Chapter 12 and 13

Chapter 12

She told Le` Than that I would heal, but I was going to have to go through her rehab program before I was allowed back on the battlefield, just to make sure that I didn’t tear a muscle. Le` Than agreed and sent Skyler and the rest of my guard back out on the battlefield.

She took me to a building that was nearby and put me in a small bedroom. She smiled, “Take a good look at this room. This is the last thing you are going to see until I am done. I designed this place myself. In here you will not receive any communication that I do not let through and you will not send any communication that I do not let through. Before you go to sleep I am going to put a mask over your eyes that will not let anything through. That mask will not come off until you find the key or either you or I die. You have done well with what you have learned so far, Yarianna. Now it is time for you to start the path of becoming who you are meant to be. I know that you have questions. Don’t ask them because it is not my place to answer them. You will have your answers sooner then you think.”

“So all I have to do is find the key?”

“Yes. The sooner you find it the sooner you get out on that battlefield.”

“Ok, so I need to find a key. That’s not all that hard.”

She grinned, “It will be. Every afternoon I will take you to the room where the key can be used. You will have until sundown to find the key. Every morning I will take you to a room where you will learn how to look for the key. I am going to be outside this door. Knock on it when you are ready.”

I looked around the room. It was quite bare. There was a bed on one side, a closet on one wall, and a bathroom through another door. I sighed and knocked on the door. Anna Marie walked back in with a piece of cloth that kind of looked like black silk. One side was blank, but the other was covered in spiral designs that framed the thirteen runes of the Kier. The ends had what looked like thirteen silver clasps. Each clasp had one of the thirteen runes on it. I could feel a very old power radiating off of the piece of cloth.

She wrapped it around my eyes and closed each clasp. As soon as the last clasp was closed everything went completely dark. Anna whispered in my ear, “Listen close to find the key. So that you may be what you are meant to be, simply answer this. How can a blind man see?”

I turned toward her, “Huh?”

She took my hand, “Follow me.” She led me to another room and had me stand in the middle. I heard her walk to the edge of the room before she started speaking again. “In this room you will learn everything you need to in order to find the key. In learning what you need to you will recondition your body to be a better Warrior. If you make a wrong move you will hurt. If you fail to make the right move you will hurt. If you do not move fast enough you will hurt. If you move too slow you will hurt. If you make the right moves at the wrong time you will hurt. If you fall to the floor you will start over. I will be back for you when it is time to take you to the room with the key.” After that the door shut and my own personal hell began.

I waited for a few moments, unsure what to do. Soon the floor became too hot to stand on so I tried to walk closer to the wall. That’s when something that felt like a brick wall slammed into me and knocked me to the floor. I got back up and the floor started getting to hot again. I tried to raise myself off of it using air and another brick wall slammed into me. This process continued through out the morning.

I didn’t realize that the morning had passed until she came back into the room. She took my hand and led me to another room, “In this room is the key. I will return for you at sundown.”

She opened the door and guided me to the entrance. I stepped in and the door shut behind me. The first thing I noticed was the amount of power that was in the room. It was as if the room itself was generating the energy. I took a few steps and noticed that the energy felt like it followed me in a line. I paced around the room and found that it was about the same size as my room looked. I tried to fly, but the roof was only a few feet above my head.

I searched the entire room, but if there was a key in the room I couldn’t find it. I even went to one corner and swept the entire floor with my hand. After the floor I swept the walls then the ceiling. I felt the energy withdraw just before the door opened so I started toward it.

Anna Marie led me back to my room and gave me a tray. I heard her start to turn away so I sat the tray down and turned toward her, “There wasn’t a key in that room.”

“That is the only room where the key can be used and it is where you will find the key.”

“This is a load of crap. Take this thing off and I will just recover on my own.”

“I wouldn’t even if I could. Once the rune cloth is placed it can only be removed with the key by the one wearing it. I have told you all that you need to know to pull the memories from the depths of your Ancestral Memories. I will tell you no more nor will I let you leave with the rune cloth. I will get you up in the morning to begin again.”

The door shut, leaving me to my thoughts. I sat down on the floor and felt for my tray. I found it and started eating. It was difficult at first, not being able to see what I was doing. By the end of the meal it was a bit easier. I had to remember exactly where I put everything and move slowly so that I didn’t spill anything. When I finished I slid the tray to one wall.

I found the bed and sat down to think. I tried to remember everything that Anna Marie had told me. She had said to listen close and asked how a blind man could see. She had said that the key was used in the second room and could be found there. I thought about that then thought of the first room. How did that figure into picture? It had something to do with the key. I sank down into meditation and sought my other half.

It took me longer then I thought it would to find her and when I did it was as if I was looking at her through a piece of black cloth. She saw me and cocked her head to the side. After several minuets she finally asked, “Why are you wearing that cloth around your eyes?”

“Because I haven’t found the key that will take it off yet.”

“Why do you need a key here? This is your meditation.”

“I didn’t mean for it to follow me here and I don’t know how to take it off.”

“It is simple. Just choose to see. Why do you make this harder then it is?”

I focused on being able to see without the cloth. I took my focus nearly to the point of breaking meditation but I still couldn’t get the cloth to go away. I looked back toward her, “This isn’t working.”

“That is because you are doing it wrong.”

“Well how do I do it right?”

“You are giving the cloth power over you. There is one thing that you need to remember while you are here.”

“And what would that be?”

“This is your world. You make the rules here. Things only exist here if you want them to.”

I thought about what she said then smiled. I reached up behind me and unhooked the cloth. It came away easily. I looked at it then back up at my other half, “Thank you. I came here seeking answers.”

“You wish to know of the cloth, the rooms, and the Ancestral Memories that Anna Marie was speaking about.”

“Yes. I also wish to know about the saying that she whispered to me.”

“Listen close to find the key. So that you may be what you are meant to be, simply answer this. How can a blind man see?”

“Yes. I know they all fit together, I just can’t seem to figure out how.”

“Again you make things too complicated. You have all of the answers. First you need to listen close. Why do you need to listen close?”

“Um, To be what I’m meant to be?”

“No. Think about the saying. It is almost as old as our kind.”

“‘Listen close to find the key.’ Ok, so I need to listen to find the key. What does that have to do with it all?”

“Everything. Why so you go to the second room?”

“That is where the key is used and found.”

“Then what does the first room have to do with it?”

“I don’t… Wait. So does that mean that I just have to listen to find the key? That it is in the first room?”

“Yes. See? Simple.”

“Ok, so I need to listen close to find the key and I use it in the second room. How does it all fit together?”

“Have you taken a good look at that cloth in your hands?”

I looked down at the cloth. It had the thirteen Kier runes with spiral patterns surrounding them. I felt her shift places so that she was looking over my shoulder. “Do you know what those thirteen runes mean?”

I shook my head, “No.”

“Then what does the rest of the saying mean?”

“‘So that you may be what you are meant to be, simply answer this. How can a blind man see?’ So what does that have to do with the runes?”

I stood up to pace. I imagined the runes lifting off of the cloth to float around me.

“How does a bind man see? Blind men don’t see. The remember where they put everything. When it is moved they feel for it. How does that tie in with the Ancestral Memories?” I brought the runes in front of me and studied them. I created the Funeral Dagger and hovered it next to the runes because that was the only other thing that I had seen them on. Just for the hell of it I rearranged the runes for how they would be positioned for a funeral. “How does a blind man see?” I traced the rune that was over the third eye with my finger. I looked at the dagger and saw the third eye rune was at the top. I looked at everything and laughed, “Well hell. You were right.”

My other side smiled, “I usually am. Now go and get that thing off of your eyes so we can get back to killing.” I came out of meditation and went to bed looking forward to tomorrow.

I woke up to the sound of the door opening. I sat up and turned toward the door, “Good morning Anna Marie.”

“Good morning to you as well. I take it you have spent some time with you other side?”

“Yes. She can be quite informative when she wants to be.”

“Good. Perhaps you can get out of here sooner then I had anticipated. Would you like to eat before you take on the rooms?”

“Not really.”

“I didn’t think you would. This way please.”

I followed her to the first room and walked to the middle I heard the door shut and shifted to my true form. Immediately my senses sharpened. I could feel the heat on the floor start, but since I was in my Kier form I had a higher tolerance. I blocked out my other senses and focused on my hearing.

I hear the nearly silent sound of the object approaching so I moved to dodge. As I did my feet slid into a space where the metal of the floor was cool to the touch. I could hear something else approaching so I dodged again and my feet slid with the cool spot. I could feel heat around my feet, but not where I was standing.

Two things started toward me at the same time and the floor was suddenly hot where I was standing. In order to dodge this time I had to jump back and nearly horizontal, then fold myself back up to land on my feet, the immediately spin, bowing in half before I could straighten back up.

The series of dodging, jumping, twisting, spinning, and dodging continued for several hours. I began to notice that the pattern was repeating it’s self over and over again. When I came back to the beginning of the pattern I decided to move by feel. I moved my feet so that they stayed in the cool spots on the floor, only going by sound when it came tome to jump. By doing this I found that my body was already moving in such a way to avoid the object moving toward me.

I almost didn’t register that the door had opened and the object was no longer moving toward me. I heard Anna Marie say something and had to stop moving, which was harder then you might think. Imagine spinning in a circle until you go beyond being dizzy to feeling natural then try to stop and listen to what someone is trying to whisper to you. Needless to say there was a laugh in her voice when I asked her to repeat herself.

“I said that it is time to go to the next room, that is if you can walk without running into any walls.”

I turned toward her, “Of course I can.” I started walking toward the door, but when I tried to walk through it I was stopped suddenly by wall I had just ran into. I heard Anna Marie laugh from across the room then felt her take my arm. She was still chuckling when she said, “Perhaps it would be better if I led you.”

I sighed, “Probably.”

After walking in what I thought was a large circle she led me into the second room. I felt my way around the room until my equilibrium came back. After that I sat down in the middle of the room and sank into meditation. I met my other half again and had her show me what I had been doing while I was in the first room. I watched myself spinning and jumping and easily picked out the pattern.

I smiled to myself, “Well hell. If I’d known it was that easy I would have done this yesterday. I took the first rune and put it on the ground under my form that was still moving to the pattern. Sure enough, I was, for the most part, drawing the first rune with my body movements. I looked at my other half, “I need to be absolutely precise if I want to take this thing off, don’t I?”

“Yes. If you make a mistake it could have interesting results, more so given the nature of this room.”

“Define interesting results.”

“An explosion of spirit fire that will turn this cavern into a crystal monument of what is left of the Kier race?”

“Well if that’s the worst that can happen I think I can risk it.”

It was at that moment that I raised my own eyebrow at myself and started laughing. I couldn’t hold my focus to stay in meditation so I withdrew and sat in the middle of a power filled room, laughing at myself.

