Ithaqua's Fortress

 Ithaqua's Fortress

     Rigmor: "Again, are you with me?"

     Dettlaff: "I am, until the very end, come what may, I am."

     Rigmor: "Thank you, with us, Shiv and Darkstar, and all of the others, we just might make it."

     Dettlaff: "But someone had to have known of this, somehow to bring it together. You do not just cross Reality lines with impunity, with events of this magnitude."

     From Iriisii's body lying in the bed, a different voice answers his question.

     Ancestor: "Among the Dragons of Shadow there exist three oracles, that have always been for as long as the Dragons have existed. And they predate both the second and third Creations. They have known of this day ever since they saw it, all of those long eons ago. They began even then to groom the dragon bloodlines, for the one who could do as TahrodiisKunVokun has done."

     Rigmor: "Who are you speaking with my love's voice?"

     Ancestor: "I am one of the earliest Ancestral Memories that are now a part of her. And perhaps the only one who knows of what you ask."

     Dettlaff: "And how could you know of this? Even if you are the memory of one of the old Gods of Eld, the Lands of Shadow have always remained aloof from the rest of Existence."

     Ancestor: "I know because my mother was one of the Oracles. I was a half-dragon when I ascended, one of only a handful to ever do so. And my mother made certain I knew of the possibility of this happening and what it could mean. You must guard the dragonlings, let nothing harm them until they are grown and ready to depart of their own will.

     The things that will happen to Iriisii, you cannot guard her against. They must come about, for the things she will do, the beings she will draw to her side, the power she will accrue, all will be needed one day, for the survival of Existence will depend on her."

     Rigmor: "What do you know, tell me!"

     Ancestor: "I cannot tell you more than I have, to change the outcomes...no one truly wishes for that to be. You will have a difficult path ahead, you must, I say must hold to your love for her, against everything you will be challenged with. She will need you, even as she rests in the 'Darkness that Consumes All', living, breathing, conscious. Do not give in to despair, anger, or rage, for in doing so, you risk losing her forever. I can say no more, my time as her voice is at an end, remember..."

     Rigmor looks at Dettlaff, who is just as bewildered as she is.

     Dettlaff: "Whatever he warned you against is something that has yet to happen, that I am certain about. But this, 'Darkness that Consumes All', what could that be?"

     Rigmor: "I do not know, but I will ask the Krang if it knows of anything that it could be. Now let us allow her to rest, you take whichever side you will, and I will take the other. She will rest better between us."

     Dettlaff: "Done."

     Later Rigmor wakes as Dettlaff and Iriisii still sleep, she goes ahead, carefully gets up, and arranges for another food platter to be brought for when the other two sleepyheads awake. On the way back she runs into Kthanid.

     Kthanid: "I am glad to run into you, how is she holding up?"

     Rigmor: "As well as she can, it has been a..., well a very strange set of revelations."

     Kthanid: "To say the least, that I can agree with anyway. What is she going to do now? I do not mean to pry, but..."

     Rigmor: "No, I understand. She is going to have to morph into dragon form very soon now and get those eggs laid. Once that is done we can get on with the business at hand."

     Kthanid: "Good, I was worried after seeing the way this is affecting her. It is completely unknown territory, and concerning to everyone."

     Rigmor: "I completely agree, but she said she noticed my precog instincts growing stronger and asked me what they told me of what was going on while we were in the Shadowlands. I told her exactly what I felt and she seemed to understand and accept what my instincts told me. Which was basically that she needed first to hear what the Shadow Lords wanted before either outright accepting or declining.

     Once we cleared the air, so to speak, things became much easier to understand and gauge the importance and direction of what they were asking. Although my first thought was to tell her to say 'no', my instincts overrode that and told her to say 'yes'. Now I have to agree that it was the best decision, even as it expands her responsibilities greatly."

     Kthanid: "Just what is going to change because of this?"

     Rigmor: "As of now she is on track to not only restore the 'balance' of our Creation, but expand that into all and I do mean all of the Dreamlands, and now the Shadow Lands. I suspect more to come in the future. There are trials and tribulations to come, as those who stand against us in those new areas make themselves known. Whatever set this off, happened a long time ago, and has been gradually seeping into every part of Existence.

     Many of those 'Powers and Principalities' are just now becoming aware of what is coming and it is frightening all of them. They are looking for someone to combat it and she is the only one seemingly on the path to doing anything about it. There is an old saying that comes to mind, some call it a curse, but that is dependent on intent. It says simply this, 'may you live in interesting times'. I think you can see where almost any meaning can be attributed to it."

     Kthanid: "Sometimes it is these old sayings that carry the most truth inside their words."

     Rigmor: "Indeed, my instincts agree with you. One of her Ancestral Memories, one who was a half-dragon, whose mother was a Shadow Dragon Oracle, or so he said, spoke to Dettlaff and me as Iriisii was sleeping, do you know anything about who that could have been?"

