Mar'ko Euhndr's Story

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Mar'ko Euhndr

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Not long before the young woman and her fiance arrived at the main entrance, an extravagant oakwood carriage being pulled along by a pair of majestic stallions came trotting through the streets of the Villa of Winds escorted by a troop of Shaharan soldiers. The townspeople looked on with awe, gawking at the sun kissed soldiers carrying their curved swords that were strapped at their waist, bouncing and clinking against their legs. Each one a rugged duplicate of the last clad in light leather armor, both men and women unwavering in their formation: two on the left and right side of the carriage, a single warrior flanking and the captain leading ahead- the only one of the soldiers riding a stead.

The Captain, a hard bodied giant of a man that had thick round muscles bulging through his clothes lead them along through the crowds of people who seemed to part like a river stream around a stone. They passed through a bazaar of sorts heading north towards what they were told was the Noble District, where the Shaharanian diplomat, an elderly charlatan with a peppered braided beard, who rode comfortably inside the carriage was planning to meet an important associate of his to discuss the trade of a few materials the Shaharan capital was in much need of in the evening. But first they would find a lodge to stay the night at.

As the escort troop took a final right of the zigzagging cobblestone path on the hill that led to the Noble District, everyone had made it to the top save for a single archer who was dragging behind still coming up the hill. He felt as if his lungs were about to explode and every muscle in his legs were going to shut down in protest. He sneezed as a breeze blew by and rubbed away the goose bumps popping up on his arms. He was exhausted and not in his element, the chill air bothered him. It was his first time outside of Shaharan, everything was a new and unwanted experience. When he finally made it to the top, he collapsed then received a hard stomp on the chest.

"Hey! You're breaking formation, Mar'ko Euhndr!" Lieutenant Clouden yelled, hovering above the downed soldier. "Get your ass up! Now!"

"Off...me," The Archer said between ragged breaths.

"What's that, sand worm?" Clouden drove his heel in harder.

He stared up into his superior's eyes from the ground and spoke so calmly it was unnerving. " I said to Get off of me...before I kill you."

A chord was struck in the lieutenant. Uncertainty washed across his face and then it was replaced with white hot anger. The captain appeared and pulled Clouden off of him as another soldier helped Mar'ko up. Mar'ko's eyes didn't leave Clouden, but his view was then blocked by the captain who was so tall that he was towering over the archer. Mar'ko rolled his eyes as he was expecting a lecture, but what he got in his hand was a small brown sack of coins in his palm. He looked up at the captain unsure.

"Go pick up lunch from somewhere down the hill. The rest of us are going to head to that lodge over there." He pointed a little further down the road. "Be back by night fall."

Down the hill... I'm still being punished aren't I? Mar'ko sighed to himself. Though Clouden's back was turned the young archer could still feel the miserable lieutenant smiling. It annoyed him. The troop departed for the lodge and the begrudged Mar'ko Euhndr made his way back down the hill.

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Linde spent most of the day with Chi at her smithery watching her make and sell her goods and chatting her up between clients. Apparently Chi had been in a bit of financial trouble over the last several months. Fewer people searching for weapons and armor were visiting the Villa given the recent events surrounding what was being called the "silent war." Given that nobody knew who was involved or how they were causing so much destruction without anyone ever bearing witness to it, even some of the best and most hardened warriors were afraid to buy weaponry because of how dangerous it was to be a well known name. Supposedly every warrior with a reputation who searched for answers about the "silent war" all ended up dead.

Chi gave Linde a rundown of how much debt she'd accumulated, and Linde's eyebrow arched as she let out a small whistle.

"That's quite the red zone, Chi." She said softly.

Chi nodded slowly.

She was behind on payments for the smithery itself, materials, tools, and even had to let go her only assistant approximately two weeks ago because she couldn't afford to pay him anymore. He had always been a big help, lifting things she couldn't and dealing with customers and taking down new orders while she was able to work on orders in progress. The loss of her assistant was a major blow, but there was nothing she could do. She had no wealthy family to rely on for money as many a noble did, and so her struggles were her own to bare. She did her best, but it was very quickly becoming a reality that if she couldn't start selling her tools, weapons and armor, she would lose the smithery.

As much as she wished she could help, she couldn't. Linde was helpless and could not but watch as her friend's life and livelihood slowly began to slip away through her fingertips. It was a gut wrenching feeling, to be so helpless and useless to one she cared about. It was one of the few things she had always feared; not being able to help. Her medicinal skill was useless in this regard, and no amount of medicine could cure a broken heart which was what awaited Chi if her smithery closed. It was her life, and she lived absolutely for it as it was the only thing in life she truly enjoyed beyond maintaining her relationship with Linde and with her family.

As nightfall began to set in, Linde left her friend's smithery and found shelter at a local inn called the Lion's Head Inn. It was one of the more well known Inns in the Villa sporting a magnificent stone carving of the head of a Lion over the doorway. Once her room was paid for, she went upstairs to rest. Placing away her belongings in a small chest at the foot of the bed, she sat on the bed for a moment in preparation to go to sleep... But something caught her eye outside her window.

There was the briefest flash by her window as if someone or something had just flown passed it at high speed. She went to the window and opened it, checking left and right for signs of life but there was nothing there. As she looked to the north, she thought she caught a glimpse of two tiny red spheres glowing rather ominously from the darkness of a nearby rooftop. However the two orbs disappeared as quickly as they had arrived, and she dismissed it as a trick of the moonlight. She was also quite tired, so that didn't help the case any either. The chances of seeing the one person alive who sported red eyes that could glow like that were so remote that it was not even worth calling a "possibility." At least, that was what she had heard.

She shook her head a little and closed her window. However, as she did so, another dark flash right in front of it caught her attention. Her window flew open again and she saw a dark figure which seemed to be chasing after the apparition she had seen just a few moments before, but it too disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. Linde knew that this time her mind was not playing tricks on her, but as she was about to close the window to get dressed again she heard a slightly muffled sound and then, without warning, a large splatter of blood quite literally erupted from the darkness where the red eyes had flashed before and spilled out across the rooftop and down the building's side before dripping down into the street below. Linde's mouth dropped a few centimeters in silent awe and disgust, and she quickly closed her window and got dressed. Wearing a charcoal grey tunic with black leather pants which were tight to her frame and black boots, it was an outfit crafted by her father to protect her whenever she knew conflict would arise. She carried it with her everywhere she went, as she was always on the lookout for people in need who were involved in more physically dangerous situations.

