[NuRPG] Keta 8 [Shadow Realm]

Dear God, it's a post!

VIII

He moved effortlessly amongst the softly glowing clouds that drifted across the Shadow Realm's dark sky. Without physical form to slow him, he simply allowed the ether currents to carry him where they would. His mind was fully open and blank as he allowed the realm to say what it would to him, to show him what he needed to know. He could feel the concentration of both life and unlife that was the citadel, as well as the sparser traces of those denizens who resided in its outskirts. He could sense the gentle hum of the five crystal roads at the edges of the central lands, each now dormant, but still maintaining the bond between the heart of the realm and the outer lands. What drew his attention, however, were the seams of instability in the fabric of the realm itself; the places where the Dark Lord's minions would be most likely to tear open a new gate from which to assault the realm again. Grim resolution settled over him as he reached out to each of them, feeling the realm's wounds as keenly as if they were his own. Time was growing short.

His survey completed, he willed his consciousness towards the citadel. Soon the palace, the spidery cluster of twisting black spires that was his home, rose before him. His mind reached out gently, so as not to intrude, and was easily able to discern the young human's aura from the others. She was there, and awake. Something else then caught his attention, something that should not have been there. It was bit different from those he had encountered before, although still somehow familiar. But, what dragon would be fool enough to enter his palace?

The question was pushed aside, as more pressing matters were at hand. He allowed himself to be pulled down by the flow of the island's ether vortex, feeling the familiar tingle as he left the dream state and returned to his body. It passed quickly, and when he opened his eyes he stood within the vortex chamber, the heart of the island. His lithe elfin form was wrapped in his familiar black and violet robe. He glided easily to the chamber's exit, and found his attendant already waiting patiently in the hallway beyond.

<You called for me, Master Malock?> Acrom bowed, greeting his master telepathically.

<Time grows short,> Malock answered, his obsidian eyes locking with the wraith's shining blue. <Another invasion is imminent. I can no longer afford the luxury of subtlety.>

He nodded. <I can tell you only where I believe them to be. I expect, however, that some searching will be necessary, and with the ether currents acting as wildly as they are now, I do not expect it will be an easy task. Requisite anyone you feel best suited for the task, and find the key wielders, Acrom. I wish them gathered here by the time the Lady and I return. Too much time has been lost already.>

<This is a charge I should have taken care of myself by now,> Malock frowned. <It is my shame that I must now lay it on your shoulders.>

He smiled slightly. <Perhaps not, old friend. Has the council begun its meeting?>

Acrom bowed, and then drifted away, quickly melting into the darkness. Malock's own form began to dissolve into a violet mist, a form which would allow him to quickly traverse the hallways of the palace. He stopped the change suddenly, however, and his body quickly regained its solidity. Keta, he recalled, preferred that he remain as "real" as possible when he went to see her.

"For now, love," he whispered, looking down sadly at his own hands, "I can be what you wish of me. For now."

He began walking.

Keta was one of many who believed that a bath was the best place in the world both to think and to relax, and ever since waking in the Shadow Realm, she found she had abundant time and need for both. At the very least, the young woman thought as she slipped her hair beneath the steaming water once more, she had an exceptional place to do it. Her bath, a chamber of white marble ringed with beautiful exotic flowers, was the place in Malock's palace where she felt the most at ease. The chamber stirred up the same feelings of deja vu in the young woman that many places in the palace did, but it was comfortable rather than disturbing. Malindra, if the long gone queen of the Shadow Realm truly was a former incarnation of the young assassin, must have enjoyed a good bath, Keta often thought to herself with a grin.

Several days had passed since her last meeting with the Grimfae, though she was not sure quite how much of that time she had spent awake, wandering the palace and citadel with Mikashi and Sable, and how much she had spent exploring various dreamscapes with Malock. She seemed to wake and sleep for at least two days at a time. She had learned much in that time, and while her muscles enjoyed the heat of the water, her mind would often reflect upon what she had heard.

