Frozen Memories - 1-8 Bridge

by Xeir Zith

Hidden Past - Back Cover. Hidden Past remake! This is entirely overhauled with missing dialog added to inital scenes with expansions and spelling fixes to the original writing from Hidden Past. In Bridge we see exactly what happens between Frozen Memories and War of the North - Frozen Memories. Xeir dreams and Elsa lives in a simulated city. Light works, Jarius writes Xeir sleeps

37. Ingrid - Meet Again: Chapter 7

Frozen Memories – 1.8 Bridge

Hidden Past – Back Cover

Ingrid – Meet Again/Kiyori's Last Stand

Chapter 7: Anthem for Kiyori

4 July 2058

Arendelle

Port District

10 am

Blackmane had figured out a plan, and with Dianas help managed to set things up just right, with Irie gone there was nobody to run the shop part of the den in the Marketplace, so they had to close while she was gone.

So Blackmane wandered the Port District, it also had an open air market. Serveral of the High Priests guards were milling about, all of them seemingly off duty as Blackmane wandered the area.

Every since Xeir had made the initial plan, and everyone had voted on it, in favor or not, it barely passed in favor of doing it, But then Mark brought up a second plan, and it stalled. Thus the meeting ended with only Mark and Blackmane as the only two able to access the shards in the room. Everyone else was unable to do so.

So for the last two weeks they deliberated carefully. But they still did not come up with a sutible argument or counter plan. Xeir had come up with a few plans and ideas, but none of them had feasiblity to them. It was not until two weeks had passed, and on the fourth of July that summer when things broke apart, and movement began in the way nobody expected or hoped.

And it all started with a farmers market, where Blackmane was shopping.

As he entered the market proper, the Farmers Market was all in good standing, but that was not why the massive black Tigris was there, he was there for Blackmane. Instead of sending low level thugs and uncouth soldiers, Kiyori instead sent his bodyguard, Manfredd, to capture a certain target.

The target was a woman dressed in a black gown, named Blackmane. Manfredd knew who his boss meant, and had spoken twice with Blackmane already concerning his betrothed, Atert, and her being protected by another Tigris. But this mission was different and he knew that Blackmane would fight back. So that was why Kiyori had given him something to knock the woman out with.

The soldeirs in his squad wandered among the market stalls, a few buying fruits and snacks as they passed around the Market. Manfredd himself was searching for Blackmane, he knew what she looked like. And once he spotted her, he made his move.

Blackmane for her part played the part of the bait rteally well. And was actually not expecting Manfredd to grab her so quickly. And so gently. Within seconds she was out cold and carried by Manfredd to a nearby soldiers post. And then from there using a portal spell to the castle dungeons.

Blackmane jerked awake after a few moments of being set upon a bed within the cell. "I am sorry about this" Came the soft voice of Manfredd. He was after all a gentleman and did not treat Blackmane in any wrongful manner. But he did bring her as he was told to the cell instructed.

Blackmane couldnt believe it, it worked! She fought back a smirk and slowly sat up. "What hit me ? Where am I ?"

"I hit you, for that I apologise" Came his reply, Blackmane had to look carefully at Manny, the Tigris, a black cat in full, had a very very apologetic look on his face. It was clear he did not like harming women, even if they were human or Tigris. "As for where you are, you are in the antimagic cell by order of the High Priest. He wont tell me why, but he wanted you for something important."

Blackmane nodded, well, that explained why she felt weak and tired. "Did he tell you why he wanted me ? Or did you just go and get me ?" Kiyori wanted something only Mark could give, and Xeir even proposed it.

"He has been trying to get you for some time now. It would not surprise me if my bringing you here was his plan in the first place." Manny replied

"But he told you why you were to bring me here ?" She saw that Manny was standing outside the wall of the cell. "Or did he simply say to get me ?" She repeated

"He wanted me to get you and bring you here. Nothing more" Manny replied

"Ahuh, great." Blackmane grunted and sat heavily on the bed, she couldnt use her magic in that cell, but she could use the essence flames.

"I will tell the High Priest you are here and ready to see him" Manny said, she nodded. But her expression was one of understanding, Manfredd was doing the job because it paid well and kept a roof over his head. If anything Blackmane would have him in the Brotherhood post haste!

As he was gone, and before the High Priest showed up, Blackmane tested her spells, her magic didnt work, but the essence flames did. So she used an Essence flame to heal her headache gently and then waited for the high priest to arrive.

Arendelle Castle

Moments later

"You did as instructed, that is good, it has been a while since I had you capture a target. You're good at it, you were also quite gentle by word of the soldiers" Kiyori said upon the arrival of Manfredd in his office.

"Your requested captive awaits you in the antimagic cell as ordered" Manfredd said to him. Kiyori could tell the man didnt like him much. But he did a good job for a bodyguard, a gentlemans gentleman.

"And how is our guest ?" Kiyori asked him

"Adequatly accomendated" Came the reply. Short and to the point. Kiyori smiled.

"I like that about you, Manfredd, you do not mince your words, and you do your job very efficentily. I for one am rather glad I took you on as my butler and aide." Kiyori said, he went from the window to the desk and sat behind it. Manny stood near it. A look of indifference upon his face. Yet he was also quite calm

"You mean to go on with your plan then ?" Manny asked, Manfredd had never been told Kiyori's ultimate goal, but he had only been told so much. He had never seen the Formation, or what Kiyori planned to do.

"When you captured the woman, Blackmane Elisar, did she have any items on her ? Any crystals." Kiyori asked him.

Manny shook his head. "I did not go so far as to search her with out her consent" He replied sternly, Kiyori smirked, yup, a gentleman to the core.

"If you were to have a female soldier do the searching, in the antimagic cell, would you be alright with such a thing ?" Kiyori then asked him. Manny had to think carefully, yet, at his nod, the High Priest smiled. "Alright, Captain!"

A guard stepped into the office. "Sir!"

"Have a female member of the Honor Guard attend to the prisoner in the antimagic cell. Have the prisoner searched by the female guard." At Manfredds stern look however Kiyori smiled and added. "Ensure no male guards are present should the prisoner be stripped." Manfredd then calmed his expression to a neutral one.

"Yes sir" The captain nodded and stepped from the office.

"What do you intend to find ?" Manfredd asked, "Having the woman searched when she wears such a gown, what could she hope to hide ?"

"What I need is for you to be quiet you fool" Kiyori growled at him. Manfredd glared in reply but still he did shut up. "Good, what you ask of what she could hide, What I require to repair something that is currently damaged."

