Authors Notes:
Well, here comes chapter two. I probably won't get time to write chapter three before I go away, but it will probably be written soon. I'll try and get a good few up after my break!

Journals are in between dashes and thoughts, memories etc. will be in italics.

Chapter Two – The Ebony Tower

After collecting the equipment she would need for the newest mission; she said her goodbyes to Wade, quietly vowing to return soon for a friendly visit. She hated the distance that had grown between then, but it was unavoidable. She was away for long periods of time; she could hardly keep coming back just to talk.

She left in a hurry, leaving close to sunrise. Once she had packed the new equipment into the saddlebags and allowed her horse some refreshment, she was ready to depart. The sun had not broken the horizon yet, but its rays were already lightening the sky. The morning was crisp and clearer than the night. Outside, she took a large breath of the morning air; stretching softly.

She would miss the town, but for now, she had to concentrate on more important issues. She untied her stallion from the post outside and led him away from the woodwork before climbing onto the saddle. With a soft wave, she said her goodbyes to Wade. He watched her leave the town until the hills engulfed her shape and he could not see her any longer.

---

I am happy to have seen Wade, but he reminds me of home. I keep getting memories there, they are distracting me. I used to spend so much time there…

I cannot return to my family, it is no longer my world.

I must go to the town of Creeton if I am to examine this new target. She is not a hard one to track; her home is an elaborate ebony tower on the hills near there.

I will have to rent a room near there, I'll have to examine the entry points, the best ways to get in, the weaknesses….maybe even more importantly; the strengths.

I will strike there when I feel I am most prepared. She is likely to be a strong opponent and very well guarded, hopefully she will be a worthy opponent of me.

Only time will tell though, maybe then I can go home.

For now

The Flame

---

It was not far from Shamyre to Creeton; a days ride at most. She knew her mount needed to rest and Creeton would offer that. She had purchased him years ago; he was still as strong as ever.

She had been informed by his previous owner that his name was 'Fray'. She had kept the name because it suited him well.

After leaving Shamyre, the road to Creeton was straight through the hills and an expanse of grassy fields. The only obstacle was a strong river; she would need to take a few extra moments to locate the bridge, but if she kept to the dirt path, she would find it without too much trouble.

The sun finally hit the sky a little after she had left; shining onto the ground below. All that was in front of her was grassy fields, hills and the occasional tree or gathering of flowers. The sun would hit it early; transforming the landscape into a glowing mass of green grass. The dew would be fresh on the blades and would shimmer in the light. It was a beautiful sight in the morning. The one thing the Vampires could not take from her. They could not see this; she felt truly blessed by that fact.

She smiled as they pressed on; the rhythmic sounds and movements drifting into the background as they rode on. Her mind was already formulating a plan around this new target. Vampires were known for being strong in almost every sense of the word. They had years to practice fighting and train their strength up; they were very good with their words too. They were incredibly smart and usually sneaky. She hated their dirty tactics, their general outlook on life.

She would need to either take this one out at long distance; or fight her hand to hand. She possessed a good martial arts background and new some pretty decent footwork, but vampires were stronger and faster. Hand to Hand would be a last resort.

There was always the option of an ambush, but she had found already that this one rarely left her home. She had servants and slaves for the dirty work, even finding her food.

She suppressed a shudder at the word 'food' and moved it to the back of her mind. Maybe attacking during the day would be the best option, either that or a forceful take over. She did not have the resources for such a thing.

She pondered the options available to her throughout the day until reaching the bank of the river Garthyr. It was the one boundary that separated them from Creeton. It was late in the afternoon when she had reached its banks – opting for a small break. The stone bridge hung further up the river.

She dismounted quickly and led her stallion over to the cool water; settling herself down on the dry grass. The heat had been fierce today on both of them, he deserved to stop and drink. The grass became sparse close to the river edge until it was covered in small stones and pebbles that dipped into the glassy currents. She took out some of her reserves of food and took a quick bite; she had packed a few sandwiches and loaves of bread to see her through.

She had not come up with anything and now seeing the tower, fear coiled in her stomach. The tower was an imposing sight from this distance; she would not feel comfortable close to it, forget about actually being inside of it.

