Preparations

Gavin was enjoying himself, lost in that moment between sleep and awake. He felt comfortable beneath the blanket, laying next to Caine.

"We need to get up, we have a lot to do before we start out."

Caine's voice was soft as he spoke, lips hovering over Gavin's ear.

"Mhmm."

Gavin snuggled deeper into the blanket. He was worn out after getting so little sleep for so long. He had put everything into training and just wanted to stay like this forever. Not to mention all the exercise they had done together.

"So lazy. How about this, I'll let you relax a little longer before you have to work but you have to spend that time attuning to your new swords."

Caine whispered in Gavin's ear, punctuating his words by biting Gavin's ear. Gavin groaned and turned over so that they were laying face to face.

"I suppose. How do I attune to them?"

"I was told that you have to put your blood on the blade, on both of them, then you meditate with them while channeling dark energy through them. It may take more than once to fully attune so it's best to start as soon as possible. If you can attune to them soon enough you can use them in the upcoming battles.

From what I was told, once the blades are attuned to you, anyone else that tries to wield them will be attacked by the blades. I've never seen a demon forged weapon used before so I'm curious."

Caine moved closer to kiss Gavin and in the same move rolled him onto his back. Caine was now straddling Gavin and let out a chuckle as he raised Gavin's arms up and pinned them down.

"Before we get up I want to get in a little exercise. Gotta stretch my muscles before putting in the laborious efforts of getting an army together."

*******

After getting dressed for the day Caine left. He had given Gavin two hours to work on his blades before Xanthe would come for him. Gavin had been told that he would be working with Xanthe, that she would be teaching him what he needed to know about being a General.

Gavin ate some dried meat to put food in his stomach then turned his attention to his new blades. He was in awe once again at the sight of the blades. In his opinion they were the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. When he took them out and held them he found that they were balanced well.

He found a comfortable spot on the floor and used one of the blades to cut his hand. As the blade cut his hand he felt as if something within the blade stirred. He smeared the blood from his wound onto the blade then repeated the process with the other blade. Once that was done he held the blades and closed his eyes as he pulled dark energy from around him and moved it through his hands and into the blades.

He stayed like that until he heard a knock at the door. During his nearly two hours of meditation he had felt something within the blades stir to life. He was excited about the feeling and curious as to what it meant. When he heard the knock he knew that it must be Xanthe and that she would have more answers for him.

When Gavin stood he placed the blades in the sheaths on his thighs and went to answer the door.

"Morning."

He greeted Xanthe as soon as he opened the door.

"Morning. I have been sent to retrieve you. Are you ready to work?"

"I'm not sure. I have the feeling that training this past week will be easier than what we're about to do."

Xanthe chuckled, "This is certain the boring side of our job. We will be directing soldiers and supervising all the supplies that will be necessary for travel. I have been preparing for this war my whole life."

Gavin stepped out and closed the door behind him. He was nervous about the whole experience since he's never been in a war before. He's fought on a small scale, but this will be against an entire kingdom.

"What do you know about demon forged swords?"

"Why do you ask?"

They were about to go down the stairs that would lead them to the courtyard when Gavin stopped. He unsheathed one of his blades and showed it to Xanthe. She looked at it with an admiring eye, though she didn't touch it.

"Caine gave me two of these last night."

"Lord Caine must truly like you to give you a demon forged weapon, and two at that."

Gavin found himself blushing as he resheathed the blade. Xanthe laughed as she laid an arm across his shoulders. They started walking again, though they were at a more leisurely pace.

"Do not be so embarrassed. It's a good thing. Demon forged blades are rare, only a few of us even know how to create them. Have you attuned to the blades yet?"

"No, I just started this morning but I don't believe it's complete yet."

"Good. When you go to attune with them next I want you to hold them in your hand as if you were going to use them. Once you feel the attunement is complete, name them. Not many know about this method, but it will bond you even closer to them and if you were to ever lose one all you need do is call it by name and it will appear in your hand.

