Ultimate Assassin Saga: Tundra

The Barbarian gaped in surprise, shocked by this. How was this possible? How could Darville have gotten so many followers in such a short time? It simply wasn't possible so the Demon had to be wrong, but he had a feeling that the Demon wasn't exaggerating.

He was a Demon after all and Demons could sense things that Humans couldn't. He knew that he should trust the Lightning Demon by now, but he also knew that the Lightning Demon could be using him for a reason that he simply couldn't see.

"I will call my men to bare." Darcine replied, his voice stern and confident. However, his mind was lost in his worries and he couldn't control those emotions. It was those emotions that were controlling him and telling him that he was going to fail. But, he had to try and that was all that he could really hope for. "We will fight them back. None of them will survive. I don't care if it takes all of my people to drive them back, Darville will not be allowed to take the throne of the Elk. It is mine and no other shall have it, especially Darville."

The Lightning Demon stopped at that. He seemed to be contemplating what he said and deciding whether or not what he said made any sense to him. The Demon had stilled, his entire frame no longer radiating anger and hatred or worry. That had to be a good thing, but he wasn't that sure. He could be wrong of course and the Demon could of course about to blow up before going on a killing spree.

The Demon lowered his head, looking at the floor, and then, he looked up at him. The Barbarian stared right back at him, showing no fear of him, though he did have an inkling of fear in his heart. However, he would not show weakness to this Demon or to anyone else. He couldn't afford to show such weakness. He nearly allowed his breath to whoosh out of him when the Demon nodded his head, speaking once again.

"You will do just that. Bring your men together and get ready to defend." Tessla replied, his voice dark and filled with malicious intent. His eyes seemed to storm with his power and it sent a shiver of fear up his spine, but the Barbarian King did his best not to show his fear. After all, Tessla wasn't going to turn his power on him at this time. "These Barbarians must fall. They must all be destroyed if you want to become the ruler of the Tundra. Both of our enemies will burn if your defense is successful."

The Elk King opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, the Lightning Demon began to shimmer once again, and in almost an instant, the Demon was gone, leaving the office of the Barbarian King. The King blinked his eyes a couple of times, unsure about whether or not the Demon had even been there in the first place, but he knew that no matter how far his mind deteriorated, he would know a Demon when he saw one. The Lightning Demon wasn't a hallucination and he knew it.

Sighing, Darcine sank down into his chair and he stared at the dark wood of the office walls. He folded his arms over his chest and he knew that he needed to bring his men together soon. Knowing that he could no longer just sit there, Darcine pushed to his feet and walked around the side of the desk, walking towards the door of his office.

He had much to do and little time to do it.

XXXXXXXXXX

Acheron walked slowly beside the future Barbarian King of the Tundra and he knew that everything would be okay soon. They just had to get through this next battle and that they would have no problem doing so. After all, the Elk tribe was only fifty thousand able bodied men while the men at their backs were far over the one hundred thousand mark.

Their numbers were amazing, and to be honest, he hadn't thought that there were that many Barbarians among the Tundra dunes. Now that he saw their full power though, he knew that Shadir would be driven back. There was no way Shadir would attempt to invade the Tundra with all the power that would be ready to meet them and put down their Dark Races with their blades.

However, what they needed to worry about first was dealing with Darcine and the rogue, controlled Elk tribe. He knew that Darville wouldn't want to kill any of his own people, but if they came after him - which they were sure to do since he was an Exile of the tribe - he knew that Darville would defend himself by any means necessary, even if that meant killing his own people.

The Chaos Demon cast his eyes to the side and narrowed his eyes on the man. The Barbarian Prince was staring out at the horizon, his fingers caressing the hilt of his brand new sword. He seemed to be lost in thought and he had been that way much of late. There had been little time that he'd appeared to be in the present over the past day or so. However, the Chaos Demon wasn't that worried about him. He knew the Barbarian Prince could handle himself in battle and that there were few that could match him with their own blades.

