First few chapters of my story

Chapter 1
         Tanz Jansel contemplated his current dilemma, which was something he had done much of lately. The aging, average built man with flecks of white in his onyx colored hair stood within the colossal stone tower of Dinus Castle, gazing out of a diminutive window in the direction he thought his hometown would be located. All he knew as far as direction was that he was near the southeastern edge of the Scillyrn continent, deep within the massive Scillyrn Forest. The town, Ballish Town, would be to the west, but there was no telling in this malevolent castle which way was which. This kind of muse occupied Tanz most of every day. Being in prison wasn’t his idea of a place to run around and have fun.
         A few more moments of thought were allowed before the thick wooden door of the cell flew open and slammed against the wall. A young man with a head full of short, maroon hair pounced into the room, holding a long broom handle. He immediately darted at Tanz and swung the makeshift weapon downward at the older man, who side stepped at the last minute and jumped backwards, away from the threat. The red head turned and jolted at him again, slashing horizontally, for which Tanz quickly stuck his right hand out to the left and caught the stick, twisted it, and flipped the boy onto the cold, stone floor.
         The elder of the two stepped over to the other’s form and gazed down at it, smirking. “You’ve got a long ways to go, Bane. Just because I’m old doesn’t mean I’m senile.” Tanz turned to step away before pausing and adding, “Yet.”
         In truth, Tanz wasn’t exceptionally old; he was in his fifties, and he had been imprisoned for outwardly denying the Emperor. His hometown was one of the forefronts for a revolutionist war that was occurring over the tyrannical reign of the current leader. Tanz’s knack for guidance and control had pushed him upward in the ranks of the Revolutionist cause, and because of his pleasant demeanor and friendly, calm face, many of the Revolutionists loved him. He was the one that not many individuals had witnessed angry, which aided in his leadership capabilities.
         Bane stood up and brushed himself off, put the broom stick to the side and walked over to the window Tanz had been looking out of. “I was just keeping your senses sharp. But I’m going to get you one of these days.”
         Tanz chuckled and glanced over to the young man, “You’ll never get me, brat.”
         “Whatever,” Bane rolled his eyes. “I take it you were trying to find Ballish Town again?”
         The older man simply nodded at Bane’s inquiry. Tanz was secretive in most of his actions, especially their current predicament, and he had begun thinking of a plan to escape Dinus Castle. However, he had no intention of telling the kid what his plan was until he was absolutely positive it would work.
         Bane shrugged his shoulders a bit and leaned on the wall. “I can’t believe we’ve been here six months already. I want to know how the revolution is holding up without us.”
         Tanz’s governance over the revolution was the best leadership the young army had, and they both knew his capture could spell trouble for the insurrection. In the past year or so, the Revolutionists had taken most of the southeastern portion of the continent, including Ballish Town and their capital city, Munus. However, with Tanz gone, neither was sure what had happened in his six month absence.
         “Who knows? Maybe one of the others has taken a good hold on the leadership and we’ve at least kept what land we had captured.” The elder sank down into a green, cushioned chair near the window. “All we can do right now is hope.”
         The early morning breeze was snaking its way into the room, providing them both with the scent of Scillyrn Forest’s pines and other foliage. Tanz knew what lay ahead of them if they escaped. A week long journey out of the forest, another three day’s trek across Scillyrn Fields, and another couple of days to get from the Fields to the coast where Ballish Town would be, all of which they would be pursued by Dinus Castle’s guards. Of course that was only minor. The forest held a variety of ghosts, spirits, phantoms, and there was even rumor of a mighty Lich. A Lich. That would be fun.
         “Well Bane, go find something constructive to do for a while so I can finish thinking.” Tanz looked up to the nineteen year old and smirked before adding, “Maybe training so you can beat an old man in a fight?”
         “You’re an ass, I hope you know,” Bane grinned and shook his head as he walked out the door to the adjacent room in which he resided. The two were always giving each other a hard time, but they meant well by it.