"What could she repair ?" Manfredd asked

Again a sharp look was thrown at Manny, but the priest relented and smirked, "I think it would do little harm if you know. Come with me" He stood from the desk and the two men headed into the hallway. Coming seemingly to a blank space in the hall. No guards present in either direction. Kiyori waved a hand and a door formed.

It slid open, allowing the two to enter freely. A swirling vertex greeted Manny as he found himself standing out in space. The stars twinkling with beaty, and one fo them forming a odd constelation before him. And it appeared to be broken or leaking energy trails.

"What is this place ?" Manny asked, he had never seen such beauty before outside of his betrothed of course, but this was something else enturely

"This, my dear Manfredd, is what is known as The Star Formation. A very powerful weapon, when it works. Lately however it is broken and I am constantly trying to fix it. I have found out in my searching in the castle library that it requires a star, and that is not easy to get."

"And the woman you had me capture, she holds this star ?" Manfredd asked, he was clearly in awe at the beauty of the formation, even when broken it was beautiful to the point that even when Kiyori first saw it he too was taken by its beauty.

"That is my hope, yes. If not, she can help me attain what I seek." Kiyori replied, He smiled seeing the look of awestruck wonder that his bodyguard displayed. "What I seek is to repair this Formation, to control it, and to bend the fate of the kingdom to my will." Kiyori said

To Manfredd that was a big plan, a dangerous plan, and yet, to Kiyori it was as simple as waking up in the morning or eating breakfast. "All that is missing is the broken star." Kiyori grumbled.

Manfredd could see one star pulsing like a broken dwarf star, not quite a black hole, but more like a fluctuating energy mass stuck in limbo, with no real means of use, sitting there taking up space. At one point the star formation was whole.

But now it was broken, intentionally so.

The two then stepped from the formation back into the Arendelle castle. All at once the realisation of where he was dawned on Manfredd. "We were in space ?" He asked.

"We were, the vertex prevents gravity from esacping the Bridge and balcony. Down far below it is a ancient tomb, most from what I understand is ancient energies that power the bridge itself." Manfredd nodded as Kiyori explained it, he saw four great chains dangling from four points of the balcony. Acting like an anchor or so it seemed.

"You want to repair it ?" Manfredd then realised, for a bodyugard to the bad guy, he wasnt very bright. Kiyori rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"Yes, you lummox. See to the guards that the prisoner is to be well cared for. Knowing you, you would already ensure that. So get to it." Kiyori said to Manny, the bigger man nodded and took his leave. As soon as he was gone, Kiyori began to make his next plan.

Moments however passed before the guard captain and the female guard who had searched Blackmane returned. They met up with Kiyori outside his office. Seeing them he turned to them and spoke. "Well ?"

"The prisoner was only carrying this" The female guard said, she handed Kiyori a womans wallet, similar to what most termed as a clutch, inside was Arendellian money, mostly loose change and bills in the local currency. There was nothing more. Not even a house key.

"I see, anything else ?" Kiyori asked as he searched Blackmanes wallet, it didnt even have her drivers license or id in it. Mostly because it was kept on her wristphone, which for the time being she had not worn.

"Nothing, however, with your permission I would like to search the area the woman was captured in, it is possible more like her are in the area still." The guard said to him.

Kiyori smirked. He nodded. "You have it." he handed the captain the clutch, "In the mean time I want you to come with me, you may search the area the prisoner was taken from. If you find anyone else who knows her or works with her, arrest them and hold them in the local barracks for questioning. You may go" The guard nodded at the new orders and quickly left.

In the mean time, Kiyori and the captain headed to the dungeons without a word. Stepping into them the captain set the clutch of money on the table outside the cell, Blackmane smirked seeing the high priest.

"Remarkable that my own bodyguard finally follows orders." Kiyori said, "He does better work then my normal soldiers" he smiled at Blackmane, but she saw it as an evil snarl.

"Your normal soldiers are nothing more then mindless thugs doing your bidding. Corrupted just like you" Blackmane replied to him, she hated antimagic zones. The fact Elsas parents had requested she make such a cell only made it worse.

Kiyori laughed at her words. "Corrupted, no, Blackmane, far from it. But now that I have you, what shall I do with you ?" He said to her. He smiled again, a evil grin that made her only slightly nervous. After all were she not in the antimagic cell at the time, it could make her merly scoff, but with her magic canceled, that was a problem.

He leaned on the bars of the cell. "Oh I think I know how I can use you. You might not have what I need. But I know you know who does." He said to her.

"What do you mean ?" She asked him, she tried to fake being scared, but in truth she actually was worried, antimagic fields like the one she was in actually did eventually pay its toll, but Tiri was in it, and it did nothing to her.

"Oh, you'll see" He said to her. He started laughing, a very evil sound to her ears. She felt sick. Kiyori, still laughing, turned and headed from the dungeons, the captain of the guard went to his post as Kiyori left.

Blackmane watched him leave, and though she felt sick she went to the bench and sat down. Resting her head against the stone wall. Worried sick of what was going to happen next. She smiled however as Manfredd came shortly after Kiyori left, with food and drink for her. As well as some sheets to give her some privacy.

In Kiyoris office, the High Priest wrote a letter.

"To whom it may concern

I have a mutual friend of yours. Either relative or otherwise it does not matter. I merely know she does not possess what I seek. I have her now. And all I need is for you to meet with me at a neutral location. If you do not meet with me, Blackmane Elisar will die."

He finished the letter and called for a mail boy, the young lad stepped into the room and stood at attention. Handing the sealed letter to the boy, he said to him. "See to it that this lands in the hands of the owner of the market stall once run by a one eyed black haired girl." The mail boy nodded and took off at a steady jog for his mission.

The High Priest sat back in his chair behind his desk, his fingers steepled as he brooded in thought. This was going to be a while for sure. But it could be ofhelp. He had captured Blackmane, so easily, Manfredd somehow managed it, and gotten her in the antimagic cell.

In a word it was going as planned.

But he also knew it might not go fully to plan, so he began working on a backup plan, a contegency plan was needed in the case went south. He knew that if Blackmane was unable to get traded for what he sought he could torture for information inside that cell, that cell kept her from getting away or using her own magic abilities.

Or so he thought.

But, Blackmane also was playing him right into his own trap. And he did not know it.

A knock came at his door. "Enter" Kiyori called out.

A soldier stepped into view. "Sir, the woman we have been seeking, the one with the scaled arm, has been reported in the Pond District, the Clock District, and more recently as of moments ago, the Turntao District, she has however bested our soldiers in combat. She is also not alone either." the soldier reported

"Are we sending children to fight these women ? Send in the heavy soldiers to try and take the scaled woman down. I want to know how she is doing the freeing of my prisoners from my models. I am unable to repair any of the burned models." Kiyori replied, the soldier nodded and left.

