Chapter 1
warning shots
The boat was thrown across the water as wave after wave hit it, threatening to destroy it. Behind was the place... what place was it? Is it real? Or is it just a dream? Kate... Who are you? Do you not recognize my voice? No, I'm sorry, I don't. Please tell me. Then a flash of light was seen...
Kate woke up sweating, struggling to breathe. She was in her room. She wondered to herself "who is trying to talk to me?" she had had this dream before. Her long blond hair was matted against her face. She rubbed her emerald green eyes so she could see. It was pitch black. Her eyes finally got used to the darkness. Her throat was parched, so she went downstairs to the kitchen for a glass of water. She looked at the clock; 3:27 a.m. Her eyes looked over at the calendar, and she realized her birthday was today. It was easy to forget anything nowadays, because of Timar and Castrato. Two large countries, hungry for power. They had been threatening war for 10 years now and everything was hectic. Soldiers were everywhere. Patrolling the streets, standing in and outside of the schools, and there was a thief who wasn't afraid to commit her crimes in daylight. Just as Kate was pouring the water, her mother came downstairs.
"Kate, what are you doing?" she asked.
"Getting some water," Kate said simply.
"You had another dream, didn't you?" her mother pressed on trying to squeeze a little more information out of her daughter. She had seen the look on Kate's face before, bewilderment and fear.
Kate tried not to let it show, but her mother always knew if she was hiding something. "Yeah, I did. But... it was different. A voice was calling to me." she ended quietly. She shot a glance up at her mother, who was looking like she was in a daze. It was obvious she was trying to account the little bit her daughter told her, but was losing, as she tried to figure out who.
"Happy Birthday sweetheart," a mans voice said.
"Oh! Sorry Dad, you scared me."
"Gord, what are you doing up?" Kate's Mom asked.
"I went to the bathroom, and heard you two talking. I decided to say Happy Birthday to our daughter."
"Well, thanks dad." Kate was feeling good, she even forgot about the dream.
"So... did you get me something?" she asked innocently.
"Yes we did, your father and I," her mother said.
"Celes, you'll ruin the surprise for her," Gord complained.
"Well Gord, I don't want her to go back to sleep wondering what we got her. It's not nice to do that," Celes pressed. Kate found it funny that her parents were arguing on when to give the gift to her. About five minutes later, Kate was unwrapping her gift. It was a Battle Rod. An antique that was made of wood with four jewels in it. An Opal, a Topaz, a Peridot, and an Amethyst. All Kate could say was "it's beautiful."
After thanking her parents about 10 million times, Kate went to bed. She was so happy to have this amazing gift, she couldn't wait to tell Emily. "Well, maybe I'll tell her at school."
Emily was waiting patiently at the bus stop. "Where are you Kate?" she wondered every five seconds.
"Emily! I'm here." Kate was panting because she was running so fast.
"What's that?" Emily pointed to the thing Kate was carrying.
"It's an antique Battle Rod. Mom and Dad gave it to me for my birthday. I wanted to show you it." Kate spun the rod around expertly, dug it into the ground, flung a rock in the air, the smacked back to the ground.
"That was so cool!" Emily exclaimed.
"I know, but I was never trained, or never knew how to use one of these. I mean, like it came naturally. You get it?" Kate asked.
"Yeah, I get it." but Emily was cut off as Kate crumpled to the ground. Emily fell to the ground to see if her best friend was alright. One of the people who lived on the street noticed what was happening while taking out the garbage. Emily and the man (Cid) called an ambulance to take her to the Billney General Hospital.
The boat was tossed, thrown across water. Kate... I'll protect you! Who are you? Please tell me. Please Kate... live for me. What are you talking about? I'm still alive. But please tell me what you want. Don't die. Live on. But watch your back. Don't... trust... any... bod...y. The boat then crashed onto the beach.
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"Things are going smoothly with the operation I hope?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Excellent. Send some able men to Jurrisol, and give them these instructions..."
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"Ms. Tiral? Kate Megido wants to see you. 5th floor, room 532," the nurse told Emily.
"Thank you." Emily stepped quickly into the elevator, pressed the button for 5th floor, and waited. When the elevator came to the 5th floor she ran down the hall ignoring the nurse whom she pushed over. Emily opened the door quietly, and walked towards the bed where Kate was lying. Her parents, Celes and Gord were sitting next to her, holding her hand. Celes looked as though she had been crying,.
"Kate, the nurse will be here soon to check on you." Gord told her. "Emily?! What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Emily, why aren't you at school?" Celes questioned.
"I couldn't leave Kate alone, but the nurse downstairs said to wait until Kate was ready to see people other than family. Cid is here too," Emily explained. "Oh God, Kate. Why didn't you tell me something was wrong?" Emily inquired.
"I didn't want you to worry," Kate said in an exhausted tone. It was the way she acted. Worried about the well-being of everyone except herself.
The nurse that Emily had knocked over walked in. "Alright Kate, I've had Dr. Brisot take a look at the report, and he says you're fine to go..." she paused and looked at Emily who was trying to avoid the look of the nurse. "I can see why you were rushing. It seems you have an amazing friendship." She saw Emily about to apologize but the nurse said: "Don't worry about it."
Ten minutes later the four of them were in the car, driving back to Kate's house.
"Emily, would you like to stay over for the weekend?" Celes asked.
"Yeah, sure!" she said happily. "I'll call my folks and ask."
"We've already asked them, and they said okay," Gord told her. "They'll drop over clothes for you."
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"How is the plan working out? Are the soldiers there yet?"
