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Darkflame studios Productions Presents:

Rune Guard: The beginning

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ STORY CONTENTS: Death, Blood, Violence, Language, Magic, Nudity

COPYRIGHTS: This story and characters owned and © R.J. Nebeker ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In this world, there are things we don't understand. Things we thought could never happen, and things that could happen but we never thought would. Over twelve hundred years ago, a destructive force unlike anything we had ever seen before just appeared through gaping holes in the sky. Angel like beings swept down from the heavens, but they were no angels, just demons. Destroying anything alive or even inanimate, they lived to hear the screams of fear and terror in the lives of those they butchered. This day is known as 'Dominance' a day when our superiority over the elements, came crashing down around us and created the world as we know it today. The Royal's of each Kingdom created a central station that joined each kingdom at once. This station would be named "Alkore" a place where anyone with any elemental affinity or control of magic would be held and contained.

However, Alkore did their job to well. They found a few mages who had psychic abilities and tracked down others who would soon attune themselves, or already were and could be picked up. Five hundred years after its creation, these mages began practicing forbidden magic's, and Alkore launched an attack on all of the Kingdom's that surrounded its central city. Only five years of fighting occurred before all Kingdom's were forced in to submission by the powerful magic's those mages wielded against their mundane forces. After another fifty years of calming times, the mages finished their strangle hold on the entire Fer'sian continent. With all the resources were in their grasp, they began a new form of Magic; Rune crafting. It is a process in which armor and weapons are carved with different runes that represent elements and verbs as well as nouns and bonding words to create powerful effects.

A few years later, a Rune smith of unknown origins appeared with rune weapons that made the Alkore mages arms look like sticks. They tried to persuade him to join their ranks by buying him wine, women, and property - but he refused... only after partaking of the women and wine. He went in to hiding again and again, but was always found after he went to wild with a few women around various towns. They tried to take him by force, once, the numbers they lost to the one man have never been accurate, but even Alkore admits to losing over five thousand troops and a few hundred mages in that battle; they never attacked him again. Instead they tried to up the price, offering him his own Kingdom full of wine and women if he would just join their ranks and teach them his runes.

With that offer, the man took a small Island three thousand miles off the cost of Fer'sian, an Island now known as Avaria, named for the multitude of Avian women the man took to the island with him as vanguards. There are other species there as well, but it was only women the man would take, earning him the nick name "Letch of Kings" to every woman on the mainland. Once he and his women moved in, he quickly turned on the Alkore mages, somehow sending a haze of fireballs from the sky to rain down on their ships. Now any ship that nears the island is destroyed by these fireballs, even though a castle and city has clearly been erected on to the islands center. Alkore has spent the last three hundred years attempting to find a way back on to that island, trying to learn the Rune master's runes from the city that stands on the island.

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"Very good Lyrina, but you forget to explain why the Rune Master's runes are still hunted to this day." A large gazelle female said from behind her desk, peering out at the class surrounding her in the small wooden hut that posed as their class. "You also forgot to explain why the Mages keep all of us at sub-par living conditions." She finished.

The young skunk girl lowered her ears and sighed. "Sorry Mrs. Avirin." She murmured, flitting her ears as she tried to sink in to her chair some.

Mrs. Avirin just smiled and dipped her head, "The Rune Master's runes are sought after because their power is so strong, yet used such a small amount of resources in the form of mana, that even a mundane like us can use their power in the form of Assault crafts. You don't need to be attuned to use magic basically. The Rune Master crafted his weapons and armor for anyone whom he saw as worthy of them. That was a key reason he refused to work for Alkore, whom just wanted the runes for their own soldiers. Those mages are greedy and want to take over the nine other continents that allow their mages to work with their soldiers and keep the Alkore mages pressed off their shores."

She paused, looking at her class to make sure they followed. As always Lyrina paid close attention, but her gaze was always on her flat chest and then turned to the teacher's large bust. A roll over Mrs. Avirin's eyes and she smacked a ruler across Lyrina's table. "So, why is it the mages keep us Mundane's in poverty?" she quipped.

