Frozen Memories 1-4 The Assassin's Way

by Xeir Zith

"Alone on the battlefield, surrounded by death, cornered by enemies and ready to die." Mark Wolfe has become the Assassin, a one man wrecking crew to take down his most hated enemies. While at the same time his son unknown to him hunts foir a mythical sword hidden within St Diamond's Cathederal in Sacremento. it is a journey to redemption, but will Mark make it ?

11. Chapter 11

The Assassin's Way

part 11 What the Dead Man Read

"Wild wind blowing the moonlight...Life as an exile...My heart is covered with flames... The fates have broken my wings"

- Talak Horde

10 June 2055

Trinidad Natural History Museum

Moments later

The trap was set, all she had to do, was wait. She hated waiting. She was so very close to finding her firstborn child after a million plus years, who could blame Luna ? She heard foodsteps and hid, the room was packed with coffins of mummies from Egypt, some of which Mark easily recognised as having liberated from Templar hands thanks to Takari's info at times years before. But that also left perfect locations to hide to ambush her targets.

Focusing her vision she spotted the shard in Marks bare hands. Perfect. She also recognised briefly, her teacher Kalda, within the man's shadow. Steeling herself for what might end up a bad idea she waited for the two, Mark and the woman with him, to get deeper into the Egyptian Exhibit

She heard the woman speaking as they neared "So that is a Piece of Eden ?" Sazhori asked, having only grew up around Relics for the most part.

Mark nodded; not moving it any more than he had to. "It is... Dangerous things, these. With the power to influence Lesser men." he said. "This one... I think repels metal... I couldn't close my hand around it while wearing my gauntlet... But I can't be certain that's all this one does." he added. Mark, and by extension Kalda, had no clue they were being watched by the woman above; they were relaxed, and thus didn't suspect an ambush, or that Takari of course sold them out to someone.

While it wouldn't surprise Mark if that was the case; he likely wouldn't find out for a while, Takari knew how to hide his tracks well enough; but someone always slipped up in deals like that, so he would find out eventually. Until then, he was relaxed, with even his hood lowered slightly, revealing more of his bare face than usual. Stubble already began to grow back along his jaw where his beard had been; leaving him with a rather bum-like five o'clock shadow for the most part.

Luna watched the two on the floor below her as they neared the center og the large room. Three floors of Egyptian artefacts. And Mark carried the only one she was requiring. She waited as the two stopped at the gold overlaid coffin containing a mummy named Putantakit. Right on her mark. He was right, it wasnt all that it did, It also located people that used it last, or knew of it, or were desired by the wearer. Not to mention stopped everything short of a nuke at point blank range

"I've enver seen a Piece before, heard them discribed in scrolls and tales though." Sazhori replied as they came to a halt beside the coffin. She nodded at the assement of repelling metal "my own daggers hurt the closer that thing is to me" She meant where she had them, her feathers became deadly daggers of Ravenforged steel, and the closer she got to that ring, the more they bent and warped, and hurt. She was about to mention more of what else it did when something fell on them

Or rather, someone

Dropping between the two Luna kicked out, catching Sazhori in the gut and sending the Raven flying into a open Coffin, the thing slammed shut with a clunk of old stone and left the Raven dizzy and out of the fight as the woman it had to be, anyone that slender and fast had to be a woman was already reaching for the ring in Marks open hand. Her other hand casting something and what looked like warping glass and freezing cold flowed from her left hand

As soon as Luna landed, Mark's open hand closed into a fist around the ring, and he hopped back, eyes on her other hand as it built up a spell of some sort. He didn't hop back far though, only enough to turn his body and launch a Round-House kick, aiming to knock his shin into Luna's head while his body-weight propelled the leg faster and harder than a normal man would be able to do in such a short amount of time.

The magic halted as the woman leaned backwards her own foot coming up fast and using his kick as a sping board backflipped onto the coffin before jumping at him again. This time both hands fueling a wave of sheer ice cold power as she stepped closer to him. Unfortunately it didnt last as once she closed ranks with him it went into a full on wild melee.

Mark Initially attempted to stop her in mid air with a strong side-kick aimed for her gut, but she smacked his leg down, landing in front of him and immediately aiming to clap around his ears, his hood having fallen off as he leaned back for the kick. Moving forward out of range, Mark countered with a head-butt, his forehead being blocked by her elbows, causing him to flinch back, launching a retaliatory punch for her throat as he stepped back with his right leg.

The woman grimaced clearly in Marks face as her elbows made contact with his head. Twisting aside from his shot at her throat she dropped and span a foot out, fast and hard. She needed that ring. As Mark stepped back so did Luna, bwtween them was a opening Coffin, which she promopted smacked back closed again, much to the poor Raven's annoyed chirp from within as the thing nearly slammed on her fingers

With that taken care of Luna launched her attack anew as swirling purple energy danced on her fingers as she settled into a strange hauntingly familar Eagle stance with her hands. She had what looked like teal green sword hilts on her belt with bright emerald gemstones enlaid upon the crest of the hilt where the crossguard would be.

Sword hilts, but no blades... she had magic swords; and was abundant in Magic. While Mark did know Magic, he prefered to use it to surprise his opponent, not to match them. That Stance, however he recognized, Eagle Style, or something similar. His eyes narrowed at that and he adjusted accordingly, entering a half-Tiger Stance, with one hand open in the traditional claw, one hand in a fist to keep ahold of the ring. He wouldn't have time to put it in a pocket - she'd grab it the moment he let his guard down. Taking a breath slowly, he lunged forward, faking a low kick before striking with a hard claw towards her chest, followed up with a hook to the ribs and another low kick with his back leg, following the motion of the hook in an effort to trip her up and keep her on the defensive so she'd never think about using her magic or her swords.

Ignoring the low kick she was more focused on the shots at her ribs and chest, blocking first one then the other she landed on her back, her left foot up but caught in his one hand until she sprang up, spinning her body in a clean manner to break lose from his grip, Never going for her swords she sprang forwards yet again, aiming to close the distance. Moving fast she struck twice at his chest with one hand, index finger just so. Aiming for certain points, nerve ends.

Her other hand went for the closed fist. That close to him she finally hissed out "You fight like a Wolfe..."

