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

28. Kiyori - Tears of Nothing: Chapter Eight

Frozen Memories 1.8 Bridge

Hidden Past – Back Cover

Kiyori – Tears of Nothing

Chapter 8: Storming the Castle

12 November 2057

Arendelle

Yaeko District, Xeirs house

Marketplace District Den

10 AM

"Good the portal worked" Blackmane said upon seeing her niece Topaz, and her brother Lazul arrive. Topaz seemed just a bit overstatic just by looking at her suddenly stactic filled hair. Lazul on the other hand in his housecat form, looked like a spooked britstlebrush. "Rough ride ?"

"Might say that" Topaz replied, she combed her hair as Lazul transformed fluidly. "Aunt Blackmane, what is this about ?" Topaz then asked after they had traded hugs

"When I spoke to you three days ago you remember what I said about the castle ?" Blackmane replied with a question of her own.

Topaz thought a second or two the nodded. "Oh that's right I remember now. You said Mark was coming up with a plan to get inside the castle, but he would turn heads as a Snow Leopard" Topaz mused

"Exactly, so he thought of you two, Topaz, you can get into the female sections of the castle, places Mark or your brother arent able to get to, even as a cat" Blackmane said with a nod towards her and Lazul, "Lazul likewise can get to places you cant get to"

"I think I can see what Mark is thinking" Lazul said thoughtfully. "He cant just up and go through the front door, and the only able way to get inside is to go through the side door or an upper window. Even then he cant do it, but a housecat or stray cat can"

Blackmane smirked, "Walk with me you two, thank you Xeir" Blackmane said, giving Xeir a hug. The two headed for the door, Lazul still getting the static out of his hair with a comb that was pased to him from his sister.

"Good luck" Xeir said, she was going to worry of meeting the two siblings later. At that moment she was more concerned with other things in her to do list. Namely, sleep some more, and then maybe have a late lunch.

As the three left the house, Lazul spoke first. "Who was that ?" he jerked the comb towards Xeir in the doorway

"That was an old friend of mine and your aunt Snowfeather. Let me just put it this way, try not to miss Elsa" Blackmane said as they walked along. Upon getting to the already crowded streets of the district, Blackmane spoke further. "Quite a few things have happened since you guys left."

"Yeah, a month ago we all suddenly remembered Mark, Anna, and Diana, and we werent sure of what it meant either. We just suddenly remembered them as if they had been gone for a long time." Topaz said, the three headed down a street after taking a turn.

"Similar effect happened to me" Blackmane replied, "As well as anyone else connected with them. It was as if a fog was lifted from our eyes and we could remember as well as see them again" She said nothing in reply of the lack of mention of the former Queen. At least until they came upon the notice board.

"Aunt Blackmane, why is Sapphire on the list of Heirs for the Throne ?" Topaz bluntly asked, she knew Sapphire only a little bit over the last two or so years they got to know one another. To the point wherein Topaz knew better then to try and steal Sapphires left shoe. Or for Lazul to sleep in Sapphires bra as a cat.

Sometimes as housecats they slept in the strangest areas, Like Topaz waking up in Sapphires left shoe. In short, cats did stupid shit, a lot. And Topaz and her brother were no different when in those forms. "That is something Mark wants to find out. Its one of the reasons he wanted you two back here." Blackmane said

They passed through an archway, denoting the boundary between the Yaeko District and the Talo District. Another turn and they went through another archway, denoting the Marketplace District. It was surprising how close the Marketplace District was to the Yaeko District.

"So Sapphire is possibly gonna rule the place ?" Lazul said, more of a confused question but also a good question.

"Maybe, the plan is to get into the castle and find out more of what the high priest is planning." Blackmane said

"High Priest ?" Topaz asked, she traded looks with her brother. "I thought Elsa left a council in her stead ?"

"She did, but the council is mostly controlled by the High Priest, a guy named Kiyori. He's got a weird type of magic that we can counter, but you guys need to learn a few things first. As well as get some new gear" Blackmane said. "The confusing part is Anna is on the list too, and the kingdom favors her to lead in place of either of the other two women. So Kiyori is trying to either round up all three, or kill all three or just kill two and keep the one he favors alive"

"Wait, you mean the woman, Waterlight ?" Lazul asked as they stepped onto the Den grounds. "Wasnt she that one womans bodyguard or something ?"

"Lady-in-Waiting, which is similar to a bodyguard, more like a double when the need calls for it. But Waterlight is also Asacas mother, you remember her ?" Blackmane said, both siblings nodded. Who could forget that eight foot tall woman ?

"I still dont get why we had to come by portal instead of by airbus ?" Topaz said, "Why the hurry, if anything we could learn the new skills on the flight here"

"Time is rather pressing, that is the issue, the sooner you can cultivate the new abilities, the sooner you can take a flight to the castle" Blackmane said, she opened the front door to the den and they all entered.

"I was starting to wonder when you'd get back" Came Marks voice from the lower level. The three floored structure had its front door have two ways to go, well three with the stairs going up to the bedrooms, a narrow bridgelike hallway lead to the main floor kitchen, and a set of steps to the seeming basement. "But I am glad you two could make it on such short notice" He said upon seeing Topaz and Lazul. The latter of whom transformed into a housecat and jumped from the landing at the front door to the sofa across from Mark. Sitting back in it like a content kitten

"Alright Mark, you got us here, whats your plan ?" Topaz said. She stepped down the stairs as she spoke. Standing in the room, her silver dress looked a bit travel worn. "Give us the juicy deets, Aunt Blacky only gave us minimal"

Mark smirked as Blackmane rolled her eyes. "Its simple, a friend of mine, or rather former enemy of mine from Sacremento is in the kingdom. She has a few abilities that someone is already using on a daily basis to scout the castle district from the air. Unfortunately she is unable to carry more than her own body weight. Unless it is a housecat or two. So carrying me to the castle district to the open skylight in the castle longhouse itself is not going to happen." Mark explained

"So you sent for us becasuse we are able to turn into housecats ?" Lazul mused. Mark nodded. Blackmane went to the kitchen to begin lunch preparation as Mark explained his plan. "Aunt Blackie mentioned new gear and new skills to learn, what did she mean by that ?"

"The High Priest has a type of magic, we can counter it but only with certain skills. You guys know I had the ability to counter or use gravity, right ?" Mark asked them, both nodded. "The High Priests magic took that away, so I have to rely even on gear given me by Irie, she has some for you down stairs in her workshop. Whatever Diana said to her two days ago sure perked her spriits up." Mark had no idea what Diana and Irie had talked about, the two women werent home when he and Nara came back from the Pine District Library the night before. But he did notice the absent spark that was missing from her eye was back that morning.

"So that would be the new gear, what about thew new abilities ?" Topaz then asked.

Mark pointed at the plate upon the coffee table. "I had Kiyomori prep these for you two." A pair of grayblue pills were upon the plate. About the size of a grape each "One each, once you take them you need to cultivate the Essence Flame to your abilties. Once you have done so, you can see Irie for your new gear."

"Essence what now ?" Lazul asked as he examined the pills. He then gave Mark the stinkeye "You're not planning on exploding my stomach are you ?"

Mark chuckled and shook his head. "Far from it, Kiyomori told me about her immunity to the High Priests magic. Using an ability called Essence Flames, any kind of which, will render the High Preists magic entirely useless." Mark explained.

