High tide
Blade was back in Zenith. She stood in line to get some food and checked her bracelet for the time. "Ahh, food tastes so good. Better make it a long run…oh, I know! Uncle is at his company I can kill some time there. Besides I got some projects I can work on. Better call mum as well." She took out her phone and dialled.
"Hey, there darling? I'm meeting a new client soon. Are you alright? The school called a few days ago is everything alright? Faragonda keeps asking if you are fine." Flaxa asked concerned.
"Yes, mum, it was just hard to swallow, that my predecessors all got wiped out. Council is still talking to the Pixis, but they are sticking to their order, urgh…" Blade grumbled again. "Discordia is such a jacka…"
"Blade," Flaxa admonished her instantly.
"Jerk, she's a jerk, she has no idea how it is to feel completely in the dark…" Blade complained.
Flaxa chuckled, "Well, you said she told you to walk your path and that she was proud to call you a Dark Fairy. You can do this. We are right behind you. They all are," She tried to sound steadfast, but she was worried herself, "You know that Councillor Votzaak visited us personally. A Councillor! In our home, I was so close to inviting him over to the company... He asked for family trees, but I told him we never had Fairies. He is a weird little fellow. But he seems honest. He won't let anything happen to you, he said. But as much fun as it is to have so renowned visitors, when will I see you? You barely come home…" Flaxa sulked a bit.
Blade giggled, "Well you are in luck, you'll see me all weekend."
"This weekend? I thought you are doing something with the girls," Flaxa was surprised to hear that. "Oh, and Shanna called, you still need to tell her when you have time for your monthly meeting. She also was considering making it weekly again if need be."
"I thought I could invite them over? And yes, I sent her a message…" Blade smirked to herself.
Flaxa laughed out loud, "You didn't I can hear you smirking you forgot. Just do it later, dear. And sure, you can invite them over… but our apartment is a bit small for a sleepover don-…ah, the client is here gotta go. Love you!" She hung up.
"Sells houses like the wind…" Blade shook her head amused, "Well then to Lunasteel." She hopped on. First, she needed to get some stuff from home though.
"Here is my favourite daughter!" Uncle Basil greeted her overjoyed. And hugged her tightly. "All good after your nap? All calmed down?" He ruffled through her hair.
"Hey, stop that," Blade giggled. "Yes, I am. Gesh, news is spreading faster in the family than in Cloud Tower." She joked around.
Uncle Basil smirked, "We are from Zenith, we are the most efficient gossipers. Solaria is nothing compared to us, HA HA."
Blade snorted, "Sure you are. What are you testing today?" She was in the underground testing area in the skyscraper of the company, where she as a kid had trained and tested weapons.
"New runes, a request from Hoggar. Your ancient hilt has inspired them," Basil looked proudly at his daughter.
"UUuhhh, are they trying to split the crystals?" Her uncle nodded. "By the way… I need to file an audio file for later use it's crucial and needs to stay safe and secure. You can't listen to it yet." She looked at him sternly for a second and pulled a memory crystal. Amal had made a copy for her from the recording, no one had found out about that stunt. They all had been too concerned with her well-being. "Oh, I brought something I need to be evaluated," Blade pulled out the Star Crystal from the Laciport.
"Alright, I'll take care of it," Basil had already waved one of his forgers over. "Blade that thing is huge…" Basil couldn't believe it.
The Forger's eyes widened, "That's a find… maybe you should become a Treasure Hunter instead of a Fairy…" He laughed amazed and took the crystal to check its density and purity.
"Nah, just needed to ask a tree nicely and offer some dreadlocks, you know Fairy stuff. Am I glad we learned a hair-growing potion from Professor Wizgiz in the first year…" Blade watched the Forger make his tests. "So, do you try to create alignment fluid weapons?"
"Oh, Blade, that will take a while if not years. Many people have tried to figure that out. No, we want to test if we can improve on the Paladin's weapon powers. As you know most have red Jade to enhance the strength, and element crystals or ores. Now let's say we use something like your Star Crystal on top of that."
"You mean like a battery just like with the normal phanto-weapons?" Blade raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, that way Paladins could store magic beforehand so they could last longer. It would help the weaker ones greatly and the strong ones, well, get stronger," Basil explained shortly. "Hagen got REALLY into it. Working on your ancient one sparked an idea."
