Ultimate Assassin Saga: Tundra

It was no more than what the pockmark faced man deserved.

The Princess walked across her room and opened the door, stepping out into the hallway beyond. She took a moment to take a deep breath and prepare herself for what she had to do. Much to her surprise, there were no guards at her door and there were no guards further down the hall. That was odd. There were always guards stationed near her, there to 'protect' her from any outside force that would come to harm her.

The guards were gone and she had to wonder why. What could be so important that it would require the attention of all the guards? To take the guards from her door was something that she knew her brother wouldn't do unless it was something very important. Something was wrong here, though what she didn't know. Something was going on, and even if it killed her - which it just might - she would find out what that was.

Diana walked slowly down the hallways of the palace, moving deeper into the palace, searching out the man who had raped her. She didn't honestly think she was going to find him, but it didn't hurt to look. There was nothing else that she could really do after all. It occurred to her that she might be able to escape now that all the guards were out of the palace, but she knew she couldn't leave without killing the pockmark faced man. He had raped her, and if she never killed him, she would never get closure.

Reaching the stone stairway that lead to the second level of the palace, the Barbarian girl slowly began to walk down the stairs, her boots making no noise on the stairs. She was doing her best to be completely silent, but she found that hard to do. The sounds of her boots echoed off of the walls, making plenty of noise and she winced with each sound the boots made.

Reaching the second floor landing, the girl looked around, but she saw nothing. No one was around, even on the second floor of the palace which was known to house the guards of the palace. She knew that she would have to walk down the winding hallway to the left to get to the next flight of stairs that would lead to the first floor. She didn't know what she would find on the first floor, but she had to go. Gritting her teeth, she made her way down the long winding hallway that would lead her to the stairs that would take her to the first floor.

Seeing the stairs that would lead to the first floor, the Princess blew out a long, calming breath. Then, she made her way slowly down the stairs. Halfway down the stairs, she stopped when she heard voices from below and she listened intently. One voice was a complete and utter stranger, but the other voice was one she knew all too well: it was her brother Darcine.

"So, the little fool decided to issue a Challenge for the throne." Darcine said in an angry, mocking voice. Her eyes widened in surprise at those words and she could barely believe what she was hearing. She didn't know who had issued the Challenge, but she knew full well what the Challenge was. It was a safe guard against dictators of the Elk and it had been used over the years to usurp the throne as well as putting right the wrongs that had occurred under the rule's of others. "My fool of a brother will regret this."

Diana placed a hand over her mouth to muffle the gasp that came faster than she could fight back. DARVILLE was issuing the Challenge? That meant that he'd returned to the Elk and that he was going to fight Darcine for the right to be King! The Challenge was their last hope and she could only hope that Darcine wouldn't cheat during the fight. He had to accept the Challenge. If he didn't, then he would forfeit his right to be King and his name would be looked down on in shame.

She was drawn from her shock and surprise at the sound of boot steps. However, they weren't coming towards her. No, they were fading, and from the sounds of them, she was sure the boot steps were going towards the front door of the palace. It was obvious that Darcine was going to meet their brother on the field of battle and he was going to address the Challenge that had been put forth. How he was going to address it was different though.

The girl didn't know what was going to happen, but she knew that she had to attend. She had to see her brother's fight, and if the Gods were kind, then Darville would be the victor. Then, the Elk would return to its good name and they could all live in peace once more. However, there was the slight possibility that Darcine could win. Darcine was no slouch when it came to battle and his skills were even - if not better - than Darville's.

The Princess knew that she couldn't hide on the stairs and allow the future of the Elk to go unwitnessed by her. She had to see this and see if her future was going to be bright or bleak. Once she heard the door to the palace close behind Darcine, she walked slowly down the stairs, and reaching the landing, she looked around, searching for any stragglers. Seeing no one, she made her way quickly down the hallway to the door and she opened it, stepping outside into the snow fall of the Tundra.

The future was hanging on this Challenge and Diana could only hope for Darcine to lose to Darville. That was the only positive outcome that could come from this.