"These Essence Flames, what exactly are they ?" Lazul asked as he once more eyed the pills

"Well, according to Kiyomori, those two are identical, higher level healing Flames, shes got twenty seven of them floating in her body somewhere as it is." Mark said, "She can combine them as she needs, and boy are they damn destructive on targets. She recently gave me a second one, so I can blow stuff up"

That made Topaz laugh. "Alright, which one is this then ?" If it was a Healing Flame, it was then as Kiyomori termed it, a Heaven Flame, which then had the Elemental Flames, and the Beast Flames as the other two categories.

"Kiyomori did not say which, only that they were higher teir. But even for a Heaven Flame, they're still the easiest, and also weakest to learn." Mark told them. He sighed at their confused looks, "Let me put it this way, Irie broke her arm three weeks ago in a fight. Thanks to the healing Flame Kiyomori had given her some time ago, it healed right before my eyes. Shame though that it could not heal the colorlessness of her eye. Similar to how a Healing Crystal works"

Topaz pointed a finger into the air. "That" she said looking at Mark as she lowered her hand. "Is a really gristly thought. Dont gross me out like that again!"

"Sorry, now, chow down, then meditate, according to Kiyomori, it only takes a few minutes to center the Flame, and then a half hour to an hour or so to fully intigrate it into your system." Mark stood as Topaz picked up one, Lazul viewed the thing still rather concerned but took it after Topaz swallowed hers. "I'll help Aunt Blackmane with lunch. Anything special you guys want ?"

"Yeah, salmon, fresh if you can get it" Topaz said, trust Topaz to think with her stomach. Mark nodded as Lazul was going to have whatever Blackmane was cooking. If they were lucky, it would take about an hour to cook. So the meditation would be done by that point. Spike of course had already done her recon work. So Mark needed to contact her. He was told to find her in the Pine District at the hotel called Hotel Costa Plente. Which always made him smirk at the name.

Getting to the kitchen on the main ground level of the structure, Mark saw Blackmane cooking and preparing the meal. "How is things ?" Mark asked her

"So far so good." Blackmane said, she pointed at the bridge. "The salmon is in there. Bread is in the pantry," She said, knowing full well he was there to help prepare lunch. "There should be some fruits and veggies in the fridge as well, if not, here" She tossed him something, a money sack. "We're in the Marketplace District, so finding food as needed is easy." She told him.

Mark smirked as he caught the bag of money. "Anything else ?"

"Theres a list in the bag, try and get everything on it" Blackmane told him, Mark nodded and headed outside into the Marketplace. "Oh and make sure the veggies dont dance or sing" Mark struggled not to laugh.

A half hour later and Mark returned, the money bag entirely spent, the exact amount needed for the food he had bought. "This is everything" He said as he restocked the fridge and pantry. Blackmane nodded seeing the progress Mark was able to do.

"You are getting good at this Nephew" She said. Then she remembered something important. "Oh, I nearly forgot, Vaeyuko wanted to talk to you once you had gotten back, shes upstairs."

Mark had to wonder what his aunt wanted."Alright, I'll go talk to her, have you seen Diana, or Irie ?" Mark replied

"Just Diana while you were away, she was going upstairs to try and get some sleep. She and Irie had been working on a project together the last two days, Irie she said fell asleep at her work bench. So Diana came up here to go to one of the rooms to try and get some shut eye" Blackmane replied, then she looked at him confused. "Why ?"

"There was a patrol out there looking for Diana, and they didnt look too nice either., thankfully they didnt give me much as a second glance" Mark replied. Blackmane snickered. "What ? Whats so funny ?"

"Who knew that you buying groceries would never earn you a second look ? Its the perfect way to blend in, and you nailed it!" Blackmane said to him.

"If you say so, I'll go to talk to Vaeyuko." Mark said as he handed Blackmane the empty money bag before going up the flight of stairs at the end of the catwalk. As he walked he briefly saw his cousins seated on the floor down below in the lower level. Lazul was meditating, whereas Topaz was reading a holographic newspaper. Some things never change. Mark thought.

Going up the stairs he knocked twice on the door that housed Vaeyukos bedroom. "Come in" Came the quiet voice of Vaeyuko inside. Mark entered and saw her at the mirror vanity. "I was starting to wonder if Blackie talked to you yet."

"She did, she mentioned that you wanted to talk to me" Mark replied as he stepped into the room.

"Yes, there is something you might need to think about." Vaeyuko said, it was her tone that told him there might be something he wouldnt like about the topic. "Close the door."

"And that is ?" Mark was already starting to not like the conversation as he shut the door behind himself.

"You are a widower, Nephew. And there is a way to go from it. If you are willing" Vaeyuko said. Mark grimaced, yup, he did not like this topic. "Do not give me that look nephew. It does not become you."

Mark relaxed, he did notr like the conversations topic, he'd vented to Cota about it already. He sighed. "Alright, fine." he then looked at his aunt, a thoughtful look on his face. "What would you have in mind ?" Vaeyuko smirked. Looking at the mirror.

"Open your eyes" Vaeyuko said to him, turning suddenly she pressed a manicured claw upon the center of his forehead. Suddenly Mark was transported into another dimenesion. Swirls of energy danced, within moments he was in orbit of earth. Vaeyukos voice echoed.

"No matter how you try to think otherwise. There are still things you must do. Things you must finish." Mark saw a dragonfly hover within reach of him as he floated above earth. "This planet is one of many. But you must think beyond what you can do"

Mark reached out and gently touched the dragonfly and was blasted into the stairs, through a nebulae and then hung inside the vibrations of raw sound as Vaeyukos voice echoed. "Everything is a simple puzzle. Time itself laying out the pieces as we make each move upon the board. All you have to do, is reach to take it."

Mark found himself in a world of shattered glass. The Mirrors as Talak had called it, the landscape danced rapidly, building and tearing itself apart. Finally the plexus pattern the glass made looked familiar. "My dear Nephew. What you seek is beyond even Blackmane. What you seek only you can find on your own." A door formed out of nothing but computerised light. Mark walked through it.

He found himself seated on his aunts bed. He stood. "I think I understand." He said to her, "I need some time to myself though. See you at lunch ?" Vaeyuko nodded. Hopefully her wisdom got to him. Mark turned and left the room, going to his own room he failed to notice that another box of incense was gone. He lit a stick of it and set it in the tray before sitting on his bed that he shared with his older sisters and began to meditate.

As much as he hated the words 'widow' or even 'widower' it made him think. What Vaeyuko had shown him, so many different possiblities, things that he could only grasp at. Things that if he took the curage he had to do it, he would gladly do so. But he did not want to forget Elsa, in his minds eye he saw things. The ring he had made, frosted over by Elsas ice magic. The ring she wore, equally frosted over. The necklace he made, both parts of it, hooked together around his neck.

The memory was hazey, but he could see Ms Yu there in the cemetary with him. Handing him the necklace. "What is this ?" Mark asked her

"I am not sure I understand" Yu replied to him.

"This necklace, did Elsa lose it, throw it aside, or what ?" Mark asked her

"The Templars had it, it was stolen, but recovered." Yu said to him.

Mark stared at the necklace for a long time before putting it on. But it prompted Yu to ask. "When you find the man that had this, what will you do ?"

Mark at first did not reply, but then said "Words havent even been invented yet." The memory faded.

Mark woke up from his meditation, his eyes adjusting to the darkness of his room. He smelled not just incense but also the food his aunt was cooking. Meditation helped him at times, he simply hoped this time it was enough.

