Attack

The night was cold. But the nights in Stygian were colder. He rested under the huge tree. Half his men went scouting the area on the lookout for enemies. He had left the messenger where he begged him to reconsider his decision. But he paid no ear to his plea. He looked out at the bright silver moon partially covered by a thin line of passing-by clouds. It appeared full again shining down white light in the night world. The Alaksad domain was lit up. There were noises he could occasionally hear.

-"Drums."He thought.

It annoyed him that they celebrate openly even if there is fear engulfing them from outside the boundaries of whitewashed stone walls.

He concentrated on the appearance of the full moon.

It reminded him of Luciana's silver eyes.

He wondered if she was still in her room grieving about her ill fate. Or she could be putting Nemesis to sleep.

-"That woman has disrupted my brain." he scratched his head vigorously regretting his thoughts.

"You seem to be disturbed by something master." Jafar interrupted his thoughts.

Erebus glanced back and turned away.

"Nothing to be concerned about." he denied

"You are thinking of the lady aren't you?" he grinned.

"Stop your lame jokes and find something useful to do."

"My my~ The emotion-ridden lord finally acquired the emotion of L.O.V.E. Our lady is indeed the holy spirit descended to change his heart~" he danced about ridiculously drawing his subordinates' attention.

"You must be missing a taste of my axe," he warned him darkly.

"It's no use master. This threat of yours has expired-"

Before he knew his axe went flying in Jafar's direction.

"That's a dangerous master!" he barely missed the axe. He looked at the axe that hit the tree with a thin line of smoke rising from the tree trunk.

"Oh? But I haven't even started." he got up.

One of his men pulled out the war axe with a considerable amount of strength causing the others to tremble after witnessing the speed.

He pulled up his grey fur cloak.

"I'm getting some sleep. Wake me up by sunrise," he commanded them to take turns for night watch.

He had the same disturbing dream. A dream where he was a young lad of fourteen. There was another one of the same age and height. He always saw the boy die by his hands. And then a woman appeared in front of him to console him. White hair is so soft and beautiful like a rare spider silk. But burns away when he is about to hug her back. Tears of blood roll down his eyes. He screams in agony as a huge demon crushes everyone around him. His subordinates. The people of his domain. His servants. The entire territory is burnt to ashes. He screams and screams then begs to take away his life. He feels warmth again. The spirit of the same woman appears. She smiles at him. And reassures him and says. " I have sent you a gift as a payback. Take care of it." Before she leaves the fire engulfs him but does not burn him. He suddenly jolted when one of his men woke him up

It wasn't the time close to sunrise.

"Commander you're sweating too much."

Hearing him he got up and felt his forehead. He could feel the sweat. The dream of him being engulfed by the flames felt too realistic.

He grabbed the bag made of animal skin and quenched his thirst with ice-cold water he refilled from a frosty stream running through the forest.

"Fill me in," he asked for updates on the wildling's movements.

"So far so clear. We've sighted some fires at the southwest of the city's walls."

"And the messenger?"

"We made sure he left us without trailing."

"They will attack us."

"Do you suppose they're pulling a trap onto us?" Ciaran a youth with bronze skin, reddish-black hair, and black eyes questioned the possibility of their plan.

"The messenger wouldn't go back with that desperate look. His words were evident about Alaksad discarding him after he failed. He will try pulling out the wildlings to attack us or their city."

He sheathed his war axe and pulled up his cloak.

"It's better to attack them before they attack us."

"Then eliminate them on the spot?"

"The better."

They departed the cliff by dawn towards the southwest borders of the Alaksad territory. Upon his command, one-third of his men remained at the rear. While the other third changed positions toward the eastern borders.

"You seem to be enjoying the hunt master."

"It won't be that enjoyable if we fail to bail out a hefty reward from that slug's pockets."

"Leave the bargaining to me."

"Commander. Thirty fires spotted within fifteen yards."

"Prepare to attack."

"At once."They alighted with weapons in their hands.

With a signal Jafar launched arrows and let them loose upon the tents below them.

"We ought to have them finished before dawn." One of his subordinates complained.

However, it was against Erebus's principles. He'd like to savor his kill slowly.

But when there was more work on a plate he'd require to eliminate with one clean hit.

"This will serve well for provocation."

Jafar flew past the burning field causing an uproar within the wildlings.

Most began to move instinctively and shot arrows randomly in the sky.

"Keep up until their leader shows up."

The wildlings always protected the mother of their tribe as closely as possible as to keep her from harm's reach.

It was supposed to be the season of their mating. But they were out here attacking the big city like Alaksad. Erebus found it strange. Jafar kept playing with a strand of his hair which he used to do habitually when he felt troubled.

"The eastward walls are launching an attack on them. There seem to be lesser in numbers."

"Makes things easier. We'll let them off from there."

"Master, why are you letting them away?"

"You'll know sooner." he grinned and alighted on the ground with his axe ready to strike.

"Master!?"

Without a second thought, he thrust his axe upon a group of wildlings.

"Target acquired."