Linde strapped a small knife to her waist and tied her hair up in a ponytail before leaving her room and running out into the streets just outside the inn. She was about to turn and go down the alleyways but she was interrupted by the force of an explosion throwing her off her feet and into the building across the way. She was struck by several pieces of debris before she hit the ground, and her ears were ringing as she staggered to her feet and gave herself a once over to check for any signs of damage. She had a few small cuts and scrapes, but nothing major that would hamper her ability to protect herself beyond her own ringing ears and slightly disturbed balance as her body recovered from the shock. As she made it to her feet, she realized that the Lion's Head Inn was now in flames with several surrounding buildings having also caught fire and received some major damage from the blast. Two of the buildings collapsed into the streets not more than a few moments later, and the streets themselves were quickly filled with panicked citizens rushing about trying to figure out what was happening and why.

Linde knew now that her seeing those red eyes had not been a mistake. She had looked into the eyes of death incarnate, the Red-Eyed Demon, before he killed whomever it had been who was following him. Was it he who set those charges to blow up the Inn and surrounding buildings? Was it he who triggered this panic and chaos as more explosions were heard throughout the Villa?

She didn't know, but at the moment she was more concerned with steadying herself than figuring out what he was doing here.

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At'iana and Sen'jan spent over an hour waiting to be seen in the infirmary, although Sen'jan perked up considerably as soon as he tottered clumsily from the saddle and sat in the cool stone interior of the infirmary. It didn't take him long to begin a long list of all the things that he had been uncomfortable with for the duration of their journey. At'iana relived every unsatisfactory moment since they had left home - the bedbugs in the cheap inn they had stayed in, how fast his horse had gone, he had been too cold and too hot, his head hurt, the sun was too bright - the list went on, and At'iana dutifully nodded silently in all the right places. In reality, she wasn't listening. Her thoughts were on things other than her needy fiance.

The infirmary was a bustling building full of activity. Here, all leagues of existed together. Children followed adults, and elders followed children, and At'iana was sat demurely at the side of it all. She watched the people rush past her. In the space of a single hour, At'iana was witness to a man rushed in as he cried for his mama. Blood dripped to the ground from his crushed leg, and it was efficiently wiped up as soon as he had passed by. At'iana listened as one nurse explained to another that his leg had been crushed beneath an overturned cart, and At'iana grimaced at the thought.

Not long after, a little girl wandered in, with a face as white as a cloth. She clutched to her papas hand so tightly that the man's fingers were a shocking shade of purple, but he made no complaint as he led her in. Her papa explained that his little girl had been up all night with sickness and tremors, and the two were guided away.

It was an enlightening experience, watching these stranger's go about their business. But then her people watching, and Sen'jan's incessant complaining were interrupted by the appearance of a short, round woman with rosy cheeks and wispy gray hair, and escorted the couple to a booth where she offered them a weary, but ready smile, as she listened with unending patience to Sen'jan's many complaints. At'iana gazed listlessly out of the window, watching their horses as they drank from the trough of water in front of the post they had been tied to.

The little consultation didn't last long. As soon as the nurse had been condemned to the entire tirade, she had nodded tiredly and gave him a full bill of health and a small bottle of ointment for the sores on his feet, before dismissing him and At'iana. They rose, but before the nurse could take her leave, At'iana caught her by the arm and asked if she had heard of any treatments for the mysterious disease that had taken a hold of her mother.

"No, my love. I'm afraid not. There's no miracle cure. Either you get better or you don't...I'm sorry, sweetheart, but all your mother can do now is rest," The nurse replied in a well practiced, soothing tone as she patted the back of At'iana's hand, "Get some rest. You look tired"

And with that, the nurse departed, leaving At'iana depressed. Without realizing, she had allowed her hopes to get so high. She had dreamed that she might be given a magic cure, maybe some sort of medicine that would cute her mother straight away, and make everything okay again. And then, her hopes had come crashing down, and At'iana was faced with the reality that her mother would most likely die. She furiously blinked away tears, refusing to cry. At'iana didn't know how she would cope without her mama. She had a memory, of her and her mother when she was little. At'iana had tripped while running, and she had hurt her knee. The pain, to her child self, was sudden and agonizing. There was blood all down her leg, and as soon as she saw it, she began to bawl. She didn't cry quietly, or with any restraint. Tears ran down her cheek, and her nose ran messily down to her lip. And then, her mother was there. Her precious, loving mama came to her, and knelt on the ground in front of her. In that moment, her mama was an angel, and she was the most beautiful person on the planet. She wiped At'iana's face, and stroked her hair.

"It'll be okay, sweetie. See? It doesn't hurt anymore, does it?"

And although it did hurt, it seemed as though it didn't, because her mama wrapped her arms around her and hugged her close, and in that embrace little At'iana knew that everything would always be okay, because her beloved mama would be there to make things better. But, that was a time in the past, and At'iana realized that soon, her mama might not be with her anymore.


As they exited the infirmary, Sen'jan was unusually quiet, and he didn't speak until they reached the horses.

"At'iana," He said gently, catching her shaking hands.

At'iana looked up at him, and her lower lip trembled delicately. Sen'jan knew her better than almost anyone, and he knew better than to try and soothe her with words. Instead, Sen'jan put his arms around his wife-to-be, and he just held her close. At'iana sobbed quietly against his chest, her hot tears soaking through his dirt stained shirt. Sen'jan rubbed her back, and kissed her hair. In his embrace, At'iana knew that despite all of his moaning, he loved her, and he was here because he did. He would never have made a journey like this for anyone other than her. He loved her, and At'iana loved him.

After an immeasurable amount of time, At'iana drew back and offered her fiance a watery smile. She went to the horses and untied them from the post they had been stuck at all morning, and then handed the reigns of the smaller one to her fiance.

"Thank you," At'iana murmured softly, before standing on the tips of her toes to kiss his cheek, "We should go find an inn before it starts to get dark, and then head home tomorrow"

"I think we passed one on the way up," Sen'jan replied softly, attempting to smile, "The Lions...something"

At'iana nodded, and led the way back they had came. It was a long, silent walk, and At'iana felt numb. It was almost as though she was incapable of real thought. Maybe she was in shock. The thought occurred to her as though the subject was someone she didn't know. She didn't feel like herself anymore, and as she walked, she sought comfort from Sen'jan. She linked her fingers with his as they walked. It was small comfort, but small comfort was better than none. Once they were outside the Lions Head Inn, Sen'jan untangled his fingers from her and took some coins from one of his saddle bags.

