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As The Petals Fall

The second phase of the sun, Kortu much to the south of Kian.

A sombre rabbit with velvety black fur clad in white and grey robes with a tightly bound black and white mask walks up a mind numbingly high flight of stairs, wincing as the various males growl and whistle at her from the banisters. A large oak door opens at the summit flanked by two long red billowing curtains, a figure steps out a thick black smog at his feet and beckons her deeper he then speeds off back into the large structure leaving a thin cloud of black mist in his wake.

A crack of a whip and a scream utters out of many of the doors as the rabbit walks slowly down a long corridor every so often seeing a female hand at one of the ajar doors being pulled back by an unseen grunt, she takes flight running swiftly down the passage doors whipping by her as her feet trace the ground and then speed her down another long corridor then another till she reaches the tall arches of what used to be a garden in the middle of a grand palace overlooked by a starry sky. The sky had not changed, the garden and the palace much so, a pile of spurting rubble stands in place of the great fountain, pillars once so tall and handsome now dust and rocks on the beaten cracked stones on the littered ground.

"so nice of you to come so quickly Cissina... I trust you had no unforeseen hindrances..." a tall figure stepped out of the shadows, a gaunt pale face shone out of the darkness at the rabbit each word sending shivers down her spine.

"I... I only wish to serve you m-master..."

she kneels and places a paw on his heavily armoured foot. The figure whirls a long black cloak and stamps menacingly out at her sending her hand reeling back to her grey robes.

"your still having trouble saying that..."

came his light airy voice from directly above her as she forced her self down on the ground before him.

"N-no sir! I call you master from my own heart..."

she gasped as her mask dripped a tiny blob of sweat from one of its deformed eyeholes. He laughed and grabbed her by the back of the neck watching her kick in the air a few times her claws raked his elaborate armour with a slight tinge then he spat at her, his voice becoming deep as his shoulders widened and his two long horns swirled to meet each other in the centre of his face.

"I want to know... WHY, have you not taken the monastery north of here? I said take it ALL and not to leave anything..."

He tightens his grip on her neck and puts his eyes next to hers; they shine with a cold light making the rabbit's eyes close tightly and her breath to become shallow.

"We... We were weakened by taking the pa..."

her neck snaps she falls as he legs go of her fur and kneels beside her whispering,

"Are you here to tell me..."

his eyes trail down to her rear, her robes crooked revealing her thighs.

"That you are to weak to take out some mindless monks..."

she winces as he pulls back her long trailing robes, her neck cracking wildly as she does.

"Nah... n-no... w-we cannot m-maAA!"

she screamed as a gloved finger pressures her sex edging in to its slippery walls.

"Don't stop explaining..."

he murmurs as he slips his whole finger in sending a ripple through the rabbit. A tear drips down her mask mingling with sweat as she breathes out.

"Oooo... O-our Fffff-forces have seen... Oh, a cat and AHHHH! A... wolf... walking to, O-Our wallsssss..."

She cringes as he pulls his finger out and wipes it on her fur. The figure walked to the pile of rubble and slammed a hand on his chest, sending the gold chain that hung his cloak on his shoulders into a shower of tinkling metal shards, the cloak slipped off of him and he stood there his metal plates gleaming in a dense moonlight that flowed down from the non-existent ceiling.

"Get up you pathetic woman... now tell me how is this cat and this wolf any hindrance to us?"

The female rabbit stands up and cracks her neck back into place, then walks to the door were she calmly says.

"She is the one you ordered captured he is the one the tentacle beast reported to us... She escaped and she is walking straight to us... she will be locked in the tower with the fate scriber..."

She turns to the door; a black mist surrounds the frame and weaves an intricate spider's web of darkness around the broken and unhinged archway. The massive form of the heavily armoured male heaved both his arms at the rabbit an unseen force shimmers to her and slams her along with three pillars into the stone door.

"I have never heard such insolence! I, the first to walk this earth spoken to like a commoner! Why won't anyone see my divinity! Get up and get out! I want the Kitten! Slay the wolf or lock him up I don't care! Get... out... of... my... sight..."

she runs limping out of the door blood dripping from her side.

North of Kortu, ice wastelands

Giad coughed as he climbed over the frosted rocks to a high peak over looking a wide valley, Siraki at his heels jumping nimbly to each stone and the looking at him.

"w-we... should reach it a minute... its directly below us, over this c-cliff..."

his hand slipped on a rock making a slight scratch in his white fur covered skin.

"I hope you are right... I really want to see it..."

Siraki leaped to another large stone, her slender feline body twisting and graceful as she jumped, her white robes causing her little hindrance.

The cliff sweeps back revealing a massive structure, turrets and wooden scaffolds rushed down it to pools of murky water surrounded by devastated stones and fallen crenulations that litter the moat and created a sense of a massive force had been lobbed at it.

Giad looked on, his mouth wide in horror at the once grand temple now reduced to a rickety pile of granite and marble.

"what evil is this? Kortu stands in ruins! Were are all the others? only if Once himself came here could Kortu fa..."

he stopped as few stones fell behind him and a soft chinking of metal overpowered the quiet wind.

"So... you're here at last..."

said a tall female black rabbit.

"I suppose you don't like our handy work? No matter, take the cat... kill the wolf..."

she walked away her black robes flowing behind her, and as soon as her back was turned three dark hands came out of the air and hit Giad's chest knocking him over the cliff with a loud roar which was silenced when Siraki screamed.