     Kthanid: "Most of our records were lost in our escape but there is something about it that haunts my memory. In the earliest years of our forming and becoming recognized as Gods, I seem to recall mention of one of our number fathering a child with a Shadow Dragon. Nothing was said about the mother being an oracle though. We were not even aware they could be Oracles, but if so and I have no reason to doubt you, they would likely be the most powerful, farseeing, and accurate of any of the Oracles in existence, then and now."

     Rigmor: "So I should take what was said to heart and be ready when the events come?"

     Kthanid: "I assume they were said with the usual amount of veiled meanings?"

     Rigmor: "As straightforward as any I have previously heard, but still not very clear. They were more directed to me and how I could react to things Iriisii is to do and may happen to her. The most obscure involved something he said about, 'even as she rests in the 'Darkness that Consumes All', living, breathing, conscious. Do not give in to despair, anger, or rage, for in doing so, you risk losing her forever."

     Kthanid: "That is dangerous in the extreme to try and parse out what it means, but the 'Darkness that Consumes All'. I have heard those words before, I just do not remember the context of what they referred to. I will ask around and if anything comes to mind I will let you know."

     Rigmor: "Thank you, I had better get back, she will be hungry when she wakes. Those eggs are consuming her power as quickly as she can regenerate it."

     Kthanid: "Hmmm, egg...power...consume..., I need to consult the Krang on this, I have an idea, but I need confirmation first. I will get back to you as soon as I have something solid."

     Rigmor: "Ok, just do not take too long. Who knows when the next emergency will come crashing against our door."

     Kthanid: "What is it that some of the crew say in that scenario, 'you can say that again', no, please don't. I do not know if I will ever understand these idioms they use."

     Rigmor continues on back to Iriisii and Dettlaff, chuckling over Kthanid's consternation about the use of idioms. As she reenters the tent, Iriisii and Dettlaff are stirring and another food platter has been delivered. Once they are awake, Iriisii starts in on the food, going at it until it is all gone.

     Rigmor: "We have to get you to the Krang and into the place you made for Brii, now! Those eggs are keeping you drained of power and if anything should happen here, it could be real trouble. They are growing much faster than expected and I can see them through your skin. You must morph to accommodate their growth until you can lay them. Dettlaff help me with her, I will have a direct door made for us to get her to Brii. Custodian!"

     Custodian: "Yes, Goddess Rigmor, how may I be of service?"

     Rigmor: "We need a door from our position to the chamber Iriisii made within the Krang for Brii. We have to get her there immediately!"

     Custodian: "Opening door for you now."

     The door slides up from the floor and the Custodian remotely opens it. Brii can be seen just a short distance away as she notices the door's appearance. The trio moves through and the door closes as they shuffle into the recently made area.

     Dettlaff: "If the eggs are draining her, how is she going to be able to morph?"

     Rigmor: "We have to provide the power for her to do that. If we force her to morph, we can do it quickly enough that the eggs will not be able to drain the power before she changes form. Maybe Brii can help distract them for just a few moments.

     Brii, Iriisii needs to morph, but her power is being drained by the eggs she carries until she does not have enough. They are growing rapidly and need the space her dragon form will give them. I will explain what is going on after we get her to morph. Can you provide a distraction to them so they do not drain Dettlaff and me as we give Iriisii the power to morph?"

     Brii Qo Dun: "Of course, bring her closer, yes, that is it. By the Draconic Divines!"

     Rigmor: "I know, it is complicated and I was there, but we can talk later, right now she must morph!"

     Brii: "Please forgive me, the shock."

     She takes a moment and begins to create a sound deep in her throat. A kind of sound Rigmor has never heard before. As she looks down at Iriisii's abdomen, the movement under her skin slows down.

     Rigmor: "Now Dettlaff! We must do it now!"

     As they pour their own power into Iriisii, Rigmor projects the desire to change the form, picturing what Iriisii looked like the last time she morphed. It is slowly taking hold, but as she begins to morph the process speeds up. They have to keep moving to keep from being crushed while maintaining contact to continue feeding her power. Soon enough she reaches full form and Brii informs Rigmor that the eggs are settling down.

     One of the Soul Hounds walks up.

     Soul Hound: "We are aware of her needs and will take care of them from here on, thank you for getting her here so soon."

     As the Soul Hound turns and walks away, Rigmor turns to Brii.

     Rigmor: "I owe you an explanation."

     Brii: "Only since you feel so strongly about it, although I am curious as I feel the parentage of the eggs, the father is a Shadow Dragon?"

     Rigmor: "Yes, let me tell you what happened as I saw it."

     Rigmor then starts at the beginning and walks Brii through all that happened.

