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Realms Converge	By : Candice Category: +G through L > Legacy of Kain Views: 3563 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Legacy of Kain, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.Don't get to Nosgoth itself til chap 5

Chapter List
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Katrina and the other Draconian's are mine though!
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Chapter Fifty-four: Homecoming.
*Kain and Raziel POV first!*
Kain had led Raziel back to the Chronoplast after they had paid their visit to the mourning Katrina. Without so much as a word, the Eldar vampire brought them to yet another random seeming point in time and then promptly teleported them to an equally random, and carefully sealed, Blood-font. Raziel was annoyed by the lack of explanation, yet found himself curious regardless.
He watched as Kain moved about the room with single-minded focus. The Eldar opened the extra-dimensional space he used to store things and pulled out a plan stone pedestal. From there he also pulled out the odd, dual-colored stone that Raziel now knew to be the Path Stone. A soft word was all but whispered as Kain brushed his knuckle over the stone. The stone began to glow with an expectant, anticipated air. The Eldar then moved toward the sealed doorway of the 'font and tapped his talon against a sun-like symbol.
The blockage in front of the doorway disappeared and Kain signaled for Raziel to follow. He raised a brow questioningly but moved to follow his Sire out of the 'font. They followed the tunnel out to a wide ledge designed for someone to land upon easily and Raziel glanced about. It looked like they were on the highest point of a mountain top. He took in the unfamiliar landscape and frowned for a moment. Raziel's eyes narrowed upon the barren yet somehow wild looking terrain and then turned to look at Kain.
"Where did you bring us now Kain?" he asked.
"The unclaimed lands beyond the Northern Mountain ridge," Kain responded with a low chuckle. "We are roughly twenty miles north of what was one 'Dark Eden'."
"The Ancients built Blood-fonts this far north?" Raziel asked in surprise.
"And further still," Kain responded with a nod. His tone patient. "Remember Raziel, the Ancients were a winged race. They could travel faster than the crow flies, just as you can my Raziel. The Blood-fonts were built to act as rest points for those that traveled, as well as food and power sources. While most of the 'fonts were built in lands that fell under our control, several were built in out of the way places for those that desired their privacy above all else or for those who desired to explore the wide world. There are actually several small island chains that Katrina found during her own explorations. All of which are within comfortable flying distance, for a vampire. There is also a 'font to be found there."
Kain waved one hand westward in an idle gesture and Raziel glanced in the indicated direction for a moments time. He looked back at Kain.
"I understand about the 'fonts," he said slowly. "But why bring us out here?"
"To wait," Kain responded softly and, if Raziel hadn't known better, there seemed to be a subtle note of something like trepidation in his Sire's tone. "This is one of the safest places to wait and see if Katrina will choose to return."
"'Choose to return'?" Raziel repeated with a blink and a questioning lilt to his voice. "You speak as if it is not a guarantee that she will come back."
"Because it is not a guarantee at all, My Raziel," Kain responded in a low tone. "I gave her the choice to remain if she wished. If she does choose to stay on her original world, I merely asked that she send through what research she has completed in regards to our situation. I would not bind her here if she wished to remain on the world of her birth."
Raziel started at his Sire's words and he looked at the Eldar male in surprise. He took in the other male's pensive expression and a flash of insight seared through him, harsh as the blow of a sword. Kain and Raziel had both battled hard over the long centuries and across time itself in their efforts to maintain their respective 'free will'. Oft times it had seemed as if Fate, Destiny and Time itself had turned against them. When one considered Moebius' machinations, one wouldn't be wrong to think so either. Raziel's wings twitched as a gust of wind buffeted the cliff and he crossed his arms. He sighed.
"You wanted her to have her freedom," he said to his Sire. "Free from the tangled mess put before us. Freedom that we do not have."
"Is that so wrong, my Raziel?" Kain asked, mistaking Raziel's tone for one of accusation. "Is it wrong to hope that at least one of those dear to me might fly free with wings unfettered?"