The Command Assassin cast his eyes back forward towards the horizon and he knew that they were quickly coming upon the Elk village. They should begin to see the outter edges of the village in less than an hour and then they could begin the war.

They would not fail.

They could not afford to fail.

If they did fail, then the Tundra was doomed. The only way they could fail was for every one of them to die and Acheron didn't believe that he could be killed so easily. He would be the one to deal with the Demon within the Elk village and make sure that he never plagued the Humans again. However, they also had to win the war on other fronts, such as defeating Darcine and making sure that the rest of the Elk tribe was going to be okay. That was what they were all most worried about.

If the Elk was destroyed, then it would harm Darville's mind and his will to go on. His sister was a part of the Elk after all, and even if they did manage to save her from the village, the deaths of the others would hit his soul hard. Acheron knew that for a fact and he didn't want the man to go through any such pain. Darville was his friend and his pain would hurt Acheron as well so he really didn't want him to hurt.

They continued to walk in complete silence, the only sound was the wind whipping and the snow falling to the earth though that made little noise. The Chaos Demon was no different from the rest, remaining completely silent, but he wasn't just trudging along without paying any attention. He reached out with his aura as he walked, searching for any sign of enemies in all directions, but the only thing that he could sense was the force at his back and a few animals.

Seeing the hill that he knew would overlook the village, the Chaos Demon walked faster, walking out in front of them and he knew that the others would move just as quickly. Walking up the hill, his muscles weren't even bothered by the ascent, and when he reached the top of the hill, he stopped at the top, staring down at the village below. He could see the dark shapes of the village with the huge basin which had the huge palace in the center.

He knew that that had to be the target of their attack mainly, but they weren't an aerial force. They would have to go through the village first and he knew that they would be faced by stiff defense. Something told him that their huge force had not gone unnoticed by the Demon within the Elk village and that he would've warned the Barbarian King. They would be ready to defend, and unfortunately, they would have to kill a few of the Elk to get to Darcine.

The Command Assassin hoped that Darcine would give up and lay down his arms, but secretly, he knew that wouldn't happen. His mind would've been influenced and shifted to follow the orders of the Demon to the word without deviation. He knew his kind and he knew that the Demon who controlled the Elk King wouldn't order the man to lay down his arms and give up. He would order Darcine to fight to the death, no matter how hopeless the battle was.

Saying a quick prayer that he was wrong, Acheron drew his broadsword and he began his descent of the hill with the whole force of the Tundra at his back. He heard the sound of the one hundred thousand men behind him draw their own weapons and follow his descent to the village.

The final battle had begun.

Darville walked slowly down the hill that overlooked the village and he watched the horizon, making sure that no one saw them just yet. However, just as they got to the bottom of the hill, he could see the outline of a fighting force at the edge of the village, obviously ready to do battle with them. He really didn't want to do battle with his own people, but he knew that there was no way they were just going to let him - or anyone else in his entourage - in unencumbered.

He was trying to think of a way to avoid a battle as they walked towards the village, but when they stopped across from the fifty thousand of the Elk, he had an idea. It was something that hadn't been done in generations, but it was still a part of the law and there was no refusing it.

Then again, this was Darcine they were talking about and he could be arrogant enough to try to avoid it, but he knew that Darcine couldn't. This law was one that even the King had to abide by no matter what. If he didn't, the Elk tribe would lose their respect for him - if they had any in the first place - and they would abandon him. The law was known as the Challenge and it was a contest for the throne between the King and another who had a legitimate claim on the seat of the throne.

None of the others knew what was going through their minds and that was why they were all practically slavering for battle. The Elk soldiers stood there ground, staring across at them and showing no fear. More than one person looked at him with obvious disgust and pure hatred in their eyes, but it was tainted somehow. There was something...different in their eyes and he could sense it, but he didn't know what it was.

