Chapter 1

Chapter I

         It all started with a knight; the knight that lay dying in the downpour that drenched his clothes and washed away his sour sweat and blood. All around this lone warrior lay the torn bodies of those who dared to challenge him, and planted in the dampened ground by his side was his blade. The rain soothed his tired form, cooling his burning wounds and relaxing his quivering muscles as he felt himself drift into oblivion.
         He had fought through countless foes, his sword chewing through flesh and bone as they came at him, untill at last none stood before his blood-spattered figure and all who remained was his quarry... and in that final duel he fell. Darkness devoured him as the world faded into black...
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         Xero opened his eyes to find himself in a sterile white tent, his lean form swathed in thick white bandages. His weapons, armor, and clothing were stacked neatly at the end of his cot, and when he reached for them a voice spoke softly to him.
         "That was a fool's move to persue Locke on your own, my friend. Especially in his own stronghold." A tall man stepped forward wrapped in a forest green cloak. His name was Aneas, and he was a fellow knight and Xero's lifelong friend. Aneas had dark blonde hair and piercing green eyes; eyes matching the gem embedded in the mighty axe he carried with him into battle.
         "I would have had him, had I not faced an army to reach him. I'll admit though, his power is truly amazing."
         "Well, he was a knight himself once," Aneas reminded him sternly, "As are you, Xero."
         Xero gave him an inquisitive look, "Meaning?"
         The other knight sighed, shaking his head at the bandaged man. "You are a Knight of Nolia... a single warrior. You are not some damn outfit of Arkanian infantry equipped to invade a castle-"
         "Temple..."
         "Whatever! The point is you are not the only one fighting this war! Remember we are not soldiers... we are trained far too well for that."
         The flaps of the tent swished open, and a white robed healer glided in, his small eyes darting rabbit-like from one knight to the other. To Xero he looked like a rat caught in a trap. After a short silence the cleric mustered up his courage noticably and cleared his throat. "Master Knight, sir," the rabbity healer said, addressing Aneas,"Your companion knight has suffered massive-"
         "Direct your chatter at me, boy, for it is my body you discuss," Xero said icily. The healer flinched at the tone of Xero's voice, knowing all too well what even an injured member of the Order of Nolia was capable of.
         "Four broken ribs, two embedded arrowheads, countless punctures and lacerations, and a chunk of iron lodged in your shoulder blade. You sure took some hell, sir."
         "I wish we had seen him," the green-cloaked knight said, " He performed admirably! The true embodiment of Nolia... the Saints would have been proud."
         "No, Aneas, I failed to achieve my objective. Locke has escaped, and I must go after him, before he slips away."
         Aneas laughed. "My friend, we are already tracking him as we speak. Three of our finest knights are on his trail. Soon we will be able to determine his destination, if not his current location, and plan an interception. Calm yourself, brother."
         Xero shook his head. He couldn't calm himself untill he clenched the cold metal of Locke's Order medallion in his fist. This war had gone on long enough, and its end was very much overdue. The flash of Locke's glittering rapier still gleamed in the injured warriors mind as he remembered his failure.
         (Blood pattered down on the stone floor of the temple as the sharpened blade cut cleanly through his flesh, whispering through the light leather armor as tailor's snips whisper through bolts of cloth. He drops to his knees and he is eaten alive by the rapier's cruel point...)
         "How many?" Xero asked, softly.
         "Hm?"
         "How many did I slaughter today? How many lives did I destroy to get to one man?"
         "Xero-"
         "How many?" Although still soft, his voice carried the hard edge of a command, one which cannot be ignored.
         "Eighty-two so far... thats the dead. There are said to be around forty wounded as well. Xero, you did what you had to... do not dwell on memories of the dead. This is war, remember?"
         Xero shook his head, wincing as pain bit into the side of his face. He gingerly felt around and his fingers touched more thick wrappings around the entire right side of his face. He hadn't even noticed his face was wrapped up untill he felt the wound. Aneas's face darkened with concern as Xero prodded the bandages, but he knew he couldn't stop his comrade from toying with his many injuries, like a child picking at his scabs.