"I'll go in and see if they have any spare rooms. I'll be right out," He smiled warmly and kissed her cheek, "I love you"

At'iana blushed deeply and nodded, "I love you too. I'll be right here," she promised as she watched him make her way into the building. Moments passed, and At'iana began to feel lonely. She was so aware of her impending loss, her whole body felt weak. Tears threatened again, and At'iana impatiently wiped them away, before setting her foot in the stirrup of Charky's saddle and mounting the horse. From high up there, she pretended that she was sat there just in case there was no room and they had to walk in, instead of admitting she was way too tired to stand. Sagging over the saddle, At'iana closed her eyes, and her mount took a few impatient steps forward.

And then, the impossible happened.

There was a bright flash of light, and a thundering noise. Everything was suddenly brightness and sound and it hurt. The explosion came from the inn, and as the impact struck her, At'iana fell from the saddle. Debris flew everywhere, striking her as she curled up in the middle of the street. There was a high pitched screaming, and it wasn't until the dust began to settle that At'iana realized the hellish sound was actually coming from between her own lips.

There were several long seconds of silence. She looked up, and dazedly looked around her. The inn was little more than a wreckage. In the street, there were people crying and looking around in confusion. The two horses that belonged to her were skittishly pacing half way down the road. It seemed as though everything was on the brink of chaos, and then At'iana remembered. Sen'jan. He had been in the inn, and it was impossible that anyone inside had survived.

Everything went black and her world fell from beneath her, and then she had stumbled over to the pile of rubble that was all that remained of the building. Her vision was red and blurred, and At'iana belatedly realized that she must have struck her head. She swayed, dizzy, and then looked down at the wreckage beneath her feet.

"Sen'jan!" She screamed. The sound was a hoarse, raw cry as she fell to her knees and howled her disbelieving grief to the sky. At'iana put her hands to the jagged remains of the brickwork and began to try and shift it in an attempt to find her fiance, and all the while she screamed, again and again. Desperate sobs racked the tired girl's body as tore the flesh of her hands in an attempt to pull the wreckage apart. She was losing too much, too quickly, and she couldn't bare it. She just screamed until she was hoarse, and then the violent sobs took over.

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Mar'ko Euhndr

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What....in the world? The bag of pears and mead, assorted breads and fruit slipped from Mar'ko's hands and spilled out onto the street beneath his feet and were crushed under his heels as he raced off. The violet and blue sky sparkling with diamond-like stars overhead morphed into a monstrous entity of blazing red lights ravaging through the eastern portion of the town. Aware of the enclosing danger his mind focused in numbing the pain and fatigue he was feeling earlier, his muscles pumped harder and pushed him faster. In a matter of minutes he was halfway way there as the loathsome scent of ash grew stronger the closer he got.

Why was this happening?

An accident?

Some sort of attack?

A raid with bandits at the reigns?

Whatever it was, it didn't matter, he had to get back to his team. He needed to get back immediately. He hit a hard right, then a left making it to the main road. He cursed himself for going so far away just to get some groceries. He cursed himself for not returning back to the lodge sooner. A crowd of towns people, who were fleeing from the destruction, stampeded his way from the opposite direction. He swerved to the side to keep from getting trampled, but kept in mind not to lose his pace.

He reached the zigzagging road that was the hill leading to the Noble District, when another explosion rocked the ground beneath him. He caught himself from falling. Hysteria broke out even more than it was before. The streets were filling with people who darted in every direction. No longer were there merely onlookers, they were all trying to escape. Cries and screams were coming from all directions causing the blood in his veins to spike. He could see homes and buildings nearby had set a flame as other began to collapse. A few had grabbed buckets of water and were busy trying to put out the flames. For the first time since leaving the grocery store he'd paused. He was at conflict with himself. The fire had gotten too big to fight, there were human beings trapped in there. The young archer bit his lip so hard, blood was drawn.

He turned around, turned his back on his mission and his comrades. There were some things more important than orders. Conscience clear, Mar'ko sprinted head first into the chaos.

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Fire to the left, fire to the right. Everything was engulfed in flames. The Inn was already half gone and Linde was overwhelmed wondering who to help first. She could see a young woman crying her eyes out and seemingly dead to the world outside of her own mind, dozens of civilians trying desperately to fight the fire which had already grown out of control, other civilians trying to rush into buildings to save those trapped inside, and more. There was no single correct choice, so Linde could only make the one which seemed the most immediate and the most important: saving those trapped inside.

She rushed back into what was left of the Inn past the burning doors and was nearly thrown off her feet by the sheer volume of smoke that was billowing up. She had a small bandanna on her right arm which she removed and tied around her face to help filter the smoke so she could breathe as she searched, though it was still a bit labored as the bandanna couldn't stop all of the smoke from coming through. She searched the ground floor where able, which wasn't far. Part of the building was gone and the only other open hallway was covered with so much debris that she could never get passed it without burning herself or causing more damage to the already weakened structure. She ran upstairs and kicked down whatever doors were closed, and in the second room she checked there was a small family of three consisting of a mother and her two children who ran out of the door upon her orders and exited the Inn.

One family safe, Linde's conscience was beginning to clear.

She continued searching rooms, but it seemed that everyone else within was either already dead or beyond saving. As a doctor, Linde could not leave those who were beyond saving to their fate. It was against her own moral standards and code. Even though they could not be saved, they deserved better than to die here. Linde lifted and carried four people one by one out of the building, one of whom died in her arms on the way. When she finished with the fourth individual, the Inn collapsed in its entirety. With the Inn gone, Linde turned her attention to other buildings in the immediate area which had caught fire but were still standing and joined in the rush to try and save as many lives as she could.

