Meanwhile back on Ale Zan Dra…..
As Zan reached the top of the hill she looked back and signaled their arrival at their destination. Sol smiled, looked to Moses. As their gazes met he spoke, “It is my sincere hope that I do not have to fight for the blade, but no one shall stop me from walking The Path, and I will have it. I am Forever! I will see you at sunset on the shores near The Dragon Caves.” He began toward the city, leaving Moses to go another way.
Before they had separated Moses laid his hand upon Sol’s shoulder and at arms distance said, “Good luck, my friend. You may need it.” And Moses took off in a different direction. Moses did not think that his friend was in any danger, but he knew it would not be an easy task to acquire The WinterBlade. Darius was a man of dignity and his word, though he was not an honorable man. Darius would not allow the blade to be used, since he sealed it in casing beneath the caves. And Sol would not be able to just sneak in and find it. It was going to be difficult, but not impossible.
The Capital Lights were still shining even as the sun was taking to the sky. It was obvious that he would have to stir things up a little in order to be heard, in a city like this, but was not sure as to the kind of distraction to use to gather the attention of Darius. He was also not sure if he was going to like it.
The City Walls were the prison complex, and the only entrance to the city itself. Sol knew that this was not a good way for him to enter Sanctuary, the Mad would surely know of his presence. And battle was not on the agenda, he needed to save his energies in case of conflict with Darius. On the other hand this would bring him to Darius's immediate attention that the battle would require him to be dealt with. After all, this Sanctuary is his. And there was no better way to bring him into the open, than Combat. So this is what he planned as he walked down the hill, to the entrance of the city.
As he found his stride in both thought and walk, he realized that Zan was gone from his senses, as was Essex. While for some reason he knew they were in no harm, it was odd for him to not feel them. Orora, sensing Sol's uneasiness, rubbed her head into the palm of his hand. As he looked down at her, he thought to himself, ' Orora is a very large and powerful dog, and Rya is light and agile, we will make do. ' He bent down to one knee to scratch Orora behind her left ear and said, "Let the lovers have their peace. They can enter the city anyway they want. You and your clan are not limited to the interactions that I am, in order to achieve access to Sanctuary. But if the two of you accompany me, this may still be achieved."
The entranceway was a massive opening, where stood a garrison of Mad Soldiers. Sol realized that this did not feel right, and the two dogs seemed to agree as they took aggresive positions on either side of him. One of the soldiers came forth toward him; Orora growled her unease with the situation, as the soldier drew his weapon she moved in between him and where the soldier was coming.
"Who goes there? Sanctuary is forbidden to those who do not redeem themselves." The soldiers voice was wet with The Madness, he was trying to start something. "If you wish to redeem yourself, you will find Redemption along the beach. Just beyond the city wall to the west. But you walk with the dogs. I seriously doubt that you are worthy. We have cells for vagrants such as you. We can enslave your canine friends."
"Hold your tongue, lest they take it from you. They would kill you before they could be enslaved. And there is no cell in all of The Mother that can hold me. I come to speak with the Lord Darius. I believe he is aware of my presence, and will see me." Sol could sense that these men had nothing to do with Darius, though they were the law enforcement. His glare at the soldier intensified as he spoke until the moment he was done. Then he simply blinked, and looked beyond the soldier to the others, who were still at their posts, in the archway entrance.
The soldier seemed to fold under the gravity of Sol's voice. When Sol was finished speaking the soldier sighed, and straightened him out as if he didn't understand, but he knew it was because of the man in front of him. "And you are, for the record?" the soldier spoke with intensity.
"I am I. And that I am here is enough for you to do as I have asked. Now... Do so!" Sol's voice, was demanding, and pointed. Its gravity was almost controlling. He was aware that this soldier was not keen of him, but was feeling the pressure of Sol's own discourse of him, and would easily buckle. "Before my friends have you for food."
There was a moment of silence as the soldier staggered in place. Then he tapped a button on his belt loop, to call for reinforcements. The soldiers standing in the entranceway all reached for there weapon holsters but did not draw them. The soldier that was next to Sol aimed his disrupter at him," The Lord Darius, is shall we say otherwise occupied. Chaos brings word of her arrival, in a single sunset. Mykul has ordered preparations be made before he sees anyone. Darius is not expected to survive Mykul's wrath. And if Darius wishes to see you, then maybe you two can share a cell. Wouldn't that be nice?" the soldier was reeling by this point and could barely stand, but fired of a single round before he lost consciousness. Thus the rest of the soldier followed suit and opened fire.
