Cadis did not ordinarily have such an active life. Therefore, most buildings looked the same to him. As he used up his lifeforce, his sense of direction grew steadily worse, not because he did not have one, but because he found it difficult to relate to the world around him. He was aware that any great drain on his powers, would probably be the last time…and this made him a little sad, but also a little relieved.

He would no longer have to worry about the weight and responsibility, after he had gone to his Eternal Slumber.

Of course, there was Frankenstein. He did not know precisely how the parting would occur, but sometimes, he did think about how this man would handle it. He was an ageless, deathless human, and he had a strong attachment to life as a doctor. It was only right for him to mourn, when the time came. Still, Cadis did not want Frankenstein to go mad with it, either.

Walking leisurely beside him, was Muzaka. Cadis had never taken a walk like this, in the middle between two precious people. And perched on Muzaka's strong arm, was the girl. Ashlyn was still sleepy, but her wounds had healed. It was just a matter of her building up her strength slowly, slowly, over time, just like Muzaka must have.

Abruptly, Cadis stopped walking. What had Muzaka looked like as a child?! It was a very preoccupying mental image, although he did not know what to do with it. It was so ridiculous, and rather presumptuous, that he could not think about it and move his feet at the same time.

"Master?" Frankenstein asked, looking back at him in concern. "What is it?"

Not sure how to express himself, or that his thoughts had merely wandered, Cadis cast his attention to the side. Where there were trees beside them on the road. It was a spot he had come to rest in for a moment, and it was a nice area. About mid-way between his house and the palace, he thought…or maybe it was further along? He was not even looking at the forest, but rather, trying to see if he could pin-point where he was…he did not know.

And, of course, because he was just standing there someone attacked him. He did not even register the attack, until it had hit the ground next to him. His hair fluttered about him, and he turned his eyes to look at the person who had come out and tried to hit him.

What was happening in the world, he no longer knew. Who could possibly have predicted that on a bright, clear, sunny day, in the middle of Lukedonia, he of all people would be attacked? And who could possibly have known he, of all people, would be there, standing idly on the road, in the middle of Lukedonia? He did not understand the world, or fate, or why this crazy person had just thrown themselves into a losing battle.

Just because he was confused, and just because he had some directional issues, did not mean would allow anyone to injure him. Or Frankenstein. Or Muzaka. Or the child.

Frankenstein was fighting. Muzaka was guarding his daughter, and watching Frankenstein in surprise. Well, they had never actually sparred, so Muzaka was seeing this for the first time now. Even Cadis thought it was fairly amazing. On the other hand, it was not good to let him get carried away.

Letting out a sigh, thinking that he was going to lose yet another set of clothes, Cadis lifted a hand. But, he lowered it again, because Ragar lighted beside Frankenstein, and Gejutel appeared next to him. The Lord, himself, was standing next to and a little before Muzaka…there was no need for him to move forward now, as it was clearly not his fight.

He had not seen The Lord angry in quite some time. No one there moved, as the ripples spanned through the air. It was heavy. It was so very heavy, and frightening. The Lord walked forward, the aura around him making his tendrils of hair dance prettily. He was a handsome man, but at the moment, he looked more demonic than Frankenstein.

Ragnarok had been drawn.

The figure before them, swathed in all black, sank onto their knees. All that could really be seen of them was their eyes, and these were widened. Tears ran from them as they knelt there, astonished. Although undoubtedly a noble, this was hardly anyone special; not a Clan Leader. Frankenstein had been holding back the bulk of his powers to get information or just because he felt like it. But now, his antics only seemed cute, and beyond the whelp on the ground, sweat ran over Frankenstein's brow.

The Lord lifted his arm, and there was a something like a lack of sound. For a moment, all Cadis could hear was his own heartbeat. Then, after that, the sound barrier ruptured in a deafening boom. There was, before them, nothing left but a cavity in the ground…a few wisps of something like to light, but lighter and transparent, fluttered away in the backdraft.

