40

Months ago...

The portal opened in Zicon's Southern region.

The north of Zicon, it all belongs to the Warchild House. The South, it all belongs to the Shadows' Assasins.

That was all the information that Baka had given them about this world.

They never thought they needed it. And here they were...

Iris and Sei had been swallowed into that portal and they had traveled abroad, through what seemed to be the tunnel filled with light and shadows, matter and space, just like Baka described it. When they got out of it and started to examine their clothes, in order to see if there was anything that would get them into trouble, as they knew so little about the politics here.

All they knew, it was that long ago, the houses united and they split into 2: the House of the Warchild and the House of the Shadows' Assassins.

Yes, what else was new? The two most powerful in their world too.

It looked like they were battling forever, in this never-ending hunger for power. In the entire universe.

Their armorers were light and black, nothing betraying any symbol of either house. The only real problem was that, if Iris would ever get mad or weak enough to let her saruman out of control, they would notice the color of the Warchild House. He could never understand how was it that out of both colors, she got the Warchild one. All her temper was clearly showing the Assassin's House, yet, her saruman was one of the Warchild's.

He always wondered if it was mainly because hers was also a wraith. But it did not matter right now. What it mattered right now was that they needed to look like the originals here, and that he could find shelter for his woman and his soon to be born child.

And he needed to keep them both safe. And for that, he needed her to listen to him and this was not the time for her to get stubborn.

He hid their armors and their weapons. They were not defenseless anyhow, but they did not need to look dangerous.

As he checked for any sign that could give them up, he took her face into his arms, looking at her with love.

-We need to learn from them and make them help us to get home to our children. Trying anything would only make them enemies. And enemies do not help each other to leave this world.

-Of course.

-Are you hungry?

-Not yet. But you know I will be.

-We need to keep this hunger in check for now. They do not need to see your color, wife.

She looked at him and clenched her jaws. She knew that too. She nodded in understanding, but she did not like the situation they were in, and she did not like it at all.

-I am weak...

-So do not start something when we can not finish. Alright? I know you can do it!

Sei insisting on her to behave made her angry already. All her life she lived under her father's orders, her father's edicts. She freed herself and she did not need anyone else to tell her what to do and what to say to anyone.

She did listen to her husband though, but he was the only one standing up for her and he was not hungry for power.

She could hear him, and him, she could listen to. But other than him, there was no man she would let live after trying to offend her or try anything.

In the meantime...

There was a hunter preparing the hunt and searching for a good land for organizing the party. The king announced he needed some entertaining. He would no doubt, need to hunt some of the deers that were found in these forests.

The hunter did not know about it, he was just told by some villagers from the last little village he passed through a day before.

Out of a sudden, a portal opened somewhere in the middle of the forest. He knew the signs, he saw them a few more times ever since he was a little boy. He ran towards the sign, only to find some figures looking a little disoriented. It seems that two shadows have crossed over. Where did they come from? The hunter made a sign towards the men who were following him. Out of nowhere, many spears and crossbows just shone in the sun, all pointed towards the two strangers that had crossed over.

They were surrounded by shadow soldiers. One that seemed to be in charge of the soldiers, stepped forward, looking at them intrigued.

-Who are you? the man asked the strangers.

They were a man and a woman, and the the man, as soon as they have stepped out of the portal, have placed himself in front of the woman, protecting her. She was with child, and she seemed tired. And he seemed worried.

Good, they were afraid, the man thought, as soon as he saw the stranger lifting his hands in defense.

-We are... lost, I think? This portal just took us away from our home... He looked around, probably in search of the portal, but it was already gone.

-I asked, who are you? The man asking questions was not easy to fool.

-We are strangers from this world...the man simply said, looking at the one who seemed in charge, as if he did not know how much to say and how much to keep it to himself. Who are you?

-I asked first!

The woman behind him, then touched his shoulder, and he looked at her, bowing slightly. Bowing, in front of a woman? What was that all about?

-My name is Sei. I am the Lord of the House of Shadows' Assassins, from the New World.

