Chapter 75 – Succession of Will.

Ueana stood and watched as the teal dragon slowly dissipated into the air in a fine teal mist, their familiars keening in lament at the lost lives. From magic they were formed, to magic they returned. Even with the mess that had been created and would remain for some time. She had known them for but a moment, but she still felt the tears roll down her face, her emotions echoing that of Callisto and the others. She would remember them. That was the least she could do.

She wasn’t even sure that they would have been able to change anything had they arrived earlier. They knew absolutely nothing about the situation, nor when the battle had first started, if it had even been here. And that was ignoring the demons power. Even from what little she knew about them, she had never heard of them being so strong. Ever. Not even from the snippets that they’d learnt about the recent war with the Demon King. Sure, the Demon King himself would have been powerful, but that thing, that creature, was certainly not him. If they’d turned up earlier, perhaps instead they would have all died. Ueana shuddered at the thought. She hoped that she’d never see it again, but somehow, she suspected that wouldn’t be the case. It had left of its own violation. And it seemed to know about their recent run in with the Ancient.

“What do we do now?” Fleur looked visibly sick, her skin pale.

“Any idea who she is, or where she is from?” Ueana walked over to the body, letting her magic dissipate before carefully picking her up.

Coorie shook her head. “No clue. I’m not aware of any Lady Knights that had a dragon like hers, and she looks like a foreigner.”

Ueana nodded as she carried the rider’s body out of the bloodied crater and away from the mess a bit, laying her down again in an unsullied patch of grass. Copper skin was very rare in the Empire of Nine Citadels, and she’d never seen anyone with orange eyes. She ran her hand over the riders face, closing the eyes, then offering a quiet prayer to the Ancients, and the Dawn Angel. Surely one of them would be aspected to the life and death of riders.

“Her saddlebags might offer a clue,” she stated as she looked the body over. The rider didn’t seem to have anything on her beyond her skeon, which was bloodied and torn. No jewellery, no tattoos, nothing. Mind you, that was fairly common as well, especially since dragon bone armour had the habit of destroying things that were in its way when it formed. Hence skeon, and why she hadn’t dismissed her armour since putting on the hoodie. Unfortunately the hoodie was damaged now, from the fight, and she’d need to get Coorie a replacement once she worked out what she was going to do clothes-wise moving forward. Her tails were certainly going to complicate things, and meant that she couldn’t even use the spare set of skeon that she had even if she had wanted to, as it simply wouldn’t fit.

Turning, she gave the other two a hand to dredge the saddlebags out from the mess and over to the body, their familiars shifting over as well to stand vigil beside the body. The gore was doing Fleur no favours, though she did perk up a little once they had exited the zone of blood. Even riders, who were born to fight, had sensitivities.

‘She would have been a powerful and proud dragon once...’ Sadness still laced his voice, Callisto looking down at the body of the rider.

‘Cut short all too soon’. While you couldn’t tell the age of a familiar, if it even mattered, the rider didn’t look that old at all. Maybe in her forties at the absolute maximum, but Ueana would have guessed early thirties.

‘The demon went due west, and it wasn’t trying to hide its direction at all,’ Callisto added.

Ueana looked up at her dragon and smiled. Either that was a feint, or it didn’t care about them knowing where it came from or was going to, and Ueana was betting it was the latter. At the least it seemed that the demon was indeed gone for now.

The saddlebags contained the usual fare. Food, water, a small assortment of currency that could be used anywhere, and all the gear needed for a long journey. The only clothes were a spare set of skeon, nothing at all was labelled, and everything appeared to be of a generic origin, of the style that you could find in most of the kingdoms. Remarkably unidentifiable. Too much so. Ueana was beginning to think that the rider had planned it that way. Right now though that was working against her.

“What about this?” Fleur held up a small ring, it’s single set gem glinting in the sunlight, and passed it to Ueana.

It weighed more than Ueana had expected. Crafted from gold, ornate vines wound around it, culminating in a clasp that held an orange gem almost the same size as the rest of the ring, perfectly cut. The exact same colour as the riders eyes.

