Susanna felt awful... and wonderful. She felt both at the same time. It was like when you have a positivity great night's sleep, far more than you are used to getting and though you feel rested you also feel wasted for the amount of time spent in sleep. The was a bumping from where Susanna sat and she realized that she sat on a cart rolling down a dirt road. It was early morning, she must have slept for the whole day and night. The day was misty lending an unreal quality to the landscape.

"Beautiful isn't, dearie?

Susanna strangely didn't find herself surprised to hear that voice, it was one she knew well. Susanna looked to the ground where it had emanated. There was a girl walking beside the old nag that pulled the cart. She was pretty with flowing dark hair and pale skin that contrasted nicely. Her eyebrows were straight giving her an innocent "not a care in the world" look. Her ears were pointed marking her as an elf, she must have been very young for she couldn't be any taller than Susanna.

Her dress looked as if it had been sung from a tree. It could have been fine leather if the elves condoned leather. The sleeves were the gold of a healthy oak reaching to her knuckles but not being as long on the bottom so as to give her control with her hands. It had a multi level skirt that was the color of freshly turned soil on the front and the golden bark as it branched outward. She had an ornate belt with a little bag strapped to it and a silver tiara set with an orange gem in her hair. When the girl turned to look at her Susanna saw that her eyes were as black as a starless night.

Susanna had seen this girl before in her dreams and nightmares and when she pressed deeper, her memories. "Lilith," Susanna said unfeelingly. If Susanna could see her then everything around was a façade. Susanna was dreaming and Lilith loved to torment Susanna in her dreams. "Hello Susan. You have some truly beautiful memories I hope you appreciate them. This is where I come when I want to be alone."

Susanna looked around. She knew this place. It was the road between her father's farm and the local town. She realized that she was sitting in her father's wagon and that it was Sally there old horse that Lilith was petting. The whole landscape didn't quite feel right, it felt empty and hollow. "That is the way with memories Susan, there never as complete as when we were there."

Susanna started to pay more attention to Lilith. She'd never heard the demon address her as an equal. Lilith always called her "little girl" or "dearie". Not only that but despite it being shorter Lilith's current form of address was not only equal but also formal compared to her name. "I'm dreaming." said Susanna just to reassure that fact in her mind. No Susan. I'm dreaming. You're following me." For the first time in the ten long years that the demon had inhabited Susanna's body Lilith sounded tired. "Where?" Susanna asked "You're looking for something. Where are we going?"

"Got to see a man about an apocalypse." Lilith said simply for the first time a smirk beginning to appear on her face.

"You can come if you want. It's not like you'll remember when you wake anyway." Susanna felt like this statement should elicit some sort of shock or fear or action but Susanna felt apathetic about it. It didn't feel quite right but she put the thought aside squirming under her skin. Lilith stopped the horse and motioned for Susanna to follow. Then she left the road. They were walking over her father's land now. This was were he liked to plant strawberries. There wasn't a big demand for them but Susanna's father always set aside a very small patch for strawberries as a treat for the two of them.

The stopped at the edge of a forest. There was an enormous man standing between Lilith and where Lilith wanted to go. Susanna felt that Lilith would easily destroy him but rather than causing something to impale the man she bowed her head to him. "Jernlod, you have been appointed keeper of the Prince. Good he will need someone strong. The master requires that I make the Prince a 'proposition' as it were." The man smiled at her. "Lilith, as lovely as the day you gave me my strength. He is ready to see you."

They nodded to each other and Lilith walked past the Viking King letting Susanna pass with her. "This is delicate Susan. Keep your silence if you please." Susanna found herself unable to speak or perhaps unwilling. This was Lilith domain and she must listen to what Lilith wanted whether she wanted to or not.

Behind the Viking King sat a crypt so old that moss had started to grow over its surface. ”Come inside, Lilith said to Susanna eagerly. Susanna followed curious to see what lay inside the crypt. What sort of Prince would live here and have company like Lilith.

The inside was nothing like Susanna expected. It was made of the same stone as the outside and just as run down but it was a throne room. Columns lined the walls with such proportions that Susanna didn’t believe this room could fit in the building outside.

At the far end of the throne room sat a single throne. In it there was a slumped figure. As Susanna approached she suddenly realized who it was and would have screamed if she could. It was the elven man from the clearing, the one whose wounds Susanna repaired.

Lilith walked up to him and started to speak whispering in her ear. It was not her sweet calm voice that she usually used. It was the voice of her demon form, violent and unpredictable yet enticing and intoxicating.

”Mahtan, the girl, the one your called your beloved The Nobleman and Warrior killed her, slain her in cold blood when she was simply a pawn for the Demon. It is their fault... all their fault. But I can help. I am Lilith and I want them hurt as much as you.”

Then her voice changed, becoming higher and sweeter, the voice of the elven girl.

"Wake up, child."

Mahtan’s eyes shot open and he sat up on his throne but Susanna would have sworn upon a bible that he could see nothing before him.

”Mahtan, they killed your beloved, but there is more than one love in the world. There is another, one that you can save if you hurry, her name is Susanna. You must make them pay for what they did. You must take your vengeance.”

Susanna knew that these words spoken in demonic tongue were reaching Mahtan’s heart. Lilith’s voice changed again.

"Mahtan, Susanna needs you. Go to her now; wait for the one called Seth of Valeria to release her from her prison, then save her from the clutches of evil. Good luck my Prince, and take care."

Lilith waited for several seconds before putting another command into Mahtan’s head.

"Mahtan, my Prince, I will wake Susanna. Make sure you are waiting to rescue her. She needs you, Mahtan, do not fail her."

Lilith smiled with pride and stepped away from the throne. She motioned for Susanna to follow and left the crypt. Once they were outside the forest Jernlod stepped back into his place. Susanna was suddenly aware that the trees all except for where the Viking king stood were grown trunk to trunk creating an unbreakable wall. What was that place.

“It is his mind.” Lilith said simply watching Susanna closely. It would not do for our champion’s mind to be altered by other forces so we guard it. Lilith sounded tired with this duty. She was a warrior not a guard and it was clear just how she felt about it. ”Susan, it is time for you to wake.”

“One questions,” Susanna said suddenly desperate to prolong the dream “Before I wake answer me one question.” Name it. “Who is that girl whose image you cling to so fondly.” Lilith cocked her head at Susanna thinking for a long time before saying. ”She was my first host, I think… before the demons took my soul… I think I called her sister.”

In that moment Susanna sat bolt upright. She was in a small wooden house. She wasn’t sure how she knew but she did know that she had slept for a day and a half. It was mid morning now. There was something she had to remember. A dream she’d had concerning Lilith. It was about… but as Susanna tried to remember what she’d seen the details slipped away leaving her with a memory of her father’s fields and a sense of urgency. It was about that elf she had saved, Mahtan. She didn’t know where the name had come from but she knew he belonged to it.

A woman bustled into the room carrying a bundle of blankets. She stopped suddenly when she saw Susanna. "You're awake." She said surprised. Then she looked at the door. "I would get out of here if I were you. The man who brought you, he gave no name but he said that you passed out performing some sort of witchcraft. There are those in the village that would see you burn."

Mahtan grew tired despite his wounds being healed, as the pace it took to keep up with the Nobleman was too much for the Elf's battered mental state. It seemed like the whole world was weighing down upon him, beckoning him to sleep with every step he took. Whenever he felt like quitting, he would hear the voice in his head pleading for his help, pressing him to continue onward. This would cause his strength to be renewed for a short time longer, but once more he would need a pick-me-up. The relief that rushed down his spine as he realized Seth was coming to a halt was unmatchable, but soon was overcome by a sense of exhaustion when the Nobleman kept walking. With a hint of blackness to his emerald eyes, Mahtan observed the house at which Seth had paused for a moment, only to see a ruin that must have been burned down many years ago. He simply shook his head to revive his senses and kept creeping through the underbrush, agile frame pushed as low into a crouching position as he gear would allow him.

There were many things going on inside the Elf's tainted mind, including thoughts of what would happen once he reacquired Susanna. Even he didn't fully understand why he was being called to her, or why he felt that he needed to hide from Seth. Only the whispers in his ears knew, and they seemed to know quite a lot about him. They knew why he left the Reach, the number of people he'd killed, and what he had felt for Arya. It was almost like it was part of him, or had been there throughout his entire life. Thinking back on his past, he realized that there was always some lingering feeling to his life, as if some power was watching over him.

Getting caught up in his thought, Mahtan tripped over an upturned root in the ground and quickly caught himself, immediately halting his breathing to listen for Seth. He head the clink of armor and a small grunt from Susanna as the man turned, his proud eyes looking into the forest. Mahtan's arms trembled slightly as they struggled to hold his body in a push-up position, the armor on his frame packing more of a weight than he was used to. Normally this would be easy for an Elf, but Mahtan was indeed going through some changes that were taking a heavy toll on his body. Not only that, but his 'Mark' -as he called it- was spreading to the skin around his eyes, giving him the look of a raccoon. He had noticed this in the reflection of a small puddle some time ago while he was following Seth, and he believed it gave his angular features even more definition. If anything, it suited him well, gave him a much more experienced and high-ranking appearance.

As the rustle of armor signified Seth was moving once more, Mahtan sprung to his feet and made an all out dash for the nearest tree, then raped his pale face around it to peer at the man. He had stopped to read what appeared to be a sign, and as Seth headed towards the direction it was pointing, Mahtan's sharp eyesight could spot a small town up ahead. The sky was filled with white smoke as the industry was hard at work, and as the Elf grew closer, he could hear voices. He noticed a large crowd taking notice in Seth, and watched with a somewhat amused grin upon his face. That's when the sickness hit him. The sight of Seth caused Mahtan to cover his mouth and double over somewhat, and as beads of sweat began forming upon his bro, the Elf cursed in his native tongue. What was this? The man that had saved his life somewhat caused this reaction? No, it couldn't be, there must be some sort of foul smell in the air. Posssibly even the sight of his love's blood upon the savior's clothes.
Mahtan corrected himself and looked up once more, only to see Seth moving towards a small wooden house with Susanna still on his back. Now that he was farther away, the sight of Seth only cause Mahtan a small headache, and the sickness in his stomach disappeared. Using the townspeople's amazement in Seth as a distraction, Mahtan sprinted through the back side of the town and got himself closer to the hut where Susanna was being taken. By the time he was in clear view, the only movement he saw was Seth parting from the building, waving goodbye to the inhabitants as he made his way. The voice penetrated Mahtan's head once more; "My, such behavior is expected of a Nobleman. How come you never practice such things, Mahtan my Prince?"

Mahtan simply scrunched his nose and looked up through the trees, and spoke a simple word; "Rain."

With a flow of his silver hair and the rustling of branches, Mahtan was out of the forest in a single bound. As his boots his the soft earth just outside of the tree line, he kicked his muscles into overdrive and aimed himself at the house. It wasn't long before someone would notice him, so he would have to hurry. As expected, somebody did notice him just as he reached the house, but it wasn't anyone from the town. Instead, it was a woman who was just entering with an armful of blankets pressed to her chest. She was red-cheeked and somewhat in a hurry, but she noticed the slender man without much of a problem. She took one look at his eyes, then his ears, and simply smiled.

"Ah, an Elf. This is a pleasure indeed. Is there something I may help you with, Sir?" was her greeting, and Mahtan bent at the waist ever so slightly, his eyes darting towards the door of the house. He remained silent however, as a lump was forming in his throat. He was so close to what the voice was telling him, and he could feel a heartbeat raging in his ears, drowning out everything else. The woman saw his cheeks flush with color, and she giggled, pushing open the front door. "Well, I'll assume you're here for this young lady. She's in quite the condition...though, I think you should get her out of here quickly. There's some problems concerning what we were told..."

The Elf's noble form shifted slightly as he looked towards the town and saw a large fire in the square despite the rain, and could see many torches in the dying light. As the torches neared, he saw that there were many people holding all sorts of different ropes and tools, and his ears detected a chant of 'Burn her!' arriving with them. As he turned around, the woman looked even more flustered as she reacted to Susanna being awake, and relayed the same news that Mahtan had just heard. With that, the Elf pushed through the door and presented himself as proudly as he could, and despite the blood and holes in his armor managed to look somewhat presentable. "Susanna..." he said, trailing off in a hesitant way. "We need to get out of here, now. Are you okay to walk?"

Susanna's face simply looked back at his own, and she furrowed her brow slightly, signifying that she was confident in the fact that she could move on her own. "Good, then we need to go. Here, let me help you.."

Mahtan moved forward and grabbed Susanna's staff, then thrusted it into her hands before removing the sheets from her body and pulling her into a sitting position. Outside, the mob was growing closer, and the Elf wrapped Susanna's left arm around his shoulder, his height meaning she wouldn't have to put all that much work into walking properly. When he made sure she had all of her items, he wrapped a hand around her waist and jogged to the door, where he gripped tighter on Susanna before moving into a full sprint. As soon as their bodies crossed the opening he swung to the right and darted off down the road, opposite the way Seth had left. Close behind them sticks and other various objects were being tossed from the mob. Doing his best to dodge the projectiles, Mahtan lifted Susanna clean off the ground and scooped her against his chest before leaving the well-worn road and sprinting into the ditch. Underneath his leather boots he could feel his feet getting sucked into the mud, but it didn't seem to slow his agile body down as he kept running, his strength and stamina seeming to return almost immediately. His emerald eyes fixed on what was ahead, he shifted his direction accordingly to avoid obstacles.

After running for what seemed like nearly an hour, the cries behind him died down and Mahtan slowed to a halt. By now he was once again back on the road, and up ahead he could see the light of a town. The sign to his left told him that it was Veiron, and his heart sank in his chest. He was back where it all began, or rather, was at one of the small town's that now surrounded the outskirts of the giant city. Looking farther to the south, Mahtan could see the giant white walls of the city stretching across the horizon, and his body seemed to grow cold. With a small sigh he let Susanna down to a standing position and brushed some dried mud from her clothes. He grunted as he cracked his back, then looked at the woman standing before him. For the first time since they began their escape, Mahtan spoke;

"Well...what now?" and immediately was met with a quick slap across the face from Susanna's tiny hand.

The day began the same as any other for Cylus, one hour of meditation before sunrise. The days ended in the same fashion, one hour of meditation after sunset. Cylus did this religiously because his old master taught him that a clouded mind makes rash decisions whereas a cleared mind makes sound decisions.

After his morning mediation Cylus stood from his small garden he tended to and walked along the dirt path to his humble abode. He left his shoes at the door, so he didn’t bring dirt into his home, he gathered his cloak, sword, and his sandals. Having fit himself he started out his door to collect his students to begin the day.

