The Assassins of Aereos

[ShiroKiyoshi]

This is a world created entirely by me.
I have made each character with love and almost 7 years of thinking/roleplaying.
Finally, I have decided to share it with others and let this monster out of my head.
It's not perfect, but I love it.
I plan on adding art sometime.
Thanks for reading.

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Chapter One: The Shadow and The Wolf​

It was late in the afternoon, some time during the summer when he walked into the library of Mr. Daedalus, resident hermit of desert. Occasionally, people stopped by, but as was the life of Aereos; no one ever stayed anywhere too long. However, he stayed a whole week in the library. Mr. Daedalus was too frightened of his stone cold aura, blood red cloak, and pale white skin to even try to ask him to leave. So, the man stayed and continued to read, day after day, night after night, only moving to grab a book, never eating, never sleeping. Eventually, by the end of that moon cycle, Mr. Daedalus decided he should check on the man's well being.

Mr. Daedalus had lived a century on his own inside his library and during that time no one had ever stayed as long as this man. Hell, he'd never met a person other than himself that could go that long without eating. Mr. Daedalus approached the man with caution and leaned over to see the bored stare on his face turn to face him. The man scanned librarian from head to toe like a machine. Mr. Daedalus was a young man clad in blue - blue tie, blue vest, blue coat, blue boots. Anything on him that wasn't blue, like his shirt and pants, was black like his hair that he kept in a ponytail. The guy then shrugged and turned away. This put the librarian at ease allowing him to be more comfortable around the man. Mr. Daedalus looked passed the man to see the picture of a familiar sun etched on one of his books.

"You're interested in Dark Sun? Is that what you've been studying here?" Mr. Daedalus asked with a smile, his hands behind his back.

"I know all I need to about that place." The man replied coldly.

The man turned to the book and picked it up. He stared at the sun and then set it down. His body moved as if to sigh, but nothing came of it. Not a sound. He then turned back to his current book. By the contents of the page Mr. Daedalus could tell that it was the "Latest Gossip", a title made to create news from the fractured tales of the people of Aereos. The man traced his finger along the pages and then pointed to a word: "Warbeast".

"Do you have anything on this? It appears a lot in what I have read." Mr. Daedalus froze. The ease he had previously been given left him like a gust of wind. His heart raced for a moment as he struggled to maintain his smile. He went to open his mouth, but the man narrowed his eyes, his intense gaze shutting the librarian's mouth like a spell. "You know something. Tell me."

"Not much," Mr. Daedalus managed to spit out, "But with it being such a popular topic I do have quite a few books on it." A dishonest smile followed a nervous laugh as Mr. Daedalus clasped his hands behind his back. "I can show you where to find them if you like?"

The man turned away and stood up out of his seat. "Thank you, I will find them myself." His bored gaze had been replaced with those piercing eyes that glared at Mr. Daedalus as he walked passed him. "This way right?"

"Yes, sir." Mr. Daedalus said to the man as he then walked off giving Mr. Daedalus a moment of respite from his questioning. "What rock do you have to live under to not even know anything about it?" He thought to himself. "But, not just that, why is he so curious?"

Mr. Daedalus watched as the man went off into the bookshelves, tracing his finger along the golden plates that labeled genres and disappear into one of the aisles. Mr. Daedalus then took his chance to go through the books the man had collected on the table he was working on. They were stacked neatly, going first by their genre, then date published, and then finally alphabetically.

"It's just a bunch of generic information. Magic schools? Ascended? clans? Who is this guy?" Mr. Daedalus wondered to himself as he casually flipped through the pages of grade school information.

By this time Mr. Daedalus had sifted through a stack of books and noticed that the man had not returned. He looked over his shoulder curious as to what was keeping him. It wasn't until he saw his precious books being tossed up in the air that Mr. Daedalus realized the insanity that was going on. Annoyed and worried for his property, Mr. Daedalus marched over to see what was happening, and upon arriving he was shocked to see the stack of books in the man's hand almost reaching the second floor.

