Rings
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Last Episode!
The flood of rain continued for the entire night as Garret, Sara and Felix hacked through the foliage. The jungle seemed to fight them, throwing the hardest and most prolific plants right in there path. They pushed on through sheer determination, stripping off most of there outer layers of clothes, trying to keep the oppressive heat down to acceptable levels. Even the rain was warm, and when night fell the temperature dropped swiftly.
The Temple had seemed close as they marched towards it, but it never seemed to get closer as they marched. Garret had hacked away another large fern and suddenly had to throw up a shield to stop a hail of tiny needles that flew at him from a trap under the fern. He jumped back and the needles fell to the earth, harmless. ├óÔé¼┼ôwhoa├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, to tired to yell ├óÔé¼┼ôGot to watch out for those├óÔé¼┬Ø Sara said as they continued to walk.
As dawn broke, the sun growing slowly from a tiny crescent until it beat down onto there shoulders. Garret heard a very slight noise in the distance, and felt the hairs on the back of his neck. ├óÔé¼┼ôwait├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, holding up his hand to stop the others. Then he spotted the light glinting off an arrow head in the tree├óÔé¼Ôäós. He looked straight at the face in the foliage that staired at him and took the Tempest and dropped it onto the ground.
The form in the tree dropped to the ground, fluid as a cat, keeping the bow aimed at Garret. Three others melted out of the foliage, each with a drawn bow. The thing that struck Garret the most was there near black color of there skin. Black hair, black skin, but the leader├óÔé¼Ôäós face suddenly split into a wide grin. Very, Very white teeth.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou again├óÔé¼┬Ø he said with a heavy accent. He then lowered his bow and hugged Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôI knew you would come and deliver us from evil├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, picking up the Tempest and handing it to Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôOur tribe has been tasked with guarding the temple for ten thousand cycles, and your face has been remembered├óÔé¼┬Ø the man continued. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø said Garret, following the man and gesturing to his friends.
├óÔé¼┼ôUnfortunately the tribe has lost faith in you. They have turned to the Usurper and his minions. They befoul the Temple and are trying to steal your creation├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said, becoming agitated ├óÔé¼┼ônow only we four are left to help you├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret noticed how the man seemed to melt through the foliage effortlessly. Garret tried to mimic his motions, and found his body remembering how to do so. Sara and Felix still made loud noises, but Garret slipped through the plant life easily.
The man continued his narrative, not even slowing down either his speech or his speed walking. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have kept the traps working, but even so the Usurper captured Yolanda and she was tortured. Then she led him to our Tribe, and they all came under his charismatic sway├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow only my acolytes follow me├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Garret nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you have a quick way to the Temple?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes, lord, in our village there is a secret entrance to the Temple hidden in my house├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is your village?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sara cut in. The man looked back and smiled, his white teeth flashing brilliantly ├óÔé¼┼ôYou├óÔé¼Ôäóre in the village├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret looked around and spotted tell tails signs of civilization, and spotted the door├óÔé¼Ôäós hidden in trees, the tiny lack of leaves around window and the burly visible gossamer spider web of vines that provided walkways between the buildings.
├óÔé¼┼ôwhere is your house?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked, stopping as Felix and Sara leaned against a tree, trying to catch there breaths. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight there, lord├óÔé¼Ôäó the man said, pointing at a large tree that towered up├óÔé¼┬ª and up├óÔé¼┬ª and up. It was the tallest tree in the forest, and Garret could see why it would be the tribesman├óÔé¼Ôäós leader├óÔé¼Ôäós house. ├óÔé¼┼ôthis way├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said, climbing up the tree by clutching some bark that was artfully sticking out like steps on a ladder. Garret unhooked a rune stone from his belt and grabbed Sara├óÔé¼Ôäós arm. Sara grabbed Felix├óÔé¼Ôäós arm.
The native was half way up the tree when Garret, Sara and Felix zipped to the top. Garret put the run back onto his belt and looked around. The tree was more like a temple then a house. The room had been created by hollowing out a portion of the tree. Windows where bored out from the sides and disguised by leaves. Simple furniture and simple beds where on the outer edges of the round room, but they where completely outshone by the shrine.
A marble structure of Garret stood in the center of the room, the Tempest held aloft and pointing towards the sky. The statues face was the ptomaine of nobility; his mouth was framed with a light beard. It was clothed in a long robe and finally in his other hand a rune stone was held. Candles surrounded the statues feet, and a smattering of offerings surrounded it.
Garret suddenly remembered standing in this same temple, shaking hands with the tribal leader, agreeing to protect the Laystone until Garret came back. The tribe was large and powerful, and nothing but an army would be able to get to the Temple. The tribal leader clambered into the chamber, and stood up, bowing in reverence .He looked at the man and noticed how much he looked like the original tribal leader. ├óÔé¼┼ôLord├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe secrete passage way is over here├óÔé¼┬Ø he pointed at the statue.
Garret walked over and looked at the statue. ├óÔé¼┼ôit looks just like you├óÔé¼┬Ø Felix said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat did you do to deserve this?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, looking at Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm not sure├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, looking at the statue. The tribal leader grabbed the hand holding the rune stone and yanked it down. The statue rotated downward, sliding down and down until it was completely out of sight. ├óÔé¼┼ôDown this way, Lord├óÔé¼┬Ø the tribal leader said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you want me to come along?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, looking early at garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬ª tend to your people. They will be coming soon├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, and climbed into the passage way.
Garrets feet slipped and he began to slide down the very steep passage. Then he realized that it was meant to be slid down. So he laid back and slid down the tunnel, and felt the wind rushing past him. He heard Felix shouting as he stepped into the passage. An undeterminable time later Garret flew out of the tunnel and slid four feet along the ground before coming to a stop.
Felix flew out next along with Sara, and they all landed in a huge sprawling heap. ├óÔé¼┼ôSome passage way├óÔé¼┬Ø Felix muttered as Garret rose to his feet, and looked around. They were at the entrance to the Temple, and he spotted a single guard slumped and sitting at his post of guarding the Temple. ├óÔé¼┼ôGarret├óÔé¼┬Ø Sara said suddenly ├óÔé¼┼ôDon├óÔé¼Ôäót use magic until we meet Smythson, or it will tip him off to our presence. We want to surprise him, or at least not have him surprise up├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret nodded and unsheathed the Tempest.
The guard was snoozing, blessing him Master for giving him the ├óÔé¼╦£easy├óÔé¼Ôäó assignment when a blade slid over his throat. He stood straight up as a icy cold voice spoke in his ear. It said, the blade pressing close to the guard├óÔé¼Ôäós throat for emphasis, ├óÔé¼┼ôGo back to your village, and never come back├óÔé¼┬Ø. The blade then left, leaving a faint trail of blood welling from a very shallow cut across the guard├óÔé¼Ôäós neck. Then a hand shoved him forward and the guard ran, never looking back.
Garret whipped the small edge of blood of the Tempest and watched the man run into the foliage of the jungle as if all the hosts of hell where after him. Then he grinned and turned back to the entrance. The entrance to the Temple was a massive, oval, hole that lead straight before a massive triangle split the hall way down the middle. Then down the two hallways that branched off from the first, another two sprang forth. ├óÔé¼┼ôhow dose it keep from shrinking to nothing?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked Sara. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe don├óÔé¼Ôäót know. There is no singe of magic, or any other force we know of that could cause space to warp like that├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret nodded, then took a left. Then a right. Then a left. Then down, left, right, right├óÔé¼┬ª
It seemed endless, and the Temple didn├óÔé¼Ôäót offer any hints that they where going the right way. Each hall way was a black space, lit by a faint greenish glow that emanated from no readily definable local. And each corridor split like the one before it, but each split either went slightly up├óÔé¼┬ª or slightly down. Garret knew the pattern that he had been taught by Sara, and followed it as unerringly as he could.
No one spoke as they walked down├óÔé¼┬ªand down├óÔé¼┬ªand down. It was completely silent, aside from the faint clicks of there boot├óÔé¼Ôäós. Garret noticed that it was getting faintly colder, and the farther down they went, the cooler it got. He was beginning to regret leaving his outer layers of clothes in the jungle somewhere when a sudden whoosh of displaced air to his left buffeted him.
He spun, feeling rather then seeing a massive object fly past him, but he did notice that it was connected to a pivot on the ceiling by a massive beam of black stone. He saw that it had just missed him and instead had plunged into Felix├óÔé¼Ôäós chest. The Kia├óÔé¼Ôäós blue/black blood was spilling from a massive hole that had ripped through his heart. Felix├óÔé¼Ôäós head lolled listlessly side to side as the massive spike held up his suddenly limp body.
He was dead.
Smythson strode through the passage ways, flanked by Keith and two of the more loyal tribes men. They where interrupted by a rather frumpy woman who ran up to Smythson and began to babble in her native tong. One of Smythson├óÔé¼Ôäós acolytes slapped her across the face. The woman staggered and began to speak slower in Smythson├óÔé¼Ôäós language ├óÔé¼┼ôOur gate guard has abandoned his post!├óÔé¼┬Ø she said slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôKeith, check for intruders├óÔé¼┬Ø Smythson said. Keith nodded and strode through the corridors, dodging around trap├óÔé¼Ôäós and other pitfalls with his usual selfless discipline. Smythson continued to walk.
He had cracked the code to the passage way├óÔé¼Ôäós, and could knew the location of the Laystone. He could almost see the magic emanating from it, faintly, through the walls. He began to walk faster. Then he came round the bed and was blinded by the light and magic that was on the other side. The closed his eyes, or at least tried to, covered his face and looked away. His two acolytes where gasping as well. Smythson groped and found the nearest one. His name as Eagle Eye, and Smythson hoped he live up to the name. He pressed his hand over the man├óÔé¼Ôäós eyes and sucked them out. ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to borrow theses├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.
Eagle collapsed backwards, screaming as he felt his empty eye sockets with his hands. The other acolyte gasped as Smythson removed his blindfold and blinked. His new eyes worked quite nicely. ├óÔé¼┼ôMas-Master?├óÔé¼┬Ø the acolyte whimpered tentatively. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don├óÔé¼Ôäót think I need you anymore├óÔé¼┬Ø Smythson said softly, staring at what was laid before him. His hand smashed out and broke the unfortunate man├óÔé¼Ôäós windpipe. His acolyte fell against the wall, clutching his throat and trying to breathe.
Smythson stepped forward and looked in awe at the Door. It was a massive lake, but it shone with a luminescent green light. It was perfectly still and pure, and Smythson felt power and energy flow into his veins. It is the Lay Site Smythson thought in wonder as the magic from The Lay site flowed into him. Every Lay line in every ring flowed outward, from this single site of pure, untapped magic.
And out├óÔé¼┬ª on the lake of pure magic lay an island separated from time itself. On the island lay a single pulpit, surrounded by a field of cracking energy. An inch above the pulpit floated the Laystone. Smythson gasped in awe, overcome by joy as he stepped forward. A single droplet of water fell, and Smythson saw it a second before it struck the Door.
Ripples flowed across the lake, and each ripple showed a different face. As the ripple reached the edge of the lake, Smythson saw a form rise up from the lake. It was... it was HIM! Smythson curled his lip up as the image spoke a prerecorded statement. ├óÔé¼┼ôNone shall pass, for the Lay Stone is not for this time├óÔé¼┬Ø then the shape stood there. Smythson took a step forward and lashed out with his magic. The image staggered back, but attacked back, sending Smythson flying.
Garret felt a cold hand clutch his heart as Felix├óÔé¼Ôäós head lolled forward. He was half turned, and time seemed to slow as the trap that had been sprung slowly wound back into it├óÔé¼Ôäós hidden slot. Felix slid off the spike and fell forward. Garret ran forward, pulling out a rune stone for healing wounds. Sara ran forward too, but her hands grabbed Garrets shoulders. She stopped him from getting any closer to Felix├óÔé¼Ôäós corpse. ├óÔé¼┼ôhe├óÔé¼Ôäós dead!├óÔé¼┬Ø she whispered fiercely, holding Garret back. Garret was faintly confused at why he was crying.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou can├óÔé¼Ôäót! He is too far gone! The magic will drain you, and tip of Smythson├óÔé¼┬Ø Sara said, holding him back. Garret collapsed, falling to his knees and burying his head in Sara├óÔé¼Ôäós shoulder. Sara held him and they both grieved for there friend. Garret stood after a few minutes, his eye├óÔé¼Ôäós red and his face set. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to push on├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about├óÔé¼┬ª his├óÔé¼┬Ø Sara said, looking at Felix├óÔé¼Ôäós corpse. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe will come back for it later├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to stop Smythson, or it won├óÔé¼Ôäót matter├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sara nodded and they both walked.
The grief that flooded Garret was being transmuted in his mind, turning from the stabbing pain of sorrow├óÔé¼┬ª to the smoldering fire of rage. He began to walk, feeling the Lay Site flicker. He took a left, and realized that he took a wrong turn. Instead of another corridor that split down the middle, he found a massive round hole, heading straight down. A single wooden bride, apparently made very recently, was strung across the middle. ├óÔé¼┼ôLet├óÔé¼Ôäós go back├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. Then he heard the tell tail sound of a sword being unsheathed.
He looked up and saw Keith standing at the other side of the bridge. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said darkly. Keith simple nodded silently and then broke into a run. He was startlingly fast, and Garret barely managed to get the Tempest up and out of its scabbard before Keith├óÔé¼Ôäós sword smashed into him. Garret slid backwards and he heard Sara unsheathed her rapier.
Garret dodged to the side as Keith sliced at him, but then the man├óÔé¼Ôäós leg flew out and connected solidly with Garrets side, sending him flying backwards. Sara was almost bowled over by his passage, but she managed to parry Keith├óÔé¼Ôäós attack as he flew up and over Garrets flying body. She exchanged a flurry of blows before Keith managed to sweep around her. She spun as Keith ran on the wall, his boots some how finding purchase of the smooth wall. His sword came about and she ducked, barley avoiding the lathe strike.
Garret got up as Keith drew a second sword. Garret attacked and Sara attacked, but Keith parried and deflected both attacks easily, then struck back. His sword slid into Garrets fore arm, causing superficial damage before Garret dodged away. Sara did a jump kick, but Keith caught her foot and snapped her ankle. She fell to earth, but grabbed a rune stone. She fired a controlled blast of fire at Keith. Keith bent at a impossible angle, his head practically touching his ankles as a bolt of pure fire sped over his head.
Then Keith snapped back up as Garret did a over head strike to his unprotected stomach. But Keith brought both his swords up and threw Garrets Tempest away. Sara staggered to her feet and sent a blast of healing energy at her ankle. It wasn├óÔé¼Ôäót very efficient, but It had the desired effect. She swiped at Keith├óÔé¼Ôäós neck, but the man blocked it effortlessly. Keith punched Garret in the face, using the handle of his sword as a bludgeon. Garret felt his nose break. Keith turned and kicked Sara in the stomach.
She felt two of her rib├óÔé¼Ôäós snap. She slid backwards, catching herself on the rope section of the rope bridge. Keith walked slowly over to her, unhurriedly. Then Garrets form smashed into him and bowelled Keith over. The larger man fell heavily and the wooden bridge swayed dangerously. Sara got to her feet, unsteadily and in pain. Keith attacked her over her head with his sword, but she blocked it. Then his other sword plunged into her side, cutting through unessential fat and flesh.
Sara gasped as the sword began to slowly cut inward to her lung and stomach. Her sword arm was being held up by Keith├óÔé¼Ôäós hand. She felt her wrist break, but she kept her hand closed around her sword hilt. She saw Garret stagger to his feet and knew they wouldn├óÔé¼Ôäót be able to beat Keith. She grinned, looking at Keith. His eyes were completely blank, but even he was surprised when she threw herself off the bridge. Her weight carried him over the edge, and she was falling.
But she brought her sword around and plunged it into the wall of the round wall of the chamber. Keith grabbed her ankle and with a painfully jolt, he hung on. Sara also notices that the sword had lodged firmly in the wall. Keith began to clamber up her back, using her as a human ladder. Sara grinned as the poison fell out her left pocket, jostled out by Keith├óÔé¼Ôäós hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôGuess I don├óÔé¼Ôäót need it├óÔé¼┬Ø she whispered. ├óÔé¼┼ôdon├óÔé¼Ôäót worry! I can levitate you out!├óÔé¼┬Ø she heard Garret├óÔé¼Ôäós voice from above and behind her. She looked over her shoulder and saw the bridge was not too far above her.
├óÔé¼┼ôDon├óÔé¼Ôäót├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, loud enough for him to hear. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo!├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôI can get you out right now!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sara laughed ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know I was├óÔé¼┬ª I was so jealous of you and Juliana├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, almost hysterical. Garret looked at her, pain in his eyes. ├óÔé¼┼ôI knew I couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót live with her and you├óÔé¼┬ª together, so I brought some poison├óÔé¼┬Ø she felt her hands weaken, the pain from her fractured wrist almost gone due to natural painkillers.
├óÔé¼┼ôno├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said softly. ├óÔé¼┼ôJust├óÔé¼┬ª just promise me something├óÔé¼┬Ø Sara said, feeling her grip on the sword hilt weaken. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnything├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. Keith was almost half way up her body, his head in the small of her back. ├óÔé¼┼ôKill that fucker Smythson for me├óÔé¼┬Ø Sara said and let go of the sword. Then she was gone.
Garret stood up, feeling his nose gingerly. He was too tired for tears, and felt nothing. Absolutely nothing. All that was left was a slight pain from his broken nose and the sword hilt in soft rock of the wall. Felix was dead. Sara was dead. Even Keith, who was as blameless as a sword used by a murderer, was dead. Garret used a little bit of healing powers to fix his nose. Then he walked unsteadily off the bridge.
Blood dribbled from his nose and all he could hear was the sound of his boots squelch across the floor. His feet left a trail of blood, figuratively and practically, the blood from his nose dribbling onto the ground in front of him. He came round the bend and came on the Door. Smythson was stranding there, waiting for him
├óÔé¼┼ôYou old fool├óÔé¼┬Ø Smythson said, sneering at Garret ├óÔé¼┼ôStelvi was a shortsighted man, but he got one thing right. Getting you out of the way was the best idea he had had in centuries├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret drew his sword, but Smythson wasn├óÔé¼Ôäót finished. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy did the gods bless you with unimaginable power, then you waste it? Why did you waste it on others when you could of built something for yourself?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSmythson├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said evenly ├óÔé¼┼ôYou can├óÔé¼Ôäót understand the Lay Stone. Its too powerful, its not of this time├óÔé¼┬Ø. Smythson grinned. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou├óÔé¼Ôäóre too late├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, holding up what looked like a flat disk in his right hand. Then the disk opened out into the five rings of the Lay stone. Then a blinding white flash filled the air as the Lay Stone was activated.
The light cleared, then Garret understood what the Lay Stone was. Smythson stood before him, but his face and body rippled, altering itself. His face was weathered, then smooth, then his eye├óÔé¼Ôäós where there, but then all that was left was a mass of scar tissue. His robe shifted from a brilliant white to a deep red. Its shoulder pads changed from a verity of styles, never settling on one for any length of time. Smythson├óÔé¼Ôäós eyes, when he had them, where staring around wildly as if he was asleep but his eyelids where open.
Smythson stepped forward and his features kept changing in a sickeningly bizarre pattern. He spoke, and a multitude of voices issued forth from his mouth. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼┬ªam everything├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, more to himself then to Garret. The Lay stone didn├óÔé¼Ôäót exist JUST on this plane of reality. It existed on every single possible reality, from massive changes in what had happened to minute things that where different. It affected the man, or woman, who held it, allowing him to live in-between time.
├óÔé¼┼ôI can choose the threads, don├óÔé¼Ôäót you understand├óÔé¼┬Ø Smythson├óÔé¼Ôäós voices said, each one different but each speaking at the same time, like a massive choir. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can decide how the world is├óÔé¼┬ªbut├óÔé¼┬Ø he paused. The room started to shift around him, people flickering in and out of existence. For a fleeting moment Felix stood beside Garret, but then he was replaced by a stranger Garret had never seen before.
The room├óÔé¼Ôäós walls also had flickers of blood and some time├óÔé¼Ôäós body parts appear and disappear, as if different battles left different remains. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can├óÔé¼Ôäót. I can├óÔé¼Ôäót affect you├óÔé¼┬Ø Smythson said, looking at Garret with out moving his eyes. Garret laughed without feeling ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat, do you think I├óÔé¼Ôäóm stupid? I tied a liberal amount of energy into the Lay stone. No one can affect MY time line. You have to find a more├óÔé¼┬ªconventional way to cut it short before you can claim your god hood!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Smythson├óÔé¼Ôäós faces twisted into different furious faces.
├óÔé¼┼ôMY time line is always being written, so you cant alter its future├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, before the Tempest sliced out and struck at Smythson. But Smythson had already dodged. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can go back in my time line and tell myself about your attacks├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, grinning. Garret looked at him, hopelessness welling up. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are going to stand here for an eternity, until your throw yourself on your sword and give up. I can wait forever├óÔé¼┬ªcan you?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Smythson laughed. Garret looked at the Lay Stone. It was spinning rapidly, the rings intersecting and its center fluxing as the rings slid around it. The center was like a bundle of glowing strings. Garret suddenly knew what to do. Smythson was standing, enraptured by whatever he was seeing. Garret then put everything in this one strike.
He placed his anger, his fear, and every ounce of concentration into one sword strike, timing it perfectly. The Tempest slid in-between the rotating rings of the Lay Stone, and cut through the middle of the Lay Stone. There was a blinding flash of energy, and Garret felt himself being thrown backwards. He got up, stiffly and saw that Smythson was back to his normal self. But the power├óÔé¼┬ª His magic was at his fingertips and he felt his memories flooding back in full force.
The energy he tied into the Lay stone where now free├óÔé¼┬ªfor him. He walked forward, anger filling his veins. He stepped to Smythson, who was standing stock still, a shocked expression on his face. His empty eye sockets stared at Garret. Garret slid his sword into Smythson├óÔé¼Ôäós stomach and Smythson gasped. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼┬ªwas meant to be a god. Don├óÔé¼Ôäót you understand?├óÔé¼┬Ø he whispered into Garrets ears. Garret stepped back, sliding the Tempest out of Smythson├óÔé¼Ôäós body. Smythson fell backwards and the Lay stone clattered to the floor, its rings falling apart without its center. The severed strain├óÔé¼Ôäós of whatever had made up the center of the Lay Stone slithered back into the Door. They joined up with it and suddenly Garret felt something that had always been nagging at the back of his mind, something he could never quite explain├óÔé¼┬ª go away.
He then bent over and picked up the Lay Stone. I could fix it he thought. He could bring them back; he could save Felix and Sara. Then he remembered Smythson├óÔé¼Ôäós last words. I was supposed to a God, don├óÔé¼Ôäót you understand . Like a God. Garret shook his head, and put the rings back down. He turned around, his face set and determined. Then he walked out the door, never looking back.