Astoria was a very small town on the edge of Lake Aidra, there he had lived for a decade teaching swordsmanship to those he found to have the right reasons to learn. Astoria had one road that ran through the middle of town, along it were all of the shops. He turned off the road and found himself at another small house, most homes in Astoria were small, knocking at the door. It opened with a boy in his teen years standing in the doorway.

“Good morning Lee.” Cylus addressed the boy.

“Master!” He bowed realizing who the man at his door was.

“Are you ready to begin the day?” he saw that the boy wasn’t, “Go get what you need and be at my house soon.” the boy bowed again and dashed back inside.

Cylus continued walking and found himself at another home. Before his hand touched the door to knock it was open with another boy dressed in the black clothing of a student with two broad swords on his hip, one on either side. He bowed, “Master, I am ready to begin our day.” he addressed the sword master before him.

“And so you are.” Cylus said turning around to continue his walk. The boy followed him. After three more homes Cylus was back in front of his home with five students ready to learn. All of whom wore the same black cloth shirt and pants along with wooden sandals. “now leave your weapons here, you wont need them today.” Cylus instructed his students. They did so.

“Come now.” Cylus lead them to the gates. The gatekeeper opened the gate for them. Cylus’ students followed him in an orderly fashion out of the town to a grove nearby. In the grove there were posts set up forming a very large circle. Neatly stacked outside of the circle were carved wooden swords. Inside of the circle was trees and tall grass and a small pond.

“Today is a sparing day.” Cylus explained to his students, this was met with excited faces. “Who will be first? Lee, Alfred?” The two stepped forward, Lee took a single wooden sword and Alfred took two broad swords. “Enter the ring.” They did so, “Lee go to the north end and Alfred take the south.” They did so.

“Begin!” Cylus shouted with no instructions. The boys charged from across the field to each other. their master had taught them basic defensive positions and simple swipes and how to lunge. Both of the students were not skilled and it was over quickly. Lee had lunged, Alfred sidestepped and knocked Lee’s sword from his hand with one blade ending the sparing match.

“Lee, Alfred come here.” The sword master instructed the students. They both stood in front of him in front of of the other students at the circle’s entrance “Lee, hand me your sword.” Lee did so. “Can anyone tell me what a sword is?”

One of the students stood and said “A sword is a weapon used in battle.”

“No.” Cylus said simply. “Does anyone else think they know what a sword is?” none answered. “A sword is an extension of yourself, never think of a sword as a weapon or a tool.” he turned to Alfred. “Attack me.” he told him.

Alfred was standing a few yards from his master, he charged the old man. Cylus sidestepped and thrusted his foot out tripping the student. “Again!” the student regained his footing and charged again, the same result. Cylus was still grasping the wooden sword. “Once more!” the student charged Cylus with both swords held high, Cylus lifted his wooden blade and met the boy’s swords, he spun one of the boy’s swords knocking it from his grasp and stepping away from the other. Cylus then used his foot to trip him and held his sword to him signifying that he had won. “If you can end a battle with out bloodshed all the better. A swordsman must learn restraint.”

Cylus gave Lee his sword again. “Alfred give me your swords.” The student did so. “You seem to like the idea of two swords?”

“Yes master.” he replied.

“And why is that?”

“I think two swords are better than just one.”

“An honest answer. But do you know how to use them? No.” Cylus saw the student’s face answer the question. “When you use these, do you think of them as two separate blades? Don’t, when you dual wield you are using one sword, they move together and accomplish the same goal.” He demonstrated the the motions swinging the swords in symmetrical fashion. “Never think of a sword as one item, it needs at least one other to make it whole.”

He finished the lesson after all of the students had spared, they went back to the village and Cylus went to his garden to meditate after the sun had set.

Rinic and his men moved silently through the night, heading carefully towards their destination. Not a single light or sound came from them, as the arcane spell 'sense void' had been fast upon them. This made the user or the ushers party completely unnoticible without detect magic. So, the troop pushed onward, knowing what waited. Their swords were sharpened, their armor gleamed, all ready to drop into the cave and slay the hell beast where it stood. But, they knew it wouldn't be that easy. A number of them steeled themselves for a painful death at the hands of the Demon or his orcs. None of that mattered though, as long as in the end, they had been cut down. As they jogged along the rolling hills Rinic looked up at the night sky for the fear of seeing it no longer dwelt on him. It was a jet black sheet of nothingness. Somehow, not a star nor a moon was able to shine its kind ligh onto Rinic and his party. This must be the work of the demon, he thought. It's death was a long time coming. His abusive power needed to be stopped, and they were going to do it.

Cylus sat with his legs crossed, he was deep into meditation. Thoughts were escaping his head, thoughts of battle, memories of Verion. It's been twenty years, but that does not change anything . . . Verion is gone, all the people who called there home, slew. The demons roam free. Orc bands kill as they please. Cylus could never accept failure at Verion, he fled when the new king had fallen, he began teaching at Astoria, but that was not the only thing he did there. Cylus served the town the best he could, he was their defender. It was the least he could do to atone for his greatest failure.

Exhale... Inhale, he allowed these thoughts of failure to drift in the wind away from him. His meditation was coming to a close, the sun was beginning to rise, it's orange rays made chaotic, yet organized, streaks in the sky. Cylus stood patted himself with he intent to rid his clothing of dirt. His garden was full of orchids, he planted them wanting to make a sanctuary as a reminder of Verion and the thousands of people who lost their lives, the thousands he abandoned. But these thoughts were gone from him, for now, he was free to do as he needed.

"BONG! BONG! BONG!" Cylus spun around to see the emergency bell ringing. This could only mean one thing. An attack. "DEMON!" Followed the bell ring. Cylus' eyes fell, he knew what needed to be done. He ran to his home, kicked his shoes off as he entered, he retrieved his straw hat, his cloak, his leather bound sandals, his bow, his quiver, and his katana. He dressed himself and dashed out the door, his clock billowing in his wake.

"Where is the beast?" He had arrived at the gate.

"Not far out, I spotted it as I was returning home!" The man was in tears, and it was for a good reason too. "Can you kill it?" He desperately asked Cylus. By this time most of the village was gathered to see what had happened and it seemed that news of the beast was reaching more and more ears.

"I'm not sure." Cylus replied. This was met with many sad looks. "Evacuate the village! Get everyone as far from here as possible!" Cylus yelled so everyone could here. "I will face the beast, I will do all I can." His head faced the ground, he gripped the hilt of his sword with his left hand. He was almost certain that his end was near. But he needed to give it an effort. He began his walk to the gate. "Open it." He told the gatekeeper. The man did not question he swordmaster.

"Master!" His students ran to him with their blades drawn. "We can help!" It was Alfred who spoke.

"No." Cylus said without turning around. "This is not an enemy you can face." They began to speak but Cylus cut them off, "I will not say it again! GO! Evacuate the village!" Everyone began to move, as well as his students.

Cylus made his way to the entrance of Astoria, and stood in front of the thicket of trees that were before the entrance and waited.

Before long his waiting was over. Out from the forest came a large man, but only it's shape was human. The creature's skin was blood-red. It's eyes were black orbs in it's head. The demon had arrived. Cylus wasn't sure if the village had gone yet but he couldn't think about it any longer. He knew that he was about to enter the fight of his life. There was no escaping this, he refused to fail this time.

"Are you all that has come to challenge me?" The demon spoke, it's voice was split into three tones. "An old man!" It screeched. "I am a lesser demon, I know! But is this it! Come now! I am BILE!" The earth quaked, "I've destroyed cities and slew hundreds! None have bested me! Least of all an old withering man!"

"A boasting match is it?" Cylus was desperately trying to buy time, his sword was still sheathed. The demon seemed to be playing into it. It nodded for him to go on, clearly wanting to play before it killed the swordmaster. "I am Swordmaster Cylus! I served at Verion! I slew thousands of Orcs!" He inhaled, keeping as calm as he could, "I trained under Vilgor the Just, the Mighty, the Merciful, the Slayer of Demons!" The name seemed to ring a bell in Bile's memory.

"Vilgor you say? He killed Neeh and Enale." Bile laughed, "Have I found myself a challenge? Ohh! And you have a mark!" He had spotted Cylus' right hand. "Marked ones are exceptionally powerful!" He said with a grin. "Let us begin!" He lunged himself at Cylus. Time was up.

His speed was great, Cylus only barely managed to sidestep, as he did so he unslung his bow and knocked an arrow, he aimed and let it fly. This all happened in an instant, the demon was turning 'round when he was met by the arrow, it met its mark in the demon's stomach. It laughed pulling the arrow out, "Is that all? Did Vilgor teach you nothing? He was a swordmaster not an archer!" The beast lunged again, it seemed to not be able to turn once it lunged at full speed. Cylus sidestepped again. He knew that if he faced this beast head on he would not last long, but he didn't know that for sure, he'd faced a demon in Verion it too was lesser. He slew it but was on the verge of death afterward. That was when he was at the peak of strength and the demon had seen battle.

Bile didn't lunge this time, he casually walked toward Cylus. As it did it held up its right arm, the hand had grown dagger sized claws, the left hand was the same. It chuckled as it approached. Cylus placed his right hand on his eastern made sword at his side. The demon's speed increased until it was running toward him. It wasn't far from Cylus. The old man had to make a decision, could he dodge? Or would he have to fight?

As the beast came closer and closer the thoughts raced through his head. He inhaled and exhaled. The beast was upon him, he drew his sword in time to block Bile's first swipes. Cylus threw himself to the left but kept facing his opponent. He brought his sword up to defend as the monster attacked again. Bile jumped back, "Why isn't your sword breaking? I have destroyed many blades!" He was furious at this.

"You don't know much of eastern blacksmithing do you? My sword is diamond edged!" He lunged himself at the beast sword ready, and stabbed at it. Bile dodged. It's face showed confusion.

"Diamond." It said aloud to itself. It was confused and that gave Cylus a chance to attack. He wasn't far from the beast now, it was half busy being confused. Lunging himself again he kicked the beast to the ground. "Argh!" It let out as it fell, Cylus quickly brought his sword up and down again, but the demon had moved. His blade hit the ground.

He frantically looked for the beast, he spotted it and brought his sword up just in the nick of time to block it's next blow. He was hit fast and it knocked him back blowing off his hat. He kept his footing and charged again. This time to go past the beast, as he did so he threw himself to the ground and rolled aside he did this quickly around the beast to confuse it. Bile shot out its hand and met Cylus' blade grabbing it and pulling him down. It lifted it's left hand to deal a final blow. Cylus let go of his blade, rolled aside dodging the attack. Unslung his bow, knocked and arrow and shot the beast's hand piecing straight through, forcing it the let the sword go. He then threw arrows at the beast as though the were darts while running forward to collect his blade. As he did so, Bile swiped with his right hand and cut into Cylus' left arm.

Cylus' eyes fell to his arm and saw that blood was soaking up that side of his body. Sword in hand he turned to the demon his sword held high and brought it down. The demon was too proud to have finally wounded it's opponent to notice in time to save his arm, but he had stepped away in time to not be sliced in half. Bile's arm fell to the ground then it turned to ash.

"ARGH! How could a mere human sever my arm!" His voice was still in three tones. They both stopped and turned, they had heard something. The clanking, of armor. A Warrior had stumbled by.

"The old man has skill! Wouldn't you agree Bile?" He said with such arrogance, Cylus took it as no compliment. The Warrior reached to his back and then was wielding a claymore.

"Stay back!" Cylus shouted at the man, jumping back himself to a defensive position his sword over his head the tip toward Bile the blade toward the sky, his left arm held against his body.

"I can handle myself old man." He replied possibly insulted.

"That is not what I'm concerned about. I must face him alone, now that I know I can defeat him." Cylus stood facing the demon Bile. Bile lunged at him, his aim was at Cylus' shoulder wanting to sever Cylus' arm. As Bile lunged Cylus shot his sword out, stabbing At Bile. The blade went clean through the beast's chest, he was shocked but still very much alive, while Bile was confused by what had happened the warrior charged, swung his sword severing the beast's head. Cylus had moved just in time to keep his arm and dodge Bile's attack. Bile had put his all into severing Cylis' arm, he failed and paid the steepest price for his failure.

Cylus collapsed on the verge of death again, a puddle of blood forming around him from the fountain that the gashes in his arm had became. He fell into a deep darkness, he could see death's hands approaching and was content. His task was complete, Astoria would live on.

Susanna felt sort of groggy and out of touch. There was a persistent feeling in her head that something was going on. It had something to do with Lilith and the elf. Some plans were brewing but Susanna couldn't remember what they were. She felt so useless. She'd caged a powerful demon in her soul for four years with only minor slip ups along the road and when it really mattered she fell short.

"Susanna..." said a hesitant voice from the door.

It was the Elf, Mahtan. Good he was safe, it was of the utmost importance that he remained that way. Lilith's plan needed him dead to achieve her goals. Perhaps this Elf could stop the Storm Demon once and for all. Something like that. Whatever it was Susanna had to keep Mahtan safe, though at the moment it looked more like the Elf was doing the saving. "We need to get out of here, now. Are you okay to walk?" he said worriedly looking out the door.

Susanna couldn't see them but she could hear the chants of "Burn Her" from the street. Had Seth wanted her dead? He'd come to this village and laid her there after announcing that she'd passed out performing Witchcraft. Susanna understood the principles of Witchcraft very well and it was not that different from a mage's magic. It came from the environment rather than the mage but regardless of its fundamentals it was highly illegal. Seth might as well have cut her throat with a blade. He'd certainly tried to sign her death warrant.

Susanna in way of response stared at the elf, signaling that she was indeed capable of walking. She'd been drained completely of energy, she hadn't been mortally wounded. With an almost two day sleep she had recovered perfectly or perhaps better. Susanna felt like she could run for miles, though it looked like Mahtan planned on doing all the running. He pulled her staff from its place on her vest with was hanging on a rack and thrust it into her hand for support. Susanna took it without complain and dress herself in a farm boys breaches and shirt which might once have been white. She pulled on heavy duty combat boots that were made especially for stealth and speed but could still deliver a decent kick if nessesary. Susanna then pulled on the leather vest that held her Staff with two clasps and her father's army sword. When she was dressed Mahtan looked her up and down and decided that she was ready to go outside.

"Good, then we need to go. Here, let me help you.."

The elf wrapped Susanna's left arm around his shoulder, Susanna knew perfectly well that at their height difference he'd end up doing most of the running since her feet barely touched the ground. Mahtan wrapped his arm around Susanna's waist and started to run at full speed away from the mod of people with pitchforks and torches. Honestly she wasn't an ogre. Mahtan abandoned the path and started to run through a ditch. She could hear his boots squelching in the mud but it didn't seem to slow him down at all. The Elves were known for their stamina and strength. Slowly the sound of the angry villagers faded behind them. When they finally stopped they were once again standing on a road. It split in four different directions, a crossroad.

