In a fated meeting between them, they had stood together injured and bloody.             

                "I'll always serve you till the day I die…"

Those were her words to the Hero and I remembered the conviction in them.

                "Only if I perish will you be set free from that vow."

The words the Hero had replied to her and he smiled at the girl who only knew pain.

                "No, even if you die I will follow you."

                "I wouldn't want a girl such as yourself to die for me…live on for others."

I remembered those words that the Hero and Silvia had exchanged when she joined us.

I laughed at the time as I thought she was joking, little did I know, she had never joked.

Silvia was from the Kingdom of Solace. Her ravenous black hair matched the dull golden eyes she always had. Sometimes I would see her stare at the Hero with envy and I knew that feeling all too well. But, she loved the Hero more like the others did, maybe even more so. Silvia was a weapon and she was raised to be a weapon. Her mastery of spy craft from being a Blackbird was on par with none. She was a true assassin and she was one of my dearest companions.

A nagging pain had aggravated my heart. It was sticking to me like a festering wound and I knew that it wouldn't leave me. It had all made sense in my mind but I didn't want to believe it. Silvia would often play a song for us, it was the last thing given to her by her mother. The song that would make you weep or cry for joy as she played it with the flute she carried. Her dull eyes had never changed even when she was with us. Only sometimes they would flicker and that was because of the Hero.

                "Shut up," I whispered. "Shut up you devil."

I was in shambles for a moment but then I quickly chased after the Blackbirds.

I followed the small group of Blackbirds through the city fortress, and I kept pace with them. They continued with a fast measure like they hurried to return to their master. We had passed by more Demons who were mindless and dull. They stood and sometimes staggered about like puppets. Their eyes reminded me of Silvia and how she was as we met her, lifeless and mindless.

I struggled with the thoughts that perhaps it wasn't true. That Silvia was somewhere else being content with her life. But the pain still aggravated in my very being as if there was a chance I was wrong. What could I do when I face her again? I felt weak because of it but I persevered onward.

We had made it to the center of the city fortress and many Blackbirds had gathered.

I was behind only a contingent of Blackbirds as they returned to a fold. They looked at first like a small group but they quickly appeared as a larger following. I hid from a distance but I watched closely with bated breath. They knelt down in front of the large castle at the city center and soon the doors opened.

I had thought there were only a few number of them but I was wrong. There were a considerable amount of Blackbirds and it was no wonder how quickly the fortress fell to them. If there were this many Blackbirds in the Demon territory then they would be able to cause havoc. Queen Helen was quite fast in dispatching these many spies and assassins throughout Demon Territory. I shuddered to think what they might do if they were left unchecked in the Demon populace.

A woman with long black hair walked out while wearing the uniform of the Blackbirds but dyed red.

                "Cardinal, we are here to thy command!"

The woman looked at them and slowly commanded them to rise.

                "You have done well my flock," the woman said.

The Blackbirds moved and stayed in unison. I inched closer and closer to see the girl's face. The weather was still cold and bleak as more snow began to fall. The snow fell and only gently laid on her clothes and white skin. Slowly the girl had parted the hair from her face as she looked up to the heavens. Upon closer inspection of her face, my fears became realized.

Silvia was the Cardinal and she was the leader of the Blackbirds.

I wanted to question why but I already knew the answer for it. She had returned to the thing she knew most and that was mostly likely because of my faults. Never have I thought that she would return to the place where she only knew nothing but pain. All those scars she had on her body probably would not match the scar I had caused to her heart.

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The Gods have continued to torment me and I bit my lip bloody.

                "Have all the Demons succumb?" Silvia said.

                "Yes!" The Blackbirds shouted in unison.

                "What about that matter…" Silvia said with a wave of her arm.

One of the Blackbirds broke ranks and came close to Silvia at which he whispered something in her ear. The Blackbird waited for something to which the Blackbird returned to formation. Silvia looked up to the skies for a moment and then pulled out a flute from her side. Silvia played a song that would send shivers down your spine. After the song was finished, Silvia nodded her head and most of the Blackbirds went into the castle.

Silvia gazed around the city for a moment as if to search for something and then closed her eyes.