"Not yet ma'am, but the plan is going accordingly. The Night Hawks won't know what hit them."
"The Night Hawks are a force to be reckoned with. Do not underestimate their power! I hope the rumours of their hide out being in Billney is true,"
"Yes ma'am."
"I want them stopped!"
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Kate and Emily stayed up all night practically, admiring the gem stones on Kate's Battle Rod.
"I read in this old book we have, that jewels are the vessels of dragon life. There were tales of men and woman who could "call" the dragons. Dragons of Flame, Water, Ice, Wind, Gravity, Star, Darkness, Light, Holy and some depending on the jewel you held could have different abilities," Kate recited.
"That would be cool if they existed. Too bad it's just a legend, huh." Emily said with disappointment.
"Yeah I know, but we can dream. AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
Kate screamed in terror and pain for a reason unknown to Emily.
Now Emily could see why. A strange mark was appearing on her arm: a triangle with a crystal shape in the middle. But, just as Emily was going to help, a large explosion outside rocked the house. A crystal angel fountain in the back yard was blown to pieces.
The Megido's and Emily made it outside to see what had happened. Bombs, mortars, and Elites were filling the streets. Men and woman were gathering up their children and jumping into cars to get away.
One Elite stopped in his tracks and yelled, "It's you!" he started charging at Kate, but in one swift movement of the rod, she had placed the man on the ground. "Emily! We have to get out of here! Come on!" Kate yelled. She grabbed Emily by her hand and pulled her out of the way as another missile exploded into the ground. Bullets flew through the air, and Celes along with Gord were taken away by the Elites amidst the confusion.
The Elite who was knocked to the ground got up, but didn't see Kate and Emily escape from Billney.
A man suddenly started running towards Kate and Emily.
"Cid!" Emily yelled. "Are you okay?"
"Yes I'm fine. We have to get out of this area," he told the two girls. The three people found an abandoned car, with keys still in it (obviously some one had fled in a hurry) and drove off.
Kate glanced back at Billney with a horrible feeling in her heart. The town she loved so much was being reduced to cinders. She wondered why the man she knocked on the ground said "It's you! Get her!" Was she someone important?
Cid broke the silence; "you two know that Timar is on Iraliec right? Well those must have been warning shots from Timar. They've been threatenin' to do this to Jurrisol for eight months. It finally happened. Now we've got 72 hours to pledge allegiance or be destroyed completely.
A horrible feeling washed over them all, and Kate felt a sudden feeling of Deja Vu.
"Where are we going Cid?" Emily asked.
"Entauro Bay. We're gonna catch the boat and land in Seldovia."
"Cid, that's in Miriana. It's the Southern continent. Why are we going there?" Kate implored.
"Because that's where the Night Hawks headquarters are."
"WHAT!?" Kate and Emily yelled in unison. They were flabbergasted that he was taking them to the headquarters of the rebel band.
"Before we go any further," Cid said as he slammed the brakes, "I am the leader of the Night Hawks," he looked at the shocked looks on their faces. "I ask you to join the rebellion. Our goal is to stop the war from breaking out. We have sabotaged many projects Timar has been setting up," he continued. "You don't have to give your answer right away. I'm giving you three days to come up with a decision..." but he was cut short abruptly when Kate said: "I'll join!"
"Cid, before I give my answer, I want to know. Why did you pretend to be a man who lived all alone?" Emily asked.
"I went undercover. For months, the Night Hawks have heard rumors that Timar was going to send soldiers to Jurrisol to take over. Myself and six others were stationed throughout Jurrisol, but the Elites came unexpectedly when things quieted down. Unfortunately, they came to Billney." He finished. Kate wanted to say that one Elite had recognized her, but she held her tongue.
"I'll join too! I want to help," came the voice of Emily. "I just don't have a weapon, but if you give me one, I will help any way I can."
"Thanks a lot Emily... Kate? What is that mark on your arm?"
The sudden bringing up of the mark surprised Kate.
"I... I don't know. It just appeared when me and Emily were looking at an old book of mine about Dragons and gemstones. It hurt like hell, too." Kate told him.
"Interesting, maybe when we get to Seldovia, our chief scientist, Greg Littel, can look at it. It is very peculiar that mark." Cid looked at it again then floored the gas, and they sped off. Emily looked over at a confused Kate. What does that mark mean?
Soon it had become dark, and the three slept in the car. Kate decide to get some fresh air as she woke up in the sweltering car. It was still pitch black outside and their were many stars out. A shooting star flashed across the sky and Kate watched the bright glow.
What are you doing up? Kate jumped into the air when she heard the voice. "Who's there?" she asked. No answer.
"Who's there?!" Still no answer. "What do you want?"
You're alive. I was afraid that you would have been lost forever. Whenever it resurfaces, pandemonium ensues.
"When what resurfaces? What?" The voice had faded away.
"TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT!" Kate screamed in frustration. Now she was upset, but her exhaustion wove back into her, and she went into the car, and drifted off to sleep.
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A woman appeared through the smoke that was blanketing Billney.
"Raiko, she's gone. Her and that other girl, and the leader of the Night Hawks." She looked around, saw an Elite and stepped slowly towards him. "Did you see where she headed towards?"
she demanded. He looked up at her in pain, blood seeping from his chest.
Noira looked at the dying man with fury. Large bolts of lightning hit the Elite who was dying under Noira's command, then he de-materialized.
"Noira, she's gone. But Mistress will put her part of the plan into action. Calm down, or we'll be in trouble".
