The Warriors of Aion: The Last battle (IC)

Mina paused..did she remember anything? "Running through a forest with friends...telling them exactly what they were thinking." Mina shrugged before she continued. "A king coming to talk to me...my mother begging me to do something I hated.." Mina shrugged lighty.

She let out a surprise squeak as Horang pushed her to the ground. As she felt the grass beneath her head, she could feel her cheeks heating up.Mina turned to her head towards the forest entrence.

"I'm not leaving without you so...forget about that." She said in a quiet, but stern voice.

It didn't take long for Brutus to understand everything she meant, he nodded to show he understood as she drew her swords and readied herself. The Prince could take care of himself, but why everyone scattered, he didn't know. Quickly he took the bandages and began to tend to Skye's knee, his method almost identical to that of Pipa's earlier that day. As he worked the bandages' magic he examined the man with his eyes. Ambrose, the one with the gift of fire, it had to be, that was the only explanation to the burns. He turned his head back to Skye.

"How does it feel now madame? Forgive me if I'm not as good as my lady Pipa, but she appears to be quite busy at the moment." he explained with a friendly smile, trying to keep her calm to the fact danger was on it's way. He was always ready for a fight, he was never unprepared, he would never hesitate to kill, especially to protect two of The Five. He awaited a response from Skye so he may draw his sword and accompany Pipa, how he loved to go into battle with her.

"My lady, how much do you know about this 'company'?" he asked Pipa.

“Only that they are loud enough to make the forest wildlife silent.” She paused, staring off into the trees, “That and they stand no chance of survival once we find them.” Pipa smiled ruefully at Brutus, in truth she hadn’t killed or really fought anyone in a week. Which is not something she was accustomed to, as an elite she killed almost every day, and as horrible and wrong as it sounded, she yearned for the taste of steel on flesh again. It could not be helped.

“Could you locate them Brutus, then we’ll go with formation Crow. Just like old times….” Pipa couldn’t keep from grinning. Formation crow was when Brutus used his shadows to locate said target, once found he would travel via shadows, and Pipa via trees, with a shadow crow leading Pipa to the soon to be dead men. It was rather efficient and simple, for when Pipa and Brutus were sent to eliminate a small group, usually Rintoshi would be with them too. Kariss and Treli were mostly used to eliminate large masses, while Selk did either.

While Brutus did that, Pipa shook her head alittle, droplets of water coming from her head, she hated being soggy…

Duke looked as clueless as ever as he stared at first Brutus and then Pipa, his head going back and forth, he had officially given up on trying to understand anything that was going on. He felt very silly and useless, but he tried not to show it. “You’re going to go fight someone like that.” He commented on Pipa’s condition.

Walking over to Sky and sitting down, he looked at her face for a moment, “Hey, you’re one of the girls that I keep seeing in my head, no that isn’t a pick-up line. Seriously, from what I can tell I’m in my dream land, Aion, only this dream is very vivid, if it IS a dream.” He was silent for a moment, “Which something tells me this isn’t a dream, and I shot fire from my mouth and hands…god I’m confused.” He leaned back and closed his eyes, giving up on any sort of explanation for the moment. “So is your name Elissa?” He asked idly, remembering her name with her face from his visions and dreams.

Brutus nodded as Pipa told him about the oncoming danger, "Crow formation, right away my lady." he said just before rising to his feet, looking into the same direction of the forest as Pipa. A sinister smirk grew across his face as he drew his sword. The dark, crimson blade seemed to attract a beam of sunlight that made it shine majestically. His cape flared in the wind as he walked forward, smirk still on his face, Pipa and he had done this one plenty of times.

It took him back to the days where she was still team leader, they moved through the forest like a flowing river, flawless, focused. Whipping out of the shadows and trees like vengeful spirits. Most of the time the attack lasted mere seconds. People in the area began to fear crows, as they were seen as the bringer of death.

As he walked into the shadow, he closed his eyes and quickly sank in. Seconds later rising up in a shadow near Vlad and his brother, he remained silent, not making a sound, watching, examining their equipment, their faces. He sank back into the ground to return to Pipa, but not after causing the shadows to begin swaying and morphing around the assassins, shooting fear into their hearts.

He rose up near Pipa and walked to her. "My lady, two men, they appear to be assassins, light weaponry, little to no armor." he said, clenching his sword in eagerness.

