Part 1: Forsaken/Part 2: Avari

[Kai! Kai!]

Part 1: -Ch 1-20
Part 2: -Ch 21-

Prologue

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Time and all sense of being were lost to the darkness so cold and complete. It surged about in waves fawning, caressing and taunting the lost soul with the sensations of the living.

Was it alive or dead?

Did it exist?

Or was this merely a momentary spell of existence that would soon cease and return it into the sweet embrace of oblivion.

Unable to define its own existence the entity let the darkness wash over it again and again waiting for the end to come, but the end was not what came. What came first was light, a blazing electric blue unlike anything it had ever known, sweet and piercing yet colder then the darkness. A momentary feeling of wrongness overcame the entity as the light washed over it, something about the light did not seem true, but the feeling passed just as the darkness’s torment.

Beneath it the entity felt something solid and came to realize it was no longer floating in darkness, but standing on something. Blind in this dark place it could not tell what it stood upon. Merely that it was solid and could support it. That at least was an improvement.

Overhead more light penetrated the darkness as symbols, archaic and radiating power formed. Melting away more darkness and bathing the being in its cold blue light. It gazed up, awed by what it felt and perceived, understanding little of what went on about it and merely accepting that it was so. Who was it to question, it who knew nothing and was nothing.

Before it a dais began to appear, large an circular, each step appearing one at a time glowing the same electrifying blue as the runes in the heavens above. Curious it climbed those steps as each appeared shivering at the sensation that passed between the step, as the very fabric of its being touched the cold light. When the steps stopped it looked about perplexed about what to do next. Looking back it saw the stairs were beginning to vanish, obviously it would not go down.

Cautiousity still running strong, it stepped out into the darkness before it finding there was again something solid beneath it. Where its foot touched blue light surged forwards creating a path that stopped within sight. Wary the entity followed the path careful not to misplace a step on the slim glowing path. Where the path stopped it could see a circular mark, two wheels of woven light within a third larger with a white eight point star at its center, a slender branch from each circle twisted towards the star coiled about it like chains.

As it gazed at the compass point star, the symbol blazed with light, blinding the entity for a second time as the cold light washed over it. When the light faded and is eyes cleared. The entity found it was no longer alone in this dark, cold place. Standing about the tri-circled star were three ethereal beings. Faces cast into shadow, each wearing a matching blue robe glowing with the same light as the runes overhead and the circles beneath them. Repressing the urge to shudder the entity realized it knew of these beings and at that same moment it was not dead but very much alive.

These beings were the Triad, protectors and judgers of men it was they who governed all that went on in the world, their word was law. To be brought before them always meant punishment, only right at this moment the entity could not recall that which it had done to warrant their anger.

It repressed the urge to ask and remained silent feeling their faceless heads turned on it.
“You human have been brought before us on the charge of blasphemy. You dared to speak out against our law and will thus be charged henceforth,” the Triad spoke in unison their deep thunderous voices reverberating about and through the entity. It was helpless before them.

The first raised its hands to the entity a light of red fire blazing forth covering it, yet did not burn, “Touch not living flesh with ye own or see it turn to dust and die.” Following the first the second raised its hands and sent forth green fire, which like the first covered the entity but did not burn, in its ghostly voice it spoke its curse, “Live eternally and see all you love pass away to dust, for no poison, blade or magic will slay you.” Finally the third raised its arms adding golden fire to the red and green as it too passed out its sentence, “Double fold will your final curse be, for you are Forsaken, d**ned, forgotten, thus let your name be lost to you and all that it is bound unto.”
“Trice d**ned you be for daring to challenge we three!” the Triad spoke in unison once more as the flames buried themselves into the entity, it shuddered and convulsed feeling the flames finally burn, searing it from the outside in and back again as all became darkness once more.

[Kai! Kai!]

Part 1: Forsaken

Chapter 1

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“These are the terms of our agreement forsaken,” the unified voices of the Triad thundered through out the abyssal hall, the being flinched at the title they had taken to calling it so as its true name was lost wit the final curse.
Looking up at the three it wondered how much time had passed since last they had called it. In truth the entity couldn’t be sure. The last time had been the moment of cursing and time did not pass in the ‘between places’ (as it had come to call this abyssal hell) like it did in the mortal world. It could have been years or seconds for all it knew. The entity may have been trice cursed but they had not sent it back, why it could not be sure, but perhaps now it would find out.

Watching them all carefully it waited, the Triad would speak when it was ready.
“You will search out the one known as the Immortal King,” They commanded. “However he is well hidden even from our all knowing sight. We look to you to aid us now, do this and we shall end your d**nation. Find him and slay the Immortal King he seeks to destroy what we have made. He threatens to send the world once more into anarchy and war. Do you understand?”
Amused that the Triad would fear such a King even if he were immortal, the forsaken couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps they did not fear him. Fear an immortal; could it be this King possessed more power then they?
“Aye,” the forsaken replied. Wondering how they expected one such as he to slay an immortal that they themselves, the all powerful triad could not.
“Then you will need some attire we think, you are not as you once were and if you are to move about the human you will undoubtedly cause panic among the masses.”
The triad lifted their arms this time however flame did not leap forth but light, the cold blue light of the runes and their robes bathing it in coldness.
“Go forth and slay the Immortal King, do this and all will be forgiven,” their voices faded as the light consumed the forsaken. It felt its senses reel and all consciousness fade into oblivion.

Opening its eyes the forsaken flinched, light seared its gaze as pain clouded thoughts. Lifting both arms it covered its eyes to shield from the light. So long from true light had made it sensitive. Laying there the forsaken contemplated its situation hands touching yet, feeling nothing. How long had it been going within that hellish darkness?
Too long me thinks, it reflected bitterly sitting up with great difficulty.

Everything was strange to it now, light burned where it should not have, memories stolen preventing it from knowing who and what it had once been. Broken and weak in spirit it knew itself to be. Too long had it been trapped within that abyss of nothing with only darkness to be its companion and the constant changes of cold, painless nothing to awareness and something like living whenever the Triad deemed it so.

Eyes still closed against the painful light the forsaken let its senses feel out its surroundings. All about it heard the whisper of a breeze unfelt among leaves and the musical and sometimes shrill call of birds. Was it -the forsaken paused searching its fragmented mind for the right word- a forest?

Slowly it stood arms stretched wide as it felt about, its right hand hitting something solid and yet again the sensation of true touch was denied, all it could merely do was know that what it touched was solid, no more.
Another thing denied to me? To deny me life would have been kinder… then again when are the Triad ever kind when defied or angered? Reflecting on that bitter fact the forsaken realized it could be worse. It could still be trapped in that never ending hell of darkness. If they think I would be grateful to them for release then they are mistaken I will do as they ask only because it will cease this d**nation of mine and return me to that which I once was. My allegiance to them is conditional and will change should they seek to betray me.

“So you’re finally awake,” an amused voice said, startling the forsaken
It turned abruptly to face the speaker almost losing its balance due to its blindness.
“Who are you?” forsaken hissed alarmed once more by the sound of its own voice.
“A friend, though you may call me Ashen,” it replied. The forsaken felt something brush its leg and jumped stumbling backwards and this time losing its balance.

Lying on its back eyes still shut to the world against the blinding light of day, it felt a light pressure against its chest.
“Oh do stop scaring yourself,” Ashen scolded it, so close the forsaken suspected it was he– at least the forsaken suspected it was a he- to be the one applying the pressure. “Why do you have your eyes closed?” Ashen asked innocently pressure dividing so that it was applied not only to its chest but face, yet still the forsaken could not feel exactly what touched it.
“The light it hurts…” it replied.
“Ah, no doubt from spending so long within their company, despicable monsters those three.”
The forsaken was greatly alarmed by Ash’s talk. To say such things was to evoke the rage of the Triad. Those warnings it seemed had been left intact within its fragmented mind.
“Just leave your eyes closed until we reach a friend of mine, he’ll help your sight just follow me,” the weight lifted from the forsaken’s chest. Sitting up it climbed shakily to its feet.
“Are we in a forest?”
“Yes, why do you- oh I see the problem, give me a moment,“ Ash went quiet for the space of a moment before something clasp its hand. Startled again, it nearly fell back down but the hand that held it stopped the forsaken falling.

“Excitable aren’t you,” Ashen laughed pulling the blind forsaken after it through the trees, “trust me and you’ll come to no harm.”
Led by this Ashen through the trees the forsaken found that indeed it cam to no harm, no roots tripped it and no branches tried to scrape at its face. They walked for some time leaves and other litter upon the ground crunching beneath their feet and as they moved the forsaken listened to the forest around them. There was a kind of peace to the soft shush sound that permeated the forest as well as the musical twitter of creatures overhead, it quite liked the forest. Then the temperature changed suddenly and the air moved about it, the forsaken realized they were out of the forest before Ashen even told it.
“Now keep your head bowed and let me lead you like in the forest, the people here are ah-well lets just say their about as excitable as you and trust me you don’t want them to take any notice of you,” Ashen instructed, obediently the forsaken did what it was told.

Then the world changed suddenly and the forsaken heard the voices of people and the harsh cries of large beasts, so noisy and alive, the forsaken could feel the life about it as easily as one could feel the quiver of the earth when it shifted beneath ones feet. Entrapped by the steady rhythm of life the forsaken felt its steps faltering, but Ashen would not have it so and continued to tug pulling it ever closer to their destination.
“Not now, listen and feel later!” Ashen hissed giving the forsaken another sharp tug to keep it moving.

Ashen stopped suddenly causing forsaken to walk into him, Ashen gave the forsaken a gentle push back and chuckled, “easy there my friend just wait and listen. Ashen will take care of things see Shuric, he’s the healer we’re going to see, can treat almost anything and your sensitivity to mother sun will cease to be.” There was a smart tap on a wooden surface. Together the forsaken and Ashen waited listening to the sound of someone moving on the other side.
Opening slowly the door creaked.
“Who is it?” a voice enquired.
“Just me and a new friend in need of your excellent skills dear Shuric,” Ashen replied cheerily.
“Ashen?” Shuric remarked then chuckled, ‘Ah so it is I didn’t recognize you for a second…. Oh come in, come in!” the forsaken felt itself pulled inside where the temperature changed again becoming cooler then the outside.
“So who’s this friend of yours?” Shuric enquired curiously. The forsaken felt more pressure applied to its face yet could not tell what touched it. Was it Shuric or was it Ashen?
“I don’t know…”Ashe replied, “do you have a name my friend?”
“I-I don’t know, my memories were,” it paused, “stolen from me by the three… I have no name, no past.”
“Then we will have to choose a name for you… though what gender are you?” Ashen enquired, “You can’t have forgotten that too, or have you?”
“I know not either… they took everything from me, I am nothing I am d**ned…. Forsaken…” it whispered no wanting to speak any louder. “I have no right to a true name not as I am… call me Forsaken of that is what I am now.”

Ashen made a noise something like a snort then sighed, “Forsaken you are then, but there’s still the matter of your gender we can’t exactly cal you it can we?”
“Before that though what kind of help were you looking for Forsaken?” Shuric cut in, the under tone of his voice wary.
“The light… sunlight bright light it burns my eyes… I can’t stand it, so long was I in that dark place… too long with its unending nothingness…”
“Dark place?”
“The place between. Where they dwell, the three, the triad. A realm of their making, of unending darkness where the only light that exists is so cold it freezes the soul and bluer then the sky. So wrong it was, never had I know such wrongness. It was as if…” Forsaken trailed off suddenly aware of a third presence It might not be able to see at present but it could feel where the presences of the two it had been talking to were and became aware of a third as it came into the room.
“It was as if life had ceased to be, nothing was as it should have been and the cold went deeper then the soul as I’m sure you know… Forsaken was it?” the third presence finished for it.
“Who is that?” Forsaken hissed flexing its fingers slowly, it did not like to be snuck up on.
“A friend of mine,” Shuric replied reaching his hands up once more to Forsaken’s face, “now about those eyes of yours, we’d better get a look at them properly hold still while I take that mask off.”

Mask? Ah so that is why I feel nothing on my face but light pressure, Forsaken mused, feeling a pressure unnoticed before was lifted from its face. Then there was a clatter of metal on wood and the sharp intake of breath.
“Gods preserve us! What evil have those monsters committed?” Shuric cried in alarm.
Forsaken opened its eyes expecting to be blinded by light but found instead the world about it consumed by darkness. The only light came from the three around it, silhouettes against an abyss. It shuddered and covered its face moaning at the sight, I did not want to see such darkness again.
“The mask hurry!” Ashen’s alarmed voice cried out through the darkness.
Hands gripped its arms and pulled hard trying to pull them away but Forsaken fought, it did not want to see.
“Noooooo, never again!” it wailed trying to fight off the hands that attempted to restrain it, yet as hard as it fought though Forsaken could not stop what they tried to force it to see. Its hands were torn away and the darkness returned coiling itself once more about Forsaken’s senses until all it knew, all it could feel was that unending darkness and the three shapes above it melted away into nothing.

*

Ashen sighed as he looked to the curled up figure in the corner, “That was not a smart thing to do Shuric.” He glanced towards the healer taking in his appearance. Like always the middle-aged man wore the clothing of his profession, though the once forest green robe had faded with the months of wear and his once rich earth toned hair had begun to grey at the temples, an unfortunate symptom of age.
“How was I supposed to know it would react that way?” the healer replied sullenly his hands still trembling from the fright he’d received.
“True, you could not have known…”

Ashen looked to the third member who’d materialized form the back room to listen as Forsaken tried to not only relate its experience but fathom it within its own mind. A sad and broken creature was how Ashen saw it, lost through no fault of its own. Examining the man before him, he had hair cropped short with a single small braid behind his right ear and wore an old pair of leathery breeches and a plain white tunic, there was nothing terrible outstanding about the man. Not for the culture Ashen suspected him to descend from. All men from the province of Vale were built solidly and had either dark or red lock. Just as Shuric’s people from the south western province of Arka had numerous shades of brown and flaxen hair and tended to be between thick and slender builds, there was no middle ground for Arkanians.
“Who are you?” Ashen enquired pulling him knees up under him.
“Me?” the man laughed. “I am nobody important just a traveler in search of truth and treasure.”
“Truth is sometimes best left buried,” Ashen replied.
“True,” he chuckled then gave a short bow to Ashen, “I am Neros of Vale if you must know little werecat,” he remarked crouching on the floor to get a better look at Forsaken. The creature seemed to fascinate him and yet Ashen couldn’t help but notice the tense set of his jaw. Was he afraid of?
“I think it might be a he but, if what we saw behind that mask was anything to go by ’it’ would be closer definition sadly,” Neros sighed and sat on the floor, his eyes never leaving the figure of Forsaken.

Ashen smiled faintly and glanced at his hands, he’d spent long enough in this form. As nice as it was to have hands, people tended to find a cat-man a little hard to take in. Closing his eyes he relaxed and felt his body shift and change reverting to a more comfortable form. When the change was over he opened them again and yawned. The world looked much bigger now that he was his true self but that never mattered much. In this form his senses were much more alive. Humans seemed blind, deaf and lacking in natural instinct. It was a marvel they had lived this long at all.

Trotting across the floor Ashen slipped himself under the sleeping forsaken’s arm ignoring the curious looks from both Shuric and the strange Neros as he prepared to sleep. Despite the strangeness of Forsaken Ashen liked the creature it was unburdened by the restraints humans had on themselves and with a little guidance could become a very wise being. Closing his eyes Ashen yawned one last time and then folded his long bushy tail across his nose submerging himself into sleep while listening to the two men move into the next room.
“What should we do about it Neros?” Shuric’s muffled voice drifted though the walls.
“For now nothing, let’s see where its allegiance rests, I don’t like the idea honestly but I don’t want to have the life of an innocent on my hands…”

[Kai! Kai!]

Chapter 2

Opening its eyes for the second time since coming into this world of light Forsaken found that its eyes did not ache as they once had. Looking about with mild curiosity it found the room was dim with most light blocked out by heavy curtains thrown across the windows. That explained why it could tolerate opening its eyes. It sat up to get a better look and accidentally dislodged a warm mass from its side.
“Hey! I was sleeping you know,” the furry mass complained. Were it fully awake Forsaken was sure it would have been alarmed by the talking fur ball, but it too was an oddity, what was one more in the world?
“I apologize I did not know you were there…”it paused that voice was familiar to it, the voice reminded it of someone. “Do I know you?”
“Of course you do, it’s me Ashen,” the fur ball replied getting to its feet so Forsaken could see the creature fully, its bright orange-red eyes almost glowing in the dim light. Ashen it seemed was a cat, a large cat too by appearance he looked to stand perhaps mid shin, though Forsaken suspected it was because of the creatures wild, thick fur.

More then a little confused Forsaken regarded the cat, Ashen had led it to this place and yet, Forsaken remembered that it had been a hand that gripped its. Glancing down at its lap it found that its hands were covered by heavy leather gauntlets. That was another reason why it felt nothing, like the mask the gloves covered whatever lay beneath.
“How can this be?” it asked looking once more to the cat. “You could not have led me here as you are yet I was sure I felt a hand clasp mine…”
Ashen chuckled as he met Forsaken’s gaze. “Ah yes well it’s an ability of we werecat’s to change between a human and a cat, so you see I had to change to lead you to Shuric.”
It nodded seeing the truth in such a fact, but a werecat. Forsaken could not be sure if it would have known of one in its lost past but somehow it felt like it knew this cat. Maybe it once had, but as things were now neither of them could recognize the other.
Better to forget this feeling for now I have other things to ponder and a King to hunt, it reflected pushing the sensation of familiarly out of its mind.

Climbing to its feet Forsaken looked about the room once more, getting a short shock as it faced a looking glass. Seeing its own reflection for the first time was unsettling to say the least. Not one part of its flesh could be seen beneath the clothing it wore. The black shirt and breeches covered its upper body and legs leaving the gauntlets and heavy boos to cover its hands and feet.
The mask Shuric had said it wore was simple with merely two eye holes and several slits where its mouth should have been. Turning its head forsaken found that it wore some kind of hood fitted to the shape of its head and held in place by the mask. What perplexed it most about the mask was the way it sat in place, not a single strap could be seen or felt. Yet the mask stayed in place.