The Exile narrowed his eyes, staring at his people and wishing that he could sense things like Acheron could. Speaking of Acheron, he was standing off to the side with his broadsword down at his leg. Acheron was staring at the men in front of him, and even though he looked ready for battle, he looked confused by something. Then, it was almost like a light went off in his mind because his emerald green eyes lit up and his head rose even higher, holding it at a regal angle. He understood something and he was obviously proud of himself for understanding it.

In that moment in time, the Barbarian wished he could read minds. Then, he would know what the Chaos Demon at his side was thinking and maybe he would know something definitive as well. However, since he couldn't read minds, he would just have to guess what was wrong with his men and there could only be one thing. It had to be the Demon who was influencing them, giving them that demonic light within their eyes and those stoic expressions.

Each man held a blade of some sort and they seemed anxious to dart into battle, but something was holding them back. What was holding them back, he didn't know, but he didn't suppose that it mattered. After all, they were just Humans, and even infected with the power of a Demon, they could be defeated as easily as any other Humans. He knew that he was greater than any of the other Barbarians of his tribe, but he had never held that over their heads before. To them, he was just another man and he'd always acted like he was just another man, but they all knew the truth.

He was far more powerful than any of them.

Darville tightened his grip around his sword's hilt and he sighed softly, a calmness washing over him. He could sense the power of Icebrand wash through him and fill every fiber of his being. Because of the sword, he knew that he could do anything, win any battle and live afterwards. It was a feeling that he'd never had before, but it was one that he relished in and never wanted to go away.

He shook his head. No, he couldn't allow for that to happen. He couldn't allow himself to become seduced by the power of his own weapon and to give in to what was obviously a test. If he did, then he was no better than his brother and there was no reason for him to fight with him. If he gave in to the power, he would be the same as Darcine and that would mean hell for his people.

The Barbarian was drawn from his reverie when he saw a member of the Elk step forward, obviously showing his bravery through that one act. He knew who this man was the moment he set eyes on him, and even though he shouldn't have been, he was surprised at the man's identity.

Gage stood across from him, his scimitars held in his hands and a cocky smirk on his face. His eyes were alight with something that he'd never seen before in his eyes. The man had always been a little stranger than everyone else, but this was beyond even what was normally witnessed of him. This was a light that even on his worst day he couldn't pull of and he knew it.

The Hunter was infected by the Demon.

"You shouldn't have returned Exile." Gage said, his voice filled with battle lust and his face creased with a sneer. He looked like a Demon himself with that look on his face, but with no fangs to protrude from his mouth, the image fell short. "You have earned your death as well as the death of those that have come with you. They are aiding an Exile, and for this crime, the punishment is death."

Before he could respond, the Command Assassin stepped into the way and stared at the Hunter. Darville stared at the large man's back, surprised by his reaction and his willingness to protect him, but he knew that he couldn't allow the man to do so. He reached out and placed a hand on the Command Assassin's shoulder, drawing his attention. He saw the Command Assassin turn his head a little, looking at him with curiosity in his emerald green eyes.

The Barbarian shook his head, telling him that he shouldn't be protecting him. Acheron narrowed his eyes, interpreting it however he wanted to. Then, he nodded his head and stepped out of the way, back to stand at his side as a silent protector, though both men knew that he didn't need it.

The Exile stared at Gage and he gritted his teeth, noting the man had a cocky grin on his face. It was obvious the man thought that he was taking the protection of the Chaos Demon and that would mean he was weak. However, he was taking no protection because he didn't need it. He himself was a powerful warrior and he knew that he could handle Gage if he had to, but even as annoying as the man could be, he didn't want to shed his blood either.

The only one he wanted to wet his blade with was Darcine.

He didn't see Darcine in the crowd, but he knew that the man wouldn't have a choice but to come forward if he issued the Challenge. The Challenge was a law put into place a long time ago when the Elk had first formed and it was put into place to safe guard from rulers that would dictate unfairly over the rest of the tribe. Anyone, whether they were of ruling blood or not, could Challenge the King to a one on one battle and whoever won was the new ruler.

