User blog:Ikoter/He Who Walks With the Shadows, Blessed by the Light

HE WHO WALKS WITH THE SHADOWS, BLESSED BY THE LIGHT

Chapter 1: 

The Demon Realm. A place filled with the wicked. Creatures of power, driven mad by lust. Should a human venture through those lands, he will find himself trapped in an endless abyss of pleasurable torment. Even the fiery inferno would be better.

Yet two souls ventured through that land. An old bishop and a nun. Sent on a sacred mission, given by their Lord through the intermediate of an Angel.

Wherever they stepped, demonic energy plagued the air. Each of the two wore a holy cross, blessed in the Order's churches, which protected them from the corruption. They were nearing their destination.

A cavern situated not too deep in the realm of the unholy. At the entrance, a stone door, with a skull shape. The bishop approached, and the door spoke:

“WHAT… IS LIFE’S… GREATEST... BINDING?”

"The soul." The bishop replied.

The door opened. Out came dust with foul odor. It reeked of death. The bishop and the nun covered their noses as best they could, yet the stench was thick. Light pierced through the darkness and exposed the source of the smell.

<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Many corpses, spread everywhere. Soaked blood, gore and mutilation. The nun fell on her knees, coughing and holding her mouth so as not to puke. The bishop however, went forward. Out of a pile of corpses, he dug a child.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">A human child with a frail body, barely bigger than an infant. It survived. God knows for how long, but it survived. After all, the corpses of the dead, were so, so old.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Chapter 2: 

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">A succubus was flying above a forest. It was night and she was on the hunt. Her vision had allowed her to spot a man, resting on a rock in the distance.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“What have we here…” She landed near him, while he seemed to be asleep.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">By the looks, she deduced that his age is a little over twenty. He was dressed mostly in dark clothing, as perfect camouflage for the night. Had she not been a succubus, she would not have spotted him through the dark.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Good thing I found you before someone else did.” She said while slightly laughing. “But why do you have that…”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The man had his eyes covered by a long piece of cloth, tied into a knot at the back of his head. The ribbon was the color red. Also, she could only faintly sense his breath, or even a heartbeat. The man must have probably slipped on mud, fell and got knocked out.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Why was he even here, with a cloth piece around his eyes in the first place? Was he wondering blindly?

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Mph, never mind that. Let’s get down to business.”  She licked her lips as she lowered herself to his member and brought down his pants. But what she saw… made her jump back in realization.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Wh-Wh-Wh-Where is your thing???” The man hadn’t moved. Still stood like a corpse. The succubus got closer, to try and see if he is still alive.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Her hand slowly approached the man’s neck, because all traces of his breath were erased. Her hand was grabbed, as the man now slightly moved his head towards her. His right hand reached behind him, to a hidden knife, and with the speed of lightning, sunk the knife into that manomo’s neck.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Then he drew it back, stabbing her forehead, and then her stomach while letting her body fall freely. The body hit the ground with a thump.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">That knife, shaped for battle and amply sharpened, was a weapon crafted by the hands of mortal men. It bears the name “Mercy”. The most fittest of names for an assassin’s weapon.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Chapter 3: 

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">After pulling back up his trousers, the man reached to the ground. Beneath dust and leaves, he hid a katana. Made with steel tempered in holy light, the weapon bearing the name of “Purifier”.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The “Purifier” was named so, for it is a weapon forged in Heaven, bathed in holy light and blessed with the golden flames of purification. It is a beacon of purity.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The man unsheathed Purifier and brought it lose to the corpse. The katana constantly shined light in the vicinity, blinding the impure. A simple grazing lit the whole body aflame. Burning constantly a golden flame, until nothing was left of the succubus… not even the ashes.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">He had sheathed back the sword, not wanting to draw further attention. He wasn’t alone in that forest.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The man, even though his life force can’t be sensed, could still sense the life force of other manomo’s not more than eighty meters away. Being able to sense their presence accurately was one of his top skills.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Three monsters had set up camp in the forest, with a fire burning between them. Above it was a goat, taken from the human realm, along with a more valuable prize.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">A human male was tied near the three lizard woman’s and unconscious. Having a warrior’s nature, the lizards probably challenged the man to battle. After all, one had a cut on her belly, while one of her cheeks was purple after being hit with a blunt weapon. A shovel to be precise.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">They ganked a farmer, who then tried to defend himself.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">So the man moved… unseen, unheard…

