[repost] Twin Helix, Part 3: The Spirals Close

[rhoenix]

Alright, time for the last 20 chapters. Again, your feedback is welcome, and encouraged.

[rhoenix]

Kale awoke to Aya mumbling in her sleep, and beginning to thrash around. He quickly realized she was having another nightmare, and wrapped his arms around her to comfort her. He gently kissed her face until her movements slowed, and she fell silent once more, apart from a small sigh as she snuggled a little closer to him as she slept.

She had these nightmares of many things, but her last visit to the Underworld caused her nightmares the most. He really didn't blame her; once he'd found out what had happened to her, he'd had a nightmare himself. Thankfully, he was able to comfort her, allowing her to sleep peacefully.

Kale stretched, and lay on his back as he stared up at the ceiling, thinking as he awoke. Aya had followed his movement in her sleep, and now had her head on his shoulder, her arm over his body. He reached around and slowly ran his fingers through her hair as he lost himself in thought.

His eyes narrowed as he remembered that little pale Abyssal weasel who'd managed to track them undetected for who knows how many days. Thankfully, he'd managed to spot the little sneak, and they'd beaten him unconscious. With no small sense of satisfaction, he thought with a smile. Hogtying him to a tree limb was his idea; the Riverspeak writing was hers. One of the positive things about being an Abyssal for her, apparently, was that she'd learned to read and speak all the prominent languages of the Realm. Writing the sign was an amusing joke at worst, something to throw her former Lord completely off their scent at best.

Even so, he didn't want to take chances. He told her that if the little pale idiot had been watching them, he likely knew where his cabin was as well. This was unacceptable, as Kale had been having a very pleasant year with Aya before this happened. She had quickly agreed to moving, and got started that very night. For now, they were sleeping at an Inn in the town of Mishaka, Northwest of Thorns and his parent's cabin. It was a little closer to his and Aya's respective Manses, which was a small benefit for them.

The innkeeper had warned them of barbarian horde attacks, receiving polite attention from he and Aya. Apparently, the barbarians raided from somewhere in the wilderness nearby, and razed the town of Mishaka when they felt bored, which was about every two years. It had been a little more than two years since the last attack, so the overall atmosphere of the town was a little tense.

He had seen a peculiar look in Aya's eyes as they heard about this, but thought nothing of it until later, when he'd returned to their room with dinner to find her staring out the window toward the full moon. She'd seemed a little distracted as they ate that night, remarking about signs of fate, and such. She was being cryptic, but she always was when there was something on her mind lately.

Ever since they'd returned from their temples in the sand that first time, there had been a purposeful fire burning in her eyes. After they'd returned that day, he'd let her have the bed, and he slept on the armchair. He had been awakened while it was still dark, with her fully dressed and looking entirely too chipper and awake for what time it was. "Come on, wake up, Kale! Let's race the sun!"

He tried to give her a look with as much incredulity as he could muster for how early it was, and questioned her sanity sleepily. "No, too early." He'd tried to go back to sleep, but she had begun lightly tickling his sides. Damn her. He finally gave in, and they began running in the early misty morning, with all the dew still hanging from the grass and trees. Kale had to admit, it was a rather invigorating way to wake up.

She could run. In fact, she could really run, and he was hard-pressed to keep up with her. At first, he'd enjoyed hanging slightly behind to watch her as she ran, but his competitive nature quickly asserted itself. He'd run faster, baring his teeth as he sucked in the frosty pre-sunlit air as he'd run like he hadn't run since escaping the Underworld.

They finally stopped when they saw the sun beginning to peep over the horizon. They stood staring at the morning sun as they breathed lightly from their run, their breath both coming out in mists. Seeing her smile as she watched the sun begin to rise reminded him very much of the sunrise they were watching. She looked the most happy and the most alive for a very long time.

However, she had turned to him after a time with a serious look. "Kale, let's go back to our temples this morning. I want to explore it a bit more, and see what I can learn."

Of course, he had to ask why. "Why the urgency, Aya?"

She looked grave and determined as she answered. "I need to prepare for how I'm going to make up for what I've done. Learning all that I'm capable of now is a good start for that, and will be time well spent until the time is right."

He narrowed his eyebrows at her in slight confusion. "This is about Thorns, isn't it?"

She nodded, still looking determined and serious. "I'd rather go with you, but I'll go alone if you don't wish to go."

Kale couldn't help but smile slightly. Oh yes, he could get used to her thinking of him as well as herself. He shrugged. "Alright."

They'd jogged to their twin Manses. Aya found out to her amusement that Melia's Manse and Melek's Manse had been built back to back. She'd looked at Melia's temple from the outside, and walked with him within.

Aya's surprise at seeing the Guardian awaken and look at them was nearly priceless. She immediately dropped into a combat crouch as her right hand moved instinctively to her side to draw a weapon. Her eyes grew wide as she realized she had none. She had nearly jumped out of her skin as the Guardian spoke, its voice booming in the semi-darkness. "GREETINGS, KALE. I RECOGNIZE THE ESSENCE WITHIN YOUR COMPANION. IS THIS MELEK'S SUCCESSOR?"

Aya had looked wide-eyed, her body still tensed, as she saw Kale's non-chalance. "Yep. Meet Aya, of the Dawn Caste."

The huge Guardian turned its head to look down at her. "I AM PLEASED TO MAKE YOUR ACQUAINTANCE, AYA OF THE DAWN. I SHALL RECOGNIZE YOU IN THE FUTURE."

Aya then nodded, still looking a little tense. She glared at Kale, who was trying his absolute best not to laugh, and almost succeeding. Then, she'd relaxed with a smile, and chuckled a little herself. "I'm pleased to meet you as well. I admit, I didn't expect..." Her voice trailed off, not quite finding the words she was looking for.

The Guardian nodded with a slight grating noise. "I FRIGHTEN MANY WHO BEHOLD ME. IT IS WHAT I WAS MADE FOR, BUT I ADMIT I ENJOY IT SOMEWHAT."

Kale laughed at this. "Yeah, I bet you do!"

Aya smirked, and punched Kale lightly in the arm as they walked into the chamber beyond. Aya's eyes weren't drawn to the large basket of rubies, or the other knick-knacks in the smaller room, but to the map. She studied it intently, nodding to herself as she finished. "This map is incredibly accurate, even for its age."

They began walking out of the room together. Aya was slightly surprised to see Kale walking toward the door. She spoke up, which caused him to turn around to look at her questioningly. "Is that all?"

Kale looked a little confused. "Is what all?"

Aya explained patiently. "I noticed that the interior of this place looks a lot smaller than the outside would lead one to believe. Aren't there any more rooms?"

Kale's eyes widened in surprise. "Huh. You know, I bet you're right." He began looking at the walls curiously. Aya walked up to him, and squeezed his arm. "I'm going to go next door. Meet you outside in four hours?"

Kale looked at her and smiled. "Certainly." He was rewarded with a quick kiss on the cheek, before watching her walk with long-legged, ground-eating strides out of the temple. She gave one last incredulous glance at the Guardian, who surprised her by nodding to her, and bidding her farewell as she left. She regained her senses enough to return the gesture, but looked over her shoulder as she left to look at it one last time.

Aya walked around to the entrance to her own temple, smiling as she approached the two guardians. She nodded to the two guardians by the entrance as they shouldered their weapons simultaneously. They were smaller and less imposing than Kale's guardian, but served the same purpose. It spoke volumes to her about Melia's sense of humor to have no guards outside, but to have a very large and imposing one inside, where it was very dimly-lit. She chuckled about this as she walked into the center chamber, seeing the five doors.

She looked more closely, seeing a statue in front of each door. She approached the one furthest to the left. As she beheld the statue of a man in full armor, with a raised stone sword, Melek's voice echoed around the chamber. She looked around for his voice before realizing that he had managed to store his speech long ago. "This, my successor, is the Door of Combat. To open this door, you must show your competence in melee combat by defeating a champion I've imprisoned here for this purpose."

Aya was highly tempted to start the challenge now, her adrenaline beginning to pump in response. However, she restrained herself for now, her curiosity winning her over. She walked to the next door and statue, seeing that it was a stone statue of two men hunched over a square board. She was rewarded with hearing his voice once more as she approached. "Before you is the Door of Warfare. To open this door and learn the secrets I contain within, you must defeat me in a strategic challenge nearly as old as civilization itself: a game of chess."

She was tempted again, but walked instead to the next door to hear what its challenge held. The statue in front of this door appeared to be two men arguing, while a third was interposing himself between the two. "My successor, I must have picked you not only due to your competence in battle, but because of your temperance. A general must not only be the best of his army at combat, but also at resolving conflict without bloodshed. You must settle a dispute to gain entrance to this Door of Negotiation."

Aya nodded to herself. Yes, that made sense. She walked to the fourth statue, seeing a scene frozen in stone, expertly carved, just like the others. This one was of a man in a strange sideways stance, his chest bare, with his left arm extended. Melek's voice boomed throughout the chamber as she approached. "Combat is only a small part of what you are, though it is your talent. To become truly adept at fighting and combat, one must achieve harmony within. If you have the patience and talent for stilling your mind, approach the Door of Stillness."

Aya's eyebrows raised slightly at this. After she heard his words, they made sense to her, striking a chord that made her feel that this was something else she must do. However, she had yet to see what the fifth challenge was. She walked to the fifth statue, seeing a statue of a man holding a bow, with an arrow fully drawn. "My successor, being one of the best melee combatants to ever live is not enough. To defend one's self against the arrows or shots of distant marksmen, one must learn the ways of distance. Challenge the Door of Distance if you are ready."

She walked to the middle of the chamber, deep in thought. Melek was certainly a canny man, and it showed in the challenges they presented. Aya suspected that there was far more behind each door than his voice let on, and considered which one she would challenge first carefully.

For his part, Kale was searching through the temple with concentration, looking for hairline cracks in the wall, feeling for breezes, and looking for anything else that might signify a chamber beyond. He smiled as he felt a loose tile in the floor, the cracks around it barely visible through the accumulated dust of centuries. He blew gently, revealing the thin cracks around the large tile, coughing periodically as the dust snuck into his nose. Kale finally finished, prying the tile up with his bootknife. He hefted the tile up and away, seeing nothing but inky blackness below the tile that not even refocussing his eyes could penetrate.

With a sigh of annoyance, he pulled a long hemp rope from around his waist, and walked toward the Guardian. "Hey, Guardian, I need to ask you a favor."

Kale was quickly rewarded with seeing the Guardian's eyes open, and a grating noise as it turned its huge head to look down at him. "WHAT IS THE FAVOR, KALE OF THE NIGHT CASTE?"

Kale withdrew his rope. "I need to tie this rope to your leg to explore what's beyond that tile."

The Guardian looked at him in silence for a few moments before speaking. "MELIA NEVER REQUIRED A ROPE. SHE MERELY JUMPED DOWN, THE FEW TIMES SHE WENT DOWN THERE."

Kale's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, that's great, but I'm not her. She also knew what was down there, and how far down the ground was, and I don't. I'd rather be cautious."

The Guardian nodded with a creaking noise. "THE TILE DIRECTLY NEXT TO THAT ONE CAN BE LIFTED AS WELL. I BELIEVE IT HAS A KNOB YOU MAY ATTACH A ROPE TO."

"Ah. Thanks." Kale walked to the tile, and checked the four immediately surrounding it. He was rewarded with one of them moving slightly. He pulled up the tile, seeing a depression in the ground with a metal knob in the center. Smiling, he moved the tile out of the way, tied the rope to the knob, and cautiously climbed down.

He had nearly reached the limit of his fifty foot rope when his feet touched the ground in the darkness. Feeling quite glad he hadn't felt brave enough to jump, he tried to peer through the darkness around him, and failed miserably. Taking a deep breath to calm the irritation he felt, he drew on his essence to enhance his sight, using a rote specifically designed for the purpose. There, he could now see around him dimly. It was a direct path from where he stood into the distance. He cautiously took a step, and another. He threw himself backward as the tile he was about to stand on rose swiftly to slam into the ceiling above, before slowly retracting back into the ground.

"Damn you, Melia," he thought as he cautiously made his way through the passageway, taking great care not to put his full weight on any tile unless he knew it was safe. Kale's swift reflexes saved him more than once. He was grateful that Melia had taught him how to dodge as well as she had. That crafty wench knew he'd need all the skills she taught him to even have a chance of exploring her temple and surviving, he guessed.

He eventually made his way to the end of the passageway, seeing a lit room on the other side, blocked by a pit that he couldn't see the bottom of. The pit was at least twenty feet across, and he didn't have another rope. He looked above to check the ceiling, and saw that the ceiling rose up once more, giving someone with a lot of guts room to jump if they felt frisky.

Kale's eyes narrowed as he glared at the pit. He walked cautiously back to the last trick tile, which gave him enough room to run and leap, but he'd have to activate the rote to strengthen his jump right before he did. Taking a couple deep breaths to calm himself, he then dashed swiftly toward the edge of the pit. Drawing on his essence right before he jumped, he felt the rote activate as his feet left the ground in a mighty leap. To his surprise, he managed to make it all the way across, landing on all fours on the floor beyond. His heart beating madly, he stood cautiously as he walked carefully into the room beyond.

As he entered the room, he heard her high-pitched voice echo softly around him. His eyes narrowed as her voice sounded amused. "Well, daughter of the Night, you've managed to find one of the hidden parts of this place. Believe you me, there are many. This was the easiest one to find, so I'm guessing you found this one first."

Kale sighed. Her referring to him as a she was really getting on his nerves, especially after having to deal with trick floors and a huge pit trap. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself as she continued. "It is here that I will teach you many things useful to those blessed by the Sun to be of the Night. You are more than a living contradiction of being Night by the Sun, you will become to be one of the best spies, stealthy assassins of the Sun's enemies, and learn to be ever-watchful."

This was intriguing, but he knew that the four hours was nearly up, and he didn't want to be late. Looking around once more as the place fell silent once more, he saw a ladder. Shaking his head, he began to ascend it, being extremely wary for any tricks Melia's devious mind was capable of. However, he encountered none. He emerged into a tiny room, with a closed door. He cautiously opened the door, and found himself on the far right side of the room the Guardian stood within.

Kale closed the door, and replaced both the tiles, reclaiming his rope as he did so. With a smile, he blew dust back into the cracks of the tile, hiding their purpose. If he found it, so might someone else, and he didn't want to take the chance.

He walked out of the Manse, seeing that it was now early afternoon, as he blinked, trying to adjust his eyes to the brightness outside, made worse by the sand. He walked around to the entrance to Melek's temple just as Aya was emerging, looking lost in thought. She almost walked into him before looking up, her bright blue eyes widening as she saw him, before her face broke into a soft smile. "Did you find anything in Melia's temple?"

Kale's face darkened as he thought of the pit trap, and the tiles that slammed into the ceiling with little provocation. "Yeah, you could say that." He told her of his experiences down in the chamber, and he could tell she was trying not to laugh. As he told her of how Melia's voice had called him a "daughter of the Night," she gave into a peal of laughter.

Kale had to smile as he saw her laughing so hard, before she managed to regain her composure enough to speak again. "That's precious, Kale. She called you a lady of the evening!"

He tried to glare at her, but he had to admit, he thought it was funny. He chuckled somewhat himself as she finished laughing. They walked back to his cabin, telling each other of what they saw, and giving each other advice.

When they returned together, they had a pleasant dinner, and a relaxing time talking of little things over tea. Soon enough, they decided to go to sleep. Again, he let her have the bed while he took the armchair.

Kale was awakened during the night by her talking in her sleep. She sounded frightened. "No...No, I'm sorry, please don't die...No, not that again! No!"

He sleepily got up, and sat next to her shivering form, curled up into a ball beneath the blanket with only her head peeping out. He gently touched her head, and began running his fingers slowly and gently through her hair, as that had calmed her before. She surprised him by turning toward him in her sleep, and latching onto him as if she were drowning. With a sigh, he laid down on the bed and put his arms around her, and she responded by moving with him to hold onto him in her sleep. She was quiet again, her breathing returning to a regular rhythm once more. With a small shrug, he decided to go to sleep himself, holding her close.

They awoke about the same time, in very much the same position. Kale's eyes were still closed, but he heard her yawning quietly as she awoke, and then stop. He opened one eye to see her looking at him with trepidation. He smiled at her reassuringly. "Morning, you."

She gave him a half smile, but still looked a little unsettled. "Good morning, Kale. Did we..." She trailed off.

He smirked. "No, you were having a nightmare, which woke me up. I got up and sat down next to you to calm you down so you could sleep, and you latched onto me like you were drowning. I tried to move your arms, but you just held on tighter."

Aya blinked a few times, looking at how near he was to the side of the bed, and seeing that he still had on his shirt and pants before nodding. "Okay."

She yawned and stretched again, and reached around to wrap her arms around him. "Thank you for being such a gentleman." Her soft, sleepy chuckle made his ear tickle, before she kissed him on the cheek.

Suddenly, she raised her head to look at him brightly. "It's almost time for sunrise. Come on, let's get up!"

Kale couldn't help but chuckle.

[rhoenix]

Aya was making small strange noises in her sleep, which brought Kale's mind back to the present. He held her closer, and gently ran his fingers through her long, opal-black hair. She moved her legs slightly in her dreams, and settled against him again. Kale smiled as he saw her drifting into peaceful dreams again, kissing her on her forehead softly. She made a small noise, and snuggled against him a little more.

Kale watched her as she slept, making sure she was sleeping evenly once more before he let his mind drift once more. That first week was very strange, but he imagined that it was part of getting used to one another. He wouldn't have had things any other way, he thought with a happy smile. Strange though it was, he was thankful.

For the rest of that week, they'd settled into a pretty regular routine. For the first few days, she had awoken him before dawn, and they'd raced the sun as they had done so often when they were children. It was such an inane thing, but the exhilaration he felt as they did hadn't lessened any from when he was a child. They would then eat a quick breakfast, with Aya relearning what kinds of thing one could have for the early morning meal before journeying again to their temples in the sands to the North. They'd spend a few hours there, return back to his cabin, have a good dinner with joke-telling, stories, and talking about their experiences over the years they hadn't seen one another.

A few hours later, Aya would have a nightmare, which would wake Kale up. He'd get out of his armchair, get into bed with Aya, and hold her until she fell into restful sleep once more. Listening to her even breathing would lull him into sleep as well, and they would wake up with their arms around each other. She stopped having reservations about it after the next morning, when she awoke at the same time he did, smiling sleepily at him like the morning sun itself, before giving him a soft kiss.

Kale got several shocks that day. He thought darkly that his rather pleasant morning waking up next to her should have meant the day would end up very, very strange, and only get worse.

When they got to their temples, and Kale had some time to explore a bit more, he got a rather nice surprise. He found out that the sword he carried and never really thought much about not only had a name, but a history as well. It seemed that the deeper he managed to explore the depths of the temple, the more he learned; not only about his own abilities, but about Melia's own history and experiences, with her own opinions on things.

He had found another passageway, this one hidden in the walls, near the ceiling. He had crawled through a short distance, silently annoyed that it had been built for someone Melia's size to crawl through with ease. Kale, however, had to crawl on his stomach through it, grumbling silently.

After about fifteen minutes of crawling through the rather narrow passageway, he found a much larger room. Knowing Melia's penchant for trapping things in strange ways, he proceeded with utmost caution, not wanting to be flattened or dropped into a pit, or worse. However, no traps awaited him, just a large, dimly-lit circular room, with about ten softly glowing circles on the floor.

He picked up a rock, and tossed it into the circle nearest the passageway he had entered from, and heard Melia's voice echoing quietly around him.

"Hello again, my successor. It is strange for me to store my voice here, knowing that I'm going to be meeting my end sometime soon. The Lunars are getting angry at those of us who are disregarding our own responsibility, and have spoken up about it more than once during our meetings. Some of our kind are summoning Yozi to carry out work for us. I agree with the Lunars in that this is only inviting trouble, but the ones doing it do not listen. Instead, they accuse the Lunars loudly of hindering progress and trying to sabatoge what they have done."

"The Lunar spokeswoman politely protested, saying that they didn't have anything against what good the Solars have brought into the world, but instead have issue with us trafficking with such dangerous beings. The Twilight Caste who had spoken up before spoke up again, loudly and angrily accusing the Lunar of saying in not so many words that they weren't strong enough to contain such weak beings."

Kale heard Melia sigh.

"Things only got worse from there. The Lunars finally said 'Very well, none of you have listened to our warnings, and neither want or wish for our help any longer.' and left. And when I say they left, I mean every single last one of them left the City of Glass, departing into parts unknown. The Twilight Councilman ordered me to follow them unseen, to see what 'evils' they were planning. I told him to his fat face that I found it funny that he was calling what the Lunars were doing evil, when he was the one summoning demons and trying to justify it. He got pretty angry at that, and accused me of being a Lunar sympathizer. I replied that considering the Lunars had been at our side helping us as we had built the Solar Deliberative and all the wonders our minds and hands have created, of course I was a Lunar sympathizer. Then I left without proper ceremony, which made him shout angrily at me, but I didn't listen to him."

He heard Melia sigh once more, a bit more sadly this time.

"I don't know what sixth sense told me that time was of the essence, but I quietly gathered a few friends and asked for their help to construct this place, and convinced my beloved Melek to do the same. He questioned my urgency and asked me what the hurry was, but I couldn't give him any other reason except my instincts tell me that we must hurry. Thankfully, he just nodded at this and got some of his army to help he and I both. Oh, my dear Melek, I hope I'm wrong about what my dreams tell me."

The voice ended. Kale stared at the glowing circle, thinking. So, Melia had been there as the Lunars departed for the wilderness, in that long-forgotten day. He was glad that she had her temple constructed when she did, certainly. Without it, he would be far more lost and confused. However, he saw that a door had silently appeared behind the circle in the rock face. Walking toward it, he was able to push it easily open, revealing another glowing circle. He tossed another rock into it.

"The weapon you found first is not a simple sword. It isn't even merely an exceptional weapon. In fact, it was given to me by the Lunar Chieftain for assisting him, and bringing him news of the City of Glass after he left. Its name is the Silver Horn, crafted by master Lunar craftsmen to have the mercurial shape-altering abilities the Lunars are known for from the moonsilver, plus orichalcum for we Solars to attune to strike at the dark things in this world. Once you've attuned it, my student, it will reform itself to whatever melee form you wish, and will remember this shape."

Kale grinned. Oh, this was a wonderful surprise.

"However, you must placate it from time to time. It may not have a voice or tongue with which to speak, but it is partially alive from the magics that created it. Spend a few days a year tending to it, cleaning it, talking to it, and using it when you can. If not properly tended to, it can become tempermental, and reform itself into something utterly useless if it doesn't like you."

Kale chuckled at this. He thought talking to a weapon was a little silly, but if it meant that the weapon would help him in more ways than he had imagined, he could deal with that.

"My student, you may return to this room when you wish to be trained in the bestial martial art taught to me by the Lunar Chieftain himself, Long Stripe Fangs-First. He taught me the art of the Tiger, which fit me wonderfully, and I imagine would befit you as well. Draw the Silver Horn, my student, and imagine the claw of a tiger, with talons extended as you do so."

Somewhat dubious, Kale did so. His eyes widened as he saw the long battle blade seem to shimmer slightly, and reform silently and swiftly into a long-taloned claw that fit perfectly and comfortably over his hand. He grinned widely at this.

"Learning the Way of the Tiger will take some time, but less time than you think. Far less time certainly than if you had found a sensei less skilled than me, at any rate. Far better you learn it from me than from a Lunar who takes the shape of a huge half-man, half-tiger to train you!"

Kale smirked at hearing Melia's tinkling laughter. Modest, she was not.

* * *

Aya was still breathing a little heavily after her fight with the stone soldier. It was just as strong as she was. Though it wasn't as fast, it was highly resilient, shrugging off most of her strikes as a horse would a fly. It had taken her the better part of an hour of move and countermove to defeat it at last. The soldier got up, saluted her with its stone sword, and stepped to the side to allow her passage. She nodded to it in return. It might be a simple automata, but it had given her a serious fight.

She stepped cautiously into the room beyond, and found a smaller circular room, with a single glowing circle in the center of the high-walled chamber. Walking cautiously toward it, she placed one foot onto it, hearing Melek's deep baritone voice booming around her.

"Hello again, my successor. You have surpassed my challenge of combat. If you are anything like me, you attempted this challenge first."

Aya smiled at this.

"Before I give you the armament I've stored here, you must learn their history, so that you know how to properly treat the items I bequeath to you, my successor."

The central circle's soft glow faded, and two more appeared on either side of the room. Shrugging slightly, Aya walked toward the one on the left. She was rewarded by Melek's voice as her foot touched the circle.

"So, you choose a weapon first. I admit to being surprised, my successor, as defence is equally important as offence. Very well, then. Hear the story of the Crissaegrim."

A door opened silently behind the circle, revealing a larger room with a pedestal in the center. Standing point-down in this pedestal was an elegant, beautifully-made katana. Aya's eyes shone as she beheld the weapon. As if in a dream, she walked toward it slowly, looking closely at the shimmering blade.

As she approached, she heard Melek's voice once more. "In a terrible battle against the Yozi, I lost seven of my best generals in the same battle. All of them were angered at having fallen in battle by mere demons, so none of them wished to be reborn into their next lifetimes. Instead, they pleaded with me to allow them to remain, helping me and the remainder of my army against the enemies of the Sun."

Melek's voice fell silent, and Aya saw a ghostly figure fade into view in front of the pedestal. The figure was a very tall, thin, grim-looking man with short-cropped white hair and slightly bluish skin, wearing blue jade armor. The ghostly figure looked at her curiously before speaking. "I admit to being surprised. Are you Melek's chosen?"

Aya looked at him curiously for a few moments before replying, standing straighter and inclining her head as she did. "Yes. My name is Aya, recently Exalted of the Dawn."

The figure nodded, pursing his ghostly lips. "Very well, then. Pardon my surprise at seeing you. May I see your Caste Mark?"

Aya's Caste Mark flared into view, a golden sun surrounded with twelve golden spokes. "Is this what you wished to see, wraith?"

The figure chuckled, a ghostly, echoing sound. "Excellent. My name was Tauron, and I was an Air-Aspected Dragon-Blooded general, serving Melek for many years before I fell. Use this blade well, Aya of the Dawn, and all those within it shall strike with you."

He then faded silently from view, replaced by another figure to his left. Aya's eyebrows rose as she beheld the ghostly figure. It was a huge being, at least nine feet tall, with a broad, scaly build. Natural armored plates covered his dark sand-colored skin, with thicker ones on his back and long blunt tail. His tail swished slowly from side to side as he stood, rooted on two huge legs like twin oak trees. His voice sounded like boulders being ground together by some mighty unseen hand. "I am Vashok. I led the Dragon Kings to glorious battle. I followed Melek with my whole heart, as he served the Sun, as did we. Use this blade with honor, young Solar, and we will strike with all our might as you strike. Attack dishonorably, and we will leave you."

With no further preamble, he faded from view, replaced by a figure standing to his left. This figure was a tall, broad-shouldered, fair-skinned brunette woman with a stern face. She looked Aya up and down, finally raising a ghostly eyebrow as she looked Aya in the eyes. "I admit to being surprised, Child of the Dawn. I had expected Melek to choose a man. No matter, it was high time a woman carried the Essence. Your name is Aya?"

Aya nodded once, not averting her eyes from the figure's gaze. "Aye. And your name is?"

The figure smiled slightly. "Pardon my manners. I am Ypheera, Chosen of the Earth to be Exalted with mighty Dragon's Blood in my veins. I standardized the battalion of Speardancers, wreaking glorious havok on the enemies of the Sun and Gaia. Strike honorably and true, Aya, and I will lend my precision and strength behind your arm."

Aya nodded to the woman as she faded from view, replaced by another figure, on the right side of the room. This figure had flame-red hair, slightly reddish skin, and wore blazing red jade armor. He had a grim scowl on his face as he looked askance at her. He was succinct. "I am Tren, Chosen of Fire by the will of the ancient Dragons. Bring death to enemies of the Sun!"

He was replaced by another figure, fading into view next to him. She had deeply tanned skin, and long green hair tied behind her head in a ponytail. She appeared with arms crossed over her chest, wearing heavy green jade armor. She nodded to Aya as she appeared. "I am pleased to meet the one Melek chose as his successor. My name is Rena, with the blood of the Wood Dragons flowing through me. When you unsheath this blade, remember to always fight when it brings benefit to more than yourself, and do not only fight when it benefits only you."

Aya shook her head slightly. Just how many ghosts did this blade contain?

As if in answer, another ghost appeared, smiling slightly at her. This figure was different from the others, in that he wore no shirt, and no armor. He had a shaved head, with tanned skin. He bowed gracefully to Aya. "I am pleased to meet the one Melek chose to carry on his duty to the Sun. My name is Uon, chosen by the Dragons of the Earth to carry on their honor and power. I fought with no weapons, so I find it ironic now to bless Melek's successor with my skill contained within a weapon. However, as long as you fight for the good of others and of the world, we will help you."

He bowed at her once more, which Aya returned. He smiled as he inclined his head slightly, before disappearing. He was swiftly replaced by a woman with short black hair and pale skin wearing black armor, which made Aya's eyes widen slightly. The women looked as surprised as she. "By the Sun's might! Are you also from a place near a Shadowland?"

Aya smiled slightly as she shook her head. "No, I was born like this. I do not know my ancestry as well as I'd like."

The woman smiled warmly in return. It seemed almost uncanny. Perhaps she was a distant relative? The woman spoke up again. "Aya, my name in life was Noria. I achieved the great honor of being a general of an army, even though I wasn't Exalted. I was a normal human when I died, though I always fought with ferocity and equal amounts of honor equal to any Exalted I served with. Strike well, Aya of the Dawn, and I shall lend you my strength as well."

The woman nodded respectfully to Aya, who returned the gesture with a smile. After she faded from view, Melek's voice was heard once more. "If you feel that you can contain and direct the might of seven of the strongest generals to ever live, my successor, then draw the blade, and sheath it at your side."

Aya walked closer to the blade, and slowly extended her left arm to the handle of the weapon. Electricity seemed to flow through her briefly as she clasped the handle strongly, and drew it from the pedestal. She held the blade in both hands, looking with wonder at the beautiful warrior's blade. The katana was made fit for a king, she thought with wonder. Or a Solar General, she thought with a smile.

With that thought, she grabbed the scabbard from atop the pedestal, and sheathed it smoothly at her side. She walked smoothly back into the previous room, approaching the other circle.

* * *

Kale emerged from his temple feeling dirty, and tired. His elbows and knees ached from crawling over the unforgiving marble for what seemed like hours. He wasn't complaining though, as he had learned much about Melia, and how to use the Silver Horn in the form of a claw. He grinned as he looked at the gleaming orichalcum claw on his other hand. He still liked using the large, two-handed no-daichi form of the Silver Horn, as it reminded him of his father. However, learning to fight as a furious tiger definately held intriguing possibilities.

He nearly had a heart attack as he saw Aya emerge from her temple. Had she become an Abyssal again? She wore pure black armor as she walked with head held high out of the temple. He relaxed slightly as he saw that despite the armor being black, it reflected the afternoon sunlight strongly. Curiously, he looked at Aya's right side, where two swords were sheathed, a shorter one about an inch above a longer one. She smiled warmly at him. "Learn anything interesting, Kale?"

Kale raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I'm learning how to fight like a tiger." He kept his voice non-chalant, though he was slightly worried. "So, did you find anything interesting?"

Aya grinned more widely, Kale being thankful that her smile was warm and kind as she approached. "You could say that. This is Melek's old war armor, given to him by a Dragon King dying in battle. Don't worry, it's definately not soulsteel, though I'm not quite sure exactly what it's made from." She smiled a bit more widely. Did he really think he could hide his worry?

Thankfully, she saw him relax slightly, and smile back at her. "Sorry, I just thought..."

She swiftly walked in front of him, and shushed him by gently putting a finger over his lips. "I know, Kale. I know I made you worry, but rest assured: I am, and will always remain a Child of the Sun." She gently held his head in her hands as she stood on the tips of her toes to kiss him gently on the forehead.

She leaned back and smiled brightly at him. "I also learned a neat trick from Melek." She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Kale's eyes went wide as her armor and the longer of the two swords quietly faded away, leaving her in her travelling clothes, though she still had the shorter of the two swords at her side. She opened her eyes to look at him, grinning. "Interesting trick, don't you think?"

Kale chuckled as he drew the Silver Horn, willing it to appear in the shape he was used to: the large, two-handed battle blade. "I learned something pretty nice as well. Name a melee weapon."

Aya tilted her head to the side, looking thoughtfully at him. "Alright. A single-bladed one-handed axe."

Kale concentrated, asking the weapon to reform without words. It did so silently, its gleaming metal shimmering and flowing as it reformed itself into the chosen weapon. Aya's eyes went wide with delight. "What a delightful find!" She looked him in the eyes again. "What form will you normally use it with?"

The Silver Horn reformed itself into the silver and gold-colored claw atop his right hand, Kale grinning as it silently altered its shape again. Aya's eyebrows raised again, looking a little worried. "Do you plan on using another weapon besides the claw?"

Kale nodded with a smile. "Yep. Don't worry, it's not a scimitar." He reached into his jacket pocket, slipping his hand inside the other claw, and withdrew it. Aya smiled again as she inspected the two claws closely. "Very nice, Kale. Becoming a martial artist now?"

He chuckled at this, and put both weapons away. They walked back to his cabin, made dinner, and spent at least three hours talking about anything, nothing, and everything, laughing often. A few more hours passed, and they began yawning, almost at the same time, agreeing it was now time for sleep.

Several months passed of this routine. Both of them seemed comfortable with it. Aya had even begun thanking him with a soft kiss on the lips when she awoke for him being willing to comfort her nightmares away. She looked apologetic about imposing on him about such things, but he waved away her concerns. "I know you'd do the same for me, so I don't mind doing so for you," he'd replied with a smile.

One fateful night, Aya had another nightmare, which didn't surprise Kale. He got up, slid into bed next to her, and held her close as he ran his fingers through her hair until the nightmare left her. He fell asleep next to her, as he normally did now.

He awoke the next morning to find her looking at him with a look he hadn't seen from her before. She was gently running her fingers through his hair, looking at him as he awoke. He turned to look at her, and she smiled as their eyes met. "Morning, sleepyhead," she said softly.

Kale smiled back at her as he stretched, preparing to get up. As he tried, she gently put her hand on his chest. He looked at her curiously. "What, don't you want to race the sun this morning?"

She shook her head with a slight smile. "No, not this morning."

He began to look concerned. "Why? What's wrong?"

Aya smiled softly at him as she began slowly touching his face again. "Nothing is wrong, Kale. I just...wanted to talk to you about something."

The concerned look didn't leave his face, but he settled back down into bed to look at her. She snuggled up next to him, putting her head on his shoulder to look him in the eyes from only a few inches away. She bit her lip gently, a look of trepidation on her face.

Kale put his arms around her, and she snuggled a little closer. He waited patiently for her to continue. She did so, after a few moments. "You've saved my life selflessly, you've been there for me when nobody else would be. As children, I considered you my closest friend, and loved every moment we spent together."

She smiled at him softly, pausing for a few more moments before continuing, taking a deep breath before she did. "What I'm trying to say is that...I...I love you, Kale. I love you as my closest friend, I love you as my confidant, I love you as my sparring partner, I love you for the boy you were, and most of all, I love you for the man you've become."

Kale's eyes widened slightly, but he smiled back. He took a breath to speak, but she shook her head. "Please, let me keep going. This is difficult for me."

He nodded, just holding her close. She continued after a few moments more. "I want to make love with you to show it to you."

Kale's eyes widened slightly. "I'm honored Aya, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel the same way, all of it. I love you too, in the same ways. But you don't need to prove it to me by making love. You don't need to prove it at all."

Aya smiled widely at him, leaning over to kiss him softly on the lips. "I know, Kale. And that's why I want to." She looked downcast for a moment. "I've only...done so once. It wasn't making love." She looked at him again, sadly. "The Mask of Winters raped me a few months after I was given the Black Exaltation to become an Abyssal."

Kale's eyes grew wide with shock, and then swiftly narrowed in anger. That bastard seemed really good at ruining things. Aya looked more worried as she studied his face. "Do you...do you still love me, even though I've been taken by him?"

He smiled at this. "Of course I do, silly. I'm mad at him, certainly not at you."

She smiled at him, her whole face lighting up as she did. "All I ask is that...you be gentle. If I ask you to stop, please stop, okay?"

Kale nodded, and hugged her closely, pressing his forehead against hers. They both opened their eyes, remembering how they did this as children, jokingly calling each other cyclops. Kale spoke softly. "You say stop, and I'll stop."

Aya bit her lip as she looked at him. "You won't be mad or upset if I do? I don't want to feel like I led you on if...if I have to ask you to stop."

Kale kissed her gently, before pulling back with a smile to look into her blue eyes. "Don't worry. I understand completely, and I won't be mad, upset, or angry at all if you tell me to stop. Okay?"

She nodded, smiling again.

They didn't leave the cabin at all that day.

* * *

Kale smiled at the memory as he stared at the ceiling. He knew she loved him every bit as much as he loved her, and for the same reasons. He also knew that she couldn't settle down with him and live a quiet life, at least not yet. The thoughts of the people she killed, and the rest of her past still haunted her greatly. She wouldn't be able to rest at all until she had come to terms with it, and dealt with her past in the best way she knew.

If she needed to retake Thorns to do it, then so be it. He had no idea how she was planning on doing so. She had replied that she was waiting for the time to be right before she started doing so, and wouldn't say anything more about it. However, the both of them still made the journey to their temples every morning after their morning run. If it had been up to Kale, they would have gone every week, but she seemed driven to learn as much as possible, as fast as possible. This underlying feeling of urgency made itself felt every day, especially at seeing just how hard she worked to learn how to use the Solar essence within her, and everything that Melek could teach her.

For his part, Kale spent his time learning what Melia had to teach. Though Melia's stored speech sometimes gave him advice to make sure to brush his hair with one hundred strokes per day, or other feminine advice, he enjoyed learning about Melia's past, and her thoughts as she recorded them. However, Melia's advice on making a contraceptive tea was immediately passed onto Aya, who quickly made use of it.

His reverie was broken by shouts outside his window. He quickly looked out the window to the sky; it wasn't even sunrise yet.

"Hide! Hide in your homes and lock the doors! The barbarians come! The barbarians come!"

Aya sat swiftly upright to look outside the window. She turned to look calmly at Kale, and smiled. "It is time."

[rhoenix]

Kale dressed as quickly as possible, making sure to put the sheathed claws in his jacket pockets. He glanced at Aya, who was being actually quite calm. Even so, they finished getting ready to rush outside about the same time. Kale didn't know what she thought she was going to do with only the short wakizashi at her side. It was made of orichalcum and attuned to her, sure, but even so.

They walked out of the inn together to see what few townspeople remained outside rushing toward their homes, the mayor outside urging people on, though he was still in his nightclothes. Kale looked askance at Aya, as she had a small, peaceful smile on her face as she walked calmly to the mayor of the small town. "Pardon me, but which direction are the barbarians coming from?"

The mayor turned to look at her as if she had completely lost her mind. "Are you insane, lady? Hurry, get into the inn and hide beneath your bed!"

Aya just smiled gently at him. "Which direction, please?"

The mayor shook his head at her, not believing what he was hearing. Wordlessly, he pointed to the West, and then scampered off to his own home. Aya called her thanks after him before turning to face Kale. She stepped close to him, put her hands gently on his cheeks, and looked deeply into his eyes.

She just looked into his eyes for a few seconds, a soft smile on her face as she held his head gently between her hands. "I love you," she said before kissing him gently, before pulling away. Her face broke into a grin. "I'll be back shortly."

Kale just shook his head as she marched over to the West wallgate, but saw that her new black armor and sword had shimmered into existence upon her before she closed the gate after her.

The mayor walked out, looking around, and looking back at Kale. "Hey, where'd that woman go?"

Kale just smirked, while shaking his head slightly. "She went to go have a talk with the barbarians, I think."

The mayor's eyebrows looked as if they were trying to hide under his nightcap. "About what?"

Kale chuckled. "I have no idea, but knowing her, she'll be back soon."

The mayor just shook his head wonderingly, as he stared at the West wallgate.

* * *

Golgol Fangs-Through Eye yelled as loudly as any of the barbarians running with him. He was running in his human shape now, as the strength of his Wolf totem wasn't needed yet. Though he was in the skin of a human now, he was head and shoulders above most barbarians in his horde.

He was as angry as any of the barbarians at the small city folk of Mishaka; more so, even. His people had asked for food more than once in the past, but were met with insults and stones. His promise as he left Mishaka that fateful day was that he would come back every two years. If there wasn't a stash of food outside the town in exchange for the sack of furs and other tradable items left there the week previous, the town would be raided.

His eyes narrowed as they approached the town, and he saw no sack of food. Nor did he see the bundle of furs he had delivered personally a week ago. However, there was a figure approaching them at a swift jog. He couldn't make out the figure's features, but knew the figure to be alone.

The figure stopped a hundred yards away from them, and yelled "Halt! I would speak with you!" in a loud, clear voice. Golgol Fangs-Through Eye was somewhat surprised, the voice was that of a woman.

He and his horde approached the figure without slowing down. The Eastern horizon was beginning to lighten, revealing more of the woman. She had long black hair that blended into the darkness of the armor she wore, each as black as the other. Her face was pale, set with brilliant blue eyes that regarded them unblinkingly.

Golgol slowed down barely a few feet away from her, his people doing the same. He looked the woman up and down, not quite believing her foolishness. Still, she didn't even twitch as she looked cooly back at him. He saw that she had two swords at her right side; a shorter one above a longer one, both made in the same style, and both in black, reflective scabbards that matched her armor. Who did this woman think she was?

"You want to speak? Do not prattle, for I have little patience!"

The woman looked cooly back at him, staring him in the eyes. "Why do you attack this small, nearly insignificant town when there are worse things loose in the world?"

Golgol blinked at this, before snarling, a little of his Wolf totem's mannerisms taking shape within him. "For our own reasons. Why do you stand alone to stop us?"

The woman didn't even blink. "Because I could lead you to a better purpose than this."

Golgol was stunned at the woman's audacity. He laughed loudly into the early morning, his body growing as he felt the Wolf melding with his human shape. His snout lengthened, hair sprouted all over his body, and he was soon looking down on the woman from nine feet above the ground. He answered with a deep snarl. "This horde follows me, and me alone. Do you think you could defeat me for their leadership?"

As before, she still hadn't blinked, nor did she even twitch as he assumed his war form, only looking up slightly to continue looking him in the eyes. "If I must."

Golgol snarled his challenge, baring his teeth. "Are you ready to duel a Child of Luna, foolish woman?"

The woman didn't even move, even as he withdrew his great cleaver, now reflecting Luna's strength riding high within him, appearing larger and much more roughly-hewn. "Name the rules by which you duel then, Lunar."

He settled into a crouch, the talons of his right hand extending and retracting, eager to rend his enemy. "To the death, but the loser has the option of crying 'Pax' to forfeit."

The woman took a single step back, put her left hand on the handle of the larger blade and her right hand on the scabbard of the blade, but didn't draw the sword. "Very well. I give you the option of saying 'Pax' now."

Golgol couldn't help it. His eyes never left her, but his rough laughter echoed loudly throughout the plains. "And why is that?," he asked with a loud snarl.

The woman hadn't moved, still in a crouch, her blade still sheathed. Her long, ebon straight hair began blowing gently in the early morning breeze as she stared at him. "Because my first strike will slay you."

At that moment, the sun rose. Golgol didn't know if this was fate or an omen, but the sun rose directly behind the woman, making her appear to be a dark spot in the center of the blinding morning sun. He heard her voice. again, sounding perfectly calm. "Are you ready, Lunar?"

His eyes were blinded, but he didn't need his sight to fight. On the contrary, he could be blinded and still fight as well as the best Lunars could even with their eyes. His nose and ears compensated perfectly, allowing him to notice even the imperceptible things.

Golgol Fangs-Through-Eye rushed at her with a loud howl, his cleaver raised as he prepared to cleave her in two. She didn't move in the least as he swiftly closed the distance. He began slashing downward, only to hear a whisper of movement, and feeling his cleaver hit nothing but air. His ears told him that she was behind him now.

He chuckled. He hadn't even felt a scratch. "Is that the best you can do?"

Golgol's ears told him that she had swiftly cleaned her blade, and heard the soft whispering noise of her sheathing the blade once more. "Why do you sheath your blade, woman? Our duel is not even close to done!"

The woman's voice seemed to cut him. "It is for you." His ears told him that she was faced away from him, facing his horde.

Golgol Fangs-Through-Eye looked down at his chest, and saw a thin red line from his shoulder to his hip, beginning to slowly ooze blood. He grinned as he saw it. Barely a scratch, he thought. Now the woman would die. He began to turn, but felt as if he were underwater. His legs wouldn't obey him as his torso turned. In shock, he felt his upper body sliding down; slowly at first, then faster, when he fell face-first onto the ground. He looked up, and saw his lower body still standing precariously next to him. He gasped, not quite believing what had happened.

His vision began to fade, as he thought in wonder at what had happened. Though he had died in battle, a glorious death, it felt...cheapened somehow. He could still hear for the moment, and heard her soft footsteps coming near him, and heard her breath from above him. Her voice wasn't cold and cool anymore; indeed, she sounded almost sad. "A great warrior should not die over something so trivial. Say Pax, and I can heal your wound."

Golgol was still stunned at what had happened. Morbid curiosity won him over, as he wondered how she was planning on healing him. "Pax," he whispered.

She gently moved his torso to lay flat on his back, and swiftly moved his lower body, rejoining the two halves of his body once more. He dimly felt her hands on the thin red line that separated the two halves of his body, and began to feel warmth, then heat from her hands. His vision began to come back, and he took a mighty gasp as his lungs filled with air once more. He blinked a few times, to see her standing above him, with a hand extended to him.