Her steed snorted as if he understood her thoughts and she smiled genuinely at him. He was simply an animal, but he had been there for her over the past few years.

The sun had glided through the skies, rarely blocked by clouds. It was now just behind the ebony tower in the distance, its rays curling around its form. It looked like a deadly silhouette in the sky; her hairs stood on end just looking at it.

She repacked the food and placed it back in the bags; patting him gently on his neck. He was silent; simply waiting for her to climb onto the saddle once more.

She placed her foot in the stirrup and launched her leg over to meet the other one before motioning him to carry on. The sooner they reached the city, the better.

The sun was sinking back into the horizon as they came closer to the town; the blue skies were now dominated by the dying colours of the light. It was a magnificent sight in the fields; the red hues reflecting off the grass and water of the river; casting the light everywhere. She smiled to herself once more.

True beauty can be the simplest things…

Dusk was beginning to settle once they had reached the outskirts of the city; the buildings were her obstacle from the breathtaking sights the country offered. She dismounted once she was near the buildings; leading Fray by his reigns rather than on his back. She wanted to keep a closer eye on him and on the road.

Creeton was one of the last big cities left in the world. It was magnificent in the centre; the main focus was the beautifully decorated market and the various stalls it offered. The place was vibrant with life and the gentle hum of people was always heard here. Around here were the various businesses; blacksmiths and stables, armouries and bakeries littered the street. Various Inns stood here too – her destination.

Further back stood the inner city houses; these were usually well decorated, well kept and almost always extravagant. They were for the rich, and the rich kept them. Children were a rare sight around here, but many people still walked through here. The children played near their homes mostly; their joyous laughter rarely strayed onto the main pathways.

The outskirts were the barren places, the place was rough and messy, and very few people walked through here. The cobbles were broken and covered in moss and grime. She stood; taking in the place she found herself. It looked like hell.

The only signs of life here were the occasional stray dog or beggar. The houses looked inhabitable and on the brink of collapse. She forced herself to keep moving through it; part of her horrified at the state of the cities outer areas. She could not stop to dwell though. It had been hard for her to admit, but she could not help everybody. She just had to do her bit.

The further she walked, the more people she saw, the cleaner it got, and the happier it seemed. People would pass and smile, children would dart past her legs, chasing a rogue ball through the crowd of residents. She could pick up on small snippets of conversation that were highlighted as people drifted past; she was hoping to catch anything about her next target.

She could feel the sun warm her from just beyond the buildings and found a smile slide onto her face. Her eyes and ears were assaulted with cries from nearby tradesmen, trying desperately to make a sale. She could literally smell the food and drink from the taverns and could nearly taste it too. The crowd thickened as she neared the centre; her hands tightly clenched to Fray's reigns. She could not afford to lose him in the rush of the crowd.

It was as she was walking, she heard a yell drift through the deafening roar of the city. She stopped walking abruptly, and listened. Her ears strained over the crowd for any sign of the noise. She heard it again, louder this time. It was definitely a negative sound, whatever it was. She swung her head in the direction of the noise; people unknowingly blocking her eyesight. She smelt the rough fumes of Ale as a burly man walked past with a rather thick barrel. She battled past the thrum of city folk in the direction of the noise. She managed not to get separated from her mount – which was a miracle to her – and finally found the dirty alley she was looking for. It was off the corner to a fruit stall and a Pub; the alley was littered with rotten fruit and empty barrels. It looked bleak and miserable; the low sun unable to touch it to brighten it. She pulled Fray into the alley and tied him securely to the remains of a crate; trusting him not to bolt from his owner. She brushed herself off, now out of the thick mass of people and took a moment to breathe.

She looked up to spy the source of the noise; she was internally kicking herself. Her do-gooder nature was going to get her killed one day, but at least she would die knowing she had helped somebody.

At the end of the alley, three men stood, surrounding a young woman. Her heart went out to the woman when she saw the scene; the three men were obviously drunk – one was still drinking from a whiskey bottle, gripped lightly in one hand. They were grabbing at her and laughing at her attempts to stop them.

She was crying; tears streaked down her cheeks as she attempted to get away. Her yells were becoming weaker, interrupted by sobs.

