A.N. : Plot plot plot plot…. And some character development. :)

------------------

Eyes of a Killer

Shtal sighed and pulled the female’s body tighter against her, inhaling her scent.

“You seem troubled,” Quilk said softly, looking up at him with golden eyes. Those eyes had given him more hope in life than anything.

“Perhaps because I am.” Shtal looked up at the stars high above them. “I seek redemption, but I am beyond redemption, so what is it I really seek?”

“No man is beyond redemption, my love.”

Shtal sighed and met her gaze. “I am afraid I am not so sure of that.” Her body was small next to his, yet fit so perfectly against him.

Quilk smiled and raised her hand to touch Shtal’s cheek. “I know you are redeeming yourself. I can see it in you. I’m sure you will be allowed into paradise. We’ll be there together and we both will be reunited with the peoples of my village. A people you chose to defend instead of kill. You remember?”

Shtal sighed. “I am unsure.”

“I know, my love. I can see such things.”

Shtal took Quilk’s much smaller hand into his own and examined her delicate fingers. “I… hope you are right. I cannot imagine eternity without you.” He brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them.

“I’m always right. You should know this by now.”

Shtal chuckled softly. “Perhaps.”

!i!i!i!

Ziana awoke suddenly, though she wasn’t sure why. She opened her eyes, but could see nothing. Alarmed, she sat up, turning her head this way and that. Slowly, the darkness melted away to reveal that she sat on a mountaintop. Next to her was a forge. It was crudely made from several rocks stacked together. “Where…?”

A voice came from behind her, saying, “You are home.”

Ziana slowly turned to face the source of the words and found Khlin standing before her in all her noble glory. The lioness’ golden fur and wings seemed to almost glow. “You…” Ziana only got one word out before forgetting what she was going to say altogether.

“Welcome to your kingdom,” Khlin spoke the words softly.

“My kingdom? I don’t understand. Is this some sort of dream?”

“Something like that, yes.” Khlin nodded.

“Why?”

“So that I might speak with you, the holder of the sword. Even though there is nothing left of what was once the home of your people, the forge still remains. Behold your kingdom, Ziana. A barren landscape. Empty, but yours all the same.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“I am telling you this because you will soon face a choice.”

“What sort of choice?”

“They sword wishes to be unbound. It has always wished for that.”

“So? It can’t be unbound as long as I or one of my kin holds it.”

“What kin do you have, Ziana.”

“None.”

“And if you die?”

“I cannot die until I have produced an heir for the sword.”

Khlin laughed then. “Of course you can die, foolish one. You can die just as easily as any other human. And if you leave no heir, then you leave the sword unbound!”

Ziana set her jaw. “I won’t die.”

“You must destroy the sword.”

“The sword can’t be destroyed.”

“It can and it must. But you must make that decision. Your future lays here, Ziana. You must return home. You must make a decision.”

“What decision! You aren’t making any sense!”

“You may destroy the sword or allow the sword to destroy you. Those are your choices.”

!i!i!i!

Ziana sat up abruptly in time to see Shtal wandering back from somewhere. Their fire was dying rapidly and Ziana could feel the cold creeping up on her, though she wasn’t sure if the cold was really weather related. She drew her knees up to her chin and shivered, looking up at the sky, which was perfectly clear, stars shining more brightly than Ziana remembered them being.

Hearing a noise, she turned to see Shtall wandering back from somewhere. He sat down and built the fire back up a little. Ack wandered over next to him and sat down, eyes shining. “Where have you been?” Ziana asked.

“It was a beautiful night and I wanted some time to myself,” Shtal answered absently. He patted Ack between the ears, ruffling her fur.

“I suppose it is a nice night,” Ziana said, looking up at the stars once more.

“My people believed that when you die, your soul goes up to shine over the world in the great expanse above us known as the Paradise,” Shtal said. “From there you may watch over your loved ones and all of your decedents.”

Ziana smiled a little. “In the case,” she pointed upward to a bright star, “that one is my grandfather and the one right next to it is my mother.”

“If you remember those stars, they will guide you through your life so that you are never lost.”

“Do you think so?”

Shtal nodded.

“That’s good. I think I’m going to need it.”

Shtal arched a brow. “What makes you think this?”

“I’m… not really sure.” Ziana slowly sighed. “I guess I didn’t really have much of a plan when I left home. Well, except getting away from home.”

Shtal chuckles softly. “Most don’t have a sturdy plan when they first leave home. Sometimes you have to leave things up to fate.”

“I don’t think fate is really on my side.” She supposed fate was definitely attached to her belt, anyway, but it certainly wasn’t being very agreeable with her.

“Fate is a cruel thing,” Shtal nodded. “But if you’re smart enough, you’ll be able to escape the worst of it.”

Ziana smiled and nodded. “I hope I’m smarter than what I think I am then.”

Shtal chuckles softly. “I think you’ll find you’re far smarter than you think you are.”

Ack trotted over to Ziana’s side of the fire and curled up next to her.

“Shtal…” Ziana paused.

“Yes?”

“If you don’t mind me asking… what was Khlin talking about you looking for redemption?”

Shtal gave a rare smile and looked into the fire, glowing orange against the night. “Every person who chooses the life on the road has a reason for going. Sometimes it is to seek adventure and fortune. Sometimes we are pushed into it against our will. But, often times, it is because we are running from something, usually ourselves.”

Ziana frowned at his words.

“You are running from yourself, are you not?” Shtal looked up at her with dark eyes.

Ziana swallowed. “I… I guess I am.”

“You run from your father and from your past. You are running from a curse which was laid on your family many generations ago.”

Ziana rubbed the back of her neck, feeling rather awkward under his knowledgeable gaze. “You… sure seem to know a lot.”

“Every person’s story is written in his eyes. What do you think is written in mine?”

“I… don’t know.” Ziana was starting to wish she hadn’t asked.

“Look closer. What do you see?”

Ziana licked her lips and looked into Shtal’s eyes. They were dark and sharp. She wondered if he could see in the dark. She didn’t want to look into them. They seemed dangerous, yet, at the same time, there was something more. Something deeper. “You… have the eyes of a killer… but… there is also… pain.” Ziana swallowed and lowered her hand to Ack’s head, burrowing her fingers in the fur.

Shtal chuckles. “You see correctly. My tribe was a warring one and the men were taught to be ruthless killers without remorse. No woman, child, of elder would survive when we came through.”

“Did… something happen to make you decide to leave?”

Shtal nodded. “Something most certainly did.”

“What?”

“Another time I think. The night grows late, and morning comes all too soon. We both need sleep.”

Ziana felt a wash of disappointment, but she nodded her head. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” With a sigh she lay back down with Ack curled up next to her. She buried her face in the she-wolf’s coat and closed her eyes, drifting back to sleep.

--------------------------

A.N. : You know what I hate hate hate hate HATE about RPG’s? The character development for your henchmen… They tell a little itty bitty bit of their backstory… and then… They refuse to say any more until you gain the next level. That’s so annoying!!! Especially when… me being weird as I am… I’m more interesting in the backstories for the henchmen then the actual game. :D

Well… this is my simulation of that annoying RPG henchmen backstory. Mwahahaha!!!

Thank you for reviews!!!

(Short chapter, I apologize.)