Turning to The Lord, Cadis bowed to him. "Lord." He was a little curious. Normally, if a noble went astray, it was his duty to pass Judgement. Even if he would rather not. But it was clear that The Lord had felt the need to do it himself this time…and Cadis thought perhaps there was a specific reason, if Ragar and Gejutel were at his sides.

"Cadis Etrama Di Raizel-nim." The Lord turned, putting Ragnarok away for the moment. "Please stay as calm as possible. There has been a schism, and some Clan Leaders are targeting your life." He said it straight out, so that a moment passed before Frankenstein made a disagreeable noise. "Yes, I know." The Lord said, looking to him and including him. "And in this, our anger is perhaps equal. However, Frankenstein, it is on your account that I am here right now. And I merely saw this unfolding and took my ire out on that creature. For it is only up to here that, as Lord, I can hold back my hand." He frowned just a little. "It is not a request. Please come with me to the palace."

Frankenstein was shocked. He looked at Ragar, beside him, and his brows pinched. "Am I being taken into custody?" He asked, in a level tone, but warily.

The Clan Leader beside him turned to face him. "No." He said, firmly. "But it is better to do this correctly, since it has come to this."

Well, they had been going there anyway. Cadis looked up at the sky, wondering where his peaceful days of looking out the window had gone. Muzaka was beside him now, on the far side from Gejutel, looking at the Nobles with unease for Ashlyn's sake. Looking at them, and then at Frankenstain, Cadis sighed again.

As they moved at a much faster pace to the palace, Cadis thought about what was waiting for him. He had an idea about what was coming. He was not sure how Muzaka would react, but he was a little worried about Frankenstein. He trusted that the Lord would protect them, though, even if he was…even if he became…

The Lord's Assembly was normally attended by all the Clan Leaders. This time, however, there were only seven in attendance. Including Ragar and Gejutel.

That was all the explanation that Cadis needed, and without even minding who saw, he closed his eyes. He had not wanted it to be true. He had wanted to be wrong. His suspicions, and his doubts, and his regrets, all fused into one solid conviction. Now, he could not ignore it. He supposed he deserved it, though. Those chattering folk, who would pop in from time to time to talk to him; he had failed to strike up a conversation, and now the room was empty. They would not visit him anymore. Ragus. Roctus. Gradeus. Zarda. Urokai. Edian.

Edian.

Brows twitching, Cadis opened his eyes to look at The Lord. If that was the path before him, then he would walk forward. With regrets, with weight, with sadness; the bitter and painful things were his own. He did not like it. But that was why he was the Noblesse. Because, it was not something he enjoyed doing. How long he would walk, and when he would fall by the wayside, were things he could not know. He was not a god. But, as long as he had someone at his side worth protecting, as long as there was one human left in the world, he would not stop moving forward.

The Lord smiled at him, tenderly; that was acceptance.

Muzaka was nearby him, even with Ashlyn behind him protectively; that was friendship.

Frankenstein was ready to protect him and would aide him even when he became frail; that was loyalty.

"Lord." He said, softly. "Please tell me everything."

"Treason." Gejutel said, intoning it grievously. "To think that Clan Leaders have taken the wrong path, and in this most foul a way. Lord, what are your orders? Shall we go and apprehend them?"

The Lord, who had just finished explaining it all as he understood it, let out a sigh. "I am not clear about that." He looked over them all. "Ah, I shocked you with that comment. Well, I think what has happened, is that we all lost contact with each other. Too long ago to entirely reconcile now. And the question I, as The Lord, am faced with is; what is correct?"

"Correct?" Blerster asked, sweeping his blonde hair back as he turned the word over. "Do you mean 'the right thing to do', Lord?"

"Surprisingly accurate, Krasis. Yes, I do. What is the 'correct answer'? What is the 'right thing to do'? The six Clan Leaders are not necessarily working as a cohesive whole; they merely acted in each other's best interests. They seem to have individual goals and ideologies. And I should point out that, while they have gone astray, they have shown great passion and ingenuity in how they went about this." The Lord leaned back on his hips, still standing among them. "Right now, we are all speaking like this; how long as it been since this happened? How long since I have gotten to stand here, at your level, and not wear off my backside on that chair?" He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder at the throne. "That is, if I may say this, a direct consequence of their actions."

