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CHAPTER 29

Blue Angels

Panther's eyes flit open, the room around him coming into focus. Sunlight streamed in through the nearby window, the blue sky visible outside. Slept better than I thought I would, all things considered. Pushing aside the heavy covers, he stood up out of the bed, stretching his arms out and yawning. After rolling up the maroon sleeves on his robe, he ran his tongue through his arm's fur a few times, straightening it back into place.

He froze in mid lick, eyes shooting open. Wait...sky?! Gerrant is in a cave! His head whipped around. This isn't Sable's apartment!

Instead, Panther found himself in a small room with gray stone walls, only a couple meters square. A narrow, barred window sat near the ceiling above his bed. While this bed also had a slight bowl shape to it, like the couch he'd slept on in Sable's apartment, the similarities ended there. This one seemed to be decades old and primitive, the fabrics nowhere near as luxurious to the touch, the cushioning worn threadbare. A small wooden door provided the only exit, old and painted a dark green.

Am I in a prison?

Also, it was damn frigid in here! He wrapped his arms around himself, his hot breath visible in front of his face. This maroon robe from yesterday wasn't adequate at all.

At least there was a patch of sunlight from the window. He moved into the ray, the sun warming his fur and skin. Panther closed his eyes, basking in it. Ah, that was blessed. For a moment, he forgot about his predicament.

Opening his eyes, Panther climbed on top of the bed, the wood groaning as it bore his weight. He could just get his eyes up to the bottom of the window. Massive, snowy mountains filled his vision, far off in the distance. He could hardly see the ground outside from his vantage point, like he was on the edge of a cliff...or the edge of the world. The wind whistled past him, the only sound coming to his ears. It sent chills deep to his bones, Panther trembling as he descended back to his cot. Why am I here? How did I get here?!

A click sounded from the nearby door, creaking as it moved aside. Panther gulped, wondering who he was about to meet.

Sable stepped in, wearing a luxurious white coat that extended down to her ankles. It reminded Panther of her white dress from before. Given the temperature, he found himself jealous as he looked at his own clothes.

"Good morning, Panther." She smiled. "I trust you slept well?"

He stared at her. Did she really just ask that? Like this situation isn't a big deal? Not knowing what else to do, he said, "Um…yes? Where are we?"

She gave a little chuckle. "I told you that you had training to do, right? This is where we train the Retinue."

Training? Oh, that… He'd forgotten. Hard to remember with all this business about raising up gods and whatnot. A primitive cell like this wasn't what he was expecting for the Retinue's training facility, though. Shouldn't it look more high tech?

"Come along. Breakfast is waiting." She held out her hand.

How could she act like all of this was normal? Like there was nothing wrong with her basically kidnapping him while he was sleeping? It likely wouldn't go over well if he objected though, so he decided to take her hand. The two of them walked down a stone corridor, lined with doors similar to the one for Panther's room.

"You're lucky. You got to sleep in today while all of the other trainees had to wake up early. But don't expect that the master of this monastery will let you do that every day." She smiled at him.

Monastery?

They reached a larger room at the end of the corridor, a short set of stairs descending into the room proper. A circular table waited at the bottom, with mats to sit on, plus many foods based around meats and proteins. Not too different from the meals he'd taken Onyx. Also, I'm starving. When was the last time I ate? Panther moved to the nearest mat, soon devouring the hunks of meat before him with his bare claws. It almost felt like second nature now to eat without utensils.

Sable seemed amused, also taking a seat and eating herself, but with far more restraint.

He tried to not look at her, focusing on eating instead. It gave him an excuse to concentrate on his own thoughts. What is this Retinue training I'm about to do? Will I even be myself after it's over? I could end up being a freak like Jima! He snapped a piece of meat off of a bone, chewing it as fast as he could. Maybe I could try to run away, before they do anything to me. But I've got no idea where I am, or where to run.

Sable gave him seductive eyes, seeming to enjoy his ferocity as he tore into his food. Perhaps she was imagining him being as wild and vigorous in bed. At any other time, he'd have enjoyed turning on a woman like that, but not today. Now he knew the truth.

She's moving me around so much so I can never get my bearings. It's her way of keeping me under control. He kept chewing at lightning speed, soon finishing off a plate and starting another one. Another bite went down his throat, Panther ripping off another piece. Need to keep my strength up. I might need to run at any time—

"I'd like to apologize for something, while I'm here."

