Chapter 2:

The room was dark, and that was how he liked it. There was such dark energy surrounding him. It was the only thing that made him smile, that gave him peace. It was ultimate hate that he lived for. Revenge. Karceoles must die for doing this to him, for killing his beloved. Oh how he missed her. She was the only good thing in his life.

"Hairamat…" He whispered his love's name.

He looked down at his hands, so wrinkled and dark. They were tan from centauries of living. It was torture living for so long, especially now, without his love. She was the one person that brought him balance. He almost remembered himself as a normal person before she got sick. He was changed now. It was all for her, to save her life, and he did, until Karceoles killed her.

He ran water on his fingers and poured the hot water on his face. It burned and steamed around his red eyes. He looked in the mirror at his savage face. His gray beard wasn't short anymore, but long and all over his face. His wrinkles had only worsened. He put his black robe on and walked outside.

The light tore into his eyes and almost blinded him. His room was so dark compared to outside. After his eyes adjusted he saw the ranzak and daerions acting restless. It was exactly as he wanted them, craving battle. When they finally got to attack, they will not stop.

"Lord Zergiel." Came a slither.

He looked up to see a ranzak dressed in blue leather mail. His complexion was dark except for his black scales that moonlight shone off of. This was his captain for the ranzak.

"Yes Rabok?" Zergiel asked.

"We hunger for battle," he slithered.

"Not yet, trust me, when the time is right we will strike, not before," Zergiel said.

Another warrior walked up to him, this one a daerion dressed in red leather armor. It made him stand out more than any other with his rough blue skin underneath bright red armor. His horns going towards his jaw were beaten from hard battle.

"Yes captain?" Zergiel asked.

"Your necromancers have arrived," he informed.

"Thank you," Zergiel said.

He looked at his three necromancers. All had black and gray hair down their back and a full face of neatly trimmed hair coming to a point at their chins. It would almost be impossible to tell them apart if not for the different color robes.

The youngest and newest addition to their force was Darelme. He wore dark green robes and was the one who came up with raising dead scorpions for an army. He created the Nacropis. Zergiel was grateful for his addition to the force.

The oldest was Valender. He wore purple robes and had always excelled at raising the dead. He was one of the first ones that Zergiel had met when his life started changing.

The last was Dumarst. He wore yellow robes and was the best at spells. He liked to cast frost armor and unholy speed. He was also working on a spell to permanently increase the Nacropis armor.

"What do you have for me?" Zergiel asked.

Darelme held up a cage full of scorpions. A few were small and others large. Only some were of the same species. Some were black and others beige and even a few blue ones. Not all of them were alive as some had already been killed by the others.

Zergiel smiled at the start of his army of Nacropis. They were by far the most formidable foe. Zergiel poked his finger at the black metal cage only to be almost pinched. He hoped to create an entire army of Nacropis'. He knew the ranzak and daerions could only help so much but with Nacropis' he could easily destroy mankind.

"And they will be able to be controlled?" Zergiel asked.

"So far only for a limited time, however we are working on crafting a spell to make them permanently under our control," Dumarst said.

"Very good, now you must find more. I want an army of them. I want our final march on Sudegam to be its destruction!"

Zergiel stood in the shadows of the night. It was this area that actually scared him. He was going to the only place that was unpredictable. The wind blew harsh and the freezing temperature gave Zergiel chills. The sky was black and full of glowing stars, enough to light up the clearing that Zergiel stood in.

He was impatient, yet he waited. He knew impatience would only make things more difficult. He saw a shadow disappear in front of him. It happened so quick even he could barely see it. He held his hands at his waist clasped over each other and closed his eyes. He waited several minutes.

"I've been expecting you." Came a cruel female voice.

He opened his eyes to see her in front of him. Her beauty outmatched any other. Her charcoal skin shone in the stars and long pearl hair fluttered in the wind. Her red eyes were intoxicating. Her skin was so soft and he only wished he could touch it.

"Arria… I come to ask for your help," Zergiel said.

She watched him carefully, studying him. She broke out a small half smile. "What is in it for me?"

