Frozen Memories 1.8 Bridge
Hidden Past Back Cover
Xeir Awakening
Chapter Five: Heart of Shards
19 October 2057
Kingdom of Arendelle
Kreen District
9 am
The crash of steel rang as the sword clattered to the ground amid a heap of other weapons that laid in a pile. Dozens of thugs, so called honor guard soldiers, had been disarmed so far and Xeir was going over things with the Kreen district leaders trying to figure out a means of connection between the Kreen and Galasia districts. "A fight ?" Xeir asked to the red dressed woman, the woman, in this case, Lady Kreena of the Kreen District of Arednelle was overseeing the stacking of taken weapons. The thugs were all dealt with, only in this case dealt with mercilessly.
"Yes, they came in force expecting us to pay tribute, only to get pain in stead" Kreena replied. "Now, Matriarch of Arendelle, what can I do for you ?"
Matriarch huh ? Xeir thought, that was a new one. "I want to link between Galasia and Kreen Districts, the High Priest is making things not so easy and its time we start to fight back." Xeir outlined her basic plan, already she started three different gangs, small groups of people working to bring about a better city and kingdom. Okoye and her brothers were very helpful in just that mission.
"A link between districts is a sound plan. We can do this" Kreena said, she didnt need a council to determine her next move. So as Xeir outlined her plan and noted the building of several smaller groups seemingly rebelling against their elders it made the woman smile. It could work. The only question was what District would be the proving ground for such a deed, if that. So Kreena voiced the question. And Xeir smiled simply in reply. She had a plan for that. "Is that your only goal ?"
"No" xeir replied. "Right now my plan is to consolidate my power, I need to find Tiri, you'll know her when you see her. She looks like my... looks like Elsa did." Xeir explained, "But instead of pale ice blue, Tiri wears silver and occasinally has bonelike armor on her body."
"Ah yes" Kreena replied with a soft nod. "I remember such a woman driving some of the Gardners crazy with her antics and perchant for eating gunpowder and hand grenades." That made Xeir smirk. "When I or any others within my district see her, what shall we tell her ?"
"Tell her only that she should enjoy herself in the kingdom. And if the high priest tries anything, she can have fun in her own way." Xeir said, Tiri was known for really destroying stuff, and eating the wrong thing at the wrong time.
Kreena nodded. "As you say." a moment of quiet passed as Xeir viewed the weapons piled on the ground before the massice Cathederal of St Kreen. "What will you do ?" Kreena then asked her.
"I dont know yet. But I am working on that." Xeir replied, it was the truth, she didnt know what her plan was to do next. Other then try and meet up with Annaand Mark. She had already met up a few times with Diana, in this case Diamond. And also a few times with Nara, but never both at once.
"Very well, we will enjoin on the link between our districts, since they each border the other we can benefit from this, what other districts are allied with you now ?" Kreena then asked, meaning how many supporters and backing had Xeir gained since her return. When Xeir looked at her, Kreena smiled, "Elsa may be gone, but you are her, and she is you. Now we just need to figure out what to do about the high priest"
"I am still trying to figure that out myself." Xeir replied. "Something about the man makes me worry. He has a means of magic, can make others smaller. I have freed many, mostly young people who want to rebel against him, growing further desident against him." Xeir outlined her basic plan of what she had been doing before coming across Kreena and the ever growing pile of swords.
Kreena smiled thinly. "Then I think we can indeed work together. Send those you free to this district, we have resisted Kiyoris attempts at placement of bonsai models of the Arendelle Jail in this district. We can arm and train those you send to us, and when they are ready, we will send them to your detailed districts when requested." Kreena made the offer, the ball was in Xeirs court.
Xeir smirked, but she also nodded. "Agreed" She said simply. So it was agreed upon, Kreena could outfit and arm the rebel teens and disneters without worry of Kiyori or his thugs getting wind of it. It was all falling into place so perfectly Xeir was sure something was going to cause it to fuck up and quickly. She raised her hand, the poison she and Kiyomori had cured the Galasia district residents of floated in a strange ball on her hand.
Kreena saw the strange fire, the ball of raw posious energies boiling over in Xeirs hand where it hovered. Of course in that form it was harmless to them both unless they chose to use it somehow. "What is that ?" Kreena asked pointing to the boiling ball of raw magical poison energy.
"Something Kiyori dreamed up in the hopes of destroying the Galasia District and luring me out. But it didnt work. And it wont work ever again. I managed to figure out exactly what he used in this poison. Kiyomori and I were able to counter it. Barely" Xeir then explained the poison attack on the Galasia District and how she and Kiyomori had worked long into the evening to counter its effects the day before.
"Barely ?" Kreena asked with a raised brow.
"The poison by the time we got to it, had set in. had we not found where it was placed to begin with. Things could have been far worse." Xeir said. She smirked then and the boiling energy ball faded away. "If it comes down to it, I can use this against Kiyori's own men."
"Let us hope it does not get that far" Kreena said, Xeir simply nodded silently in agreement. Finally Kreena asked "Have you eaten anything ?"
"I have not" Xeir replied.
"I was about to set out to a nearby eating place for breakfast when the fight began, I have been fighting on an empty stomach, you are welcome to join me if you so wish. If you have other plans, I will not hinder you further" Kreena invited Xeir to breakfast, which the Silver Dragon readily accepted. The two headed away from the pile of weapons guarded by a pair of Gardeners and headed to the eating place nearby.
-8-8-8-
within the Mindscape
Kalda sat crosslegged upon a rocky outcropping within the mindscape of Mark Wolfe. Two others stood nearby, one of them a man, rather elegant looking in beauytifdul silver, black and golden armor of an Eagle, and the other, the snow leopard pattern of a very well built Snow Leopard male. The two forms did not move or say anything as Kalda struggled to meditate where he floated over the rock.
"Inner peace" Kalda mumbled softly. The words echoing in his head, Inner peace,... inner peace,... inner peace The two other figures stood silent simply staring at nothing, both were stronger than Kaldakava himself was. And both of them were also a part of Mark. The Snow Leopard clearly represented his Tigris side, while the beautiful Hawk man clearly represented his Eagle side. Both figures were stronger and more powerful than Kalda could ever be,
Their magic, Kalda knew, was strong as his own, if not stronger. Which meant that in order to commune with Mark, it was the Mindscape, or very briefly projecting himself to Mark. But as Kalda meditated scenes from his memories floated across his mind, he grasped at them as they went past, like reading a photoalbum on a coffee table.
Again Kaldas mantra went off softly "Inner Peace..." as the two silent seemingly statue forms of the other parts of Mark faded into nothing but memories.
A slat scroll was set on the table with a clap. Kalda, then only eight years old by Human standards, was cleaning a shelf by request of his mother, Kanwar. Kanwar made it clear to him that it was his true mothers wish, in the event Kinara were to die, Kanwar was to become her son's, Kaldakava's new mother.
Kanwar was not his mother by blood, but they were both dragons. And Kalda was still a very young boy. At only eight thousand, he quite literally looked the part of an eight year old human child. He had long dark silver hair, a somewhat chubby face. Lanky under muscled limbs. His wings folded neatly on his back, until he'd become an adult, or at least fifteen human years, a good seven thousand years away, his wings were always visible. Once fifteen thousand years old, his human form could hide his wings with magic.