"Lord, although what you say is unquestionable, what does it mean?" Elenor spoke up, drawing attention to her. "If they have committed treason, then the 'right thing to do' is to capture them and…well, to punish them in some way. At least, that is how it seems to me." She shifted, looking a little uneasy as she said this; the concept of 'punishing' another Clan Leader was alien, and this spoke of how rarely it had happened.

"Hm." The Lord nodded to her, understanding her discomfort in voicing such words. "I am not really sure if I want to damage the world to do that, though. For instance, if they attack someone; that is an action that they must be held accountable for. However, if the simply wish to quit my company and leave Lukedonia, that asks of me, The Lord, to define my rights of authority. Do I have the right, just because I am the Lord, to deny them that freedom? None of you are my slaves, and I don't want you here if it's going to drive you insane! Definitely not." He shut his eyes for just a moment, letting out a weary sigh. "This is an impetus. A spark that could ignite revolution and change, which is not necessarily a terrible thing. Or, it could just turn into a melee with no rules and no clear-cut reason." He lifted a hand for emphasis. "There is a little more, however, and this is why I called the Lord's Assembly. As I stated, this involved not on us Nobles, but the Werewolves as well. I believe that if we can, we should attempt to meet with them; not as superiors or inferiors, but as people who share this world. They will have further conflict, which will involve humans, and that will involve us. I would like to find out where they stand, and why they did that, and if there is a chance to reconcile."

The Clan Leaders looked at each other, surprised and not a little uneasy. Some, understandably, cast looks toward Muzaka. He was leaning against a wall, far from them, but nearby enough to be involved. It was clear he was taking in every word. At his feet, the girl was seated with her knees drawn up. All they had were the clothes on their backs? It seemed preposterous to the highly domestic and home-loving Nobles, who collected baubles and knick-knacks to decorate with their houses; refinement was a show of their own elegance, which their way of showing their worth.

Muzaka also turned their attention to the Noblesse, of course, but not a single person there looked at him. Not one. They all looked down, merely thinking about him, and this was considerably worse than staring could ever have been.

The Lord clapped his hands sharply, causing them all to jump. "What I would like to do, is have meetings more regularly. Let me see; for now, we will convene once a month. Although this has happened, nothing has been declared; but we need to circulate all information as quickly as possible. Once this has been sorted out, we can probably leave off and have them two or three times a year." That was so frequent that they were all a little put out by it; they normally did not speak to each other unless there was some need, so a decade or longer could go by before the spoke. Of course, this was precisely why the Lord was making them convene, though, and no one thought it wise to question it if it was only attending a meeting once a month. "I think I will also start visiting all of you at your houses; oh, just whenever. It would seem that Ragus had been doing some nasty things at his house, and quite apart from where he lives or why he wants to live there, that is not something I will condone." He smiled at them all. "You all do not mind, right?"

Collectively, they bowed.

"Km. Before we stop, I am also going to try something new! Normally, this is where things stop. But, because I have been accused of, more or less, not paying enough attention, I will open the floor. Does anyone have anything you want to say or ask; no one will be punished for speaking during this time, even if you voice things thought unconventional." He looked around. "No concerned or anxieties?"

Gejutel shifted, and the Lord turned to him. "Ah, well…" Gejutel swallowed. "Lord, it is about…km…that matter? I thought that, given how it stands, most of us feel the same way. That is, about Urokai…"

Drawing his brows together, The Lord thought about this. He took a full five minutes to just think about it. "Yes, you are right to bring this up. I had thought to handle it privately, but, now I think I will inform everyone. And, this also allows me to handle that business which I had started before the Assembly began." He turned to them all, swallowing. "To put it very succinctly, Urokai Agvain is currently in my own Custody. This is because he had confessed to me and asked to be protected; he is also critically and gravely ill."

"Ill?!" Blerster asked, in dithering shock. "Well! I suppose running around and doing this and that can make a man cross, but did he get hurt?"

The Lord nodded. "Yes, he was injured. Which is why I must now call upon one who is present." He turned to Frankenstein. "I apologise for the wait. Now, I would like to talk to you a little about Dark Spear."

