With the many recent events that had transpired, Lewis found himself tracking down a particularly violent mark. This one had no real rhyme or reason to his attacks and assaults, which only made him harder to follow. As he had been taught, he had done his research, and determined that killing him was the quickest and easiest solution, and that he would not be missed. However, Lewis had been struggling as of late, and had missed many an opportunity to kill his target. This had led him to the heart of the Canelux Volcano, so very far from home.

Perhaps his mark was going to plead with the newest God. None of that really mattered to Lewis. Right now, his sole focus was on the hunt.

Already, Lewis found himself disliking the general area. For an assassin, the volcano was a terrible place to be. The heat alone was unbearable, and he felt sluggish. Inside the new God’s domain would probably be worse, Lewis surmised, but he had no real choice but to follow. As he approached the dark, steel gates, he noted that they were closed tight. He briefly wondered if the mark had gone another way, but there seemed no other path.

Perhaps the doors have shut themselves. He reached tentatively for them, expecting the volcanic heat to transfer through the metal, but was surprised to find that they were not scorching hot. Instead, they held a strange warmth, and as the assassin pulled them open, he felt the vibrations deep in his small form. Determined, he walked through the gates.

As the doors shut behind him, he stared at the dark pathway. Around the path were celestial like bodies, stars that seemed to light the way. His initial reaction was that of awe, but he immediately put his guard up. It didn’t take long for him to traverse the path, and make his way to the main part of the ‘room.’ This, however, was another point where he dropped his guard. It wasn’t a room at all. It was almost as if he had been put into the night sky itself.

“Where…even am I?” he asked aloud. He quickly realized he had spoken, and glanced around. His mark was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps they had already moved along. He closed his eyes for a moment, and then opened them, looking around the starry sky. Have I been hit with magic? No…this is all too real. Off in the distance, Lewis could see a starry citadel. That must be where he needed to go.

There was another path, lit by flames, that lead down to a labyrinth. The way to the citadel was clear. Without hesitation, Lewis made his way down, and into the dark.

At first, Lewis was overconfident. He pushed forward without fear as the darkness took him; an expectation that it would soon end. As he collided with a wall for the first time, he realized that perhaps he had been a bit too hasty. He started to move with a but more precision, but found himself stumbling. This was a not a normal darkness. He could not tell where his feet were in correlation to his eyes.

Slower then.

If he was struggling this much, then so was his mark. One step at a time. He pushed forward, feeling his way against the labyrinth walls. Slow and steady. I can do this…

Minutes turned into hours. He felt as though he was making progress, but being in the dark gave him no real measure of progress. After awhile, the motions he was making became second nature, which brought about deeper thoughts.

It had been a week since he had left Heaven’s Dawn. After getting caught assassinating by Xeik, the two had a falling out of sorts. While Lewis had no real problem finding work and subsequently coin, he found himself feeling alone. He had pushed a lot of his feelings aside, and focused on mark after mark, which had lead him here. And now that he was here, his thoughts and feelings were catching up to him.

Xeik. The boy he had once idolized was now furious with him. There had been a reason Lewis had hidden his killing. The boy’s ideology was that of peace. Killing was out of the question. Yet, Lewis knew that his old leader was living in a fantasy if he thought that a world like his could exist. Perhaps their relationship had always been destined to fail. Lewis loved the idea of that dream, but knew very well that in order to keep the peace, dissenters would have to be killed.

“Idiot,” Lewis said aloud. The sound of his own voice was almost a shock. The darkness had been so quiet, that he had not realized just how oppressive it was. Just now long have I been here? He was starting to worry. He had gone so deep into the labyrinth, but was there even an exit? Was there something he missed?

Despite these concerns, he pushed on. His thoughts once more went back to Xeik. Was it a mistake to leave? He was homeless now. Sure, Akira and her family might take him in, but he wondered if they too, would turn on him for his ideals. Akira, perhaps not, but her parents? It was something that worried him. The world was a cruel place, and now that he had nowhere to go, it was showing that anyone could turn on him at any time.

“Damnit,” the teen cursed as he miscalculated a turn and tripped against a corner, falling to the ground. His shin pulsed with pain for a moment, and he decided he would just sit down for a moment and rest. He closed his eyes (not that it mattered), and took a breath. Getting flustered here would serve no purpose. He took another breath, and let it out. Now that he was closer to the ground, he could feel the path itself vibrating, as if alive. He shrugged it off; the labyrinth was probably close to the volcano still. He stood up, using the corner he had tripped on to steady himself.

