Title: Steel Gray Eyes
Author: Koori
Started: 8/26/01
Disclaimer: The only character that is mine is the mysterious figure.
Sara Pezzini tossed and turned in her sleep, the Witchblade shining on her wrist. From his vantage point on the fire escape, Ian Nottingham wondered what the Witchblade was showing its current wielder. Most likely something Irons wouldn't be pleased about. Ever since Sara and her partner, Danny Woo, had driven away from the Rialto theatre, things hadn't felt right. Ian just couldn't put his finger on why. He'd figure it out soon enough. He stood and turned away from the window. He had other business to attend to.
Nottingham didn't see the figure, barely visible in the darkness, which stood on a rooftop near Sara's building. Clad in black armor, the figure turned, wrapping a blood red cloak around itself.
The next morning Sara arrived at the 11th precinct earlier then normal. Danny pulled his car in a parking spot as she removed her helmet.
"Wow," Danny said slamming the car door. "You're up early."
"Yeah, well, I couldn't sleep."
"That been happening a lot lately?"
Sara smiled, "Stop worrying about me."
"Pez! Danny!"
"What, Jake?" Danny turned.
"New case," Jake handed Danny a piece of paper. "Cap wants me to go with you."
Danny rolled his eyes as he got back in the car. Sara threw her helmet in the back, then go in the car, too. Jake opened the back driver side door, joining the pair in the vehicle.
"Siri want you to learn from the best, kid?" Sara smiled at Danny, who backed the car out of the spot.
"Something like that, Pez," Jake returned.
The engine revved as Danny threw the car into drive and hit the accelerator. Sara turned her head and looked out the window. As they pulled to a stop at a light, Sara saw the armored figure from the museum. She stiffened in her seat.
"You ok, Pez?" there was more then a little hint of concern in Danny's voice.
"Yeah," Sara looked at him. She turned back to the window. Gone. Damn.
Like most murder scenes, this one wasn't pretty. However, it was very organized. The first victim, an elderly man, had been decapitated. His head sat on the coffee table, facing his body, which was propped up in a wingback chair. The second victim, a young boy, lay on the couch, the television remote still in his hand. The boy's throat had been slit.
"Nothing," Jake said.
"No signs of a struggle," Danny walked around the wingback. "You think the boy did it?"
"Seems a little young," Sara kneeled in the doorway. She ran her gloved fingers over the frame. Then she saw it, a piece a cloth. She tugged on it, pulling a triangle of blood red material from the frame. "Hey, look."
Danny held an evidence bag open for her. She dropped the fabric into the bag.
"Doesn't look like it was woven with a machine," Sara studied it through the bag.
"Hand woven then," Jake said. "But who takes the time to do that these days."
"Who knows," Danny replied.
Sara handed Danny the bag. She got up and went to the boy.
"Search the house," Sara said. "See if you can find what this came off of."
Danny and Jake both headed out of the room, taking the officers that had been standing around with them. Sara turned her attention back to boy. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the bracelet that had ended up on her wrist at the museum. Ok, you keep giving me these weird dreams; let's see what else you can do. She put the bracelet on and reached out to touch the kid's hair.
Red fabric flapping in a hot breeze. A pair of steel gray eyes. The clanging of swords. Red fabric. Screams of battle. The armored figure from the museum. Red fabric. The armored figure fighting another armored figure in a field. Steel gray eyes.
"Hey, Sara!"
The sound of Danny's voice snapped Sara out of the continuous flow of images through her brain. She turned towards Danny, removing her hand from the kid's forehead. "What?"
"You ok?" Jake asked as a pair of officers rolled the body and head of the elderly man out of the room towards the front entrance.
"Um, yeah," She pulled the bracelet from her wrist and returned it to her jacket pocket.
"We couldn't find anything that piece of fabric might have came off of," Danny said. "It probably belonged to the killer."
"Yeah, that's what I'm thinking," Sara walked past them. "Come on there isn't anything else for us here."
Kenneth Irons stood in front of one of his office windows. Something was wrong. Well, of course something was wrong. His plans to control the newest wielder were spiraling out of control. No, it was something else too. What are you doing? He mentally asked the Witchblade. The door behind him slid open.
"What?" Irons turned to find one of his receptionist said there instead of Ian.
"Sorry to disturb you, Mr. Irons," the receptionist said. "But Mrs. Relvine just called. Her brother, Mr. Wilkins and his grandson were found murdered this morning."
"Very disturbing news," Irons replied. "You know what to do." He turned back to the window.
"Yes, Mr. Irons."
"Get this," Jack said stepping into Sara and Danny's office that afternoon. "The old man, Mr. Wilson, was on the board of Vorschlag Industries."
"So," Sara said.
"So maybe some wanted to send Mr. Irons a message."
"You're grasping at straws, Jake" Danny leaned back and propped his feet up on the desk.
"Well, I can't find anything else on this guy," Jake said. "His sister says that everyone who knew him liked him."
"Ok," Sara said. "You two start on the other board members, I'll go talk to Mr. Irons."
"How come you get to go rub elbows with the big wig?" Jake said. Danny laughed as Sara just stared the blond rookie. "Ok, fine."
"I'll meet you guys back here," Sara grabbed her jacket off the coat rack and headed out towards her bike.
Ian watched from a nearby rooftop as Sara pulled her bike to a halt in front of the headquarters for Vorschlag Industries. There was movement out of the corner of his eye. There on the rooftop of a shorter building was a black armored figure leaning on the edge, watching Sara. The figure turned it head, and Ian felt a cold chill run over him as the figure looked right at him. Then in a swirl of blood red, it turned and was gone.
Sara stepped off the elevator, sliding the strange bracelet onto her wrist as she walked. She flashed her badge at a receptionist.
"He's expecting you, Detective."
Sara stopped and turned towards the receptionist, shaking her head at the sudden feeling of having done this before.
"Something wrong, Detective?"
No," Sara continued into Irons' office.
Kenneth Irons was standing in front of a monitor, watching a muted news broadcast. He turned when Sara entered the office.
"Detective Pezzini." Irons said.
Sara stared at him for a second before beginning. "Mr. Irons, I regret to inform you that we found Mr. Wilkins remains this morning."
"Yes, I know."
"Do you know of anyone who might have wanted him dead?"
"No, he was a very friendly man."
Sara sighed. She couldn't believe she was going to ask him this. "Might it have
been a message for you?"
"Possibly. That's a very lovely bracelet, Detective."
"Huh? Oh this," Sara pulled her jacket sleeve back. "Yeah it is. It just ended up on my wrist after a shot out at the Midtown Museum." Sara stopped wondering why she was telling him this.
"Yes," Irons said. "Some very valuable objects were lost in that explosion. Irreplaceable."
Sara glanced down at the stone in the bracelet. It was swirling again. She removed it from her wrist and started to put it back in her pocket. Irons reached out and grabbed her wrist.
"You should leave it on, Sara," Irons said. "The Witchblade will show you things."
"The Witchblade?"
"It was a part of the Joan of Arc collection I donated to the museum."
"So it belongs to you?"
"No, Sara, it belongs to you."
Sara's cell rang, rescuing her from the silence that had fallen over the room.
Irons released her wrist. Sara turned her back to him, putting the Witchblade back on. She grabbed her cell out of her pocket.
"Pez," she said.
"I wouldn't if I were you," a female voice came over the line.
"What? Who is this?"
"He can't be trusted." The connection was broken.
After Sara had left, with his business card in hand, Irons returned to his desk. Ian came a little while later.
"Well?"
"I believe there is a problem," Ian said standing just inside of Irons line of
sight, with his head down.
"What kind of problem?"
"I am not the only one watching her."
"Really? And who is this mysterious other?"
"I do not know. I saw him or her briefly today. Wearing armor."
"Follow this person next time."
"I don't know if that will be possible"
Irons stared at him. "Make it possible. Go."
Between her meeting with Irons and the mysterious phone call, Sara was not in a good mood. She'd been sitting on the sofa with a carton of ice cream laughing at this really strange television show, when the phone rang.
"Pezzini," she said picking up the receiver.
"They just found numbers three and four." Danny had gotten into the habit of not
even saying hello half the time. "A man and woman in a hotel room. I'm on my way there, I called Jake he's going to be a tad late. Probably had a hot date."
"Wonderful," Sara grabbed a pad of paper and a pen. "What's the address?"
Danny rang off the address. Sounded like a sleazy motel, probably some businessman and a hooker. Sara put the phone back on the receiver, grabbed her jacket, and headed out the door.
"Well," Jake said when he arrived on the scene. "Our murder certainly has a sick sense of humor."
"Yep," Sara said as she flung the bed sheet back over the couple.
"Sara," Danny said handing her the evidence bag, with another piece of torn blood red fabric. "Defiantly a calling card."
"I've seen worse," Sara replied studying the bag. "You sent the first piece into the lab right?"
"Of course."
"Send this one, too," Sara started to hand it back to them. She was suddenly struck with the idea of touching the fabric; see if the Witchblade reacted. "Um, I think I need some fresh air."
"Sure Pez," Danny replied.
Sara opened the door, stepping into the cool night air. Taking a deep breath, she pulled her glove off. Oh, she could get into so much trouble for this. Unfastening the evidence back, she reached in with her right had and pulled the fabric out. Nothing. Damn.
"You ok, Pez?"
Sara dropped the fabric back in the bag. "Yeah." She turned towards Danny. "Well, no, but when was I ever."
"Ever since the thing at the museum you've been acting funny."
"You have no idea."
"Want to share with the class?"
"Later, Danny. Right now, we've got a killer to catch."
Ian watched Sara and her partner turn and go back inside the motel room. A movement in the corner of his eye made him turn. The armored figure. In seconds,
Ian was at its side.
"Who are you?" Ian asked, not likely the situation.
The figure turned its head. "Who do you think I am, Ian?"
He stared in shock. It knew his name. "Why are you following Sara?"
"Who said I was following the Lady of the Blade?"
"Then you are following me?"
"I didn't say that either."
In frustration Ian reached for his sword. Suddenly, he was thrown back by an invisible force smashing into a wall. The figure shook its head before turning and disappearing a swirl of blood red.
On Sara Pezzini's wrist, the Witchblade swirled angrily, yet went unnoticed by its wielder.
"Just as I thought," Jake said.
Sara and Danny looked up from reading the lab report on the fabric. "What?" Sara spat.
"Ms. Fistel was a receptionist at Vorschlag."
"Another connection," Danny sighed.
"But still not enough to led to a suspect," Sara leaned back in her chair.
"Maybe a competing company," Jake smiled.
"Can it, rookie," Danny replied. "So, another visit to Irons?"
Sara shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Um, you two go ahead. I want to finish up some stuff here."
"Sure, Pez," Jake grabbed his coat and headed out of the office.
"Sara," Danny lingered. "Are you okay?"
"Yes," she pushed at him. "Now get going."