Blade nodded, "Great, that would fit in with my request. You know I have my birthday soon. Right?"
"Yes, I know…" Basil smirked, "Got a wish?"
Blade grinned brightly, "Yes for one I would like to well… go to Phere-Moan with my friends to celebrate and we'll have Jewels with us… so to speak…"
"Right…you can't go to the palace…" Basil nodded, "I'll get it arranged not to worry. Planet has changed a bit I tell ya. But that's just the venue. Don't tell me that's all you want?"
"Well, I hoped, that the crystal is of a good enough grade that we could use it to build some Paladin weapons for the boys… And I know those aren't cheap even if we just go with the material prices…. If it's too much, I understand."
Basil nodded, "So you are wishing for presents for others on your own birthday…" Still, he shook his head a bit, "You do know how birthdays work, right?"
"Of course, I know! I just thought it would be cool… you know… I get something and it's their takeaway home gift from the party… I can give those to them later if it's too big of a request, I also can work off the debt I don't expect you to pay for it all! I just want them to have the best stuff when we are on missions," Blade looked a bit embarrassed. "You think it's a dumb idea…"
Basil pulled her in to rub her shoulders, "It's never a dumb idea to get the best equipment for your team. Of course, we'll build some. Can't have my own daughter run around with second-class gear nor her friends. It's a future investment. I hook them up now with something awesome, I'll have them as customers for life! So, Team E and A, of course, makes at least twelve weapons…"
"Boss," The forger interrupted, "this stone is flawless. And it's easily big enough for twelve weapons and you'll have more than enough left over for some other projects," The forger still couldn't believe his eyes. "That one looks like it was military-grade you could build one massive space canon with it."
Basil frowned, "Military grade? Where did you find that again, Blade?"
"I told you, a Treasure Tree gave it to me. He had more… But it's really hard to guess what a Treasure Tree wants. I mean it liked my hair so much but now it has some, so that won't work again. Plus, I kind of have no idea where we were… bracelet might have the data…bigger problem though that planet belongs to the Yggdronus Order I believe. At least most of the Council Guard comes from that Order. Iolas said his Order tests initiates there, but I don't know if he is in that particular Order."
"Ahh, I see, that treasure tree. Hm, hm, Laciport is known to be at the crossroads of many kingdoms that fought each other in the wars. You should feel honoured that you were allowed to keep it. The whole planet was put under the guard of the Elves so it could be restored. It was nearly a desert once." Basil reminisced.
"Desert? Well, it is a death trap…" Blade scratched her head. "But I thought you need an element crystal to build a weapon. Star Crystals are energy crystals."
"Well, like I said Hoggar was inspired. We already are ready to move on to the prototype stage. There were some busy weeks of tinkering. We'll just use your donation to the cause and in return, you'll get the first prototypes. And with Hoggar to back us up, we'll be done in time, not to worry. You give us some feedback and data and we call it even. I'll arrange something with Codatorta to get their preferences. So far you only have trained elemental bursts with swords, right?"
"Yes, oh, you mean like preferences in weapons, smart. But they would be fine with simple swords. Oh, do you think we could give them some cool designs like…"
The weekend had been great. A welcomed change to the chaos on Magix. They had eaten great food as a family. And the next day the girls had somehow squeezed into her room to have a sleep over it had looked more like boot camp in Red Fountain, what a hilarious time. They had discussed everything from plans for how to move on to finding traitors and circumventing the grown-ups to the new mystery of mass murdered Dark Fairies and of course Blade's birthday. They all had gathered intel and shared it. Yet there still was no obvious path to take and so they all were back in their everyday school life as days passed by.
"Let's go!" Amber shouted out to Dahlia. "Flaming stone volley!" They hurried to converge.
"Nebula!" Blade called out to her bestie as her glaive clashed with Avalon's sword.
Nebula raised her hand, "Veil! SNOW!"
"Freezing heart!" Snow thundered and froze the fog over before Palladium's flaming swords could stop her two friends from converging.
"Tessa, little help!" Blade got flung to the ground by Avalon who dashed towards Dahlia and Amber nearly ready to cast after he had destroyed her glaive.
