The Shadow Of Reaper - Chapter 2Chapter 2: Fox mask Swamp of the Wraiths was exactly what you would think of upon hearing its name. This vast area was filled with Wraiths and undead beings, and its murky waters had swallowed many unfortunate travelers that had gone astray during their journey. An oppressive mist was always lingering in the air, it almost felt like a living thing that would invade inside anyone who had dared to stay in the swamp, causing fear and anxiety for no apparent reason, while it would strengthen the fiends and undead warriors that roamed around the area. Although the swamp was a hostile place, the road from Archosaur to Dreamweaver Port went through it so a lot of travelers would make their way across these parts. In fact, it was relatively safe to travel, as long as you stayed on the road. The courageous soldiers in Whetstone Keep, the small shelter in the swamp, would patrol the area and do their best to make it as safe as they could for travelers. This alone was an honorable job, but they were also keeping their eyes on the infamous Wraithgate, an abyss where the Wraiths had originally come from to invade Perfect World. It hadn't been active for a long time and the soldiers wanted to keep it that way. There had been attempts to activate it, but so far they have failed, much to the satisfaction of the people in Whetstone Keep. But you can never be too careful with Wraiths, so they have continued observing Wraithgate. That day, the mist around Swamp of the Wraiths felt overwhelming, more than usual. It was thick, like a burden, weighing down on the shoulders of the people in Whetstone Keep. Cries of fiends could be heard, but the mist prevented anyone from seeing them. The only thing visible were the eerie pale green lights that were dancing in the air; no one was sure what they were but a lot of people thought that they were restless souls of those who had gone lost in the swamp and never managed to find their way out. They were an unnerving sight for sure, but most people did get used to them after a while since they were harmless. Along with these lights, glimpses of ancient skeletons of huge creatures could be seen as well. Nobody knew for how long they have rested in the mud of the swamp, but they can also be a little unsettling sight. Sometimes your eyes could deceive you into thinking that they have moved a slightly, or that their empty eye sockets were gleaming a little. And that day, it was exactly what some of the soldiers in Whetstone Keep were seeing, wondering if it was a sign of something extraordinary. However they just ended up shaking their heads to such thoughts and continued doing their tasks. One of the warriors that were now stationed at Whetstone Keep was a Nightshade called Mirskyn. Previously, he had been in Dreamweaver Port aiding with the sudden burst of monster population there, but then he had heard about some suspicious Wraith activity in the swamp, so he had traveled to Whetstone Keep to lend his helping hand. Currently he was the only Nightshade at the keep, so his appearance was slightly conspicuous; he was dressed in a white long coat, trousers and shoes and there was beautiful golden embroidery on the coat, as well as black wool on the shoulders. He had golden eyes that looked mysterious and his long hair was typical to his race: it was mostly violet, but would fade to white at the hair ends, also having few braids. He also had a goatee that was braided as well. All in all he looked sleek and graceful and someone who wouldn't falter easily. Mirskyn was discussing about the current situation in the swamp with a Human who was simply called Wraith Hunter, an individual who dedicated his life to watch over the swamp. He was a mysterious looking man with his dark red hair, dark eyes and black attire. Half of his face was hidden behind a black mask. He was carrying his sword on his back, where it was ready to be used, yearning for the blood of the Wraiths. Wraith Hunter informed Mirskyn that Wraiths had been restless lately, causing trouble more than usual to the people traveling through the swamp. But what had triggered this behavior, he didn't know, but it was like somebody had poked an ants' nest. The situation was still fairly new one, but Wraith Hunter was worried that it would last for a long time. He had already sent a messenger to Archosaur, requesting help to deal with Wraiths, just in case. Mirskyn had made few patrol duties around the swamp since he had arrived to Whetstone Keep and had the conversation with Wraith Hunter regarding the recent events. He had encountered Wraiths and undead warriors that they were controlling now, and indeed, it felt like they were threatened by something. It was strange, what could possibly cause that? Mirskyn had no answers, but he tried to investigate the matter as well as he could. That day he had walked into the mist again, all alone, but he felt no fear. He had his scythe with him; its blade was like made of ice, it was his magical instrument which he used to command the elements of water and metal. Having your weapon at hand was a wise thing to do since you never knew what you would encounter while strolling around the swamp. Even at that moment Mirskyn could hear cries of some fiends, although they were partly muffled by the heavy mist. He couldn't see any of those creatures, but they couldn't possibly see him, either, so the situation was even. But Mirskyn tried to keep his senses sharp as he preferred that if he came across Wraiths, it would be better if he noticed them first and could make the opening move. Mirskyn had been patrolling around the border of Swamp of the Wraiths and Ridge of the Dreaming Cloud where the change in terrain was startlingly sudden; first you were in the gloomy swamp, but then you would find yourself from a lush forest, coming from a hostile place to somewhere more welcoming. Sometimes, however, Wraiths would ambush travelers around this border as they could hide among the vegetation and shadows. There was not even a single trace of Wraiths at that time when Mirskyn checked the area. But instead, he sensed the presence of something else. It was a presence of a friend. Mirskyn stopped his going and smiled to himself. He let few seconds to pass by before he turned around to face a dark figure who had suddenly appeared behind him. This person was a master of stealth, but Mirskyn had learned to sense his presence. It was a Tideborn man, though the only evidence of that was his fin-like ears. Usually Tideborns had a blue or purple skin, but this individual had slightly brown one. His attire was mostly black, his very long coat and trousers and boots had some white linings on them and there was a little bit of gold lining as well in his coat, along with golden stripes on his chest. A little bit of gold was also on the hood that hid his eyes and strands of his blond hair flowed from under the hood. It was Rhynx, the assassin and Mirskyn's comrade. “Good to see you again”, Mirskyn spoke softly, still smiling. “We haven't seen each other… oh, it must have been over a month? Time sure flies, doesn't it?” “It seems life has kept us busy”, Rhynx simply replied. Mirskyn nodded in approval. “True, true. Now, would you like to walk with me? I'm on a round, actually.” Rhynx shrugged. “If you prefer that. I have something to tell you.” “Oh?” Mirskyn raised an eyebrow as he began to walk together with the