Chapter Thirteen: Feathers
on the breeze
I had a headache, even more so than before, and that wasn’t nice at all.
Slowly I opened my eyes and looked around, I saw that I was lying still on a road way with the sky beginning to clear from the passing storm. Memories began to come back to me of what had happened, the man on the silver dragon, despite my tender state I had noticed something extremely familiar about the man, he felt familiar. Almost like a brother spirit to me.
He felt like one of the forest I realised, and it was extremely rare to find someone like that, and yet this ‘Fury’ felt so like me.
I wasn’t aware my spirit side had any brothers or sisters I thought to myself
Gently, very gently I pushed myself up, ignoring the thumping in my head and concentrating on standing up.
As I stood up my field of vision increased and I was able to see Mikoto, Zidane and Kuja lying around me unconscious. Shaking my head gently I walked to Kuja and pushed him slightly with the tip of my boot, he grumbled loudly and opened his eyes.
“What happened?” he asked as he frowned with pain.
“I’m not sure, but I do know we have just been attacked, by who I don’t know though.” I said
Behind me I could hear mutterings as Zidane and Mikoto slowly regained consciousness, as I turned I could see Zidane slowly pushing himself up, so I helped Kuja to his feet as Zidane did the same for Mikoto.
“That was scary.” Said Mikoto as she flattened her sticking up hair.
“It was,” agree Zidane brushing the dirt off his clothing “Who the hell is this Fury, I’ve never heard of him before but he has some power.”
I shrugged
“He seems familiar to me…” I said
“And me,” said Zidane “It’s almost as though I know him but I’ve never met a Fury before, especially not with his power.”
Kuja gently brushed his silver hair back from where it had fallen around his face and frowned
“That reminds me,” said Zidane “What did he say to you Kuja?”
Kuja frowned some more and shrugged
“It made no sense really.” He confessed
Zidane walked over to him and put his hands on his hips
“But what did he say Kuja?” he asked
Kujas next words sent a shiver of danger running down my spine and tail, for I knew that my trusted friend was in danger.
“He said ‘You are so much like your sister Kuja.’”
I had seen it in Zidanes face, the genome knew me and I knew him. More of myself was beginning to emerge, and the more I learned of my past, the more I hated it.
“So, the plan is in motion.” I muttered to myself as my Silver Dragon took me across the Mist Continent, the steady wing beats of the feathered beast providing me with something to time myself to.
Where next? I pondered, enjoying the freedom which travelling by dragon allowed me.
Then I remembered a part of my master plan, one vital ingredient to my plans but my knowledge of it was incomplete.
“Where can I find knowledge?” I wondered aloud.
<The ancient library of Daguerreo may contain what you require.> thought the Dragon to me
<Thank you, I never knew you could hear me all this time.> I confessed
<All silver dragons can clearly understand mortal talk, and we can communicate with those who know our language and who have the minds needed to transfer minds.> it replied
I knelt down on the dragons back and patted its skin through the feathers, running my hand through the silky feathers I was tempted to pick just one but decided to ask the dragon first.
<Do you mind?>
<Not at all, one of my previous masters used to collect them to put in his hair.>
I gently pulled the feather from the leathery skin and held it up to examine it, the white feather was tinted very, very slightly with a green colour. I examined the feather for a little while and then gently placed the feather into my brown hair.
<What do you think? Does it suit me?> I asked the Dragon telepathically
<You do not have the correct colour hair but, it does not look that bad>
I tilted my head to one side and sat back on the dragon, the width of the Silver Dragons back enabling me even to lie down on its back.
<What is your name then Dragon?> I asked of the beast
<I am surprised you do not know master, it is Silveria.>
I nodded, a smile breaking across my face
<It suits you…Silveria. So, lets go to this library, I need to understand to get the power I want.>
<Why do you desire such power?> asked Silveria
I paused, a little unsure as to how to word my reply, to me it seemed so simple and yet when I explained it to others they merely looked at me as though I was insane.
<I need to live forever Silveria, to forge my will upon this world.>
<I think I understand,> replied Silveria <We Silver Dragons are mortal in lifespan although vulnerable to attack, we would greatly desire to become completely invincible, although we realise that if we were to do so we would turn into tyrants.>
I frowned, my fingers playing with the white feather which rustled in my hair as the wind gently blew it around.
<Was that an understanding or a warning?> I asked
Silveria snorted and shook his large head before replying to me.
<Both.> he thought.
The shades were even more horrible than I remembered them from yesterday, the dark alley walls were covered in what I thought was red paint, although the smell which emanated from them indicated that I was wrong, very wrong.
“I can’t believe that people can live in a place like this.” Said Domino quietly
“Most of them don’t…people don’t come to live, they come here to kill, steal and maim, not necessarily in that order.” Muttered Nagy
Kitiara and Xola walked behind Domino and myself with Nagy, Mizrah and Snikity taking the lead, ever since entering the shades I felt we were being watched, I could see that Domino and Kitiara felt it too. After a while I decided to mention it.
“Don’t you feel like we’re being watched here?” I said
Kitiara nodded, her hand even closer to her scabbard than before.
