The Last Saga 1 (part 2 of 3)

a Original Fiction fanfiction by Kaiser

**********
PART TWO 
**********

It had been exactly three weeks since the battle over Khnum. Three weeks 
since the ruination of the city. Three weeks since the terrible birth of 
the Seraphic Maiden. In that time, things had gone by quickly. With both 
the Sky Dragon army and the Souru-Kai's bulk force weakened, any 
lingering hostilities that would have remained with the God King could 
be put to one side for now. There were more important things on 
everyone's mind. The first thing that happened after the attack of the 
Seraphic Maiden was the damage estimation. An estimated 2300 people had 
been killed at Khnum. And roughly 76% of the city had been burned to the 
ground. Annihilated. The damage and concurrent lack of labour would cost 
the Souru-Kai Tribe, more or less, 350,000 gold pieces. Which was 
ironically 60% of the tribe's annual revenue. Just 2% more than what 
they would have had to pay if they had accepted the God King's terms. 
However, the arise of the Seraphic Maiden could not have been predicted 
by anyone. Not at all. So there could be no time wasted on whys and 
maybes. The advisors (who managed to survive the whole ordeal) moved 
much of what they could from Khnum to a nearby town called Leith Mar. 

Leith Mar was the one of the more averaged-sized villages on the 
Souru-Kai lands. It managed to swallow the flow of refugees from Khnum 
as best as it could. That town was no longer safe to live in. And just a 
few days after the catastrophe that overtook the city, the remaining 
advisors managed to draw up plans for the rebuilding of Khnum. A new 
leader had been put in charge of the Metanim, since Estriah had been 
confirmed dead by a soldier who saw her eradication during the battle 
with the Sky Dragons. No one knew what had happened to either Branwen or 
Rin, but few believed that they were dead. Teela knew that Branwen was 
too powerful to be killed that easily. And Gatou had fought with Rin up 
on the roof of Anshiva Palace. He knew how strong that young upstart 
was. Rin would have made it out alive, somehow. Gatou was sure of it. 
But there was one disappearance that had made coping with the downfall 
of Khnum much harder to deal with. And that was the disappearance of 
Princess Rain and the Atama sword. Once Gatou had jumped back into the 
palace, Teela awoke. And when the Seraphic Maiden left the devastated 
city, the pair of them searched for Rain. They first went to the Grand 
Chamber which was the last place she had been seen (by Teela). But she 
was gone. Nowhere around. And so too had the Atama sword disappeared. 
Nobody could explain it. Some were beginning to speculate that Rain had 
run away in fear or had even been killed. Teela wouldn't believe any of 
it. And got rather angry when someone made those kinds of insinuations. 
But Teela could not explain what had happened to Rain, either. 

She was too courageous of heart to run away. And it seemed unlikely that 
Rain would have been killed (by either Sky Dragons or the Seraphic 
Maiden) in Anshiva Palace. There had to be some explanation as to what 
was going on here. Thus is was decided that Teela and Gatou would find 
out. Until Rain somehow reappeared, control over the Souru-Kai was given 
to the advisors. They would govern over the tribe and its lands for now. 
The issue of what would happen to the monarchy would also to wait. But 
for Teela and Gatou that was not likely. They were closer to Rain than 
the rest. They wanted to know what happened to her. So they left Leith 
Mar just a few days earlier to search for her. It would not be easy. But 
people had spread out in different directions after the ruination of 
Khnum. Not all had gone to the village of Leith Mar in migration. Some 
had fled to the smaller towns for new land and life. Teela and Gatou 
decided to scour the surrounding lands to hunt for information about 
Rain. If ANYONE knew ANYTHING, they would find it out. 

After leaving Leith Mar, Teela and Gatou had gone slightly south. To a 
small prefecture in the Souru-Kai territory called Han-Geim. It was a 
busy area that had suffered during the wars between rivalling tribes 
long ago. Because magic had become more and more useful in those days, 
the people of Han-Geim used forbidden arts to expel warring clans and 
tribes from that area. But because they used this magic so frequently 
afterwards, they saturated most of the land with negative energy. Which 
made it truly impossible to grow crops there. Most people then left 
Han-Geim. And a lack of rain turned that small area into something 
rather barren. It was largely reduced to a desert wasteland, around 
three miles in size. Because of the small size of this desert, it became 
somewhat of an attraction to those who wanted to escape the humdrum 
grass and sun of the rest of Souru-Kai. And a small but very significant 
town called Charan rose up. It was a place where the laws of Souru-Kai 
Tribal Ancestry were not valid. And thus practices such as slavery, 
prostitution and gambling were perfectly legal there. It was a place 
where a bored person could have a 'good time' and leave a week later 
without ever suffering the consequences that would have followed 
elsewhere in Souru-Kai land. Charan was also a brilliant place when it 
came to info, for just about everything. Which was why Gatou and Teela 
had chosen to come here first to look for clues into Rain's 
disappearance. 

They found themselves walking though the busy and sandy streets of 
Charan, surrounded by stalls, shops, salesmen, shady looking dealers, 
half-naked women, street dancers, drunks, perverts and travellers. 

"Wow," Teela said in awe, "This place is so busy."

Gatou, who had carried all three of his swords (Shinae, Binu, Sahara) 
and his long dagger (Yoona) with him, replied, "Stay close Miss Teela. 
These people could be dangerous to young women such as yourself."

That was the first time Teela heard this man make a level-headed 
comment. Still she only chuckled. She didn't berate him about it. Gatou 
had done a lot by agreeing to protect Teela while they searched for 
Rain. It was a dangerous world out there. The last thing Teela wanted 
was to suffer some horror of it again. 

The idea of 'Horrors of the world' got Teela thinking about the horror 
that had taken place at Khnum. She had not seen the Seraphic Maiden, but 
she had been given vivid descriptions by the survivors. A woman of the 
purest tone of white, surrounded in light, unfolding six wide wings from 
her upper back in her birth. To think that thing was actually her 
sister, set free from Teela's own body.

"Will we even be safe here?" Teela questioned, "You know, with that 
thing still on the loose?" 

Gatou's eyes hardened at the memory of it. "The White Devil has fled the 
borders of Souru-Kai lands. Two days ago the advisors received word that 
it attacked a village in our neighbouring tribe's territory on its way 
west. Nobody knows what it wants or what can stop it. But if I never see 
that entity again it will be too soon."

And nobody who had seen what had happened to Khnum would have disagreed 
with Gatou about that. The Seraphic Maiden was more powerful than anyone 
or anything could have ever conceived. Few were prepared to stand 
against it. And soon the whole world would know about it. But... there 
were some men and women who were prepared to fight the Seraphic Maiden. 
Gatou turned and looked to his left. A wooden booth was set up. And a 
line of strong-looking people had assembled in front of it.

Teela looked at it too. "What's that about?"

"The gathering together," He began, "of people who think they can bring 
down that nightmarish monster. Someone has been recruiting men and women 
from across all the Eastern Tribes to eliminate it. They have called 
themselves the Brotherhood of the Gods. A reckless militia gathering in 
fear of a beast that cannot be bested."

It wasn't like Gatou to back down from a fight. "You really think that 
it can't be stopped?" 

Gatou nodded. "Yes, Miss Teela. The woman in black that stole something 
from you. She produced the creature from that. I could tell from the 
moment I saw her burst up from the roof of Anshiva Palace, that she was 
powerful. But even she was blown back by the force of the White Devil. 
And I imagine that what happened to Khnum was probably the least of its 
power. Heaven help us if that monster should happen to reach maturity."

Teela lowered her eyes. Branwen had called her sister an 'Ashidah'. A 
rare person with great magical powers that rivalled that of even the 
gods. That was why her father killed Mia. To prevent that horrible power 
from ever entering the world. What had made Branwen believe that she 
could halt Mia's evolution into an Ashidah? And more importantly, was 
that hideous power inside of Teela as well? Was she an Ashidah? 
Hopefully, the fact that her father had not killed her meant that she 
wasn't one. For now, all Teela could worry about was Rain. Her own 
problems would have to wait. Then as the two of them walked through the 
streets of Charan, a loud bell began to sound out over the whole town. 
People became alert and started to hurry towards the centre of town 
because of it.

Teela blinked with surprise as some people started shoving past her in 
crowds. "W-What's going on?"

"What are ya, ig'nent?" One rough-looking man answered, "It's time for 
the big arena fight, ya stupid kid!"

Arena fights. Another thing that the Souru-Kai would not allow 
elsewhere. Gatou smiled and pounded his chest. If there were one thing 
he could like about this town, it was the arena. "Come, Miss Teela! Lets 
go watch a quick fight before we continue!"

Teela frowned. "Arh, but I want to keep searching for Rain..."

"It will take no more than half an hour!" And before Teela knew it, she 
was being dragged by Gatou along towards the centre of Charan. In that 
area was the arena itself. A huge coliseum called the Parthillion. One 
of the first attractions to be built in Charan. Every day, at midday, 
the bells would ring. And that would be the beginning of a whole new day 
of fighting. Most of the fighting was conducted between humans and 
captured Shrike, sometimes against other humans. The people who fought 
in the arena tendered to be strong people looking to get rich fast. 
There were rumours that some of the people who fought in the Parthillion 
were slaves, but slavery was legal in this town anyway. It was estimated 
that the fighters who competed in the glamorous and illustrious 
Parthillion had a 30% chance of survival, but at the end of the day 
nobody came here without expecting a couple of deaths. Gatou and Teela 
bought tickets at the front of the gigantic arena when they got there. 
Then moved up into seats of their own. Close enough to hear what would 
be happening in the sandy centre floor where the carnage was supposed to 
take place. The great roars of the crowds were unavoidable when a man 
standing upon a stone platform to the northern part of the stadium waved 
a flag. That meant that the fights would be starting now. The 
Parthillion was packed to the teeth with the cheers of people who wanted 
to see a good show. Teela sighed and simply followed along. Below the 
platform that man happened to be standing on, far below, on the ground 
level, was a gate. Where the fighters obviously came from. Across from 
it was a larger gate, which had slash marks all over it. That was where 
the Shrike came from. Above the human gate, a long piece of tapestry 
dropped down. Which not only signified that the match was starting, it 
also showed who would be fighting in the match. 'Steel Woman Lami' vs. 
'Cave Shrike'. 

Gatou held a hand to his chin. "A Cave Shrike? I have fought such beings 
before. There are very well armoured. Their flesh is as tough as stone."