         Tanz watched as the boy disappeared and he then began thinking of what would be the best way to complete his escape. He had everything figured in each option except whether the two should sneak out, fight their way out, or climb down the side of the tower. Sneaking would be possible, seeing as they could easily get down the tower to the main castle without being noticed. Fighting would be almost suicide, and climbing would be a big risk. But he needed to decide soon, since their options were beginning to run slim as the castle took in more guards each day.
         He sighed and stood up, walking back over to the window. Leaning his body against the sill, he stuck his head out took in a deep breath of fresh, Scillyrn air. The musty, ancient tower was becoming a place that he had to get away from. Neither Bane nor he could take it much more, and as he gazed around the outside of the castle, he knew that they were going to escape. Soon. They had to.
          And that was when he saw their sanctuary. A carriage with supplies was emerging from the forest heading to the base of the castle. Why hadn’t he thought of it before? All Tanz could do was smile and disappear back into his room, knock on Bane’s door, and tell him to get ready.

         Chapter 2
         Saber Keiyou was prepared. His golden eyes gazed down upon the target he had been assigned. It was only a matter of time before this man would be out of the picture, his crimes no longer plaguing the people of Naithus City.
         It was early morning, and the sun was shining down upon the figure of Saber as he stood on top of an enormous stone building, ready to make his move. The Emperor had requested for Saber to rid the capital of this individual, since he was making life even more unpleasant for the already disgruntled citizens. Saber only took jobs he agreed to, and luckily both he and the Emperor agreed on this task. So all he had to do now was wait. This insignificant man was soon to be forgotten.
         A breeze found its way to the tip of Saber’s shoulder length, platinum colored hair, picking his tresses up in its grasp and waving them about the air. His tight, onyx colored, sleeveless shirt blended into his slack, jet pants, and both of his forearms were wrapped in a black, inch-wide wristband each. An obsidian necklace wrapped itself around Saber’s neck while a white gold, sapphire ring surrounded his right ring finger. Finally, his weapon, a katana, was sheathed through the belt loop on his left side. The sword itself was thirty nine inches long, with the hilt being wrapped in blue kraken skin. The blade was forged with both natural metals and custom ingredients chosen by Saber to maximize the strength, sharpness, and elemental power of the weapon. The element of water, his favorite, was imbued within the katana, and water would be exactly how his target died today.
         Saber allowed his eyes to scan the scene once more before making his decision. The sadist would have to die now. He noticed the man walking from the center of a busy street to an alley, glancing over his shoulder every now and then as if he knew he was being watched. But going into the alley was his last mistake, as Saber followed him quietly along the roof of the building he stood on until they were out of sight of the citizens. The overweight individual turned a corner, and Saber made his move.
         Stepping to the side of the roof, he leapt off and landed only feet in front of his target, whose eyes promptly grew to the size of small disks. Smirking, Saber closed the gap between them in less than a second, latching his left arm on to the man’s left shoulder.
         Sinking down and trying to escape, the plump male cried out in anguish, “What are y-..”
         His last word was cut short by Saber’s katana, which was shoved into the man’s chest. It truly was an awful way to die, since the tip of the katana would quickly trickle drops of water into the target’s lungs, subsequently drowning him. A couple of minutes later, Saber laid the dead body on the ground and left it to expel blood and water from the stab wound he had made.
         Quickly turning and disappearing into the maze of alley ways, Saber made his way back to the Emperor’s palace to claim his reward. After that, he decided, he needed a bit of a break from the constant death he witnessed. He was only nineteen after all, and a trip to his hometown would definitely be beneficial. He would simply tell the Emperor he was going on vacation for a few days, which he allowed to many of his top advisors.
         As Saber walked, he slashed his sword to the side, slinging off the blood and water, before sheathing it at his side again. Naithus City was hectic. A peaceful tour on his galleon was what he needed. His slender form quickly arrived at the Emperor’s palace, where he received his reward and permission to leave for a few days. He took this opportunity, walked out of the gates of Naithus City and into the Scillyrn wilderness, and he couldn’t help but let a smile form upon his lips. It felt good to be away from a job every once in a while. His galleon beckoned, and he couldn’t wait to take a ride on it.

