Chapter 1: The Return

"Hey Zarophin!" I turned to see my best friend Xiar running up to me then smiled as he caught up. "Where're you headed Zaro?" "Hey Xi I'm heading to get some bread and fresh vegetables want to join me?" "Sure." Xi and I began walking to the Trade Plaza. "Hey Zaro, I've got the freshest lamb and rice." Shop keeper Janice told me. "Thanks Janice but I don't need any of that today." "You may not need it now but you and your little sister are going to need it so here."

Janice tossed me a fresh slab of lamb all packaged up and gave a bag rice to Xi. "You sure? How much do I owe you?" "I'm sure, plus it's no charge honestly." "Well uh, thanks Janice." "Any time." "Come on Xiar." "I'm coming Zarophin." As it began to twilight I began heading back with the food when Xiar had asked if I would like to join him for drink. "I would love to but I can't. I got to cook my sister some food. After you're done drinking meet me on the wall ramparts so we can see the sunset."

"You bet." As I arrived back home my little sister came and hugged me. "Big Brother!" "Hey, little moon. What did you do today?" "Well I went to go play with my friends and then I did the chores and now I finished my homework." "Sounds like you had a productive day today." I laughed happily.

"I did, now I get to eat dinner with you and train with my favorite big brother!" I chuckled. "I'm your only brother." "That's why you'll always be my favorite Zar!" "I understand Luna." As I began to cook dinner for me and Luna I heard rapid knocking at our door. "Luna! Can you get the door please?!" "Okay!" Luna got up from her seat and ran over to the door and opened the door then screamed in horror I quickly dropped the spoon and ran into the room to see Xiar covered in blood. I quickly told Luna to get the bandages and warm towel and the alcohol and dragged him in the house after I closed the door.

I began to treat his wounds. "Nngh, Zar-Zarophin take Luna and get out of here." "Xiar shut up. Try not to move so much." "Listen to me Zarophin." Xiar put a hand on my shoulder. "You have to take Luna escape into the valley do you remember the water fall?" "Yeah, Why?" "Go there tell them Neon Knight Xiar sent you and take my spear with you." "I'm not leaving you!" "Zarophin! These monsters...The Unmourned are no longer demons nor human they are something far beyond demons and humans." "Luna! Pack our bags!" "Got it!"

(This ether I'm sensing it's getting closer... I have to protect them. Give them enough time to escape!) Xiar began to get up and but used his spear as a crutch as he weakly stood up. "Hey, lay back down!" "No, I'm tired of hiding who I am from you! Just sit back and watch me put in work." That's when the door burst open and these strange creatures began leaping forward. "What are those things?" "Unmourned Hounds. Don't let their claws or teeth touch you!" Xiar twirled his spear over his head and pierced one in the head but it rose from it's impalement he quickly kicked it into a wall and stabbed it in the heart and it turned to ash. "To defeat the Unmourned Hounds you have to hit their two vital spots which are the heart and head."

I got up to aid Xiar and sliced the two other Unmourned Hounds coming at me in half but they just multiplied. "Oh for fucks sake they multiply!?" "Thought that'd be obvious based off the way I killed the first one." "Well Mr. Neon Knight it's not like I expected my day to go from good to extremely bad in a matter of hours!" "Behind you!" Xiar threw his spear impaling the Unmourned Hound in the heart trying to attack me from behind to the wall and tossed a throwing knife at it's head. "Thanks Xi." Xiar nodded his head in agreement that's when one of the Unmourned Hounds pounced on Xiar and tried to bite him repeatedly then I heard Luna scream from our room.

"LUNA!" I scrambled to my feet to go after my sister. "Oh yeah sure, no second thoughts about my well being huh? Heh, I can't blame him though." Xiar kicked the Unmourned Hound off him and started fighting back.

Meanwhile in the room of Luna and Zarophin... "LUNA! Are you okay?" As I entered the room I saw this thing with soot and ash with strange glowing purple markings and cracks all across it's body. "Let Luna go!" The creature looked at me and made some weird clicking noises instead of actual words it then looked at me and finally said: "You and your sibling's ethers strong they are. Will not enslave or kill need alive. Motivation I give you." "The hell you're talking about? Just let my sister go! "I give you six years stronger you get if find me get your sister back." "It'll be a damn cold day in hell before I let you take my sister!"

All of a sudden Luna began to yodel and the creature looked shocked and it's grip on her loosened and I ran to catch her she stopped yodelling as she fell and the creature looked down at us and tried to swing down at us. "Don't touch us!" I yelled and a strange warming feeling overincombised my body this silvery and liquid excreted from my pores and the strange creature stopped just as it's fist reached us. Xiar burst through the room door. "Zarophin! Luna!" (This ether... It's Zarophins he's unlocked his ether ability... Shit it's Mercury I have to get my mask on and Luna out of there!)

Xiar quickly put on his oni mask shaped respirator and ran in and grabbed Luna. (Wait a second, she's not being affected by the methylmercury could it be because they're related?) "Xi, I know you're injured and I hate to ask you this of an injured friend but can you get Luna's bag and get her out here." "What about you!?" "This bastard is mine I'll meet you both at the river bank if I'm not back by high moon then come back for me." "Be careful." "Don't worry I will." "Take these you ass." Xiar tossed two daggers at Zarophin as he jumps and catches them. "NOW GO!"