Rintoshi walked the forests, afraid to go back to the Lord with word of failure. He decided not to go back until he had accomplished something to make his people proud. At least then, punishment would be held to a minimal against him.With every second that passed, it seemed things got darker, more complex to understand, the world around him grew quiet, his vision began to blur as he walked. Stumbling into trees, smacking his face into limbs, he stood out clear as day. As a squirrel that constantly fell from trees, he groaned turning back into a wolf. Trying to get more balance, with bigger feet, and something he was more used to. Afraid that if he walked on two legs he would fall flat on his face.

''Rintoshi'' A dark voice echoed through his head, making him look around. ''Its us..'' The voice cackled wildly, ''You don't even know how these powers work do you? Loosing your own memmories to us, so pitiful'' It echoed again, mocking Rintoshi. The voices scared him, he did not know what to do. Where the voices where coming from, he got careless and went into a dead bolt run. Constantly tumbling over.''Your not going to loose us'' He hit the ground, straining to push himself up. ''You can't even control it now.. Your hardly an excuse for a wolf.''

''Who are you people?'' He growled out wildly at the shadows ''What do you want from me?'' Looking around in the treetops, his mind played tricks on him, seeing shadows dart around. ''I can learn, you hear that? I will learn.'' Frightened he crept backwards, trying to escape the voices.. " I can't take this anymore!" He barked at the shadows. A loud crack came from the tree branch above as it broke and fell on his head. Knocking him out cold, laying on the ground.

Horang gave Mina a grim smile. "When this is over, we'll have to talk about our priorities from now on." Suddenly, a whistle echoed from a thicket, and another from behind a tree. A flash of light drew Horang's eyes; dull metal glinted from behind the tree, and he had hardly a moment to jerk his arm away before a crossbow quarrel embedded itself where his arm had been.

With gritted teeth and a nervous brow, Horang murmured what he could to Mina. "Stay down." He rose slowly, hands lifted into the air in a submissive gesture. "It's alright. I'm alone and unarmed." He held his breath for a second, waiting for what would happen next. Run, he hoped in his heart. Run, while I distract them.

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

Colm gave another birdcall, this time signaling the raiders to stop and hold position. He set his crossbow on its sling and let it hang by his side. Cocking his hat to an angle, he entered the clearing with a grin. "My my my... what do we have here? These woods are off limits to all save the woodsmen kept by Lord Leon. Tell me, be you an Aion spy?"

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

Horang did not trust the man's beady eyes or his unkempt appearance. He angled his footing to block off any view of Mina; he felt beads of sweat begin to collect on his face. "I'm not a spy. Nor am I accompanied by anyone else or armed. Leave me to depart in peace."

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

Colm laughed aloud. "Unarmed? Good." With a quick jerk, the crossbow sling fell off his shoulder, and its point was aimed at Horang's chest, loaded and cocked. It gave a dull thunk as it let fly. From behind him, hidden in the shadows of the forest, several other quarrels hurtled forward.

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

Horang had half a moment to realize what had happened; then three bolts embedded themselves in his outstretched chest, and he felt himself picked up and thrown bodily onto the ground, beside Mina. His breath faded as he drifted into unconsciousness.

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

Colm leapt forward, a long and evil-looking hunting knife grasped in his hand. From twenty steps away he knew the shots were fatal; at such range, they would have taken down a wild boar, let alone a man. Then he spotted another figure by the body; a young woman, ripe and beautiful. Quickly he was upon her; his free hand made to grip her hair while the knife went for her throat.

"Easy, lass. We won't hurt you." He gave a sinister laugh, as the other four bandits entered the clearing.

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

Olney paled at the sight before him. The raven-haired youth was laid upon the earth, three bolts sticking out from his chest. Poor fool... he was probably dead before he hit the ground. The young woman was alone at the mercy of Colm and his raiders.

His heart stirred at the thought of what would come. Enjoyment at the hands of the rabid band, before a cruel death in some quickly forgotten place; or worse, sold to the brothels of the cities of Jhai. The old man turned his head away and closed his eyes at the thought. Jak cruelly twisted his arm from behind.

"What's wrong, old man. You want a piece of the action as well?" The young bandit's mouth was open in a crooked smile, revealing the teeth he had lost for thieving.

"I just want to go back to the camp..." the old man muttered.