     Brii: "Amazing, the Shadow Dragons have always been reclusive. We knew they existed but practically nothing else. That they can absorb energy directly like these, no, this is because they are hybrid. They gain this ability from Iriisii, not the father. But what other abilities they will possess, who can say? They seem to know the ones I carry also share Iriisii as a parent and consider mine as their siblings."

     Rigmor: "This will be a good thing?"

     Brii: "I believe so, it will create a strong bond between them all. I think she will need to eat far more often than I do right now. If more power is needed, the Krang can supply it, I am sure. They will grow as quickly as they can be supplied with power, as far as I can tell. Thus they could hatch sooner than normal if given a constant supply. Normally that is supplied by heat from our bodies, or from magma pools, but if the Krang could broadcast it in a form the young ones can absorb and it is held constant. It would speed up the birthing process considerably."

     Rigmor: "Then I will speak to Reaper about doing this. The longer she is out of commission, the more danger we could be in for, if our adversaries find out. I need to speak to Kthanid about raising our alert status until Iriisii is able to resume command."

     This is when Kthanid walks in, looking for Rigmor.

     Kthanid: "There you are, Reaper said I would find you here. I asked around and found out what those words you asked about could reference. It opens more questions and honestly, the implications are deeply concerning."

     Rigmor sighs, "we never get a break, do we? Don't answer that! It is a rhetorical question. Now tell me what you found out."

     Kthanid: "the 'Darkness that Consumes All' most likely refers to a 'black hole'. It is formed by the collapse of stars as they consume all of their fuel and cannot sustain themselves any longer. It does not always result in the formation of one, but when it does, the corpse of the star collapses so far and its gravity well becomes so strong that even light cannot escape it. Thus its name is a black hole. The gravity around it will pull in anything of mass around it, feeding it until a kind of equilibrium is reached.

     The force of energy released as the mass is consumed pushes against mass further away until it then equals the force of the black hole's gravity pulling that same mass inward. The mass ends up circling the black hole, and the black hole's growth stops. The rest of the words, well it gets deep into what some civilizations call quantum physics."

     Rigmor: "Ok, give me what you were told about what it could possibly mean."

     Kthanid: "If a living being is trapped within the 'Event Horizon', the surface of the black hole, 'time' stops relative to everything outside it. To the trapped, they are there forever, to us they are consumed within an exceedingly short time. If someone like Iriisii were to become trapped, her power level changes things."

     Rigmor: "How so?"

     Kthanid: "She could encase herself in some form of shielding that would last enough from her point of view, to enable her to create something more powerful. If that something could draw upon the gravitic force itself, enough to balance it, she could survive inside one. For how long, that is the issue. The time dilation effect between her inside and us outside. A few seconds for us means centuries for her."

     Rigmor: "But she would still be alive?"

     Kthanid: "Yes. But we would not know how to get to her without trapping ourselves. Someone may know how, but as yet we do not have the knowledge."

     Rigmor: "This..., strange, for some reason I get the feeling we need as much information as we can acquire about this. Send out requests to all of our allies who might possibly know anything concerning 'black holes', we need all the information we can get. Feed it into the Krang and let it parse the information to see what connections it can make with what it may already know."

     Kthanid: "I will take care of it, immediately. As far as the rest of the words spoken, that is something only you can delve into because it strikes deep into your emotions and reactions where she is involved."

     Rigmor turns and looks at Iriisii's sleeping dragon form.

     Brii: "You know you feel the same toward her no matter what outward form she wears. Because you fell in love with who she is inside those forms, not the outward appearance."

     Rigmor: "Thank you, sometimes I need to be reminded of that, and of how big her heart is."

     Brii: "Her heart is limitless in its depth. I saw that when we mated. There is no other way she could have come so far on this road otherwise, it would have destroyed her totally. And what she will do later, will show just how far she is willing to go, what she is willing to do, to sacrifice on the altar of repentance, to make the dreams of existence real for all who dream."

     Rigmor: "I just hope it doesn't destroy her, because I cannot live without her."

     Brii: "Know that you are not alone in feeling that way, and that is where she gains her greatest power. The power that will at the end of all things, sustain her, and carry her forward into caracuesh."

     Rigmor looks at Brii puzzled.

     Brii: "It has no translation into your tongue. The concept itself is beyond knowing, it can only be felt and experienced. But it is something to be desired, cherished, worked for, and sacrificed for. The closest that your peoples' thoughts come is, I believe the word is, 'nirvana'. But that is a far cry from reality. I will only say, Iriisii is the only one I have met that I feel has a true chance to achieve it and for that alone she should be cherished. If she does find the path to it, she will be hailed and worshipped for eternity, by those who will seek to follow her. And yes, she will take us with her, for she will not cross into it alone."

     Rigmor: "Perhaps one day I will understand what that means, but for now we have much to do before we can think that far into the future."

     Brii: "Indeed, but the path is one that is undertaken one foot, one step, one pace at a time. It will come in its own time when the path is ready for her. Go now and tend to what is needed, I will watch over her for you."

