Giants, angels or elves. They were seen as such and people kept telling legends about them. The truth was lost in time. The Nephilim, living for thousands of years, winged race of old.

"Cuncta manus avidas fugient heredis, amico

quae dederis animo..."

The words got Roisin's attention. They were strange, yet mesmerizing.

"What is that?"

"A sentry."

"...No! I mean what did you say?"

"Oh, just some old poetry."

The two of them were near the cemetery. Here , were laying royal sentries. Their white armors were full of dirt and rust. The weapons on the ground were broken, while others were still intact.

"So... are you going to activate them or what?"

"Yeah, just checking them. They are in such a poor condition. When Shepherd returns I need him to bring a good blacksmith."

"I don't think there is anyone which may repair these... things."

"Well, I need to put them back together. I could do it myself, but that would use a lot of energy."

"Nothing is happening, so you might as well."

"You do have a point..."

He started to channel energy in the sentries. The armor began to tidy up. The weapons were put back together... They started to rise.

"Ah, I used less than I tought. Nice."

The sentries were now shining. The helmets with red crests, gauntlets like claws, spear in one hand and shield in the other. Their silver color truly made them look as knights.

"They look familiar."

"Have you seen them before?"

"Not alive, but there were books which depicted them. Those were humans though, not living armors..."

"Oooh... Our civilization is now a thing of stories in your culture, it seems."

"Not only them. The gargoyles, the stone knights. These are from the oldest stories."

"So I've lived long enough to become history. How amusing."

He chuckled. The girl couldn't see it, but the king smiled under his helmet. After a few hours more and more royal sentries started roaming the city.

♦ ♦ ♦

Further away some nasty figuers appeared. Three people, with hide and mail armor. They all had knives and short swords on them. Two were masked while the other one was a bald man with an evil smile on his face. Behind them were eight others, half of them on horses and the others in a carriage.

The one with the gross smile started to look at the carriage.

"Hmm, mhmmm, hehehe... Ey, can I have some fun, come on just a little bit. I wanna make them squeal a little.. M-ma-maybe even cut a finger or two. The look they have when they see the blood IS so... so beautiful."

"You can't touch them, you psychotic bastard. We have to get them intact. The orders were clear."

"Come on, j-just a LITTLE bit, it won't take long. They won't even notice!"

"He said no. Keep walking or I put a bolt in your head."

"Argh... You are no FUN!"

"We are on a mission. You can have all the fun you want in your spare time. Besides, they are just children. It's gross."

"You can't really condemn him. Just look at that face."

"True..."

"You ASSHOLES! I ain't talking shit about you. Should I mention what you did to that woman last week, EH?"

"Alright, alright... Let's keep moving."

It was quiet. No humans, no birds, barely a few insects could be seen. Suddenly heavy steps were heard further ahead.

"Be on your guard and don't attack. Especially you baldy."

"Yeah... Hey that's rude!"

In front of them was one of the sentries.

"What was that?"

The sentry simply went past them. They were to patrol the city and so they did. If there is nobody attacking it, the sentry will just walk.

"Hey! Look there are more, they just walk around."

"We need to find a location with less of those thing."

"I wonder, h-how much would that armor fetch on the black market?"

"From the look it's made of silver, maybe twelve gold pieces?"

"Only if it was simple silver armor. The craftsmanship, it might as well be enhanced or even enchanted. The price can go up to even five platinum pieces."

"That... that's a lot."

"How would you even try to put something like that down. Even the captial elites might have trouble with such foes."

"Well, when we return sometime, maybe we could put one of them down. For now let's set camp somewhere."

♦ ♦ ♦

It was night. The children in the carriage were let outside for once. Some of them were in rags and others in fine clothes. Among them was a little girl with blue eyes and long blonde hair. She was frail and scared.

A thought went through her head. Most of the bandits were asleep. It was her chance to run. Only if she wasn't chained. Fate sometimes is harsh, but it's said that hope dies last.

A sentry happened to walk around at that moment. The girl looked at it and a chill went down her spine. It was as that thing stared into her very soul. She started to panic and the chain made some noise.

The sentry seemed curious. It was strange, for they were only tools. A tool can't be curious, as it can't feel, yet this one came to the girl. The other children were asleep. It bent the knee and looked at the girl.

"What are you?" The girl asked, but for some reason she felt as she shouldn't have done it.

The sentry was silent. It couldn't speak, but saw the girls chain. With one fell swoop with the spear it broke the chain. He stretched his hand to the girl.

She grasped the sentry's cold hand and got up. The two of them left.

One of the bandits saw what happened. Only if he could do anything, but what can one man do against such a foe?

As the two walked the empty streets, others came around. Three other sentries were now in front of the weird one. They went behind him and tagged along.