Unbelievingly, he extended his hand to her, and felt her much smaller hand close strongly over his huge clawed hand, pulling him swiftly to his feet. He first looked at her, not quite believing what had happened, before looking down at where the thin red line had been only a few moments before. Now, there was a thin, barely-noticable scar, but it was completely healed. He looked down at her again, his form shifting back into that of a human as he narrowed his eyes at her. "My name is Golgol Fangs-Through-Eye, of the Wild and Full Moon. Do you have a name?"

She inclined her head slightly, her expression cool once more. "My name is Aya."

Golgol looked sternly at her, his right hand over his mouth as he thought. "Among my people, Aya, it is customary for the loser of a duel to give a title to the winner if the winner does not have one. Do you have a title, Aya?"

She shook her head. "I have no title other than what I am."

He raised a bushy eyebrow. "Which is?"

She inclined her head once more. "I am a Child of the Dawn."

Golgol was silent for a moment, then broke into loud laughter. "I am honored to meet you, Aya, Child of the Sun. I am no longer as mystified as I was a moment ago! However, if you have no objections, I'd like to give you a title befitting one like you."

She tiled her head slightly to the side, looking at him curiously. "Very well. What is the title you wish to bestow upon me?"

Golgol looked at her with a feral grin. "Right before we dueled, I looked at you, as you resembled a shadow in the morning sun. My name for you is Aya, the Dawnshadow."

She nodded thoughtfully, before bowing respectfully. "Thank you, I am honored by the title."

He bowed in return, still a little suspicious. "Most people would not heal their enemy's wounds after a duel, Aya the Dawnshadow. Why did you?"

Her reply was thoughtful. "I will not take a life unless I must. It is always much easier to destroy than create; to harm instead of heal. A true warrior must know also how to heal the wounds one causes, to better understand the life in all things. You are not my enemy, Lunar."

Golgol looked at her curiously. "You are a strange one, Solar. But I must ask - what will you do with my horde?"

Her hair blew slightly in the morning breeze once more as she stood stock-still, an expression of peace and surety on her face. "I will train them to become the best army the world has seen in many centuries, and I will use this army to retake Thorns for the living."

Golgol's eyes went slightly wide at this. "I see. And what will you do if you win?"

She smiled slightly, a soft expression of humor stealing into her face, like clouds stealing across the morning sky. "I will leave the army there to settle Thorns. To remember the way of the blade I shall teach them, to pass down through generations. It will be the city of the living once more, ever vigilant for those who would covet what they protect."

He looked at her curiously this time. "And what of you? Will you settle there as well, to reign as queen, or general of armies?"

She shook her head, a serious expression on her face. "No. My title will be that of teacher, and once they are trained well enough to know the way of the warrior, then I will no longer be needed. I will try to live a quiet life afterward, if I can."

Golgol studied her carefully. "A remarkably unselfish goal. And why are you being so magnanimous, if I may ask?"

The woman looked downcast; almost sad. Her hair was still fluttering slightly in the breeze as she regarded him. "It is to atone for something I've done. Something terrible must be balanced by something good. In my case, it might not be enough, but it is a start."

Golgol simply nodded, not saying anything at first. He decided that it would be prudent to not ask for further detail, though he could tell that her past hung over her head like a dark, pregnant raincloud. For her, perhaps this was a way to help the sun shine through the clouds once more, that she might know peace once again. "Alright, Aya the Dawnshadow. I leave my horde in your hands." He grinned savagely. "I warn you, they're probably not as disciplined as you'd like."

She smiled warmly back at him. "Give me time."

Golgol chuckled, and bowed respectfully to her, seeing her return the gesture with a smile. He stood again, and turned to leave. After he took a few steps, her voice bade him halt. "Why do you leave?"

He turned slightly to hear her over his shoulder. "My horde is now yours, by honorable combat. I depart back to the lands my people call home."

She was silent for a moment, but spoke up as he took another step. "I am honored to have dueled you, Golgol Fangs-Through-Eye. May your years be peaceful and filled with plenty for you and yours."

He turned to look at her, grinning ferally. "A Lunar who has plenty is a Lunar who grows old and soft. I take your well-wishes with good sentiment regardless." He nodded to her once more, and shifted his form to that of his totem animal - the wolf. His sense of smell sharpened, his long wolf strides rapidly eating up the distance as he ran off under the bright morning sun.

* * *

Kale was beginning to pace the wall's top impatiently. She had been gone for twenty minutes now. He had looked beyond the town gates, looking into the distance to see her facing the horde, though he couldn't make out any details at this distance. He stopped pacing as he saw that she was walking back toward the town, followed by the barbarian horde. To his surprise, the barbarian horde wasn't yelling or screaming their battlecries. Instead, they were marching silently behind her.

Within minutes, she had arrived at the wall gate, and knocked politely. Kale opened the door, and looked behind her with surprise. All the barbarians were still covered with daub and warpaint, but were standing in formation, silently and with straight postures. He looked back at Aya, who was smiling at him.

She turned to face the horde. "You will run in circuit around this town ten times, and stop here once you are finished. You will not slow down, you will not move at anything slower than a jog. Move!"

Kale was surprised to see all of them nod, a few making half-hearted attempts at saluting her before taking off at a swift jog. She watched them until they turned the corner, and turned her attention back to Kale, smiling warmly at him. Aya walked almost jauntily up to him, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him tenderly. "I have a favor to ask of you, my beloved."

Kale's eyebrows raised slightly in question as he smiled back at her. "Yes, gorgeous?"

She smiled a little more widely at that, kissing him once again before speaking. "Would you mind going back to Ayodha and seeing if Morjin still stays there? He mentioned being a metalsmith, and I'd like to see if he'd be willing to lend his skills once more. An army has need of proper arms."

[rhoenix]

As Kale awoke with a yawn, he looked out the window of their small room at the inn, seeing that it was a half hour away from sunrise. Aya had her head on his shoulder, her arms around him as she slumbered. He chuckled quietly before kissing her gently on the forehead. He whispered to her softly as he prepared to get out of bed, and saw that she was preventing him from leaving. "Morning, love. I need to get ready to go."

Her arms tightened around him, her legs entwining around his as she snuggled closer to him. He heard a sleepy "no." from her.

Chuckling, he kissed her again. "Sorry love, but the sooner I leave, the sooner I get back and see your beautiful face again."

She made a small noise before speaking sleepily. "I know intellectually that you have to go, but my heart won't listen."

Kale put his arms around her, kissing her softly. "I'll be back soon, I promise."

She sighed before kissing him back with a sleepy smile. "I need to get up too. Wait for me, I'll walk you out."

It struck both of them how strange it was for this to feel so normal as they got dressed at the same time. She dressed in clothes she had bought recently, a loose-fitting shirt and pants, Kale dressing in his travelling clothes. Aya finished before he did, and was looking at him with a half-smile on her face as he put on his jacket, putting the sheathed claws in the pockets afterward.

They walked out together, Kale asking the innkeeper for a quick portable breakfast, and being impressed by how quickly one was made for him. He tossed the innkeeper a couple copper coins for his trouble, which earned him a smile from the half-awake man.

As they left the inn together, Aya slipped her hand into his, walking hand in hand to the wallgate as they walked in silence. Aya broke the silence first. "It's so strange to me."

Kale looked at her curiously. "What's strange?"

She looked up at him with a half-smile. "To think for so long that love was something silly and pointless, and then be proven wrong, and by you, of all people. The man I never expected to see again."

Kale chuckled. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I have to say though, you're nicer than you used to be."

She smirked at him before punching him lightly in the arm. "Sometimes."

As they reached the wallgate, they kissed softly. Kale looked at her solemnly. "I'm not saying goodbye."

She smiled warmly up at him. "Fine, until I see you again, then. It had better be two weeks or less, or I'm going to hunt you."

Kale laughed at this. "See you in a few weeks, gorgeous."

He was out of the gate, walking with long strides until her voice stopped him. "Hey! Aren't you forgetting something?"

Kale turned around, looking at her curiously. "What?"

She slung something underhanded to him. He caught it, seeing that it was his bracer. He smiled as he slipped it on his wrist before calling back. "Thanks!"

Her chuckling carried to him in the early morning breeze. "Don't mention it."

Kale walked with the long strides of one who was used to travelling long distances on foot. He knew it would take about five days to reach Ayodha on foot, less if he decided to run. Since there wasn't as much urgency, he decided to just walk, and enjoy the sights.

He had walked half the day before something told him he was being followed. He didn't look around anxiously, but just looked as if he were taking in the sights, as indeed he was. He saw and heard little things, as if he were being tracked by someone quite experienced. However, being an expert tracker himself, the little signs weren't lost on him.

It was a few more hours before he even caught a small glimpse of who was following him, seeing a nearly imperceptable tail within the foliage. It was an orange and black striped tail, twitching from side to side slightly. That made him curious; what was a tiger doing around here? This also raised the question of why the tiger was stalking him.

He decided to not worry about it for now, as the tiger hadn't made any threatening movements, and didn't appear to be trying to find a place from which to pounce on him yet. He kept his senses keen, but didn't slow his stride in the least.

The tiger kept following him from a safe distance all day, disappearing once the sun began to set. Kale figured he'd see the tiger again tomorrow, and began to find a place to spend the night. Seeing a tree with dense foliage, he darted up into it, and began to get comfortable.

He was awakened in the middle of the night by the sounds of distant screams, and laughter. His eyebrows narrowed; that didn't sound normal. He hopped out of the tree lightly, and channeled some essence into his anima to choke the senses of anyone who might notice him. To be on the safe side, he also hid his scent before darting silently toward the strange sounds.

The gem glowed silently beneath his jacket sleeve as he ran swiftly and silently toward the noise. He found what had caused the noise soon enough. A group of peasants was surrounded by skeletons and zombies, with a single man, dressed in black soulsteel armor smiling cruelly at the peasants. Kale's eyes narrowed as he slipped his hands in the pockets of his jacket, and slipped on his claws.

"No, please, don't kill any more of my family!" One of the peasants was crying hysterically.

The man chuckled, a sound filled with malice. "And why shouldn't I? Death comes for us all, and it comes for all of you tonight. Don't worry your worthless little minds, you shall serve a much better purpose in death than you ever did in life."

Kale had heard enough. He decided that announcing himself and telling the man to stop was pointless, especially because the skeletons and zombies appeared to be under his control. He crept behind the man, and ducked down into a crouch, launching himself soundlessly at the man in the way Melia had taught him.

The man was suddenly on his back, with Kale's foot on his chest. The man's armor was now torn by eight deep scratches, now beginning to bleed slowly. Kale looked down at the man, shaking his head slightly. "You have one chance to call off your dogs, and have you and them remain intact."

The man sneered up at Kale as shadows began to gather around them. "And if I refuse?"

Kale struck the man across the face, four deep red scratches appearing on the side of his face. "That's not the answer I asked for. Yes or no."

The man glared hatefully up at Kale. "You're taking an awful risk, human. It's not often anyone manages to surprise a Child of the Abyss!"

Kale smiled thinly down at the man. "That's only because your kind don't show their worthless hides up on the surface much. So, are you going to call off your dogs and walk away, or do you want to see if you fare any better in your next incarnation?"

The man glared even more balefully. "Let me up, and you shall have my answer."

His head was knocked to the side, as four more deep red scratches appeared on the other side of his face. Kale shook his head as he looked scornfully down at the man. "That's not how this works. Last chance."

Kale's ears heard the slow shuffling of the zombies, and the clacking noise of the skeletons beginning to walk toward them. The man smiled hatefully up at Kale. "Now, you arrogant and foolish waste of flesh, you die!"

The man's head bounced against the ground as Kale punched him savagely once more before hopping up. Kale spun around and struck a skeleton in the same movement, causing it to crumple to the ground, motionless.

The man wiped the blood out of his eyes as he struggled to his feet. Once his vision cleared, he looked around in shock. All the zombies and skeletons were laying on the ground, somewhat intact. None of them were moving. He looked around, and saw Kale standing between him and the peasants.

He drew his long, serrated blade, sneering at Kale as he did so. His Caste Mark burned and blackened into existence on his forehead, a large and simple black dot, beginning to bleed slightly. "You dare to destroy my minions? You will wish you had spent every day of your life peeling off your skin with a dull knife before bathing in salt water, for such a feeling will feel like a pleasant breeze compared to the torments that await you!"

Kale moved one foot back, holding up both of his clawed fists. His narrowed eyes boring into the Abyssal's angry ones, unblinking. "Bring it."

The Abyssal ran and swung savagely at Kale, who was suddenly no longer there. Without warning, his head snapped to the side, the side of his head burning in pain. "You're going to have to be faster than that if you want to make good on your threat, fatass."

With a roar, the Abyssal swung once, twice, three times at Kale, who dodged each strike scornfully. The Abyssal never saw how it happened, but he was now on his back again, his chest burning in agony. He heard the arrogant human's voice reach his ears. "Maybe next lifetime."

The man didn't see the next strike, but felt it tear savagely into his chest. He could feel life leaving him as the world went dark.

Kale decided to escort the humans to Ayodha, as they'd be safer there. What were Abyssals and the undead doing roaming around the countryside unchallenged? Where were the Immaculate patrols? He sighed as he cleaned his claws, and slipped them back into his jacket pockets.

The peasants were thanking him profusely, which made him feel slightly embarassed. He waved off their thanks with a simple "It was no trouble."

Both Kale and the peasants travelled the rest of the week, reaching Ayodha as the sun was going down a few days later. The guards hailed them at the gate, looking slightly nervous. "Halt! State your business!"

Kale didn't recognize either of the guards. He hailed them in return. "We're travellers, seeking a safe place to spend the night."

Two guards, in Immaculate red jade armor marched over to them, and looked at them all thoroughly. "Very well, enter in peace. Know that you shall be watched, however."

Kale and the peasants all made aquiescing noises, and were allowed inside. Kale walked straight to the innkeeper, who was thankfully still open, and paid for 11 rooms; one for him, and for the peasants as well. He told the peasants, who embarassed him further with their profuse thanks, earning curious stares from the guards. Thankfully, nothing more was said as they all went to their separate rooms, sleeping the night away.

When Kale awoke, he looked around the town wonderingly. It seemed like the Immaculate guard had pretty much taken over all the defenses of the town, and had even begun training troops there. Townspeople still remained, doing business as usual, though there was an air of underlying urgency felt from everyone.

He made polite inquiries to the townspeople he saw up and about as to the whereabouts of Morjin or Gordray. Thanks to the directions of the greengrocer, he finally located Morjin sitting alone in the tavern, drinking tea and staring out the window. "Morning, Morjin. How's the tea?"

Morjin nearly choked on his tea as he saw who it was. "Kale! I'm glad to see you are well. Please, sit and join me for a cup of tea this fine morning."

Kale thanked him, and sat down, pouring himself a cup. He sipped the tea, and smiled. It had been a while since he had drunk the Ayodha morning tea, rumored to wake the drinker up enough to run a marathon. "Morjin, I have a favor to ask of you."

Morjin inclined a greying eyebrow as he took a sip of his tea, answering once he had set the cup down. "Yes, what can I do for you, Kale?"

"Well, you mentioned once that you were a metalsmith. Can you make weapons and armor as well?"

Morjin chuckled quietly. "My old skills haven't left me, no. Did you have anything specific in mind?"

Kale cleared his throat, looking around slyly to ensure that no overly curious people were listening. "She's found herself the beginnings of an army, and she needed to outfit them properly. Naturally, we thought of you."

Morjin chuckled quietly. "She certainly moved quickly, I'll grant her that."

Kale smiled softly, thinking of Aya. "Yeah, she even surprised me."

Morjin nodded, and was about to speak when a course voice interrupted them.

"Hey boy, ya need the services of a blacksmith, and you didn't think of asking Norath, the Iron Wolf? I'm insulted!"

Kale looked at the large, broad-chested man who smelled slightly of the earth after a fresh rain. "Sure, if you want to come along and help, and if Morjin doesn't mind, that would be fine. What kind of payment would you want?"

"Depends on what yer offerin', and what kind of job yer talkin' 'bout."

Kale looked thoughtfully at both men, noticing that Morjin was looking at him curiously as well. "Well, so far it looks like we'll need very well-made weapons and armor for at least two hundred men, and probably more. You'd have to speak to the person in charge once we get to the town for precise details, but that's what I know so far."

Morjin nodded thoughtfully. Norath sat down in the booth next to them, eyebrows knitted in thought. "What kind of payment ya offerin'?"

Kale smirked. "Well, we have some jade pieces still, but we also have rubies of various sizes if you'll accept those."

Norath chuckled heartily. "Yeah, rubies will do fine, but we'll talk 'bout the price when I talk to the person who needs my services. When are ya plannin' on leavin'?"

Morjin looked up curiously, the same question evidently on his mind. Kale smiled. "As soon as possible, I suppose. How about at noon today?"

Morjin smiled. "Aye, I'll be ready by then."

Norath grinned at both of them in turn, extending his hand to both men. "I'll have me things ready by then, all saddled up on my horse. What town we going to?"

Kale looked nonchalant. "Mishaka."

Norath laughed loudly. "That pisshole? Must be somethin' damn impressive happenin', eh." He got up, shaking his head as he chuckled, walking out of the tavern.

Morjin looked thoughtfully at Kale. "This might be interesting. Two blacksmiths can get things done more quickly, but as they say, too many cooks can spoil the soup. I hope he's the agreeable sort."

Kale checked which horses were for sale very carefully, finally settling on a mottled grey stallion. The horse salesman grinned as Kale dropped the requisite jade pieces into his hand, waving goodbye as Kale rode around somewhat unsteadily.

Morjin chuckled as he walked out of the tavern, seeing Kale concentrating on not falling off. "Has it been so long since you've ridden a horse?"

Kale smiled ruefully at Morjin. "Yeah, you could say that."

With a quiet thanks at whatever powers that be might be listening that the horse was being the quiet sort, Kale rode out of town a little after noon, with Norath and Morjin on their horses as well. Kale lost himself in thought, after hearing Morjin's quiet, self-assured voice speaking with Norath's loud and self-assured voice discussing their trade. Kale smirked, as the two men were trying to casually see what the other one knew about their beloved trade.

On horseback, the return trip took much less time, arriving in Mishaka two days later. They came to a halt at the main gate of the town, seeing five men in plain clothes guarding the gate. "Halt, and state your intentions!"

Kale smirked. Aya certainly had them trained well. "I'm Kale, and these two men are Morjin and Norath, here to speak to Aya about weapon and armorsmithing."

The man who spoke narrowed his eyebrows. "How do you know our Sensei's name?"

Kale couldn't hold in his laughter, Morjin joining him by chuckling quietly. Kale answered once he stopped laughing. "She's my fiancee, man. Just open the gate, will you?"

The man who spoke didn't budge. He turned to the man next to him, and spoke in a quiet voice that Kale's ears weren't meant to hear, but did anyway. "Go find Sensei, and tell her of who is here to see her. Be swift."

Kale smirked, shaking his head. Yes, she certainly had them well-trained. Soon enough, she walked through the gate in her full armor, the man sent to fetch her standing at her side. Her face lit up with a smile, shaking her head slightly as she saw Kale. "You're early, you know."

Kale grinned back at her. "Yeah, it was a pretty uneventful trip."

Aya quietly rapped out orders to the men, who lined the sides of the entrance in single file, standing ramrod straight as the three men rode slowly by them.

As Kale, Morjin, and Norath rode into town, they were surprised to see the men as they trained. They were training with wooden weapons, halting and saluting by pressing their wooden weapons to their sides and bowing slowly as the men went by, before returning to their sparring.

Between the soldiers training and doing their exercises, they saw the townspeople going about their business as usual, as if nothing was happening. Indeed, they were laughing, and looking calm and happy. Even the mayor of the town looked quite relaxed. Kale guessed it was because they had a squadron of soldiers here training diligently. For them, the barbarian threat was over with, which gave the mayor a nearly serene smile as he watched the townspeople go about their business, and greet the three men cheerily. Kale returned the gesture with a grin, the other two men looking around in wonder.

The three men dismounted in the center of town, looking around in wonder at the quiet precision evinced by the men training. They heard no commanding officers yelling orders at them. They even saw a group of them slowly performing martial arts movements with their eyes closed. To the surprise of the three men, four of the soldiers appeared, bowing respectfully to them. "We are here to escort the two honored blacksmiths to their shop. Please, let us have the honor of carrying your bags."

Norath and Morjin looked at each other, surprised, before handing their bags to the men. Two men carried the two blacksmith's travelling bags to the inn, and the other two carried their workbags to the blacksmith's shop, being cleaned spotlessly by a few more soldiers in plain clothes, who bowed respectfully to the blacksmiths as they entered.

Aya walked in a few moments later, smiling at the two men. Norath was just looking with his mouth hanging open in shock, Morjin being quicker on his feet. "I admit to being surprised, Aya. This is not the way normal soldiers act."

Aya smiled a bit more widely. "That's because I'm not training them to be normal soldiers. I am training them to be Alon-Ti."

Morjin's eyebrows skyrocketed upwards, as Norath looked somewhat confused. "My word, Aya! I thought their kind died out long ago. 'Honored Servants of the Blade,' indeed."

She just smiled gently. "Fetch a student if you need anything, they have been instructed to tend whatever need you have of them. When you gentlemen are ready to haggle over price and work, let me know. I'll be training them in the meantime."

Morjin looked at Norath, who nodded. Morjin turned to look at Aya, smiling. "We are ready now, if you have the time."

She smiled at both of them. "Very well. Let me get my students onto their next exercises, and I'll return shortly."

Aya strode out of the building with long strides. Kale watched her go to each group of her students, rotating some of them to other parts of the town, and instructing others to begin other exercises. She returned after a quarter of an hour, smiling with satisfaction. "There we are. Alright gentlemen, shall we begin?"

Kale listened with half an ear as she spoke with both Norath and Morjin about what she needed in terms of weapons and armor with precise detail, feeling bored after half an hour of their intense discussion. He politely excused himself, Aya looking at him with an amused smile as he left, giving him a subtle wink as he walked out before returning her attention to the two men.

Kale decided to walk around the town, looking at the different groups of trainees. Some were training as a group with wooden swords, switching sparring partners smoothly every couple strikes. Others were going through slow martial arts maneuvers, holding some stances for several minutes before slowly moving again. He shook his head wonderingly. These were the yelling and screaming barbarians from only a week ago?

As he was looking around, he saw a tall man with a large scar over one eye rendering it permanently closed, dressed in furs standing by one of the gates. When this registered in his mind and he looked back, the man was gone. Kale looked around, using all his senses, but found nothing amiss. He shook his head, wondering if he were imagining things.

A quarter of an hour later, Aya emerged from the blacksmith's building, saying a single word. "Attention!"

All trainees immediately stopped what they were doing, and swiftly formed into a tight formation ten feet in front of her. Once all of them had assembled, she spoke again without raising her voice. "Walk in two at a time to be fitted for your weapons and armor. Once you are finished being fitted, return to your previous training."

She walked back inside, followed by the first two. This continued without interruption until all of them had been fitted and had returned to their previous training. Kale smiled, shaking his head wonderingly, as he heard none of them complain, none of them slow down, and none of them slacking off, even as the sun began to set.

Half an hour later, she emerged from the blacksmith's hut once more. "Halt and assemble!"

Again, all of them swiftly and without words assembled in perfect ranks in front of her. Once the last few were in position, she nodded to them. "You may go have your evening meal. After you finish, meditate for one hour on the nature of harmony."

As one, they made a fist with their right hands, covering it with their left hands, shouting "Hai!" and bowing, before walking to the tavern to be served their meals. Kale walked into the shop to see Aya, Morjin, and Norath discussing sword and armor designs on parchment. He noticed Aya no longer had her armor on.

Aya noticed him walk in, and excused herself to the two men. She walked up to Kale with a smile on her face, and a twinkle in her eye. "So, not a bad bunch, hmm?"

Kale shook his head and chuckled. "I admit to being amazed. I still have trouble believing those were the wild barbarians from a week ago."

She chuckled softly, before holding his face between her hands and kissing him softly. "Come on, Mr. I'll-Only-Get-One-Blacksmith, let's go get dinner."

Kale grinned in return, putting his arm around her waist. She looked up at him with an amused grin as they walked slowly. "So, anything interesting happen on your trip?"

He scratched the back of his head thoughtfully as they walked. "Well..."

[rhoenix]

Despite helping out as much as he could with training the soldiers, helping the soldiers fix up the town, and other menial tasks, Kale was beginning to get bored. Aya had noticed, and had tried asking for his help with various things, but they both knew that it was merely a nice bonus if he helped, and nothing necessary.

Consequently, a few days after Morjin and Norath had arrived and settled themselves into being blacksmiths for the soldiers, Kale had begun going for long walks around Mishaka, with the reasoning that someone had to make sure nobody was lurking around the town that shouldn't be. The smile with which Aya had looked at him told him she had seen right through his ruse, but agreed anyway, giving him her blessing.

That morning, after he and Aya had awoken, he kissed her tenderly goodbye after they had eaten an early breakfast, going their separate ways. She began diligently training the soldiers as she normally did when the sun rose, with Kale wandering out of the wallgate.

He waved at the trainees out for their morning sprint around the town's perimeter, the trainees nodding to him as they passed. Kale smirked, thinking that at least they knew who he was.

By the time the sun had reached its zenith at noon, Kale had wandered for a fifteen mile radius around the town, noting all the hills, dales, and groves of trees around the town. There was once when he could have sworn he saw the orange and black striped tail once more, but he wasn't entirely sure. If it was that same tiger, it was being a very canny tiger; there weren't many animals that could evade his notice. He decided to explore all the places a tiger could conceivably hide in the lands surrounding Mishaka, but never once spotted or even glimpsed the tiger again.

However, a single large pawprint between two hills seemed to confirm his suspicions, though given the soil, there should have been more than that one print. Kale checked carefully, but found no fur, no whiskers, nothing except for that single pawprint. Kale narrowed his eyes as he smelled the pawprint, confirming that it was indeed made by a tiger, a large male, unless he missed his guess. It seemed strange, but it was almost as if the tiger had left that pawprint deliberately. Canny animal, Kale thought.

After a while of fruitlessly searching for further signs, he decided to return to Mishaka. The soldiers at the gate saluted him as he walked through, in the same strange salute he had seen them do before. It reminded Kale much more of a martial artists' bow of respect than a soldier's salute, which made him think more. Who exactly were the Anos-Ti? He had forgotten to ask Aya this morning, but now he became more curious. Perhaps Morjin might know, he thought.

He decided to walk to the blacksmith's building, hearing Norath's gruff and loud voice intermixed with Morjin's more calm voice.

"'Ow can ye jes' sit there, workin' tha metal with yer bare hands? It annoys me ta no end!"

"Hmm? Well, since there's only enough room at the forge for one, I thought it more efficient to work this way."

"Ah don't mind tellin' tha, Ah've been a blacksmith fer o'er three hun'red years now, and Ah've ne'er seen anythin' like that. 'Ow can ye do that?"

Kale heard the hiss of steam as he walked in, seeing Norath giving a newly-forged sword a casual and expert toss into a trough of water, the metal cooling rapidly. He looked at the table, seeing Morjin sitting back with his feet up, gently moving his hands over a rough shape of a sword. Kale blinked, as he saw that each time Morjin moved his hand up the blade, the sword's shape became a bit more refined. He entered in time to see Morjin turn his attention back to Norath, his back to Kale and the entrance to the building.

"I'm simply glad my skills haven't left me, Norath. My love of crafting never really left me; I admit that I've missed it. In recent times, I've learned how to commune with the metal itself, coaxing it into the shape I wish it to have."

Kale saw Norath shake his head and mutter something beneath his breath, which made Morjin smile as he began fitting the blade with a handle and hilt. "Come now, Norath. We finish our work at the same rate, and with the same results. You are easily a blacksmith my equal."

Norath turned around before smelting another piece of steel, about to shoot a retort to Morjin, but smiled as he saw Kale walking in. "Now then, Kale. 'Ow is ya?"

Kale shrugged. "Bored, to be honest. I've patrolled around the town, but found little of interest. There seems to be a tiger around here, but I haven't seen much more than a glimpse of a tail once, and a pawprint another time."

Morjin looked thoughtful, but said nothing as he finished strapping the handle of the sword with quick, expert movements, and gently set the finished sword on the rack behind him with the others. Kale's eyebrows rose, as he saw that between the two blacksmiths, they had finished ten swords already, each katana looking as keen as a midwinter blizzard.

Kale spoke up again as he saw the swords. "Hey, why are all of the swords katanas?"

Norath spoke up before Morjin could, which caused Morjin to smile gently. "T'lady specified 'em this way, lad. She was specific about it, wantin' each one fit fer a general. She also wanted wakizashis fer a matched set, along wit' t'armor."

Morjin picked up a few sheafs of paper, his eyebrows narrowing in thought as he looked through them again. "She was quite specific about the armor as well, wanting them to be equally well-made. Hmm...Norath? I should have asked this of you before, but do you know how to construct firewands?"

Norath almost dropped the lump of metal he was about to toss into the forge, as he turned around and looked at Morjin with a look of suspicious shock. "Wot the 'ell do ye want to make them damnable things fer, eh?"

Morjin continued reading the sheafs of paper as he began almost absentmindedly working on another piece of metal with his hands as he read. "Well, Aya wanted top-quality bows as well, but for the purpose she has in mind, perhaps firewands might serve the purpose better. I know how to construct them, but getting the refined firedust powder for them is much more difficult."

Norath shot a glance of nearly tangible irritation at Morjin as he began smelting and folding the glowing lump of metal. "Oh, so it's so easy, is it?"

Morjin shrugged as he continued reading over the papers. Kale looked closer, and saw that they were notes written in Aya's handwriting, with detailed sketches of the armor, the short and long swords, and notes for all three, along with notes in Morjin's spidery handwriting. "Making a good firewand isn't as difficult as you might think, Norath; I'd be quite willing to show you how to make one. The powder has me worried, however."

Norath looked thoughtful. "Aye, ye migh' 'ave ta get some from t'Southlands, if'n they feels like sellin' ye some at all."

Morjin pursed his lips as he continued reading, the metal in his hands beginning to take the shape of a sword. "I know how to make the powder as well, but..."

He was interrupted by Norath's burst of shock. "WHAT?"

Morjin continued as if he hadn't been interrupted. "...But I'm not all that good at it; the times I've tried, I always lose at least half a batch in an explosion."

Norath glared at Morjin. "Ye ain't creatin' that damnable stuff in 'ere, ah can tell ye tha' righ' now!"

Morjin shook his head. "No, no, of course not, wouldn't think of it."

Norath muttered to himself as he folded the metal. Kale suspected that he was hitting the metal a bit more savagely than necessary, though Morjin was smiling slightly, before turning to Kale. "Sorry for ignoring you like that, Kale. I just lost myself in thought a bit."

Kale chuckled at the conversation that had just taken place. "No, that's alright. Why did you think firewands might work better? And while we're on the subject, what is a firewand, anyway?"

Morjin chuckled to himself, turning to face Kale as his hands continued working the metal almost absentmindedly. "Since you asked - a firewand was developed during the First Age as a stronger projectile weapon than a bow. A bow still has longer range; the people developing firewands never found a way to counter that, but firewands tend to be deadlier, and can fire up to five or six times before needing to be reloaded. I was thinking that firewands might be better, if we found an excess of ammunition for them. This is because the projectiles they fire explode on impact, which might be better against the undead Aya's planning on marching on."

Kale nodded thoughtfully. "Is there any way you can think of to have them prepared for all the members of Aya's little army?"

Morjin looked thoughtful again. "Perhaps. Making simple, servicable firewands isn't too difficult; between Norath and I, we can create enough for all the soldiers. The ammunition for them will be trickier, unfortunately. I suppose I could set up a small laboratory outside of town to attempt creating some, once Norath and I are done with the rest."

Norath shot a glance over his shoulder. "Aye, make that damnable stuff ou'side of town. Good idea, eh!"

Morjin chuckled quietly. "Of course, Norath. I wouldn't dare even think of endangering anyone."

He turned his attention to Kale once more. "Would you mind fetching Aya, and bringing her here to get her opinion on the quality of the swords Norath and I have finished so far? I'd like to have her opinion before we go any further."

Kale nodded, smirking at the renewed grumbling from Norath as he walked out. He looked around the town carefully, finally spotting Aya going over sword training with a large group of trainees. She slowly went over a series of sword movements, sheathing her sword when finished. The trainees followed with their carved wooden replicas carefully, mimicking her movements, down to placing their wooden swords at their sides.

Aya saw Kale approaching, and gave him a quick smile before turning her attention rapidly back to her students. "Practice this, clearing your mind of all thoughts. Become one with the blade as you move, emptying yourself of all fears and desires, leaving nothing but you and the movements of your blade."

The trainees saluted her in the same strange style, and began again. Nodding in satisfaction, she walked to Kale with a warm smile on her face, greeting him with a soft kiss. "Hey there, stranger."

Kale smiled back at her before kissing her back. "Hey, gorgeous."

She grinned at him as her arms snaked around his neck. "Is this a personal visit?"

He wrapped his arms around her waist as he replied. "Partially. Morjin wanted to speak with you about a few things, but it wasn't urgent."

Aya kissed him again tenderly. "I'm sorry you and I haven't been able to spend more time together; I know you're getting restless, my beloved. I wish...one second."

She pulled away and turned around, facing her students once more. "I didn't give you the order to slow down or stop. You will continue that exercise until I say otherwise, is that clear?"

All of them stiffened before saluting her as one, with a loud "Hai!" before returning to the movements. She watched them for a few more moments before turning back to Kale. "Sorry about that. They're not quite as disciplined as I'd like yet."

Kale chuckled quietly, a teasing note entering his voice. "You've always enjoyed bossing people around."

Aya gave him an amused look, snaking her arms around his neck once more. "Jealous?"

Kale smirked at her. "Nah. I know where your ticklish spots are for when you get too bossy."

Aya giggled quietly. "Come on, Mr. Self-Confidence. Let's go see what Morjin wanted."

They walked together to the blacksmith's hut, to overhear another argument between Morjin and Norath. Kale began to get the feeling the two men respected one another, but argued with one another to make the time pass more quickly. Kale admitted to himself he might do the same thing.

"Ah don' believe it! I'll bet ye a tankard o' Mishaka's best ale that ya can't do it!"

"Do what?" Aya looked curiously between the two men. Both stopped and greeted her simply, Morjin giving an amused reply.

"Oh, Norath here doesn't believe that I can make firewand ammunition. He's partially right..."

Norath interrupted him. "Hah, I knew ya couldn't do it!"

Morjin shot him an amused look, continuing as if he hadn't been interrupted. "...In that I don't know how to make the more powerful First Age firewand ammunition, but I do know how to make the more basic single shot variety."

Norath snorted. "Sin'le shot, hah! What use is a sin'le shot anythin' if'n ya hafta spend more'n a couple seconds reloadin', that's what I'd like ta know!"

Morjin shrugged. "The benefits outweigh the problems, I think."

Aya looked at the two men, amused. "I take it you're thinking of making firewands for my students?"

Norath shot her a look. "Ignore him, lass. He's outta his damn mind. He'd blow up half tha town tryin' to make that fool powder. He so much as admitted he couldn't do it!"

Morjin chuckled quietly. "I admit, I'd need some space to work on the formula, and I certainly wouldn't do it in town. I'd rather not place anyone else's life in danger, as the procedure can be...precarious."

Norath couldn't resist adding his own opinion. "Hah! Why don't ya jus' set up yer fool lab by the undead, and blow them all to their rest that way?"

Aya couldn't help but laugh at this. "Sorry to interrupt you two, but I must ask - Morjin, you know how to create firewands?"

Morjin nodded as he finished strapping the handle of a katana, placing it on the rack by the others. "It's not too difficult; between Norath and I, we can easily make enough for all your students. However, as I said, I'd need time to create the ammunition for them."

Aya looked back and forth between the two men. "Hmm...firewands would be better against the undead, but as you say, the problem would be ammunition. Morjin, if you can make enough ammunition to have a decent store, then I'd be happy to train my students in their use as well. However, please have the bows and arrows finished first."

Morjin nodded. "That sounds prudent. Very well."

Norath couldn't resist. "Aye, blow yerself up after we're done with what we're supposed ta be doin'!"

Morjin smiled at him, amused. "I humbly accept your bet, Norath."

Norath turned back to his forge, beating and folding another piece of metal with a bit more force than necessary. "Damn cocky Solars," he muttered to himself.

Morjin chuckled to himself, before remembering why he had asked for Aya in the first place. "Before we get too far off track; Aya, please check these swords we've made so far, and see if they're to your satisfaction."

Aya picked one of them up, eyeing it critically. She walked to an empty space, and swung it experimentally, balanced it, and even eyed the curve of the blade carefully with one eye shut before nodding. "Very nicely done."

She walked back to the sword rack, and checked a few others with an equally critical eye, nodding in satisfaction as she finished. "Very nice work, gentlemen. I'm not sure which one of you made which blades, but all of them are equally well-made."

Norath turned to Morjin with a loud "Hah!" before turning back to folding the piece of molten steel. Morjin chuckled before replying. "As I said, Norath - you are easily a blacksmith my equal, and probably better. I am honored to simply equal your work."

Norath muttered to himself under his breath once more. Kale brightened as he suddenly remembered what he wanted to ask. "Hey, what's so special about the Alon-Ti, anyway?"

Aya and Morjin shared an amused look before she replied. "During the First Age, the Alon-Ti were Melek's elite mortal troops. They were said to be so well-trained, they could be the equal of even Dragon-Blooded troops. Of course, this might be an exaggeration, but they will be true focused warriors in mind and action when they are finished with their training."

Morjin smiled as he spoke up. "During Melek's time, entire villages were trained through the generations in the way of the Alon-Ti. Anyone who sought to subjugate the village through force quickly learned that none of the people living there were to be taken lightly. The Way of the Alon-Ti is as much a philosophy as it is a way of the warrior. Some villagers never learned more than the basics of the art, due to simple lack of focus, but none of them were remiss in learning the way of the blade."

Aya nodded her thanks at Morjin, a smile playing around the corners of her lips. "You've done some research on your own, I see."

Morjin smiled, and nodded once as his hands sculpted another blade. "I learn what I can."

Aya smiled at both of them, thanking both men gracefully for their efforts before turning to leave. Morjin's voice stopped her. "Aya? Kale? Before I forget, there was someone who wished to meet with the two of you."

Aya and Kale turned around, looking askance at him. Morjin turned to the back of the blacksmith's building, with a slight smile on his face. "Winterstripe?"

Kale's eyebrows rose as he saw who it was.

[rhoenix]

Kale had seen this man once before, a week ago, standing by the wallgate before disappearing like an elusive thought. He was a tall, slender man, with very long and shaggy black hair. A large scar over his right eye rendered it permanently closed, giving him a permanent glowering expression. His clothes were all made of the furs of elk and mink.

He stepped with lithe movements from the back of the blacksmiths' building, and eyed both Kale and Aya before speaking. The way he spoke was slow and deliberate, though he gave the uncomfortable impression he had thought of what he would say in response to someone long before they had even begun to speak. A rumbling undertone punctuated his voice, a sound quite reminiscent of the tiger's shape Kale had seen him assume.

"I came here after hearing an odd tale from one of my brethren." He looked at Kale and Aya both closely before resuming.

"Golgol Fangs-Through-Eye came to our gathering, speaking of how he and his barbarian followers encountered a lone woman outside the gates of Mishaka. She challenged his rule of the horde. She won with a single swift strike."

He looked at Aya's eyes, the look of a sated predator eyeing an animal he was used to preying upon. "She cut him in half, and waited for him to fall with her back to him, which is a grievous insult to my people. However, what caught my interest was that she healed his wound with the barest trace of a scar, and even helped him to his feet, saying that no lives should be lost over something so petty."

He paused, looking clinically at Aya before continuing; making Kale slightly uncomfortable. Aya, however, returned his gaze calmly. "This last made me curious, especially because she had made the intention known to train his former horde into a disciplined fighting force. I don't need to reiterate to you the common knowledge that barbarians are not commonly disciplined people, used to engaging in everything with excess."

The man gave a pointed look out the door, before looking back at both Kale and Aya this time. "What's more, is that her mate was able to spot me as I wore the skin of my totem. These two strange facts made me wish to come here, and learn more about the strange two."

He took a few steps closer, being a bare three feet away from where Kale stood next to Aya. At this distance, they could see that he was taller than either of them. He smelled of pine and the woods in the embrace of night, along with the musky undertone of a male tiger. He sniffed at them deliberately in turn before speaking once more. "What intrigues me more is that both of you smell...familiar to this old nose. Hmm."

Kale broke the silence first, his eyes narrowing slightly as he beheld this strange man. "What do you mean by our smell?"

The man turned to look at him, staring into Kale's eyes unblinkingly with his one eye for a few moments before replying. "To my people, one's smell is very reminiscent of a person, nearly always the same between lifetimes, even amongst the longer-lived Chosen. Now, when I behold the both of you with my own senses, I am reminded strongly of two people I once knew, before the darker times began."

Norath's voice was heard between bangs of his heavy mallet on molten steel. "Ah think you're talkin' a load o' rubbish, smellin' folk as ye are."

The man, Winterstripe, slowly turned his head to stare at Norath for a few moments before replying. "Do not seek to anger me, Son of Earth. The ways of my people are not the ways of your people. You would do well to remember that."

He slowly and deliberately turned his gaze back to Kale and Aya. "Though you look different, and your genders have switched, echoes of two Solars I once called friend look back at me when I see you. Do the names of Melek and Melia bring recognition to you?"

Kale and Aya's eyes both widened slightly. The man seemed very vaguely amused that both of them nodded at the same time, though Aya spoke first. "Those are the names of the Essences that Exalted my mate and I."

Kale looked amused for a moment when she mentioned the word "mate," but looked back at the taller man with a calm expression.

The man nodded a few times, looking at the walls beyond them as if in thought for a few moments. "Defeating an opponent in a duel with a single sure stroke, and healing his opponent afterward - that was Melek's way."

He pointed to a scar, slightly visible on his shoulder. "He, like you Aya, was also left-handed. He gave me this mark when I was still young and foolish."

Aya smiled slightly. "I'm ambidextrous. I've used my right arm as my sword arm for a long time, and I sought to symbolize changes within myself by switching hands."

A ghost of a smile was reflected in the man's face briefly, before he spoke again, this time looking at Kale. "I am reminded of a small, sprightly woman who braved the wrath of her own ruling Council, because she believed we Chosen of Luna were of no harm to the Chosen of Sol. After seeing the way you fight, it would seem she taught you the art I taught her in my gratitude."

Kale's eyes went a bit wide. "Wait...you're saying that you were the one that taught her Tiger Style? But...that was before the First Age even ended, before the Usurpation."

The man looked calmly back at Kale. "Chosen of Sol, I have ceased counting summers long ago. Even so, I remember. I remember a tiny woman who fought with a precise ferocity those twice her size could not match. I remember her finding me after we left, when I wished to not be found. And I remember feeling no surprise when I discovered that this woman was the mate of the man who had given me this scar."

Winterstripe looked at the both of them calmly, the expression in his one eye almost benevolent. "I came here today to find if their successors followed in their footsteps, and found that echoes of the present harken to the past with stunning clarity. The woman who determinedly learned the art of the tiger's way of fighting from me in my war form and twice her height stands before me now as a tall man. Your attention to even minor detail, and your refusal to take things at face value remind me strongly of her, young Chosen of Night."

He turned to look at Aya. "And you, Chosen of Dawn. You bear no sign of the adolescent eagerness for battle; indeed, you carry yourself and fight as though you had seen a thousand battles come and go. Scars you may have from them, but you never show an eagerness for bloodshed; indeed, you seek to avoid it when you can, and even turn an enemy into a possible friend. This was Melek's way; the way of the humble warrior, which is something I've not seen from any other Chosen of Sol."

Winterstripe smiled at both of them. "It is well that you are both Solars, and have found one another again. I found the incarnation of my Solar mate from long ago had become a Child of the Abyss. I was so angered I tore her asunder, with the hope that she would be incarnate again as a Child of Sol."

Aya shook her head. "She will simply be reborn to the same Deathlord as an Abyssal once more, of the same Caste. Nothing can make her be reborn as a Solar once more except her willingness to do so, and quite a bit of patient and caring help." She gave a brief, but meaningful look at Kale, who smiled softly at her.

The man raised his eyebrows. "This is...unfortunate to hear. How do you have command of such knowledge?"

Aya looked at the ground. "Until a little over a year ago, I was an Abyssal."

Winterstripe's shaggy eyebrows raised a little further, looking at both Kale and Aya meaningfully before speaking. "I see. This will be distasteful news to share with my brethren, but it is necessary for them to know."

He looked pensive for a moment, as if reliving the past. Perhaps he was.

Winterstripe looked at both of them in turn for a few moments before continuing. "I am pleased that the present echoes the past. I wish you both well."

He turned, and began to walk with soundless predatory grace toward the exit. Kale and Aya were both too slightly stunned to speak, seeing a figure that both their Essences had remarked upon in passing come to life before their eyes. Morjin hailed Winterstripe before he left, however. "Winterstripe? I would seek your counsel before you abscond."

Winterstripe stopped, still facing the door. He turned his head slightly enough to cock an ear toward Morjin. "Hmm?"

Morjin finished strapping the handle of a katana, setting it on the stand with the others before standing, and walking with the tall, wild man out of the building, and into the evening air.

Kale and Aya looked at one another with understanding, the same feelings going through them. Kale voiced his thoughts first, shaking his head in wonder. "Wow. We've spoken to our Essences, who told us some of their experiences in the First Age. To meet one who is still alive now who has seen such things with his own eyes..."

Aya nodded her head, her hand crossing the distance between them to gently touch his arm. Kale snapped out of his reverie to hear Norath speak over the loud clanging that punctuated the folding of another blade, shaking his head slightly as he did so. "Ah've seen near on four hunner'd years come an' go. Ah was taught that them wit' t'Blood o' Dragons in their veins were eldest, oldest, and wisest."

He paused, looking with a slight grin at both of them. "But Ah admit, ye Anathema scare me sometimes, wit' yer long lives an' longer memories. Ah likes that Morjin, but 'is 'umility for bein' what he is confuses me. Did ye knaw t'at 'e's only a hunnerd years shy o' bein' as old as me?"

