A Story of Sword and shield.

Chapter 1: Infiltration.
I looked around as I ran weaving through the trees in the forest.

“It’s too calm” I thought to myself yet I continued as if a force was pushing me to carry on…

Suddenly, a razor sharp arrow flew by my head grazing me…. just enough to leave a small cut on the
side of my head. My heart started to beat faster and faster, I quickly ran behind a small scraggly tree, it
was broken down and not the best cover, but it would have to work.

“How can I get out of here? Judging by that arrow it does not take them very long to find my position
and attack.” I looked around for a moment and noticed that there was a guard not more than a few feet
away quietly I jumped onto a tree branch, grabbing the archer that was posted in it, with only the
sound of rustling leaves he was no longer on this earth. I looked around for a second then took the
armor and weapon from the body.

“Now, I just have to hope this fools them” I thought as I put the armor on, as I saw a few other archers’
approach I stood straight and said.

“Um, hello sir!” I exclaimed.

Another archer stared at me for a moment.

“You do know we’re not your C.O‘s right?” the archer answered.

“Sorry, I am uh... new.” I said and tried to find an escape route.

“Are you okay?” the archer asked.

“Yes, fine...” I said as I reached for a card case attached to my side.

The archer stared at me “hey, what are you doing?” he asked.

“Nothing... except for this” I said as I quickly drew a dagger and swiftly sliced the archer across the neck,
then finished by stabbing right through his heart, putting the dagger away, all of this within a few
moments.

I smiled “a job well done” I thought.

“Almost dark… I should hurry back...”

 After about a mile of walking, I arrived at a small half decayed and hastily made shelter in between a
few old trees; they were an amazing sight to show how anything through perseverance can withstand
almost anything…

I walked in and looked around then walked up to a figure wearing a black and red cloak that showed his
bright red eyes and nothing more.

I smiled “Rex, I see you made it back in one piece as well”

Rex lowered the hood part of the cloak and smiled. “Yes, well unlike you I am not near as reckless…”

He interrupted what I was about to say “well at least, I am smart about it when I am”

I smiled “well I should go, it is getting late and I have not rested in days…”

Rex smiled also and said “alright my son, rest up... for tomorrow is going to be important…”

“I know, we will infiltrate them... by becoming them...” I said as I walked away, toward a small cot-like
bed on the far side of the shelter.

I laid down, I was tired... but the adrenaline from the fight a moment ago was still surging through my
veins, and it demanded I not sleep, but I fought the urge and closed my eyes… slowly drifting into sleep.

The next morning I awoke and stood quickly to attention, was there anyone else here? Did something
happen while I was asleep? I looked around to check, then removed bandages that were around my
right eye and examined the room further, as my right eye glowed a dull red… then I quickly put the
bandages back on, hoping I did not let it see for too long…

It seemed as if nothing was wrong at the moment, so I took a deep breath and left the shelter.

The sunlight was bright, and blinded my good eye momentarily… luckily the other one was wrapped in
its bandages.

I walked down a short path that went toward a temple in distance, ah the famous golden wolf temple,
known for, greed, order, and horrible leadership…”I just hope this plan works, the faster I get out of
there the better…” I thought to myself as I approached the entrance to the huge temple.

An entrance guard looked at me through what seemed to be about 100 lbs of armor, yet without a
closed helmet, odd that they would wear that much armor and not protect the head well…

The guards word snapped me back into reality “hey you! I need identification!”

“I don’t have any, I just wish to enlist…” I replied.

The guard laughed “YOU are going to enlist for the great golden wolf army? What makes you think that
you have the skills miscarry for such a position?”
“given the soldiers I’ve seen of yours walking here, it does not seem that it is that hard to get a position
here, furthermore I killed all of the guard I passed, I took each of their medals they were carrying for
proof” I replied.

The guard looked at me “well where are they then?” as if he did not believe that I could even kill one
much less ten or more soldiers.

I reached into a pocket in my cloak and pulled out the medals, and sure enough each of them had
golden wolf insignias and names. “Right here.” I said as I showed the guard the medals.

The guard looked at me, surprised. “Well that was just luck…but very well...proceed, and if you wish to
enlist, talk to general grey”

“Yes…. Sir” I said, adding the sir with a condescending tone.