Moving his arm, specifically his elbow, after the first hit to his chest, he blocked the second one, and soon they were side-to-side as she held onto his closed fist, trying to open the closed right hand. At her words he smirked. "I should think so; I am Head of the House right now." he chuckled back, quickly using this break in the fighting to realize his leg was in front of hers. Kicking it straight back he'd use a Judo Sweep known as Uchi Mata to throw her to the ground; his thigh meeting hers and his body pulling hers to the ground his leg lifted high. He'd follow it up by bending his supporting leg, aiming to drive his elbow into the woman's chest, and then let his leg land on the pressure point in the middle of the thigh to cause the leg not only to cramp up, but to be incapacitated for a good few minutes.

She did the splits, for a second she wasnt even standing as he swept her feet out from under her she brought both hands up, easily holding him off her as he put his weight down on her, aimning for her chest with his elbow. Wolfbrown glittering eyes held something of mirth beehind them as she simply smiled and shook her head. "No, that's impossible, Mother is." That she she formed magic, extreme heat. Hotter than the sunbaked deserts Mark spent his life in since he was eight years old channed into his arm.

But through it all her aim was for the ring.

Neither of them saw a pair of eyes peek around a pillar. Takari had lead Spike directly to Mark. A shot rang out, followed by a startled shriek from within the coffin as the door broke apart and Sazhori dove for cover.

That was all Luna needed. Relaxing out of the split she was doing she brought her knee up under Mark and lanuched him into the air, her hands for his right fist. Or more importantly the ring

As the Shot rang out Mark's first instinct of course was to get as low to the ground as possible, however that only made it easier for Luna to flip him over, and use the force of his body flying to open his fingers and take the ring. However with it gone, he could flip and conjure his armor onto his body; knowing that Luna would be watching as the Left Gauntlet appeared first on his body. "The only two "Mother" 's of the Wolfe Clan i know, Yaeko and my own mother, are dead." he grunted as he landed on the ground with a hard thud, his weight cracking the tile beneath his heavy boots as the Duradaeden armor finished appearing. He flipped his hood up and quickly found the source of the Shot: Spike.

Immediately his hand went to his own gun at his thigh, drawing it. He was conflicted; he could kill an important Templar Leader, or he could get back that Ring...

Lunas eyes went bright as the ring flew from Marks hand. Her prize! Raising a hand it flew to her grasp. Quickly slipping it on she sprang away from him, however she halted as she managed to get back to the second floor above the three floored room. "You have no idea how many Mothers I have seen rise and fall. I know that I will be the last to never see their firstborn." She held out her hand over the rail where he could see it "With this I will find her so... tootles!" What sounded like someone farting blue and purple light sprang into being and the woman disappeared from the museum entirely

Spike then stepped fully into view, with what looked like draconic armor glowing on her body. There was no missing that green and dark blue dress the woman wore constantly. She raised her pistol again, the .45 rang twice more, smashing bullets against Mark's armor as Sazhori stayed behind cover.

She had no idea that the prize just left the building entirely

Mark grunted as the .45 ACP rounds hit his armor, and he dove into cover regardless of the strength of his armor; letting out two .50 rounds from his own gun; the Desert Eagle's blessed Anti-Magic Rounds heading straight for Spike's body, one for her belly and the other for her chest or hip, Mark had to guess on the fly, quite literally as he shot while rolling.

"All this over not dancing with you?" he called out to Spike.

Spike growled something; her eyes glowing red with power. Her right hand held her gun, the .45 rang twice more, obliterating part of Marks cover "It is not that you danced with me or not. But what you have now!" She growled Her magic making her voice deeper and strangely almost as if she were hunting him directly

Because she was. She could see him, and another, two forms of bright red life hiding behind cover. She wasnt interested in the woman, no, she wanted them both alive, injured was fine. She fired again, the shot echoed in the room as Mark was under very little cover by then. Her left hand charged with electricity with a crackle.

Uh oh.

As his cover was chipped away, Mark sank further to the ground. From his spot he could see Sazhori, and catching her eye, he gestured to Spike, mouthing "Totally mad I didn't dance with her" before most of his cover was gone. Standing quickly he shot twice again, this time properly aimed shots for Spike's chest and head, his gun's noise alone dwarfing the sound of the .45 Spike was use, let alone the size of the gun or bullets themselves. He himself also dwarfed Spike, but with Guns in the picture, it really didn't matter; it was whoever went down first.

He was unaware of what kind of magic she was using at the time; focused first on not getting a finger or head shot off as he aimed. But as he felt the Electricity charge in the air he lowered his gun and hopped back, quickly opening a Transport Array and reappearing on the second floor balcony, using the height advantage to get a better hiding spot and shot on Spike.

But she was tracking him. Her attention locked on Mark she simply looked up at the balcony, then the light directly above him. A ball of sheer electrical power streamed from her hand and smashed into the light directly above Mark. The lightning like energy stabbing into the floor around him as broken light fixture rained down on the man.

"I thought you danced with her after you danced with me ?" Sazhori smirked, Only to chirp and duck for better cover as a bullet of ten slammed into the pillar she hid behind.

Mark was hardly concerned with the broken glass, but raised his arm to block the fixture itself from hitting him on the head, grunting as it crashed against his gauntlet. Stepping from cover, he emptied the rest of his Magazine at Spike, the bullets humming in the air as the Anti-Magic Properties kicked in, following the trail of the Lightning back to Spike's hand and body. Were it not for her armor, each one of these bullets would have killed her already. Where she got such good armor Mark didn't know; but he'd have to finish this in close range it looked like.

The light show danced madly around Mark, carving into the steel and cement floor of the second floor balcony he stood on. Finally as he unloaded the rest of his weapon at Spike she simply pulled her hand backwards, as if doing a triumpiant fistpump. With a crack the steel and cement gave way and came crumbling down as Sazhori dove for more cover away from falling Marks

As the floor gave way under Mark, he had only one thing to say "SHIT!" that was drawn out over the course of his fall. Internally, Kalda was face-palming.

"Gravity, you idiot"

Blinking, Mark turned, and opened his palm towards the floor, making Gravity's effect on him weaken just enough so he could land on his feet without breaking his knees. With that he dropped his Empty Magazine, and loaded a fresh one, unloading a couple of rounds at Spike while moving to close the distance slowly, staying close to cover; not wanting her to get lucky and hit him.

