Spirit Blood: Genesis of War
Chapter 6

Roog’s Port City- the largest independent city in the entire world of Krysala; complete with the largest port distributaries across the land and housing the largest guilds, companies, and schools known throughout the world. Unfortunately, Roog’s Port City is also well known for her incredible problem with crime and corruption, possessing the highest death toll in the world.

In the cool mornings, as the sun rises over the port shores, the city bears a peaceful and tranquil appearance, giving the unsuspecting visitor a false impression of safety, especially when compared to the rough and dirty neon littered streets kept quietly tucked away until after sunset. As the sun rises higher in the sky, and the town is blanketed in a shower of humidity and dank, the city streets become alive with rushing folk roaming the streets in hopes of replaceing their stores and shops still intact from the night before.

It was no surprise, this particular morning, to see a pair of strangers wandering into the city. All day people come and go, only staying long enough to get their business done and leaving quickly so as not to be robbed on the way out. However, new visitors are sometimes people on the run from authorities wishing to hide out in the city. Roog’s Port City residents learn quickly not to ask questions, but to let the Guards Men, the local law keepers and vigilantes of the area, take care of any trouble that could, and does, arise.

The Guards Men are not to be taken too lightly. Having their hand into everything and anything in the city that is unclean or corrupted, you can expect a member of the Guards Men Guild to thwart a robbery only to turn around and rob you themselves. Of course to them it wouldn’t be robbery as their belief would be that you owed it to them for their services. Members of the Guards Men Guild resemble basic mercenaries in their behaviors. Their formation alone works to create a cohesive unit of super-soldiers. Once a man is adopted into the guild he soon emerges from a timely disappearance as a super-soldier, bearing techmagi cybernetics, bio-wizardry enhancements and the rune marks of actual Magi-- alchemists specializing in bio-wizardry and living under the protection of the guild.

Veronica and Makaylen wandered into the city around six o’clock in the morning. Neither seemed distracted by the bustling of the crowds moving here and there. Veronica, however, was quite nervous about being robbed while possessing such a large amount of stolen treasure in her saddlebags. With his cowl pulled up over his head, Makaylen kept a keen eye watching the nearby people who seemed to not be paying them any heed. He’d feared the people might be suspicious of two strangers walking into the city, but he too knew quite well of the Guards Men and the dependency the city residents had in them for protection.

“I believe we should venture to start spending some of this treasure of yours, or at least replace the people to which you were going to pawn it off on. Don’t you think?” Makaylen asked the unsuspecting young girl.

Sitting on the back of her horse, with Makaylen leading the reigns, Veronica only looked ahead as if she hadn’t heard his question.

“Any ideas, Ms. Veronica, where someone might be able to do such transactions?” He asked with a half smile.

Veronica peered down at Makaylen suspiciously.

“Why would I know of such places?” She asked, trying to sound innocent and appalled.

Grinning under his hood Makaylen answered, “You’re a thief, are you not?”

She didn’t like him just assuming she was anything more than a traveling treasure hunter or a lost and frightened girl on the run. Why would he just think I’m a thief? Veronica thought to herself. Turning away from him with a scoff, Makaylen busted out in a full hearty laugh.

“Just what is so funny?” She spouted down at him hoping to change his mind about her. But the look on his face when he looked up showed her otherwise.

“I’ve never seen anyone so adamant on proving they were not a thief. Do you prefer I say reprobate?” Makaylen asked with raised eyebrows as he halted the horse and looked up at her.

“NO, I would not prefer reprobate or anything else offensive for that matter, thank you very much!” She spat down at him. How could he say such things when he had been so nice last night? She thought to herself.

Shaking his head in disappointment, Makaylen replied, “It really is too bad Veronica that you won’t be honest with me. I know what you are and that you would much rather lie to me than just tell me the truth. I was trying to give you a chance to drop your pride and humble yourself for one instant and be honest about something.”