Tideborn. The men were silent for a while as they infiltrated some deeper parts of Swamp of the Wraiths. It was like they were searching for a place where to exchange words that were meant to be heard by their ears only. Though, it's not like there were many curious ones in the swamp that would hear conversations, especially on a day like this when the haze was exceptionally thick. But the men continued to walk for a while, before Mirskyn finally broke the silence. “So, you were looking for me, I assume?” he said. “Yes. I have a word from the Elder of Archosaur”, Rhynx replied. “Interesting. What does he want?” Mirskyn asked curiously. “Apparently some psychic had seen a vision that really worried him”, Rhynx began to explain. “And whatever the psychic saw, the Nightshades are linked to it somehow. The Elder wants to discuss this matter with you.” “Why me specifically? Even now, he could talk about it with any other Nightshade.” The Tideborn shrugged. “Elder trusts you. Maybe he finds this case important enough that not just any Nightshade would do.” It was true. Mirskyn had earned remarkable reputation since he had slain many powerful Wraiths all by himself. This sure had caught the attention of important people, such as the Elder and general Summer. Mirskyn enjoyed their full trust and had become a valuable member of Allied Forces. He was a skillful warrior and thus an inspiring icon to many new recruits. Mirskyn looked thoughtful for a while. “I suppose I have to answer the Elder's call.” Before they could carry their conversation any further, suddenly Rhynx made a motion with his hand to signal the Nightshade to stop. So Mirskyn did. He had learned to trust his friend's sharp senses and it was clear that Rhynx had spotted something peculiar. For a brief moment the men stared into the swirls of thick mist, Mirskyn having his scythe ready and Rhynx had taken his daggers out. Whatever was coming out of the mist, they were ready for it. They could hear some faint rustling ahead. The men took few silent steps closer and then they saw it. It was like the mist had stepped aside from the way of this figure. There, gracefully gliding above the swamp's murky water, was a strange person. He was dressed in light blue robes that had many layers and it looked like that his clothes were almost one with the water as he was gliding above it. He had a long black hair that flowed behind him just as gracefully as his clothes. His face was hidden behind a white fox mask which had red patterns painted in it. His movements were elegant and his whole essence exuded mystical power which caused Mirskyn and Rhynx to be on their guard. Who was this person? Was he an enemy? And above all, had he an affiliation with Wraiths? At first it seemed like he wasn't even aware of the presence of the two men. But then, he slowly turned his head to their direction and stayed hovering above the water. Both sides were eyeing each other intently, trying to figure out to strength of each other. “Worms. Lowly worms”, the man muttered to himself and Mirskyn and Rhynx were barely able to hear his words. And just like that, he glided away, soon disappearing from sight as he kept going deeper into the swamp. Rhynx and Mirskyn were left behind, wondering who this individual was. They let their weapons down but still kept their eyes on the direction where the mysterious person had vanished. This encounter had given Mirskyn a strange feeling. There had been something really odd about the masked man's presence. It had looked like the man was searching for something. Mirskyn couldn't help but think that was there a connection between that person and the bizarre Wraith activity? He frowned as he was thinking about this. Maybe he really should have a word with the Elder of Archosaur. With silence, Mirskyn and Rhynx began to make their way to Whetstone Keep, both deep in their own thoughts. Mirskyn wanted to talk to Wraith Hunter and sought him out immediately after they entered the wood-walled small patch of safe haven in the swamp. Mostly he just wanted to inform him that he was heading to Archosaur. He did mention to him about the encounter with the suspicious masked man and told Wraith Hunter to be careful while on a patrol around the swamp, and, if possible, keep an eye on him. Wraith Hunter promised to do so. Mirskyn decided to rest in Whetstone Keep before the journey to Archosaur, and so would Rhynx who had expressed his desire to go with him. It was hard to tell in the swamp which time of the day it was since a slight darkness always lingered in the area, but they decided to leave approximately at dawn. When the two men woke up, even though they couldn't be sure if it was morning, they began their travel to the grand city of Archosaur. They followed the road to south, heading to Ridge of the Dreaming Cloud. And so they left behind the hostile swamp area and were welcomed by the verdant forest, feeling a little bit of relief for getting out of such place with oppressive atmosphere. But they couldn't possibly predict that their journey would turn out to be everything else but uneventful.The Shadow Of Reaper - Chapter 1Chapter 1: Threat in the horizon Archosaur was the grandest city in all over Perfect World. Within its great walls a bustling city life flourished. It had impressive architecture which would leave you with awe by the moment you reached its gates. Remarkable statues would guard the western and northern gates, a grand stone bridge crossed the river in south and in the east there was a harbor, where you could sail to Emerald Dragon Gulf and deeper into Endless Sea. At the center of Archosaur, four enormous statues were standing, they represented the images of gods in this world. And with them, there were four dragon statues as well, guarding a mysterious light that shined at the very core of the city, where it would shoot upwards right in the heavens. These were the few wonders of Archosaur that many would find absolutely stunning. From the crowded west district with many vendors to the east district with the prosperous port, and from the quiet north district to the south where a military of Allied Forces operated, the city had a little bit of something for everyone. It wasn't surprising that this is where the six races would meet and thus, there were many different individuals making a living here. A lot of young warriors would come here and get recruited to the army in order to aid in the battle against the Wraiths; creatures that weren't quite living, but not dead, either, their sole objective being that they want to corrupt the world. So, a lot of new warriors are needed to fight this evil and Archosaur was a great place for them to start. Although there had been a lot of schemes by Wraiths to launch an attack at the great city, life in Archosaur was actually quite peaceful. Whatever your expertise was, tailor, apothecary, merchant, craftsman, blacksmith, seamstress, there would always be someone needing your services. Archosaur offered many opportunities for a lot of people, so it was no wonder that the city had grown into this grand place it nowadays was. On this particular day, the life in the city was busy as usual. The weather was nice, it was warm and sunny and there was a slight breeze blowing through the streets of Archosaur. It was afternoon and a bunch of people were strolling through the city, minding their own business. It really seemed