Also, they won't be fully awakened until they shed the blood of someone who is not their master."

Gavin knew that she would have more knowledge about it and was glad he had asked. He was excited to complete the attunement, having blades that he could summon would be helpful.

"Thanks, I'll make sure to do that. Now I'm really excited to have them attuned to me."

Xanthe stopped them again at the bottom of the stairs. They could see demons with armor and weapons moving about the courtyard from where they stood. Xanthe removed her arm from his shoulder and smiled at Gavin.

"I'm glad that you're here. I haven't seen Lord Caine this happy since he came here and I find that I'm enjoying our friendship."

Gavin felt the same way. He's only known Xanthe for a week and feels more connected with her than his dead comrades whom he had traveled with for two months. As for Caine, well, he's still not certain how to feel about him on the whole. They've had some strange moments, they've also had some amazing moments. Like last night, the night with the pastry.

"You're going to make me blush."

He waved her away and walked out into the courtyard. Xanthe couldn't suppress her smile as she followed him outside. It had been a long time since she had been comfortable around someone enough to call them a friend. She respected the strength that Lord Caine and Gavin held. She had known Caine for ten years and had never felt the bonds of friendship. He was the kind of ruler who kept himself separate from his people.

It was organized chaos in the courtyard as soldiers moved about. Everyone knew their job and were efficient about getting it accomplished. Xanthe and Gavin were simply there to make certain things move on time and to fix any issues that came up.

Gavin noticed that everyone kept glancing his way. It almost seemed like some made a point of walking by just to catch a glimpse.

"Is it just me or is everyone staring?"

"They're just excited to get a look at their new general. You made an impression when we fought."

"Speaking of, how are you feeling today?"

"In good enough shape to fight. It's been a long time since I've been that injured."

If she hadn't been smiling while talking about it he would have assumed she was upset. It would take him a while to adjust to the demon's way of life.

It was late afternoon when they came across Caine. The supplies had all been loaded and the soldiers were getting into formation.

"Good timing. Gavin, have you ever ridden a horse?"

"Once when I was younger so it probably doesn't count."

He saw the 'horses' they were bringing over and began to dread what was coming. The horses that were coming their way were huge and made him think of the Clydesdale's he had seen on tv.

Unlike the horses he's seen, these reminded him of shadows with their dark coloring and how they didn't quite seem corporeal. Their mane and tails were made of dark energy and flowed as if the wind were blowing. Their eyes were a deep red and carried about themselves an air of death.

"You're going to have fun then. These are Night Mares, horses that have lived in this dimension so they've been changed by the atmosphere the same way the demons have.

They are a smooth ride so that will save you some discomfort."

It was awkward mounting the horse, a stool had to be used because they were so tall. Once the three of them were mounted Caine and Xanthe moved in close to Gavin.

"You can use the reins to direct them or you can use a combination of dark energy and intent. They've been trained for both. They have the ability to become incorporeal, they negate all magical attacks and have a thick hide that has a strong resistance to blades.

"Overall they are an excellent war horse. You're riding Zeda. I picked her for you because she has the calmest temperament. If we had the time you would be properly trained to ride. It's just your luck that you get to learn the hard way."

Caine laughed as he moved forward. Xanthe moved her horse to walk beside Gavin as the army began to move forward. Caine led the way, as the Demon Lord he was the only one who could open the dimension and allow the army to leave.

Behind Caine were his two generals, and the army's cavalry. They were 10,000 strong and each with their own Night Mare. Following the cavalry were the foot soldiers, starting with those equipped with spears, those with swords and the rear with bows. The foot soldiers were 20,000 strong.

It wasn't a large army, but when taking in their racial abilities and use of dark magic they were stronger than an army three times their size. Not only could every soldier fight, but they were all mages as well. No other army could boast such skill.

