Lady Genevieve Cecilia Oakes, paused her hand inches away from the book she had been reaching for. Something had disturbed the darkness and shadows, something big was coming she could feel it as the wisps of shadows began whispering information into her listening ears. A man. A strange staff and a cube – powerful cube that shouldn't be messed with, I cube which was strangely familiar…

Interesting, looks like someone had played their hand in the game of chess. However, the image of the shadowy man played though her mind.

Some unexpected players had entered the game.

"Cecilla" a voice called from behind her, she places the voice to Lidiya, a head worker at the library in Queens, the woman worked directly under herself in this library that was still in the processes of opening.

"Yes?" she questioned, returning her attention to the book she was about to pick up she felt the bray referencing system she had created before picking it up placing it on the table in the ever-growing pile.

"You do realise your flight to the conference in Germany flies in 2 hours, right?" she heard the women sigh before tugging on the sleeve of her silken shirt and pressing her cane into her hand, "the car waiting outside with your stuff in now hurry up or you will be late"

"Before I go, I need a book on Norse mythology?"

"Norse mythology? Whatever do you need that for?"

"Some light reading for the plane," she sent a smile in the direction the shadows told her the woman was in.

Lidiya sighed, "Fine, I will quickly grab a book while you meet me by the door"

The lady nodded, readjusting the blackout sun glasses on her nose before heading towards the door. Cane tapping on the wooden solid as she dipped her head to the workers and regulars when there bibs her hello.

"How did I manage to beat you to the door?" Lidiya sighed in defeat as she waited for the lady at the doorway, before helping the women into the waiting car.

"I leave the library in your hands Lidiya, hopefully I shall come back with some interesting books"

Lidiya rolled her eyes not that the lady noticed, "You're supposed to be having fun and relaxing, not working"

"It's no trouble, if you need anything – book wise you know how to contact me. Shall we go, Martin?"

"Yes M'lady" the driver nodded, closing the door before driving off – whisking the lady to the airport.

Less than an hour later, the library had an unexpected visitor. A black man, with an eyepatch and leather coat strolled through the doors, Lidiya the only staff member used to some of the lady's strange visitors greeted the man.

"Sir, if you're here to speak to the lady. I'm afraid she just left"

"When will she be back?" the librarian shifted under his intense stare before truthfully asking.

"I'm afraid I do not know; she's gone to a conference in Germany." Woman commented, noting the tense posture, "if you wish – I can give you her number and you can voice you request?"

on the plane later~

It was always (on most occasions) pleasantly surprising to see how time changings things – technology for example, like phones or planes how they developed quickly and how the world around them have to adapt to the technology and not the other way round.

She turned the page of the book as the private plane soared though the skies – if she had the curtains drew open you would have seen the sparkling oceans below. But it remained closed as her fingers hovering over the pages rereading the information on the pages while her mind was elsewhere.

Cecilia phone busted into life besides her reading form. Her fingers froze – hovering over the bray words. The planes cabin was dark – pitch black having no need to for light as she was the only one in here, her sun-like glasses resting on the table letting her eyes be free from the shades.

"Open message" she told the electronic device.

"This is director fury from shield, I was wondering if you could help us with a little problem" a male voice filled the quite cabin.

"Is this problem connected to the power you could not control?" she asked, the silence answered her question. A small smile donned her lips, "After I have finished with the conference, I shall help find it – though I must warm you I am no means a.." she thought of the correct word to use, "...proper fighter"

The ability to fight physically, without her shadows had left her limbs many years ago, on a battle field long lost...

But it was better to keep all her cards to her chest for now.

"That's all we need, I shall send you the information" with that he hung up, leaving an audio clip behind.

"Play audio" she commands, closing the book in her lap and began listening to the information shield was providing her. She listened taking in the information on the other individuals joining her, about the cube and shields so called plans with it.

-Germany sometime later—

She stepped into the bright ballroom, in which the conference was being held in Germany. An old Egyptian statue placed in the centre while the musicians played light hearten music over the chatter. The lady stood back straight and cane in her hand listening to those around her speak.

It became a past time of hers, to listen. Even before her powers grew, she'd listen to the world around her, an art of survival, a habit that continued on with even better results. People thought that if you couldn't see, you couldn't hear…

How wrong were they to relieve their secrets around her.

You should always be weary of the quiet ones that listen, you'll never know what hits you until it's too late.

She wore a long black grown, with off the shoulder's long selves. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail that fell limply down her back along her spine, she wore no makeup or jewels – just settling for the dark shades that covered her eyes. She never saw the need for such things, nor did it help she couldn't match items correctly; it was something she couldn't learn...

The things she liked were not always suitable for the time nor the places she'd often visit.

"Lady Oakes!" a voiced called to her left. She turned a smile gracing her features as she responded in fluid German.

"DR. Schafer! What a lovely conference we're having"

"I'm glad you came to join us! Did you received my message about the new book I am releasing?" The man commented in his native tongue taking her arm and guiding her though the crowd.

"I did, and I am happy to say that I will be taking orders soon – it shall be published around the world"

"I look forward to it, the books published by yourself seemed to gain the popularity all over the globe" the man gave her a smile. "How has business been?"

"The usual, opened up a new library in queens, America and planning for some smaller in less fortunate locations. Thinking Africa but getting the correct transcript is being hard than expected. So that had taken up most of my time, however I couldn't miss this opportunity, I do enjoy listening to talks. Some are fascinating"

"My dear, you should come to Stuttgrat more often" the man laughed his ascent thick, before introducing her to other lecturers who wanted to get his book published the pair switching between English and German as well as any other langue if needed as they drifted through the crowd. She listened intrigued, but froze - her head tilted, as something stepped out of the shadows. It seemed to twist matter and step into reality from where? She could not tell. The sensation on her part was perplexing.

The shadows whisper in her ears as she talked with the people around her, whispered as the stranger drew nearer and nearer, "-lady Oakes?" a voice broke though the whispers in her ears. "I'm not boring you, am I?" The German scientist spoke with humour.

"Of course not, I just heard something strange"

"Oh?"

"Yeah, you know of the theory of equal equation? Balancing out the balance of power on both sides of the line. To gain something you must lose something, for example."

"Ah I see your referring to your eyes, it is known that those without the sight have enhanced other senses" The doctor nodded, "interesting, pray tell lady Oakes what did you hear?"

The blind women parted her lips, before a gasp rippled through the crowd and heavy quick steps strode towards the talking group. She couldn't react in time as the doctor Schafer was dragged back and flung onto one of the many different statues in the building.

Cecilia could just about make out the scene though the shadows about them – as the stranger shoved something into the doctor's eye socket. She didn't react, morbidity curious about what was happening. Then it was the sound that hit her ears, the whirling sound as the stranger proceeded to remove his eye with the strange device.

That's when the screaming started.

To be continued...