Both Kale and Aya looked at Norath, surprised. Aya spoke, somewhat incredulous. "Do you mean to tell me he's over three hundred years old? However did he escape the Wyld Hunt, I wonder?"

Norath shrugged, levelling a few masterful strikes of his hammer, the still-glowing steel of the blade beginning to take shape under his talented hands. "Ah don' rightly ken. T'en again, Ah heard them Twilights is the most arrogant of the lot o' ye, and 'e's t'most 'umble man Ah ever met."

Kale shook his head as he thought, Aya looking bemused at the door Morjin and Winterstripe had left. A soldier spoke from the doorway, bowing with the strange salute of the Alon-Ti Kale was getting used to seeing. "Sensei, Eight Immaculate soldiers stand at the gates, wishing to speak with you. All are armed and armored."

Aya's eyes hardened slightly at the news. "I will be right there. Kolth, please show them to a table in the tavern, and tell them I will attend presently."

The soldier saluted once more, and walked out of the blacksmith's building. Aya looked at Kale with a wan smile on her face. "Well, now we get to see if this bodes well or ill, no?"

Kale smirked, already beginning to fade from notice. "I'll be watching your back, love."

Aya grinned at the space she knew he still occupied. "Just make sure it's my back this time, and not my behind."

She was rewarded with his quiet chuckle as she walked out, with his quiet voice behind her. "Someone has to watch. Besides, I hate watching you go, but I love watching you walk away."

Aya shook her head with a grin, before her face relaxed into calm certainty, preparing to meet the unknown Immaculate representatives. She hoped they came with peaceful intentions.

She walked with long, marching strides into the tavern, spotting the armored group immediately, standing out in the sparse clientele like jade beacons. Walking over to their table, she came to a purposeful halt by their table. "I am Aya. I'm told you wished to see me?"

Aya immediately hid the recognition she felt, as she saw the female soldier who spoke first. It was the same one who had interrogated them outside of Ayodha a few months ago. The soldier stood gracefully, bowing slightly to Aya before speaking in a cultured, though purposeful voice. "Greetings to you, Aya. Please, have a seat, that we might speak of business."

Aya seated herself at the head of the table, looking curiously at this soldier, who regarded her with cool certainty. She couldn't help but feel that there was something...unusual about this woman, though she couldn't quite discern what it was. The woman continued after seeing Aya had made herself comfortable. "My name is Captain Ophelia Artana, and my tour of duty to the Immaculate Legions has just run out, giving me an honorable discharge. These men here are my honor guard, instructed to aid and attend me until I finally relinquish my armor and weapons, living a quiet life. However, I have no interest in such things just yet."

She removed her helmet, revealing long auburn tresses braided into a knot at the back of her head. She took a small sip of her drink before continuing, looking at Aya with a calm certainty in her brown eyes. "I heard that there was an army being trained with the purpose of striking at the undead, something which the Immaculate host seems reluctant to do for political and bureaucratic reasons. Is this true?"

Aya had maintained eye contact with her the entire time, now nodding once in agreement before speaking. "Aye, it is. I am training men to retake Thorns."

Ophelia almost choked on her drink, but quickly regained her composure. "I see. Would you be interested in a few more blades for your cause?"

Aya raised a single black eyebrow. "Would this conflict with your duties as Immaculate soldiers?"

Ophelia regarded her curiously before continuing. "As I said, my tour of duty is over; my days of being an Immaculate soldier are over with. I know what your purpose is, and I know what you are, and I still wish to pledge my spear to your cause."

Aya nodded to herself before answering. "You would be working with, fighting alongside, and fighting under the command of someone you consider to be Anathema. Are you sure this wouldn't be a problem?"

She noticed with well-hidden amusement that the soldiers with the woman speaking seemed to stiffen slightly in their seats, though the woman simply looked at her curiously. "May I speak to you alone, Aya?"

Aya returned her curious look for a moment before nodding. "Very well."

The two women walked out of the tavern, and walked for a few minutes before they came to a secluded area of the small town, Ophelia coming to a halt, and facing the taller woman. Aya regarded her curiously, waiting for her to speak. She was surprised when a small golden dot amidst a surrounding golden circle appeared on the woman's forehead quickly, before fading as if it had never been. The woman looked at Aya with a small smile. "If you are of the Sun as well, then I have no problem with following you."

Aya smiled slightly as she looked calmly back at the woman, her own Caste Mark of a golden sun surrounded with twelve spokes appearing quickly, before fading as well. "You are of the Eclipse, I see. Pardon my wonder, but I did not expect to find a Solar, let alone a Solar negotiator amongst the Immaculate ranks."

The woman looked downcast for a moment, before looking back into Aya's eyes with cold certainty. "I lost much that I held dear when I Exalted as Chosen of the Sun. My family, my place in my house, my very name was lost to me. I was cast out, publically proclaimed as dying in my sleep by the actions of a cruel unnamed assassin. I joined the Immaculate army, not knowing how else to live; not even seeing other Children of the Sun until very recently."

Ophelia took a few paces forward, staring into the sunset for a few moments before continuing in a softer voice. "All my life, I was taught that Anathema were driven mad by their Exaltation, becoming a blight that must be scoured for the good of the Realm. Seeing that I retained my sanity and grip on reality after being chosen clashed very sharply with what I was taught; keeping it a secret and hiding in the army the best solution I knew."

She turned and looked at Aya again. "Seeing you, the man you love, and a few others who Exalted as Chosen of the Sun retain their own sanity, becoming or behaving nothing like what I had taught confused me at first, but I can no longer pretend at being what I am not. I no longer wish to see my Exaltation as a terrible mark to hide."

Aya nodded with a smile, having experienced quite a few of the woman's experiences herself, though in a slightly different fashion. She nodded after gazing calmly into the woman's eyes, and seeing no falsehood, no ulterior motives there. "Very well. What of your consort?"

Ophelia gave her a half smile. "I will tell them that their services and protection is no longer required, and send them back to the nearest base to be reassigned."

Aya smiled back at her. "Then I welcome you, Ophelia of the Eclipse Caste, to our cause. However, before you accept, know that this is a temporary operation - when our work is finished with Thorns, I hope for everyone to go their peaceful ways. Not as a parting of ways once the job is done, but as dissolution of the cause."

Ophelia nodded. "So you aren't planning on attacking anyplace else? You're simply going to disband your army once you finish, and go your own way?"

Aya nodded once. "Exactly."

Ophelia's eyebrows narrowed slightly, suspicious. "And what's in it for you, if I may be so bold as to ask?"

The look in Aya's eyes was a distant, almost sad one. "Righting a wrong, then living in peace."

Ophelia looked closely at Aya for a few moments, before finally nodding to herself slowly, her lips pursed in thought. "I see. Very well, I accept."

That night, after the soldiers had finished their evening exercises and all the tasks for securing the town properly had completed, Aya flopped onto her bed in the inn above, rubbing her eyes. "What an unusual day," she said softly to herself as she stared at the ceiling.

Kale slipped into bed beside her, both of them nearly unconsciously closing the distance between each other to offer one another comfort. He spoke in a thoughtful voice. "No kidding. Explains why that tiger I saw was so damnably clever, though."

Aya chuckled tiredly, already slipping into the arms of sleep.

[rhoenix]

At first, Kale couldn't figure out what had awakened him. The sun hadn't risen yet, and at first listen, things seemed quiet. Aya was sleeping half atop him, her head on his shoulder, with her arm around him. Smiling, he wrapped an arm around her and kissed her softly. She replied in her sleep by making a small noise and snuggling closer to him.

Kale closed his eyes once more, a blissful smile on his face.

A few minutes passed, and he drowsily began feeling that all was right with the world. Then the noise came again, the same one that had awakened him. A sharp crack followed barely a second later by an echoing boom.

He sat bolt upright, pulling Aya with him. Her eyes fluttered and opened swiftly, looking into his eyes with concern. With no words spoken or necessary, they both jumped out of bed and swiftly dressed, running out of the inn and toward where the noise had come from. They heard the twin noises again as they ran, coming from outside of town, out of the East wallgate. They both began running faster, adrenaline pumping through both their systems as they expected the worst. Aya's armor materialized around her out of the mist of the pre-morning, her katana, the Crissaegrim, appearing below her wakizashi on her right side. Kale had on both of his claws; both the golden-colored orichalcum one on his left fist, and the Silver Horn in the form of a vicious tiger claw on his right.

When they got to where the noises had come from, they both slowed to a quiet walk, not seeing anything around them at first. Soon however, they saw ten bales of hay lined up in a row, the ones at the ends burning merrily.

Surprisingly, they heard Morjin's voice. "Aim for one of the two at the center this time."

Then, more surprisingly, they heard Ophelia's calm voice. "Alright."

A few seconds' pause, and the twin noises were heard again; though this time, they were able to see the cause. Through the bushes, they saw Ophelia draw a strange object rapidly from her side, and aim it at one of the bales of hay. A sharp crack was heard as a gout of flame left the strange object, a smaller bolt of orange and yellow fire speeding rapidly toward one of the bales of hay. It struck with a shuddering boom, setting the bale of hay ablaze with shocking speed.

Kale and Aya looked at each other, wide-eyed, before walking around behind the trees to see Morjin and Ophelia. Morjin was now laughing as he saw the bale of hay. "Oh, excellent shot. You say you've learned to substitute your own essence for the firedust ammunition?"

Ophelia had a slightly smug look on her face as she cleaned the weapon and sheathed it at her side once more. "Correct. It doesn't quite replace the need for firedust, but does come in quite handy when I have none."

Kale and Aya chose this moment, by silent agreement, to greet the two. Ophelia was standing sideways from the position of the bales of hay, and looking at one of them intently. She took a deep breath, held it, yanked out the firewand and fired with one smooth, deft motion.

Morjin noticed the two new arrivals first, as Ophelia was still looking intently at the bales of hay. His bushy greying eyebrows rose as he saw them, and then gave an apologetic smile. "I do apologize to both of you; I didn't know the firewand would be so loud as to wake the both of you two up."

Ophelia looked at Morjin, surprised, and then looked to the approaching Kale and Aya, and looked chagrined. "Nonesense, Morjin. I pulled the trigger, not you. I awoke quite early this morning, and couldn't go back to sleep. I decided to practice my aim and form, and Morjin here approached me after I fired the first shot."

Aya smiled gently at both of them, as her armor dissipated like smoke in the morning air. "I admit it did give me cause for concern. I thought the town was under attack."

Kale was nonchalantly putting his claws back into their cases, deep within his jacket pockets.

Morjin looked at Ophelia curiously. "I admit, I've never seen such a finely-made firewand. May I take a look?"

Ophelia looked at him for a moment, before nodding and handing over the weapon. Kale and Aya approached as well, asking Ophelia's consent to look at the wondrous weapon. As he was waiting his turn to view the weapon, Kale looked at Ophelia, shifting her weight slightly from foot to foot as she stood. He guessed that she felt a little...empty without the weapon in her possession. He could certainly understand that.

Morjin and Aya looked closely at the weapon. It was made of bright, cleanly tempered steel, folded in much the same way a katana was made. It was heavily trimmed and intermixed with orichalcum; some for ornamentation, mostly for the prominent parts of the firewand. Both Morjin and Aya were surprised to see a stylized dragon motif around the barrel of the firewand, ending with the dragon's mouth at the barrel's end. Both were more surprised to see five chambers for firedust ammunition, rather than the usual single-shot chamber of most firewands.

Morjin's eyebrows were raised in admiration of the weapon as he and Aya carefully looked it over. He looked up to see Ophelia, and asked, "What a magnificent weapon. Is it of First-Age design?"

Ophelia nodded, looking a little downcast. "Yes."

Morjin nodded absent-mindedly as he continued riveting his attention on the firewand. "I noticed that the chamber is smaller than a normal firewand's would be. It uses a particular kind of specialized ammunition, does it not?"

Kale noticed that Ophelia smiled a little before replying. Perhaps she was glad of changing the subject away from how she had aquired the weapon, which made Kale wonder. "Yes. This particular kind is called a plasma repeater; it doesn't have quite the punch of a normal firewand, but it fires more quickly, and has longer range."

Kale had to hide a smile as Morjin and Aya were still avidly looking over the weapon, Morjin speaking up once more without taking his eyes off the firewand. "However did you get such a magnificent weapon, Ophelia?"

Ophelia looked a little more downcast, the look in her eyes distant as she replied. "The night my mother kicked me out for becoming Anathema and pronouncing me dead, I...took it from her personal armory. To my knowledge, it was the only one she had."

Morjin nodded absent-mindedly for a few moments before wrenching his attention away from the weapon and looking at her sharply. He studied her for a short time, his eyebrows narrowing. He asked his question in a rather off-hand way. "I know that only the Houses of the Immaculate Order would possibly have such weapons in their possession. Which House are you from, Ophelia?"

Ophelia began to look a bit more uncomfortable. "I'd really rather not say. I'm no longer of that House, so it matters little now."

Morjin looked at her for a few more moments with eyebrows narrowed in thought. Aya finished her close inspection of the weapon, handing it to Morjin, who handed it back to Ophelia, who accepted it gratefully. Morjin continued looking at her thoughtfully before speaking once more. "Ophelia, I'd like to speak with you alone. Would you mind?"

She looked at him somewhat surprised, with more than a hint of trepidation, but nodded her agreement. The two of them walked away from the town, toward the rising hills outside the town limits.

Aya walked over to Kale, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning her head gently against his shoulder. She grumbled as she did so, feeling Kale's arms wrapping around her, giving her comfort in his embrace. "Why do these things always happen before sunrise?"

Kale chuckled quietly as he slowly began running his fingers through her hair. "No idea, love. However, they usually foretell a very interesting day."

She nuzzled against his neck as he ran his fingers through her hair, stifling a yawn. "I suppose this means we can't go back to bed for a few hours."

Kale chuckled quietly once more, hugging her closely. "What would be the point? Sunrise is in less than an hour."

Aya sighed once more, lifting her head to look him in the eyes. "I suppose you're right. Breakfast, then?"

He nodded at her with a soft smile, earning him a soft, somewhat sleepy smile in return. She shifted her hands upward to cup his face gently, giving him a soft kiss before they walked together back to the tavern.

She looked at Kale as they walked. "You don't know how to make that wake-up tea they serve in Ayodha, do you?"

Kale shook his head, hiding a smile. "Nope, afraid not."

Aya looked downcast.

Kale smiled this time. "However, the innkeeper does."

Aya glared at him with a small smile, punching him lightly in the arm. "You're so cruel to me in the morning."

Kale deftly grabbed her wrist, spinning her around until her back was pressed against his chest, with his arms wrapped around her waist. He whispered softly into her ear before kissing her neck. "Come on now, I'm not that cruel."

She smiled as she spun around to face him, her arms around his neck, kissing him softly before replying. "Only on mornings where you didn't let me have enough sleep the night before."

Kale grinned at her as she pulled away. "I don't recall anything to complain about."

She raised an eyebrow as she removed her arms from around his neck, giving him a look of mock-severity. "Of course not - Night always comes before Dawn."

Kale glared at her, which caused her to laugh brightly and take off running toward the tavern, Kale running right behind her. They swept by Norath, who was sleepily shaving his face outside the blacksmith building. He glared at the two as they swept by, shaking his head before going back to shaving. "Damn kids have too much energy in 't'mornin'."

* * *

Ophelia and Morjin entered the tavern to have breakfast. Ophelia was looking distant, as if remembering things long-ago forgotten. Morjin looked a strange combination of grim certainty and bright realization. They saw Kale and Aya drinking tea as they finished their breakfast, having a good-natured argument as they sometimes did.

"After. Say it."

"Mm-hm. Whatever you say, Kale."

"I submit as evidence last night to support my case. Say 'after'."

"Hmm, that's not what I remember. I suppose more testing of this theory of yours is merited."

Morjin and Ophelia approached the table Kale and Aya were sitting at. Noticing the two new arrivals, they motioned for them to seat themselves. Ophelia looked at the two curiously. "What are you two arguing about?"

Kale glared at Aya, though he had a small smile on his face. Aya answered quite casually as she took a sip of her tea. "Oh, he and I were having an argument over the times of day."

Morjin raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Aya nodded, making Kale close his eyes and shake his head. She took another sip of tea as she replied with equal casualness. "Morjin, you're a learned savant - does the night come before, or after the dawn?"

Kale sighed as he shook his head once more.

Morjin looked at the two, sensing there was something more than was being said, though answered the question anyway. "Well, according to the stages of the day, night always precedes dawn."

Aya gave Kale a superior smile. "There, you see?"

Kale glared at her with a sigh. Aya grinned at him, reaching across the table to gently stroke his cheek with her hand, and kissing him softly. "It's alright, my beloved. One cannot argue against the times of day."

Kale gave her a combination glare and determined smirk. "I'm so going to prove you wrong."

Aya's eyebrows rose as she smiled at him, taking another grateful gulp of her tea. "Well then, I look forward to further research on this theory."

Kale gave her an imperious smile. "I was hoping you would - in the name of knowledge and understanding, of course."

Aya refilled her cup, and raised it to him with a smile as a salute. "Indeed!"

Ophelia looked at the two of them, slightly confused, but said nothing. Morjin, however, was smiling slightly, shaking his head gently at them before taking a sip of his tea.

After a moment, Morjin turned to look at Ophelia. "Would you mind telling them what you told me? I can vouch for their discretion. Besides, they'd be quite willing to tell you of their pasts if you're willing to tell yours."

Ophelia looked a little downcast again. "I doubt either of you were kicked out of your home for becoming an Anathema."

Kale and Aya looked at one another before looking at her. Kale spoke up first. "No, but both of my parents were slain by a contagion spread by the same Deathlord that took Thorns."

Aya spoke up in a low voice. "I watched my father die before my eyes, slain by wraiths. My mother lost all sense of who she was, becoming nothing more than a harlot."

Ophelia looked a little wide-eyed at their admissions, finally nodding to herself. She looked around the tavern, seeing nobody in the place except for the four of them, and the cook in the back giving instructions to his assistant.

She took a deep breath, staring at the table. "All my life, I was picked on for being the youngest; the "baby." What made matters worse is that the astrologers had seen that the power of the Elemental Dragons would never awaken within me, relegating me to the status of minor diplomat, with my mother, and all my brothers and sisters outliving me. My future was about as bright as the man I would eventually be married to, to further good relations between Houses of the Realm."

Ophelia paused for a moment, taking a sip of her own tea before continuing. "When my Essence came to me in a dream the day after my twentieth birthday, and offered me the chance to bring harmony to the world, I knew instantly that this was an Anathema Essence. Its golden brightness seemed calming, quiet, and trustworthy. Perhaps it was a moment of rebellion, but I accepted. My mother knew immediately what had happened, storming into my room right after the visions of the First Age, and my Essence living within it as a prominent diplomat and negotiator faded away. She screamed at me for betraying her, betraying all that she stood for, for throwing away all that I had been given so selfishly."

Ophelia took another sip before she kept going. It was obvious from the emotions passing over her face that the wounds of this day were still a bit raw. "She turned her back to me, and said that I was dead to her, to our family, and the Realm. I was told to leave in secret that night, and tomorrow morning she would tell everyone that I had been slain by assassins."

She smiled sightly. "Of course, I snuck into the armory before I left, and saw that weapon sitting all alone on a golden pedestal. I felt drawn to it, as if it had been waiting for me. I took it with me as I left her palace. In retrospect, I shouldn't have done it, but it's saved my life a few times - but I digress."

She took another sip of her tea, looking a bit calmer now. "After that, my Essence taught me a few tricks she had learned with the firewand, which developed into learning the martial art she knew in life that used the firewand as its focus. Once she was satisfied, she wished me well, and took her rest. I wandered around after that, unsure of what to do. Not knowing what else I should do, I joined the Immaculate Order under another name. It may seem like a very dangerous decision, but at the time, the Immaculate Order was all I knew, having been inundated by its propaganda and teachings since birth. I might be in danger of discovery within the army, but it seemed to be a smaller risk than journeying alone to lands unknown."

She looked up, and gave them both a wan smile. "The rest is fairly uneventful, and the end of the tale all of you know."

Morjin looked at her gently. "Why don't you mention who your mother was, Ophelia?"

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. The person I was is dead to her, which is how the ruler of a House would prefer to view such an embarassment."

Aya's eyebrows shot upwards in recognition, but Kale still looked confused. Aya saw the way Kale looked, and asked a question. "Ophelia, how long ago were you Exalted, and what Immaculate House is she the head of?"

Ophelia shrugged. "I Exalted a Child of the Sun about four and a half years ago. She's...the head of the House in the best position to take over the rulership of the Realm."

Aya nodded to herself, looking lost in thought. Kale looked at the three of them, and still felt quite confused. "Pardon my ignorance, but the three of you seem to know something I don't. Ophelia, who is your mother?"

Ophelia took a deep breath, still staring at the table. "Her name is Mnemon."

Kale's eyes grew slightly wide. "Wait, as in House Mnemon of the Immaculate Order, run by Mnemon, the eldest daughter of the Scarlet Empress?"

Ophelia nodded. "The very same."

Kale nodded, still looking a bit shocked. "I see. Do you mind if I ask what your name was before you 'died?'"

Ophelia sighed a little, leaning back in her chair. She took a sip of tea before replying in a soft voice. "My name was Amaya." She looked up with a small smile. "But as you know, she's dead. All that remains now is former Captain Artana Ophelia, recently given an honorable discharge from the Immaculate military for exemplary service."

Aya sat forward, pouring herself another cup of tea, looking at Ophelia with concern. "Do you have any regrets?"

A far-away smile appeared on Ophelia's face, as she looked out the window absently. "No, none. I'd been raised all my life to believe that when an Anathema Essence came for you, you'd become a demon, and do all manner of terrible things that you had no control over, only able to watch helplessly as you became a tool of destruction and cruelty. However, I've felt and seen none of these things, and from the three Solars I've met so far, none of you feel that way, either."

Morjin, Kale, and Aya shook their heads, small smiles on their faces as they remembered how previous points of view had been rather different than the reality. Aya spoke up. "If one becomes an Abyssal, then those things are true. In the case of Solars, its most definitely not the case."

Ophelia looked at Aya curiously. "Why do you say that?"

Kale answered before Aya could. He answered gently, but bluntly. "She was an Abyssal up until a little more than a year ago."

Ophelia's eyes grew wide. "And are you still, Aya?"

Aya shook her head, looking at Kale with a soft smile, gently holding his hand across the table. "No. I'm a Solar now."

Ophelia shook her head in wonder. "If you don't mind me asking, what convinced you to change? What was life like for you before you did?"

Aya looked at Ophelia with a wry smile on her face. "For five years, I had been trained and treated as nothing more than a barely-living weapon of the Underworld, and to my Deathlord in particular. I had natural talent with fighting and even leading others to fight as well, so I was given command of a small regiment. In time, I was promoted to lead his armies, and to spearhead the assault on Thorns a year ago."

If it were possible, Ophelia's eyebrows would have climbed into her hairline. "You don't mean..."

Aya nodded. "I've heard rumors of that battle from others, and heard the nicknames given to me because of that battle from Immaculates. They called me the Dark General, or the Shadow General, or the like. I fell in that battle, and probably would have died." She glanced toward Kale with a soft smile on her face, squeezing his hand gently. "If it weren't for a certain interfering Solar named Kale, I would have."

Ophelia's mouth hung open in shock briefly before she regained her composure. She looked at Kale. "You mean, you were the Solar that the soldiers at the canyon said was helping them?"

Kale nodded, with a small smile. "Yes, and they thanked me for my help by sending a patrol after me."

Ophelia chuckled before returning her gaze toward Aya, her amused look turning into one of wonder. "Aya, what happened after that? How did you become a Solar?"

Aya smiled, giving Kale a brief smile before turning to look at Ophelia again. "Kale saved my life at the canyon, and again from Immaculate soldiers. I owed him my life, so travelled with him as his retainer for a short time, until my Deathlord's minions found me again, and took me back to the Underworld to be convinced of the error of my ways. Kale snuck into the Underworld, snuck into my Deathlord's castle, and even into the Labyrinth where my Deathlord's Malfean patron was torturing me, and saved my life again. It was as he was tending to my wounds that I realized I was falling in love with him, though it took my Essence casting off his own taint and coming back to me before I became a Solar."

Ophelia nodded, her auburn eyebrows knitted in deep thought. "So you led the assault on Thorns to take it for the undead, and now you want to assault Thorns again to take it back for the living?"

Aya nodded, taking a deep drink of her tea.

Ophelia continued in a softer voice. "So you're not just doing it to be magnanimous - you're doing it to help you feel like you're atoning for what you've done, for the lives you've taken?"

Aya nodded again, with a small smile. "It's not enough, but it's a start, I think."

The sound of feet marching into position in the town's center square broke all of them from their thoughts. Aya knocked back the last of her tea, daintily wiping her mouth before giving Kale a loving kiss, looking deeply into his eyes with a soft smile before standing, and facing Morjin and Ophelia. "Sorry to cut this short, but my students are ready to begin their training for today. Perhaps we can continue this talk later?"

Ophelia nodded, feeling somewhat lost for words.

Morjin smiled, and stood up. "That reminds me - Norath and I are supposed to start working on the armor this morning, as we finished the swords you requested."

Aya stopped as she was walking out of the door. "How long do you think it'll be before you and he are finished crafting the armor to my specifications?"

Morjin smiled a little more widely. "Given how quickly he and I seem to work, I'd say by the end of the week."

Aya nodded with a smile. "Thank you, Morjin. Please tell Norath I said thank you as well, if I don't tell him myself today."

Morjin nodded as Aya left the room and began addressing her students outside. Morjin looked at Ophelia. "Would you mind dropping by the blacksmith's building today, if you've time? I'd like to take a closer look at your firewand, and see if it can be replicated. Don't worry, I won't take it apart."

Ophelia smiled and nodded, still obviously lost in thought.

Kale chuckled and stood up himself, drinking the last of the tea in his cup. "I'd better go take a look around the outskirts of town as well. Good speaking with you, Ophelia. Take care, Morjin."

Quickly, Ophelia was alone in the tavern, alone with her thoughts.

[rhoenix]

A week had gone by, and all the soldier's armor was nearing completion. A few logistical and cosmetic changes by Aya, Norath, and Morjin were decided upon late in the process, necessitating a bit more time. Aya had been working non-stop with the soldiers, training them in combat maneuvers, archery, how to fight on horseback, and many other skills.

Kale, however, still hadn't much to do. This had not gone un-noticed by Aya, though she didn't mention anything more about it until another week later, when all the armor for all the soldiers was completed.

All Aya's students, Aya herself, Morjin, Kale, Norath, Ophelia, and the townspeople at large were quietly watching as the soldiers donned their armor. When they had finished, nearly everyone's jaw dropped in awe.

A layered chestplate overlapped a long steel chain shirt, with each piece of the armor designed to overlap the others, to allow few weak points. If an enemy managed to get an arrow or a weapon strike through the few weak points, the person inside wouldn't be seriously hurt. If it was a weapon that was stabbed into a specific weak point, the person within could easily trap the weapon. The armor's coloring was a brilliant azure, with golden-colored orichalcum trim. The helmets had a swept-back look, with a nearly winged appearance that still allowed an enemy no significant purchase with a strike. A faceplate completed the helmet, made of tightly wound steel and orichalcum mesh, with a harder steel plate over the mouth and nose. A motif of a roaring tiger was emblazoned on the chest of the armor on a single plate, showing the warriors' status as Tiger Warriors; the Alon-Ti.

As the soldiers stood silently and unmoving in formation, with the two swords at the side; the shorter over the longer, with bows over their shoulders and quivers of arrows on their backs. They looked more regal and more impressive even than Immaculate troops.

Aya stood in front of their formation, inspecting her troops with clinical precision. By comparison, she looked nearly drab; one's eyes naturally moved off of her and back onto the more brightly-armored students she was training. Her all-black armor blended perfectly with the hair she had tied into a braided bun on the back of her head. However, all her students followed her quiet orders to change stances, salute, and change formations with well-trained precision.

For a few moments, she paced in front of the troops while looking each soldier in the eye, being quietly pleased to see only calm assurance in the eyes of each one. Suddenly, she shouted "Fire!" while pointing to a target set on the locked wallgate on the other side of the town. She had made sure no townspeople would be in the way before this, as she was using this little show of their ability to show what the Alon-Ti could do for the townspeople of Mishaka.

As one, the soldiers whipped out their bows, nocked arrows, and fired in ranks, each firing rank dropping into a crouch to allow the next row to fire. All eyes looked at the distant target, and noticed that all the arrows had struck the target. A few had hit the center of the target, though none had been fired into the wooden walls surrounding the target.

The townspeople cheered at first, though quickly quieted down at a smile and a wave from Aya. She turned to address her students, shouting "Attention!"

As one, they stepped back into formation, and saluted her in the same strange way; by making a fist with their left hand, covering it with their right, and bowing, and rising with arms at their sides.

She paced in front of them, eyeing them closely as she spoke to them in a loud, clear voice. "Your introduction to the way of the Alon-Ti had officially been completed. Now you are ready to begin your real training to become among the best warriors to ever live in this age. This will require discipline from you, and hard training. Any who wish to go back to your people and live the life you once knew is free to go now, with no hard feelings, and with my blessing."

Not a single student so much as twitched. A small smile played around the corners of Aya's mouth.

"Very well. Take the rest of the day off, and meditate on what the Way of the Alon-Ti means to you personally. Think about this, for this will be a strong undercurrent of the tide that shall sweep you into completing this training. You are dismissed."

All of them bowed as one to her once more, and began wandering about town, or going outside to meditate, or just be alone with their thoughts. More than a few townspeople approached Aya about joining; some she accepted, some she did not. If the people questioned her rejection, she simply answered "The Way does not fit you."

After the crowd had dispersed, with Morjin and Norath arguing again good-naturedly as they walked back to the blacksmith's building, Aya approached Kale with a smile. "Impressed?"

Kale grinned and shook his head. "I admit to being amazed, love."

She smiled up at him as she softly kissed him. She pulled back with a smile, gently stroking his face as her armor dissipated around her like smoke on a breeze. "But don't think I haven't noticed you getting bored, my beloved."

Kale looked slightly embarassed, but nodded. "I know this is important to you, and I'll help support you in any way I can - because I love you. However, there doesn't really seem to have been much to keep me occupied."

Aya gave him a satisfied smile. "If I bribe you, will you be willing to send a message for me?"

Kale raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Depends on the bribe, depends on who you want me to give the message to, and it depends on what the message is."

Her arms encircled his waist as she stood closer to him to look him in the eyes more comfortably. "I want to know if you're willing to go to the Lunar territories, and ask for their help in attacking Thorns, and removing the undead from there as permanently as possible. You see, I'm going to be training two groups of students at once now, and sending riders out to nearby towns asking for their recruits as well. I'll have Morjin's help to train the newest students, but I'm going to feel tremendously guilty if I can't spend any time with you, and I won't want you to feel or get the impression that I don't love you with all my heart just because I'm going to have no time."

Kale nodded, kissing her gently, which she warmly responded to. She pulled back with a slightly anxious look on her slightly tanned face, awaiting his reponse. Kale smiled at her. "I know you have your hands full, and you're right about this - we'll probably need the Lunars to help with this. I don't doubt your ability to lead an army, but this is a small one compared to the one you led to first take Thorns. I'll be happy to go even if you didn't bribe me."

He paused, with a growing smile on his face. "I am curious though - what's the bribe?"

Ays grinned at him, pressing herself against him to look him closely and softly in the eyes. "For one month, once all this is over with, at a time of your choosing, I'll say yes to anything you ask that only involves you and I."

Kale's eyebrows rose, as an amused smile grew on his face. "Anything, huh?"

Aya grinned at him with a hint of promise in her eyes. "Anything."

Kale looked thoughtful as he smiled, but both of them knew what his answer was - he was merely thinking of the possibilities. "Alright, I'll go. But I do ask that sometime before I take you up on your offer, you learn to make that wake-up tea from the innkeeper."

Aya raised her eyebrows curiously, as a small smile betrayed the innocent look she was trying quite hard to wear. "Planning on exerting a lot of energy, are you?"

Kale kissed her back, long and passionately, which left both of them slightly breathless. "Oh, bet on it," he replied with a grin.

They looked at each other for a few moments more, staring into once another's eyes before they both let go. Kale strode up to their room in the inn where all his things were kept, and appeared again only a few minutes later, wearing his long, thin travelling jacket, with a quiver full of arrows on his back, and an orichalcum bow over his shoulder.

Aya's eyebrows rose as she saw the bow. "I thought you had to give up the only one Melia had to escape the Labyrinth. Wherever did you find that one?"

Kale kissed her again with a smile. "Melia had a spare."

They shared a few quiet moments, talking to each other softly, saying goodbye without saying goodbye. Soon enough, Kale strode away, out of the wallgate, and toward the wild Northlands, where no regime save that of the wild Lunars themselves reigned. Aya watched with slightly shining eyes before she turned away, walking to the blacksmith's shop.

* * *

Kale had to admit, he'd missed being in the wilderness. Its wildness had called to him ever since he was a little boy. He didn't fear being alone in the wilds of the North in the least; he was just as familiar with the plants and animals that made their home in the forests as he was with his own hands. Kale knew that he had a couple days' travel at least before he entered the territory of the Lunars. His father's advice for meeting one was pretty simple - "apologize if it tells you that you've done something wrong, and leave as quietly as you can."

As he travelled over the days, he made camp, rested, and kept hiking most of the day. To pass the time, he lost himself in thought quite a bit, though still keeping his senses sharp for any sign of the border markers that might signified their territory - if indeed they used any.

He was voluntarily going into their territory, and to ask for their help, no less. Kale sighed to himself as he vaulted a boulder. It seemed that the complex things in life seemed to break down into many simple things when you thought about it. Even a strange point of view could be understood once you understand the underlying reasons for a person to hold that point of view. One may not agree with it, but at least you would be able to understand it.

Kale shook his head as he hiked. A little over a year ago, his primary concerns were dealing with his parents' death, and learning to make a living as best he could. The Anathema of all sorts were a distant bogeyman. And now that he had become one of them, he had learned many things. The Solars, for instance, had a very long memory, as did the others. Their memories were passed from incarnation to incarnation between people; they often called the time when a person Exalted as that person's "second breath," in reference to the first breath a child takes when born into the world.

The Lunars were in most underlying ways the same as the Solars, from what he knew. They passed on their abilities and Exaltation from lifetime to lifetime, just as the Solars did. However, they hadn't been captured and their Essences imprisoned. They had learned to live on the edges and outskirts of the world, becoming even more bestial and wild than Melia had described them from the time of the First Age. They had kept their society going, though its rules were unknown to anyone who wasn't a Lunar, and that was the way they seemed to prefer it. They had long memories as well, and were quite apt at righting a wrong committed to them.

Aya had never told him how she managed to wrest control over a barbarian horde from a Lunar, other than blithely saying she won a fair duel. However, Kale suspected that no young or weak Lunar would be allowed to raid villages with a barbarian horde in tow, which made him wonder how she managed to do it. She had merely shrugged when asked, saying that she had won. That always made his eyes narrow slightly; her habit of not bragging seemed to almost go into the realm of not saying enough.

He had been travelling a week now in the wilderness, sneaking by quietly, so as to not disturb or frighten the beings that called this expansive forestland home. Sometimes he had been forced to make leaps from tree to tree to follow a river, so as to stay on his course. He didn't really think about it until afterward, smiling as he remembered the simple rote Melia had taught him to make his feet light. He used it almost unconsciously now, as one might do with anything one is used to.

Kale still worried from time to time about becoming too sedate and too comfortable with the abilities granted by his Exaltation, and so still used his own natural skills as a woodsman and a hunter as much as possible, utilizing the rotes that channeling essence could invoke only when necessary. He smiled to himself as he realized he had done this unconsciously now as well; he'd only drawn upon the essence within him when he had no other recourse, other than wading slowly through a rushing river. There was no room on the banks due to how tightly overgrown the trees were. Kale began to suspect that this was perhaps by design of someone who knew how to influence forest growth.

This, along with other subtle signs he noticed as he progressed into the greater Northern forests made him suspect that he was entering Lunar territory. The signs for their borders weren't obvious at all; indeed, he probably wouldn't have noticed them if he hadn't been living in a forest most of his life.

Little things, like how trees had grown, the way some animals looked at him curiously as he snuck by, previously unseen, and other little things made him think that he was now being watched by beings who did not worship or venerate the Sun. They worshipped the mercurial Luna, and all the wildness granted by those who were Luna and Gaia's consorts, warriors, and shamans. The very breathing life of the wild, unexplored places was brought to towering heights by the influence of these Exalted.

Kale took a few breaths to calm himself. He might be walking purposefully into the territory of those who would not, in all likelihood, consider him a friend. The ties Melia had spoken of and experienced more than a millenium ago were now broken and untied; the Lunars and the Solars no longer had business with one another.

Part of it was that the Solars were bound for a thousand years, prevented from Exalting anyone during that time, while the Lunars had survived, and moved onward without their one-time mates, friends, lovers, and companions. He thought that those who survived the First Age wouldn't have many friendly feelings either, remembering the decadence and all manner of terrible things the Solars had done in their arrogance. Kale shook his head. Though Melia and her husband Melek had been respected and even been called friend by the Lunars, they were only two out of over three hundred.

Kale climbed a tree to take his rest again, quietly casting the rote to wake him if something wished to disturb him. He hoped it actually worked; the times he'd used it he hadn't ever been awakened by it. He settled into an uneasy sleep.

Without warning, the glaring, bright and hot image of the sun appeared, interrupting his dreams. He sat bolt upright and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he took stock of his surroundings.

It was now past midnight, the light of the moon obscured by clouds, except for small patches of soft light here and there. At first, he didn't see or hear anything suspicious, but he kept looking, using essence to enhance his senses as he did so.

Then, he saw them. Eyes, reflecting the dim light of the moon up at him. He counted six pairs of eyes at first, and they weren't the eyes of small creatures. He looked around, and saw a few more, all looking at him, and all surrounding the tree he was sleeping in. He counted at least ten eyes looking up at him, and heard a few growls from them.

One of them spoke to him. It sounded like the voice of a large and angry bear growling, even as it spoke with the tongue of humans. "You are trespassing!"

Kale squinted down, refocusing his eyes as he looked at the one who spoke. It was indeed a very large bear, standing on its hind legs. However, it was larger than a bear normally would be, and with much longer hind legs. He noticed that one of its forepaws clasped a spear tightly.

He called down to the one who spoke, deciding that being polite to them would probably go over best. He took a deep breath to calm himself before speaking. "I am sorry that I did not announce myself to you before I entered your territory, but I did not know how I should. I came to speak with you."

The huge bear snarled at him more savagely, the sound echoing through the trees before it spoke once more. "You are alone, Solar! You are either foolhardy or ignorant. Come down to the ground, or we will bring you down!"

Kale heard acknowledging noises coming from the eyes around him, but was unable to see what shapes they were wearing. He nodded. "Alright."

Quietly channeling his essence into the rote to make his feet light, he jumped down from the high tree, somersaulting gracefully through the air as he did. He landed without a sound, a trick he had often used as a boy to scare Aya to no end, and he was thankful he hadn't forgotten how to do so now.

Kale stood, and looked at the one in the shape of a bear that had spoken to him. He heard soft noises of the others coming closer, surrounding him on all sides. He decided to speak up once more now, before things got ugly. "I am here because I wish to speak to your council of elders."

He heard the soft noises of movement stop, and rough, savage laughter break out around him. The chuckles of those that sounded like wolves, some of large birds of prey, some of big cats, some of snakes, though the one with the shape of the bear laughed the loudest. The bear's growling laughter held more than a hint of contempt. The bear anwered shortly with growls and snarls punctuating his words. "What arrogance makes you think you are even worthy of being food for them, Solar?"

Kale took another silent breath, looking up into the shadowed huge face of the bear, twenty yards away. "Because the woman I love is raising an army to shatter the foothold the undead have in our world, and I'm here to ask for your help in doing so."

There was a short pause, and then laughter louder than before broke out around him on all sides. After a few seconds of hearing their laughter, he was swiftly surrounded on all sides, each being only ten yards away, and visible now. All were in a hybrid form of human and beast, and all carried weapons. The one in the shape of a hybrid bear walked with silent footsteps to within a bare two yards away from him, looking down on Kale from a great height. Kale almost strained his neck to look the huge being in the eyes, as it glared savagely down at him. "I have decided that you are both ignorant and foolhardy, young Solar! What makes you think our elders would listen to you? From your smell, you haven't even had the Sun touching your soul for ten summers yet, let alone the hundreds of summers our elders have seen!"

Kale's jaw tightened in a determined look. "I'm not trying to insult your wisdom, and I'm especially not trying to presume on your hospitality. However, I do know firsthand the kind of blight the undead are. The Deathlord responsible for it released a contagion that slew nine out of ten people living around the area of Thorns seven years before Thorns was taken, in an effort to swell the ranks of the Deathlord's army. The Immaculate Order is now attempting to trade with them instead of attacking them. If left unchecked, they'll keep spreading, and by the time the Immaculates actually do something about it, it might be too late."

The great bear growled down at him. "And how is this our problem? We have no problems with Deathlords, and they have no problems with us."

Kale looked determinedly up into the great bear's huge eyes. "Because they hate all life. They will spare nobody in their effort to supplant all life with the dead. The woman I love is now in a position to pull the rug out from under their efforts to slowly spread into our world with the patience of centuries, and put a halt to it before it becomes a problem."

The huge bear exhaled sharply at him, causing a hot wind that nearly pushed Kale back. "I will tell you this, Solar. If in your previous lifetime you were called friend of our people, you would know a few names of who now would be called our elders. If you can name one we know, we will bring you to them."

The bear leaned down to put his huge, brown-furred face in front of Kale, and growling meaningfully. "Fail, and no one will ever find your remains!"

Kale inclined his head, not looking away from the great bear's huge eyes that glared into his own. "Long Stripe Fangs-First, or Winterstripe as he is known now."

The bear stood bolt upright, and glared down at him. "How do you know his name, Solar? SPEAK!"

Kale did not look away. "He trained my previous incarnation in the Art of the Tiger, in thanks for her helping him when the rest of the Council decried the Lunars. He also gave her the Silver Horn in thanks for saving his life, a weapon I carry now."

The bear took a long, deep breath, and exhaled sharply at Kale. "You are lucky, Solar, for Winterstripe still lives. I think he'll be extremely interested in knowing how a child like you could know of him. Come!"

Kale followed the great bear and the other Lunars deeper into the forest.

[rhoenix]

Kale walked softly over the soft earth, shadowed by the height of the huge trees. Only his abilities of seeing sharply in the dark allowed him to see at all, amplifying the barely-ambient light into something he could see. The forest all around him was dark, forbidding. It seemed to reflect the Lunar's attitude that outsiders were not welcome here. The very trees themselves seemed to view him with deep suspicion as he walked with the Lunars, the wind howling through their branches with low, ominous noises.

The Lunars escorting Kale made no noise as they walked through the forestlands, but that didn't surprise him in the least. Even the Lunar with the shape of a huge hybrid bear didn't make a single sound as his huge paws stalked across the ground. The strange, bestial Lunars were walking all around Kale not to protect him, but to make sure he didn't try anything silly – like running.

He had to admit to himself, he was slightly scared. He'd be a fool not to be, what with invading the territory of those who despised civilization and the ills it brought, and wanted to be left alone. He was invading the places they called home; they had every right to treat him as an enemy.

They kept a brisk pace, moving like swift, large menacing shadows through the forest. Kale got the uncomfortable impression that these people had a strong connection with the forest. The low and ominous howling of wind through the trees seemed to keep pace with them as they moved, and fading away as they passed.

Hours passed at their brisk pace, Kale finding it slightly difficult to keep up, though many long years of long walks helped him keep up with the blistering pace the Lunars set. He stumbled once on a tree root that seemed to grow out of the ground to entangle his feet as they swiftly walked. He managed to regain his footing and keep walking, but he felt a spearpoint pressed to his back afterwards. "Move, Solar!" a snarling voice behind him ordered.

Them calling him "Solar" all the time and not even asking for his name was beginning to get on his nerves. However, he wisely kept a lid on his temper for now. This was not the time or place.

The horizon began to brighten slightly, heralding the coming dawn. Kale smirked to himself at the conversation he'd had with Aya about this, and their times of getting up about now to race the sunrise. The Lunars didn't seem to notice, simply pushing ahead with alacrity.

Around the next twisting path, Kale saw two trees that would normally be seen in towns as the posts between which a gate was put, though there was no gate here. He saw others here, some in the form of humans, some in the form of animals. They began to smile when they saw the coming Lunars, but their smiles swiftly changed into scowls of suspicion at seeing him. All of them pointedly turned to put their backs to him, talking amongst themselves with low voices, shooting glances of dislike at him.

Kale shook his head. He knew the Solars hadn't made such a good name for themselves at the end of their time, but he hadn't known it was this bad. Then again, over a thousand years had passed, and the stories told of the Solars were probably worse now than when they actually happened.

Without warning, his escort halted in their tracks. The huge Lunar in the form of a bear stamped his spear against the ground, and called out in a low, slightly growling voice that nonetheless carried quite a distance, echoing in this place like thunder through the mountains. "Elders, we found a Solar intruding on our territory. He is arrogant enough to travel alone, and speaks with words of war against the undead, and of speaking with you, our honored elders. He remembers the name of the Shahan-ya, Winterstripe."

A few men walked out of tents and from off the ground, walking into a half-circle formation, facing the great bear Lunar. All were silent for a few moments, one of them toward the left breaking the silence.

As the elder opened his mouth to speak, his teeth were revealed to be wide, long, and serrated. Kale got the uncomfortable impression this elder's totem was that of the shark. He was a wide, stocky man, with his face and head shaved bald. He looked at the great bear who had spoken, but his words were addressed to Kale. "The Solar wishes our help against the undead, hmm? How arrogant."

The great bear bowed his head slightly before lifting his head once more to speak. "Yes, Ikth-ya Marin. He said that his woman is preparing for war against them, but desires our help."