As he neared the front door it opened, two people came in. "Just the man we want to see" Said a cheerful womans voice. It was Anna

"Princess Anna ? What are you doing here ?" Mark asked on sight of the woman.

"Seeing you, thats what I am doing here" Anna replied, she indicated Altan. "Altan also wanted to talk to you, I need to talk to Diana, have you seen her ?"

"Yeah, upstairs, third door on the left after the turn in the hallway" Mark jerked a thumb towards the stairs, Anna darted up them as Mark turned to Altan. "Now what can I do for the Kopekh ?"

"Hopefully find my husband, one of the members took things over and Sharka was gone when I returned to the Taelieon District. They wont tell me what happened to him" Altan said.

Mark was thoughtful. "Alrigfht, let me talk to them. Enjoy lunch huh ?" Mark said he clapped her on the shoulder, Altan smiled.

"Thank you, I think I will" She said in reply.

Mark turned and lead her ot the dining room. Speaking to Blackmane he said. "Aunt Blackie, this is Altan, Sharkas wife and second in command of the Kopekh. I have a task I need to do, so I will have to skip lunch." He then saw what Blackmane was making, his favorite food. "On second thought I will eat it then beat it.," He said. That made Blackmane smirk

"Welcome" She said to Altan, "A pleasure to meet you" She smacked at Marks sneaking hand with the ladle. "Wait until the table is set and everyone is seated dear nephew" Marks reaction and sneakiness made Altan smile.

"Sharka is quite similar" She said simply. "Had I not known better, I would have thought you him"

"I would like to meet him, he sounds fun" Blackmane said

"Hopefully you will be able to, if Mark can recover him." Altan detailed to Blackmane and Mark exactly what she knew. "So its possible that Sharka is kept somewhere or was given as a gift or something. Sharka is a good fighter. Its one of the reasons he was chosen to direct and rule the Kopekh"

"For a merc group out of Mongolia, leaders survive so long as the money is rolling in, but Sharka said no payment for watching Anna. That could be the source of the issue" Mark mused as he took a seat at table

"Normally that is the case, but once we learned that Anna was the former Princess of Arendelle, and thus we returned to Arendelle where the Wolfe Clan also started, we returned to our roots, Sharka wanted to protect Anna as per tradtion, which meant no taking payment whatsoever. So when Sharka disappeared, I took Anna with me to find you. So here we are."

Mark was silent, but Blackmane spoke up. "Sharka is a fighter type, a leader, its possible he could be in the Arena District to fight there for his survival"

"I'll check there as soon as lunch is over. When I find him and free him, where do we want to meet ?" Mark said turning from Blackmane with a nod to look at Altan.

"Sharka will surely want to return to the Taelieon District to deal with the usurper. Once that is dealt with, contact me on this" Altan said, handing Mark a crystal, "I have the other end of it, soon as you activate this, Sharka will know how. Anna and I will return to the Taelieon District."

Mark looked at the crystal it looked more or less like a common walkie talkie type of device. He put it in his pocket. "Alright, sounds like a plan, lets eat" by that point everyone else had begun to sit down, Diana, Anna, Altan and Blackmane on one side. Mark and Lazul on the ends, Topaz, Vaeyuko, and Irie with Shadowmane on the other side. Lunch passed quickly and allowed Mark to take his leave shortly afterwards.

He had a family member to recover.. so he told Blackmane "Keep Topaz and Lazul here as long as you can, when I get back from getting Sharka back where he belongs we can go over the finer details of the plan," Blackmane nodded and watched him go. It was about one in the afternoon.

Arendelle

Arena District

1 PM

The Arena was packed with people watching, a bunch of weird creatures were in the arena floor as Mark observed from above. A burly man spoke. "Welcome to the Circus! A comcutopia of blood and pain. This is where flesh eats flesh! And today.." the man looked directly at Sharka. "You are the main attraction"

Sharka smirked as he drew his sword. "You are quite the showman, I will enjoy killing you!" battle was joined.

Mark stood on a overlook that was directly over the arena pit itself. "Seems the show has already begun" He mused, how to get down there. Mark looked around and then smirked, perfect. Dropping like a stone off the perch he slammed down on a guard observing the fight in the pit. The guard was in Kiyoris colors, but worked with the pits owner.

Something felt off about the pit fight so naturally, Mark kept one step ahead of other fighters in the area before finally getting back to back with Sharka. "Good, you made it, I was starting to wonder if Altan and Anna got to you"

"They did, but lets worry of getting you out of here first." Mark replied, he drew his bow and punched the lights out of a on coming attacker as neither he nor Sharka noticed Diana show up and watch from above with Sapphire.

"Agreed!" Sharka replied, the two fought back to back against a bunch of attackers in waves.

Above in the arena seats, Diana and Sapphire watched. Diana recognising Mark right off. "Seems oddly crowded for a fight doesnt it ?" Diana asked to Sapphire

"It does" Sapphire replied, she almost missed being in the fight arenas, able to fight with just her fists and knock out most if not all the fighters she went across when pretty much exiled from her duties at the Castle before Elsa took her vacation. "Whats Mark doing down there ? He never was on the dockets before"

"Wish I knew" Diana replied, she smirked as she turned to look at Sapphire, "For now though, lets enjoy the fight" Sapphire agreed and the two watched as Mark and Sharka fought their way to the door and cracked it open.

Only to get stopped by a swarm of soldiers and more goons. "Well this should be interesting, I do not remember any of those kinds of fighters when I pit fought" Sapphire mused seeing the newcomers.

As the fight was below them, Diana turned to Sapphire "You were a pitfighter ?" the news such as that made Diana curious

"Oh sure, had to do it for about 12 weeks, mostly because it was my only source of income at the time. I was put on house arrest, not allowed to leave the Arena District any reason unless otherwise called for by military court for striking my old commanding officer, Captain Taekito." Sapphire said as she watched Mark and Sharka waste the newcomers with skill, but these men, they could not simply be just men. They were more like man beasts.

"Is see, I remember Mark going ham on the guy later that day too and told you to get back to work as if you never left. Is that true ?" Diana asked

Sapphire nodded. "Yup, Mark really whaled on the guy, he limped past me, his jaw entirely broken. But those eyes, I still see them the morning of my birthday when I sleep." she said

"Your birthday ?" Sapphire nodded at the questiuon, "Why then ?"

"I was born the morning of the attack on the Wolfe Manor. My birth record was the last record listed in the Castle Library" Sapphire told her.

"Hmmm," Diana replied in thought. Their attention drawn to the return of the Arenas master. "He called this the "Circus", what exactly does that mean ?"

"Couldnt hope to tell you." Sapphire replied, "Come on, lets get out of here before we're noticed." She said, the two women ducked away before getting seen by anyone as they headed back the way they had come.

For once Diana knew that Mark had the situation well in hand.

As the Arenas master was on his knees, he spoke to Mark. "You fight good for a Man. But you cannot hope to last in this place!" An explosion wracked the area and Mark stumbled, when the dust cleared the Arenas master was gone. Not even a hole in the ground was in his wake.

"Oh for fuck sakes" Mark grumbled as he was quickly mobbed by other fighters, pushing them back and forcing a way out. He and Sharka quickly made short work of the remaining pit fighters before heading for the nearby gates.

"You didnt think we were going to let you leave so quickly now did you ?" Came a chorus of voices. Turning to the sound, Mark and Sharka saw the Arena master, known simply as the Ringmaster, but he had three additional doubles. "we're just getting the party started!" Mark and Sharka traded looks as Mark turned to the door. "Oy! I am talkin to you!"