With that he left. Sara stared at the papers on the desk. It had gotten so bad one couldn't even see the desktop. Moving things into piles she attempted to organize. She only accomplished to clear off a small area right in front of here. She propped her elbows up on the clean area and rubbed her eyes. The Witchblade reacted to something, sending Sara into a swirl of blinding color. Not again, she thought.
The image solidified into a scene by a creek. There was a young woman standing on the bank, her long black hair shining in the sunlight. The edge of the silky white gown she worn brushed the water as the girl stepped into the creek. The scene began to unravel as the creek took on the color of blood. As the scene began to unravel at the edges, the water began to take on the look of blood. It totally faded away, as the girl turned. Finally the only thing Sara could see through the darkness was the girl's steel gray eyes.
In the wake of the vision, came a wash of confusion Sara stared at the Witchblade. Stupid thing, she thought. I need some air. Leaving Danny a note, Sara grabbed her jacket and went for a wake.
Ian had seen Sara's vision, but didn't understand where she was going now. He was convinced the girl by the creek had something to do with the armored figure. He checked the area as Sara crossed the street. He hadn't seen the character yet. But that most certainly didn't mean it wasn't there.
Sara wasn't really sure where she was going. Something had told her to go and she wasn't in the mood to argue. Now she turned into an alley, and practically tripped over something. Someone lie on the pavement, blood running in rivulets towards a drain.
Sara knelt down to check on the person. As she reached out to touch it though, it disappeared. A noise above caused Sara to look up. An armored figure stood, red cape bellowing behind it. The figure turned and was gone.
"Great more riddles," Sara said when she found her voice again.
"Without the riddles," a male voice behind her said. "Where is the challenge?"
Sara spun on her heal, drawing her gun as she went. She sighed more audibly then she liked. It was the guy from the museum. "Why are you following me, Mr....?"
"Nottingham," he said. "The Witchblade is full of riddles. You must learn to tell the visions apart from reality."
Sara stepped around Nottingham. "Sure. And stop following me!" She continued out into the alley onto the main street. She glanced over her shoulder before she stepped in the flow of traffic, but he was gone. Pushing the strange man out of her mind, thinking instead of her case, Sara headed back towards the precinct. Two crime scenes, four victims, and two had connections to Kenneth Irons. A scrap of red fabric found at each scene. Plus, her fingers brushed the Witchblade; there were the two strange visions, the strange phone call, the disappearing body and knight, plus, tall dark and brooding back there.
"Sorry," a young woman said as she bumped into Sara
She was gone before Sara could say anything, but out of the corner of her eye she saw it. Blood red. She spun on her heels almost colliding with a middle-aged man. For an instant she thought the girl might have totally disappeared. To many people in her life keep doing that recently. Sara finally spotted the girl, who was stopped waiting to cross the street. Around her shoulders was a blood red wrap, and the closer she got the more delicate the weave appeared.
Sara reached out and turned the girl around.
"I said I was sorry," the girl said, her long black hair swirling behind her.
Sara knew that voice. She wasn't for sure from where though. "Can I see your wrap?" She showed the girl her badge, and pulled her out of the flow of people walking around them.
"Sure." The girl reached up to her should and undid a clasp that her hair had been hiding. She removed the wrap and handed it to Sara. "Anything else, officer?"
"Oh, sorry, I'm detective Sara Pezzini," Sara didn't look up from her examination of the wrap. The edge was intact. "I'm sorry..." The girl was gone.
Kenneth Irons flipped through the pages of the ancient book searching for some clues as to what had happened. His nerves were starting to be affected by the feeling of familiarity yet change he keep getting. It was time to figure out what was going on.
"For once, Irons, you won't find your answers in there."
Irons looked up, shocked. A black armored knight stood not two feet in front of him. He hadn't heard anyone come in.
"Of course you didn't," the knight moved silently around him. "And don't even think about calling your pet." Her voiced dropped icily.
"Who are you?"
"I am that which you have always wanted, and that which you will never possess."
Irons thought about it for only a second before replying. "The Witchblade?"
"In a sense, yes."
"And what, pray tell, do you want?"
"To remind you of your place," the knight said knocking over the stand the book had been sitting on. She kicked the stand out of the way and stood directly in front of him. "You ask questions not even you should know the answer to."
"And you have the authority to decide what I should and shouldn't know?"
"You do the same to Sara Pezzini," she said. "Oh and about what happened. Remember, time runs both ways. Stay away from the Witchblade's plan. I won't let you screw things up again."
With that the figure was gone. Irons blinked slightly, almost wondering if it had just been a dream. The doors swished open softly and Ian took up his normal place in the room.
"Find the Black Knight," Irons walked towards Ian. He grabbed his chin and pulled his head up. "And kill her." He released his 'slave', who turned an exited the room.
Irons walked over to the book. He picked it up and placed it on his desk.
Ian had been trying to enter Iron's office for several minutes before the doors had slid open. Now he moved through the streets of New York on a search he thought impossible. The Black Knight would be found only when she wanted to be. Even with all of his training, Ian doubted that even he would be able to end her life.
"Looking for me?"
Ian turned towards an alley. There standing with her back to a tall chain length gate, stood the Black Knight, capeless.
"Yes."
"I feel so honored. The Black Dragon has come hunting me," she stepped towards him. "One would think you would be grateful. I did, after all, tell Irons to stay away from your lady."
"And now, he has ordered your death."
"Do you honestly think I would just lay my head on the block because Irons ordered it."
"No," Ian pulled out his sword slowly.
And was left dumbstruck when she started laughing.
"Oh, come on, Ian," she stopped laughing as quickly as she had started. "I don't scare that easily."
Ian didn't reply. He simply charged. But the knight did nothing to save herself. She let Ian cut into her side slightly before stepping away from he.
"How good it is to feel again," she said.
Ian stared at the knight. He sliced at her again, this time catching her in the arm. Blood ran down her armor, joining the blood from her side wound in a puddle on the ground. She wasn't going to defend herself. Why? He lowered his sword. His honor demanded that he not fight someone who was unwilling to defend themselves, even if Irons had ordered their death.
It was then the Black Knight drew her sword. She caught Ian off guard. Her sword moved so fast he didn't even see it until it was do late. The cold steel sliced through his clothing and cut into the flesh of his chest.
With a yell of rage Ian stabbed his sword forward, seeing to late the armor dissolve away, reveling the Black Knight to be the girl Sara had spoken to early that day. A girl with steel gray eyes. The girl from the vision he viewed with Sara.
As the girl collapsed on the ground, sliding silently off his sword, Ian was surrounded by a vision of his own. First he saw Cathian, looking slightly older then Sara did now, sitting on the ground holding in her arms a blonde haired teenaged girl. Cathain wept as the child died. The vision then seem to pan to where a man knelt with the girl Ian had just tried to kill in his arms, but he wasn't crying like Cathain was. He looked up. Ian gasped. He was looking into the face of an older version of himself from a past life.
Ian blinked as he was pulled back into reality. He was now kneeling much as the man in his vision had been, holding the girl close to him. She'd fallen into unconsciousness. He had to do something. He couldn't take her back to the mansion, Irons would kill her himself. There was only one place he could take her. And that was to Sara's.
Across town, Sara dropped her jacket on her couch and headed toward the kitchen for a cup of something, anything. She was making coffee, when the buzzer went off. She went over to it, "Yes."
"Sara," Nottingham's voice came through the speaker. "I need your help."
"Do you now?" Sara replied disgusted. "Well, you can tell Irons no."
"This has little to do with him." Sara started to hear distress in his voice.
"Please Sara, your new friend will die."
"New friend?"
"The girl with the cloak."
"Come on up."
Minutes later Sara was willing letting an employee of Kenneth Irons into her apartment. He carried the girl, wrapped in his coat, up the stairs and took her straight to Sara's bed.
"What happened?" Sara said as she walked in with a tray of first aid supplies.
"I'll let you tend to her. I must return to Irons."
"Hey," Sara said as he walked past her. "Answer my question."
But he was gone.
Sara had fallen asleep on her couch after she had tended to the girls wounds. She was highly suspicious that Nottingham had caused the girls injuries. Most likely Irons had ordered her killed. Which left the question, why was the girl still alive.
She stretched slowly. Well, she was sure she'd get some answers soon. Whether they came from the girl or from Irons was out of Sara's hands now. She got up and wrapped her robe around herself. She padded over to the coffee machine a started a pot. Next, she headed towards the bedroom to check on the kid. The girl was trying to sit herself up. Sara put an arm behind the girl's back and pushed a pillow behind her.
"Thanks Detective Pezzini," the girl smiled weakly. "I promise not to be in your way to long."
"It's okay," Sara sat on the edge of the bed. "Are you hungry or thirsty? Oh, and are you going to tell me your name or should I just continue to call you the girl."
"Oh, sorry," the girl laughed. "My name is Cianna, and I guess I am kinda hungry."
"All right, Cianna," Sara stood up. "What would you like?"
"Anything."
Minutes later Sara returned with two bowls of cereals and a cup of coffee. "I'm going to call the precinct and tell them I won't be in."
"Oh, that's not necessary."
"It's ok, I'm sure Danny and Jake won't hurt each other too badly."
Cianna glanced around confused as she shoved another spoonful of cereal into her mouth. The pair finished their breakfast in silence. Sara took the empty bowls back into the kitchen.
She was getting off the phone with a rather annoyed Danny, when she head the window slid open. She spun around to find Nottingham standing behind the couch.
"Oh, its you."
"How is the girl?" he kept his head down.
"Cianna is fine," Sara sat at the kitchen table. "Now do you mind telling me what happened?"
In the bedroom, Cianna stretched slightly. Her muscles ached like never before. Just like Kerry to try to get them both killed.
"Oh," her blonde haired blued eyed twin sister appeared in the corner of the room. "So this is my fault?"
"Yes," Cianna retorted. "You're the one the went to bother Irons."
"The man is a pain, and you know it."
"Pain or not, he's bodyguard could kill me. And don't forget if I go, so do you."
"A setback of our current situation."
Cianna laughed. "Do you think I enjoy sharing my body with you?"
"Keep your voice down," Kerry sat on the bed. "They are both in the other room."
"Well, I've got four words for you. Leave. The. Wielder. Alone."
"Oh, do you think I enjoy fighting?"
"Could have fooled me."
"You're the warrior, I'm do the magick. Well, I use the term warrior loosely."
Cianna rolled her eyes. "Go away. We don't know if Sara will be able to see you
or not."
"I see her, mind telling me who she is?"
Cianna turned. Sara stood with Nottingham by the doorway. Great! She turned back to were Kerry had sat, who was of course, gone.
"She's my twin sister, Kerry."
"Oh, so why is it that I see her. Is she dead?" Sara sat where Kerry had just been sitting.
"If only it were that simple."
"Excuse me?" Sara replied.
"I'm sure as a Homicide Detective, you've dealt with cases of multiple personalities. Ever had a case dealing with multiple souls?"
"What?" Sara starred at the girl.