Susanna didn't like this. These places had a very special meaning for demons like the one slumbering in Susanna's soul. Crossroad were said to be not only the crossing of physical paths but also the places were the worlds touched. It made Susanna feel uneasy and jumpy and this feeling only intensified when she saw where one of these roads led. A crumbling charred sign read Veiron. Susanna didn't need a sign to tell her. She could see the great expanse of the might city walls right in front of her. They were practically at the gates.

"Well...what now?"

Susanna heard the voice from behind her and immediately spun on her heels her hands outstretched and slapped Mahtan across his silver face.

"Do you have any idea where this is?" She said slowly anger building in her heart. This was where everything had started. This is where Susanna had died and Lilith was born. "This is Veiron, where it all started, THE CITY OF DEMONS!" She yelled into his face. Then she turned to look at a crumbling burned shack that lay near the road. It had once held a family of five who hunted illegally in the King's forests because they couldn't afford to feed one another. Susanna could still hear there screams as Lilith one by one chopped of their fingers and toes, then to the wrist and ankles taking her time with it, enjoying her freedom. Susanna could still hear their pleas with her to let them die but Lilith just cackled. Susanna wasn't even really talking to Mahtan any more just was reliving it herself as she spoke. "This is where I lost, my father, my freedom, my innocence, snatching in on minute to the next."

Susanna suddenly remembered that the Elf was there. She flipped her hair from it's dishevelled position to one shoulder and gathered it in her hands so that her neck was visible. "Do you know what this is? She said pointing to the ruin with her free hand. It was eight hands point in the cardinal directions then at the in between ones. Each arm ended in a split into three like a trident and in the centre a circle covered the meeting of the arms. "I'd imagine you know what that means Elf." Susanna looked him in the eyes and she knew her own were as black and any color could be but she didn't care. "This place tainted me for life. I've been shunned, and beaten and chased from the four corners of this world because of what this city did to me and you just brought me back to where it all started." Susanna wanted to us her staff to beat his crotch again but she'd sworn to herself that she wouldn't ever do that again so instead Susanna let her fist sink into Mahtan's eye. It felt good to do some damage again.

That's it girl, let all of that rage out. If you'd used my powers like this after my fall you wouldn't have been chased, you would have been doing the chasing.

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! I suffered from Veiron but that was nothing compared to what you made me do or after, when I finally got it all back you pushed your needy little cries for attention onto me. I never asked for this and I never wanted it." Susanna yelled no longer caring what Mahtan thought of her. She was at the end of her rope and seeing Veiron again, that was the finally straw.

Susanna felt something hit the back of her head and she fell to the ground out cold.

Lilith breathed in long and deep taking in the smells of where she'd first sprang forth from the depths after so many years and even better of the corpses that she could just smell inside the charred house. What fun that had been. She ran her tongue across Susanna's teeth. She'd do it again soon when this arrogant little girl was finally put in her place.

Lilith stood and looked at her Prince, Mahtan heir to the throne of Reach and the chosen one of her master. Lilith looked at him appraisingly. If he only knew the power he had. Mahtan could obliterate her with a thought but he was nowhere near, understanding enough to use that power, not yet. He did not look remarkable for an elf. He was tall and pale with a good deal of muscles that some elves fail to accumulate. His work as an assassin had given him speed and grace. He was as good a choice as could be made. Of course part of it was a private joke among the underworlders.

The Elves had been the first, the first raise created by God. He'd given them there pointed ears so they could hear his messages. It was supposed to be a tremendous gift. They failed him; the Elves became reclusive and did not uphold his creation so God had made man. They were not gifted with hearing the Lord's word so God created the angels in human form as a liaison. The old fool was always forgetting the minor details and scrambling to make them right at the last second. He was like an old clock maker that Lilith had once cut into tiny little pieces before burning him. She'd always had a certain fondness for cutting and fire.

"You'll do, I suppose. You have been named Champion by my master. With this honor, comes great power and the freedom to use. Follow his instructions sent by me or sometimes others and we can bring about tremendous change in this world. So something like Veiron never has to happen again."

Lilith pondered how true what she'd said was... Regardless of how twisted and warped Lilith was for the most part she was honest. Her truths were always half-truths taken at their worst but they were true none the less. Veiron was a building block. With this dark prince's help nothing so petty would have to happen again.

"You must wonder who I am Mahtan. I am Lilith. I showed you the way to Susanna and your revenge when you felt lost. Follow this path and you shall have your vengeance for Arya's death. For the moment you can think of me as... Susanna's more stable side. She knows I'm here but she doesn't know I can take control at certain intervals. She should have known better than to lose her composure at a crossroads. These are my old stomping grounds. Remember Mahtan I am here to help and my presents doesn't harm Susanna at all. You will not mention this to her. Tell her that a group of bandits was brought by her screaming and knocked her unconscious. You chased them off and saved her life. She will love you for it..

Lilith smiled again. She knew that the last part would not register in Mahtan's conscious mind but he should follow her suggestions if she had done her job right. If not then she could always make Susanna forget. It was tiring and sometimes difficult but she could do it if necessary. Lilith smirked before lying down on the ground and letting Susanna wake from her demon induced coma.

Susanna groaned. She felt like someone had struck her in the back of the head. It was still throbbing. "Aah." She let out as a pained sigh. "What happened?" She couldn't have been out that long, the sun was still standing and Mahtan stood were she'd left him.

Nianxi (and Xiandra) once again found themselves in the dreamscape. However, there was no Menos around this time, nor was it a just a white void of nothingness. It was a plain, with a forest nearby, and a beaten road slithering by the edge of the treeline. "This... looks familiar.." said Xiandra, noticing a group of riders in the distance. Nianxi could not deny it, this did look familiar, unnervingly so. As the riders got closer to the edge of the forest, something rustled nearby in the tree line, though the duos' attention was drawn upon the riders - it was her family, when Nianxi was just 6. Her father, with Serilya resting in his sheath, her older brother, twice Nianxi's age, and her twin brother riding in the back, on ponies. Nianxi ran to meet them, to see her dead family again, but they did not see her, she was like a ghost in her own memory. But why this memory, why now, as she braced for what was about to happen.

A hail of arrows shot out from the tree tops, all missing, except one, hitting Nianxi's father Reman in the shoulder. The little Nianxi screamed in horror, as a group of bandits rushed out of the dark forest - it was an ambush. The arrow, however, was soon pushed out of the wound, and the wound closed moments after, as Reman unmounted the horse, swinging his sword upwards. The sword grew in length tenfold, and with a mighty cleave, the trees were cut, archers falling to their deaths and being crushed by the very trees they were just sitting on. Meanwhile, the old brother and the twins sat shivering on the horses, though hate was starting to replace fear in the little Nianxi. How dare they attack them? And then, a stray arrow from a desperate bandit archer hit her horse in the head, killing it instantly, but not before Nianxi managed to get off it so the poor pony (she was too small for a horse at that age) doesn't fall on her.

Any wounds inflicted on Nianxi's father were healed instantly, and this massive ambush, no doubt a part of some sinister plot gave ample supplies of blood for Serilya. In Reman's hands, The Crimson Blade was cutting through the swords of the bandits, clearly of a good craftsmanship, like paper. In a few minutes, a small army of well - equipped bandits was reduced to a few frightened men, laying down their arms and begging for mercy. And Reman gave his word to spare them, after all, someone wanted him and his family dead, so he needed answers. But the small Nianxi wasn't having any of that, as she equipped a small dagger she was carrying (as are all of her family members), and running straight at one of the attackers, tears in her eyes, screaming. As the mercenary turned around expecting a few slaps from an angry and scared little girl, he received a dagger in his neck. However, since she was only 6, she wasn't really able to do what she intended, so she kept slashing and slashing and slashing, while everyone was too shocked to stop her from brutally killing that man. After her rampage, Nianxi dropped her bloody dagger, as blood was splatter all over her expensive little dress, slumped on the ground and started sobbing. Without saying a word, Reman patted Nianxi on the back, as he motioned for the elder son to go find some help back in the city.

And then, it all vanished, as riders once again appeared in the distance...

"Ah, an encore. One I did not ask for. Xiandra muttered. "You looked pretty angry there, sis. Really angry." Xiandra, her "sister", talking about hate. She did not know the powerful hate within Nianxi, this time, however, it was for the demonkind. And then, something completely different happened.

As the memory continued to play on, from the other side of the plain a spectral figure appeared, with Serilya in hand, glowing in deep crimson. The figure looked very similar to Nianxi, but her skin was pale and there were fangs in her mouth. As the spectral figure appeared, Nianxi felt extreme weakness come over her, dropping her to the ground. Even breathing became hard, as foreign thoughts started to attack her mind. "Give in, this is your future", "Forsake your imperf self, and be reborn in hatred and blood" the voices whispered, constantly assaulting her mind. As this happened, Nianxi herself, barely breathing, started turning pale, much akin to the spectral figure. But so did Xiandra... "What the hell are you doing to us? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU?" Xiandra yelled, but the entity did no answer. Instead, it attacked, and in the dream, neither of the "sisters" possessed the sword. Nearby, the memory yet again arrived at the part of Nianxi slashing away at the mercenary with blind hate. In fact, that particular scene got stuck on the loop. As the whispers were trying to break Nianxi's mind, Xiandra was busy avoiding the spectre's attacks. Thinking on her feet, Xiandra figured this memory is a key, a key to something. The spectre stopped for a moment, turned around, and started walking towards Nianxi. "Don't you dare do that! DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!" Xiandra screamed, hate starting to boil within her twisted psyche, the very same hate Nianxi felt back then near the forest, and feels now, and is almost controlled by it. The spectre was nearly at her destination, ready to execute Nianxi. And hate was now boiling within Xiandra - no one, NO ONE messes with her alter ego. As if an instinct, Xiandra placed her hand on the ground, and a sigil was formed beneath the entity's feet. The sigil quickly turned black, with obsidian barbed wires springing from the ground, ensnaring and constricting the spectre, "MY HATE WILL FUEL YOUR AGONY, BITCH!" Xiandra screamed, though by the end, her voice was muffled, and the dream was deconstructing itself. The intrusive thoughts and weakness suddenly gone, Nianxi gets up, only to see something peculiar.

Once again, there was nothing of the dream but a white void. In the centre of that void was a spectral version of Nianxi, one half with red eyes - Nianxi, and the other half with black eyes - Xiandra. Vertically across their spectral image was some kind of festering wound. The Nianxi's half was holding Serilya in it's hand, chained by crimson red chains. Xiandra's side had a swirling orb of black flame above her hand, which was also chained, but with gleaming black chains. Soon after inspecting the curious image, the part of the wound sealed up, as well as a few links of chain falling of both hands. It gave a sense of serenity for both of them. "So this what hate feels like... I... Never thought I am the hateful part of the identity schism, but looks like we have at least that in common, Nianxi." But once again, these words began to fade into silence, as Nianxi's eventful dream has ended, and the rest of her night was to be dreamless.

[Xiandra learns the Circle of Hatred power]

Mahtan's face stung from the slap it received, but the Elf stood his ground. He would not let anyone walk over him, Demon or not. As he was about to speak his mind, Susanna's eyes rolled back in her head and she began to collapse before his eyes. Being shocked by her story, and now this, Susanna's name escaped his lips as he went to grab her. He was too late unfortunately, and her body crumpled to the ground. He was just kneeling down to cradle her head when suddenly Susanna's body stood. He watched her with close eyes that were filled with worry, but suddenly turned an inky black as he realized what had happened. The scent of an Elf filled his nose, a scent that was far too familiar. A name could not find it's way into his mind however, so Mahtan took a step back and stared on with an expression to match his confusion. When his lips parted to ask what was going on, Susanna spoke, only was overlapped with many different tones. The one most noticeable out of the bunch was a voice of honey and silk, sending the smell of pine needles and fresh snow towards Mahtan with every breath it took. His eyes reverted back to their normal emerald color, but still held some of the inky substance within them as he placed his right hand across his chest. He dipped his head and cupped his hand over his heart, staying in this position to greet Lilith.

When the Demon's voice reached his ears once more, the pointed flesh twitched at the sound of the extremely soothing voice. He closed his eyes and opened his mind to grasp every syllable that passed through his hearing, almost as if it was fresh water in a drought. When her speech was finished, Mahtan simply nodded and watched Lilith lay back in the position that Susanna had fallen. When Susanna herself regained consciousness, Mahtan kneeled at her side and acted as if he was sheathing his weapon before grasping her fair hand and pulling her to her feet with the utmost of care. "Susanna...I...You were attacked. I managed to scare them away with some flashy sword play. They seemed to be bandits...rapers, maybe. They caught sight of you from up near that windmill and thought I was but a mortal man. They were wrong. I'm sorry that you had to experience such a problem, and I will never let it happen again. I didn't go through all the trouble of saving you only to let you down. I apologize, human."

Mahtan decided to throw some racial boundaries in his last sentence as to not come off as having feelings for Susanna. It wasn't his intention, but something seemed off about it. She was indeed beautiful, and could match an Elven maid in the correct light, but it wasn't something that could be concerned about. They were in a world of death and destruction. He was the Prince of Death, the Harbinger of Hellfire, and the Heir to the Circle. Mahtan began to wonder where Seth was at a time like this, his noble posture and way with words could be needed. In fact, Mahtan was sure Susanna needed the human Noble at this point in time, as Mahtan didn't exactly know how to deal with what had just happened. In attempt to put it behind him, the Elf attempted to speak once more;

"Susanna, I'm sorry I brought you to this place. If I would have known, I would have taken the Western Road. If it's too much for you, we can turn back, I really would not mind. All that matters right now is that we stay safe, and keep each other out of harm's way. You may not be able to trust me after being attacked, but I hope you can find it somewhere inside you to let me help. As for Veiron...I will make sure nothing like this happens ever again."

Mahtan smiled as he repeated Lilith's words. They felt uplifting and powerful, almost as if the world beneath his feet and the air around his body wanted him to speak, wanted him to tell them what to do and how to do it. He felt the inky black blood pumping through his veins, making him feel younger than 50 once more. Already he could tell that his body was changing. Not only was his fair skin appearing even younger, but his body was accepting muscle onto it, which is a hard thing for Elves. It appeared his time in the Human lands had taken it's toll, but in a good way. Mahtan pushed these things out of his head, wondering why it was so easy for him to get side tracked, then turned to face the small town in front of him and Susanna. The sun was beginning to set, and they would need a place to stay. Mahtan, being a polite noble, stuck out his elbow and peered at Susanna from the corner of his eye, emerald eyes shining devilishly in the retreating sun;

"Well, my Human friend, shall we? We have work to do."