Turning back it looked at Ashen. The werecat was scrutinizing it much as it had been scrutinizing itself in the mirror. The cat seemed amused by what was going on yet said nothing, its piercing eyes watching closely.
“So you’re awake,” Forsaken looked away from Ashen and turned slowly, that voice did not belong to Shuric it was the other man, the one who liked to sneak.
“So it seems,” it replied, voice barely more then a hiss, “Who are you then, O he who sneaks.”
Neros laughed and grinned wolfishly, not quite predatorily but enough to make it wary.
“Neros, O Mysterious Forsaken.” He tilted his head to the side looking Forsaken over carefully. Assessing it, Forsaken conceded. Then an idea struck, if it was going to be examined so carefully then so should it examine this Neros, the man made it feel uneasy.

He was a tall man, well toned from what it could tell. Perhaps no older then his mid-twenties and dressed in simple leather breeches and a clean off-white tunic. He looked simple enough but as it had realized with Ashen, looks could be deceiving and this man might very well be dangerous. Better to wait and se what he would do rather then react to a situation that had not yet arisen.
“If you two are done sizing each other up we can talk,” Shuric walked into the room and sat down in one of two chairs. Forsaken returned to the floor and relaxed a little when Ashen came over and curled up on its lap, Neros took the other chair.
“Now then,” Shuric began looking directly at Forsaken, was it imagining things or did the healer seem fearful. “What are you?”
“What… am I?” it repeated slowly looking at its hands as it recalled those few fragments of memory from that hellish abyss. What was it the Triad had called it, Human? “They once called me human but… judging by what you ask that is not so simple and thus I must answer I know not anymore.”

Shuric nodded and gave no indication as to whether or not he believed what it had said. It waited for the next question, its gaze shifting from the healer to Neros as he spoke. “What purpose do they have for you creature? They obviously released you for some vile purpose.”
Forsaken narrowed its eyes at the man it did not like his tone, not one bit.
The Triad had sent it to hunt down and kill this Immortal King, but the more it thought about the idea the more it found the idea ludicrous. As before when it had reflected when they told it of its mission, it sneered. This Triad was meant to be so powerful and yet could not dispose of one man, how then could they hope to uphold their bargain let alone whether or not they intended on keeping it. The Triad were treacherous, the endless time within that hell had taught it so.
“They sent me to hunt and kill, to see out this Immortal King and destroy him, but I laugh at them now. What good could one such as I, be against a being that they so obviously fear and cannot themselves destroy. It makes me believe they are not as powerful as they claim and… if it is my allegiance you seek to know. Then understand it is temporary, they promised to remove my damnation. I am however, wary of their promise. I do not trust such monsters. Why should I?” Neros seemed unsettled by its answer and looked away his expression guarded but thoughtful.
“So if they have lied to you as you suspect then…” Ashen murmured tailing off so Forsaken could finish.
“They will suffer either way Ashen, I dislike the Triad and they will pay for what they have done to me. I have no love for such monsters and I would be curious as to what this Immortal king could offer me in place of what the Triad will probably never deliver upon.”

Petting Ashen slowly Forsaken closed its eyes as it remembered the sensation of pain and fear in that dark place. Did it believe they would keep their word? No, it never would. The Triad was as deceitful and dark as the realm in which they dwelled. It would never regain what was lost, not in a thousand years.
“Spoken like a mercenary… and for all we know you lie,” Neros remarked coldly. Forsaken opened its eyes and held the man’s steady violet-blue gaze.
“What do you believe?”

Neros smiled, leaning back in his chair, “What do I believe indeed?” he grinned wolfishly and looked away his face unreadable. “I believe a lot of things and as for you Forsaken only time will tell.”
“Time…” Forsaken laughed softly, “Time is a dangerous thing, sometimes it runs with you but most times it runs against you. Time might very well be your undoing…” Forsaken removed Ashen from its lap and stood up, walking away for m the three and sat in a dark corner its gaze looked on one of the many plants Shuric had around his house.

The rest of the day, -or was it night? Forsaken couldn’t tell being inside that dark room- passed slowly with Shuric and Neros disappearing into another room no doubt to talk in private.
“Who are those men Ashen?” it asked the werecat who had moved back and curled up comfortably on its lap once more. “Good people despite their suspicion and distrust of you. Don’t give them a reason to doubt or dislike you. Be honest always, never lie” Ashen paused. “Well don’t lie to them, lie to people you don’t trust and trust your instincts. Trust that little feeling deep inside when it says no or yes, you got that my dark friend?”
“… Yes I think so and, I shall try to do as you say you have not betrayed me yet.”
Ashen tilted its head up and met Forsaken’s gaze, it felt a little uncomfortable gazing into those vibrant eyes it was almost like Ashen could see inside him.
And what did he see? A little voice said. A monster, a person or a creature of nothing, is there even something inside of you worth seeing? Forsaken pushed the thoughts away closing them out, it did not need to hear such things not when it wasn’t ready to confront them. Not yet.
“One more question Ashen,”
“Ask away,” he instructed.
“What’s a friend?”

Ashen seemed to look at it with disbelief before climbing to his feet, “They made a real mess of you Forsaken, they took too much out of you I think. I can even see why you look…”
Forsaken frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then remembered before it had been lost a second time to the darkness Shuric’s fearful cry.
“What am I beneath this mask Ashen, what was so terrible to see?” Forsaken felt a chill creep over it as it sat there watching the werecat as he slipped from Forsaken’s lap and moved away.
“Ashen?”

The werecat turned to face it, Forsaken wasn’t sure why but it could see something that looked akin to sorrow, or was it pity?
“I can’t say Forsaken, when they stole your idenity they... I don’t know it’s unlike any curse I’ve ever seen. Y-your face, your skin… its all gone lost beneath a kind of living darkness. When Shuric took that mask off your whole body shuddered, it was like it couldn’t hold together without the mask. The room seemed to drop in temperature and the shadows grew deeper. Whatever they have made of you Forsaken, it is dangerous.” Ashen stopped for a moment and flattened the fur on his back. Just describing what he saw sent his hackles on end. “They’ve turned you into something I’ve never seen before, I’m not even sure they know what they’ve made.”
“It would be best then if the mask remained on always…” Forsaken rasped, a shiver crept through its body, part of it knew what Ashen had said was true. It was a creature of nothing. No doubt what he saw was all that remained of what it once was. Now all it was was a shadow, a monster, a thing.
Forsaken bowed its head and closed its eyes, it wanted this day gone. Too many truths were before it.

Ashen sighed as he watched Forsaken. Part of him wished that it hadn’t asked that last question, yet the other part was glad. The sooner Forsaken accepted what it now was the better, the only problem now was what to do with it. Ashen had no doubts it would never hunt the Immortal King so long as he did not betray it in turn as the Triad would, but what worried him more was its unspoken promise to hunt down them.
“I shall sleep some more… I feel weary…” Forsaken murmured, shifting so it rested comfortably against the wall.
“Sleep well Forsaken,”
“I’ll try,” it replied voice barely more then a whisper.
Leaving the darkened room Ashen moved through the small cluttered house of the healer Shuric trying to locate both him and the man Neros. Ears flicking about until Ashen heard their voices coming from out the back. Moving into a loping bound he came to the back door and looked up. It was shut and there was no widow for him to crawl through.

Sighing again Ashen shifted his form without as much as a second thought. Paws becoming hands and feet while his fur diminished until it was only a thin grey coat. In his bipedal form Ashen looked like one of the bestial savannah dwelling races of Sayavah to the east that looked at most like animals walking about like humans. The only difference was their ears, claws or even presence of a tail. In Ashen’s case he sported all three; it was the thin fur coating over pale skin and his mesmerizing eyes that defined him as different.

Opening the door he stepped outside, flashing a feral grin at the two men as they turned to face him, “Scheming are we?” he teased.
“No not exactly, Neros here was just telling me about some old ruins his people found in the Mezmic Forest.”
“Ruins?” Ashen smiled, ruins were always a good place for mice and rats, two of his preferred snacks when out of the prowl.
“Yes, old ones too if the relics we found are dated right. It was built something like two thousand years before the Triad even existed.” Neros replied, “Very old wouldn’t you say.”
“Ancient,” Ashen agreed then looked skyward to the moon, night had set in a good while ago it had to be close to midnight by now. “Older then the human race, most likely it was built when the Gods first appeared. What did you find inside?”
“We don’t know yet, we haven’t gotten in. The entrance is concealed and we aren’t sure where to start.”
“Are you going back?” Ashen enquired.
“Yes, why do you ask?” Neros was suspicious.
“Maybe we can take Forsaken along, better then letting it get out of sight and us not knowing where it might turn up next.”

Shuric nodded and looked to Neros, “He’s right, we can’t leave Forsaken alone it seems harmless enough but I’m still not sure it’s as docile as it appears.”
Neros rolled his eyes, “I don’t exactly have a choice do I?”
“No,” Ashen replied smugly.
“Fine then but I set the rules, it will do as I say when I say.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Ashen reverted to his cat form and looked up between the two. “I’ll see you gentlemen in the morning. For now my stomach is hollow and I feel the urge to hunt.” The werecat was gone with a flick of his tail leaving the two men alone.
Neros sighed gazing skyward his eyes focused on the moon. It was full, an ill omen?
“I’ll have to make preparations, then that will give you a week to accustom the creature to daylight.” He turned and headed back inside with Shuric close behind. It was late and they both needed their sleep. The next few weeks were going to be interesting.

[Kai! Kai!]

Chapter 3

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The week had been a trying time on Shuric as he prepared Forsaken for the trip out into the forest. It was clear that the damned creature disliked sunlight, it groaned every time it went outside with him and even with the blindfold to cut out most of the light it seemed uncomfortable. Shuric had seen this kind of thing before in miners. Men who spent most of their life underground often developed sensitivity to bright light. That sensitivity remained with them through their lives. Many went blind if they didn’t somehow shield their eyes. For Forsaken though all it needed was time to adapt, time which had unfortunately run out.

To resolve this for Forsaken Shuric had tide a thick blindfold over the creature’s eyes it shut out most of the light but left enough for it to see. Most would probably think the creature blind, all the better to easing tense nerves. Just looking at the tall dark clad being sent chills down his spine.

Not that it was Forsaken’s fault, like every person they had been taught to fear the damned. Their touch was death and their body’s soulless husks. Monsters they had been taught to call them. Shuric however had learnt better over the years thanks mostly to Neros, the man had an uncanny understanding for these beings, these forsaken people. Through Neros he had learned that the forsaken were just like any other people and few were ever the violent monsters described by the Priests of the Triad and their ‘Holy Knights’.

Forsaken however was something else entirely, never in all his life had Shuric met a damned so like this, without identity, without a face. He shuddered as he remembered the black void where Forsaken’s face should have been, a mass of darkness in the shape of a human head but lacking all facial features. A walking abyss was how he described it and yet. When he talked to Forsaken, he could see it was not as empty as is dark visage showed. It was gentle and patient, always questioning and trying to learn, trying to fill the gaps in its knowing.

If he could compare Forsaken to anything without counting its appearance, he would think it no more then a child, lost and frightened of the world around it yet inquisitive enough to chance the danger and see how a thing works or what its meaning is. This had delighted Shuric in a way because Forsaken was also interested in his area of work too and would often question him on herbs and remedies and Shuric had been only too happy to supply the information to the eager damned.

Watching Forsaken now he smiled as the damned creature stepped carefully outside, the cloth tied firmly over its eyes. Forsaken shuddered but continued onward making its way towards him with Ashen, the werecat at its heels, that cat rarely left the damned creatures side unless he wanted to go hunting. It was odd to see from his perspective, a fierce wild feline such as he loping about the legs of such a terrifying being as Forsaken like a kitten, adding more uncertainty to his opinion of the creature. Ashen trusted the being completely and never doubted its intentions. Shuric however would have to remain vigil, for all he knew this was but a guile to lure not just him but Neros and any others whom met the creature into thinking it harmless.
“How are your eyes?” he enquired as Forsaken came to stand before him.
“They do not hurt, but it will take time for me to adjust to the light still… I am not used to being able to see in such a bright place,” it replied, voice hissing from the slits in its mask. That was another feature that disturbed Shuric just a little, Forsaken could speak though had no mouth, it breathed and yet he was sure it possessed no lungs.
“Ah well, we’ve unfortunately run out of time. You’ll have to adjust as we travel I’m afraid,” Shuric said heading back in the house.
“Wait out here I just have to pack a few things and keep a look out for Neros he should be showing up soon…” he paused and glanced over his shoulder, “You do remember Neros right?”

Forsaken let out a low hiss and nodded its head slowly, Shuric saw the way its eyes narrowed. It seemed Forsaken still did not like the man, or maybe it was still undecided about him. Shuric couldn’t be sure not unless he asked. Heading inside Shuric started to pack.

Leaning against the fence railing within the shadows Forsaken tugged gently at the edges of its blindfold while examining the world around it, the fabric made the world fuzzy to its eyes, almost like it wasn’t quite there, an illusion. That unsettled it more then it liked, remembering the darkness that awaited it if it wasn’t careful. On several occasions it had been tempted to peel the blindfold away and risk a look at the daylight world with its unveiled eyes but Ashen had warned against it. Claiming it could go blind if it took the blindfold off too early.

Resigned to viewing a hazy daylight world Forsaken found itself outside in the irritating sunlight looking down the main path for Neros, a man it neither liked nor hated. In truth Forsaken did not want to pass judgment on the man without learning more about him first. Its instincts said nothing of the man either which made it all the harder to tell.

Horses hooves sounded down the road and Forsaken looked up, coming down the center street of the small town Shuric had told it was named Falip which sat just a little ways off the border between Arka and Vale.

Three pack horses led by a group of five men, one of which it knew to be Neros. The man stood in the lead laughing heartily with one of the other men beside him as they approached Shuric’s house.

They came up to the front of Shuric’s residence just as the healer stepped outside. Forsaken ignored the healer for the moment its attention on the four unknown men each having stopped their talk to scrutinize it. Forsaken could see perhaps one openly hostile face the rest were guarded and appeared indifferent to it.
“I take it you couldn’t do much for Forsaken’s sight Shuric?” Neros remarked. It turned its head to look at him.
“He did what he could.” Forsaken replied, it had come to like the healer the man was while a little tense around it, friendly. “A week is not the right amount of time for my eyes to fully adjust.”

Neros chuckled, “I think you made a friend of this one Shuric.”
Ashen snorted as he leapt up Forsaken’s back and laying across its shoulders, “Leave it alone Neros your teasing falls on deaf ears, I haven’t taught it the value of a joke yet and Forsaken might just take what you say to heart.”
“Well then I’ll have to do something about that won’t I?” he grinned and looked to the others. “This gentlemen, is Forsaken it will be accompanying us on our little trip.”

It frowned, Neros spoke to the men like they were boy’s yet it knew they were not, they if anything looked older then he. They looked unimpressed as well by Neros’ attitude but like Forsaken made no attempt to correct him. There seemed to be no point and it was his expedition. Treasure hunting Shuric had called.

The healer sighed lightly, just loud enough for it to hear, turning its head Forsaken caught the bland look the healer shot at Neros then glanced sidelong at Forsaken. “He’s always like this when he’s excited. Terrible isn’t it?”
“Childish…” Forsaken agreed, then looked at Neros. “We go?”

Neros looked away from the men and looked back at Forsaken his expression unreadable. “Eager are we?”
“No,” it replied, “I just think your drawing attention to yourself and this group. Especially if you were trying to avoid getting people excited, excited mouths talk and from what Shuric has mentioned, your treasure hunting could draw on unwanted attention…”

It moved out of the shadows and around to the horses patting the neck of the nearest with a gloved hand, the animal turned its head to give forsaken a sniff. Expecting it to shy away Forsaken took a hasty step back but the horse followed tugging at the reins.

Ashen laughed on Forsaken’s shoulders, “Stop moving would you, the poor beast just wants to get a whiff of you, nothing dangerous and it won’t bolt if that’s what you’re thinking horses have more sense then that. Now cattle…” he trailed off and Forsaken chuckled allowing the beast to do its inspection, when the animal seemed satisfied it snorted and looked away.
“See that wasn’t so bad was it?” Ashen laughed.

It said nothing but looked back to the others, Neros was grinning again, the man always seemed to be either smiling or keeping his face expressionless.
“Lets get going,” he said getting the men to load up Shuric’s equipment onto one of the packhorses.

Forsaken took up the rear of the group keeping its distance from the rest as they walked, leaving the small town behind them and moving towards the forest ahead.

Back into the trees I go it seems,” It murmured to the werecat riding on its shoulders.
“This time tough you get to see your surroundings,” he replied.

Laughing softly it kept walking, gazing about in wonder as they entered the trees. It was odd to know what a forest was and yet it understood what it saw was a tree. Many practical everyday things had to be revived within its mind through all its senses but touch. When it came across something such as a tree or an animal it knew that these were plans and those were animals. Unlike places or people, Forsaken had no memory of those.

The holes in its memory made its knowing patched and fragmented. Forsaken hated the way its memories were so torn. Glancing sidelong Forsaken caught Ashen looking at it and seemed about to ask something but forsaken looked away it had no wish to burden the werecat with its thoughts. Instead Forsaken continued its slow march eyes wandering the trees with fascination.
What kinds of creatures dwelled in places like this? It wondered pausing for a moment as it caught sight of a creature grazing beneath a cluster of saplings. It was an elegant and gentle looking creature with a tan coat and small stubby horns atop its angular head.
“Ah! A doe, gentle creatures, very skittish though. They flee at the slightest of sounds, “Ashen whispered no doubt having seen the focus of Forsaken’s gaze.

Then Neros’ voice called form up ahead, the deer bolted at the man’s loud voice, “Don’t fall behind!”
It turned reluctantly and jogged to catch up on the ground it had lost admiring the doe. The animal had looked so peaceful and content with life. Forsaken envied the animal, at least it knew its place in the world. Forsaken wasn’t even sure it had a place anywhere.

They continued traveling for most of the day sticking to the forest trail until night fell. When it did Forsaken removed its blindfold, happy not that the sun had set. The night focused and became crisp to its eyes. Moonlight agreed far more with its senses compared to daylight. Camp was assembled quickly and with little hassle under the command of the sour faced Julian as he instructed the others on where to set up the cooking pot and fire. Despite his seemingly grouchy attitude the man knew what he was doing.