"Close to two millenniums ago, I was giving the job of controlling my 'evil' sister. Do to the fact that we both connected to the Witchblade, the only way I could really control her, was for her soul to be trapped in the same body as mine. Recently though I've been losing control, and she has been able to push me aside."
"She is the Black Knight." Ian stated.
"Correct," Cianna replied. "It's the only way she can really show that she 'in charge'"
"I'm still not understanding this," Sara shook her head. "What connection to the Witchblade?"
"The woman who gave birth to us, originally, wore the Witchblade to help her conceive," Cianna said. "But she died giving birth to us. Our father didn't want to have to raise girls so he left us in the woods. The woman who found and raised us was a Wielder."
"Cathain," Ian said softly.
"Who?" Sara said.
"That explains my vision when I...," Ian looked away.
"Cathian raised and trained my sister and I," Cianna began trying to unwrap her waist.
"Is any of that in the book?"
"What book?" Sara suddenly felt like she was being ignored.
"I don't know if it is or not," Cianna replied.
"It's not."
Sara looked to the corner the blonde was back.
"I thought you didn't like strangers, sis?" Cianna said.
"Well, you are telling them everything about us," Kerry walked towards them. "How can they be strangers?"
"Very funny," Cianna retorted. "Now what do you know about the book?"
"Remember," Kerry said. "I helped scribe part of the book."
"What book?"
"The one about the Witchblade."
Irons stood from his desk chair. He'd returned to the book, he knew that no matter what the Black Knight had said that something about the current situation had to be in the book. He went to his window and looked out over the city. He wondered where Ian was. Was it taking him this long to find that wretched knight, or was something else going on?
An unexpected gust of icy air ripped through the room, throwing papers from Irons' desk. He turned quickly and went back to the desk. He left the papers that had fallen on the floor. For the first time he noticed a lump in the back covering of the book. Grabbing his letter opener, he cut into the cover, careful not to damage the book anymore then necessary.
Finally he was able to reach into the opening. His fingers made contact with something leather. He pulled it out. It was a leather pouch. Inside was a strange piece to jewelry. It almost appeared to be a key. Irons suddenly remember where he had seen the design before. On the back of the wooden box the book was kept in was a strange carving. It was this design.
Irons closed the book, and shoved the key into his pocket. He headed down to his car.
Later he stood in the room of his mansion where he kept a lot of artifacts that were connected to the Witchblade. Two of them were sitting on the table in front of him. One was the box; the other was an urn he'd forgotten about. It had a large version of the key painted on it.
He flipped the box over the put the key into the carved out area. He heard a soft click, and a scroll fell onto the desk. Moving the box to the side, Irons began studying the scroll.
It told of a woman who had gone to Cathain to beg for her to help her have a child. Cathain foolishly allowed the woman to wear the blade for one night. The woman did conceive and nine months later she died giving birth to twin girls. But the girls were not identical. One had beautiful blonde hair and blue eyes, while the other had black hair and eyes the color of the steel of swords.
The girls' father refused to raise girls alone, so he left the girls in the woods for the wolves. However, a man found them and returned the girls to Cathain. Together they raised the girls. When they were ten years old, a mage appeared. He requested that Kerry, the blonde and smaller twin, be allowed to train with him in the ways of magick. Cathian allowed the girl to be trained, and while Kerry trained in the arts of the ancients, Cianna, the blacked hair twin, trained in the ways of the sword.
Years later, Kerry grew jealous of her sister, and wished to wear the Witch's Glove. She stole the glove from Cathain, and used one of her spells to force the blade to except her. The only one able to stop her was Cianna. It meant the lives of both girls though. The mage who had trained Kerry believed that both girls would be reborn. So to keep Kerry from trying again, the mage tied her soul permanently to Cianna's, believing Cianna could control her sister.
At the end of the scroll it told why it was placed in a hidden compartment of the box the mage was keeping his book of predictions in. He believed the key would be found if this information was needed. Something told Irons that it was.
Sara had gotten a call about a murder. She hadn't intended to go, but Cianna had talked her into it. Ian had left long before Sara had, which left Cianna only. That was all the better, because she had to talk to Lazar, and it was kind of hard to do that with Sara and Ian around. Of course, talking to him was going to be a bit of a problem anyway, especially since Kerry could just pop in anytime she wanted. Hopefully, Lazar would be able the fix that at least long enough for her to get a few more answers out of the crazy old man.
Cianna had finally managed to get the blasted wrap off. Boy was Sara going to be surprised when she saw how fast the wounds had healed. She got up from the couch she'd planted herself on when Sara left. Maybe she'd get lucky and he wouldn't be outside the window. Fat chance. Whenever she needed to talk to him, weather she wanted to or not, he was always there. And this was no exception. There he stood, looking up at her, his curly blonde hair a little messier then normal. I swear if he makes me go out there, she thought. I'll hurt him.
Ian had returned to the mansion to find that Irons had locked himself in one of the Witchblade rooms. That wasn't strange; Irons often locked himself away for at a time. He rarely, however, did so at this time of the day. Something had to be wrong. But, Ian wasn't about to knock on the door to find out. He simply stood by the door and waited.
A half hour later, Irons flung the door open and handed him a folded piece of paper.
"Take that to Sylvester's friend, Gabriel," Irons said. "Have him find out as much information as he can on it. Pay him well, but don't mention me. And on your way back, find the girl."
Ian watched shocked as Irons strode up the hall. How did he know about Cianna? He unfolded the piece of paper. Sketched out on it was a strange symbol. It was most likely Celtic, and while it did seem familiar, he couldn't recall ever seeing it. He refolded the paper and stuffed it in him pocket.
Sara was not happy. Joe had pulled her and Danny off the new case before she'd even gotten there. Danny had been just about to leave when she'd pulled up in front of the crime scene. He was heading back to the station so she went home. Only, Cianna wasn't there. Sara shrugged it off, thinking the girl had finally gone home, wherever that was. Of course, Sara still had her shawl at the office. At least that was a normal excuse to have to find her again. She'd just made a pot of soup when the buzzer went off.
"Hello," Sara said.
"Open the door," Cianna's voice replied. "It's freezing out here."
Sara hit the button and a couple of minutes later Cianna came bounding up the stairs.
"Sorry," she said. "I had to go see someone. I didn't realize I'd forgotten the key you left me until after I was outside. I was debating on using the fire escape until I saw your bike was back."
"It's ok," Sara replied. "Um, where are your parents?"
"Oh, they both died when I was little," Cianna plopped down at the kitchen table. "Happens in every life time, I'm use to it."
Sara stared at her for a second before she could find her voice again, "Where do you live?"
"Wherever I want. They were rich. I had a guardian until I turned 16. Since then I'm on my own."
"But kids normally have a guardian until they are 18," Sara ladled some soup out for her.
"Most do," Cianna accepted the bowl. "But I graduated at 16 and the state decided I didn't need a guardian anymore. I'm starting college in January."
"Why did you wait?"
"I wanted to see the world. Plus, well, there is the whole Witchblade thing.
Being tied down somewhere doesn't help when one is looking for the Wielder."
"You were looking for me?" Sara sat at the table with her own bowl of soup.
"Yep, someone has to warn you about the Watchers."
"The who?"
"Watchers. Annoying group started by the Catholic Church to track the Witchblade," Cianna eat another spoonful of soup. "Real pains in the butt if you ask me."
Sara stared at the girl again, "And why would the Catholic Church want it?"
"Because they think its theirs. Long story, but according to them they are the only ones on Earth capable of properly using the Witchblade. Yep, they properly managed it, gave it over to Hitler."
"What?"
"Like I said, long story."
The best time for Kerry to take control of Cianna's body was when Cianna was sleeping. The girl still hadn't bothered to learn how to defend herself while she was unconscious. Kerry, of course, wasn't complaining about her sister's stupidity. The couch Cianna had chosen to sleep on wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world. Kerry stretched slowly as she awakened the body.
It took her a few seconds to get her bearings. Okay, now Sara would be? Ah ha! Kerry crept as silently as possible towards the bed. Almost as an after thought she turned towards the window. Good, no Nottingham. She turned back towards the Wielder, praying the blade didn't wake her.
The Witchblade did react; thankfully it was normal way it acknowledged Cianna's presence. One quick incantation, and the blade slipped mutely from its mistress's wrist. Sara rolled over. Her movement startled Kerry and she leapt towards the stairs. The wielder didn't wake though. Kerry sighed and returned to the bedside. She grabbed first the blade, then after crossing the room, Sara's jacket.
The last time she'd stolen the blade things hadn't exactly turned out very successfully. This time would be different. She had a plan and someone she knew would help her, for the right price. Kerry now had the one thing that would insure his assistance and thus insure both her success and her survival.
Irons often stayed up late. He'd sent Ian away hours ago and now sat staring into the fireplace. Ian hadn't brought the girl with him. He had, however, with a litter persuading, told him where and who the girl was. It was probably best for the time being to leave Cianna with Sara. He would take her away when Sara needed her the most, all the more reason for her to come to him.
"Like my sister would let you do that."
Irons looked up to find a black haired gray-eyed girl step into the flickering light of the fire. Obviously this was Cianna's body, but Kerry was in control.
"How did you get in here?" Irons stood slowly.
"A little help from an item you used to own."
Irons stood right in front of the girl, glaring down at her. "You took the blade from Sara?"
"Very good," she walked around him and plopped down in the chair he had jus vacated.
"Give it to me," Irons held his hand out to take the blade.
The girl laughed at him, her eyes twinkling with an evil Irons didn't like. Suddenly she stood, her demeanor changing to a more serious one. "I can help you control it. I can make it accept you."
"No one can do that."
"I can. I have. Why do you think it obeys me?"
The prospect of finally controlling the blade after all these years made Irons forget of the risks. "What do you want in return?"
"You will release me from this body."
"Agreed."
The girl smiled as she removed the blade from her wrist.
What happened next was all a blur for Irons. HE felt the rush of wearing the blade, the pain of its rejection before her heard the girl's voice ring loudly through out the chamber. Suddenly, the pain was gone. The blade had accepted him, just as the girl had promised. The power of the Witchblade coursed through his body.
"Now, about letting me out of here," the girl said.
"What must I do?"
He was handed a paper with a strange writing on it. The blade translated it for him. He read the incantation off in a tongue he didn't really understand. But the blade reacted, and soon the girl was lying on the floor. In his head he felt the pull of blade. But it came not from the blade itself. Most likely it was Kerry calling him to her. For some reason he went.
Cianna found herself lying on the floor of Irons' study. At least that's where she thought she was. She didn't know exactly how she'd wound up here, but for the first time in her life she felt alone. She managed to crawl to a chair. AS she began to stand, a wave of dizziness washed over her causing her to collapse into the chair. It was a start; at least she was off the floor. Slowly, she tried to stand again. The lightheadedness returned but she fought against it and managed to get to here feet. It was slow progress to the door. The dizziness wouldn't go away, a result of whatever Kerry had done to separate them. Cianna knew what it would take to remove Kerry soul. It would take the Witchblade and the ashes from her twin's originally body. Kerry could be half way around the world or in the next room. She sighed as she leaned against the door to rest.
