THE STRENGTH OF BONDS

It was many years ago, Setna's sister had taken to the Dark Continent. The Tigeran of her tribe had a way to travel between great barriers and before they were found it had become more or less frequent.

Alas the Gods were infuriated upon discovering the breach, a majority of their tribe was massacred, and the breach sealed. Those few who were on the other side were stranded there.

The lucky ones who had managed to escape or survive the wrath of the gods hid themselves away completely. Eventually dying out. The order of the Assassins seeing the opportunity, had taken in the members of the race. Not only to study them but also to use them as they saw fit.

Setna's sister who was on the other side became such an experiment. Setna herself had her own journey. It was when Cyer had arrived that she was given a letter from her sister, the first time in ages that she had had any contact with her and that too was apparently after her death. Setna had found out that she had a niece and her sister had requested that if ever a time had come, she had to care for Isis.

Now. After what felt like ages, Setna had felt the call of her own people. The blood of family, someone of her tribe. It had to be Isis. Her niece. The only thing that was left of her sister. Setna had been on her own mission so she could not immediately heed the call but now she was rushing towards her.

Isis, she wondered if she looked like her mother.

...

Her paces were almost frantic as she walked back and forth. Around twenty-five hooded figures surrounded her. She looked up at the stars down at her diary and then towards the entrance to the camp.

…

"Captain. We could go out and look for her," One of the figures commented looking at the frantic Aria.

"No. No. we can't do that. We had to rendezvous with her, so she will be here." Aria was answering herself more than the others.

"Captain it has been three days over the appointed time, we cannot afford to stay here longer" Another voice.

"I know but if we leave, she won't find us here," Aria spoke aloud.

"She is more than capable of taking care of herself."

"I know but the monsters here are far dangerous than we thought. We need to stay together."

"You are not giving us much of a choice captain"

"Please bear with me." Aria spoke in a pleading tone. Looking at the stars yet again.

...

Isis was having this strange feeling that felt uniquely nostalgic, she had not felt this way before. Ever since she had entered the desert, this feeling had kept growing. At first Isis had thought that it was just the environment that was causing this but now it had grown so strong that she couldn't ignore it any further.

Someone was near. Someone she should know.

The map that the boy had given her had mentioned an assassin camp that was still far from her location. Could it be her Aunt? Her mother's letters had told her of the only family she had left. Was it the person known as Setna? With her thoughts racing she heard a knock at the door.

Isis had been camping at an abandoned village. The door opened and walked in the presence that had been causing her to feel so much. And so Setna met Isis for the first time. Without a word both knew who the other was. They could feel their blood settle down, a calm that Setna hadn't felt in ages. A calm that Isis had never felt before.

....

"Lady Zasha, its time. We have found an encampment, Assassins," A familiar voice sounded good in Zasha's ears as she gazed at her sword.

The crimson blade had commenced the hunt for assassins, not only was it a personal vendetta that she meant to address but also it was important for the order to deliver a strong message to all observing foes that they were not to be taken lightly.

"The funeral?" Zasha inquired; reports had been spreading like wildfire that the assassins were holding an open funeral.

This was obviously a decoy or a trap as most factions knew this was not how the Assassins operated. Zasha on the contrary choose to bite the bait. Her anger getting the best of her the crimson blade was eager to shed assassin blood.

"Nay my lady. They all seem to be, Inexperienced." The officer reporting was from the allied troops that had gathered under the banner of the crimson. He had had his due run ins with assassins and as such was aware of the enemy's tactics.

"What makes you say that?" Zasha raised an eyebrow looking at the man.

"The fact that we have tracked them and that they haven't relocated yet." The white wolf in order to deliver an appropriate response had spared no efforts for Zasha's hunt. Soldiers and commanders from various regions from various masters had been gathered.

"Could just be a trap," Zasha was evaluating the situation, she was eager yes, but she was not a fool. Her command was appreciated by many.

"That is a possibility indeed," The officer agreed.

"Set up a parameter, an anti-teleportation field and observe for now. Do not engage, do not be spotted," Zasha gave the commands while going through a parchment that had just been delivered to her desk. Her blood calling to her. For some reason she had been having nightmares of the past.

...

Isis was sprinting, insanely fast. Being with Setna, time had escaped her.

Her schedule had messed up, she had made the time to find her aunt as this would have been her only chance but owing to her circumstances, she had run out of it. Although she did end up meeting her, Isis had not been able to make it to the rendezvous location. It was only when the assassin sent from some Allen guy had come that she remembered her own objectives.

Setna had been reluctant to let her go but she could not turn down a request from Allen either. Trusting the strength of her niece, Setna had to part, in the brief time that they had spent together Setna had managed to teach the young one a few traits of their tribe.

Isis was glad she had met her aunt but now worry had taken over. As the Tigeran made her way towards the location, doubts invaded her thoughts. Aria.

What if Aria had left her behind, that was less likely.

What if she hadn't and had compromised the safety of the others for her sake, knowing Aria that was highly possible!

Isis hastened.

What if she was caught? Convincing herself that Aria was safe Isis also had been thinking about how Aria would react to all that she had learned, about finding out about Setna, about knowing that Isis still had family.

In the back of her head the thoughts piled up, fear, hope, anxiousness. It took her longer than she had expected, but as she arrived a horrific sight greeted her.

She could see bodies piled up. Her fears confirmed. Familiar faces on the corpses an army in the back in formation and an armor-clad woman holding up a familiar form. "ISIS." She heard Aria's voice; their eyes locked and immediately Isis knew what had happened. In the same moment she saw the enemy drive her sword through Aria, twisting it and then pulling it out, before throwing away the lifeless body of the only person in the world who understood Isis. Her only friend. Isis could not begin to understand how she felt.