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“Just like old times,” Tyuin said as the usher allowed Marie, Daisy and Talia to enter his private meeting chambers. They took their seats around the long oval wooden table, rocking back in their seats as King Tyuin remained standing. He nodded toward the armored guard that let them in and the guard left the room, closing the door behind him.
“So much history here,” Marie said, rubbing her hands across the table’s surface. “So many memories.”
“It’s a wonder that you’ve stuck with them this long,” Tyuin chuckled as he sat down at the biggest seat in the room. He folded his hands and sat back with a smug smile plastered on his face.
“The Allayans grow on you,” she replied as Daisy and Talia laughed.
“Yes, they do,” Tyuin said. “Tell me, how are things going? What have you been up to outside of these castle walls?”
“I’m confused,” Talia said. “I thought that as long as we help to protect Allay in case of attack, we’re to be left alone. You know that even by asking us, we are under no obligation to tell you a thing. That’s the agreement, and we’ve stuck to it. By calling us here, you’re taking us away from our duties.”
“I understand,” he said, “but in light of recent events, I would appreciate, friend to friend, a little bit of knowledge of what’s going on out there. Paragon has limited their correspondence for fear of our messages being intercepted, but as a result, we’re left in the dark. I don’t want another attack to happen without our knowledge.”
“If we were in your position, we would do the same thing you’re doing,” Daisy said. “Exact same thing. But we’re not, and we should still adhere to the agreement we have set forth. It keeps our interests separate and our partnership strong. When we start changing the rules, that’s when intelligence might start getting muddled or people might start making mistakes. We are on the verge of war. It’s not time to start changing the rules.”
“My, my,” Tyuin said, sitting back in his chair. “How you have grown. You’ve certainly found your voice these last few years.”
“Marie and Talia have taught me much,” Daisy replied. She looked to her family and they gave her a curt smile. Daisy reached up and ran a few fingers through her fine blonde hair, now beginning to turn silver. “Although, I wish I could have paid more attention and received the point of the lessons a little sooner.”
“I get it, we’re old,” Marie laughed. “But not that old. With the worlds colliding and the atmosphere changing, I believe that the aging process has slowed a bit for us.”
“Tangent,” Talia said and Marie and Daisy burst out laughing.
“Always about business,” Daisy said, pointing a thumb at the stone-faced Talia. Talia rolled her eyes and leaned forward so that she could get even closer to Tyuin.
“My King,” Talia said. “What’s the real reason you’ve called us here?”
“I just want a report,” he said and Talia shook her head slowly.
“No...I don’t think it’s that at all.”
“Then why don’t you tell me what’s going on?” Tyuin said with no expression on his face.
“The Langorans have been searching feverishly for the Sorcerers’ weapons, you know,” Talia said, leaning back and casting her eyes to the table. “To the point that they’re getting sloppy. Their mistakes expose their desperation. Cimmerian is searching for an advantage, and we’re not sure why.”
“You think that Cimmerian is in danger?” Tyuin asked with a scowl. “Isn’t that a good thing? That they feel threatened by something out there?”
“Not if whatever is scaring them could be detrimental to us as well,” Daisy said. “That’s why there have been more Langorans hanging around the perimeter of Allay. We’ve been allowing them to conduct their business so that we could acquire more knowledge.”
“And what have you found?”
The three women looked to one another.
Marie spoke up first. “Why don’t you tell us what we’ve found.”
“How would I know?” he asked, looking at each of them one by one. When no one responded, he sighed heavily. “You think that I’m involved in something terrible?”
“We do,” Marie said firmly. “But we want you to admit it, so you can start atoning for your damn sins.”
“You’re no honorable now,” Tyuin said, his face beginning to harden. “You, who would do anything for new knowledge, even siding with people that weren’t your own. You do realize that the reason I allowed you to go with Catherine was because you were a liability, right? There was no telling what information you would give up for some new tidbits of gossip.”
“Time and conflict have taught me patience and maturity. But it seems that it has done the opposite for you. Tyuin, why are you siding with the enemy?”
“You have no proof of this,” he declared.