Of course, the door slid open just as she did. Cianna closed her eyes and gave in to the fact that she was going to hit the floor again. But to her surprise, she didn't. She slowly opened her eyes to find herself looking at a black sweater. Exhaling, she leaned on him more.
"Cianna?" Ian asked.
To Cianna her reply was, "Kerry took the Witchblade from Sara and gave it to Irons." But all she actually managed to get out was, "Kerry...Witchblade... Sara...Irons..."
In seconds she was being carried back to the chair. Well, at least now she had help. After putting her down, Ian disappeared. Cianna closed her eyes again and tried to get comfortable. Maybe she fell asleep maybe she didn't, but the next thing she knew there was a sharp sting in her arm. Cianna looked to find Ian kneeling next to the chair. The headache she hadn't realized she had begun to go away.
"Thank you," she finally managed.
"About Lady Sara?"
"Oh, yes. Kerry took the Blade from her and gave it to Irons."
"How?" Ian looked up at her. "Why?"
"To separate us."
"She is no longer..."
"We no longing share the same body, she has returned to her own. Ian, I have to stop whatever she has planned. But I'm going to need help. Sara is the only one who can get through the spell my sister must have over the blade. Will you help me get to her?"
"Of course."
Kerry smiled to herself as she ran her hands through her hair, brushing the pottery shards out. She hopped off the table and smoothed out her brown skirt. Yep, it was good to be back. Irons should be here any second. Then she would decide what to do with Cianna. She had been stuck with her sister for almost two millennia; she'd make it quick. One slice from the Witchblade and her sister would be out of her way. The door slide open, Irons stepped into the room. He stood shocked for a moment, then went to the table and picked up a piece of the urn that had held Kerry's ashes. Irons opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it again as he put the piece back on the table.
"Come on," Kerry said as she headed out of the room.
Neither spoke as they walked back towards the study. Kerry entered first, then stopped suddenly. Cianna was gone.
She whirled and faced Irons, "Idiot! You let her get away!"
"I thought she was dead," Irons retorted.
"I'll bet that incompetent servant of yours helped her escape. You really ought to put him on a shorter leash."
Sara's eyes snapped open as she heard the door to the apartment close. Something wasn't right. She glanced at her wrist to look at the Witchblade. It was gone! Jumping out of bed, Sara pulled on the jeans she had been wearing. Irons must have ordered Ian to take it from her.
"Sara."
Sara could hear the distress in Cianna's voice. She flipped on the light. Cianna was walking towards her; Ian was standing at the top of the stairs. "What's wrong?" Sara asked while eyeing Ian.
"Kerry took the blade from you, not him," Cianna said. "She gave it to Irons, and he separated her from me."
Sara stared at her in disbelief, "What?"
"Kerry has returned to her own body," Cianna replied. "I don't what she had planned, but I know that whatever it is I have to stop it. Only you can break the spell my sister had to have put over the Witchblade. I need your help."
"Well, then why are we standing around here," Sara went back to her closet and put a clean sweater on. "Let's go."
Cianna stood with Sara and Ian outside the gate of Irons' mansion. Cianna sighed slightly as Ian opened the gate.
"Nervous?" Sara patted Cianna on the shoulder.
"If this wasn't my fault, I might reconsider going in," Cianna replied watching as Ian disappeared through the gate. "But it is my fault and so I might as well get it over with."
"That's the spirit."
"It's clear," Ian reappeared.
"You were expecting it not to be?" Sara said as they walked towards the house.
"By the way, do we have a plan?"
"Yes, Ian and I were discussing it in the car," Cianna replied. "You and he are going in first, I'm going to try to come in from a different way. They are probably in the study, aurging if I know my sister."
"Come, Sara," Ian led Sara up the stairs to the front door of the mansion.
Cianna watched them enter, then went to find the hidden entrance Ian had told her about.
Sara followed Ian down a corridor towards the study. Irons' certainly had an impressive home. "So how exactly are we going to distract them?"
"You're the detective."
"Is that sarcasm I hear?"
Ian turned quickly startling Sara. "I don't really understand what's going on any better then you do, all I know is that someone who shouldn't have the Blade has it." He spun back around and continued walking as though nothing had happened.
"Well, that's reassuring," Sara mumbled as she followed him.
They soon stopped outside of a door. Voice could be heared inside the room. Sara suddenly realized she didn't have her gun. Ian pulled a gun out from underneath is coat and handed it to her. She decided now would not be the best time to ask if he had a permit.
"This is just great," a woman, presumable Kerry, said. "All my hard work, and you bumbled it."
"Excuse me," Irons replied coldly. "This is hardly my fault. You should have told me to stay with her."
"Now we have to figure out what to do when she gets back with Sara," Kerry said.
"Do you have anything important to suggest?"
"I will not be spoken to in this manner."
"Really," Kerry said. Then the girl began speaking in a strange language. Irons started screaming.
Ian choose that moment to shove Sara into the room. Kerry stood over Irons, who was trying to pull himself into a chair by the fire. Tendrials from the Witchblade wrapped themselves around the blonde girl. The blade of the Witchblade extended and pointed at Irons' throat.
"One more step and he dies," Kerry turned her head to look at them. The rage in her crystal blue eyes caused Sara to grip her gun tighter.
There was a soft noise overhead. Sara looked up on to the balcony, Cianna stood gazing down at her sister. A tendrial shot towards her from the Witchblade. It wrapped around her ankle, multiplying as it slid up her leg.
"Remember sister, you wear the blade then so do I. That is our link."
"That is only part of it. My pain is your pain," Kerry said as the tendrial finished what seemed to be an armor around her.
"And mine is yours." Cianna jumped over the railing twisting so she landed with her back to Sara. "I thought you didn't like fighting? Give up, you know you are no match for me." Surprisingly a blade like that of the Witchblade's came out from the tendrails wrapped around her right hand.
"Really, I'm a quick study, and the blade has already taught me so much." Kerry lunged at her sister.
Sara stood shocked as the girls fought. It was hard to tell who was winning, then again, they were moving so fast it made her dizzy just watching them. She glanced around looking for Ian. He was checking on Irons. She walked towards him the whole while trying to find the opportunity to shot Kerry.
"You probably ought to be summoning the Witchblade back to you," Ian said.
"How?"
"Just call to it, it will answer you."
Sara turned back towards the battle. The girls stood facing each other now, blood dripping on the floor from wounds both of them had. Cianna looked at her and nodded.
"I am your true master," Sara said.
Kerry glared at her.
"Come to me," Sara continued.
"NO!" Kerry screamed.
The tendrials disappeared from around Kerry's body and from around Cianna's.
The Witchblade flew across the room and found it's place on Sara's wrist. The blade extended immediately. Kerry charged at her, rage filling her eyes. Sara didn't even realize what she was doing, but Cianna's scream of pain filled the room.
Sara gasped as she saw that Kerry was standing in front of her, the blade of the Witchblade in her stomach. The girl smiled manically as she slide off the blade to her knees.
Ian had leapt at Cianna when she had started screaming. He caught her as she started to fall to the ground. Blood appeared on her shirt. He raised her shirt to find the source, but there was no wound, just blood.
"Ian," Cianna struggled to speak. "You have to promise that you'll burn both my Kerry's body and mine, and throw the ashes into the sea."
Ian couldn't answer, he just shock his head.
"Thank you," Cianna then turned her head towards Sara. "Finish it, Sara!"
Ian could see Kerry smiling, "Yes, end the lives of both myself and my sister."
Sara looked at Ian. He nodded to her. She stabbed Kerry in the heart. Cianna didn't scream this time. She simply rested her head on his chest. He pulled her closer to him as he felt the life drain out of her. Sara was at his side, but it was too late, Cianna was gone.
Sara looked from Nottingham to Cianna's body. She'd only known the girl a few days, but she felt her death rip trough her soul with almost the same intensity as when her father had died. She reached out and brushed a lock of hair out Cianna's face. She suddenly heard Ian gasp. Looking up at him, she saw he was staring at something behind her. She turned slightly to see a woman who looked like herself standing over Kerry's body.
"Cathain," Ian said.
The woman looked at them. "Kerry really was a good girl. I should never have let Lazar take her on as a pupil."
"What happened to her?" Sara asked still not quite understanding why this woman had her face.
"Jealousy," Cathain replied moving towards them.
Sara looked down at Cianna again. Cathain kneeled down on the other side of Ian. The woman reached out and touched Cianna's face.
"Now this one," Cathain continued. "While she could fight better then I ever could, she never believed she was better then anyone else. And to her, her life meant nothing when it came to helping people. She always made me proud. And now, she's dead because of her sister, again."
"Cianna told me to burn both her body and Kerry's and to throw their ashes into the sea," Ian said.
"That would end the cycle for both of them," Cathain said. "Neither would be reborn."
"She shouldn't have died!" Sara cried. "That has to be someway to save her."
"Listen to the Witchblade, Sara," Cathain replied. "If there is a way, it will tell you."
Ian watched as Cathain disappeared. He glanced over at Irons, who was still passed out in his chair. He wouldn't like what Ian was about to do. "You can use the blade to heal her."
"What?" Sara said.
"Just tell it too, it'll listen to you."
He grabbed her hand and put it over Cianna's heart. The Witchblade seemed to react instantly. Tendrials wrapped and the girl's body. He watched in awe as the tendrials plunged into Cianna's chest. The jewel of the blade bathed all three of them in red light.
Cianna gasped as she felt the tendrials withdrawal from her chest.
"It worked," she heard Sara say.
"Please don't shout," Cianna said as she slowly opened her eyes. "What happened?"
"You were dead," Sara said. "Cathain appeared and told us to save you."
"What?" Cianna sat up. Big mistake, this whole being dizzy thing was getting really annoying. She leaned back against Ian. "You know what, I don't want to know, right now I really want to sleep."
Ian put his arms around her and stood up. "I'll help Sara get you back to her apartment, and then return to check on Irons."
"The old fool shouldn't have trusted Kerry," Cianna said as Ian carried her out of the mansion. "But what's done is done."
Days later Sara and Cianna walked around an apartment far larger then Sara's. They were looking for a place for Cianna that was close to Sara's. The girl had decided on an apartment in a building only a couple of blocks away. Now all she needed was furniture and she'd be all set.
"This place sure is nice, Cianna," Sara said as she examined the fire escape.
"I like it," Cianna said. "Hey, listen, I have a friend who could help you get more information on the Witchblade. I've told you basically all I can. He's name is Gabriel Bowman. He owns a dot.com, sells some rather interesting things. But he is trustworthy and inventive."
Sara smiled at Cianna, "We'll go see him later, right now I'm starving. Come on, my treat."
"How could I refuse?"
The two women walked out of the apartment, laughing.
Irons stood looking out the window of his office. Things would be interesting now that Sara had little need for him. He would just have to make her need him. However, there were two of them now. Two who could supply him with that which he really needed for life. Irons swirled the wine he'd been drinking around in its glass. This truly is a hell of a town.
