Frozen Memories – 1.8 Bridge
Hidden Past – Back Cover
Fragment
A woman dressed in white and seemingly of bone like armor approached a weather beaten house upon the edge of a city. Arendelle itself was a nice kingdom, but there were somethings one had to do in order to get things set to rights properly. And to do so, it took some doing, a lot of doing in fact.
As the woman went through town people either got out of her way, or averted their gaze, it seemed as if the woman had ghost likel eyes about her, either that or her face was dang scary in appearance. It was not easy for one to hide their true self behind a fake self. Only in this case it was not possible for the woman to hide her true serpentine nature.
Bones of ice blue formed upon her face a rather intimidating visage. Yet the woman walked with purpose and speed beset by worry and thought. Ice white eyes stared at the world. The woman moved quietly and calmly, most people shied away or refused to look at her eyes. Yet some took notice and tried to focus on the good rather then the bad.
The woman heard two women speaking. "She has nice posture." Said one.
"Yes, she does have a good strength in body, but the question is what a man would find in her face, if that is her face ? Some kind of armor perhaps ?" Said the second
"Does she have a face under it ? Or is it her face directly ?" Asked the first. The second couldnt answer. While one woman thought her scary, the other thought her beautiful.
Tiri didnt know how to react to that. So rather then look at them directly she halted and asked simply, in a gentle voice for one so menancing in appearance. "Where might I find a woman called, DiT ?"
The women traded looks, the second replied "There is an old mansion at the edge of the city proper. A woman called DiT lives there I believe, I have only heard her name once or twice, I am not sure if she owns the place or not however."
"Thank you" Tiri replied with a slight nod and headed off. As she did so, a pair of roses were formed out of ice on the ground before the women, they gently picked them up and traded confused looks with each other. Did they just get spoken to, by a dragon ?
-8-8-8-
CRACK
Kethend laid on her bed, for once, she was completely relaxed, she was reading over a cargo manifest when she first heard it, her eyes shot up and towards the nest, A happy smile graced herface as she spotted a long thin line appearing on the massive egg. Her eyes lit up. She howled a happy sound, swiftly changing to her natural shadowdragon form "Draco! My beloved! They're coming! Our children, they're hatching!" Kethend sprang from her bed and scrambled in joy to the nest side as the crack grew on the first egg, the largest egg for that matter.
There were five eggs in total, one of them quite small for a Shadowblack Dragon, but even then, Kethend knew in her heart this was her family, her little babies, their children! Her heart hammered in joy, She was becoming a mother! This, this was what she wanted.
Draco entered the room, not scowling for once; an actual, honest smile on his face. "Go, my dear...be the first they see." He said to Kethend as he sat next to her. Like many other animals, Dragon Hatchlings needed to imprint on something to be their mother; even Draco's offspring were no different. He placed a hand on Kethend's back and nudged her gently towards the nest as another egg cracked open.
Small, high-pitched whines began to emanate from the eggs as they cracked open one by one. Draco felt his body heat up; his children had healthy lungs...they would be able to do so much with their lives. So much with their bodies that he, himself, could not. They'd be much more powerful than him; after all, his fight with Xeir Zith left him crippled long ago.
Kethend smiled and nodded, Draco was right, she had to be there, but so did he, they were his children too! Her heart soared at hearing the cries and wines, one of them, the smallest egg, the quietest. Finally after what seemed an eternity the largest egg came apart and a solid blackscaled little dragon with bright eyes poked his head up, the top of his egg like a hat of a sort as he blindly looked about before falling out of the egg around him. The little guy went about the nest finding some of the meat Kethend put there and started eating, then it smelled Kethend on the meat and started sniffing around for her in a very cute manner as the next egg broke apart and the little boy in it pretty much fell out of the nest at Dracos feet.
The bright green eyes were blind for a few hours, but feeling someone within reach the little hatchling reached up to Draco screaming "MOMMA!" Thinking Draco was his mother when he was in fact his father.
Kethend held in a chirp of laughter as the next two eggs of the five broke at the same time, two girls fell out, same sized, brights eyes and all. now there was the last egg, the smallest egg, Kethends eyes went to it, it rattled and cracked, then fell over, then stopped moving. Kethend was nervous now, she knew that inside the eggshell was nutirial liquids for the hatchlings to eat and drink, but it was possible for them to drown...
So why wasn't the last egg...
Draco looked at the Great-Dane sized Hatchlings and smirked. His hand went to the newly hatched male's chin and pointed it towards Kethend, before waving his hand away in a circular motion towards Kethend; making his scent blend with hers until he pulled his hand away, and the scent was entirely hers. Now the blind, green-eyed baby boy had his head on her claw while his own went out to grab Draco's arm; since the Ancient Dragon was still in his human form.
"No, no!." Draco pulled his hand away, reapeating the trick he'd done, but faster so that he couldn't be grabbed again. "That is your Momma." He said softly as he backed away, shifting like mist into his Dragon-form, where he laid off to the side, observing. After a few seconds, he blinked. The smallest egg wasn't hatching. He looked at the distraught look on Kethend's face and let out a soft rumble from his throat.
The rumble shook the palace to its foundation, and also made the egg wobble again, chipping one of the rocks making up the side of the nest ever so gently, and causing a crack. From there, the hatchling inside began to emerge, unharmed, and finally crying the loudest of her siblings.
"All of them...healthy lungs." Draco commented proudly.
The last egg rattled madly then, the rount of the five hatchlings within, her cries briefly ceased and the egg just wobbled a bit when... "bACHOOOOO!/b" it shattered like a small bomb as the hatchling, a very tiny girl compared to her much larger siblings, was tangled up in her wings and tail on her back as her egg pretty much exploded from her sneeze. Apparently her fathers rumble actually woke her up from drowning in the nutrients within the egg that nurtured her within it. as she was still soaked with it.
Kethend was overjoyed, to say in the least she was unable to really speak as she stared at her children, a proud happy mother. Finally she spoke as the tiniest, the runt, went for the meat, only to get pushed away by the twins, who were in fact pretty much twice the tinest's size. kethend speared a piece of meat and gently picked up the littest one, hand feeding the infant. "Yes" She said softly, "Healthy lungs, beautiful coloration!" Sure they were black dragon hatchlings, but still, it was the eyes she meant. She nodded to the little one that fell out at his fathers feet. "I think he likes you" She said softly, the greeneyed little boy was munching on a piece of meat just within reach of his father.
Now came the question... what were they to name them ?
Draco looked to the boy at his claw and licked him softly, letting out a slow breath. "Indeed he does...I'd be rather sad if at least one of them didn't." he said calmly. With that, he gently picked the boy up to set him to eat with his similarly sized siblings. He observed all of them. "I think we should name our...little one, first." He said, not wanting to call the littlest one what she was: The Runt.
Kethend thought but a moment as she fed the infant in her arms. Finally she said, a tone of pure happiness, "Taris." She said softly feeding the tiny girl "Her name is Taris." Kethend knew, that from size alone she'd be picked on for being so small compared to her much much larger siblings. Kethend made a mental note to dote on Taris, and dote on the girl she would!
