The Search For Kathea, A Leap Into Battling The Source

 The Search For Kathea, A Leap Into Battling The Source

     Iriisii steps down from the flattop boulder she was sitting on to see her mates swimming in the warm waters of the lake, with some of the dragons playing water tag with them. The leader noticing her awakening comes over to her.

     "Did you find any of the answers you sought?"

     "Yes, I did. 'She Who Watches All' was very helpful in guiding me."

     Iriisii smiles as she sees Rigmor get dunked under the water by Dettlaff.

     "I see that it is a rare thing to see your mates at play like this?"

     "Indeed it is, all too rare. I wish that I could see this more often. What it makes me feel inside, I see where I have missed so much of the simpler pleasures. To watch and see, the joy on their faces, I want to preserve such moments as they are more valuable than any amount of gold or jewels."

     "Whether of dragons or of men, you speak as a true mother would speak. I will be forever grateful to have met you and called you, 'Mother'."

     "I do not know why, but you are not nearly so domineering as the dragons I have known in my past. Although they were made to be that way, very few have learned to control that within them, enough that I have hope they can learn to exercise more control. I do not want them to hobble themselves, but too much desire for domination has been a prime cause for their decline."

     "Hmmm, perhaps it had something to do with the disappearance of our Gods, long ago. Because of that, we were left to find our own way. We had to learn to live with the other races, learn that just because we were bigger, did not mean we could survive if they gathered together against us. We learned, sometimes harsh lessons, but we knew, we and only we, were to blame. Also sometimes with Gods, they cannot stop tinkering with those they interact with. And they seldom stop and think about the results of such."

     "You may be right, it would explain much that I have noticed as I have risen. And it should serve as a warning for me to keep a closer eye upon myself and my interactions with others."

     The two of them stand and watch the water sports for a bit longer, neither wanting to interrupt when Jerith appears from a hastily conjured portal.

     "I was not sure I had the right place, but my luck has held. My Lady, you are needed back at the Council Chamber, we have been attacked. By what, I do not know what they are, but they are very dangerous. The Councillors in residence have barricaded themselves in safety, but none knows for how long."

     "Did you see any of them?"

     "Yes, I did."

     "Picture it in your mind, let me see what you saw."

     As he does as she has asked, he hears her swear using words and concepts he had not known existed. Iriisii shrilly whistles to gain everyone's attention. Almost as one, all eyes turn to her as she shouts a single word, "Wamphyrie!". Nothing else needed to be said, as they all exit the water, get back into their armor, gather weapons, and ready themselves for a battle.

     Once they are gathering around her, she lays out what she knows.

     "They have attacked the Council Chamber. The Councilors are barricaded in a secure area but do not know how long they can hold out. When we get in there, Dettlaff, you are with me."

     Iriisii looks at Illyria, and Desidarius comes forward. Iriisii makes her decision and asks Desidarius what weapons she favors.

     "Dual short swords if you have any."

     Iriisii reaches into her dimensional storage and pulls two blades she crafted, based on a short sword one of the other 'Gods of Eld' showed her. He called it a 'Gladius' and said it was used in combat by soldiers who fought very effectively with it. As she tosses them to Desidarius, who catches them and handles them like a professional, looks back at Iriisii, "these will do nicely, very good work, almost perfect balance."

     "When we go in, you go to my right, Dettlaff to my left, Rigmor stay near Phillipa."

     Phillipa starts to comment but Iriisii cuts her off, "you have not fought Wamphyrie before, they are like nothing else you have ever seen much less fought. I cannot overstate how dangerous they are, even to us, the leeches they carry within their bodies can even infect Gods. And you have no defenses adequate to overcome what one of their leeches will do to you to break your will. Not yet, anyway, we will work on that I promise."

     Iriisii dives back into her storage and comes out with her Battle Gauntlets, looking at Jerith, "did you see any armed with anything like these?"

     "No, just swords, maces, a halberd or two, nothing like those."

     "Good, we just might come out of this without anyone getting seriously hurt. Look and listen, these are Wamphyrie Battle Gauntlets, if you see any of them using anything like these, tell me and let me deal with those. Only their most experienced warriors can use these, and they are devastating with them. Also, you do not want to get into close quarters with them, they have the ability to morph their bodies, forming anything they can think of.