Shortly after the soldier left, Manfredd appeared in the office. Kiyori was working by that point on another model, placing delicate pieces of a single rooftop together onto a bard of mdf like wood. For long moments there was quiet.

Finally, Kiyori spoke "Tell me something, Manfredd." He said, Manfredd looked at him confused. Kiyori was focused on model making again, and though it made Manny confused as to why the man was so focused on such a deed, he never questioned it.

"Sir ?" Manny said in question

"Have you considered making a model of your own ? I could teach you how." kiyori said, Manfredd thought a brief moment, a hobby, something to pass the time when not doing orders ?

"I suppose I have thought of it" He admitted sdimply. "But I never thought I could find the time to begin such a task."

"There is no time like the present, Manfredd. Come,. Let us get the materials you will need for the model you wish to make," Kiyori said, he stood from the desk, the roof panel he had made was finished and just needed for the glue to dry. The two men then headed for the nearby models room where Kiyori kept all the supplies needed for crafting models from scratch.

Within the hour, Kiyori had beguin to teach Manfredd how to build a model house. In this case, Manfredd was not aiming to trap anyone in the model, so it was made without Kiyoris full influence or power going into the model. In Manfredds case, it felt more like a place he'd want to visit at some point in the future.

So Manfredds model began to take shape in the form of a stave church outside Arendelle. After a few hours, as dinner was approaching, Kiyori asked him. "Where is this structure located, normally the models that are made we have seen the truth structure befdore."

"It is outside Arendelle" Manfredd admitted, "I had seen it once as a child, but I was not allowed a proper viewing. I doubt now that it still stands." Kiyori did not say a word in reply. Instead he went thouightfully quiet.

Arendelle

Marketplace Den

At that same moment

Mark burned the letter.

The High Priest had captured his aunt at long last. The letter was sent as a notice, Blackmane used herself as bait, as per the plan, but Mark did not like where this was going. Whose plan was it to use his aunt as bait to begin with ?

Shadowmane stood nearby, the slick latex of her outfit glittered with refractured light and shadows. "Blackie had a plan, but someone must have planned it with her and things went sideways."

"By now Aunt Blackie would be back here cooking dinner. Instead we order pizza." Mark grunted in reply. He sighed thoughtfully then. "Has Asami or Kaezin been informed, if anything they might have to act as guards, or at least let Kaezin sneak into the castle to find Aunt Blackie"

"No, I think if Blackmane let herself get captured, it is part of a plan. We just need to ask who she was with at that time about their plan." Shadow replied, she gave her nephew a look. The man stared hard at her. But then relented and nodded.

"Alright, so we find who Aunt Blackie was with this morning, who was she with ? There wass you and me down here, then Diana on a contract in the Port District, wait, didnt Aunt Blackie say she was going shopping in the port district ?" Mark said in thought.

"Bingo" Shadow replied,

Mark sighed, "Diana was with Aunt Blackie, they thought this up ? This is half assed for sure! Find Diana and have her come to my Aunt Blackies office."

"Why ?" Came Dianas reply, she was actually in the kitchen at the time and had gotten some food.

"Alright forget going to Aunt Blackies office, What were you two thinking ?!" Mark thundered at his second in command of the Brotherhood, when he was in charge, Diana was second in command.

"It was mostly Xeirs plan." Diana said, in her defense they had never planned for Blackmane to get nabbed the way she had, the soldiers were too many and had them distracted.

Mark glowered at her darkly "My ass it was, Aunt Blackmane is kidnapped by the High Priest, and kept in the antimagic cell. The High Priest knows we have the shards." He said

"He knows we have them ?" Diana asked, "How ?" She had actually forgotten, up until that moment at least, that they still had the shards.

"That I want to find out. Can you find Xeir ? Or at least where she went ?" Mark replied

"I can try, but no promises, she comes and goes as she likes, its hard to keep her in one place." Diana replied, truth was she and Xeir had just finished decking some of the High Priests soldiers in the Turntao District, and then Xeir went off to her place in the Yaeko District while Diana returned to the Den

"Everyones a critic" Mark growled, "Go find Xeir, and bring your asses back here, we need to figure out how to bust my aunt out of jail before shit goes sideways even further. In the mean time I'm gonna take a walk." he told her. With that Mark stalked up the stairs and out the door. Diana traded looks with Shadow

"Is he always like this ?" Shadowmane asked to the Silver Dragon, who was scarfing down a chicken leg.

"Only when family are under threat." She replied calmly. Once she tossed the chicken leg bone into the trash she headed out into the kingdom to look for Xeir.

Arendelle

Roughwater District

A few moments later

Mark starred at what he saw, the street was full of dead bodies. A good dozen soldiers laid in heaps on the ground, their blood pooling, broken bones, knives, bullet holes. And a single woman stood from the bloodshed, she too was covered in splattered blood. The woman was oddly calm.

"You're late" Georgina growled.

"Sorry, I was not expecting you for another month at the least" Mark replied, Georgina looked a wreck. "How is China ?" He asked her

Georgina smiled, "Free" She said simply to him. "Unlike here in Arendelle where bad guys tend to congregate" She smirked.

"Yeah well, every time I get the fuckers out, more fuckers move in." Mark replied to her, she smiled and stepped up to him. He was unsure of what she was doing. But he relented once he remembered, Elsa was gone. Georgina leaned in for the kiss, and Mark returned it.

"Welcome back" He said softly.

"We missed you, in China, but things are going well enough that I came back here" Georgina told him. Mark smiled, Dinner was going to be enjoyable. The two turned and headed for the nearby Roughwater Tavern.

Arendelle

Roughwater District

Roughwater Tavern

Moments later

As Mark and Georgina entered the tavern, they saw that it was no different then the last time they were there. "You remember the last time we were here ?" Mark asked her, he barely remembered it, but she remembered it clearly.

"Yes, you got drunk, and that resulted in Auji remember ?" She replied to him. Mark smirked

"I still cant believe I'm his dad" He mumbled, Auji looked nothing like him, and yet he had skills similar to his own, and could summon at will, a majestic pear of Eagles wings.

The only thing that had changed with the tavern was that it was bigger and felt more like a Denny's then a tavern. But that did little to kill the mood that the two were in at that moment. The owner of the place took them to a table at the newer section, near the front window. They had no idea what was coming.

And it was not the soup of the day either.

The Highway to Gilja from Oslo

At that same moment

In a Tiffon Motorhome Hover RV

"Is sleeping beauty awake yet ?" Asked the driver of the hover RV. Severian's green eyes scanned the road ahead as he called over his shoulder. Ever since they had been given the task of clearing the path, things were not going well. Oslo was a warzone

"Almost" Replied the bodybuilder known as his only slightly younger sister, Umi. The green eyed black haired woman Stood at the door as Severian drove the massive rig.