"Sudegam's destruction," he said.

"And what of sister?" she asked.

"Her life spared and turned over to you, everyone else… there won't be prisoners," Zergiel grinned.

Arria smiled full this time. She had perfect white teeth. She placed a dagger she had in her hand, close to Zergiel's throat, back on her belt. She wore chain mail with black plate armor covering her chest, hips and long boots. The rest of her soft charcoal skin was exposed.

"So will you help?" Zergiel asked.

"What all do I have to do?" she asked.

"Be a general of my army for the attack," he said.

"You did not choose me so you can have a general. What is it you need with my… abilities?" she asked.

"Come to my camp and I'll explain all the details of what I need you to do," he said as he smiled.

The wind was cold at it blew at her face. She walked swiftly, yet silent. She had to go out of her way to dodge every dry leaf and twig. Mostly dried pine leaves, but there were also plenty of maple trees around. It was no longer summer, but not yet fall. Still the premature leaves scattered the ground.

She looked through the trees, she still saw nothing but blackness. The stars were dull this night, covered in clouds. She smiled at her luck, or was it more than luck. She could see better at night than anyone else, even elves. Her vision was like an owl's at night, she was now nocturnal. She was still fine at day, but she preferred night.

Sudegam was still miles away, but that didn't stop her from being careful. She had to evade their guards, and since they were elves, she was careful. She learned a long time ago to never underestimate the elves. If she were evading humans, she could run full speed and not be worried.

It had been so long since she traveled freely through the forests. She had spent so much time in hiding, awaiting the moment she could strike again. Once she had tried but she saw something she didn't expect… humans. She still didn't know what her sister was doing with a human.

She knew that the old wizard was having trouble with the elves and knew it would only be a matter of time until he sought her out. A smile sprang upon her lips as she realized how dependent he was on her. She would play along with his game for now, but there wasn't any telling how long it would be until she grew bored of his… games.

She saw an elf perched up in a tree keeping an eye on the surroundings. The elf wore only leather armor. Arria smiled as she tapped her finger through the air creating a noise behind the elf. The beautiful female elf turned around searching for the noise. Arria was already climbing up the tree. When the elf turned back around there was already a dagger against her throat. Arria looked into the eyes of the beautiful blond elf. Her eyes were full of fear, Arria smiled as she slit her throat. The elf's body collapsed and Arria caught her and put her on her back.

Arria looked at the quick sand in front of her and smiled. It was such a foolish magic trap. She didn't have to carry the elf on her back for long now. She threw the elf from her back into the quick sand, watching her disappear in seconds.

She continued on, not wanting to waste any time to complete her mission. The thing Zergiel had asked her to do brought a smile upon her face. She knew he possessed cruelty, but even this quest surprised her. It was dangerous, but well within her abilities.

She knew where every elf guard would be on the way to Sudegam, and she planned to eliminate them all. Every fall of an elf made the land a better place for her. How dare the elves cast her out, they didn't understand. The elves were scared that magic couldn't be controlled. How foolish of them, Arria was well in control of it. At first the magic overwhelmed her, but now she knew how to use it. With her mother no more, all that was left was the elves who took her away. She remembered too well what happened during the war.

In the distance she could see two male elf guards in full armor blocking the only path leading towards Sudegam. She hid behind a tree as she used her black magic to create a commotion of noise coming from down far. The two guards pulled out their swords and ran the path. They searched to see if the war was about to start. As they passed her, she came from the tree and ran past their guard post. Before she continued on she poured some black magic in their canteen.

The forest was quiet, and every sound of nature she took in. The sound of humming birds fluttering in the wind encircled in her mind. The dragonflies that followed anything shiny she watched as they bounced around the glitters of fresh raindrops on leaves. She pulled out her canteen and drank from it. She felt the liquid seeping through her veins, giving her control again. Control over the body she was in. She would be in control, always.

She felt more powerful now, and not as weak. She kept the black magic elixir with her. If she ever felt weak she would always take a drink. No matter how much she drak she could not get rid of the weakness of her sister. No matter how hard she tried to forget her, the love only grew stronger with each passing day.

