing and wrapped her in a blanket, sitting her down in front of the fire with a cup of steaming cider in one hand. Tala wrapped herself around her feet, licking one ankle in an effort to help.
"I'll just lay these out to get dry, shall I?" Jess snatched the soaked pile and took charge of it, moving away to her latest project. Mageria got a mug of her own and sat down in a chair across from Ess, settling down into the woven ropes to wait until the woman recovered; idly leafing through a book on poisons as she waited.

Ess was a bit hazy, not fully understanding why she was moving, but couldn’t feel her legs. The next she knew is that she was warmer, inside somewhere sitting, wrapped in layers of blankets. When her thoughts came clearer, she simply watched Mageria silently. Her muscles were aching from the training, her skin dry and burning as she slowly grew warmer, absently she wiggled her toes in Tala’s fur. Opening her mouth, she moved to speak, a crack echoing into the room as no sound came out. Clearing her throat, she tried again, this time a whisper defiantly snuck out of her throat, “So...up for that again tomorrow?.” Ess gave a subtle, tired smirk.

Ess noted she was not brought to the medic, but was in the Captain’s cabin. That made her smirk turn into a grin as she waited for the Captain to speak. Her mind drifted off a bit, thinking randomly of that huge dog in the camp, that Tala seemed to like playing with. One of the children, called it ‘Puppy.’ That thing was the size of three Talas. That made her giggle to herself, a sharp pain in her lungs ending the laughter turning the sound in a small groan.

Mageria looked up, one fist propping up her head. A slightly evil smile crossed her face at Ess's question.
"Oh, tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that . . . You're lucky there's no ice right now." She set the book to the side and stretched, wincing sharply when something in her chest popped. "In the mornings, you get physical training; in the evenings, mental and skill training. If you manage to survive that, then you'll be surprised at where you are in a month or so."

From outside they could dimly hear the sounds of activity as the new inhabitants of the camp worked to improve their living conditions. Mageria was deeply worried. They might have enough room, eventually, but something had happened to their stored supplies. Given how many people they had to feed; it was going to be a very lean winter. But that wasn't something she could change by simply worrying about it, they were already taking steps to do what they could. In the meantime, there was something that she could control, the training of her latest recruit.

Leaning over, she picked up the book she had set aside, standing up and holding it out to Ess.
"I'd like you to study this tonight, let me know what you already know, what you find new, what you find different. It's about poisons that you can find and make easily from plants here in the forest; as well as the ways they can be used and their effects. It's not always necessary to kill someone, sometimes an unexpected nap can be far more helpful." She reached down and rubbed Tala gently between the ears, before standing back up. "Today; after you get warmed back up, go find Zane in the barracks. He'll get you started on lock picking; which is always a handy skill to have." She patted Ess kindly on the shoulder. "Until tomorrow, then. I'm afraid I have some other buisness I have to take care of." With that she picked up her old tattered coat and wrapped herself in it, heading back out into the cold.

Ess nodded firmly, taking the book from the Captain, a soft glow in her eyes caught the fire’s flames, smiling in interest at it. “Yes M’am.” Resting the book on her lap, her other hand twitched, clasping the mug of cider firmly as she brought it to her cracked lips. Nodding in Mageria’s direction as she left the cabin, Ess finished off her cider. She was a bit weak, but nothing she couldn’t push through as she laced up her boots, lightly shoving Tala from her feet. She was excited to go see Zane to learn lock picking, something she had never grasped and she agreed it would be quite handy.

“I’ll be back later, Jess.” She hollared, her voice in and out as she let the woman know she would get her clothes later. Ess thought she heard the woman protest, but she was already out the door, Tala practically beneath her as she made sure to stop at her tent first. It was cold out and she needed her cloak to help barricade the wind from her skin, feeling like knives slicing along her flesh. Ess had chosen to pitch up a tent, declining the offer to share housing with some of the others. Not because she had anything against them, or that it would be crowded, but because she liked her solidarity. A few days ago there was a small ice storm, where there was no way she could keep her fire going and Ess caved finding a space on the floor of the barracks to crash with Tala to keep her warm.

Ess smiled, tucking her curls into her hood before grabbing a pair of gloves. She had chosen the spot by a giant Oak tree for sentimental reasons and how it reminded her of good times as a child, some of the few she had during her time in BlackPond. Her tent was a decent size, enough to fit two people, Tala and her things, including a small stack of wood that she meant to keep dry for her fires. Tucking the book in a satchel, strapping that to her belt she made her way towards the barracks. Easily she spotted Zane off in a corner chatting away to another, Ess waited til he caught her stare before approaching while Tala layed down by the door basking in the attention of the passing Guards.

Zane smiled easily as he patted a spot near to where he was sitting. "Captain asked me to teach ya lock picking, which I happen to know quiet well, given that I happen to have had a bit of a misspent youth." He unrolled a folded cloth, revealing a series of pockets filled with slender metal tools, each of them with different tips. Then he picked up a lock from a pile next to him, holding it out so that Ess could see it.
"Now, the thing is, you have to know the lock before you can open it." His voice was soft and firm as he explained the intricacies of a skill learned the hard way

The first week was typical to Ess’ first day of training: The five mile run, that slowly didn’t kick her ass as much as it had in the beginning; her studies in refining her poison skills and learning the details of lock picking; and of course her least favorite training was getting smacked around by a long wooden switch to fall into an icy river of pain. She was lasting around the same amount of time, but with less punishment from the switch, only to suffer at the cold of the river. Mageria had said her first day, “ You're lucky there's no ice right now.” Of course, as irony would have it, the next few days the poles in the river were covered in thin layers of black ice, Ess acquiring her bruises from her falls instead of the switch. She couldn’t complain though, because as much as she was putting herself down, the Captain seemed to only encourage and that was all she needed to keep trying. Ess was being pushed because the Captain expected she could do it. By the end of that first week she managed to last almost two hours before her falls ended the session. It was a step up leaving much room still for improvement.

Mageira was careful not to show too much, but she was rather proud of Ess's achievements. The girl was coming along remarkably well, and soon enough they could start basic hand to hand combat. She should be healed up well enough by then to be able to do it herself.

When Essence began her lessons with Zane, she worried that she would never understand which stupid tool did what or for what purpose and why. It got to the point, when after the first couple days, Zane gave her a basic set of tools to use, stating “You will have to use all of them at some point, better get familiar with them.” Ess learned that there was a basic range of difficulty in locks, which she labeled for herself one through ten, easiest to hardest. There were spring loaded locks, locks she described as “Twisted Layers of Metal,” and then the combination of the two. Depending on the size of the lock, depended on the size of the tool; if it was spring loaded or not gave her the options whether to use a pointy tool (like a tiny ice pick) that she would use on the springs or one that extended in width and went flat in an L shape at the end, which was used to turn and match up the 'Layers of metal.’ By her third day she had gotten the hang out of the the first three levels of difficulty, mostly because even after her lesson was over, she took with her some locks and the kit to practice, only pausing to eat her evening meal.

Before Ess passed out from exhaustion each night, she made sure to re-read certain chapters of the book Mageria had loaned her on poisons. For the most part, Ess was familiar with the different plants she could find in the local forests; even some not locally found. She was learning that some of the ingredients could be preserved in their crude form and in their final form, which was handy since she was use to her poisons expiring and having to start over again. She did leave NewHaven with a few small vials, she decided to bring to the Captain and explain what she already knew for the most part. Ess had always thought of how to make someone suffer, to kill them in the easiest amounts of effort possible. In her possession she did hold a serum that would cause temporary paralysis or cause someone to become almost deathly ill, but to put someone to sleep she had never pondered a use for such a thing.

On the fourth day, after the early morning torture routine, she knocked gently on Mageria's door, holding a small pine box with some of the vials of poisons she created over the past few months that still held a decent shelf life. Ess only shared so far what she didn't know, not exactly what she already knew and she felt a bit proud of herself, smiling sweetly at the Captain when the door opened.

"I'm not disturbing you, am I Captain?"

Mageria pushed a hank of hair back from over her eye, looking just the bit frazzled.
"Disturbing me? No, not at all." She sighed heavily as the sound of children crashing about a house far too small for them could be heard. It was too cold for them to be out, which meant that they had to be in one place. She eased through the door and shut it firmly behind her, leaning on it as if she wanted to make sure that it stayed closed.
"If you had something that you wanted to show me, perhaps we could do it in the medic's cabin? It should be empty at the moment." She started across the snowy hill, not even bothering to go back inside for a coat. Opening the cabin, she revealed a space crowded with a few beds; cabinets filling the back walls and an open door that revealed a space that looked to be set up for basic distilling. Mageria sat in a chair after poking up the fire, gesturing for Ess to sit as well. She rubbed her hands together, blowing on them a bit to warm them back up.
"What was it you wanted to say?"

Ess sat beside the Captain, resting the small box in her lap so that she could peel off her leather gloves. Reaching into her boot she retrieved a small flask, sipping it lightly to kick start the warmth she was still lacking deep in her bones from her morning’s excursions. Instinctual in her manners she offered it to Mageria with a smirk, “I was looking to show you what I managed to pick up on my own as a teenager...in my time in BlackPond.” Her fingernail flicked at a brass latch, the lid opening slowly to reveal about a dozen tiny vials in a multitude of colors.

With a deep breath, Ess began retelling in basic detail of her times in the brothel and how she grew up there, stolen from her home and family quite young. “I was too weak to really defend myself much then, you know...and even for the most part I even stopped trying. One day....I discovered my ‘Enlightenment’ and when my emotions were overwhelming I accidentally revealed my skill to a patron..” She paused closing her eyes as if she were trying not to see the man’s face. Her fingers traced along her scar that almost stretched past her lips from her left eye. “I killed him for giving me this...for so much more...what he stood for..and I payed dearly for it, cutting the defying will out of me.” Ess fingers reached inside the pine box without even looking, the glass tinging softly while her nails sifted through the assortment, naturally picking up a red looking vial which she held out in the palm of her hand towards the Captain. “I color coded them for easy memory...Red reminds me of blood..and that if this is ingested, it will cause internal bleeding, hemorrhaging and finally death.” With an accomplished nod a devious grin crossed her lips as she remembered the wide eyed look of pain upon her master’s face. “I took out Ebony..one of the many responsible..I couldn’t of been more than...fourteen.”

Holding the box so that Mageria could see inside easier she began reciting the different colors and their purposes: “Black corrupts the blood and circulation, kills the nerves, and when it reaches the heart, certain death. Purple: Paralysis that eventually wears off. Yellow: slows down one’s response time to think and move, worse than a drunk and the after affects are just as bad as a hangover. Green: Will make someone violently ill, and they may believe they will die...but I haven’t seen that occur...yet. Blue: Causes the lungs to break down, become weak and fluid fills them, results similar to drowning.” Ess leaned back in her seat a bit, inattentively stretching her sore shoulder.

Mageria raised one eyebrow, sorting carefully through the box as she listened to Ess's list of what everything did.
"You have quite a collection. Do you buy them or make them yourself?"
She didn't make any comments about the other woman's past, that was her buisness and none of her own. She wished that such things didn't happen, but the truth was that they did, and the only thing she could do about them some days was make it increasingly impossible for such places to exist. And to make sure that the children that she was responsible for were never put in such danger.

Leaning back, Mageria studied Ess from half slit eyes. "Just where did you learn to use all this? If you had a poisons master, they wouldn't have tossed you into the street or let you stay in a brothel hell like that . . . for a variety of reasons. Many of which, if you got angry enough, you'd start killing off the clientele. Which means, what? You learned on your own?"

Ess simply smiled at Mageria’s comment, “....if you got angry enough, you'd start killing off the clientele.” Who was to say that hadn’t happened, but she didn’t feel she needed to discuss all that as she picked back up the tiny black vial. “This one...I learned by trade.”Clearing her throat she didn’t give any further details on what she meant. “Regretfully that plant the extract comes from, does not grow locally, but I know where to acquire it. Everything else, I learned from books...experimenting...I mean when I couldn’t go out most days I had to find some way to occupy my time.”

A distant howl echoed softly from outside, Ess’ smile broadening as she thought to herself how Tala must be hunting again. It seemed to her that Tala was trying to earn her keep in providing food for the little ones when yesterday she had left two rabbits on Mageria’s doorstep. Her wolf seemed to enjoy the chaos of the excited children as they ran about playing hide and go seek; of course the wolf would smell them out easily each time. Then, one couldn’t forget there was also ‘Puppy.’

“I was kept on a pretty tight leash...occasionally escaping to visit a friend on the outside of the brothel..” She trailed off with a small shrug. “I still feel there’s plenty for me to learn to...polish my knowledge in this subject, just thought I’d share what I know.”

~~~~~~
http://youtu.be/mSAgaUoNeso

The Captain decided to step things up a notch for Ess, starting with two laps on her morning run. Which meant Ess would get up earlier until she got her time better so not to set back her scheduled times for lessons with the Captain and the other guards who participated in her training. At first it was just Zane, but this week more were added to her plate so that she barely had any free time. Keeping busy was a sure way to improve herself, keeping her thoughts away from Luckas and other things that may distract her. Ess had received a message from NewHaven from her home’s current occupants, stating men claiming to be her family were searching for her. 'What a load of bull,’ she thought. Her family was dead...at least she had presumed. There were rumors however to survivors from the countryside burnings, reports that her brother Ian may be alive. At least not many knew her current location, so it helped keep her mind at ease. She couldn’t afford to not pay attention around Mageria, especially if she wanted to stay dry.

Ess couldn’t help it though, she was distracted just enough for Mageria to notice, as she only lasted an hour today on the river, when she was progressing so well.


“Whatever is distracting you, leave it at the door....one can’t afford to slip....not if you want to live..” Mageria had stated simply, the following day giving Ess lead weighted, wooden practice swords. It didn’t take much time before Ess was disarmed, trying not to fall from the river poles. Yet, that wasn’t the end of it because Mageria kept coming at her, causing Ess to leap around frantically trying to block the blades, more bruises appearing along her fore arms.

From her failures, the Captain taught Ess many ways to disarm one’s opponent, what pressure points to go for to incapacitate the enemy, and one of Ess’ favorites was all the different ways to knock the wind out of someone. At one point, Ess was limping back towards her tent when she assumed her current lesson was at an end, when large arms went to wrap around her and pick her off the ground. Her mind went into a momentary flashback, yet in her panic she instinctually snapped her head back into the man’s face, followed by letting her body fall limp. When the grip loosened she slid away onto the freezing ground, sending the base of her palm into the man’s diaphragm, knocking the wind from him. Only after she got to her feet she heard the Captain’s voice, realizing it was a continued exercise. Even though she was sore and tired, she proved to be a bit of a challenge.

Mageria clapped slowly as she came around a nearby tree, giving the both of them a hand up. “Very good. You never know how much you’ve absorbed until you have to use it without thinking about it.” She raised an eyebrow at Ess, the fading bruises still creating a patchwork of shadows under the skin. “However, you forgot one of the most important rules of self defense. When dealing with an unknown; you hit,” she gestured down at the man picking himself up off the ground. “And you git.” She gestured over her shoulder towards the trees. “When in doubt, if you don't know the situation, sometimes the best thing you can do is run. The Twins gave you two legs, use them. Especially if you don’t know if you’re the stronger fighter. And in an ambush, assume that they’re ready for whatever you might have to throw at them.” She leaned over to scratch Tala behind the ears, where the wolf sat panting happily near her. After a moment the wolf got up and circled Ess, sneezing in the direction of Ess’s ‘attacker’.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The third day of her second week, instead of going to see Zane as was her routine, she was sent into NewHaven to practice her stealth. The exercise entailed being followed and not knowing by who from the camp. Her objective was to stay hidden, blend, change, pickpocket un-noticed, and if possible, detect and corner her pursuer. Her pursuer in addition had the advantage of his enlightenment, being able to target an object or person and having that person or object stand out amidst all the chaos surrounding it. Not an easy thing to defeat, but Ess managed to stay one step ahead, changing her style, her posture, hair color and so forth every few minutes. At one point she took the chance at stopping by her home, and when her tenants did not answer, she decided to try out the skills Zane had been teaching her. In a muted surprise, the feat proved quite easy, a frustrated look crossing her brows. Ess would need to get better locks.

Although she never managed to find her stalker that day, she made quite a profit from the skills she had learned earlier that weak from other Guardsmen. Not having much need for money, since she had plenty saved up from over the years, she decided to donate it to the cause.

“Eve!” Ess trailed after the tiny woman the second she came back into camp. “We still running low on supplies?”

“More are on the way, but those will run out sooner than later.” Eve sighed softly, light circles surrounding her blue eyes. The woman had much to keep her occupied in her duty of running things in the camp, taking a toll on her, yet she always remained cheery and seemed happy to keep busy. “Don’t worry yourself. If we stick to the rations, we can stretch it pretty far.”

Ess nodded a bit before pulling several coin purses from her hip, holding them out for Eve. “Well, think of this as a boost in ration portions...And I have plenty more that will just sit idle...so keep me posted.”

Tala was just where Ess had left her, harnessed to a sled pulling piles of wood around to stock the many homes in a supply to fight against the bitter winter. Some men were chopping away, others loading the sled and leading the wolf to where they would unload it. When Ess reached the busy scene, they were just finishing up for the day so Ess un-strapped the wolf from the sled, her fingers ruffling up her fur affectionately. “You hungry girl?” Tala quirked her head, wagging her tail sightly giving the appearance that she was tired. Essence smiled, leading Tala back towards her tent where she made a large fire to roast some venison over.

Ess sat upon a fairly large log beside the fire, her back towards her tent while Tala curled up beside her feet as she poked at the fire. Enough time had passed to rotate the hunk of meat cooking, just as she caught the sound of shuffling feet coming towards her from the fallen darkness. Tala’s head snapped up alert, tail thumping happily along the ground accompanied by a throaty bark that sounded like she was trying to speak.

A deep, warm voice spoke out, “...Well good to see you too, Tala.” Someone stepped forward, the flames’ light revealing a very tall man, broad shoulders, medium muscle build, chin length brown hair and chestnut eyes. “Good evening, love. Captain told me I could find you here..”

Ess stood, her eyes lingering over the attractive man as she smiled sweetly, extending her hand in greeting, the man shaking it firmly. “Ah..You’re the one that’s going to help me with Tala..” Turning her gaze down towards the wolf at her side who was prancing around in circles excitedly, Ess added, “You making friends all over the place here when I’m not around, eh?”
Ess had a familiar feeling creep over her as she listened to the man speak, “Essence.....”

The man chuckled, “Yea, your wolf and I met earlier today...officially that is. Names Aiden Cross...Essence, huh? You got a last name love?”

“Talon...” Ess spoke softly, staring up at Aiden, the name ringing a bell as she had met him briefly in the castle before, but had not seen his face. With her smile shifting from sweet to mischievous, her voice changed it’s tone, taking on a familiar accent. “...Aye, ya’ still smokin’? Or ya’ decide ya’ like breathin’?”

There was a moment of silence before they both started chuckling. “That was you?” Aiden asked in a delighted surprise. “You’re quite good at that..” He winked playfullly, “You mind love, if I call you Talon?”

Ess shrugged, motioning for the man to sit as she checked on her meal. Aiden sat down, scratching between Tala’s ears as the two appeared to have their own conversation, a chuckle escaping Aiden here and there. Tala sat down, one paw outstretched upon Aiden’s lap, head tilted curiously, ears alert, her back to the fire. It was as if they had momentarily forgotten Ess was even there, as this went on for some time, Ess watching in complete awe.

“Tala...is a very proud creature...should please you to know she thinks of you...as her Alpha.” Aiden whispered, turning towards Ess with a smile. Tala barked happily, leaning into Ess as she sat beside Aiden, resting her head on Ess’ lap. “Think Tala’s bond for you is quite obvious though, I’m sure Talon I don’t need to explain that all to you.”

Ess grinned, “I’m sure she knows how much I care for her as well.”

Aiden nodded, “That she does. It’s too late to start training today, so maybe tomorrow before dusk we could begin?”

“Sounds good...right after I finish with Zane.” Glancing shyly away from Aiden she nodded towards the venison. “You hungry? There’s plenty.” Reaching for the skewer of deer meat, she retrieved one of her daggers, placing the blade temporarily in the fire before she began slicing pieces off for Tala, herself, and Aiden. After placing the remainder back on the fire, she munched happily on her dinner, trying not to eat too quickly in her hunger. Ess kept her gaze on Tala, but that didn’t stop her from noticing how Aiden stared at her with a heart melting smile. Ess’ cheeks flushed a deep red, but one couldn’t tell if it was from the heat of the fire or from her embarrassment. Being the center of attention was not always her strong point, at least not in her normal skin. It was an odd feeling, figuring out what it was to ‘be herself.’ Little by little she was not ‘hiding’ in a facade, but that could be credited to her distractions of her intense training and the fact she mostly hung around women or children the past couple weeks.

Aiden was very friendly, quite chatty as he talked about himself a bit and asked some general questions about Tala and Ess. He seemed to be sizing Ess up, his puppy dog eyes searching her violet orbs. All Ess kept thinking of at that moment was how so many had welcomed her with smiles, and friendly words; without so much as a demand of an explanation. It could of been her eyes, or the scars she bore outside as well as in that she seemed to wear upon her sleeve. Maybe this was a place she could belong.

“The others talk about you....the Captain’s new recruit.” Aiden winked, a half smile curling his lips while his eyes lingered across the many fading bruises along Ess’ face. “Your a quick learner I hear....quite impressive and eager for more.”
Ess laughed. “So the entire camp is talking about me huh? Guess that is impressive.” With a shrug she added, “I’m not one to complain...or give up easily....and you can tell your possie...”Ess winked back... “..that I’m honored to be here with everyone. . Hopefully all works out and I'll be sticking around.”

~~~~
Luckas had no trouble finding the encampment, and even less going by unnoticed. Well, almost unnoticed... He was sure that Mageria had noticed him lurking around her, even if she did pretend he wasn't there. He was almost sure he caught a hint of amusement across her expression at some point and he wasn't sure if he was pleased or annoyed with the fact that she had gotten used to his presence so easily; he wasn't sure if he'd rather be seen as a threat or not by the Captain, if not for any other reason, on account of his pride. Lately however, he wasn't sure of much anymore... And at this point he just wanted a familiar face or two, even if he'd never admit it. He didn't want questions, he didn't really want to talk, he just wanted to see them and leave. Lena wanted him to stay in Blackpond as much as possible, and he owed her after the whole scene with Xypher, but for some reason it was harder to be on his own now. Maybe he was getting weak... He hated to think of how that old witch would laugh if she knew.

Ess wasn't hard to find either; Luke was really not surprised to find she'd settled underneath an oak tree, it was the kind of thing she'd do. Why, he'd never really understand. At the moment he was standing in the shadows, out of sight, he had been standing there for a bit, as a matter of fact, watching the activity of the camp from a far and waiting for her to show up. His eyes were no longer on Ess, however, they were fixed glaring at the man she was speaking to. Was it completely stupid of him to want to force him face down into the fire for smiling at her like that? Yes, it was. Did he care? Not in one bit, and if he wasn't absolutely sure he couldn't get away with it he would have commanded the man to do so by now. His eyes lit up as he thought of how badly he wanted to burn that stranger, and that was probably what gave him away. Tala was the first to notice his presence; looking straight in his direction growling and bearing her teeth. He was more than used to that, so he only took a moment to breathe in and calm his homicidal urges before he stepped out in the open, offering the wolf a frown for blowing his cover. "Missed you too, Tala." He stated sarcastically, crossing his arms over his chest and trying to force a grin over his obvious annoyance.

Luckas showed in his appearance how Blackpond had been treating him; he looked even more pale than usual (if that was even possible), he showed clear signs of sleep deprivation, his clothes (the same ones Ess had given him) were ripped and patched up in several spots, his dark hair was unattended and had grown to shoulder length and he now had a fresh scar that ran halfway across his neck, making clear that he was very close to having his throat slit. He absently ran his hand over the messy locks, scratching at the back of his head. "Well... Hi there, Pretty Lady." He greeted Ess, forcing himself to ignore the man and the wolf and honestly wishing he hadn't made the stupid decision of showing up like this.
Ess glanced down at Tala as a sudden growl escaped the wolf’s bared teeth, her smile broadening as she had a pretty good idea who she was growling at. Ess’ eyes glowed softly, her heart lurched forward as she jumped up, temporarily ignoring Aiden as she stared beyond the flames to find Luckas.

"Well... Hi there, Pretty Lady."

Essence didn’t care if she showed her excitement, and hopped over to Luckas, making a kiss like gesture in the air, inches from his face. “There you are, my dear Luckas. Where have you been? I knew I’d see you again.” Grabbing his hand gently she lead him closer to the fire.. “Is that all you are wearing? Luckas, it’s freezing out!” She scolded, sitting him down on the other side of her, Aiden still seated on her left.

Signaling Tala to be silent, the wolf trotting on Luckas’ heels in an attempt to guard Ess, she properly introduced Aiden and Luckas, and swore she saw both men flinch as she did.

“....Tala doesn’t like this one much, eh?” Aiden muttered, knowing perfectly well why as he stood. Both men stared at each other a moment, Ess eyeing Luckas whispering, “It’s ok Aiden, this is my friend...I’ll see you tomorrow though to work on Tala.” It was clear that Ess was a bit nervous as the two looked annoyed at the other, Luckas smiling while Aiden clearly was not pleased and simply nodded at Tala before backing away with a gentle smile towards Ess.

“Til tomorrow then Talon...Looking forward to it.”

Luckas couldn't help a slight feeling of comfort when Ess brought him closer to the fire, he chuckled softly at her scolding. As he sat his eyes glared past Ess to the man, she had introduced him as Aiden, and he felt that flare of anger stir up again, even though he smiled his eyes clearly gave away the fact that Aiden was very much lucky that Ess was sitting right there. He kept glaring at the man behind his back still until he was out of sight. At which point he seemed to relax some and turned his eyes at Ess, his black gaze softening slightly. "These are the warmest clothes I have, Lady. I don't mind the cold much though. Never have." He said with a shrug. "So... That Aiden guy is like Tala's new boyfriend or something?" He asked, raising an eyebrow comically. "Or should I be having a... Talk, with him about what his intentions are? I mean gee, I leave you unattended for a few days and I have to come back to this, really?" He asked, a fake offended tone in his voice.

After some time Luke stretched his arms over his head and groaned a bit at the soreness in his body, trying to mask it as a yawn as he brought his arms back down quickly. "Hope you didn't miss me too much." He said, opening a slightly satisfied grin and going back on the conversation. "Not like I've been away that long anyway, although it seems like a year on my side of things. I've been crawling my way around Blackpond. There's something there I need to take care of, and I still have to go back; in the morning if I can manage. Don't worry though... Tala won't lose her favorite chew toy." He told her with a little amused grin. "So... How's training treating you?"


“ I mean gee, I leave you unattended for a few days and I have to come back to this, really?”

Ess’ head fell back, belting out a laugh that trailed off finally ending in a comical giggle, “Aww, my friend..is that jealousy I hear?” Ess noticed the current state of Luckas, scars and all, absently she wandered into her tent to retrieve a cloth dipping it into a pot of water, to sit back beside Luckas. As she began to wipe down the dirt upon his face she whispered gently, “This is why...you should let me teach you a few things on self defense, my dear Luckas.” Her expression was one of pure stubbornness if he tried to argue against her nurturing, which only came natural. Ess laughed a bit thinking on his comment against Aiden.. “He’s a beast speaker..the Captain wants him to help Tala and I’s communication.....” She paused, dragging the cloth down the scar across his neck, her eyes taking on a sad tone, “BlackPond....huh....Luckas...how much have you seen inside my soul? Have you seen a man named Jasper...?” Her voice faded as she remembered the torture the bastard made her suffer. “I...he’s known to me as..the ‘Persuader’....a regret from leaving BlackPond was never taking him out..If he still lives...” Ess trailed off, her eyes locking pleadingly with Luckas as she brushed a few strands of hair from his eyes. “I hate asking favors...but you should enjoy it...only if you happen to encounter him of course....”

Essence eyed Tala, slightly annoyed as the wolf continued to growl; the wolf catching the gaze only to hide behind her legs. “I can give you some other clothes to wear...” Shaking her head, “Why don’t you take care of yourself, Luckas? You may not care....but I do.”


"Jealousy? You are yet to see me truly jealous, Pretty Lady. I'm just casually wondering if I should dig into this guy's brain and see exactly what he's so looking forward to..." Luckas answered trying to shrug it off. "Of course if then he gives me reasons to be jealous it'll just be one big ugly mess." He snickered. "I'm sure Captain wouldn't like it if I did that."

Luckas raised an eyebrow as Ess looked him over and went inside the tent, returning to wipe his face with a wet cloth, talking about how he should let her teach him self-defense. He enjoyed the cold wet cloth on his face, but when it was dragged towards the scar on his neck he winced slightly and caught her hand, on a firm, yet gentle grip. "I'm alive." He stated simply. "The people who gave me this can't say the same." He then opened a half smile. "When I have the time to stay, though, I might take you up on that offer." He lowered her hand slowly, but for whatever reason didn't release it as she went on talking about the man from Blackpond; Jasper. And yes, Luckas did remember him. "I think I'll never get to see enough of your soul Lady." He murmured, mostly to himself as he sometimes did. "I remember him. If I cross his path, I'll make sure he knows exactly why he's going to die, I promise." He sighed, finally realizing he had been holding her hand and releasing it rather abruptly. "In return, will you do me a favor? Do you... Remember the girl, in the basement? Do you remember her face still? I have dreams, but I can't... When I open my eyes it's gone. Do you think you could draw her maybe? It doesn't have to be perfect, but something to jog my memory..." He sighed, visibly frustrated. "I just... I'm afraid I might go back to not remembering anything anymore. I don't want to lose this, whatever it is."

Luckas went silent for a while after that. He felt weak to have to ask for help this way, but, coming to think of it, Ess had seen him in worse shape once before. "I'll take the clothing if it makes you feel better, but... The White Shadows have a saying: 'Life is what it is, up until the moment it isn't'. And I'll survive whatever, up until the moment I find something or someone I can't survive, and it is what it is." He smiled, and traced the line of his own scar with his index finger. "This will fade. Which is just too bad you know. I think scars are just sexy, don't you agree?" He asked, winking playfully.

“Are you afraid Aiden might gain my affections, instead of you Luckas?” Ess gently wiped the cloth over his eyes, causing them to close a moment in her pass. “If you want a claim of some sort, you best make it, sooner than later before you decide to kill me.” She wasn’t stupid, she saw the different ways Luckas looked at her, and when he opened his eyes she had continued to clean his face and neck, smiling at his comment.

“"I think I'll never get to see enough of your soul Lady."”

Luckas holding her hand, was a small moment she had not experienced before. Her heart began pounding in her ear, her senses were overwhelmed with a feeling she didn’t understand. Pulling her gaze away from his, she grabbed his hand after he released her and began cleaning the dirt from his fingers. “If you want your filthy hands on me, at least clean them first.” She teased, breaking her eye contact, to stare at his hands. “I will leave something out for you to wear...” Ess paused in her distraction, leaning her head back to stretch her neck side to side, rolling her shoulders in their soreness revealing more bruises along her flesh. Hand to hand training with the Captain had to be, by far her greatest challenge and the most obvious toll on her body.

Tossing the rag aside once she was finished, she went back into her tent to retrieve her journal and pen. Quickly she scanned the back through the many drawings she had, stopping at the new ones she had created recently. Standing beside Luckas she smiled, “Well...is it weird that I already have your request complete for the most part?” Ess had the journal open to two pages: One showed the darkness, with a ray of light from the open door and the next page showed the girl, lifeless on the floor. Both pages completely lacked color, and one could tell Ess had not been satisfied with the details, going over the drawing in several ways in her changes. “I can do better, I think I know what I’m missing....” She tore the page from her leather journal,holding it out to Luckas, quickly closing the book before he could see the drawing of himself she was currently working on.

'Life is what it is, up until the moment it isn't'

With a heavy sigh, Ess shook her head at the comment. “Maybe, my dear Luckas, but that’s mostly true with things that are beyond our control. In concern with what in life we can control, and thinking that way, to me, just is laziness. A little effort is really all it takes.”


“Are you staying the night?” Ess whispered. “If you stay here with me, I promise to keep Tala on my other side, away from you...you know so she doesn’t rip your throat out in your sleep.” A playful half smile curled her lips as she rubbed her eyes. Suddenly her attention snapped up as she remembered a comment Luckas just made and her face turned a shade of pink, "If of course...my sexiness doesn't distract you too much." She attempted to play off the comment as a joke, but in all honesty she wasn't sure how to react to that one.

"Hum… Does this mean I should I be worried about him stealing you away from me, or something of the sorts?” Luke asked, chuckling a bit as the rag went over his eyes. “Because I hadn’t considered that a smiling beast speaker would be enough to cost me your affections. I only meant that maybe I should keep an eye on him." Luckas wasn't sure what Ess meant by claim, so he shrugged at that and repeated what she once told him. "Perhaps this is just my feeble attempt at being your friend. Suppose I just don't trust anyone... With you…" He added the last words on a whisper, honestly hoping she wouldn't hear it. Deciding that it was useless to try and resist the wet cloth, he just let her go on with it; still wincing slightly when it passed across his neck.