"Mmmph?" Panther looked up, a scrap of food still hanging out of his mouth.

She closed her eyes, smiling in embarrassment. "I was rude to you last night. After talking to Wolf, I was still upset, and I took it out on you. You didn't deserve that. Do you accept my apology?"

Panther stared at her. Sure, she was using him for her own ends, but she seemed genuine about her words. He almost felt ashamed now. After swallowing his next bite, he mumbled, "Um…yes."

She didn't seem to notice his discomfort, giving him a pat on the knee.

He perked up at her touch, his body reacting as if it'd been hit by a small electrical jolt. A part of him still wanted to be with her, no matter how afraid he was right now…

She rose from her seat at the table, moving towards a leather-covered box in the corner. Removing the lid, she showed what was inside. "Also, I should have had this in your room. With how much you're shivering, you look like you need it."

Panther reached into the box, pulling out a brown colored coat, made of thick wool. It unfurled as he held it up, going down to about ankle length. A green sash was there as well, but he did not understand what it was for.

"Stand up. Let me help you." Sable said.

Panther did so, Sable putting the coat on him and tying up the sash over his left arm, so that it held up the coat. This place's frigid temperature soon became far more bearable, the wool doing an amazing job trapping his body heat.

"That's better, isn't it?"

"It is." He gave her a smile. "Thank you."

She grinned, but her smile faded. "I wish I could stay longer, but I have business to look after back in the capital. Wanted to see you one more time before you started your training. I'll be back before you know it though. You'll have important work to do soon."

Panther got a little peck on the cheek, sending that electrical charge through his body again. He trembled, touching a hand to where he'd been kissed, as he watched her leave.

"The training is difficult, but I have confidence you'll endure."

Again, to him, her words seemed genuine. Then again, Casimiro was right about her. She was using him as a tool, to marry into a royal family. Who knew what other plans she had? Panther ran a hand over his coat, having mixed feelings as she stopped at the door into the hall.

"Farewell for now, Panther." She gave him one last look, waving goodbye as she left the room, her feet echoing down the corridor.

Almost as soon as the sound faded, another door opened on the other side of the room, startling Panther. A cat in a burnt orange robe stepped in, short but stocky, with thick limbs and large paws for his size. His face had a ludicrous amount of gray fluff, marked with stripes and spots surrounding his yellow eyes. Unlike most cats, his pupils were circular shaped instead of slits. Panther had never seen a species like this before. Between the unkempt fluff and the eyes, he had an old, wizened appearance.

"Ah, so you must be the one from Lylat." The strange cat smiled at him. "I am Taraksh, the head grandmaster of this monastery, its faith dedicated to the tenets of Thaljism." Taraksh made a fist with his right hand, putting it to his left palm as he bowed. "May Thaal-Ja lead you to enlightenment beyond the stars."

Unsure of what he was supposed to do in return, Panther imitated the monk's movements, his bow shaky and uncertain.

Taraksh took amusement in this. "Are you cold?" He chuckled, observing Panther's heavy coat. "I know a species like yours would be more suited to something like a grassland or a jungle. You see, I am a manul." Taraksh gestured to himself. "Our bodies are made for the high, snowy mountains. I know that not all feline species take to it easily. You'll adjust with time though."

This man's friendlier than I expected, considering Sable mentioned I was here to train. Is this to put me off guard?

Taraksh waved for him to follow. "Come, why don't you get to know where you'll be staying for a while?"

Taking a deep breath, Panther followed the monk. They walked down another stone corridor, windows letting in sunlight on their left. The corridor made an abrupt sharp left at the end, a set of wooden doors waiting there. Though they were old, the doors opened automatically for them, letting in the bright sunlight and a freezing, howling wind. Panther winced, pulling his new coat around himself as tight as he could. It was even colder out here, despite the sun and clear blue sky. After seeing the hot desert, it was hard to believe there were places like this on Thaljista, though he supposed it'd have to be this cold with how high up they were.

As the blinding light faded, Panther found himself inside a small courtyard, surrounded by buildings crafted of local stone. Given that this place appeared to be on a slight grade, Panther could see above the roofs of the buildings to the other end of the compound, which ended with a stone wall that surrounded the entire complex, making this place like a small fortress. They were high up in the mountains, though there were snowy peaks rising up even higher off in the distance. Turning around, Panther looked up. The building they'd just left was set into a cliff face, with its windows poking out of the rock wall. Everything here looked like it'd been carved out of the rock centuries prior.