Lyrina snapped up straight and curled her ears to her head. "Because we're mundane, we're not attuned to any element and have no magic to command. We're seen as grunts and toss a-way's to be soldiers and fodder for their armies and nothing more. Women are seen as breeders for more men, given menial tasks and now allowed to do anything more than that. Men can take a woman of any breed they want, but any half-breeds born are executed as a 'stain' on purity. We're kept in poverty to be reminded that we're just as big of a stain." She finished.

Nodding her head, the gazelle smiled. "Correct, though again, you left off part. Women may not have weapons, learn to fight, or even touch armor unless it is being worn by a man." She looked disgusted with herself for saying these things, but she knew it was required learning for all students. "Ok, class is dismissed. Go home, and remember that you may not touch written words or learn anything other than what I teach." She ground her teeth once more as she turned her back to the class.

Every student stood up and walked from the class. But Lyrina stayed behind, she was sixteen and had no breasts to speak of save for tiny points of her nipples. She knew she'd be teased by every girl outside, it had been that way since she turned twelve and the other girls started budding. She didn't mind her flat chest, but she did get envious at times, she didn't like the teasing she got walking around town. She waited, taking her time to wait around, watching the teacher go about cleaning the class room up.

Standing up, Lyrina smiled, bowed her head, and then walked out of the class. She looked around the dirty streets leading from the hut and down a cobblestone path to the central square fountain. It no longer worked, was covered in moss and mold, as it hadn't been used in over five hundred years. She peered at it for a long time. Her white blouse and purple dress plume giving a slight shift in the low breezed wind. She hooked her large tail over her back, a pair of purple racing stripes ran down the back curve of her tail, the underside tinted a soft green tone, but the rest of her fur was an ultra dark blue that seemed almost black.

A second breeze fluttered through her tail fur, and she blinked. She turned swiftly, her first curled in and slamming in to a wall! Or at least that's what it felt like. "OWWWW!" a male voice barked, though the pain was faked. "Damn Lilly, got a mean right hook." The man chuckled, looking at her fist pressed to his steel breastplate.

"Arc? What are you doing back?" she asked, her green eyes opening wide a moment before they snapped shut and she wrenched her first away. "FUCK! That... OWWWW! When did you start wearing armor?" she huffed, rubbing her sore knuckles.

He just chuckled "Ohhh... since I was appointed a soldier in the Magus Flags." He smiled broadly "Introducing Archibald Instucia, Private Third class." He chuckled.

Lyrina just glared at him. "I suppose now you want to abuse your rights as a soldier and force yourself on me? I won't have it, you'll have my body all you want, but I won't give you a damn thing back." She huffed, crossing her arms over her flat A cups.

Archibald quirked an eyebrow at her and looked at her funny. "Lilly, I wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole, let alone try and have sex with you. Come on, I'm a hot fox, I could have any woman I want - and they'd have tits!" he chuckled, but it was cut short by a fist tucking in to his jaw that sent him toppling to the ground. Several onlookers gasped and stared in awe and fear.

"It's alright folks." Archibald slowly rose as he spoke. "I deserved that, she's been my friend for years though." He laughed, turning to face her again. She was beat red and clearly pissed as she glared at him. "Ooook... yeah I guess I took that joke a little too far huh?"

A swift jab to his bicep was the answer as she huffed "Little?!" she barked out.

"Right... mmmnng can ya stop hitting me now Lilly? I came to walk you home." He laughed, rubbing his sore arm.

He stood only two inches taller than she was, at five foot eleven inches. Crimson red fur powdered his cheeks and forehead, but quickly spread to white on his underbelly. He was wearing a suit of iron chainmail under a steel breastplate that covered only his pecks and half of his right shoulder. His belly was left without the plate, but had the symbol of Alkore's rising sun over a dead phoenix emblazoned on a red tunic over his chain mail. A pair of leather pants formed loosely over his legs with a small set of plate guards draped of his left and right thigh. A long sword hung off his black belt against his left leg, clapping his ass slightly as he walked along side Lyrina.

"How's your dad doing?" Arc asked.