"Lightning chain!" Tessa grinned, she moved her hands around as her lightning darted from one spot to another and block his path as she aimed for his golden wings.
Blade held her ancient hilt right into the lightning stream and absorbed some of the lightning energy.
"Barrier of Light! Hedera!" Palladium shielded Avalon from the lightning who was about to reach Tessa and entangled Snow but missed Nebula as she swapped out with a clone.
"Charmix! We can do this, girls! Blade!" Nebula threw her phanto-daggers to cut through some vines to help Snow escape. "Semblance Phantasms!" A bunch of clones appeared everywhere in the image of Blade. "Mirror space! Mist mirage!"
"Attonitus! Pladicus Vetnus!" Palladium turned his vines to stone as Snow nearly had cut herself out and sent his wind sickle to destroy as many clones as possible at once to find the real Blade.
"NOW!" Dahlia shouted and together with Amber they released a burning stone volley.
"Take that Professor!" They point-blank fired the thing at Avalon who just had seized Tessa to stop her from throwing her lightning at him. She used her chance and ripped herself free and dashed away.
Professor Avalon looked at the inferno rushing towards him. "Enyari Plaidiahco Enyari Revezera!" He morphed into smoke and evaded the convergence spell.
Snow blurted out, "Ice cage!" and shielded Tessa.
"White Fog! Solid Fog!" Nebula covered herself and Snow from the raining doom above.
"Static shield!" Tessa had blocked a plasma sphere from Palladium to Nebula's back as the stone volley set everything in flames, destroyed all the turned-to-stone vines and the bombardment rained down on Palladium who hid behind his quickly cast shield.
'Now or never!' Blade reappeared behind Palladium. "Piercing spear!" She hurled her weapon as it crackled and purple lightning sparked from the tip. Suddenly she felt something hit her full force in the stomach, and the belt's light turned red. Blade crashed into the Sandbox shield behind her. 'Ouch…' She saw Avalon dash away and up high.
"Hedera!" Palladium raised his hand and a massive vine rose behind him, yet the spear cut through without a problem. The stone volley subsided and he simply jumped to the side and up, "Calcei ala!" He flew up to escape the lightning burst from the spear.
"Snow!" Amber watched shocked as she got hit by the lightning she hadn't been fast enough to freeze the petrified vines and the belt gave in to the sparking lightning.
"ICE WALL!" Snow covered herself just in time. Her belt glowed yellow.
Palladium changed his aim from Snow to Avalon, "Barrier of light!"
Nebula clashed with her kick against the shield, "Ahh, Plasma sph-"
Avalon boxed her in the stomach and hurled her into Snow. "Involveo frigus!" He rammed his sword down into the ground and a track of ice raced towards them and froze the two against their ice wall.
"Earth Burrow!" Dahlia quickly shielded herself. "Amber, no!"
"Raging flames!" Amber cast to free Nebula and Snow. Yet she had lost Palladium out of sight and so her fire spell was faced by his wind sickle and her own fire sickle got blown into her face. The belt turned red as she got flung to the ground by the explosion.
"Barrier of light!" Palladium feathered her fall.
"Shit, where?!" Dahlia had lost Avalon as she had looked at Amber and away from him.
"Energy bolt!" Tessa shot at Avalon, "On your Right!"
Dahlia wanted to get away but her Professor simply pulled her in front of the spell meant for him. "Give up." He held his Jian to Dahlia's throat and warned Tessa who was already amassing more magic.
"AH, shit…" Tessa felt a sword tip in her back and froze in her tracks.
"And you lose," Professor Palladium smirked behind her.
"No way, they lost?!" Birdy was speechless.
Sienna shook her head, "And they were so close to taking Professor Palladium out…"
"That spear though…" Sienna watched as the hilt fell to the ground as the weapon dispersed.
"Yeah, she's getting the hang of that thing," Rise rejoiced. "You all were amazing!"
"Our Team lacked the firepower…but had the better defence overall… this is hard," Tasu analysed everything already again. "Blade, you alright?" The other girls from the second team were already grouping up again with the first one.
Palladium walked towards Blade, whose teeth grinding tried to pull herself up. "Everything okay?" He squatted down before her.