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Ugh…” The farmer had woken up, still dizzy from his rumble with the lizard ladies.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Well, well, our prize is finally awake.” The lizards began chatting while the farmer got a grasp on the situation.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Who shall do him first? I’m taking care of the goat-” Said the eldest of the lizards.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“I will!” The youngest one of them burned with excitement. “After all, I caught him.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Fine then.” The third one had said.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“No, no, no. I-I-A don’t taste guud. N-N-Nu-Nut at all!” He was panicking.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Were not going to eat you like that stupid, were going to enjoy ourselves.” The youngest approached him, picking him up and raising him on his legs. The farmer had closed his eyes and grinned his teeth. Cold sweat slided down his side.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">A noise came up. A hard noise that he couldn’t describe as anything more than a bull breaking through his wooden barn. He had fallen back down as the lizard released her grip on him, his ropes also coming apart.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">His eyes opened to see a shadowy figure before him. Was it a man, a woman, he didn’t care. All he was thinking about was running away. And he did.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“It would seem someone is more eager to satisfy us.” The lizard watching over the roasting goat had said.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The youngest one of the three was out cold on the ground. The second eldest charged with sword drawn, swinging vertically. Missed.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">He had drawn Mercy, and planted it in her chest, not giving any shaits about her armored scales. Quickly the eldest lizard had reached for her weapon and stood up, only to be met by the back of her sister, thrown at her still with the knife in her chest.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The two fell down, one without a glimmer of light in her eyes, or soul in her body. This one stood above the elder lizard, making her unable to get up.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">No matter how physically strong she may have been, she could not lift the body of her sister. Mercy had declared her dead. The man approached, drawing out his katana.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Chapter 4: 

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The bishop and the boy stood in the church, on their knees, before a big, golden, holy cross. The two were praying to their Lord in Heaven, sending a message along the way.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The bishop had done as instructed. Traveled to the corrupted land, unearthed a soul and brought it back to the Lord’s domain. He was awaiting further instructions.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">A hole in the church’s roof was made, and through it came darkness the shape of a woman. A Valkyrie with wings as black as the night, dressed in clothes to match. A Dark Valkyrie.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“What is the meaning of this?” The bishop asked revolted.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Hmm, there’s only an old man here? I expected someone… younger.” The Valkyrie hadn’t realized that the bishop pushed the child behind some wooden benches, behind cover.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The Valkyrie took a few steps forward. “Don’t you have any younger apostles around here that I can milk?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Stay back fiend!” He took out his cross. But it seemed to no avail.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The Valkyrie had no weapons with herself, but rather, she extended her hand and pointed a finger at the old man. Lightning, the same color as her wings, jumped from her fingertip at the bishop.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The old man guarded with his holy cross, yet he was still knocked flat on his back. Three temple knights rushed through the churches door, and attempted to surround the Valkyrie. They were armed with swords and shields.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Hmpf. See, we can find youth if we try.” The three lunged at her, slicing overhead.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">With her left hand, she fired lightning which forced the temple knights to hide behind their shields.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“You can do better than this, can’t you?” She had asked, before feeling a small hand, pulling a part of her right leg. She looked down to find a boy, not older than four.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“A boy?” She had bent down towards him, while still releasing lightning from her left hand.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The Valkyrie reached her right hand to the boy’s face, and looked into his eyes. They were lifeless.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Is this boy blind?” Two seconds later, she had realized why that boy got close to her. The sharp piece of metal protruding through her chest was the reason.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">She got back on her feet and backed away, gasping for air as blood poured on the stone floor. The temple knights released their guard and stood watching.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“This Valkyrie is done for.” One of them had said.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“You fool… I’m not… done… yet.” The pain in her chest became increasingly persistent, and she collapsed to her knees, looking at the boy. “You… brat…”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The bishop approached, uttering holy words, and holding his cross up high. It began shining light, a light which she could not suffer, as the bishop got closer. The light became so intense, that the Valkyrie had begun burning, screaming in pain… until nothing but ash and dust remained of her.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Two of three temple knights were astonished at this feat. The third had told them:

