Forgive me readers for I have sinned, it has been too long since my last post. Work got a bit hectic and I was a witness in a court case.... a rather strange experience.

In other news I won the challenge! I posted 40,346 words in a month.

Hope you guys enjoy the chap just want to say thanks to those that rated the story and also for the feedback I got from a few readers. Two plotholes have been pointed out.  i don't like plotholes...

59

Division

*Drip*   *Drop*  *Drip*

-There is something about the rain that just makes everything clear….-

*Drip* *Drop* *Drip*

-The first time I kissed Trisha was in the rain. Rain… We can thank our lucky stars for it. Maybe now the griffins will let up. We have not had a proper meal in two days. Always cold, always wet…. Luckily it’s not storming. Even now I can feel and hear the call of the sky.-

*Drip*  *Drop* *Drip*

Sensing something is still out there Slyfer hugs closer to the tree trunk he is standing against, trying to make him as small as possible. They have been traveling for two days. Running without end and then… running some more. The sound of wings makes him hold his breath involuntarily, heart beating in his ears. Not for fear of what is out there but for being discovered. –We can’t fail this, we can’t let them find us.-

He looks across from where he is standing. Luna is also hugging close to her own tree. Despite the situation she is looking at a drop of water that is clinging onto a leaf as if refusing to let go. He sighs seeing the smile on her face. –I wish I could be so carefree, even in this situation she can’t be bothered…. Sky mother she is beautiful.- Slyfer surprises himself with the thought and as if reading it Luna’s gaze turns to him.

His eyes snap away from her and he can feel his face warming up. He looks back to find her still staring at him, her eyes filled with mischief.

*wooosh*

The sound pulls him back to reality and he once again pushes himself closer to the tree trunk. –Damn pigeons, why are they even patrolling here?-

Fira is standing in the newly created tower; on the balcony of the room she has chosen. Sizzle sounds surround her as the rain evaporates before ever reaching her. Her gaze is filled with longing and a bit of sadness as she looks in the direction of where she can feel Slyfer.

A sound behind her makes her smile a little, without knowing she already knows who it is; she can feel Trisha as clearly as she can feel Slyfer. Trisha’s voice makes the smile fade. “You miss him as well?”

Fira only nods, not wanting to speak. Trisha joins Fira, air magic forming a bubble above her head seeing the affect it has on the rain makes her smile with remembrance of her and Slyfer’s first kiss. She continues to speak. “You know I can feel you, your feelings… your pain. There is no need to hide it from me.”

The statement makes Fira a bit happy, but also angry at the same time. “Don’t pretend like you understand.”

Trisha snorts. “I do understand. I abandoned Slyfer remember.”

Fira shakes her head. “Yes and he still chose you.”

Trisha turns to Fira and reaches out feeling the pain the statement caused her. At the last moment she retracts her hand. “You are wrong he did not choose me, I chose to accept him the way he is and… In doing so I also chose to accept you.”

Fira’s head snaps to Trisha. “What do you mean?”

Trisha laughs at her surprised face and holds her hand out to catch some drops of rain while speaking as if in a trance. “You are connected to him as much as I am. You are simply blinded. Slyfer cares for you; it hurts him to see you hurt although he does not know how to handle the situation since he is an idiot.”

Fira making a snorting sound can’t help but smile at the statement as she says. “On that we can agree.”

A long silence follows this, but despite it the connection they share says way more than words ever can. Fira can feel the worry and care that Trisha has for her. Trisha can feel the sad and hopelessness in Fira’s heart and like a cool breeze she tries to take some of it away.

Fira suddenly bursts into tears and jumps into Trisha’s arms and they hug.  “Trisha I don’t know what to do, I messed things up from the first day we met. At first I wanted to use him, then… he found out and I really apologized. Everything went well afterwards until that one fight and he changed. He said I have to choose, how can I do that… how did you do that?”

Trisha pats her on her back also starting to cry since Fira’s feelings are flowing into her. “He is wrong for expecting that of you, but… he also did it since he cares for you. You see he knows he will most probably have to fight for a very long time. The tigers told me it took the white dragon thousands of years to unite the land and after that it still fought on many occasions to keep the peace between the nations. It was a never ending fight. Slyfer just does not want to drag you into such a life and even if you stayed with your people would it not cause him to give them favor over all the others? He can’t afford to, that is not his purpose.”