Blade clawed into the sand, "We're still too weak. I miscalculated, I should have placed Tessa on defence…"
"Battles with more people aren't easy. You always have to keep track of everyone. And if we were that easy to beat, there would be no point in us being your teachers," He pulled her up, and she flinched slightly. "Hey Nebula, get her balsam from the panel. Avalon, you should pull your punches a bit more."
Professor Avalon stopped giving his feedback to the other girls, "Are you hurt bad? The belt should have taken the brunt of it. I was sure I calculated correctly…"
"It did, I just didn't ace my landing… was too slow," Blade ground her teeth.
Nebula slapped the balsam on her shoulder, "Well, he can't help you with that when he is on the enemy team." All the girls giggled.
"Yeah, yeah. That's cold, gesh, you're just like Mercury… careful," Blade complained.
"Ahhh," Tessa ruffled through her hair. "Don't sulk, in this formation, it was clear that you wouldn't be the last one standing. That's why you picked it. The Professors didn't expect that and you wanted to buy enough time for a double convergence."
"That's what you are upset about?" Rise raised her eyebrows.
"Yeah, but the hilt is not convergence per se. It's more like layering…still, it was pretty strong," Sienna pondered. "Oh, wait you mean Snow and Nebula had another convergence spell planned?!"
"If you had absorbed more the spear would have been even faster and stronger. Maybe then we would have had enough time…" Amber thought about it.
"No, no, no, I'd be a crisp. We already are not holding back like the other classes. I'm still too slow with my defence." Snow declined the idea promptly.
"But it held against that no problem, your walls are something else compared to last year!" Nebula complimented her.
Dahlia laughed, "Last year she had none."
"Well then, that's it for today. Make sure you treat all your bruises. Can't have your parents call…" Palladium sighed as he saw the giggling Fairies turn towards the gates of Alfea. "They are so…"
"Battle-focused?" Avalon chuckled, "Yeah, they ain't holding back their punches. Shooting at me point blank… just imagen how it will be once they all have Charmix or even better Enchantix."
Palladium wide-eyed looked at Avalon, "I'll call Aithlin for some Council Guards, they always brag…"
"Ahahaha, I don't think they are there yet any time soon. In the meantime, I'm sure we can bridge with Codatorta, he'll easily give them a run for their money," Avalon shook his head just thinking about it.
"Do that and Blade will bring the boys… it only would end in a teacher's versus students…." Palladium sighed even more.
"Ah, we also could ask Griselda, they'll never land a hit again. And as long as we have Saladin, Griffin and Faragonda, no way we'd lose," Avalon grinned devilishly.
"You say that, but the Winx Club easily could hold a candle to those three during their later school years," Palladium reminded him.
"They are two completely different battle styles…" Avalon nodded. "Winx Club was straightforward with quick and massive convergence spells. Those kids use tactical battle formations and layering spells mostly. That's what half of them learned in Desertia, the rest catches on quickly. They are compensating for their lack of power compared to the Winx Club. They need to buy time to even get enough time to converge."
"And yet they give us trouble more than we admit to them. We used a lot of powerful spells today. In both groups, I might add… I never had to use such a diverse range in any class before, not to mention tactics and the sheer number of spells."
Avalon chuckled, "True. Aurum's class is more waiting and standing around that they finally break a shield. Hold a shield up too long in this class and Sienna will simply resonate with it and blow you sky high. They get her in close quickly. Yet most of them are still lacking the battle sense all Phere-Moan participants already have. They shielded others while being attacked themselves… instead of just saving themselves first."
"Do you know what Nebula tried? She was a bit off leaving herself open like that. And she tried to punch you instead of simply using a plasma sphere," Palladium snorted.
"She got better with those daggers though…She's asking Blade all the time to train with her. I spotted her with what's his name, Memphis, as well in the forest. That boy has some skills… lazy as a sloth, yet he'll slit your throat before you know it. I'm guessing Nebula is trying to find her own backup style. She's no Blade but…"
"Considering that she can camouflage and swap herself and others out. Depending on the enemy that's a powerful tool. A knife is silent after all unlike spells… still that was hardly the time to use close combat," He shook his head, "We need to train peripheral sight with them more. Too many of them are too slow or in danger of being hit by their own team. So, until then, let's agree not to fight them two versus ten before they get their defence and offence sorted out… I won't have enough time to shield them from the spells we would use against them and fight them all…" Palladium scratched the back of his neck nervous just thinking about it.