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Well what did you expect? After all, he is Andre the Archbishop.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The bishop had turned head and looked at the young boy.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“My Lord, I see now why this child is amongst us.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Chapter 5: 

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The corpses had been disposed of by Purifier’s holy flames. Three lives liberated. The goat roasting above the fire, it too was put out shortly after his victory. After all, its scent drew the wildlife closer, among… other things.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Something came his way. He could not hear it, but knew that is was trampling madly, close by…

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">A four legged lion, horns on both sides of its head, bat wings protruding from the back and a scorpion’s tail. The beast towered over the man in terms of height, and it was trampling madly towards the source of the smell. It raised an angry claw at the assassin.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">A few hours earlier, the man found in the forest a Manticore, a manomo, and placed his hand slightly below her neck, but above the chest. By doing this, he pushed out all the demonic energy stored within her, and the beast began reverting to its original form… that of a blood thirsty monster.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">If there was a reason behind this, it was for sport. The pleasure of hunting monsters which so easily tower over you… what better way for a blades man to test the limits of his skill?

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Ever since the conversion, he had allowed the beast to run rampant, angrily attacking those living in the demon realm. As time passed, the beast became filled with demonic energy once again, but without returning to the form of a girl.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">That, and the constant devour of manomo’s and incubuses, gave it a huge amount of power. Quite enough to take on a dragon. Right now however, it was facing a mortal man.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Its claw rose rapidly to strike the man’s position, but it missed. He had jumped back. The light from the Purifier could not blind this beast, for it was pure in its own nature.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">He had chosen to dull Purifier’s light, reducing it to just a really sharp katana.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The Manticore roared, not loudly, extremely loud. Loud enough to make you deaf. And deaf, he already was.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Holding Purifier with both hands, he rushed at the beast’s neck, swinging full force. The beast took a step back and the katana hadn’t connected.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The beast then seized the opportunity and pushed its body forward, intent on thrusting its horns in the man’s direction. He jumped lightly, only to disconnect his legs with the ground.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">His right hand caught hold of the beasts head before it had time to hit him, and pulled himself above the beast. Each passed above the other without actually colliding.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Purifier was once again swung, this time claiming a prize. One of the beast’s horns.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The beast had crashed on the ground, and the assassin landed in its original position. He stared as it got up on two feet, drawing breath, and exhaling flame.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The Purifier was called to duty. The blade was swung horizontally, creating a powerful air wave that pushed back the flame, in the beast’s direction. The Manticore was set ablaze.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Being occupied with screaming, the beast hadn’t noticed the man charging it. He had swung his katana vertically on the beasts belly as it was still standing on two feet. He then swung it horizontally, making the cut into the shape of a cross.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The beast screamed once more, and the man impaled Purifier in the cross section of its belly. He now permitted the blade to utilize the holy flame that it was blessed with, lighting the Manticore once more.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">It then fell flat on its back, lifeless, as the golden flame ate away at its corpse.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Chapter 6: 