"Well hurry it up, we're almost out of Oslos city limits and we promised Mom we'd pick her up in Gilja without extra baggage!" Severian replied, he merged onto the main highway, but with the honking of various other hover rigs, as well as the endless wail of sirens behind them they were going to have a party.

Umi stumbled slightly before regaining her footing before she squished her brother, Tamond. "Careful you idiot! Ya almost landed Umi on me!" Tamond shouted at his brother. Severian was born first, followed by Umi, Alethra was born last. Hiriko was smacking their baggage in the face.

"Sorry! Not my fault!" Severian screamed as he cut off a police cruiser. The police tried a PIT on the hover rig that Severian drove, it didnt work either.

"What the hell going on ?" Hiriko called out, briefly distracted as Tamond went sailing into a chair. "Severian!"

"Just practising my Forza skills" Severian replied to her. He eassily pulled the hovertruck out of a PIT and kept going. They flew down the highway a bit faster.

"If Severian were not older then me right now I would be driving" Umi grumbled as she turned back to Hiriko who was once more smacking their baggage. The CIA agent had tried to tag team the family while they were shopping for an RV to snag. That was the best part of the magnetic driven system. Once active, it could not be shut off. So naturally the CIA got involved, it was bad enough the guy had so many cars as backup.

SMACK, SMACK, SMACK. Went Hirikos open palm. But the agent had been out cold from Tamond's whack when they snagged the RV in the first place. The agent had gotten the drop on them at the time.

Fortunately, it was only, Severian, Umi, Hiriko and Tamond who were in the RV. So as soon as Severian had the thing running, Tamond knocked the agent out. Now they wanted to wake him up so he could get on the horn and call off the dragnet. Hiriko actually put down the bullion to buy the rig, it was registered and paid for, so why were they being chased ?

"Tam, get your shit to the back window, we got police cruiser at four thirty!, Umi, grab a rack and head for the other window, we got a hot chopper at nine of clock sharp." Severian called out, with the camera at full strength he could see all around him, using it like a clock for incoming fire.

Umi rolled her eyes as her brother kept the gas steady and the RV was barreling down the Oslo freeway at a good 120mph. Going to the bathroom window she lowered the upper pane and pointed out her pistol, then leaned out, using the door as a handhold she opened fire.

Three cracks in succession brought the police cruiser directly beside the RV to a rolling stop, mostly because it lost control and began flipping side over side four times before stopping. Tamond did likewise, but he used a shotgun. Blasting apart the left front tire of the police cruiser directly on their right taillight. Fortunately the bulletproof armor of the RV that they had activated, an energy shield like thing, kept the damage from hitting the RV itself.

The second police car went flying off the road. Plowing to a stop in a ditch. Tamond flipped the following cruisers the bird and closed his window. Umi had closed hers and stepped back into the main area of the RV, the agent on the sofa was starting to come to.

"Come on sleeping beauty!" Hiriko shouted, one more smack and the guy was awake.

"What's going on ?! Who are you, where are we ?" The agent asked as he jerked awake

"That's a lot of quesitons and we do not have time to answer any of them" Umi replied simply, the agent looked up at her, way up.

"Guh" The Agent replied, Umi just smiled. She bent down to him, giving him an eyeful for sure.

"Can you do us a favor ?" Umi said sweetly, Hiriko had to smirk and lifted the radio, handing it to her sister. "Can you get on this thing and call off the police persuit ? Its important that those guys work on other projects instead of chase us. Trust us." She held out the radio.

"Guh" the Agent said, his brain still not working.

"Hiri" Umi said simply as she stepped aside

"Yeah ?" Hiriko asked

"Jog his memory" Umi said to her.

"Right, one memory jog coming up!" At that, Hiriko hammered the agent in the crotch, the man shrieked

"HOLY FUCK! YOU'RE DEMONS!" The man screamed.

"No actually we're a family." Umi corrected him, she held the radio out to him, the man held his damaged jewels in his hands as he looked up at her. "Can you get on this radio and call off the heat ? We have a mission to finish and the heat trailing us is only going to make it harder for everyone involved."

The Agent glowered at her. Tamond smirked at Hiriko. "I do not think that is how one jogs someones memory." He said, as the agent turned towards him. He just smiled, his jagged teeth of a snow leopard cheetah in a humans body shined in the light through the windows.

"Then what is ?" Hiriko asked her brother

"Well, from what Mom always said, Dad normally took a fist to the solar plexus" Tamond explained, the RV gave a jerk, "Oy! Whats going on ?"

"Just practising Forza, dont mind me" Severian replied from the front.

Umi rolled her eyes and handed the radio back to Hiriko, "When he wants to talk give him this, have him call off the persuit, Sev can only do so much on his own. If we're lucky we can lose most if not all of the persuit before Gilja" She said to her.

Hiriko smirked. She loved ineterrgations of prisoners. Back where they grew up, occasional prisoners and raiders were often taken to her to 'Play With' "With pleasure sis." Hiriko said, a happy playful almost dangerous smile on her face.

A good hour later and the persuit was finally called off, the man was carefully toyed with by Hiriko and Umi, the threat of the latter sitting on him was enough to make him truthfully call off the persuit. And then it also got him to leave with his dignity intact instead of getting tossed out of the RV at 120mph at 5 miles up.

Gilja

Three hours later

Ole Meto Stop

"There's Gwenn." Hiriko said while pointing out the front window, she was seated in the front seat next to Severian, she spotted the cheeta snow leopard woman near a large parking space. Gwenn was slightly taller then their mother, whereas Tamond and Alethra were both the same hieght. Severian and Umi along with Hirko were taller, but not a lot. Unless one was Umi in which case a good quarter body taller then their mom.

In short, Umi made their own mother look like her kid.

"Yeah, and it looks like mom is with her. But I dont see Alethra" Severian said, he got on his radio. "Tam, Umi, either of you see Alethra ?"

"Yeah I see her, coming out of the womens room" Tam replied, which earned a snicker from Umi. "Sev, can we stop, I gotta drop a load myself and Umi wont let me use the onboard bathroom."

Severian snickered but pulled to a smooth halt. Tamond fell out of a window and scrambled madly on all fours for the mens bathroom as Severian put the hovertruck into park and it hovered off the ground.

Irie smiled seeing her children, sans Tamond, all come piling out of the RV. "What kept you ?"

"We had some party favors that wouldnt stop." Severian replied calmly, he tossed his mother the keys. "RV's all yours now. We can continue to Arendelle from here."

