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Finally new posts, Uni is taking up most of my time so next posts will take a little while.

This is a new story I came up with and decided to write down, originally this would be posted as one part but it is simply too big for that so it will be broken down into chapters. Settings and map (see pictures) based on 'Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones' along with the map. Other then that the characters belong to me unless mentioned. Dedicated to a dear friend of mine who got married with a very lucky husband.

update 05/02/12: fixed some spelling errors

A Twist of Fate Chapter 1

The continent of Maldrok, a vast place with mountains, forests, lakes and so on.The continent is divided in six countries:

• In the northwest is the country 'Amras', ruled by King Arrus, the Sage. Home to the finest archers and Pegasus Knights.
• Directly east of it lays the trade country Perudo, ruled by King Losan, the Ranger. Home to mercenaries.
• South of Perudo lies Kalad, ruled by King Talian ,the Great Mobile. Home to exceptional Paladins and Knights.
• In the far south is the empire of Gar, ruled by Emperor Geron, the Great Knight. It holds unique warriors and wyvern knights.
• In the east lies the sand country known as Alledria, ruled by Queen Dela, the Swordmaster. Home to the best Swordsmen.
• Finally, within the northeast lies the Theocracy of Lazar, ruled by Holy Emperor Mansel, the Bishop and home to all light users.

In this continent there are many classes one can be trained in. Here is a sample of what "some" do.

• Ranger: Mounted knights who are skilled with the swords and bows, mostly used to support charges and for swift attacks.
• Warrior: Axe-wielding fighters who have proven their strength. They can also be seen using bows. What they lack in precision they make up with strength, deadly in close combat.
• Mobile: Great skills in every weapon combined with heavy armor and high fighting skills make them walking fortresses on the battlefield, however they are lacking in speed due to their armor.
• Swordmaster: Title given to swordsmen with great skills and speed. They move fast and are unmatched in skills with the sword. Feared for their swift killing strokes and high dodge rate.
• Sniper: Title given to archers of high skills, their accuracy is the best in all of Maldrok and they carry bows bigger then themselves.
• Great Knight: Mounted equivalents of Mobiles, they have greater mobility but maneuver slowly.
• Sage: Title given to advanced mages, they are masters in the arts of fire and frost magic.
• Shaman: Masters of elder black magic, they are very powerful but are not fast in movement.
• Druid: Title given to advanced shamans, they wield black and fire magic and are feared for their magical strength.
• Arcanist: mages who dedicated themselves to the arts of the arcane, feared for their near limitless power yet they are thin in numbers.
• Paladin: Cavaliers who dedicated their lives to justice. They are experts whilst using lances and swords. However, mostly used to enforce the laws due to their overall skills.

However other classes will be explained once enocuntered.

Twenty-five years ago, the empire of Gar tried to conquer all of Maldrok but was stopped by the combined forces of the countries of Kalad, Amras and Alledria. The trade country Peduro stayed out of the fight because they had good ties with Gar but were surrounded on all sides by their enemies so rather then pick a side they stayed out of it must to the frustration of Gar. The theocracy of Lazar also stayed out of this fight not because of relationships but because that they are not a very aggressive country, while the Holy Emperor Mansel did not want to get involved, some agreed that to prevent an attack they must strike first causing disagreement among the Theocracy.

After the war Gar lost a lot of its military power and the land was left in ruins, the new emperor, Emperor Geron, managed to rebuild Gar to its former glory but made sure to keep his army small enough to not make the other countries suspicious and big enough to keep peace in Gar.

Alledria suffered very little from the war other than some troops send to invade Gar and was able to even benefit from it all due to stolen treasure from its troops. Kalad suffered the most damage because Gar launched its initial attack on the unprepared kingdom of Kalad but was unable to conquer it due to the swift response of Amras and Alledria.

Now, thirty years later the kingdoms of Amras and Kalad still remain close as well as its people. Kalad is rebuild to its former glory thanks to Amras, Gar is recovered from the war as well but keeps its focus purely to defensive matters. Alledria grew in strength and spirit ever since the victory on Gar due to their many Swordmasters and Santo's

*Santo: swordsmen who also use axes in combat, they have a shield straped to their arm with their weapon of preference concealed behind it. They are as skilled as Swordmasters but what they lack in speed they make up for defence and armor.*

Apart from their normal forces they started training mages and even Sages to provide necessary magical back up they previously lacked. Amras helped rebuild Kalad and even provided with men to restore order, ever since it was rebuild Amras pulled out their forces so Kalad could enforce its own laws.

Our story begins in Kalad, a small town called Tronk near the border with Amras. A lone man sits on a stool in the local inn drinking a beer. He has a sword strapped to his side wearing a blue robe with leather armor beneath it slightly visible, hiding his slightly muscular tone. The man has semi-long black hair running down his back and would be six feet tall is he was standing upright. His deep blue eyes focused on his drink when suddenly he hears a loud noise from behind him.

"Who here is the 'Blue Flash' " bellowed an eight foot tall man with an axe in his hand.

Our lone swordsmen turns around and looks at the guy seeing he's accompanied with a few swordsmen. He takes them all in in a split second and says 'That would be me'

"You!" he yelled and walked up the man and picked him up by collar.

"You're gonna pay you monster." He said holding his axe in the other hand while his henchmen stand further away smirking.

"*sigh* Here we go again"

Kalor is a Swordmaster hailing from the country Alledria, he was trained hard by the best and turned out to be very skilled. He was mostly a mercenary working for anyone who could afford him making him a very wealthy man. Even though he works for the highest bidder he still is loyal to his country and therefore would never do anything to harm it.

However, his good life ended when he got a job to kill a Sage burning down villages in Kalad, he tracked him down and ambushed him. The fight was in his favor, even though he got hit a few times by a bolt of ice, he got him a few times with his sword, when he swung his sword for the killing blow the sage reached up and placed his hand on his forehead. Before he could even do something the blade hit his chest slicing it open and making him yell in agony, shortly after that he felt a burst of energy hit him like a train making him go unconscious.

When he woke up he felt like he had the worst hangover ever, he looked around and noticed the sage laying dead on the ground with a large chest wound. He picked up his sword and checking for wounds finding none other than the once inflicted during the fight, he made his way to collect his reward, taking along the sage's staff as proof of the kill. As he walked in the house of his employer he came up to him to congratulate him but as soon as they shook hand the man's hand suddenly froze in a blink and so did his entire arm. Seconds later the arm shattered in a thousand pieces and he was screaming in pain.

Before he could even think about what happened the employer called his guards who were running towards him swiftly, being slightly injured he decided to jump through the nearest window and he escaped eluding the guards and patrols send after him. During the whole thing, one question roamed his mind, 'What just happened?'

In disguise he asked around a little making to avoid conflict and he learned his employer was not only a powerful man but he was also a personal friend of the king. Talk about bad luck. He also concluded he somehow got imbued with the sage's power making him the new most hated person in whole of Kalad. He tried returning to Elledria but the borders were well guarded making it impossible to get past them. Because of this he tried to keep a low profile which didn't work out very well for him.

Which brings us back to the current situation our Swordmaster is caught in, obviously these men knew he was here and decided to project their hatred on him aswell.

"Just let go of me and I'll be off. Don't do something you'll regret." He calmly responded

"You wish, you scum. I'll enjoy killing you."

"Fine then, we'll do it your way"

The man in the blue robe grabbed the man's wrist with one hand while the other pulls out a small knife from his sleeve and slices the man's wrist. He screams in pain and lets go of his attacker stumbling backwards.

However our man here doesn't give him the time to think about his next move as he pulls out his sword and vanishes or so it appeared that way. In reality he moved so fast it looked like he vanished, before they realize the man in the blue robe is standing behind the big, axe-wielding man with his sword sticking into his back and standing in front of the henchmen.

"I told you you'd regret it."

He moved, again his movements so fast they appeared like a blur to the unfortunate men as they were cut down one by before they could even draw their weapons and get ready. Less than a minute later all six men lay dead on the ground with blood oozing out of them. He seals the wounds by freezing the blood. He then picks up the men one by one and drags them to the graveyard where he lights the bodies on fire with a flick of his hand. There was a good reason he was known as the 'The Blue Flash', his speed was unparalleled among the continent.

"I told them to back off... *sigh*"

Having to kill yet another group of villagers who just wanted their chance for revenge saddened him but also made him angry, who are they judge him by whatever that sage did to him. He didn't choose for this! He just wants to go home and live his life in relative peace, curse them all!

As he walked out of the village into the forest he didn't notice a pair of eyes staring at him from a dark corner followed by a toothy grin.

"Hmmm, interesting..."

[Alledria, Royal Halls]

In the Royal Halls of Queen Dela's palace we find her in what seems a discussion with an emissary from the Kingdoms of Amras and Kalad. Whatever the topic is it seems to be quiet the debate.

"Queen Dela, it is not our intention to threaten you or your people. We merely remind you that this Swordmaster is an enemy of Kalad and that when in the event he manages to cross our border and seeks refuge in the Kingdom of Alledria that we expect you to capture him and deliver him to us so we can bring him to justice." Came the comment from the emissary of Kalad.

"You expect me to send one of my best and most trusted Swordmasters to his death without at least hearing him out?!" Said Queen Dela getting angry.

The emissary of Amras spoke: "He killed dozens of people around Kalad unchecked and who knows how many more by now and not to mention attempted to murder the richest merchant AND personal friend of the king. If you harbor him you'll send a clear signal of hostility to the Kingdom of Kalad and as their close allie we will not approve of this either."

"How dare you! We aided your cause in the last great war and yet you think of us as nothing more than 'hostilities'?! Get out of my palace before I have you beheaded for such insults!" Yelled the Queen losing her temper at the arrogance of the emissaries.

"Very well, but I cannot guarantee our king will be happy about this or what his answer will be." Came the cold answer from the emissary of Kalad before both bowed before the Queen and walked out of the hall.

The queen sat down trying to calm herself as her most trusted guard Ronak walked to her throne and kneeled.

"My queen, you must try to control your temper better when speaking to emissaries of Kalad and Amras."

The Queen sighted and turned her head to respond. "I know Ronak, but their arrogance is simply too mutch for me. They think they can just barge in here and tell me what to do."

"I understand milady, but if I may ask. What will you do when Kalor does return and seeks an audience?"

"I will grant him one of course, I don't care what the rumors are. I refuse to believe that little boy who I saved back then is as wicked and evil as everyone claims."

Queen Dela brings back the memory of when she first met Kalor fifteen years ago.

[Flashback]

"All hail Queen Dela!" came the yell from one of the soldiers as the new Queen marched down the streets with her escort.

The previous leader, King Elmas, had passed away and without a husband or a son his twenty year old daughter inherited the throne. Even though she was young, she was a Swordmaster already and learned politics from her father making her the unquestionable successor to the throne and from what she saw today it seemed her people agreed. Everywhere she went people cheered, bowed and celebrated her rise to the throne.

When she walking through the village of Harena she saw a young boy being chased by guards behind the crowd. She continued to watch the chase and saw the guards cornered the boy, or so they thought. As the first guard tried to grab the boy he jumped on a barrel and fling the top at the guard hitting him in the head causing to fall to the ground. Two more charged and to this the boy topped the barrel which was filled with oil. This caught the guards off guard (pun intended) as they slipped and fell, the boy grabbed another lit from a barrel and used it to slide over the oil and when passing the two struggling guards he took one of the swords they carried and jumped off the lit and landed on the ground with three guards in front of him and two tossing on the ground covered in oil behind him.