"GIAD! No... Ah! Get off me!"

The three black arms griped Siraki's robes and pulled her down the cliff, she caught a glimpse of a white furred hand on one of the many platues, and she could have sworn it twitched under the snow and rocks covering it. She continued to scream all the way down to the bottom then it stopped suddenly darkness poured over her eyes when one of the three clawed fists hit her on the back of the neck.

Kortu, guest quarters

Siraki awoke to a dimly lit room and the slight scratching of a quill, her fur was covered in dust and ravaged by being pulled up many passages, the back of her neck hurt badly as she sat up wincing at the pain all over her.

"Hello sleepy one..."

Came a far off drifting voice from her left.

"What... Where am I?"

Siraki asked in a weary tone. The shadowy figure extended a long peacock quill to her.

"Siraki I presume? Well... you're here because Once wants you... I offered to share my quarters because I knew what would happen if you were to be anywhere else."

Her light airy voice trails away as she continues to write on the long roll of parchment incessantly scratching the runic letters.

"O-once... the demon Giad spoke of?"

Siraki couldn't shake the intense feeling that she knew this person, her voice seemed so female yet there was no soul in it and there was something oppressive about the whole room they were in.

"demon... Giad... don't ever speak those words in here again, now I know i don't have a chance in hell of getting out of here alive but I can only do my best to help you... Siraki, I hope you appreciate just what you in right now. Whatever Once says do it, do it fast and without question or he will kill you..."

she settled back in a large chair her quill shaded in darkness against the deep purple of the window behind her. Siraki clutched at the loose bed sheets that she had been sleeping on, her eyes widened she saw Giad fall of the cliff in her mind his roar silenced by her own call.

"B-but... what would he want with me I have nothing of value to. him."

A soft chuckle came from the shadows and then two bright eyes shone out each like the iris like markings on the quill a thousand purples and blues encapsulated in a single orb.

"I think its time you knew who you were Siraki..."

The eyes gracefully narrowed and then looked towards a plain wooden door lit on each side by a dim torch bracket.

"I have some clothes for you as I knew none of those idiotic guards would have known better than to drag you up all those steps..."

Siraki walked slowly to the door watching the eyes as they dipped down to the parchment her runes flowing onto the page with inconsolable speed. As Siraki stepped into the small room she felt a surge of fear rush through her, she remembered Giad and how he spoke so well of this place. It seemed inconceivable that It could have been taken over like this.

The room was brightly lit with many candles around a bath that slowly wafted with a sweet fragrance; Siraki walked cautiously forward over the white marble and glanced at the long broad blue drapes of the robes hanging neatly on the ornate golden clothes rack. It seemed too easy it was so blatantly a trap and for some reason she did not recognize the landscape outside the magnificently carved arch window was it even Kortu and how long had she been knocked out for, these questions rang through her mind as she took hold of one of the long strands and strapped it round her arm and then her waist, they felt surprisingly warm considering they covered a mere slither of her breasts and a slight breeze would reveal the deep red panties she found hanging next to the lengths of crimson tapers.

Main corridor: Kortu

The final words of Once echoed in her ears as the black rabbit ran down the all to familiar corridors of female screams and other horrific sounds emanating from the walls and doors, whip cracks, a rattle of chains and roars of pain with whimpering finishes. The two shattered pillars rose up in front of her as her pace slowed to a walk at the former garden that Once dwelled in. the unhinged door fell before her as she stepped over the cracked threshold, crumbling debris and decrepit plant life strewn like a hurricane had been concentrated on it. A harsh wind blew about the place fluttering the long red drapes and entwining within the rabbits mask, she gazed around and saw nothing he must have been somewhere else stalking the grounds for some unwary woman who slipped out of the castle. She turned and saw a slight glimmer in the darkness, a slight shifting of stone and a few faded footsteps echoed around her and she stepped into the doorframe her mask obstructing her struggling breath.

"Y-you can't, I am not one of your toys! Go to your room you will be supplied with a girl shortly..."

she looked up at the walls and stepped further into the darkness with pricked ears and bated breath begging whoever it was to answer. A paving stone quivered and she looked down at it, then another and then finally a brick fell out of the wall and two cold eyes stared out at her a harsh voice uttered

"Come! We need to talk..."

a paving stone jumped out of its place and revealed a dark hole with a ladder which wobbled as a figure slid down it unseen, yet familiar to the rabbit she followed cautiously and was met with a claw placed around her neck that drew her into the shadows.

Cissina trod carefully the grip tensing on her neck as she was led through the darkness to a small pinprick of orange flickering light that drew closer with each crunching footstep and cobweb that caressed differing parts of her body, suddenly they turned, her head hit the wall a sharp snap emanated from the mask that was bound to the back of her head. A clawed hand painfully snapped each binding until the hideous garment fell to the floor with a sharp thud. Then she was spun round and felt hot breath on her neck and then heard a deep sniff although distinctly male he had quite small hands a frame the at least felt slightly sinewy like a strong man gone to seed in starvation or some other unhealthy lifestyle, then a scent hit her and not just any other scent this was a former student of Kortu like herself. The sniffing continued till the male seemed to be satisfied he grunted then steered her towards the orange light once more this time holding her neck and arm. A harsh whisper flittered through the air of the deep dark tunnel they were in, it said

"leave her to make her way to me from there... you may continue paroling the palace."

