It was a strange sensation that seemed to fill the air, almost like a buzzing of energy. There were battles all about, scattered through the Laeto Rainforest. Drake could sense it better than ever, his draconic blood boiling. The scents of blood and seat swarmed all around; the fight was far from over. He glanced down at the dead, insect-like creature that had invaded the lands of Revaliir. Just slaying one had taken it’s toll on the dragon’s reserves.

“There’s an entire army of them,” he muttered to himself. Sounds of steel clashing swelled in the distance. The draconian let his senses swell. He could feel a faint presence of something human, and then a much stronger presence of two beings that were not. Immediately he jumped into action, darting and weaving between the trees. His eyes flashed crimson as flames erupted about his body, creating a hybrid form of draconic scales and talons, and heightened abilities.

As he grew closer, he could hear the battle more clearly; and he recognized a voice.

“So, he still lives…?” Drake questioned to himself. He paused. The man he was about to save was someone who he had a brief history with. Rhenakos Raize. There was something different about him though, a presence inside the demon of a man that was not there when they had previously crossed blades.

Maybe it was Osiria? He wondered. The woman was maddening. She claimed that it wasn’t his fault that he tried to kill her.

Everything in his body screamed to just let the man die, but Drake moved forward anyway. At the very least, Rhenakos was a competant fighter. They could settle their differences later…at this point, they needed every last warrior.

Drake rushed forward, only to realize that during his musings, Rhenakos had finished off one of the insects. With a smirk, Drake crashed forward through the brush, landing a surprise blow. Like the previous humanoid insect, this one was grotusque, armored with a dark shell that seemed impossibly hard. It seemed to be modeled after something akin to a beetle; large and bulky, built for strength.

The blow that Drake had dealt had knocked it to the side, only causing it to stagger. It let out a strange clicking noise, which Drake took to be annoyance before whipping around and returning the blow with it’s short, but strong limbs. The blow his Drake square in the chest, knocking the wind out of him.

How!?

Rhenakos had been caught off guard by the assault from the two bugs. What had started out as a controlled assault had quickly turned into a chaotic mess, clear lines of attackers and defenders dissolving into individual fights. For the demon hunter, that was more of a benefit than a drawback. Anyone who didn’t know his combat style would likely get in the way of his heavy, wild style.

“Though, two on one is hardly fair,” the red haired man said allowed as he swung his blade in a wide, horizontal arc. The two bugs lept back, avoiding the sharp edge of his blade. “It would take at least three of you to do anything…” he said with a wide-eyed look of madness. He could feel the blood inside beginning to boil, and his new left eye started to burn, the demonic blood clashing against his human blood.

Now, now, Rhen. I wouldn’t do that if I were you…. a sweet, dulcet tone of a woman’s voice said in the back of his mind. Immediately Rhenakos froze, his focus wavering. He looked behind the bugs to see her standing between a set of trees, her eyes locked on him.

“Os-”

Don’t lose focus. Fight, you idiot!

The first bug rushed at Rhenakos, a spear in hand. It thrust the tip forward in a flurry, intending to turn the hunter into a pincushion. He brought his blade up, deflecting the critical blows to his vitals, taking a direct to his shoulder and a graze to his opposing side. His left eye burned as power swelled inside of him, and he quickly went on the offensive, spinning around with a furious momentum, cleaving the insect in two with a single blow.

The other bug, the beetle, seemed shocked at the sudden strength that this seemingly insane human had. But unlike his partner, a blow like that would fail. It took a step forward as Rhenakos readied his blade for a second attack.

Seemingly out of nowhere, a second human appeared, a man half covered in scales with eyes of crimson, letting out a battle cry as he slammed his fist into the insect’s back, knocking it off balance. It seemed to forget about Rhenakos, turning it’s back to the demon hunter, and took a potshot at the newcomer.

“Big mistake,” Rhenakos said as he brought his blade down, once more summoning up the new strength from his left eye. The blade crashed down, cleaving the beetle in two. What could only be assumed as blood splashed across the ground and the newcomer.

The hunter sighed, and sheathed his blade, holding out his hand. “Thanks for the hel-” He paused.

“You.” Rhenakos’ hand was still out. “….Drake.” He glanced away.