The bullets broke apart against her armor as he fired at her; The last one however made her stumble back a half step, her own weapon spent she withdrew a second one from her belt. She had four guns on her belt alone, each one with twenty rounds each. Each one a .45. She fired. her shots doing little to his armor and more to the stuff near him with each shot pinging off his armor. Finally she put her gun in her electrically charged fist and fired. The bullet glowed bright blue and rang true, nailing Mark in the hip

The scent of fresh blood filled the womans nose. Sazhori saw it. "Uh oh" She yelled to Spike and her hencemen "That was a bad idea! You made him mad!"

"That isnt the only thing I made him" Spike growled as she threw a lightning ball at Sazhori the raven dove for new cover as Spike's attention remained on Mark. So magic could get past his armor ?

Not quite. A minute gap in the plates, between the plate of his belly and chest and the one on his thigh; allowing for full range of motion. Due to the darker color of the armor and his coat, Mark never really worried about being hit in the gaps, as one needed to find them first. As the bullet rang true, the electricity coursing through his body, his leg spasmed, and he grunted loudly in pain, his body rocking back with the round's momentum. He was in pain, and while biting his lip, dropped his left arm to put pressure on the wound as he shifted his weight to his right leg. The pain threw off his aim, and the lightning made his arm spasm as well, his finger unable to pull the trigger properly; the bullets flying left and right; destroying artifacts, and perhaps even nailing a henchman or two through the walls if there were any there.

Even Mark wasn't bullet proof, and eventually he fell to the ground on his right side, never taking his eyes off of Spike as his hand twitched, one last bullet firing from his DEagle, the bullet buzzing past Sazhori's ear with a loud iHUMM/i. His eyes went to the Raven, who naturally was moving towards her fallen Comrade, he waved at her to stop with his right hand, left one keeping the pressure on his bleeding wound, trying to stop the bleeding.

"No! Just go... I'll be fine, go without me!" he yelled, rolling onto his back in pain afterwards, squeezing his eyes shut and letting out a sharp, pained hiss.

Ducking out of reflex alone as a sudden HUMMMMMMM went right past her left ear and drop a thug between the eyes Sazhori saw Mark on the ground. "Mark!" She chirped in a weird language almost like Hebrew but more shrill, She moved towards him, but his words stopped her. She stared, she couldnt just leave that wasnt her job! Her job was to protect him, stay with him wether he liked it or not!

But it was his look towards her, those eyes, his orders, then she remembered Diamonds orders, follow Marks orders and protect him at all times. She was a bodyguard after all. Finally she jerked her head into a nod and with her own magic pulled his fallen weapon to her hands it felt heavy but her strength could handle it. Also pulling a magazine she fired twice, two more thugs driopped and she took off.

She never saw Spike stepped up to Mark as he laid in the ground. Perfect shot. Spikes brown eyes watched facinated as Marks armor dispelled itself "Facinating. I see why Vitas was once smitten by you." her hand reached towards his body as she stood over Mark. Rendering his body numb but he could still speak. "Search him"

With his cheeks puffing out as he breathed in pain, he knew better than to take his hand off the wound, but as the thugs moved to search him, his right hand moved in a flash, nailing one in the knee, fracturing the Femur at the connecting joint, he then rocked back onto his now shattered and bleeding hip, and with a yell of agony nailed another thug in the balls with his hand before rolling to his back again, his right leg moving to trip up Spike. Now that his body was numb he wasn't feeling the pain, and was going to make the most of it.

"You want me? Come get me... gonna make you fuckers work for it." Mark growled as he opened another Transport Array under his body, vanishing to another part of the Museum, somewhere where he could start to treat the wound, and, still rather crudely, stop the bleeding with the help of a First-Aid kit he found on a wall; having to break it out of the glass it was encased in before he set to work quickly; stopping the bleeding as well as he could before leaning back against the wall breathing heavy as undoubtedly Spike had removed the numbing effect on his body again as he cried out in another agonized grunt.

He reached down, drawing a knife from his boot, and while still panting, chucked it at the first thug he saw, nailing the guy in the throat. Drawing yet another knife from his hip, Mark cut the achilles of another thug, stabbed another's foot, and was about to finish that guy off before four thugs grabbed him, and tore his coat off of him, removing no less than forty blades of varying sizes, five more Magazines for his gun, empty at the moment, about two hundred dollars in cash, an In-N-Out gift-card with a post-it note reading "For later", and his cell-phone, password and fingerprint protected, as well as encrypted by Car Key personally.

"Bravo lads... but of course you missed one."

"Wut."

Mark only chuckled vaguely, using the last bit of energy he had to conjure his right gauntlet, using the hidden blade and claws to down two more thugs before it vanished, and he was kicked in the shattered hip, causing him to scream in pain, and fall to the ground. "Fuckers... I just got the bleeding to stop too..." he growled under the pain.

Of course the thugs were clueless to exactly what Spike was looking for and took erverything they found to her. She counted almost sixty different knives, five empty magazines, what had to be something from the old city; But no Shard of Eden. Spike griowled something and stalked over to Mark, reaching a hand down to his shoulder she hauled the man to his feet and dragged him to the table they had procoured for the job of earching his things. "Where is it ?" She growled as she went over both of his hands carefully.

Both hands were covered in blood; both his own from the wound, and the thugs he'd killed. "Gonna have to be a little more specific than that, sweet-heart. I have a lot of things." he grunted, the necklace he'd made for Elsa falling out of his shirt; well, his half anyway the Scorpion over the snowflake... he looked to it, his face growing solemn and his eyes staring intently at it. "I've not forgotten you..." He muttered in Norse softly.

Spikes hand went to the necklace with two fingers she looked it over. then with a dismissive brush of her fingers she gave it no further attention as she went through his poickets. Minus his coat he had a shirt with some pockets,. And found two journals she could never hope to read even with a translater. She set the books on the table with the rest of his stuff. Turning to a thug she spoke "Get the hovertruck. We're taking him with us"

Turning back to Mark she hissed simply "Where. Is. The. Piece ?"

Takari was long gone

Mark's entire body tensed up subtly as Spike's fingers brushed over he necklace, and as she hissed at him, he glared back at her. "Bite me." was all he replied. He didn't have it. Wasn't there a woman fighting him as Spike walked in? Maybe she had it.

Spoke growled something and backhanded Mark, hard, even with out the strange armor her hand hurt. She turned to the men beside her, "You four, Take him to the hovertruck with his stuff, the rest of you rip this place apart until you find that piece! If you see any security guards I want them alive!" The two thugs picked up Mark and dragged him away as a two more picked up all his stuff and followed as Spike stalked back to where they had their gunfight, focusing her vision once again she searched the room carefully, there was no trace of the piece.