The voice died away into a horse whisper She knew it only two well... that voice that had been so kind to her all those years she was in Kortu learning the arts she thought her master lost when Once stormed the palace. She was dropped and a swift running of padded feet sped off in front of her momentarily illuminating a red and black fox that disappeared into the blackness beyond the light. She walked forward tears welling up in her eyes as she listened to her masters familiar heavy croaky breathing. When she reached the door she took in the few roots that were encrusting the ceiling of earth and rock, the stone floor on which chalk markings hallowed over and intertwined with each other creating various mystical symbols and flickering patterns that there worn by the constant tread of feet that lead up to the crude fireplace, a mere hollow in the wall with a few burning twigs and a long pipe leading up to the surface. The rabbit bowed and then stepped inside to receive a venomous glance from a short lion aged and ragged his thick mane bearing a streak of golden fur and his piercing black eyes staring into Cissina's own tear veiled green ones.

Guest quarters: Kortu

Siraki slung into the room her body covered by her blue with gold trimmed robes, she surveyed the shaded figure and then asked in the most controlled voice she could muster.

"What am I here for? W-why does Once want me... i-im just an outcast..."

the peacock pupils looked up as her, a slight grimace crossing the shaded flesh beneath them.

"You're a female... and your special, you should be thanking Shorg for your fate... and not being fed to his army."

Her eyes return to the parchment as her quill scratches it. Siraki's face became fearful, a few tears rippling her fur as she sniffed into her hands and sat on the bed.

"but since I left Kien all that has happened to me are these things! I, I just want... I cant,"

she whimpers into her claws. The long shimmering peacock quill outstretches to her as the female behind the shadows speaks.

"Know this... one way or another, when you leave this room your pain will end, one way or another you as you are shall die tonight and you will be his, yet..."

her voice dims to a hardly audible whisper.

"I won't let you let you be without hope..."

she throws her a small golden amulet, with strange runes not unlike the ones that constantly flowed from the quill.

"What? I'm going to die?"

She looks at the amulet as it falls into her lap hand picks it up sand dripping from the runes as her fur touched it

"What's this?"

The mysterious woman sighed and then ran a finger down the stem of her quill flittering it about as she spoke firmly yet in her echoing voice to Siraki, who's ears pricked up revealing her soft light red fur running along the inside of her ear.

"A tool... used to bend time... it will help you but I only lend this two you... for it is one of the six the empress controls..."

Her tones fade as she watched the door. sleekly resting the quill on her on the parchment as if waiting for something the woman twitched within her solemn eyes .

"The Empre-"

Siraki started then the quill twitched, the runic letters glowing purple for a second when at that moment the door slams open and in steps a masked figure, tall and thin black flecked with red armour and torn cloth hanging from its thin arms and legs which appeared to be a mere twister of dark smoke with a thin veil of black smog at its feet.

"She's ready now? Yes?"

the vile thing hissed looking from the females shadow to the catgirl in a flash of its demonic yellow eyes. Siraki stared wide eyed at the tall sinewy creature with knives flowing all along his black belt as it sent a chill through her. The woman rose a hand to the beast, it was knocked back hissing wildly by the door that was sent careering into its face by the mystical force that was flung to him, then she turned to Siraki's startled form and said to her calmingly.

"Go and put some of my jewellery on... its in the wardrobe, make sure You take the Pendant..."

Siraki looked to her and then scrambled into the other room and snatched up that chains and earrings that littered the wardrobes floor and clipped them carefully of herself while looking hopelessly to the mirror as the creature pounded on the door screaming.

"Alright! Master doesn't care! We will take her now! Open this door Scriber!"

his hissing voice died away as the cat girl snaps the clasp on the necklace to which she hangs the amulet, tears flooding down her face she runs to the woman, a long slender arm pokes the amulet out of sight between her breasts and her voice wavers trying to calm her down.

"Now, now... no tears... it will be over soon don't worry and remember what I said, exactly what he says and speak when spoken to... be strong, if he wants you this much he wont hurt you..."

the door bursts open and in an instant Siraki's hand was grabbed and pulled out into a well lit corridor, the figure sped along dragging her behind him until they reached an ornate door, gold wrought into it in mesmerising intricacy and the gold reflections hallowing on the walls.

"Go in..."

The creature rumbled into Siraki's ear and then sped off down the corridor, black mist trailing in its wake. Siraki laid a hand in the door and wiped the tears from her face, unsure about anything anymore; she pushed and entered breathing hard then gasped at what was laid before her. The room was massive, a long table Laden with Candles running down its sides and exquisite flower arrangements splaying down the tables side and touching the lush red carpet that was strewn with rose petals, a cup of wine was raised by a young female gazelle with a golden mask that trailed its long tassels down her neck welcomed Siraki with a smile and bowed her head her dark eyes closing. Siraki jumped, her attention had been diverted by the beauty of the room itself. Her hand moved of its own accord and slipped the wine from the females paw and into hers, she diddent quite know why but she felt strangely calm, this was the first place she had ever seen anything close to luxury in her life. The door at the far end of the room opened and the gazelle cowered on the deep red cushion she was on then quickly scurried away, a large figure walked in, his ornate armour glinting in the torch light as he walked towards her, his black ridged and razor sharp horns swirled to meet each other in the centre of his gaunt, pale demonic face.