“That depends, would you like my filthy hands on you?” He asked with a tone of laughter in response to her teasing. Taking the moment in which he looked down to examine her appearance and notice the marks and bruises on her. He found he disliked the idea of her hurt, which was slightly surprising, all things considered, but he pushed those feeling aside under the logic that Mageria always took good care of her people. He was a bit distracted with those thoughts when Ess stepped into her tent again and returned with her journal and pen. When she showed him the drawings he opened a slightly sad smile, but did his best to conceal it once he remembered the many mentions of it on the woman’s journal. That was something that had stuck with him; Luke had honestly never thought of himself as sad in any way before. He took the page when she held it out to him and stared at it for quite some time, before he looked up at her. “This is great.” He told her simply, flashing an unusual, and rather cheerful, smile.

When she argued with his comment on life Luckas snickered. “Lady… Most people see Death as a beast breathing down their neck as they walk through Life. I see Death as a familiar face waiting to take my hand when I reach the end of the road. Every step I take leads me closer to it, and I never know which one will be the last. The difference between me and most people is just that I don’t see Death as something that chases me, I see it as something that is always one step ahead. So there’s no logic that can make me accept the fact that it can be avoided.” He chuckled. “I’m not saying I want it to happen anytime soon, what I’m saying is just that. I may be a little careless, perhaps even lazy as you put it, but I’m not suicidal. I enjoy living; at least for now. I fight for my life to the best of my abilities, if one day I find them to be lacking then it just means I’ve taken my final step.”

At her offer to stay the night with her Luckas shrugged slightly. “Whatever you’re comfortable with, really.” He smiled glancing slightly towards Tala causing the wolf to growl at him again. “I can trust that you’ll keep me safe until morning.” At her comment about being a distraction he laughed. “Oh, but I’d welcome such a distraction.” He noticed the pink tone in Ess’ face and raised an eyebrow, not sure of what to make of it. “Again… Unless I make you uncomfortable...” He shrugged. “I can sleep just about anywhere.”


Pondering Luckas’ words on trust, she thought he muttered something else but didn’t quite catch it. A curious idea crossed her mind and she wasn’t sure with some of the mixed signals she saw if she should voice it, so she kept it to herself, tucked away in her brain for another day. Ess however couldn’t help her smile as she whispered, “...I never had someone to watch out for me...Can’t deny that I like the idea...or that it doesn’t creep me out...” At Luckas’ question if Ess wanted his hands on her she shrugged lightly. “Only if your not all red eyed...then I may not mind...just have to test that theory another day.”

Ess waited as Luckas looked over the drawing, a mixed array of emotions plagued his face again giving her the feeling he was conflicted. She really was starting to wish she could take a look inside his brain to understand better, and wondered silently if he had indeed peeked inside her mind since she asked him not to. It did seem to make things easier to communicate and not to have to repeat herself when she spoke, but a person’s perspective could change just as quickly as the direction of the winds. When Luckas said the picture was great, Ess shook her head. “I’m sorry I still think the girl is prettier in my mind than I can draw her. It doesn’t due her justice I fear.”

Ess listened carefully to Luckas as he spoke about his lack of fear for death, accepting of how things were and how he seemed to just take things as they come. It wasn’t a bad attitude, in fact she understood, yet she couldn’t help thinking that a man who did not fear death simply had nothing to lose. “I don’t say I fear death, simply I’d miss some things about life..if lets say my soul continues on..and so forth. I find a person is more dangerous with much to lose, as opposed to one who feels they live without purpose and doesn’t have anything left to lose.” Violet eyes inspected Luckas closely as she absently went to retrieve the clothes she had purposely set aside for him when she left, just in case he did randomly come by like he had. “Maybe....we fear it makes us weak....I know how death of someone close can affect me. I feel stupid for it, but..love in any form is so profound...the only thing worse than death in that case, is finding out it could be all a lie.”

Motioning to the left over deer meat over the fire she said cheerfully, “And..don’t forget to eat something my friend. It may disappoint you to learn that you’re presence does not in fact make me uncomfortable. I am embarrassed to admit that I am not quite sure how to take some of the things you say, and that I do use humor as you do to misdirect a meaning, but the truth is still inside those words.” Ess added quite a bit more wood to the fire before going back inside the tent, shuffling things around to make a spot for Tala on one side and Luckas on the other. Tala happily followed Ess inside, making it a purpose to rest a paw and her head on Ess’ chest with a look that screamed possession or ownership. “Do as you will Luckas, I am going to try to calm my mind into slumber...I have to get up and run about ten miles before the Captain kicks my ass..” She chuckled at the last bit, her fingers sifting through Tala’s fur as she whispered at her wolf, “Be a good girl Tala. Tomorrow I am going to have a good talk with you about Luckas.” Her voice grew louder for Luckas to hear her, “...And remember my dear friend, Tala is a wild animal...don’t instigate her like last time..”

Luckas simply nodded when Ess said the drawing wasn't as good as it could be. It was more than good enough to him, but he didn't argue; he wasn't an artist, what did he know? "Death has never effected me, that I know of." Was how he broke his silence. "Maybe I was just never close enough to anyone... I'm yet to understand what that feels like." He admitted.

He smiled slightly, mostly to himself, when Ess admitted to not knowing how to handle some of his words, he chuckled softly and spoke without lifting his head. "Take my words in any way you wish, just remember: I don't say things I don't mean, Pretty Lady. Especially not to you." He looked up to catch a glimpse of his friend walking back inside the tent, Tala right behind her. Once Ess was inside Luke took a deep breath, reaching for the back of his shoulder and rubbing it with a groan. He needed to get back as soon as possible, he knew it. He wasn't supposed to let anyone see him, even less stay the night but if he was completely honest with himself; he had to admit that he wanted to be seen, and he wanted to stay, maybe he would feel safe enough to actually sleep soundly; he hadn't for quite a while. Finally he forced himself to chew on some food, absently looking at the picture Ess drew as he did so, trying to bring the image to life in his mind, trying to remember that face while it was still alive... He knew she was there somewhere, but couldn't reach. It was frustrating and eventually he had to give it up, rubbing his temples in pain. "I hate you." he muttered at the drawing for no apparent reason, before putting it away in his pocket and standing up to go inside.

As he entered the tent Tala lifted her head to glare at him and growl as usual. Luckas ignored her and curled up on the spot Ess had arranged for him, taking a long deep breath as he closed his eyes. "Night, Lady." He whispered, before drifting off to sleep.

Camp, Next day

“Talon...I know it’s not my business....but that man is a predator. You must see what Tala and I see...You can’t trust him.” Aiden spoke bold but honestly, appearing to be concerned as he accompanied Ess and Tala along a walk throughout the camp.

Ess sighed nodding a bit, knowing the point was made and she had thought about it many times. “You’re right....It’s NOT your business..” Ess growled, glaring at the two. “I don’t expect you or a wild animal to understand anything beyond instinct. There is just something more to him than what is displayed; besides our primal urges.” Ess paused in her steps, staring hard into Aiden’s caramel eyes. “How do you know I am no different?”

“You would compare yourself to him?” Aiden asked suprised.

“We are all murderers...” She spat. “All I am saying, is that I want Tala to back off. She needs to be made to understand to only attack if I am threatened out right, or attacked. Not because she doesn’t like him. She may sense the conflict in him, like I do...but I...” Ess sighed, pulling her hood over her head at an icy chill. “...I would like to have some faith in something...and I don’t expect an animal to understand that. So call me foolish, whatever. I’m not saying I don’t want her looking out for me, as I will do for her.”

Aiden simply shook his head, thinking a bit on what Ess had said, his expression softening a bit. Kneeling down in the snow, Tala and him exchanged looks as he whispered to the wolf; a defeated whine escaping the furry creature. A few moments passed before Aiden stood, bowing his head slightly at Ess. “...I understand what you are saying....even if I don’t agree with it. Please accept my apologies for over stepping my boundries.”

“No...I appreciate your honesty, and If we are to be friends, I expect it to continue. Friends don’t have to agree on everything..” Ess stated plainly.

Aiden smiled as they continued their walk. “...Quite true, Talon. So...a bunch of us are having a few drinks and a meal in the barracks...You are welcome to join us...”

Ess nodded, whistling for Tala to follow. It was a nice reprieve from her solidarity, for the most part, and her training. She was never one to have friends, and now she seemed to be accumulating them left and right. Of course, there seemed to be degrees of friendship but it still was nice to be accepted...to feel she belonged. Most of the men and women around seemed to know who she was, also calling her by her last name; a trend Aiden seem to start. For a few hours, Ess forgot her troubles and enjoyed simple laughter and smiles as some of the men indulged her with horror stories from their own training with the Captain.

While she listened, she noticed that many around her had black feathers decorated upon themselves in one way or another. Some had feathers along the hilts of their weapons, necklaces or even in their hair. When Ess inquired to their purpose Ess heard different names ring out in the air, as the group felt they were no longer part of the Black Knight Guard, but something else. “Night Terrors.” Some rang out, but she couldn’t remember all the different names they were coming up with. “Shadows of Justice.” Ess quirked a brow and laughed.

Raising their glasses, everyone paused in their laughter, “To Talon! May she survive week three!” Shortly after, a woman began taking bets as some playfully challenged Ess’ ability to last another week. “I’ll take that bet..” Ess bolted out into the crowd, tossing a small bag of coin onto the table; more laughter echoing out into the night. Aiden happily backed up Ess’ coin with some of his own, adding to the pot. Smiling coyly at Ess, he wrapped a free arm around her shoulders, giving a friendly squeeze. Her thoughts were calm, yet her body reacted tensing up to shrug Aiden’s touch off her. The scene was friendly, non-threatening, and no one was doing anything wrong; yet Ess couldn’t stand the touch, her skin crawling in an awkward feeling.

Aiden saw Ess’ expression and politely backed off, as a toned blond man approached her from her other side, his hand gently slid down along her back, resting just above her waist. “Aiden...maybe she would rather know the touch of a REAL man...” The guy was obviously drunk and all talk, but something in those words brought a devilish grin across Ess’ lips as she turned to face him.

“....John...wasn’t it?” She winked, her ‘working’ persona creeping over, absorbed into her instinctual flirtatious mannerisms. Gently she reached up towards the man’s head, running her fingers through his hair, before her fingers clenched down firmly, tugging on the strands she forced the unaware man’s face into the table with a crack, breaking his nose.

“Did I say you could put your hands on me?” Ess whispered coldly, releasing the man’s skull so he fell to the floor in his drunken stupor. All went silent for a moment before more laughter broke out, Aiden nodding knowingly. Leaning in towards Ess he muttered, “Talon, I’ll be sure to ask next time.” He looked a bit off Standish, and rightly so, and was lucky Ess didn’t react as quickly to his gesture as she did to John’s.

“Think...it’s time for me to go..” Turning towards Tala, she ignored Aiden’s words and nodded to all a goodnight. Tala was growling at the fallen soul, still unconscious from his collision. A familiar woman with a mirrored scar came over to Ess as she went out the door, “Don’t worry about John, he’ll only respect you for it in the morning....He’s harmless, truly.” She winked.

Essence made her way back towards her tent, the cold currently not a bother from the amount of drink she had consumed, her pale skin taking on a reddish glow. Her attention caught Matthew chatting up a small group of ‘Guards’, asking for volunteers for the Captain. Quirking a brow, Ess turned and approached the man from behind, a few of the men he was speaking to shaking their head in objection with some sort of mundane excuse. Tapping Matt on the shoulder, Ess smiled sweetly. “What you need volunteers for?”

It was after the fight with the Beast that had been Daniels that Jess finally managed to put Mageria’s coat back together, somewhat anyways. She had covered over the slashes with another black material, this one a bit softer and shiny. She had cunningly used different shapes, so that the end result was something that looked as if she was wearing a cloak of black feathers. It was a theme that had been popping up recently around the camp, trying to find a use for the multitude of black feathers that they had lying around from the ravens that nested in the buildings when the Guard wasn’t around. Mostly they were being used for fletching arrows, but a few were being made into jewelry such as hair ornaments. Even Mageria wore a strand or two, after they were given to her by one of the civilians.

It was about this time that she left the camp for the first time, going over into one of the nearby villages for some bartering of her own. Nothing big, just things that she wanted for herself. It was good to get out and see some different sights, but she still was glad to get back to a place that was becoming more and more a place that she belonged.

Mageria had been struggling for some time with what had happened, the place that she had lost and the place that she was now struggling to make. It was as hard as anything that she had ever done, but more and more it was becoming something that she could be proud of. Against all odds, her people had stuck by her and more than that some of them had trusted her with their families. And somehow they were building an actual community here in the woods. She was still receiving daily reports of what was going on in Newhaven, including the fact that Crystal Rivers was now the designated heir to Newhaven if anything happened to Ella Page. Remembering her advice to the young woman, find somebody that would do well but that nobody would want to see on the throne over you; Mageira had nearly laughed herself sick. Out in the woods while alone of course. She truly wanted to see what the young assassin thought about that.

Things continued as they had been, scraping by for the most part, but with a sense of determination and hope none the less.

Week Four

Night was slowly falling when the perimeter guards noticed that an old man followed by two young boys was walking down the path, obviously heading towards them. He was carrying a walking stick in one hand, dressed in rough traveling cloths with snow-white hair pulled up in a top knot. With a quick hand signal the lead guard sent people to flank either side of the path before stepping forward.
“I believe you are lost, sir. Perhaps we can help you find where you meant to go?” In spite of the courteous tone, it was clearly not a request. The old man simply smiled gently and leaned on his walking stick.
“I am believing that we are exactly where we are needing to be, boy.” He spoke in a singsong tone, revealing a bit of an accent.
“And where is that? There is nothing around here except for a large group of very unfriendly people.” A broad grin spread itself across the old man’s face.
“Ah then. We are most definitely in the right place.” He took a step forwards. “I am looking for a woman. Fire red hair with a temper to match. I am believing that she is living here about.”

It took only a couple of minutes for Mageria to show up, looking rather annoyed that somebody else had come to visit. It seemed that her secret camp had become not so secret after all. On top of that, people in the camp were starting to think that they needed to come up with a new name for themselves. While she didn’t want to admit that they were now an entity apart and separate from Newhaven, it made sense to her that they would need a label for what they had become. They might be on their own, but they were together; a name would help cement that feeling. So she was feeling slightly out of sorts when she came upon a most unexpected visitor.

She was out in the training yard, whacking at a training dummy with a practice sword that was almost taller than she was. Tears were running down her face and she was so tired but she couldn’t stop. She had to get big and strong so that she could make sure that the people who had killed her parents died too. She twisted around, winding up to swing the sword as if it was a bat, when suddenly a hard yank pulled it out of her hands and sent her to her butt in the dirt. A pair of amused brown eyes looked down at her before the man crouched down on her level.
“So. You are wanting to learn to dance, boy?”
Ria glared up at the man. “I’m not a boy. And I don’t want to dance, I want to learn to fight.”
The man laughed. “Boy, girl, what does the name matter? All of life is a fight, boy. You must learn to follow the rhythm of the movements.” He stood up gracefully; moving through a couple of moves with an ease that spoke of decades of practice. “You must learn . . . to dance.”

Mageria couldn’t keep her jaw from dropping, just a little bit. “Syrio!?”

The old man, Syrio; turned and smiled at her. “Ah then. Just the woman I am looking for.” He drew himself up and gestured at the two boys following him. “I have brought you two new ones to teach.” Mageria looked at the boys, one of them stocky and well built and the other thinner and balanced. They looked to be about fifteen and the marks that a hard life left were evident on both their faces.
“Excuse me, just a moment.” She grabbed Syrio and pulled him off to the side, away from where anybody else could hear.
“Are you insane? Why bring them here? You have to know what’s happened . . .”
Syrio nodded. “Ah yes, stupid boy to get caught. But you are still alive, so obviously I did not do too bad a job teaching you.”
Mageria sighed. “Yes, I am still alive, mostly thanks to you. But why bring children here?”
Syrio shook his head sadly. “They are not children anymore than you were. It is a teacher that they are needing now. Which is why we are coming to you.”
“What?” Mageria didn’t usually feel this dense.
“I am getting old. Too old to dance the way I used too, too old to teach the way they need to be taught. They have no gift from the Twins, no reason for anybody to take them in. But they have the spark, the need to dance that you had. Who else will teach them, ‘eh?” He shrugged. “Me, I am too old. They need someone younger, someone . . . perhaps who has a great deal of time on their hands now?”
Mageria laughed. She couldn’t help it. “All right already.” She looked at the boys and waved them in. “We’ll find somewhere for you to sleep and you can start training with us in the morning.”

----------

A couple of hours later Mageria was standing out in the snow once again. She had come out in order to think about the changes that she was living through. A rough caw told her that she wasn’t alone, sharing the night with a black cloaked raven. When she had left Newhaven it could have been the end of everything that she had worked for. Instead, it seemed as if she could have a new carrer, one that Syrio had pointed out to her. There were so many young people who only needed a bit of training, who would never have a chance on their own. Blackpond would only take you in if you belonged to their City. Same for Newhaven, at least nowadays. The Crimsons also only took you in if you had been born in the right area. And the Wolfpack only took you in if you wanted to be an assassin. But her people, none of them came from money or family or anywhere in particular. They could always welcome one more stray into their fold. She sighed softly and blew on her hands in hope of warming them.
“Well, what do you think?” She looked at the raven with one raised eyebrow. It simply cawed derisively and tucked it’s bill under one wing.

Mageria sighed again, looking up at the Moon. No answers there either. “You could at least give me a hint of what you want me to do, you know.”

A step behind her alerted her to company. Syrio again, giving her the curtsey of letting her know where he was.
“Are you speaking the Moon, boy?”
Mageria snorted. “Speaking to, arguing with. Does it make a difference? I get no answer either way.”
“That is because you are not speaking with the right god, foolish boy. There is only one of the Twins that is worth speaking to and that is Lady Death. And what is it we say to her?”
Mageria smiled. “Not today.”

{Day One, Week Three, after the slaying of the Beast...}



Mageria was leaning against a tree waiting for Ess to come back from her morning run. Once the younger woman finally burst through the brush, she smiled, just a bit evilly.
"Bit of a change up today." She placed one hand on Ess's shoulder and started to guide her along towards the training area. "Since you seem to think that you can take on opponents five times your size without sufficient training . . ." They came around a bend in the trail that revealed a group of five large men, armed with practice swords.

"Today, you get to try again. Hopefully you'll manage to keep your feet."

Ess heaved a sigh, nodding hesitantly as she looked from one sweaty man to the next. “Oh joy...” She turned towards Mageria, as she walked away, now out of hearing range, “Don’t I get a practice sword...?” Mocking laughter echoed from behind her as she hung her head in an appeared shame. Closing her eyes she listened to their footsteps approach, a twinge sound from the movement from the wooden sword slicing through the air along her back caused her to duck and roll back up to her feet, avoiding the weapon. She was then standing in the center of the group, glaring from man to man, waiting as they smiled down at her.

“Aw, should we take it easy on her boys?” The larger of the group laughed.

Ess spat into the snow. “...Would be a mistake....but if you want to be beaten by a women still in training, then by all means...”

“Ooo..you hear that? Little lady thinks she can take us all on.”

Ess was trying to learn patience when it came to her attitude and emotions, so she simply waited until two men came at her from both her right and left sides. The smallest of the group, who was still double her size, was the first to reach her. Ess side stepped, reaching out for the wooden sword with her left hand. Jabbing the man with two fingers at the base of his throat, she quickly turned her back to his chest so her other hand would grip his wrist holding the sword, bringing down his arm along her thigh so he dropped the weapon on impact onto the ground. As the man choked for air temporarily, she looked up just in time to duck low, only just missing a swipe as if the other man were trying to decapitate her.

Her fingers fumbled a moment when she picked up the fallen sword, backing away from those two, only to take on the next three all at once. She knew this was only going to end in more bruises by the time this lesson was over, but at least she had more than just her fists. They all danced about, no one getting a hit in for a few moments; that is until Ess pretended to fall accidentally just so that she could take one off guard in his apparent advantage. Laying on her back, she waited til he was close enough for her heels to collide along his stomach, knocking the wind out of him so that she could also disarm him of his sword. Jumping to her feet, spinning about both wooden blades, she managed to deflect two different attacks: one low along her waist and one high along her face. Yet she soon felt the painful collision of another across her back, causing her to wince in a sharp breath.

It went on like this for several hours, Ess managing to disarm all but one of the men at some point, to only focus on about three at a time in her defense before she felt the sword along her back or across her calves. By the time it ended she was covered in welts and bruises, and a cut lip from when she caught an elbow to the face. She was just happy the men stopped their teasing by the second day.

“Dead...again Talon...you keep forgetting those you can’t see.” The leader smiled, resting the wood along her shoulder and neck.

Ess hissed at the men. “I don’t forget...you made it painfully obvious. I don’t get...-” Ess dodged a punch to the gut, pressing her own back along the now exposed back of her attacker, using the support to roll and pivot her body off of his own. “...Realistically...can only engaged a few at a time...”

“..This is true, but try to remain aware of the positions of your enemies..”

The shadow walked through between the trees, searching aimlessly, his feet gently touching the ground, his gaze constantly hunting for a prey; another step taken, the noise reduced to nothing by the cold wind that the mountains breathe; the movement caught his attention, and the arrow making the beast meet his doom. Vane walked to the rabbit, removing the arrow and putting it back inside the quiver after cleaning it. The bag on the man's back cheerfully accepted the corpse, and it probably was the worst hunt Vane ever made in the last three years, he would soon need to go to Newhaven to gather food again, and that possibly implied leaving the bill to Veronica, again. The hunter wasn't too far from the camp, and the quickest way to reach it would to cross the training area, and that probably meant that he could laugh for a few minutes.

The area was big, a small clearing where the soil was plane, in the middle of it a group of 6 people gathered, training with practice swords. Vane stood in the shadows, in a manner where he could see everyone. Two started to spar, in a more demonstrative manner, showing the principles of fighting to a girl between the men. Soon she started to spar against the one that was teaching her the principles, Vane laughed loudly and exited the shadows as Ess started the round. He had the usual friendly grin on his face. "Raise that guard, or you're not going too far in the fight."

Ess quirked a brow at the sudden voice from behind her,yet kept her gaze forward. 'Vane?' She thought to herself, kneeling down suddenly, Ess thrusted the hilt of the wooden sword into another man’s side, immediately pushing off the ground, her body knocking over the man so that she actually stepped into his chest as she leapt forward.

He watched the quick movements with both eyebrows raised, she had fast movements, and they were rather precise, definitely something that she could need to use someday. Vane looked to the man that fell on the floor, controlling the laughter, "So, need a hand?" An angry expression soon appeared on his face as he stood up. Vane was around 6 meters away from the fight, he laughed for a few seconds before speaking to Ess again. "Don't try to see them, that's not helping you."

“I can hear where they are, even if I can’t see...just....not enough limbs..” Ess ran at another attacker and dove along the slush, sliding beneath his legs, in her pass she whacked the man behind the knees hard, sending him forward. Rolling away from a poised stab to her gut, she arched her body, leaping off her back only to get knocked back onto the ground. Two different pairs of feet crunched down along her wrists, her fingers going limp as they unraveled around her weapons

"No, you're just making one fall to the floor and then moving to another one. Think a bit about your position and your enemies'. Fighting with swords and daggers equals to chess, think about the move before doing it, and then move; take a few steps back, a few to the right, and then move. There's no shame in waiting to do the fatal hit."

“Better...but still dead Talon.”

Mageria leaned against a tree uphill, watching as Ess fought with everything she had in a fight that she couldn't hope to win. She winced a bit as the girl took yet another hit, falling facedown into the snow.

"The point is to train her, not kill her in the process, right?" The slightly amused tones of Mathew came from behind her; she turned and half smiled before turning back and watching. "She chose to follow our path, Matt. We walked in danger and pain before we were exiled. If we don't . . . If I don't push her as hard as possible now, she'll die. Alone, in pain or in a dark ally or even in a tavern. I can't . . ." she clenched her teeth hard. "I can't let that happen. Too many died because they followed me, even when I gave them everything I could. And now?" Mageria leaned her head against the tree, feeling the bitter sense of shame swamp her again. "Now all we have is some cast off equipment and a collection of huts with not enough food to even get us through the winter." She pushed off the tree and turned away. "If I want anybody to have a chance, we may have to start making some harder choices."

Ess sighed when the men stepped off her wrists, walking away finished for the moment. Standing, she rubbed at her wrists, glaring at their backs shaking her head slowly. Was it really all that it seemed: A no win situation? Or was there something she was missing. Violet eyes flashed in her frustration as she turned her gaze towards Vane with a nod, her tone soft and disappointing. "I tried that....there's too many...I never seem to get very far for long.."

Ess bent down to swipe up two wooden swords, stretching one out towards Vane. "Ok....so show me." She smiled softly tossing the practice sword in his direction, stretching her wrist as she waited.

The man picked the sword with his right hand, soon leaving his bow on the ground, the string touching a tree. "It's not that hard; you know what's behind you, but you don't know what they are doing, and that's where you fail." Vane held the wooden sword in a reverse grip, the same style his father taught him long ago. "You have the flexibility, try something that's different, non-linear... try to hit me."

Ess rolled her eyes, thinking they always say the same thing.."Try to hit me." And it usually fails, at least at first. Vane stood several feet before her, Ess stepped forward holding the sword in one hand, swiping it through the air at her right horizontally at waist height to Vane. As she swung, she bent her body to the left, forcing her legs into the air in almost a cartwheel so that her body danced around Vane so that she spun a full circle, attempting to face Vane's back while sending her clenched fist towards his skull.

Vane smiled as he witnessed the scene. Surely non-linear, incredibly agile, but still easy to foreseen. As Ess made her dance at Vane's right, his left eye quietly followed the woman's direction, while he bent his right knee. When the cartwheel was done Vane's left hand already met the ground. The tall man rolled on the ground quickly, and as the roll ended, his right hand enjoyed holding the practice sword in a reverse grip, although Vane was used to the weight of the daggers forged by his father, the sword was not problem, but he would rather avoid long and slow movements. He faced Ess again, now with both knees fully bent, the left hand lied in his face's height, open and the palm facing the ground, his right arm lied closer to his body, the blade ready to be moved. "Not bad... but maybe you should do something more... different." He winked, inviting Ess for her next move.

When Ess’ fist simply swished through open air, Vane now crouched facing forward once again, she made sure not to linger or think too long about her next move. Everything around her appeared to move in slow motion, although both her and Vane’s movements were anything but; yet Essence was already kicking her left foot in an upward motion at Vane’s hand holding the sword which he easily dodged. She expected that, so when his sword crossed her own in a standard parry, she pulled back dodging the swords trajectory now dropping her own purposely so both her hands were free. Ess slapped Vane’s free hand aside, using her raised forearm as a base, her left hand connecting into Vane’ wrist holding his sword in an attempt to cause his fingers to release the weapon. It was at that moment, she didn’t even realize Vane had risen or how she managed to slink beneath his arms, once again attempting to stand behind him, her own arms moving to grasp firmly around Vane’s neck, her thinking she could get him in a hold. She held on for dear life when he bent forward to toss her over his shoulder to get the advantage, but because she held on, he flipped right back over her. They rolled about the ground a moment before the force jostled them loose, once again standing before one another; Ess managing to pick back up the wooden sword.

Vane smiled as he took a few steps back, "Just a second" were his words. Ess' last attack was incredible, to say the least, he now could see what Mageria saw on her; agile, but maybe she still needed to polish some of her movements, but time could teach her that. Maybe I could do that too..., he thought. As he walked he dropped the black jacket he wore, being careful so the blade wouldn't hurt the cloth, exposing one of his many white henley shirts with long sleeves. "Pick your blade." The man spun the blade on his right hand a few times as he saw Ess picking the sword, the distance separating him from Ess being not more than 7 meters, when she was ready the movement ended and he ran, the sword once again in the reverse grip. As Vane got close enough the blade made her move, coming from Vane's right-bottom until his upper-left. As he expected, Ess' dodged the hit with ease, but as his body readied the sword for another cut, Vane spun on his right feet, the left leg trying to kick the woman. Ess dodged again, the sword making a fast downward arc against Vane, both ending in a parry. The blade pressed hard against Vane's sleeve, but he smiled. Both danced with the swords after the parry was broken. One's movements were completed by the other's, Ess rolling and blocking Vane's attacks when not delivering quick blows against him, until both blades met again, starting a new parry. "So, what will you do now Ess? If I kick your foot now then it's over," the man's smile challenged Ess while he pulled her by the blade, forcing her to walk backwards.

It was at Vane’s question of what she would do next, that she finally absorbed the significant height difference between her and him…about a full foot. Not that it mattered to her, except she couldn’t hold back a giggle, giving a playful wink up at the man. “Normally hun, I may try to headbutt….but you’re a bit out of reach…” Her feet began to pick up in pace as she began trotting backwards, smiling when Vane matched her in speed, just like a dance giving her the momentum she needed to suddenly drop onto her back, her legs shooting out before her in unison to her arms pushing back against the parry, launching Vane over her form. Ess didn’t pause, her body moving in a backwards summersault back onto her feet, her lips pursing in a teasing kiss like gesture as she saw Vane was already on his feet. Again she ran at him, slashing the sword lower right in a motion across Vane’s chest, responding to the block her legs once again slammed forward as if she were attempting to walk upon the man’s chest, her foot just missing a firm kick to his face as she flipped back over, instantly regaining her balance, her sword already in a defensive stance.

After Ess almost kicked Vane in the face he dashed around four meters back, the sword always in front of his head in the usual defensive stance while in a reverse grip. That was close, he thought as he lowered the stance, standing like a normal person would. Dancing with her as he would do with any opponent wouldn't work, but maybe if he made her make a mistake . . . Well, it's worth a shot. Vane switched the grip, holding now the sword as any normal soldier would, he started to normally walk in a circle, keeping Ess in the center while he kept looking at her, forcing a continuous eye-contact. The left arm facing the woman, waiting for her to make a movement.

Ess' eyes glowed a brilliant violet hue as she stared back into his eyes , her smile broadening as she noticed Vane's change in fighting style. It was subtle, but still there. Tilting her head curiously, Ess tossed her practice sword aside, giving a coy shrug of her shoulders, her body pivoting to follow Vane as he circled her. After another moment she began to mirror Vane's movements, stepping as he stepped, slowly moving closer towards her opponent. With an affirmed nod, she sent an array of punches along his gut, each time she was blocked, her arms moved higher, her body spun gracefully avoiding Vane's sword, her elbow moving to cut him hard in the ribs.

Vane moved his back as if he was falling to the ground, although it was a pathetic movement it would be enough to avoid Ess' last movement. Staying that close to her would probably bring some trouble, so the man allowed his blade to fall to the floor, and he soon followed, allowing the gravity to make her eternal job. His back met the ground, and Vane rolled once; twice before standing up. And indeed Ess followed him without stopping, ignoring the fallen blade and readying yet another move. Vane almost didn't had enough time to enter his usual defense stance when Ess once again attacked him.

Ess wasn't much for having patience, again, something she was trying to learn and this insistent failing to hit her target was starting to anger her beyond the point of annoyance. With a throaty growl, she went to throw another series of punches, but only threw them half way, never coming close to Vane in a fake out. Her idea was to use his defenses against himself, grabbing at his forearm as it would of blocked her advance if she had completed it. The next thing she knew she was on her back, her legs sent out from beneath her, landing hard with a groan. "Blast!" Blinking in her daze, she wasn't sure how the hell she found her way back on the ground, lying there panting heavily she stared up at the sky. She thought she heard laughter in the distance as she heard earlier. "You're Dead Talon..." Her eyes focused on Vane as he stood over her, she waited, expectantly with a sly smile, the violet glow of her eyes flashing brighter.

Smiling, Vane looked at Ess, somehow surprised that his idea worked. He exhaled heavily, trying to control his breathing as a small pain in the back of his head appeared. "Well, well..." he heavily exhaled once again, "not sure about you, but I'd say this is over," he scratched the back of his head with the right, "can't say I didn't had fun, you do have some style," Vane took a step to the right, offering one of his hands to help Ess stand up, he smiled. "Need some help?"

Ess firmly gripped Vane's offered arm along the elbow, her other hand clasped his open palm as she hopped to her feet with a playful bounce. "Thanks friend...that was fun....we shall have to do that again....give me another chance to hit you.." She smiled, playfully tapping his shoulder. "Hate to run, but I got more training i'm already late for...." Ess winked, letting go of Vane and sprinting off away from the practice grounds back further into camp.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
{A Day or Two later...}

There had been something of a one day cold that was working it's way through the camp. Nothing harmful, but the best way to deal with it was for the effected person to stay by their fire and sleep for the day. And, it seemed to have caught Mageria. She had managed to get up and dress, coughing the entire time. Jess was glaring at her, but with six children in a building that was comfortable for two adults; she wasn't going to get any rest anyways. There was a knock at the door, looking at the time told Mageria that she was far late for Ess's training. She groaned under her breath and started towards the door, only to find Jess there in front of her. The pregnant woman pulled the door open and ordered the children outside before glaring at whoever was on the other side.
"Today, endurance training. You get to take care of the kids." She closed the door firmly and grabbed Mageria's shoulder, somehow managing to steer her even though the Captain was taller by 4 inches and had years of fight training.
"You . . . are going back to bed."

