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As the cool morning breeze drifted through the town of Encarra, Vael and his companions prepared for their journey, each checking their packs for various odds and ends. Alexander studied the edge of his newly sharpened sword with a delicate touch of his thumb, Dante tapping his foot impatiently and Mina checking the ropes which now bound Luca and Talon's paws behind their backs.

"Is this truly necessary?" Asked Luca, giving a little sigh. "Maybe not necessary," Mina mused, a thin smile across her lips, "But it's amusing and you _did_try to kill my friends." "We weren't trying to kill them!" Luca exclaimed, his thought completed by a playful, "We were simply playing with them." from Talon.

Vael gave the two Kerosai a brief glance, then turned his eye to Mina and gave a simple, "Make sure the ropes are tight." At that moment, Derius stepped out from the tavern, a bottle in each paw and a frown which he obviously tried in vain to hide. "D'ya really have to go?" Derius asked as he handed the bottles off to Dante, his attention never leaving his son. Vael gave a soft smile, hiding his sorrow far better than his father as he nodded, "The Legion is going to be looking for us," He explained, "if we stayed here it would only put the town in danger." With a resigned sigh and a heavy nod, Derius wrapped his arms tightly around his son, hugging him briefly before stepping to the side. "Travel safe," Came Katarina's voice as she stepped from the tavern, offering the companions a genuinely warm smile. "And remember, Casius will be docked at Annaren Keep in four days. He'll have a vessel waiting for you." Vael gave Katarina a warm smile, grabbing her to give her a gentle hug as he gave a simple, "Thank you." Katarina just smiled, returning the gesture, giving Vael a gentle squeeze around his shoulders. "It's the least I could do. I owe your family a great deal."

With their goodbyes said and their provisions in place, the group set off to the west, Luca and Talon in tow. Katarina and Derius stood watching them depart, the mountain of a fox watching his son in silence for a moment before giving a faint sigh. "You know," Katarina said with a sidelong glance to Derius, "You could always go with them." Derius offered the smallest of chuckles, "If ah did, ya'd lose everything and ya know it." "Well, like I said. I owe your family a great deal." Katarina mused, then turned towards the tavern, giving Derius one last glance as a smile flickered across her lips, "Come on, I'll buy you a drink." Derius couldn't help but laugh as he shook his head, quirking his brow at Katarina. "Smartass."

*****

Heavy footsteps echoed throughout the massive chamber, each step reverberating like the beat of a heart against the silence of the abyss as the robed figure made his way towards the massive obsidian throne, his shadow dancing behind him, cast by the dull light of the braziers far to the sides of the throne; the chambers only source of light. The figures progress was noted only by the eyes of his master, those crimson orbs studying his every move. The figure paused only for a moment when he arrived a good ten feet from the throne, hesitated only a moment before dropping to one knee, his right arm coming to cross over his chest as he bowed his head respectfully.

Sigfried's lips tugged ever so slightly into a crooked smile as he regarded the figure, still intently watching his every move, amused by the show of respect. "Tell me," Sigfried began, his words clear as crystal to the robed figure despite the soft tone of his voice. "Are you ready to prove your loyalty?" The figure didn't move, not even the slightest twitch beyond the moment of his jaw. "Yes, my lord."

Sigfried's crooked smile continued into a toothy grin, revealing the new fangs which had begun to grow. "Good," He purred wickedly, one paw lifting from the arm of his throne. "Then travel to Annaren Keep with a unit of fifty of our soldiers, you will find your targets there." The robed figure listened, not a muscle moved as he took in his orders, he knew not to speak until the silence fell again, even going so far as to make sure the last lingering echo of his masters voice died into the walls before issuing a simple, "Yes, my lord." "And Initiate?" Sigfried mused, watching the robed figure intently. "Yes, my lord?" "Make sure that they suffer. I want the people of Ha'Lar to hear their prince beg for mercy before he dies."

At this, the figure's hood shifted ever so slightly, the dim light of the throne room catching the toothy grin within the shadows it cast as the robed figure issued one final, "Yes, my lord." before standing slowly and turning to head once more from the vast chamber, his every footstep echoing around him like the beating of a heart against the silence of the abyss.

*****

As the sun began to set, Vael and the others found themselves sitting at the western edge of the Forest of Souls, their passage through the forest having been fairly uneventful beyond the occasional bout of whining from their captive Kerosai. With a small bundle of wood he'd collected on their passage thus far, Vael began to prepare a small pit for a fire and within a few minutes had a fire set, the smell of the smoke filling the air. "We've got at least another day's travel," Alex said, looking out over the sprawling plains. "well at least we wont have to spend a night in the forest." Mina mused through a stretch, giving a wrinkle of her nose as he added, "Place gives me the creeps."

