A solider does not stop fighting just because the battle is over.

~ Sebastian ~

I pushed open the doors bitting through the pain in my leg with every step I took.

"It is official, you have gone mad."

"I wouldn't expect you to understand Deveron," I said over my shoulder not stopping.

"You care that much for Sarah you are willing to die for her?"

"Who said anything about dying mate?" I thought back to the woods where I had been stabbed in the stomach rubbing my left hand over the area. The language had been Arabic... something about blood brother you will come to us.

"But you admit you care for her?"

"I said no such thing."

"Ah, Bass? The doctor is this way..." he pointed down the hall to our right.

"I thought you knew me better than that brother? Now I am wasting precious time."

"I am coming with you."

"Ah, no you are not. It's dangerous out there."

"Which is why you should not go alone."

"No - that is exactly why I go alone." I came into my room finding the leather bound book exactly where it should be. "Get me some clean clothes would you mate? This shirt reeks of blood."

Deveron nodded going to my closet getting out a black shirt and pair of pants as I flipped through the pages of the book finding it contained more than just a dictionary.

"What is that?" Deveron asked throwing the clothes down onto my bed,

"A book father gave me."

"And its contents?"

"Things of no importance to you." I said passing him walking over to the clothes pulling the damp shirt off over my head replacing it with the clean one - then it happened again.

I collapsed onto the the floor eyes rolling back into my head and felt the wetness of foam build around my lips. Hands shook my body and Deveron's voice echoed through me and then went silent when chanting could be heard.

It was dull at first until the words were all that could be heard, "في صمت أنا يمكن أن يسمع - في صمت أنا يمكن أن يسمع."

Silence.

Where was I? Darkness filled around me. I could not explain it... gingerly I pushed myself up. It was nothing, just a vast space of nothing but darkness. Was I trapped in between the fine line of Heaven and Hell?

"Hello blood brother," said the voice that finally spoke English.

I looked around in the darkness for whom the voice belonged to and saw no one.

"W-who are you?" I thought to him. "How are you speaking with you.... Where am I?"

"Easy brother, I put you in a trance. As for Deveron... he's gone to fetch the doctor so I must be quick."

"Aye, but you never said who you are...."

"You will see soon enough when you come into our woods."

"I know you took George, where is he?" I turned looking around me once more, I wanted nothing more than to be back in my body.

"Why don't you tell me, I know you saw him already."

My stomach twisted, the vision. The body hanging by its feet, throat slit vigorously. All this time it had been the bearded George Hartford.

"You killed him?" I spit out harshly.

"Do you hear yourself brother? He was standing in your way to having that girl you spend so many nights accompanied by."

"That was not your purpose for killing him though. He was nothing, just a waste of space bystander.... What is on your agenda Druid?"

"Oh, look who has his mothers sharp tongue and no manners."

"You knew my mother?"

"Come to the woods brother, we will talk further."

"Wait-"

His voice chanted again and when I opened my eyes I was still laying on the floor. I stood quickly and immediately regretted it falling to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Oh, my bloody head." I groaned standing up again pinching the bridge of my nose.

"He is in here. I mean he was foaming at the mouth and his eyes were white."

Deveron's voice could be heard from outside the door. I had to get out of the castle without him, he could not come with me. Not this time.

I crawled over the bed to the other side reaching up collecting my saber from the wall. With saber in hand I then fled to the horse painting pulling it open hesitantly not knowing if someone was lingering on the other side.

No one was waiting, it was dark and damp when I pulled myself in closing it behind me. Deveron opened the door just as I closed the painting walking around searching my room.

"I don't get it, he was right here...."

~

The soft thuds of Regem's hooves against the mud were the almost soothing in the silence of the woods. Scattered clumps of snow littered the ground covering the fallen leaves and leaving imprints from the animals passing through nights before.

A crows scream echoed causing Regem's ears to perk forward.

"Galanos...." I whispered turning in the saddle looking up at the trees branches looking like claws reaching out. Where were his unmistakable black feathers and the beating wings?