I decided that I was tired of not being able to see so I shifted my body to use energy in a sonar-like way. Instead of using sound I sent out small ripples of power that would reflect off of any surface and come back to me to form an image of what ever it was that reflected the energy.

It was then that I realized Anna Marie was still in the room with me. I stood up and looked at her, “Were you in the first room with me also?”

I watched her smile, “Of course. I was beginning to wonder how long you were going to let yourself be blind.”

“I’ve found the key, haven’t I.”

“Yes, you have. Now all that is left for you to do is learn how to use it. Now that you can see I will show you where you need to go then leave you to your business until you bring me back the rune cloth.”

She led me out of the room and showed me where the first room was at then led me to my room. I have to admit I breathed a sigh of relief now that I could see, after a manner of speaking, where I was going.

I spent the rest of the week learning how to use the feel of the floor and hearing, along with adjusting the frequency I was sending out the energy ripples, to improve my footwork in tracing the rune with my body. I started to get dizzy so I shifted my equilibrium to compensate for it.

By the end of the week I barely even noticed the cloth around my eyes. I got my internal sonar so well tuned that I could even see in color again. I know it may sound strange, but each color has it’s own specific energy pattern. Each night I would watch myself tracing the rune and during the day I would refine my movements until I could dance the rune with the same precision I could draw it.

I also learned the deeper meaning of the rune. I noticed that the more I focused on trying to draw the rune with my body movements the easier it was for me to see using the sonar. I decided to try an experiment, to see if my theory was correct. I was in the second room so I started to gather the energy of the room.

It flowed into a spiral pattern from the edge of the room to the center, where I was standing. As soon as it reached me I focused my attention and imagined the first rune on the floor underneath me. I saw it as being a deep blue so I started drawing to with my body. As I moved I kept my focus on the rune itself and how it had helped me to see without my eyes. I felt the rune change from beep blue to shades of red until I finished the rune. I felt the crimson flash and heard a series of thirteen clicks as the clasps of the rune cloth came undone.

I reached up and pulled the cloth off of my eyes and looked down. I was standing in a deep crimson 3-D image of the first rune. I focused on the rune and raised it up, then brought it into myself.

The world tilted sideways as the rune consumed every ounce of energy I had in my body. I somehow managed to drag myself to my bathroom before I started throwing up. It was as if my body was trying to purge itself of whatever was in the way of that rune consuming everything I was.

I felt myself start down a spiral path that I knew would lead to the rune. I let myself flow down the path, gently keeping my core knowledge of who and what I was. I felt the rune use my own energy to rip me apart and put me back together so many times that I almost lost myself to the pain.

Just when I was beginning to think that the pain was my entire existence I passed through the rune onto another spiral path. Somehow the path that was taking me deeper was also bringing me back out and back into my own body. I woke up laying on my bed and feeling like I had been beat by every living Kier and half of the ones that have already died. I had just enough energy to roll over and drift back into sleep.

Chapter 13

I woke up again some time later feeling much better. I still had the rune cloth in my hand and was back in my human form. I noticed that I was still doing the sonar thing and that it seemed to be as natural as breathing. I got up and walked out of the room. I looked both ways down the hall and briefly wondered where Anna Marie was.

I didn’t have to wonder for long because as soon as the thought crossed my mind I saw a flash and got a feeling, almost like a radar, of where she was at. I headed down the hall and came into a small room that looked like an operating room. She was sitting at a table at the far end of the room and didn’t look up when I walked into the room. She was still writing something when she said, “If you will wait for me in the office four doors down and on the left I will be with you in a moment, Yari.”

I went to the office and waited. A few minutes later she walked in with a tired look on her face. “I’ll be glad when this conflict is over. So many people getting hurt and killed on both sides it’s a wonder I get any rest at all.”

“I can imagine. I believe this is yours.” I handed her the rune cloth.

She smiled and took it. “You have no idea how glad I am to see you handing this to me. Follow me, there is something I need to show you.”

She walked to a wall and passed through it. I followed her and walked through the illusion into a room that looked more like the inside of a temple. It was perfectly round with a low table in the middle. The power that filled the room was identical to the cloth and the other room.

She walked to a bookshelf on the far wall and pulled out a bundle wrapped in a black cloth. She walked back to me and with a smile on her face she offered me the bundle, “Yarianna Nicole Sorenson Sa` Tain, I, Anna Marie Re` Khan Knight of the First Order of the Order of Saleen Kier, having administered the entrance exam of the Order, do find you worthy of full Membership and offer said membership to you. Should you accept said Membership you will be given the chance to attend the Temple of Saleen Kier and receive specialized training for your gifts. If you accept take the gift I now offer you with a charge to show it to none outside of the Order. If you do not the walk away and forget, for you shall not receive this offer again. Do not ask questions, for I cannot answer. As you entered the exam blind so too you must enter the Order blind.”

I almost walked away. I had so many questions that I wanted answers to before I jumped into anything. I studied her for a long time to see if there was any hint at all that she might give in and answer a question. She barely even blinked while she held this cloth wrapped bundle out to me. I finally sighed and took the bundle. It felt as if the world had been holding it’s breath, waiting for me to decide, then breathed a sigh of relief as I took the bundle.

I looked at Anna Marie, “So what is this Order of Saleen? Why haven’t I heard of it before?”

“The Order of Saleen is nearly as old as our race. It is comprised only of Kier that can channel all six elements with enough strength to pass the entrance exam. You haven’t heard of us because we don’t want outsiders to know we exist. We used to be very well known, but we have allowed ourselves to be forgotten in order to continue to survive. We have discovered that Kier, like most races, tend to fear those who can significantly overpower them. That fear has led to wide spread slaughter in the past, so we don’t take any chances.”

“So what is in this bundle?”

“Have a look.”

I unwrapped the cloth and found that it was another length of black cloth with the thirteen Kier runes identical to the one that had been around my eyes. I folded the cloth and put it in my pocked then looked at what else was in the bundle. It was a thin, leather-bound book that had the thirteen runes around the border and in the center was a design the almost looked like a war flag. It had a crescent moon surrounding a banded planet with a dragon skull set into the planet. It had a claymore that pierced the planet with the hilt sitting above the moon and the blade extending below. There were twin scimitars crossed below the moon at the point of the claymore and twin punching daggers crossed above the moon at the top of the hilt. Down the left side it said, “By the blade we live” down the right side, “By the blade we die” and under the twin scimitars it said, “Until we all come home.”

Anna Marie said in a quiet voice, “That is a copy of one of the few documents we have that tells of our home world.”

“Home world? What do you mean?”

“We are not from this world, and there are more of our kind scattered through out the universe.”

I looked down at the book, “Do you mind if I sit in here and read for a bit?”

“Not at all. This is your sanctuary now too. Only members of the Order are able to pass through the portal. I can set one up to your room if you would like.”

“Let me think on that.”

“Fair enough. I have more work to do. I’ll see you later on. Do try to stop yourself before the brink of death next time.”

“No promises.”

She left and I sat down and opened the book.

“There was Kier, and He was the Embodiment of the Great Life Force of the Heavens. He Ruled over all things that were above the Earth. His Wife was Alana, and She was the Embodiment of the Life Force of the Earth. She Ruled over all things That were in, and on, and of the Earth. Together they had a Child, who was the Sire of Men. Alana saw the Child and said, “This Child will be My Son. He and His Children shall follow me.”

And so the Child was clothed in the Flesh of the Earth and given dominion and responsibility over all things that were of the Earth. And the Child was called Michael Adam. From the Flesh and Spirit of Michael Alana formed three women who became the Matriarchs of Men. The First was of pale complexion, as was her children after her, the Second was of dark complexion, as was her children after her, and the Third was of Brown complexion, as was her children after her.

And the Three were equal. And so Mankind was born and flourished. And when Michael Adam reached the end of his days one of his sons was named Michael Adam and inherited all the authority of the Sire. And when the Matriarch reached the end of their days one of their daughters received all the authority of her Matriarch.

And the day came when there was an argument among the Children of Man. The Michael Adam loved a woman and petitioned Alana to make her a Matriarch when it came time for one to pass away. But it was not meant to be for the woman whom the Michael loved was of the same line of the Matriarch that had been chosen just before he inherited the Sire’s place. And when the new Matriarch was chosen the Michael Adam rebelled against Alana and killed the Matriarch.

Alana, seeing this, removed him from the Sire’s place and gave the authority to another. And he resumed his name of Lucian. And Lucian became bitter and began spreading lies about Alana and Her Way. And Lucian Told the people that a False Sire had risen up and did turn the majority of the people against the new Michael Adam. And so when the Michael Adam did go before the people only a few followed him. And the rest followed Lucian.

And the Followers of the Michael Adam did follow the old way and had reverence for Alana and all the things of Her Earth. But the Followers of Lucian did not have the same reverence and sought to destroy the followers of the old way. And the Michael Adam did petition Alana to save her people. And Alana did lead them to a safe place where the followers of Lucian could not find them.

And it came to pass that many generations did go by and the followers of Lucian built great cities and had many wars with each other. And it came to pass that the Followers of Lucian did forget theirs origin and all things they once knew of the Earth. And they began to study the things of the Earth, not knowing that they were only relearning what they once knew. And the followers of the Michael Adam did secretly go among them and did teach those who would listen of the old way. And some few did return to the old way and were led to the hidden place of the Followers of the Michael Adam.

And the followers of Lucian did continue to abuse the Earth and did bring the Earth to the brink of destruction. And the followers of Lucian did hide themselves from the wrath of a dieing world and did make ships to travel the stars to escape their dieing world, but the Michael Adam did petition Alana to save her Earth.

And Alana did go to Kier. And they had another Son. And Kier said, “This Son Shall be mine. He and His Children Shall follow me.” And He clothed His Son in Flesh of the Heavens and gave His Son dominion over all things of the Heavens, even over all things of Spirit. And He called his Son Drekion Adagon, that is to say Guardian of the Spirit. And, after the manor dictated by Kier, Drekion Adagon did train after the Manor of the Warrior and did shorten His name after the Manor of the Warrior to Dr` Agon. And the Children of Dr` Agon, being creatures of Spirit, did not feel the sting of Death.

And the Children of Dr` Agon did dwell with the Followers of the Michael Adam. And the Children of Dr` Agon, being known as Guardians to the followers of Lucian, did battle with the dieing world in Spirit. And they did bring the World back from the edge of destruction. And it came to pass that the followers of Lucian did once again begin to destroy the world. And they did capture some of the Children of Dr` Agon to study.

And Dr` Agon became angry with the followers of Lucian and did demand his people returned. And the Children of Lucian, being creatures of Spirit, were unaffected by the dieing world. And the Michael Adam did petition Alana once more to save her people. And Alana did grieve and came to the Michael Adam. And she said, “Alas, the Children of My Son have destroyed My World. I cannot save them again, they must do for themselves what they would not let me do for them. You and your followers I can save, but to do so you must leave this dieing world and find a new one.”