Something that all spectators could soon see. The gate over the Shrike's 
opening rose up. A great roar was heard in that dark place. And the Cave 
Shrike stepped out. It monstrous form was cheered on by the crowds. It 
scuttled along slowly in a four-legged rhythm, its pounding three-clawed 
feet leaving a rumble noise behind each time it stepped on the sandy 
floor beneath it. It separated its jaws to reveal its teeth, reeking of 
blood and covered in smelly saliva. It would be a tough opponent. Almost 
impossible to kill by any normal person. Then the gate over the Human's 
side opened. To reveal this 'Steel Woman Lami'. She was of average 
height, dressed from head to toe in steel. She held a sword in one hand 
and a circled metal shield in the other. A symbol was struck at the 
upper platform. Which declared the beginning of the fight. The crowds 
shouted out in enthusiasm once more from this. The Cave Shrike sneered 
at its prey, not understanding that it was being used as entertainment. 
It slowly marched toward Lami, who slipped down the visor of her helmet 
and ran for the monster. The Cave Shrike saw her coming from a mile 
away. And opened its mouth again. A large lizard-like pink tongue snaked 
out of it. It was as thick as it was long. It thrust outward and slapped 
Lami at her shield, instantly knocking it from her hand. The Cave Shrike 
had amazing control over its tongue, and began flashing and flailing the 
lengthy mass of muscle around. It slapped near Lami's heels and 
prevented her from rolling to the shield. She stood up and ran towards 
the creature. On the way, she pulled out her sword and slashed at the 
tongue. The Cave Shrike groaned in muffled tones and its wounded tongue 
slithered back into its mouth. Lami pulled her sword up and tried to 
strike the creature at its head. But the Cave Shrike swung its head from 
one side and the all the way back around. Lami was batted back across 
the sand, preventing her from landing the killing blow. She skidded and 
then stopped. Just as the Cave Shrike began another slow march toward 
her. Lami stopped for a second and seemingly focused her energy. Her 
power. Waiting for the arrival of her opponent. Once the beast reared up 
over her, Lami then slashed around in an arc motion with such speed that 
the crowds barely noticed it. All accept Gatou.

"Impossible!" Gatou claimed, "That's MY Air Wave Stroke technique! How 
could that girl have learned it! I've never taught anyone by the name of 
'Lami' before!"

Teela blinked. "She knows some of your skills?"

The tide of the fight had turned in Lami's favour. For the next ten 
minutes she wore down the Cave Shrike with Air Wave Stroke after Air 
Wave Stroke. Until the grey armoured face of Shrike was covered with 
slash marks, oozing green blood. Lami leapt up into the air with one 
final action, and thrust the sword directly into the skull of the Cave 
Shrike. The monster gave a dying shriek and toppled to one side of its 
body dead. While Lami jumped back and sucked in air to catch her breath. 
The crowds erupted with new cheer at the victorious Steel Woman. She 
lifted her hands into the air and bathed in the glory of her victory. 
Right before she pulled off her metal helmet. Teela and Gatou's eyes 
widened. They were close enough to see the face of the girl. Her hair 
had been cut shorter than usual, just below her ears, but it was 
definitely her. 

Teela's heart jumped. "Rain!"

It was her...

..but what was she doing, fighting in the Parthillion?

**********

For Branwen, the lands of Souru-Kai were far behind. But what had 
happened there had shaken everything in her mind. She had been 
successful in gaining the Ortega, the living weapon of the Mortiria 
Family. The tool that gave her the power to free Mia's soul from its 
prison inside her sister, Teela. But in doing so, she had revived Mia's 
Ashidah powers. Which had turned her into that nightmarishly powerful 
creature known as the Seraphic Maiden. Though most people who knew (or 
knew of it) were starting to call it the 'White Devil'. After the 
destruction of Khnum, Branwen followed the trail left behind by the 
Seraphic Maiden. It wasn't hard to pursue. Wherever it went, it left a 
trail of devastation and misery in its wake. She had been trailing it to 
the outer reaches of the Souru-Kai lands. Ever westward. Until Branwen 
had entered a whole new region. These were the lands of the Cloud Dancer 
Tribe. Called so because they paid offerings to the Gods for rain to 
boost crops each year. It was thusly a wet place. It rained 60% of the 
time here. Unlike Souru-Kai, which was a sunny province. Some argued 
that this was proof of the existence of the Gods, which Branwen 
believed, but she also knew that the further North you got, the colder 
it got. The Snow Fields of the Northern Provinces were a prime example. 

But Branwen didn't much care about any of that right now. 

Her body and armour was completely covered in the security of a brown 
cloak that she had acquired earlier. As usual, Baja was rested on her 
shoulder. Keeping an eye on his charge. Troublesome job though it was, 
he had grown quite fond of Branwen. Which was why he didn't understand 
what she hoped to accomplish by chasing the Seraphic Maiden. It was NOT 
Mia. At least not now. It was a ravenous spirit that transcended human 
power but lacked human judgement. Branwen's powers were great but there 
was nothing she could do to stop something like that. She knew it, Baja 
knew it. Still Branwen just walked along the wet streets of Lorinth, the 
major town of the Cloud Dancer Tribe. They had a lot of westernisation 
in this city, so the streets were paved with cobblestones and were lit 
by gas lamps. But the core spirit of the people remained the same here 
as anywhere else in the East.

Branwen slowly stepped along the streets, not really going anywhere, her 
mind in a busy haze. But Baja would not remain silent for long (and he 
never really did).

"Branwen," He said softly, "What do you profit from following it? You 
can't defeat it nor can you reason with it. That creature is no longer 
the woman you loved."

Branwen sighed. "I know that, Baja. But I cannot turn my back on her. I 
do not know why I follow her. I do not know what I shall do if I find 
her. All I know is that she was... precious to me. Mia was the one 
person on this earth I truly felt I could sacrifice everything for. Even 
my life."

The talking bird Baja nodded. "I know."

"Now she has departed," Branwen looked up into that grey, damp sky, 
"Left this mortal form for divinity. And become that... preposterously 
powerful creature. I do not know why I walk this road... but I cannot 
bring myself to do anything else."

"Well whatever the case may be," Baja started, "I think may you need a 
bit of rest before you continue your search. For that white being. Even 
if you cannot defeat it you should at least have enough energy to stand 
your own ground against it."

Branwen nodded to the request. "Okay. I'll find an Inn for us. There 
should be one around here somewhere. This is a large city, after all."

So the two of them began looking for a place to spend the night. There 
were always plenty of places for travellers to stay in the bigger cities 
that were around. Branwen and Baja darted through the roads and streets 
of the city of Lorinth. Taking note of the people here. Most were rather 
polite and well mannered. Not extremely friendly however. Eventually 
they did find a place. An Inn that was called the Whistling Gale; built 
on the edge of a particular street. Branwen strode into the Inn with 
Baja. It was a normal place to expect drifters and wasters to hang 
around in. Across from the reception was the bar. Packed with greasy, 
beer-stained tables. And each table was surrounded by burly, rugged men 
who gulped down pint after pint of cheap ale. Some played cards, some 
chatted about new 'opportunities' coming their way, some discussed their 
sexual conquests. Branwen ignored the riffraff in their smoky dwellings 
and turned to the man standing behind the wooden counter. 

She slapped some gold pieces on the counter. "I'd like to rent a room 
for the night."

The man gave a surprised glare to Branwen. "Really? You wish to stay 
here?"

"Yes, is there a problem?"

The attendant shook its head. "No, no, no, Ma'am. It's just that word's 
gotten out about the monster that destroyed Khnum, that White Devil. 
Word has it that the thing is headed this way."

Mia was on her way, but... Branwen looked over her shoulder at the men 
who had gathered around the tables. "They do not look troubled. Why 
would they remain if Mia... I mean the White Devil, was on its way 
here?"

"Well I only know about it because these men told me so. They are 
members of the Brotherhood of the Gods. Each of them joined up for the 
task of killing that beast."

Branwen had heard of this 'Brotherhood of the Gods' thing before. It was 
a hopeless effort. If Branwen's Ungod powers weren't enough to even get 
near the thing; these poor bastards didn't have a snowball's chance in 
hell of stopping it. They were simply walking into their deaths blindly. 
Baja could see that as well. But he remained quiet on the matter. 

"It does not matter," Branwen said, "I will take out a room."

The attendant bobbed his head and went for one of his keys to a single 
room that was free. He found one that was adequate. Branwen took the 
iron key to the room from him and walked to the stairs leading up to the 
boardrooms. Hers was number seven. Branwen found her room number and 
slotted the iron key into the keyhole. Opening the door to a small and 
bland room, armed with little more than and a bed and a table. 

Baja flew off Branwen's shoulder and inspected the place. "We paid ten 
gold pieces for this little box? The people of the Cloud Dancer Tribe 
certainly are more expensive than the Souru-Kai."

"It does not matter," Branwen replied, removing the hood of her cloak, 
"We will stay here for the night and then move on. I do not know if Mia 
is actually coming here or not. I cannot sense her spirit anymore. But 
if she is on her way then I must be ready to face her."

Baja landed on the table. He sighed. 

Somehow the old bird got the feeling that Branwen was setting herself up 
for a fall. And one hell of a fall at that. 

**********

"Hurry, Miss Teela!"

Gatou charged down that sandy flight of steps built into the Parthillion 
like a mad bull. Dashing downwards until he could reach the lower level. 
Teela struggled to keep up but somehow managed to do so. They had to 
find out if the one they saw really was Rain. As Teela ran down the 
steps to the lowest level of the Parthillion, she couldn't help but let 
her mind wander a little. If it was Rain, why was she here? She was the 
princess of the Souru-Kai Tribe and heir to all its power. Why would she 
just abandon that to work in such a dangerous place as this? Why had she 
left Teela behind? The former slave shook her head whilst running. She 
couldn't ask herself these questions. She could not answer them. 
Besides, she and Gatou still could not be sure that it really was Rain 
they saw. The two of them finally made it to the bottom of that stone 
stairwell and ran though a conjoined corridor. One way led towards the 
south exit of the Parthillion. The other end seemed to lead to a kind of 
fighter's stable. The woman called Lami had gone back inside the 
Parthillion after her fight with the Cave Shrike so she would probably 
be going there. Gatou turned that way and Teela followed him. It brought 
them to a whole new area in the Parthillion that was directly below the 
stands above. Even now, Teela could hear the screams and chants of the 
crowds as a new fight got underway. The two entered the fight stables to 
check out the place. To see if Lami/Rain had entered it herself. It was 
a large chamber, stood up by pillars and wooden beams. There was a table 
at the centre. Cheap food and water had been left there. While some of 
the other fighters stood around, chatting to each other about what they 
intended to do when they got out there.

Gatou searched them all. "Do you see her?"

"No," Teela replied. But they had to know. The brown-haired girl ran 
over to a fighter standing against a wall and asked, "Hey, sir, have you 
seen the one they call Lami around here?"