Caw-Caw.

I pulled back on the reigns bringing Regems to a halt dismounting. It was like I was reliving the vision, before me hung the lifeless body. Blood ran up Georges expressionless face dripping from the tips of his hair.

As I had done in my vision I drew my sword hardly able to grab it with my broken finger cutting the rope letting the body fall the unthawing ground. A horse sounded down the path and Regem answered back.

"No... no, no, no. Shh..." I tried to silence Regem. It could be some of the castle guards... or the Druid.

I left the body where it laid hiding myself in between the trunks of two oaks. A horse approached baring a rider coming into the clearing. The rider must have saw the body jumping off running over kneeling by it.

"Bass?" the male voice called out.

"Deveron, how did you find me little brother?" I pushed myself away from the trees approaching.

"You are the one who taught me how to track tracks in the mud and broken twigs. Is this him?" he nodded to the body.

"Aye, George Hartford."

"How did he die?" he asked banding down to flip over the body.

"Deveron don't-"

He let out a small scream of surprise at Georges cut open throat.

"I told you not to..." I reached down helping him to his feet.

"How did he die? Who did this Bass?"

"You think I know?"

"Yes. Yes I do, like what was with that freak show back in your room? You were not breathing, I mean I could not even feel a pulse."

"I had an episode." I shrugged and pulled out my dagger from my boot cutting the ropes around Georges ankles.

"You think the guards had something to do with this?"

"Maybe they were jealous and had fun with him?"

"No... our guards hang men by their necks not their feet - and most certainly do not bleed a man like an animal."

I stood still holding the dagger loosely in my left hand, "You will find little brother that the guards play by their own rules."

Leaves rustled as footsteps ran over them, snap, our heads looked in the sounds direction.

"Did you here that?"

I held a finger to my lips turning away from Deveron facing the woods. A shadow flickered as it ran from behind a tree.

"Draw your sword," Deveron said as he drew his.

"No," I held up my hand for silence trying to see the figures. One was the Arabic Druid... I could feel it.

"Bass-"

"Even a dead man will answer to the King." I called out showing the Druid my loyalty still was to the King, still to my father.

Deveron looked over his shoulder as someone passed close behind him.

I lifted my right hand out in front of me laying the daggers blade against my palm applying pressure. It cut through my palm slicing through the meat and flesh welling up blood.

"What are you doing?"

"Shh." I silenced him closing my hand into a tight fist letting the blood drip while walking in a small circle around the body and Deveron.

They tightened the circle coming in closer preparing to strike and before I had left I read in the book a prayer of devotion, "عن طريق الدم من الإخوة أنا يجب حماية."

My voice rang out into the woods as I completed the circle with my blood. The sounds of the Druids retreated, yet they still lingered in the trees.

"Bass?" Deveron looked worried coming over to me resting a hand on my shoulder.

"Ah," I winced in pain collapsing onto my knees holding my head in my hands.

"Bass?" he kneeled next to me shaking me gently his voice urgent. "Bass?"

"By drinking of the blood of thy brothers, it symbolizes our blood being entwined. You will live by our ways and follow the rules written by the ones before us." A silver chalice could be seen being dipped into a golden bowl filled with blood of the nine hooded figures that circled it. He held the chalice up high about his head still ranting.

"You will not go against your brothers in any way that would result in another brother being killed by the hands of King Durante. You will not steal another brothers property nor lie to him face to face. If you doubt your ability to uphold and take your part then I will eliminate you."

I could see the chalice being held out in front of me and his accented voice was clear, "It is kill or be killed blood brother."

He handed the glass to me. This all seemed to real....

His hand nudged the cup even closer to my lips, "Join us the code of the brethren, blood brother. Your talents belong with us. Together we will claim what is rightfully ours. We will not stop until every person in the court of France pays with their blood for all the years of pain they have caused us, and for all the souls they slaughtered for pleasure. Join us Sebastian Firenze the halfblooded Prince and rule in your silent sovereignty."