XXXXXXXXXX

Acheron stood calmly at the side of the Barbarian and waited. He didn't fully understand what this 'Challenge' was, but it had seemed important to the Barbarians of the Elk. He had heard the gasps of the Elk tribe, but the Hunter at the front had seemed unaffected. He had to wonder what it meant, but this was no time to ask what it was about. He was certain that it would be explained what it was later.

As for now, he only needed to focus on the coming battle. He knew that this Challenge was something that would prevent bloodshed. He knew Darville and he knew the man would do anything to prevent the deaths of his people, even when they stood against him. That was just the kind of man that he was and he was proud to call him friend.

The Chaos Demon stared out at the faces of the Barbarians of the Elk. Each one looked anxious, nervous, and some a little uncertain. He didn't know exactly what that meant for what the Challenge was, but he knew that it had to be a good thing. Also, the way that Darville had requested the Challenge made it sound like a one on one battle so he was confident that no one would be harmed while doing battle other than Darcine or Darville.

The Command Assassin was drawn from his reverie when he noticed the Elk tribe parting to allow someone through their ranks. He narrowed his eyes to see who it was, and when the person stepped to the front, it was no surprise that it was Darcine. However, he noticed the look on his face and he could sense the pure rage that radiated from the man's aura.

It was obvious that the red haired Barbarian wasn't pleased with being dealt the Challenge and didn't want to be here. The red haired Barbarian was fingering the hilt of his longsword and looked as if he wanted to drawn the blade to sink the blade into his brother's stomach before the battle began right away. However, he somehow managed to hold himself back and pull his rage under tighter control.

"You are a fool, brother." Darcine said in a dark and malicious voice. His dark blue eyes were so dark they were nearly black and his face was filled with his anger. The blonde haired Barbarian stood tall and unaffected by his brother's anger. "I am the King of the Elk and you an Exile. You killed our father to become King, but that isn't enough for you is it? You have to attempt to kill me as well so you can have your throne. Well, I won't allow it. I deny your right to Challenge."

There were gasps among the Elk as if the red haired Barbarian had just said he was a God. It was a gasp of blasphemy. The Chaos Demon narrowed his eyes and wondered if this would work in their favor. The Challenge seemed to be a big deal to everyone and he had to wonder what would happen to someone who denied the right to Challenge. What exactly were the penalties for such a thing?

He got an answer to his question nearly immediately.

"You can't deny the Challenge." called a familiar feminine voice and the Command Assassin turned his head, watching as Diana came out from the side of the Barbarians of the Elk. She stopped a few feet away from them and placed her hands on her hips, glaring at her red haired brother. It was obvious who's side she was on, and if the Command Assassin would've known what had happened to her, he would've leaped forward to tear him to pieces. "If you deny the Challenge, you forfeit your right to be King and Darville will become King. That is the law."

"Shut up woman! This is no business of yours!" Darcine screamed as he turned on his sister, his face dark red with his rage. His blue eyes were glowing with his pure anger and he looked ready to kill at the slightest moment. "I am the King. MY word is the law! I can turn down any Challenge that I wish and still be King! I am the King and I am the law of the Elk, not some antiquated mandate passed at the beginning of the Elk!"

Acheron noted something very interesting when these words left his mouth. The Barbarians of the Elk turned to look at their King and each one of them had the same look on their faces: disgust. It was obvious that they were disgusted with his raging and with what he had said. It was obvious that the Challenge had been put into place to safe guard against tyrants and there was no escaping from it, not even if you were King.

"You will fight brother." Darville responded, his voice even and calm. The red haired Barbarian King turned his gaze back to his brother and he glared at his brother. It was obvious that he was going to try to defy the Challenge and still remain King. From what the Chaos Demon could see though, he didn't think that were possible. "I'm not giving you a choice in the matter. You framed me for our father's murder and I will not allow that to go unpunished. You will fight, and when you lose, I will be the King as was my right!"