The burly man pointed to a door across from them. Teela nodded in thanks 
and then ran to that door, gesturing Gatou to follow her. Which he did. 
They went over to the door, opened it, revealing a new set of stairs. A 
lack of hesitation was prevalent when Teela ran down those stairs as 
quickly as she saw them. Gatou followed her. An even deeper section of 
the Parthillion was revealed when they reached the bottom of those 
stairs. A very large sandstone chamber, again held up by pillars. The 
place was dark, but many fire torches had been lit to light it up. In 
the middle of the big room was a lone figure. 

Teela knew who it was. 

The woman called Lami had stripped herself of her armour. She was now 
clad only in a small black top that just about covered her breasts. And 
the lower half of her body was only in black shorts. Now they got a 
closer look at the girl they were SURE it was her. Rain. The beautiful 
warrior princess of the Souru-Kai Tribe. But what on earth was she doing 
in a place like this when her tribe so desperately needed her guidance? 

Gatou stepped forward. "Princess? I KNOW that it is you! What in the 
great name of Khnum are you doing here?!" 

Rain/Lami looked over at the two spectators that had come all the way 
down here to this large, echoing hall. "Excuse me? I think you've got 
the wrong idea, old man. This place is off-limits to the spectators. I 
don't know how you got down here but it's time to leave."

"I'm NOT going anywhere until I have an explanation, princess! You have 
a noble tribe to lead! Why would you run away from that!?"

Rain/Lami gave a confused look to the old guy. Teela took note. She 
really didn't have a clue about what Gatou spoke of. And she herself was 
more than ready to admit that. "Look, I don't know if you're crazy or 
something, but I am no princess. I work for Pilus Dahl, the owner of the 
Parthillion."

Teela narrowed her eyes. "Who is that?"

"That would be me!"

Gatou and Teela turned around to see the new figure in that room. A 
short, black suit wearing man with his hands stuffed into his pockets 
and glasses over his eyes. This was the less than life Pilus Dahl. Gatou 
had heard of him before. The man who currently owned the Parthillion. 
The richest man in both Charan and Han-Geim. 

Dahl bowed respectfully to the pair. "You must be Kahn Gatou. Welcome to 
my humble business. I am Pilus Dahl. I am sure you must of heard of me 
before at some point or other."

"Yes," Gatou said directly, "But not all of the things I heard about you 
were good ones."

Dahl smirked. "I suppose there will always be people out their who wish 
to smite my image. No matter. Please, the two of you must speak with me 
alone, to discuss this matter."

Teela was more than up for it. She had to know what was going on. There 
was a door on one side of this large room. Dahl walked towards it and 
shortly opened that door, leading into what looked to be his office. 
Gatou followed him. Teela took one last look at Rain/Lami, then followed 
Gatou into the office of Mr. Dahl. The two of them entered his office 
and stood. Just as Dahl sat down by his desk. His office was full of the 
stuffed heads of dead Shrike, which were hung over the wall. There was a 
fireplace and a rug made out of a snow tiger's hide on the floor. It had 
an altogether 'Western' feel to it. 

The shifty Dahl put his hands together. "So. I can imagine that you now 
know the true identity of Lami?" 

"So she really is Rain?" Asked Teela.

"Yes," Dahl replied, "She is the princess of our tribe. There is little 
doubt about it. During the attack on Khnum, some of my people were 
picking up supplies from one of its markets. They got caught in the 
battle between the Sky Dragons and the Souru-Kai Metanim. Some were 
killed, some had the sense to flee to Anshiva Palace. Apparently, 
shortly before the White Devil appeared, one of my men seemed to believe 
that the town was done for. So he made a point looting all he could 
while the guards were busy. And this of course led him to Princess Rain, 
who was ostensibly cataleptic."

Gatou's fist clenched. "You kidnapped her?!"

"My men did," Dahl retorted, "She was brought to the Parthillion after 
the White Devil disappeared. They suggested that we hold her for ransom. 
But then I remembered her skills as a warrior. I knew she could make me 
a LOT more money in the arena."

Teela's brow furrowed. "But that's not fair! You can't just take her 
away from me like that! She has to lead the Souru-Kai! What'll happen if 
that thing attacks again?!"

"Do I look like I care?" Dahl shot back, "All I care about is the 
success of the Parthillion. Tickets have been selling like wildfire 
since Rain joined our ranks. I will keep her. And before you even think 
of standing against me remember this; what I am doing in legal in 
Han-Geim. You can take no action against me here. My personal Metanim 
has placed a spell on her to block out her former memories. She need 
never go back to that life again."

"You can't do this!" Teela yelled. 

Dahl smiled. "Of course I can. This is the way of the world, child."

But then suddenly, a new, important question came from Gatou. "Where is 
the Atama sword?" 

"Look to your right."

The old man did so. And so he saw it. The sword had been placed in a 
glass cabinet and that cabinet was hung up on the wall for all who came 
in the room to see. "It's a remarkable weapon. A blade with the power to 
create magics. I decided to keep it for myself. In times of desperation 
it could sell for quite a bit of money."

One hand of Gatou's swiftly reached for the hilt of Shinae. "You won't 
get away with this, Pilus Dahl!" 

"I had a feeling you'd say that..." The businessman clicked his fingers 
sharply. Three separated compartments opened up on the wall beside them. 
Each one had a muscled warrior inside them. Gatou sneered at this. It 
was Dahl's will from the beginning to finish them off. The old swordsman 
looked to Teela and gestured her to stand behind him. She nodded and did 
as she was asked. Gatou then yelled a powerful war cry and ripped Shinae 
out of her sheath. The Kahn of Souru-Kai then lunged forwards at that 
desk of Dahl's. He jumped off it and over, like a springboard, vaulting 
towards the three armed guards. But such a challenge was not beyond 
Gatou. In one great heart-pounding motion, Gatou delivered three swift 
slashes as he rotated in the air. It happened so fast that Shinae was 
already sheathed by the time he landed to the ground. The three men 
collapsed in a haze of blood before they even got started. Dahl's 
surprise was frank. But Gatou would at least show him some mercy. Rather 
than kill the guy, the sword master walked over to the glass cabinet 
with the Atama sword inside it. 

Gatou smashed the glass and withdrew the sheathed blade, saying, "You 
stole this from us, did you not? Then we'll just have to steal it back. 
Consider yourself lucky to still be alive!"

"Damn you!" Dahl put forth, "You want your precious princess back so 
badly? Then I'll give her to you! In ALL her glory!"

Teela gulped. She really didn't like the sound of that. She and Gatou 
then made a break for it before they would be forced to fight with Rain. 
The pair dashed out the door into the larger, echo-filled room. Rain 
stood in their way. By the stairs. She had obviously been aware that 
Gatou and Teela would not be leaving quietly. The woman had a short 
sword it her hands. A standard issue blade, nothing like the Atama or 
Gatou's Three Swords. But that showed her intent to fight.

"Rain..." Teela watched her softly, "Can't you remember me?"

Gatou handed the Atama sword to Teela. "Take this. Whatever happens we 
cannot let the Atama sword stay in a place like this. It's too 
powerful."

"And what about Rain?!" Teela barked. 

The spell cast on her was strong. If Estriah were still alive, she could 
have easily broken it. But she had been killed in battle with Rin and 
his Sky Dragon Army. There were other Metanim in Souru-Kai lands with 
the power to heal her. But the question was, how could they get her out 
of this place for that treatment? It wasn't like they could drag her out 
the Parthillion kicking and screaming. And it would be a lot harder to 
sneak back into this place with a Metanim now that they had angered 
Dahl. What could they do?

"I'd put that sword down if I were you," Rain spoke to Teela, "It 
belongs to Pilus Dahl of the Parthillion."

Gatou growled. "The Atama sword belongs to YOU, Princess! Can you not 
remember my voice?! You are the sovereign of the Souru-Kai! And your 
tribe needs you!"

"Enough of your fairytales!" Shouted Rain, "I gave you an order! If you 
won't put down the sword willingly then I'll slice your hands off to get 
it back!"

Teela screamed in fright as Rain lunged forwards at her with that short 
but thick sword at the ready. Before the taller woman landed what would 
likely be a killing blow, Gatou zoomed in between them and quickly 
withdrew his sword Binu. Two blades crashed against each other with the 
momentum. Echoes of the clash hung in the air. Rain sneered at Gatou's 
great strength and speed. He was more skilled than he looked. 

Gatou grit his teeth and held off Rain's attack with the sword Binu, 
aptly protecting Teela. "Princess Rain! Snap OUT of it! You have a tribe 
to lead and duties to attend to!"

"Stop calling me that!" Rain yelled, "My name is Lami!"

Rain forced more strength into their weapon lock. Gatou held his ground. 
He was still stronger than she was. And thankfully she was not using the 
Atama sword. That would have been a completely different story. Gatou 
held off the attack for a few more moments. Then stepped forwards and 
shoved Rain back. The memory-lapsed woman stumbled back from that sudden 
strength, while Gatou withdrew the sword Sahara from its sheath. He 
would need his two-handed style to stand up to Rain at this rate. 

Teela was shocked. "Gatou! What are you doing?! You can't hurt Rain!"

"We can't die here either!" The older man yelled back, "We are the ONLY 
ones who know what has happened to the princess! At least one of us has 
to get back to Leith Mar to inform the advisors about where she is! Then 
we can come back with far more men to retrieve her!"

And she knew that he was speaking the truth. There was no other way 
around the situation. They had to get out of here for now. Gatou crossed 
Shinae and Sahara over each other, getting ready for a special 
technique. He had to hold back most of his power if he were to prevent 
injury. But too little force and the move would fail. Of course, Rain 
wasn't prepared to let it happen. The blonde swung her sword around her 
body mightily, producing another Air Wave Stroke like before against the 
Cave Shrike. The wind resistance bombarded the crossed swords of Gatou. 
He grunted and stepped back. Then Rain rushed forwards and leapt into 
the air. She extended her leg and kicked the grisly face of the Kahn of 
the Souru-Kai. Gatou was thrown back by the power of the flying kick. As 
his muscled back slapped the sandy flagstones of the floor he dropped 
both Shinae and Sahara. 

"It's no use," Seethed Gatou, "I cannot fight my Princess. My thoughts 
are far too clouded to battle properly."

Rain leered over him and pointed her sword downwards. Just a short 
distance from her teacher's throat. Teela was distraught. Rain was 
actually about to KILL Gatou if she wasn't stopped. There that to be 
something that she could to make Rain remember who she was. There just 
had to be. But raw nerves determined Teela's following plea of mercy.

"RAIN! PLEASE STOP IT!"