The Great War, Malock had told her, happened about one thousand years ago. He was not sure exactly where it began, but it spanned both the worlds of Nu and Mu, known at the time as Nas Unara and Maden Ur. Malock and his mentor, Weyr, had fought against the Dark Lord, a wizard of what Malock called unimaginable power who had then ruled Maden Ur for hundreds of years already. The kind of power used during the war simply did not exist on either world anymore. During the course of one hundred years of fighting, the whole of both worlds was almost completely laid to waste. It at last came to an end when the Dark Lord was magically sealed, "nailed to his chair" as the Grimfae had colorfully put it, and rendered powerless to act. It was in that final campaign that Malock's mentor lost his life. All had been quiet in the thousand years since that time, until recently, when the Dark Lord's minions began to move on both Nu and the Shadow Realm. The Dark Lord sought to subjugate both, Malock had told her. However, having spent more and more time with him, Keta was beginning to learn how to read Malock, and she suspected he was not telling her the entire story.

Keta had also learned a bit about the Shadow Realm's history. Some two thousand years ago, both Malock's people and Weyr's people had lived on Mu as well. About five hundred years before the Great War, the Dark Lord conquered Maden Ur, bringing the entire world under his rule. During that conflict, Malock's race had been all but destroyed, and Weyr's race was banished. Even Malock was not sure exactly what had happened, but Weyr had somehow assisted in the creation of the Shadow Realm. It then became a home to many of those who had lost their homes to the Dark Lord, including the Grimfae. Much later, near the middle of the Great War, the Olori, a race of men that once lived on Nu, were driven from their home by a curse of some sort, and brought to the Shadow Realm by Weyr. Among them was Malindra, only a young girl at the time. Malock and Malindra met near the end of the war, and were married after its conclusion. Their two twin children, a boy and a girl, lived to be only two years old before they succumbed to an inexplicable sickness. Malindra passed away only a year after them, still quite young by the standards of her race.

With a heavy sigh, Keta lifted herself from the water, and stepped from the bath. That was enough reflection for one sitting. Besides, she knew she would not be able to occupy her thoughts with histories from a different millennium forever. Her thoughts always strayed back to her brother, and how helpless she was to help him. The vision of Shen encased in ice remained so crystal clear in her mind that she could feel the chill Skenician winds against her skin when she thought of it, even in the heat of the bath. She wanted desperately to go and look for him. The Grimfae had warned her that trying to leave the Shadow Realm could kill her, but she would have been more than willing to risk her own life. She was not, however, willing to risk Shen's. If, as Malock had told her, her presence would be a danger to her brother, then she would just have to wait her "curse" out, and trust that Malock's servant would keep Shen safe.

There was another issue to consider. Assuming Shen was all right, he was most likely wondering what had become of Keta. There was no telling what lengths he might go to if he believed she was in danger. He might even believe she was dead. Malock explained that one of his students, a human, was also currently with her brother, and would most likely explain the situation to him. Keta doubted, however, that Shen would believe it. She barely believed it herself. Malock reassured her often that she would eventually be able to set Shen's mind at ease in person, but again, she wondered if he was telling her everything.

The young woman sighed again as she toweled her body dry. She did not like the way she distrusted Malock. The obsidian eyed man had shown her nothing but kindness and respect, and at least in that he deserved reciprocation. Keta was at odds with herself over her host. He was cryptic and eccentric, as she might expect an ancient wizard to be, and yet with her he showed a boyish shyness and vulnerability, as though he had never really spoken with a woman before. He was gentle and noble, and yet when she looked into his eyes she could see flashes of the ferocity of that huge purple monster she had encountered in the void. He seemed at times as though he didn't actually understand what a human being was, and then at times he seemed to know every thought in her head. All said, Keta liked him quite a bit. Yet, as Malock had so accurately observed, she had made him the scapegoat for her particularly difficult situation.

Dry at last, Keta slipped into her undergarments and wrapped herself in a silky green robe, letting her still damp raven hair drape over her shoulders. Leaving the wet towel on a rail, where a palace servant would later come to collect it, she made her way upstairs. She heard a pair of voices in light conversation as she came up to the hallway outside her chambers. One was Sable, the other was unfamiliar. The voices paused momentarily as she stepped into the circular chamber, and Keta discovered a young girl with long, pale blond hair and shimmering blue eyes sitting easily on her bed. Sable was curled up in her lap, graciously receiving a belly rub.

"Hello, Lady Ketarina," the young girl greeted her with a nod. "Did you enjoy your bath?"

"I did," Keta answered. "Valirie, isn't it?" It had been quite some time since she had first met Malock supposed "daughter," and it had been rather brief.

"Yes," the girl nodded with a bright smile. "I'm glad you remembered."