Raziel's wings curled in tighter against his back as he tensed. He forced himself to relax a moment later and let out another heavy sigh.
"It is not wrong, no," Raziel admitted. "Mayhaps... I am simply jealous that she was able to have such an option while I was not afforded the same accord."
Kain tilted his head as he glanced at Raziel out of the corner of his eye. He gave a regal, if stiff, nod of his head after a few tense seconds. He turned back to look out at the landscape before them. Raziel turned to look as well.
The pair fell into a pained kind of silence.
Neither of the males could say just how long they remained standing there. The sun was hidden away by the smog that was created by massive machines that hid the deadly rays of light that would harm the weakened vampire species. It made telling time somewhat difficult nowadays. As such, the sound of leather upon stone caught their attention and they spun around as one to look behind them.
*Katrina POV change!*
I stepped through the portal and let out a contented sound as Nosgoth's energy touched my mind. That wondrous sense of 'Welcome home' that was similar to Gaia's greeting centuries ago and yet... this 'welcome home' had a more permanent feel to it in comparison. I glanced about the room that I had appeared in carefully and relaxed at the familiar sight of a Blood-font. I smiled to myself and then noticed the Path Stone on a pedestal just behind me. I walked around the yet open portal and picked up the Stone. I ran my fingers over the odd, dual-colored artifact that had so drastically changed my life.
Had the stone not activated, my life would have been far different... or cut drastically short...
I ran my thumb over the Stone and chuckled to myself. I turned back to the open portal and gently tossed the stone through. The portal closed with an almost fond-seeming finality. I tilted my head and hummed softly. I had far more pleasant memories of Gaia now and I would always appreciate those that I had left behind. Those who had helped me. I touched a hand to the strap of the shoulder pack and smiled sadly as I remembered Joan's gift. At least I would know if anything happened to them.
I took a slow scent of the air. Beyond the blood of the font itself, I clearly caught Kain's scent and a second scent that carried an echo of his scent. Though I might not recall having met Raziel, his scent still tugged along the line of said buried memories. I smiled to myself.
I started down the lengthy tunnel that led outside and took in the other scents with a happy hum. The scents of the wild air and the distinct lack of car exhaust was a relief to my senses, though I could scent a heavy kind of smog in the air that smelled like there was a forge constantly being worked. I frowned to myself. Whatever massive construct that had been built to blot out the harsh rays of the sun would need to be disabled swiftly if and when we succeeded in defeating the damned squid. I paused briefly as I rounded a bend in the tunnel and the light of the overcast sky hit my face. The light, while dim, was still bright enough that my eyes needed a second to adjust to the difference.
A fond smile curled my lips upwards at the sight before me. Kain and Raziel stood side by side staring silently out at the vista before them. I took a few more steps towards them and then stopped.
Best not to startle them even if they are waiting for me, I thought to myself.
I shifted to lean against the wall and allowed my leather duster to brush against the stone in order to generate noise. Both males turned abruptly toward me and my smile widened a little as I noticed the brief flicker of emotion that crossed their faces.
"You two make quite the imposing sight," I said in a teasing tone as I pushed away from the wall and started toward them once more.
Raziel let out a bemused huff of breath at my words. His wings twitched as he watched me, eyes curious yes, but his wings revealed a different emotion; nervousness. I offered him a reassuring smile and he nodded his head faintly in greeting. I turned to look at Kain a moment later.
"How long has it been for you my own?" he rumbled, his expression serious.
"Mn," I chuckled faintly. I was not surprised that his first question was about whether or not I had obeyed his long-ago issued order. "A little over five-hundred years. Enough to have gone through a second torpor."
"You would be just over a thousand years now, yes?" Raziel asked.
Kain walked over to me and held out a taloned hand.
"A thousand and ninety if you want the exact age," I said in response with a shrug. I place my hand into Kain's and he started to examine my claws. I extended them to full length. "A babe compared to the pair of you, I know."
