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

4. Elsa Eight Days: 4th Day

Frozen Memories – 1.8 Bridge

Hidden Past – Back Cover

Nara entered the broken and rotting library of the old manor. Why the place was built above the advanced laboratory only DiT knew. Nara then knew what DiT even meant. Darkness in Time. DiT was a smart minded woman. Clothed in a odd assortment of red and gray and gridlike pattern clothing. Her head wrapped in similar colored bandages, allowing a single eye to be seen, along with her mouth calmly seated at within the rotted room upon a musty old high backed chair

Nara sat down across from her, his hood once more up and cover his face. "Why did you let Marion see the cable car station and tracks ?" Nara asked

"Because they missed the trip to the other island cities of Scala ad Caelum" DiT replied rather calmly, giving Nara a look, she had never revealed her true name itself

"And the Wolf Queen ?" Nara asked seemingly unpeterbed by DiT's answer

"She too is affected by Elsa and the others and their memories" DiT said "When the time is right you will force her from the sim, but until then. You are to ensure that no further incursions occur."

"Why are you in here instead of working the sim ?" Nara asked, all he got in reply from DiT was more laughter. This was going to take some getting used to.

Elsa Eight Days

The 4th Day

15 June 1986

Scala ad Caelum

Dawn

One year ago

Klank, klank, klank

Sparks sprang as a hammer cracked against stubborn metal. The Forge burned white hot as the young smith worked it. The last seventeen years had helpd shape Scala ad Caelum for the better. Each day spent either with the other kids, or working in the forge. Whoosh...whoosh... whoosh The forges burned night and day, never stopping, there was always someone working them at all hours of each day. Every single forge was working the last year alone with two people each, and four at the smelters.

At a nearby lamp and desk a young woman wrote in a journal. She'd kept it since her adoption eighteen years before; mostly because she wanted to remember everything she had gone through. And the last eighteen years were mostly painful to say in the least. And yet, she had a wonderful older brother who had saved her life eighteen years before, a wonderful mothere and father that took her in, and two loving adoring sisters whom she doted on whenshe could.

All in all, she felt blessed to be in that city. iKlank, klank, klank, ding a ling ding.../i Setting down the pen, the woman ran a hand through her brilliant long platinum blonde hair. It went to her waist, kept in a long single braid most of the time and made her downright beautiful she set the journal aside as someone not from Scala ad Caelum came in for a weapons order of some form. A merchant by the look of him. The man was no nonsense and he paid well. Looking at the man with sapphire eyes the young woman said "Can I help you ?"

"I believe so young lady" The merchant replied, he took out a few drawings rolled up in a scroll. "Its been said that those of the Wolfe Clan can make any weapon, even if they see it in a piece of art, is this correct ?"

Xeir nodded, "It is correct" She said, setting her slender hands on the counter as her brother worked the forges behind her. "What are you after ?"

"These" The man said, handing her a scroll, "I was requested to order ten of each" there were seven total drawings. And the man was after ten of each piece. Elsa opened the first one of the scrolls, a dagger, simple in design. yes this could be easily done

"Seventy weapons in total. How soon ?" Xeir asked him

"As soon as possible, I do not mind it one bit if I must stay at the Inn while the order is filled; the requestor of this order specified for you or him... to make the weapons, after seeing one that glowed with an unearthly blue hue, we want them all to be the same." The Merchant replied. Taztan loved acting. and Kethends plan now called for weapons to be made by the girl herself.

For seventeen years the Shadowlings kept news from reaching Scala ad Caelum of the disappearance of the Princesses of Arendelle. And likewise kept all news of the girls surviving in that war ready village from reaching the kingdom. But now however it was time to get things truly rolling. So, seventy weapons made by the girl, the blonde one with ice magic, like she had recently started doing about seven months before. The ice the woman added to the weapons made them harder, with a keener edge that never chipped. And oddly made them lighter.

And lately, the Wolfe Clan was sought for such weapons as gifts or pieces of extreme art. The blades that Xeir made fetched a very high price that made her parents proud of her and her sister since their arrival.

"They'll be done in about two weeks considering what you want in total here" Bows, battleaxes, maces, greatswords, longsswords, shortswords, even spears and halberds were on the scrolls. "For the weapons to be truly battle ready at minimum, two weeks. Best make yourself to home at the Dancing Mug if you intent to wait, but if you have business to attend to outside of Scala ad Caelum, I can have the weapons ready or shipped to your next destination city or encampment" Xeir said, laying out the scrolls one by one on the counter. Taking in each weapon on them. Each one drawn by Kethend herself "Is there anything particular you want with these blades ? they look pretty generic for what we do here" Xeir told the man

"According to rumor and of what my employer had observed, she seeks each blade to look and appear very basic, but to have a glowing blue hue to them as well, as if enchanted or cold of some kind upon them; the blade was quite light she had said, she wants these seventy to be likewise. Can you do this ?" Basically the man, Taztan acting as a merchant guilder, was asking Xeir to use her ice magic to make each blade keener, lighter, and enchanted with frost damage magic.

While Xeir talked with Taztan, Mark was just dipping the still hot mold of his new sword into the vat of cold water, the audible ihisssssssss/i filling the room with steam as well as he held the sword there for a good minute before removing it from the water and observing it, lightly running his fingertips along the blade to check for any imperfections. If he was satisfied with how it felt, he then brought the still warm metal to his face, smelling it; if he didn't like the smell, he'd toss it back into the fires. There were rumors around Scala ad Caelum that Mark would also taste the blades he made; but those were preposterous; the blades he made were so sharp that his hands were littered with cuts from simply brushing against the blades.

For now the blade passed his inspection, so he placed it on top of the anvil with the hammer crossed over where the hilt still needed to go; his sign that he was not finished making it yet, and one that none in the family touched that anvil or anything around it unless he said they could. Mark was a very muscular man now; his muscles toned and compacted from all the years of training with his weapons and from forging new weapons.

He grabbed a towel from a vat of cold water and washed his face and neck while coming out into the shop where Elsa was talking with the strange merchant. As he did this, Marion came down the stairs and patted his back as she went into the forge, checking on some metal that she'd had in the smelter for a few days now and grumbling to herself as it proved harder to smelt than she had thought. "Mark! We need more heat in this smelter!" She called out.

"You know how to do it yourself; you're a big girl now!" Mark replied. After an annoyed growl from Marion, Mark rolled his eyes. "Tell ya what, if I approve of the blade I'm working on right now, and don't see the need to reforge it, you can use mine; I always keep it hotter than everyone elses, anyway." He said calmly. Perhaps that was why he had to reforge so many blades; the temperature was too high while dipping it into the water and it caused imperfection; but then again, that is why Mark did it. He made some of the strongest swords from Warforge; bested by only his Father's and Xeir's skills.

With that, Mark went back towards his forge and tested out his blade a few more times in various ways he'd perfected over the years. "Hmm...not sharp enough." He said, slicing into the hot coals of his smelter for about a minute, bringing up a white-hot blade and pounding away at the anvil for what seemed like five minutes before submerging it again. After a while, he deemed it perfect, and began work on attatching the hilt of the sword, along with the actual handle.

For a long moment Xeir looked at the scrolls that ha the weapons drawn on them, then back to the merchant. "Yes, I can do that." She told the man, who nodded, She spotted her father stepping into view and smiled. "Payment for these weapons is in whatever currencey you have, as is our custom here" Scala ad Caelum had acrued a literal vault worth billions over the years hidden under the vast island city that continued to grow. She nodded to her father, he could take over the payment options allowing her to get to work. Taking up the scrolls she rolled them up and went to the back part of the now massive smithy.

"Who was that ?" Charity, her mother, asked seeing her come back to the forges with a single scroll of paper in hand, she had rolled all the scrolls into one.

