Author note: I do not own 'The Last Story.'

I do swear I am coming up with too many fanfic ideas...But thankfully, I have more time to hack away at fics considering that it's summer. So, I figured that starting this fic would be okay-I've got a general idea of the plot, so it should be alright...I hope. Don't expect this fic to updated often, though, because I'll be mainly working on 'The Last Story-Anthology.'

Warning: Takes place post-game so possible spoilers, pairings (SyrennexLowell, Zaelista, a little HoracexMeredith and maybe other pairings, too-might have Therius paired with someone in-game, we'll see...), OCs (not as many as the Last Story Anthology...I hope...so hopefully approximately less than seven...), violence, swearing, usage of alcohol (due to Syrenne's usual behaviour)...I think that should be it. Oh, wait, almost forgot-there will be lots of blood in this chapter. Lots. But not too graphically described. Just thought I'd warn you in case you hate blood.

Constructive Criticism would be great, and I hope you read, review and enjoy! Thanks! :)

Blood Warrior

There is a legend about the creatures of blood.

The creatures of blood lure their prey, before baptizing them with blood and consuming then.

Legend has it that one of those that they lure, however, will not become their meal after being baptized, but will be chosen to become a savior to the world they inhabit.

They call this savior the Blood Warrior.

1. By the blood

There was screaming of the people.

There was fire, consuming everything in its path.

And in the middle of the chaos, there was a knight of white.

Sir Therius tried to assess his surroundings as he struck down another Reptid. No one had any idea of how the Reptids had gotten to the villages surrounding Lazulis. They should have been sealed away for good when Zael and his troops sealed off the only entrance that led to Lazulis from the Reptid underground hideaways.

Obviously, though, the Reptids had dug a new path, and now they were attacking the villages out of vengeance, for vengeance that they hadn't been rescued from the poisoned waters down below.

Therius couldn't just let this happen, of course. It was a knight's duty to protect the people, to put others before oneself. He and the best-trained of the soon-to-be knights from the Empire had went to the villages immediately to fight against the Reptids.

Things weren't going too well. Some of the knights fled the scene once things got rough, and some of them were just simply too weak. The amount of Reptids attacking was more than originally thought to be, and everything just wasn't going well at all.

He slashed aside another Reptid, continuing to fight until-

The Reptids suddenly ran away. Therius stared at them in confusion. What would make them suddenly run away? Perhaps the Reptids had been called to retreat suddenly? Maybe it was a trap. He ordered the knights still standing to not follow them and tend to the wounded, before looking around.

He heard a faint whisper in his ear.

By the blood you shall be purified, and by being purified you shall become the savior.

"What?" He spoke aloud, looking around. There was no one immediately beside him, and he found this...extremely odd. Who had spoken just now?

"Is there anything wrong, sir?" One of the knights spoke up, noticing Therius' expression of suspicion.

Therius shook his head quickly. "No. It is nothing concerning you. Go tend to the wounded and gather the villagers together. Tell the others to keep watch over the villagers as well." The knight nodded, before walking towards the other villagers.

The white-haired knight looked around. He was sure that someone had spoken just now, but who?

It was then that he caught sight of a slender, shadowy figure a few feet away from him. It paused, noticing that Therius saw it, before it suddenly flew away, into the forest nearby. Therius knew he had to investigate. What was that creature? He had never seen anything like it before. It was no Reptid, for sure...

He paused, ordering the knights to keep watch over the villagers and to put out the fires immediately, before rushing into the forest. He had to find that creature. He had to know what was going on. He just had to know.

He eventually stopped running. How far did he end up in the forest, anyway? Maybe searching for the creature wasn't worth it. He should be tending to the villagers and making sure the knights he commanded were in line, not searching for something that could have been a trick of the light.

Before he could turn around and go back to the village, however, shades of bloody red danced into his vision and turned it to a raven black.

He woke up, lying on the ground on his back. A spell of dizziness prevented him from trying to sit up, and he closed his eyes briefly as the headache pulsed through his mind.

What had happened earlier? How long had he been knocked out? Perhaps that creature from earlier knocked him unconscious, for fear of being followed. He knew he should probably head back to the village-the soldiers were probably wondering where he was, now.

Before he could let his mind wander any further, something liquid-like hit his left cheek with a soft drip.

Therius blinked out of his thoughts, and the headache had ceased slightly. He slowly, cautiously, let his right hand slide towards his face, before touching at his left cheek. He then pulled it away to look at it.

The liquid was blood, the colour being as scarlet as the darkest red rose.

Therius initially recoiled at the sight-until splatters of blood landed on his forehead and the rest of his face. Some drops got into his eyes, and he had to blink and rub at his eyes furiously to get it all out. The same slim figures from before-one of them, he was sure, he had followed-appeared in his vision, all of them splattered in blood.

