Excerpt #4

  Excerpt #4

     When we enter town, T'kerus, you will be on my left, Olaf will be on my right. Both of you, one pace back and out from me. We will take it slowly through town to allow the crowds to move apart and let us pass. No need to start anything, and it will give pickpockets and cutpurses no room to get close to us. Also the guards will notice and word that we mean business will clear the way forward."

     Olaf: "What are we to do here?"

     Iriisii: "There is a woman being held in the slave market. I want her before she gets sold to anyone else. You will know why when you see her. Be sure you do not let your reaction to her show. I do not want anyone to suspect she is anything more than a casual slave purchase. Let me handle this and take your cue from mine."

     Olaf nods his head, T'kerus looks like he wants to say something but changes his mind and concentrates on finishing breakfast. Iriisii thinks to herself, 'Yes, they are both learning, quickly. Olaf faster than T'kerus, I may have to speed up my plans for Olaf and see if he can keep pace.'

     Isis: 'Just what are your plans for him?'

     Darkstar: 'She will tell you when she is ready to tell you, not before.'

     Isis: 'Just asking.'

     Darkstar: 'Sure it is not for another reason?'

     Isis: 'Who, me?'

     Darkstar: 'Just make sure you know what you are doing if you start something with him, and do NOT expect to use Iriisii's body. Have the respect to create one of your own.'

     Isis: 'Yes, mother.'

     Darkstar: 'Shivista is your mother, not me.'

     Isis: 'But she is gone now.'

     Darkstar: 'I am no one's mother. If anyone qualifies in that it is Iriisii.'

     Iriisii: 'I have no problem with you and him sharing some 'fun'. Just do not carry it too far and interfere with where I am going with him. He has a long road ahead, but what he can become at the end of it will be worth it to all of us. And Darkstar is right, create your own body, it is confusing enough for him right now to know that we all share this body. Keep any activities with him separate from me so that he knows the difference between us.'

     Isis: 'But we are truly not so different in what we can enjoy?'

     Iriisii: 'That has already happened once to me and it was my mother Alessia who did it. I will take it from her, because she is my mother. You do not call the shots with this body unless I say so, and then I dictate the terms. I know what your mother sometimes did with this body, but she never crossed that line. When she went to Rassillon and concieved you, she created her own body for it to happen with. So I expect the same, but start anything with Olaf in this body and you will find yourself locked away inside my mind for a long time, do I make myself clear?'

     Isis: 'Yes, mother.'

     Iriisii: 'You can call me 'mother', I have no issue with that, knowing that Shivista is no longer here. Remember that she did what she felt she had to do. The rules can be very different where they concern us immortals, but some I will adhere to whether they apply to us or not. Now we all have a job to do here, let us get to it.'

     Jarra sits up high in a tree, with a good view of her subject's campsite. At first she wondered if they were truly ignorant of the dangers of the forest by the open camp they put up. But she had to admit, the leader knew what she was doing. The strength of the wards was strong enough that Jarra could feel them all the way to where she sat. And it was obvious that the two males with her, not the usual ones you find around here, no, these were bred warriors. The kind spoken of in the ancient tomes kept by the Oracles of Lore. They knew their place, what their jobs were. The leader did not have to repeat her wishes, they were just followed. And neither showed any interest in sharing the leader's bed as she did not indicate she had a desire for either of them. They appear to to be a working team, especially the silent one. Extremely dangerous, that one, calm and still one second, furious as a hellish ocel the next, but under her total control.

     I am going to have to find a vantage point close to the town, where I can see what their mission is and if it has anything to do with us. The Leader carries secrets, it is in her every movement. She doubts anyone but a 'Sister of the Dark' could see it, so well does she conceal them. Somehow, in some way, she is close to the high predators here. The way she moves and looks around herself, knowing she is far more dangerous than what is around her. And the forest animals know this, for they give her a wide berth. For a second she wonders if even the dragons would do her bidding, possibly, maybe.

     After some time on the road, they see the entrance gate into the town. Farmers with crop laden wagons are lined up, each being inspected before allowed entrance. She notices they do not have anything like a horse, but instead are using a two legged lizard that appears to be a plant eater. She gestures T'kerus and Olaf to follow her lead and not to draw unless she does.

     Once the guards see them, they call out for them to proceed ahead of the farmers. As they stop before the guards, they are looked over, but it is obvious they are carrying nothing that could be hidden. When asked about their business.

     Iriisii: "In the market for a slave or two. Can you direct me to the slave market?"

     Guard: "Must be new in the area, then?"

     Iriisii: "Yes, work dried up and forced us to find some elsewhere."

     Guard: "Judging from your gear, you will have no trouble finding as much work as you want here. Always a need for quality mercs and the three of you look like you could run with the best."

     Iriisii: "Thanks. For your trouble." She slips him a few gold pieces. "Coinage is different but the gold is pure, you should have no trouble exchanging it for local coin."

     The guard smiles, "If you need anything, anything at all, ask for Rossil. Everyone knows me."

     Iriisii: "I will remember that, thank you again."

     Guard Rossil: "May I ask who you had to kill to get gear like that?"

     Iriisii: "Not so much as who but what. I have no idea what his name was when he lived, or even how long he existed as a Lich, but there is one less in the world now."

     Guard Rossil's face shows his awe, "A Lich! That explains the quality of the gear, no telling how old it is or whether it was the Ancient Elves, Undermountain Dwarves, or even the Dragons that forged that. Worth a King's ransom that stuff can be."

     Iriisii: "An Emperor's ransom from the way he fought to keep it."

     Guard Rossil laughs, "I bet he did put up a scrap, but he's gone and you are still walking around, to the victor goes the spoils!"

     Iriisii: "Indeed, in this business you keep what you kill. And just to ease worries, I have no intention to make a play for the city. I like running merc companies far better than a town. They don't tie you down and complain about the harvest."

     Guard Rossil: "I know that is the truth, being a guard is as far upward as I care to go. Mention my name to the Slavemaster, make sure he gives you a good price."

     Iriisii: "I will." As she slips him a few more gold coins. "For your comrades, do not want to leave anyone out."

     Guard Rossil: "Good on ya. The boys will appreciate it, I will make sure of that. If you are around at the changeover, we will be drinking at the 'Headless Giant' over that way, just listen for the music and maybe the occasional drunk being thrown out the window."

