Deep in the mountain caves the roars of battle could be heard. The clashing steel and the cries of the fallen echoed in it’s hallow walls. Airith ran faster through the cave following his nemesis. He couldn’t allow the tower to be destroyed, all the innocent villagers were still in there along with all his companions, and he had to catch up to him before it was too late! The battle had been ensuing for a week now outside the tower and their defenses were strong, they had managed to beat off the invaders day after day but it would not last forever. But now the enemy had come up with a very clever plan of action. They had somehow seduced one of the prominent refugees in the tower to go to the core base of the mountain which lay beneath the tower. The traitor was to plant some of out explosive material down there and await his contact from the other army.
Deeper into the caves light was nonexistent only darkness surrounded him as he rushed forward almost able to pick up the sounds of the water dripping down the side of the cave walls which is what guided his path to his destination. Sweat poured down his face and his body was burning from heightened exhaustion and felt as if he would collapse at any moment. But he had to push himself harder and faster to catch up. Airith felt as if he had just walked through a wall of fire as the heat wave hit him, even though the heat was intense and painful he still smiled. It meant he was almost there, to the core. When he got there he would make the ones responsible for this pay dearly, that traitorous opportunist and all who sought to destroy what he loved most.


Selena’s eyes squeezed shut as the medicine was applied to her arm; it always stung when the healers put that crap on. She opened her eyes and sighed in relief as they began to wrap the bandage around her arm.
“It’s only a scratch.” The frustrated ranger sighed as she rubbed her arm.
“But if it catches infection we will have to take it off, meaning your arm from the wound down.” The healer warned. Selena sighed once more and nodded. She knew that but she was just worried about the defenses. All her companions were now inside, the sieges had started and everyone has already taken cover in the tower. As long as the mages in the core kept the barrier around the tower safe then they would only suffer minimal damage.
She continued to look straight forward just sitting there with her legs crossed, covered nearly head to toe with blood. But barely a drop of it her own…
“There my lady.” The old healer said, “You should be fine now, but I have to tend to others.”
Selena nodded and got up walking down the dimly lit corridor of the lower levels that was built out of the mountain. She wondered where Airith was, he had come in with her but that absent minded ranger was wondering somewhere in the upper levels.
She felt a strange aura. Something was remiss, out of place, something utterly wrong. The female ranger was surprised by this feeling. After all they were at war! People dying left and right but now she felt something strange, a more imminent danger. As she walked down the corridors passing the injured or the working she still couldn’t shake off this feeling that something was terribly out of place.
As she turned to corridor she saw one of the councilmen running past, one whom Airith had spent some time with recently and who was normally in the upper levels. Selena was about to stop him but he rushed right over to her and grabbed her hand and began talking quickly and wildly.
“We have to get out! Now! Ferklan h-he has done something terrible! He will bring it all down if we don’t do something!” He shook her and babbled on.
“Hold on! What are you talking about? Where are Airith and the others?” It seems that her premonition had not been entirely in her head.
“I still need to find them but Airith is the one who told me, I have no time to explain we must get out of here through the back passage before it is too late!” The old man began to push past her but she grabbed his shoulders and pinned him to the wall, a little more harshly then intended but it was necessary.
“Where is Airith!?” she asked, panicked. The old man panted and tried to move out of her grasp.
“In the tunnels! I have no time please let me go before it is too late!”
She nodded and let go running past him down a few corridors to her room to grab her sword and bow and rushed to the tunnel gates. Whatever he was doing she knew he would need help if it were something this serious.

The hunched shadow moved slowly along the rocky pathway as the deathly hot lava below cast a red glow upon the walls and his black cloak. He smirked a little as he moved with bags and bags of explosive powder bunched up into his cloak as he neared where the mages were. He just hoped he wouldn’t have to fight them and his contact will have taken care of them by the time he got there, he hated to be in the middle of a fight.
His foot almost slipped on the rocks. He arched backwards trying not to fall in or drop any of the bags, because if he did the explosion would probably kill him. Ferklan regained his balance and sweat poured down him. Ferklan continued down the path and saw the open mouthed cave entrance where four robed men stood around a shining opal orb chanting something that he couldn’t even begin to understand. Around the large circular room there also stood about eight guards.
