• As I marched across the land of the forsaken, my mind ran into the thoughts of the battle ahead. It was known to me as well as all of the other soldiers what would happen. We were outnumbered three to one. The only true advantage training we had was that our soldiers were trained form birth, something that showed up in battle and in attitude. All were somber and silent; no one would break the cold silence that trailed through the ranks of men. I was addressed as Aurick in this life, a thick name that screamed brutality here. I shifted the weight of my sword to the other side of my body. My blade had been named as well as I. Soul-Bane, for that is what it did. I knew that I would be one of the few to survive. Don't confuse the feelings for an ego, I just simply know the truth, that no human could truly harm me, not in this world or the next. A whisper of speech ran through our ranks now as the rival army was seen by our spotters. Their ranks swelled with metal and flesh, most of which was utterly useless aside from sheer numbers. The soldier next to me murmured a pray to the gods that he thought existed, that he might go to the higher place. What they never seemed to realize is the cruel fact that once your soul leaves your body, it goes out like a snuffed candle. Nothing is after death, not for humans or animals. Monsters such as myself have a better chance at living past a mortal's death. Not that it truly matter… I was doomed to an eternity of torture, helping human after human, living death after death. I didn't die before, and I wouldn't die now. The approaching army could be heard now, and it was a sweet sound of swords being drawn and armor being adjusted, preparation for a battle. I could see into the eyes of these soldiers, innocence and fear. They were not soldiers, only farmers thrown into a knight's cruel world, but fear can do a lot in a battle, heighten the senses, causes rash actions and choices, things that made a battle field riskier on both sides. The ranks of both bodies began to slow to a stop, a last stand of sanity before the storm broke free upon their miserable souls. I drew Soul-Bane, her beautiful hiss ringing out above the clamor as she eagerly awoke from her slumber, ready to reap once again. The leaders of the humans broke from rank to stare each other down in a pitiful attempt to intimidate the other into leaving before the war started. Of course, like the ignorant humans they are, neither would give in, it had become a battle of pride and ego. I braced myself as the energy from the other side swelled, Soul-Bane drawn and ready for blood. The other human's leader, little more than a boy himself, gave a bellowing cry as his started his horse forward into a gallop, his army following close behind. They neared our ranks quickly, moving on their horses and feet as if the very whips of daemons were cracking at their feet. As the close the final distance, Zalt, our "leader", barked the first order, to lower the front spears into the very ranks of approaching enemies. As the first rank of humans hit the spears, they were crushed up the shields and spikes of our front line. The first few ranks quickly turned to bodies on the ground, piling up quickly, creating a low wall for them to climb over. Soul-Bane glowed in hunger as the stench of rust and blood rose into the air, staining the virgin noses of many of the soldiers on both sides. As our spear broke, Zalt gave the second order, "First Company forward! Aurick and corps, stay your hands"! The first ranking of swordsman rushed forward as our archers let their arrows sing in the ranks the opposing force. My small company of humans stayed back. I had picked each of them as children for their promise in combat. I trained them together, creating a brother's bond as well as a true team of soldiers, able to work and live together in the most effective way. We awaited our orders, as always. We watched the battle carefully as it started to play out, looking for striking points where we could do the most severe damage to the army. Asher, my own second, called out from atop his steed, "Left, 4 rank back". He was known for his strategic prowess in combat as well as in life. Looking to the spot, I could see his view, a group of stumbling heavy armor, not used to the weight of weapons of armor, yet still given the biggest of both. The rank of heavy armor was roughly 100 strong, easily able to overtake a small armor due to simple brute force and numbers. We awaited our command to enter the battle, now knowing were our first strike would be. The smell of blood was strong now, many dead on both sides already. The armies seem to be a wavering line now, blending back and forth as the tide of battle could not be decided. Zalt cried out another order. "Aurick, send them forward and may the angels bless their souls"! A smile passed our lips as we were given the words we wanted, our permission. Sil drew his massive great sword and laid the flat of the blade on the ground. "Come Asher, let us become one once again" came from his rough voice. Asher gave a shrill laugh before stepping onto the blade, propping his feet on the sword and maintaining his perfect balance, "See you on the other side, my brother..." Sil grinned in sheer glee as he heaved his sword forward; launching Asher into the very midst of his chosen spot, right in the heavy armor ranks. Asher's shrill laugh rang out over the clamor as he descended towards the