         Chapter 3
         Tanz and Bane waited in Tanz’s room for the rest of the day. They knew that the supply carriage would be there for the whole day, so it would be best to hitch a ride after the sun set. Bane had been curious when Tanz had busted into his room to inform him of the escape plan, and he had listened intently to every minute detail. They would wait for the guard that brought food to their tower, knock him unconscious, and throw him out the window to the base of the tower. This, they knew, would cause a commotion at the entrance to where the carriage was, so they would have a few minutes to descend in the castle before the guards came looking for why the man was lying at the bottom of their tower. If they could make it to the carriage, find a way to hide on it and jump off when they were in the forest, their escape might be possible.
         So they waited. Bane had his broomstick next to the door and Tanz was seated in his green chair near the window. Bane couldn’t stay still, so he was pacing back and forth across the stone floor in pure impatience.
         “You ready for this?” Tanz inquired with a raised eyebrow.
         “Ha. I’ve been ready for this since we got here,” replied the young warrior.
         And then they heard the footsteps echoing up the staircase. Bane quit pacing and went to the space that would be behind the door when it was opened. He grabbed his broomstick and held it tightly, waiting for the guard to walk in. Tanz remained seated, to make things seem natural. The door then popped open, and a guard stepped in holding two plates of food. Tanz stood up and walked over to the man, pointing at the door to Bane’s room. “He’s in there if you’re wondering. He must have forgotten what time it is.”
         The guard sighed and stepped a bit farther into the room. “He knows he has to be in this room to get his meal everyday. Here’s yours, now go get him.” The guard held the plate out to Tanz, who grabbed it and then reached up and grabbed the man’s arm. A confused look appeared on the jailer’s face, but his eyes soon rolled into the back of his head as Bane leapt out and cracked the broom handle over his head. Tanz allowed the guard to collapse on the floor before taking his broadsword from his belt.
         “We can’t take the armor, it’ll be too loud, but we might need this in the forest,” Tanz pointed out to Bane. He tied the sheath to his belt and bent down to grab the man by the armpits. “You remember what to do?”
         Bane knelt down and grabbed the guard’s legs and nodded. “Yeah, throw him, sneak down the stairs into the foyer where the carriage is, and wait until everyone is occupied with seeing what happened to him, then hop into the back of the carriage. Simple. Ingenious plan, I didn’t think that old mind had it in there.”
         Tanz just rolled his eyes and picked the man up, with Bane following suit. They walked over to the window and Tanz put the man’s shoulders on the sill first, and then helped Bane push his legs out. Gravity finally took its hold on the guard, and he slid out of the window into the air, falling hundreds of feet to the ground below.
         They both turned around and strode for the door. “Let’s go, we don’t have long,” Tanz said urgently as he ushered Bane out the door. They scampered down the spiral staircase of the tower as quietly as possible, until they emerged in an expansive room with high ceilings and a balcony that followed the walls around the square room. In the distance, they could see a group of people huddled around the body of the guard, one of them being the governor of the castle. Tanz grabbed Bane’s hand and pulled him to a staircase that descended from the balcony to the floor on the right side of the room, which they quickly darted down. The carriage was only about fifty feet away, but staying in the shadows was the only way they would arrive to it safely. Since the wagon was sitting in the middle of the floor pointing outside to where the guard lay, the two snuck around the stairs under the shadow of the balcony to the back of the carriage, following the wall to the back of the room. They would have to emerge to sprint for their target, but the wagon was now in between them and the commotion outside.