"Where's Mikashi?" Keta asked, scanning the chamber briefly and unsuccessfully for the oni.

"I asked her to go and find Sable some fish," Valirie replied brightly. "He's a bit hungry, and he is a growing boy after all."

"Is that right?" Keta laughed slightly. She walked across the chamber, moving to seat herself beside the girl. "Looks like you've made a new friend, then," she said, looking down at Sable. The silver eyed dragon looked away, apparently a bit embarrassed.

"He's so cute!" Valirie declared, rubbing Sable's belly a bit more vigorously. "I had forgotten how cute dragons are when they're still little."

"OK, enough already," Sable said, playfully batting away the girl's hand with his paws. Had he not been covered in black fur, Keta guessed, his face would have been bright red.

"Where's your brother?" Keta asked, a twinge forming briefly in her stomach as she said the words.

"Oh, I think he's out swimming with the Nojar," Valirie answered. "Those two haven't played together in a while. I think it will be good for both of them."

"I see." A brief paused followed.

"Well," Valirie began again, "did you enjoy the victory party? Did you get drunk? Hammered? Wasted? Blasted?" Each word was pronounced with increasing sarcasm.

"I did, actually," Keta laughed. "I take it you disapprove."

"Disapprove? Oh, perish the thought," she answered quickly. "Far be it from me to judge your actions."

"But..." Keta led her with a grin.

"But I don't think father is ready for that sort of thing. It's been quite a while for him, you know. You have to be gentle with him."

"I'll keep that in mind," the young woman answered with a nod.

"Hey, is this going to get ugly?" Sable asked, ruffling his wings and standing up in Valirie's lap. "Should I get out of here before I hear something I don't want to hear?"

"Oh, I don't think that will be necessary," Valirie said, scratching the dragon behind his feline ears and coaxing him into lying down once more. "What do you think of father?" she asked, turning again to Keta.

"I like him. I like him a lot."

"You like him?" Valirie seemed a bit surprised. "Oh my. This is a problem, isn't it."

"How so?"

"Well, he loves you. That much is obvious. And you only like him."

Keta smiled. "Maybe it just takes humans a bit longer to get to that point."

"Really? But... but your lives are so short. You hardly have time to get there at all."

"You're right. So we're pretty lucky when we do."

"Do you think you'll get there soon?"

Again the young woman smiled, but this time did not answer. "What were you two talking about?"

"Oh, Sable was just telling me about how he got here. It's such a sad story. Has he told you?"

"No," Keta replied, looking again to the dragon, "he hasn't."

"Ask him to tell it sometime."

"Valirie, you... you know it's a secret that Sable is staying here, right?"

The blond girl tilted her headed to the side, and smiled knowingly. "You're worried about father, aren't you." Keta nodded. Her eyes took a sad quality as she looked down at the dragon. "You're right, of course. It's dangerous for Sable to be here. As long as he's with you, I think even father wouldn't hurt him. But, if father was to find Sable here, alone... it would probably be best for you to return to the Grimfae, Sable."

"I can't," the young dragon answered. "He's still sleeping. I went and checked today."

Valirie nodded. The shine returned to her eyes as she looked up at Keta once more. "Well, don't worry, Lady Ketarina. I can keep a secret. No one's going to hurt one hair on his cute little head, as long as I'm around."

"Quit calling me that," Sable said, once more batting gently at Valirie's hand with his paw.

"What exactly does everyone around here have against dragons?" Keta asked.

The little girl sighed. "Well... by now you probably know about the attack that happened a while ago."

"I heard about it."

"That wasn't the first time we've fought dragons. A clan of dragons even tried to settle on one of the southern islands, a long time ago, but... it ended badly. Father lost of friend to a dragon himself, a long time ago. That's what he's told us. It was before Garath and I were born, though, so I don't know that much about it. No one does. I think it was even before he became king."

"Sounds like a vendetta."

"I suppose that would be one way of saying it, yes."

"What about you and Garath? You don't seem to mind them, at least."

Valirie smiled widely, and looked down at Sable. "How could anyone be angry at someone so-"

"Don't say it," Sable cut her off.