This way… He took another calming breath, and continued. Time slipped by him, and he slowly drifted back into his thoughts. This time, though, due to the darkness, he started speaking aloud to hear his own thoughts. At this point, he didn’t care if his target heard him.

“It’s stupid,” he said. “The idea of a world where there is no violence. You and Danwe both tried to keep me from it, but if I hadn’t killed them, then the entire Guild itself wouldn’t exist. It’s necessary. Why can’t you just accept it. Why can’t you accept me.” The teen halted his progress, realizing that there was something wet on his face. Tears.

Emotions were never something that Lewis understood. There was admiration, for one, that he had learned when Xeik pulled all of the boys up from the streets of Hoja Mesto, and something akin to protection or love, which his had for Danwe, Xeik, and Akira, but he never truly understood them, or even knew what he was feeling or why. But this feeling that he had now was something new. The tears were falling, but he felt nothing but an emptiness that matched the darkness that was around him. He couldn’t see anything, and he couldn’t feel anything.

“So then why am I crying?” he asked aloud, voicing his thoughts as though he were crazy. “Was it because I was abandoned?” Lewis gripped the wall. Is this what it feels like to lose something?

“What the hell is this labyrinth anyway?”

Raith had settled into his new role easily, though what would you expect from a man who believed that he had been born for such lofty heights? Raith had been ready to receive this position long before he had believed such a thing possible, the true length of this one's ambition was hard to fathom, even for those who knew him well, it seemed that nothing would slow the man's march into the history books - and Revaliir had been the stepping stone that he had been seeking. 
Already he had a few disciples, assassins and thieves and creatures of the night, searching for a Master who was not afraid to stand against those of the Light, not afraid to butt heads with the rest of the Conclave should it be required. Raith would tolerate the others, but that did not mean that he had to agree with them, they did not hold his allegiance, not just yet, after all he had to get the measure of them all first and foremost. 

He had been busy with his Celestial Generals, when he felt the tug on his heart, informing him that someone was at his Gate. Immediately the Seven fell silent, bright eyes, made of starlight, turning to face their Master as his attention was drawn elsewhere. A voice echoed through his mind, the voice of his visitor, and a wicked smile crossed the man's face. "Return home for now, I shall call upon you all later to finish business, it would appear that a Pilgrim has found their way onto the path," he stated simply, dismissing them with a wave of his hand. The Seven nodded, and bowed, before dissipating into stardust, returning to the heavens to await their Master's next summons. 
Raith settled into his elaborate, black marble throne, leaning his chin against one hand, blind eyes closed as he felt the vibrations from the newcomer's feet upon the ground of his maze. He had purposefully robbed visitors of their sight, as much to infuriate them, as to offer them a taste of the life he led in his own perpetual darkness. Despite being God of Wrath, Raith seemed to have an abundance of patience, when it came to waiting for his visitors to traverse the twists and turns of the Labyrinth, he had designed it to be aggravating, to test the mental fortitude of those visiting his home, to see who had the strength of will and ability to harness their rage to find a solution. 

As the visitor began to speak, Raith smiled, ahhh one after his own heart. This one knew the world just as well as he did, without the light there was no darkness, but the light could not exist without it's counterpart either - no matter how much the forces for 'good' wished it, they needed beings such as himself and this boy, the killers and murderers, those willing to do what the forces of good could not, and would not, do. The smile did not fade as he left his Throne, striding down the long corridor that lead to the entrance to Giliath and to the end of Raiqi. For the God it was simple, he knew the path as well as he knew himself, and it took him little time to make his way through the darkness to the boy's location, footsteps silent as he listened to the boy's words. 
"It is my test, only those worthy of meeting me are granted an audience, I find it is quicker to learn a person's true heart if they are angered, for they forget their lies and abandon their barricades in their frustration," Raith answered from the darkness. With a click of his fingers the Labyrinth flooded with light; torches hidden high at the top of the Maze walls springing to life as Celestial fires lit, casting an eerie blue glow across the entirety of Raiqi. "Wipe away your tears boy, they are unbecoming of a man of your ilk. You know this world better than those who have cast you aside, they, with their ridiculous ideals and dreams of a 'peaceful' world. There is no such thing, the best they can ever achieve is balance, with those of us who live in the shadows, though they are either too stupid or stubborn to admit to such things. We do not shed tears for people like that; if they do not accept you for who and what you are, then they are not worth your breath. Come, my home is this way, we shall talk more there," the God said with a nod, turning gracefully, leading the way back towards Giliath, a small smile upon his face… here was a boy ready to be turned, one young enough to lead down the right path before anyone tried to 'fix' him… 