“Yes, danger approaches, but I am unsure from where.” She hissed
Nagy became slightly more vigilant than before, turning his head from side to side, examining the alleyway.
“I don’t like this, it’s too much like an ambush.” He muttered unhappily.
“How perceptive of you!” shouted a voice from on high, we all looked up and saw a man dressed in shabby clothing with a smile on his scarred face.
“Ragnerok, what the hell are you doing here?!” shouted Nagy, his face a mask of anger
“Just doing what I do best, surviving, you must know that Nagy, after all the time we spent together!” laughed Ragnerok as he vaulted off the wall and landed in front of Nagy
“Good morning Domino the genome, I heard you were back in town.” He said to Domino while giving a quick look at me.
Ragnerok then walked over and whistled down the street, a group of armed men walked slowly out of the shadows, there had to be thirteen of them in total.
“We can take them.” Muttered Kitiara to Nagy
“Not in these conditions, he’s thought it out too well. I know this guy.” Hissed Nagy in return, his sword returning to its scabbard
“So, what do you want then, ‘rok?” snarled Nagy, his face defiant but wary.
“Just the usual, your weapons and money…but this time I think I’ll take something extra.” He said, a smug smile on his face as he walked past me, but as I looked he turned and pointed at me.
“This girl…she’s mine.” He said
“I’m no-ones!!!” I protested.
His sword blade was at my throat within seconds, his scarred face hard and mean.
“Rather you be someone’s than dead pretty girl?” he sneered, his language stretched, as though Morporkian wasn’t his native language.
“You heard her, leave her alone!” warned Domino her own blade knocking Ragnerok’s away from my throat. Instantly the group of armed men took aim with their crossbows, all aiming at Domino.
“NO!” I shouted, throwing myself between Ragnerok and Domino and pushing her out of the way.
“What are you doing Alex?” she whispered to me
“Saving you,” I replied before saying “If he wants me…he can have me.”
“Alex!!” yelled Domino, her face in shock.
I didn’t want her to come to any harm, she was my friend and I couldn’t let her come to any harm. It was unthinkable of me to let her come to grief, she had had enough of that already.
“I see you’ve made the right decision.” Said Ragnerok, his hand brushing across my face “I’m sure we will have lots of…fun together.”
I shivered and looked away, as I did I noticed something strange, two eyes glowing in the darkness in a side alley, a couple of feet above the ground. I felt no fear from these eyes for they were not trained on me, rather they were trained on Ragnerok.
Kitiara followed my gaze and saw the eyes, she smiled and winked at me before stepping out and moving swiftly between Ragnerok and his army and pouting at him.
“Why take her?” she said “I’m much more fun!”
I frowned, what was Kitiara playing at, whatever it was Ragnerok seemed taken in, his expression changed to a welcoming smile and he put his arm around Kitiara’s waist.
“Well, well, well, what is this? Kitiara offering herself to me, I must have really have gone up the ranks.”
Kitiara pulled away from Ragnerok and gently whispered to me.
“When he attacks, you lot go for the men, he’ll be able to handle Ragnerok.”
Then she returned to Ragnerok and placed her hands on his hips making him smile.
I quickly whispered the message to a confused Domino who passed it on to the rest of the group as Kitiara distracted Ragnerok, I quickly risked a glance at the armed men, they had relaxed now, a couple of them had even put down their weapons, confident that their leader had solved everything. I looked again for the eyes but didn’t see them.
“Well then,” said Ragnerok as he pulled himself away from the amorous Kitiara “It looks like I’ve got a good night planned, with two pretty ladies…” he went to continue the sentence but never finished for as soon as Kitiara had walked back to a safe distance a black feline shaped shadow fell from above and knocked Ragnerok to the ground.
Instantly Mizrah struck out at the nearest armed man, knocking his weapon out of his hand and catching it before it hit the ground, Nagy performed a similar disarming tactic on another armed man, Snikity ran forward and leapt off the alleyway wall to confuse the third armed man who was quickly becoming aware of what was happening, this sudden realisation of his came to a quick end as his decapitated head hit the ground rolling.
“Alright!!” shouted Snikity as she moved onto the next attacker.
Domino smiled and blasted two attackers with a well aimed lightning bolt before plunging her sword deep into a third.
This left nine suddenly alert men who raised their crossbows to fire at us, but not before Kitiara and Xola had reached them, running straight at the men they quickly somersaulted over their heads and attacked them from behind, four of the attackers fell before the rest could turn around and when they did it gave Domino the perfect chance to set two of them on fire with a hastily cast Fira spell. As they ran away screaming, the other three dropped their blades and pushing their way past Kitiara and Xola they fled away up the alleyway.
I was then able to turn my attention back to the feline attacker, who had began mauling Ragnerok but had incurred some minor injuries to himself.
“Get off me you mangy cat!” shouted Ragnerok as he tried to beat the panther off him.
The panther responded by smacking Ragnerok across the face with his claws out, giving Ragnerok several deep wounds to add to the numerous scars already on his face. Ragnerok snarled with the pain and thrust his hand down to his boot, trying to get to something, I quickly what exactly it was he wanted.