By now Queen Dela was intrigued and was slowly making her way to the scene but tried to do this without interrupting just yet.

One guard drew his sword and charged the boy but what he didn't expect was that the boy blocked his attack and let the guard's sword slide by him and made him open for an attack. However, the boy never struck the guard down but hit him on the head with the flat side of his sword knocking him off his feet, the two other guards charged with swords drawn aswell but the boy dodged their initial attacks and hit their knees with the flat side of the word again making them stumble forward in pain.

As the boy turned around to see his attackers he was grabbed by shirt from behind and lifted in the air helplessly, he flung around with his arms and legs as the guard that snuck up on him disarmed him.

"Pathetic, this brat made us look like idiots!" Yelled the guard at his fellow men who were slowly but surely getting up again.

"Let go of me you big sack of sand." Yelled the boy still trying to get free.

"Shut up kid, you'll pay for your crimes." The guard pulled a knife out and held it against the boy's throat and right when he was about to kill him the Queen stepped up and yelled 'Halt!"

The guards turned around and immediately bowed as they recognized the queen.

"M..my queen, I wasn't aware you were observing us. I apologize for the trouble this brat created." Said the guard still holding the boy.

"That's allright, now I'd wish to speak to the boy." Said the queen pointing at the boy which caused both the guards and him to be confused.

"But my queen, he's just a kid who stole food from the merchants. He's a criminal who needs to be punished."

"I don't recall I asked for your opinion soldier."

'N...no your highness."

The guard let go of the boy and he kneeled before the queen as she beckoned him to her which he did.

"Now tell me, why did you steal food young man?" Asked the queen in a soft voice.

"I was hungry your highness, I haven't eaten in days and I didn't have money to buy it." Came the response from the young boy.

"Couldn't your parents give you some money then?"

"N...no, they died years ago in a bandit raid." This caused the boy to look down suppressing his tears.

"I'm sorry to hear, where did you learn to fight like that?"

"I watched a few lessons from the academy through the window and I taught myself."

"My my, aren't you the talented one." The queen thought for a second "If you had a place to stay where you were fed would you stop stealing?"

"Yes your highness"

"Well then, it's settled, you're coming with me to the royal academy near the palace." She said with a smile.

The boy looked at her with wide eyes and the guards couldn't believe their ears and neither could her escort. The guards were about to oppose but one glare from the queen shut them immediately.

She gave the boy to one of her escorts who placed him on a horse beside the queen's.

"Thank you your highness! How can I ever repay you?" came the late response from the boy.

She smiled "Its allright, repay me by getting strong and by protecting out kingdom. Which reminds me, what is your name?"

"Kalor your highness."

[End Flashback]

"My queen, I know Kalor well from the academy and I too believe he isn't fallen like they say but you cannot ignore Kalad and Amras forever. They will demand his capture from you if he manages to escape Kalad."

The queen sighted again, not wanting to go against Kalad and Amras but not willing to sacrifice Kalor for it.

"I know that Ronak but you know aswell as I do that Kalor is a hero among his people, if I were to hand him over to Kalad and Amras I'd lose a lot of support in the southern villages and don't forget he saved that Lazarian cleric from bandits which convinced them to trade with us again. This whole matter is a political disaster no matter how you look at it and whatever discussion I make will have a bad result."

"I'm sure that whatever discussion you make it will be the best for Alledria."

"Let's hope so Ronak, let's hope."

[Kalad]

Kalor walked through the now dark woods with as only light source the moonlight until he reached a small town known as Laran.

"Finally..."

He made his way to what seemed to be an inn and knocked on the door only to be greeted by a man who's obviously seen the best of his days yet not too old.

"Well well, if it isn't Kalor. Come in lad" said the man with a friendly smile as Kalor went inside the inn.

"Thanks Melzar, sorry to bother you but I haven't had a decent bed in weeks." Said Kalor as he made his way to the counter while Melzar closed the door again.

"Oh don't say that, I own you a favor since you saved me from that mountain lion a few years back in Peduro so feel free to stay for the night." Came the friendly response as he tossed a key to Kalor which he catch.

"Up the stairs, far right door. It's all yours.

"Thanks Melzar, I wish I could get home already. This hunt is taking its toll on me."

Kalor sighed as he thought about his homeland and how mutch he missed those bloody deserts.

"Normally I'm not allowed to say this but..."

"But what?"

"Well...I overheard some bandits here saying they'll be raiding the southern outpost near the border. Just make sure you get there after the battle and you'll be home free boy."

This made Kalor's eyes sparkle with hope as he smiled.

"That's the best news I've had in days, shame for those guards but that means I can finally go home!"

"Aye, now get some rest before I drag you in that bed" Said Melzar with a smile.

"Allright allright old man, I'm going already." Came the answer from the grinning Kalor as he made his way to his bedroom.

"Far room to the right..."

He came the door and used his key to open it and entered the room, it had a bed, a closet, a bathroom with bath and more furniture but all he cared for was the bed as he undressed and placed his sword against the nightstand as he crawled under the blankets letting sleep take him away.

"Well...better close up."

Melzar cleaned the final dishes and glasses as another knock came from his door.

"Allright, just a minute!" said Melzar as he slowly made his way to the door. When he opened the door he saw a hooded person in a black robe but the features of the person made it clear she was a women."

"Can I help you miss?"

When the women spoke was soft and gently yet had a dark undertone to it. "Yes, I'd like a room for the night."

"Very well, follow me." Melzar let the women in and closed the door locking and he went behind the counter facing the women who took down her hood

The woman's face looked as soft as silk, her eyes were deep blue with a hint of darkness inside them and deep red lips made for kissing. Her black hair fell to the ground with a twist in the air releasing a scent of exotic fruits. The remainder of her body was hidden under the robe but her lush feminine curves were hugged by the robe making her curves get expressed to the fullest.

"So, what kind of room would you like?"

"Whatever is available." Came the calm answer.

"Well I got something just for you." He said as he pulled out a crossbow and aimed for the women.

"Did you honestly think I'd not see through that disguise of yours demon. You forgot I can smell your magic like a dead ogre."

"As expected from you Melzar, however you forgot something I'm afraid."

As soon as she said this he saw a purple flash and he was pinned against the wall with his hands and legs spread out completely.

"I'm not that weak person from back then, I became stronger. Strong enough for this."

With that said she opened her hand and a purple orb formed which transformed into a glowing spear. She hurled it at the human and it split off in three spears in mid air and hit him in the heart, throat and crotch. Melzar's eyes went wide as he gasped for air while blood oozed out of his mouth and throat.

The women in the black robe walked up the Melzar who was still pinned against the wall "You and you're 'friends' will pay for what they did to me. And I found just the person I need for that."

To this Melzar's eyes went wide again as he tried to speak which failed miserably with a pierced throat, seconds later his body went motionless and his head hang lifelessly.

"That takes care of one. Now to clean this mess..."

[The next morning]

Kalor woke up peacefully in a nice bed for the first time since he came to Kalad, he got up and refreshed himself by splashing some water in his face and getting dressed. He strapped his sword to his side and left his room.

As he made his way down the stairs he noticed the silence in the inn, he found this strange since he knew Melzar would be downstairs doing some work as always.

He reached the counter and called for Melzar but there was no response, he couldn't wait however since he couldn't risk the guards at the border post being replaced before he could cross.

He left his key on the counter and a few coins of silver before he went outside and towards the southern border post.

As soon as he left the inn a pair of eyes watched him leave.

"What is your plan Swordmaster..." said the feminine voice to nobody.

[ Southern Outpost]

Kalor arrived at the outpost from the forest side but he stayed under the cover of the trees before he decided to get an closer. From what he could see the attack already happened and given that all the guards were dead it seemed the bandits were somehow able to take them down.

"Allright, better be carefull. Don't want to get jumped or caught in the open."

Kalor slowly came out of the bushes hand on the hilt of his sword ready to draw in case it was needed. The outpost was like all the others, a wall with heavy door guarded by Mobiles or Paladins in the middle and two towers where Snipers are posted along with Sages.

However, when he got closer he saw the Mobiles dead on the ground and the towers smoldering as the fires died out not so long ago.

"Some bandits if they were able to take down these guards."

As he arrived at the outpost he saw the crest the men had on their armor.

"By the... these are men of the royal army! This couldn't be the work of mere bandits! I have to get out of here."

Instead of the cautious pace Kalor now switched to running not wanting to run into whomever killed these guards. However he failed to notice one of the Mobile's moving slightly as he saw Kalor run towards the Kingdom of Alledria.

Both of them failed aswell to notice the silhouette watching the whole thing from the tree line.

"This might be harder than I thought..."

[Alledria]

Home... a simple word easily spoken yet with a great meaning and emotion behind it, that word became a goal to Kalor ever since he was being hunted for a crime he never wanted to commit and doesn't even know how it happened.

After days of being hunted like an animal he was finally back in the Kingdom of Alledria, he realized that Kalad and Amras should have visited the Queen by now. He owned her an explanation more than anyone on the continent and he intended to give it to her personally.

He wasn't worried, why should he? The Queen always listened to what he had to say even when everybody said not to, he was loyal to her and he still was. He was certain that once he reached the palace this nightmare would all be over. The palace was still a few days travel by foot from Kalad so he'd have to find a place to stay when the sun sets over the deserts. Being born in these lands made the heath during the day bearable, even more now he had ice magic to resort to even though he was still figuring out how to use it since he didn't know a thing about magic. He continued to walk with his hood over his head to shield him from the sun as he walked towards the southeast.

Little did Kalor know that back at the border post reinforcements have arrived and that the dying breath of that one soldier was that he saw him run towards Alledria. Word was already sent to the King and messengers were already dispatched. These messengers were always Pegasus Knights or Wyvern Knights as they were the fastest in whole Maldork.

*Pegasus Knight: Knights who rule the sky on the back of Pegasi, they use swords and lances but are vulnerable to bows.*

*Wyvern Knight: Similar to the Pegasus Knights but they use wyverns, their armor is greater and they can penetrate enemy defenses with ease. However they are more vulnerable to magic attacks.*

Hours passed and the sun was setting as Kalor entered a town, it was very small and there wasn't an inn

"Blast, guess I'll have to keep going."

He walked through the small town on his way to the gate again as he nearly bumped into a guard.

"Pardon me, I didn't see you there sir." Came the apology from Kalor towards the guard who was now focused on Kalor.

"State your business traveler" said the guard slightly irritated

"Just passing through here, I was on my way to the gate until I nearly bumped into you sir."

"Passing through? Are you mad? By the time you reached the next town you'll be frozen to death out there. Just continue towards the other gate and the far building on your right has a place where you can stay." Said the guard as he pointed towards the building.

"All right then, thank you good man."

"No problem mister, have a safe journey."

Kalor turned around and took a few steps until a hand grabbed his shoulder and stopped. He turned around and noticed it was the same guard yet again.

"Forgive my curiosity stranger but where is your mount?" Asked the guard

"I didn't have one, I came here by foot."

"A traveler who can handle to walk the desert all day? Nobody can do that unless you are from around here."

"Indeed but that's because I did grow up in Alledria."

"I guessed as mutch, I guess you came from Kalad then?"

"Yeah, just returned after a few weeks there and now on my way home."

"Well don't let me stop you then, get some rest."

"Will do sir"

With that said the guard and Kalor parted and he went towards the building the guard pointed to him. He knocked on the door and an old lady opened the door.

"Can I help you sir?"

"Yes, I've been told I could have a bed here for the night."

"Oh yes, my husband died and ever since then I have too much room for myself so I rent out one of the rooms to come around. Please come in."

