Chapter Eight

Lyra slid her throwing knives into her belt, nodding to herself. The Solari hadn't seen her. It was almost as if they weren't expecting anyone to try and break into the Shrine. That would work to her advantage.

Her return to Leona's village had been relatively straightforward, if not without perils. It looked as though the Ra-Horak had taken to patrolling wherever they could, clearly circumventing the Regiment's authority. It looked like they were trying to take control.

Once within the village proper, her troubles hadn't ended. They were also almost everywhere here, forcing her forward momentum to a crawl. Under different circumstances, she was certain the Regiment would have been up at arms. She would have visited Aidonal's parents, if only to let them know that their children were alright. Unfortunately, her mission took precedence, and the risk to both herself and them were too great. So she tamped the feeling down.

After a good long patient crawl, she was finally able to reach the door in question, pressing the hidden panel to access the door, then stepping on the floor plate once she was in. The door slid shut behind her silently. "The ancient Solari knew what they were doing," she mused quietly.

Following Phenos' instructions to the letter, the Lunari Shadestalker quickly navigated the corridors, remembering to go right instead of left. Her steps remained silent despite the thickness of the walls. One could never be too careful, after all. Thank fully, it looked as though she was alone here.

Finally reaching the end of the corridor, she pressed her ear against the wall, listening carefully. Hearing nothing, she pressed her foot on the floor plate to open the door…

…and found herself staring wide-eyed at a Solari Acolyte, who returned her stare incredulously. 'Great Shadestalker I am,' she grumbled. 'I have got to have the worst luck of the bunch.'

LOL

Korra decided that she either really lucky, or extremely unlucky.

She had finally managed to make her way to the corridor of the Council Chambers, wondering if she could learn something the patrols couldn't… at least, that was what she had told herself. (In reality, she had been kicked out of their dorm by Dorius and Jenaline, to avoid suspicion.) Now she was leaning against the wall, thinking hard. (She refused to believe that she was brooding.) What was she going to do now?

Her 'heavy thinking' was interrupted by a small clicking in the wall before her. She looked at it in confusion, since she had never heard such a sound come from a wall before.

And then the wall suddenly slid open, revealing a young girl only a few years younger than herself, bearing tribal tattoos that were instantly recognizable if anyone happened to do even the smallest amount of studying. And, judging by the look of surprise on her face, she wasn't expecting to see anyone here.

The two girls stared at each other for a moment, unsure what to do. Finally though, Korra awkwardly waved. "Uh… hi," she got out. Not her greatest moment, but she was still processing.

To her credit, the Lunari replied with a "Hi,' right back. "Uh, can I persuade you to forget that you ever saw me?"

"Uh… interesting question, as you are a member of a tribe that is technically our enemy, performing what could be called a hostile action." Korra folded her arms, finally relaxing a little. "Are you here to harm anyone within this Shrine?"

She saw the Lunari relax as well, almost in relief. "Thankfully no. I'm just looking for something your Elders don't want you to see."

It took only the briefest of instants for the Solari to connect the dots, so she decided to take a chance. "By any chance, are you looking for Diana's notes?" she asked carefully. "I can help you with that."

"…You have her notes? I thought that Rhia girl destroyed everything."

"Well, technically, Leona had them. She just didn't realize she had them. Diana probably forgot to tell her."

The Lunari sighed, a small smile appearing. "Well, they'll both be happy to hear that. But-"

"Shhh," Korra suddenly hissed, looking around. She had heard something. "Quick, get back in!" She pushed the Lunari back in, following her. "How do you close this thing?"

The Lunari quickly pressed down on a specific part of the floor, allowing the wall to slide back in place. To Korra's relief, she didn't ask why. Not that she needed to, as several sets of heavy footsteps passed. They waited with baited breath, to see if someone got smart.

They didn't have to worry. The footsteps continued without pause, heading to the Council Chambers. After a few more moments, silence reigned once more.

The two reentered the corridor, breathing out in relief. "So, what's your name?" Korra asked, taking another chance. "I'm Korra."

"Lyra," the Lunari replied, obviously making the same choice. "I'm here on behalf of both Chosen."

"Both Chosen? You have two Moons?"

"…You don't know, do you?" Leona was Chosen by the Sun. Diana is the Moon's Chosen."