     Whips of flesh, spikes of bone and flesh, they will get close then morph flesh spikes to impale you, if any of their flesh is left inside of you, let me know so that it can be removed. If it is not, it will take control of your body and draw you to them across any obstacle between you and them. And you really do not want to know what use they are likely to put you to. If it is for sexual torture, their version of entertainment, you are one of the lucky ones. The other possibilities are far worse, I promise you that.

     When we start fighting. Do not get between me, Dettlaff, or Desidarius and any Wamphyrie we are fighting. We will be merged with our 'beasts' during this fight and control will be the furthest thing on our minds. The only way to effectively fight them is to be even more dangerous than they are. Phillipa, if you immolate any on the fringes away from us, do it, they are weak to fire damage."

     Iriisii takes her katana and tosses it to Rigmor, "I know you favor a 'two hander', but this will do a great deal more damage to them. If you mentally command it to flame up, it will erupt into flames, do it when you have the blade in their body and they will go up like a torch. Any more questions? no? then let's go. Jerith, come or go, your choice, you know what you need to deal with them. I leave it up to you."

     Iriisii conjures a portal and immediately leaps through, gauntlets at the ready. The others follow suit, even Jerith. "Jerith, where are the Councilors?"

     He points off to the right-side door.

     As she repositions herself to face the door, with everyone else shifting as needed. Rigmor and Phillipa laying back a bit. Iriisii uses her senses to feel where the Wamphyrie are, and how many there are of them. She locates about a dozen, all clustered in front of a pair of heavy metal-clad doors. Slowly they are making their way through them. Iriisii issues last-minute instructions.

     "They are clustered in front of the door, no other doors on either side of the walls. We go and hit them hard, fast, and quietly. I want to be in the middle of them before they know we are here. Rigmor, Phillipa, if any get by us, do not let them escape. Do whatever you have to, but make sure they are dead. Also once the body dies the leech will leave and look for another victim, do not get caught unaware. If you see one on the floor kill it. Fire will do it, squashing it like a bug will as well. Jerith, I suggest you stay out here, you have never fought them before so it would be better for you to have room to move around."

     Iriisii turns and calls 'Beast' to come forward and merge. Knowing they are to engage Wamphyrie, and remembering her last 'hunt', she rips to the front and merges with Iriisii. Testing the gauntlets as Dettlaff calls his 'Beast', Desidarius drops into her deepest 'darkness'. The shadows seem to come alive and crawl over the three of them as they bound their way through the door and down the hall. 

     Phillipa remarks, "I have fought monsters that would run like hell away from the three of them."

     "Wait until the slaughter begins and you might want to revisit that statement. It is going to be like an abattoir down there in just a few minutes. But I am telling you, fighting against these things, she said nothing but the cold hard truth."

     Not a single one turned to look back as one's head exploded when the gauntlet's sphere burst it like an egg. Then another took the other sphere in its gut as it extruded its blades and started to spin, throwing blood and shredded guts over its nearby companions.

     Just as they started to turn, Dettlaff and Desidarius hit them from the sides, claws, and blades forcing them to bunch to the middle, as Iriisii and her gauntlets start crushing heads. The last one goes down as Desidarius thrusts both blades through its back, and rips them outward, the body falling to the floor in two pieces.

     In a very sultry voice, "You really know how to show a girl a good time."

     To which Iriisii replies, "just wait, it gets better."

     Dettlaff begins crushing leeches under his armored feet. As he crushes the last one, Iriisii stalks up to him, takes an arm, exposes his wrist, and sinks her fangs into it. Then as a reward to his beast, she offers her own wrist and feels him draw it into his mouth, savoring as his teeth sink into it and the power-sharing begins. Desidarius remembers what Iriisii said to her about the way it was between Dettlaff and her.

     Now she sees the full impact of it, yet she tells herself that even with this going on with him, still, she spent that night with her, each exploring what the other had been dreaming of for so long. And the promise she made to her, to marry her, sending her into the clouds, and then she feels Iriisii's arms grab her and a bloody mouth attach itself to hers, a questing tongue sliding deep and exploring every sensitive spot it could reach. She cannot help herself but feel herself clench as her body expresses its euphoria as it reaches the mountain top and jumps off.