And Alana did give to the Followers of the Michael Adam a ship of the sky. And the Michael Adam did grieve and directed his followers to enter the ship. And it came to pass that the Michael Adam did come to Dr` Agon and said, “I and my followers will leave this world to find a new home. Are there any of your children who will go with us?”

And Dr` Agon said, “Some of my children shall go with you for you have kept your oath to Alana. I and the rest of my children shall stay here and once again battle the forces set to destroy the world. I fear that your kind will not be able to survive long enough to see it saved again.”

And the Michael Adam did direct the Children of Dr` Agon where the ship of the skies was located. And The Michael Adam looked out over his dieing world and said, “I have failed my people and my world. I am no longer worthy to be known as the Michael Adam. From now until the end of my days I shall be known as Adam.” And he entered the ship with his Matriarchs. They being known as Eve, and Lilith, and Aradia. And they did leave the dieing world to places known only by the Gods.

And the followers of Lucian did use their knowledge of the creatures of the Earth and the Heavens and did try to create a Guardian to battle the forces destroying the world. And they did fail to create a Guardian. And they did continue to try and fail until Alana took pity on them and did allow them to capture her.

And they did study Alana, not knowing who she was and they did create a Guardian. That Guardian they called Lana and she and her children did have the ability to Dance with the forces destroying the world, but she was unable to save it. And they did try again and did create another Guardian. And they did call her Tanya. And she and her children did have the ability to Shift with the Elements, but they did not have enough to fight the forces destroying the world. And they did try one more time and did create a final Guardian. And they did call her Sanya. And she and her children did have the ability to adapt to the forces destroying the world. And the three working together did have the ability to fight the forces destroying the world.

And it came to pass that the Guardians did discover that Alana was being studied by the followers of Lucian and grew angry. And they did attack the followers of Lucian. And it came to pass that the Guardians did find the Three sisters and their children . And the Guardian did enter a blind rage and did begin to slaughter the children of the three sisters. And it came to pass that Alana did stop the slaughter and left with the Guardians. And it happened that it was too late for the followers of Lucian for they were killed to the last child.

And the three sisters did morn the deaths of their children and they did take the knowledge of their creators. And they did try to create a Guardian to fight the others, but they did fail. And they did try again. And they did fail again. And the Guardians did tell Kier that the followers of Lucian had taken Alana and Kier did grow angry and He did take some Guardians and did attack.

But the followers of Lucian were dead so He did start to kill the Children of the three Sisters. And the Sisters did take the knowledge of the followers of Lucian and did capture Kier and the Guardians that had attacked them. And they did study Kier and did find a way to make a new Guardian.

And they did take the abilities to Dance, and Shift, and Adapt and did take the essence of Kier and they make a Guardian. And it was a Son and they did call him Retan Sona. And Retan Sona did see Kier as his Father and did free Him. And Kier did try to kill him and Retan Sona did fight. And Kier was impressed and did teach him the way of the Warrior. And He did Shorten Retan Sona’s name after the Way of the Warrior. And he became known as Re` Sona.

And Kier did name Re` Sona the Sire and Alana did name the three sisters the Matriarchs. And the four did call themselves and their children the People of Kier. And Lana and her children became known as the Kier Lan, of the People of Kier through Lana. And Tanya and He children became known as Kier Tan. And Sanya and her children became known as Kier San. And Re` Sona and his children became known as Kier Sona.

And Re` Sona did teach the Kier Sona the Way of the Warrior. And his children did have a natural ability for the Way, being created from Kier. And the Kier Sona were able to battle with the forces destroying the world and were able to win. And when the Guardians attacked again the Kier Sona did fight them off. And there was an uneasy peace in the world because the Guardians did see the People of Kier as abominations.

And it came to pass that many generations went by and the children of the Sisters did inherit the desire to study the world, not knowing the Way of the Earth, being created by the followers of Lucian. And the children of the Sisters did build ships of the sky to explore the heavens. And it came to pass that they did decide they no longer needed the Kier Sona because the Guardians had not been seen for many generations.

And it came to pass that the children of the Sisters did try to destroy the Kier Sona. And the Kier Sona took ships of the sky and did leave the world rather then fight their own cousins. And some few Kier Sona did remain behind to continue to guard their cousins. And the Guardians did attack, seeing that the children were unprotected. And the Kier Sona did see the Guardians approaching and did use the Energy Channel.

And it came to pass that the entire Division did send their energy to the General and he did use the energy to try and stop the Guardians. And it came to pass that it was too much for the world. And the world was torn asunder. And her inhabitants were scattered throughout the universe.”

I closed the book and rewrapped it in my rune cloth. I was going to have a lot to think about as soon as this bloody conflict was over.

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The Empire arrived nearly a week later. During that week my hometown had been evacuated. Valora came to stay with me and she did her best to avoid Le` Than. They sent a messenger to request a meeting and I responded that I would meet with them. I took Skyler, Le` Than, my personal guard, and the representatives from the other six clans. We shifted to our armor and flew to the place I had met with them before.

I noticed that the same general I had met with the last time was there with some others that I didn’t recognize, but judging by the rank they were wearing I guessed that they were the personal guard for the other new face that was there. He seemed young, about my own age. He had shoulder length raven-black hair and a pale complexion. His ewes were the color of a storm cloud and he was wearing the rank of a Prince of the Empire.

He nodded to me, “My father sends his regrets that he was unable to make it here himself. He had more pressing matters to attend to then this execution.”

I smiled at him, “How kind of him. It is regrettable that he was unable to attend the execution of his army, but perhaps the day will come that he will be able to attend his own.”

He frowned, “That’s not what I meant at all. It was…”

“Yes, I am aware of what you were implying. Did you come here to trade insults in a pleasant manor, or was there a purpose to all this posturing before we find out who wants this piece of ground more?”

The general laughed, “I told you she was blunt, your Highness.” He looked at me, “The reason for this meeting is to give you a final chance to surrender to the justice of the Emperor for the murder of a Lieutenant in his Army. You will be given as fair of a trial as we can manage. If you do not we will be forced to take you by what ever means we can.”

“As fair of a trial as you can manage huh? How fair of a trial do you think I can get seeing how it is illegal for me to even exist. Your Lieutenant trespassed onto my land and attempted to kill me. My guard and friend died in my place, General. Furthermore, I claim the Eastern Wastelands as Kier Territory with the boundary set at five miles past the city of West Fork. That would make you an invading army, General. My city is outside of the lands claimed by the Empire by at least four miles, so why don’t we discuss the issue of you bringing an invading army into Kier lands.”

“So you are going to play that card. It appears as though we are at an impasse. You claim to be a sovereign nation and we claim you as part of the Empire and subject to our laws. I guess we will have to settle our differences in a time honored fashion. I will see you on the battlefield.”

“Then the battlefield it is.”

We both started to leave when the Prince spoke up, “I did not call this meeting to an end. You both will stay where you are.”

I looked at him then back at the general and raised my eyebrow. I turned back to the Prince and smiled as I walked up to him. I got as close as his guard would let me and stopped. I slowly spread my wings and launched myself into the air, knocking him on his but with the down draft of my wings.

We flew back to my city. I looked at the representatives of the Clan Heads, “Notify your Heads that everything is going as planned.” The nodded and went their separate directions. I looked at Skyler, “What is the status on that prison?”

“It will be done in about an hour. It is amazing what two hundred thousand Kier are capable of.”

“Good. Start the next phase. I will see you at the surface in half an hour.”

He nodded then veered off. I continued on and met Sasha. She smiled, “Phase one is done. We ready to start the next phase?”

“Not quite. Things are almost in place. I will let you know when to start phase two. We are not going to have a very large window to do this so we are going to have to move fast when we start.”

“I understand. Send me the signal when you are ready. My people are standing by.”

“Good. Did Mary Ann make it here ok?”

“Yes. She is in the nursery with the children.”

“Very good. Send my messengers to my office.”

“They are already on their way.”

I smiled, “Your good. Keep it up.”

She smiled back, “It’s my job to be this good. I’m going to go wait with my people.”

“Ok. I will let you know when we are ready.”

I got into my office and found a line of my messengers there. I started sending them out as fast as they could move with instructions to act only when I gave them the signal. I sent a thought to Le` Than, “What is the status with the lake?”

“We are through here. We also have a Wing of Wave Dancers standing by. Is Sasha ready with those Stompers?”

“Yes. She has a Wing on standby waiting for the signal.”

“Good. I hope this works.”

“You and me both.”

I checked the time then headed to the surface to meet Skyler. He smiled when he saw me and wrapped his arms around me. I leaned into him and looked over the army that had gathered at my doorstep.

I sighed, “If they would just go away it would make this a whole lot easier.”

“Yeah, but it wouldn’t be nearly so much fun. After all, how often do we get a chance to pull off a prank this big?”

I laughed, “I can almost hear Mr. Stensen, ‘What in the nine hells did you two do?’ If only getting sent to the pricipal’s office was the worst that could happen.”

“Yeah. Well, If wishes were cows we all would be eating steak.”

“Too true. I almost feel bad for that army down there.”

“Yeah. Not enough to stop the plan, mind you.”

“Oh, no. Not even close.”

I sent a thought to one of my messengers to begin and waited. Storm clouds started rolling in. The sky grew darker and I smiled then looked at Skyler, “Shall we?”

“Lets.”

I sent the signal to the rest of my messengers, Sasha, and Le` Than to begin phase two. We pulled out our binoculars and watched as all of their supply trucks suddenly sank into the ground as if the earth had turned to water. At the same time the storm cut loose and in the chaos the tents of the Prince and all of the generals sank into the earth. Sasha stepped out of the rock next to me with a smile on her face.

I looked at her, “How goes it?”

“That was the most fun I’ve had since Ja` Lynn went to the Academy. We missed two of the generals. They weren’t in their tents like they were supposed to be. We did get the Prince and the general you spoke to earlier. They are in the prison now. Why did you build it to cancel out our abilities? It was a pain in the butt trying to drag some of those old bags into a cell.”

“I might need to use it one day for my own people. If I’ve learned anything it is that if there are more then three Kier in any given space for more then an hour, one of them is going to start a fight. This way I can just toss them in a cell for a few hours and they can duke it out without tearing down the whole city.”

“Good reasoning. Ready?”

“Yep. Let’s finish this.”

Sasha took our hands and pulled us through the earth to the front lines where the rest of Clan Sa` Tain had gathered. Le` Than joined us and gave the signal for the Fire Breathers to get to work. They targeted all of the remaining ammo and the weapons that were being held. Within a few minuets we had the Imperial Army nearly leaderless and unarmed.