Teela yelled so loudly that she actually drowned out the faint screams 
of the crowds above for a brief moment. The princess froze in that 
second. And looked back at Teela. That fearful expression on her face. 
The tears that were gathering at her sweet green eyes. Rain's eyes 
widened. Seeing the girl Teela like that made something twinge in her 
heart. What was it? What was she forgetting? Were these people speaking 
the truth? Rain stepped back from Gatou and lowered her sword, clutching 
at her head with her free hand. Gatou watched this curiously. Teela in 
desperation seemed to have an effect on Rain. 

"Miss Teela!" Gatou called out to her, "Continue! The spell is 
weakening!"

She fumbled to get something out. "D-Don't you remember me? I was the 
girl you saved during a Shrike attack at the village I worked at. You 
took me with you to Khnum. And you tried to save me from that woman, 
Branwen. I've missed you so much, Rain. I know we haven't known each 
other that long... but you and Gatou are the only friends I have now. 
Please come back with us... please..."

Rain dropped the sword and fell on two knees. She clutched at her head 
almost in agony. And all of a sudden, her old memories returned. The 
spell had been broken. Rain's soft blue eyes opened once more and she 
stared around the room, looking at both her friend Teela and her teacher 
Gatou.

"Teela, Gatou...?" She said, "What are you... what am I... doing here?"

And the former slave, Teela, smiled warmly. "She's back."

**********

It was night.

Branwen turned and tossed in her sleep. Back in that small room in the 
Inn known as the Whistling Gale. Which was itself based in the city of 
Lorinth. Baja slept peacefully on the table, his eyes closed and a 
human-like snore coming from his beak every few seconds. But Branwen's 
sleep was definitely not as peaceful. Ever since the birth of the 
Seraphic Maiden, what was once her lovely Mia, she had been having 
nightmares. Of the past and present. And what she could make of the 
future. These were not the best of times for Branwen. But what she did 
not know...

..Was that her problems were about to get far worse. 

An ear-piercing shriek echoed all over the city of Lorinth. So loud and 
so frank that everyone who had been asleep were woken up by its 
loudness. The violently loud frequency of the scream jarred those who 
were awake to no end. The windows of all the buildings around shattered 
into ting fragments. One after the other. The glass of all the gas lamps 
strewn across the streets of Lorinth burst open. The stone that made up 
most of the houses and shops cracked from the vibrations. And once again 
people had to cover their ears to stop from being deafened. Those who 
did not were doomed to lose their power of hearing. The cobblestones 
that were weaved into the city started separating. Any glass of water or 
ale that someone happened to be holding would have shattered too. Baja 
and Branwen were knocked right out of their sleep by it. The old bird 
covered his ear holes with his wings and struggled to speak.

"That scream!" He said, "It's-"

Branwen, moved over to the burst window beside her bed, and looked out 
into the night sky. A dot of bright white light hung in the air. Shining 
like a star in the murky backdrop of the night. It was her for sure. 
There was no mistaking that frightening shriek. It was the Seraphic 
Maiden. Soon the terrified screams of women and children were prevalent 
in conjoined efforts from across the city. Their fears were confirmed 
when they looked up in the sky and saw that bright white entity. Because 
of its height it was impossible to see exactly what it looked like. But 
the rumours about it coming towards Lorinth made it impossible to deny 
what it was. Anyone who was near a window or outside could see it. 

After a while the screams of the Seraphic Maiden ended. As she hovered 
in the air she expanded all six of her pure white wings. She then pulled 
up one of her hands and pointed it towards the city. She threw one of 
those devastating aura waves at Lorinth. It zoomed down and smashed a 
small residential area. The whole of that area was swallowed up in a 
gigantic explosion of white flames and strength. That large explosion 
left behind nothing but a smoking crater of ash and a vile stench of 
cooked flesh. Towns like these were full of people. More so than in 
small villages. The Seraphic Maiden then threw another aura wave down at 
a separate part of the city. Another brutal explosion took place. One 
that was far closer to Branwen's Inn. The savage shockwaves from the 
blast rocked that side of the city, while the homes and people caught in 
the blast point were consumed mercilessly. So the destruction began 
again. The Seraphic Maiden threw down more and more of her aura waves. 
Each one hit a different part of Lorinth. Killing people in the blink of 
an eye. People began to run out of their homes and started to flee 
towards the city edge. To escape. It was a vain hope. The creature above 
continued to slaughter and destroy. Most who attempted to get away were 
blown to bits before they even got near the city edge. To stay meant 
death. To flee meant death. There was no escaping the Seraphic Maiden. 

The Unholy White Angel of Death. 

Over in the Whistling Gale, the men who had been assembled under the 
flag of the Brotherhood of the Gods, were taking action. They all 
gathered up weapons such as swords, clubs, chains, knuckledusters, 
pipes, spears, axes, quarterstaffs, knives, maces, flails and fire 
sticks. Around fifty of them marched out into the streets to face the 
Seraphic Maiden. But whatever they hoped to do was worthless. The White 
Devil was far beyond their reach. And even if it wasn't, their mortal 
weapons could not stand against it. The men all leered and shouted to 
draw the attention of the creature. This was not a success. If she could 
hear what they were saying, the Seraphic Maiden showed no signs of it. 
She simply continued to rain down blasts of her aura at the city of 
Lorinth. White flames sprang up everywhere. An ashen inferno was 
sweeping throughout the town. The warning bells of emergency rang loudly 
over the crackling of the fire to warn people who were (somehow) unaware 
of the danger. 

Branwen looked out the window. It was only a matter of time before one 
of those aura shots took out the Whistling Gale. She had to stop Mia. 
There had to be something she could do to bring her Mia back. The Dark 
Sorceress gathered together her powers. The purple glow provided by the 
Ortega made its return. Along with the crystalline wings from her back.

Baja looked sceptical. "I know what you're planning to do, young woman. 
You know that you cannot stop that monster! You're just throwing your 
life away like those idiots in the Brotherhood!"

"She's not a monster!" Branwen yelled emotionally, "She's Mia! She's 
mine! I will not let this happen! I did not struggle so long for a way 
to bring her back so that it could end like this! I have to fight!"

And there was nothing that Baja could say to stop her. Branwen shoved 
her hands forward and fired one of her own powerful magical blasts at 
the wall. The wall exploded with bright purple light. Providing an exit 
for Branwen. And she flew through it, climbing up into the sky, towards 
that rampaging Seraphic Maiden. Baja flew out of the hole himself and 
anxiously watched his companion attempt the impossible. Branwen sailed 
clear above the city of Lorinth until she was nearing her target. As she 
climbed she gathered power into one hand. A luminous purple glow 
surrounded her hand, looking very bright in this darkness. Blue streaks 
of electricity surrounded the glowing orb. And it grew in size until it 
had swallowed up over half of Branwen's arm. The Dark Sorceress yelled 
out with drive and shot the magic ball straight at the Seraphic Maiden. 
An action that caught the creature's attention. When Branwen's power 
ball came within striking range of her, the Seraphic Maiden slapped it 
to one side of her body with authority. Branwen gasped and the magical 
ball of energy shattered into nothingness. The white skinned monster 
looked down at Branwen, showing no emotion whatsoever to her. 

Branwen was not as vacant. "Mia, listen to me! I know that you are still 
in there somewhere! I want you back in my life again! That was why I 
revived you! That was why I took the Ortega! That was why I removed your 
soul from your sister's body! You have to listen to me!"

The Seraphic Maiden's emotionless face didn't flicker even for a second. 
She simply pulled up one of her hands and pointed it at Branwen. The 
dark woman grit her teeth, shut her eyes and created the most powerful 
magical shield she could muster at that point. The Seraphic Maiden fired 
another speedy aura blast from its hand. It struck Branwen's shield with 
the force of ten lightning bolts all compressed into one shot. The 
shield was destroyed almost instantly and the stunned Branwen was thrown 
screaming back into the city. Her body fell like a bullet into the 
pavement of a city street that was already in flames. There was a loud 
smash. The stone beneath her was crushed into a back-shaped crater. 

Branwen's head tilted back and exhaled. Her armour had been ripped apart 
at the chest and right shoulder. Her right arm and part of her face was 
covered in blood. And a searing pain in her right leg suggested that it 
was broken. Branwen closed one of her eyes and looked up into the sky. 
She was alive, but just barely. Even with all the power of her Ortega, 
and the natural magics she had developed, she was no match for the 
Seraphic Maiden. She had actually BLOCKED its attack and yet still she 
was nearly killed. Could anything stop something like that? The wounded 
and downed woman continued to watch as the Seraphic Maiden tore apart 
the town with her aura blasts. Branwen was now disgustingly aware of the 
fact that she couldn't move. Eventually one of those reckless aura waves 
would come in her direction. And that would be the end of it. 

Until the Seraphic Maiden stopped.

Its body froze in the air above Lorinth. Looking down at the ruined 
city. Covered in flames and smoke. The stench of burned flesh wafting. 
Buildings and homes crumbling into piles of debris. The white angel 
released another rattling screech that further terrorized the survivors. 
Then its six wings expanded into their full wingspan. The screeching 
ended and it flew off to the west. Always moving west. Lorinth was left 
as a flaming city, haunted by the spectre of death. Branwen coughed up 
blood while watching Seraphic Maiden fly away. Baja was right all along. 
Not only was she mistaken in bringing Mia back to life... but attempting 
to stop her was useless. Why would the Gods ever have allowed a mortal 
to possess such power? Why did the Ashidah even exist? As much as 
Branwen hated Mia's father for killing her love, Branwen could clearly 
see WHY he did it. To prevent something like this from ever happening. 
The Dark Sorceress coughed up more blood. She couldn't move. Hopefully 
Baja would come by to help her. 

Someone did come. But it wasn't Baja. 

A tall man, around 60+ years in age, walked through the flaming street 
of that particular part of Lorinth. And he smiled at the image of the 
fallen, bloody woman. He sauntered over to her until she could see his 
shadow. Branwen rolled her open eye to look at him. But both her eyes 
widened in the surprise of seeing him. This elderly but active man was 
dressed in and bluish-white variation of Branwen's own armour. Which 
meant that he was a general of one of the God King's Armies. And when 
Branwen took a deep look at that large, thick sword strapped to his back 
(named Nizhegorodsk) she knew exactly who he was.

"Y-You... you are..." 

The older man pulled a smile. "Leader of God King Saul's Lightning Fang 
Swordsmen, Second Major Division of the Western Armies. Raiken Stroud. 
At your service. And you, Branwen Kalia Mortiria, have been a very bad 
girl."

A chill passed down Branwen's spine. The Western Empire had finally 
caught up with her after the incident at Ashurna Castle. And while she 
was at her weakest state. 

**********

"What?"