     Iriisii: "Sounds like my kind of place, we can see how far out through the window we can toss a few drunks, loser buys a round for the house, got to keep up a good supply of drunks for a game like that."

     Guard Rossil bends over laughing, "Oh, I will look forward to that then. See you later."

     The guard turns back to checking the farmers wagons while telling the rest of the guard about what was said. Iriisii motions for her companions to follow as she goes in the direction the guard suggested. T'kerus asks in a whisper if they were going to stop in the tavern on the way out. Olaf looks at him and T'kerus replies, 'Ok, ok, just thought I would ask and make certain what our plans were.'

     Olaf: 'If they change, she will tell us. Until them they remain as discussed.'

     Iriisii listening to the short exchange thinks, 'Yes, he is indeed coming along nicely. Now if T'kerus is learning from his example, we are going to become a 'Terror' to be feared on the battlefield.'

     Darkstar: 'He is, he is testing the limits of how much rope you will give him before you hang him with it. But he is watching Olaf's reactions to you, and listening to what you say and plan. Despite being in servitude to his Masters, he is much more the leader than a follower. But with the right leader to delegate just the right amount of authority to him, he would indeed be fearsome leading a force of warriors.'

     Isis: 'Almost the opposite of Olaf, he is good with a small group, but excels being alone or with just one or two, as long as the chain of command is strong and knows what they are doing. He knows your instincts are almost always right and so has no problem following you. He also knows you are not perfect, but you do not claim to be or beat yourself up over it, you accept it and go on. He has seen how the Harlequin accept your authority, and also knows it is him you brought here with you, not them.'

     They know they are approaching the slave market simply by following their noses. Soon enough they hear the slave barker drawing attention to the block. As he uses his whip to display the 'merchandise', he tries to interest the slim crowd into beginning to bid. Iriisii looks at the stock he has and is none too impressed. They would be worth freeing and sending back to where they came from if they would only not end up right back here. Some things will take time to turn around, and so the suffering must be endured a bit longer.

     Her interest is piqued by sounds of rage, anger, and a measure of wit, coming from the closed tent a bit away from the block. She surmises she will find her goal in there. When the barker sees them and estimates the value of their weapons and armor, he passes his whip to an assistant and hurries to the owner before they decide to leave. Timing her actions, she turns to leave just seconds before the owner sticks his head out and sees them walking away. He catches up to them breathlessly trying to entice them to seeing the rest of his stock.

     Owner: "Please, worthy one, give me a chance to show you something of more value that might catch your eye!"

     As he leads them to the entrance, Iriisii motions T'kerus to stand outside and watch, then gestures Olaf to follow her. None of this is lost on the owner. He instantly knows he must not try and direct her to anything but his best. He rightly believes she will spot any attempt to palm off less than his best and take her business elsewhere. As he asks her to stand while he brings one after another for her perusal.

     A voice back behind a curtain calls out, "You had better get her to buy one of them, because you will never get her to even try to bid on me! I know I am too much for you much less any customer of yours!"

     Iriisii thinks, 'Yes, she is the one I am looking for, but I must not give the appearance of that. Rather I should take up her challenge and let the Slavemaster see it as such.'

     After she looks at the lineup the Slavemaster has placed for her, checking muscle tone, joint flexibility, general health, she wonders what has been going on that he has this grade on sale at all. They are better off back on the farms where they obviously came from.

     She gestures to the curtain, even as the owner balks. Interested she persists in spite of his efforts.

     Iriisii: "You can either show me, or I go elsewhere, your choice."

     Then she starts clinking gold coins from one hand to another, as the owner starts to sweat.

     Iriisii: "Who else is interested in her?"

     Owner: "The Prince of the town. He wishes to use her in the next fighter games coming up in a few days."

     Iriisii: "I take it he has not paid you any gold, even to hold her from anyone else buying her, has he?"

     Owner despairingly, "No, he has not."

     Iriisii: "Then let me look at her and appraise her value, if we can come to an agreement, I will pay you immediately."

     Owner: "I will warn you, he is not the type to let such a slight go unreckoned with."

     Iriisii: "Let me be the judge of that. I am certain of one thing if nothing else, he has never come up against someone like me."

     The owner pulls back the curtain and lets Iriisii get a look at the recalcitrant slave.

     Slave: "Why do you still wear a helm? Is your face too scared up to show it?"

     Iriisii ignores the comments, watching the slaves movements within the cage. She give a side glance to Olaf, whose face might as well be a stone block, this in the face of the slave looking like she could be Iriisii's blood sister, and almost twin. Even when the slave moves to spit on Iriisii, Olaf does nothing unless she directs him to. She takes the cloth the owner hands to her to wipe the spittle away.

     Iriisii walks up to her at the bars, just as the slave goes for another try, she sticks an arm back toward Olaf. The slave stops, wondering what is Iriisii going to do as Olaf removes the gauntlet from her hand. In a flash, Iriisii morphs her hand into a dragon's claw, reaches through the bars and grabs the slave around her neck, dragging her up to Iriisii still helmed face. She lets her eyes reflect the dragonsoul through the eyelets of her helm and the slave begins trembling at what she sees in them. Iriisii them releases her and the slave crumples to the floor while scampering to the far end of the cage, whimpering. 

     The owner is astounded what this merc could do to this slave even through a helm, just with her eyes. He is still ignoring that her hand morphed into a dragon's claw, just as she moves her human hand back behind her for Olaf to place the gauntlet back onto it. He wonders if he could hire her for and get rid of his guards. She could handle all their needs by herself, but likely she has business of her own to settle. Iriisii squats close to the slave, "Listen to me good, I could leave you here, buy all the rest of the slave stock and free them, leaving you here alone."

     Slave: "Then why don't you! If you can really do as you say, then do it and leave me to my misery!"

     Iriisii: "Think about it for a minute at least. If I did, how long would they last out there before they were caught again by slavers and brought right back here, all over again?"

     Slave: "Not very long for sure, but why me?"

     Iriisii: "Come with me and find out. Come with me and become what it is possible for you to become. I can promise you it will not be easy, you will learn, train, everything it is possible for you to learn. I am not here to solve everyone problems, just my own. Follow me and I will free you, once I can get you out and where you can learn to keep yourself from falling to future slavers. I know what I speak of, for I was once a slave to Black Lotus, kept in those dark chains while I was trained to be the most skilled and deadly assassin to walk upon any world."