Caine paused a moment as he came up to the dimensions exit. He said a few words and a portal opened. He would have preferred if it had opened up at their destination, the city of Dreymore. It could have saved them a lot of time. Unfortunately the dimension only opens at the mouth of the cave.

Caine stepped out of the cave's entrance and squinted his eyes at how bright it was. Most of the last ten years had been spent inside the pocket dimension. They may have their own day and night cycle but the false sun was nowhere near as bright as the real thing.

Having only spent a short time within the dimension Gavin's reaction wasn't as strong. It took him only a moment to adjust. Xanthe, on the other hand, was nearly blinded by the light.

Caine had prepared them for this moment and everyone moved through slowly. No more than three at a time came through. As they moved through they used magic to protect their eyes from the harsh light of the surface sun.

Generations of demons had never left the safe confines of their pocket dimension. Evolution had changed them so that they could live comfortably within.

Caine held his horse until he was even with Gavin then started to move again.

"Our first goal is to reach the base of the mountain. We will stop and wait there until everyone has caught up. By my estimates we should be able to move out just after nightfall."

If they moved while it was still light out they would be spotted by Dreymore and lose the element of surprise. The base of the mountain runs straight into a flat plains. A day's ride from the mountain is the city of Dreymore and with the land being flat it is visible to the city.

Dreymore boasts a population of 100,000, with an army of 20,000. Outside of Edicia's capital Dreymore is the largest city in the kingdom. Over a thousand years ago, before the demons went into hiding, Dreymore was the capital city of Yisa the demon kingdom.

It took three hours for the front of the army to reach the base of the mountain. Gavin took the first chance he could and dismounted. It was not elegant and looked more like he fell off. He was already sore after the short ride.

Caine chuckled and dismounted as well, his dismount was elegant.

"Gavin, why don't you take the downtime to attune with your blades."

Caine stepped up to Gavin and cupped his face.

"I want you to be prepared for when we get to Dreymore. I have a spy within the city that says Princess Joelle is there. She has apparently come to check in on you."

Before Gavin could say anything Caine leaned in and kissed him then walked off. Gavin felt his anger rising and the cold feeling grip his heart at the thought of seeing Joelle again.

"Isn't that the Princess of Edicia?"

Xanthe turned his attention outward as he nodded his head in response.

"Yes. She was one of the ones who summoned me and the one who told me that I had to kill Lord Caine in order to return home."

"What?" Xanthe's voice was raised in surprise and outrage. "It takes quite a bit of resources to initially summon someone, but to move back and forth between worlds all you need are a couple mages and a few power stones.

"Do you think that they feared you might abandon them if they allowed you to return?"

Gavin shrugged, "I don't think I care. Lord Caine has said that he would allow me to visit my family and I'm still here."

Sure, Caine had said that he had to earn the privilege but he hadn't said that joining the war was required.

"I see. In your place I would be angry."

A look filled his eyes that Xanthe had never seen him with before. It was an emotion that raised her lips in a wicked smile. He is more demon than he knows.

"Oh, I am."

With that he walked off to find a quiet place to meditate. Gavin sat just outside the gathering army. It was in a spot that would give him some privacy but allow him to notice if they started to move.

Like earlier he cut each hand and painted the blades with his blood. This time, though, he gripped the pommel of a blade in each hand as he began to feed them dark energy.

Gavin was surprised at how much dark energy was available. He could only theorize that it was in abundance because only a few dare use it. From what he understood of Edicia���s laws you were executed if it was discovered that you used dark magic. He was curious about the effect it would have on the blades by using dark energy from the pocket dimension and the surface.

It was nearly two hours in when he felt a shift in the blades. It felt as if something inside them was reaching out. He reached back and connected with the two blades.

"Zetsubo, Shikyo."

He called out the names of his blades and felt a fluctuation from them that he could only assume was them approving their names. It was still light out when he opened his eyes. He stood and sheathed his blades before moving back to the camp.

It didn't take long for him to find Caine. He was sitting at a table with Xanthe. They were talking and looking over a map.