"Sir, please, if you could just take what you're using and leave the rest." Mr. Daedalus said with a soft tone, clasping his hands together, and coming to a slight bow as he managed a sheepish smile.

Mr. Daedalus knew he could clean up any mess made in a second, but considering how suspicious of him the man already was, avoiding magic was his best bet. However, that also meant that if he dropped the unreal stack of books, that he'd have to pick them all up by hand. Yet, that wasn't even the worst the man had to offer Mr. Daedalus. The man turned to Mr. Daedalus, moving the books out of his way before he returned to plucking every bit of information on Warbeasts off the shelf.

"Sir, please." Mr. Daedalus begged again, wincing as the stack wavered slightly.

"Wouldn't need any of it if you told me what you know." The man muttered.

"I know about the same thing those books could tell you." Mr. Daedalus said, losing his customer service mannerisms.

"Yet, you refuse to say a word?" The man questioned. He then paused, just as he grabbed a book, and moved the stack out of his way to get a good look at Mr. Daedalus. "Perhaps you are one?"

"I couldn't be. They can't hide their ears." Mr Daedalus' smirked, feeling proud of himself, but then he saw the smirk across the man's face and realized what he had done. "As if it was any of your business!" Mr. Daedalus scoffed. The mysterious figure's eyes widened as he watched Mr. Daedalus rear his hand back and then in an instant try to swipe at the books. Even with the staggering speed of Mr. Daedalus' swing, the man evaded, and tossed the stack of books over the librarian's head. The books soared through the air as the man casually walked passed Mr. Daedalus and caught them in a stack behind him, leaving Mr. Daedalus baffled as to what happened, and continued standing there looking at his hand as if it were defective. "What the- How did you-"

"I have to go study." The man replied as he walked back to his desk.

Mr. Daedalus huffed and decided to leave the battle where it was. He fixed his jacket and tie, staring angrily at the empty shelf the man left behind. As he muttered curses under his breath, walking out the aisle, he noticed the sun was setting. The colors of day and night were starting to mix as they fought for control of the day. It was getting late. Mr. Daedalus let go of his frustration, deciding it wasn't worth it to hold on to the grudge, and it'd make it hard to sleep. That and he was willing to bet the man was still going to be there when he woke up the next morning. There'd be enough time to be annoyed then.

Mr. Daedalus continued down the aisle to the book counter in the back. As the man sat down at his table of books he flipped open to the first page and the very first image was a depiction of a man with a snarling expression and canine teeth. His wolf ears were pressed against his head as he stared menacingly at his reader.

"So, how does one hide their ears?" The man whispered to himself. "And why?"

It was a straight walk from the door and normally the two men never paid any mind to each other as the day came to a close. However, Mr. Daedalus could feel the piercing stare of the man on the back of his head and turned to face him. Again he was studying him like a machine. Looking for his ears no doubt. All he could think of was how stupid he was. Mr. Daedalus pulled his face away and flipped his ponytail and his middle finger as he opened the little latch door to get behind the book counter. "So much for letting it go." He thought.

When, he saw the man turn back to his book Mr. Daedalus went to a clear space on the wall. He placed his hand on a large empty space causing a large symbol to etch itself around his hand. The symbols lines continued to contort and squirm around the wall until they made the shape of an archway. The wall then started to fold away, morphing the bricks to make an archway into a completely empty room adorn by writing alone. The noise got the attention of the man, but Mr. Daedalus assumed as much (it was quite loud) and pointed to a sign posted on a nearby podium. The sign read; "LIBRARIANS ONLY BEHIND COUNTER." And with that he stepped in and watched the wall seal itself behind him.t

The man watched the wall close itself up and the lines all over it disappear, leaving a clean white wall. He then stood up and pushed his chair out as he waltzed over to the sign. Just in passing he flicked the sign off the wall and tossed it aside. Opening his book, he flipped through it quickly, just looking at illustrations. He came across a wolf, some symbols that meant nothing to him, and an art piece of the heavens. The man studied the art work. The heavens were golden and beautiful, as they were always depicted, but from them came an energy that was changing a man into a beast.

