A/N: Okay, guys, I am sorry if this is not coming as fast as you would like it. As of now, I am not going to answer the reviews I received. From this point onwards, if you have a question or you want to know something, just pm me and I will answer. I should let you know that I had intended the last chapter to be a lot longer…but given how it had been months since the posting of chapter 4…well, I hope you enjoy.
I do not own Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole and their beloved characters
I do own Harris, Fatal, LaRoche, Pip, and Alice, as well as my interpretation of Shard, and Professor Donatello.
Chapter Six: The Skyline To Hell
INSIGHT INTO THE THEOLOGY OF DARKNESS
DATE: Silver Rain, Month 2, Day 10, Year 710
SUBJECT: The Severus Six
As you may recall from my entry two years earlier, I had discussed the origins of hagsfiends. You may also recall how I was unable to find the data needed to learn more about them, given how those religious nutcases refuse to let anyone know about the existence of the creatures.
Fortunately, I had reached a break in my research. It took me forever to find it, and there was this old haggish bitch named Dewlap that kept screeching 'it's spronk'. Honestly, what the Hagsmire is keeping that old piece of racdrops together?
Bitch and time-consuming aside, it would not be believed what it was that I found. I had found an old tome, dating back to the olden days around the First War, and it's title was as followed: 'The Severus Six: The Wings Of The Fallen'.
The tome unfortunately was old, not to mention badly damaged and eroded from the passages of time, so most of the book was unintelligible. But the information I did find was golden…the book held information about none other than the six angels that had lead the attempt take-over of Glaumora and were condemned to Hagsmire.
The Severus Six apparently was the name given to these owls as a sign of respect for the six of the strongest hagsfiends, not to mention the ones with most authority over the rest of the damned angels. How it was that someone had collected this info is unknown (there was no author's name on the book cover…or what was left of it), but I had complied a list of data about the Severus Six. Take note that the data is incomplete, and has yet to be confirmed by other resources that I might find.
The Severus Six:
Note: The … signifies that the part of the info was unintelligible.
Title: The King
Name: Unknown
Info: Rumored to been the leader of the hagsfiends and of the Severus Six. Nothing else is known.
Title: The Queen
Name: Kree…
Info: It is said that behind every king, there is a queen. Again, not much is known about her…but it stands to reason that this hagsfiend is a female, and is possibly mates with The King.
Title: The General
Name: Bee…bub
Info: Presumably the second-in-command behind The King and Queen. Not much is known though.
Title: The Messiah
No information about The Messiah was found. I mean, what kind of title is 'Messiah?'
Title: The Judge
Name: Gol…Aro
Info: This is rather peculiar…one, hagsfiends have a judicial system? Two…why is there two names for one 'Judge'? More data is required.
Title: The Executioner
Name: Abaddon a.k.a The Deathbringer
Info: The only one hagsfiend of the six I had managed to gather more info about. Fortunately, I had managed to loot a book from the library called 'The Tale of Two Brothers', and by using the two books that I had found, I had managed to deduce that the 'Deathbringer', the owl that had terrorized the owl kingdom so many years ago, was indeed a hagsfiend…but his true name however is Abaddon. Deathbringer was either an allusion to his title as Executioner…or merely a replacement for the name Abaddon. I mean, what kind of name is Abaddon?
More data must be collected before more can be learned. However, I believe I had stumbled across something big here…
Entry End
V.
"Excuse me, I believe I didn't hear you right…did you say HAGSFIENDS?!" Gylfie screeched in shock.
"I'm afraid that is exactly what I said, Gylfie." Donatello admitted.
"But…but…that's impossible!" Soren gasped, the memory of the Deathbringer ringing deeply in his mind, "There can't be an artifact that powerful!"
"That is what they had said about hagsfiends themselves." Donatello noted, "Even though owls today refuse to acknowledge their existence, they are real…and if we do not take action now, they will take their place once more within our world."
"What do you mean?" Nyra asked.
"It is quite simple, my dear. There are three Hell's Auracites. If the Pure Ones had the gall to attack the homeland of their greatest enemies after the decimation of their army six months ago-"
"How the hagsmire did you hear about that?" Kludd interrupted.
"Are you kidding? It was all the owls here could talk about for weeks." Donatello snapped, prompting Kludd to clam up, "As I was saying, if the Pure Ones had the gall to attack this place, even more so to team up with 'hawks', it would stand to reason that they already have two of the three Auracites."
"What? How can you be certain?" Shard questioned, his gaze narrowing with suspicion.
"That too is also simple. Are you all aware of the 'Perrock incident'?"
Soren and the others gave confused glances, while Shard himself seem to have become frozen, his breath hitched, as if he was experiencing a bad memory.
"Perrock…I think I recall…wasn't that a monastery that was found in St. Aggies?" Gylfie questioned.
"Now that you mention it…" Nyra said, "I think I do recall some of the guards back then talking about some abandoned monastery of sorts."
"That would be the one." Donatello stated, "The Perrock Monastery was one of the many sanctuaries that the Glauxian Brothers had built. Back then, St. Aegolius was considered holy grounds, ordained by owls of the Aegolius genus. However, even back before the Pure Ones, the Aegolius Canyons was a completely desolate place, void of any life."
"Then why build a monastery there? Sounds really inappropriate as a place of worship." Twilight quipped.
"The monks from the original Glauxian Brothers' Retreat believed that their presence could purify the place and through hard work and faith, the place would be fertile." Donatello explained.
"What happened though?" Soren questioned.
"Look, we did not come here for a history lesson. We have to report back to the king!" Shard snapped, as he was about to turn away.
"Why? Surely you must had heard of the incident a couple of times, Grayeth…given the fact that your father was one of the benefactors that contributed to the incident." Donatello stated, his voice growing grim.
Shard stopped in his tracks, while the others gasped.
"Father? What is he talking about, Shard?" Kludd asked.
The Northern Great Horned Owl refused to answer, not bothering to look at his comrades. However, Donatello was more than willing to answer, "It is a sad story really. The monks were not without flaws…and well, a couple of them had begun to take interest in demonology."