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">As the flame burned ever brighter, the sun had begun rising. The night had passed, and dawn settled in. The man had chosen to stay at the entrance of a cavern, and meditate. His legs bent in a cross pattern beneath him, his hands brought together near his chest, and his head slightly leaning forward.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">As he stood, half his body was enveloped by the shadows from the cave, and half was illuminated by the sun’s ever glorious rays. This was a method used to replenish his energy and life force.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Doing battle with superhuman feats while remaining human required a special body. One trained for the purpose of handling both light and dark. This combination of light and dark was called primal.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Meditating was one of the methods used to regain energy. The second method required him to slay foes with either Mercy or Purifier. Mercy granted him dark energy, while Purifier gave him light energy. Yet not without taking a portion of it for themselves.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">This man does not sleep. He does not eat. He needs no sustenance other than primal energy.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Not being limited by the necessities of mortal men was his greatest advantage.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Noise… though he could not hear it… movement… though he could not feel it. He sensed it. A manomo resided in that cave. His senses were alerting him.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Not one, but three creatures headed his way. Soon, they became five.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Coming sprawling on eight legs, each of the beings resembling one another, they charged towards the entrance. Towards him.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Your mine!” All five had said simultaneously. As if being a single entity sharing one mind.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Just as he was about to be grabbed, he had jumped. Not outside the cave, but inside. The five collided at his initial location, coming out of it unscathed. They looked towards him, considering him a cornered rat.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">He had drawn Purifier, and held it up, for its light blinded the monsters.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">They had closed their eyes and tried to block the light with their hands. The pain however, hadn’t stopped, it got increasingly more painful. They had told him to stop, and as he took steps forward, they took steps backwards.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Until they reached the light of dawn. As they set foot outside, the sun burned them, forcing them to enter the cavern once more, where their eyes felt the pain of a mountain crushing down on them.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Even with their regenerative powers, the pain would not stop.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Stop! You’re hurting us! It burns!” They had all said in a chorus.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Even though he could not hear them, he knew what they said. So he swung Purifier, slicing the three in the middle. Those on the sides began running back into the cave, and away from the light.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">He had caught all but one of them, and chose not to give further chase.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">She had faded into darkness, and hid.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The man held up Purifier, grabbed it with both hands, and swung it vertically towards the end of the cavern. Flame was released. A lot of flame. Traveling fast, invading the privacy of the cavern and burning everything that wasn’t a rock.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Chapter 7: 

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Light protruded in through the church’s windows, lighting the area around Andre as he stood praying.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“So you’ve come.” The bishop said to the shadowy figure, hiding away from sight. “You can come out.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">And so it did, while Andre rose from his kneeling position.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Tarek. Criminal whose sin’s I shall not pronounce.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“I was expecting to see some knights here, bishop Andre.” Tarek approached slowly, secretly clutching a dagger behind him.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“You are not going to be arrested as of yet. The church requires your assistance.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“I must say, it was a surprise when the Order sent me a letter. I thought I hid myself properly.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“We see even those who cannot see themselves Tarek. As promised, you will receive a great sum of gold once your job is done.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“And what is my job?” Tarek had asked, now being directly in front of the bishop.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Andre began walking towards the left, where an open door waited, leading into a garden. He stopped when reaching the door, and raised his hand to point at a young boy.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Train him.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“What for?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Killing.” Tarek stood a moment, pondering this idea. And whether or not it was worth the gold.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Killing… who?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Those who pose a higher threat than bandits and thieves.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Speak clearly bishop! I don’t understand your words.” Andre had turned to face him.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“The creatures which commit sins constantly, and live under a different divinity.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Tarek now understood what the bishop wanted of him. He backed away, releasing his grip on the dagger.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“You’re asking for the impossible.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Impossible, you say? People say it’s impossible to escape from the prison you were jailed in, but you did.” Tarek grabbed the bishop’s mantle and pushed him to a wall.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Look here. Escaping from a prison is one thing, and training a soldier another. Why don’t you just give the child to your knight’s academy or something?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Because we don’t need more knights. What we need now is an assassin.” Andre looked down at Tarek’s hands, and he released his grip on the bishop, taking steps back.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“A murderer. That’s what you’re asking for.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Andre pointed at the child. “This child was gifted to us by our Lord in Heaven. He is blind, mute, deaf and stripped of senses.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">At this moment, Tarek was astonished. A child with so many deficiencies, how can he be God’s gift?

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Your insane. How can someone like him fight?” Tarek reached for his chest, where he drew a small hidden knife and threw it at the boy’s head.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">He was sure he had thrown the dagger perfectly, but was contradicted as it landed right next to the boy’s head. It was hard to tell if the boy even moved. Could it have been Divine Protection of some sort?