I walked inside the temple, it was much larger on the inside than I thought, it had a gold plating covering
the walls, and the ceiling went up about 40 feet. with all the soldiers talking, playing instruments,
cheering, laughing, and even some of them were dancing, it reminded me of a circus or maybe a
carnival…I shook myself from the distraction I was in and continued to walk down the halls of the temple
until reaching what I figured was the barracks, and so I walked inside… there were sets of armor hanging
from the wall and weapons leaned by them, there were what seemed to be beds against the walls. i
asked if anyone had seen this “general grey” sure enough one of the soldiers said that he was in the
main hall with a group of other soldiers, so I made the long walk back through the halls and finally
reached the main one, and then I wondered… how would I find someone in a crowd of over 300?. Well I
looked and looked for about an hour or so and finally was about to give up when a tall soldier, bearing
the golden wolf general insignias and armor stood up and walked away from a table, I quickly walked up
to him and said “are you general grey?”

The tall soldier looked at me and said “yes, I am general grey, what do you need?”

“I would like to enlist in your army, and the guards told me to find you.” I said.

“Well I could sign you up... and I am assuming they gave you a test?” the general said.

“Yes... of sorts sir…” I replied.

“I see... well how did you pass?” The general questioned.

I took out the medals I had just shown the guards and handed them to the general.

He stared at them for a moment and then said “I will go enlist you now…”

I nodded and walked away, wondering if I had maybe done something that will come back in the
future… but I shrugged the feeling off and explored the halls of the temple, after a few hours of walking,
I grew tired, and fell asleep in a long hallway in the south end of the temple.

“Hey you wake up.” An unknown voice said to me.

I blinked a few times and stood up. “Who are you?...” I asked.

“Who am I? I should be asking who are YOU, you don’t have any armor, any insignia of any kind...” a
female soldier replied.

“that is because I just enlisted… and my name is—“ I paused for a moment, I have been given so many
names by the different groups I had been with that I did not know what to call myself any more… I
decided I would just use the first one I was given… “My name is Lamina…” I said.

“Lamina, huh? my name is Sophia, but here they call me shining star.” The female soldier smiled. “Nice
to meet you”.

“The same to you, star… well I should probably get moving, I do not want to be late for any assignments
they may give me” I said as I walked away

“Good luck!” The one I now knew as “star” said.

Chapter 2: Rituals.
“Today is when you truly become one of us” a soldier said holding a small knife.

“And how is that?” I asked.

“We put our insignia on you of course” the soldier replied, bringing the knife to my arm.

I stared at the blade, it looked slightly dull, it had been used many times lately…

The soldier slowly started to cut into my arm, carving a strange insignia into it; I winced as I held back
the pain.

The soldier stopped and pulled the blade away from my arm, the wound bleeding “that scar will
represent the sacrifices you will have to make being one of us” he said.

I quietly stood up and walked away holding the wound.

I arrived in the main hall a few moments later.

A tall slender male warrior walked into the middle of the main hall. “Attention everyone, today is an
important day… today we honor the spirits, with blood.”

The warriors in the hall cheered as I stood in the back of the crowd, wondering what this could mean.

I walked down the corridor and had the insane notion that I was in danger somehow, but I quickly
shrugged it off as I arrived at the front entrance the guards gave me a stare “You again? I guess you have
permission to leave then, is that true?” the guard asked.
“Yes, permission of general grey, I am to get my first assignment after I gather some things from the
secondary temple outpost in the tall trees area.” I replied.

“Very well, on your way then” the guard said, nudging me out the entrance with a long silver staff with a
gold plated blade on the end of it.

I walked for what seemed like a day, but in reality was only a mere hour when I saw the outpost.

“There it is” I said to myself, walking up to it

“Hello, may I see identification?” a soldier at the front of the outpost said.

I showed the insignia on my arm, it had finally stopped bleeding and had now made a scab on my arm.

“I see you are new?” the soldier asked.

I nodded at him “yes, I just enlisted…” I replied.

“Well then, you must be here to gather some materials here?” the soldier asked.

“Yes, general grey sent me here.” I replied.

“Go inside and look for a small door on the left, what you are looking for is in there.” The soldier said,
knowing exactly what the general had sent me for.