Epilogue
Garret walked over to Book and Red. The two where asleep, and the wreckage of the plane had protected them from most of the elements. Red looked at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is Felix├óÔé¼┬ª and Sara?├óÔé¼┬Ø Book asked, getting up too. Garret looked at him, and he drew a shuddering gasp. ├óÔé¼┼ôDead? Felix?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Garret put his hand on Book├óÔé¼Ôäós shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow will we get home?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Red, always practical. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can open a gate straight to the Tower├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, mood lightening a little. ├óÔé¼┼ôDidn├óÔé¼Ôäót that burn out Smythson├óÔé¼Ôäós eyes?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Book.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat, that Amateur?├óÔé¼┬Ø he said flicking his fingers and opening a Gate. Book walked through, trudging into the snow. The Red flooded her wings up, squeezing into the gate. Then Garret looked around at Shamazad, then stepped through the Gate. He looked at the Tower and gaped. The Tower looked like it had been through a war. He ran, fear clutching his heart.
He smashed into the main doors, blowing them down with magic as much with his body. He looked into the main hall, and saw a hastily erected barricade of furniture. A figure crouched behind it, and before Garret could see who it was a blast of ice was flung at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôGO AWAY!├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Juliana. Garret dove out of cover and shouted back ├óÔé¼┼ôIt├óÔé¼Ôäós ME!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Juliana stood up shakily. She stepped forward, one of her legs cut. Her dress had been burned away at some points, and several cuts lacerated her back. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou├óÔé¼┬ªwouldn├óÔé¼Ôäót believe the kind of day I have been having├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, before collapsing into Garrets arms. Garret grinned as Juliana told him the story. It was quite remarkable and ended up with the entire Necromancer council killing each other.
Garret held Juliana and looked over the damaged Tower. Then he remembered the war was still raging on Terrix, and now the only form of real government was the army, on both sides. ├óÔé¼┼ôListen, we have a lot of work to do├óÔé¼┬Ø he said and Juliana looked at him. She cocked her left eyebrow ├óÔé¼┼ôLike what?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. Garret gently healed her body, and then began to walk her to the more damaged parts of the Tower. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell first things first, we need to repair this place├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, looking forward to a bright future.
To be Continued in Rings: Building an Empire-
Authors Note: Holy CRAP! It├óÔé¼Ôäós over for now, but be assured a sequel will be up. Right after I write another series! I hope you, that is the one guy who bothers to read this, enjoyed the sires as much as I enjoyed writing it. And as a plus it have the entire thing in one huge word doc, so if you want it in a more manageable format, then just PM me and give me your Email address.
The flood of rain continued for the entire night as Garret, Sara and Felix hacked through the foliage. The jungle seemed to fight them, throwing the hardest and most prolific plants right in there path. They pushed on through sheer determination, stripping off most of there outer layers of clothes, trying to keep the oppressive heat down to acceptable levels. Even the rain was warm, and when night fell the temperature dropped swiftly.
The Temple had seemed close as they marched towards it, but it never seemed to get closer as they marched. Garret had hacked away another large fern and suddenly had to throw up a shield to stop a hail of tiny needles that flew at him from a trap under the fern. He jumped back and the needles fell to the earth, harmless. ├óÔé¼┼ôwhoa├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, to tired to yell ├óÔé¼┼ôGot to watch out for those├óÔé¼┬Ø Sara said as they continued to walk.
As dawn broke, the sun growing slowly from a tiny crescent until it beat down onto there shoulders. Garret heard a very slight noise in the distance, and felt the hairs on the back of his neck. ├óÔé¼┼ôwait├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, holding up his hand to stop the others. Then he spotted the light glinting off an arrow head in the tree├óÔé¼Ôäós. He looked straight at the face in the foliage that staired at him and took the Tempest and dropped it onto the ground.
The form in the tree dropped to the ground, fluid as a cat, keeping the bow aimed at Garret. Three others melted out of the foliage, each with a drawn bow. The thing that struck Garret the most was there near black color of there skin. Black hair, black skin, but the leader├óÔé¼Ôäós face suddenly split into a wide grin. Very, Very white teeth.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou again├óÔé¼┬Ø he said with a heavy accent. He then lowered his bow and hugged Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôI knew you would come and deliver us from evil├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, picking up the Tempest and handing it to Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôOur tribe has been tasked with guarding the temple for ten thousand cycles, and your face has been remembered├óÔé¼┬Ø the man continued. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø said Garret, following the man and gesturing to his friends.
├óÔé¼┼ôUnfortunately the tribe has lost faith in you. They have turned to the Usurper and his minions. They befoul the Temple and are trying to steal your creation├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said, becoming agitated ├óÔé¼┼ônow only we four are left to help you├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret noticed how the man seemed to melt through the foliage effortlessly. Garret tried to mimic his motions, and found his body remembering how to do so. Sara and Felix still made loud noises, but Garret slipped through the plant life easily.
The man continued his narrative, not even slowing down either his speech or his speed walking. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have kept the traps working, but even so the Usurper captured Yolanda and she was tortured. Then she led him to our Tribe, and they all came under his charismatic sway├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow only my acolytes follow me├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Garret nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you have a quick way to the Temple?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes, lord, in our village there is a secret entrance to the Temple hidden in my house├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is your village?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sara cut in. The man looked back and smiled, his white teeth flashing brilliantly ├óÔé¼┼ôYou├óÔé¼Ôäóre in the village├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret looked around and spotted tell tails signs of civilization, and spotted the door├óÔé¼Ôäós hidden in trees, the tiny lack of leaves around window and the burly visible gossamer spider web of vines that provided walkways between the buildings.
├óÔé¼┼ôwhere is your house?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked, stopping as Felix and Sara leaned against a tree, trying to catch there breaths. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight there, lord├óÔé¼Ôäó the man said, pointing at a large tree that towered up├óÔé¼┬ª and up├óÔé¼┬ª and up. It was the tallest tree in the forest, and Garret could see why it would be the tribesman├óÔé¼Ôäós leader├óÔé¼Ôäós house. ├óÔé¼┼ôthis way├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said, climbing up the tree by clutching some bark that was artfully sticking out like steps on a ladder. Garret unhooked a rune stone from his belt and grabbed Sara├óÔé¼Ôäós arm. Sara grabbed Felix├óÔé¼Ôäós arm.
The native was half way up the tree when Garret, Sara and Felix zipped to the top. Garret put the run back onto his belt and looked around. The tree was more like a temple then a house. The room had been created by hollowing out a portion of the tree. Windows where bored out from the sides and disguised by leaves. Simple furniture and simple beds where on the outer edges of the round room, but they where completely outshone by the shrine.
A marble structure of Garret stood in the center of the room, the Tempest held aloft and pointing towards the sky. The statues face was the ptomaine of nobility; his mouth was framed with a light beard. It was clothed in a long robe and finally in his other hand a rune stone was held. Candles surrounded the statues feet, and a smattering of offerings surrounded it.
Garret suddenly remembered standing in this same temple, shaking hands with the tribal leader, agreeing to protect the Laystone until Garret came back. The tribe was large and powerful, and nothing but an army would be able to get to the Temple. The tribal leader clambered into the chamber, and stood up, bowing in reverence .He looked at the man and noticed how much he looked like the original tribal leader. ├óÔé¼┼ôLord├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe secrete passage way is over here├óÔé¼┬Ø he pointed at the statue.
Garret walked over and looked at the statue. ├óÔé¼┼ôit looks just like you├óÔé¼┬Ø Felix said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat did you do to deserve this?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, looking at Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm not sure├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, looking at the statue. The tribal leader grabbed the hand holding the rune stone and yanked it down. The statue rotated downward, sliding down and down until it was completely out of sight. ├óÔé¼┼ôDown this way, Lord├óÔé¼┬Ø the tribal leader said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you want me to come along?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, looking early at garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬ª tend to your people. They will be coming soon├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, and climbed into the passage way.
Garrets feet slipped and he began to slide down the very steep passage. Then he realized that it was meant to be slid down. So he laid back and slid down the tunnel, and felt the wind rushing past him. He heard Felix shouting as he stepped into the passage. An undeterminable time later Garret flew out of the tunnel and slid four feet along the ground before coming to a stop.
Felix flew out next along with Sara, and they all landed in a huge sprawling heap. ├óÔé¼┼ôSome passage way├óÔé¼┬Ø Felix muttered as Garret rose to his feet, and looked around. They were at the entrance to the Temple, and he spotted a single guard slumped and sitting at his post of guarding the Temple. ├óÔé¼┼ôGarret├óÔé¼┬Ø Sara said suddenly ├óÔé¼┼ôDon├óÔé¼Ôäót use magic until we meet Smythson, or it will tip him off to our presence. We want to surprise him, or at least not have him surprise up├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret nodded and unsheathed the Tempest.
The guard was snoozing, blessing him Master for giving him the ├óÔé¼╦£easy├óÔé¼Ôäó assignment when a blade slid over his throat. He stood straight up as a icy cold voice spoke in his ear. It said, the blade pressing close to the guard├óÔé¼Ôäós throat for emphasis, ├óÔé¼┼ôGo back to your village, and never come back├óÔé¼┬Ø. The blade then left, leaving a faint trail of blood welling from a very shallow cut across the guard├óÔé¼Ôäós neck. Then a hand shoved him forward and the guard ran, never looking back.
Garret whipped the small edge of blood of the Tempest and watched the man run into the foliage of the jungle as if all the hosts of hell where after him. Then he grinned and turned back to the entrance. The entrance to the Temple was a massive, oval, hole that lead straight before a massive triangle split the hall way down the middle. Then down the two hallways that branched off from the first, another two sprang forth. ├óÔé¼┼ôhow dose it keep from shrinking to nothing?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked Sara. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe don├óÔé¼Ôäót know. There is no singe of magic, or any other force we know of that could cause space to warp like that├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret nodded, then took a left. Then a right. Then a left. Then down, left, right, right├óÔé¼┬ª
It seemed endless, and the Temple didn├óÔé¼Ôäót offer any hints that they where going the right way. Each hall way was a black space, lit by a faint greenish glow that emanated from no readily definable local. And each corridor split like the one before it, but each split either went slightly up├óÔé¼┬ª or slightly down. Garret knew the pattern that he had been taught by Sara, and followed it as unerringly as he could.
No one spoke as they walked down├óÔé¼┬ªand down├óÔé¼┬ªand down. It was completely silent, aside from the faint clicks of there boot├óÔé¼Ôäós. Garret noticed that it was getting faintly colder, and the farther down they went, the cooler it got. He was beginning to regret leaving his outer layers of clothes in the jungle somewhere when a sudden whoosh of displaced air to his left buffeted him.
He spun, feeling rather then seeing a massive object fly past him, but he did notice that it was connected to a pivot on the ceiling by a massive beam of black stone. He saw that it had just missed him and instead had plunged into Felix├óÔé¼Ôäós chest. The Kia├óÔé¼Ôäós blue/black blood was spilling from a massive hole that had ripped through his heart. Felix├óÔé¼Ôäós head lolled listlessly side to side as the massive spike held up his suddenly limp body.
He was dead.
Smythson strode through the passage ways, flanked by Keith and two of the more loyal tribes men. They where interrupted by a rather frumpy woman who ran up to Smythson and began to babble in her native tong. One of Smythson├óÔé¼Ôäós acolytes slapped her across the face. The woman staggered and began to speak slower in Smythson├óÔé¼Ôäós language ├óÔé¼┼ôOur gate guard has abandoned his post!├óÔé¼┬Ø she said slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôKeith, check for intruders├óÔé¼┬Ø Smythson said. Keith nodded and strode through the corridors, dodging around trap├óÔé¼Ôäós and other pitfalls with his usual selfless discipline. Smythson continued to walk.
He had cracked the code to the passage way├óÔé¼Ôäós, and could knew the location of the Laystone. He could almost see the magic emanating from it, faintly, through the walls. He began to walk faster. Then he came round the bed and was blinded by the light and magic that was on the other side. The closed his eyes, or at least tried to, covered his face and looked away. His two acolytes where gasping as well. Smythson groped and found the nearest one. His name as Eagle Eye, and Smythson hoped he live up to the name. He pressed his hand over the man├óÔé¼Ôäós eyes and sucked them out. ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to borrow theses├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.
Eagle collapsed backwards, screaming as he felt his empty eye sockets with his hands. The other acolyte gasped as Smythson removed his blindfold and blinked. His new eyes worked quite nicely. ├óÔé¼┼ôMas-Master?├óÔé¼┬Ø the acolyte whimpered tentatively. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don├óÔé¼Ôäót think I need you anymore├óÔé¼┬Ø Smythson said softly, staring at what was laid before him. His hand smashed out and broke the unfortunate man├óÔé¼Ôäós windpipe. His acolyte fell against the wall, clutching his throat and trying to breathe.
Smythson stepped forward and looked in awe at the Door. It was a massive lake, but it shone with a luminescent green light. It was perfectly still and pure, and Smythson felt power and energy flow into his veins. It is the Lay Site Smythson thought in wonder as the magic from The Lay site flowed into him. Every Lay line in every ring flowed outward, from this single site of pure, untapped magic.
And out├óÔé¼┬ª on the lake of pure magic lay an island separated from time itself. On the island lay a single pulpit, surrounded by a field of cracking energy. An inch above the pulpit floated the Laystone. Smythson gasped in awe, overcome by joy as he stepped forward. A single droplet of water fell, and Smythson saw it a second before it struck the Door.
Ripples flowed across the lake, and each ripple showed a different face. As the ripple reached the edge of the lake, Smythson saw a form rise up from the lake. It was... it was HIM! Smythson curled his lip up as the image spoke a prerecorded statement. ├óÔé¼┼ôNone shall pass, for the Lay Stone is not for this time├óÔé¼┬Ø then the shape stood there. Smythson took a step forward and lashed out with his magic. The image staggered back, but attacked back, sending Smythson flying.
Garret felt a cold hand clutch his heart as Felix├óÔé¼Ôäós head lolled forward. He was half turned, and time seemed to slow as the trap that had been sprung slowly wound back into it├óÔé¼Ôäós hidden slot. Felix slid off the spike and fell forward. Garret ran forward, pulling out a rune stone for healing wounds. Sara ran forward too, but her hands grabbed Garrets shoulders. She stopped him from getting any closer to Felix├óÔé¼Ôäós corpse. ├óÔé¼┼ôhe├óÔé¼Ôäós dead!├óÔé¼┬Ø she whispered fiercely, holding Garret back. Garret was faintly confused at why he was crying.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou can├óÔé¼Ôäót! He is too far gone! The magic will drain you, and tip of Smythson├óÔé¼┬Ø Sara said, holding him back. Garret collapsed, falling to his knees and burying his head in Sara├óÔé¼Ôäós shoulder. Sara held him and they both grieved for there friend. Garret stood after a few minutes, his eye├óÔé¼Ôäós red and his face set. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to push on├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about├óÔé¼┬ª his├óÔé¼┬Ø Sara said, looking at Felix├óÔé¼Ôäós corpse. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe will come back for it later├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to stop Smythson, or it won├óÔé¼Ôäót matter├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sara nodded and they both walked.
The grief that flooded Garret was being transmuted in his mind, turning from the stabbing pain of sorrow├óÔé¼┬ª to the smoldering fire of rage. He began to walk, feeling the Lay Site flicker. He took a left, and realized that he took a wrong turn. Instead of another corridor that split down the middle, he found a massive round hole, heading straight down. A single wooden bride, apparently made very recently, was strung across the middle. ├óÔé¼┼ôLet├óÔé¼Ôäós go back├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. Then he heard the tell tail sound of a sword being unsheathed.
He looked up and saw Keith standing at the other side of the bridge. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said darkly. Keith simple nodded silently and then broke into a run. He was startlingly fast, and Garret barely managed to get the Tempest up and out of its scabbard before Keith├óÔé¼Ôäós sword smashed into him. Garret slid backwards and he heard Sara unsheathed her rapier.
Garret dodged to the side as Keith sliced at him, but then the man├óÔé¼Ôäós leg flew out and connected solidly with Garrets side, sending him flying backwards. Sara was almost bowled over by his passage, but she managed to parry Keith├óÔé¼Ôäós attack as he flew up and over Garrets flying body. She exchanged a flurry of blows before Keith managed to sweep around her. She spun as Keith ran on the wall, his boots some how finding purchase of the smooth wall. His sword came about and she ducked, barley avoiding the lathe strike.
Garret got up as Keith drew a second sword. Garret attacked and Sara attacked, but Keith parried and deflected both attacks easily, then struck back. His sword slid into Garrets fore arm, causing superficial damage before Garret dodged away. Sara did a jump kick, but Keith caught her foot and snapped her ankle. She fell to earth, but grabbed a rune stone. She fired a controlled blast of fire at Keith. Keith bent at a impossible angle, his head practically touching his ankles as a bolt of pure fire sped over his head.
Then Keith snapped back up as Garret did a over head strike to his unprotected stomach. But Keith brought both his swords up and threw Garrets Tempest away. Sara staggered to her feet and sent a blast of healing energy at her ankle. It wasn├óÔé¼Ôäót very efficient, but It had the desired effect. She swiped at Keith├óÔé¼Ôäós neck, but the man blocked it effortlessly. Keith punched Garret in the face, using the handle of his sword as a bludgeon. Garret felt his nose break. Keith turned and kicked Sara in the stomach.
She felt two of her rib├óÔé¼Ôäós snap. She slid backwards, catching herself on the rope section of the rope bridge. Keith walked slowly over to her, unhurriedly. Then Garrets form smashed into him and bowelled Keith over. The larger man fell heavily and the wooden bridge swayed dangerously. Sara got to her feet, unsteadily and in pain. Keith attacked her over her head with his sword, but she blocked it. Then his other sword plunged into her side, cutting through unessential fat and flesh.
Sara gasped as the sword began to slowly cut inward to her lung and stomach. Her sword arm was being held up by Keith├óÔé¼Ôäós hand. She felt her wrist break, but she kept her hand closed around her sword hilt. She saw Garret stagger to his feet and knew they wouldn├óÔé¼Ôäót be able to beat Keith. She grinned, looking at Keith. His eyes were completely blank, but even he was surprised when she threw herself off the bridge. Her weight carried him over the edge, and she was falling.
But she brought her sword around and plunged it into the wall of the round wall of the chamber. Keith grabbed her ankle and with a painfully jolt, he hung on. Sara also notices that the sword had lodged firmly in the wall. Keith began to clamber up her back, using her as a human ladder. Sara grinned as the poison fell out her left pocket, jostled out by Keith├óÔé¼Ôäós hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôGuess I don├óÔé¼Ôäót need it├óÔé¼┬Ø she whispered. ├óÔé¼┼ôdon├óÔé¼Ôäót worry! I can levitate you out!├óÔé¼┬Ø she heard Garret├óÔé¼Ôäós voice from above and behind her. She looked over her shoulder and saw the bridge was not too far above her.
├óÔé¼┼ôDon├óÔé¼Ôäót├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, loud enough for him to hear. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo!├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôI can get you out right now!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sara laughed ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know I was├óÔé¼┬ª I was so jealous of you and Juliana├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, almost hysterical. Garret looked at her, pain in his eyes. ├óÔé¼┼ôI knew I couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót live with her and you├óÔé¼┬ª together, so I brought some poison├óÔé¼┬Ø she felt her hands weaken, the pain from her fractured wrist almost gone due to natural painkillers.
├óÔé¼┼ôno├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said softly. ├óÔé¼┼ôJust├óÔé¼┬ª just promise me something├óÔé¼┬Ø Sara said, feeling her grip on the sword hilt weaken. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnything├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. Keith was almost half way up her body, his head in the small of her back. ├óÔé¼┼ôKill that fucker Smythson for me├óÔé¼┬Ø Sara said and let go of the sword. Then she was gone.
Garret stood up, feeling his nose gingerly. He was too tired for tears, and felt nothing. Absolutely nothing. All that was left was a slight pain from his broken nose and the sword hilt in soft rock of the wall. Felix was dead. Sara was dead. Even Keith, who was as blameless as a sword used by a murderer, was dead. Garret used a little bit of healing powers to fix his nose. Then he walked unsteadily off the bridge.
Blood dribbled from his nose and all he could hear was the sound of his boots squelch across the floor. His feet left a trail of blood, figuratively and practically, the blood from his nose dribbling onto the ground in front of him. He came round the bend and came on the Door. Smythson was stranding there, waiting for him
├óÔé¼┼ôYou old fool├óÔé¼┬Ø Smythson said, sneering at Garret ├óÔé¼┼ôStelvi was a shortsighted man, but he got one thing right. Getting you out of the way was the best idea he had had in centuries├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret drew his sword, but Smythson wasn├óÔé¼Ôäót finished. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy did the gods bless you with unimaginable power, then you waste it? Why did you waste it on others when you could of built something for yourself?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSmythson├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said evenly ├óÔé¼┼ôYou can├óÔé¼Ôäót understand the Lay Stone. Its too powerful, its not of this time├óÔé¼┬Ø. Smythson grinned. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou├óÔé¼Ôäóre too late├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, holding up what looked like a flat disk in his right hand. Then the disk opened out into the five rings of the Lay stone. Then a blinding white flash filled the air as the Lay Stone was activated.
The light cleared, then Garret understood what the Lay Stone was. Smythson stood before him, but his face and body rippled, altering itself. His face was weathered, then smooth, then his eye├óÔé¼Ôäós where there, but then all that was left was a mass of scar tissue. His robe shifted from a brilliant white to a deep red. Its shoulder pads changed from a verity of styles, never settling on one for any length of time. Smythson├óÔé¼Ôäós eyes, when he had them, where staring around wildly as if he was asleep but his eyelids where open.
Smythson stepped forward and his features kept changing in a sickeningly bizarre pattern. He spoke, and a multitude of voices issued forth from his mouth. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼┬ªam everything├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, more to himself then to Garret. The Lay stone didn├óÔé¼Ôäót exist JUST on this plane of reality. It existed on every single possible reality, from massive changes in what had happened to minute things that where different. It affected the man, or woman, who held it, allowing him to live in-between time.
├óÔé¼┼ôI can choose the threads, don├óÔé¼Ôäót you understand├óÔé¼┬Ø Smythson├óÔé¼Ôäós voices said, each one different but each speaking at the same time, like a massive choir. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can decide how the world is├óÔé¼┬ªbut├óÔé¼┬Ø he paused. The room started to shift around him, people flickering in and out of existence. For a fleeting moment Felix stood beside Garret, but then he was replaced by a stranger Garret had never seen before.
The room├óÔé¼Ôäós walls also had flickers of blood and some time├óÔé¼Ôäós body parts appear and disappear, as if different battles left different remains. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can├óÔé¼Ôäót. I can├óÔé¼Ôäót affect you├óÔé¼┬Ø Smythson said, looking at Garret with out moving his eyes. Garret laughed without feeling ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat, do you think I├óÔé¼Ôäóm stupid? I tied a liberal amount of energy into the Lay stone. No one can affect MY time line. You have to find a more├óÔé¼┬ªconventional way to cut it short before you can claim your god hood!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Smythson├óÔé¼Ôäós faces twisted into different furious faces.
├óÔé¼┼ôMY time line is always being written, so you cant alter its future├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, before the Tempest sliced out and struck at Smythson. But Smythson had already dodged. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can go back in my time line and tell myself about your attacks├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, grinning. Garret looked at him, hopelessness welling up. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are going to stand here for an eternity, until your throw yourself on your sword and give up. I can wait forever├óÔé¼┬ªcan you?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Smythson laughed. Garret looked at the Lay Stone. It was spinning rapidly, the rings intersecting and its center fluxing as the rings slid around it. The center was like a bundle of glowing strings. Garret suddenly knew what to do. Smythson was standing, enraptured by whatever he was seeing. Garret then put everything in this one strike.