Lyrina frowned and hung her head "He... passed away two weeks ago. I've managed to hang on to his house and land by claiming I was uhmm.." she paused, blushing "by uhh.."

"Spit it out girl. Your dad was like a father to me, what happened?" he asked, turning to stop her in her tracks.

She ground her teeth and snapped "By saying I was married to you, and that's why you were always around!" she hissed, whirling and stomping off down the trail just outside of the towns walls.

Archibald blinked, flabbergasted a moment. He then laughed and trotted after her, catching up within a second. "So they bought that? That I'd be married to you? That's not even possible though, the laws against inter-species breeding would forbid us from marrying."

She snorted "I'm barren remember? The laws don't apply to barren women since men can breed other women."

"Ohh right... well damn, e-even still! What happened to your dad? How did he die?"

She frowned and looked down a moment. "The people you just signed your life to killed him. They said he had an Illegal Rune blade, and when he denied it, they ransacked the house and found his old sword. It had a few runes engraved on it, but it was a legit weapon!" she sniffed, tears starting to drip down her cheeks. "They... they just stabbed him on the porch, I couldn't get there fast enough..." she sniffed, breaking down.

Archibald wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her close, planting a kiss to her forehead. "I'm sorry Lilly... I... I don't know what to say. Wraith was a good man, raised me like his own, I considered him my dad." He pulled her away and held her at arm's length. "I promise, I'll work my way through the ranks and see to it the men responsible pay for this." He said, his eyes staring in to her own. Neither of them realized they were standing near the house in question.

"Stay for supper?" she asked.

He looked up and looked to the sky "Yeah I think I can. I have to report to the barracks at eight." He looked back to her and smirked "But if I'm supposed to be your husband, I guess they can't say I'm not allowed a conjugal visit." Once more, a fist met his jaw and he flopped down on his back again with a grunt. "Right... forgot your dad taught you to be a serious tomboy." He snerked and howled as he felt a foot slam the ground just a half inch away from his crotch. "OK! I swear I won't make jokes again!" he yelped out loudly as he stared at the foot near his bits.

Lyrina turned and walked in to the house, despite her flat chest, she had one round shapely ass that pressed her hips in to a wide shape that matched her shoulders for a full hourglass figure. "Come on, I'll feed you gruel for that comment." She snapped, making sure to slam the door in his face after he got to his feet.

******************************************

After clearing up the pot and the dishes, Lyrina said her goodbyes to Archibald, even kissed his cheek before wishing him well and seeing him off. After closing the door, she sighed, sinking down to the floor as tears rolled down her cheeks. She'd lost both the men in her life, and both of them to those Mages. She had no job, no wealth to support herself, and thanks to her lack of breasts no man wanted her. Of course the brand on her right cheek of a dead leaf ensured no man looked at her, it was a brand she was barren, unable to have children. After a short time of crying, she rose up once more and meandered off to her bed.

Lying down with a dramatic thump, she looked over at her father's now empty cot and frowned. "Maybe I should sail to Avaria and get blown up... or join the women folk." She said aloud, and then chuckled. "Gods you'd think I was daft and dumb in the head if you heard that." She sighed and pulled up the covers, but something leapt at her and she rolled, landing on the ground with a thud. "OW! What the hell?" she yelled, lifting her blankets again and spotting what jumped at her.

Sitting in the center of her bed, now curled in a tight ball of fluff, as a Zeprin. It was a small animal with four tiny legs and almost no bones in their bodies, only the basics to give them mobility. They were also very intelligent, rumored to have their own language. It could only be half a foot long, but its tail would always be three to four times that length, which is where their name came from, like a wind zephyr. It chattered at her from under its tail, almost hissing as it watched her lower her head to its level. "What are you going to do little guy? I'm not going to hurt you, nor could you hurt me." She said to it.

"GUY?! I'm a GIRL thank you much!" the thing shouted, uncurling its tail and spitting in her face as it stood there on its legs. "Geez, Wraith sure had a dunce for a kid." The little voice snapped, clearly a soprano tone to her voice.