"Thank you and sorry to hear." Kalor stepped inside and noticed that the house wasn't big but big enough for just two people, he entered the living area where the room was decorated by ornaments which appeared to be handmade along with some furniture.

"Oh it's all right, he passed away peacefully and I still have my hobby to keep me busy."

She guided him to the room and opened the door, as he walked he saw a bed with a night stand and pretty much everything else you can find in a standard inn.

"Thanks mam', this will do perfectly."

"Oh don't thank me yet mister, I haven't given you the bill yet." Came the remark from the old lady as she smiled at him.

To this Kalor laughed a little before he turned to face her again. "I'll keep it in mind for tomorrow then. Good night."

"Good night mister." The lady turned around and left him alone.

Kalor closed the door and given the cold night he decided to keep on his blue robe and placed his sword next to the nightstand as he once again drifted into sleep.

While everything in house went quiet outside at the gate a Pegasus Knight arrived with news.

As he did his say the another guard joined the conversation.

"What's the commotion?" asked the guard

"Apparently there is an assassin on the loose who tried to assassinate a friend of King Talian and he also killed dozens of villagers and even men of the royal army."

"Damn, must be one though guy. Do they know what he looks like?"

"Yeah, he looks like your all day typical guy in a blue robe with and a sword strapped to his side."

"Wait, did you just say a blue robe?"

"Indeed, why you ask?"

"Cause I bumped into him an hour ago!"

This caused the other guards and the messenger to stare in awe at the guard.

"I must notify my liege of this!" said the Pegasus Knight as he flew off.

"Did you see where he went?!" asked one of the guards

"Yeah! He was looking for a place to sleep and I told him to go to that lady who's husband died."

"Go! Alert all the guards and get them ready for combat, if this bastard killed out an entire outpost we'll need all the hands we can get!"

With that said the guards scattered across the town gathering all the guards they could find without alerting the sleeping townsfolk and their target.

We switch to Kalor who is sleeping peacefully until a voice in his dream calls out to him. He can't see who it is but he hears a feminine voice saying. "Wake up Swordmaster, danger is near."

Immediately he awakens wondering what the hell that was about, he hears knocking on the front door and gets up to check out who's there. He walks towards the door without his sword but then realizes the strange voice in his dream. For some reason he thinks it's better to be safe than sorry.

He walks outside his room towards the living area and spots the lady who allowed him to sleep here talking to a guard. He also noticed a few other guards standing outside.

He was about to head back to his room when the guard looked at him, drew his sword and yelled. "There he is! Get him!"

Not letting his mind wonder off to guess why the guard said that his reflexes kicked in and he turned around running towards his room again. He recalled a window from which he could escape, he got to the room and closed it behind him blocking it with a chair. As he opens his window he hears the guards trying to force the door open, he jumps through the window and lands in a dark alley with a few guards casually standing there until they see him and draw their swords right before charging towards him.

"I better get out of this town fast."

Kalor again choose to run so he turned around and ran as fast as he could away from the guards after him through the dark alleys. Shouts were heard and torches were set alight decreasing his chances to escape by every passing second. He had to lose these guards fast or they'll drive him in a corner, which was exactly what happened.

Kalor ran into a dead end, as he turned around he saw the five guards with swords drawn standing in battle stance ready to attack. Now Kalor had no choice but to draw his sword aswell.

"Great...this will do wonders to my reputation."

The first guards charged at Kalor sword raised, Kalor stepped sideways blocking the attack before he kicked his knee in the guard's stomach causing him to fall forward face first on the ground.

The second one charged with his sword in position to stab him, he swung his sword deflecting the attack. Before the guards could try anything Kalor had his sword at his throat, instead of slicing him he hit him in the face with the flat side of his sword making the guard stumble to the ground.

The three remaining guards charged at him, he pushed down a barrel and kicked it towards the guards as they all trip and fall to the ground trying to get back up. By the time they were back at their feet Kalor used a crate to climb onto the rooftops.

"He's on the roofs! Don't let him get away!" Yelled a guard.

"Think, think, think. How do I get out of here!"

Kalor ran and jumped from roof to roof as fast as he could but it would only be a matter of time before they would surround him. He had to think of a way to escape the village fast.

"I need a distraction, something big...like....like..."

As he continued his train of thoughts he noticed a shed with a hole in the roof. He stopped and looked inside and noticed loads of barrels.

"Hm...this could work..."

Meanwhile the guards were climbing on the rooftops and looking for Kalor in the darkness, the only light given by them from the torches they carried and the faint moonlight. They spotted Kalor running with something under his arm.

"There he is! Get him!"

They chased Kalor as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop towards the center of the village.

They all failed to notice that Kalor had a barrel which was leaking under his arm and that he only jumped across the old, unused houses or sheds.

Kalor jumped to the next rooftop and stopped dead in his tracks, he dropped the barrel and lit up a torch which he found earlier in the supply shed. He stood there until he guessed that all the guards were on the rooftops surrounding him.

"Drop that torch and surrender scum!" Yelled one of the guards at him.

Kalor smirked and dropped the torch, it landed in a puddle of liquid which ignited immediately. The liquid was oil.

The guards realized their mistake as the fire followed the trail Kalor left behind as the fire spread to all the rooftops Kalor used all the way back to the supply shed. One of the guards got a good look at the shed Kalor was standing on. It was another supply shed.

"Clear the area! That's the supply shed!"

All the guards scattered away as fast as possible, not so long after the shed bursted into giant flames lighting up almost the entire village. As guards sounded the alarm and started putting out the fires a lone figure jumped down a roof on the edge from the village and ran away into the darkness.

[Morning, somewhere in the dessert]

Kalor woke up as the sun hit his face, he found a few ruins from an old glass factory and found a few half thorn blankets to keep him from freezing to death. Didn't stop him from shivering all night nor giving a good night's rest.

Still tired he had no choose but to move as long as the sun shines and he can orientate himself.

The palace was still a few days away and he had to avoid villages or towns in case they will act the same as the last one. He took with him a blanket for the cold nights and to shield him from the heat although it helped little. For water he would conjure a piece of ice and let it melt in sun but he had to eat sooner or later so he had to kill a snake from time to time if he came across one. He repeated this for two days straight heading east all the time.

Finally he saw the capital city coming into view, he was relieved he finally made it after three days of travelling through the desert being exhausted from the ordeal. He threw down the blanket and walked towards the palace, once he came to the entrance he noticed the guards staring at him oddly but he paid it no attention.

He went inside and saw that there were more guards present then he could recall during his last visit. He continued to walk towards the throne room until suddenly the two guards at the door stepped in front of him and didn't allow him to enter.

"What's this? Let me pass!" yelled Kalor at the two guards blocking his path.

"It's been awhile Kalor" came a deep voice from behind him. He turned around and behind him was the personal guard of Queen, Ronak, who was also in the royal academy with Kalor.

"Ronak, why can't I pass? I need to speak to Queen Dela."

"You can, but you have to relinquish your sword first."

"This sword never leaves my side Ronak, you know that damn well."

"You are a wanted man Kalor, I cannot let you pass while armed."

Kalor got mad, even here he is accused of crimes he did not commit.

"I did nothing wrong!" yelled Kalor

"Then proof it! Give me your sword and show that you are indeed not the person we heard from Kalad and Amras. An innocent man does not have to fear anything."

Kalor knew Ronak was right, but the thought of him without his faithfull sword straped to his waist was one that gave him an upset stomach. Against his better judgement he placed his faith into his queen, hoping she will hear him out.

"Fine, but I want it back later." Said Kalor as he removed his sword and gave it to Ronak.

"Of course Kalor, that's only natural. Let him pass."

The two guards that were blocking the path now moved aside. Ronak stepped in front of Kalor and opened the door as they went inside. Once Kalor and Ronak were in the throne room the door behind them closed.

The throne room was as big as a mansion itself, the floor was pure white marble resembling the white sand in the capital city. The walls were marble but of a yellow color with ornaments and fresia's showing the tale of how the continent of Maldrok came to be.

Along the marble floor were stone pillars of white marble aswell, as wide as a Mobile.

They approached the throne, the throne was made of the purest marble ever made with golden marking of a blade and a book, standing for the strength and wisdom of the people of Alledria.

Kalor stopped a few meters in front of the throne while Ronak continued his path and stood next to the throne and Queen Dela. The queen sat upright and looked upon Kalor with a steady gaze.

"My queen, I have returned from Kalad. " said Kalor as he bent his knee.

"Indeed you have Swordmaster, yet I'm not certain of your deeds while you were in Kalad." Spoke the queen with a calm voice.

"I did nothing wrong your highness, All the accusations are false."

"I beg to differ!" came a male voice from behind Kalor, as he looked behind him he saw a man covered in cloth with the colours of Kalad, it was the representative of King Talian.

Behind him was a small group of mobiles marching towards Kalor but as they got near him they split up and stood around Kalor at a distance of three meters.

To this Kalor stood up, he felt like an animal in a cage. Somehow he knew this was not going to end in his favor.

"You attempted to assassinate a personal friend of the King, killed dozens of innocent villagers and even attacked the southern outpost!"

"Lies! What happened with that merchant was an accident, I never ment to harm him! The Code dictates we cannot assault our employer unless orders from higher up says otherwise."

"Oh really? And what does your precious code say on the slaughtering of villagers!"

"They attacked ME! I simply defended myself! If it were not for the lies you spread about me they would still be alive!"

"SILENCE!" bellowed Queen Dela silencing the representative and Kalor.

"These halls are not a place for biggering, you two are grown men. Start acting like it."

Kalor and the representative waited for the Queen to continue.

"I will hear both of your arguments and stories, but in a civilized manner. I shall pass judgement once I made up my mind. Do not interrupt the other or I will, Understood?"

"You can't be serious! This man is a murderer! I demand he..." The representative was cut off by queen Dela again.

"And these are my halls and my laws! You cannot demand anything here! You are here because I allowed it, one more word of disrespect from you and I will sent you back to Kalad!"

"Yes your highness...." Said the representative in a silent voice.

"Good, now then. Let us begin, the representative form Kalad can speak."

"Thank you, as I said earlier, this man tried to kill Haldan, a personal friend to the king and the richest merchant in all of Kalad. Then he travelled through Kalad on his way to Alledria killing villagers along the way to keep his movements hidden to us. Once he made it to the outpost he attacked it and killed the guards of the Royal Army stationed then. Finally he travelled to a village in Alledria and nearly burned it down. That's all for now."

"Very well, you have the chance to answer these accusations Kalor."

Kalor made a small bow before speaking. "Like I stated, the so called assassination of Haldan the merchant was an accident. I myself have no idea how it happened myself but if I wanted to kill him I wouldn't have failed to do so. The villagers I killed attacked me first, I warned them not to start a fight but they didn't listen. I killed them yes but it was them or me, I didn't leave their corpses to rot but I buried them. About the outpost, it was already attacked by the time I got there and all the guards were dead. Beats me who did that but it wasn't me. I can't take on an entire outpost by myself and leave without a scratch. The village I nearly burned was because the guards there were after me aswell, I created a fire to cover my escape but the only buildings I set on fire were either abandoned or ruins. I didn't use my sword to kill a guard."

"I see, thank you Kalor. Representative, you can commence. Kalor, you can reply directly but let him finish. I expect both of you to behave."

"Thank you your highness." Said the representative before continuing.

"You claim the assassination was an accident, yet you fail to give an explanation for what did happen. Are you saying you cannot control yourself?"