     Rigmor: "Thank you, I am glad she found you."

     Rigmor: "All right, what ideas do we have for when we walk into the Fortress. Iriisii has secured us a way inside, undetected until we actually set foot inside it. She will need to be the one to set Meria free, for she will need dragon breath to combat the enchanted ice. Melee fighters can deal with the Wendigos. We will need a small number to watch over the servants and thralls. Once Meria is free, we move to take control and secure the Fortress. Beyond this, we just hold it and keep Ithaqua out until we can link it with the other two we hold, once that is done he will not be able to regain control of it."

     Nodens: "Why do we need to link it, what is the purpose behind it?"

     Rigmor: "As I understand, it will expand the capabilities of all three in what they can do for us. Just what it will change or add, Iriisii has a better idea of that than I do and she definitely wants this to happen."

     Nodens: "Ok, that is good enough for me."

     Rigmor: "For now we wait until Iriisii has clutched her eggs and recovered, then when Ithaqua goes out wind walking, we strike."

 

     When Iriisii started the egg-laying, everyone was edgy, especially the Lyrium Dragons, for this was happening in their habitat, and they silently hoped it would bode well for them as well. In the past, this kind of activity has spread among them as well.

     What was not anticipated was that Brii would start laying as well. It seems the Power Emitter that was set up to aid Iriisii's eggs' growth also accelerated Brii's as well. It got so hairy that more Soul Hounds showed up to help with the effort. All in all, a total of twenty-four dragon eggs were laid and attended to. All were being cared for by the Soul Hounds and expressly at Iriisii's urging were not to be segregated, but kept together, for they were all considered siblings in her eyes. The Power Emitter was toned down a bit but kept in place to help speed up the growth of the eggs, and restore both Iriisii and Brii to normal. 

     As the two new mothers rested, the eggs were allowed to be placed between them. As they formed an encirclement of them, with the Lyrium Dragons and Tahrodiis standing guard close by.

     Nodens: "Rigmor! Reaper says the Krang's sensors report Ithaqua has left the Fortress. We will never get another chance like this anytime soon, we must go now!"

     Rigmor: "I will see if Iriisii is back to herself again, but either way we go. Get everyone prepared, as soon as we have all assembled, let me know."

     Nodens: "Done."

     Rigmor ports over to the Dragon Habitat and Iriisii is waiting on her as she arrives.

     Rigmor: "I see you have morphed back to human. You must have felt Ithaqua going Windwalking."

     Iriisii: "Yes, and also I have felt something else happen."

     Rigmor: "What now, I wonder?"

     Iriisii smiles, "Watch and see!"

     Iriisii concentrates for a split second and she morphs again, this time into a half-dragon. She is just a little taller than her human form but she has all of the weapons of a dragon. And it seems a few have merged as Rigmor notices her claws can do more physical damage.

     Rigmor: "How did this happen?"

     Iriisii: "It was a consequence of both the egg-laying and the Power Emitter. The closest I can come to it is that it has been in my dragon blood heritage, but was awakened by the combination of the egg laying and having been under the constant feed of the Power Emitter. I suspect the continual flow of power from me to the eggs over the time I held them triggered the change. It seems that I can choose any of the species variations when I use this form."

     Rigmor: "Great!, all I want to know is are you ready to drop into the Fortress?"

     Iriisii: "I am ready."

     Rigmor: "Once Nodens gives the all-clear we will leave then."

     Iriisii speaks to the gathered raid team.

     Iriisii: "You will be traveling from here to the Fortress through the Shadow Lands. I have done this personally for some time. Now I have gained permission to take all of you with me on this raid. I will drop the melee fighters first into various areas of the Fortress. You all have your orders, the ones left will drop with me last in the very bottom level where Ithaqua has Meria imprisoned.

     Once we have her freed, we will locate the central command chamber where I will engage the Guardian. So far it looks like Ithaqua has not been able to reach him. I have a way in mind to do this that Ithaqua cannot manage, so we are ahead on that count. Once I have gained his fealty, I will link the Fortress to the other two I already have, then the three together can act in concert to deny Ithaqua should he try to return. Anything else? No? Then let us go, be ready for anything."

     Iriisii faces where she wants to create the shadow portal. The power can be felt as it begins to gather itself around her, some even swear they can see the shadows dancing behind her eyes. She opens her arms, both moving in synchronistic patterns. Shadows seem to move from all corners of the room to the place where her arm patterns focus them. They swirl and roil, expanding until they form an archway. The edges become a solid shadow, bodily forms, faces, all of fantastic origins, the few that can be recognized, constantly moving, but silent though they seem to talking, shouting, screaming, laughing, crying. 

