Ice Souled

Chapter 1 ~ Changed

I stared out at the frost bitten lands my father once ruled. My grey and white cloak made me blend in nearly perfect with the monotony of white and grey the tundra was. The mask over my mouth and nose kept a good part of my face warm. I grew up in these lands, I don't get cold often. I hear the soldiers coming and smirk at the sound of the crunching snow. A blizzard soon rises up, and I unsheathed the sword on my back. Vereor was it's name. The leather wrapped hilt provided a good grip, and I slowly advanced upon the soldiers. The storm rises at my approach.

"Shall we set up camp for the night, general?" A soldier yells over the winds. I walked as close as I could to avoid being seen, then stopped and listened.

"Yes. Have some men dig up some mounds of snow to block out the wind." The one I assumed was general shouted. I smirked under my mask, and watched as they worked. I looked around at the place I used to call home. It now felt empty to stare, knowing that I no longer belonged here or anywhere else, that I had lost nearly everything that mattered to me. I sighed at a sudden wave of sadness. No use mourning anymore, I've already done that for too long.

"Tonight we travel to the Capitol of Nix to rejoice in our victory. The throne is long dead, and now after a year it's citizens slowly become ours." The general said, raising his tankard. I bit back anger, and spun my sword in my hand, then attacked. The general's blood broke the dull colors with a bright red.

The soldiers yelled and unsheathed their swords. By the time they'd gotten out their blades five already lay dead, looks of shock on the faces. Blades clanged against my blade in a fury of snow. The last soldier took off at a run. I chased then stopped as he fell.

"Who..What are you?" He screamed. I looked at him with baleful eyes.

"Someone who's been wronged." I muttered and looked him straight in the eyes. His eyes were dark brown in contrast with my light blue eyes. My blade struck him in the throat and he fell, dead. I looked around and sighed.

"If only you let me live. I won't have to do this. We would've left in peace, but you had to execute us." I muttered, staring at the blood stained snow and corpses. I walked away, uncaring for the mess. The snowstorm slowed. I went to a near by town and went to an inn. I got a room and was thankful no one noticed or recognized me. I would be accused of witch craft if they did. Going to my room and locking the door, I took off the cloak and boots, revealing a white tunic and grey trousers. I looked at myself in the mirror.

My long black hair was wet from the snow. My cheeks were faintly red from the cold. I was lean, but not tall or short. Icy blue eyes that had long lost any emotion or warmth stared back at me. If I were to compare myself now to myself a few years back, I wouldn't be able to recognize myself. I sighed and threw my sword on the bed, lay down,and drifted off, thinking of the past. My family and my own execution came to mind.

"Vespian run!" I heard my father yell. I was in the foyer, talking to a servant about something. I looked around at the sound of my name.

"The hell?" I muttered, and unsheathed my sword. The servant looked around.

"Perhaps we should heed your fathers words, my lord." He tried to persuade me to leave. I shook my head.

"You go, I'm staying for a bit." He sighed and left at my words. I walked calmly in the direction of my father's voice. It came from his and mother's bedroom. I looked around for my sister, and called her name softly. She was standing by the window in the hall. I walked over to her,"Lyru it's time t-" I suddenly blacked out. I woke up, tied and gagged in my parent's room. My parents were also in the same state, but however my sister was not. She was crying, her brown hair seemed to be a mess. She had always been small, and was dainty for a thirteen year old.

"I'm so sorry Vespian." She cried. She looked at me with watery blue eyes. I looked back.

"What happened?" I winced at my headache, and the inability to talk clearly. She seemed to understand though.

"Magnus attacked." She said in a quiet voice, broken by sobbing. The door opened the soldiers came in. The person I recognized there was the king and prince of Magnus. I simply glared at them as they sneered at us.

"We've got the whole royal family, wonderful." The king said,and told all but five guards to leave. I strained against the ropes. The prince of Magnus undid the gag at my mouth and let me curse at them as much as I wanted. They got more rope, and made two nooses, then forced my parents to their feet.

"No!" I screamed,"please!"

The prince smiled at me, then yelled,"Begin the executions!" My parents died quickly of broken necks rather than truly hanging. I began to break down by then. Tears began to slowly slide down my cheeks. I heard the ropes get cut loose, and the bodies fall. The king of Magnus grabbed me by the shirt and forced me to my feet. I was pushed to the window, and stared at the snowy ground below where my parents bodies lay side by side. The enemy soldiers below cheered, and celebrated for their victory, while I mourned.

"Last one." The prince said. My sister watched, eyes wide in horror. I stared at the sky, as the snow drifted down. A sword unsheathing was the last thing I'd heard before pain came from my chest. I gasped and looked down to see a sword sliding out as my legs gave out and I fell from the window. I soon saw nothing after that, until that witch brought me back from the dead.

I moved again, snapping out of my daydreaming. I was in the inn again instead of that cold night of blood and death. I sighed when she contacted me again.

"Vespian, did it go smoothly." Galleth whispered in my mind. I spoke back.

"Yes. They are dead." I answered in a monotone voice. She chuckled.

"Good, return as soon as possible." She ordered. I nodded.

"I will." I said, and fell asleep.

Lyru wandered the castle. She stopped at the door to her bedroom when she heard yelling from the other room.

"Dead! Who the hell killed a whole regiment?" King Despriuos roared angrily. Lyru put her head against the door and listened.

"Father, perhaps the storm killed them." Prince Kyrios suggested calmly.

"Y-your highness, I-if I may interrupt." The messenger stuttered. Lyruo heard nothing for a moment, and assumed Despriuos nodded when she heard the messenger talk.

"They had sword wounds. We are certain that the storm had not killed them." The messenger reported. Lyru went into her room when she heard someone move towards the door.

"Who's the killer I wonder." She muttered before she fell asleep.