-New World you say? That is impossible!!

-Well, we are here... what is that telling you about the impossible? Sei smiled at the stranger who did not know what to answer to the obvious.

-But no one ever came back from the New World! They were gone!

-But many did come to us, in the New World over the time.

-And they never came back!! What did you do with them?? Kill them??

-We do not know how to come back to Zicon. We do not control the portals. Just like neither can you.

The strangers looked at him puzzled. Yes, it was impossible for them too until it happened the impossible.

He aimed his spear at Sei and motioned for him to follow.

-Where are you taking us? My wife can not walk for too long, she is with child.

-She can rest when we get home.

-Where is home?

-Into the Shadows' Assassins home, of course.

He saw the stranger turn his full attention to his wife, who followed him without hesitation. Good woman, he thought. And another that can carry children.

He led them on hidden paths through the heart of the forest, until they came to a sort of settlement surrounded by a high defensive wall. Very tall. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that foreigners were investigating the wall, probably impressed by the majesty of the building. There was this huge, well built town in the middle of the forest.

The wall was thick enough to allow a good defense of the city, and on the wall could be seen the arches with arches from meter to meter. The woman had a very special interest in the defensive walls of the city, thought the man who guided them with his spear, to one of the tall buildings in the very center of the city.

Almost all the buildings here were equally tall and all had wooden walls, which were beautifully carved and lacquered.

The alleys were paved and neatly maintained. Although tall trees were planted everywhere along the alleys, no leaves could be seen on the ground. Everything was clean and bright.

The man with the spear led the foreigners who drew the attention of all the citizens to one of the tall buildings and the guards opened the massive doors and led them inside, to a room as big as an amphitheater, where the middle was empty, while next to all the walls chairs were set up like tribunes, where a crowd of people sat, as if in an assembly.

It was a bit like the Council of War Chamber, if that was the point. The serious faces and arrogant expressions of the people in the stands also suggested the atmosphere of the trial.

When they entered the hall, there was silence. The man with the spear advanced to a carved chair in the middle of the wall opposite the entrance. It was not exactly a chair, but rather a massive throne, carved out of wood, with two dragons on either side of the handles, which went backward, forming the broad backrest and on which was supported by a man about 50 years. His black hair framed his white porcelain face, and his hair a little gray stride of hair in front. His face was stony and serious, and he looked like a warrior on a mission.

His armor embraced his body and betrayed the construction of the warrior who had trained his body for years. A sword was propped up near the throne, and strangers immediately admired it in amazement, looking at each other.

-Is that Amir-nah? the stranger asked, raising his hand and pointing to the sword at the throne.

-Who are you? asked the one sitting on the throne, visibly amazed and confused by the presence of the two strangers.

-Your Highness, they came out through the open portal ...

-Impossible!!

-What did you say??

-You can not!

Murmurs and questions arose from all sides of the room.

"He says he's the Lord of the House of Shadows' Assassins," said the man with the spear, who had brought strangers to the throne room.

-What did you say?

-How is this coming?

-Impossible!

-We don't know him!

-He says he's from the New World ... continues the man with the spear.

-No one has ever come back from the New World ... Everyone is dead ...

-Obviously, we thought the same about you until you started appearing in our world ... the stranger spoke.

The man with the spear motioned for him to kneel before the king, which made Sei tense up, winking at Iris.

- Kneel before the king! the voice of the protocol user was heard.

Sei looked at those gathered around the throne and knelt down, placing his hand on his knees.

-I am Sei, The Lord of the House of Shadows 'Assassins and the Lord Commander of the Shadows' Kingdom in the New World. And this is my wife, he pointed towards Iris. Of course that she did not kneel, he thought clenching his teeth. She is with child, and she is not feeling very well, she can not kneel or I will not be able to get her up from the floor, with that big belly now, you know how that is...

They all started to laugh, looking at the stranger's woman who did not open her mouth nor did she raise her eyes from the floor. She looked like a statue, immobile and beautiful as a goddess.