Sol reached deep, to the very bowels of his vocal chords, and bellowed the name, "Darius!" Orora and Rya both echoed the chant creating a wave of sound thick enough to absorb the disrupter fire. The wave of sound echoed all the through the prison wall and into the city. (describe sound wave) Where Darius must have felt his name come from the ground upon which he stood. Though the wave dissipated in a mere moment it was invariable.
"Your weapons are now useless. The sound wave cracked the energy seals, and the coolant I can ignite with the snap of my finger. Do not tempt me. Zan deserves better than the likes of your kind. And Sanctuary must be preserved at all costs, I shall not let either of them fall to Mykul!" Sol spoke truth, and it was under stood as such. The soldiers’ yielded and dropped their weapons.
Sol could hear the sky whales chanting the prophecies of his coming, in the distance. And Orora sang back to them the songs of her storm. Rya chanted the songs of D'kroth, Cain, and J'Da. The Dragons sang the songs of their lineage. And all of Zan rejoiced in their voices. It began to rain, as Sol looked to the sky and laughed wickedly. And then thunder, and then lightning. And just as all the songs ended together, so did the rain, the thunder and the lightning.
As he fell to his knees he realized what he had just unleashed, and began to cry, "Let Chaos be your chariot, fore I have a Madness of my own, Mykul. I am The Harvester of Sorrow!" He sat there crying into the palm of his hands for several moments when he heard a beautiful voice call his name in The Ancient tongue. When he looked up to see the woman who carried the voice of truth, he saw a face familiar to him, she was the most gorgeous life form Sol could have ever dreamed, but he had no idea who she was. He could sense that they had already met once, and that she knew him very well. He seemed to know her just the same, but he did not know her name. He replied to her in The Ancient tongue, "My love, I did not know it was you all this time. I should have known that we would be the first to encounter ourselves. I have missed you, it has been far too long." he reached his right hand to her left check.
Her skin was soft pink and glowed the essence of its color, her eyes were tinges of both blue and green, not hazel. She was shaped medium figure, and build, with legs.............. Her hair was a light auburn, long, to slightly below the middle of her back. Her reply in the same dialect was affectionate enough to return the feeling, [Steve Via-I would Love to]"My Father has known you would seek him out for his blade, lover. But he will not even give it to the man I love. He knows as well, why you want the blade. He will not let you have Sanctuary. He does not think you will take it from him. And in seeing you again, I see his wisdom. He truly is The Shadow of Hope, isn't he?" she waited only for him to nod before she kissed him full on his lower lip. "Yes, it has been far too long....” and then she faded out of sight like a mist.
Sol rose immediately to his feet and with renewed faith he spoke, "Soldiers of the Mad, all those who will not join me, must leave The Realms of Zan. Now and forever, make your decision, The Prophecy has begun. Choose Truth or Madness." he then leaned forward and began to blur, and went right thru the entrance, thru the prison wall, and into the city itself.
He ran until he sensed Darius' position, and located him. He was not at all sure that the person he saw was even real. But Darius is Crow, so he is not meant to be seen. Sol knew this would be odd; The Crow are a bi-product of Mykul's Curse upon Sol's own bloodline (which is why it died off), combined with Nurian DNA, essentially, sentient silicon sand that has the ability to kinetically charge itself.
Darius spoke before Sol could grip himself, "Hello my good man. It is good to finally meet you. I, of course, am Darius." he knew this approach would take Sol off guard, one could hear it in his voice if they had only listened for it. "And what can I do for you, son?" smiling he chuckled.
Taking another moment to catch the tone of conversation, he spoke words Darius could tell had been rehearsed, "You must join me in arms against Mykul. Together we will defend these realms, and cleanse our homes of The Madness he brings." They were convincing words, and his voice sincere enough. "I am in need of The WinterBlade, to extinguish The Continental Fires, to drink The Black Water Oceans, and seed The Elysian Fields." Also practiced phrases, but not what Darius wanted to hear.
"It is impossible to do what you have said, and even if it were not, no one can wield the blade but me. I made it that way. So that powerful people such as us could never come to power, as it were, this did not work. But now that The Army of the Mad has left my city, I am in debt to you. Tell me what you intend to do."