Outside the compound, his view stretched for miles across the mountains. So much for walking out of here, if I want to escape… Though the view was majestic, he was humbled by the sheer size of it, feeling tiny in its presence.

Taraksh looked at Panther's shivering again. "Don't worry. We'll get you some more appropriate clothing before long. In any case, why don't we go meet the other trainees?"

"You have more here?"

"Of course. We are training the third generation of Retinue now. I believe you've already met the top ones of the second. Jima, Nidi, Hanzu, and Rihat, yes?"

I wished I hadn't now. "What about the first generation?"

A look of discomfort crossed Taraksh's face for a second, though he covered it up fast with a smile. "Ah, well, that's far in the past now. They started their training about thirty-five years ago, then the training concluded about twelve years later. Now that the second generation has taken over protection duties of the royal family, the first generation has retired."

"What do you do after you're retired?"

"You can take whatever path you want, really. The Retinue are the elite fighting force of the Royalists, and many doors are open to them after their duties to the royal family are done." Taraksh got a faraway look in his eyes, a loving smile on his face. "One of the first generation—my favorite one in fact—came back to the monastery a few times to help refine the training program for the second generation. We've made many improvements with his guidance. I was so happy to see him again, since I hardly ever get to leave this place."

"Sounds like you really loved him."

"I did. Never had any children of my own, since marriage is forbidden to monks. That boy became my surrogate son for a while."

"Who was he?"

Taraksh didn't reply, his smile wavering for a moment. The manul took a few steps forward, putting a hand on Panther's shoulder. "I'm sure you'll become one of my favored sons too, before you leave this place."

Panther frowned. He didn't answer my question.

"It'll be a tough road ahead, but Sable's told me you already have ample fighting experience and training."

Panther thought about pressing for more information about this 'surrogate son', though he supposed it wasn't important. Besides, he didn't want to ruffle anyone's fur at this point, not before he knew more about this new situation he found himself in.

"This'll be a first for me too," Taraksh continued. "All of my trainees so far have been entered into the program at four or five, but you are entering as an adult."

Only children are training here?! It makes sense though. Jima and the others were only eighteen, yet deadly and efficient. Even while he was being trained by her on the Onyx, Panther often forgot he was over a decade older than anyone in the current Retinue. Their abilities were impressive…but at what cost? Had they given up their entire childhoods in this place? And how long will I be here before I'm allowed to leave? And will I even still be myself by the time I'm out of here? Losing myself…that might be worse than prison.

Panther looked at the silver glove on his hand, taken from Nail back on Fortuna. Strange how ordinary it felt to wear this now. He'd forgotten he had it on.

Taraksh was interested in the glove too. "This is another first. Usually I am the one to give the Retinue their gloves. You're a fascinating one, Panther." He walked down a set of stairs, crossing over the dusty courtyard. "Come. The trainees should be busy with their morning sparring now."

Winding through the crowded buildings, they stepped towards a set of large gates at the front of the complex, the huge wooden doors opening up for them. They walked outside onto a windswept plain, little here but stone, snow, and threadbare grass poking its way in and out of the rocks, the mountains towering up all around them. What a beautiful, yet bleak place.

They followed a dusty path, Panther hearing shouting and cries off in the distance, getting louder as they went. Soon, they found the source of the noise. Rounding a corner past some rocky formations, they entered a large circular space cleared away to make a fighting ring. A few monks in similar clothing stood around the edges, watching what was happening in the center.

In the ring, over a dozen young cats dueled with each other in pairs, wearing little more than dirty trousers and thin, sleeveless shirts. None of them looked older than twelve or so, yet they all fought as if it were life and death. They punched, kicked, and clawed with amazing speed, Panther spotting numerous crimson stains in the dirt from when they'd drawn blood. He curled his lips up at the sight. Disgusting. Children shouldn't have to go through this. Reminds me of what I had to do to survive when I was a kid.