"Welcome to Kortu Goddess... I trust you enjoyed your rest?"

his hearty voice boomed over the table as he swung a chair out and raised an upturned hand to the soft cushion saying slowly

"Please... sit my pretty one."

Siraki hesitantly stepped to the table a sudden chill seeping through her as she walked to him all calm now gone and replaced by a deep seated fear.

"S-sir I... I,"

Once held up a hand to silence her.

"Now, now... Please sit first... its impolite to talk with all these candles in the way now is it not?"

he lazily took one of the gilded heavy looking candelabras in one hand and moved it across the table, an unnatural flicker crossed them and the six candles upon it all burned out suddenly, no wind no cold, just a shadow of their faded embers spinning their last few rays of light onto the thick darkness of the black metal of his gauntlet.

"Enjoying the wine my dear?"

He raised a hand and the goblet took Siraki's fingers to her chest, the rim of the gold just touching her lips as her eyes widened slightly.

"P-please sir I diddent want any."

her voice was so faint it was unreal, fear woven into the stuttering tones that sent ripples over the blood red surface of the wine.

"Oh now come, come now... you have had a hard time getting here and I have gone through so much trouble to make sure you got here safely. Unfortunately you gave me a lot of trouble at the depths but still you made it..."

his tone was so wrong for how he looked, he was friendly yet fear oozed everywhere when he moved his hand. There was just a split second and then Siraki gripped her chest, strange warmth raged within her, lashing its flames against her lungs making them contract and then melt into a deep relaxing breath. Her hand clenched on the table as her head bowed to the goblet in front of her then a familiar blue flicker crossed her eyes and the amulet nestled in a long drape of the blue robes grew heated, though not seen by her she became very aware of it almost fearful of it. Once smiled and took the goblet away, the circle of red around its base still upon the table. He chuckled and then set it down beside him where he then proceeded to speak in a low tone his voice rumbling and all trace of friendliness gone with Siraki's apparent illness.

"Well... now that I have your full attention... I'll show you why you're here..."

Siraki's ears pricked up as her chest settled and a familiar binding sensation upon her wrists as though they were clapped in heated metal and her breath burned in her throat. Once turned his lips now thinner than the serrated edge of his horns, he spoke curtly to the goblet where he watched Siraki through the golden depths.

"As you may have guessed I am no not one of your kind, and once I heard of such a rarity... a child of Ora, neither white nor grey but crimson as you are... and feline yet bore of two wolves, I simply had to find you. And when I saw all those terrible things they were doing I needed to save you, Do you not see?"

The catgirl opened her eyes wide, a few blue flames flickering out and dieing before her as her hand tensed then relaxed on the table's edge.

"Siraki... I do not appreciate being ignored."

He breathed into the goblets surface misting the gold and then smiling as he saw the flames rage within her eyes, her stamped a boot upon the hard stone floor and turned his black cape whipping a candle out of its clawed holder and clattering with a loud snap as the wax gave way and was thinly suspended by the wick.

The catgirl looked up, unflinching at the whirl of black heavy cloth that spun just out of reach of her face. Once slammed a hand on the table and watched as a few weak blue flames passed over Siraki's pupils then rasped out through his clenched jaws.

"So, you have returned Goddess? Are you she who I seek?"

Siraki narrowed her eyes at Once, the long eyelashes dripping down as she blinked slowly and remained in a look of utter boredom for a long while, her deep echoing voice sounded from afar accompanied by her lips after a time but an underlying layer of noise was heard, a quiet choir of young females whispering and singing under her voice that seemed to conjure images into the mind of writing and fire, blue crimson and white.

"You sought my audience... You stole my attention, why should I listen to one who disturbed my only peace..."

her voice died away along with the whispers. The long strands of her robes were disturbed by an unnatural wind and her head tilted in a lost confusion. Once stayed his ground, the overwhelming innocence of her voice washing over him and knocking a few centimetres off of his cold smile.

"So you are the goddess, it was always said you were immortal... yes you little plan was cunning but I found you at last..."

"Do not hinder me any more... I am tired of this sickening world, say your query and then leave..."

"I would have you as a bride goddess, that is why I hunted you. I have achieved godhood myself, over recent months I have laid hands upon all the northern lands. Aref, Tagea and Drin are all mine Sere-"

"Thy hath no right to speak my name... Thy hath no right to rip me from my rest and thy hath no claim to my reigns! And ye a god? A leader of men, king, lord... not ever a god..."

Siraki's eyes flared with cold blue, her breath was deep and every movement her hand made to sweep away his words send a ripple into the air. Once's face was a study anger, confusion and his demonic features were even paler than before he began speaking.

His hand curled around a candelabrum then thin tapered candles were diminished to death by the familiar darkness about the flames, he spoke quite suddenly no trace of nervousness and his trademark smirk returning with relish.

"My dear... Goddess, I fear you are mistaken... I was the first to walk this earth I was born a leader of men... and I rule over all of it now, I see no point in denying the one true leader of these lands your hand..."

Siraki's hand curled into a fist and the thin golden amulet nudged against her thumb, instantly her eyes widened and she delved a hand into the folds of deep sapphire and gripped the chain, her hand shuddering as she held the amulets gold inscriptions to her face.

"Damn Thee Ashia your corpse will not lay still..."

Siraki breathed at the amulet oblivious to Once's growing rage.

"you do realize my goddess that you are mine..."

she stopped and looked at him her eyes still flaring gently with the slight tilt of her head.