With a sigh, Dante tied the ropes they'd been using to lead their captives to a tree, then walked over and sat himself by the fire. "Hey!" Talon snapped at him, his ears pinning back. "Why cant we sit by the fire?" "Because, you tried to kill my friends." Dante said, his voice listless and cold. "You're lucky I haven't torn you limb from limb.. yet." Talon's ears slowly flattened to the side as he gave a little sigh. "What if we get cold during the night?" "You have each other," Alex said, giving the Kerosai a sharp glance. "If that's not enough well then, you're screwed."

Night quickly fell around the friends and their captives, the light and warmth of the fire the only solace offered to anyone near. The air was still and quiet, too quiet for any of the group to stand, so eventually Dante piped up, giving a simple: "So, what's the plan once we've boarded the ship?" Vael gave him a glance and shrugged. "We're heading to the Tower of Vaal'Den," he said simply. "And when we get there?" Mina asked curiously. "No one has ever made it past the Ring of Stones." "I'll know how when we arrive." Vael assured, giving a little smile. "Varren told me everything I'll need to see the way." Mina wrinkled her nose, then gave a sigh and a simple, "I still don't trust it. Even if what you saw /was/ Varren, how do you know it's trying to help us?" "I just know," Vael said as he fell to lay back against the grass, staring up at the sky as he added, "It's hard to explain."

Dante listened to the others for a moment, then gave a little chuckle. "Varren might be timid, but it's not devious. It would have no reason to have lied to Vael." Alex gave Dante an odd glance as he sat sharpening his blades. "How would you know?" he asked curiously, studying the squirrels reaction. Dante merely laughed and looked to Alex,. giving a little wink. "Because I know them quite well. Especially given that it's brother has been stuck in my head for years." At this, Alex, Mina and even the twin Kerosai turned an odd glance on Dante, though Vael seemed not to care. "Wait, brother? Which one?" Mina demanded after a moment. "Only one of them is sane enough." Alex mused, then studied the squirrel a moment more before adding in, "You're telling me that you're Sharduul?" "No," Dante said with a chuckle, then reached into the fire to stoke the flames with his bare paw as he continued, "But he does live inside me for the moment." Alex and Mina stared as they noticed Dantes paw, not a single tuft of fur singed. "This is insanity!" Alex blurted out suddenly, "You expect us to believe you're really the vessel for an Elemental?" He would have said more, but Mina cut him off with a simple, "It's true." "How would you know?" Alex demanded, eyeing her warily now. "I watched him change, during the siege. He became the Infernal One." Mina said with a shrug. "I thought he was joking at first, I thought it had been an illusion of some kind, but it does make sense." Dante could only laugh at the mention of 'The Infernal One', shaking his head as he mused, "I've always hated that title." Vael, having been less than alert, gave a simple nod and a glance to Alex, offering a smile. "It's true. I've been able to sense it ever since I returned from the Stones of Varren."

While the others continued to talk, Talon and Luca snuggled together, perhaps for warmth, or perhaps to converse. "Can you believe that Verris is a god?" Luca whispered to his brother. "It is suspicious, but it would fit. Don't you remember the prophecy?" "When the world cries out," Luca began with the slightest nod, cut off by his brother. "and the light begins to fade." The two grinned at each other, then finished the line in unison, their voices no more than a whisper. "The Children shall rise to wage war once more."

*****

The next morning, the group made an early start and reached Annaren Keep, a proud city along the southern coast of Ha'Lar and home to the Guild of Mages. The sun had barely risen by the time they'd reached the city and yet, waiting for them at the gates was a small legion of Imperial soldiers, a figure standing at the front, a general whose face was obscured by a hood. He stood tall and lithe, his black armour finely fitted to his body and a pair of massive axes in hand, both of the weapons held with an almost impossible ease. "Alexander Ashwood!" The hooded figure called out, raising a axe to point at the fallen prince as the group approached. "Will you stand and face me like a man? Or will you die like a wretched dog?" They were the words Alex had heard many times before, said both to him and to his father in the years past. It was a challenge, a request for an honourable duel, but would an Imperial General truly honour such a contract?

"It's a trap." Mina said simply, her voice low enough that only her comrades could hear her. "I know," Alexander said with a frown, "but I can't ignore a duel. This fight is mine, please don't assist unless their soldier interrupt." With this said, Alexander stepped forward, his hands resting on the blades at his hips as he studied his opponent. "Who am I to fight? Name your champion."