     Iriisii moves to enter the center of the portal without a trace of hesitancy. Rigmor steels herself and follows as Iriisii disappears, Nodens and Kthanid move next followed by all of the others in their turn. Once they are all through, the portal collapses, and the shadows return to where they were summoned from.

     Inside the Shadow Lands, Iriisii waits for everyone to come through. Once all are accounted for, she quietly speaks to them.

     Iriisii: "Everyone stay close, I am holding you in a field of my awareness. In this way, I will know where each of you is at all times. Simply stay together and all will be fine. When we reach the drop points I will tell each of you when we approach and you will see where to go. Once you go through, protect yourselves from all sides, but kill only those who attack you. The servants should avoid you and only the Wendigos will certainly attack. Kill them without mercy for they deserve none, round up the servants, and direct them to the main hall where we can best watch them. Above all, do not wander from the path once it is set, go nowhere alone. The Fortress can be as small or as large as it wishes, depending on how much power it can access. With all luck, Ithaqua will have no idea what has happened but do not assume that to be the case. Expect trouble and be ready, call out if you need help. Now follow me."

     Although dim, the lands can be seen plainly, there is water, and trees, even if they are not green as the trees they know, and they seem alive in that the air is still yet the limbs and boughs move. None of them move toward the group walking under their shade. Iriisii however listens to them, and hearing what they are saying, knows there is no threat here. Rather, they are interested that there are beings from the other Realities walking among them as the young Gods once did so far in the past.

     Even as they wish these would stop, stay a while, and speak of their lives and adventures. She speaks to them with her mind, asking them to be patient a while longer. That she hopes to open the doors once again so that others will visit and speak to them. They then pass on to her and hers, their blessing, that she is able to do as she has spoken, and pass her words on to the others that live within the Shadow Lands.

     Dettlaff:: "I feel something familiar here, but I know I have never been here before."

     Iriisii: "It is called 'deja vu'. I have felt it before myself, but never as strongly as here in this forest. It feels much like the 'Forest of Night' when we visited with your mother. I think this place and that one share much at their core, perhaps even in their beginnings."

     Dettlaff: "What is it that you feel deeper here, just what comes into your mind when you do not think but feel?"

     Iriisii: "I feel the presence of Kali-Mah. Kali-Mah as I felt her for the first time when our Dark Child called her name and summoned her memory."

     Dettlaff: "I feel the same even as I did not know her before, it just seems that this place makes me feel her."

     A rustling in the distance, coming in their direction can be heard. Iriisii motions to the others to let her be in the lead when whatever is coming reveals itself. The rustling grows in intensity the closer it gets, seemingly not caring if its position is known or not. And then it shuffles into the clearing, standing on the edge looking straight at Iriisii. Dettlaff and others draw their weapons and ready themselves for whatever may come.

     Shuffling Mound: "Who calls the holiest name of Kali-Mah, my lost daughter, Kali-Mah. Whoever you are that speaks of her, tell me what you know. It has been so very, very long since I heard of her."

     Iriisii motions for the others to stand down, and she then walks forward to the shambling mound.

     Iriisii: "Will you not step forth from that which you inhabit and speak with me of she I know by the name of Kali-Mah?"

     A shuddering begins shaking the mound, then a crack grows from the top downward. As it opens, a glimpse of distant alien stars can be seen within. Flaming orbs of power, stronger than any of the stars that exist in her Reality. A figure, black as the dark spaces between Existence and the Void, steps forth, but strangely warm, not cold as she expected.

     Eclipse: "I am known simply as Eclipse, please tell me of my daughter. It has been long since she left me to wander the Realities in search of a home."

     Iriisii takes her time in telling Eclipse of her who she knows as Kali-Mah. Once she has given him all that she knows, he sighs, radiating contentment.

     Eclipse: "Thank you, Iriisii Dovahkiin. Thank you for what you did for her. Now I know she has returned and lives again, having found new life through the expression of you and your mate. I am aware of your destiny and what you seek to do. I will not threaten what you may ultimately find by speaking of it. But I can and will say this when the time comes to make your choice, do not be afraid of what you must do. The 'First' watches you with great interest to see if you are able to reach your pinnacle. If you reach him, he will give you your 'Great Choice', follow your heart and make the choice it calls for you to make, you will not regret your decision. I must go now, you have a task to complete."

     Eclipse turns and moves to return to the mound, hesitates, and turns his head toward Dettlaff.

     Eclipse: "Dettlaff, mate to Iriisii, blessed art thou among all vampires. Walk with your mate in sublime equality, know that one day you will bring yours, from the lowest to the highest, into peace and acceptance among all Existence."

     Then he walks back into whatever exists inside the mound, the crack closes, and the mound is absorbed back into the ground.

     Dettlaff: "Who and what was he?"

     Iriisii: "As to who, Kali-Mah's father. As to what, your guess is as good as mine. He is something completely outside of our Existence, Realities, Creations, and Realms. But somehow they know of us and our struggle here. What that might mean in the future, who knows? But I do know this much, strange as it may seem, he is as close to the 'Balance' as I am. What that might say about the future, we shall see when we get there. Let us go, we still have a job to do."

