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Arvanna sprinted through an underground tunnel, clutching a folder of documents that would be better off Somewhere Else.

Sy, can you contact ANY of the Wyvern Guard? I thought we were being shadowed. she desperately thought.

No. I can't find him. At all. That or he's too busy to worry about us.

What would he be worried about!? she demanded of the Wyvern.

Didn't you hear!? They executed the Queen!

Oh. OH. That's not good.

You think? They haven't seen me yet, too high up. Got your high altitude gear on?

N-no... I only got my civies and curiass on.

What about the cloak?

Uhm. I don't have that either... She stopped and slid around a corner, into a mob of eleven traitors. They saw her armor, and her interesting features.


"...She's with that b***h... and she's one of them!" The leader of the pack shouted to his comrades. He held aloft his torch.

Sy... I'm in trouble!

They charged her haphazardly, and she dropped the documents to draw her bastardsword and charged silently, her initial thrust spitting the lead man and driving him into another. She wrenched her sword out of him to catch another man in the kidney. He gasped in pain and collapsed.

In return, one of the traitors bit into her arm with his longsword. She hissed in pain and drew back for another thrust, parrying a counter attack and driving her steel blade into another man. He gurgled as he started to drown in his own blood. That cost her a deep stab in her thigh. She cried out in pain before turning out of the cut and pulling a Blade Reversal, the thrust biting deep into the man's abdomen. She spun and wrenched it out of him, disembowling the man and parrying another attack. The seven more men pressed in, even though it cost them four of their number.

She danced back out of the reach of the enemy and panted.

"Cmon... You can do better then that!" she said with a wicked grin. They charged in a wordless shout and she counter charged. Her blade took the life of another man, neatly beheading him. As she prepared for another attack, one of them didn't bother with his weapon and send a right hook into her face, sending her reeling and on the floor.

Arvanna! Get up!
Sytalos blasted into her mind.
She moaned and went to get up but a sudden weight squashed her against the floor.

"This demon is a pretty one... I say we have some fun with her. Then give her over to Maragh as a present." She heard through underwater.

Sy... Get out of here... tell... the...General... she sent to Sytalos, cruel laughter playing in her ears.



A Wyvern Knight circled down and landed in front of similarly mounted knights. The newcomer dipped his head and thumped his heart area with his hand.

"Captain. The Infiltrators have penetrated the castle, and have executed the Esperazan Queen."

The armored soldier nodded and grinned. "Excellent. Send word to the invasion fleets. We must begin the Occupation at once." The Captain said to his aide de camps.

"Yes my lord." They said in unison and took off.



Sytalos flew as fast as he could, straight for The Nest, screaming to any Wyverns that could be near by, desperately blocking out the sights, smells, feel, sounds, and the pain coming from Arvanna.

He neared a presence and immediately recognized it. It was one of the Guard.


Quiet Down, you fool!

Yes! Someone! Listen! The Queen has been executed, my rider is... Nevermind about her.

What!? Are you serious!? Where is she?

I. Told. You. Nevermind about her. Sytalos replied, along with sending along a small snippet of what was being force fed into his mind.

Those scum. I will cleanse their bloodlines from this earth. Come to me, Wyvern. It is time we roused from our slumber.



Lord General Auren Shiro stood up, listening to the Guard's report. Nodding he said to himself, "Tis time to cast the dice to fate again. Good work, my son. This is what we have been preparing for. Tell me. Who else knows of the events?"

"Father, the Wyvern Sytalos, and I. No one else within the Nest."

"And of any other agencies?"

"No, Father. I was unable to discern that. I have failed you in that regard." The soldier bowed his head in shame.

"No, my child. You did not fail me. You were right in getting here as soon as possible." The former human and now... Something paced. Two Wyvern Guards, not in body armor, but the black and blue livery of Shiro's Wyverns entered with two crates. One contained both of Auren's swords, the other contained his armor. They silently assisted him in putting it on.

"Kirvaras, Nasali, leave me, and spread word that the Guard is being rousted for war. Vess, reveal yourself to the Nest. Rouse all able bodied Wyverns. It is time, to reveal ourselves."