         "Is it gone?" Xero asked, indicating his hidden right eye. Aneas shrugged; he hadn't seen Xero untill after the clerics bound his injuries so he had no idea. Without a sound the wounded knight began to unravel the cloth around his head, cloth that became increasingly red the further he went.
         Aneas gasped, and then showed Xero the polished flat of his axe, using it as a mirror. Xero's reflection was the same as it always was, a lean, almost cat-like build and a strong face with a mane of thick black hair that spiked out wildly. The only difference is that one of his violet eyes had an angry red slash that started right above the eyebrow and ended in the middle of his right cheek. The slash was neatly stitched shut and looked as if it would heal well, and Xero still had use of his right eye.
         "Well it will give you something to start a conversation with," Aneas said with a grin, "Just dont pick at it, and it will heal fine."
         Yes, Mother," Xero replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm, and he returned Aneas's grin. Then he got up and began stripping off the bandages from the rest of his body. Bloody swatches of cloth littered the floor of the tent and half healed wounds littered Xero's battered form. "My clothes, please."
         Handing him the clothing from the end of the cot, Aneas snickered. If the healers saw Xero up and about, they would have a fit. Probably try to order him back into bed. They would have better luck trying to get a pig to sing, he thought with a smirk as Xero buckled his belt and began strapping on the leather armor that all the Knights of Nolia were issued. It was only after he buckled his boots and pulled on his gloves that Xero realized something was missing.
         "My sword... Where is Exile?"
         "We only took the time to recover your body, Xero. We couldn't disturb the site untill more knights arrive so we can conduct a thorough investigation of the area. It is the same protocol used with every attack on a knight."
         The dark-haired knight shook his head, "I need to find it." With that said, he went to work buckling his knife bracers and empty sword belt around his waist. "When will the others get here?"
         Aneas shrugged, "Soon, with any luck. The prince of Ark insisted that a squad of soldiers be dispatched to escort our knights to the temple... as if we cannot take care of ourselves. Hah. By the way, that chunk of metal they so delicately ripped from your shoulder..."
         "It was a bullet."
         "I thought so. Who was the marksman?"
         "Our old friend Ternet. The self-proclaimed knightslayer is on Locke's payroll it seems... and he has a few new toys to play with now. Mechanical weapons, like his pistols." Xero rubbed the spot where the bullet bit into him absentmindedly.
         The emerald knight chuckled and moved to the tent's enterance. He paused and glanced back at his wounded friend, "Sometimes I wonder how you get yourself into these messes, Xero," he said cheerfully. Then, with a more somber tone, he added," And I wonder which mess will be too big for you to get out." He offered a wry half-smile and then left the tent, like a green wraith.
         Looking thoughtfully at the spot where Aneas had been standing, Xero wondered the same thing. He took a moment to look over the tent. In the far corner was another pile of used bandages that the healers had tastelessly left lying around. Next to them was a small table littered with scalpels, needles, and other surgical instruments along with salves, ointments, and medicinal powders.  With a quick sweep of his arm, the knight scooped up the medicines and deposited them into one of the many pouches around his waist. With a nod of satisfaction, Xero pulled on his longcoat and left to meet up with his fellow knight outside.
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         "Do you know which of the knights will be conducting the investigation?"
         Xero and Aneas were on their way to the temple ruins, where Xero's slaughter had taken place. Xero wanted to try and find the missing sword before the other knights went through the site.
         "I do," Aneas said with a nod, "Knight Thanatos and his apprentice, the newly annointed Knight Pariah."
         "Pariah? I'm not familiar with the name."
         "He is a young knight who has recently come of age in his second life of the Rebirth. A Spirit of Water finishing his training under Knight Thanatos's watchful eye."
         Xero shot the other knight a puzzled look, "Why would a Spirit of Earth such as Thanatos be teaching a Spirit of Water? They are two completely different techniques..."
         "I have no idea, Xero. But the Saints approved the teaching, so we have no need to question the absurdity of the situation."
         "That kind of thinking will get you killed one day, Aneas. The Saints may be wise, but they are not infallible. Do not listen to anybody without questioning their intentions. Not even me."