Ueana shrugged and passed it to Coorie who looked at it and then passed it back to Fleur. “It’s valuable at the very least. Looks like our only clue, though it means nothing to me.”

They did a double and triple check, but nothing else surfaced at all.

“Bury or burn?” Coorie asked, staring down at the body.

It was tradition that riders were given some form of farewell. While the rider herself was probably their biggest clue as to who she was or where she came from, Ueana really did not fancy carrying a dead body with them for up to three days. That was just plain wrong, ignoring the potential smell or how uncomfortable it’d make her, and probably the others as well.

“Bury. I don’t think there’s enough fuel to make a decent fire to cremate her in.”

“Even with your flames?” Coorie queried.

“My flames have always been weak, even for a fire aspected rider.” Ueana answered. That was part of the trade off for how a riders magic worked. While they were a gem class, most of that power went into their familiars. Though, even given that, her basic fire magic had always been rather weak, her affinity more towards the speed of flames rather than their intensity.

“Your flames looked nothing like they had before,” Fleur stated. “Bright, intense, and everywhere. You’ve never had them on your weapons, and not only that, they were all over you, just like they are for Callisto now, and your hair... it was like there were flames themselves.”

Ueana realised with a start that Fleur was right. She had noticed the flames on her weapon and on her when she had kicked the demon, but in the heat of the battle she hadn’t paid them any heed. It definitely wasn’t something that she’d had before. Staring in a mirror again would have to wait, but there was easier ways to check. Holding out her hand, she willed her magic to form a flame in her palm, one of the most basic applications, and one that any fire aligned shardling could achieve. Like a shardling, her flame had always been more of a flicker, a pilot light for starting a blaze and not one on its own.

The flame roared into existence, hot, intense, its red and yellows bordering on blue. Easily the size of her palm, twice the size of anything that she had ever managed before.

‘Daughter of Pyre...’

Fine. Maybe there was something to that, even though her instincts were still telling her that the title wasn’t fire related.

Ueana looked at the other too as she held the flame steady, surprise all over her face. “What about you both? Neither of you are fire aspected, and yet your arrows were encased in fire, Coorie, and Fleur, you had flames dancing over you too.”

“Yeah, I had noticed that,” Coorie replied, crossing her arms and looking thoughtful. “I just assumed it was a side effect of being bondmates. Fire is certainly not among my affinities.”

Fleur shook her head vigorously. “Mine neither.”

“Another thing amongst the many changes...” And another one that they had no clue about the true depth of. She knew she shouldn't be surprised though. After all, gaining tails and ears, no longer being human but another race instead, was no small change in itself, and perhaps even the smallest of the changes. The words that the Ancient had said, they were words of power. Words effecting them all.

Coorie motioned to Fleur and they gathered the saddlebags and the remainder of the riders gear, piling it under and around the body. Ueana then knelt down by the body of the rider, holding her hand to it. The flame took hold instantly, hungrily consuming everything. Stepping back and downwind, Ueana stood with the others, offering another silent word to the Ancients as the fire burned, and the riders final words echoed through her mind.

Please let them know that we found Water.

What was that even about? Water was common, it was everywhere. Yet there had been a desperation, a pleading to her voice, the thing that had been the most important to her. Important enough that a demon had managed to kill her. So, there must be more to it than that, but they had searched, and come up with very little at all. Just her physical description, and the ring, and they were none the wiser.

“Who do you think she was intending to pass her message on it?’ Ueana mused. She had been inside the Empire, so the easiest assumption was that she was heading to one of the citadels, but there was always the possibility that she had just been passing through. Or maybe even out, as they didn’t actually know which direction she was travelling.

Coorie shrugged. “No clue. I think our best plan is still to report back to Lady Knight Asher and take it from there. She is expecting us after all, and perhaps she can shed some light on it all.”

Ueana did agree with that. There was just so much more going on than what Asher would be expecting though.

