Ascension Chapter 3- Premonitions Part 2 of 2

Angela burst into the Mayor's study, to see Lapis sitting across from the Mayor at his desk. They looked at her, startled.

"Dad. Somebody's coming."

"Somebody's... Whatever do you mean?"

"A woman called me on the phone. Well, first she was in the foyer, then she disappeared and then called me on the phone. As if she wanted to get my attention first, or for me to know what she looks like." As soon as the words left her mouth, Angela knew she sounded insane. Which she might well be. She could easily be cracking from the stress.

Her father's expression turned grave immediately, his eyes fixed on hers intently. "What did she look like?"

"All black... Black hair, black clothing... Blue eyes."

"And what did she say?"

"She said..." Angela strained to remember, her mind racing off of a cliff. "'The face wears a new mask.'"

Eld Siegfried's eyes widened, and he looked at Lapis, then back at Angela. "Tell Sparrow to get in here. We need to have a meeting, and right now."

"I don't know where he is."

"I'm right here." Sparrow seemed to materialize behind her, as she never heard his approach. "What's going on?"

"Get in here, and close the door."

They obeyed, and stood at the ready for what he had to say.

The Mayor sighed, and wheeled away from behind the desk. He rolled up to the three of them, and looked at them with the severity of a drill sergeant.

"New information has made itself apparent... The Galthirian military is on its way here, and for a specific purpose."

"What? What the hell do they want with us?"

The Mayor glanced at Lapis, and they understood almost immediately.

"I had her sent here under the pretense that she was an agent of the A.M.N... As I'm sure you two have figured out, that's not quite the case."

"Dad... Who is she?"

"To tell you the truth... I'm not even sure myself. And neither does she. She comes to us with amnesia, not even an inkling of memory past four years ago."

Lapis blinked, a look of confusion on her face.

"What does Galthir want with her?"

The Mayor shook his head. "I... I'm not at liberty to say. She is special. I took it upon myself to free her from their clutches, at a great cost to myself... Now it seems the jig is up, and they want her back."

"Is she some sort of test subject? A human weapon?" Angela couldn't keep the nigh hysteria out of her voice.

"All of the above, and more."

"Then we should get rid of her." Sparrow clenched his fists, his teeth set on edge. "We have no business meddling in affairs we don't know anything about."

"It's ironic... The youth, telling the old man what he does and doesn't know." There was an edge of bitterness in Eld Siegfried's voice.

"What should we do? They'll kill you, dad. They've already killed Dreslim, and he sold them our whereabouts. What do you think they'll do to us?"

The Mayor grew very sad then, and looked down at the quilt on his lap. "Dreslim... I see. He should have known never to trust the Queen's men." He took a parchment from the drawer of his desk and an ink pen, and set about to writing. His penmanship was impeccable; Within a few minutes he already had the paper filled with his brisk handwriting. "Angela... That woman you spoke to earlier. She is our ally. I have been working with her for quite some time to help win this girl her freedom, and find out who she really is. You can trust her. Give this letter to her, and tell her she's done her job well."

Angela took the letter hesitantly, and folded it four times, placing it in the lining of her bra. "And what about you?"

"Me? Well... I suppose I'll hang back and distract the Galthirians long enough for you three to seek out our friend, and get the hell out of Marta."

"Dad!" Angela felt panic tighten her throat once again. "You can't!"

"I can and I will." The Mayor looked out the window; The rain was coming down fiercely now. "It's the least I can do, to make up for my sins."

"You are utterly without sin, your Honor." Sparrow knelt before the man in the wheelchair, his face tight with emotion. "It has been a greatest honor serving you."

"It has been an honor having you." The Mayor smiled, the hint of bittersweet agony present in his eyes. "Consider the debt paid."

Sparrow looked up at him, and found he had no words to say. He got up and hugged the Mayor, their arms clasped tight about each other's shoulders.

The debt? What is he talking about? Angela shook her head, shoving the thought away for later. "Father, I cannot in good conscience flee the city while the Galthirians pull off your fingernails and force you to confess to a crime you won't even tell us about! There must be another way!"

"There is no other way!" The Mayor's voice boomed throughout the study, the powerful tone of command present long after the war had ended. "This is goodbye! Now, take what money you need and-"

The doorbell sounded from downstairs.

They all froze, dread clenching Angela's heart like the hand of a cruel child squeezing a small animal. Nobody dared move.

The doorbell rang again.

Sparrow was the first to speak. "I'll go answer it."