like an ordinary day. But, bad things are often concealed from the eyes of majority, and on this day, one person was carrying worries that concerned the whole world. A young Tideborn maiden was walking along the main street in the east district of the city. She had short blond hair and blue eyes, and she was wearing a gorgeous light blue bodice, skirt, bracers and heels that had snowflakes imprinted on them, and perhaps this whole attire was a sign of vanity. Her blue skin was shimmering in the light of the sun. A couple of people did secretly glance at her as they passed by, but the maiden didn't pay attention to anyone. She had something urgent to do. With a rather quick pace she was heading to the residence of the Elder. Elder, a wise old man, was a highly respected Human. He was well aware of the happenings around Archosaur, and even about some events around other corners of Perfect World. Often people would come to him to consult about various things. Due to his old age, he had a lot of life experience and wisdom, which often turned out to be a valuable thing. The Tideborn maiden eventually reached the place where the Elder lived and saw that he was outside. He was dressed in a brownish robe with some yellow embroidery in it that resembled flowers and he was slightly leaning on his cane. His white hair was tied to a bun and his just as white long beard was tidy. At that moment, the old man was having a conversation with a young Human warrior, a blademaster, judging by his heavy armor. The Tideborn remained a few meters away from them, waiting, allowing them to finish their business in peace, although she felt a little impatient. Just a little moment later, the men had done their talking and the blademaster turned around and began to walk away. The Elder had noticed the Tideborn that was waiting for an opportunity to talk with him and the old man waved a little at the maiden's direction. “Tsuyuem!” The Elder was excellent at remembering names and faces of many different individuals. “Good to see you! How are you doing?” “I'm fine, thank you, sir”, Tsuyuem answered, making a little bow to show her respected to this man. “I have something urgent to tell you, if I can have a moment with you.” The old man frowned as he saw concern in the Tideborn's blue eyes. He knew Tsuyuem as someone who liked to boast and show her strength, not usually worrying at all. There had to be something really worrisome things going on if she appeared troubled like this. “Come in, come in”, the Elder invited her, walking inside the building so they could discuss the matter in private. The Tideborn followed behind and soon they disappeared from sight of the crowd. They came to a large room that had a low table at the center and few pillows surrounding it. The old man signed the maiden to take a seat, while he began to prepare some tea after discarding his cane near the entrance. Tsuyuem sat on one of the pillows and followed with her gaze what the Elder was doing. She remained silent, out of politeness. The sweet scent of tea soon filled the air and the old man brought the pot and two cups to the table. He poured some of the tea to a cup he then gave to the Tideborn. “Here you go”, he said. “Thank you, sir”, Tsuyuem thanked. The Elder poured some tea for himself as well, left the pot at the center of the table and sat on a pillow opposite the maiden. He held the cup between his hands, letting the steam from the hot liquid fill his nostrils. Tsuyuem took a little sip from her tea, but then stayed still and quiet. A bit impatiently, she waited for the old man to start the conversation. After a short moment, the Elder shifted his gaze at the Tideborn. “Now, what did you want to talk about?” The maiden took a deep breath, preparing herself. “I had a vision. A horrible vision.” The old man recalled that psychics like Tsuyuem could see the future. This was an odd ability that some of the Tideborns could have. However, it was rather rare thing to occur and their visions often weren't clear which made them hard to understand. It also depended a lot in how powerful the psychic was – the stronger they were, the more likely they could see a glimpse of what's to come. There was a very low chance for weaker psychics to get these visions. Tsuyuem definitely wasn't weak, but not the mightiest psychic, either. It was possible for her to see future. The Elder knew this and wanted to learn more. “Tell me about it”, the old man requested. The Tideborn took another sip from her tea before beginning her tale. “I saw golden eyes”, she started to unfold her story. “They were filled with madness, burning with desire to destroy and enslave. It is an ancient evil that has been imprisoned for thousands of years. But where and what it is exactly, I don't know. But it will break free, if it hasn't already.” “Does it have something to do with Wraiths?” the Elder asked, interrupting the Tideborn's story for a bit. “I don't think so”, she replied, shaking her head. The old man nodded and said: “Please, continue.” So Tsuyuem did. “The power of seven vengeful ones will awaken a golden beast which will scorch the land with its blue flames. Masters of the five elements will serve the golden eyes and they will spread death and destruction in their name. Unfortunately, I don't know what these mean…” “Hmm.” The Elder looked really serious for a moment and seemed like he had sunk deep into his thoughts. “It feels like we have a new powerful enemy to deal with. That is rather worrisome, indeed… Did you see anything else?” The Tideborn nodded a little bit. “Yes, there's one more thing. I also saw the fall of the mighty Dawnglory. The city was in flames. Now, I'm not sure about this, but the fact that I specifically saw the destruction of Dawnglory is a little odd. Why this specific city? So, I think that this whole matter has something to do with the Nightshades.” Dawnglory was the capital city of the Nightshade race. It mainly consists of airships and is quite a magnificent sight. The city was unique one, for there wasn't any other like that in Perfect World. “The Nightshades, huh…” The Elder had gently put his tea cup on the table and was stroking his long white beard. It was like he was attempting to put the pieces of vague information together like a puzzle. Tsuyuem remained silent while the old man was focusing on his thinking, and took sips from her tea occasionally until her cup was empty. She placed it on the table and stared at the old man with her blue eyes. The quiet moments passed by as the Elder was dwelling inside his mind. The Tideborn started to get a little annoyed, however, for she wasn't really patient person. But she knew that it would be extremely rude to disturb the old man, so she just had to stay put and settle for her role as a watcher. She really had to restrain herself from doing annoying movements like tapping her leg with her fingers. Staying still and silent took a lot effort from her. But finally, the painful quiet moments were done as the Elder raised his head a little as it had been down a bit, and spoke for the first time in a while: “Do I remember correctly that a group of Tideborns just came to Archosaur trough the south gate?” Tsuyuem tilted her head slightly. “I think that they indeed passed the gate a little while ago. They came to assist with the increased monster population around the outskirts of Archosaur.” “Do you know if Rhynx was among