         Tanz tapped Bane on the shoulder and held out three fingers. He dropped one, then another, and finally the last one. As soon as the last finger dropped, the pair stood up and sprinted for the back of the cart, both of them diving into it when they were close enough. Bane kept his head up to look over the edge of the cart, and he saw that another guard was looking their way. He had apparently heard the cart creak as the two bodies landed in it, and he was approaching the carriage quickly. Both Bane and Tanz snatched supply bags up and covered their bodies completely, making sure to keep the sentry from seeing their movement. Tanz dropped the last bag over his feet as the man rounded the back of the cart, and he stood there for a moment observing. Seeing nothing, he turned and walked back around to the front where the dead guard lay.
         The supplier, Tanz saw through a slit in the cover he made, was making his way back to the cart from within the castle. Apparently he hadn’t even seen the dead individual outside yet. The governor said a few words to him and motioned that he needed to leave, to which the supplier nodded and hopped into the cart, whipping the horses into motion. The cart lurched and the supply carriage rode by the others, unknowingly carrying a bit of an extra load. All Tanz could figure was that the governor didn’t want the supplier to see what had happened and give Dinus a bad reputation when the carriage returned to Naithus City. If the Emperor found out what had happened, he would think that the governor didn’t have things under control, which could result in a cut of funds for the castle. The dead guard was invisible to the cart, since the throng of sentries, maids, and servants had surrounded him. The supplier would never know, and neither would the Emperor.
         All the pair could do now was relax as the horses pulled them silently out of the castle walls into the fresh night air of the Scillyrn Forest. The occasional bump in the dirt road jarred Tanz and Bane against the wooden wagon, but it was a necessary evil. They were on their way to freedom, and nothing was going to stop them now.
         
         Chapter 4
         Saber’s eyes rested on the map he had acquired of the Scillyrn continent. He was a day’s walk southwest of Naithus City now, and the chilly night was quickly approaching. This northern section of Scillyrn was cool even during the hottest part of the year, and the nights were never warm. However, they were perhaps the most peaceful, especially out in the wooded region near Naithus City. It was a forested area, but the road allowed a clear view of the starry sky directly above.
         Another few days and Saber would find himself in his hometown. It was now, though, that he truly realized how much he missed the place. With the revolution occurring, he hadn’t much time for traveling or journeying like he formerly did. But money was something he had to have, so the days of hopping on his galleon and sailing to distant ports and towns were definitely over. Saber allowed his lips to part to allow a slight sigh at this thought, but he was well aware of what he had to do to stay alive under this harsh emperor, and sailing was not one of them.
         Glancing around the forest, he decided another mile or so of walking tonight wouldn’t hurt. The clear, quiet air surrounding him provided him one of the most undeniably peaceful feelings he had ever felt, and each breath was crisp and full of the sweet scent of pines. The young mercenary strolled down the road nonchalantly, every so often kicking up some dirt playfully. At times he walked with his head looking straight up at the unobstructed sky and the bright, radiant moon, which cast a pallid glow upon his somewhat tan skin and dark attire.
         After a few minutes of walking, however, he caught a glimpse of the undergrowth rustling on his left side. Furrowing his eyebrows in confusion, Saber strode over near the foliage with his hand ready on his katana. He glimpsed over the edge of the bushes and saw nothing but the forest floor. Shaking his head, he simply picked up his pace and continued on his walk.
         The young man’s platinum colored hair was shining beautifully in the luminosity of the moon and the gentle wind was having its way with his locks as he walked. But after the occurrence a moment before, Saber couldn’t help but shake the feeling that he was being watched. Keeping his golden eyes wide and his mind alert, he cautiously continued down the road. It wouldn’t be long before he would have to set up a camp, but right now didn’t seem like a good idea. Who would be following him? Surely the Emperor hadn’t sent someone to make sure Saber had been telling the truth as to where he was going.
         No. That would be stupid. Maybe it was a Revolutionist, but he was on the extreme outskirts of their territory and he was a mercenary; no one would have a grudge against him, no matter how well he was known in the Empire. The Emperor paid him massive amounts of money to rid the country of certain people, even some on the Empire’s side that had become overly powerful, so the Revolutionists wouldn’t be out to kill someone who had aided them, no matter how little. Either way, Saber quickly changed his pace from a quick walk to an all out sprint. Speed was by far his specialty, and he knew he could outrun almost anyone who tried to pursue him.