"What happened in just three hundred years time?" The man thought to himself. "Such change is unwarranted." The man then looked to the clear space in the wall. "What are you keeping from me librarian?"

While the mystery man continued reading on top of the librarian's counter, trying to solve the mysteries of the world, Mr. Daedalus was getting ready for bed. He tore off his clothes, quite literally, bearing claws to shred the cloth off of him. He shimmied whatever lingering pieces on him off and all the while he thought about that man.

"Hmph. 'Wouldn't need any of it if you told me what you know.' How rude!" Mr. Daedalus muttered as he let out a yawn.

Mr. Daedalus grabbed his arm as he stretched, reaching for the ceiling, blue fur growing along his arms and legs. The fur continued to grow along his body as his form changed becoming more and more like a wolf. His size and form continued to change until he filled the room taking on his true form as a Warbeast. Finally, his yawn finished and the giant blue wolf curled into a ball as his ominous yellow eyes closed.

Just outside the wall separating Mr. Daedalus's secret from the rest of the world the man was staring at the ground in amazement. He, unlike most things, did not have a shadow. So, when he sensed the size of Mr. Daedalus shadow become so large the man could do nothing, but stare in amazement just trying to imagine it around him. The man then smiled as he mimicked the shadow of the great beast beneath his feet, watching it grow to cover the bookshelves in the distance. Then, like a pool of water, he turned on his heels and fell back into it. The shadow splashed like water. Then like draining water it swirled around until it was nothing, but a drop. For a moment the world was only a pure blackness, but in a matter of moments the man was flung into the air like a slingshot. He did a perfect somersault in the air, soaring right over the giant sleeping wolf.

The man landed making zero noise as he did so. He stared at the giant blue head of what he could only assume was Mr. Daedalus. He reached out slowly and touched his snout. Mr. Daedalus' eyes darted open as he looked to see the mystery man standing right there, arm outstretched, admiring his muzzle. "Have you no understanding of personal space!" Mr. Daedalus roared as he rose his head.

"I do not. It is without a doubt a weakness of mine. Apologies." The man said as he stared up at him with a bored expression.

Without a second thought the beast opened his jaws wide and took a bite out of the man. His teeth went through the man like butter and, like a ghost, the man phased through his muzzle. He snarled as he tasted nothing but air. Mr. Daedalus roared as the fur on his body started to retract down to his arms and legs, his body changed into that of a man. However, he was no longer hiding his ears and tail.

"There they are! I was wondering when I'd see them." The man said with such a fake enthusiasm that not even he could keep it up with more than a second. "I hate liars. And I'm the best of them."

"Enough!" Mr. Daedalus demanded. "I'll rip you to shreds if you do not leave now!"

The man lifted his hands in surrender. "Come at me then. You won't get far."

Mr. Daedalus was ready to pounce on the man, careful to keep an eye on his movements, but the gall he had to stand there with his hands in the air baffled him. The mystery man had that same bored face he had when he first met him. At this point Mr. Daedalus took it as a taunt, but he could tell that the man truly was not the least bit scared of him. The man's heart was beating slower rather than faster. His breathing was either nonexistent or so slow that not even Mr. Daedalus could hear it with his heightened senses. Not even so much as a shiver came from him. He was really just going to take on Mr. Daedalus' assault and ignore it. It was then that Mr. Daedalus' truly realized the futility of just coming at this guy.

"You're a ghost." Mr. Daedalus said as he narrowed his eyes and relaxed his stance. "Aren't you?"

"See, unlike you, I'd tell you if I knew the answer to that." The man smiled.

"You don't fool me!" Mr. Daedalus growled as he channeled magic into his arm, making it glow dimly. The man summoned a spear to his side immediately. "Futile!" Mr. Daedalus shouted. Sparks of electricity fired from his hands and before the man could even move he was barraged by streaks of lightning until they surrounded him. The energy trapped him in a ball of lightning and it seemed he was unable to move. As Mr. Daedalus basked in his short victory the man started to fade in and out of existence with each zap. Mr. Daedalus cocked his head as he watched the man burst into a cloud of smoke. "Wait. That shouldn't have-" He couldn't even get the words out before he found the tip of a spear thrust into his chest.