Forsaken just kept out of the way perching itself upon an old stump to watch ads they set up. When it was done Forsaken remained on the stump, they didn’t need it around the cooking fire. Not when it didn’t eat. It was impossible with the way the Tirad had made it and it did not matter either, Forsaken had never felt hungry to begin with or thirsty for that mater, what was the point when it had no true body.

Ashen who had left his perch on Forsaken’s shoulder a few hours before making camp had returned form his prowling and sat before it.
“Come with me,” he instructed, Forsaken climbed down and followed without question curious about whatever it was Ashen wished to show it.

They moved quickly and with little noise through the thickening under scrub slowing only when they reached their destination. Looking about Forsaken found they were just out of sight of camp, but it could still hear the men as they laughed and talked.
“What is it?” Forsaken enquired looking down at the werecat, Ashen however did not reply as he was busy changing. The cat grew rapidly fur diminishing until it was only a thin dull grey and stood at a height just above Forsaken’s shoulders. This was only the second time it had seen Ashen change. The first time had been during the third day of its ‘accustoming’ to daylight. Forsaken had been greatly startled by it, this time was no different except that it knew to expect with the outcome of the change.

Ashen looked up at Forsaken, his orange-red eyes appearing to almost glow in the dim light of the forest. “I want to show you some tracks, they’re not the tracks of a friendly animal either.”
“Then we should tell the others” it replied.
“Yes, yes we will but I wanted to show you first so you can learn to identify them.”
It nodded and followed the now humanish werecat a little further away. When he stopped and crouched down Forsaken followed suit watching closely as he brushed leaves away to reveal a print in the soft soil. It was strangely shaped, paw like, much like Ashen’s but above each pad it saw a triangular gouge.
A claw mark.
Counting the pads it saw the animal had six toes, each long and finger like.
“What does this belong to?” Forsaken asked.
“A very nasty monster by the name of a wood raptor, they’re only four and a half feet high but swift and deadly with their long sharp talons. It runs on two legs and is reptilian, its hide is like bark and it hunts primarily at night.”
“Intelligent?”
“Very, they hunt in packs of five and will stalk their prey for days if they have to just to bring it down.”

Forsaken frowned and stood up, this was not good news not at all.
“We’d best head back then be-“it never finished what it was going to say, the night’s still was broken as an animal of some description shrieked, a high pitched and shrill cry. Forsaken shuddered.
“Looks like they’re close,” the werecat muttered his ears flat against the offensive noise.
“We’re heading back now,”
“I’m not going to argue on that one,” Ashen replied reverting as quickly as he could to his cat form. Forsaken picked the werecat up and tuned walking back in the direction of the camp. It paused just once on its way there catching sight of two glinting objects in the shadows. They were gone in an instant though and Forsaken shook its head. Either the night was playing tricks on its mind or Forsaken just saw a pair of cold, calculating eyes in the shadows.

Picking up the pace it headed back into the camp, feeling a little relieved when it entered the warm amber light of the camp.
“Where were you?” Neros enquired looking up form the fire.
“Looking at tracks,” it replied, “Ashen found them, he says their called wood raptors and we heard one only a moment ago.”

Neros stood up and walked over to the bags withdrawing something from the packs. “Did you see anything else?”
“Eyes, I think… Not twenty paces from where I was a good hundred yards from the camp, but it could have been the night light playing tricks on me.”
“I doubt it,” Neros murmured and looked to the others, “Arm yourselves and get ready for a long night.
He turned and looked back at Forsaken, “Ever used a sword or weapon of some description creature?”
“I wouldn’t know,” it replied truthfully.

Nodding Neros pulled out something else from the pack and tossed it at Forsaken. It caught the item and saw it was a sword. “You might just find out tonight if we’re unlucky.”
Looking away Forsaken tied the sword’s sheath to its belt and moved way eyes looking out beyond the camp into the forest. It prayed that it would not learn if it could. Not this night.

[Kai! Kai!]

Chapter 4

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Nobody slept well during the night, the wood raptors could be heard prowling through the underbrush though none ever came within sight. The mere threat of attack was enough to keep everyone awake and alert. They took it in turn to keep watch in pairs, only Forsaken stayed awake all night. Perching itself upon the stump eyes closed as it listened o the night life about it.

The forest was still, there wasn’t a sound to be heard in all directions. The last of the wood raptors had been heard only an hour ago, the silence alone was unsettling though and the silence alone told Forsaken the raptors were still prowling. Ashen had once told it animals went quiet when predators or danger was near by. Sometimes it could almost hear the soft footsteps of the reptiles the rustle of a branch, the snap of a twig but never the sound of the creatures themselves.

It was frustrating not being able to see what stalked the group. Forsaken wanted them to show themselves but at the same time it wanted them to go away, to leave the campsite alone and hunt something else. Only it knew they wouldn’t.

Opening its eyes Forsaken looked towards the camp, hands resting lightly across the sword on its lap. A weapon given by Neros to be used in the defense of people who seemed to have little reason to speak with it, people it did not know or thought it could trust.
Except two, it reminded itself. You would fight to save two, Ashen and Shuric treat you kindly and they show no animosity towards you as the others do. If it comes to a fight, fight for them.

The camp stirred as the watch swapped over, dark silhouette shifting against the amber light of the fire, soft voices muttering a few spare words before one laid down and the other took up the watch. Forsaken repressed a sigh and stood up, slipping off the stump and moving back towards the camp. These creatures it reasoned would not attack this night. They were waiting, watching, no doubt waiting until they were at their weakest. That would be how Forsaken would hunt if it were the hunter.

One of the watchmen looked up as it stepped into the pool of firelight that filed the camp. He was tense for a moment as if wondering whether Forsaken was one of the monsters lurking in the shadows, his hand resting upon the hilt of his sword. He was nothing more then a dark mass to its eyes a mass with glowing eyes that reflected the light of the fire.
Almost demonic, it mused. Forsaken laughed inwards at the irony of it.
In daylight it was alien a monster to any who saw it and yet at night, under the moonlight or by the fire men looked as it did. Black masses formless and without any identifying marks to be seen.
“Don’t creep out of the shadows like that,” the man it identified to be Julian, growled at Forsaken before turning away to continue watching the trees.

It moved away around the edge of the fire to where Ashen and Shuric slept or looked to be sleeping but the healer stirred when it neared and looked up.
“Can’t sleep either eh?” Shuric murmured sitting up in his bedding. Forsaken shook its head.
“I do not feel the need to sleep not when danger is so near, yet this danger I believe is waiting.”
Forsaken crouched on the ground so its eyes were level with the Shuric’s, “They are waiting until we are weak from fear, if you are opt be strong you must sleep.”
Shuric laughed softly, “I wish I had your confidence in such things but we mortal beings of flesh are still suspect to death.”
“Death comes to all things in time…” it muttered gazing skyward.
The healer shook his head and lay back down, “I suggest you try to sleep Forsaken, feeling like you need sleep and needing sleep are two very different things.”
Forsaken stood up and moved away sitting by the horses, even they were skittish but not panicked, not yet anyway.

*

The coming of the dawn saw the party breath a collective sigh, grateful the wood raptors had not made an appearance in the night, though Forsaken was a little disappointed that it hadn’t at least caught a glimpse of one.
Shifting Ashen to the ground Forsaken walked over to Neros while he helped the men pack and held out the sword to him. Neros shook his head and pushed the sword back to the damned creature. “Keep it with you for now, those wood raptors are still about and we’ll need all the help we can if it comes to a fight.”

A little taken back by Neros’ willingness to see it carry a weapon made the creature reassess the way it viewed the man. His coldness towards it was perhaps more a defensive wariness towards a being he could not define as friend or foe.
Moving away to allow the men to complete packing the camp away Forsaken kept its eyes outwards towards the tress the forest was still silent to its ears, an ominous sign. The raptors it seemed would not be deprived of a chance to hunt, especially when fresh man meat wandered so willingly into their domain.

The camp set out within the hour and Forsaken found itself once more trailing at the back of the group. Its gaze straight ahead on the man in front, hearing trained on the forest around. The eerie silence seemed to follow them as they traveled along the near impossible to see path through the ever thickening scrub. If these ruins were in thick undergrowth like this there would be a problem. The raptor could virtually come at them from any side and they wouldn’t know until the beasts were upon them.

Ashen bounded along only a few feet ahead, the oversized cat often stopping to glance back, as if ensuring Forsaken continued to follow the rest. On the fifth time Forsaken increased its pace and caught up with the werecat scooping the feline up and carrying the creature in its arms.
“I shall carry you so that you may know where I am at all times and spare your poor neck the strain of looking at me,” it laughed.
“Fine just do not fall behind they’re still about,”
“I know… the silence, it is they who cause it…”
The werecat nodded ears flat as it continued to scrutinize the darkening forest about them with its orange-red eyes, “Its going to be a long next few days…”
“And nights, they will not let us be I fear,” it murmured
“Indeed... We’ll best to be prepared for the worst then.”

Forsaken nodded slowly and shifted Ashen to its shoulders as it hurried to catch up with the group, already it was lagging behind with its constant peering between the trees. To itself the damned creature wondered just how deep into the forest they had to go before reaching these ruins and whether or not they can escape the pursuit of the wood raptors. It doubted they could escape, confrontation seemed the only resolve to that particular problem.

They continued walking along the beaten track for three days, every night a watch was set to keep a look out for the wood raptors and during those silent nights Forsaken would sit alone in solitude sometimes in the company of Ashen or Shuric learning something of the forest or of herbs. The raptor never appeared but they were heard calling to one another in their piercing cries.

When they left the path the traveling was harder as they had to begin cutting through the thick foliage. The close proximity of the plants made it tenser then before, here the beasts could get even closer adding to the danger. Not that Forsaken was afraid of being killed. It couldn’t die at least if the stories were true and it didn’t want to find out just yet.

Setting up camp for the sixth night of travel forsaken again sat itself away from the rest the sword given to it by Neros. The damned creature had taken the sword out of its sheath. The blade was a decent length and gleamed cold in whatever light was available. Now alone for the night it drew the blade once more, always mindful of the silence as it gazed at the sword.
Could it use such a weapon? There was only one way to find out.

Forsaken moved into a comfortable stance holding the sword in one hand. Carefully Forsaken swung the blade getting the feel of its weight. Stopping it readjusted its stance and grip swiping the blade wide again. With each swing Forsaken felt something familiar and continued to readjust its grip and stance until it felt a rhythm to what it did. Thrusting the blade forwards, swinging up in a volley of blows.

When Forsaken stopped it did not feel tired or even fatigued, instead it looked at the weapon in its hand, and it could use a sword it seemed. Possibly it had learned in its life before the Triad had taken its memories. Its mind might not remember but its body did or at least what was its current body.
“You have a little skill with a blade it seems creature,” Neros stepped out of the shadows amused by the show.
Forsaken shrugged, “I may show a little skill in practice but there is much difference between dueling the air and an opponent of flesh and blood.”

Neros smiled drawing his own sword and circled Forsaken, “Well then let’s see…”
He lunged bringing his blade from above fast. Forsaken reacted before even thinking parrying the blow with its own word and back off.
“Is this wise with danger so close at hand Neros?” it asked blocking another blow.
“We haven’t seen them in almost a week creature I think the have given up in pursuit of other prey.”

Forsaken continued to parry and block every blow sent its way stepping around Neros as he tried to land a blow. Forsaken took the offensive suddenly striking several combination attacks as it sought to strike from Neros exposed places. Neither deliberately tried to inflict pain and injury on the other. They were merely testing.
The duel continued for an hour before it ceased. Forsaken sheathed its sword and gazed upwards its breathing unchanged nor feeling fatigue. Neros chuckled as he too sheathed his sword, the sound of metal sliding into place as he moved off back to camp.
“We might just stand a chance…” he smiled for the first time properly at it and then left melting into the shadows as quickly as he had appeared.
Puzzled once again by Neros, Forsaken followed him back to where the camp fire still burned.

Dawn the next morning saw them walking a more open path, old and worn with only a few obstacles in their way. The trees had thinned gradually as they walked until finally they opened out into a clearing. At the center of the clearing was a mound. It was an odd thing to see by Forsaken’s perspective, sitting alone in the center of a glade. They moved towards it setting up camp midway between the mound and the forest. Leaving the horses there they moved to the base of the mound to examine it, once Neros appeared satisfied he turned and gave the signal for camp to be set up. This confused Forsaken a little, it was not yet night and already they were setting up camp. Either it was because they needed the extra rest or they had reached the ruins.

Curious Forsaken wandered away from the others walking slowly along the base of the mound eyes following the slope of the land. It wasn’t a simple mound Forsaken discovered but an odd shaped mass that bulged and dipped in various places. Then it saw the ruins, or rather what was exposed. Two spared partially above the ground a little up the side of the mound stuck out. One was broken, small rocks lay about it the other was covered in a type of creeping vine.

Moving close for a look Forsaken walked up the slope pausing at the spire to get a closer look. It touched the worn stone aware that it could not feel the texture of the stone. The gloves prevented that and it doubted it could even feel with the black substance that seemed to be its body. Sighing, it turned to the crumbled spire and began walking towards it only to stop.
A shriek filled the air followed by several others. Alarmed Forsaken turned and began running back to camp. On the still air it heard the cries of men.
The wood raptors were attacking.

[Kai! Kai!]

Chapter 5

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The camp was in chaos as five wood raptors circled the men, Neros, Shuric and Ashen in his human form stood back to back weapons in hand. The small brown and green molted reptiles circled them hissing as they waited for an opening. Forsaken watched them from its vantage point atop the mound. Sword drawn as it evaluated the situation. On of the creatures lay dead on the ground its throat slit blood pooling on the ground.

One of the raptors crept closer taking a swipe at one of the men with its long sender arms catching him on his sword arm before the man took a swing, but the creature was too quick and took an almost dance like step back swaying where it stood, its cold yellow, reptilian eyes fixated on the injured member of the company.

They moved in closer eyes gleaming with bloodlust at the scent of fresh blood. Forsaken could wait no longer. It ran, moving down the slope picking up speed as it charged towards the raptors letting out a feral cry. The creatures turned to look at it and then charged two breaking away for the group moving towards Forsaken. One lunged its feet striking Forsaken on the shoulders its claws ripping through the fabric of its clothing.

Forsaken was knocked over backwards and landed hard on the ground, the wood raptor only had a moment however to savor its victory before the curse took effect. Its claws had touched whatever substance had become its flesh. Forsaken watched for the first time in horror as the wood raptor aged before it. Scales that were once gleaming became dull then faded before crumbling into dust. The creature fell apart before its eyes becoming nothing more then dust.

The second was more wary circling Forsaken as the damned warrior climbed to its feet sword still in hand. It growled and looked at the wood raptor. It snarled at the reptile and followed its movements. The raptors tail flicked and it lunged, teeth snapping at Forsaken but did not touch; it seemed the creature was trying to scare it away. Forsaken was not going to be cowed however.
Turning the sword in its hand Forsaken swung the blade quickly catching the raptor on the tip of the nose, it shrieked and backed off tail lashing as the creature eyed the damned warrior. It laughed at the reptile and then charged watching as the wood raptor turned tail and fled, the monster it seemed knew an impossible battle when it saw one.

Cries pulled Forsaken’s attention to where the others were still dealing with the other raptors, a third lay dead at the feet of Neros as he and the slightly shorter, shaggy haired Ashen stood back to back, two of the men who had travel with them lay dead their throats torn open. It ran towards them sword glinting in the light as it jumped ramming its booted feet into the side of a raptor catching it unaware. The second growled jumping out the way as Neros swung at it. The one Forsaken had slammed into lay stunned on the ground, after colliding Forsaken had rolled and climbed it its feet a moment later Shifting the blade into a more comfortable grip it drove the blade home feeling bone and flesh give way beneath the cold steel blade. The wood raptor whimpered once then began to convulse in its final death throws.

Looking up to see what had become of the others Forsaken found Neros standing nearby wiping his sword clean, the last of the raptors lying dead at his feet. Pulling the blade free Forsaken looked at the red colouring to the blade and frowned, men and beats both bled red, what did it bleed?

Glancing down Forsaken pressed a gloved hand to the rips in its shirt and pulled its hand away looking at the black substance that dripped from its fingers. Black is the colour of my blood? That is if it is blood… it sighed and knelt on he ground wiping the substance off its gloved fingers and looked about the clearing again.
“Is it safe now you think?” Forsaken enquired.
Neros smiled cheerily, “Oh yes, that one you let get away will undoubtedly spread the word to other hunting packs, their smart those raptors and when faced with a creature such as you, unkillable and bring death to any who dare to touch your flesh.” He sheathed the blade and looked to where Shuric knelt by the already dead men, his face unreadable form the angle at which it knelt. What went on behind that mask of its? He wondered. Standing Forsaken looked back to the mound; there wasn’t much they could do for the dead, unless they were going to burry them.

The day passed on with little more trouble, Neros assured Forsaken every time it asked if there was the chance of the wood raptors return that they would not. As night began to fall Forsaken returned to the mound, curiosity drew it back up the slop. What lay beneath the earth? It wondered, what truths to a forgotten past of a people long gone lay beneath the ground and stone that lined this place?

It sighed, if only removing layers were so easy for it, to regain even a fragment of its past would see Forsaken content. A memory a sensation anything!
Hearing steps behind Forsaken whirled sword drawn in a swift fluid movement. Neros stood in the shadows just out of reach and laughed.
“Always so on-edge Forsaken?”
“Only when I feel a reason to be on edge,” it hissed. “It is too soon after their attack for me to relax…” It turned away and gazed skyward for a moment before turning to face Neros again.
“You’re undoubtedly wondering why we are here,” he murmured watching Forsaken as it nodded slowly. “Well we’re here to find a certain object here.”

He held up a hand and waved a finger, “I’ll no tell you what yet Forsaken, you may have fought to save lives and given me no reason yet to distrust you but-”
“I have yet to give you as reason to truly trust me,” Forsaken finished, nodding its head and looked away out towards the trees. “Understandable…”

They stood in silence for a time neither moving nor saying anything.
“You spend much time alone creature,”
“I like the peace,” it replied, “It lets me think… to try and find something of what I was… but there is nothing…”

Footsteps were all Forsaken heard as it turned away and continued up the mound, moving away so it could be left to its own thoughts. The night was quiet as it always had been since they entered. Content it reached the summit and gazed upward eyes locked on the moon, a solitary orb of silver light traveling across a vast see of stars, alone and falling into darkness and return to light through it’s phases. It sighed wondering if like the moon it could return from darkness and come back to the light.