Spike growled under her breath and left the Egypt artefacts room and headed for the hovertruck. As she walked a wicked smile graced her face,. She may not have gotten the true prize for Vitas, but she got something just as good, if not better. Vitas first and only love. Maybe she could get something out of him ? She hoped so. So when she entered the hovertruck, about the size of a Tiffin RV's Allegro Bus. Otherwise known as a Honkin Large Truck That Somehow Flies Mark noticed there was a odd spring in Spikes step as she stepped aboard.

Mark raised an eyebrow, and deciding he'd be as annoying as possible, figured he's speak in every language he knew except English, or any that Spike knew. Since she worked with Talak, he ruled out Arabic and Egyptian right of the bat, and thre Hebrew in there to be safe. That left Chinese, Japanese, Norse, Very little Draconian, and maybe a few sentences in French or Spanish. Mostly insults. The "Fun words" as he called them when learning them. At another glance, he noted that Spike was Chinese in descent, so that ruled out Mandarin for the most part... perhaps not Cantonese though; he'd not try either, just to be sure.

"Someone's happy." he chose Norse first; his own home dialect from Arendelle as a boy. Sure he had to relearn the language as a man, but his accent was strongly Arendellian. "Why, with a spring like that in your step, I'd say you just got laid." Mark chuckled as he spoke, laughing even.

Spike simply looked at him. Her brown eyes full of angry fire, "Gag him ? Somebody ?" She grunted when all her men were either stowing Marks stuff on the sofa next toh er as well as belting him in, while two others waited at the drivers and passenger seats. Ten minutes passed and the rest of the thugs filed aboard. The Piece never found. But Spike nonetheless was happy because she had a gift for Vitas anyways.

Outskirts of Trinidad California

Twenty minutes later

Stumbling around a corner into an alley Sazhori slammed dead into another dumpster, nearly tipping thew thing over as she hit the thing dead on. her shoulder throbbed with pain. That pistol had a kick to it, More than she expected She collapsed in the doorway of an old tavern she recognised the symbol on, An Eyes of Light symbol as well as the typical Brotherhood symbol. She was at a safe house. Sitting in the doorframe she leaned agianst the door, using her head she thumped on the door twice and waited,

Then someone opened it and she fell into the safehouse flat on her back. "Ow" Was all she said before her vision fogged.

Ruthie stepped out of the way as Sazhori tumbled through the door, looking down at her while closing the door before speaking. "Two questions... Where's Mark, and are you okay?" she asked in dead seriousness. Idly, the woman nudged Sazhori's body with her cane, watching her face to see where the pain was before the Raven could tell her. She didn't see Mark's gun yet, meaning Sazhori must have hidden it as she moved through the streets to the safe-house.

Sazhori hissed when the cane moved her right arm. Ok that meant something important as she rolled onto her stomach using her left hand to get upright as she got to her knees. Asd she did so Marks gun hit the floor, thankfully it didnt go off, otherwise there'd be a hole in the door. She held up two fingers, then folding her middle finger she said simply "Captured, we were ambushed by someone, never saw them. Got kicked into a coffin before the thing got shot up. next thing I know Mark is shot and screaming at me to flee."

At her look Sazhori then said simply "I hate guns, they hurt when you use them" That explained a lot, Marks type of weapon had a hell of a kick to it.

Ruthie walked away, moving towards one of her favorite chairs, sitting and putting her feet up. "This is bad news... without Mark we're limited to Guerilla tactics, forced to be less open... I supose that's not a bad thing, but it slows down progress..." she reasoned. "But if they captured him then they won't kill him yet... I reckon we got a week before he comes knocking on my door or they kill him... or worse." She pondered.

"As for that gun... well, how Mark can handle that thing with only one hand and not break his wrist every time he pulls the trigger I don't know. That gun rocks men like Big Tony back easilly." she said; Big Tony of course Dwarfed Mark, but still a .50 round from the DEagle would rock him back. Let alone the ones Mark was Firing. "I'll have someone take the gun and get it cleaned so Mark can have it back later... if he comes back." she didn't sound particularly worried, all things considered. No Ruthie was characteristically stern as usual; it was a part of her intimidation factor.

However for the moment Sazhori simply nodded, getting as far as possible from Marks weapon she dragged herself to the nearby sofa and fell onto it, with her left hand she set her right arm on the armrest. She took a deep breath. "We found it, the Shard... But we were ambushed like I mentioned, Mark didnt have it on him when he ordered me to flee. Our ambusher must have it. I dont know who took it. I.. I never saw their face"

And Luna did indeed have it. But being on the other side of the street in the apartment one level above them in the window clearly watched unseen by Big Tony himself she held the thing up to the light. Flashes of purple and blue filled the apartment windows briefly and then Luna was gone, with her the shard.

Coming down the Stairs quickly just in time to hear the tail end of Sazhori's words. "Your ambusher was a woman, they have the shard; and they're using Portal Magic. Purples and Whites and Blues..." he said, nodding to the woman on the couch. He saw Mark's Gun on the ground, and moved over to it picking it up; it fit him, oddly enough, of course then again, a big man did look good with a big gun. He didn't fire it, dropping the magazine and making sure the weapon was clear before nodding to Ruthie; he'd take care of it.

"They just left their apartment across the street... where to I don't know."

Sazhori nodded "She was too fast for me to react to. One second Mark and I were in the Egyptian artefacts room, next thing I knew I was in a coffin with the lid slammed in my face. Nearly lost my fingers too" She sighed and tried to relax. Staring at the ceiling for a long moment she finally spoke "It was a woman, Dark blue and dark green dress, brown eyes, long black hair..." That was Spike in a nutshell. Everyone knew the woman, what she looked like. What she... did... to men that wronged her

"That Ambushed you?" Tony blinked. Spike didn't ever show signs of knowing Portal Magic. "Or that took Mark?"

"Either case it doesn't matter; assume the worst; that they kidnapped him and have the Shard the woman you just saw could be someone else in the Templar Order Until we find out for sure, not a word to the other Assassins in the area or to the children... we needn't worry them." Ruthie ordered.

"Of course, Grandma Ruthie." Big Tony replied.

