The eighth part of our story! How shall things turn out? Let's read on and learn!!

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Disclaimer: Same as always. Though I will add that the title is based off a song by Ali Project.

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Eighth Masquerade: King's Knight

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You can definitely be sure that, after all the attacks recently by their mysterious assailant, the conglomerate of sky knights and squadrons were definitely ready to attack first, ask questions later, when the Cyclonian cruiser appeared on Rex's edge.

When no attacks began, small questions were raised, but they still kept their weapons ready.

As a single skimmer came down, and the cruiser turned to leave as it deployed, they grew even more confused...especially when they saw who was piloting the single craft as it grew closer.

"DAWNE?!" Piper cried out in shock, particularly when she saw the empress of Cyclonia behind the young woman.

"Shut. Up. Now." the silverette growled. "I didn't want the job, but whatever pays."

"Indeed. And who better to be a bodyguard than one of the deadliest people in Atmos?" Cyclonis asked.

"If you're here to rub salt in our wounds..." Harrier snarled.

"She's not." Dawne huffed. "I would've killed her myself if she was going to gloat about that."

"I'm paying you how much for this?" the dark queen asked dryly, glaring at the young woman beside her.

"You're paying two million gold pieces for security of your person for the duration of your stay outside of Cyclonia." Dawne said simply. "That, unfortunately, does not cover my not being sarcastic, caustic, and overall a royal bitch because it was you and your father who initially made my life a living hell to begin with."

"...point taken..."

Needless to say, the people on the side of Atmos were quite stunned that Dawne hadn't just gotten herself blasted into oblivion with that. Was Cyclonis maybe afraid of Dawne? Or just not going to risk having her decide to keep the money and "feed her to the wolves," so to speak?

"Anyway, your on Rex, aren't you going to go debate your little plan anytime soon? Or do I need to do that for you?" the silver-haired mercenary yawned, leaning against the skimmer behind her. She earned herself another glare from the empress, but that didn't seem to phase the woman.

"Plan?"

"Indeed." Cyclonis stated. "It would seem this new opponent is after both of us. Equally. Therefore, I am offering a truce."

"...you are saying you will fight alongside us?"

"Until this new enemy is stopped, at least. They've decimated many of my legions already, and I'm sure you've gotten report of the attack on our crystal mines."

"...you've forgotten the fact that they've got your best warrior. Is that on purpose or completely by accident?" Dawne asked boredly, earning another glare from her employer. The silver-haired mercenary merely shrugged, the look on her face conveying the unspoken words "Am I wrong?"

One word went through some of the younger Atmosians' minds at this point: burned. Cyclonis definitely couldn't make a decent come back to that little fact.

"You are taking a large risk." Azure, ever the strategist, warned. "If word gets out to either side that we're cooperating - not say that we will, of course - the consequences will be dire."

"Is it not a risk worth taking? The technology and crystal resources of Cyclonia at your side against this foe? Not to mention the added forces."

The empress made a compelling case. The remaining Storm Hawks looked at their long-time, silver-haired friend. She merely shook her head. "Do not look to me for your answers." she stated softly. "I'm only a mercenary; I take the jobs people need me to do. In effect, I am a neutral force in the war between Atmos and Cyclonia. This is your decision, and your decision alone."

"Being neutral, then," Harrier began, "if these new opponents were to offer you a job, would you accept it?"

"I will be completely honest - it is hard to say." she said, and much of the gathered crowd gasped in shock. "On the one hand, Aerrow has always been like my younger brother - these people have taken him, and I do not think I can serve such people as them."

"And the other?" Rhia nearly growled.

"...depends on what they offer, really. And also which side I think would have a better advantage in full scale war."

All was silent, save the sounds of the surrounding nature. Dawne sighed, continuing. "At the current moment, from what I've been able to tell, our opponent has the advantage. Until we can gain more information on them, they will continue to have the advantage."

A sudden giggle from somewhere nearby - menacing, unfamiliar in tone, had them all ready for attack again.

"The silver-haired one is smart..." a woman's voice chuckled, but from where none could say.

"Of course she is, dearest knight! For she is the star warrior of this show!" another voice - male, yet uncommonly high pitched ((AN: think Kuja's voice in Dissidia Final Fantasy)).

Harrier growled before roaring, "Show yourselves, you cowards!!!"

"Cowards? Us?" the woman's voice replied in a mocking tone. "Why, is it not you who would rather play around with chunks of dirt than save a tortured soul?"

"Is it not you who left your comrade to be captured and enslaved at our hands?" the other continued.

All were seething inside - they were mocking them for their choices, some they had no control over. They had no leads on the missing people, so they chose the course of action that could potentially get them somewhere. They didn't know Aerrow was in danger in his own ship, and as such didn't think much of leaving him to sleep as they worked on an antidote of some sort.

"And of course, let's not forget the terror your citizens felt when vicious criminals suddenly found their ways into the streets of their towns! How foolish of you sky knights to place your prison there!"

