"Legionnaire, Pt. 1: The Sisters"

By Kenya Gaede

Copyright 2013, Kenya Gaede

Preface

First and foremost, to those who know my family: please, I implore you, do not read anything into the dynamic of the family in this story. When I've briefly described the plot to friends, they smile and say, "Ah, two sisters huh?" I never intended this to be based on my own sister and I, or our personalities and character.

I knew the ending of the story long before I'd even completed the first write-through years ago. It was actually what the rest of the story was written around. You will understand the further you read.

Just like when I wrote "Warfare," I was very careful about how I wrote this story. I was paranoid about having anything in it that would be "weird," if that's the right word. Don't be too quick to judge until you've read enough to fully understand the various gifts, their origins, weapons and the belief structure.

And if you read the story and don't have any idea what I'm talking about: excellent! No worries.

Second: be sure to read all the way to the end (it will be published in two separate parts, and Part II shouldn't be too long in coming out). Some areas of this story are very deep and dark. However, you have to read all the way through because if you stop at Part I…then you'll just be depressed forever!

Part I is about the development of our two main characters, their training, and how the bad guys move into position in preparation for a large-scale campaign.

In Part II, the characters are already developed, so now we can focus on confronting and countering said bad guys. Part II has a completely different feel and rhythm to it. We will see much more of certain characters (i.e. the Special Forces unit), and will get to see the dark leader himself in action.

As I try to do with all my stories, I do my best to build the tension between both sides until they finally reach an awesome climatic confrontation at the end. We also get to see "side plots" about some of the supporting characters, which I think only helps develop the story as a whole.

I do believe in happy endings, really! But we all know that life isn't fair and things don't always turn out the way we expect. If everything was easy and happy for the characters in this story, if they didn't have any personal struggles or make mistakes, it wouldn't be very realistic, would it? We wouldn't be able to relate with them. And, let's face it: it would make for a boring story.

This is my new favorite story, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. So, buckle up and get ready for what I hope for you is an epic battle between good and evil.

Prologue

All humans are created with various talents. Some are natural-born leaders, have incredible intelligence, a hand for craftsmanship, and still more have an abundance of creativity.

Then there are others, those of specific bloodlines created for war, whose hands are trained for battle. Designed to protect and ensure swift justice, they face the gruesomeness of war and take on the darkest enemies so the rest can live in peace and security. They do not shy away from a fight, and it is in fact what gives them a sense of purpose, what drives them, the heat of battle consuming.

These are Legionnaires. While they have various individual skills, they also possess other gifts that display themselves significantly stronger than in regular fighting forces. Some might call them supernatural gifts, but they are only granted once a warrior pledges allegiance to the very One who created them, to the Source of their strength.

But somewhere along the way, as is the nature of man, some Legionnaires became corrupted. They found the intoxicating power of evil too alluring. These are the Seditionists, traitors. They betrayed their fellow brothers-in-arms, and betrayed their Maker. They pursued the unquenchable desire for power at all costs, even at the expense of the lives of others. They dealt with darkness that should not have been communed with…and it consumed them.

One war had already been fought between these two sides, and the traitors were driven into hiding. But just like the spirit that drives Legionnaires, Seditionists can also be relentlessly determined to achieve victory.

Darkness is stirring again, the Seditionists quietly reorganizing. Total control is their goaland the complete annihilation of the lines of Legionnaires.

Soon the line would be drawn in the sand and there’d be no sitting on the sidelines. Strong, true and pure warriors would be paramount to pushing back the rise of the Seditionists, who are much smarter and craftier this time around. The wayward would finally be forced to decide what they really believed and whose side they were on.

And leading the way would be two very unsuspecting sisters, chosen for this task before they were born. Together they would train and choose the path of their parents, and their grandparents before them.

Or would they? If either falls to darkness, a potent shift will occur and evil would gain a lethal advantage.

The forces of darkness knew this, and a plan to ensnare the sisters was already in motion.

"Blessed be the Lord, my Rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; He is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and He in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples

under me."-Psalm 144: 1-2

"And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophetswho through

faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword,

were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight."

-Hebrews 11: 32-34

"An unjust person is an abomination to the righteous, and the one who lives an upright life is an abomination to the wicked."

- Proverbs 29:27

"For everything there is an appointed time, and an appropriate time for every activity on earth:

A time to be born, and a time to die;a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal;a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh;a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones;a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;A time to search, and a time to give something up as lost;

a time to keep, and a time to throw away;A time to rip, and a time to sew;

A time to keep silent, and a time to speak.A time to love, and a time to hate;

A time for war, and a time for peace."-Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

All images and maps created and illustrated by Kenya Gaede

Chapter 1

Assassination

A lone set of hoof beats drummed quietly along the narrow trail that cut through the ancient forest. It was an eerily dark night, the moon and stars hidden behind a thick veil of clouds.

Armor jingling softly, the horse snorted lightly with each stride as the path steepened.

The rider cursed the darkness, cursed this mountain, and the fact the ambassador had decided to visit his little-known vacation home in the middle of the mountains.

One could have just hailed the ambassador from the city— if there hadn’t been some unknown interference blocking the signal. A speeder or cruiser would naturally have been quicker—if the house hadn’t been in the middle of a dense wilderness of monstrous trees.

Normally Neville, the rider, would have been in the depths of self-pity in regards to this middle-of-the-night assignment. But tonight something was different, something riding on the humid air as it drifted through the

trees; something which forced him to stay alert. Or perhaps it was just because it was so dark.

His mount reached the narrow path that wound around the mountain and he pulled his sweaty charge to a halt and listened. He thought he’d heard something above the sound of the wind.

The animal beneath him shifted anxiously to the side, ears twitching at every sound, muscles wound tight and ready to spring at any moment.

Neville listened a few seconds longer, but only heard the sound of the horse’s breathing and metal clanking as it chomped on the bit. He then turned his horse down the path, knowing it was probably safest to continue on his way.

Nudging his charge, it jumped into a swift canter and swept around the mountain.

ΩAmbassador Angra trudged tiredly into the living room of his small,

yet spacious vacation home. The lights inside burned brightly, a tiny glow in the vast forest. It had been a trying week and all he wanted to do was relax a little, unwind.

After pouring himself a glass of brown liquor, he was making his way to the couch in front of the hearth when the lights flickered. When it happened a second time, Angra paused to look around.

The electricity went out, leaving just the candles to cast their soft glow. A shadow fell over the room, choking out the candles' light and throwing the house into near-total darkness.

A noise came from the kitchen behind Angra and he spun, eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement.

That was when he stepped out of the blackness beyond the doorway and into the living room.

Angra drew a sharp breath and took a step back, startled by the identity of the visitor.

“You. Well, I, you see, uh…” he stammered as he set his glass down on an end table and took a few more steps away.

“You failed,” said the visitor, slowly approaching as a suffocating presence settled over the living room. He wasn't hooded or cloaked, but darkness surrounded him and made him appear as a shadow.

“It was a simple task I asked you to perform. Not only did you fail, but you now have government officials poking their noses into your business.”

“I just need a little more time,” blurted Angra, backed nearly to the stone hearth. “I told you before, our city is broke…”

“I don’t care about your financial situation,” replied the menacing visitor sharply and still drawing nearer. “The task I asked you to do was a part of something so much bigger than your city or your planet. And you disappointed me, ambassador.”

The way he said it gave Angra chills. His skin was crawling, and he trembled with rising terror that grabbed his very soul.

The man in his presence wasn’t just any ordinary human; he was something more. Surrounding him was an air of terrible power and incredible intelligence. He was a menace, a being of a sinister and dark nature.

To put it bluntly: he was evil. The man stopped inches from Angra and towered over him. The cold

hand of Death surrounded him as a fierce pounding came to life in his head, and his heart began hammering madly in his chest.

“I’ll get it done! I promise. By whatever means necessary,” pleaded Angra, “I won’t fail again.”

With the silence of a shadow, the visitor turned and walked back across the living room. Stopping at the end of the couch, he reached down with long, bony fingers and picked up Angra’s glass.

He took a sip from it and then said, “I know you won’t, ambassador.”Something didn’t feel right. It took a few seconds for Angra, now

growing lightheaded, to realize his heart rate was slowing and blood pressure dropping. Breathing growing labored, sweat breaking out across his forehead, he shot a look at the visitor, back still to him.

Suddenly weak, Angra fell to his hands and knees. His heart continued to slow and his vision began to blur—before someone punched the oxygen right out of his lungs.

With great effort, Angra managed to crane his head up. The man was still on the far end of the living room, enjoying his drink.

The ambassador finally went all the way to the floor. An immense weight pushed steadily down on his chest for several seconds longer before his heart finally stopped.

The visitor finished the last of the drink, considered the glass in his hand…and then crushed it like it was made of paper. When he opened his hand, all that remained was fine sand. With a flick of his wrist, he dumped it onto the floor.

He didn’t bother checking on the ambassador and walked from the living room back into the kitchen. As he moved from one room to another or walked down a hall, the lights blinked on again after his passing.

The visitor reached the back door just as a messenger rode up to the front of the house.

Neville swung down from the saddle and jogged up the steps leading to the large front door. He was about to knock but saw the door was already cracked open a few inches.

“Ambassador?” he called before tapping on the door a few times. No answer. Neville called out again, with the same result. A gust of warm wind moved through the trees and swung the door

open wider. His horse whickered anxiously and jittered sideways, tossing its head.

With an uneasy feeling growing inside him, Neville peered into the house. The broad hallway had a few rooms on both sides, but most of the light came through the last doorway on the left.

Cautiously, he stepped inside, throwing a glance over his shoulder at his horse.

The animal pawed the ground and shook its mane. It then whinnied at him, telling him to hurry up.

Neville made his way through the house. There was no one in the kitchen so he continued into the living room and jerked to a stop.

The ambassador was lying on the floor in front of the fireplace, and not in a manner that suggested he was sleeping.

He ran to him and knelt down, feeling for a pulse and finding none. “Oh man,” he whispered, pulling out his comm, sticking it in his ear

and calling base. He was relieved, and a little suspicious, that communications were back online again.

“It’s about time,” growled his sergeant. “Sir! Ambassador Angra is dead!”A breath of silence before, “Someone has been busy tonight.”“Sir?”“Ambassador Domnall, Angra’s associate, was found dead five

minutes ago.”Neville glanced down at Angra. Yes, someone had had a very busy night.

Chapter 2

The Sisters

They moved stealthily through the forest, the breeze gusting off the lake and masking any noise they might make. Weapons raised, the leader signaled to the squad and they fanned out, their eyes studying the trees that creaked in protest at the strong gales.

The hunter to the left suddenly raised his hand and everyone froze. Then he pointed.

There! Thirty feet ahead they caught a glimpse of one of their targets. They started forward again, swifter now, and spread out further to

flank their quarry's position. Crack! Crack!

Two shots came from the left and dropped the hunter at the end of the line. Another two shots and his companion fell.

He was still falling when a hunter on the far right took two shots to the chest.

The leader spotted another flash of movement through the trees and took chase; two of his comrades followed while the last three went after the second assailant.

The target who was being followed by the group leader threw a glance behind him. Spotting his pursuers for a second, he squeezed off a round and just grazed the leader across the shoulder.

The target ducked behind cover, but that didn't keep the hunter from firing off a few rounds in frustration.

The target pulled to a stop behind a large pine and sensed the group of three had spread out again. Securing his rifle in its scabbard strapped across his back, he then drew his sword, also secured to his back.

This was a fight over territory, the right for one group to operate in this sector and none other. Smaller skirmishes had finally led to this point: full-out challenge, a test of skill and superiority.

Another gust bent the trees, making them groan, and clouds drifted in front of the sun, sending an instant chill through the forest.

The target listened closely for a few seconds before…snap! A twig broke beneath a boot.

He was already swinging the sword down as he stepped out from behind the tree.

It was pure instinct that the hunter brought his rifle up to block the blade.

The target dodged a melee before swatting the rifle aside with the sword and giving him a kick in the stomach.

The hunter found his weapon ripped from his grasp before receiving two shots to the chest. He was still falling when the target delivered a second, mighty kick to his core. The force of the move sent him flying back into his two companions, who were coming up behind him.

The leader and his comrade shoved the body out of the way while simultaneously firing at the target.

Backing up, the target merely dodged the rounds. Growling in frustration, the two hunters advanced aggressively. The target didn't turn and run, not that there was any place to go.

They'd reached a small clearing and the edge of the lake cut off any escape.

Lowering the rifle and sheathing the sword, the target then pulled off his helmet. It wasn't a "he" at all, but a "she," the younger of the two sisters the group had been hunting.

A gust of cool wind roared off the lake, blowing loose strands of braided blonde hair from Cadence Shahan's face and out of her sharp blue eyes.

"No escaping, Cadence," sneered the boy, voice muffled through his helmet. "We're ending this today!"

A mischievous light danced in her eyes and a coy little smile tugged at her lips. "Yes, we are."

Both the group and Cadence reacted simultaneously and opened fire on each other.

The rounds for Cadence came within a few feet of her before simply evaporating into thin air.

As for the boys, they didn't have time to blink before red and yellow paint splattered across their armor and the facemasks of their helmets.

"Ah, come on!" whined the leader, unable to see through all the paint. Cadence allowed herself a good laughuntil the sound of another

fight drifted on the breeze. Her jovial mood vanished and was replaced with fierce determination.

Pulling her helmet back on, she spun and sprinted through the trees. While Cadence was en route, her older sister, Kiera, was in the thick

of it with the three remaining hunters. And she was rather enjoying herself.Charging forward, she ducked under several shots before leaping atop

a large rock and flipping off it. She twisted over one of the challengers and put two rounds into his back as she landed.

Turning into a crouch, she raised her left hand, latching onto a wrist holding the weapon and then socking the attacker in the diaphragm.

Even through the armor it sent him stumbling back. As she straightened, Kiera put two rounds to his chest. All the while,

she was distinctly aware of every round being fired by the third member of the group behind her.

Reaching down with her free hand, she grabbed the armor of the challenger she'd just eliminated. With a sharp jerk, she yanked him to his feet and pulled him in front of her as the final opponent rained down rounds on her.

The shots that didn't go wide struck the hunter's companion in the chest.

Simultaneously, Kiera brought her weapon around her human shield and put three rounds squarely in the chest of the final rival.

That ended the challenge. The three other boys who'd been eliminated at the beginning joined them as everyone removed their helmets.

When Kiera pulled hers off, her hair burned fiery red and would have fallen past her shoulders if it hadn't been for the braid. She gave a few sharp jerks of her head to pop the kinks out of her neck.

"I challenge the results of this fight," said one of the boys immediately.

Kiera, not one to ever back down from a challenge, drilled him with her green eyes.

"It was fought perfectly fair and square," she countered sharply. "You're just saying that because you lost and got your ego bruised."

Jaw muscles flexing in anger, he started towards her. Glad to take him to task, Kiera dropped her helmet, freeing both

hands. He never even got a chance to raise his fists. As soon as he was in

range, Kiera threw a powerful right hook, fist making contact with his nose. His head snapped back and he dropped to the ground.

That created an immediate commotion amongst the five others. But before anyone could try anything else, Cadence jumped in beside her sister.

"Easy," she said before removing her helmet and letting it fall to the ground. She eyed the group around them, "No need to get all excited."

It was now effectively nine against two. Well, technically eight against two because the boy Kiera had punched was still on the ground and looked to be out for the count.

The leader opened his mouth to protest but Cadence cut him off with a sharp remark. "The challenge you set forth was won fairly by Kiera and I, even though we were outnumbered and outgunned."

"We can go again if you want," added Kiera feistly, fire in her eyes as she drew her sword.

"Remember what dad said, Kiera," muttered Cadence as she turned so she was back to back with her big sister, "we have to try to give others a chance."

Kiera frowned. "Right.""So, what'll it be?" asked Cadence to the group of boys. She secured her rifle, drew her sword, and then loosened the straps

on her armor with her free hand. "But if you want to question fair justice, then we'll go round two without armor. No protection. You want to try to cheat and get your way at any cost, then we'll play by your own rules."

Ooo, now you're talking sis, thought Kiera to Cadence, as she gave her sword a twirl.

Of the two, Cadence usually preferred to use reasoning, wit, and words to settle a dispute, if possible. Kiera was the more impulsive one and favored to settle arguments with swift action.

Silence fell over the group. They were just a bunch of kids, in their mid-teens. Kiera was sixteen,

Cadence fourteen, and they'd been doing stuff like this for years. Though they came from a long line of Legionnaires, the sisters hadn't

been permitted to officially train at the military academy. However, that didn't keep them from watching friends who attended the training center or secretly learning what they could about being a warrior.

They had Legionnaire bloodlines and a strong sense of justice and yearning to train for battle. So what did people expect them to do, anyway? Sit around and knit?

But the rivalry here wasn't just a battle between the sexes; it was Legionnaire against regular security. It was hunters of evil that spanned across the known systems versus planetary law enforcement concerned with local matters.

Upon studying the four boys before her, Cadence gathered that only one actually wanted to fight. The others would much rather leave.

Her gaze returned to the lone holdout, who was still glaring at her. The moment she saw his muscles begin to contract as he prepared to reach for his weapon, she acted.

The boy suddenly found his rifle torn from his grasp. Muzzle leveled on him, the weapon hovered beside Cadence, off her left shoulder. He also found the tip of a sword leveled under his chin.

Next time, I'd carefully consider the consequences of my actions before I commit to them, thought Cadence to him, and his eyes widened when he heard her voice.

A tense moment settled over them before Cadence lowered the sword and the rifle dropped to the ground.

That did it for the boy and everyone else. He snatched up his paintball rifle and cut bait with the others, sprinting away through the forest.

"Freaks!" called one of them. "Only 'cause you're jealous!" Cadence shouted back. Kiera joined her side, helmet in hand. She looked at it thoughtfully a

moment before lobbing it at him. It popped him right between the shoulder blades and with enough force to send him flying forward a foot before tumbling to the ground.

Cadence grimaced a little at the aggressive action of her sister. But she was used to it. And it had been pretty funny.

The sisters burst out laughing as the boy got to his feet and scrambled from sight.

“Ah, the Shahan sisters” said a voice behind them, “out causing trouble as usual.”

The girls froze, eyes wide. They slowly looked up to see Ronain, average height with sandy colored hair and soft blue eyes, looking down at them.

“Technically, uh, commander, sir, they started it,” stated Cadence.They shared a long look before Ronain broke into a smile and the girls

relaxed. They held fellow Legionnaires in high regard, and their approval

meant everything to them, especially Ronain's. For as long as they could remember, he was the only high ranking warrior to give them unofficial training sessions.

"Another territorial dispute, eh?" he asked, eyes twinkling.Kiera nodded and rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Boys…""So when are you going to be promoted to general?" asked Cadence

excitedly. That made Ronain chuckle. "A warrior proves himself in battle, and

fortunately we've had a long stretch of peace. So, there hasn't been much chance to show valor or skill."

"Well, I think it's long past due," said Cadence, folding her arms. "I appreciate your vote of confidence," replied the commander. Kiera whapped Cadence on the arm. “We should head home. Dinner’s

probably about ready.”“Right.”The sisters picked up their helmets, turned and jogged for the main

road. “See you tomorrow, commander!” called Cadence with a wave.They arrived home just as their mother finished setting the table.

After they all sat down, their father said, “So, I understand you girls had an eventful afternoon.”

Word travels fast, thought Kiera. The sisters glanced at one another before taking their seats. Kiera sat

opposite their mother, Rebecca, and Cadence across from their dad, Matthew.

“I thought we’ve been telling you to play nice,” continued Matthew, plopping some mashed potatoes onto his plate before passing them to Kiera.

“We tried to,” replied Cadence in a very formal tone. “But they wouldn’t leave us alone.”

“Yeah,” piped Kiera. “They kept saying we were in their spot, like there aren’t other parts of the woods that are just as good.”

“But really, dad,” continued Cadence, “we tried to negotiate, but they insisted on a challenge."

Matthew looked from one daughter to the other. “Who did the bloody nose?”

Cadence glanced at Kiera and then at her plate. With a sigh, Kiera confessed, “I did.”Matthew leveled his gaze on his oldest. His intense blue eyes never

ceased to burn with love and admiration towards his daughters. It was for this reason they found it difficult to meet his glance when they’d misbehaved. They hated disappointing their parents.

“I thought we’ve been telling you to work on developing your other skills,” he said, winking across the table at Cadence.

“I know,” mumbled Kiera, dragging her fork through her potatoes. “But isn’t skill at hand-to-hand combat a gift? Besides, Cadence is so much better at using spiritual gifts and stuff than I am.”

“I’ve told you before,” said Cadence, “I just practice more. I’m not as skilled with the sword as you.”

Kiera just looked at her little sister and sighed. Always the peacemaker, she thought.

The pitcher of juice in front of Rebecca, youthful and beautiful, lifted from the table and poured into Kiera's glass.

She looked over at her mom, who gave her a wink, her hazel-green eyes snapping mischievously.

"The point of the matter," continued Matthew, reaching for the pepper shaker, "is you've both been getting into a lot more fights lately."

The shaker drifted to the left, away from his hand. "Well, if you guys would let us train with the other Legionnaires,"

commented Kiera. When Matthew reached for the pepper again, it shifted back to the

right. He glanced over at Cadence, who blinked at him innocently. As

Matthew finally grabbed the shaker, he raised an eyebrow to let her know he wasn't fooled, though a smile pulled at his mouth.

"We've been over that with you before," replied Rebecca, "we won't enroll you at the academy. Now…no more of this talk at dinner."

Cadence reached for the salad bowl, but it slid away from her hand. Lifting her eyes across the table to Matthew, she caught the smile tugging at the edges of his mouth and twinkle in his eyes.

She reached for it again and it slid away. With a laugh, she grabbed at it with both hands. The bowl tipped forward suddenly and Cadence dove out of her chair to avoid getting showered with lettuce.

Now sitting on the floor, she glanced up at her mom, who looked down at her with raised eyebrows.

Cadence looked back at the table and saw the mass of lettuce and other various salad ingredients had frozen in the air. Then they reversed their course and resettled back in the bowl.

"I'm sorry," said Matthew, smiling now as Cadence stood, "I thought you might like your salad tossed first."

Rebecca snorted, and Kiera dropped her face into a hand. "Daaaad," said Cadence, rolling her eyes and sitting down again with

a grin. The giggling started with her and spread to the others.

Chapter 3

Practice

“The ambassadors of Verga were murdered?” asked Commander Ronain, puzzled.

“Yes,” answered Legionnaire General Nathan Chad, fingertips resting against the side of his head, where a dull ache had been settled since yesterday.

Tall with broad shoulders, his brown hair had begun to gray around his temples. His blue eyes too were graying, too, but he was just as sharp as ever.

And agile. Ronain only knew of one other person who could outwit or out-duel

the general in combat. As it was with Legionnaires. They matured at a young age, reached

their physical and mental peak, and remained that way their entire lives. Their bodies aged to a degree and bore scars from battles, but they never lost their strength or sharpness of mind. There was something about the drive they were created with, the indescribable fire to confront and counter evil men, which preserved them.

They lived for battle and died in itand they would not have it any other way.

Those who felt they'd fulfilled their duties and retired showed aging perhaps a touch more as they lived out the remainder of their lives like any other human. But neither did they lose their sharp discernment or deep insight. To their last breath, they could gallantly defend and protect those around them.

Ronain was grateful beyond words to have General Chad as a friend and mentor.

“I take it the planet’s government officials requested we investigate,” he guessed, studying his former instructor.

Chad’s eyes flicked up to him. “That’s correct. They said there were unusual circumstances surrounding their deaths that would interest us.”

Ronain caught on. “The Legionnaire Council suspects Seditionists are involved. But what would they want with either of the ambassadors?”

“That’s what you and I are going to find out,” replied Chad, leaning back in his chair. “Though I was wondering when they’d resurface. Our enemy has been quiet.”

“Yes,” mused Ronain, glancing out the large windows to the left. “I agree…at least, that’s what my headaches are telling me.”

“To all of us,” agreed Chad with a nod. “Every one of the generals on the Council felt the restlessness last night. Anyway, we will leave this afternoon, after your combat training.”

Ω Ω Ω “Afternoon, Commander!” exhaled Cadence, wiping the sweat from

her forehead. She and Kiera had been sparring in a small stone courtyard not far

from the training center. They'd both escaped punishment by their parents as a result of yesterday's challenge with the boys.

This time, anyway. "Afternoon," nodded Ronain, stopping beside them. "How did training go?" asked Cadence. "As well as can be expected when fighting against half a dozen other

commanders led by General Necro," he replied with a smile. "Whoa," said Cadence, jaw dropping. Everyone had at least heard of all eight of the Legionnaire generals

that made up the Legionnaire Council on Elywn. General Necro was known to be particularly cunning in battle.

"That about sums it up," agreed Ronain, rubbing a sore area over his sternum.

Kiera waved him off. "I'm sure you kicked butt."

"Do you have time to show us something new?" asked Cadence hopefully. She noted he was armed and wearing light armor, and thus surmised he was likely about to leave on assignment.

When Ronain hesitated, she gave him a cheesy grin. "Please?"He laughed. "Okay. One quick pointer. Hand me your weapon."She did. He took it but paused when he realized it was an actual sword.

Studying the two-foot blade and the gleam of the edge, he asked, "How long have you been dueling with real swords?"

Kiera and Cadence exchanged a glance of uncertainty. "Uh, about…a year," replied Kiera hesitantly. Ronain raised his eyebrows as he twirled the weapon, nicely balanced.

When he looked up and saw their still uneasy expressions, he responded quickly, "No, I'm impressed that you…haven't hacked any limbs off or anything."

They instantly brightened and were relieved they weren't in trouble again so soon.

Ronain gave them a few more tips in regards to combat, explaining as he sparred with Kiera. But it hadn't been five minutes when they all felt a presence approach.

Stopping, they looked across the yard to see General Chad. Cadence couldn't help but stare, wide-eyed.

He was one of the Legionnaire generals, a wise and seasoned warrior. But most importantly, he was a righteous man, attuned to the will of the Almighty, the source of a warrior’s strength.

Chad’s eyes fell first on Cadence, her expression one of a starry-eyed child. When his gaze shifted to Kiera, she met his eyes briefly before looking at the ground.

“Will we see you when you get back?” asked Cadence, taking her sword from Ronain.

“Of course.”Cadence beamed and saluted him. “Until then, commander.” Ronain smiled, returned the gesture and headed across the courtyard

to join the general.“They're fond of you,” said Chad as they walked along the trail that

would lead them to a clearing where a ship was waiting.“That’s because I’m the only one who ever takes the time to teach

them anything,” replied Ronain. “It’s a pity they can’t join the academy.”“Yes. However, you know as well as I that Council decided after they

were born it would be too dangerous,” answered Chad as they broke

through the trees. “Although, I would encourage you to continue teaching them. Just keep a close eye on them. They’re both very strong already.”

“Mmm, and…I don’t think Cadence is fond of just me,” commented Ronain, smiling a little.

The corner of the general's mouth tugged upwards. “Let’s get a move on,” he said, nodding towards a sleek ship up ahead.

“It will take us several hours to reach Verga.” Ω

“It would be so cool to be trained by General Chad!” said Cadence, looking across the courtyard and spying the roof of the massive Legionnaire military training center.

“I guess,” muttered Kiera.Cadence snapped her head around to her sister. “You guess!?”“He just makes me uneasy is all,” she replied. Cadence raised her sword, a mischievous smile on her face. “Well

then, I challenge you to a duel.”A grin tugged at Kiera’s lips as she raised her weapon. Not wasting

any time with a stare down, they both lunged at each other.The sisters battled quick and hard, dueling, almost dancing at times,

across the courtyard. Neither of them were able to land a physical blow, dodging just so to avoid a strike or flipping out of the way of a swing.

It wasn't long before their swords locked. They pushed against one other, muscles flexed and occasionally

trembling. Slowly, they leaned closer and closer until their arms finally touched.

A flash lit the square and the sisters went flying away from each other. They rolled and tumbled when they hit the hard ground twenty feet from one another. When they finally stopped and sat up, they were both laughing.

“That's so cool!” exclaimed Cadence. “I love doing that!” The scrapes on her arms and legs were minor, and she grabbed her

sword and leapt to her feet. She ran up to Kiera, who was dusting herself off. “See, I think you’re just as strongly gifted as I am. It just takes practice and focus, like physical training. You don't add to the number of push-ups you can do by sitting around.”

“I’ve never felt it that strong before,” said Kiera, removing a pebble embedded in her arm.

Cadence grabbed her sister’s wrist, and Kiera noted the heat that spread from her palm and up into her arm. It wasn't just her hand that was

warm though; heat from the fight was radiating from her little sister, and her eyes were bright with light and life.

“I’ve been praying the Almighty would sharpen your gifts,” she whispered excitedly.

Kiera blinked at her. “You’ve…been praying…for me? Why?”Cadence blew threw her lips and threw her a look of feigned

incredulousness. “Duh! Because you’re my sister!” A cry cut through the woods surrounding the courtyard, the sort of

cry that came when a smaller kid was being picked on by a bully.“The peanut gallery again, I bet,” muttered Kiera, rolling her eyes.“No bet,” replied Cadence, suddenly alert, eyes on the trees,

expression determined. “Come on, big sis. Let’s go save the day.”Kiera broke into a grin and wondered how someone so young could

have such a strong sense of justice. Glancing at her weapon on the ground, it shot up to her hand where it

felt right at home. “Alright,” said Kiera with a nod. “Let’s go get ‘em.”

Chapter 4

Investigation

Planet Verga, Ulnun System

Chad and Ronain landed at one of the primary military installations on the planet Verga.

It was an expansive base with large hangers dug into caves along the sheer cliff walls that dropped down to a wide, deep blue river. The personnel were like customs and immigration, keeping a close eye on inventory coming and going to nearby provinces.

From the base, general and commander were driven to Ambassador Angra’s vacation home in a military speeder.

The Legionnaires were glad when they finally reached the house. They'd spent hours sitting in a ship while en route to the planet and then more sitting during the slow trip through the dense forest.

As Chad and Ronain finally climbed out of the cruiser, they were greeted by a warm summer's breeze, heavy with the scent of earth and pine trees.

An official looking man broke off from a small group of military men and approached the new arrivals, flanked by one of the servicemen.

Ronain exchanged a quick look with Chad. Vergans were known to be a stubborn, stiff-necked people who didn’t

often appreciate outsiders and didn't listen to their advice. The type of societal class an individual was in could usually be deciphered by their clothing.

Working class men who labored in agriculture usually kept their heads shaved because they spent many hours under the sun. The military men usually came from a laboring family, not intimidated by hard work, danger, and long hours.

The upper class, or those who didn’t want to toil beneath the sun, resided in the City of Spiden. They spent their days in business, banking and politics.

Regardless of their social class, all the women on Verga seemed to have an unfair share of noble beauty.

But they were a united people and there was only an occasional rift between country and city folk.

“I appreciate you coming so quickly,” said the official briskly and extending his hand. “I’m Representative Dahr.”

They exchanged customary greetings before Chad said, “We came as soon as you received your message.”

“Yes, this is a very serious matter,” replied Dahr, wearing a scowl. “We believed the Legionnaire Council would be interested in these assassinations.”

His frown deepened, “This is serious because the peace among our planets is now at risk more than ever. Relations were tense already, with failing economies, unbalanced trade regulations and taxes…Angra and Domnall were putting forth all their efforts to get things working again. After several years of hard work, they were finally succeeding.”

He cast a look up at Chad, “I don’t need to remind you that we don’t look well on outsiders. But I was assured by General Rufus that his men would cooperate with you. Your quarters have been prepared back at the Spiden Base, where you first arrived.”

Dahr nodded to the man beside him, “Sergeant Michaels here will aid you further in your investigation.”

With that, Dahr turned and headed for a speeder. Sergeant Michaels was Ronain's height with a broad chest. Round

faced and strong jawed, his hazel-brown eyes were cold after seeing wars in previous times.

“I take it you’ll want to look around the house,” he said gruffly. “Hmm? Oh yes, definitely,” nodded Chad, breaking from his thoughts. Michaels jerked his head towards the structure, “Have at it. You’re

investigator types. I take it I won’t have to hold your hand the entire time.” His sharp eyes went to the pair of soldiers at the entrance. “Hey!” he barked, jerking his thumb at the two Legionnaires. “These

guys have total access. So don’t harass them.”The soldiers nodded in acknowledgment as Chad and Ronain made for

the front door. Before even entering the house, they both felt their stomachs tighten a little and the hair on the back of their necks rise.