((Essa, it's up to you if Colm is able to grab your hair and threaten you with the knife. And don't worry, Horang's not dead. It's too soon, at least.))

Nymaway had gently pulled Skye with her into the shadows, watching around them, her eyes glancing to Mina. She figured the others would follow where her and Skye had run to. "There’s something coming." She spoke in a reply to Mina, her voice quiet and calm. "What’s wrong with your head?" she asked, not looking to her but watching around them. She noticed then that she had been in the shadows and knew that Brutus would be able to be there in a moment’s time if they were in a struggle, but she wondered where the others were. It seemed to her that her talents and the voices of the trees were stronger. She was getting stronger. What is this place? She wondered. Why is it having such an effect on me? She continued to question to herself then looked to Mina, realizing that she hadn’t said, "This could be bad" but thought it. Mina was some kind of mind reader…

Brutus had come through the shadows, his hand felt on her shoulder. She turned and smiled lightly to him but was still very weary. “Do you know this place Sire?” she asked. She felt as if she should know this leafy clearing, but couldn’t put a finger on it. She turned suddenly when she heard the name Calista coming from Skye, “That’s what the tree’s keep calling me…” she watched Skye closely, confusion shimmering in her eyes. The tree’s shot out a warning to her and she turned to Brutus. “Horang…” She nodded as he ordered her to go with Mina. “Of Course.” She took the dagger’s hilt in her hand, as it was still laced in her belt loop, and looked to Mina, the tree’s whispering a direction in which to follow. “I think I can find him.” She spoke as she headed towards Horang. A voice rang through the air, echoed by the trees “Athena! I am here!” and almost at the same time her and Mina started to run for Horang. When they reached the water the trees and earth below her told her where he was. She stood very still and listened to everything around her. She nodded to Mina and watched her dive towards the tomb of ice below. Nymaway would stand guard at the water edge and wait for them.

The earth around her whispered and sang, keeping her updated of the others and how they were all doing. She was told of Brutus and Skye, of Horang and Athena, or Mina as Nym had come to know her. They gave warning of Pipa and the 5th man. She didn’t know his name but the trees happily called him Ambrose. Nymaway paused, a strange tingle feeling in her head. She glanced around as she started to feel faint, a searing pain shot through her left calf, then her right shoulder, her stomach, and her chest just right of her heart. Nym’s mind fogged and she fell to her knees after quickly moving to the shadows below a bush, hiding from anyone that may come upon her.

Her head was spinning and her vision blurred. When the fog in her eyes cleared she looked around her, arrows protruding her body in every place that held on to that searing pain. Her heart felt weak, as if she was crying, but not from the pain. Her focus left the arrows and panned out to her best friend, Elissa, lying dead on the ground in front of her. She had tried desperately to save her, but the archers moved fast and from far away, the world around her wasn’t able to give her warning before the strike. She felt her body grow cold as she bled out, the sounds of a companion coming from behind, Ambrose, his words ringing in her ears as she closed her eyes for the last time.

The pain was gone and her vision was clear. Nymaway sat up, voices just in front of her, and she recognized that of Horang. The bush she hid in told her of the placements of several other bandits around her and the one attempting to attack Mina. Her hands slid to the dagger at her side as she thought out to the shadows, to Brutus once again. “Bandits are surrounding us. Hope you can come quickly.” She gently nudged a tree next to her and it released a pine cone from its tallest branch, the cone plummeting towards the head of the bandit in front of Mina, hoping it would knock him out. Her plan would be to attack him and use him as her own shield if it didn’t.

Mina barely managed a smile back. “I’ll hold you to that.” Mina said after Horang had spoken to her. She noticed him look up, and just barely move his arm before a quarrel had planted itself in the ground where his arm was.

Mina nodded as he told her to stay down. She stayed as close to the ground as possible, with her dark brown hair falling around her face. She could hear his thoughts to tell her to run, and the hope he carried with them. She was about to attempt to crawl slowly away, but a voice stopped her. She knew if she kept going, she would be found so she decided to stay where she was and hoped for the best.

Mina heard Horang shift his position, and she looked towards him. She figured he was shielding her from anyone’s view, and for that she was thankful. She held her breath as Horang told the others he was unarmed. When he fell beside her, she let out a small gasp.