Now to name the rest. the greeneyed boy, still scarfing down his hunk of meat as Draco put him back onto the nest looked far too familar to Kethend, reminding her of something important, something so long ago it was lost to history. Their own births. Kethends eyes were amber, but Dracos, before becoming the Lord of Shadows, weren't his eyes brilliant green ?
"This one has my eyes..." Draco muttered, looking at the one witht he green eyes. "Or...at least...what they used to be." He said, nuzzling the child gently. He turned his massive head to his beloved mate, tail curling inwards as he began to relax. "What do you think, Kethend...shall we name him after me?" He asked calmly, nuzzling the boy again, who let out a rather...annoyed whine as he continued to try and eat his meat.
Kethend smiled and nodded, "Yes, yes that is a fitting name my beloved. We shall name him after you, after all, as you are the head of our happy family, I do believe in continuing our line, iyour line/i" Kethend said "This little one, Junior we may call him if you wish it. Can continue your bloodline, Just like Taris shall continue my own!" But the other three still needed naming.
Kethends's eyes trailed over the three, the largest one, a boy, now quite full stumbled blindly through the nest to his egg remains and collapsed to sleep, the egg shell flopping onto his head like a helmet, his snout poking out as he slept. The twins however fought blindly over the last piece of meat before Junior snagged it and dragged it closer to his father to eat as Kethend smiled.
Finally she had her family, the family she had always dreamed about.
-8-8-8-
"It seems that even She has needs of revenge, but to go this far..." Said a hooded man upon a throne of white and golden steel
"Give her a chance, the girl is pure of heart, everyone knows it. Which is more than what we can say for ourselves" Said the next council member, his face also covered in shadows of a hood.
"She will wake up soon, and when she does, be sure to give her a welcoming commitee" Said the highest seated member. "number six, your job now is to ensure they follow a course of action that will give us what we need" Xiaoden said nothing in reply.
Of them all, only Xiaoden, Xinxin, and Xendras had the most interaction with those that currently slept. And sadly only Xiaoden was present for this meeting
Then without a word, one by one, the council was cleared of its members, black mist enveloped each and they faded from the room that never was
-8-8-8-
"It is amazing when one puts their mind to it what they can accomplish" Said DiT as she sat before her computer. She heard footsteps behind her but no portal had been opened or closed. "Wouldnt you agree ?" DiT assumed it was Nara she was speaking with, but iut wasnt iHim/i who responded
"The path of revenge is a very dangerous thing" Said a womans voice. DiT turned and saw the owner of the voice, a woman, long silver hair, blind whte eyes. Scaled silver skin, and what looked to be silver bonelike armor with a silver skirt upon her body. "You of all people should know that"
"And yet even you have come to me. I do not recall sending word to you." DiT replied simply standing from the computer and regarding the other woman carefully. DiT knew the woman intimately. It was Tiri after all as the bonelike helmet of her face faded away into the form of her natural being as her clothing and body also faded away into the natural ice bones of an Ice Wraith
"Even so, you have their memories, Kethends children were born ages ago, and yet you act as if it happened last night or this morning. The kingdom of Arendelle is faltering. You know this." The new woman said stepping closer.
"For an Icewraith you know a lot" DiT said calmly, slightly unnerved at how the newcomer had come straight to the computer room.
The woman smiled. "I want the same thing you do, revenge, but the only way to do it properly is to rechain the memories. Kethends memories, Dracos memories, My memories, Xeirs memories, even your own memories have to be carefully rechained in order for Xeir to properly wake up" She said to DiT
"Who are you ?" DiT then asked
"You said yourself I am an Icewraith, and that sentiment is correct. My name is Tiri. And I am going to help you wake up Xeir. But I want one thing in return." Tiri replied simply.
"And that is ?" DiT asked her
"When Xeir wakes up, I want to remain as I am. Elsa holds half her power within her. In the end, she will have to give it back." Tiri said
"When Xeir gave her spirit and power to be reborn as Elsa, she cast aside her body, you. Therefore, when Xeir wakens, she wont need you, as she has her body, Elsa." DiT replied to her "But your concern is well meritied. I do not know the extent of how strong Xeirs wakening will be, or if it will affect you. But what I can give you is a stronger body or at best, the strength to withstand the Shadowlings attacks or otherwise" DiT laid out the options for Tiri.
Tiri smiled, similar in a way to how Diamond would have smiled. "I go in there as myself, as Princess Tiri it seems, you need my help and here I am offering it."
"Your help is indeed needed" DiT said
"Fine, I go in there, my mind and memories are my own. Agreed ?" Tiri gave her conditions to DiT, who nodded
"Agreed" Turning back to the computer DiT spoke anew "We just need to make a new personality for you so the others will be kept off your trail." Tiri smirked and her serpentine body produced a item, a cube shifting with golden light.
"Use this" Tiri said holding it to DiT
DiT took the cube and accessed it, a perfectly created intricate pattern sprang from it, and the plexus pattern brought forth a beautiful landscape. Arendelle. However, it had something different, Tiri was considered the Crown princess while her younger much smarter sister Idun was Queen. DiT deactivated the cube, the plexus faded out and DiT smiled. "This will do. Be ready. It wont take long to add this to the computer to activate the simulation and connect it."
Tiri chittered something. Forming breifly back into a human appearance, with no feet, her bones of ice formed across her body as she seemed to sit upon a unseen chair. DiT continued to speak "You are aware of the Shadow Mist Sect getting into the simulations ? Nara has gone in to clear up such instances he comes across, you also have permission to do as you see fit to rid your simulation of the Shadow Mist Sect. Understand ?"
"Intimately" Tiri replied, a smile gracing her face. Something more or less devilish and impish over anything else. She was raring to go.
"Stand there, the device will digitise you into the simulation properly, its the only way for it to work however once your simulation is running for a few hours to a day, you can use iportals/i to get in and out of it if need be" DiT said. Tiri nodded and stood, fully forming her body and stepping onto the circle. DiT activated a control and within a shot of light, Tiri disappeared.
Moments later, a portal opened and Nara stepped into view. "Whatever happened to not giving the enemy another entry point ?" iHe/i asked
"It turns out, we require her help more than I thought we would. If we are to properly waken Xeir and the others, Tiri will be of imense help. She wants something out of this as well." DiT replied
"A woman of principle" Nara said softly. A moment of quiet lengthened between them before Nara then asked "What happens now ?"
"We link your memories of Scala ad Caelum with her memories of Arendelle, populate both. You will both aid her and she will aid you when required to do so. In the end, everything will work as we hope." DiT said "For now, we populate and build Arendelle in the system, which should not take too long if that. Your own mission has not changed, what of the Shadow Mist Sect ?"