Fira understands the reasoning behind it, but her heart does not seem to give a damn about it. “Its so unfair…”

Trisha nods. “It is unfair, he told me a little of how he got dragged into this. it made me angry and feel a bit hopeless. In the end I just made a choice….”

Fira looks up at Trisha, “what choice?”

Trisha smiles, “that I would help him until the day he is free from the burdens the dragons have placed on him. Have you never felt how he envies the normal soldiers and day to day people? He does not realize it but I have. Every time he looks at them I can feel it.”

Fira manages to calm down and takes a step back. “So what do I do?”

Trisha smiles, “that is up to you, only you can decide. In the end that is what it all comes down to. Just remember it does not have to be now or even in ten years. You are already a part of us. When you do make that choice though… we can beat him up together for putting you through this!”

Fira looks a Trisha with surprise and then for the first time in a few weeks she starts to laugh…

Both turn around when they feel a presence that is somewhat familiar. Big ears poke around a corner. Fira is the first to speak. “Isn’t that…”

A female voice interrupts her. “Schree what are you doing, Slyfer is not here…”

They look up from the strange monkey to find Vanya standing in the doorway to the room. Trisha bends down and picks up the monkey as they head inside and hugs it close. “Where have you been girl Slyfer has been worried.”

Vanya looks between Trisha and the monkey and smiles, “I was wondering why she ran up here, she must have smelt Slyfer.”

Trisha wants to reply but Aldowin enters and she greets him. The high elf looks between Trisha and Fira. Seeing that a bit of color has returned to Fira’s face, he smiles before saying. “It is good that we found you here, Fira your brother is about to display his first war machines, we should all go watch, he seems pretty chuffed with himself.

Far away near  the walls that surround the second part of Atlantia a heated discussion is going on. The representatives of all the races in the army are sitting in a large tent discussing the latest news. All eyes are trained on the human speaking at the moment. “This is a clear act of war and we can no longer hold back!”

A snow elf stands up in outrage. “A clear act of war? Who is it that summoned the army?  What did you expect would happen, besides building a new stronghold was part of the agreement they made with us, if not for all this why my son would not have been taken as a prisoner of war!”

The hall goes quiet, everything mentioned had merit. The human clears his voice. “We had to act fast and could not delay. If we show weakness we will lose the trust of the people!”

This causes another argument until a grunt quiets them down. They turn to the origin of the grunt and someone asks. “You have been quiet all this time Master Dwarf, have you nothing to say?”

The dwarf King plays with his beard while staring at the human with suspicion clearly on his face. “What is the point of talking? All we do is argue and talk in circles. This council no longer has unity and it has been like that for some time now….

The tent goes deathly quiet at his words. He plays with his beard a while longer. “What I would like to know is why my scouts are being stopped from well… scouting and why the air is infested with pigeons.”

A loud crack rings out and the human smiles without it reaching his eyes. “Calling the griffins pigeons is something the dragons did, do not do it again.”

The dwarf sits up and hooks his hand into a strap that connects to a brown wicket looking hammer. He leans forward. “Or what?” The dwarf smiles, though it can’t be seen under all the hair. “I have had enough of all this skulking about and mixing with words. Say something human. Give me a reason to smash my hammer into your hairless face!” the other dwarves gasp. Calling someone a hairless face is the ultimate insult.

The human looks at the dwarf and for a second it looks like he is going to lunge at him. Letting out a long breath he sits back into the chair. “Now is not the time for us to fight, but to unite.”

The dwarf does not relent. “So tell me, why can’t our scouts go out?”

The human smiles. “They are welcome to go out any time they wish. I was just worried about insurgency. We cannot be too careful.”

The dwarf grips his hammer. “Lies and more lies we have an army that can squash them in less than two breaths. It would not matter if they had spies. I do not know the reason for your actions yet human, but when I find out I will take great pleasure in smashing every bone in your body.”

The human smirks. “Careful Master dwarf I do not take kindly to threats.”