Mina made towards to help Horang up and get out of there. But a hand to her hair stopped her. Mina gripped the hand that held her hair, and she turned slightly and lashed out with a kick. It wasn’t one of her strongest ones, but enough to make her hair free.

“Aren’t going to hurt me you say?” Mina scoffed, and stood in front of Horang’s unconscious body. She hoped he wasn’t dead and she still wasn’t going to leave. She noticed an older man’s thoughts about her and her likely future. She shook her head, and swallowed nervously.

“I think...it would be best if we all just went our separate ways.” Mina said calmly. She knew it wasn’t likely, but she wasn’t going anywhere without a fight.

Mina heard Nym’s thoughts towards Brutus. She smiled slightly, and held her ground.

Colm sneered dangerously, wiping the fake smile off his face. "You little wench, I'm going to teach you a lesson." Evil thoughts flooded his mind as his lust began to awaken.

Jak and Garl piped in from behind with cheers of approval, as Olney stared consciously at a spot in the ground before him, eager to leave to scene before the violence began. Beside Olney, Hogar, a lumbering giant of a man, silent and grim, laid his hand on Olney's shoulder. Olney shook under the weight and strength of the grip. The man, standing over six feet tall, cast a giant shadow across the ground.

Suddenly a whistling sound was heard and small blur knocked into Colm's head. In pain, he dropped his knife and clutched his head. "Why you little--" His eyes leered murderously at Mina, then lost focus and rolled away limp. A trickle of blood flowed down the side of his head, and he fell forward unconscious, sprawled across Horang's legs.

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

A rain of arrows fell around the company, and Horang, Endymion, heard Ambrose cry out. They were far away, so far away... Endymion pulled himself off of the ground, retaking his position at the vanguard of the group. He gripped the shattered remains of his shield with his limp left arm; with his lacerated right arm he held aloft the hilt of his sword, its unmelting ice blade shattered into pieces around him. So much red.. he thought, before realizing that it was blood. My blood. The remaining portion of his sword reformed as it could into a thin, short blade; he roused one last shout from his collapsed lungs and willed his broken body forward, towards the line, where Leon stood, eyes aflame and mouth wide in satisfaction.

First he stumbled. He fell to a knee, but with his remaining momentum he lunged off of it into an ambling pace. Whistling filled the air as arrows shot past him; he picked up his speed and began to jog; he jogged, then he began to sprint. The archers notched their arrows and fired another volley; this time a few struck; several glanced off his plate armor, while others lodged themselves in his shield.

Another volley fired, and more found their target; Endymion could no longer hold his left arm up, its length pricked with arrows and the splatter of blood. His hand released the shield and went up to meet his right at the hilt.

More arrows, from a distance close enough to try chance and pierce through the chainmail protecting the chinks in his armor. A shudder ran through his body, and Endymion fell onto his knees. Sight and sound fading, he brought his sword down into the ground and sheathed it into the dirt with all his strength. The last words he could make out over the dim buzzing in his ears was..."Ready arrows!"

"Fire!"

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

A heavy object fell across Horang's leg. With a groan he opened his eyes and lifted himself forward, pushing it off. Realization flooded his mind as he remembered what had happened with the bandits. He looked down at his chest to see crossbow bolts jutting out of it. With a quick jerk he tore off his shirt; beneath it a slick layer of ice held the bolts from penetrating his chest. He glanced up and found two, three, four bandits looking at him in surprise. The two nearest quickly drew their short swords and rushed towards him with blood-curdling yells.

With a push Horang leapt to the ground, hilt in hand. The blade formed in an instant; and in the next moment found itself lodged through Jak's throat. Blood splattered across Horang's face, and Jak's eyes opened wide in surprise. Horang paused for a half a moment, then saw the other figure lift his blade and swing down at him. Too close, too close! His mind screamed. Horang felt his eyes begin to close in preparation for the blow.

His hand gave a jerk, and the blade melted like water, slipping out of Jak's neck and whipping towards Garl's outstretched chest. Muscle memory returned to Horang and he opened his eyes, ducked, and, both hands gripping the sword, jerked upwards.

Garl gave a choked cry of surprise and dropped his sword. His wild hands flailed at the blade lodged in his chest, then he gave a shudder and fell. The weight of his body pressed against Horang and left a stain down his side. Two more. He thought to himself.