They made their way to the living room and turned on the small surveillance computer. These were used at crime scenes, placed on location the moment first responders arrived and were not removed until the investigation was complete.

The device blinked on and remotely connected to the other holographic devices positioned around the entire room. Immediately an image of the ambassador’s body projected onto the floor in front of the fireplace, as he was found.

While Ronain studied the body and layout of the room, Chad accessed the medical report on the touch screen of the computer. The data appeared over Ambassador Angra’s body where both men reviewed it.

“Look at the medical examiner’s notes,” gestured Ronain. “He would have ruled the death as ‘natural causes’ if the ambassador’s lungs hadn’t been crushed.”

“And yet there were no outward physical signs of trauma,” added Chad. “No bruising or cuts as one would expect if someone had knelt on his chest. This is very similar to the other ambassador’s death: no outward signs, even though his trachea had completely collapsed on itself.”

Ronain looked at his comrade. “I have a very bad feeling about this.”Chad held his gaze. “Me too.”Seditionists, thought Ronain to him, they’ve been rather silent.Exactly, replied Chad, turning to leave and clicking off the computer

on the way out, it was only a matter of time before they reappeared.“But right now it’s merely speculation,” continued Ronain out loud as

they made for the front door. “We’ll need confirmation in order to convince the other generals on the Council.”

“Then we’ll get confirmation," answered Chad, leading the way down the steps. “Excuse me, Sergeant!”

Michaels spun and marched towards them.

“We need to contact the ambassador’s assistant,” said Chad, “and secure a cruiser to the city.”

“One step ahead of you,” replied Michaels. “The man you want to talk with goes by the name of Coleman, and he’s expecting you.”

He nodded to one of the cruisers, “You can take that one…just don’t break it. I hear you warrior types can be particularly hard on vehicles. We’ll expect you back at the Spiden Base when you’re finished in the city.”

Ronain and Chad gave the man a nod and headed to the vehicle. Since they dealt with military types a majority of the time, they were

used to this sort of treatment. Add to it the fact most local law enforcement didn’t appreciate having outside help from the likes of Legionnaires, whom they believed saw themselves as elitists, and it made for some pretty chilly receptions.

But warm, fuzzy relationships weren’t their purpose. Warring with the very forces of evil was, and both knew in their guts that’s what they’d now uncovered.

Now it was just a matter of exactly how large of a scheme they’d stumbled upon.

ΩCity of Spiden, Planet VergaHall of Council

The City of Spiden was three miles wide and five long, wedged between two steep ridges. Groups of buildings and towers were clumped together, with wide streets lined by massive trees.

A few control towers dotted the perimeter, looking like bare skeleton trees that rose from the forest with numerous levels of landing pads. The city blended well with its surroundings and was quite grand.

In the center of the city was the Hall of Council, a dome-shaped building, its top glowing in the afternoon sun.

Chad landed the cruiser beside a line of vehicles near the Hall, on the side cast in shadow by the sinking sun.

It was a busy place, with plenty of people coming and going. A few passersby glanced at Chad and Ronain, but continued on their way. There was something about Legionnaires that made them stand out, but Ronain had yet to figure out exactly what it was. Their clothing perhaps tipped civilians off, but it wasn’t like they were walking about in heavy armor or robes.

Their garb was usually cargo-pants and a plain shirt in a neutral color. In plain sight were their weapons, which were secured depending on the preferences of the individual. Perhaps a sidearm at the hip and lance secured on the thigh where it was quickest to access, with a third backup weapon on the other hip or side of a boot.

If they were entering potential hostile territory, they wore light armor to protect their chest, core and back and carried an extra weapon, like a scoped rifle.

Even as Chad and Ronain were exiting their vehicle, a young man was already quickly approaching. Upon reaching them, he extended his hand.

“Welcome to Spiden,” he said energetically. Chad and Ronain tried not to act surprised by this open and kind

greeting. Ronain focused on the man as he shook Chad’s hand. Of the many things Legionnaires were known for, was their strong gift

of discernment; the ability to determine a person’s true intentions and feelings, whether or not they were telling the truth.

As far as Ronain could tell, this young man’s kind and excited nature wasn’t a farce.

“I am Coleman, assistant representative to Ambassadors Domnall and Angra,” said the young man as he shook Ronain’s hand.

“Assistant for two representatives?” commented Ronain. “That must have kept you busy.”

Coleman smiled, hazel eyes dancing, “I do a fair amount of running around. Do please follow me.”

As they started off across the shaded courtyard, Ronain said, “If you’ll pardon my saying so, but I wasn’t expecting such a friendly greeting.”

“Ah,” replied Coleman, a smile on his face. “I’m only half Vergan. Despite the fact that Representative Dahr and company are rather, how shall we say? Stubborn? You will find that our younger generation has learned to be a little more flexible and pleasant towards outsiders.”

Chad looked around out of habit, searching for any signs of danger while they crossed the courtyard. Although he neither saw nor sensed an immediate threat, he still had a feeling that something wasn’t quite right.

“So what exactly could Ambassadors Domnall and Angra have been working on that would result in their deaths?” asked Chad when they started up the large, flat steps of the Hall.

Coleman tilted his head from side to side a little. “They were working on a number of issues, proposals. As you know things between us and our neighbor Iklil are quite chilly.”

“Problems over trade regulations?” asked Ronain.

“That’s correct,” answered Coleman as they crested the top of the stairs and entered into the Hall of Council through a massive archway.

“The ambassador of Iklil is claiming our trade tax agreement is completely unfair," he continued, "seeing as how we tax their imports at a higher rate than they ours. In order for that to change, either the government's senate has to agree, or we void that agreement and establish a new one…and that's not going to happen."

“I see why they would be frustrated,” replied Chad. Coleman merely shrugged, glancing out the wall of archways that

overlooked a beautiful garden on the right.“You don’t think so?” asked Ronain. “Our economy is not nearly as strong as our neighbor’s,” answered

Coleman, nodding at a passing delegate. “While the cities on this planet may appear grand, it masks the fact that we’re in trouble. We don’t have enough trading networks with other systems and drought has killed off a lot of our agricultural facets. But, of course, I doubt you believe import taxes would be the reason for the assassinations."

They turned left into a hall that led deeper into the building. “There were also ongoing talks about a weapons trade between the

planets Noriker, Poitevin, and Zerge,” replied Coleman. “What was the status on that?” asked Chad as they rounded another

corner and headed for one of many small circular pads in the floor. “Deadlocked.” said Coleman. “Things might not be if Zerge wasn’t in

the mix.”“From what I know about Zerge, I don’t doubt that,” answered Chad. The three men stopped on one of the pads. After a couple seconds it

whirred and levitated, rising to the second floor. Coleman chuckled at Chad’s comment. “Me neither. If it wasn’t for

the controversy over their dealings and tradings with rebels and mercenaries…”

“What were the ambassadors’ take on it?” asked Chad.“We were pushing for it to go through.”“Really?” Coleman smiled as the pad came to a hover at the second floor. “Well,

desperate times call for desperate measures and all that. Shady business dealings aside, Zerge also has a vast trading network. We were hoping if we were on good terms with them, they’d send a little business our way. And we were willing to take the risk of having to deal with any…troublemakers that came with that sort of relationship.”

At the second set of double doors, Coleman stopped and entered a code on the keypad.

“I’m sure it’ll fall through now,” he continued, “with their deaths. Noriker and Poitevin were uncertain whether or not to stay in the talks anyway.”

Coleman pushed the doors open, revealing a spacious office with a nice view of the north side of the city. The door closed and latched behind them.

“Were there ever any threats, pressure from other planets?” asked Chad.

Coleman sat behind his horse-shoe shaped desk, back to the window. He gestured that Chad and Ronain take a seat.

“Plenty of pressure from other planets," he replied. "But nothing unusual. You know how it is. Everyone has their own idea about how other planets and cities should run their governments. As to threats, we have a very high security and surveillance detail. Even the most subtle threat is investigated and if there was anything serious we would have known about it."

Coleman rubbed his face. “The only other current issue we were dealing with was a local matter. We had presented the offer to build another small cruiser facility near the city’s defense base, hoping to create more jobs.”

He paused a moment before he finished, “But the people voted against it.”

Ronain raised his eyebrows, and Coleman shrugged at his expression. “If I knew what ran through the mind of the general public I could tell you why. The only reason I could think of is that they didn’t want to be disappointed again.”

He looked directly at Chad and then Ronain. “In the past six months, every attempt this government has made to try and aid the economy has only ended in failure. Actually, it made things worse.”

Coleman paused and glanced at his desk.Both Ronain and Chad could tell he was hiding something, debating

whether or not to tell them. When Coleman looked back at the two Legionnaires, he felt their

gazes probing him, maybe even reading his thoughts. Well, he’d heard about these warriors being able to do amazing things, but mind reading was probably pushing it.

“Is there something else?” asked Chad. Coleman rubbed the back of his neck.

“Pertaining to the manufacturer facility,” he began, but stopped. He glanced about the room as if someone might be listening.

“I’m not saying it’s anything,” started Coleman again, leaning forward and lowering his voice, “but both Angra and Domnell were really pushing for this facility to be built, I mean, obsessed. It was all they were focused on the past few weeks. There was something more though. It was like…they were afraid. When the vote came back that the people didn’t want it, they became frantic.”

Coleman shifted in his chair. “One day, about a week ago, I went into Angra’s office to gather some data reports, and there was a small memory chip on his desk. It wasn’t any of the standard ones used by our officials. We use specific devices that are encoded and protected.”

The young man took a breath, wringing his hands a little. “I uploaded the chip, and it was an encrypted message from someone called Cyrus from the Kerst System.”

“Do you know which planet?Coleman hit a few keys on a virtual keyboard near the end of his desk,

and the information projected itself holographically over it. He scanned the page before he found the answer, “Xor.”

Chad rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Were schematics for the facility already drawn up?”

“Uh, yes. Just a moment.”Coleman typed away for a minute before the blueprints appeared.Chad and Ronain leaned forward, studying it intently. “What’s this icon here?” asked Ronain, pointing to an unusual looking

symbol on the bottom left of the building plans.When Coleman accessed it, a dialogue box appeared, asking for a

password. His expression instantly furrowed. “Strange. It’s a protected file

with…only one layer of encryption, though. Give me a second and I’ll have it open.”

A sharp pain shot through Chad’s head and then vanished. He looked at Ronain, who gave the slightest nod. He’d felt it too. Something dark was moving.

The one trait all Legionnaires had was a keen sensitivity to the goings on in the unseen realm, the supernatural. How strong a headache they felt depended on any number of things, such as how large a move the enemy was making or how physically close said enemy was.

“There we go.”

Another set of schematics appeared. They looked identical to the previous ones, except for one "minor" detail.

“What’s this here?” pointed Ronain at the rear of the building. “This indicates some kind of entrance.”

“And beyond that appears to be a very large room, with tunnels branching from it and running deeper into the hills,” finished Chad.

Perfect for hiding a fleet of fighters and soldiers, thought Ronain. My thoughts exactly, replied Chad, Verga is a perfect strategic

location for Seditionists to have a base, because of its proximity to the other planets in the Ulnun System.

“Could we have a copy of all those plans, please? Oh, and of that message from Cyrus?” asked Chad, getting to his feet.

“Of course.”Chad studied Coleman while he made the copy and then handed them

a spare memory chip. The man had seemed genuinely surprised at the hidden rooms and tunnels on the blueprints. It was doubtful he was involved in anything sinister.

“Thank you for your help,” said Chad, pocketing the chip. “And just a word of caution: I’d be careful. There’s no reason why whoever went after the ambassadors wouldn’t go after you.”

Especially if they find out you viewed that message to Angra, he finished in a thought.

Coleman’s eyes grew wide when he heard Chad's voice. Clearing his throat, he nodded at that disturbing possibility. “Uh, yes…thank you…”

They said their goodbyes and made for their cruiser. “I don’t like this,” said Ronain, headache settling across his forehead.

“Whatever it is, we need to get ahead of it.”Chad nodded, jogging down the steps to the large courtyard in front

of the Hall. “First thing will be to find out what we can about Cyrus. I suggest we get back to base and contact the others, let them know what we’ve found.”

A warm breeze blew lazily across the square when they reached the cruiser. The sun set on the western side of the perfectly clear sky, and the people continued with their business.

The whole scene seemed serene, but the two Legionaries could sense that hiding beneath the quiet was something sinister. A storm that had nothing to do with the weather was brewing.

Chapter 5

Seditionist

Dusk was falling when Chad and Ronain returned to the military base at the Strait of Spiden. A lieutenant showed them to their quarters, and then went on his way.

They returned topside. As they made their way to a vacant observation post, Ronain peeked

over the rail of the grate walkway. He whistled softly. It was quite a drop to the water, now black in the falling darkness.

Atop the post, they could feel a warm evening wind blowing across the vast Strait of Spiden, a flat plain of golden brown with occasional clumps of sage. A mile ahead, the Strait ran into a wilderness of trees that stood up abruptly. In the darkening night sky, stars were beginning to blink on, anxious to burn brightly in all their glory.

A small round device lifted from Chad's hand and sat itself on the flat railing of the post.

It took a moment for it to find a signal and ping the receiver back on Elywn. A few seconds later a holograph screen displayed itself over the device, and they could see the Council members sitting in a semicircle around the round table.

Of course, there were other Legionnaire bases and training centers across the various systems. But because of the sheer size of the academy, and the large number of infamous and seasoned generals who resided on Elywn, it was considered the main headquarters.

“Evening, General, Commander,” said General Hezron. “Have you found out anything about the murders?”

“Both ambassadors were murdered in the same manner,” answered Chad, glancing up as a gust of wind buffeted them. “There was no physical evidence left by the killer, no hand or weapon marks. But one had his lungs crushed, the other his trachea. Something was very wrong with the whole scene.”

Ronain picked up the report from there. “Their assistant told us about a proposal to build a cruiser manufacturing facility in the city, but when the people voted against it, both ambassadors became frantic. The schematics for this facility showed a large secret chamber behind it, with an intricate system of tunnels running deeper into the hills. There was also an encrypted

message from someone called Cyrus from Planet Xor not a week ago. I’ve already uploaded all the data and sent it to you for review.”

“You don’t think it was just anyone who committed these murders,” commented Eliezer. Though he appeared to be merely a boy, he was unquestionably the wisest of them all, and an individual of unknown origin.

Chad shook his head. “We don't. Coupled with the ambassadors' behavior, the blueprints, and the threatening message, I think we’re dealing with a Seditionist.”

“From the moment we got here, we both felt uneasy,” added Ronain, “like the enemy is moving.”

“We’ve all felt it too,” nodded General Hezron. “If our dreams the past few days have been any indication, our elusive enemy is plotting again.”

“General Ipos is close to Xor,” said Eliezer. “I suggest we have him investigate the location the message originated from. I also believe he's familiar with Cyrus.”

They all concurred on the decision, and Eliezer looked back at Chad and Ronain, “If there aren’t any more leads you wish to follow, we look forward to having you home at your earliest leisure.”

Chad allowed himself a smile. “We’ll be home tonight.”

Ω Ω Ω

He walked down the main road of the town with ease, completely unworried. The only light came from nearby structures, which were on fire. The black armor he wore reflected only the faintest glimmer of light from the flames.

He was a dark commander and the presence of evil was heavy around him.

Like his fellow commanders and generals, he'd quickly learned that the more he gave himself to the darkness that drove the Seditionists, the more wicked power and authority he was granted. Any memories about mercy and pity had long been erased from his memory and had been replaced with malice and contempt for human life.

One of the last squads of local soldiers opened fire from behind a building, ahead to his right.

Lance in hand, the blade cracked to life, sharp edge gleaming crimson, the color of freshly spilled blood. He deflected the first rounds with effortless skill, before extending his other arm towards the building, palm facing outward.

There came a hollow crack like thunder as a dark shockwave struck the building. Every window exploded and large chunks of glass and brick rained down on the soldiers.

The survivors had their weapons ripped from their hands and were then killed their own firearms.

He continued down the road as the fires spread to more structures and explosions rocked the town. At the end of the street was the small government building, where the governor had barricaded himself.

The front doors tore from the hinges and were tossed aside. A hot gust of wind followed him through the vacant lobby. The few lights still operating on emergency power flickered as he passed into the hall leading to the conference room.

The double doors swung open by themselves and he came to a stop in the doorway, fire and smoke from the burning town visible through entrance behind him.

Cowering on the far end of the room was the governor and his officials.

Pathetic, he thought. “I believe you’ll find the forces you’ve relied on to defend you no

longer exist,” he said, voice deep, strong. No one could find words in their terror, and all anyone could do was

stare at the lone assailant, completely silhouetted because of the light behind him.

Silhouetted that is, except for his eyes; they were dark, but for the crescent of deep gold at the bottom of his irises, the signature mark of a Seditionist. A traitor.

Half turning, he removed a small device from his pocket and held it in his palm. It blinked on and a holographic image of the head and torso of a gruff looking military man appeared.

“The town is ready.”Without another word, he turned off the device and slid it back into a

pocket. “What…what are you going to do?” asked the governor, finally finding

his voice.As the low hum of ships and fighters grew louder, he faced the

governor again. “Show you how to become a part of something so much bigger than yourself.”

Chapter 6

Nightmares

The heavens were a deep orange sheet stretched across the upper atmosphere, an eerie contrast to the forest of silhouetted trees that reached high for the expanse. Ground fog slithered amongst the trunks as a breeze brushed past her. A chill that had nothing to do with the fact that it was night trailed a claw down her spine, making her shiver.

That's when, riding on the air, whispers came to her ears. She couldn't tell what they were saying, but the voices sounded like

they were coming from everywhere. She glanced around but could see no one.

A headache brushed past her forehead moments before the whispers grew louder, more excited.

She had been doing her best to not be afraid, to tell herself it was just a dream. But when everything around her fell into total darkness, fear pounced on her and sank its terrifying claws into her soul.

Then she felt someone draw near, felt a suffocating presence close in around her. This wasn't dark as in night; this was dark as in evil, a heavy weight that pushed down on her and made it difficult to breathe.

A barrage of weapons fire punched through the darkness. It was surprisingly loud and jolted her.

This was answered by a series of nearby explosions that made the soft ground under her feet tremble. Above it all was the deep drone of fighter craft engines, bombers, intertwined with the air raid sirens.

The sounds of battle rose up all around her in the darkness, and she had the sense she was no longer in the woods.

She turned in a circle, only able to catch quick blurry flashes of movement. A soldier firing at an enemy here, a fleeing civilian there; they were visible for a second before vanishing back into darkness.

A rocket struck a nearby building, shaking the ground. She turned her face away from the blast of hot air and felt fine grains

of dirt and debris brush past her arms and face. She could clearly see the building now, mostly a large pile of burning

debris. Heavy black smoke rose into the now dark sky, smoke and clouds reflecting the oranges and reds of the fire.

Black fighters screamed by overhead and she only caught the briefest glimpse of flames reflecting off their smooth fuselages before they quickly vanished into the night.

That's when she heard the first moans of the wounded. Then someone grabbed her ankle, and Kiera jumped. Looking down, she saw a woman wounded and bleeding badly lying at her feet.

"Please," she gasped as she looked up at the girl, desperation etched in deep lines on her face, "help us!"

A crack from a high powered rifle echoed over the street and the woman was struck by a single, fatal round.

Lurching backwards, Kiera winced at the goriness of the deadly shot. She turned her attention up the road, from where the round had been fired. That's when she saw him approaching.

No, correction: saw them approaching. It was a squad of soldiers in black armor. They moved with unsettling

stealth down the road, weapons in hand, dark eyes scanning the area. They drew closer but didn't seem to notice Kiera. The nearer they

drew, the fiercer a headache pounded against her forehead.A shout off her right shoulder drew their attention. A pair of soldiers appeared out of the blackness on the far side to the

street, dragging two more wounded civilians. They were thrown harshly to the road, where they cowered before the invaders.

"What do you think, commander?" asked the squad leader, gesturing at the two people with his rifle.

Kiera realized he was talking to someone on her other side. Glancing to her left, she was surprised to see a line of ten more

soldiers at the end of the street. They stood in menacing silence, gazes dark.

They did not seem to notice her either. Still, though, it felt like they were looking right at her with those malicious expressions.

Her stomach tightened into a knot and she shuddered as a sharp pain stabbed through her temples, accompanying her already throbbing forehead.

The commander, a man who emanated evil, had his back to her. "No survivors," was his response to the question. His voice piqued Kiera's interest because it sounded awfully familiar.

But there was no time to think about it as she spun back to the two survivors.

They huddled against one another as two of the soldiers raised their rifles.

"No!" she shouted, starting for them.Lightning flickered in the black clouds and was immediately answered

by a growl of the thunder. A gust of hot wind kicked up and tore down the road.

Some kind of shift had just occurred, and the soldiers finally seemed to notice Kiera for the first time. When they realized they could see one another, disdain and spite filled their expressions.

"Hey!" shouted the squad leader, taking a few steps towards her. "What's the likes of you doing here, you little scourge? Spying?"

He held something in his left hand and after a second Kiera found out what it was. The lance engaged with a snarling crack, sharp edge of the blade burning crimson.

Kiera's eyes went wide, and she backed up a few steps as realization crashed into her mind. Oh, these weren't soldiers…there were dark warriors.

Dark soldiers were like any other average soldier, except they allied themselves with the dark army. Their reasons for doing so varied, and they shared general contempt for their enemies and any other human life.

However, what they lacked was the power and authority that came with aligning oneself with evil and demonic forces. Dark soldiers were the underlings of the dark warriors, but that was alright with them so long as they got paid.

Looking at them again, she clearly saw the deep gold crescent in their eyes. And there were more than just the five with the group leader.

Kiera could not clearly see their forms in the darkness further up the road, but she could see their eyes. There were dozens and dozens of the enemy, and they were all looking right at her.

"Deal with the survivors first," growled the commander, back still turned.

When she shot a look back his direction, her gaze widened with fear. There weren't just ten warriors lined in front of him, not even dozens.

Under another bright flash of lightning, Kiera saw there had to be hundreds up the road, in the alleys and in the forest that bordered the city. There were too many to countand they all glared at her with putrid hate.

Two dark warriors put one round each into the two survivors. Kiera felt like she had taken the shots herself, fiery pain surging

through her chest and stomach. Hitching a sharp breath, she would have dropped to her knees had it not been for the cold and sinister presence that appeared beside her.

"Hello, Kiera," said the commander.

She jerked around. No, this couldn't be, she thought as she took a step back, this had to

be some sort of a trick. She could clearly see his face from the light of the burning building.

Kiera knew this person very well, so how could he possibly be a Seditionist commander?

Strong hands clamped tightly onto her arms and shoulders. Someone grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her head back.

"What do you want us to do with her?" asked the squad leader, who had her by the hair.

The commander's eyes looked at her as a wicked smile twisted onto his face. "Torture her, to see what she knows…"

Kiera flailed awake. For an instant, she didn't know where she was or what had a hold of her.

"It's okay, Kiera," said a voice beside her as she tried to jerk away. "You're alright," continued the gentle voice as the lamp on her desk

across the room clicked on. “You're safe. It was just a dream."She was trembling from head to toe when she finally recognized her

father on the edge of her bed. Kiera closed her eyes and shook her head against the remnants of the dream that still filled her mind.

The identity of the dark commander weighed heavy on her, threatening to break her heart. It had just been a dream, but it had seemed so real.

Turning, Kiera threw her arms around her dad and buried her face against his chest.

"It's okay," said Matthew quietly as he gently stroked her hair. "It was just a dream…"

This made the third nightmare in a week, but he didn't dare voice any concern about it to her.

I just want them to stop, she thought to him, face still turned away so he wouldn't see her tears.

I know, dear one, he replied as she clung to him. He rested his chin on Kiera’s head as she continued to cry softly. His throat tightened and fought back his own tears.

No matter how seasoned a warrior he was from previous years, nothing cut him deeper faster than seeing his own child suffering.

Then, taking a breath, he closed his eyes and prayed. May God Almighty have mercy on my daughter.

Chapter 7

Deserted

They had tracked the origin of the message from Cyrus to a small town on the planet Xor, in the Kerst System. It was an odd mix of forest and desert, and the seasons were always changing from one month to another.

And it didn’t matter from what direction the wind was blowing, it was always cold because of the ice caps on the planet.

It was temperamental, like the Seditionist warlord that had been there.

Ipos, a Legionnaire general, walked down the wide, deserted street. Little wisps of sand slithered across the road, like snakes, driven by the cold wind.

Judging by the state of things, most of the inhabitants had left some time ago. Buildings were empty, and the exterior walls were marked with patterns of flaking paint.

He hadn’t really expected to find Cyrus, whom he personally knew. Any half-witted idiot would know not to stick around after sending a threatening message to a government official.

Pulling his coat tighter around himself to keep out the biting wind, he made for a squatty little structure ahead on the left. By the light showing through the grimy window, he knew at least one person was still here.

Pushing the front door open, Ipos stepped inside as the wind pulled it shut behind him. He couldn’t tell if this was a restaurant or a bar. Judging by the smell, though, it was both.

A short, brawny man bustled about, packing by the looks of it. When he shot a look across the room at Ipos, his eyes widened a little, realizing what he was.

“I don’t want any trouble,” said the man, turning to continue his packing.

“Neither do I,” replied Ipos, taking a few steps closer. “I’m only looking for a little information.”

He eyed Ipos again. “What’dya want to know?”“When did things go sideways around here?” asked Ipos, nodding out

one of the windows. “When did people start leaving?”The man snorted. “The first business closed not six weeks ago. From

there, everything went downhill quick…started when that short-tempered guy arrived.”

That wasn’t uncommon. Wherever a powerful dark warrior visited or resided, evil followed. In a matter of weeks the economy would tank, people would be at each other’s throats and many would just up and relocate.

The storeowner’s description piqued the general's interest. “Describe this man.”

He stopped and sighed, thinking. “Not quite as tall as you, short black hair, and his eyes were an odd color, like uh…turquoise. And he was like I said, short-tempered. There was something very dark about ‘em.”

The man went to turn to the boxes on the table behind him, but stopped. “He’s one of those warriors, isn't he? One of those who went bad…Seditionist?”

“He is.”That seemed to unsettle the man, and his gruff expression wavered. Ipos could almost feel the waves of anxiety rolling off him now. He

wasn’t afraid just of the fact Cyrus had been here, either; he was now afraid of him, a Legionnaire…which was also completely normal.

Ipos was also fully aware his appearance and demeanor didn’t help. A native of Carllel, an outer rim planet, he had an almost dark air

about him. Like his race of people, he kept his head shaved, smooth. A straight nose was set well on his face, complemented by a square jaw and strong chin. And he could stare down anyone with his steel colored eyes, and see right through the thickest defenses to the heart of a person.

While everyone had a story, the one of Ipos was unknown and shrouded in mystery. He was a powerfully gifted warrior who operated more like a rogue.

That was all on top of the fact that he was armed and armored, like a Legionnaire expecting trouble.

When the man’s gaze lifted back to Ipos and he found those steely eyes studying him, he nearly jumped.

“Uh, look…if there isn’t anything else I can do for you,” he stammered, sweat breaking out on his forehead.

Sensing the man wasn’t hiding any further information, Ipos gave a little nod and headed for the door. “Thank you for your time.”

Chapter 8

Aware

Darkness surrounded him like a heavy veil, and the evil that filled the chamber was so thick you could literally feel it against your skin.

He had been deep in thought and meditation the past twenty-four hours, contemplating and inquiring. Now he finally opened his eyes, black in the darkness except for the crescent beneath his irises.

The dark lord finally stood to his feet and exited the chamber, which he kept pitch black. The door slid open and he entered the large living room, also dark.

Floor-to-ceiling windows lined the walls to the left and straight ahead. It was morning, but the planet he called home was constantly shrouded in thick clouds and mist, choking the daylight.

He couldn’t stand the light; it hurt his eyes.He faced a large screen mounted on the wall beside the door. It

blinked on and appearing on the screen was one of his top generals, Ammon.

“It was just as you predicted,” said Ammon. "The Legionnaire Council on Elywn sent one of their generals to Xor to investigate.”

“And he found nothing,” concluded the dark one. Ammon nodded. “Correct. Have you been able to pinpoint the cause of

the headaches and restlessness we’ve all been feeling?”“I have," he replied with a knowing little gleam in his dark eyes. "Two

sisters."Ammon blinked. "You…the ones you foresaw at the end of the last

war? The ones we've been waiting for?""They have finally been brought to my attention. They come from a

strong Legionnaire bloodline and have been growing in strength and skill. They are the two we'll use, will need, if we're going to pull our enemy's feet right out from under them."

“Are they in training?”A cunningly wicked smile formed on the dark one’s lips. “No, not

officially. They have received minute instruction, which leaves the door open for us.”

"It's perfect," said Ammon, a smirk crossing his face. "And I know you already have a plan. When will we move against them?”

“Soon. I have someone keeping an eye on them. Timing is everything and the plan must be executed perfectly if we’re to manipulate them. If we do it just right, the Legionnaires will be able to do absolutely nothing.”

“And what of my forces?”“Continue on as planned,” replied the dark lord. “General Bayne's

legions are amassing as we speak and will be ready to rendezvous on time.”

“It will be as you say.”

Chapter 9

Shadows

"Dad?""Mm?""I've been thinking a lot about something, something that's been

bothering me," said Cadence."And what is that?” asked Matthew. When he watched her clasp her hands behind her back and saw an

expression of concentration settle on her face, he knew this probably wasn't going to be a light-hearted topic.

“I know the hearts of men are corrupt, and I know that some who follow Seditionists were raised in those teachings. And there are others who weren't taught much about light and dark and are more susceptible to the deception of evil. But why would someone, who has been immersed in the way of Truth, turn from it and fall to darkness? It’s not something I understand.”

“And here I thought we were going to discuss something simple," replied Matthew with a teasing smile, "like why the grass is green."

Father and daughter walked along the edge of the deep blue lake, something they did regularly in summer. A gentle breeze rippled the water and brought the scent of wildflowers, blooming somewhere nearby.

Cadence always surprised him with her questions or topic of discussion.

All Legionnaires quickly matured mentally, and she had been no exception. From an early age, she’d been capable of highly complex thought and philosophical conversation.

Yet somehow even now, despite unusual wisdom and the fact she’d reached adolescence, she maintained a child-like innocence. It was a mystery.

"It can begin with doubt or a subtle deceit," replied Matthew, "two of the enemy's most effective tools. If you begin doubting things you once believed to be true, then it's easy to start drifting. It's a gradual process and usually by the time one realizes they're headed the wrong way, they're a long ways down a dark path."

Cadence gave a sharp nod. "Because almost anyone will recognize a head-on assault or blatant lie. But by gradually working away at someone or feeding them almost-truths, the change happens slowly enough they don't notice it until it's too late."

"Fewer things are as dangerous as an almost-truth," said Matthew, casting a look down at his youngest daughter. "But the thing is, Cadence, often by the time you finally realize you're on the wrong path…you barely recognize it. Keep in mind that sin can seem fun and harmless. Anxious to ensnare a victim, it can appear very alluring. And depending on how deep one goes into darkness, their mind can become completely consumed by it. Everything gets twisted and turned around. Darkness becomes light, wrong becomes right and lies become truth."

After digesting these words a minute Cadence finally asked, "But is there any hope for them? For those who have chosen darkness?"

Matthew gazed at his daughter with a sort of kind sorrow. “There is only ever One who saves. But the individual must make the decision themselves. Ultimately, people end up where they are by the choices they've made.”

I wish there was a way for us to save them, she thought to him quietly.

Matthew shot a look up at the heavens, wondering at this child of his. She'd always been the one with the gentle spirit.

I know, young one, he replied, but there is always a little hope for them.

"I understand," said Cadence, gaze one of concentration as she surveyed the lake. "And do I assume correctly then that you cannot argue with logic with someone who is in darkness?"

Matthew gave a single, decisive nod. "You are correct. Logic doesn't work and you cannot argue with common sense, because of the way evil confuses the mind, blinds the eyes and deafens the ears. It is a very cunning foe, so don't underestimate it."

Cadence smiled slyly at him. "Never underestimate your enemies…I do recall that was one of the first things you told me when we began my initial combat lessons all those years ago."

Matthew snorted a laugh. "It wasn't that long ago."She looked at him more directly. “And why exactly did you stop

training me? You are a military consultant presently, and you and mom were once active-duty warriors. You were a commander in the Legionnaire army.”

Matthew cleared his throat. Lately, Cadence had been bugging him about reconsidering letting her and Kiera train as Legionnaires.