In the far woods, a girl looked towards the old ruins. She had beautiful wings and was dressed in golden plate armor. The helmet covering her head and face resembled a jester. Something was calling her.

"Hmmm... Didn't get chills like these in quite some time. Oh, ohohoho, I wonder if he woke up."

She stretched her wings and took off to the sky.

"Now let's find out where you are, my dear, big brother."

♦ ♦ ♦

Two days passed. The capital was in a state of alert. The news about the soldiers that fell in the ruins spread quickly. Shepherd was trying to blend in the crowds. After walking for half an hour, he made it to the castle. It was time to inflitrate and recover Roisin's satchel.

The guards didn't pay much attention. One of them was half asleep. Shepherd quietly got behind them and entered the building. The hallway was large and decorated with paintings, chandeliers and beautiful tapestry.

There were but a few guards patroling, so it wasn't hard to get into the treasury. Here were many coin purses, golden weapons, armors, jewels, but the satchel wasn't anywhere to be found.

"Damn, someone took it, or maybe it's in another room. Gotta find out fast, or the guards will change shifts."

He ran as fast as he could back to the entrance. Something was odd. The guards weren't there anymore. For a moment, Shepherd wondered if they found out he was inside. In the very next moment he began to feel sleepy, slowly falling on the floor.

"It seems that I found someone who should not be here. Let us get you to a beautiful place."

From a corner came Cyrillus. He saw the person that captured Shepherd. It was bad news, but he couldn't say a thing. He waited for him to be taken away. He took a few deep breaths and started to think.

"I was sent out of prison for some reason. He's the one who got me there in the first place. I do not care what happens with him. Argh... At least I should tell someone about this."

He went outside. Cyrillus needed someone with him to go back, yet there was nobody that could help.

"Hey!"

"..."

"HEY!"

"..."

"I SAID HEY!"

He was in deep thought, but in that moment he jumped. A strange person was next to him.

"W-Wh-Who are you?"

"My name is Cory. I think we can help each other."

"Is that so..."

"I need to get to a certain place. You might need to go there as well. My problem is that I forgot the way. You need someone to get you there safely. We both win right?"

"I have a hard time believing, you need to go to the same place as me. What do you get from it...? W-what are you?!"

"To see my brother. Also, I kind of lied. I apologize. Even so, you are rather rude."

"What?"

"I was near the old city, and I got excited when I sensed him."

"What does that have to do with the fact you are here now, or that you know what I need!"

"First of all. I got excited and flew pretty far away. Also I didn't know. I simply planned to say the same thing to as many people as I could, until someone said they know the way. Guess I didn't have to look for long."

"Alright, alright... Then I have a favor to ask of you."

"Don't you think it's too early for that? We just met, and we don't know each other good enough to do something like that."

He clicked his tongue. She was mocking him. Cyrillus didn't exactly enjoy it, but kept it together nonetheless.

"There is someone who can get you there. Somebody took him. I can show you where he was sent, but I can't help you any more than that."

"Awww, you are so boring. Alright, show me the way."

The prison was heavily guarded. They even have two ballistas in case someone tried to escape .

"He is somewhere inside, should be easy to recognize him. Also, his name is Shepherd, if it helps with anything."

"Thanks, I won't forget it."

♦ ♦ ♦

The girl stretched her wings and flew in front of the prison. The guards were shocked. They assumed defensive positions.

"Hehe, have I done something wrong?"

"Identify yourself!

"My name is Cory. I am a royal harlequin. I am nineteen.... thousand years , more or less. You know, after so much time you kinda tend to forget."

"Stop fooling around and tell us the truth!"

"Oh? It was the truth! Ufufufufu! They told me I'm a harlequin, but they should have seen you. Stupid monkeys. Give me the man named Shepherd and I won't kill you all. Probably."

"H-How dare you..."

On the top of the building stood a strange man. He was holding a black spear. His armor was glowing purple. The helmet resembled a dragon head.

"This man, you need him?"

"Yeah."

"Well, then, Catch!"

The man threw the body to her feet. Others might have been scared. The girl though, only felt anger and disgust.

"Is this a joke?"

"Oh no, I simply answered your request. That is Shepherd. You are causing a comotion, please leave now."

"He... HeHe-Hehehehe!"

"What is so funny?"

"Alright, funny guy. It seem I have to show you... What I do to defilers.

She leaped at the man and punched him with lethal force.

"Oh. It seems I underestimated you girl."

In that moment, the two ballistas shot the girl.

"It seems I was wrong. You have no honor. Should have guessed, when you threw a body like it was nothing."

She caught the bolts in her hands.

