[quote=Solace - Zaino's Flashback]"... Xanxus?"

"Oh, my," Zaino watched as Xanxus, almost as if he was just as surprised as he was, lean in to get a closer look at Zaino's face. He seemed to appear a bit troubled, lowering his sword and extending a hand out to Zaino as he continued:

"Quite the fiery reunion, don't you think? Whatta ya doing here, grumps?"
[/quote]

Accepting his support, Zaino coughed violently from the virulent clouds of smoke around them. He couldn't find the words to answer his older brother; all he could do was marvel at how much he had changed since he'd last seen him, of which he couldn't even recall vividly. His eyes trailed to the sword that Xanxus held, its fine blade tainted by a fresh coat of blood. His brother placed a hand atop of his shoulder, leaning in to whisper in Zaino's ear as he led him out of the collapsing building. [b]"Don't ask any questions, Ylisse is purging all Shepherds. We need to get out of here, and quickly.[/b]

[b]"What?![/b] Zaino exclaimed as his senses returned to him from their dull state.

[b]"You heard me. Darrian's behind all of this."[/b]

Zaino cringed as they exited the building to find themselves in the center of the heated battle between the Shepherds and the Ylissean Army, the latter having the upper hand. He could see his friends barely holding themselves against the militants, wishing that he could take up his sword and fight alongside them. He would rather die with them than watch it all unfold or retreat. Just then, the building behind them began to collaps-

[b][i]"Sorry, it's nothing personal."[/i][/b] Xanxus mumbled, suddenly hurling Zaino forward as a haymaker punch met his face, throwing Zaino to the side. Before he hit the ground, Zaino was fast enough to bring up his sword to counter Xanxus' coming attack, partially deflecting his slash but receiving the brunt of it along his upper torso and right shoulder. He landed on the ground and found himself unable to move as Xanxus placed his boot on his head, sighing. [b]"You might have not seen it, but I also cut the vital portions of your limbs, crippling you. Your wounds aren't fatal though, grumps."[/b]

[b][i]"Instead, you earn the privilege of watching my swordplay."[/i][/b]

---

[quote=phillmyster]
"Ambra is it?, Im Phill, I mean you no harm, step away from the bandit" Phill told Ambra never loosing sight of Zaino, "Bandit, why were you attacking this woman! Answer or I will be forced to take action" Phill advanced on Andrew towards Ambra.Phill hadn't noticed the other two men, the hostile answer given by Zaino took all his attention. He noticed Zaino had lowered his blade, Phill did not waver in his stance, he did have the advantage on attack distance but not mobility, so he made sure to keep his distance, this man looked like a genuine threat, there was no telling who would win if a fight broke out but, that motivated Phill even more, all these rules of conflict were a bother to him, non nonetheless he had to follow them as a cavalier, if the man answered the wrong way, then Phill could cut loose.
[/quote]

[b]"You so-called high and mighty knights are all the same, always treating us Shepherds like ruffians. Did Xanxus send you to kill me like how he slaughtered all of us?"[/b] Zaino scowled, returning his sword to his side and cringing slightly at the movement, the cuts around his body having not fully recovered, not to mention the other countless wounds he had sustained from the battles at the other six barracks. He had pushed his wounded body to its capacity when he had attacked Ambra, of whom he would return to later, despite knowing the possibility of her easily being able to stick an arrow or dagger into his back at any time. It was then that his senses picked up more people around them, but In the state he was in now, he couldn't possibly hope to tackle a group of people, but he could hold his own in an individual battle.

[i]So the assassin has [b]friends...[/b] more surprising than intriguing. Another archer and magic user, both weak up close.[/i]

Zaino wasn't sure how he had been able to keep himself alive since all eight barracks fell. Maybe it'd been his will to live or pride as a swordsman, or maybe it was to gut Xanxus like the pig he was. His grimy and blood-stained face, the same that covered his clothing, had been an easy way in discerning him as a survivor of the Shepherd manhunt. However weak or broken he was, he would keep fighting, even if he had no more friends or allies. They were all dead, and after running away for so long, he was prepared to join the ones he watched die, but not without one last act of defiance. Zaino began to feel the crunch of exhaustion, dehydration, blood loss, sickness, and whatever else he was afflicted with, set in. [b]"If you're going to kill a Shepherd, you're going to need more than a horse and lance, knight."[/b]

That was, until a new presence joined in on the fray, but it wasn't just am average person this time around; it was someone that Zaino [i]actually[/i] recognized. [b][i]"Helena?[/i][/b]
The daughter of the East Khan, the rival to whom his master had served. Zaino remembered when he'd been selected as the West Khan's champion, and defeated the East Khan's champion to secure the West Khan's rule. He couldn't actually remember if he'd seen her at any moment of that time period, but her name had been all over Ferox, and there was no mistake.