Ess stumbled backwards from the sudden entourage of children running past and around her (followed by Puppy), quirking a brow she nodded with a chuckle at the idea of the kids as her ‘endurance’ training for the day; like she hadn’t done enough running already this morning. It was not a bad day to spend outside, although it was cold, it was well above freezing. Tala came pouncing over happily, diving into a pile of fluffy, light snow besides the wolfhound; the effect covering both animals in white. The boys and girls laughed happily in a game of tag, taking turns in tickle torture when they caught another and at first seemed to be self entertaining.

“Look, it’s the pretty doggie!” Lily yelped happily as she ran up to Tala, the wolf wagging her tail in response, distracted as Puppy playfully tackled her causing Lily to giggle. Lily turned towards Ess and gently tugged on her sleeve, “Can I pet her, Miss. Ess?”

With a slight smirk, Ess nodded, kneeling down to lock eyes with the little girl, “Only if you promise to be real gentle with her, okay?” Lily clapped in her excitement, running over towards the wolf and instantly wrapped her small arms around Tala’s neck, causing the wolf to cough in a slight choke, tail thumping harder in the snow. “Aww, think Tala likes you Lily.”

A sudden defiant scream, alerted Ess to the boys arguing who’s snow ball hit who first, the sight causing her to roll her eyes. With a sigh she stood walking over to the four as they began shoving one another back and forth. “Hey!...Really you all can’t play nice for five minutes?” Ess’ words fell on deaf ears as they ignored her. Tucking her upper lip behind her top teeth Ess let out an ear piercing whistle, Tala bolting forward to her side. For a second she got the boys’ attention before they went back into it. Crossing her arms a bit frustrated, Ess turned to Tala, “Tala....stand at attention!” She commanded, the wolf sitting back on her haunches expectantly with a bark. “Sound the alarm!” Tala tilted back her head and began to howl extremely loud and long, the sad song echoing into the day, causing many who were hustling around the camp in their chores to stop and question it with a curious stare. All the children stopped dead in their tracks to stare at Tala wide eyed. When the wolf ended her song, Ess stared at each child expectantly. “Now that I have your attention...who wants to help with Tala’s training?”

Ess smiled when all the children lined up like little soldiers, awaiting instructions. “First rule...any whining, you lose privledges....Any fighting.....you sit out for the activity for the rest of the day....Are we clear?” Ess spoke softly, yet her tone commanded obedience. All six children nodded firmly, the two girls giggling when Tala barked as if to confirm Ess words. “Right...and then you’ll have to deal with Tala...” Ess held back a smirk as the kids gasped, the wolf trotting circles around the line. “Ok then....while I work on a reward for your assistance....First task is to help Tala with her speed...Try to catch her!” With that the kids dashed forward, Tala leaping aside and around a few trees leading the children in pursuit, Puppy trailing Lily from behind.

Aiden had appeared behind Essence, and when she turned she almost collided into him. “Shit, man!...Funny I was just about to come looking for you...What can we do about making some sleds for the kids...?”

Aiden laughed, raising a brow at Ess’ question. “You plan on having them pull it, Talon?”

Ess shook her head, “Very funny....more like the Wolf and Dog..”

Aiden thought for a moment, crossing his arms across his massive chest, “I think I can work with some pieces we have lying around....When you need it by..”

Ess looked over her shoulder, enjoying the playful scene as Tala remained out of reach of the kids, but only just. It was as if she was letting the kids have a slight chance, enjoying the game herself. “...The sooner the better...”

~~

Lunch time came rather quickly, and already the children commanded Tala about with the cutest hint of authority. Ess taught them some basic commands, and in that Tala was spinning in circles trying to keep up with the demands of the little ones. “All right....who’s hungry?” Ess yelled out to the crowd, as she finished cooking a stew over the fire at her camp. Out of breath, the six happily sat upon the large log of lumber beside the fire, devouring the hot stew with some cider Ess was able to grab from Jess. The Captain was still confined to her bed with the much needed rest that was due to her, per Jess’ command.

One of the girls spoke up for the first time all day, “Miss Ess? Can I feed Tala?” The child appeared to be a few years off from Jason who was in the beginning of his adolescence, so Ess had no problem with her helping herself to the stew upon the fire. “Just..set it down and back up...don’t want to be in the way of a wolf and her food...and don’t forget Puppy now...”

Lily chimed in, “Ya, Puppy’s hungry too.”

Ess looked up at one of the younger boys, Clayton she thought was his name, as he approached her with a shy smile. “Miss Ess....do you know any stories?” All the children’s eyes were on her now, curious to her answer as they worked on their meal.

“Uh...” Ess’ mind went blank. “Let me think...a story...huh?” She smiled placing her bowl aside, arms outstretched towards the boy as he inched closer, climbing up on her lap. Ess wrapped her arms around the boy, a bit surprised by the small display of affection, but it warmed her heart all the same as she gave the child a small squeeze. Ess really didn’t remember any stories from her own childhood, she decided something somewhat true would be best. “Ok....I can tell you about the wolves then....”

Lily piped in, “There aren’t any wolves though...Tala’s the only one.”

Some of the other children began to debate, “..But if there’s no more wolves, then who’s Tala’s mommy?”

“Where’d they all go?”

“There has to be more, somewhere?”

“I hear the WolfPack helps protect them from mean hunters..”

Ess sighed, raising her finger to her lips, waiting patiently for the voices to calm in their sudden array of questions. “Wolves, are pack animals. They have very strong ties to family...they are loyal, loving, intelligent, aggressive, and great hunters. Just because you haven’t seen many doesn’t mean they aren’t everywhere, especially in the forests. They aren’t all like Tala here or like their cousin Puppy...and tend to shy away from people.”

Ess continued on in her explanation before she defined how not all are like Tala, and how she found her years ago. There was much that made Tala different from the average wolf and that was her training, human interaction from a tiny pup, and with the additional help of a Beast Speaker. Ess retold shortened, clean versions of the times Tala had saved her life and visa versa form poachers in these same forests.

“I heard that’s what Puppy was made for....war dogs for hunting wolves.”

Ess glanced along the many faces and then back towards the animals at her feet. “Just because one person created Puppy’s breed for that purpose, doesn’t mean Puppy has to live that way, right? Puppy, likes Tala, and seems to like people who are friendly. Puppy can choose what he likes and what he wants to do. We are all in control of this.”

Jason spoke quietly, “Just like Mageria says we don’t have to learn to fight if we don’t want to..”

Ess smiled as Lily scooted closer to her, nodding at Jason’s comment. “Very true, But one still needs to know how to defend one’s self.” Ess glanced up to see Aiden making his way over to her with an affirmed nod, Ess gently placing Clayton onto his feet. “Ok guys...ready for sled rides?”

The next couple hours flew by, as Ess simply watched the kids take turns on two sleds: One harnessed to Tala, the other to Puppy, giving tours of the camp at different paces. Aiden had explained to both animals to be gentle with the littler ones, making sure they didn’t fly off the sled even though the children pleaded to race one another. Ess shook her head, knowing better. No matter how hard they tried to command Tala or Puppy to go faster, the two only listened to Ess or Aiden.

Lily rubbed at her eyes, looking up at Ess expectantly, reaching up to be held. Ess was taken a bit back, just staring a moment before she knelt down and picked her up, letting the girl rest her head upon her shoulder. “All right kids, time to pack it up and give the animals a rest. Got to be back in time for dinner.” Ess slowly led the group back towards the Captain’s cabin, letting Aiden unstrap the wolf and dog from the sleds. The boys ran forward, barging through the door only to be reprimanded by Jess to take off their slushy boots and change into something warm and dry.

“Can we go sledding again tomorrow?” Lily whispered to Ess.

Ess stood in the doorway, looking at Jess as she set Lily down and smiled just a bit sad. “It will be up to Mageria...ok?”

“If Maga is feeling better..” Lily smiled, her eyes closing in a slit as she turned and bounced off for dinner. After Puppy made his way inside after the group, Ess closed the door behind her, making her way back to her tent.

‘Is this what it is like to have kids?’ She pondered to herself, her expression still a bit sad. Ess had enjoyed herself quite so, and she did feel more mentally tired than anything as the kids were good for the most part. Even when they fussed or argued, she wouldn’t mind doing it all again. Absently she rested her palm along her flat belly, thinking on what she would be missing out on, when Aiden approached her with Tala by his side.

“You looked like you all had fun today, eh Talon?” He beamed, pulling his hood tight over his face to hide from the coming night chill.

Ess shrugged, attempting to hide her smile. “Tala got lots of exercise....Thanks for helping out.. with Tala and the sleds and all.”

Aiden gave Ess a playful tap on the shoulder, “Don’t mention it. Happy to help.” He gave Tala a gentle pat along her side as he added, “..Ever think about giving up this life and having kids of your own, Talon?”

Ess’ shoulders slumped at those words, her expression shutting off completely as her fingers clenched around her shirt across her stomach. A flair of anger cross her purple iris’ but she kept quiet, knowing Aiden was ignorant to her situation and was just making small talk. At least that was what she was trying to tell herself, to calm down. Ess attempted to play it off with a not very convincing laugh as she answered, “..If I want any...ever...I’ll adopt..So many without families ya know..”

Aiden nodded, “Right...but if you found a guy you liked...would you try for some of your own?”

Ess began to shake in her anger, not looking at Aiden as she started to storm off but was stopped by his hand clasping firmly around her arm. “...Ess...what’s wrong?”

Essence halted, turning abruptly, her fingers curled in a tight fist which painfully collided into Aiden’s right eye as she snarled in her fury, “Ess??!...Did I bloody tell you...you could touch me!?” Stepping back she held in a few tears, cradling her hurt hand, the knuckles already began to bruise. “Stupid men...” Tala began barking, glaring hard between Ess and Aiden while Ess shook her head to Aiden’s objections.

“..E...Talon...What did I say?!” Aiden cried out, holding his eye, blinking as it swelled and he tried to look at Ess.

“Just...leave me be..” Ess felt a bit ashamed in her fury but would not allow herself to let him see, she couldn’t stand for him to see... Ess bolted at full speed back to her tent, Tala on her heels as tears fell from her cheeks, she dove inside, hiding beneath a pile of blankets. There she remained for the rest of the evening, never leaving to eat or anything. Time seemed to stand still, Ess sobbing heavily for the first time in so long, she couldn’t even remember. She felt so alone in that moment, not even hugging Tala for comfort, as she cried herself to sleep.
~~~

Next Morning..

Mageria waited patiently for Ess to finish her run, sipping a cup of hot cider. She had heard about Ess entertaining the children yesterday; apparently it had been highly inventive. Rather more quickly than she had expected, the other woman came around the bend. She was shaping up nicely. Raising one eyebrow, Mageria beckoned her closer. With a closed expression she obeyed, standing just a bit defiantly before her. Mageria shifted so that she wasn't facing Ess directly, staring instead out over the river.

"You know, we've all got things in our past that we'd not like brought up. Around here, we respect that, because we've all got our own personal hells. For example, I'd tell you to never ask Aiden about the scars on his wrists. But," she shifted so that she could take Ess's wrist, examining the bruises there. "First things first, I need to teach you how to hit properly. Your knuckles look worse than his eye." She gestured at a bag of sand hung about chest high from a nearby tree. "You can start with that."

Getting up, she walked Ess through the proper way of punching without breaking her own bones; then stepped back. "Come find me when your knuckles are bloody. After that we'll go over the proper places to punch to cause some real damage."

Ess nodded slowly, her expression almost empty as she stared and mimicked Mageria’s form, not quite punching the bag of sand just yet. When she was satisfied, she took a chunk of her rage and sadness and tested a few punches. Her wrist and knuckles ached a bit, but she saw the difference. Mageria had left her alone, and that was when she began hitting harder. Bending at the knees she lightly danced around the sand bag in a one, two motion with her fists. Trying to keep her mind clear was not an option that day, and it was just one thought after another memory,after another thought, which only seemed to cause her to hit harder.

{Flashback...22 years ago in BlackPond}

Essence backed herself into a dark corner, her hands bound before her which she tried to use to block the man from coming any closer. Her voice was weak from her constant wailing, her cheeks streaked through the filth from her flow of tears. Ess wasn’t alone in the room, however. Several other young girls were huddled together in the far corner, trying to remain silent in their fear of angering their attacker.

“…Now…be a good litta’ birdie and put the dress on for the mistress to see….” Jasper breathed heavily over Ess, the hot stench of him practically suffocating her, causing her to gag a bit.

Ess whined softly, shaking her head slowly, hiding her head behind her hands in preemptive defense, knowing what was coming as she was struck hard across the face.

“…You’ll do it….or I’ll do it for you!” Jasper’s voice bit into her as he began tearing at her nightgown.

“No….stop!” One of the other girls screamed. “Just do what he says….it’s easier this way…”

Ess was trembling, trying to fight off the man to no avail, so tiny and weak in comparison. Ess managed to kick the man between his legs, causing him to pause momentarily in pain only to grip her by the throat, raising her high against the wall. Her pale cheeks began to turn red, slowly to a blue as she kicked, panicking to breath as he choked her with one hand, the other tearing the sleeves off her gown. “Stupid….litta’ whore…” Another moment passed, Ess’ eyes rolling up in her head as she lost consciousness.

Essence awoke some time later, her throat aching in pain, finding herself dressed in a blue, cotton gown. She was on the floor of a room, empty of all but a fire place which was burning the last of it’s embers, several girls huddled around it for warmth. One of the girls spoke, the familiar voice perking Ess’ interest as a blond blue eyed girl, a year or so older than herself approached her. With a sigh, the girl looked over Ess, gently examining the bruises along her throat and jaw. “You…should of just done what Jasper said…you’ll live longer if you do.” The girl paused, forcing a sad smile that did not match the emptiness peering out from her gaze. “I’m Jemma….”

~~
Some months had passed, Ess finding her only friend in that hellish place was to be Jemma. They’d share the bits of bread given to them, or what they managed to steal from the dogs who seemed to be fed better than they were. It was like a prison, where they were told they would be conditioned to be the perfect little fantasy, the perfect woman; or as Jasper put it, “A savory whore.” The girls who cried a lot, were the ones Jasper focused on the most, so it was up to Jemma and Ess to keep eachother calm, and helping to keep eachother out of trouble. It began to dawn on them, how their numbers started to dwindle. Most of the girls had hardly any fight left in them, and when it seemed they were almost broken, Jasper took them out of the room and Ess never saw them again. They weren’t sure if they were being let go, or killed, until one of the girls actually came back. Tess, was her name; of course she stopped responding to such, and when she was returned, wouldn’t even look at any of the girls or explain what had happened to her. The look in her eyes, vacant and cold, gave Ess chills, unable to imagine the horrors she must of went through. It was like a nightmare they couldn’t wake from but instead fell farther into darkness, losing sight of the light.

“We have to find a way out of here, Jemma…” Ess whispered one night, unable to sleep.

“How….? We can only get out if Jasper comes for us….I don’t want to be like Tess…” Jemma cringed.
“…I see that as the only chance we’ve got….”
~~

The next time Jasper came into the room, Jemma and Ess began to cry, holding eachother in apparent terror. “Oh..what do we have here? Is it time for you two now?” Jasper muttered curiously, a sadistic sparkle in his eye as he dangled the room key playfully over their heads. “Well…you two can come along like good litta’ birdies or I can make you…”

The girls continued to wail but stood obediently, shuffling along the floor as they followed Jasper out the room, Tess watching Jasper dangle the key as if it were a piece of meat. In a sudden terrified craze, she began muttering to herself, rocking back and forth. “Why…do they get to leave…why do I have to stay….THEY ARE GONNA ESCAPE….NOT FAIR NOT FAIR..!!!” Tess began screaming, jumping to her feet, she leapt up on top of Jasper’s back, clawing at him for the key. Jemma and Ess were wide eyed in confusion, until they looked at eachother taking off in a sudden sprint down the hall. The commotion stirred up the house, several hired hands appearing down the halls, causing the girls to dip and run into another direction. Soon enough they were cornered against a window, where Ess instantly began pounding on the glass, not caring when her fist went through and sliced her all the way up to her elbow. After taking out all the glass with her bare hands, blood slowly coating her skin, Ess began pushing Jemma towards the window. “Time to go! Hurry, out the window!”
Ess squatted, Jemma climbing up on her shoulders and out the window with a heavy thud as she landed on the otherside. “Run Jemma!” Ess never even got a chance to climb out, before she was struck hard with the hilt of a sword, everything turning black as she hit the ground.

Ess groaned, her head throbbing in the annoyance of always getting knocked out in order for anyone to get their way. Maybe it was a good thing to not know what was happening to her, not like what she saw when she awoke. Tess, Jemma and herself were bound to chairs, all facing each other. Ess went to speak and Jemma shook her head sternly, thwarting that attempt as Tess began hissing in their direction. “You stupid girls…are gonna get us all killed…you know that-“ Tess was cut off as Jasper appeared off to the side, a chuckle escaping him. “Probably right…my litta’ whore…” He stepped in the center of the three girls, turning slowly to look at each of them. “So…whose gonna go first….hmm?”

Ess spat at the man. “You should be the one to die. You’re horrid man!”

“Ah…we have a winner….”

“Don’t touch her!” Jemma screamed.

“Oh…feeling competitive now are we?” Jasper turned away from Ess and grabbed Jemma by the hair with one hand, the other fiddling with his belt.

Ess began thrashing in her chair, rocking it back and forth, til she was almost on her feet, her back bending forward to keep balance. “Get off my friend!” Ess tried to ram into Jasper, using her chair but was simply knocked aside.

“Oh..is that it now…” The man sneered. “What are you gonna do for me, if I leave Jemma bird alone?..Maybe I should have Tess here show you girls how it’s done…”

Tess didn’t even put up a fight. It was like her mind was gone, and all that was left was an empty shell. Jemma screamed, refusing to watch while Ess simply cried silently, darkness filling her thoughts. “I’m gonna kill you one day...”

Jasper laughed as he approached Ess. “I doubt that birdie….”

“If not me….someone else will…”

Jasper brought out a dagger, and began cutting Ess’ bonds loose and then backed away, holding the blade to Jemma’s throat. “Now…if you want your friend to be spared…you best do what I say…”

Afterwards, Ess curled up, trying to cover her bare flesh, trembling in pain to the point she began to vomit. Jasper gently ran his fingers through Ess’ curls, panting like a dog over her as he dressed. “Better than you thought it’d be, wasn’t it birdie?” Jasper then walked back over to Jemma, who was sobbing perfusely, her eyes never leaving Ess. “You bastard!”

“Maybe I am…” Jasper snickered, bringing the blade up towards Jemma’s throat. “Did you get all that? Your turn…”

Ess sat up and growled, “You said you’d leave her alone….you said she’d be spared! I did all that you said! You’ve won!”

Jasper nodded, “I did, didn’t I?” Without another word he grabbed a handful of Jemma’s hair, slowly dragging the dagger along her throat, causing the girl to gurgle as she gasped for life, spitting up thick droughts of crimson. “See…where having friends gets you?” Jasper turned out the door, locking it behind him, leaving the three girls alone.

Ess stared back at Jemma, unable to move, her mouth dropped open in shock in almost a foolish expression as she watched the life drain from her friend. She stood, still without a stitch of clothing on her as she went to her friend, resting her head on Jemma’s lap she held her in her last moments. “I’m sorry Jemma….I’m so sorry….” Ess whispered.

“It’s your fault! You will get us ALL killed….he’s right you know…doesn’t pay to have friends in here..” Tess muttered hysterically.

It was in that moment, Ess felt the spirit inside her fade some; when much was taken from her today. She was soiled through body and soul, made to believe all this was her fault. Ess was the one who wanted to escape and failed. She had shown weakness, and let it be used against her all for nothing. Jemma died anyway, but at least now she was free. Tess was right. It wasn’t safe for anyone to have friends in here. They were all better off alone, worrying about themselves and their own survival. Ess remained with Jemma, letting her blood coat her skin, cracking and peeling once it dried. Felt like over a day before anyone came for them, dragging Ess away from the blond corpse without a fight. The violet color of her eyes twinkled with a silver lining, a curious glow emanating from them as she watched without feeling as the dogs were released upon Jemma in a hunger frenzy, tearing her body to bits as they devoured her.

~~~
Some time had passed, Ess finally paused to look at her knuckles when it dawned on her that she couldn’t feel anything anymore. Her skin was peeled back just around the knuckles, shiny and red from their repetition, yet Ess just smiled going for another round. “They...are not....good and....bloody...yet....” She muttered in a defiant growl, the words seeping out each time her fist collided with its target. The aching inside her seemed to level in her excursions, but it never dissipated that day. It was as if she forgot to find the Captain even after the blood began to drip off her hands, she kept going, tears of frustration streaking her cheeks. When her arms tired and she felt the muscles heavy and almost numb she started kicking the bag of sand, angry yells following each hit. Refusing to stop, hours had gone by as she attempted to release her rage into that sand bag before her.

"Enough!" Mageria came around the curve of the path, Tala dancing at her heels. She had gotten distracted sorting some problems out, otherwise she would have been back hours ago. Tala had come whining and scratching at her door, making her realize just how late it really was. Once she realize just what was probably going on down near the river, she had grabbed her healing kit and nearly run out the door.
"Enough, Ess. Sit down, girl." Carefully taking one wrist, she grimaced at the state of her hands. "Gods. You may not have worked it all out today, but if you can move in the morning I'm going to be surprised." Gently, she lead Ess over to a boulder and sat her down. Pulling a familiar small jar out of her bag, she started gently smearing healing salve made up with as many numbing agents as she could get in; it certainly made her own fingers go numb. After covering most of the girl's hands, Mageria carefully wrapped them in a protective layering of gauze.

Mageria started cleaning up, placing her things back in her bag before standing up and slinging it back over her shoulder. "Come on, then. We've got something for you to eat back at the cabin. You can eat by yourself if you want, or you can eat with the rest of us." She watched the path in front of them, smiling at Tala now that the wolf seemed calmer. "If you eat with us, the children have been told that they can't bother you, so you don't have to worry about that."

She didn't say anything else, just walked slowly as Ess stumbled and staggered. It was obvious that she was still raw over whatever it was that had been triggered yesterday, the only thing to do now was to wait and see if she could move past the pain or stay mired in it. She hadn't been lying, nearly everybody who chose to work in the Blacks had gone through some trauma or other that lead to them being fit to living a life fighting in the shadows. It usually wasn't fighting skills that caused somebody to have to drop out of training, she could pick candidates better than that. But nearly one out of three couldn't move past their pain and would have ended up twisted and broken if she didn't let them go. She prayed that Ess could move past this.


Ess had practically collapsed to the ground, back to reality once she heard the Captain in her ear. Blinking from an angry expression, her features softened as she let her wounds be attended to and was silent, watching the Captain curiously. Her heart still ached, but the anger was lost for the moment, so that even through the physical pain she was feeling she actually started to feel better. Ess whispered a thank you to Mageria as she followed her back to the Captain’s cabin. “..Those kids.....would never be a bother to me, M’am...” Ess stated firmly with a nod. The idea of seeing them somehow calmed her and made her realize just how hungry and thirsty she really was at that moment.

Tala had curled up next to Puppy as Ess ate with the others. Ess forced smiles at the children when they waved happily to her when she had entered, but now she was just frustrated that she couldn’t hold her spoon very well to eat her soup. With a sigh, she stared at the bowl on her lap, when a tiny voice whispered shyly to her. “Miss...Ess?” Lily smiled at her. “..You don’t feel good, Maga says, so I want to help...” Lily carefully picked up the spoon and brought some soup up for Ess to reach. She could hear Jess trying to call Lily away from her, but Ess only smiled.

“You’d do that for me?” Ess whispered, thinking how if it was any other adult who tried to do this, she would have shunned them away, but the innocent gesture of this child simply touched her heart; reminded her of someone in her past. Lily smiled and nodded with a giggle as Ess playfully snapped her lips over the spoon, giving an exaggerated satisfied response. “Mmm..thank you..” This went on for a few minutes until the bowl was emptied and Lily crawled into Ess’ lap. “Can I have a hug now too?” Ess asked the child, and Lily simply snuggled herself against the woman, responding with, “Tomorrow, you can come to my tea party...” Ess laughed unexpectedly and nodded, “Yes M’am.”

Some of the boys came over and sat on the floor before Ess with a sweet expression that simply melted her heart. “Can we hear another story, Miss Ess?” Resting her cheek on top of Lily’s head she beamed at the attention of the children, the aching in her chest slowly subsiding. “Well...what do you want to hear about?”

Clayton spoke up first, “Ooo..oo... I want to hear about dragons!”

“There’s no such thing Clayton..” Another boy protested.

“Says who?” Ess interjected, her brows narrowing in a puzzled look. “I happen to know many who believe they exist, and some who swear they have seen one..”

“What do they look like?” Lily chimed in.

With that, Ess was hooked, reeled in and caught, spending the next hour recalling the stories she had shared with a childhood friend, from long ago. In the end, in order to get Lily to go to sleep, she had promised, when she was feeling better, she would draw her a picture of what she thought a dragon should look like.

The sky hadn’t even begun to lighten when Ari woke. Her eyes fluttered open and she blinked, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness that surrounded her. Her breath rose from her lips in small clouds and she watched the clouds rise and dissipate into the stale air around her. She frowned, not able to discern what had woken her but with the urgency that it had, she was unable to fall back into the warm enfoldments of sleep. Ari slid out of bed, letting her feet hit the cool floor, involuntarily shivering as a spike of cold drifted up her spine. She quickly dressed, pulling on her training pants and a loose shirt followed by her bow and quiver of arrows. Ari knew that she would be out for awhile and that possibly, she would never get another chance to change into something better. She moved quietly to the door, pulling it open and sneaking outside, glancing back at the rumpled sheets she left behind her. A smile crossed her lips and without a noise, she left. The sky above her shone with the stars, the moon casting an eerie glow around the ground. Shadows bowed, reaching their black fingers for the girl as she passed Sean’s cabin. She glided past the door, drifting past like the shadows around her. The woods greeted her with arms wide open, whispering of things unheard and unknown. Ari entered their embrace gratefully, wandering past the trees she had grown to know so well.

It was true that living amongst Wolves was tough work, harder to deal with. They had laws, unspoken and unwritten but as alive as the trees before her now. The stories she had been told of were horrifying, but not true in the slightest. They did not eat their young and drink blood from their victims, in fact they were just plain people. They were as easy to kill as the next person and just as vulnerable to their emotions. However, the strongest person that led them was their Alpha. He was ruthless, a killer and driven by his instincts to protect what belonged to him. He was above, untouchable, and was not afraid to taunt that aspect during their training. Sean was rough, he pushed her until she gave him her all and then he pushed her some more. Nothing she did ever pleased him, she realized with a smirk. Even if she had been lying on the ground, bloodied and begging he would still push her. It would only be through beating him through which she would gain release. It was true, it was tough for her but the thought of finally causing a nick on his arm or cheek, just a tiny scratch would give her the release she needed. That is how she would better herself. And Ari realized, with some taint of horror, that she was willing to do anything to just get a shot at him. Not out of spite, she assured herself. All in all he hadn’t been that harsh towards her considering what she had done. Getting yourself caught after one day of training and talking to a traitor really placed a black mark on your shoulders.

Ari giggled to herself. The whole Pack had challenged her right to be there, to be a pretty little thing that could fight, but with Sesh’s memories floating around in her head they had gotten more of a fight then they had bargained for. She had snuck to him several times during the course of his rapid healing and they had spent time sharing memories and indulging in each other’s company. Those days….were fun now that Stephan and Alex both came as well. She smiled up at the stars, he face going slack and her eyes going blank as a memory consumed her.

[Flashback-Forest: Week one]

“Easy there Sesh,” Ari called holding up her hands to show she was unarmed. The Hunter sat back down, his black eyes still piercing her own. She had found him wandering the woods two weeks ago; still healing even after Stephan had released him in order to search for her. She smiled at him and approached him carefully, smiling as she took a seat across from him on the root of the tree.

“I don’t know what you see in me Ari, you or the other two,” Sesh growled, using the small dagger she had given him to whittle away at a piece of bark. He was carving it into a wolf, something he was determined to give to her before he left. “You do realize that the moment I can walk or run we’ll be enemies once again?”

Ari laughed a light bell like sound before reaching forward to examine his leg. Her delicate fingers undid the bandage and she was again struck by the soft glow of the scar she was looking at. Her fingers trailed over the new skin, amazed by his rapid healing. He pulled away, rewrapping the bandage, leaving the carving lying on the cold ground beside him. It was only then, Ari realized, that he was perfectly capable of leaving, but he was staying for some other reason. They both were startled by the sudden cracking of branches and Ari stood, brandishing her dagger in her hands.

Ari she heard her mind whisper followed quickly by the heavy presence of Sesh’s conscious. If you’re caught here….
Get out of my head! she snarled, pushing against his mind until she felt him retreat. Sesh’s warning was true though. Another wolf blundered into their clearing and had caught sight of the girl then.

“Ari? What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at,” the wolf trailed off, his eyes locking onto the boy lying on the ground behind her. “Explain.” His voice changed, from the questioning semi-scolding to the voice that rumbled with anger. She opened her lips to explain then, finding nothing coming forth from her lips. The Wolf was just another kid like her, not much older than Alex or Stephan and she watched as he produced a dagger from thin air. The hell, she thought. It was something most Wolves could do but she still hadn’t figured out how. “Traitor!” he cried, his eyes narrowing as he stepped forward. From the corner of her eye she saw Sesh tap the side of his nose, almost as if he were itching something. Ari smiled ever so slightly, all she had to do was hold out.

“Listen, kid,” she said hurriedly, letting the dagger rest against her hip as he advanced. “I know this looks bad but he’s just a traveler who was injured when I found him…”

“Do you think I’m blind Ari,” he cut her off, “I see the black clothing; you and I both know this is no mere traveler.”

“Alright, you’ve got me there but…”

“You’re helping out the enemy! I knew you were not on our side the moment the Crimson attacks began, I told Sean but he was too blind to see it,” the man growled, advancing now with a look of purpose, “But now I have proof.”

He was getting dangerously close to her and Sesh and so she reacted. He legs pushed her body forward and she collided with the wall of flesh. She stumbled back as did he, the force of the impact knocking the wind from her lungs. Ari cursed, it was running into a brick wall. He was solidly built, muscled, tall and he wasn’t about to lose this fight. His dagger cut through the air and she barely missed it, having to arch her back to avoid the blow to her stomach. His next strike came at her shoulder and she had no choice but to dive out of the way, leaving Sesh exposed. The Wolf threw his dagger, piercing through her shirt and into the ground, pinning her down where she lay. Her own dagger was just out of reach. The Wolf now was advancing on Sesh and she squirmed as the heavy presence fell across her mind again. Her hand, as if on its own accord reached for the Wolf’s dagger, tugging on it with a strength she didn’t know she had and yanking it from the dirt. She pulled herself to her knees, or rather Sesh did and with a flick of her wrist the dagger went sailing through the tree cutting right past the Wolf’s head and burying itself into the tree.
Slowly the Wolf turned, his eyes darkening and his eyes clouding over. He charged like a bull, bellowing out his anger and drawing a broad sword. Ari cursed again and just managed to move out of the way while snatching up her dagger from the ground. Her body turned, her hand rising to block the heavy blow from the Wolf. The impact of the two objects jarred her arm and her knuckles were cut from his blade. He forced he back into a kneel, her arms quivering from pushing against his sword.
Dive now, came a commanding voice. Her strength broke and she dove, just as his sword hit the ground where she had been a moment before.
Turn and face, ready yourself. Here he comes again.
The Wolf turned, but instead of charging he began to circle her, trying to catch her off guard. She held her dagger in front of her, knees locked behind her.
Tell me that’s not your fighting stance. Here. Her body was forced to bend at the knees her lips pulled into a snarl. She quickly returned her face to a mask, wondering how this was happening. The stance felt more natural, like a panther ready to pounce. Suddenly she found that she could be much more agile in a position like this, quicker and stronger. Ari internally smiled, wait till Sean saw how much she had already grown.
Get your head out of the gutter, the voice snarled, he’s coming again.
This time Ari moved gracefully out of the way, using just the slightest of touches with her own dagger to veer the heavy sword away. She danced with him for a moment, always blocking his movements and found herself enjoying the motions.
Watch!
There was a stinging pain on her shoulder and she nimbly moved away, pausing to look at the thin line across her shoulder. She rolled it experimentally, deciding that she could use that arm to fight but it would be painful.
Stay in the fight Ari, don’t get cocky. He’s not playing games here. Now you attack.

