Gaia walked down the streets of the city aimlessly, getting the lay of the city so to speak. Kenzi had offered to join her so she could help direct if they got lost. Gaia enjoyed the company of the feisty human and was quick to accept the company. After Trick had left the Dal suddenly, they had decided to take off and see what adventure they could find themselves.
"So G, Bo tells me you are looking for something? Maybe I can help, I got people I know that are good at finding things." Kenzi started off, thinking it would be nice to help the elder.
"Oh childe if it was only that easy. I do not want to put you danger, and even my protection won't help if you get involved with what I am looking for." Gaia stated not wanting to bring harm to this young woman.
"Danger is like my middle name," Kenzi stated, and taking a chance with something she thought she had figured out. "I am going out on a limb here and guessing you are looking for someone."
Gaia stopped and looked at the young woman, "How did you know that childe?"
"Well if it was something you were looking for, you would be asking people who collect items and such. But you are not really doing that, so that leaves someone and you are not wanting anyone to know so it has to be a person you are looking for. And since it is a person you don't want them either in danger or know you are looking for them, so you are not getting like the police or the fae to look into." Kenzi stated matter factly, after all her family had worked the shady side of things she knew when someone was looking for someone. "Don't worry your secret is safe with me. I would swear an oath to you.." She would have continued but the elder had placed her hand over her mouth suddenly.
"Careful childe, an oath given to a Sister is just as binding from a human as it is from a Fae. And once given it can not be taken back or gotten out of." Gaia warned her newest friend, not wanting her to place herself in something she could not comprehend fully. "You must be careful of your wordings at all time, little one." As she took her hand away from the humans mouth.
"Oh...yeah well ok." the nervous tone clearly heard in Kenzi's voice. "Well you don't have to worry about me telling anyone, I am good with secrets. And thanks for saving me."
"No need for thanks, childe. But you are correct though I am looking for someone, but no one must know I am looking. You are very perceptive for one so young. You remind me of my friend Edwick's youngest daughter. She was inquistive, funny, and she could out drink most men but she was a fierce fighter when it came to protecting those she loved."
"She sounds like my kind of person," Kenzi answered, feeling a little giddy at the compliment given to a mere human from a powerful fae. Sometimes she forgot that most fae thought humans were beneath them.
"You two would have gotten along very well, I think." Gaia stated, "Edwick always had tells of her exploits and they were so fascinating to listen to him. He was very proud of her, I remembered the day she was killed Edwick was devasted. I thought he would do something rash and strike back at those that killed her, but he didn't."
"What happened to her," Kenzi asked interest peaking her curisoustiy.
"The village she was staying the evening with was attacked by some fae, wanting to kill or capture the humans there. Well she fought them, in order to protect the humans that had given her lodging for the night. She repeled the attackers for long enough for the local guards to be roused and push back the attackers. But as they were leaving one of them shot an arrow, that pierced her heart killing her. The villagers took her and buried her in a place of honor for her bravery." Gaia related the tale of her friend's daughter's courage. "I was worried that Edwick would use his gift and do something terrible to those fae that killed his youngest, but he restrained himself and ever since then he decided to travel with me."
"What gift did he have that could be bad?" the young human asked.
"Blood magic, a very powerful magic that uses a person's own blood. It is very powerful, but can lead to many consequences. But it is very addictive as well, to have that much power at your disposal tends to led to corruption." Gaia stated.
"Wow, that is like what Trick has isn't it?" Kenzi blurted out, not really thinking. "Opps, I didn't mean to say that outloud."
"It is fine, little one. But yes like Trick, it is a very rare gift and only those that are very strong of will can use it, but there is always a price to pay. You must not speak of Trick's ability though, not even to Bo it is dangerous if other knew about it."
"I understand, I won't tell anyone." Kenzi stated almost swearing it before she remembered what Gaia said about oaths being given to a Sister. She was not going to take a chance of swearing anything near Gaia just in case. "Although, his daughter sounds like a good person if she was willing to protect us humans." Wanting to changing the mood back to something positive.