"I need to hand in the next data set…" Blade requested at the Council Headquarters again. And was let passed after the call was made to the guards. She walked straight to the door and waited out front.
"So, not running through the building today?" Ararel opened the door and waved her in. The first room of the guards was filled with a bunch of tables and a communication panel and camera feeds for the lobby and outdoors. The security room for the offices and such was somewhere else in the Council building.
"No… Cloud Tower has not talked about the past to me since then…" Blade sighed as she sat down on the edge of one of the tables, it was the perfect height for the activation and relaxed things for her and the guards didn't mind. Sadly, the Council couldn't do anything against the Pixi's refusal to explain anything about Dark Fairies. Apparently, all the Kingdoms Guardian Pixis or Queens, who had survived the kingdom wars, knew more than they had let on. Yet all of them simply had visited the Council to hand in their scrolls in the same order as Discordia. Even with the younger leader Pixis, they could not be persuaded to abandon their oaths.
Ararel nodded, "Hm, I see. So same on your front, Votzaak's so pissed. People walk an even bigger circle around him. His whole Order is tense, even Councillor Nerrocean." He shook his head, "Want some water before you go?" The elven Wizard offered a bottle.
"Sure, thanks," Blade smiled. "At least they all agree that Shadion is safe to use…for now…whatever that means. Training will help her, just send her on more missions, she'll figure it out…ahhhh, I hate riddles if you even can call it that." She took a sip.
"Don't overthink it," Zhoron commented as he watched the security feed. "Pixis have been Fairy's allies since forever. They would never put you in danger. If they say it's currently safe to use and it shouldn't be sealed. It's the truth. You have been here quite a lot these past weeks by the way."
"Yeah, Council has run you Witch- eh, Sorceress missions like crazy," Sarlen chuckled.
Blade nodded, "Yeah, no joke," She straighten out as Ararel began to weave the spell to activate her charm. "Officer William is requesting so many of us. It has been really busy since the new drop-off has been built. He told me that even more Sorceresses come into the station for personal hand-ins. Kitty made such a fuss. She had tried to haggle and was denied by William. She was really grumpy."
"I heard they found a second Police station that is eager to get started as well. Their head Officer has a niece who is a Witc-Sorceress…' Ararel moved the shimmering rune cycles over to her collar bones and with a glow up Blade's appearance transformed to the redhead, "There you go."
"Thanks, this saves me so much money coming into the city with the Alfea ID is so much cheaper," Blade hopped down from the table.
The door to the changing room opened and Iolas and a Wizard from the Black Magic Hunter Division stepped out. "Alright, we'll swap up with the other squad and help you out with the tracking." Iolas finished his conversation and nearly bumped into the Wizard who had stopped dead in his tracks. "Woah, Nabu…"
Nabu stared at Blade his eyebrow twitching for just a second before he was as calm as a summer breeze, "You…"
"Do I know you?" Blade was super confused, she had never seen that guy before. 'Great is that entire Order blaming me for Votzaak's bad mood?!'
"I know you, skimpy pants…" He answered the question as he crossed his arms. Blade spit out the water she was currently drinking and coughed. Nabu shook his head displeased. 'Totally forgot to follow up on that…Riven better have put some sense into her.'
"Skimpy pants?" Virion came out of the changing room as well. "She's either wearing a skirt or well her training outfit, depending on what you look at. Neither is short." He looked forth and back between the two as did the rest of the guards.
Blade went pale and nearly stumbled over the table leg, "Oh shit, it's you, you were the Council guy that…eh," Blade cleared her throat. "Oh, look the time, gotta hurry…" Blade scrambled for the door. 'FUCK!'
Nabu summoned his staff and used it to block her way and push her back, "Hold it, young Lady, I'm not finished."
"Am I missing something?" Iolas was super irritated as was the rest of his team. 'What did she do this time?'
"Hey, it was for the mission," Blade protested. 'I'm so screwed…'
"No mission requires utter STUPIDITY. That was foolish and dangerous. What could possibly have driven you to abandon all sense of self-respect? Some favours should simply never be accepted, NEVER." He stepped in front of the door staring her down. He wasn't shouting at all but he was pissed about that answer, 'So Riven didn't… typical…'
"I know, okay…" Blade sheepishly answered half loud and stared at the ground to avoid his stern look.
