The Guardians of Light: Second Edition CHAPTER TWO- CLOSED, ACCEPTING CHARS FOR NEXT CHAPTER

[Hussmann54]

Kin stood for a moment, then grabbed a metal stake and stood over the Count. "We are all dead anyways...." He gripped the stake tight, but couldnt bring himself to raise it up to strike. He was breathing heavily under the mask. He just tossed the stake into the coffin.
"I just hope you are suffering as much as they are....". He turned and began to walk out, but stopped and turned his head to the other coffin. It read "Emily Kurstead." So she wasnt the first wife.....

"Im sorry Emily..."


Later kin was sharpening his knife. He stared off into space, hardly paying attention to the blade and stone. Malachi approached, Kin could feel it. "I saw into her mind. She was so innocent once. Before the count....."
He still wasnt sure what he was feeling. Rage, sorrow, shock, emptiness, pain. "I want to destroy something beautiful." He mused. "Tear down a national monument, rip the mona lisa to shreds and burn it to ashes, throw a priceless treasure into the sea, watch it sink, snap the neck of a beautiful bird and watch it go limp....."

 

[Lord_Ascendant]

"Powerful feelings, Warrior of Light. The burn of indignation, the knowledge of insignificance, it hurts the mortal. I understand...." said Malachi. Watching from a distance, they saw the mountain heave and crumble from underneath and soon it was gone. Nothing but dust and whispers. Silas approached Malachi and, swathed in a blanket and a bandage over his left eye, he walked over to Kin. "My mom says miss Bluesky is bringing the new airship to pick us up. Hope everyone is OK flying." then Silas looked at the remains of the mountain "Can't say I miss that place...if only I could do the same to all the evil places in the world."
Night was falling, and Silas looked up. "Stars are coming out..." he mused. Malachi made a low humming noise "Master, soon we must merge. I swoon to tell you my powers wane with each passing sunset."
"I'll make the decision if I want this, Malachi."
"It is your destiny, the void energy that awoke your latent Perditiomancy will harm you if you can't join with me and learn to control it with me. Besides, it is coming soon..." and Malachi trailed off to a whisper.
"Whats coming?" said Silas, alert. Kin looked up at well.
"The Green Star Comet, it heightens the powers of the Illrian Knights and it weakens the dimensional barriers. The planets from mercury to jupiter are in alightment, so the portals to Auria and Arcania will be able to be opened....I just thought that you would be interested, master, my people are waiting in Arcania for you."
"How do you know?"
"Their communication still reaches me, though I am far. whispers in my ears, if I concentrate I can hear them speaking. Those in the Maledictum who supercede me, the High-Lord and his Masters...the Anchorites...the Illrian Shadow is silent, his reflection speaks not though."
"What is it with magic and mirrors?" mused Silas, sitting down next to Kin.

 

[Hussmann54]

"No originality..." Kin laughed a little. Then ha bent down and picked up a stone. "But it makes sense. I mean, I can imbue this rock, but look how fast its lost..." He flung it over the cliff and watched it vanish. "Mirrors are more important, and its almost instinct for our society to stop and look in one when they pass by. Throw an enchantment or something on it that only a select few know how to activate...."

 

[Lord_Ascendant]

Silas nodded, "I've heard of the mirrors that could see into the future...or the past. If only they were still around, I might know if I'm going to inherit a million pound estate or be elected mayor." then he smiled "The headlines would scream 'cyclops named mayor, city stunned!'"
He shook his head. "I feel like this whole week has been one huge nightmare and I'm going to wake up soon and swear never to eat biscuits and jam before bedtime again."