Looking away from the moon Forsaken glanced down at its feet and noticed something glinting in the moonlight. Kneeling it wiped a finger over the metallic surface. Brushing more dirt away Forsaken lifted the object and hefted it lightly in its hands shaking more dirt off and chuckled. It was an old sword hilt the blade having rusted away long ago. Curios it wondered what it would look like under all the dirt and what the hilt could be made of, what kind of metal remained when the blade was worn away to rust?
Slipping the hilt into its belt beneath its cloak Forsaken began descending the slope. Tomorrow would see them begin trying to find the opening.

*

Walking for the tenth time around the mound Forsaken rested its gloved hand on the dirtied hilt of the old sword it had found as it thought, they had only been looking for three days but there was no sign of a concealed entrance and always it found itself looking at those pillars, one whole the other broken beyond repair.
Returning to camp after its walk Forsaken knelt on the ground where Neros, Shuric and the remaining two men looked over a plan. They were discussing excavation, digging down to see if they couldn’t find a wall they could smash through.
Forsaken frowned as it thought back to the spires.
“Temple yes?” it enquired watching as one of the men nodded. An idea began forming in its head.
“Temples generally decorate their entrances… the door might be between the spires that stick out of the ground. Find the door and you can open it rather then smash a wall, less chance of the whole thing collapsing in on you.”

Neros smirked and shook his head, “Not your average temple Forsaken, the builders of this place made it a tricky place to enter, the entrance even if you knew the location is hidden.”
It sighed and stood up walking off again, obviously this was well out of its depth. Instead forsaken went looking for Ashen, the werecat was always better company.

Ashen, Forsaken found was prowling about the open grass chasing butterflies and mice. Amused Forsaken sat down and watched the werecat play rather then interrupt him. Instead It pulled the hilt fro its belt and brushed more dirt from the object. Cleaning the object where it could Forsaken admired the simple beauty of the hilt. The grip was made on white marble, no doubt it had once had leather wrapped over it but time had eaten it away. Above the hilt on the cross-section was circular stone, milky silver in colour with black heavy veins of some description throughout, the stone was dull and appearing nothing special but Forsaken liked it all the same.

Spreading from the stone were dark wing like shapes, the stone Forsaken guessed if it could come out would fit snugly in the palm of its hand but it had no desire to ruin the hilt. Holding it up Forsaken looked the hilt over wondering what kind of blade had once fitted into it. Perhaps, lying it next to the sword Neros had given it, the blade would be linger and narrower then that of the short sword.
“Such a pretty thing…” Ashen purred prodding the hilt with a large paw, “Where did you find it?”
“Atop the mound,” Forsaken replied picking the hilt up and slipping it back into its belt before collecting Neros’ sword and tying that on the other side.
“Keep it then, it is yours. A found treasure is not bad luck, not like a stolen one.”
“I would never steal,” Forsaken said.
“I know…”
“Ashen, Forsaken!” Both damned warrior and cat turned to look at Shuric as he called them over. It seemed the men had decided on where to start digging.
“Oh dear,” the werecat sighed, “Looks like the easy stuff is over, now we get to get dirty.”

It laughed and stood up following the werecat as it bounded towards the healer.
“Grab a shovel and meet the others around the side” he said, Forsaken nodded and watched with fascination as the werecat shifted into its humanish form. No matter how many times Forsaken saw it, seeing Ashen change was always a strange thing. They collected their tools and followed Shuric as he led them around to the others, already the men had started digging, all of them had their shirts off, no doubt to stop themselves getting too hot.

Removing its belt, sword and hilt and wrapping them in its cloak and setting it aside was all Forsaken could do as far as removal of items went, not that it mattered. Forsaken had yet to feel any real discomfort in any weather, like everything else to do with sensation, hot and cold were alien to it. Walking over it hefted the shovel and joined the others as they dug towards the wall of the temple beneath the ground.

[Kai! Kai!]

Chapter 6

[/color][/b][/u]

Earth fell away in heavy lumps as Forsaken cleared the earth away from the smooth stone temple wall. Forsaken found itself admiring the polished, glassy surface of the black stone, and marveled at the silver specks that appear to be buried within the blackness of the wall, it seemed a pity that Neros would destroy such beauty to gain entry within.

Packing the dirt into a bucket Forsaken gathered the load and moved out the way, glancing sidelong at Neros as it passed. The man’s brows were furrowed with thought as he examined the now cleared wall and remained like that even as Forsaken dumped the load and climbed out of the shallow pit they had dug. It watched as one of the men handed Neros a pick and then like Forsaken they climbed out and stood a little away from it.

Neros stood squarely as he faced the wall, adjusting his grip on the tool before he hefted its heavy head and swung hard. A sharp clang rang though the air and hung there for a moment as the pick struck the stone surface then bounced off. Even from where it stood Forsaken could see the wall remained unmarked. This pleased it greatly; if the wall could not be penetrated then the stone would remain beautifully intact. If it could smile, Forsaken would have as it turned leaving Neros and his men to puzzle over the wall, whatever long forgotten race had made the temple had made it impenetrable by mortal means. They had to find the entrance or at the most the key to the entrance.

Forsaken moved slowly as it strolled back towards the camp. It was already mid-afternoon, Shuric and Ashen were always with the supplies as one was a little too old and not used to physical labor and the other was a cat. It had been amused at how easily people tended to forget that creatures like Ashen could take on human form.

Reaching the camp Forsaken sat down no the grass. Pulling is knees up and rested its chin on its knees, its eyes shifting first to the Healer who merely smiled and then to the pile of bedding, dumped in a pile unceremoniously on the ground at dawn and watched a grey tail twitch.
“Reach the wall?” Shuric enquired.
“Yes,” it replied, chuckling softly as another ding sounded in the air.
“What’s so funny?” Ashen’s voice asked form the blankets, a moment later his angular furry face appeared.
“Them,” Forsaken replied indicating to the temple mound, “They’ll keep pounding at that wall until it either gives or their arms drop off. I on the other hand know an impenetrable wall when I see one.”

Ashen climbed out of the blankets and stretched as he strolled over to Forsaken sitting before the damned warrior, its orange-red eyes watching Forsaken for a moment.
“You still think there is an entrance elsewhere?” he said finally.
“Yes, by the spires. They are the key… I don’t know why but it is just something I feel…” Forsaken became silent.
“I’d like to see you convince him of that,” Ashen remarked and then began to clean his paw. “For a man, Neros has the reasoning of a bull.”
“Since when do bulls reason?” Shuric added with a grin.
“They don’t” Forsaken replied.
“Exactly!” Ashen said as he burst out into a fit of laughter.
Helpless Shuric and Forsaken joined the werecat as it laughed, happy to enjoy the moment of peace within the forest.

When they were silent again Forsaken stood up and began organizing the camp a little better. Neros had been impatient to get started with the searching and digging and had left the stores in a pile about where the horses had been picketed. Now that its job was over Forsaken began to help Neros and Ashen set up something of a more comfortable camp. Who knew how long they would be here while Neros puzzled over the riddle of opening the temple.

The sun was setting when Neros and his men came back from the temple, each sweaty and covered in rich black earth appearing harassed and more then a little frustrated. Forsaken had heard them approach and looked up from the pot it was stirring and nodded its head to them.
“No luck?” it said watching as the other men stripped off their dirt covered cloths and tried dusting off what they cold from their bodies.

Neros snorted as he glared at Forsaken. “No but maybe if an extra pair of hands had helped-”
“What? Try and break a wall that is made of stronger substance then the steel of your tools.” It replied quickly before he could accuse it of not wanting to help.
“Well then oh observant creature, you could have saved us the hassle of trying to break the wall by informing us of what you knew so clearly by sight alone.” Neros’ tone was bordering on insensibility. The man was tired and no doubt vexed by his own inability to break the wall. Forsaken sighed softly and continued to stir the pot its gaze on the bubbling stew. Neros snorted again and turned walking away from the silent creature when its voice called softly after him.
“Would you have believed me Neros of Vale? Or would you have thought I was only trying to hinder you searching because you believe me to be in the service of the Triad…”
He did not pause as he walked away heading into the trees towards the small stream Ashen had located only a few days ago for them to acquire fresh water from and bath when needed.

Still stirring the pot Forsaken shook its head sadly as it watched the stew, giving it a final stir before removing it from the flames. It looked cooked enough to those who ate to feast upon. It covered the pot and sat it beside the fire and stood up wandering away from the camp. It would get no peace while Neros was in this unreasonable mood. Instead it would wander about the temple clearing and perhaps examine that beautiful wall and perhaps begin its own search for that hidden key it knew was laying about here somewhere. It was a feeling, a gut instinct that told it the key was close and instinct is what Ashen told it to listen to most. Instinct had better sense sometimes then human reasoning.

*

Neros picked at his stew in silence, every muscle in his body ached from the prolonged labor of the past few days. The wall wouldn’t budge by mortal means that much was clear. Brute force hadn’t worked and he and the men hadn’t been able to come up with a feasible way to open it, they'd talked for hours on possible ways but he couldn't see any of them working. That wasn’t what bothered him though, Forsaken was what bothered him. That often quiet shadow that always lingered in the dark watching and learning with each passing day more of what it had lost of the human world. It had admitted on the very first meeting it was sent to kill the Immortal King. In all his years of travel Neros had never seen a being even close to that what Forsaken was. He couldn’t even be sure it was human. It was Forsaken’s mystery, its dark and shrouded past and its link to the Triad. They made it what it was who was to say it wasn’t working for them. Still Foraken’s voice haunted him, even when he had bathed and even now as he ate.

Would you have believed me Neros of Vale? Its voice soft unemotional and yet somehow accusing. Would he have believed it? Neros couldn’t be sure. Part of him wanted to believe this Forsaken held no hopes of the Triads promise to restore it, and it was always there when needed. The battle with the wood raptors had proved forsaken would not leave them to a grim fate either. Though again his mind rounded on itself, could it all be a deception, a trick?

He couldn’t tell, nothing about Forsaken seemed simple, at times it seemed to know more then it should and other times it had the simplicity of a child, asking questions and following that werecat everywhere.

Tearing his mind away from his thoughts Neros gazed down at his bowl and found it empty. He was a little amazed to find the stew gone he hadn’t remembered eating the contents. Putting his bowl aside Neros looked about wondering now where Forsaken lurked, but the creature was nowhere in sight.

Standing Neros moved away from the fire and wandered about camp, it was time he and this Forsaken had a small chat. He had questions and only it could answer them, if it was willing to divulge what it knew or even remembered. When it was nowhere to be found Neros sighed and looked towards the temple mound. He had a fair idea where it would be lurking. Forsaken was always ever curious that much he had learned through observation. Turning towards the mound Neros began walking into the night.

*

Crouching at the base of the pit Forsaken gazed in pure wonder at the black wall before it. No longer black flecked with silver, it watched the way the surface glittered like the night sky above, the moonlight dancing upon the sliver flecks so alive almost magical. How the temple must have looked before being buried beneath the earth, what a marvel it must have been!

Forsaken sighed, deeply wishing it had seen such a place with its own eyes. Closing its eyes Forsaken tried to picture the building, but found it could not. It knew little of the temple and cold no even being o imagine what it must have looked like, but as if to compensate it saw the silver stars of the wall dance before its closed eyes.

Opening its eyes once more Forsaken descended into the pit and reached the wall. The light dimmed a little by the shadow cast by its form and slowly Forsaken reached out placing the palms of its gloved hands upon the stone brushing away a little more earth as it inspected the smooth glass like surface. The stone was so strange it felt warm to the touch. Forsaken couldn’t understand how it could differentiate between hot and cold but it knew the stone felt warm. Gripped by curiosity it lent closer turning its head and pressed the side of its face to the stone, closing its eyes and listened.

At first there was no sound to be heard but the slow soft hiss of its own breath moving through the slim slits where its mouth should have been, but as it continued to wait a sound began to detach itself from the silence. It was soft at first and was growing stronger as it waited. Beating like a drum a steady unending rhythm so like the beat of a heart. Forsaken remained there listening to the beats grow stronger until it was sure it felt the wall tremble with the power of the rhythm.

The wall trembled faintly against its form and Forsaken stepped back, the night was silent again but for the cries of the night dwelling creatures of the forest. It could not hear the soul shaking beats of the drums within any more, only the night. Perplexed if not a little confused Forsaken shook its head.
“So strange…” it whispered to itself.
“What’s so strange?” a voice behind it enquired.
Forsaken turned slowly and was not surprised to see the silhouette of Neros against the night. It only shook its head again and climbed out of the pit muttering “nothing” as it passed him.
“Really?” Neros replied he didn’t believe it and followed after Forsaken. “You seem a little dazed creature… dreaming perhaps?”
“Perhaps…” it replied following the base o the mound to where the two spires reached into the heavens. When it reached them Forsaken stopped and looked up at the still remaining spire its eyes distant and thoughtful. That look faded quickly however when it heard Nero’s soft foot fall beside it. Glancing sidelong at the man Forsaken felt irritated. Did the man have to follow so closely, did he really distrust it so much that he feels he must watch it?

Forsaken hissed and moved away to inspect the broken spire. Neros again followed it and forsaken stopped rounding on the man.
“Making sure I am not trying to deceive you Neros? Watching me for signs of deceit, then let me tell you I’ll not turn. I merely seek to find the way to open the door to help you if you would let me!”

Neros took a step back and held up his hands before him his expression unreadable in the moonlight. The pair stood there looking at one another before finally Forsaken turned back around and continued to the pillar. This time Neros Kept his distance watching as the creature inspected first the broken pillar then looked to the whole one. What had caught its interest he wondered?

Forsaken continued to move between the two pillars inspecting them closely, its interest in the plain stone obsessive until finally it stopped and looked to Neros. The man braced himself for another outburst and waited while Forsaken approached.
“Seeing as you are here man of Vale you might make yourself useful and answer some questions for me.” It said.

Neros smiled faintly, “Only if you answer some of mine.” He relaxed a little, Forsaken seemed more calm then before.
“Very well but first mine,” it replied quickly and turned back to the pillars indicating he should follow. They stood beneath the whole pillar and forsaken turned to face him.
“The entire temple is made of that black stone correct?”
“Yes, the scriptures described it as the Starlight Temple because of the stone… why do you ask?”

Forsaken chuckled and looked back to the pillar, “All in good time Neros…” It began examining the whole pillar more closely then its hands exploring the stone carefully. It remained silent while it examined, and Neros had no wish to interrupt he was curious as to what the creature was looking for.

It continued to search slowly for what seemed an hour before forsaken stopped. It chuckled again and pressed at the stone carefully before standing back.
“What have you found Forsaken?” Neros asked.
“Something, nothing… we’ll soon find out…” It drew the sword Neros had given it and stood before the place it had tested the stone. Forsaken thrust the blade forwards hard and fast. Neros expected the blade to break, and it did but not before the stone cracked and parts of it crumbled away. Forsaken tossed the destroyed blade aside and pulled at the stone taking chunks at a time away until it revealed a black section so like the stone of the walls. Only there were no silver flecks, instead the silver was carved into channels within the stone in the shape of an eight pointed star.

He felt excited at the discovery of the concealed panel, Neros couldn’t be sure why but he was, but excitement became alarm when Forsaken reached out to touch the panel. Who knew what it would do. Quickly Neros jumped forwards and grabbed the creatures arm a breaths length from the stone.
“What are you doing!” he hissed.
“Opening the door…” forsaken replied a little confused, hadn’t he wanted the door opened?
Forsaken pushed forwards a little closer and its fingers brushed the stone. It slid back easily by that faint touch and a soft click sounded in the night.
Neros stood silently and listened. Was that panel a trap?
He released Forsaken’s am and stepped back looking about for any sign of danger. There was none and Neros sighed softly looking darkly at Forsaken.
“You could have got us both ki-“ Neros was cut off as the ground trembled beneath.
It gave a sudden violent tremble that sent both to the ground. Quickly as they could manage the pair scrambled to their feet and ran as fast as they could away from the temple. The ground about their feet cracked and convulsed threatening to give out from under them and at the same time send them flying.

Unable to keep its balance for much longer Forsaken tacked Neros and pinned him to the ground as another violent lurch hit them. On the ground as they were they rode the earth wave rather then get thrown about. Forsaken fought to hold Neros down but eventually the man stopped.
The ground felt hot beneath it, hotter then the temple wall had been and it pulsed with that same beat only now it was racing chasing each earth wave as it passed.
“Magic…” Forsaken whispered as it realized what that energy was, and what magic it was! Forsaken felt giddy form the force as it passed and all the while it watched, enchanted as it continued to watch the event before it. The Temple, concealed beneath hundreds of years of earth was beginning to resurface.

[Kai! Kai!]

Chapter 7

The tremors continued on well into the night as small sections of earth that clung to the surface of the temple fell away. Each tremor taking more away until there was no more to be seen and only when the sun touched the top of the trees had they stopped altogether. Feeling no more tremors Forsaken allowed Neros to stand. The man was less then impressed and shoved Forsaken away as it offered a hand to help him up.

Restraining a sigh it followed the man as they made their way back to camp. No doubt he was angered by its actions and reflecting back Forsaken could understand why. Its actions could have indeed gotten at least him killed. I must learn to think of the consequences to such actions, It would know better next time, it hoped.

They walked along the now uneven and fractured ground stepping around the larger cracks incase they fell out from beneath them. Forsaken made sure to keep its distance from Neros the man was not in the best of moods, neither having slept at all. The tremors had kept them up all night, too dangerous with the earth shifting beneath them.

Only twenty meters from camp Forsaken could see it had not fared well, items and the tents the men slept in were thrown all about the camp. It looked like chaos and there appeared to be no sign of the others. Forsaken was worried and hoped none had been hurt by its stupidity.

They walked among what remained of the camp carefully checking over equipment and righting any upturned supplies, the horses were no where to be seen and neither were the others.
“Where are they?’ Forsaken wondered aloud looking to Neros, he only shrugged his facial expression unreadable as he met its gaze and then looked away.
“Hopefully they just ran for cover when the tremors started.” He replied and began heading towards the trees. Glancing that way forsaken noted how despite the violence of the shakes.
“How odd…” it muttered and then turned to scan the trees, not one of them looked disturbed in any way. It was very odd indeed.