"Demon-what?" Digger asked.
"Demonology. The studies of demons. The monks who study such a controversial subject were immediately excommunicated from the monastery. However though, they did not let the Perrock monks stop them from doing what they sought out to do."
"To bring back the hagsfiends?" Nyra suggested.
"Yes. About thirty years ago…there was an incident…the monastery, containing about fifty peace-loving monks and a hundred guards, was besieged…by a force of the disgraced monks, rallied with mercenaries, soldiers…all led by an owl of the blackest night." Kludd and Soren gave another shudder, "They came, looking for the Auralith, willing to slay all that stood in their way."
"What does this have to do with Shard's father though?" Soren asked.
"Shard's father, Grettir Grayeth, was one of the guards that was assigned to protect the monastery." Donatello explained, not noticing Shard glancing away, "He was a soldier from Deningrad. One of the best, I heard."
"Then what happened?" Twilight asked.
"No one knows for sure. All they say though is that they manage to slip past Grettir…and went on to massacre the whole monastery, hoping to find the ultimate weapon…however, their search was interrupted by the Guardians, and they retreated. But by the time they did…all the monks were dead, the monastery was destroyed…and only one survivor remained…Shard's father."
"Well, at least the story didn't had a completely bad ending." Digger said, trying to be cheery.
"Completely bad?" Shard repeated, as he glared at Digger, "Digger…they blamed my father for the whole incident!"
"What?!" Everyone else, except Donatello, exclaimed.
"Yeah. My father was on guard duty that night, defending the monastery. It was his failure to do his job that got all those owls killed!" Shard yelled, "Ever since that night, my father was branded a coward and a traitor to his country, stripped of everything! He brought shame upon the Grayeth's name. He couldn't show his face in any of the owl kingdoms without being shunned…and he lived with that till his death."
"Oh Glaux…Shard, I'm sorry." Gylfie consoled.
"To make matters worse, his shame passed onto my wings. You ever tried living as the son of a hated owl? I tell you this much: it's not pretty." Shard muttered.
"Shard…" Nyra whispered. Looking at him, she instantly recalled her late friend, Maurice…his father, a hagsfiend, had caused many to fear him. And much like Shard's father…he took that hate to his grave.
"Hey, it doesn't matter now, does it? I mean, look at you now, you're a captain, a well-respected Guardian!" Soren smiled.
"Yes…but even then, that small victory was bittersweet." Donatello answered mysteriously.
"What do you mean by-" Kludd was about to ask, before Shard stepped in.
"It doesn't matter, GLAUX DAMN IT!" Shard snarled, "We are here about the FUCKING CRYSTAL, not my life!"
"Whoa, take it easy, sir!" Twilight try to sooth, the Great Horned Owl panting as anger was literally steaming off him, "It's nothing worth getting all steamed about."
"No, no, he's right. We are getting off track." Donatello shrugged off, much to the others' confusion, "To the main point…as of now, the Pure Ones now have all three Auracites in their possession. If the story of the Auralith is to be believed, they are most definitely going to begin their search for the great crystal."
"They would be wasting their time." Nyra mused, "I mean, even if this Auralith existed, where would they look for it? If I know Nix, he is too brash and impatient to spend years looking for this stone."
"I'm afraid that is where you are wrong, Nyra." Donatello said, "Why do you think that the disgraced monks attacked the monastery?"
"Wait. You mean to tell us that the Auralith is…in that monastery?" Gylfie questioned.
"I don't know…but I feel it in my bones that those monsters were onto something when they attacked the place." Donatello admitted, "With that said, we have to take action."
"Take action?" Soren repeated.
"Yes." Donatello nodded, "With the three Auracites in their talons, we are on the brink of a major catastrophe. The Pure Ones plan to bring the Hagsfiends back to Earth, and if they do, the Pure Ones and Hagsfiends alike will be unstoppable. No one would be able to stand against them."
"Uh-huh." Shard scoffed, having calmed down a bit from his outburst, as he put a wing on his shoulder, "Donatello, I think you are still shaken up and suffered a head injury. Maybe you should rest."
"Nonsense!" Donatello swatted his wing away, "There will be time for rest when the owl kingdoms are not in danger!" He then began heading off away from them, "If you excuse me, I need to gather my things…"
"For what?" Gylfie asked.
"Have you not been listening?" The Screech Owl growled, "We need to launch a retrieval mission! Get those Auracites back before those fools find the Auralith and unleash Hagsmire on Earth!"
"Professor, you are being ridiculous." Shard explained, "Don't you see that we just been attacked? You can't expect us to just send owls shaken from battle to go on an errand as foolish as this, do you?"
"I believe that it is foolish that we are still standing here!" Donatello exclaimed, "We must take action now, lest you want the owl responsible for your father's shame to come back!"
"First off, stay the sprink out of my life!" Shard cursed, "Secondly…" However, the Horned Owl just growled inwardly as he turned to Soren and the others, "Come on, guys, help me out here."
The six owls shared looks of uncertainty when Soren looked at Shard, "Actually, Shard…I think he might have a point."
"What?!" Shard, Gylfie, Digger, and Twilight shouted.
"I agree with my brother." Kludd nodded, stepping forth, "I know all this stuff may be hard to take in, but we have been proven wrong too many times before to doubt something as serious as this. Nix and Harris may be pain in the tailfeathers, but they are not stupid. If they set their mind on this…well, who knows what could happen."
"But…but…we are talking about mythical demons here!"
"With all due respect, sir." Nyra inquired, "Books had been proven wrong before. And we would be gambling our days away if we do not take the initiative to end this before it begins, besides…" Nyra sighed, as the memory of Surtr and Maurice flashed through her mind, "I made that mistake twice."
"Oh for the love of…" Shard wing-palmed himself, as he glanced exasperatedly at Gylfie, Digger, and Twilght, "Don't tell me you agree with them."
The three gave each other glances before giving a sad nod.