Hogar watched in silence as Garl and Jak fell to the youth. Then, drawing his own blade, he gave a guttural shout and lunged forward at Horang. The force of his assault knocked the sword from Horang's fist; dropping his own sword, Hogar brought his hands to Horang's throat and began to squeeze, pinning him to the ground. Horang began to feel dizzy as a plethora of colors swirled before his eyes. His left hand struggled in vain against the giant's strength; his right hand dragged across the ground, in search of anything to aid him. It found something, a hilt, and, latching tightly, leaped up and struck at the giant's side. The giant gave a loud grunt and stepped back in pain.

Air filled his lungs, and, seeing a white gleam out of the corner of his eye, rolled in the dirt towards it. Hand met ice hilt, and quickly but groggily Horang jumped up from the ground, free hand at his forehead to massage away the swelling ache.

With a loud shout and a wide swing, Horang beheaded the giant, who, with Colm's hunting knife, which Horang had just stabbed him with, clenched in his fist, was making to get up off his knees.

Blood spurted from the cut, but Horang leapt back and avoided the spill. His hand went to Mina's, who sat on the ground, and lifted her up. Then his eye caught the remaining bandit, and he lunged forward before he could draw.

Olney stammered as he fell backwards onto the ground, hands forward in supplication. "D-don't hurt me! I'm not with them!" A rage filled Horang, and the old man's prayers fell on deaf ears. He lifted the blade with both hands, high up in the air, and prepared to swing down.

“Wench? How dare you?!” Mina asked, anger filling her veins. Mina could hear his evil and lust filled thoughts, and she shuddered. She was mildly confused when something hit the man on the head, and he when he fell unconscious.

Mina rose a brow, and was startled when Horang came to, and stood up. She backed away, not expecting this and ending up falling. She watched Horang with wide eyes as he began on a sort of rampage.

Mina barely had enough time to react when he pulled her up by her hand. But she did manage to throw him a small smile. They reached the old man, and Horang’s anger hadn’t seemed to lessen.

“STOP” Mina yelled quickly. With fast reflexes, Mina grabbed Horang’s wrists. She looked to Horang’s raged eyes, and silently tried to will him to calm down. She didn’t know if she was going to accomplish anything, but Mina wasn’t about to watch him kill the older man. “Horang?” Mina called softly, trying to bring him out of his rage filled daze.

“Horang, he speaks the truth...lower the weapon..” Mina said carefully, but still in the same soft tone.

The news Brutus gave was disappointing, these assassins didn’t sound like much, hopefully they would pose more of a challenge then they sounded.

Smiling at Brutus Pipa brought her hood back up. She crouched slightly and leapt up, her foot landing on a tree truck, she almost seemed to run straight up, but countered the gravity by going extremely fast, she disappeared into the branches and loped silently from branch to branch. She picked up speed, fallowing the crow that flew low just ahead of her.

Her white hair and cape flew behind her, making her look like a phantom racing through the trees. She hadn’t felt this excited in a while, since she had left Leon to be exact. But it was a price she was willing to pay if it meant not having to kill innocents. “I missed this…” she said softly, knowing that Brutus would hear her.

Not a yard away from the two assassins, Pipa drew a throwing knife from her bodice, and threw it at one of the brother’s head, her next movement was to leap down and attack the other brother, bringing her swords from the forest floor up into a wide arch, making a wide slashing movement. She wasted no time, and did not give warning, she just attacked, and impossibly quick. It was not in Pipa’s nature to play with her pray, and in may ways that was what made her so scary, one minute you’re standing, the next you’re dead.

Soft, supple hands gripped Horang, but they were not enough to break through to him. He was reliving the moment, that last battle. Tears filled his eyes and fell down his face as he let out a roar and tightened his grip on the sword. Then suddenly the sound of a voice penetrated his being and cut through the swirling emotion within him.

Horang's mind cleared and he put down his sword as he looked down at Mina's small figure before him. He drew his eyes into hers, then at the trembling old man. He let the sword roll from his loosened fingers, but it ran like water over his arm and reformed around his waist, and not a drop fell to the ground. With a voice hoarse and his body heaving from the flurry of action, he half-whispered. "Go. Begone. Get you away from this place, mortal."

