Lucien's Story

Within the shadows of an empty chamber stood the most sinister of men. Black, shadow-like garments wrapped around his torso and shrouded his body in an energetic darkness that appeared to move at it's own will. The man stood tall, his pale skin appearing to shimmer even without light. His complexion alone lit the room just enough for him to see. Within the man's left palm he held a black, translucent orb that sizzled with movement underneath it's glass shell. He had a set of beady red eyes that were glued menacingly to this mysterious object, watching every single movement. This transcendent man was none other than Serith, the God of Darkness. Not an action was missed that was being conducted outside the Maddening Woods. A "humble" abode he created for himself and his men. Not a single soul could pass through these woods without their soul being devoured and essentially becoming his property. A devilish smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he watched several cities crumble and fall. Towns, villages, horse carriages and caravans, there was no place safe in the world of Saria, and Serith was loving every minute of the chaos.

A strange strand of darkness twirled around Serith's index finger. It was a subtle habit of his and somewhat unsettling. Though nothing compared to when he stared directly at you, or rather through you. Gazing directly into his eyes is enough to make some men go mad, others feel exposed, however, all felt frightened while doing so. Aside from the disarray, Serith's focus was narrowed to any children he saw. He carefully observed each child gathered, slaughtered, watching for any indication of his fellow godlike "peers." In the City of Shimore, he noticed how the demon general Eucliffe had her eye on one particular female that intrigued him. He watched the female carefully, agreeing that she did have unique qualities that made her stand out from the rest. Juhull City was a complete disaster area that he decided it was not worth his time weeding out the prime candidates from the filthy vermin running around. The attacks in the Ulemma Kingdom were scattered and somewhat disorganized, it would take some time finding the Child of Light there. His palm let go of the orb that now floated within the shadows and was soon enveloped in darkness, it had vanished.

As if floating off the ground, Serith made his way out into the corridor. The building was so grotesque and grim; just the way Serith liked it. He strolled down the hall with his hands in his pockets and with an eerie whistle escaping his lips. Serith was pleased, enjoying himself in fact. A wide archway appeared on the left side of the hallway and Serith glided through it, his eyes locking with the necromancer, Lucien, who was sitting on a luxurious chair. A soulless man had exited the room after receiving orders from his necromancer. Serith did not smile nor make any gestures. Instead he seemingly floated past Lucien, his da rk garments lashing out on their own will slightly gripping at Lucien's arm and leg before letting go as Serith proceeded. His hand slowly swayed to the side as though he were wiping an invisible window, and his translucent orb materialized before him. The images began to stir within the glass object and Serith merely tilted his head glancing back at Lucien as an open gesture for him to follow.

"Observe, Lucien dre Millfeore," Serith mockingly spoke Lucien's full name. "A truly pleasant sight. It's been too long."

"It is good to know you are enjoying the sights." Serith only gave a half smirk at Lucien's remark. His hands rested behind his back holding onto each other. He continued to peer inside the glass orb, carefully watching every action and event transpiring. There was silence between the two. Serith was never particularly fond of Lucien. Well, Serith was never fond of anyone but himself. As useful of a necromancer Lucien had turned out to be, he always managed to crawl underneath Serith's skin with his rebellious attitude and arrogance. However, in this moment he was too pleased to focus on the foul taste Lucien always left in his mouth. Suddenly, the orb focused on a girl with a brilliant head of hair who was hiding in a crevice between buildings. The girl had a frightful look on her expression, with Morrighan's sword in her right hand. At this Serith grinned mischievously.

"There is the Child of War. Morrighan should learn to be more subtle as well," Lucien pointed out sarcastically. "I presume that you would allow these children to gather first while toying with them along the way."