“No, but we’re not stupid, and I know how a Prattlian thinks. I realize that Paragon is not helping you as much as you’d like. I understand that you have to take drastic measures to protect yourself and your people, but aligning yourself with Cimmerian and the Langorans is not the answer. We have seen countless caravans leaving your Kingdom going unharmed. We’ve discovered Langorans hiding along the north wall, which I know you wouldn’t allow, no matter how sparse your sources were. We sat back and watched, wondering how so many Langorans could go unchecked, but then we started putting together the pieces.”
“It’s because I thought your group would take care of them. There is no conspiracy.”
“I thought you would say that,” Marie replied. “That’s why we made a trip to Paragon and reconnected with Catherine briefly. She gave us the word that you’ve been requesting as many supplies as possible while turning down troop assistance. You’re trying to diminish the Paragon presence in Allay, but you’re still willing to accept as much ammunition and goods as possible that you can stockpile for the future.”
“First of all,” he seethed, closing his eyes to focus and find the right words. “You left Allay defenseless to pursue a suspicion...and second, you’re saying that asking for aid is a mark against me! You come here saying that we’re breaking the agreement when it’s you who has severed it! How long were you in Paragon?”
“We didn’t even cross the borders,” Daisy said. “Catherine came to us. But that’s not the point. We wouldn’t have inquired about you if we didn’t have reasonable doubt. Doubt that still plagues our minds.”
“Prattlians are a proud people,” Marie said. “They wouldn’t request any aid from Paragon, period. Information, yes, but we’ve always been one to take care of ourselves.”
“And what good has that done us in the past? Old Prattle is gone because of our ignorance.”
“Don’t change the subject,” she said, sitting up further in her chair. “The fact is that there are too many variables in play for all of this to be coincidence. We believe that you have turned to Cimmerian because you surmise that they will be the victor in the war. You might not like it, but we know that Prattlians typically act out of logic and not emotion. This decision is what makes sense to preserve your future, especially since Paragon has proven to be an undesirable ally. They have proven that they want your help if they get into trouble, but otherwise, they care little for forming an alliance with you. You see the end coming, and so, you decided to take what supplies you could out of Paragon to help with weathering the incoming storm. Allay is caught in the middle so the odds are that it will be hit in the crossfire.”
“And what would you do?” he said, pained. “If you were in my position, would you just wait for death to take you? To embrace nobility in exchange for your life?”
“We all have to die sometime,” Talia said, showing him her long braid. Where once it was a mix of black and dark purple, it was now black and silver. Her mouse-like face softened as she stared directly at him. “But how we die speaks to who we are, and what our legacy will be.”
“Who cares about legacy?” he sneered. “I can’t enjoy a legacy in death. I can’t save my people in death. Listen, Sages,” he said, emphasizing the word ‘Sage’ when he glanced at Marie. “Allay is the only Kingdom still standing. Yes, there are a lot of towns and boroughs, but we are essentially the embodiment of Terra. If we fall, then all of Terra, including its lands and people, are up for grabs. Already our population is diminishing. As people take sides with Paragon and Cimmerian, we lost soldiers, teachers, philosophers, culture, our next generation. I’m not going to stand back and allow all of us to be slaughtered or enslaved because Paragon has a communication problem and Cimmerian is power hungry. No, I must choose the side that will ensure that we continue on for centuries to come. I made the best decision I could.”
“Then why would you side with Cimmerian if not Paragon?” Talia asked. “You just said yourself that they are power hungry. How can you align yourself with them?”
“Not Cimmerian,” he said, raising his head high. “No, I’m not that foolish.”
“Then who?”
The door behind them burst open and the three women leapt from their seats, ready for action. All of them stood frozen in shock as they saw a familiar face standing before them.
“Scarlet?” Marie asked, squinting her eyes. “Is that you?”
The red and violet haired Sage had seen better days. Her hair had been cut short, almost bald, and her eyes were bloodshot and swollen. Her face was bruised and her stance was hunched over and swaying. Whatever ordeal she had just been through, she had only narrowly survived.
“We have to get out of here, before the Delilah arrive. I barely escaped from them.”
“But I thought you were in the clutches of Cimmerian.”
“I was, until I was traded. Listen, we don’t have time for talk. We have to go now!”