Author: Koori
Started: 8/26/01
Disclaimer: The only character that is mine is the mysterious figure.
Sara Pezzini tossed and turned in her sleep, the Witchblade shining on her wrist. From his vantage point on the fire escape, Ian Nottingham wondered what the Witchblade was showing its current wielder. Most likely something Irons wouldn't be pleased about. Ever since Sara and her partner, Danny Woo, had driven away from the Rialto theatre, things hadn't felt right. Ian just couldn't put his finger on why. He'd figure it out soon enough. He stood and turned away from the window. He had other business to attend to.
Nottingham didn't see the figure, barely visible in the darkness, which stood on a rooftop near Sara's building. Clad in black armor, the figure turned, wrapping a blood red cloak around itself.
The next morning Sara arrived at the 11th precinct earlier then normal. Danny pulled his car in a parking spot as she removed her helmet.
"Wow," Danny said slamming the car door. "You're up early."
"Yeah, well, I couldn't sleep."
"That been happening a lot lately?"
Sara smiled, "Stop worrying about me."
"Pez! Danny!"
"What, Jake?" Danny turned.
"New case," Jake handed Danny a piece of paper. "Cap wants me to go with you."
Danny rolled his eyes as he got back in the car. Sara threw her helmet in the back, then go in the car, too. Jake opened the back driver side door, joining the pair in the vehicle.
"Siri want you to learn from the best, kid?" Sara smiled at Danny, who backed the car out of the spot.
"Something like that, Pez," Jake returned.
The engine revved as Danny threw the car into drive and hit the accelerator. Sara turned her head and looked out the window. As they pulled to a stop at a light, Sara saw the armored figure from the museum. She stiffened in her seat.
"You ok, Pez?" there was more then a little hint of concern in Danny's voice.
"Yeah," Sara looked at him. She turned back to the window. Gone. Damn.
Like most murder scenes, this one wasn't pretty. However, it was very organized. The first victim, an elderly man, had been decapitated. His head sat on the coffee table, facing his body, which was propped up in a wingback chair. The second victim, a young boy, lay on the couch, the television remote still in his hand. The boy's throat had been slit.
"Nothing," Jake said.
"No signs of a struggle," Danny walked around the wingback. "You think the boy did it?"
"Seems a little young," Sara kneeled in the doorway. She ran her gloved fingers over the frame. Then she saw it, a piece a cloth. She tugged on it, pulling a triangle of blood red material from the frame. "Hey, look."
Danny held an evidence bag open for her. She dropped the fabric into the bag.
"Doesn't look like it was woven with a machine," Sara studied it through the bag.
"Hand woven then," Jake said. "But who takes the time to do that these days."
"Who knows," Danny replied.
Sara handed Danny the bag. She got up and went to the boy.
"Search the house," Sara said. "See if you can find what this came off of."
Danny and Jake both headed out of the room, taking the officers that had been standing around with them. Sara turned her attention back to boy. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the bracelet that had ended up on her wrist at the museum. Ok, you keep giving me these weird dreams; let's see what else you can do. She put the bracelet on and reached out to touch the kid's hair.
Red fabric flapping in a hot breeze. A pair of steel gray eyes. The clanging of swords. Red fabric. Screams of battle. The armored figure from the museum. Red fabric. The armored figure fighting another armored figure in a field. Steel gray eyes.
"Hey, Sara!"
The sound of Danny's voice snapped Sara out of the continuous flow of images through her brain. She turned towards Danny, removing her hand from the kid's forehead. "What?"
"You ok?" Jake asked as a pair of officers rolled the body and head of the elderly man out of the room towards the front entrance.
"Um, yeah," She pulled the bracelet from her wrist and returned it to her jacket pocket.
"We couldn't find anything that piece of fabric might have came off of," Danny said. "It probably belonged to the killer."
"Yeah, that's what I'm thinking," Sara walked past them. "Come on there isn't anything else for us here."
Kenneth Irons stood in front of one of his office windows. Something was wrong. Well, of course something was wrong. His plans to control the newest wielder were spiraling out of control. No, it was something else too. What are you doing? He mentally asked the Witchblade. The door behind him slid open.
"What?" Irons turned to find one of his receptionist said there instead of Ian.
"Sorry to disturb you, Mr. Irons," the receptionist said. "But Mrs. Relvine just called. Her brother, Mr. Wilkins and his grandson were found murdered this morning."
"Very disturbing news," Irons replied. "You know what to do." He turned back to the window.
"Yes, Mr. Irons."
"Get this," Jack said stepping into Sara and Danny's office that afternoon. "The old man, Mr. Wilson, was on the board of Vorschlag Industries."
"So," Sara said.
"So maybe some wanted to send Mr. Irons a message."
"You're grasping at straws, Jake" Danny leaned back and propped his feet up on the desk.
"Well, I can't find anything else on this guy," Jake said. "His sister says that everyone who knew him liked him."
"Ok," Sara said. "You two start on the other board members, I'll go talk to Mr. Irons."
"How come you get to go rub elbows with the big wig?" Jake said. Danny laughed as Sara just stared the blond rookie. "Ok, fine."
"I'll meet you guys back here," Sara grabbed her jacket off the coat rack and headed out towards her bike.
Ian watched from a nearby rooftop as Sara pulled her bike to a halt in front of the headquarters for Vorschlag Industries. There was movement out of the corner of his eye. There on the rooftop of a shorter building was a black armored figure leaning on the edge, watching Sara. The figure turned it head, and Ian felt a cold chill run over him as the figure looked right at him. Then in a swirl of blood red, it turned and was gone.
Sara stepped off the elevator, sliding the strange bracelet onto her wrist as she walked. She flashed her badge at a receptionist.
"He's expecting you, Detective."
Sara stopped and turned towards the receptionist, shaking her head at the sudden feeling of having done this before.
"Something wrong, Detective?"
No," Sara continued into Irons' office.
Kenneth Irons was standing in front of a monitor, watching a muted news broadcast. He turned when Sara entered the office.
"Detective Pezzini." Irons said.
Sara stared at him for a second before beginning. "Mr. Irons, I regret to inform you that we found Mr. Wilkins remains this morning."
"Yes, I know."
"Do you know of anyone who might have wanted him dead?"
"No, he was a very friendly man."
Sara sighed. She couldn't believe she was going to ask him this. "Might it have
been a message for you?"
"Possibly. That's a very lovely bracelet, Detective."
"Huh? Oh this," Sara pulled her jacket sleeve back. "Yeah it is. It just ended up on my wrist after a shot out at the Midtown Museum." Sara stopped wondering why she was telling him this.
"Yes," Irons said. "Some very valuable objects were lost in that explosion. Irreplaceable."
Sara glanced down at the stone in the bracelet. It was swirling again. She removed it from her wrist and started to put it back in her pocket. Irons reached out and grabbed her wrist.
"You should leave it on, Sara," Irons said. "The Witchblade will show you things."
"The Witchblade?"
"It was a part of the Joan of Arc collection I donated to the museum."
"So it belongs to you?"
"No, Sara, it belongs to you."
Sara's cell rang, rescuing her from the silence that had fallen over the room.
Irons released her wrist. Sara turned her back to him, putting the Witchblade back on. She grabbed her cell out of her pocket.
"Pez," she said.
"I wouldn't if I were you," a female voice came over the line.
"What? Who is this?"
"He can't be trusted." The connection was broken.
After Sara had left, with his business card in hand, Irons returned to his desk. Ian came a little while later.
"Well?"
"I believe there is a problem," Ian said standing just inside of Irons line of
sight, with his head down.
"What kind of problem?"
"I am not the only one watching her."
"Really? And who is this mysterious other?"
"I do not know. I saw him or her briefly today. Wearing armor."
"Follow this person next time."
"I don't know if that will be possible"
Irons stared at him. "Make it possible. Go."
Between her meeting with Irons and the mysterious phone call, Sara was not in a good mood. She'd been sitting on the sofa with a carton of ice cream laughing at this really strange television show, when the phone rang.
"Pezzini," she said picking up the receiver.
"They just found numbers three and four." Danny had gotten into the habit of not
even saying hello half the time. "A man and woman in a hotel room. I'm on my way there, I called Jake he's going to be a tad late. Probably had a hot date."
"Wonderful," Sara grabbed a pad of paper and a pen. "What's the address?"
Danny rang off the address. Sounded like a sleazy motel, probably some businessman and a hooker. Sara put the phone back on the receiver, grabbed her jacket, and headed out the door.
"Well," Jake said when he arrived on the scene. "Our murder certainly has a sick sense of humor."
"Yep," Sara said as she flung the bed sheet back over the couple.
"Sara," Danny said handing her the evidence bag, with another piece of torn blood red fabric. "Defiantly a calling card."
"I've seen worse," Sara replied studying the bag. "You sent the first piece into the lab right?"
"Of course."
"Send this one, too," Sara started to hand it back to them. She was suddenly struck with the idea of touching the fabric; see if the Witchblade reacted. "Um, I think I need some fresh air."
"Sure Pez," Danny replied.
Sara opened the door, stepping into the cool night air. Taking a deep breath, she pulled her glove off. Oh, she could get into so much trouble for this. Unfastening the evidence back, she reached in with her right had and pulled the fabric out. Nothing. Damn.
"You ok, Pez?"
Sara dropped the fabric back in the bag. "Yeah." She turned towards Danny. "Well, no, but when was I ever."
"Ever since the thing at the museum you've been acting funny."
"You have no idea."
"Want to share with the class?"
"Later, Danny. Right now, we've got a killer to catch."
Ian watched Sara and her partner turn and go back inside the motel room. A movement in the corner of his eye made him turn. The armored figure. In seconds,
Ian was at its side.
"Who are you?" Ian asked, not likely the situation.
The figure turned its head. "Who do you think I am, Ian?"
He stared in shock. It knew his name. "Why are you following Sara?"
"Who said I was following the Lady of the Blade?"
"Then you are following me?"
"I didn't say that either."
In frustration Ian reached for his sword. Suddenly, he was thrown back by an invisible force smashing into a wall. The figure shook its head before turning and disappearing a swirl of blood red.
On Sara Pezzini's wrist, the Witchblade swirled angrily, yet went unnoticed by its wielder.
"Just as I thought," Jake said.
Sara and Danny looked up from reading the lab report on the fabric. "What?" Sara spat.
"Ms. Fistel was a receptionist at Vorschlag."
"Another connection," Danny sighed.
"But still not enough to led to a suspect," Sara leaned back in her chair.
"Maybe a competing company," Jake smiled.
"Can it, rookie," Danny replied. "So, another visit to Irons?"
Sara shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Um, you two go ahead. I want to finish up some stuff here."
"Sure, Pez," Jake grabbed his coat and headed out of the office.
"Sara," Danny lingered. "Are you okay?"
"Yes," she pushed at him. "Now get going."