One fight nearby caught his attention, where a yellow bobcat cub fought a black-footed cub with brown stripes. The two of them circled around each other, both of them looking for an opening to attack. With a shout, the black-footed cub lunged, swinging his claws at the bobcat cub's face. The bobcat ducked under the blow, rising with an underhanded, vertical slash with his claws. His claws raked across the other boy's cheek and eye, leaving a long red gash. The black-footed cub cried out, falling to the ground and rolling around, hands to his face.

Two of the monks rushed in to help, one of them applying a white cloth to the screaming boy's eye. Though Panther only got a glimpse, he saw the boy's eye had been slashed. He would probably never see through it again. The white cloth over the boy's eye was soon soaked red. The monks hurried him away on a stretcher, Panther listening to his wails as he left.

Other than the two monks, nobody responded much to what just happened. Taraksh himself watched the boy being carried away without changing expression, like this was nothing unusual.

"Aren't you worried about him?" Panther asked.

Taraksh shook his head. "He'll be fine. Don't worry about it."

"After losing an eye?!"

"Trust me. You'd be amazed at the medical advances we've made thanks to Thaal-Ja." That was the last thing Taraksh said on the matter.

Meanwhile, the winning bobcat cub flicked his wrist, sending blood droplets off his claws to the ground. He wiped the claws through the fur on his other arm to finish cleaning them. No joy. No satisfaction. No gloating. Merely a calm acceptance he'd won, and already steeling himself for his next fight.

"Hmm…why don't you train with that boy for a bit?" Taraksh suggested. "See how you measure up?"

"Me?!" Panther instantly regretted saying that. Sure, that boy was dangerous, but how pathetic did it look to be afraid of fighting a kid?

The cub, realizing he was being spoken about, turned towards Panther, already scanning his next opponent. Panther knew these eyes. Jima had them when the two of them were training on the Onyx. Panther had no doubt the boy already had several strategies in his head on how to maul him to death.

Taraksh took amusement in Panther's discomfort. "Don't worry." He turned to the bobcat cub. "No claws. And that goes for you too Panther. No using your glove either, but do whatever else you like."

Don't want to do this, but I can't back out now.

Panther gave a short nod to Taraksh, removing his coat and setting it on a nearby rock. Oooh… He trembled again at the cold wind cutting across the ring. That was sure waking him up. For extra mobility, he removed the top part of his maroon robe as well, leaving him in nothing but his trousers and undershirt. But it made the cold all the worse.

Despite wearing about the same amount of clothing, the boy didn't appear bothered by the temperature. He stood there and waited, that intense focus in his eyes never wavering from Panther.

He's light and small compared to me. Maybe I could pin him with my weight.

The boy kept watching and waiting.

Now! Panther pounced forward as fast as he could, to knock the boy down and force a quick surrender. That's how he saw this going in his head anyway.

Instead, the boy stepped to the side just enough to avoid Panther, making the dodge look casual and effortless. His hand pressed down upon the top of Panther's back, sending him into the dirt.

Panther hit the dusty rock chin first, feeling his teeth rattling. Grunting, he bared his fangs, rubbing at the bottom of his muzzle. He glared at the cub.

The boy waited for him to stand again. Panther looked around, noticing the other monks observing the training were also looking at him, some of them sharing grins with each other. At least the rest of the kids didn't seem to care. They kept fighting like they hadn't noticed anything.

Nonetheless, Panther dragged himself to his feet. He swung a fist towards the bobcat cub. The kid was faster though, raising a hand to slap aside his arm. The extra force spun Panther to the side, the kid following up with a kick into his back. The kick added extra momentum to the force Panther put behind the fist, sending Panther toppling to the ground again, his eyes looking up at the sky.

"Not so easy, eh?" Taraksh's face appeared over him, blocking out the sun. "You didn't think it'd be as simple as using your size to win, did you? Here, the Retinue train in Lion Subduing Claw. This style was created over centuries of study and refinement at this monastery. It allows smaller cats to use a larger opponent's bulk and momentum against them. Our first enemies were the Ibhu lions and tigers, after all. We needed ways to fight back, at least until modern technology came along." He held out a hand to Panther, picking him up off the ground.

Panther wasn't hurt as badly as he thought he'd be, although the wounds to his pride were far greater. The bobcat kid still looked at him like he'd execute Panther on the spot if given the order. That was enough to make Panther take a few steps back.

"Don't take it so hard, Panther." Taraksh patted him on his shoulder, sending plumes of dust and dirt from the ground into the air. "These children have been training here for the past six years, but I'm sure with your age and experience you'll catch up in no time."