"You can talk?!" Lyrina snapped, and then stopped "You knew my dad?!" she barked out suddenly.

The Zeprin looked at her and snorted, opening a pair of leathery wings on its back. They flapped a few times before she stretched her wings. "Rude minx you are. Can't even ask my name, or give your own without questioning?" the thing said, starting to lie down once more. "Come back once you're more civil." She commented and curled her tail over her body again.

Lyrina didn't like that one bit, her she was, her home invaded by this creature, and now it insulted and sassed her. She moved away, and came back quickly. "This is gonna stink, but I can wash the bedding." She said with a sadistic smirk. She poured a glass of Cuvin piss over the Zeprin, the stench horrible but used as an antidote for the Cuvin's poisonous claws.

Immediately that little ball of fluff shot out from the bed, scurrying across the floor screaming in agony and scuttling around frantically for a place to dive in. It finally found a bucket filled with liquid and jumped in... only to scream further as it shot out covered in gruel. "What in the nine hells are you doing you savage beasts?! How could you do this to me? Oh gods Princess, please forgive Sprim for this smell, but it's HER fault!" the little thing said, aiming one foreleg at the skunkess.

"Sprim? So that's your name? Good, mine's Lyrina." The skunkess smirked. Walking towards the small animal. "So how do you know my dad, and what are you doing here?" she asked once more, holding up the glass of piss once more.

Sprim's small eyes narrowed at Lyrina, but she spat once more. "Wraith a good friend of Princess' and the Master. Princess sends me to watch you, wait for you to wish it so." She said, and then shook her body wildly, sending a spray of urine and gruel in to the air. "You wished to leave, find the Master's domain. Heee heee... Princess say show you the way. But it's a long way. Need a blade."

"A blade? Tch, you must not be too well versed to these parts. Women are nothing more than breeders, we're lucky just to be taught how to speak." She snorted, rising up and flicking her tail wildly in anger.

"Ohh? Not even THE blade of Wraith? One given him by Master?" Sprim commented.

Lyrina paused in her step, looking over her shoulder at the small beast. It moved over to a corner near the fireplace and sniffed around. "Smell its magic close I do. Daddy hides it very well, but Sprim's nose smells it now." She giggled and blew out the fire with a few flaps of her wings. Sniffing around some more and then kicking the burnt wood out.

"What are you doing? That wood is still good!" Lyrina hissed, but stopped when she saw Sprim lifting the center stone. Underneath the stone was an archaic switch disguised like a plant root. She recognized it because her father used it often during her practice on deduction. Her hand reached out on its own and pushed the switch left, right, left again and held it there before letting go and watching the switch snap back in to its central spot. But the moment it did, her ears heard a click on the left of the fire place. Some stone jerked and then fell out, along with a sword covered by leather.

She stared long and hard at the hilt. It was blood red steel carved with tiny inscriptions that couldn't be seen by the naked eye. At the hilts base, a small emerald glistened amongst some platinum, and the hand guards clearly were forged from some form of steel that must have been tinted black. As for the blade, it was the most glorious color of white she'd ever seen. It shimmered a gossamer tone even in the dull lighting of her home. Its edge was still sharp and the entire blade was a good five feet with a two handed grip. She didn't dare touch it, but it rested against a dull black sheath of leather.

"Take it. Take it. Take it!" Sprim snapped out, dancing up and down on the swords blunted face. "See if worthy!" she snickered.

Lyrina was enjoying the moment of the swords beauty, and to have that moment ruined by that little fuzz ball... her hand lashed out, batting Sprim several feet across the room without moving the rest of her figure. But Sprim was right, she couldn't let the guards see this. It was true, her dad had an illegal rune blade. She grabbed the hilt and immediately froze, the world went white around her ---

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"S~omeone... comes for me." A voice spoke in the mist of white. "Calls to me~..." the voice continued. It reverberated in Lyrina's ears, like a spike drilling in to her skull. "W~hat does she wish of me?" it asked.

"W...Who's there?" Lyrina called out, not able to see her body, or any part of her. Not sure even if she looked through her own eyes at this misty haze.