Back in the original days of the Elk, the Challenge had been issued nearly every other week by power hungry individuals, but his family had fought them all off with ease. Darville's family had always been powerful warriors and no one could take their throne by force, but there were many cases of his family fighting among one another to attain what they wanted, no matter what that might be. However, there hadn't been a Challenge issued in four generations because his family were good rulers and no one ever wanted to oust his family from rule.

Holding Icebrand down by his leg, the Barbarian took a step forward and he narrowed his eyes on the Hunter, but his gaze wasn't solely for the Hunter. No, his gaze was for all fifty thousand men of the Elk, including the only one that he needed to see: Darcine.

"I issue a formal right of Challenge to Darcine, King of the Elk tribe." Darville said in the ceremonial way and he set his face, knowing that he couldn't show any fear. He heard gasps among the Elk tribe, but the Hunter in front of him didn't even blink. It was apparent to him that he had expected such a thing and welcomed it. Why he would welcome such a thing was a mystery, but it didn't really matter. Either way, Darcine had to comply and there was no way for him to escape the law that bound even the King of the Elk. "I suggest that you send for him or he will forfeit his right to rule the Elk. If he forfeits, that will make me King."

The lead Hunter sneered, obviously angered by this, but he turned and ordered one of his men to go find the King to give him the message. Then, he turned back to the Exile and the look in his eyes was one of battle lust. He obviously wished that it was him that he could fight one on one so he could prove himself to be the powerful warrior that he always pretended to be. Just to poke at the man's pride, he smiled widely and tapped Icebrand against his leg, seeing if he would be able to goad the man into attacking him. If the Hunter attacked him, his life would be forfeit and even his men would stand by while he executed the man.

The Exile knew the men at his back were eager to get into battle, but he also knew that they didn't want to shed the blood of those that would soon be their allies. It was obvious that they were willing to stay back and let him handle things. However, he didn't know how long that would last and he could only hope that they could control their anxiousness long enough so that the Challenge could be carried out. Once the Challenge was over and the Exile was King of the Elk, he could bring all the tribes of the Tundra together, creating a powerhouse in the Tundra that Shadir wouldn't want to chance a war with.

That was the ultimate goal of Darville to unite the tribes of the Tundra and push Shadir back to its own borders. Their land was their land and they were going to keep it, no matter what.

The Tundra was a powerful land and it was his home. He would keep his home safe no matter what.

XXXXXXXXXX

Diana sat on the edge of her bed, her hands in her lap, but she was lost in thought. She was trying to think of a way to escape the village and find Darville. If she could get to Darville, then she would be safe. Anywhere that he would lack in her protection, Acheron would make up for with his own considerable might and she knew that. He thought of her as a daughter, that much she knew, and she knew that he would protect her with his very life.

She was wearing her black tunic, black pants, and her black leather boots, but she had a surprise in her boots. In both boots, she had a long, wicked dagger sheathed in the sides. She could feel them pressing against her ankles and that gave her a sense of security that she had never had before. Since Darcine had taken the throne of the Elk, she had taken to wearing the blades in her boots, and even though they had been of little use when she'd been raped, she would make use of them soon.

She didn't know how she was going to do it just yet, but she was going to get to her rapist. Her rapist still guarded her and she saw him every day. She often saw the pockmark faced man smiling at her, obviously remembering what he had done to her and relishing in it. She knew that she had to get away, but before she could do that, she had to kill her rapist. She didn't know if she was capable of murder, but in many ways, killing the man would be justice for her, not revenge and certainly not unwarranted.

The Barbarian girl set that thought in her mind, and with her mind made up, she pushed to her feet. She had to take care of this now when the pain was still so fresh in her mind. She didn't know what would happen to her after the death of the man, but she didn't care. Even if she spent the rest of her life in prison for what she had to do, it would be necessary. At least she could die saying that she'd reaped justice for herself and her rapist would never harm another girl like her again.