Sazhori smiled at Ruths words. She was right, there wasnt a need to make the kids worry. As far as Sazhori saw, trhe kids closer one got to the city center, to Vitas home at least, the kids were much better off. most had jobs, everyone was happy. "Took Mark" She said in answer to Big Tony

She relaxed in the sofa where she landed. Where was that Dove ? Looking around she asked aloud "Where is the Dovah ?" Briefly shifting her words to that of her native Eagle dialect when she needed Wezaki. Sadly, Wezaki was with Auji and Xeibo, and nobody knew when she had left Ruths house up in Crescent City a good hour drive away. "I know portal magic, but... notithng like what you'er saying our aumbusher used" She said. It was true, Sazhori couyld make portals, if they had to they could get back to the car...

Oh no Her eyes went wide, with a hiss of pain she sat up in the sofa "the Dodge!" She patted her belt and took the keys from where she hid them, Mark had given them to her before they had gone into the museum he knew she could make portals, so if they needed a fast way out he could count on her. She held the keys to Tony "its still where we parked it."

"It's still registered in my Father's name. They wouldn't dare touch it." Tony said. "I'll get it in the morning; even the cops won't touch it; mostly because we know all of them." he chuckled, taking the keys from Sazhori.

"Could call Jack to get it."

"I wouldn't trust him with a basket of puppy-print pajamas, let alone that car." Tony said to Ruthie, who smirked and shrugged. Fair enough.

"Joseph?"

"Nope."

"Micah?"

"Maybe..."

"Jacob?"

"He'll do. He'll drive me to the car and then I'll drive it back."

Ruthie nodded. Glad that was settled. "You just rest then, Sazhori, we'll have to trust Mark to find his way back on his own." Ruthie said.

Sazhori nodded and once Tony had the keys she once more fell back into the comforts of the sofa. Ruth was right, they had to trust Mark. But where was Mark ?

Sacremento California

Warmoon Estate Palace

One Hour Later

11PM local time

The rain pelted the winshield of the hovertruck as winds buffted the thing. Almost as if someone turned on a firehose full blast. nevertheless as Spike stood from her seat to check on the driver as they flew along, Mark got a nice view, both of Spikes very nicely shaped backside, and the sight of Vitas current home, a massive palace of some form, of course it was nearly midnight, and all he saw was a massive massive field of lights everywhere. Execept for what looked like a moat of black, with eight tubelines in eight different directions of the compass going from it at ground level.

Spike returned from the drivers area and went to Marks things, making sure they were properly bundled she caught him staring, briefly at her before seeing his gaze go to the window. "That's home. I hope you're ready to see an old flame. I know she is." The hovertruck headed for a dock about haslfway up the massive well lit tower of a sort. Rain still pelted the windows of the hovertruck endlessly.. He was going to get drenched just stepping out of the hovertruck.

Great. Rain. Cold rain. Just what his wound needed. As the truck's back was opened, he was quite literally pushed out, landing on his injured side, his hands bound behind his back in hand-cuffs, he screamed, every expletive he knew in every language he knew flying from his mouth so fast a Sailor would get sea-sick. Being hauled up to his feet, or what he could manage, he was once more dragged, this time inside the tower, sopping wet, the wound open again, so now bleeding, sopping wet, and cold; Mark's breath was heavy and shaking as he was dragged inside.

"Light grant me Patience... if you give me Strength I'll tear my leg off and beat everyone to death with it." Mark growled in Draconian and Norse, switching between languages to replace words he didn't know.

"Quit yer yappin boy. This is America, Speak English." one of the thugs dragging him barked.

"Quit yer Yappin boy, this is America, Speak English" Mark mocked in Japanese, causing another Guard to laugh - he must have understood him, before backhanding him across the face, making the Wolfe Clan Leader grunt as he took a moment to gaze around him.

White.

Everything was boringly White. At least on this floor. Like a Hospital Lobby. Paintings and Vases littered the walls. This was nothing more than a fancy entry. The real magic was below and above them, in the subways or the tower proper. The Elevator was a stark Black in contrast, with blue glowing lines up and down the walls and the glow also around the buttons, the letters in the display were blood red. The elevator was lightning quick, and Mark felt his stomach drop as they rose. He grunted again; the discomfort in his hip only growing worse the more he was dragged around like a sack of potatoes.

They came to a Throne room of sorts, Grand and Ornate, with Splashes of Color upon the walls and in stained glass windows and culture from different parts of the world, each assigned to its own spot as a sort of trophy room of the Templar Conquest. And in the center of the back wall beforea massive brilliant clear floor to ceiling window, was Vitas. Or as Mark knew her, Talak.

"Well if it isn't Lady Warmoon. Good evening, your majesty." Mark grunted in Arabic, knowing full well she'd know what he was saying. His accent was marred by his pain, sounding more throaty, and more of a hiss than anything. But still his sarcasm bled through; oozing through his words like the blood oozed from his wound.

The throne was rather ornate in so far as it was clearly Egyptian in design. a low bench overlaid in red cloth and edged in bronze and gold At first she seemed to igniore him as she sat on it, the red dress she wore only enhanced her beauty as she relaxed, Mark saw clearly she was barefoot. Like she was when they first met when he was ten, two years after he moved in with his twin sisters. One leg was on the arm rest, seen clearly as she held a crystal in her hand. She was either remembering something or worse, trying to find something.

But it didnt matter. No what mattered was she had her old lover in the same room as her right then. And he was wounded. Spike stepped into view from the side. The two women briefly traded words before Spike motioned the two thugs dragging Mark to bring him closer. Dropping him at the foot of the dias as Talak finally took notice of Mark and waved away both Spike and the thugs. Mark saw the locket about her neck clearly.

"Spike says you had the Shard... and then unable to find it she brings you to me" Talak made no move to get out of her overly sexy pose upon her throne chair as she spoke, still not looking at Mark directly. "i wasnt expecting you for another week... And yet here you are, Spikes prize, and gift to me."

Another grunt, and held back scream of pain as he yet again was dropped; and landed on the edge of the stairs leading up to the throne on his shattered hip. For a while, he didn't answer, breathing through the pain as he rolled onto his good side, his left leg limp, blood staining his clothes. He didn't bother looking at Talak, not because he still found her attractive, no not because of that, but because he was just in too much pain to try. With his breathing heavy and hard, he swallowed another scream down before answering.

