• A quiet breeze was caught by the trees’ many branches and sent whispers throughout them as Zion silently continued walking between the thick trunks, with his dark cloak shadowing him. The treetops bellowed over him, as if to reach down and pluck him from the ground. A shiver trembled down his body. It wasn’t fear, it was discomfort. Zion out of all people shouldn’t fear. Many said he was fear himself.
    A smile tugged at the corners of his thin, pale lips. Fear. His title pleased him. He interrupted his thoughts and laid them upon his problems. The child. He growled silently and cursed as he thought of the child. He looked up and realized he had arrived at the small clearing. He sighed when he realized she wasn’t there but walked towards the middle and closed his eyes.
    He listened intensely until he noticed silent footsteps coming towards him and grew louder. He listened until the footsteps stopped just outside the clearing and a smile flickered onto his lips once more and said knowingly “Sylvon.”
    Silence filled the clearing. Finally she responded “Zion.” Her voice was cold, and he heard the distaste and hate that echoed in her voice. He smiled once more, impressed at her courage. He turned towards her and regarded her. She wore a dark hooded cloak which wrapped around her petite body, and hid her caramel coloured curles. Her soft facial features were twisted into a grimace of hate and anger.
    “You came” He said quietly
    “I had no choice but to” She responded and glared at him.
    “Oh but you could have. You could have hidden away, and die along with your pathetic child once I would have found you. Now, I see you intend to leave the child to let her die alone. Why is that? Have you given up?” He said smiling sarcastically.
    Anger flashed in her eyes and she responded through gritted teeth. “I would not leave my child to a faith such horrible as the one you have assigned her. I came for I have nothing more to offer and I accept death.”
    Zion’s smile deepened and he replied “Oh really? Can you not offer the child safety and care?”
    “My presence is not appreciated along my people anymore. Not after what my husband has done under your order. I’ve become hated and if I stay with the child, all I’ll do is danger her safety and I refuse to push such a thing upon a child who hasn’t lived yet and await to accomplish superior deeds. Without me, she may have a better future. She shall be hated but also respected.”
    Zion almost laughed as he asked her “And what superior deeds will this infant accomplish?”
    Sylvon took a deep breath and said “When she has grown up into the incredible woman she will be, she will destroy you.”
    This time Zion laughed out loud. It was a cold laugh, filled with sarcasm and he said “Pity. I admire a woman with the amount of courage as you have. You are a fine woman Sylvon. I understand what Gilraen saw in you. Soon you will join him. It will be a waste…it truly will.” He stepped towards her and plucked an exposed strand of hair from her shoulder and examined it. Sylvon tensed but ignored it and remained still.
    Zion stepped back and examined her once more. A teardrop swelled up from her eye and ran down her cheek as she glared at him with pure hate. “Gilraen was a good man. You killed him before everyone could realize that, and then hid behind a pathetic lie to keep everyone from thinking better of him.”
    “I know Sylvon. That is why I had to kill him. Betrayer is what he was.”
    “He was a hero!” She shrieked at him.
    Zion shook his head and stared at Sylvon, a longing expression resting on his face. “I will regret this.”
    Another teardrop rolled down her cheek as she quietly said “You will. My daughter shall kill you.”
    He laughed another sarcastic laugh. “Your courage will be admired.” With that he lifted his left hand towards Sylvon as she closed her eyes. He clenched his hand into a fist and closed his eyes. A blood-chilling shriek erupted from Sylvon and her eyes flew open and rolled back into her head as her body trembled. Zion opened his eyes and viewed Sylvon as she tried to escape the terrible pain. His face was expression-less as he unclenched his hand and the shrieking was replaced with silence. Sylvon’s body collapsed into a pile on the ground. Zion walked forward and stepped over the un-moving corpse and continued into the dark forest. Another smile replaced his old one, as he had completed what he had came for.