Soft snorts of amusement escaped both males. Kain scratched the tip of one talon over one of my claws in a testing movement. I watched him bemusedly. My claws still had a pearlescent sheen to them, but they now had silver tips. He slowly started to apply a testing pressure to one extended claw. I raised a brow at him. It was several moments before the pressure began to become overtly noticeable. I let out a faint hiss of displeasure, of not-quite pain. He released my hand a moment later and abruptly tugged at the sleeve of my duster. Another chuckle escaped me.
"So demanding," I said, even as I slipped off my duster and draped it across one arm.
Kain let out a soft huff of amusement at my words as he started to prod at the skin of my arm. I watched him bemusedly as he tapped a talon tip testingly against the now slightly harder flesh. The sub-dermal armor made it harder to harm me, but the armored scales under my skin remained small indeed compared to a Full-blooded vampire of the same age. I continued to watch him and raised a brow when he moved behind me and carefully started to prod at the area just around the pressure point of my wings. He stood in a way that did not make his actions obvious and also made sure that my front was facing Raziel so that the other male could not see. I tilted my head slightly, a silent question in my eyes.
This is your secret to share, mine own, he Whispered into my mind. ~No defensive armor developed here?
~No,~ I responded with a small shrug. ~Nor will any ever develop. Even Full-blooded Draconian's never develop a defense to protect the area. I've learned a little more about it though. Strange as it is, the area becomes a bit of an erogenous zone the older one gets. Gently touching the back becomes even more a sign of trust than before hand.~
~Truly?~ he hummed softly in my mind. ~An odd weakness indeed. Perhaps tied to mating habits from before the Draconian's became vampires?~
~Actually, as far as Altair and the other's who survived their original home-worlds destruction are concerned, Draconian's and the other Clans were always vampires,~ I said with a hum. ~The fact that we can expand our numbers via Turning others meant that human-like reproduction naturally became limited. There are no legends about the 'First vampires' for Draconian's as there were for the Ancients.~
~And with that world's destruction, any documentation would have been lost,~ Kain responded thoughtfully. Interesting.
~Indeed,~ I glanced at Raziel. His expression was yet blanked, but I could tell by the uneasy twitches of his wings that he was uncomfortable. He likely did not appreciate our silent communication. I let out a faint grumble of sound and took a step away from Kain.
"Enough with the prodding and poking," I said with a chuckle. "Tell me; what have the pair of you been up to?"
"Hn," Kain let out a bemused noise. He moved back around so that he was in front of me and glanced in Raziel's direction. "We were able to gain greater insight regarding the war between the Hylden and the Ancients."
"Both sides were deceived by the parasite's lies," Raziel said. "He wished to gorge himself not only on the souls of the fallen during their war, but he also tricked the Ancients into creating the Pillars in the first place."
Raziel went into a little more detail regarding their findings and I listened attentively. I let out a thoughtful sound. Kain and Raziel had both confirmed a few of my suspicions regarding the Pillars. It had never felt right that the Hylden were locked away so unless they were placed in the demon realm to keep them safe from the Parasite. To find out that there had indeed been a group of Hylden and Ancients, if not also humans, involved in trying to stop the Parasite in its' tracks was satisfying. Not everyone had fallen prey to its' machinations.
I fingered the crystal necklace about my neck as I listened to Raziel and almost started at the touch of Kain's talons as he combed them through my hair. I reached out in an almost tentative manner in order to lightly brush my claws over the back of his hand, though my gaze did not waver from Raziel's as he spoke. I nodded as he concluded and then tapped one claw lightly against the smokey-pink crystal as I thought. Raziel's eyes narrowed on the stone. He let out a bemused huff.
"I was under the impression that you did not like 'pink' My Lady," Raziel started in a careful tone. "Kain has recently mentioned a 'gift' from Vorador that met with a fiery fate."
"Mmm, shared that did you?" I chuckled as I looked at Kain.
He simply nodded his head and let out a thrum of noise. I realized that he was watching our interactions closely. I raised a brow and then looked back at Raziel.
