Seneca: Rise of the Vesperas

Seneca: Rise of the Vesperas Part 1

It wasn't unusual for the children of my species to be given human names. Most of the time are given ancient names. I was given the name Seneca. I never thought anything about the name or why my parents picked it, I only know that it is my name. Now away from names, that is not the matter at hand. You want to know my story, of how the Vesperas came to be, and how i came to lead them. It started one night on the eve of my 17th birthday, I had been given an assassination mission by my father Plutan.

In the darkness I could only see the faintest glow of fire in the woods. The thought of building a fire in these woods was a dangerous one, especially during the summer. It would attract wolves, but it also made sense to do so. Wolves meant meat, and meat meant survival. I couldn't help but chuckle at the thought that the wolves weren't the travelers only problem. The branches of a nearby tree shifted, revealing my friend Chronos, named after the Greek god of time. 

"What is so funny?" he asked in only the slightest of a whisper.  

"The though just occurred to me, isnt it ironic that the man we're tasked to eliminate is already worried about the beasts that roam the forest? I would have suggested to let the wolves have at him." I replied, and slight smile across my face.  

"Thats a foolish thought, and you know that, Seneca." he replied coldly. "Your father entrusted you with this mission and I'm here to make sure you carry it out." 

I looked at him, his eyes meeting mine. I couldn't have picked a better friend. Chronos was a Tigra, humanoid feline. The most average breed of Tigra was either the ones related to the lynx or the bobcat. The one thing I liked about him was his loyalty to the Vespera family. 

An hour passed before we moved in on our target, Chronos in the trees and I on the ground. Movement was simple for me, I wore black skinned body suit with a dirty gold tactical vest. I also wore what most people would call a battle robe. the robe began at my waist and split near the top, allowing for more free movement. When moving the robe looked somewhat like a two part cape that began at the waist.  

I could see the fire clearly now, small, but full. It was a pity; I had been told this man had valuable information for the nearby continent nation of Conetru, though my father saw him as a threat and wanted him eliminated. Dodging the overhanging branches were troublesome. The trees of the Wulang forest were known for their needle like leaves. It was no matter though, I was within a hundred yard of my target. I stopped to rest and as I did Chronos jumped down from the trees right beside me. He had kept pace the entire time.

"What are we to do now Seneca?" He asked me.  

I responded calmly," I've been wanting to try out a new technique I've been working on. We're already within range for it to work." That was all I said to him. He looked confused. Obviously he'd expected to be apart of the ambush. I walked a few paces away from him and pulled out two V shaped pieces of metal. Looking toward the targets direction I threw the V's into the air, one up and one down. As they fell into place equally aligned with each other in the air a white line appeared, starting from one V down to the other. Chronos stood behind me astonished, he'd always been the weapons kind of person, never wanting to divulge himself in the practices humans called magic. This was much more though, this was an ability of my own. Most people's powers came from the energy from the earth, called ma'ana. Mine came from within the body, called Koten.

I stepped up to the white line and put a hand on it.  

"Stay here Chronos." I said. With that the line opened up to reveal the targets back, and us beyond, barely visible in the darkness. I stepped out quietly and drew my sword.the blade hit the edge of the scabbard. Dang it, I thought to myself. My target clearly heard it. He turned, as quick as lightning, pulling out dual swords. This will be harder than I thought. I lunged at him with full force, swinging my blade down on him. He parried and came at me from the side. Bad move, I thought. As he swung I saw he had to defenses, so I hooked my foot around his ankle and pulled his feet out from underneath himself. Once he hit the ground one of his blades flew out of his hand, nicking my shoulder. The portals weren't all I could do. I summoned all my strength in the blade. With my energy pulsing in it I lowered the blade to the targets heart. I didn't even have to strike his heart, I let the energy flow out of the blade into his heart, disrupting it beat. He died within seconds, the heart attack I had given him was the equivalent of being struck by lightning. I walked away, heading for where Chronos was waiting for me by the river. The target would be found eventually, I thought to myself. All they will find is that he will have died from a fatal heart attack.  

As I walked toward Chronos I saw that he had already crossed its bridge. I narrowed my eyes in suspicion as I passed him. 

"Why didnt you wait by the tree?" I asked.  

Without looking at him he replied, "Because I knew you didn't need my help."  

I stopped on the path and turned to look at him.  

"You defied my order to stay by the tree. I see that as insubordination." I told him with a stern cold tone. "You may be my friend, but you are first and foremost loyal to the Vespera family. It was I that took you in as a friend. I begged my father to let you be educated with me, and he did, under one condition; to do as the family said without defiance. Do I make my self clear?" As I said those last words I turned back and didn't look back at him the entire walk back.  

"Yes, Seneca, I hear you." He replied back a few minutes later. I ignored him.