"If you are what I think you are, you should be fine." The man muttered as he kicked him off his spear. Mr. Daedalus fell dead to the floor. "You should've just told me what you knew."

The man picked Mr. Daedalus' body off the floor and carried him to the wall. He looked at the closed off thing and placed his hand on it like Daedalus, but no matter how he did it, it wouldn't work. He then turned to Mr. Daedalus and took his hand, carefully propping it up against the wall. Viola! The wall opened allowing them to pass into the library where the man laid Mr. Daedalus down on a table. He then went and grabbed his book on Warbeasts. He quickly flipped through the book searching for a page with desperation. He scanned the page and jabbed his finger down on the sentence he had previously read.

"Here we are." The man said to himself. "According to this, a normal man cannot kill you." The man tossed the book on the table behind him. "So, stand."

The man slammed his hands down on the table where Mr. Daedalus rested, but the librarian's body merely shifted from the power of the man's hands. He felt like sighing, but the man's body prevented air from entering his system so that it may be exhaled. The man sat across the room staring at Daedalus' lifeless body. So, far, his theory was wrong. He began to worry that he just killed a man, but as the thoughts of doubt filled his mind he was reminded of the mighty beast and hardened his resolve. He'd done the research and taken the observations. This was the test. He just had to wait. Determined to see this through, he went and scoured the library for writing utensils and paper. When he found the tools for his mission he placed himself firmly across from Mr. Daedalus once again.

For three days Mr. Daedalus was nothing but a dead body. However, on the third day, in a sudden and violent explosion of blue and purple energy coursing sporadically in a pillar around him, Mr. Daedalus revived on the table that the man had laid him on. His breathing was heavy and he had not forgotten who killed him. He scanned the room quickly before he spotted his killer across from him and dashed at him. He grew his fur, claws, and tail as he soared through the air and upon arrival he slammed his elbow into Walker, but the attack phased through him. Walker then summoned his spear, forming it into a short sword mid swing, and cut the man's arms off. As he screamed in agony he then cut his legs off.

"I really suggest we talk." The man tried to reason with Mr. Daedalus. However, the man quickly learned that Daedalus was not one to easily forgive his murderer. Mr. Daedalus wanted to spit at the man, but the pain was too much. Eventually, the pain overcame him and he went into shock before shortly dying afterwards. The man then picked him up and placed his body on the table, setting his arms and legs around him like a ritual. Instantly, bright blue strands of what seemed like spider webs latched onto his limbs and connected them back to Mr. Daedalus. The man's eyes widened as he scribbled down what happened. "What made you? Why did it make you?" The man had so many questions.

The next time he revived Mr. Daedalus didn't make the same mistake. Coming back in his usual explosion he came at the mystery man with attacks empowered with magic. The man clenched on to a piece of paper as Mr. Daedalus came at him with lightning speed. His attacks were a blur, but so were the man's defenses. Mr. Daedalus would form a punch, sure that his superhuman speed would surpass this stranger's ability, but each time he would find it deflected. His anger only increased, making him faster and stronger, eventually pushing the man back as he thrust his palm forward into the man's crossed arms.

The man slid across the floor, using all his strength to stay airborne, and as Mr. Daedalus breathed heavy and the redness was showing on his body. This man was still pale as snow not showing any signs of fatigue. He turned his head away for but a second to show Mr. Daedalus the piece of art he found in the book on Warbeasts. "You! Your people have something to do with this right? Tell me. I only wish to-" The man couldn't even finish his sentence as Mr. Daedalus was already on top of him. Quickly he threw his arms up to block.

"Quiet!" Mr. Daedalus cried as he jumped up, bringing his hands together and slamming them down. The attack was easily met by the man's arms, but its strength reverberated through his body. The floor cracked from the mere force of it, yet the man was still able to counter. Releasing his paper for but a moment, he grabbed onto Mr. Daedalus' clasped fists and slammed him down behind him. The minute he felt Mr. Daedalus struggle against him the man summoned his spear and released him. Mr. Daedalus spun around, thinking he finally overpowered his opponent, but the man's spear soared through the air on its own and threaded itself through Mr. Daedalus. "Y-You will regret this."