     As they continue, everyone notices something different about the Shadow Lands, something that draws and touches them deep inside. There is beauty here, peace, and calm, deeper feelings of these than anywhere else they have been. This strikes them as completely different from their expectations. Yet Iriisii is still keenly observant of everything going on outside of where they walk. She openly comments about what they are all feeling.

     Iriisii: "I know what it is that you are feeling here, know that it is in fact true. But as with all things, there is an underside that remains hidden. Here it is deeper hidden than in other places."

     Nodens: "I feel it as well, I can also feel the deeper, darker things. They watch, but they do not stir like they do not care or see us as a problem."

     Iriisii: "That is as apt an observation as anyone is going to get while here. I see more because I am more attuned. But my presence is tied most closely to the 'Balance', they that live here feel this and so accept both my presence and my being because of this. Those here know the 'Balance' in greater measure than almost anywhere else. Their aloofness from the rest of Existence has shielded them from the imbalanced influences, but that is coming to an end as those influences are preparing to invade. The Shadow Lords see this coming and so have enlisted my joining myself with them to combat this."

     Nodens: "You would have come to their aid regardless, do they not realize this?"

     Iriisii: "Yes, they do, but would you not do all that you can to safeguard yours from harm even though you know you only have to ask for help?"

     Nodens: "You are right, any of us would go as far as we could to protect ours, even if help is but a request away."

     An Ancestral Memory speaks up within her mind.

     Ancestral Memory: "Be exceedingly careful here, for ahead is one you have not met with before. They live here in the Shadow Lands and have made a name for themselves, what they seek, who knows. But they must not be allowed to expand their influence outside the Shadow Lands."

     Iriisii: "Who are they?"

     Ancestral Memory: "This one is an emissary from the 'Faceless Ones'. He watches quietly, from a distance, as is their wont. They are the only Order of Assassins that have grown beyond their home region. Yes, we have assassins as well as thieves, and others. Most never gain recognition beyond their home regions.

     The 'Faceless Ones' are known for their ability to mimic anyone they meet. Thus they are able to blend in unseen, becoming a part of all around them. Hiding in plain sight as you would say. What interest they have in you or us is unknown, but concerning nonetheless. It is not known what drives them, that and most other information about themselves is jealously guarded.

     Perhaps it is that they sense your previous training and are responding to it. Your integration of all of your skill sets is something that would most definitely catch their eye. If they wish to go further from here, that would be most problematic. The Lords have forbidden that happening almost from the time they first formed."

     Iriisii: "How would you proceed, then?"

     Ancestral Memory: "Cautiously, but use your best judgment. You are a better gauge of their intent than anyone else here."

     Darkstar: "He senses us within you, our linkages that have allowed the three of us to share knowledge, skills, and experiences. Both Shivista and I have learned so much from you, and you have from us. You blend all that you have learned into a harmonious whole, becoming more than you once were each day. And you have done this with all that you encounter, not just the two of us, and so we learn as well.

     He and those he represents are curious about this. They have never seen this before, and anything that could increase their power they want. They do not know where this would take them, the oracles here know this, however, and have guided the Shadow Lords in keeping such knowledge from them."

     Iriisii: "So I should follow their lead and do the same."

     Darkstar: "So I would counsel you, yes. What they could become would be worse than anything we have encountered yet. And the damage they would cause along the way would draw us on opposite sides like moths to a candle flame."

     Iriisii: "I see that most clearly. It is not only because of what comes that the Shadow Lords have entreated and bargained for my help offering Tahrodiis as a dragon mate. But what these 'Faceless Ones' could learn from them and where they would go from there."

     Ancestral Memory: "You see the possibilities clearly, and none of them are good in any way for the stability of these Lands. The Oracles watch even now, to see which path you will choose. They will not intervene, nor will they counsel you unless you ask, even then they will be very circumspect in not trying to influence you toward any path. They see the best way is to allow you to decide on your own."

     Iriisii: "Very well, I will take all that has been said under advisement, and see what they have to say, then make my decision on what to do, say, and go. But I will not allow them to dictate to me or interfere with my tasks. If they do that, they will pay a heavy price."

     They move on down their path, sensing cities, towns, and villages, off in the distance, well away from the path they are on.

     Rigmor: "Why is this path so empty of people? I can sense all different kinds of habitation, but they are all far away."

     Iriisii: "What we follow are pattern paths set down eons ago. They are only used to travel from one Reality to another. Paths that travel within the Shadow Lands themselves and nowhere else were created as they were needed as time and need progressed. Sometimes they would coincide with each other, but those places are rare and out of the way of the normal paths used. The denizens of the Shadow Lands had no purpose or desire to ever go anywhere else, and very few from outside were ever granted access to come here let alone to use the pattern paths."

