Were they not in the past, or an elaborate construction of it created by Great Manitou, or were they instead inside her girlfriend’s mind, Aurora wondered.  How else could the creature manifest itself? She didn’t know how the imprisoning of the beasts inside Mistral worked, but even if she couldn’t accurately guess with too little mystical knowledge, she knew one thing.

 

I will protect her.  I will protect Mistral.  I will do everything I can for her.

 

“Take a deep breath, and think carefully, Mistral,” Aurora said gently. “I stand with you if it’s a fight he wants, naturally.” She grinned. “I’m not your proxy.  I’ll be your anchor to reality.” She winked.  She was dying to ask questions, but this was Mistral’s fight.

 

Mistral didn’t respond, instead she addressed the cloud creature. “Korakorkomaq!” she exclaimed. “I own your powers by the grace of the Great Manitou, because of the crimes you have committed against mortal men! Your essence is enmeshed with mine! Has something happened to Rosshossho or Howeesha? Is that what happens now? Tell me!” she said, flying down to face him.

 

“Ah, you are still so young … I am constantly surprised that such a tender child, even with your pedigree can so easily bind us to your will,” said Korakorkomaq.

 

“I have used your powers for many years now, and I have expanded far beyond them,” Mistral replied haughtily. “Answer my powers, now!”

 

The creature laughed and crossed its streams of clouds shaped like arms. “And still you have my powers … It is not so difficult, surely?”

 

Aurora’s eyes narrowed and she grew her wings out, letting herself drop to Mistral’s side. She looked at her girlfriend. “Sorry if this is interrupting your confrontation, but expanded beyond? Do you mean that you don’t need them anymore?”

 

Mistral didn’t look at Aurora, but responded nonetheless, “I mean that I don’t just depend on the three storm beasts any longer. I have been embracing my mystic powers and am learning to expand beyond what I was granted.”

 

Korakorkomaq chuckled. “So then, why do you think something has happened to poor Rosshossho?” After a moment it turned its eyes on Aurora. “Ah, so is this another friend who seeks to claim your power, ‘favored daughter,’? Yet another who will tinker with Manitou’s work?”

 

Aurora interceded, “What do you mean by another friend who wants her power?” She glanced back and forth between the eldritch entity and Mistral. “I will answer that question. No, I’m simply curious about Mistral, and I wish to support her in any way possible.  She’s my hero, and I love her.  I have more than I need already.  Power isn’t everything.”

 

Korakorkomaq spoke, “Then, ‘friend,’ there should be no problems for any of us. ‘Favored daughter,’ you should speak to the others if they take issue with you.  After all, deals have been struck, have they not?”

 

Aurora smiled. “Do you know how you can talk to them?” She whispered. This one seemed helpful, so to speak.

 

“I would normally have to perform a ritual to contact their spirits directly, but that appears to be unnecessary in this situation.  Let me introduce you then, however to Korakorkomaq, the Great Beast of Skyfire and Booming Thunder.”

 

It grinned, seeming pleased, although it was baring lightning-like teeth at them. “Indeed I am, the greatest of all the Great Beasts, for mine is the power envisioned, the power felt when I am near. I could sense her feelings for you, and wanted to see for myself.”

 

Aurora offered a smile at it… him? “Nice to meet you. I’m Aurora, the friendly guardian angel.” She grinned, putting as much ceremony into that as it liked.  “I am the fluffy girl who roams the skies cheerfully.  I’m the newest of the heroes and certainly am the least of all of the Sentinels.”  He seemed to be the most loyal of the three of her beasts, or perhaps was the least full of hatred.

 

Mistral looked at Aurora and her lips twisted. “Don’t sell yourself short.  A lack of experience doesn’t make you less than anyone else.”

 

Aurora laughed and scratched her head awkwardly.

 

“That is not a proper way to introduce yourself,” Korakorkomaq said. “Aurora … you feel similar to the dark one who touched her not long ago, but she was full of haught fit to match any of the Great Beasts.  Ah, but I see that you are not the same as she, or do you bide your time? Well, I’ll do the same. We must remain in Manitou’s prison for a time, yet.”

 

“No, I’m not the same as the one you speak of.  Not exactly. You can think of me as being what she should have been if she hadn’t fallen.” Aurora smiled. “But I still don’t know everything about her nor her circumstances. I know nothing about where she came from, so I shouldn’t judge.  That’s my impression.”

 

“Don’t talk to it, Aurora,” Mistral’s tone was full of haught.

 

“Ah, yes … that is good,” Korakorkomaq approved. “You should retain that attitude. That will serve you well, ‘favored daughter.’”

 

“Don’t talk to it? It’s clearly intelligence, and because of that it has feelings.  If you can talk to it, it can be reasoned with, maybe even co-existed with.” Aurora smiled and then blushed a little guiltily. She saw one of the most defining moments of Mistral’s past, and yet she couldn’t say that she truly understood the depth of her hatred or despair. She suggested that they coexist, but the feelings were raw and deep. Aurora knew this.

 

“Because it is a creature that takes pleasure only in destruction and suffering,” Mistral said, a touch of anger in her voice.

 

Korakorkomaq smiled, baring its teeth again. “Oh, this is true.  My pleasure is in seeing things destroyed and seeing you weak, finite creatures suffer.  I enjoy when the ‘favored daughter’ uses my powers to destroy and cause suffering, even when those targets are considered ‘villains’. At those times, I revel and celebrate.”

 

Mistral gestured dismissively. “We need to speak to the Great Beast of Blizzards. That seems to be the one who fails me.”

 

“Then I shall return to my repose,” the Beast of Thunder said with a shrug. “Sadly this has not been what I was hoping for, though I did relish your anguish at seeing the things that fool Manitou sought to suppress.”