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“How can you say he’s blind? He dodged my dagger perfectly fine.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Andre extended his hand once again. “Go, and look for yourself unbeliever.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Tarek had begun walking to him, but he stopped, noticing the child trying to spring the dagger out of the tree.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">‘Blind? Him? What is that bishop talking about? If he’s blind and can’t sense shit, how does he know where my dagger is?’ Tarek thought to himself, and began moving once more.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">He grabbed the boy’s shirt and yanked him up, staring in his lifeless eyes, before letting him fall back to the earth.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“What the hell!” He shouted throwing both arms up. “What the hell is all this mess you’ve put me in?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“You decide.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Chapter 8: 

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The Ushi-Oni had hid behind a wall, a small room made for safety with a door of rock sealed tight. As she hid, the wave of flame went through the cavern, eradicating everything that was not made of stone. Even the plants and insects.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">So she waited for the flame to dissipate. To think that a human had done this to her home…

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">As the flame extinguished, she believed herself save, and hoped the terrifying human had left. She got close to the door, and placed her ear listening to the outside noise.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The Purifier pierced through stone and bone, impaling the spider and setting her ablaze. The fire spread to all her body, and the small room she was in turned into a furnace, her body, stoking it.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The man moved, out of the cave and into broad day light. He sensed movement. A group of beings, far in the distance. He could not make out their energy, but he knew there were twenty of them.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">This meant that the group at hand was formed of both humans and manomo’s. One’s which have sinned, and ones who haven’t.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">No doubt they heard the Manticore’s battle roar, and most certainly, they were already looking for the beast. The roar being so power full, it had to be something dangerous…

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Nary would they know it was already dead. Yet another kind of beast was to be set upon them soon. It moved unseen, and unheard, travelling at speeds yet to be measured.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">In range… a mere twenty meters away from them, he was now in range to accurately tell what kind of beings formed that group.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Five humans, seven incubuses, two Yuki-Onna’s, one Shirohebi, one Oomukade, one Nureonago, one Jurougumo, one Gyoubu Danuki and one Chochin-Obake, which was levitating above the group and scouting the area upfront while list informing the group of the path ahead.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">And another one, not with the group, a Kunoichi jumping from tree to tree. She spotted him, down at the base of a tree, and lunged towards him.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">She landed quietly a few feet away from him. Beside his black clothing and red scarf covering his eyes, she noticed a katana sheathed along the man’s back, and a dagger behind his waists.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Though he had showed no signs of noticing her, he certainly had. He pretended not to, and as he was looking at the moving group of manomo’s and their counterparts, he drew his dagger.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">She slowly took out a dagger of her own, coated in a paralyzing poison. She wished to take him back to their Kunoichi hideout and have lewd activities.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The dagger in her hand was thrown towards the man’s neck, the only intent being on slightly grazing it for the poison to hop on and have easy access to the brain.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">But he was gone and the dagger hit a tree instead. She turned head to search, realizing he’s behind her.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">She ducked, sensing the man would slice with the dagger. But she wasn’t fast enough, as was proven when Mercy pierced through her back.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">She now understood not to underestimate this foe, so she gave it her all.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Darkness engulfed her, as her body completely changed to the color black. She had turned into a shade, passing through the dagger and distancing herself from the man.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">More shades loosed themselves from her, and surrounded the man, five in total. She, being the sixth.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">She ordered two of the shades on the sides to attack first, katana drawn. They charged simultaneously.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Coming from both sides, intent on slashing his arms. He parried, with one hand he pushed aside the blade coming from the left, and with Mercy he redirected the blade coming from the other side.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">He then wrapped the left hand around a shade’s neck while stabbing the other one with Mercy. The one stabbed fell down and dissipated, being absorbed into Mercy.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The other one was being strangled by the man’s arm, in the place where the joint lies. When it could no longer endure the pain, the shade subsided, falling onto the ground and heading towards the real Kunoichi.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The assassin too charged her, while she ordered her other three shades to attack him. She turned tail and retreated. This man was too dangerous for her. Fighting here would be disadvantageous.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">She would have much rather drawn the man to a place nearby, where she laid a few traps…