"Arendelle, home sweet home." Irie mused as she caught the RV's keyring, she missed working on the technology for the Brotherhood. But only a month in the Mortal Realm had passed. Whereas for them, a good thirty years had passed. "Alright, since you got it here in one piece, Severian, Umi, when Tamond gets back from the bathroom, Hiriko, you too. The four of you will take the portals from here to Arendelle. Do not panic, I marked where you are supposed to go" Irie told them, Umi loved doing portal work.

"What do we do when we get there ?" Hiriko asked her mother.

"At this moment, try and find your father, he is not hard to miss" Irie replied, "Brown eyes, backlit in bronze, wears green like Umi, carries a mean bow. He also has the Armor I designed for him."

"When we finally meet dad, what then ?" Umi asked.

"Help him with what he needs done, be it assassinations or combat sparring. Umi, stop drooling, the thought of you whipping your fathers ass does make me smile but I want to see him unharmed when Gwenn and Alethra and I get there tomorrow." Irie told her

"When do we go ?" Severian asked his mother.

"Soon as Tamond returns. But you might have to go get him." Irie said, remembering right then that he liked to read in the bathroom. To the point wherein Irie actually had the home remodeling group in the Mythic Realm add a toilet stall to the library for Tamonds reading and canning enjoyment.

Thankfully however that was not the case as Tamond returned to the rest of his family within a moment or so. A minute longer and the four had a portal open for them. "Good luck. My mother should also be back by now, so find where she is staying, There should be rooms for you there too."

Arendelle

Roughwater District

Pine District

Marketplace District

{In that order}

Minutes later

The trip was not what they had hoped for, suddenly seperated as they arrived in Arendelle. Umi smashed againdst the side of the Roughwater Tavern, followed right behind buy the much smaller Tamond who bounced off his sisters fuzzy very strong eight pack of a muscled stomach. The much smaller hybrid plopped onto the alleyway trash pile. "Why couldnt we take the RV ?" He asked after a box of trash landed on him as Umi got to her feet.

"Because the RV was for mom and she opened the portals for us" Umi replied, she turned towards the mouth of the alley and headed for it as Tamond struggled to his feet. "Come on Loo Brush" Umi said to him. Tamond glared at her, he hated that nickname.

The bone jarring THUD that shook the building as something came out of a portal and smashed against it in a heap followed by a softly thumping noise outside the Roughwater Tavern had Marks complete attention. Looking to Georgina as by that point they were leaving the Tavern, Mark asked her. "What was that ?"

Georgina shrugged. "No idea, lets find out ?" The two started in the direction of where the sound came from. Mark rounded the corner to the alley and rebounded off of something big and fuzzy.

Of course at the same time of Umis sudden stop, even Tamond rembunded off her backside. Landing once more in the trash. "Ow". The hybrid clambered from the refuse and poked around his much larger sister. "Hey Umi, why'd you stop ?"

He then saw that Umi was looking down at something, when was she not ? He too looked down, and spotted Mark getting to his feet. Mark looked briefly at Tamond, and did not recognise the resemblence the young man had to Irie.

It was Umi who spoke as Mark dusted himself off. "Are you the guy who was with Mom ?"

"Maybe" Mark replied, he gave a look at Tamond, thinknig it was him who asked the question. "Why ?"

"I'm up here" Umi said, tapping Mark gently with her slneder yet strong fingers upon his head.

Mark looked up at her. "Oh... My..." he said seeing Umi's bright green eyes, if he didnt know better Mark would have sworn he was looking into a mirror on the ceiling of his bedroom. But it was not.

"Oh hey look! He knows your name, Umi!" Tamond giggled like a child.

"Shut up, Tamond" Umi said, for once not using his hated nickname. She looked back at Mark again, "So, are you the guy who was with mom about... Tamond, what day is it ?"

"July the fourth, twenty fifty eight." Tamond replied, he looked around, "From look of things, half past lunch, and almost time for dinner. Unless you still want that pot of tea ?" He replied.

"I did not need that kind of reply little brother." She said simply, her tone however betrayed a hint of amusement

"Uh..." Mark said while clearing his throat to gether their attention. "Are you two related ?"

"Yeah," Tamond replied, he'd get back at Umi later for the little joke, sure he was just a we bit taller then their mother, but he was still small compared to Umi. "To you, if you're the guy who was with mom last June I think it was ?"

"According to mom it was June the fourth, twenty fifty eight. That's a month ago" Umi said to him.

"Uh..." Mark wracked his brains for what happened that morning alone, then he realised it. "Wait, wait a minute! Hold the phone, TIME OUT!" he said as the two siblings were about to go to blows, with Tamond more or less likely thrown into the trash. He held up his hands in the universal TIME OUT motion.

They both looked at him, Mark pointed at Umi first. "You, are a ….. big girl, and you look like me if I were a woman and nine feet tall" Mark said

"Eight feet four inchesactually," Umi corrected her father.

"Whatever" Mark said, he shrugged and then pointed at the smaller, in this case hobbit sized compared to the massive body of Umi that was Tamond, "And you, look almost like a woman I know, my cousin, Irie"

"Yup," Umi and Tamond said in unison. "Its Dad"

Mark just stared at them as Georgina smiled.

In the Marletplace district den however, a portal opened and a fig newton entered, actually it was Severian with a bad hair day. He thankfully missed the kitchen table, but did not miss the sudedenly opened into his face refridgerator door. Which he collidied with a loud THUMP. "Ow"

Asami closed the refridgerator door and then noticed Severian holding his face. She looked the man up and down briefly, then smirked, saying. "Didja bring the pizza this time ?"

Severian gave her a confused look, "What ?" He took in the woman before him, green hair, green lipstick, green eyes, long green tight to the body dress yet loose from the legs down for as much freedom of movement also a gorgeous shade of green. He blinked.

"The mushroom, black olives, itlian sausage, pepperoni and BBQ shreeded beef pizza we ordered twenty minutes ago for dinner, didja bring it ?" Asami was getting the drinks, Lazul was getting the money to pay the pizza boy directly. Whereas Topaz was snoring on the table.

Severian blinked again in confusion. "I'm not the pizza guy" He finally said, he tried to remember what his mother said about a woman dressed in green with long green hair and green eyes. "You must be Asami, mothers cousin" He said

"I'm Asami yeah, why ? I have many cousins, whose your mother ?" Asami replied, giving Severian a confused look

"Irie" Severian replied

"If shes your mother you look great. Come on and have a seat, Lazul we got company, Topaz wake up!" Asami smacked the table that Topaz was asleep on, Topaz sponged as if electrocuted by static shock and fell off the table.

Hitting the floor she stood up. "I'm up I'm up." She said, she took in the sight of the new arrival. "Didja find a date, Asami ?" She asked

"No, this is apparently Iries kid" Asami said.