He placed his anger, his fear, and every ounce of concentration into one sword strike, timing it perfectly. The Tempest slid in-between the rotating rings of the Lay Stone, and cut through the middle of the Lay Stone. There was a blinding flash of energy, and Garret felt himself being thrown backwards. He got up, stiffly and saw that Smythson was back to his normal self. But the power├óÔé¼┬ª His magic was at his fingertips and he felt his memories flooding back in full force.
The energy he tied into the Lay stone where now free├óÔé¼┬ªfor him. He walked forward, anger filling his veins. He stepped to Smythson, who was standing stock still, a shocked expression on his face. His empty eye sockets stared at Garret. Garret slid his sword into Smythson├óÔé¼Ôäós stomach and Smythson gasped. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼┬ªwas meant to be a god. Don├óÔé¼Ôäót you understand?├óÔé¼┬Ø he whispered into Garrets ears. Garret stepped back, sliding the Tempest out of Smythson├óÔé¼Ôäós body. Smythson fell backwards and the Lay stone clattered to the floor, its rings falling apart without its center. The severed strain├óÔé¼Ôäós of whatever had made up the center of the Lay Stone slithered back into the Door. They joined up with it and suddenly Garret felt something that had always been nagging at the back of his mind, something he could never quite explain├óÔé¼┬ª go away.
He then bent over and picked up the Lay Stone. I could fix it he thought. He could bring them back; he could save Felix and Sara. Then he remembered Smythson├óÔé¼Ôäós last words. I was supposed to a God, don├óÔé¼Ôäót you understand . Like a God. Garret shook his head, and put the rings back down. He turned around, his face set and determined. Then he walked out the door, never looking back.
Epilogue
Garret walked over to Book and Red. The two where asleep, and the wreckage of the plane had protected them from most of the elements. Red looked at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is Felix├óÔé¼┬ª and Sara?├óÔé¼┬Ø Book asked, getting up too. Garret looked at him, and he drew a shuddering gasp. ├óÔé¼┼ôDead? Felix?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Garret put his hand on Book├óÔé¼Ôäós shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow will we get home?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Red, always practical. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can open a gate straight to the Tower├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, mood lightening a little. ├óÔé¼┼ôDidn├óÔé¼Ôäót that burn out Smythson├óÔé¼Ôäós eyes?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Book.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat, that Amateur?├óÔé¼┬Ø he said flicking his fingers and opening a Gate. Book walked through, trudging into the snow. The Red flooded her wings up, squeezing into the gate. Then Garret looked around at Shamazad, then stepped through the Gate. He looked at the Tower and gaped. The Tower looked like it had been through a war. He ran, fear clutching his heart.
He smashed into the main doors, blowing them down with magic as much with his body. He looked into the main hall, and saw a hastily erected barricade of furniture. A figure crouched behind it, and before Garret could see who it was a blast of ice was flung at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôGO AWAY!├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Juliana. Garret dove out of cover and shouted back ├óÔé¼┼ôIt├óÔé¼Ôäós ME!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Juliana stood up shakily. She stepped forward, one of her legs cut. Her dress had been burned away at some points, and several cuts lacerated her back. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou├óÔé¼┬ªwouldn├óÔé¼Ôäót believe the kind of day I have been having├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, before collapsing into Garrets arms. Garret grinned as Juliana told him the story. It was quite remarkable and ended up with the entire Necromancer council killing each other.
Garret held Juliana and looked over the damaged Tower. Then he remembered the war was still raging on Terrix, and now the only form of real government was the army, on both sides. ├óÔé¼┼ôListen, we have a lot of work to do├óÔé¼┬Ø he said and Juliana looked at him. She cocked her left eyebrow ├óÔé¼┼ôLike what?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. Garret gently healed her body, and then began to walk her to the more damaged parts of the Tower. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell first things first, we need to repair this place├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, looking forward to a bright future.
To be Continued in Rings: Building an Empire-
Authors Note: Holy CRAP! It├óÔé¼Ôäós over for now, but be assured a sequel will be up. Right after I write another series! I hope you, that is the one guy who bothers to read this, enjoyed the sires as much as I enjoyed writing it. And as a plus it have the entire thing in one huge word doc, so if you want it in a more manageable format, then just PM me and give me your Email address.
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Archangel of Death
- Posts: 854
- Joined: 28 Jan 2005, 18:15
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I have some bad news guys.
I was arguing witha freind of mine about how awsome Spring is. He said it was crap. I dissagreed, and was gesticulating wildly when suddenly i smashed my tumbs to gether and now i have a broken left thumb. DAMN IT!
The practical up shot of this is that i cant write very fast, and it will take longer for my next Sires, Its the End of the World as We Know it, But i Feel Fine, to come out. HOWEVER once that is done, Rings: 2 will come out...hopefully with a better title
I was arguing witha freind of mine about how awsome Spring is. He said it was crap. I dissagreed, and was gesticulating wildly when suddenly i smashed my tumbs to gether and now i have a broken left thumb. DAMN IT!
The practical up shot of this is that i cant write very fast, and it will take longer for my next Sires, Its the End of the World as We Know it, But i Feel Fine, to come out. HOWEVER once that is done, Rings: 2 will come out...hopefully with a better title
Book II
Nine Years Later:
The cold winds of Terrix blew across the tundra, causing coats to be pulled on and hoods to be tightened. Garret stroked his goatee and watched the tundra. It was as achingly beautiful this time he had seen it as it was when he had seen snow first fall. Ten long years ago he thought. The crystal fields shimmered in the muted sun light, and the snowflakes only added to the feeling of wonder.
├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø said a voice over his shoulder. Garret turned and saw Killigan, wrapped in warm clothes. Killigan├óÔé¼Ôäós black face poked out of the white camouflage of his clothes like some disembodied head. ├óÔé¼┼ôwhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked, turning away from the tundra and facing his second. Killigan├óÔé¼Ôäós face was grim. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Troggs have hit another village├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.
Garret looked down. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow many casualties?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked quietly. ├óÔé¼┼ôa hundred, leave or take a few dozen the Trogg took as slaves├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan said. Garret nodded, looking up. His eyes were steely and as determined as the day he had met Killigan. ├óÔé¼┼ôTell the troops├óÔé¼┬ª we move out in an hour├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, walking with Killigan to the camp.
The camp had been hastily erected, a smattering of white tents perched on a ridge about fifty thousand leagues away from Stelvi. The bizarre group of peoples that had rallied under Garrets banner mingled freely. Kia, Shamazadian, Human and even a few orks had come to Terrix. The last were the most bizarre, there orange skin and four arms making them stand out amongst the others. But the orks fought with the same stubbornness they had fought the Shamazadian, and now the two races were intermingling.
Garret watched how professionally they organized themselves; each one checking there preferred weapon and gathering with a mixed squadron. Each squad was four individuals, each with a differing talent and weapon. Each squad was bonded, not by ties of race or blood, but rather the single ideal that was truly worth fighting and dieing for. Peace Garret thought Even Peace requires blood to be spilt.
Red stood, her hair braided and running down the length of her back. Garret theorized that when she had changed to human from her wings, and the ability to fly, had been so ingrained into her personality that she couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót let go of them at a subconscious level. So they stayed. Her clothes were tailored to be lose fitting. No sense in tangling up her wings. Her swords where crossed at her chest, strapped there so she could grab them easily and fly at the same time.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat├óÔé¼Ôäós the reconnaissance?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked, walking over to his friend. The light in her eyes had never come back though├óÔé¼┬ª not for four years.
The casket being lowered slowly into the ground. Red├óÔé¼┬ª watching passively as her husband was lowered to his final resting place.
├óÔé¼┼ôThe Troggs hit and burned the village in there normal style. We can catch them off guard if we attack in say├óÔé¼┬ª three hours?├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said, averting her eyes ├óÔé¼┼ôthey are probably still celebrating├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret grinned wryly, but it was only halfheartedly. Red was still├óÔé¼┬ª not her self. Garret patted her on the back and walked away. ├óÔé¼┼ôGarret├óÔé¼┬Ø she said softly to her self ├óÔé¼┼ôwhy├óÔé¼┬ªwhy couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót you save him?├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The army moved out, its banner waving proudly. The squads moved across the ground in a deceptively unorganized wave. There formation allowed them to avoid most enemy fire, and enabled them to move quickly through the crystal fields of Terrix. They wormed there way through the fields, Garret leading with the Tempest drawn. The village that had been sacked by the Trogg├óÔé¼Ôäós still burned, and they could see the smoke.
Killigan was deathly quiet as they approached. All the idle chatter of the troops vanished when they arrived at the village. Dusk was approaching quickly and the Troggs had made camp. Garret sent Alpha and Beta Squads through the village, while tacking the other five squads to meet the Troggs In the open. Alphas One, Killigan, took charge of the two squads and they quickly moved through the village.
George had joined, actually defected to, Garrets army a little over a year ago. Troggs dint scare him, but he was always terrified of entering sacked villages. The corpses that scattered the ground always looked too still to him. His mind would always trick him, making him think he saw one of them move├óÔé¼┬ª
He followed Beta three, G├óÔé¼Ôäóimla, and hoped she wasn├óÔé¼Ôäót as terrified as he was. He also hoped she didn├óÔé¼Ôäót know how terrified he was. They both had a simple metal curies, to protect them from musket fire, and a single handed sword for close combat. He saw something move out of the corner of his eye! George turned to G├óÔé¼Ôäóimla and prodded her shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø she whispered, her orange skin contrasting violently with her dapper blue uniform.
├óÔé¼┼ôI think I saw movement, over there├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, pointing at the corpse of a young man. Half his leg was gone, and the birds had been at his left eye. ├óÔé¼┼ôProbably just the wind├óÔé¼┬ª the Necromancers are gone├óÔé¼┬Ø G├óÔé¼Ôäóimla said, her lower arms moving down to her backup swords. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour right├óÔé¼┬Ø George said, but her looked at her face and forced a grin ├óÔé¼┼ôBetter safe then├óÔé¼┬Ø but the corpse interrupted him by lurching to its feet.
Garret walked into the Trogg camp, sword seethed. ├óÔé¼┼ôEsteemed tribe!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted in the Troggs language. The Troggs were stunned at his appearance, and only one made a move to stand. ├óÔé¼┼ôI bring you├óÔé¼┬ª a treaty├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. The Trogg who had stood up suddenly gained the look of one shocked beyond reason. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you tired of endless warfare?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, but a dart fired from a blow gun whiffed past his head. Garret closed his eyes ├óÔé¼┼ôI guess not├óÔé¼┬Ø he said resignedly.
├óÔé¼┼ôGEORGE!├óÔé¼┬Ø hissed G├óÔé¼Ôäóimla loudly ├óÔé¼┼ôget Alpha One! He needs to know this├óÔé¼┬Ø. George nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôwhat about you?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. G├óÔé¼Ôäóimla simply drew her swords, all four arms ready. The undead man lurched forward as other corpses in the sacked town came to life. George ran, when he rounded the bend he smacked into Bravo One. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh thank├óÔé¼┬Ø he said before the implications of what he was seeing hit him.
Bravo One├óÔé¼Ôäós neck had been partially ripped open and blood streamed down the Kia├óÔé¼Ôäós chest. George kicked the creature back and ran, the zombie├óÔé¼Ôäós lurching after him. He reached Julian who had just decapitated the corpse of the young man ├óÔé¼┼ôI think the zeds got to Alpha and Beta before we did├óÔé¼┬Ø He said. G├óÔé¼Ôäóimla stood up to her full seven feet height, her swords at the ready. ├óÔé¼┼ôLet them come├óÔé¼┬Ø she said as George drew his long sword.
Garret deflected the battle ax and let the Trogg├óÔé¼Ôäós momentum carry him forward. He never attacked, but simply let the enemy do the hard work for him. To the Trogg shaman it seemed as if he stepped through the battle like it was smoke. He killed no one. He struck no one. His grey-blue eyes fixed onto the shamans and bored into him. I know what you did the shaman heard in his thoughts.
The shaman roped and charged at the insolent human that dared to interfere with a Trogg. The humans face suddenly filled with├óÔé¼┬ª what? Fear├óÔé¼┬ªno. The Shaman raised he ax to strike, but as the Tempest sank into his heart he realized that it was pity. The shaman died and Garret slid the Tempest out of his corpse.
George raised his sword to strike. His sword struck home and decapitated the zed that reached its hand out to grasp his face. The monstrosity├óÔé¼Ôäós body fell with a wet plop. ├óÔé¼┼ôGeorge├óÔé¼┬Ø G├óÔé¼Ôäóimla said as the zeds got closer. ├óÔé¼┼ôG├óÔé¼Ôäóimla, you know├óÔé¼┬Ø George said, looking at the arms reaching for them ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼┬ªI├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, stammering. G├óÔé¼Ôäóimla looked at him, her eyes soft.
├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼┬ªLOOK!├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, shouting midway through his sentence. The zeds collapsed, each of them crumbling like some much puss. George suddenly knew he was going to survive. ├óÔé¼┼ôG├óÔé¼Ôäóimla├óÔé¼┬ª good job├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôwe├óÔé¼Ôäóve got to join the battle├óÔé¼┬Ø. G├óÔé¼Ôäóimla looked after him ├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬ª wait! What were you going to say?├óÔé¼┬Ø she called after him.
Garret knew the Trogg were broken before he even killed there Shaman. Even though they outnumbered his forces, the enemy was poorly organized and surprised. So after only a few casualty├óÔé¼Ôäós on both sides, the Troggs retreated. The dusk had worn onto night and the retreating Troggs soon disappeared into the night. Garret let them run for a few seconds. Then he shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôSTOP!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The Trogg├óÔé¼Ôäós stopped in there tracks, hearing the commanding voice of there enemy sounding out the darkness making them listen despite themselves. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are enemy├óÔé¼Ôäós of peace├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, not needing to shout now. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have sacked, murdered and stole from innocents├óÔé¼┬Ø he continued ├óÔé¼┼ôBut you have a way to atone for it├óÔé¼┬Ø he knew some of the Troggs would be running away now.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou must go home. You must build, rather then destroy. You must go home, and live├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. The Troggs listen in stunned silence. Usually when they defeated some one the best they gave out was a swift death. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou will step through this portal├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, snapping his fingers. The portal winked into existence like a soap bubble and beyond it was the cold Dark Twin.
The first Trogg to step forward was the eldest amongst them. He remembered from his childhood a vague happiness. He remembered his home, abandoned for the war march against Terrix. He walked over to the portal and to the strange man who was offering him a free ticket home. The man nodded simply and the Trogg galloped through the portal, his four legs propelling him through. More Troggs started to walk through and finally the entire army had departed. Once they were gone Garret let himself show his pain.
Sweat was pouring down Garrets face as the dim light created by the portal winked out as suddenly as it had arrived. Garret staggered and felt something cold clutch at his heart, but it passed quickly. He wiped off his face with his sleeve and walked to his army. The army didn├óÔé¼Ôäót need his direction after a battle. Two casualties resulted in deaths, and the army was surrounding the corpses. Garret walked over to the army and looked into the circle.
One of the dead was a Kia├óÔé¼┬ª Beta One. The other was a man that Garret didn├óÔé¼Ôäót know. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat happened?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked Killigan who was wrapping a bandage around his bicep. Killigan looked up at Garret ├óÔé¼┼ôThe abuse went bad. The shaman was obviously causing the dead in that village to get back up. One surprised Thorizan, that is Beta One and got him. The rest of Beta squad managed to get away, and Alpha was holed up in the specified location. A zombie got my arm├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou cleaned it, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked, concerned. Killigan nodded and grinned. Garret walked away from the circle of men and woman who were burying the dead. He closed his eyes and knew that the two who were dead couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót have given up their lives for a better cause. The army set up camp a long way from the sacked city, watchful for any lingering undead. Most slept soundly, but George├óÔé¼Ôäós head was still reeling.
I am a coward he thought. He couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót fight zeds, or Troggs or Talan or anything else they came up against. He couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót even say words, or at least not the right words at the right times. He was lying on the bed roll in his squads tent. G├óÔé¼Ôäóimla was asleep on the farthest edge of the tent. There was a bizarre hole where Thorizan had slept in, and George kept remembering Thorizan├óÔé¼Ôäós face. And he remembered how he had thrown up safely away from the camp.
He rolled over and looked at the dark camp. From outside his tent, he swore├óÔé¼┬ª for a second that he had heard some one crying. Then the sound faded in the whistling sound of the wind. He rolled over again and saw a shadow in the tent. It was stooped over and its face was covered by its hands. Then it got up and walked away, its silhouette lost in the night.
The next day dawned a little chilly, the sky a muted grey. Garret was woken by the regular messenger. The letters for this month had arrived, and one was for Garret. He walked to the messenger area with a spring in his step, feeling happier then he had in├óÔé¼┬ªmonths. The messenger area was really just the center of the camp, with the bag filled with runestones and paper in the middle. The messenger had already left, his plane flying off and towards the nearest gate.
Garret walked up and looked in the bag. He spotted a runestone with a blue outline. That was his color. Garret reached in and grabbed it. The rest of the army was getting out in an orderly fashion, in order of squad. Killigan was grinning at the prospect of a letter from home. His brother always wrote to him this month. Garret walked to his tent briskly.
His tent was just a bed roll, like everyone else├óÔé¼Ôäós. His tent was also the smallest, as It needed to only hold one man, after all. He placed the rune on the ground and activated it with a thought. Juliana├óÔé¼Ôäós form appeared as the runestone played back her message.
├óÔé¼┼ôHello Garret├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm so sorry I haven├óÔé¼Ôäót been able to write to you these last two months. See Teresa has just learned about her talent├óÔé¼┬Ø she reached off the projected area of the rune and grabbed Teresa. Garret grinned as his daughter was bounced on Juliana├óÔé¼Ôäós knees. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe showed it by making the tapestry in our room combust├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said
Garret cocked an eyebrow at that. His daughter was only seven. Usually magic only manifested itself when you were at least├óÔé¼┬ª twenty. ├óÔé¼┼ôTeaching her just to control it is hard enough. But├óÔé¼┬ª├óÔé¼┬Ø she trailed off ├óÔé¼┼ôI miss you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret saw a tear trickle down the scar on her cheek and he reached towards the image. His hand disturbed it as he reached into Juliana├óÔé¼Ôäós face, her dialog continuing ├óÔé¼┼ôCome home soon├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe war can├óÔé¼Ôäót last forever├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Garret stood up as the runestone fell silent. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt will├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, his face set. He walked out to the camp and found Killigan sitting on the ground, reading his brothers letter and laughing at it quietly. ├óÔé¼┼ôKilligan├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou├óÔé¼Ôäóre in command├óÔé¼┬Ø. Killigan, who was sipping some tea at the time, spewed the tea out of his mouth. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôSir, you├óÔé¼Ôäóre an inspiration to these men! You can├óÔé¼Ôäót just up and leave├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôKilligan├óÔé¼┬ª I am not leaving permanently. I have decided to up our goals├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôNo more chasing after Troggs├óÔé¼┬ª no more watching towns getting sacked├óÔé¼┬Ø anger, long buried rose in his voice ├óÔé¼┼ôI am going to end this in the best and fastest way possible├óÔé¼┬Ø. Killigan, caught up in his leaders charisma, stood up slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôbut how?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Garret smiled enigmatically ├óÔé¼┼ôBy surrendering├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.
Juliana felt, rather then saw the gate opening. She stood, almost knocking Teresa over. Teresa looked with glee, rather then fear. She always was fascinated by new magic and she stood up as the gate opened. Juliana grabbed her, ready to throw up a shield when. When.
├óÔé¼┼ôDADDY!├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Teresa as she squirmed, trying to get out of Juliana├óÔé¼Ôäós grasp. ├óÔé¼┼ôGarret├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana whispered. Garret stepped through the portal completely and it closed. A pained look crossed his face, but only for a moment. Juliana ran forward, Teresa finally escaping from her grasp. Juliana hugged him, while Teresa grabbed onto his left leg. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm sorry it took so long├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said.
Lord Balter scribbled some of this and some of that. This and that. His forms had to be filled out, and his taxes needed to be paid. Each royal family in the Empire had to pay their taxes to the army and to the Guild. So he paid. Xue wanted some ridicules sum of money to cover this and that. This and that. Lord Balter knew he would never have the exiting life of his father, who had gallivanted around the rings before getting shot. Balter still smiled. His father had never been the most intelligent leaders, but at least he had know how to go out with a bang.
Balter leaned back in his chair and swiveled it around to look out on the city. His city. After a couple more months, with some more fancy diplomatic maneuverings, the capitol would be his by day, the guild by night and Xue├óÔé¼Ôäós├óÔé¼┬ª never! He felt like cackling, but restrained himself.
Then there was a rustle, and a indescribable force opening. Then a circular gate opened and through it Balter could see a fire, a very comfortable bed and├óÔé¼┬ªand. His stomach dropped out and he immediately knew the woman he wanted, the woman he would always want. Even a thin scar down her cheek didn├óÔé¼Ôäót detract from her beauty. Then his heart crashed. She had a child on her knee, and a very threatening man stepped through.
He wore a light grey shit, complimented by a black cloak over his shoulder. A black blade was sheathed in a small, unadorned scabbard. His boots were covered in a white substance that seemed to melt away in the room├óÔé¼Ôäós temperature. His face looked, at least from a biological stand point, to be at least├óÔé¼┬ª twenty or thirty. However his eye├óÔé¼Ôäós betrayed a deep wisdom and something that was very unsettling. Something very├óÔé¼┬ªold Balter knew.
The man finished stepping through the gate and it closed behind him. The man stepped onto a rather expensive rug, running it with dirt and mud. But Balter was still shocked at this sudden entrance. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello, Richard├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said, his mouth outlined by a black goatee. ├óÔé¼┼ôD-Do I know you├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Balter, somewhat unsteadily. The man bowed slightly, sweeping his hands widely ├óÔé¼┼ôYou might remember me, back when you were about├óÔé¼┬ª sixteen├óÔé¼┬Ø. Balter leaned back in his chair, his mouth handing open. ├óÔé¼┼ôno├óÔé¼┬ªI cant be├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.
├óÔé¼┼ôI didn├óÔé¼Ôäót think I emotionally scarred you that bad├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked ├óÔé¼┼ôNow, I am here to take the greatest leap forward humanity has ever seen├óÔé¼┬ªand I├óÔé¼Ôäód like to ask you for help?├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Nine Years Later:
The cold winds of Terrix blew across the tundra, causing coats to be pulled on and hoods to be tightened. Garret stroked his goatee and watched the tundra. It was as achingly beautiful this time he had seen it as it was when he had seen snow first fall. Ten long years ago he thought. The crystal fields shimmered in the muted sun light, and the snowflakes only added to the feeling of wonder.
├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø said a voice over his shoulder. Garret turned and saw Killigan, wrapped in warm clothes. Killigan├óÔé¼Ôäós black face poked out of the white camouflage of his clothes like some disembodied head. ├óÔé¼┼ôwhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked, turning away from the tundra and facing his second. Killigan├óÔé¼Ôäós face was grim. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Troggs have hit another village├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.