"Sorry, sir, but Soren is our leader, and he hadn't stirred us wrong before." Gylfie admitted.
"Yes. Besides, I am not about to let some uncouth ruffians use a giant crystal to take over the world." Twilight proudly boasted.
"Yeah…and because we are merely supporting characters. We kinda have to follow the protagonists, right?" Digger chuckled.
"Exactly…I think." Soren said, unsure of Digger's words.
"Then it is unanimous." Donatello agreed, before looking at Shard, "Unless you want to come up with another reason to let the world end."
Shard gave a defeated sigh, "…You know what, fine. But it is not me you need to convince. The Parliament is expecting us, and I don't think they will agree to this."
"Oh don't be pessimistic, sir Grayeth." Donatello smirked, "We are trying to protect the world here. I am completely confident, 100% certain that they will support us all the way…"
"No! Absolutely not!" Boron bellowed.
Donatello, along with Soren and the others, all winced as they stood in the middle of the Parliament Chamber, under the eyes of all the officials. It was a situation that Kludd and Nyra both hoped that they wouldn't had to go through like they did six months earlier, but alas, they had to report back their findings. Unfortunately, bringing Donatello along and having him explain the whole 'Auralith' mess was probably not the best of ideas.
"Forgive me, your majesty." Donatello apologized, "But I don't think you heard me right. I said that the fate of the owl kingdoms is at talon!"
"I heard you completely right, and honestly, I never heard such complete nonsense!" Boron explained.
"Are you out of your sprinking mind?!" Bubo yelled, "First Pure Ones, then hawks, and now you raving on about Hagsfiends?!"
"I'm with Bubo here," Madame Plonk agreed, her and Dewlap having joined up with the Parliament from earlier, "I mean, this night had already been crazy enough as it is."
"Yes. We most certainly do not need some whack-job of a fool going on about some dumb old artifact that doesn't exist." Dewlap added in,
"That 'dumb old artifact' is real, you witch!" Donatello barked.
"You dare insult me?! I am only fifty years old!" Dewlap snapped indignantly.
"You don't look a day over five hundred!"
"SPRINK YOU!" Dewlap roared.
"SPRINK YOU!" Donatello yelled.
"SPRINK YOU!" Dewlap followed up with a horrid screech.
"Order!" Boron banged on his perch, "Donatello, refrain from insulting our Tracking ryb! You are not making your case here right now."
"What else needs to be said?! The Pure Ones attacked the tree as a distraction, so the bats could swoop into the library, tear the place apart, and steal the Hell's Auracite! Right now as we speak, the Pure Ones, with all three of the crystals in tow, are probably searching for the Auralith!" Donatello explained.
"Professor, this crystal you speak of was just an odd antique that Madame Plonk haggled from Trader Mags. What makes you think that this crystal is a part of a mythical collection?" Barran asked.
"Your highness, I had been studying demonology for years. I had read countless books about many religious artifacts. The Hell's Auralith recurred approximately six hundred and sixty six times in my studies. Please, I am trying to stop evil from spreading it's influences through these four walls!" Donatello explained.
"You're kinda late for that."
Donatello, along with the others, glanced to the right, seeing LaRoche on his perch with a bored expression.
"In fact, you are with one of them 'hagsfiends' already." LaRoche smugly sneered.
"This again? Leave my fiancé out of this!" Kludd barked, protectively placing his wings around Nyra.
"How can I? My 'masterpiece' was ruined, I got humiliated again, and now I am stuck here listening to a bumbling moron!" LaRoche growled.
"Hold your tongue, fool!" Donatello snapped, "I happen to be an expert in theology and what-nots. What about you?"
"I was advisor to Kuneer's ruler, Koothrappali Dunbar!" LaRoche proudly declared. Digger stifled a laugh at the name.
"Oh? What happened? Did he fire you?!" Donatello shot back.
"No! He sent me here to serve as a replacement for an owl who shall be not be named!" LaRoche cast a sour look at Shard, who was leaning against the back wall. Shard only scoffed, "Being the kind and respectful advisor to Koothrappali, I agreed. Although that decision had been biting me in the tailfeathers ever since!" LaRoche growled.
"Whatever you tell yourself, you filthy cloaca-licker!" Donatello growled, causing everyone to gasp at his words, "Honestly, why are you still here?! Surely everyone else in this room would gladly like you gone!"
"That is enough, Professor Donatello!" Boron snapped, "It is obvious that we all had a very bad night, some more than others…" LaRoche gave a sniff, "The last thing we need is you going on about some confounded crystals and hagsfiends. I realize that this crystal was of importance to you, but I think you are suffering trauma from the attack. And I cannot find any reasons to send our men out on a suicide mission-"
"What if he is right though?"
The Parliament went silent as they glanced at Kludd, the one who had interrupted the king mid-speech.
"You dare interrupt our king, you foolish boy?!" Dewlap screeched.
"What did you expect from a Pure One?!" LaRoche added.
"Oh, give it a blow, you two!" Ezylryb, who had been standing idly silent, listening to all the ramblings, snapped, as he then turned to Kludd. "What makes you think that, lad?"
Kludd resist the urge to gulp, as the eyes of the Parliament glanced attentively on him, as well as the others. Soren and the others, as well as Nyra, simply watched in anticipation as he began.
"Look, I know this all sounds yoicks-"
"It is yoicks!" LaRoche snapped. The other owls glared at him.
"As I was saying." Kludd seethed at LaRoche, "it does sounds yoicks. However, you all see Pure Ones as yoicks, don't you?" Kludd reasoned.
"Who doesn't?" Bubo quipped, before realizing his words, "No offense, laddie."
"What's your point, Kludd?" Boron asked.
"The point is, your majesty, that what may seems yoicks to us, may be the gospel truth to them. Take it from me, if they are crazy to break years of Pure One tradition to rally up with hawks, then they might be onto something." Kludd explained.
This prompted the Parliament to glance at each other uncertainly.