Mark turned to the Ringmaster, "Me ?"

"No, the dead pansy on the seats above the gate there, yeah I'm talkin' to you" The Ringmaster replied, brandishing his twin axes. "Where do you think you are going ?"

Mark looked to Sharka then the gate, "Well, we were just leaving" Mark said as Sharka smirked

"Oh ?" The Ringmasters double to Marks left asked.

"And now ?" Asked the one directly to the Ringmasters left. Directly in front of Sharka

"Now..." Mark looked to Sharka, who smirked and wiped blood off his swords. "We're gonna feed you your teeth" Mark and Sharka settled into a fight stance. The Ringmaster roared something, and his goons ran forwards. Mark blocked a strike, grabbed the thing and smasdhed him against a pile of pallets.

Another manbeast screamed and ran at Sharka, who easily dodged and side kicked the man against a table as his fellow had his weapon hand grabbed and twisted around, suddenly both men were impaled on a metal rod thrown by the Ringmasters double.

Soon it was just Mark, Sharka and four Ringmasters. "Well, this was fun gentlemen but I really think we need to dash" Mark said simply, a smirk on his face as he spoke.

"This ends now!" The Ringmasters voice echoed in the pit.

"I dont think peace is an option at this point, cousin" Sharka said simply while giving Mark an approving look, Mark had tried to get a peaceful way out, but it didnt really work once these freaks had bloodlust burning in them.

"Sadly I must agree" Mark replied. The two settled into stances. "Whats your thinking ?"

"Pick your targets and have a party. But be caureful, this guy has bombs on him, mostly flashbangs and who knows what else." Sharka replied.

"When this is over remind me to ensure these fuckers pay for dinner." Mark said, the last thing he wanted was to go blind or lose his hearing.

"Agreed" Sharka replied

As one the four copies of the Ringmaster ran forwards. Aiming to overwehlem both men. But as Sharka and Mark fought back to back they easily span in a circle, ensuring that by the time the Ringmaster was reduced to the original. Mark and Sharka werent even breaking a sweat.

With the Ringmaster depleted of weapons and out of grenades and bombs, Mark held him at knife point. "Do you want to do the honors ?"

"Nah, I had my share of killing for one day, do what you want wit him" Sharka replied, Mark nodded, and a flick of the wrist the Ringmasters head rolled.

"Its quite the mess" Mark said seeing the carnage. "You think we'll be charged for damages ?"

"Doubt it, the Circus as the ringmaster here called it, was known for its death battles. If you die you die, if you survive, you live to fight another battle, sometimes within moments. We used to have such arenas in Mongolia until the Kopekh organised offically and were the Khans right hand in mostly everything." Sharka replied

"So nobody will give a fuck whatsoever if we leave this place to rot ?" Mark asked as he went throuth the ringmasters pockets and found a key and a letter.

"Nope, quite honestly good riddance, come on, we got other shit to do" Sharka replied. The two left the Arena District and headed for the Taelieon District.

Arendelle

Taelieon District

Moments later

The new commander of the Kopekh mused as he sat on the chair normally used by Sharka. Things were going splendedly. At leas they were until the doors opened and two people walked in, one of them Sharka. The other Mark Wolfe.

Sharka had a crossbow in hand. The merc stood up "Sharka wait!" Sharka aimed and fired the crossbow, the bolt nailing the man dead into the chair.

Sharka threw the crossbow aside, "Sharka has returned huh! Ha! Sharka the unkillable, Sharka the Insufferable, Sharka the Infiltrator, Shark the destroyer!" Sharka said his titles in a list, making a nearby Kopekh warrier nervous as he got up close to him as Sharka suddenly became calm and gentle. "But if any of you would like to return to my good graces, Sharka the Merciful askes for only two things, two large Frappes and that man thrown to the streets!" He pointed the Kopekh nearby at the ursurper.

Two men grabbed ther usurper and dragged him off as the man screamed "You think he'll keep you safe ?! The High Priest will find you! Sharka cant keep you safe!" They threw him out.

Mark watched. "What happens now ?" he asked, the mantra from Yaeko rattled in his head, once a wolfe always a wolfe, but in this case,the man usurped the control of the group. So in this case Mark knew for a fact that he was not just stripped of his rights as a member of the Kopekh, but also the name of Wolfe. Stricken from the clan in a manner of speaking.

"First thing is first" Sharka said as he paced briefly. "I sent Altan and Anna to find you, so wherever you were when they found you you can send them back here. Anna will be safest with us."

Mark jerked his thumb towards the door where the ursurper had been thrown out. "That wont happen again ? Because as far as I am concerned, that man forfit everything it meant to be a Wolfe, if it were up to me, he does not possess the right to use the name."

"Even though the Great Root's own mother, the lengdary Yaeko Wolfe, once said that 'once a wolf always a wolfe '?" Sharka asked him

"The man usurped you, tried to lead the Kopekh astray. Exiling him is mercy yes, but personally, he might deserve death as another mercy." Mark said, it was not his place however ot impose. So he said "But, you lead the Kopekh, Sharka, so I will leave the events from this up to you on how to handle the effects of this action" He said to Sharka, thusly leaving Sharka in the responsibility of what were to happen as a result of the actions taken that afternoon.

"You are right, exile is a form of mercy, I did mention that I am Sharka the Merciful, and these men wanted back into my good graces." Sharka said, he spotted his third in command, Sharkas wife Altan was the second in command of the Kopekh "Darbai, find Taichar and his wife, we got work to do!"

"Right, I'll find him, shouldnt be too hard as he was watching the door before you came back" Darbai welcomed Sharka back then with a hug, both men saw eye to eye on many things, so then they could easily work together. Turning to Mark as Darbai left, Sharka said, "Can you send my wife, and the Princess back here ?"

"I can, and it wont be long. By now news of our winning and destroying the Circus and its Ringmaster might have spread to other districts." Mark said to him.

"Yes I did not think of that" Sharka replied. He went thoughtful. "Hmmm, alright, if anyone tries to hinder or attack you, you have full rights to defend yourself, to the death if you must" Sharka said. Mark looked at him confused. Sharka sighed. "The Circus was an old group that started in Mongolia, we're familiar with their runners and information network. To ensure the Circus stays out of your hair, you're gonna need to take them down a notch. And the only way to do that is to react, when one tries to kill you, react, and kill him first"

Mark laughed, "I can do that, I will also tell your wife how good of a fighter you are. I have never seen a battle tactic like that" Sharka had many tricks up his sleeve that most relied on lose items scattered on the battlefield.

"There are many skills of the Kopekh that some would consider... unnatural" Sharka replied with a sly smirk on his face. Mark smiled in return and the two parted for a brief time. As Mark left, Taichar and his wife Altun entered "Ah good you're here. We got work to do." Mark did not hear what Sharka was telling to Taichar and Altun.

But he was going to see the result of it as he was abmushed as he stepped out of the Taelieon district by both the thrown out usurper and a member of the Circus network of spies. "I somehow knew you'd wait for me to be alone" Mark snickered.

The usurper, who had lost his name when he was thrown out of the Kopekh, growled at Mark, an accusing finger in Marks face as he spoke "Thanks to you, Sharka will lead the Kopekh to ruin! I was destined to lead them to greatness! But now thanks to you I am thrown out."

"Sharka showed you mercy by injuring you and then making sure you were thrown out instead of slain once outside, thank him for that." Mark said to the man.