"Marion has left the city island and has begun her search on the nieghboring city island known simply as West. I am currently working on hindering her search at this moment as the Keeper of Stories on that city island." Nara said
"Good, have you come across any further shadowlings ?" DiT then asked
Yes, two came upon me, tried to ambush, but failed. One was carrying this" Nara set a device down on the table. It was strange, like a hair pin in design. "What do you make of this ?" Nara asked her
"I have not seen anything of its make in many many years" Dit said softly, "Hold onto it, you might have need of it more than I" She handed it back to him. Nara didnt say a word as he took back the item. "You best get back in there, if you see the Wolf Queen, observe only."
"And Halen ?" Nara asked
"Again, observe only. We want them to think they are winning and that others do not know their every move. Now get going, there isnt much time left" DiT said, Nara smirked, a portal opened, and he disappeared into it.
-8-8-8-
Footsteps rang on the marble floor. A woman stepped into view. It was rather surreal honestly as the plexus formed the world around her in a wisp of a breeze. She found herself walking on marble flooring into an office. A captain of the guard sat at his desk. Hearing her footsteps Tiri had stopped briefly to take in herself. A beautiful silver haired Princess. Her icewraith scales and bones formed briefly on her arms and chest before fading away. One with power, skill and knowledge. But as she stepped into her Captain of the guards office she knew something was wrong as he set the pen aside.
"This morning I was accosted by three men carrying some poor souls head on a pike" He said, he gave her a sour look. "Seems they mistook my uniform as a mark of noblity and demanded I shout 'long live the republic' to prove my alliegence" He told her.
Tiri smirked and went to the window as she spoke "I suppose handing out dual color cockades is now passe." Standing before the window and looking out she turned to him slightly, "What did you do ?"
The Captain, a man named Felix, sat back in his chair and said simply. "I shouted long live the republic"
Tiri smirked, but was upset, the rebels were growing in their disent against her sister. "A man of principle."
Felix looked at her seemingly spent of emotion. "Life is more important than dignity" He stood up from the desk as he spoke. "But this is what happens when you give command of the government to half starved lunatics and command of the army to blood crazed savages." He said
Tiri knew exactly who he meant. "Captain Rain" She growled
Felix nodded and stepped to the window and looked out over the barracks. "I wanted him assigned to an out of the way useless garrison. But the man redfines the term friends in high 's... untouchable"
Tiri stepped around his desk. "But you know where I can find him ?" She had a lead on her mothers illness at last
"Rumor about the barracks is that he knows who poisoned your mother. But he surrounds himself with a unit of his own carefully chosen men, they are little more then common street thugs if you ask me." Felix said. He turned towards her before moving to his desk. "He and his cronies plan on visiting Arendelle's Docks districts this afternoon, I dont know which peir however. You will have to find that out on your own. I cant spare any men due to your sister requesting them for the search of your neices. Now that she extended the search to all nighboring towns and villages"
"Idun has given me full leave to worry about Mother's illness and its cure, Idun is focused on finding the girls at any cost." Tiri said simply with a soft smile
"Even at the cost of her own sanity ?" Felix replied, he was walking on thin ice. "If you manage to find Rain, try to keep him in one piece. But if he should meet with an accident, there are few in Arendelle who would suffer, My career certainly wouldnt." Felix said. Tiri had to think carefully on her words at that moment.
"Fine, I will worry of finding a cure for my mother. But promise me one thing, Captain Felix, do not, if you value your life so highly, let my sister hear you comment on her sanity like that" Tiri then smiled and leaned slightly closer to him, "Dont worry, it will be our little secret, Because like you, I see Idun every day, and each time I do, she is... less herself, seventeen years has gone by now, I fear the worst may have beset the girls on the sea so long ago. But I dare not say so in front of Idun, the last time a Councilor did, it was twenty lashes" Tiri said thoughtfully. Idun had told her the whole event, Xeir and Diamond both lost at sea, unable to be found whatsoever.
"So you see my point and the reason for my worry. I fear the loss may have struck home. Every parent fears it, the more she searches, the worse she will become" Felix said with a serene nod.
Tiri nodded and gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder before heading off. "Practise your speech making, I've work to do" She left the office and headed out of the palace.
-8-8-8-
Tiri stepped to the edge of the precipiece overlooking the streets of Arendelle, the massive structures trhe kingdom had, construction, housing, the kingdom had grown. But so did desent, thoughts and plots of rebellion fermented under the guise of every day life. Tiri had a new task and that was find Captain Rain,. And hopefully get answers.
She shifted her gaze and fopcused around her. The first thing she saw was the street below, two men were talking with a man on a hovertruck of a sort. "What d'you got in there ?" Asked one of the two men
"Wine, cheese, meats, supplies for the barracks at the Edge Abatement" Came the reply
"Get on with it, them guys is hungry!" Said the second man, Tiri had to smile.
Her gaze shifted again, this time it showed two men talking among themselves. "i'm telling you, it wont do any good, to rebel is to be a mark of treason, what is more, the queen is busy with her men as it is." Said the first fellow
"Gives us all the more time to gather our forces. No more secrets after all" Said the other fellow. The first man just waved him off.
Tiri smirked, she'd deal with them later. Her vision shifted a third time. This time it focused on two more people, in a prison truck. A man and woman, siblings by the look of them. "Nice mess you got us into, 'Break into the magic school, nobody'll notice!' I got news for ya, they noticed!" Said the girl to her brother, the woman had graybrown hair and wore a green dress.
"Oy, sis, we got what we went for, Dad's as good as free" The brother replied, the huge man mountain of a young man seemed calmer than most. "Now if only we had the keys" The guard with said keys however was wandering the area.
Tiri smirked and her vision focused once more. Draconic vision was a nice addition to add to a person. An overlay formed for her vision. She smiled at her new objectives. They floated in front of her as if by magic. "Eavesdrop without getting seen, trail Rain to his source undetected" Oh boy.
Both tasks mostly easy. She could do this. Tiri hopped off the roof to the ground, Shifting in the alley she landed in slightly her outfit changed and dshifted with a swirl of broken ice and bones. Becoming more or less commonplace. Her head and face covered in shadow of a dark silver hood. She stepped out into the crowded streets and wandered.
She headed for the barracks gate, she had to make a diverson. If the people wanted to plot to rebel against her sister she needed to ensure the kingdom was well fed, the guards had standing orders to qwuell any thoughts of rebellion, yet also to ensure that everyone was happy and safe. A well fed population was a happy less rebellion prone population.
Going up to the hover truck she sat next to the driver. "You dont much like the look of the guards these days do you ? Them hoarding food and what not" She said simply
"Aye, but what can I do ? I'm just a transporter, told to transport food to where it is to go" The man replied
"Good, then I caught you just in time" Tiri said
"What do you mean ?" The man asked her
"You have new orders, from the Crown Princess herself. The queen is busy trying to find something lost to her for seventeen years, as a result, the kingdom suffers and the people are hungry, and thoughts of rebellikon are strong, I was told to tell you that the Princess has taken over overseeing the wellbeing of the kingdom. I want you and your fellow transporters to take this food to the markets and give it to the people to eat. The current loads only will be free, if the Princess hears that all the food is going for free, she wont be happy, each wagon load worth of food will be free. The following wagonloads will cost one white shard, to as much as seven green shards. Understood ?"