The three men were covered in grime, obviously either straight from work or just naturally dirty. She knew they would be easier to deal with when intoxicated, but their tattoo covered muscles still looked imposing to her. They were not weak by any means. Regardless, she would help.

She didn't need an invitation to step in; the fact it was already occurring was enough for her to want to help. She had things to do, but they could wait.

"What seems to be the problem, gentlemen?" She asked as low as she could; tipping her head so her face was concealed from them; the shadow of her hat easily hiding her identity and gender. They would not take her as seriously if they found she was a woman. As much as she hated it, it was a prejudice that she could not shake. Her cloak hid the rest from them.

Their eyes immediately swung to her, as did the frightened woman. She looked no older than eighteen; her sandy blonde hair hung in front of her eyes as she bent at the waist. One of the men switched his attention back to the young woman while one looked at Kim suspiciously. The other laughed and beckoned her over.

"Ya can come join us, if ya likes!" He yelled, slurring his words horribly. His bottle swung out at her and motioned her over. He laughed and took a clumsy swig from the brown tinted bottle. More liquid scattered the floor than was actually consumed.

His clothes were as grubby and creased, almost matching the others. His hair was horribly greasy and matted; his eyes half lidded with fatigue.

His companion grabbed out for the young woman and caught her small wrist in his palm. He was covered in dirt; black smudges covered her arm from where he had been attempting to touch her. She tried to pull her arm away, but failed and stumbled. Her hands easily glided off his strong grip.

"I'd prefer it if you let her go, she obviously doesn't like being touched." Kim spoke calmly towards them, tilting her head up so they could see her face. Four pairs of eyes swung to her again. Two of them filled with amusement, one with suspicion, and one with joy. The one with the bottle took a step towards her, laughing.

"Hey look, boys! Another to join us! Whatcha say, ma'am?" He slurred his speech again and advanced on her. Kim simply smiled; her emerald eyes glistening with humour. The woman looked at Kim with interest and hope; wanting to see if she would really be able to fight the man. Even though he was drunk, he was still strong.

"No, I'm here to tell you to unhand the young woman." She stated firmly, taking a step forward. The man advancing on her took a wary step backwards, nearly stumbling over the rubble in the street.

His friends laughed at his actions, causing his eyes to narrow. He threw out a hand to grab Kim; expecting to land around her neck. Instead, he felt soft hands circle his wrist. With a flurry of burning pain that shot up his arm and a painful crunch; his knees hit the floor as he cradled his broken wrist. He hunched over and yelled, swearing profusely.

Her eyes went from the man in front of her to the other two; almost challenging them to stick around. One of them pointed at her; his eyes wide with realisation.

"Your…your that Possible….what's it….Kim Possible!" He yelled; pointing at her with a grubby digit. She smirked and nodded softly, wanting to know what they would do in retaliation. Many men ran at this point, others wanted to prove themselves against her.

The woman looked up hopefully; smiling at Kim with genuine happiness. The man holding her wrist gripped it tighter, causing her to cry out in pain.

"I see my reputation precedes me, now let the young woman go!" She stated, this time with more force. She stepped forward, watching as they took a step back from her.

One of them laughed at her, however, causing her eyes to narrow.

"Let her go? So you can have her?" He laughed; knowing he had hit a nerve when her jaw clenched. She balled her hands into fists and took a few steps forward; the drunken man at her feet quickly moving out of her way. He seemed to know she was no ordinary woman and just wanted to be out of her way.

"Just leave her go on her way, before I make you!" She yelled, dropping into a fighting stance. They both grinned at each other; the smell of beer stinking the air.

They nodded at each other, speaking with silent understanding. It put Kim on edge as she examined them, keeping alert.

The one holding the woman's wrist dropped it roughly to the ground and walked slowly towards Kim, his steps awkward and unsteady. His companion joined him; he seemed to be the least intoxicated and posed the greatest threat. They went to circle her; one going to her left, the other slipping past to her right.

The drunken one struck first; grabbing her around the arms. She threw her back against him and kicked her legs upwards. He tried to remain standing as her weight left the ground; her boot flying up and throwing itself under his comrade's jaw. The sound it made resounded in the alley and he slumped to the ground. As her feet returned to the ground, she bent roughly and threw his upper body over her shoulder; his legs quickly following him over to avoid any further damage. He landed on top of his friend with a thud; the air thrown from his lungs.