He was however getting really good at flying, it was what his mother, Kinara taught him before she died. And Kalda made it clear he wanted to keep learning how to be a better flier.
He picked up a scroll from where it hit the floor. It fell open. He saw some writing on it and began to read it.
"bAn account of Irral, the First Son/b
In the year 14 of the Mythic realm when Man and Dragon made their pact of friendship and kinship with one another, Irral the first son of the All-Mother and twin brother of Kanwar, was named her Champion, protector of the Light and defender of the weak."
Kalda picked up the next slat scroll as it had more information about Irral and what he did as Light's Champion. Kalda read in great detail of the Crown War, which happened when he was only a newly hatched baby just eight thousand years before between the Hawks and the Phoenix within the Eagle Empire, resulting in the near extinction of the Phoenix as a whole. Infact the Hawks had destroyed the Phoenix Empire so much so that they were themselves destroyed and routed by the Silver Eagles with aid of the Golden Eagle Queen.
He read how Irral had merely opbserved and sheltered Eagle children and infants when the war got too close to them for comfort. It made Kalda smile and feel a bit of pride in his heart at the actions of Irral in caring for Eagle infants, protecting and nurtering them to adulthood.
Kalda soon lost himself in the detailed tale of Irral, the ancient First Son and First Champion of Light, the All-Mothers own flesh and blood in a manner of speaking. A powerful Light Dragon unlike Kalda, who was a mere Silver. But that didnt stop Kalda from feeling pride at being a Dragon, even a Silver had his limits.
But kalda found pride building in his chest. The more he read about Irral, the more he wanted to be like him. A skilled warrior, a proud capable Dragon. A Protector. It was a wonder to read more and more about Irral, learning about a Dragon he was related to, a dragon he could call his uncle. A Dragon who apparently had found a place to try and settle down in the Mortal Realm and then nothing further was found.
Kalda closed the slatscroll and set it on the shelf, with it he set the start scroll for the one he had finished reading. He could help but feel a sense of pride that his own uncle was infact Irral, the First Son himself. It was a odd feeling honestly for him to go through however. Normally young Dragons like himself felt pride at the really simple things, none of them related to family. Mostly related to skills and experience gains where possible.
As Kalda set the scrolls on the shelf he imagined what that battle was like...
-8-8-8-
A fire crackled at one side of the structure. A map laid out upon a table. "You are certain ?" A voice asked. "There are children of both sides within this space ?" The map showed a city block within the City of Talons, known simply as Phownix Square. A third of it was overrun with destruction and death. Orphaned children throughout.
"More than certain, I saved a dozen already" Came the calm cultiured voice of a warrior. The Silver Eagle looked at the man, Irral wore a pale golden overrobe that was bloodstained from recent fights and battles with the Hawk. His long silver and whitre hair held in a loose headband. His golden eyes betrayed little if any emotion, if any emotion was within his eyes, it was pure raw concern for only one thing, the lives of children.
The Eagle looked thoughtful. "Getting the children and women out first should be a priority" he agreed. "Very well, how many men will you need ?"
"None, I will do it myself. Have your men be ready to care for the injured women and children however." Irral replied. The robed man looked over the map carefully for entry and exit zones. Perfect. He tapped a space on the map. "This seems to be a high concentration of Hawk soldiers around this point. From look of it, a small house."
"A nest yes, Most Phoenix build their nests at random spaces, Infact all of us Eagles do it. So it might not be a Phoenix nest, maybe a Silver Eagle or a Hawk or a Parrot, either way its a nest. It is a small space, like this, would indeed be a nest, a house in a shopping square ? Normally unheard of, but quite common for a nesting bird with a hatchling due or already hatched and being weaned." The Eagle captain then smirked. Tilr had a plan. "Go there, Master Irral, Find the child within, bring them to safety in the only way you know how."
Tilr pointed at a different space. "When you are able, in this case, when you are done, bring the child to safety, here, and my men will do the rest. Ensure the child safety above all else by any means you deem required." Tilr said, effectively giving the Champion of Light free reign over what to do next.
Irral stalked calmly from the building through ther packed streets filled with soldiers. Silver Eagle patterns on the armor were clearly visible which allowed then for certain events to occur.
The events werent exactly in a remberable order. They just occurred.
One soldier said one thing which lead to another and then before Irral knew it he knew something about himself he wasnt expecting. Which meant that either Irral didnt know he was a hero to many within the ranks, or he knew and faked not knowing it.
Another soldier tried briefly to get into Irrals way, but seeing who the much larger and not even wearing armor at the time man was, he stepped aside to let Irral pass without asking where he was going. He needed to not worry of asking such a thing because Irral had seen clearly his goal, and had memorised the routes.
The third thing, well, it started to rain, not hard but enough to be problematic to the enemy soldiers, the Hawks werent that good at fighting or going out into the rain like Ravens and Redwing Blackbirds were. Which for the most part, gave the Phoenix and Silvers the advantage for as long as it rained. Then as long as they knew where their targets were hiding out the rain made it helpful.
Across the way, well from where Irral currently was, a Hawk soldier stepped out of the covered porchway house and leaned drunkenly against a post holding up the roof. Glancing sidelong where the nest was through a window the Hawk smirked, he could get some fun that night before the big battle the next morning.
Or so he thought. He downed the beer he was drinking and went toards the steps into the house. It was time t ohave some fun. There was a child inside, maybe a young boy of around ten or so, but he was dead or so the Hawk thought, slain when part of the second floor collapsed. But he was wrong, the boy had made it to Tilr and reported what was going on.
So now, as the drunken Hawk advanced on the girl, Irral was silently stealing into the ruined house. The Hawk loosened his belt and as his pants started to drop, Irrals arm was around his neck, the Hawk struggled, eyes big as dinner plates as Irral strangled the Hawk as the little girl looked on.
The Hawk struggled a few moments more as Irrals other hand easily clamped around the soldiers throat and began to pull. The hawk scrambled for a foothold. Finally managing to keep a good grip and try to pry Irrals hand off his neck.
Only to have Irral wrench his adams apple clean off his neck, blood gushed from the hole in the soldiers neck as Irral calmly stood and let the body fall over dead. The girl flinched at the sickly thud before turning to Irral, her savior.
"Are you alright ?" Those three words of his melodic soft, powerful voice had the girl, a Hawk girl's complete attention. She stiffly nodded He looked towards a pile of clothing, the girl had a blanket wrapped around her. "Get dressed as quickly as you can, it wont be long before they begin to wake up" he said to her, he then turned away and allowed the girl some privacy for her to get dressed.
A moment passed, then another. Finally "I am ready" A meek girls voice said softly. Irral turned, his battle hardened gaze softened considerably at the sight of the frail, very sickly child before him. Her clothing was rags for the most part. Reaching a hand to her he picked her up, she was as light as she looked if not lighter.
The girl did as instructed as Irral held her close, she hugged tightly to him as he held his arm protectively around the tiny child. Stepping from the room with he child in his arms he heard the sounds of battle. But in his heart, the soft heartbeats were all the child heard just as he promised.
In minutes it was over. "You!" A Hawk shouted, "Give us the girl!" They swearmed the courtyard of the multistory structure. Irral didnt even smirk. A Hawk ran at Irral with the intention of taking the child from his arms. Irral simply brought up a foot, catching the Hawk in the nethers dead on and flinging him aside. Crashing against a wall the Hawk sank to the ground dead. His neck broken in three places.