“Sometimes, Cadence, even a warrior needs a little break.”She picked up on the faint edge in his voice and gathered he didn't

wish to discuss the topic in depth. Then again, neither he nor her mom ever wanted to talk about it. She'd never figured out what the big deal was anyway…

"Come on, dad, give me a little credit," she said, feisty twinkle in her eyes. "I could take on a Seditionist, show 'em a thing or two."

Matthew chuckled and rested a hand on top of her head. "And I'm positively sure you could."

The smile quickly faded though when he felt an all too familiar pain in the side of his head. It had been there for several days, and he knew it had to do with his daughters and the evil warlords.

He also picked up on Cadence's frustration and confusion about the whole training issue.

Stomach cinching into a knot, Matthew knew the truth about why Cadence and Kiera couldn't train would eventually come out. That inevitability made him a touch anxious.

Truth be told, it was something both he and Rebecca had been debating for some time. Their daughters were gifted and had been sneaking in unofficial training lessons with any warrior who would take time to instruct them. Aside from the fact they were disciplined enough to consistently train by themselves. What had they really been expecting, anyway? Their children were Legionnaires, for crying out loud.

What an ordeal this turned out to be, he sighed to himself.When Matthew glanced down at Cadence, he saw her already looking

at him. Or more accurately, studying him, with that intelligent gaze."Perhaps," he said at last, "this training thing is something we should

talk about a little more."Cadence’s face brightened, but she quickly reined in her excitement.

She didn’t want to get her hopes up too high. But no matter what happens, he thought to her, eyes burning with

fierce love, know that your mother and I love you more than life itself. Verbal expressions of affection and admiration were rarities in their

family. It definitely wasn't because they didn't love or appreciate each other—but they were warriors, not mushy romantics.

Her father’s words made Cadence's expression furrow with puzzlement as she turned her full attention to him. She searched his eyes, wondering what was bringing all this on right now.

But before she could consider the reasons, he continued, I've said it before. The Almighty has given you a great many gifts, my youngest. If you ask Him, He will sharpen and strengthen your skills. Never forget He's your source for strength and He'll guide your every single step. And in the darkest hours of battle, when everything seems lost, is when He's right beside you, even when you don't believe it yourself. He is already training your hands for war.

Cadence did not know what to say or how to respond. She knew something heavy was weighing on her dad's mind, and she wished he would share. But he wouldn't today, and didn't know if he ever would.

His words burned in her mind as she returned her gaze to the waters of the lake.

Train my hands for war, she thought, smile slowly forming on her lips, I like the sound of that.

The smile turned into a grin as an idea formed. Pretending like she was stringing a bow, she drew the invisible arrow

back, aimed up at the sky and released it. Standing on her toes, Cadence looked further out over the lake.

“Wait for it,” she said. “Wait for it…here it comes.”Cadence pointed out over the water, finger tracing the path of the

unseen arrow, right down to the water…where something shot straight into the lake, hitting a lily pad dead center.

Matthew gawked. She stepped to the edge of the water and patted the side of her leg as

if calling a dog. “Come here!”A gust of wind kicked up, blowing over the surface of the lake, and the

lily pad drifted towards them. It came to rest at her toes and there was a hole at its heart, as if an arrow had pierced it.

Matthew just laughed and shook his head. What an imagination this daughter of his had, and how she combined it with her gifts.

Chuckling to one another, father and daughter stood looking over the waters, hands clasped behind their backs.

ΩKiera jogged through the woods and along the narrow trail running

beside the lake. She’d been watching some friends train in the square and had totally lost track of time.

Normally she, Cadence, and their dad all went on afternoon walks together. But lately, like today, she'd been late.

She forewent checking the house to see if they were still there and made her way to the lake.

A shadow moved in her peripheral, and she stopped. Although no one was there, she felt like someone was watching, following her. Kiera eyed the trees a second longer before she continued walking.

Cadence and their dad had to be close by…A sigh whispered through the trees and a chill trailed down her spine.

A few seconds later, a headache pressed against her forehead. Heart beginning to pound harder and palms becoming slick with

sweat, Kiera walked faster, eyes darting amongst the forest.An explosion came from the street, a distance to her right. It was a

deafening bang and she felt the ground shudder. A wail, a gut-wrenching scream from a wounded survivor cut through the air.

Jolted, Kiera turned, searching for whoever it was who was injured. But she saw no one, nor did she see smoke rising into the sky from an

explosion, or smell it. There were no shouts from bystanders, no other commotion coming from the street.

Everything was fine. Kiera took a few breaths to steady herself, heart feeling like it was

going to jump out of her chest. Easy, girl…The scream came again, filled with anguish. A second later another

joined in, and another. A burst of adrenaline slammed into Kiera's veins. Feeling a bit

unsteady, she staggered a few steps. Then a flicker of something ahead drew her attention. But again, when she looked that way she saw nothing.

Another shadow to the right caught her eye, and this time when Kiera looked towards it, it did not disappear.

She drew a sharp breath. Stepping out from behind a large pine was the squad leader from her

nightmares. Lance in hand, he gazed at her haughtily with his dark eyes. Up ahead, more dark warriors appeared. But before she had a chance

to really study them, a mighty gale tore through the trees. Crack! A large branch above her snapped and drew her gaze. Kiera stumbled backwards. There they were, crouching amongst the branches: large, dark beings

that were not Seditionists. When the nearest one stood and unfurled his black wings, she realized…these were demons.

Taunting her with deep green eyes, it exhaled a stream of sulfur through its nostrils and into the air.

When she shot a look back at the squad leader and his warriors, she saw they'd drawn closer.

They also weren't alone. More winged shadows with deep green or yellow eyes were mixed amongst them.

Kiera's mind was on the edge of total panic, but she still had enough of her wits about her to know that this made sense. Seditionists drew their power by aligning themselves with evil itself, so it was only logical they'd have ranks of demons mingling with them.

But still. She'd never actually seen one before. Backing away, she glanced around. Wasn't she supposed to have some

kind of guardian or something?"Haha!" cackled the demon on the branch before he leapt down, earth

shaking when he landed. "Sorry, you're not worth the effort of a guardian," he said, walking

towards her with a jagged sword in hand."Always been by yourself," added another on her right with a smirk,

"you're just not a good enough warrior, is all…"Kiera shut her eyes tight a couple seconds but gasped when she

bumped back into someone. She spun around and froze. It was him, the commander, looking down at her with those gold

crescent eyes. The darkness that shrouded him fell around her, and the evil of his presence made her dizzy, made it difficult to breathe.

In the daylight, she could see his face even clearer now, and she shook her head. I don't believe this, she thought.

This man whom she knew eyed her a long moment, grim expression on his face. Finally, his eyes lifted to the others.

"Leave her," he said, "the weak-minded are no threat to us."Kiera felt the others behind her leaving. The commander started to turn, but paused. A breath passed before a

lance appeared in his hand. Engaging it, he turned back on her and with a mighty swing brought the blade down…

She flinched back and reflexively raised her arm to protect herself…But nothing happened. She felt no fire from the lance as it struck her. Opening her eyes, Kiera staggered in a circle and saw that she was

alone. There were no dark warriors, no demons, no commander. But her head was killing her.

Hallucinations, whispered a voice in her head, you're losing it!Had everything she'd just seen actually happened? Or had it really

been a hallucination, and the voice she was hearing in her head now not

real? Or if both were real, then that meant at least the demons were still here and that's…what was whispering in her ear.

Mind reeling, Kiera broke into a run along the path. Leave me alone!She rounded a gentle bend where the trees thinned near the lake. She

spotted her dad and little sister, standing on the shore, hands behind their backs.

And for a second, Kiera's panic ebbed. Replacing it was burning jealousy and anger she'd never felt before, and it darkened her heart. Her expression drew into a glare, and a cool gust of wind blew off the lake, making the tall grass lay flat.

That’s how it had been from the beginning. Dad and Cadence had always been buddies…

Cadence glanced over her shoulder, spotted Kiera, and waved at her. "There you are!" she shouted. "Come on!"The genuine happiness on both her sister’s and father’s faces

lightened Kiera’s mood, and the wind subsided. She jogged towards them.As her sister drew nearer, Cadence couldn’t keep her expression from

wavering slightly to concern. She was getting a whole mess of signals from Kiera, from her body language and her eyes. But the strongest emotion Cadence sensed by far was fear, nearly overwhelming.

When Kiera pulled up beside them, Cadence searched her sister's face. What's wrong, sis, she asked Kiera.

Kiera, still trying to compose herself, was afraid to say anything at the moment. She didn't trust herself to speak without breaking down. Plus this headache was terrible…

Cadence shot a look at their father, who'd fallen silent as he studied his oldest daughter.

Desperate to help her sister, to do something, she grabbed Kiera's arm without really knowing why.

The action startled Kiera, but only for a second. She quickly became too distracted, or more accurately, awestruck, by the intense heat coming from her sister's hand.

A powerful warmth spread up her arm, into her shoulder, and finally her neck. The tension in her muscles eased away and ebbed the sharpness of the headache.

Kiera looked at Cadence. Her eyes were closed and her expression was the epitome of

concentration. When Cadence opened her eyes, she looked up at her sister and again searched her face. Then she straightened a little, squaring her shoulders like she may have been addressing a commanding officer.

I'm here, sis, she thought to Kiera with a sharp nod, and there's nothing I won't do for you. Remember that.

Expressions of mushy feelings were rare, but ones of loyalty weren't. It was something every Legionnaire regarded with utmost seriousness, even by children.

Then Cadence slipped past Kiera and headed down the trail.Kiera watched her a few moments before looking at her dad, in total

wonder at her little sister. Not exactly at her best right now, she felt totally inadequate and inferior.

And surprised. Who knew Cadence had the gift of healing? Judging by Matthew's expression, he hadn't known either.

She just shook her head. "Sometimes I wonder if we're related.""How do you mean?""Cadence. She's just so, so…""Innocent?"Kiera nodded before heaving a sigh and rubbing her hands over her

face. "What happened?" asked Matthew gently, not bothering to hide his

concern anymore as he stepped closer.Kiera cleared her throat a few times, anything to keep the tears at

bay. She tried several times to answer her father, to explain, but failed. Finally, she sank into the sand. Her composure fell away as tears slid down her face.

"Kiera, please," said Matthew, his concern reaching a new height when he saw just how worn she looked.

He sank onto his knees beside her, "Please, tell me what's wrong.""I think I'm losing my mind," she replied. With effort, she told him about what had happened on the way here,

not a few minutes ago."It's like it just doesn't stop," she said, gazing across the waters as a

breeze brushed past her face, wet from her tears, "First it was the nightmares, and now this? And my mind gets so foggy, I get confused and can't think straight."

Matthew regarded her a moment, expression growing into furrowed intensity. There was a darkness surrounding her, harassing his daughter. He could feel it, even now.

The fiery anger that came from a father's need to protect his child burned hot in his chest, and his sharp eyes studied the area around them, looking for any threats.

"You have been given tremendous gifts," he said at last, following her gaze across the lake. "The enemy recognizes you as a threat, so they're targeting you. Of course, there are times when we allow them into our lives, while other times they're just striking at us to tear us down..."

Matthew edged closer to her so their shoulders were touching and he was sure he had her attention. "But keep in mind that nothing ever happens outside of the control of the Almighty. Perhaps He is using this time to train you or test you, and it is not my place, however, to demand He tell me why He's allowing this. He does not have to change the order of the universe to suit my demands. He sees the big picture, we don't."

He drew a breath, eyeing the clouds overhead. "I cannot tell you what to believe. While you pledged your allegiance years ago, it is up to you to make your faith your own, and to do your part to work on and build the relationship with the One to whom you gave your allegiance. You have to decide what you're going to believe and then stick to it, no matter what, no matter what kinds of ploys the enemy might use. They want you to believe you're alone, but you're not. You can't believe a single word they say. Fear is a very powerful weapon they wield expertly. And I will not lie when I tell you it takes hard work to control your thoughts, where your mind wanders, and to keep your emotions in check. Fear and doubt can be especially difficult. But you have to want to fight this. Do you…understand?"

Kiera looked up at her dad. That intense love still burned in his eyes and his gaze was one of hard determination. She'd never doubted for a second that he wouldn't think twice about waging war against an entire army if it meant keeping her from harm.

She gave a little nod. "I understand," she replied quietly before wrapping an arm around

him. No matter what happens, he thought to her, I will always love you. In

the end, everything will be alright.An onshore breeze buffeted them as a line of clouds passed in front of

the sun, casting the town into shadow. Matthew lifted his stern gaze to the heavens. He only momentarily

wondered why this had come upon his firstborn before his mind turned to other things.

Something about all of this had stirred up a fire that he had not felt since he'd been a commander in the army…since he'd warred against Seditionists in battle.

The subtle yearning for a fight was slowly rekindled and it felt like seeing an old friend after years apart. He did not know what this meant or where it would lead.

But there was one thing Matthew Shahan was certain about: if anyone even threatened either of his daughters…he wouldn't hesitate to kill them.

Chapter 10

Dark General

He walked from the landing pad and down the hall, darkness and foreboding shrouding him. No one dared look at the new arrival or even chance a glance. They all cowered in his passing, or scurried down a different hallway to escape.

As it should be. He wasn't just any dark warrior. He was a Seditionist general who

commanded legions of warriors, both in the physical realm and in the dominion of unseen evil.

Like every other member of the dark army, his armor was black but coated so as not to reflect any light. Combined with the darkness that already surrounded him, the general looked like a shadow.

He continued down the passage as it curved gently around a corner. A squad of security droids appeared, followed by several maintenance

drones. At his passing, they all suddenly found themselves slammed against the far wall, several of them breaking into pieces.

In no mood for pleasantries, he just wanted to get down to business. That’s why his boss, the dark lord himself, had sent him personally for this task.

The hall straightened and a large door sat just ahead. The ceiling lights began to hum at the proximity of evil as he moved

down the passage in total silence. At the end of the hall, the large door slid open with a hiss.

The soldiers looked up from the round, hollow table in the middle of the large room. An ominous humming came from around the chamber, and the lights began to flicker as a heavy, suffocating presence settled over them.

“General Bayne,” said Xan, commander of the planetary forces. The others dipped their heads respectively as the dark general known

as Bayne joined them at the table.

Every feature about him was sharp, like there was barely enough skin stretched over his face. His cheekbones protruded from his face, leaving sunken cheeks. His jaw was quite square and nose straight as an arrow. Brown hair was kept short, cut close to his head. But the sharpest, and most potent feature, were his eyes. As with every Seditionist, they held the infamous deep gold crescent beneath his midnight blue irises.

Bayne's eyes remained locked on Xan. He was a native Triton and the epitome of a local: tall and lean with dark gray hair and long, weathered face. He carried himself well and wasn’t a man easily intimidated—but the presence of Bayne, or any dark commander or general, was enough to make him sweat.

“The dark one has sent me to ready your forces for our purposes,” said Bayne, voice low as he growled each word.

Xan nodded. “That’s what I was informed of, general.”The center of the vast rocky table was hollowed out a couple feet. At

one end was a holographic image of the planet Triton, rotating slowly. In the middle was another image, this one of what appeared to be a command post.

“As you can see,” said Xan, gesturing with his hand, “at one mere command post we have a total of five thousand soldiers. Plus, there are three thousand fighters and two thousand bombers. And we have twelve posts around the city, so…”

“I get the point,” snapped Bayne. “How many soldiers can you have ready in a few hours?”

“In addition to the numbers here,” replied Xan, “one-hundred thousand.”

Bayne's eyebrows rose slightly at this number. “I was expecting much less for a backwater planet like this.”

“That's what everyone else thinks too,” answered Xan, “but that only adds to our advantage. Anyway, all the soldiers are at your disposal."

Bayne's eyes focused on the live footage of the command post, and Xan could see the man’s dark mind working, calculating.

“Very good, commander,” said Bayne at length, “it has been a long time coming back to this point, and the Seditionist army will make very good use of your forces."

Chapter 11

No Little Skill

She crouched on a rock at the crest of the steep ridge. The north edge of town, where the training center was located, spread away from the base to her right.

The air current moving up the hillside was warm, and she lifted her face into it, sorting the smells. The scent of cottonwood and moss was heavy, and she could tell it was cooler further in the forest by the traces of colder air that brushed past.

After watching the town a minute longer, Cadence finally stood. She was wearing the armor she'd donned during the paintball

challenge, minus the helmet, and was armed with her rifle and sword, both secured across her back.

Since the house now felt like a deathward with everything going on with Kiera, she'd been spending most of her time outside the past week.

Cadence didn't know much about being a teenager, even though she herself was one. But she sensed what was going on with her sister was something more, something darker. Kiera could barely close her eyes now without seeing death and carnage.

Coming from a believing family, Cadence believed in the daily workings of angels and demons and was certain the latter had taken a keen interest in Kiera.

Boy, if I could see 'em, she thought, eyes narrowing, I'd take them all on.

She loved her big sister with such a fierce loyalty that words could not begin to describe the bond between them. Knowing her sister was sad, made her sad.

And Cadence found physical exercise to be a great way to help herself process things and contemplate why this was happening to Kiera.

That's why she was here. It was an area used by the students at the academy for weapons training. There were plenty of random targets scattered all over the ridge and in a small clearing below.

Cadence had been coming here a long time. The other Legionnaires were almost always in class, even during summer, and none of the other kids wanted to tag along with her. So she came to train by herself.

And in the past week, she'd drilled over and over again for hours when she wasn't scaling the cliffs or exploring the mountains. Telling her not to train was like telling her to stop breathing air.

At first, she felt a bit dumb coming here and running the course by herself. But hey, how else was she going to become more proficient?

She and Kiera could also meet the physical fitness levels required at the academy, thanks to the friends who attended. They knew the types of exercises and drills the warriors performed and any time limits attached. So, if they were ever able to enroll, they'd be able to be competitive with the other students.

Cadence slid the burnt orange safety glasses into place on her nose and then jumped from the rock.

Hitting the ground running, she took off down the steep side of the ridge. Surefooted, her boots never failed to find the most solid ground and knew where all the hidden roots or moss-covered stones were.

Thirty feet down, she pulled her rifle and braced the butt of the stock against her shoulder. Sighting through the scope, she drifted sideways behind a clump of birch.

As she emerged from the other side, she squeezed the trigger, putting three rounds into the solid round target hanging from a branch. Cadence pivoted back the other way as she continued forward and pelted another target dead center.

She settled into a nice rhythm, mind focused as she took out three more targets.

Finding a familiar game trail, she sprinted down it while swapping out magazines in her rifle. Soon as the new magazine was seated, Cadence slowed into a crouch, weapon raised. Veering sideways, she took out a cluster of targets.

She secured the rifle across her back as she hung a right, taking a steeper path straight down the ridge. The targets here were softer now, head and torso shaped sacks filled with sand, and she drew the sword.

Through a thick line of trees, the ground dropped a good ten feet. Cadence flipped off of it, landing in a crouch and then twisting to her feet as she spun and struck the first target.

Stepping past it, she threw the sword, nailing the second sack smartly in the middle. The weapon returned to her hand as she ran by.

Down a little rise, Cadence struck the next target then stepped forward, leapt and twisted horizontally through the air. The move gained her torque for the next swing, which cut the target completely in half.

Eyes leveling on the one ahead, it found itself ripped off its base and thrown to the ground as if struck by an incredible force.

At the top of the next rise, Cadence slowed a little. She was nearly to the base of the ridge now, and just below was a group of targets. They'd been moved since the last time she was here and they now formed a rough circle.

With a skilled flick of the wrist, she gave the sword a twirl and slid it back into the scabbard across her back. She'd only pulled her rifle around when movement in her peripheral made her glance to the right.

The entire time she'd been running the course, she'd caught flashes of movement on either side of her. They weren't shadows though, but instead flickers of light. She didn't sense anything sinister, it was just odd. Maybe her eyes were imagining things with the light that streamed through the branches or something.

Returning to the task at hand, Cadence lifted her weapon and silently stalked down the rise.

She took the first target and broke into a run as she drilled the second. If it had been an enemy combatant, his body would still have been falling as she flipped over him and into the center of the remaining group.

Landing almost in a kneeling position, Cadence used her momentum and threw the sword at the target in front of her. The sword was just reaching it as she pivoted right and drilled yet another with a couple of rounds.

Turning, she aerialed towards the target standing beside the one with the sword sticking out of its chest. Straightening, Cadence threw the butt of her rifle into the target's head.

She slipped around behind him for cover and shot at an adjacent target. Turning to the little clearing where the last target sat, her sword returned to her hand.

She broke out of the trees, rifle already secured. Cadence imagined if her target were real, he'd be closer, advancing towards her as the onslaught of his evil comrades began.

She would parry his first swing and dodge his second before elbowing him in the face. Using her momentum to her advantage, she'd drive him backwards.

One strike for his core, then a second coming in low to throw him off balance. Then with a quick and decisive swipe, she cut him across legs. She flipped and twisted behind him to deliver the final blow.

Cadence landed, sword in her left hand, as she leveled her stern gaze on the target.

The enemy was extremely determined and trained to never yield to a Legionnaire. It was either victory or death.

She knew he'd be lying on the ground and twisting around towards her to unleash some manner of horrific assault.

No, she ordered, pointing at him with her right hand.A flash of light was answered immediately by a hollow crack that cut

across the clearing. Cadence had to close her eyes a second as a torrent of wind roared

down from the mountains. When she opened them, she saw the entire torso of the target was

blackened, like it had been burned. The ground beneath it was also charred. Leaves, which had been kicked up in the gale now lazily floated down all around her, some of them brushing past her face with the gentleness of snowflakes.

Okay, now that, she thought as she glanced up to the blue heavens, was pretty cool.

I have trained your hands for war, said a voice in her mind, a voice of many rushing waters.

Cadence's eyes widened. Her soul knew that voice, knew its Owner's power and might. And when He spoke her heart began to pound faster as consuming heat flared to life in her chest and surged down her arms and into her hands.

Lightly tracing her thumbs against her fingertips, she looked at her palms, now quite hot. One of the leaves landed in her hand and ignited into flames.

Cadence glanced around the meadow, trying to suppress her smile as an expression like 'am I the only one seeing this, am I?' formed onto her face.

A breeze blew across the meadow, sending the leaves dancing across the clearing. Cadence just chuckled.

He was here right now, she could feel, and she felt like she could do just about anything.

Her blue eyes drifted to the towering mountains, and then surveyed the placement of the sun in the sky. She wanted to explore the eastern trail of the upper pass, but it would take over an hour to reach the trailhead.

Ah, no problem, she thought to herself, securing the sword and lifting into a jog across the clearing.

But Cadence hadn't been alone.

General Chad and Commander Ronain had been making their way to the course to move targets for one of the classes. They'd also wanted to discuss Matthew Shahan's concerns about his oldest daughter.

They'd reached the edge of the course, where the forest met the field, and spotted Cadence moving through the lower section.

They watched with keen interest as she cleared the course and eliminated each enemy. She was quick and could think on her feet, could easily adapt to a situation, and was comfortable with swapping out and using different weapons.

When she struck the final foe in the meadow though, they couldn't help but raise their eyebrows, impressed.

After they watched her disappear back into the forest, Ronain said, "Wow, for one who hasn't received any official instruction, Cadence Shahan has no little skill in combat."

"Yes," nodded Chad, thoughtful expression forming on his face, "Imagine what she could do with just a little training."

Chapter 12

Help

They met at the home of Matthew and Rebecca Shahan. Like her parents, the generals of the Legionnaire Council were also concerned for Kiera.

Of course everyone, every student at the academy, had their own struggles they dealt with. But there was something especially dark and sinister about Kiera's case that warranted their increased attention.

Rarely did they come across a young Legionnaire with such raw talent and powerful giftsor one being so viciously targeted by the enemy.

They had all been there when it was decided the sisters would not be enrolled into the academy once they were old enough. They all also knew that something like what was happening now was highly possible.

They arrived right on time and were led into the vast living room. Large exotic rugs collected from distant planets covered the marble floors. A particular beautiful silk one with black, deep blue, and crimson red was stretched beneath the coffee table and chairs and couches that created a makeshift rectangle.

Various war artifacts also peppered the room. They were evidence of Matthew’s many travels across the known systems, first as a commander, then as a military consultant.

At the back of the room arched a stone fireplace. Despite the great conveniences technology offered, Matthew and Rebecca drew solace from a warm, crackling fire on a cold day.

Kiera sat in a large chair. She would have been nervous but was too tired to feel much of anything right now.

Chad and Ronain sat on the couch to the right, Generals Eliezer and Hezron across from her.

While all Legionnaires had the deepest respect for parents, they had cautioned Matthew and Rebecca that their interference in this conversation could only hinder the purpose of the meeting. They sat on a small sofa to Kiera's left.

Cadence had not been permitted to this gathering. Kiera’s green eyes flitted to Eliezer a moment. It was obvious by the

lines on her face and the shadows under her eyes that she was exhausted. She didn't bother trying to hide the fear that even now had a tight hold on her.

These were seasoned warriors, men of keen insight and discernment. Even if she tried to hide her emotions, they'd still be able to read her like a book.

"Your father told us about the nightmares you've been having lately," said Eliezer, breaking the silence.

For the first time, Kiera made eye contact with this particular Legionnaire. Though he appeared to be a mere boy, she knew he was one of the most powerful warriors who ever was.

Kiera gave a slight nod, eyes flicking to Chad. He'd been watching her intently, gauging her thoughts from the moment he arrived. Even now his blue-gray eyes were studying her.

"When did they start?" asked the boy.Kiera cleared her throat and returned her eyes to Eliezer, who didn't

appear nearly as intimidating as his much larger counterpart. "A few months ago, but ever since General Chad and Commander Ronain left for Verga they've been coming every night."

"And what are these dreams about?" The generals already had an idea of the details given by Matthew.

However, they wanted to hear it straight from Kiera. "Darkness," she replied, eyes dropping to the table between them as

she sifted through her memories, "and not like when its night, but…"

"Evil?" guessed Eliezer. Kiera nodded faintly. "There's always a city burning, under attack by

dark forces, with legions of dark warriors.""Is it the same city every time?" asked Ronain. Remembering a moment, Kiera slowly shook her head. "No, always

different, but…"She shifted a little, hesitant to share the next part. That was when she

felt a probing in her mind, and a flash of anger shot through her. She didn't appreciate the intrusion.

Shooting a look at Chad, she let him know she knew what he was up to.

He met her hard gaze with no particular expression, though there was no missing the curiosity. But as usual, she couldn't hold his gaze more than few seconds.

Ronain gave her a little nod of encouragement to continue. "But what makes it a nightmare," said Kiera, pausing a second before

willing herself to just spit it out, "are the screams from the people in the cities. I don't know what someone being tortured sounds like, but what I hear in my dreams must be pretty close."

That sent a chill down Ronain's spine. "They don't say anything," she continued, gaze distant again as she

searched her memory, "but lately I've been feeling their pain." She shivered, "And Death is there, I can smell and feel it, along with a

suffocating darkness."Eliezer already knew there was more as he asked, "And what else is

there? Besides the burning cities."Kiera's eyes lifted to him. "There's someone there every time, to

watch the attacks, a dark commander. I get the sense he's the one who brings the darkness."

"You know who it is?""No," replied Kiera, maybe a little too quickly, "he keeps his face

turned or is hidden in shadow." Ronain sensed Chad's suspicion. Kiera knew the identity of this

person, but she wasn't going to share presently. "You mentioned these nightmares have been occurring every night

now," said Eliezer, apparently the primary speaker for the meeting, "but have they become more gruesome or stayed about the same?"

Kiera grimaced a little. "They've become more violent and detailed, and I'm…afraid to sleep. And then the other day…"

She cut herself off.

"It's alright," assured Chad, speaking for the first time, "we don't think you're losing your mind. Please…"

Kiera blew through her lips and then told them about the hallucination, or whatever it had been, at the lake.

Chad leaned back and rubbed his chin, mulling over this bit of information. The generals shared a look and seemed to come to some silent agreement.

"You're not going crazy, Kiera," said Eliezer at length, “as I'm sure you parents have already assured you. Mental assaults, especially in dreams, are a specialty of the enemy because that's when you're most vulnerable. It would seem they're aware of your gifts and how strong you've become even without training, so are trying to wear you down. Plus, the fact you remember your dreams, and with detail, means they're very likely prophetic and we'd like to analyze them."

Kiera blinked at him. He said all of that with such matter-of-factness, like he'd just told her the sky was blue.

"Analyze?" she asked, raising her eyebrows, "You actually think…what I'm dreaming is happening?"

Eliezer smiled a little. “You’re parents have done an excellent job raising you. You see others as more valuable than yourself, and you know the universe doesn’t revolve around you. Thus the possibility of finding yourself in a position of importance, or as the center of attention, is…a bit repulsive and uncomfortable. But to answer your question, yes, we think what you’re dreaming is happening or going to happen.”

The boy's gaze then drifted to Matthew a moment. He'd sensed the man's tension the moment he'd arrived. He could see

it in his body language, in his face and eyes. Kiera's turmoil had reawakened something deep inside the former commander. He was on alert, ready to spring into action to defend his oldest at any given second. But there was something else…

Chad noticed Eliezer's attention still on Matthew and he shot a look at the man, too.

Matthew, arm on the side of the couch, fingers lightly resting over his mouth, met Eliezer's gaze with a steady one of his own. A few more seconds passed before he surmised, "Kiera's already quite skilled in combat. And add to it that these dreams may very well be prophetic, if I understand you correctly…"

Eliezer nodded.

"And the enemy recognizes her as a threat," continued Matthew, "hence these relentless assaults…even though ironically she may be getting a glimpse into their plans."

"We're quite sure," replied General Hezron. "If she wasn't a threat, they would have left her alone, or at least not

be harassing her so aggressively. The fact that these attacks keep coming," he glanced at her, "provides double confirmation. She's very strong and hasn't given in yet."

"And we must keep in mind the order of things," added Ronain, "physical strength in combat does not ensure victory. The fight begins in the unseen, then moves into the seen world. Evil is what controls the Seditionists, not the other way around. And if the enemy is aware Kiera is being given insight into their plans…that really gives them reason to come after her."

Eliezer tilted his head at the truth of these words. "And while it's true that it's the prayers of the believers that expose, weaken, and even drive back the enemy, it's the foot soldiers, the ones trained for battle who literally fight the foe. They're the ones on the frontlines, executing countermeasures. A lone, able warrior can cut down vast forces and remain unscathed."

His eyes twinkled a little as he regarded Kiera. "That's what makes young Legionnaires such targets. They have fighting skills combined with supernatural gifts, both of which make them great threats to our enemy…and also prime targets for a little mental assault."

Eliezer returned his eyes to Matthew a moment and tilted his head back a little. "Ah, but you are also now concerned for Cadence."

"I learned just a few days ago she has been given the gift of healing," replied Matthew.

That earned him a surprised look from Rebecca, sitting beside him. Her gaze told him they'd be having a conversation about that little piece of withheld information later.

Chad and Ronain too exchanged a quick look. Cadence was also quite skilled with a blade, and on top of this gift? She'd make a prime target also. But why hadn't the Seditionists picked up on it yet?

Or maybe they had and were going to try a different approach on her…

Either way, it left no more room for wonder as to why Matthew was so concerned. The sisters were already powerful threats and were perfect targets.

“With your permission," said Chad, getting the little meeting moving again, “we’d like to take Kiera back with us to the academy for awhile, to analyze her dreams. If the cities she describes are real, it will be a great aid to us. And at the least, the grounds are a safe place, where the enemy is not allowed to enter. She can find a little peace from all this torment."

Matthew's jaw muscles flexed and the quickest burst of anger streaked through him. It came strictly as a natural response to protect Kiera. He didn't want to let her out of his sight.

But as quickly as the anger came, it vanished and the tension eased from Matthew a little. He and Rebecca shared a look and a few silent words.

Then Rebecca looked at their daughter. "It's up to you, Kiera."Kiera drew a steady breath, suddenly aware at how much better she

felt. She hadn’t noticed that the relentless fear had slipped away, and she knew it was because of the warriors that sat around her.

They were confident and rooted in the very beliefs she’d been raised with, and the enemy could not prevail against them.

Finally, she looked at Chad and gave a single, decisive nod. "I will go."

Chapter 13

Doubts

It had been an unusually quiet night with Kiera gone, and Cadence didn’t quite know what do with herself. Her parents were understandably preoccupied and barely five words were spoken during dinner.

Things were worse the following morning. They hadn't been up ten minutes before they were fighting with one

another. It ended with Cadence storming to her room, grabbing her gear and heading for the training course, back door slamming loudly behind her.