     Slave: "But you escaped, didn't you! I hear it in your voice, you took what you learned and made your enslavers pay with their lives."

     Iriisii: "That was but the beginning for me, for I had to be taught the skills needed to confront what would come, forged and tempered in the fires of woe, pain, suffering, despair, to learn how to rise above all of that, to grasp a Destiny that could take me beyond anything I could imagine. To ultimately reward me with the respect of my people, the love of my mates, the joy and laughter of my children, and the knowledge that one day I would give all that I had been given to bring life back to my dreams."

     Slave: "That is far above my understanding, but I gather enough to see great trouble ahead."

     Iriisii: "Then I will take you from this place, teach you the skills you will need to thrive here and remain free."

     Slave: "What will it cost me?"

     Iriisii: "Be my 'High and Right Hand'. Act in my name, according to the teachings I will give to you. And I will see that your needs are met. That you will have the tools to work my will. You will see more things than you have ever imagined, greater things, magical things."

     Slave: "But why me? I am just a broken slave."

     Iriisii: "As I too was once upon a time, as I have already said. The Gods do their greatest work with the most broken of followers. Come with me and see what they can make of us both."

     Olaf: "Listen to what she says, for I have been granted the sight to see what I may one day be under her guidance. And so I took service with her to walk her path with her, and be what she needs me to be."

     Slave: "And what is that?"

     Olaf: "Whatever she needs."

     Iriisii rises to address the owner.

     Iriisii: "How much to purchase this slave?"

     Owner: "I cannot sell her, the Prince..."

     Iriisii: "Has not given you anything", slipping one gold coin after another into his hands.

     The owner watches the gold accumulate until, "Enough, I will sell her to you. Wait here and I will gather the required documents."

     Iriisii: "Include a 'Writ of Freedom' as well, but leave it for me to sign. I think it wise not to do that until we are out of the town."

     Slave: "You said you would free me!"

     Iriisii: "And I will, but if I do so now, anyone could challenge me for you, and I have no wish to fight my way through to the gates, which would be closed after the first life I took. If anyone tries to take you from me as a slave, I have the right to cut them down in their tracks and none would gainsay my right. This way I can protect you without risking what I must do here. What happens outside the walls stays outside the walls. Besides the 'rule of law' here is still 'you keep what you kill' is it not?"

     The owner nods his head, 'yes', as the slave closes her mouth, understanding coming to her of what Iriisii has planned, at least until they are safely beyond the reach of the Prince and what he intends for her. Iriisii signs the 'bill of sale' and takes possession of her new property.

     Iriisii: "Remove her chains, please."

     Owner: "What?"

     Iriisii: "Remove her chains, she will not run. Where would she run to, how long would she last out there, alone, no weapons. Her only hope of surviving and not being dragged back here is to follow me closely as we leave. She is still mine until the 'Writ' is signed and I will protect her against anyone, even the Prince. Besides I question why he desires to put her in the arena, her weapons skills are mediocre at best, thus she would afford little in the way of entertainment."

     Owner: "This is sadly true, I too wondered why, but dared not inquire."

     Iriisii: "I understand, not everyone is suited to a warrior's life, and even fewer are skilled enough to last any significant amount of time at it. Come, let us be on our way."

     On their way out, one of the owner's guards quietly tells her some important news.

     Guard: "Be careful walking through town, try and leave as quickly as you can, since the Prince has probably heard of your buying the 'toy' he wants. If you have to meet him, better it be at the gates than in the market center."

     Iriisii: "Thank you, a word of advice, trouble comes from unexpected quarters, soon. If you hear screams, run in the opposite direction and keep going. Stop at the next town to warn them, then keep going until you reach a large city, then lose yourself in it. You may survive to live another day then."

     Guard: "I will remember, may 'Aurioch' be with you."

     Iriisii nods her head in acceptance of his plea on her behalf to the God he worships. She then turns and saunters out on the slave market and onto the street, back to the center, then on to the gate to outside. They pass the center without incident, a few look at the sight of a slave following her mistress in the open without chains. But seeing the looks the two male warriors on either side of them are giving anyone who even thinks of approaching, all stay back and give them plenty of room to pass by. It is not until they approach the gate that they hear someone behind them call out for them to stop.

     Prince Lothir: "May I inquire as to how you managed to purchase my 'slave'?"

     Iriisii: "You did not give the Slavemaster any gold to hold her purchase for you. Thus anyone who could meet her price could purchase her, so I did."

     Prince Lothir: "But all knew I intended to buy her."

     Iriisii: "Intentions are one thing, gold in the hand is another. I have the 'Bill of Sale' indicating she is now mine."

     Prince Lothir: "How much do you want for her?"

     Iriisii: "She is not for sale."

     Prince Lothir: "Anything is for sale if the price is right."

     Iriisii: "So you say."

     Prince Lothir: "Good, then how much do I owe you for her?"

     Iriisii: "She is not for sale.

     The Prince's hand drops to the hilt of his sword. Olaf's hand does the same as he moves another step away from Iriisii to give him room to draw and defend her. T'kerus draws his and takes a step further on his side of her. Iriisii gestures them both to stand fast.

     Iriisii: "Either one of my companions could take you before you draw your sword. And they have far to go in their training before they could even challenge me. They will go no further as long as you do not. And I would rather you don't as well, I know neither is suited to ruling over even a small town like this one."

     The Prince lets his hand go and turns away, "We will speak of this further, I am not one to let this go by the wayside."

     Iriisii: "Be careful what you wish for, you might find more than you bargained for."

     Prince Lothir: "You would be a more than fit replacement for her. I can well imagine you on your knees in front of me."

     Iriisii smiles, "If you think you can arrange that, I look forward to seeing you try."

     Prince Lothir: "And I look forward to seeing what you look like under that helm."

     Iriisii: "Be careful what you wish for."

     The Prince and his cronies all turn and head back to his longhouse likely to plan his next move.

     Iriisii turns and gives walking orders.

     Iriisii: "Olaf, point. T'kerus, back. I will follow Olaf", looking at the slave, "you follow me, stay five feet behind me. We will be at the campsite soon."