"I?"

she echoed in a wavering question. Once flared his nostrils and gripped his chalice in a obvious frustration.

"Madame is surely aware of where she is?"

he growled, his eye twitching slowly his demeanour no more charming than a spitting cobra. Her form twists up, she appears out of a sweeping fluid movement her crimson tresses floating along in her arms wake and her back to Once who was seething and much preferring Siraki's frozen with fear pose.

"Those doors are locked Goddess!"

he spat from the other side of the table. She glided to the door, without sound or causing a ripple in the carpet the heaviest thing about her was the way the long strands of the robes hung off her arms.

"I find that less of a barrier than most"

she whispered as the doors burst open and three thin figures clad in black armour and carrying rusted and beaten swords stalked in hissing with all their hearts at Siraki.

"only wounds that can be healed now... have fun"

said Once without the slightest trace of emotion as he watched the links of his gauntlet slowly flex with his fingers.

The guards roared and whirled their swords about the air, one foolishly advanced his sword held high and his mouth open fangs ablaze and footfalls unplanned. Siraki was swift with her movements, she returned the walk to face him her hips swaying in a slow rhythm as she brings her hand up to the guards masked face and pulled it to hers where she forced her head up and his to tilt his down, hardly a kiss but a beautiful death, the claws had ripped a deep cut along his neck and slit every major artery and vain in the sinewy mass. The guard fell limply his blood spilling out onto the lush red of the carpet with a mystical sigh that symbolized Siraki's hand gripping his hand and forcing the sword into her grasp. She stood there, an open window blowing her robes about her form so they seemed to spiral around her the sword though rusted glinted in the moonlight and the breeze disturbed the gentle flaring of her eyes, her expression was seductive to say the least every inch of its beauty could kill and as the guards saw it just had.

The remaining to guards stood firm obviously death was a good friend to them as the looked on at the corpse with unyielding eyes, they held their swords our in front of them horizontal and shaking slightly then began to advance to the stunning form in front of them.

Siraki flung her arm forward the long strand of floating material whipped though the air and clung to the guards face knocking the blade into the velvet clutches of the robes, Siraki pulled with a flourish of her hand on her robes the sword that was nestled in it was flung to the side and into other guards flesh, he fell back clutching his side and kept a tight grip on his blade while the other struggled for balance as he was pulled to Siraki. It was merciful at the least, Siraki threw the blade forward into the neck of the stumbling guard that was entangled in her robes, blood grew from the crimson of the robes and blossomed out, she withdrew her sword and brought it up as the guard fell she whipped the robes aside letting him fall with a crack of his neck onto the legs of his brother.

The guard desperately tried to kick his fallen comrade off him but was met with a sharp pain in his chest as Siraki's blade sunk into the flesh and flicked back, one bloodstained arm drape struggling to float like the other did. She swung her arm out and collected the other blade and held it in her left hand, it was slightly shorter than the other and the hilt was gnarled and sticky with sweat, the pommel look deformed a few pieces of glass jutted out in failed decoration as the glass had been dropped into cooling metal making it sink to deep to be visible. "Wiser men have foll-"she started then ran into the corridor and Once sent a shimmer of air to her with a clank of his thick armour. The doorway collapsed and strangled yells could be heard beyond the rubble but Siraki was far down the corridor her graceful run highlighting the golden fur that had slowly began to take over the space between her eyelid and eyebrow, she stopped and sniffed the air retracting as she smelled an awful stench of blood, sweat, and could it be... heat? There were many levels of it which could only mean a lot of females in heat and that was not right wherever she was. She took flight down narrow corridor quick lashes of her head to the left and right showed broken and dust ridden sign posts that pointed to a garden, garden meant open skies which lead to escape, and no one ever got out of a hostile prison through the front door.

She came to a halt outside two broken oak doors and a pile of rubble most likely due to an assault from Once, she leaped carefully over them and looked up to the sky, it was familiar and yet strange. It was too beautiful to show its face in the horrid surroundings. The flames in her eyes had stopped, all that was there was a swirling cloud of blue around each iris like a blue cloud whipping round a black sun. She looked at the creeping ivy; it was running up the walls of the palace yet was too far to climb, it lead onto brittle fences that had to many holes and were untrustworthy of her slight weight. Her presence would not go unnoticed for long but she felt she was not alone, she felt a males breath, loud and deep. She could feel his eyes on her, lustful, wanting. Her form twisted to a wall and sure enough there were many cracks in it all eyes behind it were masked in darkness, she walked up to it and listened to the breath stop and halt in the males lungs, she could smell fear, arousal and sense his lust. She slammed the swords on the wall and pushed her breasts up against it, her face enticing and her movements slow and sleek as she peered into the cracks looking for him. "Come... you are there aren't you?" but she felt his presence slip away, down perhaps, his scent left with him and then looked at the ground, for about ten seconds she searched then a shaking hand drew a paving stone out of its place, the ivy cut into an intricate pattern over it to merge with its surroundings then the form hastily climbed down a waiting ladder. She looked at the open passage, the thing was furred, she could feel the warmth through the rock, there was no evil or harm in that scent of his. She swept the hair that was coating her eyes away to behind her ears, her delicate claws moving to grasp the ladder then she sighed and took a firm hold on it, her head flung back and blue flames billowed from her eyes, the swords clattered gently as she fell gracefully to a stop, her head just hanging over the rim of the hole.