Neros paused at the edge of the trees his eyes scanning the thick scrub for any sign of the others. In truth he was only half looking. His mind was more focused on how idiotic Forsaken had been, pressing that switch. What troubled him though was how it knew or seemed to know that the switch was there. It seemed he had more questions then before to ask it.
Every time he turned around Forsaken did something unexpected or suspect. Its wanderings when the sun set, the way it lingered in the shadows and always listened, never speaking but you could feel its attention and now the temple. Was the Triad trying to stop them, setting not just an assassin but a spy among them?

He growled his frustration and went to plunge into the trees when he stopped. With the temple now unearthed was it safe to leave Forsaken alone? He cursed under his breath wishing there was some way to prove once and for all that forsaken was or was not an enemy. Unfortunately he possessed no such item of truth with him at present.
Turning he started back to camp, eyes locked on the dark clad figure who stood at its center already cleaning up the mess. It seemed they would have to wait and see if the others would return, they must have fled into the trees to escape the tremors. He hopped.

Together he and forsaken righted the camp neither speaking much except to request the aid of another when moving the heaver items. It was close to noon by the time they had finished and still there was no sign of the others. Neros was greatly troubled by now, unfortunately he couldn’t go and look and he dare not bring Forsaken along with him incase the creature tried to kill him too. He just wasn’t at all sure what Forsaken was capable of.

When night came there was still no sign of the others. Forsaken stirred by the fire its gaze fixated on the flames. It had discarded the blindfold a day or so ago its eyes having adjusted ot the light of day though it still seemed to squint when facing direct light. The fire light cast deep shadows about it causing the dark fabric of its clothing to look as if it were whole. Disturbing to Neros’ mind but still neither spoke to one another. It seemed to be a matter of who would break the silence first.

In the end it was Forsaken who spoke. The masked creature looked up and met his eyes.
“This is my fault…” it said, speaking so softly Neros almost didn’t hear what it said.
Frowning he snorted and then glared at it. Forsaken looked away and began picking at the grass. “No kidding.”
He watched Forsaken for a moment then stood up turning his back to the creature and looked at the temple. In the night it looked alive; the temple shimmered and sparkled in the moonlight. “Now you know why I tried to stop you.” His tone was harsh but he didn’t care it had to learn.
“It will never happen again that I swear,” Forsaken replied
“It most certainly will not,” he stated turning to look at forsaken once more. “Because if it does I will personally dismember you creature and spread you from one end of the land to the other. You will spend eternity in pieces.”
Forsaken grimaced and then turned to look at the temple as well. “Where do you think they could be?”
“If they’re not dead… then they could be anywhere between here and the edge of the forest which doesn’t narrow the searching ground…” he sighed and sat back down abruptly poking the fire with a stick.

They fell into silence once more, both watching the fire and listening to its soft crackling as the flames ate at the wood. Eventually Forsaken lay down and closed its eyes. Neros shuddered as he looked at its face. Every time Forsaken closed its eyes all he could see was darkness within the eye holes, at least when its eyes were open he could pretend a face was behind it and not that gaping abyss. Just what had the Triad created and could it truly kill a man made immortal?
Pushing the thought aside Neros too lay down watching Forsaken as it appeared to sleep.
“Forsaken?”
“Yes?” it replied.
“How did you know that the switch was behind that fake stone?”
It opened one eyes and looked at him, Neros couldn’t be sure but he swore he saw something like uncertainty within that silver eye.
“I just knew… as Ashen told me to trust my instincts, so I did. Something didn’t ring true about those spires, especially the whole one, and after you unearthed part of the wall I began to think. Why make spires of common stone and yet the rest of the temple in that wondrous black rock, so like the night sky…. The rest was just guess work…” it closed its eye again and said no more.
Unable to help himself Neros smiled faintly and then closed his own eyes. He wouldn’t sleep fully, not without the others around. Forsaken might seem for all intensive purposes harmless but he would never be sure. Not until he had proof Forsaken was not working for the Triad.

*

Dark forms flickered along the tree line as the pair slept, at first they kept to the shadows watching the pair then slowly they began edging closer. The four they had taken earlier when the temple had awoken after so long, had been awake and panicked. Easy prey, and it seemed these two would be just the same. They whispered among one another as they drew ever closer their shadow forms human like, the only defining feature about them their eyes, white and pupiless. Only inches away they looked at each other then descended upon the two sleeping figures. Neither stirring from the sleep imposed upon them by the Temple. Their prizes acquired the creatures hefted them both and carried them on swift feet towards the Starlight Temple.

[Kai! Kai!]

Chapter 8

Forsaken grunted as it dozed, its sleep had been relatively untroubled until now. Its head pounded however and it was that which pulled it from its peacefully deep sleep. Slowly it opened its eyes and found nothing but darkness about it. Panicked Forsaken sat up sharply and looked about. It couldn’t be back in that abyss, not again.
“Forsaken?” it turned sharply looking for the source of the voice. It was familiar to it.
“Where?”
“Wait for your eyes to adjust my friend,” the voice instructed.
“Ashen?”
“Yes it’s me…”Ashen replied, “But don’t ask me where we are because I do not know.”

Forsaken sighed and looked about however all it could see was darkness, though if it concentrated on a single point it thought it could see something like stone. Only it would lose the object again every time a pulse spread through its head.

Gingerly Forsaken rubbed at its head wondering when it had hits its head to cause such an ache.
“What’s wrong?” Ashen enquired. Forsaken felt slight pressure on its lap and looked down, seeing faintly the dim gleam of a pair of cat’s eyes.
“My head won’t stop pounding…”
“Pounding…. Yes, my head felt like that too but give it time it’ll pass. I think it might have something to do with where we are.” The cat became silent as they waited. Time passed, how slowly or fast Forsaken couldn’t be sure. As it waited for its eyes to adjust it pondered their situation. Where were Shuric and the other men? Where was Neros?

When its eyes had adjusted Forsaken perceived the interior to be cavernous with massive pillars reaching into a murky darkness above. There seemed to be no light sources within.
How strange… It flinched as another nauseating pulse ripped through its mind and faded.
Ignoring the pain Forsaken looked about more carefully searching its surroundings until it saw the slumped figures of what cold only be Shuric and the two men who had traveled along with them. Forsaken never could remember their names.

Shifting Ashen to its shoulders Forsaken slid off the stone bench it had been laying on. Staggering as its feet touched the ground and accepted its full weight, luckily it found its balance and waited for its body to readjust Cautious of its surroundings Forsaken made its way over to the men, kneeling by their sides and shook them gently each in turn, but they did not stir.
“I already tried…”Ashen remarked softly. “I get the distinct stench of enchantment and it’s a powerful one too.”
“Why aren’t we affected then?” It asked.
“Well you are a forsaken. Magic has almost no effect on creatures like you and me, I’m of a different kind of magic and it takes a lot to affect me with persuasive spells like sleep.”

Forsaken stood up and looked about the room, There had to be someway to wake them up. The only problem was finding the right key.
“Ashen… how did you get here, do you know?”
Ashen shifted on its shoulders, “I-I don’t know… one minute we were trying to get out of camp because the quake came and then the last thing I saw was…. Shadows then nothing…”
“Then me thinks… there is stronger magic here then normal magic Ashen. Me thinks the spells used were powerful enough to even persuade you and I. Then there is this Temple. For I believe we are within its star studded walls my friend,” it paused and looked to Ashen. “What treasure of power does it hold, to warrant such strong protection and why was Neros so determined to find it?”

It paused and looked about once again, where was Neros? He was nowhere to be seen, and this troubled Forsaken, maybe he was deeper in.
Looking back to the sleeping figures again Forsaken sighed, they seemed fine enough for the time being. It turned and moved deeper into the Temple eyes scanning the architecture in the darkness, searching for any sign of the wayward man.

The place looked dead and cold but the steady pulse in Forsaken’s head, so like what it had heard within the walls it now realized, told a different story.
“Neros?” it called into the shadows, but there was no reply. Only the soft echo of its voice through the hall, the reaction disturbed Forsaken more then a little.

Ashen jumped down from Forsaken’s shoulder and proceeded to plod along beside the dark clad creature, the pair made their way slowly down the center of the hall looking about with wonder. It should have been pitch black inside and the air stale. Yet they could see, however faintly and the air was not foul.

As they walked however Forsaken got the distinct impression they were being watched, the gaze didn’t feel hostile but neither was it friendly. For now forsaken felt they were being observed.
Best not to offend whatever entity is responsible for this…. only where could Neros be? Forsaken sighed and glanced down at Ashen, the werecat was still looking about with a wary curiosity.
“You never answered my question,” it remarked.
“Question?” Ashen replied as it continued to look about. How odd the werecat never missed much and he always answered its questions. Why not now?
“Yes, question...” it replied picking the werecat up turning him to look it in the eye. How strange indeed this dark place seemed to leech even the colour from Ashen’s eyes, they looked as dark and dead as its shirt.
“I asked what item of power Neros came here to get and I want to know why.”
“All in good time creature, now put me down, “Ashen growled.

Puzzled Forsaken did as it was asked and set the werecat down.
”Do you have any idea where Neros could be?” it was feeling more apprehensive the deeper they went. Something about this place did not feel right and the pounding in its head still had not subsided. If anything it seemed to grow stronger the deeper in they went.
“Yes, he’s up ahead I’m sure of it,” Ashen bounded off into the darkness before forsaken could argue.

Throwing caution to the wind it ran after the werecat and with each step the pain increased. It felt like something was trying to beat its way into the its mind. Then forsaken stopped.
Was something trying to enter its mind? Was that why its head hurt so?
Everything seemed so wrong all of a sudden. Looking about Forsaken now saw how the pillars shifted and coiled. They were alive!
“Forsaken help!” Ashen’s voice called through the darkness ahead. Was it really Ashen that called? Was it a trick, a ploy set up by whatever was trying to enter its thoughts? Were the unconscious forms of Shuric and the others even real?
It felt confused, what was real and what was a lie, what sought to deceive it and why?
Forsaken stepped back but something pressed hard against its back. Looking behind Forsaken found a black wall behind it. The Temple had moved, it was trying to push forsaken on.
“What do you want from me?” it called into the darkness, already the interior was fading once more into darkness.
“Who do you serve creature?” hundreds of voices spoke at once unified and emotionless, “We feel their mark in you, yet your soul is not of their making.”[/i]
“Who are you?” it called out
“We are the protectors of this place. We are the Guardians of the Starlight Temple, bound by oath and blood centuries ago to protect the weapons of the Gods from the hands of those whose mark you bear. Again we ask Forsaken of Nothing who do you serve?”
Who do I serve? Forsaken reflected, its gaze turning inwards as it recalled unbidden a memory of that day.

Forsaken stood again on that glowing dais the star of the gods choked and dim by the three circles that clung to it with thorned tendrils. The Triad stood about it as they instructed it to kill the Immortal king in exchange for its freedom from its damnation. Forsaken felt its resentment and hatred for those three grow along with its disbelief. Deep in its being Forsaken knew they would never keep their bargain and it would be a fool to believe them.
“I,” it hissed darkly banishing the memory. “I serve none by myself!”
There was silence in that dark void. Forsaken watched and waited and yet nothing happened.

*

A gentle touch to the shoulder was all it took to stir Neros from his sleep. When he opened his eyes he found himself laying in a pool of light cast by a torch. The person who had touched him was Shuric, the healer smiled faintly and backed away when he saw he was awake.
“Where have you been?” he grumbled sitting up slowly, his neck felt stiff it felt like he’d been sleeping on a stone.
“Back?” Shuric replied, we never came back… you came here.” The healers face looked strained.

Neros frowned and then took a better look at their surroundings. It was dark where they were with no natural light but the torch Shuric had lit cast enough light to illuminate the nearest wall. Looking at it Neros could see it was made of the same stuff the temple was.
Where were they?

Standing slowly he felt unsteady on his feet but the feeling soon passed. “What happened?”
“We’re not entirely sure… Ashen and I have discussed it but from what we’ve gathered something came out of the temple during the quake. We think we’re actually inside the Starlight Temple.”

Neros looked about and noticed a dark form still laying on the ground. “Forsaken too it seems…”
“Yes but…” Shuric shook his head and walked over to the still sleeping Forsaken, Gently he shook the creature but it did not stir. Then as if to prove it Shuric gave the creature a sharp kick in the back. Still it did not stir.
“Why won’t it wake up?” Neros wanted to know.

Ashen lifted its head up and peered over Forsaken’s side.
“I think it’s the temple...” the werecat replied sleepily. “I smell strong enchantment on the poor thing. Probably the Guardian… well the magic force that protects the treasures within has felt the Triads mark on it. The Temple is either destroying Forsaken’s mind, trying to work out if its friend or foe, or keeping Forsaken’s mind trapped within this enchanted sleep.”
Yawning wide Ashen half closed its eyes.
“Unfortunately we can’t do anything, its up to Forsaken to save itself and for now you lot might as well get started hunting for those Gods Items. No doubt their hidden well, I’ll stay here and wait to see if forsaken will wake up and if it does we’ll come hunting for you.”

Neros nodded and looked down at the sleeping forsaken. Again all he could see of its eyes were the black wells where they should been, made deeper and darker by the firelight.
“Alright,” Neros said looking past Forsaken to where his two remaining comrades sat. He motioned to them and they stood tasking up torches of their own and moved out to explore the hall.
Shuric followed after them leaving Ashen and Forsaken alone in the darkness.
“Come on Forsaken, don’t give up now,” Ashen whispered curling back up against it, like he had throughout their journeys on the odd night when Forsaken did sleep.[/color]

[Kai! Kai!]

Chapter 9

[/u]

The darkness was endless to Forsaken’s eyes, silent and without sensation. Once again it was within an abyssal hell and once again it let the darkness pass as it would. Time as it always did had no meaning within the void. The only difference to this imprisonment was the sense of self.
Forsaken understood that it was alive, but that was all. The guardians of the temple had remained silent since its interigation and would not respond to any of its questions.

Unable to anything but wait for them to release it Forsaken walked within the darkness searching perhaps for the barrier that blocked it from its latent memories. Within its mind as it was Forsaken reasoned that perhaps it could find this barrier and break it, even the faintest of memories would be better then a hollow darkness such as this.
But where to begin? It pondered gazing about the abyss.
Walking through the endless abyss Forsaken gazed ahead deciding it would go straight until it met the boundaries of its mind. Stopping it gazed upwards and sighed. The lack of memories were a bitter loss to it, without memories it had no identity. Even if it had reclaimed its face, without memories it was nothing but a shell. All about it the darkness suddenly quivered. Forsaken drew in a sharp breath as it felt the quiver vibrate through its very being. Something was happening.

The darkness about it shook violently and Forsaken watched as the darkness melted revealing a vast room lit with windows no thicker then its arm and large torches. Banners flapped in the breeze and Forsaken breathed in. The air was icy and seared its throat and chest yet the taste was so clear, so familiar. Was this a memory?

Looking about Forsaken marveled at the hall and the people who milled about it, all dressed in heavy white robes, faces lost in shadows cast by their deep hoods. About to wander the memory and seek out more Forsaken was stopped as a slow groan permeated the room. Turning to face the sound it watched the a pair of large double doors open allowing a mass of swirling white snow to flood the room. It looked away and the room faded leaving forsaken in darkness once more.

It shook its head sadly and looked about at the darkness of its mind once more.
Where was that place? It pondered, disappointed that it had not seen who had entered.
“You’re here at last,” the voice cut through the silent darkness causing Forsaken to turn full circle to seek the source, the voice was aged and worn yet lighter then that of the men it had traveled with.
“We were called and we came Matron,” another light voice replied, yet colder and hinted at what could be dislike for the person the younger voice spoke to.
“Hush and speak with more respect.” A third voice chided the second, it was undoubtedly a mans voice.
“You know why your here and now I must warn you all that once you go you will not be able to come back until your duty is done,” the aged crones voice remarked taking no notice of what was said.
“We understand Matron and we will try not to fail…” a fourth voice another mans replied.
Forsaken listened and heard footsteps echo in the void of its mind. They were moving.
“I won’t go back Ashura, never…” the younger lighter voice whispered.
“No Kas! You must return, don’t say such things…”
“You can’t change my mind and don’t you dare mention this to Pharox. I will leave once our duty is done. I can’t stay here I can’t stay in S-“ the voice faded and Forsaken hissed frustrated as again another possible clue to its past was taken away. Still it had the memory of the hall and the robed figures, a clue, a fragment it was something and once it was free it could begin hunting down these clues. Perhaps seeing something of its past would help break the bind the Triad had placed on its memory.
“You Forsaken of Nothing who claim to serve to master, we have pondered you words and your soul,” The multiple voices of the Guardians sounded in the void. “We cannot tell you true intention but we have decided that if we are to release you, you must do as we ask of you.”

Forsaken hissed again and looked about it, “Serve you like some whipped dog?! Never!”
“Before you decline damned creature hear our cause, once the God’s Eye Stones laid to rest within our walls. It was these stones which drove back the darkness which now descends upon the soul of the world choking it slowly. Once the Gods would have taken up our treasures and driven it back with the power of the stones and their own, but the Gods are gone and now the stones are lost.
“Only one sleeps within our grasp, the Orb set in the hilt you now carry. It is what the one you call Neros seeks, do not give it to him yet for the others must be acquired. What we ask of you is to aid them in finding the others. With these stones they will have the power to stop the Triad and drive back the darkness that now descends….”
“You would trust me with such information?” Forsaken replied with surprise. It seemed too simple, there had to a catch other then obeying these disembodied voices.
“Yes,”

Wary but helpless Forsaken bowed its head. The Guardians had it well and truly cornered. Spending eternity in this void of its mind would never get it closer to restoring what was lost and with the promise of the power to destroy the cause of its anguish was too sweet an opportunity to pass up.
“So be it I shall swear to do as you ask, just know once the stones are found and put in the right hands our agreement is terminated,”
“So be it…”
The darkness melted away and Forsaken felt a presents materialize beside it. It turned to face the newcomer but it shifted just out of sight.
“Look and see,” the voice was singular, it seemed the guardians would leave one of their own to watch over it.

