Blackened Heart

"I apologize if I have embarrased you... but might I ask why you do not feel deserving?" He looked at her, as she turned her head, and couldn't help but to smile. She was terribly cute when she blushed. He might try to continue to make her do so, so long as it did not make her uncomfortable.

" Well, it's just that, it's not often for a girl like me to get compliments from people of such high popular stature, and really take any interest in talking to someone like me." She still looks away as she was still blushing.

"Come now, I'm not so different from others, am I?" Of course he was, he knew it, she knew it. Giving the illusion that he was normal was simply not his style. It never would be. Never again would he be just another nameless warrior. No, he had made himself a legend, and everyone knew it.

Standing before her was not just someone gifted, it was as if he were blessed. Like a god in the flesh, it might be said, he certaintly like the thought.

They had made it out into a valley, as there was a 2 story home out in the middle of it, but it was compact, as it was around a large farm, she smiles as she sees the home. "This is my home."

He smiles. "Nice place." He lets her hand go, taking a step back. I suppose this is goodnight then?" He wished it did not have to be so, it was turning out to be quite a enjoyable time. However, as with all good things, or most anyway, they must come to an end at some point, and supposed this was it.

As he waited from a response, he heard something. A footfall, he guessed it to be. It would be too insignificant for most to hear, but as it were, he heard it clearly. They were running, fast, as if being chased, he had no doubt he would hear more feet follwing the first set.

As her answer came, he would be too distracted to hear it, glancing over to his side, trying to focus on the sound. His hand inched dangerously close to his sword.

She smiles as she nods and she lets go of his hand as well. "Thank for walking ho..." She had stopped as she notice his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Whats the matter?" She looks behind her trying to see what he was looking at.

He turned away from her. "It's probably nothing, but just to be safe, why don't you head inside." His voice held a ring of urgency about it, and it was clear, he didn't think it was 'probably nothing'.

They were becoming closer, and there seemed to be more of them coming. Ten, fifteen, twenty? He couldn't keep track, all he knew was that they were coming this way, and fast. With so many, running so fast, it was only a matter of seconds later did they see a young boy, no more than fifteen, burst from the tree line, stumbling forward, towards them.

His platinum hair revealing him to be none other than a miravae, a souless one. He was breathing heavily, staggering towards them. He called to them, waving his hand, his other clenched to his stomah. "P-Please, someone help me!" His voice cracked, frightened, whether from those pursuing him, or by those he ran to, Zander was not certain.

She gasps as she rushes to the young boy, her something she was sensing was not feeling right, her body shivered as she had a gift of sensing bio rythem, she had held the boys head onto her lap as she was trying to comfort him. "W-Who did this?!"

Zander walked over to them, his hand on his sword. The only thing keeping the boy from running away, was that Zander was not looking at him, but instead on the forest around them.

The boy looked up at her. "P-Please, they're after me, w-we have to go, a-and hide, now!"

She lays her finger on his lips as she shushes him. "Shh, it will be alright, I promise." She gulped as this was also a chance to put her studying and training into use. She then had laid her hand on his wound as she gulps and takes a deep breath and she concentrates all her energy in her hand. It took a moment, until a light started to shine on her hand, it was warn and inviting, but at the same time it was healing the boys wound dramatically, she had opened her eyes , but still concentrates.

She sees the wound slowly healing, but the boy in pain as it was healing him, she shushes him more petting his head slowly with her free head trying to ease his pain by distracting him from it.

"A-Agh! Wh-What're you doing... to me..." The boy, unable to keep concious through the pain, passes out in her arms, falling limp. He was breathing heavily, almost certaintly fearing for his life.

Zander drew his blade, and the falchion sword sung as it whistled threw the air. The footsteps were not of human, but instead of something far more terrifying. "They've summoned shadows." He breathed, readying his falchion, moving into position in front of her and the boy, sword held in front of him. To him, they were as dust in his wake, but to them, they would be more nightmerish fiends, looked upon with fear.

Zander had long lost that reaction.

She gulps as she starts to nervous, hoping she didn't kill the boy, but he was still breathing, on the other not e, she still had to keep her guard up as there was still something lurking around as they were out, as she looks at Zander, but knowing since he was around, this probably wasn't gonna be any problem for him. Trusting both her and the boys life in his hands, even know she has never met him in person, but has only known him threw her studies and legends.

Zander held his hand forth, palm up. The fingerless gloves on his hands having detailed runes drawn upon them. He gestured slightly, and an orb appeared in his hand, glowing with bright white light, burning through the darkness. In his left hand, his falchion he held at the ready, moving forward towards where the foot steps had stopped. Were they waiting for him? That was odd... most shadows could only preform simple tasks... but these seemed to be orchastrating a trap.

He smiled. The master was near. He would deal with them after slaughtering the pets.

"Take the boy inside, too dangerous out here. And be sure to make the house bright and unappealing, eh?"

She nods as she had put the boys arm over her shoulder, and helped him up as she had looked at Zander, knowing he would be ok, but she was still worried about him anyway. She ran inside as she had laid the boy down on a small cot as she had started to light as many candles as she could to light up the house more, also starting a fire and putting the boys cot neat the fire place so he could warm up, as it was starting to become winter, she then walks over to the window and watches Zander, as he was about to face the master of the creatures, but still hides her making herself not seen.