With that he left. Sara stared at the papers on the desk. It had gotten so bad one couldn't even see the desktop. Moving things into piles she attempted to organize. She only accomplished to clear off a small area right in front of here. She propped her elbows up on the clean area and rubbed her eyes. The Witchblade reacted to something, sending Sara into a swirl of blinding color. Not again, she thought.
The image solidified into a scene by a creek. There was a young woman standing on the bank, her long black hair shining in the sunlight. The edge of the silky white gown she worn brushed the water as the girl stepped into the creek. The scene began to unravel as the creek took on the color of blood. As the scene began to unravel at the edges, the water began to take on the look of blood. It totally faded away, as the girl turned. Finally the only thing Sara could see through the darkness was the girl's steel gray eyes.
In the wake of the vision, came a wash of confusion Sara stared at the Witchblade. Stupid thing, she thought. I need some air. Leaving Danny a note, Sara grabbed her jacket and went for a wake.
Ian had seen Sara's vision, but didn't understand where she was going now. He was convinced the girl by the creek had something to do with the armored figure. He checked the area as Sara crossed the street. He hadn't seen the character yet. But that most certainly didn't mean it wasn't there.
Sara wasn't really sure where she was going. Something had told her to go and she wasn't in the mood to argue. Now she turned into an alley, and practically tripped over something. Someone lie on the pavement, blood running in rivulets towards a drain.
Sara knelt down to check on the person. As she reached out to touch it though, it disappeared. A noise above caused Sara to look up. An armored figure stood, red cape bellowing behind it. The figure turned and was gone.
"Great more riddles," Sara said when she found her voice again.
"Without the riddles," a male voice behind her said. "Where is the challenge?"
Sara spun on her heal, drawing her gun as she went. She sighed more audibly then she liked. It was the guy from the museum. "Why are you following me, Mr....?"
"Nottingham," he said. "The Witchblade is full of riddles. You must learn to tell the visions apart from reality."
Sara stepped around Nottingham. "Sure. And stop following me!" She continued out into the alley onto the main street. She glanced over her shoulder before she stepped in the flow of traffic, but he was gone. Pushing the strange man out of her mind, thinking instead of her case, Sara headed back towards the precinct. Two crime scenes, four victims, and two had connections to Kenneth Irons. A scrap of red fabric found at each scene. Plus, her fingers brushed the Witchblade; there were the two strange visions, the strange phone call, the disappearing body and knight, plus, tall dark and brooding back there.
"Sorry," a young woman said as she bumped into Sara
She was gone before Sara could say anything, but out of the corner of her eye she saw it. Blood red. She spun on her heels almost colliding with a middle-aged man. For an instant she thought the girl might have totally disappeared. To many people in her life keep doing that recently. Sara finally spotted the girl, who was stopped waiting to cross the street. Around her shoulders was a blood red wrap, and the closer she got the more delicate the weave appeared.
Sara reached out and turned the girl around.
"I said I was sorry," the girl said, her long black hair swirling behind her.
Sara knew that voice. She wasn't for sure from where though. "Can I see your wrap?" She showed the girl her badge, and pulled her out of the flow of people walking around them.
"Sure." The girl reached up to her should and undid a clasp that her hair had been hiding. She removed the wrap and handed it to Sara. "Anything else, officer?"
"Oh, sorry, I'm detective Sara Pezzini," Sara didn't look up from her examination of the wrap. The edge was intact. "I'm sorry..." The girl was gone.
Kenneth Irons flipped through the pages of the ancient book searching for some clues as to what had happened. His nerves were starting to be affected by the feeling of familiarity yet change he keep getting. It was time to figure out what was going on.
"For once, Irons, you won't find your answers in there."
Irons looked up, shocked. A black armored knight stood not two feet in front of him. He hadn't heard anyone come in.
"Of course you didn't," the knight moved silently around him. "And don't even think about calling your pet." Her voiced dropped icily.
"Who are you?"
"I am that which you have always wanted, and that which you will never possess."
Irons thought about it for only a second before replying. "The Witchblade?"
"In a sense, yes."
"And what, pray tell, do you want?"
"To remind you of your place," the knight said knocking over the stand the book had been sitting on. She kicked the stand out of the way and stood directly in front of him. "You ask questions not even you should know the answer to."
"And you have the authority to decide what I should and shouldn't know?"
"You do the same to Sara Pezzini," she said. "Oh and about what happened. Remember, time runs both ways. Stay away from the Witchblade's plan. I won't let you screw things up again."
With that the figure was gone. Irons blinked slightly, almost wondering if it had just been a dream. The doors swished open softly and Ian took up his normal place in the room.
"Find the Black Knight," Irons walked towards Ian. He grabbed his chin and pulled his head up. "And kill her." He released his 'slave', who turned an exited the room.
Irons walked over to the book. He picked it up and placed it on his desk.
Ian had been trying to enter Iron's office for several minutes before the doors had slid open. Now he moved through the streets of New York on a search he thought impossible. The Black Knight would be found only when she wanted to be. Even with all of his training, Ian doubted that even he would be able to end her life.
"Looking for me?"
Ian turned towards an alley. There standing with her back to a tall chain length gate, stood the Black Knight, capeless.
"Yes."
"I feel so honored. The Black Dragon has come hunting me," she stepped towards him. "One would think you would be grateful. I did, after all, tell Irons to stay away from your lady."
"And now, he has ordered your death."
"Do you honestly think I would just lay my head on the block because Irons ordered it."
"No," Ian pulled out his sword slowly.
And was left dumbstruck when she started laughing.
"Oh, come on, Ian," she stopped laughing as quickly as she had started. "I don't scare that easily."
Ian didn't reply. He simply charged. But the knight did nothing to save herself. She let Ian cut into her side slightly before stepping away from he.
"How good it is to feel again," she said.
Ian stared at the knight. He sliced at her again, this time catching her in the arm. Blood ran down her armor, joining the blood from her side wound in a puddle on the ground. She wasn't going to defend herself. Why? He lowered his sword. His honor demanded that he not fight someone who was unwilling to defend themselves, even if Irons had ordered their death.
It was then the Black Knight drew her sword. She caught Ian off guard. Her sword moved so fast he didn't even see it until it was do late. The cold steel sliced through his clothing and cut into the flesh of his chest.
With a yell of rage Ian stabbed his sword forward, seeing to late the armor dissolve away, reveling the Black Knight to be the girl Sara had spoken to early that day. A girl with steel gray eyes. The girl from the vision he viewed with Sara.
As the girl collapsed on the ground, sliding silently off his sword, Ian was surrounded by a vision of his own. First he saw Cathian, looking slightly older then Sara did now, sitting on the ground holding in her arms a blonde haired teenaged girl. Cathain wept as the child died. The vision then seem to pan to where a man knelt with the girl Ian had just tried to kill in his arms, but he wasn't crying like Cathain was. He looked up. Ian gasped. He was looking into the face of an older version of himself from a past life.
Ian blinked as he was pulled back into reality. He was now kneeling much as the man in his vision had been, holding the girl close to him. She'd fallen into unconsciousness. He had to do something. He couldn't take her back to the mansion, Irons would kill her himself. There was only one place he could take her. And that was to Sara's.
Across town, Sara dropped her jacket on her couch and headed toward the kitchen for a cup of something, anything. She was making coffee, when the buzzer went off. She went over to it, "Yes."
"Sara," Nottingham's voice came through the speaker. "I need your help."
"Do you now?" Sara replied disgusted. "Well, you can tell Irons no."
"This has little to do with him." Sara started to hear distress in his voice.
"Please Sara, your new friend will die."
"New friend?"
"The girl with the cloak."
"Come on up."
Minutes later Sara was willing letting an employee of Kenneth Irons into her apartment. He carried the girl, wrapped in his coat, up the stairs and took her straight to Sara's bed.
"What happened?" Sara said as she walked in with a tray of first aid supplies.
"I'll let you tend to her. I must return to Irons."
"Hey," Sara said as he walked past her. "Answer my question."
But he was gone.
Sara had fallen asleep on her couch after she had tended to the girls wounds. She was highly suspicious that Nottingham had caused the girls injuries. Most likely Irons had ordered her killed. Which left the question, why was the girl still alive.
She stretched slowly. Well, she was sure she'd get some answers soon. Whether they came from the girl or from Irons was out of Sara's hands now. She got up and wrapped her robe around herself. She padded over to the coffee machine a started a pot. Next, she headed towards the bedroom to check on the kid. The girl was trying to sit herself up. Sara put an arm behind the girl's back and pushed a pillow behind her.
"Thanks Detective Pezzini," the girl smiled weakly. "I promise not to be in your way to long."
"It's okay," Sara sat on the edge of the bed. "Are you hungry or thirsty? Oh, and are you going to tell me your name or should I just continue to call you the girl."
"Oh, sorry," the girl laughed. "My name is Cianna, and I guess I am kinda hungry."
"All right, Cianna," Sara stood up. "What would you like?"
"Anything."
Minutes later Sara returned with two bowls of cereals and a cup of coffee. "I'm going to call the precinct and tell them I won't be in."
"Oh, that's not necessary."
"It's ok, I'm sure Danny and Jake won't hurt each other too badly."
Cianna glanced around confused as she shoved another spoonful of cereal into her mouth. The pair finished their breakfast in silence. Sara took the empty bowls back into the kitchen.
She was getting off the phone with a rather annoyed Danny, when she head the window slid open. She spun around to find Nottingham standing behind the couch.
"Oh, its you."
"How is the girl?" he kept his head down.
"Cianna is fine," Sara sat at the kitchen table. "Now do you mind telling me what happened?"
In the bedroom, Cianna stretched slightly. Her muscles ached like never before. Just like Kerry to try to get them both killed.
"Oh," her blonde haired blued eyed twin sister appeared in the corner of the room. "So this is my fault?"
"Yes," Cianna retorted. "You're the one the went to bother Irons."
"The man is a pain, and you know it."
"Pain or not, he's bodyguard could kill me. And don't forget if I go, so do you."
"A setback of our current situation."
Cianna laughed. "Do you think I enjoy sharing my body with you?"
"Keep your voice down," Kerry sat on the bed. "They are both in the other room."
"Well, I've got four words for you. Leave. The. Wielder. Alone."
"Oh, do you think I enjoy fighting?"
"Could have fooled me."
"You're the warrior, I'm do the magick. Well, I use the term warrior loosely."
Cianna rolled her eyes. "Go away. We don't know if Sara will be able to see you
or not."
"I see her, mind telling me who she is?"
Cianna turned. Sara stood with Nottingham by the doorway. Great! She turned back to were Kerry had sat, who was of course, gone.
"She's my twin sister, Kerry."
"Oh, so why is it that I see her. Is she dead?" Sara sat where Kerry had just been sitting.
"If only it were that simple."
"Excuse me?" Sara replied.
"I'm sure as a Homicide Detective, you've dealt with cases of multiple personalities. Ever had a case dealing with multiple souls?"
"What?" Sara starred at the girl.
"Close to two millenniums ago, I was giving the job of controlling my 'evil' sister. Do to the fact that we both connected to the Witchblade, the only way I could really control her, was for her soul to be trapped in the same body as mine. Recently though I've been losing control, and she has been able to push me aside."