Turning back ahead Forsaken saw a long line of black rocks jagged and surrounded by swirling waters. The clouds overhead were dark, illuminated with spectacular flashes of lightning. The wind howled and the water bulged. Rising from the depths was a serpent, larger then anything it had seen before scales deep green and blue a pair of flaming red eyes between them a tear of blue shined. The massive serpent opened its maw revealing row upon row of dagger sized teeth and descended. Forsaken raised its arms as the serpent roared and darkness enveloped it once more.

Giving away once more Forsaken found itself within a dark passage, small alcoves were within the walls and when it looked closer it could see the bones of the dead long passed, Spiders and other insects crawling about the bodies as they lay at rest. Golden light filled the passage and Forsaken looked ahead. Before it several skeletons walked, the light filling their hollow corpses as they shuffled and clattered towards it. Behind them Forsaken saw the true source of the light. A towering monster half rotted and hound like. It opened its maw and shrieked revealing the broken stone within and the long needle like fangs. Behind it another shriek made Forsaken turn and there another of the rotting hound like beasts the light that came from it however was black and abyssal. The hounds shrieked again and charged leaping over their undead hordes and struck at Forsaken.

*

Arising form its sleep with a panic Forsaken shivered and looked about in a panic searching for the nightmares that had assaulted it only to fin it was alone in darkness. Standing shakily it patted carefully over its body searching for any sign of injury but found none. Had it been a dream?

Calming Forsaken looked about the darkness and found it was not so dark as it had fist believed, the faint light within was enough for it to make out the interior of what could only be the Starlight Temple. So like the one in its dream.
“Forsaken?” A soft voice whispered in surprise.
It looked down and found ashen at its feet, the werecat’s vibrant eyes almost glowing in the darkness.
“Aye Ashen it is I….” it paused troubled by the similarity to its nightmare, “Am I dreaming still little friend?”
“No, not anymore but tell me what happened?” Ashen enquired.
“Where are the others?” Forsaken asked changing the subject for the time being, while it trusted the werecat it was loathe to mention what it knew without consulting him first.
“Hunting for treasure as boys do… now what happened?’

Nodding Forsaken sat down and allowed Ashen to curl up on its lap before it began recounting the dream. However Forsaken did not mention its fragmented memory or the people’s names in the dream. That was far more personal and Forsaken did not feel it could share those details yet.
When it finished Ashen was silent for a time his tail lashing as he thought. Forsaken sat there in the darkness listening for the sounds of the others. In this cavernous place sound carried easily, the others would not be able to approach without making some kind of noise.
“I see some wisdom in the Guardians choice; by giving you the location of the other stones they give us the chance we need to stop the Triad. This other darkness however troubles me along with their unwillingness to have Neros know what you carry… alas I feel I must comply too with their wishes. They have their reasons I suppose…” Ashen sighed and leapt out of Forsaken’s lap stretching before he began grooming his fur. “The serpent in your nightmares and the rocks surrounded by violent water sound like the Serpents Spine the nesting place of the Water Serpents… as for the resting place of the dead it could be anyone of numerous catacombs without more detail I wouldn’t be able to tell where…”

Standing once more forsaken looked about the room then glanced down at Ashen, “You will have to inform them of the locations and speak of it as if it was your nightmares given to you by the Guardians….”

Ashen stopped mid lick and looked up at Forsaken, “Whatever for?”
It sighed and shook its head, “Do you honestly think Neros will believe a word I speak?”
The werecat snorted and began grooming himself once more, “Give the man more credit Forsaken, he might seem cold and unfriendly towards you but I tell you now he-“
“There coming,” Forsaken cut in before Ashen could finish.

The pair looked up and watched as a torch came towards them; the heads of four men were visible in the light along with some of their body. Looking down at Ashen the werecat rolled its eyes and sighed, ‘Alright you win but…” Forsaken nodded its head slowly at the werecat’s unfinished words. It knew what he man. Indeed Forsaken would have to begin trusting that Neros would believe its words sooner or later.

They gathered where Forsaken had been lying not long ago as Neros recounted their search.
“Nothing… the vault was empty the treasures long gone. A complete waste of time...” He said bitterly.
“Not so,” Ashen replied, “For I have attained the locations of two of the objects we seek.”
Neros glanced at Forsaken suspiciously for a moment before looking down at Ashen, The werecat growled eyes glinting with irritation.
“Forsaken will learn of it ether by chance or when we find the first of them Neros there is little point keeping it in the dark about our quest, not when we will need its help in acquiring them,”
Forsaken looked down at the werecat in alarm. Ashen it seemed was going to make sure it was dragged into this quest more then it wished to be.
You are going to be needed Forsaken, the guardians of the stones will only surrender their prizes to you… the lone voice of the guardian that it had felt before the nightmares whispered in its mind.
So much for thinking it a dream… it thought grimly ignoring the silent laughter that faded in its head.
Glancing sidelong it felt Neros’ eyes watching it. Forsaken refused to meet his eyes instead listening to Ashen as it described the first location.
“Madness!” Shuric cried, “You mean to say the God’s Eyes Stone of water, the Tear of Oceanna is to be found in that ship graveyard?”
“Yes...” Forsaken replied grimly receiving a sharp glance from the healer Shuric.
“It is where it is and as the Orb is not we have no choice and the Twin Stones of Gaia are in an unknown catacomb. The Serpents Spin is the only real lead we have,” Neros replied.
“Well as much as I’d like to leave we have the problem of there being no door…”

Forsaken closed its eyes and let the sound of their voices drift away.
Care to help with this seeing as it was you and your other guardians who brought us here to begin with? Forsaken asked in its mind knowing full well the guardian who had been appointed as its keeper.
I thought you’d never ask… the guardian replied with amusement. Moments later there were cries of alarm. Opening its eyes Forsaken found they were outside once more. It turned full circle looking at the forest about them and stopped. The temple was gone; the clearing they stood in was level and flat covered in lush grass. The horses stood nearby along with their camping gear, all there as if it had never been touched.
“Where are we?” one of the men asked.
“Where the temple once was…. If it ever truly was…” Forsaken replied then turned and began heading towards camp.

Neros shook his head and followed the dark clad creature with the werecat Ashen loping along beside it. Such san odd pair they were, a werecat and the forsaken creature. It seemed to him like something odd was going on he just needed to work out what.

[Kai! Kai!]

Chapter 10

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The stone halls of the temple were drafty as a lone man walked riskily through their dark passages, his heavy black long coat slapping softly at the back of his calf high boots. Throughout his life Mikale of Arka, a tracker by profession had been employed by the Triads religious orders. Working with the religious orders had always seen him rewarded handsomely, of course he did not share their relish in the mindless worship of their supposed gods. He chose to neither acknowledge or deny the three, both sides had their dangers and he preferred to keep himself a free man. A mercenary for the hiring, he had allegiance to none and even his contracts were subject to change, especially when the risk far outweighed the reward. He slowed his walk and came before a large set of double doors, knocking smartly he waited and listened as a wizened voice called, “Enter.”

Entering smartly walking to the center of the room, curious as to what work the voice of the Triad had for him this day and more interestingly what rewards that offered. Standing perfectly still Mikale watched the man who sat at the desk, his grey, thinning hair tied back in a lose ponytail keeping the wispy locks from his eyes as he added what must be his signature to what could have been the hundredth letter for the day. This was the voice of the Triad, there was one in every Head Temple, each a flesh and blood representative to the power of the demi-gods.

These men gave orders on behalf of the Triad and only they knew the locations of the overlords of Chronisa, but even that information was protected by powerful spells cast by the demi-gods themselves to prevent their location being given out unwillingly. The old man set his quill down and motioned to the acolyte who stood in the shadows. Mikale had not missed the man in the shadows nor the other three positioned about the dim room, he knew he had entered a vipers den and this was more dangerous then any for the priests of the Triad were above all law but that of their Gods. The papers were gathered and the men hurried out of the room, still Mikale remained silent watching as the old man at last turned his cold watery blue eyes on him. It took all the trackers control to repress a shudder as he surveyed the wasting man, he had the appearance of a withered apple left too long in the sun and his hands were spidery claws.

A man left to live too long beyond his natural means, he reflected within the deepest depths of his mind. Here a stray thought was easily perceived by the priests let alone the Voices of the Triad and if they took offence his life was forfeit.
“We have another contract for you Mikale of Arka, it concerns a tracker of our own, new and untrained it has been missing for five weeks and our great and all powerful Gods wish for you to find this poor beast and bring it to us so that we might reeducate its mind into our services,” the relic of a man rose slowly from his desk, arms trembling as the heavy white robe of his office settled into place.
“The creature was last seen around the distance Arkanian village of Falip where it was reported a young man of Sayavah by description, led the creature to the house of a Healer named Shuric. There a week later they departed into the forest and vanished before any of the Holy Knights could intercept.”

Mikale frowned as he took this information in, if they knew where the creature was before vanish, why not had the soldiers intercepted it before entering the forest. Surely the ten holy knights (he didn’t doubt were within range) could have acquired the creature with little trouble. The Holy Knights of the Triad were dangerous and single minded in their objectives, once men but now no more they live forever unless slain and answer only to the priests or commanding officers. Their lack of self-preservation and inability to fear made them a vicious and dangerous foe.

Undoubtedly reading his thoughts he Voice of the Triad laughed, his voice like a asp as the old man inspected Mikale as he had the old man upon entering. Mikale was acutely aware of the cold vicious intelligence behind hose aging features, this man despite his frailness was perhaps more dangerous then any of his subordinates. Power and the intelligence to use it made for a very difficult and merciless enemy.
“The creature you hunt is no mortal beast. To touch its flesh is death, no weapon of mortal making can slay it, magic has little or no effect and it’s only hope for forgiveness and the mercy of the gods is to serve the divine ones faithfully.”

Mikale went cold all over as the old man spoke, those words alone told him that his target was of the condemned, the damned. He hunted a forsaken! Already his mind whirled, to hunt such a creature was danger beyond measure, one misstep and it would know of his pursuit and should it catch him… He shivered as he recalled the stories told by the priests as a boy, he did not forget, none did.

Crowing as he looked at Mikale’s undoubtedly pale face, the old man sat once more at his desk and laced his bony fingers with some difficulty. “You of course will be aptly rewarded Mikale, for to capture this creature will see you resting easy for the reminder of your life and perhaps even the lives of you decedents this creature is that valuable to our gods.”
He nodded and owed formally to the Voice of the Triad studying his nerves before speaking, “Once the contract is drawn up I shall do as the Triad wishes in pursuit of the creature.”
“That is good...” the old man laughed coldly and watched the tracker leave.

Mikale suppressed a shudder as he left the room and began back up the passage with all haste eager to be out of the cool oppressing atmosphere of the temple. The mission proposed was dangerous especially with the creature had been found by those in league with the Immortal King, a man as mysterious and feared as the Triad. He was no fool and knew this mission could be his last, what puzzled him more was what the Triad were wiling to pay to regain the missing creature. However the price they were willing to pay seemed too enticing. He smiled faintly at the possibilities and left the Temple entering the sunlight; he winced at the light but continued on towards his temporary residence while the scribes for the temple drew up the contract. He wouldn’t make a move until they had his signature and that was final.

*

The forest wasn’t as thick as it had been when they traveld to the temple and Forsaken had been amazed to find towns within the vast wood. Ashen had departed the moment they had entered the town and Shuric had taken up keeping an eye on it. Not that forsaken minded it hadn’t done since the incident at the temple. Absently its gloved hand played on the hilt of the sword found at the temple. On every occasion possible when alone or with Ashen it would take the hilt out and examine the stone set in the cross section of the hilt. Its misty surface where black veins ran through. Forsaken found it hard to believe such a small stone could possess such great power.
Powers to drive back the darkness,it reflected.
Not alone, the deep resonating voice of the guardian resided in its mind.
Forsaken had become accustomed to the guest within its mind. The guardian had even reluctantly given a name, Tarthan. It seemed like a males name to Forsaken and when it had enquired Tarthan had laughed. Male, Female what is the difference? We all end up the same in the end… but I suppose once I was male, if it sets your mind at ease.

Forsaken however now found itself alone in the small forest town free to wander about though many kept their distance. Shuric had departed to the house of another healer some hours ago and tired of being looked at by the wary town people, it departed into the trees climbing the incline near the town.
Always seeking solitude Forsaken?Tarthan remarked as it climbed the slope weaving between the trees moving higher above the town.
Do we not all seek solitude from time to time? It countered stopping by the summit and sat at the base of a tree picking up a single pine needle to examine the slender leaf. It had seen enough of these leaves but still they were fascinating.
True but you seek solitude at every possible convenience, I am curious as to why, Forsaken puzzled over Tarthan’s enquiry.
You do not know why? I… I always thought you knew my mind as you seem to have set up a kind of residency while I carry out the duty set upon me by your fellow Guardians.

The guardian’s voice rippled with laughter as he replied. You assumed wrong creature… nay Forsaken it is not fitting to call you creature.
It felt a wave of affection for the guardian at that point, Only Ashen and Shuric called it by the name it had chosen until such time as its true name could be discerned form the abyss of its mind. To your question I seek solitude to escape people Tarthan… They stare and they fear I dislike their looks and I prefer to be out of sight as it makes them less tense.

When the guardian made no reply Foraken closed its eyes thinking back to first the memory fragment found in the depths of its mind and then the upcoming quest. The serpents spine was all the way south, they would have to cross the entire span of Arka to reach the capital of Spry and the charter a ship and crew brave enough to get close. From there Forsaken hoped a path would become clear and lead them to their target. It shuddered at the memory of the towering serpent of blue and green and the way its eyes had locked upon it.

Dwell not of what is to come Forsaken, live instead for the moment and trust in the Old Gods to show you the correct path, Tarthan suggested softly, his voice helped Forsaken to relax and forge the strain of what was to come. It would someday have to face Neros and hand over to him the Orb of Vallance and tell him the truth of the vision. While he would undoubtedly dislike the lie in the first place if the dream proved true and they acquired the Tear of Oceanna perhaps then he would be less inclined to dismiss Forsaken as a wolf in sheep clothing. It just wanted to be trusted and treated with a little respect, but for now it would have to bide its time.

Opening its eyes Forsaken felt the need to wander around the trees that surrounded the town. It had no wish to return yet and Neros wouldn’t be back from talking with the elder of the town for a good while yet. It also felt no need to disrupt Shuric as he spoke with the old fellow Healer a woman well learned in the art of treating injuries. Forsaken had liked the woman the moment it had seen her even though she showed little interest in it.

The forest surrounding the rise by the town was peaceful and relaxing to Forsaken. It enjoyed the solitude of the trees here and listened to the songs of the birds. There had been no sign of forest animals but it felt knew animal eyes watching it. They had been for some time but forsaken put it down to a wary predator. Since its encounter with the wood Raptors Forsaken had truly come to understand that animals if they attacked with tooth and claw would die in the same horrific manner that predatorily reptile had. A sad fate for such a magnificent hunter, Forsaken had to admire how diligently they had followed the group and trapped them. Unfortunately those beasts had not counted on Forsaken being as it was.

It paused on the far side and gazed into the sea of trunks before it pondering the true depth of the forest. So many were the wonders of this world but to accompany them came the dangers and horrors. For every beautiful thing there was something terrible, that much Forsaken had come to understand.
Balance it is called,Tarthan replied following Forsaken’s train of thought. Everything has an equal and opposite, it is necessary to the world. In this case the world has been thrown off balance with the Triad in its current state; greed, power and the desire to dominate dictate their every motive and action.
Is this why you strive to help those who seek to stop them? It enquired.
We seek to aid those who will see the wrong in the world righted.

A soft snap made It turn sharply and there behind them Forsaken thought it saw the shape of a large beast, it vanished though before it could get a closer look. Perhaps it was the beast Forsaken had sensed watching since entering the forest. The silhouette it had seen was very large similar to the size of a bear Shuric had pointed out while they had been traveling. The creature had been immense but not shaped the way the shadow had been to Forsaken’s eyes. What was watching it?

Shaking its head slowly Forsaken turned and began returning to town, it was getting dark and Neros would be having conniptions if he found Forsaken missing. That would get Shuric in trouble instead it put the shadow form its mind and began to jog back, the faster it returned the town the better.

[Kai! Kai!]

Chapter 11

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Warm and content to sit in the corner of the small healer’s cabin, forsaken hugged its knees while watching an ancient looking woman by the name of Yau as she chatted merrily with Shuric. It understood little of what they said except that they discussed something called a marriage between two young people of the village and several types of plants it hadn’t heard of or seen. As curious as it was to find out what these things were Forsaken was loathed to interrupt the two healers as they talked, so instead it looked away from them both and examined the plants growing on a counter just to it’s right.

One was a plant placed into a small clay pot, it was no bigger then Forsaken’s hand and the leaves were odd looking round things the color of sun rise and no bigger then Shuric’s little nail, while the stems were a deep indigo. Forsaken found the plant amazing to look at, the only it had ever seen were either green or brown and any colour normally belonged to the flowers. Slowly it reached up from the floor and took the plant down setting it on the floor before its legs to get a better look.

With much care Forsaken lifted leaves and looked the small plant over, it appeared to be a kind of miniature shrub, with its thick trunk and long slender branches. It was pretty to look at and Forsaken wondered what purpose the plant served for the healer Yau.
Ask her then, she’s stopped talking, Tarthan suggested.
Looking up Forsaken indeed found Yau had stopped talking, her gaze instead upon Forsaken, looking at the plant then back at Yau it placed the plant back and stared at the floor feeling like it had done something it shouldn’t have.

Dry laughter sounded in the room and forsaken looked up again shyly finding it was the old woman who was laughing. She gave forsaken a sly wink and then turned to Shuric.
“You were right old boy, it might look grown but its mind is defiantly child like. I haven’t seen a guilty look like that since I caught a certain young man pilfering my graze balm.”
She cackled again and then smiled at Forsaken, “Don’t worry about it Forsaken that plant is an odd little thing. Dangerous if you happen to somehow consume the sap.”
“What’s it called?” Forsaken asked, looking back up at the plant.
“Most commonly it’s known as a Dawn Tree and the poison of its sap is called Black Night which is black like charcoal but as sticky and sweet as honey and when applied rightly is a powerful healing balm.”