It was strange seeing Rhenakos so…calm.  The last time they had met, Rhenakos had taken quite the beating, but even that hadn’t stopped his unbridled rage and insanity from rearing itself.  It had taken a chance bolt of lightning to put him down, and even then it had not killed him.  He was, without a doubt, an impressively durable human. 

Drake took the man’s hand and was pulled to his feet.  The fight was far from over.  As soon as Drake was back on his feet, a second wave of the insects appeared, weapons at the ready.  Drake readied himself, his draconic blood heated as he launched himself wordlessly into the fight.  At his side, he felt Rhenakos mirroring his steps.  Despite their initial meeting, the two seemed to understand that the time for talk would have to come later.  For now, they were going to have to fight together.

Surprisingly, despite his wild and uncanny swordsmanship, Rhenakos was keeping a pace with Drake’s own close quarters, claw based combat, matching blow for blow without the two ever getting in each other’s way.  The draconian could feel the other warrior’s reservations about going full out, holding himself back in order for the two to fight as one.

Blade and claw flashed through the air, cleaving through insect after insect.  The battle waged on, with no end in sight.  Wave after wave crashed against the two…

Rhenakos could feel himself slowing as the fight continued on.  He knew he was a great fighter, and even in his madness against demons, he could hold his own.  But, even with his new eye, he was still human, and prolonged combat such as this would wear anyone down.  The bugs went down left and right, the bodies piling on the side as the two pushed forward through the forest.  Every so often as the battle lulled, the two could feel more skirmishes happening around them.  The fighting was going well for the rest of the armies, and that gave Rhenakos a renewed sense of progression.  They were slowly, but surely winning.

This knowledge was bolstered by the blessings that were bestowed upon them as the war waged on.  With every small skirmish won, it seemed as though their knowledge of the warring insects grew.  Their weak points became clearer.  As the fighter’s efficiency grew, though, their weariness grew to  match.  The sun was already starting to set on the battlefield, and the waves of insects seem to be lulling once more. 

Rhenakos laid his weapon to the side against a tree.  His muscles were on fire, and he felt as though his lungs were about to burst.  He was drenched in sweat, and he had long since lost his overcoat somewhere in the forest, leaving him with a basic shirt and what little armor he possessed.  He looked over to Drake, who seemed to be fairing a bit better, though the dragon seemed to be winded as well.  He had dropped his claws in favor for an enemy spear at some point, which had been broken in half at some point during the fight.  He discarded it, and fell back onto the ground, taking slow, deep breaths. 

“We should probably take turns resting,” Rhenakos said through his own gasps.  “We won’t last much longer if we don’t…” 

I really wish I had my sword, Drake thought to himself as he tossed the broken spear to the side.  But now wasn’t the time to dwell on his lack of arms.  He fell back, letting himself down to the forest floor.  The rough, itchy ground felt like heaven to him.  Rhenakos started to talk about rest, and Drake nodded his head in agreement. 

“I’ll take first watch then,” Drake said as he sat up.  His body groaned in protest, but slowly he pulled himself back up.  “An hour each should be good.”  He looked up into the trees, looking for a branch.  “Can you sleep on one of those?”  It was something that the draconian had trained himself to do in emergencies.  It wasn’t the most restful sleep, but it got the job done when needed.

It was odd to talk to casually to someone that he had once tried to kill, but then, it was odd that all of this was happening to begin with.  Rhenakos would have to come to terms with it later.  “Okay then, I’ll take the second watch then.” 

Out of the corner of his eyes, he felt Osiria nod in agreement.  “It’s good for you.  You’re making progress,” she said.  “This talks will really help, you know.” 

Rhenakos felt some sense of irony to this, being told by a hallucination that talking things out was good, but he wasn’t going to question it.  “I can manage in a branch.  It wouldn’t be the first time,” he said as he started to climb.  Once the two were situated in the trees, Rhenakos closed his eyes.  Sleep came almost immediately.

For once, he didn’t have nightmares…

Drake's watch started off with a unique fight; the battle against fatigue.  He had settled in to his branch expecting to keep watch for the night only to find that the day's battles had taken more of a toll than he had expected.  His eyes started to fall, and he would snap himself awake every time.  The minutes seemed to pass like hours, as if time itself we're against him.