The Kasidian Wyvern Knight pulled his spear from the Domachi Dragon's head he had ever seen. He shook his head at the size of the beast, while the fourteen other Wyverns circled and landed nearby.

"Biggest Dragon I've ever seen. Looks like it was northbound... And judging by his original course, he came from the Esperanzan Castle, Flightleader." The rider called to his commanding officer.

"Tis very good that you ambushed it... But can you know if word was sent? These savages do have magic you know."

The knight shook his head. "No sir." The Commander shrugged and yawned. "Congradulations, Private. You killed your first dragon from here. From what I've heard, plenty more where this thing came from."

Toleranth paced back and forth, the orders already sent, the border was being fortifed as he thought, and two squadron dispatched to see Yumiru home. Naturally she was becoming quite a good negoiator so Tolly had let her go to negoitate a deal on crops this year in northern Esperanza. At the moment he cared lest for the corn he would need, but more for his daughter's life. If things were truly as bad as reported then, it wouldn't be long before they would come knocking on his door.

Yumiru's horse thundered through the underbrush, about 40 seconds later a group of 10 thundred by hot on her trail, they were exchanging crossbow fire, and so far neither side was being very accurate given the terrain and the fast pace of their horses. Yumiru reached down for another bolt, and found out much to her displeasure that her borrowed weapon was now out of ammunition. She turned and gave it a good heave and it still missed her intended target.

"Hyiru isn't going to let me forget this ever if i make it out alive." Yumiru looked back to see they wee gaining ground on her, and she took the spare length of her regins and began to whip the horse faster. She looked back just as two girls swung down out of the tree to land right in her lap. Daisy took two handfuls of mane and tugged to the right and the horse began to turn sharply to the right. Iris kept Yumiru's hands busy and all the while trying to explain they were not going to hurt her. Yumiru straigtened up with a scream, she reached behind her and felt the arrow sticking out of her back.

The two girls pulled the horse to a stop, and the others pulled to a stop. "You gave us quite a run Yumiru Bebus, but like all your filthy race you will die." "The same filthy race that helped you through two wars with Loas, hid your familes to prevent them from being slaughtered, and this is the thanks we get." "Times change, and you're not part of it this time, goodbye Yumiru." The men lifted their crossbows aiming carefully at Yumiru, and the road caved inward underneath, and the cries of the horses and the cries of the men died out as the giant doors swung back up closed. A young man stood up dropping the rope, and walked over to where Yumiru stood transfixed at what just happened.

Hamlin ruffled Daisy's hair; "Good work Daisy, you too Iris, and yumiru Bebus i wish to introduce myself." Yumiru looked at the young man standing up with a pained face. Hamlin went on; "My name is Master Hamlin, and these are my two girls Iris n Daisy." Yumiru grunted acknowledgment, and fell right on her face. Iris looked up at hamlin; "I think you should have let us heal her injury first before introductions.

(a few hours later)

A messenger swept into the throne room and Tolly stopped talking with two of his squadron commanders. "My lord the two squadrons have located and brought Yumiru and her guests here. Shall I show them in?" Tolly looked at the two squadron commanders and they ducked their heads and exited through another entrance pulling the doors closed.

Yumiru walked in and behind her was Hamlin, Iris on his left and Daisy to his right, and Toleranth smiled immediately seeing Hamlin. "Somehow, i had a notion it was you, but I thought i ended your debt to me a long time ago?" Hamlin shook his head; "From that debt many great things have come to pass, and so I did this out of respect. Besides i owed Vermillion before I owed you, and i would hope he would take this as payment of that debt."

Yumiru looked at her father; "We can't let them get away with what they did to Jadeira, someone must send them a message clear as the blue sky our position on their actions." Tolly mused moving to hug his daughter; "Already been done, I just sent two squadrons to drop our message right through the roof of the throne room in Esperanza." "What was the message father?" Tolly let go and back up a few paces; "The three who were trying to start the same sort of dissident revolution here with my people." "A house warming gift for the new ruler of Esperanza, you are most kind Lord Toleranth." Tolly glanced at Hamlin hearing his comment. "No, it will give the people the reason they need to come up here and fight me, and I want them to. I want them to see as much bloodshed as possible in hopes it knocks some sense into them.