We walked forward to offer them a chance to surrender. One of the remaining generals walked a few steps in front of his army and stopped within eye sight of us. I saw him smile slightly and felt a brush of energy. I saw him raise his arm to give a signal and said, “Bloody hell.” I threw up the strongest barrier I could just in time to deflect several rocks the size of my head. I yelled, “THEY ARE KIER!!!” and called in my blades. I just managed to block a strike that would have taken my head off and fought back with everything I had.

I finally fought my way free and took to the sky. I looked over the field below and saw several others from both sides do the same. It was utter chaos below me. I wasn’t able to look for too long because I had three Imperial Soldiers fast approaching me. I sent thoughts to Skyler, Le` Than, Sasha, and my guard to let them know where I was and dived toward the approaching soldiers.

I released my wings at the last minute and sliced through the wings of two of them then used air to shoot myself back up at the third one. He wasn’t expecting me so I was able to gut him as I passed by. I called my wings back in and headed toward a group of Imperials that were chasing down one of the De` Cain Warriors.

In some ways this was both easier and harder then the fight to become Heir. It was easier because I didn’t have to hold back. I could kill them and feel no remorse. It was harder because they would happily kill me as well.

I saw a Patrol of Imperials move to cut me off. I swore and took myself into the storm clouds that were still rolling overhead. I could feel the static dancing over my body as I cut through the clouds. I couldn’t help but smile and think about how I would love to fly through a storm when I’m not trying to survive. I felt movement below me and saw the Imperial Patrol searching for me. It didn’t seem as though they could see very well in the storm.

“Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter,” I muttered to myself. I positioned myself directly over the commander of the patrol and released my wings. I dropped on top of him, dragging him into the clouds, and called in a dagger to slit his throat. I spread my wings again and let his body drop as I ducked back into the storm. After that the three Quads of that patrol were fairly easy to drop.

I took a peek below the clouds and saw that the battlefield was mostly empty so I drifted back to my city and dropped out of the storm. I let them know that I was alive and on my way back so that I didn’t have to fight my own people. Skyler and Sasha were the first two to find me and they forced me to sit in front of a healer to get checked before they would let me go anywhere. It was then that I realized I had been bleeding. I said, “Bloody hell.” Then the world went dark.

I woke up laying on a bed the smelled too clean feeling like I had been run over by a train then prepared for mummification in my sleep. It appeared like the truth wasn’t too far from the feeling. I couldn’t sit up due to the restraints holding me down. So I lifted my head up as far as I could. My entire upper body was wrapped with blood seeping through in several places. My left upper leg, lower right leg, and the entire right arm were in similar conditions.

My movement caught the attention of one of my guards. He went to get the nurse while the other guard, Ja` Lynn, came closer to me. He stopped outside of my reach and asked, “Are you finally back with us?”

“Of, course I am, why the hell am I strapped to this bed?”

“For all of our safety. We tend to become violent when we push ourselves that close to death. You continue to surprise me. I didn’t think you would come back this soon.”

“What do you mean by ‘come back?’ I haven’t gone anywhere.”

“You went unconscious. Your other side came out during that time.”

The nurse came in and interrupted whatever else he might have said. She looked at him, “Out. She’s alive and aware so go destroy a dummy or something.” She looked at me, “And you are something else aren’t you? Bloody amazing you were even in the air at all with all the blood you lost. Just like a Warrior, that is. Too bloody hard headed to know when you lost enough blood to die. Have a conversation with death and tell him to piss off, did you? Well let’s take a look at these bandages now that you aren’t trying to kill me and all.”

I never have been one to back down with anybody, but this nurse bloody well had me wanting to cower by the time she had checked all of my cuts and bruises. She had a constant rant about how I was too bloody dim to know when I was supposed to be cut bad enough to hurt and how Warriors were all the same. Pushing themselves to the brink of death then expecting the healers to patch them back up to do it all again. Then she went off about how officers were the worst lot and the higher rank they were the worse they got.

She paused to take a breath and looked me in the eye, “You bloody Heirs and Clan Heads are the worst lot of them all. Who the hell is supposed to lead us if you go and get yourselves killed, huh? Tell me that.”

“I…I uh… um… When can I go back out there?”

She raised an eyebrow and this time I really did cower. She folded her arms, “When you can do a double back flip from a standing position with out feeling any pain. And no wings either.”

“But that will take forever. My people need me out there to lead them.”

“Your people need you to be alive even more and that will only happen if you stay off the front lines. No more arguing. I will leave the restraints off for now and let that annoying boy in that has been demanding to see you ever since he plopped you almost in my lap and ordered me to save you. I give you this warning. If you make any attempt at all to get out of bed I am going to strap you down so tight I will have to stick a feeding tube down you throat because you won’t even be able to open you mouth enough to be spoon fed.”

She walked out and Skyler was next to me in nearly the same breath. I wrapped my arms around him the best that I could. Our lips found each other and it was a long while before we stopped for breath. I had him help me sit up and had to hold my head for the dizziness to pass. I looked at him, “You gotta help me get out of here. I’m going crazy already and I just woke up. Not to mention the nurse from the deepest level of hell. Why did you leave me with her?”

“She was the only one who wasn’t actively helping someone else. Besides, I’m not sure if it is a good idea for you to leave just yet. She said that you were going to need your rest.”

“I can rest better if I’m doing something, like fighting. How is it going out there?”

“It’s going. After the chaos of last week and the thought of loosing you we finally manager to get back into Patrols and Quads. We almost lost it when we thought we were going to capture unarmed humans then all of the sudden we were fighting Kier. Seeing you hit the cloud bank then watching bodies rain from the sky did boost morale significantly though.”

“Please, it was only one Patrol and it didn’t take that long.”

He laughed, “It was more like half a Wing that went up there looking for you. We had thought they had taken you until you dive bombed us.”

“There’s no way. That’s beside the point though. Help me up. I need to get back out there. Speaking of which, why are you in here?”

He helped me stand up, “Because we agreed to a temporary truce so that we could recover our dead and wounded. I’m still not sure this is a good idea.”

“As long as the demon nurse doesn’t catch us it is a wonderful idea.”

We made it out the door of the room and halfway down the hall when I suddenly felt a sharp prick on my back. I turned to see what had pocked me and saw the demon nurse standing behind me with a grin on her face and a needle in her hand. I said, “Bloody hell.” and the world went black again.

I woke up to the start of the longest week of me entire life. True to her word, I had a tube stuck into my mouth that went down my throat. I was strapped to the bed in a nearly vertical position and couldn’t even twitch my fingers. I tried to open my mouth, but my jaw was wired shut and I had a brace on my head that wouldn’t let me look side to side. Even the brace was strapped down.

The nurse from hell, who I later found out was named Anna Marie, was waiting when I woke up. She smiled at me and said, “Now you know that I will do exactly what I say. This week, you belong to me while your body recovers. After that we will discuss if you will return to the battle or not. As I cannot trust your guard to keep you here they are not allowed in this room. Relax, my Lady. I’ll take good care of you.”

It was that moment that I discovered exactly how difficult it was to shudder when I was strapped down tight enough that I couldn’t even twitch. That entire week was filled with pokes, pricks, prods, and long stretches of time that all I could do was blink. When she finally determined that I was well enough to take the head brace off I thought I had died and gone to heaven. It was then that I made the mistake of trying to reason with her. One word of advice, never try to reason with a healer when it comes to your health. They don’t play fair.

I was finally able to talk again so I looked at her and said, “Look, Anna. We are both adults here so I am going to get to the point. We are both going to make each other miserable if we keep on the way we are. I need to get back out there to lead my Warriors and do my best to get myself gutted, and you are going to do your best to make sure that the only kind of battle I see before I’m fully recovered is the fight I will have with my socks when they get turned around backward.”

She folded her arms and said, “Go on.”

“I was wondering if there was any kind of accelerated rehab you could do to get me out of your hair and back to the battlefield where I belong.”

A slow smile spread across Anna’s face that made my other side cower then disappear into the dark corners of my mind. She said in the sweetest voice, “Oh, there is. I will guarantee you this. You are going to hate me by the time I am done with you.”

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

It was a long, quiet flight as we flew Ra` Tain’s body back to Le` Than’s crater. I sent a message ahead so that Le` Than could prepare for me, ten attendants, and fifty guard that flew in escort. We arrived in the center square about three hours after the sun rose. Ra` Tain’s family was waiting for us at the far end of the square. We landed a respectful distance away and carried the body the rest of the way. I gave a bow of respect to Ra` Tain’s mother and father.

I stepped to the side so that they could see Ra` Tain. I looked at Ra` Tain’s father, “It is my life that he gave his to protect. To avenge his death I ripped the head off of the offender and declared war with the Empire. To show Ra` Tain the respect due to him I gave him the funeral rites of the Clan Chiefs as he had just as much claim to be heir to Clan Sa` Tain as I do. I return your son to you so that he may rest with his ancestors.”

His father gave me a bow, “We thank you for the honor that you have shown Ra` Tain and his family. When you fly to war I and my House shall fly with you even if no other member of Clan Sa` Tain takes to the air.”

I returned the bow, “I thank you and you House.”

I left my guard with instructions to escort Ra` Tain to his final resting place and went inside to find Le` Than. I found him holding court so I sent a message stating that I was here and would be in the office in my wing of the castle. I sent two of my attendants to the kitchen to get some food brought up and headed for my office.

The food had just arrived when Le` Than walked into the office. I smiled, “Your welcome to join me for a late breakfast. We have several things to talk about.”

He smiled back, “I would be happy to. Nicely handled on the funeral, by the way. That family has been known to be a bit temperamental.”

“Thank you. Do you want to get down to business first of enjoy the food?”

“Food first then we can talk about everything.”

As we ate I let him know how the city was coming along and that I was getting worn out trying to live in two different worlds. I thanked him for the blood wine that he had sent and let him know that I needed more. He updated me on what has been going on in the crater. We finally finished breakfast and let the attendants clear the dishes away.

We dismissed all of the guards and attendants and he looked at me, “What happened Yarianna? Why do I suddenly find that you are going to war with the Kymiran Empire?”

“My city was discovered by a patrol of the Imperial Army. One of the lieutenants appeared on our doorstep and demanded entrance. I might have let him in if he hadn’t been so rude to begin with. He insulted me in front of my guard and then attempted to kill me. He would have succeeded had Ra` Tain not taken the crossbow bolt meant for me.”

“Crossbow? I thought the Empire was using more advanced weapons.”

“They are. I don’t think the commanding officer of the patrol knew what his lieutenant was up to until I sent the head back. I think that the lieutenant had heard rumors of a hidden cache of Imperial silver and thought to claim it for himself. It was a big inconvenience to him that the city he thought to find it in was occupied.”

“I see. Would you like me to go to war with you?”