     Olaf starts out with Iriisii following about twenty feet behind, the slave five feet behind her, T'kerus ten feet behind the slave, looking behind every once in a while as he feels eyes on them.

     Iriisii: "Yes, we are being watched, but it is not the Prince."

     T'kerus: "The one from last night?"

     Iriisii: "Yes."

     T'kerus: "Who do you think?"

     Iriisii looks at the slave, 'Later'.

     T'kerus gets the message and says nothing more as they wind their way onto the point where they break from the road. Another half hour's walk and they step into the campsite. Iriisii places the slave close to the firepit, draws Mahfaeraak and plants him into the ground next to her.

     Iriisii: "Stay close to Mahfaeraak, he will protect you."

     Slave in a awed whisper: "You bear a named blade?"

     Iriisii: I forged him myself at the Forge of Stars."

     Slave: "I do not know of this Forge of Stars, but to make a blade like this." 

     She kneels down and wraps her arms around her bent legs in front of her, staring at the shimmering highlights sliding up and down the blade. T'kerus drops a load of firewood next to the firepit, then watches the slave as she stares at the blade.

     As he looks to Iriisii, "Is it alive?"

     Iriisii stops and thinks how to answer him.

     Iriisii: "Not as we understand it. Blades such as he, sometimes develop a kind of awareness some call life. It does not happen every time. It depends on the materials used in its making, whether or not the true wielder forges it, and in this case if blood, sweat, pain, and flesh is shed in the forging. And I am not done with him yet, there is still more to do."

     T'kerus: "How could 'he' be improved upon? That is something I could not imagine."

     Iriisii: "I have to build a totally new forge to do it in. For it will take the power of Soulfire, together with Darkfire to merge him with the first 'Black Blade' of the Eternal Champions."

     T'kerus looks at her in shock, "That is the reason why we are here, for you to discover Darkfire?"

     Iriisii: "One of the reasons, there are several things that require my attention". looking over to the slave, "she is another."

     T'kerus: "What purpose is she to serve?"

     Iriisii: "As you and Olaf will become the first of my Elite Dragon Warriors, she will be my 'High and Right Hand', here in the Antithesis. The one out there watching, she may possibly become my 'Dark and Left Hand' as well. They will act together, to bring about my will."

     T'kerus: "Will you bring your Celestial Army here?"

     Iriisii: "If it is needed, yes, but I hope to raise a force of those living here to do what an army will be needed to do. Visitors will be here soon, they are making enough noise to wake the dead. Let me activate the wards before things get interesting."

     As Iriisii activates her wards, she turns and looks up into treetops exactly where their watcher sits looking over the camp. Then she turns her attention back to the Prince and his cronies stumbling through the forest and wondering how many are going to make it to her campfire.

     Up in the treetops, 'She knows I am here, probably knew from the start, yet she says nothing, draws no attention to me, why? To see when I will come down and introduce myself? What am I to do? For now keep watching and see what happens.'

     Iriisii can hear the Prince and his cronies, minus a few the larger predators have dragged off for dinner. Soon enough T'kerus and Olaf can hear them as well, moving to where they can keep a clear line of fire to protect Iriisii if needed. Suddenly the heavy brush moves and shakes as the Prince and his surviving cronies slam into Iriisii's wards, just as another crony is dragged off screaming.

     Iriisii: "If you had come quietly this would not have happened, yet you make enough noise to send the smaller animals fleeing. Now the larger predators have nothing to hunt for dinner, at least some of your party are serving a good purpose in feeding the big ones. Maybe they will get their fill before they get to you."

     Prince Lothir: "Let us in! Please! They are killing us!"

     Iriisii: "If you had stayed in town, you would be safe and warm, drinking in a tavern, with a wench sitting in your lap. But now for what time remains in your life, you should think about why you let yourself come out here without a thought for what could happen. Now what am I to do? Save your worthless hide, or let the predators deal with you, so I do not have to. Olaf? What do you think I should do?

     Olaf: "If the places were to be traded, he would let the predators have you. So you cannot trust him and should let him start running back to town if he can make it."

     Iriisii: "T'kerus?"

     T'kerus: "I agree with Olaf. He should start running, maybe the predators have gotten drunk from all the cheap mead his cronies drank as they ate them. He might make it back after all."

     Iriisii looks to her slave, "What say you about this?"

     Slave: "Me?"

     Iriisii: "Yes, I am asking for your opinion, what should I do with him, save his worthless carcass or let the predators have him?"

     Slave: "Let him in, he is still human like we are. If we act as he would then we are no better."

     Iriisii nods her head, "Well spoken."

     She gestures in his direction as he and the few left with him, vanish to reappear inside the wards.

     Iriisii: "Watch him. If he tries anything you know what to do."

     Iriisii then turns back to her slave, and removes her helm. As the slave catches sight of Iriisii's face in the firelight, she faints dead away. Prince Lothir stands in shock as he looks at both Iriisii and the slave.

     Prince Lothir: "Wwwwho are you? Hhhhow can this be?"

     Iriisii: "You would not understand how this could in fact be. Just know that it is one of the reasons I came here. Despite our close appearance, we are not blood kin. Unless...I shall have to inquire about that, it would explain a great deal."

     Just then a whoosh of air blows across the clearing, and a flash of bone white spins out of the tree tops, landing on the ground and rolling to her feet. Streaks fly from her hands toward Olaf, T'kerus, and Iriisii. Olaf raises a gauntleted hand and catches two star razors out of the air. T'kerus slams the two coming toward him with his sword, knocking them to the ground. Iriisii dodges her two and as they pass by, she draws a daedric dagger and lets it fly. It streaks on its own backpath and strikes the watcher though her shoulder pinning her to the tree trunk behind her. Then the cause of the whoosh lands on the opposite side of the campfire preparing to roast the watcher, tree and all in dragonfire.

     Iriisii steps forward and stretches out her hand toward the dragon, gesturing him to stop, which he does immediately.

     Iriisii: "Thank you, my son, for flushing out this watcher. I was beginning to wonder when she would show herself."

     Dragon: "I am pleased to assist you in any way I can, Mother of All Dragons. I bow to the greater power of your Thu'um, mother."