"Ah, I remember Mark and Irie going at it about a month ago" Topaz said, she remembered Mark stumbling out of the bedroom, in shock, dead in the head, only wanting to breed. It took quite a bit of the Dove's power to be able to knock him out so he could sleep.

"Where is this... Mark ?" Severian asked them.

"Depends" Asami said. "What do you want with him ? If you want to rant him out for screwing Irie, go for it, if you want to find him before he makes a stupid move to get Mom free from jail, good luck none of us could. If you want to whale the tar out of him because you're bored ? Go for it I actually wanna see that" Asami replied

Topaz snickered as Lazul came in with the pizza. "When you said you had company I didnt expect Irie... wait you're not a girl" Lazul set the pizza on the table and looked at Severian, "Last I recall Irie did not have a goatee, or earrings in her ears and her hair was black not brown. Who are you ?"

"Last I knew I was always a guy. I am Severian, her oldest son." Severian replied, he smiled "But you can call me Sev or Rian if you like" Rian of course he pronounced as Ryan.

"Pleasure to meet you" Asami said, she stuck out a hand, Severian took it and the two shook hands. "This is Topaz, and her brother, Lazul" Asami pointed out first Topaz, then Lazul to Severian, "And the guy asleep on the sofa down there is my older brother, Kaezin."

There came a loud purr from the sofa where Kazein slept like a rock, his mouth wide open as he snored. "Pleasure to meet you all." Severian replied, he wanted to meet up with Mark, but he had no idea that Tamond and Umi had the lottery draw to do just that.

Of course Umi also landed Mark on his ass at the same time.

At that some moment in the Pine District, in front of the library was a large waterfountain that was part of a koi fish pond. A sudden splash was heard as a body launched from a portal and landed in the pond before slogging from the fountain drenching wet.

Hiriko shook her head and sat on the edge of the fountain. Clearing her ears, she forgot how portals worked, back when growing up, Portals were normally really smooth sailing, unlike this place, they had all gone into the portal together. Next thing they knew, they were somehow split up.

The Japanese like woman looked around, she was in front of a library and not many people took much notice of her, people played in the pond constantly. She reached into the fountain and grabbed her utility belt and put it back on. How it had come off, again, annoyed her greatly.

She stood up, knocked her head a few times to clean out her ears and headed for the library doors. Which slid open, similar to how the Silver Palace's library doors worked. Hiriko however was given some weird looks as she went to the desk. A woman drenching wet asking for directions. Who knew ?

Moments later she was getting on a hoverbus bound for the Marketplace district. But she had no idea what she was getting into.

None of the siblings knew what happened that morning to their mothers Aunt Blackmane, whom they were going to call Aunt Blackie nomatter how the woman asked not to use that name. But then according to her mother, Hiriko had to smile to herself.

According to Irie, Blackmane was used to the nickname of Blackie, so Aunt Blackie was going to be used, a lot.

Arendelle

Castle District

High Priests Office

Moments later

"Have the squads sent to the opening of the portal in the Roughwater District reported in yet ?" Kiyori sat behind his desk, it had been most of the day. But nothing was going to come of it, if they were lucky, things could work out nicely.

"Only one survivor sir. He reported that something big had beaten their squad to a pulp and he took off." Came the reply from the Captain

"Where is the soldier ?" Kiyori asked, his mood dark.

"Dead" Came the reply.

"Dead ?" Kiyori had to hand it to the soldier, one word replies were not getting anywhere. He stood from his desk and stepped around it. "How exactly was he killed ?"

"Onlookers reported a feline like creature shooting the guard in the neck shortly after he reported to another patrol of the new arrival. The soldier was basically beheaded" the captain replied, visibly nervous because of the mere fact that the High Priest was so close to him.

"I see, so we have new players on the board." Kiyori mused. The soldier seemed to calm a bit, though still scared of being so close to the High Priest. "Alright, return to your post. I have things I need to do. Manfredd, retrieve our guest from downstairs." The guard left as Manfredd nodded and also left after the soldier. Kiyori did not look happy.

A single pair of smokey eyes watched from the dark corner of the room. Sutri's Shadowling, Lakota, watched carefully everything that Kiyori had planned. He was upset. The Shadowling could see it clearly.

Lakota watched in silence as Kiyori lost his temper and swept his desk clean. Yes, Kiyori was upset by someone new who had just entered the playing field.

Roughwater District

At that same moment

"Well, that's the last of them" Mark said, he watched as Umi and Tamond easily cleaned house of a large squad of Kiyoris footsoldiers. To the point of Umi using one of the soldiers transports as a regulation football and pitching the thing at a squad of soldiers. The ensuing fireball was enough to send most of the soldiers into a panic.

Guns out and blazing the two siblings, their father and Georgina made short work of the remaining soldiers.

"Maybe, where did Tamond go ?" Umi asked, Tamond was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly a sudden BANG rang out down the street, through the flames of the still burning troop transport, Umi could see her brother blowing the barrel of his pistol of smoke. "Nevermind."

Mark was in slight shock when the fight was over. "Umi, right ?" She nodded as he looked at her. He jerked a hand towards the flaming wreckage. "Who taught you how to do that ?"

"You mean who taught me how to improvise ?" Umi asked him

"Yeah, that. Who taught you how to use the enemies stuff against them ? Me, I would have used the stuff in the transport, or at least used the transport with some sense of survivability, in this case, you destroyed the transport when it could have still been of use." Mark all but screamed at the girl who was a good two feet taller then himself.

"I was taught that anything that can be a weapon is a weapon. I was also taught that anything the enemy can use, I can use. But I was also self taught in the sense of ensuring that once a battle was done and my enemy was defeated, they could not use their shit" Umi explained. Mark stood there briefly stupified and lost in thought. Somehow, Umi's training, and self training, mirrored his own self work.

"Ahuh." He said in reply, he lost all sense of anger by then. "So who did you say your mom was ?"

By then, Tamond had returned, he put his Baretta at its place on his leg.. "Mom is named Irie, you have to be dad because only Umi looks like you." He said to Mark

'Tamond right ?" Mark said looking to the smaller man, Mark for once could look down at him.

A little bit.

Tamond nodded. "Yeah, I'm Tamond, she's Umi, I'm guessing we got split up in the portal, again" He said to his sister.

"That's my guess too." Umi said, she knelt next to one of the downed soldiers and wrenched off the helmet. "Oh gross" She grunted, she set the helmet aside. Even though they had slain the soldiers. The work done to make them wear the armor correctly really ruined their faces, hence the visors covering their eyes and forhead.