         He’d have to live without a campfire tonight. If he could get far enough away from whomever or whatever was pursuing him, he could quickly hide under some dense underbrush and not worry too much if the follower came looking.
         The cool air of the forest hissed past his ears for a good five minutes of nothing but empowered running, which ended in a leap into the brush and a dive under some bushes. He lay on the ground quietly, staying completely motionless as he watched for signs of anyone searching for him.
         Of course he could be wrong. It could all be in his head. But that rustle in the foliage earlier seemed as if it was made by something bigger than just a wild animal, and it was better to be safe than sorry. Therefore, he decided, he would lie in the brush awake until he fell asleep and continue on his journey in the morning. His best cover were the massive bushes he was under, and he knew that emerging anytime soon could end up in his pursuer, if there was one, spotting him.
         The adrenaline in Saber’s body kept him awake for a half hour after his leap into his makeshift bed, and as soon as the energizing hormone abated, the exhaustion of the day’s walk quickly set in, shutting his eyes and allowing him to drift off into a light sleep from which he didn’t awake until the early morning sun pierced the tree line.

         Chapter 5
         Tanz reached through the supplies and found Bane’s hand, which he promptly squeezed as a signal to roll off the back of the cart. Tanz poked his head out cautiously from the bags to observe their surroundings before finishing the escape plan. The pair had been entrenched in the carriage for a little over two hours, and Tanz knew that they were now only in the very heart of the forest.
         Bane soon popped up from the bags quietly and watched as Tanz motioned with his body to roll from the back of the cart in a fetal position on to the ground. Tanz, after instructing Bane, grabbed a large sack full of supplies and slowly rolled from the back of the cart. The drop wasn’t far, so the slam into the ground didn’t disorient him. Therefore, as soon as the older man touched the ground he rolled off the road into the brush. Bane followed suit not far behind.
         Both men laid on the ground for a few moments after the cart had trudged off to make sure no one had followed. Once sure they were alone, Tanz walked over to Bane and pointed off the road to the left.
         “This road heads north. We need to go west. That cart was headed straight for the Empire’s territory.” Tanz crossed his arms after laying the bag of supplies at his feet. “It would’ve been much easier to stay on the cart and have a free ride out of the forest, but there’s a checkpoint at the edge of it on this road and we would have been caught as soon as the guards inspected the supplies.”
         Bane nodded and bent down to open up the bag of supplies he had stolen. “Check yours, too. We might have gotten lucky and stolen something of use.”
         Tanz copied Bane’s actions and the pair rummaged through their bags for a few moments, pulling out meals, first aid supplies, a knife, some thread, matches, a journal with some ink and a quill, and a cotton shirt. Tanz heaved a sigh of relief at the food, knife, and first aid kits, but the other things didn’t seem to be of much use.
         “We’ll keep all this anyways. I’m sure we’re better off with than without,” Tanz instructed. The two organized everything into the bags once again and Bane placed the knife in his pocket.
         “Ok, we’re going to have to head off the road and just hope we can stay in the right direction. The guards are definitely on their way by now,” Tanz muttered grimly before marching off into the forest.
         The pair pushed through the foliage, the going slow because of the thick branches and plants that obviously hadn’t seen much interference by humans. Both men tried not to leave tracks of any kind, whether it was broken twigs, footprints, or bits of their clothes. The fact that it was dark outside didn’t help, but they both wanted to put as much distance between themselves and the road as possible before ending the night.
         The minutes passed quietly, until Tanz believed it was safe to begin speaking again. “Well, how’s it feel to be a free man again?”
         Bane simply grinned and hoisted the sack over his shoulder again. “I just can’t wait to get back and kill some of these fascist bastards.”
         “There ya go, that’s the spirit,” Tanz applauded quietly. “But we have to make it out of here alive first. Don’t let your guard down.”
