Posting a little early today. Enjoy!

Loki's dreamer: I just realized the last of all these chapters is kinda sad. Have fun reading. Lol

Doctor Loki love: I love Shiaji. When I create him I wanted him to grow on people. Happy your having trouble figuring it out. If it was easy I wouldn't have done my job right. Lol

Poodle warriors: happy to hear your hankering to read the next one. :p

Sidney loves fiction: I'm glad Shiaji grew on you. I have to admit I haven't decided on his fate just yet. And I will be happy to see you join me for my other story.

Sorceress of the trees: I hope you mean interesting in a good way. Lol :p

Chapter 89: First Kill

Devian sat in his room on the floor next to the prone form of Shiaji. The light inside him was so dim one could barely see it. Devian had been researching books he had his grandfather bring from Mechanova to see if he could somehow restore the Guardian to his former glory. The loss of her companion had set his mother into great sorrow and Devian wanted nothing more then to fix this and make her smile. He was sad as well but he hadn't cried. He was more determined to use the magic he was born with and change this fate. His power to bring things to life was useless on the cat as he was not inanimate. The soul in inside him still remained, though barely.

His grandfather told him that if the light should go out there was no bringing Shiaji back. Once the soul was gone that would be it. If the mechanical beast was given a new soul he would not be the same cat. And even though he wasn't really alive he had become part of the family and losing him in any way was heart breaking. Diana had left early that morning while Devian was sitting at the desk his father had recently placed in their room. He had been scoring through page after page and making note after note.

Seria had spent the day in the room with him playing with her toys and pausing to look at him. She randomly had looked at him saying "don't be afraid." Devian hated when she did that. She spoke like she knew something. His mother and father suspected that her strange development in both mobility and speech was due to the angels in Valhalla who seemed to still have a interest in her. She sometimes spoke words with knowledge and tones beyond her years but then she would return to her usual three year old speech.

Devian looked back down at Shiaji after taking a glance at his sister to make sure she was not getting into trouble and put his hand on the cats head. He could feel the light purr but Shiaji didn't open his eyes. One day he would present his mother with the greatest gift he could think of and he would have healed the cat and all would be well again.

Diana kicked out with her foot at the target dummy and snapped it back with ease while Sif practiced beside her. Today Diana just wanted to take out her growing frustration on something. Anything. Yesterday's events had sent her mind whirling in rage, disbelief, and the feeling of having hopelessness. How could she protect her family when the Guardian cat was taken down so easily. Whatever dark magic was used on Shiaji is was clear it was strong but not so strong that they couldn't completely finish the job which gave Diana a little hope at least but still she worried. Diana worried that whoever it was would come back to finish the job or worse.

She gave a few well placed hits to the target and it splintered at the pole that had it jutting from the ground. Sif turned to look at her. "Calm yourself." She told her kindly. "If you let your anger take over it will blind you and you'll put yourself in more danger." She instructed her. It wasn't the first time Sif told her this but Diana found it hard to follow. Sometimes it was hard to remind yourself to stay calm.

"Excuse me." The interruption from a soft voice made both girls look up. They were alone in the training grounds today and so they had no doubt they were the ones ones being addressed.

"Hello. Can I help you?" Sif said eyeing the young girl who was walking toward them. She was holding a basket in her arm and her clothes screamed servant but not of the palace staff.

"I have a delivery." She said when she finally got to them. She was a small girl with blond hair, blue eyes and dimples when she smiled.

"A delivery?" Sif said watching as she laid the basket on the ground in front of them.

"For you Lady Sif." She confirmed. Curious Diana watched as Sif bent down to look inside the mystery basket and then she snapped back in a jump as the stranger knocked Sif on the back of the head with the hilt of a concealed knife. Diana saw Sif fall forward unconscious and knew this was not good.

"Who do you think you are!" Diana cried taking a warriors stance. The servant glanced at her and narrowed her eyes. She didn't offer a response before sweeping forward and using the shape end of the knife to slice at Diana. Diana dodged easily. "What are you doing?" She hissed glaring at the girl. Still no reply. Her movements were awkward as he skirts got in the way as she made to come at Diana again.

Diana dodged again and hesitated to actually attack back. The girl held an air about her. "Why are you doing this?" Diana asked again trying to sound less angry and more pleading. The girls eyes looked around if searching for an answer before returning to her and she jumped at Diana again. Diana swept a leg upward and caught the girl in the side toppling her to the ground. Diana rolled and was back on her feet. She was grateful for her fighting uniform. It made moving so much easier then her dress did. Diana looked around for a weapon of her own and saw them all neatly lined up in their racks on the ther side of the field. She mentally swore a word her mother would not be happy with and decided she would have to find a spell that would allow her access to a weapon later.

The blond was back on her feet and stumbled slightly to the side. She seemed unfamiliar with fighting and Diana wondered why she was bothering. This couldn't be the person tormenting her family. She was too delayed for that. She kept her eyes trained on hers and watched her shake her head and then charge toward her again. Diana caught her by the wrist and flipped over her head to hold her arm behind her back hard. Diana yelled out when the knife she had been holding embedded into her side. She let go the girl and growled jumping back as quick as she could holding her side as it bleed, already soaking her clothes.

"Ok, that's enough." Diana said her voice low and menacing. I don't want to kill you but I will if I have too." She threatened as she tried to forget the pain in her side. Diana still didn't see the girl as a complete threat. She got lucky. She also didn't really want to use her magic to win this. This was her chance to prove she could handle herself in combat even of she should be unable to use her magic. She couldn't always rely on it.

"Die." The girl said disjointedly. Diana braced herself for the oncoming girl and ducked under the swipe and the girl tumbled over her back and rolled across the ground and stopped near Sif who was still laying on the ground unmoving. Her hair looked wet and Diana realized she'd been hurt bad enough to bleed. It was then the servant grabbed Sif by the hair and pulled her head up to hold the knife to her neck. "Surrender your life or I take hers!" She said digging the knife in making a small cut.

Diana watched the girls face for a hint of lying but she was slightly horrified to realize that she seemed content to do the deed either way. Her thought process was quick. She teleported behind the girl grabbing her around the face and quickly snapping her neck before she could move another inch. The sickening crack made Diana's stomach churn and she felt she was going to be sick.

She swallowed down the bile rising in the back of her throat and grabbed hold of Sif and teleported them both to the palace. "Mother!" She cried as they appeared near the throne room. Her wound hindering her mobility slightly as she realized it was deeper them she thought. "Father!" She cried letting herself fall to her knees. She wasn't sure when she had begun to cry but she felt her cheeks become wet.

Three guards had made it to her before her father and mother appeared.