"Thank him ?" the Usurper screamed "Are you insane ?! Sharka has taken the Kopekh down a path we cannot go back from! It is not our job to protect the royal family of arendelle, that is the Wolfe Clans job! The Kopekh are mercernaries, not bodyguards!" He said as he drew a pair of brass knuckles onto his hands and made to punch Marks lights out.

But Mark caught his swing. Then his other fist. "First, the Kopekh are decended from a branch of the Wolfe Clan that was started by Kamerilah Wolfe, the daughter of Yaeko Wolfe. Second, attacking me is a bad idea., and third, attacking me while you yourself are injured has to be the stupidiest thing I had ever seen in my life" Mark told him. He then headbutted him in the face.

The Usurper reeled back seeing stars as Mark dusted himsdelf off, "Sharka showed you mercy, and what do you do ? Ally with the Ringmasters servants ?" Mark asked seeing the Circus spy nearby, pistol drawn. "A friend of yours ?"

"You are no friend of mine!" the Usurper yelled at Mark, drawing Mark into a brief fist fight before the Circus member pulled the trigger. Mark saw the shot coming, Somehow time slowed and Mark dove out of the bullets path as the usurper was struck between the shoulders, his heart blown to bits as Mark used him to shield himself.

Mark kicked the dead falling body at the circus member, lashing out rapidly with a arrow drawn rapidly from his hip. Nailing the spy in the arm, dropping the gun the spy screamed as Mark stepped over to him. "Hold still" Mark growled, wrenching the arrow from the mans arm. Mark then lifted the groaning man and slammed him against a tree. "Alright, who sent you, why does the Circus suddenly have interest in Arendelle ?" Mark growled at him.

"It is not often things like this happen, but for now. The Circus lost a Ringmaster here, but there will always be others." The spy said, starting to laugh as his body began to come apart and desolve into bits of brick and data cubes before fading.

"Where ?" Mark asked him, "Damnit, where are you coming from ?!" Mark smashed the man against the tree, holding him steady against it. The man simply laughed some more, his hologram fading away to nothing. Mark growled and stalked away, he had work to do.

Arendelle

Marketplace District

A few minutes later

Mark stalked into the Marketplace District, his mind a mess of thoughts. "I was starting to wonder where you had gotten off to" Came a soft voice, Mark came to a fast halt and looked up. He saw Irie seated on a nearby table near the Den, once more she was working the "front shop" and was seemingly not exactly making a mint at that point.

"You look good" Mark said, meaning that she did not have the sleep deprived, scared out of her wits vacant PTSD expression on her face that he first saw her with a few weeks before.

Irie smiled, "So do you" She had her mother back three weeks already, and Mark could tell she was happier. "I heard the circus was in town" Irie said

"Yeah, something like that" Mark replied as he started to head for the door of the den before stopping, wait. "How did you know ?"

Irie smirked and stood from her chair. Giving Mark a sour look. "A man like you kills a Pit Arena Master, word word of that death gets around pretty damn fast. You'd be surprised how many soldiers came by asking for you. It got to the point where Aunt Blackie offered a fight match for them, any of them able to defeat her and she'd tell them where you are." Irie said, she jerked a thumb towards the Den sparring area. "They've been at it for some time now. If you get in there you might let a few of them survive. Aunt Blackie is rather pissed off too"

Mark struggled not to keep his eyes on his cousin for too much longer as he thanked her and headed int othe Den property. He spotted the arena for sparring was filled with a half dozen dead bodies and only two soldiers left standing.

"Raagh!" Yelled a soldier as he ran at Blackmane, only to have his weapon hand stopped dead and his arm then rapidly twisted as she broke the hand, then the arm, then the neck before kicking the lifeless body to the ground on the otherside of the sparring space.

Mark did not even flinch at the breaking of cartiliege as the last man screamed something, more then likely a curse at Blackmane. He was the last soldier standing too.

"Curse you!" the soldeir screamed at Blackmane before swinging his club, aiming to smash her head in.

Blackmane never reacted, other then to simply half smile and say "Many have" She caught his swing, and sent him fling backwards, dead before he hit the sparring ring wall.

"Nice shot I think you got him" Mark spoke up from the ringside. He picked uyp a towel as she turned towards him, he held it out to her to clean her bloodied knuckles.

"I wondered when you would come back" Blackmane said to him as she went and took the offered towel that Mark held. "Thank you. Did you find Sharka ?"

"I did, also took care of his usurper as well." Mark replied. What Vaeyuko told him rattled his mind. "Aunt Blackie, I have a weird question for you"

"Ask away, or is it too weird that it is to be outside ? Would you rather ask it inside ?" Blackmane replied.

"I can ask it here." Mark said to her. He gave her a very careful look. "Aunt Blackie, how did you and Uncle Martin meet ?" Blackmane stared at him, rarely anyone asked such a question. The fact that Martin gave Blackmane three sons and a daughter. And nobody asked how they met.

At least none of her nieces and nephews asked, at least until Mark. "That is not an easy question to answer dear nephew." Blackmane replied, "Might I ask why you ask ?"

"You may and you just did, I want to know, was he a widower before you met him ?" Why Mark was asking these kinds of questions made Blackmane make a mental note to talk to Vaeyuko. She shook her head. "Alright thats a no to that one, new question. When he and you first met, how did you react in the long term before you became, husband and wife ?"

"Are you sure you want me to answer that dear nephew ?" Blackmane asked him, he raise an eyebrow at her, she had put Irie at the front shop to interact with Mark in the first place. Mark just looked at her calmly. Blackmane sighed. "Alright, when I firfst met Martin I wanted to know him further, even if it meant sneaking into his house in the dead of night when we were teenagers, or even sneaking out to meet with him at the park or by the river."

She then looked at him carefully. "Why ?"

Mark sighed, "Its complicated, but do me a favor. Are there any contracts I can take out in the kingdom ?" He wanted to get his mind off his cousin, to say Irie was dressed provacatively was an understatement, she was once again simply just wearing her swimsuit while running the shop.

"Is that the favor ?" Blackmane asked him, "You want me to send you on a few contracts in the kingdom ?" Mark nodded, anything to not think about his cousin. "Alright, there are two that I can think of, one of them is in the Pine District, the other is in the Greensky district, talk to either of the Den Keepers there and they will direct you further. Oh and before you go" Mark started to leave to begin the contracts whe nshe stopped him. "Have you told Altan and Anna that Sharka is back in the Taelieon district ?"

"Not yet, I was about to" Mark replied simply.

"Good, once you do that you can go on those two contracts." Blackmane told him, she smiled inwardly, she knew that Irie was in love with Mark, and Mark knew it, he had to know it, why was he asking the questions ? Blackmane smiled, she was going to have to talk to Irie no doubt she was acting like she had when she first met Martin all those years ago.

Mark left his aunt and went into the Den, spotting Altan and Anna nearly right away as a few other Assassins were in the place doing random things as if it was a normal day. "Anna, Altan, Sharka is waiting for you in the Taelieon District, said to send you two back there ass quickly as possible."

"Is Sharka alright ?" Came the concerned voice of Altan as she spoke Mark could see she was worried for her husband.

"He is fine. Luckliy I got to him in time at the Arena District in order to get back to the Taelieon District" Mark told her. Soon as things were settled he asked me to make sure you and Anna got back there safely. Aunt Blackie also has two contracts for me to do so I will be busy on them fgor the rest of the day."