Garret looked down. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow many casualties?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked quietly. ├óÔé¼┼ôa hundred, leave or take a few dozen the Trogg took as slaves├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan said. Garret nodded, looking up. His eyes were steely and as determined as the day he had met Killigan. ├óÔé¼┼ôTell the troops├óÔé¼┬ª we move out in an hour├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, walking with Killigan to the camp.
The camp had been hastily erected, a smattering of white tents perched on a ridge about fifty thousand leagues away from Stelvi. The bizarre group of peoples that had rallied under Garrets banner mingled freely. Kia, Shamazadian, Human and even a few orks had come to Terrix. The last were the most bizarre, there orange skin and four arms making them stand out amongst the others. But the orks fought with the same stubbornness they had fought the Shamazadian, and now the two races were intermingling.
Garret watched how professionally they organized themselves; each one checking there preferred weapon and gathering with a mixed squadron. Each squad was four individuals, each with a differing talent and weapon. Each squad was bonded, not by ties of race or blood, but rather the single ideal that was truly worth fighting and dieing for. Peace Garret thought Even Peace requires blood to be spilt.
Red stood, her hair braided and running down the length of her back. Garret theorized that when she had changed to human from her wings, and the ability to fly, had been so ingrained into her personality that she couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót let go of them at a subconscious level. So they stayed. Her clothes were tailored to be lose fitting. No sense in tangling up her wings. Her swords where crossed at her chest, strapped there so she could grab them easily and fly at the same time.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat├óÔé¼Ôäós the reconnaissance?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked, walking over to his friend. The light in her eyes had never come back though├óÔé¼┬ª not for four years.
The casket being lowered slowly into the ground. Red├óÔé¼┬ª watching passively as her husband was lowered to his final resting place.
├óÔé¼┼ôThe Troggs hit and burned the village in there normal style. We can catch them off guard if we attack in say├óÔé¼┬ª three hours?├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said, averting her eyes ├óÔé¼┼ôthey are probably still celebrating├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret grinned wryly, but it was only halfheartedly. Red was still├óÔé¼┬ª not her self. Garret patted her on the back and walked away. ├óÔé¼┼ôGarret├óÔé¼┬Ø she said softly to her self ├óÔé¼┼ôwhy├óÔé¼┬ªwhy couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót you save him?├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The army moved out, its banner waving proudly. The squads moved across the ground in a deceptively unorganized wave. There formation allowed them to avoid most enemy fire, and enabled them to move quickly through the crystal fields of Terrix. They wormed there way through the fields, Garret leading with the Tempest drawn. The village that had been sacked by the Trogg├óÔé¼Ôäós still burned, and they could see the smoke.
Killigan was deathly quiet as they approached. All the idle chatter of the troops vanished when they arrived at the village. Dusk was approaching quickly and the Troggs had made camp. Garret sent Alpha and Beta Squads through the village, while tacking the other five squads to meet the Troggs In the open. Alphas One, Killigan, took charge of the two squads and they quickly moved through the village.
George had joined, actually defected to, Garrets army a little over a year ago. Troggs dint scare him, but he was always terrified of entering sacked villages. The corpses that scattered the ground always looked too still to him. His mind would always trick him, making him think he saw one of them move├óÔé¼┬ª
He followed Beta three, G├óÔé¼Ôäóimla, and hoped she wasn├óÔé¼Ôäót as terrified as he was. He also hoped she didn├óÔé¼Ôäót know how terrified he was. They both had a simple metal curies, to protect them from musket fire, and a single handed sword for close combat. He saw something move out of the corner of his eye! George turned to G├óÔé¼Ôäóimla and prodded her shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø she whispered, her orange skin contrasting violently with her dapper blue uniform.
├óÔé¼┼ôI think I saw movement, over there├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, pointing at the corpse of a young man. Half his leg was gone, and the birds had been at his left eye. ├óÔé¼┼ôProbably just the wind├óÔé¼┬ª the Necromancers are gone├óÔé¼┬Ø G├óÔé¼Ôäóimla said, her lower arms moving down to her backup swords. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour right├óÔé¼┬Ø George said, but her looked at her face and forced a grin ├óÔé¼┼ôBetter safe then├óÔé¼┬Ø but the corpse interrupted him by lurching to its feet.
Garret walked into the Trogg camp, sword seethed. ├óÔé¼┼ôEsteemed tribe!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted in the Troggs language. The Troggs were stunned at his appearance, and only one made a move to stand. ├óÔé¼┼ôI bring you├óÔé¼┬ª a treaty├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. The Trogg who had stood up suddenly gained the look of one shocked beyond reason. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you tired of endless warfare?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, but a dart fired from a blow gun whiffed past his head. Garret closed his eyes ├óÔé¼┼ôI guess not├óÔé¼┬Ø he said resignedly.
├óÔé¼┼ôGEORGE!├óÔé¼┬Ø hissed G├óÔé¼Ôäóimla loudly ├óÔé¼┼ôget Alpha One! He needs to know this├óÔé¼┬Ø. George nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôwhat about you?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. G├óÔé¼Ôäóimla simply drew her swords, all four arms ready. The undead man lurched forward as other corpses in the sacked town came to life. George ran, when he rounded the bend he smacked into Bravo One. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh thank├óÔé¼┬Ø he said before the implications of what he was seeing hit him.
Bravo One├óÔé¼Ôäós neck had been partially ripped open and blood streamed down the Kia├óÔé¼Ôäós chest. George kicked the creature back and ran, the zombie├óÔé¼Ôäós lurching after him. He reached Julian who had just decapitated the corpse of the young man ├óÔé¼┼ôI think the zeds got to Alpha and Beta before we did├óÔé¼┬Ø He said. G├óÔé¼Ôäóimla stood up to her full seven feet height, her swords at the ready. ├óÔé¼┼ôLet them come├óÔé¼┬Ø she said as George drew his long sword.
Garret deflected the battle ax and let the Trogg├óÔé¼Ôäós momentum carry him forward. He never attacked, but simply let the enemy do the hard work for him. To the Trogg shaman it seemed as if he stepped through the battle like it was smoke. He killed no one. He struck no one. His grey-blue eyes fixed onto the shamans and bored into him. I know what you did the shaman heard in his thoughts.
The shaman roped and charged at the insolent human that dared to interfere with a Trogg. The humans face suddenly filled with├óÔé¼┬ª what? Fear├óÔé¼┬ªno. The Shaman raised he ax to strike, but as the Tempest sank into his heart he realized that it was pity. The shaman died and Garret slid the Tempest out of his corpse.
George raised his sword to strike. His sword struck home and decapitated the zed that reached its hand out to grasp his face. The monstrosity├óÔé¼Ôäós body fell with a wet plop. ├óÔé¼┼ôGeorge├óÔé¼┬Ø G├óÔé¼Ôäóimla said as the zeds got closer. ├óÔé¼┼ôG├óÔé¼Ôäóimla, you know├óÔé¼┬Ø George said, looking at the arms reaching for them ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼┬ªI├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, stammering. G├óÔé¼Ôäóimla looked at him, her eyes soft.
├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼┬ªLOOK!├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, shouting midway through his sentence. The zeds collapsed, each of them crumbling like some much puss. George suddenly knew he was going to survive. ├óÔé¼┼ôG├óÔé¼Ôäóimla├óÔé¼┬ª good job├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôwe├óÔé¼Ôäóve got to join the battle├óÔé¼┬Ø. G├óÔé¼Ôäóimla looked after him ├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬ª wait! What were you going to say?├óÔé¼┬Ø she called after him.
Garret knew the Trogg were broken before he even killed there Shaman. Even though they outnumbered his forces, the enemy was poorly organized and surprised. So after only a few casualty├óÔé¼Ôäós on both sides, the Troggs retreated. The dusk had worn onto night and the retreating Troggs soon disappeared into the night. Garret let them run for a few seconds. Then he shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôSTOP!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The Trogg├óÔé¼Ôäós stopped in there tracks, hearing the commanding voice of there enemy sounding out the darkness making them listen despite themselves. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are enemy├óÔé¼Ôäós of peace├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, not needing to shout now. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have sacked, murdered and stole from innocents├óÔé¼┬Ø he continued ├óÔé¼┼ôBut you have a way to atone for it├óÔé¼┬Ø he knew some of the Troggs would be running away now.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou must go home. You must build, rather then destroy. You must go home, and live├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. The Troggs listen in stunned silence. Usually when they defeated some one the best they gave out was a swift death. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou will step through this portal├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, snapping his fingers. The portal winked into existence like a soap bubble and beyond it was the cold Dark Twin.
The first Trogg to step forward was the eldest amongst them. He remembered from his childhood a vague happiness. He remembered his home, abandoned for the war march against Terrix. He walked over to the portal and to the strange man who was offering him a free ticket home. The man nodded simply and the Trogg galloped through the portal, his four legs propelling him through. More Troggs started to walk through and finally the entire army had departed. Once they were gone Garret let himself show his pain.
Sweat was pouring down Garrets face as the dim light created by the portal winked out as suddenly as it had arrived. Garret staggered and felt something cold clutch at his heart, but it passed quickly. He wiped off his face with his sleeve and walked to his army. The army didn├óÔé¼Ôäót need his direction after a battle. Two casualties resulted in deaths, and the army was surrounding the corpses. Garret walked over to the army and looked into the circle.
One of the dead was a Kia├óÔé¼┬ª Beta One. The other was a man that Garret didn├óÔé¼Ôäót know. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat happened?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked Killigan who was wrapping a bandage around his bicep. Killigan looked up at Garret ├óÔé¼┼ôThe abuse went bad. The shaman was obviously causing the dead in that village to get back up. One surprised Thorizan, that is Beta One and got him. The rest of Beta squad managed to get away, and Alpha was holed up in the specified location. A zombie got my arm├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou cleaned it, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked, concerned. Killigan nodded and grinned. Garret walked away from the circle of men and woman who were burying the dead. He closed his eyes and knew that the two who were dead couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót have given up their lives for a better cause. The army set up camp a long way from the sacked city, watchful for any lingering undead. Most slept soundly, but George├óÔé¼Ôäós head was still reeling.
I am a coward he thought. He couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót fight zeds, or Troggs or Talan or anything else they came up against. He couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót even say words, or at least not the right words at the right times. He was lying on the bed roll in his squads tent. G├óÔé¼Ôäóimla was asleep on the farthest edge of the tent. There was a bizarre hole where Thorizan had slept in, and George kept remembering Thorizan├óÔé¼Ôäós face. And he remembered how he had thrown up safely away from the camp.
He rolled over and looked at the dark camp. From outside his tent, he swore├óÔé¼┬ª for a second that he had heard some one crying. Then the sound faded in the whistling sound of the wind. He rolled over again and saw a shadow in the tent. It was stooped over and its face was covered by its hands. Then it got up and walked away, its silhouette lost in the night.
The next day dawned a little chilly, the sky a muted grey. Garret was woken by the regular messenger. The letters for this month had arrived, and one was for Garret. He walked to the messenger area with a spring in his step, feeling happier then he had in├óÔé¼┬ªmonths. The messenger area was really just the center of the camp, with the bag filled with runestones and paper in the middle. The messenger had already left, his plane flying off and towards the nearest gate.
Garret walked up and looked in the bag. He spotted a runestone with a blue outline. That was his color. Garret reached in and grabbed it. The rest of the army was getting out in an orderly fashion, in order of squad. Killigan was grinning at the prospect of a letter from home. His brother always wrote to him this month. Garret walked to his tent briskly.
His tent was just a bed roll, like everyone else├óÔé¼Ôäós. His tent was also the smallest, as It needed to only hold one man, after all. He placed the rune on the ground and activated it with a thought. Juliana├óÔé¼Ôäós form appeared as the runestone played back her message.
├óÔé¼┼ôHello Garret├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm so sorry I haven├óÔé¼Ôäót been able to write to you these last two months. See Teresa has just learned about her talent├óÔé¼┬Ø she reached off the projected area of the rune and grabbed Teresa. Garret grinned as his daughter was bounced on Juliana├óÔé¼Ôäós knees. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe showed it by making the tapestry in our room combust├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said
Garret cocked an eyebrow at that. His daughter was only seven. Usually magic only manifested itself when you were at least├óÔé¼┬ª twenty. ├óÔé¼┼ôTeaching her just to control it is hard enough. But├óÔé¼┬ª├óÔé¼┬Ø she trailed off ├óÔé¼┼ôI miss you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret saw a tear trickle down the scar on her cheek and he reached towards the image. His hand disturbed it as he reached into Juliana├óÔé¼Ôäós face, her dialog continuing ├óÔé¼┼ôCome home soon├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe war can├óÔé¼Ôäót last forever├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Garret stood up as the runestone fell silent. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt will├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, his face set. He walked out to the camp and found Killigan sitting on the ground, reading his brothers letter and laughing at it quietly. ├óÔé¼┼ôKilligan├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou├óÔé¼Ôäóre in command├óÔé¼┬Ø. Killigan, who was sipping some tea at the time, spewed the tea out of his mouth. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôSir, you├óÔé¼Ôäóre an inspiration to these men! You can├óÔé¼Ôäót just up and leave├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôKilligan├óÔé¼┬ª I am not leaving permanently. I have decided to up our goals├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôNo more chasing after Troggs├óÔé¼┬ª no more watching towns getting sacked├óÔé¼┬Ø anger, long buried rose in his voice ├óÔé¼┼ôI am going to end this in the best and fastest way possible├óÔé¼┬Ø. Killigan, caught up in his leaders charisma, stood up slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôbut how?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Garret smiled enigmatically ├óÔé¼┼ôBy surrendering├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.
Juliana felt, rather then saw the gate opening. She stood, almost knocking Teresa over. Teresa looked with glee, rather then fear. She always was fascinated by new magic and she stood up as the gate opened. Juliana grabbed her, ready to throw up a shield when. When.
├óÔé¼┼ôDADDY!├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Teresa as she squirmed, trying to get out of Juliana├óÔé¼Ôäós grasp. ├óÔé¼┼ôGarret├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana whispered. Garret stepped through the portal completely and it closed. A pained look crossed his face, but only for a moment. Juliana ran forward, Teresa finally escaping from her grasp. Juliana hugged him, while Teresa grabbed onto his left leg. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm sorry it took so long├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said.
Lord Balter scribbled some of this and some of that. This and that. His forms had to be filled out, and his taxes needed to be paid. Each royal family in the Empire had to pay their taxes to the army and to the Guild. So he paid. Xue wanted some ridicules sum of money to cover this and that. This and that. Lord Balter knew he would never have the exiting life of his father, who had gallivanted around the rings before getting shot. Balter still smiled. His father had never been the most intelligent leaders, but at least he had know how to go out with a bang.
Balter leaned back in his chair and swiveled it around to look out on the city. His city. After a couple more months, with some more fancy diplomatic maneuverings, the capitol would be his by day, the guild by night and Xue├óÔé¼Ôäós├óÔé¼┬ª never! He felt like cackling, but restrained himself.
Then there was a rustle, and a indescribable force opening. Then a circular gate opened and through it Balter could see a fire, a very comfortable bed and├óÔé¼┬ªand. His stomach dropped out and he immediately knew the woman he wanted, the woman he would always want. Even a thin scar down her cheek didn├óÔé¼Ôäót detract from her beauty. Then his heart crashed. She had a child on her knee, and a very threatening man stepped through.
He wore a light grey shit, complimented by a black cloak over his shoulder. A black blade was sheathed in a small, unadorned scabbard. His boots were covered in a white substance that seemed to melt away in the room├óÔé¼Ôäós temperature. His face looked, at least from a biological stand point, to be at least├óÔé¼┬ª twenty or thirty. However his eye├óÔé¼Ôäós betrayed a deep wisdom and something that was very unsettling. Something very├óÔé¼┬ªold Balter knew.
The man finished stepping through the gate and it closed behind him. The man stepped onto a rather expensive rug, running it with dirt and mud. But Balter was still shocked at this sudden entrance. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello, Richard├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said, his mouth outlined by a black goatee. ├óÔé¼┼ôD-Do I know you├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Balter, somewhat unsteadily. The man bowed slightly, sweeping his hands widely ├óÔé¼┼ôYou might remember me, back when you were about├óÔé¼┬ª sixteen├óÔé¼┬Ø. Balter leaned back in his chair, his mouth handing open. ├óÔé¼┼ôno├óÔé¼┬ªI cant be├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.
├óÔé¼┼ôI didn├óÔé¼Ôäót think I emotionally scarred you that bad├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked ├óÔé¼┼ôNow, I am here to take the greatest leap forward humanity has ever seen├óÔé¼┬ªand I├óÔé¼Ôäód like to ask you for help?├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The high council of the Empire was comprised of several major families, each one owning a respectable part of the profits and land of the cities spread over Emperryon. There where the Xues and the Balters, always fighting there petty feud. There was the Teldi, the merchants and the Versi, the airship men, and finally the Merrils, the underdogs.
Each month they met and discussed how to fund the various underlings and how to feed the ├óÔé¼┼ômany headed monster of bureaucracy├óÔé¼┬Ø, as a comedian in Phoenix had joked. This month├óÔé¼Ôäós meeting had ended a week ago, and each noble was furious to be dragged out of bed and dragged to a council meeting. The last to arrive was Xue, who always took the opportunity to spit in the Balters face├óÔé¼Ôäós, and he sat down in his usual chair in the council chamber.
The council chamber was a star shaped room with large thrones at each of the five points of the star. Each noble sat in them├óÔé¼┬ª but normally the man calling the council meeting, who was Balter, would be in the middle of the star, so he could explain what the emergency was. However Lord Balter sat in his throne, resplendent in his green cloak, and a stranger stood in the center of the star, obviously a noble due to his stance and his grey cloak. Xue looked at the stranger and noted that he did not wear the green of the Balters, the red of the Xues, the Purple of the Teldi, the Yellow of the Versi nor the deep blue of the Merrils.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho are you to call the great lords of the Empire away from the houses and families├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Lord Versi, his hair sticking outward from his head like jagged lightning. The man in the center of the star shot Versi a look, and the young man gulped and sat down, his face grey. Xue shifted in his seat, nervous. Someone who could silence Versi with a look had to be very intimidating.
The man let the nobles settle into there chairs completely before removing his hood. Xue only got to see the back of his head, and was interested to see a rather young looking shock of black hair, with only a single strand of grey streaking it. The man turned and Xue realized what had made Versi shut up.
The man was old. He radiated it. Xue looked into the man├óÔé¼Ôäós eyes and noticed something else about them, other then the feeling of immense oldness. It was something he knew well enough to fear it, rightly, when he saw it. A unshakable conviction that he was right. Some would call it pigheadedness, or stubbornness. But Xue knew that this man would never give up, never surrender and never stop until he did what he thought was right.
I only hope he is right Xue thought as the man looked at each of the Nobles in turn. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø he said in a surprisingly genial and cultured voice ├óÔé¼┼ôI am rather sorry to have dragged you out of bed. But me and my wife will be joining this council soon, and we wanted you all to know this first, before we moved in├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Several things happened at once. Balter covered his eyes with his hand. He had told Garret to try and sugar coat it first. The nobles all broke out in uproar, each one demanding satisfaction. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is an insult!├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Versi, standing up and staring at the man ├óÔé¼┼ôI deman├óÔé¼┬Ø. The man looked at him squarely. ├óÔé¼┼ôDemand?├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said softly, all geniality gone from his voice.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou are perfectly allowed to demand that I don├óÔé¼Ôäót join the noble council├óÔé¼┬Ø the stranger said, pacing around the daises, ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I am afraid that the evidence of my nobility far, far outshines your own├óÔé¼┬Ø he continued. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat evidence did you bring?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Lord Merrill, always legally minded. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am about to show you├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said, stopping in the center of the daises.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe all remember that the old empire collapsed ten thousand years ago, and humanity took that long to rebuild to this state├óÔé¼┬Ø said the man. Teldi nodded, wishing that the man would just get to something they all didn├óÔé¼Ôäót know. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd the collapse was created by a war between two brothers, one of whom was the Emperor on Emperryon, and the other lorded over magic itself├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Teldi raised his hand and the stranger nodded, allowing him to speak ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm afraid that is inaccurate, sir├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Dark Brother was famed for his skill in necromancy, and his pursuit of that dark art took precedent over everything else├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôUntrue├óÔé¼┬Ø the stranger said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was simply his discovery of the aforementioned ├óÔé¼╦£dark art├óÔé¼Ôäó that was remembered├óÔé¼┬ªthe man himself researched into every magical branch. Unfortunately the two brothers were driven apart over the desire for a woman. The Dark Brother married her, while his twin seethed in his capitol, jealous and angry├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôThe emperor├óÔé¼Ôäós anger at his brother soon turned to distrust, and then to hatred and loathing. He spread lies about my work, and prompted a war that destroyed the Empire he had built├óÔé¼┬Ø the man was about to continue but Xue stopped him ├óÔé¼┼ôYou said ├óÔé¼╦£my├óÔé¼Ôäó work├óÔé¼┬ªnot ├óÔé¼╦£his├óÔé¼Ôäó work├óÔé¼┬Ø the old man said.
The stranger smiled wryly ├óÔé¼┼ôI was about to get to that├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat├óÔé¼Ôäós impossible!├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Versi, while the other lords said something else in the same vein. The man held up both his hands to quite the Lords down, and, still smiling, he snapped his fingers. There was a rustle of air and energy that passed through the room. Xue stared in shock.
There was a circle of whiteness, and tiny flecks of├óÔé¼┬ª snow where coming through. ├óÔé¼┼ôI invented theses├óÔé¼┬ªand made first contact with Dragons├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôNo one can make a gate better then I can, or more easily├óÔé¼┬Ø. Each of the nobles there knew what was needed to make a gate, and also they knew that no gate could go through more then one ring. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow├óÔé¼┬ªis that├óÔé¼┬ªTerrix?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Teldi, clutching the arm rests of his seat like the gate might try to suck them in.
├óÔé¼┼ôOh no, that├óÔé¼Ôäós Uluthwea├óÔé¼┬Ø said the stranger. Then he saw the look of confusion on the men├óÔé¼Ôäós faces ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry, the Outer Dark Twin├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. The only one who didn├óÔé¼Ôäót look shocked was Lord Balter. ├óÔé¼┼ôBalter!├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Xue ├óÔé¼┼ôDid you bring this meeting together? Did you know who this man was?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Balter nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôI am as convinced as ever├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell I am not├óÔé¼┬Ø said Xue, looking at the stranger ├óÔé¼┼ôYou may just be the most powerful mage I have ever heard of, but that does not make you a monster from ten thousand years ago├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The stranger looked at him and Xue saw a deep remorse in his eyes. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am not a monster├óÔé¼┬Ø the stranger said slowly, stating each word clearly. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut now├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, turning to the rest of the group ├óÔé¼┼ôI would like you to meet my wife, and daughter├óÔé¼┬Ø. He held his hand out and another hand, slender and feminine, grabbed onto his. He slowly let his wife step down from the portal; witch was about a foot off the ground.
