Anatomy of Vengeance

Far away in another part of the continent is the bustling and lively town of Murhkal. Market stalls adorn the streets selling fruits, vegetables, meats to household goods and local trinkets. Overshadowing the market square is a large, ominous castle and above the entrance way, for all to see, was a large crest bearing the dragon head crossed with a sword emblazed on a shield.

Darting through the bustling town, fumbling and tumbling, is a young man with a panic stricken face. He's racing towards this castle as if his life depended on it, knocking into people, spilling goods all to reach this location. As he approaches the portcullis of the castle, they rise and allow him entry.

Inside this castle, high in one of the adjourning sanctums, the heavy sounds of swords clashing could be heard. Two battle scarred men are sparring with one another with great ferocity, weilding their mighty swords with almost seemless ease. Their immense forceful strikes against each others swords ring out like a bell in the castle, sparks flying with each contact highlighting the intricate details of their heavy plated armour. The double doors at the end of the room burst open and the young man entered and immediately knelt to the floor, his eyes fixed to his feet to avoid eye contact. The two men relax, sheath their swords; the older of the two with a scar over his blinded left eye speaks in a quick and sharp manner.

"What is it?", he demanded.

"Sir!", the young man quivered, "I bring grave news of the three sent to Fire Leaf Valley. They were defeated in battle, Sir!"

The two men standing glance at each other, both knowingly guessing the perpetrator.

"How did they die?" the younger of the two men standing enquired.

At this point the young man starts to sweat uncontrollably, closing his eyes tightly as if to push back the horror he had witnessed.

With a trembling voice he eventually replies, "Tornos, the battle mage, was like...like stone, as if his very essence was sucked out. Runi, th-the hunter, had his limbs broken and his n-n-neck crushed. Y'ssler...Y'ssler...he...he had no blood and h-his heart..."

"C'mon! Spit it out!", the younger of the two men spoke.

Without trying to vomit over the sight at which he saw, the young man replies, "...his heart...half-eaten...like a discarded half eaten fruit!!"

The young man takes out the three crests from the deceased men and places them on the floor in front of him, careful not to make eye contact.

"Is that all?", spoke the older of the two men.

"Y-y-yes", came the reply.

"Then get out of here before we cut you into three."

The young man gathered himself quickly, stood up and rushed out, closing the door behind him.

The two men stare at the same crumpled emblem.

"Orthrull, it seems that monstrosity has shown itself once more." spoke the younger of the two men.

"We will deal with her in due time. Our clerics, after these hundred years, still cannot figure out what she cursed our founder with...an eternal slumber he remains. Patrov, increase the number of scouts and push them further out. Find where she is and track her movements. Together we'll finish what our founder failed to do on his own."

With that the two men went their seperate ways in the castle, the commander Orthrull and his second in command Patrov.

Chapter 1: The Demon Awakens

A lonely figure stands on a small rocky clearing bathed in a shard of sunlight piercing through the canopy of leaves of the dense forest. The sunlight gleams off her body highlighting her unnatural beauty accentuated by her infinitely dark black wings. She smiles ever so gently and seductively; she's aware there are three armed men hunting her. The would be assailants move swifty and quietly through the forest advancing on their target.

"A Hunter, a beserker and a caster of flames, Mikuru", a quiet voice speaks.

The three armed men take positions, waiting for the right moment to strike. In that brief moment the world was still; birds in mid-flight were perfectly frozen in place and the forest was deathly silent. Mikuru, their target, disappeared from their very eyes! As the two most forward men, the hunter and beserker, scoured the horizon for their prey a gurgled scream came from the direction of their third team member. Before them was their brother-in-arms with a twisted and painful expression on his face. After what seemed like an eternity he collapsed onto the floor, dead. Standing there in his place was the imposing figure of Mikuru, her dark wings unfolded as if the very soul was sucked out and eaten by the black void. Without barely rasing their weapons, the other would be assailants were defeated in quick succession.

Mikuru stands over one of her defeated opponents and notices an emblem, a crest embossed with a shield depicting a dragon and a sword crossed over each other. She becomes angry at the sight, her eyes glow a dark red and her fangs appear. She rips off the emblem and crushes it with her hands.

"Mikuru, they came for you. Most...unusual.", the voice spoke again. This time a ghostly visage fades into view infront of Mikuru, a beautiful woman with long flowing silver hair wearing a simple elegant Kimono.

With a stern and angry tone Mikuru replied, "Alice, I'm going to break my promise and take back what rightly belongs to me."