"A merchant seeing my weapons. Wanted a few" Xeir replied. After seventeen years she had grown strong, like her brother and sisters. Both because of the constant training, and the working at the forges the family owned; when it became clear they needed another forge, then a third they built them as needed, and sooner still they needed even more smelters as well!

Xeirs swords and spears, and that of her brother fetched a very high price on the weapons market in several cities to the east and south. Twice in the last year alone generals came to the city island of Scala ad Caelum looking for weapons of the best possible quality. And found that desire at the forgs of Xeir and her elder brother Mark; the third forge their mother and younger sisters used. their father, Marcus handled all the money needs.

As it was, the Wolfe family had nothing to want for.

"Are you sure it is wise ?" Charity then asked. seeing the scrolls and the desired efects of the weapons; She knew of her daughters ice magic, Xeir had made items of art as a child in their home they also sold as part of their weapons dealing the city did. But when Xeir started adding the ice to her swords she made, be they for art, or for combat; people sought after them for their beauty, and deadliness.

"Mother, the guy requested weapons for his employer" Xeir replied, "Papa's handling the payment from him right now" In truth Xeir was nervous, but she never let it show, she had seen how Jake had been conditioned against pain on her first full day with her parents and brother and sister; and the very next day she knew she had to go through the same pain. But Mark was amazingly gentle, and knew exactly what he was doing.

Charity smiled; "As long as you're sure." The citizens of Scala ad Caelum never asked questions to those who wanted weapons; hell, they could easily outfit a private army and completely stay out of aforementioned private army's affairs, every weapon came at a price, judging what this merchants employer was after, each sword alone was nearly ten silver shards, or one gold bar, whichever was more valued at the time. Mostly they recived gemstones of extreme value in exchange for the weapons.

Marcus looked at the order and the specifications of each weapon and nodded. "I see. Well, if they were normal weapons, they'd be about... 10 silver shards each; but these are specialty items, you see. Price goes up; I'd say... 25 Silver Shards, or 5 Arendellian Gold, if you've got it on you." He explained. He then totaled it all up. "Now, there are a few payment methods, " He started. "You can pay for it all right now up front. Or you can pay with the completion of each weapon, or you may pay in bulk when they are all finished. Either way you will get your money's worth." Marcus said, looking at the man before him with a calm, and simple eye. "What'll it be ?" he asked again, his voice mirroring his calm demeanor.

"All up front" Taztan replied calmly, he smiled, "Its all on my horses outside" he said, finalising the deal on the spot. The sooner he got rid of the hot money the safer he'd be. After all he had to meet up with Masor, Nymeth and Belyrr outside town to spread the rumor as desired. A few moments later and the gold was neatly stacked on the counter

Xeir set up her workspace; as she did so she picked up her journal, the wind and heat from the forges and smelters blew it open to the first page. Her eyes fell on it and she read it. Remembering the past. Her first full day with her brother, and training in the battles with the other kids, Meeting Malik, Jake, Trustin, Junipre, and all the other kids

Seventeen years ago

Scala ad Caelum

15 June, 1969

Dawn

Xeir was not used to this; all this attention. At least as far as she could remember; She was nervous. And something about the heat of the forge and smelters drew her to them like a moth to porchlight. And yet, Mark, her older brother, was a gentle boy, he'd saved her life, and that of her sister two days before! And now he was teaching her how to defend herself! And where else to start that task then in the huge blacksmith shop and forge ? Surrounded by weapons of all kinds, daggers, knives, axes, short swords, longswords, bows, spears, halberds, polearms, shields, even maces and macxes were on racks everywere for sale!

It was just the two of them, and their father working the forge. the store was closed for the day. to allow the two to train one on one. For that week, Charity had taken over for her son in training the other kids in their battles. Mark stood across from Xeir, a simple wooden practice sword in his hand for now while Xeir had a real short sword in her hand. "Please tell me you at least know how a sword works?" he giggled at his attempt at teasing Xeir. "Of course you do, silly! Now, come! Attack me! The best way to learn is through combat!" He said, assuming a defensive stance.

With him using a wooden practise sword, Elsa held a actual blade in her small hands; the sword, at first quite heavy, felt strangely lighter. It must have been a play on her by her mind or something, but she thought little of it as her brother took her through the basics. She knew what a sword was for, but that was it, never having used one, at least, as far as she could remember. She gave her brother a confused look, "Attack you ? With this ?" He had a wooden blade, it wouldn't stand up to a actual sword would it ? She sighed and nodded, "Ok!"

With each attack, Mark reacted, and made sure Xeir's form was correct so she wasn't using too much energy to move properly, he didn't bombard her immeidately with everything she did wrong; he was mature enough to know that that wasn't the proper way to teach someone anything. Mark spent dang near the whole day with Xeir just letting her attack him and having him defend, and occasionally let her cut his leather armor just so she knows where she should strike for the quickest kill, and what it would feel like to a point. "And when you get real good, you'll be able to make your own sword!" Mark said as helped her with some basic strikes to the shoulder.

She struck at Mark rather clumsy in her stance and technique, but Mark was there to help her get her proper footing. And for that she was thankful. She steadied herself and struck again, a little sharper, a bit more balanced, but still a bit clumsy for her liking. But, over the course of the day Xeir got better. A few times she had to defend herself, and a few marks she had made on her brother. Finally they halted when Marion came in with a huge bundle of metals she and the other kids had found with their mother just north of the city.

Xeir lowered her weapon, She found herself remembering the day before. How quick and well aimed and timed Marions strikes were with two swords. So she said "Why not now ?" Meaning making her weapons. Rather then using a full sized weapon now, she could make and grow with her own weapons couldn't she ? Then she spotted it, a drawing of a sword. Perfect! She nodded towards the old drawing, a few decades old by the look of it "Did that ever get made ?"

"No, it didn't, little one." the voice of Marcus called from behind; he'd been watching for quite some time, making sure Mark didn't overstimulate Xeir with everything at once. He got up and looked at the drawing of the sword. "Your mother drew that as a child, if I remember correctly. She never did manage make it, nor could she find anyone who could." He explained, smiling to Xeir. "They kept saying that the design was too complex, there was no way for it to get made and then be anything more than something to display."

He considered the thought for a second while Mark just stared at the drawing of the sword; sure he'd seen it before, but never really payed any attention to it. His mothers drawing ability was flowing and soft, sharp edges, smooth curves. Marcus then smiled and gently rustled Xeir's hair with his hand. "Tell you what, you choose the metal, and we'll teach you how to forge it." He said. "Then, we'll teach you to use it. How's that sound?" He asked, kneeling down to get to head height with his daughter, a big smile on his face.

Xeirs face scrunched up into a thoughtful expression. Pick the metal, and then make the sword, and then learn to use it. She could do that. She pointed her free hand at the drawing, "I want to make it!" If her mother had drawn it intending to make it in the past, but never given the chance to do so, then why not do it now befor the drawing got to be too old ? But it was the next thing she said that was sure to make anyone stare at her confused. "I want to make two of them"

Outside as she oversaw the many children of the city; Charity felt something of shock, and confusion wash over her briefly. A smile appeared on her face. iXeir must have knocked Mark off his feet/i, she assumed. Boy was she wrong! i'Dearest, is something wrong ?'/i Charity though to her husband. Locking minds with her beloved Marcus, something they could do and none else could figure out, it was as if they were one soul in two bodies they loved each other so much

Marcus looked suprised himself when Xeir said she wanted to make two of the swords, and it was at that moment that Charity contacted him though their mental link. i'No, my love, nothing is wrong. Well... perhaps you may want to know that your daughter wishes to make two of the concept swords you drew as a child ?'/i Marcus chuckled softly and patted Xeir's back.

i'You were shocked ?'/i Charity replied, nothing was wrong... i'So she found my old drawing. I thought I had lost it when we married. This is good then, let her make them. I for one want to see them made, even if I am not to use the sword I drew on paper so long ago'/i Chairty replied, her mindvoice soft, and very joyful sounding

"You can make however many you want; now then, let's choose a metal! Remember, first and formost, Xeir, that the right metal can mean the difference between life and death on the battlefield." He said, standing up and gently taking the framed drawing from the wall, and taking it into the forge where Marion had just finished placing all of the metals in their proper places on the rack.

