Ultimate Assassin Saga: Tundra

Only fifteen feet away from the village and he felt it again. That same presence. Only this time, he knew exactly what it was. He cursed himself and whirled back to the village, longing to rush back into it to find the owner of that aura, but he knew that he couldn't. It wouldn't be wise to do so and would most likely come off badly with the Elk tribe so that they never trusted him again.

He could see standing at the edge of the village was a figure. It was wrapped in a black cloak, but he could feel its eyes on him and its smug smile. He could sense that the aura was definitely male and it was definitely an enemy.

A Demon had come to the Elk tribe.

As that thought came to mind, a lot of things clicked in the Chaos Demon's mind. It made sense now just how King Darr had been killed and Darville framed for it without a single person seeing it. The Demon had done at least one part of it, that much he was sure.

Glaring at the shadowy figure in the distance, he gritted his teeth. He made another promise to himself right then and there. When he returned with Darville as the new rightful King of the Elk Barbarian tribe, he would also return to kill this Demon. He had stepped in the way and it was time that he felt the wrath of the Command Assassin.

As Acheron watched, the black cloaked Demon faded from sight.

Breal stood with members of the Forest Guard and waited. Today was the day that his clan joined him and he could hardly wait to see them again. There would be many of them - thousands even - but the ones that he knew would welcome seeing him. Lord Shido himself he was sure would be proud of him and praise him for his actions over the past month that earned the trust of the Amazons.

He turned his head and he saw Tide standing off to the side with no emotion showing on his face. He could see more than one of the Amazons around him were of the elite among the elite within the Forest Guard. He nearly allowed a frown to show on his face and he wondered why that was. Were they worried about the Blood Demons arriving and attempting to kill them?

If so, placing the elite among the elite would mean nothing. The Blood Demons, even just one of them, could rip apart the entire Forest Guard with little problem. There was no telling what more than a thousand of them could do when it came to taking down an enemy. He'd never seen his people engaged in war, but he had a feeling that he was going to soon.

When Dalkia came for them, the entire of the Blood clan would be forced to fight for their lives. The Half Demon felt no hesitation within himself to protect and fight for the Amazons. He would lie down his life for these people of whom he had come to think of as his friends. There was no doubt in his mind when it came to that and he knew that that wasn't merely a sentiment. It was a fact.

The Blood Demon turned his gaze from the Guard Captain and looked through the faces of the other Forest Guard, searching their expressions while they were busy waiting for the Blood clan to arrive. Several of them looked worried and it was obvious to tell what they would be worried about. It wasn't every day that an entire clan of Demons were coming to one's home. However, there were others that looked eager to meet the clan members and he could sense that most of them would open them with open arms as long as the Blood Demons didn't attack them.

Breal knew his people and he knew they had nothing to worry about there. Lord Shido wanted to get out of Dalkia and come to the aid of the former General. That was his only motive and he wouldn't allow any Blood Demon to kill anyone of the Amazons or even any of the Wood Elves. With thoughts of the Wood Elves, he blinked and sighed inwardly.

He was yet to meet any of the Wood Elves and that was of his greatest concern so far. What if the Wood Elves didn't trust him? What if they attacked him and tried to kill him? Would the Amazons be on his side and fight the Elves? He knew that he could handle anything the Wood Elves threw at him, but he didn't want to kill any of them. They were Acheron's allies after all and he would need all the friends he could get when the war with Dalkia occurred.

Kira had informed him yesterday that she had sent a message to the Elf King, Aden. In the message was an invitation to meet with Breal and the Blood Demon Lord. She had told him that they would probably arrive in a couple of days for talks just to make sure the Amazons weren't being taken advantage of. Once they judged that the Blood Demons weren't a threat and were in fact allies, they would return to their home.

The Blood Demon expected to be distrusted when this whole thing started. Now that he had the trust of the Amazons, he didn't know how he would handle not being trusted by the Elves. He'd grown rather use to the trust that came from the Amazons and he didn't want to fight to earn the trust of another people.