It took the two nearly half an hour to reach the small town, and by this time it was already night. Lanterns were being hung in the marketplace, and torches were posted outside nearby houses. From what Mahtan could see, the village wasn't very protected. It was almost too perfect, he could burn it and sack all the supplies he could possibly need. Wait, why would he think of such a thing? Why would he hurt such innocent Humans for his own gain? Yes, he was an Assassin, but he would never...Would he?

This question bounced around in his head for a small while, at least until he felt the chill of Susanna's arm leaving it's place from hooked around his. She had moved towards the marketplace with her lips pressed tightly together, knuckles whitening from her forced grip on the staff. Mahtan gracefully followed in her steps, back straightened and steps silent. When he peered over her shoulder at what she was staring at, he felt his heart sank. A small girl and her father were packing away their valuables from their market stall, and he could feel Susanna's emotions rising once again. Would Lilith be paying another visit? No, Mahtan would not let it happen again. She wasn't in the best of mental states at the moment.

With a quick move from his hand, Mahtan grabbed Susanna's arm and spun her around, seeing that her cheeks were flushed. She avoided eye contact with the Elf and stared down at the ground, where she moved some pebbles around with her foot as if she were caught in a daze. "Susanna, we can't be lingering here, we need to get what we need and move on, towards Veiron. I believe we will find some answers if only we got closer.

It seemed a nearby man picked up on Mahtan's words due to the fact that he had bustled over, cherry colored face flushed from hard labor. He dabbed his brow with a rag and narrowed his eyes at the Elf and the Woman, the deep brown of his iris matching his hair and skin color.

"So...you two think you can waltz into Veiron, eh? And who are you to do that?"

Mahtan's head snapped towards the man, his eyes as black as a starless sky. The veins in his neck and arms were clearly black as well, and his voice was slightly multi-toned. The man began backing away slowly, voice shaking at the sight of the Elf. "W-what are you? Are you a D-demon?"

Mahtan simply parted his lips and grinned at the man, pointed teeth becoming sharper by the second. From a good head or two below, he heard Susanna inhaled sharply as she now realized just what his condition was, and backed away from Mahtan. He guessed that she was having an internal battle with Lilith due to the fact that her voice was nearly a whisper as she spoke to herself aloud. Mahtan's attention still focused on the man, he felt something boiling deep within his soul. He thought of Susanna's situation, and Seth the Nobleman that had saved Mahtan's life....and the Warrior. The Warrior that had slain Arya and the Demon that had possessed her. This was all enough to cause Mahtan to roar in his multi-toned voice, and suddenly the marketplace burst into dark red flames all around him. Stalls crumbled beneath the blaze, and Mahtan's nails grew pointed and increased in length. The veins in his forehead were filling with black, and his hair was darkening ever so slightly.

"It's because of YOU that this happened. You filthy Humans caused Arya to die, you caused the Demons to invade these lands, YOU HUMANS RUINED EVERYTHING. You made Susanna lose what she needed most, you caused Seth more hurt than was needed, and you KILLED ME!"

The flames grew in size as his anger intensified, and just as he was about to kill the poor man he felt a hand grasp his shoulder with surprising strength. A voice spoke out in his head; 'Mahtan, my Prince. Do not do this. Control yourself. We can talk about this later, just stop it now. I will wipe these Human's minds, but you must stop!'

It was Lilith...or was it Susanna? Mahtan couldn't tell the different between reality and his mind, but the flames slowly dispersed as he calmed himself. All around he could see that the market stalls had burned to the ground, and there were many Human bodies lying around as their memories were being wiped. Mahtan thrust his shoulder from Susanna's hand and spat on the ground as he reverted back to his normal self. He closed his eyes and walked abruptly away from Susanna, fists clenched into tight balls as he made his way to the large building directly in front of him, past the burned down market stalls. He assumed this way the Inn, and figured it would be a good place to spend the quickly approaching night.

Whether Susanna followed or not, he didn't care. She was simply a Human, nothing more.

The sun shone down from its place in the heavens as Urisk walked down the road, casting his shadow in front of him as we went. It was quiet out, almost unusually so. The insects' soft chirpings were the only company as he walked along, the birds of the area seeming to be almost nonexistent. He looked down as he walked, his eyes following an invisible line in front of him imprinted in his mind's eye. By now he knew exactly where he was heading to, but still not what it was. Whatever it was though, he had a nagging feeling that it was important, and perhaps dangerous as well.

Ignoring whatever feelings of potential danger he had, he walked on, looking up around him. He still saw nothing of interest after all this time. To his currently impatient mind, it seemed like he'd been walking for hours. Suddenly, a roaring of multiple voices split the near silence. Despite being a fair distance away, at least out of sight due to the upcoming hill, it was easily heard. It was almost unmistakable as a band of orcs, and it was likely they were attacking some poor victim. He took off at a sprint toward the hill, even though he knew he would most likely be too late to help at all. He doubted he could even help if he got there in time, as he wasn't armed and he had nothing he could use against them at a moments notice.

He made it over the crest of the hill just in time to see a woman falling to the ground, four dead orcs around her. He ran down the hill at a full blown sprint, stumbling and almost tripping on the way down in his hurry. Once he reached her, he went down to his knees, going down to get a closer look. She didn't seem to be very injured, but she was turning pale as if she had lost blood, and looked to be unconscious as well.. He slipped his arms under her, picking her up in a bridal carry and moving her off of the road, into the softer grass. Laying her down gently, he stood up, wondering what he should do. Deciding he should just try to wake her up before anything else, he tapped two fingers against her cheek multiple times, speaking to her.

"Are you awake? Can you hear me?"

Rinic and his men arrived at the destination where their assault would begin, the rocky out crop above the cave that would become the final resting place of these disgusting and vile creatures. Rinic and his men were ready. Ready to go to battle, ready to die in battle, and ready to kill in battle. No longer nervous, the warriors gave a running start and lept off the edge that resided a few hundred feet in the air, mages shortly after. They fell in silence for thirty seconds before casting feather fall and blinding light. The warriors cut through the orcs like a hot knife through butter. When there were none left, they descended, no casualties sustained by their side. As they formed up to enter the cave, Rinic walked around the group checking each of hi men, seein to any needs they had, and then took his place at the head of the formation. He drew his blade and enchanted it, electricity crackling through its blade, giving a low blue light that then became accompanied by the light of ten mages' spells. As they entered the cave, there was nothing but silence, every breath could be heard, even the sound of the blood running through their veins became clear as day. This bothered the men significantly, but Rinic calmed their nerves, telling them it was fear magic of the demon they were about to assault. Regardless of he cause, it still bothered them significantly. To counter act this, Rinic also lot a torch, the calming sound of a crackling fire moved throughout the room, giving the men a sense of safety, false though it may be.

They continued down the cave for a solid three minutes with no opposition until they reached a six way turnig point. Then, ten orcs from each tunnel charged out. They met nothing but pointed lances and slaughter. Rinic was concerned by this, but so was everyone else. Orcs never were this open or unskilled. Contrary to popular belief, they were quite smart, especially in battle. What if it was a trap that was meant for us to lower our guard? As he thought Of this, an arrow sped out and caught one of his men in the chest, killing him instantaneously. Before Rinic could shout to up shields, two more of his men fell to a black shafted arrow coming from the center tunnel. Rinic, reacting quick as he could launched a frozen ray at the entrance and sealed it off, trapping the orcs inside. As he cast his first spell, more orcs char he'd out and met his men with an even battle, 40 on 17 fighting men, with ten mages for support. His men wouldn't give an inch toward the casters. Rinic had wanted to save this spell for the demon, but it had to be used now.
"Mass Bull's strength!", he roared, and his men's strength increased greatly. They drove back the orcs, cuttin them down with beautiful persician and anger. Killing five for each friend who fell to their blades unable to cease the momentum from this battle Rinic and his men charged down the passage, cutting down orcs like nothing. Battle was in their blood, and they were there for the battle. After cutting through so many orcs, Rinic and his men arrived at their destination.

"Hello woorrrmmmmmsssssss!" said a truly evil voice...

Susanna blinked twice trying to extradite the black spots from her vision. She'd have a scare from a blow like that, it must be bleeding. Susanna ran her hand over her head and while she found the spot that twinged when she touched it there didn't seem to be a wound. Mahtan had rushed to her side sheathing his sword, he must have just fought someone but she didn't see an trace of fresh blood. He gave her a quick explanation. A group of bandits most likely attracted by Susanna's complete mental break had come to the area and struck her over the head.

Mahtan promised her that he wouldn't let anything of that sort happen to Susanna ever again. Just as Susanna was feeling like there was someone she could actually trust after all these years he backed off using the address of human rather than her name. Susanna wasn't sure what had changed in the elf but despite his coldness he offered her his arm and they walked to the nearest town perhaps a league from the Great Gates of the Demon City.

When they finally got to the town darkness was beginning to seep into the air. The night was oncoming and the people had started to hang lanterns. There was a brisk chill in the air that got the blood pumping. They needed to get supplies here before they... well Susanna didn't know where they would go after this. She knew that she had to keep the elf safe but at the same time a tiny voice in her mind that was not at all related to Lilith whispered that the elf wanted to see Veiron again. Susanna didn't know what good would come of that but she knew that she didn't want to see that city again.

Susanna was about to start haggling with a man about his overpriced foods when a sight caught her eye. She wasn't sure what made her pick out these two people above everyone else in the bustling marketplace but her hand started to shake and she gripped her staff tightly to steady them. It was an old man in his early fifties or late forties playing with a girl who was perhaps sixteen. There was a flash of a blue reflection from a stone that was tied around the girl's neck and Susanna realized why she knew these people.

"You bitch," She whispered softly.
Now now dearie, you shouldn't use that kind of language in front of the youngsters.
"Mom," Susanna whispered so no one could hear her.

The plight of these two, a father and his daughter was Susanna's fault. A month after Veiron and Lilith was furious, she'd had strong hosts before of course but never one that she couldn't break. It would be another two years before Susanna finally stopped caring. This village, it had been so much greater in the years before Veiron's fall but like the land on which the city was built this village had been scorched. Lilith had stroke through these streets with a smile on her face and orcs and imps scurrying around her feet. Lilith had had a mortal form for a little over a month and the high of the human experience hadn't faded yet.

Susanna had cried out against the destruction of the little town and Lilith decided it was about time that the farm girl learned her place. Lilith found a family, a very specific kind of family, one that was happy with an ageing father, a beautiful mother and a little girl. It wasn't hard to figure out exactly how Lilith was punishing Susanna, this was a mirror of Susanna's family if things had gone a little differently. Lilith told Susanna in her sweetest most caring voice that as a special favour she was spare the father and daughter. That was when Susanna learned that everything Lilith said came with a flip meaning.

Lilith took a kitchen knife from the families house and slowly and painfully with the little girl and her father watching and tied down she cut the mother into pieces always taking small pieces and going slow to ensure maximum pain for everyone especially Susanna. Lilith kept her word. She let the girl and her father go but they were scared for life. Before Lilith left she took a blue stone on a chain and tossed it onto the floor in front of the grieving man. It was a necklace that Susanna's mother had owned. It had extreme value to her and seeing it lie on the floor of a burned house had torn the farm girl apart.

Go on farm girl, she's not a kid any more and she had your mother's sapphire. Wouldn't it be worth her life or her mental stability to have such a precious keepsake back?

Susanna found herself nodding her head. That stone belonged to her rightfully. Susanna shook her head waving off the suggestions. "I am not your puppet any more demon, stop trying to make me into you." Oh dearie, you're a lot more like me than you'd ever let yourself admit.

Susanna was shaken as Mahtan touched her shoulder. She'd completely forgotten he was there. "Susanna, we can't be lingering here, we need to get what we need and move on, towards Veiron. I believe we will find some answers if only we got closer." He said to her gently. Her worst fear was realized. He wanted her to go with him into the city. The rune on her neck twinged uncomfortably. She shouldn't be going so close to such demonic powers. Something very powerful said that she couldn't enter that city.

A man, a shop keeper of some sort who had eavesdropped on there conversation butted in conversation rudely demanding to know who they thought they were that they could approach the cursed ground of Veiron. Mahtan looked at the man with something that Susanna hadn't seen in him, contempt and more than that a sadistic pleasure.

Mahtan began to change before Susanna' eyes. His teeth started to elongate into fangs and his eyes warped black like Susanna's when Lilith's power ran wild. Susanna gasped sharply taking in the cold night air. Who was this creature?

That is simple dear, I planned on keeping this from you awhile longer while we prepared him but I suppose you ought to know. This is the Harbinger of Death, Prince of Hellfire and Champion of the Underworld. It is my task to stay with him and keep harm from coming to him.

"I'll never fulfil your mission whore." Susanna spat under her breath. All around the square the lanterns flames turned and dark black the emanated blood red light. Susanna knew this kind of flame. She could remember lifetimes of bathing in it as she fought to get to the surface but those weren't her memories. The light felt good sinking into her body, energizing her. She felt like she could drink a river of blood or crack the earth open all the way down to her master's throne on the deepest level. NO! Those weren't her feelings.

[i]Susanna you must make this stop.
"What?" Susanna said suddenly surprised. This was the kind of destruction that Lilith lived for. Why would she want it stopped.
Girl if this is not stopped our hand will be tipped to the forces of the light, Mahtan is our ultimate weapon but he will not fare so well if the enemy had his identity. Thought I can't imagine you'll care about that then listen to this. If you do not stop Mahtan then the rest of the people here will die including that poor little girl and her father. Feed Mahtan my words in your silkiest voice and he will listen.

Susanna reached up to touch Mahtan's shoulder knowing what she must say to stop the Elf. She knew now that he was a creature of evil but she still felt the need to keep him in check. It was her duty. No, it was Lilith's duty she could not confuse there roles. She was in charge now.

[/i][/b]Mahtan, my Prince. Do not do this. Control yourself. We can talk about this later, just stop it now. I will wipe these Human's minds, but you must stop![/i][/b]

She gripped his shoulder firmly and she spoke Lilith's words. Susanna didn't know how she did it but though she said the entire thing she did not open her mouth once. This was part of Lilith's demonic energy and she knew that her eyes had gone black. The rune on the back of her neck hurt again but she didn't care. She needed him to stop.

Mahtan didn't answer her but the flames died all around him as he walked away towards the edge of town where an inn was waiting for them. She must now wipe the minds of everyone in the square. It would take some time but she knew that none would leave, everyone was too dazed. She started at one side laying her hand over an old man's forehead, pulling the memories from him. After twenty or thirty people the power Susanna had taken from the hellfire had long faded but she kept going. When she got to the girl and her father she looked down at them. They were both awake but unable to move. She had to make them understand that she wasn't the same. It was clear they recognized her.