The man bent down to look Mr. Daedalus in the eye. "You do not understand. I'm looking for answers."

"Here's an idea. Look up you-" The man summoned a sword to his side and sliced Mr. Daedalus' head from his shoulders.

"Such an angry and scared man you are." The man sighed as he took Mr. Daedalus' body and set it back down on the scorched area where a table used to stand. "I just want answers." The man said as he grabbed the headless body of Mr. Daedalus. "However, the gods decided that my new life should start with the likes of you! I have never met a man stubborn enough to hold onto rage and anger through death!" He then slammed the head of Daedalus onto his body and watched as the webs stitched it back together in seconds. The man let Daedalus' body plummet to the floor. "Fine. Let's see how many rounds you can handle against me."

Three days later, like clockwork, Mr. Daedalus revived in a huff, but before he could even have a chance to attack he found his arm was gone. At this point he had become numb to the pain of a blade and using his free arm he swung at the man who had snuck up behind him. The man easily grabbed his arm and twisted it around until Daedalus called out.

"Why are you so afraid of telling me what you know?" The man asked. His voice was as cold as steel and sent a chill down Mr. Daedalus' spine, but with that he wrapped his tail around the man and tossed him across the room. The man soared and slammed into the upper balcony. He then fell to the ground with a thud.

"I have no reason to tell you anything." Mr. Daedalus said as he picked his arm up and held it to where it next to where it belonged. The webs of his azure colored soul jetted out from his wound and repaired the damage. He flexed his arm, making sure it was in good condition, and then returned his attention to the man who stood. He was, as expected, unaffected from the hit. Mr. Daedalus then crossed his arms and summoned needles of light around him. With a swing of his arm he sent a volley of them forward, the man was careful to dodge the attacks, and did so expertly. "Soon, you will be dead and I will be left at peace!"

The man watched as Daedalus summoned a new set of needles and rather than thread himself through them he ran straight at Daedalus. Fitting between the gaps in his volley, the man made it to Daedalus, planting his foot as he let out a quick jab followed by a hook and then a kick to Daedalus' legs. The attack was too unexpected and fast for the librarian to respond to. He took the brunt of it and found himself on his side in a matter of seconds. "If you have no reason to tell me anything. Then I have no reason to leave. I believe I was brought here for a reason."

Mr. Daedalus grunted as he hopped up onto his hands and spun his legs like blades. The man jumped back to avoid the slim amount of energy Daedalus hid around his leg. Mr. Daedalus then flipped onto his feet and brought his hands up. "Why the desperation for knowledge?" Mr. Daedalus said, trying to catch his breath. However, the man would not allow him to rest and came at him with a barrage of attacks that left Mr. Daedalus trying to maintain his balance. While off kilter the man took the opportunity to sweep his leg again. He then summoned four blades and with one throw severed all four of Mr. Daedalus' limbs. "Gragh! Don't they teach you not to cause so much pain!"

"They do, but you haven't talked yet. Hearing anything to make the pain stop is better than hearing nothing." The man said as he summoned a small kunai.

Mr. Daedalus stared at the blade then looked to the stone cold killer staring down at him. Next thing he knew he was dead again. Inside his own soul Daedalus drifted, naked, and accompanied by a giant monster. The giant blue Warbeast he transforms into.

"He is quite the persistent one." The beast chimed. "Why withhold your secrets?"

In constrast to how the books liked to portray the Warbeasts, the animal was soft-spoken and feminine. It did not bear its fangs and freely swam through the cacophony of Daedalus' thoughts and emotions that took the form of empty space. It did a loop around Daedalus before catching him and keeping him warm.

"He killed me!" Daedalus argued. "And I already told you! What if he's just trying to confirm my identity? I won't have much more than a month left to my life!"