"And m'lady Empress - did thou not consider in the slightest the risk of explosion? How many men were burned alive in the fires caused by our little escapade on your mining site? How many still were maimed for life by the explosions? And how many were killed because they failed to realize their weapons were, shall we say, sabotaged?"

"ENOUGH!!!!" Cyclonis yelled, a much darker voice leaking into her normal tone. There was silence for a few moments, followed closely by giggles.

"Have we hit a nerve, dearest lady?" the man crooned, mocking still. No concern was in that question, it was too easy to tell.

"Truly sorry. Perhaps a condolence gift is in order?"

"Ah, yes, my lovely knight. A small token to ease their weary souls. The perfect idea! Yet, what shall it be?"

"My darling bishop, you know me all too well! Shouldn't you have conjectured by now that I would have something to soothe these poor dears?"

Uneasy silence was followed by a barrage of small needles, thrown far too fast to be successfully dodged. All were hit somewhere on their body, be hit an arm, a leg, or the side of the neck (unfortunately for Stork, he was hit square in the forehead).

"A perfect choice!" the man cried out.

"As soon as it hits the blood stream, they will be paralyzed for a few hours...plenty of time for us to escape..."

Kihara's eyes widened - the woman speaking was the one who created the sleeping poison used on Aerrow!! She just had to be!! The Glyphian then felt eyes on her, and felt the hairs on her neck stand up.

"You're the one who deduced my first poison, aren't you?" said the woman's voice. "Then perhaps you'll find out what this one's made of later...there's a sample already in the lab waiting for you. Enjoy the challenge, Kihara." Said Glyphian wanted to vomit that the woman already knew her name AND that she had figured out how to make the poison.

Unfortunately for her, the woman was right - the effects of paralysis had hit her as soon as whatever was in the needle made it to her blood stream. She could only deduce it was the same for the others. However, from what she knew of Dawne, the silverette hopefully wouldn't be in this state as long as the others...provided the woman didn't take that into account when creating this.

Only time would tell on that one, she decided.

"Farewell, dearest actors. Until the next scene in our show!" the male voice said. A sound similar to something being sucked into a vortex was heard, and then silence.

Well, if that's how they got around, then tracking was nigh impossible. That's what they wanted to say, but they either couldn't say it, or didn't want to.

Finn, however, was having a different train of thoughts. He was trying to remember what had happened to him earlier that day. When he blacked out...he swore he remembered feeling a familiar presence nearby...It could have just been his mind trying to force him back into consciousness, trying to get him to fight back, but he threw that thought aside.

He knew, deep in his heart, that somebody he knew closely was there...

Just who?...

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Felix was gathering the reports from the gathered warriors when the sound of glass shattering and an unholy shriek of anger was heard from one of the towers. They all were nearly scared out of their skin, but the "King" was the first to recover, rushing towards the origin of the sound.

What he found was Aerrow, his fist bloody from where he had shattered a mirror, body shuddering as he took harsh breaths, eyes narrowed in pure rage and pupils dilated, and an aura that seemed to burn the air around him. Felix gulped slightly as he saw the splinters of glass slowly begin to push themselves out of Aerrow's hand, the cuts slowly healing themselves, leaving small scars behind before fading.

"How is this possible?!" the red-head seethed, his voice no more than a hiss.

"What has happened?"

"My puppet...he's somehow regaining his memory!!"

The temperature in the room rose a few degrees, and Felix could see scald marks appear on various objects in the room. Anymore of this, and the whole room could burst into flames.

"Aerrow...my queen..." the ravenette whispered softly, soothingly, "solutions are always available...you have twelve capable warriors at your disposal should you need them..." This seemed to calm him a little, so he continued. "Even I, myself, would be willing to follow your desires in this unforeseen situation..."

The room began to cool off, and Felix stepped over to where the teen stood, still breathing harshly. He embraced the younger, pulling him up against his chest. "There is always a solution to problems such as these, my beautiful queen..."

"Of course..." Aerrow sighed, sinking into the embrace. "Forgive me for letting my anger control me so..."

"There is nothing to forgive..." Felix murmured. "Such is the burden of your powers..."

Aerrow nodded in agreement, as he still didn't know what some of his abilities were.

He could only hope something could be done of the current situation...

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Hey!! Sorry for the long time between updates!! Applying for colleges and scholarships and all that shizzles has been HELL!!!! And mom's been making me keep my room clean on top of it (which, since it kinda has been cleaned since sophomore year high school, and I'm now a senior...yeah...). Plus, I'm trying to get some preliminary designs for a dress I'll be entering into a competition ($50,000 in scholarship money as a grand prize is nothing to sneeze at) done, so fanfic-ing is WAY behind. I'll try to keep my updates as regular as possible, since graduation is pretty soon, but no guarantees. On the plus side, if you're a member of Gaia Online, you can PM me or leave me a profile comment asking about updates to my stories. Check my profile for screen names.