them?” the Elder asked. “Yes, I believe he was one of those that arrived to the city”, the Tideborn replied. “Good.” The old man stroked his beard once again. “Could you please seek him and tell him that I want to have a word with him?” “Of course, sir”, Tsuyuem answered. She stood up slowly and when she was back to her feet again, she gave another respectful bow to the Elder. “I will go and find Rhynx immediately. Thank you for your time.” The Tideborn began to walk away to the door and the Elder did stand up as well. The old man followed the maiden to the entrance of his home, but stopped at the door. He observed how Tsuyuem joined the crowd of people that were walking along the main street and even though she didn't walk particularly fast, she soon disappeared from the old man's sight. But still, the Elder stood at the door, watching at the people who would pass by, deep in his thoughts. Eventually the gaze of the old man would shift to the sunny sky. It was odd how peaceful and beautiful a world filled with evil could appear to be. The Elder had cared for the Perfect World for so many decades and years of carrying worries had granted him many wrinkles. And now, it seemed like that what he had just heard from Tsuyuem, the awareness of a new threat had given him few more of them. The worries would just never end during his life. The Elder snapped out of his thoughts and decided to return inside his home. There was a specific man that he wanted to consult about the visions of the Tideborn maiden. If the things that she had seen were somehow connected to the Nightshade race, it was best to ask one of them if they knew what the visions meant. The old man was pretty sure where this man was located at the moment, but it was rather far away. He needed someone swift to deliver a message to that person, and luckily, right in that moment in Archosaur, there was a man who could perform this task with excellence: Rhynx the assassin.We Will Vanquish The DarknessThe journey of Rhynx and Mirskyn had led them to the territory of the Untamed race. There had been numerous reports about monsters causing ruckus, more than usual and their numbers had been abnormally high, so the Untamed had requested aid to deal with them. But what was causing their sudden hostile behavior, no one knew the answer, which was one of the reasons general Summer had dispatched Rhynx and Mirskyn to investigate this matter, being well aware that they had the capability of solving the predicament. The duo had accepted this mission and soon they made their way to the Untamed lands. First, Mirskyn and Rhynx had decided to pay a visit to City of the Lost, the capital city of the Untamed. They wanted to meet the Elder and discuss about the situation with him. The Elder had gladly arranged a meeting with the men, welcoming them wholeheartedly to the city. And when the warm greetings had been done, the group of men became serious and sat down to talk about what was going on. It turned out that the situation was more alarming than what Mirskyn and Rhynx had heard back in Archosaur. The Untamed were having a shortage of soldiers to deal with all the monsters. This worried the Elder greatly and it was clear that it was important to get to the root of the problem as fast as possible. Unfortunately, the Elder – who was abundantly apologizing for his incapacity to help – couldn't offer much of a lead to follow, so Mirskyn and Rhynx were forced to go out into the wilderness and try to find a trace. They had a hunch that there was a greater power behind the increased monster population, it only had to be found. This wasn't the first time that Rhynx and Mirskyn had been tracking down monsters. However, the men hadn't been able to even leave City of the Lost when something unexpected happened. “Help! Help! Help!” It was a young tiger barbarian, who was visibly much thinner than barbarians usually were, and he was running through the city screaming for help, which obviously granted him attention of many, including Mirskyn and Rhynx. The young Untamed was out of breath and stopped his running near the men, panting heavily. Mirskyn stepped a bit forward and calmly asked: “What's wrong?” The young barbarian couldn't answer right away as he was drawing his breath. The people who had witnessed his frantic running through the city began to scatter as it seemed that his distress was taking cared of, so they didn't have to pay attention to him anymore. Rhynx was standing behind Mirskyn and had his arms crossed over his chest. He gladly left it for the Nightshade to do the talking. “You have to help me!” the Untamed pleaded when he could talk again. “Calm down”, Mirskyn tried to soothe him. “Tell me, what has happened?” The young barbarian took one last heavy inhale and started to speak: “Children have been taken away! Somebody or something, I don't know, has been kidnapping children from my village! You have to help me!” “Seems like this case is just getting worse”, Rhynx muttered, mostly to himself. Mirskyn looked at his partner's direction for a second, but shifted his focus back on the Untamed. “Where are you coming from?” the Nightshade asked. “Broken Bridge Village”, the barbarian replied. “I was sent to seek help from here. Please, you have to help me to save the kids!” “Take it easy”, Mirskyn said. “What's your name?” “Kuruang.” “Alright, Kuruang, we will help you. Will you take us to your village?” “Oh, well…” Kuruang looked a little embarrassed for a moment and scratched the back of his head. “I think I know where the kids have been taken to. I just… I'm not strong enough to help them all by myself.” “So, where should we head to, then?” Mirskyn inquired. “To Valley of Death.” The Nightshade raised his eyebrow. “Valley of Death, huh…” The young barbarian started to move impatiently, eager to leave already. “Come, come! We have to hurry!” “Sure, just show us the way”, Mirskyn answered. He and Rhynx had traveled around these parts before, but it felt somewhat more fitting for a local like Kuruang to take the lead. Their little group began to make their way out of the city, heading to the south. They passed the gate that took them to Dragon's Breath Valley, a little patch of land where some rams roamed. It didn't take them long to cross this part and then their path took them to Desert of Echoes. Just like almost every corner of the Untamed lands, this was rather barren as well, but it had a strange charm to it, which made it quite pleasant place to travel through. Broken Bridge Village was also located around these parts, it was a cozy little settlement. But if you just kept going further, the path would lead to the entrance of Valley of Death. Kuruang was leading the group with a fast pace and there was a little bit distance between him and Rhynx and Mirskyn. The Tideborn had been walking a little bit behind everyone else, but suddenly he appeared next to his partner. “There's something wrong with this kid”, he muttered silently. “This whole thing is suspicious.” “I agree”, Mirskyn replied, keeping his voice low as well. “But if we're lucky, the deal with Kuruang and the monster problem are connected. We might uncover the force behind it all if we go to Valley of Death. It's worth to check out.” Rhynx didn't speak more and got back to his previous formation. Under his black hood, he was glaring at the young barbarian's figure. He would keep his eye on him, for sure. As the group was