soldiers, which whom quivered in fear at the approaching enemy. As the heavens sung around Asher, he drew Singer in a quick flash of steel. Turning around in midair, Asher placed his feet downward, angling the balls of his feet at the enemies' heads. That's something I truly adored about Asher, his amazing creativity in battle. As the head of the first enemy was within his reach, Asher lashed out, caving the poor humans head with a single swift kick. He used the remainder of the skull as a spring board to launch himself forward into a group of the soldiers, disappearing from sight. Sil sighed heavily, "Always the dramatic one, he is…" I flashed him a quick smile, or at least, my equivalent of a smile. He laughed grimly before hefting his monstrous blade and rushing into the midst of the battle, his head easily visible over the others, his enemies thrown into the air by the sheer force of his swinging blade. Kyo laughed at the two men, his usual thoughts being conveyed, "Never shall I understand the point of that monster sword, but it matters not, I will never wield it upon my shoulders". His words caught a slight chuckle out of me before he drew his two knives and stuck them into the ground, putting them in a place easy to wield. His pulled his bow up to chest level and threw his arrows to the ground, arrowheads put into the ground, for the same reasons as his knives. He drew his first arrow, lifting it with the gentlest touch he could manage. One of his trick arrows, I assumed. He always had one or two… "Equalizers" he called them. Sure enough, as he launched his arm towards the enemy, a clear whistling sound could be heard. As the arrow had impact, an explosion rang out through the army, decimating 20 soldiers easily, and then his real skilled picked up. He launched arrow after arrow into mass of bodies, every arrow finding a target, most lethal, and those that weren't would be later. The speed he wielded his weapons of choice was amazing, easily launching 20-40 arrows in a minute, a shocking speed for a human. He quickly depleted his supply and then smiled before dropping his bow, grabbing his twin knives and then rushing forward, leaving me alone to survey the battle. I would not follow my comrades into the same area of combat, it would be too much of a danger for all of us, I was too wild of a fighter to safely have any allies near-by. Now that the battle had begun, I had no need for the armor and dress that Zalt had me wear to intimidate our enemies. As the battle raged around me, I took off all of the cumbersome metal and leather that would only slow my movements down, a liability. As the last piece of armor came off, I stood stock-still in the midst of a war wearing only a pair of light red pants and my leather boots. I roused my muscles from their cold sleep, flexing and rotating every muscle individually until all were limber and ready. I clasped Soul Bane in my left hand, holding her long hilt with a light, but firm touch. I braced myself for the coming climax of the battle, bending my knees slightly and leaning onto my right foot, placing my body forward. As I called upon the energy of my past lives, the grass around me died and turned brown, the tattered flags whipped and crack like there was a fierce wind, even though there was none to speak of. The air around my crackled with a light blue energy, similar in appearance to lightening. As I straightened up, the energy ran along my torso, crackling with a sick glee. I shook of the stinging of the energy. I stayed my footing for a moment, breathing in the smell of blood and rust, letting it fill my lungs and mind, allowing the monster hidden inside me to arise from its carefully built prison. My eyes flashed forward the battle, the monster calculating the battle in less than a second. I saw Kyo darting in and out of men, slipping his knives into their ribs and throats as he saw fit. I let loose a laugh that caught the attention of many. It was time. I rushed into the battle, moving as quickly as I could, rushing into the heat of the soldiers. The first never saw me coming; he was too distracted by the violence around him. First kill, the poor man's head remained in the air for a few moments until the planet's gravity claimed it for its own. I was known now, the saw me and I was swarmed by at least ten of them. I let loose another wild laugh that stalled them for a moment, and then the first of them rushed in towards my back. I place Soul-Bane flat against my back, deflecting the first strike and then I lashed out backwards with my foot. I felt the soldier's knee crunch underneath the strike. He fell back screaming as another two of them rushed forward on either side of me. The soldier to my left lashed forward with a lunge, I spun out of the way, letting it pass just under my arm and allowing it to lodge itself into the other soldier's heart, killed by his own ally. The soldier stared in cold shock; I spun back towards him, launching my sword into a devilish strike, cutting his torso clean in two. The other soldiers rushed forward with a scream. Simple and ineffective, like most techniques that these humans would know. The first that reached me launched into a downward arching strike, I side stepped swiftly. His sword hit the ground and I wasted no time placing my foot through the blade, shattering both the blade and his hand in the process, as he shrieked from the pain and the surprise. I slammed my free hand into his