He looked away from her shocked eyes and started to lead the horse down the road again headed for a nearby stable where her horse could stay during their time in the city. Veronica stared down at Makaylen in bewilderment. She had begun to feel a bit ashamed for her continued ruse but then remembered she didn’t really care what this two-bit vagabond really thought of her anyway. He doesn’t know me or my life. How dare he act so superior? What does he know? He wouldn’t understand why I must live this way anyhow! She sat straight in the saddle looking ahead with more seriousness on her face now than before. Makaylen continued towards his determined destination knowing there was nothing more to be said as long as his traveling companion continued to carry on with her act of innocence.

Christopher stretched awake as the sun’s warm rays shot through the treetops warming the small encampment he and Davien had made for the night. He rubbed his eyes trying to focus on the figure sitting near a small fire cooking something that smelled delicious, especially to a man who had not had much to eat in days.

“Mornin’ my scraggly friend,” Davien bellowed in his deep gruff voice.

Christopher stood smiling as he groggily walked closer to the warm fire. The sizzling of the meat and eggs caught Christopher’s nostrils making his mouth water with anticipation.

“Everything smells and looks terrific!” Chris announced excitedly.

Such excitement over such a small meal brought a smile to Davien’s face.

“I’ve never seen anyone get so excited about breakfast before,” Davien mentioned to Chris.

Grabbing his plate from last night’s dinner, Christopher stated, “Well, then you’ve never met a man whose first actual meal in three days was last night’s dinner.”

The two men ate heartily, saying very little, until it was time to pack up for the journey ahead of them to Roog’s Port City. It was about noon when they reached the city and a lunch rush was ensuing with techmagi vehicles zooming through the streets.

“Be careful here Chris,” Davien warned while busily keeping surveillance around them.

He was searching for the distinctive crest of the guild each Guards Men wore upon their clothing. It was the only way to tell them apart from the other mercenaries trolling the streets.

“These people that live here are very used to crime and they won’t think twice about robbing or killing you if they think there is something to gain for it,” Davien again warned.

Chris shook his head with a grimace on his face, “Sounds pretty terrible. How many churches are there here in Roog’s Port City?”

“Not even two that I know of,” Davien stated matter-of-factly curiously eyeing his new friend.

Chris nodded not surprised crime was prevalent in a town with so few churches. He jumped off from his horse deciding to walk rather than ride her into town. Davien followed after his newfound friend still curious about the question he had asked moments ago.

“What do you plan on doing about your stolen property?” Davien enquired on their way to the stables.

Without looking at Davien, Chris answered, “Well, if she’s here then I’m going to replace her and simply take back my ring.”

Davien grinned at the chance for some more excitement. This new friend of mine is going to work out great, he thought as the two men entered the stables.

Veronica and Makaylen sat in the small inn of the hotel The Sly Fox. The owner, who they had met briefly, was a bronze skinned woman with long braided black hair by the name of Nephida Fox, or affectionately known as Fox. Fox took a liking to Makaylen soon after meeting him and secured two single rooms for him and Veronica for dirt-cheap just as long as they didn’t overstay their welcome. After a couple of hours of here and there conversations, Fox conveyed to Makaylen the history of the hotel and how she was only a partial owner of the hotel/tavern. Her father had built the place long ago naming it after his son Sylvester Fox. When he passed away years later he left equal shares of the place to her and her older brother. After becoming part owner, Sly, as everyone called him, started getting in good with the Guards Men Guild for personal protection for him and the hotel. He and the son of the Head Master of the Guards Men Guild became really good friends and both got heavily involved in illegal gambling, prostitution and mind-altering medicines. She also revealed to Makaylen about how lately Sly had been trying to run her out of town and seize all her shares of the business for himself. Their conversation was cut short, however, when Fox got really busy with a crowd of Nomadic men that stumbled into the bar.