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">But then she noticed, she had reverted out of shade form. Looking behind she saw her shades burning a bright flame, as the man sheathed his katana on his back, approaching quickly.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">She increased her speed, jumping up on trees. From branch to branch she leaped, and the man was in pursuit. Her thoughts led her to making a plan of how to ensnare the man into her traps. At the same time, she could not stop thinking about bearing that man’s offspring’s. He had proven very skill full…

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">He was getting closer, she had noticed, as she landed on a branch that luckily broke when her foot met it. She was lucky, because as she was falling, her gaze stood up to see the man catching up on her original location, and slashing the tree.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">It came apart… the top of the tree was sent flying. If that had hit her… the man was dead set on killing her with that blow. He followed her down, drawing his katana and slicing.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">She blocked with her own sword, but the Purifier still went through… and pierced her heart, lighting the body aflame.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;">

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Chapter 9: 

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The deed was done. An agile adversary, long desired beaten, had now been bested. As the body burned away, he turned to face the group of manomo’s and males watching him.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The Chochin-Obake spotted the tree being severed, and alerted all those with her. For this reason they now stood surrounding him, weapons drawn as they noticed a body burning behind him.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">A human stepped forward.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“You there! You are most likely responsible for killing the person behind you. As such, I take you into custody. If you try to resist-” He was stopped by Mercy, now, piercing through the man’s chest in what seemed like an instant.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">And he was so young… fading so quickly…

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">A woman’s cry was heard among the group, as she shouted the boy’s name. It was the Gyoubu Danuki, now running at her beloved’s side. The assassin vanished, the rest of the group looking everywhere to find him.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The Gyoubu Danuki avoided the warning that the other human’s and manomo’s were sending her way.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The Shirohebi went forward, to reach the boy and heal him while she still could. But she stopped as she felt cold steel slicing through her shoulder and heading towards her stomach, lighting her aflame in the process.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Drawing out Purifier, he kicked the snake into two Incubuses, igniting them too as they caught her corpse.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“You fiend!” A human had said, another young soldier… whose head was now loosed from his body by Mercy’s unyielding sharpness.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Three humans and five incubuses left. The two Yuki-Onna’s raised their hands, as their eyes were filled with tears at the loss of their counterparts, and released ice.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Ice bolts jolted through the whole place, hitting both their target and those around it, unintentionally killing a human while leaving another injured. Or rather, they thought they hit their target.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Slice…. Flame went through them both, coming from behind in the form of a horizontal slash. They burned.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Seeing all this, the Chochin-Obake started flying back to her home town, to inform the manomo’s and humans living there of this dangerous adversary. Chances were, this man could have killed everybody there present, and posed a threat to her town.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">She stopped. Looking at her belly and realizing that the ice arm of one of the Yuki-Onna’s protruding through would not let her continue further. She began descending.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Webbing spewed forth from the Jurougumo’s hands and mouth in an attempt to ensnare the man. Her web managing to reach him, but not ensnare him. He had caught it and pulled the spider.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Tremors. The ground splintered as the Oomukade sprang from below the earth with her centipede body, intent on hitting him. He had dodged aside, planting Purifier into her elongated belly.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">As the Jurougumo was pulled towards the assassin, and the Oomukade erupted from the ground, the spider had been caught in the centipede’s path, and was knocked up.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">After Purifier was swung, the centipede was ignited with golden flames, which extended to the Jurougumo as well. They had fallen down, screaming an agonizing death. Putting fear into everybody else’s hearts.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The human, who had previously been injured by the snow maidens, stood resting against a tree. He looked as the Gyoubu Danuki clutched the corpse of her man, as the incubuses now charged at the perpetrator, and as death the form of golden fire claimed them.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The Nureonago, the slime rushed at the last standing human, and put herself on him. Melting, she surrounded his body, exception being the head, and formed armor to protect the boy.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The assassin disappeared, and the boy’s look scattered in several places, searching. The Nureonago alerted him that his target was now above ground and approaching him fast. The boy drew his sword, holding it up as to block, and the Nureonago supported his arms too….

