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Here's Blood Dawn's next installment, and therefore, as mentioned, I have finished editing what I've written so far. Of course that just means I'll be pouring over this for quite some time, but there may be a lag until Chapter 6 is posted, as I'll probably want to get written up to Chapter 10 first. I'm on 8 right now, just stared it. So we'll see how this all goes.

Anyway, share & enjoy!

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Chapter 5 - Her Burning Eyes

"BASTARDS!" the wall shook as his fist struck hard, for what must have been the fiftieth time. Blood streaked down the wall, small silver and orange flecks of fur dotting the red smear.

"Would you give it a REST!" came a shout from outside the door to the cave.

Spinning around, cutlass drawn, Halo was facing a battered and bloodied Tidus. The silvercross sheathed his weapon, growling. "You expect me to just shut up about my entire race of people being wiped off the face of Heldryn, by an enemy we don't even KNOW!?"

Tidus sat heavily on a large stone just inside the slim cave they had found, he rubbed his face in his hands, still red with dried blood, black spots in places from the lizardfolk's blood. He sighed and said, "Halo, I want you to calm down so we can think about this. Bare in mind, most of my closest friends were there, excluding yourself. Now there's just the three of us left." Tidus cast his gaze to the far corner of the small cave. Sitting, her arms wrapped protectively around her knees, was a shaking, very silent Kaia.

The trader clicked his tongue in irritation. "She's not made for this kind of fight. She's seen a lot in the past few days. First her home at the Temple, then the people who rescued her, both..."

"... wiped out." Halo finished his friend's thought.

They had only gotten away by the merest of chances. Upon seeing the approaching army coming to destroy them, Chief Talen had ordered everyone evacuate, and to gather only what they needed. But with almost unbelievable speed, the army of black scaled lizardfolk had swarmed the village. It was a slaughter, one that Halo and Tidus had managed to fight their way through. Kaia had stayed close to them the entire time, fighting like a demon... but after the fight, it seemed as though her child's mind had returned to her, and an overwhelming shock had set in.

The three of them now sheltered in a cave, in the cliff face of the Sjiin Mountains, far north of the ruins of the Lunas Camp. Kaia had not spoken since the battle high had worn off. She'd followed, keeping pace with the others, but once in this cave, she had simply sat in the darkest corner she could find, and held herself. Tidus had tried to speak with her, but she didn't, or couldn't, react.

Halo gazed out the narrow gap to the outside, the gloom of a dark day, with the clouds rolling in heavily from the south, seeming to seep into the fox's bones. He sighed, resting his elbows on his knees as he sat on a large stone, his head hanging low. "It wasn't suppose to be this way Tidus..."

"I know, Foxboy. But... it's how it is... and we've got to... we've--"

"...we've got to fight to get back what was taken..." said Kaia quietly from her corner.

The others looked up. She was looking at them, though her gaze was low. Her eyes were filled with tears, streaming down across the young tortured face. But there was more there. Something had sparked, triggered, inside of the girl. She had seen so much death, so much pain and suffering, and had hardly been of any help at all.

But sitting in her silence, as the others had talked, she found herself realizing a horrible, inevitable truth. She was Ilhamman. She was the only one left from the Temple of Dawn. She, at 16 years old, was the leader of the entire DawnWalker Faith. Simply because, she was the only one of the chosen Temple Dwellers to still walk this earth.

She then knew, that as Ilhamman, she had but one duty. In the face of this evil, she knew that the Prophet of Dawn could never stand. She knew that she had to follow her Faith. As the Prophet of Dawn, her sole duty, in the face of the evil before her, was to seek out the Tiamat's Champion. The sole warrior, blessed by Dawnlight, to fight in Tiamat's name, and banish any shadow from the lands.

It was in this realization, one of duty & destiny, that she found the strength to pull out of herself. She cried as she did, the pain of her loss returning in full, but through knowing her duty, and believing in her destiny, she was gifted the strength to stand before the perplexed trader and silvercross.

She said simply, "I... I have a d-duty..." the young human girl straightened her stance, wiping her face of tears with her dirtied robe sleeve, spreading some of the dirt to her face in the process. "I... have a duty... and WILL become Ilhamman. I w-will... I will find the Champion, b-by Tiamat's blessing..." she stood before them, half in the shadow of the cave, standing tall, proud, and broken... but mending. Before their very eyes it seemed, she was mending her twice broken soul.