---

It took them longer than expected to get back to Elmer’s Nest. The journey itself was pleasant enough, the warm winds and sunny days a welcome change from the snow and icy temperatures of the pass, their familiars making very good time. Instead it was a combination of them being much further away from the pass than they had expected, and the unknown toll that the battle and their travelling through the Basat Line had had on them all. The remainder of the first days travel was cut short early, all three riders completely exhausted, Ueana almost falling off the back of Callisto as sleep threatened to take over. She had never felt so tired in her life, and no sooner had they landed, she was tucked up into a ball with her furry tails against the warmth of Callisto, and deep asleep. The others had likely followed suit, Ueana waking up the following morning with both of them snuggling close up against her. The question had been raised if perhaps the wound that had been done to her in the fight had been poisoned or infected, but an inspection of it showed that it was healing nicely and without any issues at all. Something that she really should have checked much earlier, but hadn’t due to it not feeling off, and the other pressures of the day.

The terrain was familiar once they reached the eastern pass through the Basat Line, and then they were flying north towards the mountain on which Clainreach was built, Elmer’s Nest being a part of that. At least they wouldn’t have to deal with the senator again, Carlos Carrot having hailed from Citadel Destiny, the largest of the citadels and which was located in the middle of the Empire. Lush plains flowed by underneath them, broken by the rivers that weaved their way through them and the occasional clump of trees or small forest. This section of the Empire was very much typical of the overall description that people gave of it, not surprising that was straight out of the pass. The road out of the pass actually split into two, one going north west to the centre of the Empire and Citadel Destiny, the other north east to Reinhold, so there was no road under them for this part of the journey, nor any settlements. Not that it was an issue, rather very much what they were use to. On the journey down they had gone via Citadel Destiny before going to the pass, but they had no need or desire to do so this time.

It was the morning of the forth day after their encounter with the foreign rider that Clainreach finally came into view, the mountain stretching up into the clouds. It wasn’t like the mountains of the Basat Line that seemed to have some pride in what they were, but rather rough and craggy, a lazy person’s version of what a mountain should be. There were no secrets in these ones, no hidden valleys, just plenty of places to try and jam a structure on its slopes. Which of course is what had been done, the Citadel sitting part way up the mountain, the clan temple that they called home sitting down below it and off to the side, half the town sitting down and around it on the lower slopes and the rest of it stretching out into the plains, alongside the river that flowed from the mountain itself. Plenty of farmland, fields of wheat, oats and other crops, orchards, and livestock.

With the realisation that they had almost returned, Ueana couldn’t help but start feeling nervous. She’d taken the changes in her stride, in part because they had been her choice and also because of what they had given and promised her, yet others may not. She didn’t know if she was ready to face that yet. She slowed down a little, pulling in line with the others. While they had had changes too, brought on by the bond between them, theirs were not obvious at all most of the time. She did wonder though if that would change. ‘In time, manifest,’ the Ancient had said. They really should find some time to discuss it all together, unhindered by other concerns.

Fleur gave her a worried look. “You’re having second thoughts?”

Ueana nodded. “I’m not sure if I want to face everyone just yet. There will be questions, even if we don’t answer any of them, and I will be judged. They all know that Callisto never had the flames, that my offset power was weak.”

Coorie chuckled. “There will be many jealous ones as well, even ignoring your physical changes. You’re right though, a lot of it cannot be hidden. We are a team however, and like I’m going to let anyone try and take advantage of you.”

“Except yourself,” Ueana teased. That whole aspect was still unresolved as well, Ueana knowing that she had to sooner rather than later, even if she wasn’t that keen on doing so. She owed them both that much.

Coorie gave her a seductive smile before taking on her usual serious expression. “It’s Lady Knight Asher that we need to report back to, and who is our best bet for information anyways. There isn’t any reason why we have to go directly to her though. We’ll find a secluded spot near the nest, and I’ll go convince her to meet us there.”

Ueana nodded, quite liking that idea. “You don’t think there’ll be any issues?”

Coorie shook her head. “Nah, apart from her demanding why we are so late, however long that has been. Perhaps we should find that out first before I go see her. I do have a workable relationship with her after all. A side effect of my past.”

“I’ll go with you too Coorie,” Fleur stated.

“You don’t trust me?” Coorie asked.