     Iriisii and 'Beast' are fully merged and flying high as Dettlaff and his beast are almost literally purring, and Desidarius is breathless and weak in the knees, all three standing in the blood, guts, and demolished bodies of their enemies. This is what it means to be 'Dark'! Iriisii revels in it, because she also knows the other side as well, the 'Balance' is both 'Light' and 'Dark', with time and place for both, and she is the 'Mother' of both.

     They come down and return to their normal personas, Iriisii goes to the doors and knocks sharply to get the attention of the Councilors inside.

     "This battle is over and it is safe to open the doors."

     A high voice replies, "how do we know that is the truth, you could simply be deceiving us since you could not break the door down?"

     The High Councilor, Lorem, speaks up, "open the doors, now, I have spoken to the 'Mother of Dragons' and know her voice."

     The previous voice says, "but she may be in league with them and deceiving us!"

     Lorem replies, "I see who you have been talking to, he fled the chamber in fear as she demonstrated just one of her abilities. The 'Lyrium Dragons' acknowledge her, and I have felt nothing but the truth in anything she has said. I would go further and say Rogan has done things that he must answer to. His actions imply a desire to rise to a station he does not deserve and has not proven himself capable of. Now will you open those doors or must I move you aside and do it myself!"

     Iriisii hears the sound of chairs, tables, furniture being moved from the doors.

     "Some of the rest of you could lend a hand, it would go quicker if you did."

     As the last of the furniture is moved away, locking bars are pulled back, the doors being difficult to open because of the damage they took from the Wamphyrie, they are finally opened and the view of the abattoir the hallway outside is a sight of both horror and relief to the councilors. Horror at the blood, strewn body parts, the fierce fighting skills all of this around them indicates, relief that they are safe and that the trio standing before them are in truth their allies.

     Iriisii tells them, "you should know this was only a small band of Wamphyrie, about a dozen. Far worse is yet to come, this was a test of resolve, nothing more. She sees a small movement from under a body, stooping quickly, she scoops it up in one hand. Showing it to the councilors, they see a Wamphyrie leech.

     "This is a leech from one of the bodies. It is what has taken over its victim, giving them power and abilities they did not previously have, expanding their dark desires and thoughts beyond anything imaginable. If the victim fights, very, very few are strong enough to throw one out of themselves. Being immolated by fire would be a mercy compared to the torment a leech can inflict. But like this, without a body to inhabit, they are at their most vulnerable." As she clenches her fist, squeezing the leech to a pulp, the councilors hear its death scream.

     "They would have placed those things inside of us had they gotten in, wouldn't they?"

     "Yes, and you would have done anything it guided you to do. Whether to avoid the pain it could inflict, or to appease the worst that dwells in any of us, that it strengthened until it overcomes any sense of morality and decency. You would have gladly given them the keys to this Creation without a second thought."

     They huddle around each other discussing what had happened, what Iriisii had told them and shown them. This small but influential group of councilors. It struck her just then, it was much too coincidental for the attack to happen just to these councilors as they were meeting with Lorem about what to do to save their people. They were most certainly set up, the question that should be on their mind is 'who' did it?

     "Gentlemen, has it by chance crossed anyone's mind that this attack was set up specifically to catch you together with Lorem?"

     They look around at each other, and Lorem speaks, "now that you bring it up, it does seem like it could be. The timing is too close, we have been known to have meetings quite frequently on this issue or that matter. But now when it is so serious then this happens."

     "But who would do such a thing?"

     "Someone who does not wish for you to succeed, who does not want the truth to be told to the people."

     "Then why would that person want those things?"

     "That you would need to ask of them, one thing I most certainly am not is an Oracle."

     "Regardless, I have my opinion on who it is. And this simply increases the strength of that opinion."

     "Please Lorem, tell us who you think it is, in that way we can see if the rest of us feel the same."

     "Rogan."

     "But why, what makes you feel it is him?"