Seeing this the other Hawks stayed their advance only briefly before one screamed at him "DROP DEAD!" And the swarm rushed him all at once. A good company if not more worth of soldiers. They were intent on getting the child. Avenging their fallen.
Irral didnt even smile or smirk as he easily brought out his sword. "I do not take requests" He stated calmly. Flicking the blade side to side he easily fended off a few of the swarm before deciding to simply go ham. Easily splitting a skull he whacked another hawks wings clean off and sent the screaming asoldiers to his death a dozen feet below. Another swing brought down a wall ontop of a dozen soldiers. They scrambled for safety.
"GET HIM!" Their commander screamed. The swarm danced around and whacked as Irral easily fended off another, striking out with a foot at a soldier while snapping out his sword through the skull of one soldier. The Hawk never gave thought to using tactics against him. This company was a unruly mob. A powder keg waiting to be lit afire.
And Irral was the wick. Child secuere in his arm against his chest, Irral's sword arm was unhindered in any manner as he fought down the company of Hawk soldiers trying to take him down. Blood splayed across the courtyard as Iral fought his way through it easily. Brutally cutting down any and all Hawk soldiers trying to get to the child in his arms.
He was keeping his promise to the little girl.
An hour later, a long blood filled hour later and Irral finally left the now on fire townhouse where he had rescued the child from. As he stepped into the packed street the soldiers, most of them Phoenix soldiers, stared at him in awe as he stepped into view. They opened a path for him to easily be unhindered in rescuing the child. As he neared a Phoenix commander. "Everything inside is dead. It is empty. Leave it to burn on its own." He told the commander who nodded.
Irral then took the child with him to Tilrs campspace across the city in safety. And once inside Irral ensured she was safe in a warm clean bed and well cared for. "How do you feel, child ?" He asked her.
The girl at first was scared to answer, but then she saw his calm, gentle face. A brought smile formed on her own. The little girl said simply. "I feel safe. Thank you" The childs words alone made Irral smile and nodded.
Turning to the nearby Silver Eagle Nurse he said, "Get her whatever she needs, ensure she is cared for" He said the Nurse knew what he meant, any harm that came to the children would be repeated to them in the exact manner the harm was given, if not worse.
Two Weeks Later
Irral came to a halt outside the front gates to the ancient stronghold. He had been there twice before. It was a Nursery, a Nest. The entire structure was filled both times he had been there before, with children, the sounds of childrens voices in the courtyard always made him smile when he was there, enough to forget his worries of war and hunting the evils that threatened the realm.
But now, there were no voices of children playing in the courtyard, in the place of the childrens bright smiles and innocent voices were the children where they laid when they were slain. Their bodies torn and trampled. The dead were everywhere on both sides, what soldiers who could defend the stronghold did so at the cost of many innocent lives. To the point Irral saw, that even the children took up arms to defend themselves.
Dropping to a knee beside the girl he had saved only two weeks before he shed a tear as he knelt next to the tiny body. She laid upon a broken recurve longbow, a favored weapon of the phoenix. It made him smile however, this little one had died fighting. She died on her feet. There were two phoenix boys laid near her where they too had fallen, One had a broken sword stuck in his side, the other had a broken arrow in his neck and arm. The two boys fought to their last as the child had fired every arrow she could.
He shed a tear for each child. And each death his saw as he used his magic to bury the child and the two boys as her guardians his heart became settled. He could only hope the child now had everlasting peace with her newfound briefest of friends.
Irral used his magic, making tombs, for each of the three children. The pillars stood tall, at least four meters tall maybe taller. And each pillar bore the childs names upon them, the middle pillar, the little girl. Tira, and the two boys on either side. Whose names were lost at their birth. Whom Irral called her "Defenders of Light" Two boys, who, though they were nameless, defended a child unlike themselves.
Irral shed another tear and spoke softly. His voice echoed in the silent courtyard. "May you find everlasting peace in Light's embrace, Children. Defenders of Light, I name you to defend Tira and your own graves for as long as Light deems worthy until you are all reborn!" With that Irral kowtowed three times before the pillars, picked up his sword as it transformed into his preferred Lance. Another tear shed. And his heart was set.
Any child, egg or infant he found, he would personally raise as his own. And defend them with his life!
He turned and entered the outlay buiuldings of the citiadel of the main keep of the Nursery. Mocing thhrough ther dead he saw more in various states of age, and all of them slain. He heard sounds ahead. Bvoices and screaming. There were still Hawks within the Nursery! And they were leaving none alive!
Irral quickened his pace. His heart hammering as a voice, shrill screamed out "NOT THE QUEENS NEST!" Before ending in a gutteral bl,oodied throaty gurgle as Irral stepped into view. A servant laid dying on the floor, he could see the servant girl was the Lady in Waiting to the Phoenix Queen, Eto. Irral had to remember the last time he had met the woman, back before his mother named him her champion of course now that he remembered.
Eto herself laid on the ground, her stomach and chest ravaged by talons and swords. Two arrows stuck out of her upper chest, and a sword stuck out of her hip. Her lady in waiting choked on her own blood, her throat ripped apart. A dozen Hawk soldiers stood in the chamber.
Irral looked the men over, these were smarter men, skilled fighters, and wrose, one of them was a magic user. "What do we have here ?" Irral asked stepping into full view, letting his cloak drop away and gently cover Queen Eto's sightless gaze. "A set of soldiers reduced to twelve, Or is it twelve men who destroyed every hawk and phoenix child, woman and elder present in this Nursery ?" He raised his lance slightly.
When no answer was forthcoming, Irral smirked. "I advise you, to speak when spoken to." He said simply. His gaze landed on the only remaining undamaged egg within the chamber. There was the reason those Hawks were there.
Irral looked about the chamber, a dozen eggs, all of them broken, the infants within dead, from lack of nutrients provided by the eggs, and what was more, only two had actually hatched and were dead upon their eggshells.
At Irrals brief distraction a Hjawk motioned to his fellow. The Hawk nearest the egg brought down his sword, but he was too slow as Irral threw something at the egg. Was he aiming to destroy the only remaining Phoenix ?
The egg shimmered as Irrals magic went to work, forming a strange runic pattern that encircled the egg and sparked as the Hawks sword made contact with the surface. Throwing back the hawk briefly. "GET HIM!" The leader of the group yelled, at which point he also added. "Afterwards destroy the egg, as long as he is alive that spell he threw is active!"
Irral smiled. A flick of the wrist and he struck the nearest hawk. The soldier sank in a explosion of fefathers and cinders. His weapon broken. A pair of hawks tried to double up on Irral only to have one get span about and smashed into his fellow before Irral used their own weapons against them as he briefly kicked out his Lance and caught the leader in the chest. The holy weapon burning into the Hawk deeply.
As their leader burned the remaining soldiers attacked, swarming around Irral and quickly falling before him due to sheer speed and raw power. Irral was focused on protecting the last Phoenix with his life, Tira had taught himself he hadnt felt in years. Not since being named his mothers Champion had he felt for another.
Finally it was only him and the leader as the last Hawk fell, his head and body in two parts. Irral reached over and pulled his lance from the burnt Leader. "So you have come this far, and for what, Champion of Light ? An egg, you know nothing of our cause!" The leader spat as Irral went to the egg to ensure it was not harmed.