Keta and Valirie shared a laugh, and Sable, beneath his black fur, could only blush again. The young assassin and the little girl continued to talk for several minutes, with the dragon listening quietly. The conversation remained light and enjoyable, never going too deep into any one topic. Keta was surprised by how much she enjoyed spending time with children. She had never really done so in Evergreen, but she had delighted in the brief time she spent with the orphans in Skenic, and Valirie, though Keta knew she was more than a child, was equally charming. It was something about their innocence, she realized. The dark skinned young woman could not recall a time when she believed herself to be so innocent, though she was still quite young herself. Keta's heart sank a bit as she recalled her time with the Skenician orphans, and wondered what had become of them.

"Are you all right, Lady Ketarina?" Valirie asked, tilting her head slightly and looking up at the young woman with inquisitive blue eyes. Keta caught herself staring at her feet.

"I'm fine," Keta nodded, looking back to the child. "Just thinking."

"You miss your brother, don't you."

The young woman arched an eyebrow. "You know about him?"

Valirie shrugged. "Father talks about you a lot. Well, a lot for father, which still isn't very much."

"I know what you mean," Keta agreed with a nod and a smile.

In the conversational lull that followed, the sound of quickly approaching footfalls reached their ears.

"Oh dear," Valirie said, sighing slightly. "I suppose that's him now."

"Who? Malock?"

She nodded. "Well, father doesn't walk so fast, or so heavy. That's probably Mikashi. But father's right behind her."

Keta blinked. "Are you serious?"

Mikashi then burst into the chamber, looking just a bit flustered. She turned behind her, and yelled out, "she's out of the bath now, Master Malock." Keta jumped to her feet, catching Mikashi's meaning. She could make out Malock's approaching silhouette in the dark hallway outside.

"Hide, or something!" Keta hissed under her breath to Sable.

"Don't worry," Valirie assured her calmly, still smiling as she continued to scratch the dragon behind the ears.

Malock entered the chamber, and a frantic Mikashi, who had been half blocking the entrance, nearly leapt out of his path. "Thank you, Mikashi," the tall, pale skinned man said, pausing a moment to regard the young oni with a curious expression. "Are you feeling well?"

"Fine, Master," Mikashi answered quickly, her head bowed so that her eyes were hidden.

"Malock! Hi!" Keta called out as she quickly crossed the chamber to intercept him at the doorway. "I... uh... I wasn't expecting to see you. While I was awake, I mean."

"Greetings, dearest Ketarina," Malock said, gently taking her hand and kissing it. "Truly, you are even more radiant in the waking world than in dream."

"Thanks," she answered with a grin. "You're looking pretty damn good yourself. How are you feeling?"

"Better by the minute, my love."

"Hello father," Valirie called from Keta's bed, waving.

"Hello, Valirie," Malock nodded to the girl. "I am a bit surprised to find you here. I believe you have responsibilities to attend to."

"I am looking after my responsibilities, father. Lord Dar sent all the golworms out to the northern bridge to work. He asked me to take care of this one for a while." Keta looked over her shoulder, and her blue eyes suddenly doubled in width at what she saw. Where Sable once sat in the young girl's lap now rested what looked essentially like a giant grubworm, about the same size as the young dragon, with skin like granite. The thing wriggled and twisted in her hands, and occasionally gave out a whine or a hiss. "It's a little sick," Valirie continued, stroking the giant grub's stony exoskeleton gently, "and its mother will be out working for while, so..."

Malock's eyes narrowed slightly. "Why would you bring such a thing here?"

"I just wanted to talk to Lady Keta."

"Really, Valirie, this is neither the time nor place for any of your mischief," Malock scolded the child. "I need to know that you can carry out your duties responsibly, without allowing yourself to be distracted."

"I'm sorry, father," Valirie said, lowering her head.

Keta quickly moved to change to topic of conversation. "Ah, why did you come all the way up here?"

Malock froze a moment, surprised by her sudden interjection. "I was hoping that you might be free to join me. The Shadow Council will convene for a meeting soon, and I thought we could observe for a while, and share a meal and a walk afterwards."

"Council meeting? Dinner? Walking? Sounds like a date to me. Let's go!" Keta hooked her arm around Malock's, and began to drag him from the chamber.

"Wait," Malock said, resisting her pull. "Do you not want to put on shoes?"

Keta glanced down, finding that her feet were indeed bare. "Good idea!" She bolted to the alcove that served as her closet, jumped into the first pair of sandals she found, and rushed back to her place at Malock's side. "All set!" she declared.