Marcus gestured to the freshly placed metals and smiled at Xeir. "Go on, you may choose any metal you want, but choose carefully!" he said, placing the framed drawing on a small table within the forge.

Xeir followed along side Mark to the back part of the shop where the single forge was kept. All sorts of metals of various colors and legnths hung on racks back there to be worked on. First thing was first. Pick the right metal. Again here face scrunched up in thought as she tried to think of what metal would make the swords look both beautiful, and sharp like the one Mark had her use just moments before.

Finally her sapphire eyes settled on a long pair of almost pure white metal. In fact it looked more like glass over metal, and yet, she pointed it out. A strange metal brought to Scala ad Caelum decades ago when Charity's older brother was born. None of the smiths thought it proper to use such beautiful metal and merely kept it hidden until Marion brought it in. The white metal as Xeir touched it was cold to the touch, yet looked strong and light. She picked up both in her hands after giving the sword to her brother. Finally after a moment as if testing their weight, she nodded and turned to her father. "Will these do ?"

The metal she had chosen, was iDuradaeden/i

Marcus's eyes widened at Xeir's selection of metal, and then they narrowed, picking up the extremely rare metals, he eyed it cautiously. "Xeir... I hate to take back my word, but even I can't make anything from this metal; no one can..." He said. "Perhaps when you are older, and are more experienced... but not now, not this metal. In fact, if you want, I can keep this in the family vault so you'll never lose it." He said, his voice calm, yet with a sense of sorriness to it, too.

Mark was currently touching the different metals, considering what he'd use for the new sword he wanted to make for himelf. He'd only made two swords previously, so in terms of teaching Xeir to forge, he wouldn't be able to do it all that well, but he was sure Marion or their father could.

For some weird reason, Xeir was unable to explain it if at all. But she could isee/i the swords completely finshed of the brilliant glasslike metal. Pure beauty, in her hands. She nodded however when her father said he could safely store it in the family vault; so as she grew in skill, and with her magic. Was she sad ? No, was she disappointed ? Maybe. But the thought of her getting more skilled. She nodded "Yes, please Papa, put it in the vault as you suggested. We can keep it safe there. Maybe someday soon I can make the swords from that metal" There were two long rods of the stuff, naturally formed from something, a merchant had traded the strange metal for a sword, both strange long bars of white steel for a longsword nearly sixty years before.

She spied two more, darker more common metals and picked up two, this could make a good pair of blades. She thought. Looking to the drawing again she smiled. "I think I can make the first two from these!" She held up the more common reddish white metal in her hands; The metal that Marions swords were made of. She held two of them, like the two pieces of iduradaeden/i she had chosen for the final blade. iWith these metals,/i she mused thoughtfully, iI can make my swords and grow them with me, and when the time is right, Papa can help me forge my own swords that we wont sell! Those swords, that metal, I can do this, but papa is right, I cant do it now, I have to learn!/i

With that thought she felt the weight of the two more common pieces of metal she had picked out. "These two" She said, "I'll use these two first. and when the time comes, Papa, who knows what I can do with those pieces" She nodded at the two pieces of pearlwhite glasslike steel in her fathers hands

Marcus smiled at his daughter's agreement with him, and he gently ruffled her hair. "Atta girl. Now then..." he waited for her second selection, and smiled again. "A good choice, my dear! Why, your little sister Marion uses that metal for her swords!" he said. He then cleared his throat and got the proper tools ready. "First step to forging, Xeir, is to break the metal you want into workable peices so that they'll fit into this bowl. That way they it can melt, and you can continue the process." he explained, lifting Xeir onto a stable stool for her to sit on so she could watch how to break the metal into small chunks. "Here, take the chunks and put them in the bowl" he said instructing her on how to do it, the bowl was made of clay and could be broken apart at the right time, it had a rode of steel holding it however , wanting to involve his daughter so she didn't feel left out.

Xeir watched as her father broke the metal she had selected into smaller narrow pieces and handed each to her in turn, she placed each in the bowl as intructed, finding that by creating a pattern for the steel to melt into made things far easier, and also would make the metal stronger, both bowls were filled with the pieces of metal and with a little bit of help she managed to get the two massive bowls next to the smelter without spilling them over.

After that, Marcus took the tongs and closed them around the first bowl of broken shards of metal, and handed the handles to Elsa. "Alright then, now what you wanna do, is place the bowl into a deep part of the smelter so that the metal can melt down. The fire wont harm the clay until we take it out to begin work on the stretching and folding process" He said. "It may take a day or two to melt though, so be prepared to wait!" he added softly, letting Xeir do this step by herself.

Waiting two days, yeah she could handle that, she had Mark to keep her busy, or was that Marion now that she revealed she wanted to use two swords ? It didn't matter now, she was happy, and excited about what was going on. she'd have plenty to do while waiting. But then she remembered that Mark used a sword and shield while she used a sword, and that Marion had no shield because of the two blades she used. So she asked "If use two swords; who teaches me to use them right ?" It wasn't that she wanted to be like Marion, but she did admire her sister and brother greatly. So if both her siblings could teach her and Diamond whaat they could before they joined in with the rest of the children in their battles on the lawn. She could benefit from both 'teachers'

Marcus looked to Xeir as she asked her question, and thought for a second. "Both Mark and Marion will teach you to use your swords. Marion will teach you the basics and how to use them against another person with two swords, and Mark will teach you how to overwhelm someone who uses only one by letting you beat the crap out of him." He explained softy to his daughter. He saw marion watching from the doorway, and Mark by his own forge "Now then, the three of you can run along and have some fun; I'll watch over your metal for you." he said, hugging her gently and then playfully shooing her away so she could enjoy herself.

Xeir smiled and nodded, So they had not to worry for that evening; which meant she and Mark, and Diamond... wait no Diamond was with mother wasn't she ? Xeir couldn't remember where her sister had gone off to, Diamond was so intent on learning with the other kids while Xeir was nervous of getting harmed at the time. So Mark had her for the day. Which actually, even though Xeir did get a few bruises and scrapes, she actually enjoyed it. When else had she been able to just get down and dirty, was that the right term ? she wondered, it didn't matter. Xeir actually enjoyed it, here brother teaching her, holding a sword, she enjoyed it all!

So with that thought she turned towards Mark as Marion had left back to the kids. They were on their own for the late afternoon and early evening befor dinner so that meant, what to do next ? She could tell her brother was curious of her snow and ice, so maybe there was someplace she could show off ? Wait, could she show off ? Did their parents even know... well, their mother did, as Diamond had told Charity of Xeirs magic, which actually was quite pretty. So she was sure her parents knew and trusted her to learn and let it grow nicely as she grew up.

She looked to Mark, as if asking "Now what ?" But she really wondered not 'what' but "where do we go from here ?" She didn't want to stay indoors; but she could tell Mark was curious of her ice, and the cloth she held onto constantly. She never let that cloth out of her sight. There was also the question of how she was able to tackle her brother clean off his feet two nights before as well

That night in the Wolfe Compound

After the last few hours of being shown the vast city island of Scala ad Caelum, Xeir and Mark were finally in their bedroom, the room they now shared for the time being, atl east until Milia returned and either said yes or no to having a sister share her bedroom, she was used to having it alone, with Marion having her own room with Diamond, that left Xeir stuck with Mark, but both kids knew it was for the best given how well they got along; they barely knew each other three days and they got along like they knew each other all their lives.