Halo stood, walking over to her, taking a small cloth from under his tunic and wiping the mud from Kaia's face. He smiled, and inside, was surprised how little effort it had taken, as if her strength was somehow his. He softly nudged her shoulder with his muzzle, murring as he spoke, "Kaia, you've accepted who you are. One the spilled blood of my people, I'll fight to help you find the Champion. So long as you have a journey to find The Champion Ckrophtish, I'll walk with you."

Tidus chuckled. His friend shot a look back at him, growling deep in his throat, 'What's the joke, Ashamaru?"

The trader stood up, turning his back to the other, staring beyond the crack to the outside. "You'll both get yourselves killed on a wild goose chase, you know that, right?"

Halo stood, facing his childhood friend. "Tidus, you're saying you aren't coming with us?"

Tidus Ashamaru turned around, his eyes locking dead with the silvercross, Kaia standing firm behind Halo, her resolve seemingly unbreakable at this point. Tidus spoke slowly, letting the other absorb every word. "I never said that, Foxboy. I've followed you into some crazy shit. The only reason I got out, was because I was following you in. Because I trusted you. And still do." he looked at Kaia. "I'm not among the Faithful, kiddo. And I'm not sorry for it, but not only have I got a score of my own with these black scaled bastards, but my friend's going into a shit-storm. " he put a hand on the fox's shoulder. "The least I can do is back his incompetent tail."

Halo growled again, but his face was cracking into another smile. He wrapped his arms around Tidus, the two of them laughing togther for a moment, and Kaia stood back, beeming at them. In this moment, the pain had been washed from them all. The massive loss and shock, lost in a storm of passion, rage, and deep seeded togetherness. A feeling they could all now share, having lost all at the claws of these unknown... these Shaal.

Kaia stepped forward after a moment, her burning eyes still searing the soul of any who may dare to get in the way of her path. She smiled warmly though, the determination simply blazing deep in her kind, young gaze. "Thank you... both of you... I... don't really think... I could do it alone. I'd try... but I would fail My Lady."

Tidus swatted Kaia lightly on the back of the head, she started, moving back a bit and looking at him with a sudden shock. He said simply, "Fail her? Look, I don't even Believe, and as far as I'm concerned, you'll only fail her if you don't try, you stupid girl! That's what you're doing isn't it? Trying? So life or die, you'll have done well by her for doing all you could in your so-called duty" for emphasis curling two fingers on each hand as he said the words 'so-called' then shook his head and walked out the crack in the cave into the thickening cloud, now touching the ground in a loose fog.

Halo smiled at Kaia, adding, "What he's trying to say is, you're doing it right already. From the moment you got up from that corner."

Kaia looked to her feet for a moment, then smiled. Her stature returning, and holding her tall as she walked for the cave's narrow exit. As she passed the silvercross, she leaned to his ear, and whispered quietly, "Thank you, Halo." before leaving the cave to join Tidus in the slowly thickening fog.

Halo smiled, standing for a moment longer, and then turned to follow, securing the strap on his cutlass as he went.

* * *

"What's the likelihood of another drink!?" called Damocles across the tavern bar.

The barkeep looked over, sizing up the dwarf. He huffed, pulling a mug down and filling it with a pint of his most horrific ale. He dropped it in front of the sailor, who in turn dropped a few coins on the barkeep's countertop.

He then spun on his stool, looking around at the squalid little place he'd put himself this time. The patrons that were still in some form of consciousness, were talking loudly among one another. Some more or less legal drugs being exchanged and/or taken at some of the more hidden tables. He chuckled darkly. He loved these bars. Not because he liked the atmosphere, but because it reminded him why he hated humans so much.

In one swig, the dwarf downed the near poison drink, letting a low burp escape and mumbling something about being excused, before turning and walking for the door. He'd been there an hour, and the bastard he was meant to meet never sho--

"Watch your step, Shorty!" shouted a rather drunk, though well armed lynx.