"A harelquin fights gracefully, with scimitars, dancing on the battlefield. We mock battle itself. You do not deserve to see such elegance."

Her personality shifted. The girl was now composed.

"Say your name, monkey."

"W-Why should I tell you that?"

"As you wish. You will be forgiven, for today... I shall put an end to your misery."

This time the man took the initative and tried to imaple her with the spear. It was useless, for she dodged as if it was nothing.

"I see that you are pretty skilled."

"Oh, the monkey can give compliments too?"

"It was just a statement."

He enhanced his weapon with dark magic and boosted his speed with a potion. Then he plunged again. He struck again and again, hundreds of times in mere minutes. However, it was all in vain.

"Geting tired with that spear?"

With his last remaining breath he tried to strike again. Once again, the girl simply dodged.

"I... I surrender. It seems I have no chance to defeat you at this moment in time."

"Hehe, remember what I told you. You will be forgiven..."

She went close to the knight and hugged him. For the first time, he felt warm. He felt happy. For the first time, he felt as there was a place for him in this world. Slowly his vision started to blur. It was geting darker and darker, until he collapsed.

"You will be forgiven... In the afterlife. I won't give mercy for those who would defile a corpse."

The guards were gathering to grab the girl, but then they saw it. A majestic being descending from the skies. The angelic wings, the golden shining armor. They were left in awe as if a messenger from God arrived.

They dropped their weapons and kneeled.

"Eeeh...? In any case, desecrating a corpse like that, it's awful. I don't think it was Shepherd, though. Gotta look around for a bit."

She entered the prison and started searching. In the cells were only bandits, criminals and dead bodies.

Further below she managed to find him. The man named Shepherd, in quite a bad condition.

"Are you able to walk?"

"Arghm.... I think so..."

"Why are you in such a place?"

"They... found me..."

"Hmmm. Well we are going to discuss on the road."

"Wh-Where are we...."

"Shut up. You are safe now."

The girl took him in her arms. It was a funny image, as she was pretty small compared to the man. Nevertheless, that didn't stop her.

She left the prison with Shepherd in her arms. Cory stretched her wings and flew outside the capital walls.

"Are you going to survive?"

"Hmhmmh....."

"Oh... He is asleep. Well it seems I have no choice."

She searched for a tree and sat under it. She made a fire and got the man close to her. He was so close. Cory simply watched the fire as he slept with his head leaned on her shoulder.

♦ ♦ ♦

The next day, Shepherd finally woke up.

"Damn, I had such a weird dream. HEY ROISIN, WHERE ARE YA?"

"Please don't scream in my ear."

"Oh... OOHHHH... Fuck."

He was befuddeled by the fact it wasn't a dream.

"Someone told me you can help me find the ruins of Silacet."

"What is your business there?"

"To see my brother. He was asleep for quite a long time."

"By brother... You don't mean Ta-..."

"Tarex, yes. It seems you did meet him."

"Well, I am going to take you there. You saved my life, so that's the least Ican do. Can you answer me some questions though?"

"Once we start moving."

"Alright."

The two of them got up from where they were sitting. The road was muddy yet the smell of forest was refreshing. It was sunny and the breeze was pleasant.

"Such a beautiful day..."

"Tell me now, what did you wish to know?"

"First of all, what are you guys and are there others like you?"

"We are the Nephilim."

"Ugh... Can you be more specific?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Sometimes I forget how long your kind lives. You see, since ancient times, we were considered mythical beings. Even every other race, such as the elves and the orcs believed the same. We are simple, fragile creatures, just as you. We discover new and beautiful things, but we also have our beliefs. "

"So if you were so free, and everyone thought you were just some legends what happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"The ruins. Nobody but your brother lives there."

"Ah... These are some uncomfortable memories..."

Shepherd saw her sadness, even through her helmet. He could hear it in her voice.

"If you don't want to share them, it's alright."

"I will tell you just this. Every single one of our people is born with wings. My brother... My sweet, sweet big brother... was born with none."

"So he had no wings. I don't really see a problem! Well, he couldn't fly, but other than that?"

"He was a prince. Everyone shunned him. His brothers. His bigger sisters. The guards, the soldiers, all the same. Our parents loved him, but even they were distant from him. He was doing all that he could to help everyone, yet they all looked at him with disgust."

"Well... That is unfortunate."

"Later, when he was chosen by our father to become the next king... They came with an idea. That the new kings should always sleep on the throne. Every few years, he was to wake up and check how everyone was doing."

"All good from my point of view. Being, a king and being left to sleep instead of being made, to learn stupid stuff."

"You don't get it. When they put him to sleep, he didn't wake up when he was supposed to. Only once did I feel him awake, but I was too far away. Now, I am here, and I want to get to him as fast as possible."