Lewis was immediately on alert when he heard the voice of Raith echo in the labyrinth. However, he was caught off guard on how it sounded, as though his ears were betraying him. Perhaps being alone for so long had altered his senses. It sounded almost…unreal. Still, the voice was somewhat soothing to hear. How long had he been in the dark all alone?

All of this was a test, though? Lewis scowled in the dark at the thought. What a horrible test to put someone through, although in the end, Lewis could not deny the results. The ends justify the means. A phrase he had once heard that seemed to resonate with him all too well. There was the sound of Raith’s fingers clicking, and the path was suddenly lit by a pale blue flame. Lewis cried out for a moment; the light was somewhat painful after so long in the dark, even if it was a dulled version of regular flames.

Lewis heard Raith’s words, and stood up, wiping the tears from his eyes. He felt somewhat ashamed at the fact that this God had seen him in one of his weakest moments. But perhaps, that was something that Lewis needed. Perhaps this God would show him a path that he could take, one separate from the ideals that Xeik had pushed on him.

As the God spoke, Lewis listened to each word. As he soaked in the key words, he almost forgot the entire reason he came here. Or, perhaps even that was simply a way for him to get here. Was the target even real? Did it matter at this point?

If this is indeed his domain, then…I should not need to worry about an intruder.

Lewis followed the deity, but even in his affected state, the boy took his time to memorize the route they were going. It was habit, at this point. When lit, Lewis was sure he could easily get through it. However, in the dark… Just another thing to add to this list of skills I should improve on.

“Lord…er….” Lewis paused. How did one address a God? “Lord…Raith?” he asked. He may not have cared for the politics of the Gods, but that did not mean he lacked respect for them. “What is it that…you wish to speak of?” The assassin had only come here on a whim, and yet through his breakdown, a God wished to speak with him. This was all moving quite fast, and he wondered if others held similar experiences.

Raith wondered how the boy would take his words, how the boy would handle knowing that this place was a test, for Pilgrims such as he. Silence sat upon his Master's shoulder, keen eyes, fixed upon their visitor, relaying the image back to Raith perfectly, so that the man knew who it was he addressed, and could see the boy's reaction, as much as feel it. 

Lewis stood up and wiped away his tears, as Raith had instructed, and the God gave a small smile, the tips of his elongated canines pressed against his lower lip. Good, the boy was no fool at least, and knew how to follow basic instructions - unlike so many Raith had encountered in this infuriating world. He was pleased when Lewis began to follow him, as Raith had told him to, though he could feel the slight hesitation in the boy's steps - that niggling doubt, that little part of him that remained unsure of the path he was about to walk down. No matter, the boy was young yet, and had not seen his own potential, let alone what this Deity could do for him. That would take time, brief though Raith anticipated it to be, but time nonetheless. 

As the lad spoke his name, Raith turned his head slightly 'looking' back over his shoulder at his current companion. "It is less what I wish to speak of, as much as what you wish to speak of. Does your heart not long for answers? Is that not why you had that moment of weakness within my Domain? You are lost, you are seeking something, and you have found yourself on the doorstep of the one God, in this ridiculous world, who can truly help you. So far you are worthy, and have earned time in my presence, a privilege not many have the honour of receiving. I see my own self in you, and I will not see the Light claim another victim for its nonsensical crusades, the Shadows suffer enough as it is, it is time they saw that they cannot chase us all away." He snorted. 

Leaving Raiqi, Raith led the way to the massive doors leading into Giliath. With a flick of his hand, the door opened, and he strode straight into the cosy, private lounge, situated at the top of the Watchtower, motioning for Lewis to take a seat - no need to make the arduous climb when he could merely shift the entrance to suit his needs, they would be left alone here at least, and Alairia was at her mother's shop, so they could rest assured that they would have privacy for the moment.  