In this case the ruined face had bloodshot eyes, burnt skin, and what had to be an interface link to the helmet itself. "Oh, I really hope that wasnt Moms technology" Tamond said.

"I doubt Mom could make anything like this" Umi replied. The skin had been peeled from the soldiers forhead, upon the bone was a blood soaked padding that held the helmet in place. Mark grabbed a sheet and draped it over the soldier.

"Alright, now we know what the underside of those helmets look like." Mark grunted, he saw that Georgina looked more then a little bit sick at the sight of the soldier's face. But she held it in rather well. "You're keeping yourself together rather well" Mark mused seeing how Georgina was acting.

"Because these same soldiers I have seen before. Even fought against back home in China." Georgina replied. The soldiers getting recruited were everywhere on the Earth, it seemed only Sacremento and Crescent City were the only two places the soldier recruitment drives were outlawed.

"I see, but then you only saw the outward appearance, not their faces." Umi said as Tamond did a doubletake and hissed.

"Stifle it. We got incoming, and they dont look happy" He said, he took a pair of binoculars briefly from a dead soldier and used it to look down the road.

"How many ?" Umi asked

"I count... thirty six troops, and it looks like they got somebody important with them. They're stopping about six blocks from here. I think its because of the fire." Tamond said, "The lady looks familiar though, but I cant place her name"

"Let me see" Mark said, Tamond passed over the glasses and Mark took a look. A snarl formed upon his lips and he growled.

The High Priest had Blackmane with him, and he was waiting inside the Marketplace distirct.

A plexus portal ripped open to Marks left, Tamond took in the women who stepped from it. One had long silver hair and wore a gown of gorgeous silvery teal. Her left arm covered in dragon scales and what looked like a spread of impact upon her body was also formed in dragon scales. Which made the dress rather pretty in appearance.

The other woman however, made of bones and icelike pieces of magic reformed from the portal. "He has her, and he's coming. I didnt think she would use herself as bait. So do not blame me for it" Xeir told Mark when he glared in her direction.

"Aunt Blackmane is his prisoner, but she cant be modeled. Just looking at her now, whats wrong with her ? She looks sick, like she did when she was carrying Asami" Mark said to the Silver Dragon

"Antimagic." Xeir replied to him. Mark was confused

"What ?" He asked. Antimagic ? Wasnt Blackmane the source of magic like Talak was ?

"Occasionally where we grew up they had these things that killed magical abilities. They were called Antimagic fields. Normally they're naturally occuring, if you're lucky and build a house on such a location, Magic would have no affect inside or outside the house as long as you're within the boundary." Tamond explained. "In this case it might have weakened her to the point of being allowed to get carried to places, given the way the important guy is holding her and is acting, he wants something."

"An exchange" Tiri mused aloud.

"He wants the Shards, and he wants to use Aunt Blackmane as leverage to get them." Mark said

"So ? Give them to him and get Aunt Blackie to safety ?" Umi said

"Its not that easy. We dont want him to have the shards, we havent even found the Bridge to Nowhere yet." Mark said

"Actually we did. On accident" Tiri spoke up, Mark turned towards the Icewraith.

"What do you mean ?" He asked her

"On your recommendation, Xeir and I were searching Blackrock Temple, we found it. Four chains, the works. Everything is there." Tiri explained

"The bridge is rather high in the air however, getting to it wont be easy." Xeir said

"I was not planning on attacking from within the Bridge to Nowhere" Mark started

"Even so, we found the Bridge, and thanks to Topaz, so I hear, we know where the Formation is hidden in the palace." Xeir said

"From what I remember the Formation's doors do not close when the High Priest was using it. There were no guards in that hallway either when Aunt Vaeyuko and I were in the place" Mark said in thought.

The more he thought about it the more he figured it could work. Maybe Xeir was right. "We need to get to the Marketplace Den's conference Room, and fast." Mark said then.

Xeir nodded and a plexus portal formed, ripping a hole in reality, Tamond looked scared. "We're not gonna get launched out of the other end are we ?"

"No" Xeir replied, "This portal is much more stable" As she spoke the other end formed into a conference room. "Lets go, or do you want to see what the High Priest wants ?"

"Lets go in." Mark said, the seven then did so. Umi easily stepping through, her little brother following her. Mark Xeir and Georgina behind them, Tiri chittering as she darted behind Mark.

Arendelle

Marketplace District Den

Conference room section

Seconds later.

With them all in one place, Tamond was estatic. Another man was waiting for the group. "Ah good" Tinker Bill said upon sight of Mark. "I was wondering when you'd get here or if you even would."

"Blame the high priests soldiers" Mark replied, he smiled, Tinker Bill was a good guy when it came to computers. Mark could still see the silver and white pattern on the other Tigris face. "What brings you here ?"

"That" Tinker Bill replied. He pointed towards the holoscreen on the wall, Kiyori had Blackmane at knife to the neck, and Blackmane looked very sick. Mark stepped around the table. "Just judging by the way she looks, her magic is gonna come rushing back and give her one hell of a hangover, or worse."

Mark had to think carefully on things.

He had just been presented with a very dangerous riddle. And there was no easy answer.

Outside the den the High Priest spoke to Blackmane. "I was hoping for some sign of resistance from you, teleportation, or even resistance to my models. And yet, you are weaker then a reed." He said to her.

Blackmane just glowered at him. If she was not in the strong grip of Manfredd, she would have collapsed. Antimagic for too long made her incredibly weak.

"Feeling a little sick ?" Kiyori asked her with a snicker. She growled at him., "Oh hush little kitty, you'll be free soon enough." Turning to Manfredd, "Hold onto her. If she hairballs, wash it off" He said

Kiyori turned towards the Marketplace den's yard. "Anyone home ?" He called out. He started pacing then in thought. "I have someone important to you, and you have something important to me. I suggest a trade"

Inside the den Kiyoris voice was heard clearly. Mark dropped hard into a chair and sighed, staring at the ceiling as Kiyori spoke. He turned as Kiyori continued. "You bring me what I seek, and she goes free unharmed."

Mark hated riddles. And things just got incredibly dangerous.

"Becareful, Mark" Tiri said, Mark looked at her as Tinker Bill along with Tamond were tracking soldier patrols. "Even if you think very carefully on the right choice to make, you will never be sure it was the right choice."

"Yeah, well. Its not your aunt whos currently being used as a trade good" Mark said to her. It was clear he was unhappy.

Xeir smirked. She turned to Umi, "Can you knock some sense into your father ?" She asked the larger woman.

"I would more likely knock it out" Umi said, Mark looked up at her, brief look of horror in his eyes. "Though I do not think mom wants dad damaged" Mark sighed in relief.