     Iriisii walks up to him, lays a hand against his throat and feels the pulse of his blood through his body. Syncing her own pulse to match his, "Yes, you are indeed my son. Ask of me what you will, how may your Mother assist you this night?"

     Dragon: "May we speak of this later? I sense you have business with these here to discuss."

     Iriisii: "Thank you, my son, we will do as you ask. Stay and be witness to what follows."

     Dragon: "As you wish, mother."

     Iriisii turns to Prince Lothir, "You have seen more than was intended for you to see. This was not your intention, I know. Therefore I will allow you to return to town unharmed, provided you keep a silent tongue about this. I am not ready for this to be widely known across this world as yet, soon, but not yet."

     Prince Lothir: "Please, thank you, I will not say a word, by speech or deed about this."

     Iriisii: "I will hold you to your word. Fail in it and you may find yourself devoured by a dragon or worse."

     Prince Lothir: "What could be worse than..., I do not care to know, I believe you."

     Iriisii: "Good."

     She creates a teleport field around the Prince and his two remaining cronies. Watches as the three vanish back to the town to land in the middle of a pigsty. She then walks toward the 'Sister of the Dark' pinned to the tree by the dagger through her shoulder. As she approaches, the 'Sister' reaches a hand to the dagger hilt to pull it out of the tree and release herself. As her hand wraps around the hilt, she screams as smoke boils up from between her fingers, and the dagger quivers within the shoulder wound sending a trail of blood down the 'Sister's' body to pool on the ground.

     Iriisii: "Now you know the futility of trying to release yourself and use my dagger to attack me. To successfully pull that dagger out of the tree and your wound, your would have lost your hand. For there would be nothing left but charred bone. Years ago, I came into possession of a dagger owned by a Balrog of Morgoth. I melded that blade with the Daedric dagger you see in your shoulder. At the time, it was the only thing that would survive the melding of the two.

     Since I destroyed that particular Balrog, his dagger considers me to be its owner and so I can handle it with impunity", as she grabs it and pulls it straight out of both tree and wound, "You can see it will not harm me, anyone else however, well you saw and felt what it would do to you. I am going to assume that this stunt with the razor stars was intended to be a test of some sort and was not a serious attempt at harming or killing me or mine. Otherwise, you will not live out the night, and I will have to display my skills as a torturer to find out the truth of who was behind the action you took."

     Sister of the Dark pointing at the slave, "Why have you bought the reject?'

     Iriisii: "Tell me why she is a 'reject' in your eyes?"

     Sister of the Dark: "We came upon her some time ago after she had been dumped near our enclave. Who or why, we have no idea and that concerned us if they knew of our presence there. We let her stay while she healed, and afterward at her request we tried to bring her into our 'Sisterhood'. Never before have we failed to bring someone over, but with her we failed. We then could not allow her to stay, and since she knew of us and our enclave, it was decided to rid ourselves of her. We did not feel it right to kill her but we also had to protect ourselves."

     Iriisii: "So you sold her as far from your enclave as you could get. And likely still be able to watch her to see who if anyone came and bought her?"

     Sister of the Dark: "Yes."

     Iriisii: "Had I known of this before, I would not have sent the Prince back to his town. Likely he had the answer to that question."

     The Sister of the Dark looks at Iriisii, questioningly.

     Iriisii: "He had already planned to buy her, presumably as entertainment for the arena. But I evaluated her physical skills and she has barely been trained with weapons and so wondered about the reason given by the Slavemaster for why he was reluctant to sell her to me. Now I think I see why, the Prince was going to buy her and then give her to someone else who wanted their identity kept hidden. What he was to receive in return I suspect would be a dagger in the back. Since no gold had passed to the Slavemaster from the Prince, and I was there putting one gold coin after another in his hands until he agreed to sell her to me. Then the Prince stops me at the gate and tries to get me to sell her to him right then and there. When I would not, he follows me here to my campsite, after gathering a group of his cronies to accompany him. You saw what happened after that."

     Sister of the Dark: "Why did you want her so badly?"

     Iriisii: "You see how closely we look alike? Also I have looked inside her, even though she is barely trained, I can train her as I was once trained. I can make of her, a warrior to be feared and respected. I want her to become my 'High and Right Hand'. To perform tasks in my name, when I am not able to be here to do them myself."

     Sister of the Dark: "Who are you?"

     Dragon: "She is the 'Mother of All Dragons', spoken of by our oldest Elders, who were told of her coming by the 'Hidden Prophet'. Many names does she have and many more will she earn. Those closest to her will be known by their renown and legendary feats. She will draw to herself the most deadly, most dangerous of light and dark, good and evil, of dream, and of shadow.

     T'kerus: "And of those Outside as well. For she is the 'Dragon of War', First of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, first 'Imperatrix' of the 'Realms of Dream', Scion and Mother of the Reborn Draconic Divines, Harbinger and Battle Mistress of the Gods of Eld and the Celestial Army of the Balance. And the Chosen Champion of the Ageless Ones."

     Dragon: "The Draconic Divines have been reborn, not resurrected but truly reborn?"

     Iriisii nods her head as T'kerus says, "Yes. She called their souls from 'Where the Dead Gods Lie Dreaming' from a summoning spell written within one of the Hallowed Scrolls of Skelos left for her in the main Temple on Telios. There she took their souls within herself, morphed into a male dragon and called upon an Ancient One, the last female of that world sleeping nearby, and initiated a mating flight that was successful. The souls were passed to the female, and they chose which eggs they would be reborn in. They are now alive and well, growing with their siblings of that hatching, until they are ready to assume their former powers."

     The dragon looks to Iriisii, lays his head on the ground at her feet, "Blessed One, I would ask that you accept my service to you for as long as you would have me."

     Iriisii: "I accept your service, my son, and name you, Vur Ro Ul, after the ways of the dragons of my homeworld."

     The slave begins waking up from her fainting. Iriisii goes to her and kneels close by, but makes no move to touch or do anything more than be near. When the slave realizes that Iriisii is in no way threatening her, she begins gathering her courage to ask some questions. The first thing Iriisii does before the questions begin is to hand her the signed 'Writ of Freedom'. The now former slave looks at it and Iriisii sees tears begin to flow from her eyes as her hands begin trembling.

     Iriisii: "I know how you feel."