She could count on one hand how many times she'd fought with her parents. But this ordeal with Kiera had changed everything so drastically, and Cadence was just now sorting through her thoughts.

And it didn't help that Matthew and Rebecca wouldn't tell her what the Legionnaire generals had discussed with them and Kiera.

Cadence was still fuming as she marched angrily by the training center, walking along the far edge of the vast stone courtyard that stretched before it.

The students who didn’t reside in the dorms of the academy itself were arriving for their first classes.

As Cadence paused to watch them, her mood darkened even more. Her parents had never been clear why she and Kiera hadn't been

permitted to enroll. The older she grew, the more frustrating it became. Time was wasting.

She wondered if she could enlist in the military on another planet, or find a mercenary group that would take on a fourteen year old…

"Cadence! Hey!"A familiar voice broke her from her brooding thoughts, and she looked

up to see Hailey, her best friend, and Tucker, her older brother. Hailey was the same age as Kiera and had riveting blue eyes which

were offset even more so by her long black hair. Though she was only sixteen, she was already growing into the queen Cadence knew she'd be. As tall as her brother and athletically built, but eloquent, noble and refined.

Tucker was a year older than Hailey, with sandy blonde hair that was usually a mess atop his head. But his dark blue eyes always captivated Cadence by the way they held a mischievous sparkle, like he was up to something.

The relationship between brother and sister consisted of a typical sibling rivalry, and they were usually bantering or arguing about something. Regardless, they still held a close bond, and both were being trained as warriors.

"Hey, Hailey," replied Cadence, giving a half-hearted attempt to pretend like nothing was bothering her.

"Looks like you're off to the training course," gathered Tucker, upon observing her armor and weapons.

"Yup," Cadence answered flatly. "Where's Kiera?" asked Hailey, looking around. When her gaze returned to Cadence, she finally noticed the shadow

over the girl's face and sensed the turmoil of emotions she was attempting to hide.

Hailey's expression grew serious as she stepped closer. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Cadence gestured with an upward nod at the massive building behind them. "Kiera left for the training center last night with a few of the generals."

Tucker tilted his head. "Not to train, though."Hailey and Tucker had some idea of what was going on with Kiera.

But if she'd actually been taken to the training center…Cadence held his eyes a moment before averting her gaze. By her set

jaw and defiant expression, the siblings easily surmised she was upset and

still trying to process everything. But there was a certain darkness deep in her eyes that made them a touch uneasy.

Hailey and Tucker exchanged a quick look. What were you supposed to say, anyway?

Cadence helped them out by giving a shrug. "Just the way it is right now."

She took a few steps back to continue on her way. "If you see Kiera, tell her I said 'hi', would you?"

"Of course," replied Hailey. "Hey, some of the classes are headed to the course later," said Tucker,

"if you're still around maybe you could sneak into one of the groups and no one would notice. That is…if you're not too tired or anything by the time we get there."

A smile pulled at Cadence's lips as she turned. "I'll be sure to leave a few of the easiest targets left standing for you, Tucker."

"Oh ho!" he laughed. But seriously, he thought to her, if you ever need anything…we're

here.Cadence glanced over her shoulder at him and then touched her index

finger to her forehead in a salute. I'm afraid she's going to isolate herself, thought Hailey to her brother

as they watched her head for the trail on the far side of the square. This all just happened yesterday, replied Tucker, give her some credit

and some time to sort things out. She'll be fine.As Cadence started down the narrow trail, she forced herself to focus

on other things. Maybe she'd run the course backwards this time, start at the base and work her way up the ridge. That would be a sure way to get a good workout out of it, too.

It was a stormy day, with blustery winds buffeting the trees and low gray clouds that made the forest seem bleaker.

At first, Cadence thought it might be her imagination because of the restless weather, but she couldn't shake the feeling she was being watched. She didn't sense anything particularly sinister, only that someone was watching.

The entire way down the path she subtly used her peripheral to see if she might spot someone or something. But there wasn't anything or anyone there.

Whatever.At the clearing, she saw two standing targets, in addition to the single

one that had been there when she'd finished running drills yesterday. They

were splattered with red and yellow paint and had several puncture wounds from knives or lances.

Cadence pointed at each target in turn and then at the spot where she wanted them to move to, as if she were issuing orders to a troop. The targets themselves slid into position, like soldiers following commands.

Cadence took up her rifle and checked the magazine in preparation for the first run. Then she heard the sound of something moving through the brush and saw the shadow out the corner of her eye.

Instinctively, Cadence pivoted around into a crouch, rifle up. It might have only held paintball rounds, but they still hurt like the dickens if the target wasn't wearing armor.

"Whoa!" said the boy, raising his hands a little, "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

Cadence lowered the rifle and straightened. "No, I'm sorry if I startled you."

He was probably Kiera's age. An inch or two taller, he had dark brown hair that matched the color of his eyes.

"You new?" she asked, taking a few steps towards him."Yeah, my dad and I are here visiting for a few months," he answered,

closing the distance between them as he extended his hand, "I'm Seth."She shook his hand. "Cadence."Seth nodded towards the targets. "I take it there must not be much to

do here if this is where you spend most of your summer days."Cadence huffed through her nose and smiled. "Well, normally I'd be

beating up boys with my sister or sparring, but it seems I've scared away all the competition. But I like being alone, anyway."

She was really in no mood to be social. Thus, she was goading this stranger to quickly gauge what kind of person he was. She hoped he'd be easily offended or scared off and just leave.

But to her surprise, Seth chuckled, and Cadence had to admit she was instantly intrigued by the way his eyes twinkled. They danced with mystery and dark daring.

"Where is she?" he asked, shooting a look back over his shoulder, "She at the academy or something?"

Cadence's eyes narrowed a little when she felt a prodding in her mind, like someone was trying to mull about her thoughts. With a thought of her own, she shut out the intrusion.

"No, just…dealing with teenager stuff," she replied cautiously. She wasn't about to divulge sensitive family information to a complete stranger.

"Ooooh," replied Seth with a knowing nod, "I had a big brother who went through the same thing."

Cadence raised an eyebrow. "Yeah," he continued, sounding bored, "they start acting out or have

some kind of problem and everyone has to try to fix them. And then your family spends all their time focused on them and they forget about you."

"I wouldn’t know. This is the first real problem we've had.""You will," he answered with assurance, "they'll start ignoring you,

like you're too much of a burden, and leave you to fend for yourself. Kinda sucks, but guess it just makes you grow up faster."

"I'm sorry," said Cadence, doing her best to keep her expression neutral, even though his words burned in her ears.

Seth gave a shrug before flicking a finger at the nearest target. It toppled over backwards like someone had punched it.

"That's life, you know," he said. Cadence blinked. "Are you…you have…?""Legionnaire gifts?" replied Seth with a crooked smile, "Yeah. Have to

learn what I can by myself though since my dad doesn't pay much attention to it."

Join the club, she thought to him. His eyebrows rose a little when he heard her. "Oh…so you're not

training either?"Cadence shook her head. Seems we're in a similar boat then, he thought back. Cadence smiled, unable to deny a faint spark of comradeship. She

looked around the meadow a moment, as if considering something. "You doing anything right now?" she asked, light dancing to life in her

eyes. "No," he replied, smiling at the look on her face. "Excellent," said Cadence as she secured her rifle and then drew a

pair of swords, "how are you at combat?"Seth caught the sword she tossed to him and gave it a few expert

swings. "Finally," he said grinning, light glinting to life in his own eyes,

"someone to duel with!"They exchanged a few jabs, taunting and testing the other's resolve.

Finally, they lunged at each other at the same time, and the fight began in earnest.

Cadence didn't see any harm in this, and didn't sense the slightest hint of darkness around Seth, anyway.

Besides, she was at a point where she didn't really care much about anything.

ΩCadence had been correct in assuming she was being watched

because she was. Initially, they'd been observing Kiera and harassing her. But she was

inside the training center, which they could not enter, and she was now out of their reach.

Just as their boss had told them might happen. "Time to soften up the younger," the dark lord himself had said when

they'd given him an update the previous night, "but you won't be able to go at her like you have Kiera. Cadence has an extremely powerful mind and is quick to pick up on even subtle attacks."

The more experienced of the two watchmen caught on immediately. "We'll push her another way. We can mask our presence by using her own shortcomings that she struggles with."

And that very morning they'd spotted an obvious one as she left the house. They could still see traces of it now as she dueled with the newcomer.

It seemed Cadence Shahan…could have a bit of a temper.

Chapter 14

Cyrus

Planet Triton, Kerst System

It was hot, the air dry and dusty. The dark general stood at the edge of one of the large hangar bays,

arms folded across his chest as he surveyed the scene with cunning eyes. The canyon below ran the entire length of this side of the planet and

was indeed shaped like a three-pronged triton. Hence that's how the City of Triton, situated several miles west of here, got its name.

The canyon's straight, rough walls loomed over the dark blue-green rivers, which were fed by several large streams that came from the rock mountains out in the desert.

On any given wall were three to four massive hangers that created a column. That didn’t include the other staggered chambers and rooms in the

canyon walls. Some of the levels had glass floors or walkways allowing a view and access to lower stories.

The post where General Bayne was currently standing was in a nook created by the "U" of two of the canyon's prongs. Here he had a view of the river as it widened for several miles to the south.

A blistering gust of wind tore at his face, blowing in off the sands. He wondered why anyone would want to really live here, in this barren desert. Personally, he preferred the cold nothingness of space.

Before him, fighters and cruisers flew about, making preparations for the arrival of Bayne's personal troops; hundreds of bays had been cleared just for his legions.

Not that it mattered all too much. They wouldn’t be here long anyway. Something in one of his pockets beeped and Bayne pulled out a

smooth, dark blue com device. He tapped a button on top and a six inch holographic image appeared over his palm.

“General Bayne,” said a harsh looking man. “We have reached the planet’s orbit and are ready for arrival.”

“Commence your descent, captain."

Ω Ω ΩPlanet Nepta, Jutland System

He rubbed his hands together before cupping and blowing into them. His fingers were freezing, his face was freezing, everything was freezing!

Silently he cursed Nepta, the dark blue planet. Half forest, half plains, the woods of giant fir trees zigzagged in jagged patterns across the planet. The plains were flat and carpeted with extremely short grass. How it managed to grow and not be blown away he didn't know.

In the summer, a ‘warm’ day was a balmy thirty-five degrees. In the winter the highs rarely rose above zero. But there was neither snow nor ice on the ground. Only icicles clung to the tree branches.

And it never snowed. However, they did have mist storms, waves of mist which swept over the villages, instantly freezing everything. There were plenty of stories about people venturing across the plains, getting caught in these storms, and then freezing to death in seconds.

To finish it off, the planet was cast in a faint blue hue. He was told it was because of the distance they were from the Jutland Star, what every planet in this system revolved around.

General Cyrus, of the Seditionist army, glowered out the window of the bunker. The command post was nestled in a crook created by the

zigzagging forest, on its west side. This protected them from the mist storms because the air currents on the planet drove the storms from east to west.

With a grunt, Cyrus turned and continued down the hall, the scowl on his face deepening. The dark lord had sent him here to prepare their ally’s army.

Yeah, three months ago. Cyrus came from a long line of warriors, generals, and commanders.

His entire family line lived and breathed battle, and that zeal had clearly passed to him.

However, they had been Legionnaires, and he'd chosen to follow the ways of the evil warlords, the Seditionists. His ancestors probably turned in their graves when he pledged his allegiance to darkness. His parents, too.

Oh right, his parents. He'd sent them to their graves himself. The first order of business upon conversion to evil had been to slaughter them.

Being a Seditionist was a new tradition he thought he'd start. Besides, those in the dark army were much more understanding of his violent impulses.

With a heavy air surrounding him, General Cyrus glared at everything as he wove through the hallways. Any that came in his path immediately looked for another hall, an escape.

The people, mere pawns to him, didn’t necessarily try to avoid his path because of the thick, ominous presence that followed him—it was because to his temper.

Cyrus barged into one of the large underground hangers, making everyone jump. “Are they finished yet?” he asked harshly.

The commander of this post was a short man by the name of Varro, a native to Nepta. A beanie covered his bald head, and his face was wrinkled with almost no nose. It was small, merely a bump smudged in the middle of his face.

“Uh, well, general, no, not quite,” answered Varro. Cyrus’s temper instantly flared. “Why not?” Varro’s diminutive frame made it easier for Cyrus to be imposing as

he loomed over the man. “Well, um, you see, we’re busy with lockdown procedure,” stuttered

Varro. “Another storm has just shown up on radar.” Cyrus dropped his head so he could drill Varro with his dark turquoise

eyes marked with the gold crescent.

“And what am I supposed to tell the dark lord when he asks for an update in a couple hours?” snarled Cyrus. “That you can’t even manage some simple repairs on a couple orbital jamming devices!?”

The lights in the hanger began to hum. “This is how it’s been the past three months,” continued Cyrus, voice

rising in intensity, nostrils flared with rage. “You’ve failed to meet almost every deadline.”

His eyes narrowed. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you might be trying to sabotage our progress.”

Varro’s eyes widened, and he shook his head. “Yes, that seems like a very possible explanation. Wouldn’t it be

interesting if my boss discovered that his allies are actually his enemies?”The rows of lights that lined the ceiling popped and exploded in bursts

of light, raining filament down on them. “No…no, really, that is not the case, general,” said Varro, shrinking

away. “Then tell me how it is,” replied Cyrus, voice deepening as he slowly

walked towards Varro. “I wonder how easy it would be to replace you.”Varro exhaled sharply, like someone had punched him in the gut,

except his lungs couldn't expand again. It felt like something heavy was slowly applying pressure to his chest.

The employees closest to Varro edged away nervously. All the radar and surveillance equipment lining the right wall began to vibrate, some of them sparking.

“Please,” gasped Varro, dropping to his knees, pressure on his chest still increasing as sharp claws grabbed hold of his skull. “It is just…everyone is…is anxious with your…warriors here.”

Cyrus merely continued to look at Varro with those eerie dark eyes. “We'll worker faster! I promise!” Cyrus glared at Varro a moment longer before releasing the little

man. He sat down hard on the floor and pulled in deep breaths of precious

oxygen. The fierce stinging headache had also vanished, along with the pressure in his chest.

“You will not fail to meet another deadline,” seethed Cyrus before storming out of the hanger, dark presence leaving with him.

Varro glanced around at the mechanics, who were staring at him wide-eyed.

“What are you looking at?” he barked. “Get back to work!”

Varro pushed himself to his feet, still unsteady. “Lieutenant, call the second and third shifts. Get them in here now.”

“Yes, sir.”Varro rubbed his nose when he felt something warm and wet. His

hand came away bloody. It was another one of those moments, like he'd had over the recent

months, where he wondered what exactly he'd gotten himself into.

Chapter 15

Sword & Shield

Kiera sat on one of the front steps of the training center at lunch time, watching some of the students spar.

She'd been here three weeks. Upon first arriving, she slept for a solid twenty-four hours and couldn’t recall having had a single dream. When she finally awoke, she couldn’t remember the last time she felt that rested or calm.

The generals analyzed her nightmares, which she could recall perfectly. To her own mild surprise, each planet she described matched a real planet in one of the known systems.

No one told Kiera what they would do with this information, since she wasn't a warrior and didn't have clearance. But the logical course of action would be to have teams investigate the planets, see if there was any sign of an attack or any Seditionist forces nearby.

After the first few days, Kiera had begun dreaming again, but most of it just typical random stuffmuch to her relief. Sometimes she encountered dark warriors, or that commander.

But their intimidation no longer worked on her. Once the claws of fear which had been so deeply lodged into her had been removed, she was able to quickly regain her usual composure. Occasionally she could feel fear lurking, to try and grab her mind, as she was understandably more sensitive to it now. It was easier to recognize.

She knew she had the prayers of her parents and the generals to thank for her 'recovery,' if that's what it could be called. With gentle guidance, they instructed her on having better control of her thoughts, and thereby her emotions somewhat. Most of it was just focus and practice, though, being able to spot a threat and countering it before it had time to sink its claws into her.

Commander Ronain seemed to have been tasked with keeping an eye on her. Sometimes she'd catch glimpses of him, but most of the time she just sensed when he was close.

Kiera was glad it was him and not Chad. There was still something about the big Legionnaire that unnerved her.

Kiera watched as the nearest two rivals went tumbling away from each other with a kick. She knew well the stone courtyard made for a harsh landing, but when the two young warriors sat up, they were laughing.

"Come on, guys," said a girl whom Kiera knew as Erika. "We've got time for a team duel."

"We need one more person," noted Adam."Kiera's on our team!" declared Erika before she turned and waved

Kiera over. "Not fair!" whined Adam as another pair, a boy and girl, joined his

side. Kiera pushed herself to her feet and joined a group of five. "Fine," said Erika, "rock, paper, scissors to decide…and no cheating."It was best out of one, and Erika won. "We should be allowed an extra player," said Adam. Erika grinned as she looked at Kiera. "Tales of the great duels of the

Shahan sisters are something of a legend around here."That unnerved Kiera a little. She never thought about the chance that

students might have watched her and Cadence when they sparred."We just want to stand half a chance," stated Adam, breaking into

Kiera's thought.Ignoring his whining, Erika looked around. "Kiera needs a lance!""Take mine!"Kiera glanced over at Hailey and Tucker just as Hailey tossed her

lance to her. Catching it, the blade burned to life, sharp edge gleaming dark blue.

Kiera gave it a swing. Its weight was perfect and the hilt had a nice leather grip on it.

The lance of a Legionnaire, and a Seditionist for that matter, was itself supernatural. Very few knew how they were actually made or even where they came from. A commander or general usually presented a student with their own shortly after being enrolled at the academy.

Hilts were made in various designs, though generally simple, with enough of a guard to keep the hands from slipping onto the blades.

There was not a single switch or button to engage a lance. The weapon itself seemed to know the will of the wielder and engaged at his or

her bidding. The blades burned to life with a crack, like a flame in a fire, or with a clear ring, as if drawn from a sheath.

The edge of the blade ended about three inches short of the spine and cut at a sharp diagonal angle up to meet the spine, which created an impossibly sharp tip. It was the sharp edge that held the color of the lance, typically deep blue or jade, though those of certain commanders or generals sometimes wielded gold or bronze edged lances.

The blade of a Seditionist, however, always burned crimson, because of the innocent blood they spilled.

If the spine of a lance was struck with the sharp edge of another blade, it would not shatter. The blades themselves still drew blood, but more easily severed a foe's limbs, or head, and punched through body armor.

Often, students shared stories they'd heard from their parents or instructors about generals and commanders in battle. They talked excitedly of great feats and how, in the heat of a fight, flames sometimes wrapped around and consumed the blades of mighty warriors. Then as they fought the enemy, the blades would meet with mighty cracks and flashes of light as the two forces dueled. At the height of a fight, some warriors became so consumed with the heat of battle they could not be defeated.

And the hilt of a Seditionist's lance burned the hands of a Legionnaire, and vice versa. Handling an enemy's lance was only done in extreme situations.

Good could not stand evil, and evil could not tolerate good. Fortunately, knowing how to wield a lance was an innate ability for

Legionnaires; something they knew how to do without cutting off their own arms or legs. Or destroying the living room.

Using a lance was one thing, but the ability to deflect invisible strikes was an entirely different matter. This type of blow itself wasn't actually invisible, but that was just the common name given to it. At the most, it was a deadly weapon, and at the least it knocked the wind out of the victim with the force equivalent of being kicked by a horse.

For dark warriors, it manifested as a crimson flash of light that could kill an opponent instantly. The ability to create a sustained, or steady, version of this blow depended on just how deep they dappled in their dark arts.

The higher the rank of demons they associated with, the greater the dark warrior's power.

For Legionnaires, this strike was made of the purest, and most potent, light that could cut through the thickest darkness and fall the vilest foe. It

could be executed with a flick of the lance, or by a quick swipe of the hand down the broadside of the blade. But the strongest form came from the hand, the palm, of the warrior himself. If a rival were paying attention, they'd know it was coming by the way the palms of a Legionnaire began to subtly glow with light.

Things happened so quickly in combat, however, and this tell-tale sign was rarely noticed.

A strike of this nature could be shattered with a lance into splinters of light. Often if two opposing strikes collided, a shockwave would result with a blinding flash and level anything in a given radius.

But just as important as a lance, and perhaps even more so, was the ability to protect oneself from the various assaults of the enemy. The "shield," as it was called by instructors, depended entirely on an individual's faith and trust in the One they'd pledged their allegiance to.

The ability and success of wielding a weapon was, to some degree, dependent on talent and training. But the shield depended entirely on faith and belief, to stop the attacks of the enemy, seen or unseen.

As the teams paired off, Kiera glanced at the lance in her hand. She wondered what her parents would think of this, or if she'd get in trouble with Ronain or one of the generals. Why couldn't she officially join the academy anyway? What were they all afraid of?

Kiera shrugged. Technically she wasn't training in this instance. She was just…playing.

"This," said Tucker to Hailey as he folded his arms, "is going to be good."

One of the other pairs had already begun their fight, to Kiera's left. Kiera rolled her neck, popping it, and then suddenly charged her

opponent, taking him a bit by surprise. Kiera had natural speed and used it fully. Her first swing was a

powerful downward strike, knocking her opponent completely off balance. Still maintaining her momentum, she jumped and twisted over him while he was squaring himself up again.

Landing in a crouch, Kiera deflected a strike from his comrade beside him. Turning, she blocked her rival's blow before kicking him in the stomach. They flipped away from each other.

Her boots were still inches from the ground when she saw her opponent's friend slide his hand down the broadside of his lance, sending an invisible strike her way.

When Kiera landed, she sliced her lance downwards where it met the blow with a loud crack. She didn't shatter the strike, but deflected it back towards the sender and making him leap out of the way.

Kiera pivoted back to her first opponent. She had strength on her side and drove him backwards. He had to jog to keep her from running right over him.

It was clear who had control of the fight as their swings and parries quickly picked up speed, lances mere trails of dark blue and silvery light.

At last, Kiera ended the duel with two more decisive swings. The first was an incredibly powerful sideswipe that left her opponent completely open. This was instantly followed by a hard shove to the sternum, which threw him back.

There was no time for self-congratulations because Kiera heard someone coming fast from behind. Turning, she locked onto her next rival.

Running forward a couple strides to pick up speed, she then flipped forwards. As she landed, she swung down.

The two lances met with a crack that echoed across the square. Going with the momentum, Kiera jumped and twisted horizontally

through the air to gain torque for her next swing.Her feet had barely returned to the ground when they exchanged

blows. The first was high, and she blocked it before delivering a swipe to her rival's core.

He deflected it and came in high again. To position herself for her own next swing, Kiera turned her back to

him and reached over her shoulder to block the strike. Then she spun and swung low, for his legs.

He was forced to flip back. The lance of her first opponent flew to her hand and she engaged it

as another rival sprinted over. The students watching the show let out a couple whoops. "Duel-wielding already?" asked Tucker, "Say whaaat? That's crazy!"Now, thought Kiera, as her two opponents advanced towards her, it's

getting fun.

Chapter 16

Realizations

The wind was frigid as it bit at her exposed arms and hands. Her fingers had grown numb ages ago, but she was still aware of the roughness of the rocks.

Finding the next handhold, she let her other arm dangle a second to give it a brief rest.

Cadence was hanging precariously from a rock face in the upper passes of the mountains. This high up, snow flurries weren't uncommon in summer, and that's what it was doing right now: snowing. Actually, it was more like blizzard-ing.

But Cadence barely noticed as she found a ledge with her other hand. Her mind was going a hundred miles an hour, focused on other things.

After a couple more feet, she was over the outcropping. The rest of the way to the top of the cliff was angled and Cadence was able to settle back into a good rhythm. The muscles in her arms, shoulders and core were burning, but it felt good and only drove her harder.

Three weeks and she hadn't been allowed to go see her sister. Yet her parents went nearly every day to the academy to visit Kiera.

Almost a month and Cadence thought she would have begun to adjust to her sibling's absence. But she still felt incomplete without her. They did everything together and hadn't ever really been apart. Now, Cadence felt like she'd lost part of her soul.

Cadence hadn't wanted to believe Seth, whom she'd been hanging out with a lot more because, well…he was probably the only other young Legionnaire literally on the planet not in training.

And she realized quickly what he said would happen was unfolding. She barely saw her parents any more. Her dad went into work early

and stayed late. Her mom's hours at the medical center were longer now, because of something to do with a new bacterial strain or whatever.

When she did see them, usually during breakfast, they were distant, thoughts on a million other things besides their youngest daughter. Cadence felt like she might as well be invisible.

Sneaking off to join a mercenary group was sounding better all the time.

The wind roared through the mountains and tore at Cadence's clothes as she neared the top of the cliff. It hurled a blinding flurry of snowflakes at her, driven hard by the gales and stinging her skin.

But she didn’t care. She reached the top and stood on the ledge, looking down into the

ravine created by the steep and rugged mountain ridges. Her burning lungs

and muscles made her feel all the more alive as she glared defiantly at the next torrent of wind and snow that whipped along the mountainside.

Oh yeah, and let's not forget about a little surprise fact she'd inadvertently learned about her own sister. She'd been on her way back home from the training course when she'd crossed paths with Tucker and Hailey. The very first thing that came out of Hailey's mouth was, "Hey, I didn't know your sister had prophetic dreams!"

"I didn't either," had been Cadence's response.She glanced down at her hands, knuckles torn and palms cut from ice-

covered rocks. Then she clenched her fingers tightly into fists. She dropped her backpack, removed her coat from inside and slipped

it on. After securing her pack again, she picked up a jog along the rough ledge that wound around the rock face.

Prophetic dreams, huh? Yeah, that bit of information had totally not brightened her day. Kiera was a major threat to the enemy, hence all the mental assaults and nightmares. On top of it all, she'd heard about a number of "impressive" duels she'd been involved in at the training center…

Cadence quickened her pace as the path dropped down a little ways before up a steep rise. Her breaths came out in short, ragged huffs, the cold air hurting her lungs. But like the bitter cold on her skin, it made her feel alive and awakened her senses.

She would be lying to herself if she didn't admit to feeling a trace of jealousy towards Kiera. But the primary feeling was one of her own inferiority.

And exactly what kind of supernatural Legionnaire gifts did she have? Absolutely nothing, Cadence answered herself, oh sure, so maybe I

have a touch of healing, but that can't be used to take down a dark warrior, can it? Big whoop.

And what about the feeling she had that she was being watched? Cadence figured it was just wishful thinking, that she might pose even

a small threat to the enemy. She probably couldn't get the attention of a dark warrior if she walked up and kicked one.

Her sister was on an indirect road to being a warrior, and Cadence was tossed aside and being left behind. What did she need to be taken seriously anyway, a more important gift?

She was moving at a brisk clip, snow crunching beneath her boots. She scaled another twenty foot rock wall before finally slowing.

Cadence walked along the narrow outcropping that jutted far out over the ravine. From here, the mountains towered around her on every side,

while their lower passes were hidden somewhere below the layer of clouds that spread under her.

She closed her eyes a moment, savoring the sharpness of the gales and the heavy smell of snow. She just wanted one person to tell her she had a purpose, that she was headed somewhere, in any direction. Because right now…she felt lost.

All I want to do is fight, she thought, is that so much to ask? There came one final burst of frigid wind that blew right into her face

and then the snow lightened and the gales quieted. Pale light streaked into the ravine before her, playing about the swirls of snow.

Reaching around to an exterior pocket on her back, Cadence pulled out a single twig from a cluster she'd gathered while at sea level. Cupping it in her palm, she blew a light breath into her hands.

A little flame sprang to life, consuming the tiny twig. Quickly, the heat intensified and gently warmed her fingers.

Cadence's mind mulled over her plan for finding a cave to sleep in tonight, and which direction she would explore tomorrow. Right now, she found the thought of going home to a big, empty house repulsive. Anyway, she wondered how long it would take for her parents to figure out she was gone…

Her thoughts had just drifted to her mom when she heard, Cadence! Where are you?

The voice of her mother made her jump a little. Cadence was mildly surprised to hear from her so soon.

She knew her parents would be working especially long hours today and figured they wouldn't be home to notice she gone until late. Besides, she'd been coming and going on her own so often, she was surprised her parents even thought twice about whether or not she was safe at home…or scaling treacherous mountain passes.

For an instant, her heart leapt when she heard her mom's voice. But then she set her jaw and hardened her heart. I'm just an obligation right now, thought Cadence to herself, and an inconvenient one at that.

It wasn't a self-pitying or glowering tone, just a matter-of-fact statement.

I'm fine, she replied, eyes flitting to the flame in her hand. Rebecca again inquired where she was and implored her to come

home. But Cadence shut out her voice. Raising her hand holding the flame, Cadence inhaled deeply and then

let out a long breath.

A stream of flames shot from her hand and was instantly caught up on the breeze.

Cadence watched in total fascination as the fire did not immediately go out. Instead, it was taken by a gust as it roared around the mountainside, growing and spreading the fire until it was a massive opaque wall of flames.

It roared around the ravine before getting caught in a sharp updraft and being ripped towards the heavens. The tip of the flames reached the clouds shrouding the peaks and then extinguished, a hollow clap of thunder emphasizing their disappearance.

She stood there gawking. Then Cadence heard a noise behind her, off her to her right along the ledge that disappeared around another bend. She moved the instant she heard the sound and reached back and drew her sword. Muscles wound tight and ready to spring into action, Cadence listened hard.

Several seconds passed until she heard more noise before…down jumped a rather large snow leopard from higher up the rock face.

She stood immobilized for a long breath, watching the animal. It looked at her with eerily intelligent icy blue eyes, then gave a shake

of its head before moseying towards her. There was no trace of aggression in its body language or expression.

Cadence kept a firm grip on the sword as it continued to approach…and brushed its head and body against her legs. Then it stepped past her and plopped down on the edge of the outcropping and surveyed the mountains on the far side of the valley of clouds.

Cadence pinched herself on the arm before closing her eyes tight a second and reopening them. Yup, the snow leopard was still there.

Would you have disciplined yourself and trained as hard as you have been if Kiera had not left, asked a still, small voice, would you still have tested the steep passes of My mountains and explored their hidden secrets?

Her eyes gazed at the leopard, with its impossibly long tail and thick silky spotted coat. It looked up at her and gave a snort and shake of its head, the way cats sometimes do.

Since it didn't want to eat her, Cadence sheathed the sword and sat down beside the animal, letting her legs dangle over the edge of the ledge.

The big cat instantly began purring, a deep rumble rolling around in its throat. Careful to keep its claws sheathed, it playfully put a massive paw on her leg before rubbing the side of its face against her arm.

When Cadence tickled her fingers up the back of its neck, the purring grew louder.

As the next frigid breeze brushed past, she closed her eyes.

It had felt like an eternity since she'd heard that voice, a voice that belonged to the One, who when He spoke, thunder rolled across the expanse and shook the foundations of the earth. The voice of One that, when she was younger, she used to constantly daydream about seeing face to face one day. She'd picture a great white hall with a throne, and seated on it was Him, the Almighty. He was, is, the greatest warrior of all time because He'd battled even with Death, and won.

But lately, darker thoughts had kept her mind preoccupied.And Cadence had no answer to His question. "You don't recognize your own traits, even now, do you?"That voice sounded awfully close. When Cadence opened her eyes, she jumped. She definitely wasn't in

the mountains anymore. She was in a great hall with expansive arches on one side that allowed

her to gaze upon an endless sea, as smooth as glass. Out of the massive archways at the entrance of the hall, she looked out over lush green hills between the sea and a magnificent white city with grand gates.

And standing beside her was a tall and mighty being of light with powerful wings and a sword at his hip. All Cadence could do was stare as he looked down at her with piercing eyes set in a finely chiseled face.

"You have the determination and discipline to train without anyone telling you," he said. "Is that not a trait many others only dreamed they had? You were created with a sharp and intelligent mind, and have been granted the wisdom to first contemplate a decision instead of rushing blindly into action. And your character itself: it is apparent you earnestly desire to follow Truth. That does not even begin to cover all the gifts He has in store for you."

Cadence considered the big angel's words a moment. Her gaze then flitted past him, where at the end of the hall was a great throne. But…

"Where is He?" she asked, heart pounding faster. The angel gave a chuckle, which rumbled deep in his chest.

"Sometimes He's leading you, other times He's carrying you, but always…He's right beside you."

She felt someone on her left, but she couldn't look directly at Him because of the brilliant light that came from Him. Cadence took a step back as she raised her arm to shield her eyes.