There was rustling in the brush around them, people were approaching. Everyone went for their weapons, Silas held the arsonator but he couldn't exactly fire it from the hip like he used to. The newcomers were wearing red, mostly, and emblazoned with the symbols of the House of Argus. Silas caught sight of Dorian, the thick gash still not fully healed...he looked very pale. One Argus spoke up, he was in his beastly form as leaders took to when addressing other leaders. "House Saras, we are the House Argus and request parley so we may garner a truce. May we approach?"
"The House of Argus has slain the other honourable houses. The blame rests on your shoulders. You may not approach." called back a Saras.
"The House of Argus did not slay those others but we were woken by one whose face was hidden. He also woke Kshatria, we left the tomb while we could. What occurred was not our doing. If you search for blame, blame Kshatria. Their blades were drawn when we stole away."
"You may speak lies, but you may approach. Bring no cadre and leave your house-folk below to be watched while we parley."

Silas made a frown "Things just refuse to get better, do they?"
~

It was another six long hours of nothing before the low *thwock-thwock* of propellers met Silas' ears. The new airship was massive, it was two blimps straddling one massive gondola with four large propellers increasing forward thrust. Both blimps were black with leering red toothy mouths on them. The Black Devil was a masterpiece of aerospace engineering, it was a wonder the thing could fly. The noise preceded the vessel by hours though and as it slowly approached, Silas and the rest had time to prepare.

 

[Hussmann54]

Kin could only lean up against one of the few pine trees and watch. "These guys dont get much done, do they?" He looked on as the houses spoke.

Kin sniffed the air for a second..... "Nigel is up there...."
"Who?" Silas spoke up.
"He is my brother." He continued, looking on at the airship.
"You have a brother?"
"Yea, older." hot breath rose up from behind the mask.
"We grew up worlds apart, me in Cairo, him in London."
Silas peered up at the airship. "So was it like some kinda happy reunion?"
"No, we were traversing the collective sub consciences when we found each other. Then he joined the Rhyle."
"Wait, he is an imperiomancer too?"
"Yup. You will meet him when he lands."

 

[Lord_Ascendant]

Silas nodded and looked over at Maeve. She was standing, just staring into the middle distance.
Silas went to her and patted her shoulder. "Feeling well?" he asked.
"Better..." she said.
"Thats good to know. We'll be going home soon. Is that OK?" he asked her concerned. "Or do you need one more day to rest before you go flying?"
"I think I'll do fine. I just feel.....strange. Like my whole life is out of my hands."
"I feel like that sometimes true. You have to trust that the Great Guardians will watch over you."
She looked at Silas and gave him a little smile. "Thanks...just lets not do anything else with Vampires for a while."
"Noted..."
~
The airship finally came to a rest about ten feet from the ground and they let down a rope ladder to climb up with. The Guardians met the group at the outer promenade of the airship and greeted them. Sabrina was there, along with Gabriel.

 

[Hussmann54]

The door opened and Kin turned to see his brother.
"Nigel!"
"Little brother!" They hugged.
The two where almost the spitting image of one another. With the exception that Nicholas had hair several inches long, and Nigel had a smoothly shaved head, the faces were identical.
"Silas, this is my older brother Nigel."
They shook hands. Nigel spoke with a thick old english accent.
"Pleasure to be on board mate!"
His attitude seemed much more straightforward than Kins, he was also wearing similar armor, indicating he was a Rhlye. The suit was very similar considering that no two suits were usually anywhere near identical.
However, underneath Nigels arm rested a familiar sight, a second "fish bowl" helmet. This one intact, free of the scars of an ethereal tentacle whip.

 

[Lord_Ascendant]