"I do not care much for pink, that is true," I said in answer to his implied question.
"Was the necklace a gift then?" he asked.
"Of a sort," I responded and Kain's hand stilled in my hair. I gave his hand a light pat. "Though not a gift from a suitor, nor is it a gift for me. That is all I will say on the matter for the moment however."
"Secrets..." Raziel muttered with an almost growl.
I stiffened at the hidden accusation in his tone. I brushed Kain's hand aside and walked over to stand in front of Raziel. I carefully placed my hand on his shoulder and he stilled beneath my touch, eyes wary. His lips twitched, a contained urge to bare his fangs in a brief baring of white that would usually warn off a younger, lower-ranked vampire. Though I might be young yet, he still knew me as Kain's Queen and thus curbed the urge. It was an odd reaction, but understandable. I sighed and gave his shoulder a small squeeze.
"It is a gift Raziel," I said softly. "I cannot risk saying more than that, nor would I Whisper it at this time as I'd rather avoid any audible exclamations of shock. I will say that it is designed to help our cause, not hinder it."
"Something to help Nosgoth, of course," he said. There was a hint of almost unnoticeable bitterness in his tone.
"To help Nosgoth yes," I said as I tightened my grip on his arm. "But I came back with ways to help Kain as well and to help you."
"As if there is any way to help me," Raziel growled and he pulled away from my touch. "You speak kindly, My Lady, but I am doomed to return to Reaver form and then spend the rest of my existence either 'slumbering' in blade form or bound to my own arm! A Paradox!"
The last word was spat out as he summoned the wraith blade to hand. The odd glow of the blade filled the air with a strange, ethereal light. I let out another sigh at his reaction. Defensive. Understandable. I placed my hand over the back of his, just under where the wreath of energy began. The soul-blade disappeared before my hand made contact with his skin and I appreciated the automatic caution. I met Raziel's stormy gaze for a long moment and then turned to look at Kain.
"I do not believe that Raziel is the Paradox that you have both been lead to believe he is," I said in a firm tone.
"My own," Kain began in a low rumble, tone filled with mostly concealed frustration. "I have searched for a way to free Raziel from the blade for centuries. My one gamble failed, in part. Raziel is whole now, but doomed still to repeat the cycle I had hoped to free him from. There was no other option to find."
"Raziel is the Reaver and the Reaver is Raziel, I do not argue that," I held up a hand to forestall upset outbursts from either male when their expressions darkened. "I do not agree that there was only one, failed, route to find in order to try and free him. That the 'future' Raziel will remain trapped on this Raziel's arm as the cycle continues in a Paradoxical loop."
"If Kain could do nothing, then what do you think that you can do?" Raziel snapped. He took a slow breath when Kain's eyes flashed white and the silver-haired vampire turned his gaze on his First-born. Raziel spoke and a belated 'My Lady' escaped his lips.
I had to fight down a small smile.
"Because, if I am right Raziel, then there was nothing that Kain could do to change your fate. Only you will be able to act. Only you can test my hypothesis and see if it is actually workable theory," I said in a yet firm tone. Both males tilted their heads in curiosity. "You can still traverse to the Spectral Realm even now, yes?"
"Yes," Raziel responded in a wary tone.
"Good," I turned away from them both and walked toward the edge of the ledge. I extended my wings, now silvered halfway up each feather, and glanced over my shoulder at the pair. "We are going to need three bodies, three 'openings' for Raziel to return through, and then an area clear of any obstacles both in the Physical and Spectral Realms."
"What have you reasoned out Dear Katrina?" Kain asked as he approached me. "Did they finish our story on your Gaia?"
"They did not," I responded with a small shake of my head. "And I know nothing for certain save that every discussion with my Brother Cuthbert, who has spent his vampiric existence studying the soul and how it moves on, how it can be bound, destroyed or healed, pointed to the fact that there was a piece missing to the puzzle. When I told Cu of his ability to traverse between the Physical and the Spectral, we eventually worked out a potential hope for an answer."