"What he has spoken is true," He said with a voice that echoed deeply across the expanse. "And do not be so quick to underestimate your gifts, and bear in mind that not all are revealed to you at one time. I have so

much more in store for you than you can imagine, even with that beautifully creative mind I made you with."

Just the sound of His voice made her heart pound even faster. "Do you remember what your father told you by the lake?" He asked.

"Do you remember when he told you that, even when you don't believe it, I am still with you? I am always keenly aware of what is happening in the lives of My warriors. I hear their thanks for victory, their petitions when they are in what seems like hopeless situations…and I hear their final cries when they fall to a ruthless enemy, before they finally join Me at last."

Cadence could tell He'd stepped closer because the light became more intense, hotter.

"I made you for a specific time and for a specific task, and I have chosen to use the past month to reveal the streak of independence I put in you. It's something I want you to keep in mind, for future days. And do not listen to others when they write off this trait as a flaw. In their ignorance they will not understand it is an important attribute that I Myself created you with."

Though she couldn't see his face, there was no missing the smile in his voice as he continued. "I have put in you a spirit as wild and restless as the wind that tears through the very mountains you climb and wanders across the plains searching for a place to settle. You will train soon, little warrior…"

When He saw how much she perked up at that news, He actually laughed, deep voice thundering across the heavens.

"Also, remember the other words spoken by your father, that he loves you more than life itself…"

Cadence dropped her head. "He did not speak those words out of any obligation just because

you're his child. You are the light of his eye, Cadence, and in the way he tries to handle his concern for you, it may seem like he's forgotten you. Know he hasn't, and neither has your mother."

A distant rumble of thunder sounded over the distant mountains off her left shoulder as He said, "A lot will be changing quickly, and though you may not understand everything that happens, you can always rely on Me to be there, even when you don't see Me or believe I am guiding you. Some days will be hard and very dark, but as is the order of things in this age, and some things must happen. And know that it is I Am who is training you, Cadence, I Am is preparing you for war…"

At the sound of that name, such an intense heat that she'd never experienced before burned in her chest. Quickly it spread, racing down her arms and into the rest of her body, consumingthe heat of battle.

I. Am.Cadence closed her eyes against the blinding flash of lightning that

cut across the sky, answered immediately by a snarl of thunder that she felt in her chest…

Cadence opened her eyes and found herself sitting on the ledge. Whoa. She hadn't experienced such closeness like that for a long time.

Then she noticed how hot she was and shrugged off her coat. The leopard pushed itself to its paws and stretched. When it turned to

leave, it bonked its head against Cadence's and rubbed against her, a happy feline gesture. When it walked away, it playfully flicked its long tail into her face.

"Hey," she smiled, swatting it away. She glanced over her shoulder and watched the snow leopard lift into a jog and disappear along a ledge.

Cadence got to her feet, feeling supercharged, like she could do anything. She was so filled, so…restless, she had to get moving again.

There was a break in the snow and a crisp gust tore past her. Wild and restless as the wind, she thought as a little smile tugged at

her mouth, blue eyes flitting to the gray heavens. She had to admit, having this much independence was quite liberating.

And if there was anything that would help her get through the next however many days, it was the fact that she would train as a warrior. That would about do it.

Securing her backpack, Cadence surveyed how much light was left in the day for more exploring.

More than enough, she thought, turning and heading for a path that wound around the side of the mountain, hugging the steep rocks.

She lifted into a jog and quickly picked up the pace as the ledge curved around the mountain and disappeared into a shadowed ravine.

Chapter 17

Dark Warriors

The clear ring of swords cut through the semi-darkness, a continuous sound of metal striking metal.

Each quadrant of the vast chamber was sectioned off by dark marble pillars, and nearly every area was occupied with battling warriors. But they were not Legionnaires. They were their exact opposites: warriors of the dark army.

Malice filled them, hatred drove them, and the darkness that they gave themselves over to consumed them. Slaughtering their enemy was at the forefront of their minds, and they cut down any who stood in their way, even women and children, without a thought.

They gazed at all with cool contempt with their gold crescent eyes. There was only unquenchable rage and the most venomous hatred towards their enemy, to whom they would never yield. Never. No Seditionist had ever surrendered to a Legionnaire, and none ever would. It was victory or death.

And they would not stop until the blood of every last one of their enemy's had been spilt.

The warrior dodged a strike meant for his chest. Twisting and swinging, he hit his opponent with tremendous force. It threw his foe off balance, but he received a smart slash across the thigh in return.

Growling, more in anger than pain, he ducked under the next swing and slammed his fist into the stomach of the challenger. The force of the blow shook the air and sent his opponent sliding backwards.

He sprang towards his rival while he was still squaring himself up. Anger coursed through his body, fueling his burning muscles. He slammed his fist into the side of the challenger's head, and then pivoted and threw an elbow into his face.

The effort earned him a fist in the side before a knee to the gut. Each blow that his enemy landed sent volts of fire through his body. It wasn’t anything he hadn't experienced before and he disregarded it.

He answered with swift retaliation. Deflecting another body shot, he delivered a powerful kick to the challenger's diaphragm.

In the moment that space was restored between them, he drew a second sword, edges of the blades curved slightly backwards.

The challenger, who gave only faint signs of tiring, drew his weapons and fixed his dark gaze on the warrior he'd been dueling the past two hours.

The warrior advanced and swung. The challenger blocked it with one blade and swiped at his rival with

the second. The warrior countered quickly. He delivered two feeble swings to

draw his opponent in and then, crossing his wrists and swinging sharply across, he swatted both his rival's blades to the side. The challenger was

left completely open and the warrior's right sword arced through the air over his head.

The challenger brought both blades up in time to block the jarring strike, and the three swords locked for a breath.

It was just what the warrior wanted. With an upward swipe of the left sword, he landed a deep wound across his rival's chest.

The challenger snarled. The warrior followed through with the upward motion of the left

swing, smashing it against the three other swords and disengaging them as he flipped backwards.

When he landed, however, he was mildly surprised to find his rival in his face, driving towards him instead of pausing to recover.

The challenger had also released a sword and was now wielding only one. Duel-wielding took tremendous skill and could actually be more of a hindrance than an advantage, as in this case.

The challenger’s strikes were fast and relentless, and the warrior was in constant motion to keep up and deflect them. Seeing he was at a disadvantage in duel-wielding, he swung both blades together like a bat at the next strike.

The force of the strike spun his enemy and the warrior took the opportunity to slash him across the back.

He tossed one of his weapons aside as the challenger turned and they engaged again.

They dueled back across the room, each striking at one another with every last ounce of strength they had. Sweat streamed down their faces and made their muscles gleam, and every time the blades met, sharp pain snapped up their arms.

This was a 'weapons only' combat session, and any supernatural abilities were not to be used. The purpose was to build raw stamina and test the level of mental toughness of each dark warrior.

Even so, with every swing, their hatred towards each other burned hotter. The evil around them grew heavier and the air itself became unsettled and began to hum.

The fight was reaching its climax, and its end.At last, with a powerful swing from both opponents, the two blades

locked. The rivals pushed against each other, every muscle tight. A clawed

hand latched onto the warrior's head, sending fiery pain down his neck. Snarling, he shook it off the mental assault and pressed even harder against his enemy.

The challenger grunted as the wounds on his chest and back began burning like fire.

The humming in the air grew louder, the room darkened, and electricity crackled overhead, sparking in the darkness.

Pain was tearing through their bodies and still they refused to yield to each other.

The warrior clenched his jaw and fixed his malicious gaze on his challenger, letting the hate he felt consume him. Nothingness swept over him, and he grabbed the enemy's blade. The edge slicing through his hand stung for only a moment, the sensation actually quite invigorating.

He now had more leverage and he shoved the challenger away. As he did, a dark shockwave punched through the air with a deafening crack.

It slammed the challenger against one of the pillars. The force of the impact nearly broke it in half before he collapsed to the dark marble floor.

The warrior remained where he was, still poised to continue the battle if his opponent felt so inclined. Blood ran from various wounds and dripped from his hand. The blade had cut clean to the bone, but the pain was a minor consequence to him at the present.

A heavy presence fell over the room, in the wake of one of the trainers who entered seconds later. He paused to watch the challenger push himself to his hands and knees.

He got one foot under himself and tried to push himself all the way up to his feet, but he swayed and returned to one knee. Total muscle failure had been achieved and he was going to need a few moments to recover.

That was when a hand grabbed him by the back of the shirt and jerked him to his feet like he was nothing. The challenger now stood face to face with the trainer, a cold, menacing man whom winged shadows followed.

In fact, if one were paying attention to the darker shadows of the chamber, they might catch a flicker of demonic eyes, or hear an evil cackle or the clicking of talons. The scent of death and sulfur hung heavy in the cold, stagnant air.

This was a training center for Seditionist forces, a place where evil amassed.

The trainer walked across the room and stopped when he was halfway between the two warriors. His eyes studied the winning competitor, standing off to his left with expressionless face and dark glinting eyes.

One of the swords on the floor of the room flew to the trainer’s hand. They used these types of weapons for primary training for two main

reasons: first, if they used lances in the early stages, warriors would likely be chopping off body parts, and that wouldn’t do.

Second, it was one of the many desensitizing exercises the trainees went through. Like a lance, swords sliced through skin, caused pain, drew blood, but wouldn't so easily severe limbs.

The warriors needed to know how to take painful blows and recover quickly enough to continue engaging the enemy. However, by the time they reached the level these two warriors were at, any physical injury, short of losing a limb, was dismissed with a thought.

They were barely aware of pain now. Even when their bodies began to break down, they were only vaguely aware of a minor ache or discomfort.

“You know why you lost?” asked the trainer to the challenger, voice deep and chilling.

It was a rhetorical question and the challenger didn’t answer. Turning, the trainer walked casually towards him. “Because he,” he continued, pointing at the winner of the duel, “does

not hold back his hatred for the enemy. He uses it, focuses it. It’s the Legionnaires fault you suffer this pain at all. If they hadn’t brought the war to us, you wouldn’t have had to train, and we wouldn't have had to make you endure torturous desensitization. But they couldn't just leave us alone, and now, well…”

Sharp talons dug into the challenger's head, and darkness pushed down on his shoulders and clouded his mind. He grunted, hitching a breath against the pain. It only intensified, and he dropped to a knee.

“The next time you meet your enemy in combat,” said the trainer darkly, “understand he’s the real cause for all the trouble. Look at how they traverse the systems, thinking they own the place, thinking they have the right to force their pious ways upon us…”

The warrior on the other side of the room could feel the waves of deep contempt and malice rolling off the trainer. Occasionally he felt pings of sharp pain snap through his head.

He was watching with detached interest when movement in his peripheral drew his gaze. In the darkest corner, he saw a winged shadow looking at him with dark green eyes. Another shadow appeared beside his left shoulder, but he felt no fear or surprise.

The large demon looked at him a second with eerie yellow eyes before gripping his shoulder with a taloned hand.

What felt like thousands of volts of electricity slammed through his entire body. It lasted only a breath and then the dark warrior felt…nothing.

The pain of his wounds had gone, save for a mild ache remaining in his muscles.

The warrior glanced at his arm, where a wound had been. It had closed and healed, leaving a smooth, but black and jagged scar.

Then he met the gaze of the demon. But his expression wasn't one of awe or wonderment; it was like two dangerous and devious characters who'd just struck a sinister deal.

The demon gave him a sneering grin, and a smile tugged at the corners of the warrior's mouth.

He straightened up, though, when he returned his gaze forward and saw the trainer looking at him. If the warrior wasn't mistaken, however, he saw a flicker of satisfaction in the man's eyes.

Then the trainer glared back at the other warrior. He was still on one knee and now had fresh blood dripping from his

nose, compliments of a ferocious headache. "Your comrade fully understands how things work and the

immeasurable benefits of completely allying yourself with the darkness."The trainer gave him a swift kick in the ribs, slamming the warrior to

the floor. "He's a warrior on track to being a commander," growled the man, "to

power and status and to being given the authority to lead vast legions…a warrior that our enemy would fear to confront. And that is what you should be striving for: to war with such a brutal and gruesome reputation that civilians cower in your presence and that Legionnaires themselves would go to great lengths to avoid."

The trainer leaned forward. "But if that's not enough of an incentive for you to do better, then know that next time you fail as badly as you did today…it's the whipping block for you."

The weight on his shoulders vanished, and the warrior stiffly returned to his feet.

“Next time don’t hold back your hate,” said the trainer. “Confiding in and agreeing with darkness is what gives you that extra strength to strike down the enemy. Understand?”

“Yes, sir,” both warriors replied in unison. “Order!” growled the trainer, turning to the other rooms. Immediately the other dueling pairs disengaged from their opponents

and stood at attention. “This combat session is concluded for today. Move to Sector B for

desensitization.”In eerie silence, the warriors turned and exited the chamber.

The trainer allowed himself a smile of satisfaction as he followed after them. This squad had nearly completed the final phases of training and would be ready for deployment soon.

After the initial training groups, the trainers quickly learned the best and quickest method for instructing the warriors: mind techniques and the powers of suggestion in tandem with physical training to demonize the Legionnaire warriors.

It was much easier to slaughter an enemy truly believed to be evil or the scourge of the universe.

As he stepped into the hall, piercing screams mingled with snarls cut through the air.

The trainer closed his eyes a moment, savoring it. Oh the sound of new trainees going through their first round of torture.

He stopped at the balcony that overlooked a vast lobby of the training center. The twisted little smile returned to his lips as his eyes beheld the squads heading out for deployment: hundreds of dark warriors.

Chapter 18

Panicked

"What do you mean you lost her?" growled his supervisor, a dark commander.

"Just that," said one of the two watchers as he sat in a light cruiser, sheltered from the blizzard that raged outside. His other watcher-assassin friend was back in town because someone had to keep tabs on Kiera.

"I followed her as far as the upper pass, and then she just…vanished."The commander, head and torso a holographic image over the helm,

frowned. "You were charged with harassing her," he said. "And you can't do

that if you can't keep track of her. I check in with the general in twelve hours and you better have found her by then. Got it?"

"Clearly.""And I'm sending in a third man to help you and your partner. He

resides in a city on the other side of the planet and should arrive tonight. Don't mess up again."

The image of the commander disappeared, and the assassin silently cursed Cadence. How she could be so elusive was beyond him.

Then again, this was a vast mountain range and she knew it like the back of her hand, because of all the exploring she'd done the past month.

At least now it was almost dark, and he'd be able to use infrared to find her. Of course, the blizzard wouldn't help, but there wasn't anything he could do about that.

He warmed up the engine of the cruiser, deciding the best course of action would be to make a pass over a small military post on the other side of the ridge.

He knew if he didn't find her, then Cadence Shahan would literally be the death of him.

He also wondered, however, what kind of a show his friend was watching right about now as her parents also tried to figure out where she was.

Ω

Matthew and Rebecca were understandably very concerned for Cadence. It wasn't that she didn’t know how to survive in the wilderness. It was because she didn't fully comprehend the danger, the evil that was very likely looking for her.

Upon returning home and finding her gone, Rebecca didn't panic right away. But as the day lengthened and dusk began to chase the day's light behind the western horizon, her anxiety grew quickly. It only got worse when Cadence didn't answer her, aside from the initial, "I'm fine."

She called Matthew and they met over at the training center, where Kiera was out front waiting for them.

Hailey and Tucker were there too. Even though classes had finished for the day, they'd been procrastinating on homework and were hanging out with Kiera.

"I haven't heard from her," said Kiera with a shake of her head, worry on her face. "And I don't know of any place where she might hang out. Then again, I haven't even seen her in a month."

There was an edge in her voice in that last statement, which let her parents know about her displeasure over that fact.

"We ran into her yesterday," piped Hailey, "and she didn't mention she was planning on going anywhere."

Lines of dread marked Rebecca's face as she looked at her husband. Would Cadence actually run away? Her pack and some food were missing, as were a few articles of clothing, her good hiking boots, her armor, and her sword, which was the only real weapon she owned.

That was when a thought both struck Matthew and Rebecca. Are both our lances still at home, she asked him. It's been awhile since I checked where we hid them, he replied. They would definitely have to look into that."Maybe you should talk to that new kid in town," suggested Hailey. "A

boy who moved here a few weeks ago. He has Legionnaire gifts, too, but he's not officially training either."

"We've seen them dueling at the training course," added Tucker.It was reasonable to assume Cadence felt some sense of comradeship

with this kid who none of the others knew. He was a fellow Legionnaire but, like her, wasn't being trained.

"I know his father," said Matthew. "He and his son, Seth, moved here about a month ago. He's a business consultant of some kind. We checked him out at the base, standard procedure. I can call into work and get his number."

He turned and walked to the end of the long front entrance of the training center to make the call.

"Well, you know, maybe Cadence is just out on a hike or something," suggested Hailey feebly. "She's been doing that a lot lately. If something was wrong, we would have heard from her, right?"

"Sorry we're not much help," said Tucker. "But we haven't been able to get anything out of Cadence. We've tried to include her in things, but…you know most of what we do revolves around classes."

Rebecca looked at him appreciatively. "Well, Cadence especially isn't one to talk about what's bothering her, because she's afraid she'll inconvenience other people. She prefers to be alone when she's analyzing something, anyway."

She then glanced at Kiera, who'd gone strangely quiet. Her stern expression was fixed on the ground, mind lost in thought.

"Someone needs to at least go look for her," Kiera said finally, looking up at her mom.

"Where would we start though?" asked Rebecca. "The mountain range is so large and there's a storm brewing up there right now anyway."

Kiera exhaled sharply and placed her hands on her hips. Cadence, where are you, sis?

She missed Cadence terribly and every day she wondered when they'd be back together again. As Cadence felt incomplete with Kiera, Kiera felt partial also, like half of her soul was missing.

That very afternoon she'd asked Commander Ronain when she might be able to go home. He said he would discuss the matter with the other generals and relay their recommendation.

Of course, she was free to leave any time, but she didn't want to do so prematurely and shoot herself in the foot. She trusted their judgment.

Kiera also sensed a shadow on the fringes, stalking Cadence. While no one picked up on an immediate threat, everyone was certain evil was looking at her little sister with interest.

It was apparent to Kiera, however, that no one had felt the need to tell Cadence about this very possibility.

Her expression darkened a little with anger at the thought. That was like sending a squad into a hostile area and failing to tell them, "Oh, by the way, we've called in an airstrike on that location…"

"Well, someone has to do something," stated Kiera sharply. Rebecca gave her a correcting look. Kiera, always the impulsive one, chose action first. When she saw

something she felt needed to be done, she did it right then and there. Things usually worked out in her favor, but she typically discovered during or after the fact, that a little prudent planning would have helped things go smoother.

Rebecca was about to respond when Matthew rejoined them. "According to Seth, he has no idea where Cadence might be. She's never really discussed anything with him."

"So, Cadence has gone missing, has she?" They turned as Eliezer joined them. Matthew and Rebecca shared a

look before Kiera said, "I told him.""I've already sent scouts to check things out," continued Eliezer. "We

have access to satellites, thermal imaging, anything you can think of. Although I wouldn't be all too worried…she'll turn out alright."

Turn out alright?That earned him a sharp look from Matthew. "The way you say that,

general, makes me suspicious that you think something is going to happen."Everyone was aware Eliezer had extremely keen insight and always

seemed to know when something big was going happen before it did. The boy looked at the former commander with patience. "She is a

Shahan, from a long line of great Legionnaire warriors. Plus her abilities make her a target by the enemy, like her sister. So, of course I think something is going to happen."

There was no missing the smile that tugged at his lips or the twinkle in his eyes as he continued, "Besides, the things you now call 'danger' as a

parent, you used to call 'sport' when you were an active duty warrior. Both she and Kiera are destined for great things, so I'm certain Cadence will come home. But as always, she is in the hands of the Almighty. And if the enemy does try and make a move…I only wish I could be there to see the show."

Chapter 19

Show

Dawn came to the high peaks first. The lower ravines and hills were still another hour away from being graced with morning light.

Cadence stepped out of the small cave she'd slept in last night and stretched her arms over her head, taking in a deep breath of crisp air. She'd camped out plenty of times and loved "roughing it," and wasn't picky about where it came to bedding down for the night.

The partly cloudy skies allowed the mountains to see the sun. But clouds still tightly hugged the peaks, hinting at more snow.

After wolfing down a granola bar and chasing it with some water, Cadence once again secured her backpack and continued her trek.

She'd been jogging, and occasionally climbing, for an hour before she crested a steep rise and found herself looking at a small military post. Nestled back in the cave, which served as a hanger, she could see a few light fighters.

Remaining where she was a few minutes, she watched with complete intrigue as a pair of fighters taxied out of the cave.

Being a Legionnaire, Cadence had an interest in anything war-related. Since aircraft were key in battles, she'd taken up a keen fascination with them.

She knew what class these were by appearance, what kind of engine powered them by the deep droning, and what kinds of weapons they could be equipped with. Not only could these types be used for planetary defense, but they had the capabilities for galactic space travel.

The low hum of the engines intensified as the pair taxied onto the narrow clearing. Slowly, they lifted into the air a dozen feet before gliding forward. Once they were airborne and out of the awkwardly shaped plateau, they rocketed into the upper atmosphere and disappeared over the mountains.

Cadence slid down the other side of the short rise and casually walked across the ledge as it widened along the front of the cave. It broadened even more when it reached a clearing that served as a landing pad.

She was passing by the entrance when a soldier working on a fighter glanced up and saw her. He was a bit taken aback that someone would be up in the mountainssomeone other than another soldier, that is.

"Uh…can I help you?" he asked. Cadence stopped and looked at him. While she could be witty and

sometimes a bit outspoken amongst her few friends, she was timid in the presence of strangers.

"Um, I doubt it," she replied. "You lost?""No, sir. I'm just passing by."That was when Cadence spotted a larger fighter deeper in the cave. "That's a Class M bomber, isn't it?" she asked, nodding towards the

craft, "Looks to be a model 32." The soldier glanced over his shoulder at the bomber and then back at

her, "Yeah…"He straightened and took a better look at her, "You know something

about fighters?"Cadence gave a shrug. "A little."The soldier contemplated something a moment before asking, "You

want to help me repair this one?"That brought an instant grin to her face. "Sure.""Come on over then," he said with a jerk of his head. He stepped down

from the ladder he was standing on to access the engine compartment. "Lieutenant O'Brien," he said, extending his greasy hand. Cadence slapped her hand into his. "Cadence." She intentionally didn’t give her last name, just in case someone

around here knew the former Commander Matthew Shahan. These men were regular security soldiers, not Legionnaires, and there

was plenty of tension between the two groups. If they knew what she was, they might throw her off the side of the mountain. Well, perhaps nothing that drastic, but things would definitely become chilly fast.

O'Brien grabbed another ladder for her and pulled it on the opposite side of the fighter.

Dropping her pack, Cadence hopped up and gazed into the engine compartment. O'Brien returned to his initial position.

Taking up a wrench from the kit beside him, he explained, "The problem we're having with this plane is that something is interfering with

the transfer of power, like say, when we switch from main to auxiliary power? Or the switch from primary to secondary shields."

He glanced at her. "What would you do first?"Cadence, studying the inside of the compartment like it held hidden

treasure, replied, "If there isn't any obvious damage, I'd check all the lines that lead from the main power source to the different units, to make sure nothing is torn or disconnected or something."

O'Brien smiled. "Good. I think you were being modest when you said you knew 'a little' about fighters…alright. So I'm going to check these two lines that lead to main power, and I want you to hold the ones here..."

He pointed to the lines he was referring to. "So I can get to the lines I want to look at…"

ΩNot a half mile away was Cadence's shadow, who'd found her heat

signature last night. He'd correctly guessed she'd continue heading southwest in the morning and cross the military post.

Sure enough there she was, getting a lesson on fighter repair. It was perfect.

Lowering the scope he'd removed from his rifle, he turned and hiked the dozen feet to the crest of the ridge, boots punching through the snow. He stopped at the top and looked down into the little valleyat the beast that lay sleeping beneath an outcropping of white.

There were only a few of these creatures left on the planet, most of them killed off. They preferred to hunt in the high passes during blizzards, and yesterday’s storm had drawn this one out. With the likelihood of more snow today, it hadn't returned to the depths of its cave. Instead, it opted to take a nap to wait for more cloud cover.

Taking out one of his knives, he threw it at the beast and nailed it squarely in the flank.

The dragon awoke with a furious growl and its sharp eyes locked onto the watcher. Pushing itself up, its long neck arched and broke through the crest of snow above it.

The beast was at least forty feet long from nose to tail and covered with jagged scales, like the treacherous ridges it resided in. They held a faint ashen hue and reflected the snow and shadows around it, and its limbs were muscled from traversing the steep mountainsides when it wasn't flying. Its hands held massive claws for quick kills and easy dismemberment of prey.

The dragon looked upon the man with its slate colored eyes and bared its teeth in anger at being disturbed. It started for him, but the watcher remained where he was, unalarmed.

In a few massive strides, the dragon reached his position and towered over him.

But the man, a dark warrior, raised his hand, index and middle fingers together. When he pointed at the beast, it wrinkled its nose, as if in pain, and shook its head.

The watcher then looked over his shoulder towards the military post. The dragon unfurled its expansive wings and sounded a terrible

bellow that knifed through the quiet of the morning. With a single thrust of its wings, it was airborne and heading straight for the post.

A twisted smile formed on the watcher's face. Cadence was supposed to be a gifted Legionnaire. If she couldn't

survive a simple encounter with the likes of a dragon, well…then that was that, and there would only be one sister to worry about.

ΩO'Brien had located the problem and was making the repair. During

that time, a few other soldiers stopped by to meet his mysterious wandering assistant.

"Hey, O'Brien, what are the child labor laws on this planet anyway," joked one of his buddies from a neighboring fighter.

O'Brien laughed as he tightened a bracket. "You're just jealous because our visitor here is smarter and better lookin' than you."

That was when they all heard a loud call echo off the mountains, and felt the entire cave shift as something large landed on the roof.

O'Brien and Cadence looked at each other. "What the heck was that?" The cave heaved a second time, so violently it threw several of the

soldiers to the floor. Cadence snatched up her backpack and cautiously crept outside. She

backed out the entrance and was joined hastily by O'Brien. A distance out of the cave they finally saw it.

Both of their jaws dropped a moment before O'Brien whispered, "I didn't know there were dragons here."

"I've lived here my whole life and I didn't either," replied Cadence. The dragon spotted them and took a step towards the edge of the roof

of the cave, claws wrapping around the ledge.

"Dragon!" shouted O'Brien as he and Cadence sprinted back for the cave. "Shut the door!"

Cadence was a half a stride behind and saw the dragon just stepping off the roof and into the yard. O'Brien would have been directly underneath its claws if Cadence hadn't shoved him forward into the cave.

She leapt to the side as the beast stepped down. She already had her sword drawn when she rolled to her feet. The dragon was just stepping with its other front leg and she lobbed the sword at the leg it was supporting itself on.

The back of the wrist had to be one of the only soft areas on its entire body, and the blade sank deep, all the way to the hilt.

The dragon roared in pain. Pulling in its injured hand, it twisted around awkwardly, trying to see where the attack had come from. It nearly jerked itself off the narrow clearing and over the edge.

While it scrambled to sort itself out, the soldiers inside had already hit the switch to shut the door. It slid closed, but only a quarter of the way before grinding to a stop.

Cadence did a quick assessment and saw a strip of metal which had buckled under the dragon's weight. It was wedged into the track the door followed, jamming it.

Heavy weapons fire erupted from within the cave. The shots jerked the beast back a little upon impact, and at first it looked like it might go completely over the edge.

But in the excitement they’d all momentarily forgotten that it could fly. With the help of its wings, it was able to climb back onto flat ground. It had also quickly grown irritated at the rounds that pelted its thickly armored body.

Cadence knew what was coming as she removed her backpack and dug around inside it.

"Someone get the turrets online!" shouted the captain from inside the cave. "And get on the radio and bring the birds home! Soon as someone gets that door closed, call in a strike!"

That was when the dragon fixed its gaze on the soldiers, half-hidden in the doorway. They all watched as it drew in a deep breath, ribcage expanding. Something very bad was about to happen.

It exhaled with a roar, but it wasn't fire it expelled. The blast that came from its jaws rippled towards the entrance of the cave and left a trail of frozen air particles.

It was feet from the entrance when something shot through the air, shattering the orb of frigid breath, and then punching into the sheet of ice

just to the left of the door. It was a Legionnaire lance, sharp edge burning a deep blue.

Cadence slid sideways into view, lance returning to her hand as the dragon drew another breath.

Um, I don't really know what I'm doing, she thought to the heavens as she gazed up at her foe, a little help?

The dragon unleashed another blast of air, right at her. Cringing, Cadence raised her right arm, the one wielding the lance,

across her body to protect herself. She felt the hit, but found she didn't instantly freeze. Lifting her gaze,

she saw the blade was taking the brunt of it, the near-blinding clash sending shards of ice dancing to the ground.

But the impact was incredible and drove her down to one knee. Inside, the soldiers were still grasping with the fact that she was…a

Legionnaire, and…she was out there fighting a dragon to help them defend their post. Them, a bunch of regular soldier types, grunts.

"Why aren't those turrets online yet?" barked the captain.Outside, Cadence shook her head against the pain that began to rip

up her arm. Dear God Almighty!A low hum filled the air and Cadence felt the force pushing against

her be cut off. When she raised her eyes, she watched as frosty light wrapped around the blade, starting at the hilt and roaring up to the tip like flames.

Move now.Pushing herself to her feet, Cadence gave a single swing of the lance

before leveling it decisively at the dragon, as if she was going to throw it at him.

There was a brilliant flash of light and the beast was struck dead in the chest by what seemed to be its own blow. The scales around the immediate area of the strike frosted and crackled.

A bit dazed, it shook its head and clawed at the wound before the drone of turrets came from overhead and drilled it. The impact of the rapid, heavy rounds pushed the beast backwards several feet, towards the ledge again.

This was more taxing than Cadence thought it would be, and she was breathing hard as she spun and sprinted back to the door. Bringing the lance up, she cut through the buckled metal ledge in one fluid movement.

Shut the door now, she thought to O'Brien. The soldier started when he heard her voice in his head. Oh, uh, right.

"Okay! Door is clear!" he shouted to the soldier nearest the main switch.

A second later the heavy door continued to slide closed. Back outside, Cadence cringed as the dragon whipped its long tail

around and destroyed the small bunker atop the cave housing the turrets. She sprinted out from under the ledge of the doorway as large chunks of debris rained down from above.

It was difficult to see through the dust and snow, but Cadence sensed the strike before it came. She threw herself forward, out of the way of the dragon as it swiped at her.

When she hit the ground, she twisted around so she was sliding across the ice on her back. With a quick swing, she cut the dragon deeply across the hand as it reached for her. It snarled in pain and retreated, but only for a few seconds.

She slammed to a stop against the wall of ice running a short distance from the cave door. Cadence stayed where she was a second, still panting.

"Everyone below!" shouted the captain. "The birds are coming in low and fast!"

"But, sir!" called O'Brien. "Cadence is still out there!"The gap between the wall and closing door was slowly shrinking, and

he could see her through it. "Everyone below," said the captain sternly. "That's an order.""Come on," said one of O'Brien's comrades, giving him a slap. The soldier glanced back to see Cadence pushing herself slowly to her

feet. Who was this stranger, he wondered, who appeared out of nowhere,

who didn't know him or his unit and was yet was sacrificing herself for them all? And this wasn't a Legionnaire commander…she was just a kid.

"Cadence!" She looked at him, but there was no way she could reach the door in

time. They'd called in an airstrike and the fighters were on approach this very moment. He didn't know what to do.

It's okay, she thought to him with lance in hand. In the last few seconds O'Brien saw Cadence turn and sprint away,

just ducking under the claws of the dragon. Then the door closed and latched shut.

As for Cadence, all she knew was that she had to try to put some distance between herself and the dragon as fast as possible.

Yeeeah, she thought as she raced up and along the path she'd come in on, no idea how I'm going to do that.

The trail fell and cut sharply behind a small ridgeback. Cadence had just disappeared around it when a blast of the dragon's frigid breath struck the rocks. They froze solid and then broke into chunks and tumbled into the ravine.

She heard the roar of the fighters coming in behind as the path shot up steeply along a bare, snow-covered ridge. That’s when she heard another sound, deep, reverberating…

Cadence shot a look over her shoulder and then turned and pushed her legs faster. The dragon had taken flight with a pair of fighters coming fast.

