Chapter 9

"Sir, you know her?" Korra was surprised by his rather nonchalant stance, even as Lyra relaxed. Of everything she had learned so far today, this wasn't something she had expected.

Sek grinned. "Leona's house," he explained. "Melia performed her usual greeting."

Dorius shuddered. "At least I wasn't the only one," he muttered.

Lyra winced. "I am so sorry you had to go through that. Leona's mom is as scary as my grandma… who I'm pretty sure will ground me for life when she finds out about all this."

The Elder set the report down, grabbing his sword and shield from the wall. "Well, at least you were fortunate to find yourself here rather than the barracks," he stated. "Though I'm curious as to why three Acolytes are wandering through the hidden corridors with you, Lyra." Strapping the shield to his back, he gestured. "Follow me. You can explain as we walk."

Lyra quickly stepped on the panel to close the door as soon as he entered the corridor, the five continuing. As they walked, Korra filled Sek in on what they had learned from the Runic Stone and Rhia. It was a testament to her training that she could keep her voice mostly level throughout it.

Sek was understandably enraged. "I knew there was another reason for all of this preparation besides trying to find Leona and Diana!" he snarled. "Phenketon and the others have much to answer for!" His fury faded. "Unfortunately, Leona and Diana's original plan is now the only viable one. And you will all have to go with them."

Lyra nodded, knowing what he was talking about. Korra, on the other hand, was confused and understandably so. "Original plan?" she asked.

"Leaving Mount Targon," Lyra replied. "They simply delayed to learn about the Ruination and its effect on all of us." Her eyes grew distant. "But now… the Lunari Tribe will have no choice but to follow them into the wilderness."

"But your tribe has managed to stay hidden all of this time. Why run now?"

Sek sighed. "Because she has figured out what I have always suspected. The Elders are mobilizing because they know where the Lunari enclaves are. I'm beginning to suspect that they have known for quite some time and have merely waited for the opportunity to strike. This latest event is the excuse they have been waiting for. Their only issue is not being able to reach them, and I think that might not be an issue for much longer." He stopped. "Ah, here we are." He pressed down on a floor tile.

The wall slid open, revealing four Ra-Horak standing there. All of them were surprised to see Elder Sek there. Their hesitancy cost them.

Four stiff shots to the face later, all four were on the floor unconscious. The Elder hadn't even unsheathed his sword. He didn't even appear to exert himself.

Sek turned around to look at his four stunned comrades. "We'll need to go this way quickly before another patrol arrives. There will be another hidden corridor that we can use." That shook them out of their stupor, and they quickly followed him down the hallway.

Lyra was beginning to understand why Elder Sek was considered the best.

LOL

Leona stood still and silent, an unmovable monolith against the steady stream of Lunari that walked on by. She was waiting for news from her informant concerning her primary objective. She could only hope that she wouldn't be waiting for much longer.

Her informant finally reached her, breathing out. "I found her," he stated. "She's watching the Moon Forgers with her friends."

The Solari sighed, rubbing her eyes. Of course, she was. "That girl," she muttered exasperately. "Please tell me my sister hasn't been trying to give them pointers."

The Lunari grinned. "Thankfully no, but some of them are beginning to think that she's a spy sent to learn our techniques."

Lyra's sarcastic response from a few weeks prior flashed through her mind at that moment, and she had to bite her lip to keep from smiling. Apparently, all Lunari thought the same way. "Well, I'll go over and let them know that she's harmless," she assured him. "And then I'll bash her shield for making me wait."

The Lunari chuckled. Apparently, Leona's battering of her sister's shield had already made the rounds. "Well, have fun."

Leona made her way over to the Moon forges, shaking her head. She could be with Diana right now, or sparring with Aidonal. How she was turning into a parent was beyond her. And while she was happy that Kes wanted to learn all she could and make friends with the Lunari, she still needed to know how to fight.

To her relief, her sister was still there when she arrived, her new friends explaining the process of creating their holy artifacts. Kespina was listening intently, watching the forgers with real excitement. 'Definitely more like Dad,' Leona thought fondly. 'Sadly, I must burst her bubble.'

"Kes!" she called out, startling all three of them. (She noted that only Amy and Darien were there, with no Serena in sight.) "I swear that you have a perverse enjoyment with being compacted."