His reverie was broke through when a ray of sunlight washed through the trees and lanced directly into his eyes. He blinked a couple of times and looked down at the ground, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. He could feel the beginning of a headache behind his eyes, but he knew that he had to remain strong. If he showed weakness, someone would see it and they would find a way to slip a dagger into his back. He shook his head at that.

He was no longer in Dalkia and he had to fight to remember that. It was hard to do so when he'd spent the first two centuries of life watching out for himself and guarding his back. Never trusting was the best way for him not to get killed. That was just how things were done in Dalkia and he found it hard to adjust to this new way of living in the High Forest. However, he knew that he could handle it and everyone would be none the wiser to the situation in his troubled mind.

Breal narrowed his eyes and he perked up his ears. The birds of the forest which had previously been chirping wildly had all gone silent at the same time. They were no longer chirping, and indeed, there were no signs of life in the forest other than the Amazons. It would seem that they had company.

He could only hope that it was the Clan who was there and not some enemy.

If Demons were to ambush them now, the Amazons wouldn't trust him. They would say that he'd brought the Forest Guard from the village so they could be slaughtered. Even though the royal family of the Amazons wouldn't believe that, they wouldn't be able to not pass down consequences and not be affected. If they did nothing with so much discord, there could be a rebellion and that was the last thing any of them wanted.

The Half Demon reached out with his aura to tell if any of the auras were familiar. His aura brushed the Amazons and moved deeper into the High Forest, searching. Finally, it brushed the aura of a sentient being and he nearly smiled. There were thousands of them, but somehow, he had found the single aura in the group that he knew for fact who was. He sensed Lord Shido.

He pulled his aura back and he looked around at the Amazons. He could tell that the majority of them were uneasy and this was obvious from the way they shifted from foot to foot. However, Tide didn't look affected at all. He just stood there patiently waiting with no emotion on his face.

The Blood Demon found it amazing that the man could trust him so easily. He was never short a smile, laugh, or a trusting word when it came to him. For some reason, Tide had trusted him from nearly the get go and that wasn't something he was use to. He was use to being spit on for being impure, a half breed, and hated for that very same reason. For him not to be hated for what he was was a nice change of pace and he found that he rather liked that.

He rested his hands on his hips and he waited. That was all any of them could do after all. The difference was that he knew that the Blood clan was close. The Amazons were standing there and they had no idea how much longer they would wait. He could tell them of course, but where was the fun in that?

Breal's ears picked up the sound of leaves rustling and he allowed a smile to bloom on his face. He turned his head and he stared straight ahead. His blood red eyes glowed in the darkness as he waited, and without warning, the first of the Blood clan walked from the foliage moving straight towards them. At the forefront of the procession was Lord Shido and Lady Leanna.

His clan was finally here.

Lord Shido and Lady Leanna stopped in front of them, trying to appear as non-threatening as they could. That was a hard thing for a predator to do and he knew it. However, even as he looked upon Shido, he didn't feel the danger that he normally felt when he was around the man. Maybe it was because he needed that air of danger around him to protect him while he was in Dalkia. He had no clue.

Breal looked past the ruling couple of the clan and stared at the line of Blood Demons just beyond. They were keeping back so as not to look like an invading force and he had to admit that they were a bit daunting to look at. He couldn't see them all, but he could see hundreds of them and he knew that there were thousands beyond even that within the High Forest. If they wanted to, they could easily kill everything in the forest and make it their home. Instead, they had chosen to take the peaceful route and become allies to ask for asylum instead.

He watched as Tide stepped away from the Forest Guard and moved towards the ruling couple of the Blood clan. He showed no fear on his face nor was their any distrust. In fact, his expression was one of greeting and he could find no rancor in the man's face. He watched and he waited to see what would happen as Tide stepped closer to the ruling family.