         The two continued on in silence for a few more moments before Bane glanced back over to Tanz with a slightly worried expression. “Tanz...didn’t you say there are spirits and phantoms out here?”
         The old man nodded in response.
         “Well, what are we supposed to do if we come across one? We don’t have any silver weapons or anything. We can’t fight them.”
         Tanz knew this was the perfect opportunity to tease the young boy. “Aww, the poor wil’ kid is scared, isn’t he? Afraid of a little ghost? Am I going to have light a candle so you can piss tonight?”
         Bane looked at Tanz with a disgruntled expression before grunting, “Shut up, what do we do, seriously?”
         Tanz smirked as he allowed his moment of triumph to linger in the air, and then his demeanor became calmer, more caring. “All we can do is run. A phantom or spirit can’t go too far from the ground it haunts, so if we can make it far enough from the ghost’s territory, we should be fine.”
         Bane nodded to show he understood, but the eerie presence of fog surrounding the bases of the trees was enough to unnerve to most bestial of men. In the daytime, Bane thought, the Scillyrn Forest wouldn’t be so dreadful, but this massive clump of trees in the southwestern corner of the continent was once the home of an ancient civilization, from which graves and ruins had been blanketed by the foliage. They could be walking across the burial site of an army right now, and they would never know it. Unless, of course, that army’s spirits decided to take action.
         Tanz’s weary voice snapped the boy out of his thoughts. “Ok, I think we’re safe for the night here. There’s enough brush around that even if someone came up fairly close to us, we’d be hidden.” The older man lay down next to some bushes after checking the spot for anything that would be offended by his intrusion, and rolled until he was halfway under the stems of the plant. Bane did the same at a bush close to Tanz.
         “If you need anything in the night, let me know,” Tanz’s comforting voice whispered into the warm night air. “We only have a few hours to sleep before daylight, and then we need to get moving again.”
         Bane placed the supply sack near his head as a makeshift pillow and muttered a quiet “Thanks” before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep. Not long after, Tanz did the same.

         Chapter 6
         Saber’s eyes opened to the sweet scent of the bush he had fallen asleep under. The morning sun was shining through the canopy of leaves and branches above, illuminating his face with a golden light. The rest had been fairly peaceful; the only thing that had caused any problems was the unforgiving ground he had laid on. But that was one of the inconveniences of being a mercenary and adventurer; sometimes the harsher way was the safer.
         Slowly Saber rose and stretched his legs and arms before stepping back into the road and glancing down each direction. Nothing. The thought of last night’s run quickly leapt back into his mind, however, and his conscience quickly cleared and his body became alert.
         After checking for his katana, Saber began his walk down the long pathway, and it wasn’t long before he emerged into a massive field, the edge of which could not be seen. Pulling from his belt a long, folded sheet of paper, the young mercenary knew at first glance after unfolding the map that this was the massive Scillyrn Fields. This vast expanse of slightly rolling hills and the few dispersed villages and farms comprised much of the center of the entire continent. The southern edge of the plains faded into the Scillyrn Forest, while the western edge lied close to the coast. The eastern side, perhaps the most turbulent in terms of violence having nothing to do with the war, housed the Ruln Mountains.
         Gathering his bearings, Saber headed off in the direction specified by the map. Munus, the capital of the revolution, was directly south of him, but stopping there was unnecessary. Another town also lay in the massive field, Amicus Village, but it was closer to the Ruln Mountains, which made it pointless as well.
         Therefore, his destination lied further west. The journey wasn’t going to be exceptionally difficult from here on out, but Saber couldn’t shake the feeling of what he thought was following him. Could it be a person? He thought he had ruled that out, but normally he was a fairly intuitive person.
         And that was when he felt it. Someone was near, and as Saber quickly turned around, the sun blinded his eyes. Seconds later, something forced at his chest, knocking the wind out of him and pushing him to the ground. Saber curled into a ball to protect himself and roll, and he quickly jumped back to his feet when he felt he had put enough distance between himself and his assailant.