“Yes. Our kind have hid in the shadows for far too long. It’s about time we remind the world of what we are.”

“Very well. I will call a war council to meet first thing in the morning. Is there anything else that you have on your mind?”

“Yes actually. I want to know exactly what happened between you and Valora.”

He went very still and asked, “Why do you want to know that? Didn’t you say that you saw the memory stone?”

“Yes, but that is only her point of view. I would like to know yours.”

He sat for a while and seemed to be gathering his thoughts. Finally he started talking.

“The Kymirans were rampaging through kingdom after kingdom. With in a few months four smaller kingdoms had signed treaties with the Empire because they had no other choice. The Empire could simply overrun them with troops after the killed the monarch and put whoever they wanted on the throne. They had done it with one of the Greater Kingdoms, Northern Steppes I believe, the year before.

“I told her not to worry about it. We had the warriors that we could keep the Empire out of Solstice for as long as it took them to get tired of throwing away lives. The day she signed the treaty I was on my way to this crater to bring some of the warriors that had just graduated from the academy with me back to Solstice. I happened to look back and saw General Khoman’s banner outside of the Capital so I rushed back to Valora.

“I had to fight my way into the castle because General Khoman’s troops had already subdued her guard. I tried to convince her, but she signed the treaty anyway. Part of the treaty stated that all Kier within the boundary of the new province were to be exterminated.

“As you know that pendant you are wearing is only worn by the Heir of the Clan Chief. By signing the treaty she had betrayed my people to the Empire. With bloodlust still flowing hot from the fight up to her I wasn’t thinking clearly and I overreacted. By the time I cooled down enough to realize she was trying to tell me something important she was already out of the castle.

“I tried to track her down, but she was very good at not being found. She had a way of disguising her feeling so that even the best trackers couldn’t find her. Some time later I ran into her court wizard, who informed me that she had died. I wasn’t able to see exactly how she died because I don’t have the gift for reading memory stones outside of blood relatives. After that I was done with trying to get people to accept us so I gathered everybody that I could and came here.

I knew that I hadn’t gotten everybody so I sent out scouts to track down the ones that I had missed. Most of the time I wound up finding descendants that didn’t even realize who they were. It was then that I discovered that Valora had given birth to a daughter, my daughter. Suddenly everything that had happened that day made sense.

“I started tracking down the line of daughters and eventually found you. I regretted my choices that let my own child grow up without knowledge of her heritage and decided that I would offer her descendant the opportunity to be my heir like she should have been to begin with. When I found you I sent Sk` Yler to keep an eye on you to see if you would be able to handle what it takes to be the Heir of Clan Sa` Tain. I believe you know the rest of the story.”

“Yes, I do. You, however are still missing a few important details.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, for one, your daughter and her children were not entirely ignorant of what their heritage. Your daughter was found by Valora’s court wizard and given the memory stones. Through those stones we have learned about our other side, our Kier side. Granted it would have been much better and less would have been lost throughout time if we had learned from our people. The next bit of information depends on the answer to my next question.”

“Ok. What is the question?”

“Does the entire Clan Sa` Tain go to war with me or will it depend on what the council rules?”

“We go to war with or without the other Clans. This council is to determine which, if any, of the other Clans will join us. Does that answer satisfy you?”

“Yes. It does. Valora is not dead.”

“Say that again. I think I may have misunderstood you.”

“I said that Valora is still alive.”

“Everything I have been able to discover said that she died giving birth to my daughter.”

“Yeah, well, she didn’t stay dead. He family was keeping a few secrets as well.”

“She has been alive all this time?”

“Yep. She has also been nursing a grudge against you for your reaction in the throne room. It would be safe to say that if the two of you were ever in the same room there is a good chance she would do her best to skin you alive with nothing but her fingernails.”

He smiled, “She always did have a temper fit for a Kier. I am assuming that you know where she is?”

“Yes, I do. When you come to my city you will have the chance to see her again.”

“Is that why my answer mattered?”

“Part of it. I figured that if you were going to go to war with me you would run into her and you would want to know why this lady was suddenly trying to get a good look at your insides. If you weren’t going to go to war with me then the likelihood of the two of you seeing each other wasn’t very good so you didn’t need to know. I asked you before I told you so that I knew that seeing her wasn’t the reason you were willing to fight with me.”

“Interesting reasoning. If I didn’t know better I would say that you have been doing this your entire life rather then just this past year. How is it that you have learned so fast?”

“I had good teachers. I am going to have to kick you out now though. I haven’t gotten much sleep in the past few days and I want to be well rested for that war council just incase I have to beat some sense into anyone.”

“I almost pray that the other Clans decide to argue on this issue just to see you beat some sense into them.” He stood up, “Good night Yari. Thank you for telling me about Valora.”

“No problem Le` Than. I will see you tomorrow.”

It took me a long time to fall asleep and when I did I kept dreaming that I was running in only my under garments trying to out run statues of Ra` Tain that were throwing pieces of the lieutenant’s body at me. I gave up on sleep and chose to meditate instead. The meditation helped clear my head until I heard Sasha say that it was time to get ready for the war council.

I got dressed in my colors and made my way to the court room where the council was being held. I wasn’t the first one there, but I also wasn’t the last one. When the Head and Heir of all seven Clans were there Le` Than called the council to order.

Le` Than stood up, “The reason I have called this Council is the discuss the possibility of going to war. I turn the time over to my Heir to explain the details. Yarianna the Council is yours.”

He sat down and I stood up. I looked around at the table, “Heads of the Clans and Heirs, I stand before you this day to tell you that with or without your support I go to war. Several days ago a patrol of Imperial soldiers stumbled upon my city. A small group tried to enter my city and were denied. While trying to get them to leave one of my Guard was shot by a crossbow bolt meant for me and died because of the wound. I removed the head of the one who pulled the trigger and sent it back with a message for the patrol to get off of my doorstep.

The patrol retreated and requested a meeting. I went prepared to fight and found the commanding officer had no knowledge of why the lieutenant, whose head I ripped off, was even near the city. We reached an understanding that bought me enough time to return my Guard’s body to his family. I ask that you join me in my fight with the Imperial Army. That’s all that I have to say.”

I watched as one by one each one smiled and stood. “Clan Sa` Tain stands by you.”

“Clan Ta` Rain stands by you.”

“Clan Go` Sean stands by you.”

“Clan Ra` Fain stands by you.”

“Clan De` Cain stands by you.”

“Clan Wa` Roan stands by you.”

“Clan Ad` Raou stands by you.”

I saluted each one of them, “I thank you all. I leave first thing tomorrow to return to my city. I have already been away for too long. Le` Than knows how to find me. If there is nothing else I am going to go on about my day.”

I left and went to spend the rest of the day in the training arena with Skyler. Le` Than joined us out there and soon after the rest of the Clan leaders were there. We had our captains keep track of time for us and split into two teams, Heirs vs. Heads in a melee match.

From the start I knew that this was more then just a way to kill some time. One of our own had been murdered and we had some serious steam to blow off. We matched off and went full force from the start. Our Clan Heads didn’t hold anything back and neither did we. We all fought hard enough that we were actually starting to get tired by the time we were interrupted by our captains.

I didn’t sleep very good that night so the next day I was up early and eager to get back to my city. I stepped out on the courtyard and stopped. As far back as I could see were Kier Warriors with packs loaded and ready to travel. I looked up toward the slope of the crater and saw that more were on the way. I spotted the Clan Heads and made my way to them.

I didn’t have to try and force my way through the crowd or fly over them. They saw me and cleared a path for me to walk. I walked up to them and nodded. They returned the nod. I looked out over the gathering Warriors, “Is there going to be any left behind?”

The Head of Clan Ra` Fain laughed, “It may not look that way, but this is only half of the Warriors. It still amazes me how fast we can gather an army even though our race is born for this.”

“I had come here expecting a response. This is far more then I expected. Thank you all for this.”

“And miss a chance to stick it to the Empire? Not in this lifetime. Thank you for the opportunity to slaughter Imperial soldiers.”

I smiled and Le` Than walked up to the group, “Everybody that is going to be going with us is here. Are we going to travel invisible?”

I looked at all of the Kier that I could see. I shook my head, “No. Let them see us coming.”

Le’ Than nodded, “May I announce our departure? This is your war, but I am still officially in charge.”

“By all means, announce away.”

He launched himself into the sky and used the elements to magnify his voice, “Warriors of the Clans, we have sat in the dark for too long. We gather now because the Empire has taken the life of one of our own for the crime of existing. Soon they will feel our answer to this insult. Let our wings darken their skies. Let our blades drink their life blood. Let them know why their ancestors feared us. Brothers and Sisters, Mothers and Fathers, Children and Parents, Let us go to War. May the Gods have mercy on their souls, for we shall not.”

I feel as though I should explain how the Kier Sona group their Armies. Each Division had thirteen Wings, each Wing had thirteen Sections, each Section had thirteen Patrols, and each Patrol had thirteen Warriors. Within the Patrol there were three Quads and a Focal. Within the Quad there were three Warriors and a Focal. Within the Section the Patrols were divided up into Quad Patrols and Focal Patrols, the Wings were divided into Quad Sections and Focal Sections, and the Divisions were divided up into Quad and Focal Wings. In each Quad the Focal was the commanding officer. A General oversaw each Division, a Captain each Wing, a Lieutenant each Section, a Sergeant each Patrol, and a Fifth Rank Private each Quad in the Patrol. The only exception to this ranking was the Heir’s Division or the Focal Division. In that Division the Heir was the Focal of the Focal Quad, of the Focal Patrol, of the Focal Section, of the Focal Wing of the Focal Division in the Clan’s Army. The three Fifth Rank Privates and the Sergeant formed the Patrol’s Quad and so forth up to the Division. Each commanding officer was able to draw on and channel the energy of any assigned under them, though each Kier was taught that they should only do this as a last resort because of the potential for a single Division to be able to draw enough energy to rip a world in half. As soon as a Kier Sona child graduated from the Academy they were assigned to a Quad. They were not considered part of an Army until they had a full Division. Each Army had three Divisions that was overseen by an Heir. Each Clan used to have three Armies, but that was before the Clan Wars and the forming of the Empire. Now each Clan only had at the most three Divisions.

I launched myself into the air and joined him. The other Heads and Heirs followed behind me and the rest of the gathered Warriors followed in their Division. The seven Clans only took one Division each. We didn’t even try to pretend like we were hiding. We made it back to my city before the Imperial Army arrived. We got the rest of the Clans settled in to the sections of the city that had been cleared away for rebuilding. I called another war council and received reports from my scouts as to where the Imperials were. After that we made our plans to defend my city.

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Mary Ann stared at me for a while then smiled, “I always knew that you were more then what we all saw. In all the speculation I did as to what you would grow up to be I have to admit that this wasn’t even close. I imagined more like an actress or a movie star. At the very least running you own business. Heir of a warrior race? Didn’t even think of that.”