She knelt down next to the girl, as a small mercy she wouldn't wipe there minds. She felt confident that they would tell no one, they would pretend to be like everyone else. Clueless. "I am sorry little girl, what's you're name." The girl looked terrified but she stammered "Cecilia." Susanna smiled "That's a beautiful name. Last time you saw me..." The memories flooded Susanna again but only a handful of words teamed to describe it. "I wasn't myself, I am the host of the demon that killed you're mother and I will never stop paying for her crimes but I can try." Susanna touched the blue stone around Cecilia's neck and a wash of energy and emotion fled from Susanna into the gem. She knew what she had done to it but it had come more from instinct than actual thought.

"Cecilia, this stone will protect you now. When it turns from blue to red that means there is a demon nearby. The darker the red the more powerful or numerous the demonic threat. If it ever turns black run for your life."

Susanna stood and turned her back on the two, this was all the good she could do for them after destroying there lives but at least it was something."Wait," said a voice behind her. She turned, the man was on his feet again. "At least tell us you're name." Susanna smiled sadly. "My name's Susan. I hope that gem keeps you safe, it belonged to my mother."

Susanna turned her back on them again when a voice burst across the square. "This was all you're doing! DEMON! MONSTER!" It was the store keeper who'd interrupted her and Mahtan's conversation. It was the man that had set Mahtan's demonic powers off. He rushed at her with a hammer he'd picked up from somewhere. She ducked under the weapon who's user didn't know had to wield it and grabbed him by the neck. She could feel his heart beating faster under her hands. Sometime changed in Susanna. She felt angry towards this man. The destruction in the town though wrought by Mahtan's unearthly powers had been caused by this man's snooping. Come on, just a little squeeze It didn't register in Susanna's mind that that wasn't her own thought until it was too late. Susanna gripped the man's neck and squeezed as hard as she could. His flesh crumpled under her iron fist her throat collapsing and spaying blood everywhere.

Susanna realized what she had done and looked at Cecilia and her father who where both horrified. "I guess, I haven't shaken the monster completely." She said pathetically before she dropped the corpse and ran off after the elf. She needed to find Seth of Valeria. The thought of him made her slightly nauseous but something told her that he was the only one that could stop Mahtan. You have to stay with him, the elf "I don't got to do anything you say." Susannna whispered venomously Yes you do, this was just a precursor. If his power goes untrained then all of the kingdom will become like Veiron. You have the power to control him, at least for the time being.

Susanna cursed the demon for her logic was sound. She had to stay with the Prince of Darkness to stop him from doing anything like this again. She let herself quietly into the inn and checked which room he was in collapsed onto the second bed apposite him. The elf was fast asleep and it was a good thing. Susanna needed her sleep, however restless and nightmare filled it was.

Cylus's eyes shot opened and he reached for his waist, expecting to find his sword but only to find that he was laying in a bed. He looked around the room for any indication of where he was, he found none but he did spot his sword and bow on a table against the wall. The old man threw the blankets off of himself and attempted to stand but fell to the ground with a loud thud. He heard the footfalls of someone running from outside of the room. The door swung open, Cylus turned his head so he could see who it was.

The aging woman in the doorway looked startled and yelled something out the door, not long afterward a younger man came rushing into the room. They, together lifted Cylus from the floor to the bed again. The old man provided no resistance, he knew he was too weak. The woman was saying something but Cylus could not understand, it sounded as if she was speaking another language. He passed out.

The next time Cylus came to he was in the same bed and the woman was tending to his wounds. "You're awake!" She squealed with delight.

"I know that face." He said weakly, finally recognizing her as Mira the old medicine woman in Astoria. She smiled and began to say something but he passed out once again.

When he once again awoke his stomach yelled at him to eat something. He felt alive again and well, though still weaker than he’d like to be. He stood with a bit of effort thoughts racing through his head. He saw that his possessions were still on the table. But he did not go to them. He sat on the ground and meditated. He needed to clear his mind.

~

After his meditation he arose, gathered his possessions and left quietly. He arrived at his home without crossing another, most were doing their work and not in the streets. He entered his home and went to his garden to find that his flowers were dying and becoming wilted. He watered them and moved them to the sunlight. It was midday and the old man was tired. He went to his bed and slept.

There was a strange joy to be found in the simple act of walking. Every man could do it, and yet only a few had the time to truly walk just for the sake of walking. Seth of Valeria had left Rudin without a goal. At first he thought he’d try and find the elf, but soon abandoned the notion. If the stories were only half true the exotic man could be hiding unnoticed in his shadow, breathing down his neck. He could have stayed with the woman, it would’ve been the right thing to do, many gentlemen would’ve stopped him from leaving. On the other hand, if he had stayed until she woke up he wouldn’t be able to contain his curiosity. He would’ve asked her all sorts of questions about her strange healing powers, and that would not have been very gentlemanly of him at all.

So he walked, that was part of his trade. As a mercenary you couldn’t afford to stay in one place without work for too long. You had to keep moving and with a bit of luck you’d always stumble into some trouble.
Seth of Valeria counted himself amongst the most lucky of mercenaries. Not only had he been trained well in the art of the sword, but he had a peculiar ability to always end up waist deep in the brown. Today, sadly, was not one of those lucky days.
After he’d left Rudin he’d walked down to the lake. he’d stood there, looking out across the water, thinking about his life and the lives of those around him. He was only a man, just like most people. And yet there existed men of such extraordinary strength and skill that they could laugh in the face of demons and claim that they were not worth their time. This troubled Seth of Valeria very much. He’d heard the rumors of the Warriors, he’d fought shoulder to shoulder with some of them at Veiron. Back then the Warriors were little more than ordinary knights, given better equipment and training. Seth had thought once or twice about applying, he certainly had the skill. But on the battlefield those Warriors had died just as easily as regular men. Even men that was extraordinary back then, Seth’s master, fell to the beasts. Seth himself had only gotten away because he’d run away with Elena. With a deep sigh he picked up a small stone and threw it as hard as he could out into the lake. He watched it break the surface and saw the rings spread out and slowly fade away. That was pretty much how he felt. The world, with all its dangers was lie the lake, he was nothing but a small stone, picked up and thrown as hard as destiny could, all he could accomplish was a few ripples. When they died out the lake would still be there, and the great swordsman Seth of Valeria had sunk to its bottom, never to see the light of day again.

He turned south and started to walk along the beach. It didn’t take long until he arrived at the old harbor. Veiron was the capitol, but it didn’t have direct access to the lake. A harbor had been built and no less than four wide, stone paved roads led from the harbor to Veiron or vice versa. No matter what you did there would always be a road for you to travel on. After the attack Veiron had been emptied of all life and there was no longer any point to keep the harbor going. Ships had been dragged up on land, sometimes placed in boathouses or covered to protect them from the elements. Others had been left to rot and as if they’d known their masters’ wished, had done just that. The air smelled of salty water, and a new thought poked through Seth’s otherwise adamant mind. He hadn’t been on a boat in years, and it was so much better than walking.

The cold evening breeze rushed over Nianxi's face, which recently started to regain color, while the sword grasped tightly in her hand turned almost pale instead. With her back to a tree, she was watched over by a mysterious man who collected her scattered belongings and watcher over her for the few hours she was unconscious. Eventually, the breeze woke her up, and as if woken from a nightmare, she quickly jumped on her feet, only to stumble and almost fall down - her full strength has certainly not returned.

"Are you OK? the man asked, sitting near another tree. "You have turned pale as snow for a moment there." Nianxi's eyes light up - this is the man she was looking for! Profiling people by their attire was a skill she was taught at an early age, and more in-depth when she was trained as a diplomat. This man certainly practiced things that are a taboo to most, but she did not care. In fact, her family regularly employed the services of "witches", protected them, and since she saw one before with a quite similar attire, it was obvious this man could have the answers she is looking for. And he, of all things, found her in her time of need. "I gotta say, this is either fate, or we're extremely lucky." Xiandra whispered in her mind, seemingly awake as well. "That was an interesting dream we had, certainly not an ordinary one." Xiandra was right, that dream felt real, and was still fresh in Nianxi's mind. But now was not the time to dwell on it. "Thank you, I am relatively fine now, though still not at my full strength. My name is Nianxi Serilya, Valkyrie and the last surviving member of House Serilya. Believe it or not, I was looking for you." Picking up her backpack and taking out some dried food and the books, she approached the man. "I have a favor to ask of you, but first, tell me your name."

Mahtan awoke to the sound of faint breathing from across the room, a sound which would have normally startled him in a place so close to Veiron.This morning was different, however, as his pointed ears could tell it wasn't an intruder, but Susanna. With a small groan and a swing of his legs, Mahtan brought himself up into a sitting position, his eyes fixed on the bundle that was deathly still. It looked like Susanna had bunched up all of her available blankets into some sort of igloo, and was sleeping nicely underneath their warmth.Mahtan didn't remember much of last night, and had nearly forgotten about it due to Lilith's silence. She hadn't penetrated his mind since it happened, and remained as quiet as Susanna had after the fact.The Elves green eyes ventured from Susanna's sleeping form to the door, where a small dressed had been wedged firmly in order to keep it from opening, and saw his weapons laid out neatly across it's surface. His bow was unstrung, fitted with a new string, and there were plenty more arrows stuffed inside the quiver. Not to mention the fact that his blades were also unsheathed, and appeared to be cleaned.

Despite the impeccable of his weapons, the room on the other hand was filthy. Books and quills were strewn across the wooden floor, dust covered every piece of furniture, and there was a black substance all across Mahtan's sheets. Upon looking down at the source, Mahtan noticed his armor was ripped open, revealing a wide scar extending from the center of his stomach, to his hip bone. The scar itself was a dark color, and resembled a serpent gliding across water, the slaloming form extending farther than Mahtan would have liked. Suddenly there was a small noise from across the room which caused Mahtan's concentration to snap, and his head swiveled away from his scar, and towards Susanna. Most of her blanket fortress had been removed, and she was now sitting up, hair a mess and eyes barely open. Mahtan's eyes narrowed as he stood and silently went to retrieve his weapons, not taking his eyes off of Susanna. She simply rubbed her eyes and yawned, then returned the stare with even more coldness than Mahtan could produce.

Once his weapons were back in their normal places, Mahtan cleared his throat and asked; "Susanna...did you clean these for me? Furthermore, why is the door barred?" with as nice a tone as he could manage, not wanting to express the fact that he was not used to people touching anything of his, especially his weapons that were his only real possessions. He watched Susanna's eyes finally open all the way after a furious bout of rubbing, and her tired voice filled the small room; "Yes, it's not good for the blade to be soiled, it can lead to rust or dulling of the blade."
"I barred the door in case anyone came looking for vengeance because of that tantrum you threw. I wiped as many memories as I could but I can't be sure I got everyone."

Mahtan simply smiled and brought himself over to Susanna's bed, where he took a seat as close to the edge as was possible on the tiny resting place. The smell of pine needles and ocean water followed him closely as he moved, and it engulfed Susanna once he stopped to sit, he could tell by the way her nostrils slightly flared at the smell. It was the natural smell of Elves, and Mahtan knew it was comforting for the Humans, which is why he was using it to ask what he had been planning ever since the two had arrived at Veiron. "Susanna.." he started out slowly, trying to keep the good mood between them; "We need to go to the Veiron Keep, I feel something there calling me, and I'm sure Lilith does too. I haven't heard her speak since last night, but I'm sure she wants to be there as well. I need to learn to control the powers I have, I don't want to risk harming more innocent people, or even yourself. I don't know what I would do without you and Lilith guiding me and keeping me in line."

He watched as Susanna's eyes grew wider, then eventually closed as she nodded in agreement to Mahtan's proposal. Mahtan felt the urge to hug the Human, but stopped himself and rose to his feet, not wanting to deal with such things at the moment. As he turned to walk for the door to allow Susanna some time to wake up, he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head, and his emotions were overrun with hate and anger. He knew it was Lilith, but he couldn't do anything about it. As if to announce herself further, Lilith's smooth voice filled his ears; 'Mahtan, for a Prince you're acting quite weak. Flirting with the human girl? Susanna? She is definitely not worthy, she's just a host for my being until I can find a proper one. She cannot possibly understand how much this world needs you. The only reason she's alive is because she's easy to manipulate, now, you will act as if nothing happened and will continue on. I will not warn you about this again, my Prince.', then was gone as soon as she came. Mahtan picked himself up from one knee and turned to Susanna, who was already dressed and out of bed, staring at him intently. She opened her mouth to ask what had happened, but Mahtan stopped her with a wave of his hand; "It's nothing. My wound isn't fully healed...thank you for treating it. Just next time, do a better job so I can move correctly."

With a sharp movement of his arm, Mahtan was out the door within seconds, flying down the stairs and out onto the street. The humans were already fixing the mess he caused, and he grinned internally, knowing that it wouldn't do them any good. He would be back very soon to finish what Lilith had started, he would not let these pitiful human creatures get in his way. He was made to be the Prince of Darkness, not the Prince of a frozen kingdom that had no appreciation for the kill. A noise behind him signified that Susanna was now out of the Inn as well, and Mahtan strode off at a fast pace, his long legs carrying him towards Veiron's gates with incredible speed. As he crossed the portcullis, he could feel that he was home. He heard Susanna struggling to keep up behind him, but it didn't phase him a single bit. Lilith was what he needed, not some useless human girl that was merely a Host. No, he needed someone that had power to match their beauty, someone who was his own race, someone that would make him Prince of the World underneath the King himself, Lucifer.

The distance between Mahtan and Susanna grew until the woman was nearly two buildings away from the Elf, and that is when it happened. Before Mahtan stood the Keep, which is where he needed to be, but as he was taking in the sight he felt an immense wave of pain wash down his arm. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, the crude, barbaric arrow sticking out from his shoulder, black blood dripping from where it had pierced, large Orcs sprinting out from the nearby houses, weapons raised. It was the moment of truth, Mahtan knew what he had to do. As the first Orc rushed him, his axe was already in hand, and he slammed it into the Orc's face. The large beast roared in pain but didn't fall immediately, which is when Mahtan kicked the Orc's neck so hard that it's head was torn from it's shoulders. He could feel the power building up inside him, and the blood pumping through his veins demanded more slaughter. From his wounded side, a much smaller Orc had drawn it's bow once more, and was about to release when it suddenly clutched at it's throat and began coughing out black liquid. The liquid was muddy in texture, and seemed to come from deep within the creature's stomach. Mahtan's arm was thrust out in it's direction, his once fair skin adopting a burned color that extended from the left side of his face, all the way down to his finger tips. It seemed to cause him a great deal of pain, but the Orc archer eventually choked on it's own stomach bile and fell to the ground in a crumpled heap. Mahtan doubled over after this display and his vision was blurred to a point where he almost couldn't see. His ears perked up as the ground shook from still another Orc charging the Elf, and Mahtan flipped backwards just as a large axe imbedded itself in the ground where he once was. While the Orc was working to remove it from the tough soil, Mahtan ran up it's arm and onto it's back, his vision returning slowly but not enough for him to see clearly yet. The large beast roared in anger and attempted to swat the Elf Prince off, but to no avail. It's cries stopped as Mahtan furiously bashed in it's skull with the head of his axe, which took him nearly a dozen swings.