"No! I simply don't grasp what happened to me. Ever since I killed that sage I'm capable of some magic. Since I did not receive training on such matters I do not know how to use them correctly."

"So you do fail to control your new found powers correct?"

Kalor sighted, the answer was obvious but not in his favor. "Yes"

"You see, this man is a threat to everyone around him and that was when he just got those magical powers. What if his powers become greater? He could wipe out villages without even being able to control himself. He must be locked away for the safety of the people."

"Any comments on that Kalor?" Asked Queen Dela

"Yes your highness, it's true I do not fully control these powers but with training and study I will, just grant me the possibility."

"Very well, continue representative."

"Also Kalor, you said you did not attack that outpost. Yet one of guards saw you pass, how is that possible if they were all dead like you said?.

"I presume it's possible one was still alive when I passed by but I did not attack the outpost."

"So who do you think did it then? Bandits? Criminals? Or perhaps a secret organization who gains something from killing those guards? If so then where were their corpses? Vanished into this air?"

Kalor again could not answer, a whole outpost guarded by the Royal Army could not have been taken out by bandits or criminals. A small force was needed for it and that still ment some casualties, it made no sence they'd carry the dead with them after the battle. The most logical explanation was him.

"I don't know..."

"As I suspected." Said the representative with a smile of contentment seeing as how Kalor is unable to fight off his arguments.

"Also Kalor, you said the guards in the village attacked you first am I correct?"

"Yes"

"Well according to the old lady and the guards, you came into the room dressed with your sword in your hand. Do you usually get up in the middle of the night carrying a sword around someone else's house?"

"Damn that guy, how could he know so many details!"

"No I don't"

"Then why were you up dressed and armed in that house? Unless of course you were planning to do something that could not see daylight."

"Whatever you are implying I didn't plan on doing."

"Then why, why were you up and awake walking around armed with a sword?"

Kalor knew why, because a voice in his head told something was wrong. If he said that they'd ship him off to the insanity bay.

"I woke up and had a feeling something was off, I got up and fully dressed to see if I was right."

"I rest my case."

"Anything to add Kalor?" Asked the queen.

"No...."

"I see, then I'm ready to pass judgement"

"Kalor, you were always loyal and faithfull, your honor was unquestionable and you were considered a hero in many eyes. Which is why this is extremely hard for me to do."

"No...."

"Kalor, after hearing the arguments and the answers you could not grand I have no choice but to decide you are guilty of all accusations."

"No....."

"You will be chained and shackled and handed over to Kalad to punish you as they see fit."

"NO!"

Kalor yells out in anger, how could she! After all his years of service! He would go down fighting for his freedom!

Kalor's hands glow bright blue as he fired an ice lance at one of the mobiles on pure instinct, the man was not prepared for this and took a direct hit in the chest making him fall to the ground badly injured.

Before Kalor could cast another spell the other mobiles were next to him, quick to shackle and chain him with anti magic chain. Those prevented him from casting spells like that.

Kalor still struggled, he tried to free himself from his binds until a mobile hit him on the back of the head with the flat side of his sword. Kalor fell to the ground unconscious and was picked up by one the mobiles and carried over his shoulder. As the mobiles help the injured mobile get up they took their leave, the representative turned to face Queen Dela.

"The kingdom of Kalad is gratefull for your decision Queen Dela"

"I didn't do this on behave of your king, I did it because I had no choice." Said the Queen with anger in her voice.

"Very well, Thank you for your time Queen Dela." The representative turned around and walked out of the throne room.

"My queen, was that a wise decision?" Asked Ronak standing beside her.

"I don't know Ronak, you and I know Kalor but he couldn't explain any of the events that took place. If I did not declare him guilty then I'd risk making enemies in Kalad and Amras."

"I hope that this will end well my Queen."

"I pray you are right Ronak, I pray you are right."

In a dark corner of the halls a figure watched the whole happening and wasn't noticed by anyone.

"Poor man, he deserves better. Yes..., much better...."

[Somewhere in Alledria]

Kalor slowly shifted again, he tried to stretch but he couldn't move his arms, then he tried to sit but his legs didn't listen to him. He had a nasty headache and opened his eyes, he was inside a cage being on a cart being pulled by horses. He noticed his arms, hands, feet and legs were chained up and that he was wearing his clothes apart from his boots, also that they were in the desert. Around the cart were the mobiles from the throne room and paladins. All of them were moving slower than usual due to the sand, same went for the horses pulling the cart.

Apart from the cage the representative and an archer were sitting on the cart, the archer was sitting with her bow and arrow ready to fire if Kalor made an attempt to escape.

"Well well, look who's awake." Said the female archer

"So tell me, how does it feel?" she asked Kalor

"What are you on about?" asked Kalor in an uninterested tone

"Knowing you're a dead man." Came the answer from the grinning archer

"Drop dead"

"Not before you do handsome."

"Selena, that's enough. No talking to the prisoner."

"Awh, but I like messing with prisoners."

"Tough luck, just keep an eye on him."

The remainder of the ride went smoothly, the sun began to set and the prisoner transport stopped for the night, while all the men went to rest one stayed up to guard Kalor, they'd take turns into watching him. They would knock on the bars of the cage every time Kalor would fall asleep keeping him awake. They kept doing that until sun rise but the burning of the sun prevented Kalor from sleeping during the day, the metal cage would heat up aswell causing Kalor to sweat like a pig and get several burn marks on his bare skin.

He didn't have the strength to sit so he laid down on the hot metal floor of his cage, he couldn't use his magic to cool himself due to his shackles. He was so tired, so hot, he didn't know if he could last like this.

"Sir, the prisoner doesn't look too good." Mentioned the archer to the representative.

"So? Let him suffer I say."

"Sir seriously, he doesn't look good.

The representative turned around and saw that Kalor was laying in his cage, sweat dripping from his face, burn marks on his arms and his breathing becoming shallow.

"I guess you're right, he doesn't look good indeed. But why does this concern you Selena?"

"Well sir, it would be no good if he died out here. Since the king was so eager to bring him to justice personally."

"Good point, let him have some water. You'll be responsible for keeping him alive Selena."

"Very well"

With that said she grabbed a bowl of water and placed it in the cage, Kalor had little strength left but he was able to lift the bowl to his mouth and drink it up in one haul.

"Thank....you...."

"Don't thank me yet, you're still a prisoner and I'm guarding you."

To this Kalor dropped his head to the floor again, the water he was given made him able to endure the heat for a little longer.

"So hot...damn heat... if only there was a way to..."

Suddenly Kalor got an idea, he tried to keep a straight face to not show his captors he had a plan to escape. And escape he will, even if it would cost him his life.

That night the same ritual took place, he would be kept awake by the pestering guards and they would take turns into guarding him. He cursed them all, wishing he had his sword with him to gut them all.

The next fews days was more of the same, the only thing keeping him from dying was Selena who occasionally gave him water and some old pieces of bread. After many days (due to the slowness of the horses in sand) they reached the southern border of Kalad, they passed through the outpost which Kalor was accused of attacking it. The new guards cheered as they passed by and even took the liberty of scolding at Kalor, throwing some rotten vegetables and fruit at him and one even found it funny to toss a bucket of filthy water over him. It refreshed him nonetheless but he remained motionless in the cage, still laying down, too tired and exhausted to react. But tonight his plan would fall together, tonight was his chance.

Night fell upon the prisoner transport and they stopped again, the guards were now drinking around the campfire and for a change he could lay down in peace, the female archer walked up to him and tapped to cage to get Kalor's attention.

"You still awake?" She asked in a soft voice

"I am now."

"Sorry."

"What is it? Not tired yet of pestering me? Or are you going to poke me till I start bleeding?"

"No, I brought you some water. Figured you'd want some."

"Why do you even bother, I'm a dead man, hated by many, betrayed by all. Just leave me to die here."

Selena placed down the bowl of water and left him, exactly what he was hoping for.

He was storing heat from his trip in the desert inside him and was now releasing it focusing in on flowing it into his shackles. The amount of magic needed for this was minimal so he could still do it. The shackled started heating and even glowed bright red causing his wrists to get severe burn marks, he bit away the pain and then sent ice magic into the shackled. The extreme sudden change in temperature made the shackle burst into pieces freeing his hands, he then repeated the process for the shackles around his feet, legs and arms. The chains around his arms were only keeping his upper arms from moving and not his lower arms which he used to channel the magic. After freeing himself he checked to see if anybody noticed something. The guards were still drinking and those who weren't drinking were sleeping.

He then focused his attention to the lock, he poured the water into the lock and then froze the water from the inside. The water expanded and the lock bursted open with a soft 'klank' as he opened the cage he heard the guards talking.

"Did you hear something?"

"Nah, it's nothing, probably some forest critter. Are you scared of a little rabbit now?"

"Shut up you."

Kalor let out a sigh of relief, his escape would go unnoticed for now. He ran as fast as his burned feet could carry him into the forest and away from his captors.

A few hours later a guard walked past the cage and noticed that it was empty, he saw the chains and chackles broken in the cage and the door open.

"Prisoner escape! The prisoner has escaped!"

All the guards jumped into attention and gathered their armor and horses, they set out to find Kalor but they never did. That night Kalor vanished of the face of Maldrok.

[Five years later in Tanak, Kalad]

Tanak, the biggest city in Kalad, if you cannot find it in Perudo then Tanak is your best second choice. The city is basicly one big trade market, merchant stalls and shops everywhere. The wealth of the city attracted the less fortunate aswell as the rich, while the rich and wealthy live in houses or run shops the poor live on the street and can mostly be found in the western section or in dark alleys all over Tanak.

Five years after Kalor's escape he is still not found, some say he died in the forest, some that he fled to Lazar and lives there still and there are some who say he roams among the people unrecognized by all. Even though it has been 5 years, King Talian wants Kalor's head. To speed up the process he put a bounty of a twenty thousand Cedars (local coin, about 160.000 US dollars or 120.746 euro). Which prevented his name from vanishing due to the large bounty.

In the western section of the city we find our mysterious lady who was following Kalor from afar, she searches the city for him for reasons only she knows.

"I know he's here somewhere, I can smell it."

She continues to walk through the many beggars and poor living on the street or in houses made of rubble and garbage. When she turned into a dead alley she was about to retrace her steppes if it wasn't for the three men blocking her path.

"What brings a beauty like you all the way here 'ey? Asked one of the men while he held a knife pointed at her.

"None of yer business, now step aside or I'll make you."

"Ho ho! Hear that boys? Sounds like somebody here is full of herself. And how did you think you would do that huh?"

As soon as the man said this the woman lifted her hand and a purple orb appeared, it divided into three smaller ones. One went straight for the man talking and sent him flying into the building behind him with such force that he flew straight through the wall. The other two who were frozen from fear looked at the women.

"Boo!"

To this the two men ran away like they were running from death itself, the woman smirked and the two remaining orbs vanished with a flick of her hand. As she continued her search she stopped dead in her tracks and looked behind her. A man sitting on the ground between rubble and garbage and looking down had observed the little 'fight' but that did not bother her, it was his sent that perked her interest. She turned around again and walked towards the man who was still averting his eyes, she stopped at about a meter from him and spoke in a soft calm voice.

"Good day"

The man, still not looking up spoke in a tone that gave the impression he had a sore throat.

"What do ye want?"

"Who said I needed anything from you?"

"People like you don't talk to people like me for a good conversation. So what do you want from me?"

"Smart one aren't you, I'm looking for a man, someone who I think can help me and that I can help him in return."

"And who might that be?"

"Oh, a Swordmaster named Kalor."