"Had is the key word." he choked out in Arabic... "I don't know who took it from me some lady... Fights like an Eagle... but is human... is familiar with the Wolfe clan..."i he continued in hebrew; in truth thats all he knew. Grunting he fell onto his back, the crook of the stairs providing some support for his injured hip. "Some fucking gift you got. A sopping wet mess of a man who's now bleeding all over your floor... what is this, Obsidian? Fancy. Bloody now." he growled in Egyptian, sarcasm still present.

Her gaze went to her hand as he spoke, Right before his eyes bits of water, droplets it looked like, began to float off his soaking wet body and form a ball within her hand. Within a moment he was dry, but still bleeding. Moving her hand without a word the ball of water went flying outside through the glass wall back where ti belonged. "So. You were ambushed... as a result you lost the prize... and become the prize. Well, I am happy either way the Shard would have aided me in my search for the other shards like more and the collection is complete. But you had one of those two..." She finally looked at him.

Oh how she wanted to see him on the ground before her since he broke things off with her so long before. But no. Now he finally was before her on the floor, and wounded. She never moved from her position on the throne as she simply watched him. "I can heal that. Be happy Spike didnt aim to kill." She smiled then, Her gaze then went from Mark to something else, a solid white tiger purred in her sleep. the smile vanished as quick as it appeared. Finally she asked him "Do you want me to ? Or do you want a Templar Doctor to heal that and possibly break something else entirely ?"

"So owe her something, or get fucked over by a regular Doctor?" Kalda mused in his mind, Mark's brown eyes met Talak's eyes, and he searched them for a hidden intention; with her now there had to be. Deciding she was his best chance at walking again let alone kicking anyone's knees out or free-running, he grit his teeth nodded; giving her a non-verbal answer; he wanted her to do it.

".45 Armor Piercing Round... anterior hip is shattered.. .muscles and tendons tore... barely missed the artery... bullet is stuck in my rear hip... " He grunted in Arabic; figuring if she was going to heal him she might as well know what she's healing. He looked away then; unable to bear looking at her any longer. His hands were still bloody, and were balled into fists in pain; sweat ran down his brow, and he was pale and shaking; evidence of the blood loss.

What looked like a needle ended up being more as out of nowhere a sense of sheer peace and pain free bliss entered Marks body with a flick of the wirst of the woman who sat upon the throne of obsidant and soft cloth. Within moments what had been damaged was healing nicely and neatly, however there was a brief shot of pain as something was removed from him. antiarmor rounds hurt. Cop Killers were deadly things. She tossed the bullet aside, it exploded into useless mist and faded away. Finally she moved to get up from her throne, her slender form stepping before Mark she held out her hand to him.

That morning she wanted to transform him, But now... Now she apparently wanted to make amends. Truth was she was trying to seduce him back to her side. Sometimes it worked, other times, not so much. The floor shifted with a groan of glass and stone. new patterns began forming with a simple touch of her feet upon the Obsidian. "Stand up, there is something I want you to see."

Mark grunted as the bullet worked its way out of his body; hissing as his bones fixed themselves and the tendons and muscles were repaired. Even his blood was replaced with fresh blood; the color returned to his face, and he stopped shaking. His grim look remained however, and he stood without her help, dwarfing her in size as he watched her carefully, every movement and gesture; every syllable, he heard it all, he wouldn't be seduced back to her. He couldn't abandon all he'd worked for. Not for an old girlfriend; no matter how attractive she was, or far she was willing to go to sway him.

"Lead the way." he answered in Egyptian.

Talak smiled, Turning simply she took one step. And the floor shifted, reality warped into a kalaediscope of color and design. the floor patterns warped and multiplied forming new patterns and the throne disappeared for but moments before it was entirely a new room they stood within. There were portals, and then there was her magic. Not even Blackmane did stuff this extreme. Beautiful dark oak paneling lined the walls as a light oak wood floor shined under their feet. there was a bed, a desk, a dresser, the basic needs of home really ready for Mark to use.

But he wasnt the only person in that room, no, even with Talak there was the Tiger, in a drugged sleep. purring, and oddly familar to him. Somehow he couldnt quiet place it. That purring had a strange almost famila feel

Talak spoke as Mark took the room in, one second they stood in her throne room, now they were in another room entirely. "You will stay here for what is left of the night to properly rest, come morning James will bring you food. In the mean time, you're weaponless Mark Elisar. The man I once loved." She stepped right up to him. Using her magic to grow herself in size to match his own height to stare him in the eyes. "Did you ever wonder what I did with our lockets ? Did I throw them away ? No, I kept it... " She held his up, the one with her picture in it. His, the one with his picture in it, was around her own neck. She never took it off, even when showering.

Pausing for a moment to look at the Tiger sleeping in the corner her narrowed his eyes, but as Talak spoke his attentioned turned to her. Had she gotten taller? Or was that the magic? Regardless her eyes locked on his; and he was too close to look away. As she spoke, a grin tugged at the corner of his lips and he unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt, revealing his half of the necklace he made for Elsa. for the first time since being captured he spoke English: "I threw it away. And I'm never weaponless. You of all people should know that, Talak Horde." his voice was stern, and his gaze moreso; drilling into her inner mind in an attempt to unnerve her. He didn't count on it working; but his words would get some sort of reaction.

Finally blinking he looked around the room. Quaint - reminded him of Arendelle almost. Needed to be colder. He turned to face the woman again. "What, no books to read? Or should I just take mental pictures now?" he asked in Egyptian; mimicing the voice he had as a child as best he could with his voice as deep as it was naturally. He held up his hands in the classical square camera pose; centering it on her body, but not her face. In doing so he did take mental pictures, not for enjoyment, but for personal notes. While she had him captive he'd observe her every move; find a weakness, and find a way to exploit it mercilessly.

Not like he anything better to do when in a Lion's den.

Vitas didnt even smile, "A man acting like a child... Where have I heard of such a thing before... No matter." She crossed her arms over her chest in thought before turning on her heel and moving towards the massive cat that purred in a drunken sleep. "if you want to read, read what you brought with you" She meant the journals, books she couldnt hope to read because they were written in either a dead language, or something else. A Language she couldnt hope to understand. that meant Diadems journal, and that of Yaeko Wolfe.