But there was one thing on their minds at that moment, with the door closed. Elsa kept making stuff out of snow, little models, once or twice, a sword like in the drawing from their mother, but none of it lasted more then a few seconds to a minute at best; That was when Xeir asked a interesting question of her brother. In this case, one Diamond had once asked her not so long ago, but she had forgotten completely. "Do you want to make a snowman ?"

Mark was in the middle of tucking himself into the covers when Xeir asked him that question, and he sat up, blinking at her. He looked around his room and then remembered something about ice magic, and then blinked a few times again. "Does it have to be a snowman ?" he asked. "I mean, like...can it be smaller ?" he asked, getting out from under the covers to join Xeir atop their shared bed, unhindered by the blankets as he sat across from her.

He blinked once more and shrugged. "Sure, I guess...if it doesn't make a mess." He smiled, giggling softly at his sister, and at the idea of a snowman walking casually down the hall way to freak out thier parents. "Do it, do it!" he whispered; they were supposed to be asleep, but now Xeir had him excited! There was no way he could sleep now!

She gave him a sidelong glance, but nodded, Forgetting for the moment that she was seated on the bed, and there was no wall behind her for support she leaned back and pouted at her brother when he asked her if it had to be a snowman, with a startled "whoa!" She fell off the bed, but never hit the floor as she landed in a soft fluffy pile of snow on the floor, which quickly melted as if it had never been there when she climbed back onto the bed

"Sure! I think I can make a small one!" She said thoughtfully. Now how to, oh yes! She remembered, with a flick of her tiny wrists; and a rather sudden sneeze later, four large-ish snowballs landed on the bed, along with four tiny ones. She watched, facinated as her own magic got to work on its own, assembling two small snowmen, complete with eyes and legs and mouthes, but no arms, or actual noses, they weren't that big either, about the size of their pillows at best. "Ok, make that two small snowmans..." She said joyfully

But when she reached to pick one of them up, it sprang away and bounced into Mark. "Wait... what ?" Xeir asked, confused as both little snowmen came alive right before her and her brothers eyes and scampered atop the bed with them. Xeir looked at her hands, confused, was her mind playing tricks on her ? Or was this really happening ? She looked to Mark, if he was seeing what she was seeing right then, then no, her mind was not playing tricks on her, did he see them too ?

He watched her as she focused and started to make the snowmen. As she sneezed, he giggled at how cute it was, but then looked in wonder as the snowballs assembled themselves and then started to run around the bed, his eyes and head turning to follow their movements as he occasionally tried to grab one while giggling happily. Forget about going to bed! It was time for fun!

Of course...the fun wouldn't last long, as Charity opened the door, the small snowmen vanished, and Mark quickly scurried under the covers as if scared for his life while Chairty merely stared at Xeir, who remained on top of the covers; she didn't know all of the rules yet, it seemed.

Maybe they had laughd a bit loud ? Xeir thought as the two tiny snowmen vanshed under their bed to hide as Mark dove under the covers. What the ? Then she saw why, "Oh, hi mom" Xeir looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a datacar, but it didn't matter, Charity was well aware that Xeir couln't sleep, as she wasn't able to sleep the night before either until very late.

"Xeir, honey, its late, I thought I heard laughing; were you trying to wake up Mark ?" Sure this week he was only to teach Xeir, and not worry of being up so early if she slept in. he could soon get her used to waking up at sunup with their mother

She had to think quick, she knew her parents knew of her ice magic; she had showed it off briefly. So it wasn't related to that was it. Could she tell her mother about the snowmen she just made by sneezing ? So she told the mostly truth. "I can't sleep." Which was true, which was also why she asked Mark if he wanted to make a snowman to begin with.

Charity smiled, "I have something for you sweetie" She said, briefly leaving the door, which allowed both tiny snowmen to scamper from their bedroom into the main part of the house, Charity quickly returned with something, since Xeir was able to write, that came natural to anyone her age, she handed her now eldest daughter a journal, with a pen. "This is for you, I always kept a journal of my doings and important events. Your father told me over dinner while you and Mark were in the market that you wanted to make a pair of swords from my old drawing. I think, to document that time from which you began your journey to making those swords out of your chosen metals"

Xeir took the journal in her hands and nodded, "Thank you mother" She said, she let her mother then tuck her into bed next to Mark. But only one question was then on their minds

How in the world were they going to explain two tiny snowmen no bigger than their fathers forging mallet scampering around the house ?

-8-8-8-

A memory within a memory, it was remarkable to create, and even harder to ensure it remained meshed and navigatible. All in all, DiT Smiled in spite of herself, she had somehow managed to bring most of Xeirs lost memories and dreams back into play. But it wasnt enough. Nara had been within the pod room for many days lately and it made the woman at the computer nervous for what she sought. What Nara sought DiT though she knew. But was very wrong. He wasnt staring at Xeirs pod, nor was he staring at Princess Anna's pod. He was staring at Marions pod. It was as if the only way to know the woman was there was to be actually looking at her directly.

For a long moment DiT felt sorry for the man, Nara she knew held something dear to him that belonged to Marion. In this case, Diamond. DiT Did noit worry too much over the fact that Nara spent more and more time within the Pod Room as it was nicknamed. The past year had been an interesting case. DiT still had to grill Nara lon his methods for waking them up however. Allowing Marion to leave the City Island they lived on to explore the other island cities for answers was not exactly DiTs plan of action. But there was little she could do regarding it overall.

DiT knew exactly what Nara was going through, he couldnt feel Diamond, Anna, Xeir or Mark in his heart, he didnt know they were present unless looking directly at them. Infact if one had to choose, DiT would have left them in their sleep. But no, she wanted vengence, and there was still a lot left to do before they could wake up properly

In the present

Scala ad Caelum

15 June 1986

Xeir smiled and closed the journal, she had kept it, each day she wrote her progress, with her brother, her sisters, the swords she'd made each day with her father and mother. And each day she got closer and closer to using that strange glasslike ice cold beautiful metal her father had safely stored away. Waiting for the right time. Seveneen years was a long time to wait, but somehow she felt ready. With her latest swords now finished, she just had to make the hilts for them when she was reqested of the order

She stared at her twin swords, both blades were thin, and long. Possibly the longest swords ever meant to be a longsword without being a greatsword or a two handed sword. But these swords, their design their length, everything about these two swords Xeir made were spiecal weapons. They were designed to be used as pair, never just a single blade. Always as a pair, one in each hand. These weapons were so unique that Xeir constantly reworked them, she sharpened them, and once a week she made them longer, or brighter, or stronger.

But the last week or so she was unable to get the idea of making her favorite swords, but of that beautiful glasslike metal. Maybe now she could do it ? At the rate things were going, she could turn out a sword from a drawing within two days! Even in bulk if she had to! So with that in mind she closed her journal and set it aside, briefly touching the locket on her neck. One day about a year before her cloth, her security blanket of sorts, went missing. She was unable to sleep that night, but the next morning she found it on her nightstand in her bedroom she shared with her brother; they still shared their bedroom; evne when offered Milias old bedroom when she moved to a city called Damascus, Xeir refused, prefereing to be with her brother. Somehow, she felt safest there.

Nevertheless, that stange velvet cloth was now inside a locket, but spread and uncut, the locket merely holding it like a necklace around her neck. Oddly it was unscathed from all the heat in the forges and smelters, she fingered it briefly before nodding to herself. To her mother and older brother she said "I need a minute, I'll be right back." She turned and went into the shop where her father was counting out the payment from the merchant.