"Lord Shido. Lady Leanna." Tide said in a light, respectful voice and he even bowed low at the waist to the two Demons. The look on Shido's face was one of surprise and Leanna's face was no different. It would seem that neither Demon had expected such treatment or ceremony. "I am Tide, Captain of the Forest Guard, and I would like to welcome you to the High Forest. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Even Breal was stunned by his mannerisms. They had obviously expected distrust or a simple greeting, but instead, they had received the greeting that was befitting of them. He allowed a small smile to blossom on his face and he crossed his arms over his chest. This was an interesting development.

"Well Captain, we thank you for your hospitality." Shido suddenly replied, his voice cool and silky. There was no deception in his voice and he seemed genuinely pleased by the trust the Amazons were instilling in Breal and the Blood Demon clan. "We needed this far more than you can imagine and it is an honor to be among your people. It will be an even greater honor when we fight side by side against a common enemy."

The Guard Captain didn't even hesitate. He nodded his head and smiled widely. Then, he held out his hand for the other to shake and both sides seemed to still at this. If the handshake was refused, then it was an ambush and the Amazons were going to die. If it was accepted, then they truly were friends that had come to live among them and help them.

Without hesitation, Lord Shido reached out and clasped hands with the other man. Everyone seemed to breath easier at this, but Breal hadn't been worried. The Half Demon had known all along what would happen and he'd known that everything would work out for the best. The Amazons had nothing to fear of the him and the Blood Demon clan. They were friends and they would show that to the Humans with not just their words, but their actions as well.

The handshake broke and the Guard Captain laughed softly. He ran a hand through his long hair, mussing it some. The Half Demon watched this and he felt his body responding. There was something very attractive about how roguishly handsome he could be. He shook his head to dispel those thoughts and he watched as Tide turned back to his men, noting their relieved, happy expressions. Then, he turned back to the ruling Blood Demon couple and he gave them a half smile.

"Come, my men and I will escort you to the village." Tide said with welcome in his voice. Lord Shido nodded his head and smiled back. With that done, Tide turned sharply on his heel and called out to his men. "Flanking positions. Let's lead our new friends to their new home."

The Amazons moved around in a tight flanking circle out in front of the Blood Demons. Then, the procession got underway, walking through the dense foliage and brush towards the Amazon village. A new alliance had been forged today and he was glad that he'd been a central note in that. He was glad because he had helped to save his clan from destruction. One wrong move and he wouldn't have gained the trust of the Amazons. Without that trust, the Blood Clan would've been left to the Emperor and he wouldn't have treated them kindly.

Breal smiled and walked with the rest of the procession.

XXXXXXXXXX

Shido walked hand in hand with his Mate through the High Forest. He had to admit that it was a beautiful place and he hadn't expected such beauty from this place. Also, the people of the High Forest - the Amazons at least - were not a a foolish people. They trusted, but they didn't trust right off the bat. It was the actions of another that lead them to trust, not just their words.

That was very wise of them, and even though they were just Humans, he found that they were extremely different from Humans that he'd encountered over the years. They seemed to blend with the nature that surrounded them, wanting nothing more and nothing less than what they already had. They seemed to be content with the land that they had and weren't in a hurry to conquer any other land.

For Humans, this was amazing.

From his experience with Humans, they lived for war. They longed to spread their fingers and their influence to every corner of the world, no matter how many of their own people were killed. Because they had children so frequently, they had nothing to worry about when it came to extinction. Unlike the Blood Demon clan, Humans had huge numbers and they were constantly creating more. Compared to the other races upon the world, they were like the ocean washing over a rock. There were so many Humans and so few of the other races.

They were by far the weakest race when it came to blades and magic. That sort of evened out the playing field for them. However, even the greatest of warriors would fall when faced with overwhelming numbers, and if there was one thing that Humans possessed, it was numbers. He was of the opinion that their numbers were the reason that they had survived this long.

That and their indomitable spirit.

Shido found Humans an intriguing creature because of that spirit. He had seen it over the years when he served side by side with Acheron while he was a General and he'd never forgotten it. He'd seen men fight for the women and the children, laying down their lives for those that they loved to make sure that they were safe. Granted, it was all in vain in the end, but it was a noble sentiment and one that Demons would be hard pressed to find among their own ranks.