Bursting into what was once a gleaming and glamorous home of a noble, she rushed inside and found several maids trapped inside a storage room in the cellar. After letting them out and ordering them outside, one of them told her that their master was still trapped inside on the upper floors. Linde took the warning, but since the house was still in tact and only on fire on the outside she was able to maintain a slightly calmer mind as she rushed through the house to continue her search. A few more maids, a butler, and a woman who was either a mistress or an infidelity were also rescued from the building as it finally started to leak fire inside which lit each room in a red hue. Linde wasted no time reaching the upper floors once she was sure the bottom floor was clear, and as she ascended the stairs she got a strange and sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Something was telling her to go back. To not push forward and save this man.

Ignoring her senses and her instinct, she pushed onward and searched through several rooms on the upper floor which was now almost entirely engulfed in flames. In the final room, what was obviously the master bedroom, upon entry she was greeted with a grisly sight.

The master of the house had been strung up and hung in the middle of the room. His bowels were emptied onto the floor via a single clean slash wound to his stomach. His head was turned 180 degrees around and his heart had been pierced. She could not tell which wound had caused his death, as any of them could have been the cause, but it was clear that he was not being saved anytime soon. She turned around and rushed out of the house. Along the way she was hit by a piece of burning debris from the ceiling which fell onto her shoulders as she ran and pushed her down to the floor. Her attire was fire resistant, but not fire proof. She pushed it off as quickly as she could and rose to her feet, a twinge of pain in her left shoulder as she did so before she made her escape from the building at last.

As she exited into the streets, she examined her surroundings and checked to see if there was anything else to be done and her heart sank.

Those buildings which still burned were too far gone to save and any trapped inside were undoubtedly dead from the volume of smoke billowing out of the windows. Other buildings had burned down already and there were no signs of life among the burning debris. In the streets, some people sat and cried while others remained silent as they watched the blaze take away their place of business, their home, or worse yet their families. She could easily tell by the expressions of many faces around her that husbands, wives and children had been lost to the inferno that was the Noble District. She had never been much for nobility, but she understood the pain of losing a family member all too well. Her heart went out to them, and as she watched the flames finally begin to subside, a small flash of darkness in the corner of her eye caught her attention...

Something was here, and her instinct told her it wasn't anything good.

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At'iana was oblivious to the weeping and the screams of those around her as she wept her own tears of grief. Having fallen, exhausted, over a particularly stubborn piece of rubble, At'iana had begun to sob uncontrollably. Her cries mingled shamelessly with the strangers who added their bawling to the cacophony of noise. At'iana looked up, and through teary eyes, saw a scene that would not be misplaced in every imagination of hell.

The sky was blackened with the smoke that billowed from several buildings across town, and ash tumbled from the sky like dirty snowflakes. The early night was lit by the last embers of fire, elongating and distorting the flickering shadows of the piles of rubble and the helpless individuals that stood by in shock. The still air was thick with the sounds terrified people, in mourning and afraid. Children howled mindlessly for their mothers, or clung to the dirtied skirts of strangers. The smell of smoke that scorched the back of her throat mingled with the unmistakable scent of burning flesh.

And then there was a sound that cut through all of the others and wrenched At'iana back to reality. The high pitched whinny and stamping of shod hooves on cobblestone had At'iana wiping the dust from her damp eyes as she turned to the darkened streets. The two horses had bolted half way down the road, and they were still there, the whites of their eyes showing as they shied at each sound and flash of color. At'iana set her eyes upon them, and suddenly those two horses were all that she had left in the world. At'iana dragged herself to her feet, and stumbled over to them.

She truly looked as bad as she felt. Her hands were bloodied and an ugly gash marred her brow. Her knees were sore from kneeling on the hard, and the world span distressingly around her. It seemed to take a life time to cross the distance, and when she reached them, At'iana grabbed a hold of Charky's reigns as a drowning man clings to a raft. The horse tossed his massive head, but At'iana somehow found it in her to murmur soothing words into his ear. Eventually, the horses calmed, and with them eased, At'iana found it within herself to be calm too.

At'iana looked around herself with a look in her eyes that was more wary than scared, and held the reigns of the horses in her hands. Things were starting to get quieter. The screaming was stopping, and the explosions had stopped completely. But something still felt wrong. It wasn't like when she said something that was false, it was the undeniable feeling of something not being right. At'iana glanced around, but then, there was a blur of movement in the corner of her eye. At'iana span to try and catch it in her sights, but whatever it was had fled. At'iana told herself it could have been a startled cat, but she knew that wasn't true.

At'iana looked around her to see if anyone else had seen it, but most were justifiably preoccupied with mourning their losses. But there was one woman who stood out, static in the thoroughfare. Her eyes were narrowed thoughtfully, and she wore a grim expression that At'iana was sure that she was mirroring. Taking the horses in hand, At'iana made her way over to the woman.

"Hi," She softly greeted her in a voice roughened by her previous weeping and the thick smoke on the air. There was then a long silence as At'iana realized that she hadn't planned this now apparently pointless conversation, before At'iana swallowed and continued.

"Did you see that?"

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Mar'ko Euhndr

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"Damn it!" Mar'ko howled stumbling back and gripping his hand which had been burned. He'd raced into a home where he spotted a couple of children screaming and crying from a second floor window of a burning house. He rammed through the front door using his shoulder as a battering ram and discovered an middle aged woman passed out at the foot of the stairs. whether she was rendered unconscious from falling down the stairs and bumping her head or from the inhalation of the thick clouds of smoke which danced across the ceiling. Perhaps it was a combination of both, but that didn't matter. The living room was a river of flames and the entrance to the kitchen which probably led to a back door was turned into a fiery gate to hell. He scooped the woman up in both arms and hurried her outside, laying her on the ground.

He called out to someone running by. "Help this woman, please! There are children still inside!" The man reluctantly halted and came over to help. The Shaharan archer snapped back around into the home inferno, he covered the stairs in two leaps. On the second floor there were three doors. Mar'ko heard whimpering and crying from the one closest to his left so he kicked his way into that room. The door swung open startling the children who all look up at him with wide terrified eyes, stung with tears. There was three of them. One, a boy was taller than the other two, but none of them could have be older than eight. The fire hadn't appeared to have made it to this bedroom yet. The children must have run to this room to call out of the window for help. He hastily waved for them to follow him. "Cover your mouths with your shirts and follow me!" He ordered. Leading them back out into the hallway he reached the stair which now cracked with flames which had climbed their way up to meet them. He cursed under his breathe. They were trapped.

Mar'ko turned to the children. "Is there any rope or cord anywhere?" The children exchanged glances before the smallest one spoke up.