Even though the man hid his face she could tell that he flinched when he heard that name, she was sure of it now, she found him.

"Ain't that the guy who's got a big bounty on his head for some heavy crimes?"

"Now you mention it I think so, but I think he was innocent."

The man snickered softly for a second before responding.

"Last I heard he was convicted and on his way to execution so he has to be guilty. But what do you want from him anyway?"

"Like I said, I can help him and he can help him. Unless of course he lost his touch."

"Seeing as how well you can handle yourself I 'd say you don't need the help from a swordmaster who doesn't even have his sword anymore."

The woman grinned, she had him right where she wanted him.

"I never said he lost his sword."

The man sighted and for the first time in the conversation he looked up to face the woman. As soon as he did this she noticed his eyes, filled with pain, misery and deep down all that anger but also the color.

"Now those eyes I'd recognize anywhere, it was hard to find you Kalor."

"Apparently not hard enough, you talk as if you know me miss yet I've never seen you before."

"I've been following you since your last running with those villagers, right before you met Melzar. If you recall those events."

"Yeah I do, makes me wonder why you did that."

"All in due time, those things are better discussed in private. Care to follow me to a better location?"

"With all due respect but why would I? For all I know you're just one of them bounty hunters out for the price on my head."

"Well either you follow me and have a nice chat or I'll tell some people about you. I'm sure you'll love their company better than mine." The woman said with an impish grin on her face.

"Seems I got no choice then."

"Now that's what I like to hear, follow me."

Kalor got up and the woman noticed his clothing, his blue robe was replaced by old shredded cloth which looked like dozens of cats went on an all out rage on it.

They walked on a safe distance from each other to avoid unwanted attention but whenever Kalor considered running and hiding somewhere else he had a bad feeling about it, like his subconscious wouldn't allow it.

After a few minutes they left the western section and entered the northern one, where all the houses were located among others. People were looking at Kalor suspiciously making him feel very uncomfortable but something in his mind told it was alright making him feel more at ease.

Not so long after the woman entered a house and he followed soon, as he entered he noticed the many bookshelves and a dining table, a kitchen in the back of the house and stairs leading up.

The woman motioned Kalor to take a seat which he did, he sat down at the table and she returned with a glass of water which he accepted and greedily downed. He put down the glass and turned his attention to the woman.

"So, care to tell me what's going on?"

The woman smirked before answering in that soft calm voice that made Kalor feel warm inside.

"You see Kalor, you and I have a lot in common. I too am considered a monster by many like you and I was mistreated aswell.

"You? A monster? I find that hard to believe."

"See for yourself then."

She got up and took a few steps back, she spoke a few words which Kalor didn't catch and suddenly the woman in front of him turned into a dragon, no a dragoness!

She was covered in black scales all across her sleek and streamlined body, the light that hit her body made her scales shine with dazzling beauty. The scales on her belly were of a lighter black but still black enough to hide in the night. Her dark wings were revealed fully before she folded them behind her in such manner they would still be sticking out a little.

She had a pair of ebony horns bending downwards from her forehead, her strong scaled arms ended in strong looking paws with thick black claws although she retracted them fast.

What really caught his attention were her eyes, her eyes were blue like his but her pupils were slitted. He could simply drown in those eyes who watched him with a piercing gaze. Her breasts were at least C-cup size and her robe which now proved to be tight didn't make them less pronounced at all. Her tail alone was as long as him but apart from that she was a few inches bigger then himself and she gave him a, impish yet predatory grin.

Kalor had to stop himself from falling off his chair, he couldn't help but stare at her. Both from the fact she was good looking, even for a dragoness and well.... she was a dragoness.

"You know, staring is considered rude." Said the dragoness with an impish grin

This made Kalor blush and look away, of all the things he expected this wasn't one of them.

"It's allright, I've had worse reactions then that." She said as she walked closer to Kalor

"So... you're actually a dragon? Or a human changed to a dragon?"

"Dragon, dragoness to be exact. I know what it's like to be treated as an animal."

She got behind Kalor who was still sitting in his chair, as he tried to look behind him he felt her hands land on his shoulders massaging him softly.

"I saw how they chained you, treated you like filth and bring you to near death. I knew you were innocent which made me feel even more sad for you."

She got her hands beneath his ruined clothes and started caressing his bare skin, Kalor didn't talk, he didn't know what to say to the treatment. She leaned down till her muzzle was next to his ear.

"They betrayed you, you gave them your life and they handed you over just like that. Left you to die a traitor's death."

She licked his neck and used her arcane magic to summon two arcane arms to add to the caressment, Kalor closed his eyes letting his worries sink away. He only heard her talk, nothing else, not even his own thoughts.

"I know your true potential my dear Kalor, I can smell the magic power of others and yours was exquisite. But what do they do? They don't let you master your gift, they sentence you to death."

While the arcane arms continued to massage him she undressed him slowly until he only had his trousers on.

"I won't treat you like that, I will treat you good as long as you give yourself to me and my wishes. I'll grant you the opportunity to bring justice to those who harmed you."

"Give.. myself.."

"Yes Kalor, I will mark you, guide you and grant you all the pleasure you want. As long as you do my bidding."

She focused her attention to his muscular chest again, after all these years he was still built for combat, she started to caress his bare flesh again with her arms and the arcane ones.

"Do.. your..bidding.."

"Yes Kalor, accept and you shall not regret it. Make me your mistress."

"I.."

To this she stood up and dispelled the magic she was working on him before talking in a calm tone.

"Realize Kalor, once you accept that you cannot turn back. I expect loyalty to the fullest and that you will not fail me."

Kalor regained his bearings still not fully grasping what just happened but he knew what she said, he knew what she wanted from him. And he liked what he heard.

"I've been betrayed, left to rot. They took my sword, my home, everything from me."

Kalor clenched his fist while continuing his train of thoughts.

"Five years, I'm sick of it, sick of surviving in the gutter like a rat. If serving her means a better life then so be it."

He looked up and straight into the dragoness' eyes and said

"I accept miss...."

"Verussa, but from now on you will call me mistress." She said in a calm but firm tone

"Yes mistress."

Verussa grinned, "Good, remember I said I would mark you?"

"I do mistress"

"Stand up"

Kalor did as requested, strange enough it felt right. Obeying her demands, calling her mistress. It's like this is where he belonged.

Verussa walked up to him and placed her hand on his forehead and talked in a soft and calm voice.

"This will link you with me."

Kalor felt a surge of energy go through his body, his head felt like it was being used as a drum but it didn't hurt. He couldn't move or even blink as Verussa channeled a spell, after a few moment a mark appeared on the center of the back of his neck, a pair of black leathery wings. Soon after Verussa moved her hand away from Kalor who would have collapsed on the ground if she didn't catch him first. She picked him and walked towards the stairs.

"Mistress....what..."

"Shhhh my soldier, all will become clear soon." She whispered to him in his near unconscious state.

She went up the stairs carrying the half naked Kalor in her arms to a door, she opened it using her tail and they entered, it was a large bedroom with a huge bed and a closet. She laid him down on the bed and then laid down next to him. She pulled him closer to her so his back was to her chest and then enveloped both of them in her wings.

"Sleep my dear soldier, tomorrow we shall continue the ritual."

Kalor had no trouble obeying, he felt warm, safe, comfortable in this position. Something he never experienced in his life, he fell asleep and Verussa continued to envelop him with herself. She was happy he accepted, she found someone who understood her pain and who could help her. With a smile on her face she fell asleep and both slept peacefully.

[The next morning]

Verussa woke up as first and noticed Kalor still slept steadily in her embrace, she smiled and looked at the mark she gave him. As long as he would obey her and not fail him she would grant him much and much more.

Her movements caused Kalor to wake up, he turned his head and noticed Verussa looking towards him. He felt refreshed, like he could take on the world. Little did he know what she had in store for him.

"Morning my soldier. I hope you slept well."

"Morning mistress and yes I did. Better then I did in years."

She smirked at Kalor while folding her wings behind her again and pulled back slightly so Kalor was laying on his back and she was laying on her side.

"Good, you will need all your strength for the next part of the ritual."

"Whatever you need me to do mistress, I shall endure it."

Verussa grinned evilly as she moved closer to him and used her tail to caress his body which was now fully naked.

"I hope you will, because this part will be the most pleasant one for the both of us.

For the ritual to be completed our energies most be united through unison."

Her tail focused on his member, slowy stroking it and making him hard. She moved down his body and laid down on his legs with his member in front of her, a total of 10 inches.

"Let us begin."

As soon as she said this she engulfed his member with her mouth, she took him in her mouth in one movement and began to suckle it and caress it with her tongue.

Kalor was in heaven, she was so skilled with her tongue he started to wonder if she was trained for this. All he could do was moan as she pleasured him orally.

She was enjoying his taste as she wrapped her tongue around his member and suckled it gently. After a few moments she began to bob her head up and down slowly which grew in speed. The pressure forced Kalor's tool into the top of her mouth, where it was pressed firmly between her palate and tongue. Verussa let out a moan as she tasted his precum enjoying the taste as she began to feel Kalor's cock press against all sorts of spots in her mouth. Her suckling motions made Kalor's mind go blank and tried hard to not thrust up into her muzzle.

Verussa switched between bobbing her head and suckling his member, she felt it twitch in her mouth and switched to sucking on it. Kalor felt pressure built up in his groin and tried to warn Verussa but she growled and the vibrations it made caused him to choke on his words as his tensed up and he exploded into her mouth, she sucked hard not wanting to spill a drop. He felt his seed flooding her mouth and her occasional swallowing. After what felt like an eternity his spurts died out and his erection subsided. Verussa let his softening member pop out of her mouth and she licked her lips.

"You taste wonderful my soldier, I will be sure to remember that."

"Thank you..Mistress."

"While we wait for your strength to return, let's turn the supposed table."

She rolled off Kalor and laid on her back, exposing her draconic slit to him and said in a firm voice. "Pleasure your mistress."

Kalor crawled closer to his mistress and knew what she expected from him, He leaned his head forward and then looked at his mistress who gave him a nod before he continued moving forward until he was an inch away from her revealed entrance. He grabbed all his courage and began to slowly lick upwards, he felt her vagina shudder and twitch with a soft moan from Verussa which only encouraged him to continue his assault. Soon he was rewarded with a few beads of her juices running down his tongue with a flavor unlike he ever tasted before but not disliking it at all. Kalor was licking furiously at her entrance and then he pressed his tongue against her nether lips and carefully pushed his tongue through her slick fleshy walls to penetrate her orally. Verussa growled deeply indicating she enjoyed the treatment encouraging him to continue.

He licked the inside of her silken love hole getting soft moans from his mistress as she began to trust against his face and locking her legs behind his head drawing him deeper inside her. With her legs behind his head Kalor finds himself with his nose at her entrance with his tongue as deep as possible continuing to lap at her insides increases the pace and growing more enthusiastic in his assault until his mistress moans loudly and feeling her walls clamp down on his tongue flooding his face with her juices as he gulps it all down enjoying her spicy sweet taste. She released his head form her leg hold as he sat upright gasping for air, he looks at his mistress who had an sultry smile on her face while still laying on her back.

"That's quite a skilled tongue you have there, let's see if you are as skilled with your other tool." As he wiggled her nether lips teasingly at Kalor with her tail making a 'come hinter' motion.

Kalor responded by crawling over Verussa's body until his head was at the same height as her bosom and his tip at the entrance of her moist love tunnel. He forced his tool inside Verussa's hot slippery sex and feeling the intense warmth of her vulva envelop him with a moan from his mistress. Kalor moans as well at the warmth and silkiness of her vagina and letting his member in her for a few seconds before he slowly pulled back until only his tip was still inside before slamming back into her causing both of them to moan loudly as his member is consumed by her hot vent causing her to rock back slightly.