Angela gasped. "No, don't..."

"Angela, it's fine. I can handle this." He strode out of the study, tense with anticipation.

Lapis looked at the Mayor, her expression calm as still water. "My Lord... No matter what happens, I will protect you and your daughter."

The Mayor smiled and patted the girl's head. "There is no need to protect me, dear. My fate is sealed."


Sparrow slowly opened the doors, to see a tall man in a Galthirian service uniform standing on the other side. He was well-built with a statuesque visage, with piercing blue eyes and a cocksure expression, as if he knew he was going to get what he wanted before he even asked. He held a black umbrella, whereas the men that Sparrow could see behind him were standing out in the rain.

This must be the guy.

"Greetings, friend. I am Colonel Jon Meredus, of Galthir... I'm here to see the Mayor. Is he home at present?"

"He is, but we weren't expecting someone today. You need an appointment for that sort of thing."

"Ah. Do we really need to bring bureaucracy into a meeting between two friends?"

"You're friends with the Mayor?"

"Indeed. I fought alongside him in the Battle over Cradle. From the look of you, you hadn't even grown your small hairs then."

Sparrow smiled. "No, sir." Is he trying to get a rise out of me? He doesn't even know who I am.

"You must be his butler. Aurin Acolyse, is it?"

Aurin felt his insides go cold. His heart started racing, and sweat started to bead on the back of his neck. He knows my name. What the actual fuck? He kept his smile. "Just Sparrow."

"Whatever you say, Sparrow. You and I are going to have a long talk about what you've been up to, but right now, I need to see the Mayor."

"I told you, he's not seeing anyone without an appointment." Aurin held one hand behind the door and the other behind his back, and he felt both pulsing with the otherworldly energy he knew as well as his own heartbeat. It took monumental effort not to burn this cretin to ashes. "Now, run along and maybe I'll let the Mayor know you came by. Thanks."

He slammed the door, but Meredus caught it with a strong hand and forced it to stay open. "Come now. Surely we can talk this out?"

"I've made myself clear, I think. Come again tomorrow! 'Kay, see ya later."

Aurin made another effort to slam the door shut, when sheer force threw both doors open. He fell backwards, and caught himself, rolled back onto his feet with an unsteady wobble. Galthirian men with ten millimeter handguns poured in, and aimed at him.

He raised his hands in surrender, and sighed with disgust. "This is how Galthir does things, is it? A smile on your face, and a piece in your hand?"

"Not Galthir. Just me." He smirked and strode around Aurin, coming uncomfortably close to his face. Aurin stared dead ahead at the seven men pointing guns at him; One man, with a pair of glasses held together with tape, averted his gaze, seemingly ashamed.

"I take it you don't really hear the word 'no' too much, Mr. Meredus?"

"Neither did you, when you had half of Tellaria's criminal underground wrapped around your fingers. I bet it was a pretty sweet life, until you got caught."

"Don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you do. That's where your nickname comes from after all... They call you the Red Bird of Belas, if I'm not mistaken. Most people still think you're rotting in a cell in Razgreth."

"Those days are over. I did my time."

"Or, you did two months until the Mayor saw fit to use you to root out your old chums. Tell me, are you only good until then, or did he promise you a pardon?"

"Greetings, friends." The Mayor's voice carried down from the balcony to the foyer, and they looked up to see him watching the encounter with thinly veiled anger. "Surely there is something I can do for men who swore oaths to the Queen."

"Eld! My, it has been forever. You aren't looking so good... Is something the matter? You can tell your old friend, Jon."

"Spare me the niceties." The Mayor's nostrils were flared. "Jon Meredus died in Cradle. I closed his eyes myself."

The man claiming to be Meredus smiled, and the men he brought with him murmured among themselves. However, their guns remained fixed on Aurin.

"I apologize. Perhaps I should have done more research."

"Perhaps indeed. And furthermore, Meredus' hair was black, not blonde."

"I suppose I'll drop the pretense, then. I'm under orders to reattain a certain asset that you managed to steal from the Queen. Your plan was executed rather perfectly, I must admit... Though it must riddle you with guilt to know your friend Sondre took the heat and faced the firing squad for your sake."

The Mayor's eyes burned with rage. "Every day."

"Sir!" A man appeared from the kitchen, ushering Angela and Lapis forward. They were dripping wet. "I found them trying to sneak around the house and make for the forest."

"Let go of me!" Angela tried vainly to break from the man's grasp. Lapis did not resist; She looked like she barely understood the situation.