"There's some rope in the closet down the hall in that closet." She squeaked and pointed to the end of the hall.

"Good, now head back to the room." Mar'ko ran down the hall and began to search through the closet. There was an axe, bucket, mop and broom. In the back was a pile of coiled thick rope. Perfect. He grabbed it and went back to the room with the children.

Outside the window there was another tall building, a shop that had yet to catch fire. Mar'ko took out one of his arrows tying the rope around it, then unsheathed his Damascus steel bow. He could feel it's warmth through his fingerless gloves. He took position aiming the arrow out of the window and at the building, then released. He hit his mark. He tied the other end of the rope around his waist and picked up the children. The tallest on his back and the other two in his arms. Together they jumped from the window, swinging from one side like a pendulum before the arrow snapped under their combined weight wait landing them on the ground. besides a couple of scrapes everyone was fine. The children ran to their mother who was now conscious and sobbing, holding them in her arms. He couldn't help, but grin.

His work wasn't done, he continued to help the citizens get the fire under control for a few moments longer Before he passed an alley way where something unregistered blinked from his sight. A chill ran down his spine.

"Did you see that?" They were his thoughts exactly.

"The horrors are far from over if my eyes did not deceive me earlier."

Mar'ko approached the two women. He hated to admit it, but "I couldn't agree with you more...."

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Linde was somewhat startled by the new arrival, but she turned to look at him and tried not to look too defensive.

He was a few inches taller than she was with short brown hair and blue eyes. He had a certain charm about him and was handsome in his own way, though the ash and burned clothing didn't help much. Still, he seemed to have had a similar chill running down his spine as she did. She didn't know what was going on to give her this feeling, but it seemed that both of these people felt it as well.

"If my eyes didn't lie to me, I saw... him earlier. It was only the briefest of moments in the darkness of the rooftops before the explosions, but he was being pursued by someone who was promptly turned into a red smear on the wall of the Inn." She said grimly.

She looked at the young man.

"If he is still in the area, then I fear that our troubles have only just begun. That, and whomever was bold enough to chase him would undoubtedly not have been alone. For anyone to brave chasing him... They are either very powerful or very foolish." She said.

She looked over at the young woman.

"Have you any experience in combat?" She asked.

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At'iana looked around her warily, expecting any horrific monster from her childhood stories to jump out at her from the shadows after the strange woman's comment that she suspected things wouldn't be getting better. Her eyes widened, and she clutched the reigns of the horses tighter. Charky nickered gently, and At'iana exhaled slowly in an attempt to calm herself. The woman that was stood by her defensively radiated quiet confidence, and reminded At'iana of some sort of cornered, but undeniably beautiful and dangerous predator. Her presence alone eased At'iana, though she felt somewhat redundant. What good was she, if she needed someone to look after her?

It was then that a young man who appeared to be not much older than herself stepped out of the shadows. At'iana jumped visibly, but when he spoke and it became clear he was merely human, she relaxed. Ruggedly handsome, there was a guarded look in his eye that encouraged At'iana to trust him, albeit reluctantly. But just by being a man, this stranger reminded her of Sen'jan. At'iana felt herself go pale as tears threatened once more, but she pushed them away when she heard the words of the woman.

"If my eyes didn't lie to me, I saw... him earlier. It was only the briefest of moments in the darkness of the rooftops before the explosions, but he was being pursued by someone who was promptly turned into a red smear on the wall of the Inn. If he is still in the area, then I fear that our troubles have only just begun. That, and whomever was bold enough to chase him would undoubtedly not have been alone. For anyone to brave chasing him... They are either very powerful or very foolish."

Him. At'iana went cold inside at her words, and all of those old childhood horrors rose again. She winced, but didn't want to lose face in front of these people who, at no age greater than hers, were proving to be a lot more capable in the current situation. At'iana knew she couldn't continue blanching at every distasteful sight or sound, or bursting into grief stricken tears every time her eyes fell upon a man.

The woman's question interrupted At'iana's internal debate, and she filed the thoughts away to examine later. With a newly determined look on her face, At'iana shook her head.

"Not really," She admitted, before digging into the bag that hadn't left her sight throughout the trials of the day, "I fought a wolf off with a stick once. And I have this, but I wouldn't be much good in a fight"

Ignoring the twinges of pain from her hands as she rummaged through her bag, At'iana presented a small knife. Her papa had given it to her before she'd left, saying that she was only to use it in emergencies. If anything, the explosions of the day counted as an emergency. The blade was nothing special, but it was sharp. The thought of killing anyone with it made her feel sick, but she offered it anyway.

"I suppose you both would be quite capable in battle," At'iana continued, knowing that soon she would need to learn how to fight, "I'm At'iana, by the way...What happens now?"

At'iana asked her question as she looked around her once more. For a moment, she had almost forgotten about the chaos and filth that surrounded her. At'iana grimaced, and turned back to her newly found companions.

---

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Mar'ko Euhndr

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---

What happens now?

There was ash spread all over over his scorched armor, sweat clung to his skin like morning dew on grass. His muscles and bones ached, his heart thumped in his chest ferociously but these things were eclipsed by the pure undeniable rage that shook his core. Despite that he was calm on the outside, too calm. There was no reason for such devastation, even as a soldier who was expected to participate in war should it arose, such senseless bloodshed, such irrevocable destruction and reckless hatred should never be allowed roam freely in any world. What happens, now, indeed? He knew the answer within himself.

"We end this conflict," He answered the young woman who's name was A'tiana's question. His gaze then fell on the zenthro woman. "Am, I, right? I'm Mar'ko by the way."

---

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"We end this conflict," The young man named Mar'ko said.

Linde looked over her shoulder at the young man, but said nothing for a moment.

"... We can try..." She responded quietly and hesitantly.

She looked around and surveyed the area and then noticed that despite the flames, all had gone quiet. No screams were heard. No other people were in the area. No animals. Nothing. Everything was dead silent save for the sound of burning wood.

"... Stay close." She said, stepping towards At'iana.

Linde continued to check the surrounding area, eyes scanning almost frantically to find the reason behind the sudden disappearance of all sound. Her answer came unexpectedly, and could not have come in a more threatening form. From the rooftop nearest to her, from three stories up, a figure cast in shadow leaped down upon her and the others landing but a few feet away from her.

Instantly, she was on guard... But something wasn't right.