"Papa; There's something I need to tell you, or rather, ask you" She said, it wasn't another 'snowgie' as Diamond called them, they were so cute when they woke up that morning and found the two tiny snowmen in bed with them after Elsa had made them the night before going to sleep

Marcus turned to look to Xeir as she entered the room; having literally just finished counting the payment to make sure it was exact. He had aged well over the past seventeen years; not too many age wrinkles on his face, and a deep, hearty voice that just seemed to make everyone happy. He'd hadn't gotten fat, nor did he stay the same, either. In fact, he actually got a little skinnier as he had to work the forges less as Mark was always doing it for him. "Yes, my dear? What is it?" He asked, standing and smiling at his daughter as she walked into the room. He then held a finger up. "This isn't about the snowgies is it? I swear if one of those has gotten into the forge-" he shook his head. "No, that's silly; they'd melt before even getting close; Mark's forge is much too hot for them." He muttered to himself. That was another trait he gained as he aged; thoughtfulness, and talking to himself. He was almost constantly muttering something to himself; plans for more swords, mostly, occasionally plans to expand the forge, more actual forges and smelters, more access to metals, etc.

He then cleared his throat and then turned his attention back to Xeir. "Anyway, yeah, what is it, dearest daughter?" He asked her, smiling.

She shook her head, no it was not about the Snowgies. Rather then answer right away she opened the journal and showed her father the page where she had drawn her mothers sword drawing almost perfectly. "Papa, The last few days, week mostly I think, I haven't stopped thinking of this, wanting to make these of the original metal I chose." She knew her father would know best when she could forge such a rare metal, with the right experience, time, heck even her magic had grown stronger and more beautiful; execept for that three dozen Snowgies two weeks before when she got sick... At least Marion and Diamond had fun.

Finally she asked her father, "Do you think its time ?" Lately there seemd to be snowflakes dancing in her eyes, makiing her already gorgeous bright sapphire blue eyes even prettier than they were, "Do you think I am ready to make Mothers swords ?" After seventeen years of working the forge with her brother and mother, and sisters, and constant training with her brother and the other kids her age, Elsa had grown into a very strong, beautiful young woman. Her long blonde hair in a single thick braid over her left shoulder. What amused her parents the most was that during the last deep freeze that went through Scala ad Caelum, only Xeir and Diamond could go outside unharmed by the deadly cold, nearly everyone got far too cold to leave their warm homes, and only Marks forge remained insanely hot along side her own

For a long time Marcus stared plainly at Xeir; not making a move, nor making a sound. In his head he went over everything that had happened in the last seventeen years. How Xeir had grown; how many times she'd managed to throw the otherwise insanely stubborn and immovable Mark to the ground during a training exercise while he had his shield up and his stance deep. How many perfect swords she crafted; how much money said swords earned, how effective each one was in combat, and even her own personality. She had turned out to be a very respectable young woman who showed respect where it was due, and did not proclaim herself as a Queen or a Goddess with her extremely strong connection to her Ice Magic.

"Come with me." he said, turning and walking towards the dead center of the Wolfe household, where the great Wolfe crest was carved in a circle in the ground. The crest was nothing special; just an anvil, and tongs and a mallet crossed as if they were swords, and the anvil the skull of a pirate flag. The Crest's design was curtesy of Marion at the age of 10 when she was in the whole "pirates are the best things ever" phase of her life, which she learned from Mark... naturally. Almost every kid in Scala ad Caelum had learned at least one thing from Mark over the years, so many things it was impossible to tell.

Marcus stood in the center of the crest, and dug his heel into a large dent in the anvil which looked as though it had been hammered in with the mallet. With a twist of his leg, there was a click, and the outer ring of the Crest loosened, decending into a spiral staircase while blasts of cold air rushed up into the air with a loud, and long iHissssss/i along with the mechanical cluncking of the machinery working the a few seconds Marcus smiled and gestured for Elsa to follow him down the stairs. A good one hundred feet of stairs needed to be decended before they reached another large door with a combination lock. Marcus entered in the combination, and the door opened slowly, and silently.

The room was filled with treasures beyond imagining; swords and shields and weapons of every shape and size as far as the eye could see! Piles of Gold, and Silver, and of Rubies! But on a pedastal in the middle of the room were two ingots of glass-like metal, their beauty emphasized by a some-what god-like light shining from above directly onto them.

"You will have to forge the blades here." Marcus said, stopping Xeir from advancing any further with his arm. "iDuradaeden/i requires extreme amounts of cold to become soft enough to forge; unlike most metals. It hardens with heat, and softens with cold." He explained. "With your magic as it is now, that makes You the only one alive that can possibly tame this metal and make something from it now that you have stopped growing physically. And fitting, too, since once forged, iDuradaeden/i is forever stuck in the form you harden it in; so make sure each blade is absolutely perfect before bringing them to Mark to heat up. His forge will harden them beyond imagining, and a quick douse in water will make them shine brighter than the sun in the summer!" He said, imagining the glorious blades being weilded by his equally beautiful and glorious daughter.

With a smile he lowered his arm, and let Xeir pass. "I will have to lock you in here for as long as you need, But I will be just outside the door will I will wait for you to finish. When you are done, knock on the door, and I will open it. You will have to run to Mark, and have him dunk the swords entirely in the hottest embers of his forge. Understand?" He asked her, his hand resting on the door, ready to shut it behind her.

Xeir followed in step with her father after picking up a framed picture from the nearby desk behind the counter in the shop. Looking in awe as the stairs decended around them, nobody knew the family vault was down there, under their home, a good fifty meters straight down. A vast place to be sure. Elsa had only been in there once. As a little girl, watching her father place the two ingots of iDuradaeden/i upon the pedestal as a beautiful ghostly light struck the ingots, making them shine, not even she could make something like that happen with her magic!

She listened carefully to what her father said. Cold was needed to soften the metals, So he did think she was ready ? Her eyes were filled with awe, and for a brief moment, shock, her father thought her ready! Her heart hammered in her chest. She nodded, she felt ready to do this. When he lowered his arm she stepped up to the pedestal and picked up one of the ingots, it was about as long as her arm, from her elbow to her finger tip actually. Much too short for what she wanted. No, what she wanted was a good meter and a half long! Like her other swords.

She needed cold, as cold as she could possibly make it, and doing that here in the vault was possibly the safest, no, the ionly/i place that she could do such a thing. "The hottest part of his forge ? Isn't that the entire thing ?" She asked with a smile, then she said with a soft laugh, "Have him over heat it then, just to be ready, I wont know how long I will need, best to have him ready before hand." She said, she stepped up to her father gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll knock when I'm ready. I do not know how long this will take" She glanced at the drawing her mother made nearly eighty years before, "I want these swords to be perfect, balanced just so. Like my other swords."

She smiled to her father, "Let mother know I might not make it to dinner tonight, or breakfast tomorrow." She knew deep in her heart her father too would miss dinner, and breakfast, waiting for her knock. Thankfully, the three meters of thick stone walls inside the vault would keep in the deadly cold she was going to need.

"The hottest part of my forge?" Mark's voice was heard as he traveled down the steps, his arms crossed as he chuckled softly. "Please. You of all people should know that the hotest part is the bottom with those pure white coals." He made a fist to emphasize his point. "I'm surprised they haven't burned through the bottom of my forge yet, they're so hot they actually could. But I will overheat all of the forges if it will help you!" He said, taking his fist and lightly pounding his chest before returning to the Smithy to continue his work.

Marcus chuckled. "Your brother seems to think you are ready, too." He said, returning the kiss to her cheek with a smile. "Now then. You get to work, and take all the time you need. I will be right outside" He said, motioning to Mark to preceed him up the stairs Marcus went to the vault door and slowly closing it, he locked it. Quickly he went up the stairs, to his bedroom, and, taking out his heaviest cloak and a few heavy robes and before returning to the vault door, setting them on a makeshift bed that was down there in case of an emergency. That would be where he stayed for however long Xeir needed. Charity was well informed of what was going on; Mark told her everything.