Kespina grinned sheepishly, realizing what she was talking about. "Sorry, Leo," she apologized. "I just lost track of time."

"So I see. Where is Serena, by the way? I never thought you would want to be near such a dangerous profession."

Amy smiled. "It's because Serena apprentices here," she explains. "She's pretty good at it, too. Her mentor believes she'll one day become one of the greatest in the craft."

Leona turned around to look at the kilns. She caught sight of Serena's moon-kissed locks in the darkness as she worked one of the furnaces, her stance relaxed despite what she was doing. Most impressive. But as she watched, she took note of several other things. These are things that only a forger would recognize, regardless of which deity they served.

She recognized the kilns, designed exactly like the one in her house. But instead of sunlight, it channeled the Moon's light… but worked the same way. The tools appeared the same, though they would also be with a conventional blacksmith. Even the method of infusing their creations with the Moon's blessing was the same as the Sun's.

Except for the energy being used, everything was identical.

If there was any proof she needed that showed that the Lunari were the Solari's kin and vice versa, she had it here. Now more than ever, she was glad she and Diana made their choice on the summit. If they had chosen differently, she would have never been able to see this.

Kespina's smile became less sheepish when she caught sight of her sister's expression. "Does this mean I'm not going to be pummeled?" she asked hopefully.

"… … … For today." She looked at Amy. "You know, I think Elder Phenos and Diana would probably like some assistance in their research, if you're interested."

Amy promptly blushed, making it clear what her thoughts were. After all, why would the Moon's Chosen want assistance from a lowly mortal? "I-I would be honored," she finally stammered. "But I thought they had learned everything they possibly could about the Ruination and its effect on us."

"They did. Now they're cataloging the Purge itself. Anything that they can find that shows that our Elders were the instigators. That way, we can remove them from power when the time comes. It might also help with reconciliation between the two faiths when the time comes, if that's something the Lunari would be interested in."

"… Alright. I can go help with that." Amy turned to Darien. "Could you let Serena know I went to help them with their research?"

"Of course." Darien grinned. "I can't wait to see what she has to say when she finds out where you went."

Leona grinned. "Kes, could you escort Amy to the Archives?" She waited until they had headed down the pathway, before turning to Darien. "Amy's not originally from here, is she?" she asked gently.

Darien shook his head. "No, she's not," he replied. "Her parents were found by our scouts, nearly dead. They were from the Freljord in the north. Thankfully, Amy survived, but her parents died shortly after. Serena's mother adopted her, so they grew up together like sisters. I ended up becoming the surrogate big brother for both of them."

Amy was adopted. That made a whole lot of sense, considering her blue locks. She would be comfortable in a cold environment, so the high elevation of their settlements was ideal for her. "How did her parents die?" she asked.

"...It was a Solari raid. They had heard that a Lunari child had been spotted in one of the villages at the far edge. Her parents were caught in the crossfire."

"Something she and Diana have in common then." It looked like they would have to move fast. The Elders wouldn't have sent an entire task force to a village just for a rumor. That meant only one thing.

The Elders knew that the Lunari were still alive.

As she came to this realization, Serena finally joined them, wiping her brow. "Geez, I didn't think I would get it done in time!" she stated. "Now all I have to do is let it cool down, and then I can add the adornments." She looked around. "Hey, where's Amy?"

Leona grinned. "Don't worry, Serena," she assured her. "I had Kespina escort her to the Archives. I figured she could help Diana and Elder Phenos with their research."

"Oh no! Now I've gotta pry her away from the scrolls again!"

Darien started laughing. "That happened only once, Serena!"

"Once was enough!" Serena huffed, pouting.

Leona's grin only grew. 'Definitely like Diana,' she thought.

LOL

Diana whistled as she set the scroll she had been reading down. "Let it never be said that the Solari aren't effective in combat," she stated. "This wasn't a war. It was a slaughter."

Phenos nodded in agreement, scribbling some notes down. "Indeed, and it only became worse as time went on. In the beginning, it was only Lunari encampments. It was after they emerged victorious that they went after civilians." He sighed. "Phenos speaks of honor and the Sun's glory, but where is the honor in killing those who cannot fight back?"

