Sicily. Her little head popped out of my jacket and revealed herself to them.

'She was cold, just wanted to keep her warm.' I told them, it was too honest for them to comprehend.

'You have been requested.' The old one said, stepping forward, 'but we were told to. . . ask politely.'

And politely they did. Two people I hate have sent more people I despised to do something I will loath. I held my wrists out to them.

'Were chains a part of this agreement?' I asked.

'Only should you resist. Come with us.' He ordered, and his thralls all prepared to escort me in a formed body.

'Alright, but I'm taking the fish!' I warned, strolling after the old mage.

He lead us to the outskirts of town, the woodland I originally came in through. The escort all took form in a circle around me and the mages, each one was preparing for any type of resistance I would bring.

'We need to wait till the rain stops, I will need to transport us precisely and the rain will interfere-' the old mage was talking.

'With your Mana. Drain a lot more than you need to, but I got a feeling the only reason you didn't head inside a shop or tavern is because you want to be. . . discreet.' I finished, trying my best to impress him.

'. . . Your deduction skills are as good as your brother claimed, I would be impressed if you werent on the wrong side.' He told me.

'And what side is that?' I asked, intrigued.

'The side of feral animals, of savagery, this. . . common life, you gave up power for that?' he queried.

'. . . I was expelled from the order at the cost of two lives and a mat's limb. What I saw. . . I will never erased from my mind, and what I hear. . . it's still there lurking. With its voice in my head I became a feral animal, a monster for a time before I found what was right. This common life or power? Just take my power and let me have life.' I told him, he seemed satisfied with my answer and turned his attention to the sky.

'Rains stoppin', let us go now.' He ordered, and he raised his arms.

Of the six armored guards three disappeared in a flash of faint blue light, the rest remained where they stood, watching me. He sent an advanced guard so that when we arrived I couldn't run. Careful and smart, but predictable. I fondled the bag of coin and Sicily in my jacket, waiting for it. . .

Around me I could see the sparks beginning to grow in size. And now. I tossed a handful of coins into the growing lights and the began to disappear. I ran up and punched the old Mage, I threw the fish at the young mage who screamed as the remaining guards drew their blades.

'Wait, wait!' I yelled, grabbing Sicily from my jacket, 'This is a bag way to say goodbye, but I will miss you.'

I kissed her head, and threw her out of the area.

'Alright. Let's go.' I said, and they guards moved on me.

The first guard attempted to drive his blade into my gut, I stepped to the side and grabbed the visor of his helmet. I cast my spells and I began to melt the steel in my hands. I was careful and precise, the visor melted to the rest of his helmet to the point where the visor was essential a steel sheet over his eyes. I threw him to the side as the next guard attempted to slice down my torso, but I stepped to the side and grabbed the collar of his chest piece. I threw him to the mud, and planted my hand on his armour.

'Aquamentis!' I cast the spell, drawing the mud and water around us into his armour.

I ripped off his helmet, took up his sword and faced down the last guard who wasn't going to strike me. He patiently waited for me to strike. Very well, I will obliged you. I put on the helmet and took a stance. I struck high, low, his left, then right, every attempt was repealed with ease. Fighting like a Templar won't do, so maybe. . . Like a wolf. I waved my arms and legs as I danced around him.

'Come on, I don't have a day-!' I was taunting, and he already took the initiative.

He charged and we locked blades. I forced the point of his sword to the right while I seized his collar and drove my knee into his groin. That wasn't wolf style, more like bar style. He seemed unaffected for a while, but he pulled off his helmet showed me the truth. . .

'Y-you're a woman!?' I asked to her face, and she kneed me in the groin.

'And your and ass!' she said back as I backed away.

'. . . Fair. . . enough. . .' I responded, regaining my composure as I took a stance, 'Let's go again!'

Much like before, our fight was leaning her way. She was strong, precise and faster than me. I attempted to break her guard but as I tried to drive my sword into her shoulder, she managed disarm me and slice into my left forearm. After the cut, she kicked me over into the mud.

'. . . Your too good.' I complimented.

'Sure your not just going easy on me?' she jested.

'No. . . I just perfected magic over swords.' I told her, I raised my arm, 'Aquamentis!'

I flooded her armor with the mud and sludge around us. Her movements were slow, she struggled as she raised her sword just to drop it.

'You-little-ah!' she screamed as she fell back into the mud.