I grinned, “You and me both. I do need to be alone for a while to say good bye though. Sasha will show you to a place where you can stay. I wouldn’t suggest trying to go back into town right now. That army out there might kill you just for being in this town.”

She nodded, “I wasn’t planning on leaving. I don’t care much for the Empire anyway.”

Sasha led Mary Ann away and I sat in meditation to clear my mind. It took a long time, but I finally cleared all of the anger and hatred from my thoughts and listened to my other side as she told me how to prepare Ra` Tain for his funeral.

I brought to mind everything I knew about him and drew on my own energy to lift him up and clean the blood from his body. I pulled his blades out of their sheathes and sat them to the side. After preparing the body I tapped into the energy reserved for the leaders of Clan Sa` Tain and coaxed his body into shifting to Kier form. With his body still in the air I formed traditional Sa` Tain armor around him. I slowly lowered him back to the marble slab and slid all but his long sword into the new sheathes. I rested his long sword on his chest and folded his arms up then wrapped his fingers around the hilt. I placed his rank and Seal on the armor then folded the clothing he was wearing and set it above his head. I sat the new helm on top of the clothes facing out.

I stopped for a few moments to gather my energy for the final stage in preparation. I called in a dagger that was set with the Sa` Tain Crest engraved with the thirteen Kier runes. I could feel the energy radiating off of the blade and shivered. I slid the edge across my palm. I felt the blood raise up and fill the blade. I held it to the cut until each run lit up. I sat the blade on top of his long sword then started tracing each of the runes on his body in my own blood. The first one I traced on the center of his forehead. Next was both upper arms, forearms, then hands. I finished with both thighs, shins, and feet. I was feeling a bit light headed but I couldn’t stop yet.

I reached deeper into my energy and channeled Earth into a weave around his body. While that weave was going I started weaving Air, followed by Fire, Water, Spirit, and Time. I wrapped each end around a trigger ward and tied it off. I channeled my life energy into the weave so that I was the only one who could trigger it. I closed the cut on my palm and sank back into meditation to gather my energy again.

I stood up when I felt like I could walk on my own. It was then that I noticed most, if not all, of the city had witnessed the ceremony. As near as I could tell every one of them was dressed for war. I smiled and drew even deeper into my energy and called in my armor. Skyler and the other four guard took positions behind his body dressed in full traditional armor. They drew their long swords and put the point on the ground, holding the hilt in front of them.

I looked over the crowd that had gathered. “Ra` Tain gave his life to save mine. For that I have chosen to give him all honor due a Clan Chief. If any here have objections speak them now.” Silence greeted me. I continued, “By attempting to kill me and for the offense of killing one of mine I tore the head off of the one who killed Ra` Tain. If there are any of the Emperor’s Army still on our doorstep by the time the sun rises they will taste our claws when we tear out their throats. What they did was unforgivable and we will have blood. Sons and Daughters of Kier, we go to war.”

I triggered the ward and black flames flared around Ra` Tain’s body, crystallizing him onto the marble slab. I walked away from the body and pulled my helm on. I spread my wings and launched into the air. The rest of my city followed me as I circled the Court House three times then out of the cavern.

We all hovered in the air looking over the Emperor’s Army. They seemed to be digging in. Skyler moved closer, “They don’t seem like they plan on leaving.”

“Then they will die.”

Mary Ann was in my room when I got back. I released the armor so that I was back in my dress. I went about my business getting ready for bed with her eyes tracking my around the room.

I looked at her, “If you want some pajamas I’m pretty sure I have some that will fit you.”

“You killed a man. Just like that. Doesn’t this bother you at all?”

Sasha dismissed the rest of the attendants and closed the door behind her. I sent her a mental hug then focused my attention back on Mary Ann. “Yes. It does actually. The killing him part doesn’t. He tried to kill me and took the life of one of my good friends instead. If anything I killed him too fast. No, the part that bothers me is the fact that it doesn’t bother me and I know that I will kill many more before this is done for no other reason then I am not human. My people are out for blood. What I did pales in comparison to what they would have done to him. There is a war coming Mary Ann. The Emperor knows that my people are not dead like he thought and he will be coming to try and destroy us. I won’t have it and neither will Le` Than. My question to you is what side are you going to be standing on when the battle lines are drawn? I will give you until the end of tomorrow to think about it. When the sun rises there will be blood because I doubt that army out there will leave. It is a crime for me to even exist.”

I walked to the door and opened it then went to my bed. Sasha and the rest of the attendants came back in. One of the girls looked at Mary Ann, “Miss? If you will come with me I will show you where you can sleep. We have a bed prepared for you.”

Mary Ann followed her out of my room. I looked at Sasha, “If anything does go wrong tomorrow make sure she gets out of here. Ok?”

“I will make sure it happens. Get some sleep. You are going to need it tomorrow.”

I woke up the next day to reports that the army had packed up a few hours after I had fallen asleep and were now camped a day’s hard march away. I was handed a sheet of paper in which the commanding officer was requesting another meeting with me. This time under an official flag of truce.

I looked at Sasha, “What do you think? Should we meet with him?”

Sasha looked over the paper, “He is requesting it under an official flag of truce and they did get off of our doorstep. Personally I want to rip their throats out anyway, but that’s just me. To be honest though you can’t refuse. If you do they will have an excuse to continue telling the people that we are nothing but bloodthirsty savages, not that they needed an excuse before, but still. I say we go, but we go armed and armored.”

“I agree. Skyler is not going to like this at all, but it is something we have to do. If nothing else it will buy us a little bit of time to get things in order down here before we have to spill their blood.”

I got dressed in my colors and filled Skyler in on what was going on while we made our way out of the cavern. He didn’t like it, but he also saw the wisdom in going. He insisted on a full Wing of thirteen to go with us. I stepped out of the cavern and called in my armor as I took to the air. I hovered there while I waited for Skyler and the rest of the thirteen to catch up.

I pulled the elements together and wove them into a white banner before we flew to where the Emperor’s Army was camped. We stopped just out of range of their long cannons. I watched as the gunner spotted us and took aim. He must have realized we were out of range because he didn’t fire. Instead he called another officer over and a short time later three armored trucks were driving toward us.

We landed and waited for them to arrive. We didn’t have to wait for too long because the trucks pulled up a few minutes after we landed. We were all fully armored and ready to fight. The men got out of the trucks and raised a white flag. An older looking man started walking forward alone so I started forward. Skyler tried to go with me but I shot him a glare and he stopped. I stopped just out of the general’s arm reach.

He gave me a half smile the slowly disarmed himself in front of me. After his weapons were in a pile he removed all of his body armor. I could tell by the way his soldiers tensed up that they didn’t agree with his decision. He took four steps to the left and waited. I released my armor and stood in front of the general.

“I cannot remove my weapons because they are always a thought away. I do give you my word as a Kier that I will not call them unless I sense a threat to me or any of mine.”

“I can respect your honesty and will hold you to your word. I also give you my word that I am as unarmed as I can get without removing appendages. That I am not willing to do.”

“As you trust my word so do I trust your’s. You called this meeting. State your case.”

“To business then. You know, of course, that it is a crime for you to exist and that it is my duty to make every attempt to destroy you and your people. That being said I would like to offer you chance to disappear before it comes to bloodshed. I have to deliver my Lieutenant’s head to the Emperor and explain how he lost it. During that time my men will be camped where they are. If I happen to return with a force large enough to take out what I am assuming is an entire city of Kier and said Kier have vanished like ghosts in the wind, I certainly don’t have the time or patience to chase ghost stories. You and your people can go back to wherever it is that you have been hiding and the Empire can go on pretending like you don’t exist.”

I gave him a half smile, “General, I will truly regret the day we meet on the battlefield. You are a man of honor. We are here to stay and, like it or not, we do exist. I don’t want to kill you any more then you want to die, but I will defend my people with my last drop of blood. We are a race of Warriors. The entire purpose of our existence is to fight and kill. We have hid in the shadows for far too long and that is no longer an option for us. In my opinion we should have never gone into hiding in the first place. Know this General, the Warriors I have in this city are just a portion of a single Clan. When you return with your larger force of the Emperor’s men, you will be coming up against the combined force of the United Clans of the Kier Sona. I hope, for your sake, that you bring enough to survive.”

“Who do I have the pleasure of addressing that you are able to call on the entire military force of the Kier Sona?”

“I am Lady Yarianna Nicole Sorensen Sa` Tain. Heir to the Chief of Clan Sa` Tain, current ruling Clan of the United Clans of the Kier Sona.”

He raised his eyebrows slightly in a manner that suggested that was his version of mouth-hanging-open shock. He cleared his throat and said, “So, let me get this straight for when I report to the Emperor. My Lieutenant attempted to assassinate the Heir to the Throne of a warrior race that is supposed to be extinct. Said Heir ripped the Lieutenant’s head off by forcing her fingers into the throat and gripping the spine then jerking upward to remove the head. Afterward said Heir declared the attempt an act of war then gave the remaining force of men an opportunity to live. Said Heir is expecting the remaining military force of the Kier Sona in addition to the force of Warriors she has on hand. Does that about sum it up?”

“I believe you covered all of the main points. Oh, by the way, General. Every man and woman of the Kier Sona becomes a warrior at the age of sixteen. Up until then we train from the time we discover our wings.”

“When do most discover their wings?”

“Within a few days of birth.”

“How many warriors do you have?”

I smiled, “How long until you return?”

“If all goes well within the month.”

“Then I hope everything goes down the crapper. Good day, General. I will see you on the battlefield.”

I turned around and walked back toward Skyler. I spread my wings and launched myself into the air. Skyler and the rest joined me and we flew back to the city. Sasha met me as I walked back into the city. I smiled at her, “How many did you manage to get in?”

She gave me a look, “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

I kept walking toward the Court House and she sighed, “Only twenty. If anything happens in that camp we will know about it.”

“Good. How’s Mary Ann holding up?”

“Surprisingly well for being a human. I can tell that she really wants to freak out, but she just takes a deep breath and goes on.”

“Where is she?”

“I left her with the girls watching the younger kids. From all reports she is fitting in quite nice.”

I gave her a slightly confused look and headed toward the day care building. I dismissed the guard that were with me and walked in. I heard commotion going on at the end of the hall so I made my way toward the room. I opened the door slowly and was thankful I did. I had to jerk back to avoid getting slapped in the face by the wing of a passing child. One of the attendants was shouting at the kids in the room to settle down and focus on the lesson. I went invisible and slid into the room, pulling the door closed behind me. Some of the kids were fighting with each other in one corner while several others were racing around the ceiling. I watched the door slowly open and saw Mary Ann step in with a short bow. She pulled out an arrow that looked like it had a small boxing glove on the end.