I walked into the outpost and to the very door the soldier has spoken of, as I opened it, I swore I could
hear a voice telling me that I should not be here… that I should not have opened this door…

I spotted a large crate “I guess these are the materials I was sent here for” I said to myself lifting the
heavy crate.

I walked out of the outpost and back toward the main temple; it would take me almost twice as long
carrying...whatever this was….

I suddenly dropped the crate, my heart started to beat faster again, my vision was blurred, and my head
felt as if it had been hit by a ten ton bolder.

“What’s happening?!” I said as the pains got worse, and my heart beat even faster, and my vision got
dark.

A human-like shadow appeared in front of me, with a slightly worried look.

“Hello…brother” the shadow said, in a slightly distorted voice.

“Draco…is this your doing?” I asked.

“No, i want to help you, but first you have to LET me help you” the shadow replied.

“But…who is doing this then?... if it is not you…” I trailed off.

“That is not important right now... you just have to remember…five-hundred and eighty-nine…” the
shadow said.

“But…” I trailed off, the pain still coursing through me.

“Just…remember…. And also… it is the leader of those who are opposites of the ones you now are a part
of… who carry the answers to your pain, to your past, and even your future” the shadow said, slowly
fading into nothing.

I stood up... the pain now gone... but I could not see….I could hear faint static in the distance.

I wondered if I should investigate the sound further or not….

I walked toward the sound, as it grew louder I could feel the pain building up again… someone... or
something... did not want me to follow this sound, but I continued none the less.

I thought I had reached the source of the sound when all of a sudden I felt a sharp pain in the back of my
neck, I tried to feel my neck to see what was wrong but instead I fell over onto the ground and passed
out.

I awoke and looked around “what happened?” “Where am I?” “Am I alive?” I asked myself.

I tried to get to my feet, but found I had no strength left to move, it was as if I was held to the ground by
a two ton weight.

“Do not waste your strength” a strange voice said to me.

“Who are you? Where am i? What happened?” I asked.

“All in due time.” The voice replied.

“I don’t have time for this!” I said, and forced myself to stand.

“Now, do not get ahead of yourself” the voice said, sending what seemed like lightning strikes of
darkness toward me.

I did a quick duck roll to the side and threw a dagger at the stranger, aiming for his neck.

“You will not win that easily……for you cannot kill what is already dead” the stranger said, fading.

“I want answers!” I exclaimed, trying to grab the stranger but it was too late, he was gone.

“Well it seems I will be finding my own answers at the moment…” I thought to myself.

It was strange, one moment I could not see and I was hearing things, the next I am on the ground with
barely any strength left listening to some stranger.
But there was no time to worry about such things now I thought as I walked slowly toward a sparkling
blue lake in the distance.

It was then I saw the crate again, the same one I had picked up and quickly dropped on my mission.

“I should get it, no since in leaving it here…” I said as I walked toward it.

It was then I saw another human-like shadow appear in front of me, this one was far from friendly I
noticed.

“Do not touch that crate or it will be your last move” the shadow said, in sophisticated yet aggressive
voice.

“I am on a mission from the general…” I said, hoping that maybe the strange shadow would at least
know who I was sent by.

The shadow laughed “so I see, well go and get it then.” As it disappeared slowly I began to walk closer to
the crate.

Suddenly there came a scream in the distance and my head began to ache…I closed my eyes… and when
I opened them I had a feeling a déjà vu…

I looked at a letter I was now holding in my hand “Mercenary, you have been chosen for contract #581,
kill the rebel named “Draco” and take any of the other high ranking rebels out, good luck and spirits be
with you – The Golden wolf temple” the year on the letter said “January 9 th, 1470” …but that could not
be true… that was all in the past.. But then... I saw myself walking past what was the battle of the rose
petals… which actually had nothing to do with roses and was mostly painted the color of a red rose
petal…but...that was the only similarity I could tell….

I followed my former self to the rebellions castle in the far corners of the forest; I knew what would
happen…..it made me have an extreme since of dread.

Later, the former version of myself arrived inside the castle and I followed...nothing but a ghost of my
future self.

“Draco, brother! How are you?” my former self said, in a fake happy tone.

“It has been too long! Where have you been?” Draco said.