LaRoche however, just sneered, "That ought to be the most-"
"I think he might have a point." Bubo stated.
"What?!" LaRoche snapped.
"Surely you jest, Bubo." Dewlap growled, "This place is not for favoritism!"
"Look, I still think that a rock has no purposes but to be a rock, and not bring back the demons…but if the Pure Ones finds it useful…well, there could be hagsmire to pay!"
"That is what I had been trying to say!" Donatello spoke up.
"But what is it that we can do?" Madame Plonk asked, "Those Pure Ones are probably back home with the artifact in talon."
"Right. And as 'deadly' as this Auralith may sound, it would be foolish to send a bunch of our men out to retrieve the crystals." Strix explained.
"Strix does prove a point, Mr. Alba." Barran declared.
"I'm not saying we should mount a full-out assault, your highness," Kludd rebutted, "Maybe we dispatch a small Search and Rescue group to infiltrate the territory and nab the Auracite from underneath their beaks! Like that!" Kludd snapped his beak to emphasize his point.
The Parliament owls glanced at each other, the suggestion seeming to have forced them to reconsider their thoughts.
Ezylryb however was quick to voice his thoughts, "I must say, lad, a stealth retrieval mission…that is not a bad idea."
"You're right." LaRoche nodded, "It's a HORRIBLE idea! I can't believe you owls are considering this!"
"I'm still with LaRoche." Dewlap grumbled, "I mean, if this whole sprink with the Auracites for real, who would be so stupid as to go on this suicidal mission?!"
"That is a good point." Boron agreed, "Given with what happened tonight, you might have trouble finding owls to take on this mission."
"I know." Kludd nodded, "That is why I am volunteering myself to go with Donatello to St. Aggies."
"What?!" Strix, Bubo, and Madame Plonk gaped. Soren glanced at Kludd in shock.
"Are you sure that is a wise idea, Kludd?" Boron asked, "You may be an excellent fighter and all, but one owl and a professor is hardly the ideal group for a mission like this."
"Make that two owls."
The Parliament glanced at Nyra, who had stepped forth.
"I won't stand around and let my fiancé fly off in hostile territory with no adequate protection." Nyra explained, Donatello giving a huff in offense, "Besides, I had flown around those canyonlands for three years. I can navigate them blindfolded."
"I don't know. Despite your past as king and queen of the Pure Ones, you are still Guardians in-training, and I cannot against my better judgment send you just you two." Boron sighed.
"Now hold on," LaRoche quipped, "If the two Pure Ones want to go on a suicide mission to fetch a stupid rock from a bunch of bloodthirsty warriors with a nutty professor, let them. No one will miss them."
"It won't just be those two…" Soren stepped forth, taking his place aside Kludd, "If my brother go, so will I. Eight talons are better than six."
"Hmm, quite noble of you." Boron nodded, as he glanced at the three owls behind him, "And I take it that the rest of the Band will be coming with you as a result."
"Of course. Kludd and Nyra are our friends now as much as Soren. I wouldn't be able to sleep through the day knowing there's something out there that could end life as we know it." Gylfie explained.
"Yeah. Friends stick together through all sorts of weather, especially when it comes down to the 'end of life as we know it.'" Digger stepped forth.
"Just give me a pair of battle claws and my trusty lute and I will follow my comrades to Hagsmire if need be." Twilight boasted.
"That might just be the case, Twilight." Donatello admits, "St. Aegolius was never known for being a patch of Glamoura."
"Oh, joy, two Pure Ones, a nutjob, a Guardian with questionable loyalty, and his three stooges." LaRoche sneered, as he glared at Ezylryb, "And I take it that the old coot will be coming as well?"
"You take it wrong, LaRoche. I'm sorry, but I will sit back on this mission." Ezylryb shrugged, "I had enough excitement the last time. But I am sure they will be fine without me." He gives a wink at Soren and Kludd.
"Well, your majesty, is this little group enough for warranting a retrieval mission?" Donatello questioned, "It seems like these owls are willing to assist me in averting this disaster."
"I will admit, four full-fledged Guardians does make a difference than just two Guardians in-training…" Boron stated truthfully.
"But dear, these Guardians were only pledged over a year ago…" Barran exclaimed.
"And managed to stop a warmongering cannibal!" Twilight snapped defensively.
"That was a special situation, and even then, you had Ezylryb, a senior Guardian." Barran rebutted.
"Emphasize 'senior'" LaRoche snapped.
"Damn it, LaRoche, will you just shut up?!" Strix roared.
"Yeah, that's the Lyze of Kiel you badmouthing there!" Bubo defended.
"Oh, so he severed a beak of a crazy owl. Give him a medal!" LaRoche sneered.
"That owl was my husband!" Nyra screeched.
"Who is now dead. And not a single pellet was given that night." LaRoche mocked.
"Why you…" Nyra snarled.
"That's enough out of you, LaRoche." Boron interrupted with a glare, "Getting back on track, my wife does proves a point. It would be better if you seven had an owl with plenty of experience…"
"They do." The Parliament glanced at Shard, who had joined the rest of the group. Shard let out a sigh, "Because I will be joining them."
"Really now?" Donatello said with a raised brow, "I thought you didn't believe in my story."
"I still don't." Shard stated, "But I wouldn't be able to sleep at light knowing I let six good owls fly off into hostile territory without someone to lead them. What captain would I be if I did that?"
"One with a longer lifespan." LaRoche smarmily remarked, before being silenced by Barran's glare.
"That is mighty brave of you, lad." Ezylryb nodded.
"Are you sure you want to undertake the leading of this operation?" Boron asked.
"Yes." Shard nodded, "Just be sure to tell Bryony that I going to be late by a couple of days."
"Indeed. Unless there is any further objections, may we proceed with this retrieval mission?" Donatello asked.
Boron let out a sigh, "Very well. You shall be accompanied by Captain Grayeth, Soren and the Band, and our couple here to attempt the retrieval of this 'Hell's Auracite'." Donatello stifled a cheer, "But do note that this mission is very dangerous, and if at any point should this mission go awry, you are to return posthaste to Ga'Hoole. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, your majesty." All eight of the owls nodded.