All there was left for him to do, was wait for his daughter to knock on the vault door.

She was alone. The audible click of the lock tumbler falling into place rang in the vast vault. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The temperture dropped. Well, more like plummeted really. Frost spread from her feet as she turned back to the pedestal and lifted up both pieces of the glasslike steel in her hands aftere setting her mothers ancient drawing on the pedestal. She was going to match it, thickness, balance, design patterns, everything was going to match the drawing on both swords.

Within moments the entire vault was frosted with a thin layer of ice, but she barely felt it, if at all. She needed more cold. She swing both blades, the ingots were still stiff, no movement, she couldn't feel anything from them. She pushed out with her magic, thicking the layer of ice on the vault walls and ceiling as the temperture plummeted to well below zero.

For long moments maybe a few hours, she felt nothing as she stood stone still in the vault, holdding both ingots in her hands as if she were holding her swords in a ready stance,

Then

She felt it, the briefest hint of movement within the ingots in her hands. The iDuradaeden/i was starting to soften! she could not hammer out the metal, no, she felt she had to do this naturally. So she started into one of her training sessions, but without Mark or Marion, or even her sister Diamond, or mother or father or any of the other kids. She began moving as if holding two swords in her hands. Swinging them left and right, blocking, parrying, striking, backtracking, as if she was training with her brother she used the cold that was building up in the vault around her, well below fifty by then, to forge the swords.

For several hours Xeir trained herself, forging the swords slowly, using her magic to drop the temperture to extreme levels, at that point, about nine hours later, the temperture in the vault had droped to minus three hundred, iand Xeir still made it colder/i She felt it was not enough. She needed the iright/i temperture to properly make the swords she was after.

Fourteen hours later, dinner time, her stomach growled, but she ignored it, still training, still forging the swords. She saw them in her mind, each movement, every cut, every parry, every block, every strike, every conture of the blade edge, even the design her mother had drawn started to appear on the glasslike steel in her hands.

And still she was not done. not by a long shot.

She made it colder still. Nearly minus five hundred at that point, not even plants to could live in that extreme cold. Thankffully because of her magic, nothing in the vault was harmed by the deadly cold. Not even herself. And now the swords were forming in her hands as she trained herself, using the blades against an unseen enemy or six, moving with skill and deadly precision Xeir forged her mothers swords.

Exactly three days later did she feel as if she was done. The swords felt right. With a final spin on her feet she dropped to one knee, both swords, fully forged by the cold sprang to their full desired length as ice crackled madly like it was on fire, and all the cold in the vault was sucked into each blade. a good minus seven fifty degrees of deadly ice cold went into both swords, sucking all the ice and frost into them with such power and magic that the designs her mother drew sparkled madly even in their fully designed, perfectly balanced hilts.

It was time to harden them. But before she knocked on the door to be let out, she inspcted both blades carefully, stupidly sharp, sharper than ianything/i she could ever hope to forge again, perfectly balanced, and the desired meter and a half long. She smiled, with her magic she briefly tested the sharpness and one word came to her mind.

"Perfect"

Her swords, were finally complete.

With a flick of her wrsit she encased them both in snowlike cloth. scampering to the door she knocked twice on it. There was no time to talk either, she had to harden the blades and quickly. She threw a snowflake at the drawing on the pedestal, like a boomerang it came to her and she handed the framed drawing to her father when the door was opened. Holy fuck, did he wait at the door the entire time ? Did he even sleep or eat ?

Marcus opened the vault door, and grabbed the framed drawing of the swords as Xeir rushed past him. Remarkably, he wasn't cold; he didn't even know that the swords were so cold. In fact, the air was hot; extremely hot, Xeir didnt even notice that Marcus, her father, was simply dressed in a pair of swim trunks and brown tanktop. As Elsa drew closer to Mark's Forge; the sound of his laughter could be heard. "Finally! Every single one a white coal! Perfect heat! One Thousand Degrees!" He screamed as loud as he could; wearing his normal clothing without any difficulties at all. Most of the city blocks around the Wolfe Residence were empty because of the heat, and as he sensed Xeir, Mark pounded his chest with his fist.

It happened in a rush, First she was in the vault, her swords ready to be hardened at her brothers forge. She had ran, not stopping, even Marion held the door open for her to blast through as she handed her father the framed drawing their mother had made.

"Throw the swords in! The Forge will either explode or the swords will become harder than you'd ever imagine!" He yelled in triumph, laughing again as the blinding white coals blazed behind him. As Xeir got ready to throw the coals, he gave the forge one last puff of fresh air to make it even hotter, and then turned away to cover his eyes and ears for what was about to hapen next.

At Marks cry to stick her swords in, she did just that. About a foot apart she stuck them in, pretty much stabbing them into her older brothers insanely hot forge. She had to let go of the twin blades as the insane heat and cold battled with each other and the swords were suddenly wrenched from her hands into the heat.

The Swords sunk into the coals, and small explosions could be heard rocketing all around the interior of the forge as suddenly the temperature started falling rapidly with the heating of the swords. Almost all of the coals turned solid black as they died out, and soon the flash of light and sound was over. Mark took two pairs of tongs and handed them to Elsa, gesturing to a huge trough of water. "Dunk them now!" He called out to Elsa, laughing madly again.

Steam smoke and explosions rang and filled the forge for a good minute and then the temperture plummeted again, grabbing the tongs from her brother she used two pairs when he gave her the second she grabbed both perfectly formed swords and stabbed them quickly into the water, laying them all the way in, the steam that formed from the fast disappearing water fogged the room. Xeir stared at the bottom of the water trough, reaching down with her bare hands she lifted both blades up. they were niether hot nor cold, perfectly formed.

Another hiss that would cause most snakes to faint escaped form the water as it evaporated extremely quickly, leaving nothing but steam in the air, and two perfect swords at the bottoms of the trough. Once Mark cleared the steam, his mouth hung open, and he fell to his knees.

"Mother of god...they're perfect." He muttered; in pure and total awe of the blades that Elsa had forged. He then got up and went for Charity, bringing her with his hands over her eyes. "You have to see this Mother...hold on, hold on... Xeir, hold them up." He said. Once Xeir complied, he'd remove his hands from his mother's eyes, and allow her to gaze upon the swords that her daughter had made. Marcus had a similar reaction to Mark, but did not fall to his knees, even Marion and Diamond were staring in pure awe. Hell, people from all over Warforge were showing up at the Wolfe manor just to find out what the hell was going on, and boy did they figure it out quick.

When her brother swore she ignored him, staring at the absolute perfect designs her mother had drawn, she had matched the drawing exactly. The drawing had been made out of the purest glasslike steel. She didn't even have to ask to get their mother as Mark darted from the Forge to get her. When he lead their mother into the forge, her eyes covered, she set the two swords across her hands, the hilts on either side, and held the blades, so perfectly crafted that they couldn't be matched, for her mother to see.

Charity was startled when Mark showed up, but complied when he lead her into the forge, then when she was told to cover her eyes, she did so, she thought it silly at first, but when she opened them and saw Elsa standing there, two beautiful swords in her hands. And her husband staring at them in awe. her heart hammered as she picked up one of the blades. when Marcus held up the drawing, Charity was speechless, unable to form words as every line, every sqiggle, every curve of the drawing was perfectly matched. And the cold did not even be felt.