“I have been here and there...business as usual, how about a hug for your little brother?” my past self
replied, slowly reaching for a dagger.

“Sure, sure!” Draco hugged my past self, I watched…knowing exactly, move by move what would
happen.

My former self quickly drew the blade and stabbed it into the back of my brother’s neck, quickly pulling
it out, sheathing it and walking away as if nothing happened.
Draco collapsed on the floor as guards rushed to help him, but it was too late.

My former self casually made way out of the entrance, holding a small medal that Draco was wearing
moments ago “…too easy…” my former self said, walking to a strange figure.

“I assume you got the job done?” the figure asked.

“It was no problem; I was in and out in less than five minutes.” My former self said.

“Good, now take this and leave, we do not want them to be suspicious of your being here.” The figure
handed my past self a small pouch and quickly walked away.

My past self soon followed in turn, but left in an opposite direction.

I closed my eyes for a moment, and then opened them to find what seemed to be home…

I looked around the room, “father?” I said whilst walking slowly toward the exit.

There came no response.

I slowly opened the door; it made a creek as it opened “it did not do that before….” I said to myself,
walking outside.

It was then I saw that crate again…

I walked to it slowly, as I got only a few feet away, I saw a strange pool of blood surrounding it. “What in
the…” i looked up only to see that the crate was gone.

Surprised, I jumped back, looking around. “What just happened??” I thought.

I closed my eyes again “Please all mighty spirits... I want to go home….” I said softly, holding a necklace
that was in the shape of a cross.

There came no reply, no light, in fact... at that moment, was when it became dark again, I longed for the
light, but I knew I would get none…

Then, as If out of my own self, the darkness in the air started to take form around me, I could not see,
could not hear, my breathing started to slow, I felt as if I was dying slowly… but felt no pain…

I opened my eyes; daring to look at what was making me a captive, but… there was nothing… my senses
were back. “What just happened….” I said, looking around, hoping for answers.

But there was no time, for as soon as I thought I saw someone in the corner of my vision, my vision went
dark again, and when I got it back… I was not in the forest any more…not in the temple… the shelter...
the castle... or anywhere I knew of, it was some kind of village from what I saw at first… I would have to
examine further to be sure…
Chapter 3: Promises broken…
“Promise no matter what, we will always look after each other…” I heard Draco’s voice in my head… it
was when we were but children… promises meant nothing then….right?

“I promise, no matter what, I will always help” I remembered saying…

I shook my head to snap out of the memory. “It was just a childhood promise, they never last….” I said
to myself trying to reassure that what I did was strictly business and nothing more.

Then I walked further into the strange village, fog filled the air making it near impossible to see, but I
kept walking

Moments later I saw a strange figure in the distance “hey! Can you help me I got lost in this strange
place an---“the figure was gone…

I looked around “but just a second ago…” I thought.

I walked to where the figure was but moments ago, looking around for some sort of sign.

I struggled to even see a foot in front of me because of the thick fog.

“…maybe it was just my imagination… the fog is getting to me…” I thought, as I started to walk down a
path in the village, which was slowly starting to look more and more deserted as I progressed…

I stopped as I heard the words in my head again. “Promise…” I heard my brother’s voice, this time in a
much sadder sounding tone.

I looked up at the sky angrily “that promise meant nothing! I killed you because it was on the contract...
not because I hated you…but because of my own greed, is that you what you want me to say?!” I said.

Then as I continued to stare at the sky, it did something I was never expecting, it started to rain blood.

I quickly looked down as to not get the blood in my eyes “what’s happening?” I asked myself, wondering
if it was what I said that caused this.

But it was then I saw the figure again “you! Stop! Do you know what’s going on?!” I asked, running to
the figure.

But as soon as I almost reached the figure… there was no trace.

I looked at where the figure had once stood, there was some kind of strange note, and I picked it up and
looked at it.

The text was in some strange ancient language… even with all my years of training on these types of
things I could not read it.
I decided I should try to find a way out of here, so I folded the note up and placed it in a pouch “Maybe I
can decipher this later” I thought as I walked down the street, arriving at an old church.

“There might be someone in here to tell me how to get out of this place” I said quietly as I walked inside,
the church bells rang loudly as I did…

The figure was there again, sitting in one of the pews turned around and looking at me, as if knowing I
would be there.