Anna smirked, she could see clearly that Mark was having issues, Altan saw it too, but did not show any expressioin to Marks love life at the time. Instead Anna said, "Have you seen anything of Elsa ?"

Mark sighed and shook his head. "No, nothing. Everything I am finding leads only that she is gone, I do not think we will ever see her again" He said, Anna nodded, the two briefly hugged before Altan and Anna left for the Taelieon District. A few moments later and he headed for the Pine District

Arendelle

Pond District

At that same moment.

"So you're telling me the High Priest is getting an army together ?" Xeir asked as she sipped a drink in the tavern, Spike was with her along with her brother, Maximilian, otherwise known as Xim.

"Yup, that's the truth too, yesterday, the day before, and this morning, more and more tents were being built and set up. Soldiers were being drilled in small sections and groups. And then the shooting range was being built" Spike said.

It was not the best report, but it was the only report. "Is there something else ?" xeir asked, she knew that tone

"Yes, a mutual friend of ours asked my aid to transport two cats into the castle, my last few flights I found an open skylight over the Princess' bedroom." Spike told Xeir, who looked thoughtful.

Xeir smirked after a moment of thought. "Of course, two cats, Tigris for sure, able to transform into human form once inside. As a cat you can get them to the castle, they go in. return to human form, and explore, then give you the information each morning that you give to our mutual friend" Xeir surmised

"That's about it yeah" Spike replied as Xim downed a beer.

"This kingdom is big" Xim said at long last. He looked to his sister then to Xeir, "You wouldnt mind it if we started a feral cat or stray cat colony here would you ?" He was not sure of who to ask for such a thing, but somehow it felt best to ask Xeir directly, a woman with dragon scales on her left arm and briefly dragon horns on her head only told him so much.

In the sense that he knew he could trust Xeir with his life. Xeir nodded. "Agreed, you may start and care for as many cat colonies as you like." She told him, Xim smiled, he and his brothers, and also Spike and Annalee cared for three feral and stray cat colonies in Sacremento. Xeir turned to Spike "Who exactly is our mutual friend ?" She asked.

Spike smiled, "Mark Wolfe," She said simply.

Xim spoke up, "The same asshole who killed you ?" He asked Spike

"No that was his bodyguar,d a woman named Sazhori, a raven like us" Spike replied, if it was not for Talak repairing her body and Spikes spirit sticking close by to get back into it without an issue, Spike would have been long dead.

Xim said nothing more on the issue as Xeir turned to him. "Xim, as Spikes oldest brother I have a question I must ask of you. Can you watch for this Mark Wolfe, you know what he looks like whereas I do not. So, report on his movements, Spike can give him the information the two cats give her. But I would also like the same information relayed to me. The more we can find out about the High Priests plans the better."

Xim nodded, "Oh, Spike did you have a map or layout of the tents you saw this morning ?" Xeir suddenly asked her

"Yeah actually I committed it to memory its why Xim brought the kingdoms map here" Spike said as Xim unrolled the map onto the table, Spike pointed out the tent city she called it behind and north of the castle along the coast. Spike then pointed to the northern most island. "Theres also a harbor being built here, but I couldnt really see the details of the location."

"That is fine for now." Xeir said, "It gives me a headstart actually. I will go and play with the harbor builders tomorrow. In the mean time I'd like a good meal, are either of you hungry ?" Both Spike and Xim nodded, Xeir called the waiter over and they made their requests for a menu, then shortly ordered their evening meal.

As luck had it, Mark was expected in the Pond District later that evening as the nearby Assassin Den had recently been secretly retaken. Mark was expected there for a contract but Xeir had yet to see what the man looked like and had also no idea where the Assassin Den was kept in the first place.

So as the three ate their meal, Xeir was able to learn more about Spike and her family, to the point wherein it was only a scant matter of time before things could get into full strength. Through Spike she could find out more of the High Priests plans, and through Tiri she could also find out more and drive the man crazy. Tiri was the perfect weapon in most events when needed. Made entirely of ice allowed Tiri to be able to withstand anything a Force Dragon could withstand.

Arendelle

Marketplace District

9PM

"Are you two ready for tomorrow ?" Blackmane asked to Topaz and her brother, Lazul had meditated all afternoon to cultivate the Essence Flame that Mark had given him. Topaz on the other hand had only cultivated it so much, intending to meditate during the night instead to cultivate her essence flame

The Heavens Light Essence Flame was a form of Light Magic from what Kiyomori had told Mark when he saw her use it, destroying almost any form of dominion over targets enthralled, or even warpstriking the target from a distance. When Mark saw Kiyomori use the ability, it scared him. Kiyomori could use the ability and move across a battlefield incredibly fast.

To have someone able to fight in such a manner also gave an edge for Mark to work with. "What time is the flight ?" Topaz asked as Lazul came out of his meditation and stood up and took in his aunt, Blackmane at that moment wore a black gown, similar to what Mark first returned to seeing her wearing when he had come back from Sacremento the year before. Only in this case it looked as if Blackmane had either just taken a shower, or was caught in the rain, it was the latter. But Blackmane did not seem to care

"From what Mark said, first light, so you might want to get your cultivation done, and also get some sleep" Blackmane told Topaz. She regarded Lazul who looked refreshed. "If you're hungry, there is food in the kitchen"

"I could use a meal" Lazul said to Blackmane before heading up the flight of steps to the kitchen

"First light ?" Topaz asked as she stared at her aunt, that did not give her a lot of time to sleep. Then again it was November in Arendelle and the nights were longer there then most places.

"You can meditate until midnigt. Then sleep the rest of the night" Blackmane told her. "First light wont be until nine or ten in the morning anyway, so you should have enough time to cultivate and then sleep" Blackmane explained

"Thank you Aunt Blackie" Topaz said while giving her aunt a hug, she then turned and went up the stairs to the bedroom area of the den to cultivate her Essence Flame properly. Blackmane had to smile seeing the girl suddenly full of spirit and skill. Her nieces and nephews were all growing up.

Blackmane left the livingroom area of the den and went up a flight of stairs. Briefly stopping by the kitchen. "You alright in here ?" She said to Lazul who was already inhaling some leftover salmon.

"I'm fine" Lazul said around a mouthful of fish as he sat on the counter in his cat form. A magnificent Russian Blue, known as a Neblung

Blackmane smirked, "Are you sure ?" she asked him.

"For the most part, yes. A flight at first light, to the castle of Arendelle no less, is a confusing thing. At least Mark said these... Essence Flames could help prevent whatever magics that the high priest uses." Lazul said.

"And from what I hear tell from Mark and Kiyomori, will allow fast movement upon a battlefield or need to escape fast" Blackmane explained the warpstrike ability the Flame in question had "The Essence Flame itself is called Heavens Light, and it allows you to heal yourself, or another or a bunch." Blackmane told him

Lazul smirked, already thinking of the fun him and Topaz were going to have in the castle. "Topaz and I have a flight to catch, so as soon as I am done eating, Ima hit the sack and tomorrow, we storm the castle" He said that made Blackmane smile as the front door opened and Irie came inside.

"Aunt Blackie, the shop is closed up for the night and I havent seen Mark anywhere, have you seen him since I sent him to you ?" Irie said, she wanted to corner Mark again. Lazul nodded a greeting in her direction, "Oh hey Lazul, Is Topaz here ?" Irie absently scratched her cousin behind his ears as he scarfed down the leftover salmon

"She is upstairs meditating, Soon as I am full here I'm going to hit the sack and go to bed" Lazul replied. He grabbed a drink and guzzled some of it before stuffing his face with more fish.

