Chapter 25: Darkness Incarnate
Mordecai is standing in the middle of the Ambalan forest. He is standing near the grave of Goddess Amara. Mordecai secretly had a crush on the Goddess of Beauty. Pure Ones unfortunately killed her when they were trying to take over Ambala, but failed. She was buried where she fell, seeing as they were too lazy to take her to her home in Tyto to be buried with her partner, Stephan. Elanore and Nyroc come with Morin and he turns around when Elanore says "Mordecai."
"Finally, took you both long enough. Dear Glaux… When I want to be in an alliance with two Pure Ones… One who is a mindless drone who follows orders from the other being a she-owl who clearly is a bimbo-ish whore, that were actually and very obviously screwing each other yesterday, behind my back without me knowing. After the whore took over this Glaux-damn kingdom and the other one, I want the so called "leaders" to turn up when I want to see them." He bluntly sneers
"We are sorry for keeping you waiting, Mordecai. It is clearly my fault that I have made you… whatever emotion you are." Elanore says
"It's ok, Elanore. I wouldn't expect much from that wrench's ex-assistant and ex-friend." He says
Nyroc shoves him and says "Don't you dare say that about my grandmother or say that Elanore and Nyra are not friends. If she can come back as a fucking scroom, she is still here and Elanore would remain loyal to her, even if she is dead."
Elanore comes up behind him and says "It is ok. You don't need to fight all my battles against Mordecai." She then slaps Mordecai across the face and besides the pain that he whinges about in the ancient language of the Beaks and St. Aegolius area, he admits "I deserved that."
"Don't be such a dick, Mordecai! What you said before you were talking about her was fucking insensitive… And I just realised this?! Who gives a flying fuck when you, yourself, were screwing your wife, without the Pure Ones knowing you have one! And I AM NOT A WHORE!" Elanore yells
"…and I am not a mindless drone!" Nyroc adds
"Well, sorry for pointing out the obvious." Mordecai says
"Hey! This is about what we will do next, not about having an inner circle fight." Nyroc says
"He is right. For the love of the Pure Ones, what will we do next?" Morin asks
"Kill Cheyenne, that's what." Mordecai says
The three other owls are blown away by what he had said and they reply with "What?!" before going speechless.
"Here is the point. I want to bring Night Eternal and as Cheyenne is the Goddess of the Light and controller of the sun, we have to kill her. Also, she is the reason more victories go in their favour. She is the odds that we will lose. If we eliminate their odds of defeating us…" Mordecai says before Elanore finishes his thought and says "They will have no luck in defeating us and we will soon be able to kill them."
"Mordecai, you are a genius. Sure, you started this Glaux-damn war with Guardian V Pure One theme, but I seriously think your scheming, purely evil mind can be of some use." Elanore then says
"Thanks. I intend to do it on the one night where we will have equal power, the Double Eclipse. The day and night where there is one eclipse in the day, one at night. I will use my powerful weapon that I haven't used in centuries, the Ebony Titanium Battle Claws. They can slice through anything and everything. This is my version of the dreaded dagger that Cheyenne carries. That gold handled thing of the goddess herself is what killed me. Besides, I wish that the Amulet of Power was not destroyed by that Goddess of the Moon." Mordecai informs them
"Nyra tried her best to get it from Barran, but she failed and was tossed into a wall." Elanore says
"How did you know that?" Mordecai asks
"Her feverish mind wandering lead to her telling me about the Amulet of Power and how many battles that she fought until Barran got it with that bastard Ezylryb, or Lyze of Kiel stole the half she had of it." Elanore explains
"I see. She must have told you everything." Mordecai says
"…And what is that supposed to mean?" Elanore asks
"Nothing." He replies
Meanwhile, Cheyenne is getting ready to go to Tyto with Bryony. It is the first time she will be there in centuries since the funeral of her parents and all of those who had died when Mordecai attacked. She is fearful and has dreams of what it would have been like when Mordecai and his Pure Ones attacked. In her dreams, screaming and cries of pain, sorrow and other things are backgrounded by scenes of death, bloodshed and the killing of Cheyenne's parents. Outside of her dream, her pulsating glowing that she does all of the time when she sleeps was disrupted and it becomes faster as her daymare commences.