 

Aurora smiled wryly.  This time she was wrong.  She liked to think outside the box and find common grounds, but maybe not this time. “Okay… I guess I was wrong. He was just pretending to be reasonable.”  She stepped away, pouting as she crossed her arms, but looked back at Mistral.

 

Mistral walked over to her and offered her hand. “Come on, Aurora. Leave him to his little world of prideful disdain.” She smiled, still battling the ravages of sorrow.

 

When they held hands, the winds rushed up beneath them. “Let me carry you, this time,” Mistral said, pulling her girlfriend closer.  She then scooped her in her arms and in her arms, Aurora realized that Mistral had regained her warmth.  The image changed from the wreckage of the airplane to what looked to be the land outside her sanctum, although the building was missing.

 

A whistle of wind passed by and then formed a little whirlwind. Mistral sat down near it, her face wrinkled with frustration. “This is not where I was going.” She looked to the whirlwind. “Howeesha.”

 

“What brings you to Howeesha’s presence?” the gust asked by speeding and slowing to form the sounds of words.

 

“I sought Rosshossho … not you, cowardly Beast of the Howling Air.”

 

“Then leave, I have no use of you either,” it replied.

 

“Have a care, Howeesha … I will punish you if you continue to act so,” Mistral said firmly.

 

“I apologize, Favored Daughter,” it replied with grudging respect, “how can Howeesha serve?”

 

So apparently, they were only respectful so long as Mistral had a strong will. That was interesting to know.

 

“Howeesha does not know,” the swirling wind moaned. “You are within my prison, however … perhaps you meant to find me and know not?”

 

“I can’t imagine why,” Mistral replied. “I have battled a foe that seems to be using powers like Rosshossho’s … and it overpower Rosshossho’s, which has yet to happen until this day. Do you know what this is?”

 

Howeesha swung from side to side, churning up the turf. “Perhaps because Rosshossho has escaped your prison?” it asked with a hopeful tone.

 

“No, I know Rosshossho is still with me,” Mistral replied.

 

“Then why are you here? Howeesha felt no ritual of summoning or communing … how have you accomplished this …?” Howeesha looked at Aurora. “Ah, we are to be freed, after all! Then perhaps that is what happened with Rosshossho! You have freed him!”

 

“What do you mean?” Aurora asked, looking to Mistral. “Answer him. It’s probably important, I think… The other hinted at this too.”

 

Mistral turned to Aurora. “When Black Angel attempted to … seduce me … when I resisted, she attempted to unbind the beasts that Manitou had bound to me. She coveted them.  Always. 

 

Howeesha spoke again, lifting a funnel-like appendage from its main body. “And she has returned to free us in exchange for granting her a faction of our power. Howeesha never gave up hope in you, no, never.  I am loyal to your will.” It swept slowly towards Aurora.

 

“And what of Rosshossho?” Aurora asked.

 

“Rosshossho … we do not speak much, even amongst the three Great.  Our geas keeps us apart, only the briefest of communiques … but he does not like Howeesha. He likely did not believe in your return as I do.” It continued to spin itself to Aurora, compressing itself to be shorter than she, showing subservience.

 

Mistral fired a bolt of lighting at its feet. “Keep your distance.”

 

Aurora looked at Howeesha. “I’m sorry to burst your bu … typhoon?” What was windy and bubble-like? Nothing came to mind at all.  She moved on. “But, I’m not Black Angel. I’m Mistral’s friend and ally.  Sorry.” She stepped closer to Mistral, placing her between herself and Howeesha.  “But thank you for that information.”

 

“Do not leave Howeesha to languish in this prison!” it begged Aurora.

 

Mistral’s eyes flashed angrily. “Howeesha tore the first wing from the plane, sucking out whomever he could so he could keep them in the air and let them plummet for minutes until they couldn’t scream anymore. He killed my mother,” she hissed.

 

“It’s not my call.  Mistral is your jailer and mistress. She is your Favored Daughter.  You’ll serve your sentence until she sees fit release you, won’t you? Think twice about causing pain and death if you ever get free.”

 

Mistral took Aurora’s hand again. “We’ll try again. Are you ready?”

 

Aurora nodded to her and smiled. “Ready.”

 

Mistral and she took off into the air and they flew to the North.  As they flew further and further, it grew dark, then dim, and they came to a white void. It was a full-blown blizzard.  Mistral and she landed on something, but the ground looked like only more snow.

 

“I feel him here,” Mistral mumbled. She threw her arms around Aurora. “Stay close.”

 

Aurora nodded and threw her barrier around them in case, since it seemed to help keep them warmer, but in this case, the barrier didn’t seem to do much.  The blizzard blinded them.

 

“Show yourself, Rosshossho,” Mistral shouted out, her voice ringing strongly. “We are here to commune with you for knowledge.”

 

After a moment, there was a sibilant whisper which seeped from all around, every whirring snowflake was its voicepipe.  “What brings the ‘favored daughter’ to this cold, dark place?”

 

“You powers have failed me, Rosshossho,” Mistra replied. “And I want to know why.”

 

The hiss turned into hushed laughter. “It wants to know why my powers fail.  Such fragile and forgetful creatures you are.”

 

Aurora barked a response with a huge grin. “Yes, it DOES! Be snappy about responding! You’re a bitter ‘it’ than anyone else here.”

 

It hissed, echoing. “Blackness turned to light. How terrible, and yet not unanticipated.  I have known AuroraLeona for some time now.”

 

Mistra gasped. “What … what did you say?”

 

The hissing laughter resumed. “It wants me to repeat myself. I have known of AuroraLeona for some time now, ‘favored daughter,’ and it is she who brings this weakness to you.”