Though encouraged, the amount of time weighed on Panther's mind. "How long am I to stay here then?"

"Sable doesn't want you to be here for long, so don't worry. There's much more she has in store for you after this, after all." Though he let out a wry chuckle, Panther got the sense it was forced. "Anyway, let's go back to the compound."

Panther didn't object, not after the humiliation he'd been through. Giving the bobcat kid one last look, he dusted himself off, collecting his coat again and slipping it back on, and soon the two of them were walking side by side across the windswept plain again. His ego was still bruised, though he found his mood improving as they got further away from the sparring.

"So the lions are the reason this program exists."

"Yes. The Ibhu ruled this planet for over eight centuries. They leave their mark in many ways, even today. Almost two centuries since Azer crushed them, and they still won't accept their irrelevance. They've never stopped trying to kill the Azerian royal family ever since. Sometimes they have succeeded. Many an Azerian king or queen has become forever young. Forty years ago, King Ubar and Queen Iltani—parents of the current Queen Kula—initiated the Retinue program to deal with the problem. At the time I was thirty, and I was chosen to refine the style to their needs. The grandmasters back then did not want to get involved with outside affairs, hence why I volunteered for the project. My work formed the base of all the training the Retinue do today, and now I am the top grandmaster here." Taraksh smiled. "Mind you, I'm not a prideful man. I'm merely the latest in a long line of grandmasters, and I too will be succeeded someday. The important thing is I made my contribution to the long term safety and prosperity of my country, just as everyone else who came before me."

He let out a sigh. "That being said, the past several years have not been good. Not with the disappearance of King Ubar and Queen Iltani."

"Disappeared?" Panther asked.

"Yes. They are the ones who discovered Thaal-Ja's cavern at the Cradle. As a reward, our god gave them many gifts of knowledge, like the glove you wear upon your hand now. The Kingdom of Azer entered a golden age with this new technology."

"What happened to the two of them? How did they disappear?"

"Eight years ago, they made a large speech to the people from their palace balcony. Thaal-Ja was about to grant the two of them some new, amazing knowledge, and they had to leave for the Cradle right away to receive it. All of us were amazed. What else could Thaal-Ja give us? Everything we'd seen already was incredible. We thought we were about to ascend to new heights never before seen!" His voice rose as he spoke, like he was building up to something grand for his next words. Instead, Taraksh lowered his head, speaking barely above a whisper.

"That was their last public appearance. They entered Thaal-Ja's cavern… and never returned. It was as if Thaal-Ja himself had whisked them away beyond the stars."

"What?" Panther asked. "What about the Retinue with them? You said they were trained to stop things like this from happening!"

"There was nothing they could have done." Taraksh frowned. He didn't seem to like being reminded of this incident. "The Retinue and other guards with the king and queen at the time were imprisoned and interrogated for weeks while the investigation was underway. The public cried for them to be charged with crimes of high treason, and to be executed. But it could not be done, not under our law. Aside from the king and queen being missing, there was no evidence of a crime at all, and all the guards' records were spotless. Many years of loyal service to the family, with no hints whatsoever of deviation or sedition. The investigation turned up nothing else and the guards were set free."

"Were the lions behind this?"

"No. The Cradle is the most secure location in our territory, even more so than the Azerian Palace. Besides, even if the lions had somehow made off with our king and queen, they wouldn't have been shy about it. They would've announced they'd done it, and demanded a ransom or something like that. Instead, nothing but silence from them."

Panther didn't know what to say. The circumstances didn't sound like an ordinary kidnapping or murder. Was Taraksh right about Thaal-Ja taking the king and queen straight to heaven, or whatever Thaljism's afterlife was? "So, that's how Queen Kula came to power?"

"Precisely. She was next in line. And that in turn led to the current war we find ourselves in now. I assume you've heard of the Separatists too, yes?"

Panther nodded. "Many times."

"Her younger twin brother Razir started that movement. He's always been jealous his sister got to rule instead of him. Instead of respecting the order of succession, he's decided to side with every longnose, bird, ungulate, ursine, and whatever else you can think of to get his way. He's even put himself in league with Corneria. And Corneria…" Taraksh got fiery at this point. "Corneria has looked on with jealousy ever since they've learned about our wonderful Thaljistani technology. They want to take it for themselves. Razir is sharing it with them, because he believes the Cornerians will put him on the throne after his sister is defeated. That fool. He doesn't realize he's a means to an end. Even if he wins the war, they won't have any more use for him after that, and he too will be discarded."