Damocles stopped in his tracks. His gaze turned slightly, though his head was rock steady. The lynx was just the right angle for the dwarf to lock eyes with him. The wild-cat stepped back a pace, his drink-bloated eyes narrowing, as his paw wrapped around the hilt of a battered, old long-sword. Damocles rested his hand on the hilt of Shatterfist, the giant axe strapped along his back. He didn't speak word. He simply shook his head slowly, his gaze locked perpetually onto the lynx.

The beastfolk slowly let go of his blade hilt, stepping back another pace, and growling very quietly to himself. Damocles, right hand still on the hilt of his prize battle axe, walked out of the pub.

He turned into the streets of the human city of Thead, glaring around at the sights. The city was the largest port town in Heldryn, with a population in, roughly, the thousands. Thead was a town that saw just as much honest trading and bartering as it did black market business and crime sprees. The Town Enforcers, mostly men in heavy plate steel armour, most carrying swords, shields and some with bows and arrows, kept the peace as best they could, though there was far more city than Enforcers, so it was difficult, on a good day, for them. The few women in the Thead Enforcers had quickly moved up in ranks, and were rarely seen patrolling as they were doing far more vital and less public tasks, usually involving diplomacy with Enforcers from other towns around Heldryn.

Two of the Enforcers, their dull steel armour clinking at they walked, passed the dwarf, eyeing him slightly, as if daring him to try something. Damocles smiled darkly. He hated the human race. Not because they were all complete bollocks, after all there were quite a few that he found were alright. It was because he didn't understand them. Why they did such stupid things as a people, especially to one another. He knew his people's legends told of the Dark Times when the Dwarves lived in The Under and warred constantly with each other, as the humans did now, but the humans were just as ancient a race, and seemed far more like children; as though in the hundreds of years since the end of the Great Winter, they had learned nothing.

'Who am I kidding' the dwarf thought. 'They HAVEN'T learned anything..."

He turned a corner, finding himself facing the crowds of the Main Street. The booths that lined the building on every side, sold everything you could find from almost every corner of the Four Empires. Ships from Baithen, Keeshda, and Lazura, all sailed to the Heldryn port of Thead, as well as Thead taking in trade from the western ends of Heldryn, which made Thead the place to find anything, for anyone, regardless of legality.

Damocles scanned the crowd. He knew what the son of a bitch looked like, so all he had to do was wait for him. His eyes darted from face to face, not locking onto the one he was searching for. He looked up. His eyes scanned the sky, his hand coming up to shield his eyes from the sun, completely oblivious to the goggles around his neck. He peered into the blue & white, then huffed in annoyance. 'Not there either, for fuck's sake!'

He stepped forward, looked around again, and was suddenly bumped by a local. The bump would normally have sparked a feud with the dwarf, but as it had spun him on the spot, his eyes locked on a poster upon the wall of a nearby building. He walked over to it, his eyes widening as he read, until finally he swore loudly, as his head snapped around, and his body followed, bolting north to the Enforcer's Towers just near Thead's Northern Gate.

A curious human, looked after the dwarf, then looked at the sign, reading it carefully.

It said:

By Order of Thread Enforcer Division::

The following is a Warrant for the arrest of one

Rey Elric Nighthawk, of the Mesa Clan,

Falcon Race, 6'2'' 100lbs heavily armed

Considered VERY dangerous.

Wanted DEAD or ALIVE

REWARD DEAD: 500 nuggets

REWARD ALIVE: 5000 nuggets

As the human examined further, over all of this, in fading red paint, was the word "CAPTURED".

He looked again at the direction of dwarf had run, then after a moment, shrugged his shoulders and started searching the local shops for a very particular cheese. He's planned some rather flavourful meals for that night, and would need it.

* * *

Dashing through the underbrush, the three survivors of the Lunas attack kept their collective eyes to the surrounding area. In the light of the early morning sun, Halo, Kaia, & Tidus looked more like shades, flitting into and out of sight before one could even notice them.

They'd spent the better part of the night moving northeast, trying to make for the city of Breakwater. It was a large town, though not as large as Tayo in the Southwest, but it was also the oldest town in Heldryn, and thus, Breakwater was the capital of the Heldryn Empire.

Even after moving at this pace, they were still less than halfway to where the trio needed to be. Being the oldest city in Heldryn, Breakwater was also the home to the only Dawnlight Temple in Heldryn outside the Ekos Valley. The sole reason for it being built, was to house a book. The most ancient text the DawnWalkers had, called the Tome of The Writ.