He looked around waiting to see his contact appear and slice them into pieces but he saw no one but the four mages and guards. Ferklan started to sweat more and panic, maybe they had set him up. He had already let the assassin in through one of the cave doors. The contact should have already been here long before him. Ferklan wiped his brow with a free had and panted slightly, he felt his heart quicken. What if they saw him? What if he was to be caught and suddenly guards would pop out of every nook in the cave and seize him and drag him off to the dungeon or worse, execute him!
He clung tighter to the bags when he heard the snap of a crossbow.
A black cloaked man fell down from the ceiling a pair of blade blades in his hands as he cut through one of the mages. The one in the far corner collapsed with an arrow in his neck. The remaining ones began to shout in terror, calling for help or how this intruder had gotten in. The guards still in temporary shock regained their senses quickly running to the aid of the remaining two.
The assassin just chuckled and spun, his blades whirling cutting through them with lightening speed. Their screams and gargles of death made Ferklan shudder slightly as he saw the lit room become slightly darkened, the power of the orb lessened but not completely gone. The cloaked man’s hood fell down as he slowly stood at full height, revealing long flowing red hair and yellow amber eyes. He looked to Ferklan with a deadly gaze.
“Do you have it?” he asked coldly
The little rat timidly nodded his head and scampered over. He would be happy when this was all over and he walked out of this siege unscathed with a big bag of gold coins. He could almost feel the shining currency in his hands right now.

The sudden light stung his eyes as he made his way into the core. Lava flowed beneath the walkway and the steam flowed up to the bridge lining the vast cave wall as Airith hurriedly ran down to the lower levels, the intensity of the heat increased as he descended further and further into the belly of the core. The hot steam hitting his face turning into moisture which mixed with his sweat, his pace quickening as he found better footing towards the lower levels.
He reached the very bottom and saw the wide mouth of the cave and a soft orange light resonating within, he sighed in relief to see that it was still glowing. But then the horror set in as he looked farther and saw the bodies of the protectors of the barrier and two men. One a smaller mousey looking man who was obviously the perpetrator who had stolen the explosive material from the storage area, and then he turned his gaze to the second. Shoulder length blood red hair, a cloak shrouded in darkness with a black fur pelt lining the shoulder of his armor. He pulled his bow off of his back, pulling two arrows out of the quiver and knocking them onto his bow. Shakily pulling back, taking a moment to aim accurately then letting go.
There was a cry of pain and the sound of steel. The mousy man had been hit in the shoulder and screamed in pain falling down and curling up holding his shoulder. The other arrow lay on the ground next to the skilled assassin, his blade out poised in a relaxed post upward sweep. He had spun around and split the arrow in half with his blade, his amber eyes gleaming in the darkness.
“Airith, I thought it might be you that I would encounter here.” He began to walk forward and Ferklan grabbed his leg, begging him to help. The assassin didn’t even look down as he kicked Ferklan’s wounded shoulder causing him to cry out in pain again. Airith just glared at him.
“Why so silent?” Serxenth smiled as he walked closer, his footsteps echoing on off the cave walls. “Aren’t you happy to see me? My old friend we have a score to settle.”
Airith knocked another arrow and pointed it at him. “I used to want to beat you, to prove that you were wrong. The only reason I will fight you is to protect my friends.”
Serxenth laughed hollowly.
“I do not believe in the luxury of having friends. The truth is that we fight for ourselves and ourselves alone. If you believing in this ridiculous ideal that you are fighting for your friends will make you fight harder so I can kill you at your best then that will satisfy me.”
Airith growled and put his bow on his back and drew out his two blades and glared at him. “I do fight for my friends, and I will prove to you that it is a just cause to fight for others and not just yourself. You are not the Serxenth I once knew and I will kill you if I must. But I will ask once more, please do not harm these people, kill me if you must but don’t kill them.”
Serxenth rushed forward and their blades locked together. Serxenth grinned at him, his amber eyes glowing as he prepared for a spell.