"Oh I know everything, your very reason to destroy another race, the raw evil in your hearts, the underlying threats, your endless plans to ensure that when the Phoenix fell at your lords feet tomorrow, the Golden Eagle Queen would respect you as a higher race. But know this, because of my advice, Keiww will instead ensure that your kind, and all Hawks, are made the Servants of the Silver Eagles, until blood is repaid"
The Hawk, enraged at Irrals words, screamed and made to swing at the Champion of Light, only to fall as Irral flicked his fingers, the hawk exploded into cinders. Moving to the Egg, Irral gently hefted it. Turning to wards the body of Queen Eto he said. "I will care for this child with my life. You have my word." Irral said solemly as he bowed to the deceased, and leaving his cloak laid over Queen Eto let his magic go to work, carefully burying every child, elder, and nursemaid, every mother and soldier that fell, in blissful slumber of death.
The Next Day
It was exactly as Irral had said, Ruawks last man fell before him just as he had cut down King Krinayew. There were no Phoenix left. Ruawk allowed himself a brief moment of rest to gain his strength, Krinayew was strong, faster and better skilled then he had thought, and it wasnt easy to defeat him. With Krinayew dead. The Phoenix were destroyed.
As Irral surveyed the carnage, he saw Queen Keiww, and at the time, Prince Tilr, advancing, just the two of them alone, towards the place Ruawk rested. The lord Estate was a grand palace of a sort. Where the Hawk Lord made all his plans, and had his closest family.
"You wish me to only kill Ruawk ?" Tilr asked
"No, I will kill Ruawk for the deaths of the Phoenix, but first I want to tell him what he planned, and how it came about. I have decided to do as Irral advised me, there no further bloodshed. Only Ruawk will die" Keiww said simply in reply as both Silver Eagle and Golden Eagle Forced their way through the gate. The Hawks fled before them seeing who was there, the commander of the Silver Eagle army, and the Queen of the Golden Eagles herself. It would have been suicide to face them in combat.
Ruawk saw them coming and sat in his chair within a open air gazebo. "And so, just as fortold and promised. You are here to pay homage to me ?" Ruawk said simply as Keiww and Tilr stood a few paces away. Ruawk took a sip from an ornate glass
"No" Keiww said simply
Ruawk set his glass down. "What did you say ?"
"I said no" Keiww replied.
"And your reason ?" Ruawk asked as his soldiers and guards looked worried but a mere movement from their Lord and they relaxed. He wanted to hear the Queen out.
"You have destroyed the phoenix, you had destroyed a vital part of us all. And yet, for what ? Homage and respect as a great clan by the Golden Eagles ?!" Keiww was in a word, rather livid. "No"
Ruawk started laughing as he stood up. "King Krinayew said the same thing, no homage, no respect, only that I'd die, and my plans leading to naught but ruin." Ruawk picked up his cup and took another long drink. "I proved him wrong by destroying him in combat. Good fighter that one. If you want to give him a lavish burial be my guest."
"It is you that will not receive a burial" Keiww said simply as she drew her sword. It looked more like a jagged shard of broken rock and steel as it glittered with golden flecks. "Ruawk, Lord of the Hawk, I challenge you to one on one fair combat." Keiww decleared as she stared the Hawk Lord down. "Just you, and me"
Ruawk smiled and started laughing. "So the Queen of the Golden Eagles, wants me to fight her." he laughed again and looked to his soldiers, his retainers and servants, his guards. "You all hear that ?! Here and me, alone, one on one." Ruawks soldiers and retainers all cheered as the servants merely statyed silent, Tilr was already counting them in his head, each man and woman, and also child who stayed quiet he knew would live in his house as servants, the children of course he'd adopt as princes and princesses.
Ruawk turned back to Keiww, "To firest blood ?" He asked her as he drew his sword, the red Katana sheath held by his retainer as Ruawk drew the weapon.
"No" Keiww replied, "To the death" Her eyes glitered gold as she spoke, her own gold flecked blade of some form settled into a stance.
"I would hate to kill you" Ruawk replied, "In your case, if I make so much as first blood upon you, you pay homage to me. But you, do what you will I guess" Ruawk told her. Keiww simply smirked.
"Oh I plan to." She said settling into a combat stance. Taking in every aspect of Ruawk, from his injuries, his tiredness, to his stance itself. He was already past the point of needing a good night of rest after that morning.
It was about two in the afternoon.
Ruawk stared at her. "Enough!" He shouted as he rushed at her, she rushed at him. They swung their swords. Keiww just out of reach as she ducked, Her sword slicing and making a hard THUNK sound as it connected, Ruawk missing Keiww cleanly.
Keiww stood behind Ruawk. "It is over, Ruawk, Rest peacefully"
Ruawk sniuckered as a red line appeared on his neck. "It isnt over while I am still standing!" he shouted and made to swing as his body moved without his head. He screamed and fell over dead. His head rolling away from his body.
"He is not still standing. I declare the Crown War over. I also declear the Hawk tribe disbanded! All Hawks from this moment onward are now the servants to the Silver Eagles until the Phoenix are repaid in full!" Keiww said simply. Sh then gave instructions on caring for King Krinayew's body
-8-8-8-
The scene shifted and Kalda found himself back in the library setting the slat scroll back onto the shelf. Irral had saved a child, but had also lost the same child, but found another ? An egg ? Most interesting really.
Kalda felt a sense of pride with his mental video showing Irral gently sliding his sword into its sheath as Keiww cut down the Hawk Lord. 'served him right' Kalda thought.
He poicked up the next slatscroll and opened it. His heart stopped briefly
The words upon the slat scroll were that of his mother, Kinara, her date of birth. He dropped the scroll, all sense of pride forgotten as the memories crashed into his head. He turned, the slatscrolls upon the floor where they fell and he fled the library into the rainfall outside.
Kalda never stopped until he got into his old home, the place of his birth. Searching it carefully he found in his mothers room a broken wall door and went throuygh it into a small cavern, all houses made by Dragons had a small cave somewhere in it, and Kaldas mother, Kinara, was no different. He found the remains of a destroyed nest, a busted dragon egg within it. He dropped down next to it and cried. He could still smell his mothers scent on it.
A good hour later and Kanwar picked up the three slatscrolls. Irral would have had a fit had he seen their condition. A flick of the wrist and the damage was repaired. She set the scrolls upon the racks calmly. Now she had to find her son, and she had a feeling she'd know where he'd be.
-8-8-8-
"I thought you would come here" Kanwars voice was quiet, respectful. Kalda sat against his mother, Kinara's old nest. Bits of a busted egg in his hand. Kanwar had lost track of where Kalda had gone after he had fled the library. She had found the two slatscrolls. Irrlas account, and the birth record of Kinara. Kanwar had no idea how long Kalda had been leaning against his mothers destroyed nest crying at his own weakness, unable to protect and help his mother, and possible sibling. Both of which were gone.
As she neared him she heard him speaking. It was as if he was in a trance, repeating a mantra to himself.