Frankenstein did not look surprised, by this point, and nodded.

"Thank you. Frankenstein, you have been in Lukedonia for not quite a century now. Until now, the majority of Clan Leaders have known nothing of this, as it is very rare for a human to come to Lukedonia. Especially one such as yourself." The Lord licked his lips. "But, if you are going to live here, then I would like to include you in the laws of Lukedonia. At the very least, I think that it is far wiser for the Clan Leaders, at least, to know about you than to be caught off guard later on."

The doctor nodded, seeming calm about it now. "You've basically just created a republic, then." He said, softly. "There are human countries that allow open assembly forums, even if there is a monarch that enforces laws and edicts. Up until now, you Nobles have lived in an autocracy, never questioning the authority of the Lord and the Noblesse." He lifted a hand. "So, to sum it up, if I live here, then I should play by those rules. That does not trouble me or insult me, actually, I am somewhat relieved to hear all this. More so because this involves my Master, and more than likely, none of the Six who have 'defected' are all that pleased about my residence in Lukedonia."

"Just so." The Lord nodded. "It is rather vulgar to put it this way, but I think that it is very likely your coming here has been a catalyst to us, Frankenstein. Humans always move time forward. However, I am mostly concerned with your Dark Spear, rather than where you live." Clearing his throat, The Lord took a deep breath. "As you had told Gejutel, and I saw for myself, your power is modelled after our Soul Weapons. Yet, it is not a Soul Weapon itself. Will you explain, only in brief, what it is."

He shifted, looking down. For a moment, it did not seem like he was going to reply. But, after looking at his Master…and over at the girl, too…he let out a sigh. "Dark Spear was created by binding human souls into a medium that can be contained in a host. However, it is quite different from your Soul Weapons, in that it does not work with its host. Instead, it seeks to devour the host. Even I cannot tell you precisely what it is made out or why it does that; some scant number of people can be a host to it, but so far, only I have been able to contain it for longer than a few moments. Indeed, I have had Dark Speak residing here with me, for some time now." He looked around at them all. "What I understand of Soul Weapons, is that are a type of arte; the materialization of a compotent of the former Clan Leader. For instance, the 'soul', or quite possibly the 'heart' or 'consciousness' component." He looked to the side. "Dark Speak encompasses the 'grudge' and 'sorrow' that humans feel toward death."

Wincing, The Lord swallowed. Even for him, that was morbid. It was such a harsh thing, with no redeeming feature or quality. Yet, what he realized, was that Frankenstein himself held that capability. It was amazing, and it made him aware yet again, that Frankenstein was worthy of their respect.

"I should think that, with the way you've brought this out, that you have a reason to ask about it." Frankenstein commented, knowingly. "I have not called on Dark Spear since I fought with Urokai, so it has something to do with him…what happened?"

"It is his eye." The Lord said, levelly. "It would see that his eye was 'devoured'. This is so unusual, and even I could not remove the 'power' that is afflicting him. I could only seal it." He lifted a hand. "Is there a way to cure this type of injury."

The doctor sighed, wearily, and looked very put upon. "I would have to see it for myself in order to answer that." He replied, firmly. "However, Dark Spear itself is here, with me. If Urokai was being eaten by that Crazy Bastard, you'd know it." He rolled his eyes, then lifted a hand. "However, I…more or less…studied quite a lot of alchemy and whatnot, so if he's got something in there then I might be able to pull it out. At the very least, if it is caused by Dark Spear, it should return to me if I call for it."

"Why is that?" Elenor asked, somewhat harshly. "This disgusting weapon, you said it seeks to devour everything. Then why would it come back to you instead of continuing to devour Urokai?"

Frankenstein turned, the light glinting in his blue eyes and making them look unnaturally teal for a moment. He had a nasty grin. "Between me and Urokai, who do you think is the better host?" He lifted a hand. "Urokai is a Noble, just like you. He has a Soul Weapon, too, just like you. He's not a human. He does not have the same components. This rage is something that only a human can feel. And Dark Spear is human…just like me."