For a long moment the driver had to process what Tiri just told him, if the Crown Princess, that was, Princess Tiri, was now in charge of the welbeing of the kingdom as a whole, and she wanted to feed the people. The man nodded. "Yes, it is undertstood. Thank you madam, please give the Princess our regards" he said, Tiri easily left the hovertruck and headed off. She had to listen in on a conversation.
Rounding a corner at the foot of where she was to go she easily spotted her prey to overhear.. ambling forwards in a group of people Tiri stepped up to a bench and sat down near to the two men. Her first two groups of folk to listen in on. "I heard the criers" Said the first. "Most of them are pleading innocent, some are pleading complete lunacy for the queen, a few are pleading ignorance is bliss"
"Bah" Said the other "They're lying, all of them, the men are set up."
"Aye, the men are set up, but what can we do ? Rumor floats the Princess wants whats best for the kingdom and has ordered food be given to those who need it on a needed most basis. Even now some of the wagons meant for the guard barracks in the Edge were stopped in the Market over near the Center" Said the first
"Aye, the criers were pleading such news too" Said the second. "So what do we do ? Threats slide off them like water over rocks, and I am not one to grovel"
"Actions speak louder than words my friend" Said the first. "Arrest one, put him in stocks, see how glib he is then"
"The Princess could get wind of this. To do such a thing without just cause is warrant for her to take notice directly to punish us" Said the second. Seemingly having second thoughts on the matter at hand. "Last thing we need is the town criers decrying our abuse and claiming we're plotting rebellion as it is"
"Then forget it, for now, Captain Rain will be back from wherever he headed off to. Once he returns we head for the weapon caches we have set up around the kingdom when the signal is given." Said the first man. Tiri had heard enough she stood up and left easily and soundlessly. It seemed the thoughts of rebellion were faltering thanks to her giving out food.
Coming upon a pair of men walking along speaking, Tiri ambled in step with a group behind them. Listening in to every word said. "... So I says to them, 'do you need any aid ?' they says to me they dont, they says to me that I'm not needed and if I was seen a second time they'd kill me right quick. So I says to myself, something must be up" Said the first, the man sighed
"I dont like it, its unlike Captain Rain to be so tight lipped about where he's been to and coming from. And we're going off tomorrow to find the missing princesses. The Queens gone daft says I" Said the second
"I dont like it either, Captain Rain had a guy named Slitter with him. Ugly looking brute too, I think when he was born his mother killed the docter that birthed him" said the second man
"Oh my, if Slitter is in town, we best not buy any meat for the next week or so" said the first man. The two ambled on without a care in the world. Tiri then meandered away from them and found the transport cage waiting to be loaded onto a truck. Two of the prisoners within it easily recognised her
"Well well well, look who it is" Said the girl, Syble "Hey, Kristoff, look, look who it is, the Princess herself"
"Come to gloat for getting us caught last night in the Magic School ?" Kristoff asked in a grumpy tone when he saw her.
Tiri smirked slightly and shook her head, "No actually I came to help, the door... ?" She said
"Locked" Kristoff said offhand
"One of the guards have the key" Syble said. "Not sure which guard has it, but they wander through here on patrols"
"That wont be a problem" Tiri said, she disappeared into the crowd and then reappeared with the keys about ten minutes later, she unlocked the door and stepped into the cage. Closing the door behind her with a click as it locked easily. As she did so Kristoff stared at her. "What is this ?"
Tiri smiled. "I believe it is called a rescue" She said in a smug tone
"Why ?" He asked, clearly confused as to why she'd be helping them
"Because" Tiri replied, "being a thick skulled man-mountain able to haul ice for a living, while not exactly boding well for your future prospects is not actually a captial crime." Tiri told him
"But you caught us stealing from the Magic School last night" Syble said softly as Tiri went to where the nearby hangings were happening. Her target, Captain Rain was there.
"Mhm" Tiri replied "Just trust me on this, be thankful I caught you and not my sister, she'd have executed you both right then"
"Huh ?" Kristoff and Syble both looked worried at that thought.
"Just, let me go first" Tiri said, the siblings traded looks but nodded and went quiet.
Captain Rain stood at the podium. "Next!" The gate swung open and the guards roughly grabbed Tiri.
"I can walk" Tiri said tersely, somewhat gruffly at that as well, thanks to her magic, and the design of her outfit, nobody recognised her at that moment.
"Say, Dont I know you from somewhere ?" asked a guard
"Nope" Tiri replied
"Sure I do, you're that one woman that works for the Princess!" Said the guard
"Oh yes, I suppose I am" Tiri replied calmly.
Rain saw her getting close by. "Who is that ? Is that ?... " He reached over to the woman and removed her hood easily. Tiri's sivler eyes stared at Rain. "You!"
"Hello Captain Rain" Tiri said with a smile. "I believe we need to have a chat." She had snuck up on him so well, overheard his entire plan. "I know everything. I know that you know who poisoned my mother, I know that you leave and return to Arendelle when you see fit to do so. I know that, you are not what you seem to be"
"You are the Princess, everyone knows your face" Rain said simply, calmly at that
"You act as if you can reason with me, when you are overseeing beheadings and hangings" Tiri replied, The guards all fell over and the gate was left open allowing the prisoners to escape easily. Tiri was faking being tied up and crossed her arms over her chest calmly. "I need answers, so you start talking, or I will break you"
Rain knew what Tiri was able to do, to an extent. The man set his jaw, "Clear the yard" He ordered, the guards nodded and began ushering the people out. The hangings and beheadings were done for the day. When the area only had the two of them left he turned to her directly. "You took a big risk, Princess, in coming here. If I tell you what I know, what can you offer me ?"
"Aside from wanting to pitch you off the castle roof, I have a deal for you" Tiri said simply
"I am listening" Rain replied
"You tell me your source, who poisoned my mother, and I pay you to ensure any thoughts of rebellion in Arendelle is eliminated, but I must warn you, use force, and I will kill you" Tiri said
"Since you put it that way, we have a deal" Rain replied. "I never saw the man, for all I know it could be a woman, One of the workers who worked in the palace for a time and just recently they booked passage on a ship bound for a southwestern city upon the water, some call it Signapore or the like. Never been there myself, but I hear it is a ... interesting place to visit" Rain knew a good deal when he saw one. Tiuri he knew was Crown Princess, and she had powerful magic. Unlike the Shadow Mist Sect who dealt in torture, Rain was a sadistic man sure, but when given the right type of monetary need, he could infact be quite helpful.
"Is there a contact of yours in Singapore ?" Tiri asked
"Yes, a woman named Myth, at least that is what she called herself when I met her, Couldnt see her face. I can describe her if you'd like" Rain offered
"No need, and remember, if I hear one word of how you treat the rebels when they are found, you're a dead man" Tiri said, she turned to leave.