As the Orc's body crashed to the ground, Mahtan hopped off and landed square on his chest, arms and legs spread out in an exhausted manner. His vision was becoming clearer, and the pale color was returning to his skin, but there were still more Orcs left. Susanna was nearly there, and Mahtan didn't want to risk her getting into trouble. Once more Mahtan brought himself to his feet and sheathed his weapons, Lilith's voice was inside his head, guiding him on what to do next. With hands balled into tight fists, Mahtan roared at the top of his lungs as the blackness consumed both of his arms and caused his vision to go completely blind. He heard the Orcs barreling towards them, and braced himself against their attacks. They both slammed into him at the same time, but Mahtan didn't budge. His boots dug deep into the ground and he felt his legs beginning to give out as the Orcs continued to smother his figure between their own hulking bodies. That's when Mahtan opened his hands and let the darkness go. His skin and eyes returned to their normal color, and the Orcs were sent flying into pieces away from the Elf. Too weak to move, Mahtan stayed doubled over on his hands and knees, letting a yell escape his throat once more as he rejoiced at his display of power. Surely he was the Prince of Darkness, surely the King and Lilith both needed him as much as he needed them. Mahtan heard Lilith's voice in his head as he panted violently, trying to catch some air in his lungs. "Mahtan...that was great. You are definitely good at following directions, however I told you not to build up so much power. You'll kill yourself if you continue down this path. You need a mentor, Mahtan, someone to show you how to control these powers. You need someone that can physically show you what you need to do. I know I cannot do this myself, but I know someone that can. Come, child, let Susanna help you, take her to the Keep. You will find no more enemies beyond it's doors."

As if she knew what had happened, Susanna was at Mahtan's side, her soft hands grabbing his face and pulling him onto his back, where she drew power from Lilith once more in order to repair his damaged body. Though there was no visible damage, Mahtan felt as if his organs were on fire, but he could not voice it. In fact, he couldn't move anything, was this because of Susanna's healing powers? Or was he just that exhausted? He did not know the answer, but he should have been more careful. His emerald eyes stared up at Susanna as she worked him over, hands pressing firmly against the areas that Lilith commanded her to touch. Mahtan could feel his insides being repaired, one at a time. Susanna's face had turned bright red as the power drew from her strength, and her breathing soon became labored as Mahtan's breath returned to him.

By the time Mahtan was fully healed, Susanna was bordering on exhausted. Lilith had retreated from his mind, and Mahtan crawled over to Susanna who was now sitting on the steps leading to the Keep's giant double doors. After fumbling around inside his pack, Mahtan grabbed Susanna's hands gently and dropped some Elven bread into her palms; "Eat, Susanna. It will restore your strength. Do not eat too much, as Humans are not meant to digest our food..."

After Susanna started chewing on corners of the bread, Mahtan wrapped an arm around her and squeezed as a thank you for repairing his insides, and then turned to face the Keep of Veiron. It was a giant white building, with silver, bronze, and gold pieces lining the windows, doors, and whatever else needed to be added. The doors themselves were a dark cherry color, and stood higher than Mahtan by at least 10 feet. The Keep's white walls were perfectly clean, which was odd despite the attack that had been launched so many years ago. Mahtan turned back to Susanna, raising an eyebrow at the fact that she had finished the entire piece of bread. In reality, Mahtan was looking at Lilith, and he felt her consciousness push him towards the doors. "Go, child, and take Susanna with you. She needs your protection just as much as you need her powers."

Susanna tossed and turned in her sleep. This was not unusual for her, with the life that had claimed her she was lucky that her psyche wasn't more damaged than it was. Susanna sat straight up awake, the sound of a little boys screams ringing in her ears. Lilith always had a thing for destroying families. Unable to sleep Susanna stood and walked to the window of the room; The moon was high tonight illuminating the square that Susanna had been unable to save. People moved bodies from the area without any idea what had happened. Perhaps they thought that the Demon's of Veiron had attacked them from a distance. It must be unnerving living so close to the sight of the Cataclysm.

Can't sleep again little girl? Lilith asked slowly, Susanna could feel her fatigue. In mortal form Demons might be able to neutralize a lot of human weaknesses but they still needed sleep albeit less often. Normally Susanna resented the demon for all it had done but tonight she was grateful not be alone. "Every time I close my eyes I see that boy from Elois." Both the girl and the demon knew who she was talking about. The boy that made us feel human again. He welcomed us after a very long journey... He screamed like a wild pig when I started. Susanna could feel the malicious smile that would be curling her lips if Lilith was the one in control.

"Couldn't you try to be human for a couple of seconds. Show some compassion. Didn't you used to be an elven girl. Don't you remember what it was like to feel love for someone or sadness at there death?" The pause was so long that Susanna gave up on getting a response. She glanced at the door and it suddenly occurred to her that if Cecilia and her father thought she was still possessed and with the display she'd put on why wouldn't they, they would be able to follow her trail here easily. Susanna took hold of a very old green dresser and propped it against the door. It's surface was clear and clean so Susanna withdrew her quarter staff and her father's sword and plaed them on the dresser while she went about polishing the both of them and sharpening the military sword.

I remember. "What?" Susanna asked having forgotten her question of earlier. I remember what it was like to feel compassion. Then it felt like love. When I was taken to the underworld the one thought the kept me alive was that my family would wait for me. Eventually I clawed my way out of the pit but I wasn't me anymore. I was something formless and foul. I tried to talk to them. To tell them that I loved them, they called me a demon and exercised me from the village. I learned that day that no matter how important people say family is what they really mean is that perfect, pretty families are important. They don't have time for the secrets under the bed.

Susanna swallowed a sob. She could feel the truth in the statement and she felt sad from the monster. The she remembered the scream of the little boy again. Whatever sweet innocent thing that Lilith had been five hundred years ago was long gone leaving only an angry vengeful husk in its place. If you're cleaning weapons you might as well see to Mahtan's as well. Blood does not react well with elven smithing. Susanna didn't really care to clean the elf's weapons after what he had done to the town but she was filled with a nervous energy that would not let her sleep. It was best that she do something productive. Susanna used a little bucket of water to clean off the blood and her own oil and whetstone to sharpen and polish it though from the feel of the blade it needed no sharpening. With Lilith's instructions Susanna restrung the bow and she lay out the weapons on the dresser in a display. Is someone tried to break the door down the sound of Mahtan's weapons falling to the floor would alert them at least.

Susanna then wriggled back under the covers and fell asleep. Her dreams were plagued with Lilith's victims and the ever present voice of the Grand Accuser of the after life, the being that would oversee her Trial of the Damned. She didn't get much sleep but that wasn't surprising. When the dawn came Susanna was awake but she didn't want to get up. The cocoon of the blankets she'd formed for herself was warm and comfortable unlike the harsh world out there. Sometimes she just wanted to curl up and sleep for eternity.

Get up girl. Lilith's voice had no amusement or pleasure in it as was normal for her. This wasn't something that she did for entertainment. Susanna gave a small yelp at the forcefulness of the demon's voice and pushed the blankets roughly off her body. Mahtan was already up and had turned sharply when he heard the sound she made. Susanna made no apologies and Mahtan didn't expect any.

Susanna looked around the room. The weapons that she had polished last night were in perfect condition but the rest of the room appeared as if a storm had charged through it. She'd heard breaking and shattering during the night but thought it was part of her nightmares. "Susanna...did you clean these for me? Furthermore, why is the door barred?" His tone was sweet and he was clearly trying to be as nice as possible to her after the fit he'd thrown the night before. The only reason that Susanna was not running for the hills was because she had the power to stop him if he did it again. This town would be rubble if she hadn't been there.

"Yes, it's not good for the blade to be soiled, it can lead to rust or dulling of the blade." It was something that she'd learned from her father. Not with swords per say but with the butchers tools they used to kill the fatted calf on market day. She assumed the same principle applied. She was not in the mood to honey coat anything like he was trying to do for her. "I barred the door in case anyone came looking for vengeance because of that tantrum you threw. I wiped as many memories as I could but I can't be sure I got everyone." She said it plainly. He could have killed them all in his rage and that would not have benefited him, Susanna or Lilith.

Mahtan came and sat on the bed next to Susanna staying as far to the edge of the mattress as he could. A smell engulfed her. The smell that Lilith had pointed out back in the clearing. It was the smell that had convinced her that he wasn't a demon but it smelled different now. The trees smelled rotten and the cold unforgiving. It was like the smell had been corrupted. Susanna recognized the signs that that smell indicated. Mahtan was starting to smell of demon energies.

She tried not to wretch, her nostrils flaring. To anyone else this smell would probably be wonderful but she would like nothing better than for it go go away. "Susanna.." the elf was trying to keep the good mood between them and use it as leverage for what he said next. "We need to go to the Veiron Keep, I feel something there calling me, and I'm sure Lilith does too. I haven't heard her speak since last night, but I'm sure she wants to be there as well. I need to learn to control the powers I have, I don't want to risk harming more innocent people, or even yourself. I don't know what I would do without you and Lilith guiding me and keeping me in line."

That was the wrong way to go. Anything Lilith wanted Susanna wanted to stay far away from. This foolish elf was treating her and the demon like they were two sides of the same coin, like they were in sync. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Come on Susanna. You said you didn't want him to cause anymore catastrophes. If it will make you go I'll tell you a secret. You'll find a truth inside the gates of Veiron. It is something that perhaps you don't want to know when you find out but the curiosity will burn you up till you do. Susanna hated Lilith in that moment more than she'd ever hated anyone. Susanna even as a child was intensely curious and Lilith knew that Susanna couldn't resist the allure of some long forgotten secret. In Mahtan's direction she nodded once. She was going to regret it, hell she already did but the decision was made.

Mahtan turned and stood up. For a moment there Susanna had the strange feeling that he was going to hug her but the moment passed and he stood sheathing his weapons and moving the dresser from the door. When he turned Susanna had dressed herself and she saw on his chest a large gash that had been roughly sewn back into place. "It's nothing. My wound isn't fully healed..." He said nonchalantly. "Thank you for treating it. Just next time, do a better job so I can move correctly." What? She hadn't treated his wound, actually she didn't remember him being injured in the first place. Perhaps it was a by product of the demonic power flowing through him. Maybe it was ripping his mortal form apart.

Mahtan turned and ran through the door moving quickly. It was the elven style she supposed. They didn't like to waste time on idle things like travel. She ran after him falling further behind. He was fast. She noticed that the town's people had started to repair the town. She hoped it wouldn't be in vain. Susanna followed Mahtan all the way to the gates of Veiron. At the time of the Cataclysm they had been ripped from there hinged by a force desperate to get out. Both Susanna and the elf scrambled over the fallen gates. Mahtan was so far ahead of her that he could not hear her warning when an orc archer appeared on the building opposite. It pierced him with an arrow and black blood flowed from his veins. That wasn't a good sign, Susanna's blood ran black but she was still technically possessed. All the changes that the demon made to its host still held sway over her.

Susanna didn't have time to look after Mahtan. She had her own battles to fight. Soon the orcs streamed out of the surrounding houses surrounding the elf and human in two separate rings. Susanna drew her quarter staff. It was time to fight. If she'd learned one thing over the very long years it was when to stand your ground and when to run. In a very deep place in her soul Susanna knew that she could destroy these blasphemous orcs.

She stabbed the staff forward bypassing the slow creature's axe. When it made contact with skin a bright light appeared between the orc and the staff. The orc disintegrated before Susanna. The others backed off from her immediately and focused on the elf. She felt soiled and energized at the same time. It was a feeling that was coming over her more and more in recent days and she didn't like it. Ah, it's been awhile since I've consumed a creature's life essence. Of course it only works on those that let the demons into there hearts, certain loyal humans, orcs, that sort of thing. I'd stay out of his way if I were you. He looks pretty angry but I'll deal with that.

Susanna watched as Mahtan pounded orc after orc with far more force than was necessary butchering one on the handle of his own axe. When the killing was done. Susanna approached Mahtan, he looked brutalized. Deep gashes had formed all over his body though she was sure that not one orc had touched him. On instinct or perhaps on instruction from her inner demon (It was getting harder to tell), Susanna reached out her hand and placed it on various areas of the elf. She felt his muscles knit themselves back together as his insides were put right. He could not survive if he kept down this way. The energy from the orc's life essence faded quickly forcing her to draw on Lilith's strength and her own. She was not used to channelling this power and Lilith was not used to healing. The going was rough and a lot of energy was wasted but eventually Mahtan stood healed in front of Susanna and Lilith.

Mahtan thanked her and handed her a chunk of bread. It smelled of Reach, the uncorrupted smell of Reach unlike Mahtan's. He warned her against eating too much but Lilith told her that many demon hosts ate and regurgitated much worse things without consequence. This bread would not hurt her. Susanna enjoyed the taste. It tasted, as strange as it sounds like contentment. She scarfed down the whole loaf. She had not eaten in days. Then she stood up. She knew this was Lilith's wish and not hers but it did not matter Susanna held her fist high and knocked on the huge cherry oak doors that looked big enough to allow a beast of unportioned size to fit through.

Cylus woke from his night of dreamless sleep. The old man had a routine he did every day, it always began with stringing his bow. He got up from his bed, walked over to the stand where the bow was, took it then he twisted his legs around the bow to string it, bending it over his thigh and moving the string into place. He then hung the bow in it's spot on his wall. The second task he performed daily had been meditation for over two decades and hadn't changed. Cylus wore his shoes and his clothing and went to his garden to do what he did every morning before the sun rose.

The garden was coming back to life, the flowers were beginning to face upward again. Though now was the time to relieve himself of thought. He thought of many things in his hour, Bile's screech, his wounds that were now healed. He though of Mira and her son, though he didn't know the young man's name. He had yet to thank her for saving his life. All of these thoughts left him, but not entirely for it would be ridiculous if all thought left him. His meditation is simply a time to work out the problems he faces with his inner demons.

The sun had risen by the time Cylus arose from the ground, he made his way back I to his house and prepared himself for his day of teaching. He gathered his usual gear of just his clothes and his sword. As he took his blade from the place he had put it the night before he realized that it hadn't been cleaned. It was covered in dried blood. He took it and left the house intending to gather water in order to clean it before gathering his students for the day. Cylus walked to his door and opened it to find that all five of his students were waiting for him. They sat on the ground meditating.