Serith's gaze then directed itself onto Lucien's smug expression. His teeth were gritted, already seemingly annoyed with Lucien and did not bother to mask his distaste for him. It was so much like Lucien to always pry Serith for answers. That man could never keep his mouth shut and Serith viewed him to ignorant with every remark he made. However, he only glared at Lucien with no visible signs of anger or any reaction for that matter. Even though his face held no expression, there was an unexplainable intensity to him. His eyes were always narrowed, with a look of disgust permanently shaping his facial features. Rather than respond, Serith glanced back into the orb with his lips pressed together. He now actively searched for the Child of Light and Child of Destiny. The demon generals were enjoying themselves and killing for sport more than anything. Serith really did not care what they did or in what way they conducted themselves so as long as they got their jobs done. Within a few moments time, Serith's fierce, red eyes rested upon a hiding child with lightly colored hair. Something about her face had caught Serith's attention. A man was running towards the child to take her with him to flee. It was then that Eleora's pendent revealed itself and seemingly chained itself around the girl's neck. His focus was locked onto the girl and it was as though nothing else existed. Shortly after, a set of armor wrapped itself around a young man's body who could be no one other than Agnar's child. Finally, a chuckle escaped Serith's lips and he turned to meet Lucien's black eyes that were like painted black skies.

"Lucien," Serith said coldly. "Your arrogance never fails to surprise me."

Serith's response was to Lucien's presumption even though it seemed like he was not interesting in continuing that conversation a few moments ago. He then walked in the opposite direction of the orb towards Lucien's ornate chair. Hovering over the man, he appeared to be analyzing him. A scowl was apparent on his face which was not very unusual in the presence of Lucien. Tilting his head curiously he then growled, "Why is Solus not present? All three have been revealed. I have important matters to discuss with you buffoons."

Serith was never kind with words unless he was working his magic. Now that the two necromancers were bound to him, he freely insulted their existence almost every time he acknowledged them. Whether or not either of them ever grew accustomed to his condescending demeanor was not of his concern. Lucien constantly questioned his authority while Solus actually obeyed his command. He never revealed his true motives and still did not plan to do so. In due time if they were more intelligent and sneakier than he gave them credit for perhaps they would learn of Serith's goals. For now, he knew almost everything about them and they hardly knew anything about him. Just as it should be. There were reasons behind his decision to not kill the children right away. After all, if it were that easy why would he have taken the time to build this militia unless he could take care of such things himself? However, he decided he would let the two necromancers be surprised in their encounters with the Children. It would be the utmost amusing to watch them all meet at last.

Distaste flickered in Serith's beady red irises at Lucien's sarcastic remark. Another scowl had planted itself on his face for a long moment with a dangerous look in his eye. Though shortly after he smiled as though nothing had bothered him at all. The doors then fluttered open and in came Solus, a man of a gentle demeanor and what many would say a trustworthy appearance. In fact, it was his oddly soft and gentle vibes he emitted that made him such a useful ally. Serith continued to smile, as if he was pleased with his two underlings. A rather dangerous and touchy state of mind in which the militia knew all too well of. He did not react to Solus's apologies, he only continued to eerily stare as Solus took his place beside him.

"Have I missed anything important in my absence or are things going as predicted?" Solus had questioned. Serith then directed his gaze to the orb that floated before them. He observed the two, measuring their capabilities to determine which would be a better match for each child. He had intentionally planned to go after the Child of Light himself, but after analyzing Solus it was much more strategic to have him go after the child.

"The Child of Light," Serith broke the silence while taking the time to stare at each of them at eye level. "Her name is Hiyoko. She travels just outside of this small village by the ocean waters. You are to pursue her Solus. It should be simple enough for a man of your caliber. As for the Child of War, her name is Asrai. The thing is in a fragile state of mind as of now. I'm certain you can handle at least that, Lucien dre Millfeore."

Serith growled his orders at the two, while again mocking Lucien by speaking his full name. He was feeling irked and somewhat impatient. His eyes then rested on Solus, the disgust in his stare never wavering for either of them. Somehow, he was doubting their capabilities seeing as he viewed them both to be arrogant. Then his face fell extremely soft, almost insecure looking and like a nervous man. His red irises turned to a murky shade of black indicating he had reverted to his deceptive mortal form. "As for I, I will go after Agnar's child, Nero."