"He saved a little girl, a Hawk girl, two weeks later he lost her, but she did not die in vain, two Phoenix boys did their best to protect her, its all in the scroll... Uncle Irral, he protected something, an egg I think" Kalda said as he sat on the floor next to the messed up Nest that belonged to his mother, a piece of an eggshell in his hand
Kanwar stopped in her tracks briefly. 'How the hell does he know about the egg ? Irral barely let me ensure the infant within was healthy!' She wondered
"Irral protected children, I am going to be like him, I am going to protect children, I will get strong enough to protect children and those who need it." Kalda said, mostly to himself, as if he was repeating a mantra.
Kanwar smiled thinly and bent to a knee to be eyelevel with her adopted son. He looked to her as she spoke. "Like Irral, no, not like him. Kalda, my child, I am going to make you better then him" Once again Kalda felt pride building in his chest. He was going to be like Irral, no, he corrected himself, he was going to be better than Irral./i
Kalda opened his eyes briefly, the mindscape swirled with memories, why did he see that memory ? The battle, its aftermath, Irral saving the child ? He felt the headache returning and sat back down after a bit of pacing about to stretch his legs. Once more his mantra of inner peace rattled in his head.
He had other memories to visit.
-8-8-8-
Castle District
At that same moment
A gentle wind sent papers across the desk. Kiyori stood with his back to it however, ignoring the fluttering and snapping of paper. He had sent his men to find the woman, the one that looked like Elsa, but wasnt Elsa, rumors were spreading. And Tiri was at the heart of most of them, people saying Elsa had returned with new magics and abilites.
Kiyori wanted to stop those rumors, and the only way to do so entirely was to take down the woman the rumors kept talking about. In this case, he couldnt trap Tiri in his models, but he could exile her. Getting her out of the kingdom meant he could stop the rumors.
Two guards arrived, with them was Tiri, the strangely dressed woman had a smirk on her face and what looked like broken bojnes sticking out of her jaw and neck. "You sent for me, High Priest ?" Tiri crooned in a odd sounding voice.
Kiyrori turned to her as she spoke and took it all in. "I did."
"Might I ask why you sent thugs after me again ?" Tiri asked with a odd grating of ice in her tone as her face shifted slightly, showing bits and pieces of icelike bones in her jaw and face rapidly moving around.
"Because you are too much like the former Queen, Elsa, of Arendelle, Elsa is dead, she is not coming back. You look like her and people believe she has returned when you walk the streets." Kiyori told her.
"Really ? Its true I looked like her for some time, but how can I look like her when I look like this ?" Tirio asked pointing to her bony face, pieces of broken ice was shfting on her face, bones made of ice formed her jaw and nose plates similar to a dragon like thing. Almost snakelike.
Kiyori merely raised an eyebrow, internally he was terrified of Tiri and what she had a perchant for doing and eating."For one thing the people believe what they want to believe. And for another you are a rather scary woman when you do that."
Tiri smirked, her lips fading and breaking apart as she replied "I try. So other then trying to insult my looks, what do you want ?" The Icewraith crossed her arms over her chest as her legs and dress broke apart and shifted around her body becomning almost like armored leggings as she spoke
"I want you to leave this kingdom entirely. Henceforth you are banished, never to return. Should you return, you will be hunted." Kiyori told her.
Tiri started laughing in his face as he raised an eyebrow. For a good long moment she laughed hard and heavy. Finally she stopped laughing and focused on him, her eyes and face shattering as she spoke. "Oh my dear priest, how wrong you are" As she spoke her body shifted into a five meter long serpentine creature made entirely of ice and raw magic. "You have no power over me. You never have, and you never will, the True Queen is returning. You may think Elsa is dead, but she is also very much alive!"
Tiri flicked her body to the left and right, shards of ice exploded from the ground and smashed around the guards to either side of her sending them to the ground in heaps. "Now if you will excuse me" Tiri said reforming into a mostly human form, albiet a skeletal one with a mostly intact body with bones of ice everywhere. "I have shit to do. Send your men after me, I return them to you, dead" She turned and stalked off. Leaving Kiyori alone with two nearly frozen men.
A few moments later and Tiri was with a woman. "How did it go ?" Xeir asked to her former body as Tiri reformed using some more magic and appeared n early perfectly human aside from the ice bones and icewraith jawline
"I think he took it rather well, he tried to banish me from the kingdom too, I laughed in his face" Tiri replied to her former soul. Xeir looked nothing like Elsa and yet at the same time was everything Elsa was once. But much better.
It made Xeir crack up in laughter. "Kiyori is all hot air, no action, his words hold not strength behind them. Consider the banishment nothing more than a wish of his. Have you eaten anything ?"
"Not since that barrel of gunpowder on the High Priests personal ship for dinner last night" Tiri replied, Xeir smiled. "I think I know a place, you like horsemeat ?" At Xeirs nod the two women headed off to eat.
-8-8-8-
Talz District
An hour later
Diamond looked at the paper in her hand. It had a few words, it was a request to meet. It stated simply "meet me in the Talz District, you'll know where." It wasnt saigned but she was told by the underling she had with her, one of Jems guys that worked with Naratas, to give it to her as quickly as possible. The Talz District brought back many memories for Diamond.
For one, she had lived in it for a good six years before Mark had disappeared after the battle of Arko, andfor two, it was for a long time, home. A home she hated. But Courtesans were a means of getting information.
Diamond halted in the packed street and looked at the paper again. She'd know where to meet the person who wanted to meet her ? She hadnt been into the Brothel since the honeymoon, since Mark and Elsa had requested Diana to join them and Anna on the yearlong trip.
She entereded the structure as she muscled open the door, there were still courtesans within it doing their jobs. And yet even though Diamond could easily smell Xeir, and also Tiri in the building, she didnt catch sight of either of the. A scantly clad girl, and older adult woman really, older at least, than Diamond herself at that moment, greeted her.
"Can I help you. Oh, wait, dont answer that, you're expected. Second floor, second door on the right" The woman said. Diamond simply said her thanks and headed up the flight of stairs. The woman watched her go without another word before going to a client who sought directions to a nearby bar.
"About time you got here" A voice echoed from the window as Diamond entered the room, closing the door behind her the woman smirked.
"I was told I was expected but I wasnt expecting you to still be in Arendelle after the High priest took over everything and everyone forgot us." Diamond said in Marions voice
"How could I forget my daughter ?" Chairty asked turning from the window as her daughter focused on her. Chairty hadnt aged a day since Marion, in her guise as Diana, had left with Mark, Elsa and Anna for the last year. "I hear you made quite the show the last two days"
"And I hear that everyone forgot us for the last year. Whats been going on ?" Diamond replied, while giving a confused look to her mother.
"For one thing, soldiers barely patrol this district, but for antoher thing, there is another district. One they are searching, they're searching howewver for something nobody knows what, but I have a feeling its a Piece of Eden, possibly even a Piece of Mythic technology, something Nathan and Kiyomori kept talking about on end the last few weeks alone." Chairty explained what she knew as she activated a dsmall holomap of Arendelle.
"I managed to lock the location into this district." Chairty pointed out a rarely used, mostly empty district with a few grave yards, some clusters of houses, and finally ,a massive cathederal.
"Arendelle's old St James Cathederal ?" Diamond asked, "There's a piece of technology under this place ?" she pointed at the hologram of the structure, and old as hell gothic structure. Lately used for nothing more then telling the time
"Or possibly in it, the fact of the matter is, the guards patrol that district and search it daily, in more numbers than any other district for that matter alone!" Chairty told her. "I went personally, even lied to get as close to the cathederal as I could, but, I couldnt get past the doors. I wouldnt be sending your brother, I've no idea what that idiot is doing, but I know this. Kiyoris soldiers will kill anyone that shows up. I am sending you because if I were to send your brother, there'd be a war in Arendelle that we just dont want."
