” Another one, another life was taken because of me.”

Zanar knelt to the corpse beneath him. The wounds were the same as the others that had been killed. Not only was this person killed, but their lifeless body was desecrated as well, to the point that one would not be able to determine the identity of the individual. The message was clear though, the God knew that much. There was only one personal item left with the corpse and that was the cloak that graces them while they were still one of the living, the cloak that belonged to the Rangers of Flidais.

” Please forgive me, it was my weakness and my carelessness that this was your fate,” Zanar spoke softly, yet one could tell by his body language that wrath like no other was building in his soul. Even still, even carefully covered and wrapped the body in the cloak so that no others would be able to see the wounds that befell them. ” Your soul may rest though, as I will not stop until I tear the throat from the traitor.”

He lifted the corpse from the ground and turned to face the Rangers that had finally caught up with him. He carefully handed the body off to the closest one. ” Take them to their other brethren that had fallen. In due time we shall send them off with the respect that they deserve, but for now, we have work that must be done,” He looked to the second ranger, “No Ranger is to leave Flidais until I give the word. Also, send word the Nelanna to seek me out.” They both nodded and went off to carry out their commands.

The God could feel the presence of others watching him though. He was at the boundary of the  Virens and the grounds of Flidais. So they wait in ambush for rangers to leave my temple grounds…where I am not at my peak. Very well, I shall let them see what happens when fools hurt my followers regardless. Zanar walked a few feet and heard the sounds of two figures drop from the trees and start to rush him. In response, all he did was hold up a single hand as in to tell them to stop.

” You make for piss poor assassins, if your prey can hear you coming and feel you amongst the shadows of the tree,” he spoke as the sound of feet stopped. He turned to face his assailants. ” And neither one of you are him, so you may leave here unscathed. I do not have time to waste on his hounds.”

Those words seemed to set off one of the assassins, as within seconds they lept towards the god. Zanar sidestepped the leaping plunge and spun around bringing out one of his throwing daggers, and slamming it into the back of the assassin's skull. ” A leaping attack leaves one far to open.” His eye met the other assassins eye as he ripped the blade out of the skull of the other, the body spilling to the forest floor.

” How about you, do you wish to dance?” Being smart, the survivor decided to turn tail and started to run away. Zanar threw his blade up and caught it by the bed before flinging it towards the one trying to escape. It met its mark at the back of their knee and tumbled to the ground screaming in pain.

“You said we could leave!!”

Zanar walked up to the assassin and stepped hard on her back. ” Aye, that I did. Now I must ask, did you play games like this with my Rangers? Did they plea for you and your master to spare their lives and you said you would? Only to betray that trust as you mutilated them. Well, how does it feel?”

Bandits had been causing trouble lately in Laeto. Nelanna had heard that they were attacking anyone traveling by foot through the rainforest or near the border. From the stories she’d heard, no one was seriously hurt. Each victim was stripped bare of all of their valuables, leaving them with nothing but the clothing on their backs. Kohaku often walked through Laeto along the same path when traveling between Mamlak and Virens. Even he did not go unattacked. However, Kohaku was not their average victim. He put up a good fight even against their larger numbers, and he managed to cut off the hand of one of the bandits before they fled. He was furious that their attack caused him to lose some of his fresh fruits, cursing them and claiming he would get back at them. Nelanna had been thinking the same thing, though for a different reason. Bandits were dangerous. She could not allow them to continue their thievery any longer. And so she and Kohaku went to the rainforest. With Kohaku’s sensitive sense of smell, he managed to track the blood trail of the injured bandit, leading them straight to their hideout.

They had caught the bandits off guard, finding them relaxing and drinking in a small cabin. The power of a Champion and her ex-guard and manslayer was more than enough to handle the ten men. The bandits were then bound and tied up outside. Nelanna entered their cabin while Kohaku kept an eye on the thieves. She was amazed by the amount of belongings they had stolen. It was all piled up in one corner, a mix of jewelry, weapons, tools, houseware items. It seemed they didn’t care what they took, so long as it appeared valuable. Even food had been taken. It made her blood hot with anger. Why were some people so selfish that they couldn’t spare a couple little coins to get what they want? Why did they feel the need to take from someone else who might need it even more? This was just the kind of injustice she wanted to end. She stomped out of the cabin to speak with Kohaku about their next course of action, and hoping the fresh air would calm her.

“What did you find?” Kohaku asked, who was standing against a tree with his arms crossed over his chest. “Everything,” Nelanna replied, glaring at the bandits as she walked by. “They have a big pile of things they stole. We will need to find the true owners and return their belongings.” Kohaku raised a brow questioningly, “And how do you suppose we do that? We can’t just walk around town asking every person we come across, “Excuse me miss, did bandits steal your necklace in Laeto? You, Sir, did your tools get taken from you?”” Nelanna frowned and cupped her chin in thought. She supposed they could bring the belongings to the guards in Mamlak and have them spread the word to the nearest towns and cities. It would catch enough attention at once, but there was no guarantee that people won’t claim some of the belongings were theirs only to get something for free, instead of it returning to the original owners. Even seemingly innocent citizens were vultures just waiting for the right opportunity.