                "Come out, whoever you are," Silvia shouted.

I was shocked at her words and leaned closer to the wall to hide.

                "You think you can follow my flock and not be noticed!?" Silvia shouted again.

My heart raced and I dared not move.

                "Fine, I shall leave some birds to play with you," Silvia said.

Silvia went back into the castle with other Blackbirds and the doors closed with a thud.

Five Blackbirds remained and they looked out to the city. I had damned myself in following the Blackbirds in a hurry. I wasn't thinking clearly and didn't try to make my movements be soft. These Blackbirds had skilled themselves and knew the art of the chase. They were not like those young Blackbirds who had followed me in the forest before.

I couldn't run away now, they knew I was here. If I did, they would only give chase. I wanted to save Liz and I couldn't falter. I exhaled a breath and drew my sword out. I walked out from my hiding spot and stepped closer to their line of sight. The Blackbirds drew their own swords and watched me as I appeared.

                "Demon?...No a human," One of the Blackbirds said.

The devil echoed his thoughts in my mind.

Even more now the Devil wanted me to satiate its lust for blood.

                "I'm not human," I replied back. "I'm a monster."

The Blackbirds ran towards me as the winds blew the snow around. I didn't want to be caught in the alleyways of the city, so I moved to an open area in front of the castle. The Blackbirds gave chase and surrounded me quickly. I raised my sword for defense and waited.

                "No matter," Another Blackbird said. "You will die for the Cardinal."

                "I will not die here," I said.

The Blackbird who I rebutted rushed me and tried to stab my body. I deflected his blow and kicked him away from me. Another Blackbird came at me with his sword but I ducked his attack and slashed at his stomach. Blood poured out as he fell to the ground and with another swing of my blade, I severed his head.

The Blackbirds wore masks but I knew this agitated them. They thought of themselves to be fearless but I knew better. None are fearless in the face of death and I was to bring it to them. I kept my composure as I stared at them and then continued my assault. Four were left and they did well to defend against me.

                "Do not falter," a Blackbird said. "Allow him no rest!"

The Blackbirds saw my prowess and didn't want to make a mistake. If I attacked one of them, the others would move in his defense. The clashing of metal rang out through the silent city fortress. The pace of the winds picked up and continuously poured down, even more, snow. I began to breathe more of the cold air as my muscles warmed in battle.

I parried one attack and moved to deflect another. The Blackbirds tried to attack me in unison but it only gave me room to move away. I was only one man against four birds and I kept myself from being hurt. I did not want to waver in my approach to their attacks. I kept my defense up as I moved when they tried to corner me with an array of attacks. Slowly but surely they would give into anger at not being able to deal with me.

Emotions give speed in blows but logic will save your life.

                "Die!" A Blackbird said as he lunged at me.

I side stepped his lunge and stabbed him in his neck. His warm blood sprayed over the snow as the Blackbird would now be forever cold. Another comrade of theirs had fallen and quickly they rushed to strike at me. I parried more blows as I moved around the snowy path. More snow had poured around the castle and it built up to slow quick movements.

Three Blackbirds were left as they widened their approach towards me. One stood in front of me while the other two went to my blind spots from both sides. I smiled as I used my flash step to get behind the Blackbird in front of me. They never thought to use magic or skills against me but I would not hesitate towards them. I appeared behind the Blackbird and removed the head from his torso.

                "You fiend!" A Blackbird shouted.

I flicked the blood from my sword and stared at the Blackbird.

                "As I told you, I'm a monster," I said.

The Blackbird rushed at me and I quickly took the sword from his hand with a blue light. With both swords in my hand, I stabbed into his body and he screamed out in pain. I withdrew the blades and watched as the lone Blackbird quivered in fear. I was going to bring him death for all the harm he's done.

In an instant, I flashed towards the lone Blackbird and rendered him lifeless. I dropped the Blackbirds sword as I looked up to the skies. A feeling welled up in the pit of my stomach. The pain still nagged and ached in my heart. The snow continued to fall as I looked up at the Demon General's castle.

A song started to echo with the winds throughout the city.

This song was what I heard during the days of war.

Was Silvia telling me that war had returned?

No…maybe it never left.