Iolas stepped closer to the two of them, "What are you two talking about? How do self-respect and dangerous connect?" He looked to Nabu, "I know she's a bit reckless, but are you maybe overreacting a bit? She really can handle herself. I know, I trained with her in Laciport for a week."
"No, I'm not," Nabu wouldn't budge. "The young Lady has no…"
"Hey, I knew what I was doing, I wasn't oblivious to it. You nearly ruined it all by the way, did you even think about for what I needed the money? Yes, it was dumb. I know that, but it worked. I assure you I didn't do it just for the giggles," Blade growled back as she went on the defences trying to justify something she didn't even want to justify since it had been utter stupidity as he said. Yet she had realised that if he had acted any sooner she would have lost all the money and then Lilly and her dad would have been screwed. Not to mention the confrontation with William and the police. All would have been for nothing.
"Money, seriously? Because there are no better ways to get some?" He rubbed his nose bridge. "I see, a lecture is in order. If you are so sure of yourself, let's show Eques Iolas and see what he thinks. Since you know each other so well," Nabu flared up some magic.
"What, NO!" Blade wanted to snatch the staff but was too late. 'He wouldn't dare!'
Iolas found himself in the empty locker room they just had left, "EH?" He stared at Nabu, who had transformed into Blade's Dreadlock outfit of that night. He was speechless.
Blade went totally red, "ASSHOLE!" She tried to kick Nabu against the shin bone, but he evaded with a jump and squatted down on a bench as he landed, just as he had seen her do her moves. He had copied her to a tee, which showed Blade for the first time how revealing that outfit had been in the fights looking at it from the outside and not just a mirror.
The Elves watched as Blade red as a tomato, flustered, stormed out of the changing room and ripped the door open to the hallway. Ararel looked to Virion, "Are we to stop her from leaving?" The door slammed shut behind her. "Yikes…"
"Let her be…" Iolas stepped out of the open changing room door still not sure how to comment on what he had just witnessed. 'No wonder she didn't tell the teachers what she was up to…' He shook his head and sighed deeply. "Wasn't that a bit too far, Nabu?"
"The way she defended that bullshit, no. This will stick at least. Why do you think I teleported first?" Nabu was already back to his normal self as he stepped out. "No point in revealing-"
"Do we even want to ask?" Virion inquired perplexed.
"Just don't…" Iolas sighed. "Let's NOT tell the schools please, unless that repeats. I think she got the message…" He addressed Nabu who nodded in agreement.
Blade stormed like a typhoon through the hallway, "That stupid… fucking…" She mumbled to herself. And didn't even notice how all the Councillor's staff jumped to the side as they got startled by the Witch rampaging their hallway.
Nerrocean just came in with one of their trainee hunter squads, 'What's up this time?... Did something happen again?' He was about to address Blade storming passed him.
As Votzaak appeared out of nowhere from a teleportation circle, "What took you so long? I even sent Master Nerrocean with you, how could you possibly take that long for such a simple mission!" He admonished the team as Blade bumped into him. "Incompetent - Hey, watch it!" He hissed before he realised it was Blade.
"Get your Order in line and out of my fucking business!" Blade hissed back with the same intensiveness of energy. It was as if two storm clouds clashed. All the initiates went utterly pale.
Councillor Nerrocean held his war-scythe to her throat, "Watch your tone, Witch." He had to play the part. He couldn't let this rudeness against his Grandmaster stand. Even if he like always just teleported where ever he wanted causing chaos, but he had initiates with him and he didn't want them to get the wrong idea.
"Or what? And it's Sorceress," Blade half turned around and stepped closer to the edge of the scythe glaring at him. 'That stupid fucking urgh, how dare he show… urgh…' She was still rampaging in her head that she didn't even notice her etiquette blunder or the tone she had addressed Votzaak or Nerrocean with. Plus, she already knew that their tough guy act was just an act.