The dwarf laughs. “Hairless and spineless. Is it not obvious that I don’t fucking care!” Without waiting for an answer he turns to the Snow Elf. “You blue blood, let us go talk. I will not remain in this tent of lies it will cause my beard to shrivel up.”

Not long after the human that had sat and spoken in the tent is sitting behind a desk. A shadow nearby chuckles at his face that is bristling with anger. The laughter stops and the shadow says.  “Alexo your plan is not working, change it.”

Alexo shakes his head, “no there is still a way for it to work.”

The shadow clicks his tongue. “Change it Alexo it won’t work, heed my warning. If I see that it will be detrimental I will not call on the ships and with no ships you will certainly die.”

Alexo stands up having had enough of the pompous so-called Prince. “Boy do not dare to lecture me, I know the stakes.”

The prince sighs and Alexo can hear his voice fade as the shadow starts to leave. “I warned you Alexo, remember that when you are sent to hell because of your stupidity.”

A second later the voice is gone and Alexo finds himself standing alone. “AAAArggh!” papers and utensils go flying as he loses his temper and sweeps everything from the desk. –Pompous bastard if he wasn’t Chronos’ little pet I would have slit his throat a long time ago.- he sits down looking tired as memories of time long past runs through his mind.

His hand dips into the front of his shirt and takes out a golden leaf far too dainty and girly to belong on a neck like his. “Clarice, I will destroy them all every last damn dragon, I have not forgotten your pain, your suffering. If not for them our child would not be…”

He stops halfway and quickly tucks the leaf away, his face quickly becoming the stern mask again. “Enter.”

A second later a man with Silver hair enters the tent and bows. “My Lord I have returned as you requested.”

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“Rise, Sorren and tell me about this Silver haired girl that was in your report.”

Sorren stands up. “My Lord she, she was similar to the other gifted, her powers however far stronger; nearly on par with my own.”

Alexo is quiet for a second his bearing giving away nothing. “I know the girl you speak of, but it makes no sense. She never awakened.”

Sorren hearing this can’t help but frown. “How can one of us awaken without the ritual?”

Alexo shakes his head. “I don’t know, but Sorren this girl has a special connection to you.”

Sorren looks up for the first time, his heart beating faster. He can vaguely remember his youth before he was… blessed. On the few occasions he slept, he would always dream the same thing. “The girl is my sister?”

Alexo looks at Sorren with surprise. “How did you know?”

Sorren frowns and answers very carefully. “I have dreamed of a girl and when I saw her… I, I felt a connection.”

Alexo nods believing him, the same problem cropped up in a lot of test subjects, most of whom went mad and had to be put down. Alexo looks at Sorren for a long time, deep in thought. As if sensing what is bothering the man, Sorren quickly speaks up. “A small connection is all I felt, I will have no qualms with taking her life.”

Alexo smiles and walks around the desk. “I am happy to hear that Sorren. Although it would pain my heart to have you do that. If you can bring her in alive. Maybe we can convince her to join our cause. She is a blessed one after all. You may go.”

Sorren bows deeply once again, “As you wish my Lord.”

As soon as Sorren leaves Alexo gestures toward a hidden spot in the tent. A black figure makes its way out and kneels down. “Your wish is my command.”

“Follow Sorren, make sure he captures or kills the girl. If he gets a chance to do so but does not, kill him. If he does capture the girl bring her here, we need to perform some tests to find out how she awakened.”

The shadow disappears….

Luna sneezes and Slyfer watches as the shady guy lunges at her with his dagger. She sidesteps and sends a kick pointed at his leg. He jumps back and the kick passes. Before she can retract it, he grabs her foot and pulls. “Ah!”

A second later Luna is on her back and a cold knife is pressed against her neck.  The shady guy retracts his knife and says. “Again!”

Slyfer turns away and looks at the sky for the hundredth time. For the first time in four days the sky is clear and they are taking a short break before moving on. The clouds still look ominous but it had stopped raining a while ago.

He suddenly smiles and turns around sending out his own kick. The sky screams with the might and speed behind it!