Cheyenne is admiring herself in the refection that is from her dagger when Bryony comes in and she puts it away. Bryony is carrying Cheyenne's crown that she had ordered some guards to get from the palace, as it was clearly off-limits and is used as a display, until now. Cheyenne is awestruck to see her crown once again, after she had parted with it and was always wearing her royal version of a guardian helmet.
"Here, your crown. We have been keeping it polished and safe for centuries. It was placed in the Throne Room and people have been forbidden to touch it until several hours ago." Bryony says handing it over to the goddess
"I haven't worn it in ages and ages, Bryony." She says as she puts it on and admires herself in the mirror
"You look fab, for a… How old are you?" Bryony asks
"In mortal years, 26, but in immortal years… I don't know, but it has a 91 on the end." Cheyenne replies
"Wow… That is… peculiar. You are one year older than I." Bryony replies shocked (seeing as she is 25 years old, turning 26)
Cheyenne laughs and says "I still look as young as I did when I was immortal in Glamoria. Nya, Amara, Leona, Barran, who is took the place of Pellie as Goddess of the Moon…" before being interrupted by Bryony as she asks "Queen Barran is a goddess in the Council of Owl Gods? She used to teach me in Senior Year at the GTA and that is what happened when she died? What happened to Pellie?"
"Mordecai sort of attacked us in Glamoria more than a year ago and she was the one who took him back to hell, but was killed anyway by the bastard." Cheyenne explains
"Oh… Continue." Bryony replies
"Anyway, we used to talk and get manicures and stuff like that. We have fun and I always remained beautiful. Amara is the Goddess of Beauty and no one can upstage her. She isn't vain about her appearance, but she knows that she is the ultimate beauty." Cheyenne explains
"At least you have the Golden dagger. That is what killed Mordecai in the legend, yes?" Bryony asks
"Yes. I stabbed him in the chest after the battle was going on for what felt like an eternity. I didn't count on the fact that this started the war that has been going on for ages. That stupid general of Mordecai's became leader and he started to seek revenge. Mordecai's dark message had sparked the start of the Pure Ones and where there are guardians, there are Pure Ones. King Hoole wanted to do what was right and avenged my death by trying to bring peace to all the Owl Kingdoms and… well… It has been centuries and for how many rulers that tree has had… what… four different kings and yet none of them have been successful." Cheyenne says before a saddening sigh, which makes her glowing go dark
"What is with the glowing anyway? Queen Barran did have an unusual faint glow to her feathers sometimes, but you seem to glow all the time." Bryony asks
"It shows my power, I glow on and off as a sleep and when I am… you know… dying or am weakened. When I am sad, my glow gets fainter and when I died, my glow was lost." She explains
"Oh, I see." Bryony says
A Resistance Guard comes up and says "Prime Minister, your children grow restless. Perhaps it is time to go." As they bring in Sylvia and Ash, who are fighting with each other. Bryony then pulls them apart and says "Come on, we have to go now. Ash stop being mean to your sister and Sylvia, he is your older brother by three minutes. Be good and respectful of him."
"We are going now, right Bryony?" Cheyenne asks
"Yes, your highness goddess." She replies
"It gets confusing when people call me "Goddess Princess" and vice versa. Now, let's go." Cheyenne replies
Guards pick up the owlets as Bryony and Cheyenne join the leaving party as her and some of her Resistance Guards are going to Tyto. Cheyenne has an unnerving feeling that Mordecai will attack her soon and Bryony assures her that she will be safe. Cheyenne believes her, from seeing all that Bryony and her resistance had done when she was still in heaven with the other owl gods.