'Get my Order in line? What fool got her all riled up? Well, she has Griffin's glare of doom down to a tee today. She's making progress, wonderful, but not with me, Missy,' Votzaak activated a security rune with a wave of his hand and Blade got hammered to the ground by a gravity spell. Unphased he stepped over her, "To my office, all of you incompetent twats and you all call yourself elite, don't make me laugh..." He growled and walked on as if nothing had happened.
Iolas, Nabu and half the squad jumped out to the hallway as the alarm had been triggered of course. "What the heck?" He spotted Blade pressed to the floor not even half the hallway along.
"Your security sucks, get the riff-raff out." Votzaak addressed Iolas. "Nabu, move it! Don't dillydally all the time. Report, any news on Vulmaro?" Councillor Votzaak growled at him. 'So, he got his nose stuck in her business? Their paths shouldn't even have crossed. Never gets boring with that girl. Oh, what fun to explore after I finished this mess of a mission…'
The Elves stepped towards Blade and deactivated the runes. "Lucia, you got to control your emotions. Get that weakness under control," Iolas commented quietly as he pulled Blade to the feet in a firm grip and let his Paladins take over.
"And out with you," Thallan and Dealeth took her in a hold and pushed her forward as they smirked their asses off. Escorted by a bunch of guards Blade was guided to the front door of the reception.
Iolas shook his head, "Come back when you learned some manners, Witch." He glanced at her superiorly and turned around.
'Witch my ass, he said that on purpose…'Blade stuck her tongue out as they just had turned their backs, "Woah!" Ararel had thrown her off her feet with a wind gust and she landed on her ass again. "Ah, shit…" Blade checked her time. 'Oh, crap, I'm way too late for William!'
"Zhoron, can you connect me to Master Aithlin?" Iolas asked once they were back in the ready room.
"Sure," Zhoron linked them up.
'Yes?' Aithlin voice resounded in Iolas'S head.
'Master, is it possible for me to check Ms Ashfallow's Sorceress account that was set up for her Cloud Tower missions and payment?'
'Sure…But why? Passcode this week is 2392CT964,' Aithlin seemed a bit confused by the request.
Iolas sighed as he sat down and pulled up the information, 'Just got to follow up on something. Any Novicii in need of a solo mission?'
'I'll send someone to you, have a meeting now. I am pretty sure the bracelet and new rules for her Cloud Tower missions will suffice. Oh well, good training to tail someone unnoticed…'
Iolas stared at the account balance, "Ah, shit… nearly empty and she's riled up…"
"So, how is that a problem?" Ararel raised an eyebrow. "She'll just have to earn more. She's smart."
It knocked at the door. "And too eager to prove herself…" Iolas opened the door, "Novicius, see that Sorceress, tail her, I want to know her safe, till her mission ends and she has reported to Officer William and leaves for her school. Don't interfere otherwise, stay unseen." He pointed at the security feed showing Lucia leaving.
"Sorceress? Ah, Witch…Yes, Eques Iolas," The younger Elf nodded and off he was.
Alyssa was waiting on Blade on the rooftop near the plaza. Blade had run around all day doing stuff for William and even had visited the other station Ararel had mentioned and done some stuff for them as well to test the waters.
"There you are…" Alyssa sighed, "So what's that favour you need of me? Dusk said I'm supposed to pay her by helping you…. So, spit it about already."
Blade smiled, "You're in a good mood as ever…"
"I got better stuff to do, so come on, I got about three hours before I have to go and finish that stupid homework," Alyssa growled. "Spit it out…"
Blade laughed, "Alright, alright, I just need some backup, a bodyguard that's all. I'll get you home before your bedtime." She teased her as she looked over the city tainted in the brightest red. "Beautiful…"
Alyssa punched her arm, "Hey, you!" Yet as her gaze followed hers she couldn't hide a smile. "Yeah, it's perfect."
Blade looked to Alyssa, who always had her purple hoody on and braided black hair, "Hey, did you have any troubles with the police lately?" Reluctantly she asked.
"Where does that come from?" Alyssa shook her head, "Since your stunt and Griffin's change of heart a few weeks ago, things have massively improved. I actually got stopped in the street by one Officer and he asked me to get his engagement ring out of the gutter. He nearly didn't let me leave in time he thanked me so much…"
"Awww, are you turning Fairy on me?" Blade snorted.