"There's one more thing" Rain said, he figured he had a way out of Shadow Mist, Tiri was someone he could depend on, Shadow Mist used others and left them for dead when the time arose. Tiri halted and turned towards him slightly. "There was a man recently sighted at the Docks, I was headed there myself after these sessions of beheadings and hangings"
"Another contact of yours ?" Tiri asked
"More like a former boss" Rain replied
"I am listening" Tiri said
"You'll recognise him, I'm going to speak to him, but I wont mention you" Rain said, he figured he could play both sides if he had to. "Do you trust me enough with this ?"
"Nope, but what choice do I have ?" Tiri said to him, the man had to smile at her answer, she was right, they didnt have a choice but to trust each other. "See you at the Docks." Tiri said, before shattering into nothing. Rain was confused, he knew the Princess was a magical woman, but he had no idea how magical.
"Hey cap, whats the plan" a soldier called out as he camew into view after clearing out the area
"Gather the unit, we're going to the peir, we have work to do" Rain said stepping off the platform
"What about the guys talking about the food getting sold in the markets across the kingdom on the Princesses orders ?" Asked the soldier
"At this moment our job is to quell any thoughts of rebellion, but we're to do it in a subtle manner, under no means is word to get to the princess of our use of force" Rain said
"Cap, is it true we're going soft ?" The soldier wondered
"We take prisoners, we ask politly to enter a house before arresting, and if we must do so, we defend ourselves when or if attacked, understand. However, when we take prisoners, and get them to the cells, what happens in jail, stays in jail" Rain said, a impish grin on the mans face, he clapped the soldier on the shoulder with a wink, "Am I right ?"
The soldeir nodded. "I get it boss, we act nice and neat when aresting the rebels, if there are any, and then once they're in the dungeons, we make them talk."
"The Princess herself may want to visit the dungeons, so I will want the patrols doubled at all times" Rain said, the two men left the area "Now, gather the unit, we have work we must do."
"But what about them two people, you know, them siblings or whatever, Kristoff and what was the girls name, Syble ? The two of them was caught breaking into the Magic School last night by the Princess, why did she bust them when we was to execute them ?" Ther soldier asked.
"You can ask the princess yourself, later." Rain said ass they walked along the street, he caught the shadow of someone nearby "For now, we have work to do. Now, gather the unit and meet me in ten minutes. I have to check something." the soldier nodded and headed off with his orders.
Stepping into the small alley Rain saw the shadowy smoke flowing from the hooded being. "The plan is working Grand Master" Rain said, "The Princess is left entirely in the dark now. But she is getting closer to finding who poisoned her mother and has comissioned me to gather those seeking to rebel against her sister in a subtle kind manner." Rain told the man everything Tiri had told him
"Good, act as you say you will, in truth you will find everything required. The more people the Princess brings under her control by giving them food, and aiding them where needed, and snuffing out pockets of rebellion will allow us to drive a wedge between the two sisters" Hao Fan said simply
"I am on my way nowto the docks to find out a few things as planned, hopefully the informer was smart enough to tell us the truth before I threw him out the window in Scala ad Caelum" Rain replied
"Relax, what he spoke of is there, I checked it myself. Now get going, this conversation never happened" Hao Fan faded from view easily and disappeared as if he had never been there. Rain smirked and went to join his men. They had a lot of work to do.
-8-8-8-
At the docks Tiri stood upon a precipiece looking over the many docks and peirs. There were a hundred and fifty three peirs built over an array of twenty seven docks. Shifting her vision she saw the trail she was to follow and hopped off the rooftop without a sound. Moving through ther crowd of people she saw ther first opening, a secret enterence was a good start so she headed that way. Moving quickly and quietly she made her way through the underground sewer network of Arendelle.
Turning a corner she stopped and listened in on two men up ahead. Tiri pressed against a stonewall pillar and listened in. "Ah, you've returned" came the voice of a woman, Yan Zhao, an old friend of the family line apparently, the Zhaos were mostly servants and guards in the palace
A womans voice replied to the other woman. "What is the background on this... Kristoff and his apparent sister, Syble ? The two were recently set free after being sentenced to death"
"Ah yes, I have been meaning to tell you about this matter" answered Zhao
"And ?" Asked the other woman, whom Tiri recognised as her own sister. Idun
"Kristoff and his sister, Syble, were caught last night attempting to rob the Magic School, howewver, rumor has it that Princess Tiri set them free this morning on the execution grounds" Zhao replied
"My sister has her own agenda, if she chose to set the two of them free, then so be it. Why should it be a concern of ours ?" Idun asked
"Because, Kristoff, though strong and a good man, it is his sister who has a rather unbearable character." Zhao replied
"Unbearable character ?" Idun asked
"Syble is brash, prone to fits of violence, and in recent events, prone to theivery and had she not be caught as he got her at the time, prostituion with the guards" Zhao rattled off a list, half of it, Tiri knew to be entirely fake, yes Syble was prone to anger fits, but she was infact rather smart and resourceful. So to go so far as to try and seduce a guard...
"And that is an issue, and you say that my sister, Princess Tiri has set them both free as if nothing was wrong when she herself caught Syble and her brother Kristoff breaking into the Magic School." Idun said
"Yes, once it was proven that Tiri set them free, the only person who can override her, is you. What do you want my men to do ?" Zhao asked the Queen.
"For the moment, nothing, observe them only. Tiri has her own task and that is to heal my mother, and if Syble and her brother are part of it, we do not intervine unless absolutely needed, am I understood ?" Idun said
"That could be a problem, according to captain Rain, he wants to get rid of Syble and Kristoff both before they can become a bigger issue to the kingdom as a whole." Zhao said
Idun looked at Zhao, the other woman looked slightly nervous under that gaze. "Can you get rid of someone simply for being prone to fits of anger ?" Zhao shrunched up her nose in thought then shook her head. "I did not think so. For now we observe. What other news do you have ?"
"Well, there is the matter of Captain Rain requesting leave to travel again. I approved it as your original request for me to do without going to you every time." Zhao said
"Again ? Fine, did he at least say where he was going ?" Idun asked
"No, however he mentioned something of a Master he was to meet with concerning the Queen Regents illness, he said it was rumored to be at last a three day trip, then days where he will go to find the guy, then three days back. He said to expect atl east three weeks of a journey." Zhao said
"Very well. Tiri is tasked with healing our mother of her illness, and in that respect, any other news regarding my missing children ?" Idun asked
"Captain Rain said he might have possible news regarding that, but nothing solid." Zhao replied, nearly plowed against the wall as Idun focused on her and helder her back.
"Captain Rain knows better than to withhold information from me, where is he now ?" Idun asked
"The harbor, he said he had to get goods delivered and was to oversee the delivery to ensure it was the right items" Zhao struggled to say. "He did not tell you at the time he got the information until he knew it was more solid, he did not want you tyo go on the information, only to be met with failure."