"I see" Irie said, Then she remembered something important "Oh, I almost forgot, dont go anywhere I will be right back." Irie turned and darted for the basement door after quickly hopping the rail to the lower level. Lazul looked where Irie hopped the railing to the lower level and then to Blackmane. Blackmane merely smirked.

A few moments later as Lazul was getting a refill of his drink, Irie came back with two bracelets in hand, she held one to Lazul. Who in his cat form it looked more like a collar "Here, you're going to need this" She said, Lazul put it on as Irie explained what it did. "This is the armor I had Mark field test, you and Topaz are the next to get it after Aunt Blackie made the latest updates to the software in it." She explained.

"This was the new gear Mark mentioned I take it ?" Lazul asked her, Irie nodded and pointed out how the armor activated as well as how Lazul could make it blend into his normal clothing or even look like someone elses outfit, befirly he appeared to be wearing a black suit version of Blackmanes black gown before it changed color to be his normal pale blues and darker blues. Making him look like a wizard cat.

"I'll go give this one to Topaz, see you guys when your mission is done then ?" Irie said. Lazul nodded and waved as she left, he was going to sleep as soon as he had finished eating. Minutes later and Irie herself had finished with Topaz and went briefly to Marks room since he wasnt home until very late that night. Irie had a plan. She had watched more brief snippets of her camerawork in Marks room. He lit incense and let it smoke the room ?

She supposed it was normal for that to happen, so she paid it little heed at the time, but Mark smoked the incense mostly when he was stressed out and needed to focus on something. Hmmm, Mark smokes incense unlike a cigarette, if I can somehow interject something of me into that smoke... Irie thought. She stole another good sized packet of the incense sticks and took them to her room. Already thinking of what to do, but she was not sure it would work.

13 November

Arendelle

Castle District

930 AM

Spike was a graceful flyer. But it only made Lazul slightly nervous as he was safely tucked into her bag as Topaz was safely nesting in Spikes left arm nice and tight. The three were on their mission. Spikes job was the only winged woman able to do the task was to fly Lazul and Topaz to the caste skylight that Spike knew was open, allow them to get inside the castle, and then from there, recon some more for Xeir, and then report to Mark that she had dropped the two off

Gently alighting on the castle roof in the sunrise light, which safely hid the three perfectly from any prying eyes at that moment, Spike spoke "Alright we're here, you two were lighter then I had feared." She said, she was able to fly nearly perfectly with Topaz in her arms and Lazul in her hip bag

"And you were a smoother flight then we had to China last year" Lazul chirped as as he stepped from the bag that Spike had at her hip. Topaz thanked Spike for the flight. Spike had to briefly wonder what Lazul meant but thought it better not to ask.

"Alright, you two have your mission and I have mine, this is where we split, until Mark says otherwise, you two are on your own inside the castle, I have never been inside so I dont know what you are up against" Spike said, she had only found the open skylight on sheer chance alone, it was as if it was intentionally left open, or just simply opened and completely forgotten about

"Dont worry about us, as soon as Mark says he wants us back at the Marketplace or in the Pond District, we'll be meeting up here every morning about now to give the previous days report" Topaz said as Lazul climbed through the skylight to the bedroom door, finding it unlocked and the hallway empty.

"The hallways is empty, if we're gonna do this, its now" Lazul said when he came back to his sister and to Spike.

"Good luck you two" Spike said before taking off again as Topaz dropped through the skylight without a sound, Swiftly transforming into housecats the two siblings ambled down some halls and into a heat vent.

Before they split up, Topaz spoke "Did you really have to tell Spike she was a smoother flight then we had on the way to China ?"

"Mother was nervous in such a cramped space" Lazul replied, thankfully Snowfeather managed to keep them mostly steady, but there was still weird weather patterns to worry about too. "Besides, Spike was nice wasnt she ? She wasnt even handling you roughly as I could see it, secure sure, but not roughly."

"I think Spike has knowledge of how to care for cats" Topaz said in reply. She smirked, the pearlwhite cat looking at the russian blue colored cat of a brother. "You know what to do. Get information however you can" She said to him

"Right, and and once we have that information, what then ?" Lazul knew he had to hang onto it, mentally at least before getting back to the skylight to tell Spike the update.

"Tomorrow morning Spike will expect our first update at the skylight. We can sleep in that room, nobody would pay any heed to us using it" Topaz said, meaning using Princess Annas old bedroom as a place to sleep every night while on the mission. "Good luck." Topaz said, Lazul nodded, the two briefly butted heads as cats and split up.

The two split up, it was time for the mission to fully begin. Topaz headed for the womens area of the castle while her brother headed for the more general and mens area of the castle.

None of the servants still employed by the High Priest paid little, if that, heed to the two cats wandering around the castle. Letting them do whatever whereever, so long as they didnt drop crap somewhere or peed on the carpet somewhere. But thankfully the servants did not have to worry too much as both cats seemed quite well behaved.

Lazul of course found Kaedrian, the Royal Healer, in her office, alone. Once ensuring the door was locked however, Lazul transformed and sat in a nearby chair. After a good minute he spoke. "Nice office for the Royal Healer, I bet you arent needed as much as you would like to be. Am I right ?"

Kaedrian looked up at the voice, seeing Lazul. She looked him over carefully. "I am sorry young man I did not hear you come in, I was going over old files at the request of the council" She told him

Lazul saw the files on the desk. "Might I ask whose files ? It is quite possible that not only are you going over old files but the council also asked for some to be destroyed or simply overlooked ?"

Kaedrian looked carefully at Lazul, the blue robed young man had a regal look to him. "Do I know you from somewhere young man ?" Kaedrian asked

"Nope, well, maybe. I am not from around here. You could say though that I have visitied on occasion. Do you know Mark Wolfe ?" Lazul replied, at Kaedrians nod he continued saying. "I am his cousin, Lazul, if you see a pearl colored cat wandering the castle that is my younger sister, Topaz."

"Pearl colored cat, your sister ?" Kaedrian asked. Then it made sense, "You and her are Tigris ?" Lazul nodded. "I see. Alright, somehow Mark got hold of you, things are strange in this castle since he and the Queen left." Kaedrian said, Lazul noted clearly that Kaedrian did not mention Elsa by name whatsoever.

"What happened ?" Lazul asked her. Kaedrian explained it to him. Hopefully Topaz had better luck in the female dorms and female servants area. But she found about the same bits of information. When the kingdom forgot about Elsa, Anna, and Mark, and the Assassin woman Diana, the High Priest moved into the castle, intending to make it his own, and he fired many staff members that the Queen trusted, replacing many guards and Assassin Guards with his own men that he called the Honor Guard. Marks Sword Corps was disbanded and many members of it were left without a job, but those loyal to the Assassins and to the royal family stuck around as members of the Honor guard that were assigned to the palace itself. But even then their hopes to maintain a job were soon ending quicker then hoped for.

"But you and your sister are here in the castle, you can help us right ?" Kaedrian asked Lazul

"Wish I could, but Mark sent for me and my sister to get information on what is happening inside here. What do you know of the High Priest or any secret areas of the castle ?" Lazul had a photographic memory and it could come in handy when noting where everything was.

Kaedrian smiled, and only hoped this young man did not run afoul of the High Priest. "Alright, I will tell you what you want to know." Kaedrian began to explain what she knew of the High Priest, and soon Lazul had a complete picture.