She had no words as she held the sword she had drawn seventy-eight years before. Her daughter had made it, no, no it, them, her daughter had made two swords, and there was no way they could be made again. With that thought she turned to her daughter, who stood there, holding the other sword; "Xeir... When we adopted you seventeen years ago, I did not expect this to ever happen. And yet, after watching you grow up with your sisters and brother." She set the sword back on her daughters open palms next to its sister blade. "I am proud to be your mother. May these swords serve you, and your decendants for ages to come" Xeir smiled, unable to form worrds she motioned for Marion to step up, quickly passing the swords to Marion, who was actually unsure of what to do, the swords, even though just heated and locked into that form were ice cold to the touch. Xeir hugged her mother tightly.

Xeir, was crying tears of joy.

It was at that moment when Marks forge suddenly exploded into extreme heat, just as he had it before she inserted the two swords into it moments before. But this time the heat was more controlled, and not as widespread.

It was then that Xeir spoke. "I still have to do that order dont I ?"

-8-8-8-

Midnight in Scala ad Caelum, Anna sat bolt upright in bed. "That dream again, I will never get any sleep if this keeps up!" Anna mumbled, she took a deep breath and began to focus inward, she needed to honestly, there was no real way for her to keep herself calm outside of meditation. Why did she have that dream ? Was it meant for her ? It happened a year ago, she remembered it celarly. But why was Elsa called Xeir and she herself called Diamond ? It didnt make sense to the young woman.

Anna looked at her clock, it was just after one am in the morning. The sun was going to rise in five hours, If she couldnt fall back asleep by then, she'd be up halfd the night and unable to perform during the Session that afternoon. Just thinking about the Session made the young woman smile thinly. Of course. Was that why the dreams had begun ? Elsa spoke about their arrival in Scala ad Caelum, a ship called the Houdini, it was in short, a weird dream.

But if it was because Summer was ending, they had one last Session, that day after breakfast. To before dinner, it somehow included a working lunch. Anna tried her best to focus and meditate inwardly as things began to fall apart. But why did she have the dream ? Anna soon drifted back to sleep. It didnt make a lot of sense honestly. But nevertheless, sleep once more took Anna, and thankfully it was a dreamless sleep.

-8-8-8-

Dawn broke. Anna was restless but it never showed, she had learned over time how to hide her true inner turmoil, Marion had it worse as she was noticably focused on that day so far. Was it because their father had given her leave, and her alone to leave Scala ad Caelum for another island city ? Anna didnt care, she had breakfast to eat and a Session to ready for.

Breakfast done Anna went to her room and got ready. The Session that day was an interesting one. One she didnt much like actually now that she thought about it carefully. She got dressed, her hidden blades went on her wrists, and a dagger on her hip. And her sword at the small of her back. Sapp had given her the weapon, it was nothing more than a bronze and black hilt of some kind. Anna never could get the weapon to work.

Leaving the house Anna headed for where the Teachers waited for the start of the Session. As she neared she heard them shouting. One said "Four hundred armed noblemen, if it were not for General Lafeo-"

"Enough!" Teacher shouted "The room is fogged with your bluster! All hot air, and no action!" Teacher said, then saw Anna arriving. Rasing a hand towards Anna she said "Here's a woman with good news I hope"

"Anna, What did you learn from your last Session ?" Asked another teacher, in this case one named, Graein

Rather then answer, Anna held up a device, her cousins daggerstone. Samuel had been klilled, and Anna given the session her cousin had died during. The teachers regarded the thing as she set it on the table. Lafeo stood and picked it up, touching it to his hand briefly he saw the trouble. "Poison, they're catching up"

"Samuel made that daggerstone himself, or so it is said." Anna spoke up as she started pacing. She didnt like it any more then they did

"You're sure ?" Teacher asked her giving her a hard look

"Certain" Anna as she continued her pacing.

Teacher sat at the table. "Its impossible, Master Wolfe always spoke very highly of his nephew. Hm, very well I suppose. The daggerstone is yours. Its better you have it instead of it rotting in a forgotten crypt" Teacher said simply. Anna simply nodded. When she didnt move however to begin the Session, teacher asked "More on your mind ?"

"Forgive me, Teacher, I believe I have found a traiter in our ranks. Upon finding my cousins daggerstone I found evidence of why he was slain, so I followed the trail, it led me back to the Jail Hall, Where I discovered further evidence that someone is about to strike at us directly. I took action" Anna said, saying nothing of the dreams she and her siblings had been having.

"Took action ?" Teacher asked, otherwise she was speechless

Anna took a deep breath. "I am no longer certain of my cousins motivations. In his memories on the daggerstone I descovered him writing a letter, the letter that warned of his betrayal. When he wrote of his impending attack, he wrote of a club in the Waters Edge, not one of our... training zones"

Finally Teacher spoke thoughtfully. "What do you make of this then ?"

"I cannot say, I would like to investigate further" Anna replied

"I dont like this" Said another teacher, in this case Lafeo. "The woman is a gifted one, but I fear she has a personal vandetta. Let another follow this lead."

"There is no time." Anna said "Whatever my cousin warned in his letter, it happens, during todays session" She set her hand on the table, knuckles rested against the dark wood.

Teacher stood up. "She did ask permission this time, Lafeo." She said, Lafeo growled and didnt reply, Teacher turned back to Anna, "Go then, see what you can learn, but no rash action, hmm ?" Anna nodded and left the room.

Twenty minutes later and the Session began. Anna crouched on a rooftop overlooking the Waters Edge district, seeing the club in question. Marion stood next to her calm and quiet. "This is the place, What was Samuel so interested in ?" Anna mused softly. Marion dropped to one knee next to her. The two women observed everything. Malik, Anna knew, was Marions target to tail. While Anna was to track down why Samuel was so interested in that location.

Anna spotted a man being dragged between two guards. "Get him upstairs" Said someone from within the structure. "Quickly" Perfect, Anna smiled, Marion nodded and the two split up as Anna headed for the ground level.

Marion remained where she was and spotted Malik of all people, ambling towards the main enterance to the structure. Marion snarled under her breath. "Malik, old friend. You really get around dont you ?" Marion said. Malik disappeared into the club and Marion took to the rooftops without a sound. Finding a window Marion darted into the clubhouse on the third floor and crouched and moved silently through the place. Her visioon marked a bunch of men in red.

She listend in on their conversations. "What's going on in that back room ?" Asked a guard

"If you're smart you'll let it lie and not wonder about it" Said another guard

"Now what's that supposed to mean ?" asked the first guard bringing up his fists as if to fight, however another guard placated and calmed him.

"Its merely that some folk dont like it when people try to pry into their private life, savvy ?" Replied the second guard.

Marion moved into the next room and it overlooked the main enterance to the place down below, a good three floors. Spotting Malik easily she remained unseen and scrambled across the ceiling using the light fixtures to get across, ducking into a hiding space she listened in on Maliks conversations carefully.

"How late do you think it will be tonight ?" He asked a man he came across. In Marions vision they appeared in gold, including Malik

"Lord knows" Said the fellow, a man that Marion didnt recognise. "Get the politicals talking and they never shut up."

Malik smirked, at least Marion could easily hear the smirk in his voice. "Guess I'd better put some coffee on then" The two men then ambled towards a female companion who spoke up as Marion listened in.

"How much longer must we wait ? You know that I have other business to attend to. But Halen insisted we come here" Ingrid said to Malik

"Just a bit longer, the Master wants the politicos thinned out before we begin" Malik said

"I trust then that we will finally learn the meaning behind our recent... activities ?" Halen said, giving a sidelong glance towards Malik as he spoke

"Patience. Soon all will be made clear" Malik replied with a firm nod

"I dont like it, the plan is still too vulnerable, and let us not forget that Samuel is still out there somewhere, waiting to burn us all at the stake" Ingrid replied crossing her arms over her chest

Malik smirked in his tone. "So you havent heard the news about it then ?" He asked her

"Heard what news ?" Ingrid asked him coldly.