"Nice to meet you Nigel." said Silas, smiling. The Airship quickly gained power and soared away home again. The wind began to pick up as the propellers churned. "Inside, I reckon?" said Silas. Genn scratched his head of hair and said "Thanks for offering me a lift back to Paris."
"No problem, you're a friend and you deserve a little help."
~~~
It was in the main lounge area where everyone was listening to Silas and Kin telling the story of their journey. "Then whoosh, clang, the freakin' train decided to go grazing in the fields a little earlier than expected if you know what I mean. For a minute I thought the Light was playing with the gravity switch." there was a chuckle from the group.

 

[Hussmann54]

Nigel only lounged and reclined himself as the two told their tale. His link to his brother allowed him to hear the whole story in just a few seconds.

Nicholas picked up where Silas left off.

"So my head is spinning, im suddenly very cold, and Im on my back, looking up at the floor. So I do as mother used to tell me. she says 'nicholas m'boy, just ask St. Pete for help, then count to ten.' So thats what I did." He held up fingers. "I went 'one, two, three, floor..." The group laughed again.
"Next thing I know Im in a cave with two bruised ribs, a splitting headache, and a pounded up arm. Wasnt broken or anything, just really messed up. I look around and all I could think was 'this is Transylvania?..... what a shit hole...."

 

[Lord_Ascendant]

Silas laughed "Yeah, we were in Transylvania alright. In bits 'n pieces. Then Malachi showed up all of a sudden with Dorian and everything got confusing. We ended up bleeding him for a potion to make a friend healthy. Now we sat there for a few days after all this what-the-heck and then slam we climb up to the Castle and whose there but the wiley old Saras saying 'Oh Please, we're good guys now'. I know, funny right?" everyone roared with laughter. Silas leaned back to let Kin finish off.

 

[Hussmann54]

"So I really wanted to end this guy in his sleep, but they told me they would just bury part of the castle instead. They assured me he would have an ice cubes chance in hell on getting out, but im sure they were just trying to save their own skin." Kin stopped and took a drink.

"Which make sense of course, I just think its a lousy way for a race to make its existence, all bent on the survival of one ya know... So just as we are about to wave goodbye to t-ville, another house shows up looking for a fight. They manage a parlay..... and that was about it. And I thought human politics was full of airheads...Then you boys showed up, and thats all she frigging wrote..."
He leaned back and finished off the scotch in his glass.

Nigel listened on, proud of little brother. They had been through a lot and both grown a lot through the years....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Al Girhan district, Misratah. Libya.
5 years ago.

Nicholas and his brother looked at another Rhyle. His armor seemed older, even his helmet resembled that of the old Katophrocti cavalry that once dominated open field warfare in a day far gone.

"The mark is two block down." He said. "Nicholas, you will be entering through the roof. Nigel and I will take the two entrances on the ground floor....

.........................

Two near identical Rhyle ran through a panicked crowd. That tends to happen when guns go off. The two were in lighter armor. Only a plate here, a metal vambrace there. But they had the fishbowl helmets.

The ambush had gone all wrong. The Demon had known they would be there. He waited inside and took out one of the Rhyle as he entered. And now the ambush became a chase. They moved from street to street....
Nicholas was always the faster of the two on his feet....

The take down was extraordinary. Kin had made his way onto the rooftops and lept down like a pouncing tiger. He buried his shoulder into the back of the demons head, and tucked into a forward roll. As the demon fell forward, Nicholas came down over him, hunting knife pointed straight up. The demon fell down into it and rolled over, only to have its throat then slit by Kin who had already regained his balance.

Nigel looked a little shock. It all happened so fast. "Beautiful..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Lord_Ascendant]