It nodded slowly and looked away from the plant. Beautiful but deadly… Forsaken reflected shifting its gaze back to the floor.
“Any other questions?” Yau asked. “No doubt you must be bursting with them.”
Pleased with the prospect of having its questions answered Forsaken looked up at Yau and nodded.
“Before… You were talking about something I don’t understand besides the plants….” It paused and fidgeted a little plucking at the leather of its gloves. “What is this word marriage?”
The healer woman looked surprised but that was quickly replaced with a smile as she motioned for Forsaken to come over. Wary but knowing there was no harm, it stood up and walked over sitting on the floor by the Healer’s chairs. Wondering what Yau was going to tell it about this marriage thing.

*

It was well past midnight when Neros finally returned to the guest house they had been lent for the few days they were going to be staying. Forsaken who rarely slept, looked up from its dark corer and watched the man slip inside the dark house. Its thoughts had been occupied by the information gleamed from the aging woman. There was so much lost to it.
“Have fun?” it enquired as Neros stepped past, it amused forsaken to see the man visibly jump, no doubt having missed it in its dark place.
“Damn you creature,” he whispered tensely, “You near scared the life out of me. Why don’t you sit in a chair or curl up on one of the pallets rather then skulk and sit in dark corners?”
“Because I don’t sleep much and I find sitting on the floor better then a chair because while sitting here as you have observed people fail to notice me while I am free to observe them and judge whether they be a threat.” It replied with an undertone of amusement.

Nero ran his hand through his short black locks, a sign of frustration it had observed with him. He sighed and shook his head waving a hand dismissively at it before continuing past. “We’ll talk about this tomorrow creature I’m too tired tonight.”
It made no reply but instead watched Neros until he disappeared from sight, waiting longer Forsaken heard the soft click of a door closing and closed its eyes. Five minutes later it heard the same door open and soft footsteps follow. Making no move Forsaken felt someone’s eyes upon it and didn’t doubt Neros was making sure it hadn’t been waiting for him to return before sneaking out. When the feeling passed Forsaken opened its eyes and stood. Neros’ suspicions were well founded but not in the way he expected. Forsaken knew it had no reason to betray the man but he had no right to try and control what it did. Tonight it felt like wandering, restlessness had gripped it ever since entering the town and the longer it sat still the stronger the feeling got.
Just be careful Forsaken, Tarthan warned. There are enemies out there and not just of the humanoid variety…

The night air was cold in the highlands not cold enough for the white substance they called snow but cold enough for breath to be see in the light of the full moon. It looked up at the full silver ball and sighed, forsaken had come to find it loved the sky. The Sky did not judge, command or expect, it would be as it chose to be no matter what the person. Moving with a practiced skill, perfected over the weeks of traveling in the forest Forsaken left the town and entered the deep forest once more.
Just as the day the forest was alive with the noises of the night and occasionally forsaken caught a glimpses of dark shapes flickering through the trees, smaller then the one it had seen before returning to town earlier that day.
Wolves… Tarthan warned, though both knew forsaken had nothing to fear of the creatures. It was they who would have to be wary.
Forsaken continued on returning to the hill it had climbed in the daylight to see if the larger shadow was around. Forsaken wasn’t sure why but its dark shape continually plagued its mind whenever it was outside. Occasionally Forsaken thought it saw the shadow standing in the trees out of the corner of its eye but when it turned its head the shadow was gone. Even Tarthan had no explanation for the dark shape but still gave words of warning.

Reaching the hill Forsaken stopped up ahead a light burned. Now alert and more wary then before it crept up the hillside keeping to the shadows. Voices carried of the still night but it was not near enough to hear. Going against its better judgment Forsaken crept closer keeping just out of the light radius and slipped behind a tree. Peering around the trunk a strange sight met is eyes.
Yau, the old chatty healer stood wrapped in a thick shawl before a huge wolf, its earthen toned fur tinged grew beneath its chin down its back and around its eyes. It was old yet Forsaken felt alarmed. It had heard stories of wolves attacking men and yet the old healer did not appear afraid. If anything her expression was a dark and serious one.
“Your news is grave Ancient one…. How soon will they be here?”
The old wolf so large it could have been a bear bowed its head and much to Forsaken's surprise spoke, its voice deep like thunder. “Two passings of the sun…”

It looked up suddenly and Forsaken ducked out of sight. It did not think the beast had seen it and yet Forsaken had the strangest feeling the old talking wolf was looking right at it like the tree wasn’t there. Forsaken shivered though it did not feel cold, the wolf was not what it seemed.
They were once abundant in the highlands, the Bear-Wolves of Vale. As ancient as my own people they too were once guardians of this world before the coming of man…but like us their time is passing. That is the Ancient Bear-Wolf, the last of his kind a sad and lonely survivor of a bygone age. Do not fear him Forsaken, Bear-Wolf is a gentle soul, Tarthan informed it, though Forsaken was not comforted by his words. Something about the Bear-Wolf disturbed Forsaken profoundly.
Perhaps it is because seeing such an ancient being reminds me of my own fate. To outlive all and everything until perhaps like it I will be alone… It repressed a sigh and touched the mask of its face knowing it could not tell what the metal felt like.

Forsaken waited and listened but there was nothing more said. Instead it heard the shuffling of feet and it knew Yau was moving, no doubt back to the town.
“Forsaken…” the healers dry voice called and slowly forsaken moved out from behind the tree, much to its relief The Bear-Wolf was nowhere to be seen. “It’s too cold for wandering tonight, come and escort an old lady back home to warmth…”
Nodding its agreement Forsaken came into step beside the aging woman allowing her to lead them along the path she used to return to town.
“You were treated wit a rare privilege tonight my darkling,” Yau commented after several minutes of silence. “The Ancient Bear-Wolf normally doesn’t let itself be seen to people.”
“How old is he?” It asked.
“Older then the history of man, he was one of the first races of Chronisa…”
“Like the Keepers of the Starlight Temple?”

The old woman laughed taking hold of Forsaken’s arm much to its alarm. The only creature that ever touched it had been Ashen. “Very much so though many of the ancient races have faded into history and become figments of legend…. Of which I must ask that you not say anything of what you have seen.”
Forsaken nodded and escorted the old woman down the hill side towards the town. There were no lamps lit and everything was black. Yet Yau led the way as easily as if the sun were up and reached her house.
“A moment if you would Forsaken, come inside…”

Puzzled it followed the old healer inside watching as she lit a candle and motioned for it to wait in the room where it and Shuric had been before Neros returned. Yau moved out of sight and returned a few minutes later carrying a small wooden box in her hand, no bigger then her palm. Gently she took Forsaken’s hand and handed it the box. Forsaken was puzzled as it looked at the box. What purpose was this for?
“Look after that for me; I know I can trust you. Whatever you do though don’t open it unless either I or Bear-Wolf tell you.”
It nodded and slipped the box into the small pouch attached to its belt. “I will do as you say…” It turned and left the healers house pausing at the threshold and looked back. It remembered the discussion she and the Bear-Wolf had had on the rise.
“Healer Yau…” It hesitated, “What is coming in two days?”
“That little Darkling is the root of the problem… our friend doesn’t have the right words to describe them but he says they were perhaps once human. All we know is their heading this way with a strange man at the head of their advance, and it bodes ill for the creatures that travel with him bear the mark of the Triad…”

Forsaken felt a deep cold settle over it, nodding slowly at Yau and left the old Healer returning to the small cabin of their temporary house. It hopped Ashen would return soon from his wanderings. If not it would have to warn Neros of what approached, no doubt he wanted to avoid confronting this lot but it doubted he would believe it without proof and it could not tell him Yau told it could then expose the Bear-wolf.

[Kai! Kai!]

Chapter 12

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Neros paced his gaze darting from Forsaken to the healer Shuric as he listened to the creature told them of its news. It had delayed one day in telling them hoping Ashen would return but still the werecat was strangely absent.
“What do you mean soldiers of the Triad are coming?!” Neros was halfway between anger and shock, Forsaken just stared at him.
“Indeed… I suggest to you now hat we leave as soon as possible before they get here, “It replied coolly.
“And just how do you know this creature?” he demanded, eyes narrowing dangerously as Forsaken shook its head.
“I’ll not say Man of Vale. My sources will remain unknown as I gave my word.”
“Oh, and I suppose your word is worth something.”
Forsaken returned that comment with a cold gaze of loathing as it hissed softly through the slits in its mask, “Take my advice or leave it Neros, your choice but choose quickly as time is against us…” It turned and left the room slamming the door behind it in a show of temper.

Shuric repressed a sigh and watched Neros as he stared after the creature the man’s face unreadable with his back to him.
“I suppose we should ready the horses…”
“No we won’t,” he replied dryly. “We will wait and see, I don’t think this party is looking for us… their looking for that creature.”
“You’re forgetting what Ashen said Neros,” the healer warned, taking a sip of tea. “If you plan on getting your hands on the other stones you’ll need Forsaken.”
“No Shuric, I haven’t forgotten but honestly I’m not sure if I should put any faith in that werecat’s words…”
“Then you’re a fool…” Shuric rose from his seat and left the room the door closing quietly behind him.

Alone Neros snorted and shook his head. There was something odd between that creature and the werecat and until he worked out what they were up to he couldn’t trust them, not that he’d ever trusted that creature to begin with.
“I’ve seen too much and betrayed too many times…. You can’t trust anyone anymore…” he muttered aloud to himself then frowned and then poured himself a cup of strong tea.

*

Forsaken prowled like a caged beast its gaze always on the path that lead to the village. Neros had declined leaving and with no sign of Ashen Forsaken wasn’t sure what to do. There were three paths clear to it, one was to stay and wait. The second go to meet them head on and the third… the third did not appeal to forsaken at all, it wouldn’t run not without Ashen or the healer.
What can I do Tarthan? It pleaded to the guardian.
I’m not sure myself there are dangers in every path… What worries me most though is what those soldiers will do here if they find you here. They might very well think the town were hiding you from the Triad deliberately…
It shivered at the thought, What if they did not find me?
Tarthan was silent for a time and even when he replied it was carefully worded, In truth it may still not be good… especially if they know for a fact your not here, then the town could still be destroyed for conspiring against the Triad and helping you to escape.
Bowing its head Forsaken looked down the path as it digested these possibilities. I don’t have a choice… too much is at risk any other way…

Reaching for the sword hilt at its belt beneath its cloak Forsaken closed its eyes, I cannot take the Orb to the enemy it must stay with the others… If Ashen were here I would give it to him but I do not know where he is… I must give it to Shuric…
Do what you must Forsaken, I trust your judgment. Tarthan’s words gave it confidence as it turned its back to the path making its way to the old woman’s cabin. It couldn’t give Shuric the hilt directly it would create too many questions, but it could leave the hilt with Yau to give to the healer she wouldn’t ask what the hilt was if it was bundled.

It paused on its way to the cabin only for a moment to collect an old blot of dirt covered cloth lying on a barrel and slipped into the shadows, wrapping the hilt out of sight and then carried it to Yau’s residence. The old healer answered the door and smiled when she saw Forsaken beckoning it inside, but it shook its head. ”Not today wise Healer I have something I must do…” it paused searching for the right words to ask what it had to.
“What ails you my darkling, you seem agitated,” she remarked her expression a guarded thoughtfulness. Forsaken didn’t need to answer, they both knew what was coming and both knew very well why it was agitated.
“I have a favor to ask of you…”
“Ask away,”
“I was wondering if you could give something to Shuric for me… please don’t ask why Yau… I-I-“ It was cut off as the old woman raised her hand, and held it out to Forsaken, relieved it passed her the cloth wrapped hilt and bowed respectfully.
“He’ll know what it is when he see’s it and…. Tell both Neros and Shuric I apologize for keeping the object a secret but I had a promise to keep…”
It turned and left, Yau’s voice following it.
“You could have run…”
No old healer I could never run, not when it could harm you and those who took us in unknowingly… it thought and headed down the path towards the coming soldiers with none but an old woman to watch it leave.

*

Shuric looked greatly troubled when he came back into the room later then night, Neros’ hostile mood having evaporated some hours before. He looked up and watched the healer as he paced back and forth looking from time to time out the window.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I can’t quite place it… but I feel like we’ve lost something and,” he paused looking out the window once again. ‘I haven’t seen Forsaken all day, last I saw of it, it had been staring anxiously down the path. The poor thing looked tormented…”

Neros snorted and looked back to the fire, but he was troubled by the creature’s absence. Where had it go to? He doubted it would go far; it was probably just prowling around the trees like it had done ever since they came here. About to say so to the healer, there was a knock at the door.
“Come in,” Shuric replied to the knock.
The door opened and the bent old healer Yua shuffled in, Shuric smiled at her but the smile faded when he saw her grim expression.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Sit first…” she instructed, moving about the small main room until her back was to the fire, her hand pressed firmly to something beneath her woolen shawl.

Neros sat patiently watching the old healer with interest this was the first time he’d met her but he’d heard much from the village chief.
“First of all I must as on Forsaken behalf to for give it for the secret it kept from you…”
“Secret?” Neros remarked suspiciously ignoring the cold glare Yau shot his way.
“Yes,” she replied evenly. “Despite what some people think, Forsaken is an honorable creature so much so that it has gone to meet those damned soldiers before they even reach the gates so that they might leave the town in peace.
Shuric visibly paled and began to rise from his seat but Yau raised her hand and he stopped sinking back into his seat.
“Its pointless going after it old friend, Forsaken left not long after its talk with you lot,” she shot another cold glare in Neros’ direction. The man returned the gaze with a look of indifference that betrayed nothing of the maelstrom going on in his head.

The creature had done a stupid thing, but then again who’s to say it wasn’t running back to its masters to report what it had learned, it wouldn’t surprise him at all. On the odd chance however that Forsaken had done this to protect the town, part of him had to admit the creature had a sense of honor he could like. A stupid and yet courageous act… he almost smirked at the thought but managed to keep his facial expression neutral.
“What was this secret Healer Yau?” he enquired curiously.

She sighed and slipped a dirty bundle, hilt shaped from her shawl and passed it to Shuric, the healer looked at it perplexed at what he had been given.
“Forsaken asked that I give this to you before it left, it said you’d know what it was and ask’s that you understand it had to keep the promise it made regarding the secrecy of it bearing the object…”

Shuric unbound the object as quickly as his trembling hands could manage. When it lay open he gasped and looked at Neros his eyes wide with shock and wonder. Neros stood and walked over gazing down at the sword hilt aware now why Shuric had reacted as he had.
Gently he picked up the hilt and looked it over, fingers caressing the hilt as he looked at it.
“Such a secret indeed Forsaken… what games do you play?” he murmured aloud and shook his head; he looked at Shuric and bowed his head. “It appears I owed Forsaken more respect… It was wrong of me to judge it so because of those who had made it. Always had I suspected it to be a spy but… giving us this rather then to carry it to they who would use it to destroy us… I judged badly and forsaken has paid the price of its freedom for that mistake…”

Neither Healer said anything, though Yau’s features had changed from a grim scowl to a faint, sad smile.
“Mistakes can be righted Neros, but it’s up to you to right that wrong…” she sighed and nodded to Shuric. “I have fulfilled what Forsaken asked of me and now I feel weary I bid you both goodnight…” she walked to the door and paused. “Oh and a friend of mine mentioned that those soldiers also bore the Royal arms of Spry…”
She left before either man could say anything.
“How did she even know those soldiers were coming?” Neros asked Shuric, the man shrugged looking at the hilt in Nero’s hands.
“I don’t ask, Yau has her sources and they are almost always right... I get the feeling that it was her who mentioned the soldiers to Forsaken…”
“Then I am more the fool for not listening, but still…” He held the hilt up to the candle light smiling as he touched the black veined stone at its heart. “we have the first of the God’s Eye Stones, Vallance’s Orb. If we can call out its power we can use it to help Forsaken otherwise we’re going in the hard way to get it out.”

The healer sighed leaning back on his seat.
“We can’t leave till morning so we might as well get some rest. Hopefully Ashen will be back by morning or else he’ll have to tack us down.”
Neros nodded and sighed collecting the cloth from Shuric and rebound the hilt, the blade would have to be replaced before even that.
“Make it two days Shuric, the sword needs to be reforged and we know where they are heading… I doubt they will do much with it for now except lock Forsaken in those vile prisons beneath the palace.”

The healer bowed his head and nodded, “alright, we’ll leave in two days… that will give me time to acquire supplies for the journey and Ashen a little more time to show up.”
That settled Neros tucked the hilt into his belt and headed off to bed, there was time for action and time for rest and right now all he could do was rest in preparation for the long days ahead. The road was going to be treacherous with the monsters that had been sighted in increasing numbers, not to mention the native predators of Chronisia. There was also the threat of bandits and being arrested by the Traid’s patrols, but if they were to get Forsaken back risks would have to be taken. He only hoped they didn’t get there too late.

[Kai! Kai!]

Chapter 13

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Mikale looked up the beaten animal track that led to the remote village of Treyton where it was rumored the dark creature was dwelling with two others. One of them belonged to the village forsaken had last been seen but the other a man of Vale known only as Neros was a mystery. The man didn’t seem to exist there was no reference to him in the census. It was almost like he never existed. However, they were not concern for the moment, the Triad had requested he track down and capture the forsaken not the people possibly responsible for its disappearance.

The soldiers behind him marched in silence, the only noise they made was the din caused by their armor as the various plates clashed against one another with each movement and step. They didn’t talk or even acknowledge his existence unless accepting orders, ‘Holy Knight’ they were called but there was nothing holy about them to his eyes. Those soldiers were mindless and made for one purpose, to hunt and capture the forsaken.

He didn’t waste his time looking at them, their blank eyes and set, grim expressions always made his skin crawl. Mikale almost pitied the young men who volunteered or were conscripted into the army forcefully were turned into these mindless warriors. Only a few retained their minds and those few led the mindless under the will of the Triad.

Looking about the forest Mikale sneered at the sight of so many trees, he preferred the towns and cities of Arka then the dense forests of Vale. The sooner they found the forsaken the better and the sooner he could leave the company of the holy knights and return to his own home all the richer. He had no love for the Triad but they paid well, after this he would retire.

Stopping the mark with a gesture Mikale muttered darkly under his breath about the steep slopes of Vales hills and sat at the base of an old Cedar sipping thoughtful from the water skin he carried with him. If the village hid a creature such as the forsaken then it could be traitorous to the Triad, it would have to be destroyed. The idea palled but if he failed o do it the Voice of the Triad could and probably would take the failure seriously.