"…You know, I'm not surprised." Korra looked around. "Come on. The dormitories aren't too far from here, and Ra-Horak patrols are still pretty light there. You can pick up Diana's notes and get them to her."

"Right. And, since we're being friendly, I might as well tell you why I was sent here."

"…What?"

LOL

"So, Diana and Elder Phenos believe that we're still feeling the effects of the Harrowing, despite the Runic Stones protecting us?" Dorius summarized, more than a little skeptical. "As such, your Elders effectively ordered you here to find out."

Lyra sighed, sitting on a bed. "I know it sounds stupid, but it might also be true. And if there is even a chance that it's possible, it could probably go a long way to mending fences between our two faiths, as it were."

Jenaline finished stacking all of Diana's research together, tying it up. "Yeah, if our Elders were willing to listen. They're pretty set on their viewpoint. If they ever found out you guys were still alive, they'd want to try and wipe you all out."

"I know. There are members of my tribe that want to do the same, now that the Moon is becoming ascendant. Luckily, the High Elder has blocked those attempts, but she won't be able to forever."

"Agreed." Korra strapped her sword to her waist. "So we're going to try and prevent it from becoming a problem. Dorius, your father is currently in charge of maintenance for the Runic, if I'm not mistaken?"

The large man nodded, holding a pair of gauntlets in hand. "He always checks in the morning after prayer, so we shouldn't have any trouble getting in." He eyed Lyra up and down for a moment. "Hey, Jenaline, she looks about your size, right?"

It didn't take long for the girls to figure out why he asked that.

LOL

"I didn't realize that Solari robes were so itchy," Lyra grumbled as they walked down the corridor, passing by others without incident. "How do you lot handle this everyday?"

Jenaline shrugged, adjusting the shoulder strap of her bag. She had opted not to leave the notes in their room, on the off chance the Ra-Horak decided to search there. "We're used to it," she replied. "After all, we're not exactly a trading hub for Runeterra."

The Shadestalker had to give her that point. Mount Targon was isolated from the rest of the world due to the desert. The only people who came here were pilgrims with nowhere else to go, so the chance of getting quality fabric was less than slim.

Perhaps her discomfort came from a different reason. The fact that she was wearing the colors of her enemy.

But hey, it was working! No one was giving her a second glance. For all they knew, she was just another Acolyte. And as they approached the door for the Runic Stone, there were no guards to impede them. She found it strange, but Dorius assured her it was normal.

Now that she was in range of her goal, she wondered. If the Runic Stone was functioning as it should, what would this mean for future Solari/Lunari relations? Would war become inevitable between the two faiths?

And then they were inside. And it was pretty… plain.

Jenaline frowned, head tilted slightly "You know, I always expected the Runic Stone to appear more… elaborate," she noted.

"I wasn't expecting it to be so big," Lyra replied. "You've never been in here before?"

"Never had any reason to." Dorius began his examination of the Stone. "It's not forbidden, but most of us don't enter out of respect for it. As for its size and lack of decoration, it was forged at a time of desperate need. Artistry was probably the last thing on their minds. They just needed it to work." He frowned. "So far, nothing seems wrong with it."

Lyra deflated. "Well, it was worth a shot," she mumbled. "I came here for nothing." She wasn't looking forward to letting the Elders know about this.

Korra smiled. "Hey, at least you'll be able to get Diana's notes back to her," she noted.

"Yeah, so I'll get something out of it."

"Hold on…" The large man ducked down, looking at the base. He ran a hand along the stone, his gaze growing stormy. "Perhaps your journey has borne fruit after all. The base here is cracked."

The three girls huddled around him, staring hard. "Are you sure?" Korra asked. "I don't see anything."

"It's fine, almost invisible, but it's there." He sounded very confident in his assertion. "Judging from the looks of it, it appears to have been there for quite some time, probably happened at some point after its creation. The only thing that was done was a quick patch job. There was no real repair work completed."

"Just enough to hide it from anyone who happens to look at it casually." Korra started to look pissed off with this revelation. "Those idiots. Runic Stones have to be maintained at all times. If they start cracking or are already cracked, their effectiveness are severely reduced."