The Column of Kasidian Infantry was immense. Stretching for a mile, they approached the fortified town in Teir. It buttoned up as it saw the rolling column.


The Infantry Captain sighed. Why couldn't they accept the rule and assistance of the Midnight Throne? He hated this. Surely the could see the wisdom of joining with the Empire?

He sighed and gave the orders for the Infantry column to prepare for war. He sent a diplomat forward. The man galloped off with a horse, along with two escorts.

The officer took out a telescope and unfolded it to watch the proceedings. The diplomats were discussing something with the town, and then the gates opened for the diplomats to go through.

"Well, what do you know, they have sense for once!" he said to an aide de camp. Both soldiers shared a chuckle as he orderede them back into the column.




The Wyvern Squadron hid in their cover. So far, their interception of the dragons from that accursed city was going very well. The Philospher with them checked the spells concealing them and grunted.

"Hopefully, we can push them back into that city to be dealt with later."

Daisy let out something that sounded like a sigh sensing a sudden rage in her sister that she managed to conceal well enough. Daisy's gentle eyes watched Yumiru and she smiled "There's no need to thank me, or us for that matter. We enjoy doing this sort of thing, even if Master Hamlin and Iris don't admit to it." Daisy's attention wasn't at all on Yumiru though, but on Iris learning of the conversation Hamlin had with her. If only he knew... she thought knowing her sister felt betrayed and bitter about something. Iris had already concealed it before her sister could find out what it was sir.


And that's when Iris did something shocking. She put on an extremely humble look and even to the strongest of empath she felt humble as well. "Lord Toleranth..." she started sounding more respectful than before, leaning not at all on Hamlin, but instead let her head hang with respectfulness and some level of "...if you would allow me to speak I do have something I wish to ask of you."


Daisy felt her eyes widen and she simply hoped her mouth hadn't dropped so respectfully so of her own sister in front of such a powerful man. She always knew Hamlin had tamed her wile nature, with any other master or mistress she would have never would been like this. She would have kept talking till the lord killed her. Why on earth would she behave like this? Daisy just could not figured it out.

"Lord Toleranth I wish to ask your forgiveness. Not for my words though, I spoke my mind out of concern. However...I do understand that it was wrong of me to speak so out of turn and to insult you in your own home. I hope you can forgive me, but I understand if you cannot. But if you cannot...please do not hold Master Hamlin responsible for my actions. He has taught me better than that." she spoke with complete sincerity.

Daisy felt her sister's emotions unable to believe what she was hearing and feeling from Iris. Her Iris would never be this humbled. Daisy just shook her head gently and decided to pass it off as being for the best.

Toleranth looked at Iris, and then at Auren for a moment. He looked back at Iris; "Apology accepted, but i guess centuries of refelcting in hindsight does that to a person. Hamlin has much respect in my book, as do you and daisy. Had I taken offense to what you said earlier I wouldn't have given hamlin the chance to correct your action. So feel free to speak you mind and interject at any time. However A friend has come to pay me a visit, I'll ask that you retire for the evening, the guard outside the door will see to your housing requirments."

Hamlin nodded respectfully, and afforded Auren the same respectful nodd before turning and heading for the door.


Toleranth turned his attention to Auren; "It has been awhile, but it seems Jadeira was well like by many for so many of us to come out of the shadows in the twilight of her life. Yes my daughter has come of age hasn't she, you look on her as if you just snatched her out of the woods yesterday with Loas's demons licking her heels, and she is coming to be allot like Vermillion was."

Toleranth walked to a table and picked up two empty goblets, and tapping the side the contents appeared that he desired. "Care for a drink Auren, or you not staying long?"

"I thought you handled extractions internally within your ranks?" Toleranth set the empty goblet back ont he table and sipped from the one he filled. "Just getting into Esperanza now is going to take a few days, night flying is out due to the presence of a moon in the night sky, and about the only other way to sneek in under a mage's eye would be ride a thunderstorm in..." Toleranth sighed closing his eyes; "Alright what is the targets name and last known location within the castle. I need to know as much as you can tell me, so that the souls I send to die are prepared as much as they can be to get this person home."