At the end of his sentence, the blonde Barbarian leaped forward with Icebrand held out in front of him and he slashed down for his brother's shoulder. Darcine side stepped the attack and drew his scimitar, slashing at the blonde's neck. Darville ducked the attack and lunged forward, driving his shoulder into his stomach, making Darcine double over in pain. Then, the blonde pushed him back and bared his sword once again, his face set in his eagerness for battle.

Feeling okay with leaving the rightful King of the Elk to his Challenge, Acheron knew that this wouldn't end unless the Demon influencing them was found and cut down. He would relish in finding the Demon, fighting him, and killing him. There was nothing that could stop him from going to battle with the Demon who had influenced the Elk tribe and attempted to destroy them from the inside out.

Acheron disappeared from sight, moving faster than the eye could see as he made his way past the Elk tribe and into the village beyond. He would flush out the Demon and end this. It was the only thing that mattered at this moment and he would see that the Demon was defeated. No longer would the Demon influence the Elk tribe and drive them towards destruction.

He would end this.

Darcine dodged back from the strike of his brother and he raised his scimitar, leaping forward to end this by driving the blade through his stomach. Before the blade could come into contact with flesh, Darville moved his blade and blocked the attack, knocking it aside before he sent a huge, meaty fist right at his face. Darcine was unable to dodge the attack and his head exploded in pain as his brother's fist slammed into his cheek, sending him sprawling into the snow, but he held tightly to his sword.

The pain from the strike was nothing compared to the humiliation of being struck so soundly and harshly. He had been humiliated in front of all of them by being so easily knocked down. He wasn't going to allow his brother to win. He was the brother who was King and Darville wasn't going to take it from him! It was the only thing that he had left and he'd be damned if he'd have that stripped of him.

The Barbarian rolled to his haunches, his hand wrapped around the hilt of his sword and he glared at his brother. Darville stood fifteen feet away from him, his dark blue eyes empty of all emotion, taking neither joy or sorrow from the battle and he held his sword down by his side. The strange blade was razor sharp and he could see that there were runes of some language carved into the blade, but he didn't delve into what they could be. It was unimportant after all and wouldn't effect the outcome of this fight.

The red haired Barbarian rose to his full height and he glared at his brother. He could barely control his rage, but at a time like this, it was good that he couldn't control his anger. His anger would come in handy in battle and would give him an edge over his opponent. His brother was obviously controlling his emotions and that would be to his advantage as well. If Darville continued to control himself, he would remain weak and wouldn't fight to kill. He would look for a way to simply defeat Darcine and not kill him.

That wasn't what Darcine was looking for though.

He was the King of the Elk and he wasn't going to allow his brother to take that from him. He'd hoped that he could avoid the Challenge, but even when he'd let his little outburst of fury out, he knew that there was no way to avoid it. The Challenge was binding, especially between brothers, and if he hadn't accepted, he would've been ousted from the Elk tribe, treated as an outsider as a traitor. No, worse than a traitor. A coward.

"I will destroy you, brother and do you know why?" Darcine asked in a casual voice as if the two weren't about to do battle. The blonde Barbarian said nothing, merely stared at him and raised a single brow to wait for the rest of what he was saying. Just like his brother. Never one to mince words was his brother and especially not during battle. "It is because of your controlled emotions. You hold everything so close to the vest that you don't fight at full capacity. Because of this, I will win. I fight with my emotions guiding my hands, the one most prevalent being anger. It is because of this that you will lose and it is because of this that the Elk will continue to belong to me."

The blonde Barbarian smiled then, a real genuine smile. He held his blade out in front of him, pointing the sword at his face as he spoke.

"It is because you allow your emotions to drive you that YOU will lose, brother." Darville replied, his voice filled with his convictions and his grin only widened. Then, he lowered his blade back down to his side and he shook his head. "You allow your anger and your rage to control you. Such emotions will always lead you astray, and when fighting an even tempered opponent, it makes you a big target. You will lose, little brother."

