Chapter 2- Meeting the mother Valkyrur
It had been days since Isara had left Bruhl with her other Valkyrian sisters, and at last it had seemed they had arrived at their destination. Which was all the way out in the Barious desert, the badlands of Gallia. The other Valkyria women wore long white robes, with wide brimmed hoods to hid their eyes, hair and other distinctive Valkyria features now.
But earlier as they made their way from Bruhl to Barious. They were able to hide their features with the humblest of disguises. Which were simple wigs and dark glasses to hit their silver Valkyria hair and red Valkyria eyes.
They came upon a cave entrance, infront of a very large cliff face. And together they entered the cave, walking for afew minutes before they came to a dead end. Alexis, the girl who saved Isara earlier removed her hood and looked up at the dead end, before placing her hand against the rocks, which began to glow bright blue, ragnite crystals they were, disguised as simple rocks, reacting to the touch of a Valkyrur. The crystals then began to move apart, creating a large entrance which Alexis, and the two other Valkyria women with her began walking into. Isara was nervous, was it alright to trust these women after all??.
Alexis looked back at Isara, "Do not be afraid dear child, you are now amongst your own kind." said Alexis, holding her hand out to Isara. Isara swallowed hard and took Alexis's hand, and together they went inside.
The inside was far grander then Isara could of ever imagined. A giant cathedral like building was in the center of a vast cavern. And to one side was an underground water fall and lake, to the other an enormous courtyard with green trees and plants. And everything was lite by the glowing ragnite crystals the cathedral, sidewalks and other buildings were made of. Also the ragnite crystals still buried inside the rocks among the caverns provided some overhead lighting as well. Seems the entire gigantic cliff itself was completely hollow, the inside the home to the Valkyrur. Afew other Valkyria were walking along the cathedral sidewalks, others by the lake, bathing. And 2 were training in the courtyard with their lances and shields, practice dueling. But their numbers were few, Isara able only to see a dozen or so, including Alexis and the 2 other women she was with.
And as Alexis lead Isara towards the gigantic cathedral like building she turned to her, bent down and placed her hands ontop of Isara's shoulders, looking her straight in the eye with her red eyes. "Soon you will meet the Mother Valkyrur. She is the oldest, wisest and most powerful of us all. Show the greatest amount of respect to her that you can." said Alexis. This made Isara even more nervous but she managed to nod.
"Very good, now come child." said Alexis, standing up once again and leading Isara into the Cathedral.
Once they were inside they walked through some empty halls, before entering what looked like a throne room, like that of Castle Randgriz. Sitting in a giant throne was another Valkyrian woman, dressed in a large, flowing white cape, with a beautiful blue buttoned silk shirt and wide black pants. Upon her head was a blue glowing crown, made of ragnite crystals. Her silver hair so long that it touched the ground as she was sitting upon her throne, there were also some beautiful white flowers in her hair, along her crown.
An armed valkyrian female guard was on either side of her with their lances and shields fully extended. They were wearing white uniform pants and jackets with brightly polished silver breast plates on their chests and silver helmets on their heads. Large white feathered plumes on top of their helmets, their long silver Valkyria hair reaching down to the small of their backs beneath their helmets.
Alexis and Isaras boots emitted loud clicking sounds that echoed through the vast throne room like area. Alexis came to a stop just infront of the Mother Valkyrur, knelt down on one knee and bowed deep and respectfully to the mother Valkyrur, Isara noticed and did the same.
"Rise, my child." said the Mother Valkyrur, and Alexis and Isara both got up.
"Dear mother Valkyrur...I am sorry to report that I have failed to save the Valkyria that I was sent to find. I looked everywhere for her, but...Sabella found her first." said Alexis.
"I see...this is unfortunate news." said the Mother Valkyrur, "And who is this??.", she asked, gesturing to Isara.
"This is Isara Gunther, daughter to this Alicia I was sent to find." said Alexis, placing her hand on Isara's shoulders and moving her infront of herself, showing her to the Mother Valkyrur.
Mother Valkyrur looked down at her, her expression plain. "I sense the power of the Valkyrur inside of her. But it is dormant." she said, "Is that why you have brought her here, to our remote sanctuary??."
"I-I thought it best that she be brought somewhere safe, away from the rouge Valkyria still out there." said Alexis.