         Without another word the two strolled along the weedy path that lead them to the temple that was now a tomb. The temple itself was made of sturdy granite blocks that were once plated with marble slabs but were now just filmed over with slimy vines and dust. Although the day was clear and dry, the knights could hear a trickle of water from somewhere nearby, as if even in the brightest day this place clung to the gloom of the abandoned.
         "There are the guards who rushed me at the gate," said Xero, indicating several bodies sprawled in the dirt. Wide fans of blood spread from all of them, churning the soil into a dank smelling paste that squelched underfoot. "And inside are a few more of them. They were worse than roaches. It was almost as if they were throwing themselves onto my blade, Aneas. It was a madhouse in there."
         (The tang of adrenaline as he noticed the steel glint of their weapons and the sour smell of sweat and anxiety seeping out of their pores as they advance on him. Silent as the grave, he draws one long-knife and quickly dispaches the half-dozen troops who believe they are enough to take one lone warrior. Screams fill the courtyard as the blood flows freely, and bodies thud to the dirt one by one as the knight does what he was born to do...)
         The memories were as they always were. Xero would play them back in his mind untill they finally faded into something bearable. He would never forget the men he had slain... he would never let himself. Dealing death was his job, but it was one he did not enjoy doing at all.
         "You alright, Xero?"
         "Yeah... yeah I'm alright." The knight brushed a few rogue spikes of hair from his eyes and smiled, "Just thinking about forgotten faces, that's all. I just wonder if we will ever see the day when we can bury our weapons and release our spirits for ever."
         Aneas laughed, clapping Xero on the shoulder amiably, "My friend, with the Dreth pirates and the Ark-Raj border disputes, I do not think we will be able to shirk our duties as protectors of the peace for a very long time. But I admire you for having such a dream. They say Spirits of Wind are the free-thinkers on the Order, but for a Spirit of Darkness you do a lot of free-thinking yourself. I like that about you."
         There was a hollow plink as a discarded helmet was booted aside. The ground was littered with shattered armor, broken weapons, and bloodstained bodies. Aneas looked around  with an expression of distaste on his face, eying the corpses as they made their way through the temple while Xero recapped his gauntlet run through the ruins. It looked like a savage beast had rampaged through the temple and had torn apart its occupants.
         "After I took care of the guards I went into the central chamber and unknowingly barged in on a meeting between Locke and Ternet, and I was shot for my troubles," Xero said with a small smile. "Then Locke told him to leave and we drew swords for our duel."
         "Hmph. Locke would duel a knight who was just shot in the chest. How he was Reborn as a Spirit of Light is beyond me."
         "How was a gentleman like yourself Reborn into a wild and ferocious Spirit of Lightning? Rebirth works in mysterious ways, my friend. Not everything is as it seems. There is light in Locke... which is why I wish to see him tried in the Peers' Court. And I wish to lead the trial."
         The look of shock that spread across Aneas's face was absolute; he could not believe that Xero wished for a fair trial for this rogue Nolian...  after everything Locke has done to the peace of the kingdoms, to the Order, and to Xero personally. He wondered why Xero didn't just want to execute him on sight, like putting down a rabid dog.
         "Do not look so shocked, Aneas... Would you not want a trial for yourself, were it you in his shoes?" The other nodded reluctantly, wondering just how much of a free-thinker Xero really was.
         "I'll be honest, Aneas, I do not like the idea of an inexperienced knight taking on this mission, even if it is just an investigation," Xero said, tactfully changing the subject.
         "Why not?"
         "Dealing with Locke should be left to veteran knights... they should have assigned someone like Dusk, or Alexia."
         "Oh come on, Xero, he will learn a lot by observing us. Besides, Thanatos is his instructor. He can't just tell Pariah to stay at Castle Nolia untill he returns."
         "We don't need a baby bird slowing us down."
         "What if he is like you? What if this boy is the silent, brooding type? Or what if he proves to be as cunning and resourceful? He can learn so much from you alone."