Malock nodded, and began to lead her into the hallway, but stopped suddenly. He turned again, looking to Valirie. "Why did Dar leave the golworm child in your care, rather than in the nursery?"

"C'mon, let's go, Malock," Keta insisted. "I'd... uh... I'd hate to miss the start of the meeting."

The tall man looked at her with some surprise. "You would?"

Keta grimaced for an instant, frustrated at her own inability to come up with a good lie at the moment. "Let's just go, okay?"

Malock merely chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "As you wish."

Arm in arm, the King of the Shadow Realm and the young assassin walked from the chamber, leaving the other three. Mikashi slumped heavily against the wall once they were gone, and let out a deep sigh of relief.

"Are you feeling well, Mikashi?" Valirie asked amusedly, mimicking Malock's deep voice.

The white haired oni shook her head. "That was too close."

"Ack, what did you do to me?!" Sable whined as his original form was restored. A flutter of his black wings sent the young dragon rocketing around the room, ranting and raving about being transformed into a grub.

"Sorry, Sable," Valirie laughed brightly. "It was necessary, though."

Mikashi shook her head. "I don't even want to think about what Master Malock would do if he knew the dragon was here."

"I suspect he already knows," Valirie answered, as Sable finally calmed down and settled on her shoulder. "Most likely all we've done is avoid a confrontation. It would be unwise to repeat that situation," she said, turning to the young dragon. "I might not be here next time."

"I'm not afraid of him," Sable said

"You should be." There was no hint of levity in her voice. Valirie looked back to Mikashi. "Anyway, did you find any fish?"

"I'm sorry, Lady Valirie," she answered. "I came across Master Malock by chance, and he asked me to escort him here. I wasn't able to find anything."

"That's fine. We can all go and find some together now." She rose from the bed, Sable still perched on her shoulder, and crossed the room. "We can share a meal ourselves."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Mikashi asked, looking meaningfully to the young dragon.

Valirie just smiled. "Don't worry. I'll take care of it."

"No more grubs," Sable asserted.

"As you wish," Valirie smiled. She looked into the hallway, where Malock and Keta had disappeared into the darkness moments before, and her smile widened. "They're good together, don't you think?"

Mikashi nodded. "It's a little strange, how happy Master Malock is. I didn't actually think he ever laughed."

"I think he's too old for her," Sable muttered.

"Well, nobody asked you, did they?" Valirie replied, lightly rapping the young dragon on the head. "Let's be off, then. To tell the truth, I haven't eaten in quite a while." She smiled, her blue eyes twinkling. "This will be fun."

"I apologize if Valirie disturbed you," Malock said as he and Keta made their way towards the council chambers.

"No, it's all right," she said, smiling. "I really liked talking to her."

He nodded, smiling just slightly. "I am certain she feels the same."

"You really shouldn't be so hard on her, you know."

Malock looked at her for a moment with a bit of surprise, before nodding. "Perhaps. I know I have asked much of her -of everyone, especially in recent days. Time, however, demands it."

Keta looked up at him curiously. "Something has happened, hasn't it?" It was more a statement than a question. She had learned enough of Malock to recognize when he was troubled.

"Not yet. However, events are in motion which can not be stopped. There is much I must do to deal with them, a precious little time."

"You can tell me about it, you know. You don't have talk around things with me."

Again he looked at her with slight surprise. "I do not wish to burden you with the knowledge of such things."

"Well then, you shouldn't pique my curiosity like that," she said, grinning. "C'mon, tell me about it."

He smiled. "You are different from Malindra. Her persistence was never so cunning."

"Don't change the subject," she laughed, slapping him lightly on the shoulder.

"In truth, that is part of the reason I have asked you to attend this meeting. What you will hear there will help you understand the nature of what we face. Hold your curiosity until then."

"I'll try," Keta replied with a small laugh.

Malock suddenly stopped walking, catching Keta's arm and turning her to face him. "Forgive me if I seem rude, my dear," he said, "but it really would not be appropriate for you to attend a meeting of the council dressed in this manner."

She looked down at her green robe. It was a simple bathrobe, and all that held it together in the front was the sash tied at her waste, meaning if she did not hold it closed herself it tended to open at the top and bottom. "I suppose the council doesn't really need to know what color underwear I'm wearing, do they," she agreed with a sly grin.

"Close your eyes."

"Why?"