Moving away from the bar, Makaylen and Veronica found a table where they could relax from their long journey and enjoy a cool drink. Makaylen had a feeling that there was some unknown reason why he and Veronica needed to stick around rather than get on their way. After quite a while of empty chitchat, since Veronica was still quite irritated at him, he noticed her begin to shift uncomfortably in her seat. She seemed to be trying to look inconspicuous without looking like she was trying to hide. Makaylen turned his head around to look over at the entrance to the tavern and noticed a skinny vagabond standing near a well-armed and armored fighter. Shifting his attention back to Veronica he noticed she was paying special attention to these two men as well.

“Do you know those men?” He asked with curiosity.

Veronica only stared at him with worry in her eyes.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

Looking again over his shoulder he noticed the two men appeared to be searching the room as if looking for someone.

“Is it something you would like for me to take care of?” He asked again with curiosity.

Veronica nodded excitedly at his suggestion while still trying to hide her face from being too noticeable. Makaylen stood as he noticed the two men excitedly walking over towards the table. With seriousness on his brow, he walked over intercepting the two men who happened to be headed straight for the table Veronica just happened to be sitting.

When Christopher and Davien left the stables they asked a couple of patrons standing nearby where the best place might be to look if you happen to be searching for a particular thief. Without hesitation the two men answered ‘the Sly Fox.’

Needing at least somewhere to start their search, they headed up the street looking at the signs hanging from each building until they found the distinct sign bearing the words The Sly Fox. There was only one entrance into the establishment, through the tavern-like inn. From the look of the exterior, with its half wrecked shutters and missing wood planks, they were both certain this was an excellent place to start their search for someone of low morals. Upon entering, they were taken back by the overwhelming stench of whiskey and sweat. Earnestly Chris began exploring the room for the girl while Davien looked around for a bartender, however appearing to be looking for the girl as well. Immediately Chris spotted the shabby and revealing dressed girl sitting at a table only thirty feet away.

“Look, that’s her right there hiding behind that man,” Chris told Davien drawing his attention from a pretty barmaid walking their direction.

“Who’s the guy, her latest victim?” Davien asked with contempt.

Slowly both men began walking towards the table noticing the girl becoming more determined to hide her face from their view. As the man who had been seated with her got up and began to meet them half way, Davien thought arrogantly to himself, Finally, a fight…he won’t be a problem! Slowly he placed one hand on the scabbard of his sword ready to draw it out in a moments notice. Chris, however, saw something about the man that Davien apparently couldn’t see. This wasn’t a man to be bothered with and comfort came over Chris the closer they came to the strange man.

“Excuse me, do you two gentlemen have a problem with the young lady over there?” Makaylen asked.

The calm even-tempered tone of his voice set Davien off his guard expecting to hear a man filled with anger and ready to fight.

“Yes, actually, I do. She has taken something very special to me and I wish to gain it back,” Chris answered just as calm and even tempered as Makaylen.

“May I ask what exactly she took from you?” He asked of Chris.

“Yes. She has stolen my wedding ring. It has a diamond center in the shape of an eight point star,” Chris answered calmly.

Makaylen turned away from the men and walked back to the table where Veronica was seated. As he walked he also thought to himself that the shaggy man looked unkempt and evil tempered, but in no way did his demeanor or voice fit his image. His companion, on the other hand, looked ready to fight at any chance he may be given. I do not believe this man to be lying. Either Veronica tells the truth or I will leave her to their devices, he thought to himself.

Veronica sat up straight in her chair feeling victorious for having Makaylen around to protect her. Her giant grin was matched with Makaylen’s smiling face when he reached the table.

“Give me the ring you stole from the hairy man so we can be done with this drama,” he immediately blurted to her.

Her smile was instantly replaced with true resentment.

“How dare you accuse me of such a thing?” She said in a subdued shout so as not to attract too much attention.

Makaylen dropped his head with utmost disappointment mixed with frustration for her continued lies.

“Listen to me Veronica,” he said a little more pointedly, turning Veronica’s attitude for the worse, “You will give the ring back to the man. Then you are going to stop this useless charade of lies and deception for I am not ever going to fall for them.”

Sneering up at Makaylen’s intense face she reached into her pouch and produced the ring.

“Our partnership is threw…Jerk!” She bitterly said behind clinched teeth.