     Rigmor: "So how is it that someone waits for us ahead?"

     Iriisii: "You sense him now? Does anyone else or have they done so and not said?"

     No one else says anything about it.

     Iriisii: "Do not let on that you can sense him. Keep it to yourself as much as you are able, and let me deal with it. Keep watching around to ensure we are not surprised, if you feel more then let me know."

     They continue on their way.

     Rigmor: "Why is it this is taking so long? When you did it before it was almost no time at all."

     Iriisii: "We are traveling a fair distance here, in the Realities we normally live within, we are traveling a very long distance between. And it is no mean feat to travel the Shadow Paths into one of the Timeless Fortresses. Those pattern paths are obscure for a reason and were specifically made that way. If we did not already have two of them, there is no way we could use these paths to travel to another. That is why we can enter in without Ithaqua's knowledge, otherwise, he would see our approach from quite a long way, and be prepared.

     Be ready, now, we approach the one who waits for us. Everyone wait here, I will meet with the one ahead and deal with him before we move on."

     Iriisii walks further for about a hundred feet, stops, unsheathes her blade, and drives it into the ground. Stepping to the side, so that the blade is to her left, she kneels and sits on her knees, waiting. She allows about a quarter-hour as the dim sunlight moves the shadow cast by her blade.

     Iriisii: "Come forth, sit before me and tell me what message you bring. I would hear the words that those you serve have for my ears."

     Shadow Assassin: "You are indeed as perceptive as we have been told by those who have witnessed your previous travels. That you now walk the Shadow Patterns says you have the favor of the Lords of Shadow, and that is something seldom if ever given."

     The assassin walks out of the shadows he had been watching from, approaches, and unsheathes his blade, driving it into the ground three feet from her own. Then kneeling and sitting on the ground across from her, his blade to his right side.

     Shadow Assassin: "You are cautious in your parley."

     Iriisii: "Having no knowledge of your order, your goals, desires. I would not wish to openly dismiss any offer you would make until I hear what you have to say. Then evaluate it to know how it meshes with my own path, thus I seek neutral parley. We are one on one, no one of mine will interfere in what we decide."

     Shadow Assassin: "We have observed that you have many skills, and you project an aura that is both one and many at the same time. How is this to be known?"

     Iriisii: "It is not for you to know the path that brought me to this point. That is for those who set my feet upon it to know and no one else."

     Shadow Assassin: "Just so, you are indeed led about like a goat on a lead."

     Iriisii: "Is it your intention to lead me astray? Is this your desire or that of they who sent you?"

     Shadow Assassin: "I hear the veiled claws that lie behind your words. Those who sent me would ask that you consider a request that they would ask as a gift on the path of friendship between us."

     Iriisii: "And what gift do they offer me in return?"

     Shadow Assassin: "We will deal with any enemies you have here now and in the future."

     Iriisii: "Those enemies I have are beyond the capabilities of your order. All you sent against them would die screaming as their souls are devoured. Your masters will have to do much better than that to gain my favor."

     Shadow Assassin: "And why do we need your favor?"

     Iriisii: "For you wish to go beyond the bounds the Lords of Shadow have set for you and you see me as the only one that can accomplish this. I am the only one that could, and not enslave you all as my price. For those that will come later and that I have given my word to defend against, would use you and cast you away like yesterday's garbage."

     Shadow Assassin: "So you say."

     Iriisii: "And yet you sit across from me in neutral parley to hear my words. If you did not think me worth the effort you would not be here. The Lords of Shadow believe I can do as I say or they would not have granted me entry and access to the Paths of Pattern. What should concern you is what do they know that would cause them to bargain with me for my protection. What they see should indeed concern you and all that live in the Shadow Lands."

     Shadow Assassin: "What can we provide that you would find worthy to accept?"

     Iriisii: "Now we come to the heart of the matter. For I have no place for you or your brothers in my Celestial Army. I have all the assassins I need and they are far better than you are, I should know for I trained them myself. I blooded myself in a duel against a Kuurii. If you would earn my respect and a place in my forces, do as I did. If you wish, I could summon one here for you. If I call, they will answer, for they are blood bound to answer my challenge."

     Shadow Assassin: "And why would they do as you ask if you have killed one already?"

     Iriisii: "It would be me they would wish to duel once more, I would allow that first they had to fight you and win before they could go against me once more. Personally, I do not think you would last very long, even here on your home ground."

     Shadow Assassin: "You would insult me by underestimating my skills, and my training, and by extension insult the Masters, even the entire clan?!"

     Iriisii: "It is only an insult if what I say is false. I am confident that what I say is the truth, having faced the Kuurii before, even then I was not as powerful as I am now. It seems the only way to know if my words are true or false is for you to accept the challenge. Let me summon one here, and see who the victor is. I would even allow some of your brothers to approach from where they watch and be witnesses to this event. Then there will be no question in any mind as to where I stand."