A moment passed, and the voice finally answered. "Lutalo." It spoke. It's voice seeming to fade in to the distance after that last word.

"Don't go... where are you? Why am I here? What am I supposed to do?" she gasped out, feeling her voice leaving her slowly as some form of weight pressed on her chest... or what she thought was her chest.

Lutalo called back "I am with you. Where you are. Travelling." It said in response before the white mist vanished to black.

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Lyrina snapped awake, gasping for air. She lifted her form, but found she couldn't move. Something was sitting on her chest. She looked down, finding Sprim napping against the small crest of her chest. "SPRIM!" she snapped, her voice cracked as she breathed in air.

The Zeprin snapped awake and moved off of her chest to the floor. "Had too, had too! Die you would have if Sprim did not." She commented, and motioned with her head towards the door. "Come, must go. Fast. Soldiers come by, looking for you. Say you lie of marriage and must leave. They find you with blade, they kill you dead." She said.

"Sprim... make sense. Why would you be on me?" she snapped, and stopped to look at the sword. Its body had changed entirely. The blade was still five feet long, but it looked as if it was made from pure gold, though was light as air, with a silver colored blade edge. The hilt now looked like two harps opposite each other, complete with strings running between them and the swords base. The pommel was shrunk to a single handed grip with white leather trim leading down to what looked like a Lute's barrel. "The hell?"

Sprim bounced up and down on all fours, flapping her wings. "Sword's magic. Puts you to sleep for hours, days, weeks, until it shapes to you. No food, no water, you die if not for Sprim's magic." She said. "Come come, we go!" she snapped, kicking the door with her forepaws several times.

Giving a quick glance out the window as she stood up and sheathed the sword in a new wood carved sheath, Lyrina took a few deep breaths. No one was outside, she had time. She grabbed a pair of her father's pants, ripped her dress and shirt off, much to Sprim's noisy displeasure. Her breasts show no sign of new size, something she had hoped would change like the sword did, but found her dreams crushed as she threw on a cotton blouse her fathered had. Tying it close but loose to make herself look like a boy, she took a knife and cut her black hair to less than neck length.

As she took up her father's leather pants, she paused and looked in to one of his two mirrors he was awarded with his time of service. The leaf brand on her cheek, it was gone. She heard Sprim screaming out "AHHHHHH THE HORROR! THE HOLE'S BECKON!" Lyrina's cheeks turned crimson as the Zeprin got a view of her large round butt and the virgin folds between her thighs. Though there was a jungle of black hair between her legs to hide her vulva, there was little to hide the twin streaks of purple on her ass cheeks leading up her back. She quickly pulled on the pants and synched them up with a black leather belt, making sure her new swords sheath was looked on to the belts loops.

"Bitch." She snapped down at Sprim as the beast giggled in hysterics. She searched frantically for her father's backpack, finding it amongst his dirty clothes. She ground her teeth as she opened it up, stuffing it with rope, grapple, and a few torches. Dumping the open sack on top of Sprim, she walked to the kitchen and grabbed some dried meats, a sack of fresh water, and the small amount of coin she'd been saving up for years to buy a dress... a dream she had of finding a man through the gown. She tossed it all in to the backpack and then stuffed a few homemade arrows her father had made in to the arrow sheath on the side, secretly hoping to skewer the Zeprin below the pack. As she lifted it and slung it over her shoulders, she sighed inwardly as the creature's legendary resilience proved true.

Sprim smiled up at her, wagging her tail frantically. "Need a bow bitch, or arrows useless!" she quipped, only to be sent flying out the front door by a swift kick from Lyrina. The skunkess marched out, slinging a bow across her left shoulder, it was her father's bow. She turned to look at her home, small as it was, and blew it a kiss good-bye. If soldiers were on their way to reclaim the land, she had to disappear. No one would care if she went missing either from the soldiers removing her, or her doing as she planned, running away in to the night.