"Good. May Glaux be with you." Boron smiled.
"Unbelievable, we are wasting owls to retrieve a stupid rock." LaRoche growled, "I can think of better ways to use our resources!"
"Oh, such as?" Ezylryb asked with a frown.
"Hello! Did anyone see the wedding hall?! It's completely wrecked!" LaRoche yelled, "A month worth of preparations that went into that hall all gone! We should be having owls left and right going to fix that hall!"
The rest of the Parliament glanced at each other…before they each gave a sly grin.
"If I didn't know any better, LaRoche, it sounded like you are volunteering to head the repairing of the said hall." Strix smirked.
LaRoche's anger turned to shock, "What?! No! That is not what I was saying at all!"
"Strix's right. LaRoche cares an awful lot about that place, so it should be fair that he be the one to help fix it." Bubo sniggered.
"Definitely/Absolutely." Dewlap and Madame Plonk nodded in unison.
"Hey, hey, let's not get carried away here!" LaRoche stammered, not liking the looks on all their beaks, "I only said that we should be fixing the hall rather than support these idiots!" Soren and Kludd, along with the others, frowned in offense.
"Yes, but since only you of all owls is strictly focused on that general area, it is best that we leave the fixing up of the hall to you." Ezylryb explained, "Oughta to give you and other owls something to do while our young brave owls goes off on their mission." A smirk was stuck on his beak.
"But-but-but…" LaRoche babbled.
"Lyze proved an excellent point." Boron nodded, "But we should leave it to a vote. Dear?" He glanced at Barran.
"Those all in favor of tasking LaRoche with the reparations of the wedding hall, say aye!" Barran declared.
Immediately, the rest of the parliament raised their wings, including her husband, chirping "Aye!" Donatello was about to raise his wing, before being stopped by Shard.
"All opposed?"
"NAY! NAY! NAY!" LaRoche chirped insistently, raising his wing, "You can't do this to me!"
"Sorry, Roachy, but it's seven to one." Ezylryb smiled.
"Why you…all of you…I never been…" LaRoche began, trying to come up with something threatening to say, but words seem to fail him.
Boron glanced down at the Guardians, "You should probably go now. It will take LaRoche forever to come up with something to say."
"Yes, sir." The eight owls nodded as they about-faced and left the parliament chamber, leaving the Parliament to contend with the fuming Elf Owl…
As soon as they were out of the Parliament chamber, Donatello let out a chuckle as he pat Kludd on the back.
"Way to go, lad! I can't believe you managed to convince them!" Donatello smiled.
"Thank you, professor." Kludd nodded, "I will admit…I was a bit scared."
"Well, scared or not, we can now get 'Operation: Hag's Gate' underway!" Donatello smirked.
"Hag's Gate?" Nyra questioned.
"What? A mission as important as this deserves a name." Donatello defended.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Donatello." Shard step forth, "For now, we have to prepare ourselves. I suggest that you all head to your hollows and grab your gear. We will meet at the landing area in an hour. Understand?"
"Yes, Captain Grayeth." Soren and the others nodded.
"Good idea, Shard." The professor agreed, as he glanced at Kludd and Nyra, "You two still seem to be wearing your wedding regalia."
The two Barn Owls glanced at their cloaks and realized that he was right. Both cloaks were pretty much in tatters by now, after being clawed through by two very steamed Pure Ones.
"I guess you are right." Kludd nodded solemnly, as he sadly glanced at his cloak, "This night definitely didn't go as well as I would had hoped."
"I agree." Nyra nodded, "And to think the others put so much work into this cloak…"
"Quite a shame, indeed." Donatello nodded, "Not to worry though. By the time we retrieve the shards and return from St. Aggies, your wedding can proceed as planned. Now, chop-chop! We haven't all day!"
"Right, let's go." Kludd nodded.
"Remember, the landing area, one hour!" Shard yelled as the group spread out to head to their respective hollows.
"You're doing what?!" Marella screeched.
"Marella, dear, calm down!" Mrs. Plithiver tried to sooth.
Kludd and Soren stifled a groan as Soren equipped his battle claws. The moment that the two of them stepped into the hollow (Nyra going to her and Kludd's hollow to gather their items), they were instantly bombarded by questions from their deeply worried parents and equally worried nursemaid. Despite their best efforts to calm them down, it did not buffer the shock they expressed when the two explained what is going on.
"I-I don't understand. You're leaving on a mission?!" Noctus stammered.
"Yes, da, that is what I said." Soren explained, though he stifled a growl.
"But so soon after an attack? And to that wretched place of all places?" Noctus gasped, "Did you forget how we barely escaped the territory with our lives?"
"Da, you are taking things way out of proportions." Kludd sighed, as he began sliding off the cloak.
"No he isn't!" Marella declared indignantly, "I can't even begin to recall how many times I lost my owlets the past year, especially six months ago! And now, you are going to risk your lives again? NO! I won't allow it!"
"Mum, please." Soren sighed, "I know you're scared, but we have to do this."
"No, you don't! This Donatello owl can get other owls to do this!" Marella snapped, "It's not worth throwing your life away!"
"We're not." Kludd stated clearly, "We're not going in alone. Soren's friends and my fiancée will be with us."
"Not to mention Shard, the captain of the Cape Glaux squadron." Soren declared proudly, "Surely you know him, da."
"Of course I do." Noctus nodded before grasping the bridge of his beak, "But…I'm sorry, but this is all so sudden. Me and your mother still hadn't gotten over what happened six months ago."
"I understand that. I don't think any of us had." Soren frowned.
"Then why must you do this to us again?" Marella barked, tears striking her eyes, as she glanced at Kludd, "I mean, it feels like we had just got you back, and now, you are leaving again…" Her words soon turn into a sob, as Noctus tried to comfort her.
Kludd's heart sank to his gizzard. He never meant to cause his mother pain…but it seems like all he did was that, especially with his actions that led him to become Metalbeak.