walking through Desert of Echoes, Mirskyn noticed something odd that didn't add up. If there indeed was a monster problem in these lands, why there hadn't been any on their way? Not even a flash. It could be that they had crossed ways with Untamed patrols and they had done their job to get rid of the monsters around here. But he had a feeling that such thing was unlikely. He decided to keep this observation to himself, however, not mentioning it even to his partner. From that point on, the Nightshade stayed vigilant. Apart from the exchange of few words between Mirskyn and Rhynx, none of the trio spoke anything, even though they had wandered all day. The unrelenting sun had been scorching them the entire time, and when the nightfall came, so did a welcome chilly night air. They decided to set up a camp and continue their travel tomorrow. Mirskyn and Rhynx decided to have turns in which the other one was sleeping while the other one was guarding. They let Kuruang sleep through the whole night, as the poor fella seemed to be exhausted. There were few things that the men noticed about the young barbarian throughout the night. Like, when they had decided to stop and continue their journey tomorrow, Kuruang had looked like he was afraid of something, as if he was expecting something to attack him under the cover of darkness. He had been uneasy until the moment he fell asleep. His dreams had been restless. He had kept twisting and turning, something was clearly tormenting his mind. But what could bring such anguish to a young Untamed from a peaceful little village? Neither Mirskyn or Rhynx had the answers. But this was possibly another sign that something was not right in these parts. When the morning dawned, Rhynx and Mirskyn woke up the young barbarian. He had flinched as soon as he was awakened, looking around him, being visibly startled. He did calm down soon, however, as he noticed that there was no threat in sight. The Nightshade and the Tideborn did exchange concerned looks with each other, but neither did ask Kuruang about what was making him so anxious. As soon as the Untamed had woken up, the group began to continue their journey toward Valley of Death, while the air was still a little bit cool. In a couple of hours, the sun had once more taken its place in the sky. The world below was bathing in its warm light and there was a slight wind blowing through Desert of Echoes. The weather was pleasant, mostly because of the chill breeze. The group was also traveling through some huge rock formations that offered a little bit shade on their path. They all knew that they were getting closer to Valley of Death, and so there was a bit tense atmosphere among them. Soon they would reach their destination. The road divided one more time and the group took their turn to the path that slithered onto a slope. The wind started to blow from another direction, hitting the travelers on the face, and this time it sounded mourning and ominous, there was a scent of dread in the air. This alone could make people turn back, but these three kept going. They continued to climb the slope and as they did so, they soon came to the entrance of Valley of Death. The valley was resting between incredibly high cliffs that were grasping for the sky, and only Winged Elves could access to such heights. Although it was daytime, the valley was devoid of sunlight. It was such a desolate place that only monsters were living in there. When the ominous wind was added to these features, it was clear why people didn't usually come to this place of danger. Mirskyn and Rhynx had their weapons out, ready to react to any threat. Kuruang was still leading them, but he was nervously glancing all around him, scared by every shadow. It was like he was waiting for something bad to happen. Mirskyn and Rhynx still had a feeling that something wasn't quite right, so they stayed extra vigilant while they wandered through the valley. They were getting further and further, but they still hadn't spotted traces of any living creatures. Not even monsters. That was a little odd. And suddenly, Kuruang stopped, and so did the two men following him. The young Untamed muttered something to himself, but Rhynx and Mirskyn couldn't hear his words over the howling wind. All of a sudden, the breeze of valley began to blow even harder, gripping the clothes of the travelers. The wind was wailing, almost sounding like a living creature, until in fact, the men could hear some creatures howling together with the gust. That was when Mirskyn and Rhynx realized that they have walked in the middle of an ambush. Watchfully the men prepared for a battle, facing their foe eye to eye. It was almost like they had come out of nowhere, a pack of wolf monsters that looked like they were partly physical and partly specter-like, vacillating between existence and the spirit world. This wolf pack was surrounding the group from all sides, growling, ready to attack by any second. Then, Kuruang ran back at the direction of the entrance of the valley, dashing through the formations of the wolves, eventually disappearing from sight. The beasts did nothing to stop him, they just let him pass by. “That little bastard led us into a trap”, Rhynx said, spitting the words out of his mouth. “I bet that there was no kidnapping going on in the first place”, Mirskyn stated, preparing his scythe. “We can deal with him later.” He smiled at his partner. “Are you ready?” The Tideborn grinned back at him. “You bet.” Rhynx made his move and dashed very swiftly at the wolves in front of him, his daggers ready to cut their unstable forms. He would tear and slash, and with his agile movements he didn't stay in one spot for long, skillfully avoiding the bloodthirsty maws of the wolves. From the distance, Mirskyn would aid him, casting his metal and water spells to crush their enemies. His icy spells would freeze the creatures, making them sluggish and easy prey to the assassin's daggers. They worked well together, and although the number of foes could be overwhelming to others, Rhynx and Mirskyn didn't have much trouble with them. Even though few more wolves came from the shadows to assist their brothers, soon they would fall as well. This dance of death lasted for few moments, as the dark forces behind this ambush tried to defeat the two warriors. But they didn't show any signs of giving up and eventually new wolves stopped appearing. However, Mirskyn and Rhynx could sense a presence of something stronger than those beasts, and with the last fallen wolf they could hear an otherworldly scream that lingered in the air before it faded away. But whatever it was, it didn't stick around. As the sounds of combat died out, the two men were alone again. Only the wind blowing through the valley could be heard. Rhynx and Mirskyn had lowered their weapons and were now looking around, catching their breath. How many wolves they had killed, they didn't know, because their bodies had disappeared into the thin air just like how they had appeared in the first place. The men looked at each other and smile grew on their faces. They had been victorious once again, and even if it had just been a tiny portion, they had defeated forces of darkness. They embraced each other tenderly. No words were exchanged, they just wanted to be hold tightly. One more time they had faced danger together and triumphed. Fighting side by side had created a special bond