She felt her body lurch forward, her hand raise to knock away the blow that came for her stomach. She slid under his defenses, raising her foot to kick him in the chest. Instead her foot changed courses and it struck the Wolf across the shoulder. The man took a stumbling step back, his eyes widening. She attacked again, this time using her dagger to force him to leave his side open. She slid under a wild swing again, punching him in the side and causing him to gasp. He was weaker on his left side, which she finally saw with a little help from the Voice. It was there she would attack. Ari leaped forward, flying around the Wolf with a flurry of speed, watching him cut and parry her strokes. He cut into her side, not deeply but enough to cause enough pain to where she had to retreat and take a couple of breaths.

Almost, almost. You’re fighting with smugness now, keep your one goal in mind Ari, focus on that and you will succeed. She thought about winning, which was her goal when she felt a metal stab from the mind that was interlocked with hers. Not winning, defending. Never fight to win unless you absolutely must.
Ari watched the Wolf advance when he froze, his eyes widening with a blank expression. Without another sound he wiped the blood off of his sword and wandered back into the forest. Ari watched him leave dumbfounded.

“I think I did it,” she cheered and turned back to face Sesh who was pale. Blood dripped from his nose and he casually swiped it away, pulling his face into a tight smile. “I….didn’t do it did I?”

“Make him leave? No. That was me. You were tiring and I didn’t know how much longer I could keep instructing you so that you’d survive.”

“But….he’ll remember…and Sean,” Ari turned back to the way the Wolf went, her eyes burning gold as her body crouched.

“Ari, darling Ari!” Sesh said laughing; now standing beside her with his hand resting on her shoulder. “I swear to you that he will not remember. Your pal, Stephan is already modifying his memory as we speak.”

“How do-”

A moment later there was a shout and Alex came wandering out of the woods followed by Stephan. Both of them had a huge grin on their face, their eyes glowing with boyish expressions.

“Hey there Trouble,” Alex called which promptly ended with him hopping around clutching his shin. Ari smiled and Stephan’s laugh was joined by the throaty chuckle of Sesh. Her toe would hurt later but it was worth seeing the Wolf hopping around muttering curses directed at her. Stephan embraced the wild child, smiling as he did so and tossing a respectful nod towards Sesh who bowed his head in return.

“The Wolf-”

“Has been dealt with and is now headed in the opposite direction having no memory of this,” Stephan motioned to her and Sesh, “at all. Though if Alex keeps hollering like that…”

“HEY! She hit me in the shin where I have a bruise,” Alex muttered coming to stand beside them with a little limp. Ari laughed and his freckled face scowled at her. “You still can’t beat me.”
Stephan looked from Alex to Ari. She had drawn herself taller, her lips pulled taunt as her eyes flashed. She extended her hand out to him, beckoning with her fingers but not taking her eyes off of Alex’s face. Stephan glanced at Sesh who was grinning like a little boy before carefully drawing his sword and handing it to her. The metal glinted in the light, the simple handle molding to fit her hand beautifully. Her hand flexed around it, adjusting her grip ever so slightly and making sure it was balanced. Stephan watched as she lunged forward, sweeping the sword in a careful arc, it looked erratic but to his eyes he could see that she was very much in control. Alex barely had time to draw his sword, blocking the other blade with a sharp clang. With a flick of her wrist his sword was cast aside and she retreated a couple steps. Ari was never good with a blade and as far as Sesh knew, Sean hadn’t even begun to train her out for it yet. So how was it she was beating the man in front of her? His blade came down and hers rose gracefully to meet his, always knocking it away. She made him chase her, follow her around the clearing as she danced and twirled. Finally she hit his sword across the ground with a clang, watching with mild amusement as Alex scrambled to recompose himself. He made a step toward the shiny metal, Ari following quickly. Stephan saw what she was going to do and how Alex would react, a smile spreading across his face. As Ari turned and ran for her sword he lunged for her legs. Her body hit the ground, Stephan’s sword leaving her hand and sliding out of reach as Alex used his muscular body to pull her back under him.

Ari was thoroughly amused and so was Sesh who was silently directing her, showing the move he would make before he did and how to counteract it in a few heartbeats. Her actions were her own, the memories were his. She wasn’t expecting his surprise attack from behind her though; all she was focused on was getting that sword away from him. Hands closed around her ankles and tripped her, her face falling towards the ground. Her first instinct was to reach out with her hands to halt her fall but Sesh took control, pulling her arms up and instead, having her land on her arms. The sword bounded away and she was quickly yanked back under Alex. His large hand pushed her face into the snow as he straddled her back.

“Let me go,” she growled, wiggling under him with every inch he gave her. His legs closed tightly around her sides, pushing into her ribs and crushing the air from her body.

“Say ‘Alex is the best and I am a pup,’” he laughed pushing her face closer to the snow. Ari spat blood on the ground, having bitten her tongue and growled.
Sesh, she pleaded, help me outa here?

Fine, but you owe me double for this.

A memory flooded her consciousness; it was of two boys wrestling. The younger boy was trapped on the bottom and there was a bigger boy pinning him much like Alex held her now. The boy brought his legs up, slamming into the back of the older boy who was then pushed off balance. As the black haired boy fell forward, his hand slipped and the younger boy, which Ari assumed was Sesh, brought the back of his head up. There was a crack as the two boys collided and a moment later, blood was pouring from the nose of the black haired boy. There were numeral curses as the boy’s eyes watered and Sesh was able to throw him off with a simple roll technique. The memory faded and she quickly realized that she was free of Alex who now was swearing. Blood dripped off of his nose and down his face. Bright, red, warm, it sprang from his nose, from his lip as well, falling into the snow. His fingers were desperately trying to get a grip on the top of his nose and for a moment it stopped bleeding. Ari rushed over, already tearing at the white cloth of her shirt, watching as Stephan was packing snow into a ball. They combined the two and handed it to Alex who promptly placed it over his nose. His green eyes were watering profusely, narrowed and angry.

“The hell Ari,” he snarled, reaching out to grab his sword from Stephan.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her mind horrified at what just happened. She turned her head to glare at Sesh who was smiling softly to himself by the tree. He was the only one who didn’t seem surprised or worried at that moment. Alex continued to swear, cursing her and the Twins as Stephan sheathed his sword once again. He gently looked at Ari, smiled an apologetic smile before hitting Alex on the back of his neck. Alex fell forward, Ari catching him before his face hit the ground again. Sesh was now staring at them intently, a surprised look on his own face. He didn’t say anything as they picked up the red haired, red faced, unconscious person. Ari was getting blood all over her shirt, making it look like she was injured as well. With each of them taking a shoulder and an arm around their shoulder they were able to drag him forward quite easily. Stephan nodded a respectful good bye as Ari took a moment to wave before disappearing into the woods. Sesh didn’t mind being alone, in fact he did enjoy not having to repel the Hunter instincts that were telling him to go for the girl’s throat. He would finish the wolf before leaving. It was all he could do. He, Stephan and Ari all realized that Alex had probably broken his nose but it was good to see her doing so well. He had almost missed the way Stephan had looked at him curiously; obviously he had protruded into Ari’s mind during the fight and had found him there. Sesh knew that his brother would be back to talk to him. Maybe, just maybe, working with Ari this way would better protect her from the things that were about to come, just maybe. He could only hope to the Twins that this would.

[Reality]

The learning telepathically was an interesting aspect; she could see how it was done, analyze every movement and with Alex’s help in their off hours sparring together she had become quite the defender. Alex was a swordsman, one of the best as far as she was concerned. He still teased her about breaking his nose and she smugly remembered heading to training like that, covered in blood. Sean’s face when she had appeared was something she would always remember.

[Flashback- Assassins Camp: Week One]

Ari bolted from the healer and Stephan, glad that they now had Alex under control and were resetting his nose as she went off to training. She had, however, lost track of the time and was already late. Her stomach roared in protest as she passed the food set out, smiling at a little boy who heard her hunger and saw her pause. He extended a dirty hand, offering his bread to her. He could be no older than five. She took it and scooped the kid up with it. She twirled the little urchin, his laughs raising through the crisp air and causing several of the Wolves to stop what they were doing and look at the girl who was now playing with the boy. She stopped and set the kid down, kissing him on the cheek and smiling as he ran off to get another roll. She swept a few of her blonde hairs from her face before standing up from her crouch and biting into the warm bread. Her eyes closed as the taste hit her and she realized that she hadn’t eaten anything for breakfast, much to her surprise. The kid was now explaining to his friends about the curious recruit, dramatizing his adventure by spinning around with his arms outstretched and squealing. They turned as he motioned towards her, before scattering like the changing leaves of fall. She had been staring at them and she worried that she had frightened them. Her heart raced in her chest, reminding her of more pressing matters. Her feet pounded against the earth as she ran, desperate to get there as soon as possible. She didn’t make any more stops, bolting towards Sean’s cabin. She bolted through the door, looking around the room expectantly. It was empty. She turned and ran again, heading towards the clearing where they normally trained. Before she could go far, Ari nearly ran into Sean as she hurried along, her eyes widening as he looked her over. Her shirt was still covered in Alex’s blood and she hadn’t the time to change it.

“Hi,” she said cheerfully, “I'm ready for my training.”

Sean had been pacing around the clearing counting the seconds and the minutes of his time that his recruit had wasted by being late for training. Of course it wasn't only a matter of him being kept waiting, but also a matter of discipline that needed to be dealt with. Time was precious, a split second could be enough to save or take a life, and assassins were required to do both depending on the situation; being late could be deadly. After about twenty five minutes of waiting Sean began to lose his patience, and decided to go see what was keeping Ari. A little past halfway back to camp, he spotted her at a distance as she almost collided with him. One look at her appearance and he could take a guess at what was the reason for the delay. He didn't let it show in his expression what he was thinking however, rather he raised an eyebrow and stated rather sarcastically. "Oh, you're ready, are you?" He smiled. "That's fine, I don't mind waiting for you to get ready. I have time to spare." With that said he began to walk back towards the clearing, strolling casually and in no hurry at all. "Tell me, if someone hired an assassination on a target that needs to be executed in a specific moment, say right before it enters or exits a meeting place, do you suppose sending an assassin who can't show up for her own training in time would be a wise decision on my part? Or do you suppose I could rely on said assassin on a rescue mission if one of our own is caught in a prison and we need to get in and out within a very small time frame in order to avoid detection?" Sean calmly waited for a reply, only turning to face his recruit as they reached the clearing, his eyes clearly registering the blood on her clothes; he crossed his arms over his chest and allowed a discrete smirk to spread across his features. "So, Kid, what kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into that you couldn't make it in time?" He asked.

After she had composed herself from her near run in with not only the Alpha but her instructor, and had smothered the anger for his sarcasm and complete lack of courtesy, she began to listen. He rambled, scolding her or what seemed like some sort of scolding but it was honestly just too light for her to feel really badly. He insulted her timekeeping and her ability to assassinate, or that’s how it came off but she remained in the light happy time from early that morning.

“Hey!” Ari shouted when they were out of camp, “That said assassin is right here, walking behind you with a very good shot at your back, be careful what you say Sean,” she teased, that little bit of guilt for being late fleeing. “And I could probably get in and out of a cell faster than one of your men can, do it and not be seen, until the last moment. That and I can transport that said person in the cell faster than you could run. It helps to have a horse at your beck and call whenever you need it. That AND I would be a trained killer in a different form.” Ari paused, wondering if she had gotten everything over with when she remembered something about assassinating a person at a meeting. Her heart raced in her chest and she began bouncing behind Sean, “A meeting assassination? Tell me you’re going to send me on one! My first mission?!”

She leapt gracefully over a root, excited to train once again with her adversary, now having something he didn’t have. She silently wished it was to be sword play when she ran into him. She looked up into his face, backing away and mentally reminding herself that the small critter that had made the tracks was not as important as watching the hulking figure of the man in front of her. The moon was strong upon her and it seemed to her that he had gotten bigger, stronger, and more powerful. He quirked a smile at her, or something akin to it and she blushed when she realized that he was waiting for an answer.

“Uhh….erm… ,” she stuttered, trying to think of something that didn’t involve the Hunter she was hiding right under the Pack’s nose. “Alex and I were sparring and I broke his nose and then Stephan and I took him to the healers,” she looked at the bloodied shirt, blushing as it struck her how stupid this would sound to Sean. Ari considered Alex a really good swordsman and she figured that Sean knew of this as well. It would make no sense that she had been able to beat him by giving him a broken nose when she had issues handling the metal blades in her hand. She frowned, already preparing to defend her story to the death if need be.

Sean stood staring his recruit in the eyes for a couple of minutes, absolutely sure that she was hiding something. He wasn't sure what bothered him most; the fact that she was hiding something or the fact that it was so painfully obvious. Finally he decided not to insist on what the lie was exactly, but rather use it as an instrument. "We definitely need to work on your deception skills." He stated simply, raising an eyebrow. "First of all: Identifying yourself as 'said assassin' on that hypothetical of mine was rather stupid since I pretty much stated that person to be unreliable, Ari." Sean chuckled. "Threatening to shoot me in the back doesn't exactly help your case either, but that's a different matter. Unless you're explicitly and officially accused of something, do not defend yourself. It doesn't matter if you did do it and you know the other person is aware. Rather you should have simply treated it as a hypothetical and let the subject move on without taking it personally, because questions like these are built to get a reaction out of you." He stated calmly, finding a small boulder and sitting casually on it as if training was the last thing on his mind at the moment.

"That was only the first stupid thing you said in that response." He continued, digging the tip of his boot onto the earth causally. "You also stated you 'probably' can get in and out of a cell faster than any one of 'my men'..." He paused as if re-examining those words. "Probably means shit to me when considering the fact that this hypothetical in question involved rescuing one of our own. Probably means there is a chance I end up with two assassins dead instead of one imprisoned; when you can say, truthfully without a hint of doubt 'I can definitely', then I'll consider seeing it for myself. I also would not send you on such a mission if you refer to people of this clan as anything less than family. It doesn't matter what qualities you have or how much you improve, until you see yourself as a Wolf, you are not allowed to kill as a Wolf." The last statement was spoken in a harsher, and nearly aggressive, tone, but it changed back to its former calm as he added. "That's the real challenge for you, is it not? Family?" He chuckled. "Maybe for now we should move on to something you can handle a little better."

As he spoke, Sean pulled something from behind the boulder he was sitting on, a bo staff that was just about the girl's height, and tossed it to her. "You'll be using this. I know you were expecting sword play, but there'll be time for that. Today, you gave me idle time so I prepared a little something." He let out a soft whistle and three figures stepped out of hiding and into the clearing. They were all dressed in seemingly equal black clothing from head to toe, and had their faces covered by equal dark masks, and armed with identical staffs. The only difference between the three masks was a colored circle at the center; one was red, one was yellow and one was blue. The three individuals stood before Ari side by side in a semi-circle, apparently waiting for Sean's command. "Two of these individuals are Wolves, one is an outsider. Your goal is not only to survive, but to find out which is the outsider." He then launched a throwing knife onto a nearby tree and smirked. "That... Is for when you find him. Be sure which one you pick."

After saying that Sean simply gave a wave of his hand and three figures spread, surrounding the recruit and attacked at the same time.

Ari dove out of the way, her mind racing. What the hell was he thinking! She wasn’t ready for this and now she had to kill someone. She blocked a swipe at her head, quickly adjusting her hands to the center of the staff, really just a giant stick, before thrusting it forward into the chest of one of her opponents. He staggered back and she yelped as a staff caught her hip with a loud pop. The blue fighter was moving in fast as the yellow recovered his breath, the red seemingly to have disappeared. She jumped as a swipe was aimed at her legs and she cracked the staff over the head of the blue, knocking the fighter momentarily to the ground. The yellow attacked then, leaving her just enough time to raise the stick in an effort to protect her face from the harsh blow. The wood cracked with a painful sound and his staff pushed against hers. She pushed back, her arm muscles straining to keep the wood away from her head. She screamed as a heavy blow connected with the back of her knees and her body dropped to the earth. She rolled, the staff hitting the ground right where her head had been a moment before. The red fighter towered over her, his staff pointed down as he aimed for her chest. Her eyes widened as her leg moved and connected with the fighter’s stomach. He stumbled back, colliding into another fighter who promptly pushed him out of the way. She began analyzing their movements, looking for traits that a Wolf would portray but they all attacked with the same aggressiveness. She took her time, running from them, making them chase her around, and sometimes luring them close to Sean to see if one hesitated. She thought she saw a stumble in the reds footing, a scent of tiring and she dove behind Sean as a staff hit the rock where she had just stood. She bolted between the fighters, getting in a good punch into the yellow fighters face. She turned then, and fought. The three converged on her and she helplessly looked toward Sean who looked as if he was enjoying himself. She blocked a blow to her stomach, returning the knock with one of her own as they took a step forward. She spun, her staff colliding with their shoulders and causing them to reel back. She gained nothing though as the blue fighter cracked his staff over her hand. Her fingers cracked and she dropped the staff.

Ari managed to move out of the way, backing out of the circle and using a hint of her enlightenment to move exceedingly fast. She would have laughed as the red’s staff collided with the yellows head, knocking him flat but she was too busy cradling her hand to her chest. She had to find something, something that was material on them that would reveal them as Wolves. The problem was, getting close enough to search them. The three were still trying to untangle themselves as she tuned to face Sean, her eyes widening with horror and anger.

“You’re insane!” she snarled at Sean, her eyes narrowing. Her eyes flickered over his body, memorising every detail about him that could give away what she was looking for.
That’s when it hit her. The ring. All Wolves had a ring, a graduation ring. Stephan wore his around his neck, had proudly told her that all Wolves received one and that’s what made a Wolf a Wolf. She smiled, but only for a moment before the ruthless beating began again. She didn’t know where her bo staff had gone, as far as she knew it was one of the ones hitting her now. She moved fast, ducking into the chest of the blue fighter and embracing him, pushing him back a couple of steps as the other two momentarily paused. She ducked under his arm, regretting it the moment her delicate nose passed his armpit. She reeled back, nearly laughing to herself. She could remember what Stephan’s ring smelled like: cold metallic, and sharp. However, the way they were fighting now she wouldn’t be able to smell anything for a year if she tried to find the ring that way. Fresh blood was staining her shirt and she tore off the bottom of it to wrap her hand, resetting the bones quickly. The fighters were advancing now and she realized that her staff was leaning against the rock Sean perched on. She had to get past three fighters to get there. The circles on their faces were the target; the knife resting on the tree just inches away from her while her staff would be risky. If she killed the wrong person, she didn’t want to know what Sean would do and so she went for the greater risk. She rushed forward, ducking her head as the blue fighter struck, her fingers trailing over the pockets on his pelvis and hips. Finding nothing she jumped a low blow from the red fighter, her foot clipping him under the chin. His head snapped wildly back, his body slumping forward as his face smashed into the ground. She spun round, her braid slapping her across the face and a moment later her jaw caught a light swipe from the yellow fighter. Her body veered off its course, her eyes watering as her jaw screamed in pain. Her bandaged hand gently cupped it as she began to work it back and forth. It hurt like hell but it had been a light blow and nothing was permanently damaged. She turned; catching the yellow fighter in his shoulder and knocking him back a step. Ari felt alive and she took a step forward, only to have the yellow fighter knock her off her feet. Her back hit the ground and with a groan she lay there. Her lungs burned for air and she greedily filled them, her spotty vision coming back. The red fighter was slowly getting to his feet; the blue and the yellow were slowly converging on her. She laid perfectly still, waiting for them to close in.
The yellow came too close and with an angry swipe she cast a handful of muddy snow into his hooded face. He bellowed, stumbling back and dropping his staff. She took the weapon and threw it at the blue fighter who was now running forward, watching as it struck him. He floated back, as she spun and caught the red fighter’s staff in her hand. It stung blocking a blow like that but it was better than receiving it to the head. She twisted on the staff, grimacing as her palm received several splinters. Ari pushed and with her last effort she was able to push the staff away. She bolted toward the rock, grabbing up her staff before settling into a protective stance. Her chest heaved and sweat mingled with blood. She could see that she was taking too long and that if she kept this up, the fighters would soon take her down. That’s when it really began.

She danced with them, flitting from person to person and running her hands across their moving bodies, dodging and blocking blows. She could have sworn she felt something small in the blue fighter’s chest pocket, something that didn’t quite fit as being natural and the same went for the red fighter. Rings, he mind whispered and she carefully selected her target. She split from the pack, throwing her staff at them with a frustrated scream that knocked them back giving her enough time to reach the tree where the hunting knife lie in wait. She jerked it from the tree, the blade flashing silver as it caught the sun. Her arm went back, her eyes pinpointing the center of the yellow circle. Her arm flashed forward, her wrist flicking and the knife left her hand. It spun through the air: handle, blade, handle, blade, handle, skin. The fighter dropped to the ground with a scream, his hand rising to grasp the end of the dagger that protruded from his chest. The other two fighters fell back, looking at Sean for further direction. Ari walked calmly forward; sure of her choice as she reached down to pull the knife from the flesh, her bright green eyes flickered to the red circle on his face.

Sean watched without a word, and without making a single move, only his eyes followed the movements of the fighters, a snicker or a smirk escaping him here and there; This was honestly going better than he hoped it would, but there were visible mistakes. As one of the masked fighters fell, with a knife to his chest, and the other two turned to him Sean finally stood up and walked absently to the fallen warrior. "Huh." He mumbled. "I honestly thought you'd hesitate..." He then turned to the blue fighter and nodded. "Okay, Ryan, we're done."

As Sean said that, Ryan nodded removing his mask, revealing a bright golden light coming from his eyes, partially hidden behind equally golden hair. As the light faded and the man's eye returned to their usual dark green, the other two 'fighters' disappeared, turning to dirt. He smiled at Ari with a rather playful expression on his face. "They're very realistic aren't they?" He asked, fetching his ring in his pocket and sliding onto his finger where it belonged, then digging around the dirt where the yellow fighter used to be and recovering another ring, which he tossed in Sean's direction, where the Alpha caught in the air, examining it for a moment, and carefully blowing any remaining dirt away before slipping it into a hidden pocket on the inside of his shirt; on the left side of his chest. Ryan simply bowed his head respectfully as he walked past Sean, turning to give Ari a playful wink behind the Alpha's back before leaving the clearing in the direction of the camp.

Sean stood listening to the Wolf's footsteps until they were out of his hearing range. Ryan was a very unusual earth manipulator, he could create up to five exact clones of himself made of sand, dirt, mud or clay, and control them with his mind. They were so realistic that, even while fighting them it was difficult to tell they weren't real. While the official test was for Ari to find the 'outsider' unofficially Sean was looking to see if Ryan could fool Ari, and the man had proved to be successful. He would prove to be very useful.

"You did well." He spoke finally, walking over to the recruit and holding out his hand, motioning for her to give him the knife back. "I honestly thought you'd get your butt kicked before you even got to search them. Next time though, don't waste time calling me insane, alright?" He snickered. "To be honest, this was quite tame compared to what I had to put up with when I started. I didn't even tie you to a tree yet." He stated, his tone absolutely serious as he spoke. Finally he chuckled. "You didn't really think I'd let you kill a real person like this during training, did you? Well, only if you had picked the real Ryan, but... The odds were in his favour I think.”

Ari handed over the knife, wiping a bit of blood from her lip as she bent slightly to catch her breath. He was insane! What if she had actually hit a real person? The wrong person could have destroyed her, a murderer of a member of her own Family. Something struck her then, her eyes narrowing.

“You wouldn’t put a Wolf in danger if you knew they didn’t have the upper hand on me,” she spat, her boots creaking as the mud on them broke, the spell of her semi victory falling to bits before her eyes. Her body ached as she closed her eyes, unsure of the mild shock in Sean’s voice that she hadn’t hesitated. Isn’t that what he wanted? An assassin that could kill without hesitation? Her eyes narrowed as the man left, throwing her a wink before ambling off. She hissed, taking in a sharp breath as her side groaned in pain, her ribs popping and crackling. She wanted to shift, but she wasn’t sure if Sean was done with her for the day, though she wished so as her hand screamed in pain. She was sure she would be covered in bruises and she wasn’t about to let the camp see that she had been beaten again. She tossed the bo staff away, watching as it clattered to the ground as she righted herself again. Alex would have a laugh with this one though he seemed to be the only one in the entire camp who could even talk to her still. Revenge on Sean did cross her mind, it had several times and this moment was no exception. A simple praise was all he gave her, his expression remaining that same smug expression. She didn’t know how she felt about him, she hated his guts right now but the Blood Moon was screaming through her veins. She shook her head clearing all of her thoughts.

“You did well,” she mocked under her breath, kicking the toe of her boot into the ground until she had worked a small hole into it. “Still not the hardest fight you’ll ever have. If Cry’s showed up with a mark on you you’d be dead.” Ari mumbled, her voice low and mocking, not caring if Sean heard or not. “I trained harder. Well then bring it on.”
She growled her eyes focused on the ground, her lips curled into a snarl. Ari thought she had done extremely well. She had survived three fighters, defended herself and had lasted longer than expectations. She peered up at Sean from under her lashes, done throwing her tiny tantrum.

“Are we finished?” she asked tersely. “I have matters to attend to, appointments to keep.”

Sean stood crossing his arms over his chest and waiting patiently for Ari to be done mumbling and ask if they were done. He didn't want to laugh, but he couldn't help a little chuckle. "Are you finished?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "I did put Ryan in danger, kid. There was always the possibility that you'd pick him." He wasn't in one bit fazed by the clear rage in her expression. He knew that if she didn't hate him right now he wasn't doing his job. "But yes, we are finished. I'm sure you're very busy, unlike me." He chuckled. "Try not to be late next time, lest I get creative again." He stated, beginning to walk out of the clearing as he added. "After all, I'm pretty sure you'd rather have the opportunity to take me down, no?"
“Is that a challenge?” she called, the whisper in her head letting her know that Sesh was there, ready to guide her and he began gently soothing her anger. She heard him make some snotty remark about her looking like a puffed up kitten with her anger and she reined it in. This was the reaction he wanted and her mind drifted to the diplomatic science that Alex had been teaching her about. She stood calm and collected behind Sean, her hands uncurling themselves from the balls at her sides. “It’s the day I beat you that I’ve mastered myself, at least that is what Stephan has told me. Why not today? Today is a very good day to win, no? Or are you too cowardly to face me by yourself and instead will put little boys in harm’s way to take the shot for you, Alpha?”

Her voice rang sharp across the clearing, it was bold, possibly foolish to taunt this in front of a trained killers nose, but she couldn’t resist. She longed for his praise, caved it like a starving animal though he never showed any hint to even saying her name unless it was in scolding. He didn’t respect her and so she wouldn’t respect him, not like she respected Franklin. Yes, he was the Alpha, but she was here to prove herself to him, to show her worth and it felt like she never could. So she had challenged him. Now she stood, tall and proud, her chin held high and her eyes flashing. If he took her challenge, it would be interesting to watch, but if he calmly backed away, she would hold it over him. And so she waited.
Sean stopped in his tracks and stood for a moment, his back turned to the clearing as he listened. He let silence linger for a few moments, but after that time passed, he couldn't help but release the small fit of laughter he had been holding in. It lasted for a couple of minutes before he finally turned to face Ari again, still chuckling. "Would you consider yourself a challenge right now, kiddo? Attempting to attack my pride to get me to do what you want is a rather silly way of challenging someone, no?" He smirked. "I thought you had more important things on your busy schedule? You know, matters to attend to, appointments to keep..." He teased. "I would hate to keep you any longer. Besides... I don't want you whining about being tired or wounded after I beat you." He added, turning back again to leave. "Go get some rest and take care of those little scrapes you have. You don't have to do all at once, Ari. Today, you did well. You can master yourself another day." He stated beginning to walk away towards the encampment. "And as you so love to point out, I am the Alpha, and we're at war, so I don't have the time to properly smack you around right now."

Surely, Sean would've complied and given Ari a beating for her attitude alone, wasn't for the fact that he saw this as great improvement when compared to the kid who first walked in there and lowered her head at the first given scolding. He wouldn't deny he was actually little bit proud of her, but that wasn't something he was at all willing to show so soon.
Ari watched him go, stunned into silence. Her green eyes lingered on his back and a small smile actually escaped her lips. She never whined, it just wasn’t her style, and so she knew that Sean was trying to get under her skin but she didn’t challenge him, not again. Her green eyes lingered on his back, watching him intently. She waited until he was gone before picking up the bo staff and leaning it nicely against the boulders before pulling off her clothes and ripping into a large black wolf. She lay on the ground for a moment before standing up and shaking off the pain. She then howled, a low eerie noise that rose up into the cool crisp air before dying on her lips, her nose working the air before sprinting after Sean into camp. She would go check on Alex.

[Reality]

Her face leaned against the cool touch of the tree, her eyes blinking slightly as her night vision flickered before coming back. Sesh she had lost, she remembered returning to the clearing a couple days later and finding nothing but the carving of a wolf that had a strangely feminine look. It was the size of her hand, very detailed and absolutely a beauty to look at. The she-wolf had her head thrown back into a howl, her nose dipping over her shoulder as the chest was puffed out. One paw was raised off the ground and the tail dipped low before rising in a husky’s curl. There were strange wind like marking carved into the tail and the elbows and knees of the legs. There was a pattern, stained red with what could only be blood under the eyes and along the face to spread across the body in the wind like designs again. Today that wolf sat in her window and only Alex and Stephan knew where it had come from. She sighed and blew a kiss to the wind, sending a quick prayer to the Twins to keep the boy safe. Somehow though, she knew that he was alright because she dreamt of him. Through him she watched the different ways to win a sword fight, an archery competition, a fist fight. Her feet moved deeper into the woods, bringing her further away from the safety of the Pack. She was sure that soon she would be able to beat Sean. Her stamina had increased greatly, her swordsmen ship as well. She could defend from almost any attack without using her enlightenment. Sean had been very very adamant about her keeping her enlightenment a secret. That didn’t mean that she still didn’t practice with it, in fact she did every single day. Stephan had taken control of her private training. She and Salji fought as snow leopards every day and for the first few days she returned beaten, battered and bruised. Luckily her enlightenment hid any mark of when she had injury. She sighed as she remembered the rough day of training.

[Flashback- Assassins camp: Week one]

“Clear your mind Ari,” Stephan growled at her and she lowered her black ears flat against her skull, roaring at him. “You have to become the animal entirely to beat Salji, give in to your instincts.”

Her tail flicked back and forth with erratic twitches. The cat across from her was sitting on his haunches, licking a bloody paw, his eyes sparkling blue as he looked at her face. She curled her lips at him as he purred.

“Ari/ Changer,” the cat growled, “What my bond mate says/tells/ speaks is truth. You must clear/empty your mind/head/soul of human thoughts. Become cat.”

Ari flicked her ear in annoyance; all the animals she had ever communicated with had talked just like this. The annoying choppy voice she assumed came from her human side but perhaps not. It didn’t matter anyways because it made no sense. She had been holding this form almost for a whole day. This was supposed to be her rest day but it appeared that Stephan had different plans. She stood, shaking her pelt and walked past them, her claws digging into the snow under her. Salji stopped the cleaning of his paw and watched her intently.
Stephan watched the Ari-cat leave, watching with intent eyes. He could tell that she and Salji had communicated, her ability to fight him had become better but she still hesitated on the swipes, on every moment she could make. However, Ari had made huge progress. Slowly she was losing herself within the form. She was Becoming, melding her Ari self with her animal. He could tell by the way her ears flattened across her skull and her tail movements. At first she had continued to bark, to growl, to try and speak using her voice but now she was relying more on her body to convey messages and emotions. Stephan was proud of her, she could now hold her animal form for two days without help from any type of bark and he wondered if that could very much help the Wolves. They had no horses and Sean could get a lot more done more efficiently if he was able to ride with a Wolf whenever he needed. Stephan nearly laughed at the thought of the enemy finding itself faced with not only a skilled Rider but a horse that seemed to know how to fight and dodge attacks. War horse, he laughed. Ari turned to glare at him, the shout of his laugh echoing annoying across the snow. As if in scolding, she turned and ran towards him, her body slinking across the ground as her jaws opened. Her body sprang in the air at the same moment Salji saw what she was doing and leapt for her body. Her paws curled up under her as her body twisted out of the way, almost reversing her direction backwards as Salji missed her. Stephan observed the two as they circled each other, Ari batting at the snow in front of her. Both of them had their teeth bared, the white fangs shining like daggers inside the powerful jaws. Fur bristled, hisses and swipes were thrown back and forth, each cat watching the other. Salji pounced first and Ari rose to meet him in the air, standing on her hind legs as she swiped a paw across his face, he returned the swipe with a kick, the giant tails flailing to keep the cats balanced. Salji pushed her back towards the small cliff behind her, forcing her in that direction with vicious claws and teeth. Stephan watched as she fell, tumbling off the rock. He ran forward through the snow, Salji leaping off the small rock himself. He slid off the rock, landing on the ground. What he saw made him smile.