One of the elders, a tall, savage-looking man clad in the pelts of wolves stepped forward gracefully, looking suspicious and curious at the same time, speaking with a growling voice that reminded Kale strongly of a wolf. "What is his mate's name?"

One of the Lunars shoved Kale from behind roughly. "Ssspeak, Ssssolar!"

Kale lifted his head, and looked at the elder clad in wolf pelts. He was shoved again, the hissing voice behind him sounding angry. "Do not insssult an elder by addresssing him directly, fool!"

He began to grow angry, but he swallowed it down. For now. He addressed the bear in front of him. "My fiancee's name is Aya."

Most elders looked uncomprehending, though a few had amused looks on their faces, looking at the elder clad in wolf pelts. The one clad in wolf pelts looked surprised, and then broke out into loud laughter. "Haha, it's not enough that she takes my horde, now she wants more?"

The elder that reminded Kale of a shark spoke again, looking at the elder in wolf pelts. "Golgol, is his mate the one who cut you asunder?"

The elder named Golgol laughed louder before answering. "Aye! Well, here's my answer, Solar. If she wants more of my horde, then she shall have to come here and duel me again!" He looked toward Kale with a savage grin on his face. "She will not find me so easy an opponent this time, this I swear by my honor!"

The other elders chuckled savagely at this, some clapping him on the back.

A low, slightly reverberating voice seemed to undercut Golgol's bluster. "No."

Golgol bowed his head respectfully. "Shahan-ya."

Kale was surprised to see the tall man with black hair, and a scar over one eye that he had seen a few weeks ago in Mishaka step forward, looking at Kale thoughtfully before turning his head slowly to look at Golgol once again. "You underestimated your opponent, Golgol. A fine war leader you may be, but unthinking arrogance your downfall."

Golgol nodded somberly. "You are right, Shahan-ya Winterstripe. I saw a lone woman come out to stop us, and I let my thirst for battle overcome my judgement."

Winterstripe slowly turned his head to cooly regard Kale once more. "If you would come here asking for our help, Solar, then know this: only those we consider one of us may ask for our help. You are not one of us. You have no name to us save that for which you are, and are unworthy of our assistance."

Kale looked downcast. This wasn't how he had hoped things would go at all.

The man spoke again, with a bit more of a tiger's growl entering his voice this time. "However, if you wish to prove your worthiness to us, we will put you through our Rites of Initiation, the same ones we put our young ones through to test their capability...and worth."

Kale spoke to the bear in front of him, not wanting to upset any unspoken decorum. "What must I do?"

A slow smile grew on Winterstripe's face. "Know this, my people. The Solar you see before you shows the same quiet courage and determination that his predecessor showed, long ago. His predecessor was friend to us, even to being given one of our sacred weapons in thanks for her brave deeds."

He turned his head slowly toward Kale once more, looking at him cooly once more. "Let us find out if he is worthy of being called the Successor of Melia. Know this, Solar: you are already considered an adult, and therefore your tests will be harder than those we would give a newborn Lunar, fresh from their Second Breath. Knowing this, do you wish to accept the Rites of Initiation, in hopes of gaining a voice here?"

Kale lifted his head, even as he addressed the bear in front of him. "I do. When can I start?"

A slow, savage smile appeared on Winterstripe's face. The other elders had mixed reactions, though a savage grin from Golgol made Kale unsure. Winterstripe spoke with the same low, reverberating voice, the growling untertone being more prominent now. "One mile north of here, there is a tall, young spruce tree with a robin's nest at the top. It has four eggs within the nest. Bring to me one egg from that nest without chopping the tree down, or moving the nest or the other eggs in any fashion. You have until sundown. Go!"

Kale sped out, relying on the signs of the forest, such as moss on certain sides of the trees help guide his way north. He heard soft footsteps following him, which didn't surprise him - of course they'd want a witness. He kept running, looking sharply on all sides of him to find the clearing. Through the dense undergrowth and forest, it was difficult to find his way, but he found the clearing after half an hour. His jaw dropped as he beheld the tree.

It was enormously tall. Very thin however, with the bottom branches being barely enough to hold a man's weight, let alone the ones further up. He looked around, and saw that there were trees surrounding this lone spruce tree, but they were all at least thirty yards away. Kale began thinking furiously about how to get the egg down from the nest, barely visible from the great height.

He began pacing quietly as he thought. He might be able to make his feet lighter with the rote he'd learned from Melia, but he seriously doubted it would make his feet light enough to climb such a slender tree trunk. Then he smiled, as he thought of a way.

Kale ran toward the tree closest to the spruce tree, ascending high enough to see the nest on the spruce tree, thirty yards away. He started throwing his weight back and forth, slowly at first. The mighty pine tree began to sway slowly. Kale kept throwing his weight in sequence, making the tree sway back and forth more strongly. Just as the tree was swaying toward the spruce tree once more, Kale channeled his essence into the rote that would allow him to leap mightily, using the momentum of the tree to help propel him. The muscles in his legs bunched like a coiled spring, releasing and straightening as he flew from the massive pine tree, toward the nest atop the spruce.

As he sailed by the nest in midair, he swiftly and carefully grabbed a single egg out of the nest. The parabola of his leap ended with him sailing toward a tree on the other side. Kale ducked into a crouch in midair to absorb the impact of hitting a tree. A branch bent to strike him painfully as he hit the tree trunk, but he grimly kept a tight, though gentle grip on the egg. He descended the tree, and looked at the egg once he had reached the ground.

He looked up to see the the Lunar in the form of a hybrid snake looking impassively at him, and wordlessly walking back toward the village. Kale followed, trying hard not to feel smug.

As he entered the village, the Lunars there looked suspiciously at him before turning their backs to him once more. He ignored the silent, though telling gesture as best he could. He walked back in front of the elders, still standing in a semi-circle. A few looked at him with surprise and raised eyebrows, some with suspicion. Golgol spoke to the Lunar in the form of a hybrid snake next to him. "Did he complete the test with honor?"

The snake nodded once. "Yesss. The Sssolar did not cheat."

Golgol nodded back, a grim smile appearing on his face. "Then here is your next test, Solar who would be one of us. Put the egg back where you found it, with the same restrictions! You have until sundown once again, Solar. Go!"

Some of the elders chuckled at this, some with rueful looks on their faces. Kale guessed that some of them had undergone the same test. He sighed to himself, nodding respectfully to the elders before departing back to the spruce tree.

Kale put the egg back in the same way he had aquired it in the first place, being extra careful this time so as to not damage or crack the precious cargo as he jumped. As he landed in the branches of the opposite tree once more, he saw the mother robin landing amongst the eggs, chirping suspiciously before settling down over them comfortably, preening herself.

Kale watched the robin with a small smile, before descending the tree and walking back to the village behind the snake-like Lunar. He reached the village once more, the Lunars there pointedly ignoring him again. The elders looked at him impassively as he returned, nodding respectfully to them once again.

The snake-like one spoke once more. "He finissshed sssuccesssfully once more."

Golgol grinned savagely at Kale, his canine teeth prominent. "Hah! I failed that one in my youth. We would applaud you for succeeding in your first test, but you are not a Lunar. Accolades shall await you...if you succeed. Are you ready for your next test, aspiring Solar?"

Kale nodded, speaking to the hybrid snake next to him, seeing that the great bear Lunar was absent for now. "I am."

Golgol grinned more widely, more of his wolf-like teeth being visible. "You will count coup against another Lunar now. You will hunt one another through these forests. Again, you have until sundown."

Kale spoke again, addressing the ophidian Lunar. "I apologize for my ignorance, but what is 'counting coup?'"

Golgol chuckled roughly. "You must touch him on the back of the head without him seeing you beforehand to win, and he may win with the same conditions on you."

Kale couldn't help but ask. "May I ask which Lunar I'm having this contest against?"

He heard the great bear's voice from the entrance to the village, snarling at him. "Your opponent in this test is me, Solar! I will knock you unconscious, and drag you back to this village to face the fate of a failure!"

With that, he stalked silently into the forest beyond. Kale swallowed. Golgol's voice rang out once more. "Are you ready, child?"

Kale nodded to them respectfully, and walked out of the village, and into the forbidding forest beyond. He knew he was at a disadvantage here already, as the great ursid Lunar most likely knew every branch and every tree root in this place, and all the best places to strike out in ambush.

He smiled to himself. However, he was capable of becoming as a ghost, unseen, unheard, unsmelled, and undetected. Kale channeled his essence through his anima first, feeling the sense-stifling ability take effect. He also masked his scent and footsteps, and finally his very form began to blend in with his surroundings.

Kale ascended a tree with perfect silence, none of the branches moving to announce his movement as he did. He looked and listened carefully in all directions. Not detecting his quarry yet, he leapt silently into another tree, waiting a few minutes as he extended his senses all around him.

He kept silently moving through the dense canopy above for over an hour before he found a trace of his quarry. The scent of a bear reached his nostrils, and he followed the scent, all the world blind and unaware of his passing.

It was another half an hour by his reckoning before he finally saw the great ursid Lunar stalking carefully through the forest, gripping his spear tightly. Kale crept up silent behind him, taking things slowly. As Kale reached only ten yards away from the Lunar, he saw the Lunar turning swiftly to look behind him.

Kale froze against the side of the tree, blending in perfectly with the bark of the tree trunk. The ursid Lunar looked behind him suspiciously, his nose sniffing for scent for a few agonizing minutes before turning around once more and begin moving again.

Kale exhaled silently. He ascended the tree with a branch above where the Lunar would pass, and waited for the Lunar to walk by. The Lunar's eyes were wary, his ears turning to listen to even the smallest sounds. Kale lightly tapped the great ursid on the back of the head as he stalked by beneath the branch, cartwheeling out of the tree to land on his feet behind the Lunar with a grin as he released the essence used to strengthen his natural stealth. "Gotcha."

The huge lunar spun around at the feel of Kale's hand of his great brown-furred head, and his gaze turned murderous as he saw who had tapped him. He growled menacingly at Kale. "You may have passed this test through trickery I know not, but know this - if you try that again, I'll be picking my teeth with your bones!"

Kale nodded, not saying anything. The ursid Lunar stomped angrily back to the village, stopping before the elders, jabbing his spear in Kale's direction. "I know not how, but the Solar counted coup on me. Did anyone watch him for trickery?"

A swift landed gracefully on a tree branch near the elders, hopping down to the ground to assume the form of a youthful-looking petite woman. She shook her head. "I watched him ever since he left the village. I watched him closely as he began using essence, though he did not draw any essence from the forest around him. What he did was fair, though I was barely able to follow him."

Winterstripe nodded slowly as he looked at the three, his gaze finally landing on Kale like a cat might pounce on a mouse. "I did not expect you to succeed in this. Uf-ya Harmony of Stones was raised in these woods."

The huge ursid Lunar, Harmony of Stones, growled menacingly at Kale before returning his gaze to Winterstripe once more. "Shahan-ya Winterstripe, honored elders, I concede the Solar victory in this test."

Golgol spoke up after gulping down a drink from his bone cup. "Very well, Solar. Here is your next test: bring me a fat deer. Again, you have until sundown."

Kale nodded, and walked out of the village once more. His sharp hearing heard the lower voices of the elders speaking with one another as he left.

He heard Winterstripe's voice first. His voice sounded reproving. "A deer, Golgol?"

Golgol had a note of protest in his voice. "I'm hungry! Who better to bring me dinner than a person undergoing the Rites of Initiation?"

He heard strange, rough laughter from another elder. "Thinking of your fat belly again, Golgol. I might've known."

Kale smirked to himself as he walked out of earshot, and nocked an arrow in his bow, moving with practiced ease through the forest. This forest might have its own ways and personality, but it was still a forest. He found a deer in an hour; a strong-looking eight-pointed buck looking cautiously around him before bending its neck to take a drink from a stream.

Kale's arrow flew straight and true, passing through the buck's neck to sever its spinal cord. Kale walked over to the deer, and quietly intoned the prayer he had learned from his father to give thanks to the deer for giving him its life, and wishing it a good journey, removing the arrow carefully once he was done. He swiftly gutted the deer before struggling to put the deer over his shoulders, finding that he was forced to channel essence into his muscles just to carry the big deer.

He walked slowly back to the village, the great weight of the deer slowing him down quite a bit. He looked at the sun, seeing that it was nearing eveningtime, and soon, sunset. He shook his head as he walked. What a day this had been.

Soon enough, he had arrived back at the village, and somewhat ungainfully placed the fallen buck on the ground in front of the elders. He did his best to place it gently on the ground, to honor the great animal, but his muscles strained to do so.

A quiet voice, that of the woman whose totem was a swift spoke up after the deer had been placed on the ground. "The Solar gave a respectful prayer to the fallen deer after killing it with one shot."

Golgol non-chalantly wiped the drool away from his mouth as he beheld the huge buck. "Respectful, was he?" A growl sounded in his throat as he looked at the deer hungrily. "A fine catch, as well."

The deer was swiftly skinned and carved, the elders sharing the meat of the deer without roasting it over a fire. They devoured it hungrily, remarking between mouthfuls how sweet the meat was. Kale's stomach growled, as he hadn't eaten since he had been woken up before sunrise.

The elders left a little meat on the bones of the breast, wiping their mouths as they assumed a semi-circle once more. "You may have the rest, Solar. You caught it."

Kale nodded, and ate hungrily, not really caring that it wasn't cooked. The meat was still somewhat warm, and tasted delicious to his empty stomach. There wasn't quite enough to make him full, but there was enough for a good meal.

Golgol addressed him once he had finished eating. "You may find a tree outside our village to spend the night in, if you can manage sleeping like a Child of Luna for one night. Sleep well, for you have many more tests ahead of you!"

Kale nodded to them respectfully, walking out of the village to find a suitable tree. He found one without much difficulty, a tall oak with high branches. He swiftly climbed the trunk and settled into one of the branches halfway up, falling wearily into dreams.

Over the next few days, the elders subjected him to many imaginative and difficult tests. Most he managed to triumph through his ingenuity and natural agility, but some he failed. He had had to run a marathon against the huge ursid Lunar, Harmony of Stones, a marathon that lasted a week. He could run faster than the huge Lunar, but the great bear could run for days on end without resting or even slowing down. At least he hadn't lost by much; he was able to see the great bear shuffling swiftly into town as he ran within sight of it.

Tonight, he was returning from a rather difficult test, having to dodge spears thrown at him for more than an hour without pause, and without being able to draw upon his own essence to enhance his ability to dodge. He was following the Lunars back into their village with a slight limp, as one of the spears had scratched his hip, but he had managed to dodge the rest, some by less than a hairs-breadth.

They stopped before the elders once more. Winterstripe's low, reverberating voice spoke as they stopped, bowing their heads respectfully. "Step forward, Solar."

Looking a little confused, Kale did so, trying to hide the limp.

Winterstripe stepped forward, looking at Kale carefully. "Do you swear on your honor and your life to follow the Silver Way? To never flee and never surrender, to always repay your debts, to be just and generous to those beneath you, to slay not a Lunar without just cause, to defend what is yours, and to honor your word to the deserving?"

Kale nodded his head respectfully. "I hold all those values dear already. I swear it upon my honor."

Winterstripe spoke with a loud roar, changing before Kale's eyes to become a huge half man, half tiger at least eleven feet tall with his huge, striped arms stretched toward Luna, high above. He called in a loud voice, his voice echoing with the low, rumbling roar of the riger. "Forevermore, you shall not be known to us as another faceless interloping Solar. We, the council of elders, recognize you as Kale, and give you a title; that of Nain-ya. Not one of us, but one of us."

All Lunars had stopped their whispering and talking, and were standing reverently silent. Winterstripe dropped his arms, and looked down at Kale, speaking in a lower, reverberating voice. "You are not blessed by Luna herself, but you have gained her favor through your trials. Know that you will never ascend in our society above that of Nain-ya, or "Kin," as you are not a Lunar."

He roared out again, the roar of a tiger taking form of the words humans spoke. "Children of Luna, bid welcome to the Nain-ya!"

All of them made loud calling noises of their various totems toward Luna, shining brightly above. The noise continued for several minutes, the energy of the place compelling Kale to yell wildly to Luna above as well.

Winterstripe's form shimmered as he became a man once more, regarding Kale with an inclined head. "Your name among us has been decided by your actions, and how you have performed in your trials. We will know you as The Cloaked Sun. This was Melia's title among us when we called her friend, and we bestow the same title on you now."

With that, the Lunars walked by him, mostly smiling and nodding at him as they passed. Some thumped him on the back companionably as they passed, some even congratulating him.

Harmony of Stones, however, still glared at Kale as he passed by. "Don't think for a moment I trust you, Solar."

Even with that remark, Kale felt triumphant. He felt sore, tired, and in pain, but triumphant. He took a deep breath, relishing the moment with eyes closed. He smelled the scent of the tiger close by, and opened his eyes to see Winterstripe standing before him. He spoke with the same low, reverberating voice. "Rest tonight, eat and be merry. You may bring the business you came here to speak of tomorrow morning."

Winterstripe began walking away, though turned his head and stopped, looking at Kale almost as an afterthought, a semblance of a smile on his face. "Well done, Nain-ya."

[rhoenix]

"Wake yourself, Nain-ya! Are you planning on sleeping all morning?"

Kale opened his eyes slowly, sat up on the thick tree branch he was sleeping on, and looked down at the speaker who had addressed him. The wolf pelts draped around his broad shoulders, and his feral grin as he looked up at Kale removed all doubt as to the speaker's identity.

Kale rubbed his eyes as he grabbed his jacket from the tree limb above him. "Nah. I'll be right there, Ikth-ya Golgol."

Golgol's growling voice had more than a hint of amusement. "Glad to hear it, Nain-ya. Being late to the meeting you came here to ask for would make you lose some of that renown you've worked so hard to get!"

Rough chuckles faded away into the distance as Golgol walked back into the Lunar village. Kale stretched, and flipped backwards out of the tree, landing on all fours as he hit the ground below. He rubbed his eyes a bit to wake himself more swiftly as he walked, and brushed some of the tree bark and leaves out of his hair.

As he walked into the village this time, the change seemed marked in how the Lunars looked at him. The looks of distrust, anger, and suspicion were replaced by a relaxed friendliness. Some simply nodded to him as he passed, others smiled and wished him "G'mornin, Nain-ya Cloaked Sun!"

Renown and tribal hierarchy were very important to them. Kale guessed that this was how their society had survived the Usurpation, the Wyld invasions, and many other calamities that had befallen the world in the last thousand years.

One gained renown based on one's deeds in one of four areas: offering succor to show mercy to those who have committed no sin, showing mettle and internal fortitude, displaying cunning and cleverness, and the glory of those who show valor. As one's renown in these four areas increased, so too eventually did one's rank within Lunar society.

The names the Lunars gave their ranks were in a very old tongue, long-forgotten except by the elders of tribes. Urrach-ya was the spiteful name they gave to Lunars who had never lived outside the comforts of civilization, or had abandoned the wild ways of Lunar society altogether. Nain-ya were "Kin," considered junior members of society. Lunars who had just taken their Second Breath fell into this rank after they'd finished their initiation, but other Lunars expected them to "grow up" out of this rank eventually. Once a Lunar had made a name for him or herself with the others, they gained the rank of Uf-ya, "The Honored." Most Lunars he met in the village were of these ranks.

The older ones, the Lunars who had proven themselves many times earned more respected titles. Golgol was Ikth-ya, meaning "The Respected." It fit him as war chief of his tribe, since he had gone above and beyond what had been expected of him many times. Most of the elders were Murr-ya, or "The Revered." They did not earn this rank by age alone, but by their deeds, and their actions as well.

From what he had learned of the Lunars, the Shahan-ya, or "The Greatest" were very rare. Typically Lunars who had been alive since the First Age held this rank, though Luna herself had to come before a gathering of respected elders and speak highly of the Lunar for them to achieve this rank. Whether the holder of this title was a mighty sorcerer or a cunning and valorous warrior, it made little difference. Winterstripe held this rank, and from what Kale had been told, the other Shahan-ya could be counted on both hands, with a few fingers (or other digits) to spare.

Kale shook himself out of his thoughts as he approached the gathering of elders, standing together in a semi-circle once again. The elder bearing the totem of Shark spoke to him first. Kale was secretly very glad that he was allowed to speak to them directly now, and that they didn't derisively call him "Solar." He was proud of being what he was, but the way they said the word sounded like a grievous insult.

"Nain-ya Cloaked Sun, you have approached our people, and passed the tests to be listened to. Speak your piece."

Kale nodded, taking a deep breath to gather his thoughts before he began. "My beloved fiancee, Aya, is gathering an army to combat the undead who now inhabit Thorns. She wishes to scour the lands clean of the undead blight, to remove the foothold they have here. The Immaculate Order..."

He was interrupted briefly by a snort of derision from Golgol. Kale heard Golgol mutter a few vicious, scathing comments about the Dragon-Blooded, ending with the comment "...and I wouldn't wipe my ass with one if his tiny insignificant life depended on it."

Most of the elders glared at Golgol, but he pretended not to notice. Marin motioned for Kale to continue.

"Alright. Yes, the Immaculate Order appears to intend to trade with them, not seeing that this is precisely what the Deathlord who commands the undead there intends. He wishes to quietly and slowly spread his influence throughout the land. By the time the Immaculates understand what's happening, it will likely be far too late."

One of the other elders smirked slightly. "Nain-ya, all of us know the arrogant, blind idiocy of the Dragon-Blooded, and the threat the undead are to this land. Get to the point, young one."

Kale smiled back. "I want to ask for your help in getting more troops to help Aya in her fight against them. She has three hundred soldiers now, perhaps a few more, but it will not be enough."

Golgol leaned forward, his eyebrows narrowed. "I must ask, Nain-ya. I know she intended to train my former barbarian horde. Was she successful?"

Kale smiled a bit more widely. "When I left to come here, she said they were done with the basic training in the ways of the Alon-Ti."

Half the elders gasped in shock. Golgol regained his composure first with loud, howling laughter. "You mean to tell me she wanted to shape that rabble into Tiger Warriors? And she was successful? Oh, I cannot help but like this woman. She will be a worthy opponent indeed!"

One of the other elders looked at Golgol reprovingly. "You came back that day all alone, your shirt ripped, with a long scar across your chest. You've done nothing since then but fight, eat, drink, and froth at the mouth like a rabid wolf for a chance to duel her again."

Golgol grumbled quietly to himself between gulps from his bone cup. The elder that spoke to Golgol turned to Kale. "I believe I've reached a decision, but I must speak to the others."

Nodding respectfully, Kale waited as the elders filed off into the woods. Without warning, he was shoved roughly to the side as a large, bulky and hairy man walked by, glaring at him. "Still here, sniveling for help like a kicked puppy, Solar?"

Kale glared back at Harmony of Stones. "I have a name and a rank here, you know."

The man scowled down at him from his taller height. "You are nothing but a puny, sunny weakling, and I long for the day when the elders see that, and allow me to slay you."

Kale shook his head. "Whatever, fatass."

Harmony of Stones swiftly assumed his huge, half man and half bear hybrid form, growling down at Kale. "I am more highly respected here than you, puny Solar! You will give me your respect, or I'll claw it into you!"

Kale narrowed his eyes as he looked calmly up at the ursid Lunar. "You haven't earned my respect. You've done nothing but try to bully me, push me around, and talk big with your prejudice about my kind."

Harmony of Stones growled loudly at Kale, holding his arms slightly out to his sides as he extended his huge black claws, each easily as long as one of Kale's fingers, and far thicker. "Your kind has done nothing but bring harm to the world, Solar. None of you have the courage or wisdom to see the Silver Way!"

Kale continued looking up calmly at him. "I did. Or were you high and drunk over the past few days?"

The huge Lunar roared down at Kale, his fetid breath blasting into Kale's face. "Through trickery! All of you are weak, powerless, and frightened, or your kind wouldn't have left like whipped dogs a thousand years ago!"

Kale's jaw tightened as he glared angrily back up at Harmony of Stones. "The Solars didn't leave, they were imprisoned, you fat fool! Imprisoned and betrayed by those they trusted. Yes, the Solars turned decadent at the end, which is why the Lunars left in the first place, and yes, the Solars at large didn't see their mistakes until it was too late. But you should never accuse one of being a coward!"

Harmony of Stones leaned down to put his huge, furred ursine head near to Kale's. "I'm calling you a weak coward now, Solar. You are too weak and powerless to do anything about it!"

Kale put his right leg behind him, facing Harmony of Stones sideways. "I'm giving you one chance to take that back."

To his surprise, Harmony of Stones laughed at him. "The day you manage to defeat me in a fight is the day I'll begin to consider giving you my respect. That day will never come!" Harmony of Stones roared his challenge down at Kale. "I CHALLENGE YOU TO A DUEL OF HONOR, SOLAR!"

Kale closed his eyes, awakening and stirring the essence within him. It began to surge through him as his adrenaline began pumping, and he calmly channeled it in the ways Melia had taught him, in the Way of the Tiger. He felt his skin harden, his entire body begin to move much more fluidly as the rotes began taking effect. He had to draw some of the ambient essence from this natural place, forcing his anima to shimmer into existence around him, swirling with dark blues, greys, deep reds, intermixed with broad streaks of gold. He opened his eyes, looking calmly up at Harmony of Stones. "I accept. Bring it, fatass."

The huge, ursine Lunar's muscles looked like they were straining out of his skin, the veins becoming visible even through his thick fur. His claws shimmered slightly, becoming longer, serrated, and brightening to the color of silver. "I have claws, Solar! What weapon will you bring to this fight, weakling?"

Kale smiled grimly up at him. "Funny you should mention claws," he said off-handedly as he reached into his jacket, and slipped his hands into his tiger claws. He channeled a little more essence into them as he did so, helping them to guide his strikes. He brought his hands up as he ducked down slightly in a crouch, in the Form of the Tiger. Both claws glowed with a soft, golden light, just as the Thamaya's Blessing gem in his bracer began to glow a with a soft, warm reddish light.

Harmony of Stone's eyes widened slightly as he saw the silver claw on Kale's right hand. "That's a weapon made of Moonsilver! Where did you steal that, Solar?"

Kale smiled a bit more grimly. "It's called the Silver Horn. I'll make sure to introduce you two properly."

They began circling one another slowly, Harmony of Stones with his arms outstretched in the manner of bears, and Kale moving in a graceful, flowing crouch. Kale sized up his opponent as they circled one another warily, waiting for the other to strike first. Kale knew that with Harmony of Stones' appalling strength and resistance to harm, just a single strike from the huge ursid Lunar would hurt grievously. On the other hand, the huge Lunar was as slow as he was strong, which Kale could exploit.

With a roar, Harmony of Stones rushed at him, attempting to grab Kale in his arms and crush him. Kale nimbly darted out of the way, striking viciously into the huge Lunar's side, causing him to snarl angrily. Kale's jaw tightened as he saw that the wound was already beginning to close and heal before his eyes.

Growling in rage, Harmony of Stones swatted at Kale with his huge, gleaming moonsilver claws extended. Kale ducked out of the way, punching the Lunar in the stomach with one claw, and slashing at his side with the other as he moved swiftly to the Lunar's side, and out of his immediate reach. Kale took a deep breath. In order to win this fight, he'd have to attack unrelentingly. If he didn't, the huge, resilient Lunar would simply heal the wounds, and eventually hitting Kale hard enough so that the fight would end.

The back of a huge paw slapped into Kale's chest, making him fly backwards, skidding a few yards as he hit the ground. Kale felt one of his ribs was grating against itself painfully from the blow as he sat up, but he flipped gracefully to his feet anyway, rushing at the bear with the speed of an enraged tiger.

Kale could see that the huge Lunar hadn't expected this, as he barely had time to open his eyes slightly in surprise as Kale leapt upwards, landing with one foot on the bear's broad chest, and using his chest as a launching pad from which to flip nimbly up and over the bear. Kale's claws slashed viciously at the Lunar's shoulder tendon and neck as he leapt behind Harmony of Stones, causing the ursid Lunar to roar in pain and anger.

Kale landed in a crouch, moving already. He knew he'd have to keep moving, and striking swiftly to keep the terrifyingly strong and resilient Lunar off-balance.

The huge Lunar spun around swiftly, his paws and arms wrapped in an ethereal blue fire as he struck out at Kale. However, Kale was no longer there, darting to the side of the Lunar in half the span of an eyeblink. Kale yelled out as he channeled his essence into this strike. The Silver Horn sprouted a burning, golden fire that enveloped his entire hand, the ghostly shape of a huge tiger's paw with outstretched claws surrounding his hand as he slashed viciously between the Lunar's ribs and pelvis, aiming for a kidney.

The smell of scorched fur and flesh reached his nostrils a half second before Harmony of Stones roared out his rage at being hurt so grievously, seeing the large, scorched hole in his side. Kale was aiming for another strike even as the huge, ursid Lunar was recovering from the last attack, which gave Harmony of Stones an opportunity to strike back. His claws rent Kale's chest and jacket, making Kale gasp in pain at the four wide, long scratches in his chest.

However, adrenaline was pumping too swiftly through Kale's body for him to feel the pain very strongly, tied as it was with the essence that ebbed and flowed savagely within him. He struck back even as the Lunar's huge claws tore the flesh of his chest, tearing into the Lunar's stomach. He darted forward toward the enraged Lunar, and bared his teeth in concentration as his hand and claw became enveloped in burning golden fire and the ghostly tiger's paw once more, striking strongly at Harmony of Stones' other side.

Harmony of Stones howled in pain and anger, rushing forward to attempt to enclose Kale in a deadly bear's embrace. Kale had darted out of the way too swiftly to be grabbed however, and struck again, deep into the Lunar's lower back, the same burning golden fire and wraith-like tiger's paw surrounding his fist.

The huge Lunar gasped and fell to his knees, slumping forward, held up only by his stocky arms. He didn't move at first, simply breathing heavily. His voice was tight with pain, the growling note in his voice stronger than usual, despite being in his hybrid ursine form. "Hold, Nain-ya."

Kale straightened, standing fully upright once more, breathing heavily. His tiger claws were matted with brown fur and dark red blood, as were his hands. He looked down at them, and saw his chest for the first time, opening his eyes wide with shock as the pain began to make itself felt. Kale gasped audibly as the pain fully garnered his attention.

The huge Lunar slowly and painfully stood upright, turning around to face Kale, still panting from the pain as he spoke. "I concede, Nain-ya Cloaked Sun. You have my respect."

With that, still in his huge, hybrid ursine form, he walked slowly away toward his rough encampment further off in the village.

Kale dropped to his knees as the pain made itself fully felt, the deep, rending claw wounds in his chest oozing blood at an alarming rate. His anima faded back into obscurity, the essence used to power the multiple rotes he used being released back into the surrounding forest.

Hearing a noise in front of him, Kale looked up slowly with half-lidded eyes from the pain, and almost closed them again upon seeing who'd made the noise.

The elders of the tribe had returned, and were standing around him in a semi-circle. Marin, the Lunar that resembled his Shark totem spoke quietly to one of the other elders. "Bind the Nain-ya's wounds. I shall attend to Harmony of Stones."

Kale faced the ground with his eyes closed at this moment. He began to feel a cooling energy wash over his chest and ribs as a hand pressed itself on the deep tears in his chest. He opened his eyes in surprise, seeing the wounds close slowly, and feeling his rib rejoin once more. He was helped to his feet, almost being knocked back down as a heavy hand thumped his shoulder. Kale looked at Golgol's ferally grinning face as he helped Kale to stand. "You've got guts, Nain-ya. There aren't many that would willingly face Harmony of Stones in a duel."

Golgol began walking back to his place amongst the other elders, but stopped and turned around halfway, looking at Kale with a sly grin. "Oh, and clean your claws, Nain-ya. You're in the presence of the elders."

Kale smirked, chuckling softly before wincing sharply, as his ribs were still tender. He looked at what once had been his shirt, and scornfully just took it off and used it to carefully clean his claws. At his unspoken question, the Silver Horn reformed itself into a simple staff, making it much easier to clean. Once he was done with the golden orichalcum claw, the Silver Horn silently reformed itself back into a claw, and he slipped both into his jacket pockets, standing to face the elders at last.

At first, he was confused at their wide-eyed stares. However, Golgol was the first to break the silence. It seemed to be a running theme with him. "By Luna's innocent blood, was that the Silver Horn?"

Kale nodded respectfully. "Yeah. Melia left it to me, and told me how to use it properly."

Winterstripe spoke up, startling Kale. He hadn't even known the Shahan-ya was present. "Allow me the honor of seeing the Silver Horn, Nain-ya."

Kale nodded, taking the claw out of his jacket pocket and handing it to the tall, one-eyed elder. When the weapon touched his outstretched hands, it silently reformed itself into a great, wide-bladed cleaving sword for a few moments before changing silently back into a tiger claw. Winterstripe's grim face smiled fondly as he looked at the weapon. He spoke quietly with reverence. "It remembers me."

He looked at it for a few more moments before nodding to himself, and handing it wordlessly back to Kale, who slipped it back into his jacket.

Winterstripe walked to Kale's left, looking at the forest beyond the village. "That was indeed the Silver Horn," he said in a distant voice, lost in memory. The elders stayed silent, letting the old Lunar run with his memories for a few moments.

Their patience was rewarded when Winterstripe stood straighter, and took his place in the center of the half-circle of elders, facing Kale once more. "Golgol, since you spoke loudest and most eloquently in the meeting, you get to tell the Nain-ya Cloaked Sun our decision."

Golgol grinned ferally as he nodded respectfully to Winterstripe before facing Kale once more. "I shall return with you to Mishaka with the rest of the horde I lead. They number two hundred brave, strong barbarian warriors, and I will be honored to lead them into battle against the undead to ensure your victory!"

Winterstripe sighed quietly, and rolled his eye. "Be honest, Golgol."

Golgol laughed loudly for a few moments before grinning at Kale savagely. "Fine! I'm going to make sure you and your mate win the battle against the undead, so I can have a rematch with her. By Luna's loving grace, I'm going to make damn sure the first time was a fluke!"

The other elders chuckled, shaking their heads. Winterstripe even cracked a smile at this, speaking to Golgol in his usual low, reverberating voice. "You are irrepressable as usual. Go then, Golgol, and gather your horde. Be swift, for the ravens of war are beginning to circle."

Golgol howled up in a savage prayer to Luna as his form changed into that of a hybrid man and wolf, standing ten feet tall, with dusky grey fur. He raced off swiftly into the woods with the long, tireless stride of a wolf.

Winterstripe turned his head to regard Kale once more. "Go to the edge of our forest, Nain-ya. Golgol will return in half a day with his horde, and he will meet you there. Go now with our blessing, and one condition: return here with your mate once the war for Thorns is over."

Kale nodded respectfully to Winterstripe and the other elders. "Thank you, all of you." He paused for a few moments, trying to think of a good farewell for these people who lived so in tune with nature itself. "May your hunting be plentiful, and Luna's wisdom guide you."

Marin chuckled, a sound that sounded like rushing water. "Unlike the fat and lazy Golgol, we can catch our own prey."

The other elders chuckled at this, as they began to disperse their separate ways. Winterstripe walked up to Kale, looking at him silently for a few moments. "I am pleased to see that Melia's successor learned the fighting art I taught her, so long ago. You've learned it well. Did she teach you?"

Kale nodded. "Yes, Shahan-ya. I visited her Manse, and she left her gifts of knowledge there for me to seek."

Winterstripe smiled slightly. "Please, call me simply Winterstripe when the other elders aren't present. I am...weary of titles."

Kale smirked, and nodded. "Okay."

The tall Lunar looked toward the entrance to the village. "Come, Kale. I will walk with you to the limits of our territory."

Kale nodded, somewhat surprised. "Thank you!"

Winterstripe smirked as they walked. "It seems the threads of fate bind you and your predecessor strongly. Melia fought a Lunar and won as well, though his totem was Bison. That Lunar unfortunately perished long ago, but he and Harmony of Stones have much in common." Winterstripe chuckled, a sound that sounded like a tiger growling in the distance. "The look on his face as the tiny woman proved the strength of her spirit to him was...amusing."

Kale smiled. Somehow, he could easily imagine the cheekily grinning woman doing just that.

He and Winterstripe walked in silence out of the village, when a deep voice hailed them. "Nain-ya Cloaked Sun!"

Both of them turned around, seeing Harmony of Stones walking toward them, in the form of a human. He held a shirt in one hand. His eyes widened slightly as he saw Winterstripe, nodding his head respectfully, and greeting him. "Shahan-ya."

Winterstripe nodded back, appearing almost regal as he did so. Harmony of Stones looked down at Kale once more. "Take my shirt, Nain-ya."

Kale looked surprised, but accepted the offered shirt. "Thank you, Uf-ya Harmony of Stones. But why?"

The large man looked impassively down at Kale. "I tore yours. It is right that I should give you mine."

Without another word, he walked silently back into the village, Kale looking after him with a look of wonder on his face.

Winterstripe smiled. "You have earned his respect, Kale. Wear the offering of a defeated opponent with pride."

Kale smiled at this, and took off his jacket to put on the shirt over his bare chest. The arms and bottom of the shirt draped down a fair distance, but rolling up the sleeves somewhat solved that. Once he was done, Kale put the long jacket on once more, adjusting his satchel.

He and Winterstripe walked through the forest easily. Kale noticed with amusement that the forest seemed...friendlier now. No ominous winds blew through the branches of the trees, no tree roots seemed to try entangling his feet. He felt a soft breeze blow over his face as they walked.

Seeing the look of wonder on Kale's face as they walked, Winterstripe clarified. "You have the respect of the Lunars now, and have earned your place amongst us. You have the forest's respect now because of this. You respect and follow our ways, and it knows this."

Kale nodded. It made sense that the wild home of the Lunars should have its own intelligence, though the implications made him wonder.

They walked for a few hours, Winterstripe telling him a few more tales of his people as they walked through the dense forest. Kale learned of how the Lunars first learned to survive in the Wyld, and how they had learned to tattoo protections against the Wyld's changing ways, though the Wyld had left its mark upon them even so, helping his people to be more mercurial, more changing. It took them a while to learn to use this gift, and not see it as a curse; even so, there were Lunars in the Wyld and in the world at large who had lost all their humanity, but none of their cunning. They were non-people in Lunar society, but respected because of their strength and great age.

Winterstripe stopped, looking into the distance with a small smile on his face. "This is where I leave you, Nain-ya Kale, the Cloaked Sun. Go, return to your mate at Golgol's side, and bring honor to your people."

Kale nodded respectfully to the elder Lunar, smiling. "Thank you, Winterstripe. Thank you again, and I wish you well."

Winterstripe returned the nod, and seemed to melt into the forest. Perhaps he had.

Kale walked another mile out of the forest, to see Golgol standing in his tall hybrid wolf form, a huge moonsilver cleaver with a wide, chopping blade resting on his grey-furred shoulder. Many barbarians were at his back, armed to the teeth, and they all looked like experienced battlers.

Golgol bared his teeth at Kale with a savage grin, the wolf's growling note strong in his voice. "About time you showed up! Come, Nain-ya! It is time to let loose the spirits of war!"

[rhoenix]

Howling filled the evening air, as Golgol shouted his exhiliration and wild joy of simply being alive in the most ancient of prayers to Luna, shining softly high above. Kale was running swiftly at his side, with the barbarian warriors joining in Golgol's howling with savage shouts of their own as they followed close behind.

The barbarians had their bodies and faces painted with the impressions of wolves, some with piercings in their faces to accentuate the effect. Few wore full armor, but most wore leather coverings of some kind to act as such. Some ran clad only in loincloths; these last shouted the loudest and most savagely to join in with their Lunar patron.

The return back to Mishaka was far faster than Kale's trip from there, because Golgol and his barbarian followers knew the fastest and most direct route. Sooner than Kale expected, they emerged onto the hilly plains surrounding Mishaka.

Golgol shouted to Kale as they ran, the deep, wild growling of a timber wolf forming into human words. "Battle comes, running on swift and untiring legs, and flying with strong wingbeats! Are you ready for the battle ahead, Nain-ya?"

Kale grinned as he ran. He hadn't activated the Thamaya's Blessing in his bracer. He knew Golgol and he could run very quickly, but that would mean leaving the horde behind, and neither wanted that. Kale shouted back, "The same Deathlord who took Thorns let loose a contagion that slew my parents. You bet your ass I'm looking forward to it!"

Golgol laughed wildly before speaking once more. "Do you know the name of this arrogant and power-hungry Deathlord?"

Kale grinned, before shouting to make himself heard through the wind as they ran. "Yes, but Aya warned me never to speak his name while he still lives, as he has magic to let him hear and see those that speak his name heedlessly."

Golgol laughed louder and even more savagely, before howling defiantly. "Paranoid, eh? And for good reason, Children of Sol and Luna come to bring the entire world down upon him!"

Kale chuckled at this, but said nothing. For the rest of the night, they ran tirelessly and swiftly toward Mishaka. He began to recognize the hills and valleys with more clarity now; at this rate, they would arrive at Mishaka right before dawn. Kale smirked to himself at the thought.

"Well Aya, you were right - Night is coming before dawn," he thought to himself with a wide grin.

As the Eastern horizon was beginning to lighten with the impending sunrise, they saw Mishaka in the distance at last. Fifteen minutes of hard running brought Kale, Golgol Fangs-Through-Eye, and his barbarian horde to the gates, where they were hailed by the soldiers standing guard.

"Halt! Announce yourselves!"

Golgol shifted back into the form of a human once more, as Kale spoke up with a smile. "Good morning! Tell your Sensei that her fiancee's home, and to set two hundred and two extra places at the breakfast table!"

The soldiers at the gates relaxed, chuckling, as one of them darted swiftly back into town. The other soldier spoke up. Kale could tell the soldier was grinning, even though his facemask obscured his face. "Welcome back, Kale! Is that Golgol Fangs-Through-Eye I see with you?"

Golgol's eyes narrowed, wondering how in the good graces of Luna this azure, gold, and steel armor-clad soldier possibly knew his name. His answer was blunt, and to the point. "Who are you?"

The soldier removed his faceplate, nodding respectfully to Golgol. "It is I, Tanesh!"

Golgol squinted at him, before his eyes widened in surprise. He shouted back with a wild grin. "Tanesh! What the hell do you think you're doing with that fancy getup?"

The soldier was about to reply, but stopped as Aya walked through the gates, wearing a simple long shirt and loose-fitting thin pants. She walked through with purposeful strides, though Kale could tell she had just been woken. She looked with a raised eyebrow at all the people outside the gates, raising the other eyebrow as she beheld Golgol, and breaking into a wide grin as she saw Kale.

At some hidden signal, Kale and Aya ran swiftly toward one another, Kale wrapping his arms around her waist as he lifted her into the air while turning in place, looking up at Aya's beaming face looking down at him before setting her down. She smiled widely as she wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him passionately.

They kept kissing one another, not noticing anything else until they heard Golgol begin chuckling. "By the good graces of Luna, one would think the Nain-ya had a leech on his tongue!"

Kale and Aya broke the kiss slowly, both glaring sidelong at Golgol before returning their attention to one another again. Kale grinned at her. "Told ya Night comes before dawn."

Aya chuckled softly as she looked at him, her face showing her surprise as she saw his torn jacket, and very different shirt. She looked into his eyes, concerned. "What happened to you, beloved?"

Kale shrugged non-chalantly. "I got into a fight with a bear."

Aya leaned back with her hands still clasped behind his neck, giving him a tolerant look, one of her eyebrows raised.

Golgol grinned at both of them. "It's true, Dawnshadow. He beat the bear badly enough to take his shirt! Hah!"

Aya looked back and forth between Golgol and Kale, shaking her head slightly as a smile began forming on the corners of her full lips as she looked into Kale's deep brown eyes. "Were you harmed?"

Kale lifted his shirt, revealing the deep scars of the bear's claws on his chest, making Aya's eyes grow wide with shock. She looked back into his eyes, the deep concern evident on her face. "Who healed you?"

Golgol spoke up, a defensive tone entering his rough voice. "I did!"

Aya looked at him, and shook her head. "You healed him badly."

Golgol narrowed his eyes. "He's walking without bleeding, isn't he?"

Aya shook her head again, still looking concerned, but Kale saw the brief twinkle in her eyes. "He will need to be bathed, his wounds cleaned, and re-healed to fix them properly."

Golgol inhaled deeply, feeling annoyed now. "And what are my barbarians supposed to do in the meantime, hmm?"

Aya was about to grab Kale's hand and lead him back through the gates, but stopped long enough to look at Golgol cooly. "Are you and your horde here to do battle at Thorns?"

Golgol grinned ferally, a deep growling note entering his voice. "Eagerly!"

Aya nodded, looked critically over the barbarians gathered behind him, and looked back at Golgol again. "Lead them inside, all of you should meet with the others at whose side you'll be fighting."

With that, Aya clasped Kale's hand strongly, and almost dragged him back through the gates. Kale winked at Golgol with a grin as he followed her, Golgol shaking his head and grinning back at him in return.

She halted in the town square, and shouted "Attention, Alon-Ti!"

Though many of her students were still asleep, they were all gathered in full armor and weapons in perfect rows in front of her within ten minutes. Aya nodded to them. "You have today off. Meet with your friends and tribesmen that arrive now."

Many of the soldiers looked interestedly at the barbarians filing into town. The barbarians were looking askance at the trappings of civilization as they entered.

Aya nodded with satisfaction, and moved quickly with Kale toward the inn, and their room on the top floor. She stopped as a soldier shouted, hailing them. "Sensei! Another arrives, with a barbarian horde at his back!"

"There's always something," she muttered softly as she walked back outside. Kale chuckled as he followed, curiosity compelling him.

Kale looked interestedly at other soldiers here now that had evidently arrived in his absence. They were standing together as a group somewhat apart from everyone else. The soldiers appeared to be just waking up, standing outside, drinking the innkeeper's morning tea with sleepy smiles on their faces. All were armored in either steel or jade armor of various types, though none of the armor resembled that worn by soldiers of the Immaculate Order.

From the way they looked, they appeared to be a mix of humans and Dragon-Blooded, which made Kale wonder. Were these Dragon-Blooded Outcaste, that they would willingly stay here amongst those they considered Anathema?