     "He was not informed of anyone coming with Jerith from his mission, yet he had prepared two squads of guards to rush out and arrest her and her companions on their arrival. Then when she confronted him and gave him a display of power to prove herself, he declared her display an illusion. When that was dispelled by the Lyrium Dragons, he fled. Now when we conduct a meeting to discuss what she had told me of what she knew of the fate of our Creation, and her resolve to save as many people as she can, this happens using an enemy we have never encountered before."

     "And I would listen to see what he is saying to the people now. Is he saying you have been killed in an attack that I somehow had something to do with or some variation of that scenario?"

     "I have no idea, but for myself, I will certainly find out!"

     "By all means, yes, find out, but do not let him know you are still alive, not just yet. Let him whip himself up higher as a hero of the people, then step out into the light showing him to everyone as the liar he is, before he has a chance to put together another story to protect himself. If you all show yourselves before him at one time, refuting his account, he will have no answer to counter what you say."

     "You are indeed well versed in the darker side of politics."

     "It comes from being the Empress of one Empire and the Regent of another. My Lord Chancellor is an outstanding teacher when it comes to politics. And before you ask, yes, I trust him. I know exactly where his loyalties lie, and as long as I can fulfill those loyalties, he will have my back. He knows what is at stake, and why I am away doing all of this. It matters not if I spent all my time sitting on the throne conducting the business of the Empire if it all falls into destruction, and he well knows I am the one chosen to be our Creation's Champion. To bring it back into balance between 'Good' and 'Evil', that it may continue its existence and all who live within thriving.

     If it were somehow possible...I wonder...please go on as you were discussing. There is something I must look into, a possibility of something that I had not thought about before. I am sorry, but I cannot speak of it yet. It is still only a passing thought in my mind, I do not even know if it can be done. But I will ask those above me, those whose experience reaches much farther than my own if they believe it might work. If so, then I will risk everything and attempt it, if all belief is that this Creation is to be destroyed, then as my people say, nothing ventured, nothing gained. It will not cause greater harm than what you already face, and it might, it just might be the salvation you are looking for. I must go, I have much work to do and little enough time to do it in."

     Iriisii grabs Dettlaff and Illyria, heading back up the corridor.

     "What is it that you are looking into, and why not tell the councilors?"

     "What I am looking into is this, to enact the 'Rite of Rebirth' for the entire Creation, just as it is destroyed."

     "But it cannot remain here! The paradoxes!"

     "I know, I intend to ask that it be reborn in the dimension the 'Child of Infinity' is in. There it will have someone to oversee its development, and not interfere with the future birth of our Creation. But I do not know if it will work if I can control that much power, and I cannot take the chance our enemies find out. It would be too easy for them to bring it all tumbling down around me." 

     Iriisii starts to shake with the enormity of what she is proposing. Both Dettlaff and Illyria wrap arms around her, to comfort and calm her. As they come out into the Council Chamber, Rigmor sees them, sensing Iriisii's distress, she runs to her.

     "What happened, is she all right?"

     "The fight went just fine, no one but the Wamphyrie was hurt, and they all died."

     "Then why...?"

     Dettlaff asks her to come with him, as he takes her aside and quietly tells her all that was discussed after the fight. When he comes to the part where Iriisii wants to enact 'Rebirth' at the exact instant of the destruction of this Creation and have it reborn into another dimension for the 'Child of Infinity' to look after. Rigmor's face shows incredulity at the sheer audacity of what Iriisii is proposing.  Then he tells her of Iriisii's fears of being able to do this.

     "I see, thank you, love." As she stands on tiptoes and kisses Dettlaff on his cheek, unknowingly leaving an exquisite burning sensation there that he will remember for eternity. Rigmor turns back and goes to Iriisii.

     "Do not worry, love, we always find a way to do what is needed, and this time is no exception. Somehow I think, 'SHE' will help you in this, after all, you are still tethered to her are you not? And somehow, I do not know why but ask the Aurbis for help as well, they have as great a stake in this Creation as they do in ours, and if they can have a hand in saving both, I think they will not draw back from helping."

     "You are right, I will also ask the 'Kel' for counsel, they have a stake here too. Gods, I pray this works."