He looked down at his blood-stained hands and the red splatters over his body, at the carnage of the field. Then he looked down at Mina and saw the blood that he had spilt strewn over her as well. He made to lift her chin with his hand but a sharp pain ran through his knuckles--enough to draw his attention to the the blood crusting on them. Horang let his hands fall to his side, tears falling down his face. "I'm sorry..."

Vladd

Vladd watch as a cloacked girl attack the two decoys he and his brother had set up. They were hidden in another tree and were now moving in another direction. They could not afford a confrontation at the moment.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Kaiern

Kaiern jumped out of the tree. He didn't see anyone.He cursed. "Where are they?!" He started going through the ancient spells he knew so he coould try to contact them. He found one and brought out the amulet of his family, which was magical and allowed him to use the ancient spells in time of great need. He started the incantation.

Nym waited for only a few moments, listening to the two speaking. She closed her eyes focusing hard on the whispers from the trees and earth. Her plan changed and she was going to take them out one at a time. She breathed in deeply as she was given the location of one the trees called Jak. She moved quietly, her feet not even heard against ground, padded by the fallen leafs from the trees. She slipped through the shadows, moving from shadow to shadow, staying under the low branches and gliding through bushes.

She pressed herself against a large tree, the tree’s around her whispering that Jak was the furthest back, and all their attention was on Mina. She slid herself against the bark of the tree and stopped just behind him. She slid her dagger from her belt loop of her pants and twirled out from behind the tree. Just as she was about to wrap her hand around his mouth and slit the man’s throat they all ran towards Mina. She looked down the ways and saw that Horang was in fact the focus of their attention. The arrows falling from his chest from the ice and dropping to the ground. She perked a brow and watched silently as he dropped each one in a ravage manner.

Nymaway took a step forward just as Endymion was about to kill the old man, planning on tackling him out of the way, but Endymion stopped and so did she. She smiled slightly as she watched Endymion and Athena. They always were such an adorable pair. Nymaway stopped, confused for a moment, Why on Earth would I call them that? she thought and then her body fell to one knee against the leafs on the ground.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Calista walked the corridors of the King and Queen’s castle. Elegantly stepping into her Queen’s chambers as she was requested. She smiled brightly to the woman she almost thought of as a mother and curtsied deeply. “My Lady Queen.” She spoke respectfully. She stood tall and straight, and stepped towards her with a glass box in hand. “A little bird told me you may like this.” She smiled that enchanting smile she had learned from the Queen herself. Inside the box lay a crystal rose hand crafted by a close friend. “I hope you approve.” She smiled once again. The Queen gracious as always hugged her and spoke softly, “Thank you dear Calista.”
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Nymaway coughed, tears ran down her cheek but she stopped them quickly. The trees spoke to her softly, comforting. Who was I? She could only ask herself as she looked to Horang and Mina. It was actually hard for her to call them that now. She thought of them both as Endymion and Athena. As they always were. Confused and her heart heavy as she pieced together her previous life on this world she spoke softly to them. “We need to regroup with the others. I’m being told that they are worried. They aren’t far, just up this way.” She motioned in a direction back towards the road and took a few steps in the direction slowly so they could follow.

“It’s ok...is your hand alright?” Mina asked gently, grabbing his hand softly to look closer. She could see blood, but she wasn’t sure if it was Horang’s or one of the bandits. She sighed lightly, and looked back to Horang, seeing the tears in his eyes.

“What is it?” She asked carefully. While waiting for a response, Mina looked around her. There were the dead bodies of the bandits, and then the unconscious body of the one that tried to attack her.

Mina sighed again and wrapped her arms around Horang in a comforting hug. But she pulled away when she heard someone fall to the ground behind her. She smiled lightly when she realised it was Nym, but her face still held worry.

Mina’s eyes widened as Nym asked herself a question when she came to. *Who was I?* Mina stopped to ponder the question. Mina felt as if she herself didn’t know her own life anymore. The one she came from, the one she remembered all of...felt like a second time, only in a different time. This place, this world...felt like home. And Mina couldn’t yet explain why.

Mina nodded to Nym’s words.

Zendekel

Zendekel was behind Treli in a flash, and stood there for a few moments before walking around the bench and sitting down with all the grace and confidence of a prince. There needn't be any greeting between them, and that is why Zendekel liked the Aerokinetic- he didn't have time for idle chit-chat of the sort, and enjoyed the silence he could share with someone like him. He politely waited for her to swallow her fruit before he spoke.