Lyra hadn't known about that little bit of trivia, as their Stone was unnaturally durable. "If they knew, and left it as it is… what would it do to anyone living in the Shrine?"

Dorius frowned for a second. "Well, we wouldn't get the full effects of the Mists, and none of their creatures would be able to penetrate the field, but we would still feel considerable fear and paranoia during the Harrowing. We would be more willing to listen to anything."

"Thus making us more malleable," Jenaline added, her eyes widening. "And it worked. None of us questioned what the Elders preached until Diana." Her fury grew. "The Elders wanted us to fear everything that went against the Creed."

This was far worse than they feared. Lyra was starting to feel far more than was imaginable. This couldn't have been simple neglect. This was no random mistake. The Solari Elders, for generations, had betrayed their own teachings and betrayed their faith.

Betrayed their Tribe.

She looked at Korra, who looked almost sick at this unexpected revelation. "Is there any way we can prove this without speaking to that pack of hypocrites?" she asked carefully.

Korra was about to say no… then suddenly nodded yes as she thought of something. "There may be one person who can give us some answers," she replied, a cold fury settling. "Jenaline, Dorius, let's have a long overdue chat with Rhia."

Rhia... "Mind if I tag along?" Lyra asked. "I feel that she may be a little more receptive if an actual Lunari were to question her."

She knew they liked the idea, if the three matching grins that sprouted on their faces were of any indication.

LOL

Phenketon sat in his chair, observing the Great Seal of the Sun in quiet contemplation. Whenever he had doubts, he would come here to remember what had been taught. That wasn't why he was here, though. Today, his thoughts were on Leona.

He wondered where they went wrong with Leona. What had they done that she would stand with the Heretic? What didn't they do? And what could they do to bring her back to the Sun's embrace, now that she was their Chosen?

"Elder Phenketon?"

Startled out of his reverie, the High Elder focused his attention on young Rhia, who had clearly just arrived. She would have waited there patiently if he hadn't acknowledged her. "Yes, Acolyte Rhia?" he asked.

"We have learned that Acolytes have entered the Runic Sanctuary," she reported. "Nothing special, save for the fact that three of the Acolytes in question are Leona's roommates."

That was indeed interesting information. While not strictly forbidden, it was actually an unwritten rule that no one would enter the Sacntuary. Most of the Acolytes and Initiates avoided it for fear of damaging the Runic Stone. For those with Leona shared a room with to enter it suddenly… perhaps now Rhia's trap could be set. Come over, Acolyte." He touched her wrist once she had done so, muttering a spell. He felt Rhia wince slightly, but she didn't try to pull away. "This is a gift to use with your trap," he explained. "For now, let them make the first move. Find out why they entered the Sanctuary. And remember to use this gift only at the appropriate moment."

"Yes, Elder." She bowed in farewell, before exiting. She knew better than to dally.

Phenketon leaned back in his chair, a small smile emerging. Perhaps they were closer to catching those who swayed from the Faith than he thought.

LOL

Rhia walked down the corridor, going over everything she knew. Rubbing her wrist, she great care not to activate her gift. It would do her no good if she did. After all, everything was going perfectly.

As she thought this, she turned a corner, and was promptly struck from behind. Consciousness fled as she fell to the ground.

When she came to, she found herself with a massive headache, and her hands tied behind her back. She was up against the far wall, preventing her from escaping too easily. She barely managed to keep herself from smirking. Finally, those who have become corrupted by the Heretic had made their move. The trap could now be sprung. Her fingers moved to her wrist, getting ready.

"Hello, Solari."

Her movements stilled as she looked up in shock. The voice was unfamiliar, but its sheer coldness was quite impressive. She hadn't expected that. Her surprise only grew she laid eyes on, quite literally, the last thing she expected to see. Primarily upon seeing the Tribal Tattoos and the colors of her garments. A Tribe long thought to be extinct, or at the very least far from Mount Targon.

A Lunari.

The Lunari smirked. "Or should I call you fanatic?" she inquired sweetly. "That is how you act… Rhia, is it? You believe in something so strictly, that you like to destroy anything that counters it."

It didn't take long for her figure out what she meant by that, and how she even knew who she was. "I see the Heretic and the Traitor found your people, surprising as it was," she snarled. "I thought you were consigned to the pages of history."

