Call of the Ancestors
Chapter 15: A Chance Meeting?
It was a early morning when she had been awoken. Very early indeed. The sun had barely even risen above the treetops to caress Warfang's outer riviera, Sydale laid spread out amongst satin blankets and pillows. Yet she could not find rest. No.
The voice of a dead Ancestor was speaking to her from the very back of her head. The noble groaned at first, slowly coming to her senses.
"How is the plan coming along?" Congeria asked, her voice a sharp contrast to Sydale's own thoughts. But before the noble had time to even reply the god replied to herself; "Do not say anything, I know it is going splendid. The Guardians are… Desperate. The DOW, a pathetic excuse for a sanctioned military force, scampering for clues wherever they can find them. Not even considering we might have even placed some ourselves."
Sydale rose, glancing out the big window in her room, opening the glass door leading out to her balcony, looking out over the stunning view of Warfang and the lands surrounding it. Her family's luxurious estate blended in finely with the other highly priced houses and summer nests of Warfang's upper classes. A perfect place, as no one would suspect a member of a conservative aristocrat family to bear the weight of a deity of pure unbridled chaos upon her wings.
"It seems to me that you are hesitating, my Champion," came the Mistress' voice again, with a slight tone of disapproval in her voice, "Am I correct in thinking such a thing?"
Sydale grimaced, realizing again that she could take no privacy in even her thoughts.
Pushing that thought from her mind quickly, she responded, "Of course not, my Lady. I'm simply considering how we've gotten to this point. Your accomplishments continue to impress, my Lady."
The voice was silent for a few moments, as if the lady was contemplating her thoughts. Before once more speaking up, as Sydale witnessed the sun's rise across the treeline.
"They are scared of me and my influence. They are willing to cut themselves off from their source of power, and without informing the crowds no less…" Congeria spoke, a smug undertone to the Dead Goddess' voice.
Sydale got a questioning look upon her snout, very well aware that the god didn't need physical eyes to see her expression. "But Mistress, won't that make you weaker the closer we are to the city? Our followers won't have you guiding them once they are in there?"
Congeria chuckled in a demeaning manner in response, "Why, little vestige, that is why I will not bring any that are fully under my control, but rather the ones devoted to us. Simple, really. They are so afraid of my power to dominate and expand the mind that they forgot the ones willingly joining our cause." The goddess spoke, to which Sydale nodded, seeing the plan of her mistress.
The Ice noble sighed lightly to herself, glancing upon the heavy tome on her night-table.
"But mistress, why start with Warfang as your major goal? You know very well that this is one of the most difficult places to-" She was cut off, the ever looming presence weighing down upon her.
"The bigger they are the heavier they fall. If Warfang was under my control, if those… Heroes came under my influence, who would be able to stand up to me?" Congeria merely questioned back, her words causing the Ice dragoness to let out a chilled chuckle.
"Why, yes. I understand. Shall I ask our spies to try and figure out more about this… Machine of theirs? The blueprints should not be too hard for our eyes on the inside to come over. Make their little flimsy shield against you their very own downfall?" She suggested to the voice within her mind.
Alas, Congeria didn't say more except for "Someone's coming." To which Sydale turned around, hearing the familiar clattering of claws over the floor. A knock on the door.
Time for Sydale to put her orderly mask on again. Time to hide who she really is once more.
She opened the door and nodded at the individual standing outside, ushering them in quickly, "Were you followed?"
"I don't believe so. None of them are catching on to me, I don't think," the individual responded, shaking their head, "And the cloak helps to obscure me after I leave."
"Good. They'll never see you coming…" Sydale responded with a light and evil grin, "Now come in, we have much to discuss regarding the Defenders…"
The door closed with a thud.
AN: Short, sweet and ominous. Who is the cloaked person? Will we ever find out where Sydale lives? Will Hawk ever stop asking these ambiguous questions? The answer to all of that is "Maybe!" if you keep up being an awesome reader! We're going to get to work on the next chapter soon, so stay and bear with us!
As always, we appreciate any and all feedback! Reviews are always read and responded to when we can get to them.
See you next time!
-Mike & Hawk