The creatures came, like flood waters they poured in around him, surrounding him, blocking him from her veiw. They came in all shapes and sizes, fluctuating in each as thy moved. Thier shadow-like forms wavering and becoming solid rapidly back and forth in a sort of hypnotic horrific dance. The only thing that remained the same for each of them, were the long, sharp as steel, claws on both hands.

She would only see flashes as the sheer speed and power of the blade cutting through the creatures produced it's own light. They dropped, fell, split open, flew apart, or merely dissapeared through his might.

He flowed from one creature to the next, cutting, ripping, tearing, destroying the creatures, slicing them apart as if they were no more than tissue paper. From her distance and vantage point, it would seem as though twenty or so terrifying creatures of darkness, had become no more than black pools of nothingness within moments.

Zander kept his sword held high, even as the last one fell, only after they receded into the hell from whence they came did he lower it. His skill with a blade was apparent. He was much more than just a gifted magician.

She watches in awe as she continues to look at him, he was moving so swift and gracefully, even with dealing with such a gory scene, it was almost like he was dancing, she couldn't take her eyes off of him, she knew that he was not a frode, and that he was the real deal. She looked back for a moment to see if the boy was alright, he was still breathing so that was a good sign, she had then looked back out of the window to see what would happen next.

Zander watched, his blade lowered, as the master of the creatures walked from the shadows. He wore a black robe, with blood red outlining. Very befitting of a dark mage, Zander though to himself, looking him over.

The man spoke, his voice deep, intimidating, almost. Almost. "And who is it that would put all of my lovelies out so readily? Might I have your name, so that I may put it on your gravestone when I kill you? I promise they'll need a name to even try to identify the corpse."

"You ask my name, and you shall have it, right after you tell me your own." Zander retorted, holding the light orb up once more, shining it on the man.

"Very well. My name is Isphiel. And you have something that belongs to me." The man smiled, rows of filed, dagger like teeth showing from behind his thin lips. His eyes were shadowed over by the hood over his head, but he knew they were glancing to the house behind him.

"The boy eh? And why would you want him?"

The man chuckled. "I beleive you promised me a name? That was our agreement, was it not?"

"Zander Finn."

"I hardly see myself in any sort of position where I would have to tell you anything, Zander. Now, release him to me, or shall I tear you apart, then kill the woman you so valiantly protected." Zander was slightly shaken. Not by his threats, oh no. Instead by how little weight his named seemed to carry upon this man's ears. What made him so confident?

He shook off his bemusement, lifting his sword once more. "If you think you have what it takes to best, and pass me, then go right ahead and give it a shot."

The man smiled, taking a step towards him. Zander immediately jumped back, spinning, swinging his sword in a long downward arc. A blade of wind flew forth from the blade, seemingly cutting through the man, his robes definately showing signs of damage. Isphiel dropped to his knees, holding his stomach. "Dammit! I was not expecting such strength... I will return, with enough power to pull the ground from under your feet, and crush you with it!"

"Like hell!" Zander rushed at his kneeling foe, slashing diagonally with his falchion. He watched as the man seemed to seperate with the strike, before it touched his skin, then swirled around his blade, like smoke, dissapearing into the night.

Zander stood, sheathing his blade, millions of questions sprouting in his mind, and not a singly one with any answers.

She had seen the whole thing, sensing that something was bothering Zander, but not understanding what had went on, as the sound coming from outside the window was practically mute to her. She wanted to comfort him, but what was there to do, she didn't know what was the matter, he had defeated the master, but what was the problem?
Thoughts started to fly around her mind as well, and as she turned away from the window, she looked at the boy, she wanted to know who he was, why he was there, and why those creatures were after him. The boy could only know...or maybe he didn't.

Zander walked to the house, knocking on the door, formality still in effect for him, even after what had occured. What was with that guy? That should have killed him, split him in two, but he just took it... then dissapeared.

He could be hurt, however, which meant he could be killed. Zander would simply have to wait until he popped up again before ending it.

How he did hate waiting for these type of things to pop back up, though.

She had ran to the door as she opened it, and helped him inside as she helped him over to a reclining chair seeing is he was hurt to bad as she looks at him. "A-Are you alright?! "

He sat down in it, blinking. She seemed so worked up. "Hey, it's alright, I'm not hurt. I promise, no need to worry, I wasn't really in danger." Though, now that he though back to it, he might have, had it not been for Isphiel's overconfidence.

She looks at him as she sighs in relief, but just to make sure she asked him anyway. "A-Are you sure...?"

Zander smiles slightly. "Yes, I'm sure. Why are you so worried?" He tilted his head. Did she always get so worked up?

She looks away and looks down. "I-I'm sorry...I just get worried very easily, I'm sorry if I must be pestering you like this." She then had looked at the boy by the fire as she sits on the floor and watches him. "I wonder why they wanted that boy, and who is he anyway?"

"I don't know, never seen him around here before... he is marivae, that is for sure." He looked at the boy, pondering his involvment with Isphiel. He seemed too young to be this important. Especially a souless.

It just didn't seem right.