"So sorry to disappoint you. We're a hardy bunch, we Heretics."

"So I see. Tell me, what stories did they tell you to secure your help?"

The Lunari shrugged. "Not much, really. Just the truth. Like how you violated the Moon Mother's room, destroying everything she had been working on. Then you stood alongside your Elders as they tried to kill her. I saw her new decoration, by the way. I also know that the Radiant Dawn and Elder Phenos interfered to save her life. Am I missing anything?"

"I believe you have touched on everything." She brushed her wrist, activating her gift. "So, why have you come, Lunari? Have you come to exact retribution on her behalf?"

"Actually, no." The Lunari's smirk grew. "I was curious about something. It concerns your Runic Stone. Did you know that it's cracked at the base? That it being cracked actually reduces its effectiveness?"

Rhia schooled her expression to be as blank as possible. She would not give this Lunari scum anything.

"I'll take your silence to effectively mean yes. And that you knew that your Elders allowed it to happen, so that they could better keep the rest under their thrall."

Her anger grew as she tried to figure out how this… thing… had come to such knowledge, as it was supposed to be a secret. "How did you come to know this, monster?" she asked. "Who gave you access to our Runic Stone? What have you done to it?"

"Nothing," the Lunari replied. "I don't know the first thing about Runic Stone maintenance or sabotage, so I didn't do anything. As for who…"

"We did, Rhia," a new voice stated. "And you just answered all of questions concerning Leona and Diana."

Rhia blinked in surprise as Leona's roommates stepped into view, their expressions thunderous. On the one hand, she had known that there were those within their walls whose faith was faltering. It was the whole point of the plan. On the other hand, she hadn't expected Korra, Jenaline, or Dorius to be among them.

In hindsight, she should have.

LOL

Korra was ready to kill Rhia, but managed to restrain herself. She would not stain her hands with this one's blood.

But her voice was still able to carry her sheer disgust for what she had learned. Rhia not only knew about the Runic Stone, she sounded like he agreed with it! And there was also the fact that she had a hand in hurting Diana… and she seemed proud! What kind of person would do that?

Rhia, on the other hand, was glaring at them, as if they were the ones who betrayed the Solari. In her eyes, they probably did. "You three… dare to associate with this thing?!" she snarled. "You all betray our faith?!"

"No, you and the Elders have betrayed the faith, Rhia," Dorius replied. "We were all warned about the Harrowing and its terrors, and they just allow it in. Why, Rhia? Why aid them in what amounts to enslaving us?"

"And why go after Diana?" Jenaline added. "Whatever she learned, she didn't talk about it to anyone. So why try and kill her?"

"Because she is no Solari. She is no Rakkor. And like the rest of Runeterra, she should have been purified the second the Elders found her."

All four of them were rocked by this simple statement. It was like she was channeling the Elders themselves. And the worst thing about it? She honestly believed it.

But Dorius stepped forward, having latched onto something Rhia had said. "What do you mean by 'the rest of Runeterra?'"

She didn't answer, just glared at them. But then again, she didn't need to. They figured it out easily enough.

Lyra's eyes widened. "By the Moon," she whispered. "They're going to do it. They're going to go to war against Runeterra."

Korra shook her head, unable to believe it. All of her life, she had believed that the Solari Elders were only interested in protecting Mount Targon and everyone who lived on it, that they were only preparing for the inevitability of the Endless Night. But this… this was beyond anything she would have thought possible. Her faith in them was shattered, and she were any judge, so were her friends. And Rhia wasn't even denying it!

Jenaline suddenly surged forward, slugging Rhia hard across the jaw. It was enough to knock her out. "We've got to get out of here!" she stated in response to their surprised looks. "The Ra-Horak are on their way!"

Lyra was about to ask why, when her eyes caught sight of a light glow emanating from Rhia's wrist. And suddenly it all made sense. "A Runic Tracker!"

Korra snarled, unable to believe it. It was a trap! The rumors they had heard were bait, designed to draw in anyone curious. And they fell for it, hook, line, and sinker! And if they managed to get a real Lunari, they would do everything they could to find her fellows. And with everything they knew now, that wasn't an option. "Please tell me that someone has an escape plan," she begged, "because I'm coming up blank."