Indeed, Demons didn't often fight for one another. They fought because they were offended and provoked. They fought for survival as well, but never for people that they'd never met. That was something that he found noble about Humans, and in his mind, because of this, Humans were a far better species than Demons.

In short, Humans could be horrible creatures who killed and killed and killed, but on the other side of the coin, they could be the most just of people's. Their nobility knew no bounds, and in his mind, it outweighed the bad that one might do. He knew that he was a rarity among the ranks of Demons when faced with the opinion of Humans, but he knew of several other Demon castes that believed the same. In fact, they were all allies of his and they would follow the General to the grave.

"What are you thinking of, love?" Leanna's softly uttered question drew him from his reverie and he turned to look at her. She was staring at him with a perplexed frown on her face and her eyes were filled with worry. It was obvious that she was concerned about his thoughts and he was sure that he'd allowed his thoughts to show on his face. He was a very expressive individual and he could never seem to hide his emotions or thoughts from others.

The Blood Lord shook his head and he didn't want to answer, but he knew that she wouldn't let it go. She was very stubborn that way, and no matter how much he tried to side step the question, she would bring it back to him. It was futile to try to hide anything from his beautiful, annoyingly perceptive wife.

He stared into her eyes and smiled at her, trying to put her at ease. Unfortunately, her frown only deepened as she stared at him and he stopped himself from sighing. She wasn't going to like it much, but he figured that he should tell her. She wouldn't judge him, that much he knew.

"I was thinking of the differences between Humans and Demons." Shido replied honestly and he smiled at his mate. He knew that he sounded stupid right now, but he knew that she wouldn't judge him. She continued to stare at him and she squeezed his hand gently, urging him on. "I find that Demons are far eviler than any Human could hope to be. We like to call Humans evil, but they are simply doing what is necessary for them to survive. Demons are not the same. We do what we can to survive and to instill fear in our enemies."

She stared at him for a few moments, blinking as if she didn't understand. Then, she giggled low under her breath and he felt his face heat up. He knew that he sounded stupid, but he just couldn't help it. He sighed and waited for her giggle fit to subside. Once it did, she squeezed his hand harder and she smiled up at him, a gentle light in her eyes.

"It's true that Humans are a far nobler race than we Demons." Leena replied, her smile dropping as she thought it out and she nodded her head. Then, her smile reappeared. "However, we are similar in one way that is most intriguing. We both follow our instincts and don't try to deny them. That gives us common ground and that allows for us to make alliances. Also, there is Breal's existence to consider as well. You went against your own mandate and let him live."

Her last words were softly uttered, but they came through loud and clear. He felt bitterness at the reasons behind why he'd left Breal alive and had even trained him. He didn't hate Breal, but in fact loved him like a son. However, he was bitter over the entire situation and the fact that he hadn't seen it coming. He should've seen it coming, but he hadn't and that bothered him.

"How could I kill him?" Shido asked, raising a brow and staring at her. The question was a rhetorical one and they both knew it. She wouldn't answer and he knew it. She continued to stare at him with sad eyes and he could see the heartbreak in her eyes that mirrored the state of his own heart. "After all, he was and still is an extension of him. There was no way I could kill him after everything that happened."

"I know." Leanna replied in a soft voice and he could smell her tears. He looked away from her and he stared ahead at the back of the Amazons as they made their way through the High Forest with such surety. He felt Leanna's hand squeeze his once again and she spoke again. "I'm glad that you didn't kill him. I think I would've hated you for that."

The Blood Lord didn't look at her, but he nodded his head, telling her that he did hear her. He felt her squeeze his hand firmly once again and they fell silent as they walked. He cut his eyes to the side and he watched the back of Breal's head as he walked. He seemed to have blended with the Amazons so easily and he found himself proud of the boy that he had trained. He had always been proud of him for something, but this was very different. This was something that saved the clan and something that freed them from the clutches of the Emperor.