Finding the track to the town had been hard enough, he would hate to try and find it again. Mikale wasn’t sure, but he swore every time he turned around the trees and the path shifted, it was the strangest sensation that something didn’t want then to get very far. He even felt there was something watching them, just out of sight and very dangerous. His thoughts dwelled on the possibility of an unseen adversary and focused once again on the mission at hand and the unpleasant task ahead. Rising to his feet Mikale signaled to the soldiers and took his spear from one of the soldiers. It was a weapon given to him by his father long ago he could use it well enough but preferred hunting down people to fighting.

Shadows shifted as the spear was passed to him and Mikale turned following the movement but it kept just out of sight.
“Arm yourselves!” he commanded still trying to follow the shadow. The sounds of armor clanking as the soldiers took up the ready position.
“So… you’re the one they sent to hunt me down…” a soft voice remarked with a hiss. “Do you have a name hunter?”
“I don’t give my name to my prey creature!” Mikale turned to seek out the source of the voice all he could see though was the trees. “Surrender yourself creature, don’t make this more difficult because eventually, even if you run you will be captured.”
“I don’t surrender to anyone hunter, if you want me you’ll have to catch me” a shadow dropped from the trees and fled past the soldiers before any could react and vanished into the trees.
“After it!” Mikale ordered giving chase after the shadow, it moved with an alarming speed weaving among the trees. It didn’t seem to tire no matter how far they ran but occasionally he saw it stop and almost seem to wait for them.

When it happened for the third time Mikale ordered a stop, he fought for breath after running so long and hard, the creature he had begun to realize was leading them on a chase, but why he couldn’t be sure. Sitting he looked about the forest and then groaned as he realized how lost they were and it was then it dawned on him. The creature had been leading them away from the town, it knew what they would do when they came, though how it knew was a mystery to him.
“Tired hunter?” the forsaken’s mocking voice came from the trees above. “Pity I was hoping for a more interesting chase…”

Mikale spat on the ground and looked up into the trees ignoring the soldiers who stood as silent as always and at the ready. “Show yourself damned creature.”
“You sure about that?” it laughed then to Mikale’s alarm a dark shape dropped out of the trees and landed right in front of him. The forsaken rose to its feet ignoring the spear pointed at its throat and chuckled. Its face nothing more then a dark metal mask with slits for breathing and two holes where a pair of silver eyes peered out at him.
“My chosen name is Forsaken, hunter and you will refer to me as such. I am not creature or beast and as I have led you sufficiently away from the town which unknowingly hid me from those who sought me out,” Forsaken remarked coldly pushing the spear aside and standing closer to Mikale.

He wanted to back away from the creature acutely aware that its touch could mean his death, but fear made him hold fast. His legs felt like stone as the creature met his gaze.
“Shall we leave hunter?” it enquired then turned and looked to the mindless Holy Knights of the Triad. “I’ll show you the way out if you think yourself so terribly lost too.” It pointed south and then looked back at him.

Taking a deep breath Mikale felt his suspicion rising, the creature Forsaken as it called itself was willingly surrendering. Despite the obvious reason Mikale thought it a little too easy, but then again if it wanted to go to Spry so be it. He got his reward and they parted ways all the faster.
“Chain it up,” Mikale ordered and turned away from Forsaken as the soldiers proceeded to carry out the orders. Something just didn’t sit right with this; he only wished he knew what.

*

They arrived in Spry four weeks later, much to Mikale’s relief, every day had been a nightmare. He was always tense and alert expecting Forsaken to try and escape, but the creature remained compliant. It said little and the only time it did speak the words that came from the slits in its mask were insults. Forsaken never needed food or water, which perplexed Mikale but not enough to want him to ask it why.

When they entered the streets, they were full of people, many of which cleared the way as Mikale and the knights marched past with Forsaken between them. The creature kept its head bowed and refused to look about. It seemed almost to him resigned to its fate, an odd thing to him. Most prisoners fought for their lives, it was another reason the creature set him on edge. Gazing ahead he saw the tall walls of the citadel and braced himself for any sign of resistance, but again forsaken surprised him as it stepped through the gates and entered the holy ground of the Triad.

A clerk no doubt alerted to their return by a runner came forward in a hurry, his robes fluttering about him with each step. He bowed his head to Mikale and glanced fearful at Forsaken, a common reaction when looking upon the damned.
“The voice requests your presence in his study and requests you send the creature to the dungeon to await its fate,” The man wheezed.

Mikale bowed and looked to the soldiers, “Take it to the dungeons and leave it to the custody of the warden.” They soldiers turned without a word and led a compliant forsaken away. Only when the creature was out of sight did he breath a sigh or relief and follow the clerk into the narrow passages of the citadel. It was time to collect his pay and then be gone.

Like before, the passage was cold and damp as Mikale followed the path to the old mans study. The Voice of the Triad sat in his high backed chair fingers laced and resting upon the desk, his watery eyes watching Mikale as he entered. Respectfully Mikale bowed to the old man and stood waiting, hands clasped behind his back .
“You have had success Mikale of Arka,” he rasped. “Did it give you any resistance?”
“No Wise one, it did not,” Mikale replied truthfully.
“Odd but good,” he remarked thoughtfully. “You will receive payment in a few days tracker. For now feel free to rest and restore your strength at the expense of the Citadel. Your service has been exquisite.”

Dismissed Mikale bowed again and left, despite being released of his charge Mikae couldn’t help but feel he and Forsaken had not seen the last of one another. Something about that creature made him wary and it wasn’t just because it was a damned one.

*

Led underground by the four mindless knights Forsaken remained placid even as they delivered it into the hands of the warden. The man was not quite as blank n the face as the soldiers but he didn’t appear much better. He was thick bodied, and well muscled perhaps one of his parents had been from Vale or even both but it would be useless to ask.

After being transferred to the warden Forsaken was led through the filthy passages glancing from time to time into the cells that lined the passage. Some were empty but others held people and some, some held monsters of the like it had never seen before. Once perhaps they might have been people or even animals but so distorted and twisted had they become that the line between man and beats had become blurred.

When the warden stopped he opened the door and removed Forsaken’s shackles for the first time in weeks shoving it into the small cell and locking the door behind it. Happy to be free of the cumbersome metal restraints it walked around the edge of its cell before selecting a dark corner and sat down. Listening to the oppressing silence that belonged to the dungeon, never had it felt such an oppressing sorrow. The feeling in the air felt like it was trying to break Forsaken, but it wouldn’t give in to despair not when it had chosen this path freely.
“You did not fight….” A soft reptilian hiss remarked from the shadows of the cell opposite Forsaken’s. It looked up and peered into the shadows seeing the glint of two eyes in the shadows.
“I have my reasons…” it replied, feeling curious as to who was speaking.
“I find it odd that you did not, all who come here fight but eventually they give in…. perhapsss you will fight eventually?” the being opposite remarked stepping up to the bars.

Forsaken rose to its feet perplexed by what stood before it. The creature was perhaps seven feet tall covered in dull gray scales and lizard like down to the bony white spines that lined the top of its head and down its back in a line. A pair of three fingered hands gripped the bards as the lizard-mans angular head looked in its direction. The only aspect that appeared out of place for such a creature was the long pointed ears on its head. Lizards didn’t have ears, at least not in the way warm blooded animals did.
“Do you have a name Lizard –man?” Forsaken asked as it stood before the bars of its cell.
“I did once… but it doesss not belong to me now. I have no right to it, they robbed me of the right to my name when they made me thisss way!” the lizard-man hissed angrily. Forsaken didn’t need to guess who they were. It seemed it was not the only victim of their deprived torments.
“I do not remember mine… they stole my past and everything I was… I am nothing but a forsaken now and thus I have named myself Forsaken. Cherish your name for it is all you have and though it may hurt, you have something to hold onto of what you once were. All I may do is live for what comes to me…” Forsaken turned and walked away from the bars of the cell sitting once more and closed its eyes. For now it would wait and se what the Triad wanted of it. Forsaken had thought they would leave it to hunt down the immortal king at its leisure, what had changed for them to send a hunter after it?
“My name…” a soft hiss said cutting into Forsaken’s thoughts. “Isss Ryker…”
Opening its eyes Forsaken nodded its head, “Its a pleasure to meet you Ryker.”
“We’ll sssee…” the liard-man replied before melting back into the shadows. Had it been Forsaken’s imagination or had his scales changed from a dull gray to green?

[Kai! Kai!]

Chapter 14

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When the old withered man entered the room Forsaken got the distinct impression he was more dangerous then he outwardly appeared. Wary it watched the bent man as he sat slowly on a large chair that had been carried in only moments before. Moved from the cell down in the dungeon into this barren room Forsaken knew it was going to be questioned. Something had changed… the Triad had sent hunters after it, but why?
“You’re the forsaken eh?” he wheezed.
“Yes…” it replied still watching the old man. He looked so frail and easily broken.
“You were meant to be hunting down the Immortal king creature…” he remarked, “Not gallivant through Vale. What were you doing?”

Forsaken shifted its arms, feeling the uncomfortable weight of the shackles that kept it chained to the wall and just out of reach of that withered old man. “Like you said I was ‘gallivanting around Vale.’ I wasn’t exactly given any direction as far as matters went so tell them that if they want results they should give more direction then just seek.”

The withered man narrowed his eyes at Forsaken, it was a dangerous look. He didn’t seem to take kindly to its attitude. It didn’t care. The Triad couldn’t do any worse then what they had already done.
“You speak dangerously creature,” he warned.
“Do I?” it remarked blatantly. “Because I find it amusing that the Triad need a creature such as myself to hunt an immortal man they themselves cannot locate and destroy him. When they who are supposedly all powerful could do it with a thought… or maybe they can’t, maybe their not so all-powerful as they make out.”
“You speak blasphemy beast!’ the old man hissed, he seemed to tremble violently. Blue light seemed to blaze from his eyes and Forsaken felt it. Power gripped its body like a vice and slammed Forsaken against the wall like a rag doll. It moaned under the force feeling it redouble like something were trying to crush the life out of it.

Something then scrapped at its skull and Forsaken knew the old man was trying to get inside his head. Whatever he was, this old man was anything but human, he might have been in his youth but service to those monsters had changed him. The old man as he tried to claw into Forsaken’s mind felt like some kind of monster.
He’s like a demon Forsaken. Don’t let him in, lest he know what we’ve shown you! Tarthan warned.
How do I stop him? It asked already feeling pain reach into the depths of its mind.
Focus on the impression of a wall, make it the most solid and whole wall you can think of and keep it there. He can’t break through if the wall is strong.

Forsaken turned its attention deep into its mind and did as Tarthan said. The wall that came to mind was the black star studded wall it had looked at when they had been outside the starlight temple, solid, black and unbreakable. The pain slowly ebbed as the old mans mind claws struck the wall Forsaken erected. He continued to hammer at it while Forsaken watched from the depths.

It gave a mental sigh blocking out the sensation of physical pain, the last thing it needed was to be distracted.
How long can I stay like this? it asked but there was no reply. Tarthan?
Forsaken reached out with its consciousness searching for the steady presence that was Tarthan and found nothing but a void. Panic began to rise and dimly it once more began to feel the claws of some beast trying to rip into its mind. Calming itself quickly Forsaken focused back on the mental image of the wall letting the sensation of assault lessen once more.
I’ve gone further into my mind then Tarthan can follow… it reassured itself. How deep is my mind?

Before the thought even processed Forsaken felt itself sinking deeper into the abyss of its own mind. Darkness grew deeper the further it went until Forsaken could bare it no more and turned its attention upwards and back to the wall. It’s decent halted and began a slow crawl upwards, moving towards the focus of its thoughts.
Was there once memories where this darkness so thick on the outside it fills me exists? It turned its thoughts away from such a depressing topic.
“Kassada?” forsaken halted as a soft whisper reverberated about its mind. The voice was ghostly, distant and familiar. Light blazed in the darkness and forsaken felt itself begin to fall, plummeting into the abyss that it had begun rising from. The sensation of falling slowed and eventually halted altogether and with it the light faded.

Gazing about at what had been revealed to it Forsaken shuddered as it saw naught but bleak white, the clouds overhead were storm grey and the rocks were black as night. Gazing up it saw a massive sleek black pillar that stretched towards the heavens vanishing amongst the snow heavy clouds. The pillar inspired awe as it gaze up, something in Forsaken stirred, a feeling, a sensation of recognition. I know that pillar… this place…

Movement out of the corner of its eye made forsaken turn, three figures were under an outcrop, two were crouching the third lying in the snow all of them draped in thick molted grey cloaks of a hide Forsaken didn’t know.
“Kassada?” one of the crouching men asked, almost fearfully. The one who had spoken shook the unmoving figure. There was a soft, sluggish moan and she began to stir. Understanding came to Forsaken as it watched from its vantage point, looking about them it saw the lose rocks. A rock slide had happened and the woman, this Kassada had been struck. The other two had to be Pharox and Ashura, these were the three it had heard in the first dream-memory. Was it one of these three, was this a fragment of its lost past?

The woman sat up and supported by her fellows they stood. Unfortunately with the men’s back to it and the woman’s head bowed forsaken could see nothing of their faces.
“We have to keep going, Vale is just another few days walk,” A deeper voice replied, whether it was Pharox or Ashura, Forsaken couldn’t tell and the woman mumbled a reply it couldn’t hear. The three then turned and all went black.

Forsaken felt its mind rushing to the surface from the darkness, the rush was so fast that it expected to smash into the wall it had erected but instead it’s mind surfaced into reality. Darkness gave way to a shadowed world and the stench of rot and mildew. It grunted and swayed, Forsaken’s skull felt like it have been smashed with a war hammer. It even felt nauseas, a sensation Forsaken didn’t think it could feel.
“Sssso you awaken,” Ryker’s reptilian voice hissed from his cell.
Forsaken looked up the world it saw was hazed and even the dim light made its eyes ached.
Forsaken! Tarthan’s mental voice sounded panicked and relieved at the same time. Thank the Gods… I should have warned you about entering your own mind. It’s dangerous, if you go to deep you’ll find yourself in the domain of the dead and trust me there’s no going back…
“Tarthan… shut up please your chatter is making my head throb all the worse…”
“Tarthan?” he enquired quisicly, “Who isss thisss Tarthan?”

Forsaken blinked trying to clear its vision but to no avail. “Sorry Ryker… Tarthan is… well he’s a friend I was remembering some stuff he told me just now. I’m a little addled from my interrogation that’s all…” It lied knowing; it would not bode well to talk of its companion even if he was a spirit so to speak.
“Ah,” he remarked, Forsaken couldn’t see clearly but it got the impression the lizard man was looking it over more carefully. They were silent for a time and gradually forsaken found the pain in its head lessened to a point where it could think straight and vision cleared.
Ryker was leaning against the bars his ears twitching every so often as a noise was heard in the distance, his eyes were focused past Forsaken to a place and time it knew nothing about.
“You…” he paused tail giving the faintest of flicks, “have fared better then mossst who go to sssee him. Most are driven inssane within the first hour by whatever torture that old bramble implimentsss…”

“It felt like he was clawing into my skull… that power it was like them he didn’t even feel human anymore,” it explained dismally.
“Whatever you did to halt hisss interrogation worked, the guardsss brought you back unconsciousss only half ah hour after being taken. At firsst I thought you were dead but then you began to sstir,“ His sharp intelligent eyes scrutinizing Forsaken. “They won’t give up ssso easily… Never hass one defied The Voice of the Triad and they will think you have a great sssecret to hide. Even your mind will not be a ssafe haven forever Forsssaken.”

That simple truth hit home harder then Forsaken realized. While it remained in their power it was putting everything at risk. One hole in the barrier would leave the way open for the Triad to know about the God’s Eye Stones and the threat those stones would possess to them. Ashen and Shuric and even Neros would find their lives in danger.
I was a fool to surrender… It thought sorrowfully.
No, you did what you thought was right and if worse comes to worse… I can teach you how to purge your mind of all that you know to prevent it being discovered.
I would…. Forget everything… Ashen, Shuric? It thought slowly, almost reluctantly.
All of it… I know it would be hard but think of the price to be paid if they learn of the stones. Tarthan’s reasoning was sound and it stung for that very reason. It who had nothing of a past but those memories gained in the time it had traveled. It would be a savage blow but at the same time it would be forgotten. It would be as it was awakening with Ashen perched upon its chest.
Teach me… was all Forsaken said withdrawing into its mind deeper while it’s companion began instructing Forsaken how to remove its memories, not practically but by explanation.

*

Neros frowned as he watched the forest dwindle to a few sparse trees. They had left the dense forest of Vale a good few hours ago entering the vast plains of Arka. Strapped to his back was the newly forged sword that bore the Orb of Vallance. To conceal the precious orb a silver capping was placed over it and crafted to appear part of the hilt, engraved upon it was a crescent moon and a wolf half concealed by it. It was the symbol used by all mercenaries in Vale, yet Neros could feel the sleeping power that coursed through the orb. So close it was to him it was a soothing feeling to know they had at least one of the stones.

We’re that one step closer to achieving our target… I just hope Forsaken can hold on. his gaze wandered to the two companions that traveled with him. Ashen had finally returned only a few hours before they left, he was strangely unsurprised by the news of Forsaken’s surrender and even less surprised by the news of the soldiers. It unnerved Neros the way the cat remained so calm in this situation and would say nothing on what he knew. Even Shuric could not coax the information out of the mysterious werecat.

Readjusting the hold on the horses reins Neros sighed not for the tenth time in that day and gazed southwards towards the sea. It was still a good weeks journey and he got the impression time was running out. Something was starting; a small part in a larger game where he felt little more then a pawn was coming to a close. Making way for a much larger board and far higher stakes, there was more going on then met the eye, that much he was certain.

“We must make haste…” he murmured bringing his gelding to a stand still and moved to its side. Mounting the beast quickly he looked to Shuric and saw the man was already on his horse, his face se in a grim sad expression. The healer had said little on their journey out of Vale, his thoughts were no doubt on the creature. Ashen had changed into his humanoid form and looked at Nero’s. His eyes sad, Ashen knew more then he would tell and whatever the outcome it was not to be a pleasant one.
“Lets move fast and stop only as needed, our friend’s life hangs in the balance,” he kicked the gelding sharply in the ribs and the horse leapt forwards into a gallop, moving as fast as they could towards the capital of Arka, the Walled city of Spry.