He continues to thrust into his mistress' vent causing her to rock back and forth along with him until she thrusts back into his causing him to hilt every time her thrusts back into her. He feels her inner muscles flex around his male organ as her vaginal walls repeatedly clamp and squeeze his tool causing him to moan loudly along with Verussa as he locks her legs behind him and hugging him tightly causing his head to be smashed into of her tits. Kalor takes one of her nipples into his mouth, starting to lick and suck away at it, getting a surprised gasp from her which quickly turns into louder moans and her hands pushing his head against her tit while running her claws through his hair.

By now Kalor's mind is clouded by pleasure and begins to increase the pace of his thrusting until he's humping her like an animal in heat making Verussa moan in pleasure with her tongue hanging out of her mouth. He felt himself nearing his peak as he said 'Mistress, I'm close."

"That's.. *moan*... good Kalor....Ah... Cum inside me....Oh heavens... Do your mistress.."

To this Tenebru continued his animalistic thrusting until he felt pressure build in his loins and feeling Verussa's walls flex and contract more frequently until she came with a loud deep growl causing her vent to clamp down on his invading tool like a vicegrip. Her orgasm triggered his as he came into his mistress' vent with a loud moan aswell being fully hilted inside her.

As soon as Kalor orgasmed in his mistress he felt a surge of magic flow through him which added to his pleasure. The mark in his neck began to glow and several lines began to appear on his back, they were about 3/4 a finger wide and swirled like it was painted, when the lines fully appeared they looked like wings were painted on his back but it was his skin that was changing. The combined pleasure of Verussa's vent milking his member for all he was worth, the magic and his orgasm was too mutch for Kalor and he collapsed on top of Verussa.

She smirked and began to stroke Kalor's hair while he was still inside her, she had marked him now in more then one way and she quite enjoyed it. She smiled, complementing herself inwardly for picking him to serve her. She felt Kalor's softening tool pop out of her vent causing her to growl softly and she gently laid Kalor down next to her and she climbed out of bed to clean herself up while waiting for Kalor to wake up again. She figured he'd pass out once the magic would kick in but he'll get used to it eventually so he could endure the next sessions to come.

After she took a shower she changed to her human form and dressed herself in the same black dress she wore the other day which was laying on the ground next to the bed. As soon as she was dressed Kalor woke up with his crotch still wet from their combined fluids. His head felt like it would explode at anytime but he felt something was different, he couldn't place his finger on it but he could feel it somehow. He looked beside him and saw his mistress standing next to the bed in her human form with the dress from yesterday and that he was still naked. He didn't remember undressing but he assumed she did it for him.

"Had a good rest my soldier?" Asked Verussa in a calm soft tone.

"Yes mistress, I apologize for passing out."

She smiled at him before speaking again in that same voice.

"It's fine, you aren't used to the magic I used on you yet. But you will in time."

"Magic?"

"Why yes, I did say there was a ritual that needed completion. Why don't you come here and stand in front of the mirror.

He climbed out of the bed still naked and stood in front of the mirror, he didn't see what she ment until she put a second mirror behind him so he could see the mark and the pitch black lines decorating his back. He felt the place where the mark and lines were expecting some sort of texture but he only felt his own skin.

"These marks are proof of your service to me. The more you please me with your deeds the more of those lines will appear until you are fully marked my soldier. They also grant you power and allow me to communicate from large distances."

"Communicate from large distances? How?"

"Like this my soldier."

Kalor flinched, he heard her voice clear in his mind but she didn't move her lips at all, she just stood behind him still holding the mirror.

"But...how..."

"You think about the person you want to talk to, focus on that person's essence and then say the words in your mind and they will reach me."

Kalor figured he gave it a shot, he closed his eyes and thought about Verussa, her voice, her power, her form. He cautiously asked in his mind. "Like this?"

Before he could open eyes he heard a clear "Yes my soldier, you learn fast."

He opened his eyes, he could feel her essence, her magical power seeping through her skin. Her powered frightened him but at the same time made him feel proud, proud that she choose him, proud she deemed him worthy of this gift. He swore himself he wouldn't fail her, she trusted him with her power, her trust and she gave him a goal, something he lost years ago.

Verussa could not read his train of thoughts but she could feel his shift in emotion, from surprised to proud and then happiness and determination. She decided it was time.

"My soldier, I have my first task ready for you. But you need clothes first naturally, look in the closet to my right and you'll find your new attire. I expect you to wear it all time unless of course I say otherwise."

She said this last sentence with a small wink at Kalor who instantly was reminded of his earlier endeavors with his mistress.

"Get dressed, I'll be waiting downstairs to explain your next task." She put the mirror aside and left the room.

Kalor walked to the wardrobe and opened it, he couldn't believe his eyes. In the wardrobe was a full dragon mail armor with pitch black scales like Verussa's. Aside from that was a robe much like his old one but black as well with golden decorations on the edges. He couldn't believe his eyes, she would give him all this... for his loyalty. He was beginning to doubt himself, was he worthy of this? His mistress gave him power, a place to stay, a meaning in life and even dressed him with dragon mail armor which is nearly impenetrable.

He smiled as he dressed himself, the dragon mail wasn't as heavy as suspected, he noticed he could probably still move without problems in combat.

He closed the wardrobe and turned towards the mirror, he was dressed in complete black apart from his hands and face and the golden decorations on his robe.

"Damn, this will make me near impossible to spot in the dark."

"I'm glad you like it."

Kalor jumped at the sound of Verussa in his head, he probably sent that thought to her by accident.

"Sorry mistress, I wasn't trying to contact you."

He could tell she didn't mind, once he focused on her essence he noticed she was calm and not upset with him.

"It's new for you my soldier, you'll get the hang of it sooner or later. Now if you are finished come downstairs."

"Yes mistress."

He walked out of the bedroom, down the stairs and saw his mistress still in her human form standing at the table, she looked at him and smiled.

"Looks good on you." She said with a happy tone in her voice

"Thank you mistress."

"Now, let's get to business."

She motioned him over to her and he walked over until he was standing beside her looking down at a map from Kalad.

"This is where we are now". She said pointing at the map. "And this is where an arcanist lives by the name 'Shal'. He has a book I need, the title is 'Royal Research' and looks like this." She showed him an image of the book.

"I also need you to kill him but he's not that strong so he shouldn't be that hard to defeat. Once you killed him contact me and I shall tell you what to do with his corpse."

Kalor took all this in and looked at the map where the arcanist lived already thinking of entry and exit routes.

"Mistress, I have a question."

"Ask away."

"I'm not questioning your judgment or anything but if he is indeed not that powerful then can't you do it given your power?"

"That's because my sharp one, I cannot reveal myself just yet. My enemies are powerful and mighty, if they were to learn of my plans now it would ruin everything."

"I see, if you send me they'll assume I'm after revenge or for someone unknown but since we can contact each other from afar we can avoid contact and keep their attention on me and not you."

Verussa grinned, he was a good choice indeed.

"Exactly my soldier, It pleases me you can see things my way."

Kalor bowed his head briefly before speaking up again.

"How good is his place guarded?"

"Three guards tops at the perimeter, none inside. A small stone wall and beyond that forest, no clearings."

She looked at Kalor and noticed he was fully examining the map and was wondering what was going on in that head of his.

"What are you thinking my soldier?"

"I think that it's best I leave right away to make there by night, I can use the cover of the forest to take care of the guards unnoticed and then head inside so I can continue without fear of being interrupted or being attacked in my back. Also that it's best to not fight him in his library in risk of letting the book be caught in a possible fight."

She looked at Kalor as he continued, his analysis skills impressed her. He already came up with a plan on such short notice keeping every detail in consideration.

"The balcony on the second floor can be used as entry and exit point. It's best I fight him in one place since he's familiar with the house and everything inside. Can't let him out of my sight for a second."

"Impressive my soldier, seems you have everything figured out."

"Thanks mistress but one crucial factor is missing in all this."

"Oh? Do tell."

"A sword, I can't fight with my bare fists and my knowledge of magic is too little to fight an arcanist one on one."

"Ah, well I know how to solve that."

Verussa turned around and walked to a closet, she pulled out a sheathed sword and walks back to the table and hands it to Kalor.

Kalor accepted the sword with gratitude and pulled the sword free from its sheath. The blade slide free effortless and was slightly curved towards the end. He recognized the metal used for it, it was made from the finest and purest form of steel, because of its value this sort of metal was also named Deridium. Kalor examined the sword in awe and tested it's balance, it was flawless. The handle was decorated with black and golden marking which looked like a dragon.

"From now on my soldier, you are no longer Kalor." She said in a firm but calm tone

Kalor swung the sword a few times discovering this blade was almost made for him, the metal sang as it cut through the air.

"From now on, you are Tenebru, bringer of darkness and death on our enemies."

Tenebru sheathed his sword and bowed to his mistress.

"I shall return swiftly mistress with the book you requested."

"Good, I will await your contact once Shal is dead"

"Yes mistress"

Tenebru went outside and walked outside the city, the sun was beginning to set when he entered the forest and started to break into sprint towards his target.

[Later that evening]

A guard was walking just outside a stone wall with a lantern, the forest blocked almost all the moonlight adding to the darkness surrounding him. He continued his walk as he walked into one of the other guards.

"Anything interesting that happened?"

"Ugh, I wish. Guarding this house is the most boring job I ever had. Who would even bother robbing this guy? I took a look inside and he only has books, nothing of value if you ask me."

"Doesn't matter, we get paid for this so we do it."

"Yeah yeah, don't worry. I'm not going to slack on the job, a cedar is a cedar."

"Well, better not let him catch us talking or he'll get angry again and use one of his spells on us."

"Heh, true. See you in a bit."

The guards parted ways, as soon as they turned their backs one heard a muffled noice behind him. He turned around expecting his fellow guard but he saw nothing, not even his lantern.

"Hamar? You there?"

The guard was slightly worried, they just parted ways so normally he should be able to still see him but he couldn't. He took a step forward and then heard the bushes ruffle he drew his sword and called out in the darkness.

"Who goes there!"

As an answer he saw a blur and then a man in a black robe standing in front of him, he tried to speak but he couldn't talk, only blood came out. He looked down between them and saw his sword plunged into his stomach. Everything went black before his eyes but before he died he heard the stranger say: "Darkness"

The third guard turned around the corner and saw his comrade fall dead to the ground, he drew his blade and charged at the black robed man. As he swung for his head the man ducked and span around gutting the guard, he falls to his knees and Tenebru finished him by piercing his heart with his sword. As he pulls out his sword the guard falls sideways onto the ground dead. For some reason he enjoyed killing these men, normally he'd feel nothing but now it made him feel strong, it made him feel alive. Tenebru looked up and grins, he was beneath the balcony.

[Inside the house]

A man was standing in a sort of laboratory, he was doing some experiments which included a lot of colored vials and boiling concoctions. As he experimented he sometimes made notes of his findings which he wrote down in a small journal. Suddenly he sensed something, he felt a presence inside his house, a dark one. He turned around and saw a man in a black robe standing in laboratory with a bloodied sword in his right hand.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my house?!"

The man in black threw him a grin before answering.

"I'm the person sent to kill you."