         Like me? Xero thought to himself, What exactly am I? What have I become? Throughout his knighthood he had performed abominable acts of destruction, and the blood of hundreds stained his hands; those stains would never be forgotten. Aneas chuckled at Xero's loss for words.
         "I rest my case. Where did you say your sword was?"
         "Up ahead, behind that door," the dark knight replied, pointing to a warped door at the end of the hall. When they reached it, closer inspection revealed the door was stout oak bound with iron bands... and it was cracked and splintered as if it had been hit with a battering ram.
         (His right arm pulsed with crackling violet light. He drew back his glowing fist and slammed into the door with it.  A shockwave rippled from the blow and the door crumpled in on itself and swung open, granting the knight access to the room beyond...)
         The shattered door was clinging desperately to one twisted hinge, and with a swift kick Aneas completed its destruction and revealed the room that Xero's duel took place in. The floor was damp with the rain that had poured through the nearly nonexistant ceiling during the fight that had occured the night before. On the far wall in the back of the room there was the stone bust of some lost diety, covered in blood that looked black now that it was dried. That's my blood, Xero thought in a detatched sort of way. What he was more interested in was the ancient blade buried in the floor next to the crimson smears..
         (The blade whickered as it sliced deep into his face. All the wind was knocked from his body as the pommel of Locke's weapon was driven into his stomach, and he fell back against the statue. Planting Exile in the ground for balance, he tried standing, and the rogue knight descended on him, shredding the fallen warrior like a cyclone made entirely of razorblades...)
         Without hesitation Xero drew his lost blade and held it up in the dim light of the room. It was a longsword with a serrated blade and a basketed hilt much like a cutlass. The blade itself was scorched black, almost as if it was made of onyx, and the handguard was spike-studded pewter and marked only by a large X which was made of some sort of deep violet crystal, like amethyst. It was Exile, Xero's most cherished possession.There was a snick as the blade was sheathed, and Xero nodded. His equipment was complete.
         Turning to Aneas, he grinned and spoke softly. "This is all I wanted. We can go back now."
         The other knight sighed and rolled his eyes. He understood where Xero was coming from, however. If he had lost his great-axe, Ahriman, he would feel just as anxious to get it back. "Alright, Xero. Let's go."
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         The knights reentered the camp to see the familiar face of Thanatos, a fellow Knight of Nolia, as well as dozens of mail-clad bodies; soldiers of the kingdom of Ark. Thanatos was a hulking brute, standing at six and a half feet tall and layered with thick muscle. With his mop of curly brown hair he looked more like an ogre than a man. Stuck in the dirt beside him was his greatsword, Godbreaker, and sheathed on his back was a longsword in a battered scabbard. His bulging arms were crossed in front of him as he stood still as stone, his stance rigid and formal. Next to him was Pariah, the fresh knight. He was inches shorter than his mentor and much slighter in build, looking like a twig next to the mighty Thanatos. Pariah had long straw-colored hair tied back with a hank of rawhide, and under his bangs a pair of faded blue eyes peered anxiously at his surroundings. He carried the vigor of youth about him, being noticably less stoic than Knight Thanatos as he awaited  permission to begin the investigation.
         Xero clasped hands with Thanatos, forearm to forearm, clapping him on one great shoulder with a slight grin. The big knight's eyes touched briefly on the heavy cut that tore down Xero's face, but he said nothing, turning to Aneas to greet him. What happened to Xero was his own buisness, that was the mindset of Thanatos.
         "It has been awhile, old friend," Aneas said, shaking hands with the giant knight.
         "Not since Ashuan Canyon, eh?" Thanatos replied, getting a nod from both knights. Pariah watched this reunion of comrades in wonder. Two legendary knights... men with their names in the archives as heroes... and they were talking and laughing with his master like old schoolyard friends .Did that mean Master Thanatos was a legendary figure as well? He didn't know, but his already immense respect for his master grew tenfold, knowing he was close to Loner Xero and Aneas the Deathbringer.
         "Are we ready to go, then?" Xero asked in his soft tone, and his grin turned to a shocked expression at the reply.