     Shadow Assassin: "And when I win, you will take us with you beyond the Shadow Lands?"

     Iriisii: "If you win, yes, know that I am confident that you will not win, so I have no problem with agreeing to what you ask."

     Shadow Assassin: "The Masters must give their approval to this. I will return with their answer."

     The assassin rises and retrieves his blade, turns, and walks back into the shadows.

     Rigmor: "I hope you know what you are doing."

     Nodens: "She does. Battle Mistress, you do us proud, your manipulation of him was masterful. I agree that this will solve the issue at least for a while, the Shadow Assassins will not stop in their desire to find a way to leave here, but they will not be able to do it through your agency. If they find other means, you will be able to deal with them then with no repercussions. They will not be able to claim 'bad faith' and a 'broken deal'."

     Rigmor: "And if I remember right, you could not call him to a duel anyway. He is too far below you, and he would not accept anyone else. If he had called for a duel, would there be a cost to you when you defeated him?"

     Iriisii: "That I am not certain of, possibly there would be a cost, but I am sure it would not be as severe as if I had called for it. The best way would be if he simply attacked me, killing him in self-defense would absolve me of any cost. Also if he attacked any of you instead, the same would apply."

     Rigmor: "All of these rules..."

     Iriisii: "are what separates us from the others who have no regard for them. Our power comes from those we serve, if we are not worthy of their faith and belief, then we do not deserve that power."

     Rigmor: "Then how do they acquire their power then?"

     Iriisii: "Through fear and terror, yet that power is fleeting. They must keep a constant flow of it or it will fade. Faith and belief are strongly rooted in the souls of those it dwells in and is not so easily uprooted. Thus even as we are bound by the Rules of Power, we hold more of it and it does not fade from us nearly as quickly. It is what makes the 'Balance' work. Once I understood that then my feet were firmly on the path we now follow, and I will not veer away from it. I believe in every part of me that it is the right path to take. And as I look and see what we have accomplished so far, I do not regret this path in the least."

     Rigmor: "Nor I, my love, nor I. I will follow it with you to the very end, wherever it leads us."

     They do not have to wait long before they have an answer as the shadow assassin returns with another next to him. The differences between them are stark and apparent. This new entry into the game is one that piques Darkstar's interest. She looking through Iriisii's eyes, gathers everything she can from his body language as she herself was taught, while at the same time relying on teaching from the Blade Dancers on how to mask and misdirect her own. 

     Darkstar: "This one you will want to watch carefully. He is very disciplined in his training. He has near total control of his body functions, thus pain will not slow him down. I wonder if even a Wamphyri leech could penetrate and defeat his control. Better for everyone that we never find that out.

     Iriisii: "Could he take you in a duel?"

     Darkstar: "No, he is not that good, but he would give me a fight for certain."

     Iriisii: "What of the Kuurii?"

     Darkstar: "Interesting to say the least, but I would give the edge to the Kuurii. Their whole society is based on predator instincts, challenges are commonplace, but they are not always fatal to the loser. Thus there is an incentive to gain greater skills. Purity is also of utmost importance, a Kuurii infected by a leech would be known immediately and hunted down by the entire society. The possibility of that happening with these Shadow Assassins, I cannot say, but I believe they could mask themselves long enough that they would gain the upper hand. Then everyone would have a dire problem."

     Iriisii: "I concurr with your assessment. The Kuurii we faced down in that duel was good to say the least but by far not the best that race has produced. I do not believe they would farm out their best to outside actors but would keep them close."

     Darkstar: "Agreed."

     Shivista: "This is all well and good, but how are you going to convince them to take this Shadow Assassin on? Do you intend to offer yourself in another duel?"

     Iriisii: "If I must, but I do not believe that will be needed. They knew nothing of me at that time, and I do not believe that is still the case. Also, I think that now knowing what they likely do about me, they will listen to what I have to say before deciding anything. It is more to their advantage to side with me rather than against me, and I will play that up to them. They are very much like the Yautja, with pretty much the only difference being one is Matriarchal while the other is Patriarchal. Keep them separated, but let them compete in separate battlefields, that will spur them to each outdo the other, and strike even more fear in our enemies."

     Shivista: "Just keep the reins on both, you do not want to let them off the rails. At least not until that is what we need to have happen."

     Darkstar: "Agreed."

     Iriisii: "I also agree. So we will hear this out and I will then contact the Kuurii. Then the cards will fall where they may."

     The shadow assassin moves to where Iriisii is still kneeling by her blade. He places his blade back into the ground and kneels opposite her.

     Shadow Assassin: "The Head of my Order agrees to your terms, providing this one beside me is the one to fight."

     Iriisii: "This is acceptable to me. I will summon the Kuurii then."