She changed paths to head another way to Sudegam. The way she was going had too many elves. She decided to find the humans, the weakest race of them all. They had the most in numbers, but they were so scattered without a leader. She could smell them and it was an offal taste in her mouth.

Soon she came close to the humans. There were five of them talking amongst themselves. She scouted around and found no others. She wondered what these few were doing out by themselves. She smiled at the thought as she crept closer to them so she could hear their conversation.

"So the elves are letting us stay now?" A blond man asked.

"It appears so. They've finally accepted the inevitable. They now know that the army is coming. We all may be doomed." A black haired man replied.

Arria smiled at this. These humans didn't realize how much was really coming. She remembered the human the discovered Zergiel's forces. It was before she aligned herself to him. She watched him and was impressed with his courage and strength. Still, it was not her duty to stop him. She actually hoped they'd overcome the wizard, and after they were weak she could strike herself. Yet, now she seemed to be on the old wizards side, for now.

"I don't like it out here, it seems too quiet. We should get back to camp." A brunette said looking around.

"Are you scared Cameron?" the blond asked smiling.

"I just don't have a good feeling." He whispered.

Arria decided that it was time. She withdrew her sword and pounced on the blond quickly slicing his throat. She smiled at the remaining four whom three quickly pulled out swords. She balanced her attacks on them fairly relaxed and grabbed a dagger from her belt which she threw into the neck of one leaving her only two opponents.

"Cameron, help!" yelled one of the men attacking her.

She smiled as she saw the brunette still standing in place jaw dropped and eyes wide staring at her. He didn't even attempt to get his sword out. She respected him. He knew that they were all as good as dead and found it useless to even try.

She quickly dodged a sword and responded with a few slashing causing the men to back off. They quickly came back at her with a high and low slash. She knew she couldn't avoid both of them and so she slid her leg forward and dropped to her right knee raising her sword to block the low attack. The high sword brushed the air above her hair. She licked her lips and thrust her sword into the groin of the human in front of her. He tumbled to his knees.

The last came rushing at her and she blocked a few strikes before climbing over him and jumping to land on the other side. She smiled when he turned around to face her and she decapitated his head watching it roll across the ground.

She walked up to the man bleeding from his groin and laughed. He attempted to fight with one hand on his sword, but she quickly knocked it away and he screamed in terror. The scream was short lived as soon his head rolled off of his shoulders and landed by her feet.

She set her sword back in its holster and walked up to the brunette man still standing staring at her. He hadn't moved since she appeared and she silently laughed as she saw him take a big gulp. She took her chain mail gloves off and tied them to her pouch revealing her charcoal hands and black fingernails.

"Why don't you fight Cameron?" She asked coldly.

His jaw closed as he took another gulp. "What is the point, I can't win."

"Good point, I'm glad to see a human have some sense." She smiled circling him now.

"What are you?" He asked.

"I am your worst nightmare." She laughed.

"Are you going to kill me?" He asked.

She turned to face him now. She looked deep into his hazel eyes. "Yes."

"Please… have mercy." He begged.

A smile pursed her lips as she walked closer to him. She gently placed her hand on his face and felt his shivers. Such fear excited her and gave her magic strength. She enjoyed the face of horror that shone into her eyes.

"Why should I have mercy upon you?" Arria asked.

"I have children… and… and a wife." Cameron begged.

"Mmm… all the more tempting." She said as she approached her face closer to his. She could feel his warm breath upon her cold face. "How would your wife feel about another woman's lips on yours?"

Before he could speak she leaned in and kissed him. At first it was shock that she had kissed him and then the freezing lips caught him off guard. He tried to fight the kiss, but he couldn't help it. Despite her inhuman looks and evil, she enticed him and he even felt attracted to her now.

As he sank more into the kiss he felt weaker as if the life was fading out of him. His skin became darker and his eyes widened. He tried to force himself out of the kiss now but it was already too late. The life was draining from his body until his skin was as charcoal as hers. He dropped to the ground, lifeless.

Arria smiled. "Your wife deserves better if you're so easily drawn to temptation."