It was a man who descended from the rooftop, but from that height his legs should have broken the instant he made contact with the ground. He was in a semi-crouched kneeling down on his right leg with both fists digging into the dirt and cobblestone beneath him. Wearing an outfit comprised of a black material she was unfamiliar with, this new figure slowly lifted his head until his eyes shone from beneath his bangs.

Linde's heart sank.

Two glowing red spheres from beneath the blackness of his hair cut through her like a freshly sharpened knife through paper. Linde watched as he slowly stood up, glaring at all three of them with an empty and cold expression. His eyes neither confirmed nor denied life. They were just... empty.

Linde looked at him for a moment longer, and then back to At'iana and Mar'ko.

"What is your business here?" Came the low baritone voice of the Red-Eyed Demon.

Linde's attention snapped back to him as he continued to glare at all three of them with that cold and empty gaze.

---

---

"What is your business here?"

The moment after that monotone voice resonated in the suddenly still air seemed to last a life time to At'iana. She turned, and it felt as though she moved in slow motion as her gaze turned from the woman to the two ruby colored orbs set in the empty face of him. The horses tugged restlessly at the reigns, snorting uncertainly at the man that seemed to appear out of mid air. At'iana looked from them to Mar'ko, to the woman, and then back to the Red-Eyed Demon.

As a child, At'iana was told stories, and there was something similar about all of them - each had a good guy, and a bad guy. Of course, there were people in between, but in the end, good always triumphed over evil. But as At'iana looked into those soulless red eyes, she inwardly flinched. There was power and strength there that almost promised that good would not triumph this time, and that was such a foreign concept that it made At'iana nervous.

She kept silent, unsure of how to reply. Somehow, she felt like she was just a passenger in these events - unable to defend herself or her companions, she was the most vulnerable member of their party. At'iana wouldn't take responsibility for provoking the Red-Eyed Demon, and instead gripped the reigns tighter. She felt the cuts on her hand crack, and split wider, and a single drop of scarlet blood trickled down the back of her hand to land silently in the dust at her feet. It hurt, but At'iana somehow felt detached from the pain, and detached from the events that were escalating around her.

---

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Mar'ko Euhndr

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By the time the stranger had landed on the ground with inhuman finesse, Mar'ko had drawn his bow and unloaded arrow an arrow directly into his chest. The stranger looked up confused. Mar'ko worked like a machine, blasting arrow after arrow into the strangers torso. Each one faster and faster, hitting their mark making the stranger stumble back a little more, giving him not time to react. And with each shot the Archer took another step forward, closing the gap between. As the strangers face twisted in pain, Marko's became wild with bloodlust. He thought of the people, the fire, the homes, the death that he'd experienced through this night...this person, he knew this person was the cause. He loaded his last arrow, aiming between those twin crimson orbs and released. This arrow powered by vengeance for the townsfolk. Mar'ko watched the arrowhead bury itself between the strangers brows. He heard the body thud as it hit the ground, a spurt of blood splashed onto mar'ko's cheek.

"What is your business here?" Mar'ko was snapped back into reality. His soul called for action, but his feet stayed planted to ground. His body was frozen in place, unable to move. Only able to stare ahead...into the eyes of a demon. This man emmitted such an sinister feeling...Mar'ko could tell that even under the best circumstances he would have no chance against him. Although his calm poker face hid his feelings, He could not even summon up a response.

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Linde looked to the others, both frozen in place as if by some kind of spell. She herself could not find any feeling in her legs to move, but the Demon's question brought her back to reality.

"We all had our reasons to be in this Villa before you and your ilk attacked." She finally managed to say.

The Demon's eyes traveled over to her, but he didn't move nor speak to her. His eyes, soulless as they were, displayed more meaning and spoke greater volumes than any words she'd ever heard before in her life.

... She had given the wrong answer.

"... We seek to understand what just happened here." She quickly corrected.

The Demon slowly began to walk forward. Each step producing close to zero noise despite a pair of obviously heavy boots with thick souls. On his shins were a pair of graves made of an unknown material she'd never seen before. They were a translucent green coloration with a solid black core beneath. Vambraces on his forearms, a chest guard over his heart, and even the daggers which hung at his lower back all told the same story and were crafted of the same material. All of this working together at once told her that he had inhuman control over his body and the shifting of his weight. Such control went beyond her understanding despite her capabilities as a doctor, and as he approached yet closer she found herself retreating a step. Her eyes remained solid and confident, but her body language betrayed her fear.

The Demon stopped but three feet away from her and stared her down, his crimson red eyes beginning to glow under a strange bioluminescence not possessed by any other human being in the world. The red orbs locked onto her emerald green eyes with a dangerous intent behind their glare. He made no move against her, only began to appraise her up and down. He walked a circle around her, inspecting every inch of her from head to tow before stopping in front of her and giving a rather ambiguous nod.

The Demon walked over to At'iana and Mar'ko both and did the same before returning to Linde and handing her a small piece of parchment. When she opened it, she saw a map of the Villa and several locations marked on it with red circles. She looked up at the Demon with a semi-furrowed brow, confusion clear in her features, before he returned a rather ominous answer to her unspoken question.

"Go to any of these locations, and all will be made clear to you." He said.

With that, the Demon turned and disappeared into the darkness of a nearby alleyway, leaving Linde to ponder the maps locations and what meaning they could possibly hold. Most of them were average shops or trade posts. What could be there that could draw the Demon's attention? She had no answers, but never the less she turned to the others.

"So... what will you two do?" She asked, unsure of what else was to be said.

---

---

At'iana looked between Linde and and the Red-Eyed Demon, the blood rushing faster through her veins, pumping adrenaline around her body. She didn't speak, biting her lip gently as she heard Linde reply to his question as though from a distance, and watched as the Demon then circled her. At'iana was on edge, her teeth gritted uncomfortably, expecting the Demon to lash out and strike the woman down. But he didn't. He simply moved on, and moments later, At'iana found herself face to face with a visage taken straight from her very nightmares.

For a moment, At'iana almost flinched from his scarlet hued gaze, before some tiny part of her rebelled from that fear. Refusing to be afraid, At'iana stared back at him, fighting the fear from her face. She remained still as the Demon then went about examining her, facing forward and releasing the horses for a moment. At'iana could almost feel the focus of his eyes burning into her body as he scrutinized her, and felt the almost irresistible urge to turn around and lock gazes with him once more. It felt dangerous, letting the Demon move around her as he desired, like turning your back to a caged lion. And yet, At'iana came through unscathed, and was subjected to one final, dismissing nod.

