Zaon proudly walked up to the towering building that contains the Loom of Fate. Since his exaltation twenty years he has tirelessly trained in the arts of the sword, and the special martial arts that involved it. Of the Exalted of his generation, he was the one that knew best how to end a life. He had not once failed a mission for the Violet Bier of Sorrows. Whenever there was a petty ruler that needed his reign ended, a Dragon-blooded scion whose time had regrettably come to pass, or simply anyone or anything else that needed urgent termination for the good of destiny, he was the first one that they would call. The fact that he takes immense pride in this just goes to show what the Celestial Bureaucracy can do to someone's mind.
Today, however, it was not going to be just another routine assassination for Creation's sake. Oh no, today he was onto the big thing. This was his break into the ranks of the people that sent people like him on missions. Today, he was going to be assigned to a Major Special Destiny of Utmost Importance and Urgency. With capital letters all the way, too. Even if it was for the Gold Faction, which didn't, exactly, get invited to the best parties.
He passed the celestial lions on the entrance and paraded into the halls of the Loom, taking the right turns towards the office of Ayesha Ura, although carefully letting everyone he knew, and lots he didn't, see exactly where he was going and who he was going to see. Right before he was threatening to collapse under the weight of his own ego, he found himself in front of the gold-covered door to the faction's leader's office. Of course, it was the way of the Sidereals to do things in exactly the right moment.
He let himself in, and found himself looking at the smiling face of one of the most powerful and influential beings in Creation. In fact, he had always thought she'd be taller.
'Ah, Zaon,' she said, 'I'm so glad we have you for this mission. I am afraid many things shall need a… proper ending. Not least of them being… the Age of the Dragon-Blooded.'
Wow, that was kind of a big order. Was he supposed to bring down the Realm? Wouldn't that piss off Chejop Kejak something awful? He didn't really wanted to have him on his case. Oh, and that's not mentioning the complications of actually doing the Realm-destroying thing. He was starting to wish for a nice little satrap to kill, instead.
'Eh…' he hesitated, 'and… I'm going to be doing this alone.'
'Oh, of course not!' Ayesha chuckled, he felt relieved, 'Meerah here will go with you.'
'Huh?' he looked around him, and found no sign of anyone else in the room, 'uhm… who?'
'Me,' a woman's voice beside him said. He jumped, back, startled. There was a young woman standing there, looking at him with an empty expression in her green eyes. She was completely still, completely calm, as if…
'Were you there all the time?'
She smiled, slightly, although it wasn't a very warming smile.
'Of course.'