She started walking faster.

"Hold on now. Don't rush. Also, why do you have to get to him so fast?"

"Because he was betrayed. I need to tell him the truth about our family."

"So you are just going to leave me behind?"

"If I have to, yes."

"But, I am the one who knows the way."

She felt dumb. In that moment, the girl realized that she wanted to leave behind the only person that could help her.

"Hehe..."

"Yeah, I don't even wanna hear about it. Let's go."

"Aren't you mad?"

"I have to deal with a brat worse than you nearly every day of my life."

"How dare you call me a brat! I am around twenty thousand years old. Watch your mouth, young man."

"Then should I call you granny?"

Cory was angry at that rethorical question.

"Why, you!"

"Alright, calm down."

"In any case, let's just go."

"Heh."

♦ ♦ ♦

Back in the ruins, Tarex was trying to make something for Roisin to eat. He wasn't an extraordinary chef, pretty far from it. He could make edible food, at the very least.

"Don't expect me to make something very good."

"I'm starving,. I don't care how bad it is."

He finished baking some bread.

"You... Only made some bread?"

"There isn't anything else around to make you something exquisite. So I'm sorry, little princess, but you are have to eat some bread."

"Fine..."

"I'm going to check the barracks. It seems there are some sentries that are waiting there."

"Sure, whatever."

"Someone is grumpy today..."

He left the kitchen while Roisin was munching the bread. The hallways were dark and the walls humid.

Inside the barracks, the sentries were waiting. On a bench, the girl they saved was sleeping. Tarex took a look at them.

"Which one of you saved her?"

The one who did it came in front of him.

"So it was you... Tell me, what would you do if I were to kill that girl?"

The sentry seemed angry. It clutched its fists and started trembling.

"I see. So you do have emotions. Nobody told me what you were. I presumed, you were only tools. It seems I was wrong."

It seemed to have calmed down.

"Alright, find the people who held this girl. I felt some around the archives. Go!"

All the present sentries took the spears and shields and started running towards the archives.

♦ ♦ ♦

The bandits were poking around to find the girl they lost. The carriage was outside. Two of them were guarding it.

"How could you let her escape?"

"I couldn't even wake you up. That thing scared the shit out of me..."

"S-Say, if I find her first. C-Can I have some FUN with her, he he HE HEHEHEHEH!"

"Ah, look what you did. Now we gonna have to keep him in check as well."

"I'm really sorry."

"H-Hey, did you hear that?"

Twenty sentries surrounded the area. Four of them were around, the carriage. The others entered the archives and blocked the exits. All of them were on standby.

"We might have some problems."

"Wh-WHAT do we do now now?"

"Wait. Someone must be coming. Otherwise they would have etiher killed us or simply went back to wherever they came from."

The sentries made way for Tarex as he entered the room. To his side was the little girl.

"It is indeed as you say. Tell me, what business do you have here?"

"We are just... merchants?"

"Please do not take me for a fool."

They were rather frightened by the king's look.

"W-Who might you be, then?"

"My name is Tarex. This is my city, my home. And you are trespassing. Before you try to lie again, take that into account."

"We are merchants. Well, not the same type you might be used to. We sell quite a large amount of stuff. From weapons to vegetables... even humans..."

"Please do not be afraid. There is no rule that would hold you responsible for selling humans."

"Is that so... Then might you retrun that girl to us? Techinically, she was stolen."

"Hmmm... No."

"I see... WHAT?"

"While there are no rules, I can not say I love the thought of selling other living beings. Let us make a deal. How much would the children you have get you?"

"About five gold pieces each."

"I shall give you something better."

He made a sign with his hand to a senty. Soon after it came with a small chest.

"Take it and look inside. If you like it, it will only cost you these kids. Maybe some of your future services as well, but we shall talk about it later."

The bandit took the chest and looked inside. He was left speechless. Inside it were a few hundred platinum pieces. If he took those, living would be a breeze. A castle, food and all the women he could ever wish for.

"Deal! I will do anything! Well, as much as I can do..."

"Good. For now, take it and leave. Also, the crazy one will remain."

"W-What?!, they won't sell me out like that. Rigjt lads?"

None of them cared in the least.

"OH, COME ON! I will remember this.!"

"Come closer."

"Whaddya want?"

He put his hand on the the bandit's head.

"Show me your life.... Ah, I see. You are the lowest of scum. I will not sully my soul with your sins. Sentries, take him to the solitary chamber."

"WH-WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?"

"You will repent. Someday, I will find a priest to grant you an audience. If you will be forgiven I shall put you to some good use."

"Leave me... LEAVE ME! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"I will make sure that you will feel. You will feel everything they felt!"