The Elk King had never heard such a preposterous thing in his life, but he reigned in his need to laugh at such a claim. After all, his own opinion was right and he wasn't going to simply give in the way his brother had. Darville was weak and believed that peace was the way of the Elk. Darville was much like their father in that way. However, it was he who was the one who had the real nature of the Elk tribe living in his heart and it was he who knew that they were meant to be a warmonger race, always fighting always killing to become the best. The quest of the Elk was to be powerful, and until someone stopped them, they would continue to grow in size and power. That was what he intended to drive the Elk to as long as he was King.

Growling in rage, Darcine lunged forward with his scimitar dragging behind him and he lifted the blade, swinging it towards his skull. He saw his brother move faster than he had ever seen him move before, dodging to the side and he swung his own blade towards his skull. Darcine gritted his teeth and he managed to duck the attack by a hairsbreadth, but he did lose a few strands of his red hair. He leaped forward, rolling in the snow and he rolled until he came up to his haunches, turned around to face his brother. He saw the red strands of his hair in the snow and he realized just how fast his brother was for the first time. He wasn't dealing with some weakling. He had to remember that. If he didn't, then he would be the one lying in the snow, bleeding to death and Darville would be the King of the Elk.

"I will kill you!" Darcine cried out and lunged forward once again, slashing his blade again at his brother's skull. He dodged the first strike, but Darcine didn't stop at just one strike. He slashed again and again, faster with each strike. He wouldn't stop until he made a strike and killed the man. That was what he had to do to remain King and he would do anything to stay King of the Elk. However, each strike was easily dodged by his brother, ducking from side to side, the blade of the scimitar never once striking flesh or clothing. "Stop moving and die you bastard!"

The blonde Barbarian said nothing, simply staring into his eyes as he dodged each strike, his blue eyes driving him mad and making him even angrier. He raised his word above his head with both hands wrapped around the hilt and brought the blade down, intending to strike his brother's skull, to cleave it from crown to jaw. With lightning quick movements, Darville raised his slightly smaller sword and blocked his, knocking it to the side. Then, he turned and delivered a strong side kick to his stomach, sending him flying back into the snow.

The Elk King hit the snow hard and he took a second to stare up at the sky above. The snow was still falling hard, but he could tell that it was already starting to slow with the coming night. He knew that this battle would end before nightfall, but from the way it was going now, it didn't look good for him. Snapping himself from his reverie, the Elk King quickly pushed to his feet and fell into a defensive stance once again, his sword held out in front of him at the waist.

He could hear the whispers of the Barbarians on both sides, saying that Darcine didn't stand a chance against his older and obviously more skilled brother. Those words only helped to piss him off even more and make him even stronger. It gave him a bigger incentive to win this battle so he could punish all those that doubted him and punish them he would. They were nothing, just common soldiers. He was the King of the Elk and he was everything! The future of the Elk depended on HIM!

"I will not allow a killer - no better than an assassin - take the throne!" Darcine said, trying to bring the Elk back to his side. If they remembered that this man was suppose to be the one that had killed King Darr, then maybe they would go against the Challenge and intervene, not wanting a killer on their throne. However, no one made a move and they continued to watch the battle. It was clear that they wanted to see an end to the fight, but what was unclear was who they wanted to see emerge the victor.

He would disappoint those who didn't want him to win. He wouldn't have traitors among his people who wanted to see him dead. That would only give rise to more Challenges in the future, and even though he knew that he could take any one of them, he knew that something unforeseen could happen. He could sustain an injury in one Challenge that would slow him in the next and he could end up dead because of it.

He wouldn't allow himself to die here.

The Elk King was drawn from his reverie when he saw his brother shaking his head. It was as if he was denying something, though what the blonde Barbarian was denying was a mystery to him. He narrowed his eyes and stared at the other man, unsure of what was going through his mind. His dark blue eyes were darker than before, nearly black and he could feel the strength coming from his brother's aura. It was only continuing to grow and grow and grow until the power was manifesting as a physical apparition, a dark blue light that seemed to shimmer around his frame like a growing flame that would consume all.