She ran, and ran, and ran some more. Tears dripping down her cheeks as Sprim flew close behind her, darting between tree limbs and leaves like it were some game. While her lungs burned from her frantic pace, she could hear a humming in her ears that timed itself to her heart beat. It soothed her, teased her, and called to her all at once, as if beckoning her to stop and stay still. But she couldn't, she kept running through the woods until she saw the forest line breaking. She knew the road would be there, the road to the port town of Asugintine. She breached the forest line, smiling, but it faded fast as she looked at carnage.

There in front of her, was a caravan for some merchant. His guards lay on the ground, bleeding from gaping wounds in their bodies, obviously caused by Crafts. The merchant himself was being held by a burly tiger at knife point, while his wife and kids shuddered in fear surrounded by brigands. Her eyes adjusted fast, her father taught her how to assess combat quickly at a glance. She quickly put her hands in to the air, and coughed for breath, but really adjusting the tone of her voice to speak like a man. "S-sorry. I uhh... I just wanted to get out of those woods." She said.

None of the brigands bought the story, but they did mistake her for a man. "Kill him." The tiger said. Quickly the four bandits moved from the family they guarded, while the tiger pushed the merchant towards his family to keep them covered. Lyrina's ears rang out in pain, but yet her body ignored the pain. She could hear a soft voice 'draw me' it spoke. She hesitated, but tucked a flurry of slashes from the brigand's swords, her eyes remaining on the men that advanced at her, trained to follow the flow of bodies, and not the movement of arms.

It took several more timed dodges before her right hand gripped the sheath at her hip and she drew the sword with her left hand, just in time to block a sword swing. What amazed her, however, was the sound the sword made as it swung through the air. It sounded like harp strings being stroked lovingly by a songstress. The impact the swords made, caused her sword to sing a reverberating sound as if that harp had its strings plucked. She couldn't focus on the sounds however, it was a distraction from the outside and her father had taught her to ignore that. But these brigands didn't know that, they followed the sound as if hypnotized, and she lunged forward with the tip of her sword as it pushed aside the brigand's blade.

For the first time in her life, she felt someone's life drain away from her actions. A spray of blood erupted from the man's throat and plastered her face. She ignored it though, tuned out the distraction once more and twisted her sword to slice open the man's neck completely. Her wrist pivoted down, drawing her sword to a lower angle and she shoved her right foot behind her in an arc and blocked the next mans sword. This time she quickly sliced upwards with her blade, cutting the man open from his groin to his chest before she leapt backwards on her feet to avoid another strike.

Her eyes darted to the right, seeing one man leveling a spear at her and taking a massive lunge. She switched hands with her sword, using her weight to push the spear away by its shaft, and allowing the man's momentum to slam his own face in her elbow, while her left hand shot out and smashed in to his chest. She heard his breath leave his lungs, and on instinct, grabbed his muzzle and jerked hard towards his back, hearing the snap of his neck seemed to disgust her, but she had lost sight of the forth man, something her father would have beat her ass for.

She saw the tiger, but the last man was missing. Had he run away in fear? Was he behind her? Neither option was right, from the corner of her left eye, she saw the glint of an arrow head. It shot across her muzzle, just grazing the left side of her cheek below her eye. She felt the pain across her face, and hissed. She spotted the last man, and in a rage, charged him before he could notch the next arrow. She felt... good... when her sword snapped his bow clean through, and followed through to his chest, slicing open his pecks and sending his life blood all over her front. When he dropped to the ground dead, she was panting with heavy breathes, she turned on the tiger, blood rage in her eyes.

The man was twice her size and weight, smirking at her as he held his dagger up. "Want some son? Fine. I'll run you through just like I did the guards." He laughed. He lunged at her as he yelled out a runic tone "Fal'suni-toth!" she recognized Craft language, and quickly dodge to the right as a beam of blue energy shot across the land and narrowly missed her.

That voice in her head screamed out in its docile tenor tone. "Fal samir alruc." It said, repeating the words several times in her head, driving her crazy. She was too busy dodging to listen. But she was gaining ground, advancing on the man every time he tried that attack. "Spear of light, down!" that voice suddenly snapped, and she dropped to all fours as a beam of light followed one streamer rather quickly.