Idun let her breathe then. "Alright, I will meet him in the Harbor, you may go" Zhao bowed and left. Moments later when Tiri peeked around the corner, Idun too was gone. What was going on in this simulation ? Yes it was true that in the sim her nieces had disappeasred eighteen years before. But for Idun to go this far as to threatening her own servants and guards with death for withholding information.
Tiri came upon two more people, an old crone of a sort. And an older man. "You speak in meaningless riddles. What are the fortresses in the mountains ?" Asked the woman "Answer me or die now" the womans voice was nothing more than a rasping dead tone
"Stop this foolishness, Aplalio. I have consorted with creatures beyond you" Tiri peeked around the corner and saw a grate in the ceiling. Two people were above it screaming at each other. She recognised the voice of the woman. Barely.
"Speak, Crone! But I will remember your insolence towards me and mine!" The man rasped at her. Endless Focus was the man, ancient and strong at the same time
The woman laughed. "Seek the Eye of Stars, and the Soul of Thunder, with these you can rule the world! In fear the masses with scream your name! You have but to reach out and take hold of your destiny, if you wish to do so... warmaster!"
To Tiri, the words, the names, they sounded like the names of ships, or worse, weapons. Given who was speaking to whom, Tiri knew there was troubles to come in the future.
"But be aware, Warmaster, that there are some who carry weapons even beyond the Eye and the Soul, they are simply, Keys, and there are few who are the chosen of the keys" Siad the old crone, Aplailo simply snarled something and stalked away, heavy footsteps rattling the ground.
As soon as Aplailo was gone, the old woman spoke. "You heard all of it, Princess Tiri ?"
"Emisary. Every word" Tiri said stepping into the old womans view. The woman was more an advisor to the Princess and her sister, the Queen, and yet, sometimes evil men came to the woman for advice. "You spoke of two things, weapons I assume ?"
"Yes, Aplailo seeks to control the heavens. Without those weapons, he will be unable to attain his goal" the woman, known simply as Emisary, replied to the princess. "But you know as well as I, Aplailo will only drive himself to ruin."
"He is an old man, and seeks to rule the universe. Who can stop him but the shadows ?" Tiri asked
"That I cannot answer, however, I can advise you to seek out the one who carries the Key. With their help, you can overcome many things in the future. But be aware, someone has been chosen by duradaeden Seek this person out, they too have a Key for their weapon of choice may be a sword, their true weapon, is a key." Emisary said. Tiri thanked the old woman, the woman was wise beyond her years and could help where needed and when needed.
And if Emisary said to seek out a person who used a key to fight... then so be it.
As night came on and Rain had left Arendelle for his mission by her sister, Tiri entered her bedroom within the Arendelle castle. She started to undress, shifting of glass and bone across her body as a voice echoed around her. "The human heart is full of endless compition and jealousy" It was Hao Fan
"Like the royal tree" The man said, Tiri did her best to ignore him. "It is only an excuse to satisfy their vanity. When Tiri did not answer him he focused on her and said simply. "Tiri!"
She looked at him with a hard glare, "What do you want Hao Fan ? What more can we do for the Shadow Mist Sect ? Are we not enemies ?"
"The Duradaedens chosen will waken soon. When they do people will be gathering at their location. Many elites of the Humans, Dragons, Tigris, and Eagle will be there." Hao Fan's voice ecvhoed with a thick almost velvet second tone. "And they have not always been able to get along"
"I think I understand your meaning, but if you are wanting me to play double agent, think again" Tiri scolded him.
"Your sister is focused on finding those who are most likely indeed dead." Hao Fan stated as he looked at her ,smoke poured from his hooded face., "Is this true ?"
"Yes" Tiri replied, "But there is also the matter of my mother, who is sick in bed and possibly dying" She looked at him hard. By then fully in her icewrath bone form while appearing mostly human. "You would not know about her illness would you ? If you can help me in any manner regarding it, I will overlook your ambitions and goals."
"Fair" Hao Fan said
"So what do you know ?" Tiri asked him
"Truthfully, nothing. I can only advise. Your mothers illness is not our doing, the Shadow Mist Sect has other targets of interest, your mother is not on our list in any form"
"But what do you know ? How can I help my mother get well and not die ?" Tiri asked him, turning to face him in full, causing the pretty much smokey ghost to take a half step back.
"I speak truth, your highness. Your mother was poisoned as you suspoected some days ago. By who I cannot tell, nor can I identify the type of poison used. Yes Shadow Mist has worked with poisons, but this is beyond even our best poison makers." hao Fan said, he raised a hand before Tiri could speak. "However, I have a theory that may aid you"
"Tell it" Tiri said
"It is quite possible that the shadows are not as trusting as one wishes them to be. Do not trust them, without light there can be no shadows, without shadows there is no light. Look to the shadows to find your answer." Hao Fan said simply
Tiri thought a moment. "I think I understand your meaning. Someone is making it appear as if Shadow Mist Sect has done the deed, when it was not you ?"
"This is correct" Hao Fan said
"And the hoarding of food in Arendelle ?" Tiri asked
"We were under orders by your sister, until you ordered for the food to be given freely to those that needed it most, asnd at a fair price for those who could pay." Hao Fan said, much to his own disblief he was helping instead of hindering.
Tiri nodded in thoughtful quiet, "Very well. Should I have need of you, who do I contact ?"
"You can find a contact on every block in Arendelle and in the outlaying villages. Look for the shadow mark that smokes in shadowy mist." Hao Fan said
"Then we have an agreement, I will overlook your wrongdoings and goals provided our goals remain alongside the other at the same time. You may go" Tiri said, the hooded smokey fellow bowed slightly towards her and left her.
Tiri laid on her bed and went to sleep, she had to think carefully on her next move. She was overseeing then it seemed, soldiers and underlings storing food, in this case the Shadow Mist Sect directly. Not that it mattered for her, but she didnt care. For long moments she stared at her ceiling before falling asleep.
-8-8-8-
In Scala ad Caelum dawn broke with Mark standing at the dock, he was fuming inside the mere fact his younger sister Masrion was allowed by their father, and the ticket keepers, to leave the city island and go to another city island to track down Samuels killer angered him.
He stood on the dock as Marions ship disappeared around the curve in the harbor walls, disappearing in the waters. He was upset. For long moments he stood there, fuming made and visibly angered over the mere thought of not able to leave Scala ad Caelum
And then there was the fact that Linda was staying at their house at insistance of Anna and Marion to do so out of certain issues pertaining to Samuels killer also wanting her dead. With Linda safe at their compound that meant that others would search for her. And with Marion going to another city island...
"Are you upset, Nephew ?" Nathan asked to Mark. The older man had his long black hair pulled into a loose ponytail, his black and gray outfit was loose upon his body yet comfortable. Like all elders he carried a pair of swords upon his left hip.