Salji was pressed up against the wall, Ari prowling in front of him, teeth exposed. She leaped forward as the other cat made an attempt to block her. Her jaws closed around his neck and like a small kitten he went limp. She released him a moment later and he stood. Ari had done it. Beaten her foe by giving in. As she had fallen her animal instincts had ripped their way through her humanity and she had landed on her feet instead of her back. After that it was only a matter of moments until she had Salji, a much bigger snow leopard, up against the wall and later in between her teeth. She felt good, proud, and still she was able to flow between forms. The large cat watched appreciatively as she moved back into leopard form.

“Ari/Changer,” he purred, his blue eyes sparking with admiration, “you did well. It is the same for all creatures/animals/ prey. Become/change/ be them and you will succeed/win/vanquish. Stephan/ brother is proud.”
Ari turned, her eyes bright green. Stephan was smiling at her nodding in approval. Her heart warmed, this was about as much praise she received from anyone in her training. Sean rarely gave it, Alex only smiled when she did well, but Stephan was the one who made her heart glow whenever she trained. Slowly her cat form bubbled and her skin seemed to turn inside out as she began to shift. It was a horrible thing to watch, the turn of fur to flesh and the whole time she whimpered and twitched. Stephan waited until she had finished, lying there upon the snow with her eyes closed. He gently removed his cloak, throwing it up into the air and letting the light fabric settle around her. He didn’t touch her just yet; he knew that she was extremely sensitive right now to any sort of contact as her skin was brand new. That explained why scars never really marred her permanently and why marks of trauma faded into oblivion. The only thing that never left her were the markings on her face; if anything they seemed to glow brighter when she changed. He watched as her shivering ceased bending down to touch her face gently when Salji leaped forward, snarling. Stephan stepped back, his lips curling into his own snarl as the cat stood protectively over the body, tail flicking back and forth. His black ears were pressed tight against his skull and the fur along his back rippled. The cat’s massive paws were close to her skin but not touching and Stephan blushed as he realized that her skin was still very sensitive to any stimulation still.

“Alright, alright!” he growled, sitting down in the snow next to Ari and in plain sight of the cat. “You’re so freaking protective of her and she’s not even your species,” he grumbled, scooping up a bit of snow and playing with it in his hands. Salji relaxed, flicking his tail as if in annoyance, before bending his head to blow a kiss of air across Ari’s face. Stephan thought he saw her lips pull into a smile, but when he blinked her face remained perfectly relaxed. He reached out carefully, his eyes focusing on Salji as the cat watched the approach of his hand with intensity. Stephan gently touched the girl’s shoulder, watching as the cat curled his lip, before leaping over the both of them. He padded off into the trees, his fur bristling as he went out on patrol.

“Ari,” Stephan whispered, shaking her shoulder gently, “Come on Ari; we’ve talked about this recovery thing. You need to have it go faster or you’ll never be able to use it on a mission.” He heard a mumble of something, her body slowly rising off of the ground and he quickly averted his eyes until she had pulled the cloak tight around her body. The silver in her eyes was fading, the little tendrils slithering back into her pupil until none of it remained. She blinked, shaking her head and stretching out her muscles with a popping noise. Stephan flinched; he could only imagine the pain she had to deal with though it bothered her less now than it did a while back. Now that the physical part of their training was complete, she could have the rest of her day off, even though Stephan knew she would continue practicing. However as he stood to leave her hand reached up to him and pulled him back to the snow, her eyes troubled.

“Stephan, there’s something I have to tell you,” she said before leaning in and whispering her darkest secret into his ear. His eyes widened with surprise, his lips pulling into a thin line as he realized how dangerous this information could be and making a mental note to bring it up to Sean.

“You’re telling me that this….” he trailed off as she shushed him, her eyes wide with terror.

“You can’t tell a soul,” she said sternly, her eyes locked onto his until he crossed his heart. She felt a little better, such a burden was not one she liked to bear on her own, and as Stephan had taken to her Enlightenment training, she felt like he needed to know. She had told Sean many things, but not this. It was something her enemies could use against her, the one thing she couldn’t heal from. As her mind wandered upon it, she absently stroked the pink scar on her arm.

[Flashback-Assassins Camp: Week Two]

Hooves struck the earth, kicking up puffs like tornados with the sound of thunder. A throaty cry split the air, her head tossing back the obnoxious hairs that had found their way in front of her eyes as the rider on her back kicked into her sides causing her to squeal. She bucked, throwing her hooves forward and nearly throwing her rider. His hands pulled hard on the reins and forced the bit back into her mouth, his whip slapping her flesh. Ari screamed and reared, his hand pushing down on her neck forcing her back down. Her hooves twisted, her body coming to a stop as she pranced in the snow. Her black body was foamed with sweat and her muscles trembled under her. Her nostrils flared and her eyes rolled, the beautiful silver tinged with green. Her rider smiled, reaching down to gently stroke her neck, his large hand offering what little comfort it could against the gash in her side and the bloody spittle that foamed from her lips. She groaned as he gently squeezed with his knees, forcing her to walk forward. The saddle squeezed her body and the unfamiliar weight of carrying someone frightened her. The bit forced her to move around, tugging her lip and pulling her head one-way. Her body obligingly moved. Her tail drooped, her head low as her nose brushed the ground, too exhausted to hold it up anymore. Stephan watched from the tree, having watched his rider try Ari. His eyes burned, and he snarled swinging down from his branch. This was the fifth rider he had tired, the first one to have not been thrown by Ari’s terror. He had no experiences with the horses that were wild except when eating them so he didn’t even bother trying to ride her. His rider turned to stare down at him, his black hair hanging in his face, loose from the pony tail. His face was calm and he rode the Ari-horse with unmatched confidence, his hand on his thigh.

“I told you any horse could be broken, even a mare like this one,” he called tapping Ari on her shoulder with a loud slap. She stopped, and snorted, her eyes narrowing. “I’ll take her now as my reward, just like you promised.” He jerked on the reins, forcing her head to move as he chomped on the bit. She tensed as be bent forward slightly to see her face. The reins went slack. She twisted her head, grabbing hold of the reins and jerking them from his hands. He gripped with his knees as she reared up; tangling his hands into her hair as she leaned even further back. She screamed a challenge, her hooves striking the air as her back hit the ground, her grounded rider now rolling out of the way. It took her a moment to pull herself up to her feet. Her head snaked out toward the man in royal clothes. Her teeth missed inches from his flesh as he bolted, instead grabbing a mouthful of his clothes and ripping them. She snorted with pride as he bolted before trotting back to Stephan. Ari was immensely proud of herself, her eyes shining bright as she rubbed her head against Stephan’s back.

“That’s the fifth guy you’ve thrown today,” he laughed, reaching up to rub the velvety feeling of her nose. “”I don’t think you’re ever going to be ridden well enough by those you don’t allow.”
She tossed her head, whinnying into the air as he gently took the reins that were dragging on the ground. Ari shook, casting off what remained of the riders that had taken her challenge. She knelt, giving Stephan an easy way up onto her back and he took it, gripping lightly with his knees as she stood. He was not like the other riders, treating her like an animal but rather as the person she was. She wouldn’t dream about throwing him as they rode into the Pack Camp. People froze in what they were doing staring up at the big black horse that had wandered so casually into camp with Stephan on top. He guided her toward his cabin, dismounting at the door with a flourish before entering.
Ari stood outside, shaking her head with the jingle of bells, slightly changing her appearance to make her fetlock longer, the feathers around her feet thicker and her hair longer. People were staring curiously at her, a couple kids wandering over to gently touch her muscled flanks. She once again saw the kid who had given her his role and she bent her head to gently bump his hand with her nose. However, before he could respond to the pushing of her nose, the cabin door opened Stephan exited. The kids fled, the Wolves returning to what they were doing in the first place. She tossed her head, taking a step back as Stephan gently took hold of her reins. She peered out from behind her fetlock, her eyes hidden beneath the black tangle of hair. She stood perfectly still as Stephan looked towards her, his thoughts unreadable.
Stephan was proud of the way she looked. She had filled herself out while he was inside, slightly alternating her appearance. She was much bigger than she had been, her sleek coat sliding over her thick muscles. Her coat shone with health and her hair fell down across her withers in neat waves. Her tail nearly dragged on the ground and was likewise wavy. Her huge feet were now hidden by white feathers and on her nose, there was a white mark that almost looked like a wolf’s head. Stephan ran his hand over her withers and flank, her head bowing slightly to look up at him from under her fetlock. He smiled as her body twitched, further showing how toned she was. Ari let out a low whicker, her velvet lips brushing over Stephan’s hand gently as if looking for a treat. Her head then tucked into her chest, her beautiful long neck arching as the light flickered across her coat. Stephan smiled and mounted back up riding her back out into the woods as fast as possible. He pulled her back through the trees, bringing her to a small deer path that wove between the tall trunks. He let her loose then, and she roared forward, running until she couldn’t go any faster. This was the joy of her enlightenment and Stephan had shown her that. There was nothing and no one that could stand in her way, not like this. She felt the power surging through her veins and she tossed her head, hearing the shout from Stephan as he clung to her mane. She didn’t stop. She was free.

[Reality]

Ari nearly giggled, her eyes settling back down to the emerald green shade they normally were. Training with Stephan was always a joy and now that she had grown up just a little, it was normal for her to train with Sean. She had stopped flirting with him, choosing now to remain silent unless spoken to, choosing to answer with a nod or a shake of her head. She had some wisdom now, that was no problem and she had proved herself to many Wolves the night the Crimson had attacked. Just a freaking recruit had turned the tide on a fight, saved two lives and had taken many, in fact it was a night just like tonight, cool, crisp and foreboding.

[Flashback- Forest: Week Two]

Ari woke in a cold sweat, her body twisted and wrapped in the sheet that lightly hid her body. She was alone and her eyes blinked as she adjusted them to the blackness that the Twins had cast across the skies. Something wasn’t quite right and she hurriedly got up out of bed. Earlier in training that morning, Sean had told her something about the Crimson attacking sporadically and a hunt was going out every night to cover the basic inlay of the camp and keep the sleeping Wolves safe. She crammed her feet down into her boots, pulling them up above the knee before securing them tightly around her calf. Her shirt quickly followed and as she hurried out the door, she had snatched up her bow and quiver. The door closed silently behind her and like a ghost she ran past the other cabins, rushing down a small deer path that she had found previously and into a clearing where she kept her greatest treasure. The horse wasn’t sleeping when she arrived, its big black neck curved in an arch as it galloped around inside the small arena she had build from fallen trees. Ari passed through the thicket, raising her hands as the horse came charging towards her, sliding to a stop a couple inches away from her.

“Easy boy, easy,” she whispered stroking the stallion’s neck and rubbing his forehead. She slipped under his chin, wrapping her arms around the sweaty neck as the horse quivered against her. Sean didn’t know a thing about this, neither did Alex and Stephan was too busy readying himself for his trip back up to the mountains to spend much time with her anymore. He was her little secret, her treasure. “Sheggar,” she crooned, backing away from the horse she had trained when she was little. His black hooves struck the ground, his muscled body twitching at every noise as his ears swiveled and his nostrils flared. Something was definitely not right and she quickly snatched up the bridal from the hole in the tree. He took the bit willingly, opening his mouth to receive it and bending his head down so she could simply slide his ears under the leather. She walked over to the gate, Sheggar’s body staying in the center of the ring until she had walked back over. He knelt to the ground as she slid her leg up and over his bare back, her knees gripping his sides as her fingers wound into his mane and gripped the reins.

“Ha,” she hissed, giving him a little kick with her heels and he surged under her. His back body burst through the trees, stretching out as he galloped toward the danger. He was a war horse, her war horse and tears fell across her smiling lips as his hair lashed against her face. Rider and horse became one, moving and breathing together, finding the paths and trusting each other to lead the other to safety. They were a team and Ari felt her spirit soar as together they slowed to a walk. The warning hit her hard then and she dismounted, tying the horse to the tree before climbing up it. From the height she was at she could clearly see the forest floor, but nothing moved. She began springing from tree to tree until she saw a Wolf, perched, his head bent as his bow was drawn. She made it to him, and he started looking up into her face and the bow on her back.

“Two trees over, wait for the signal,” he growled and she obediently moved to do so. She made no sound, disturbing nothing as she used her Enlightenment slightly. She crouched against the oaks trunk, stringing her bow and knocking an arrow.
Ari’s green eyes watched sadly as the Crimson attackers moved silently beneath her tree, following the path on which she had, not only moments before, had been walking on. Her eyes flickered silver and her teeth sharpened, becoming more catlike. It wasn’t until the last Crimson had moved past her, that the signal was given. Her arm pulled back, the bow groaning softly as it stretched and bent before she loosed the arrow. It sang through the air, a soft hum before the scream split the silent air. Her arrow had dug its barbed head into the thick muscles of the man’s back. The party turned, several running back to check their fallen comrade, falling right back into the trap. People screamed as arrows fell down upon them in a rain, several of the Crimson breaking away to flee out of range, some trying to draw their bows and throw daggers up into the trees, only a few of the random shots hitting home as her own people’s screams joined the Crimson. She continued to shoot down into the swarming mass of people, her arrows flying straight and true as Ari made sure she was hitting her targets instead of the Wolves that had leapt from the bushes to join the fray. There was the harsh clash of steal against steal and the gurgle of people whose throats had been cut and their screams never reached their lips. She was quick, her arrows sliding through the air like ghosts, burying their heads into a Crimson who stood behind a Wolf his baked raised and ready to strike the woman down. She saw the sharp nod of thanks from the woman before she dove back in, her blades shining black in the night. Her arrows were able to save a few but still she gagged as a scream punctured the air. Her hand swayed as her eyes caught the horror of the skirmish and the silent glide of a Crimson as it fled into the woods. Cursing she released and arrow but it veered wide and vanished into the darkness of the night. A horse screamed as she sprang from tree to tree, her eyes burning the same bright silver of the nonexistent moon, their light beautiful and deadly. Her clothing ripped and she shifted on the fly, her black body slinking forward as her cat paws dug and gripped at the bark of the trees. Her bow was draped across her chest, between her paws and up along her stomach. Her quiver was tight against her back as well; the stretchy band that Stephan had created had shrunk to tightly hold her quiver in place. She followed silently until the Crimson had come to a stop. His head turned to look over his shoulder, his chest rising and falling as his eyes looked back over his shoulder toward the screaming of the skirmish. She growled and leapt from the tree, landing on top of the warrior and digging her claws into his shoulders. He roared as his body went down, her paws pushing free and back into the darkness of the trees. She completed a quick shift, something she had been privately working on and she drew a long shirt from her quiver, pulling it over her head as she stepped forth from the bushes, her bow resting by her side. He was standing, his sword drawn and ready in front of him.
They circled each other their eyes locking and their bodies trembling, only one was coming out alive. He darted forward and slashed upwards catching her off guard. Her bow had caught the brunt of the force, the blade clipping into the bow and causing a knock into the soft wood. His hand moved quickly, with inhuman speed as he jerked his sword free and raised it above his head. She barely had time to dive out of the way before the sword cut into the earth where she had stood only a moment before. He cut, dove and sliced his way around her. She dodged and dove, each time his sword coming closer to her. With a sudden outburst he charged at her arm before stopping and instead kicking her to the ground. She looked up along the shiny metal of the steel into the eyes of the man as he pressed the tip of his sword into her neck.

“What do we have here,” he taunted, kicking away the bow from her hand as he pressed his sword harder against her skin. “What are you,” he growled his eyes glimmering with mischief.

“I’d rather die than tell you,” she cried as his sword sliced a small line into her neck, her eyes widening with fear.

“You’re a Shifter Ari, a most rare and delicate gift indeed,” the blade of the sword moved up to her nose, flicking away a strand of hair from her face. “You know that no one knows you’re here right, that I could kill you quickly or personally deliver you to Dastan and Indrani and the Wolves wouldn’t know until your blood soaked the sand. Tell me Ari, do you fear me yet?” He smirked, the corners of his mouth twitching with the hint of a smile as moved away, carefully pulling his sword away from her but keeping it in hand. She sat up at his urging, her eyes locked on to him as he paced around her. Something in the way he walked was familiar, the way he moved and it was then that she noticed that his side was torn open and bleeding quickly. She watched until he stopped in front of her again, bending down and burying the tip of his sword into the dirt. He reached up and pulled his hood from his face, smiling wickedly down at her, her heart going cold. Hair fire red, eyes green as pine and skin as freckled as a baby deer’s back, Alex peered out at her from behind his wild hair.

“Like it?” he said spreading his arms and smiling. As she moved to hit him his arms moved, pushing her shoulders back and pinning her to the earth.

“Traitor,” she screamed, her body twisting under his.

“Enough Ari,” he growled, a sad smile crossing his lips, “You mistake me my love. Sean asked me to help guide them here, to bring them to the trap, I was kidding about bringing you to the Crimson, but you shouldn’t be out here. Not alone.” He waited until she had quieted under him, nodding her head before slowly letting her up. Ari settled, willing to believe him because her nose and instinct told her to. Besides, he was bleeding pretty badly and he needed medical attention. He stood with a groan, sheathing his sword and laying his hand across his side. “I need to get back to camp, as quickly as possible Ari, perhaps…”

Ari shook her head, she wasn’t about to shift for this, her pride was hurt and she pulled herself up. It wasn’t a moment later that a Crimson came running from the trees, her eyes flickering to Alex and then back to Ari.

“Alex…stop toying with her and get it over with,” she snarled, her blade dripping with blood. She saw the confused look on Ari’s face as Alex stood and walked over to her, placing his arm over her shoulder. She could hear them whispering, seemingly to argue when he turned back, drawing his dagger from his pocket. Ari pushed herself back, her eyes narrowing.

“Alex…”

“Tell me you didn’t give her the whole, ‘Sean sent me here’ speech. You did! And the wolf girl fell for it?” the girl smiled her eyes laughing lightly, “Oh sweetie, you really thought that he was on your side? Well it seems that Cry’s really can get to anyone huh, should have listened to Sean.”

Ari blanched, her heart breaking as her dagger left her hand and collided with the woman’s chest with a sickening crack as blood frothed from her lip as she collapsed to the earth. Alex turned away from the body and a moment later, his life was taken too. Ari turned; giving a sharp whistle as Sheggar came running from the brush. Her ‘War’ horse, reared up, pawing the air before walking close towards her and bowing his head as tears from her eyes fell upon his velvety nose.
She had killed one of her own, but even she knew that Alex had been missing for quite some time. He was her first friend, the best fighter she had known and now he was dead. She wasn’t sure that he would willingly go against his own family after doing so much for her and her training, and so she pulled Sheggar forward, forced him into the kneel that she had taught him and dragged Alex’s limp body onto the black horses back, the arrow that had killed him snapping in two. She pulled herself up behind the body, kicking her heels into Sheggar’s side and riding forward towards camp. On horseback it didn’t take long and she soon rode straight into the midst of the Wolves, all roused from their sleep by the sounds of fighting. Sean was up as well, looking none at all collected this morning. She dismounted, taking a cloak to gently drape over Alex’s dead body. She approached Sean, not bothering to hide her tears as her fingers clutched desperately at the bow in her hand and the reins in her other. Her quiver lay empty across her back, attesting to her joining in the battle but she didn’t care. So it was that she walked forward in the early morn, already her day seemed bleak.

"War always takes a toll." The most spoken phrase in the history of Valcrest it seemed, but never more true. The fighting had died down and now the Crimson that were left alive were retreating back to the desert, leaving their dead behind. Sean was torn between the honorable gesture of letting the mercenaries claim their dead or the gesture that truly expressed his current feelings, which would be using the corpses to feed the campfire, or the forest animals. If he spoke only for himself he'd choose the latter, but as he spoke for the clan he was bound to do the honorable thing and leave the enemy's fallen warriors by their border to be properly laid to rest.

At this point Sean was hearing accounts of injured and dead coming from several Wolves who simply passed him with a word or two of information. Workers had been ordered to aid in gathering bodies and aiding the injured. Those with medical knowledge or skills, were tending to wounds the best they could, since the Pack and the White Shadows were currently estranged. When it seemed everything was going to finally be quiet for a little bit, the ever increasing sounds of murmurs reached his ears and his head turned in the direction they were coming from. In the exact moment he caught sight of Ari and then the sight of the dead body she was bringing along with her, whispered words caught his ears. "Sean... It's Alex." Sean didn't turn to look at the person who gave him the information, but he recognized the voice as being Donovan's. At first glance one could assume that both Ari and Alex had a run-in with the Crimson and he ended up dead. One would assume that, but Sean could tell by just looking at the girl that it hadn't been as simple as that, so when two Wolves moved towards Alex, he waited for them to lay the man down near the fire and for one of them to check his pulse and make sure the man was really dead, but halted them before they took him to be prepared for burial. "Leave him for now." He stated simply. The men flinched slightly, but obeyed.

Sean heaved a weary sigh and walked past Ari, finding Franklin and whispering something to him before finally turning his attention to the recruit. Feeling now the stares of the Pack becoming more numerous and more intense, he simply put a firm grip on her shoulder and led her into the leaders cabin. Once the door closed he released her and moved to sit across the wooden table. "Alright, Kid... What happened? He asked, looking up at her.
Ari watched as Alex was taken away, hearing the mumbles from the Wolves. She didn’t take her eyes off of his body, not even as Sean took her by the shoulder and lead her away into
his cabin. Ari didn’t want him to see her cry and she slowly tried to pull it together sending an angry swipe across her face. The grime for the battle was smeared across her face and she looked at the Alpha sadly.

“I killed him,” she whispered, a horrified sound in her voice.

Sean sighed, a slightly bitter chuckle escaping him at the answer. "Yes, that much I could tell for myself." He went silent for a moment, watching her expression as if trying to read the story in her eyes. "Listen, Ari, You have lied to me a lot since you got here. There are times when I can overlook that, because assassins have secrets and that's just a given fact. No one who wanders in here comes from a happy place or is fond of sharing, so... I overlook things here and there when circumstances allow. This is different, however. You killed a Wolf, and an Active assassin of this clan. I know that, the people outside know that, and had Alex lived whatever he said happened would most likely be accepted as the truth. He can't speak for himself however, do I'm left to decide what the truth is, and your words are all you have to shield you now, so use them wisely. This is not a test; you know what the punishment is for traitors." Having said that he stood and wandered into his room, less than twenty seconds with a bowl of water and a clean cloth, which he sat on the table before sitting again. "Sit down, wipe your face clean, take a breath, and then tell me what happened."

Ari took a sharp breath, or more like several before she had the courage to sit down and reach out for the cloth and dip it into the bowl to wash the grossness from her face. It was only then she realized that she had a gash above her eye brow that was dripping blood down across her cheek and some into her eyes. She held the cloth to it, gritting her teeth at the pain that was there. She knew there would also be a direct knife line on her throat and it occurred to her that she just might be able to manage to pull it off with just that little bit of evidence. When she was sue that she could hold her voice steady she began to tell her side of the story, sticking straight to the details, no emotion in her voice.

“He...was with them, the Crimson and he claimed that you had asked him to lead the Crimson into the trap. I...I believed him and so I didn’t attack until a girl came out of the woods and she was obviously a Crimson. They went off, talking or arguing and I couldn’t hear them. He... came back and then attacked. I didn’t hesitate, I couldn’t they would have shredded me,” she cried, hysteria rising in her voice. She steadied herself again, seeing the look on Sean’s face. “I killed her first and a moment later my arrow pierced his chest. I panicked and shot, but he was already walking toward me. I didn’t stand a chance Sean. If you need me too I can take you back to the woman, show you exactly what happened and then you could see for yourself what happened. Or if that still concerns you then please, by all means send in a telepath to read my mind, I’ll willingly do it too. I would have run Sean, not come back here to face the punishment.”

Her eyes were pleading, her face a mask against the emotions threatening to boil up inside of her as she removed the red blood from the cloth with a quick rinse in the water in the bowl. She focused her attention there, doing the repetitive emotion to help calm her nerves. Every sound made her jump though and it took an amazing amount of energy to keep her from bursting into a cascade of tears.

“He was my friend,” she whispered, flinching as someone walked past the door.

Sean leaned against the table as he listened, unable to conceal just how tired he was, but his eyes were not losing track of Ari for a split second as she spoke. "He was your friend." He repeated, once she went silent. "Alright, well, I already have asked Franklin to read your mind... He says it works better if you don't expect it... And I don't find it at all hard to believe Alex would have done this. As you know, the clan is currently split, not even those on our side are entirely on our side or permanently on our side. It's just how it is." He stated simply. "Perhaps he was your friend up until that moment, Kid. Maybe he would still be your friend today and for a few more days if you hadn't been there. However, the moment he took a stand on the other side, he wasn't your friend anymore. If he was a traitor, then you did the right thing." He stood from his seat and walked to the door slowly. "You'll take Franklin with you to the woman you killed, he'll be just outside and I advise to not go anywhere without him for now." He told her, walking out of the cabin and closing the door after himself.

Heads turned and people stopped in their tracks as they saw the Alpha walk towards the body. Sean didn't give much explanation; all was very clear when he knelt down next to the fallen Wolf and removed the ring from his right hand. As he stood he simply muttered an order to one of the men who had laid Alex down by the fire. "Take him to be buried with the others." Alex was not formerly accused of treason, it couldn't be proven, and the man was unable to tell his side of things, therefore he would still be buried as a Wolf, but he wouldn't take his ring with him to the Afterlife.

Ari kept her eyes on her hands, looking up at Sean as he left and then she stood, placing the rag down on the table. She could have shifted, could have changed to heal the wounds in her neck and face but she would rather the wolves see it and decide that she was innocent. She stared out at the people, taking a steadying breath before stepping out the door and walking straight to Franklin, she didn’t want to have anything to do with Alex’s body but she couldn’t help but spare him a glance. Her lips parted in a silent prayer, a blessing, forgiveness.

[ Wolf Pack Camp]

Ari still didn’t know how Alex could betray them like that, how he could betray her. His death was meaningless and it stung like fire when she thought about it today, salt in a wound. He was just a boy for the love of Twins! Though Ari looked towards the sky, she knew that he was up there, laughing down upon the Wolves with hatred unmatched. That’s what she had seen in his dying breath, a look of triumph and of hatred.
Were her people really that hated? Did they even deserve the hatred directed at them? Ari thought not and she shook her head forcefully as her eyes caught sight of the deep rich brown coloring of a hawk. It made her think of Phantom and her hand reached up to gently touch the beautiful necklace that the strange sprite had given her. They had met in Newhaven on one of her training missions and Ari couldn’t help but to remember how much they were connected. Sisters almost. She stroked the stone, smiling as she remembered that day.

[Flashback-Newhaven: Week three]
“We have received your order, we will dispatch the birds this afternoon with the messages,” the man whispered in her ear. Ari was sitting at the tavern drinking her usual when her man came up out of nowhere to personally deliver the message. However, his appearance was extremely dangerous.

“It’s been too long,” she whispered as he took a seat next to her, raising his finger to alert the bartender to his needs. She took a long sip of her own drink as the bartender slid the man a large glass. The man didn’t pause to snatch his drink and he brought the brew to his lips.

“Delivering the message is my obligation,” he said into his drink before taking a sip. Ari snickered at the look on his face. Only the drink could ruin his day and confuse him. Even she couldn’t screw it up unless she started something here and now.

“Please give the plans to Stephan and me,” she said, finishing her drink quickly.

“I will send the message to Sean and you,” he growled, obviously not at all pleased with having another person involved in the transportation of the information. “It’s very dangerous to be dealing in this and laws are laws Ari. Your little scheme could cost the Pack.”

“You can’t leave a Wolf behind but I’m sure there have been plenty of Wolves that are now rotting in the ground where they shouldn’t be. I’ve left a wolf. I haven’t been arrested,” she muttered, now playing with the rim of her cup. “Besides, Sean is too busy with his own planning to worry much about me. I expect those birds soon.”
Ari stood, tossing some coins down onto the table before noting the small piece of pie she had ordered before she had been disrupted. Sprinkled with some sort of spice, Ari loved the pie. However, she left the thing lying on the table, pushing it towards the hooded figure next to her. With that, she left.
The dealings were done, Sean should receive a bird saying she had completed the task given to her but she would get something much grander. She and Franklin had been in the city for two days. The whole week however was spent in the cities and already she longed for the openness of the woods and the freedom they offered. Blackpond had been the main stay of their trip. It was there that she had learned of the many different hiding places, people she could trust and who to be aware of. It was one of the last places she wanted to return to though. Newhaven she had already explored on her own, and Franklin had let her roam loose, letting her arrange the mission in a tavern of her choosing and to her own devices. She had to contact the man she was looking for, set up the meeting and then make sure everything was in order and surprisingly, the Wolves that were supposed to be keeping an ear out to see how well she could do this hadn’t heard a thing otherwise they would have jumped her or her ‘informant’.

She pulled her brown hood tighter around her face, a smile spreading across her lips and she merged into the market crowd. It was done. She had won without a fight and she wanted to laugh with joy. Her shoulder collided with another and both turned a quick apology escaping lips at the same time. The two girls’ eyes locked and without another word, Ari was dragged willingly across the square and into a side alley. There was no fight to be had, both were just amazed to see each other here of all places.
Phantom had been hit while walking around, buying things for Kirsten and his minions, held on a short leash since she had been initiated to him. There wasn’t any hope for her, not now. Or at least that is what she thought until she had run into the green eyed girl. She snatched her hand, pulling her towards the alley and the girl followed willingly. Now here they stood, face to face, both of them smiling at each other.

“I dreamt about you,” Ari whispered, her smile radiant in the dark.

“I’ve been searching for you for moons now Green Eyes,” Phantom gushed, “Call me Phantom.”

The two studied each other, not understanding really what brought them together but Ari trusted in the Twins and she was willing to embrace their path for her. The two on silent agreement exited the alley, perfectly content to walk along in silence.

“What brings you here Green Eyes,” Phantom asked gently.

“I'm training to become a Wolf,” she answered simply, shrugging her shoulders. They walked the rest of the way in silence, both learning about each other from just the movements and the dreams they had of each other. There were no more spoken words, just a built understanding, and a friendship coming from nowhere. Phantom stopped before the road that led to the Night Hunters residence, tuning back to Green Eyes.

“I have a feeling that we’ll be in touch Green Eyes,” Phantom said with a smile watching as the girl nodded and then began to walk away, “Wait!”

Ari turned back, watching as the woman with silver hair set her basket down upon the ground reaching up to pull something around her neck to give it gently to her. Ari took it and watched the girl disappear before opening her hand to find a beautifully sculpted silver dragon, curling around a ball that at first looked blue but slowly became green in her hand. Ari tucked the trinket into her pocket before melding back into the crowd.

[Reality]

Ari still didn’t know what Sean thought when he had received the bird telling the whole thing. Things that Franklin had told she had been tested on were: set up, presentation, communication, meeting point, exit, and if any of the Wolves had heard about the meeting. She hadn’t so much gotten a good job and it occurred to her that she should approach Sean and ask him that. She smiled and decided it was time to head back when Stephan came bolting from the trees. She screamed but his hands covered her mouth before the sound could actually resonate and awake the sleeping Wolves.

“Ari! Ari, please be quiet,” he cried, eyes wide until she calmed in his gasp. “Come with me fast! We’re going on a trip just for you.”
His eyes were bright so Ari didn’t hesitate to send a sharp whistle to the sharpness of the night. She was answered with a low whicker and a moment later Sheggar came running from the trees. Together they both mounted up Ari’s bow resting across her lap as the rode off into the night. Sheggar loved the night rides and Ari just adored them. She had to be careful though; Sean didn’t exactly like the idea of a horse running around camp. She was uncomfortably aware of how close Stephan was behind her, his body pressed tightly against hers as he guided them toward the place where he was taking her.

It was a long ride and Ari was very happy to dismount. Sheggar was panting and Stephan turned to her, smiling happily at her.

“There’s and Archery game going on in a camp not too far from here. But unfortunately they don’t like Wolves very much which means you’re going to get in there as something else,” Stephan smiled as a grin spread across her face and she listened eagerly as they went over a plan to get her in past the guards. Then after a short time sleeping, the plan was set into action and Ari’s journey began.

Essence didn’t budge when Tala awoke from slumber and quietly stepped over Ess, snout first peeking out the folds of the tent. If someone saw the scene, the wolf stood as if a statue, inching bit by bit until her head only peeked outside the tent, a constant breath cloud appearing from the end of her nose against the early morning chill. One paw pressed against the frosted ground and she paused, ears twitching on alert. The fire was still burning away, crackling through the pine which gave off a comforting aroma even Tala took the time to sniff at before she was fully revealed to the night. Something or someone was about that she was not familiar with, catching the scent her furry body huffed in a muffled bark before she sprinted away from the tent and over the bridge away from camp.

The wolf began her rounds on the outskirts of the camp, passing through a trial that was guarded by archers and such hiding in the trees. “..Look another wolf...” A male voice whispered from above.

“No....that’s Tala, you idiot...” A woman’s voice retorted.