*Crack*

A man screams out and is sent flying before crashing into a tree a few meters away. Slyfer looks at him smiling disdainfully while seeing the dagger in his hand. “Is it not enough that I have already killed two of your comrades? Have I not told you people not to sneak up on me? This time was a warning, next time I will rip you apart.”

Luna and the shady guy have stopped sparring and are looking over at the commotion.  Slyfer looks at him. “When I get back I am going to pay the shaman a visit. If not for Trisha you all would have been dead by now. Try something again and I kill all of you!”

Slyfer has just finished speaking when the dragons roar in his mind. -Boy you are a fool, kill them now!-

Shady guy watches Slyfer closely. –The boy seems to be in turmoil?- He suddenly takes a step back when Slyfer looks at him again. Letting out a growl that does not seem to be able to come from his body Slyfer takes a step forward then shakes his head.

-Stop it!- He shouts in his head. –I will kill them if they try one more time. For now I do not know what is waiting and I may need them.-

Slyfer hears a scream, which causes him to look around. Luna stands up and wipes her blade on the clothes of the man Slyfer just kicked. Slyfer looks between the now dead man and Luna. She smiles. “Anyone who tries to kill Alpha, I will kill.”

It only serves to make Slyfer angrier, since now Luna had to dirty her hands on the maggot. He looks at her “master”. “If I even sense a whiff of killing intent you all die and after I have killed you I will kill your Shaman regardless of my relationship with Trisha.”

Without saying another word Slyfer resumes the journey towards the capital all the while resisting the dragons in his head. Luna looks at him with worry in her eyes.  She may not be connected to him, but that does not stop her from sensing the anger growing in him with every second.

Not far behind them the last remaining assassins, start to follow. Shady guy furious with them all breaks the silence. “What is wrong with you? Why do you attack him, three of us have already died are you too stupid to understand we are no match for him? Even if you do not care for yourselves at least care for our Shaman.”

One on his right snorts. “Who do you think gave the order to kill him? If we die while trying then that is what the Night Mother wills.”

Shady guy opens his mouth to say something, but it closes again. After a while he finally gets out, “why was I not told?”

The same one replies. “Because you are weak and have already betrayed us with that girl, be happy that we do not kill you.”

Aldowin with Schree on his shoulder watches as another war machine is hoisted in place, “truly a genius contraption.” 

Pathfinder nearby smiles like a boy that just received some new toys. “It is mostly based on Slyfer’s designs we just made a few tweaks here and there.” Pathfinder had given a nice show two days ago , but that was with normal ammo and yet he could see the huge smiles on more than one commander. He starts to explain how it works to Aldowin. “It is almost the same as a ballista only far larger. You would think this makes it more difficult to handle but due to the gear system it is very flexible. The only downside is that once you set it up it cannot be moved easily.”

Aldowin nods. He had seen just how effective the machine was two days ago, it fires six bolts at a time, lined up diagonally like the markings on a dice. He had been even more surprised when Pathfinder showed Aldowin the ‘special ammo’ and the high elf had come to one conclusion. Slyfer or whoever he got this design from only had one thing in mind….killing griffins. Not only would the six bolts spread and do damage, but with the special ammo where smaller parts would split off it will turn anything in the air into a pin cushion, not to mention one shot from it would be like a hundred archers firing a volley of arrows.

Pathfinder rubs his nose. “The improvements I made are the little tubes you see on the side that leads to the billows. Using air magic it can fire much faster than winding up the cable. The air is pushed into it and unable to escape until this trigger is pulled.”

Aldowin looks at the prince. “How many air mages were injured?”

Pathfinder grimaces and scratches his head for a bit before saying guiltily. “About twelve.”

They obviously had to test it and putting in too much air had caused quite a few explosions not to mention the wear and tear. Aldowin nods. “How many shots can it give off before becoming unsafe?”

The prince rubs his head again and like a child that now lost the new toys given to him, mumbles. “About three times, four at best.”

Aldowin slaps him on the shoulder. “That is good enough.”

Slyfer looks through the trees, squinting to see through the rain. In front of him lies an army so vast that he can’t see the end of it. “How are we supposed to get through this?”