"Is it that obvious, Uncle ?" Mark hissed softly in anger as he turned to Nathan, the older man was relaxed and yet still calm. "Marion gets to leave this city island, I am told I and Elsa left here once already before returning. But I have no memory of doing so, and the logbooks are burned! Twice now I tried to leave this place, to explore a different island, but both times, thwarted! And you ask me if I am mad ?!"
"I did not ask if you were mad, I asked if you were upset." Nathan raised a calm hand as he spoke, pointing at Mark as he did so. He looked towards where Marions boat used to be. "Marion gained permission, from the Keepers, and your father, to leave to explore the next City Island's library, she cannot go anywhere else on the other city"
"Even then, for her to leave the city island for another, when all four of us have been trying to do just that the last few weeks!" Mark grunted, slamming a fist into a column, it cracked.
"Nephew, you borrowed a Records Book from the Hall of Stories, most people are not allowed to do such a thing yet the keeper trusts you enough to keep the book safe for seven days. What do you aim to find in it ?" Nathan asked, calming Marks nerves a bit the two started to walk back to their home.
"For every record of departure is a record of arrival" Mark said, "By searching those, I can find if Elsa and I did indeed truly leave Scala ad Caelum and returned, and see who else arrived after we did, if we did truly leave here." He explained, Mark wanted to see if the thought was indeed true, had he and his sister truly left Scala ad Caelum ?
"You seek the truth in all things. You will make a good merchant in the future. Marcus was right to ensure you had the best chance to take over the family business when the time was right" Nathan said with an approving nod to his nephew. "For now, dont worry, Marion only has permission to visit the other Hall of Stories in the nearby city island. She will be back in time for dinner tonight. You can ask her of what she saw then" Nathan then entered the family compound. Leaving Mark standing in the street calmly busting yet another blood vessel in quiet anger.
Mark could not deny that his uncle was right, Marion, as lucky as she was, could only go t othe other city island's hall of stories and no where else, it was like her path was premapped beforehand and she had to stick to the route entirely. It didnt make much sense to him at the time but he didnt fully think on things so carefully concerning it.
But he did also have that Book of Records of Arrival he was borrowing from their own city island's Hall of stories. With that thought he turned and went towards the yard upon entering his home compound.
Entering his house, more or less his bedroom, which was detatched from the rest of the house itself, yet within the compound walls, Mark shut the door, and took a seat at his low desk. Opening the book he began reading through it for information.
He didnt know exactly what he was looking for outside of him and Elsa returning the year before. He tapped the date numbers, SC310 He noted, March the tenth, Scala ad Caelum calender, he and Elsa returned to Scala ad Caelum via mueldeer carriage ? That did not make a lot of sense, the City Island the Wolfe family made their home on was surrounded entirely by water, wasnt it ? And then he remembered, they had taken a muledeer carriage when they left, but did they leave entirely by land or by sea ? They were surrounded by other city islands.
-8-8-8-
"We have a problem" DiT said as Nara leaned against the wall nearby.
"Do tell" Nara said simply
"Mark Wolfe is getting too close to the truth. Go in there, and make it hard for him." DiT replied, once she had detailed the book, Mark needed to be away from it. As soon as Mark was drawn from the book, Nara could steal it and return it to the Keeper. Then again never return it as he did play part of the Keeper
Nara said nothing and disappeared.
-8-8-8-
A knock sounded at Marks bedroom door. "Come in" he said, it was Mora. "What is it, Mora ?" He then asked her
"A man wishes to see you, he says it is most important" Mora said
"I see, thank you, where is he now ?" Mark asked her.
"He said he'd wait outside the compound." Mora replied
"You did not invite him in ? Did he give a name ?" Mark asked
"No, but his face was covered in a hood" Mora replied, motioning a hooded coat of some form that covered Naras face in shadows.
Mark went thoughtful, Marion said the man who had killed Samuel was a hooded man. So why did this man want to see him ? Did someone want him dead ? "Thank you Mora, you may go" Mark stood, briefly looking at the open book on his desk before shaking his head and walking out of the room. Never looking back or noticing a hooded pair of eyes poked over the windowsil of his room.
As soon as Mark was gone a darkness corridor opened and the hooded man was inside Marks bedroom without a sound. Sure he wanted the four to wake up, he wanted to be with Diamond again. But instead to wake them all up, memories intact, they had to go through this mess.
Nara smirked seeing the layout of Marks bedroom and small office, trust him to use his own set up. Nara checked the time, he had less than a minute to speak with Mark at the font gate. Going to the desk he removed the book, putting a fake copy in its place. A copy that indeed held Elsa and Marks return to Scala ad Caelum, but nothing concerning the Queen and her Sister Tiri to come there too.
Nara disappeared from Marks bedroom office and reappeared outside the compounds main gate. Leaning against the wall the hooded man watched as the seconds ticked by. By the time he had gotten to fifteen seconds, Mark stepped onto the step leading to the street from the Wolfe Compound
Looking around he was confused, the street was packed with people going about their business that day. Who wanted to see him ? A voice caught his attention. "I was starting to wonder if you were even home" Nara said
Turning to the hooded man, whom Mark did not reconise whatsoever, he said "Did you want something from me ?"
"One could say that" Nara replied cryptically.
"What ?" Mark asked him.
Behind his hood, Nara smirked. "Nothing for you to worry about right now, when the time is right, we will meet again." Nara then stood from the wall and walked off, rapidly disappearing into the crowd of people
For long moments Mark stood on the steps, wondering what the hooded man meant, finally sighing and returning to his room he sat down at his desk and went back to reading the Book of Records for Arrivals. He'd found once again, SC 310, the date of him and Elsas return, and went from there.
Each day were was upwards of seven arrivals, from various island cities. But it noted too that he and Elsa had returned by Mueldeer carriage ? No that wasnt right, the book told him directly that they had taken a mueldeer carraige from the dock the rest of the way home. Yes that was right.
Mark didnt know it at the time, but he'd been messed with. Try as he might he found nothing in the book concerning anyone coming after they had returned from whever it was they had gone. Had he truly gone to a place called Arendelle ? If he had, why couldnt he remember it ?
Questions for another day. He went looking for his uncle, Nathan had two daughters, Kiyo and Sapp. His wife had died when Sapp was born so he raised the two girls with Marks mother helping him out.
Rather then finding his uncle he found Kiyo who was reading a book under a gazebo. "You seem worried." Kiyo said simply seeing her cousin looking a bit more than frentic "What is on your mind dear cousin ?"
"Have you seen Uncle Nathan ?" Mark asked her
"Not since he got home, why ?" Kiyo replied
"Damnit, I need to talk to him, he might be right that it was only a dream, but I cant shake the feeling something feels wrong" Mark explained the book to his cousin and the sudden arrival of a hooded man wanting to see him.
"Father did mention that Marion got to go to another City Island's Hall of Stories and that you were upset" Kiyo said, "But by going on what father said, upset is an understatement entirely. You are more like... rather livid" Kiyo said. She closed the book and sat up, her feet on the ground.