Tala paused, not quite understanding what the voices had said, except she understood ‘wolf’ was another name for her. She sat momentarily on her haunches, tilting her head up at the trees as if she were going to speak to them. A minute of silence went by and when she looked back along the ground, the wolf picked up a curious trail along another set of paw prints in the bits of snow left amidst the traffic that trail received. Tala tilted her head back, blue sapphire eyes closing as she released a lonely, almost eerie howl into the night.
Stephan had mastered the mental training and he had, as she had slept, poured his wisdom into her own mind, teaching her how to calm herself and deal with the pressure that he had a feeling that Ari had made it. The guards hadn’t done a thing as she slipped past, the bow and the clothes she would need were tied nicely to her underbelly, the rope hidden in her fur. When she was sure she had just made it past she slid out of the contraption, letting it fall to the ground with a muffled click. An eerie howl sounded and she raised her black mussel to answer. It was a wolf, there was no doubt about that and Ari assured herself by sending her own call higher and higher until it hit a screaming note. There she cut the call, the sound lingering in her ears, haunting and dark. She nosed at the parcel, her black ears swiveling in the dark when another wolf howled again. Ari felt the longing of her animal instincts and so she ran forward through the trees, hoping that the sight of a wild wolf would make her brave, able to face down her fear. She ran out her eyes burning silver as her tongue lolled from her mouth, colliding with a white wolf. She tried to stop, her paws scrabbling against the ground as the sharp scent of humans overwhelmed her. The snow was hard like ice and she slid across it, yelping as the snow cut her paws.

“Watch out,” she barked, her shoulder connecting with the wolf’s own and knocking both of them to the ground.

Tala wagged her tail when the night cried out in response to her call, bolting forward at her maximum speed, enticed by the sound of kindred she soon tore through naked pricker bushes only to collide with another wolf. A startled yelp escaped her as she spun around in a circle, her claws curled, trying to stop herself, finally rolling to a halt on her side. Tala whined at the black wolf before getting to her feet, instantly her nose began grazing fur, picking up a curious scent causing her to sneeze suddenly. Tilting her head in a slight daze, Tala readied herself on all fours the hair along her back spiking up at attention as she barked furiously at the other wolf. It didn’t make sense to Tala why this creature looked like her but the smell was off...that and she was in ‘her’ territory. After a moment she paused to sniff in the wolf’s direction once again, as if she was second guessing her blue eyes.
Ari wrinkled her nose, her canines flashing in the moonlight as she got a whiff of the wolf in front of her. She smelled strongly like humans but yet there was no doubt that she was a full blooded wolf. Ari quickly came to the conclusion that this wolf belonged to someone at the camp and she slowly wagged her tail, lowering herself to her stomach and crawling forward to lick under the she-wolfs mussel. She whimpered an apology, before standing to her full height. It was with some great amusement, that she was much taller than the wolf that stood a few paces away and she couldn’t help the humanlike laugh that came from her lips. Her black nose slowly worked the air; her silver eyes flashing as she quickly figured out that she would have to remain on her best wolfish behavior if she was to survive this encounter. Oh Ari was sure she could take on the white wolf, erm grey now that she stood closer, but it was the humans that could be within earshot that worried her most. She gave a wolfish grin, not knowing what to say or do.

Aiden knew he should have gone to bed hours ago but he couldn’t get his mind to simmer down. Not being able to shake that feeling Luke left him with, he had taken to the Captain’s words and was keeping an eye on things, which meant watching Ess and Tala from a distance or up close. It was obvious most of the time when he was around, as he wasn’t one for spying and didn’t want to come off as a creep. Ess may not have been fond of it per say, but she didn’t say anything to Aiden about it, not even once.

Aiden had just reached his cabin, determined to fight his insomnia when a familiar howl erupted the darkness, sending a shiver through his spine accompanied by a solemn smile which he quickly shut as his dried lips cracked from the winter chill. At first he thought nothing of Tala’s song until it lingered longer than expected as if it were searching. He turned about, pulling his hood tighter around his neck as another strange howl answered back in a mournful cry. Without a word he shuffled through the snow in the direction of the wolves, a few moments later distant barks blended into a painful icy wind. He would cut across the tiny cliffs and cabins imbedded into the hills, crossing the bridge away from the center of camp.

Tala whined, her tail wagging on and off in spurts as she twitched her head not quite letting the other wolf touch her per say. After a moment, as if satisfied she yipped dripping her head and front legs into the snow, her tail end rocking back and forth happily, pouncing left to right of the her new friend. Prancing circles around the wolf she bounded off expecting chase, drifts of snow catching in the wind as she tossed it aside in her play.

Ari was thrilled. Here she was playing with a wolf, a domesticated one but a wolf none the less. Momentarily she forgot about the contest, finding herself full of energy that she had spent last night training with Stephan. She consoled herself with the knowledge that she was technically training and she leaped forward. She barked, running forward past the wolf, her body stretched out, a black streak against the snow. She tuned, bounding back, her paws slapping the snow. The two played, tangling with each other, spraying each other with snow and spinning and whirling with the snapping of teeth and the sharp barks that cut through the cold air, the ice crystals breaking under the weight and harsh tears that the Wolves dug into the snow.

Aiden followed the sounds towards the river, gushing and bubbling beneath the bridge, he came to a stop just as he crossed, leaning against a wooden pole tied to the rope railing. Carmel eyes sparkled listening to the wolves play in the distance, tiny figures appearing along the tree line as they broke through into a clearing. A sombre smile curled his lips as he stood for some time, basking in the comfort and tranquillity Tala was feeling at that moment. He would have never been able to understand how free she felt at that moment unless he could ‘hear her.’ Tala chose to stay with people for the most part, the profound love she had for her friend Ess was something Aiden may have been a bit jealous of, not every knowing what that felt like. But in that moment he understand how ‘guilt free’ so to speak, Tala felt for giving in to her instincts and focus only on the moment and not where Ess was that second.

Gradually Tala and her furry companion made their way closer to the river, Tala leaping clear over the larger wolf barking as if to command her to follow. The winds had changed and Tala could smell Aiden just at the bridge, her mind reaching out to his as she whined up at him, nuzzling his hand when she finally found her way at his side. Sitting on her haunches, panting heavily her tongue curled out of her mouth like a snake, misty breath clouds fogging in front of Aiden’s face as he squatted beside Tala to scratch between her ears. “Who’s your friend Tala?”
She turned her head barking at the black wolf behind her, showing her the human was not a threat.

Ari was confused. One moment they had been playing through the snow, snapping at each other’s paws and tail and ears, not a care in the world, and then the white wolf had left. Now she was alone. The moon smiled down at her, her black pelt shining in the soft bathe of its light. Her ears priced forward, her black paws shifting nervously on the crust beneath them, the crunch of the snowflakes ringing in her ears. The halo around the moon covered most of the sky, vanishing from time to time behind the light dusting of clouds that helped block the radiance of the stars. Wind ruffled her fur, its cold fingers working its way deep into her pelt and touching the skin with a shiver. The trees behind her lay dead and bare to the elements, having shed their colourful coats long ago. Their white bark was no match for the luminosity of the snow which cast the moonlight back up upon Ari. From afar it looked like she was shining, her silver eyes matching the bright radiance of the snow around her body. The wind whispered through the trees and for a moment Ari thought she caught sight of Salji running through the dark needles of the pines behind her. His bright blue eyes were locked on hers but in a flash of black spots he was gone, and Ari was never quite sure if she had actually seen the big snow leopard or had only wished that he was there. She leaped forward out of her trance as she heard what she thought was the twang of a bow, followed by a scream. Ari bolted after Tala, her much bigger body quickly overtaking the other wolf. The eeriness of the woods fled and was replaced with the pounding of her feet against the snow, the flap of her pink tongue as it lolled from her mouth and the whips of breath that formed little clouds but were ripped apart before they could truly come together. She slowed her mad dash as she carefully picked her way over the boulders and toward what looked like a bridge. She slowly followed Tala across, wondering if it was just another chase before she slid to a grinding halt. Ari smelled the human, her ears flatting against her skull, her lips curling into a snarl before seeing that obviously this wolf knew him. Her black nose worked the air, not relaxing as her body padded closely forward. Tala. So that was the wolf’s name. She shook her pelt and her eyes gleamed. Thank the twins, maybe this would be her ticket in. She extended her nose out to the man’s outstretched hand, shying away as his mind brushed against hers. Het long black tail tucked between her legs, and she whimpered. If the man had been standing, Ari’s head would have been almost level with his hips, but as of now he was below her. Her silver eyes peered into his own, never once blinking as she assessed him, before opening her mind up to him, flooding him with thoughts, sensations, and a sense of being trapped.
Aiden’s eyes widened at the unusually large wolf before him, his fingers not reaching further as he wanted her to come to him. He let her take in his scent, keeping perfectly still expect for his eyes and smile as he took in the strange wolf’s silver gaze catching the moonlight, the comforting orb sneaking peeks out from behind the cloud cover. “Hey there...I won’t hurt you....Tala would kill me.” He snickered, Tala yipping in agreement while she moved to sit behind her new friend, the obvious size difference was indeed quite comical. Aiden’s brows narrowed a bit perplexed as he tried to read the black wolf, getting mixed emotions that were not quite normal in comparison to Tala there. Something was voided from instinct, conflicting with the fear he most certainly saw and sensed. It was almost as if there were two...“What...are you?” Aiden whispered in awe, unable to understand the creature when he should of, just as easily as breathing came to him. Turning towards Tala they shared a brief moment, Aiden simply nodding; it wasn’t in satisfaction but more the passing of any tension that may have lingered inside him of a present threat. “Tala seems to like you....” His continued to whisper, his voice resonant and mellow in a similar tone he took with the children of the camp.

Ari took a step back before sitting on her haunches; she didn’t really know what to do. Communicating her predicament would be difficult and she didn’t want to end up with a dagger in her throat tonight, not while there was still life pumping strongly through her veins. Of course could this, man, attack an unarmed girl? She sniffed the air again, smelling fear and smirking. Yes, it was a wonder to have a Beastspeaker trying to read the mind of a half wolf half human. The expression on his face was priceless as he tried to ask her what she was, as if she could talk. She let him think about it for a moment, still conveying the thoughts that she choose before slamming her mind shut with the soft pine smell of a girl, that and a pair of bright green eyes. Ari smiled, her tail wagging. Yes he would do, strong, brave, curious, not to mention kind of cute. She moved forward again, extending her paw to touch his knee gently with it, almost in a handshake. She sat there for a moment, her silver eyes conveying the almost humanlike expressions on her face. She yawned, her eyes sparkling green for a moment as she reared up screaming. Her body curled inward as she leapt away from the man, her teeth snapping the air. Ari tore at her paw, and when the sharp thorn had been cast out her eyes settled back to silver, the green fading almost as fast as it had appeared. Her form stopped blurring and she settled back into a black wolf. She bowed her head, her hackles rising before seeing the tiny branch attached to the man’s pants. He hadn’t tried to attack her she realized, moving slowly out of her attack position. He probably had been walking through the most deadly thing to her ability and had picked it up along the way. She, being the wolf that she was, didn’t notice it until one of its poisonous thorns was lodged in her paw. She didn’t bother to try and pull it off, if he had been paying attention he would have momentarily seen her human form, but she wasn’t yet ready to shift until he asked her to reveal herself, that or she just got tired of trying to communicate this way. However, the poison was spreading through her body at a surprising rate and she couldn’t hold back as her body began to wither and convulse. Slowly her wolf scream became human. Her fur fell and bones popped and groaned as she shifted, muscle reforming with sickening crunches and flesh with a soft hiss. She lay there in the snow, the wind caressing her bare skin as the moon smiled mockingly down.

Aiden had lost his balance in his squatting position, falling backwards only to have Tala barking frantically before him. One moment the black wolf and him stared into eachother’s eyes, Aiden reading the immense intelligence behind them, a paw almost the size of his own hand resting on his leg; the next a piercing scream of shock and pain unraveled into the night, echoing a haunting array of human and animalistic vocals. One hand instantly rested the hilt of his blade at his side, his other outstretched palm flat, silently signaling the creature to stay back. He couldn’t read what the being was thinking, but he knew others would be stirring from their beds at the commotion. “Tala!...Back...Tala!” Aiden commanded, trying to get the wolf to settle a bit, his jaw dropping when he swore his vision was playing tricks on him. If that large creature attacked him, it would be a brutal fight, one he may not survive, yet she seemed to settle once she realized he was not going to make any sudden moves. “Tala?...Captain!” Aiden commanded in a gentler tone this time, his furry friend not hesitating as she spun about in her tracks, bolting further away from the river into the center of camp. He knew something was wrong...something was not right. Another curdling scream burned into his mind, his hands slapped over his ears wanting to block it out. He pushed himself to his full height, towering over the seizing creature, her body popping and splitting as it changed into the naked image of a young woman collapsed against the snow. At first Aiden stared, a strange smile planted on his lips as it started to make some sort of sense and when he hearted the shouts of others who had awoken and the mixed yips of Tala and what only could be Puppy, Aiden snapped out of it. Drawing his sword in one hand, he managed to wiggle out his jacket, gently draping it over the girl’s body for modesty’s sake, his smile shifting into an annoyed glower. Another stranger in the camp, someone who had quite a useful talent and was able to sneak by unnoticed; except for Tala of course. This would not go over well with the Captain.  Mageria had been inspecting the armory, such as it was, when the combined barking of both Tala and Puppy summoned her outside. Grabbing her sword in one hand and slinging her cloak about her with the other, she dashed outside to see what was going on. Tala was dancing in place, claws digging into the snow; once she saw Mageria, she jumped forward to gently tug on her cloak. Taking this as a request to follow, Mageria ran off after her. It was only a quick run over and around a couple cabins in order to get to the bridge by the river.

"Aiden? What. . . . what do we have here?" Mageria was somewhat unsurprised to find what had to be a naked young woman lying in the snow. She knelt down, Tala and Puppy on either side of her, to see what had wandered into camp this time; Aiden quickly reporting what had happened.

"Another lost wanderer? One who managed to get into the heart of our camp with almost no trouble. That's not something I like to hear." Her gaze darted over the girl; child almost. Some sort of wound on her hand, other than that she seemed to be ok beyond being unconscious. No, there was something lodged in the flesh of her hand. A thorn. Almost absently,
Mageria used the blade of her dagger to pry it out; glancing at it briefly before tossing it aside.
With an annoyed sigh, Mageria stood up, glaring downwards. Briefly, she considered letting the intruder just lie in the snow, but she couldn't talk herself into it. There was the slightest chance that she was simply the child of a nearby village that had been lost in wolf-form had come to them for help. So instead she ordered her taken to the medic's cabin and laid on one of the beds; bundled up in blankets, while she perched on the next one over and watched their latest stray carefully with Puppy at her feet and Aiden leaning on the wall nearby. Looking helpless didn't make one helpless and if this girl showed the slightest hint of a threat she would make sure that she was eliminated quickly and cleanly.  Ari felt her lungs burn, her body hurt and she couldn’t move. The moon’s light made her shirk away, every sound was like the sharp crack of a whip to her ears, every scent no matter how sweet burned, and her tongue felt dry and cracked inside her mouth. The cold air soothed her hot skin, the fire deep inside her slowly settling as her senses began to dull. She could feel the inside of her body still rearranging, her vocal cords slowly melting away only to be reformed. The transformation was harder to complete and she had to remain perfectly still as everything finalized or she could be stuck. She didn’t will her change faster; she couldn’t have if she wanted to. The poison was making everything so much slower as her body fought against it, trying to stall its progress and rid herself of it like it normally did with her scars. She shivered as she felt the soft fluttering of a cloak around her body, most likely from the man she had only known as a wolf. She knew he was doing it out of modesty but it still made her nerves scream.  She quaked as the bark of the dogs and wolf reached her and still having a bit of her wolf voice she whined, begging them to please be quiet and to her relief, they actually listened. Others were around her, she could feel their heat and their breath stroking across the air to her skin but there was one presence that demanded more respect than the rest and so it was there that she turned most of her attention. Her scenes focused there, regretting it almost immediately as the thorn that was hiding in her paw was dug from her hand, causing her to reflexively curl into herself, her hand clenching as her mind fled from the pain that was pressed upon her. She would have fought, would have screamed as the others came and picked up her body and carried her. But of course they didn’t know, didn’t know how much pain the slightest touch caused and Ari snarled when she thought of all the bruises she would have because of them. More blankets, she thought before she disappeared.
Her bright green eyes fluttered open to the warmth of what looked like the medic’s camp and she discreetly smiled to herself, she had made it, whilst shying away from the woman sitting on the cot next to her. She was glad to see that the man was still here, his golden eyes locked onto her, calculating and cold. The two canines were here as well, the wolf’s eyes not as judgemental as the dogs, but Ari knew she had the same smell to the wolf, and hopefully it would remember her as a playmate and not a threat. Her eyes flicked over to the woman, looking in great detail at her, slowly putting pieces together to mark her as Mageria and she silently thanked Franklin for his little bit of training. She knew that Wolves would most definitely not be welcome and she was gladdened that she was not yet marked as a Wolf, and no one could tell unless they really dug for it. The change had ended though there was still a dull ache and she brushed the hair out of her face, her wide eyes peering around the cabin and glancing fearfully at Mageria.

“Thank you, m’lady for rescuing me,” she whispered her voice cracking at the use and Ari blushed, “But, I’m afraid I’m very lost. Where am I?”
Tala at first had sat at the foot of the girl's bed, whining curiously, not sure what to make the change in her 'friend.' Aiden had managed to quiet the wolf, watching absently the strange wolf-girl with a narrowed gaze, yet the flicker of light in his eyes hinted to his curiousity. He kept quiet when the girl spoke, the dark circles beneath his lids giving the obvious clue to his lack of sleep that was piling up on him. Without taking his eyes off the Captain, Aiden whispered, “Captain....it will be light soon..and there is much to do for the archery contest...With your permission, may I by releaved to my cabin before I join the others with the preparations?” Aiden stretched from his position against the wall, “I could get Zane...or one of the others if you'd like?” Mageria tilted her head to the side, studying the young girl for a long moment before she spoke.

"Of course, go get some rest. Don't worry about waking anybody else up, I think it can handle it." She reached down and absently scratched Puppy between the ears, digging in her fingers as the wolfhound leaned into the caress. She watched as the man left, closing the door firmly behind him. Then she turned back, eyes shifting a bit from a dark blue towards a green.

"As to where you are, my dear. That's a bit of a difficult question to answer. You're about half an hour's ride north of Newhaven. There's a village or two within about a day's walk from here. Are you from one of them? We'd be glad to help you find your way back, if you simply wandered too far astray." Absently, she flicked the clasp on her cloak, swinging it off and to the bed beside her. This revealed the fact that she had one sword slung across her back and a short sword at her waist.

"Although, I'd like to hear how you found your way here. We thought we were quite well hidden and instead it seems as if there are signs hung in the trees."

A brief smile suddenly crossed her face. "Although, I will grant that you might want to get something to eat and perhaps something to wear before you tell me the extent of your travels. It is a bit disconcerting to defend yourself while completely unclothed and hungry, is it not?"

“M’lady, that would be kind indeed though it has no effect on my fighting skills,” Ari couldn’t help the glow of colour that momentarily flushed up around on her cheeks. She pulled the blankets closer around her body, a little unnerved at the sight of the two swords but Sean had trained her well and she was sure that she could handle this if it got out of hand. “Excuse me for being bold but, it is hard to fool a wolf. Nothing is hidden to us. I know the forest inside and out and when changes were whispered from the animals and the trees,” she shook her head, a little smile flickering across her features, “It was not difficult to hunt you and your kin down. But the reason I stray into your camp is not for gloating’s sake. My brother has a telepathic ability and there was some buzz about an archery competition, which I see he was not wrong about. Mageria, it would be an honour to test my skills against your archers.”
Her lips pulled up into a brisk smile, her eyes lightning as her hands briskly played with the edge of the blankets. She was studying the room as it were, noting how many people there were in the beds, of course most of them would be injured, but her eyes never left Mageria’s.

“I brought my bow and there’s a change of clothes out in the woods as well,” Ari cleared her throat noticing the almost questioning look on the Captains face, “I don’t travel without some supplies for when I’m human. I was taught better than that.”

Mageria tilted her head to the side, her eyes suddenly flashing from a sapphire to ice blue. There was a, tension to her body; a readiness to explode into sudden violent action. Both the warhound at her feet and the wolf at her side tensed as well, hackles raising and low growls rising from their throats.

"If know my name, then you know who and what I was. Which means that I'm forced to wonder just what makes you feel like wandering uninvited and unannounced into my camp. And if your brother is a telepath, then you cannot say that you didn't know who we are. Which means I really must wonder, what is it you seek here?" A slash of a smile crossed her face. "Please don't lie to me. You've told me once that you were lost and once that you hunted us down. The archery competition was thought up just a few hours ago, which means that you two must have been in the area to begin with, watching us. So. Are you insanely foolish or just insane?"

Ari wanted to laugh, really just throw her head back and let it out, joyous and loud and sweet. However, it would be foolish to do so in front of an extremely anxious ex Newhaven Black knight. Instead she chose to swallow her insane giggles as that question of insanity presented. Ari had never thought about her sanity and now that the question had been presented she really considered it. Crazy? Yes, there was no doubt but it wasn’t because she chose it, but rather because of the foolish mistakes, the reckless decisions she made.
“Aren’t we all a little crazy? I would not say I am insane, just foolish and not even that. Inexperienced.” She could see the Black Knight inside of the woman was restless and the tension was disturbing the animals quite a bit.
“I mean no harm against you or your people Mageria,” Ari tried to soothe, her voice low and almost pleading. “Sometimes it is better to approach with the false appearance of a hurt, lost, embarrassed little girl than to wander into someone’s camp seemingly knowing all that they are. It causes disturbances and that can lead to a knife in your belly before you can truly explain who you are and what you’re doing there. Excuse my actions if you disapprove of my methods but seeing that I have little experience in diplomacy or any human contact, I would say that I was doing pretty well. That is until I misjudged who you were. But that mistake has been cleared.” Ari paused, not letting Mageria in on who she thought she was and what she had been taken for. Her eyes flashed sliver and she sent a calming noise, to high for humans to hear at the two canines and they seemed to settle, if only for a little while. Ari continued, her eyes glowing green again, “As for my brother being a telepath; he was headed up toward the mountains and just happened to be passing by this general aria when the ‘shouts’ from the minds of the people engulfed him. That’s how he learned about the competition and he knows I can hit a squirrel in the eye when we hunt so he figured that I would enjoy being able to show off my skills. Is it a crime to want to come forth and test your skills against the best? A crime to have a dream?”
Ari smiled softly, warmth seemingly about her and she let out a tiny sigh. This was going to be difficult, that much was obvious.

"First lesson of dealing with extremely paranoid people. Don't contradict yourself within five minutes. We tend to pick up on things like that." Mageria didn't relax any, but she didn't seem to be as ready to kill at that moment. "It's no crime to want to prove yourself, but if you can't even keep your own lies straight then you're not going to survive for very long. You might get further in the door, but you'll end up dead all the same." She drew a deep breath, almost forcing herself to relax a bit. There had been some disturbing reports from Newhaven; that combined with a few other things had left her constantly on edge. And now this child had walked into their camp, seemingly for her own reasons, but who knew what they really were? She fixed the young girl with a ice cold glare, studying her reactions.

"Now, I'll give you this one last chance. You say you don't mean any harm to me or mine, but at the moment we have several guests. Given that we would respond to a threat against them the same as we would one of us, can you say that you mean them no harm as well?" “I come only for the games. I swear it, on my honour.” Ari nodded her head gently, bowing it for a moment with respect before her eyes met the cold stare of the woman’s. Mageria sighed. "Very well then. You may stay for the contest. Please stick to the common areas and guest quarters, I'm afraid I don't know you well enough to trust you in the restricted areas. Treat everyone with respect and we can talk again after this is all over." She went over to a cabinet and pulled out a set of cloths, leaving them on the foot of the bed. "Let somebody know when you leave for your gear, have them walk out with you. There's room for you to lay your bedroll in one of the guest cabins." She nodded and turned to leave. "And . . . good luck latter today."

Ari nodded and watched Mageria all the way to the door, shouting a quick thank you at her back before slipping out of the blankets and then sliding on the clothes that were at the bottom of the bed. She pulled them over her, shivering at the feeling. They were stiff and tough against her skin after being a wolf and she couldn’t help the small whimper that worked its way up to her throat. She turned to see that Mageria was still there and Ari huffed out a breath of relief. “Mageria,” she called, walking forward to stand even with the woman, “Would it be alright if we kept my appearance hidden from the others? I don’t want to be seen.”

Mageira raised one eyebrow curiously. "And how did you want to do that? We don't get many visitors as it is, so a new face tends to stand out." She let out a sigh, sending a plume of white upwards, pulling her cloak around her tighter. Things kept getting more and more tangled. "I can see you wanting to perhaps conceal your name or your gender, but there's no way that you're not going to be the subject of some curiosity." War. It was a deadly conflict that should have been avoided. A warning to the people, both good and evil, to the solider, the civilian, the martyr and the victim, it began with a lie and was now fought for the truth. No one didn’t feel its effects. Prophets, liars, honest folk, the leaders, the pariah, the victim and the messiah all suffered and Ari did too. It was not her fault, yet as a Wolf the Crimson saw her just as guilty of murder as those who had run into their camp and slaughtered their people ‘on orders of Sean’. Being the only Wolf within a couple miles around the aria, inside a camp where the Crimson could be as well, and Ari having met a couple before the war, made her incredibly vulnerable. She didn’t like that feeling at all. If they were here she didn’t want to run in and look just like the silly little girl they had met so long ago. An easy kill. No. She wanted to be who she was now but she dare not show her face, better to go as a man during the day as Stephan had suggested, just in case. The trouble was explaining this without being caught, tripping on her words and letting it loose that she was a Wolf. “I know. It’s just that I have made plenty of enemies and acquaintances who may not take kindly to my appearance here. That is if they happen to have wandered into your camp as well. I would just feel safer, with your permission of course, to walk hidden for now, dressed as a man.” Ari knew it probably sounded silly to the woman in front of the door but Ari didn’t know how else to put it and she was already working out an answer for the question that could be on its way, though she pleaded to the Twins that Mageria would be too tired to continue and she smiled at the woman.
Mageria suppressed a sigh and cracked her neck to the side, stretching the kinks out. "If you have enemies that are that angry at you, that might be here in camp, why in the Twins name did you decide to stop by? If winning means that much to you, you're in the wrong line of work." She slowly looked the girl up and down, arms crossed in front of her. "This is the best I can offer. I don't know what you've got going on, or with who. But so long as you don't cause harm to my people, this will be something of a neutral zone. What you all do away from here, that will be up to you. But it won't be happening here. So you can dress as a male if it will make you feel safer." She looked away over her camp, her people resting safely for the moment. "Just remember this. You give me reason to regret my offer, I'll nail you to a tree myself." Her gentle smile didn't touch her eyes, which instead showed a glimpse of the lengths that she was willing to go to in order to protect her people.

Ari nodded, watching the woman leave before slipping out of the bed and walking carefully out the door and back into the blistering cold, or what felt like blistering cold. She found the nearest awake person and walked up to them, putting on her most innocent face while calmly asking if they would escort her around for a little while. Of course they agreed, even bowing slightly, a twinkle in his eyes as he led her out across the bridge. After she had crossed it her feet struck the earth and she ran off. She didn’t stray from her path, didn’t waver until she collapsed into the snow and pulled out the precariously wrapped items. She didn’t quite understand why she needed the boy to follow her and it occurred to her that perhaps Mageria had misunderstood and thought the gear was all outside the camp borders. Oh she would have been even more furious to see that Ari had been able to sneak them inside the boundaries. She cradled the fur wrapped bow and the clothes that Stephan had lent to her before she left and she stood just as the boy rounded the corner and nearly collided with her.

“Hey,” she snapped, her eyes flashing as she felt her bow bend and twist with the collision. He muttered something about trying to flee and Ari laughed and apologised for her hasty reactions before he led her back towards the guest cabins. He showed her in and helped her get comfortable even helping her slice her hair off so it was cut boy short. She watched him leave before settling onto her sleeping pad. Tomorrow would bring whatever came her way; she could only ride the current now and rest her eyes for the Tournament.

End of Week Three...


It was still very early in the morning as a young lady made her way through a particular path as if she knew exactly where to go. One could imagine that if she did know where she was going, and she had walked all the way there, she had walked a good distance in the dark by herself, and even though she seemed tobe only a delicate young lady, this wasn't something a normal delicate lady would do. She kept walking, pacing slowly until she heard a voice, softly, yet firmly, approach her. "Excuse me Miss, I believe you are lost. Perhaps you'd like some help finding where you're supposed to be?"

The young lady slowly pulled back the hood of her dark blue cloak, pulling her long black hair from under the clothing, her bright green eyes curiously examining the two men who now stood in her way, before locking on the man who had spoken, her lips forming a sweet smile as she replied in a soft tone. "You are very perceptive, my kind sir... I am indeed lost, in a way. However, this is not a matter of where, but a matter of who, and I'm afraid I'd need to speak to the person in charge of your camp for aid in this particular matter." She opened her cloak enough to show she carried no weapons underneath it and added. "I am alone and unarmed, as you gentlemen can see, and only wish to talk. Would it be too much ask for a moment of your leader's time?"

The men shared a glance before looking back at the young woman, their tone still polite but firm. "And why is it that you wish to be speaking to our leader? It's rather early in the morning and they're very busy. And why is it that you are so sure that only our leader can help you on this matter?" They were clearly not going to attack right off the bat, but she was going to have to convince them to let her through. There was also the fact that neither one of them wanted to be the one responsible for waking up Mageria.


The lady chuckled softly at the questioning, in simple amusement, before replying. "Well, sir... When one goes to a place with the intent of asking questions, I believe the best thing to do is first speak with the person in command first, no? They tend to be aware of everything. If this is too early or if I come in a bad time, I apologize. I can always wait, or come back at another time, however I would much rather resolve this soon. As for how I'm sure that your leader, or anyone here, may help, well... I'm not sure, only hopeful, and that is a rather personal story, but since it is rather foolish to demand anyone's time without explanation, I will say that I have lost a person long ago, and said person has been recently seen entering this encampment. This person is very important to me and this is the first I've heard of him in years so... I'm afraid there are only two ways to get rid of me, and one of them would most likely lead to someone else bothering you in the future due to my unfortunate... Disappearance." She stated. Her tone was calm and gentle all the while, as if discussing the weather conditions and not trying to convince two armed individuals to grant her access to their encampment. "Please? I promise that, whatever answers I get to my questions, this is the last you'll see of me."

The two men shared one more glance before one nodded and jerked his head. "Come along then. I'd tell you not to try anything funny, but you look like you can figure that out on your own." He lead her down a path through some tall hills and suddenly cut to the left, opening a door that seemed to grow out of the side of one of the hills.
"Through here." He tapped one passing soldier on the shoulder and asked him to get the Captain, before leading her to the side and to a common room that was lit with candles.

"Take a seat, it'll be a minute or two." Around them there were several people eating breakfast, all of whom eyed the newcomer with curiosity.

A couple of minutes later, Mageria entered the room, wrapped in her new coat and with her hair cascading over her shoulders. "Thank you, please give a bit of privacy, would you?" She only had to ask softly before everybody in that part of the room cleared away, giving them a wide space so that as long as they spoke softly, nobody would be able to hear what they had to say.
"Sorry about this, but any place more private is already in use. At least this is out of the wind." She folded her hands on the table in front of her, carefully looking over their newest visitor. "Now, the guards said you were looking for somebody?"

The young woman followed the man quietly and without questions to where she was asked to wait, she took her seat not seeming bothered for having to wait, or by the curious glances of the people around her. She smiled sweetly at a few people as she waited, seeming not at all uncomfortable with being left in a room with strangers. Wasn't long before she was joined by a woman who was unmistakably the one in charge. She took a few moments to observe the woman's face before giving a slight nod and speaking just softly enough not to be overheard. "It's quite alright, Ma'am. First of all, thank you for your time and excuse me if I am being disruptive in any way with my visit. My name is Samantha Johnson, call me Sam if you rather, and yes, that is correct; I am looking for someone. He's a skinny, pale, young man... Black hair, black eyes... Answers by the name of Luckas. I'm afraid he was last spotted entering this encampment although the person I've hired to find him has lost track of him since." She ran a hand through her hair and heaved a small sigh. "It's... Very important that I find him."

Mageria tilted her head to the side. "Might I ask why you are looking for him? It's true that we know him here, some of us not so happily as others, but still. I'm sot the sort to give away information about somebody for no reason."
She kept her face calm and slightly questioning. While it was strange that somebody was looking for Luckas, considering the boy's past it wasn't out of the question. And why the hell was she protecting him considering what his brother had done to her and what he himself had done before Lena chained him?

Because damn it, everybody deserves a second chance.

Fingers lightly tapping the table in front of her, she waited for the other woman's answers.