“We’re bondmates. Maybe even more.” Fleur gave Coorie a stare that Ueana couldn’t quite make out, her expression just as confusing. “Two is better than one, especially if something goes pear shaped.”

“True.” Coorie stretched suggestively on the back of Seashae. “We should find out how long we’ve been away then, and grab some real food while we are at it.”

---

They were two week overdue it turned out.

That was quite a bit, more so than Ueana would have guessed. She was surprised that they hadn’t lost a whole lot of weight during that time, not that they had much to shed in the first place, given that they hadn’t eaten a thing during that time and you still consumed energy while sleeping. But she guessed, given that it was a magical sleep, that the mana had sustained them, along with being the fuel for all of the other changes that had happened as well.

The food was good though. It was from one of the many restaurants in the centre of the town, one that she had never been to, but apparently that Coorie had. The ‘Ale and Hat’. A silly name, but she couldn’t fault the meal, eagerly consuming it once Coorie had returned with the food and information. Obviously it was somewhere near one of the squares that were designated for dragon landing, as she doubted Coorie would have gone far from them, unless she was happy making a mess of the surrounding area, but that didn’t help with the clan-town relations.

The clan did keep to themselves, so Coorie hadn’t been able to find out if anyone had gone out looking for them once Asher had realized that they were late returning, or even if those at the nest were aware that they were late. There was no doubt that they had been spotted flying towards the town however, at least one person always on watch from the higher reaches of the nest. Usually not a rider, they had better things to do, but one of the many others that worked for or with the clan. The citadel also had its own watchmen, but it was rather infrequent that they’d relay any information back to the riders, and the Alabaster Guild didn’t care as much to worry about it, though she knew that they weren’t stupid. They’d have something in place to give them warning should something go amiss.

Once food was consumed, they took flight, heading towards the temple complex that was Elmer’s Nest, and then peeling off to the side once they got close, landing out of sight in one of the many clusters of rocks on the mountainside. Finding a spot that kept them mostly out of sight, but still provided enough space for at least four dragons to stand, Callisto settled down, Ueana snuggling up against him in the shade, dropping off into a light doze.

It didn’t take long for Coorie and Fleur to return, Callisto alerting her as they came into view, the dragons settling down beside them. Fleur raced over and gave her a big hug.

“What’s wrong? No Asher?” she asked.

“The Lady Knight is busy apparently, in a meeting,” Coorie said, sitting down beside them. “Who knows what about. Some touche people about us being so late returning, probably given that Asher has been on edge over the last week, but it would seem that most weren’t aware. No rescue mission either, which is probably a good thing, we wouldn’t want anyone else getting lost in those mountains.”

“It took some effort getting a message passed on, to get her to come and meet us out here,” Fleur chimed in. “Lady Knight Chloe was expecting us to just remain and wait, and didn’t take too well to us saying that just was not possible.”

“We tried to express the importance of her coming alone,” Coorie continue, “but I doubt that she will. They should trust enough to take us at our word, but we’ve been gone much longer than she’d allowed, and she could always suspect an ambush or something, not that there is, nor is there any hint of war.” She threw up her arms. “Hopefully, even if she does bring others, she doesn’t land with them all, and just has them hanging nearby.”

“Not that there is much space anyway,” Ueana added. Bonebreaker would probably take up most of the remaining space, leaving them all rather close.

‘Unless they decide to perch somewhere not as comfortable.’ Callisto suggested.

That was also a possibility, but would leave them feeling rather threatened, and it wasn’t as though they had actually done anything wrong. It would in fact be a bad move, at least from her perspective. It was all just theorizing in the end though. They would just have to wait and see what happened.

Whether it was Lady Knight Asher, Chloe, or someone else checking up on them Ueana wasn’t sure, but not too long after Coorie and Fleur had returned they spotted another rider flying past, far away enough to not appear to be specifically looking for them, but close enough to actually spot them. It could have just been a rider going somewhere, except that riders didn’t usually have much purpose in going in that direction, and within a few minutes they saw her fly past again, back towards the nest.