"So you cannot guarantee that this idea of yours will see fruition," Raziel said, his voice and expression devoid of emotion.
"I cannot," I turned to face them once more. "But we cannot know unless and until we make the attempt."
Raziel's jaw worked with contained anger, teeth clenching and then un-clenching as he contained his emotions. Kain's own face remained carefully devoid of emotion, but being this close to my Mate-Marked King, Emperor now, I could feel the wild emotion that churned through his Aura as he kept said power contained. His eyes slid shut moments later and a heavy sigh escaped him.
"Thrice now I have tasted it upon my tongue," he muttered. Raziel and I both looked at him with raised brows.
"My Lord?" Raziel queried, equal parts stiff and concerned, though he made no move to approach either of us.
"Kain?" I asked, when he made no immediate move to answer Raziel.
I moved closer to Kain and ignored the brief, wide-eyed look that Raziel flashed my way. I touched Kain's arm and he opened his eyes. He met my gaze and I noticed that his own blue-gold eyes were stormy with a dozen emotions even though his face remained blank. Emotions that matched the wild and yet subdued fluctuations in his Aura.
"The first time was when I saw, and wounded, the Parasite," Kain continued in that yet soft tone. He reached up and idly brushed a knuckle over my cheek. "The second was when Raziel suddenly returned to his vampiric form. Now this... this bitter-sweet taste of Hope that you have brought back with you."
"I..." his talon moved to cover my lips and silence me.
"I know that you have not gone over much in the way of the details of your plan. You will explain it as we go, I know," he murmured. "But that you have worked hard to return with even a slim chance of success is more than I had thought possible. When my efforts did nothing but prolong Raziel's perceived fate... but no. Enough ruminating. Show us what it is that you and your Brother came up with, my Dear Katrina. Let us see if it can be made into working theory. Yes?"
"Of course," I responded with a nod of my head. I moved back toward the ledge.
"Three bodies?" Raziel asked in a tone that was almost dazed and practically screamed 'Are we doing this? We're doing this? Seriously? WTF?'. I had to fight down a smile at the thought of him actually saying anything remotely similar, but still.
"At the least," I said in answer. "We will need you to first make sure that the area we choose is as clear of threats and blockades on the Spectral side of things as it is on the Physical."
Raziel took a rough breath and then nodded. "Very well."
He moved to the edge of the ledge and then jumped off. He let the wind catch his wings and I nodded to myself. I followed after him and Kain's bat form filled the air next to us. The old-familiar sounds of his cloud rang through my ears like a pleasant melody. It felt good, beyond good, to fly Nosgoth's skies once more. We winged our way north in search of either fresh prey, recent kills or perhaps an unlucky traveler or two being waylaid by bandits.
We lucked out on the latter. A group of fifteen bandits had holed themselves up in a small, and still somewhat fertile, copse of trees next to the side of a cliff. The cliff itself gave them added protection against the elements and limited the number of ways any attackers could attack. It also limited avenues of escape. Raziel and I landed silently about a half-mile away from the camp and Kain reformed next to us a moment later.
"So," Raziel started and he rolled his shoulders, wings stretching wide briefly at the action. "We shall pick off at least three of them. Easy enough."
There was an odd little note to his tone however and even Kain's cool gaze had darkened somewhat. I chuckled as I recognized the signs of hunger and drew their combined attention in the process.
"If you are both hungry, then do not hold back on my account," I said with a teasing smile. I glanced back toward where the bandits camp lay hidden. "I'm feeling a might bit... peckish... myself."
Kain chuckled at my tone.
"How long has it been since you have been able to hunt properly mine own?" he asked.
"Outside the handful of wars that happened?" I let out a pained sigh. "Too long."
"Truly My Lady?" Raziel asked, surprise laced his tone.