His wispy dark garments materialized into white and black threaded clothing and he looked like he could pass for an ordinary man. He would follow Nero and his companion, Ryu. No one could read information from the translucent orb like he could, it revealed names to him as well as their faces. With a rather bored yawn, he had one last bit of information to share with the two.

"You two are to learn of who they are and what they are capable of. Discourage their abilities in any possible way. Unravel their minds and expose their insecurities if need be. Get close then betray, do as you wish. We are to delay them in their learning until they discover us. I imagine they will be on a sort of quest, you see. Oh my fellow peers amongst the Heavens have directed them somewhere in three days time," Serith spoke very nonchalantly. Though he ended his sentence with a mischievous grin indicating he was not revealing all the information he had. The two necromancers would be surprised in their findings, and Serith certainly looked forward to their struggle.

Without further ado, he turned his back to them and made a slight gesture in the air where a floating line of darkness broke through the air. It expanded rapidly and moved in a clockwise motion. It was his signature portal. The only other two men known to use this were the necromancers before him. Thanks to his 'gift' to them that is. He imagined he'd only need to use this once for the day as it did consume quite a bit of energy to create and direct to specific locations. Though for Serith, although he felt his effort, it appeared as though he hardly used any energy. Before stepping inside, he waved his hand in the air as though to say goodbye.

"Oh, and by the way," he spoke in a dull tone. "Do not disappoint me."

He then snickered as he stepped inside the dark void. Everything around him turned into a black miasma as his body drifted through the rippling energy. After about a minute, his figure stepped out of the other side of the shadows into a wide open field that was about a mile away from Juhull City. Smoke floated high into the atmosphere directly from the crumbling city. Even from here he could still here the screams and cries of the city's people. Serith simply grinned as he shoved his hands into his pockets. Now it was a matter of finding that child Nero. He couldn't have made it too far from the city. Whistling, Serith turned towards the opposite direction of the city taking in his surroundings. It had been ages since he set foot outside of his fortress. His bones ached for excitement, which was now moments away from beginning. His expression fell worrisome and weary once more, as though he were lost out here in the wilds. Perhaps he would pretend he also escaped the city. There were just so many games to play.

Asrai's heart was racing, though her mind remained sharp and clear as she carefully observed the demons stirring about. They seemed to lack intelligence but were easily raged. Dangerous nonetheless. In an effort to keep herself calm, she kept taking deep breaths as she tried to devise a plan. The demons were bickering and complaining, Eucliffe was agitated and displeased. As for the enslaved children, they remained silent and defeated. It made Asrai's blood boil. She was not entirely sure she believed what the Goddess Morrighan had told her was true, but if it was then surely she could do something. It was then that an ominous chill filled the air. A dark slit in the air made itself visible which quickly expanded, taking the shape of a set of double doors and a marble stairwell.

The demon general, Eucliffe fell frozen stiff as did the other demons. Her unease was glued to her expression and she quickly turned to the doors, obviously knowing what would follow. The doors creaked open, followed by a gathered darkness and soon after, the most sinister man Asrai had ever laid eyes on. His body was wrapped in a gray cloak and his face was rather handsome. To Asrai, while the man's appearance was frightening, it was also one of the most beautiful face's she had ever seen. In fact, she found herself slightly mesmerized and infatuated the more she watched him.

"Eucliffe." the mysterious man stated. It was odd; He did not even yell yet his voice rang throughout the vicinity and rattled them all. "Report."

Eucliffe was hesitant, her demeanor had completely changed. However, she had knelt before the cloaked man with an apologetic expression. The other demons followed her lead and also knelt before this strange character. Who was this man? Eucliffe then rose her gaze to the sinister man's as her body grew steadily tense. Her wings no longer stretched their full span and cowered inwards instead.

"Milord," Eucliffe began while clearing her throat. "We secured the city but have yet to find the Child of War."