It wasn't the DawnWalker holy book, for there was no such thing. The Varg, the Holy Stories of the DawnWalkers, were written only once, by the very hand of The Divine, itself. Destroyed by those same hands many centuries later when the knowledge within had driven It's high priest and priestess of the time mad with power.

No, the Tome of the Writ was something altogether... different. Those who were permitted to read the Tome, were very few indeed, and fewer still chose to follow through once learning the price. 'Any whom gaze within the pages of the Tome of the Writ, shall gaze no more on the beauty of the Verse', or so the legend goes. Regardless, there was power enough in that Tome, that it needed to be kept safe, and away from the DawnWalker's home. There, it would have only served to make the Temple of Dawn an even bigger target. At least this way, the Tome would be in The Breakwater Temple, safe and kept away from any eyes fool enough to read it.

Kaia was running hard, keeping up with the others, but by now having some difficulty doing so. "So what good is a book that burns your eyes out if you read it?" she wheezed, as Halo had finished explaining why they were headed to the Ancient Capital.

"Simple," replied Tidus. 'Because either they'll still have the knowledge in their minds, without eyes, and make others do the work, or they'll have the magik to protect themselves from whatever it is this book is suppose to do!" he didn't drop a beat running, nor did he seem tired at all from the long trip at such a speed. Riding would have been easier, to be sure, but pack horses were few and far between, and usually kept pseudo-wild by the beastfolk horses that 'owned' them.

Halo continued for the trader, nonetheless. "The point is, Kaia, that if those guys want to crush the DawnWalkers, they'll need to do it three ways. Crushing the Temple of Dawn, the DawnWalker's home. Destroying the Tome of the Writ, the DawnWalker's only physical tie to the Upper Kingdom, and finally," he shot a look into the human girl's eyes as they ran. "they'd have to kill The Ilhamman."

"Alternatively," added Tidus, ducking under a sudden branch from a somewhat less spindly tree. "They may simply want all the power and magik that the DawnWalkers have. The DawnWalkers may simply be in the way of something bigger, that these black-blooded fuckers have in the works. Either way, the means to reach will be the same. If they're busy trying to target the Tome of the Writ, then they are not yet worried about hunting down and killing The Ilhamman."

Kaia swallowed hard, thinking of this, and of the many stories of the Tome of the Writ taught in her lessons at the Temple, but never had she been told, nor any of the other students, EXACTLY what the Tome of the Writ was for, nor how to get to the knowledge within. Fixing her eyes on the lack-of-road ahead, she began to absorb the sights. The Rouge Plain they now left behind was being quickly replaced by a massive forest. Old wood trees, some dating back a thousand years, standing tall among huge ferns and shrubs. This was a forest of the old. Nothing new grew here, yet there was nothing but life. Too wrapped in worry to notice, the three passed through a mountain of sound from the birds, echoing down from the canopy of the wood.

Singing to warn, to attract, or simply to say hello, as other beasts and bugs burrowed around on the ground level, scurrying in panic from the trio of intruders thundering though their home.

As they darted through the dank dark, both Tidus and Halo found themselves thinking of quite similar things, thinking of the home lost, thinking of the people they'd loved and lost. Even though the trader was not born of the Tribe, he felt as though they were family to him, as his own family had been lost to him since he was young.

Halo's mind burned with anger. He didn't know if any of his people had scattered to the wind, made it to safer havens. But he had. He had escaped the claws of death, and as long as he kept doing so, he would fight to avenge every drop of blood those bastard lizardfolk had spilled.

Yet even through the anger of his mind, the burning passion in his soul, and the hatred he felt against those attackers, every now and then, in their long run north, he would catch Kaia's eyes. He did so again, peering at her intense Fear, which could be seen in but a moment. But the fire inside was far from dying. That burning that she had shown within the safety of the cavern wasn't being overpowered by her fear, rather it seemed she was using her fear to fuel that desire... that passion.

Halo's eyes softened somewhat, thinking of this. Not only had she lost her family at the Temple of Dawn, but she had lost her saviours in the camp, that had taken her in and healed her wounds. Over these past days, she had seen and lost far more than the silvercross, and he knew it. She, of all of them, would not back down. Not while she still drew the breath to stand.