She finally realized that the more the man used the Craft, the faster it became. Then that voice called those words to her once more. "SHUT UP!" she screamed to the air, her voice shrill, but it caught the tiger off guard just enough. "FINE!" she snapped and screamed the words, "Fal samir alruc!" to the air.

A sound ripped through the air, like the sound of a bard striking his lute strings so hard that they all played at once. It was a grating sound that agitated the air, and then she heard the tiger speak his words again. She dodged as he lunged to cast his craft, but nothing came out. He looked dumbfounded at his dagger, and tried once more. Yet again, no beam of light. She didn't hesitate, she charged in with her right hand holding her sword, and her left hand gripping one of the guards. Her charge went right past the man's dagger, and she plunged her blade through his heart without any effort. She had drawn blood, killed, and some how she felt no remorse. Her father always trained her and Archibald using no guards, no armor, and always with real swords... so she had no fear of them, but something inside her clicked, as if she were meant to be doing just this.

She looked on as the tigers limp body crumpled down and slide backwards off of her sword. She didn't even see the merchant or his wife hugging one another while their children cried. It took her a minute to realize she was standing there like a statue with her sword point down. Shaking off the after effects of combat, she lifted her sword high and then swung it hard down, jerking her wrist at the last second and watching all of the blood splatter from the sword to the ground. Not a single bit of it remained on her weapon, clean as if it had never been used. But what bothered her, was the beautiful sound of harp strings stroking the air as her sword swung.

Sheathing her sword, Lyrina looked to the family in front of her. A father, a mother, and siblings... all she ever knew was a father. "Thank you sir! Thank you a million times over!' a male voice said, snapping her from her state. She hadn't even realized the merchant had moved from his family and grabbed her hand in a shaking fury.

"Wh-what? Ohh! Geez... I... I didn't, I mean." She stammered on her words.

The merchant just smiled and released her hand. "We're heading to the Port city I insist you ride with us. Payment in thanks for your rescue, I'll even buy a young soldier like yourself a large dinner and all the ale you can handle for this!" he exclaimed.

She quickly interjected, "I'm not a soldier." She said "But a meal does sound good."

"Not a soldier? But you carry a Rune blade. Those are normally only given to soldiers whom make rank!" the merchant exclaimed.

Lyrina blinked and took a moment to shake out her head. "Ohh that. I uhh... my Dad was a General. When he passed on, he left me his sword in his absence." She lied.

The merchant accepted that, a family heirloom explained it all in his mind. "Well then young man, come with us. I'll even pay you if you kill any more bandits that try to hijack us." He says, stuffing two silver coins in to her hands. "This, for the current group." He finished and walked over to his family, ushering them on to the carriage. She took a moment to climb on herself, sitting beside the merchant whom looked at her funny.

"I'd prefer not to be blood soaked in front of your kids. They've seen enough blood, yes?" she said.

The man nodded his head and smiled. "My thanks, that's a good idea. You have a sharp mind for such a young lad. Pray tell me, why were you in the forest?"

She paused and chuckled "I was running from a rabid beast."

"RABID?!" a voice popped in, Sprim suddenly landed in Lyrina's lap, fluffed up like lightning had hit her. "I am NOT Rabid you giant, walking, over grown... Bimbo!" she finally sputtered out.

"A Zeprin? You were running from that?" The merchant asked and paused "Ohh forgive me, my name is Alec. My wife is Nadalin, and our two children Cherub and Flaz."

Lyrina nodded and smiled "Lyr-" she coughed and paused. "Lyre. Like the instrument."

Alec laughed and smiled, even as Sprim gave her a dirty look. "Well, the way your sword makes such a musical ruckus, I can see your father naming you thus." Alec laughed.

Lyrina chuckled inwardly, she hadn't realized the irony of that until just now. It made her smile, she liked the new name, and as she looked down the road, she could see in the distance the tall lighthouse miles away it seemed. But it was a marker, the port city she sought would be where she'd find her destiny, and she had some extra coin and a fine feast to look forward to... life on the road seemed, easy.

~~ To be continued...

~ Allester E. Darkflame