It was then that Therius knew what was going on. These creatures lured their prey to a more private area before-before capturing them and baptizing them with-

Blood. Therius' eyes widened in disbelief. They were going to baptize him with blood and consume his soul afterwards. He had to get away-he needed to get away before they were finished with the baptism! Otherwise they would be able to eat his soul, and-and-

He did not want to die. Not like this...

He immediately tried to scramble to his feet, determined to run away from them, no matter how cowardly the action was. He figured he would have to fight them off, and-

His train of thought broke once again as several clawed, slender and blood-splattered hands pinned him down to the ground by his ankles and wrists. Human-like faces, but with wide, wide eyes, glanced down at him curiously as he tried to struggle against their grasp. In an instant, he remembered the pictures of these beings in the few books he had read about the myths surrounding the Empire.

The Blood Creatures. They are here...

"Unhand me at once!" Therius snapped, trying to move his arms and legs in a vain attempt. The sound of metal being unsheathed caught his attention, and he noticed them pulling out his sword from its scabbard. Therius immediately tried to grab it, so he could slash at them and get out of his restraints, but the blood creatures took it away before he could even hold one fingertip to the sword's handle. "Let me go!"

Blood rained down upon his struggling form, and he repeatedly blinked to try to get some of the blood out of his eyes. Some locks of his white hair got into his face, and he saw that they were completely soaked a dark scarlet, dyed from the blood that the blood creatures were using on him for his 'baptism.'

He wasn't sure what to do-he was unarmed, he was restrained, and blood was being poured all over him constantly. At this rate, the baptism would be finished soon and his soul would be eaten by these beings. He could scream for help, but he doubted anyone could hear him.

Before he could get himself to make a decision, he suddenly felt the pouring of the life-giving liquid upon him halt, as if someone had just turned the tap of a sink to stop the water from flowing anymore. His eyes snapped open as a feeling of dread invaded his chest.

He was going to die; completely defenseless, surrounded by the creatures of blood and have his soul eaten by them. He closed his eyes again, not wanting to see them as they consumed his soul.

Instead of pain or whatever feeling that was connected to souls being eaten, he felt the brush of a blood-splattered hand touch the scar above his left eye. His eyes shot open again, and he noticed that very hand belonged to one of the Blood Creatures. The creature gazed at Therius with a tender look in its glassy eyes, and Therius almost fell into a trance just by looking at those eyes. The knight blinked as the hand trailed downward from the scar towards his cheek, caressing it gently. He shuddered slightly at the touch-it wasn't cold like ice, nor as warm as fresh blood-no, it was a combination of both temperatures and he felt unused to it.

He heard a quiet voice in his head suddenly, and he knew that the creature had been the one to speak it to him earlier.

By the blood you shall be purified, and by being purified you shall become the savior.

"Wait-" Therius tried to manage a sentence, confused by the statement. "What do you mean by-by-purified? Or the savior? The savior of what?"

In time you will know.

He felt a pair of lips gently press against his scar, and he suddenly felt very, very sleepy. Unable to fight the drowsiness, he saw his world turn to black as the alarmed shouts of soldiers faded from his ears.

Three cloaked figures gathered together, in a secret place.

"So...It seems that the so-called savior of this world has finally been chosen by the Blood Creatures." One of them spoke, a curious tone echoing her voice. "I don't seem to remember his name, though..."

"It is Sir Therius." The second spoke, taller and older than the young, cloaked female. "He currently took over the late General Asthar's position of training the soon-to-be knights of the Empire. I would like to think the creatures chose a good one to be the savior." He finished, giving a small chuckle. "He sounds very interesting to me."

"Our master will be pleased to hear this. That man will be vital to his plans..." The third spoke, its voice slightly sharper than the other two. It looked at the second cloaked figure that had spoken, before it spoke again. "Go to Lazulis City. Since the Blood Creatures found him close to there, he will probably be brought there to recover from that event. Go to Lazulis City, and see if he is truly the one to be the savior of this world."

"Understood." The man disappeared, leaving the other two behind.

"Why can't I do it?" The younger one asked the third one. "I have just as much as power as he does. You know that!"

"True." The third agreed. "You do have enough power to equally match Therius in battle. But, you are needed for something else. Should the one I just sent fail his mission, you will needed to take down the savior so that our master will achieve his ultimate goal, to have complete power over the Blood Creatures and rule this world. Understood?"

The younger one let out a sigh, before responding. "Alright, alright...I'll just keep a close eye on him. Don't worry, I won't interfere unless I really have to. Promise." With that being said, she disappeared from sight.

The last one smiled from underneath the cloak. "I wonder, Sir Therius...How will you try to defy us?"