"Mother" Diamond said rather bluntly than she had hoped. "War is already in Arendelle, we just never knew it until Kiyori became the King" Chairty smirked, her heart filled with pride at her daughter. Diamond turned as the hologram faded away. "I will go find whats there. And bring it to Xeir, if it is what I fear it mgiht be, she'll know what to do with it."
"What about an escape plan ? Your brother was always good at them" Chairty said as Diamond halted at the door.
Diamond smirked, "Escape plan ?" Chairty could hear the smirk in her daughters voice. "When everyone is dead, I will walk out the front door." at that, Diamond left the room, closing the door gently behind her.
Chairty smiled, "That's my girl." She said softly. "Give them hell."
-8-8-8-
Diamond perched at the edge of the rooftop she stood upon. The Dust District of Arendelle in the last year alone had basically replaced the Arko District as a residental district for the soldiers, and, like the Arko District, it was packed with interconnected houses and a maze of corridors. The center of it was a structure, a cathederal as her mother termed it. The soldiers patrolled and guarded it carefully. Which drew Diamonds attention to it directly.
Shifting her vision slightly, Diamond took in the patrol routes, then from there, entry paths. Counting only nine different ways to get in. this was going to be fun. Diamond also saw something that mader her smirk, it was about time that Arendelle had a working train network. Trains went everywhere from Arendelle at that point. It was, at least as far as Diamond could see, connected to, of all places, Oslo, and then from there, Londo and Paris.
In all, it made Diamond smile. She had her escape route. Now to get inside. She had her route inside. Diamond silently dropped from the rooftop and ambled into a passing crowd of people, moving quickly the woman advanced a flight of stairs and then when no guards were looking her way she easily scaled a low wall and through a window.
Crouched in window, Diamond took it all in, easily knocking aside the window support that would havekept it open. Diamond then dropped silently to the top level of the three leveled structure. The massive warehouse that used to be a church was patrolled by Templar soldiers as far as Diamond could tell, they at least wore the colors of a Templar.
As she neared a railing and looked down she saw a teenager, at least what passed for a teen stuck under a metal door. "The hells going on here ? When's he gonna stop ?!" A voice thundered as Diamond looked on. "He's takin' up the other workers time! Get that boy to the healers and get back to work! And get me a asperin for my head" The man thundfered, two men took the boy someplace else whiel the screamer went out a door.
"Found you" Diamond said softly as she headed through the small warehouse to the now locked door. "Damn, locked" Diamond grumbled.
"Oy!" A voice called out, "Nobody comes out or in unless something goes wrong. Get busy!" Diamond smirked.
Easily going through the warehouse she sobataged the machinery, then hid on a overhead pipe as a guard blasted it upset about the stopped work. "What did you do ?! Why are you stopping ?!" The man thundered, the guard Diamond had in her crosshairs clearly. Perfect.
Dropping cleanly off the pipe as the man left the door open she dropped onto the guard heavy as hell before stepping to the open door. "Who are you ?!" Another guard asked her
"Sanitary inspector, this man is dead" Diamond replied with a smirk in her tone.
"The only person dyin' is you!" the guard the ntried to attack her, but failed. Moving quickly, Diamond dodged both attacks, brother the mans arm in four places before turning his spine into powder, the man sank to the ground dead. Diamond moved on.
Finally entering an office structure withint he vast former church, Diamond had her target. "Have ya found it ? Its gotta be here" The mans name was Rupert Hane.
"If its here, We'll find it" Said his aid, a half dozen workmen were digging a hole in the space where the alter once was.
Diamond stepped into view, her claw easily finding the mans neck and slitting it without a sound. "Allow me to take over, gentlemen, you are all dismissed by order of the Queen, I recommend leaving, now." The guards reacted, and within a minute they were all dead. "I said you could leave" the work men thanked her and left the area quickly.
Once they were gone, Diamond magically sealed the door, she could have a path out if she needed it quickly enough. All that was left for her to do was to find where exactly she had left to go.
Shifting her vision she spotted four symbols on the walls near the rooftop. iFound you/i She thought. Rapidly scrambling to the rafters sne navigated them, going to the wall where the symbols were she carefully scanned it. "What do we have here ?" She asked herself, she activated a Blade of dragon steel and stuck it into the crevice. Twisting her hand slightly she activated, something.
Down below next to where the Altar once stood a section of the tile lifted upwards. Her draconic vision took in the fact that something had unlocked. It looked like the Mythic symbol for Air ? Navigating the area she managed to unlock two more sections, Water and Earth.
Finally at the last symbol, it was broken, So Diamond kicked it, and threw a bit of her magic into it. It broke and activated, unlocking the fourth symbol. dropping to the ground, Diamond went to the four symbols and stood on them. They juttered slightly, then sank into the ground. A doorway forming behind her, away from the hole the men were digging. They ould have never found the doorway where they were digging.
Within a few moments the elevator, of a sort, came to a slow grinding halt. "This must be a Precoursor Temple ?" Diamond mused as she walked down a rocky brick walkway that came to a halt with a tower in the center of a vastcavern. "What have we here ?" Diamond took a brief look around. To her right was the elevator and way out, to her left the strange tower, and no way t oget to it.
She walked to the edge. As she did so, stone of unknown make, nearly like backlit steel, formed from seemingly thin air, allowing Diamond to walk closer to the tower in the center. "What is that ?" The tower lowered a piece of itself, then another, then a third, forming a multifaceted structure as a single something floated in careful peace.
It looked like a shard of some kind.
Diamond reached for it and gently took hold of it. As she did so she felt the machinery react to her prescense, first with friendship, then with something else. The shard of pink glass glittered gently in her hands. An echo rattled the structure. A intense thought to flee filled her mind. "Time to go!" Diamond said as the structure came apart.
Diamond scrambled to get back to the main rocky outcrop as the earth shook under her feet. Rapidly scrambling up the stairs she found the church destroyed, gaping holes in the ceiling and walls. Rubble everywhere as the ground shook madly. Diamond struggled to stay on her feet as she tore through the ruined courtyard and scambled over broken rubble while dodging falling buildings as she ran through the Dust District of Arendelle.
She heard a train whistle go off, and saw her next target as she scrambled over rubble and through busted buildings in the Dust District as the earth quake rattled the district entirely. Finally she managed to get to the bridge over the tracks and jumped, landing lightly onto the train car roof as the district crumbled around her. A pair of men approached her and tried to fight with her on the traincar roof only to fall of.
A few moments and the train was at a head of steam and moving quickly as a hoverbike showed up with a pair of soldiers on it. "Whats the matter boys ?!" Diamond called to the two soldiers, one hung off the bike with a baseball bat. "Lost your nerve ?"
As she spoke the soldier smacked a siding control, having the trrain head for the crumbled bridge ahead. The conductor tried to stop the train, or at least slow it down, but there was no chance.
"Oh fuck me!" Diamond screamed turning and running backwards to the rear of the train as the engineer dived out of the control booth and the lovomotive went sailing int othe ravine, Diamond ran up the teetering cars as they dfollowed the locomotive over the edge.