         As he stood up, the young mercenary noticed a tall figure standing before him, clothed in a black haori and hakama, holding a massive, onyx-colored scythe. The weapon was as high as the pallid male, who had a long scar on his right forearm that was eerily surrounded by the insignia of a raven’s head.
         Saber turned his right foot towards the enemy while his back foot remained behind him and, with both knees bent, he kept his right arm mere centimeters from his weapon sheathed on his side farthest from the man, the left. This was by far his most skillful stance as well as his favorite because it allowed him to draw his weapon instantaneously by pulling the sheath backwards while he pulled the sword from within the sheath.
         The assailant simply stood there watching for another moment before lifting the great scythe onto his left shoulder and placing both hands on the wooden handle.
         “Who are you?” a cautious Saber asked.
         The black-attired individual allowed his lips to curve slightly upward into a smirk. Saber noticed the vicious intent within those crimson orbs that were staring him down, though it only made him become more aware.
         “My name is Adeo Lupule,” spoke the assailant in a confident, almost cocky, voice. “Wanderer, fighter, murderer. And I’m here for your head.”
         Saber’s golden eyes narrowed at Adeo’s words. He knew he this encounter would most likely end in a fight, especially if the man had a serious purpose for attacking him. “I’m not sure who gave you the crazy idea that you’ll be able to beat me in a fight, but if you’re going to follow me for a day and attempt to sneak up on me to finish me off, you are one pathetic excuse for a warrior.”
         Adeo let out a chuckle and grinned. “I’ve been watching you since you assassinated that man in Naithus City the other day. I knew him and it was by luck that I wasn’t there to be able to save him. You just happened to go for the kill the one time I wasn’t accompanying him somewhere. And for that, you’re going to die today.”
         “You wish,” Saber growled in a lower voice. “That man was sadistic. He ran a brothel in Naithus City that was a cover for drugs and other things that even led to murder. His men were doing nothing but causing more unrest. How can you honestly try and defend someone like that?”
         “He was someone very close to me, almost a father. He’s been caring for me since I settled into Naithus a few years ago. I can’t forgive you for something like that.”
         The young mercenary sighed and looked Adeo in the eyes, piercing his demeanor. “I’m sorry that he was a close friend of yours; someone you truly cared for. I’m sorry that he’s gone now. But the city and the Empire are much better off without someone like that. Though he may be the only care you knew, much better people exist out there than someone like him.”
         “You’re one to talk, working for the Emperor,” Adeo exclaimed in a voice that had grown slightly irritated. At least, Saber thought, this meant his words were getting somewhere. “That man is the most evil person in this country, I don’t care what anyone says!”
         Saber paused for a moment to think because, in truth, he knew how vicious the Emperor was. But he didn’t work for just him, either. Saber was a mercenary, someone who took jobs from anyone who had the money and a just cause. He wasn’t signed by contract to only the Emperor. “You may be right,” nodded the young man, “but his cause in this case was correct. I wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t a good reason.”
         Adeo’s eyes narrowed and Saber could see a glint that was slightly different than a moment before. “Shut up. I don’t care. He’s dead now and the cause was you. That’s all there is to it.”
         Saber opened his mouth to defend himself but the moment he did, Adeo pushed off his back foot and began running full speed towards him. The scythe flew forward horizontally with Adeo holding the bottom of the handle so he could attain the maximum distance possible. Saber immediately grabbed the handle of his katana and unsheathed it with immense speed, blocking the massive scythe in midair.
         Adeo quickly jumped back to prepare for another attack, but Saber was ready for that. As soon as Adeo had leapt backwards, Saber had pushed forward to stay with him while bringing his katana horizontally across his body in a slice across Adeo’s chest. The attack connected, but only slightly. It caused Adeo to wince in pain but he was able to bring his large weapon down to block Saber’s next slice upward.
         The two held their weapons against each others for a moment struggling before each stepped back and readied themselves again.
         “There’s no use in doing this!” shouted Saber.
         “I said shut up,” Adeo rebuked with enough emphasis on his last word to knock out a child.