He let out a sigh.  Tonight is going to br the worst….

With his enhanced senses he could hear the rhythm of Rhenakos’ breathing.  At least he was getting some rest.  It would soon be Drake's turn, and he honestly couldn't wait.

Drake went to yawn and stretch, but his limbs felt impossibly heavy.  Odd… the dragon thought.  The sensation grew heavier, and suddenly he realized there was a problem.  He couldn't move.  As if to slam the point home, a gust of wind shook the branch he was on, causing him to slip to the side and fall off.  He hit the ground hard, his face to the ground.

Something had attacked him and he had no way to defend himself.

Lewis watched as Drake fell to the ground.  There was a smug satisfaction that crossed the teen's mind as he witnessed the dragon's helplessness.  He had been tailing his own prey for quite some time, and it just so happened to coincide with his prey trying to assassinate Drake and Rhenakos.

I could just let it happen.  Danwe and Xeik wouldn't have to know.  I could tell them I was too late…  He sighed.  A man could dream.  He knew, though, that it wasn't really an option.  Still, he made no move to save the helpless idiot.

It wasn't time yet.

Lewis’ prey was a powerful insect.  It was based on something close to a cross between a spider and a hornet.  It had powerful wings, and multiple legs with barbed tips on each end.  It's face had a cold black stare as it mercilessly poisoned it's targets and then killed them slowly.  Whether there was an end goal, or just for it's amusement, Lewis wasn't sure.  But he knew that showing himself now would only be a detriment.

It finally appeared, decending from the same tree Drake was in.  It had silently crept up on the unsuspecting warrior, and stuck him without his knowledge.

The teen almost scoffed.  The dragon should have heard the insect clambering up the tree.  Even the most inexperienced of thieves in Heaven's Dawn could have heard it. 

As it walked over to Drake, peering over his paralyzed body, Lewis took action.  He dropped to the forest floor from his perch, and darted forward without a sound.  It was over in an instant, his dagger penetrating the exoskeleton of the insect's neck.  He used his momentum to spin around to meet his prey's black eyes. 

“Worthless,” he said to it's face as he launched forward and speared it's face with his dagger.  It fell over dead, it's limbs still twitching slightly.  Lewis looked on with a mix of disgust and fascination.

He heard Drake struggle behind him, and rolled his eyes.  “The poison will wear off in a few minutes.  I suggest you go ahead and close your eyes.  I'll take over the watch…”  His cold glare met Drake's furious eyes.

“I still don't know what they see in you…but I'll protect you.  Only because they asked….”

Lewis had charged on ahead as per usual, leaving Xeik far behind. It wasn’t that the would be assassin was in a hurry, per say, but that Lewis had a thing for trying to take the brunt of responsibility when it came to combat situations. Xeik both hated and appreciated it at times. He knew that combat was his weakest area, but at the same time, there was no way for him to grow as a fighter if he never had the opportunity.

That being said, now that Xeik was alone in the forest, he could feel the pressure of the war. Night had fallen, and the day’s battles had ended. It was a strange, Xeik thought, that there was some unspoken rule of war that the main fights would end at sundown, and begin again at sunrise. Perhaps it was just how wars were always fought.

But he knew that the main combat wasn’t always the most important. Thieves and assassins prowled the night, and this was their time to turn the tides. That was what Lewis was trying to do, and what Xeik wanted to do. Both Lewis and Danwe had more or less forbidden him to kill anyone, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t steal and sabotage to his heart’s content.

So when Lewis was out of sight, Xeik found himself doubling back. Whether or not Lewis had noticed it, there was an encampment that they had passed a while back. The thief was willing to bet his guild’s small fortune that there was plenty to pilfer there. It did not take long for him to find it. It wasn’t the most fortified of encampments, but it was well lit and well guarded. Makeshift wooden walls had been built using the thickest of trees as a reinforcement surrounded several large tent-like structures, as well as dozens of smaller ones. Guards were on rotating patrols; they had the numbers to do it. All in all, it would be a difficult task.