The Moon Chosen rubbed her eyes, already deep in thought. She already knew how Leona would react when she learned about this. She would want to storm the Shrine herself and finish the Elders off herself. 'Not a bad idea on paper, but the backlash would be horrendous,' she mused silently. Leona was smart, but she tended to let her fists do the talking when she was angry. The numerous bullies she had dealt with when they became friends could attest to that.

"Ah, good even, Kespina," Phenos suddenly said in greeting, bringing her out of her thoughts. "And you as well… Amy, I believe."

Diana turned, catching sight of the two young girls standing at their table, Amy bowing to her upon being noticed. She smiled. "You don't need to bow, Amy," she assured her. "I promise I won't smite you for treating me like a human."

Amy smiled as well. "I know, but I was taught always to respect my elders. So, I greet everyone the same way."

"Oh… well, it's nice to know I'm not special in that way. So, Kes, you managed to convince Leo not to turn you into a midget."

Kes nodded, looking rather relieved at that. "I was watching the Moon Forgers while they were working. Turns out they're not much different from ours."

That made sense to her. All three were the children of accomplished Sun Forgers. One of them might express curiosity about the Lunari's methods. "So, what can we do for you?" she asked.

Amy smiled. "Well, Miss Leona suggested I could help you and Elder Phenos with your research. I try to spend time here when I can."

"An aspiring scholar, I see." Phenos gestured. "Come join us, young one. There is still much to figure out, and a fresh perspective is always appreciated."

The young girl sat down next to Diana, looking at the material on the table. "I never knew there was so much information about the Purge." She picked up a scroll at random, eyes going wide. "Good heavens, is that real?!" she set the paper down, paling.

"Afraid so," Diana replied, sympathizing with the younger girl. She had had to keep herself from throwing up after seeing that particular scene. Perhaps a tad too descriptive for its good.

Phenos picked up another scroll that had already been perused, handing it over to her. "This one is a little more friendly for your eyes," he suggested. "No point of ruining one's love of reading with such… vivid illustrations."

"Thank you." She quickly began reading.

Diana observed her a moment, a question brewing in her mind. And like any good scholar, she felt she needed to ask it. "So, how did an archive wanderer like you become friends with this lovable goofball?" She pointed at Kespina for emphasis.

"Rude," Kes sniffed.

Amy giggled. "Well, she's a lot like Serena," she replied. "She's so cheerful. I mean, who wouldn't want to be her friend?"

Who indeed? Kes was a lot like Leona, only without the burden of being a Chosen. It was probably a family trait. Diana approved.

Amy looked the scroll over for a second longer, her smile fading. "Well, this is interesting," she murmured.

"Hmm?"

"This scroll is nothing more than statistics. Our tribe kept detailed records of every battle that was fought. Lives lost, resources used, that sort of thing."

Phenos nodded. "Indeed. I made a few notes concerning that, and was planning to match them to the battles later, to see if everything is as it should be."

Amy nodded. "Well, I think I may have already found a discrepancy." She pointed at one of the entries, Diana and Kespina leaning in to get a better look. "The war lasted about three years. There were a few dozen skirmishes, but four major battles were fought over the first two years. The victory/loss ratio was close to fifty-fifty on both sides."

Kes frowned. "So, where's the discrepancy?" she asked.

Diana's eyes widened. "I think I see it," she muttered, rifling through her research material. "Here we go. The battle of the Gateway. According to that scroll, it was an overwhelming victory for the Solari, turning the tide of the war. And it's the same here."

"And the discrepancy?"

"The date." Amy showed him the scroll. "On this, the scroll stated that the battle was fought on the Nightless Eve. It is a sacred day for both tribes, meaning no battles will be fought."

"While this scroll states that it occurred about three days later," Diana added, showing him her scroll. "So either one scroll is either lying or is simply wrong…"

"Or something happened. One that would force the Lunari to break tradition and launch a last-ditch attack," Phenos finished. "One that failed spectacularly."

Kespina frowned thoughtfully. It brought a few new questions for them to ponder. However, she only had one. "When did the first Harrowing happen?"

Comprehension dawned, and Diana quickly went through her notes. It took her only a short time to find what she was looking for. It wasn't to her liking.