"I didn't expect you'd mention Corneria," Panther said.

A thought seemed to spark within Taraksh. "You're from Lylat. What do you think of Corneria?"

"Not very fond of them myself." Panther smirked. At least he and Taraksh had common ground on this. "They always act like they're the heroes keeping the peace in Lylat, but I'd say they're a lot more worried about holding onto their power. A lot of people have been crushed for getting in the way of that." Of course, many of those were pirates and criminals, like I was…

"Ah, not surprising, given they've meddled with our planet for the past couple centuries." Taraksh too appeared to like Panther's answer. "They may have helped us defeat the lions with their technology, but ever since they've always been trying to take over. It was a mistake to allow them to create a colony here and integrate themselves with us. Now there's an entire group of foreigners who've lived here for generations, and a third of native Thaljistani are fighting for a cause they don't know will destroy them if their side wins."

Panther had an idea after hearing that. What if he could somehow make his way to Separatist territory and defect? The glove and the information he'd picked up so far about the Royalists would be valuable bargaining chips for that, and he'd be out of Sable's reach at last.

However… Panther gazed around the mountains, the peaks still towering over him and cutting off escape in seemingly all directions. "How far away is Separatist territory?"

"Heh, you needn't worry about that. They're hundreds of miles away from this place."

Damn… He looked across the windswept plateau in the middle of the mountains, the peaks stretching as far as he could see. If he was getting out of here, he needed a ride. And he hadn't seen a single vehicle anywhere around this monastery so far.

"I'm sure if you work hard enough, it won't be long before you get to see Separatist territory, once we move in to conquer it."

Panther frowned. Not the circumstances he'd like to arrive there under. "So, what work would you have me do in the meantime then? Sable said I'd be doing something important soon."

Taraksh turned and looked him in the eye. "Have you heard of a blue angel before?"

"What's that?"

"The ancient texts of Thaljism from over a millennium ago speak of blue angels. They are an exceedingly rare sight, and many believers claim they are nothing but myth. Despite the name, they have been seen in other hues, like purple or green. Perhaps blue was the most common color. They are described as looking like a small cat…yet they are not. Their muzzles are too long, and the body shape is not exactly the same. Their tails are also not the same shape either. Much longer and fluffier than any cat's tail."

Panther knew all too well what Taraksh was referring to. "Like…a fox?"

Though Taraksh appeared puzzled by the answer at first, he too seemed to make the connection. "Maybe?"

His heartbeat rose. Sounds just like Krystal. "Tell me more."

Taraksh shrugged. "Those texts were written long before we thought any other sentient life forms walked on Thaljista besides cats. The people back then wouldn't have known the species. It is possible it could've been something else entirely. Anyway, blue angels are said to bring good luck… or terrible fortune. For example, in the texts, there was a report of a village of caracals being visited by one. The angel was near death and dehydrated from being out in the desert without water. The caracals took them in, fed them, gave them water… One of the boys was sent out to gather more water. He journeyed to a nearby stream to get it, but then heard a loud explosion from the village. By the time he got back, the village had been completely flattened, with no survivors, and the angel gone again. The report was authored by that boy later in his life."

"Did the angel do that?"

"It's unknown. We only have that boy's word to go by." Taraksh seemed to remember something else. "I'll tell you what though. We can visit the monastery's library. If I recall, there are some pictures to go with that record."

"I want to see it right away."

"Of course." Taraksh smiled. "Might help you in your mission."

The two of them hurried back to the monastery, not talking anymore as they went along the dusty path. Taraksh led Panther back into the caves and tunnels built into the compound's cliff side. Deeper and deeper they went into the tunnels, Panther soon no longer able to keep track of the route they'd taken. Taraksh led the way with confidence though, having lived here for many decades. They reached a pair of wooden double doors that parted open as they approached, showing the library.

It wasn't what Panther expected. He imagined it'd be a room with lots and lots of wooden shelves, dusty tomes and papers filling every space. Maybe there'd be some monks hunched over desks writing down notes with ink and paper under candlelight.