Kale returned his attention to the gate, where he heard one of the soldiers outside shout. "Halt, and announce yourself!"

Golgol began sniffing toward the gate curiously, and followed Kale and Aya toward the gates as they heard the newcomer's response. The man stood tall, with a grim look on his face. He was fully armored in heavy plate, carrying an iron mace that resembled the head of a snarling dragon.

"My name is Ken, and half my army should have already arrived, led by a boy named Sam. I am here to destroy the undead menace, led by the Mask of..."

Aya cut him off sharply. "Do not speak his name! I shall explain why later, but please do not utter his name until this battle is over, and he and all he leads lies broken and crushed."

The man narrowed his eyes at her for having interrupted him, but nodded to her warily. "As you wish."

Aya nodded to one of the soldiers, who ran toward the mercenaries. He returned shortly with a boy, about twelve or thirteen years of age, though already Exalted as a Wood Aspect Dragon-Blooded. His green skin and the bark covering his neck and shoulders gave him away immediately as such. He looked outside the gate, and nodded respectfully to the man standing outside, greeting him formally. "Kenneth, you arrived sooner than we expected."

One of the soldiers looked at Aya, who nodded once more before speaking, the soldiers throwing the gates open wide to admit the newcomers. "Welcome to Mishaka, Ken. Please, come in with your horde."

The man nodded respectfully to Aya as he walked in, silently followed by his barbarian horde. Golgol looked at the man curiously, sniffing the air with narrowed eyes.

As the man, Ken, walked into town and looked around curiously, Aya swiftly pressed herself against Kale, gently clasping his face with her hands as she kissed him softly, an apologetic look in her blue eyes. He smiled back at her kindly as he gently touched her face in return, glanced at the man walking in, and looked back at her with a smile. She nodded, smiling back, before walking with purposeful strides to the center of town.

The town seemed to be bustling now, filled as it was with Alon-Ti soldiers, some Dragon-Blooded Exalted and human mercenaries, and barbarians of different tribes. They were glancing at one another warily, knowing they were all here for the same purpose, but unable to quite let go of their suspicion of one another.

Even the low murmuring of the soldiers fell silent as Aya strode to the center of town. She turned to look at Ken as he glanced toward her, and smiled at him before addressing everyone, speaking in a loud, clear voice that rang with authority. "Everyone, do me the honor of giving me your full attention!"

The Alon-Ti fell silent first, followed by the mercenaries, and the barbarians' murmuring slowly fell silent as they all looked at her.

Once everyone was silent and looking at her as she wished, she continued in the same loud, clear and eloquent voice. "I welcome you and thank you for coming here for this purpose. You come from different places, grew up knowing different ways of life and believing in different things. However, all of you must fight together on the same side, as the undead will all treat you as if you were one people."

She let that sink in for a few moments before continuing. "All of you see the threat presented by the undead coming from the Underworld to gain a foothold here, attempting to spread with the patience of centuries slowly throughout the world. What they want is simple: they want the entire world to join them in death, and everything they do, every thought in their minds is to further that goal."

Aya looked around at the various soldiers' faces, seeing indignation, anger, annoyance, and irritation at the thought of this. She continued once more. "Some of you have lost friends, brothers, sisters, parents, children, or countrymen to the undead. Some of you survived when they came to your town, slaughtering everyone, and looking on with horror when the dead rose again, but like nothing you knew in life."

Aya raised her head, looking with grim confidence at everyone. "I will lead you to strike out at them, and cut out the black heart of the undead invasion. We will not do the Deathlord honor or respect of speaking his name until he lies dead and broken at our feet! I will lead you to destroy his generals, his lieutenants, his servants, his worshippers, and his savants!"

Some of the soldiers began grinning at the thought, and started talking amongst themselves, falling silent as Aya continued once more. "Some of you may be wary that there are Exalted among you in this army. Some of you are Exalted, looking warily at the other kinds of Exalted among you. I tell you this - we must fight as brothers and sisters, fighting as a unified force, for that is assuredly how the undead will fight us. Dissonance, suspicion, hatred, and fear of one another will be exploited by the followers of the undead to divide you, and kill you while you are alone. We must fight together toward the same purpose, trusting one another and in one another's skills, for that is how the undead will fight us. If we fight together as a unified force, we will win, making this undead threat a memory to tell tales to our children about. If we are divided, we will lose!"

Aya noticed that the soldiers were standing straighter, looking more determined, and more hopeful. Even Golgol was standing with head held high as he listened. "Today, we get to know one another. Learn about one another, learn each other's history, and set aside your differences and predjudices. Differences shape who we are, and should be celebrated as strengths to be honored, and not differences to be scorned because our neighbor is not like us. Tell tales with one another of your families, your losses, your victories, and what led you here. Everyone here has a task they must perform in this army and in the upcoming war, and in that respect, we are all equal. Some of you might be stronger, swifter, more skilled, but we are all needed in this fight. The Exalted will walk amongst you here as equals. Offer them not worship or fear, but extend a hand of friendship, for some of them have not had such a thing for a very long time. To the Exalted here, I say this: in this fight, in this war, and in this purpose, everyone here is your equal. Treat everyone here as such, for even you were completely human once. Remember that, lest your pride overwhelm your humility and common sense."

At this, she glanced at Golgol, who winked back at her with a feral grin. She returned his smile, and continued once more. "Share drinks with one another, share food with one another. Feel free to make your own emcampments outside of town if you wish, but welcome anyone to your fire as a friend to fight beside. Everyone, you have my deepest thanks for coming here for this purpose, and I hope everyone here feels the same as I. You are all welcome and necessary here!"

In one voice, the Alon-Ti shouted "Hai!" in acknowledgement of her speech. The barbarians, not to be outdone, shouted wildly and savagely in celebration. Even the normally taciturn mercenaries joined in, the emotion of the moment filling even their cynical hearts with savage pride and joy. Golgol howling at the sky in sheer savage joy frightened a few of them at first, but their shouts rose in volume swiftly. Even Ken, the newcomer of only a few minutes ago, shouted as well.

Aya nodded respectfully to all of them with a wide smile, grabbed Kale's hand, and walked with him up the stairs of the inn to their room, shutting and bolting the door of their room after they entered. She turned to face him with a twinkle in her eye, and a wide smile on her face. Aya undressed swiftly as she walked over to him, throwing her clothing on the bed as she approached him. She swiftly undressed him where he stood, throwing his clothes onto the bed as well before pressing herself against him and kissing him softly.

She pulled away, with her hands clasped behind his neck as she looked into his eyes, smiling. "I seem to recall you bathing and binding the wounds of a battered woman some time ago."

Kale nodded, grinning at her widely. "Yep, but I did my best not to feel her up at the time."

She smiled more widely, looking at him with half-lidded eyes. "Fair's fair," she said huskily as she kissed him more passionately, and led him to the large washtub.

The soldiers, barbarians, and mercenaries were tentatively beginning to speak with one another, learning one another's names. The Alon-Ti greeted their former countrymen with proud smiles, though the barbarians of their former tribe looked askance at them.

A barbarian with a shaven head, his face painted to resemble a wolf looked at an Alon-Ti he had known when she was still a barbarian. He greeted her with a feral grin, speaking in a loud voice. "Nice fancy getup ya got there, Tia. You really planning on using all them weapons?"

The Alon-ti, Tia, grinned back at him as she removed her helmet, revealing her dark brunette hair and her even darker brown eyes. "Jat-Eth, you haven't changed much. Yeah, I know how to use all the weapons I carry, and the circumstances in which to use each. We've learned much here under Sensei's tutelage."

Jat-Eth looked at her armor and weapons once more before inclining his head, looking into her eyes once more as she smiled warmly at him. "Have ya forgotten the way of a barbarian? Are ya planning on living the easy, weak life now?"

Tia shook her head, smiling warmly at him. "No. The ways of the Alon-Ti and the ways of the barbarian aren't that different, which is why none of us really had a problem with Sensei's training."

Jat-Eth looked at her curiously. "Who's this Sense-ay you keep talking about?"

Tia smirked at him. "Aya, the Dawnshadow. She told us that we should call her Sensei, or "teacher" in the old tongue. The battle at Thorns will be our final test of the Alon-Ti; after that, we may do as we wish."

Jat-Eth smiled at her again. "What're ya planning to do once the war's over, and the undead lie broken and smashed?"

Tia looked thoughtful. "Many of us have talked about settling Thorns, farming the land, while still living and thinking as barbarians do."

Jat-Eth's jaw dropped in shock. "You've gone soft!"

Tia narrowed her eyes at him, her mouth becoming a grim line. "All our children and everyone who lives there will follow the Way of the Tiger Warrior. Anyone who tries taking anything from us by force or guile will learn at the points of our blades to leave us in peace."

Jat-Eth digested this, thinking before he spoke once more. Tia wasn't the wild woman he remembered. She was calm, and looked peaceful now, but that look in her eyes when she became angry was the same as he remembered; though colder, more disciplined. "What about the rest of your tribe, Tia? Will they be welcome there?"

Tia smiled again, the hard look in her eyes fading. "Yes. We will meet friendliness with kindness and hospitality." A portion of that same hard look in her eyes returned. "Hostility will be met with vengeance."

Jat-Eth thought a moment more. "You said you're going to settle, but still live the way barbarians do. How?"

Tia grinned at him. "Everyone does their part; nobody will ride on the work of others. All will have tasks to perform, whether it be hunting, farming, training, forging of arms, or even shamanism."

Jat-Eth nodded thoughtfully. "Hell, sounds good to me. Come on, share a drink with your brother!"

Tia chuckled, and walked with him to one of the campfires set up by his tribe. She noticed that many other Alon-Ti were rejoining their former tribesmen, most going through the same conversations in one form or another, but ending the same way; to share food, drink, and laughter at the fire.

Golgol approached the other man who'd come here this morning, who led a barbarian tribe as well to the gates of this place. He boldly walked up to face the man, looking him unblinkingly in the eyes with a feral grin. "I see Luna found you at last, Kenneth!"

The man looked Golgol up and down with suspicion. "How did you know my name?"

Golgol grinned more widely at him. "I knew your name even before I led my people to Ayodha, to let you know Luna had her eye on you."

Ken narrowed his eyes at Golgol. "You were the wolf who jumped on me at Ayodha," he said flatly.

Golgol nodded once, still grinning. "Aye! Have the No-Moons come for you yet, Kenneth?"

Ken looked suspiciously at the large, barbarian man. "Who are the No-Moons?"

Golgol laughed savagely before looking Kenneth in the eyes once more. "So they haven't. Your Caste is unfixed as Luna's mercurial essence ebbs and flows within you, your tattoos absent."

Ken's eyes narrowed more as he glared at the man. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about."

Golgol shook his head with a toothy smile as he looked at the young, untrained, unInitiated Lunar before him. He knew this day would come eventually; that it would come shortly before the battle for Thorns was a good omen, indeed. "Kenneth, normally to take your place in Lunar society, you need to go through our Rite of Initiation. That you have the determination to fight for Thorns, using Luna's essence to fuel and direct your rage speaks well of you. After the war, come with me to meet your family."

Kenneth shook his head, still slightly suspicious. "My parents are dead."

Golgol grinned widely at him, revealing the elongated canine teeth of a wolf. "Luna is your mother, Gaia your father, and all Lunars your brothers and sisters."

Kenneth nodded to him, still suspicious. "I'll think about it."

This was answered by a savage chuckle from Golgol. "It is better you go voluntarily, or the No-Moons will take you to meet the rest of your family by force! Luna chose you as her child, do not deny your destiny."

Golgol walked away, still smiling. The young one was suspicious and slightly afraid, but only at what he had become. Golgol remembered the days he was in the young one's place, feeling the same way. Oh, that this young one should come now, leading a barbarian horde when his Caste wasn't even fixed yet was a good omen indeed.

A tall, wide-shouldered Dragon-Blooded mercenary with a shaved head inclined his head as Golgol walked near him. "Hey! Wolf-child!"

The other mercenaries chuckled at this. Golgol turned, grinned ferally at the mercenary who spoke, and walked swiftly up to him, pressing his chest against the mercenary's to glare savagely into his eyes. He spoke with a strong growling undertone in his voice as he glared with wild eyes into the mercenary's slightly widening ones. "You will call me Golgol Fangs-Through-Eye, or you will learn how I got my name!"

The man was silent for a moment, before nodding. "Want a drink, Golgol?"

Golgol grinned at him, his canine teeth prominent. "Share your drink with me, and I'll show you the drink we like. If you can stomach it!"

The man chuckled, and handed him a tankard.

[rhoenix]

Feinting with a punch from the right, Kale rushed forward to ram his left shoulder into Golgol's chest. Following with an open-palmed strike to the solar plexus, Kale spun around and struck Golgol heavily in the jaw with his left elbow.

Golgol took the elbow strike, and knocked Kale heavily to the ground with a well-timed and powerful punch. He chuckled. "You're gonna have to do better than that!"

Kale grinned lop-sidedly as he flipped up to his feet, dropping into the Hungry Tiger stance as he did so. "Watch me."

Aya's voice rang out. "Hold!"

Kale relaxed as he stood upright once more, looking curiously at her. She answered loudly enough so that everyone gathered in this group could hear her clearly. "Grab the wooden replicas of your favored weapons, and rejoin this group. Now we practice against multiple attackers at once. If you are struck to the ground, leave the fray immediately."

Golgol, Kale, Ophelia, Ken, and quite a few of the mercenaries were present, and walking to the practice weapon rack to pick their favorite weapons. All of them knew that though they were naturally suited to being captains and lieutenants in the impending war, they would also be targetted as such, and had to practice.

Of the sparring that had occurred so far, Golgol, Ophelia, and one of the mercenaries named Sunny had surprisingly emerged as the most capable of fending off multiple attackers at once. Golgol had won the majority of the fights he was in because of his sharp senses and experience in many savage battles, and Ophelia had won hers due to her martial arts training with her firewand, which enabled her to anticipate attacks that hadn't yet begun, even when she wasn't using the firewand. As for the Dragon-Blooded mercenary Sunny, she moved with the flickering strength and speed that did full justice to her Aspect of Fire.

For the past three months, Aya had been staging mock battles with the barbarian forces and the Alon-Ti, as well as the Exalted amongst their ranks. Various commanders had taken charge of a side while Aya took the other. Though people opposing her almost always lost, she always told them how to improve. Golgol ground his teeth together sometimes at how smoothly her forces seemed to dismantle his. He had to shout powerfully to make himself heard to his forces, while Aya could whisper commands to specific groups in her army no matter where she was on the field, enabling her to move her forces around as if they were on a chessboard.

The barbarian tribes had somewhat reluctantly accepted training as Alon-Ti after seeing how viciously efficient they were in the mock-battles. The mercenaries Ken and his Wood Aspected Dragon-Blooded friend Sam led were already quite experienced fighting in groups, which frustrated the barbarians greatly, as they were used to attacking chaotically. This just as much as seeing the Alon-Ti move with cold efficiency convinced the barbarians to begin their training, and it had paid off immensely.

The mercenaries had more or less politely refused the new armor, though all of them had been trained as Alon-Ti, making their already-impressive combat skills honed to a katana's edge. Some had exchanged their ordinary steel armor with much better-made armor, though they still wanted their armor unique and individual to the individual requesting it. They stood amongst the Alon-Ti in formation.

Golgol and Ken had both accepted the new armor, though both insisted that Morjin use moonsilver instead of orichalcum. Morjin had swiftly departed for the forest the Lunars called home in this part of the world, and returned with a cache of moonsilver, and a Lunar smith experienced at smelting the mercurial metal. Between Morjin, Norath, and the Lunar named Hunts-With-Eyes-Shut, they crafted armor worthy of being worn by a Lunar.

Gordray had been summoned into town at Morjin's request, and he had since served as the town doctor before the attack on Thorns. Aya had looked askance at Morjin's request for Gordray to be summoned, but had acquiesced when Morjin told her that Gordray would be invaluable when it came to combatting the undead. That brought a smirk to Aya's face, and she had given her blessing.

Morjin and Norath had worked furiously to get the three hundred plus new recruits outfitted in time, as they knew the time that Aya wanted to lead the entire force to Thorns was swiftly drawing nearer.

All the people there to do battle against the undead learned that Aya was an exceptional tactician and general, though she never displayed anything other than humility when being complemented for it. In every action she did, she proved herself a highly capable general of armies, though she waved off such complements. Kale suspected it was because of how she thought of herself, as her experience in wartime prior to this was when she led her former Deathlord's armies. She felt that she had to prove to herself and others what she had become; what Kale thought she didn't understand yet was that she already had. In any case, Aya pushed herself far harder than she pushed those she trained, usually coming to their room in the inn exhausted, long after sunset.

Finally, the day arrived when they would perform the last battle exercise. Aya strode out of the inn wearing her hair back, tied efficiently in a braided bun, wearing her black armor. She walked out to the courtyard to hear the sound of many feet stamping on the ground once at the same time, saluting her arrival. All the barbarians were now Alon-Ti, standing resplendent in their armor of azure, gold-colored orichalcum, and steel. "Hai!" they shouted in salute to her with a single voice, as she strode into view. Golgol and Ken stood in front of the formation, wearing their new armor, though theirs shone with azure and silver.

Aya walked in front of the formation with critical eyes, noting even the most miniscule details. She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by guards at the East wallgate stopping someone. "Halt! Announce yourself!"

A slightly impatient and imperious voice replied. "Get out of my way and open the gates, in the name of the Scarlet Empress!"

Aya nodded to the Alon-Ti guards at the gate, who opened the gates. The gates were thrown open, nearly throwing the guards to the ground as the Immaculate soldiers walked in. The one leading them was a tall man, with dark blue skin and long white hair, wearing blue jade armor. He looked around the town and the soliders in formation with an imperious, fixed smile. A strong breeze seemed to follow him obediently as he walked.

As the thirty Immaculate soldiers fell into formation behind him, he called out with a slightly bored tone of voice. "We know you are harboring Anathema refugees in this town, who use their dark power to influence you into doing things you would otherwise not do. We understand and forgive you of your sin of falling under demon's sway, and ask that you send out the Anathema here. Do so, and you will all be spared."

Not a single person moved in response.

The man's smile shrunk slightly in annoyance before speaking again. "We are the Wyld Hunt of the Immaculate Order, and we are here to destroy the evil Anathema you harbor here. Come to your senses humans, point out the Anathema here, and you will be spared!"

Narrowed eyes and silence met the man's request.

The man sighed with annoyance, putting one hand on his blue jade hipguard. "Very well. Raze this backwater town to the ground, and slay everyone in it. The infection must be cured and contained, even if the host must die to do so!"

All the soldiers and Exalts under her command heard Aya's whispered command. "Surround them at a twenty yard spread."

With practiced efficiency, the Wyld Hunt soldiers were surrounded at a distance of twenty yards. Aya walked through their ranks to regard the man face to face from within the circle. Her voice was cold. "This is not Realm territory. You have no jurisdiction or power here."

The man smiled as he looked at her. "Women as pretty as you should worry about less ghastly things. We know there is an army here, being raised and trained by Anathema to attack the greatest dynasty this world has ever seen, and we cannot allow that."

Aya's cold blue eyes stared unblinkingly into his. "We are not here to attack the Realm. We gather to strike at Thorns, and remove the undead's foothold in this world."

The man laughed derisively at her. "Pretty words, my little blackbird, pretty words. But lies cannot deceive those with the blood of dragons in their veins."

Aya's eyes narrowed frigidly as her unblinking gaze bore into his. "Be careful with your words, as you are making no friends here by calling me a liar."

The man snarled as he looked down his nose toward her. "Mind your tone, Anathema, or I will strike you down where you stand! Even if you are correct and I am not, that you would strike at Thorns, you would be conspiring to commit an even more grievous crime other than being posessed by a demon Anathema. Peace talks and trade agreements have already begun with the undead there. The people of Thorns were weak, and the undead understood that. We do not begrudge them wanting to open lucrative trade agreements with the peoples of the world. In fact, the undead show kindness and concern for us, that they would establish a base within the world of the living, to save us the trip of having to go through Shadowlands to trade with them!"

Aya's jaw clenched and unclenched as she looked at him with narrowed eyes. "You are a fool if you believe that, and do not understand the threat the undead pose to everyone here. The Deathlords wish nothing less than for all life to be snuffed out like a candle, and you are even more of a fool if you do not see that."

To her surprise, the man laughed, and looked at her with a patient and sympathetic look. "Oh, I understand your inner turmoil, to put up with a demon Essence that slowly drives you mad, making you believe whatever it wishes before it claims you, mind and soul. It's not your fault you're being impertinent and delusional, and to the woman inside the Anathema I see before me, I say this - do not be afraid, for you will be saved soon."

Aya shook her head slightly. "I take that back. You're blind, your perceptions dulled by misconception as well as being a fool."

Electricity coursed over the man's armor as he drew his huge, shining blue jade sword. He stamped once on the ground with a shout, and a hugely powerful gust of wind blew back the soldiers that surrounded he and his Wyld Hunt soldiers. He regarded Aya with a cool gaze, as she hadn't moved in the slightest. He called to his soldiers loudly as he smiled. "I will strike the head of this serpentine evil. Once all of you see your leader fall, you will know you have been misled and lied to! Anathema, this shall be a duel between you and I!"

He rushed at her with blade outstretched, electricity coursing over his armor, his hair and body, and cracking with loud snaps at the end of his blade. He rushed nearer and nearer to her, closing the distance between them with alacrity. He smiled as he drew closer, seeing that she still hadn't moved in the slightest. He was within a few yards of her now, and saw her crouch slightly, putting her left hand on the handle of one of the blades at her side, and her other hand on the sheath of the same sword, but not drawing it yet.

The lightning coursing over him seemed to double in intensity right as he swung his huge blade at the woman who still regarded him cooly, without moving. Right as his blade was a bare yard away from slicing through her neck, sunlight seemed to fall directly onto her, making her black armor shine blindingly. In that instant, he realized that she had already begun moving. The abbreviated hiss of a blade leaving its sheath registered in his mind at the same time he realized that she was now behind him.

He narrowed his eyes as he bared his teeth in aggravation. What trickery did this Anathema think she was doing? He turned around to face her, seeing that she now had her back to him, and was cleaning blood from her blade with careful and loving precision before sheathing it, and crossing her arms. He was about to shout a retort to her, when he was interrupted by a clanking sound from his side. He looked down, seeing that half his chestplate had fallen from his chest. The inside of what remained of his chestplate began to feel slick, sticky, and warm, even as his anima froze the air around him into swirling ice crystals.

He felt as if he were moving downward, falling onto his back. He looked to his left, and saw the lower half of his body still standing there, stupidly unaware that the rest of him had fallen onto the ground. His anima began to stutter, dying away into a breeze around him. He was so surprised by this that he thought inanely that a stronger wind around him would be more fitting.

His vision was fading now, and he knew he had died at the hand of an Anathema. The thought filled him with rage, as he had been personally responsible for many Anathema's deaths. What surprised him is that he heard her voice again, though it sounded faint. "No lives should be lost over something so petty. I will heal your wound now."

He began to protest, but found that he hadn't the breath to speak. This thought horrified him more than anything else, as the wind had been a part of him for a very long time; sustaining and strengthening him.

He faintly heard the lower half of his body being moved, feeling warmth, and then heat moving slowly from his shoulder to his hip. He took an involuntary gasp, his lungs filling with air once more. He began to smile as he felt the breezes that always had been with him gaining strength once more.

A strong hand pulled him to his feet. He stood slightly unsteadily, but gained his balance after a moment. Upon opening his eyes, he saw the same woman, still looking cooly into his eyes as she released her grip on his hand.

He frowned as he looked at her with suspicion. "Anathema don't heal the wounds of those they kill without wishing to enslave them."

She didn't even blink at this. "Have you been killed and healed by an Anathema before this?"

He smiled as he answered. "No, but I..."

She interrupted him. "So you base your entire opinion on every other kind of Exalted human in the world is based on stories you've heard from people who've never tried speaking to them?"

He opened his mouth in susprise, taken aback by this. He spoke with indignation. "Those stories are based on the Immacula..."

She interrupted him once more. "In other words, yes, you base your entire opinion on all other Exalts in the world based on a book, propaganda, and rumors."

He glared at her with suspicion. One thing he hated more than an Anathema was an Anathema almost as strong as himself. Or just lucky.

She continued after seeing him give his answer of silence. She spoke to both him and the members of his Wyld Hunt. "I ask not for your servitude, thoughtless obedience, or a life boon. What I ask is the same thing you must feel in your hearts when you think of the undead who even now fester within Thorns. They struck through the village, and slew many Immaculate soldiers who tried to unseat them. It must unnerve you that these same undead who slew your friends, family, and countrymen are now being courted by trade agreements and peace talks by those in power in the Immaculate Order."

She paused a moment, gauging their reaction. She continued after a moment. "I'm offering you the chance of moving past the Immaculate Order's family squabbles and movements for selfish gain, and simply doing what must be done, and far better sooner than later, when the undead have a much greater base of power. You know in your hearts that the undead living in the land of the living is a festering sore, and one that unless healed now, will spread throughout the world. I don't ask for you to serve me for the rest of your lives. I ask you to fight with us to remove the undead from Thorns, and return it to the hands of the living. Once Thorns is firmly within the hands of the living, you may depart with my blessing and my thanks."

The man with dark blue skin and white hair spoke up again, with a wintry smirk on his face. "And what of you? Will you rule Thorns, and expect us to let you get away with it?"

She turned toward him, and met his wintry gaze with a glacial one in response. "No. Once Thorns is liberated, this army will disperse, and settle Thorns if they wish, ruling it themselves. I will leave, wishing only to be left in peace, living alone with my fiancee."

The man raised a white eyebrow. "To see if I understand you correctly - you wish to have our help to liberate Thorns, and once this is done, you and everyone else will just go back to their lives as usual? And you personally will just...leave?"

She nodded once. "Correct."

The man chuckled. "So this army you've been training won't answer to you after the battle is over?"

She looked cooly, with unblinking eyes into his. "That is their decision, not mine. I will simply wish to live in peace, alone, with my fiancee, and have some semblance of a normal life. However, neither he nor I can rest until this is done."

The man inclined his head, long white hair falling onto his shoulders slightly. "I follow orders from my house, not an Anathema raising a ragtag army. I cannot allow you to style yourself as a savior, when all you wish is glory at the expense of those you lead! Strike them down!"

At his words, his soldiers set into motion, attacking whomever was nearest. The man himself rushed at Aya once more, feeling completely sure that the first time was blind luck of the damned.

To his surprise, she shook her head as he approached, and looked...somewhat sad. He brought his huge sword down, intent on cutting her in half lengthwise. She stepped nimbly to the side, forcing his blade down into the ground by pushing with her blade, before snapping upwards to strike him through the neck.

As his vision faded from his view on the ground, he saw that all of the soldiers under his command were meeting a similar fate. An Anathema had taken its true demon form as that of half-wolf, half man as it cleaved a soldier of his in half with its huge, wide-bladed silver blade. Another was being cut apart by three of the foolish soldiers in azure, gold, and steel armor.

"Oh powerful and Immortal Dragons, hear my plea," he thought as the sounds began to fade to nothingness. "If you hold us to be your emissaries, holding your blood within us to manifest within the worthy, show these heathens your anger!"

After his prayer, he knew no more.

Aya looked all around her, seeing the Wyld Hunt soldiers being slain in the efficient way she had taught. Tears filled her eyes as she looked upon the brave, though misguided Immaculate soldiers of the Wyld Hunt dying all around her. She could fight it no longer; she collapsed onto her knees on the ground, water filling her vision as she began to weep with deep, racking sobs.

Within moments, she felt arms around her, feeling comforting, soothing. She felt herself being lifted gently onto someone's lap. She felt Kale kissing her face gently, holding her comfortingly through her tears. She banished her armor with a thought as she began to relax, feeling slightly better through her tears. He slowly rubbed her back, neck, and shoulders; not saying any words, just letting her cry out her sadness and pain.

She began to speak through her tears after a moment, not thinking or caring what someone would think if they saw her. "Why...why didn't they listen? Why didn't they just leave in peace? He wouldn't go, even after I...I healed his wound. I didn't want to take any more lives...not ever again..."

His arms squeezed her gently and comfortingly as he held her. He spoke to her in a quiet, soothing voice. "Sometimes, there is no choice except between your life, and the life of someone who wishes to take yours. I know, my sweetheart. I know you promised to never take another life. But you know what?"

Aya turned her head to look at him through her tears. She hiccuped slightly before answering semi-intelligably with "Huh?"

Through her watery vision, she could see him smiling softly at her as he gently wiped away her tears. "As long as that's the only time, then that's not something to regret. It's something to be proud of, only taking a life when you must."

Aya snuggled a little closer to him, and wrapped her arms around him in return, leaning her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes with a shuddering sigh. She felt his warm hands gently rubbing her neck, her shoulders, and her back, making her feel calmer, and safe. She gave a great shuddering sigh as she began to relax, nuzzling gratefully into his neck. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself further, hugging Kale tightly before getting to her feet. With a slight smile, she looked at Kale who was still standing near her, a look of concern on her face. "By the grace of the Sun, you put up with a lot from me."

He smiled gently as he looked at her. "You're worth it."

Their moment was interrupted by Ken walking over to them, a look of askance on his grave face. "A general who weeps when they must take a life should question whether or not they're prepared to lead troops into battle."

Kale looked at him somewhat coldly. "And you're in a position to judge...how?"

Aya put a hand on his shoulder as she looked calmly at Ken. "It's alright. Ken, I took hundreds, perhaps thousands of lives when I was an uncaring, unfeeling weapon of my former Deathlord. When I became a Solar, I vowed to myself that I would never take another life after that. Having to do so...just brought back many bad memories of who I once was, ones I never wanted to relive."

Ken narrowed his eyes at her. "You were an Abyssal?"

Aya nodded, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath before opening her eyes to look into Ken's steadily. "I led the undead attack on Thorns, a little over a year ago. I lead this army against Thorns and my former Deathlord now to attempt making up in a small way for all the lives I've taken. I also go to destroy my former Deathlord, so nobody has to fall under his sway ever again."

Ken regarded her through narrowed eyes. "Once this battle is over, you and I will have a reckoning. You slew my younger brother when you took Thorns that night."

With that, he marched off toward the Dragon-Blooded mercenaries. He stopped after a few steps, and turned around to face her with a look of coldness on his face. "You'll only get to slay the Deathlord if you get to him first," he said, before turning back to the mercenaries, who were milling about aimlessly after the brief fight against the Immaculate Wyld Hunt.

Aya took a deep breath, shuddering slightly. Feeling Kale standing at her side, glaring at Ken as he walked away, she spoke. "I knew it had to happen eventually. That I would meet someone who lived through the terrible things I did, and who would demand retribution."

Kale didn't say anything, but put his arm around her waist. She looked at him with fierce determination in her eyes. "Now is the time," she said, before hugging him back tightly, and walking toward the soldiers, her armor fading into existence around her.

Aya began shouting out orders, and the soldiers began scrambling to follow. "Dress the dead Immaculates, balm them so they preserve somewhat well, and load them onto carts. We'll give them back to their people after we win the battle at Thorns. Make sure you are fully garbed for war, as we leave within one hour!"

Less than an hour later, all the troops; Alon-Ti and mercenary, were mounted on horseback in perfect formation. Kale, Morjin, and Gordray rode out of formation, as they would not be in the main attacking force, for varying reasons.

Aya called out in a loud voice that carried to everyone present. "We go now to cut out the undead infection from the world before it spreads! MOVE!"

The ground began to shake as nearly a thousand horses' hoofbeats drummed against it, making the afternoon air sound pregnant with thunder.

[rhoenix]

"I'm tellin' ya Nain-ya, I feel like a damn fool on this horse. The worst part is that the horse knows it!"

Kale chuckled as Golgol grumbled loudly. "Yeah, but it's the fastest way to move nearly a thousand troops toward Thorns."

Golgol grumbled to himself further as they galloped. Golgol's horse uttered a small whinny, which got his attention. He leaned further forward toward the horse's ears, and began speaking somewhat apologetically. Kale smirked to himself as he overheard the somewhat one-sided conversation. "Aye, I don't like this any more than you do, lass. You'd prefer to just be sitting in a stable and be brushed and fed, and I'd like to be running free. Dammit, it's not lookin' good for either of us."

Golgol paused for a moment. What made Kale smile the most was that the horse was seemingly listening to him grumble. "Tell ya what though. I'll take care of you in the battle, and I'll take ye for a bloody good gallop when it's all over with. You can go wherever you want. How does that sound?"

The horse, much to Kale's amusement, gave a short barking whinny, which made Golgol smile in satisfaction. "Yeah, if I were in your place, I don't think I'd like to be hauling around a human dressed as a trashbin either."

Kale couldn't resist asking, calling loudly over the thundering hoofbeats. "Hey Golgol!"

That got Golgol's attention away from patting his horse somewhat apologetically. "Yeah?"

Kale grinned as he asked. "When you and I left your forest, did you think you'd be riding on a horse, leading Alon-Ti that were your barbarians into this battle?"

Golgol glared at him, though Kale could tell he was amused. "Don't rub it in, Nain-ya."

They had been riding hard for the past several hours, on a route directly to Thorns. They hadn't stopped or slowed down at all since they left Mishaka mid-afternoon, but their rapid pace was beginning to wear on the horses and those riding them. However, Kale began to recognize familiar landmarks, which placed them within fifteen miles of the fallen town. The sun had just finished setting, casting a reddish-yellow glow over everything around them.

All of them heard Aya's soft voice next to their ears. "Slow down, and prepare to make camp."

Some of the mercenaries and a few of the barbarians, despite having gone through Alon-Ti training, were still disconcerted by Aya being able to speak to all of them at once, but they obeyed, slowing down.

Soon enough, they were gathered in large concentric circles, with Aya at the center. Kale could watch her lips move as she spoke, but all of them heard her voice as if she was standing right next to them. "We make camp here for tonight. Everyone, get yourselves ready for a night here. I want no fires tonight to advertise our presence. Golgol, organize sleeping and watch shifts, and be alert. We are now in enemy territory, and they undoubtedly have patrols during the night."

With that, she dismounted, and everyone else began following suit. Kale stretched, beginning to feel the life slowly and painfully come back to where he'd been sitting for the past several hours. He began filling a feedbag for the horse, and patted the chestnut mare as she began to eat, obviously not quite as tired as he was. He smirked ruefully at this.

Aya approached him, and gently put a hand on his arm, which got his attention. She smoothly put her arms around him, and leaned her head on his shoulder. He put his arms around her as well, and felt her take a slow, deep breath. She looked up solemnly into his eyes after a moment. "Beloved, I want to thank you."

Kale raised his eyebrows. "For what?"

She smiled somewhat tiredly at him. "For coming with me, and helping me through all that you have. You're placing yourself in danger a second time to keep an eye on me, and I love you for it."

Kale adopted an innocently injured expression. "Whatever makes you think I'm here just to keep an eye on you? I have as much at stake here as you do, you know."

She smiled widely at him. "Beloved, you keep forgetting I can read you like an open book."

Kale chuckled at this. "Yeah, yeah," he said as their lips met in a soft kiss. He looked in her eyes as their faces pulled away slowly, and saw the unspoken question dancing in her eyes, as she was uncertain how to ask.

He raised an eyebrow, as a look of amusement spread over his face. "You want me to scout the city, don't you?"

Aya's eyes widened. She inhaled sharply as her mouth fell open slightly. "How did you..."

He silenced her with a kiss, grinning as he replied. "Love, you keep forgetting I can read you like an open book."

She rolled her eyes, but smiled back at him. "Be safe, alright?"

He kissed her again, which she eagerly returned. "Don't worry, I'll be back before dinner's done."

They somewhat reluctantly let go of one another. She looked apologetic, but he just grinned somewhat recklessly at her. "Make sure you put two pillows on my side of the bed, okay?"

She smirked at him, watching as the night seemed to envelop him in its dark embrace.

Despite his somewhat reckless grin, Kale was taking no chances. He quietly invoked all the charms and rotes he knew to stifle his presence from the notice of others, banishing his scent, hiding his tracks, and even invoking a rote that helped him blend in chameleonlike with his surroundings.

He ran swiftly and with perfect silence toward the dark walled city, the gem Thamaya's Blessing shining softly beneath the sleeve of his coat.

Kale felt sickened as he neared the gates. The huge beast Juggernaut was resting on its apallingly gigantic chest, near the town itself. The great humanoid beast seemed quiescent for now, but Kale's senses told him that there were...things within the great beast that certainly weren't. He decided to not take a closer look just yet.

The wraiths and wraiths possessing undead bodies were very much in evidence as guards at all four of the gates, as well as the walls. However, they never saw a mobile piece of the night air slip past them.

Guards at the walls, the many wraiths and undead within the city nearly overwhelmed Kale's senses. Even though he could see the wraiths, he still wished he couldn't somewhat. Intellectually, he knew they were once alive, and once human, though very few of them reflected this fact in their forms now.

Even so, Kale crept silently and swiftly through the city, marking weapons stockpiles, guard watches, and the people in charge. There seemed to be only two Abyssals within the city now keeping an eye on things, though he felt that might swiftly change if the city was attacked. The city itself was surrounded by the Shadowland, charged and fueled by the many deaths in this place the year before.

One of the Abyssals was a tall man with long, shock white hair. He was a grim man, wearing armor of soulsteel and bone, and carrying a strange sword at his side. He seemed to be in charge of things, for the wraiths and other undead bowed to him, following his clipped orders with haste.

The other Abyssal was a child. A little girl, probably eight to ten years old. At first, Kale thought she was a wraith, but for the Oblivion seething within her like a storm, straining to break out of her skin. He shook his head at the sight. She was wearing a simple girl's dress, and for all the world looked like a normal, if pale, little girl.

Kale's jaw tightened at the sight. The undead evidently didn't care for appearances much, as they didn't laugh or make jokes as she coldly ordered them to do her bidding in her tiny child's voice. However, Kale guessed that the Mask of Winters was expecting retaliation against the town, because it would take a very special breed of soldier indeed who would be willing to strike down a child, Abyssal though she was. He understood this intellectually, but the thought still made him sick.

His stomach turned as the girl's Caste Mark flared into existence like a carefully-created burn as she screamed coldly at a wraith who didn't do her bidding fast enough. It was the same mark Aya had. That of the Dusk Caste, which meant she was highly trained for battle. Kale shook his head in silence. This would be an ugly fight, but then again, he expected nothing less from a being willing and eager to kill thousands to supplant and shape his own army.

Kale crept like a soft breeze through all the rooms and places within the town, mentally marking what was kept where. He didn't understand what all the dead were doing in this place, or what all the objects in certain rooms were, but he knew Aya would.

Kale heard the little girl's cold voice once more. "I scent the living. Scour this place."

He prevented himself from grinding his teeth with great effort. He was within one of the rooms on the upper level, and heard her little voice from the courtyard below. He smiled grimly, as he remembered that his tiger claws had more uses than just fighting. He slipped them on his hands with the bladed ends pointing outwards from his palms, and silently climbed out the window, and up onto the roof. Still hidden, he looked all around him for guards and such that might cause problems.

Seeing none, he smiled grimly to himself in satisfaction, leaping silently from the roof of this building to one nearer one of the wallgates. He quickly climbed down, and climbed the wall. The skeleton possessed by a wraith didn't even detect anything amiss as it looked around. Kale froze in place however, just to make sure the thing didn't detect him.

The wraith turned its gaze away from his direction without lingering, and Kale climbed down the wall on the outside of the town, dropping soundlessly onto the ground below. He redoubled the rote that cloaked any sound or scent he made, and darted in a very meandering fashion back to the encampment, just in case something he hadn't seen was following his movement.

He looked all around and above him with scrutiny as he was halfway to the encampment. Satisfied that nothing and nobody had seen him leave, he dropped the rotes he was using as he approached one of the Alon-Ti guards. She blinked as he approached, seemingly out of thin air, and nodded to him as he passed. He nodded in return, somewhat surprised at her grimness. Then again, they were on the eve of a battle.

Soon enough, he found Aya, sitting cross-legged, meditating in the night air. He sat down soundlessly in front of her, and stared intently on her closed eyelids, hiding a smile.

Within a few moments, some sixth sense told her she was being watched, and she opened her eyes. She widened her eyes, startled, as she saw him looking back at her with a grin.

Aya rolled her eyes at him, smiling at him while shaking her head. "Find anything interesting, my beloved sneak?"

Kale chuckled quietly. He told her everything he'd seen with great detail, including the Abyssal child. She nodded grimly at most parts, but even she was surprised at the news of the Abyssal girl. "She was of the Dusk Caste? Are you sure?"

Kale nodded grimly. "I saw her Mark. She flared it at some poor wraith who didn't ask her 'How high?' when she told him to jump."

Aya shook her head. "We shouldn't underestimate her. If she's a Dusk Caste, then than makes her very dangerous. Her form of a child is meant to throw a person's judgement off, though..."

She swallowed as she closed her eyes. "...that's more than a little sick, even for Him."

Kale nodded as he lay down, looking at the myriad constellations above. Seeing them always made him feel more relaxed, for some reason. He felt Aya lay down next to him, resting her head on his shoulder, looking at him. "You said she smelled you?"

Kale nodded as best he could, since he was on his back, looking up. "Yeah. She said she scented the living, and ordered the wraiths to patrol."

Aya sighed softly, tickling his ear somewhat. "This could be bad. If they're competent, more soldiers will come during the night to fortify the town, and do patrols outside."

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, grand. Are we safe here, do you think?"

Aya sat up, looking concerned. "No. Not if they send patrols. If I were in charge of the town, then this army here wouldn't escape my notice."

Kale sat up as well, Aya's concern making him feel a bit jumpy as well. "Okay then, so what should we do?"

She smiled ruefully, as she looked upward to the constellations above. "What they don't and wouldn't expect - to attack tonight."

Kale's eyes widened slightly. "You can't be serious!"

She looked at him gravely. "In warfare, the spies and sneaking come before the attack, and it normally takes the person in charge a day or so to process what the spies tell them to formulate a proper approach to battle. They know this as well as I do."

Aya smiled widely, her eyes gleaming. "Despite being at their best during the night, they'd never expect it. If that child Abyssal is in charge, then she'd send a wraith or two to report to Him, and he'd think it over for a few hours, as he normally does. He'd start sending out Abyssal patrols an hour or so from daybreak, and not gather any other forces."

Kale smirked, her enthusiasm beginning to affect him. "Think the troops are ready, my gorgeous general?"

Aya smiled softly at him before kissing him on the nose. "Oh yes, my handsome spy. Most of them are still quite awake, unable to sleep."

She looked into his eyes a few moments more with a soft smile before jumping suddenly to her feet, and began quietly speaking her orders. Kale knew that with the rote she was using to do it, everyone in the army would hear it clearly, unless she wished to only speak to a single unit.

"Everyone, gear up. There's been a change of plans, for we attack tonight. Be ready in fifteen minutes."

Kale expected to hear muted grumbling, but surprisingly, he heard none. What surprised him more is that the attitude of most of the Alon-Ti was that of relief that they were beginning this war now, and not later.

Ten minutes later, everyone was ready, and sitting atop their horses. Aya's next orders began softly making themselves heard.

"Gordray, take fifty soldiers for protection, and shut down the Juggernaut. Do it the same way you purged me a year ago. Be careful, as there are at least fifteen puppeteer wraiths within it that give it some semblance of life. Banish them, and the great beast is nothing more than a large lump of very dead flesh."

Gordray nodded, and fifty soldiers, mostly Alon-Ti with a few mercenaries encircled him, but they didn't depart yet.

"Ken, take your regiment and make a wide circle around to face the West wallgate. Wait for my word before you strike, as all four wallgates must be struck at once."

Ken nodded grimly. It was obvious from his bearing that he didn't like Aya now that he knew who she once was, but he still saw the necessity of a swift, decisive strike. He moved his regiment out, and they galloped off, far enough away to not be visible to a casual look from the walls of Thorns.

"Golgol, take your regiment, and approach the North wallgate. Again, make a wide circuit so that you aren't seen until it's too late for them to do much about it."

Golgol grinned savagely. "About time!" he said, with more than a hint of a wolvish growl in his voice. He and his regiment of Alon-Ti rode off swiftly, making the same wide circuit movement Ken had, but going a different direction.

"Ophelia, take your troops, and take the South wallgate. Wait for my signal before you charge."

Ophelia nodded, encasing her reddish-brown hair beneath her helmet as she signalled wordlessly to her regiment to begin riding. They did so, moving swiftly into position.

Aya turned to Kale, looking grim. "Dearest, I want you to go on foot behind my regiment, and raise as much hell as you possibly can without being seen. Just be careful, okay?"

Kale grinned at her. "And take the chance of not seeing your beautiful face when I wake up? Not a chance!"

He chuckled, even as he seemed to melt into the night air. Aya took a deep breath to get herself back into her calculating general's mindset, summoned her armor and the brilliant katana Crissaegrim, forged with the souls of the seven bravest generals that had fought and died under Melek's banner. She hopped on her horse, and spoke to the remaining regiment, that she would use to charge the main gate. Her unit was the one she wanted all the town's defenses focused upon, throwing the defenders into disarray as they were struck from the other three sides immediately afterward.

She smiled grimly to herself. She was planning this much more meticulously than the first time she attacked this town, but she didn't care as much for her own life or anyone under her command that time. She also didn't have as much at stake.

Taking a deep breath, she softly spoke the order her regiment was waiting to hear. "We strike the East wallgate. Move out!"

She led her forces in a wide circuit around, and toward the main wallgate. They paused for a moment, looking at the dark town, seemingly surrounded in a sea of shadows. They didn't get much time to reflect upon the sight, as her order of "Charge!" rang in their ears, spurring their horses into a swift gallop.

As they neared halfway to the gate, Aya rapped out the orders for the other units. "Golgol, Ophelia, and Ken, charge your wallgates! Gordray, take your unit and wait for one of the units to gain entrance to the town. When we do, go exorcise the wraiths within the Juggernaut."

Aya closed her eyes as she galloped, seeing the units moving as if from the point of view of one in the sky high above, looking down. She smiled grimly as she saw the forces beginning to charge at high speeds toward the wallgates.