"Besides you wont be bored here. You need to heal from that wound even with my magic to get the gist of it healed up." Vitas continued as she stroked the massive cats broad head, the cat reflexivly arched her massive head towards Vitas hand, still drunkenly purring. However the drunken purring turned to pained whines and pitiful mewling that a kitten would give when newborn as Vitas magic turned those happy dreams into the worst possible nightmares one could go through.

Mark only grunted. As she spoke about what he brought with him, a man came in, and tossed the journals on a table in the corner before leaving without a word. Mark watched him carefully; middle aged, a slight limp on the left leg, slouched shoulders, head held low as well. Interesting. Turning to look at Vitas.

"I assume you're going to magic away the door so I can't escape so easilly as well?" he asked, this time in Japanese; knowing she wouldn't know what he asked, and only to annoy her.

A low grunt was heard and the Tiger chirped and jerked from Vitas hand still asleep. The woman stood to her full height, even with her magic she matched Mark perfectly. "What ? Did you say something ?" Of course she had learned growing up with the Warmoons three different languages in addition to Arabic and Egyptian and Hebrew that she knew. Among those languages was Japanese, she wasnt fluent in it like Mark was, but she was good enough, so she faked it not knowing what he said.

But it didnt matter as she regarded Mark carefully. "The bathroom is in there" She pointed to a oak door, even if Mark did get out that window he was a good six kilometers into the sky as it was already She smiled then, "Sleep well, I will see you at breakfast... weither you like it or not" With that she turned and disappeared into a portal of golden mist. Yep, no door

But she did leave the Tiger with him...

Mark didn't answer when she did. The way she reacted to his question made him weary. Gave him an inkling idea that she knew some Japanese. At least enough to hold a conversation. He'd use it sparingly. He'd talk sparingly in general - the more he could annoy or unsettle the people around him while he was captive the better, he reasoned. He looked to the bathroom door, and entered it, promptly scouring the place for Hidden Cameras or Microphones for at least an hour before locking the door and stripping down to take a shower, and clean the area where his wound had been; even with the magic it looked bad; a scar would be there for the rest of his life. He he'd be at full working condition in a couple of days.

Once he was finished, he dried and dressed himself, then flopped on the bed, facing away from the wall he reasoned Vitas would appear from, and let out a breath. The bed was uncomfortable; stiff and unmaleable; his back would hurt later for sleeping on this. Might as well complain about it to someone; get them annoyed. Until that opportunity arose however, he turned and faced that Tiger in the room, sitting up and walking over to her, his eyes blazing as he used a more focused, higher level of Eagle Vision to attempt to discern was so... familial, about her.

Of course even then he couldnt pinpoint exactly how the solid white Tiger who smelled someone close and opened an eye, seeing Mark that close the massive cat grunted something, a massive paw shifted slightly, all but slamming into him as she tried to shy away from him as he was so close. Then she saw he wasnt Vitas. A pearl blue eye focused on Mark, then the other. Beautiful eyes of a Tiger... and someone else. Hauntingly familar yet unable to place it no matter how hard one tried. After looking at him confused the massive cat got to her feet and none too gracefully stumbled to the bathtub and tried to go back to sleep

One Hour later

Midnight

The sound of wretching and hurling snapped Mark out of his focused meditation on Yaeko's Journal, his eyes having been transfixed on the design of her sword hilts drawn by Yaeko herself. Swords he swore looked familar before remembering the woman that attacked him before Spike showed up had a pair of swords of similar design. However that in and of itself wasn't what startled Mark, what startled him was the fact that it came from what sounded like a Human, and not the Tiger that had skulked off to his bathroom earlier.

Standing, Mark's eyebrows furrowed and he approached the door to the bathroom, moving quietly to the bathroom and knocking on the door-frame lightly before entering. "Hey... you okay?" he asked, not knowing what to call whoever the hell was in his bathroom at the moment. He blinked when he saw the human woman hurling out a murky substance from her stomach; a mix of brown and black and red; the smell was horrendus, and he nearly gagged.

The first thing Mark saw was long black hair, oil black, dirty most likely. Otherwise the woman was dressed in a rather form fitting lightly embroidered dress of various shades of white. Her hand raised as he spoke, as if asking for quiet as she continued to upchuck directly into the toilet. When she finally was able to take a breath all that she had puked out seemed to take away all her energy and she looked at him with almost a vacant glassy almost squinting look as she stared at him. Where had she seen and heard that voice before ?

Various memories meandered blindly through her mind before she pulled on the shower curtain to get back to her feet only to yank the thing clean from the wall and collapse to the floor with a rather neutral chirp of either pain or annoyance as she reached to the counter to pull herself to her feet. Now standing Mark saw she was a tall rail thin girl. A very rail thin, pale as a ghost, drugged beyond what could be called humanly possible girl who just purged pretty much her daily dose of whatever drugs Vitas forced into her from her stomach.

"Jesus..." Mark muttered as he saw the girl stand; the shock of what he'd seen stopping him from reaching to help her up. Once she stood, though, he moved in towards her slowly. "You're... you're that Tiger that she keeps? What..." he looked to the toilet, his stomach gurgling in disgust as he looked at the god-forsaken sludge in the bowl. He reached over and flushed it, shaking his head at the smell. "What does that monster do to you?" he asked the woman. She was familiar; but he couldn't place it. Something about her was... familiar. What it was he still couldn't place.

Who was she?

For a long moment nothing was said as she simply starred a vacant look in her otherwise pale eyes which normally if it werent the drugs that did it, were a bright lumicent hazel but thanks to the drugs her eyes were a dull gray. Finally she raised a hand towards him pointing at him, "You... I... remember you... You... danced with... the Master" the poor girl sounded pretty much dead as she spoke. Had she been six years old he'd have recognised her on the spot. But as an adult woman, nope.

Mark nodded. "I did. I should have killed her right then." he said, his hand reached up to cup her outstretched arm, seeing the muscles under the skin strain to even lift her arm. "You were sleeping... you always seem to be sleeping. Why?" he asked, his tone gentle, trying to figure out what was going on between her and Talak.

She shook her head when he spoke of killing Vitas on the spot when he danced with her at the ball the night before. "No.. no no..." She slurred almost drunk "If you... killed ... the Master... you also...kill me" Vitas was in a word, better than her parents were. Miao drunkenly poked Mark as she spoke of what would happen if he had killed Vitas instead of dancing with her.