"Remote Sanctuary...rouge Valkyria??." thought Isara, taking in alot of new information about a race she heard had long been extinct.
"You speak many of our societies secrets, so openly in front an outsider Alexis." said the Mother Valkyrur.
Alexis put her hand infront of her mouth, "I-I am sorry Mother Valkyrur, I should not of done so." she said, bowing deeply once again.
"But, you are right...our race is slowly dieing, there aren't many of us left. So I shall forgive this incident." said the mother Valkyrur, before standing up and looking down at Isara.
"Come here, child." she said, waving her over with 1 hand.
Isara looked back at Alexis and she nodded, giving her a soft push forward and Isara slowly walked forward, then up the steps to where the Mother Valkyrur was standing, her guards moved closer to her, near shoulder to shoulder with the Mother Valkyrur, keeping their eyes fully trained on Isara as she got closer. Now she was right in front of the Mother Valkyrur as she looked up to her. Her eyes redder then the other valkyria and glowing all the time.
The mother Valkyrur reached down and placed her hands against Isara's cheeks, slowly turning her face side to side, carefully examining each feature of her face.
"She is a strange breed of Valkyria, definitely an outsider." said the Mother Valkyrur, "She does not have the burning red eyes or silver hair of a pure bred. But never the less, I do sense the power of the Valkyrur inside of her.", letting go or Isara's cheeks and taking a step back.
"I have your approval to begin her training??." asked Alexis, patiently awaiting an answer.
The mother Valkyrur looked down and was in deep thought, she then turned to her guards and nodded to one of them and her guard removed something from her belt and handed it to the mother Valkyrur, but Isara was unable to see anything past the large, white cape in front of her as the Mother Valkyrur had her back to her.
Next she turned to Isara, one hand behind her back, hidden inside of her cape. The other she placed on top of Isara's shoulders. She brought her face close to Isara's looking deep into her eyes.
"Now answer me child." she said.
"Do you wish to become a Valkyria?."
Isara nodded, "Yes."
"Do you swear complete loyalty to me and to our order of the Valkyrur?"
Once again Isara nodded, "Yes!"
"Will you do what whatever I tell you to without question, without a moments hesitation?."
Isara thought for a second, then nodded, "Yes!"
"And lastly...do you trust me??." she asked, Isara nodded and replied yes again.
The Mother Valkyrur closed her eyes and smiled, "Then by the power vested in me, I declare you fit to become a Sister Valkyrur of our order." she said.
But suddenly her hidden hand appeared from cape, a long, sharp metal blade in her hand. and with it she drove the blade into Isara's chest, piercing her heart. Isara's own eyes became wide as she let out a loud and surprised gasp of pain. Alexis closed her eyes tight and looked away.
The mother Valkyrur smiled and slowly pulled the blade out, blood still dripping from it and handed it to one of the guards, who carefully wrapped it in a white square cloth. She then turned her back and started to walk back to her throne, her guards walking backwards with her, lances and shields raised up, ready for any weird movements from Isara.
Isara continued to gasp, falling to her knees, hand clutched against her bleeding chest. But with 1 hand she reached out towards the Mother Valkyrur, who was now sitting upon her throne once again, one leg crossed over the other, hands folded in her lap, looking down at Isara.
One of the guards walked foward and pointed her lance threateningly towards Isara, "Do not raise your hand to the Mother Valkyrur!!." she warned.
Isara dropped forward, placing her one hand against the steps infront of her, while the other continued to be held aginst her bleeding chest. She then fell to one side and rolled down the few steps to the floor below, her vision getting getting darker as she laid on the floor, her breathing becoming labored as more blood flowed from her wound. She then looked over at Alexis, who had a sad look upon her face as she looked down at Isara.
"What have I done..." thought Isara, her breath becoming more short, "I let them lure me right into a trap...I should of know better, but all I wanted was to avenge my parents."
Isara then rolled onto her back and looked up at the crystal ceiling, and one, then two other Valkyrian guards appeared, followed closely by Alexis as they circled around her and looked down at her, their figures slowly fading to mere outlines of their bodies as darkness began to take Isara away.
"Mom...Dad...I'm sorry..." said Isara, closing her eyes, her head dropping to the left as her body lay sprawled upon the throne room floor, a small pool of blood gathered around her little body.