She began concentrating, channelling her essence into the rotes she had learned from Melek's tutelage. She had to draw some of the living essence from the ground and air around her, which made her Caste Mark light up like a brilliant sun on her forehead, shining softly. She felt each one begin to take effect, making her smile in satisfaction. She began to shine sunlight from her black armor, as if the sun shone upon her from high above.

Aya gritted her teeth as she channeled a little more essence into her horse, imagining her stallion's hooves taking on the hardness and strength of steel, and the muscles behind the hooves strong enough to knock down a door, such as the one they were rapidly approaching.

She spurred her horse to leap right as they neared the wallgate, crashing into it, and breaking it into splinters. Her horse righted himself, and her battalion began sweeping through the town. Barely a few seconds later, another echoing boom was heard as Golgol crashed through the North wallgate, howling his battlecry strongly to the dark night sky as he assumed his hybrid war form, towering above those around him.

Aya led her battalion toward the first group of surprised but armed undead, unsheathing both her swords. They seemed to glint with sunlight as they were exposed to the night air. The first possessed undead she struck exploded into ash as the blade struck. It was not the last.

Quickly, she saw the first Abyssal Kale had told her about. He had long, white hair, and armor made of bone and soulsteel, carrying a very strange and pared-down sword. He appeared to be herding the wraiths into some semblance of order to mount a counterattack. Aya saw little things about how he moved, how he spoke, and how he ordered the undead around. His voice and body might be different, but she recognized him with a grim smile.

"Hello again, Doom."

He spun to look at her, not recognizing her at first. Then his eyes widened slightly, as that memory he had of her replayed in his mind.

"I'll be watching for you, Doom. If you try coming after me in your next incarnation, not only will I take your head then, I'll stuff and mount it in a special shrine I'll build specifically for this purpose. After that, I'll hunt you down in each and every lifetime you incarnate into, and after beating you unconscious, I'll drag your unconscious form to that shrine to show you how many times I've killed you once you wake, and telling you that the number of skulls in that shrine is about to increase by one before I take your head. I'll continue doing this for as long as I live, and keep doing it into my next lifetime as well."

Aya smiled at him, seeing the recognition light up within his widening eyes. "Leave now, Doom. Don't come back."

Without a single word, he turned on his heel, and began marching out of the town.

The four battalions swept through the town with brutal efficiency. The wraiths were at home here, immune to physical attacks, but were torn apart from Golgol, Ophelia, and Aya's strikes that could strike at the incorporeal beings.

Aya dismounted once the way was immediately cleared, and ordered a few soldiers from each battalion to lead the horses to the stables that still stood within this town.

Even as the battle still raged here and there within the town, the fighting for the most part was over with surprisingly quickly.

"Hello, mother."

Aya spun around to behold the child standing a few yards from her. She had greying black hair, pale skin, and wearing a simple girl's dress. Her eyes were a deep black, her face nothing but a cold mask of hatred.

"I can see your surprise, mother. My father, the Mask of Winters sired me that night he took you, and removed your impregnated egg from your womb the next night as you slept."

Aya's eyes widened. How was this possible? She was utterly at a loss for words. The child, however, was not. She drew a long, serrated soulsteel dagger, that in her hands was a sword.

"I regret, mother, that I didn't get the chance to be born from your womb the normal way, so I might have killed you as I entered the world, knowing what I know of you now. My father told me of your failure, of your kidnapping by an interfering Solar from getting the justice you deserved, and dying soon afterwards. I'm sorry, mother, that he was wrong to think you had died."

The child's Caste Mark flared into existence on her forehead, a black sun with twelve evenly distributed spokes that bled slightly as her anima appeared with sheets of ghostly flue flame, and coalescing shadows.

"However, mother, now I get to do what I've longed to do since I was old enough to hate you with every ounce of my being. You left me alone to be raised without you. My father raised me as best he could, since my frightened and cowardly mother left."

Aya found her voice at last. "I never even knew about you. He never told me!"
The child's face seemed to scowl even more coldly. "Lies will not save you now, mother. Deception will avail you not, mother. Your blind luck won't save you now, mother. My father told me what you would have become if you had stayed as you should have. You would have been someone I'd be proud have as a parent, but you left your destiny like a coward, mother!"

Aya narrowed her eyes slightly, even as she was attacked from behind from a few clever posessed undead who saw that she was preoccupied. However, the rotes she had cast would not allow her to be surprised or struck; her reflexes blocking their attacks and striking the undead that attacked her, forcing them to explode into ash almost before she was aware she had done so. She turned back to regard who she now knew was daughter.

"I'm glad you know how to defend yourself still, mother. I'd hate for the minions under my control to get the pleasure I've been longing for, hoping for, and pleading with the Malfeans for since I was old enough to despise you with all my being, mother."

Aya was still shocked by this child. Kale had told her that there was an Abyssal child here, but to find that she was...

"You are a traitor, mother. You fled your destiny, your master, and your daughter like a coward, mother. And now you shall die by my hand, mother!"

The child seemed to float toward her with impossible alacrity, striking like a hungry snake with the black soulsteel dagger in her small hands. Aya parried it expertly, and was about to counterattack when her instincts would not allow her to strike this child.

The girl saw this, and smiled frigidly. "Yes, mother. You're too weak to strike your own child, aren't you, mother?"

The small girl was now wrapped in shadows, hovering about a foot off the ground to bring she and Aya nearly at eye-level with one another. "Die the death of a failure, mother!"

The child drew another long, serrated dagger, holding one in each small hand as she looked at Aya with undisguised hatred. "I'm going to slice all the tendons in your arms and legs, mother. Then I'm going to drink all your blood from your helpless and ruined body, mother. I'm going to take your soul, and consume it so that your wretched failure won't torture my poor father, mother!"

She struck again like a snake made of shadow, and Aya desperately parried the swift, brutal attacks, her long-bladed katana proving to be a hindrance at parrying the short, swift daggers. The child seemed to smile a little more widely each time Aya barely parried one of her attacks, as ice blue eyes stared with shock into glittering night black eyes.

Aya began to feel her essence draining away, little by little, as one of the child's daggers found their way through her defenses to strike at her flesh. The child didn't always get through Aya's desperate parries and dodges, but often enough that Aya was beginning to feel blood dripping from her arms and chest, her essence being consumed through the soulsteel daggers the child wielded.

To Aya's surprise, she began to hear the voices within her blade speaking into her mind. The first was the deep, gravelly, and growling voice of Vashok, the huge scaled Dragon King. "Do not be deceived by this Child of the Abyss. Of your blood, she might be. Of your soul, she is not!"

The next was the calm, thoughtful voice of Uon, the Earth-Aspected martial artist. His even-cadenced voice had a calming effect on Aya as he spoke. "The child preys upon your instincts. Allow her to do this, and you will fall. Center your being, Aya. Release all the minds you think with, to have no mind. Allow your soul to guide you, letting your mind go."

Aya refocused her attention on the child at hand, who was still attacking furiously even as her body responded automatically to parry each strike. She felt a sense of peace steal over her soul, as she let go of her fear, her loathing of this terrible being before her with the body of her daughter.

She noted dispassionately that the child's eyes widened slightly as she began to counterattack, forcing the child on the defensive. Each powerfully precise strike from Aya knocked the child's arms back, seeking her neck.

The child made a single parry in a way that gave Aya an opening. As her wakizashi parried another vicious strike from the child's daggers, the Crissaegrim slashed through the child, sunlight glinting from the blade burning as it sliced.

The child fell, looking up at Aya with the frightened eyes of a child, but the voice of Oblivion seemed to speak for her. "How could you do this to your own daughter, mother?"

Aya's reply was cold. "You are not my daughter."

She shivered as she watched the child slowly melt into ash before her eyes. Golgol trotted up to her then in his huge hybrid form, ash still falling from his huge moonsilver cleaver. He chuckled deeply. "That was far too easy!"

Aya shook her head as she focused her attention on the present. She spoke to Golgol, but in the way to allow all the troops present to hear her words. "This is only the beginning. This was his occupying force, his main army still lies within the Underworld, and rest assured, they will not let this go unchallenged."

She focused her attention on Gordray. She saw a glimpse of him with hands outstretched to the sky, standing before the gargantuan Juggernaut as he concentrated on expelling the puppeteer wraiths animating the huge being. "Golgol, take your battalion and defend Gordray, as he will be one of the first to be attacked!"

Golgol grinned ferally at her. "Oh good, that means I get to have my fun!"

[rhoenix]

All the town was quiet now. The huge Juggernaut was still visible over the town's walls, despite laying on its stomach, though it hadn't moved. The Alon-Ti were patrolling quietly.

Then Aya began to hear the child's laughter once more. It started softly, but began echoing all around her. It wasn't the laughter of a happy child. It was the malicious laughter of a child who pulled the wings from flies, and worse.

Aya looked around her wildly, and chanced a look down to the ash that had once been the child. Aya's eyes widened as she saw the child' face had appeared, shaped in the pile of ash. The face seemed to laugh more loudly, and then look fixedly at Aya. Despite being formed of ash, the face seemed to leer cruelly at her as it spoke in a dry voice. "You didn't think it would be that simple, did you mother?"

A whirlwind formed around the ash, pulling all of it whirling into the air. The face remained fixed in the center of the whirling ash devil, glaring and smiling evilly at her. "Striking at those of the shadows and darkness only makes them hate you more, mother!"

The whirling ash began to shrink in size, coalescing back into the shape of the little girl. Soon, her eyes were visible, then her hair, and soon it was as if she had never been struck. She glared with a cruel smile. "You made things so much easier for us, mother. I thank Oblivion that I got my intelligence from my father's side, since your ignorance and stupidity is shocking."

As the girl spoke, Aya began to notice a low, quiet rumbling all around her. She returned her attention back to the girl, who had drawn her daggers once more. "You are a fool, mother. I am of Oblivion. The Abyss wraps me in its arms, kisses me, and gives me my anger. You gave all that up like an utter fool, mother." The child smiled cruelly. "I cannot be slain, mother. However, due to your stupid rebellion against your own destiny, you gave that up, and I have all the time in the world to wait for you to make a mistake."

The child's voice reached a shrieking, piercing intensity, even as the low rumbling sound from all around them grew louder. "You will die mother, and you will die by the hand of your own daughter!"

The rumbling grew even louder. The walls of the city began to shake, dust and mortar falling from the stones.

Another voice was heard from behind Aya. "Isn't this just so cozy, dear? All three generations of one family, all women, and all have been Exalted."

Aya darted back, to keep the newcomer and the child both within her field of vision at once. Her heart sank as she recognized the speaker before she had even seen her face. It was Kaesta.

She wore what seemed to be a black evening gown, though Aya's eyes could pick out the soulsteel plates within the garment. Kaesta's long, black hair had highlights the color of blood as it coursed down her back, seeming to lay like a well-fed snake over her shoulder. She smiled with lips painted the color of blood as she stared at Aya maternally. She sighed slightly as she shook her head. "If only you hadn't run away from your destiny, my dear. Then all three generations would be together, working toward the same goal. Why did you have to be the difficult one?"

The little girl put out her lower lip in a pout. "She cut me, and tried to kill me, Grandma!"

Kaesta shook her head, frowning with sympathy. "Aww, my poor dear. Come here, my poppet, and let Grandma see if you're alright."

The girl ran over to Kaesta, and leapt into her arms. Kaesta held her maternally, smiling as she did so. "My sweet grand-daughter, what a wonderful girl you are."

Aya felt her stomach turn at the sight. Her grip tightened on her wakizashi and on the Crissaegrim as she stood, watching the horrifyingly normal spectacle.

Kaesta looked at Aya, smiling slightly as she held the child in her arms. She spoke after a moment to the child. "Don't worry, my poppet. I must have made a lot of mistakes for your mother to turn out the way she did. She was always a headstrong girl, but even so, I blame myself for who she is now. I won't be making those mistakes with you, my little poppet."

The child looked at Aya, smiling coldly, almost gloatingly before turning to look up at Kaesta with wide, innocent eyes. "Does that mean my mommy is a failure?"

The low rumbling began to shake the loose stones from the walls. Aya caught a brief glimpse in her mind's eye of skeletons with their bones encased in soulsteel emerging by the hundreds, perhaps even thousands from the shadowland surrounding Thorns, and rushing at everything human with alarming speed. She couldn't see their eyes from the angle she was seeing, but the skeletons were making gleeful clicking noises as they scented the living, their hunger growing with each stride.

Kaesta's voice interrupted her brief vision. "Yes, my little one. She turned her back on her family, on her master, on you, and on Grandma too!"

Both girl and woman looked at Aya simultaneously, and smiled. Fangs grew quietly from beneath their upper lips as they smiled evilly at Aya. The girl spoke first, with a lower, slightly echoing voice. "Grandma, does that mean mommy shames her family by her very existence?"

Kaesta smiled more widely, her elongated fangs now more evident. "Yes it does, my poppet. Doesn't it seem fitting that family should take care of family problems?"

With that, the girl leapt lightly from Kaesta's arms, and drew her long, serrated soulsteel daggers. She glared at Aya as she licked both blades, blood coating each blade as she sliced her tongue open with them before speaking. "I named these knives in honor of you, mother. I named them Whisper and Scream, for the last things you will ever hear or do before you die."

Kaesta slipped black gloves on her pale hands. Each of the fingers of the gloves had a long, thin, soulsteel blade attached to it. "Don't worry, poppet. Grandma will help. Remember to aim for the spine and the kidneys first, dear."

With a start, Aya realized what they were doing - they were distracting her from the battle that even now raged all around them. She clenched her teeth in anger at herself for forgetting her troops, and swiftly looked all around her. A tower was only a short distance behind her, one that would allow her to learn the status of the battle uninterrupted. However, from the looks on the faces of her daughter and mother, they wouldn't give her much time.

Aya ducked down into a crouch as she sheathed both blades smoothly, and jumped into the air as strongly as she possibly could. The wind rushed past her face as she rapidly ascended, beginning to fall right as she saw the top of the tower. She grabbed the stone sides of the tower, and pulled herself up and over the battlement. She swiftly looked all around her, checking for anyone else, and was satisfied when she saw none. A quick look down however, showed that her mother and her daughter were beginning to climb the tower rapidly.

Grinding her teeth, she closed her eyes and concentrated on the battle. There, Golgol was defending Gordray and his guard tenaciously and well, and seemed to be suffering no losses so far. Ken's regiment was breaking down the skeletons one by one, and had only suffered the loss of but one or two soldiers. Ophelia's regiment was in trouble, being attacked by a group of skeletons that vastly outnumbered them. Several Alon-Ti had given their lives. They were attacking the skeletons with the fury of wounded tigers, but a wounded tiger attacks with desperation.

She focused her attention back on Ken's battalion, even as the sound of scrabbling claws on stone grew closer. "Ken, when you are finished with those skeletons, help Ophelia's regiment. They're under heavy attack."

Aya took a small sigh of relief as Ken nodded, and his troops began striking their way back to the other side of the town to help Ophelia's group, now vastly outnumbered. She clenched her teeth in irritation as she saw more skeletons pouring en masse out of the shadowland.

Bolts of whitish yellow began striking the skeletons, turning small groups of them to ash as Morjin fired coruscating bolts from his hands, but it was barely slowing down the oncoming tide. Her heart sank as she saw the Abyssal she had known was the incarnation of Laughing Doom riding out of the shadowland on a warstrider, leading a large pack of huge, feral dogs made of bone and soulsteel.

Aya clenched her jaw once more. She needed to be out there, fighting for and with them. She opened her eyes as she heard the sound of scrabbling claws getting much closer. She needed to take care of her family problems first.

She ran to the side of the tower, unsheathing her swords as she ran. She leapt from the side of the tall tower, her arms spread to her sides, the long-bladed swords in her hands resembling wings as she began to drop. The child and Kaesta looked up with surprise to see Aya bearing down on them in midair like a hungry shadow.

Aya struck them both as she swept by them, forcing them to fly backwards toward the ground with her. All three of them picked up speed. Kaesta and the child trying desperately to grab onto the stones of the tower, but Aya's momentum was carrying them further and further away from it, and toward the ground with alarming speed.

Right before the impact, Aya channeled her essence to course through her skin and bones, hardening them to the point where the impact wouldn't hurt her. All three hit the ground with a shuddering boom, the mortar and cement beneath them shattered into a crater. She leapt lightly away from them, putting herself in a position where she could see the battle, and also keep an eye on her mother and her child, who were slowly and painfully getting to their feet.

The child screamed at her. "How dare you fight against your destiny! How dare you try to resist against the inevitable!"

The child bent down into a crouch. There was a muffled tearing sound, causing the child to wince in pain. Two long soulsteel blades tore through the back of her dress, elongating and curving as they moved to stand straight out of her back, angling slightly to the side.

More blades followed, numbering seven on each side of her back as they quickly sprouted with a spray of blood from the child's back, stretching and elongating to resemble long, bladed wings. The child looked at Aya, her whole eyes completely swirling black now as she smiled hungrily. She rose into the air, the coalescing shadows lifting her as they swirled.

The child screamed once more, as she seemed to move into a crouch in midair. "I will rend the flesh from your bones, mother!"

Without warning, the child's head snapped forward with a muffled crunch, a look of shock on her face as she crumpled to the ground. Kale stepped out from behind her, the night-time air seeming to release him from its embrace only reluctantly. He had a cold scowl on his face as he looked at the girl on the ground. "Little bitches should be seen, and not heard."

Aya smiled at him gratefully. Her eyes widened as she saw Kaesta rush at him with her clawed hands outstretched. She was about to shout a warning, but Kale was already out of the way, his arm cocked back right before he punched her in the side of the head, causing her to fall onto her side, stunned, and bleeding.

Aya smiled at him again, and saw him grin at her in return, blowing her a kiss before fading back into the shadows. She was able to barely percieve him running at high speed toward another Abyssal leading a large battalion of skeletons.

As she returned her attention to the child and Kaesta, she saw the child was lying on the ground unmoving, but Kaesta was slowly getting to her feet, looking around for the man who had struck her. Not finding him, she glared at Aya, speaking as she advanced slowly, her hips swaying from side to side as she walked. "You fight a futile and foolish fight, my errant and wayward daughter. You should have let the Malfean cleanse and strengthen you as it wished."

Aya glared back at her. She had quite a bit of time to think over what had happened during her childhood, and about how her mother had acted. She was still angry at her mother for what she did, though she understood her mother's reasons now. "Mother, you blamed yourself for father's death, thinking there was something you could have done. You stopped caring as I entered my teenage years, just waiting and hoping to die for what you thought was your crime, when you never committed any. When you got the Black Exaltation, you looked at it as a new start, doing and being who you always wanted to be, revelling in your new name and new life, and looking at who you were and the people you cared about as nothing more than a burden at best. Even I reminded you of what had happened that night on the shadowland path."

Kaesta stopped in mid-stride as Aya began speaking, and now looked at Aya, shocked. Aya kept speaking, feeling sure of herself now. "I never stopped loving you, mother. Even when you began acting like a teenager hitting her sex drive for the first time, I hated you then - but that was because I was so angry at you, not understanding how you could do that to Father's memory. I've grown older since then, and I understand now. Don't think you deserve to live surrounded by death and despair just because you think you deserve it."

Kaesta just stared at Aya, having expected anything except what she had just done. Hearing those words from her daughter; not words of anger, but of sympathy and understanding; these cut her soul to the bone. She opened her mouth a few times and closed it, trying to find the words. "I...I didn't..."

She was interrupted as seven long soulsteel blades pierced her chest, and lifted her into the air. She was flung with savage force into a wall, hitting the mortar and stone with sickening force. The child glared at her with eyes of swirling shadow. "She <b>LIES</b>, Kaesta! You are too weak to see it!"

With that, she moved her feral, shadowy gaze toward Aya, grinning cruelly. "Do you know my name, mother? I'll tell you now, before I have the indescribable pleasure of eating your flesh, your mind, and then your soul. My name is Nemilette, as I was named as a Nemesis of all that foolishly tries to cling to life! I tell you this so my name will be the last thing to go through your foolish mind before I consume you utterly."

She spread her arms outward to her sides, her fingers hardening and darkening to become blades of soulsteel. The long, black blades on her back began dripping with ichor, which ate into the ground almost gleefully as it fell. "Now, rebellious mother, the time for talking is long over!"

Nemilette rushed at Aya, closing the distance with alarming speed. Aya began to glow, sunlight coruscating all over her body and armor. Her blades began glinting strongly with the bright light, causing Nemilette to flinch at the sight, even as she kept coming with clawed hands outstretched.

Aya spun swiftly out of the way at the last second, striking upward to strike the child across the neck. Nemilette ducked, but too late; the Crissaegrim skimmed over the top of her head, scalping her. Nemilette smiled at Aya, as soulsteel spurs sprouted from the blood collecting on her head to replace the hair that had been lost.

Nemilette pounced with a piercing scream at Aya, who darted to the side swiftly, striking the blades at her back strongly enough to knock Nemilette off-balance. The shadows lifted her in the air once more, continuing to spin as she rushed at Aya once more, darting to the side with impossible speed.

Aya began to feel blood coursing down her chest from the seven deep cuts, her armor shorn completely through. She felt the ichor eating its way into her chest, feeling with sickening certainty that this was the ichor that had nearly claimed her life twice now. Even as she noticed this, she struck upwards with the wakizashi, the blade making a sizzling noise as it chopped through the child's forearm.

The blood coursing out of the child's arm coalesced into a long soulsteel spike as she flew upwards, soaring into the night in a circle to dive back down at Aya. She stood in place as Nemilette dove at her, ducking at the last moment to strike viciously upwards with the Crissaegrim. For a split second, Aya saw a tall, grim blue-skinned man with short white hair wielding a blue jade sword standing a few feet away from her, striking savagely at Nemilette as Aya's strike hit. A huge gust of wind forced the child to fly out of control and into a wall, the mortar and stone being shaken loose by the impact.

The man looked at Aya and winked with a small smile, before fading into a blue dust and being swallowed within the Crissaegrim once more. She heard the Air-Aspected general Tauron's voice in her mind. "Keep fighting as you do Aya, and we within the Crissaegrim will always watch out for you."

Aya smiled slightly even as Nemilette got up out of the rubble. She glared at Aya, and screamed primally as she was buoyed aloft by the shadows once more, rushing at Aya like a striking snake as the distance between them shrunk with alarming speed. Even as Aya was unable to get completely parry the attack, the child's blades and ichor biting deeply into her side, Aya swung the Crissaegrim and her wakizashi around and through the child's neck in opposite directions.

Nemilette's wings tore through Aya's stomach even as her head flew from her body. Aya gritted her teeth against the pain, and stabbed upward to impale the child's head on her wakizashi. To her horror, the child's eyes opened, and glared at Aya as Nemilette smiled evilly. She opened her mouth, and to Aya's horror, the child's teeth blackened and elongated out of her mouth, becoming long snakes of soulsteel, which lanced out and bit deeply into her arm. Aya began to feel dizzy and weaker as her essence was beginning to be consumed.

She looked around wildly, and saw the child's unmoving body. Struck with a sudden thought, she ran to Nemilette's body, spun the Crissaegrim around to face point down over Nemilette's body, and slammed the blade downwards with all the strength she could muster toward the child's heart. She felt a strong resistance, knowing that the child had changed her ribcage into soulsteel as well. Even so, the blade pierced the chest, and went straight into the ground below.

Nemilette's head, still impaled on the shorter of her two swords, opened her eyes wide in shock, emitting a soundless scream. The snakes made of soulsteel shuddered, and began spinning wildly, tearing loose from her arm with a spray of blood. Her body began to shudder, twitching uncontrollably on the ground, even around the sword through her heart. After a few seconds, the child's eyes closed, her body becoming still once more.

Aya collapsed onto her knees, her adrenaline draining away, allowing her to feel the pain of so many deep cuts, and the ichor fighting her body's attempts to heal itself. She panted with exertion and the pain for a few moments, and forced herself to her feet.

To her surprise, a pair of warm hands helped her gently to her feet. She looked up warily, only to see Morjin looking at her, concerned. "By Sol's grace, Aya. What happened?"

Aya smirked slightly, Kale's tendancy to throw wisecracks wearing off onto her. "Family squabble."

Morjin smiled warmly at her in return, and looked down at the child's head, still impaled on her wakizashi, and shaking his head. "Remove your blade from that...thing's head, and clean your blades if you wish. It'll take me a few moments to heal your wounds."

Aya nodded gratefully. "Thank you."

She closed her eyes as she felt the devouring ichor within her being pulled reluctantly out of her body, and coalescing into a sticky, swirling black ball in Morjin's hand. He looked at it curiously, even as he helped her body heal itself. "Same ichor, hmm? It appears that the Deathlord's retinue has a fondness for it."

Aya nodded, still breathing somewhat heavily. She looked at Kaesta's limp form, lying amongst the rubble, off to the side. "Morjin, I would like to ask of you a favor."

Morjin smiled at her as he healed the last of her wounds. "Yes, what can I do for you?"

Aya pointed with one of her swords at Kaesta's limp form. "Please, just make sure she's safe. That's my mother, and she had the same fate befall her as what happened to me. I just...want to..."

Morjin nodded understandingly. "I will do what I can, though her Essence must still have some awareness for her to have a chance of redemption, as you had."

Aya smiled, as Morjin understood perfectly. "Thank you."

Morjin chuckled quietly. "You're welcome. Now, I believe there's a battle raging outside that requires your expert attention?"

Aya smiled gratefully back to him, nodding as she took off running to join the fray of battle once more.

[rhoenix]

As she ran, Aya began shifting her vision to percieve how the battle was going on all fronts. She saw the multitudes of soulsteel-enhanced skeletons still pouring like a dark tidal wave from the shadowland surrounding Thorns even as she did so.

Golgol was fighting furiously with an Abyssal leading a huge pack of skeletons, all trying to overwhelm his battalion, and stop Gordray from interfering with the wraiths' control over the Juggernaut. The Alon-Ti fought like demons under his command, preventing the skeletons from advancing at all, despite their overwhelming numbers. Golgol himself was engaged in furious melee with the Abyssal. Most of Golgol's attacks got through the Abyssal's guard, but the Abyssal fought tenaciously back, causing Golgol to snarl, enraged.

Ken's battalion had reached Ophelia's beleaguered group, and was beginning to turn the tide. Ken had assumed his war form now, that of a huge half-man, half-jaguar. His moonsilver armor had altered itself to fit his larger form, protecting him well even as he used both his shield and his mace as weapons against the skeletons, turning them into ash as they fell swiftly, one by one. The Alon-Ti under his command were fighting in lines with his mercenaries, efficiently destroying the skeletons as they advanced slowly behind him.

Ophelia was still using her long, double-bladed halberd, twirling like a dancer as her blades spun through skeleton after skeleton. The Alon-Ti under her command were still fighting furiously, incensed that a few of their compatriots had fallen to the undead blight. Despite being overwhelmed, they were fighting with all the coldly efficient skill they had been taught, fear not even crossing their minds.

However, the Abyssal riding the warstrider was still leading the pack of huge bone and soulsteel dogs. They were swiftly reaching Golgol's group, and Aya knew those bonedogs would wreak havoc amongst the troops once they arrived. Golgol's back was to the advancing pack. Aya knew his senses were far keener than hers, but he might be lost in the fury of battle and unable to notice.

Aya focused her attention on all of Golgol's battalion. "Golgol! Another group advances behind you, leading a pack of bonedogs. Ready yourselves!"

Just as she spoke, Golgol's huge moonsilver cleaver crashed through the Abyssal he was fighting with, splitting the man in half. He quickly spun around, and growled orders to his soldiers to prepare for the Abyssal leading the bonedogs, now almost upon them. Aya gritted her teeth as she ran even faster. She left a quarter of her unit behind to defend Morjin, and the rest were following her as quickly as they could.

She could tell that the Abyssal leading the packs did not expect Golgol to leap over the heads of his soldiers to pounce on him, knocking him out of his warstrider. He howled into the man's face as his blade crashed with sickening force through him, shearing completely through. However, the bonedogs began to attack him en masse, treating him as a target. He was fighting them off as best he could, but they savagely and soundlessly bit and tore into his flesh.

Sunlight still glinting from her swords and armor, Aya reached the rear of the huge pack of bonedogs, and began to move through them, spinning and slashing furiously. Each bonedog took one or two hits from her blades to fall into ash, but they had noticed her now, and had begun to turning to face their new target.

Golgol's soldiers were fighting efficiently through the skeletons, but they began to falter when they saw the huge bone and soulsteel dogs behind them, eagerly waiting to get through. However, they saw Golgol and Aya fighting through the bonedogs, regardless of their wounds. They felt heartened once more, attacking the skeletons with renewed vigor.

Aya was constantly in motion, each parry or dodge she made leading smoothly and elegantly into an attack. A bonedog bit savagely into her right forearm, and kept trying to grind its teeth as it attempted to get through her armor. Spinning around as she dodged a pouncing bonedog, she stabbed the one hanging grimly on her forearm again and again with her shining wakizashi, each stab and slash leaving a trail of ash within the bonedog's body. Another narrowly missed biting into her ankle as she nimbly moved out of the way, and spun around for another attack. Aya ducked into a crouch, and flipped through the air to land on top of the bonedog still hanging onto her forearm, and slashed at its stomach as she landed. Finally, it collapsed into ash.

She saw that Golgol had slain or flung all the bonedogs off of him, and attacked them in return as he snarled angrily. He fought savagely as he bit them with his huge jaws, slashed at them with his large left clawed hand, surrounded by a ghostly blue vapor, or his huge moonsilver cleaver. Aya's unit had reached the fray now, and had begun attacking along with her.

In what seemed like an hour, the last of the bonedogs had been slain, and half the skeletons as well. Aya nodded at Golgol as their eyes met, both breathing too heavily to speak with any clarity. He nodded back before turning and helping his soldiers destroy the remaining skeletons.

Aya's heart sank as she spotted Greta, Hurricane's Last Raindrop. She was the machinator of all these bone and soulsteel abominations, and now she had appeared on the battlefield, flanked by her many strange creations as she cried out to the sky above. Aya knew she had begun casting a powerful spell that only those who knew Oblivion intimately could cast, and she needed to be stopped before it was completed.

"Kale! Come help me!" she cried, as she began running at high speed toward the Abyssal sorceress. She ran as fast as she could, knowing that no matter what spell Greta was casting, it couldn't bode well for anyone who wasn't Abyssal or already dead.

"Way ahead of ya, babe," Kale called from right beside her, running with her. Aya looked at him in shock, as he had not escaped his many fights unscathed. He was bleeding from multiple cuts on his chest and arms, and a deep one above his left eyebrow. He didn't appear to notice as he ran, eyes focused on the Abyssal sorceress, who had stitches in the skin of her scalp instead of hair. Kale looked at Aya, who nodded. He ran a bit faster to pass her up by only a pace or two, and raced right through her surprised guards, punching the woman in the stomach as hard as he could with his right clawed fist before darting swiftly to the side.

The breath left her body with a loud gasp as she doubled over. Looking up, her eyes widened as she saw Aya running at high speed at her, with the long katana in her left hand already swinging toward her neck. She was unable to move out of the way as Aya's Crissaegrim slashed upward through her neck a split-second later.

Together, Kale and Aya fought furiously against the bone caterpillars and her other strange creations of soulsteel and bone. Aya was attacking one of the bone caterpillars, spinning around it as each slice of one of her blades turned a segment into ash as it rapidly began to lose its huge size. Kale was about to strike a strange, hunched over skeleton with a human face, its skin drawn tightly over the bones of its skull. It looked at him with wide, staring eyes before speaking. "Kale?"

Kale's fist stopped in mid-air, surprised. "Who the hell are you?"

It seemed grateful that he stopped, speaking with a strange, strangled voice. "Don't ye recognize me, lad? Nay, I s'pose not. Its me, Drannid!"

Kale's eyes opened wide at the news. The only thing partially recognizable of his father's old friend was his skeletal structure and face. "Hold on, Drannid. Don't move!"

Kale raced off toward another strange creation, he and Aya rapidly demolishing Greta's former guard. After a few minutes of hard fighting, they both walked back toward the hunched-over husk of Drannid's former self, eyeing him warily. Drannid seemed to smile as best he could with a lipless mouth as he saw both of them walking back toward him. "Lass, I'm glad tae see ye're well. Takin' good care o' t'lad, ah hope?"

Aya looked askance at him, looking him up and down before nodding. "I do the best I can. When were you taken?"

Drannid looked downcast. "A lo' of t'Immaculate troops went back 'ome one day, leavin' only a small retinue be'ind. T'undead came that very night, takin' as many o' t'people as they could afore they was driven off by t'remainin' troops. Ah...Ah was one o' them." He looked up at Aya. "Them Abyssals is a heartless bunch, Ah can tell ye that."

Aya nodded, her face crestfallen as she looked at Kale. Kale nodded decisively before speaking. "Follow me, Drannid. I don't know if you can be saved, but I know someone who will damn well try."

Drannid nodded solemnly. "Ach, it's nae big loss if'n ye can't. Ah've had many long years." He smiled as best he could, his stretched face looking rueful. "It were mah time tae go, anyhow."

Aya smiled sadly at him. "Even so, don't give up hope just yet. Not until it's time."

The strange creature they now knew to be Drannid smiled another strange, lipless rueful smile. "Tae be 'onest, lass, Ah'd already given up 'ope. Ah'm not expectin' nothin now."

Aya looked at the man with a sad smile. "Even so, never give up hope, Drannid. I'm sorry I can't stay longer, but I need to help the troops finish this battle."

Drannid let a wheezing, dry chuckle escape his lipless mouth. "Ye weren't kiddin' about them callouses on yer hands, were ye lass?"

Aya just smiled at him broadly before turning to look at Kale, a soft look entering her eyes. She kissed Kale tenderly before she left, both of them thinking the same thing as they looked into one another's eyes. If they died tonight, if they died soon, they both loved one another fiercely, and had been happier with one another than they'd ever been. She gently touched his face before kissing him once more, earning her a smile before she ran off to rejoin the fray. Kale smiled after her as she left, watching her run somewhat sadly before leading Drannid back to the ruined town.

Drannid shook his head as he watched Aya race off toward the battle once more, and begin turning a group of skeletons into ash with cold efficiency, one by one swiftly as she went. "Aye, she's a bonny lass, alright. Ah can see why ye love 'er."

Kale smiled, but didn't say anything as he led Drannid toward the town. Drannid followed Kale in a strange, hopping gait as they moved at a slow jog back to the town proper, which surprisingly was still mostly free of the fighting. They saw Morjin slowly and tenderly wrapping Kaesta in a warm blanket, before gently picking her up and walking out of the town. He stopped as he saw Kale walking toward him, followed by the strange creature. He smiled curiously at the sight. "Hello again, Kale. Who's your companion?"

Drannid smiled another lipless smile as he saw who had spoken. "Greetin's tae ye, Morjin. Ye got any o' that tea ye bought from Ayodha?"

Morjin's eyes widened as he heard the man's voice. "By all that's holy, Drannid! Is that you?"

The former man nodded jerkily. "Aye, what's left o' me, anyway."

Kale looked off to the left, where he had seen that...weird undead evil child laying only an hour before. "Hey Morjin? Whatever happened to that evil girl?"

Morjin turned to look, surprised. "I don't know! She was dead as far as I knew, and I didn't look at her much after I started tending to this woman's wounds. I didn't see anyone come to take her corpse or her head."

Kale shook his head. "This can't be good."

Morjin shook his head, looking shocked. "Alright, there's little time for discussion now, I'm afraid. Another wave of the Deathlord's retinue will arrive any minute now. Drannid, follow me. I'll bring you and the lady here to safety."

Kale smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Morjin. I'm in your debt."

Morjin smiled at her warmly. "Oh no, we all owe Aya a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. For what she's done, and what she's become."

Kale looked at Morjin, somewhat confused, as he and Drannid walked quickly but calmly away. He grumbled as he saw that even more skeletons were pouring out of the shadowland surrounding the fallen city. Was there no end to these things?

Kale shook his head as he began re-invoking the rotes that would hide him from the presence of others. Without warning, he was flung at least twenty yards, skidding to a stop on the hard ground. He got up slowly and painfully as he looked behind him. He shuddered as he saw the huge being, the same Abyssal that had tried to stop him when he rescued Aya from the Malfean's tomb.

It was purple with all the blood being forced close to its skin, breathing loudly and angrily at him. This huge being was likely the first Abyssal ever made, and normally guarded the Malfean's tomb, as it was completely under its control, or so Kale had thought. What was this strange being doing here?

Kale felt his ribs creaking as he got to his feet. As he glared at the huge being, he saw a slow look of recognition cross its features right before it roared angrily. Oh yes, it appeared to remember him just fine. It charged at him, the ground shaking with each step. Kale smiled grimly as it bore down on him with its huge arms outstretched, hands the size of small tables opening toward him. "Hey fatass, glad to see you remember me! How about I give you a scar to remember me by?"

The huge being snarled loudly as it neared Kale. It reached both arms back, and shot them forward at a shocking rate of speed to grab Kale, but Kale was no longer there. He channeled his essence into The Claw of the Hunter, a huge phantasmal tiger's outstretched paw superimposed on top of his own fist as he struck the thing in the hip as hard as he could.

The smell of burnt flesh reached his nose before the thing roared in pain, whirling around to face Kale, who was now grinning. It swung a huge arm toward him, which Kale dodged. The huge being threw a fast jab at Kale with its other arm, which Kale couldn't quite dodge in time, flying backwards twenty yards from the hit. Kale felt his ribs, which grated against each other agonizingly.

Out of the shadowland he saw a large battalion of skeletons posessed by wraiths, each had its bones plated in soulsteel like the others here, but also wearing heavy soulsteel plate armor. Half of the armored skeletons carried bows, and began nocking them as they surrounded the huge Abyssal swiftly. The rest of them carried either swords and shields, or long spears, surrounding the archers with military precision.

The huge Abyssal was breathing louder, its constant unending anger growing more fierce. It raised a huge arm, and pointed at Kale, yelling "KILL!" in a rumbling, dusty voice. The archers all aimed at Kale, who cursed, looking wildly for a place to hide.

Kale cursed again as he dove behind some of the walls left of the town right as the arrows were loosed, wincing in agony as he landed on some of his broken ribs. He knew the Mask of Winters would pull out all the stops necessary to fight them, but he never knew he'd be able to get this sort of help. He heard arrows peppering the wall he was leaning against as he panted painfully for breath, one of his hands holding his ribs as he painfully tried to stand. Kale clenched his jaw to prevent himself from crying out in pain. He heard the armored posessed skeletons marching toward him, the ground shaking as they walked with each step in unison toward where he hid.

He smiled grimly. If this huge Abyssal was joining the fray, then the Mask of Winters must be worried, at the very least. This made Kale feel a little better, despite his ribs screaming their torment at him as he tried to find a place to hide.

Kale darted through the ruins of Thorns, holding his ribs and gritting his teeth against the pain as he went. He could hear the possessed skeletons still marching after him as he ran, though the sound grew fainter as he began putting distance between himself and them. He smiled slightly through his pain as sounds of the huge Abyssal's limping footsteps grew fainter in the distance.

He found a hidden alcove with a small exit he could dart through if needs be, and leaned his back against the cool stone as he panted, wincing painfully with each breath. He shook his head slightly, as some blood fell across his vision. He thought that Harmony of Stones hit hard, but the ursine Lunar had nothing on this great purple Abyssal. Kale took shallow breaths as he held his broken ribs.

Meanwhile, Aya, Golgol, Ken, and Ophelia's battalions had nearly finished demolishing the skeletons. Though the soulsteel that encased their bones made them stronger and more resilient, they were now mostly so much ash. All Alon-Ti, mercenaries, and the Exalted amongst their ranks fought with grim certainty now, as they scented victory within their grasp.

All of them heard a roar that shook the ground heavily coming from the gigantic Juggernaut, as it shuddered. Those able to see the incorporeal began to see the puppeteer wraiths begin to flee the huge beast, causing it to shudder as their collective control over it was relinquished. Gordray began shouting to the sky, forcing the others to leave as well.

Though many of the force were wounded in one way or another, they all began cheering as the huge being shuddered. Their cheering abruptly ceased as the huge being's skin began peeling back, revealing its skeleton and withered internal organs, with massive maggots within looking sightlessly around, and turning to face the battalions. The maggots made squeaking and squealing noises as they began crawling toward the units.

At the same time, a low rumbling began to make itself heard, growing louder and louder still with its intensity. The loud rumbling resolving into four Abyssals riding warstriders coming out of the shadowland, leading four large battalions of armored skeletons. All these skeletons had their bones encased in soulsteel. Everone could tell these skeletons were not like the rest, as they marched with military efficiency, the ground shaking with each collective marching step.

The Abyssals split into four separate units, the battalions of posessed skeletons following with perfect precision. They came to a halt two hundred yards away from the units Ken, Ophelia, Golgol, and Aya led, and seemed to smile behind their helmets as all their eyes began glowing a sickly bluish color. In the ensuing silence, the soft moaning of many tortured souls floated and crawled through the air from the soulsteel arms they wore.

"Split and form ranks," Aya said in a normal voice, though her command was carried to the ears of the other three battalions' ears. Some of the Alon-Ti were shocked by the sight of the maggots and Abyssals coming toward them, but snapped out of their shock swiftly as her command made itself heard. They formed into their regular four battalions, with the captain of each in front.

Golgol roared out, his loud wolvish voice forming into human words all the Alon-Ti and mercenaries heard. "They're scraping the bottom of the creekbed now! Beat them until they stop moving!" The former barbarians and present Alon-Ti yelled out their battlecries in response.

Ophelia called out, her slightly lilting voice nonetheless carrying authority and assuredness. "We break their ranks and cut them down once they charge! Naginatas ready!" All Alon-Ti under her command sheathed their katanas smoothly, and unstrapped their long-poled curving halberds if they hadn't already. "Hai!" They answered in one voice.

Ken, in his large hybrid jaguar and man form was as tall and large as Golgol was. With a loud snarling yell, he roared out. "These things bring nothing but decay, and must be cut down! We break them all!" All his Alon-Ti soldiers and mercenaries shouted out their agreement, yelling "Hai!" in a single voice, with the mercenaries yelling out their support as well.

Aya was about to yell out to rally her troops, when she saw the four Abyssals on warstriders were trotting toward them, leaving their battalions behind. They came to a silent halt about twenty yards away from the Alon-Ti battalions, and stayed there for a few moments, unmoving, and unspeaking.

One of them called out to their group in a rasping, grating voice. "We wish to parley."

Aya called out strongly, her voice gaining strength and power as she did. "State your piece!"

The same one seemed to smile, as its glowing eyes became half-lidded behind its helmet. "Leave your troops here for us to devour, and you and your commanders may go free. We will leave the surface town of Thorns in peace."

Ken was about to glare at Aya, anticipating her response, but was somewhat surprised as Aya yelled out her response immediately. "Your terms are not acceptable! We bring forth a counter-offer!"

This seemed to surprise the Abyssal who spoke. "Speak your terms, living one."

Aya seemed to smile grimly as she replied. "Send out the Mask of Winters, and get on your knees in front of your troops. We will give you honorable deaths in return!"

The Abyssal let forth a wheezing, dry laugh. "Your arrogance will be your undoing, living one. Had you kept your old power intact, turncoat, we might be afraid of you. You gave all that up for a foolish pipe dream, instead of fulfilling your destiny as you should have!"

The Abyssal laughed louder, and the other three joined in the discordant sound, before stopping abruptly. "What is it you want, Solar?"

Aya narrowed her black eyebrows as she glared at them before yelling back, her voice echoing. "I want to see the Mask of Winters slain, all he holds destroyed, and all those who follow him irrevokably dead!"

The Abyssals were silent for a few moments, stunned. They laughed as one once more, the discordant noise putting everyone's nerves on edge. The one who spoke before spoke again as all four went silent. "The Mask of Winters cannot be slain, fool!"

Ken growled out, but before he could put his anger into words, Aya yelled out once more. "Send him out once you and your pathetic battalions fall, and we shall see!"

The Abyssals laughed once more, and Aya didn't wait for another response. Despite her voice carrying to all the troops under her command, she yelled "CHARGE!," and began running at the Abyssals.

The commanders and their battalions of Alon-Ti surged forward like an unstoppable tide, hearing the Abyssal's laughter abruptly cease as they raised their blades at the same time, the skeleton warriors charging behind them. However, they were far nearer to the Alon-Ti forces than their skeletons were, and the four commanders of the Alon-Ti would reach them swiftly.

Ophelia whipped out her firewand and fired in one smooth motion, a shuddering crack rending the air. A split second later, the Abyssal on the far left warstrider was engulfed in an explosion of azure and yellow. Everyone heard a bubbling scream as the Abyssal got out of the warstrider with the explosion not abating in the least, and begin running wildly in search of something to smother the flames. The fires consumed the Abyssal before it ran more than a few paces, and it fell onto the ground, unmoving.

The Abyssals charged at them on their warstriders, hoping to run them down. They weren't prepared for Golgol and Ken leaping mightily in the air to knock two of them out of their warstriders, and Aya to cut the legs out from underneath the last one.

As she was fighting with the Abyssal who was spoken, parrying and counterattacking furiously, she called out to Ophelia's battalion. "Ophelia, take your battalion and destroy the maggots while we take down the rest! Go!"

Swiftly, Ophelia charged with her battalion in tow toward the huge, crawling maggots, now crawling faster as they scented living flesh.

The Abyssal Aya fought was attacking furiously with its long, wide-bladed spear, and blocking most of her savage strikes with its shield, but strike after strike got through his defenses. It tried to strike out with his shield at her, hoping to knock Aya to the ground, but was rewarded instead with her wakizashi slashing through his arm. Its shield fell with a clatter to the ground. It stabbed out, but Aya sput swiftly to the side to stab him through the neck with her wakizashi, the Crissaegrim sweeping across her other blade to take his head a second later.

As she saw the Alon-ti continuing their charge and beginning to fight the armored skeletons, she saw that Ken and Golgol were still fighting furiously with the Abyssals they had dismounted. Their fighting was savage, but she could tell both Lunars had the upper hand. Golgol's huge moonsilver cleaver crashed all the way lengthwise through one just as Ken smashed the head clean off the other with his mace, its head flying far enough to knock down a skeleton warrior in the distance.