Asring'ul Plains 8th phase of the sun

With one gigantic sweep the sun was blocked momentarily by the heft of a large axe as it dared to meet a plate of armour that was hanging loosely from the chest of some foul creature who spewed black sand from its wounds. The creature fell, its eyes rolling into its head, the wheilder of the axe dropping to one knee with weakness, the tight swirling armour she bore stinking of sweat and blood. The two feminine hands gripped the axe by its wooden glarze and let the sun reflect off it in a red smear upon her face, the two swirls of metal and leather that held her breasts heaved in and out as she looked around at the bodies of countless monsters with heavy wounds. Around fourteen of her commerades were behind her all with the same ornate armour and with the same axe or a sword and shield. The female stood straight, her axe head not leaving the ground. "call off..." she breathed and instantly she heard "1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 15, 18" from the women behind her. The girl sighed and looked about, three glints of gold and rich brown could be seen off in the distance and one that lay not a few feet away seeping ordinary blood from fatal wounds.

"are we so few now..."

she whispered so only the women could hear her.

"shall they take us all... eight we lost today and three lay here!"

her axe slipped from her fingers and she trudged through the pile of black armour to the girls.

"I have urged us to fight on... I have lead you through war and sadder still and yet you still follow! What are your reasons? Do you know there is no way back so you follow with no other choice? Or are you the brave souls we all once were, and is that why you fight?"

The girls were silent, those with helmets bowed to the sun so their face was in shadow.

"you have no answer for Leyla?" She asked the shaded face of one warrior. "no qualm with me?"

she spoke to another.

"Tis a three day march to the Asring and I will give you a choice like to after each battle. You may take leave and go west were our last supply camps are, the cowards that will not follow lodge there, you have ten minutes then the march begins."

She walked to a large rock that protruded out of the long felids of grass, three of the girls number followed without question. The others were locking in furious whispers as the sun faded beyond the jagged outline of the mountains. Seven streams ran down those mountains, all had their own name but all flowed to the sun kissed banks of the Aramid Ocean, far to the west over plains of war torn and battered lands. As the streams separated the stones that drove them apart stood tall and silent, black figures with shaded eyes and petals of carved rock that splashed in the hauntingly empty sounds of the surround. Here they waited on the borders of warring lands to find some hope of sanctuary. Leyla paused on the banks of Meni'thiris the stream that fed northern Asring with its life blood, for they were sea fearing folk and would know a trinket if it passed in the river that was watched constantly for poisons Once may see fit to smite the waters with. Leyla's hand slipped to unclip her armour away from the tight straps that held it there, the plates of thin steel clicked together as her fingers weaved the lace that tied metal to cloth away. Her armour fell with a loud creak on the rocks, the fur on her breasts cut in a line just about her neck, the perfectly shaven coat of almost bronze fur flecked with sweat and matted about her teats, the soft layer rushed down her to the plate skirt she bore that gave off the same waving patterns as the breastplate did.

"you have the shell Lia?"

Lia, a young girl with the same bronzed fur as Leyla passed a large swirling shell to the waiting hand, the end was blocked with blue wax and not a crack in its pearly surface could be found.

"Let Shorg give the waters more speed than us..."

and with that she dropped the shell to the waters muddy depths only to see it speed away down to clearer waters. Leyla, Lia, Farah and Yissri walked back to the group of girls, Kortu's ruin towering above them with its unseen eyes watching them from afar. Leyla puffed out her chest and with a heated call spoke with a tone no male could deny was that of a leader.

"And now, the choice has been made, will you stay or go? You need not answer... I will walk with Yissri, Farah and Lia. If you follow you follow, if you don't you die..."

and her words hung heavy with the catgirls as she turned, the sweat upon her breasts shimmering as her armour clinked and clanked against her thigh with its thin metal plates, clutched by her thumb and forefinger.

"How many are there walking with us Farah?"

Leyla asked with closed eyes and taught lips. Farah's head turned back from its glance solemnly and spoke not, her ears giving two flicks, batting away a fly.

"none walk but our small regiment, The camp on the westfold will have twelve new defenders tonight."

Farah sighed and then walked on, her captain had foreseen it, and without so much as a flinch or flicker she bore the news that four would face hundreds.

And so the company parted, and left the barren land, the twelve to the tainted safety of the storage camps, and the four, the four honoured souls who would brave the shoulder of Asring'ul, the mountain that separated Once from peace. Leyla paused and sat in the twilight, hours had passed since the separation, (or Incident as Farah kept referring to it) "Come" she said "Sit and make a fire... for we deserve a rest and have time to slay with our slumber, let us walk no further tonight." No sooner had she said it than Lia had sped off to a tree that had flourished along the Savin, another of the seven rivers that had carved its way through countless miles to join the Aramid, like them its destiny seemed sealed, but it crossed all their minds that water can move just as erratically as anything when angered, and those few women, were enraged.

Up with her axe, then down, skimming the blades of grass it beheaded before Farah showered the ground in her wake with a green mist of grass fragments. Leyla smiled and breathed from her sleep "There are nought but trees to hew here Farah, put your axe away and use your eyes like you learned, stay your anger for another battle..." Farah sighed and watched the heavy blade sink into the ground then answered in a quiet voice.