Shal immediately began to charge up a spell, before he could cast the man in black was charging at him in a zigzag patern, he couldn't aim properly at this rate. At the last moment he aimed his spell for the ground blasting himself into the air dodging the charge but the robed man was smart, he jumped and landed vertical feet first on a bookshelf and used the momentum of the charge to launch himself again at the arcanist who was on his way to the floor unable to dodge. He launched an arcane bolt at the man but he deflected it with his sword and continued his path. He quickly casted a protective spell right before the sword connected, the spell caught the most of the blow but not all. A small cut appeared on the arcanist's side and a small amount of blood escaped but nothing severe.

As he regained his composure he felt the pain from the cut, he knew this fight wouldn't end well at this rate for himself, he looked towards where the man should have landed but there was nothing. It was bad enough that the man was fast and powerful enough to deflect his spell but now he could be anywhere.

He tried to sense his attacker but as soon as he did he sensed him right behind himself, he turned around ready to cast a spell but it didn't matter. Tenebru was faster and pierced his chest, he coughed up some blood before dropping to the ground like a sack of grain.

Tenebru closed his eyes and focused on his mistress.

"Mistress, the arcanist is dead."

"Well done my soldier, I expected nothing less from you. I want you to dispose of all the bodies other then the arcanist and that you cut off his head and bring it to me. Also, use your sword to carve a 'W' in his chest."

"As you wish mistress."

He severed the connection and did as instructed, he went outside and dragged the bodies of the dead guards into the forest allowing the animals that roamed to feast on their flesh once he was gone. He went back inside and used his sword to carve the 'W' in the arcanist's chest, he didn't know why it was needed but he didn't care. All that mattered was obeying and serving his mistress, the person who saved him from his old life. He then brought up his sword above his head and swung it down severing the arcanist's head, he grabbed a bag he found in the room and placed the head in it.

Tenebru then walked up to the table where the arcanist was experimenting, he saw him writing down stuff and decided to take a look. Most of it was complete gibberish to him but the title said enough of to him: 'Royal defensive spells'

"Hm, maybe Verussa can use this. Worth a shot."

He decided to take the journal along, wouldn't hurt he figured. He then went to the library and started to search the bookshelves. After a good hour of searching he found the book he was looking for, he placed the book in the bag along with the severed head and the journal. He looked outside and saw it was still dark, this was perfect for he could slip inside the city without being spotted. It would be bad if someone caught him walking around with a severed head in his bag.

As he made his way to the balcony he heard someone knocking on the door, he then remembered what his mistress said about her enemies. He decided it would be better if he let whomever was at the door catch a brief glimpse of him so he hid himself in the library and waited.

[Just outside the house]

The relief for the three guards arrived on time but they were alerted to the fact that something was wrong due to the other guards not being around. They decided to take a look inside just in case, when nobody came to open the door they knew something was wrong for sure. They grabbed a log and rammed the door until it gave way. They drew their swords and carefully went inside.

"Something's wrong, that arcanist should have come to meet us after making this mutch noise."

"Yeah and our comrades are missing too, I got a bad feeling about this."

"Better be careful, stick together. Check his lab and his library, maybe he's there."

The three guards split up, two went to his library given it was the biggest room in the house and one went to his laboratory. As the two in library began to search they heard the other guard call them to the lab.

"Go, I'll see if I can find something here."

"All right, shout when you find something."

The guard went to see what the other guard found in the lab, as he entered he understood. He saw the corpse of the arcanist with a 'W' craved into his chest and his head missing. He could tell it was the arcanist due to the clothing.

"Well that answers why he didn't open the door." Said the guard standing next to the corpse.

"Damn, he clearly pissed off the wrong people."

"What makes you think that?"

The guard pointed at the 'W' craved into the chest.

"This is a message, no idea who it's for but this isn't some robbery gone wrong. Whoever did this was on a mission."

"A mission for what?"

"Beats me, but I'm guessing killing him was one of the goals."

The guard next to the corpse leans down and notices something.

"This blood is still wet, and the body is warm. This kill is still fresh."

"That means the killer could still be here..."

Both of the guards looked at each other, they both realized their third man was alone and they didn't hear a thing while they were in the lab. They drew their swords and ran to the library only to find the third man still searching, he looked at the two guards running in the library.

"What's wrong?"

"The arcanist is dead, the kill is fresh so the killer could still be here and well, you were alone and we didn't hear any movements."

The guard snickered to himself

"Well I'm glad you guys care so much about me but it will take more than one guy to catch me off guard."

As soon as he finished his sentence a figure dropped from the ceiling and used a wooden beam to kick the guard in the back sending him flying into the two others. The guards were struggling to get back up and by the time they got back up the man who attacked them was gone through the front door.

"Curses! He was here all this time!"

"Did any of you get a good look at him?"

"I only saw a guy in a black robe but that's all."

"If it was a guy, could be a women as well. Wouldn't be the first."

"So basically he escaped and we got nothing other then he or she wore a black robe? Not to mention three of our comrades vanished and our employer is dead in his lab. We'll get a lot of crap thanks to this..."

[Tanak, western section]

Verussa was reading a book in the living room until she heard foot steppes upstairs, she smirked knowing her subject returned. She turned her head to the stairs and indeed, Tenebru walked down the stairs with a bag strapped to his side.

"Welcome back my soldier, I expect you were succesfull?"

"Yes mistress, I brought you the head of the arcanist and the book as you requested."

He placed the in cloth wrapped head on the table and the book she requested.

"Good, you performed as expected my soldier."

"I also brought you something else mistress."

This caught her attention, she didn't request for anything else, did he make decisions for her? This possibility made her weary of him.

"I found this journal in his laboratory, it makes little sense to me but I think you'll find interesting."

She accepted the journal curious to what it could hold that could possibly interest her. Her doubts vanished as he read the journal, no wonder Terebru couldn't make sense of it. These words were spells in a special writing only experienced magic users could read and from what she read so far this journal would solve a lot of her future problems!

"Terebru, do you have any idea what you just did?"

This made him worry, did he displease her? Did he do something wrong? His heart began to speed up until she looked at him and smiled.

"You just gave me the key to complete my goals, I'm very pleased."

Terebru was relieved, his instincts didn't fail him when he thought this journal would interest her.

"Thank you mistress, I do apologize for my late return. Three guards showed up right after I was done."

"Did they give you trouble then?"

"Not at all, but I had to wait for them to be in position. I made sure to let them see me in a flash as to take any possible suspicion off you. Be assured mistress, they wouldn't recognize me even when they would be standing right in front of me."

Verussa smiled proudly at him, he did not only succeed in his task but he also brought her a journal that solves a lot of her problems and managed to draw enough attention to him to keep her in the clear.

"I must say Terebru, you performed better than I could possibly think."

Terebru smiled but thought he hid it from her, he bowed his head to Verussa.

"Thank you mistress, your words are too kind."

She stood up and as soon as she did she changed to her true form, she walked up to Terebru.

"Since you served me so well I believe it's time for your next reward, you are not just my soldier now, you are my knight in dark armor."

She placed her hand on his head and licked her lips, she sent a surge of magic into the mark in his neck. He grunted at the surge of magic but endured it better then the first time. The mark on his neck glowed brightly and the same dark lines as on his back began to form on his arms. One line ran down his arm in a straight line as several other lines began to run from that line to the other side of his arm through the outside ending in inward swirls making the total look like wings.

She removed her hand from his head and looked at his arms, the mere sight of the markings and the thought of how well he served her made her insides heat up. She looked down at Terebru with a predatory look and an impish smile.

"And now Terebru, it's time for the other side of the reward."

She turned around swaying her hips as she moved towards the stairs, Terebru look at her as she moved towards the stairs and he got hypnotized by her swaying hips, he followed her as she expected adding to her arousal. She loved it when she could make man go mad just from looking at her.

He climbed up the stairs and saw the end of her tail go inside the bedroom, with a hard on he walked to the door of the bedroom and swung it open. He saw his mistress on hands and knees with her rear end turned towards him and her tail high in the air giving him a clear vision of her pink puffed up nether lips.

Tenebru needed no further encouragement having a raging erection he quickly undressed himself and walked up to his mistress. He got behind her and licked at her vent for a few times until he tasted her beads of juices on his tongue, he then used his finger to please his mistress by pushing it into her awaiting vent causing her to gasp slightly before growling deeply. Tenebru began to slowly trust his finger in and out of his mistress' love hole and then added another finger to the assault causing her fleshy inner walls to pulse and clamp down on his fingers.

"Enough teasing my knight and give me what I need from you." She said with a sultry yet stern voice.

Tenebru obeyed his mistress and pulled out his fingers only to replace them with his rock hard member as he thrust into her without warning, his mistress didn't seem to mind as her sole response was a deep growl. He was again amazed at her hot soft vent massaging his flesh, the combination of the warmth, softness and professional inner massage was almost too mutch for him to handle however he was determined to please his mistress as long as possible. She realized he would try to outlast her but she was determined to make him shot his load first. She used her experience to make her inner walls clamp down on his member repeatedly. Tenebru moaned at the increased treatment her vent was given him and he knew he wouldn't last long at this rate so he decided to even the score.

He moved a finger to her vent and looked for her clit and found it aswell, he began to rub and squeeze it causing Verussa to moan loudly every time he did as her walls clamped down hard on him as well. Both eager to let the other cum first they orgasm hard at the same time, Verussa's vent clamps down hard on Tenebru's member while he flooded her vent with his cum with a load moan from both.

Terebru rolled off his mistress onto the bed exhausted, Verussa sighted happily feeling their combined fluids run out of her vent. She extended her left wing and pulled Terebru to her chest so that his head was between her breasts and enveloped him in her wings creating a leathery warm blanket. Terebru felt her heartbeat as he was being snuggled by his mistress, the sound of her steady breathing and heartbeat made him fall into a peacefull sleep, feeling safe in her embrace.

Verussa noticed the shift in breathing from Terebru, she didn't know why but having him in this position made her smile, she simply dismissed the question 'Why' and fell asleep aswell.

[Following morning]

Tenebru woke up alone in the bed, his groin sticky from last night. He got up and decided it couldn't harm to take a shower, he went to the shower and pulled to cord causing water to flow onto him. After making sure none of the stickiness was missed, he got out of the shower, dried himself and then got dressed into his dragon mail armor and black robe. As soon as he was dressed and strapped his sword to his side he went downstairs finding his mistress still in her dragon form and in a dark blue dress which fitted her nicely emptying a plate of cooked meat. In front of her was another plate with some meat and vegetables.

"Have a seat Terebru, I took the liberty to make you a healthy meal since you will need it. Join me."

Terebru nodded respectfully and took place in the chair in front of Verussa. He used a knife to cut his meat and took a bite, it was delicious! He eagerly ate more of the meat and vegetables which weren't bad tasting either. He couldn't remember last time he had a decent meal. He failed to notice Verussa watching him eat with a smile on her face.

"I take it you liked it?" She asked Terebru with a smirk

"Forgive my manners mistress but it's been so long since I had a decent meal I couldn't help myself. Thank you."

"It's alright my knight, I understand. Today, we will be training your magical skills and tomorrow you'll use them against our next target."

"Are you sure one day will be enough mistress?"

"I'm sure of it, now finish your plate and follow me downstairs."

Verussa got up and walked down the stairs into the cellar, Terebru finished his plate and followed her downstairs. He noticed the cellar was empty apart from a few practice targets.

"Lay your sword in the corner, you won't need it today."

Terebru did as instructed and laid down his sword in a corner before stepping back towards the other end of the cellar from where Verussa was standing.

"Now as you know my knight, I use arcane magic. Those lines on your arm and back are made by my magic."

Terebru looked at the markings on his arms again, feeling proud for earning them.