'Relax, I hear mud is very. . . Its uh, full of minerals.' I mused as she struggled to move.

I was laughing to myself before I heard it. I turned to see the old man stumbling on his feet, arm raised to attack with a sinister glow emanating from his hand. I cast a shield around me and the guard and the flames fanned out all around us. As the fire died, the forest around us was in ashes, the mud turned to hard clay and the two armoured guards I dealt with belfore were writhing in pain.

'No, what have you done!?' I screamed, rushing to the aid of one of the fallen, 'Just breath-I can hell you-I c-can-!'

I was about to cast any spell I could to help. Healing chants, cooling charms, anything. . . but as I tried to help him he lied there shaking and looked at me, watching. . . until he stopped breathing. His face was seared, his armour blackened and his eyes. . . lost in a slush of tears, blood and ash across his face.

'. . . You killed him. . .' I said, I got up and turned to the old mage.

'He was in the way. If you came with us without resisting he would still be alive.' He told me, walking towards me, 'It's. Your. Fault.'

He's scolding me, I can feel the anger. . . the desire flowing through me. . . I promised I wouldn't. . .

'. . . I would have walked away with no one hurt. . . I renounced killing. . . so you better kill me then, otherwise. . . I will break that promise. . .' I told him and he just stood there, unfazed.

He shot his arm out towards me and I flew back into a tree. I fell to the ground and copped a mouth full of mud.

'I'll tell my superiors that you tried to kill us all, and this was the only way to save the rest.' He explained as he approached me, 'I will spare them the details.'

He slowly raised his arm to me and from his fingertips grew lights which grew and swirled into the shape of a large T.

I will die here. . . I'm sorry Nora, it may be wrong but I want to break my promise now. . .

There was a rustling above me, Iooked up and saw Sicily jump I not the mages face, screaming as she went. He thrashed around, trying to pry her from his face which eventually he did. He ripped her from his face, taking flesh with her, he cast her to the ground before him and he began to stomp on her. Again. Again! AND AGAIN!

I got up and rushed him over. Like an animal I beat him, raising my arms and driving them down on his head. Again and again and again. I didn't stop. . . His raspy breathing and gargling stopped a while ago. . . I could only hear the sound of flesh and bone being beaten savagely.

I stopped. Drawing my blood and damage hands away from him as I back away from him. I broke my promise, and. . . it hurts. . . avenging someone with murder. . . does not feel any different. . . than killing as I did before. Sicily's body was broken. She wasn't breathing. Her heart didn't stop. . . it was just crushed. . . without mercy. . .remorse! THIS WAS THE RESULT OF TEMPLAR MEDDLING. . . MY BROTHER SET THIS IN MOTION. . . MY BROTHER DID THIS TO HER. . . WHY BROTHER!?

'WHHHYYY!?' I screamed to the heavens, and what I got in return was crack of lightning.

I had nothing but a dead companion in my arms and a broken promise. I could hear movement. The young mage was trying to escape, the skin on his face was breaking out in a rash, and when he saw me watching him he began scampering away. I set her down and stomped over to him.

'NO-PLEASE-AGH!' He screamed, but one punch to his face cut that all short.

Hell live, but the others. . . except. . . I turned around to find the point of a short sword against my chest, resting over my heart, wielded by a young woman, a Templar guard. She stripped out of her armour to her undergarments just to face me.

'. . . Drive straight and true. . .' I told her, wanting it.

I closed my eyes and waited, feeling the steel point slowly tear into my garments. . . but it was drawn back. I opened my eyes and saw her lowering her sword.

'. . . He killed them, not you. I came her to capture a criminal. . . but you didn't start this.' She told me, the look on her face was clear: shock, realization, and horror.

'. . . What is your name?' I asked her.

'. . . Daniel's.' she told me.

'. . . I was Templar once, when they still served the good,' I began, as I picked up Sicily and cradled her, 'And for so long I thought I'd change the world. . . and in doing so I created a nightmare. . . they cut me loose after that.'

'Why are you telling me this?!' she asked, well demanded.

'They want me back. . . for the monsters I made. . . for what's in my head. . . don't be one like me, do good elsewhere Daniels, four your sake.' I told her, and I walked away through the woods.

'. . . More will come!' she warned me.

'Let them. . . I already broke my promise!' I told her.

I cared not for where I was heading, just that my feet carried me somewhere safe. Somewhere pleasant. The right place to set my friend to rest.

A Year Later. . .