     The former slave looks up at her incredulously.

     Iriisii: "Yes, many years ago, when I was just a young girl, my village was destroyed, the people, my family, slaughtered. I fought back as my grandfather had trained me in weapons. I killed enough of those who attacked my village, that their leader decided to capture me. To do this, she tossed a thin shelled clay ball filled with 'Black Lotus' pollen when I was occupied with killing more attackers. She tossed it into the air toward me. As I saw it from the corner of my eye, I struck out and hit it, shattering the shell, spreading the pollen in a fog about the area.

     I stopped breathing, but it was too late. The little I breathed in, with the rest being absorbed through my skin, made me black out. When I came to, I was in a wagon, tied up and being transported to their lair. The pollen kept me docile, but still allowed them to train me. I found myself obeying any order I was given without fail. I spent years with them, and they molded me into an assassin to run with the best. I do not know how many I killed to learn the craft. My reputation grew and my name became known to instill fear and respect with just a whisper that I was nearby. One day, they made a mistake, and I escaped. I did not come to know until later what that escape would cost me, but my life as I now know it began on that day.

     And now you have the opportunity to begin a new life of your own, if you so desire it. You will not have to endure what I did. But I can train you as I was later trained in the Ancient Order of the Blade Dancers, as I later became the Matriarch of their Temple, I have the authority to do this, and two of my sons are students there as well, close to finishing their studies and coming to join me in my current task. Take some time to think on this, on what you wish to do. What it is that I brought you out of slavery for, is that I need someone to become my 'High and Right Hand'. To lead those I will recruit in this Existence, to do my will and bring the worst of the excesses under control. I have no illusions that I could stop all of it, indeed that would only make things worse. But to rein the worst of it back, that can be done and I will need someone to stand for me and see it through.

     You would have help, as much as I can bring to bear. You will have one in my, 'High and Left Hand', to do those things you can not bring yourself to do. For I know there will be need for such a one to stand with you so that you know you are not alone. As yet, I have not chosen who will take that place, but I will not leave until one is chosen and trained. Now I need to heal the wound I gave this 'Sister of the Dark', while you were not awake."

     Iriisii walks up to the 'Sister of the Dark', "Let me look at that wound, I caused it, the least I can do is see that it heals cleanly."

     Iriisii gently places her fingers around the wound letting her senses look at the surrounding tissues to see what kind of magic would work best. In doing this she sees something of the nature of the 'Sisters of the Dark'. They seem to obey some of the rules of vampires in that they used blood to power their stronger rituals. And could consume it but they did not need it unless in high need, for it could in sufficient amount make them faster, stronger, more agile for a time.

     She sees that a combination of normal healing magic with a touch of necromantic, and a bit of Psionic to instruct the body in where to direct its own healing abilities, would be the quickest way. She begins and uses the combination, while having the 'Sister' move her arm and shoulder. She identifies the stiffness of the beginning of scar tissue, so she dissolves it and using Psionics instructs her body to rebuild the now missing scar tissue with fresh tissue. Once she is done, the shoulder is as good as new, with the bare beginnings of arthritis now cleansed and her body instructed on how to keep it from reforming.

     Iriisii: "How is it now?"

     Sister of the Dark: "It is..., how did you?"

     Iriisii: "You had what I call 'arthritis' in the beginning stages. I instructed your body in how to cleanse it and keep it from reforming. You will not have to suffer what it would otherwise do to your joints."

     Sister of the Dark: "We call it 'bone rot'. It was why I was chosen to come, if I died little would be lost, for my future would be filled with pain, and I would soon be crippled and a burden to my family. My life has been returned to me. How can I repay you for this?"

     Iriisii: "We can talk about this later. Return to your clave and tell them what you saw and heard. Tell them I come not to invade or conquer, but I seek a breach between this Existence and my own. Of all of the Realms in this Existence, this one is where the breach begins. I must find it, and either seal it if I can, and if I cannot then take it and control what passes through it. In this way I can protect it from those who would use it to bring about the destruction of both Existences.

     You will need to stay with me long enough for us to find another place to stay for awhile, for I need to begin training for my companions, and we will need seclusion for this."

     Vurroul: "I know of a place that my mother may use. It stands high in the mountains, quiet, hard to reach, a lake with plenty of fish, the water clear and clean."

     Iriisii: "That sounds perfect, we will start for it in the morning. My dear, I almost forgot, what is your name, as I can no longer refer to you as slave."

     Former Slave: "I would rather forget my old name, let it die with my old life. A new life needs a new name. I would ask that since you are giving me that new life, that you should give me a new name to go with it."

     Iriisii: "Place your hands in mine, and let your soul speak to mine, now tell me your new name. Slowly now, let it flow from the deepest parts of you. Yes, it suits you. You will now become, 'Fiik Dun Ov', in the dragonspeech of my homeworld it means, 'Mirror, Grace, Trust', three very powerful words of the Rotmulaag. We will see what those words will let you do when you call upon them."

     Fiikdunov: "Do you have a dragon name?"

     Iriisii goes quiet for a moment, "Yes, but I cannot speak it. The Ageless Ones have yet to impart it to me. The time is not yet for my name to be uttered for all to hear."

     Fiikdunov: "I am sorry."

     Iriisii: "It is all right. I trust them to know when the time comes. In recompense for waiting, they allowed me to hear the song of creation, also called the 'Charm of Creation'. A song of such power and beauty, even now my memory of it..."

     And a glow as strong as the sunlight of a summer day, and soft as the light of a lover's moon fills the clearing. Peace fills every corner, the sounds of children playing softly echoes from the trees. A breeze that feels as an intimate lover's touch flows around all of them touching memories hidden deep within them. Some of their memories are of the past, and some are of the future, but they are all memories they want to find and hold in their hearts forever.

     Vurroul: "Blessed art thou, Mother of All Dragons, to be the one to carry the memory of the 'Charm of Creation'. Blessed are we, the dragons, to be your children."

     They all feel eyes on them. As they look around, every creature within hearing range of them, sits quietly on the edges of the clearing, looking at them. Predator and prey, all sitting together in peace, the glow of the clearing shining around them all. And between them and the creatures floats a coruscating ball of light, that expands and becomes a humanlike figure.