"and how many of those shall we see? We have but four... one too young to question if her axe is blunt or razored"

"Yissri is old enough to hold her emotions and display a beautiful fight when asked, much like you were Farah, but ever since you shot your first arrow you changed, killing hurt you. But not anymore, now you want to save Yissri from not caring about life... you want her to feel guilty when she cuts a Fell beast of Once down."

"That is not true I will never care about them nor will I set an axe aside to let one pas-"

"You would, given a chance, I am not attacking you Farah... you are kind, I see you sigh after every fight, you mutter your prayers of redemption in your sleep, you are guilty of nothing Farah, Yissri will only be hurt by your guilt, not by her own."

"Me, care about Once's footmen? As my tail will raise for Once Leyla... as my tail will raise for Once..."

Kortu, the garden's tunnel

Siraki awoke with a start, her robes catching on a unseen stone, she jerked forward and sighed with a breaking voice then looked up, it was dark but for a square crack of purple light that was the setting sun. her breasts had fallen from her garments and her whiskers were bent from her odd position, affecting her balance in the dark. She rose and felt up the ladder, her eyes moving over the dark to the light down the hole, its orange glow bouncing on the wall it struck. She felt ill, it was not uncommon among female cats to feel this way after waking. But she felt burning under her eyes, the occasional blue flicker highlighted the cave before her as she walked, the blue robes stained with black dirt. Her hand gripped the corner of the rock, she was breathing heavily, her mind spinning from the heat deep within her, the orange light took her in its warm embrace and then shone on her face. Two things happened then, her pupils narrowed at the golden fur around her eyes, she felt the sane burning on her neck and then she saw the fire, and the chair, and the golden mane of the large lion sat there, with the green eyes that held her still and allowed only breath to escape her lips.

"Siraki... Goddess of the blue flame... what an honour it is to see you again..."

Siraki blinked and fell to one knee at the rock, her stomach growling with a bow of her head.

"I don't know... I don't care... do what you're here to do..."

The lion reared up and stepped over to Siraki, his hand covering her arm and slinging her into a seat by his, then he lay a claw on her face and moved her head gently to face his.

"Siraki, long have I waited for your return. But you left wi- You are not a goddess... are you Siraki?"

Her eyes opened a slit, the dense green of her iris catching in the orange fire and dancing within her pupil.

"call me what you will... for I am Siraki of Kein, locked in a tower and wrapped in blue flame, I am a puppet for you to play with, I have nothing, and yet... you want me. So end it I say... take from me what I will lose soon enough."

Her face was balanced perfectly on the second joint of his finger, the beautiful eyes closing, the gold flanks about her crimson fur burning the nerves beneath them.

"You have felt her in you? You read the scrolls?"

The lion growled. Siraki stirred her hand pushing his away so her head could join with her neck and slump into the chair.

"Speak... Speak lion of what it was that cursed me... that roll of parchment, that started this whole thing... tell me about it before I answer to you Lion..."

The lion's eyes closed and he sighed deeply, his emerald eyes disappearing behind heavy lids.

"Long ago, when I was a young man, There was a goddess among the people. She taught us and lead us into peace through her wonders, her voice rang out and melted the hearts of men, we joined her and stayed within her mountainside palace for years on end, learning her magic and becoming flame disciples. But too long we spent there without looking out, Siraki stopped her contact and concentrated on her deepest followers, one was I. and when she saw this... when she found crime unbridled, rape, torture and death had gripped the land in her absence she could stand no longer. She killed herself, but non of us believed she was dead, no... we knew she was not! For she was a goddess, immortal surely, we had seen her cut down then rise up with our own eyes. But we found her body, a knife in her heart and a quill in her hand, we assumed it was a suicide note but... her beauty enraptured us again, laying there, cold yet... beautiful. The scrolls were taken, her body entombed within the mountainside. And you found them... and now we know where she really went..."

Siraki had awoken long into the story, her ears pricked and her eyes wide and gleaming, she felt the heat, heavy in her chest and ravaging her thoughts.

"And you think i am she?"

Siraki said, the lst of her breathlessness withering.

The lion looked over his shoulder, the thick mane splaying over his chest as his heroic visage watched the doorframe with interest.

"I do think that, in fact i know that... you would not be standing here if you had not been her! even if you dont remember."

There was a long pause. Siraki rested her head on one shoulder and was sure she was among freinds, the back of her mind comforted her somehow, like a calming voice amidst the chaos. Then her ears pricked, two footsteps and then a second pair came from the passasge beyond, it was as if whatever was walking, it was carriying somthing heavy. Siraki blinked, and for a moment thought all was normal, but then she heared it whisper from the far corner of her mind, that sensual voice that said.

"he's back, he's what you want pretty one..."

Siraki lurched forward as the fox entered holdinng the bloodied shoulder of Giad to him, he was almost awake, green eyes drooping with waneing energy. He stopped in his stupor abruptly as it someone had put a sword to his back. He bowed slowly and then sighed with regret as the Fox wrenched him back up with a pull of his arms.

Siraki felt heat rise up in the corners of her eyes, her eyes burned like sour fruit had been crushed upon them and her fists clenched. She rose with a flourish of her hand and walked to the mirror. Her reflection was a sight, the robes were stained with blood, the fur was matted with spilled wine and sweat. She moved her hand to caresse the hair from her eyes and then turned to the wolf. In her throat began a purr that shuddered the rock around them. She began with a titter than formed to a mature laugh as she pointed to the lion and beckoned him forward.