"Gaia... is a tamed hunting hound, Mars a pup and Nosgoth the wild wolf," I responded in a dry tone. I hoped I was getting my point across. "One cannot simply go about killing those guilty of a crime on Gaia unless it is in defense of one's self or another... what do you think happens Raziel?"
"I... see," Raziel shook his head. "How... how does Gaia deal with the more extreme criminals; murderers or worse?"
"Humanely if the situation falls under human law," I responded, voice both bland and sarcastic. "Vampiric punishments have started to lean toward that as well and do not get me started on the 'paperwork' that has to be filled out after a righteous kill such as when a vampire or half-blood catches the scent of someone guilty of a particular crime."
Kain let out a derisive snort from where he stood next to me. "They yet persist in such foolishness?"
"Hn," I responded with a sigh. "There is a little more leeway given that vampiric society has integrated so with human society on Gaia but still... it can be frustrating in certain situations. At any rate, shall we proceed?"
I indicated the direction that the bandit camp lay in and both males nodded almost eagerly. I drew my wings back into my body and slipped my duster back on. There was some hidden armor around the shoulder-blade area to protect my weakness from a stray blow. Another reason that I love the thing.
Kain and Raziel immediately took point. I trailed after them, content to let them lead the way. Our movements were deathly silent and the only clue that the bandits might have with regards to our approach would have been the sudden silence of the few animals within the woods. Yet the bandits were noisy. Drunk from the sound of it and celebrating their recent success.
A shriek split the air. The high sounds of a child in pain. Male. Perhaps no more than ten summers, possibly a little older. I froze and bared my fangs as I saw red. I glanced over in Kain's direction, a frown upon my lips, and he nodded his head barely a second later in acknowledgement to the slight change in plans.
He knew well what could send me into a rage...
The pair of us disappeared so suddenly from sight that it Raziel breathed out a soft curse. He seemed to melt into the shadows a moment later, though I could still see the faintest outline of his form when he moved. I put his surprise from my mind and darted forward swiftly and silently. The group of bandits was spaced out liberally around the clearing, but one bandit in particular stood out and attracted my immediate ire. A male who was stripping down a young boy. The body of a woman lay to the side, recently dead and also stripped down. I bared my fangs again in outrage.
I kept calm though as Kain moved toward where a number of the bandits had grouped together and I moved behind the male who was man-handling the lad. I waited for Kain to appear amidst the group of reveling bandits, his appearance causing enough of a distraction that it drew my own prey's attention from the boy long enough for me to lunge forward. My claws lashed out, razor sharp, to slit his throat. I grabbed the boy and yanked him back and out of the way of the growing battle, enveloping the boy in my Gift in the process. Kain's dark laughter filled the air when the bandits started screaming 'demon', 'monster' and other insults and I rolled my eyes at their ineffective movements. 'Battle' was proving to be an exaggeration given the inebriated state of the bandits, especially when Raziel joined in...
As the screams of pain, disbelief and a smattering of drunken war cries filled the air, I found a make shift cage built into a small fissure along the cliff wall. I dismissed my Gift and tore open the weak cage door. I carefully tucked the traumatized boy into the arms of the frantic arms of those within and closed the door behind him.
"Stay quiet, stay down and stay still," I ordered in a firm tone to those within. The boys relatives by the scent of them. "I will keep you as safe as I can but I cannot do so if you try to run."
One of the bandits broke from the group trying to fight Kain and Raziel. As if proving my point, the fool made a beeline for me. I moved forward and ducked his initial, wild blow. I lashed out with the claws of one hand and drew Kindness from its' sheath with my other. My claws, sharper than any human blade, cut through his leather armor like warmed butter. The male dropped his weapon to try to hold in his entrails in and I back-handed him into another bandit that was trying to attack Kain from behind. Kain spared a glance in my direction and easily caught one of the groups flail in his hand without even looking in the male's direction. He smirked at me briefly and then turned to look at the male in question. The human dropped the haft of his flail and tried to run for it, only to be cut down by Raziel who had taken up point to prevent such escape attempts.