She looked over the room and picked out the ring leader and said quietly, “In your seats and focus on the lesson.” Nobody paid any attention to her so she nocked the arrow, drew, aimed, and released in one smooth motion and nailed the ring leader in the forehead, knocking him into a double backward flip then into the far wall. Everybody stopped and looked at her. She smiled sweetly, “Now, Everybody in your seats and focus on the lesson.”

Almost before I could blink the seats were filled and the ringleader picked himself up and stumbled to his seat. I let myself be seen and smiled, “Nicely done Mary Ann.” The teacher was trying to stutter an apology but I held up a finger, “No need. Just know that I authorize you to use any means necessary to get the students to settle down. You know how children can get.” The teacher thanked me and I walked out the door with Mary Ann. She looked at me, “Sorry if that was out of line.”

“Not at all. In fact I like it so please continue.”

“It’s not too hard on them? I know that they are a lot stronger then normal kids, but I don’t want to piss of one of the parents for hurting their kid.”

“They get hit a lot harder then that when they train with their weapons at home. Trust me. If anything the parents will respect you more for not pampering them. So when did you learn to shoot a bow?”

“This past summer. My parents sent me off to a summer camp and I really got into archery. I couldn’t fly up there and pull them off the ceiling so I figured the next best thing was to shoot them out of the air.”

I laughed, “Good plan. I probably would have done the same thing. By the way, we have a bit of time before the war actually starts so if you want to go back home now is probably the only time you are going to get to do it.”

“Do I have to leave?”

“It would be a good idea. When all nine hells break loose you don’t want your parents to worry about where you are and I really don’t need them trying to find you here because the last time you were seen was leaving the school with me.”

She sighed, “Good point. I guess I will head back home.”

I handed her my car keys. “Good. Go ahead and take my car back and keep it safe for me.”

“I will, you stay safe yourself.”

“As safe as I can. My people come first.”

“And I’m sure your people put you first. Ok. Well, take care.”

She left and I looked at Skyler, “Make sure she gets back safely?”

“I will see to it myself.”

He followed her out and I sent a message to my city and told them that we had some time to prepare for the war and that I would be taking Ra` Tain’s body back to his family in the morning.

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

I stared at her dumbfounded. When I finally found my voice I shook my head, “There’s no way. Valora died.”

“In child birth. Very painful way to go, by the way. I wouldn’t suggest it.”

“How are you here if you died then?”

“That is one of the secrets my family kept out of the memory stones. Before I tell you how I am still here there are a few things I need to tell you that I feel are overdue to be recorded on the stones. The first thing you should know is the Sorensen name was the actual name of the ruling family. As we never went by our surnames it was never recorded anywhere, so it was safe to use after I left the castle. Second, the Sorensen Family were Kier Tan. My mother was a lower noble from a Kier San clan so she took my father’s name. My daughter should have had Le` Than’s surname, but that arrogant, thick-skulled, pig-headed, sorry. That man wouldn’t listen to me when I tried to explain to him why I signed the treaty. He cannot be trusted. He get’s an idea in his head as to what is right and nothing can change his mind.”

“Ok, I get it. Don’t trust him. I wasn’t planning on it too much anyway. What is to say that I can trust you though? You have lied to me for most of my life. I’ll grant you, it was with the best of intentions. So far he has yet to lie to me that I know of. If you were me who would you trust right now?”

“Yari…”

“No Grandma, of Valora, or whoever you are. Who would you trust?”

“I would trust myself. I would trust my gut instinct to tell me which path I should walk. That is what I would do and what I have done. Be pissed off. The Gods know I would be. Just don’t judge me too harshly for the decisions I have made.”

We sat in silence for a while. I noticed that Sasha was nowhere to be seen. I finally looked at this woman that I had thought was my grandma. For the first time in my life I finally saw the age in her eyes. She had the same haunted look that Le` Than had. The look that said, ‘I have seen too many years and too many people die to get too attached to anyone.’ She sat in her chair with the seemingly natural posture that the very rich possess. I sighed and she looked up.

“What happened to my grandma?”

“Her heart gave out on her and she didn’t want to live bad enough to survive it. Just after your mother died she went to the cliff where they found her husband’s car. Your grandmother had a rare gift. She was what is known as a Reader. She was able to read the emotions of an area and build a picture in her mind to see what happened. She watched the moment your mother died and it was too much for her to take. You were in the car when she died. I chose to give your grandmother a private funeral and take her place because you would have been sent to the care of the government orphanage otherwise. I couldn’t let that happen. That is why I did what I did.”

“I’m going to need some time to process this.”

“I know. Come talk to me when you are ready.”

I stood up and went upstairs to my room. Sasha was sitting on my bed. She looked at me then led me to the bed. We sat down and she pulled my head into her lap. I didn’t even realize I had started crying until she handed my a handkerchief. I cried out all of my stress and frustration with Sasha running her fingers through my hair.

I finally stopped and sat up. I looked at her, “Thanks.”

She smiled, “Not a problem. That’s part of my job.”

I got ready for bed and was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

I woke up the next day feeling like I had been drug behind a train. I got up and showered. Sasha had my cloths laid out on the bed. I smiled when I saw that it was my Colors complete with my Seal.

I looked at Sasha, “A bit of a bold statement isn’t it?”

She grinned, “I think that today needs a bold statement.”

I smiled, “You are good at this. I’m not sure if I want to let you go to the Academy.”

Her jaw dropped and I could see that she was gearing up to protest so I held up a finger, “I was joking. I need you to go to the Academy along with ever girl that works under you that wants to go. I have something special in mind for you all.”

She closed her mouth and cocked her head to the side, “What are you scheming up now?”

I smiled again and started getting dressed while I explained. “You are going to direct my information network. I am sure that Le` Than has his network that he would let me use, but I want my own source of information. I am not about to send anybody off to get information that can’t defend themselves by Kier standards.”

“So why pick me as your Spy Master?”

“For one you are good at it. You enjoy knowing everything that is going on. The other reason you summed it up best when you were first assigned to me. You said something to the effect of everything that is said or done is known throughout the castle before the end of the day. Well, your new ‘castle’ is the Empire. Find a way for me to hear and see what is going on.”

Sasha grinned, “I would be happy to do that for you.”

“Good. I am going to sit down with you and Skyler so that we can work out all the details, but I would like attendants and guard both working on this.”

I finished getting dressed and went downstairs to eat. Grandma, or do I need to start thinking of her as Valora? Valora wasn’t in the kitchen, but a plate of food was sitting in front of where I usually sit. I ate while Sasha got ready then we both left to pick Skyler up to go to school.

The day went much like it did yesterday. Far too many people spent far too much time staring at us. The good part was none of teachers threatened me with detention. After school I sent the guard into the other room while Sasha, Skyler, and I sat at the table working out how we were going to set up our network. I told Skyler that Sasha was going to be the one in charge of it, but some of his guards were also going to be involved. He was ok with sending some of the guard back to the Academy for specialization training and thought it was a very good idea for all of the attendants to be warrior trained. I felt Valora watching us so I got up and walked over to her.

She gave me a hesitant smile, “You have a good bunch of kids there. They seem to know what they are doing.”

I smiled, “Yes they do. Look, I understand why you lied to me. I even understand why you don’t want me to trust Le` Than. I won’t say that I forgive you for it. In order for me to forgive you, you have to regret your actions. For that to happen you have to regret your decision to not send me to an orphanage. I know that you will never regret that so all I am going to say is this. Thank you for raising me and please give Le` Than another chance. He is half the warrior he was when he left and I think his decision with you is a major part of that. That being said, would you like to join us? We can use someone with a bit more experience.”

I could see the relief flood through her eyes. She smiled, “I would be happy to though I can’t see that I would have too much to add. The three of you have just about covered everything.”

We walked back to the table. Sasha and Skyler both looked up. I grinned, “I would like to introduce you both to Lady Valora Sorensen, exiled Queen of the Kingdom of Solstice. Lady Sorensen, I would like to introduce you to Sk` Yler De` Cain, Captain of my Guard and Sasha Na` Sean, Head Attendant and Spymaster.”

Sasha just smiled so I guessed that she had overheard the conversation last night, but Skyler’s jaw dropped. He looked from me to Valora and back. Finally he asked, “Your grandma is Queen Valora?”

I nodded, “Technically though there are a few greats preceding the word ‘grandma.’”

“That’s… Wow. I don’t even know what to say about that.”

“Then say, ‘hi grandma’ like you always do keep your trap shut about who she is. Sasha I don’t believe I need to tell you to keep this to yourself?”

Sasha shook her head, “There is no need. I already guessed that it would be better to keep quiet.”

“Good. Skyler?”

“Hi grandma. How’s it going?”

Valora smiled, “I’m fine. How are you?”

“Well, a bit off center, but other then that I’m good.”

“That’s good. May I join you at the table?”

Skyler got up and pulled out a chair for her. She sat down and we went back to discussing how to set up and run our network. Sasha and the guard took over the kitchen while we planned and refined the system we were going to use. We finally worked out that we would send one guard and one attendant to work together That way if one was compromised the other could let us know. That pair would report to a regional pair. The regional pair would oversee thirteen pairs. The regional pairs would report to district pairs who would report to Sasha and Skyler. Each level up would include a summery of the reports of those under them along with the original reports.

It was pretty late by the time we finished so Skyler and the rest of the guard just stayed in the living room. I went to bed that night felling like I had accomplished something. I woke up early the next morning feeling restless. I headed down to the basement to work on my forms and found Skyler was already there.

We went through our forms in silence. When we finished Skyler looked at me, “Yari, we still need to have that conversation. I don’t see a better time then now.”

I sighed, “I know. It’s just that I have been avoiding this conversation.”

“Why?”

“Because I am afraid of how it will end. How is this conversation going to end Skyler?”

He answered my question by kissing me. I was too shocked to respond. I half expected it, but still there was that other half that said he really did want to leave it at just friends, which would have been ok, not great, but ok, then he kissed me and, why the hell is he pulling away? Oh.

Skyler started to turn away as he said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t…”

I cut him off by throwing my arms around him and returning his kiss with interest.

I leaned back and he looked down at me, “Are you sure you want to? You know I…”

“Skyler.”

“What?”

“Quit talking and kiss me would you?”

He smiled, “As you say, my Lady.”

I rolled my eyes and pulled him into another kiss. This time we were interrupted by Sasha telling us to quit trying to swallow each other and it was time to get ready for school.

Skyler and I said in unison, “Yes mother.”

We grinned at each other and Sasha rolled her eyes, “I swear, you two. Skyler, I took the liberty of getting clean clothes for you. Now please let go of my charge so that she can wash the sweat off of her body and get ready to impress people.”

