Chapter Twenty Nine

The armor knew how to fight, she soon realized as she made her way through the nether realm. She let it guide her, with its large ax of crystal. She was losing herself though as she fought through. She fought Hecatones, furies, hydras and giants. Her ax dripped with blood as she pushed through. What felt like she had fought for days, turned into feeling like months, and then it felt like years. How did she start this fight, only the task remained in her mind.

She stopped to stare into the water turned red with blood. She pulled off her her cat like helmet and shook out her hair. She raised a hand to her face, "I am Baroness."

She looked up and saw a castle in the distance and was reminded of her mission. She had to release the Light at all costs, but why did she feel so sad. It was just an Oracle she was killing. They were born to be sacrificed for the Old Ones. She felt a tear run down her face.

"Why am I sad armor of the Deep," she whispered to her reflection. "Why is my heart breaking?"

She stood up and replaced the helmet on her head. She saw the an army of Hecatones in the distance and she rushed for the castle. She came to the gates and two armored warriors called to her.

"I come from the Old Ones to help the Warlords," she called up. She was sure she looked fearsome with the blood dripping from her armor, that at least would prove her strength.

She heard the warriors talk among themselves as she starred up at the castle gate. The gate opened to reveal a warrior wearing armor much like herself. The warrior's armor was deep pink with brown. He almost looked like a spider with the weapons protruding on his back.

"I am Dais of Illusion, what brings you here," he demanded cautiously.

She bent down on her knees, and placed her helmet at her knees. "I am Baroness of the Deep," she paused, she felt the words on her lips were wrong but she didn't know why they would be. "I am here to see Lady Kayura, the Old Ones have sent me to be her sword."

"She already has us," the warlord snapped. She figured his warriors pride was either paranoid or possessive.

"But you are weary," she said softly as she looked back behind her at the Hecatones in the far distnace. "So they have sent me to come help."

The warlord frowned and a women appeared beside him, her long black blue hair cascading down the back of her kimono. She carried a gold staff, and she asked, "they only send one warrior?"

"I am enough, I assure you," she said as she bowed low. "I have fought by myself all the way here."

The woman looked at Dais, "let her in. Make sure she eats before she comes to talk with me in the royal chambers. If she is here to help, she might give us time til the ronins arrive."

"Thank you," she said as she let her armor vanish to her sub armor. She followed behind the warrior named Dais and two other warlords appeared. The first had a brown armor with a long red cape, and the second had deep green armor that was sort of snake like.

"I am Cale of Darkness."

"I am Sekhment of Venom."

A smile curled up on her lion face, and she bowed, "I am Baroness of the Deep." However, they didn't return her greeting with any sort of politeness.

She followed after the three quietly. They seemed strong enough, they must have to been keeping the void closed for so long, but she could see their movements were weary. Cale had a small limp in his left leg, Sekhmet was holding his arm in an awkward position, and Dais seemed to just move slower than the other two.

The walk was short to the actual castle. They said something to a spirit and they found some food for her. She sat in front of the three men, she was sure they were trying to assess her. Was she some sort of Trojan horse, a trap. She was no threat to them, she did have a mission, but it was only an Oracle that would pay the price.

Sekhmet finally asked, "are you an Old One."

"In a way, they call me a Trickster, " she answered as she looked at her paw like hands. She drank some tea and ate the meager meal that was brought to her. She knew she wasn't really one, but she couldn't remember why. She ignored her lapse in memory, it had been failing her all day. She didn't need to pay attention to it.

Cale looked at her suspiciously, "it's quite convenient that they sent one of their own to come help us against their own monsters."

"Hecatones are not Old Ones," she replied bitterly.

"Then what are they," Dais winced in pain, almost doubling over.

"They are creatures of the dark, much like Talpa was," she said as she moved over to him gracefully. He looked at her with suspicion as she placed a clawed hand on the armor above his chest. "They tried to devour you, Dais."

He looked humiliated that she noticed, "it's war."

She touched the crest of his armor, and it glowed. He looked at her in surprise, and then touched the chest, "did you just heal me?"

"Of course, I cannot allow my allies to be afflicted while I fight perfectly well," she smiled as she walked over to the other two and repeated the process. The three looked at her suspiciously as Kayura arrived again.

Kayura smiled at her scowling comrades and then said to her, "I guess you aren't an enemy."

She smiled up at the woman, "the Light should be in good hands."

Kayura knelt down to her, "please, tell us where it is!"

"It is coming, warlords, you will not have to look for it much longer," she smiled as she stood up. "If I may retire before that hoard gets here, I fear that we will not have much help."

"The Ronin Warriors are coming," Kayura assured her, and Baroness felt a pain in her heart.

"Hm, I hope they are you are as strong you are," she said as she left the room to find a place to stay. She felt tears welling up again, and she mumbled to herself, "there is no need for this now."

She came to a balcony and looked out among the stars and she felt herself mumble, "unmired among the sea of the stars."

She grimaced as she felt her head hurt. Pain? Why was she in pain? She laid back against the railing and closed her eyes. She dreamed of the warrior again, a warrior in blue and gold. He was human, she assumed, and he reached out to her.

Don't leave me, my guiding star.

She opened her to see Kayura looking at her. Kayura came to the balcony and stood beside her, "They're close Baroness."

"I feel them," she said as she stood up nimbly. She was much taller than the human girl.

The woman looked up at her and touched her fur cheek, "you were crying."

"Was I," she replied to look out at the stars. "Perhaps, I was dreaming of a better time that I can't remember anymore. Sometime, a long time ago."

Kayura smiled at her softly like she felt her pain, "don't worry, memories always come back."

Baroness grinned her toothy grin and Kayura felt a chill run up her spine as she said, "hm. Perhaps."