Like I haven’t dealt with worse. A wicked half smile spread across his face as he darted across the treetops, silent as the breeze. These insect's had little idea of what the defending forces had to offer, evidently, as they seemed to have very few, if any guards posted further in.

Jackpot. The very forest they had used to help guard them had aided his entrance. He dropped down to the middle tents, and pulled out a strange puzzle box.

The box was a new toy he had acquired recently. He wasn't entirely sure on how the magic worked, but the short end of the tale was that it seemed to have no limit to what it could hold.

From this box, he pulled out two trinkets. The first item he pulled was a seemingly normal pair of goggles. He slipped them over his head, and the magic fizzled briefly before activating the charm. The world suddenly shifted to something much more transparent. He could see the insect my
soldiers sleeping in the tent like structures. Some of them were gathered around, either speaking about something in their foreign tongue, or playing some games.

Xeik wondered about them briefly. What kind of structure did this race have? Did they have entertainment? He frowned. Did they have family?

He shook his head. This was war. War meant that he had to steel himself to the possibilities of death.

The second trinket that he pulled out was a ring. He slipped it on his hand, and flexed his grip. He focused a drop of Mana into the ring, ND he suddenly vanished from the world. A small pocket dimension. Perfect for hiding.

He smirked. This would be easy. He shifted back into the real world and darted into the first of the larger tents. He memorized the locations of the insect's in it, and slipped off the goggles, darting through the first room. There was nothing of interest in this first room. It seemed to be for preparation. He wondered how they prepared for a fight, but he didn't have the time to try and find out.

The second room was akin to a war room. There was a crudely drawn map on a makeshift table in the center, with knives and pens stuck into it to signify locations of armies and strategic points. The concept of it all was not lost on Xeik, but he did not completely understand the ideals for which these insects fought for. He took one of the knives and slashed the map into shreds. No more strategic planning. He glanced around the room, noting the foreign devices and equipment that they held. It didn’t take long for him to dismantle and sabotage what he could.

Every so often as he worked, he slipped the goggles back on and glanced around him. He was lucky so far. Not a soul had decided to come into the war room while he worked. It didn’t take him long, and within the hour he was finished. He took a brief second to admire his handy work before donning the goggles once more and moving on to the next tent.

He slipped into the next tent, and immediately recognized the smell of alchemical ingredients. Potions and poisons were made here. He grinned. After the mishap that had altered his age and gender for awhile, he knew just how destructive these ingredients could be.

It’s time to get to work….

Lewis had told Xeik to wait for approximately thirty minutes before coming after him.  The would be assassin knew that it would have taken much less time, but there was always the chance that something he had not accounted for would take place.  The poison that took Drake down had already started to wear off, and the dragon was slowly getting himself back up.  Through the whole thing, the other man had not woken.

They’re both complete amatuers when it comes to this, Lewis mused to himself with disgust.  A strange part of him hated them for being so weak and naive, though he knew in the long run, that they had different skill sets that set themselves apart from the assassin trade that he had been slowly inching towards. 

He started to walk back and forth from where Drake was lying to where Rhenakos was sleeping above him.  Xeik was taking too long.  The teen frowned.

I better go look for him… Lewis thought finally as he started back into the forest.

“Don't do anything stupid until I get back.  And I will be back.  Xeik is taking way too long.” With that last statement, the would be assassin darted back towards where he had left his guild leader.

The trees whipped around the boy as he moved with acute speed and precision.  It had taken time to get used to his new body, ever since the alchemy heist had gone wrong and his age had been altered.  What he had lost was his height advantage, but he had gained muscle and litheness that allowed him to do so much more.  Every movement he made was a perfectly calculated motion.  No wasted effort.  Well, mostly.  It was still a work in progress but it was far better than that oaf of a dragon.

It wasn't long before he arrived to the location he had left Xeik at.  As expected, the boy was nowhere to be found.  Lewis cursed under his breath, and closed his eyes.

if I were Xeik…I would want to be helpful.  Enemy encampment.. His eyes opened slowly, and he sighed.  They had passed one on the way here.  Lewis had thought nothing of it at the time, but the pieces were slowly coming together. 

“He's going to get himself killed if he's not careful….” Lewis replied as he started to rush towards the encampment.