Anger flared as At'iana told herself to be calm. Who was she? Some piece of cattle at market to be examined and then dismissed or bought so easily? Indignant fury told her to catch him by the shoulder and spin him around, as he passed her on his way to Mar'ko, and yet she knew that if she did, the Red-Eyed Demon would probably kill her before she could utter a single syllable. At'iana gathered the reigns of the nervous horses as she watched the Demon examine Mar'ko, struggling to smother her temper.

"Go to any of these locations, and all will be made clear to you"

At'iana watched silently as the Demon abruptly left, unsure whether they had passed his apparent test or not. In reality, he had been with them mere moments, but in that time, the street around them had become suddenly void of other people, making the sound of their breathing and the crackling of the dying flames the only sounds once more. It was a strange atmosphere, as though time had been suspended, just for them. Dazedly, At'iana turned to look at Linde as she spoke.

"So...what will you two do?"

She shrugged automatically. At'iana had no idea what she would do now. She was in a strange city that was currently burning to the ground. She had her bag with her money and a tiny amount of food, and two frightened horses. Her fiance was...gone, and there was no cure for her mother. At'iana was filled with despair. What was she to do? There was nowhere that she could stay, and certainly nowhere to keep her horses, because she couldn't go anywhere without them. She supposed that she should go home to her mama, and spend what little time she had left with her. At'iana looked uncertainly between her two companions before hesitantly replying.

"I don't know...I...Probably, I should go home," At'iana paused and patted Charky for reassurance, "What are those locations that the...the Demon mentioned?"

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"What are those locations that the... the Demon mentioned?" At'liana asked.

Linde looked back at the map again, double checking that she was right about what they were and where they were before looking back to the poor girl.

"... They're just general goods stores and a gunsmith shop... I don't know why these locations would yield answers, but if there are any answers at all to be found as to what happened here and why then I'm going to check it out. If you two would like to leave, I won't stop you. But I could use the help if you're willing." She said quietly, trying to keep a calm and comforting tone.

((Glitch in the system makes a triple post on rare occasions. Ignore this.))

((Ignore))

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Mar'ko Euhndr

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As the demon the circled him, he moved not an inch. His breathing was calm and his eyes followed the demon's every step as he circled him and the other two women. The most unnerving moment in his life, more unnerving than watching this same man drop from the top of that building and land on the street with no injury let alone a fallen eyelash. Mar'ko could feel the demon's breathe on the nape of his neck it was cold like ice.

When he seemed satisfied, the demon left a map with the Zenthro woman before making his exit. Mar'ko made his way to peer over the woman's shoulder at the map. The Red Eyed Demon said to go to any of the locations marked on the map and everything would become clear to them....

What are those locations that the...the Demon mentioned?" A'tiana asked.

"... They're just general goods stores and a gunsmith shop... I don't know why these locations would yield answers, but if there are any answers at all to be found as to what happened here and why then I'm going to check it out. If you two would like to leave, I won't stop you. But I could use the help if you're willing." The Zenthro Woman replied.

"Who could walk away from something like this?" Mar'ko chimed. He thought about returning to his troop and telling his captain about what just transpired, but would they even believe him? Mar'ko was sure that his troop would be long gone by now. They weren't very fond of him nor was he of them. They'd have no reason to stay behind for him. The diplomat's safety was their main priority. His own life was disposable.

For once he had to admit that he felt more alive than he ever had. This was something he wouldn't turn his back on.

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Linde listened to Mar'ko's response and found it somewhat troubling, but she would take all the help she could get.

Why he was so eager to go after this information that the Demon had presented was beyond her. It could be a trap, a test, or something else altogether that the Demon had in mind to have them killed. The locations could hold dangers beyond any of their capabilities to fight if the organization that the Demon was involved in was still in the area. But again, she welcomed any help she could get.

She turned to At'iana.

"If you'd like to come with us to see these locations, then stay close but stay behind us. We'll just take a quick look around and see what we can find. Hopefully, it will be nothing at all." She said as she turned to Mar'ko.

"Well then, Mar'ko. Follow me." She said.

With that, Linde took another look at the map and noticed the nearest location was not far from Chi's blacksmith. That bit of information had her highly alarmed, and she instantly turned to move in that direction. Linde took off at a light jog in the direction of Chi's smithery and kept up her pace until reaching it about five minutes later. The area was also the site of destruction and chaos. A few people were here mourning their dead while others were mourning the loss of their homes or businesses. Ruined buildings and fallen structures abound as the city was still a sea of red as fires all across the Villa continued to burn in the background. This area had seen its share of fires, but was none the less very well charred and burned.

Linde went to Chi's smithery and found it to still be standing. She opened the door and called to her friend, but received no response. She searched the building frantically, checking every inch of it for any hiding spaces or areas where Chi could hunker down for shelter. She found nothing. There was no sign of Chi anywhere, which meant one of two things. One, she had evacuated in time to escape to a safe distance or help others. Two, she had been taken by whomever had done this. In her present state of mind, Linde was in a mild panic. Chi was odd, but she was her best friend whom had been with her through thick and thin and was a true as blood with Linde. Chi was a sister that Linde never had biologically, and losing her would be more than Linde could bear.

As she exited the smithery, she happened to look over at a mother and her young son as they mourned the loss of their husband and she noticed a familiar figure leaning over to comfort them. She recognized the hair and the posture, and she let out a heavy sigh of relief.

Chi stood up and gave the mother a final pat on the shoulder as she turned to return to her smithery when she saw Linde waiting for her. The two of them ran to one another and embraced, both relieved beyond words to see the other alive and in one piece.

"Linde, are you alright?" Chi asked.

"Yes, Chi. I'm fine."

Chi held Linde's arms and held her at arms length for a moment.

"Those explosions were close to your inn. Are you sure you're alright? No lasting injuries?" She asked.

Linde smiled.

"I'm fine Chi, really." She said.

Chi gave her a concerned look but sighed in contentment before looking at her smithery.

"... Don't linger Linde." She said quietly.

Linde looked at her friend, confused, as Chi looked back with pain in her eyes.