She thrust her hand out towards Makaylen and dropped the ring into his. Pushing him out of the way as he examined the ring to ensure the diamond was still intact, Veronica stood up from her seat, forced her way through the crowd and stormed out of the establishment.

Davien was about to start after her when Chris touched his arm whispering, “No, let her go.”

Once he determined the ring was still intact, Makaylen walked back over to the eager hairy man and held out his palm to reveal the ring inside. Chris held back tears as he gently picked the ring up placing it back upon his own finger.

“Thank you very much. I was hoping we wouldn’t have to retrieve it the way we had planned,” Chris said from behind his welling tears.

Again Davien was disappointed there wasn’t going to be an altercation break out as the man slightly bowed and put his hand to his chest as if to say You’re Welcome.

“My name is Makaylen. I would appreciate it if you both would come and join me for dinner to apologize for the inconvenience she may have caused you,” Makaylen stated while gesturing towards the table.

Davien relaxed his stance slightly, but was still very suspicious of this man’s intentions.

“What do you think?” Davien whispered to Chris leaning over to speak near his ear.

Smiling Chris answered, “I think no matter how low you whisper in this excessively noisy place, he could still hear you. I believe it would be most wise to take him up on his offer.”

“Wonderful!” Makaylen exclaimed motioning the men to his table. “Let’s start with something to quench your thirst,” he said looking around for Fox after they were seated.

“Excuse me,” Chris started just having realized this man’s name. “What did you say your name was again?”

“Makaylen Stryphe,” he answered joyfully.

Chris reached into a small pouch around his waist and took out the letter Brother Clearly had given him before he left the Priest’s domain.

“I believe this is for you. It is from Brother Clearly,” Chris said as he handed the letter across the table.

Makaylen took the letter and opened it without haste.

“My name is Christopher Bream,” he added before Makaylen began reading.

After finishing the letter, Makaylen placed it over the candle in the center of the table burning it up completely.

“Why’d you do that?” Chris exclaimed.

“Because I was done reading it,” Makaylen said through a heartfelt smile. “It seems, my friend, we were destined to replace one another.”

Chris nodded his head and settled in his chair as Makaylen began to explain what Brother

Clearly had placed in the letter and just why Shiloh had brought the three of them together for this exact time.

Rain Star sat despondently outside of The Den smoking rolled tobacco waiting for her next set to dance. She was busy watching the normal people strolling by when she noticed a tall dark skinned man approaching the club from across the street. He was dressed all in black with a long leather duster encasing his huge physique. She could see he was wearing actual armor as well, which was painted a dark camouflage color. As he menacingly walked across the street his duster would sway a bit revealing shoulder holsters on both of his sides complete with wicked looking pistols inside them. As he got nearer to her she realized he was covered head to toe in various armor of the same camouflage coloring. He stopped dead in front of Rain Star as she abruptly stood to her feet scared by such a large man peering down at her. A sick grin crossed his face to see he had frightened her.

“Don’t worry your pretty kitty head,” he said sinisterly. “I’m looking for a man. You may know him. He came here quite often to teach his ways to a dancer like yourself.”

Rain Star backed up in fear knowing she fit the profile of the dancer.

“Um, I’m the only one here who was ever taught anything in this place,” her timid voice squeaked out.

The man swiftly approached closer now standing nose to nose with her.

“Where is Makaylen?” He demanded with a diabolical look on his face.

Rain Star had no love for her former teacher, having thrown him out of her life for being a coward, but she still slightly feared helping such a menacing looking man.

“I don’t know exactly, but I can help you hunt him down,” she answered with hate and fear ensuing off her tongue.

The man began to laugh evilly, “You? His student? What do you think you can do I can’t, cat-woman?”

She stood strong not letting her fear of this man show in her face.

“One, I have Katilian instincts and reflexes giving me natural warrior instincts and abilities. Two, I was constantly around the man for several months learning his ways.” She added with more arrogance and pride, “Which means I may not know where he is now, but I wouldn’t be a week late looking for him after he’d left!”