Alexanders words were answered not by more words, but by an axe flying strait for his chest, the blade slung with a wicked strength, the hilt still bound to the generals paw by a tendril of crackling black energy. It was all Alex could do to draw his blades in a cross to block the vicious strike and even as the metal struck metal, there was enough force to send him skidding back on his toes several feet. As the axe withdrew, back to it's owners grip, Alex darted forward, his blades whirling around in his grip to be held properly as he lead in with a series of slashes, trying to send his opponent on the defensive.

Every slash, every feign was either parried, sidestepped or predicted with ease by the hooded figure, the shadows of his hood incapable of concealing the toothy grin he held through each strike, watching the prince at work. "Is this all you've learned? Come now, stop trying so hard and just hit me!" The words were accompanied by a wild swing, one of his axes arcing towards the prince in a sidelong swing, an easy strike to parry; an easy ploy. When Alexander moved to parry the strike it was cut wide, the hooded figure using the momentum of the blades swing to deliver a devastating reverse kick to the foxes chest, sending him skidding backwards once again.

Again Alexander recovered himself quickly, slamming forward with two thrusts low, a feign he'd been taught by his father and as the hooded figure moved to block them, he stepped up, used the blunt of the axe as a stepping stone to launch himself up and over his opponent to immediately send a pair of vicious piercing strikes right towards his back. Alexander found himself breathless when he felt the tips of his swords slam into an axe, his eyes wide as he viewed the hooded figure practically folded in half backwards, perfectly positioned to block the unblockable strike. "Who.. are you?" Alex managed to stammer, the only thing he could say. The answer was not one he expected, as the hooded figure straitened up again, his hood falling back away from his head.

Vael and the others gasped, staring on in sheer awe as they seemed to recognize the figure and when he turned to face Alex, he understood why. It wasn't a general standing before him, not a face of the imperial soldier, but that of a long lost friend. Lyran faced him now, his left eye replaced with an orb of black crystal which swirled with energy. He watched Alex nearly drop his blades and gave an almost wicked grin as he lunged forward, his axes coming to stop at an instant on the princes neck, drawing whisper thin lines of blood against the vulpine fur. Unlike before, Alex made no effort to block, simply staring into the one amber eye that remained of a friend.

The moment became an eternity as Vael and the others watched, as Alex contemplated his death at the hands of a man he'd known since his childhood. It wasn't until he heard Lyran speak again that he could bring himself to move. It was just one word, but it meant more to the prince now than ever before. "Duck.." Lyran said with a grin, his axes swinging back again for another pair of strikes. Alex dropped to a knee right as the blades passed over his head, both leaving the weapons masters paws, connected still by those thin tendrils of energy as they ripped through the ranks of men in their path, separating dozens of men each from their bottom halves in a shower of blood and torn flesh. Then they boomeranged back, arcing to the sides to return to their wielders hands, tearing through scores more of now panicked soldiers.. A few tried to block or parry but the blades were far too powerful in their flight. They cleaved strait through the metal of countless weapons in their path before they finally came to rest back in Lyrans paws, their edges now soaked and dripping with copious amounts of blood and chunks of flesh.

A soldier charged, whether fleeing in panic or trying for one final stand and Alex reacted, jerking his entire body to sweep a leg out behind him as he spun on the ground, yanking the charging soldier off his feet, then leaping up to use him as a stepping stone, the force of his second jump enough to send the soldier slamming into the ground with enough force to shatter bone. He leaped into the fray from his first victim of the fight, the sound of blades finding new sheaths in the throats of two more soldier heralding his landing. Within the blink of an eye he'd ripped them back, edges cleaving through flesh and bone with astonishing ease, then caught another soldiers spear with a cross-down block, stepping on the shaft to disarm the fated man as his blades came up and around, separating his top jaw and most of his head from the bottom jaw as he tried to scream in horror.

Vael and the others watches, too stunned to help, though from the looks of it their assistance wouldn't be necessary. The wolf and the fox made quick work of the now frantic soldiers, neither speaking but both grinning like madmen as they tore their victims apart. They were like brothers united again on the battlefield. It wasn't until an old rat walked up beside Vael that the group even moved a muscle. "It's almost beautiful, isn't it?" The rat asked with a raspy tone as he took a puff from a lit pipe he'd kept in hand. He wore fine cloths, not the cloths of a nobleman but rather, the garb of a captain who'd made a name for himself. "When your companions are finished, you can let them know the ship will be ready at dawn. I've taken the liberty of renting a room for you at the local inn, make sure you rest well before setting off."