"Mum. I'm sorry." Kludd apologized, discarding the torn cloak, as he embraced his mother, "But this is something that has to be done, and we have to be ones of a few to do it."
"B-but…"
"Please, mum, I promise you we will take care of each other." Soren stepped forth, "And I keep my promises."
Marella wanted to rebut, but her husband soon interjected.
"Let them go. Their minds are set, and knowing us Albas…" Noctus stifled a chuckle, a shocker in lieu of what was happening, "We are stubborn as a bunch of mules."
The female barn owl's sobs soften, looking at her children with sad eyes. Letting out a heavy sigh, she only nodded, "Alright…I hate the very idea of you two going away, but if it means protecting the kingdom…"
"Then go." Noctus finished for her, "Just come back. That's all we ask."
Kludd sighed, as he then picked up the cloak and give it to his father. Noctus glanced at the wedding cloak, apparently shocked by the tatters.
"We will. And when we do…we can get back to the way things are supposed to be." Kludd declared, with a determined glare.
Suddenly, however, a blur sped into the hollow, and grabbed Soren from behind. Before the others could comprehend, the blur's voice cried out, trying to stifle her tears.
"Soren, please don't go!"
It was Otulissa.
"Otulissa…" Soren groaned.
"Strix told me everything. You're honestly going to St. Aggies?!" Otulissa cried, "Please tell me that this is all some stupid joke Digger learned from those damn seagulls."
"Hey, those seagulls may not be the best of companies, but they do have feelings." Noctus quipped.
"Otulissa…we have to go. If we don't, there's no telling what could happen to the kingdoms." Soren explained.
"Then let me come with you!" The short-eared owl pleaded.
"No." Soren stated firmly, much to her surprise, "This mission is extremely dangerous. The lesser number there are of us, the better. You should stay here, help with damage control."
"But I don't want to lose you!" Otulissa defended, "I love you, damn it! We're going to be married one day, and I don't want to be made a widow before then!"
"I love you too…but you know I have to do this." Soren defended.
"But why though? Why can't you stay here with us?!" Otulissa sniffed.
"Otulissa…" Kludd began, "Please, you can't make us feel any less guilty about this-"
"Oh, shut up!" Otulissa snapped, glaring viciously at Kludd, much to his shock.
"Otulissa!" Soren gasped.
"No! Each time you and Kludd are in the same vicinity of each other, you are always dancing on the brink of death!" Otulissa growled, "Those Pure Ones came here because they wanted revenge on you!" She jabbed Kludd in the chest, "And now, Soren is going to gamble his life away because of you and this Glaux-damn quest for redemption-"
"Redemption has nothing to do with this, Otulissa!" Kludd defended, "This is me wanting to protect Ga'Hoole, like everyone else."
"Oh, sure, you keep telling yourself that." Otulissa grumbled, as she leaned towards him, her body swelling a size bigger, closing in on his beak, "But mark my word, Kludd Alba, if you and your demon of a fiancée get my love killed at all in this 'mission', I would not hesitate to hunt you down and fucking kill you. You got that?"
Kludd instantly gulped, as he gave a small nod. With a huff, Otulissa turned to leave the hollow.
"Otulissa, please!" Soren pleaded, trying to sooth her.
"Just come back. That's all I ask of you, Soren." Otulissa stated, her voice hard and cold, as she continued forward, before she came to face with white feathers. Immediately knowing who it was, she glanced darkly up at none other than Nyra, recently returned from her hollow, quite surprised by her anger.
"Otulissa." Nyra said.
"…You will have a lot to answer for if Soren doesn't come back alive." Otulissa threatened, as she pushed her aside and flew off.
Nyra was left shocked, as she glanced with confusion at Soren and Kludd, both of them just as rattled as she was.
"I take it that she did not take the news of our mission very well?" Nyra asked.
"That's putting it mildly." Soren sighed, "I don't know whether it's good or not that she reacted this way."
"Just give her time, Soren." Noctus nodded, "Once she calms down, Otulissa will be fine."
"Very well." Soren nodded with uncertainty, as he glanced at Kludd and Nyra, "I guess we will be off then. Where's Eglantine?"
"Asleep." Mrs. P answered, "This night wore the poor owlet out. Should I wake her?"
"No, it's probably best that she doesn't see us leave." Kludd explained, "Just tell her that her brothers will be gone for a little while."
"Will do, son…you two both take care." Noctus told his sons.
"And no matter what, come home as soon as you can." Marella stated, trying to not break into tears again.
"We try our best." Soren said.
Nyra sighed in melancholy. In a way, Noctus and Marella reminded her of her own parents, both of whom had perished years before. A mother who cares endlessly for her owlets, even to adulthood, and a father, who is both protective yet supportive of their child's decisions. What she wouldn't give to have someone like that again…
Without another word, Soren and Kludd turn to leave the hollow, and as soon as they passed her, Nyra began to follow them...
"You take care as well, Nyra."
Nyra looked back at Noctus, the one who had addressed her.
"Please…make sure you watch over him." Marella requested.
The white barn owl gave a small smile, and nodded as she then went after her fiancé and his brother.
As soon as the white barn owl left, both adult barn owls sighed heavily.
"I am getting too old for all this." Noctus stated absolutely.
"I just hope Eglantine won't be like this when she joins the Guardians." Marella shuddered.
"Amen to that." Mrs. P agreed.
A pair of bronze battle claws and a few knives to get in a quick kill.
Shard was always one to pack only the essentials for when he was going into hostile territory. Fortunately, for him, the armory kept a healthy stock of both items.
As of now, the Northern Horned Owl was busy attaching the knives to straps around his legs. While many owls may argue the effectiveness of such a tactic of quick-access knives, especially for an owl, it worked for him. It was thanks to lots of combat training that he even knew the technique…
As well as the teachings of…
Shard slid the knife into it's slot much harder than he intended.
"Shard."