The sound of hooves pounding across the ground raised Nelanna’s eyes and blinked with surprise. One of Zanar’s Rangers had come on horseback. The horse skidded to a halt, a look of alarming urgency plain as day on his face. Instantly Nelanna knew something wasn’t right. “Lady Nelanna, Zanar wishes you to seek him out. It’s urgent,” said the Ranger. Nelanna’s gaze hardened seriously before she glanced at Kohaku. “Take the bandits to Mamlak and turn them in. And take the stolen belongings to my house and wait for me there. We will discuss what to do with them when I return,” she ordered as she mounted her own horse. Kohaku nodded with a simple wave. And then they were off. Jade Vine raced at the Ranger’s side as they evaded the trees and burst out of the rainforest, through the Plains and straight into Virens. By the time they reached their destination their horses were panting heavily and sweating.

What Nelanna saw was not at all what she expected when Zanar entered her sight. He was standing over a woman with a knife in her leg, his foot pinning her to the ground. His eyes were brimming with rage, a sight that reminded her very well just exactly who and what he is. A God, a Deity with incredible power and an aura that gave the Champion spider-leg chills down her spine. But she held herself with confidence and strength, doing her best to look as strong as her title suggested. “I am here,” she announced, and hopped off of her horse.

He waited for the assassin’s answer, yet the only thing he could hear come out of her mouth was screams. This annoyed him, as he expected an answer from the assassin yet had received none. ”Silence will not help you, it will only cause your pain to fester.” Zanar was oblivious to the fact that Nelanna had arrived not too long ago. He pressed harder into her back with the heel of his boot, and a sharp whimper of pain came out of the woman’s mouth. There was another reason that he was being far more brutal with the assassin than what he should be. A reason that would consume any person with wrath, even a god.

”You have orders to kill any who exit do you not? No need to answer, I already know that to be the truth as you foolish attacked me. Do you think that your weapons could honestly end my life?” Zanar lifted his hand over his wounded eye, ”This wound, stayed..due to a creature given the power of a sapling. You, an insect of this world have no access to primordial magic.” He took his foot off the assassin, and she reached out trying to crawl away but the god grabbed her by the back of her shirt and threw her up against the nearest tree.

The thud of flesh and the sharp gasp of air being released is all that rung out through the silence of the surrounding areas. The animals that once made noise were silenced due to Zanar’s wrath.

Zanar glimpsed over and finally acknowledged that Nelanna was there. ”You have arrived, good. Remember the words that I spoke to you when I chose you. You are my will manifest.” He turned his attention back to his prey. She was slowly fading from the world as she barely had the strength to lift her head anymore. Zanar slowly walked up to her, kneeling he tapped her on the cheek a few times. ”Now now, you can’t just leave yet. I have yet to tell you why you must suffer like this. I do not need you for information, as I am well aware where the traitor is. My eye sees all..plus I have a surplus of spies in this forest.”

“Th-then…….w-w-why”

Her weak voice was barely able to be heard. Zanar closed his eyes and let out a small sigh. ”Simple, because if your orders were to kill and mutilate all that left then what would happen,” Zanar gritted his teeth, wrath once again coming for and he punched the tree next to the woman’s head splintering it into shrapnel. ”My wife, and my child. What would you have done if they left here." The god ran his hand under the assassins chin and lift her head so he could see into her eyes. He saw no remorse in them, the only thing he saw was fear. ”Exactly. You would’ve done exactly that. That is why you must be subjected to my wrath.” He got up and walked away from the assassin, cleaning off his dagger before putting it away.

He walked past Nelanna, and just gave her a look that said ‘you know what must be done’. If she couldn’t do it, then Zanar would be ready to do it himself.

Zanar did not seem to notice her presence. He was preoccupied with a woman he called an assassin. He showed no restraint as he beat her down. Nelanna watched in silence, eyes wide with fear of interrupting. She did not fully understand what had filled Zanar with such rage, but she figured if she stayed she would soon learn. Part of her pitied the woman. She did not enjoy seeing anyone in any pain, no matter what wrong they had done. But she also knew that evil should be punished. It was not her place to step in and voice her opinion. This woman had killed those close to Zanar, he claimed, everyone that leaves his temple in fact. She made an attempt on his own life… Only Zanar had the right to choose what punishment befits her crimes.