The exit out of Charan was swift. The truth was that neither Rain, Teela 
nor Gatou were safe until they got out of the Parthillion and the town. 
It brought to attention the dangers of walking around in lands that were 
not under the jurisdiction of Souru-Kai administration. And so the three 
of them fled from Charan as quickly as possible. After about an hours 
walk, the three of them made it to the edge of the Han-Geim region. They 
would be able to make it to Leith Mar in the morning. But night had just 
descended on them. It was time to camp out. It wasn't something they 
were hoping for (Gatou wanted to continue walking through the night, but 
Teela was getting a little bit tired) but nevertheless they decided to 
camp out. Thankfully they had reached an area of Han-Geim that was near 
an oasis. Plenty of water was at hand. 

The three sat around a campfire, made by Gatou. Teela was rested up 
against Rain. Asleep. Across the fire was Gatou. And he was explaining 
all that had happened since the princess's disappearance.

"Yes," Gatou nodded to her, "Miss Teela told me that the woman's name 
was 'Branwen'. She burst up from the roof of Anshiva Palace with Miss 
Teela in her clutches. Then she did something. She pulled out some sort 
of entity or spirit from the girl and it transformed into that White 
Devil."

Rain narrowed her eyes. "White... Devil?"

"A creature made of purest white," Gatou growled fiercely at the memory 
of the Seraphic Maiden, "possessed of six wings and the most loud, 
frightening scream I have ever heard. It killed many of our people and 
destroyed the Sky Dragons. By the time the monster left, all thoughts of 
the battle were over."

"So is Rin dead? Or did he escape?" Rain asked. 

Gatou shrugged. "I have no way of knowing, Princess. His body was not 
found anywhere near Anshiva Palace when we began assessing the damage 
done to Khnum." 

"I understand," And then Rain's eyes lowered, "And Estriah was killed 
too? This is all just too much. I can't believe I've been fighting 
Shrike for the past two weeks when my people need me!"

"It is not your fault, Princess." Gatou assured. 

Rain nodded. She did know that. But it did not make the idea any easier 
to swallow. "I wish we could have Dahl punished for what he has done. 
But the Han-Geim area is not under Souru-Kai law. Plus, we have deeper 
things to be worried about. Like that monster you described. Where is it 
now?"

The brightness of the flames took a new pitch as Gatou threw a few more 
sticks of wood into it. "Our sources say that the creature has been 
sighted heading west from here. It's off Souru-Kai land. But I do not 
think that it makes it any less our problem. Wherever the White Devil 
goes, it causes all but total obliteration. I fear that if it is allowed 
to continue its murderous rampage across the Eastern Lands, the Tribal 
System and all of its great heritage could fall apart."

Then Rain recalled the conversation between herself, Branwen and Teela 
in Anshiva Palace two weeks ago. "No wonder..."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"I was just thinking about what Branwen was saying to us before she 
pushed me back. She said that Teela had a sister. Called 'Mia'. And that 
Mia was something called an 'Ashidah'. A higher level above that of even 
Metanim. Because of this power, Mia's Father killed her. Now I can 
understand why he did what he did. He knew full well that the Ashidah 
really WERE dangerous. A menace to the world. It wasn't just blind 
fear."

Gatou blinked. "Huh? Why didn't Miss Teela tell me this?"

The Princess of the Souru-Kai Tribe looked down at the innocent woman 
who happened to be sleeping against her shoulder. "She was probably 
afraid of your reaction, Master. You can see that she partly blames 
herself for what happened at Khnum. But the blame lies with Branwen. How 
could someone let a beautiful emotion like love sour them so badly?"

"People are different," Gatou claimed, "We do not react the same way to 
any situation. She probably thought that she was doing the right thing. 
But she is not our problem, whether she is alive or dead. The enemy is 
the White Devil. I just find it hard to believe that we can find a way 
to kill it."

Rain hardened. "Is it THAT powerful?"

"You have no idea, Princess. That bestial entity is ridiculously strong. 
No one has mounted a serious attack on it to my knowledge, but I doubt 
that there is anything on this world that can stop it."

"That cannot be," Rain responded. "There has to be a way. Maybe we could 
find a clue if we went to a place that had a fair amount of information 
on Metanim and Ashidah."

Gatou thought about that. "Hm. The only place I know of that would have 
that kind of information would be the Grand Library. Estriah once told 
me it has many tomes and manuscripts referring to magic and its past. 
But it was built underneath Anshiva Palace. And the city has largely 
been reduced to ruins."

"Wouldn't the Library be okay if it were underground?" Rain asked.

"Maybe. We would have no real way of being sure unless we went there. 
The Palace itself was damaged greatly but still stands. Do you wish to 
return to Khnum?"

She thought about it. Rain would have to go back there sometime. It was 
the major city of Souru-Kai, and would remain so when it was rebuilt to 
what it once was. The time to return to Khnum had come. "Yes. Before we 
go to Leith Mar, I think that we must head northeast to Khnum. We'll 
search the Grand Library for any information whatsoever on the Ashidah. 
Hopefully we'll find something that can help us in stopping that being 
before it does anymore damage. But there is one other problem..."

"Which is?"

The blonde girl narrowed her eyes. "God King Saul."

"The God King?" Gatou smiled proudly, "You needn't worry about him and 
his ridiculous demands for now, Princess. Do you remember what I told 
you? The White Devil is moving westward. Towards the Western Empire. 
Although its attacks are quite random, its movements do not seem to be. 
If I know that man he will be mounting some kind of plan to stop the 
monster before it comes any closer to the Western Empire. I do not know 
how successful this will be; but the God King will have his hands full 
for the moment."

Rain smiled back. "That's fortunate. While we look for information, the 
God King will not be a threat to the Souru-Kai. All the same though, we 
should be quick. I'd like to get to Leith Mar as fast as possible to 
make sure that the advisors are not overwhelmed. And if we have any 
details on the Ashidah by then, we can formulate our own plan to finish 
the White Devil."

**********

"Ugh..."

Branwen released a slurred moan as she finally began to come to. The 
fight with the Seraphic Maiden (or rather Branwen's trouncing at her 
hands) came back into mind. And when she slowly opened her eyes, she 
remembered that she had lost consciousness after catching sight of that 
old sword master of God King Saul's Twelve Armies. His name was Raiken 
Stroud. A Kahn. Who was by birth a member of the small tribe in the East 
called the Syrah. They were small in number but very powerful. And they 
had had long standing wars with the Souru-Kai Tribe. Towards the end of 
the Great Wars, the Syrah had been weakened into submission due to heavy 
losses. And so it was forced into becoming a second-rate force in the 
Tribal power bases to the East. Some of the warriors raised there then 
began leaving for other tribes. Raiken did not. He went straight to the 
Western Empire, enlisted in the army, and rose up in rank after some 
impressive victories to become a General of his own army of 
super-trained swordsmen. They were known as the Lightning Fang 

Branwen now realized that she could be in trouble. She looked around her 
settings and grasped a few things. For one she was chained to a wall. 
Two manacles had been locked around her wrists to keep her in one place. 
They were made of a unique metal called Kyzanthium. It had the amazing 
power to neutralize magical energy. Which effectively stopped Branwen 
from using any of her magics. Both her natural ones and those provided 
by the Ortega. And when she looked around she could see that this was a 
cell. It was built of steel. But it was still grim and foreboding, 
patches of wetness, dirt and the vile stink of urine everywhere. Then 
shortly afterwards, Branwen noticed a loud sound in the background. A 
chugging, mechanical sound. Which did not strike her as familiar. Until 
she remembered that it sounded similar to magically powered engines. And 
there was a small slit at the side wall. About a third of a metre long. 
With iron bars built into it. It gave a good view of the outside. And 
when she looked outside she could see two things.

Clouds and landscape. 

Now she knew where she was. In a holding cell of an Airship. Such 
magically-powered technology was rare in all but the Western Empire. 
This was where she had been brought. Into the sky. If Raiken were in 
command of this ship then Branwen guessed that it would have been the 
Thunder Eagle. Which was one of the bigger, heavily armoured crafts of 
the Western Empire's Army, given to the Lightning Fang as a method of 
transportation to other lands for battles. 

But then another question presented itself. When she looked down at her 
armour it was still battered by the Seraphic Maiden's attack. But there 
was no damage to he body. Branwen was sure she had broken her leg but 
she felt no pain now. And she could feel no hardened blood on her face 
and arms either. Someone had healed her with magic. But why? Branwen was 
an accepted traitor to God King Saul and the Western Empire. Why would 
they be keeping her alive? It seemed that she would be getting the 
answer to that question soon enough. There was a clanking sound at the 
door. It was being unlocked. The Dark Sorceress looked up from her bonds 
and watched while the leader of the Lightning Fang himself, Raiken 
Stroud, stepped through the door. Alongside him was a young woman (who 
could have been no more than 16 years of age) dressed in white armour of 
Western orientation. A White Metanim. And she was probably the one who 
had healed Branwen's wounds.

Raiken smiled at his captive. "Well now. Finally awake? Morning has 
already hit us, my dear."

"And just what do you want from me, Stroud?!" Branwen asked angrily. 

"I'd calm that temper if I were you," Raiken replied, "You are not in 
any fit position to be yelling the odds. Your action against the God 
King Saul and his Metanim ranks were inexcusable. And if not for things 
developing in the manner that they have, you would have been sent 
directly to Ashurna Castle for execution. However. There are far more 
important issues to worry about."

Branwen smiled at him. "You mean the 'White Devil?'. Yes, I could 
imagine that the God King is not very thrilled by the idea that such a 
being is on its way to the Western Empire. Is the great Saul actually 
afraid?"

"Bite your tongue you insolent wench!" Yelled the White Metanim.

"Just stating my opinion," Branwen retorted, "I've seen the power twice 
already. I know just what it is capable of. It was only luck that 
allowed me to survive for this long." 

Raiken crossed his arms, stoutly. "That luck is running short, Branwen. 
You dance upon the edge of death. It will befall you. Unless you do as 
we say."

The Dark Sorceress sneered. "Why should I do anything for you? You plan 
on killing me, do you not? Then do it and be done. I'll not be the God 
King's lapdog anymore."

"That is just the point," Raiken started, "If you help us and do what we 
ask of you, the God King will waver your crimes against the Empire. You 
would have a clean slate. And we would no longer pursue you. Giving you 
total and utter freedom over yourself."

Branwen blinked. "Are you serious?"

"Quite. If you agree to our terms."

"Which are?" The tall woman inquired. 

"We have a plan. The White Devil is currently moving west from Lorinth. 
Which has been crushed completely. At present it seems to be heading for 
the Eastern Shores of the Great Sea. We estimate that it will reach the 
port city of Jumah soon. Thankfully it has stopped to attack another 
village in the lands of the Cloud Dancer Tribe. Thus we are more than 
twelve hours ahead of it. So we have more than enough time to execute 
our strategy. We have around three hundred Metanim sailing towards Jumah 
as I speak. All are hand-picked elite from the Western Empire. When in 
position they will gather together all their magical powers and use it 
in a conjoined attack that will destroy the beast! I have christened it 
Operation Jumah."