Silas leaned back in his chair; smiling to himself at a job well done. Gabriel was rubbing his hands nervously. "Whats wrong, High Master Gabriel?" asked Silas. Gabriel hung his head and said "You've always been good at reading emotional states. Just like a seasoned Auramancer but without the magic." then Gabriel stood up to refill his glass of brandy. "Silas, theres been problems at home in London. Our financial standing with the British tax-paying subjects is tentative and our public opinion is starting to turn down. The public don't think they need to subsidize us and that we can be contracted when the British government needs us and at all other times let us go. But we can't make money anymore, not as a private law-upholding business. We need this tax subsidy. Even worse, is the rumblings from the Far Veil are starting to bubble to the surface and we are having a hard time hiding it all the time. Places around England are vanishing into a kind of Darkness...like a fog...and no one ever comes out of it. We can hear Dark Spawn Hounds howling in there and other sorts of unclean things. The British Parliament has directed us to quiet this down while they vote on the issue of continuing to subsidize us. We need voices in the Conclave who can prove the usefulness of the Guardians and you are perfect, you're an Illrian Knight and thats important. The Conclave needs to know the forces of the Light are backing up the normal humans every minute of every day and that nothing bad will ever hurt them. What do you say, are you going to help us in Conclave?"
Silas leaned back, he needed to think. "Whats your opinion, Kin?"

 

[Hussmann54]

"Well, when the Rhyle "Dispersed" from the public eye, we subdivided. We broke down into smaller cells, each capable of independent operation."

He set his empty drink down. "This is all part of the macro of the plan, the big picture, if you will. Within the cells, we formed a network that contained numerous small businesses that were owned and operated by the Rhyle. The economic benefits were not the only ones, as it turns out. Information could pass through stores, networks could easily be created, and supplies more easily attained. Sometimes demons would walk right into a shop not knowing they had become sheep amongst wolves. Other times, local (and illegal) bare knuckle boxing matches held within basements could become methods of recruitment."

He took a sip, only to remember nothing was in the glass. Letting the whole event pass as though it was nothing, he continued.

"Back to the micro, your proposed actions within parliament for now sound well enough. But may I suggest a very radical notion?" He looked at Silas, who nodded approval.
"I suggest you tell the people what is really going on." He braced himself. Unsure of what the reaction would be...

 

[Lord_Ascendant]

Gabriel sighed "Tell them? Tell them what? That a terrible realm where there is no up or down, where time can all of a sudden start going backwards, where there is no real solid ground and you can fall forever, a place where gravity can turn into a big spin cycle of up and down, where worlds intersect and break down reality where you can watch the universe splicing together or ripping apart, where horrible monsters without description float looking for other fleshy things. Do you want us to tell them we fight tooth and nail against big fuzzy werewolves and fanged vampires with guns and stakes and knives? Do you want us to just come out, sit the British people down and give them a good talking to about the nature of the universe and how they are worshiping the Light even though they don't think they are and that one day they might die and be reborn in Aurica? Do you want us to explain the three-world system of birth and rebirth and all that? It's just too complicated for an average mind to understand. I am not an ordinary person and neither is anyone here. We are part of a world that can never mesh with the average human one. Ever."
"I think you're wrong, High Master." said Silas "Respectfully, I think you underestimate the wherewithal and intelligence of human beings. We can understand, even when we feel like we can't. We can tell them about the monsters and about the tentative position their lives are in every day from the Far Veil and the Darkness out there. We can do it, High Master Gabriel. I believe in the Guardians and the good that we do. What do you say we play a hand of cards and relax?"

 

[Hussmann54]

"I concur." Kin spoke.
"Despite what the common belief holds, I still happen to believe in a God that is above all of this. But just because the idea of such is so complex that I cannot grasp it in its entirety, does not mean it is entirely incapable for me to acknowledge such things."
He spoke with a firmness about him.
"Besides, I believe the people may have more inclination to put their faith in your order if they know more about what your order does."

"I do however have a plan to scout through this fog you speak of. I will require the help of several imperiomancers to do it."

Silas looked at him. "What are you thinking Kin?"

"Scrying orbs... lots and lots of scrying orbs. Launched into the fog."

 

[Lord_Ascendant]

Silas thought a bit and said "It could work....I'll gather up a new team of Guardians and make a sweep of the perimeter. Where is the epicenter of this fog, High Master Gabriel?" asked Silas as he dealt out some cards for a hand of poker. "Cornwall in Wales, the Duke of Cornwall sent a letter to us complaining of a strange fog that smelled funny before his whole town disappeared. No one we sent in came out..."
Silas nodded, "Sounds like a conundrum."
~