The man nodded taking in this information and quickly snatched her by the neck with his overly large hands pulling her close.

“It’s a deal. I’ll put up with you for however long it takes me to kill Makaylen and in return I will spare your life for thinking you can talk to me any way you want!”

He dropped her hard and squatted down next to her sprawled on the ground.

“My name is Jayhem Sever and I will teach you my way of doing things. I may need you after all to help me with him. Makaylen is actually quite dangerous,” he finished with an almost hiss.

Three men came out of the club at this time laughing at what they had just heard causing Jayhem to whip his head around so he could see the men.

“Find something funny, Chubby?” Jayhem asked the apparent leader of the group.

The same brute that ran Makaylen off spouted, quite unhappy about the chubby remark, “Yeah, you’re afraid of that coward Makaylen and I’m the one who ran him off. So, if I were

You, I’d keep my mouth shut!”

Jayhem stood up and stared down at the six foot three inch man standing in front of him.

“Makaylen lives by a certain code. He doesn’t get into fights needlessly to impress anybody. So, of course he left with out kicking your pudgy belly into putty. He has nothing to prove to you!” Jayhem hissed.

The man spat on Jayhem’s boot and got into his face shouting, “What about you punk?!”

“Me?” Jayhem answered. “Why, I will merely kill you and the man next to you for kicks. Then, just to tie up loose ends, I’ll go out for both of your families so no one can take revenge for the death of their dumb fathers.”

In a breath, Jayhem drew his hand back and shot the brute in the face and then one of his friends behind him in the chest. Both men fell immediately and the blood covered the third man who was now cowering in the corner against the wall of the club.

Jayhem glided over staring down at him, “Now do I have to worry about you or your family getting revenge?”

The man screamed, “NO! Please, NO!”

Jayhem nodded and turned to walk away. He then spun around with both pistols and shot the man in the head.

“Coward,” he muttered under his breath.

Rain Star just stared at Jayhem in awe and intrigue as he spun his pistols back into their holsters and signaled for her to follow him. She wasn’t sure if he was actually going to kill the families, but thought she would rather be at the right hand of the killer than in his path no matter what he planned to do. Without a word she took off after him with only a robe and her skimpy dancing garments to cover her.

Jason wandered the forest leading his horse by the reigns as if seemingly lost and in need of getting his bearings.

“What are you doing Jason?” A young voice rang out in the forest magnified by the absence of noise.

Jason said nothing, but held his hand up to hush the child as if distracted from listening or looking for something. Lockefren dismounted her horse looking at the two children.

“Quiet down you two,” Lockefren scolded. “How do you expect him to get his bearings if you two are yakking at him all the time?”

She knew Jason wasn’t lost, however she wasn’t sure what was troubling him so badly. Lockefren walked over to Jason eager to replace out just why he’d taken them so deep into the wild and didn’t seem to have any desire to replace civilization.

“What are you doing Jason?” Lockefren whispered. “The children are making light of the situation due to their fear, but I can’t help but wonder why you have lead us so far away from any cities and so deep into the forest. Wouldn’t the children’s nerves do better if they were around civilization?”

Jason looked into her lovely emerald eyes reading the concern in her face signaling to her to kneel down with him as he began to sweep leaves and grass away from what had his attention.

“We’re being tracked,” Jason whispered pointing at the distinct print on the ground. “We have been since we left the castle.”

Lockefren looked down at the oversized clawed footprint. She shuddered and quickly began to look around the forest for any peering eyes staring back at them.

“What is it?” She whispered back.

“It is a Saber Jaw,” Jason announced gently.

Lockefren began to remember all the stories she had heard as a child about a horrible creature the Elves called Tega Rou or, in common tongue, Saber Jaw. The stories had been horrifying always resulting in the death of many poor unsuspecting people while they roamed the forest. The creature would encamp in dense forests close to towns or cities at night devouring everything it could capture to try and quench its thirst for blood. Jason could see Lockefren’s eyes widen in horror at the mention of the name.