The Lords examined her carefully. She wore a long, blue dress and had obviously found some way of keeping the snow off it. Her hair was black and done up in a pony tail. Her face was beautiful, in a way. However she possessed none of the angular features, or icy blue eyes that where paramount in nobility. Xue leaned onto one of his hand, wondering why the stranger, who was obviously of noble decent, marry some one of obviously common blood.
She is still beautiful he thought. She stepped through the portal and turned her head around, looking at all the nobles, curtsying to each of them. Xue noticed that even the thin scar down her right cheek, she was still gorgeous. And common, he mentally reminded himself.
She then turned back to the gate and leaned in, grabbing something. Then she pulled through her daughter and held her. Her daughter looked to be about├óÔé¼┬ªsix. Maybe a small eight years old. Her daughter giggled as she was pulled through, and squirmed around. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman said trying to hold onto the girl as she squirmed about ├óÔé¼┼ôShe love├óÔé¼Ôäós playing with gates├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The assorted nobles didn├óÔé¼Ôäót bother asking how someone could play with a gate. The stranger leaned over and snapped his fingers, and the gate closed. The little girl├óÔé¼Ôäós face screwed up, but she didn├óÔé¼Ôäót start to squall or throw a fit. She just looked absolutely dejected that her toy had been taken away. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is Juliana├óÔé¼┬Ø the stranger said, gesturing to his wife,├óÔé¼┬Øand this is our daughter, Teresa├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd this is my husband, Garret├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said. She not just common, but she also talks when she doesn├óÔé¼Ôäót need to Xue thought. Garret smiled and turned to the nobles. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe will allow you to discuss my proposition. We have already found a residence. Please tell us once you decide├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, turning to the door to exit the room.
├óÔé¼┼ôWait! I├óÔé¼Ôäóm still not convinced├óÔé¼┬Ø Xue said, stubborn as ever. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou will be├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôJust talk to Lord Balter├óÔé¼┬Ø. He then left, and the room erupted in discussion.
Each month they met and discussed how to fund the various underlings and how to feed the ├óÔé¼┼ômany headed monster of bureaucracy├óÔé¼┬Ø, as a comedian in Phoenix had joked. This month├óÔé¼Ôäós meeting had ended a week ago, and each noble was furious to be dragged out of bed and dragged to a council meeting. The last to arrive was Xue, who always took the opportunity to spit in the Balters face├óÔé¼Ôäós, and he sat down in his usual chair in the council chamber.
The council chamber was a star shaped room with large thrones at each of the five points of the star. Each noble sat in them├óÔé¼┬ª but normally the man calling the council meeting, who was Balter, would be in the middle of the star, so he could explain what the emergency was. However Lord Balter sat in his throne, resplendent in his green cloak, and a stranger stood in the center of the star, obviously a noble due to his stance and his grey cloak. Xue looked at the stranger and noted that he did not wear the green of the Balters, the red of the Xues, the Purple of the Teldi, the Yellow of the Versi nor the deep blue of the Merrils.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho are you to call the great lords of the Empire away from the houses and families├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Lord Versi, his hair sticking outward from his head like jagged lightning. The man in the center of the star shot Versi a look, and the young man gulped and sat down, his face grey. Xue shifted in his seat, nervous. Someone who could silence Versi with a look had to be very intimidating.
The man let the nobles settle into there chairs completely before removing his hood. Xue only got to see the back of his head, and was interested to see a rather young looking shock of black hair, with only a single strand of grey streaking it. The man turned and Xue realized what had made Versi shut up.
The man was old. He radiated it. Xue looked into the man├óÔé¼Ôäós eyes and noticed something else about them, other then the feeling of immense oldness. It was something he knew well enough to fear it, rightly, when he saw it. A unshakable conviction that he was right. Some would call it pigheadedness, or stubbornness. But Xue knew that this man would never give up, never surrender and never stop until he did what he thought was right.
I only hope he is right Xue thought as the man looked at each of the Nobles in turn. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø he said in a surprisingly genial and cultured voice ├óÔé¼┼ôI am rather sorry to have dragged you out of bed. But me and my wife will be joining this council soon, and we wanted you all to know this first, before we moved in├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Several things happened at once. Balter covered his eyes with his hand. He had told Garret to try and sugar coat it first. The nobles all broke out in uproar, each one demanding satisfaction. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is an insult!├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Versi, standing up and staring at the man ├óÔé¼┼ôI deman├óÔé¼┬Ø. The man looked at him squarely. ├óÔé¼┼ôDemand?├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said softly, all geniality gone from his voice.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou are perfectly allowed to demand that I don├óÔé¼Ôäót join the noble council├óÔé¼┬Ø the stranger said, pacing around the daises, ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I am afraid that the evidence of my nobility far, far outshines your own├óÔé¼┬Ø he continued. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat evidence did you bring?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Lord Merrill, always legally minded. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am about to show you├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said, stopping in the center of the daises.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe all remember that the old empire collapsed ten thousand years ago, and humanity took that long to rebuild to this state├óÔé¼┬Ø said the man. Teldi nodded, wishing that the man would just get to something they all didn├óÔé¼Ôäót know. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd the collapse was created by a war between two brothers, one of whom was the Emperor on Emperryon, and the other lorded over magic itself├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Teldi raised his hand and the stranger nodded, allowing him to speak ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm afraid that is inaccurate, sir├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Dark Brother was famed for his skill in necromancy, and his pursuit of that dark art took precedent over everything else├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôUntrue├óÔé¼┬Ø the stranger said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was simply his discovery of the aforementioned ├óÔé¼╦£dark art├óÔé¼Ôäó that was remembered├óÔé¼┬ªthe man himself researched into every magical branch. Unfortunately the two brothers were driven apart over the desire for a woman. The Dark Brother married her, while his twin seethed in his capitol, jealous and angry├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôThe emperor├óÔé¼Ôäós anger at his brother soon turned to distrust, and then to hatred and loathing. He spread lies about my work, and prompted a war that destroyed the Empire he had built├óÔé¼┬Ø the man was about to continue but Xue stopped him ├óÔé¼┼ôYou said ├óÔé¼╦£my├óÔé¼Ôäó work├óÔé¼┬ªnot ├óÔé¼╦£his├óÔé¼Ôäó work├óÔé¼┬Ø the old man said.
The stranger smiled wryly ├óÔé¼┼ôI was about to get to that├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat├óÔé¼Ôäós impossible!├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Versi, while the other lords said something else in the same vein. The man held up both his hands to quite the Lords down, and, still smiling, he snapped his fingers. There was a rustle of air and energy that passed through the room. Xue stared in shock.
There was a circle of whiteness, and tiny flecks of├óÔé¼┬ª snow where coming through. ├óÔé¼┼ôI invented theses├óÔé¼┬ªand made first contact with Dragons├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôNo one can make a gate better then I can, or more easily├óÔé¼┬Ø. Each of the nobles there knew what was needed to make a gate, and also they knew that no gate could go through more then one ring. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow├óÔé¼┬ªis that├óÔé¼┬ªTerrix?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Teldi, clutching the arm rests of his seat like the gate might try to suck them in.
├óÔé¼┼ôOh no, that├óÔé¼Ôäós Uluthwea├óÔé¼┬Ø said the stranger. Then he saw the look of confusion on the men├óÔé¼Ôäós faces ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry, the Outer Dark Twin├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. The only one who didn├óÔé¼Ôäót look shocked was Lord Balter. ├óÔé¼┼ôBalter!├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Xue ├óÔé¼┼ôDid you bring this meeting together? Did you know who this man was?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Balter nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôI am as convinced as ever├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell I am not├óÔé¼┬Ø said Xue, looking at the stranger ├óÔé¼┼ôYou may just be the most powerful mage I have ever heard of, but that does not make you a monster from ten thousand years ago├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The stranger looked at him and Xue saw a deep remorse in his eyes. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am not a monster├óÔé¼┬Ø the stranger said slowly, stating each word clearly. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut now├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, turning to the rest of the group ├óÔé¼┼ôI would like you to meet my wife, and daughter├óÔé¼┬Ø. He held his hand out and another hand, slender and feminine, grabbed onto his. He slowly let his wife step down from the portal; witch was about a foot off the ground.
The Lords examined her carefully. She wore a long, blue dress and had obviously found some way of keeping the snow off it. Her hair was black and done up in a pony tail. Her face was beautiful, in a way. However she possessed none of the angular features, or icy blue eyes that where paramount in nobility. Xue leaned onto one of his hand, wondering why the stranger, who was obviously of noble decent, marry some one of obviously common blood.
She is still beautiful he thought. She stepped through the portal and turned her head around, looking at all the nobles, curtsying to each of them. Xue noticed that even the thin scar down her right cheek, she was still gorgeous. And common, he mentally reminded himself.
She then turned back to the gate and leaned in, grabbing something. Then she pulled through her daughter and held her. Her daughter looked to be about├óÔé¼┬ªsix. Maybe a small eight years old. Her daughter giggled as she was pulled through, and squirmed around. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman said trying to hold onto the girl as she squirmed about ├óÔé¼┼ôShe love├óÔé¼Ôäós playing with gates├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The assorted nobles didn├óÔé¼Ôäót bother asking how someone could play with a gate. The stranger leaned over and snapped his fingers, and the gate closed. The little girl├óÔé¼Ôäós face screwed up, but she didn├óÔé¼Ôäót start to squall or throw a fit. She just looked absolutely dejected that her toy had been taken away. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is Juliana├óÔé¼┬Ø the stranger said, gesturing to his wife,├óÔé¼┬Øand this is our daughter, Teresa├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd this is my husband, Garret├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said. She not just common, but she also talks when she doesn├óÔé¼Ôäót need to Xue thought. Garret smiled and turned to the nobles. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe will allow you to discuss my proposition. We have already found a residence. Please tell us once you decide├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, turning to the door to exit the room.
├óÔé¼┼ôWait! I├óÔé¼Ôäóm still not convinced├óÔé¼┬Ø Xue said, stubborn as ever. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou will be├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôJust talk to Lord Balter├óÔé¼┬Ø. He then left, and the room erupted in discussion.
Versi, predictably, was the first to shout, loudly, that Garret should be executed for impudence. Teldi, always looking out for new trade possibility├óÔé¼Ôäós, stood and tried to point out that a mage as powerful as Garret would have new and interesting things to sell, and to buy. Merrill, always wanting to be the moderate, shouted loudly ├óÔé¼┼ôWILL YOU ALL PLEASE SHUT UP├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Everyone stared at the rather small, unassuming man, in shock. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis man, whoever├óÔé¼┬ªwhatever he is, is obviously incredibly dangerous├óÔé¼┬Ø Merrill said, looking at each of the other nobles. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe can open up portals with the snap of his fingers, so what do you think he could do when he put his mind to it├óÔé¼┬Ø. Merrill left that statement hanging for a bit.
├óÔé¼┼ôIn fact├óÔé¼┬ª I think we cant afford to not let him in our council├óÔé¼┬Ø Merrill finished. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow, now, Merrill├óÔé¼┬ª don├óÔé¼Ôäót you think that├óÔé¼Ôäós a bit well├óÔé¼┬ªextreme?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Teldi. ├óÔé¼┼ôTrue! We don├óÔé¼Ôäót let the Archmagi into the council, even though he is one of the most powerful magi in our empire├óÔé¼┬Ø piped up Xue. ├óÔé¼┼ôAlso, how do we know he even HAS noble blood?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Versi ├óÔé¼┼ôHe needs to have it to join, legally├óÔé¼┬Ø. Versi failed to mention that the council had never exactly followed what was considered ├óÔé¼╦£legal├óÔé¼Ôäó in the books kept by the police.
├óÔé¼┼ôHe has noble blood├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon├óÔé¼Ôäót tell us you buy his story about being the emperors brother, or some such nonsense├óÔé¼┬Ø snapped Xue, always ready to jab at Balter. They no longer ├óÔé¼╦£officially├óÔé¼Ôäó fought each other├óÔé¼┬ª but how much of the council├óÔé¼Ôäós business was ├óÔé¼╦£official? ├óÔé¼┼ôI do buy his story├óÔé¼┬Ø said Balter, calmly ├óÔé¼┼ôHe has shone me the proof required, then gave it to me├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell!├óÔé¼┬Ø Xue prompted him. ├óÔé¼┼ôHere it is├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter reached into a bag placed behind his chair. He pulled out a ancient, eroded runestone and placed it on the floor. He then walked over to a guard and whispered in his ear. The guard nodded and walked out and brought a yellow robed Initiate into the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôInitiate, could you please activate this rune├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said ├óÔé¼┼ôOh wait!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôPlease, use your secondary to tell us the age├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The Initiate nodded and peered at the runestone. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis runestone is about├óÔé¼┬ª├óÔé¼┬Ø the Initiate reached his hand out and energy warped around the runestone ├óÔé¼┼ôten thousand years old!├óÔé¼┬Ø. He looked at Balter ├óÔé¼┼ôI don├óÔé¼Ôäót know if I can activate this. The rune may be too old├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôit will work. I know you can do it├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut first tell theses fine men about your Secondary├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôMy secondary is age dating. I can tell how old something is, first by examining it with my eyes and then by using my magic of Mind to feel the telepathic imprints. I then ask the imprints the date, and they tell me the age├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said, rather nervously. Balter was rather surprised that the Magi├óÔé¼Ôäós ├óÔé¼╦£best and brightest├óÔé¼Ôäó Initiate was only eighteen. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood, now, activate the runestone├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said, gesturing to the blackened and cracked stone.
The Initiate stood, cracked his knuckles and flicked his wrists. The runestone activated and second image superimposed itself over the council room. Each of the noblemen stood stock still and watched the image, a image more perfect and complex then anything produced nowadays.
A garden, filled with very happy looking and VERY oddly dressed individuals. A man with a hat that opened up like a inverted cone spoke to a woman who wore a mesh of interlocking squares that floated a few inches from her body, creating a bizarre optical illusion. Every few seconds a image would resolve itself out of the chaos of the mesh, but it would be gone again.
Two men walked through the garden, moving into the seconds and then off again after a few seconds. One of them wore a haze of crystals that were spaced evenly about his waist. The rest of his chest was bare, and completely free of hair. His companion was the most recognizably dressed, wearing a red and gold robe that ran down from his shoulders in a flowing pattern that looked like a waterfall, if anything else.
His compatriot grinned as the man in the red robe stopped. He whispered to the near naked man and the man nodded. The near naked man walked into the wall and vanished, moving out of the recorded range. The man in the red robe├óÔé¼Ôäós face was clean shaven, but something about his eyes was familiar to Xue. add on a beard he thought and he recognized the man. It was Garret.
He walked over to the woman in the meshing robe and spoke with her. The other man looked at Garret, in annoyance. Xue noticed, suddenly, that both men looked the same, aside from the dress. The woman seemed almost immediately attracted to Garret, and the two of them moved off the image. The image winked out. ├óÔé¼┼ôSome of you might recognized the man in the red robes├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was Garret├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬ªthe Initiate said the runestone├óÔé¼┬ªwas ten thousand├óÔé¼┬Ø Versi trailed off. Balter nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was Garret when he met his first wife├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd if legend is correct, she drove the last Empire to insanity, through jealously├óÔé¼┬Ø Teldi said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat is true, but she died a few years ago. Garret wasn├óÔé¼Ôäót clear about what led to her death, but it was clear she was murdered├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôBy him?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Versi. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬ª there was too much anger, too much loss, in his eye├óÔé¼Ôäós for him to be the murderer├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said thoughtfully. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬ª├óÔé¼┬Ø said Xue slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was pretty convincing├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt convinced me├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter replied ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd it is late. My gust will need to be shown around my house├óÔé¼┬Ø he got up and bowed to the rest of the council ├óÔé¼┼ôYour gust?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Merrill. ├óÔé¼┼ôGarret, and his family├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said, then walked out of the chamber.
Garret walked out of the council chamber, and grinned to Juliana as they heard the roars of the noble men arguing. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think that you could have been more diplomatic├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, looking at her ├óÔé¼┼ôBut it was funny├óÔé¼┬Ø. Theresa giggled as Garret leaned over and picked her up. ├óÔé¼┼ôGates are fun!├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey are fun├óÔé¼┬Ø said Garret. Theresa then demanded to ride on daddy├óÔé¼Ôäós shoulders and daddy complied, and the three of them walked down the rather empty streets of the Capitol. Or more accurately, the two of them with one as cargo walked down the streets.
The street├óÔé¼Ôäós were emptier then Garret remembered, and darker too. Juliana was wearing a blue, and rather fancy dress, but it was partially covered by a light clock to ward off the midnight chill. Suddenly a man stepped out from an ally way to Garrets right, a knife glinting in the dim light of a street light grasped in his hands.
He had a knife to Juliana├óÔé¼Ôäós throat in seconds, and before Garret could do anything the mugger and Juliana where so close he couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót do anything. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø snapped the mugger, his knife pressing close enough to Juliana├óÔé¼Ôäós neck to draw a light line of blood ├óÔé¼┼ôGive me your money├óÔé¼┬ªNOW!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret still had Teresa on his back, and she was suddenly very quiet ├óÔé¼┼ôDaddy?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôDon├óÔé¼Ôäót worry Teresa. Mommy will be just fine├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, slowly picking his daughter off his shoulders. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon├óÔé¼Ôäót reach for a weapon├óÔé¼┬ª just give me your money├óÔé¼┬Ø the mugger said. Juliana was standing stock still. Garret reached into his pocket, slowly. The mugger├óÔé¼Ôäós face was very scarred, but the darkness made it hard for Garret to discern any real features.
Juliana├óÔé¼Ôäós hand was balled into a fist. Garret pulled out the money, and the mugger had to loosen his hold on her to get it. Then Juliana released the energy├óÔé¼Ôäós she had been holding up. The mugger flew backwards, into the ally way. He crumpled against the wall of a building, unconscious. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh god, are you all right├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, moving closer to Juliana. She winced as she touched the slight cut on her neck. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóll live├óÔé¼┬Ø she said.
They arrived at Lord Balter├óÔé¼Ôäós house without any more trouble, and Juliana tucked in Teresa who was still afraid. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe took some convincing├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said as she walked downstairs from Teresa├óÔé¼Ôäós bedroom ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I think she will sleep├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret was in the study, leaning against a window, staring into the city. ├óÔé¼┼ôI should have been more careful├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said.
├óÔé¼┼ôThere was no way you could have seen it coming├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana told him, walking over to him. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, turning ├óÔé¼┼ôBut this city has changed a lot since I was here├óÔé¼┬Ø. They stood in silence for a bit, but the silence was broken by the opening of the main door to Lord Balters mansion. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am sorry it took so long├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said, walking into the study while pulling off his clock and placing it on a peg next to the door ├óÔé¼┼ôBut the other nobles needed more proof├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôDid you need the runestone?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut I├óÔé¼Ôäóm still curious as to why a casual meeting like that was recorded on a runestone. Sounds rather expensive├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôRunestones and the magic to power them where plentiful during that age├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe palace had runestones every where, recording the day. It was for security, I was told├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think they are almost ready to let you into the council, but Xue and Versi will need more sweet talking. Merrill is ready to let you in and Teldi will join in the fun if you have something to sell├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI have some thing to sell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut first I need to talk to you├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôabout?├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis city seems├óÔé¼┬ªdifferent since I have been here├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. ├óÔé¼┼ôA little├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said. ├óÔé¼┼ôHas crime gone up?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy do you ask?├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said, seeming to avoid the subject. ├óÔé¼┼ôMy wife and I where attacked on the way to your house├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, his voice dangerous. Lord Balter had reached for a small shot glass, but his hand stopped half way. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said ├óÔé¼┼ôI am sorry to hear that├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôJuliana is fine, I hope├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said, grabbing the glass and filling it with liquor. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe is├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. Juliana snorted ├óÔé¼┼ôYour both acting as if I├óÔé¼Ôäóm not here├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Balter drank his glass and looked at Garret ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm glad to hear it├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, ignoring Juliana├óÔé¼Ôäós remark completely. ├óÔé¼┼ôI hope we can look into the crime rate later├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. Balter nodded and got up. ├óÔé¼┼ôI need some sleep├óÔé¼┬Ø he said after a few moments. He got up walked out the room, leaving his drink half empty on the table.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell was that├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said, standing up and looking at Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóve forgotten how they treat their woman, these noble├óÔé¼Ôäós├óÔé¼┬Ø. Juliana looked away and then back to him. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey treat me like I├óÔé¼Ôäóm not even there├óÔé¼┬Ø she repeated. Garret smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI think you├óÔé¼Ôäóll get them to notice you├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. She smiled and leaned forward, kissing him.
Teresa lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. So much had happened today, and so much of it had been├óÔé¼┬ª different from her life in the tower. She had been through a gate and seen some strangers. That had been fun. She had felt the tickling of the gate in her mind as daddy formed it.
Then it had all, suddenly, gone dark. A stranger had emerged from the shadows, and grabbed mommy. Then there was anger, and the energy. Mommy had done something├óÔé¼┬ª something that daddy had told her never to do. Then Teresa had found herself in a strange room, in a strange house. It was too hot, and too bright├óÔé¼┬ªeven at night.
Teresa curled up and placed a sheet over her head, sacrificing some chill for some darkness. She then focused on the best memory she had of this day. The gate, and the tickling in her mind. She then tried to recreate it, focusing on the sensation, and nothing else. Then she felt it. It was not a memory, but real. She opened her eye├óÔé¼Ôäós and saw a tiny pinprick of light hovering in the darkness. She smiled and it winked out of existence, leaving nothing but a slight chill.
Everyone stared at the rather small, unassuming man, in shock. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis man, whoever├óÔé¼┬ªwhatever he is, is obviously incredibly dangerous├óÔé¼┬Ø Merrill said, looking at each of the other nobles. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe can open up portals with the snap of his fingers, so what do you think he could do when he put his mind to it├óÔé¼┬Ø. Merrill left that statement hanging for a bit.
├óÔé¼┼ôIn fact├óÔé¼┬ª I think we cant afford to not let him in our council├óÔé¼┬Ø Merrill finished. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow, now, Merrill├óÔé¼┬ª don├óÔé¼Ôäót you think that├óÔé¼Ôäós a bit well├óÔé¼┬ªextreme?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Teldi. ├óÔé¼┼ôTrue! We don├óÔé¼Ôäót let the Archmagi into the council, even though he is one of the most powerful magi in our empire├óÔé¼┬Ø piped up Xue. ├óÔé¼┼ôAlso, how do we know he even HAS noble blood?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Versi ├óÔé¼┼ôHe needs to have it to join, legally├óÔé¼┬Ø. Versi failed to mention that the council had never exactly followed what was considered ├óÔé¼╦£legal├óÔé¼Ôäó in the books kept by the police.