Branwen sighed. "Is that so? And just what do you need me for?"

"That White Devil is too strong," Raiken spoke, "It would eliminate all 
our Metanim in an instant if allowed to. Which is why you, Branwen, and 
a band of White Metanim led by Ariel here, must cast a spell to hold it 
in place for a minimum of three minutes. That will give our army of 
Metanim the time they need to summon up the magical power wave that will 
kill the White Devil."

"Even if I could hold it down, you'd need something to prevent the White 
Devil from attacking us, as well."

The older man nodded. "Yes. Which is why the God King gave us additional 
help in this matter. Another General and his own army shall be assisting 
us. And I believe that you already know him."

Branwen looked on curiously as a forth figure walked through the door. 
And her eyes widened to see him. It was the spiky black-haired and 
arrogant master of sky warfare himself.

"...Rin!?"

It was him. The leader of the Sky Dragon Army, fully dressed in his 
armour, complete with his sword Vae Cerpher at his waist. The military 
commander pulled a sneaky grin over his face and marched up to the Dark 
Sorceress. He gripped her chin in a firm hold and continued to smirk 
with glee.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen," He said, "To think that the most 
powerful female Metanim of the Western Empire, the legendary Branwen 
Kalia Mortiria, would fall into our grip due to a defeat she suffered at 
the hands of her own creation. I must say, the Gods have made your 
destiny so terribly ironic."

Branwen sneered at him. "So you survived Khnum?"

A second later Rin slapped her across the face. Branwen's head jerked to 
one side with a bright red bruise now adorning her cheek. While Rin's 
facial expression switched from delightfully amused to shockingly angry. 

"Pompous bitch," Rin seethed in fury, "Thanks to YOU over a fifth of my 
army has been wiped from the face of existence. And if it were up to me 
your head would be mounting a spike on Ashurna Castle. But I do not have 
the choice. Commander Raiken needs your help to complete Operation 
Jumah. But do not think for a single second that this amends any of the 
issues between us."

Not that she expected anything different. Rin walked away from her and 
back out of the cell, while Raiken and the White Metanim known as Ariel 
remained as they were. Raiken ran a hand through his long grey beard and 
looked on at his prisoner. "So. Will you except our terms and 
participate in Operation Jumah?"

She didn't have much choice in the matter. "...Fine. I accept."

"Good," Raiken said with a smile, "We will release you from your bonds 
when we reach the port town of Jumah. We can't have you backing out on 
our deal now, can we?"

With that last comment, he was gone. The old swordsman closed the door 
behind him. But Ariel did not follow him. She ran a hand through her 
short blonde hair and watched this former Black Metanim. Something that 
Branwen could not understand. "Is there anything else?"

"I don't trust you." Ariel put forth.

Branwen smirked. "And could you give me any reason why I should trust 
YOU? You could kill me here and now because of these damn Kyzanthium 
manacles. And I've been herded into some crackpot scheme hatched by an 
old man with VERY little understanding about what he is planning to go 
up against. I am the only one who knows what your foe is really capable 
of."

Ariel looked away. "If the White Devil survives Operation Jumah, it 
could cross the Great Sea and attack one of the port towns on the 
Western Shores. Those of the Empire..."

"Let me guess. You have family there, is that it?"

"Yes," The White Metanim answered, "My parents, my grandparents. Even my 
betrothed husband works for his Father on the coast. I have to protect 
them. And I would rather not allow this mission to pivot on your 
fulcrum. There is too much at stake for failure."

Branwen lowered her head with a chuckle. "Listen to me, girl. I have 
lost everything. But completing Operation Jumah could give me my 
freedom. One thing I would like to have back. So you can stop your 
whining and bleating about who you have to protect. Such ardour makes my 
stomach turn."

Ariel's brow creased. "Can you really be that heartless? Do you not have 
loved ones? A family? Friends? Some shred of attachment to someone 
else?"

"...Yes." 

"Then surely you are prepared to fight for that person? Isn't it worth 
risking your life if it means protecting the one you care about?"

"...That doesn't apply to me." Branwen replied lowly. 

"Why not!?" The sixteen-year old was actually getting angry, "Are you so 
selfish that you can't see that you have a duty to protect the things 
precious to you? Has love even crossed your heart!? If you cannot bring 
yourself to fight for someone you care about then I say you're nothing 
but a coward!"

"The reason I cannot protect her..." A solitary tear slipped from 
Branwen's right eye, over her cheek and down to her jaw. But the 
following words to come from her mouth were far from sad, "...is because 
you people have just forced me to help you KILL her!"

Ariel's eyes widened. "...What? Are you saying that... you cared for the 
White Devil...?"

"You just heard Rin say that I 'created it', did you not? Her name was 
not monstrous. She was Mia Bannockburn. My love. I have sacrificed 
EVERYTHING for her. She was killed years ago but I NEVER forgot her. The 
reason I left the Western Empire was to find a method of reviving her. 
When I acquired that method I brought her back from death. But she did 
not return to her normal self. She became that destructive creature that 
lays waste to whatever it sees."

The White Metanim was stunned at this. "I did not know."

"And why would you?!" Branwen yelled back, "People like you, people born 
in the West; you don't make it your business to understand! You see 
things from only your own point of view! You never hazard to look beyond 
the surface of something and you take everything at face value! In the 
years I spent working for the Black Metanim, that little trait was one 
thing ALL you of Western birth share! So don't you dare speak to me of 
protection, love or cowardice! Wanting to protect something important to 
you does NOT make you a heroine in this feeble little tale! It just 
means you possess something you're partial to and are not prepared to 
give it up! And I do not call that courage. I call that 
self-indulgence."

Ariel was almost stunned for words. "...Do you really see it like that?"

"That is the way the world works," Branwen lowered her face, "For 
arrogant Westerners such as yourself, little girl." 

**********

A brand new morning had come. 

Camping out was not something that Teela hoped to have to do often. But 
it was necessary. And once everyone got some sleep, they left for Khnum. 
The ruined city was not far from Han-Geim at all. But it would be odd to 
see it in a destroyed state. It was where Rain was raised and taught. It 
was her home. The three walked along one of the many grassy plains that 
made up most of the Souru-Kai lands. Toward Khnum which was on the 
distant horizon. The walk towards it was not long. And soon Rain, Gatou 
and Teela both marvelled and grieved as they looked upon the ruins of 
Khnum with their own eyes. It was terrible. The city walls that once 
stood for the power of the Souru-Kai were almost crumbling. It was full 
of puncture holes created by both dragon fire and the Seraphic Maiden. 
Corpses were festering outside and on top of the walls. Those of the 
dead Metanim who bravely defended this city. Those of fallen Sky Dragon 
warriors who attacked the city. And even normal people who simply 
attempted to get away from all the heartless destruction. 

Teela held her hands to her mouth and whimpered. She remember how grand 
and delightful Khnum seemed when she first came here with Rain. Now it 
looked and felt like a wrecked ghost town. "This is awful..."

"I can't believe this has happened," Rain said pondering, "This was the 
city in which I grew up. The Pride of Souru-Kai. Our defining mark. What 
has become of it?"

Gatou's eyes lowered. "Do not worry, Princess. We WILL restore Khnum. 
But now we must make it to the Grand Library. The White Devil issue just 
cannot wait." 

Rain and Teela nodded in unison to the Kahn. He was right. Khnum could 
be restored in time. But the more they lingered, the longer the Seraphic 
Maiden had to destroy the world. The three companions plucked up their 
courage and walked through the battered city gates leading inward. They 
were broken open so there was no need to worry about getting inside. And 
thus began the long walk through the city streets towards Anshiva 
Palace. But none of them could help but survey the damage when they did 
so. All the houses and huts had been either crushed or burned to the 
ground. So too were all the hey carts, shops, goods, fences, sties. A 
putrid stink that was beyond anyone to ignore. Teela held a hand to her 
nose and her brow creased from the stench. Which was that of dead 
tissue. Much of the livestock had been killed in the battle and by the 
Seraphic Maiden. The rotting bodies of the citizens caught in the 
cross-fire of the battle also littered the roads of Khnum. And if you 
looked hard enough you could find the rotting torsos of Sky Dragons. 
Flies buzzed around them for nourishment. It was a very, very unpleasant 
sight. Especially for Rain and Gatou. They had strong emotional 
attachments to this town. But the three of them kept walking to Anshiva 
Palace. And after a few hours of trudging through this desolate city, 
they made it to the very centre. The rise of land that Anshiva Palace 
had been built on. 

Before they even knew it, Rain and her two friends were standing at the 
gates of the Palace itself. The Princess smiled warmly at it. The marble 
and limestone bastion had actually made it through the Sky Dragon attack 
AND the Seraphic Maiden quite well. There were a few blast holes at its 
upper levels and the outer walls had been burned, but all in all it 
still stood proudly. That was something to be thankful for. Gatou strode 
up to the tall steel gate that blocked one half of the entrance into the 
grounds of the palace. He grappled the bars, grit his teeth, growled; 
and then ripped the metal gate right off its hinges. A loud clang of 
metal echoed when he dropped the gate. And Rain and Teela followed him 
through the gateway to the palace itself. It stood above the town like 
normal. When Rain strode under the large archway into the entrance hall, 
she felt a little better about what had happened to Khnum. Anshiva 
Palace was a little shaken but not broken. And if this remained then 
there was no doubt that the city could be returned to its former glory. 

Gatou looked over to one of the fourteen side halls that led to all 
kinds of different places in Anshiva. "Okay then. Princess? Miss Teela? 
Follow me to the Grand Library."

And so they did. Gatou marched up the main hall, past the side halls 
that led to the lower Grand Chamber and War Chambers. He turned at the 
second side hall to the far left. Which led to a stairwell leading 
downwards. Rain and Teela followed him down the steps. When they reached 
the bottom, it became obvious that they were underground. There were two 
new doors that were in front of them. Gatou went into his pocket and 
took out a key. He unlocked the left door and walked through. Shortly 
followed by Rain and Teela. They were now in a whole new chamber with 
even more doors to choose from. Luckily Gatou knew his way around this 
place. Rain had never been down to the lower levels before, though. It 
just now struck her how odd it was that she had never been down here 
before. But that was just a minor little detail. Gatou, Rain and Teela 
ambled in line to the furthest door of this underground chamber. Once 
again, the sword master unlocked this door of wood. And it opened up a 
new stairwell. But this one was different to the rest. It was not built 
with the same gloss and polish as the rest of the Palace. This stairwell 
was built by large stone bricks. It was clearly older than the 
stronghold that had been erected above it. There were small fire torches 
lighting the way downwards. Gatou shoved his key back into his pocket 
and descended the stairs. It was one hell of a long walk down, at least 
fifteen minutes, but eventually they made it to the bottom. The three of 
them were greeted by wooden double doors hinged against a stone archway. 
Gatou (again, with the muscle) pushed them both open. He and the girls 
all gasped with wonder as they looked up that which they had been 
searching for.