"She is the Black Knight." Ian stated.
"Correct," Cianna replied. "It's the only way she can really show that she 'in charge'"
"I'm still not understanding this," Sara shook her head. "What connection to the Witchblade?"
"The woman who gave birth to us, originally, wore the Witchblade to help her conceive," Cianna said. "But she died giving birth to us. Our father didn't want to have to raise girls so he left us in the woods. The woman who found and raised us was a Wielder."
"Cathain," Ian said softly.
"Who?" Sara said.
"That explains my vision when I...," Ian looked away.
"Cathian raised and trained my sister and I," Cianna began trying to unwrap her waist.
"Is any of that in the book?"
"What book?" Sara suddenly felt like she was being ignored.
"I don't know if it is or not," Cianna replied.
"It's not."
Sara looked to the corner the blonde was back.
"I thought you didn't like strangers, sis?" Cianna said.
"Well, you are telling them everything about us," Kerry walked towards them. "How can they be strangers?"
"Very funny," Cianna retorted. "Now what do you know about the book?"
"Remember," Kerry said. "I helped scribe part of the book."
"What book?"
"The one about the Witchblade."
Irons stood from his desk chair. He'd returned to the book, he knew that no matter what the Black Knight had said that something about the current situation had to be in the book. He went to his window and looked out over the city. He wondered where Ian was. Was it taking him this long to find that wretched knight, or was something else going on?
An unexpected gust of icy air ripped through the room, throwing papers from Irons' desk. He turned quickly and went back to the desk. He left the papers that had fallen on the floor. For the first time he noticed a lump in the back covering of the book. Grabbing his letter opener, he cut into the cover, careful not to damage the book anymore then necessary.
Finally he was able to reach into the opening. His fingers made contact with something leather. He pulled it out. It was a leather pouch. Inside was a strange piece to jewelry. It almost appeared to be a key. Irons suddenly remember where he had seen the design before. On the back of the wooden box the book was kept in was a strange carving. It was this design.
Irons closed the book, and shoved the key into his pocket. He headed down to his car.
Later he stood in the room of his mansion where he kept a lot of artifacts that were connected to the Witchblade. Two of them were sitting on the table in front of him. One was the box; the other was an urn he'd forgotten about. It had a large version of the key painted on it.
He flipped the box over the put the key into the carved out area. He heard a soft click, and a scroll fell onto the desk. Moving the box to the side, Irons began studying the scroll.
It told of a woman who had gone to Cathain to beg for her to help her have a child. Cathain foolishly allowed the woman to wear the blade for one night. The woman did conceive and nine months later she died giving birth to twin girls. But the girls were not identical. One had beautiful blonde hair and blue eyes, while the other had black hair and eyes the color of the steel of swords.
The girls' father refused to raise girls alone, so he left the girls in the woods for the wolves. However, a man found them and returned the girls to Cathain. Together they raised the girls. When they were ten years old, a mage appeared. He requested that Kerry, the blonde and smaller twin, be allowed to train with him in the ways of magick. Cathian allowed the girl to be trained, and while Kerry trained in the arts of the ancients, Cianna, the blacked hair twin, trained in the ways of the sword.
Years later, Kerry grew jealous of her sister, and wished to wear the Witch's Glove. She stole the glove from Cathain, and used one of her spells to force the blade to except her. The only one able to stop her was Cianna. It meant the lives of both girls though. The mage who had trained Kerry believed that both girls would be reborn. So to keep Kerry from trying again, the mage tied her soul permanently to Cianna's, believing Cianna could control her sister.
At the end of the scroll it told why it was placed in a hidden compartment of the box the mage was keeping his book of predictions in. He believed the key would be found if this information was needed. Something told Irons that it was.
Sara had gotten a call about a murder. She hadn't intended to go, but Cianna had talked her into it. Ian had left long before Sara had, which left Cianna only. That was all the better, because she had to talk to Lazar, and it was kind of hard to do that with Sara and Ian around. Of course, talking to him was going to be a bit of a problem anyway, especially since Kerry could just pop in anytime she wanted. Hopefully, Lazar would be able the fix that at least long enough for her to get a few more answers out of the crazy old man.
Cianna had finally managed to get the blasted wrap off. Boy was Sara going to be surprised when she saw how fast the wounds had healed. She got up from the couch she'd planted herself on when Sara left. Maybe she'd get lucky and he wouldn't be outside the window. Fat chance. Whenever she needed to talk to him, weather she wanted to or not, he was always there. And this was no exception. There he stood, looking up at her, his curly blonde hair a little messier then normal. I swear if he makes me go out there, she thought. I'll hurt him.
Ian had returned to the mansion to find that Irons had locked himself in one of the Witchblade rooms. That wasn't strange; Irons often locked himself away for at a time. He rarely, however, did so at this time of the day. Something had to be wrong. But, Ian wasn't about to knock on the door to find out. He simply stood by the door and waited.
A half hour later, Irons flung the door open and handed him a folded piece of paper.
"Take that to Sylvester's friend, Gabriel," Irons said. "Have him find out as much information as he can on it. Pay him well, but don't mention me. And on your way back, find the girl."
Ian watched shocked as Irons strode up the hall. How did he know about Cianna? He unfolded the piece of paper. Sketched out on it was a strange symbol. It was most likely Celtic, and while it did seem familiar, he couldn't recall ever seeing it. He refolded the paper and stuffed it in him pocket.
Sara was not happy. Joe had pulled her and Danny off the new case before she'd even gotten there. Danny had been just about to leave when she'd pulled up in front of the crime scene. He was heading back to the station so she went home. Only, Cianna wasn't there. Sara shrugged it off, thinking the girl had finally gone home, wherever that was. Of course, Sara still had her shawl at the office. At least that was a normal excuse to have to find her again. She'd just made a pot of soup when the buzzer went off.
"Hello," Sara said.
"Open the door," Cianna's voice replied. "It's freezing out here."
Sara hit the button and a couple of minutes later Cianna came bounding up the stairs.
"Sorry," she said. "I had to go see someone. I didn't realize I'd forgotten the key you left me until after I was outside. I was debating on using the fire escape until I saw your bike was back."
"It's ok," Sara replied. "Um, where are your parents?"
"Oh, they both died when I was little," Cianna plopped down at the kitchen table. "Happens in every life time, I'm use to it."
Sara stared at her for a second before she could find her voice again, "Where do you live?"
"Wherever I want. They were rich. I had a guardian until I turned 16. Since then I'm on my own."
"But kids normally have a guardian until they are 18," Sara ladled some soup out for her.
"Most do," Cianna accepted the bowl. "But I graduated at 16 and the state decided I didn't need a guardian anymore. I'm starting college in January."
"Why did you wait?"
"I wanted to see the world. Plus, well, there is the whole Witchblade thing.
Being tied down somewhere doesn't help when one is looking for the Wielder."
"You were looking for me?" Sara sat at the table with her own bowl of soup.
"Yep, someone has to warn you about the Watchers."
"The who?"
"Watchers. Annoying group started by the Catholic Church to track the Witchblade," Cianna eat another spoonful of soup. "Real pains in the butt if you ask me."
Sara stared at the girl again, "And why would the Catholic Church want it?"
"Because they think its theirs. Long story, but according to them they are the only ones on Earth capable of properly using the Witchblade. Yep, they properly managed it, gave it over to Hitler."
"What?"
"Like I said, long story."
The best time for Kerry to take control of Cianna's body was when Cianna was sleeping. The girl still hadn't bothered to learn how to defend herself while she was unconscious. Kerry, of course, wasn't complaining about her sister's stupidity. The couch Cianna had chosen to sleep on wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world. Kerry stretched slowly as she awakened the body.
It took her a few seconds to get her bearings. Okay, now Sara would be? Ah ha! Kerry crept as silently as possible towards the bed. Almost as an after thought she turned towards the window. Good, no Nottingham. She turned back towards the Wielder, praying the blade didn't wake her.
The Witchblade did react; thankfully it was normal way it acknowledged Cianna's presence. One quick incantation, and the blade slipped mutely from its mistress's wrist. Sara rolled over. Her movement startled Kerry and she leapt towards the stairs. The wielder didn't wake though. Kerry sighed and returned to the bedside. She grabbed first the blade, then after crossing the room, Sara's jacket.
The last time she'd stolen the blade things hadn't exactly turned out very successfully. This time would be different. She had a plan and someone she knew would help her, for the right price. Kerry now had the one thing that would insure his assistance and thus insure both her success and her survival.
Irons often stayed up late. He'd sent Ian away hours ago and now sat staring into the fireplace. Ian hadn't brought the girl with him. He had, however, with a litter persuading, told him where and who the girl was. It was probably best for the time being to leave Cianna with Sara. He would take her away when Sara needed her the most, all the more reason for her to come to him.
"Like my sister would let you do that."
Irons looked up to find a black haired gray-eyed girl step into the flickering light of the fire. Obviously this was Cianna's body, but Kerry was in control.
"How did you get in here?" Irons stood slowly.
"A little help from an item you used to own."
Irons stood right in front of the girl, glaring down at her. "You took the blade from Sara?"
"Very good," she walked around him and plopped down in the chair he had jus vacated.
"Give it to me," Irons held his hand out to take the blade.
The girl laughed at him, her eyes twinkling with an evil Irons didn't like. Suddenly she stood, her demeanor changing to a more serious one. "I can help you control it. I can make it accept you."
"No one can do that."
"I can. I have. Why do you think it obeys me?"
The prospect of finally controlling the blade after all these years made Irons forget of the risks. "What do you want in return?"
"You will release me from this body."
"Agreed."
The girl smiled as she removed the blade from her wrist.
What happened next was all a blur for Irons. HE felt the rush of wearing the blade, the pain of its rejection before her heard the girl's voice ring loudly through out the chamber. Suddenly, the pain was gone. The blade had accepted him, just as the girl had promised. The power of the Witchblade coursed through his body.
"Now, about letting me out of here," the girl said.
"What must I do?"
He was handed a paper with a strange writing on it. The blade translated it for him. He read the incantation off in a tongue he didn't really understand. But the blade reacted, and soon the girl was lying on the floor. In his head he felt the pull of blade. But it came not from the blade itself. Most likely it was Kerry calling him to her. For some reason he went.
Cianna found herself lying on the floor of Irons' study. At least that's where she thought she was. She didn't know exactly how she'd wound up here, but for the first time in her life she felt alone. She managed to crawl to a chair. AS she began to stand, a wave of dizziness washed over her causing her to collapse into the chair. It was a start; at least she was off the floor. Slowly, she tried to stand again. The lightheadedness returned but she fought against it and managed to get to here feet. It was slow progress to the door. The dizziness wouldn't go away, a result of whatever Kerry had done to separate them. Cianna knew what it would take to remove Kerry soul. It would take the Witchblade and the ashes from her twin's originally body. Kerry could be half way around the world or in the next room. She sighed as she leaned against the door to rest.