Sam smiled, a little more nervously now, at the question. "Well, this is... Rather personal, but you sound like you know him enough to care what my business is..." She took a deep breath before answering the question. "Well, Luckas is... My little brother." She admitted. "I was told he and his twin, Matthew, were dead, but after my father passed away a few years ago, I found out that... That was a lie. I have been searching for them ever since. I hired investigators, but they lost track of the two at the Newhaven orphanage. After a lot of digging they picked up a trail again when Matthew died. Apparently, he was killed in prison, but still no sign of Luckas; he simply vanished.." She paused a little and lowered her head a bit, fixing her eyes on the surface of the table before her. "It was a little shocking to discover what Matt had become, what he did... He was such a sweet boy, how I remember him..." She stopped talking for another moment as if forcing herself to stay on the right topic. "As I was saying... No sign of Luckas, until recently. He was spotted in Blackpond, and followed here, but my people lost him once he entered you encampment." She raised her eyes and smiled faintly. "They were unwilling to enter your territory, so I decided to come all the way here myself. Figured, someone here might know something... I haven't seen Luke and Matt since they were six years old... I know nothing about Luckas; who he became, I... I don't think he would even remember me... Hearing some of the things Matthew was known for doing... The thought of him being the same frightens me, but I can't stop looking for him, I can't give him up. I have no other family left." She finished her statement in a clear tone, as if determined not to show any weakness in front of the other woman. "Even if you don't know where he is, or where to find him, anything you tell me, I will appreciate."

"Luckas is . . . complicated." Mageria looked into the middle distance for a long moment, thinking hard. "And I'm sorry, if you care for him the way you seem to, I truly am. But I know him and I don't know you. I'll be happy to pass on a message for you if you like, but I'll not tell you where or when to find him. Just that the message will be passed on, I promise. I hope you understand my position on the matter."
She looked straight at the young woman, evaluating what she had said. If Luckas and Matt were her brothers, then there was a good chance that she was Enlightened as well. Such things didn't necessarily follow family lines, but sometimes they did. So it was possible she was facing someone who had a similar gift to that of Luckas and Mathew. Which made it dangerous to upset her. But at the same time, if she was truly their sister, then she had the right to know the truth. And if she wasn't, well, Mageria couldn't see how it would make a difference.

"I'm afraid that there is no easy way to say this; and definitely no easy way to hear it. But it will come out eventually, I'm sure. Your brother Mattew was killed in prison, during a riot. And I was the one who struck the blow."

"Sure, I understand... That's... Only fair after all..." Sam nodded quietly, listening to the woman speak, her eyes again aimed at the surface of the table as she thought of whether she should leave a message and what to say, hands resting over the surface of the table before her. She was in no way prepared for the statement that came next.

"I'm afraid that there is no easy way to say this; and definitely no easy way to hear it. But it will come out eventually, I'm sure. Your brother Mattew was killed in prison, during a riot. And I was the one who struck the blow."

The words caused a flare of anger on the young woman so forceful that it caused her to abruptly raise from her seat, but it only seemed to last long enough for that and she sat back down soon after, forcing herself to breathe deep a couple of times, a hint of yellow momentarily flashing behind the green tone of her eyes. "I'm sorry, Matt's death is still rather recent for me... I know he was no saint, I've heard the horror stories, but... I..." She heaved a heavy sigh, running one hand through her hair in clear frustration. "I still can't see him as that monster though." She took another deep breath, and forced a smile. "If anything, I appreciate the honesty. As for leavign a message... When you next see Luckas, please tell him he has family and let him know where he can find me... I live just outside of Blackpond, it's a big, rather creepy looking, old house. The paths are hidden in woods, but not so hard to find if you are looking for it." Again, the young woman rose from her seat, this time slowly and carefully. "I think... I must have taken enough of your time, no?"

Mageria nodded, a hint of sadness crossing her face at the young woman's reaction. For all the hell that Mathew had put her through, very nearly driving her to insane suicide, somebody had loved him. He had family, somebody to mourn him. "I'll make sure that Luckas gets the message. I'm sure that he'll be glad to find that he had family, it's a hard thing to believe that you're alone in the world." Mageria held out one hand in a beckoning gesture, calling over one of the nearby guards. "I wish I had been able to give you better news, but perhaps that is in the future, no?" To the guard, "Would you please show our guest out?"

She watched the young woman leave, then carefully followed her. That flash of yellow in her eyes; she was Enlightened. Perhaps like her brothers were. Which meant that it was useless to hope that she wouldn't have some influence over the people in the camp. So far, everybody was astounded that she had any ability to resist Luckas. And she wasn't quite ready to reveal that she had earned that ability. So instead, she followed Samantha from a distance, watching to make sure that she actually left the camp.

I'll tell your brother about you, but are you going to welcome the boy that walks up your front walk someday?

~~~~~
Aiden managed his little chat with the Captain before Ess finished her morning run, just missing her gaze as he watched her come around a corner. He hadn’t planned on telling the Captain what had happened, but being the Captain, Mageria knew there was something more than concern or personal gain so that it had to come from somewhere. They had talked for some time and it had only made him nervous, having the Captain’s consent to take action if so desperately needed in Ess’ defense. He knew he had to play those cards carefully, not letting whatever he was feeling towards Ess to cloud his judgement. For the most part, he would be testing his own patience and watching to see if he was needed. He wanted to have faith in the woman’s decisions, but he just couldn’t ignore the way Luke had smiled as he spoke about Ess being the “Perfect Prey.” He knew there’d be dire consequences from many if he acted rash, and Mageria did have a point when she said that both had their own demons to work out. Maybe he wouldn’t be needed after all, but he’d be ready.

Aiden didn’t blink until Ess disappeared around another corner towards the Captain’s cabin, slowly he turned walking towards a tree stump, yanking an ax from the rings as he began chopping firewood. It wasn’t a distraction, but something to keep himself busy in his thoughts so he could develop a plan or two. Did this ‘boy’ actually care for Talon? The thought made Aiden’s face scrunch up, his grip tightening around the ax. Was it the challenge that made her so interesting? He swore he saw something in her....maybe similar to what she saw in Luckas, but that idea just annoyed Aiden. He refused to think Ess and Luke were alike.

~~~~~


When Ess awoke, Luke was already gone, as she suspected. Smiling wide, she felt lighter this morning; not quite so dark, even after the fact she learned the disturbing truth of her brother. Just like Jasper, Ian would find a justified end, fitting in her eyes to the crime of betrayal. She wasn’t too sure where to start her search for her brother, wishing just to avoid BlackPond as she never wanted to visit that place again but she had a foreboding feeling she was not going to have much of a choice.

Ess completed her run in record time, casually waiting outside the Captain’s door with a mysterious grin plastered upon her lips. She seemed to stand taller, straighter, a bit more sure of herself than she had been the past few days. It would be clear to any who knew her that something indeed had changed in her, for both the better and for worse but she would push it towards her desire for closure. It didn’t matter how much longer it would take her to completely move on, but she was dead set on doing it. Ess was coming out of her cocoon, so to speak.

Mageria pushed the door open, raising an eyebrow at the look on Ess's face. Something had changed the young woman, it seemed that she was starting to come into her own. She felt a sense of relief at that, it looked like she was managing to find her way through her troubles. This would be one that she wouldn't lose to the hell of their own past. A brief smile crossed her face as she shrugged into her coat.
"Just a minute. I wasn't expecting you so soon." She grabbed her practice gear from the rack near the door and headed out, closing the door firmly behind her.

Mageria grinned again as they headed down towards the practice grounds. "You look like you're ready for some trouble. I hope it's not anything I should disapprove of?"

Ess chuckled as she walked beside Mageria. “I don’t plan on leaving you any time soon, if you’re concerned about my training, so I think it’s safe to assume you’d approve my personal vendetta...” Her smile faded a bit as she went on to explain how Luckas had paid her a visit, for he had done her a little favor and in that discovered a hidden truth of Ess’ brother. “I need to figure out where he is....who he’s working with....and if those people are still ‘In business.’” Ess shuttered, the thought of others experiencing what she did, especially as a child, making her sick to her stomach. “I don’t want to be haunted by my past any more...I don’t want any of it to continue, especially knowing I have family involved in it...” Ess paused in her tracks before the training grounds, quirking a brow at the Captain. “I figure...if it’s more than revenge, then it’s well worth it. I know how revenge alone, doesn’t always fill the holes inside..” With a laugh, remembering the visions of Jasper, Ess added. “Although they can be enjoyed immensely.”

Mageria simply raised one eyebrow. "Yes, revenge can help, so long as you don't get caught at it." A brief smile crossed her face. "Acting in the heat of the moment is all well and good, but it tends to come out in the end. As I well know." She walked for a few minutes more. "But I agree that something like that needs to be eliminated; no matter who is involved in it. Is Luckas going to be continuing to look into this or should we be looking into it ourselves?" They had reached the practice area and Mageria squared off against her pupil and raised her swords.

Ess stood, her hands empty as she watched the Captain raise her practice swords and nodded, readying her stance, arms raised in a defensive pose. For the first time since she began her training with Mageria, she didn't seem unsure of herself, holding herself with what appeared to be a hint of confidence. “Whenever Luke comes back, he may or may not have more information....” Ess waited, smiling at Mageria, locking eyes with her. “I think we should do some of our own digging as well...Who knows how big this thing is..” Ess sprinted forward as if she were going to collide into the Captain, yet right before she reached sword’s length she side stepped almost in a hop, spinning she ducked beneath a strike. When she rose up, her fingers were curled into a fist that she aimed beneath the Captain’s forearm, just along her wrist in an attempt to get her to drop her sword, her free arm aiming to block the Captain’s other arm before the sword reached her.

Mageria couldn't help a small surge of pride at the way that Ess had improved her fighting skills, still that didn't mean that she would go easy on her. She leaned back and avoided the strike, instead bringing up her leg to kick her opponent in the chest. She pushed clear then spun, bringing her leg around in a kick designed to knock Ess off her feet. But the girl was expecting it and jumped, tucking down once she landed and tackling her before Mageria could quite get settled again. Falling backwards, Mageria rolled with the strike; using the momentum to push them apart. Ess jumped to her feet at the same time she did, the two of them sparring for several minutes before Ess took the chance to grab a handful of dirt and throw it in Mageria's face. She ducked, giving the other woman the chance to land a couple of good blows with her fists before Mageria swung around and started returning the favor.

After one trip tumbling across the clearing, Ess managed to grab a tree branch, using it one handedly to try and strike at Mageria’s legs. She did quite well, managing to make a couple of well placed strikes that made the Captain dance backwards quickly. The two of them traded blows for a few more moments before Ess managed to knock one of the swords from Mageria’s swords from her hand, leaving her to fight in a combination of hand to hand and single sword style. The two of them danced around each other for a few long minutes; before Mageria managed to catch Ess’s stick in a sweeping spiral bind that tossed the stick halfway across the clearing; in order to make it even Mageria planted her weapon in the dirt and raised her hands to strike.

The two of them slugged it out fairly evenly for a period before something distracted Mageria for a crucial second. She glanced to the side then back, barely missing a blow that Ess snuck past her guard to land squarely on her still bruised ribs. The pain whited out her vision and Mageria reacted instinctively; fist lashing out towards Ess’s neck that would have broken it if Mageria hadn’t managed to pull it. Instead the strike went past and Mageria fell to her knees in the dirt, cradling her ribs and swearing under her breath.
"Captain!" Ess landed in the dirt next to Mageria as she clutched her ribs, wheezing as she struggled to take a breath. "I'm sorry . . . I didn't mean . . ." Mageria rocked a little bit and held up one hand, slowly sitting up straight and managing a smile.
"Very good. You did that just right. Now . . . don't ever do that to me again." Mageria slowly pushed her way up to her feet, letting the pain settle back down as her color slowly returned to normal. "Let's go get lunch, shall we?"
“Or a drink, maybe.” Ess suggested as she grabbed the swords and trailed after her. Mageria smiled over her shoulder a bit weakly.
“That sounds good. Just one thing to remember.” She waited until Ess started to pass her on the trail and swung her leg to take out the other woman’s legs, landing her on her back in the dirt; before grabbing one of the swords and slamming it into the ground about half an inch away from the girl’s neck.
“Never underestimate an opponent. Even when they’re down.” She offered her a hand up.
“Now, about that drink.”


~~~~



It had been an slightly interesting, but mostly disappointing conversation with the Captain of the once called 'Black Guard'. Very little information to be obtained there; however, something was learned about the woman in that exchange, and it was interesting. Still it wasn't enough for Sam to be pleased, so the woman found her way back to camp a bit later, walking calmly as if she belonged, watching her surroundings carefully, examining people with her green eyes here and there, smiling sweetly at those who looked at her. What she was looking for, no one would know exactly, but, whatever it was, she seemed to have found it in one man, since she walked a straight line to him. For a while she stood, a small grin on her face as she watched the man from a few steps away as he cut firewood. He seemed lost in thought, and in personal thoughts even. Something in his expression was just very interesting to her for some reason.

After watching silent for a moment or two, she spoke to him, smiling calmly and casually trapping a rebellious strand of black hair behind her left ear. "Say, kind Sir, would you mind helping me with a bit of information, should you have it? I spoke with your Captain, but... She doesn't know much, and I feel I have reached a dead end. I am looking for a person, and the investigator I hired last saw him here. He would be a bit shorter than myself, black hair, black eyes, smiley face... Answers by the name of Luckas. It's very important that I find him."



Aiden halted suddenly at the gentle voice behind him, ax raised in mid swing before he let the handle slip through his fingers, gripping at the base of the blade. He seemed still in a daze from his thoughts, turning towards the voice, his caramel eyes hardening at the mention of Luckas. Yet that was all one could gather from his expression, his annoyance at the name as he quirked a brow, his eyes examining the women from head to toe before him. For a moment he pondered this woman’s beauty, and how she seemed to come off as a bit too polite, especially for one looking for Luckas. There was something he was missing. Nodding politely he scoffed to himself, pausing his gaze over her green eyes before turning back to his block of wood.

“Can’t tell you what I don’t know, Miss...That fool appears and disappears, acting like he’s invisable to the world. He’s not here, thank the Twins.” Aiden sighed, striking the block splitting it in two before reaching for another. Aiden was slightly annoyed at the idea of this little man being followed around by women, not understanding in the slightest what they would see in him. “He leave you stranded with couple kids or something?” He joked, chuckling briefly as he split another block.

The woman raised an eyebrow at the man's reaction to the name, a small frown crossing her features for a moment, changing from hopeful to slightly disappointed the moment it was mentioned that he wasn't there. At Aiden's question she laughed though, a giggle that sounded strangely like the ones that would come out of Luckas, only much softer and warmer. "Why do I sense a slight hopeful tone in that question, Sir?" She chuckled. "No, I'm afraid you don't understand. Luke is my little brother. I have been looking for him for a very long time... Both my brothers. I tracked them to Newhaven and discovered Matthew died in prison... I had no sign of Luckas until he was spotted in Blackpond and followed here. You say he appears and disappears? Do you suppose he'll be back?" She asked, a hopeful tone in her voice, eyes lighting up in excitement. "Do you know..." She hesitated, as if afraid to be asking too much. "Do you know why he comes here? Do you know if someone here might know more about him? I... Haven't seen him in... Thirteen years. I don't even think he remembers me." She mumbled, looking down at her feet, several conflicting emotions showing on her face. After a moment she looked up, forcing a smile. "Oh, I'm sorry! My name is Samantha. Call me Sam, if you will."



Aiden felt the hairs spike up along the back of his neck in response to the girl’s laughter. The uncomfortable chills followed by her words. “.... Luke is my little brother.” Splinters of wood flew in his last cut, pieces scattering from his massive swing before he faced the woman again, towering over her as his knuckles turned white from his grip upon the ax. Never had he had the desire to hit a woman more in his life, then just from the mere thought that she was related to Luckas, if it were true. Aiden merely stared, a mocking sneer crossing his lips. The array of her questions were prying into something perhaps deeper than just Luckas, and yet he was not sure what his instincts were telling him. He watched and listened to her “sob story” not feeling any sort of pity, nodding as she gave her name, yet refusing to give his in return. For a moment he thought if he gave any information, false or true, it may interfere with whatever plans Luckas had in returning here as it was obvious he would at some point. Out of spite or pride, personal gain, or just for the simple interests in their mutual friend, he knew Luke would be back. He almost opened his mouth before realizing there was not way to answer Sam’s questions without mentioning Ess in some way or another, and he didn’t feel that was his place to say to this stranger. Who was this woman, truly? Finally he spoke.

“...What makes you think....Miss Sam, that I would aid anyone involved with Luckas? It is quite obvious he and I are not friends, and if you are anything like him...I feel it would be wise for you to leave this camp as well.” Aiden’s tone was low, just above a growl with a hint of disgust. “And word to the wise..if that is a lie and you chose that story to gain favor in whatever you seek, you are quite the fool.” Aiden raised his arms out to his sides as he gave a bow at the waist, returning once again to his chores. A sudden bark caused his expression to soften as Tala appeared by his side, the hair upon her back raising as she sniffed where Sam’s knees would be, followed by a low growl bearing the white tips of her fangs. Aiden simply chuckled, giving a high whistle, calling Tala back a few paces where the wolf laid behind his feet. “I can always have Tala here show you the way out, if you find yourself lost?”

Sam raised an eyebrow at this man and his attitude towards her. A deeply offended look in her eyes as he spoke, she did not care for his words or his tone all too much, but she forced herself to keep her tone gentle. "I do not know, Sir, if I am anything like my brother... Last I saw him he was six years old. He and Matt were sweet little boys and that's how I remember them." She muttered, glaring at him with anger in her eyes. "I don't know what sort of problem the two of you have, but I have nothing to do with it, nor do I wish to have anything to do with it, but thank you for your quick judgement of my person based solely on my blood ties to him and for your implied threats, I'm sure that they were absolutely necessary and much clearer than a simple 'I won't help you'." She hissed, sarcasm and anger clear and her tone. "It was probably stupid of me to expect any sympathy from any stranger in times like these. Your Captain was at least polite, but I see that not all of you have the decency."

With that said, she heaved a sigh, not seeming disturbed or frightened by the wolf growling at her. "If there is a chance, any chance, that my brother will return to this place at any time... Don't expect your threats to keep me away. While I have no doubt you mean them, I've gone too far and I'm way too close to turn my back to the only family I have left in the world." She then smiled, taking a deep breath to calm herself before speaking again. "I will, however, leave you alone, kind Sir. I sincerely hope that you never lose yourself in the world, but if you do, I ask the Twins that you find the aid of someone more understanding than you have been today." Turning to walk to the exit of the camp she added: "Have a pleasant day."

Aiden snickered, his back still turned towards Sam at his success in ending her series of questions. A direct no, would of perhaps only drew out more pleas and talk, all of which Aiden was in no mood to entertain. He was skilled as a warrior, not in being tactful or diplomatic, yet he did almost wonder if he was wrong in his use of words. At the same time, he knew he could of chosen a far more crude path and found his restraint something he should be proud of.

“Yea, if your brother was soo sweet, then why’d he ‘die in a prison’...” Aiden muttered to himself, slightly entertained by the woman’s ‘speech.’ Glancing at the wolf over his shoulder he whistled, “Tala....Luckas?” The wolf stood at attention giving a faint growl at the name before she began sniffing the ground in circles, trotting off in response to her command she disappeared into the bushes in the same general direction as Sam went.

Simultaneously Ess quietly approached Aiden as he chopped firewood, catching her wolf run off passing the dark haired figure of a woman who appeared to be leaving their camp. Crossing her arms lightly across her chests she quirked a brow at Aiden, still unnoticed. “...Aiden....where are you sending my wolf off to?”

Aiden dropped the ax in his surprise at the sound of Ess’ voice, just missing his boot. He turned, facing her as her brushed a few brown locs from his face. “...Just testing that trick you and I were working on with Tala...and...” He pointed to the woman as she disappeared around a corner. “Making sure that ‘lovely’ young lady doesn’t get lost on her way out of our camp.”

Ess glanced curiously in the direction of the woman, then to where Tala had followed, back to Aiden. “..You really think Luke would leave such an easy trail for Tala to follow?”

Aiden shook his head. “Perhaps not, but that lady seems to know Luke’s been here and quite interested to know who is associated with him so she can find him....”

Ess’ eyes glowed, her arms falling limp to her sides as she approached Aiden curiously. “..What did you tell her? Who is she?” Ess’ tone went softer, barely above a whisper, a knot twisting slowly in her stomach.

Aiden shrugged, noticing the change in Ess’ demeanor at the mention of the strange woman. “.I really don’t know, but apparently she’s been poking around here today, questioning on Luckas’ where a bouts. I didn’t say anything, because I don’t know anything...She says, she’s his sister..but I’m not sure what to believe, even though she seemed convincing. I almost feel like an ass for being so curt with her, but don’t think for one second it was for...him.” Aiden’s expression softened, looking Ess in the eye before adding, “Talon....about the other night..”

Ess held up a hand, her eyes closing as if to shut out Aiden’s words. “Hush....it’s over, it’s done with....just ..don’t.” With a heavy sigh she muttered, “It’s I who should be sorry..” Opening her eyes she met his once again and smiled. She saw what he was doing for her and appreciated, especially after the way she had treated her friend. “In regards...to this woman’s claims..” Ess tactfully changed the subject. “...I can’t tell you if she speaks the truth or not, because I know not.” Turning back towards the brush, “...How far do you think Tala will go before she turns back? I think we should follow her.” Ess smiled not waiting for Aiden to respond as she jogged towards the stables where Shockwave was lodged, not even saddling him but climbed up bareback only holding onto his mane. In moments she was in pursuit, tracking her wolf, giving a friendly wave at the men hidden in the trees along the one entrance of the camp, a few black feathers swirling in the cold wind.

Four hours later, Ess and Aiden followed Tala back into camp, who had tracked Luckas’ scent about half way to Blackpond, within a two hour ride or so. It was impressive and if Ess had brought one of the pieces of clothing Luckas had worn with her, she may have gotten her wolf to pick up the scent once again. In all seriousness, she was proud of Tala and really was just hoping to come across that woman Aiden had been chatting with, yet she seemed to have disappeared along another road. Ess was a tad disappointed even though it really wasn’t her business, but she couldn’t help her curiousity and if maybe her attention was needed; after all Luke was keeping an eye on her, she could at least keep her eyes and ears open for him.

Later on that evening, after her lessons, she politely invited Aiden for a meal at her campfire. She honestly did not want to be by herself at the moment and wasn’t sure if it was because she was missing her friend or because she still felt bad for how she had treated Aiden the other day. After they had eaten, they chatted for some time, while Ess absently went through her drawings. Aiden had peeked over her shoulder to see what she was staring at when she suddenly went quiet and his eyes widened a bit in surprise.

“Talon...I didn’t know that you knew that Sam woman...the one I spoke to today.” He stated curiously, before adding. “Course you can’t see her eyes in your drawing..but I’m pretty sure it’s the same girl.”

Ess almost dropped the journal, her attention snapping away and up to Aiden. “What did you just say? I have never met this girl....this is someone from.....” Ess paused unsure if she should finish that sentence, but continued with a ‘to hell with it’ kind of shrug. “...From one of Luke’s memories...he can’t remember who she is though...” The violet hue of her eyes took on their expected glow with her change in emotion, as she examined her drawing she had only finished the other day.

“...Wait...how did you see his memories...”Aiden interrupted himself, his eyes narrowing in an almost repulsed expression. “You...LET him in your head? Isn’t that...dangerous?”

Ess didn’t even look away from her drawing, the tips of her fingers trailing along the outline of the girl. “Like I could stop him, but yes..he does not force anything on me...he does not hurt me...and it was an accident what I saw...” Her tone sharpened, growing offended. “Not that it’s your business Aiden...he IS my friend...in case you have forgotten..”

Aiden heaved a heavy sigh. “I don’t want to argue Talon, because you won’t listen to reason. So, some woman who gives me the willies, is looking for him..from his past...and he has no clue? I am no fan of him obviously, but he should probably know.”

Rolling her eyes in her growing aggravation, Ess kept her voice leveled. “Your reasoning is far from my reasoning...but yes if I had a way to contact him I would. But again...I don’t know exactly where he is...I mean I have a general idea, but that’s it.” Ess whipped her journal back inside her tent, not moving from her spot before the fire. “Aiden...I know you’re concerned...”

Aiden slid closer to Ess, gently and slowly taking her hand in his. “Don’t kill me now for being concerned....I can’t help it.” He smiled, the caramel tone of his eyes appearing to melt from the light from the fire. “Just don’t drown out everything I have to say, even though we don’t agree. You said so yourself, that not agreeing shouldn’t be an issue.”

Ess tried to pull back her hands, not sure if she felt comfortable with him so close. “Aiden....I ....I think it’s time for me to sleep....please...”

“Talon....why are you scared of me?”

“Aiden...please...just go....” Ess tugged her hands free, turning away from the man. “Goodnight Aiden.”

Aiden stood, his smile fading as he went to walk away. “...You’re giving Luckas a chance....why don’t I get one?” He didn’t stop in his tracks as he disappeared back to his cabin.

Quirking a brow, Ess muttered to herself not quite understanding Aiden’s words. “What the hell...does that mean? I do listen....He’s a friend..I am not friends with one because of the other....” Her fingers gently massaged the bridge between her eyes. Another hour went by as she kept dwelling on Aiden’s words and if indeed she was scared of him. Maybe she was, but not in the way he felt she should be scared of Luckas. With a quiet growl she pushed Aiden from her mind, thinking of Luckas. Closing her eyes she began singing to herself, remembering his words of encouragement and that he may hear her. It was silly for her to think he could if he wasn’t around, but who knew if he was or not for sure. It made her think of her journal, how she would write to ‘Blue Eyes’, even though he was no longer of this world, but maybe he would hear her and in way speak back to her.

Ripped and Torn apart...
Sewn together in time...
Rediscovered the lost...
Evading what was right..
Still embracing all that’s wrong...


My skin crawls away..
As you near to touch..
Lips crave to stay...
Deception’s Crutch...

When Ess opened her eyes, she felt relaxed, yet her eyes longingly searched the shadows around her just in case. “Oh Tala...I’m a fool...” She whispered to her wolf as she stood, pausing to look for stars above her in the current cloud cover. Her shoulders slouched in disappointment before she shuffled into her tent to sleep away the rest of the night.
~~~~

[White Shadows Encampment-Same Day]

Luckas reached Blackpond in the middle of the afternoon, only to find a message from Lena asking him to meet her in the Plains. The moment he arrived in the healers' encampment, the woman was nowhere to be found. Not quite sure if he should wait, he decided to stay the night with the healers. Most of the time he was wondering about the ruins of the destroyed villages, but as the night advanced and grew colder he forced himself to join some of the healers seated by the fire in the center of camp. A rather good looking young woman immediately offered him tea and food, while some of the healers who remembered his time in the camp, took turns shooting him nervous glares. He didn't pay much attention to what anyone was saying; he could tell that the young lady that had served him had sat beside him and was rambling on about something, but his mind was, at this point, distant.

Luckas wasn't sure for how long he drifted off, but he came back to his senses when the person sitting beside him gave him a playful nudge, and he recognized that nudge.

"What're you doing?" Annie's voice sounded, confirming the identity of his 'attacker'.
"What do you mean?" Luke asked, not looking at her.
"I mean you were humming, and I'm pretty sure your eyes changed color for a second." Annie explained. "What were you doing?"
"I wasn't humming." Luckas stated simply, taking a sip of tea and taking notice that it had gotten cold. "Maybe I dozed off for a second."
"Uh-huh." Annie mumbled, not concealing her amusement. "You've actually managed to get weirder, Luke."
"What color?" He asked absently.
"Huh?"
"You said my eyes changed color... What color?"
"I don't know Luke it was just a second..." She shrugged. "Why, did you see something?"
"No, not exactly... Never mind though. I'm probably just tired." He said, forcing a small chuckle.
"You still should let mother know about this when she gets back." Annie insisted. "And eat your food... When was the last time you ate?" She said, nudging him again.
Luckas nodded simply, noticing the bowl of stew he'd sat down on the ground before him, untouched, and picking it up. "I eat." He mumbled before taking a spoonfull of food to his mouth, chewing on the rabbit meat quietly for a few minutes before swallowing and turning to face the girl. Annie looked awfully tired, and far less cheerful than he remembered her being just a couple of years ago. "So you eat? You look like you can't stand." He joked.
"Shut up." She laughed. "Why, do I concern you sweetie?" She asked, absently leaning into him as she spoke.
"No." He muttered, annoyed, pushing her away. "I have enough concerns, thank you very much."
Annie sat up straight immediately as she heard him say that. "You do? I thought never worrying was the best part of not caring?" She asked, remembering the words he once told her. "You've surely changed."
"Not all changes come for the best." Luke whispered absently, standing up. "I think I should get a few hours of sleep before leaving. Tell 'mother' to summon me when she's available next time around. I do have things to do, as she is well aware of."

“Captain? Captain!” Mageria was in the middle of eating breakfast when one of her men’s shouts caught her attention. He ran up and shoved a letter at her; curiously he was followed by a staggering white robbed healer. Mageria only spared a thought for that, she was too busy ready the letter that was shoved into her hand. If it was something that bad, maybe they had been attacked? She scanned hastily scrawled lines and felt her face go pale. Looking up, she saw the same frozen expression on the Healer’s face. He nodded, grimly.

“Saddle my horse. Now.” Mageria shoved away from the table, running towards the door. She grabbed the Healer, pulling him along behind her.
“What happened?” She swung her coat on, breath pluming out as she waited.
“We don’t know, Captain. Just that he’s had some kind of fit and that Lena is . . . Lena is. . .” He choked up, unable to continue. Mageria gripped him by the shoulder, pulling him close.
“I know. We’ll find out what happened, I promise.” Her horse was pulled in front of her, prancing a bit at the excitement. She swung into the saddle, leaning down to grab Mathew by the shoulder.
“No one is to follow me.” He looked defiant for a moment. “I mean it. Nobody is to follow me. This is something that only I can deal with. Anybody else will either die or make things worse. Nobody follow me!”

Pulling her horse’s head around, Mageria pounded out of camp as fast as she could go, guided almost more by memory than by sight in the early morning gloom. Knowing what was happening, what could be happening . . . time stretched out in a hellish blur. She almost missed the turn that was the road between Newhaven and Blackpond. The road that Luckas would have followed if he was headed where Annie thought he was. Mageria looked between the directions, torn. She had no way of knowing where he was really going.

Of the choices, where is the worst possible place for him to be going?

Newhaven.

Swearing, Mageria headed back towards the city that had so recently exiled her. This was not going to be easy by any stretch of the imagination. But she truly was the only one who could get anywhere near the boy right now.

I can’t get through the gates, I’m too well known. They don’t mess around with the point of death bit to an exile; I’ll be shot long before I can complete the mission.

Mageria swung off the main path and swung around the perimeter of Newhaven, searching for a point in the wall that she knew very well. It was an old drainage tunnel, not pleasant to be running through, but it would get her where she was going. Coming up on it, she dismounted, taking a precious moment to tether her horse to a tree. Then she was off again, running as hard as she could through the tunnel. The smells inside nearly choked her, lending an ironic note to the whole experience.

If I was to return, didn’t think it’d be like this.

Mageria reached the end of the tunnel, scrambling a bit to make it up the side. Looking around, she decided to head towards the lower City. That’s where Luckas would have entered Newhaven, if he was as bad off as Annie had said, she’d be able to track him fairly easily. Pulling her hood up securely over her head, she started running again, taking streets that she knew very well indeed. After the quiet of the camp, being back in Newhaven was almost disorienting. The noise, all the people, the buildings, the smells . . . the screaming.

Well, sounds like he made it this far.

Pulling an extra burst of speed from somewhere she didn’t even know she had, Mageria ran down the street as if the demons of Hell were following her, instead of waiting in front of her. Somewhere along the way her hood flew off, leaving her fiery red hair streaming behind like a banner. She followed the screams, passing a couple people on the ground, some running away, some just pointing in shock. She started loosing track of where she was, just knowing that she was headed in the right direction. Ahead of her was a door. It was dead silent behind it, honestly she would have preferred screaming. Then she would have known that somebody was still alive in there. But a feeling in her gut told her it was the right place, so she simply lowered her shoulder and smashed her way in, looking around wildly to find the one she sought.

It was one of her blessings that she could take in a situation at a glance and act on that knowledge. Because Mageria had about 5 seconds to act when she slammed in the door. There were several people standing in one doorway, staring in terror down the hall. She pushed past them and kept going, coming across a scene that warranted the terror in one woman’s eyes. She was looking at Luckas sitting in the corner, holding a knife to a little girl’s throat. He was muttering something to himself and clearly had no idea what was really going on. She could see his grip tightening, the bright edge so close to the pale skin of her throat . . . Mageria’s hand flashed to the knife on her belt and whipped forward, her own knife flew through the air, spinning end over end to smash into Luckas’s elbow. The knife jerked away from the little girl’s throat and Mageria continued her rush across the room to grab the arm holding the little girl and wrench it away, she thought maybe something cracked but it was more important to get the little girl away. She slung the child back behind her, there was a scuffling sound as the older woman leapt forward to snatch the girl.