Raith’s answer surprised the boy, and it very quickly made the young assassin quiet down and think about what had been said. It was a lot to take in, as if Raith had been fighting against something his entire life, and had seen what the ‘innocent’ side of light had done. He seemed almost at war with it, and from what Lewis garnered from the words and actions of the deity, it seems as though the light was winning.

But most of all, Lord Raith was right. Lewis did seek answers. He had been, for lack of a better word, exiled from the Guild he had called home, and abandoned by the one he trusted the most. All because they saw the world in a different way. Xeik, seeking the good in everyone, and living by a code that could cost him everything. Lewis, fighting against the darkness of the world using the darkness itself… In the end, they had always been opposites, and instead of attracting, they clashed.

He was lead out of the labyrinth, and into what appeared to be a lounge. It seemed almost welcoming to Lewis, and when he was told to sit down, was grateful for the seat. He was tired. Exhausted even. How long had he truly been in Raiqi? It didn’t matter at that point.

Instead of wasting his time on that question, he turned his attention to the God who had taken time to see him. The first question that popped into Lewis’ head was ‘why?’, but he dismissed it. Why wasn’t a good enough question. Lord Raith had already spoken, and given Lewis a chance to think on the words. Was it now that the God expected a response on the speech?

“Why is it,” Lewis started to ask. “Why is it that Xeik can pull such trust in his cause?” The boy paused. “How is it that there are so many in power…that refuse to see the world as it is? To simply want a peaceful resolution at all times is impossible. A fools ideal. Is this the light you speak of? The power to disillusion those who would otherwise benefit from the darkness?” He looked down at his hands. “They say that ‘peace’ can be obtained in any situation, without violence. I’ve seen the world though. Women and children sold left and right, wars fought between tribes for domination, and the corruption… And with these hands, I had the power to stop it all before it happened. I saved hundreds at the cost of one.” He looked up to Lord Raith. “Is that one life really worth the potential hundreds that could be lost? Especially when that one will never budge from their own dark ideals?”

The Deity poured some tea, an unlikely drink, maybe, for the image many had of the man, but he needed to keep a clear head to contain the rage that naturally built up within him, the best way to do that was to keep alcohol to a minimum where he could. He held his own cup by the edge with his fingertips, placing the second next to Lewis, on a small table, before he settled into an armchair opposite the young boy, crossing one leg over the other, while Silence settled into his lap to sleep. 
The God's fingers lazily stroked the Drake's hide, there was an odd comfort to be found in the creature's presence, and in this small show of affection and trust between the pair. 

Lewis' question brought a smile to Raith's face and he cocked his head to one side slightly, sightless eyes fixed upon the boy. "Those in the Light are blinded by their self righteous cause, they see nothing but the light of 'hope', they are too arrogant, too 'just' to realise that without the Darkness there is no Light. True peace is an illusion, a hopeless fantasy that those who see themselves as 'good' cling to, because they do not see the reality of the world we live in. You have seen the truth in the world, the truth that they deny because they cannot comprehend it, they fear it," he shifted Silence to a chair beside him, and leaned forward, smiling widely at Lewis - this boy had some serious potential, he was no fool, he had seen the true dark heart of the world and had embraced it… he just needed to nurture that a little… and then this boy might truly be worth fearing one day. 

"You took the right path Lewis, if this Xeik cannot see this, then he is just as much a part of the problem, as the one life you took to save hundreds. This is what those of the Light do not see, they believe they can save everyone, that they can make this world a better place. There is no such thing. To make this world a better place, is to embrace its dark heart, to take the lives that require taking. I seek to rectify all of this, to finally bring the Shadows out of the Darkness and into the Light… it's time they saw the world for what it truly is."