"If we can maintain silence the spell will be enough to keep us invisible to the guards. The only problem would be if a mage was stationed on the wall."

Gavin sat down on the bench Caine was using, there was just enough room for the two of them. Caine stopped talking and turned his attention to Gavin.

"How did it go?"

"They're not fully awakened but they are attuned."

"Awakened?"

"Yes, it's a deeper bond than a simple attunement. Not many know about it, the only reason I do is because my father forged weapons."

Xanthe answered Caine's question. Her face lit up as she talked about it. Her father had been one of the greatest weapon makers when he had been alive. Even after all these years she still felt pride in her father and his accomplishments.

"A basic attunement and an awakening is like comparing a human war horse to one of ours. Superior by far."

"I see. I can't really complain if it gives the blades more power. Now, onto a topic I need answers for. Princess Joelle."

Gavin wasn't sure why Caine was looking at him as if he had answers.

"Because I know of your past with her I will let you decide how we proceed. Do we hold her captive and try to use her as leverage for negotiations with Edicia? Or should we kill her?"

Gavin had to really think about that one. He knew what his first response would be, but this isn't all about him. He isn't just a Hero, he isn't just some high school student. He fought for his position as a general and he has to act accordingly.

"My first response is to say 'kill her.' But that's too shortsighted and thinking only of myself. So, I say we use her. If there is even a small chance that she can give us the leverage to take Edicia with minimal resistance then we should go for it.

'I've also come to realize that I'm a little petty. Watching her despair at demons taking over her country, that would make my day."

Caine likes the look Gavin had as he spoke, it was the look of a man who wanted to relish his revenge.

"That's settled, then."

Caine and Xanthe went back to discussing strategy. Gavin listened and tried to follow along but before he knew it he had fallen asleep. Nearly a week of sleep deprivation coupled with the loss of energy from attuning his weapons was too much for him.

Caine felt pressure on his shoulder but didn't think much of it while talking with Xanthe. He ended up turning to look at Gavin because he saw Xanthe constantly looking over.

He realized then what the pressure on his shoulder was, Gavin had fallen asleep and laid his head on Caine's shoulder. Caine fought the urge to smile as he looked at the sleeping form.

"Should we wake him?"

Caine shook his head. "No, let him sleep a little longer. He's been working hard lately."

"Mhmm."

"What?"

He turned to Xanthe, not sure what she was trying to imply.

"I know that your reasoning for starting all this was to bring the hero to our side. I've been watching the two of you and believe that he's more than just a tool to you."

Caine snorted and shook his head. "What makes you think that."

"I don't want you to think it's a bad thing, because it's not. In the ten years I've known you I've never seen you smile this much. The gift of the blades or the fact that you took time off yesterday."

"The blades are simply to help him grow stronger."

"You haven't given me demon forged blades."

Caine started to argue but then stopped. He couldn't deny it because he knew it was true. Somehow he had gotten attached to Gavin. He's never gotten attached to anyone, never cared about anyone before.

"Why don't you let the men know that they have an hour before we move."

"Yes, my Lord."

Xanthe left but the look she gave him said she knew she'd won.

How did it end up like this? When Caine had purchased the blades he had been on his daily walk of the castle grounds. He had walked by the weapons shop and decided to check it out.

Xanthe had been updating him every day about Gavin's training and had mentioned he was using two small swords. Caine knew that the weapons Gavin currently had wouldn't hold up to his new powers.

A demon forged blade had caught his eye and he had decided to have the twin blades created for Gavin. He could lie and say they were purchased to make Gavin stronger, but the truth was that he just wanted to see Gavin smile.

That evening with the pastry, the look of pure joy on Gavin's face, it had touched on something Caine hadn't realized existed. Seeing Gavin happy had made him happy. Getting the blades had made him happy because they made Gavin happy.

Caine has never cared about others' happiness before. It was a strange feeling and he wondered if he was growing weak in his old age.