Phenos sighed. "I think we need to show this to your Elder," he stated. "I feel that the Lunari are not as safe as they appear.

LOL

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Phenos' prediction was spot on. The Elders were not happy at all. Neither was Aidonal and Leona, whose expressions could only be described as thunderous.

The High Elder slumped, sorrow filling her. To her credit, she was able to straighten up. "This would explain much if the Harrowing were somehow involved," she stated. "And if the Harrowing occurred while the Runic Stones were set up, then some of the Mists would have been trapped within the mountain itself."

"Which would have allowed it to fester," another Elder added. "It would have continued to infect both sides for who knows how long."

Diana nodded. "The Harrowing occurs during the Nightless Eve. The Lunari, realizing something was wrong, make their way to the Gateway only to walk right into a trap. Their force was decimated, transforming the war into a Purge."

"And my faith, believing that the Lunari had become servants of the darkness, quickly turned the Purge into a fact, most of them unaware that darkness had influenced them all."

"Either that, or a Lunari turned traitor, then changed a date to cover it up," Amy supplied. "We may never know."

"Regardless, we have enough evidence to show that the Ruination had had a massive impact on events here." The High Elder rose. "Now we need to find out just how much of an impact it's having today." She looked at Amy. "Young one, would you object to the Radiant Dawn and Moon Maiden exploring your hideout for clues?"

The young blunette blushed. The three of them hadn't been as secretive as they thought. Nevertheless, she nodded. "None at all," she assured her.

Leona inclined her head in thanks. "Please lead the way, Amy. Best to get this done fast."

"Agreed." The High Elder smiled. "Don't be surprised, young one. You're not the first to claim the old shrine, and you certainly won't be the last."

Amy nodded, sighing in relief. "Of course, Elder."

LOL

Aidonal whistled as he looked up. "This is one nice shrine," he said appreciatively.

Leona had to agree with him. And to have stood the test of time largely intact… it was mindblowing.

Diana looked over at the Runic Stone for a second, nodding. "The Runic Stone looks pretty impressive, too," she noted. "It looks more like a crystal than a stone, though."

Amy nodded, smiling. "Definitely. And it feels friendly, as Kes showed us. Do you want a closer look?"

The Moon looked over at the Sun. The Sun waved her hand. "Go ahead. Adi and I can handle the shrine."

Aidonal nodded, "Serena, Darien, stay here. You too, Kes."

Kespina rolled her eyes. "Yes, brother," she replied exasperatedly.

Leona chuckled as the two siblings entered the shrine, leaning in. "One of these days, she's going to pull that on us."

"Yeah, yeah. She can do that when she's an actual warrior, not just our little sister." He felt more than saw Kes blowing a raspberry at him before they disappeared into the shrine, and grinned.

The young girl turned around in a huff. "I get no respect, I tell you," she stated quite dramatically.

Diana hid a smirk as she walked across the small land bridge, feeling those friendly waves wash over her gently. 'Kes was right about the Stone,' she smiled a little before shifting to scholar mode. She took note of the Stone itself, then observed the pedestal. "Hmm… judging by the design of this pedestal. I believe both have been here far longer than the Rakkor have lived on this mountain. It may have even been here since Mount Targon's creation itself.

"That's cool." Serena quickly grabbed Amy's shoulder before she could go to join her. "Best not interrupt her when she's trying to figure stuff out.

Amy pouted. "I know. Still…"

The Moon Maiden noted the intricate design of the Stone itself, observing how it seemed to float in place rather than sit on anything. And, if the power it was expelling was anything to go by, it was operating far more efficiently than the crude stones protecting the Solari. She was kind of jealous.

She was about to finish her observations and rejoin the kids when she 'felt' something. A cold shiver crawled up her spine. Looking down at the base, she instinctively took a step back. "Crap!"

Darien quickly got in front of the girls. "What is it?!" he exclaimed, ignoring Kespina's eye roll.

Diana's armor appeared, khopesh out and ready. "Get your warriors here, right now!" she ordered. "And tell them to make haste! The Lunari enclaves may indeed be compromised!" Ah, that got them scrambling, the three Lunari heading back into the main city. When the Chosen gave an order, you obeyed it.