He girded, “What if I…”

A shoe hit him in the head, cutting him off. I looked toward the door to see Valora holding the other shoe ready to throw.

With a straight face she said, “Unless you have a desire to taste this shoe as I shove it down your throat I suggest you refrain from finishing that statement and go get changed. Yari, it would be best if you would quit grinning like a drunken fool and get you butt upstairs.”

Skyler and I looked at each other and grinned again and said in unison, “Yes Grandma.”

I ran upstairs and got in the shower. I hadn’t realized how late it was until I got back into my room and started getting dressed. I think Sasha did it on purpose, but my dress perfectly complimented the clothes she had brought for Skyler. We were just barely on time for class.

The rest of the week was mostly a blur for me. I woke up early to spend time with Skyler. It wasn’t all just kissing. We did some training also. School got a bit easier as people started staring less. After school We would spend a little time hanging out with my friends then go back to Grandma Valora’s house. The guys wound up just staying there through the night.

As soon as school got out for the weekend we drove back out to the cavern. We parked at the entrance then glided down the ravine to the edge of a small town of craftsmen that was set up outside of the cavern. We watched for a while as rubble was hauled out of the cavern and dumped into a large vat to be churned into brick mud. The bricks were fired and then used to build a more permanent settlement then the tents that most seemed to still be using.

I was met by my Treasurer and the guard that had been left in charge while I was gone. Several heads of craftsman guilds were also making their way toward me. Several guard dropped their invisibility ant took up their position around me.

The Treasurer smiled, “Lady Yarianna, it is good to see you. We do have much to discuss.”

I looked at the others that had also gathered around, “Do you also have much to discuss?” They nodded. “Then find me a place to hold court. Spread the word that I will be opening Court to the public as soon as official business is concluded.”

The Treasurer smiled, “We already have a place for you inside. It was the first place we finished. It should be big enough to accommodate your needs.”

“Good. Lead the way.”

We followed the Treasurer inside the cavern and into the city. I noticed that my original cave had been left alone and that there were guards lined up to keep people out of it. The first thing I noticed after we left the initial cavern was the light. It was as bright inside the cavern as it was outside.

I must have had a look of surprise on my face because the head of the blacksmith’s guild smiled, “Glad to see that you like it. We found some of the large disks on the floor and a few still attached to the roof that gave us the idea. It takes the natural light that comes in through cracks in the roof and reflects it around to light up the entire place.”

All I manage to say was, “Very nice.” It must have been enough because the blacksmith smiled bigger.

The main walkway had been cleared to what was obviously the main government building. I could see people working in the buildings lining the street. As we made our way through the city the people would stop long enough to salute me them got back to work.

We got into the Government Building and the led me through a set of double doors to a large courtroom. We made our way to the end of the room where I would sit. I had them show me how good the acoustics in the room were. I was able to hear a whisper from anywhere in the room.

I walked up to my chair and looked around. I looked at the heads of the guilds, “We need a large table up here to discuss the important issues that can be worked out as a group.”

I sent one of my messengers to get a table brought and motioned toward some chairs, “You all may as well have a seat and you can come talk to me one on one according to however you worked out your rank system. I do ask that the Treasurer speak with me first. Anything that can be brought up in a group setting please save it for when the table arrives.”

One by one they gave me their reports on what had happened through out the week. They let me know what supplies we were already running low on as well as progress on restoring the city. The treasurer said that they had began to melt down the silver bars into spend able currency and with what they had right now the city could buy what it needed with out having to rely on Le` Than’s money. The numbers were too close to risk something going wrong so I told him to continue to use Le` Than’s money, but only as a last resort.

After their reports I opened the court up to the public to voice any complaints. I told the heads of the guilds to take a seat along one side of the table so that the public could line up in front of the appropriate guild. Most of the problems were able to be solved by sending the person to the right guild head. Those that couldn’t I listened to and told them that I would review the facts and to check back after an hour had passed.

By lunchtime I had seen everybody that was in the courtroom so I closed court for the day. I told the heads of the guilds that we would meet after lunch to finish discussing everything else. After a quick lunch we met back in the court room around the table. I told them of my plan to set up an information network and explained the basic setup, leaving out who would be in charge. When they asked I told them that I already had someone and for security reasons I was going to keep it to myself.

After that we discussed what was going on around the city. They told me of some of the things they had found in the buildings. In addition to the cache of silver and the large metal disks they found a stockpile of weapons and armor that dated back to the founding of the empire.

They had also converted one of the recently rebuilt buildings into a school for the children in my messenger service as well as what ever children came with the next wave of Kier that would be coming to the city. After the meeting I took a tour of the city and stopped off at the training grounds. By the end of the day I was ready for bed. I spent the rest of the weekend helping out where I could with clearing away rubble from unsalvageable buildings and repairing the ones we could.

I went back to school at the start of the next week and things finally started settling down into routine. During the week I was at school and the weekends and breaks I would go to my city to see the progress. It was getting toward the end of the school year and my city was running smoothly. The only people living outside of the main cavern were those that actually wanted to live out there. Another three thousand people arrived which made the work go a lot faster. My seventeenth birthday was celebrated by the entire city.

I was sitting in class looking forward to the weekend when one of my messengers rushed into the classroom. My guard stiffened as the teacher started telling her to leave.

She caught her breath and said, “Lady Yarianna, we have a problem at home. We need you there now.”

I nodded and gathered up my books. The teacher looked at me, “Sit back down Miss Sorensen. Nobody said you could leave.”

I looked over my shoulder at him, “Stop me.”

The teacher noticed the way my guard seemed to suddenly take a very intent interest in him so he backed down, “Fine, but you will have detention for this.”

I walked out the door and heard Mary Ann say, “Wait up.”

I looked over my shoulder to see her hurrying after me. She caught up and said, “I’m going with you.”

“I wish you wouldn’t.”

“Too bad.”

“I don’t have time to argue with you.”

“Good, that means you don’t have the time to tell me no.”

I looked at her then sent Skyler the thought, “We have trouble. Meet me at the car. We are headed to the city.”

Skyler acknowledged and I felt him leave his class. I silently asked the messenger what was going on. She explained how four humans had shown up earlier in the morning and had been watching the city. They left and some of the guard followed them back to a larger army. They overheard how the army was planning on driving us out of the city. I asked her what insignia they were wearing and she said it was imperial. She went on to explain the smaller group came back and demanded entrance into the city in the name of the Emperor. The guard stopped them and said they would have to wait until I got there.

I swore and hurried faster to my car. Skyler was already there so we all piled in. I filled him in on what was going on while we sped to my city. I told him that Mary Ann insisted on following and that I didn’t have the time to get rid of her.

The Empire’s army was camped within firing range of my city by the time I got there. The guard had a small group of five Imperial Soldiers waiting just outside of the main entrance to the caverns. I walked up and the Guard bowed to me.
The Lieutenant, judging by the rank he was wearing turned and looked at me, “Are you the one in charge of this rabble?”
“If by ‘this rabble’ you mean my Guard then yes.”
He sneered, “I should have known a woman was in charge. This will be easier then I thought.”
I felt my guard stiffen, ready to dissect the man. I sent them a calming thought and looked at the Lieutenant, “I hope, for your sake, there is a very good reason you just insulted me in front of my Guard.”
“You are going to tell this rabble to turn over their weapons and surrender themselves to the justice of the Empire. You and everybody here are to be charged with treason and plotting against the Empire.”
“Plotting against the Empire? On what grounds?”
“On whatever grounds I decide. We received reliable reports that there is an underground city here that is being used as a base of operations for a rebellion as well as possessing a cache of Imperial silver.”
“In other words you heard there was silver in the area and you decided that you would mosey on over and claim it for yourself. It was just an inconvenience that there were people living here so you trumped up some charges.”
He continued as if I hadn’t spoken, “Furthermore you and everybody here are to be charged with harboring Kier, a charge punishable by death.”
I looked at him, “Aren’t they supposed to be extinct?”
He turned red and sneered again, “I take it that means you are going to resist? Do you not see the army camped on your doorstep?”
“Oh, I see it. It just doesn’t concern me overly much. See, this is a peaceful settlement and you are no longer welcome here.”
“Peaceful? I’ll show you peaceful.”
He jerked his arm up faster then I could react. I heard the twang of a small crossbow just as Ra` Tain shoved me to the ground. Blades rang out and my guard surrounded the five.
Ra` Tain smiled as his eyes glazed over in death, “My Lady.”
I felt his blood run over his shoulder and drip onto me. I gently rolled him onto his side and knelt next to him, “Ra` Tain.”
I touched his cheek and heard the Lieutenant say, “Now unless you all want to share his fate, turn yourselves in.”
I stood up and slowly turned toward him. I watched his smug look of triumph turn to fear as my eyes shifted to slits. I punched my fingers through the front of his throat and grabbed his spine. I jerked my hand up and ripped his head off. I looked at the Private standing to his right and handed the head to him.
I narrowed my eyes and said, “Take this to your commanding officer and inform him that this man has just declared war. Tell him that the Kier Sona are very much alive and very tired of hiding in the dark letting you pretend like we don’t exist and that if his army is still on my doorstep tomorrow morning they will all share that man’s fate.”
I turned around and picked up Ra` Tain’s body. I looked at Skyler, “Sk` Yler.”
He looked at me, “My Lady?”
“Assign a company to make sure these gentlemen get to where they need to go. Also ensure that they are aware that I am one misplaced hair away from being pissed off beyond reason.”
He saw the look in my eyes and took a step back before he bowed and said, “As you say. I will see it done.”

I carried Ra` Tain’s body inside the cavern. The heads of the guilds met me and formed an Honor Guard behind me as I carried Ra` Tain to the square in front of the Court House. Two Earth workers were waiting for me. They saluted and raised a marble slab from the depths of the earth for me to lay Ra` Tain’s body on.

I laid his body on the slab and turned to look at the heads of the guilds, “Put the city on alert. We will send Ra` Tain to the Earth’s final embrace then we prepare for war. If the Emperor want’s this city he will have to bring the full might of his armies against it. He has sought to destroy our people since Le` Than killed his general and I will not have it anymore. They will leave us in peace or by the Gods I will give them a reason to fear us.”

The heads of the guilds bowed and left me. I hadn’t realized Mary Ann was still with me until she spoke, “Yari?”

I looked at her and she took an involuntary step back. She swallowed and said, “I had thought you seemed different. Ever since that week you took off from school you have been changing. Will these people really go to war on the word of a seventeen year old girl?”

“To them I am more then just a seventeen year old girl. To them I am the Heir to the Head of the Clan Chiefs. They will go to war if I ask it of them. This city as well as the rest of my race will go to war on my word. We are a warrior race. We have hid from the world, letting it think we were extinct for too long. My people have been itching for a good fight for centuries and if the Emperor reacts like I think he is going to I am going to give them one.”