“Look out, dagger!!” I warned but it was too late as Ragnerok pulled out a dagger from his boot and thrust it upwards into the panthers chest, making it yowl with the pain and briefly release its grip on Ragnerok who rolled away to one side and quickly ran away into the gloom of the alleyway.
“Soulcat! Are you alright?!” asked Kitiara as she ran to his side
The panther began to lose some of its cat-likeness and became a little more human like.
“Kitiara.” He whispered “I’ll be fine, thank you for the distraction.”
Kitiara smiled and cradled Soulcats head on her lap.
“Thanks for tackling Ragnerok, we needed the distraction.”
Soulcat gently purred at Kitiara as she stroked some of his hair.
“I’ll be fine Kitiara, it’s only a minor wound, I will be able to heal it myself in time. I can make my way back out of the shades, I hear you’re going on a long journey.”
Kitiara nodded and smiled down at him
“Yeah, to Thunderchilds funeral.” She said.
It seemed strange to me to see Kitiara exhibiting such concern for Soulcat, she had come across as a person who seemed more detached from emotions than anyone else, but obviously those emotions were just hidden under the surface.
“Is he dead? This is a tragic loss for the Discworld, he was a good man.” Said Soulcat as he slowly stood back up onto two feet rather than the four he had entered on.
Domino nodded, walking up to Soulcat and shaking his hand
“I agree, and thank you for that back there, you helped us out valuably and valiantly.”
Soulcat bowed slowly to Domino
“That is not a problem, I saw you lot in trouble, I decided you needed help, you are Domino the genome are you not?”
Domino nodded and blushed slightly
“Everyone seems to know me, it’s strange.” She muttered
“You’re the wife, sorry, widow of Thunderchild, the saviour of Ankh-Morpork, of course you’re going to be famous.”
Nagy walked up to Domino and Soulcat
“We’d better be going, the longer we hang about, the more chance of running into another attack.” He said
Soulcat nodded and grimaced slightly, cursing softly under his breath.
“I’ll come back with you.” Said Kitiara
Soulcat shook his head and put his hand on her shoulder
“No, you go and pay your last respects for Thunderchild, grieve for all of the Discworld, for we have lost a good friend.” He said, before turning and walking steadily into the shadows
“Take care ‘cat!” called out Kitiara after him as he disappeared.
Mizrah walked up to myself and Domino, wiping the blood off her sword with the shirt of one of the dead attackers.
“So, where’s this portal?” she asked
“We left a chalk mark on the alley wall.” I said, but I couldn’t expand on it any further, after all, this was an alien city to me and I didn’t know anything about it whatsoever.
“A chalk mark…great.” Muttered Nagy, his hand on his forehead.
“Hang on,” said Xola “Was the alley you arrived in the same alley as we found you in?”
Domino nodded as did I
“Yes,” she said “It was not long after we arrived that we got cornered by those men.”
Xola smiled and pointed down the alleyway
“It’s this way then, trust me, I know my way around the shades.” She said, with the grin of someone who knows they’re right.
So we walked into the gloom, leaving the scattered corpses of the brief battle behind us.
What other surprises lie in wait for us? I thought to myself, my hand not moving from its place on my daggers hilt.
Fury had been gone for quite a while, and it had given the chance to snoop around the castle some more, but there wasn’t much more to see, many doors were locked and I was unable to open them from my side, or at least I didn’t see a way they could be opened, it was while I was investigating one corridor I noticed an open door at the other end, looking around to check no-one was around I tiptoed up to the door and looked through it, I could see nothing more than a flight of stairs leading downwards. So checking the corridor again I softly walked down the stairs, it was a minute or two before I reached the bottom, this staircase must have lead deep underground for I had been walking on the lower floor of the castle.
Then I reached the bottom of the staircase and gasped at what I saw.
Ten large glass cylinders, five on each side of the room, each of the cylinders was full of a light green substance in which a genome was suspended, a real live genome like myself.
I walked closer to the cylinder and peered at the still form, the genome was female I could see and looked a lot like me but the face was different, although the hair was silver it wasn’t me, as I watched the genome gently bob up and down in the solution her hair floating around her face, I felt as though I was being watched by something or someone, turning around I saw a genome, out of the cylinder but like the ones within, watching me.
“Who are you?” I asked her
The genome just stared at me, face impassive, arms crossed, I shook my head normally even soulless genomes would tell you their name but this one didn’t even seem willing to depart even that information.
Suddenly I heard footsteps coming down the stairs, the other genome stiffened and stood to attention, I looked around for some cover and hid behind one of the cylindrical tanks.
Lawrence walked down the stairs and into the room, smiling broadly at the female genome who bowed deeply to him.
“Mithril Yugami number three,” he said “It’s good to see you’re working correctly!”
“I live to serve.” Replied the genome.
“That’s right,” said Lawrence “All you genomes do, and serve me well you will, all of you.” He chuckled “And by the time Fury realises what’s happening, it’ll be too late to stop me.”