├óÔé¼┼ôHe has noble blood├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon├óÔé¼Ôäót tell us you buy his story about being the emperors brother, or some such nonsense├óÔé¼┬Ø snapped Xue, always ready to jab at Balter. They no longer ├óÔé¼╦£officially├óÔé¼Ôäó fought each other├óÔé¼┬ª but how much of the council├óÔé¼Ôäós business was ├óÔé¼╦£official? ├óÔé¼┼ôI do buy his story├óÔé¼┬Ø said Balter, calmly ├óÔé¼┼ôHe has shone me the proof required, then gave it to me├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell!├óÔé¼┬Ø Xue prompted him. ├óÔé¼┼ôHere it is├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter reached into a bag placed behind his chair. He pulled out a ancient, eroded runestone and placed it on the floor. He then walked over to a guard and whispered in his ear. The guard nodded and walked out and brought a yellow robed Initiate into the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôInitiate, could you please activate this rune├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said ├óÔé¼┼ôOh wait!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôPlease, use your secondary to tell us the age├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The Initiate nodded and peered at the runestone. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis runestone is about├óÔé¼┬ª├óÔé¼┬Ø the Initiate reached his hand out and energy warped around the runestone ├óÔé¼┼ôten thousand years old!├óÔé¼┬Ø. He looked at Balter ├óÔé¼┼ôI don├óÔé¼Ôäót know if I can activate this. The rune may be too old├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôit will work. I know you can do it├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut first tell theses fine men about your Secondary├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôMy secondary is age dating. I can tell how old something is, first by examining it with my eyes and then by using my magic of Mind to feel the telepathic imprints. I then ask the imprints the date, and they tell me the age├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said, rather nervously. Balter was rather surprised that the Magi├óÔé¼Ôäós ├óÔé¼╦£best and brightest├óÔé¼Ôäó Initiate was only eighteen. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood, now, activate the runestone├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said, gesturing to the blackened and cracked stone.
The Initiate stood, cracked his knuckles and flicked his wrists. The runestone activated and second image superimposed itself over the council room. Each of the noblemen stood stock still and watched the image, a image more perfect and complex then anything produced nowadays.
A garden, filled with very happy looking and VERY oddly dressed individuals. A man with a hat that opened up like a inverted cone spoke to a woman who wore a mesh of interlocking squares that floated a few inches from her body, creating a bizarre optical illusion. Every few seconds a image would resolve itself out of the chaos of the mesh, but it would be gone again.
Two men walked through the garden, moving into the seconds and then off again after a few seconds. One of them wore a haze of crystals that were spaced evenly about his waist. The rest of his chest was bare, and completely free of hair. His companion was the most recognizably dressed, wearing a red and gold robe that ran down from his shoulders in a flowing pattern that looked like a waterfall, if anything else.
His compatriot grinned as the man in the red robe stopped. He whispered to the near naked man and the man nodded. The near naked man walked into the wall and vanished, moving out of the recorded range. The man in the red robe├óÔé¼Ôäós face was clean shaven, but something about his eyes was familiar to Xue. add on a beard he thought and he recognized the man. It was Garret.
He walked over to the woman in the meshing robe and spoke with her. The other man looked at Garret, in annoyance. Xue noticed, suddenly, that both men looked the same, aside from the dress. The woman seemed almost immediately attracted to Garret, and the two of them moved off the image. The image winked out. ├óÔé¼┼ôSome of you might recognized the man in the red robes├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was Garret├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬ªthe Initiate said the runestone├óÔé¼┬ªwas ten thousand├óÔé¼┬Ø Versi trailed off. Balter nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was Garret when he met his first wife├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd if legend is correct, she drove the last Empire to insanity, through jealously├óÔé¼┬Ø Teldi said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat is true, but she died a few years ago. Garret wasn├óÔé¼Ôäót clear about what led to her death, but it was clear she was murdered├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôBy him?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Versi. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬ª there was too much anger, too much loss, in his eye├óÔé¼Ôäós for him to be the murderer├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said thoughtfully. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬ª├óÔé¼┬Ø said Xue slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was pretty convincing├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt convinced me├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter replied ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd it is late. My gust will need to be shown around my house├óÔé¼┬Ø he got up and bowed to the rest of the council ├óÔé¼┼ôYour gust?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Merrill. ├óÔé¼┼ôGarret, and his family├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said, then walked out of the chamber.
Garret walked out of the council chamber, and grinned to Juliana as they heard the roars of the noble men arguing. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think that you could have been more diplomatic├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, looking at her ├óÔé¼┼ôBut it was funny├óÔé¼┬Ø. Theresa giggled as Garret leaned over and picked her up. ├óÔé¼┼ôGates are fun!├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey are fun├óÔé¼┬Ø said Garret. Theresa then demanded to ride on daddy├óÔé¼Ôäós shoulders and daddy complied, and the three of them walked down the rather empty streets of the Capitol. Or more accurately, the two of them with one as cargo walked down the streets.
The street├óÔé¼Ôäós were emptier then Garret remembered, and darker too. Juliana was wearing a blue, and rather fancy dress, but it was partially covered by a light clock to ward off the midnight chill. Suddenly a man stepped out from an ally way to Garrets right, a knife glinting in the dim light of a street light grasped in his hands.
He had a knife to Juliana├óÔé¼Ôäós throat in seconds, and before Garret could do anything the mugger and Juliana where so close he couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót do anything. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø snapped the mugger, his knife pressing close enough to Juliana├óÔé¼Ôäós neck to draw a light line of blood ├óÔé¼┼ôGive me your money├óÔé¼┬ªNOW!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret still had Teresa on his back, and she was suddenly very quiet ├óÔé¼┼ôDaddy?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôDon├óÔé¼Ôäót worry Teresa. Mommy will be just fine├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, slowly picking his daughter off his shoulders. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon├óÔé¼Ôäót reach for a weapon├óÔé¼┬ª just give me your money├óÔé¼┬Ø the mugger said. Juliana was standing stock still. Garret reached into his pocket, slowly. The mugger├óÔé¼Ôäós face was very scarred, but the darkness made it hard for Garret to discern any real features.
Juliana├óÔé¼Ôäós hand was balled into a fist. Garret pulled out the money, and the mugger had to loosen his hold on her to get it. Then Juliana released the energy├óÔé¼Ôäós she had been holding up. The mugger flew backwards, into the ally way. He crumpled against the wall of a building, unconscious. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh god, are you all right├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, moving closer to Juliana. She winced as she touched the slight cut on her neck. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóll live├óÔé¼┬Ø she said.
They arrived at Lord Balter├óÔé¼Ôäós house without any more trouble, and Juliana tucked in Teresa who was still afraid. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe took some convincing├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said as she walked downstairs from Teresa├óÔé¼Ôäós bedroom ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I think she will sleep├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret was in the study, leaning against a window, staring into the city. ├óÔé¼┼ôI should have been more careful├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said.
├óÔé¼┼ôThere was no way you could have seen it coming├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana told him, walking over to him. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, turning ├óÔé¼┼ôBut this city has changed a lot since I was here├óÔé¼┬Ø. They stood in silence for a bit, but the silence was broken by the opening of the main door to Lord Balters mansion. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am sorry it took so long├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said, walking into the study while pulling off his clock and placing it on a peg next to the door ├óÔé¼┼ôBut the other nobles needed more proof├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôDid you need the runestone?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut I├óÔé¼Ôäóm still curious as to why a casual meeting like that was recorded on a runestone. Sounds rather expensive├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôRunestones and the magic to power them where plentiful during that age├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe palace had runestones every where, recording the day. It was for security, I was told├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think they are almost ready to let you into the council, but Xue and Versi will need more sweet talking. Merrill is ready to let you in and Teldi will join in the fun if you have something to sell├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI have some thing to sell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut first I need to talk to you├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôabout?├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis city seems├óÔé¼┬ªdifferent since I have been here├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. ├óÔé¼┼ôA little├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said. ├óÔé¼┼ôHas crime gone up?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy do you ask?├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said, seeming to avoid the subject. ├óÔé¼┼ôMy wife and I where attacked on the way to your house├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, his voice dangerous. Lord Balter had reached for a small shot glass, but his hand stopped half way. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said ├óÔé¼┼ôI am sorry to hear that├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôJuliana is fine, I hope├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said, grabbing the glass and filling it with liquor. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe is├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. Juliana snorted ├óÔé¼┼ôYour both acting as if I├óÔé¼Ôäóm not here├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Balter drank his glass and looked at Garret ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm glad to hear it├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, ignoring Juliana├óÔé¼Ôäós remark completely. ├óÔé¼┼ôI hope we can look into the crime rate later├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. Balter nodded and got up. ├óÔé¼┼ôI need some sleep├óÔé¼┬Ø he said after a few moments. He got up walked out the room, leaving his drink half empty on the table.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell was that├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said, standing up and looking at Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóve forgotten how they treat their woman, these noble├óÔé¼Ôäós├óÔé¼┬Ø. Juliana looked away and then back to him. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey treat me like I├óÔé¼Ôäóm not even there├óÔé¼┬Ø she repeated. Garret smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI think you├óÔé¼Ôäóll get them to notice you├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. She smiled and leaned forward, kissing him.
Teresa lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. So much had happened today, and so much of it had been├óÔé¼┬ª different from her life in the tower. She had been through a gate and seen some strangers. That had been fun. She had felt the tickling of the gate in her mind as daddy formed it.
Then it had all, suddenly, gone dark. A stranger had emerged from the shadows, and grabbed mommy. Then there was anger, and the energy. Mommy had done something├óÔé¼┬ª something that daddy had told her never to do. Then Teresa had found herself in a strange room, in a strange house. It was too hot, and too bright├óÔé¼┬ªeven at night.
Teresa curled up and placed a sheet over her head, sacrificing some chill for some darkness. She then focused on the best memory she had of this day. The gate, and the tickling in her mind. She then tried to recreate it, focusing on the sensation, and nothing else. Then she felt it. It was not a memory, but real. She opened her eye├óÔé¼Ôäós and saw a tiny pinprick of light hovering in the darkness. She smiled and it winked out of existence, leaving nothing but a slight chill.
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Archangel of Death
- Posts: 854
- Joined: 28 Jan 2005, 18:15
They grow up so fastLou Whelp winced before the fist connected with his face, but it made little to no difference. His body strained against the chair, the ropes and the floor the chair was bolted through. He felt blood in his mouth, and something hard. He spat and a tooth flew out along with a glob of spittle and blood, dribbling down his shirt, which was already nearly ruined by the dribbles from his broken nose and battered face.
├óÔé¼┼ôListen man├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, somewhat stifled due to the many, many wounds about his face and shoulders ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was a simple├óÔé¼┬ªsimp├óÔé¼┬Ø he tried to choke out the last part before another fist smashed into his stomach, causing him to bend over and moan. The interrogator was a dark, menacing shadow, his body silhouetted by a bright light shining straight into Lou├óÔé¼Ôäós face.
├óÔé¼┼ôNo, it was not just a simple mugging├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said slowly, walking into the light, his form considerably thinner and slightly taller then the hulking interrogator. ├óÔé¼┼ôB├óÔé¼┬ªbut├óÔé¼┬Ø Lou said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNO BUTS!├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Jerry, leaning close to the scarred face of Lou. ├óÔé¼┼ôGarret, and his bitch AND his brat go unharmed, or the Boss gets my dick!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lou moaned ├óÔé¼┼ôN..no one told├óÔé¼┬ªme├óÔé¼┬Ø.
A fist smashed into his jaw, snapping it sickeningly and sending teeth flying. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are telling you now├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said quietly as the interrogator smashed his massive fists into the unconscious man├óÔé¼Ôäós stomach and sternum again and again until they both heard the snap of bones cracking. The interrogator stepped away, rubbing his sore knuckles. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood job Brutus├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said, patting the big man on the back.
Brutus turned, and his face was illuminated by the light. His face ended at the upper jaw line, a gaping maw with a tightly drawn out, semi-translucent patch of skin covering the hole. His breathing was loud, and somewhat snore like as he pulled in massive amounts of air from his rather small nose.
Jerry turned to a courier and said ├óÔé¼┼ôTell the Boss that Garret wont be bothered by any of my men. I only hope Sentenza and Rod do the same, or Boss is going to crack down on all of us├óÔé¼┬Ø. The courier nodded and took of at a light jog. But even as he left, another courier entered. ├óÔé¼┼ôsir, the Guild reps are in the lounge├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, somewhat breathlessly, as he had ran down four flights of stairs.
Jerry nodded and told the courier to get some rest. Jerry like to be known as generous and kind. That was why the torture chamber was below the cellar and the labyrinth in his mansion. He then started to walk up four god damned flights of stairs. Brutus had already retreated to his house, a small alcove across from the chamber, where a small hammock and a single lantern stood. There he sat down and began to read Dragons: A wonders Race, By Jonathan Book.
Brutus peered at the book and read:
One of the finest things I learned about dragons was there society seemed like a outright anarchy to an outsider, but when revealed completely to me was as intricate and well organized as any human or Kia empire. My wife, Red, spent many long nights trying to explain the more complex parts of the governments
Brutus had memorized the passage, and the rest of the book. It was his only one. ├óÔé¼┼ôuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnn ovvvvv├óÔé¼┬Ø he moaned, barley able to articulate the words. ├óÔé¼┼ôonnnnne offff├óÔé¼┬Ø he tired again, but the pain from trying to talk forced him to stop. Brutus then placed the book down, crawled into the hammock and tried to sleep.
Jerry got to the lounge in only a minute, and still arrived without looking rushed or harried. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood evening├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, quickly covering his surprise. It wasn├óÔé¼Ôäót just some Guild Reps├óÔé¼┬ª it was Guild Reps and the Lady of the Night herself. The black robed, veiled woman only allowed one part of her anatomy show. Two creamy, brown eyes that stared out between a long mat of blond hair and thick, black veil.
├óÔé¼┼ôThe Lady greets you├óÔé¼┬Ø said one of the Reps, the small, beady one with spectacles. He was seated on the left of the Lady, and the three of them were placed on the largest and most comfortable then any other furniture in the room. So Jerry settled for the second most comfortable one.
├óÔé¼┼ôCan├óÔé¼Ôäót the Lady speak for herself?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Jerry, leaning nonchalantly on his shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe has no need to speak to a lesser├óÔé¼┬Ø said the Rep on the right of the Lady, and he was a rather burly red head with gleaming green eyes, and a massive brushy beard. ├óÔé¼┼ôA lesser, eh?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said, examining his fingernails with false concern. Two doors in the room opened and two of his best body guards came out.
The Reps both pulled out pistols, and aimed them at Jerry. Jerry grinned, unconcerned. ├óÔé¼┼ôSee those rifles?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked the Reps. They both stole furtive glances at the rifles that Jerry├óÔé¼Ôäós bodyguards where carrying. ├óÔé¼┼ôThose are new inventions of mine├óÔé¼┬ª see I call it a Jerry Mk-22├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said, still sitting ├óÔé¼┼ôand they can fire ten rounds in a single burst. They also carry fifty rounds in their clips, you know├óÔé¼┬ª those big round cases on the top of them├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSo, if you kill me, your Lady will be filled with holes. And so will you├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said. The reps glanced at each other, then at the Lady. She was still impassive. They both let there guns dangle on there finger tips, then holstered them. ├óÔé¼┼ôAh, yes good├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said, grinning. ├óÔé¼┼ôKill them├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.
One of the Reps, the one with the spectacles, had time to gasp before the Jerry├óÔé¼Ôäós opened fire. Ratata-Ratata-Ratata-Ratatat . The guns opened fire and the two reps fell back, then fell forward as the blood from there bodies seeped into the floor and stained the carpet red. The Lady stood stalk still, knowing better then too move. The red haired rep fell to the side as the Jerry├óÔé¼Ôäós stopped firing, and his corpse slithered off to the ground. The bespectacled rep stayed on the sofa, but his entrails spilled onto the floor. Most of the bullets had his stomach.
├óÔé¼┼ôNow, I want the Guild of Interpreters to know that they are no longer invulnerable├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said. The Lady looked at him impassively. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Jerry. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou would never have done this, if Garret was still around├óÔé¼┬Ø The Lady said slowly, her voice melodious and beautiful. Jerry felt a tug at his heart. ├óÔé¼┼ôDidn├óÔé¼Ôäót you hear? Your best Interpreter is back in town├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The Lady blinked. Jerry raised his hand, ordering his bodyguards to fire. Then the Lady dived backwards, somersaulting up and over the sofa. Then the Jerry├óÔé¼Ôäós opened fire, but├óÔé¼┬ª on nothing. The sofa suddenly blossomed with holes and fluff flying out of it. Smoke filled the room, and the Jerry├óÔé¼Ôäós stopped firing.
Jerry stood, peering for the mangled corpse of that insufferable woman. Then there was a BANG! And another. BANG! Jerry saw one of his guards collapse, the back of his head blow out. The other flew backwards, the bullet cutting through his spine. The smoke cleared and the Lardy stood, her veil somewhat disturbed by her somersaulting. Both of her revolvers where aimed at Jerry├óÔé¼Ôäós head.
├óÔé¼┼ôIf I was a barbarian, like you, I would shoot you dead├óÔé¼┬Ø The Lady said. Jerry felt dead fill him. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut, I killed two of your loyal brethren. You killed two of mine├óÔé¼┬Ø she continued, releasing the hammers to her guns. Jerry pulled his gun, praying it would catch her off guard.
They both fired at nearly the same moment, and Jerry felt two bullets wiz by his head and arm. His bullet found its mark in the Lady├óÔé¼Ôäós thigh, but she had already started her dive. She smashed into the window and, with a shatter of glass, was gone. ├óÔé¼┼ôGo after that bitch, and kill her!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry shouted to the guards who started to percolate into the room.
Most of them had expected to have to clean up three messy bodies, but they took to the change in orders quite realy.
Juliana woke in the middle of the night, wondering what had woken her. Was it├óÔé¼┬ªgunfire? Then she dismissed it. This was far from the war. But still, there was something nagging at her mind that refused to leave. She rolled over, away from Garret and towards the window. She quietly sat up and strode to the open frame, slipping on a night robe.
She looked out and saw a furtive├óÔé¼┬ªshadow├óÔé¼┬ª dart across the street and into an ally way. She blinked, wondering if she had imagined it. ├óÔé¼┼ôJuliana?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Garret from behind her. She jumped. Garret laughed ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat├óÔé¼Ôäós gotten you so jumpy?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, concerned. ├óÔé¼┼ômaybe its nothing├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said ├óÔé¼┼ôJust├óÔé¼┬ªwhat happened this evening playing on my nerves├óÔé¼┬Ø
Garret smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI think I know what could get your mind off that├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, turning her around and kissing her. She broke the kiss and put a finger on his lip ├óÔé¼┼ôThe window├óÔé¼Ôäós open├óÔé¼┬ª we might wake Teresa├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Garret grinned and reached over to the window and started to push it close. Suddenly a hand shot up from below it and stopped the glass from closing.
├óÔé¼┼ôNot├óÔé¼┬ªso├óÔé¼┬ª fast├óÔé¼┬ªsolder├óÔé¼┬Ø said a strange voice from below. Garret, completely bewildered, opened the window and peered out. A woman, dressed entirely in black was literally climbing the wall. But Garret could see the blood staining her thigh, and knew how much pain she must be in. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Lady of the Night needs assistance├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman said, and suddenly Garret remembered.
├óÔé¼┼ôOh shit!├óÔé¼┬Ø he swore. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho is that?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Juliana, half confused and half angry. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm not in the Guild anymore├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôLeave me alone!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
He heard what sounded like a laugh then a hand grabbed onto his window sill and the Lady pulled herself into the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho IS THAT!├óÔé¼┬Ø said Juliana, not trying to be quiet anymore. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho is that?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Teresa, who had just opened the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are they?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked the Lady. Garret clutched his temples and moaned.
├óÔé¼┼ôListen man├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, somewhat stifled due to the many, many wounds about his face and shoulders ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was a simple├óÔé¼┬ªsimp├óÔé¼┬Ø he tried to choke out the last part before another fist smashed into his stomach, causing him to bend over and moan. The interrogator was a dark, menacing shadow, his body silhouetted by a bright light shining straight into Lou├óÔé¼Ôäós face.
├óÔé¼┼ôNo, it was not just a simple mugging├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said slowly, walking into the light, his form considerably thinner and slightly taller then the hulking interrogator. ├óÔé¼┼ôB├óÔé¼┬ªbut├óÔé¼┬Ø Lou said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNO BUTS!├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Jerry, leaning close to the scarred face of Lou. ├óÔé¼┼ôGarret, and his bitch AND his brat go unharmed, or the Boss gets my dick!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lou moaned ├óÔé¼┼ôN..no one told├óÔé¼┬ªme├óÔé¼┬Ø.
A fist smashed into his jaw, snapping it sickeningly and sending teeth flying. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are telling you now├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said quietly as the interrogator smashed his massive fists into the unconscious man├óÔé¼Ôäós stomach and sternum again and again until they both heard the snap of bones cracking. The interrogator stepped away, rubbing his sore knuckles. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood job Brutus├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said, patting the big man on the back.
Brutus turned, and his face was illuminated by the light. His face ended at the upper jaw line, a gaping maw with a tightly drawn out, semi-translucent patch of skin covering the hole. His breathing was loud, and somewhat snore like as he pulled in massive amounts of air from his rather small nose.
Jerry turned to a courier and said ├óÔé¼┼ôTell the Boss that Garret wont be bothered by any of my men. I only hope Sentenza and Rod do the same, or Boss is going to crack down on all of us├óÔé¼┬Ø. The courier nodded and took of at a light jog. But even as he left, another courier entered. ├óÔé¼┼ôsir, the Guild reps are in the lounge├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, somewhat breathlessly, as he had ran down four flights of stairs.
Jerry nodded and told the courier to get some rest. Jerry like to be known as generous and kind. That was why the torture chamber was below the cellar and the labyrinth in his mansion. He then started to walk up four god damned flights of stairs. Brutus had already retreated to his house, a small alcove across from the chamber, where a small hammock and a single lantern stood. There he sat down and began to read Dragons: A wonders Race, By Jonathan Book.
Brutus peered at the book and read:
One of the finest things I learned about dragons was there society seemed like a outright anarchy to an outsider, but when revealed completely to me was as intricate and well organized as any human or Kia empire. My wife, Red, spent many long nights trying to explain the more complex parts of the governments
Brutus had memorized the passage, and the rest of the book. It was his only one. ├óÔé¼┼ôuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnn ovvvvv├óÔé¼┬Ø he moaned, barley able to articulate the words. ├óÔé¼┼ôonnnnne offff├óÔé¼┬Ø he tired again, but the pain from trying to talk forced him to stop. Brutus then placed the book down, crawled into the hammock and tried to sleep.
Jerry got to the lounge in only a minute, and still arrived without looking rushed or harried. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood evening├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, quickly covering his surprise. It wasn├óÔé¼Ôäót just some Guild Reps├óÔé¼┬ª it was Guild Reps and the Lady of the Night herself. The black robed, veiled woman only allowed one part of her anatomy show. Two creamy, brown eyes that stared out between a long mat of blond hair and thick, black veil.
├óÔé¼┼ôThe Lady greets you├óÔé¼┬Ø said one of the Reps, the small, beady one with spectacles. He was seated on the left of the Lady, and the three of them were placed on the largest and most comfortable then any other furniture in the room. So Jerry settled for the second most comfortable one.
├óÔé¼┼ôCan├óÔé¼Ôäót the Lady speak for herself?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Jerry, leaning nonchalantly on his shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe has no need to speak to a lesser├óÔé¼┬Ø said the Rep on the right of the Lady, and he was a rather burly red head with gleaming green eyes, and a massive brushy beard. ├óÔé¼┼ôA lesser, eh?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said, examining his fingernails with false concern. Two doors in the room opened and two of his best body guards came out.