Instead, the library looked like it should have been at a modern university or a laboratory. Stark white walls enclosed the space, with shiny metallic shelves crowding the room. Each shelf was enclosed by glass, holding in the old books and papers that Panther expected to see. The glass must have been to keep away the moisture, air, and anything else that might degrade the paper.

Taraksh smiled at Panther before he sat himself down in front of a holographic screen, sweeping aside the folds of his robe as he did so. He put on a strange headset, adjusting its fit around his ears. Once it was in place, word started appearing on the holographic monitor in front of him. The words were in ancient Thaljistani script, which Panther couldn't read.

"We're not going to look at a book?" Panther asked.

"Oh, no. We hardly ever take them off the shelves now." Taraksh shook his head as the commands ran, seemingly coming straight from his head. "Too risky. Unless you handle those old tomes with care, the paper can easily rip and disintegrate in your hand. Instead what we've done is scanned everything into the library's computer system, so that they'll be preserved digitally forever."

"I never thought you'd have something like this here…" Panther couldn't stop looking around the room. Hard to believe they were still in a centuries-old monastery.

Taraksh chuckled. "You can thank me. I may be old, but I am happy to embrace newer, more efficient ways of doing things. Didn't you notice all of the automatic doors? Anyway, looks like your results have come up now. 'Encounter with a blue 'angel', and the destruction of my village', written circa eight hundred and thirty six years ago by a caracal named Nutesh."

Holographic images of papers appeared on the monitor, automatically sorting themselves by page order. Panther still couldn't read the ancient script however, so it was meaningless to him.

However, his eyes laid upon the centuries-old drawing that Taraksh mentioned earlier, and it said everything he needed to know. While Nutesh's picture was crude, it was unmistakably a fox to Panther's eyes. Same ears, facial structure, and tail. The fox even wore clothing that reminded Panther of Krystal's tribal clothing, given it was mostly white with golden embroidery. The artist had also gone to the trouble of coloring the fox's fur with blue ink, although with the picture's age it had faded to more of a dark greenish hue. Still, parts of the color seemed to sparkle.

"It appears fine-crushed semi-precious stones were added to the ink to make the color stand out more. Not cheap." Taraksh turned around in his chair. "Nutesh really wanted people to know this person had blue fur." He read the ancient Thaljistani script next to the picture aloud for Panther:

'I could never imagine such a beautiful creature could lead to such catastrophe. My parents, my siblings, my aunts and uncles, my friends…they have all been swept clean away. I curse the day I laid eyes on this creature, and I wish for everyone to know how deceptive and dangerous they are. They should be killed on sight, and never welcomed within your homes. I will remember this creature's long face until the day I die and Thaal-Ja takes me beyond the stars. They should be called demons instead of angels.'

Panther was stunned as he heard those words. What the hell was all of this? Cerinians had been on this planet before?

"Like I say, the angels are a rare sight." Taraksh said. "One hasn't been seen on this planet for many centuries…until recently, that is. There's been a few sightings over the past couple of years. I'm told that you may get to help capture one of these blue angels, once you are ready."

Panther's mind was on overdrive now. Could that be Krystal? I've heard stories that Cerinia was destroyed a few years ago, and she was the only survivor. It couldn't be anyone but her if that's true.

"What do you want with her?!" Panther shouted.

"Hmm?" Taraksh raised an eyebrow at the sudden outburst. "How do you know it's a her?"

Panther froze. Shouldn't have blurted that out. "Well, uh…" He stumbled over himself. "They sound beautiful, with that blue fur. Surely only a woman could have the kind of beauty."

Taraksh smiled. "Maybe you're right. Anyway, I don't know what the Azerian royal family wants with one of them. It's none of my business. If you complete your training quickly, I'm sure we can have you join the hunt sooner rather than later. You seem to have a lot of interest in this mission."

Panther continued to look at the picture of the Cerinian. Do I want to do this because I'm still in love with her? After Sable, I'm not sure anymore. Maybe I want to protect Krystal instead, or maybe I just want to see a familiar face. Either way, I can't imagine what she's dealing with out there. Giichi was right. This planet is no place to be if you aren't a cat. I don't know if I'm doing this for selfish reasons, but I have to find her before the Royalists do.

"So what do you think?" Taraksh asked. "Ready to get started?"

Panther turned to Taraksh. "I'll train as hard as I can."