         "Now, lad, yeh don' honestly believe yeh get to go have fun without good ol' Abel Ingolia, do yeh?"
         Xero's head whipped around to the medical tent, where standing just out of site was a shaded figure. Stepping into the light, the figure revealed itself as stocky and well built. This knight was cloaked and hooded in midnight blue over his black leather armor, and he had a fiery mane of red hair and a matching beard. He was Abel Ingolia, Knight of Nolia and another close friend to the men present. On Able's back was sheathed the bastard Ilrondis, and in his hand he carried a great-axe. "Yeh forgot this, lil' lightning bug," he said joivially, handing the axe to Aneas. The emerald knight took it with a scowl; he hated that nickname.
         "You didn't tell me Abel was coming as well," Xero said, his spirits noticably lifted.
         "I must have failed to remember that detail," Aneas replied, eyeing the blue cloaked knight sourly. Abel was a good friend, but sometimes he poked a little too much fun at Aneas.
         "The hell happened to yer face, lad?" Abel asked, poking at the slash. Xero hissed in pain and slapped his hand away.
         "Unlike you I actually strive to complete my missions, you jackass."
         "Aww, that's low. I only failed two, and me head was pounding too hard to sit up, let alone track brigands or fight Dreth pirates," the redhead shot back with a smile, and both Xero and Aneas shook their heads, where as Thanatos laughed loudly, his face lighting up with a grin.
         The group set off, covering the same ground Aneas and Xero covered earlier on the search for Exile. Leather creaked and boots thudded softly against the needle carpeted ground as they walked, Xero's hands resting lightly on the hilts of his knives, while the others just walked casually, weapons sheathed or slung over their shoulders. The stroll went by quickly, and soon the knights found themselves outside the temple, Xero explaining the bodies once again.
         "If they had been smart and let me through they would not have had to die so senslessly," he said in a reproachful tone. He had asked politely for them to let him in after all; they could have stepped aside and let him get to Locke, avoiding the senseless violence.
         They roamed the ruins, looking over everything in sight. Blood and broken bodies choked the area, and shards of armor studded the ground like shining diamonds encrusted in the stonework. Impaled on a torch bracket protruding from the wall was a headless corpse, almost like a physical representation of Xero's overkill.
         (The swordsman charges, reeking of an interesting mix of arrogance and terror as he meets his fearsome opponent. With one swift stroke the man's head leaves his shoulders, and Xero plants a mighty kick to his chest, launching him across the room. There is a meaty squelch as the guard is impaled on the bracket, blood spewing from the ragged stump of his neck as his body flails in its last moments...)
         Xero shook his head to clear his thoughts and then began rolling bodies over. The others did the same, and soon only young Pariah was left standing around. It wasn't until he saw Thanatos pocket a coin purse that he realized what was happening.
         "So now it is noble to steal from the dead?" the youth asked, horrified by the scavenging taking place as the knights stripped the bodies of anything valuable. Coin, jewelery, daggers, precious metals, anything that could be useful or tradable was siezed and pocketed.
         "We will need the money from these spoils in the future, boy," Xero said as he tucked a set of throwing knives into his belt. Pariah just sat there and shook his head until they were done, believing the pillaging of the dead was wrong. When the scavenging was done, and all bodies stripped of valuables, the knights made their way into the temple. They could not help but stare in wonder at Xero's hefty body count once more.
         "You did all of this yourself?" Pariah asked in awe, unable to imagine a lone knight taking down an entire batallion singlehandedly. Maybe the stories about Loner Xero were true after all.
         "I did," Xero replied curtly.
         "How did you do it?"
         The dark knight turned to the younger fighter and pressed the blade of one of his knives against Pariah's pale throat so fast the boy didn't even see him unsheathe it. "I took the sharpened edge and split the bad guys open with it. Sound simple enough for you?"
         The others stopped, grinning as the color left Pariah's youthful face. Pariah himself was grinning as well, but his was a grin of fear. The cold violet orbs of Xero's eyes held no compassion; it was as if he wouldn't hesitate to flick his wrist and end the young knight's life there and then.