The Reps both pulled out pistols, and aimed them at Jerry. Jerry grinned, unconcerned. ├óÔé¼┼ôSee those rifles?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked the Reps. They both stole furtive glances at the rifles that Jerry├óÔé¼Ôäós bodyguards where carrying. ├óÔé¼┼ôThose are new inventions of mine├óÔé¼┬ª see I call it a Jerry Mk-22├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said, still sitting ├óÔé¼┼ôand they can fire ten rounds in a single burst. They also carry fifty rounds in their clips, you know├óÔé¼┬ª those big round cases on the top of them├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSo, if you kill me, your Lady will be filled with holes. And so will you├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said. The reps glanced at each other, then at the Lady. She was still impassive. They both let there guns dangle on there finger tips, then holstered them. ├óÔé¼┼ôAh, yes good├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said, grinning. ├óÔé¼┼ôKill them├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.
One of the Reps, the one with the spectacles, had time to gasp before the Jerry├óÔé¼Ôäós opened fire. Ratata-Ratata-Ratata-Ratatat . The guns opened fire and the two reps fell back, then fell forward as the blood from there bodies seeped into the floor and stained the carpet red. The Lady stood stalk still, knowing better then too move. The red haired rep fell to the side as the Jerry├óÔé¼Ôäós stopped firing, and his corpse slithered off to the ground. The bespectacled rep stayed on the sofa, but his entrails spilled onto the floor. Most of the bullets had his stomach.
├óÔé¼┼ôNow, I want the Guild of Interpreters to know that they are no longer invulnerable├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said. The Lady looked at him impassively. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Jerry. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou would never have done this, if Garret was still around├óÔé¼┬Ø The Lady said slowly, her voice melodious and beautiful. Jerry felt a tug at his heart. ├óÔé¼┼ôDidn├óÔé¼Ôäót you hear? Your best Interpreter is back in town├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The Lady blinked. Jerry raised his hand, ordering his bodyguards to fire. Then the Lady dived backwards, somersaulting up and over the sofa. Then the Jerry├óÔé¼Ôäós opened fire, but├óÔé¼┬ª on nothing. The sofa suddenly blossomed with holes and fluff flying out of it. Smoke filled the room, and the Jerry├óÔé¼Ôäós stopped firing.
Jerry stood, peering for the mangled corpse of that insufferable woman. Then there was a BANG! And another. BANG! Jerry saw one of his guards collapse, the back of his head blow out. The other flew backwards, the bullet cutting through his spine. The smoke cleared and the Lardy stood, her veil somewhat disturbed by her somersaulting. Both of her revolvers where aimed at Jerry├óÔé¼Ôäós head.
├óÔé¼┼ôIf I was a barbarian, like you, I would shoot you dead├óÔé¼┬Ø The Lady said. Jerry felt dead fill him. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut, I killed two of your loyal brethren. You killed two of mine├óÔé¼┬Ø she continued, releasing the hammers to her guns. Jerry pulled his gun, praying it would catch her off guard.
They both fired at nearly the same moment, and Jerry felt two bullets wiz by his head and arm. His bullet found its mark in the Lady├óÔé¼Ôäós thigh, but she had already started her dive. She smashed into the window and, with a shatter of glass, was gone. ├óÔé¼┼ôGo after that bitch, and kill her!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry shouted to the guards who started to percolate into the room.
Most of them had expected to have to clean up three messy bodies, but they took to the change in orders quite realy.
Juliana woke in the middle of the night, wondering what had woken her. Was it├óÔé¼┬ªgunfire? Then she dismissed it. This was far from the war. But still, there was something nagging at her mind that refused to leave. She rolled over, away from Garret and towards the window. She quietly sat up and strode to the open frame, slipping on a night robe.
She looked out and saw a furtive├óÔé¼┬ªshadow├óÔé¼┬ª dart across the street and into an ally way. She blinked, wondering if she had imagined it. ├óÔé¼┼ôJuliana?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Garret from behind her. She jumped. Garret laughed ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat├óÔé¼Ôäós gotten you so jumpy?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, concerned. ├óÔé¼┼ômaybe its nothing├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said ├óÔé¼┼ôJust├óÔé¼┬ªwhat happened this evening playing on my nerves├óÔé¼┬Ø
Garret smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI think I know what could get your mind off that├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, turning her around and kissing her. She broke the kiss and put a finger on his lip ├óÔé¼┼ôThe window├óÔé¼Ôäós open├óÔé¼┬ª we might wake Teresa├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Garret grinned and reached over to the window and started to push it close. Suddenly a hand shot up from below it and stopped the glass from closing.
├óÔé¼┼ôNot├óÔé¼┬ªso├óÔé¼┬ª fast├óÔé¼┬ªsolder├óÔé¼┬Ø said a strange voice from below. Garret, completely bewildered, opened the window and peered out. A woman, dressed entirely in black was literally climbing the wall. But Garret could see the blood staining her thigh, and knew how much pain she must be in. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Lady of the Night needs assistance├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman said, and suddenly Garret remembered.
├óÔé¼┼ôOh shit!├óÔé¼┬Ø he swore. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho is that?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Juliana, half confused and half angry. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm not in the Guild anymore├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôLeave me alone!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
He heard what sounded like a laugh then a hand grabbed onto his window sill and the Lady pulled herself into the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho IS THAT!├óÔé¼┬Ø said Juliana, not trying to be quiet anymore. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho is that?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Teresa, who had just opened the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are they?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked the Lady. Garret clutched his temples and moaned.
├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa go to bed├óÔé¼┬Ø was the first order of business. After she was spirited away, still clamoring for answers even as the door closed, Garret turned and frowned at Lady. ├óÔé¼┼ôwhy are you here?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked ├óÔé¼┼ôand why are you bothering me? I left the Guild├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lady still hadn├óÔé¼Ôäót taken off her veil, but Garret could make out the faint outline of her lips. She was frowning.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou didn├óÔé¼Ôäót just leave. You disappeared for ten odd years├óÔé¼┬Ø Lady said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe thought you were dead. So when I heard you were in town again, I wanted to check in on you. Also I├óÔé¼Ôäóve been shot├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret glanced down at the blood stain seeping from a bullet hole in her thigh. ├óÔé¼┼ôGo down stairs, I├óÔé¼Ôäóll be with you in a bit├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWith a doctor?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked plaintively. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, smiling faintly.
After Lady had limped down to the dining room, Garret met with Juliana. She was very mad. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho the hell is that?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd why dose she know you on a first name bases?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know about the Interpreter Guild right?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked. Juliana snorted ├óÔé¼┼ôhow could I not?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. Then comprehension dawned on her. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬ª she isn├óÔé¼Ôäót├óÔé¼┬ª├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe is├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said
├óÔé¼┼ôSo you where a guild member├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said evenly. ├óÔé¼┼ôI quit├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said quickly ├óÔé¼┼ôBut she is bleeding rather profusely├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo I need to fix her up├óÔé¼┬Ø. Juliana nodded. The both walked down the stairs. Lady was using a spoon, purloined from Balters rather large -------, to dig at the bullet wound. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop that├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, grabbing the spoon. He threw it away and then passed his hand over the wound.
The bullet was pushed out by the suddenly healed flesh and it clattered to the floor. Lady stared at it, prodding it with her fingers. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow├óÔé¼┬ª what?├óÔé¼┬Ø she stammered. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt├óÔé¼Ôäós a long story├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, smiling. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo get the hell out of this house├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou cant force me to leave, as its not your house. You need to have Lord Balter get me out├óÔé¼┬Ø Lady said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah right├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôOut├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôLet me explain├óÔé¼┬Ø Lady said, smiling.
Red sharpened her dagger reflexively, holding it in front of her as she lay prone above the Trogg encampment. The Army had almost immediately gone into action when Killigan took over. They had located a largest Trogg encampment, and were going to make a preemptive strike, as theses Trogg├óÔé¼Ôäós had been responsible for the destruction of the towns of Helgad, Julan and Kell.
Red├óÔé¼Ôäós wings had been spread over the ground, covered with the same camouflage that she wore, and she was glad that the night was still pleasantly cool. The veins in her wings helped relive the heat a dragon, even in human form, always made. Even so the night was pleasant. However Red was focused on the dagger, and sharpening it. It was mechanical, repetitive and took her mind off the past.
She flicked her eye lids up and double checked the Trogg camp. She spotted an odd brew being cooked up by the Shaman. She grinned and stood, shaking the camouflage off her wings and picking up the longbow that had been laid on the ground next to her. She then pulled out a perfectly crafted arrow and knocked it to her bow. Then she winged up and above the target.
Blood singing in her veins, Red snapped her wings close to her back and dived. The shaman was dumbfounded when a black clothed, winged female landed catlike and silently in front of his tent. Red brought the bow up and fired, the arrow zipping with a slight hiss through the shaman├óÔé¼Ôäós neck. Blood spurted, but two more arrows where fired, on piercing the Troggs left heart, slowed enough by the thick rib plate to remain embedded in the monsters chest. The second stabbed into the Trogg├óÔé¼Ôäós eye, shooting straight through the thin bone in the back of Trogg├óÔé¼Ôäós head.
The Shaman├óÔé¼Ôäós death was nearly silent, with naught but the spilling of blood and the hiss of the arrows. But as the four legged creature collapsed to the side and knocked over the pot. Flaming hot liquid, colored a greenish blue, poured over the area and when it touched the Shaman├óÔé¼Ôäós corpse├óÔé¼┬ª it disintegrated. The flesh shriveled then blew away in the air. Red skipped nimbly back and watched at the corpse blew away in the wind.
Red spread her wings and launched off, speeding up and into the night. She looked down as a guard investigated the sound of the cauldron collapsing. She knew they would probably assume the Shaman had fallen, or had been pushed, into his brew. Shamans were notoriety jealous of each others new inventions. So she winged her way to a new vantage point. Then she saw something black speeding up from the ground.
It was an arrow. She spun, a hard maneuver even in the best of times, but somehow she managed it. The arrow went past her, barely missing her body, but she found her self falling. She managed to get her flight back, but by then a second arrow was going up.
├óÔé¼┼ôHit it yet├óÔé¼┬Ø asked the guard. The Trogg with the bow sneered ├óÔé¼┼ôI can hit ANY bird, and that one is a bigun!├óÔé¼┬Ø the bowman said. The bird suddenly dropped. ├óÔé¼┼ôI hit it!├óÔé¼┬Ø the bowman shouted elatedly. The silhouette of the bird fell and the Trogg suddenly saw that it was humanoid.
The Trogg├óÔé¼Ôäós headed out and found a human standing, unharmed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked one of the Troggs. Then two wings snapped to there full length and the Trogg├óÔé¼Ôäós backed up in fear. The humanoid dashed forward, a short sword flashing in the light cast by the rings, and then. Blood flew from the second Trogg├óÔé¼Ôäós stomach, and the bowman foolishly tried to knock an arrow.
Red slid her sword out between the three rib plates of the Trogg, letting it├óÔé¼Ôäós intestines spill onto the ground. Then she swished her sword in a quick slice. Blood fountain and the head of the Trogg slid off to the ground. Both corpses twitched slightly, but were quite dead. Red flicked a bit of gore of the tip of the sword then ran it along a small white polishing cloth.
The cloth came away red and purple. Red grimaced and sheathed her sword. She couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót fly very well with a bow, so she decided to ditch it till she could get it later. She then took off, heading towards the camp. She knew what Killigan wanted. She only hoped the Trogg├óÔé¼Ôäós wouldn├óÔé¼Ôäót find the body├óÔé¼Ôäós before too long.
After Killigan was in command, moral plummeted. Garret had left, unexpectedly and unexplained, and the entire army had suddenly felt abandoned. But Killigan had sent out some scouting parts to find and assassinate the unknown Trogg that had been brewing up├óÔé¼┬ªwhatever had decimated the towns in this region. Civilian casualties had been low, as Killigan had sent out word to the towns├óÔé¼Ôäó folk. Many had joined, and there family├óÔé¼Ôäós had gathered.
├óÔé¼┼ôSquad Omega has come back. The shaman├óÔé¼Ôäós not in there encampment├óÔé¼┬Ø a secondary whispered in Killigan├óÔé¼Ôäós ear. ├óÔé¼┼ôI found him├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said, striding into the command tent with her wings as tightly folded as she could make them, but even so she still managed to knock against a soldier. ├óÔé¼┼ôSituation?├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan asked brusquely. ├óÔé¼┼ôI knocked him into his own potion. It was surprisingly amusing├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said.
├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan said and turned back to the map. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe should attack within a few days. The encampment looks about ready to attack├óÔé¼┬Ø Red added. Killigan looked back and smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have a plan├óÔé¼┬Ø he said and turned back to the map. Red nodded and walked out, letting her wings out to there full length to stretch. She then walked down to her tent. After several tent mate├óÔé¼Ôäós complained about being hit repeatedly by her wings. So she had a tent to her self. She lay on the bedroll, letting her wings out to there full length. She rested her head back and felt the adrenaline of fighting and flying.
Then a memory floated up unbidden. Jonathan├óÔé¼Ôäós funeral. Then the tears came with it. Dragons had long memory├óÔé¼Ôäós, and humans lived for so little time.
├óÔé¼┼ôThere are three different organizations left over, all built up by some unknown third party. Jerry however took over his gang and began to expand it. Now they own half the city. When I met with them to discuss our├óÔé¼┬ªbusiness├óÔé¼┬ª relations he turned on me and killed my two speakers├óÔé¼┬Ø Lady said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I heard you were back in town, and because you were our best operative├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI was not your best operative├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret cut in. Lady laughed ├óÔé¼┼ôYou under estimate yourself├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou did all the best jobs, and never failed. You were unflappable, and better with a blade then anyone in the city├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret mulled over his past. What he had once regarded as his proudest achievements now seemed dull and pointless compared to the past├óÔé¼┬ª and the present.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo now could you please tell me what the hell has happened to you? You got married, had a kid and somehow became a Magi?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lady asked. Garret leaned back ├óÔé¼┼ôThat├óÔé¼┬ªwould be telling├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou didn├óÔé¼Ôäót just leave. You disappeared for ten odd years├óÔé¼┬Ø Lady said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe thought you were dead. So when I heard you were in town again, I wanted to check in on you. Also I├óÔé¼Ôäóve been shot├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret glanced down at the blood stain seeping from a bullet hole in her thigh. ├óÔé¼┼ôGo down stairs, I├óÔé¼Ôäóll be with you in a bit├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWith a doctor?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked plaintively. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, smiling faintly.
After Lady had limped down to the dining room, Garret met with Juliana. She was very mad. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho the hell is that?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd why dose she know you on a first name bases?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know about the Interpreter Guild right?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked. Juliana snorted ├óÔé¼┼ôhow could I not?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. Then comprehension dawned on her. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬ª she isn├óÔé¼Ôäót├óÔé¼┬ª├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe is├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said
├óÔé¼┼ôSo you where a guild member├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said evenly. ├óÔé¼┼ôI quit├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said quickly ├óÔé¼┼ôBut she is bleeding rather profusely├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo I need to fix her up├óÔé¼┬Ø. Juliana nodded. The both walked down the stairs. Lady was using a spoon, purloined from Balters rather large -------, to dig at the bullet wound. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop that├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, grabbing the spoon. He threw it away and then passed his hand over the wound.
The bullet was pushed out by the suddenly healed flesh and it clattered to the floor. Lady stared at it, prodding it with her fingers. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow├óÔé¼┬ª what?├óÔé¼┬Ø she stammered. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt├óÔé¼Ôäós a long story├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, smiling. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo get the hell out of this house├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou cant force me to leave, as its not your house. You need to have Lord Balter get me out├óÔé¼┬Ø Lady said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah right├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôOut├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôLet me explain├óÔé¼┬Ø Lady said, smiling.
Red sharpened her dagger reflexively, holding it in front of her as she lay prone above the Trogg encampment. The Army had almost immediately gone into action when Killigan took over. They had located a largest Trogg encampment, and were going to make a preemptive strike, as theses Trogg├óÔé¼Ôäós had been responsible for the destruction of the towns of Helgad, Julan and Kell.
Red├óÔé¼Ôäós wings had been spread over the ground, covered with the same camouflage that she wore, and she was glad that the night was still pleasantly cool. The veins in her wings helped relive the heat a dragon, even in human form, always made. Even so the night was pleasant. However Red was focused on the dagger, and sharpening it. It was mechanical, repetitive and took her mind off the past.
She flicked her eye lids up and double checked the Trogg camp. She spotted an odd brew being cooked up by the Shaman. She grinned and stood, shaking the camouflage off her wings and picking up the longbow that had been laid on the ground next to her. She then pulled out a perfectly crafted arrow and knocked it to her bow. Then she winged up and above the target.
Blood singing in her veins, Red snapped her wings close to her back and dived. The shaman was dumbfounded when a black clothed, winged female landed catlike and silently in front of his tent. Red brought the bow up and fired, the arrow zipping with a slight hiss through the shaman├óÔé¼Ôäós neck. Blood spurted, but two more arrows where fired, on piercing the Troggs left heart, slowed enough by the thick rib plate to remain embedded in the monsters chest. The second stabbed into the Trogg├óÔé¼Ôäós eye, shooting straight through the thin bone in the back of Trogg├óÔé¼Ôäós head.
The Shaman├óÔé¼Ôäós death was nearly silent, with naught but the spilling of blood and the hiss of the arrows. But as the four legged creature collapsed to the side and knocked over the pot. Flaming hot liquid, colored a greenish blue, poured over the area and when it touched the Shaman├óÔé¼Ôäós corpse├óÔé¼┬ª it disintegrated. The flesh shriveled then blew away in the air. Red skipped nimbly back and watched at the corpse blew away in the wind.
Red spread her wings and launched off, speeding up and into the night. She looked down as a guard investigated the sound of the cauldron collapsing. She knew they would probably assume the Shaman had fallen, or had been pushed, into his brew. Shamans were notoriety jealous of each others new inventions. So she winged her way to a new vantage point. Then she saw something black speeding up from the ground.
It was an arrow. She spun, a hard maneuver even in the best of times, but somehow she managed it. The arrow went past her, barely missing her body, but she found her self falling. She managed to get her flight back, but by then a second arrow was going up.
├óÔé¼┼ôHit it yet├óÔé¼┬Ø asked the guard. The Trogg with the bow sneered ├óÔé¼┼ôI can hit ANY bird, and that one is a bigun!├óÔé¼┬Ø the bowman said. The bird suddenly dropped. ├óÔé¼┼ôI hit it!├óÔé¼┬Ø the bowman shouted elatedly. The silhouette of the bird fell and the Trogg suddenly saw that it was humanoid.
The Trogg├óÔé¼Ôäós headed out and found a human standing, unharmed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked one of the Troggs. Then two wings snapped to there full length and the Trogg├óÔé¼Ôäós backed up in fear. The humanoid dashed forward, a short sword flashing in the light cast by the rings, and then. Blood flew from the second Trogg├óÔé¼Ôäós stomach, and the bowman foolishly tried to knock an arrow.
Red slid her sword out between the three rib plates of the Trogg, letting it├óÔé¼Ôäós intestines spill onto the ground. Then she swished her sword in a quick slice. Blood fountain and the head of the Trogg slid off to the ground. Both corpses twitched slightly, but were quite dead. Red flicked a bit of gore of the tip of the sword then ran it along a small white polishing cloth.
The cloth came away red and purple. Red grimaced and sheathed her sword. She couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót fly very well with a bow, so she decided to ditch it till she could get it later. She then took off, heading towards the camp. She knew what Killigan wanted. She only hoped the Trogg├óÔé¼Ôäós wouldn├óÔé¼Ôäót find the body├óÔé¼Ôäós before too long.
After Killigan was in command, moral plummeted. Garret had left, unexpectedly and unexplained, and the entire army had suddenly felt abandoned. But Killigan had sent out some scouting parts to find and assassinate the unknown Trogg that had been brewing up├óÔé¼┬ªwhatever had decimated the towns in this region. Civilian casualties had been low, as Killigan had sent out word to the towns├óÔé¼Ôäó folk. Many had joined, and there family├óÔé¼Ôäós had gathered.
├óÔé¼┼ôSquad Omega has come back. The shaman├óÔé¼Ôäós not in there encampment├óÔé¼┬Ø a secondary whispered in Killigan├óÔé¼Ôäós ear. ├óÔé¼┼ôI found him├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said, striding into the command tent with her wings as tightly folded as she could make them, but even so she still managed to knock against a soldier. ├óÔé¼┼ôSituation?├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan asked brusquely. ├óÔé¼┼ôI knocked him into his own potion. It was surprisingly amusing├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said.
├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan said and turned back to the map. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe should attack within a few days. The encampment looks about ready to attack├óÔé¼┬Ø Red added. Killigan looked back and smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have a plan├óÔé¼┬Ø he said and turned back to the map. Red nodded and walked out, letting her wings out to there full length to stretch. She then walked down to her tent. After several tent mate├óÔé¼Ôäós complained about being hit repeatedly by her wings. So she had a tent to her self. She lay on the bedroll, letting her wings out to there full length. She rested her head back and felt the adrenaline of fighting and flying.
Then a memory floated up unbidden. Jonathan├óÔé¼Ôäós funeral. Then the tears came with it. Dragons had long memory├óÔé¼Ôäós, and humans lived for so little time.
├óÔé¼┼ôThere are three different organizations left over, all built up by some unknown third party. Jerry however took over his gang and began to expand it. Now they own half the city. When I met with them to discuss our├óÔé¼┬ªbusiness├óÔé¼┬ª relations he turned on me and killed my two speakers├óÔé¼┬Ø Lady said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I heard you were back in town, and because you were our best operative├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI was not your best operative├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret cut in. Lady laughed ├óÔé¼┼ôYou under estimate yourself├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou did all the best jobs, and never failed. You were unflappable, and better with a blade then anyone in the city├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret mulled over his past. What he had once regarded as his proudest achievements now seemed dull and pointless compared to the past├óÔé¼┬ª and the present.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo now could you please tell me what the hell has happened to you? You got married, had a kid and somehow became a Magi?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lady asked. Garret leaned back ├óÔé¼┼ôThat├óÔé¼┬ªwould be telling├óÔé¼┬Ø
Garret opened his mouth to tell the Lady to get out of the house, but the front door suddenly opened and closed. Then some footsteps echoed from the entrance to the house. ├óÔé¼┼ôwho is that?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Lady. ├óÔé¼┼ôI really don├óÔé¼Ôäót know├óÔé¼┬Ø muttered Garret. Then the door to the dinner room opened and a very tired looking Lord Balter stepped in, pulling off his hat. He stopped when he saw the occupants of the dining room.
├óÔé¼┼ôUhhh├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI didn├óÔé¼Ôäót think you would be up├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNeither did we├óÔé¼┬Ø said Garret ├óÔé¼┼ôThis lady broke into the house├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm not surprised├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said dryly ├óÔé¼┼ôWould you please get out of my house Natasha├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Lady stood up stiffly ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI was about to leave anyway├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then she strode out of the room, and walked out the front door, slamming it loudly.
Garret covered his face with his hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon├óÔé¼Ôäót ask├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said, walking to his room. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know what├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm going to bed├óÔé¼┬Ø. She walked out of the room and Garret heard a door slam. Then he heard another door slam. He stayed at the table and then got up. Then he walked over to his room, opened the door and got into bed.