She reached the other side of the ridge as it dropped back down. It was actually more like a cliff, with a broad rock outcropping thirty feet blow.

But there was no time to think twice because staying up on the open ridge was suicide. Throwing herself off the side was only slightly less so.

Cadence couldn't have jumped any later because the fighters drilled the dragon with a pair of rockets. When they struck, it sent the beast slamming into the top of the ridge, where she'd just been.

Snow and rocks followed her uncomfortable descent. The last ten feet was a straight drop and Cadence landed on her side on the unforgiving rocks. She didn't even have time to take a single breath though and scrambled to her feet. She sprinted along a narrow path that hugged the rock face seconds before the dragon landed on the outcropping.

Its sheer weight and the force of the impact crumbled half of the shelf. Wounded and bleeding pale blue blood, it clung to the mountainside with large claws.

But the beast had lost none of its fury, and it bellowed angrily at the pair of fighters as they shot over the ridge and into the ravine. It then turned its gaze to Cadence.

Her ledge had narrowed thirty feet along the ridge before completely disappearing. The wall on her left was a sheer rock wall, coated in ice. Below her was…a really far drop. She could see enough through the lower layer of clouds to know there weren't any shelves for a long while.

Cadence knew the fighters would be coming around swiftly and that the dragon's current position was perfect for a kill shot. The thunder of the engines echoed across the mountains as the dragon started for her.

You're going to have to jump, Cadence.As she watched the dragon right itself, she tried to place the voice.

She knew that voice. Who was that?

She suddenly threw herself back against the rock wall, making herself smaller as the dragon tried to hit her with another blast of icy air. It struck half a dozen feet from her, and blew rocks and ice across her face.

Seeing that hadn't worked, the dragon swatted at her. Claws cutting right through the rock, it made the ledge she was standing on heave.

It threw Cadence off balance and the ground crumbled out from under her. She started to fall, but managed to grab what was left of a small section of the ledge.

Hanging there, she met the chilling gaze of the dragon, and the beast knew it had her. For a second fear washed over her…before it was replaced with stubborn determination. Cadence glared back at the beast in defiance.

As she swung her legs up onto the ledge the dragon lunged for her. The crack from a high powered rifle echoed off the ridges. The round

nailed the dragon in its wounded side, throwing off its attack. Growling in pain and anger, the beast pushed itself up and unfurled

its wings. It was an attempt of final intimidation of its prey. But it didn't work. On her feet before this enemy that towered over her, Cadence was

aware of a familiar heat flaring to life in her chest. "Come on," she growled, glaring at the dragon and engaging the

lance. The heat intensified and roared through her arms and into her hands.

She saw the fighters approaching and watched as the dragon pulled in a deep breath.

That's when the idea came. As if on cue, another shot cracked over the mountains. This time the

round stuck the dragon in the left eye, blinding it. Now Cadence had a few extra seconds.

A chunk of ice by her boot flew to her left hand. The instant it touched her palm, it sizzled and smoked. Seconds later it became a flame. Drawing the blade of the lance through it, the entire edge ignited and crackled with fire.

Cadence, you need to jump now.The dragon drew a deep breath…The fighter in the lead fired another missile…Cadence threw herself sideways off the side of the mountain not half a

second before everything collided.Twisting around, she saw the dragon turn in time to destroy one of

the rockets with a sharp breath. The second struck the outcropping itself, explosion sending rocks, ice and fire…and the dragon falling after her.

She wasn't concerned about the fact she was freefalling and that her landing wouldn't come for at least a thousand feet. All she was thinking was, this strike had better hit its mark.

The dragon had straightened itself out when it spotted Cadence. The instant it looked at her, she threw the lance with everything she had.

The beast never saw it coming as it cupped its wings to pursue her. The blade of the lance was still hot with fire and cut through the dragon's chest like butter.

The dragon jerked at the impact as a small wave of blue flame rippled out from the lance. That was when the fighters hit the beast a third time, rockets striking him dead center, like a one-two punch.

Now all Cadence had to worry about was the massive chunks of debris dropping towards her, which included the dragon's body. Oh, and the fact she was still falling.

The ridges were drawing together, forming a narrow ravine around her. If she somehow survived the impact, it was going to be a really rough landing.

Jagged ledges and outcroppings were getting uncomfortably close when something hit her from the side with incredible force.

She went tumbling hard across a large and unforgiving shelf. A wall abruptly stopped her progress.

Wind knocked out of her, she knew she wasn't out of trouble yet as the first boulder flew past the shelf and smashed into the ravine below. Another followed seconds later, then another one, this time closer.

Someone grabbed her by the back of her torn coat and yanked her to her feet. Cadence didn't take the time to see who it was as they sprinted along the shelf, which was difficult to do when she could still barely pull air into her lungs.

They raced along the shale shelves, making for the bend in the ridge. A large chunk of ice struck a few dozen feet above them, breaking

apart and throwing ice, dirt and more rocks at them. They were both thinking the same thing as they jumped off the shelf

they were on. The rocks passed behind them, demolishing the ledge they'd just leapt from.

Her unknown friend grabbed Cadence and pulled her into him. Then he twisted around and took the brunt of the landing when they hit the next ledge.

She heard him grunt with the impact. Hastily, she rolled to her feet and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him up.

By now, the body of the dragon had nearly reached them. It slammed against the side of the ridge behind them, loosening more debris.

They both scrambled towards the alcove created by a small shelf as the first, smaller stones pelted them. Diving under what little outcropping there was, they made themselves as small as possible.

The dragon's body just missed their ledge, though his tail did take out a chunk in the center of the landing.

Cadence suddenly scrambled and threw herself forward. Sliding on her stomach towards the edge of the ledge, she reached for the beast as it continued to crash down the ravine. Oh please, oh please, she thought.

A few seconds passed…before the lance shot to her hand. Silence settled over the mountains again. The excitement finally over,

Cadence rolled onto her back and panted to finally catch her breath. She heard boots come to a stop beside her and Cadence pushed

herself into a sitting position. She looked up at her comrade and froze, eyes widening with fear.

It wasn't just any Legionnaire…it was General Nathan Chad. He was already tall and imposing, and the fact she was sitting and he

was standing made her feel even smaller. He gazed down at her with sullenness and Cadence shrank back a little, already feeling chided.

"Well," said a voice off Chad's left shoulder, "that's one way to get down a mountain!"

Cadence looked over to see a man standing on a shelf a couple feet above theirs, rifle slung over his shoulder.

"Aye!" agreed another who stood behind the general. "I haven't seen a show like that in years!"

"It should win an award or something!" chimed a third man, behind Cadence.

They were all Legionnaires but didn't seem to be part of a regular regiment. They had more of an independent way about them, the way they were dressed and the way they talked. They were all good spirited, with light dancing in their eyes. She liked them instantly.

"I'm just glad I got this lance back," said Cadence, pushing herself stiffly to her feet and grimacing a bit as she looked at the Legionnaire on her right. "My dad would have killed me if anything had happened to it."

The three scouts shared a good laugh. Cadence mustered up enough courage to shoot a quick glance at

Chad. At her words, she saw him close his eyes a moment and shake his

head as the smallest smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Chapter 20

Consequences

They approached the vast main square of the academy, where her parents were waiting.

It was only another ten minutes from the center to their house. But apparently Matthew and Rebecca wouldn't have been able to stand waiting those extra minutes.

On the way back to town, Cadence had resigned herself to the fact her life was pretty much over. She would probably be sentenced to isolation in a cell until she was old, like twenty or something.

The three scouts had tried to lighten her mood by joking and bantering. She was a Legionnaire after all, and warriors were designed and destined for dangerous action and adventure. Everyone gets into a little unplanned trouble every now and then, anyway.

It would have worked tooif it hadn't been for Chad. A grim expression had settled and remained firmly planted on his face the entire trek home. Cadence had followed in silence.

There had always been something about this general she'd been drawn to, she'd deeply admired. Not only acceptance but approval by him carried a significant weight with her.

Now it looked like she'd disappointed him. And what made matters worse was…he'd had to risk his life to get her out of danger.

Cadence mulled this over the entire trip back to the square. When she saw her parents, her stride faltered a little.

Great, she thought as she forced herself forward, I'm dead. I am so dead.

Rebecca crossed the final few feet between them and threw her arms around her daughter.

"Mom, careful," gasped Cadence at her mom's death grip.Arms on her shoulders, her mom jerked back, almost frantic as she

looked her over. Her youngest's face was scraped and covered with dirt, clothes torn in a few places.

"What?" she asked. "Are you hurt?""No," smiled Cadence weakly. "Just bruised." Taking a breath, she hesitantly looked over at her father.

Lines of seriousness were set on his hardened face as he returned her gaze. He then pulled her in, hand resting against the side of her head as he held her tightly.

Cadence hadn't been aware of just how much fear he'd been in; even now she could sense how strong it still was.

What she couldn't see was the way Matthew and General Chad, standing off to the side, were looking at one another. They shared a few silent words before the general gave a slight nod of his head, as if to say 'you're welcome.'

Cadence stepped away, shoulders hunched a little as she slouched before her parents. She couldn't bring herself to look at them as she feebly said, "I just want to say, in my defense, that…"

Her statement trailed off when someone approaching from the center drew her attention. For a moment she forgot to breathe. It was Kiera! It might have only been a month since she'd seen her sister, but it might as well have been an eternity.

Cadence wasn't an emotional person, but when she saw Kiera, her throat tightened and her heart leapt. It was like finding the other half of her soul again.

They walked briskly towards each other. Unable to stand it any longer, Cadence ran the last few strides, and they threw their arms around each other.

I've missed you so much, little sis, thought Kiera to Cadence as they stepped away, hands on one another's shoulders.

They wouldn't let me come see you, replied Cadence. Well, I'll be home soon…Chad watched intently the reaction of both the sisters and the sheer

elation of just seeing one another again. He hadn't realized just how deep their bond was.

As they slung an arm over each other's shoulders and started back towards their parents, Kiera thought, And the next time you think about going on another crazy adventure…you'd better come get me first!

That made Cadence laugh for the first time in a long time. Wouldn't dream of going anywhere without you, sis.

"I wish you could have been there," one of the scout's was saying, in an attempt to lessen Cadence's impending punishment. "I haven't seen anything like that from a young warrior in a long time."

"Aye!" agreed his comrade. "Wish we coulda gotten some footage of it!"

"Do I even want to know the details?" asked Matthew as Cadence and Kiera rejoined them.

Cadence cringed and took a breath to answer when they heard the approach of a helicopter. It appeared thirty seconds later, a military chopper. It drifted over the trees and hovered over the square a second before landing.

Oh great, thought Cadence, now what'd I do?She recognized the captain from the military post when he exited the

chopper. He was followed by two other soldiers, one she didn’t know the name of and the second was O'Brien. There was an excited light in his eyes as he gave her the smallest nod.

All Cadence could do was manage a nervous smile as they approached.

"Pardon the interruption," said the captain gruffly as he tromped to a stop before the group. "But we wanted to return something of Cadence's."

Glancing over his shoulder, he gave a jerk of his head at O'Brien. The soldier walked to Cadence and took a knee in front of her. Then,

breaking into a grin, he handed her, her backpack. "Thought you might want this back, little wanderer."

"It's no secret that relations between us and you Legionnaires are frosty," said the captain before he gave a nod at Cadence. "But seeing a young warrior take on the likes of a dragon to defend our post and my men, well…reminds me that we are on the same side."

A number of students, drawn to the sound of a chopper, had snuck outside and edged closer to hear what was going on. When they heard the word "dragon," that got them whispering.

Cadence hadn't noticed them until then and when she saw all the eyes on her, she went stiff with terror.

Kiera knew her little sister hated lots of attention and found it extremely uncomfortable.

She was a half step behind her left shoulder and subtly took her hand. You're fine, sis, I've got your back. Don't worry.

"…and if she hadn't cleared that jam so we could close the door," the captain was explaining, "Things would have turned out very differently."

He looked over at Cadence. "You're going to have quite the career ahead of you, if you're already slaying dragons."

Forget whispering; now the kids were chattering full volume. "Uh, well no, I just did a little fighting," Cadence stuttered, trying to

explain. 'I didn't kill it…"

"Actually, you did," replied all three scouts in unison, at the right edge of the group.

"Your lance went right through its heart," said Chad, speaking for the first time.

"My pilots confirmed it," nodded the captain. "They told me the moment your weapon struck, it killed it. My men gave it a pair of rockets to follow up, just in case."

"It was one of the craziest things I've seen," said one of the scouts, rather excited. "She’s falling through the air with this dragon coming, then she throws the lance, blade on fire and then…"

He noticed everyone staring at him and he stopped, dropping his head a moment and clearing his throat. But he snuck Cadence a wink, and she smiled.

"Alright, enough socializing," said the captain. "We’ve got repairs to finish."

"Cadence," said O'Brien as he pushed himself to his feet. "It's been an honor."

She managed to get her brain working again. Squaring her shoulders a little she replied, "Likewise, lieutenant."

Then they saluted each other, and the three men returned to the chopper. After it had taken off and disappeared from sight and sound, Chad gazed across the square at the students.

"Shouldn't you all be in class?" he asked, voice thundering over their chatter.

Caught, they froze a second, and then turned and quickly returned inside the center.

The three scouts gave Cadence a slap on the back. "We've got to head out, but it's been fun," said their leader with a

grin. "We should get together again sometime."Cadence managed a faint smile. While she may have been a bit of a

terror with her sister or when hanging out with Hailey and Tucker, she was still shy around large groups, particularly adults. The confidence she exuberated while climbing dangerous mountain cliffs by herself was replaced with timidness in the presence of others.

"Sure," she replied, "just minus the dragon."That made the three men laugh, and they walked off across the

square, making for the woods. Cadence glanced around for Chad. She found him walking up the

steps of the training center. He did not turn around or even look at her, and her heart sank even more.

"Hey, the vendors will be here next week," chimed Kiera, "and I should be coming home around that time. We can celebrate."

She put her arm over her younger sister's shoulders and grinned at their parents. "Assuming you're off restriction by then."

Cadence sighed and dug her hand into a large pocket on the side of her leg.

"I just want to say," she began again, "I did not plan on any of this happening. I was fine until this morning and didn't go looking for trouble or…for dragons to provoke."

She took a breath, as if to brace herself. She then pulled out…her father's lance and handed it to him.

Kiera just about busted out laughing at her sister's gutsiness, and at her well-conceived preparations for her hiking adventure. But she knew that might get herself into trouble. Instead, she bit her lip, though was unable to hide the smile pulling very hard at her mouth.

"Well, uh," said Cadence after a breath, and chancing a look at her dad. "I couldn't have done without it?"

Kiera blew through her lips and had to turn away, laughing silently. She gave her sister a slap on the back, as if to say 'good one.'

But Matthew did not smile, and his lips drew into a line as he raised an eyebrow.

Yup, thought Cadence, dropping her head in defeat, I am still in so much trouble.

Ω"What exactly were you thinking? We're supposed to watch the

sisters, not try to get them killed! They're potential high-value assets and we'll lose that if you get them incinerated, or…instantly frozen."

The watcher who'd followed Cadence, and provoked the dragon, just shrugged. After they'd arrived back to town, he’d returned to the apartment he was sharing with the second watcher.

Technically, they were assassins, but the first phase leading to an actual killing was watching, so…here they were.

The third assassin had arrived last night, and presently he leaned against the large arched doorway leading into the little kitchen. Arms folded, he watched in silence at the exchange with a particularly dark gleam in his eyes.

"Look," said Cadence's watcher, "I figured if she was as big a deal as the boss let on, then a dragon wouldn't be a problem for her."

His older companion pinched the bridge of his nose, "But they haven't received proper instruction. They know some things, but not enough to adequately face a variety of foes. That's why…"

He shook his head, growling in frustration. He turned sharply and took a few steps towards the doors that led to the balcony.

"The boss was not happy about the situation," he continued. "He's concerned over the fact you can't follow orders."

Cadence's watcher opened his mouth to reply, but all that came out was a faint grunt.

His comrade turned to see his body collapse to the floor. Behind him stood the newest arrival who was lowering his suppressed firearm.

He wore no particular expression as he said, "Boss's orders.""We can't afford having soldiers going rogue," nodded the other,

walking to the body. "Not here, not now. We'll only risk detection.""And soon we'll finally advance to the next phase against the sisters."They held one another's sinisterly dark gazes a moment longer, before

down at their fallen member. Now: to dispose of the body.

Chapter 21

Murder

It was cold, as space usually is. But it wasn’t the type of cold that came with winter. It was the kind that came from nothingness, from darkness.

This was the sort of cold he found familiar, calming—but not comforting. Comfort was linked to emotions like contentment, happiness, and compassion. In turn, compassion was connected to love. Love and compassion made one weak because it clouded one's mind and twisted judgment.

He knew none of those things, felt none of them. Like the cold expanse of space, his very being, his soul, was void, hollow.

However, just like he felt no love or compassion, he also felt neither anger nor hate.

While many of his comrades chose to latch onto such dark emotions, he instead opted for control and composure. It had not been an easy skill to master, and it had taken many long hours of training before he finally reached the point of control.

The fighter slid through the upper atmosphere of Planet Verga. Slowing as he approached the city, he could see the dome of the Hall of Council glinting in the night lights of nearby buildings.

He set the fighter down on a pad across the street and climbed out. The night air was warm and humid, with a barely discernible breeze

that flicked a leaf or two in the trees creating the median in the road. It was late enough that the citizens who'd kicked back at the bar after

work were heading home, but early enough where the "kids," who didn't have a job or any sense of a sleep pattern, were just arriving on the scene.

"I have another assignment for you," his boss had told him yesterday. "I want you to kill the assistant of the two ambassadors on Verga."

When it came to Seditionist warlords, there was no need to speak in code or be subtle about business. Everyone already suspected you were always up to something sinister, so why not just come right out and say it?

His boss hadn't needed to explain the reasons for the hit. His target had spoken with Legionnaires and proved he would be of no further use. He was to be removed so another could replace him, another person who would be more…willing to work with them, more easily manipulated.

He reached the Hall of Council, walking through the shadows of the dome in complete silence. All the doors would have been locked for the evening, if so many clerks hadn’t been working so late.

He walked through the two front glass doors and was instantly greeted by a burst of cold, stale air.

In the middle of the vast lobby sat the receptionist behind her horse-shoe shaped desk. She was busy doing something mindless on a holographic computer to waste time.

She was a fine, elegant and noble looking young woman, as were nearly all the females on this planet. Her wavy brown hair, which easily reached her lower back, was clipped out of her face.

At his approach, her clear hazel eyes lifted to him. “Can I help you, sir?” she asked in a smooth voice.“I have a late appointment with Mr. Coleman,” he replied. She ran her delicate fingers across one of the many tilted screens that

lined the desk surface. “I’m sorry,” she said, “but there’s nothing in the system. The earliest

appoint Mr. Coleman has is day after tomorrow.” “I called earlier,” he said, giving a disarming smile, “you just forgot to

enter it into the computer.”A perplexed look crossed the receptionist’s face. “Oh, that’s right. You

called earlier. I just forgot to enter it into the system. I apologize.”

“How do I find his office?”“Second floor, office number 241.”“Thank you.”He turned and headed for one of the lifts that would take him to the

second floor. The young woman was beautiful in body, but unfortunately weak in

mind. It didn’t matter if he was seen by her. To her eyes, he was a middle-aged balding man with glasses.

Of course, that’s what she saw. It was what he wanted her to see.

ΩColeman, assistant to the deceased ambassadors Domell and Angra,

was working late again. It was little wonder he hadn’t had a girlfriend since he’d taken this job a year and a half ago.

It was still weeks before new ambassadors would be appointed, and until then it was up to him to continue with any foreign negotiations—a responsibility he could do without.

If anything went majorly wrong, the higher-ups would have his head and the general public would filet the rest of him.

Coleman sat at his desk and swiveled around to look out the large windows. The sun had set hours ago and the city glowed before him. He was lost in thought a long moment when a noise drew his attention.

Glancing over his shoulder, he studied the office, mostly dark. He returned to his thoughts, letting his mind wander. But after a couple more minutes he swiveled around to his desk again. Back to work.

He activated a holographic screen on his desk, forcing his brain to focus on the brief he was supposed to prep for the meeting tomorrow. Waiting for the system to boot, Coleman rubbed his hands together. Why was it suddenly so cold?

He stood and walked across the office to check the thermostat. It was almost completely dark, but he’d memorized where all the furniture was.

From his position at the desk there were two long couches, one on the left, other on the right. A fine glass coffee table crafted on Addon in the Jutland System sat between the couches. There were a few long chairs around the room, but nothing else was immediately in the way.

The temperature was still set where he usually had it, at seventy-two. He increased it a few degrees.

Coleman turned back around and stopped.

The only light in the office was from the holographic transmitter at the corner of his desk. Though he couldn’t see anything in the darker shadows, he felt like he was being watched.

Or maybe he was just being paranoid. He’d been working almost non-stop and was exhausted. It was making him edgy.

Coleman returned to his desk, mind skipping through the rumors spreading across the planets. Over the past few months, there had been whispers of a shadow falling over the systems. A sinister threat was gathering.

But it was all nonsense, Coleman told himself. The age of the evil warlords was history; Good had conquered evil, Legionnaires the Seditionists and that was all done with.

Twenty minutes later Coleman was halfway finished with his brief when the power began glitching. The screen before him flickered once, then died, leaving him sitting in darkness.

He sighed and grabbed a flashlight from the desk drawer. He fumbled with it, cursing himself. He couldn’t find the dumb button to turn it on. That was when light behind him flickered, and he turned.

Sections of the city began blinking out and falling into total darkness. A chill washed down Coleman’s spin and a fine sweat broke out on his

forehead. According to intelligence reports, which he’d hacked, this was how it happened on other planets. They were under attack!

Coleman finally found the button and turned on the flashlight, the beam bright against the darkness. The rest of the city went dark and everything became deathly silent.

All Coleman could hear was his ragged breathing as he braced himself for the first bombardment.

Seconds ticked away. Nothing happened. The lights blinked back on. After a couple seconds more, Coleman sighed with relief. It must have

just been a glitch in the main power supply. He remembered reading that crews were updating the station.

Now he felt like a complete idiot. Coleman grabbed his briefcase. He might as well as go home since the

holographic display wasn’t powering up again. It had probably shorted-circuited or something.

As he quickly cleaned off his desk for the night, he mentally went through what he was going to do once he got home: take a shower, eat, and maybe read a little before going to bed. Not that the routine varied from any other night in the past year.

After a couple minutes, Coleman was ready to go and definitely ready for a break.

He grabbed his briefcase and started for the door. He figured he could probably ask for a few days off. Sheesh, he worked more than the ambassadors themselves.

Not that that little fact was a big surprise, but that’s how it was. The little men behind the scenes were the ones who really ran the show, and then the high-and-mighties in the spotlight put on a good performance.

Coleman gasped as something grabbed and slammed him against the wall and held him there. He flailed around in front of him, but all he felt was air.

Pain pinged up his left arm before he felt pressure in his chest. He could feel his heart palpitating and feel an ugly headache gnawing at his forehead as he began to lose consciousness.

Seconds before passing out, Coleman saw a shadow in front of the door, a shadow darker than darkness itself. And then he remembered nothing more.

His body was taken and dropped in the chair before he slumped forward onto the desk. His briefcase settled onto the desk and opened, several of its items placed onto the desk.

All this the dark assassin did without lifting a finger. When Coleman’s body was found, it would look like he was getting

ready to leave for the evening when he had a heart attack. To die so young and healthy was such a pity.

Chapter 22

Shortcomings

It was a little before daybreak when Cadence moseyed down the vast hallway, long blonde hair a bit of a mess atop her head.

With a massive yawn, she walked into the kitchen and nearly got run over by Matthew as he charged for the entryway.

They both startled each other and jumped. "Whoa, sorry, Cadence," said Matthew, slipping past her, "didn't see

you."Cadence looked around. "Where's mom?""She left already. We'll probably be home late. We have a meeting

with Legionnaire Council about Kiera after work."

"Oh, great," she replied flatly. Matthew jumped into his boots, grabbed his coat and practically ran

through the front door. As it shut behind him, Cadence gave a little wave. "Okay, bye," she mouthed, before sighing and walking into the

kitchen. Three days into her restriction and things were already back the way

they used to be. Her parents worked long hours, pretended like she didn’t exist and wouldn't tell her anything about Kiera.

But she tried not to think about and threw a bowl of cereal together before padding back to her room.

She'd always liked her room, with its tall vaulted ceiling and large windows lining the entire far wall. They gave her a nice view of the forest and then the mountain peaks in the distance.

Her parents had restricted her freedoms for a week, which was honestly quite fair. The level of worry she'd caused her parents had toned down her restlessness a little.

But only a little. By the second day, she was feeling the itch to explore the northern passes of the mountains. What saved her from going insane was the project she was working on. She'd been inspired when she'd visited the hanger at the mountain post.

Cadence walked to her desk, centered before the windows with several tables lined off to the right for added surface space. After rummaging around the various projects, she found the clicker device.

A small holographic projector settled itself on top of her dresser and turned on. The newest project Cadence had been working on was displayed before her.

It was design plans for a completely new light fighter.Science and math were her favorite classes in school, and any story

writing they did in literature. She was always working on a project, hence the crowded tables beside her desk.

Cadence never did anything halfway, and when she was inspired to do something, she went all out, did research and drew up schematics for everything.

That's what she'd done with her new jet, which she'd completed just last night when she couldn't sleep.

Apparently, insomnia was the new norm for her. Last night she'd managed a straight three hours before waking wide-eyed and ready to go.

She remained standing in a single spot, eating her breakfast without tasting it as she reviewed the data before her. Her eyes flitted to the

rotating image of the completed fighter, all sleek and stealth, and she set her bowl on the desk without looking.

"Computer, on."Her computer, which could operate pretty much any electronic device

in her room, came online. "Good morning, Cadence. Another late night?" asked a male voice. "Curb your curiosity," she answered. "Run a full comparison

diagnostic of my fighter against all other light fighters, Class B. Display results through the projector."

"Right away."Cadence didn't realize how much time had passed when she heard the

door to her room open. She nearly jumped out of her skin. "Sheesh, guys," she said, placing her hand over her heart as Tucker

and Hailey walked over to her. "Sorry," smiled Hailey. "We knocked on the front door but didn't hear

an answer.""Don't worry about it.""Whoa," said Tucker. Cadence glanced at him, then followed his gaze to her cluttered desk.

"Oh, sorry about the mess.""No, we're used to it," he answered with a grin. "You should see our

dad's office, or 'lab' as he calls it. He's always working on something.""Cadence…"She and Tucker looked at Hailey as she stepped into the middle of all

the data projections, images and information. Hailey pointed at the sleek stealth fighter then looked at her. "Did…is

this yours?""Uhmm, yes?" confessed Cadence hesitantly, "I got the idea after

visiting that outpost in the mountains. Been working on it nonstop the past three days."

Hailey's jaw dropped. "You did all this in three days?""Uhh…yeah," admitted Cadence again, before turning to her desk,

eyes sifting through all the stuff. "I have a mock-up model somewhere…"She found it and the fighter, six inches long and three and a half wide,

lifted from a table and drifted through the air. As the craft hovered between them, Cadence breezed through the

basics. "I had to do a lot of research on materials, power systems and all that before actually turning the idea into anything tangible. The fuselage is made of a new durable alloy, stronger than anything else out there. The weight just right, and the fighter doesn't get easily jostled, but allows for

efficient speed and maneuverability. With the engine I picked for it, it has good torque. Three small turret ports on the front of both wings, plus a single one under the nose in the event other weapons fail so you can 'point and shoot.'"

She clasped her hands behind her back. "It has a hyperspace drive and a slightly higher-than-average payload capacity for a light fighter. You can carry a bunker buster if you need to. Standard, high efficiency target tracking, it can lock onto targets behind you, drop mines, et cetera. In theory, it can go toe-to-toe with any other light fighter, despite the class type, and win. Plus it's built for stealth and has the necessary cloaking systems so you can sneak right up on the enemy's backside."

When Cadence looked back at Tucker and Hailey, they were gawking. Finally Hailey asked, "You drew up all the schematics for this?"

Cadence nodded. "And as soon as…""Comparison diagnostic is complete. Results being sent to the

projector now.""Your computer talks?" asked Tucker. "Yeah, another project of mine," replied Cadence. On the large wall her bed was nestled against, images and stats of the

currently used light fighters appeared in row. Hers appeared centered above them.

"Computer, highlight the traits that have higher ratings than my fighter," said Cadence, "in red, please."

"One moment…""I wish my computer talked," said Tucker. Cadence smiled. "Yeah, but it can get a little cocky sometimes…"Two traits appeared in red and Cadence enlarged them. Stepping

forward, she folded one arm across her chest and set her other elbow on it as she rubbed her chin.

"You should present this to the city council," said Hailey enthusiastically.

Cadence actually laughed. "Yeah, right.""No, seriously," pressed Hailey, "you should."She whapped her brother on the arm and gave him a look that said,

'well, reason with the girl!'"Our dad is on the council," said Tucker, shooting Hailey a corrective

look for slapping him. "And I know he'd be totally floored if he saw this. Then he could introduce you to the council."

Cadence half-turned and looked at them. "You're serious about this, aren't you?"

"Yes!" they both answered, almost exasperated.She gave a timid nod. "Okay, sure."The fighter floated from Hailey and Tucker and gently settled back on

her desk. Silence fell over them. Brother and sister could tell Cadence was

doing her best act like everything was normal, though there was sullenness about her. She was likely still trying to figure out the changes happening with Kiera, and what confidence she did have appeared to have been shattered.

Surely they'll let you train now, Tucker thought to her, you've proved you can take care of yourself.

"But I didn’t really know what I was doing," replied Cadence, looking at them, "and what's worse is I could have gotten people kil…"

She cut off her sentence and glanced away a second. When she did look back at Hailey, her friend caught just a flash of anger, and then sadness in her expression before it disappeared again.

And my parents and I haven't even really talked about what happened. It's still like I don't even exist, thought Cadence flatly to her friend.

Then she shrugged and waved them off, "It's nothing. It'll be fine, guys."

If you really need someone, we're here, replied Hailey, don't isolate yourself.

She sensed a flare of anger in Cadence and she sighed at her stubbornness. Just like her sister, Hailey thought to herself.

"We'll mention your fighter to our dad," said Tucker, knowing it was time to leave, "and then set something up."

"Sounds good."Hailey led the way out of the room but Tucker stopped in the

doorway. Hey, Cadence…She looked over at him. The next time you're going to go about slaying dragons…I want a

piece of the action, too.A moment passed before a smile slowly made its way onto her face.

She touched her index and middle finger to her forehead in a salute of acknowledgment.

Tucker returned it and disappeared down the hall.Cadence turned her attention back to the schematics and the two

highlighted areas. Before she presented anything to anyone, she'd need to make some adjustments in those areas to…

She dropped her head a moment and rubbed her forehead, which had been aching ever since she’d returned from her little adventure. Cadence had been doing alright ignoring the fact she was being ignored by her parents. But then the dragon topic was brought up by Tucker and…

It was true. Matthew and Rebecca hadn't asked a single question about what had happened. She'd helped defend a military post against a beast set on killing them all. Didn't that mean something? If anything, she sensed her parents fear was worse, stronger than before.

Why doesn't anyone just tell me what's going on, she growled, glaring out the windows, I didn't mean to scare them like that, and it's not like I planned to get into trouble.

Cadence turned her gaze, darker now, to the sky. I know they're my parents, but they're completely ignoring the issue. Kiera told me she's been allowed to sit on classes now and has been sparring with the students regularly, getting more instruction. Why does my training have to be such a big deal?

Her anger was building now, heart beginning to thunder in her chest. The ache in her head was pounding, growing worse in her rage.

It's just like Seth said, and they're not dealing with what happened and thus aren't dealing with me. If I disappeared they'd probably secretly be relieved, not having to put up with me and any more of my stupid antics…

Cadence didn't notice the lights in her room had begun to flicker or that the cereal bowl was beginning to vibrate.

I just want someone to tell me what's going on. What do I have to do to get my parents attention? Kill another dragon? Destroy a Seditionist warship? And that's it right there, isn't it…

Fury slammed through her, flooding through her veins as her fingers clenched into fists.

"Am I not good enough?!" she shouted. The bowl shattered into a hundred pieces, falling onto the chair and

floor. The sound of breaking glass broke Cadence from her darker thoughts.

When she saw the shards, and what little milk had been left in the bowl dripping onto the floor, she blinked.