She then put her hand, open palm against his arm and turned, a large gout of black blood was spit up. And with Mark there to support her she stayed on her feet. She slurred something. "Always awake... unless... Master wants me... to sleep." The girl was being overtaken by sleep due to purging her stomach of most of the drugs in her system. 96 different drugs, she had them all, every single morning. She stumbled and turned to him. swallowing the coppery taste in her mouth she all but meowed out "Who... are you ?"

Mark was quiet, supporting her to try and help her stand as best he could; poor girl was exhausted. If he killed Vitas he'd kill her? Strange thought, but duely noted. Slowly he guided her to the bed in his room, letting her lay there; she needed rest. It was there that she asked who he was. "Mark. Call me Mark." was all he said, moving her hair from her face. "Sleep now. You need your rest." he patted her shoulder gently before turning and sighing.

There was a couch... he'd sleep on that for the night.

Mark... Who did she know by that name ? "Mark ?" She murred softly as he brushed some hair from her face. Trust Vitas to put them in the same room together. "I remember... a boy... named Mark... he had... brown eyes... like yours..." She murred, barely awake it was a wonder she was still alive every day. Of course come morning she'd be a massive solid white tiger when Vitas came in with breakfast. Her memories ran blindly across her mind anew as she tried to relax, Mere thought of pleseant memories giving way to nightmares currently not in her minds eye at that moment.

Finally she nodded off to sleep on the bed where Mark helped her lay down. As he went over to the nearby sofa to continue reading and studying Yaekos journal and that of Diadem he soon heard a thropaty purr as before his eyes what had been a rail thin yet still beautiful young woman was now a massive solid white tiger, sound asleep. As if by magic she had transformed, much like his sisters did, but ewithout mist or extened smoke. Moments later he was snoozing just like she was.

At that same moment

Elsewhere in the Palace

Vitas stepped onto the balcony into the soaking rain. Lightning rent the sky above as the rain pelted the steel and cement of the balcony as Vitas went to the rail, her magic for the moment not being used to keep her dry as she simply stoof in the rain. Staring out at the city below as the rain soaked her, streaming down her face her eyes closed as tears also streamed from her eyes. She rested her Arms on the railing. Her eyes closing anew before opening them as footsteps sounded. Vitas had used her magic to grow in size, but with the rainfall she seemed to melt away that magic and return to normal as Spike stepped up to her, umbrella open.

"Do I even have to ask how it went ?"

"No"

"He did not even react to the locket ?"

"Only to insist he threw it aside when he broke my heart. That our love was in vain"

"Do you think he will get free ?"

"With where he is, even if he dared exit by window, its six kilometers to the moat, straight down. I wanted him alive after all. and no he wont, I magically took him there; he cant leave"

"So you are happy ?"

"Very"

"You do not look happy. You look more like something someone left for dead" Vitas smiled. It was as if Talak had forgotten completely of what Spike had done to Auji and his friends when she was summoned back to the massive palace. And noew she was asking things of death ? "I've been left for dead twice, you know that, both times you brought me back to health. And you too were left for dead twice as well"

"Yes, and that was bad luck" Talak replied

"Bad luck ? For whom ?" Spike asked her

"The people that left me for dead." Talak replied, Spike snickered, it was as if their past transgression was completely forgiven, the bad news was, Talak did still fester anger towards waking up Ruth Big, the good news was, she had completely forgiven Spike for the upset.

"So is it bad luck then for him to be here with us ? So close to you ?"

Bad luck... "No, Our luck has never changed, you brought him to me, you're back in the top spot. I never heard back from the thugs sent to Ruth Bigs home, so I can assume the worst from them. But whatever they didnt uphold the family IQ as I had hoped." With the umbrella now keeping the rain off her Vitas briefly shivered and whatever rain that had soaked her floated off like dead ash leaving her dry. "Tomorrow when the sunrises I want you to search for the woman that was with him... She may have the Shard." Spike nodded

With Spike using the umbrella over them both they went back inside and Spike took her to bed since the butler had the day off.

At that same moment

Trinidad California

Eyes of Light Safehouse

Luna looked at the ring upon her finger, then to the door mark. the symbol she was used to, the First Eyes of Light Symbol she had seen in almost a year actually since she started searching for her daughter relentlessly had her hopes quite high. Higher then they had been. Seeing a woman dressed in strange armor that Luna recognised from afar made the Ancient Wolfe remove her hood from her cloak Vulture saw her as she neared and stood up. "Lady Wolfe" Vulture said with a bow

"Vulture. I take it you are with another, a young woman with bright brown eyes ?" Luna said,

"Only two people I know of have eyes like yours. You and Hidden Flute" Vulture replied at the look she nodded to the door "She's inside, its unlocked"

"Thank you" Luna stepped in as Vulture went back to relaxing on the lawn chair; naturally her bird type did it. Laid in the sun, wings relaxed and stretched out, soaking up the warmth. So Vulture hreself did it when she could. Tanning in her human form was actually lots of fun

Opening the door to the house Luna found herself in a front room. set up like a typical Mortal Realm home she didnt recognise nor care to try she saw someone, a woman dressed in various shades of white not far away staring out the window. Long brown hair loose about her shoulders. Hidden Flute had been told someone important was looking for her, someone important to her directly. When the door shut she turned from the window and stared.

Luna also stared, bright wolfbrown eyes stared at each other for long moments. One word filled Hidden Flute's mind, even with the tatoos on her face and arms Luna thought she was pretty. Pretty enough to be her child. But it was Hidden Flute who broke the silence by saying one word; "Mother ?" Lunas heart hammered.

Simply nodding Hidden Flute shrieked overjoyed "Momma!" And ran to her, pulling her into a hug, the two women hugged tightly for long moments as Vulture smiled outside hearing the happy could still play babysitter, it was her job after all. For long moments the two hugged, finally breaking the hug Luna put both hands to Hiden Flutes face, taking it in. Tears streamed from the younger girls face, even with the tattooos Luna knew Hidden Flute was her daughter, the eyes gave it away. The two hugged again.

Then Hidden Flute noticed the Shard on her mothers left hand. "Where did you get that ?"

"Had to ambush a man for it; it was the only way to find you." Luna replied removing the shard

"Yeah but, who did you ambush ?" Hidden Flute asked, when her mother deceribed Mark the girls eyes widened slightly before relaxing, It could wait until morning to get it to him. But Luna had no clue, nor did Hidden Flute that Mark was their decendant by blood alone.