Finally she lost her footing and grabbed the edge of a dangling traincar. "Well, I think this is my stop" She said, she climbed down and pretty much fell off the burning rubble and watched the train car smash end first int othe ground a dozen and a hgalf meters away. As she viewed the rubble, Diamond thought a moment then mumbled. "Maybe next time I'll walk"
She then flinched as the traincar fell onto its roof only inches from her and dust cloud exploded from it. Diamond sighed, she was out of the Dust District, but dshe had never been to that part of Arendelle before. She opened a portal and disappeared into it.
-8-8-8-
Wandering the mostly empty street of the Dasio District, one of the original shopping and marketplaces that were given a higher tech boost when it came to technology in the kingdom, Mark rolled his shoulders as he ambled along alone. A person in a dark robe tried to attack him from the front dead on. Mark easily dodgged the strike, snapping the arm in three places, then a single elbow shot to the attacks breastbone had the attacker sink to the paving stones in a heap stone dead.
Another attacker came out of an alley, fast and furious, only to meet the same fat as her weapon was jarred from her hand and the arm broken, along with two fingers snapped clean off entirely before her neck was snapped and the body flipped aside.
A third man was a few paces away as Mark passed him after dropping the second attacker. The man thought a brief moment before making his move, do it and die at this mans hands instead of at the hands of Kiyori the man died his soul at peace. A flick of thje wrist and mark sent the man sailing againast a pillar. He was dead before he hit the pillar.
He picked up a fallen hairband and did his hair into a half ponytail as he walked along. His other handband had been broken thanks tyo the last attackers blade managing to catch it. But Mark didnt care.
Mark walked on and came around a corner, a row o stores lined the street on both sides. He lit a smoke, more like a stick of incense really, and let it waft off his lip. He wasnt exactly one to normally smoke as a human would, Dragons could do it without the tobacco or even nicotine. But Georgina had taught him that incense was just as good if not healither. He moved towards a older barn door like structure and opened it.
Mark viewed the old shop as he opened the sliding door, it was more or less like a barn door and it allowed him to get inside. He grabbed up a hand basket and began to shop thhrough the seemingly sporting goods outfitter. Arendelle had come a long way since he had returned, and then subsequently went on vacation for a honeymoon.
He looked briefly about the store, similar in design to a common convience store, smal,l, about two hundred meters square, and yet designed in such a way to make sense over anything else. He went over to a nearby rack end, a hald dozen tent stakes, black plastic, perfect. He dropped them into his basket. Mark didnt have Kalda with him thanks to whatever the High Priest did, so he knew that hewas going to have to improvise heavily. And that meant gathering supplies from where he was able to do so. Another few weapons, a pair of hand sized scythes, in this case folding kamas that he could hide at the small of his back with his new armor off
As the pizza began to warm up Mark took a seat behind the counter as he waited. But he noticed as he meditated softly that four men came t tohe open store front and entered the shop. A flick of his vision and he saw clearly who they were.
Templars, it had been a long ass time since he had last contended with them.
Mark stood from where he sat in a bored manner. "Good afternoon" He called out, the men didnt answer as they spread int othe shop. Mark stepped into an asile ducked out of sight. The four men split up to look for Mark.
One stepped t othe end of the asile and Mark reacted as the man spotted him, the Templar had a screwdriver in his hand, and Mark easily broke the mans fingers and jammed the screwdriver into his neck, the man sank to the floor dead. One down three to go.
Mark ducked into the shadows as the men stilkl alive reacted to the sounds of their dying fellow. By that point the ambushers became the ambushed as Mark came upon a second attacker, easily sending him sprawling and clearly dead, at least to Mark he was dead. Mark had two down, two to go.
Mark rolled a wine bottle missing its bottom, the third man stepped around it, but never took his eyes off the glass bottle as mark easily slit his throat withhte broken bottle piece he held onto. Wine coated the floor. The perfect fuel really.
Easily dodging a strike from a sneak attack Mark dropped the attacker and grabbed his arm, snapping it in three places he threw the man against the end of the shelves. The shelf collapsed under the weight, sending the dead body to the floor amid broken pottery. Mark traded blows with the last man standing. Very quiuckly he threw the man onto a shelf unit and the man laid still.
The Microwave dinged, the pizza was done.
In total the fight was about three minutes long. It didnt feel like it.
With his targets attention on the microwave, the remaining attacker still alive quietly got up and picked up the fallen gun where he had dropped it without a sound and began to advance in a low crouch towards Mark without a sound
Mark stepped to the microwave as it dinged, he was hungry, his stomach grumbled. He never saw the first attacker he had killed was only faking atbeing dead so well that Mark actually thought he was dead. As the clearly not dead attacker started to stir. Mark reached into the microwave and then screamed like a banshee as he held the pizza "OW FUCK THAT'S HOT!"
He ended up smashing the plate, pizza and all, into he face of the advancing attacker, the Templar went down, dead as his brtain was fried and the sheer force of Marks movements to cool off his burnt fingers also snapped his neck. "This is all your fault ya freedom hatin' fuck!" Mark screamed, kicking the downed man to ensure he was dead before picking up his basket and goping to the other end of the counter.
Looking back he mused "Gonna have to get a new microwave" He smirked, then the shelves toppled over. "And new shelves. I'll make a note of it." Of course Mark didnt really care, he was attacked and he defended himself.
But as he stood at the counter of the trashed shop. He knew that the owner wasnt going to be happy about the mess come closing time, in an hour. Then he remembered, he was the owner. Two men stepped through the open door. They were dressed in typical Assassin clothing, one was colored a beautiful shade of deep wine, the other was a plain white hood. Mark set his hands on the counter as he was going through his basket of stuff. "Did Aunt Blackmane send you ?" He asked the two men without looking in their direction
"Yes," said one "Blackmane said you would our help." Mark smirked, trust his aunt to not leave him alone on things like this.
"We took care of the bodies in the alley too. Nobody will find them" said the other. Mark simply nodded.
Mark smirked. Jerking a thumb at the pile of dead behind him he said "Can you take care of these too ?" Both men nodded as Mark finally looked at them and leaned on the counter. Most of his stuff now in a plastic bag for later use. "Was there anything else that Aunt Blackmane wants me to know or do ?" Mark asked the two men.
"Kiyori paid her a visit" The first man said. Mark later learned his name was Dice.
"I know, he also took me down a peg and his men keep hunting for Irie." Mark grumbled.
"What he wants with your cousin I will never know" The second man replied, revealing himself as he removed his hood, it was none other than a trusted friend, Captain Sax. "But what he wants us to do now, is starting to not be a good thing. He sent those men after you as well as the tyhree in the alley"
"So what happens now ?" Mark asked as he lit another stick of incense and stuck it in his mouth, iDamnit Georgina/i Mark thought as he smoked the incense stick. iI have your smoking habits now/i
"Right now, Kiyori is expecting my report from my men. I sent this grouop to try and find you, not attack you." Sax said
"These men were freedom hating motherfuckers, and I'm number one on their shit list, you think they're not gonna try to take me out first chance they get ?" Mark asked
"You were planning to burn this building were you not ?" Dice then spoke up.
"I was" Mark replied, "Why ? Does it matter if it still stands or not ?"