Lyra quickly went over to the far wall, looking it over. "Ah-hah!" She quickly pressed a panel on the wall. "Elder Phenos told me that there was a way to tell if there was a hidden doorway," she explained as the door opened. "Come on. We can use these corridors to cover our escape."

The three Solari quickly followed her in, somehow managing not to kick Rhia's prone form beforehand. Lyra found the floor panel needed to close the door, plunging them into perpetual twilight.

Jenaline frowned. "Any idea which direction to go?" she asked.

"Ah… straight ahead and then left? At least until we find another door out of here." The Shadestalker shrugged. "I was only told the way I needed to get in. I wasn't anticipating interrogating a bitch."

"Ah, good point."

LOL

Unfortunately, for them, Lyra was not as tough as she thought she was… but she was tough enough.

She had managed to remain conscious after that second shot, her training serving her well. The Tracker worked beautifully, just as the High Elder had promised. She had had enough time to prepare herself for the blow she knew was coming, and pretended to be knocked out. As such, when she was sure none of them were watching, she had turned her head in their direction. As such, she was just in time to see the wall slide shut.

Bracing herself against the wall, the Acolyte slowly pushed herself to a sitting position, wincing at the throbbing of her skull. Jenaline had one hell of a haymaker. She was thankful that Dorius hadn't struck. She would most likely have had her head caved in.

The door burst open, Thalaia and several Ra-Horak entering almost immediately. "Acolyte Rhia, are you alright?" the Elder quickly asked.

Rhia nodded slightly. "For the most part, Elder," she replied, "though I doubt I want to think too hard at the moment. But I have news. Korra, Jenaline, and Dorius have fallen under the sway of the Heretic's teachings… and they are in the presence of a Lunari girl." She caught sight of Thalaia's expression of shock, and pointed at the wall. "They escaped using a hidden door located in that wall."

One of the Ra-Horak moved to untie her while another went over to the wall, checking it over. "This wall panel feels slightly less sturdy than the rest," he reported, before pressing on it.

The wall slid away, revealing a corrridor.

Thalaia nodded, smiling. "You have done well, Acolyte Rhia. Well done." She pointed at one of the soldiers. "Take her to the Infirmary, then inform Elder Phenketon of the success of the trap." she ordered, before pointing at another. "You, head for the barracks in case they exit there. I doubt our new Lunari guest has had time to memorize the corridors. The rest of you, start searching the halls of the Shrine and see if you can find any other doors. The Sun will reward you for the capture of the Lunari."

Rhia smiled as she was helped from the room, seeing the wisdom behind the Elder's orders. If they captured the Lunari, they could find the Heretic. They could find Leona and bring her back to the light. It was indeed a wondrous day.

Glory to the Sun.

LOL

"Well, this is turning into the worst ay of my life," Dorius grumbled. "We should have known it was a trap! And we walked right into it!"

Lyra nodded, pretty pissed off as well. Here they were, a Lunari and three Solari, walking through a series of corridors, trying to find their way out before the Ra-Horak caught them. And all because of fanatic with a Runic Tracker. She was supposed to be better than this!

Shaking her depressing thoughts off, she focused on the here and now, which included their immediate problem.

"Any idea where we're going?" Korra asked.

"Nope. Right now, I'm just winging it." She looked around, frowning. "You would think they would have made more doors if they needed to evacuate everyone."

Jenaline snorted. "You're expecting intelligence from the Elders," she noted. "They're the same people who thought purposely leaving a Runic Stone cracked was a good idea."

"Hmm… good point." She finally found what she was looking and almost pressed it… when a bout of paranoia assaulted her. Carefully skirting around the panel, she pressed her ear against the brick, listening.

There was a slight shuffling, the barest scraping of boot against stone floor.

Lyra pulled back, shaking her head slightly. The other three nodded, bringing their weapons to bear. Pulling her knives out, she took a breath, then pressed the panel. The door slid open. All four braced themselves for battle… and for the second time that night, they were surprised.

"Well, Miss Lyra, you certainly seem to have a death wish," Sek noted mildly, a report in hand.

LOL

And here is Chapter Eight. It will be the only chapter where our two main characters will not have an appearance, I think. Chapter Nine will continue where this one left off.