Had she just done that? After a few breaths, she sighed. Whatever.Cadence quickly cleaned up the mess. Her forehead still ached but

she was finally able to get her mind focused on something else. She wanted to have the two adjustments completed on her fighter before showing them to Hailey and Tucker's dad.

However, what Cadence could not see from her room was one of the watchers deeper in the forest. He may not have had physical strength or be as skilled with a lance as his dark counterparts.

But like his target, he had a strong mind. Manipulation by using a target's own weaknesses against them was

his specialty, as was misdirecting their thoughts. He would hide his lies and deception behind Cadence's own temper, and slowly it would eat her alive and confuse her mind.

This would be one of his most fun targets he'd had in a long time because anger…was his favorite fault to play with.

Chapter 23

Reluctance

"We shouldn’t be surprised by Coleman's death," said General Chad, rubbing his forehead. "The report says natural causes, but my gut tells me it was murder."

Commander Ronain nodded in agreement. "He was at risk the moment he looked at those encrypted files. The Seditionists obviously figured it out and knew he'd talked with us. Did we get the video footage from the night of his death?"

Chad gestured to the screen on the rear wall. "You'll find it interesting."

After a few seconds, several little boxes appeared on the monitor, showing views from different cameras. Ronain first saw the assailant when he approached the receptionist at the main desk in the lobby.

Well, he kind of saw the assailant. Darkness shadowed him, and the image itself was blurred.

Following a brief conversation with the receptionist, the assailant reappeared on two other cameras on Coleman's floor. It was too dark to clearly see him, that is, except for his eyes. It was eerie, the way his body and face were shadowed, save for the dark gold crescent in his eyes.

"He's not shy, is he?" muttered Ronain, leaning back in his chair. "He looked right at that camera outside Coleman's office."

"Typical Seditionist," said Chad, "and since officials on Verga have convinced themselves his death was natural causes, no further investigation is being called."

One of the double doors to his office was open, and he spotted Matthew and Rebecca Shahan walking down the hall.

Chad and Ronain stood as the husband and wife entered the office and shut the door. After swapping "hellos" they all took a seat.

"This shouldn't take more than a few minutes," explained Chad. "We just wanted to give you a quick update on Kiera."

"Kiera's progress has been exceptional," said Ronain to Matthew and Rebecca, sitting to the left of General Chad's desk. "As I'm sure you've gathered yourselves since you've been visiting almost every day. She's become quite attentive to sensing mental assaults and is confident in taking authority to counter them. Her ability to discern people and circumstances has also sharpened. "

Chad, fingers loosely interlaced on his desk, leaned forward. "We only built on the foundation you both helped lay while they were younger."

Rebecca nodded. "We did our best to instruct them about warfare on the spiritual side of things, but, of course, we can't make them believe anything. Cadence obviously has taken to it more than Kiera and has already made her faith her own, even at her young age."

"While Kiera pledged her allegiance to Him and does believe," added Matthew, "she has yet to really actively seek to grow in her faith."

A light in Chad's eyes twinkled to life. "It takes some Legionnaires longer than others to fully engage, and we all require reminding every now and then about where the fight is."

"However, I'm pleased to say," said Ronain, "that Kiera is engaging more now. She's learning to stand on her own two feet and fight for herself. We can't intercede and fight every battle for someone, as much as we wish we could."

Rebecca and Matthew nodded knowingly at his words. "She's had several more dreams," continued Ronain, "and her

description corresponds with cities on various planets across the systems. As you'd expect, we've sent squads to check out the locations. But that's all we have to share at the moment."

After taking a few seconds to consider this, Matthew looked from him to Chad.

"I understand Kiera has been sitting in on classes the past two weeks," said Matthew, shifting topics.

Neither Chad nor Ronain shied away from the fact. Ronain nodded. "We have allowed it, though we didn't realize she was

sneaking in at first. But it seemed wrong to segregate her from the other students. She is a Legionnaire after all, and she has taken quickly to all

subjects. And let's not forget to mention her skill with a lance. General Chad and I have both watched her spar with other students and she has been given immense talent in that area."

Awkward silence fell over the conversation. Rebecca and Matthew knew what the general and commander wanted to ask.

After a few seconds longer, Chad finally spoke, "Have you thought any more about enrolling your daughters in the academy? Allowing them to train?"

Husband and wife stiffened a little at the question. Matthew shifted slightly in his chair, and Rebecca said, "We haven't had much time to…to really consider it…"

All four dropped their gazes a moment. They all knew it was a poor excuse for not taking time to mull over a serious matter.

At length, Chad leaned back in his chair and studied Rebecca and Matthew attentively. "And how is Cadence? How's she been dealing with all of this? Not by playing with more dragons I hope."

That made Rebecca smile weakly. "No, no. She's been on restriction. But she's…just fine. Always been the independent sort, you know, takes care of herself. She's…fine."

Both Chad and Ronain right away sensed a disconnect. Matthew and Rebecca had left Cadence mostly up to her own devices,

not mere days after confronting a dragon and saving a military post and its soldiers. They hadn't forgotten about her by any means, but their minds were elsewhere. Preoccupied.

But there was also something else beneath the surface: husband and wife were afraid, they feared for their children, at a level above normal.

"Well," said Chad, breaking the silence, "I appreciate you both agreeing to the meeting. It's always encouraging to see parents so interested in their children's wellbeing and in their activities."

Matthew and Rebecca stood. "We greatly appreciate you making time to meet with us," replied

Matthew, extending his hand. "I know you all must be plenty busy."Chad smiled as he took the hand. "I will always make time for you, my

friend."After Matthew and Rebecca left, the door swung shut again, on its

own. "They still haven't discussed the training matter or what happened

with Cadence," said Ronain. Chad shook his head. "No, they haven't."

Ronain was about to ask why they'd avoid the issue and not immediately enroll both her and Kiera in classes. But he knew the answer before he asked.

"They're afraid for her youngest," he ventured, "They saw how the enemy went after Kiera, and they somehow think that if Cadence remains where she is, maybe she'll be overlooked."

"Mm," replied Chad, looking at his former student, "I've already discussed the matter with Eliezer, and we both agree the enemy is just as interested in Cadence as they are Kiera. They'll just have to go after her another way. We don’t sense an immediate threat against Cadence, but something still isn't quite right. And the reaction by the girls' parents is not uncommon. If they don't deal with it, then maybe nothing will happen…which we all truly know won't be the case."

"I don't think I've ever heard of a Shahan being afraid of anything," commented Ronain gently.

Chad huffed a laugh. "And I've never known one to be afraid of anything. But it would seem the entirely family itself is a target."

The big general leaned forward and looked directly at Ronain with his sharp eyes. "We should keep a very close eye on Kiera and Cadence in the days ahead. Regardless of what their parents decide, the Seditionists are going to try something."

"But, general," replied Ronain as lines drew themselves across his forehead, "wasn't it both the Legionnaire Council and Matthew and Rebecca who agreed the sisters wouldn't be trained? That they would draw the eye of the enemy before they stood the smallest possible chance of defending themselves?"

Chad nodded. "Yes, and a foolish decision it was at that. Sooner or later they were going to catch the attention of the Seditionists. It was inevitable."

"They have raw talent and amazing gifts," said Ronain. "But they've never received instruction on how to defend themselves, been exposed to the many kinds of attacks their foe will use. If the Shahan's don't decide quickly, and the sisters are not trained…"

"I know, my friend," nodded Chad gravely. "If Kiera and Cadence aren't trained…then the enemy will cut them down like weeds."

Ω Ω Ω"Legionnaire intelligence picked up questionable travel patterns of

several merchant ships in the Jutland System," said General Necro as he

and General Hezron walked briskly through the halls in another section of the training center.

"What do you mean 'questionable'?" asked Hezron."Three carriers have been making regular, uncharted detours along

their routes across the system from Cerrig to Lokai," replied Necro. "Stopping at Nepta."

Hezron huffed a sharp breath through his nose. "Nepta isn't a place regular merchants stop, and isn't exactly known for its upstanding citizens."

"They'd been under surveillance several weeks, and those shadowing them consistently noticed the frigates were carrying significantly more weight than what was logged into records."

"I take it someone finally confronted them?" guessed Hezron as they cut around a corner, surprising a group of students and making them skitter out of the way.

"Planet security from Darses quarantined the ships after the captains refused to explain the extra payload. When they did a thorough search of the vessels, they found enough heavy weapons, shield generators and remote jamming devices to stock a small army."

They paused at the broad balcony that overlooked the vast lobby of the training center.

There had been other similar reports just like this from other systems, so Necro's news wasn't a total surprise.

"We've seen this type of activity before," commented Hezron, shooting a look at his friend. "Leading up to the last war."

Necro nodded. "Seems our friends the Seditionists are slowly rearming themselves…or perhaps not so slowly. Who knows how long this has been going on and just how many runners they have working for them."

"I've talked with Eliezer," said Hezron, watching a mass of students swarm into the lobby as classes let out, "and the first squads are reaching the planets Kiera Shahan saw in her dreams. We've also been opening up channels with neighboring Legionnaire posts, alerting them to what we've discovered."

Necro turned a fiery gaze to his brother-in-arms. "The last thing we want is to be caught off guard, like last time, especially if Seditionists are planning a large scale campaign."

Hezron met his comrade's gaze with a spark of admiration. General Necro always seemed to carry an intense air about him. Black

hair kept short, it accented his hazel-brown eyes that burned with righteous fury. From a fine line of skilled and cunning warriors, he had a mind for tactical strategyand, in a unique turn, a heart for the oppressed.

"That's just it though," replied Hezron, trace of a sad sort of smile on his face. "I feel the general population has fallen asleep again. Granted, the last war was a mess, but sticking heads in the sand never stopped anything bad from happening."

Necro gave a single nod in acknowledgment. "I sense it too, even our family of believers has grown dull, too preoccupied with other things to remember to pray. They've already forgotten that through their prayers are the plots of our enemy revealed to us, and by their petitions our warriors are protected."

Hezron sighed. "Misdirection and distraction are great weapons and the Seditionists know how to wield them skillfully."

"And I get the sense the Shahan sisters are tied to all of this somehow." Necro glanced at Hezron. "Matthew and Rebecca still haven't committed to enrolling them?"

Hezron smiled. "Not yet, and I'm afraid it may take a little more convincing before they finally accept that their daughters need to be trained."

Chapter 24

Special Forces

“Go in and have a look around,” said the grainy blue-gray image of Eliezer, “and keep your wits about you. There have been a lot of strange things going on.”

“Understood, general.” The transmission ended, and the Legionnaire commander pocketed

the device. Tromping down the hall of the small cabin, he flung the bedroom door open.

“Rise and shine, ladies!”His squad of nine warriors, all sprawled on the wood floor, bolted

awake and reached for their weapons. “What time is it, anyway?” asked one of them, when he saw it was still

dark outside.The commander chuckled. “It’s time to get off your backside and get

to work. We just received the ‘go ahead' to check out the town.”It was only a couple miles from the cabin to the town, which had been

burned down some time ago.

The unit didn't realize at the time the location they were checking out was one of the town's that Kiera Shahan had seen in her dreams. And when they found it, it was in ruins from an attack.

They covered the distance on foot and pulled up atop the ridge that directly overlooked the scorched valley. Several of them sighted through the night-vision scopes of their rifles.

“Plenty of tracks, but no movement. Just like when we were here yesterday.”

“Switch to infrared,” said the commander, eyeing the trees surrounding them.

“No heat signatures, but that doesn’t mean much. This scope won’t penetrate feet of concrete.”

“So there could be an entire army underground and we wouldn’t see them. Okay, Briggs, you and Fritz check out the woods around the western edge of that bunker door. You’re Alpha. Judge, you and Red are Bravo. Check out the north end. Recon only. Let me know if you find any other entrances. Move it.”

The four warriors broke away and slipped into the darkness in total silence.

Some Legionnaires operated independently, in the intelligence branch as spies or rogues. Others worked with a partner. It all depended on their skills and what type of work they were made for.

Still others were individually selected while they were at a training center and put with other young warriors, forming squads. These groups received specialized training and developed into the equivalent of Special Forces.

As bonds strengthened and they learned to operate as a single unit, nicknames were created. This was how they addressed one another and they became more like a rough family unit.

Except for their leader, Arthos. But no one called him by his first name. They just knew him as “commander.”

“So are we going to try to lure ‘em out?” asked a warrior to Arthos’ right.

He nodded. “Exactly. Just something short and sweet."

Ω Ω Ω “Sir! Movement on the outer perimeter!”

The post commander stepped over to the wall of monitors as the tech pointed to one of the screens. “Ten heat signatures. Four of them just left the group. The rest are still standing there.”

The commander set his jaw. “Patch me through to him.”The tech hesitated and was about to mention the early hour, but

decided against it. He hit a key and nodded at his superior. “Sorry to bother you, sir, but we’ve got activity on the southern

perimeter.”“I’ll be right there.”Sixty seconds later they felt his approach before seeing him. He

appeared around the bend of the narrow tunnel and walked briskly into the small monitoring room. A heavy darkness entered with him and it suddenly seemed very crowded, despite there only being four of them.

Face lacking expression, his eyes went to the monitors and the heat signatures.

“Where are the other four?” asked the officer. The tech glanced at the screens a second before touching some keys

and adjusting the cameras. “There! Two on the western edge, and the other pair to the north. The others are…I don’t know what they’re doing.”

The dark warrior remained silent, knowing full well these were Legionnaires. It wasn’t just because he could sense it, but because their heat signatures burned significantly hotter than a typical civilian.

“They’re going to try to draw us out,” he said, speaking for the first time. “No one retaliates. No matter what they do, understand?”

The officer nodded. “Alert the others,” he continued, turning back down the tunnel with

the officer on his heels. “Evacuate all the forces and barricade the exit behind you. Get them off this planet and to the secondary location.”

“What if they breach the bunker?” asked the officer. He cast a look over his shoulder. “Let them. I’ll deal with the

Legionnaires, hold them off until you’re clear. I’ll meet you at the secondary base.”

Ω Ω Ω “Everyone in position?” asked Arthos.“Ready.”“Alpha, Bravo, you find anything?”“This is Bravo, and that would be a negative. Nothing on the north

side.”

“Alpha just uncovered another door. It’s locked, but nothing we can’t handle.”

“Copy. Bravo team, rejoin the group. Alpha, maintain a safe distance and hold. We’re going to light up the main entrance and see if we can’t get anyone to come out and play.”

“Copy, commander.”A minute later, Red and Judge fell in with the rest of the unit, behind a

house across from the bunker door. Arthos looked at one of his warriors. “Okay, Lights.”The warrior was really just a kid, the youngest and least experienced

of the squad. But he worked wonders with electronics and served as their technical and explosives expert.

He lifted a small device and punched a button. Bang!The slightest traces of dawn were just paling the edge of the eastern

sky behind them. It was still mostly dark and the explosion briefly illuminated the entire side of the ridge. A tiny shack of a house, that hadn’t already been turned to ash, exploded and was reduced to nothing but splinters and dust.

The warriors were in position, weapons raised. Seconds ticked by and stillness resettled over the clearing. The ruins were smoldering and crackling a little, the coals glowing faintly.

“Well, it was worth a shot,” said Arthos after a minute. “They likely knew we were here the moment we reached town,”

commented Red. “Likely. Alpha, anything?”“Negative, commander. Not so much as a peep.”“Alright, prepare to breach.”“Finally,” breathed Judge, crouching at the corner of the house and

sighting through the scope of his rifle. Smiling inwardly, Arthos slapped Red on the shoulder, “You’re on me.

We’re going to go double-check the door to make sure no one locked up last night. Rest of you cover us and prepare to move.”

Arthos and Red broke from their cover and jogged across the clearing to the three steps that led down to the bunker door. When they found the door unlocked, the others joined the commander and they all stepped inside.

Arthos tapped his ear and everyone made sure they had their coms were on. “Alpha, you’re a go to breach.”

“Copy…”

“Red, on point.”The big warrior took the lead, and they all started down the narrow

tunnel in a staggered line. “Alpha has achieved entrance.”“We’re just looking around,” said Arthos, “not starting a war…if we

can help it.”Ahead on the right, a hall teed from theirs. “Scout, check it out.”The warrior slipped to the front and jogged down to the end of the

hallway. After peering around the corner to the left, he turned and disappeared from sight. Seconds later he reappeared at the second hall, further ahead on the right.

“There’s another passage that leads further north, into the bunker,” said Scout.

Arthos pointed at a few other warriors. “Go with Scout and check it out. Remember, keep it low profile if possible. I’ve got a feeling there’s a snake in the building.”

Two jogged after Scout, and Arthos continued forward with the rest. With each corner they came to, he felt his muscles grow tighter. He, as well as everyone else, was fully aware of the stinging little headache that was pinging through their temples.

There was little doubt a Seditionist was here and not for a vacation. They passed a third hall before their tunnel turned a short corner and

came to a door, a dozen feet ahead. “Leave it,” said Arthos. They returned to the third hall and filed down it. They reached

another, rather narrow hall to the left, and that's when muffled voices on their right jerked them to attention. Some ducked into the passage, and the rest backtracked.

Seconds later, the door opened and half a dozen personnel exited the room, jogged down the hall and hung a left.

Arthos felt Red tap him on the shoulder and he turned. Spike was at the end of their short, narrow passage, waving. When they joined him, he pointed around the corner.

They peered around the edge and saw the same personnel jogging through an oddly shaped room.

Arthos signaled for one of the others to go with Spike, and he and the rest returned to the hall they’d originally been traveling down.

They reached the end and hung a left, like the group of men had done. It turned out there wasn’t much of a turn. The wall on their right only ran another three feet before ending abruptly.

Movement in his peripheral drew Arthos' attention again, and he glanced over to see Spike, at the end of his hall. They had just gone around a free-standing room. This was a strange place.

Now there was a much larger space before them, with two sets of cubicles in the center, cutting off direct line of sight to the far end. On the right wall were two large doorways, leading to another spacious room. Judging by the counters, tables and other miscellaneous items, it was a cafeteria.

Deafening alarms screamed through the quiet of the bunker. “So much for a low profile,” called Corvin over the noise. Taking point, Arthos signaled Spike to continue along the far wall. The

sharp pain in his head was now accompanied by light pressure against his forehead, the hair on the back of his neck raising.

“Eyes open,” he said. “We’re going to have some company. Can anyone do anything about the alarms? Scout, see if you can find a control room or something!”

“On it.”Ω

He strode down the hallways as the last of the personnel ran past him and towards the front hangar. He could feel the Legionnaires getting close, very close.

Slowing, he peered through the doorway into the cafeteria. He caught sight of a warrior just as he passed in front of a far door.

After waiting a breath, he walked into the dining hall.

ΩArthos was nearing the far end of the room when a shaft of the

sharpest pain cut through his head. The instant he felt his stomach knot, he knew something was terribly wrong.

Everyone else must have felt it, too, because they reacted simultaneously.

Corvin, a stride behind Arthos, spun and crouched, rifle up. Red flipped backwards, landing atop one of the cubicles, precariously balanced but giving himself a high vantage point.

Then he stepped out of the cafeteria, feet from Corvin, a soldier of the dark army, a warrior uniformed in familiar black armor. With gold crescent eyes, he glared at them with hatred.

This only took a second for Arthos to assess and he fired off a couple shots.

The Seditionist drew his lance and engaged in the time it took Arthos to pull the trigger. He deflected the rounds before making a jump for Corvin.

The Legionnaire fired off a shot before throwing himself forward, underneath the enemy and out of immediate danger.

In the meantime, Arthos took an invisible strike, flash of red light hitting him in the chest and jerking him back.

Red had already secured his firearm and drawn his lance. Flipping off the top of the cubicle, he engaged it, edge burning deep blue.

He and the enemy exchanged a couple blows, testing one another’s strength.

Arthos had recovered and also secured his weapon. Lance now in hand and burning deep gold, he sprinted for Red and the dark warrior. He was two strides from the pair when Corvin squeezed off a couple rounds as a distraction.

The enemy bent sideways to avoid Red’s lance and deflected the weapon’s fire. Using his momentum, he twisted into the air. He would have taken a swipe at Corvin, except the Legionnaire flipped backwards from a crouch to his feet and out of reach. Plus, Red was closing from behind.

Shoving the lance over his shoulder, he blocked the strike from Red, then aerialed away from him, landing in time to meet another direct blow.

Arthos had taken up his position now, a man the Seditionist judged to be a fearless and powerful warrior.

Between Arthos on the left and Red in front of him, their lances were nothing more than arcs of crimson, blue, and gold.

The lights in the ceiling and along the walls began to hum as the two forces battled fast and hard. It was apparent to Arthos and his warriors this was no combatant new to the forces of evil. He had been trained.

The dark warrior gave Red a powerful shove backwards before spinning and meeting Arthos. Their lances locked, blades sparking. This enemy was young, but his malice and anger was no less potent than that of a full-fledged general.

They glared as they pushed against each other. The lights shattered in fiery explosions and the wiring in the walls began to hum.

But the Legionnaire was the stronger of the two and Arthos finally overpowered him. With a mighty push from the commander, a blinding flash filled the room and the enemy was thrown backwards.

When Red glanced up, he saw a large chunk of the dividing wall between this room and the cafeteria was missing; a pile of rubble lay on the tiled floor. Smoke and dust rose thick into the air as Arthos remained where he was, lance at the ready, eyes locked on the gaping hole.

“Find him!” he growled.The unit fanned out and quickly swept across the room and cafeteria.

Both areas were clear. They advanced into the back hallway, where Arthos was nearly

bludgeoned by a piece of rebar thrown through the air. And he would have been, if it hadn’t been for Red, who cut it in half with his lance.

Judge grabbed Spike by the armor and jerked him back before shoving a hand, palm out, into the darkness of a doorway on the left.

A white streak of light nailed the enemy squarely in the chest and sent him tumbling into a large hanger. When his momentum finally slowed, he rolled up onto the balls of his feet and charged Red, who was coming at him.

Both jumped and twisted into the air, just missing each other, but managing to exchange a smart strike.

The dark warrior landed and continued forward where he met Judge’s lance with a stunning blow.

ΩAs for Scout and his group, they’d found a monitoring post, walls lined

with screens. Lights was poking around, trying to hack the system when they heard the first rounds of weapons fire.

“Lights, you and Burns stay here,” ordered Scout. “Fritz, on me.”“Can you at least cut the alarm?” asked Burns as the others ran down

the hall. “Give me a second,” said Lights, typing away on a virtual keyboard,

“Ha! I’m in…and there we go.”Sweet relief came to their ears as the alarms stopped blaring, the

sudden silence almost startling.“They’ve probably already wiped everything,” said Lights, still typing.

“I’ll check personnel files, flight manifests…”A very sharp pain cut through their side of their heads. Burns clamped a hand on his right temple, wishing he was fighting

beside his brothers…and hoping everyone was still in one piece.

ΩSpike slid on his back across the warehouse floor. The dark warrior parried a strike from Judge and sent a red streak of

light at Arthos to keep him busy another second. Then he deflected a blow from Red and fully engaged the warrior.

They ran across the warehouse floor, matching each other blow for blow, sparks from their clashing lances dancing to the ground. The enemy delivered three quick strikes, bringing the Legionnaire in close before slamming an elbow into his face.

Fiery hot pain shot through Red’s face and into his head. Vision blurring a second, he still managed to whip his lance around, swatting his opponent’s away.

The dark warrior moved to shove him. Red did the same thing at the same time and they sent each other

flying backwards. Red hit the hard floor and rolled to his feet. Blood ran from his nose,

but he was totally undeterred. He walked the first few steps, then picked up to a jog as Arthos and the others moved in.

As for the dark warrior, he assessed his situation. Over half a dozen strong Legionnaires were closing in. Two more appeared in the far right doorway, lances in hand.

Turning, he broke into a run for a tunnel at the rear of the hangar. Any time now.

He’d just completed that thought when a massive explosion rocked the hangar. Fire, rock, and metal rained down on them.

The Legionnaires raised an arm to shield themselves, the debris disintegrating when it got within a foot of them. Thick smoke filled the vast chamber and they cautiously approached the smoldering rubble. Just as expected, their friend wasn’t there. Somewhere, somehow he’d managed to escape.

Just as I expected, thought Arthos, slippery little snake.He looked over at Briggs and Fritz. “You just missed the party.”The two warriors snorted. “You just have a habit of starting it early," replied Briggs.Arthos smiled and looked at Red, just rejoining the group. He gave a

little upward nod of his head to inquire if he was okay.The big warrior, with a fresh red gash across his nose, spit blood onto

the ground before nodding. There was no missing the subtle smile on his

lips, though, or the bright glint in his eyes that only came from the fury of battle.

Arthos understood. They all understood because battle was what they were made for, and the fight was what gave them purpose.

And none of them could wait until the next round.

Chapter 25

Dangerous Power

Cadence had gotten off restriction just when the vendors came to town.

They were a band of nomadic people who traveled together, selling anything from the latest technology to spices. It was always a good time when the vendors arrived for their five-day stay and usually turned into a sort of festival.

To say that Cadence and Kiera were elated to see each other and actually hang out would have been the biggest understatement of all time. They were complete and the world was right again.

Rebecca was working at the medical center, and Matthew was at the military base. But they said they'd meet up with them a little later.

They talked and laughed nonstop as they wandered among the vendors. Cadence was full of questions about Kiera's training and which commanders and generals she'd met.

Kiera was equally curious about Cadence's adventure in the mountains. Then, something Hailey had mentioned last week surfaced in her mind.

"Hey, so what's this I heard about a kid named Seth?" asked Kiera as they stopped at a vendor to get some ice cream.

"Probably your age, height," replied Cadence, "dark brown hair and eyes. He's a Legionnaire too, but isn't being trained."

Kiera digested this bit of information. She handed one cone to Cadence before taking hers and paying for them. "Did he say where he's from?"

"No," said Cadence, after taking a lick of the chocolate ice cream, "sounded like they traveled a lot."

Kiera contemplated this while they continued down the busy street. Among other things, her ability to discern people's intentions had become sharper the past month, and she had an unsettled feeling about Seth.

Part of that, of course, was just due to the protective nature that came with being the older sibling. She was naturally suspicious of anyone spending a lot of time with her little sister.

Kiera had been silent for a stretch, and Cadence glanced at her. Her big sister seemed to have a more mature air about her, and her confidence had returned.

Cadence finished her small ice cream cone in about half a dozen bites to ensure it didn’t melt. Something that good was not to be wasted.

“Well, be careful around him, little sis,” said Kiera finally, looking at one of the blacksmith vendors who specialized in sword making.

When Cadence saw what Kiera was looking at, she grabbed Kiera’s hand and pulled her over to the vendor.

ΩThe pair of assassins watched the sisters from atop one of the

buildings behind the vendors. Watching, always watching. That's how it had been all month and both of them were anxious for

just a little action. But they didn't want to end up like their third counterpart, so they kept their restlessness in check.

The com beeped in the taller assassin's ear. Reaching up, he touched the button on the side.

"Things are progressing as they should," said their commander, "and your orders have just come through. You're to test the skill of the sisters. Test. Do you understand?"

"I understand," he replied. "Good. Don't make a mess."The call ended and he looked at his fellow assassin. "It's time to see

just how skilled they are together."They returned their eyes to the crowed, scanning. After a few

seconds, they spotted the sisters and then made their way for the door that would lead them off the roof.

ΩThe sword vendor was owned by a man named Ulric, a native of the

planet Areinda, south of Elywn. He was a tall fellow, thin with a gaunt face, narrow hawkish nose and

sunken cheeks. He usually wore a scowl and could drill a hole through anyone with his brown eyes.

But despite his initial appearance, Ulric was kind, and his face brightened whenever he saw the Shahan sisters.

“Hi, Ulric!” said Cadence excitedly as she stopped in front of the table which ran near the length of the shop.

“Hello, Cadence, Kiera,” replied Ulric, brown eyes sparkling.“How are you?” asked Kiera as Cadence surveyed the array of swords

hanging from the thatched roof. “Very well, which actually surprises me,” replied Ulric. “With all the

technology most of the planets have these days, I expected things to be slower. But most of my business has usually come from military and warrior folk."

His gaze fell on Cadence, who was eyeing one sword in particular. The blade was two and a half feet long and curved slightly backwards.

The hilt was silver, and the guard on both broadsides of the blade twisted upwards a short ways, like a clamp. And etched on them was the figure of a rearing horse.

Ulric reached up, untethered the sword and then handed it to Cadence.

Cadence’s eyes widened when she took it. “It’s so light!”Ulric smiled. “The blade is made from a new alloy discovered in the

mines of Carllel. It's forged into the handle, too.”Kiera looked at him. “Carllel? The dark planet on the edge of the

system?”Ulric nodded as Cadence swung the sword a few times, getting the

feel for it. It was a beautiful piece of craftsmanship, perfectly weighted and

balanced. It made her miss her sword, which she'd lost in the confrontation with the ice dragon. She was also missing the rest of her gear, which her parents hadn't returned to her yet, since this was her first day of freedom.

“Yes,” he said, watching Cadence, “quite a dangerous job. There are some nasty creatures that live there.”

Cadence swung the sword once more. “Ha! But I bet those monsters would be no match for this blade.”

She handed it back to Ulric. “Too bad I can’t afford it.”"Yeah, mom and dad just let you off restriction, and you wouldn't want

to risk getting in trouble again," replied Kiera, eyes twinkling.Cadence made a face at her. She turned to thank Ulric but stopped. He still held the weapon, lying

across his palms, as he looked at it with deep contemplation."Everything okay?" asked Cadence, eyebrows rising. Ulric broke from his thoughts. "Yes, just fine," he smiled, setting the sword on a shelf.

Kiera nudged her. "You'd probably just chop something off, anyway."Cadence laughed and planted her hands on her hips in a sassy

manner. "Swords are what we've been dueling with for a year. Besides, if I can wield a lance like I did in the mountains, then I can wield that sword."

"Just not if you're dueling me," teased Kiera.Cadence's jaw dropped in mock surprise. Kiera thanked Ulric, then

she and Cadence continued on. "Oh, dear sister," said Cadence dramatically as they milled about the

crowd. "I've just been letting you think you've won some of our matches."Suddenly Kiera's cone, half eaten, flew from her hand and over to

Cadence’s. “Hey!” exclaimed Kiera. Cadence smiled smugly. Kiera leapt for her. Cadence went one way and sent the cone another,

zipping through the air. As Kiera chased Cadence around, the ice cream cone came to a hover a few feet over the ground.

Blitz, a massive German Shepherd trained to patrol the vicinity, caught sight of the ice cream cone.

The security dogs were highly trained. They reacted to various stress levels in a person’s voice and body language. Along with an amazing sense of ‘intuition’, they could accurately determine which was the most efficient action, whether it was chasing, attacking, or merely giving a warning growl.

Blitz walked over to the hovering cone and tilted his head inquisitively.

Meanwhile, Kiera was still chasing Cadence, which was growing more difficult because they'd both started laughing.

Cadence raced across the street, jumped atop a rock and flipped off, twisting in the air, so she would be facing Kiera when she landed.

Kiera was right behind her and, in turn, leapt atop the rock and flipped off too, landing behind Cadence.

“I have you now," she said. Cadence spun and took a step back. Kiera followed. Cadence backpedaled but forgot about the rock behind her. She fell

back and ended up sitting on it. Exchanging a look with Kiera, Cadence then crossed one leg over the

other, put her elbow on her knee and rested her chin on her palm. A seriously contemplative expression crossed Cadence’s face as she asked, “Now, how does that make you feel?”

Kiera busted up laughing. Although Cadence was proving to be quite logical, she had that rare combination for the analytical and wit.

Cadence glanced down the street to retrieve the ice cream cone and started laughing even harder.

Kiera followed her sister’s gaze down the road to see Blitz eating the rest of the cone.

After a couple minutes, Kiera and Cadence wiped the tears from their eyes.

“Oh, my stomach,” said Kiera. “Mine too.”They were still giggling when a cool breeze swept off the lake and

clouds drifted in front of the sun, shutting off its warmth. Cadence got to her feet and stood beside her sister, glancing at the

sky. Another cool gust, too cold for the summer, roared through the trees,

making them bend and sway wildly. That's when both of them felt a chill run down their spines.

By now, the people in the street were looking at each other and to the sky. Some started heading for shelter.

Blitz stood stock still, dark brown eyes fixed on something further down the street. Slowly his hackles rose, and he lowered his head shoulder level. He sounded a warning bark, followed by a short snarl, baring his gleaming white teeth.

Another gust of wind swept down the street, driving a wave of dust before it. A quick flicker of lightning was followed by a hollow clap of thunder that echoed over the town.