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">… in vain. As the Purifier cut unopposed, rendering flesh and slime apart from the main body. It being set aflame. The only manomo left, was the Gyoubu Danuki, who was occupied crying at her beloved’s loss, rather than facing this threat.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Her pain, did not last much longer, as Mercy granted her a swift end. The only one left now, was the injured boy, who looked with tears in his eyes.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">One man, by no means a hero, one mortal man mercilessly murdered all of his friends, his comrades…

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Why do you do this?” He said as the assassin approached. “What wrong have they did you? What wrong, have any of us, done in our life?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Blood painted the tree he was leaning against.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;">

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Chapter 10: 

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Seven humans traveled on a lonely road in one of Zipangu’s islands. Five Temple Knights, a bandit, and a child. They were heading towards a lone waterfall, known to host a Ryu.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The destination had been picked by Tarek, and at his request, the Temple Knights walked alongside them. All of which, were armored and prepared for battle.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">None of them, except Tarek, knew why they came to Zipangu. Following Tarek’s instructions to the letter, they slipped through undetected by any humans or manomo’s on their way there.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Going from ship to ship to avoid detection, occasionally knocking a few people out. The Temple Knights saw how a day in a thug’s life proceeds. From hideout to hideout, they were like shadows.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Not even the few manomo’s they came across had seen them. Tarek had expected the kid to fail and stumble along the way, yet he did more than fine. The thug began seeing potential in him.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The waterfall was in sight, the only thing separating the seven from it were bushes and trees. Majestically built with rock and stone, grass and moss, the waterfall was the fittest home for a Ryu.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">However, there was no river for the water to go on. Tarek suspected that the liquid was moving downwards, through a passage in the earth somewhere.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The waterfall was shaped like a pond. He looked at the kid.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Alright kid, listen.” He put a dagger in his hands. “There’s a Ryu in those waters. Kill it.” He had said as the kid started walking towards the pond.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Placing his hands on his waists, with high expectancies as to what will happen, Tarek noticed something’s amiss. He discovered that his other dagger is gone. Tarek’s gaze returned at the child, who had knifes in each hand.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Seriously now…” Tarek hid from sight, grabbing a toolkit full of daggers. If the kid failed, it was up to him to assassinate the Ryu.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">So the child approached the edge of the pond. If you looked at the water, you could see it’s quite deep. Deep enough for darkness to be found at the bottom of it.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The kid sat down, placing the daggers behind himself, away from sight and played with his feet in the water. This had sent waves though the water, alerting the Ryu of someone’s presence above.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">She surfaced in front of the kid, towering over him. She looked at his expressionless face.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Oh? What is the matter, young one? Are you lost?” She approached a little, to get to touch him. Holding his face with both her hands, she peered into his lifeless eyes.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Struck. She was struck. Not by the stillness in his eyes, but by a dagger through her waists. It hurt her, but she didn’t scream of pain.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Looking at the boys right hand holding the dagger, she hadn’t noticed when the kid’s left hand took hold of another dagger, and sunk it into her chest, where no scales were present.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">She began falling behind, in an almost tragic manner, and sank into the water pond.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Tarek jolted up at the sight of this, rushing to the kid. He faced his teacher, who placed both his hands on the child’s shoulders, smiling proudly.

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<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Chapter 11: 

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Zipangu… The place where he had killed his first enemy. The place where he became an assassin. It now had need of him once more. For a target had been chosen.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Markus Salstent. One of the Order’s knights. The same knight who stood watching as the child plunged the dagger into a Valkyries heart, now, a traitor…

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">It was here he took refuge, from him, from the assassin. He knew the Order had succeeded in creating a murderer, and for entire weeks he had tried warning the inhabitants of the demon realm, and those of Zipangu, each time being brushed aside.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Nobody would believe someone is out for their lives. Not considering that they could pacify anyone so easily. And there he was, hiding in a house. The village he was in, was celebrating.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Why are you so troubled?” A voice from behind Markus spoke, seeing him completely off his hooks.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Markus had been restless for a few days, barely sleeping at all. Looking behind at his counterpart, the Chimaera, his face had begun reflecting pale memories from long ago…