“I’m afraid I have even worse news,” he stated solemnly.

Her eyes widened as if asking What!

“Well, there appears to be three of them.”

Lockefren stood straight up stiff as a board.

“Lockefren, I know you are scared, but I’m hoping I might have lost them a few miles back. That’s why I’ve kept us so deep in the forest,” he said standing up and brushing the dirt from off his knees. “Usually these creatures are more attracted to places having larger amounts of prey than four people and some horses.”

Lockefren lowered her head looking as if Jason had just scolded her.

“Why did you not tell me earlier?” She asked feeling hurt and bewildered.

Jason approached her closely lifting her face to look into his own eyes.

“My most trusted friend, I knew how scared you were of Saber Jaws. I was hoping that these were only wild ones looking for a quick meal. I knew I could throw them off the deeper we got, but…these particular ones continued to follow us no matter how deep we ventured. They must have grown hungry and went to a small village or something because they don’t appear to still be following us. However, I’ve been keeping my eye out in case they show up again,” Jason finished, trying to search the woods while not appearing to be doing so. “I’m going to need your help Lockefren.”

She gazed at him curiously asking, “How can I help? I don’t know anything more than stories about Saber Jaws.”

Jason quickly glanced over at Amon and TaeAnne then back into Lockefren’s lovely eyes, “I need you to take us to Sherlin-Dea.”

Lockefren’s eyes lit up with excitement until the memory of her decommissioning two years ago sprang into her mind and she began to shake her head doubtingly.

“I can’t, the prince himself said I was not to return,” her voice pleaded.

“Yes, but he also said he was going to watch over you and that he thought of you as one of his own people,” he added.

Lockefren shook her head vigorously, “No, no I can’t. Terrell told me not to return…”

Jason interrupted her negative response by placing a gloved finger over her lips, “You can and I need you to, for the children’s sake. The Saber Jaws would never try to breach the city of the Elvin kingdom no matter how heavily populated it may be. Your people have it protected by their magic. The creatures would be prevented from entering plus it is the safest refuge I can think of for the children.”

Lockefren gave Jason a nervous yielding look after glancing at the two children waiting for their chaperones to return.

“Okay, I’ll do it, but I can’t assure a warm welcome for either of us if they even allow us entry,” she spoke as she nodded.

Nodding himself and thanking her, Jason placed his arm around her shoulders walking her back towards the children trying to look as if everything was perfectly normal. Amon looked on curiously waiting for his mentor or the elf maiden to say something about the reason they were gone so long. When the two mounted their horses with out a word Amon looked at his sister TaeAnne then back to Jason.

“So, what’s going on?” The young Prince asked impatiently.

Jason could hear the nervousness and irritation in Amon’s tone about their secrecy.

“I’m a little lost is all. Lockefren merely talked me into going to Sherlin-Dea for some rest and a place to stay until I can get a handle on where to go or what to do,” Jason lied to try and ease Amon’s tension.

Amon shook his head unconvinced and leaned closely to Jason and whispered, “I know about the Saber Jaws following us. I saw them a few days ago. I do know a little about tracking myself.”

Jason listened, amazed at just how intelligent the young prince actually was, but his youth and inexperience showed with his ‘I know it all’ attitude.

“You may know something of tracking them, but do you know how to destroy them if they attack you?” Jason whispered back.

Amon shook his head continuing to keep his ear close to his teacher.

“Then if I were you, I would listen to me and go along with what I just said in order to keep your sister from worrying needlessly.”

“To Sherlin-Dea then,” Amon exclaimed humbly sitting up in his saddle.

Jason grinned and signaled for Lockefren to lead the way. She hesitantly moved to the front leading her horse down a less traveled trail facing west.

“It should only take two days from our current position to reach Sherlin-Dea,” Lockefren said as she moved down the trail a few feet.

“Keep your senses keen and clear,” Jason added with a grin, “We’re not out of the woods yet.”

The obvious pun brought a small chuckle from the group, but gave little comfort to ease the subdued panic in which consumed each of them.