"Ah, you are here early?" Cylus interrupted their thoughts quizzically.

As if planned out they all stood and bowed saying "Master!" Cylus raised his eyebrow at this but waved his hand for them to follow. He began walking out of the town, the gate keeper opened the gate as always. No one seems to remember the events of the other day... Wait... How long was I in Mira's home? Thoughts like this raced through his head. Breath in, breath out. As he thought it he did it. He could think about that later, right now he was arriving where he would be teaching for the day.

The group had arrived in their usual field, the posts had been taken down and replaced with five small wooden makeshift tables. On the tables were ink, brushes, and five canvases. "Everyone take a seat." The sword master instructed his students and they did so clambering into their seats. "The first task is simple, write your name on the canvas. This is not just an activity to pass the time away. This is to teach you precision, a swordsman must learn to be precise. Remember you cannot take back a stroke of the brush or a stroke of the sword."

Cylus closed his eyes and felt the warm air brush against his face. He thought of Bile, Demons don't usually like to outright attack a village. They'd have no fun after a while. He scratched his chin. Either Bile was very aggressive or the demons are becoming more rambunctious doing as they please with no one controlling them? "Hmm." Was or has anyone ever been controlling them? Someone must have been otherwise there would be nothing left of any city.

The old man opened his eyes again and took everything in, the rolling hills, the leaves blowing in the wind, the waves in the lake not far from where they were. He also saw that the students had finished their task. He walked behind them table by table seeing that they had done well and made minimal mistakes. "Very good." Cylus had all five looking at him by this point. "Now, let's move into the forest." He began walking towards the tree line, all five students with him.

He stopped at the entrance and turned to his students, "Using your surroundings to your advantage is of key importance when in any fight. It doesn't matter whether or not you use it to attack you opponent, or defend yourself from attack." A man came walking from the town, he was in his mid twenties and wore a guard uniform and wielded a blade at his side. He was not a master, but he was trained and would help to instruct Cylus' students. "Roh, you are on time as always." Cylus said with a smile bowing to greet his friend.

"You asked for my help, it is the least I can do for all that you've done for me and our village." He wore a grey tunic with a leafless black tree stitched into the front as all guards did. On his side was a broadsword and a shield slung on his back. The man, having left his sword on the ground by a tree and collected a wooden sword, turned and walk into the wood having already been told what he would be doing.

"Gather your practice weapons." Cylus instructed his students whilst pointing to where the wooden swords had been stacked next to a tree not far from where they stood. "Roh and I will demonstrate how to use your surroundings to your advantage." He unclasped the sheathed sword from his belt and leaned it against the same tree Roh had set his sword next to he collected a wooden one.

Cylus entered the treed area walking calmly. He had already meditated that day and so not many things were in his head to distract him. He held the sword on his right side facing downward both hands on the hilt, he turned his head so he may listen for any movement. Him and Roh's goal was to subdue the other and since they were in the woods they would have to use their surroundings to do so and thus give a demonstration.

A twig cracked to Cylus' left he turned sharply bringing his sword up and scanned the area in front of him. The two were making sure to stay close to the tree line so the students could see what they were doing. All Cylus saw were trees, He could have moved? he saw a particularly bushy tree, he could hide himself behind it... he moved closer not allowing himself to forget that there are many places where the man could hide himself.

Cylus jumped back having spotted Roh's sword shoot out just before they crossed blades. Roh emerged from a bush to Cylus' right. Cylus regained his posture, his eyes focused on the man in his front. In between some of the trees was bamboo, the wooden swords were sharp enough to cut through it but not sharp enough to inflict a mortal wound, they would cut through skin however. Roh turned on his heel and dashed off, Cylus chased after him, his age hardly slowing him down.

The younger man swiped his sword around to his sides and cut the bamboo to make an obstacle for Cylus, he brought his weapon up and cut through the falling bamboo. Roh was slowed just a bit because he took the time to cut the tick grass, Cylus had caught up to him. Roh turned 'round a corner and Cylus followed. As Cylus turned he was met with bamboo having been bent and swung around to hit him. He quickly brought up his sword, the tip pointing down the hilt up and his hand bracing against the blade, the bamboo hit against the sword and knocked the old man to the ground. He saw that the younger man he was fighting had climbed the tree the bamboo was next to while pulling the grass to hit Cylus with it.

He jumped down to Cylus intending to kick the sword from his grasp and win, but Cylus had already moved and they crossed swords as Roh hit the ground. He jumped back as Cylus lunged at him their blades crossing again, Cylus slide his downward in an attempt to knock Roh's blade out of his hand from the hilt. Roh knocked Cylus' blade away before he could knock his from his hand.

The encounter went on like that for a bit, lunge, parry, sidestep etc. Finally, Cylus brought his blade up as though he was going to bring it back down at Roh, who then brought his up horizontally to block. Cylus, however did not bring it down at Roh, but at somemore bamboo, slicing it and causing it to fall down on Roh who swung his sword to block it. Cylus threw himself at the younger man, locked their blades and knocked his sword from his grasp.

The students spent the next few hours trying to do the same thing. They paired up and went into the trees and began learning to use their surroundings to their advantage. By this time Cylus had showed them to use a blade very well and all they needed was to learn concepts such as using their surroundings.

After the day the students returned to their homes and Cylus to his. Cylus knew that the town wanted to thank him for his encounter with Bile, but Cylus made it clear when he came to the town that he didn't need any thanks and refused to accept it. What he didn't tell them was that he did this because he failed at Verion and was trying to do what he could to make sure that it didn't happen again. He knew that he could not protect the world from it, but this town was enough for him, he felt guilty but doing this eased the pain.

His garden was looking alive again as he sat with his legs crossed and thought.

Mahtan's pale hands pressed firmly against the large doors of the Keep, muscles straining underneath his leather armor as he pushed with as much force as he could muster. As the doors began to move beneath his hands, he found himself wondering why doors needed to be so large. It was common for Keep doors to be grand, but Veiron Keep had doors much larger than the elf had ever seen. Even the largest demon could squeeze through them if it tried; a fact that bothered Mahtan, despite his destiny. When there was a large enough gap for him and Susanna to get inside, Mahtan threw a hand out in order to stop Susanna in her tracks. "No, Susanna. I couldn't keep you from being attacked by the Orcs, that was my mistake. This time, you need to be more careful." he said, his tone wavering slightly mid-sentence. He had no idea what was coming over him, but his mood was bouncing all around. Was he really worried about losing Susanna, or was he scared he might lose Lilith? Either way, he felt he needed to keep the Host safe, for now at least. As silent as a predator stalking it's prey, Mahtan slid inside the Keep. As soon as the last part of him entered, he got a dark feeling in his soul. It wasn't just his powers that resided there, something else had invaded. It felt heavy, yet light at the same time. It was dark and powerful, yet content, not bent on destroying what had set foot into the Keep. Mahtan's breath caught in his chest as the feeling washed over his entire body. He felt a raging fire boiling in his veins, pumping black blood even further into his system. Something inside him seemed to be reacting to the Keep, and it was nearly impossible to tell if it was a good or bad outcome. The sound of his leather boots echoed all throughout the raised ceiling as the Elf moved deeper into the keep. It was completely bare, missing all of the valuable and priceless items it once contained. It was now merely marble, dusty and forgotten marble. On either side of Mahtan were giant metal doors, leading to what he assumed to be the East and West wings of the Keep. In front of him rose a grand staircase, with steps leading up the middle, then turning around on both sides and leading up even further into the opposite direction. Despite the temperature outside, Mahtan could see his breath as he hugged the shadows, not wanting to wake anything that might be lurking within the Keep, besides the powerful force that noticed him when he first entered. Upon reaching the steps, Mahtan raised his foot and placed it onto the first step, and was about to continue when he heard shuffling behind him.

Mahtan swung around, bow at the ready with an arrow already knocked. He pulled the string back with inhuman speed and aimed for the door. Arm steady, his emerald eyes were tainted with inky black as he honed his powers. Surprise filled him as he watched Susanna's proud figure emerge, her pale face turning from side to side as it marveled at the magnificence of the Keep. Mahtan's eyes widened as he saw a shadow creep up behind Susanna, black claws spread wide just above her own shadow, cast by the sunlight streaming in through the windows behind the Elf. Mahtan's arrow immediately went loose, and he began sprinting towards Susanna, screaming 'SUSANNA! NO! GET OUTSIDE!" at the top of his lungs. The arrow struck the shadow just as it was about to devour Susanna's own, and retreated to the darkness once more, but not before the giant door slammed shut behind the human girl. Mahtan felt an immediate pain inside his chest and he lost his footing on the bare marble floor. With a grunt of pain Mahtan's body did a front flip and landed in a crumpled heap on the floor, but not before the Elf's skull came into contact with the marble, causing a spine chilling crack to echo throughout the Keep, followed by deathly still silence. From underneath Mahtan's body a small pool of shadows began to form, seeming to be caused by nothing, as he was in the direct sunlight. The shadows streamed against his face, over his open mouth, and across his wide and lifeless eyes. His mouth appeared to be moving, and his smooth voice could be heard calling out into the shadows 'S...Susa...lith....Lil..." was all he managed to let out before his final breath escaped his lips. His once green eyes lost their color completely and were replaced by gray. The sunlight reflecting off his eyes dimmed ever so slightly as the soul light faded from behind his pupils, giving him the true appearance of one that has passed from the world. The shadows beneath his skull began to slowly disappear, giving Susanna a clear view of the impact point from where she was standing. There was no crack, no blood, nothing to signify what had happened to Mahtan, but it was obvious he had drawn his last breath. Lilith cackles were all to be heard besides the presence inside Veiron Keep that was moving closer and closer to the Host and the dead Elf.

"Perfect..."

The doors of Veiron Keep were inhumanly heavy. She knew of course that nobles especially those at the top of pyramid liked there buildings to reflect there wealth and power but this was ridiculous. Susanna had to remind herself that when this place was inhabited the King probably had twenty or thirty guards to pull both of these doors wide open. By any standards this door was far more decorative than actually functional in keeping out attack.

For some reason Susanna had thought that someone... or something would answer the great doors when she knocked but the sound just rattled around the courtyard and inside the hall. Such a loud was slightly unnerving in the dead silence that had fallen since Mahtan had slain the orcs. The courtyard had grown eerily quiet. After a moment Mahtan stood up to the door. He put his fingers in the crack of the door which was wider than seemed safe and pushed with all his might. His muscles strained but inch by inch the door opened. There was no way for him to open it fully but he pushed the doors enough for a single man to fit through.

Mahtan slipped easily through the doors. Susanna was about to follow him when the elf offered her words of caution and a promise that he wouldn't fail her again. What was going on inside his mind. It felt like she was talking to two different and distinct Mahtan's, the one that felt her pain and cared for her and the one that kept her around simply because she was the vessel of Lilith. It was so hard to gauge which one was present at any given moment. She of course knew what it felt like to have two sides to oneself but in Susanna's case she literally had a split personality.

Susanna stayed outside the keep for a couple of seconds before throwing Mahtan's warning to the winds and following him through the crack in the door. Once inside Susanna was amazed. Even stripped of it's valuables and prizes the Keep of Veiron was a remarkable building. With high ceilings and smooth tiled floors. The opposite end featured a beautiful twisted staircase that spiraled in opposite directions at it's branched point.

Susanna knew it was beautiful but there was something else in the air that made her uneasy. Despite the warm summer's day that had dawned outside the keep was brisk and chilled. When Susanna exhaled she could see her breath before her. Susanna's blood ran colder than ice and she wasn't sure why but the feeling frightened her. They shouldn't be here. For God sake they'd headed the advice of a Storm Demon. Susanna language! Using a word like that here, what is wrong with you? Susanna couldn't figure out what she had thought. "Storm Demon is offensive?" Susanna asked slowly confused. No that's a rank, the other thing... God.

Susanna almost felt like laughing but something in the air stopped her. Just then she heard a clattering sound by her shoulder. She twisted and saw an arrow bounced off the keep's doors but saw nothing that it could be aimed at. Susanna looked at it's origin point and spotted Mahtan standing on the lowest step of the staircase. His bow was strung and he had demon in his eyes.

In that instant the doors of the keep slammed shut and Susanna knew that they were in deep trouble. "SUSANNA! NO! GET OUTSIDE!" Mahtan screamed from across the room trying to run for her. In that moment she knew that he had not fired on her. There was something else in they keep with them. Mahtan ran down from the stairs and lost his footing the tile. His body did a three hundred sixty degree front flip that should not have been possible for the stumble he'd made. As he hit the ground Susanna heard a loud CRACK, that echoed off the keep' marble floors and walls. She saw the light leave his eyes. Mahtan, heir to the throne of Reach was gone from this world.

"NO!" Susanna screamed running to his side. She put her hands underneath his head. She could feel the fracture in his skull but there was no blood and he was too far gone for her powers to save. She didn't care. He had saved her life and she owed him that in return. She let her hands start to fill with power. "Dark gods that slumber in the earth, lend me thine power. Whether I stand in house or field or mount..." She was interrupted by a voice.

"Don't bother Susan. That part doesn't come till later and besides, you don't really have to pray after all... I'm already here." The voice seemed to emanate from the keep walls themselves. It was cheerful and kind but cruelly so. The kind of voice that was friendly to your face and stabbed you in the back the moment you turned away. Susanna looked around wildly for the source. "Don't bother Susan I'm all around but I suppose it might be nice to show off a physical form again, it's been awhile." Susanna kept looking for the source of the voice and as she did so she noticed something slither out from under Mahtan's body. It was a shadow, or more accuracy a thousand shadows. They all curled onto one spot on the floor and then started to condense and move upward in a smoky pool. It was hard to describe what Susanna was seeing. The shadows formed themselves into a human woman. She was several inches taller than Susanna and her entire body was black. Not dark skinned but literally black, her skin, teeth, hair, tongue, fingernails and cloths all as dark as Susanna's blood.

The figure appeared to breath in but Susanna knew it must be an illusion. Nothing that monstrous needed to breath. "Now that's just rude, I took the time to give myself form so that you would feel more comfortable and all you think of my hard work is that I'm monstrous. Lilith always did have a thing for strong willed hosts."

Susanna wasn't sure what to say. This shadow woman's demeanor and manors were like Lilith's except a thousand times more precise and meticulous with every word being carefully chosen while giving the air of nonchalance. Susanna couldn't think of anything to say but she managed to choke out a few pathetic words. "You... you... you killed him." She said not quite taking in the reality of the elf's death. Wow dearie. Of all the things you could have said and you voice something everyone already knows? "I know Lilith she doesn't chose her words very well does she. Once we resurrect the King trash like this will be ours to play with. Of course before we can have a King we need a Crown Prince."