The captain looked behind him, seeing none other than Ezylryb, a solemn expression on his beak.
"Oh, Lyze. Did LaRoche finally came up with a retort?" Shard joked.
"Still working on it. Half of us just got bored after ten minutes." Ezylryb sniggered.
"What a bloody douche." Shard stated.
"No argument there." Ezylryb chuckled.
"What brings you here, Ezylryb? Because if it is advice, I doubt you have any bit that I hadn't heard before." Shard asked, as he went to a claw-sharping wheel.
"Not at all, Shard." Ezylryb explained, "I figured we could…" He shuffled his talons a little, "You know, talk."
"Talk? About what?" Shard questioned, as he began turning the wheel, whilst applying one claw, sparks beginning to fly.
"Shard…Don't think for a second that I am convinced that you are fine. I could sense the brooding you had been doing all throughout the meeting." Ezylryb stated.
"I have no idea what are you talking about." Shard rebutted, though he was trying a little harder to focus on his claw.
"You damn well it's not a matter of what. It's a matter of who." Ezylryb pushed forward.
"What's that, can't hear you!" Shard falsely yelled, pressing his claw harder against the wheel.
"Dammit, Shard, this is about Allomere-"
A loud shattering sound was made, as the tips of Shard's claw shattered from the pressure. Shard remain silent for a second…before he let out an angry growl and with one sweep of the wings, knocked the wheel over. Shard then glared at Ezylryb.
"Why in hagsmire must you bring him up?!" Shard snarled.
"Shard…it has been well over a year since that night. I remember that you used to visit Ga'Hoole at least three times every season, but since then…this is the first time we spoken since you came the week after." Ezylryb explained.
"What of it? I just had been busy." Shard defended hotly.
"Shard. You don't think I don't know what you're feeling? Allomere was a good soldier-"
"What I'm feeling?" Shard repeated, "That is a laugh, Ezylryb!"
"There is no need to keep a strong beak for me, Shard. It is not healthy to keep such negative emotions within you."
"I am just fine, Ezylryb! I always had been. How could I not be? I have a loving mate, peers that respect me, and a clutch of eggs close to hatching!" Shard countered, putting fire into each word.
"There is no need to raise your voice, Shard.' Ezylryb said coolly, "That is only proving my point that you still have unresolved manners deep inside you, and if they remain that way…you can't move on with your life."
"What are you, a shaman?! You best stick to teaching, Lyze, you piss off less owls that way." Shard growled, as he ripped off his broken claw.
"Does Bryony know?" Ezylryb questioned, "Parvizal? Glaux knows what they think is troubling you…"
"This does not concern them, Lyze." Shard grunted as he reached for a spare bronze battle claw, "If there was anything wrong with me, not that I say there is, it is something that they wouldn't understand."
Shard was about to slip into his new battle claw, before Ezylryb stopped him with his metal talon.
"It is not a matter of understanding, Shard…it's a matter of letting out what's in your gizzard." Ezylryb explained, "Please, Shard, at least get something off your chest before you leave."
The Northern Horned Owl paused for a moment…but in a flash, he swat the metal talon aside, pushing Ezylryb back against a rack of helms, glaring viciously at the old owl.
"Tell you what, Ezylryb. You find an owl that raised and cared for you, an owl that you had trusted with your very being…only to have him shit all over it just like that…maybe then, we'll talk." He equipped the new battle claw, flexing it real quick, "Now if you excuse me…I got a mission to do."
With that, Shard stormed out of the armory. Ezylryb glanced after the younger owl…and let out a heavy sigh.
"Why did you have to be so foolish, Allomere? Your betrayal not only left a smudge on what we stand for…" He glanced at the broken battle claw, "But it also left a burden on an owl's heart."
Shard made his way down to the landing area of the tree. In hindsight, he knew he was wrong to had brushed Ezylryb off like that…but there was things that not even he, the wise Lyze of Keil, could comprehend. Still, he shouldn't had shoved him.
Making it a mental note to apologize to him once the mission was over, Shard finally arrived at his destination. The two brothers, the ex-queen, and the rest of the band were all there, their talons all equipped with battle claws.
"Shard, you're here." Soren acknowledged.
"We're all here, an hour just as you said." Kludd confirmed.
"Armed and ready to go at your command." Gylfie nodded.
"Good." Shard looked around, "Where's the professor?"
"Right here!" Donatello cried out, as the others watched him fly in, carrying a pack of sorts, brimming with food and scrolls, "Sorry if I was a little late. I had to stock up on provisions and a few other items. Food is good to have, y'know."
"I can attest to that!" Digger chipped.
"But what of the scrolls, professor?" Gylfie inquired.
"Oh, only the essentials: survival tactics, lores, weather charts…a map." The professor smiled.
"A map?!" Twilight exclaimed, "Bah! All of us had been to St. Aggies, loads of time! We need no map!"
"Twilight has a point, you know." Shard explained, "Besides, we have two 'experts' who knows the lay of the land better than any owl." He glanced at Kludd and Nyra with a knowing nod.
"And we all had enough training in scavenging and weather interpretation to not need any instructions." Soren explained, "Sorry, professor."
"Well excuse me for wanting to be prepared." Donatello pouted. "Some owls hadn't the luxury of being trained like warriors. The only training I ever got was how to properly pinpoint structural weaknesses."
"Which is?" Digger asked, quite confused.
"Don't ask. It's too complicated for even me to comprehend." Donatello shrugged.
"Look on the bright side, professor. They can easily be used to kindle a fire." Nyra suggested.
"Use good scrolls to fuel a stupid fire? I think not." Donatello grumbled.
"Settle down, professor. We'll burn those scrolls when we get to it." Shard ordered, "Now gather up."
The other seven did as such.
"This is how it's gonna be…we will take the usual flight route to the Canyonlands. Since this is a stealth retrieval mission, discretion is key. I'll admit, eight owls is not an ideal number for such a mission, but I had been dealt worse cards." Shard explained, "Objective? To find the Auracite and retrieve it. As long as everyone follows my orders, we should be able to avoid unnecessary confrontations."