Nervously, her eyes darted towards the enslaved children. None of the other demons even dared to look upwards from the ground. "We captured these children but none have been revealed. There was one girl earlier..." Eucliffe paused, carefully choosing her words for she was uncertain of how her superior would react to the news. "She had fiery bright hair. She escaped, but we've been tracking her all the way out here. My men tell me she's near."

Asrai felt herself snap back into reality upon hearing Eucliffe's words. If she remained in this cave, surely she would be found. If only she could hide her hair somehow. Deciding she had to sneak around the walls of the cave, she carefully picked up her sword so as to not make any noise. She held it upright behind her back for extending it would leave her too exposed. No one was currently looking her way, or at least she hoped. Silently, she tip toed around the wall she had been leaning against and carefully crept toward the edge. So far so good. She crept a few inches more before being able to shield herself behind the tail of the cave. At least she could run now if she had to. Most likely, she should have ran but the enslaved children kept her grounded. She would rescue them and escape somehow. But this man made her worry, he was certainly unlike the others. He looked human so he could not possibly be a demon or so Asrai thought. Perhaps she could throw a rock and distract them all then make her way to the children. Then she could cut their chains, but she would not have much time. Judging by the looks of it, that plan seemed feeble and with the new addition to the party it felt nearly impossible. There had to be some other way. For now she would continue to watch in utter silence, hoping to learn more of this shady character.

"Is that so." Eucliffe gulped at her Lord Lucien's response. All she could hope was that she came out of this alive. As he came down the last step of the stairwell a circle of red light with ancient writing and symbols began to surround her which made her stomach turn upside down. Suddenly chains extruded from the dark magic circle and wrapped themselves excruciatingly tight around her entire body. A horrified scream escaped her lips as she cried out for mercy and felt her body crumble beneath the chain's overpowering force. They were burning her skin, embedding themselves into her and she writhed on the dry earth unable to stop herself from screaming in pain.

Still hidden, Asrai watched in absolute horror at the turn of events. The demon woman, Eucliffe was her enemy and yet she even felt some sort of remorse for the woman. However, Asrai mostly feared for her own life at the moment. Then, to her dismay she saw the ruthless man turned towards the children with a lifted hand while saying, "Blame Morrighan."

Energy formed at his palm with a blaring sound and within seconds it diffused straight for the children. Asrai stumbled back, feeling as though she was going to throw up. I-I failed... She felt guilt stricken, traumatized even. She lost grip of her sword as it fell at her side and slightly clanked on the ground. Hopefully no one had heard. Then to her bewilderment, the attack had been diverted. Another man appeared before the ruthless killer. He stood tall with irises that looked like the sun. He had a much different demeanor than the killer, and he appeared to be a foe to the demons. The mysterious man turned toward the children and spoke words of comfort, "Don't worry. I won't let them hurt any of you. This will end here."

The ruthless man released the demon Eucliffe who gasped for air as she finally struggled free. Her body was charred with marks of the chains. Raw skin was revealed where she had been burned and in some places blood trickled out of her skin. The woman quickly got to her feet breathing heavily. The dark man had ordered the demons to kill the intruder and innocent children. Eucliffe extended her arm and claws where similar red light gathered and a black polearm appeared. Her wings stretched wide though they were also terribly wounded from the chains.

The demons had lunged for the golden eyed man while others aimed for the children. The man would not have such a thing occur. As the demons attacked his person, he summoned orbs and struck burning through most of the demons and freezing others. He then launched another orb at the group of demons who were about to attack the children. The children screamed and covered their heads but they were saved just in the very nick of time. Eucliffe saw an opening and lunged for the golden eyed man, thrusting her dark polearm in a horizontal motion with the blade aiming for his backside. However, Eucliffe's attack was repelled by another blade that coursed with energy that sparked upon collision. There she was, eye to eye with the demon in front of this small army, in front of this ruthless killer who apparently was actively searching for her, with her sword in hand in attempt to defend the golden eyed man who rescued the children. Asrai's teeth were gritted, her skin stained with charcoal and dirt as she held Morrighan's sword with both hands to deflect Eucliffe's attack. Their weapons slid across each other, with Asrai's sword moving upwards and Eucliffe's downward.