He smiled. "Trust me."

Keta obliged. Her skin began to tingle just a bit, as though a warm breeze had suddenly began to blow in the hallway. "Whatever you're doing, it tickles," she laughed, keeping her eyes shut firmly. The sensation soon passed.

"Open your eyes," Malock bid her.

When she did, she discovered that the green robe had been replaced by a dress of the same color, perfectly fitted to her figure. The surface of the dress' green silk was threaded with a web of silver strands. The pattern seemed chaotic at first glance, but on closer inspecting the silver threads formed the image of a pair of leafed vines that twisted their way down her body. The dress left her shoulders bare, but they were covered instead by a black shawl of sorts. The shawl was open in the front, and draped to her waist in back.

"Wow," Keta said, blinking her eyes in disbelief. "It's beautiful. Thank you, Mal."

"I'm glad you like it."

"But why did I have to close my eyes?"

He smiled. "I simply wished to surprise you."

A wide grin slowly spread across Keta's face. With a suddenly burst of speed, Keta closed the distance between them, and firmly planted a kiss on his lips. When she released him, Malock's obsidian eyes were a bit wider than they had been before, and there was a bit more color in his cheeks. "A good surprise is nice now and again, isn't it," she smiled.

"Indeed," he agreed.

They continued to walk arm in arm, and a short time later found them at the door of the council's chambers. The council was in mid conversation when Malock and Keta entered, but all of them fell silent and rose from their chairs as they noticed the arrival of the two. The entire council seemed to be there. Yulon, the knight in flaming black armor, stood at the far end of the circular table, flanked by Clyde, Malock's human apprentice. Dar was there as well, and next to him the stone gargoyle Valdula. There were several others who Keta recognized, but was not familiar with. There were two vacant chairs at the table, opposite Yulon. Malock, greeting the council with only a slight nod, guided Keta towards the empty chairs. After seating the young woman, Malock took his own chair, and the rest of the council followed suit.

"Thank you all for gathering on such short notice," Malock said, his eyes moving slowly around the table to regard them all. "Forgive our tardiness."

"Master Malock," spoke up Alyudon, a snakelike creature with long blonde hair. "We were just discussing the possibility of temporarily destroying all of the bridges to the mainland."

"Forgive me, Alyudon, and everyone," Yulon suddenly interjected, "but I must interrupt our previous conversation. Now that Master Malock has arrived, there is a matter of grave importance that we must discuss. Master Malock himself has confirmed what the mystic society and I have feared. The Dark Lord's minions will most likely be able to open a new gate into the realm must sooner than we first expected. It could be as soon as four days from now."

The council broke into a rumble of murmurs. "You said it would take weeks," said Gatamorius, the eight armed aquatic demon, his voice rising over the others'.

"And it should have," Yulon replied. "However, we have only recently discovered how the first gate was opened, and how they are attempting to open one now." He paused, waiting for the last murmurs to die away. "They are using a direct bond to the realm."

"Im... impossible!" Alyudon hissed. "Even the Dark Lord himself could not create his own bond to the realm!"

"Which means," the giant red eyed cyclops Lono interjected, "that they would have to use one of the bonds which already exist."

"Exactly," Yulon nodded, "and even that cannot be done with the consent of the bond's keeper."

Alyudon hissed again. "You mean... you mean to say..."

"We have a traitor," Clyde finished the thought.

Again Yulon nodded. "That is not all. Using this method, the strain that would be put on the bond would require that it be quite strong... much stronger than the bond shared by the common citizens of the realm."

"How strong would it have to be?" Gatamorius asked.

"I believe that only we members of the Shadow Council hold strong enough bonds," Yulon answered.

A long moment of shocked silence followed. "Who is it?!" Dar roared suddenly, banging his meaty fists against the table. "Who is traitor?!"

"That much I don't know," Yulon replied. "But there are three members of the council who's whereabouts are currently unknown, are there not? Selena, Narsisa," his blazing red eyes narrowed, "and Sed."

"These are indeed dark times," Jat, Lono's green eyed brother, said as he shook his head sadly, "when even we must mistrust each other."

"Master Malock," Yulon said, "can you tell us anything of their whereabouts?"

"Only this," Malock answered, "Selena remains on Nas Unara. Both Narsisa and Sed are currently on Maden Ur." Again the council broke into murmurs.