They ran hard for the better part of the day, stopping finally among some small cliffs, a vertical rise of little more than eight metres They sat themselves around a clearing along the cliff's base, panting and heaving from the length and speed of the journey. They were still somewhat behind the lizardfolk, but they'd gained a lot of ground on them, as far as Tidus's tracking skills could tell.

The trio had gone a more direct route, through the thick forests southwest of Breakwater, and southeast of the Tundra Land, (an icy desert that stretched like a long finger into northern Heldryn, before spanning out north beyond the Empire's territory or concern), whereas the Shaal lizardfolk had taken across the Tundra Lands to reach Breakwater. Taking the forest route meant that the trio could catch up to and pass the massive force of lizardfolk, who, due to said numbers, had to go around the dense woods.

"So how long?" Halo panted as they sat, resting his elbows on his knees, his head hanging slightly.

Tidus took a moment to reply, still winded himself. "If we spend an hour here, we'll be in line with them by nightfall, and in Breakwater by High Moon."

"And then?"

"They should make Breakwater by Dawn tomorrow..." he trailed off.

Halo growled under his breath, as the human girl stood, composing herself. "That settles it then. Looks like we rest here an hour, and then make for Breakwater, and don't stop until we reach it."

The trader looked up. "It's not even High Sun yet, Kaia. We'll be running almost twelve hours straight."

"I can do it. You saying your going to be outdone by a girl?" Kaia smiled at her own joke, her first real, happy smile they'd seen since she'd awoken in the tribal camp, to find herself safe... if only for a short time. It warmed the fox, and his trader friend, and they smiled back, for a moment the trials of the past days wiping clean from their hearts as they held each other strong.

Halo stood. "Well I s'pose she's right. No way two fighters like us gonna be outdone by a priestess in training." he chuckled. "Get some rest, both of you. I'll keep watch." and he wandered off before either of them could respond, protest or otherwise.

On his own now, the silvercross sat quietly. His mind was boiling, but his feelings calmed. He felt at peace, for the first time since this battle had begun, and it had been her that had done it to him. Perhaps she could take on the mantle of Ilhamman, though at such an age, he couldn't imagine anyone wanting to do so...

He scoffed as his thoughts continued, 'She doesn't WANT to, Foxboy... she has to. She's the only Temple DawnWalker left... it's her duty, and she's accepted it...' as his mind then drifted further onto his own duty, a duty he had lost to these lizardfolk, to be replaced by a far more bloody and futile one.

One day, he was to take the lead of his people, the Lunas Tribe, and lead them into a glorious future, holding their banner high with that of the Heldryn Empire. But now, they were gone. Seemingly all of them, but for him, wiped out. And thus, his duty lost. Now, a new duty showed to him. A choice he had to make... no... a choice that Fate had already made for him. His duty, to fight for the souls of his people, and to find who it was who attacked them. Who, why, and what did Kaia have to do with it all. Random chance, planned target, or Divine Fate, he had to find out why his people had been destroyed.

As his eyes looked out over the sun-dappled ground, hearing the rustling of the trees speaking through the wind to one another, a tear welled in his eye. He wasn't ashamed of emotion, as some of his tribes males were... had been. He let the tear fall from his eye, running off the end of a strand of his fur, before plummeting to the ground with what seemed, to the silvercross, to be an echoing explosion.

He looked up into the sky, the sun, now starting the arc to the end of it's long day, just peering out from behind the dense canopy of leafs and conifer needles. His thoughts echoed loud in his mind. 'Lady Tiamat... hear me... please...' he prayed, his mind so focused, he didn't notice the wind around him blowing more quickly, as if to pick up his unspoken words and carry them to his Goddess. 'Lady Tiamat, I plea to you... lend my your wings, that I might have the strength to avenge my people.' his eyes were now welling with more tears, each falling from his face as his mind called out to the Heavens. 'My Lady, hear me... lend me your strength!'

After a moment, his eyes closed, and he wiped his face 'clean' with a small, somewhat soiled cloth. Stuffing it back in his breast pocket, under the tattered leather cuirass he had, the silvercross growled. He had never been one for Faith, it hadn't really helped him out in the past, why should it now? He stood up, walking a little further from the camp, finding a more comfortable patch of moss to sit on, and looked out again over the forest floor.

He sighed.

~~~~~