Xeir laughed, her clear laughter rang in the room. It was just what Mark needed. He stood up and started pacing. "Alright, what do we have that Kiyori wants ? How does he know about the Shards or that we have them ?"

"Its possible people have been dropping hints ?" Xeir replied. Mark looked at her sharply.

"You didnt" He started, she smiled, tongue in cheek as she looked coyly back at him. "Ok so you did let slip we had all six shards. How did he know to come here ?" She shrugged, she did not let that information slip. Then again the Assassin's worked the most out of that den to begin with. So it was possible onlookers knew of its location.

Mark sighed. He hated this kind of riddle. "So, what are you going to do ?"

"If we do not give him the shards, Aunt Blackmane will get horribly sick, and more then likely get killed while sick." Mark said in thought.

On the screen the High Priest called out, "I am waiting. I am not a patient man" Mark snarled.

The last thing he wanted was to give what they had, the only thing to repair the formation they possessed. And yet, to give him those shards was like giving someone the most powerful tools to mainkind at which point it would be a disaster. He could not think too long on the subject. Even if he focused on what he felt was the right choice, he could overthink it.

He rubbed his chin. Turning to Xeir he said to her. "Can you open a portal behind his group ? I will take the shards to him. From behind, in the meantime. I want Umi and Tamond to rescue Aunt Blackmane the instant the High Priest has the shards. Judging by look of the big guy holding Aunt Blackmane, try and be gentle with him." he said to Umi, who nodded.

Mark schooped up the six shards from the table where they floated as Xeir opened a portal to the street outside, behind the High Priests large unit of soldiers.

Outside the den Blackmane finally found her voice. "It seems they dont have what you want"

"It might be that way." Kiyori said thoughtfully. He turned to the dens yard and shout again. "Are you going to come out, or do I have to kill your witch here in the street ?"

A voice broke in from behind. "I am right right, Kiyori" The High Priest turned at the voice, seeing Mark stepping into the street from a side alley. "You do know you look hilarious screaming at a empty yard, right ?"

"Insolence! Outlander! You have what I want!" Kiyori said to him, pointing an accusing finger at him

"Maybe, but I can see clearly that you have what I want as well." Mark said in reply.

"A trade then ?" Kiyori offered.

"My Aunt, for these" He held up the shards. Kiyori stared at the six shards of glass in Marks hand.

"Deal!" The High Priest said as he started walking towards Mark

"Let my aunt go, and I will give you these shards" Mark said. Kiyori by that point had gotten. Kiyori waved his hand, as if saying to let Blackmane go.

"Your aunt is free to go, Outlander." Kiyori told him. "Though after what I want is completed, I am notr sure how much longer you, or her, will have left." By that point the high priest was within arms reach of Mark.

A brief comotion was had behind Kiyori as Umi and Tamond appeared out of nowhere and briefly tussled with some of the soldiers present. "It appears you have your aunt back already." Kiyori told Mark, as he never turned to look at the comotion behind himself, there was a smirk on the mans face. "I am rather surprised you're able to walk after our fight, I quite truly hoped you would be dead from falling out of that window."

Mark simply sneered at the man, holding out the shards. Kiyori took them, and briefly both men struggled for control over the shards before Mark let them go. "You are a good man, Outlander. Shame though, now that I have these you wont last much longer" Kiyori turned and wityh the unit of soldiers splitting in half barked an order. "Dedstroy them. Make their deaths as painful as you can"

Within moments it was complete bedlam as destruction rained. Within a minute Tamond was reloading his baretta and Umi was dusting off her hands. Blackmane was being helped to her feet as her cord holding her hands was snapped by Mark. Allowing her hands to be free.

"You shouldnt have given the man those shards. Mark." She said softly. She then turned aside and threw up as she became horribly sick as her magic came rushing back.

"What do you mean ?" Mark asked, he helped his aunt into the Den, Umi and Tamond following after ensuring the street was clear. Tamond took up a post at the front window and kept an eye out for other patrols. Mark took Blackmane down a flight of stairs to the sofa in the room below.

"The High Priest will repair the Formation, once he does, he will control everything from fate, to time." Blackmane told him as she was helped onto the sofa.

"Yeah, that's what Xeir said, there is something else though." Mark said to her

"What ?" Blackmane asked him

"Well, Irie apparently had kids, the one by the window, that's Tamond, the big lady is Umi. And... you're new" Mark said seeing Severian offering Umi a slice of pizza

"I'm Severian, After these two are Hiriko who is in the bathroom drying off and changing into dry clothing, and then Gwenn and Alethra, you'll know Ale, she's moms mini-me, so to speak. Whereas Umi is yours." Severian replied to Mark while introducing himself.

"Ah" Mark replied, he turned back to his aunt and made sure she was comfortable. "I am happy I guess that you were his prisoner for what ? Twelve hours ?"

"Feels like twelve days" Blackmane said, "A bit of food and I'll be fine" She said, really that was all she needed, even though she just pitched out what she had for breakfeast on the street outside.

"We got pizza!" Asami said showing up at the railing on the main floor. Then she saw the condition her mother was in. "Whoa, Mom, who did you fight with ?"

"Not now, Asami, just, bring me some slices would you ?" Blackmane said, Mark smiled, standing up from the sofa he turned towards the fireplace. Did he do the right thing ?

Xeir stepped into the room from the Assassin area of the structure. Mark was unhappy, and Blackmane looked starving. "Hello Blackmane" Xeir said to the woman. Blackmane smiled in greeting to the Dragon.

"I take it you are the reason that Mark chose to give Kiyori the shards ?" Blackmane said to Xeir.

Who shook her head. "No, Mark chose on his own of what to do, were it under different circumstances things would have been different. If we must, I can open a portal back to the Mythic Realm and get all of us safely there."

"Doubt it would work, once Kiyori repairs the Formation, he will have complete and total control over everything, and not just Arendelle." Blackmane went on to explain what Kiyori had told her. He wanted to dominate the world. Forget Arendelle, he wanted to spread his power. Control everything he possibly could. Maybe even control death.

"You said that when the Formation was repaired he could control everything, from the fate of the free world, to time itself, right ?" Mark said

Blackmane nodded. "Yes, that is right" She said to him. "But it is also not that simple, you see. Kiyori will be able to turn back time, as well as go forwards in time. But he wont be able to see past his own death."

"And that will be his undoing" Mark said simply.

"And even then it wont be easy. He wont be able to see who kills him, he will see that I fight him, but not if I kill him or not" Xeir said.

"He has the shards now. In the mean time, until we know for sure that our fate is tied to the Formation, we can rest tonight. Tomorrow will be hard fought." Mark said, everyone agreed, they had a long night ahead of them, though they all doubted they could sleep if at all.