The Champion winced as Zanar slammed the assassin against a tree. His eyes finally slid over and landed on her. Nelanna tensed. His voice was powerful, expectant as he reminded her of when he made her his Champion. Her blood froze over with realization. He had just made her a part of this. Perhaps that is why he called for her to come so urgently. He dropped the assassin and kneeled down beside her. He began to explain that it was not only his own life and the lives of his men that he was worried about. Zanar revealed something Nelanna had been entirely oblivious of up till this point. He was married, and had a child. Suddenly her pity was vanquished. He lifted her gaze and looked into the woman’s eyes. Even from where Nelanna stood, she saw no regret in her merciless pools. Her answer was clear. She would not have hesitated to slay the God’s wife and child if they stepped foot outside of his temple. The notion made Nelanna’s frozen blood heat up with an inkling of anger.

Zanar lifted himself and walked past the flaming haired elf. The look he gave her spoke his silent command loud and clear. He was right. She is his will manifest. She swore to use her power to protect the innocent and weak, to punish evil, to do what was right. And to do so, sometimes the situation calls for her to kill the evil with her own weapons. She had never killed a person before in her entire life, and now Zanar was asking her to bare the heavy weight of her first kill. Her past self, kind and loving towards all life no matter how dark, scraped at her heart and caused and ache in her chest. A life is a life, and all life is valuable. But she is his Champion. She made a promise to him, and she intended to keep it, no matter how hard it might be.

She took a deep breath and drew a dagger from her hip sheath. Nelanna stepped forward and knelt next to the assassin, trying to keep her expression emotionless but was unsure how wee she pulled it off. “Please…spare me,” the woman cried, eyes pleading up at Nelanna. She gazed down at her. She still saw no regret, only fear for her own life. “Why should I spare you?” She questioned, voice soft and calm. “You murdered good men. What had they done to deserve it? What had Zanar done to deserve it? What could possibly justify your actions?” She shook her head lightly, “I am sorry, but what you have done is unforgivable, simply because you think your life of merciless crime is worth more than the lives of innocents you took. If you were willing to repent, truly, it would be different.”

She did not allow the woman to speak anymore before her dagger was driven deep into her heart. Her hands shook as she pulled it out and wiped it clean. She knew this first kill would soon eat away at her, possibly give fuel for nightmares that keep her awake at night. But she had Cecil. Surely he would help her through it. Nelanna stood and sheathed her dagger, turning to face Zanar. She dearly hoped he couldn’t see how shaken she was. “May I ask what is going on?”

At this moment, her life is changed. The blood is no on her hands, now will she succumb to the terrors of killing or will she learn from the moment? Only time will tell the answers, I only hope her dreams do not destroy her

These were the thoughts of the Hunter as he watched Nelanna take a step forward, over to the assassin he had just brutal toyed with. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride, as the person that both he and Flidias had chosen took her job to heart, took their words in every sense of their meaning. This woman was no longer the noblewoman that had appear at his gates that fateful day, the wilds had dug their claws into her just as it did him. The fact that she was willing to kill, was the signs of that. Killing was not pure evil, sometimes it is a necessity in order to survive.

The one true rule of the wilds, fight or flight. Zanar was not gonna run from this, nor was he gonna hide his chosen warrior either. They would bare fang and claw against the traitors.

A dagger to the heart was one of the more gentler ways in order to execute someone. He had not right to berate her though, as he could vividly recall the first kill he had during his days under his father’s command. How his blade trembled in his hand as he struck down the enemy soldier, he had lost his stomach right afterward. Death reacted to everyone differently, one only has to worry if the first kill did not affect them.

The god walked forth after Nelanna backed away from the now lifeless corpse of the female assassin. Holding out both of his hands one to the one he killed, the other to the one she did, he fired off a blast of fire to each. The smell of burning flesh and the leather they wore started to fill the air. Zanar would not even allow their corpse to feed even the carrion feeders. To him, they were more worthless than the dirt beneath his and Nelanna’s feet.

”A fellow Ranger who had lost his way. Seen my weakness upon the battlefield of Mamlak when I lost my eye. Decided that we were false gods all along, and decided to take matters into his own hands.” One could sense the anger in his now calmed voice as he watched the fire take the body. ”I allowed this man into the ranks, a former assassin from Parvpora. The fault of all the deaths and all the worry is mine alone. It is why no others shall help us, we are all that is needed to take care of this rabble. There is no trying to speak to this man for he will not listen.”

He turned to face Nelanna, his once blue eye taken completely over by the silver ring that encompassed it. ”They dare try to escape my gaze in this forest, but I see all…none can hide from me. Now come, stay close and keep your guard up. The assassins use the shadows to their advantage. Fear not as your blades shall always strike true. No defense can stand up to use.” He commanded, turning and making his way to the enemy encampment.