"Not a problem." Donatello nodded, "Sounds completely simple."
"Not really. Twilight here is worse at hiding than he is at lute-playing." Digger quipped. Twilight, offended, jabbed Digger.
"Hey! None of that!" Shard scolded, "While I'm captain, there is to be no fighting amongst ourselves!"
"Don't worry, Shard, Digger and Twilight will behave," Gylfie assured, before glaring at her boyfriend and the Great Gray, "Right?"
"Yes, Gylfie." Digger and Twilight cringed.
"Okay. Now that we are all on the same page, all I have left to say is this: this mission is not going to be anything like that night Metalbeak died. If what Kludd said about this 'Nix' is true, I cannot promise you that we will all come back here." Shard explained, "I can only hope that nothing goes wrong."
"Well, if everything goes as planned, it won't." Donatello smiled.
"I dunno." Digger shrugged, "Whenever anyone said that, something does go wrong. I think they call it a cliché."
"Cliché or not, let's just hope." Shard sighed. "Owls, assume your formation and prepare for take-off!"
"Oh, do we have time for such things?!" Donatello glared at Shard.
"Hey. Who's captain?!" Shard rebutted, causing the owl to cringe, "Now, assume formation!"
The eight owls did as such. Soren and Kludd glanced around the landing area one last time. Unlike their journey six months ago, there was no owls to see them off this time around…and quite understandable.
This was no journey…this was a mission…a mission to stop the return of creatures like the horror that they faced half a year back…if they succeed, then it was the end of that. Kludd and Nyra would get married, and everyone can get on with their lives…but if they failed…
"It will be fine, Kludd." Soren reassured, taking his place aside his brother, "I'm sure we will be back by tweener tomorrow, and everything will be back to normal.
Kludd glanced at his brother, noticing the hidden desperation in his eyes, seemingly pleading for reassurance of his own words. He let out a heavy sigh."Yeah…normal."
He then glanced over to Nyra, who took the spot behind him. If the blankness of her beak was any indication, she was having trepidations taking on this mission…and he would be lying if he wasn't either.
They were heading back to the place that both of them had once called home…a home that was now considered the place where owls went to die…waiting for them would be every owl that were once their allies and subjects, now their sworn enemies.
His brother may see this mission to be simple, nonetheless dangerous…but to him…simple is the last word he would use to describe it.
"Okay, sound off!" Shard ordered, "Wings spread!"
The seven owls spread their wings.
"Talons apart!"
They did so.
"Tailfeathers-"
"Get on with it!" Donatello barked, "We're burning night light here!"
"Fine..." Shard rolled his eyes, "…Everyone, to the sky!"
Starting with Shard, the owls began to flap their wings as they jumped off the edge of the landing platform.
"Finally!" Donatello shouted aloud, as he immediately broke out of formation, "I feel like we had been waiting five months to take off!"
"Don't be so dramatic, professor!" Shard grunted, trying to keep his eyes forward, "And try not to fly out of line! This mission requires precision and expertise!"
"That isn't all that is needed." Twilight added in, "We could use a little music."
"What." Kludd and Nyra gaped.
"Come again?" Soren and Gylfie questioned.
"Oh Glaux no!" Digger groaned.
"What kind of music?" Shard asked, though hesitant in asking.
"Glad you asked, captain! I had been working on a song just for the outside chance we ever had to go back to that hell-hole!" Twilight boasted, holding up his lute.
"Outside chance?" Shard questioned, turning to glance at the lute-wielder.
"Yup. Allow me to give you a few lines." Twilight smiled, as he then strums a familiar tune, playing for a few seconds, as he began to sing:
"Living easy, living free…taking flight on a one-way ride…asking nothing, leave me be, taking everything in my stride. Don't need reason… don't need rhyme… ain't nothing I would rather do. Going down, fighting time…my friends are gonna be there too…"
Twilight pauses as he took a deep breath.
"I'm on the skyline to hell!" Twilight bellowed. Everyone else gasped, their ear holes now aching.
"Sweet mother of Glaux!" Digger groaned.
"What un-holy sound is that?!" Donatello gasped, "Is that what hagsfiends sound likes?!"
"I don't think so. But I'm sure it's something similar." Kludd shrugged, shaking off the sound.
"Much similar." Nyra agreed.
"Hmph, that is only the chorus!" Twilight pouted, "I'm sure if you let me continue-"
"Negative, Twilight." Shard cut him off, "I think it is best that we continue our flight in silence."
"Come on, ple-"
"No!" Shard cut him off again.
"Be reason-"
"No!"
"On the skyline to-" Twilight tried to sing.
"NO!" Everyone around him barked.
…And so the owls continued towards their destination, the perilous peaks of Saint Aegolius. To the Guardians, it serves as a grim reminder of the owls who had terrorized their lives…to two of them…to Kludd and Nyra…it was them…coming home.
A/N: …I don't know what to say. I have no excuses, other than college…but life has been tasking of me and I had been very unfair to you all. I can't begin to say how sorry I am and I hope you guys will enjoy this chapter. And I hope you caught the reference of the 'five months' Don mentioned. READ AND REVIEW!
Voice Cast for OCs
Bubo Craggs – Craig Ferguson (Gobber from How To Train Your Dragon/Owl from Winnie the Pooh (2011))
Dewlap Petale – Imelda Staunton (Dolores Umbridge from The Harry Potter series)
Madame Plonk – Maggie Smith (Professor Minerva McGonagall from The Harry Potter series)
Shard Grayeth – David Boreanaz (Seeley Booth from Bones) (Note: I do not know who's Shard's actor in the game, so this will have to do)
LaRoche Dursley – Rob Riggle (Aloysius O'Hare from The Lorax (2012))
Pip Swann – Matt Stone (Pip from South Park)
Professor Donatello – Jared Harris (Professor James Moriarty from Sherlock Holmes II: Game of Shadows)
Artworks stuff is appreciated, deeply appreciated.