Ghost Demon stood on the rooftop adjacent to the gate to the Blood Sword district. Flames and smoke was rich in the air. The King's man Torrent was with armored warriors. They approached the gate and stood outside it. Ghost Demon turned invisible and crept towards the gate to follow close behind.
He couldn't hear their conversation until he ducked into a ruined building and hid against a wall. They went no further and stopped standing there. One of the armored men was speaking to Torrent. "This is not good. We are in a turbulent time and the army is fighting an incursion and the king is away. Are there any survivors?" Torrent asked. "No my lord. Seems they left no one alive. We suspect the Ghost Demon has taken another brigade from the ranks?" Torrent in his armored helmet was silent. "Seems so and without Commander Wallace whose body was found this morning by a tenant. We still have no one to help us find this outlaw either. He truly is a ghost!" He began to get angry. "Sweep this entire area and find something! I WANT THAT SON OF A BITCH FOUND!" Torrent ordered and the men obeyed, working around the district for clues. Ghost Demon did the same. He knew he didn't do this. But someone did and they did this with a bang. He found a group of bodies yet to be extracted and looked their wounds over. He could tell some bodies had different wounds than the others. 'Multiple people?' He thought he heard voices and went through the open ceiling and jumped to a neighboring building. He kept moving through the buildings before the inspectors. He then fell upon a message in blood. "Come find us" is the message with a drawing of a demon face. 'This was left for me?' He thought while looking at the demon drawing.
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Broken Sword was playing with his son in the yard. They were throwing a ball around. Liam caught it mid air and rejoiced with glee that he did so. Shira watched from a table drinking tea and had snacks laid out for the family to enjoy on this day. She smiled watching her two boys play. 'Oh I hope the gods bless this union and give us happiness the days ahead' she quietly prayed to herself. A woman approached her and whispered something in her ear Shira nodded. "Liam its time for your lessons" she shouted. The boy groaned, "Come on mom five more minutes please" he begged. His mother couldn't be swayed and gave him the mom look that shut him down. "Hey kid it's important for a warrior to have a developed mind. His mind is his true weapon in battle. Now do as your mother says" he hugged his son who groaned. "Okay" he said with annoyance. This made Broken Sword smile as he watched his family leave. He threw the ball up and caught it. "Seems your doing well?" a voice came from the shadows on the side of the house. Broken Sword dropped the ball and went for his dagger upon his belt. He turned to see Ghost Demon standing there in a cloak as he slowly became visible. "What the hell are you doing here! It's the middle of the day anyone could see us" Broken Sword sounded concerned and perturbed at the seeing this vigilante in front of him. "I wouldn't of come if it wasn't important. Hear about Blood Sword?" Broken Sword scowled. "Yes. Seems you wiped out another one" he didn't sound proud at this. He and Ghost may have ulterior motives for the actions that lined up. But that never made them friends, or even true allies. "It wasn't me that did that. Sure I took care of the Battle Dragons, but this attack was not me" he was telling the truth. "Then explain the body of Wallace found in an apartment? You not do that too?" Broken Sword sounded annoyed that they were even talking. "Okay. I did do that, but I was after the man Wallace was there to kill" Broken Sword shook his head. "When you plan to take me and boys out? Saving us for last kid?" this comment seemed to strike a cord with Ghost Demon who's aura became cold and serious. "Maybe. You going to act like your sins don't warrant me taking you out? Just cause were friendly doesn't mean I haven't forgotten your transgressions?" it was Broken Sword's turn to get emotional. "I don't need your memory to help with accepting my sins. What would stop me from killing you? You talk a big game and I have been complicit in some of your actions. You think all you want of me, but why are you even helping me!" Ghost Demon sighed as he laid his back against a wall. "Night of the purge you killed hunters and wiped out the guilds" Broken Sword scowled. "I never wanted that! Many of those hunters were friends its where I started out before joining the military!" Ghost Demons shrugged. "I'm not reliving history with you" then turned to leave. "James Graith" this name stopped Broken Sword in his tracks. He slowly turned and now he sported a rage filled look that could melt ice.
"How do you know that name?" he was visibly gripping the hilt of his dagger. "He was an uncle to friend of mine. Good man raised my friend and was an expert in Bird type magical beasts. Unlike most hunters he respected his prey and paid respect to the animals he killed. The day of the purge he and his family had an ally that would help them escape. I know this cause my friend intended on meeting up with them at a rendezvous point outside the city. I was to join them as well and escape the city and the king" he paused to let that sink in. Broken Sword's face saddened at this information being told him. "That ally came through of course I know cause I was able to follow the route set out. My friend didn't make it and I went to protect his family. But when I found them they were being killed by the Battle Dragons and from the vantage point I saw all this alone standing in the shadows watching as well not far from me. His face told me everything he was crying and you could see the look of defeat upon his face" Broken Sword wiped a tear away. "You tried to help him and I imagine you tried to warn them this was all coming so the guilds could take action. You were rebelling against the king even before the purge. I chose you as an ally because the sins you committed weigh you down with guilt. And your trying to be better leading this men into a better future without war. You took no pleasure like the rest of the Brigades had in killing the kings enemies. I will never be friends with you, but I will protect your family out of the kindness you showed someone I was close with" Broken Sword was silent through all this. "James was childhood friend of mine. His father and mine were like brothers. We grew up together and joined the hunters guild. I never wanted that for him or his family. I tried to save them" he began to fight back tears that started to flow. He sniffled and composed himself now looking at Ghost "Well...so what are you going to do? Me and my community will be next when we agree to this. You would keep the War Dogs out of your vendetta? These new culprits didn't make that deal. So what do you plan to do about it?" Broken Sword couldn't hide his anger and trepidations any longer. This conversation had gotten emotional and his facade of the tough guy was starting to crumble even in front of the person he never wanted to see.
Only person he showed this much emotion to was Shira. But now he had taken off his mask to reveal the human man, not the legendary Broken Sword. "Well call me impressed by this group. They left me a message so I will find them and I will keep the War Dogs safe from retribution" Ghost Demon turned to leave. "I plan to hold you to that!" Broken Sword yelled at him. "Oh I know" he then turned invisible and was gone from sight.