“You have plenty of time,” Tyuin said, leaning back in his chair and crossing one leg over the other. I’m sorry, but you won’t be leaving here alive unless I say so.”
“What have you done?” Marie yelled at him. “Is that who you’ve been aligned with? The Delilah?”
“They will be the true victors of the war,” Tyuin said. “I’m surprised you haven’t thought of it sooner. Paragon and Cimmerian will fight, but once the smoke clears, only Delilah will stand. They are untouched and they have more than enough resources and technology to take over.”
“That’s only if the Sorcerers don’t intervene,” Marie replied.
“I don’t deal with rumors and tall tales. We have no knowledge of the Sorcerers’ existence, and should they appear, we will deal with them then, with the Delilah at our side.”
“What do they want?” Talia asked. “The Delilah couldn’t have made this decision lightly.”
“They’re still sore over the damage Bastion caused. They want to rectify the situation and continue the plans that they set into motion decades ago.”
“You mean our extinction,” Daisy said. “Don’t you remember what happened then? We were slaughtered by their Yama soldiers. That’s the only reason you’re even in power right now.”
“I know,” he said. “But that was when we weren’t willing to negotiate. Now Allay is.”
“There will be no one left,” Marie shouted, slamming her hands onto the table. “Don’t you get it? They will execute anyone that isn’t valuable to them. They will use you. What they were going to do to Bastion was horrible. They think themselves as the rightful owners of this world, when we all have a stake in it.”
“Not anymore,” Tyuin said. “It’s all been set in motion. Why do you think Cimmerian has started attacking Paragon little by little? It’s because they’re probing, seeing how Paragon will respond and how powerful their forces are. The Delilah are more than ready to carry out their plans.”
“You’re a fool,” Scarlet snapped. “I’ve been in their prisons for nearly a month. If you think that they won’t kill you and take Allay in a heartbeat, then you don’t know who you’re aligned with.”
“It’s better than Allay being destroyed completely.”
“So what happens now?” Marie asked. “We join or die?”
“No,” Tyuin said, shaking his head. “All of you will all be secured in our prisons until the war is over and the Delilah have completed their preparations.”
“So this meeting really was for us,” Talia said. “A set-up.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “They wanted to kill you...but I negotiated with them for your safety. In exchange for your lives, we plan on forwarding any knowledge we gain from Paragon.”
“We won’t go willingly,” Scarlet said, turning toward the door.
“Please!” he cried, extending a hand out toward her. “I can’t guarantee your well-being if you step outside these doors. Just come with me to the cells and lock yourselves in. I don’t want to see you hurt.”
“You’ve already done that,” Talia said. “And I think I’ll take my chances on the outside. I may have gotten older, but that doesn’t mean I’m lacking in experience.”
“It has been awhile,” Daisy said, giving her comrades a smile.
“Wait,” Tyuin said, bowing his head. “You don’t understand. They have weapons. Weapons that fire beams of energy quicker than you can move. They have cannons that don’t have to be loaded, and armor that can withstand great power. Please, don’t do this.”
“Good-bye, Tyuin,” Talia said. She opened the door as Sage armor popped into existence. A slender silver blue armor covered her abdomen and upper arms. Gauntlets with spiked knuckles wrapped over her hands and her legs were enveloped in large steel boots. Daisy summoned her black and red Sage robes, billowing at her feet as if a breeze had flowed into the room. Scarlet didn’t transform but she called forth her halberd with the spiked wing at the top. Marie sighed and swallowed hard. Like Tyuin, she wasn’t a fighter, and so she would have to stay in the back while her friends protected her.
“Persuade them, Marie,” Tyuin pleaded one last time.
Marie spat at him and turned away from him.
Talia slammed open the door to Tyuin’s meeting room and went into the labyrinth of hallways, all lit up dimly by flickering torches. It was eerily quiet. She squint her eyes and crouched low, searching for a sign of movement.
Something caught her eye in the distance.
A flicker in the darkness.
Talia prepared to run toward the source when what sounded like an explosion echoed down the hallway. The walls and floor didn’t change so she suspected it was an illusion, but then her leg began to feel like it was burning.
She stared down at the miniature, circular hole in her thigh and then she collapsed to one knee.
More explosions echoed off of the walls as a rain of silver bullets headed her way.