Even his words come out poisonous, thought Saber. But words weren’t going to win this battle, pure skill was. Whoever wielded their weapon more fundamentally would come out victorious.
Adeo leaped forward while bringing his scythe overhead down towards Saber, who promptly dove to the right and rolled onto his feet as the massive weapon hammered into the earth where he had stood. Turning around, Saber ran towards his attacker again and raised his katana above his head for a similar attack.
The scythe was planted firmly in the ground, and Adeo was having a rough time retrieving it as Saber quickly covered the ground between them. He pulled but the weapon wasn’t budging. Looking to the left, the killer’s eyes widened as Saber brought his katana downward in a great arch for the final blow. Adeo closed his eyes and listened to the sound of metal slicing something and finally waited for the nerves to realize the pain.
But it never came.
“Open your eyes, coward,” Saber’s voice cut through the silence quicker than the previous attack had. “Do you honestly think I would kill a man who had no weapon anymore?”
Adeo did as he was told and allowed the sight to fill his view. Saber stood there, sword in hand, and he was…smiling? And then he noticed why. The sound of the weapon slicing hadn’t been through Adeo’s own flesh, it had been through the handle of his own scythe.
“You’re lucky,” Saber growled. “I’m in a good mood today. I’m on my way to my hometown and I’m not working, for once.” He picked his katana up and let the blunt side of the shining metal slide along his hand and into the sheath. “You’re free to go, you’ve had enough trauma, what with your friend dying and all.” The boy paused momentarily, “But don’t try anything else stupid.”
Adeo was speechless. This man had killed his mentor and he had followed him all the way here, simply to be disgraced in his futile attempt at revenge. But the kid had allowed him his life, even after what he’d done.
A sudden surge of anger coursed through Adeo’s slender, pallid body. He couldn’t even fight back, the only weapon he could use right now was a two-foot long piece of white oak with a splintered tip. Not only was he angry at being shown up, he was angry at himself for using such a ridiculous attack on a target so small and quick and on soft ground, nonetheless. It would take serious work to pry the scythe out of the earth now that it had no handle and only a blade.
Adeo sighed and stood up from the bent over position he had been in when his opponent had attacked, holding the handle to his former glory. Saber noticed his face was calm, almost peaceful. But that quickly changed as Adeo reared his arm back and threw the stake at Saber’s head.
Platinum hair waved as Saber bent his upper body over to the side in a quick dodge, the handle flying by him and bouncing across the earth harmlessly. His golden eyes flared an even brighter vividness than normal and Adeo watched as he moved his body ever so slightly, knowing this was finally his last moment. He had gone too far, there was no way he would be spared once again.
“You’re welcome,” the mercenary stated quietly, and turned around to start walking down the path again.
Adeo was left standing there wide-eyed and gaping-mouthed in a mixture of disbelief, anger, resentment, and emptiness. There was no way he could fight now, and he wasn’t about to leave his beloved scythe behind to chase after Saber.
What a stupid thought, though. He didn’t deserve to even try to hurt that mercenary again. Honestly, he had been humbled beyond belief in that fight. Saber’s movements were so fluid they had been like water.
What a coincidence, Adeo thought. His mentor had been drowned to death somehow, but there had been no other water besides what had leaked out of the man’s wound.
Finally regaining movement in his stunned body, the would-be killer watched as Saber’s figure got smaller and smaller in the distance. Sighing, he stepped forward to begin his attempt at retrieving his weapon and as he did, the scar on his right arm as well as the raven head illuminated brightly for a moment. Adeo smirked as the wound in his chest covered up and the skin reattached itself. The raven head quit glowing and the pale form narrowed his crimson eyes as his haori and hakama whipped in the breeze that had kicked up on the fields. “I’ll see you again, Saber,” the shamed man decided out loud.
Saber glanced back and saw Adeo’s miniature figure struggling with his scythe. He couldn’t help but allow his lips to rise in a wide grin. “Sucks to be shamed, dickhead. I can’t wait until next time.”