Eucliffe instantly jumped a few feet back, baring her teeth and cursing under her breath. Asrai had no idea what she was even doing, but something told her to defend this man who was able to protect what she could not. She gripped her sword with both hands at the hilt and extended it before her in a defensive stance. However, her footing was clumsy and she awkwardly held the sword. It was evident she did not even know how to use it. However, the sword rippled with light violently. Asrai wasn't exactly sure why as it was not doing this before. Though she took a guess it had something to do with the man she was defending. She gawked at Eucliffe with fear and courage. This very well could mean her demise. But a rage was settling itself in the pits of Asrai's stomach and it felt as though her blood was boiling. Asrai was angry, very angry. Disgusted even. Enough was enough.

"You want me? You have me!" she spat daringly. Though she was not confident in herself let alone her own words. Her brows were furrowed and although her mind was clouded with doubt she stood tall and valiant. Her own appearance was something in of itself. Eucliffe sensed something in the girl that she had not felt before. Hesitantly she stood there trying to calculate her next move. Things were becoming complicated. She could not fail Lucien again. The girl was not as much of a threat as the other mysterious figure, but she could prove to be a nuisance at this rate. As it was, half of her men were already slain at the hands of that intruder.

Nothing seemed to be going as planned for anyone in this turn of events. Asrai had humbly agreed with the man to run off with the children while he dealt with the demons. She was hesitant, but came to understand she'd only hold the man back. As she reached the children she hacked at their chains with her sword which seemed to be able to cut through anything. Freeing them at last she shouted, "Come on! We have to get out of here!"

Her brave face was returning, it reminded her of the slums. Where she protected everyone. Now they were dead. The realization pitted itself in her stomach and made her chest ache with a pain worse than any wound she had ever felt. However, the more she pondered, the more bitter she began to feel. She was gently pushing each of them at the small of their backs to run off when she heard the man speak, "You. You're the one they call the Death Dealer, The Black Necromancer."

The words rang in her head like bells. The Black Necromancer. That was only a legend! A tale told to kids to scare them at night! This could not be possibly happening. The day was becoming overbearing. She made she sure the children ran ahead of her before she followed. They ran for some time, creating a fair distance between themselves and the fight. Asrai had found an area full of a rocky terrain where it would be safe to hide. The boulders would be their cover and there were plenty of holes and crevices to hide in. Asrai directed the children into the area though she lingered at it's edge awaiting the man who had saved these innocent lives. Each minute passed felt like an eternity. Asrai found herself pacing back and forth anxiously. Her sword was settled on a smaller rock a few feet away. It had stopped glowing and Asrai was dumbfounded.

Fortunately, Asrai did not have to wait too long. The young man appeared though his stride was sluggish and he appeared to be wounded. The instant she saw him she ran towards him and slung his arm around her neck to help him walk towards the children. Once they reached them he collapsed to the rocky ground and Asrai quickly observed his wounds, uncertain of how to handle such things. She was certainly no healer. "I... guess... we survived that..." the man said with a weak smile.

"Hey, come on! You have to hang in there!" Asrai practically shouted, her voice was panicked. Two younger children came running to their aid. There was a young boy who wore a handkerchief around his neck. He untied it and passed it to Asrai. The little girl beside him tugged at her arm and firmly spoke, "Apply pressure, it'll slow the bleeding. My grandma was a healer. It does not look too bad, I've definitely seen worse."

Asrai simply blinked at the young girl, impressed by her knowledge. She nodded with a small smile before muttering her thanks. Carefully, she applied the cloth onto the man's wound hoping to slow the blood. Unfortunately there were no bandages available so she was not certain of what more she could do. "Say, what's your name? I'm Asrai," she tiredly spoke. "I'm sorry you got caught in this mess... It seems to be my fault..."