The Grand Library.

It was huge. Immense. A gigantic room filled with many tall bookshelves 
that were spread out all over the place. Twenty-foot tall ladders had 
been left by most of the bookcases to reach the previous books at the 
top. Each one possessing either a great tale or fantastic secrets of the 
world that few knew about. Rain stepped forwards and soaked this all up. 
She had never known that such a place had even existed. And yet it was 
so BIG! 

"Wow!" Teela expressed, "I never seen so many books before in my life!"

Gatou nodded proudly. "I did not know of this place until Estriah 
informed me of it a while ago. She gave me the key and told me not to 
show it to the Princess until her coronation. Necessarily, I listened to 
my instincts. I had to break my promise to her. If the White Devil is 
allowed to live then it would only be a matter of time until it returned 
to Souru-Kai lands."

"Uh..." Rain's voice echoed in that large library, "I hate to say this, 
but where exactly are we supposed to start? There are probably millions 
of books in this place and there's only three of us. How are we supposed 
to find a book on the Ashidah throughout all of THIS?"

Teela gulped. "Um... I dunno..."

"Hmm," Gatou held a hand to his chin in thought, "Perhaps we should have 
brought others to help us with this matter. I did not think we would 
have difficulty in finding a book about these so-called 'Ashidah', 
but..."

Just then, a forth and very significant voice called out to the three of 
them inside that echoing Grand Library. "I am afraid that you will not 
find any extensive works on the Ashidah, Kahn Gatou! After all, who 
would be brave enough to attempt to study creatures with strength of 
that calibre?"

Rain and Teela were alert when they heard that voice. Gatou was already 
reaching for the hilt of Binu, his eyes darting around to catch a 
glimpse of whoever that was. Could someone actually be down here?

Teela back-stepped nervously. "I thought everyone who survived Khnum 
left for Leith Mar."

"There were bound to be looters ready to pick at the ruins." Rain said, 
reaching behind her back for the Atama sword. 

Just until the mystery man revealed himself. Teela caught sight of him 
up above on one of the many tall bookshelves that had been stacked in 
this enormous library. Rain and Gatou looked up at him. He was short. 
Definitely quite old. A visible trait in his tanned wrinkled skin. He 
stood in a top hat and beach sand yellow suit with a cheeky yet 
knowledgeable smile on his aging face. 

Gatou scowled at him. "Identify yourself!"

"Very well, Master Swordsman." The old man said. He then jumped straight 
from the top of that bookcase - which by itself was at least twenty 
three metres high - and swiftly descended to the dusty stone ground 
below. Rain took note of how light this man was on his feet, but still 
retained some of her misgivings about him. The old man removed his hat 
and bowed before Rain in all the respect a person was expected to give 
to a monarch. 

"My name is Oro. Mr. Oro, if you don't mind. And I am the keeper of this 
Grand Library you see before your very eyes."

Teela blinked at the old man. "Mr. Oro?"

"That is correct, Miss!" Mr. Oro put his hat back on his bald head, "I 
am the keeper of this place. A place where thousands upon thousands of 
years of knowledge has been gathered together. You could find almost 
anything of interest here. Except of the Ashidah. Very little is known 
about them. While I have more information on them than anyone else, even 
that is limited. And it remains in my head only."

Rain lowered her hand from the Atama sword. "You know about the 
Ashidah?"

"Of course," Mr. Oro answered, "I believe the world currently has its 
hands full with one. Of course, in this form, the correct name to regard 
it by would be the Seraphic Maiden." 

"Seraphic Maiden?" Gatou sheathed Binu, "Is that what you call the White 
Devil? Well if you know its name then what else do you know about it?"

Mr. Oro smiled. "That is not really your question, is it, Kahn Gatou? 
What you came here for is different. You simply want to know how to 
destroy it. How to kill the Seraphic Maiden."

Rain looked on. "Is it possible?"

Mr. Oro nodded his head as a yes. But there was a solemn look on his 
wise and confident face. "Yes. There is a way to kill the Seraphic 
Maiden. But it comes with a terrible price. One that you simply CANNOT 
invoke."

"Why not?" Teela questioned. 

"Because, Miss Bannockburn," And when Mr. Oro mentioned that name it 
became clear that he knew A LOT more about them than they did about him, 
"If you were to use this method... you would risk the destruction of the 
world."

**********

There was an eerie silence on the beaches of Jumah. It was a large port 
town that was built on the coastal line of the Great Sea. For years now, 
Jumah had been considered the biggest of trading ports between the 
Western Empire and the Eastern Tribal System. It was a place of 
strategic value to both the West and East. And thus it was important 
that Jumah be protected from the Seraphic Maiden's attack. Beyond the 
beaches of the coast were mostly grasslands and foothills. But the 
attack, Operation Jumah, would take place in this area. The great 
battleship Thunder Eagle had landed in a bay inside the settlement just 
a few hours ago. By now the attacking force of the front line had 
reached Jumah. They were 300 Metanim who sailed directly here from 
Ashurna Castle in the Western Empire. They were quite a powerful segment 
of a group that comprised some of the most skilled Metanim in the 
Empire. More importantly, they were members of the Regular Army of the 
God King. Some people had called them by the name 'Red Metanim' because 
their armour was a deep crimson. But these men had not be given an 
official name. They were stationed in ten rows of thirty, about half a 
mile away from Jumah. At the head of the Red Metanim was Raiken Stroud 
himself. He was mounted on a horse while all those behind him were on 
foot. The horse mulled back and forth in little strides while waiting 
for its rider to do something. But Raiken waited patiently. Maintaining 
the silence. 

Across from the position of Raiken and the Red Metanim was a large hill 
which was known as The Rise of the Faeries. Called so because a mayor of 
Jumah had once claimed that faeries had greeted him when hiking there. 
It was an old story. On the Rise of the Faeries was Branwen. The former 
Black Metanim stood at the edge of the Rise, looking out over the vast 
lands that made up the coastal region. There was a stern but cumbersome 
expression on her. The manacles that had been locked around her wrists 
were gone. Thus she could use her magic again. But she had to see this 
whole thing though to win her freedom from the Western Empire. Powerful 
though she was, there was no way Branwen could avoid God King Saul's 
wrath forever. This might be her only shot at winning freedom. And 
confronting Mia to do it... seemed oddly ironic. Beside Branwen was 
Ariel. This time fully dressed in the white armour becoming of a White 
Metanim. And another six White Metanim stood behind the two of them. It 
had just been revealed, but the woman known as Ariel was in contention 
to be the new leader of the White Metanim. They were an all-female band 
of spell casters that specialised in defensive conjurations and healing 
magics. They normally defended soldiers in battle from other Metanim. It 
was one of the secrets of the military strength of the Western Empire. 

Branwen looked up into the sky. Above the Red Metanim by about 200 
metres was the Sky Dragon Army itself. Around 240 Sky Dragons and Sky 
Dragon Riders had been assembled, more than half of the entire Sky 
Dragon Army. At the head of that flying brigade was the leader himself. 
Rin. Branwen had heard that Azi Dahaka was killed in the battle at 
Khnum, so he was riding a whole new dragon. It was of a light grey 
skin-tone and called Bahamut. It was smaller and sleeker than its 
predecessor, but obviously nowhere near as powerful. They floated 
patiently in the skies of the coastline region for the Seraphic Maiden. 

"Hmph." Branwen snorted, "I bet that sluggard Rin is stewing over with 
his bloodlust. Typical Western General."

Ariel sighed. "Please, Mortiria. Please be ready for the mission."

"I am ready." The taller woman replied.

Well Ariel was a little sceptical about that. But she didn't say 
anything about it. As long as Branwen did what she was asked, that was 
all that mattered. Until an alarming and awfully familiar scream tore 
the air. The young White Metanim women doubled over and covered their 
ears at the sound of that scream. Even Ariel had to cover her ears from 
the loudness of it. But Branwen did not. She looked up into the sky, 
towards the East. An orb of light was fast approaching from that 
direction. The source of that horrible sound. And Branwen knew exactly 
who/what it was. 

"...Mia..." 

Ariel and the White Metanim regained their composure when the screaming 
started to fade away. It was the opening act of this opera. And now the 
Seraphic Maiden was in plain sight of everyone. Branwen, Ariel and the 
White Metanim, Raiken and the Red Metanim, plus Rin and the Sky Dragons. 
They all could see it. It was time for Operation Jumah to begin. Rin 
sneered at the six-winged Angel of Death. It neared Jumah at great 
speed. So much that it would take little time for it to cross over the 
Great Sea and reach the shores of the Western Empire. It had to be 
stopped now. 

Rin reached for his sword, Vae Cerpher, withdrew it from its sheath, and 
pointed it at the Seraphic Maiden. "Now men! Charge!"

Rin flew off into the fray upon the great Bahamut dragon. It was 
followed right after by its brethren, the other Sky Dragons. They all 
yelled with fervent, war-like passion and flew into the Seraphic 
Maiden's vicinity. The stinking hot jaws of all the dragons opened in 
synchronization and blew out hundreds of balls of blue dragon fire at 
the moving monster. When the Seraphic Maiden saw this attack launched at 
her, she stopped her movements. Freezing in the air, suspended by her 
six wide wings. The large waves of dragon fire came careening towards 
her. And she was bombarded savagely. The terrifyingly powerful creature 
was consumed in sky blue flames to match the sunny skies above. The Sky 
Dragons continued to throw more and more flaming balls at the higher 
being. Again and again. Until it all came to a stop. The rumblings of 
dragon fire ceased. The Red Metanim below watched this all at their 
places. A second screech boomed over the coastal area. And the creature 
inside of those blue flames threw its hand forwards. The Seraphic Maiden 
hurled one of it relentlessly powerful aura waves straight at the Sky 
Dragons. 

"Split off!" Rin yelled in command.

The riders all took that command and dove out of the path of the blast 
as quickly as they could. Some were just not fast enough. Vivid screams 
were heard as the aura wave burnt straight through the dragons that were 
too slow in speed to avoid the shot. They were burned into cinders that 
fell like snow back down to the earth. Rin scowled and looked down at 
what the Seraphic Maiden had done. It had killed at LEAST thirty of his 
soldiers and dragons in one shot. He blamed Branwen for all of this. But 
his concern now was for the success of the mission. Bahamut flew back 
towards the Seraphic Maiden with the others to attack again. 