Mageria didn’t pay any attention to that, instead she grabbed Luckas by the shirt front, slamming him up against the wall. While she was immune to his special power, the rest of the people here weren’t and he could still command them to attack her, so she did what she considered the most merciful thing. She pulled back one arm, and struck, hitting Luckas on the chin as hard as she could. His head snapped backwards with a dull thunk, eyes rolling up in his head as he slumped. Mageria sank down next to him, panting; thanking the Twins that she had gotten there in time.

“Who . . . who are you?” The older woman knelt on the floor with her arms around the little girl, tears in her eyes.
“She’s the traitor, Mageria Talsheir.” That flat announcement was accompanied by the ringing sound of blades being drawn, as one of the White Guard filled the doorway. Mageria looked up, hair hanging in her eyes as she panted. She couldn’t even stand up, as he had positioned himself so that he could lunge and skewer her if she so much as twitched.
“You were told to leave and never return, on pain of death, Talshier. You think we’ll forget that so quickly?”
“No, I think that you’ll let me go, because if this boy wakes up, he’ll tear the Castle down around your ears. You can’t kill him, because he’s clearly not in his right mind.” She swallowed hard. “And because the leader of the White Shadows, Annie Turner specifically asked for my help in bringing him to her.” There was a brief pause as he digested this, not wanting to go against the White Shadows, as that could lead to serious consequences in the future. Too significant a pause, it turned out, as Mageria took underhanded advantage of his distraction and lunged again, sweeping his feet out from under him and smashing his head into the floor. “Sorry,” she sighed. This wouldn’t bring her any good will if she ever tried to come back again, but it couldn’t be helped.

She had seconds at best. Kneeling, she pulled one of Luckas’s arms over her shoulder, hefting him up with a grunt. The other arm was definitely broken.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly to the woman and the girl, who still huddled next to the wall. She carefully stepped over the Guard on the floor, leaving as quickly as she could. She actually left as the rest of the Guard was running up the road. She barely avoided them, using her knowledge of back alleys and hidden ways to move back to the drainage tunnel; making it with just a few near misses.

Behind her, the little girl slipped away from the woman holding her, walking over to where Mageria and Luckas had been. In the violence of the moment, several of the feathers from her hair tie had fallen out. The little girl picked one of them up, running the ebony feathers through her fingers and smiling a little bit.

Mageria’s feet were dragging as she finally made her way out of the tunnel. She had been running ever since she got the letter, now she was simply out of energy. Dully, she plodded her way over to where her horse waited, still tethered to a tree. With a deep sigh, she unceremoniously dumped Luckas off her shoulder, dropping him next to a tree. With the last of her will, she staggered a few steps away, dropping down next to a trunk and leaning back on it, gasping for air as the white plumes of her breath rose up to mingle with the snow clad branches above her.

Mageria finally caught her breath and sat up, crouching over Luckas to see just what shape he was in. He was still out cold, muttering under his breath as eyes shifted frantically under their lids. Obviously he was still dreaming or having visions, either way it couldn't be good for him. Gently she reached out and shook his shoulder, but there was no sign that he even felt in. leaning back, she sighed before realizing that his left forearm was broken. Obviously it had happened sometime during her dragging him out of Newhaven.
"Sorry," she whispered under her breath. Well, that was something she could take care of, at least. A couple minutes work with a knife and a branch and she had it reasonably well splinted. It wasn't the best work, but it would heal straight and that was all that really mattered.
The amazing thing was that Luckas still hadn't woken up throughout the entire thing; instead he was still caught in whatever it was that held him. Rather ironic, considering what he and his brother did to people.

Mageria was musing over the way the Twins sometimes played jokes on their children when there was a snapping of twigs in the underbrush. She twisted up, dagger in one hand when a grey head pushed its way through the bushes. Tala gave a happy whine, trotting over to nose at her coat.
"Hello there. I suppose I can't order you not to follow me, 'eh?" Mageria ran her hands through the wolf's coat, noting the signs of pregnancy.
"As if the camp wasn't crowded enough." She sighed, mock glaring at the wolf. "And I suppose you'll be wanting your own place, no? Well, we'll see about that." She got up and dusted the snow off her coat, quickly unsaddling her horse and wrapping Luckas in the horse blanket. It was better than leaving him lying in the snow and she couldn't give up her own coat. She leaned back against a nearby tree, using the saddle as a backrest. Tala curled up next to her, resting her head in Mageria's lap. Together the two of them watched for signs of the sleeper waking, the surrounding forest so quiet that the snow falling from the trees was easily heard.

[Week one – day two]

"So..." Luckas started, absently kicking a pebble out of his way as he walked with Lena in the general direction of the Castle, but not through the fastest route. "What do you want me to do this time?" He asked.
"First things first, kid: I have some things to share with you." Lena said, watching him with the corner of her eyes.
"Share? With me?" Luckas raised an eyebrow. "That's a new one."
"Well... I didn't tell you everything I know about you, and how you came to be." Lena stated. "I wasn't sure of it all yet, but I don't think I have the option of withholding this information anymore." She explained. "About, I think, twenty years ago, there were several kidnappings and disappearances of non-Enlightened children who later turned up dead as a result of early awakenings."
"Awakening is when an Enlightened ability first manifests, if I recall correctly, so... You're saying there were others. That was already presumed, no?" Luckas asked.
"It's not just that. These occurrences fit into something that was considered, even by the White Shadows, to be only Legend. Have you ever heard of The Order, Luckas?"
"No, I don't think I've heard or read about that." He told her, still kicking the pebble down the road.
"Well... The Order is a cult, created by an Enlightened man, it is said to exist ever since the first Children left this world. You remember that Myth?" She asked.
"The Myth of Hell... I remember it clearly." Luckas muttered, a slight growl escaping him at the words.
"What's that about?" Lena asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Nothing, carry on." Luke replied, kicking the pebble a bit violently and losing it in the dark streets.
"It is said that this cult was originated shortly after the first Children were killed, with the intent to 'prevent' Enlightened from ever becoming such a threat again by killing those who used their Enlightenments to hurt or take advantage of others. In a way, they were followers of Life's Son, but never openly. Over the years the cult became more and more obsessed with their mission to protect the population from the "Godsend menace" as they called it, and they came to believe that the only way to truly do so was to eliminate all Enlightened."
"Wait; wasn't the man who created them Enlightened?" Luckas asked. "And weren't Enlightened only few back then?"
Lena chuckled. "I'm only telling you the story; we'll get to the truth a bit later." She stated. "May I continue, please?"
"Sure, go ahead." Luke nodded, hiding his hands in his pockets and watching her from the corner of his eyes as they walked, not even watching which path they were taking anymore.
"The man who founded the cult was, is, known only as 'Master'. Of course it has not been the same man all this time, although it is rumored, but generations of the same family, bearers of the same gift; The gift is something called 'Power-Imprint', and it means that this person is not born with a magical ability in itself, but with the power to grant abilities to others."
"You already told me this." Luckas stated.
"Shut up, kid, let me talk." Lena scolded, shaking her head slightly. "That was the myth, as I said. The real accounts that may be connected to The Order are only a few hundred years old, although I personally believe they are older then that. It is speculated that they might have had some involvement in the starts of the war, but that's not proven. There are no living witnesses of their activity; no one knows how they operate…" She stopped walking and turned to face Luckas. “Technically, you are the only living proof that it is even possible for a non-Enlightened to be granted a magical ability.”
“So, I’m proof that these people are out there?” Luckas asked, scratching his head. “How am I still alive then? I mean, why would they risk having me around?”
“Exactly.” Lena stated. “You’d think that killing you would be a more effective method of stopping you from exposing them, instead someone erased your memory.”
“I still don’t understand what you want from me.” Luke muttered, not liking at all where this was going.
“Someone wanted you alive badly enough to take that risk, Luckas.” Lena explained. “And I believe that if you show yourself enough they will come to you.”
“You want to use me as bait?” Luckas asked, sounding a little bit offended.
“Not quite bait. I want you to find your way back into their ranks, Luckas. Find out who their Master is and how they function.”
“What do I do with that information once I have it and how far do you allow me to go to get it?” He asked.
“Find out how they operate and what they want, once you have that information, share it with the Black Knights.” Lena hesitated for a second, but then added with a sigh. “As for how far you are allowed to go… I expect you to act as one of them and that includes doing some things you’re not used to doing.”
“What is that?” Luke asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Killing because you’re told to. Killing innocent people... Those are things you pride yourself in not doing Luke, are you sure you’re up to it?”
“Well… That’s what I was meant to do, no?” He asked. “I should have it in me somewhere.”
“I’m sure you do, that’s not what I meant.” She replied.
“Oh, I see… You’re worried I’ll enjoy myself too much and you’ll lose your favorite pet.” He snickered. “Give me a little bit of credit, huh? I do have some self-control.”

. . . .

The conversation took place a couple days ago and Luckas had left for Blackpond in that same night. The next couple of days were interesting to say the least, Luckas mainly ran around the city falling into every trap he could find and using his gift to get himself out of it. The last one had been a little bit more than he could handle and he ended up almost having his throat slit, after being beaten into submission by three men once they realized he had absolutely nothing on him to steal. He eventually managed to get free, but he was hurt, and must have passed out in the alley because next thing he knew, he was waking up in a dark basement.

Opening his eyes and finding himself on the floor of a damp, cold, and poorly lit, room immediately sent Luckas into a state of panic and he jumped to his feet, eyes wide as he tripped over his own feet to try and find the door. Once he reached it, however, he found that there was no way to open it from his side. “Hey!” He called, banging on the door, he could hear footsteps on the other side, but there was no answer. Heaving a sigh Luckas slammed his body against the metal door, which he regretted deeply as the pain reminded him of the beating he suffered the night before. His ribs and shoulders ached and he felt momentarily out of breath as he dropped to his knees with a groan. “Shit.” He muttered, sitting down on the ground by the door, trying to see something in the pitch black of the room. It was all so hauntingly familiar that he couldn’t stop himself from shivering intensely at the thought of being locked in that place. After a few moments of forcing himself to breathe, however, he managed to calm himself and relax, almost falling back to sleep, until the sound of the heavy door opening startled him back to reality.

The door opened and light flooded the basement in such a familiar way that Luckas once again felt himself shiver. The door opened, but he didn’t move as if awaiting permission, as if he was once again a five year old unable to fend for himself. That was illogical, but logic didn’t apply here, Luckas felt as if he was willingly walking back into a nightmare he had been lucky to escape. Maybe it was all just an illusion and he never left at all, maybe he was just waking up after a really long dream, maybe that’s all Life was, really: A long and exhausting dream.

“Are you going to sit there forever? I really don’t plan on waiting here all day.” A voice muttered from outside the room. “Suppose you feel right at home in a dark, rat infested, hole, huh Luckas?”
Luckas glared at the clarity coming from the opened door, squinting as it stung his eyes, and stood up groaning from the ache in his body. As he stepped out of the room he saw a table with two chairs, sitting in one of them was black skinned man, dressed in black clothing from head to toe, only his eyes were a dark green; all else in him was black. Luckas stood and stared at him for a very long time until the man’s eyes flashed in a light yellow color and he grinned. “Don’t even try to poke at my brain, I know all about your tricks. Now sit, let’s have a chat.”

Luckas flinched as the man indicated the vacant chair, but after a moment he sat. “Who are you? How do you know my name?”
“I know a lot about you. I even know the real reason why you’re here.” The man stated. “Although, you may not know that yourself quite yet...” He shook his head in amusement. “As for whom I am… My name is Ezekiel, you may call me Zeke if you rather.”
“Alright, Zeke… Why am I here then?” Luckas asked.
The man chuckled. “You are here because you don’t belong anywhere else, do you, Brother?”
“I’m not your brother.” Luke muttered.
“We’ll see.” The man replied. “You know why you have been brought here, Luckas. Don’t pretend you haven’t been trying to get our attention. If it was up to me, you would be dead right now, but our Master feels differently, so I’m here to evaluate whether you are worthy of rejoining our brotherhood, or if you should be eliminated.”

“Are those the only two options?” Luckas grinned. “Oh, well… What do I have to do to join the ‘cool guys club’? He asked, leaning back in his seat.
Zeke opened a smirk. “Survive.”

[Week One – day four]

Luckas spent the next days in that basement, sleeping on the floor, eating when he was given food, much like when he was a kid, except with far less beatings, but not completely without them unfortunately. Submitting to this was a part of his so called evaluation; to show that he would obey, submit to the Order, under any circumstances… He hated it, but endured. He wasn’t sure for how long he’d stayed in that hole, but he was startled one morning when the door was opened and instead of breakfast, a lady in blue clothing walked in holding a black leather bag. “You are aware of hierarchy, yes?”
“Yes.” Luckas confirmed.
“You will do as I say.”
“Yes.”
“Stand up and undress.” She commanded.
Luckas stood, slowly, an inquiring expression on his face as he removed his clothes, all too uncomfortable, but not wanting to disobey. It was only when he spotted the medical kit that he relaxed slightly. When the woman turned to face him he bowed his head as if awaiting instructions.
“How long have you been down here, boy?” She asked him.
“I’m not sure ma’am.”
She sighed and walked to the door, glaring at someone outside. “How long as he been in conditioning, Ezekiel?”
“Two days.”
“It’s too soon.” The woman argued.
“He has already been conditioned as a child, it seems… I do not wish to argue, but I have my orders, ma’am.”
“Of course.” She agreed.
Luckas lifted his head, momentarily forgetting his role in this; he was sure he had been there longer… Or maybe his mind played tricks on him again. He quickly turned his gaze to the stone floor as the woman returned to examine him. Ezekiel hadn’t exactly explained hierarchy to him, only that until he was told otherwise he should do whatever he was told without question, that he had to earn his freedom. Luckas suddenly startled as the woman in blue grabbed him by the wrist.
“Relax.” She told him; unwrapping the bandages on his forearm and examining the teeth marks underneath. “Dog bite?”
“Wolf.” He corrected.
“What about these?” She asked, pointing at the claw marks on his chest.
“Bear.” He replied immediately.
“You were attacked by a bear and a wolf?” The woman asked, not convinced. “These are rather large even for a bear.”
Luckas winced as he felt the woman’s fingers trace the marks on his chest. “I had a run-in with a shape-shifter; she was not fond of me.” He stated, using the unrelated fact to explain the wounds.
“Who treated these wounds?” The woman asked reaching for the medical kit and redressing the wolf bite with clean bandages.
“A woman from Newhaven…” Luckas stated.
“Is she Enlightened?”
“No.”
“Do you have friends?”
“Not sure I’d call them that.”
“Family?”
“No.”
“Lover?”
Luckas snorted slightly. “Yeah, right... No.”
“Have you told anyone you were coming to us?”
“No.”
“The moment anyone is made aware of the brotherhood, they will be eliminated.” She warned. “It is not required, but it advised that you disengage yourself from any friendships, or acquaintances, acquired while away from the Order.” She stated, absently examining the several bruises, and the partially healed slash in his neck.
“I will keep it in mind.” Luckas stated.
“You may get dressed now.” She told him, turning away to leave the room.

Luckas sighed and put his clothes back on, muttering angrily to himself as he did so, but taking notice of the fact that the door remained open. Fully dressed, he waited, and a few minutes later Ezekiel entered the room. “The Mistress says you are healthy, so you come with me today.”
“What for?” Luckas asked.
“I have a task to complete, and you will help me. If you succeed to follow my orders through this, you will be welcomed back to the Order.”
“Already? I thought… It’d take longer.”
Ezekiel snorted out in annoyance. “So did I, kid.”

Luckas was allowed a moment to eat breakfast, and have a drink of water, and then was ordered to follow Zeke through the city, curiously watching the black man as his eyes were glowing a bright yellow and noticing that people were freezing where they stood as they walked past. “What are you doing to them?” He whispered the question to the man.
“I stun them, so they don’t see us walks past.” The man replied simply. “It’s called mental paralysis; works by proximity.”
“Why doesn’t it affect me then?” Luckas asked, raising an eyebrow as they neared a simple peasant home.
“Because, your magic and my magic are the same, from the same source, and so I cannot affect you and you cannot affect me.” He replied. “We’re here.” He stated as they reached the door to the house. Zeke didn’t waste any time with explaining what they were going to do; he kicked the door in and stormed into the house. “Do not move!” He shouted at someone inside.
Luckas was about to go in, but hesitated a moment when he heard a little girl’s voice scream. The sound was muffled as Zeke muttered out for her to be quiet. It made him uneasy, but he ignored the sick feeling in his stomach and entered the house.

Once inside Luckas caught the sight of a man in his mid-thirties, seated on a chair, glaring in anger a Zeke had a firm grip on a girl’s neck. The child seemed to be around six or seven years old; a pretty little girl with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. No one seemed to even notice his presence as they argued over some incorrect information the man had given the Order.

“No.” Zeke stated simply. “No more deals. Did you honestly think we wouldn’t discover the truth, Healer?”
“She had nothing to do with this, it was my fault.”
“Should have thought of that before lying to us, Daddy. Now shouldn’t you?” Zeke replied, lifting the girl up by her neck, grinning as she started to choke.
“Please, don’t! I will tell you whatever you need to know! Please!” The man pleaded, but Zeke didn’t seem to mind him.
“Here’s the new deal: You are going to die and the kid is going to die. You cannot change that, but I will give you one choice.” Zeke stated releasing the girl and letting her hit the ground coughing and wheezing. “My friend here, is going to tear your mind to bits, your kid however can die a quick and painless death if you give me what I want.”
“I don’t have it.” The man answered.
“Wrong answer.” Zeke muttered, grabbing the little girl by the hair, ignoring her cries, and dropping her at Luke’s feet. “Go ahead, boy.”
Luckas felt very sick and helpless looking down at that girl, curled up sobbing on the floor. She was going to die and he knew it; there was nothing he could do about it, but he was honestly not thrilled with having to be the one to kill her… She didn’t deserve that kind of death.

“Luckas, do it now!”

Zeke’s voice pierced through Luke’s ears, forcing him to move despite how he despised the idea of it. He crouched down and heaved a small sigh, reaching out to brush some hair away from the girl’s face, trying to see her eyes, hidden behind her hands. “Answer me: What is your name?” He whispered.
“Hannah.” The girl replied.
“Hannah…” Luke repeated the name in a whisper. “Just don’t fight it, and it’ll be over soon…”
“Will it hurt?” The question caught Luckas by surprise as the child lifted her head to face him.
“Yes. It will.” He replied, eyes flashing a menacing red as he spoke.
“Wait, wait, wait! I’ll give you whatever you want! Please, don’t!” The father shouted.
“Luckas… Wait.” Zeke commanded.
Luckas groaned in a mix of frustration and relief as he pulled away from the girl, standing straight. “Please stay down.” He told her. It wasn’t a command, but the little girl was too frightened of him to disobey, staring up at him with terror in her eyes.
Zeke seemed to be losing his patience with the father. “Now… Stuart… What can you possibly give me?”
“I... Gave the journal to a friend to safe keep… Twins forgive me…” The man mumbled. “Twins help him… His name is Nate. Nate Morris. He was my commanding officer when I served in the Guard as a boy. Please, don’t do this to my daughter, please…”
“Very well…” Zeke stated, pulling a knife from his belt and offering it to Luckas. “The quickest, most painless, way it is.”
Luckas winced, but didn’t hesitate to take the knife.
“Make sure he watches.” Zeke commanded.
Luckas nodded quietly. “Hannah, please, stand up.” Luckas asked, keeping his eyes on the seated man. “Watch your daughter.” He commanded the man, his eyes flickering in the same brown tone as the man’s for a split second. “And say goodbye.” He grabbed the girl by the shoulder and turned her around to face the man, he held the girl by the chin and pressed the knife against her throat. “This will not hurt.” He told her.

Time was moving slowly, in slow motion it seemed; the father mumbled apologies to his little girl, promising he would see her soon as the blade sunk onto her flash and slid across her neck. In reality, it all took a minute. Warm blood soaked Luke’s hands and stained the blade as he felt the girl’s body go limp; he released her and he released the knife as well; hands shivering in rage. He barely caught Zeke’s next words, but he caught them unfortunately.

“Tear his mind to pieces. Find everything you can about this Nate Morris… Then finish him.”


Luckas had left the house trembling in anger, blood still staining his hands, but he didn’t seem to notice, remaining silent as he followed Zeke until they had left the city and entered the woods. That is when the man started to speak. “You did well, Brother… Very well indeed… I was sure you were going to refuse; I was told you have a soft spot for children, but no… You were the perfectly obedient killer you were always meant to be; Obedient and deadly as a war-hound.”
The words caused Luckas to stop in his tracks. “I am no one’s pet!” He shouted.
Zeke stopped as well and turned to face Luckas with an amused smile. “You are a pet, a slave, a servant; that is all you are. You live to serve the Master, because if you did not you would not live. Are we clear?” The man muttered, stepping forward towards the telepath. “Or should we go back to the basement, boy?” He asked, giving Luckas a shove forceful enough to knock him back to the ground.

Luckas sat where he fell, but only for a moment… Soon he let out a growl and rose to his feet lunging forward and tackling Ezekiel at the waist; which was a stupid thing to do to a man who was twice his size and obviously knew how to fight. Zeke put a hold around Luke’s neck with one arm and with his free hand punched him in the stomach twice, not releasing his hold as Luke coughed and struggled to catch a breath. “Easy, boy.” The man laughed. “Now, I will not hold this against you this time, the first kill is always a difficult one… Especially when it involves families, but trust me; it will get easier.” He released Luckas, crouching down next to him as he fell to his knees, still coughing. “You will be branded tonight, and I will no longer be you handler; we will stand as equals. Then, you will understand.”

[Later that night]

Luckas wasn’t told much about the ceremony he was about to go through, although ‘branding’ is not much of a mysterious name, however he was told he would have to take an oath, and that made him nervous. The fact that he was asked to enter without a shirt, only made it worse. The small area he was left to wait in seemed like a servants’ area; it was small, humble, and poorly lit. Luckas wasn’t shown much of the ‘Manor’, as Ezekiel had called it, but he was told he would get to see it all once he was officially a Brother.

The wait was making Luckas anxious, and by the time he was sent for by a woman in grey clothing he had moved from his chair to pace around the room. He followed the woman down a hallway and into a room where people stood in a semi-circle, half of them in blue and half of them in black, all with hoods concealing their faces. One woman stood in the center of the circle, also in blue, face also hidden; next to her was a branding iron, still immerged in flames. “Step forth.” She commanded, motioning towards a white circle drawn on the floor. Inside the circle was the symbol of a sword running through an eye. Luckas walked forward until he was standing in the white circle, at which point the people moved to close a full circle around him and the woman. Luckas kept his head bowed in respect, even though he wanted to see her face, something in her voice gave him chills and he didn’t know why. “Luckas, do you swear your life to the Order as of this moment? Do you surrender your life and your fate to its Master and embrace those here present as your brothers and sisters?
“I do.” Luckas replied, his head still bowed before the woman.
“Do you accept that you are an instrument of the Brotherhood to be used as seen fit by the Master and disposed of if for the good of the cause?”
“Yes, I do.” Luckas agreed, the sickening feeling back to his stomach, but he pushed it back and kept his voice firm.
“Turn around.” The woman commanded.

Luckas turned, now facing the crowd of people around him, faces hidden in shadows, his new family it seemed. It all felt somewhat familiar, although he’d never been there before; he was sure. He winced slightly as he felt the woman’s touch on his back; her fingers slowly grazing the skin until they rested on the spot on his left shoulder. “Get on your right knee, please.” She asked.

Luckas obeyed, and got on his right knee, resting his arms over his left leg, knowing what would come next. The woman’s voice sounded in a soft, yet firm tone over his head. “You have sworn your loyalties to the Order, and now you are marked with the symbol of the Brotherhood so that you and your loyalties are forever bound to us.” As she said that Luckas felt the painful sting of the branding iron burning the mark onto his shoulder. His entire body tensed and shuddered, but he did not scream; only letting out a small growl at the blinding pain that seemed to last forever. Once the iron was lifted from his skin he was asked to stand and as he did he stumbled forward, being immediately caught by two of the people in blue clothing, something was whispered to him, but he didn’t quite understand, feeling himself slowly fade out of consciousness.

[Week two – day five]

“There you are, kid!” Ezekiel exclaimed. “Where have you been the past two days?”
“I was deciding on what I was told to do…” Luckas answered, not raising his eyes from his breakfast. The dining hall was empty now, except for the two of them, Luke had slept as late as he could to try and keep out of any conversations; the other ‘Branded’ seemed rather curious with him for whatever reason and he disliked all the attention.
“And?” Ezekiel asked, sitting across from him.
“I haven’t.” Luckas stated, taking a big bite of bread.
“That’s dangerous, kid, you know that.” Zeke scolded. “If anyone finds out you are involved with the Order you will be required to kill them.”
“I know, I just thought… It’d be easier.” Luke muttered, looking away from the man.
“Someone in particular?” Zeke asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Humph.” Luke mumbled.
“Is there, boy?” The man insisted.
“It’s not like that, it’s more like… A personal goal of sorts...” Luckas replied with a little grin crossing his features. “Still, not your business, is it?”
“I guess not. At least not yet...” The man stated. “And you better not make it my business if you know what’s good for you.”
“Humph.”
Zeke gave an annoyed sigh and slapped the back of Luke’s head with enough force to make him hit his forehead on the table. “What’s that you said, kid?”
“I understand.” Luke muttered, rubbing his head. “Why are you here?”
“Come with me.” Zeke retorted, with an annoyed sigh.
Luckas got up and followed the man up to third floor of the manor, to his room. Once inside he noticed new clothes and a pair of boots had been left there for him, Zeke had stopped at the door. “Change, and toss these old clothes out, then meet me in the main hall. I can trust you not to get lost, now can’t I?”
“Sure.” Luke stated.

Ezekiel left and closed the door behind him, and Luckas let out a deep breath as he began to change his clothes. “Whatever it takes...” He muttered under his breath. “Better be damn worth it.” He tossed his clothes away in a corner of the room; he knew it would be clean when he got back, and began to change into the new clothes. He didn’t remember ever wearing anything that nice before. He sighed, wondering if Ezekiel had noticed the fact that the clothes he was wearing weren’t the same as the ones he left with two days ago, if he did, he didn’t say… And that was very possible. Before putting on his shirt he walked to a mirror and turned his back to it, looking over his shoulder to the mark branded onto the back of his left shoulder. The burn was almost completely healed, but the mark would never fade.

After he finished getting dressed he walked down the hall, stopping at the top of the stairs and trying to peek at the end of the opposite hallway. He was not allowed there and it was supposedly where Elite and the Master himself slept at night, but he couldn’t see the end of the hall and so he continued until he met Zeke in the main hall of the mansion. “Now what?” He asked.
“Nate Morris.” Zeke stated, leading him out the door. “Time to hunt.”

[Week three – day five]

Luckas was standing before a woman in blue clothing, the same woman who had treated his wounds in the basement, with his head bowed as she asked him questions about his latest kill, a rather personal kill.
“No one said I was not allowed to kill outside given targets.” He argued. “The man was scum, and that’s my type of prey, I hunted and I killed.”
“We tell you who to hunt and who to kill, Luckas. This is not to repeat itself, are we clear?” She spat, anger in her tone. “If you draw attention to yourself or compromise the cause, you will be disposed of, as well as anyone who might know you exist.” Silence lingered in the room for a moment and she repeated her question. “Are we clear?”
“Yes, Mistress.” Luckas mumbled, eyes sparkling red in his anger, but not showing in his voice; his tone was nothing but respectful.
“Leave my presence.” She stated coldly.

“Where the hell were you last night?” Ezekiel muttered out as Luckas reached the main hall.
“Oh, I’m sorry dear, were you expecting me for dinner?” Luckas muttered. “I was visiting some old friends, but you know that already, so what’s the problem?”
“The problem is who your friends are, Luckas.” The man muttered. “Is that why you were called by the higher-ups?”
“Oh, come on! Are you seriously afraid of a bunch of healers?” Luckas laughed. “They’re harmless.” He snorted out in annoyance. “No. It was about this low-life I offed in the city last week. He won’t be missed, I don’t see what the big deal is.”
“Doesn’t matter, you don’t want to be called to see the blues, ever, if Master is displeased with you, it’s the end.” The man stated. “And the White Shadows are the remaining survivors of Blackhurst, must I explain this again? They hold the knowledge we need.”
“Yes. Isn’t looking at their archives sort of a big deal?” Luckas asked. “Sometimes you need to play nice to get what you want.”
“Well, I have a new mark for you. That might shake your good relations with the Healers, though. If you’re not up for it…” Ezekiel grinned.
“What is it?” Luckas asked immediately.
Ezekiel laughed softly and began walking through a hall. “Walk with me, I’ll show you.”

Luckas followed Zeke through the halls and passages of the large mansion until they were on a large courtyard; a beautiful garden like Luckas had never seen before. There was a small crowd of people scattered through the yard, gathered in small groups talking about different affairs. Ezekiel nudged him and nodded towards a man that was engaged in conversation with a couple of men in grey clothing. Luckas kept his attention on the individual until he turned and made his face visible, at which point his fists clenched tightly at his sides and he had to use every bit of self-control he could muster not to cross the gardens and do something stupid. Keeping his tone calm and not at all as hopeful as he was, he questioned Ezekiel in a whisper. “Is he the target?”
Ezekiel chuckled. “What, him? No… He is tainted, yes, and a low-life who has failed our brotherhood too many times, but we would not waste resources on him. No. His failures, however, are the reason for your next task. See, that man promised us information that he was unable to deliver. It is believed that his sister would hold that information, and since he fails to find her, we shall let him live in the hopes that she will find him. While we wait for that, there is one last piece of the puzzle we have not been able to get our hands on. That’s where you become useful, Brother.”
“I don’t follow.” Luckas stated, raising an eyebrow.
“Well, the last King of Blackhurst had seven children, when the War began he sent them away, each to a different village in the outskirts of the city; with them he sent pieces of information on the true source of all Enlightenment. We have six journals and other, more ‘personal’, bits of information, however pieces are still missing of the sixth journal, which our dear friend over there delivered a long time ago, and the seventh journal was never found. See, the woman who was supposed to have it, did not. We recently discovered that she had a close friendship with the woman who was then leader of the White Shadows. I believe you are familiar with the person I speak of.”
Luckas looked away from the man he had been pointed to, and gave Ezekiel an annoyed look. “Yes, I do.”
“I warned you that your loyalties would be tested, now didn’t I? This is it: Get the answers we need from Lena Turner, and find us that seventh journal.”
“There is one problem with that, Zeke: I can’t. Last time I tried to enter that woman’s mind I almost didn’t make it back.” Luke argued. “She’s too strong.”
“She’s not as strong anymore.” Zeke retorted. “Master says that if you do this, you will be granted the meeting you requested. Your ties to that woman make you unreliable, Luckas. It’s time you take a side permanently. There is no better way to do it than this.”

“You psychotic… Witch… Why?” Luckas muttered out angrily, groaning as the aching in his head blurred his sight. As he tried to open his eyes all was white, and it was bright enough for him to know hours had passed. It took him a few minutes for him to be able to make out the person that was watching him, and he startled to see it wasn’t Lena. “Captain?!” He exclaimed, sitting up and groaning when the pain alerted him to a broken arm. “Damn it. What happened? Where?” He noticed Tala and his eyes widened slightly as he quickly looked around for another person, but it was just the two of them and the wolf. Rubbing the spot between his eyes with his right hand, he sighed softly. “What did I do?”

Mageria watched Luckas for a long moment, her gaze cool and a bit remote. She was waiting for a sign that he was still under the influence of the visions, when he was coherent, she sighed and sat forward.
"I got this letter this morning. I'm not sure how you're involved in all of it, but things seem to have gotten out of hand somewhere along the line."
She handed the letter that the healer had given her over, knowing that it wasn't going to be taken well.

Captain Mageria

I'm very sorry to inform that my mother has passed away during this night.

Luckas is hallucinating and heading towards Newhaven as I write this. He has attacked three of my healers and will pose as a serious threat to anyone who crosses his path while in this state. I would consider it a great favor if you could please stop him from hurting anyone else. He was also the last to see my mother alive, and may or not have attacked her; facts are very unclear at this point, and I would like to obtain a few answers from him if possible.

And please, if you speak to Jake before I do... Whatever you tell him... Do not, under any circumstance, mention Luckas may be involved in this, as I'm afraid he would do something stupid.

Thank you

Anne Turner

Mageria watched Luckas read and spoke softly when she thought he was done.
"I was able to track you to Newhaven, where you had entered the old orphanage and were wandering around. You obviously had no idea where you were or what was going on. You. . . . had grabbed a little girl and were holding a knife to her throat. I'm sorry about your arm, but I didn't have a chance to be gentle about getting her away from you. She's fine, by the way. I knocked you out, hauled you out through the drainage tunnel and got us here." She sighed and leaned back, running her fingers through Tala's fur.
"Given that I just reminded the White Guard that I have my own ways into Newhaven; ways that they will now be looking for, I think it's fair for me to ask, what the hell was going on?"