"Treli, a little bird told me we have been betrayed." he said, his silver eyes staring right in front of him. He adjusted the black scarf that hid the lower portion of his face, and ran his slender fingers through his white hair. "We will confirm this; Brutus is in the woods of Aion." with that, he stood from the bench and held out a hand to Treli. "Will you fly, or shall I carry you?" He could outrun Treli even when she flew, and they both knew it.

"If my doubts are confirmed, we may just come in assistance to the assassins Lord Leon sent..." his voice trailed off, his hand was still outstretched.

Horang nodded as well. "Go on," he said. Before Mina could object, he added. "I'll follow." He ran his hand under his tattered shirt and across the frozen blade, now fitted tightly against his waist. A small sliver melted and reformed in his hand, in the shape of a crystallized water droplet. This he put into Mina's hand. "Now I can find you. Go, I will be with you all shortly."

Then he turned and without pause walked into the river, or rather, onto it. Water began to swirl about him and he closed his eyes as he began to feel it purifying and healing him.

Mina was about to object to Horang’s words, but she silently looked to the ice crystal that lay in her hand. With the fingers from her other hand, she traced the shape. Without saying anything, she began walking. Mina looked up, only to have forced memories or visions in her mind.

~~~~~~~

Athena, one of the king’s warriors was on a battlefield. There was fighting going on around her from every angle and side. Athena’s right had been pushing against her stomach. Her hand had been pierced with another’s sword, this other now lay dead at her feet, on the muddy ground. Blood poured from her hand, but that didn’t and wouldn’t stop her. She pushed her remaining strength into her left hand to fight. It proved very useful; her power in her left hand was great.

Athena’s head swirled with thoughts of murder and battle. But, these thoughts weren’t from her. Indeed, nearly everyone was thinking of winning and the battle. The angry thoughts of others pushed their way into Athena’s mind. She gritted her teeth, and tried to drown it out...even if it was just a little bit.

Swords clashed, arrows flew in the sky, and even fists were pounding against flesh. Athena was growing weaker; she was losing too much blood from the wound in her hand. Her sword, so sliver it seemed nearly white, rose in the air high before Athena forced it down. Athena began to form tears in her eyes, she hated killing.

Athena’s arm was going numb, and she turned around. But she didn’t manage to go anywhere. A blade had stopped her movement. Athena could focus on the man’s face; instead she looked to the blade that had gone through her. With a rough pull, the sword came free and Athena fell to her knees. She could hear the gleeful thoughts of the man, and his apparent accomplishment.

Athena fell to her back, and she stared at the sky. Blinking tears away, Athena reached into her pocket, and pulled out an ice crystal and grasped it tightly.

~~~~~~~

The darkness that clouded Mina’s eyes slowly lessened until it had completely faded. Mina looked down back to the crystal and she breathed heavily. She then swallowed, and ran through her mind what she had just seen.

Zendekel didn't even blink as Treli made to leave; he knew otherwise. The young Elite stopped in her tracks and laughed in what Zendekel would have thought elegant if he were but mere human once again. No, ever since he became an Elite even sorrow and anger couldn't fill the void his malevolent existence created. The only thing that remained was a passive indifference, as expressed when Treli rose into the air and tried to taunt him.

"I cannot have that." as soon as the words left his mouth, Zendekel sprang unto the chair and jumped into a tree, and in one fluid motion scaled the remainder and leaped towards Treli. He was launched halfway across the garden, and he grabbed the young Elite by the ankle and brought her falling to the ground with him. She didn't make a sound as she fell. Zendekel then stood a few feet away from her, waiting to recuperate from the sudden attack. Zendekel was her leader; his authority was all that counted. He would let Treli know that, as stubborn as he thought her to be.

"Don't. Do. That." the passiveness was replaced by a cold, toneless expression that irradiated rage. "Bear in mind that your arrogance has no place here, you dimwitted fool. I care little for my soldiers disrespecting me." With that, he drew his dirk into her previously -since it was soiled with mud from the garden- white dress, pinning it into the ground.

"This task is obviously too much for you to handle. I simply needed you to kill the trees to avoid trouble with the one who controls them. Kariss will come along with me, instead." He stood there, waiting for her to react. It would be foolish of him to turn his back to someone he had just assaulted, even if it was just to correct her behaviour.

((I REMOVED THE YELP!!!!!))