Aya called quickly to them. "The Alon-Ti have the skeletons in hand! We must help Ophelia, or the maggots will devour her soldiers!"

Both growled ferally as they nodded once, and raced with her toward Ophelia's battle with the maggots. A few Alon-Ti were already absent, the maggots noisily devouring them, uncaring of their armor. Golgol sliced the back end of a maggot, and pulled out an Alon-Ti soldier with his other hand, who gasped as she was able to taste air once more. She gasped her thanks, but Golgol was already attacking the next maggot.

Aya carefully sliced a few maggots trying to digest soldiers in half, rescuing the soldiers inside before she rushed onto the next one. The Alon-Ti were fighting as if they were posessed now, coldly enraged that their compatriots were being devoured by these huge things.

Within minutes, all the maggots were dead, though a few of the Alon-Ti had been devoured by the maggots before they could be rescued. They looked to the battle a little ways away, and saw that though the Alon-Ti and the mercenaries with them were slowly winning the battle, they had taken a few losses. Ken, Ophelia, Golgol, and Aya looked at one another, and nodded. Together, they led Ophelia's battalion toward the still-raging melee.

[rhoenix]

The Mask of Winters paced his inner chambers, glaring at the side wall. This side wall was where he kept all his Essence Traps, used to hold Abyssal (and sometimes Solar) Essences until he was ready to use them to give a worthy servant the Black Exaltation.

Yesterday evening, they were all empty. He received news of a swift strike that had begun upon Thorns, and he had watched with growing surprise as the Essence Traps began to fill up, one by one. He looked at them more closely, and saw that only three were empty now, of the ten he had total. He narrowed his eyes behind his mask, even as he almost absent-mindedly cast the necromantic spells to reanimate the soulsteel-enhanced skeletons brought back into his realm. They had nearly gathered again, and were preparing to rejoin the battle in the world above.

A wraith glided into his throne room, and awaited his audience. He sighed in slight annoyance at the sight, and floated out to his throne room, seating himself comfortably on his throne. He bade the wraith to speak after a few moments.

The wraith looked agitated and slightly frightened. "Sire, the Juggernaut has just been purged! All the puppeteer wraiths have been forced out!"

The Mask of Winters narrowed his eyes. "Do you take me for a fool, wraith? Do I not see all?"

The wraith looked nervous, now. "Sire, I meant no offense; I just came to tell you as I saw the others being forced out, as I was."

The Mask of Winters smiled. "So you were the first to be exorcised from controlling the Juggernaut, is that correct?"

The wraith, not suspecting anything, nodded. "Yes, sire. I came to tell you right after it happened; the others were purged shortly after me."

The Mask of Winters got up leisurely from his chair, and floated calmly and seemingly aimlessly around his throne room, coming closer to the hapless wraith little by little. "What else can you tell me about this battle that you suspect escapes my notice?"

If the wraith were still alive, it would have swallowed to show its nervousness. Instead, its corpus shifted slightly, becoming less solid. "The only force of yours still intact now is that led by Ennuos."

The Mask of Winters suddenly had the wraith clenched in his hands, crushing the wraith's corpus into a small sphere. The wraith made an echoing moan of surprise and pain. The Mask of Winters kept his temper with the stupid wraith with great difficulty. "I'm not asking you for your opinions, as obviously your miniscule mind is incapable of knowing that I'll simply return the fallen troops to the battlefield, as I did not half an hour ago. I asked you for any news you thought me unaware of. I'm going to ask you once more, politely. I shall not ask you quite so politely again. Is there any news you think I'm unaware of?"

The wraith's voice was muffled from being compressed within his hands into a formless sphere of corpus, but managed to respond. "The renegade Rosethorne leads the living forces, Sire. She is not the only Exalted amongst their ranks; I saw at least three, perhaps four Solars - one of which was the one who exorcised us from controlling the Juggernaut. There appears to be two Lunars, with a few Dragon-Blooded mercenaries; the rest are just unExalted humans."

The Mask of Winters began squishing the wraith's essence in his cold hands, to spill out the other side of his hand. The wraith's corpus fell liquidly into his other hand, and The Mask of Winters began the process over again. "Yes, I saw. However, she is no longer a Child of the Abyss, is she?"

The wraith answered with a pained voice. "No, Sire. I suspect her to be a Solar now, though I am unsure."

The Mask of Winters threw the wraith's compressed and congealed corpus on the floor, forming a small, slow-moving puddle of blackness. "You will remain there until I order you to resume your shape."

The wraith's voice was clearer now, though it stayed a puddle of ghostly form on the floor of his throne room. "Yes, Sire."

The Mask of Winters began floating back and forth in his throne room, thinking out loud. "So, the Dark Destiny that awaited us all is now incomplete, or wrong. Had she stayed on her rightful path, she would have assumed her rightful place amongst our ranks as a Deathlord, though still deferential to me, as her first Lord. Now, she appears to have thrown away her own destiny. It appears that stronger measures are required now, as the only Abyssals that remain alive are Kaesta, Noro, and my dearest daughter. My disgusting and stupid servant, go fetch Nemilette."

The wraith was about to reform into the shape it felt comfortable as its Sire spoke half to himself, but managed to stop itself before it aroused its Lord's ire. "At once, Sire."

The Mask of Winters waited patiently for a few minutes, rewarded soon by the sound of skipping feet as Nemilette entered the throne room, getting down on one knee before her father once she reached his throne, as was proper. "Hi, Daddy!"

The Mask of Winters smiled paternally behind his mask, noticing the small black puddle of wraithly form on the floor by his daughter. "Hello, my daughter. How is the war going above?"

Nemilette frowned. "Mother killed me, twice now. It really hurts to reform myself after she does, Daddy. Where she hit me still burns terribly."

The smile left the Mask of Winters' face. "Daughter, I demand obedience. Obedience shows that you love your father. Cut your wrist and bleed for your father, to show him you still love him."

Nemilette smiled at him as she cut her small wrist. "Of course I love you, Daddy. I'll show it to you." A few small crimson drops fell onto the floor below.

He smiled once again, looking at his daugher. So eager to prove her love for him, as was proper. Soon, he'd have more just like her, all eagerly waiting to do his bidding. "So, I asked you a question, poppet. How goes the war above?"

Nemilette smiled again, her eyes turning black as she did. "A few of their soldiers have fallen, but something prevents our necromancers from turning them into wraiths. Your armies are falling. May I lead the stronger forces, father?"

The Mask of Winters smiled again, paternally. "No, my poppet. You will accompany me to the world above, so that this may be settled properly. It appears I can't trust anyone else with such a simple task of fending off a few weak living beings."

He turned his head to the wraith, still trembling slightly in the form of a puddle of wraithly corpus on the floor. "Servant, you may awaken the Defiler."

The wraith trembled noticably on the floor. "Sire...the Defiler is always hungry when it wakes!"

His eyebrows narrowed behind his mask. "If you are too slow to escape its jaws, then you are assuredly too weak to remain in my service. You have my permission to resume your normal shape, if you feel it helps you. Go."

The wraith reformed into its natural shape, that of a small boy carrying a lantern shedding black light. It nodded nervously, floating off through the corridors that led downward, deep into the bowels of the castle.

The Mask of Winters returned his attention to his daughter. What a truly magnificent being, he'd found. A small chamber hidden behind many rock faces in the world above housed an old laboratory from the First Age, containing a single living being that could alter its form as a wraith could. The means were far different, though the effects were the same. After been given a portion of his own essence and the Black Exaltatation, this magnificent being was now his daughter.

She couldn't fully die unless he did, now. Her being was unfamiliar to him, unfortunately. Most of the documents and such from the laboratory had been destroyed, forcing him to use only his extensive knowledge of the occult to figure out what this being was. He found her as an embryo in a glass chamber. He chose her form by giving it some of Rosethorne's blood along with his own, and it had formed before his eyes into a little girl that looked like a combination of the two of them, aging rapidly to between nine and twelve years of age. Her aging had stopped there, for some reason, not aging a day physically for the past five years, though she had been everything he had ever dared hope a real Abyssal servant of his should be.

He'd lied to her about her origins, of course; no need to let her know her past just yet. Besides, it made her hate the renegade, which was useful. Besides, she was technically, by virtue of magic, Rosethorne's daughter.

His daughter, Nemilette was smiling at him, now used to him losing himself in thought. He smiled at her once again before speaking. "Come with your father to go see if the Defiler is ready yet."

Nemilette bounced up and down with undisguised glee. "And you said I may come with you to hurt the stupid surface folk more, father. May I? Please?"

He smiled once again at her enthusiasm. "Of course you may, my poppet."

The went down the corridors and passageways of the castle together, stopping in the dark, huge chamber where the Defiler was kept. They heard echoing screams as something huge devoured the wraith sent to awaken it. The screams were silent after a few moments. They saw the huge being in the shadows, further back in the chamber had turned its baleful attention toward them.

The Mask of Winters floated forward. "Hello, my beautiful creation. Come pay your respects to your artificer."

The thing floated out of the darker shadows of the huge room, being semi-visible now. It screamed at them, an unearthly, angry sound which would have shattered the eardrums of all the living within the room. The Mask of Winters, not being alive, barely noticed. Nemilette's ears began to bleed, though she didn't show her pain in any other way than clenching her fists.

It moved a little closer, in sinuous movements. It sounded as if it were sniffing the air around the two new intruders. Its body was roughly humanoid, apart from the two huge wings made of pure shadow folded on its back. Its long neck ended in a predatory skull that resembled a huge human skull, apart from the large fangs. Its eyes glowed a baleful blood red color as it looked at the child and its maker. It growled at them now, a sound that made the entire chamber shake.

The Mask of Winters raised his voice slightly. "Don't take that tone with your master. You will show me respect, or I will show you the many meanings I've attached to the definition of 'pain' over the years."

The thing moved closer, on all fours now as it moved gracefully around them in the chamber, its huge limbs making no noise as they stepped against the rocky floor. Finally, it sat ten feet away from where the Mask of Winters stood, its tail still swishing from side to side in anger.

The Mask of Winters smiled at this behind his mask. "Excellent, my creation. I have need of your hunger and your strength once more. You may devour the bodies and souls of many in exchange for doing my bidding."

The thing sat back slightly, looking vaguely catlike in the darkness as it looked down at the Mask of Winters. It licked its skinless mouth with a long tongue made of pure shadow.

"Do you accede to my wishes, my creation?" The Mask of Winters didn't like having to bargain in any way with anything he had created himself. He began to feel that his skills were too great now, as many of his creations were willful as well as intelligent.

The huge, shadowy being sat back further, balancing on its tail. It spread its forearms to its sides in midair, perpendicular to its body as its chest creaked, now opening lengthwise to reveal tangible darkness within.

The Mask of Winters floated into the chest of the Defiler, and dispersed his body into his creation, submerging its will beneath his own. This being was now his body, and he remembered now why he had made such a thing, and only one of them. The chest cavity closed by his will, and he stood on his hind legs, looking down from a great distance to Nemilette, far below him now.

He spoke in an unearthly, silken voice from within the Defiler. "Daughter, go gather my Bale Wolves, and find the animating wraiths best suited to ride them. Meet me back down here with haste."

The girl bowed to him, slicing her wrist in supplication to him. "Yes, father. I shall return in no time at all." She ran off eagerly.

Her absence gave him time to get used to animating this huge creation once again. He got the idea from their standard warstriders, in creating a suit of armor by the same methods. Unfortunately, he didn't trust anyone but himself to control such a thing, as the strength and speed of this thing were shocking. His paranoia had overridden his thirst for conquest in this instance.

Within only a few minutes, Nemilette had returned to the Defiler's Chamber, followed by a group of huge, twisted-looking wolves made of soulsteel and bone, running in formation. He stood on his hind legs now, to behold all of them standing below him. "Welcome, my minions. Arm yourselves properly, for we will finish what hapless skeletons cannot."

The dogs nodded once to him, bowing slowly as they did before rushing back down the way they had come. Nemilette looked nervous or bored as she paced. The Mask of Winters said nothing about this; it would be good for her to learn patience.

In a few more minutes, the Bale Wolves returned, wearing heavy armor around their huge forms. Their armor had long, bladed spikes covering their entire bodies, as well as accentuating the claws on their feet, and the fangs in their mouths. They were the perfect pinnacle of predatory form, just as the Defiler was the epitome of humanoid predatory form. He smiled to himself, the Defiler's mouthbones stretching into a ghastly parody of a smile as he did.

He looked down at his daughter. "Poppet, show your power."

Nemilette allowed the bones of her spine and ribcage to reform and stretch out of her back to become large, bladed wings once again. Her body lengthened, growing thinner as she nearly doubled in height. Her arms lengthened as well, her hands stretching and lengthening to form long, prehensile bladed hands. She chuckled ominously.

The Mask of Winters extended a strand of his essence toward her, lifting her into the air. She was now tethered to him so that she couldn't fly off without his supervision, and would be useful in the fight ahead. She giggled as she flitted above his head, attached to him like a kite.

Growing used to this predatory creation's instincts, he roared out in the darkness of this chamber before speaking to them all. "Gather, my children, my minions! We taste the flesh of the living tonight!"

Now on all fours, he raced through the twisting, winding chambers to the plains outside of his castle, and toward the nearby shadowland that surrounded Thorns. The Bale Wolves were right behind him, howling their eagerness and hunger to the black sky above them.

If the renegade wished to see him, then see him she shall. As he burst through the shadowland to the surface world, he screamed his eagerness to devour her being to the night sky above, the Bale Wolves howling in counterpoint to his scream. If the living dared to try interfering with the plans of the dead, then dead they shall become, under their new masters.

[rhoenix]

Getting to his feet painfully, Kale grabbed his ribs to ease the pain somewhat. To his surprise, he was helped to his feet. He looked up, and saw Morjin helping him, and looking worried. "Stand upright, and lean against the wall, Kale. Please hurry, there isn't much time."

Kale nodded, and leaned against the wall. Morjin placed his hands on Kale's sides, and Kale felt his ribs re-aligning audibly. Morjin healed a few of the other deep cuts and bruises Kale had, and finally nodded in satisfaction before looking gravely into his eyes. "Kale, I will destroy most of the great Abyssal's skeletons, but you must destroy the rest. You must also destroy the great Abyssal himself, and do so with alacrity. It is urgent that you do so, for the shadowland trembles with anticipation. Something of nightmare and shadow will emerge soon."

Looking rather taken aback, Kale just nodded at first. "Yeah. What is this thing that's coming?"

Morjin looked back at Kale, looking more grim than he'd ever seen. "The Lord of the Underworld kingdom below has heard Aya's challenge, and even now prepares to answer it. You will be needed, but it is imperative that you destroy the great Abyssal before the Deathlord manifests. Do you understand?"

Looking a bit more taken aback at first, Kale then nodded, clenching his jaw once. "I hope you'll explain why after this is all done. But yeah, that fatass and I have a score to settle anyway."

Morjin nodded with a grave smile. "Good. Be swift, and join the battalions on the battlefield immediately after you finish."

Kale gave him a lopsided grin. "What, miss my chance at kicking his pale undead ass, after knowing he was the one responsible for my parents' deaths? Not a chance!"

Morjin smiled a bit more widely as he watched Kale dart off, back toward the great Abyssal. He closed his eyes, and felt the world around him trembling slightly, like the calm before the great storm. Taking a deep breath, he climbed as high as he could amongst the ruins of Thorns.

Kale heard the echoing, hollow marching footsteps of the skeletons under the huge Abyssal's command soon. He ducked into the shadows, and began recasting the rotes that would help him in battle. Stealth was useless, now. He closed his eyes as he began drawing on the strength of the river and ocean nearby, the trees in the distance, and from the slow heartbeat of the earth itself, and drawing the essence of these good and pure things to power the rotes he cast. His claws began glowing a soft yellowish-white. He felt his skin hardening, and growing more supple at the same time. His own body felt slightly less substantial, and more graceful.

As he opened his eyes once more, he wasn't all that surprised to see the light from his Caste Mark illuminating the area around him somewhat. He also saw insubstantial swirls of dark purple of the evening horizon around him, mixing with the deep blue of the night sky, the reddish color of the sunset, with the subtle weaving streams of yellow that bound all the colors together as those caused by the sun.

He began running toward the marching footsteps, only to hear a single muffled explosion, like one would hear from a furnace that lit explosively. The sound of falling metal followed immediately afterward, making him smile. He rounded the corner in full sprint, seeing a large pile of ash, mixed with soulsteel weapons and armor. There was a small group of skeletons left, spread apart now after seeing many of their fellows turned into ash from standing so close together when the explosion hit. The huge Abyssal was limping his way to follow, his good leg hitting the ground with a shuddering boom each time he took a step.

Deciding that time was of the essence, Kale darted out, running at the skeletons like a racing fire. The first exploded into ash after his razor-clawed fist impacted its jawbone, another one following suit after a strike at the neck with his other fist. The others now began attacking. Their movements seemed to be moving in slow motion, as if they were attacking underwater. Kale was careful not to become cocky at this, but took heavy advantage of the differences in speed all the same.

As the huge Abyssal neared, Kale felled the twelfth and last skeleton with a savage uppercut to the jaw, ash falling over his clothes immediately afterward. The Abyssal looked at Kale, and looked at the piles of ash littering the ground around him. The great overly-musclebound Abyssal roared in rage at Kale, limping swiftly at him.

Kale thought furiously as he began moving. He hid a grim smile as he thought of an excellent idea. He led the angered Abyssal after him in a wide circle, moving always to his left. Not suspecting, the Abyssal followed him, almost dragging his bad leg in his haste. Kale tightened the circle little by little, pretending to become tired as he slowed down somewhat. The Abyssal reached at him with arms the size of treetrunks, eagerly waiting for Kale to slow down just a little more.

It was then that Kale suddenly spun to his right, channeling his essence into his fist as he punched the tall Abyssal in his undamaged hip as hard as he could, the phantasmal tiger's paw appearing over his own fist as he struck. The smell of burnt flesh and blood met Kale's nostrils as the Abyssal became far more unsteady, roaring in pain as both his hips were now grievously damaged. The Abyssal collapsed onto his great knees, which Kale quickly took advantage of, aiming for the Abyssal's throat with his right arm cocked back as the Silver Horn began to glow.

The Abyssal made a strangled noise, holding his throat with one hugely mis-proportioned hand as he did. Kale ran around behind him, and aimed another strong punch to the back of the neck. The Abyssal began to sway after the blow was struck, falling onto his stomach with a shuddering crash. Kale yelled down at the huge being whose blood made his skin purple. "That's for trying to stop me from rescuing my fiancee, and for having me shot!"

Smiling grimly, Kale began jogging toward the plains surrounding Thorns, and then moving at a flat run, the landscape moving past him swiftly. The air was getting colder now, the clouds covering more of the night sky, making the night-time landscape eerie, and seeming more insubstantial. A cold mist began to form with ghostly wisps of vapor over the ground. Kale ran faster, knowing within the depths of his being that something terrible was imminent.

He reached the battalions, seeing the last of the formerly uncountable skeleton army being cut down. Aya looked at him with surprise, looking down at his bloody hands, and at his clothes, now covered in ash and blood. He just smirked at her, feeling smug now, despite his growing unease. "Sorry I'm late, gorgeous. Did I miss the fun?"

She shook her head at him, smiling softly. "No, I get the feeling you arrived just in time. Have you seen the mist, and noticed that it's becoming colder, and darker outside?"

Kale's smug smile disappeared in an instant as he nodded. "Yeah; Morjin told me that the Deathlord is coming soon. I think he just likes making a dramatic entrance."

Aya's eyebrows rose at this. "So, he heard my challenge after all." She smiled grimly. "A good thing, too. Being late for one's funeral is rather rude."

Kale heard Golgol chuckling roughly at this, and a few others as well. He saw a group of Alon-Ti marching back to their places in the battalions, having finished off their opponents. The overall attitude was smugness, despite many of them looking rather tired from all the furious fighting that had been done tonight. No more rumbling of many undead feet was heard, and ash surrounded them on all sides. The once-mighty Juggernaut was now nothing more than a huge, decaying lump of very dead, unmoving flesh.

He heard some of the soldiers and mercenaries joking with each other quietly about the battles, but Kale also noticed that Golgol, Aya, Ophelia, and Ken were looking keenly into the night air around them, all of them looking wary.

Ken sniffed the air, using the keen senses of a big cat in his large, half-jaguar and half-man shape. He growled, the sounds of a deep-voiced jaguar forming into the words of men. "The scent of death and decay grows stronger."

Ophelia gripped her double-ended halberd more tightly as she looked around. "I feel dark essence being gathered. The balance of the living and dead essence in this place is silently tipping back toward death."

Golgol nodded, using the keen senses of a wolf to feel the world around him. He growled suddenly, baring his teeth in the darkness as he looked intently in one direction. "Something comes!"

Aya immediately called out commands to the entire gathered army, her words silencing the ones joking in an instant. "Ready yourselves!"

A loud, deep, and angry scream was faintly heard, as if at a great distance. It grew louder, and louder still, the screaming now being complemented by the baying of huge hounds scenting their prey. Everyone gathered winced as the scream began to be loud enough to hurt their ears, the sound not abating in the least.

A huge, dark shape suddenly flew straight upward, and out of the shadowland, flying on even larger wings that appeared to be made of pure shadow. Large wolves with no skin, their muscles made of pure soulsteel strands, and their bones visible through them began rushing out of the shadowland toward them. Armor with long, sharp spikes covered their forms, their mouths, and their paws as they raced nearer.

But all eyes were on the huge, nightmarish shape in the sky, barely visible except for its baleful, glowing red eyes. Everyone's stomach began to lurch as they smelled the strong stench of decay, and heard the soft screaming of tormented souls from the sky.

Aya, however, wasn't fazed for an instant as she efficiently called out orders. "Ophelia! Golgol! Take your units and destroy the bone wolves as fast as you can, as they'll only hamper fighting their Lord! Everyone else, ready yourselves!"

Her orders snapped most people out of their growing, gnawing fear, as they swiftly began following her commands. The front half of Ophelia's battalion sheathed their swords, and readied their long-hafted naginatas as they prepared for the charge of the bone and soulsteel wolves, larger and more intelligent than the ones they fought before. Golgol knew a good idea when he saw one, and ordered his troops to do the same.

The front half of each battalion readied their long polearms against the charge of the wolves, Ophelia crouching alongside the front line as she called out last-minute orders to her troops. Golgol's grip on his huge cleaver tightened and relaxed in anticipation, his skin exuding moonsilver to fill in the cracks of the armor he wore. He was crouched behind the front line, his legs primed for a strong leap.

The soldier's fear began to mount as they saw the huge wolves bearing down on them, howling in unearthly voices. It was then that the huge shape in the sky dove at them, a spiked shape following after it. It swooped over the troops preparing for the charge of the bone wolves, and slung the spiked shape at them, battering quite a few soldiers into the air. Their screaming became softer, and then louder as they fell back down to the ground below. Five more soldiers fell from the sky as the spike shape uncoiled into a rough human shape, shoving the soldiers off the large, wing-like blades and toward the ground far below. Everyone shuddered when they heard the noise of a little girl laughing evilly.

Then, the bone wolves struck. Most of the Alon-Ti held fast against their charge, the long polearms stopping the front line of wolves in their tracks. Golgol leapt mightily over his soldiers, landing amongst the wolves, heedless of the minor cuts from their armor as he began slicing, biting, and clawing with furious speed at them. Ophelia began her dance, her double-ended halberd spinning as it sliced through the bone wolves, but to her dismay, it only seemed to make them angry.

The dark shape in the sky dove again, this time at the two battalions not engaged in combat. It swooped high enough above them so they couldn't reach it with their weapons, but it vomited a sickly, dark reddish coagulated blood over them as it flew. The ground began to shake upon contact with the sickly blood, and long, sharp spikes made of bone began suddenly erupting from the ground. More spikes, and still more kept sprouting from the ground, forming an impenetrable wall of the sharp bone. Half the Alon-Ti and mercenaries dove out of the way, as did Aya and Ken, but the rest weren't so lucky. They breathed their last as they were impaled many times by the sprouting bone. The figure was high in the sky once more, looking as it it hadn't moved in the least. Aya gritted her teeth in frustration, yelling out orders. "Ready firewands and take aim! Fire at will if it dives again!"

The soldiers and the bone wolves were now engaged in furious melee, the Alon-Ti forming into groups of four to fight each of the huge bone wolves; two with naginatas to push it back, and two more with swords ready to cut it down. Golgol felled the first bone wolf with his huge moonsilver cleaver, howling his victory even as he attacked the next. Seeing their captain destroy a bone wolf gave them all renewed resolve, two more exploding into ash from Ophelia's spinning strikes, and from a unit of Alon-Ti. However, for each bone wolf that fell, two Alon-Ti valiantly gave their lives to the bone wolves' tearing claws and rending teeth.

Kale ground his teeth in pure irritation. Sheathing his claws in his jacket with swiftness, he unslung the bow from over his shoulder and nocked an arrow, taking a deep breath to calm himself, holding it as he kept careful aim at the dark, nearly imperceptable figure in the sky. The arrow began to glow softly with a yellowish-white light right before he fired, aiming unerringly at the figure flying high above. His heart sank as he saw the smaller figure with bladed wings swoop around on its invisible tether to the huge figure, and grab the arrow in mid-flight. Laughter of a little girl, tainted with cruelty echoed across the battlefield below as she contemptuously snapped it, letting the halves fall to the ground below.

The figure dove again, this time at the engaged battalions Golgol and Ophelia commanded, the smaller figure with the bladed wings spinning around in a circle as it dove. Kale saw the smaller figure grab its knees, tucking itself into a smaller, and more compact form as it hit and impaled Ophelia and several other troops, knocking a bone wolf and several more Alon-Ti high into the air with the continuing impact.

Ophelia couldn't move very much, impaled as she was through the arm, chest, and leg with three of the figure's bladed wings. She could only watch in horror as it untucked itself, and turned to look at her evilly. It extended long, and impossibly thin arms toward her. With her uninjured arm, Ophelia swiftly drew her firewand and fired into the thing's face, the shuddering crack of her firewand throwing her backwards and off of the figure's wings, and toward the ground below. She hit the ground with a sickening impact. With each labored breath she took, she could see bubbles in the blood over her chest, visible now that one of the plates of her armor was still stuck on that thing's wings. She looked at the sight, and shuddered, unconsciousness trying to pull her into its dark embrace.

Golgol's battalion and Ophelia's unit had slain a good two thirds of the hungry and devouring bone wolves, the rest now not quite as vicious as they attacked more warily. Golgol snarled his impending victory at them as he kept striking, each savage strike of his huge cleaver striking at least one of the wolves.

The figure in the sky screamed again, a sound that felt like sharkskin being rubbed the wrong way over everyone's nerves. It dove again, this time landing on the ground, making the ground seem to recoil in horror at what had just landed. Now, the gathered troops could see what it looked like, a few moaning in horror. Aya didn't miss hearing this. "Steady yourselves, now it can be killed! Fire at will!"

Small explosions began illuminating and revealing the figure's form, the night air being rent by many sounds of the firewands sending their explosive charges toward the dark figure in the distance. To their dismay, a sound very like deep, hissing laughter began echoing over the battlefield from the huge dark figure, right before it rushed at them on all fours. It reached them with appalling speed, stopping ten feet in front of them, and swinging the other figure toward them with savage strength. Aya leapt sideways up and over the speeding figure with spinning bladed wings, and Ken did as well. The Alon-Ti nearest them weren't all as lucky, several being impaled on the figure's wings, the rest flying into the distance from the impact.

The warriors that weren't knocked out of the way by his spinning, sentient mace tried to recover and retaliate, but the huge figure stamped a foot on the ground and screamed at them, forcing their ears to bleed from the sound. A nearly tangible feeling of hatred and death pushed at them, forcing them to fly backwards as a foul wind from the Abyss itself tore at them.

Aya got to her feet, and promptly rushed at the figure. Ken raced alongside her, baring his teeth at the thing as they neared. Kale, now finally being able to do something, swiftly slung his bow over his shoulder once more, slipped his hands into the claws within each pocket of his jacket, and ran at the figure from the other direction.

To their surprise, the figure spoke to them in a hissing, growling speech. "Foolish living meat!"

It rose into the air as huge, ghostly swords without handles formed out of the night air, and began circling around his huge, terrifying form. It floated toward Ken and Aya with its huge wings made of pure shadow outstretched, the swords spinning around the figure quickly gaining speed. The huge, glowing and ghostly blades lashing out one by one in rapid succession to strike at them before returning smoothly to their respective orbits.

Kale had to stop as he ducked and wove around the spinning blades, and almost dodged a strike from the smaller, spinning figure, rolling with the impact so that he wasn't impaled by the bladed wings. Even so, he spun lazily through the air from the impact, twisting his body in mid-air to land on all fours.

Aya simply stood in place, parrying each of the bladed strikes precisely as they lashed out at her with unearthly speed. Ken did the same, though he was cut a few times by a blade or two he couldn't quite parry in time. Both forced themselves flat on the ground as the bladed figure swept overhead, leaping to their feet once it passed. They had to each dive in separate directions as the smaller figure spun back around, flying at them from behind. It continued in its arc as it passed beneath the larger figure's body, and back up around, preparing for another attack.

The huge figure laughed savagely into the night sky. "Now, all of you will die painfully, knowing that you are only food for more worthy beings!"

Ophelia had lay where she landed, fighting unconsciousness as best she could. She managed to open her eyes and force herself back to consciousness, seeing the figure land, attack, and hover above the troops, slaying them one by one. She closed her eyes and took a few deeply painful breaths to calm herself for what she knew she must do. Despite the pain of her punctured lung, she took a deep breath, stoking her inner essence like bellows to a furnace.

Her Caste Mark, a golden dot inside a larger golden circle appeared and glowed on her forehead as she pressed the long barrel of her firewand against her forehead, concentrating. The barrel of the firewand began to glow softly as whitish blue flames appeared on it, flickering as they spread over the entire weapon. The essence around her began to grow visible as streams and currents of the energy flowed around and through her, brightening, and eventually becoming the same azure fire that burned over the firewand pressed against her forehead. The flames seemed to dance over her body as she drew more and more essence into herself, lightning arcing from her Caste Mark and firewand to the ground around her.

The huge figure in the sky noticed that nine large and thin azure rings now surrounded it, each spinning swiftly and silently different directions. It swiftly looked around with baleful red eyes to see who had done such a thing, when he noticed Ophelia pointing her firewand at him with her eyes closed, the firewand still burning the same azure fire right before she fired with an echoing crack, sounding much larger than the other firewands had sounded earlier tonight.

The bolt grew swiftly in size as it left the barrel of her firewand, the normal reddish glow of a firewand bolt brightening and growing into a bluish white. Four long, large ghostly swan's wings surrounded the bolt, speeding unerringly toward the dark figure floating in the night sky, as the nine azure rings began to align.

The Mask of Winters swiftly moved to the side, but it was as if he never moved at all: the white and azure fireball was still growing in size, and was aiming itself unerringly toward him. He saw that another ring had aligned with the first two, and the others were beginning to slow their spin as they began their arcane alignment. In desperation, he moved again, further this time as he already began to feel the awful heat of the fireball as it neared.

Again, it was as if he hadn't moved at all - the fireball was still speeding directly at him. With growing apprehension, he noticed that two more of the rings had aligned themselves while he had attempted to evade the shot, and the rest had begun as well, slowing down as they did. In growing apprehension, he flew straight upwards as high and as far as he could, hoping to outrun it. For some reason, he felt a small fear begin gnawing at him as he saw that he wasn't outflying the huge, winged fireball.

Time suddenly stopped, but the Mask of Winters found that he still felt, and could think. The last ring had aligned itself now, forming a large, glowing azure target in the sky with him in the exact center. The huge fireball was barely an inch away from the Defiler's body, still burning with intense heat. Everything around him was silent. Nothing was moving, but he could still notice these things.

Out of the corner of his eye, a tiny humanoid figure with wings of pure azure fire appeared in front of the ninth ring. Another appeared, and took its place in the obscure order by the eighth ring. Seven more of the figures appeared, one by one, as they took their places amongst the rings that surrounded him.

They all began to sing at once; a single quiet note almost too soft to hear properly. If he could move, he would have winced from the sharply beautiful noise. It set his nerves on edge.

The singing quietly began to gain strength.

It was difficult for him to think now through the noise. With shock, he realized that each intonation and each reverberation in the singing matched the frequency of his own soul. The singing was making him feel less connected to the world around him, causing him to shudder within the depths of his mind.

The singing grew a little louder.

He felt his control over the Defiler beginning to slip, its mind beginning to awaken. He felt the strand of pure essence that bound Nemilette to him beginning to unravel. Even the whispers from his Malfean patron seemed more distant now.

The singing grew steadily louder.

The Mask of Winters found it was difficult to think of anything now through the noise. He couldn't focus his attention on anything else, other than the eerily beautiful singing.

The singing grew unbearably loud.

The intensity of the noise was too much to bear now. Incorporeal though he was, he felt his necklace that sharply lessened the time required to cast his spells feeling heavy on his chest, the essence used to attune it to him gone. His cloak felt heavy around him as well. All the other artifacts he carried returned to become substantial once more without his mental command, the essence he'd used to bind them to his will now removed.

Time resumed, and the fireball, now nearly as large as the Defiler itself, struck. The Mask of Winters heard the Defiler's scream as its bone and soulsteel body was being burned terribly. The flames hungrily consumed the Defiler's wings and hungrily immolated its body as well, causing it to fall helplessly back to the ground, claimed by gravity once more. He reformed into corporeality as the Defiler fell, gravity claiming him as its own as well. His own dark essence seemed reluctant to come to his aid, flowing much more slowly than normal as he fell, watching the Defiler frantically try to flap wings that were no longer there as it attempted to slow its descent.

As the ground swiftly approached, he saw the gathered army the renegade had gathered eagerly awaiting their arrival. He certainly hoped the Defiler was angry about losing its wings, and still had the strength to devour a few soldiers. If it did, then it would regain its former glory. For now, this seemed to be a minor setback to his plans. Fortunately, he had planned for just such a dire occasion, and began chanting the spell to allow him to levitate once more.

With an impact that shook the ground, the flames on the Defiler finally went out. It rose painfully to its feet as he floated above the ground once more, and saw that he and the Defiler were now surrounded. He could see around him on all sides, seeing the grim look and feeling the surface thoughts of each being that stood around him.

The Mask of Winters focussed on his former general first; the turncoat; the renegade. Sunlight seemed to illuminate her black, leathery-looking and partially torn armor, and the slightly curving blades she held within each hand as she stared coldly at him, her surface thoughts seeming to burn into his mind. You never made me cry out, fool, not once. Revenge has found you for everything you've done.

He focused on the man next to her, glaring at him with dark brown eyes, and unruly hair, long claws worn over each fist. You were responsible for killing my mother and father with your sickness. You took the woman I love away from me, and hurt her badly. Payback's a bitch, ain't it, you weak and whiny piece of decomposed rat shit!

The huge, jaguar-like being who held a large, iron mace whose head was that of a dragon in one hand, and a large shield in the other glared hatefully at him. You took my mother, father, brothers, sister, and my humanity away from me, forcing me to become that which I despise just so I could survive. I kept myself going only with the thought that I would slay you one day. Now, I finally get the chance to pay you back for everything you've taken from me!

The equally huge figure next to the Jaguar Lunar was a Lunar as well, carrying the totem of Wolf, it appeared. The being snarled at him, his animalistic thoughts being harder to read, but the intent was obvious. You are a blight that Luna cannot abide! I will rend you!

Slightly off in the distance, a young boy with green skin, and bark covering his shoulders and neck had an arrow nocked and aimed at his head. The boy's expression was cold as he stared. Because of you and your foul minions, my mother and father were slain. May something far worse than death await you.

The Mask of Winters stamped his foot against the ground as he channeled the dark essence within him, creating a small pocket of Oblivion around him that swiftly collapsed, forcing all his would-be assailants to fly backwards through the air once more. The Defiler growled from deep within it's burnt chest, focusing its hunger and anger on these new targets. The Mask of Winters smiled behind his mask. Oh no, all was not lost.

He saw the spiky-haired man with claws racing toward his back, making no noise. He swiftly turned and punched the air in front of him. A claw made of pure consuming energy of the Abyss formed in front of the man, manifesting his punch as an order of magnitude stronger as it reached for him. The Mask of Winters smiled coldly. "Did you not know that I see everything, fool?"

The man dodged desperately out of the way of the huge claw made of pure nothingness, and kept trying to run at him. Another gust of wind from the Abyss itself forced the man to fly backwards through the air, landing heavily on his back many yards away.

The Mask of Winters laughed to the dark sky above. "My beautiful creation, my Defiler! It's mealtime for you, my hungry servant!"

The Defiler hissed, and raced toward the Lunar with Jaguar as his totem on all fours, moving with shocking speed. The Defiler licked it's skinless mouth with a tongue made of pure shadow as it ran, scattering the Alon-Ti soldiers and mercenaries like branches before a gale.

He saw his former general racing at him with her blades outstretched, a look of cold concentration on her pale face. The Mask of Winters nonchalantly put his palm up, which vomited a black, viscous substance that flew toward her. To his minor surprise, she simply darted out of the way, and kept coming.

Seeing behind him, he beheld the two Lunars and many soldiers with firewands that now fought the Defiler, which he knew only made the artificial being hungrier. He smiled to himself as he saw the Defiler devour a soldier in azure and golden armor. Some of its burnt and blackened skin began to heal as the living morsel was devoured, the mortal's screams of despair echoing across the battlefield.

He almost shook his head as he saw the man with spiky brown hair, and his former general were still coming toward him. He called out to them before he struck once again, to remind them of the utter futility of what they were attempting. "Fools! Do you really think you can fight against the inevitable demise of life?"

The Mask of Winters manifested the large, ghostly swords around him once again, which lashed out with terrifying speed at his would-be attackers. The man barely seemed to move as he dodged, the blades passing around him as if they were supposed to miss anyway. His former general simply parried the blades as they moved to strike her, and kept running.

He narrowed his eyes. They should have learned their place now, and besides, he had that wretch who dared to shoot him to deal with yet. In rapid succession, all ten of the swords lashed out to strike at the man, who dodged as he ran. He couldn't quite dodge all of them, the final two slicing deeply into his body. The Mask smiled as the man stumbled to a stop.

As for his former general, it was time for her to learn her folly. She was racing rapidly toward him, ready to strike at him. The blades attacked her in rapid succession now. He narrowed his eyes behind his mask as she kept parrying the first nine seemingly without effort, and dodging out of the way of the last one. He forced space to fold around him, suddenly standing directly in front of her, and spinning himself sideways and backwards through the air as the swords orbited. She managed to dodge the first blade, but the second one caught her. She was repeatedly knocked into the air by the others as they cut her, unable to prevent the inevitable. With a casual wave of his hand, a huge blast of Abyssal wind knocked her backwards, the hungry wind clawing and tearing at her very being as it forced her through the air.

There now, the two Lunars' attentions were constructively directed toward his Defiler, which meant that he could now look for the fool who dared to disrupt his plans. He floated over the rough ground, looking for an Exalt with a firewand. He smiled as he saw Ophelia. With the eyes of a ghost, he could see that her right eye was now glowing red as death neared, and glowed brighter as he approached. Yes, her being knew that death was coming for her. A small unit of soldiers in azure and gold armor ran at him with blades outstretched, but a wave of his hand caused the winds of the Abyss to scour their bodies of all life. They collapsed to the ground with a clanking noise, their bodies now shrunken and decayed, their armor aged and worn from the terrible power of Oblivion.

All the ghostly blades that circled him gathered in the air to face point-down as he focused his all-seeing sight on the Exalt with the firewand once more, all directly over her chest. Her eyes slowly opened as she saw what was happening, and opening wider in fright. He could taste her fear now as she looked at him, and saw the blades above her that were about to claim her life. "You fight against the inevitable triumph of death itself, foolish meat. Tell me, before I slay your body and claim your soul, why you resist?"

Her breath came in gasps as she tried to pull out her firewand. At his casual mental command, one of the blades sliced off the hand that held it. He shook his head at her as he smiled, admonishing her. "Now now, we can't be having that again. Answer my question before, or after I kill you. It makes little difference to me."

Her voice was rasping as she tried to answer between wheezing breaths. "I...resist...because I must."

The Mask of Winters smiled again. "I'll get the rest of your reason after I have you on my table. For now, say goodbye to your failed experiment at living."

To his surprise, the blades above her shattered into pieces of dusky glass, the essence powering their existence calcified. Behind him, and off to the left, a man approached. He carried no weapons, but had a grim look on his face. "She must stop you, as must we all."

The Mask of Winters narrowed his eyes as he faced this man. "You are blind, fool. You think yourself learned and wise, but you do not see what is right in front of you - I usher in a new age on this world, one devoid of life. This will be as close to perfection as is possible, and Thorns is only the beginning."
With that, he tried re-invoking the ghostly blades, but a wave of the man's hand counterspelled it, shattering the still-forming blades into shards of dusky glass that rained down all around them. The air around them became charged, as opposite forms of essence fought against one another. The Mask of Winters laughed. "You may be able to disrupt my spells, Solar, but you cannot stop what you cannot anticipate."

With that, the Mask of Winters gave a casual wave of his hand upward, causing a gust of Abyssal wind to rise from the shadowland, lifting the surprised Solar high into the air, his clothing and skin being torn and frozen by the hungry Abyss. He was about to wave casually downwards to cause the same wind to force him back down, when he was suddenly struck from behind. He felt a sharp pain burning and tearing into his back before pulling away. He turned around to see who would dare strike him, especially when he never noticed his assailant approach. He saw it was the same man with claws on his hands, and the unruly, spiky brown hair. The man smiled grimly at him. "Surprise, bitch."

The Mask of Winters looked at the man coldly. "I know not how you managed to sneak up on me, but have no doubt in your tiny, insignificant mind that such a thing will not go unpunished."

A casual wave of his hand caused a huge breath of Obliviate wind to rise upward from the ground, but the man had darted out of the way too quickly to be snared. With a yell, the man tried to strike once more, but another wave of the Mask of Winters' hand stopped the blow cold, freezing the man's hand with the hungry winds of Oblivion. He smiled as he began to wave his hand again, but the man dodged this gust of wind just as nimbly, a look of determination on his face. The Mask of Winters narrowed his eyes at the man's stubbornness.

Suddenly, the man began to move like a hungry flame, moving with inhuman speed as he struck. Pockets of Oblivion formed around the Mask of Winters' hands as he parried each swift strike, but it was requiring all his attention to keep up with the man's furious strikes. In time, however, he knew the man would exhaust himself, the essence allowing him to move so quickly and so furiously exhausted. Until then, he'd simply keep wearing the man down.

From behind him, he saw and heard the Defiler scream in pain. His renegade general and the two Lunars, along with scores of their mortal soldiers were destroying it with surety now, though they hadn't done so unscathed. He narrowed his eyes. It had taken him years to craft such a beautiful artifact, and he was loathe to do so again. Unfortunately, this also meant that the bestial Lunars' attentions were no longer constructively channeled.

Sighing with impatience, he decided to end the pointless fight with this sneaky Solar now, since he had larger problems to deal with. As he parried the man's strikes with ease, he summoned a hungry, animalistic wraith from the Underworld below. This thing was too bestial to be really used constructively, so he had simply locked it into a room until he had figured out how to deal with the gluttonous wraith. Now, however, it would serve as an excellent distraction. Answering his call, it eagerly rose out of the Underworld and into this world right beside him, invisible to mortal eyes. The Mask of Winters smiled as the hungry, predatory wraith turned its attention on the man, still swiftly striking.

His smile faded as he saw the man had noticed the wraith, and narrowed his eyes. He leapt back, channeling his essence. The wraith followed him, but stopped suddenly in fear at what it had felt from the man. The man's hands and claws were't glowing a soft yellow any longer, they were now glowing a soft white of incorporeal, ghostly energy. The man leapt at the wraith, dodging the wraith's first hungry strike, and tearing a large hole in the wraith's being. The wraith screamed as its corpus was devoured into the man's hands, changing it into essence. Within moments, the wraith's being had been destroyed, which unfortunately meant it could rejoin its higher soul once more. The Mask of Winters frowned as he motioned toward the man, throwing him back and upwards into the air, the Obliviate wind tearing at him hungrily.

The Mask of Winters frowned as he saw the two Lunars, his former general, and the green-skinned boy racing toward him. He concentrated again, casting the spell to re-invoke his ghostly blades, but the spell shattered within his grip as dusky glass began to rain down again. He glared at the Solar who had disrupted his spell, when he realized that the same nine azure rings were spinning around him once more. He turned to raise a hand at the dying woman with the firewand, but she had already fired. As the huge fireball approached him for the second time, he desperately tried to calcify the air around him to absorb most of the shot's strength, but felt his grip on the spell shatter. Dusky glass was beginning to cover the bare ground below.

The singing of those damnable things wasn't quite as bad this time, but the fireball hadn't hit him directly before. It burned terribly, and didn't go out right away. The force of the blast had knocked him higher into the air, his movement temporarily out of his control. With surprise, he saw the man with unruly hair was descending upon him from his fall, and was aiming directly at him. The Mask of Winters blocked the man's glowing fist, but wasn't able to block the second, which forced him downward this time.

Too late, he saw the jaguar-like Lunar already swinging his mace as he approached the ground swiftly. He tried to fold space once again, and had actually caused the space between he and his destination to shrink when the blow struck, knocking him backward once again. He began to get angry as these pathetic fools were trying to damage him.

Before he landed, he saw his former general slicing upward with both blades. For a split second, time seemed to stand still once more. He was still lying mostly prone in midair, but he was staying in one spot as seven beings began to surround him. He tried to move, or even channel his essence, but found that it didn't respond.

The first to speak was a tall, thin, grim looking man with blue skin and short white hair. The man glared at him as he spoke, a low wind punctuating his words. "I remember you, savant. You were the one who summoned the Yozi's servants I gave my life killing. Now, I get to...thank you properly for it."