"Narsisa is the youngest of us all," Yulon continued, "her bond is the weakest. That, and we all know that our own troops were attacked by a demoragrath during the first skirmish. I can only believe that Sed is the traitor. I propose that we sever his bond. Immediately."

"Sever his bond?" Clyde said, an odd smile crossing his lips as he turned to regard Yulon. "Won't that kill him?"

"Possibly," the hell knight nodded. "But we must act quickly. We can buy ourselves considerable time if we sever his bond now."

"No!" Valdula roared, jumping up from his chair. "Lord Sed would never betray us! I won't allow you to use this as an excuse to execute your grudge against him, Yulon!!"

"Calm yourself, Valdula," Yulon answered, his red eyes flashing dangerously.

"There is another possibility, is there not?" Shadow, the featureless shapeshifter, suddenly spoke. "A secondary binding. If one of our bonds was channeled through a mana node on Maden Ur, then the traitor could just as easily be seated at this table."

The council continued to argue. Keta, shaking her head in frustration, leaned over to Malock, and whispered, "I don't understand this at all."

Malock considered it for a moment. "Imagine the Shadow Realm as a balloon. We are inside it, and our enemies are outside, looking for a way in. Think of your bond as a piece of string that always joins you and the very center of the balloon. What would happen if Sed, who is also bonded, was to move outside the balloon?"

"His string would leave a little hole in the balloon," she answered.

"Exactly. Our enemies are using that little hole to make a bigger one. Of course, it is more complicated than that, but that is the general concept. What Shadow suggests, however, is that someone passed outside the balloon, and wrapped their string around something."

"Then they came back into the balloon."

"Exactly. They remain within the balloon, while still creating the hole."

"Wouldn't they make two holes, then? One going out, and one going in?"

Malock just stared at her for a moment, his eyes widening slightly. "Yulon," he said suddenly, turning to the hell knight. The rest of the council fell silent as their Master spoke. "I believe Sed is not the traitor."

"Are you certain, Master?" Yulon asked him.

"I thought nothing of it, until it was suggested this very moment," he answered, glancing to Keta. "For each weak point that is developing in the dimensional fabric, there is a reflection point where the fabric is being strengthened."

Yulon's red eyes widened slightly, and he fell silent for a moment. "Given that," he said finally, "it is most likely as Shadow says. The traitor is now within the realm itself."

The council continued its discussion, though to Keta they seemed remarkably calm, considering they now believed a traitor was among them. Malock leaned over to her, and quietly said, "thank you, my dear. Once again your help has been invaluable."

"Uhh... no problem, I guess," she answered, not exactly certain how she had helped. She continued to listen to the council's conversation, though she only half heard it. She understood only some of what they said, and a rather disturbing thought had entered her head. If the Dark Lord could find allies in Malock's realm, among even his closest advisors, wasn't it reasonable to assume that he could also find such allies on Nu?

Perhaps, even in Evergreen?

Hours later, after leaving the council meeting and sharing a meal of exotic vegetables and something like chicken, Malock and Keta were walking together along the rocky shore of the vast, dark sea that surrounded the island. The obsidian stones that made up the beach were all perfectly smooth, polished by centuries of tides. The phosphorescent clouds lit their way, casting bright reflections in the glassy surface of the water.

"There is something I must tell you," Malock said, his eyes fixed forward.

"What?" she asked, looking up at him.

"I brought you here to save your life. The truth, however, is that I had been planning to bring you here long before I found you wounded on that frozen plain. Ever since the first time I visited your dreams, in fact."

"What do you mean?" Her silver blue eyes narrowed just slightly.

"Do not misunderstand," he stand, turning to fix his eyes on hers. "I did not intend to burden you with the curse of the bond. I need your help." He sighed, his eyes turning upwards. "You have done so much for us already, and yet, I must ask for your help again."

"Just tell me what it is, and I'll do whatever I can. You know that, Mal."

He nodded, smiling. "I do. There is a great secret locked within these lands, left by my mentor Weyr. To shield my land and my people from the coming storm, I must unlock that secret. There are five keys, and five who are destined to carry them." He turned again to face her. "You, dearest Ketarina, are one."

"What's this secret?"

"The LokChamber. Beyond its name, even I do not understand clearly what it is. But I have spoken with Weyr's ghost, and he has bestowed upon me its prophecy. Only with the LokChamber in hand will I be able to save both the Shadow Realm and myself from destruction."