Branwen watched this from the Rise of the Faeries. Even Rin's Sky 
Dragons were mere child's play against Mia's power. But the White 
Metanim were not prepared to watch their comrades die in vain. They all 
got into position, forming a circle around the top of the Rise of the 
Faeries. They clapped their small hands together, shut their eyes and 
commenced centring their magical strength. The spell they were about to 
use was called 'Enmesh'. The skill of temporarily trapping something in 
one place. By combining their magics the strength of the spell would be 
increased. But for the spell to be successful they need to have someone 
act as a sort of conduit. And that would have to be someone strong 
enough to maintain the flow of the magical energies. 

Ariel hurried Branwen along when her White Metanim started. "Please, 
hurry along now. The Sky Dragons will not last very long at this rate." 

Branwen didn't really give a damn about them anyway. But she had to do 
this. The Dark Sorceress stepped into the circle made by the White 
Metanim on the Rise. Ariel joined her sisters-in-arms in the ring made, 
then put her hands together. She began offering her own magical energy 
for the spell to bind the Seraphic Maiden. Branwen stood sceptically in 
the centre of the circle. Then lowered her body with a grunt, when all 
the magical power of the White Metanim started flowing through her. She 
could feel the enormous weight caused by the level of magical energy 
going through her body and mind. These women were going all out. 

"Heavy... pressure..." Branwen mumbled stiffly. 

Ariel and the White Metanim spoke softly in an ancient language. One 
that Branwen could not understand at all. But she (under the magical 
influence of the White Metanim) found herself speaking it, surrounded by 
an all new bright golden glow. "Kya ish cu mye entay. Atsumas na jau hi 
men na Kya!"

As she chanted those words, the spell was beginning to take effect. Up 
above, Rin and the Sky Dragons were being slaughtered. Bahamut was swift 
enough to dodge the aura waves of the Seraphic Maiden, but his 
subordinates were not as fortunate. They went down in droves. Each blast 
fired by the six-winged being was thunderously strong and amazingly 
accurate. The aura waves vaporized dozens of the Sky Dragons each 
second. Their ashes fell slowly and surely to the ground. Marking deaths 
that would never really be recognized. 

Until the Enmesh spell was evoked. 

The Seraphic Maiden stopped firing and looked around her body when runic 
symbols phased into the air. They were the colour of amethyst, matching 
that of Branwen's spiritual energy. And the destructive angel shrieked 
with what appeared to be frustration, as it was bound in place. Rin and 
the other riders looked on. And knew that Branwen and the White Metanim 
had been successful in casting the Enmesh spell. 

Down on the Rise of the Faeries, sweat trickled down Branwen's face. The 
effort it took to hold back something like the Seraphic Maiden was 
simply astounding. Even now, Branwen felt as though she was struggling 
to prevent herself from being crushed by an enormous block of magical 
weight. And that weight grew larger and larger with each passing second. 
The White Metanim continued to chant around her. It was a conjoined 
effort. Which placed a great deal of pressure on all of them. 

One of her eyelids closed when she struggled to speak. "..Dammit... what 
are... those... Red... Metanim... bastards... doing...?"

On ground level of the coastal grasslands, the Red Metanim could see 
that the Enmesh spell had been cast upon the Seraphic Maiden. It was 
frozen in place. Rin and his Sky Dragons pulled back from the frontline 
fight against the rampaging monster. They had to finish off Operation 
Jumah by blowing the beast away. 

Raiken yelled the command. "Now! Begin the spell!"

All of the Red Metanim pulled their hands to their sides. Charging their 
magical powers together, just like the White Metanim, but on a far 
grander scale. The three hundred magically-influenced soldiers yelled 
out with battle zeal. Just like the Sky Dragon Riders before them. And 
their energy, conjoined, rose upwards to a small distance above. It 
visibly looked like tiny sparkles in the sun. The tone of red. Rising up 
until it reached that certain point. The magic power of the Red Metanim 
started to join together physically. It all took on the form of a 
crystalline-textured orb. In the foreboding colour of blood. Though the 
orb of magical power could not have been more than two metres in 
diameter, the intensity of that power was colossal. Streaks of blue 
lightning coursed up and down the bloody energy sphere. 

Raiken looked at it. It seemed ready. And the Enmesh spell that was 
holding back the Seraphic Maiden looked like it was about to brake. 
"Alright then! Now! Fire!"

All of the Red Metanim thrust their right arms into the air with a joint 
shout of 'ha!'. A thunderous crack exploded across the coastal 
grasslands. And that blood-coloured sphere was thrown straight at the 
unholy target. Branwen, Ariel, Raiken, Rin, the Red Metanim, the White 
Metanim and the Sky Dragons all watched on tenterhooks. The power sphere 
of magic streamlined straight for the Seraphic Maiden. The being was 
deftly struck by the blast full force. It was the beginning of a fierce 
detonation. Everyone looked away from the surge of ruby light that 
illuminated the coastal background. It could be seen clearly in Jumah. 
And all the frightened townspeople who prayed for the success of 
Operation Jumah had crossed fingers behind their backs. The explosion 
that rocked the skies caused some of the Sky Dragons to buck. One or two 
threw their riders off their saddles. However Bahamut maintained its 
cool and thus Rin looked on as the magical red fire burned and engulfed 
the Seraphic Maiden, which could now not be seen. The vivid cloud of 
reddish smoke left behind prevented that. The crimson light also faded 
away. Branwen and the White Metanim all gasped and broke the Enmesh 
spell that held the foe back. The Dark Sorceress sucked in wind and 
looked up into the smoky red cloud in the skies to see the outcome of 
that high-class magical blast. All eyes were on the smoke cloud. The 
hearts of so many people were at stake. So too were their lives. 
Everyone except Branwen held their breath as the clouds of 
blood-coloured smoke ebbed away. 

No cheers were given.

The eyes, hearts and expectations of all those involve fell. Because 
when the smoke finally cleared away; the Seraphic Maiden was still alive 
and very much kicking. Unscratched. Unfazed. Undamaged. Unbroken. Not a 
single graze had scarred the snowy flesh of the Seraphic Maiden. And the 
bright white glow around her body remained as strong as it ever was. 
Ariel fell to her feet on the Rise of the Faeries. Raiken scowled with 
both frustration and disappointment. While Rin was not as shocked. He 
had seen the power of the Unholy Angel at the point of its birth. The 
Seraphic Maiden was clearly unrivalled in strength. What on earth could 
stop it?

Branwen looked up her love. The woman who had been transformed into a 
being of absolute divinity. The mission had been unsuccessful. Just as 
she had thought it would be, all along. 

And now the Seraphic Maiden would begin her own attack. She extended one 
of her arms in one smooth movement. From her hand burst another aura 
wave that was sent straight down into the ranks of the Red Metanim. 
Their screams of agony were horrendous. And half of them were blown into 
bits in that very instant. That new explosion rocked the ground of the 
grasslands. Causing the not so distant Rise of the Faeries to shake. 
Soil, cinders and blood were thrown into the air from the force of the 
blast. Raiken was thrown off his own horse and sent straight into the 
grass. He covered his face as the masses of earth came tumbling back 
down to the ground it had been ripped out from. The remaining Red 
Metanim all scattered and ran for their lives from the prospect of a 
second blast. Leaving behind all their wounded friends to fend for 
themselves. Up in the sky, the dragons were just as understanding of the 
situation. 

Rin scowled, knowing the only sensible thing to do was, "Retreat! 
Retreat!"

The remaining Sky Dragons literally turned tail and flew away from the 
very thing they had tried to kill. The Seraphic Maiden watched them flee 
but did not allow them to do so without loss. She extended another of 
her hands and fired a second aura wave through the sky. It moved like 
greased lightning, dissolving even more of the Sky Dragons in a haze of 
blood-gargling shrieks and death cries. Bahamut soared upwards with what 
was left of the dragons to get away. When it flew next to a fellow 
dragon, Rin yelled to one of his soldiers that happened to be riding on 
it.

"Go and retrieve Commander Raiken!" He screamed. 

The soldier (understandably frightened) dove downwards in flight to the 
blast crater that had been created were the Red Metanim once were. The 
commander was still alive, lying comatose on the ground and surrounded 
by burnt soil. The rider swooped downwards and landed on the ground near 
the leader of the failed mission. He threw Raiken on the back of his 
dragon and took off again, making a break for Jumah like the rest of his 
allies. The Seraphic Maiden stood still for a moment and bellowed out 
one of those terrifying screams that shook the coastal region and popped 
the ear drums of people as far away as Jumah. It then flew towards to 
coastal city. Obviously with the intention of destroying it while it 
continued its seemingly aimless journey west. On the Rise of the 
Faeries, some of the White Metanim began to sob to themselves. They had 
put their heart and soul into this. And yet...

"Operation Jumah is a failure," Branwen commented, "What a surprise."

Tears stained Ariel's cheeks. "I cannot believe it. After all we did to 
prepare for this it ends without victory? If we could not stop it here, 
it will surely cross the Great Sea and attack the Western Empire. And my 
Family will be in the middle of all that. Why have the Gods allowed such 
a creature to exist?" 

"Sorry, but the fate of the Western Empire is no longer my concern," 
Said the Dark Sorceress. She stood still for a moment then called on the 
power given to her by the Ortega. Soon her amethyst wings returned. As 
did her voice of higher power, "I've kept my end of the deal. I helped 
you all to stop Mia. And your efforts were fruitless."

Then a familiar voice called to her from afar. "..B-Branwen!"

The woman in question looked to her right to see who it was. And a smile 
finally crossed her face to look at him. "Baja!"

The old talking bird flapped down onto the shoulder plate of Branwen's 
restored Black Metanim armour and took a few breaths to compose himself 
after one long flight. "...I... finally... caught... up with... you..." 

For once, she could safely say that she was happy to see her watchful 
companion. "Yes, well, I did not come here of my own free will. But that 
does not matter. We should leave now. Mia will destroy Jumah and cross 
the Great Sea from here. I have no idea what to do now but I must have 
the time to think before I pursue her."

"...Understood..." Replied the tired Baja.

Branwen's feet then hovered off the ground. And her body was surrounded 
by a compact by internally spacey sphere of magic. It would carry her 
and Baja to a nearby town were they could rest before following the 
Seraphic Maiden. Branwen took one last look at Ariel and her White 
Metanim. Then her sphere blazed south east from that point, heading back 
into the direction of a village that had been overlooked by the Angelic 
Ashidah. 

The Western Empire's planned attempt to destroy the Seraphic Maiden, the 
ill-fated 'Operation Jumah'... was over. 

Onwards to Part 3

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