The rail car sped along at a frantic pace, Valua's Grand Fortress looming ever closer on the gloomy horizon. A pair of elite soldiers stood with weapons drawn, warily watching their prisoner, a frightened-looking Silvite girl who was trembling with her hands bound tightly behind her back.
Fina's eyes darted back and forth beneath her silver veil, praying that an opportunity would soon present itself. When they arrived at the Grand Fortress she would be locked up and placed under very high security, until such time as Empress Teodora summoned her and made her aid the armada in the search for the Moon Crystals. She was desperate to escape - the Elders had made it very clear that the people of Arcadia were corrupt and untrustworthy, and she would never agree to help them.
"We're stopping for a change of guard in Upper City," came a voice from the rear of the car, and the captain of that particular contingent entered. "Get ready to disembark."
Even as this was said the rail car jolted to a stop, and the guard on Fina's right side shoved her none-too-gently to the exit. The Silvite stumbled a bit but kept her feet, following without complaint as she was led into the bright lights of Valua's Upper City.
The two captain exchanged a few words of greeting, and an explanation of their shared mandate; in the brief moment of lax security Fina broke into a run and sprinted down the dock. Behind her came a shout of warning, and the soldiers began to fire with devastating pistols. By some divine intervention the initial shots all went astray, and she put several hundred steps between her and her pursuit before a shot pierced her side, and she crumpled with a scream and fell into the wall of a building.
"After her! Don't let her escape!"
Gritting her teeth against the pain in her side, Fina limped down an alley and sank down behind a dumpster. A single soldier, then two more raced past her hiding place, and then all was quiet.
"Come out, Cupil..." she wheezed weakly, and the silver bracelet adorning her right arm morphed into a more tangible creature. Cupil made a soothing cooing sound and nestled into Fina's neck, and she lifted a trembling hand to stroke him. "We must find a more safe place to hide until the guards go away."
She struggled to clear her vision, and beside her Cupil gave a helpless whimper.
Flinging a final spellbook into his pack of belongings, high mage Ilchymis glanced about his private quarters to be sure he wasn't leaving behind anything important. The empire that Empress Teodora commanded was swiftly becoming elitist and corrupt, setting itself above other countries and moving for global domination, and being of a kind disposition Ilchymis was very disinclined to follow along further. The empress was demanding he practice magic other than spells of healing, destructive arts that might aid the Imperial City in its rise to glory; inwardly he had refused upon being asked, vowing never to use magic against innocent people.
Satisfied that he possessed all he needed, Ilchymis slung the pack over one shoulder and silently strode out of his room and down the dim hallway.
He took a rail car from the Imperial Palace to Upper City, thinking that perhaps he might sneak aboard a merchant ship that would soon leave the city. Upon setting foot in the wealthy side of town, though, he found it to be swarming with guards. As quietly as he could manage Ilchymis dodged into an alley, altering his course and angling for the docks, but a voice accosted him from the dark.
"Please...help..."
Mildly startled the mage turned, only to find a strangely white-clad girl propped limply against a bin of rotting garbage. Then he noticed the great bloody wound in her side, and he fell to his knees and bent close in concern. "Are you alright! How did this happen?"
Even as he said this he began searching his robes for a sacrulen crystal; she laid a gentle hand upon his forearm, stopping him.
"No...the wound is fatal. Please listen..." She drew in a shaky breath. "Find the...Moon Crystals. Don't let the empress find them...don't let Galcian win..." The white-clad girl was panting from the effort of speaking. "They have the power to destroy everything...don't let them..."
Her voice failed her, and the girl fell limp and still.
Ilchymis watched her for a moment longer, deeply saddened by her passing and genuinely concerned by her words. In his years of studying as a mage and scholar he had learned a great deal about the Moon Crystals, gems of amazing potential that had destroyed the Old World by invoking the Rains of Destruction. If such weapons were to fall into the hands of the empress and her grand admiral, the repercussions would be dire indeed.
Rising to his feet, the tawny-haired mage turned from the body of the Silvite and started off on his way again, but something tugged gently at his robes and he turned back. The girl's silver pet had a handful of his robes in its mouth, and Ilchymis managed a grim smile. "What's your name, little one?"
"Kyuu!" it cried mournfully. "Kyuu!"
"Come along, then, and let us honor your friends' final request."
Cupil transformed itself into a small silver ring and wound around Ilchymis's right index finger; the mage moved stealthily for the docks.
Author's Note: Many thanks to my beta-reader, Dizzy. Your continued support and criticism inspire me. And I've now fixed your rogue word, lol.