between them, something that couldn't be broken. After many challenging battles, a love had sparked, and no dark forces could extinguish it. The men shared a little kiss. And when they separated again, there were softness in their eyes. They didn't speak anything, not even when they began to make their leave from Valley of Death. As they left the desolate place, a sunshine greeted them again, washing away all the bits of darkness from their hearts. They were back to the light. And together, they would protect that light.Hearts AttachedIt was strange how love shaped you. Back in the day when Mirskyn hadn't yet encountered Rhynx, he was fine with traveling alone with no company and doing solo missions, aiding the residents of Perfect World as well as he could. He had earned quite a gleaming reputation for his good deeds. He was assigned to some missions with others, but those people didn't matter to him that much. And so it had been, until he met Rhynx. Even to this day, Mirskyn wasn't sure how this Tideborn managed to sneak into his heart, but somehow, he just did. The Nightshade had been a bit confused by this, for how could he develop such feelings towards another man? The Tideborn had stolen his heart, the first kiss, his virginity… Mirskyn had been whole and alive before this faithful meeting, but then his heart started to beat just for Rhynx, he was completely tied to him. He wasn't sure did the Tideborn feel exactly the same, but even if he didn't, nothing would change the way the Nightshade felt. Now that the paths of the men had diverged, even though just temporarily, Mirskyn had a painful sensation swirling about inside of him. He felt so lonely, so delicate. It was like some cold hand had grabbed his heart, crushing it, making him feel incomplete. And he felt ashamed because of it. Here he was, longing for his beloved one, even though he should be a remarkable warrior. He shouldn't dwell in such emotions. But often those, reasoning of the mind and the sensations of the heart, were in conflict. Mirskyn was a man who could keep his cool and not let his emotions run wild, or so he had used to be. But strong was the feeling of love and passion. It was hard to stay level-headed. But he managed. He had to. For he had a mission at hand. It was always uncertain where the fate would lead him next, but now, the Nightshade had ended up in Dreaming Stronghold. It was a quiet and pleasant place in the lands of Winged Elves, so it was rather unusual that something was troubling it. Apparently, one day, the elder there had found a peculiar orb of some sort while visiting a priest in The White Ridge. He wasn't quite sure what it was and what its purpose could be, but he could feel strong magical energy radiating from it. Unfortunately, in the middle of a night, some monster had snuck into his home and stole the orb. How it had managed to do this task so silently and without causing any ruckus, nobody knew. However, one thing was for sure: snatching away this object was worrisome, indeed. The elder was anxious, for this little thief could possibly bring the orb to some more powerful monster, drastically increasing its might. So, they needed someone who could track down the creature and take back the item. This is where Mirskyn was coming into picture. The Nightshade wasn't as good at tracking as his beloved Tideborn, but he had hunted down so many beasts in his lifetime that he would be able to seek the monster even without the help from Rhynx. The elder had a strong suspicion that the creature had fled north of Dreaming Stronghold, toward Scorpion Valley. That was where the Nightshade would be heading to. Even though few things reminded Mirskyn about the absence of Rhynx, the monster hunt was excellent job in keeping his mind occupied. Looking for the clues which the creature might had left behind was keeping his mind busy, although it couldn't remove the longing in his heart completely. But he was handling it quite well. He moved along the road swiftly, as swiftly as he could, for he was determined to catch the little thief, and there was probably not much time before the powerful orb would fall into wrong hands. Mirskyn was able to move fast, even though he was a stormbringer, a spellcaster. Not as fast as Rhynx, the assassin. There these thoughts were again… The Nightshade tried to push them away into the corners of his mind, as such thoughts weren't needed now. He had to focus on the hunt. The pace of his feet grew faster as he carried on his mission. He followed the road to north, as he and the elder had suspected that the creature had gone that direction as well. There wasn't much else where to go – unless you had wings. Mirskyn really hoped that this wasn't the case. To hunt down the thief would become much more troublesome if it had the ability to fly. The Nightshade had a hunch that the critter was heading to Scorpion Valley right at this moment. If this thing had a master, a more powerful monster, a perfect place for such entity to wait and lurk was in the valley. This mission had been a race against the time from the start, but especially now, as Mirskyn was getting closer and closer to Scorpion Valley, he had to make haste and hope for the best. It soon turned out that fate was in favor for him. He had moved across the rather barren land, not really seeing signs of life, until just now. And it was the creature he had been looking for that now was in his sight. For whatever reason, the little monster had stopped and was standing in the middle of the road. The creature was odd, Mirskyn couldn't recall if he had ever seen anything like it. It resembled a black beetle, about a size of a small person. It had six limbs, it was currently standing on four of them and the two other looked like arms and at the moment it was holding a blueish orb, its strange red bug eyes fixated on the object. It was almost like it was trying to unravel the mysterious powers of the item. It seemed like it was so focused on staring at the orb that it hadn't noticed Mirskyn. This was a perfect time to strike. Holding his scythe, his magical instrument, Mirskyn dashed towards the creature, almost as swiftly as the wind itself that was currently blowing across the land. The Nightshade prepared a spell as he got closer to the critter. There were no obstacles between them, so it was inevitable that the monster would notice him. Very slowly the beetle-like being turned to face him, although with very sluggish movements, as if it had just woken up from a deep dream. It just stood there as the Nightshade was getting closer. When the distance between them was short enough, Mirskyn swung his scythe, and a magical projectile sliced through the air, aimed right at the critter. It moved pathetically, probably trying to get away, but its attempt was miserable. How in the hell had this thing managed to sneak and steal the orb in the first place, the Nightshade didn't know. The spell he had casted hit the creature hard, and that was enough to bring it down. Its body collapsed to the ground, the orb rolling away from it. What a weakling it had been. Mirskyn had only used the most basic one of his skills. He sneered a little, then started to walk to the corpse. After he managed to get to the body of his fresh kill, Mirskyn picked up the strange object from the sandy ground. It felt cold to touch, like the freshly fallen snow, and it was gleaming in many different blueish colors, dancing in the core. He could definitely sense great power hidden in this thing. It was good that it was on his hands now. He would take it back to the elder in Dreaming Stronghold as soon as possible. With that, the Nightshade smoothly hid the orb in his bag and was preparing to make his leave, going back to the direction where he had come from. But suddenly, he saw something move from the corner of his eye. Alerted, Mirskyn grasped his scythe and turned to face whatever was coming to his way. However, almost instantly he relaxed. There was no danger looming in the distance. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He let his scythe fall down to the ground with a clank. His heart was getting overwhelmed with joy and love. The one walking closer to him was Rhynx, his beloved. The Tideborn was dressed in black, a hood partly covering his face. His dark figure was coming closer with a steady pace. He really looked like a shady character, but that was fitting, he was an assassin after all. Rhynx was coming from north, passed Scorpion Valley and had been walking along the road from Vibrant Cliffs. Possibly, his missions had led him to visit Dragon's End, for this was the only route possible from north. Two stone bridges, molded by nature, could be used to cross the lands of Vibrant Cliffs and Dragon's End – if you dared. These bridges were crossing Wolf Totem Valley that was located between the great cliffs. It would be a long, long fall down if you slipped from the bridges. Safer routes were preferred, but sometimes there were travelers that dared to use these nature's own viaducts. How did the Tideborn managed to come to this area where Mirskyn had been sent to? The Nightshade didn't know or care. He was just happy to see his lover again. Deep in his heart, however, he felt like that their hearts were connected, the power of their love had brought the assassin here. Mirskyn was sure that their hearts were beating as one. His own was fluttering like a little bird upon the sight of Rhynx. His soul was filled with such happiness which some people in the world would never achieve. Mirskyn began to run towards Rhynx, as if there were red string tied between their hearts, pulling each other closer. Their bodies collided gently, both men wrapping their arms around each other, engaging into an embrace. No words were exchanged for a while, the men just enjoyed the closeness of their significant other. Then Mirskyn retreated a little, only to press his lips against Rhynx's. They kissed passionately, thirsty for love. When their lips finally parted, they looked each other into the eyes. “Did you miss me?” Rhynx asked, smiling flirtatiously. “More than you would ever know”, Mirskyn replied, giving one more peck to the Tideborn's lips. There they stayed in an embrace for a little while, the wind howling around them. And for that moment, they were drunk from pure bliss. However, this wrecked world needed them, and soon they were about to start going. The bodies of the men separated into two individuals once more. “Come, we have duties to do”, Mirskyn said, his hand caressing the cheek of the Tideborn. Rhynx simply nodded. Their hands found each other as they started to go to the direction of Dreaming Stronghold. Holding their hands, they would go, and even if somebody would see them like this, two men in love, Mirskyn didn't care. If it was wrong to love another man, then he didn't want to be right. Because this man was his everything. And so it would be, until the end of time.Night Of LoveThere had been a troublesome situation in Dreamweaver Port because of the pirates, making seafaring more dangerous than what it should be. Needless to say, there wasn't enough people to deal with making the waters safer again. Dreamweaver was in dire need of warriors and supplies and had sent a word to Archosaur, pleading for help. As soon as they got the message, a merchant caravan departed the grand city, heading to Dreamweaver Port. And with them, a couple of warriors began their travel as well, some of them just for just a sole purpose of protecting the caravan, and some were aiming to go to voyage and deal with pirates. Of course, Mirskyn and Rhynx went with the caravan, fighting off any monsters they would encounter on their journey. There was quite a distance from Archosaur to Dreamweaver Port. Their travel was long, but they tried to move as fast as possible. Luckily, they weren't bothered too much by monsters or Wraiths on their way. That was, until they reached Swamp of the Wraiths. It was such a hostile, watery and unnerving place with bad visibility. Many fiends and undead warriors roamed in these inconsolable lands. If that wasn't enough, sometimes you could spot green spheres eerily floating in the air, as they probably were some lingering dead souls, which caused even more anxiety to anyone who was traveling through. When crossing the swamp, it was wise to go as a group. Who knows how many lonely travelers had disappeared into the murky waters, never to be seen again. With the help of Mirskyn and Rhynx and many other skilled warriors, however, their caravan managed to get through Swamp of the Wraiths with relatively low damage. As they left the dangerous and moist land, entering then Forest of Haze, the whole caravan could sigh in relief. The worst part of the journey was now over. Also, they started to get closer to Dreamweaver Port, they only had to get through the forest. But, as they had passed Village of the Lost, soon Mirskyn and Rhynx departed from the group, heading to north instead as the rest of the caravan continued their way to Dreamweaver Port. The Nightshade and the Tideborn rarely had time to relax. And so, when they had entered Forest of Haze, Mirskyn had decided to travel to Sanctuary, since they weren't far away from it. He just wanted to spend a night or couple with his beloved one and Sanctuary was such a beautiful place, it was perfect. That was where their path was leading to. The paved road reached only part of the way to Sanctuary. After a hill it took a mildly steep descend down, only to disappear. But it didn't hinder the travel at all, because between cliffs was a narrow path waiting for travelers, leading a way to Sanctuary. The cliffs were bare and bland, the road slithering through them. Few barren trees were also sprinkled along the way. This part of the path was pretty ugly, at least when you expected something pretty for a place called Sanctuary. However, when managing to get past this narrow road, a stunningly beautiful sight would greet travelers. This was Peach Blossom Grove. Pink and white petals dominated the scene, and anyone could find a tranquil feeling in their soul among these blossoms. Walking through the flourishing trees would wash away worries and make wonder if this was the last place in the world that hasn't been tainted by war. It was the time of nightfall when the two men reached Peach Blossom Grove. It was almost like entering this magical place had cured the soreness in their feet and was soothing their souls. From somewhere ahead of them cheerful noises of a crowd could be heard, accompanied by festive music. They had arrived to a plane of serenity, where, even though a little while, everything was well in the world. Side by side the men walked across Peach Blossom Grove, their path leading them to beautiful Sanctuary. Through a narrow way, guarded by