It was all slowly coming together as Lord Raith spoke of his intentions and beliefs. The concept of peace as illusion was something that Lewis had always held in firm belief, a perfect contrast to the blind hope that Xeik had always held. As they had grown up fighting side by side, they had grown farther apart. Perhaps, Lewis thought, they were always destined to split paths, to become complete opposites.
Lewis let out a breath that he had not realized he was holding in. The allure of Raith’s acknowledgement was something that Lewis had not realized he craved. Someone who could show Lewis where to point his efforts. There was that feeling again, dwelling deep inside his heart. That same feeling he had when Danwe had praised him on his efforts. It was a hard feeling to pinpoint, but after a lot of soul searching, he discovered what it was.
Belonging.
And it was here that he was feeling it once more. A place where he belonged. Maybe not this realm of dwelling specifically, but this ideal. A person in which to place his faith in.
“Then,” Lewis said, looking a little unsure of what to say. “Where do I go from here? What would you have me do?’ It was obvious that Lord Raith was willing to help, but to what end and what methods, Lewis was entirely unsure. The assassin wasn’t completely stupid. He knew that the new God would not have the time to teach, nor did he expect it. Was this realm to be his new home? Was there a place for Raith’s followers to stay? Or was that all on Lewis?
Not that the boy would have any issues finding his way. There were always places to stay for someone with Lewis’ skillset.

A small, knowing, smile crossed the God's face as he heard Lewis let out the breath he had been holding. Yes. That was right, Lewis had found his place in the world, Raith was going to guide him, shape him and mould him in his image (as all good God's should) and send him out, into the world, to convert others to their way. It was about time the Darkness made their stand against the Light - Raith had yet to find out how useful Nemesis would be, in terms of an ally to that end, and Serafina was under close watch. The Goddess had associations with Xyaban, though she had not known the full story from the Dragoness, they had still been allies… something Raith did not forgive let alone forget, in a hurry. 

Good. The boy was on board, not that Raith had expected any less. You didn't find yourself beside a shining light and not want to touch the source of it. Smiling, the God say forward in his seat, blind eyes fixed upon Lewis. "That is a question only you can truly answer. Where do you want to go? What do you want to do?" He asked, fingers laced together between his knees. "I can guide you, I can teach you what I know or steer you to the right people who will, I know plenty of others who live in the shadows, just as we do. You can have a home here, if you so wish it, but at the end of the day you must make the decision for yourself. So, Lewis, what is it that you want?" 

Whether it be a will of Fate or something more, Lewis had been brought before the newest of the Gods and been offered something that many would have begged for, even killed for. To Lewis though, what meant the most for him was that temptation of a place to belong. A home.

Those words rang heavy in the air as they were spoken. The God had offered him a place here. A home. After being cast of the guild for his differing beliefs, he had not considered what it truly meant to have a home. But the question that Raith asked was difficult. And it was something that Lewis needed to think carefully about.

What was it that the teen wanted? Power? Wealth? Fame? While power was helpful, it wasn’t what he wanted. Wealth? Meaningless in his eyes. Fame? Worthless. Lewis’ eyes lit up, though, as he remembered the looks on the faces of the slaves he had freed. That indescribable feeling of having done something for someone else, to save them and make sure to ease their suffering. But there was more. A deeper darkness in his heart that hid behind the lighthearted joy. The rush of adrenaline when his blade met flesh. The tactical moves through the shadows as he stalked his prey. The life leaving someone’s eyes as they stared at the face of Death.

Lewis looked to Raith. “I want to kill. The bathe in the blood of those who would do harm.” There was a slight smirk, something that the God may have picked up in the tone of the teen’s voice. “I want to make sure that every death means something, though… “ He thought once more to the slaves he had freed.

He stood up, only to prostrate himself. “Please guide me and my blade. Teach me…put me on the path.” He took a hesitant breath. “Whatever it takes.”

Oh such sweet and wonderful words. I want to kill. Raith had known Lewis to be of the same heart as he, maybe somewhat different given Lewis still had decent intentions behind his reason to kill (unlike Raith, he lusted for blood, for the rage within everyone that fed his own and made him stronger) but he wanted to make others suffer none the less - and Raith was more than willing to comply, and to facilitate that need, that want. 
Lewis was young and impressionable, he had recognised greatness in the newest God, a strength he could feed on in his own way - it was only a matter of time, guidance and ‘gentle’ influence that would push the man over the edge away from the light entirely when he too understood that good intentions were not rewarded and never would be no matter how hard you tried. 

The God leant forward, placing a hand on Lewis’ shoulder. ”Do you swear your loyalty to me? Do you vow to honor every order no matter how hard they may seem? No matter what the cost? The path you have chosen is dark and full of tragedy, it will not be an easy one but it is also the truest path through life, are you sure you are willing to walk upon it no matter what others may think of you?”