She smirked at the pair of them; they were now covered in the filth of the alley on top of their own dirt. Rotten apples covered their already soiled clothing. Her eyes shot to the woman; she was hunched in the corner. Tears stained her cheeks but she was no longer sobbing. Her clothing was badly torn in several places, likely caused by the three drunken thugs.

She went over to Fray – he was getting irritable from standing there. She searched through the many saddlebags until she found what she was looking for: A soft, crisp white shirt.

She threw it over her shoulder and approached the hunched form of the woman. The young woman looked up as Kim approached; her blue eyes swimming in unreleased tears. She was hiding herself behind one of the larger crates, holding her arm to her chest.

"Are you Okay?" She asked; kneeling in front of the woman. The blonde girl said nothing, but began awkwardly rubbing her wrist.

"Your wrist hurts from his grip? Go get it looked at by a doctor, just to make sure its okay." She instructed, keeping her voice level and calm. She took the shirt off her shoulder and handed it to the woman in front of her. The young woman looked at her again and smiled weakly.

"Thank you" She said, her voice almost a whisper, "But, why?"

Kim simply smiled and stood, going back over to Fray. The woman stood and looked over at her as she untied her horse.

"…If I can prevent events like that, I should." She said, more to herself than the woman in front of her. She shook her head softly before leading Fray back out of the alley and into the main streets. Nobody stopped it from occurring, but her. Her stomach twisted harshly at that thought. People could hear it occurring, she could hear no better than anyone else. Why was she the only one that cared?

She put it to the back of her mind and started towards the many inns that littered the town, searching for a room for the next few nights.

--

I hate when I see horrible events happening, but am I the only one that even notices them? Can people really walk away from such events and forget what they saw?

If I had walked away, the look in her eyes would have plagued me forever. I cannot escape my compassionate past. It is not in my nature to give up caring. I must simply know where to draw the line.

--

The sun had already settled when she had found a suitable room for the night. The inn was nowhere near extravagant or beautiful, but it was cheap and comfortable. It kept the rain off her back and allowed her some warmth.

She had trusted Fray with the cities stables. He would be able to rest while she stayed here. It also meant he was close at hand. She would need him to escape rather quickly; vampires caught on to the death of a leader and she was sure she would have a good few on her tail.

Her possessions were underneath the small bed in the room, closest to her and safely hidden from any night time burglars. The only other furniture was a scuffed and dirty mirror and a small desk. A candle slowly burned from it and lit the dark room with its dim glow.

Her back had melted into the bed as soon as she had the chance; her muscles ached from the ride and she wanted nothing more than a good sleep. She needed the rest for tomorrow; she had planned to talk around about the occupant of the Ebony tower, hopefully getting a better idea about it, and her.

Her room had a good view of the tower – as was her request – as it lay out of the town. It was impressive regardless of its use; many turrets spiked from its main shape and ghostly figures could be seen patrolling them.

A green flash caught her eye as she examined the tower; it came from quite high up and sounded…unnatural. The crash that had come with it must have been deafening to reach this far. She suppressed a shudder as she watched for a sign of movement.

She waited patiently for a few moments, but none came. She decided against staying awake to watch, it may have been a trick played by her tired eyes. She stood from the bed and went over to the mirror; stretching her weary muscles. She was dressed in soft bed clothes and ready to sleep, but she wanted to stretch off the weary feeling that had overcome her. She knew she would be aching in the morning if she did not take the time to properly care for them.

Putting the rest of the pain down to fatigue, she marched back over to the bed and looked out for a sign of green light again. The tower was still, no movement was even suggested.

She scowled and threw the curtains across the window in irritation; lying back on the mattress.

Once she had extinguished the flame and settled back down, sleep came easily.

-End of Chapter Two-

I'll be writing a lot more of Shego's Part in all of this within the next chapter. They won't be meeting for a while yet though, you'll have to bear with me!

Updates won't always be this frequent, but I've got the first few chapters done.

Thanks for reading