However, it was a couple of hours after that before Lady Knight Asher came, the shadow of Bonebreaker falling over them as she swooped in from above, circled around, and landed beside their familiars. Callisto growled at the larger dragon, his flames intensifying briefly as a warning that the Lady Knight’s dragon shouldn’t get too close.

‘What, he’s trying to intimidate us,’ Callisto stated in his defence, Ueana chuckling to herself in spite of her nervousness. On the plus side, it did appear that she had come by herself.

Lady Knight Asher dismounted from her familiar, looking rather weary, her face set in its usual serious expression. The, I don’t have time for this, my life is busy enough as it is, kind. Lady Knights always seemed to be doing or involved in something, the delegation trip likely the closest to a thing that she’d had to a break in some time.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Lady Knight Asher questioned, as she closed the gap between them. “Why have you called me out...” She stopped mid sentence, halting, her eyes opening wide and mouth remaining open as Ueana stepped out from Callisto’s shadow, Kitni padding along beside her.

And then stood there staring, looking her over and glancing down at the fox cub and up at Callisto, Ueana getting more nervous as time stretched on.

“Is there more truth to the curse than I’d thought?” Asher finally said, her face losing the serious expression, her voice the softest that Ueana had ever heard.

“No.” Ueana shook her head. “There is no curse. Rather just the magic of an Ancient.”

Asher gave her, Coorie and Fleur a measured look. “There’s more to it than that, isn’t there?”

Ueana looked back at her questioningly.

“The mark of the deep dragons on you is stronger than before,” Asher continued, obviously picking up that they weren’t going to answer her question yet. “Not only that, it’s on the rest of you as well now, including the fox cub.”

“Which is going to cause its own set of issues,” Asher added.

Coorie had been right in that Asher had picked up on it, and in fact she was a bit more aware of it all than they’d thought. Not that they should have been surprised. She was a Lady Knight after all.

“It’s all related to the Ancients,” Ueana eventually offered, after having stared at the ground for a moment, looked at Kitni, who gave her a happy yap, and scuffed her foot about on the stone, not the best thing to do when your toes were bare. “But we’re not ready to talk about it all yet. It’s... involved, and as you can tell, I might be more than a little nervous about how the other riders are going to react to the changes.”

“You look cute,” Asher stated with a teasing grin on her face.

Ueana felt her face go flush.

“That’s however is not the most important thing that we have to report about,” Coorie said, Ueana sighing in relief at her taking over. “We ran into a demon and a dying rider on our return here.”

Lady Knight Asher swore, her face going serious. “Are you sure? And the rider?”

“Very much sure,” Ueana answered. “Not your typical demon either, we’re fortunate to be alive ourselves. As for the rider, she’s dead.”

Coorie then proceeded to tell Asher the full story of their encounter with the rider and the demon, not emitting any details. Well, except for their discussions about their changes, which wasn’t really relevant to what was being told. Asher raised her eyebrow when the burning of the body was mentioned, but made no comment, listening intently to what she was being told. She examined the ring closely when it was handed to her, before returning it to Fleur.

“Any idea on who the rider was, or who the message was for?” Ueana asked once Coorie had finished, Asher tapping her foot on the ground, looking deep in thought.

“This is very troubling news.” Asher stopped the tapping, looking at them again. “If it wasn’t for your physical changes, I might have even doubted what you just told me, and while you may not think they are connected, I am certain that they are.” She paused briefly. “I don’t know who the rider was, as I have never heard of one that fits the description, at least not among the known Lady Knights. However I am certain that she hails from the Carlis Islands. Copper skin is quite common among those on the southernmost of the isles, and I have heard that the mana in the area can effect the eye colour of those there, changing it to a number of different hues, orange included.”

“More important though,” Asher continued, “Is the message and who it is intended for. I don’t know what it means, but I strongly suspect that she was referring to the name or designation of a person. There is no one on our wanted lists who would fit that name, nor warrant a rider to deliver a message or the involvement of a demon. However, I do know of someone’s request that could well result in such measures and consequences.”

“And who would that be?” Coorie questioned.

“Queen Alysia and her search for the Demon King’s retinue.”