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Come, stay here.” He sat down near her, placing his head upon her chest as her hands comforted him.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">He was tired, she could tell. Like a mad man he tried to warn the inhabitants of Zipangu of the coming threat. Yet none believed him. He was close to losing his mind.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Markus opened his eyes to see the assassin before him. He jolted out of the Chimaera’s grasp staring at nothing in particular.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“What is it?” A question from a concerned person, and just as Markus looked at his wife’s face, his head was blown back…

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">… by a fist. Unknown to whom it belonged, he felt punched, causing him to take steps back. His wife, not understanding what was going on.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Markus took out a sword, swinging it in the air without hitting anything. She stood up, trying to rush at Marcus, to stop his mad man act.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Her scream of pain caught Marcus’s attention. Her tail had been stomped, her arms were bleeding and her neck was under the threat of a dagger.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Let her go!” He desperately screamed, full of fear.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The assassin granted his wish, and allowed her soul to depart this world. Seeing the corpse fall down lifeless, Markus rushed ahead, swinging.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">He was met by a fist, pushing back his head with tremendous force, making him drop the sword.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">A volley of hits came from left and right, punishing the traitor with brute strength. He fell on his back, the face, bearing a different shape. Tears came from his eyes, and fear was present within him.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">He was picked up from his collar, and stabbed in the belly. The last thing he saw was the kid from twenty years ago, staring at him in a place he couldn’t recognize.

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<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Chapter 12: 

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">The deed had been done. The original target was now taken care of. It was not that this assassin was just someone the Order commanded to kill targets of interest.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">This assassin is free of the Order’s influence, and may roam around the world unchained, with a single mission in mind.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">To rid the world of the filth which the wicked have wrought upon it. That was his one and only mission, to which the Church was indebted to assist.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Markus Salstent. A person who could have very well been considered part of the young boy’s family…

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Discovering that he had betrayed the Order, his acts were not something easily forgiven.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">To this purpose did the assassin venture to Zipangu. But this was not quite enough. No, he hungered for more…

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Stepping out of the house, holding Purifier in his right hand, flame burning brightly, and two severed heads in his left, to be given to those outside.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Panic overcame those who saw the heads. They immediately scrambled in all directions, to seek refuge form this foe.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Night was finally upon them. And as Purifier was held high, light jumped from the blade towards the sky, encasing the village in a barrier.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">No one could enter. No one could leave. It was perfect.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">This feasting ground was filled with those who had sinned, and those who caused the men to sin. Plenty Incubuses and Manomo’s.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Try as they might, they could not best this foe in battle. And soon, they all burned.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">After blood had been shed and purified with fire, the man was satisfied. Now, he had begun his way back to the Order’s capital, to what could be considered his home.

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<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Chapter 13: 

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“How goes the boy’s training?” The bishop had asked the figure behind him, who stood relaxed on some benches, in a disrespectful way.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Ah, fine, I suppose. Better ask Markus. I left him to teach the child swordsmanship.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“I see.” The bishop rose from his praying stature, to face the thug. Tarek had gotten up, with a question in mind for the bishop.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Perhaps it is out of my role to ask this, but I wish to know. Why does the church train this boy into an assassin?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Because humanity is at war.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“War? What war? I haven’t had to battle in years.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“A war with the unholy. Their leader may have pacified her soldiers, but that was only a disguise.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“What do you mean?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“They will temp you in the most heinous of ways. Succumbing to one of their tricks will lead them to taking your life force, infusing you with unholy energy.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Some might actually like the way it’s done.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Including you?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“I’m not going to say yes.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“What they do is evil. It may seem right, but it isn’t.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Why do you believe it’s so evil?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Slowly but surely, this method they are using is going to engulf the whole world and humans will have long been gone. This is a war for humanity’s survival, and we are losing. Unless we play our parts, as the Lord told us to.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“Are you spewing more of this Church crap that every priest nowadays holds more sacred than his golden robe?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">“No, Tarek. I am not blind to what the Church teaches us. I know of their intentions. What I told you does not come from their mouth, it comes from mine. Make what you will of it, for each man in this world has his own version of the truth.”

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<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Author's notes: 

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">Unsure if there will be a second part.