With Raziel taking down the bandits that tried to flee, myself watching over their former prisoners and Kain easily handling the bulk of the lot, the 'battle' ended swiftly indeed. I raised a brow and then glanced over my shoulder when one of the older looking males behind me let out a sudden curse.
"Oh Merciful Mother protect us," he breathed as the youngest of the group let out started squawks. "It's the Demon Emperor!"
The small group of humans had been positioned as such that Kain had been out of sight up until he started to approach our position. He let out a dark chuckle of amusement at their unease and I rolled my eyes. I shared a bemused look with him before I turned around in full. I crouched in front of the now terrified youngsters as Raziel moved to Kain's side.
"We did not come here to harm you child," I said in a calm and soothing tone.
"S-s-stay b-back!" The older boy stuttered as he tried to push the younger two behind his slightly larger frame. Brave boy.
I frowned as I looked over the ragged bunch and then lit in on an idea. Given his earlier reaction, it might help calm the lot down. I re-extended my wings and used the large limbs to block their view of the two gore-covered males behind me. All three children let out shocked gasps and the eldest let out incoherent stutters for a few seconds before he abruptly fainted. The younger two caught him, barely, and I raised a brow at his reaction. Blind bravery could only take one so far after all. I looked at the younger two.
"Do you two know how to get home?" I asked softly. It took the two a few moments but eventually the young boy and girl both nodded their heads. "Good. Wait for him to wake, then take what weapons and supplies that you can. Head home to your families and travel safely."
They nodded rapidly and I stood. I furled my wings about myself and glanced about the ruined camp. I grabbed two of the most intact bodies and then walked toward Kain and Raziel. I raised a brow at Raziel's blank expression.
"What are you thinking?" I asked my usual blunt manner. His lips quirked briefly.
"You are indeed protective of the little ones," he stated in a mild tone.
"I am," I responded with a nod and a shrug of one shoulder. "To an extent at least. I'll not coddle a child of Nosgoth as I might the far gentler youths of Gaia. The dangers here are more physical than mental and a human's life-span is shorter here. They need to grow up faster here. They cannot afford otherwise."
"Hmph, even with the methods that you long ago introduced," Raziel started as he picked up a third body, "a human's life-span is only half a century. Perhaps sixty at the most and that is only if one lives in the Citadel. Are things truly that different for the humans of Gaia?"
Kain and I shared a bemused look. I turned back to Raziel with a small smile.
"A hundred and fifty was the averaged life-span for a human by the time I left," I said to him.
"That... is surprising," Raziel murmured in shock. His gaze suddenly locked on something behind me and he frowned faintly.
I looked back and saw that the eldest boy had woken up and that the three youngsters had slipped out of their hiding spot. Rather than begin to gather supplies, they had frozen in place and were staring at me. My eyes narrowed on the lot and the eldest gulped audibly. He bowed his head respectfully and even went so far as to force the other two to bow their heads as well. I blinked at that and then let out a bemused chuckle as I glanced Kain's way.
"I did tell you that the humans came to deify you mine own," Kain rumbled in a soft enough tone that it would not carry to the youngsters.
"I do recall that portion of our conversation," I said in an equally soft tone and my eyes narrowed on him in a pointed look.
"Mn," Kain's eyes narrowed and he tilted his head. "Shall I unlock those memories now?"
"Later and in full," I responded with a small huff as I hefted the two bodies that I was holding. "For now, let us test my idea, yes?"
"Practical of you," he said with a nod. "Let us be off. The children will be well enough after they gather supplies."
"Shall I take one of those off of you My Lady?" Raziel said with a nod toward the bodies that I held.
I shot an amused look his way and shook my head.
"No," I said. "Thank you, but I can fly even with the weight of two bodies hindering my movements. You, however, cannot."
"Excuse me?" Raziel rumbled, the faintest hint of a warning growl in his tone.
"You fly in a manner similar to what my own flight patterns were like before Janos started to teach me," I responded in a gentle but firm tone. "You are forcing your way through the sky as if trying to beat it into submission. That is not the way. You have to work with the air currents and use them to assist your flight."