nothing but walls, they came in the village, getting greeted by some sort of festival. Neither of the men knew what the people here were exactly celebrating, but did that matter? You don't always need a reason to be joyful and have a good time. Whole Sanctuary seemed to radiate positive energy in form of this celebration. Everyone seemed to be in a good mood, laughing and dancing, spending time with their loved ones. The scent of a good food was lingering in the air. All around the village red paper lanterns were illuminating the festival with their warm light. In the river that divided the place in two, some koi fishes were swimming, as if they wanted to be part of the event as well. It was such a wonderful night for everyone. Mirskyn and Rhynx participated in this festival as well, throwing away their responsibilities and the duties on battlefield. For once, they would be just two ordinary men having a relaxing evening. Especially Rhynx enjoyed the festival; he was a night owl and everything was more exciting for him at night. Mirskyn mostly stayed rather composed, having peaceful strolls around Sanctuary with his beloved Tideborn, tasting few foods every now and then. He was a bystander and enjoyed watching for others to have fun, that was enough for him. Eventually the two men slipped away into the night at some point, heading to a bridge that led to Fragrant Hills. The path to the bridge was short and they reached it in no time. It was wooden, had railings and roof, from which few red paper lanterns were hanging, shedding some light to nightly wanderers. The warm glow was kind of romantic, actually. Perfect. Mirskyn and Rhynx walked on the bridge until they reached the central part of it, then both of them started to lean on the railing, side by side, shifting their gazes into the water below where a reflection of a full moon was painted. Only few moments passed by when Rhynx decided that he wanted to be closer to the Nightshade. With a swift movement, he entwined his arm around Mirskyn's waist and pulled him next to him. Mirskyn was a bit surprised by this trick, but allowed it to happen, and even a smile appeared on his face. He leaned his head against the Tideborn's shoulder and let out a content sigh. And for a while, they didn't speak anything. Being close like this was all they needed in that moment. The night on the bridge was calm and silent. Even though the voices of the festival could be heard in the distance, those minutes on the bridge felt like that the men were in their completely own world now. Rare were the moments when they could be just like this, close to each other, worries faded away. Just the two of them, in peace. Mirskyn wrapped his arm around Rhynx's body, not wanting to let him go. The men embraced each other, holding each other so tightly, almost like that this moment of love would end if they stopped doing it. And they didn't want that to happen. They were like complete opposites, Rhynx in his black clothes, perfect for an assassin, and Mirskyn in his white ones. But even though they seemed different, their hearts were beating as one. In that moment, as if because of some speechless connection between them, they looked each other, their gazes meeting, both of them getting lost in each other's eyes. And just like that, their lips met, and they shared soft and passionate kisses. And when their lips finally departed, their eyes met once again. From both men's eyes softness could be found, accompanied with deep love. “I love you”, Mirskyn spoke with a tender voice, barely stronger than a whisper. “I love you too”, Rhynx replied gently, not breaking the eye contact. They kissed each other one more time, engaging in a tight hug. When they parted again, they continued to lean on against the bridge's railing, staring at the beautiful reflection of a moon in the water. However, it didn't take long before Rhynx flexibly jumped on the railing, then leaping to the body of water below, changing into his Tide Form in mid-air. A loud splash could be heard when he disappeared below the surface for a few seconds, then appearing again. Mirskyn just smiled, staring at his beloved one and how he was swimming. Well, Rhynx hadn't had chances to swim for a while, so this was probably a good opportunity to do so. Mirskyn kept following his beloved one with his gaze, how he dived and rose to the surface again and again. He couldn't help but grin, for he was lucky that he had this handsome Tideborn in his life. He loved him more than anything. And he hoped that Rhynx felt the same.The Tiger's HeartOnce in the past was a time when they had not been aware of each other's existence. She came from a big city and he… well, he came from a small village. If neither of them had never began their own adventure, would they have met at all? However, perhaps it was meant to be that their fates got intertwined together. That was what he wanted to believe, at least. His love for her was so deep that it felt almost unreal and even something beyond mortal's comprehension. She meant the world to him, and more. After their hearts had met, they could not be separated ever again. Lately he had felt that this was truer than before due to his journey of trying to get more powerful. He had not seen her for a while and it was tearing his heart. Thinking about her, however, eased the pain a little. Even though they were away from each other, their hearts would still remain united. Oh, he remembered it so clearly. They had got along well immediately. She was the loveliest maiden he had ever met. There was something about her, something he couldn't really explain with words, but it made his heart burst with love. Of course, she was kind-hearted and beautiful, maybe even a bit silly… especially when it came to money. But she was his silly beauty. Together they became a perfect match. Not only with their hearts but as warriors and defenders of their world as well. They had fought against the Wraiths as one. In a battlefield he was a fierce beast who protected his beloved one with his life and she, a mighty spellcaster, would ease his pain with her healing abilities. And together, they were unstoppable force. Simultaneously they had advanced as combatants and practitioners of Spiritual Cultivation. They had experienced and overcome a lot of fear and horrors which regular people would never have to face. But these occurrences had only made their bond stronger. And together, they both became sages, which makes them one of the most enlightened people in the world. But no matter how much they developed spiritually, it was nothing in comparison of his love for her that just kept growing and growing. They had not talked about their feelings that much, but he was positive that they didn't need words – they knew everything in their hearts. Whenever they would stare at each other's eyes and he would hold her fragile body in his strong arms, shielding it from all the evil in this world, they would be in a state where they didn't need to speak. They shared their feelings for each other through their eyes. It was unquestionable that their love was everlasting. He let out a heavy sigh. He missed her so much. He longed for her presence, and wanted to hold her close to him so badly… Perhaps it was time for him to stop pursuing power and go to where his heart was yearning for. Then he looked at the horizon and started his journey back to where he belonged.