She firmly held her palms over the man's wound while glancing at his face with a weak smile of her own. Guilt was washing over her. All of this happened because of her. The city's destruction, the chase, the children being captured and this man risking his life for them. Her entire being was shaken. Normally, Asrai was able to conquer the most difficult of situations. However, it was as though an entire lifetime of events happened all in a matter of hours. Though she finally felt she could breathe again. With a heavy sigh, she glanced over at her sword which was about a dozen feet away from them. It still did not glow. Asrai kept trying to figure out why or how the thing worked but could not think of an answer. Her smile slowly turned into a troubled frown and her eyes narrowed while she entered some sort of daze. "I don't think we can stay here long either," she almost whispered. An onslaught of questions circled throughout her mind for this man, but she refrained from asking seeing as it would be inappropriate due to their circumstances.

Meanwhile, back at the scene remained a devastated Eucliffe. She almost wished she had died rather than survive for what was about to come her way. Her body trembled for she didn't even dare look at her Lord Lucien who was glaring at her and the others. Everything had completely failed, and the Child of War escaped. Things were looking grim for her and the others who were still alive. She fell to her knees and dropped her polearm, her fresh wounds still stinging from the chains Lucien had bound to her before. She was uncertain whether or not to expect worse, death, or remorse. The others were just as tense as she was and all cowered in fear. Such a change of atmosphere compared to a short while ago.

Perched upon the treetops was a young looking man who had one golden eye and one black. His face was expressionless with lips pressed together. He wore a luxurious navy blue tunic laced with gold and a set of black-grayish trousers that were somewhat on the baggy side. His sinister expression and unique pair of eyes meant that he was no one other than the demon general Zeporon.

Zeporon was perched atop a thick branch, gazing directly down at the child who bore the mark of Eleora around her neck. His pupils were thin and snake-like. While he appeared human, his eyes said otherwise. He was one of Solus's devoted men and had been tracking the child and companion that walked beside her. While he had led the direct attack in the girl's village known as Mossley, he had taken notice of the young girl and the warrior who protected her as they escaped the village. He took it upon himself to follow which turned out to be a wise decision. They did not notice his presence, he was as silent as a small field mouse foraging for food. Just a short while ago he had sent out a demonic messenger crow with a letter to fetch Solus. It described their exact location and his findings.

The warrior who stood by the Child of Light was wounded. He was applying medicine to his wounds while pondering their next move. Though his gaze was glued to the small child and the pendent fastened around her neck. Uncertain whether to attack or wait, he decided to do nothing but watch until his Lord Solus appeared. Anything rash could ruin their entire operation. He was known for his intellect amongst the demon generals though he was not nearly as strong as the others. Though judging by the looks of the two, even he could overpower them both.

He simply remained perched on the thick branch of the tall tree, hiding amongst it's leaves and shade studying the two very carefully just in case there was going to be unsuspecting surprises. Zeporon disliked failure, especially if it was his own. Even his breath was silent. If you stood next to him, you'd begin to wonder if he even breathed at all. Patiently he waited, his eyes glistening any time the sun's rays broke through the leaves of the tree. He craved blood. Dinner. The child looked delicious. Perhaps he'd get to feast on the man beside her. The smell of his blood made was beginning to make his mouth water.

Asrai gave a soft smile as she gently grabbed Azriel's torn sleeve. She helped settle him against the rock behind him so that she could more easily wrap the cloth around his waistline. Fastening a tight knot, she then somewhat pouted, "I hope this is okay." She then rose to her feet, the skin over her muscular frame glistening in the sun. Even though she was covered in dust and ash, she still maintained an outwards appearance. Asrai was staring off into the distance, her mind elsewhere. There was a glimmer of ferocity in her bright irises and she clenched her fists. Her gaze than gently rested upon the children who sat nearby waiting anxiously.

"Hey, would you mind grabbing that sword for me?" she directed them towards Morrighan's sword. She did not have a sheath or any way to carry the sword over her back but she knew she had to help Azriel on his feet. The children, wide-eyed, nodded and quickly made their way to the sword. But then the oddest thing happened. The male child tried to lift it with no success. He struggled and pulled desperately and even the little girl tried to lend her strength. But their efforts were futile.