"You're hardly innocent yourself." The beast giggled. "Besides you made him search for the information himself and despite his desperation you still force him to fend for himself. But, go ahead, try and kill the boy. Let's see how long you last."

Mr. Daedalus ignored the guidance of his Warbeast and continued to fight the losing battle versus the ninja. Again and again he would be beaten. Each time he'd return to his soul and his Warbeast would be sitting there, collecting the streams of memories as tallies. Finally, Mr. Daedalus reached a point where he saw the futility of his approach, and when he revived again, he was less angry than before. His claws were still out, but he stood still, and very carefully thought out his approach. He then looked over to the man who stood with his blade ready at his side and some kunai ready in his other hand. Mr. Daedalus then, for a moment, really tried to understand what happened to the man to make him so desperate to know what a Warbeast was.

"Finally admitting defeat?" The man asked.

"Shut up. I'm thinking. An old friend suggested I help you." Daedalus said as he rose his hand to silence the man. Curious, the man complied, and lowered his weapons. "Going to such lengths to understand what I am? That doesn't make sense..." Mr. Daedalus mumbled. "No, no, no... A ninja... A monk..."

"What are you going through?" The man asked.

"What in the world are you? Wait- Don't answer that. There's no way. On your forearm, the insignia of your village is there right? Show it to me." Mr. Daedalus demanded as he extended his arm to the man, but he retreated his forearm. The arm was covered in bandaging, covering the insignia that gave away his name. "Yeah, it's a sacred name that only God could speak right? Given to warriors who prove themselves in battle. The source of your power?"

"How do you- That's an age old secret." The man said at a lost for words.

"Wow, it's really coming together. You really should've read that whole book on Dark Sun instead of skimming it." Mr. Daedalus shook his head, trying to shake off the pure rage this man's mere ancestry was invoking in him, when he was calm enough he looked up from the floor. "Next question. When were you born?"

"Why? I have no reason to tell you that. I won't." The man answered, his face finally showing something other than apathy. Anger. "What gives you any-"

"If that don't sound familiar. Your birthday. Give it to me." Mr. Daedalus commanded. The man stared into his eyes, the scared and intimidated man had been replaced by one with a fiery passion.

The man turned his face away. "When I arrived in this world the date system worldwide went by the moon as we did. I was surprised-"

"Your birthdate. Not your backstory. Tell me it." Mr. Daedalus interrupted. He was tired of playing run around with this mystery assassin.

"I was born on a full moon sometime during winter. It was the 98th moon cycle. The system of moon cycles was still pretty new then." The man explained.

"You're bluffing." Mr. Daedalus said, crossing his arms.

"I wouldn't lie about something so personal!" The man shouted. He tried to keep his anger back, to embarrassed to look Mr. Daedalus in his eyes. "I've never felt so lost. Everywhere I've gone I have ended up either fighting or fleeing the minute they saw the mark on my scarf. Then I came here. I just want to know why I'm alive."

"The scarf, it had the Dark Sun insignia right?" Mr. Daedalus said casually as he used his magic to pull a chair over to him. He spun the chair around and took a seat on it, leaning over its back. The man nodded. "No one likes the cursed symbol of the men who created Warbeasts."

"How-" The man started, but he saw Mr. Daedalus raise his hand. "Yes."

"I wasn't doing this whole thing for you. Like I said, an old friend decided I should help you..." Mr. Daedalus then rested his head on his arms. "And since fighting you was getting nowhere..."

"Sorry, what?" The man asked.

"Nothing." Mr. Daedalus replied. "What's your name anyway killer?"

"It's Walker." the man replied.

"Cool, now I can properly curse you out for destroying my library, Walker." Mr. Daedalus continued to mutter, his words being muffled from his head resting on his arm.

"What are you called?" Walker asked.

"Me? I go by Kaoru. It's easier than my last name." Mr. Daedalus replied. "So, are we even?".

"I suppose. I still have many questions." Walker said.

"Yeah, those you can figure out on your own." Kaoru groaned. "I'm tired. Going to bed. I don't care what you do. Just stay out of my room."