"I found a book of arrival records. It says Elsa and I did indeed return from wherever it was that we went. But I cant shake the feeling something important happened afterwards." Mark explained, Kiyo remained quiet. Her father did mention that Mark was prone to fits of extreme thought and pacing. Not to mention rapidfire chatting with himself to try to make sense of things. And Mark was already at the pacing stage.
Kiyo watched him for a moment. "What did you find in the book ?"
"Only that Elsa and I returned, and then after it was a bunch of other arrivals, but all of them were cargo and supplies for Scala ad Caelum here. Weapons, food, you name it." Mark said with a shake of his head. "I'm at my wits end on this, I need to know more."
"You think there is another Book of Arrivals at the Hall of Stories that could have the answer then ?" Kiyo asked him
Mark shook his head. "no, that one is the only one I could find."
"Where's Marion ?" Kiyo asked
"You didnt know ?" Mark gave her a confused look,
"Should I have ?" Kiyo asked. Mark told her. "So that's it then."
"What is ?" Mark asked
"Why you are upset" Kiyo replied, "You're mad because Marion got to leave the city island and you have been trying to save up your credits to leave, charter a cable car or a boat, anything to get off this city island, am I right ?" Kiyo pointed out, Mark had no way to answer her
-8-8-8-
The book was set on the table next to the computer. "Why is it so hard to make a link to Arendelle ?" Nara asked ccalmly, his gloved hand traced over the book's cover design faintly.
DiT sat at the computer screen calm and at work. "As I had said before. We would only give the enemy another entry point. Has everything been prepared ?" DiT asked
"For the most part, Tiri is doing her part, apparently Shadow Mist are going to help her in so far as regards to the poison and feeding her kingdom, while she overlooks their curent misdeedsw in the city of Arendelle." Nara replied
"Shadow Mist Sect will keep their promise only inside the boundary of Arendelle's reach, once outside that boundry, everyone is fair game to be a target." DiT said thoughtfully. "Were Shadow Mist Sect to attack or harm a resident of Arendelle within the Arendelle boundary, Tiri would go back on her word, and attack Shadow Mist with everything she has."
"The Icewraith has skills similar to my own" Nara said simply. He had met Tiri briefly before, the woman reminded him of himself in many ways
"Yes, she does. She also has a plan for the Arendelle side of things. As of right now, Tiri will handle Arendelle, we will focus on waking them up. Inform Jarius he is to continue his work, and to hurry." DiT said. She pointed at the book of records. "And you can delete that."
Nara smirked and instead of deleting the book, he warped it somewhere else and disappeared. DiT did not understand how the man worked. Nara had a skill, and if it was to annoy her, or hinder her, DiT did not know. Infact, she found herself relying on both Nara and Tiri more than anything recently. She only hoped Tiri was having a better time of it. Though DiT smiled, Tiri had freed Kristoff and his sister Syble from their prison to be executed by Rain.
This was a rather interesting if not questionable development. It was not unexpected but even then, Tiri was acting either of her own interests, or aiming to make things believable for all interested parties.
DiT simply wanted her daughters back.
Nara simply wanted Diamond back.
Mark simply wanted off Scala ad Caelum.
Three birds, one stone.
And the party was just getting started
-8-8-8-
The island City that Marion docked at was not that different from what she was used to when she grew up on Scala ad Caelum. She was not expecting to be welcomed and yet a blonde woman waited for her, dressed in a gown befitting a Keeper of some form. Marion guess that the Hall of Stories Keeper had been informed of her arrival.
"Lady Marion Wolfe, welcome to Scala City Island." The Keeper said, "I am Keeper Atria. I was informed of your arrival, you have little time to find what you seek, so I thought to aid you as best I am able before sunset when you are to return." The two walked deeper into the city island of Scala
Marion mentally mapped out the route on her own as the Keeper lead her to the Hall of Stories, it was a mostly straightforward route but it ended at rthe Hall of Stories, the gate slid open allowing the two entry.
Taking in the Hall of Stories, Marion knew it was designed identical to her home city island's own Hall. But even then it was a new place to visit, so many stories to read. But she had to focus, she did not have the time to read anything, she was there to find a certain book.
"I was informed of the passing of your friend Samuel" Atria said
"Yes, I am here to try and find any notes on his killer, our own Hall of Stories did not have anything concerning the killers origins. However it did mention this city island having a book with more information on" Marion produced a crystal shard and words floated off it. "Shadow Mist Sect"
Atria nodded. "Yes, I was informed you sought knowledge of the group, come with me" Atria lead Marion deeper into the Hall of Stories and up a flight of stairs to the second of four levels. The woman then entered an archway and Marion followed in her footsteps. Thin lines of light formed on the shelf edges along the floor showing where the exits and windows were as well as the edges of the carpet upon the floor. Marion was more used to stonework on her own city island.
Atria finally came to a halt near some shelves. "These books containe the knowledge you seek, I will be at the main desk area should you need my help in finding out more or if you wish to leave." Atria said.
Marion thanked her and waited for Atria to leave her alone. Marion even watched her go down ther steps before returning to the books and going through the first one. Calmly leafing through it, gently as well she found mention of Shadow Mist as was informed to do so and went through the first two books on the subject. It was not until she got to the third book had Marion managed to find anything substantial on the Shadow Mist Sect.
As she read it she smiled. Originally formed as TheDragonWatch, a splinter group of TheDragonWatch members had broken off from the original teachings of TheDragonWatch and started Shadow Mist Sect. A group that grew in power, luring the original leaders of TheDragonWatch into its shadowy mist, corrupting their true forms and abilities into a far more darker subbing of their original form.
Marion soon found images and pictures. She found Endless Focus, and Fatal Elgy, Concealed Mind and Calm Voice, along with the leader of Shadow Mist Sect, a man apparently known simply as Master Smoke. Marion sighed, never finding the guy she fought among the Thirteen Masters.
Sighing again Marion spoke aloud to herself. "This is harder than I thought it would be. At least I know what the Thirteen Masters look like" She went to the next book, "But what would the Shadow Mist Sect, and TheDragonWatch find interesting in Scala ad Caelum ?"
Another hour passed and the noon bell rang. Artia came to Marion a little after the bell rang, and found her going through a seventh book. "Are you in need of food, Lady Marion ?"
"No, but thank you. I have indeed found what I was looking for though. Almost entirely infact. I just need to find a pictyure of one guy, but so far I havent been able to find anything of that one guy, everyone else I sought I have found pictures of however." Marion shut the book with a sigh.
"Perhaps some food can be of help ?" Atria said as Marion put the book on the shelf.
" I am fine, I have most if not all of the information I sought. I think I can head back to my own city island now. Maybe even explore this one a bit. But then again Mark might kill me if I tried that. So I think I will just head home" Marion said, bidding Atria good bye Marion headed back to her ship
It was nearly dinner time when she stepped through the front gate of the Wolfe Compound. And heard Marks angery rantings. This was going to be an interesting night for sure. Marion could already feel a headache coming on.
RESTORATION AT 79%