"But this doesn't mean you can use arcane magic, it just enhances your current powers which are physical, fire and ice. Today we will train you in using your ice magic."

Verussa opened her palm and conjured a purple orb in her hand

"Try to make an orb of ice just like mine, hold out your hand and visualize the orb, imagine the ice coming into existence and forming an orb in your hand."

Terebru hold out his hand and closed his eyes, he visualized the orb and how it would form. He opened his eyes but it wasn't an orb of ice in his palm, it was a small chunk. He frowned and tried several times but nothing.

"Remember, this is not like changing something into ice, you must conjure the ice. Use the magic in you to create ice rather then expecting it to simply form."

Terebru tried again, he called upon his ice magic and tried to flow in into the palm of his hand to form an orb. After a few tries he got a small ball and after some more tried he managed to form a solid orb.

"Well done, now for the next part."

Verussa changed to orb in her hand to a perfect lance shape. Terebru tried to do the same but only managed to crack the orb in pieces.

"Don't try to force it to change, don't see it as changing the orb but to guide it. Try to guide the magic in the form you want."

Terebru tried again and after a few tries he managed to make a stick like form, far from a lance.

"Good, now make it thinner and sharper at the edges."

Terebru nodded and tried to make the ice thinner but every time he did the ice would break in half.

"Damnit, if I keep it like this it's too thick but if I take away ice it snaps. But what if I tried to push it together?"

This time he didn't use magic to remove ice but make it compress, it worked and the stick form was now looking more like lance. He did the same for the edges which also worked perfectly. He noticed that by compressing the ice it made it harder then steel and strong enough to pierce armor.

"Well done my knight, now the next part is the hardest."

Verussa threw the lance to the practice target and the lance broke off into 3 other lances and all hit the target's bullseye.

"With this I cannot help you for this works differently with arcane magic, you must train on your own for this. I'll be upstairs."

Terebru bowed his head as she left patting him on the head along the way and going up the stairs. He gripped the lance and threw it to the target and then let the magic in it snap it in three but the three pieces just fell to the ground shattering.

"This might take a while..."

As the day passed Verussa could hear Terebru practice and from the unfamiliar curses he used she assumed it didn't go smooth. A little set back couldn't harm him, while he was practicing she would read the book and journal Terebru brought her.

At the end of the day she closed the book and noticed the cellar went quiet, she went downstairs and found Terebru sleeping on the ground. She took a look at the practice target and noticed three melting lances lodged in the bullseye. She smiled and used her magic to levitate Terebru without disturbing his sleep. She 'carried' him to a spare bedroom and placed him gently onto the bed. She walked over to him and ran her claws through his hair smiling before leaving him to his earned rest and getting some rest herself.

[Following morning]

Terebru woke up expecting a hard stone floor but was surprised when he noticed the floor wasn't as soft as he recalled. He opened his eyes and saw he was in one of the other room in the house laying on the bed. He smiled, it must have been his mistress who carried him upstairs, he went over the past few days in his head. He couldn't believe that a few days ago he was still living on the streets having to find bits of food and drink foul water to survive. Suddenly he realized something, in the past few days he had only eaten once yet he wasn't hungry or tired at all. How was that possible?

He got out of the bed and went downstairs still pondering about that issue until his mistress broke him out of it.

"I sense something is bothering you my knight, what is it?"

"It's nothing important mistress, I was just wondering why it is that I don't feel hungry at all after only eating once these past days."

Verussa let out a short laugh, it was the first time he heard her laugh and he was amazed by it. Her laugh was simply beautiful, not weird or annoying like other but pleasant to hear.

"You are sharp of mind indeed my knight, the answer to that question is simple."

She simply tapped the back of her neck reminding Terebru of the mark she placed in his neck, he recalled it was like a small tattoo of black dragon wings.

"You see my knight, hunger is just your body telling your brain it needs sustenance so it can produce energy . But the magic I placed inside you replenishes your energy so you don't need to eat as often as normally but from time to time you do need food and water."

"I see, thank you mistress."

"Glad I could help, now come have a seat with me. I have another task for you."

Terebru bowed his head and sat down on the empty chair next to her as she pointed at the map again.

"Remember that merchant who accused you of trying to kill him?"

Terebru made a fist with his hand, how could he forget? It was thanks to him that all his misery began! More then five years of misery all thanks to him. But then again, if he didn't accuse him then he would have never met his mistress.

"Yes I do"

"Good, because he's your next target. He harmed me in ways as well and you shall be my sword that brings him to justice."

Tenebru grinned evilly, he had been waiting for this. But the fact he had harmed his mistress as well was something that made him want to make that man suffer.

"Do I need to do something to him in specific?"

"No, you are free to do as you please. You don't even have to kill him off right away."

Both of them looked at each other with a dark sparkle in their eyes knowing perfectly what the other meant.

"But there is one thing I need you to do, right before you finish him I want to witness it."

She pushed a purple ball towards Terebru who caught it before it would roll of the table.

"Crush this ball when you made sure you are alone with him and I'll be there in a flash."

"As you wish mistress."

"Good, our friend is currently staying in his second house here." She pinpointed the exact location on the map. "He always stays here when he needs a break from things."

"I take it he's got some security with him?"

"Yes my knight, his good friend the king always has a group of guards follow him around, they might prove more of a challenge to you since they are the king's men."

"They won't know what will hit them."

Verussa threw a smile at him. "Glad to hear that my knight. It will take you a full day to cover the distance so be sure to drink some water before you leave."

"I will mistress, thank you."

Terebru grabbed the glass of water he noticed on the table and drank it up. He then bowed his head to his mistress and made his leave.

"Be safe my knight."

"I won't fail you mistress."

Terebru went outside and snuck out of the city using dark alleys into the plains on his way to the merchant.

[A day later]

Terebru arrived outside the village were the house was located. It was the village of Latar, a village where most of the caravans went through due to the fact it was on the fastest route to Perudo. Merchants passing through used this village to rest for the night.

He waited for the sun to set and snuck past the guards using the darkness as cover. He walked through the cover of darkness to the house where the merchant was and saw two guards standing at the door. He pulled out two small knifes and threw them at the guards from the cover of darkness hitting them both in throat making them drown in their own blood and preventing them from sounding the alarm. As they dropped dead to the ground he made his way to the two corpses and tossed them into crates out of sight. He then climbed onto a stack of crates onto the roof of the house and found an open window leading to a dark room.

He snuck inside and noticed the room was a storage room, he saw two doors each leading to a lit room. He carefully opened the door to the right and saw two guards sitting around a table and three more chatting in a room. One was a warrior, another a mage and the others just guards.

*Mage: Novices at magic who mostly use fire magic and their speed to outrun close combat.*

He had to find a way to get rid of them without letting them sound the alarm, suddenly he got an idea and began to set up his plan.

[Guards room]

The guards were just chatting away until a sudden chill crept into the room.

"The damn window must be open, I'll go and close it."

The guard stood up and entered the storage room, after a few minutes the others noticed the chill was still there and that their fellow guard didn't return.

"What the hell is taking him so long?"

The other guard now stood up and went to the storage room and like the first he didn't return either, this made the remaining three suspicious.

"Something's wrong."

"Yeah, they should have been back by now."

The three guards went to the door leading to the storage room and slowly pushed it open, the warrior took point followed by the guard and the mage. They entered the dark and cold storage room and saw nothing out of the ordinary but they didn't spot the two missing guards either.

"What do we do now?" Asked the mage as they continued to search the room while staying together

"Search the room, I'm telling you something is wrong here." Responded the warior

"You sure that's a smart idea? What if someone is in here and killed them?" Asked the mage again to no one in particular. Right after saying this a few soft thuds could be heard and a box shifting.

"What? You scared of the dark?" the guard laughed but the mage didn't answer. "Hey, I was just kidding." The guard turned around and saw the mage dead on the ground with a cut from shoulder to hip deep enough to have killed him without even knowing what hit him.

"Shit!" Yelled the guard softly, this caused the warrior to turn around and he saw the dead mage aswell.

"Well that answers it, we ain't alone."

"No shit, we are alone here in complete darkness with a person here capable of killing us without us even seeing or hearing him."

"We gotta get out of here and get help from the others or else we're done for." They back tracked to the door with their backs against each other to prevent the unknown attacker from attacking them from behind. As they reached the door the warrior tries to open the door but fails, he notices the lock and door handle were frozen solid trapping them inside.

"Ice magic? Are we fighting a sage that can fight with a sword?"

When no response came her turned around and the guard was gone, only a puddle of blood remained.

"Blasted!"

The warrior placed his back to the door and got into battle stance with his axe. He heard something and suddenly something flew at him, he managed to deflect it with his axe and noticed it was a lance made of pure ice.

"Show yourself!"

Nothing happened for what seemed an eternity but then the warrior realized something.

"Wait, if that mage was cut from shoulder to hip then he had to attack while standing in front of him, being able to appear and disappear in a second all while that guard didn't notice a thing. That's impossible. Unless..."

The warrior looked up to the ceiling and saw a figure hanging horizontally along the ceiling using the beams as support. Realizing he's discovered Tenebru drops down with his sword bearing down at the warrior.

"Son of a.."

The warrior stepped sideways dodging the sword which sliced the door deeply leaving a clean cut in the wood. He then starts to spin around with his axe extended outwards going towards the mysterious swordsman. Tenebru turned around and ran away from the spinning warrior knowing if he got caught in that he was done for. He jumps over a pile of crates causing the warrior to stop spinning as he slammed into the crates. Before he could restore his composure he got hit by an ice lance in his left arm piercing right through it leaving a clean open wound which started to bleed horribly. The warrior yells in pain and clutches his arm as searing pain floods his mind and horror seizes him as he realized he couldn't swing his heavy axe anymore with just one arm. He drops his axe and pulls out a smaller axe with he can swing with just one arm. As he gets into a stance he hears a noice behind him and turns quikly swinging his axe and it connects to the sword of Tenebru as he tried to attack from behind. He can block the attack but the warrior strength is so great he's sent flying into a few crates filled with armor causing him to grunt in pain as he lands hard as he drops his sword from the sudden burst of pain in his back.

Seeing his chance the warrior charges at Tenebru and before he could do anything Tenebru was lifted in the air by the warrior who had a thight grip on his throat.

"Die you scum.. Die like the disease you are!"

Tenebru felt the life being squeezed out of him as he begins to think rapidly of a way to free himself. He grabs the warrior's arm with his own and began to channel ice magic into his hands, the warrior screams in agony as he sees his arms slowly turn into ice causing him to let go of Tenebru in panic before he can't move his arm anymore. As he tries t move his arm it shatters in a dozens of tiny pieces scattering around the floor leaving just a frozen jump where his arm used to be.

Tenebru grabbed his troath gasping for air and coughing loudly while the warrior was still in a state of horror as he saw his arm shatter in pieces. He uses this moment to pick up his sword and cut off the warrior's head making it fall to the ground along with his lifeless body causing a large pool of blood to form praying nobody was in the room below or they would notice blood dripping from the ceiling.

He turns towards the other door and took a peek through it, he saw a single guard stand in front of a door half asleep as he didn't even notice the fighting in the storage room. He formed an ice lance and threw it at the unprepared guard hitting him in the heart pinning him to the door as the lance even pierces the door partly. The guard coughs up blood before going completely limp. Tenebru walked towards the door with his blade in his hand, covered in a small amount of blood and a look in his eyes that made clear to anyone he was out for blood. With a agonizing slow pace he opened the door with the guard pinned to it and saw his next victim...