I walked to the pew and sat down next to the figure, “You again….why do you keep running every time I
try to ask you something?” I asked.

The figure spoke in a soft, almost hypnotic voice. “I…I did not want you to hurt me, like you did him…”
the figure said, slightly scared by my presence.

“Why would I hurt you? who is ‘him’?” I asked.

“You kill others for money…” the figure said, with a hint of anger.

“I kill for the money because I need it… I have no other way to earn it……how did you know anyway?” I
said.

The figure stayed silent for a moment then said “…what is your name…?”

“My name?” I asked, slightly confused by the question.

“Yes, your name…I thought maybe if I knew your name we could know each other as more than
strangers…” the figure said blue eyes shining.

“My name is blade, and you?” I said.

“Well ‘blade’ my name is Itazura, nice to meet you…” Itazura said, smiling.

“You never answered me, who was ‘him’?” I said, with curiosity in my voice.

“…your own brother…I saw you…” Itazura said, smile fading, and then ran off.

“Wait!” I said, but it was too late…

I sighed and looked at where the stranger was sitting; there was a piece of paper left there.

I picked it up and looked at it; it was some sort of map…maybe it could help me get out of this place.

As I walked out of the church, holding the map in my hands, I stared at it and then out into the town, I
saw that the map had some kind of directions to get out.

I followed the path outlined on the map and soon arrived back into the forest. “Finally” I thought as I
walked further into the trees.
Then as I looked around I saw that my vision seemed to turn into static, it was strange…almost like a
dream…

None the less I carried on, soon reaching a strange building, silhouetted in the darkness.

This is where the map led me, or at least, so it seemed.

I walked inside and felt a strange sense of dread…this place felt even more eery than the town did.

“hello?...” I said as I walked further into this mysterious place.

“Someone new has arrived, how wonderful” a strange voice said, laughing.

“That voice… its you!” I remembered the figure that I had tried to get answers from a while ago.

“Ah so you remember me” the voice said as I heard footsteps come toward me.

“My ‘assistants’ will escort you.” The voice said, the footsteps now becoming three strangers in front
and to the left and right of me.

I stood silent for a moment and stared at the strangers.

They then said something to me, that I could not hear, quickly I fell into some sort of trance.

All I could do was listen to their directions “follow this path, move here, twenty paces to the right” it was
as if I was a pawn in some sort of chess board…

When I finally arrived at the place the strangers saw fit, they said more words and I broke out of the
trance.

“What….where?” was all I could manage to say.

I saw a strange person walk toward me, shrouded in darkness.

“We finally meet, face to face.” The person said.

“So it seems…” I said.

“Let me start by introducing myself, my name is Darkflame, and yours?”

“…my name is Blade…” I said quietly.

“Well now that the formallitys are out of the way, let us get to business, I wanted to ask you to join our
cause, the New order.”

“New order?...” I said questionly.

“Yes, we will be the new government of all the clans, the rebels, the Golden-wolves, even the demons of
the depths” Darkflame said.
“I see…well why would I join your cause?” I asked.

“imagine a checkmate in chess, which side would you rather be on, the winning one, or the one who is
checkmated?” Darkflame asked.

“Well if you mention it that way…it would be the most logical option to be on the winning side…” I said.

“Good, now think of this, we are going to take over ALL of the government on this land, so would you
rather be in one of the ones under our control, or our side, the ones who are IN control?” Darkflame
asked.

“Yours…” I said, realizing what I would now have to do.

“So does that mean I can count on your support?” Was Darkflame’s last question.

“Yes…I will do all that is needed of me and help in any way I can…sir.” I said.

“Great!... now let us begin by giving you your first assignment.” Darkflame said, putting a letter in my
hand.

I did not look at the letter yet, instead I smiled and said “I will do my best sir!” then finished with a quick
salute before making my departure.

As I walked into the main room of the building, where there was just enough light to read by, I took out
the letter and opened it.

