Deaths' Row

Chapter II - The Alliance

"Thanks for getting me kicked out of the best, nay, the only bar in town," Rolaf fumed through gritted teeth.

"It's your own fault!" snapped Genevar, "If you weren't as drunk as a dwarf in an Orchalium mine--"

"Please! I could've finished you off, easy, drunk or not! If that useless kid didn't butt in!" Rolaf claimed, staring at Lucifix.

Lucifix let out a sigh. "Look, if you guys are gonna complain about getting kicked out of the only bar in town then why don't you come with me?"

"Why should I, kid?!" Rolaf yelled in a drunk rage.

"I'm heading to the next town over." There was silence. "There's a bar."

"Alright, I'm in." Rolaf immediately replied.

"Do what you like, but I'm not staying," Genevar snapped.

"Oh," Rolaf sneered, "you aren't going anywhere! You still owe me!" While the northerner lunged at the taller man, Genevar simply swept the man's legs from under him, causing him to land with a thud on the muddy ground. Whipping out his sword, Genevar grazed Rolaf's cheek and pointed the tip at his throat.

"Say that again?" he growled, anger boiling in his voice. "Like it or not, I'm leaving for Temporal." With that, Genevar untied his horse, mounted up, and sped off into the night.

"What's his problem?" Rolaf grumbled, wiping the blood from his cheek.

"He simply doesn't know what awaits him..." Lucifix whispered to himself.

"Come again?" the slender woman asked.

"Before you answer that, who are you?" Rolaf asked the dark-haired woman.

"Call me Artemis," she replied bluntly, "Just Artemis."

"Well, now that we know who everyone is, what do you want me for?" Rolaf asked.

"A dark power is rising in the east," began Lucifix, "I fear only the greatest of warriors can aid in his defeat, and it was here I was told I would find two, but I have a feeling that Genevar will reconsider, knowing what he is about to find."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Artemis grumbled. "It's not like we'll get there before daybreak."

***

Nearly an hour later, the trio was off on the road to Temporal. They met no opposition, little more than animals crossing the road, which scurried off in fright of the not-so-majestic warriors on their way.

Another hour into their journey, Lucifix broke the dead silence that hung over the group. "So, Rolaf," he began, drawing the man's attention, "Where are you from, exactly?"

"My home is far north of here," said Rolaf, a deep longing smoldering in his eyes, "I hail from Winterwood, in Iceshallow."

"What would bring a Northerner this far south?" asked Artemis, now intruiged.

"Well," Rolaf said, "I'm not entirely sure."

"Great... more riddles and few answers," Artemis replied exasperatedly.

"Anyway, what was this 'dark power' you speak of, Lucifix?" inquired Rolaf, wondering what it could be.

"Long ago, after the downfall of Morteres," the boy began, "many of his followers remained. The one I spoke of earlier was Dread the Darkseer, Morteres' lieutenant. After Morteres was defeated, Dread was hell-bent on reviving his fallen master, becoming the new 'Lord of Shadow' in the process. After hearing his end was near by the hands of six heroes, he became determined to make sure that didn't happen. So, he made his way to Baras Isgar, a dark realm in far eastern Aleria. There, he raised an army of demons, dragons, the Corrupted, and worse. I believe that the heroes spoken of in the revelation Dread was given are no more other than those I intend to gather."

"Interesting," Rolaf replied, "But what makes you believe that-" He was cut off by a loud rustling in the nearby reeds. Drawing his sword and signaling for the other two to stay back, Rolaf hesitantly approached the side of the road, not knowing what might meet him. "By Halidans' frosty beard!" he yelled in surprise when a young woman with an unruly mop of white hair with blue tips in tattered robes collapsed onto the road.

Looking over, Rolaf noticed Lucifix rushing over, a bewildered look on his face.

"Who are you?" the young man asked.

"Yami." the girl replied. "Yami Hikari... at least, that's what I think it is."

Some time later, after Yami had fully regained her senses, she agreed to join the travelers, having nowhere else to go.

"So all you can remember is your name? No idea how you got here?" Rolaf inquired.

"No." Yami replied.

"Strange." the northerner replied, stroking his beard. "Very strange."

Dawn broke, and only the crickets chirring their mournful cries broke the silence; the weary travelers had reached a nightmare.

Where once stood the magnificent city of Temporal, now was only a smoldering ruin. It was apparent that the fire that razed the city had been burning for some time, as there was little left. Where houses once stood were only piles of scorched wood and stone. Burned and bloody bodies littered the streets as though a war had been fought there, the kind that decimates nations, leaving no survivors. Amidst the carnage was Genevar, kneeling on the ground and weeping. Noticing the arrival of the others but not acknowledging them, he sobbed with a small pendant in his hand.

"This was hers." Genevar said, Lucifix stopping Rolaf from asking whom the trinket belonged to "I was going to ask her to be my wife."

"I take it you changed your mind?" Lucifix asked haughtily. "I am prepared to let you know what you're in for."

In a much darker tone, Genevar simply replied, "I'm listening."