"Samuel is dead, yesterday afternoon infact. Shadow Mist Sect, the body is still warm" Malik told them

"That seems... convient" Halen replied a slight tone of worry in his voice

"Ah that's the thing about the Shadow Mist, point them at a conspiracy and they ask no questions. They go right for the meat of it. Predictable that way" Ingrid smirked as Malik spoke. After a few long moments Malik smiled, took a sip of wine that was brought to him and left the room, calling to a nearby guard. "Come, let us get the captain and we can get started." Marion had heard enough, and hoped that Anna had better luck than she had.

-8-8-8-

Stepping up to a window Anna heard voices. "Come on man, speak up. Its a simple question, just tell me what I want to know" Anna heard the voice speak anew "I need an answer, friend." It was a menancing tone too. "There's no need to make this harder eh, come on, just tell me what I need to know"

Malik came into view as Anna hung outside the window. "Are you finished ?" Malik called to the others in the room.

"Near enough" Said the voices owner, Anna peeked over the ledge of the floor and saw who was speaking. Malik had arrived, with him was a woman and another man, whom Anna recognised as Halen. The owner of the voice was none other than a man in a black cloak. Anna couldnt hope to recognise him.

The hooded man turned his gaze towards the captive. "Now here's the thing. I can go on about this all day. But you, you got about an hour left in you, maybe two if I'm happy, half if I bring out the sharp bits. So why not simply skip the endgame and go directly to mate ? Tell me where it is, and all this can be over"

The voice was weak, but Anna couldnt hope to recognise its owner. "Arendelle"

"What was that ?" Hao Fan asked simply

"The supplies are at Kingdom of Arendelle, main docks, Peir two seven." The weak voice said, a smokey chuckle was heard as a smoke enshrouded creature floated nearby

Malik smiled from where he stood in the door frame when he heard the good news, calling out however. "You are a smart man. Rain, clean up your mess, its time"

"Be right there." The man called Rain replied as the hooded man walked or was that glided towards Malik. As Anna laid against the wall she saw the men move and take up the weaker man, and pitched him out the window, the man died upon impact down below. "You heard the man boys, get busy" Rain said, the men got busy with cleaning

As the two men walked from the room, Malik spoke as Anna hung outside. "Did you really just throw him out the window ?" Malik asked

"Trash belongs in the gutter." Replied Rain rather calm at the mere idea of pitching something into the trash so easily

Malik waved him off, "It was sloppy, someone might have seen" he warned

Rain smirked, "really ? Who ? My men are watching the whole place. They will deal with any good smaritans." The two went past Annas hiding place directly

"They'd better" Malik growled, "The Master wont be happy if the plan unravels because of one peon" the two men went out of Annas hearing range until she went inside and found a cellar to hide in

Anna neared an opening in the floor and listened in carefully as Marion joined her. "The Great Work requires patience my friends. If Scala ad Caelum is to suffer a while longer for the world to be remade, then so be it" A hooded being said, the smokey hood was clearly present

"Why not just kill him and be done with it ? One of my boys, a knife, a dark hallway, easy peasy" Rain said

"We want a condemned man Captain, not a martyr" Hao Fan replied

"Respectfully Master, patience is well and fine. But the longer we wait, the greater the chance of discovery" Halen said. Anna saw where Malik stood, Marion watched silently.

"And the Wolves already got Samuel, and those trying to leave Scala ad Caelum, they've been thwarted twice now. However, one of them has been given permission to leave Scala ad Caleum. But to go where I dont know" Malik said

"Most likely another city island, no matter, Samuel served his purpose, his death, while inconvient simply opened another door for us. The Wolfe girl is the least of our concerns for now. She proves useful when properly led" Hao Fan said

"What of the wherecat brat ? She could be dangerous if set free" Halen said, meaning Linda

"Keep her with me, and that situation will be resolved safely. Better her alive and with me than alive and free or rotting in the Jail Hall" Malik said

"That situation will indeed be resolved" Hao Fan said

"How so ?" Malik asked, "If she isnt with me, its still an issue. But if she is with me, she is safe and out of your hair"

"Madam Perrault will be on her way to the Execution Hall, while enroute Malik and his men will raid the convoy, capture her, and get her safely to Maliks house. At which point Linda will then be in your care Master Rain" Hao Fan said

"That is not what we agreed on! Rain is sadistic when it comes to women!" Malik retorted as Rain looked oddly, sadistically happy at the thought

"Would you rather I do it then ?" Hao Fan asked curtly, turning his gaze towards Malik. When Malik did not reply Hao Fan seemed to nod "Then it is settled."

Marion and Anna traded looks, "Linda" Marion mused softly, Linda was in danger, Malik was working with the Shadow Mist Sect. Which then posed a danger to pretty much everyone involved even the two of them. And if he was in love with Linda ? The two women silently left the cellar as they heard Malik smirk and reply

"Clever, Master, clever indeed. But you have already had your brush with the Wolfe girl already once, and wont be so lucky all the time as it is" Halen said, meaning he had infact witnessed Marion and Samuel fighting Hao Fan in the Jail Hall.

"Quite right, I shall leave the execution of our work to you ladies and gentlemen. I have things to tend to now" Hao Fan then turned to Halen, "I will wait for you all in the Sanctuary and await the final phase, will that satisfy you, Captain Halen ?"

"It does, I will see the watch tripled" Halen replied

"Very well, may the Shadows guide us all" Hao Fan said before leaving.

Marion and Anna stole through the cellar of the house and club before making their way through the main room quietly, by the time they hadf gotten out the front door the alarm had been set off. But they were well enough away to be unheard and not spotted.

Marion darted through the crowd as Anna took to the rooftops. Moving quickly they entered the Jail Hall grounds and went inside together. Searching each floor they found it empty.

"Damnit!" Marion kicked over an empty trash bin, it was as if the Jail Hall had been cleaned out and abandoned for years. "Its empty, all the cells are empty, filled with dust and rotted straw hay bedding." She grumbled as Anna neared her from the second floor.

"Damn!" Anna hissed.

The two women paced briefly, "Where did the man say they were taking her ?" Marion asked, if they could get to Linda before Malik and the others did, the girl could be safe in their own home over anything else

Anna's eyes went wide. "execution Hall!"

The two women dashed from the Jail Hall and took to the side roads, splitting up to the rooftops the two scrambled to find where Linda's convy was headed. Soon finding it they jumped it and attacked. With unarmed weaponry the two soon had knocked out the convy guards and broke open the only convoy wagon. Linda was inside.

"Do I know you ?" Linda asked, her blue dress little more than rags as Marion used a odd kind of magic to snap the chains off Lindas chafted wrists.

"Could say that, come on, not a lot of time to explain." Anna said, helping Linda out of the wagon.

"They cant be too far away, something must have waylaid them, split up and find out!" a voice cried out.

Marion thought fast, turning to Anna she said "Go, take Linda home and stay out of sight, Linda, go with her. When I get home we'll explain everything, just trust me, I'll distract them."

"You're mad, but very well. We'll see you at your house then" Linda replied, Anna took Linda to a nearby sewer entry and disappeared into it.

"I might be a little late. But its worth it" Marion said. She ducked into a nearby alcove, smoke bombs, she had a few, perfect.

When Malik and his men entered the area they went over the injured, none were slain. Malik when to the captain in charge where he laid on the ground and woke him up. "What happened here Rufio ?" He asked

"Dunno, two girls out of nowhere. Hit us so fast I didnt have time to draw my sword to fight back. They didnt use weapons so my men are simply knocked out. But they took off with the girl. I dont know where they went" Rufio replied.

Malik growled something and simply nodded his thanks to the man before calling to his men to take the injured to a staging area for healing. Marion breathed a sigh of relief, she didnt have to fight Malik, a class two, and she was a class four. At least the Session was over.

RESTORATION AT 51%