"Miss, the sword is too heavy..." the children muttered embarrassed.

Asrai had a perplexed look on her face. The sword was as light as a feather, surely it was not that heavy? She walked over and grabbed it with no effort whatsoever and it lifted off the solid rock it rested on. Confused, she passed it over to the male child but as he grabbed it he fell down trying to hold it's weight. Asrai instantly grabbed it from him so that the child would not harm himself. She'd have to make due somehow. Making her way back towards Azriel she tucked her sword underneath her arm before helping lift Azriel so that he could slump his arm over her shoulder.

"Come on kids! We're leaving this place!" she shouted before lowering her voice to a quieter volume. "I'm sorry but you're going to have to help me lead them to the next village. I've never been outside of the City of Shimore."

Little did they know was that a crazed, drenched in blood, Eucliffe lurked nearby tailing the group. Lucien had made his point to succeed in this task after seeing to her thorough punishment for failure. Her teeth were gritted, bearing her fangs for all to see. Her eyes had a wild glare as she somewhat limped with a slumped shoulder that trickled with her discolored blood. Kill... Kill... were the only thoughts she could form. Curse that Lucien! Why do I have to be stuck with him? She'd wait to strike and kill those children. She could not wait to see the desperate faces of that wretched girl and whoever that nuisance of a man was. Their scent was strong and she sought nothing more than revenge. Eucliffe decided to wait until they appeared once more, her eyes and ears focusing in everywhere around her.

The God of Darkness strolled through the forest around him, his power masked as he hid underneath his deceptive mortal form. His eyes were soft with sadness as he actively searched for the Child of Destiny. What drew his attention was the steady rise of smoke amongst the trees out in the distance. He approached with a smirk before wiping it from his face and allowed fake tears to fall from his eyes. Serith was an actor, a very good one at that. He trembled with fear and held his arms together looking as though he was in some sort of shock. Alas he approached the small clearing where the smoke originated from. There was a small fire and he instantly recognized Nero's face. Soft gasps for air escaped his lips as he cried. Serith fell to his knees, clenching the grass before him with his fingers as the tears splattered against the ground.

"Please," he whispered desperately. "Help me!"

He quickly glanced up to see through his tears at the reaction of Nero. However, he saw Ryu and received a whiff of the scent of blood. For an extremely brief moment, Serith somewhat tensed and felt his mouth water smelling the blood off of Ryu. It emitted an unsettling energy from his mortal form. But, he quickly got a hold of himself and resumed to his tearful act with the strange energy subsiding as quickly as it submerged. He would befriend the two and travel with them. "I managed to escape," Serith cried while his body continued to quiver. "I have no place to run..."

Ryu Ookami. Brother of the Child of Light. This would be an interesting adventure. Serith's shuddering body could have very well been his excitement but instead it only came off as anxiety. The events he had executed would work in his favor. That is, if these two were as naive as he thought they were. He had to test the playground.

---

Zeporon had noticed his Master's entrance. While he still remained perched in the trees, he saw his Master's signal to retreat. Solus would take things over from here. With one last disturbing glare, Zeporon silently leaped towards the next tree at impeccable speed amongst the shadows. A brief rustling could be heard from his swift movements that could easily be mistaken for a squirrel. Before returning to the troops, he appeared before Zeporon and knelt before him showing his respect.

"Milord," Zeporon beckoned before meeting his Master's gaze. "They are headed east towards the shores. The Child is accompanied by a warrior. Though... he does not quite seem to be a typical fighter from what I've observed."

Zeporon pointed in the direction in which he came. His different shaded eyes flashed with excitement. Though his demeanor remained calm and emotionless as usual. He then took notice of Solus's disguise and he felt humorous. His Master was always such a cunning man. Though he pondered for a moment before asking, "Would you like to me follow, sir?"