Chapter Seven: The Ties that Blind

Trigger sat waiting in a dark room with huge, stain-glassed windows of gods and goddesses. He tapped his fingers on the large, silver table in front of him, around which many seats were placed. Soon, he was not the only one there.

A person appeared at the other side of the table, barely fitting into the seat. He was short-haired, and very overweight. This was one of his strengths.

"Welcome, Tyler." said Trigger. "Do you have any idea as to the whereabouts of everyone else attending?"
Tyler spoke. "They'll be here shortly, yeah. I can definitely tell you that much, yeah." His voice was thick, although faintly high.

Soon, another cloaked figure appeared three seats to the left of Trigger. This figure had the shape of a woman, very attractive, and when she removed her hood blonde hair fell over her shoulders.
"Hello, Shelby." Trigger said. "It took you a while to come."
Shelby eyed Trigger with a look of contempt and laziness. "Laying waste to Cald wasn't as easy as I thought it would be." She said, looking at her hands. "But I came as soon as I got your message."

Tyler let out a large grunt. "Those damn Caldings, always playin' with fire, yeah? You should've invited me to go, Shelb; I would've showed them what's what, yeah."

Shelby looked at Tyler like he was insane, and then mustered the fakest smile she could. "Maybe next time." She said abruptly.
At this, Tyler grinned genuinely. He was about to speak again before another person appeared to his right. This one, too, had a figure of a woman, but was taller than Shelby was. When she removed her hood, short brown hair fell all the way to her back.

"Good evening, Snax." said Trigger. "I'm glad you could make it."
Snax looked at Trigger like she'd never seen him before and nodded. She began to stare at the stained glass windows on the walls. Tyler looked at Snax like she would jump out and bite him, and edged his seat away from her. Shelby continued looking at her nails. Trigger, on the other hand, checked a watch on his hand and began tapping his fingers against the table once more.

Two figures appeared this time, side-by-side, in the chairs that separated Tyler from Shelby. The first one took off his hood, it was Atta. The second one was a lot taller; he took off his hood to reveal spiked, black hair.

Trigger looked at them both.

"It took you two a while…Atta, Wrench."

Wrench spoke first.

"You try trailing a bunch'a kids for three days, I'm telling you, and they don't stop moving! One rest would've made it easier, just one, but no, they keep going!"

Trigger nodded. "Yes, their determination seems unbreakable." He looked at Atta.

Atta looked offended, and then spoke. "I had them. I had those little bastards! No one could've expected the princess to appear so suddenly! You can't possible blame that on me!"

Trigger calmly spoke. "Of course not. Even the master expected you to fail."

Atta clenched his teeth and showed them. "You have no idea what it's like, fighting four people at once!" he said angrily.

Tyler laughed. "Ha ha, it was only three, really, since one of 'em didn't even attack yeh. And the skinny one doesn't even know how ta' figh' so it's more like two."

Atta glared at him. "At least I tried."

At this, everyone sitting at the table except Snax, Trigger, and Atta let out a laugh.
"'At least I tried'" Tyler imitated, in a high voice.

Wrench said, "You know Atta, I was about to ask you to destroy the Rosadel with me, but that country has a lot of kids…"

Trigger coughed loudly and everyone became serious once more. Atta was fuming.

"We have gotten off topic. There is another reason why I called you all here."
He took a breath and continued.

"The master feels that the travelers are getting to close to accomplishing their goal… that is, meeting with the High King. He feels it imperative that we stop them before they reach the High King's castle."
"What about the ones of us who aren't here?" Wrench asked, pointing at the empty seats.
"I've only called those who are needed for this assignment." Trigger said. "You can work out amongst yourselves who attacks first."
Shelby coughed, and then spoke. "Why is it so important that we stop them from getting to the castle?"

"The master…didn't say…" Trigger said.
They all shifted in their seats.

Trigger spoke again, loudly. "Meeting adjourned. One by one, they disappeared. Trigger asked Atta and Shelby could stay a little while longer. Atta obeyed.
"What do you want, Trigger? You want to ridicule me again?" Atta was angry.

"No, Atta, I must leave. But Shelby here wants a word with you." Trigger smiled and then disappeared.

Shelby got up and opened her hand. A long, metal whip appeared in it.

Atta looked at the whip. "What? But…It was just a mistake, it could've happened to anyone!"

Shelby smiled. "Master's orders."
She raised the whip and compelled it towards Atta. It struck him in the chest so fast that he had no time to react, and then in a split second it was wrapped around his throat.

"Good-bye, Atta. It was nice knowing you." Shelby smiled maliciously and then released energy into the whip that was strangling Atta. He was screaming, squirming, until the electricity had robbed him of life. His body turned to ash.
Shelby stepped in the ash and kicked it around. She then disappeared.