Malachi was on the forward observation deck, watching the world slowly roll by. Maeve was there too, looking less pale. "The world we are so high above, they know nothing of the long and difficult heritage they have. The kind of hard knock life their ancestors lived. The Darkness of the Destroyer always knocking at their door..." said Malachi with his trademark swishing, rising and fading voice. "The Ordus Sanctorum always operated openly with the native peoples....before the Europeans came. The magical Europeans joined with the ancient Ordus Sanctorum and expanded its powr base. Making it into the international police force it is today. The supernatural nations need a kind of Interpol. The same way it needs the Guardians to uphold the laws governing interactions with normal humans." said Maeve "Your people are needed to, for fighting the stuff the Ordus and the Guardians can't fight."
Malachi nodded and said "There is a ritual which must be performed so that I may join with Silas, my master, permanently and open up the last of his powers. Also; I must do it or I will die."

 

[Hussmann54]

"Indeed...." Nigel said. "Sync me..." his accent seemed to be its purest when he was pensive. (This was his way of saying "bring me up to speed" or "correct me if im wrong")
"What have your boys seen of this sort before now?"
"Well, there was an incident in India a few years back." Kin recalled.
"Oh yes..." Nigel replied. "If my memory counts for anything, the people inside were all found unconscious but unharmed, with no recollection of what happened to them. The Parya Panchat, or the governors attempted to call it an act of the devil. Several were slaughtered in an attempt to "cleanse" the land. Bloody shame. The tossers responsible soon dismissed it as a plague and justified their actions as "Sterilization"."
"Damn." Kin said refilling his drink. He took a sip. "Anything else Silas?"

 

[Lord_Ascendant]

Silas was thinking when Malachi entered the room, breezing over the floor without touching it. "Malachi, as your master I order you to tell me what could be causing this fog?"
"What fog, master?" asked Malachi, and so Silas quickly explained. Malachi thought a moment and said "I believe portions of the Far Veil are extruding into this world via some sort of scar or gap. Even the tiniest fracture can balloon into a large cross-over event. Master, the Far Veil is a wide and complex place...what I believe is that an actual realm is reaching over from its orbit. I would need to check an accurate Orrerry to be sure but it might be the darkened portions of Arcania, Aurica's Mirror, where the Tower of Chaot is. Or it might be a portion of Shadow Realm pushing through but if so the fog would have been black. You said it is grey fog?"
Silas nodded
"Then it is most likely from Aurica's Mirror. These kinds of fractures are rare but a piece of good fortune."
"Malachi, people are probably dying..." began Silas
"Master, it means we can see the rest of the Maledictum. They are waiting for you in Arcania. If you can help bring them through, you can finally see the people who've been trying to help you tame your wild powers."
Silas thought deeply. "We'll have to investigate the fog, if it threatens our planar stability the portal must be closed."
"I understand, master."

 

[Hussmann54]

"So whats the plan?" Kin said looking down at the earth....

 

[Lord_Ascendant]

"Get as much intel on this stuff as possible. Stuff it in bottles and test it in a lab if we have to...I need to know what this stuff is. High Master Gabriel, sir, I'll make our case before the Conclave but you have to promise me anything I need for this investigation. I want to give us a good face, if we can clean this up fast and efficient the people will think better of us. Can you promise me that, as one of our leaders?" said Silas, stading up to refill his glass of port wine.
"I understand, Silas. Your mother said to help in any way we can. I will ask around and find you some help. Also, some representative of the Necromancer's Union said before we left that he was looking in on the problem for possible Necromantic cause. Keep an eye out for him when you get there."
Silas nodded and took a sip. "Malachi, if at all possible we can safely bring your friends through to our world I will do that. But even if it jeopardizes the lives of the people there, I wont do it."
Malachi made a sound like a sigh "My master, there is something else..."
Malachi lifted his head a little, the glow of his six eyes was slightly fainter.
"I am dying...if I do not merge with you, master, I will die. My life is tied to being one with your family. If I do not unite with someone with your bloodline, I die..."
Silas placed his glass down and said "What do I need to do?"
"I must completely merge with you. You must be in a safe environment with room around you, should you flail during transference. I will be gentle and merge and change you in small stages. There will only be pain if you don't relax the boundaries of your mind."
Silas nodded, "Kin, help me move the chairs out of the way we'll do it here and now. I do want you getting any weaker, you're the only way I have to understand what I'm becoming and I wont loose you Malachi."