├óÔé¼┼ôNow, Garret├óÔé¼┬Ø said Xue, looking at Garret who stood in the center of the council chamber. The man was rail thin, now that he wasn├óÔé¼Ôäót wearing the thick robes that he had arrived in, and seemed even older then last night. ├óÔé¼┼ôHalf of us have decided to let you into our council, and award you with the title of Lord├óÔé¼┬ª but the rest of us are not convinced├óÔé¼┬Ø Xue continued.
Garret opened his mouth to argue but Xue held up his hand, stopping him. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are sure of your noble blood├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôwhat we are not convinced of is your intentions. Why do you want to join us?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret stroked his goatee thoughtfully and looked at the nobles, seizing them up. ├óÔé¼┼ôFor the last five years the Trogg have been penetrating beyond the mountain range that had always protected the scattered villages of Terrix. The Fortress can no longer protect humanity in the way it has├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôAfter hearing of towns sacked, innocents murdered├óÔé¼┬ª I couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót stand by and watch├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret fixed his eyes on Xue├óÔé¼Ôäós, as if asking were where you ├óÔé¼┼ôI sent out messages to friends of mine, people who also believe that human kind has been standing by too long. We became an army, first of only fifty. Then it swelled to three hundred highly trained and proficient warriors and we have been trying to keep Terrix safe. I don├óÔé¼Ôäót know how much you have heard of my escapades├óÔé¼┬Ø Garrets mouth quirked in a smile ├óÔé¼┼ôBut even with new recruits from every village we protected, there were three other towns pillaged├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôA short while ago I realized that my approach wasn├óÔé¼Ôäót working. We don├óÔé¼Ôäót need two hundred. We need two hundred thousand warriors to protect Terrix like that├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret frowned slightly. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can├óÔé¼Ôäót just draft an army here on Emperryon. The public would revolt├óÔé¼┬Ø Teldi pointed out. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don├óÔé¼Ôäót want to press people into service. In fact I don├óÔé¼Ôäót even want to continue my army├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said.
├óÔé¼┼ôThen how will we stop the Trogg?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Merrill. Garret grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôWe will talk to them├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was a shocked silence for about three seconds. Then the nobles began to shout and argue. Xue smashed down the gavel that ever chairs armrest had, silencing the nobles. ├óÔé¼┼ôGarret, surly you understand that the barbarous Trogg aren├óÔé¼Ôäót going to stop attacking us if we just ASK them├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Garret shook his head ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬ª you wont ask them. The Trogg don├óÔé¼Ôäót understand the nature of a council or a multitude of rulers. They only understand a Emperor, a despot├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret looked at his feet, hiding a broad smile. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo, if I say I am Lord Garret the Trogg will assume I bludgeoned you all into submission and will listen to what I had to say├óÔé¼┬Ø. Teldi looked at Garret. Then he started to laugh hysterically.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat├óÔé¼Ôäós so funny?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Merrill irritably. Teldi stopped laughing after a few moments ├óÔé¼┼ôA pauper posing as a prince├óÔé¼┬Ø Teldi gasped ├óÔé¼┼ôto impress a barbarian├óÔé¼┬Ø. The other nobles looked at him as if he was crazy. Teldi noticed and sat up stiffly, frowning. Xue looked at Lord Balter, who was trying to cover a smile. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour proposal has merit├óÔé¼┬ª.├óÔé¼┬Ø Xue said slowly.
Garret cocked his eyebrow. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe will vote now, please leave├óÔé¼┬Ø Xue said. Garret bowed quickly and walked out of the room. Garret leaned against the wall outside the council chamber and watched the crowds of the Capitol march past. The Council chamber was in the middle of a courtyard, and many of the richer members of society walked past it daily.
After a half hour passed the door opened and a guard ushered Garret inside. He walked into the center of the star shaped room and looked at Lord Xue, who was looking perturbed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell?├óÔé¼┬Ø prompted Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have collected our votes, and it is the decision of this council that├óÔé¼┬Ø Xue chewed his upper lip ├óÔé¼┼ôTo├óÔé¼┬ªreject your application to join the council├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Garret nodded brusquely. ├óÔé¼┼ôMy I ask why?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe voted no├óÔé¼┬Ø Xue said evenly. Garret noticed the other Nobles were glancing left and right, nervous and confused at Xue├óÔé¼Ôäós announcement. ├óÔé¼┼ôMay I ask how you collected you votes?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe write down either a yes or a no on ballot cards and hand them to the arbiter chosen, in this case me. Then I tally them the votes and announce the result├óÔé¼┬Ø Xue said.
├óÔé¼┼ôLord Teldi├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said suddenly, ├óÔé¼┼ôif you don├óÔé¼Ôäót mind, what did you vote?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Teldi said quickly ├óÔé¼┼ôI voted yes├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret pursed his lip. ├óÔé¼┼ôLord Balter├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, turning to Balter├óÔé¼Ôäós chair ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat did you vote?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Balter laughed nervously ├óÔé¼┼ôI voted yes├óÔé¼┬ª just like I said I would├óÔé¼┬Ø. Xue stood up ├óÔé¼┼ôGarret├óÔé¼┬Ø he said dangerously. ├óÔé¼┼ôMerrill, did you vote yes as well?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked. Merrill nodded silently, his face grim.
├óÔé¼┼ôVersi?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Garret, not even bothering to ask the full question. ├óÔé¼┼ôI voted├óÔé¼┬ªyes├óÔé¼┬Ø Versi said slowly. Garret turned to Xue, angry. ├óÔé¼┼ôXue├óÔé¼┬Ø he said tightly ├óÔé¼┼ôwhat did you vote?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Xue looked left and right at the accusing stairs of the other nobles. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼┬ªvoted├óÔé¼┬Ø Xue stammered ├óÔé¼┼ôI voted yes├óÔé¼┬Ø he finished ├óÔé¼┼ôwelcome to the council, Lord Garret├óÔé¼┬Ø. Xue sat down, his face livid.
├óÔé¼┼ôThank you├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said curtly and walked out the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow dare you├óÔé¼┬Ø Teldi said ├óÔé¼┼ôhow dare you twist out votes!├óÔé¼┬Ø he stood up ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you weren├óÔé¼Ôäót twenty years my elder I would challenge you right here and now├óÔé¼┬Ø. Xue spat on the floor of the Council Chamber ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought you, Teldi, would be the last person to sully our ranks with a faker├óÔé¼┬Ø. Teldi stepped close to Xue ├óÔé¼┼ôI think age has clouded your wits, old man├óÔé¼┬Ø he snapped.
├óÔé¼┼ôEnough!├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Merrill, standing. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬ªstaying here and arguing over the past is├óÔé¼┬ªunprofitable├óÔé¼┬Ø Versi said, standing and walking to the door. Merrill stood and left. Teldi jerked his robes into place, un-ruffling them and then he stalked out the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don├óÔé¼Ôäót think anyone would mind if I shot you dead right now├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said pulling out a perfectly made revolver. Xue├óÔé¼Ôäós back stiffened as Balter aimed the pistol at his forehead.
├óÔé¼┼ôBut I wont├óÔé¼┬Ø Lord Balter slid his pistol into his hidden holster ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm going to let you walk out alive and live with the consequences of your treachery├óÔé¼┬Ø. Xue actually laughed. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don├óÔé¼Ôäót think you can claim the moral high ground├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Balter reached for his holster, but stayed his hand before pulling out the revolver ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat did you say├óÔé¼┬ªold man?├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said slowly.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhy don├óÔé¼Ôäót you ask your trained attack dog, Boss?├óÔé¼┬Ø Xue spat, but Balter pulled out his revolver and fired a round into the old mans heart. Blood splattered onto Balters chair, and Xue staggered backwards, landing in his enemy├óÔé¼Ôäós chair. His head fell against the chair, the blood drained from his face. His left eye twitched, then his eyes rolled up into his head.
Balter sneered and fired again. then again and again. Then, wrinkling his nose at the gore splattered over his chair, Balter reloaded the four bullets he had fired. Then he looked at the floor, were the Xue├óÔé¼Ôäós blood washed away the spittle that remained there. A single drain that had always rested in the middle of the room allowed the blood to dribble out. Balter had always wondered what it was for. Now he knew.
Balter whipped the flecks of blood that had splattered when Xue├óÔé¼Ôäós heart had exploded off his shirt and stepped outside. He left the door open. The carrion birds would have there way with Xue, before anyone found him. The door to the council chamber was thick, and the walls were stone. The sound of gunshots was most likely muffled, and no one rushed to him, asking him what had happened. So Lord Balter began to walk to his house, whistling a cheery tune.
Jerry looked at his courier with disbelieve ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you mean she lived?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe saw her leaving Lord Balters house, healed and fine├óÔé¼┬Ø the Courier said quickly, obviously hoping that Jerry wouldn├óÔé¼Ôäót have him shot. ├óÔé¼┼ôdamn├óÔé¼┬ª send out some hit men and take out more of the Guild. Do anything you can to hurt Lady until she shows her face. Then put a bullet through it├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Courier nodded, and then walked out of Jerry├óÔé¼Ôäós room to spread the word to the rest of Jerry├óÔé¼Ôäós subordinates.
Garret walked into the house and found Juliana showing Teresa around the house. Teresa was used to the doors of the Ice tower, which simply melted away when she walked towards them. So Teresa was fascinated by the complex latching mechanisms and locking systems. ├óÔé¼┼ôJuliana├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. She looked up at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey accepted! WE are officially a noble family├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Juliana grinned as Garret picked up Teresa. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow your going to be a princess├óÔé¼┬Ø He said. Teresa giggled ├óÔé¼┼ôYou always say that├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell now other people are going to say it too├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, grinning brightly. Teresa was getting heavier by the day, but Garret could still carry her on his shoulders. Teresa giggled happily, but she seemed a bit distracted.
├óÔé¼┼ôDaddy├óÔé¼┬Ø she said seriously. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Garret worried. ├óÔé¼┼ôI want to show you something├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said. Garret craned his head around, trying to see his daughter. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Teresa clapped and Garret felt the universe shudder slightly. Then he spotted a pinprick of light at about head height. Garret knew it was a gate, but├óÔé¼┬ª
But it was a gate to a place that Garret had never felt before. ├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa├óÔé¼┬Ø he said slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôHow├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI remembered what it felt when you did it, and it happened├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said brightly, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Juliana looked as shocked as Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere dose it go?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked Garret.
Garret tried widening the gate, but he couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót budge it. ├óÔé¼┼ôI really have no idea├óÔé¼┬Ø he said slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôDid I do good?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Teresa. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said distractedly. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis gate has a power behind it I haven├óÔé¼Ôäót seen├óÔé¼┬ª ever!├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said, and Garret nodded agreeing with her. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt also use├óÔé¼Ôäós space/time in a way I didn├óÔé¼Ôäót even think possible!├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôSee how she over came the distance paradox, using singularity├óÔé¼Ôäós as a kind of slingshot├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Juliana looked at her daughter. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow hard was this for you dear?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. Teresa was looking a little crestfallen that her parents weren├óÔé¼Ôäót falling over themselves to congratulate her. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh it was easy!├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, hoping that would make her parents proud of her. Garret lifted her off his shoulders and looked at Teresa. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou really are special├óÔé¼┬Ø he said softly, and realized that he had never doubted it.
├óÔé¼┼ôUhhh├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI didn├óÔé¼Ôäót think you would be up├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNeither did we├óÔé¼┬Ø said Garret ├óÔé¼┼ôThis lady broke into the house├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm not surprised├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said dryly ├óÔé¼┼ôWould you please get out of my house Natasha├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Lady stood up stiffly ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI was about to leave anyway├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then she strode out of the room, and walked out the front door, slamming it loudly.
Garret covered his face with his hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon├óÔé¼Ôäót ask├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said, walking to his room. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know what├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm going to bed├óÔé¼┬Ø. She walked out of the room and Garret heard a door slam. Then he heard another door slam. He stayed at the table and then got up. Then he walked over to his room, opened the door and got into bed.
├óÔé¼┼ôNow, Garret├óÔé¼┬Ø said Xue, looking at Garret who stood in the center of the council chamber. The man was rail thin, now that he wasn├óÔé¼Ôäót wearing the thick robes that he had arrived in, and seemed even older then last night. ├óÔé¼┼ôHalf of us have decided to let you into our council, and award you with the title of Lord├óÔé¼┬ª but the rest of us are not convinced├óÔé¼┬Ø Xue continued.
Garret opened his mouth to argue but Xue held up his hand, stopping him. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are sure of your noble blood├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôwhat we are not convinced of is your intentions. Why do you want to join us?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret stroked his goatee thoughtfully and looked at the nobles, seizing them up. ├óÔé¼┼ôFor the last five years the Trogg have been penetrating beyond the mountain range that had always protected the scattered villages of Terrix. The Fortress can no longer protect humanity in the way it has├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôAfter hearing of towns sacked, innocents murdered├óÔé¼┬ª I couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót stand by and watch├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret fixed his eyes on Xue├óÔé¼Ôäós, as if asking were where you ├óÔé¼┼ôI sent out messages to friends of mine, people who also believe that human kind has been standing by too long. We became an army, first of only fifty. Then it swelled to three hundred highly trained and proficient warriors and we have been trying to keep Terrix safe. I don├óÔé¼Ôäót know how much you have heard of my escapades├óÔé¼┬Ø Garrets mouth quirked in a smile ├óÔé¼┼ôBut even with new recruits from every village we protected, there were three other towns pillaged├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôA short while ago I realized that my approach wasn├óÔé¼Ôäót working. We don├óÔé¼Ôäót need two hundred. We need two hundred thousand warriors to protect Terrix like that├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret frowned slightly. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can├óÔé¼Ôäót just draft an army here on Emperryon. The public would revolt├óÔé¼┬Ø Teldi pointed out. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don├óÔé¼Ôäót want to press people into service. In fact I don├óÔé¼Ôäót even want to continue my army├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said.
├óÔé¼┼ôThen how will we stop the Trogg?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Merrill. Garret grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôWe will talk to them├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was a shocked silence for about three seconds. Then the nobles began to shout and argue. Xue smashed down the gavel that ever chairs armrest had, silencing the nobles. ├óÔé¼┼ôGarret, surly you understand that the barbarous Trogg aren├óÔé¼Ôäót going to stop attacking us if we just ASK them├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Garret shook his head ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬ª you wont ask them. The Trogg don├óÔé¼Ôäót understand the nature of a council or a multitude of rulers. They only understand a Emperor, a despot├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret looked at his feet, hiding a broad smile. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo, if I say I am Lord Garret the Trogg will assume I bludgeoned you all into submission and will listen to what I had to say├óÔé¼┬Ø. Teldi looked at Garret. Then he started to laugh hysterically.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat├óÔé¼Ôäós so funny?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Merrill irritably. Teldi stopped laughing after a few moments ├óÔé¼┼ôA pauper posing as a prince├óÔé¼┬Ø Teldi gasped ├óÔé¼┼ôto impress a barbarian├óÔé¼┬Ø. The other nobles looked at him as if he was crazy. Teldi noticed and sat up stiffly, frowning. Xue looked at Lord Balter, who was trying to cover a smile. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour proposal has merit├óÔé¼┬ª.├óÔé¼┬Ø Xue said slowly.
Garret cocked his eyebrow. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe will vote now, please leave├óÔé¼┬Ø Xue said. Garret bowed quickly and walked out of the room. Garret leaned against the wall outside the council chamber and watched the crowds of the Capitol march past. The Council chamber was in the middle of a courtyard, and many of the richer members of society walked past it daily.
After a half hour passed the door opened and a guard ushered Garret inside. He walked into the center of the star shaped room and looked at Lord Xue, who was looking perturbed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell?├óÔé¼┬Ø prompted Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have collected our votes, and it is the decision of this council that├óÔé¼┬Ø Xue chewed his upper lip ├óÔé¼┼ôTo├óÔé¼┬ªreject your application to join the council├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Garret nodded brusquely. ├óÔé¼┼ôMy I ask why?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe voted no├óÔé¼┬Ø Xue said evenly. Garret noticed the other Nobles were glancing left and right, nervous and confused at Xue├óÔé¼Ôäós announcement. ├óÔé¼┼ôMay I ask how you collected you votes?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe write down either a yes or a no on ballot cards and hand them to the arbiter chosen, in this case me. Then I tally them the votes and announce the result├óÔé¼┬Ø Xue said.
├óÔé¼┼ôLord Teldi├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said suddenly, ├óÔé¼┼ôif you don├óÔé¼Ôäót mind, what did you vote?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Teldi said quickly ├óÔé¼┼ôI voted yes├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret pursed his lip. ├óÔé¼┼ôLord Balter├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, turning to Balter├óÔé¼Ôäós chair ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat did you vote?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Balter laughed nervously ├óÔé¼┼ôI voted yes├óÔé¼┬ª just like I said I would├óÔé¼┬Ø. Xue stood up ├óÔé¼┼ôGarret├óÔé¼┬Ø he said dangerously. ├óÔé¼┼ôMerrill, did you vote yes as well?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked. Merrill nodded silently, his face grim.
├óÔé¼┼ôVersi?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Garret, not even bothering to ask the full question. ├óÔé¼┼ôI voted├óÔé¼┬ªyes├óÔé¼┬Ø Versi said slowly. Garret turned to Xue, angry. ├óÔé¼┼ôXue├óÔé¼┬Ø he said tightly ├óÔé¼┼ôwhat did you vote?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Xue looked left and right at the accusing stairs of the other nobles. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼┬ªvoted├óÔé¼┬Ø Xue stammered ├óÔé¼┼ôI voted yes├óÔé¼┬Ø he finished ├óÔé¼┼ôwelcome to the council, Lord Garret├óÔé¼┬Ø. Xue sat down, his face livid.
├óÔé¼┼ôThank you├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said curtly and walked out the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow dare you├óÔé¼┬Ø Teldi said ├óÔé¼┼ôhow dare you twist out votes!├óÔé¼┬Ø he stood up ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you weren├óÔé¼Ôäót twenty years my elder I would challenge you right here and now├óÔé¼┬Ø. Xue spat on the floor of the Council Chamber ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought you, Teldi, would be the last person to sully our ranks with a faker├óÔé¼┬Ø. Teldi stepped close to Xue ├óÔé¼┼ôI think age has clouded your wits, old man├óÔé¼┬Ø he snapped.
├óÔé¼┼ôEnough!├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Merrill, standing. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬ªstaying here and arguing over the past is├óÔé¼┬ªunprofitable├óÔé¼┬Ø Versi said, standing and walking to the door. Merrill stood and left. Teldi jerked his robes into place, un-ruffling them and then he stalked out the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don├óÔé¼Ôäót think anyone would mind if I shot you dead right now├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said pulling out a perfectly made revolver. Xue├óÔé¼Ôäós back stiffened as Balter aimed the pistol at his forehead.
├óÔé¼┼ôBut I wont├óÔé¼┬Ø Lord Balter slid his pistol into his hidden holster ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm going to let you walk out alive and live with the consequences of your treachery├óÔé¼┬Ø. Xue actually laughed. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don├óÔé¼Ôäót think you can claim the moral high ground├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Balter reached for his holster, but stayed his hand before pulling out the revolver ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat did you say├óÔé¼┬ªold man?├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said slowly.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhy don├óÔé¼Ôäót you ask your trained attack dog, Boss?├óÔé¼┬Ø Xue spat, but Balter pulled out his revolver and fired a round into the old mans heart. Blood splattered onto Balters chair, and Xue staggered backwards, landing in his enemy├óÔé¼Ôäós chair. His head fell against the chair, the blood drained from his face. His left eye twitched, then his eyes rolled up into his head.
Balter sneered and fired again. then again and again. Then, wrinkling his nose at the gore splattered over his chair, Balter reloaded the four bullets he had fired. Then he looked at the floor, were the Xue├óÔé¼Ôäós blood washed away the spittle that remained there. A single drain that had always rested in the middle of the room allowed the blood to dribble out. Balter had always wondered what it was for. Now he knew.
Balter whipped the flecks of blood that had splattered when Xue├óÔé¼Ôäós heart had exploded off his shirt and stepped outside. He left the door open. The carrion birds would have there way with Xue, before anyone found him. The door to the council chamber was thick, and the walls were stone. The sound of gunshots was most likely muffled, and no one rushed to him, asking him what had happened. So Lord Balter began to walk to his house, whistling a cheery tune.
Jerry looked at his courier with disbelieve ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you mean she lived?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe saw her leaving Lord Balters house, healed and fine├óÔé¼┬Ø the Courier said quickly, obviously hoping that Jerry wouldn├óÔé¼Ôäót have him shot. ├óÔé¼┼ôdamn├óÔé¼┬ª send out some hit men and take out more of the Guild. Do anything you can to hurt Lady until she shows her face. Then put a bullet through it├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Courier nodded, and then walked out of Jerry├óÔé¼Ôäós room to spread the word to the rest of Jerry├óÔé¼Ôäós subordinates.
Garret walked into the house and found Juliana showing Teresa around the house. Teresa was used to the doors of the Ice tower, which simply melted away when she walked towards them. So Teresa was fascinated by the complex latching mechanisms and locking systems. ├óÔé¼┼ôJuliana├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. She looked up at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey accepted! WE are officially a noble family├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Juliana grinned as Garret picked up Teresa. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow your going to be a princess├óÔé¼┬Ø He said. Teresa giggled ├óÔé¼┼ôYou always say that├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell now other people are going to say it too├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, grinning brightly. Teresa was getting heavier by the day, but Garret could still carry her on his shoulders. Teresa giggled happily, but she seemed a bit distracted.
├óÔé¼┼ôDaddy├óÔé¼┬Ø she said seriously. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Garret worried. ├óÔé¼┼ôI want to show you something├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said. Garret craned his head around, trying to see his daughter. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Teresa clapped and Garret felt the universe shudder slightly. Then he spotted a pinprick of light at about head height. Garret knew it was a gate, but├óÔé¼┬ª
But it was a gate to a place that Garret had never felt before. ├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa├óÔé¼┬Ø he said slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôHow├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI remembered what it felt when you did it, and it happened├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said brightly, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Juliana looked as shocked as Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere dose it go?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked Garret.
Garret tried widening the gate, but he couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót budge it. ├óÔé¼┼ôI really have no idea├óÔé¼┬Ø he said slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôDid I do good?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Teresa. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said distractedly. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis gate has a power behind it I haven├óÔé¼Ôäót seen├óÔé¼┬ª ever!├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said, and Garret nodded agreeing with her. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt also use├óÔé¼Ôäós space/time in a way I didn├óÔé¼Ôäót even think possible!├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôSee how she over came the distance paradox, using singularity├óÔé¼Ôäós as a kind of slingshot├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Juliana looked at her daughter. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow hard was this for you dear?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. Teresa was looking a little crestfallen that her parents weren├óÔé¼Ôäót falling over themselves to congratulate her. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh it was easy!├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, hoping that would make her parents proud of her. Garret lifted her off his shoulders and looked at Teresa. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou really are special├óÔé¼┬Ø he said softly, and realized that he had never doubted it.