"I am not somthing to be played with..."

Her eyes flared with a saphire flame and she swiped back a claw and drew herself back to the mirror in a enraged posture. Her eyes burnt out and in a gentler tone the voice of Siraki rang

"And nor am I!"

She drew herself up as her eyes flared once more. and in a voice of grace and expeirence the Goddess with her took the reigns.

"I have been in slumber... I have been, awakened with such nonchalance! I am a Goddess scorned!" She darted threateningly to Giad who returned her gaze with soft rebuke. Siraki never faltered.

"Am I a commodity? To be... opened and closed as sacks of grain?"

Her arms folded and she sat back in her chair, the fur about her eyes turning gold and spiralling into patterns that raced behind her ears.

"So... I am here... Mortal though I am, I trust you have the explanations as to my arrival."

The lion stepped forward into Siraki's eyeline; she met him with a pricing stare that made him come alittle short of where he meant to be.

"Goddess, We sought you... It is true we wished to summon you back but with the highest dignity! Some other force of fate brought you forth into this Girl..."

Siraki clenched a fist and turned her unflaming eyes to Giad.

"Tell them I have a name!"

She said angrily

"Tell them I'm not supposed to be here!"

Giad spoke without waiting for the lion's permission, his voice was full of pain and sore aches.

"Her name is Siraki! And she is here by some cruel twist of fate... Do not belittle her so!"

The lion swiped his great hand at Giad and then spoke calmly to Siraki. "Goddess, I would ask that there be no more outbursts from Siraki..."

Siraki dug her claws into the seat and screamed.

"This is MY soul... this is MY mind! And if you want to make a plea... you deal with these eyes, not your precious Goddess!"

Her form drew up in the chair, her legs crossed. A few blue flames raced across her eyes but her gaze hardened on the lion, fixing him with the might that raged within her.

The lion coughed, his hand moving over his muzzle as he bowed once more to Siraki.

"I understand your plight..."

"You do not..."

Siraki retorted with a voice of silken knives.

"But..."

Said the lion with a flicker of Genuine admiration.

"You are needed to help us in the fight against Once"

"The one in black armour?"

Siraki questioned, pointing to the ceiling where roots dangled through the rock.

"Yes, that one... and his army, we are too few and too powerless to stop him."

The lion sighed and placed a hand on his hip, massaging the patch of red cloth on it.

"Once is not so powerful, he will die with his army... there is a greater evil behind this..."

She placed a hand over her mouth and narrowed her eyes in thought, they flared and then she sat upright, her regal gesture pulling the amulet from her robes.

"Yes, tell me... Have you heard the tales of the Scribes, the ones who write the 'history' of the worlds, and the ones that have the power to write things before they happen? Well... I believe one is behind this, and She is controlling once by means of scribing what she wants him to do in the future... Clever, but brash..."

She extended her claws and began delicately raking the fur on her opposite hand straight.

"Fairy tales surely!" Said the fox from the doorway.

"Every good nursery rhyme speaks of the Scribes and their power! Do not think us fools enough to believe in such people! What proof do you have?"

Her flaming eyes shut and she smiled gently. "You're the first person to speak to me as an equal..." Her eyelids snapped open and she twisted her head in obscene feline flexibility to him with a scowl. "Be warned... I do not like it... but your query is a reasonable one... I know this Amulet, I was not aware Siraki had such things and in her current state she is most... aggressive, to myself. But this is a token of a Scribe and I assure you, there are few but they are real."

The fox turned before any expression was shown he folded his arms and he thudded into the rock wall beside him leaving Giad to stumble to a small wooden stool and sit upon it.

Siraki rose and walked over to a small bed where a few half-dried petals were strewn and spoke gently. "This body is exhausted... I need time with Siraki, She must decide who will lead you into the battle, not I, I am an intruder here... We will sleep, and by the time we have awoken either I or Siraki will be in charge the rest of the way, I will not fight for control over something that is not mine..."

The males left the room, leaving Siraki to lay gracefully on the bed and fall into a seemingly still slumber. All was not stilling in the troubled shell that was Siraki's mind.

The darkness was thick; the only light was coming from the other presence in the slowly shifting dark. Its voice was soft and its light a garish blue. Siraki's half formed eyes moved to it and she spoke out, her voice echoed back as if she spoke to a far off wall. "With respect... I cannot bow to you..."

The light glimmered before the catgirl and the pale reflection of a marble floor was beneath them, the sounds that came from her side of the room echoed back and caught darkened corners as if they existed. Siraki clasped her unseen hands on her knee to check if she was sitting, and realised without feeling or sight what position she was in could not be deciphered. "I demand no respect from you Siraki..." came the soft voice of the pale light.

"Then tell me your name so that we may be equals..." Her voice rang out before she could stop it and then caressed her ears that she felt swivel back.

There was a pause and with a dull glow the light replied with a somewhat normal tone. "My name is Serelle... and I am your burden." There was a twist of the darkness and the form of a tall and elegant feline emerged, her fur was a deep crimson alike to Siraki's and her entire body was covered in intricate patterns of gold fur. "Will you not face me as an equal?" Serelle said, her eyes pericing the darkness that bound Siraki.

She walked forward, the black lost its pressurless grip on her arms and she emerged onto the floor of this strange place. She felt clean; it was a strange sensation now like a draft that soared through each gap in her fur to highlight how pure it was.