“After I am through with you I will carry out the mission I was given and destroy them all!” he laughed. Airith’s eyes blazed with blue fury as he pushed the blades away and spun with furious speed. Serxenth’s eyes widened as he could barely dodge it. Airith relentlessly attacked and landed a kick sending Serxenth tumbling backwards. He hissed as he spun his leg hitting Airith before he got close enough.
The assassin held out his blade as a fire ball soared out of his hand and his eyes stopped glowing. Airith spun and sliced through it casting an ice spell so that it fizzed into the already hot air.
The fight continued for several moments, neither gaining a clear edge. Their blades clashing and spinning around the other with a complex system of parries and feints and counters. Both seemed to be equally matched until Serxenth’s eyes suddenly flared and a shock zapped Airith’s arm numbing it completely and as he dropped his blade. In that split second Serxenth sent his blade out in a jab to go through his opponent’s stomach until and arrow went through his forearm.
Serxenth howled in agony as he dropped his blade at Airith’s feet and grabbed his wounded arm. Airith spun around to see Selena standing there, bow in hand. She rushed down there and threw her arms around him and kissed his lips. Airith kissed her in return briefly before turning to stare at Serxenth. His eyes widened in horror as the snap of a crossbow was heard. He turned back to see Selena staring at him wide eyed. The bolt going through her stomach, she coughed and breathed out shakily before loosing balance.
Airith quickly grabbed her and held her, tears flowing rapidly down his cheeks.
“No! No please hang on, please! Its going to be fine, I will help you… please hang on!” She touched his cheek looking at him still breathing shakily and heavily. He moved her upright next to the glowing orb. He spun around and kicked Serxenth in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him then sending his fist into his nose cracking the bone and sending Serxenth tumbling.
Airith ran back to Selena and grabbed the shaft of the arrow and looking at her with pained eyes. “It will only hurt for a moment.” She weakly nodded and he pulled it out, quickly ripping off one of his sleeves and wrapping it around her stomach. He managed to stop the bleeding but he could see the light in her eyes leaving quickly. He had to hurry if he was to get her to safety.
Behind him there was an explosion. The powder had been lit. Neither Serxenth nor Ferklan was anywhere to be seen. The roof began to shake as rocks tumbled down, another explosion from the second was sure to follow. Airith began to quickly move to pick her up but she grabbed his hand.
“Leave me…” She whispered, tears in her eyes. “You won’t make it… o-out in time if you have to carry me… please… safe yourself and go…”
Tears rimmed his eyes as he shook his head.
“No! I won’t leave you! Your coming with me, we can get out.” He began to grab her but she grabbed his face, looking at him intensely.
“Do me this final wish… and save yourself… if you love me you will.”
“Don’t even say that! I will save you even if it costs me my life!” he tried to move but she grabbed onto the glowing opal globe and refused to let go. He began to sob softly. “Why are you doing this!” he sobbed louder trying to pull her.
She looked at him with the warmest loving eyes he had ever seen.
“To save you…” She put her hand on his cheek and he grabbed it softly. As she pulled away the ring he had given her came off her finger and into his hand. The rocks above them started to come loose and fall.
Selena quickly pushed him out of the way as the rocks fell onto where they both were, covering her. Airith screamed and ran towards it, trying to rip the rocks off of her, his hand bleeding as he tried to pull them off. More began to fall around him. He jumped back as more piled on. He looked there in horror and clutched tightly to the ring, his eyes watering and his lip quivering as he ran to the nearest exit out of the back of the cave.
Back in the cave the globe still glowed under the rocks, as did the opal that was still on Selena’s neck.

Miles off from the collapsing cave Airith watched as the tower, that held all his companions and his friends crumbled to the ground. Screams could be heard as the whole fortress came crashing down. He dropped his blades and fell to his knees sobbing.
“Why…” he cried softly. “Why couldn’t it have been me…? Why couldn’t it have been me who died, who was crushed by those rocks… why didn’t he shoot me!?” Anger built up in his voice as he screamed at the setting sun.
“Why hadn’t you killed me!!” he pounded the rocks with his fist until his hand felt like it may have been broken in three places.