Kespina joined Diana, sword and shield out and in position."What in the Void is that?!" she whispered, laying eyes on the strange inky mass for the first time. She didn't know what it was but didn't like it.

"Our answer," Diana replied, fear and anger coursing through her. "That is Mist, Kes. The Black Mist."

"And here I thought we have left the bad stuff behind."

"Yes, we're unlucky in that regard. Story of my life."

LOL

Leona observed the walls as they investigated the shrine, marveling at how well-maintained they were. There were signs of some wear, but not enough to make the structure unsafe. She took note of the many different religious artifacts, both of the very familiar Solari faith and what she recognized as Lunari, sitting side-by-side in depressions and covered in a layer of dust. All-in-all, this was far more than they were expecting.

Aidonal took note of Leona's sword and shield and was understandably curious about them. "You know, I've noticed something interesting," he began.

"Oh? What's that?" Leona asked.

"Well, your armor appears and disappears at will, but your sword and shield remain. How's that possible?"

"Uh… no clue. Di and I figured that it was because they were just the sword and shield I had brought, only transformed. Neither one of us was wearing armor when we made the climb."

"Ah." That made sense.

Leona smiled. "Honestly, I'm not complaining. It makes removing it easy. And it comes with one hell of a defense capability."

He opted not to ask any more questions on the subject. It was clear that she couldn't explain everything. Besides, their conversation was ending when they reached a dead end… which confused them.

"Can I assume that Solari Shrines don't have corridors that don't go anywhere," Aidonal assumed.

"Your assumption is correct." Leona knocked on the wall for a second, frowning. "This probably is a false wall. Look for a panel or button on either the wall or the floor."

A thorough search turned up nothing. It was a new puzzle to try and figure out.

"It's probably on the other side of the wall," Aidonal suggested. "After all, having a secret passageway wouldn't be enough if the enemy knows about it."

Leona nodded, eyeing the wall for a moment longer. A rather strange thought occurred to her, one she wouldn't have thought of before. "I wonder," she muttered. "Could this shrine be a part of-?"

Her musing was cut off when she heard footsteps sounding on the other side of the wall. Her armor formed on her as she took a step back. "People are walking down a hallway on the other side," she whispered.

Aidonal's blade came up immediately, holding steady as he took position beside her. Neither could know whether or not they were friendly, but better safe than sorry.

As they stood there, they could hear voices on the other side as they moved closer, though they couldn't understand what was being said. But after a few minutes, they figured out what they were discussing.

The wall began to slide open. Their grips tightened.

And then they laid eyes on their opponents, and Leona was surprised for the first time in two weeks.

LOL

Korra was just as surprised. Her blade lowered. "Leo?" she got out.

Here she was, their missing friend standing before them in her golden armor, a rather spiffy sword in her hand, clearly not expecting to see them. Of course, they hadn't expected to see her, either… or anyone for that matter.

With Sek's help, they had managed to make it to the other secret corridor without any trouble. Unfortunately, not even the Elder knew what would await them at the end of it. Even more unfortunately, they were now being chased by a full squad of Ra-Horak. So, the second they had found another panel, they pressed, which led to their reunion.

"Move!" Sek roared, pushing the three Acolytes through the door. He quickly slammed his foot into the panel, joining them as the door slid closed. And just in the nick of time, too, as many running feet and shouts could be heard on the other side.

And then, silence.

Leona looked her roommates over for a second, before focusing on the only Lunari of the group. "Your grandmother is going to ground you until the Endless Night," she noted dryly.

Lyra sighed. "I know. But hey, I completed my mission!"

"And so much more," Korra added. "We need to speak to the Lunari Council immediately!

Their location has been compromised!"

That was all Leona needed to hear. "Right this way. Their Council should be assembling right now."

The group quickly made their to the exit, Korra and Dorius explaining what they had learned with Lyra's help while Jenaline held on tight to Diana's notes. With a little luck, they could convince the Lunari to evacuate before the Solari unleashed hell upon them.

They ended up entering a war zone instead.

LOL

And here is Chapter Nine. Chapter Ten is going to focus on Diana's events during Leona's exploration of the Shrine, as well as giving her her first 'solo' battle.

I don't know how many more chapters I'm going to make for this first story, though I'm going to try and not go past fifteen.