The letter said as follows, “Dear assignee - This mission requires your upmost stealth and cunning, for
what I need you to do must NOT be found out by ANYONE, now onto the mission. I need you to find
intelligence on the clans, tribes, and settlers of this land, find samples of their culture, government
structure etc. then once you do this, the last part of your assignment is to find a low ranking member
from each group and capture him or her and bring them back to the new order headquarters, they must
be low rank so that their absence is not noticed. Once you do all these things your assignment is
complete. – Best of luck, Shining star.”

I closed the letter, “shining star?...but that was one of the golden wolf soldiers… does this mean there
are traitors at the temple?” I thought to myself.

As I looked at the envelope of the letter I thought about the temple, then I remembered my mission was
still not over, the New Order did not know it, but they had a double agent on their hands.

I walked to the temple, infront of the entrance was the crate I had been supposed to do deliver to the
general…I walked to it and tried to pick it up “well, its still heavy, that’s for sure” I said to myself as I
struggled to lift the crate, I managed to and walked slowly inside the temple.

Something did not feel right…it was quiet “What happened to all the sounds, and all the people…” I
walked past the main room and into the hall ways, I walked to where General Grey was supposed to be,
but he was no-where to be seen. “General, I have the materials you request---“ I was interrupted by a
painful ringing in my ears, it was almost too strong to bear. “W-What is g-going on?!..” I said in pain.

“Why did you?...for money?...power?...” a familiar voice said.

“…Both…” I admitted, regret and guilt filled my voice…and soon my whole mind.

I felt tears building up in my eyes “I am sorry…I thought it was just another contract…” I said the sadness
in my voice showing.

“Your greed has already cost many innocent lives, there is no turning back” said the voice.

“I will! There has to be a way!” I exclaimed.

“Then find the way…” came the now almost emotionless reply.

“I will…at any cost…” I said softly

The ringing stopped, as I got back onto my feet I felt that something changed in my mind…even if only
by a small amount.

I looked at the crate and decided the general would know that i brought it here, then quickly walked out
of the temple “Well so much for examining anyone from the temple, there is no one to examine…” I said
as I went out the entrance and toward the next group I could think of, the rebellion.

Chapter 4: The Shadows tale.

It had been 365 passes of the sun or in ‘normal’ terms, one year, since the new recruit was sent on his
mission, Darkflame knew that he would not be back any time soon, so he decided he would have a talk
with his second in command to discuss this issue.

“Star” Darkflame said, a emotionless look in his eyes. “Can I have a word with you?”

Star nodded. “Yes sir,” then walked over to him, “What do you need of me?”

“I need some information.” Darkflame said, “On our recruit, you met him, so I thought you might have
some details.” He continued.

“Right…well I could not gather much information, but judging on his psychology that I examined, he
seems to be haunted by some memory, some detail of the past, if we can figure it out, he will be
helpless to refuse our cause.” Star said. She knew this info because, as a child she was gifted with or as
most say “cursed” with a rare ability to read peoples psychology by their words, actions, and body
language. It was quite a talent, gained by blood, tears, and horrible, horrible memories, Darkflame did
not care, in fact he took advantage of it.

Darkflame decided he would find out what this was, so he left for the temple.
Later he arrived, walking inside he found that the temple was… empty… odd, because usually there were
many of those arrogant want-to-be soldiers around that usually checked him for clearance.

As the minutes went on, there were no signs of life, not even signs of death, it was all too odd, especially
considering it was not his doing, but he did not have time to think about such trivial things, the point
was that his informant was not here, and so he had wasted his time and would have to find out this
secret on his own, he walked back to his “home” or what he called home any way.

Later that day he had heard reports of the nearby town, people have been disappearing there for a few
weeks now, he wondered what, or who, this could be caused by, so he decided he would have a look
himself, along with his second in command of course.

They managed to make it to the town within a matter of hours, the fog was thick in the air, mortals
would find it extremely hard to see if not impossible in this, but he found it as not much of a challenge
for his eyes, he walked into a small broken down church in the middle of the town.

“hmph, pathetic mortal building of worship, it sickens me so.” Darkflame said, scoffing at the crosses
strewn across the walls and ceiling in various paintings, stained glass and such.

“It looks nice, for a place of the false one anyway.” Star said, looking at some of the windows.

Suddenly someone stood up from one of the rows of pews “who is it?” Darkflame asked.

“w-who are you two… and what are you doing here?...” the strange person asked.