A good few hours later and there came a knocking upon the door, at the souind Lazul swiftly transformed into a housecat, and moved to the desk, curling up on it and acting as if grooming himself as Kaedrian stood and went to the door, unlocking it she spoke "Can I help you ?"

"Yes," Came the reply, the voice of the High Priest. "I was hoping to see you at lunch, but it is past noon now. Perhaps you should leave the files for now and take a break. Xercine said he wanted to ask you about something concerning cat care." Kiyori then saw the Neblung on Kaedrians desk. "I see you have a cat, a very nice coloration." Lazul threw the man a look, as if curious or knowing he was being talked about. In truth, he threw the man a dirty look, but Kiyori was not someone who knew the expressions of a housecat.

"Yes, I adopted him some weeks ago. A stray wandering the Arko District park the last time I was there" Kaedrian said, she smiled and waved away the next question. "He is quiet healthy. Where is Xercine now ?" Kaedrian asked as she put the file she still had in her hands on the desk.

"In the court yard dining hall, shall we go ?" Kiyori asked her. Kaedrian smiled, a simple nod was had and the two left, Kaedrian also made sure the door was shut as if to keep Lazul in her office, but it was really just for show. But Kiyori did not know that.

Lazul hopped off the desk when the door shut and went to it, listening carefully as the footsteps of Kiyori and Kaedrian faded the man transformed and opened the door and peeked out, seeing the two disappear around a corner, he transformed again and made sure the door shut behind him, he went to find his sister.

Topaz had about as much luck, in her case she found Xercine in the council room, alone. "Well hello there" Xercine said sweetly in greeting to the cat. He went to pick her up, but Topaz shied away. "Skittish hmm ? Its alright."

"I am sure it is" Topaz replied, briefly startling Xercine, who then realised who Topaz was

"You are a Tigris ?" the pearlwhite cat nodded. "It is a honor to meet you. I am Xercine" he gently patted the top of the council table. Topaz easily hopped onto it. "I do not suppose you bring good news ?" He asked her.

"It depends on the news you want" Topaz replied, transforming before his eyes into a beautiful black haired white robed woman, appearing to be maybe a teenager or young adult. "But it also depends on what you can tell me"

"Someone sent you no doubt" Xercine said in reply. He looked to the council camber doors.

"Dont worry I made sure it was locked before I let you see me." Topaz told him, it made Xercine smile.

"Good, then that means we can talk" Xercine sat back in his chair, "So, what do you want to know ?" He asked her

"I would like to know quite a bit of information, mostly on the High Priest, the council, whats been going on the last year and a month, many things" Topaz told him.

Xercine went quietly thoughtful before saying simply "Alright, I think I can start on the second thing, this council is now mostly loyal to the High Priest, but I think I put him and them, all on edge when I annoucned my three canidates for the Heir of the Throne of Arendelle a few days ago. The High Priest has mostly taken over the control of everything save for the merchants and most of the districts." He said

"What happened when you forgot you had a Queen ?" Topaz asked him

"You know about that huh ?" He asked her. She nodded. Xercine sighed, well, to start and keep it simple, when the Queen left, she left me in charge of this council, but there were a few on the Council she did not trust, there was a woman named Nadine, nodoy really trusted her, but there was also a few others, a woman named Lee, and Kreena, worked together on many things, but I have not seen either of them in nearly a year now. About the time we forgot about the Queen or Princess Anna, Lee and Lady Kreena left the council to a second"

"I see" Topaz said it was about an hour later when the knock came after someone tried the door. Topaz quickly transformed as Kiyoris voice rang out.

"Xercine are you in there, is everything alright ?" Kiyori asked Xercine looked at Topaz

Topaz looked at him, a simple nod and he gently, possibly similar to Spike, picked her up and carried her to the door. "Everything is fine Kiyori, why worry ?" Xercine replied as he unlocked the door, "I was about to go find Kaedrian actually, I need to know if this cat is healthy enough to keep. Could keep me company."

"Where did you find that cat ?" Kiyori asked him

"In the courtyard this morning, been with me since. Kept me quite calm. Able to think on various matters with a clearer head too." Xercine lied. Topaz started purring as Xercine held her. He was very gentle with her. He stroked her silksoft fur.

"I see, I'll find the healer then. Where will you be ?" Kiyori asked seemingly worried that the cat might not be healthy and that Xercine might be in danger.

"I wiill be in the couryyard dining hall, oh dont fret, Kiyori, it does not become you, I just feel the need to care for someone other then myself" With that Xercine brushed past Kiyori and allowed Topaz to get a good look at the man through her Eagle Vision. Most amazing really. Kiyori glowed a pale gold in Topaz vision, but Kiyori was none the wiser.

A good twenty minutes later and Kiyori met up with Xercine and Topaz with Kaedrian in tow. Kaedrian, after a brief scan from Topaz was clearly in contact with her brother. They had a possible tie in to help them undermine the High Priest.

"Ah Kaedrian, Kiyori, good to see you both," Xercine said from where he sat at the table, gently stroking Topaz's pearlwhite fur. He gently set her on the table. "Kaedrian, if you can ensure to me that this beautiful cat is healthy would be wonderful." He said to the Royal Healer.

"I will see what I can do. I myself picked up a rather social stray from the Arko District a few weeks back, its poissible this beauty followed his scent. Let me see her" Kaedrian, with gentle hands carefully checked Topaz without giving too much away but also not making too much of a show of it.

A nod and Topaz was gently set back on the table "She is as healthy as I can sense" she said. Kaedrian, Topaz could feel, was a Dove. And Doves were normally Healers.

"You said you had a cat too ?" Xercine asked as Kiyori took a seat ,the three eating the meal upon the table.

"Cats are fickle things, I guess it is alright for them to be in the castle, from what I remember, the Princess had one, their mother had one, but I do not recall the Queen having one ?" Kiyori said. He had no idea that he just gave permission for both cats to freely wander the castle without hinderance.

An hour passed and Kiyori took his leave, leaving Topaz, Xercine, and Kaedrian alone. There were no guards present. "It is alright Topaz" Xercine said.

Berfore their eyes Topaz transformed again, allowing Kaedrian to smile. "You must be the boys sister that was told to me" she said

"And you, Dove, make an excellent vet" Topaz said in greeting to her. "My brother mentioned me ?"

"Oh yes, he makes a very handsome Neblung blue. Kiyori did not suspect a thing when I told him I found him in the Arko District Park. Truth is, he just showed up in my office without a word."

"Its what we're trained for" Topaz told her. She and Lazul trained all their lives for sneaking around without getting noticed or simply regarded as simple housecats.

"I believe it, but Kiyori believed me when I said I picked up your brother in the Arko District Memorial Park, I even told him that he was healthy too" Kaedrian smiled. "I hope I did not embarass you in any manner"

"You did not, you did what you had to and I let you do it. Had I reacted with violence, I would have been requested to be slain or removed from the castle by force. So I let you check me over. You are a Dove Healer after all, and we trust your kind with our lives to begin with" Topaz told her.

"I am glad" Kaedrian said in reply

"Now, if you do mind explaining" Xercine said getting to the matter at hand, Topaz turned to him, a smile on her face

"I will gladly explain to you our mission. Kiyori himself has allowed my brother and I full free access to this castle. So it will make things easier." Topaz then transformed into a cat again and curled up on a napkin upon the table and began to explain as she loafed on the table.

Or rather loafed on the napkin on the table, and stuck out a leg as she relaxed. Xercine smirked.