Of course, the door slid open just as she did. Cianna closed her eyes and gave in to the fact that she was going to hit the floor again. But to her surprise, she didn't. She slowly opened her eyes to find herself looking at a black sweater. Exhaling, she leaned on him more.
"Cianna?" Ian asked.
To Cianna her reply was, "Kerry took the Witchblade from Sara and gave it to Irons." But all she actually managed to get out was, "Kerry...Witchblade... Sara...Irons..."
In seconds she was being carried back to the chair. Well, at least now she had help. After putting her down, Ian disappeared. Cianna closed her eyes again and tried to get comfortable. Maybe she fell asleep maybe she didn't, but the next thing she knew there was a sharp sting in her arm. Cianna looked to find Ian kneeling next to the chair. The headache she hadn't realized she had begun to go away.
"Thank you," she finally managed.
"About Lady Sara?"
"Oh, yes. Kerry took the Blade from her and gave it to Irons."
"How?" Ian looked up at her. "Why?"
"To separate us."
"She is no longer..."
"We no longing share the same body, she has returned to her own. Ian, I have to stop whatever she has planned. But I'm going to need help. Sara is the only one who can get through the spell my sister must have over the blade. Will you help me get to her?"
"Of course."
Kerry smiled to herself as she ran her hands through her hair, brushing the pottery shards out. She hopped off the table and smoothed out her brown skirt. Yep, it was good to be back. Irons should be here any second. Then she would decide what to do with Cianna. She had been stuck with her sister for almost two millennia; she'd make it quick. One slice from the Witchblade and her sister would be out of her way. The door slide open, Irons stepped into the room. He stood shocked for a moment, then went to the table and picked up a piece of the urn that had held Kerry's ashes. Irons opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it again as he put the piece back on the table.
"Come on," Kerry said as she headed out of the room.
Neither spoke as they walked back towards the study. Kerry entered first, then stopped suddenly. Cianna was gone.
She whirled and faced Irons, "Idiot! You let her get away!"
"I thought she was dead," Irons retorted.
"I'll bet that incompetent servant of yours helped her escape. You really ought to put him on a shorter leash."
Sara's eyes snapped open as she heard the door to the apartment close. Something wasn't right. She glanced at her wrist to look at the Witchblade. It was gone! Jumping out of bed, Sara pulled on the jeans she had been wearing. Irons must have ordered Ian to take it from her.
"Sara."
Sara could hear the distress in Cianna's voice. She flipped on the light. Cianna was walking towards her; Ian was standing at the top of the stairs. "What's wrong?" Sara asked while eyeing Ian.
"Kerry took the blade from you, not him," Cianna said. "She gave it to Irons, and he separated her from me."
Sara stared at her in disbelief, "What?"
"Kerry has returned to her own body," Cianna replied. "I don't what she had planned, but I know that whatever it is I have to stop it. Only you can break the spell my sister had to have put over the Witchblade. I need your help."
"Well, then why are we standing around here," Sara went back to her closet and put a clean sweater on. "Let's go."
Cianna stood with Sara and Ian outside the gate of Irons' mansion. Cianna sighed slightly as Ian opened the gate.
"Nervous?" Sara patted Cianna on the shoulder.
"If this wasn't my fault, I might reconsider going in," Cianna replied watching as Ian disappeared through the gate. "But it is my fault and so I might as well get it over with."
"That's the spirit."
"It's clear," Ian reappeared.
"You were expecting it not to be?" Sara said as they walked towards the house.
"By the way, do we have a plan?"
"Yes, Ian and I were discussing it in the car," Cianna replied. "You and he are going in first, I'm going to try to come in from a different way. They are probably in the study, aurging if I know my sister."
"Come, Sara," Ian led Sara up the stairs to the front door of the mansion.
Cianna watched them enter, then went to find the hidden entrance Ian had told her about.
Sara followed Ian down a corridor towards the study. Irons' certainly had an impressive home. "So how exactly are we going to distract them?"
"You're the detective."
"Is that sarcasm I hear?"
Ian turned quickly startling Sara. "I don't really understand what's going on any better then you do, all I know is that someone who shouldn't have the Blade has it." He spun back around and continued walking as though nothing had happened.
"Well, that's reassuring," Sara mumbled as she followed him.
They soon stopped outside of a door. Voice could be heared inside the room. Sara suddenly realized she didn't have her gun. Ian pulled a gun out from underneath is coat and handed it to her. She decided now would not be the best time to ask if he had a permit.
"This is just great," a woman, presumable Kerry, said. "All my hard work, and you bumbled it."
"Excuse me," Irons replied coldly. "This is hardly my fault. You should have told me to stay with her."
"Now we have to figure out what to do when she gets back with Sara," Kerry said.
"Do you have anything important to suggest?"
"I will not be spoken to in this manner."
"Really," Kerry said. Then the girl began speaking in a strange language. Irons started screaming.
Ian choose that moment to shove Sara into the room. Kerry stood over Irons, who was trying to pull himself into a chair by the fire. Tendrials from the Witchblade wrapped themselves around the blonde girl. The blade of the Witchblade extended and pointed at Irons' throat.
"One more step and he dies," Kerry turned her head to look at them. The rage in her crystal blue eyes caused Sara to grip her gun tighter.
There was a soft noise overhead. Sara looked up on to the balcony, Cianna stood gazing down at her sister. A tendrial shot towards her from the Witchblade. It wrapped around her ankle, multiplying as it slid up her leg.
"Remember sister, you wear the blade then so do I. That is our link."
"That is only part of it. My pain is your pain," Kerry said as the tendrial finished what seemed to be an armor around her.
"And mine is yours." Cianna jumped over the railing twisting so she landed with her back to Sara. "I thought you didn't like fighting? Give up, you know you are no match for me." Surprisingly a blade like that of the Witchblade's came out from the tendrails wrapped around her right hand.
"Really, I'm a quick study, and the blade has already taught me so much." Kerry lunged at her sister.
Sara stood shocked as the girls fought. It was hard to tell who was winning, then again, they were moving so fast it made her dizzy just watching them. She glanced around looking for Ian. He was checking on Irons. She walked towards him the whole while trying to find the opportunity to shot Kerry.
"You probably ought to be summoning the Witchblade back to you," Ian said.
"How?"
"Just call to it, it will answer you."
Sara turned back towards the battle. The girls stood facing each other now, blood dripping on the floor from wounds both of them had. Cianna looked at her and nodded.
"I am your true master," Sara said.
Kerry glared at her.
"Come to me," Sara continued.
"NO!" Kerry screamed.
The tendrials disappeared from around Kerry's body and from around Cianna's.
The Witchblade flew across the room and found it's place on Sara's wrist. The blade extended immediately. Kerry charged at her, rage filling her eyes. Sara didn't even realize what she was doing, but Cianna's scream of pain filled the room.
Sara gasped as she saw that Kerry was standing in front of her, the blade of the Witchblade in her stomach. The girl smiled manically as she slide off the blade to her knees.
Ian had leapt at Cianna when she had started screaming. He caught her as she started to fall to the ground. Blood appeared on her shirt. He raised her shirt to find the source, but there was no wound, just blood.
"Ian," Cianna struggled to speak. "You have to promise that you'll burn both my Kerry's body and mine, and throw the ashes into the sea."
Ian couldn't answer, he just shock his head.
"Thank you," Cianna then turned her head towards Sara. "Finish it, Sara!"
Ian could see Kerry smiling, "Yes, end the lives of both myself and my sister."
Sara looked at Ian. He nodded to her. She stabbed Kerry in the heart. Cianna didn't scream this time. She simply rested her head on his chest. He pulled her closer to him as he felt the life drain out of her. Sara was at his side, but it was too late, Cianna was gone.
Sara looked from Nottingham to Cianna's body. She'd only known the girl a few days, but she felt her death rip trough her soul with almost the same intensity as when her father had died. She reached out and brushed a lock of hair out Cianna's face. She suddenly heard Ian gasp. Looking up at him, she saw he was staring at something behind her. She turned slightly to see a woman who looked like herself standing over Kerry's body.
"Cathain," Ian said.
The woman looked at them. "Kerry really was a good girl. I should never have let Lazar take her on as a pupil."
"What happened to her?" Sara asked still not quite understanding why this woman had her face.
"Jealousy," Cathain replied moving towards them.
Sara looked down at Cianna again. Cathain kneeled down on the other side of Ian. The woman reached out and touched Cianna's face.
"Now this one," Cathain continued. "While she could fight better then I ever could, she never believed she was better then anyone else. And to her, her life meant nothing when it came to helping people. She always made me proud. And now, she's dead because of her sister, again."
"Cianna told me to burn both her body and Kerry's and to throw their ashes into the sea," Ian said.
"That would end the cycle for both of them," Cathain said. "Neither would be reborn."
"She shouldn't have died!" Sara cried. "That has to be someway to save her."
"Listen to the Witchblade, Sara," Cathain replied. "If there is a way, it will tell you."
Ian watched as Cathain disappeared. He glanced over at Irons, who was still passed out in his chair. He wouldn't like what Ian was about to do. "You can use the blade to heal her."
"What?" Sara said.
"Just tell it too, it'll listen to you."
He grabbed her hand and put it over Cianna's heart. The Witchblade seemed to react instantly. Tendrials wrapped and the girl's body. He watched in awe as the tendrials plunged into Cianna's chest. The jewel of the blade bathed all three of them in red light.
Cianna gasped as she felt the tendrials withdrawal from her chest.
"It worked," she heard Sara say.
"Please don't shout," Cianna said as she slowly opened her eyes. "What happened?"
"You were dead," Sara said. "Cathain appeared and told us to save you."
"What?" Cianna sat up. Big mistake, this whole being dizzy thing was getting really annoying. She leaned back against Ian. "You know what, I don't want to know, right now I really want to sleep."
Ian put his arms around her and stood up. "I'll help Sara get you back to her apartment, and then return to check on Irons."
"The old fool shouldn't have trusted Kerry," Cianna said as Ian carried her out of the mansion. "But what's done is done."
Days later Sara and Cianna walked around an apartment far larger then Sara's. They were looking for a place for Cianna that was close to Sara's. The girl had decided on an apartment in a building only a couple of blocks away. Now all she needed was furniture and she'd be all set.
"This place sure is nice, Cianna," Sara said as she examined the fire escape.
"I like it," Cianna said. "Hey, listen, I have a friend who could help you get more information on the Witchblade. I've told you basically all I can. He's name is Gabriel Bowman. He owns a dot.com, sells some rather interesting things. But he is trustworthy and inventive."
Sara smiled at Cianna, "We'll go see him later, right now I'm starving. Come on, my treat."
"How could I refuse?"
The two women walked out of the apartment, laughing.
Irons stood looking out the window of his office. Things would be interesting now that Sara had little need for him. He would just have to make her need him. However, there were two of them now. Two who could supply him with that which he really needed for life. Irons swirled the wine he'd been drinking around in its glass. This truly is a hell of a town.