chest, crushing it inward with a sickening sound. Two of the soldiers stabbed towards me at the same time, moving fairly quickly. I launched myself towards the one on my left, jumping into the air, I planted my foot into his jaw, snapping his neck as I used him as a springboard to launch myself back towards the other soldier, whipping the same foot into a vicious spinning kick that had enough force behind it to remove the soldier's head from his shoulders with a sick ripping sound that echoed in my ears. They soldiers kept coming, all of them meeting a sickening and effective demise. The body count continued to rise quickly, my soldiers and I dispatching them effectively. Suddenly, I heard a cry that I knew instantly, Asher. I slashed at the humans guard so hard that it went through both the shield and his torso. I look for Asher, quickly seeing him. He had three soldiers surrounding him, dark blood rushing from his sword arm, making him so much less effective as well as vulnerable. I heard another cry, this one of anger. Sil came rushing towards Asher, trying to save. Asher gave a cry that was heard across the battlefield, "Fight well my broth-"His words were cut short as the blade fell upon his throat. Sil gave a scream of anguish, swing his sword in a maddened rage, leaving him just as vulnerable. The swords around him gave cuts and gashes, but he cared not, the anger had turned him into a berserker. He felled them by the dozens, leaving huge gashes in the body of the army. Archers then started launch their arrows at Sil's exposed back as he fought to kill as many soldiers as possible. His silver armor began to blossom outwards, allow blood to rush through, his footsteps began to falter, his eyes began to sag. His body was giving into the injuries of his suicidal rush into the enemy. He dropped to his knees, now unable to lift his sword anymore, he had not the strength to do so. He cried out a scream of anger that sent chills down the soldiers spines as the last blow fell, ending his life. A smile was on his face as he knew he was to join his brother once again. The sight saddened me, but I could not allow my emotions to affect my fighting. As I returned to the battle at hand, I noticed that it was coming to a close fairly quickly. I launched myself back into the mass of bodies, ending every life as quickly as I could. I spun around like a dervish, striking out with my hands and feet as well as my sword, utilizing everything I had to end each life effectively and quickly moving through them silently and rushing through the piles of bodies that were lying around me. It was obvious now that Zalt's army would win; the tide of battle had turned clearly. Both armies had suffered much damage and lost many men. The battle would be over soon. I continued to fight, keeping a lookout for Kyo, but finding nothing. I felt a slight sting and cursed myself. In my thoughts, I had allowed my guard to fall and received a shallow cut along the length of my torso, from my shoulder to hip. The soldier froze as my blood ran out of my chest, the blue color staining my skin. He was the first to realize that I was not human. I struck out as quickly as I could; stop his screaming as I put a blade into his throat. I could see across the field now, almost empty of any standing soldiers, the battle was over… Kyo cried out my name, I was unaware he had survived the battle. Looked for him, spotting him quickly, then a hundred feet past him, the enemy's boy leader was kneeling on the ground…the lone survivor. I walked towards him; Kyo thinking I was has walking his way. When I reached Kyo then walked past, he looked extremely disappointed, and I assume he was expecting praise for his survival. He was completely intact except for missing a finger on his left hand, nothing major that he couldn't work around. I stormed towards the leader, drawing Soul-Bane, who gleamed happily, with a flourish. As I got close enough to strike the leader, Kyo realized what was going on and rushed towards my. He skidded to a stop, placing himself between me and the boy. "You can't kill him Aurick, he's just a boy, please…" he pleaded with me, trying to get me to sheath my sword and walk away. I would not though; there was one more soul to release before my job was done. "Kyo, move" I stated in a cold voice. He did move, only to kneel next to the boy, exposing his neck in the same manner. "Then, I offer my life in exchange for his". The boy looked up, shocked by Kyo's words. I looked at them both, Kyo the boy whom I raised and train and the boy who was the leader of my enemies. I had a choice to make here, although for once, I knew not which one I would choose. I kept looking between them. I would think that my choice would be obvious enough, but it was not. I raised my sword, hefting it in the position to end a life. My blade fell, speeding towards a neck that was exposed for death. The was hardly a sound as my blade passed through flesh, ending a life. I watched as a head rolled across the ground and a body collapsed. My job was done here, my duties fulfilled. I held Soul-Bane tightly as I let loose a string of work in a guttural language. As I finished speaking, I launched Soul-Bane into the air, letting her fly straight up above me. Her bladed pointed down towards me as she began to speed back towards the ground, towards my. She flew quickly and straight. As I stared down the length of her blade as she approached, I smiled…