"What about these keys?"

"Each is different. You do not yet hold yours. That is what I ask of you now." He stopped walking, turning fully to face her. "Your key lies somewhere in the sands of Nas Unara, in the birthland of your ancestors. I ask you to go and claim it."

Her eyes opened wide. "I can go back to Nu now?"

"With me accompanying you, yes."

"Then, can I see my brother?"

Malock's eyes closed, and he shook his head slowly. "I am sorry, my love. The journey to Nas Unara alone will be extremely taxing for both of us. It would still be unsafe for you to approach your brother. However, once we reach Nas Unara, I will be able to tell you his whereabouts."

"I'll go," she said immediately.

"The journey will not be easy. The search may be long, even dangerous." Keta was about to speak, but Malock's hand came up to her shoulder, and she stopped. "I know well, though," he continued, a warm smile spreading over his face, "that none of that can deter you."

"Besides," she said, smiling and nodding. "You'll be with me this time, right?"

"Always," he nodded. "There is one thing I want you to understand. You owe me nothing for saving your life. I was simply protecting the life of someone important to me."

She laughed slightly. "At first, I was trying to pay you back. Now..." She took his hand. "Now I'm just trying to help someone important to me."

He smiled. "Thank you, Ketarina." They paused for a long moment, just staring at each other.

"So," she began, keeping a firm grip on his hand and starting to walk again, "when do we leave?"

"I think you should rest before we go. Once you wake, we can leave immediately."

"Will everything be all right here, with you gone?"

"Knowing what he knows now, Yulon will be able to prevent the Dark Lord's minions from opening another gate for a while longer. It will be best, though, if you and I return as swiftly as possible."

"What if Yulon is the traitor?"

"The traitor will be discovered in due time, and dealt with accordingly." There was ice in his voice as he spoke. "There is little anyone can do until then."

Keta laughed. "That's now how we do things back home."

"How do you mean?"

"If we think we have a traitor, we put out a little bait, and see who takes it."

"An interesting idea." Malock fell silent for a moment. "I have one more thing I would like to ask you."

"What?"

"Are you keeping a dragon in your room?"

Keta's eyes nearly leapt from their sockets as she looked up at him. "You... you know about that?"

"I suspected. Why? Why would you do such a thing?"

"Grimfae asked me to."

Malock blinked. "Grimfae?"

She nodded. "Grimfae told me that he found him after the black dragons attacked a while ago. Grimfae's sleeping now, and he asked me to take care of him for a while."

He shook his head, a hint of anger in his eyes. "I do not think you understand what you are doing, Ketarina."

"He's only a baby, Mal. He's harmless."

"That will not always be true."

Keta sighed. "Revenge is a business that is never finished."

"What?" Malock looked at her curiously.

"It's something my teacher taught me. No matter how many people you kill, you can never finish a vendetta. There will always be more."

He nodded. "True enough."

"Tell me why you hate dragons."

"They are vicious, base creatures without honor."

"Okay. Now tell me why you hate them."

Malock did not answer for a long moment. He sighed, his eyes turning upwards. "In my earliest memories, when I was but a boy training with Weyr, there was a man named Grendel, another of Weyr's apprentices. In all my life, Grendel was the most peace loving soul I have ever encountered. All that I know of kindness and compassion I learned from him. He was slaughtered by a black dragon while trying to stop a fight." He turned again to Keta. "That dragon was the first thing I ever killed."

Keta just squeezed his hand, but did not reply. They continued to walk for a while in silence. "Well, don't worry," she said finally. "It's only until Grimfae wakes up. Then Sable will go back."

"Sable?"

"That's his name. I want you to promise me that you won't hurt him." Malock looked down at her, and she stared back with intense blue eyes. "Promise me," she repeated.

"Very well. I promise I will not harm him, unless he gives me proper cause to do so."

Keta smiled. Had it been Shen speaking, that would have been a dubious promise. With Malock, however, she knew he fully meant to keep it. "Thank you," she said, squeezing his hand again.

"Amazing," Malock chuckled lightly as they continued their walk. "You have been here such a short time, and already you know exactly how to get your own way."

"Some people just have a knack for it, I guess," she replied with a grin.

***

Yay, Keta is finally getting to leave the Shadow Realm! For a bit, a least.

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