I remained still, stance firm and unyielding as Raziel's jaw clenched with sudden frustration. I was reminded once more of the times over the years that I had been made to deal with Eldar's who were either under my command or of a lesser rank than myself. They never took criticism well, not from those younger than they were. Raziel was my Eldar. I would always be younger than him. He seemed to be better able to hold his temper in check than those Eldar's from Gaia. He'd not exploded into shouting at any rate... I nodded my head toward Kain.
"You've noticed, I'm sure, how Kain's Cloud of bats oft seems to wheel in the air following some unseen pattern or perhaps seemingly showing off?" I asked him.
Kain let out a huff of breath, either amused or slightly offended by the 'showing off' comment. Perhaps both. It was Kain after all. I heard the youngsters start to mill about behind us with a little more confidence and continued to ignore them. I needed to keep my senses on Raziel in case he decided to 'test' me. Unlikely with Kain so close, but still possible.
"I... have noticed such activities," Raziel acknowledged grudgingly.
"That is because he is sensing and following the path of least resistance when it comes to the air currents," I continued with a fang-less grin. "You've not really learned how to do that as yet, so flying with two bodies will impede your flight far more than I. Even the one is likely to give you some problems in flight..."
"I will manage just fine My Lady," Raziel responded in a stiff tone.
I had to fight down a smile as I spoke.
"Of course," I said.
Kain let out a huff of laughter a moment later as if the almost-confrontation between the two of us was amusing.
"Let us be off," he purred as he looked us both over. "Shall we land at the plateau two miles back?"
"That would be the best area to attempt to carry out Lady Katrina's plan," Raziel responded, tone yet stiff. "Most areas that are so open in the Living Realm prove to be the same in the Spectral."
"Let's go then," I said with a smile.
I crouched and then leapt straight into the air, my cargo tucked under each arm. The children below let out startled sounds as each of us took flight in our respective ways and dropped what they had already collected. The mirth I felt was short lived as I caught a thermal in order to gain more height. A lot was riding on this hypothesis of mine. Raziel followed along near me and it took me a moment to realize that he was studying my movements intently whilst also seemingly ignoring me. I chuckled and subtly shifted out of the current as I adjusted the weight of the human. As I glided back into the current he shifted his own movements to slip into the same current of air. He wobbled a bit, used to forcing his way through the skies, but he was definitely a swift learner.
Minutes later Kain's Cloud circled the both of us. The bats chattered away almost excitedly as they broke away and started toward the plateau that we had passed earlier. I angled my wings and followed after him, Raziel trailing behind a few moment later. I almost laughed when I noticed that Kain had allowed his Cloud to spread out in such a way ahead of us that the air currents were easy to find based on which bats were trailing behind the others. He sensed my amusement across our shared Marks and his own good humor came through, though it was laced with understandable trepidation.
We landed on the plateau and I tossed one body to the ground with a hum as I judged the width and breadth of the plateau. I nodded and then walked roughly twenty paces from the corpse and then dropped the second one. Raziel landed a little roughly between the two corpses and I waved at him to drop the body he was carrying. He shrugged and let it fall to the ground. His wings were practically vibrating with tension...
Kain reformed behind me and placed his taloned hands upon my shoulders.
"Now what?" Raziel asked, voice almost snappish.
"Now you go into the Spectral Realm and confirm that there is no obstruction between that body and this one," I pointed first to the far body and then to the one closest to myself and Kain. "From there, use the corpse that you dropped to come back to this side. We will proceed step by step from that point as one of us may need to return to obtain another corpse if the way is not clear."
"Can you not simply..."
"Do as she says Raziel," Kain rumbled softly. "Be patient."
"Very well," the dark-haired male growled as he turned away.
I closed my eyes briefly and let out a slow breath.
I could only hope that this would work... it had to work...
cliffy! I know! don' kill me!
Loves to you all!
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Realms Converge