The second to speak was a large, reptilian-looking being standing at least nine feet tall. It had a large, stocky body, with plates of bone covering his chest, back, legs, and arms, and the top of its head. A large, thick tail with a mace-like bulb at the end swished slowly from side to side behind him. The being didn't mince its words, growling words that sounded like huge boulders being ground together by mighty unseen hands. "We serve the Sun, and the Sun favors you not. You have no honor to challenge!"

The third being was a tall, stocky woman with brunette hair, and pale skin. She smelled strongly of the earth after it rained, the scent growing stronger as she glared at him. "Oh, I've been waiting a very long time for this, traitor. Don't think we don't know what you did, turning your back on everything you were to become what you are."

The fourth was a tall, broad man with short, flame red hair, reddish-brown skin, and smoke pouring from his mouth and nostrils. An expression of unadulterated rage illuminated his face, smoke pouring more heavily from his mouth as he spoke, nearly spitting the words at the Mask of Winters. "I found out it was you that betrayed my General to the Yozi's servants, and I've been waiting a very long time to set you on fire. I'm going to deeply enjoy burning you!"

The fifth had brownish-green skin, and long, green hair. She looked at him with slight distaste. "You work toward everything I despise in your fool's quest for power, ingratiating yourself in another's favor to get it, like the slug you are. You think death is superior to life? Keep thinking that as living things strip your branches bare!"

The Mask of Winters looked somewhat disturbed now. He still couldn't call upon his essence, in this brief hiccup of time.

The sixth spoke from his right side. He had tan skin, and a clean-shaven head, looking peacefully at the Mask of Winters. "That which you have given to karma, karma gives back to you threefold."

The seventh and last was a woman that reminded him very much of his renegade general, but with much shorter black hair. She glared at him distastefully. "You've served your purpose of causing trouble to the world. Now, your time is up."

Six of them swung weapons at him, the man with the shaven head aiming a kick at him. Right before they connected, time resumed once more, just in time for Aya's blades to bite deeply into his undead body.

Fire, wind, and bright light engulfed him. He hardened his body against a few of the strikes, but he wasn't able to prevent all of them from landing grievous wounds on his Oblivion-infused form. Through the darkness escaping from within him, he saw that many of their Exalted were attacking in rapid succession. He frantically parried or attempted to counter each strike, but one strike bit deeply into his being for every two he managed to avoid.

The darkness within him escaped in shrieking gales as he was surrounded on all sides, each strike that landed upon his undead frame rending his being horribly. The air around them became lightless and empty as Oblivion filled the area, but the darkness was pierced repeatedly by flashes of sunlight, and the ghostly fires of Luna as his assailants kept attacking, faster than he could defend himself. It had happened so quickly, he thought. Too soon, his form was destroyed utterly, sending the soul within his rent body back to the Underworld. Right before his undead body and his soul parted ways, he expended the last of his essence, causing a dark, swirling, explosion of the energy that had unmade worlds around his being.

The Mask of Winters' form was damaged far too badly to hold its shape, hitting the ground and dissolving at the same time as the explosion of dark Obliviate energy was released from all the essence he had left. His mask and his shroud were all that remained.

Aya, Golgol, and Ken got to their feet first, though painfully. The last dark explosion had rent their armor and flesh, leaving horrible wounds, frozen by the touch of the Abyss. The three of them checked the area carefully for any sign of another attack, and then began to help the others to their feet. Morjin was already crawling painfully toward Ophelia, pulling her back from the brink of death.

After sitting up painfully, Kale nodded to the mask on the ground. "What should we do with that?"

Ken growled. "I will take it as a souvenir, to remember all those I've lost because of him!"

Aya shook her head. "No."

Everyone looked at her, some with surprise, though Ken with anger. She spoke after a few more moments, still staring at it. "I have as much against him as any of you. He took my father away from me, corrupted my mother, and helped me hand him responsibility for all the people I've slain in his name. He has directly or indirectly damaged many families, slain many people that so many others hold dear. Let his mask remain here as a warning against those who would think of doing such a thing again."

The others nodded at this, realizing the wisdom of her words. Aya shook herself to bring her mind back to the present, and focused her attention and her voice on all the troops under her command. "It is done. Thorns is free, and the one-time Deathlord, the former Mask of Winters has fallen!"

Everyone, tired, wounded, and weary though they were, yelled out their victory to the sky, just as the Eastern horizon began to lighten with the impending sunrise.

[rhoenix]

Morjin, Gordray, and others skilled in the healing arts attended to the wounded as the soldiers made camp right where they were on the battlefield, exhausted. The soldiers were pitching tents and making campfires as best they were able, sharing food, drink, smoke, and thoughts with one another as they slowly realized the battle was completely over. Their adrenaline of the many horrors they faced during the long night was fading away, leaving some of them shaking as they realized what they had just faced and been through.

Kale had collapsed unconscious after the Mask of Winters had fallen. Having been very close to the Mask of Winters as the explosion of dark Obliviate energy burst forth, his body was torn and frozen in many places. Once the adrenaline of the battle had ebbed away, his many injuries caught up with him as he fell into the darkness of unconsciousness.

Having spotted him collapse before anyone else did, Aya was at his side immediately after she announced that the war was over, tending to his wounds and spreading blankets over them to bring his body temperature back to normal. He awoke after only an hour, though sounded hoarse from one of the Obliviate winds that had torn into his throat. He opened one eye to see her anxiously looking at him, and smiled slightly at the sight.

She was dirty, her face streaked with ash, blood and dirt, her long, fine black hair knotted in sweaty tangles around her head, but he'd never seen anything so beautiful. His voice was hoarse and dry, but intelligable. "Are you a beautiful goddess here to take me into my next life, or are you the gorgeous woman I love waking up next to?"

Aya smiled as she gently stroked his face. She had been around him long enough to fully appreciate the fun to be found in a friendly battle of wits, and was now able to keep up. She broke into a grin as she answered, feeling relieved at seeing him awake. "Good morning, you handsome man. We nurses aren't allowed to sleep with our patients, but I just can't help myself."

Kale kept up with her, adopting a look of injured innocence. "I'm sorry I gave you the wrong impression, nurse. The woman who has half my heart is a general, and she'd probably kick your ass and mine both if she found out."

Aya looked around cautiously before conspiratorially whispering breathily into his ear. "After all the hard work I put into pitching a tent, cleaning and healing your wounds, and wrapping you up? Oh no, she'll have to deal with it."

Kale chuckled softly as he looked into her eyes, lifting his head slightly to kiss her lips. She briefly but passionately kissed him back before pulling away, looking at him with half-lidded eyes. He smirked slightly before speaking. "Isn't the gallant hero supposed to be saving the maiden in distress?"

She grinned at him as she went back to gently stroking his face. "Fair's fair, my beloved. Besides, I still owe you one."

Kale raised an eyebrow. "Actually, this time would make us even."

She looked down her nose at him as she put a finger over his lips, but wasn't able to quite suppress her smile. "Shush, dearest. You're not supposed to argue with the person who saves your life."

He chuckled softly as he looked into her half-lidded eyes before they kissed once more. After a time, he pulled away, smiling at her questioning look and shaking his head as he began to run his fingers slowly through her hair. "I have to admit, I can't believe it's over. For a long time, I just thought the Mask of Winters would be the bane of my thoughts, never quite believing he'd be out of my life. But you organized and caused his downfall. By the Sun, I love you."

She smiled at him, somewhat embarrassed. "What can I say? I'm a people person at heart."

Kale raised an eyebrow before suddenly reaching up to tickle her ribs.

Morjin rolled his eyes slightly as he heard a shriek of feminine laughter, followed by female giggling and male laughter coming from the tent Aya and Kale were inhabiting. He made a remark to one of Ken's mercenaries, a man also skilled in the healing arts. "I never believed I would say such a thing, but having a general of an army that's quite involved with one of her troops actually seems to be a good thing."

The man smirked as he carefully used a splint to re-align a soldier's broken leg. "Ah, she did her job well before and during the fight. What she does now is her own business, as long as it doesn't involve loud sex that keeps everyone awake."

Kale stopped tickling Aya as he heard the remarks outside. She sighed slightly, as she had heard them as well. "My dearest, I need to go help Morjin and the others heal the wounded."

Kale nodded, smiling. "Don't worry, love. I'll be fine. Just come back in time to feed me breakfast."

Aya shook her head, smirking before she lightly punched his shoulder. "I suppose you'd like a sponge bath as well?"

Kale nodded, looking innocent. "Yes please, and a massage too."

She chuckled before kissing him. "We'll see. I'll be back in a while. Rest well, my beloved."

Kale nodded, yawning already. He was asleep almost before his eyes closed.

Aya emerged from the tent, walking toward the wounded, now all laying on cots setup after the battle had been won. Morjin saw her with surprise, walking toward her once he had healed a soldier's broken leg properly. "Aya, you don't need to help us. I'm not saying we don't appreciate the thought, but you should feel free to be with your fiancee with no guilt."

She shook her head, looking at him solemnly. "I led them into injury and death, I should also help them to heal and recover. It's the least I could do."

Morjin nodded as she turned away, tending to the wounds of the next soldier. He shook his head, smiling as he walked away. "Stubborn woman," he said quietly as he smiled.

As most of the soldiers under his care had been looked after already, he walked back to check on the others that he still needed to keep an eye on. A large curtain had been set upright to block the sun and prying eyes from seeing them, for varying reasons.

The first in the small group of cots was Drannid. At the exact moment the Mask of Winters fell, Drannid had screamed aloud to the sky above, a blue brand alighting on his forehead as his form changed from the misshapen being he had become back into his former human shape. Morjin smiled at the thought of the old soldier being claimed by one of Luna's Essences to be given his Second Breath. The man deserved it, as he had fought as a mortal soldier all his life, surviving many events of hardship and supression to survive. It seemed fitting that he be now Exalted, though it would probably come as a shock to him when he awoke.

The small form in the second cot was the Mask of Winters' daughter, Nemilette. He had reservations against this child, but he had felt and seen her Exalted Essence leave her at the same moment the Mask of Winters died. From what he'd been able to gather, her Essence was bound so securely to the Mask of Winters that his destruction had revoked her own nature as an Exalted being as well. What disturbed him the most about this child was that the Mask of Winters had found her in his Manse. When Morjin had finally found his previous incarnation's Manse after three hundred years of searching, he had found this tiny embryo floating in a large tube of bubbling, blue liquid. He had found little to nothing explaining what or who this tiny being was, but evidently the Mask of Winters had more success than he did at learning about her nature.

He would have to wait for her to awaken before he learned more. However, her upbringing as the child of the Mask of Winters made him a little nervous, especially since he had seen Aya slay the child right before the Mask of Winters was brought down, and yet the child was still alive. Many things about this child made him feel uneasy, but he was determined to understand her, as long as no lives had to be lost in the understanding.

The third cot was occupied by one of the two Abyssals thought to be still alive. The Abyssal's name was Kaesta, and it had surprised Morjin to hear Aya call this woman her mother. However, there was a strong family resemblance between the two, now that Morjin had looked more closely. The woman's black hair, delicate facial features, and basic body shape were both shared by the two women. However, Kaesta was of more average height for a woman and more voluptuous, and had brown eyes, rather than blue.

Kaesta's wounds had been healed successfully, though she was asleep again. Deciding to take a chance, he and Gordray drew upon their limited knowledge of Abyssal nature that they had learned from Aya's experience, and tried to communicate with Kaesta's Essence while she slumbered. To their surprise, it was still awake, but only just. Her Essence had been surprisingly understanding of their intentions, and had awoken her to renounce her Abyssal name and all she knew of her Abyssal nature, but she had fallen asleep afterward. Morjin felt that Kaesta and her Essence were now communicating in dreams, but Kaesta was now fully mortal once more. Her second Exaltation hadn't happened yet, which made Morjin worry. He thought darkly that just because it had happened to Aya didn't necessarily mean it would happen the same way with a different Abyssal. After all, Aya and her Essence were a special case, almost.

The fourth and final cot was occupied by Ophelia. She had been grievously wounded, and had nearly been killed by the blast let loose by the Mask of Winters as he fell. Her wounds were healing now, and she slept peacefully. Her breathing was back to normal, as her lung was the first thing Morjin healed. Though a good part of her body was now wrapped in bandages, she would be just fine when she finished healing. Morjin gave her a few days, at most, with his continued attention.

With a final close check on all the four patients, he decided to check on the other soldiers. Aya had efficiently bound and healed the wounds of many of the mortal soldiers under her command, and was finishing up the rest, which gave Morjin some time to himself. He decided to let Aya know about the four patients before he checked on the rest of the camp.

As he approached, she was talking with one of the patients as she fixed his broken right arm. "No, of course not. Your arm will be as good as before once I'm done."

The man looked worried. "Are ye sure, Sensei? Golgol would have my ass over a fire if he thought I couldn't hunt anymore."

Aya smiled at him as she carefully massaged the bones back into their proper place, and forcing them to reunite. "Just give it a few days, and it'll be just like it was before, especially if I have anything to say about it." She looked at him with a confident smile. "Which I do."

Morjin smiled as he heard the exchange. "Aya, when you have a moment, I'd like to speak with you about a few patients."

She nodded to him, looking at him briefly before looking back to the soldier. "There you are, almost all better. Just don't do anything strenuous with that arm for a few days, and it'll be as good as new."

The soldier smiled at her sleepily. "Thank you, Sensei."

She smiled back at him. "You passed your test to become a full member of the Alon-Ti by your actions during the battle, Jurath. I am no longer your teacher."

The man smiled as he fell asleep.

Aya walked up to Morjin, a questioning look on her face. He sighed softly. "Perhaps it's better if you just see our four special patients."

She nodded, but gave him a dubious look before walking with him to the enclosed area, darkened by the blankets. Her reaction changed as she saw each of the four, the look on her face changing from a wide smile as she saw Drannid, a look of shock as she saw Nemilette, a soft smile as she saw her mother, and a wider smile as she saw Ophelia. She looked back at Nemilette afterward, looking shocked once again. She spoke in a soft whisper, so as to not wake any of the patients. "I could have sworn I killed her. Again."

Morjin led her a distance away from the patients so that they could speak more easily. "Nemilette is...a very unusual being. The Mask of Winters gave her a portion of his own Essence to force her to Exalt, which left her bound tightly to him. Once he died, her Exaltation was removed. However, as long as he was still - well, not alive, but at least moving - she would simply reform upon dying. Now, she is...well, she is what she was before, which isn't quite human."

Aya's eyebrows rose at this.

Morjin continued. "The Mask of Winters found her in my Manse once he raided it. I had found her before, a tiny embryo floating in a tube of bluish, bubbling liquid, but I didn't know who or what she was. I was able to determine, however, that the Mask of Winters gave her a portion of his blood and yours, which caused her to gain shape and form, growing swiftly into who you see now. It was for that reason alone that she looks somewhat like you, as she has part of your pattern within her."

Morjin shook his head. "All traces of Oblivion are absent from her now, for which I'm quite grateful. She is mortal once again, which means she won't reform once she dies. However...I still don't know exactly what she is, or what she's capable of. All I do know is that in my previous incarnation, I created her. To what end, I do not know."

Aya looked stunned, looking in the distance at the covered cots. "If she gets violent, do you think you can calm her down, or otherwise contain her?"

Morjin smiled wryly. "Yes, I can. It will take me years, but I think I can heal her mind and soul, and discover her secrets."

Aya nodded thoughtfully, looking him steadily in the eyes. "She may not be my daughter in reality, but please, let me know what you find."

Morjin nodded to her, smiling. "Very well."

The rest of the day, the soldiers slept, or talked quietly amongst themselves, just revelling in the fact that though they had seen some of their companions and friends die, they had faced an incarnation of death and lived.

Ken and Golgol talked with one another throughout the day, sometimes angrily. For the most part, Golgol was telling Ken about Lunar culture, traditions, and values, some of which didn't sit well with Ken. After many hours of heated discussion however, Ken had agreed to visit the Lunar village in the Northern woods once things were finished here.

As the last of the sleeping soldiers were waking up in the eveningtime, Aya called out to everyone. "Everyone, please gather here, in the center field."

Questioningly, the soldiers, mercenaries, and others gathered. Once she had seen everyone arrive, she nodded in satisfaction. "First of all, I'd like to congratulate the Alon-Ti. You are no longer my students, as you have passed my final test - you faced your worst fears and some of the most terrible foes ever seen in these lands, and most of you are alive to talk about it. At the same time, remember the sacrifice of your companions, your friends, and your fellow students during the night. They gave their lives to help rid the world of the undead blight that took root here."

Everyone was silent as they remembered the companions that fell during the night. None of them fell due to cowardice or lack of ability, and for that reason, many heads bowed in respect to their fallen comrades.

Aya spoke up again after a minute of silence, having bowed her head in respect to the fallen as well. "There is another task I wish to accomplish, but this is strictly voluntary. If you choose to go your own way now and live your life, nobody will hold it against you. That being said, I intend on journeying into the shadowland, and destroying the last of the Deathlord's legacy. If by some dark miracle he does come back, I'm going to make very sure he has nothing and nobody to come back to. If you wish to accompany me and lend your skills, be suited up and armed by sunset tonight."

With that, she walked back toward the tent area, to check on the four sleeping patients. To her surprise, there was a strong, yellow glow fading from around Kaesta. As the glow faded, she took a deep, shuddering breath, and sat upright, blinking. Aya noticed that Kaesta's Caste Mark was prominent. However, it wasn't the black ring with a black dot in the middle, meant to signify her Abyssal Moonshadow Caste. It was a brilliant golden ring, with an equally brilliant golden dot in the center, signifying her status as a Solar Eclipse Caste, though her mark was fading into obscurity now.

Aya walked cautiously near to the cot, and looked at her mother, who was now rubbing her eyes before blinking, and looking around her. She seemed to be staring at the sunset, almost in reverence.

"Hi mom," Aya said quietly as she kneeled down next to the cot.

Her mother looked swiftly at her in surprise, before smiling softly at her daughter. "Hi, Aya."

Aya looked at her mother cautiously. "What should I call you now?"

Her mother chuckled. "Mother, I'd hope. Failing that, Shara is my name once more. By all that's holy, nobody told me about that horrendous burning I'd be going through as my Essence came back."

Aya smiled, remembering her own experience. "Yeah. I felt like I was burning from the inside out when it happened to me."

Shara chuckled, shaking her head as she looked at her daughter with different eyes. It was as if the years and bad things had fallen away, but left their mark nonetheless - her tall, thin, coltish daughter was now a tall, slender, but muscularly tanned woman, a far cry from who she was only a few years ago. She looked at Aya, feeling ashamed as she remembered the past few years. "Can you ever forgive me, Aya?"

She was surprised as Aya smiled, and hugged her mother closely. "As long as you can forgive yourself for everything you've done, I can forgive you. I already have, mom."

Shara hugged her daughter back tightly, kissing her on the cheek as she pulled away with a slightly watery smile. "Somehow, I had hoped that you and I could be happy again. I tried to bury the hope as best I could, but..."

Aya chuckled. "I had many hopes I had to bury too, during those years. However, now they have a chance to grow, don't you think?"

Shara nodded, sniffling slightly. "Life's going to be quite a bit different than I thought it would be even a few months ago, that's for sure." She looked up at her daughter again, smiling softly. "I'm proud of you, you know. You did what I couldn't and wasn't willing to try."

Aya smiled a bit more, blushing slightly as she hugged her mother again. "Thanks, mom."

Shara looked at Aya with an arched eyebrow, looking concerned. "Yes, that reminds me. That young man who punched me last night; what do you know about him?"

Aya chuckled quietly, her eyes twinkling. "As a matter of fact, I know quite a bit about him."

Shara's eyebrows narrowed as she smiled primly. "Oh, good. And do you know where I could find him?"

Aya shook her head as she laughed, still looking her mother in the eyes. "On my side of the bed, probably."

Shara blinked, taken aback. "Wait a minute, you don't mean..."

Aya nodded, smiling softly as she thought of Kale. "He's the one who saved me from the Malfean, he's the one who helped plant the seed of doubt about what I was doing as an Abyssal, and he's the man I'm going to have at my side for the rest of my life."

Shara looked at Aya wide-eyed, before smiling slightly. "In that case, he and I need to have a little talk about hitting women before I let him call me 'Mom.'"

Aya smirked. "I think I'd like to be there when you do."

Noticing that the sun had set, Aya smiled grimly at the horizon before looking back at her mother. "Mom, get some rest and sleep well. I'm going to journey into the shadowland and destroy what's left of our former Lord's holdings."

Shara chuckled. "You never were one to do anything halfway, were you? Alright. Good luck, and look out for the wraiths; I think there are quite a few left."

Aya just smiled with eyes narrowed. "Oh, worry about them more than me."

Hearing her mother's chuckling as she left, Aya smiled as she walked toward the plains. With surprise, she noticed everyone was there, armored and armed. Kale grinned at her as she approached. "There you are, we were about to leave without you."

Aya smirked at him as her armor reformed around her, the Crissaegrim fading silently into existance at her hip once more. "Not likely. Oh, I have someone to introduce you to once we get back."

Kale raised an eyebrow in question, but she had already begun calling out orders to march. The four battalions reformed as one large force, marching into the shadowland surrounding the fallen town of Thorns.

[rhoenix]

Everyone was subdued as they marched into the inky, tangible darkness of the shadowland. Most had never been within one; the feeling of tangible shadows pressing upon them being a nearly claustrophobic experience. Of the few who had, most hadn't moved slower than a dead run through a shadowland in the past, with only one exception.

Most of the Alon-Ti and other mercenaries felt slightly afraid as they passed through such a place, the shadowland seeming to push them to go faster through it into the Underworld beyond. However, Aya never changed her pace or attitude as she went, projecting an air of calm confidence, which gave all the troops marching behind her a measure of calmness at seeing their general showing no fear or hesitation.

After five minutes of marching, they were through the shadowland, and into the lands of the dead: the Underworld. The march had felt like hours as they almost had to wade through the tangible shadows, but the Underworld to them was almost like a place out of nightmares. The sky above them, if indeed it could be called a sky, was pure, pitch black, though one could still see the lands around them dimly. Dark, ashen plains extended everywhere they could see. All noises within this place were muffled, but only selectively. Laughter was always subdued, while the cries of torment they heard from the castle in the distance seemed to echo for miles.

A small group of wraiths were patrolling the areas around the shadowland, but weren't taking their job very seriously with the Mask of Winters absent. They didn't notice the sound of many marching, living feet until the army was almost upon them.

One of them spoke to Aya, speaking in a strange, discordant voice. "Why do you lead the stench of the living to our lands, renegade?"

Aya called a halt, and stared evenly into the dark emptiness of the wraith's face. "Because your Lord has been destroyed, and we're going to finish the job properly."

The wraith made a hissing noise that sounded like a forgotten memory of laughter. "The Deathlords of this place are eternal, turncoat. What do you expect to accomplish?"

Aya stared at the wraith with an even look. "Making sure he has nothing to come back to."

The wraith was silent, the back of its intangible head changing places with the front as it looked at the castle in the distance. Its face stared eyelessly at Aya once more, nodding once before moving silently out of the way of the army, the other wraiths following suit.

The wraiths watched silently as the living army marched through the Underworld on a direct path to the Mask of Winters' seat of power here. Looking at one another after a few moments, they dropped the armor and weapons that denoted them as being in the service of the Mask of Winters, moving silently in separate directions in the lightless Underworld.

After only an hour more of marching with muffled footsteps, Aya called another halt at the foot of the castle, looking up as it rose into the darkness above. She lost herself in a few memories she had of this place before shaking her head to clear her mind, and turning to face her army. She projected her voice so that all could hear her properly. "We have twenty Exalts among us, and four hundred healthy soldiers. Alon-Ti, break off into groups of twenty, with a single Exalt as your twenty-first."

Predictably, Ken's human mercenaries surrounded him, with a few others joining other groups. Each of Ken's Dragon-Blooded mercenaries led a group, as did Golgol, Kale, and Aya herself. Once all the soldiers were grouped off, she nodded, projecting her voice once more. "Ten groups take the front entrance once I open it. Four more take the parade ground entrance to the left side of the castle from where we stand now, and the last five take the dungeon entrance on the right side. I'll take my group to the parade ground entrance to open the main doors. We meet at one hour intervals in the Deathlord's former throne room, in the center of the castle. Don't worry about finding it, it's quite hard to miss."

With that, she led her group to the left entrance. The two wraiths guarding the entrance attacked them on sight, but exploded into ash as firewand shots lit up their forms. Four of the soldiers chuckled quietly, exchanging copper coins as they reloaded their firewands. Aya gave them a few moments to have their fun in this dark, cheerless place before pressing onward.

They marched in single file through the corridors of the castle, now eerily empty and silent, but for a few token guards, which either left peacefully after speaking with Aya for a few moments, or were turned into ash by the firewands her group carried. Aya led them unerringly to the main gate, whose guards attacked. The cloaks they were wearing somehow made them immune to the fiery blasts of the firewand, so Aya struck them once each, her swords glinting with sunlight, to achieve the same result. She pulled the ropes to open the gates, and saw a few piles of ash near where the groups were gathered, and no apparent losses of the troops. She nodded to them as they marched through, going in different directions.

Aya decided to take the lower staircases, to ensure that nothing untoward still lurked in the darker areas below. She led her group past the dungeons to the well-hidden, shadowy entrance to the Cages.

The Cages were the nickname given to the large group of concentric rooms where the Mask of Winters kept the most destructive, most terrifying prisoners of war, victims, or others that he took a fancy to. Half of them were his own creations, though they were little more than ravenous things, with no real intelligence to speak of. The Mask of Winters normally gave victims to those that inhabited the Cages, if they displeased him in some way, whether the unfortunates were his underlings or not.

It took she and her squadron of Alon-Ti the better part of an hour to destroy the creatures left in this place. Most of the inhabitants simply attacked them. The others tried to use mesmerizing tricks to entice them into the room, trying to convince the troops to abandon the failed experiment at living, and join death's embrace. These last were promptly responded to with firewand blasts.

Afterward, Aya led her group back to the throne room, to await the others. She noticed that she had arrived first, which was no surprise, as she knew the castle better than anyone else here. However, she wasn't kept waiting long for the others to enter this place.

Golgol had a slightly irritated look on his face, more obvious now that he was still in his human shape. "The stink of decay in here is almost too much to bear."

Ken arrived shortly after Golgol had, and nodded his agreement. "It's a good reminder as to why the Deathlords should fall."

The others filed in, nearly filling the huge, cavernous throne room of the former Deathlord, each relating what they had seen, and what they had encountered as they explored the castle. Most had been relatively uneventful, but Kale and four of the Dragon-Blooded mercenaries were shaking their heads over what they had seen in the dungeons.

"That was disgusting," Kale said with surety. "That was disgusting and wrong." A few of his soldiers shuddered.

The Fire-Aspected mercenary Sunny nodded her agreement, smoke billowing from her nose as she snorted her derision. "Foul. Outright foul."

Ken raised his head, curious. "What did you see?"

Kale shook his head. "A few humans were still alive in there, if you can call it that. They were being kept alive for who knows how long just so they could be tormented more."

Sunny shook her head as well. "That one with his lower body missing, being...gnawed upon every day by those rats. I'm glad the Deathlord fell, that's something seriously heinous."

Ken narrowed his eyes. "Did you kill them?"

Sunny nodded grimly. "They begged us to."

Aya spoke up from the front of the throne room, overhearing all the conversations taking place. "Alright, anyone have anything to report before we split up again?"

The captains and troops looked at one another, shrugging. Aya nodded at this. "Very well. We meet back here in another hour. If anyone is more than fifteen minutes late, we will search your last known location, so speak up about where you're going."

The captains all chose a different hallway leading out of the throne room, Aya gaining a good idea of where each one led, and warning each captain about what they might encounter before she left as well.

Aya took a deep breath as she entered the Mask of Winters' personal quarters, with the armory in the doorway beyond. She scoured the former Deathlord's personal quarters first, finding many things of interest after her initial revulsion had subsided.

Amongst many books on magic and the occult, she found a loosely stacked roll of paper, filled with many strange drawings and notes, all apparently handwritten. She skimmed through the strange roll, being written in Old Realm, which looked indescipherable at first, though she began to remember how to read the old language. She raised her eyebrows as she discovered that this was written in the Mask of Winters' handwriting, detailing things he'd discovered about Nemilette. She rolled it back up, and stuck it in a sack.

She grabbed all the books on the occult and magic, thinking of Morjin as she did. All the strange objects and carvings she took as well, thinking that their arcane uses could be found out by Morjin better than anyone else she knew.

After she was done, she took one last look at the room, glancing back at her troops. "We search the armory next. After we come back through here, burn this room."

They nodded to Aya as they followed her into the armory beyond. Aya shook her head, thinking of the Mask of Winters' innate paranoia that led him to construct the castle's armory connected only to his own personal quarters.

Aya gave no more than a passing glance to the many rows of soulsteel arms and armor, though stopped as she found other, stranger items here. She found a complete suit of armor and a sword made of starmetal, which made her raise her eyebrows. She nodded to her troops, who put the armor in the sack they carried. She found a few starmetal weapons, and a few more moonsilver and orichalcum weapons, all of which were put into the sack as well. Aya smirked as she traded sacks with her troops, letting them carry the lighter one.

Noticing a room off to the side, Aya set down her sack, now nearly full of weapons and armor of various types, and opened the door cautiously. To her surprise, the small room was empty, except for a small table, with two pieces of paper side by side. One was written in an obscure script that she couldn't read, but the other was written in Old Realm. She picked it up, and read carefully, translating the words in her mind as she went.

Seven there shall be at first,
joined by six more as they see the power and beauty of shadow
the last shall be born when the surface regime
run by foot soldiers playing at being kings
loses its usurping leader, falling into disarray.

You shall know her by fortune and capture
hair black as the shadows, skin pale as death, eyes of ice
cold as death, fast as an executioner's axe
you will know her for her frozen heart
and her destiny to lead armies.

At the thirteenth's behest, the fourteenth will ride
striking down a surface town beneath sword and claw
there she will wait, like a spider awaiting flies
drawing the foot soldiers who would be kings into her web
when she is reborn as the fourteenth, the world shall end.

United the other thirteen shall be
following her command and banner
turning the surface to beautiful darkness and shadow
replacing chaotic life with peaceful death
the Empress of Shadow shall reign over all.

Aya's hands shook as she read the last lines of the note, swallowing with difficulty. She shook herself, rolling the paper into a scroll, and putting it into the sack the troops carried. They looked askance at their leader and teacher, at how subdued and troubled she looked, but wisely said nothing.

She only left the soulsteel items within the armory as she left; the items of the other Five Magical Materials were all taken, though there weren't too many within this place. Aya nodded to her troops as they left the Mask of Winters' personal quarters, and they set the room ablaze efficiently. She led them back to the throne room to await the others. Without warning, she was surrounded by shadow.

Aya saw and heard nothing now except for the cold whispering of shadows rubbing against one another. Looking around, she saw that there was nothing in this place except tangible, awakened shadow.

From the shadows all around her, a voice echoed. "yoU hAVe wrEStEd pOWer frOm tHE MAsk, aNd yOU hAVe SeEn wHAT yoU ArE fAteD to bEcOMe. tAkE hIS plACe AT my Side, AnD hE shALl beCOme YOuR sErVAnt."

Aya narrowed her eyes in the darkness. She needed no time to give her answer. "Not a chance."

The voice of the Malfean grew louder, slightly angry-sounding now in this place of nothingness and shadow. "I WIll FORgIVE yOUR pASt REbellION if yOU ACCept NoW."

Aya shook her head, her face grim. "No. I am now what I wished to become, especially after learning what was supposed to happen."

The voice screamed at her, but she didn't listen. She concentrated instead on the shadows, drawing on the light of the Sun within her to drive away the darkness. Her Caste Mark lit up the darkness as her anima began to shine like a star, causing the shadows to recede. The shadows coalesced into a large cloaked figure, though she saw she was still in the throne room of the Mask of Winters, the other soldiers looking less nervous now that the shadows were retreating.

The figure, wrapped in a cloak of pure, undulating shadow spoke once more. "i gIVe yOu tHE chAnCE to RUle oVEr thE lAnds of lIGht ANd ShADow, bUt yoU REFusE mE!"

Aya shook her head, looking scornfully at the figure. "My destiny has changed. I carry light within me now, not shadow. I do not wish to rule over anything."

With a shrieking, angry noise, the figure dissipated. Aya noticed Ken looking at her slightly suspiciously. "What was your destiny supposed to be?"

Aya shuddered slightly, shaking her head. "Please believe me when I say you'd rather not know."

Ken continued looking at her evenly before leading his troops out. "I already do."

Aya looked askance at him as he left, but didn't call him back or reply. The patrols scoured the rest of the castle, slaying most they encountered, letting those that wished to leave in peace do so. When they were satisfied that the castle had been scoured, Aya hailed a group of wraiths that were still leaving. "Hold! I would speak with you!"

The wraiths floated toward her, the incredulity they felt being obvious from their bearing. "What does a Solar wish to do with us?"

Aya smiled slightly. "Do you know where the largest group of spectres are in this area?"

One of the other wraiths spoke up with a low voice, like echoing water into a canyon. "If we attract their attention, they will destroy everything around here for miles."

Aya smiled a little more. "Do you think they could destroy the castle?"

The first wraith chuckled with a dry, scratching noise. "I see your plan now, fleshwalker. When?"

Aya nodded to the shadowland beyond. "When the last of my army disappears into the shadowland, go and attract the spectres. If possible, make them truly angry at the castle, to ensure its destruction. It shouldn't be too difficult, as they weren't very happy with the Mask of Winters to begin with."

The second wraith spoke once more. "You speak sense for one with flesh. I've been waiting three hundred years for this time to arrive."

Aya grinned. "The spectres have too, unless I'm missing my guess."

The wraiths nodded to her, and she nodded back before leading her army back into the shadowland. As the last of the troops emerged into the surface lands from the dark and shadowy place, they heard echoing, angry, inhuman screams of rage growing louder from the other side of the shadowland.

Aya nodded almost absent-mindedly. "Post a patrol by the shadowland; some of the spectres might try to get out."

An hour later, the sun rose, and Aya's voice greeted everyone gathered on the plains surrounding the fallen town of Thorns. "Good morning all! Gather by the front gate of Thorns, I have a few announcements."

It took a good twenty minutes, but all the soldiers, wounded or not, were gathered. Aya smiled as she saw Shara, Ophelia, and Drannid among the crowd. "To all the Alon-Ti, I say this: you are now true Tiger Warriors. Your life and destiny is your own now. The undead menace is gone, it's base of power broken. I salute you all as true Alon-Ti!"

Wild cheers broke out at this, which made Aya grin. She simply waited for them to stop celebrating and congratulating each other, which took a good twenty minutes of raucous noise. After they finished, she continued.

"Here is where we must part ways. Alon-Ti, you are very capable warriors, planners, strategists, it should be a simple matter for you to settle wherever you wish. I thank all of you deeply, for without you, Thorns would still be standing. Alon-Ti, you should bow to nobody now."

With that, she got down on one knee, and bent her head toward the gathered force. To all the gathered Alon-Ti's surprise, all the other Exalted beings among them did the same. The moment was quickly broken by a single Alon-Ti yelling out, "Oh come on now, you'll make me blush!"

This made most of the gathered people crack up laughing, as the solemn moment had passed, the people breaking up into groups, most wandering around talking to everyone else. Breakfast was made for everyone, as it became both a celebration and a farewell.

That night, Kale and Aya were packing up their things as they prepared to leave, going back to what both of them thought as home. Aya stood bolt upright, realizing she had forgotten about her mother. "Hey Kale, I want you to meet someone."

Kale looked at her with a raised eyebrow as he rolled up the tent. "And this someone would be...?"

She just grinned at him, as she grabbed his hand. "Come on."

With an exaggerated sigh, he followed her. When she looked back at him though, he was shaking his head and smiling. She led him over to where Morjin and Shara stood.

Shara looked much different than she did even a day ago. She wore simple peasant's clothes now, and no makeup. She was laughing heartily at something Morjin had said as they approached. Morjin spotted them, and smiled. "Well, hello!"

Kale and Aya both smiled, though Shara raised an eyebrow as she saw Kale. She hid a smile as she saw the two of them comfortably holding hands. She adopted a stern look. "So, you were the one who punched me. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Kale blinked as he looked at her. She looked familiar, but he couldn't say how or why. "Do I know you?"

Shara turned her head to the side, and lifted her hair out of the way to show where four clumps of hair had been ripped out by his claws during the battle. "Look familiar now?"

Kale's eyes opened wide. "How the hell...?"

Aya squeezed his hand as she smiled at him. "Love, meet my mother, Shara."

Kale looked back and forth at the two of them in surprise, not knowing what to say. He began to see the definite family resemblance between the two as he looked.

Aya chuckled as she looked at him, amused, before looking at Shara. "Why mother, I've never seen him at a loss for words before!"

Shara chuckled as she walked up to Kale to stare directly into his eyes. Her smile faded away, replaced by a stern look, one with steel in it this time. "After all you've done for my daughter, you and she have my blessing. However, if you ever make her cry or hurt her in any way, I'll make you cry. Got it?"

Kale nodded seriously. "I'd sooner harm myself." He smirked wryly. "Does this mean I can call you 'mom' now?"

Shara chuckled as she shook her head at him. "He's an odd one, Aya, but I think he fits you just fine."

Aya glanced at Kale before she smiled at her mother a little too innocently. "Oh, I know he fits me just fine."

Morjin put his head in his hands, shaking his head slightly, which made the other three chuckle.

Aya began to look concerned. "Mom, where will you go now?"

She glanced at Kale, who closed his eyes and took a deep breath before looking at Shara again. "You're welcome to stay with us at my parent's old cabin, if you wish."

Shara smiled, shaking her head. "Oh no, you two should live your lives together and by yourselves for now. I just feel like wandering around for a while, and letting the past couple years sort themselves out in my mind. It's been a long time since I've had a good walk."

Kale raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

Shara smiled a bit more widely at him. "Yes I am, and please don't feel as if you're obligated. Don't worry, I'll come to visit every once in a while."

The rest of the evening was spent saying goodbye to all the people they'd met that had come along with them for this war. Ken stopped Aya before she and Kale left. He just looked into her eyes for a few moments before speaking. "You're not my enemy, but you're not my friend either. Don't expect that to change."

Aya nodded to him. "Very well. I wish for you good journeys."

Ken just nodded curtly, and walked away. Kale shrugged, and waited for Aya to come with him, which she did after a few moments. They walked in silence for the first few miles, just lost in their own thoughts.

Aya broke the silence first. "Kale, I'd like to stop by our Manses before we go back home."

Kale looked at her questioningly. "That's a bit of a detour. Any particular reason?"

She nodded, looking distant. "I'm hanging up my swords and armor. I don't want them in my life any longer."

Kale raised his eyebrows, shocked, before realization of what she meant made him nod in understanding. "I get it. Okay."

She smiled at him, stopping him to kiss him softly on the lips before pulling away with a smile. "I knew you'd understand."

He nodded, smiling back. "Yeah, you had all those years as a general, a fighter, and so on. A sword shows you are prepared for a fight, but tends to attract them too."

Aya kissed him again before they began walking once more. Kale turned to her a few minutes later, rolling his eyes because he had nearly forgotten. "Oh, Shahan-ya Winterstripe wanted us both to visit the Lunar village soon. He asked me to bring you there after the war was over."

She smiled at him, nodding. "Alright."

They continued walking into the distance, the sun setting behind them.

[rhoenix]

To my friend and mentor, Winterstripe -

Forgive a savant's mind wandering in thought, but I cannot help but reflect upon the past now, especially as I see that the old town of Thorns is nothing but a memory. The memory of its form has faded, becoming now the deceptively simple town Houric. As you know, due to the huge amounts of essence used during the fateful night Thorns was taken for the second time, this town had to be shaped using geomancy, so that the energies can flow throughout, within, and without the town freely and unobstructed.

The Alon-Ti settled here, destroying the Juggernaut's carcass, and giving it back to the earth that spawned it. This village appears to the casual eye to be a simple village, with no walls protecting it from the outside. People move about their daily work, bowing to one another respectfully as they pass. I admit, I knew in theory that if the essence of this place was channeled correctly, it might become a place of peace and prosperity. However, to see it in practice is something else entirely. The people here simply till the soil, read, paint, and gather in large groups around the nightly fires to tell stories, bring up business, and discuss matters.

They wished to have a small monument honoring Aya, but Aya refused politely. Her reply was simple: "I merely showed you the door to walk through. You did the walking yourself."

The Alon-Ti have embodied part of this philosophy now, as they begin training their children in their ways, showing the children how they practice the arts of war, how they find peace and creativity from silence, and how they honor all life.

You may be interested to know that a few Lunars have been here already. Their barbarian followers sneered at what they thought were complacent and "soft" villagers, but all left the town a few days later with thoughtful looks on their faces. The Lunars that visited looked thoughtful too, as they left. I think they saw what you saw when you visited that town last, and it occupies their minds and hearts as it does mine.

I smile now as I remember five years ago, when Aya hung up her sword and armor for good, and journeyed with Kale back to the Lunar village. She didn't know it was because you were arranging a wedding, but I think Kale suspected. I still remember the image of the two of them, clad in soft white cotton robes, wearing wreaths of flowers as they were united. I am glad you decided to perform the ceremony, as it wouldn't be fitting for anyone else to try. It pleases me greatly to see that they followed the same path their previous incarnations did, and it pleases me more to see that both of them are Nain-ya now.

I'm sure you noticed, but I saw Shara and Golgol looking at one another during the ceremony. Those two have spent quite a bit of time together as of late, taking walks in the woods or to other places. As I'm sure you'll agree, seeing the first Solar and Lunar being wed in over a thousand years would certainly be an auspicious omen, but I get ahead of myself.

I think of when I visited Kale and Aya only a month ago, and saw them sitting in the evening sunshine on the new porch of their cabin. The image of them seems prophetic of who they are as a couple, and what lies in store for them. I'll clarify - he was sitting back in a comfortable chair, while she sat on his lap, her head upon his shoulder, dozing in the warmth of the sun. They seemed so utterly comfortable and at peace, it brought tears to my old eyes.

I'm sure you'll frown at this, but there were no children there when I was there last. They mentioned that it wasn't time quite yet, and I understand why - they just want some time alone as a couple before they become mother and father, as for both of them, parenthood has some bad memories.

Oh, and before I get too carried away, that reminds me. The being the former Deathlord named Nemilette is now alive and well, but even with the documents Aya found from the Deathlord's personal chambers, this being remains a mystery. When I brought her back to the tube, her eyes lit up, and asked to go inside. Cautiously, I agreed. To my surprise, blood began to fill the tube after she had submerged herself, and began coagulating swiftly at the top. What was left was an embryo again.

After some experiments, the blood I found was from the Mask of Winters and Aya both. I've destroyed the blood, out of paranoia more than anything else. After I had done so, I was surprised to see her emerge from the tube once more, and looking quite different. She appeared to be approximately eight years old, with strikingly grey hair, stormlike grey eyes, and lightly tanned skin. She looked up at me as I entered the Manse, and simply said "This is how I'm supposed to look."

I got over my shock enough to examine her again. She appears to casual examination to be a normal, healthy eight year old human girl, though with grey hair and grey eyes. However, when I examined her magically, the same strange patterns flowed within her. They were mostly the same as when she was the Mask of Winters' "daughter," but flowed more freely now. This makes sense; the Oblivion from his blood probably stifled her own natural biorhythms.

My greatest surprise was finding that she could reform any portion of her body into a flesh-colored metal that has all the properties of moonsilver. I first found this out by watching her almost unconsciously reforming her arm into a sharp-edged scimitar-like blade to cut some firewood. It appears to be an instinctive thing for her, though I am doing the best I can now to help her learn control over her natural abilities, for which she seems thankful. She has no malice in her heart now, though she hasn't aged any for the past few years - she still appears to be a rather normal-looking little girl, though with the intellectual capacity of an adult.

I smile as I realize what you are thinking to yourself now - that she is simply what she is, and she cannot help but be anything else. I agree, as I try to teach her whatever she would like to learn. The wonder of a child is evidenced whenever she senses or experiences anything new, child-like joy welling up within her at discovering anything unknown or unexperienced. Otherwise, she seems to be an intelligent, if quiet, little girl. I get the feeling she knows far more about herself than she tells, but she's unable to communicate what she knows quite yet. In the meantime, I will simply help her and teach her as best I can, though I admit my paternal instincts are awakening as I look after this child. She calls me her father, and I have begun to call her my daughter. She is an enigma, to be certain - but not a dangerous one. I hope.

I decided to name her Lenne, though I do not know why. Perhaps it is simply a figment of my intuition, perhaps not.

In any case, things seem to be relatively quiet in this part of the world for now, following the upset that happened when the Immaculate Troops came to investigate the "disturbance" they had heard happened at Thorns. I admit, seeing the utter shock on their faces as they saw with their own eyes what had happened was one of the most amusing and priceless moments in my life. Thankfully, they left after questioning everyone within the town, though they still looked incredulous as they left.



May Luna's soft eyes watch over you and yours,

Morjin

[rhoenix]

Thus ends Part 3, and this story of Twin Helix. I hope you enjoyed reading it, and I look forward to any and all comments.

[The Nomad]

Good. I admit to being a bit worried for the characters during the final battle, or a last unpleasant surprise as they scoured the castle, but everything went smoothly and we got our happy end

[rhoenix]

Good. I admit to being a bit worried for the characters during the final battle, or a last unpleasant surprise as they scoured the castle, but everything went smoothly and we got our happy end

Thank you, and I'm glad you enjoyed it. You also have the somewhat dubious honor of being the first to finish reading it and leaving a comment - so thank you for that as well.

Did anything in particular jump out at you while reading Part 3? Did any characters or scenes strike you as particularly notable?

[The Nomad]

Well I wondered where Gordray was during the final battle with the Mask of Winters. Perhaps he was resting after banishing the wraiths in the Juggernaught, but I thought it was a bit strange because I didn't see him at all not even at the end of the story.