"It does, let it stand, we can use it as a trap zone later." Dice said. He stepped to Marka side, "Besides, not only can we use it as a front to get things done, we can also make it seem like its not suffering like the other shops" He handed Mark a card. Almost like a credit card of some form. "I think you're going to need this more then me"
Mark took the card. "A playing card ?"
"Maybe, I was told it was a wild card, that could come in handy later down the road. But I was never told how to use it" Dice said, it was true, Luxord never told Dice how to use the card.
Mark sighed. "Alright, clean this place up and have it ready for opening tomorrow morning, I think I need to pay my aunt a visit." there was a slight tremor in the ground underfoot and the countertop rattled the glassware briefly. "What was that ?"
"I dont know, Diana was sent to the Dust District earlier today, nobody has heard from her since." Sax reported.
"Dust District ?" Mark asked
"The last I knew there's an old cathederal there, a few warehouses, and a lot of residental structures, apartment and multifamily homes." Dice reported. "Why ?"
"Arko's replacement" Mark mused
"That was the intention yes, Elsa had stated she wanted to turn the Dust District into a residental area for the guards after the destruction of Arko" Dice replied as Sax looked thoughtful. "Why do you ask ?"
"How full of families was it ?" Mark asked, the tremors wouldnt cease.
"Fairly full. At least, full enough to be an issue in the case of an earthquake." Dice then realised what Makr was getting at, the three men traded looks.
"You" Mark pointed at Sax, "Have men you trust with you life clean this mess up, Dice and I will head for the Marketplace District Den and talk to my Aunt to find out more of whats going on. At the same time I want men sent to the Dust District to help the injured and to count the dead." Mark said giving orders, Sax knew that Mark was his enemy, but he didnt dare fight his logic or his orders.
The three men parted ways.
-8-8-8-
A good hour later and Mark was walking towards the brothel at the Talz district. "So, Was that a fight in a conveince store that I heard about ?" Diana asked as Mark stepped into view. She was seated on a barrel out in front of the brothel.
Mark at that point was alone, "I have no idea what you're asking." He lied
"Mark" Diana pressed while giving him a sour look.
He sighed "I was ambushed while shopping and defended myself." Mark replied somewhat too calmly
"I'm shocked." Diana replied, "Let me guess, Templars ?"
"I'm at the top of their shit list, so yeah. Got it one, I heard you visited the Dust District, is it as nice as it was said ?" Mark asked
"Just because I visited a new district doesnt mean-" Diana started to say as Blackmane spoke up
"All went according to plan, yes ?" Blackmane stood there, black gown and all, there was a slight scowl on her face, her hair was a mess however and her dress was apparently ripped in a few places yet also repairing itself.
Diana smikred and tried to smile as Mark replied "There was a slight complication" he said
"How slight ?" Blackmane asked him
"He was ambushed while shopping" Diana said nochalantly
"Diana!" Mark said tersly at her.
"You derailed a train" Blackmane said to her as Diana blushed, it was clear that she was upset about that little tidbit getting told
Mark looked at her and stepped around her between her and Blackmane. "Oh, she did. Did she ?" Mark asked
"Well, the train derailed and I happened to be on it. But I got what I went for." Diana said simply, both to Mark and Blackmane.
"Four Templars are also no more. I also spoke with Captain Sax and Deacon Dice. They said you sent them to help me out ?" Mark said, Blackmane nodded to the question. Well, that answered that
"So all in all a successful mission, in spite of you two" Blackmane said, the two of them gave her dirty looks.
Mark stepped from the post he was leaning against. "What about the Castle ?" he asked his aunt. He was pressing his luck with this kind of attitude, but Blackmane matched him stance for stance.
"What about it ?" Blackmane asked him
"We're wasting our time out here in the boonies, we do we go for the big fish ?" Mark asked rather bluntly. Normally Blackmane would have turned him into a kitten at that tone. But thisw time she didnt, and it scared even Mark.
"You know as well as I do that in the last year alone the castle has been under control of the High Priest and his foul magic, you fgelt it and witnessed it yourself. He is still too strong yet. Patience" Blackmane told him. Mark scoffed and moved aside a few steps, his back to his aunt as Diana simply looked quietly thoughtful. "I will see you back at the Den" With that Blackmane walked away silently.
"Patience," Mark mumbled, he snickered, a soft chuckle on his throat, "Diana, what did you go after in the Dust District ?" her asked when he was sure his aunt was out of earshot.
"This" She replied, removing from her robe near her breast a shard of pink glowing glass. "I dont know what it is, but I saw brief targets of five other pieces similar to it, one yellow, green, white, blue. And purple." She said
Mark stared at the glowing piece of glass in the Assassin womans hand. "A Star Shard ? Seriously, I thought that was myth ?"
"It wasnt, once I took it, the place it was in, the Dust District, it crumbled in an earthquake that I had never seen before." Diana replied, she detailed everything she had gone thtough, the precoursor vault, the earthquake, all the way to the derailment of the train.
"So we have a Star Shard, its possible Kiyori has one as well, I can see if Anna can find it" Mark said. They were to meet up for dinner that night as it was. "Have you heard anything from Elsa ?"
"No. nothing" Diana replied, she hadnt even seen Nara, at least, not in bed alone with him. Every time the two got together there were others around. It wasnt yet time.
"Wonderful. Nothing from Xeir, what about Tiri ? That icewraith might know where Olaf is, or even where Kristoff is" Mark mused.
"No one has seen anything of Olaf since we left last year on your honeymoon. Much less seen where Krtistoff went off to either for that matter." Diana replied, it was true, for all either of them knew, Kristoff went looking for Anna when she had been gone so long, then maybe forgot who he was looking for.
"Yeah, Blackmane said everyone started remembering us about a week ago before we all came back" Mark said
"So what do we do now ?" Diana asked him
"For now, I want you to hold onto that star shard, I think that is what it is. Kiyori might begin looking for it, infact he might be looking for it even now, before you found it. Those men you said were digging in the old church before you found the crystal and unlocked the path to it. Those were his men. He might be trying to repair his star formation by searching for star shards" Mark said
"Kiyori has a star formation ?" Diana asked
"Yes, and its broken, by the look of it. So these star shards, he needs them all in order to repair the formation as a whole to keep it running, so they're hidden across the globe. That earthquake in Lebanon for example we read about it, remember ?" Mark said with a nod to Diana for the correct guessing, she nodded in reply
"So what happens now ?" Diana asked him
"For now I need to eat something, the microwave at the store is fucked up and needs replacement, it burnt my pizza" Mark said, Diana smirked, trust mark to be more thinking about food instead of something more important.
"I mean the star shard as you called it, if Kiyori and his men were looking for it before I got to it ?" Diana said
"It means that Kiyori might already have one and want more, or need to find more to keep his star formation in one piece. When I was in there it wwas failing I could see that clearly." Mark explained what he had seen to Diana. "I need to find Anna, or Nara, either of them could have advice."
"Nara, what I wouldnt give to find him" Diana mused as she thought of how she could ravage her own beloved husband when this was over.
"What ?" Mark asked her
"Nothing" Diana said simply. "Can I go now ?"
"We're both expected for dinner tonight at the Den, so I will meet you there" Mark said, Diana nodded and left Mark alone. As he watched the Assassin woman go, Mark had t owonder just why she felt like family to him in their banterings. He shook it off. At that moment there were more pressing concerns