"Yes, she was very much a good person, I was there when she took her first breath into the world. Her mother named her Aslaran. Edwick just called her 'little snowflake' because her hair was snow white for some reason."
As they turned the corner, the Dal coming into sight. Gaia turned to Kenzi, stopping the young woman and hugging her tight. "Thank you for walking with me Kenzi, you are a truly amazing human. I am glad you had me remember my old friend some more."
"It was fun, and I loved hearing the stories you have it reminds me of my gran and all her stories she use to tell."
"Well I am going to go lay down a bit, all this remembering of the past has kinda made me tired. And given me some things to think about." Gaia stated, wondering if there was any news from Trick on finding out where Edwick may have come to be. She watched as Bo, pulled up in her car and getting out in a hurry heading for the door of the Dal. "Well it looks like we better get in there, your friend just went inside." Gaia told Kenzi indicating Bo's car outside. As they headed inside they heard a loud explosion off in the distance followed by a second one shortly afterwards.
-x-
At the compound the Ash was in a meeting with the Elder council discussing the situation with Aife arriving back into the county.
"I have asked Dr. Lewis to give us a report of what she found on the autopsy." The Ash told the sitted elders as indicated for a servant to show the doctor in. As the door opened, and the doctor nodded to each of the elders he noticed a slight spring in her step.
"Doctor Lewis please tell us what you found out." The Ash addressed the doctor, while taking a seat himself. He knew the doctor well enough to know she was very thorough in her job and that she would go into detail of her findings, something the elders liked apparently. The doctor had quite a few of the elders interest, they believed she was a great doctor and valuable asset to their side even if she was just human.
"Good afternoon, esteemed Elders," showing the proper respect to the assembled fae. "After performing the autoposy.." She was interrupted as the door opened up and man with a coat came in, she saw the Ash stand.
"Who are you and how did you get in here?" The Ash demanded, not knowing who this man was.
"I bring greetings and a gift from Aife. She says goodbye," as he opened his coat showing the explosives around his waist. Some of the elders tried to stand to make an attempt at escape, the Ash merely stood his ground knowing that there was no place to go he would die with dignity and then he felt something collide into his side as the explosion went off sending flames and shrapnel into the room.
Blinking his eyes open, and seeing the destruction of the room through blurry eyes he felt a weight on his chest. He could hear sounds that were jumbled due to the ringing in his ears as he saw his security team and medical personnel enter the room putting out any fires. He thought he heard a second explosion, but he could not be sure from his still ringing ears. As he tried to move the weight on his chest pinned him down and when he tried to move his arm to relieve the pressure on his chest, pain shot through his arm.
"Don't move sir, you have a compound fracture of your arm it looks like." One of the medical personnel stated, although his blurry vision was clearing up he could see the bone sticking out of his lower arm. That is when he noticed another medic gently lifting Dr. Lewis off his chest, the burns on her back clearly visible. He noticed her entire backside from scalp to lower legs had been burned badly. Then he rememberd being hit from the side just before the explosion, it dawned on him that was Lauren tackling him saving him from the flames.
"Is she alive?" the Ash asked.
"Barely, it looks like she took the bulk of it to her back. We will get to her as soon as we get to the elders." As the medic started to get up to get to the elders, they were the priority not the human.
"No, you will take care of her also. She is to be treated as if she were one of us. She is too valuable an asset to lose. She saved my life, and I owe her a Blood Debt. She will receive the best care we can. If you need put her in a statis pod, until you can get to her otherwise you will treat her.
"There are no stasis pods left, there was a second explosion. They came into the labs and set off another explosion there. Doctor Lewis had luckily sent all but a technician and a nurse out of the labs to have lunch, otherwise there would be no medics here." The medic attending the Ash answered. "And the stasis pod that had the Doctor's human patient, was in the explosion as well. I am afraid her patient was killed instantly."
The Ash watched as the medical personnel and the security teams were gently taking care of the elders that have been wounded, he counted that three of the elders had been killed and another one or two might not make it. Looking over the team getting the doctor prepped for moving he could not help but wish that she was unharmed. He had a feeling that her skills would be greatly missed for awhile.