Luna next to him shrugs even though the question was not pointed at her. To his surprise when coming out of the forest they nearly ran into a patrol. He took in a cold breath as he surveyed what stretched as far as he could see. Behind the army is a huge wall in the distance. Even if he were to jump with all his strength he would not make it halfway.

What lies behind it is a mystery, but it is impossible to find out. Luna wants to say something, but he puts his finger over his lips for silence. Not long after the crunch of boots on gravel lets them know another patrol is passing close by. Slyfer looks at the sky and all he sees are clouds. –Damn rain. Guess we should be thankful.-

His objective was to figure out the time intervals between patrols. But with the clouds in the air it’s impossible to accurately guess the time since everything is shrouded in a thick sheet of grey. He also can’t send out his senses for fear of being discovered by other magicians. Frustrated he bites his lip. Luna smiles at him. “Will we go with my plan then?”

Slyfer grunts. “It seems like we have no choice, as much as it bothers me to kill innocent people, we have no choice.”

They quickly get up and with shadows following behind they start to follow the patrol, soon entering one of the huge fields that serve as food for the mass city behind the walls. The patrol is made up of dwarves and humans, which brings up some more problems. The patrol is careful always staying in sight of the camp. Never entering the field itself and only skirting it on the side.

They hurry on ahead of the group in order to give Slyfer a chance to prepare. As soon as they are at least a hundred meters away from the patrol Slyfer closes his eyes and calls on the magic around him.

Frederick sighs, it had been a long day on patrol, patrol that he thinks is completely useless, but he is just a soldier and a soldier does what a soldier is told. He looks at the dwarf walking next to him. “Hey master dwarf don’t you get tired with those short legs?”

The dwarf swears. “If I had a silver coin for each time a human has asked me that I would have mountains of the stuff. Shut your trap boy and keep a look out, these fields always give me the shivers.”

Frederick chuckles. “Ahh, is the little dwarf afraid of some corn fields-“

He abruptly stops talking as thick fog rolls in. The sound of steel being drawn rings out in the deathly silence as the whole patrol draws their weapons. Frederick sees a shape in the fog and makes his way towards it but finds nothing. He hears  a sound to the left and quickly turns but all he sees is white. His heart pounds threatening to blast his chest open. His breathing is hurried as fear sets in. –I can’t see anything.- “Is, is anyone there?”

Silence…. It only serves to increase his panic. He crouches lower finally starting to remember a bit of his training. Another sound behind. Something drops.

He walks toward it slowly his own breathing clearly in his ears. –Nothing…. What the fuck is going on, what is this…- his hands start to shake and his body shivers, somehow he knows the others are all dead. He looks at his hands trying to make it stop shaking. “What, what is that…”

He bends down looking past his shaking hands and his eyes stretch in alarm. “Blood! Hel-“ He sees a shape and it grows bigger. A girl with silver hair some of it already dyed in red blood appears like a ghost, somehow the red blood adds to a the wild looking beauty.

It’s the last thing he sees as his head rolls backwards and drops from his still standing torso. Luna grabs the body with one arm before it drops and the hair of the severed head, before carrying it towards the field where the others are.

By the time she reaches them Slyfer is already half naked in preparation to don the clothes and armor of their latest kills. He looks up, “Is that all of them?”

Luna nods and slowly starts to undress herself.

Slyfer looks at her. “You don’t have to undress you are not going in there.”

Luna tilts her head and innocently asks. “Is Alpha going in there?”

He looks at her clearly not satisfied. “It is obvious that I am going in.”

Luna’s smile broadens, “then Luna is going in there.”

With all this she has never stopped undressing, revealing smooth milky white skin. Slyfer catches a glimpse of her shoulders and suddenly blushes before turning around. “You should be more aware of yourself Luna, I thought we taught you already.”

She giggles and hugs him from behind causing Slyfer to go rigid. “Luna knows, but does not care Luna has already decided that Luna is yours.”

Slyfer swallows audibly but before he can clear his mind enough to object she backs away and quickly starts to dress. The heat on his back quickly fading in the cold air.

A few moment later the little group find themselves at the edge of the fields again. Slyfer looks at Luna. “Are you ready?”

She takes his hand. “Luna is ready.”

Slyfer swallows knowing there is no turning back. “Let’s go.”