"Ah... Good looking out, Oslindt. They might've slipped out from under our noses." The imposter Meredus smiled and approached them. He cupped Angela's chin; She tried to twist her face away but his ungodly strength held her face staring forward. She glared at him with her father's eyes, her eyes filled with acid hatred. "Is this your daughter, Siegfried? She looks quite angry with me. I find that sexy."

"Do whatever you want to us, but leave her out of this!" Aurin dared not move, lest the men aiming at his vitals decided to kill him out of hand.

"And why would I do that? She's as much an accomplice as you are, Aurin. Oh... I'm sorry. Sparrow." The man claiming to be Meredus released Angela's face and looked at Lapis, then back at the Mayor and Aurin alternatively. Angela stared at Aurin, unbelieving. "Do you know the punishment for directly defying the immortal Queen of Galthir? Oh sure, the usual one is exile... Perhaps to Borealis, where you'd live out your lives performing menial labor, or to Nanbyr, where we wouldn't hear another peep from you and wouldn't care. But no... This is a special crime, one I've been given leave to judge myself."

Angela broke her stare and lowered her head, a single tear running down her cheek.

"Don't be too angry at Mr. Acolyse, dear. I haven't exactly been forthcoming with who I am either. Not that it matters... You'll all be dead soon anyway." The impostor glanced at a pocket watch, then placed it back in his shirt pocket. "It's about that time, folks. Come along now, girl. The Queen is waiting."

Lapis' fists clenched, and she stared at the impostor with death in her eyes. "I am not yours to command."

"Oh?"

"You heard me well, Abaiss. Leave these people be, or face my wrath."

She knew his name, even without him saying it... How far do these two go back?

"Well, we wouldn't want that, true... But it's not you who holds the power here." He raised his arm, and they beheld the blue device on his wrist. "Do you really want to complicate matters worse?"

She lowered her head and gritted her teeth.

"I thought not. I need two of you to take the girl, and stand by for further orders. The rest... With me."

"No! NO!" Angela bucked and twisted, but Oslindt's strong arm closed around her windpipe, forcing her to cease resistance. Two men made for the staircase to take the Mayor, while the rest stood where they were, waiting for Aurin to make a move. Another two took Lapis from Oslindt and made for the front door.

The three of them were escorted outside to the backyard. The Mayor's wheelchair had to be lifted off of the stairs and rolled into the grass, so they could stand out in the rain next to eachother.

This can't be the end. There has to be another way.

Then it hit Aurin like a sack of bricks; He felt his soaked clothes clinging to his skin, felt the rain running through his hair and diluting the product in it, trickling down over his eyebrows and his face.

Of course! I'm an idiot!

Abaiss and the seven men took shelter from the rain beneath the large gazebo in the center. They readied their pistols and took aim.

Angela's legs gave up and she collapsed into the grass on her hands and knees.

"Get her up. Let her face her death bravely, like a true Galthirian."

Aurin lifted her by her arm; She was heavy with terror, so he whispered something into her ear. "It's raining."

"What?"

"Just watch."

"Do you have any last words?"

The Mayor raised his chin, haughty and regal as ever. "Only this, Abaiss... You may think it is your Queen to whom you are answering. But one day, it'll be a higher power, and you'll regret everything you've ever done."

"Is that all? Cute." Abaiss smiled, and raised his hand. "Take aim!"

Aurin stared hard at the air above the gazebo, focusing the inner eye on that which the outer eye could not see.

He could feel them, all around him and all throughout him. The things beyond counting, so small even an ant could not see them. Those which made up his body were fixed in place, always vibrating, while in the air around him they flew about, colliding into each other randomly.

It was the secret world that only he could perceive. He didn't know the name for the particles, only that they made up everything and everyone.

Energy crackled throughout his entire being.

Take this, you son of a bitch.

The men in the gazebo shouted as jagged lances of ice pierced the canopy and stabbed at them from above; They cried out in shrill voices as the icicles found them and bit through cloth, flesh, blood, and bone.

Terror caused them to break rank, firing wildly in all directions. The water pouring in through the torn canopy started to freeze solid, forming a column of ice.

"Angela!" Aurin scooped up the Mayor from his wheelchair; He was surprisingly light. With his free hand he grasped Angela's arm and they ran for the house; Men grabbed for them, but the frozen water on their boots and soles stopped them in their tracks.

Only Abaiss stood calm and unmoving, watching them go with eyes full of malice. His gun was frozen solid in his hand.