     Ageless Servant: "Blessed Mother of Dragons, at last you have found the gift my masters left for you. Given to you, for you to remember the love they have for their beloved daughter. She whom they await the day you are rejoined with them. For now you know the truth of what happened at the beginning of all when you witnessed the fracturing. Now you realize that what you saw, as each beginning was fractured, was not the Realms becoming many, but Existence itself becoming many out of one. Each Existence forming the many Creations within, the many Creations forming the Realms. Each of the fractured doing as the first was intended.

     And so you also realize that all are connected one to another and because of this, what affects one affects all. If your home Existence falls, all will follow it and fall. These are the true stakes that you fight for. And it is on your shoulders, for healing must come from within. And so when my masters saw you appear and witness those events in the beginning, they rejoiced knowing here was one to take up the cause, to become the one to not only heal the damage, but when the 'ending' of the fractured comes, to give Rebirth to all and join them together as it was intended from the first. As you will give everything of yourself to renew the beginning, know that all will be returned to you in recompense for your struggle.

     The one you know as Sithis, was used to bring about the fracturing. But he is only a lowly servant to the one who set this in motion. You have encountered shards of his unholy son, who seeks your turning, or your demise if they cannot turn you. He speaks as if he is a part of Existence, but he lies. He was never a part of Existence, once he found a way to walk within, and all manner of destruction ensued. The greatest heroes of every calling, good, evil, light, dark, shadow, dream, even the gray, joined in, and together were able to banish him back to his beginnings. Now he seeks to return and finish what he started. You and yours are the hope that stands in the breach, the wall against the storm. All help that can be brought forward is being assembled for you to lead. For you have shown your desire and propensity to lead yours from the the front, sharing the danger, the risk of death. And so those who fight with you, fight harder, with more determination, more spirit, because of this.

     Your enemies refuse to believe this is in part why you win, this is why you will win. Those who fight with you and fall, will be honored, respected, and rewarded. For you understand why this must be done, why the hard decisions are yours to make. As you have said, if not you, then who, if not now, then when. We are aware of what transpires in your absence. You now have the ability to deal with it in the manner you feel most appropriate. Use this ability to confound your enemies, for they will not see you coming, that and the awakening of the deep sleeper within, will be their downfall."

     And with that, the Ageless Servant fades back into wherever he came from, the animals make their way back to their homes. And Iriisii stands stunned by the events of this day, as do the others with her.

     Iriisii: "Come, before we are done I wish to be in our new home."

     They break camp and stow away the gear. Iriisii moves it into her dimensional storage as T'kerus asks her a question.

     T'kerus: "Do you have any idea of the meaning of what was said?"

     Iriisii pauses, "Some of it, yes, some I am not certain of yet, but I feel the connections to other things I have seen and experienced, and some I have no idea about. There are more connections to my past that I have not the time to go into with you. You will have to, as I also, take it with faith that it will work itself out. I make my decisions with the best information I have when the decision must be made. It does not always go the way I want or anticipate, but in the end it works out for the best. Such has been my experience in this since the beginning, with understanding coming with time. Yes, I think I see now, 'time' is the key here."

     T'kerus: "How is it that 'time' could be a key. It flows, carrying us with it for however long we can stay afloat."

     Iriisii: "Stay with me long enough, and I will teach you the truth about 'time'. It is not nearly so inflexible as you think. It can be in fact very flexible and malleable, as long as you understand how to work with it, instead of trying to make it work as you want it to."

     T'kerus stands perplexed by her words as she walks away to speak with Vurroul.

     Olaf walks by him and says, "Trust that she knows what she is doing, even if we do not understand what it is that she is doing or how she can do it. It will make everything else a bit easier."

     T'kerus: "If you say so."

     Olaf: "You will see."

     They arrive in the cul-de-sac that Vurroul told them about, late in the day after a hard flight. Iriisii simply says to set up tents and make camp, more permanent quarters can wait for a few days. They all eat heartily of Iriisii's cooking, complimenting her honestly on her skills.

     Iriisii: "I learned cooking for myself in the wilderness and snow packed mountains. It did not take long of eating meals that I ruined through inexperience to learn how to prepare my kills better."          

     Fiikdunov: "Do you have any answers of how we are going to proceed. I know it will take time to become proficient in the skills I will need to do the job you wish me to do. I wonder if events will give us the time we will need?"

     Iriisii: "I believe I know how to do this correctly. 'Time' here flows a bit differently to what I am accustomed to. And even in my world, there are things I can do with it that others find unbelievable. The shape of this place will help make what I want possible. I am going to envelope this entire area as a magical bubble separated from everything else. Then adjust the time rate within it such that it moves faster for us inside than it flows outside. Thus I can give us much more time to learn what we need to while everything else runs much slower in relation to us. Then when I need to return home, I can shift the time of my return so that I can arrive in time there to deal with what is going on with my people. As to exactly what is happening, I believe someone is making a move to capture one of mine in order to leverage me into doing as they want. They will find I can be a most implacable enemy, in that I will bend any rule that I need to in order to defend those I call mine. As long as I do all that I need to here outside of my home existence's timestream, I can make this work. You need not worry for what effect this will have on you, as long as you are in my service, my power works to extend your natural lifespan for as long as you stay with me. And when you leave my service, your life will resume as if the time spent with me had not happened, in other words, 'time' will begin flowing normally for you, there will be no sudden catchup, you will not age hundreds of years in a few moments, you will simply start aging as would otherwise be normal for you. Anyway we will begin in the morning."

     They all settle down to sleep and Iriisii realizes that this is the first time she cannot reach out to Rigmor, or any others of her mates. The Dreamworlds of this Existence are different. There are not any connections between each Existence's Dreamworld expanse and any of the others. This is going to be another task for her to work on, but she feels her Arcane Towers can do what she wants in that regard, it is just a matter of getting them started. But that is something to look into later, for now she dives deep into her own mind to her personal place to just relax and rest.

     After a while, just as Iriisii anxiety is retreating, a glowing figure slowly walks into her private space. She gazes at this intruder for a few seconds before recognizing who it is, although she is more familiar with its avian form.

     Iriisii: "Please sit, tell me what has happened that you were sent to give me the news."

     The 'Messenger' sits and shakes its head before spilling what brought it to her.