“I hate you!!” he screamed even louder. “I hate you Serxenth! Mark my words!! I will kill you!!” he stopped sobbing and pulling on his hair.
“I WILL KILL YOU!!!” he screamed at the top of his lungs. “You took everything from me!! Everything worth living for!! You took it from me!” He raised his head to the sky and closed his eyes shut as he roared into the sky, the mountains carrying his cry all the way through the range. He roared again and again until he could hardly breathe without his throat throbbing in pain.
He panted and held onto himself. “Why…didn’t you let me save you?” he gently rubbed his finger along the ring as he stared at it, shuddering in gasping breathes suppressing cries of agony and loss.
Soon his cries calmed hours after they had began. The night sky now in full bloom. His head buried in his hands with the ring in it. As his breathing returned to normal he slowly looked up only inches away from his hands. His blue eyes hallowed with hatred, the love and light having been choked out of them only mere hours ago. The near lifeless eyes gazed on the flames of the army that now moved into the fortress, the fires of the burning fortress and of the troop’s torches lit the night air. He squeezed the ring in his hand then slowly slipped it onto a chain and put it around his neck.
“I will kill all of them…” he whispered as he stood at full height. “All of them, will die by my hand.” He took a small and shaky step forward. “I will gain more power, enough power to slaughter them to the very last…”

One of the small camps to the back cheered with triumph. The plan had worked. They had conquered one of the strongest opposing strongholds. They were now scouting for survivors but had not yet found any after the tower had collapsed. Drinks were being served in the small camp of about fifteen men and they sat around the fire drinking merrily at their victory. A few men stood guard on the outskirts of the camp looking to see if anyone passed through. One of the guards began to feel sleepy and began to doze off… in an instant an arrow pierced his neck.
The noise overruled the night as a figure crept in the shadows of the camp. Another guard walked by, half drunk. His spear wobbly in his hand, a figure came up behind him a hand covered his mouth, and a scimitar went through his chest.
The one of the men around the campfire saw something move quickly past his tent.
“Hey!” He shouted in a drunken slur. “I think someone’s-…” That was all he could get out before the whirling blades took off his head. It took a moment for the other to grasp the situation as the man next to him was butchered in a similar fashion. They all jumped up and took hold of their weapons. The shadow leapt from one to the other, spinning deadly blades and cutting anything in its path. The men rushed at it to attack but the blades easily knocked their weapons aside and cut through their soft flesh. The shadow disappeared.
One man remained. Whimpering as he held onto his sword tightly, looking around back and forth nervously, and waiting for the killer to return. Behind him in the darkness a hooded figure appeared, its blue eyes glowing as a spell formed in his hand.
The soldier spun around as a wind attack blew him into the side of the mountain, a loud wet snap could be heard as his shoulder and arm broke. He cried out in pain as the shadow lifted its hood to reveal Airith standing over him, his face blank, dry tears seen on his charcoaled covered face. The man held up his one arm in mercy. Airith’s expression did not change, his eyes did not flicker. His intense gaze did not falter on the man. He approached and drew out his blades.
The man looked up, his lips quivering in fear.
“Please sir… I have a son… please spare my life so that I may see him again please!” he groveled.
For a small glimmer of a second, Airith’s eyes softened. His expression turned to cold malice to pity, his old self rushing back to him, always showing mercy to his opponents. But the look only lasted a moment. His face soon changed to show the fury in his eyes as he grabbed the man by the throat and lifted him. The soldier gagging clinging with his one arm.
“Your celebrated cheers are to the deaths of those who were my family.” He whispered coldly. He brought the squirming and gasping fearful man closer. Airith gently lifted the ring on the necklace an inch from the soldiers face. “And my fiancé.” His voice was a low growl, his eyes narrowed in bitter hated. He dropped the man to the ground. And began to turn away. The soldier would have sighed in relief, had not Airith spun back in mid turn to send both his blades through opposite sides of his throat like an X with his arms crossed. He uncrossed his arms quickly letting the head of the soldier flop to the ground.
“From this day forward, no one escapes, no one shall receive quarter. No one… receives mercy…”