         "Laddie, messin' with Xero is like messin' with a nest o' wasps. That lad's full o' poison," Abel called to Pariah with a chuckle.
         "This is no learning experience for you, boy. I am not letting you tag along to make you a better man. This will not grant you power or wisdom. I am not a knight to be trifled with.." Xero sheathed his knife as he spoke."Just stand back and let us work, and when its all over I will pat you on the back and say something nice about you. Alright?"
         His icy tone left Pariah speechless, and Xero moved past him in a wraithlike swirl of his longcoat without another word. Aneas walked up to the young man and clapped him heartily on the shoulder with a big sunny smile. "I think he likes you," said the green-cloaked knight cheerfully before catching up with Xero and the others.
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         "This is impressive," Thanatos said with admiration as he took in the sight of the bloodbath that was the main chamber. They walked slowly, stepping carefully to avoid the tacky crimson puddles and smears that were splattered over everything. Flies had begun to carpet the bodies, roosting on their glazed eyes like vultures crooning over fresh carrion. The smell of death clogged the room like a dank mist, causing the faces of the knights to scrunch in disgust as they stripped this new batch of corpses.
         Recapping his duel with Locke, Xero paced the room. As he spoke the others searched everything, looking for hidden passages, secret compartments in the walls, anything that might contain clues as to Lockes intentions. The search was fruitless, however, as every single knight turned up empty handed.
         "Abel, find anything?" Aneas called.
         "Not a thing laddie. How 'bout yeh?"
         "Nothing. Pariah?"
         "Still searching. Master Thanatos?"
         "No such luck. Xero?"
         Xero sighed inwardly, feeling a dull throb of anger at himself for losing his target. If only he had been stronger... he would not have failed. His hands dove into the pockets of hic coat, as they often did to pull it tighter around him, when he felt the sheaf of parchment stuffed into the coat's depths.
         "What's this?" he muttered to himself, pulling out the parchment slowly like some ancient relic. He unfolded it like a man in a daze, his fingers seeming to move as if they were too heavy for any form of dextrousity. When he finally got it open his eyes widened slightly, his strong face betraying his surprise. Written on it in Locke's elegant script was a note addressed to Xero. After scanning through it once he called the others over to read it. They gathered around the dark knight, looking at the note with similar expressions of puzzlement and curiosity. It said:
         
         Xero,                    
                             My friend, I must say you have impressed me. I did not think any of you would have been stupid enough to persue me so doggedly, but you never were one to quit, were you? I have let you live with a warning: halt your pursuit, sir. I do not want to kill you, but if you continue this game of cat and mouse you will force my hand. Besides, you have no idea which of us is the cat in this game, do you?  I leave the choice up to you; I cannot force you to stay away. On the contrary, I will tell you where I am going, and save you a little trouble. In a fortnight's time, the  city of Cavalier will be under attack. I suggest you prepare for that attack if you are going to stop me. One day we will have our duel to the death, and we will see which is stronger: Darkness or Light? But for now I digress. Goodbye, friend. I look forward to seeing you in Cavalier.                                                  
                                                           Locke, Lightbearer

                   After reading, Aneas looked at Xero. "He is goading you on. You realize this, I assume?" Xero nodded, pocketing Locke's daunting message. He needed to think about how to handle this. First thing was obvious, he had to tell the Saints and move for a dispatch of knights to be sent to Cavalier to organize a defense. And warning the Royal House of Ark would be a good idea as well.
         "Well, Xero, what is the plan?" Thanatos asked, his sword planted in the ground and his arms crossed in his usual stance. Xero stared at the splash of his own blood that painted  the statue for a moment, and then responded softly.
         "First we return to Castle Nolia. And then it is up to the Council how to proceed." He nodded in agreement with his own words and turned to Pariah, clapping him on the shoulder. "Good job." Then he left the temple without another word, absorbed in his own thoughts. The others followed soon after, and Abel leaned down to speak to Pariah.
         "He did say he would say somethin' nice about yeh, laddie," Abel said with a snicker, and the others smirked in agreement, sharing a chuckle on their way back to Castle Nolia... back to their home.