"You wish," Alyssa pouted, "Earned me some nice easy Maggi." She breathed out and looked to Blade who balanced on the edge of the skyscraper.
"Really? No bad things happening?" Blade asked her questions anew.
"Of course, there are still some chases and I ended up behind bars here and there. But it's nothing compared to before. Especially when Officer Williams men are around. William is an honest man, you were right Blade, so are other Officers. Can you imagine, Officer Steve gave me some money back that he had taken as bribe money for information from me? He didn't even want anything in return," Alyssa was still baffled.
Blade chuckled satisfied, "Yeah, he takes that redemption thing super seriously…and anything worse than being stuck behind bars? Heard anything maybe?" She asked as she made a handstand on the edge.
"No? You keep asking these questions, why? The others said you asked them too. Something up? Anything I need to know?" Alyssa stepped closer to her.
"No, just checking… Palladium had mentioned to me that there were grim fates in the past…" Blade raised one of her hands and balanced out again.
Alyssa sighed, "Blade, don't be such a scared cat after making such a fuss to get this started. Those are the stories they tell you so you keep in line… I never saw anyone mauled half to death. And no student just vanished never to be seen, those are fairy tales, exaggerations." She tipped against Blade's legs slightly but couldn't bring her out of balance. "If you really want to know…Most I heard was a blue eye or a broken arm from an arrest. Most I ever had was a massive bruise. Ediltrude is quick to fix us up, or well, we take a quick trip through the window of Red Fountain's infirmary. Don't put this on your shoulders. We are still Sorceresses taking care of oneself is part of the profession. Stuff that happened or is happening is not on you. We got our own ways to deal with it longer than you have been around. We don't even need a bracelet screaming for help like a little puppy. There are other ways to stay safe and work occasionally together. It's not like you invented cooperation." Alyssa crossed her arms.
Blade pressed herself up and landed on her feet, "Okay, okay, message received. But if anyone ever hurts you or betrays your trust, our trust we put into them. You'll tell me, right?
"Pff, you think me so weak I would need to call you?" Alyssa laughed out loud. But Blade stared seriously at her. "Yes, I'll not let this progress be destroyed. It's not just you who wants this change, but I very much doubt that I need your protection." She pushed her hard and sent her down the skyscraper.
"Hey, woah, Shadion!" Blade soared upwards again, "You cheeky…"
So, where are we going?" Alyssa quickly changed the subject. "My mistress, none shall pass your bodyguard." She imitated some muscle head with a deep voice.
"Fight bar, need some more money spent all mine today," Blade clicked the small computer from Memphis to her bracelet. She had prior set it up with a fitting feed she would activate once they would cross the location.
Alyssa frowned, "Fight bar? What fight bar?" She followed her.
Blade grinned as she landed her uppercut and her opponent fell to the ground.
"OOOOOHHH, and Dreadlock knocked him out cold. Today it's Cool knuckles who got frozen over! Give the Lady a round of cheers!" The promoter raised her hand high, "Need another?" He asked whisperingly.
"Nah, all good, thanks anyways," Blade took her bow and walked down the ramp.
"Where's your sexy outfit?" A half-drunk stumbled towards her.
"Put it in the washer got bigger…" Blade commented as she rolled her eyes. She had simply used her normal training outfit as her glamour. 'Gesh, that costs a lot of magic to keep a glamour working during a fight… maybe I should get a stage name for the redhead…'
Alyssa met her next to the bouncers, "You got too much energy… You train all day and in the night you go here…for what a few Maggi?"
"He, come…gotta pick up the money with the Lobster" Blade smirked satisfied as she stretched.
The two girls left the bar. Alyssa was baffled, mystified even, "How, what, heeeeeeeh… how can you earn so much money in one night?!" She whisper-shouted to Blade appearing as the redhead again. "I should join a gym…" She couldn't believe this.
"Well, work smart not hard," Blade grinned at her. "Alright, thanks for keeping an eye out as promised you may leave and we're even an hour early."
"Unbelievable," Alyssa halted, "… well then, see you around, Dreadlock. You fly to your spot and go home from there correct?"
"Yeah," Blade gazed at her bracelet which still was a problem, but she couldn't just let her location jump. She was monitored after all. She waved her goodbyes and they took their separate ways.