     Messenger: "We have discovered information for you that bears on the situation, even as it complicates things greatly, it was thought you would want to know."

     Iriisii: "I see, very well, tell me what you know."

     Messenger: "We have tracked 'red lyrium' to its source, and what is going on there is what complicates things. Those responsible for its presence in your Existence brought it from this other place after refining its properties. But there is something about it that has escaped their notice."

     Iriisii: "Start at what you know of the beginning. Then it may make some form of sense, with what we know."

     Messenger: "It starts with a world called Thedas. We have only so far confirmed that red lyrium's appearance has something to do with an 'Elven' god called 'Fen-Harel'. We do not know what part he plays in this, but his involvement is certain. He is also not one to be trusted as his history names him as a 'trickster'. He is now in the process of releasing all of the old Elven gods he imprisoned for what reason only he knows. This is going to upset the current order among the peoples that live there. Wars, strife, pestilence, thousands of years of this they have suffered. And something they call a 'Blight' of which this the fourth in their remembered history is set to erupt."

     Iriisii: "Just what is this 'blight', some kind of recurring plague?"

     Messenger: "Of a kind, yes. It begins as a sickness that infects the people, the sickness comes from older members of the 'blight' that survived the last purge, however long ago that was. Once the victims die of the sickness, they arise as something called 'darkspawn'. These darkspawn gather and seek an 'Archdemon'. These are not the demons you have encountered, but rather are old dragons who have been corrupted by the sickness that is the 'blight'. They and some of their brothers have been sleeping for millennia, until found by these darkspawn and the blight passed. Once they become Archdemons, they take command of the darkspawn hordes. Leading them out to the surface and beginning a war against whoever stands in their way."

     Iriisii: "The way you describe it, makes it seem the archdemons are being led in some way."

     Messenger: "Some things that have been said seem to indicate that may indeed be the case. Especially now that a kind of darkspawn never before seen has come into play, one also infected with red lyrium. It is posited that he was once human, a 'Magister' of the Tevinter Imperium. 'Magister' is a word that encompasses the different types of magic user, this one is at least a thousand years old. He and others passed through the 'veil' between the world and its dreamworld, which is also where the spirits of the dead reside. There they saw what their 'holy books' describe as the 'Seat of the Maker'. Once they set foot within it, the story takes different twists."

     Iriisii: "Exactly what kind of twists are those?"

     Messenger: "The darkspawn magister, named Corypheus, says they saw no one there, that the 'Golden Halls' were blackened with corruption. He has stated that he felt that all the people of Thedas had been lied to. And so he resolved to fill the void that he saw and become the god that they needed."

     Iriisii: "And how does he square that with his current bodily state?"

     Messenger: "So far, he has not. He really does not need to with all of the darkspawn following him, an archdemon, an undead one at that, at his beck and call, then he has seen fit to reach out to the severely disaffected, bringing them over to his side as his agents."

     Iriisii: "Is there anyone standing up to him?"

     Messenger: "Yes, there is. Although she is fighting battles on all sides with different factions out to serve themselves. The last place they were residing in was attacked by Corypheus and his Red Templar army. Her use of the land by creating avalanches using trebuchet shots, took out most of his foot troops. Enough that he and his archdemon came to the fore. Even then she masterfully stood up to him, holding his attention on her while her people escaped. Once they were safe, they sent up a fire arrow as a flare, and she triggered the trebuchet she was standing on. She had turned it around to strike the mountainsides behind the village before Corypheus dropped into the fight.

     As the avalanche roared down on the empty village, she turned and ran, tripping into a hole in the ground opening into hidden caves and mine shafts under the village. This is what saved her life, even as Corypheus and his archdemon fly out of range of the avalanche just in time to prevent being buried. She later escaped and following the trail her people left behind, she was found by them and taken to safety. She then with the help of a mage, blazed a trail to a long abandoned and nearly forgotten fortress called 'Skyhold', higher still in the mountains. She is rebuilding, even as word is spreading of what she is trying to do. People are arriving every day, she goes out to the surrounding provinces, doing what she can to help the people with whatever troubles are besieging them, earning their trust and spreading the word that here is someone standing up, worth fighting for, worth dying for.

     There is a lot more, but for now it would only distract you. You need to continue with what you have started here. When you find the 'breach', you will know what you must do. Events fall into place, what place and what this means is for you to determine, by your actions, by your faith and belief. When you are ready to return, shift time to when the attack on your people starts. You will thwart the attempt to take one of yours, but another will instead be taken. You will then undergo a crux event like no other. The true sleeper will awaken and it will be up to you what will happen. Follow your heart, your intuition, and all will go well. And you will usher in another push to the next level. You have seen what you need to see of what happens at the end of your road. It is felt no further incentive is needed."

     Iriisii: "Who is this one who fights as I have fought?"

     Messenger: "She is the Inquisitor Evelyn Trevelyan."

     Iriisii looks out through the frost covered glass window of her private sanctuary, "Keep fighting, Evelyn Trevelyan, Inquisitor, help comes and the dawn will come with me."

     In Skyhold, Evelyn Trevelyan is standing out on the balcony outside her quarters, leaning on the balustrade, looking at the moonlight reflecting from the snow covered peaks and valleys. The wind is cold as she is clad in a simple nightgown, but she does not feel the cold, even as the love of her life, Josephine walks up behind her and wraps her arms around her lover.

     Josephine: "Brrrr, it is too cold to be out here without winter garments. Come back to bed, dearest, it is still late, and some hours before morning."

     Evelyn: "Did you hear the words on the wind? I had been restless, thinking about what or who may yet come against us."

     Josephine: "I know, but it does you no good to brood about it. It will come when it comes and you will face it as you have faced all that have come before."

     Evelyn: "This was different, this was a promise of help, of hope."

     Josephine: "What did these words say?"

     Evelyn: "'Keep fighting, Evelyn Trevelyan, Inquisitor, help comes and the dawn will come with me.' Those were the words I heard, and strangely enough, I felt at peace after them."

     Josephine: "Maybe the Maker sends someone, as he sent you to me and to the people here who needed you, and still need you."

     Evelyn: "Maybe you are right, Josie. Nothing I can do with it until it proves itself true or false. Take my hand and let us go back to bed."

     Josephine: "Good, let me wrap my arms around you and warm you under the covers."