Susanna stared at the shadow form in awe. "Wha... what are you doing?" She asked shocked. "Quiet dear the adults are talking." As she said this the shadow raised one of her ghostly hands and snapped her fingers. The sound reverberated around the hall like the cracking of Mahtan's head had. Black smoke curled from the ground engulfing Susanna, pulling her to her feet. The smoke that surrounded her wasn't what worried her however. When it touched her Susanna felt something forcing it's way up her throat. She began to cough and choke desperate for more air. She could feel everything slipping away when suddenly the smoke vanished and Susanna drew in a grateful breath but when she exhaled black smoke accompanied her breath. She blinked three times and Susanna started to panic. She couldn't feel her limbs any more, or her throat or face. She hadn't felt the breath enter her lungs which could mean only one thing.

"I'm back." Said Lilith a cruel and sadistic smiled curling Susanna's lips.

"Welcome back Lily, we have a lot to do and even more to catch up on." The shadow said smiling. Susanna kicked and screamed trapped inside the body that no longer belonged to her. She let a string of profanity escape her lips but it simply echoed around in her mind refusing to reach her lips. "Thanks dear I appreciate the compliments." Lilith said smiling. Susanna screamed into her mind but this only served to amuse the demon.

"Now Susan." the Shadow Form said clearly just as amused with Susanna's behavior as Lilith was. "If you're done throwing your little tantrum the grown ups have some business to discuss." Who the hell are you? Susanna shouted. It was clear the Shadow Form and Lilith were the only ones that could hear her. If Mahtan had still been with them he would have been confused as to the one sided nature of the conversation. "Lilith dear, do you want to take this one." Though it was phrased like a questions Susanna knew perfectly well that it was an order to be headed. Lilith and this mist form might have been old friends from there days in the pit but it was clear that the shadow woman was in charge.

"Show some respect human," Lilith said with contempt. Susanna almost felt like this was a practiced routine. "This is the angel that gathered the earth which became the first man. She is one of the originals that hell was created to hold. This is the being that twisted the first soul into a demon. This is the Lord of the Abyss, Abaddon the Destroyer."

Susanna gulped. Her family had never been particularly religious especially after her mother died but everyone knew the names of the original eight. Lucifer, Abaddon his lieutenant, then there was Asmodeus, Sammael, Ahriman, Balan, Baliel, and Molloch. Abaddon was the name that fallen angel that did the mortal bidding of Lucifer. It was her name that parents used to scared there kids into obeying the rules. Abaddon was the monster under every child's bed and she was standing in front of Susanna.

"Thank you Lilith now if you please." Abaddon motioned to the lifeless body of the elf prince. Lilith nodded once and approached the corpse. Susanna screamed in her mind yelling that they should let him alone with the little dignity he still possessed but no sound escaped her lips and the demons around her merely laughed.

Lilith picked the much larger elf up from the ground with little effort and followed Abaddon up the steps. She kept walking further up the keep, Susanna lost count of the number of staircases that they climbed but neither the demon or the fallen angel showed any signs of stopping or tiring. Finally they came a a room high in the sky from which all of Veiron could be seen.

A stench filled the air but Susanna was unable to gag. She could feel the excitement of the demon and her master. Whatever this smell was it had some special significance to them. It appeared to be some sort of study that they found themselves in. There was a great table that had once sat as a desk at the side of the room which had been pushed into the middle as some sort of centre piece. Where it had once sat there was a high backed chair. Susanna knew without looking that this was were the stench was emanating from but she didn't have a choice, Lilith controlled her eyes.

Fused to the chair was the ghastly sight of charred human remains. Though the corpse' cloths had long since rotted away Susanna could see a gold crown that had been burned into the skull. Lilith smiled at the sight of it. "All hail the King of Veiron." She said laughing. "Foolish old man, once you sell your soul it's all over for you." Abaddon said looking at the shrivelled remains with something that if she'd been human Susanna would have equated with disgust. "We must get started, Lilith lay our Prince out on the table for his crowning."

Lilith complied and laid Mahtan's body out as instructed. Abaddon handed Lilith an ornate silver dagger. The Storm Demon used it to slice her wrists and let Susanna's tainted black blood fill one of the kings chalices. Abaddon took the chalice and set to work drawing various symbols over the table around Mahtan's body. A pentagram encased in a circle sat under the elf's chest while the demonic symbol for power was drawn under both his hands along with a variety of others lastly being the symbol that Susanna bore on her neck drawn on Mahtan's forehead. They were ready to begin.

Some sort of unseen communication passed between the demon and the angel. They stood one at the elf's head and the other at his feet. Abaddon placed her hands on Mahtan's skull while Lilith touched two symbols drawn at the base of Mahtan's feet. The ritual began. Susanna couldn't have told anyone exactly what was involved. There were several chants and passages to do with hellfire and destruction as well as energy that passed between the two and through the body. Susanna did however remember the climax.

Abaddon released her hands from Mahtan's skull and let herself dissolve back into the walls of the keep. Her voice rang out in the stillness calling on a force that lingered in the air. "Keeper of the gate, Master of Crossroads, hear us! Before time began, before knowing and nothing there was an ancient pact sealed with the blood of the Light Bringer" This last statement Abaddon said with pride in her voice. There was a resounding crack like lightning then all sound in the room went deathly silent. Then like a crack in a wall the air before then splintered. From the other side Susanna could hear the screams and cries of the dead and the dying, the tortured and the damned. Standing between this crack and the room of the tower was an old woman dressed in an ancient and patched cloak. She held a staff in one hand and her skin was pale and wrinkled. Her eyes were white with small black pinpricks in the centre and she had deep bags under her eyes like she had not slept since the conception of the world.

"Why does the lieutenant of Lucifer call on the Gatekeeper of the Crossroads?" She asked.

Abaddon reformed in that moment but Susanna did not think it had anything to do with choice. The light from the underworld washed over her shadow form letting the darkness wash away like dirt in the rain. Abaddon stood in the flesh. Her hair was red and cut short, her skin pale and her lips like blood. She wore a simple dress that would not be out of place on a milkmaid.

The expression on her face was... no, Susanna couldn't believe it. This was Abaddon, she was the lieutenant of Lucifer ruler of Hell. Abaddon couldn't be frightened of anything but that was what he face said. Abaddon solidified her face before she spoke. "Cailleach (Kay-lyx), Gatekeeper of the Underworld. When the angel's fell you were given the right to save the lessor transgressors by my lord in exchange for one deed in the time of his choosing. You saved many from the hellfire creating the safe haven of Purgatory for them, now it is time to see if it was worth it. I call in my Lord's request in order to save him. You know what I want, let it cross over."

The old woman, the Cailleach looked at Abaddon tiredly not in the least surprised. "Messenger, make sure this is what is desired of me. I do not make bargains lightly or often and my price is always high. Make sure you do not waste your opportunity."

Despite the look of terror in her eyes Abaddon stood her ground. "This is what is desired of you Gatekeeper. Let what I seek cross over."

The Cailleach looked at Abaddon with something close to pity. "Very well, I do not take sides in the affairs of the mortals but know this Abaddon. You're time in this world will be short lived. You will see the underworld again when the sun grows dim." With her ominous words hanging in the air the Cailleach stabbed her staff into the floor. The tiles cracked and shadows spilled out of the crack in reality. They covered Mahtan's body making her appear as Abaddon had before the she summoned the Gatekeeper. "Remember child," The gatekeeper said "Power and Control are both matters of perspective." Then the crack sealed itself. Abaddon's solid form disintegrated leaving her as a black shadow form and the being that Abaddon had released on the elf's body swirled into his eyes before disappearing.

Susanna felt the crack in Mahtan's head push itself back into place though she was no where near his head. A red light glowed from his eyes for a second before they returned in there emerald green form.

Mahtan gave an enormous gasp as he struggled to pull oxygen back into his lungs. He sat straight up on the table. The Dead Prince of Reach had returned from the land of lost souls. He was back among the living, though perhaps he wasn't completely one of them any more.

Mahtan was falling.

He could feel his body falling to the ground, he could see Susanna's face in front of him. The cold marble floor rushed to meet him and then...

Nothing.

His consciousness was still there, but he couldn't see, hear, or feel anything. He knew Susanna was coming to him, he knew she would be calling out, but he simply couldn't hear. Usually he was so careful, something like this never would have happened if he was worried about Susanna. Then again, why had it happened? It almost felt like something had grabbed his foot and pulled it from beneath him. It must have been the being inside the walls, yes. It could be the only possible explanation for his...death? Yes, his death, but he didn't feel dead just yet. He felt as if he was hanging in some limbo, his soul waiting to pass over to one side or another, almost as if it was being kept in this Purgatory, waiting to be brought back. He knew his body was being moved, and he knew Susanna was not alone. Lilith was there, and she appeared to be stronger than before. There was no way for Mahtan to know this, but he felt it. Everything was too confusing, too hard for him to understand. His mind was spinning, and he was simply falling through darkness.

That's when a red light began to glow beneath him, calling the Elf towards it's power. Mahtan didn't try to fight it, as the light beneath him emanated so much power it froze him, scared him so badly he couldn't move. He felt his body fall into the flames, yet they did not burn him. Something was being released from it's cage, his soul was being opened. He felt some giant beast crawl into the depths of his consciousness and rear it's ugly head. It let loose a roar that made the fire rise higher and higher, carrying Mahtan and his new passenger towards the light of life. Mahtan began screaming, not knowing what he had become, not knowing what was now inside him. Only one single word came to mind; Lucifer.

The Prince was reborn as he was thrown from the flames and back into his own body, gasping and filling his lungs with as much air as possible. His eyes were now the color of blood, having gotten rid of their pitiful black color of weakness. Red signified power, signified the ending of times, and the coming of death. From within the red pools that were now his eyes shown a white ink that slowly began filling in the red, until the white was large enough to make up for his pupil and iris. White surrounded by red, the sign of a truly powerful being. The eyes of the Devil, as they were more commonly known. In the past, anyone known to have adopted Lucifer's powers were instantly ripped to shreds, but Mahtan did not feel any pain. His body was slowly healing itself, it was pulling the skull back into place, patching whatever organs were still scarred from Susanna's healing touch. The Prince had now risen in the new world, and he had work to do.

Mahtan moved into a standing position on top of the table, Lucifer's eyes still remaining in his head as he surveyed the room. Lilith was in control of Susanna's body, he could see this. She had backed towards the door as he rose from the table, and was now wringing her hands nervously. Abbaddon, however, was standing at the edge of the table, hands moving to touch Mahtan. He chuckled and swatted Abbaddon's hand away, his voice filled with too many tones to be recognizable as his own. "Do not touch me, Abbaddon, You no longer have control over this vessel.." were the twisted words that came from Mahtan's throat as he sneered down at the shadow form. Abbaddon merely nodded, her face turned towards the marble floor. As Mahtan moved towards the edge of the table, his eyes returning to their normal emerald color, he raised his hand at Susanna and clenched it tightly. He watched Susanna's eyes go wide, then clenched even harder until Lilith was sent back into the reaches of Susanna's mind, where she belonged. "Lilith, you are not to take control of the girl until you find a suitable host. Never again will you taint this human with your presence. Stay quiet for now, underling, the Elf has work to do."

Once more, Mahtan's body shook violently and he gasped out loud as Lucifer's powers were sent to the corners of his soul, staying low for now until they were needed. This was the deal he and the Devil had struck; He would do what was asked of him, as long as the powers stayed tightly locked away within. They both had enjoyed the idea, Mahtan maintaining his usual self until battle came along, where Lucifer could destroy all he wanted until his powers were ready to be wielded by the Elf.

When the transformation was done, Mahtan rubbed his face and groaned, his pale hands reaching up to his head where it had struck the marble floor. He was amazed to find it gone, then remembered what had happened. The deal with the Devil was still clear on his mind, and he realized that it was part of his crowning that he must die beforehand in order to accept the powers. Susanna was still near the door, her eyes never coming off him as he hopped down from the table. As soon as his feet touched the floor, it cracked beneath him and created a small crater. Moments later the table exploded into splinters, and books began throwing themselves from the nearby shelves. Mahtan simply watched with an amused expression across his face as his unstable powers did their work.

Once everything died down, the room looked as if a tornado had spun through. Abbaddon had once more disappeared into the walls, and was remaining quiet, though Mahtan knew she would be watching. Abbaddon seemed to be quite fond of the power within Mahtan, he would be able to use it to his advantage to keep Susanna safe.

Sadness filled the Elf's eyes as he slowly moved towards Susanna, the scent of pine needles and ocean air filling the room once more. Once he was within arm's reach, he moved ever closed to the Human until there was only a small gap between them. His pale hand reached up from where it was hanging loosely at his side and brushed the side of her face as gently as he could manage, and his mouth parted in a soft "Thank yo-", however he only made it halfway through as the stroke from his hand sent Susanna flying against the door. Mahtan watched in horror at what his action had caused as Susanna's face scrunched up in immense pain where her head had slammed against the hard wood. Mahtan began moving away from Susanna's pained self, his hands balled up into fists of anger. His eyes were filled with fear, and his mouth was hanging open ever so slightly. "Susanna, I. I didn't..DAMN IT ALL!"

Unable to take what he had done, Mahtan spun around on his heel and ducked his head as he threw himself into a full on sprint towards the large window in front of him. He was nearly 3 stories off the ground, but something inside him reassured him that the fall would not hurt..all that much. Before Susanna could figure out what had happened, Mahtan's hands were placed out in front of him, and his body was through the glass, making sure his palms took most of the pain. From there he was free falling, everything was happening in slow motion. Glass was falling all around him, the cuts on his hands were closing up, and the ground was rushing to meet him. With his feet tucked closely to his chest, Mahtan hit the ground and immediately brought himself into a tight ball and rolled a few times before stopping as a way to absorb all of the shock brought upon his legs. As promised, the pain was minimal, and he had reached the ground without many problems.

The only issue now was where to go. Obviously going North would bring him closer to the Reach, where he would be killed on sight, going East would bring him to the water, and the angry mob that wanted Susanna. West would be towards the middle of nowhere, so Mahtan decided South. As he looked up, he saw Susanna staring down at him from the window, and a knot formed in his throat. He pressed to fingers to his lips and then raised them towards her, signifying 'Good bye, and stay safe' in his native tongue. With that, the Elf sprinted off towards the Southern road, following the direction his heart brought him from there;

It was time the world felt the wrath Lucifer had built up over these many years. The Prince of Hell was now loose upon the Humans, and had every intention of burning the planet to it's core.