Zanar did not answer right away. Nelanna turned to watch as he stepped past her and pointed to each corpse that lay on the ground. Magic poured from him to build fire balls that abruptly burst the bodies into flames. Part of her stomach churned at the sight, and her nose wrinkled with disgust at the smell of burning flesh. She felt like discarding of the assassins in such a manner was a waste. It would be best to bury them, let them return to the earth where they belong. The forest would have fed on them and thrived from the meal. But it was Zanar’s decision. She wouldn’t dare speak her opinion, not now, after she had witnessed his searing rage. What is done is done. He allowed her to kill the woman as she pleased, now he gets to do whatever he wishes to what is left. A fair trade.

Zanar finally began to give her a reply, and she blinked up at him. As he explained, her brow creased, focusing on his words rather than the calm danger in his voice. How would killing Zanar help this man’s cause? She attempted to think further on it from the assassin’s point of view, hoping to understand his reasoning that made no sense to her on the surface. If she believed that gods cannot be harmed, but then sees one lose an eye, she supposed she would feel lied to. Anger, a sense of betrayal, it would consume her if she thought it really was that important. And killing a supposed immortal god would show all other people what fakes they are. But then, that would cause a rebellion against the deities. People would lose their beliefs in the gods and goddesses, and would grow to hate them. Yes, she can see how this is such a problem. Currently, it is those within Zanar’s temple that are in danger. If they do not solve this issue soon, then the chaos will spread.

Zanar turned to her, but something was different. His beautiful blue eye turned silvery. Was this another power of his? She was curious to find out, yet fearful at the same time. He sees all…none can hide from him. For a brief moment she recalled hearing of this; a power that only Zanar has. He can track anything in the world, no matter where they go. Or so she heard. Never had she witnessed it before. If that is what he is doing, then she was amazed to be able to see it in action. Such an ability seems very useful. It would be incredible if she could ever do that. She nodded obediently and drew Fenrir and Garm. Her expression was hard and fierce as her turquoise eyes scanned the trees, the shrubs and undergrowth, anywhere assassin may lurk. She followed his lead through the forest, keeping her guard up as he commanded. It was quite unnerving with the taught that someone might be watching them, unseen and silent with the intent to kill.

They ventured far into a part of Virens that Nelanna visited the least, which could explain why she had never noticed any signs of any civilization or camps. So far no one had attacked, nor had she noticed anything out of place until the scent of campfire smoke reached her nose. She looked back ahead, and her anger began rising once more. It was an encampment, and from taking a good, long gander, she could count more heads than she would have liked.

They had arrived.

“Well, Well. What do we have here? Seems like the mouse walked into the trap after all. The boss was right boys…not only that, you decide to bring a woman along with you. Have you no shame Lord Arowin as she will die beside you.”

Zanar ignored the one that spoke out to him, his good eye looking around the surroundings counting the signs of life he could see, even those that were still hidden within the realms of shadows could not escape his vision. He was not there though, the one who started it all. The one who decided to bring a whole guild of assassins against a God of Canelux.

“Oy are you deaf? Eh, Regardless you and the bi-”

Before the assassin could finish insulting Zanar’s chosen Warden, a beam of concentrated mana flew through the air, taking off the head of the assailant. Those within the gods' vision took a few steps back as the only sound was the slight hum of the bowstring. Zanar’s silver bow shone like a gemstone in the night as the fire of the camp reflected off of its surface. It was summoned from the raven necklace that once graced the god’s neck. The Hunter’s eye was focused on the spot that the assassin once stood, the headless body now a slumped over itself on the ground.

” Speak all you wish about me, I could care less about what mortals such as yourself think about me. Speak ill of those who I chose to serve me, those whom I trust on the other hand you have forfeit your own life.” He let out a slight sigh and relaxed a little bit more than what he was before. ” Or so I would have said…your lives are already forfeit for daring to raise your weapons against me, for siding with that traitor.” The eerie casual tone in his voice could be felt by all around him. His ears picked up the whispers of those who started to second guess, others though he felt their anger.

A rustle in the trees behind them, an assassin leaping out trying to take out Nelanna from the trees above. Zanar turned and dropped to a knee and pulling back the bowstring, the mana gathering to the central point of the limbs once again. ” Foolish move,” Zanar spoke as he released the mana infused bowstring and another arrow launched from the bow and struck the male in the chest. The force of the impact sent him crashing into a tree, as the arrow burnt through the wood and kept traveling.

” So I will give you all once chance. Give me your master, and perhaps I will show you a hand of mercy. If not, then you all will be like the two who already fell,” Little did the god know, as he was speaking a figure was emerging slowly from the Hunter’s own shadow, and before Zanar could sense their presence a sword pierced the god from behind. Right through where the God’s heart was.

” I was with you all along, my Lord.”

A voice hissed out as Zanar’s vision began to fade.