"It's not safe here anymore... I'll be moving my smithery to a new location the moment that I know the caravans are ready. This Villa is no longer a place I wish to stay." She said before giving Linde one final hug and going back into her smithery.

Linde was a bit perplexed, but she decided to leave Chi be as she returned to the side of the others.

"Sorry about the excursion. I had to make sure she was alright." She said to Mar'ko and At'iana.

Linde turned and continued to lead them towards the first location, and upon arrival it was standing, but half burned down.

"... This is it." She said quietly.

Linde walked forward and found the door was jammed by something inside. She stepped back and took in a breath, letting it out on a slow breath through pursed lips before suddenly lunging at it and giving it a tremendous side kick which broke through the door completely and managed to knock the door itself off its hinges. Linde's leg was still stuck in the door as she almost fell into the room, but she pulled her leg free without issue and walked inside. Upon initial inspection, the room was nothing more than a simple general goods store. Linde could not see anything out of place or exotic, so why did the Demon mark it on his map?

"Let me know if you find anything." She said as she went back to her investigation.

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Mar'ko Euhndr

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"... This is it." Mar'ko heard the Zenthro say quietly before side kicking the door off it's hinges.

He whistled, impressed with the power in that kick. Although he would have preferred a more... stealthy way of entry. If there was anyone...anything waiting inside for them, it knew they were there now. He decided to Keep his eyes peeled then sauntered into the store after her. Everyone had to be on their guard. The store was pretty mundane, nothing out of the ordinary. It offered simple necessities and then some, but nothing special. Why would this place have been marked on that map? It was completely empty, but untouched by the fire that was raging through the village. There had to be a reason fro that, right? He tapped his foot on the floor boards as he walked along through the store which was rather small. His eyes shifted over to the Zenthro woman, seemed she had found someone important to her outside. He was glad for her. An image of his fathers came to mind. He was glad they were far away from this chaos. His eyes's settled on A'tiana for a second, but he made sure that they didn't linger. When he first saw her there were twin streaks of dried tears on both her cheeks.... He wondered, What did she lose?

"I know her name is A'tiana, but I don't think you've told us yours yet." He continued to tap his foot until he got to the counter, where there was a bowl of apples and bananas neatly placed. The floor here wasn't the same as the rest. The tapping seemed to had changed. A story his captain told him came to mind.

There was a group of bandits terrorizing the outskirts of the Malyian desert. Where the bandits couldn't find currency they plundered and raped. Their leader was a terrible man with less than impressive brain power. The captain's platoon hunted them down for weeks until finally reaching the bandit camp near the heart of the desert. A platoon of 14 troops against a camp full of thieves and murderers. When his platoon had finally taken down the Head bandits men, the leader locked himself in a room. The soldiers tore through the barricaded, but the bandit leader had disappeared without trace. They'd all but given up when one of the soldiers noticed something. The floor. The foot steps made on one side of the room were much louder than on the other side. He pulled up the rug that was lying there and found a door in the floor. Bandit leader had hid beneath floor, right under their noses.

The floor, now beneath Mar'ko's feet was hollow. he knelt down, laying a hand against it's lukewarm surface. There was scratches in arc on the floor boards. The counter had been moved alot out of place a lot. Recently too, he guessed. The archer cracked his neck then moved behind the counter and began to push it out of the way. Beneath it, to his surprise was what appeared to be a spiral stair way leading somewhere that he assumed most smart people would even dare to go. He looked at the two young ladies. "Jack pot?"

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"I know her name is A'tiana, but I don't think you've told us yours yet." Mar'ko said as Linde came back around after searching behind some pottery.

"Oh... My apologies. My name is Linde." She said half distractedly as she searched behind a few boxes in the corner.

Mar'ko seemed to be doing some heavy lifting when Linde turned and saw what he had found. It was some kind of passageway leading beneath the building.

"Jackpot? Mar'ko said.

Linde nodded.

"Indeed." She said as she walked over to him and knelt down to look down into the passageway.

"How did you find it?" She asked, looking up at him.

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Mar'ko Euhndr

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"I realized the floor in this area was hollow like there was a basement under this place or something." He tapped his foot a bit as if to demonstrate. "Would have searched for a basement door or something like that, then I noticed that boards where the counter was sitting were scratched as if someone had been moving it out of place then back into place. Made me recall a story my captain told me about a rogue bandit who hid under the floor." His eyes went back to staring down the passageway. He swallowed then turned back to Linde with a slight smile. "Shall we?"

A'tiana hadn't said a word. He wondered if she would still go with them or if she'd gotten cold feet. Linde definitely seemed as if he could handle herself, he recalled how she almost fell through the front door. Handle herself...to a degree atleast. But this A'tiana girl he wasn't sure if she was cut out for this sort of thing. Actually, he didn't even know exactly what this thing was in the first place. A trap? An initiation? Maybe it was just suicide.

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"Shall we?" Mar'ko asked.

Linde nodded, turning to look down into the darkness as she decided to go first.

One step at a time, slowly descending into the abyss. Her eyes caught the faintest of flickers of light coming through cracks in the flooring above before the light of a candle off to her left just barely caught her eye. She almost missed it entirely, but she was lucky enough to see it. It went down a bit farther, maybe ten steps down before leading to a straight corridor and a door at the end.

"Well that's not suspicious." She said, trying to lighten the mood.

She went forward and looked at the door. It seemed harmless enough. She reached forward and she heard a small "click" as her left foot hit the ground and she stopped, but not before letting out a small gasp. She looked down and saw the "stone" that she was standing on beneath her left foot was now slightly lower than it had been before.

"... I don't know what I stepped on, but you might want to take a quick step back." She said quietly, fear beginning to well up inside her.

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Mar'ko Euhndr

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The stairs didn't lead too deep down, it seemed. Mar'ko was somewhat grateful for that, even though he expected more. They reached a corridor made of solid stone, lit with candles leading the way to a door at the end of the path.

"Well that's not suspicious."Linde said, Mar'ko assumed she was trying to lighten the mood, but with every step they made towards the door, Mar'ko's senses were on edge.

"Either way," He began as he checked over his shoulder. "We should be as careful as po---"

He was cut off by Linde's gasp. "... I don't know what I stepped on, but you might want to take a quick step back."

Mar'ko gritted his teeth and reflexively took hold of Linde's arm and pulled her away from the door along with him.