Blitz barked several more times and began to back up, eyes still fixed on something.

The security dogs were very brave beasts and wouldn’t hesitate charging someone carrying a firearm—unless the offender was particularly menacing.

Knowing this, the people began to clear the street, looking over their shoulders. They were uncertain what the dog was upset about.

With one more snarl, Blitz spun and ran back down the street, towards the security headquarters. Security canines were taught to warn the humans of impending danger, and Blitz was going to fetch the cavalry.

The sisters both caught a glimpse of the shadow across the street, between two vendor stalls.

Kiera grabbed Cadence's hand as they backed up a few steps. The crowd was still thinning and by the time a group of people passed, the shadow was gone.

The girls were about to turn and move along, but jumped when someone, not an average civilian, stepped from behind a pine tree. His gaze was dark, and he made his intentions perfectly clear as he drew a pair of swords secured across his back.

Thinking fast, Cadence glanced at Ulric's stand across the street, and a pair of swords shot to her hands. She tossed one to Kiera, both of them ducking and dodging under their opponent's first swings.

At least he doesn't have a lance, Cadence thought to herself as she deflected a swing, otherwise it would cut right through these swords.

Then again, the fact he wasn't using a more lethal weapon made her second-guess his intentions. If he truly wanted to kill them, why not use a lance and get it over with?

Their opponent was very skilled and didn't seem the least bit worried as they fought him. He moved easily, and didn't need to counter every one of their swings. Sometimes he could read their moves and step just out of the way.

They were all in constant motion, striking, parrying, dodging. The assailant deflected Kiera's strike with an upward swing and then

quick as a flash, he brought it around. He struck at Cadence with the weapon in his left hand and followed it up immediately with the other in his right.

Cadence threw herself backwards into a flip to avoid the blade, and the attacker returned his full attention to Kiera.

Cadence landed in a crouch, ready for more, when an angry headache pressed against her forehead. She shook it off and was squaring herself up when it came roaring back, incredible pain stabbing through her head. Heavy darkness accompanied it and dropped her to one knee as she pressed her hand against her temple.

That was when Cadence noticed a shadow moving up the street from the other direction.

It looked like the sun was eclipsing as the line of darkness approached. Then she spotted the second assailant, walking just behind the dark line.

She set her jaw defiantly against the headache. Get off of me, she glared at him.

The pain fell away, and Cadence pushed herself to her feet. She sensed this foe was stronger than his counterpart and admitted she wouldn't stand half a chance by herself.

Turning, she sprinted towards Kiera and the first attacker, in the throes of a fast-paced duel.

Kiera ducked the first blade, blocked the second before parrying the third swing. Dodging the next blow, she swung her sword like a bat, smashing it against the assailant's.

She went with the sideways momentum she had, spinning and kicking him smartly in the gut. It was a risky move, and the blade of one of the swords just passed over her.

The kick sent him sliding backwards, with Kiera already advancing towards him.

Lunging through the air and pivoting her hips, she twisted and gained torque. When she landed, she stepped forward, dodged the first blade and then whipped hers up. She deflected the second sword, and the assailant found himself momentarily exposed.

Kiera threw a sharp left hook while he simultaneously elbowed her in the face.

They sent each other staggering away as pain rippled through their heads.

That was about the time Cadence came in fast from Kiera's right. She had some serious speed built up as she jumped and flipped over the assailant, taking a swipe at him. It forced him to duck, and her ambush left him distracted long enough for Kiera to deliver a deep wound across his shoulder.

He countered with an angry snarl and a swipe that just missed Kiera's neck.

Cadence had so much momentum that when she landed that her shoes skidded across the ground. She pushed herself forward, growing hot with the fire of fight. She stepped to the side of a swinging sword before turning and bringing hers down hard.

There's another assailant, thought Cadence to Kiera as she settled into the rhythm of the fight again.

Great, replied Kiera. She blocked the blow, and Cadence skittered backwards away from

the one meant for her. It's okay, she thought to her little sister, aware of the presence of the

other enemy, we can do this together.

Several more blows were exchanged, and it looked like Kiera and Cadence were finally gaining the upper hand of the situation.

You picked the wrong sisters to mess with, thought Cadence to the man, and I find dragons more intimidating than you.

A sharp pain cut through his head at her words, and he faltered slightly at his next swing.

It would have left him open to receive another wound, but weapons fire cracked over the sound of the gales.

Fire ripped across Cadence's upper left arm, and she snarled in pain. Forced to stagger away a safe distance, she dropped to her knees, doubled over as she clutched the wound.

Ω The fight had only been ongoing maybe sixty seconds and word was

still spreading through town. Matthew had sensed something off the past hour, but the second he

heard the words "fight near the vendors," he knew. He raced down the halls of the building and once outside, he charged

across the yard of the base. There was no need to grab a weapon. Ever since Cadence's adventure

in the mountains, he'd kept his lance secured to his thigh when he went to work.

Outside the base, he tore through a narrow alley between two villas, a shortcut to the vendors. Anyone still outside quickly moved out of his way.

Former Legionnaire Commander Matthew Shahan was on the warpath.

ΩWhen Cadence took the hit, fury flooded Kiera's veins, mixed with

desperation to defend her sister. Kiera unleashed a fierce snarl and attacked the assailant with

newfound speed. Her strikes had impressive strength behind them, jarring her foe and sending shafts of pain up his arms.

She spun into the attacker, back to him, and blocked his next swing over her shoulder. Pivoting, she turned and deflected the second one.

Sword in her left hand, she swatted away the next jab, then grabbed onto his right wrist…and threw her head back, slamming him in the face.

Maintaining a grip on his wrist, Kiera dodged a blind swipe. She then yanked him towards her to introduce his stomach to her boot.

Something cracked and he stumbled back.

Kiera pressed towards him as he righted himself. However, she didn't anticipate the blow, a crimson streak of light. She saw a red flash as he unleashed it and not a breath later, it struck her.

Pain on a level she'd never experienced before punched through her chest and tore into her shoulders. It sent her staggering backwards and down to a knee.

The assailant walked calmly over to a tree and slammed his dislocated shoulder back into its socket. He didn't so much as wince, and all the while kept his darkly keen gaze on her.

As Kiera tried to catch her breath, she was aware of the second foe, slowly circling. She could feel him watching, assessing.

Panting, she shot a look over at Cadence. She was still on her knees, holding her bleeding arm, but glaring

death at the assailant. Cadence tried to push herself up, but pain and an oppressive weight

on her shoulders shoved her back down.Then both attackers approached Kiera, with purpose now. Cadence didn't know what their plan was, whether to kill, capture, or

worse: torture. But no one would touch her sister as long as there was still breath in her body.

"No!" shouted Cadence, heart pounding, angry defiance rising as she reached towards the assailant in front of her sister.

A streak of white light nailed him and sent him backwards. He hit the ground hard and didn't immediately get up.

With the sound of an incoming missile, another blinding comet hit the second attacker behind Kiera with tremendous force. It sent him tumbling through the trees, away from the girls.

A third figure sprinted into the forest after the assailant. But even in the darkness that had settled over the town, Kiera and Cadence could see it was Matthew.

Dad had arrived on the scene. He was difficult to see as he moved off. When they saw the deep blue

lance flare to life, they knew they definitely wouldn't have to worry about the other assailant anymore.

Cadence pushed herself to her feet, gait slow but determined as she approached their original foe. He was just now trying to pick himself up.

She pointed at him. Stay down, she ordered. At the authority of the command, it felt like his will to fight and

remaining strength he had fled him. He slumped back to the forest floor.

But just like his two targets, he was stubborn also. Growling with rising frustration and anger, he drew the firearm at his hip, aimed and shot at Cadence.

She pivoted sideways, round just brushing past her. By now, Kiera had recovered and she threw her sword at him. It

would have landed right in his chest…if he hadn't drawn his lance. The crimson blade came to life with a clear ring and cut through the sword like it was nothing.

On his feet, the assailant took a few measured steps forward. He then gazed from one sister to the other, as if trying to decide who to kill first.

His cool and stoic expression had changed and was now dripping with malice and disdain.

That was when the fiercest headaches the sisters had ever felt stabbed into their heads. Heavy darkness pressed down on their heads and shoulders, driving Cadence back to her knees…

ΩIn the meantime, Matthew was dueling with the other assailant. The

moment he recovered from his little trip through the trees, the enemy drew and engaged his crimson lance.

Matthew was all over him, driving him along the edge of the lake. The dark warrior could not have won, even on his best day. Presently

he didn't stand the smallest chance, especially when the commander was in the state he was now: enraged with protective fury.

He countered every one of the dark warrior's strike with one of his own, only with twice as much force. Their lances sparked in the darkness every time they met, each one of Matthew's blows jarring.

Thunder rumbled in the sky and mighty gusts swept up off the lake.Matthew had his opponent, who would never yield to a Legionnaire,

and ended the duel in three more moves. The first strike was from the right, to throw the dark warrior off

balance, then the second from the left, to leave him open. In the final move of the fight, Matthew turned his back and shoved

his lance behind him and up into the enemy's chest.His sharp gaze searched the forest as he fumed, burning with the heat

of battle, like a lion who had fallen a foe and was eager to take on another.But a quick stab of pain through his head refocused him. Turning,

Matthew sprinted back through the trees for his daughters.

Ω

The headaches were getting worse, the darkness heavier, and the edges of Cadence's vision was beginning to blur. But she'd always been strong mentally and shoved back against the assault and got a foot underneath herself.

"We…will not yield," said Cadence sternly.The weight of the attack fell away, but the enemy didn't appreciate it.

A fresh burst of pain flared through the wound on her arm as a response and it put her back down.

Don't you ever touch my sister again, growled Kiera. She was on her feet and approaching. She didn't have a weapon and

had no idea what she was going to do against a lance. But it seemed moot when it came to protecting Cadence.

Crimson light wrapped around the enemy's blade, starting at the guard and flaring up towards the tip like a flame.

That drew Cadence's attention immediately. She'd seen that before…"Don't…Kiera," she grunted.Lance in his left hand, he twirled it once and leveled it at Kiera. As he was moving, both girls reacted at the same time, but not in fear.

It was a stubborn defiance that they would not let the other fall at the hands of this enemy.

Kiera raised an arm to shield herself, and Cadence extended hers, as if to stop him.

A blinding flash lit the forest and a deafening peal of thunder reverberated through the trees. A shockwave decimated everything in a small radius around the sisters. It disintegrated a dozen large trees, reducing them to sawdust. The grass was gone, appearing to have been burned, and the rocks were mere piles of ash.

As for the assassin, he lay on the ground a dozen feet from them, unmoving.

The security forces couldn't have picked a better time to arrive, and they swarmed around the downed assailant.

Kiera stumbled over to Cadence's side, where she collapsed on the ground beside her. They hadn't expected this type of fighting to be so tiring, and they were exhausted. But they were also in shock at the destruction around them. Had they really done this?

"He's alive!" shouted one of the soldiers. "Let's get him to the medical center!"

"His comrade is by the lake," said a strong voice behind them. It was Matthew.

Seeing the situation contained, he disengaged his lance and slid it into its holster on his thigh.

"But don't bother rushing to his aid," he continued, walking to his daughters, "no amount is going to help him now."

Matthew knelt down in front of them, and they'd never seen such seriousness on his face before, or in his eyes. They recognized he wasn't glaring at them; he was still in fight mode.

When he saw the wound on Cadence's arm, his expression furrowed even more. Kiera guessed if the shooter were still conscious, he would have given him a good thrashing.

"You know," panted Kiera to Cadence, "our dad kicks butt."Cadence managed a weak smile. "That's where you get it from, sis."A loud crack echoed across the street. The body of the assassin

jerked.“Shots fired!”Immediately, the men crouched, and Matthew pulled Kiera and

Cadence against him as everyone searched for where the shot had been fired from. But there was no one to be seen, and no one suspicious or out of place.

“Sarge! The assassin's dead! Whoever it was fired the kill shot.”“Spread out!” barked the sergeant, “Search the city. Not one cruiser

or ship leaves!” "Dad," gasped Kiera. "I can't breathe…"Matthew still had a death grip on his children and released them. He

also had yet to speak a single word. But Cadence finally caught his gaze and he held it a long second. She believed then it was as He had told her. Matthew loved his

daughters fiercely and deeper than either of them could likely ever imagine. As he'd just shown, he would do anything to protect them.

That was when Rebecca slid to the ground beside them. "I just heard what happened," she said frantically, looking over her

children. Before she let her mom see her injury, Cadence raised a hand. "It's

just a graze, mom…"When Rebecca saw it, she drew a sharp breath. But, being a former

active duty warrior herself, it wasn't from shock or horror. It was from anger over the fact someone had hurt her child.

Then her gaze beheld the ruin surrounding them, and her expression changed to contemplative.

"Let's get you home," said Rebecca finally. "When the authorities want statements, they can get them there."

Rebecca helped Kiera to her feet, wrapping an arm around her to keep her steady. Matthew carefully scooped Cadence up and carried her, something she was grateful for. She wasn't sure she had the strength to walk right now.

"Dad," she said quietly, looking at the destruction, "did we do this?""Yes," he answered gently, "we'll discuss it more when we get you two

cleaned up." He looked down at her, "It will be alright, okay?"Cadence merely nodded, feeling very tired. Both her and Kiera's

foreheads still ached, their muscles were sore and most of their strength spent.

She rested her chin on her father's shoulder a moment as they continued down the street. The members of the security team who weren't participating in the search were securing the scene.

Behind them, further up the road was a boy, General Eliezer. Their eyes met a brief second and questions flooded Cadence’s mind.

Had she and Kiera caused that destruction? Had he and others known about the dangerous power that resulted when they fought together?

Cadence shot a look at the body of the assassin and then back to the boy. But he was gone. With a sigh, she rested her head on her dad’s shoulder.

How could have a good day gone so horribly wrong? Ω

A quarter mile away, a lone man walked calmly down the street. In all the questions and chaos, those who were outside didn’t notice

him, or the long duffel slung over his shoulder. A duffel which held the sniper rifle he’d used to kill the second assailant.

He had been there as a backup, just in case his colleagues screwed up, which they had. They were only supposed to test the sisters, not get caught up in a life-or-death duel with them. They also weren't supposed to do it with so many witnesses around. Idiots. That's what happened when soldiers inexperienced in stealth confrontations in urban settings were sent to conduct serious business.

It was unlikely his boss, the dark lord, had been the one to pick the sisters' assailants. He would have appointed those who could have done the job properly.

As for whoever did choose the assailants, he would likely be missing his head soon, after the incident was reported up the chain-of-command.

There was no room in the dark army for bunglers. Fortunately, there were specialists like him that cleaned up messes, the failures of others. As with those trained like him, his allegiance was to the Plan; not to each individual warrior.

A squad of soldiers walked down the street, each with a guard dog at his side. They didn’t look at him, and not a single canine so much as flicked an ear in his direction in passing.

He couldn’t help but smile just a little as he continued on his way. Sometimes the most dangerous enemy wasn’t the one you could see,

coming right at you…it was those who were hidden within your very own ranks.

The ones you thought were on your side.

Chapter 26

Truth

General Chad stood in the main conference room at the training center, in deep contemplation, hand over his mouth.

Several hours had passed since the attack on the Shahan sisters. At Eliezer’s insistence, Chad went to the scene and was appalled at the level of destruction.

“This only confirms the fact that the enemy knows the power of the sisters,” said Ronain, standing beside Chad at the large windows that overlooked the forest.

“Yes,” replied Chad, “it would appear so.”“And whoever killed the assassin obviously didn’t want him telling us

anything,” said Eliezer, standing on the other side of Chad with his hands behind his back.

"Of course, there was no chance to question the assassin's comrade…Matthew Shahan killed him to defend his daughters. Rightfully so, we all know Seditionists are trained to never yield to us. We all would have done the same. And judging by the reaction from the sisters, they apparently weren’t aware of their own mightat least, not when they fight beside one another.”

“Although I suppose it was only a matter of time before they found out the truth,” mused Chad, turning to face Eliezer.

“Yes, the truth always has a way of getting out,” agreed the boy. “I trust Rebecca and Matthew will be informing Cadence and Kiera the real reason they haven’t been trained as warriors.”

“That’s the irony of it,” said Ronain. “It was decided they not be trained because of their inherent power. However, they haven’t been trained and an enemy attempted to kill them, something we knew might happen. Although there is the fact the one assailant dueled with them first, when he could have just cut them down…”

“In the end, it is the parents’ decision,” Chad answered, looking at his friend. “It is not our place to tell parents how to raise their kids. Until they are eighteen, we must obey their wishes for their children."

"Still no report from Commander Arthos and his unit?" asked Ronain, shifting topics.

Eliezer shook his head. "But we should hear back any time." He sighed audibly and rubbed his forehead. "For now, let's all take

the evening and get some sleep while we can. I have a feeling the days ahead will not allow for much rest."

Ω Ω ΩThe sun had not come back out and it was apparent the remainder of

the day would be dark. When Matthew, Rebecca and their daughters reached the steps

leading to the front door of their house, they spotted something leaning against the door. It was a slender parcel wrapped in plain brown paper.

With caution, Rebecca took it and saw it was marked for Cadence. She didn't sense anything sinister or dangerous about this anonymous item and said, "I'll just put it in your room for you, Cadence."

Once everyone was inside and situated, Rebecca warmed up some soup while Matthew tended to Cadence's wound. The little device he used was the size of a pen and mended superficial injuries almost instantly. As was the benefits of modern technology and medicine.

No one said anything while they ate. Matthew and Rebecca hardly took their eyes off their daughters, who were too tired at that moment to talk.

But after food and a hot shower, the girls felt a little better. Cadence was still cold, however, as she sat down on the couch in the living room.

Strange how even mild shock gives one chills, she thought, pulling the blanket from the couch back.

"So what exactly was that?" asked Kiera as she dropped onto the couch beside her sister.

She was feeling slightly more energized than Cadence, and there was more fight in her tone. Her jaw and especially sternum were especially sore though, from the hits she'd taken.

"Why'd you never tell us that kind of destruction was possible?" continued Kiera in a flurry of questions. "Is that why you didn't let us train? You were afraid the enemy would try and kill us?"

Matthew, sitting beside Rebecca on the couch opposite them, raised his hand to halt further questions. "Partly. We feared that if you did train, then the Seditionists would become aware of you sooner, before you were capable of protecting yourselves, or worse…turn you to darkness."

“But they know anyway,” spoke Cadence for the first time, with a particularly dark expression on her face.

Yes, thought Rebecca to herself, how perfectly ironic. “We didn’t know what to do at the time,” said Rebecca. “But

obviously it wouldn’t have really mattered what choice we made…evil has a way of finding out sensitive information.”

“And on top of it all,” added Matthew, “we were warned by General Eliezer that one warrior can do great help or harm, but two, especially of the same blood, can reap destruction on entire systems. Not even he knew how to describe it, but there is something about the powerful bond of siblings that only amplifies their individual gifts when they go into battle together.”

“But now we’re behind,” said Kiera, “and they know where we are, who we are…and that we’re completely unprepared.”

She gestured to the forest beyond the villa walls, "We didn't know what we were doing out there!"

Kiera then looked endearingly at her little sister, "Just like Cadence wasn't looking for a fight in the mountains, we weren't looking for one today. And yet trouble seems to have found us…again."

Their parents could only look at her tiredly, with worry in their expressions.

"And you…lied to us," said Cadence, disbelief etched on her delicate face. "When you told us we were too young, or that the academy wasn't taking any more students because there was no current need for more warriors in a time of peace."

"We weren't sure what to tell you," replied Matthew. Cadence was tired, but that wound her up.

They'd been avoiding this very topic for a month and now the truth was all coming out. If there was one thing that got her fired up, it was being lied to about Legionnaire business.

"I think the truth would have been better than lying to us all these years," answered Cadence evenly, doing her best to keep her tone respectful, "especially once we were old enough to understand."

She didn't bother hiding the frustration she'd been feeling the past four weeks, or the fact she'd been almost totally ignored. The day's events, on top of this news, had sent her mind into a spiral.

"And in spite of all of that," said Kiera, "why have you let Commander Ronain or the other students teach Cadence and I what they've learned?"

“We didn’t want to seem too restrictive,” replied Rebecca, “and we thought it would be good that you at least learn the basics so you could defend yourselves.”

Yeah, the basics went over real well today, thought Kiera to Cadence.“But now what?” asked Cadence. “Now that the Seditionists know

Kiera and me, we’re going to be officially trained, right?”“Let’s just…sleep on it tonight and discuss it in the morning,” sighed

Rebecca, rubbing her aching forehead.Cadence's bitter anger burned in her chest. But Kiera spoke,

preventing her from continuing to think on it and letting it fester. "I think I should be getting back to the center," she said, standing

suddenly. “And I’m tired,” said Cadence, getting to her feet. “I think I'll crash

for the night.”Kiera walked to the door, Cadence in tow. As Kiera slid on her shoes,

Cadence whispered, “I wish I could come with you.”When Kiera looked at her sister, she saw tears of frustration gleaming

in her blue eyes. Kneeling down in front of Cadence, Kiera rested her hands on her little sister’s shoulders.

Give mom and dad a day, thought Kiera to Cadence, I’ll talk with Chad or Ronain. If they keep avoiding this, I'll come for you. Okay?

Cadence’s chin quivered as she nodded. Kiera hugged her tight. “I love you, little sister,” she whispered. “I love you too, big sis.”After wiping Cadence’s tears with her hand, Kiera stood and walked

out in the rapidly falling darkness, door shutting behind her. Resolved to remain strong while in view of her parents, Cadence

turned, walked briskly to her room and shut the door.

Her heart was pounding, and she was still trying to pull herself together. Then her eyes fell on the unknown package her mom had put on her desk.

She picked it up and carefully unwrapped it. Cadence's eyes widened as its hidden content was revealed: it was a

sword in a beautiful leather scabbard. Grabbing the hilt, she slid out the blade, two and a half feet long and curved backwards slightly. She immediately recognized it.

It was perfectly weighted and balanced, but light…and on the twisted guards on both broadsides of the blade was the etched figure of a rearing horse.

A note was tethered to the hilt with a piece of twine and read: "A gift, to replace the blade you lost in the battle with the dragon. You are already a warrior, Miss Shahan, of a long line of honorable and mighty Legionnaires. May this bring you encouragement in the days ahead. Ulric."

Cadence slid the blade back into its scabbard and sat down on her bed. She looked at the gift in her hands a long moment…and then dropped her head.

How could she be a warrior? She was a nobody, just some kid, and one who'd nearly been cut down by an enemy. And how could she increase her skills if she still wasn't permitted to train?

The tears finally came, after everything that had happened that afternoon, after learning the truth and upon receiving this awesome, yet somehow bitter, gift.

I just want to fight. It wasn't just a thought in her mind, but a cry that came from deep in

her heart. I just want to fight...At last, crumpling to her side and clutching the sword and scabbard,

Cadence quietly cried herself to sleep.

Ω Ω ΩHe stood on the balcony of his apartment in the darkness, enjoying

the coolness of the breeze that gusted through the trees. His mind was mulling over the events of the past month, in which he

had not only been watching the sisters but shadowing the assailants. If an employee was even the least bit suspicious, the boss always had a shadow to follow the shadow, to keep an eye on him. Or them. This time it had paid off.

The com in his ear beeped, and he touched the tiny button on the outside of it.

“Well?”“The sisters are as powerful as you said,” he informed. “But they

seemed to be just as surprised as everyone else. The oldest has been at the training center the past month, but hasn’t been admitted into any classes.”

“Excellent. I couldn’t reach Than…”He lifted his face into a strong gust of wind, the nippy air awakening

his senses. “They're both dead. Botched the job. Doran was killed by Matthew Shahan, and Than was about to be taken alive by local security forces. It was a very public ordeal. Made a wonderful show out of it.”

Silence settled over the conversation, and he figured his boss was likely trying to contain his anger.

Finally, he said, “I suggest we go for the younger sister. She seems to be struggling a lot with everything.”

“If that’s true,” replied the voice, “then she may be persuaded to fall on her own. What of the older one?”

“Her mind is stronger now. I can’t get a clear read on her.”“The stronger they are, the greater the treachery will be when they

turn. Regardless, it still won’t be simple. There are other parts of the plan to be executed first, so until you hear from me again, push them along as gently as you can. I’ll be sending someone to you soon, a powerful dark warrior I myself have trained. He will help you wrap things up there.”

“You’ve got it, boss.” He ended the call. Leaning on the railing, his eyes searched the

darkness, and a little smile tugged at his lips. Oh, he loved his job. Because he was a specialist in his field, he had a

status separate from the main army. He was like a lone Special Forces soldier for the Seditionists.

His more cavalier demeanor enabled him to blend in with the general population. He didn’t carry a dark or suspicious air, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t any less dangerous than the other commanders.

He hid in plain sight. And when he struck, it was fast and clean. He was in and out before anyone realized was had happened.

And no one ever suspected him.

Chapter 27

First Movements

Darkness had settled on the night side of the planet hours ago. The Eastern City, built in an oval shape approximately fifteen miles in diameter, was one of two major metropolises.

Its counterpart, the Western City, was currently enjoying a lunch break. The planetary government had elected that, despite a scattered population, it should establish two large cities on opposite sides of the planet to enable business and commerce to flow almost continuously.

The planet of Lunghei, on the outer rim of the Kerst System, was a fine mixture of forest and deep blue-green, shallow waters that wrapped around it. With warm summers and mild winters, it was a perfect but little-known vacation spot.

Though the entire planet population barely exceeded the three hundred thousand mark, the people managed a small military unit and defense department in the Eastern City.

Those who didn’t live in the cities survived by village trade. So now, the Eastern City diplomats and delegates had turned in for

the evening. There wasn’t much nightlife since nearly everyone held a government job and had to be at work promptly in the morning.

The dozen security guards that patrolled the city had a lonely job. There were two night shifts. The first began from 5pm until the latest hour in the night, 10PM. Due to the planet's small size, and the speed at which it revolved, the days and nights were shorter than some of their larger counterparts.

The second security shift then took over from 10PM until 5AM, when the sun rose and the day guards began their rounds.

It was 10:07PM and the second night shift had begun their patrol. They walked the streets in a casual manner. No need to rush since it was the same routine every night. They’d check the buildings and stores lining the two main roads of the city, which intersected in the center. Then they’d mosey on back to the station.

Yup, it was shaping up to be another uneventful evening.

Ω Ω Ω

They approached from the night side, creeping in silent and undetected. The ship, a massive dark gray vessel, looked like just another beat up frigate.

But looks were meant to be deceiving this day and age. Planetary legislatures were passing stricter laws on merchant ships,

and anything that appeared remotely like a cargo vessel was subject to intensive searches. The effects of these laws rippled through respective systems, making it difficult for even the mercenaries to do their jobs.

So, some had begun to disguise their ships. They either shinnied up their crafts to make them seem more legitimate, to give the appearance the pilots were law abiding. Or they downgraded to clunky, war beaten vessels large enough that planet security wouldn’t bother with a thorough search—if they searched at all.

This particular vessel looked like it had been dragged through one too many minefields. But that was just holographic appearances. Even its rough, heavy metal fuselage wasn’t what it seemed.

It was all a rouse and didn’t matter how good the sensors were on other ships. Their scans would report it was just a big, ugly freighter…not the modern battleship that was hidden beneath the holographic display.

Another modification, perhaps the most important, was the interior. The vessel was eight hundred meters long and two hundred wide. The

rear of the ship used to be four levels, but they had been removed to make room for hundreds of fighters. Sections of what appeared to be windows were really doors that could open to allow the fighters to pour out of the vessel.

Tonight, the commander had plans to do just that. The freighter stopped on the outer edge of the particle ring that

wrapped diagonally around the planet. While it might have seemed to be a good idea to drift in the ring itself to make the ship harder to detect, any half-wit knew that was a bad idea. The particles in the ring were extremely fine and could easily ruin engine systems with even the best filters.

Besides, this planet’s radar only detected ships as far as the upper atmosphere.

Their target was a sitting duck.

Ω Ω Ω1:23AM in the Eastern City. The place was dead quiet and the guards were roughly halfway

finished with their shift.

A blinding flash lit the southern end of the city, accompanied by a loud boom. Then another…and another.

Under the cover of night, the undetected ship in orbit unleashed two dozen of its medium cruisers, often referred to as bombers. Since it was highly unlikely any of the city’s jets would get off the ground, only a dozen light fighters escorted their larger counterparts.

Explosions rocked the small city as the bombers decimated entire blocks in a single payload. The smaller light fighters roared overhead, heading straight for the small military base. After only two passes, they destroyed the hangers and all the planes of the city.

In a matter of half an hour, the Eastern City was leveled. Nothing was left except mounds of debris and twisted metal as thick clouds of smoke billowed up to the inky black sky.

And then all was silent. The bombardment had not only taken the structures of the city, but close to a quarter of the planets population. It wouldn’t be until later, when investigative teams from the Western City arrived, would anyone realize what happened.

The attacking bombers and fighters returned to the vessel and docked. In another six hours they would return to the planet. Dusk would be falling on the Western City, and the people would be in total confusion over the destruction of their neighbor.

The Western City would be attacked, but not leveled, like its sister city because it had necessary resources. Its eastern counterpart had nothing that interested the attackers, who simply wished to remove any minor opposition.

Only after investigators from nearby planets left would the frigate finally return and its passengers establish a foothold on the planet.

Besides, brief civil wars between neighboring planets weren’t that uncommon. The system governments of Ulnun, Jutland and Kerst usually kept their noses out of skirmishes between the plants in their individual systems. Rarely got involved.

They were content with staying in their own, safe little worlds, in denial about what was really going on outside their conceited minds. By the time the system governments got their heads out of the sand, it would probably be too late.

What a shame. Ω Ω Ω

It was early afternoon in the city of Togiak on Planet Nordoc, in the Jutland System. Before the advancement of technology and the creation of

fighter craft, the rugged Nordoc Mountains used to provide an impenetrable defense for the city. The rigid peaks reached all the way into the upper atmosphere and could be clearly seen from orbit.

But now it was those same mountains which provided cover for those launching the ambush.

Invading bombers and light fighters swept in from behind the mountain range and commenced bombarding Togiak.

However, the city had significantly more technology than the ill-fated Lunghei, and the enemy was spotted on approach.

Hanger bays hidden all over the mountains opened their doors and spewed out the city’s defense fighters, sleek jets with considerable firepower. Heavy turrets peppered near the hanger doors covered the fighters as they made their hasty exit.

Fighters tore over the city as its citizens ran for cover in bunkers and bomb shelters. A second wave of heavy bombers swung around and approached from the neighboring Kilden Mountains, just to the west.

The attack only lasted roughly forty-five minutes and Togiak took moderate damage. But the assault was stopped and the few enemy fighters were chased off the planet.

Thus, Nordoc maintained its freedom, for another day at least. However, there was little celebration, because those who'd witnessed the previous war knew this was only the beginning.

Peace that had graced the systems was breaking, and these attacks marked the first movements of the return of a greatly feared enemy.

Chapter 28

Awakening

None of the Legionnaire Council members received much rest overnight, maybe a couple hours of fitful sleep if they were so fortunate.

“Morning, Eliezer,” said Chad as he walked into the large conference room.

“Morning, general.”“Any news from Arthos?” asked Chad as he stepped beside the boy,

who stood looking out the floor-to-ceiling windows. “Still waiting,” replied Eliezer, “and still not a lot of details on the

Eastern City attack, which isn’t surprising since word is it was leveled.

Togiak on Nordoc was able to provide a little more information, but not much.”

“Whoever attacked will likely try again,” mused Chad.“Very likely, especially with the Seditionists behind this. They don’t

accept failure and Nordoc is a strong ally of Legionnaires.”“Morning, generals,” chimed Ronain as he strode into the room. Chad glanced at Eliezer. At least the commander looked rested. “I had a thought before I fell asleep last night,” continued Ronain, as

he walked over to the counter and poured himself a cup of coffee. “Are we still trying to find Cyrus?”

“No,” answered Eliezer. “We’ve alerted all the Legionnaire posts in every system to keep an eye out for him. No one is actively searching, though. Why?”

Ronain gave his head a little shake and stepped to the window. “Just wondering. It would be nice to find someone who knew what was going on.”

“Like an informant?”“Something like that. I’ve been asking around, trying to find someone

who knows someone who might know something. Our enemy keeps things very close to the vest, but it’s worth a shot.”

“Indeed. It is a very sound idea.”Silence settled between them, and Ronain sipped his coffee. Finally,

“Any word from Matthew and Rebecca Shahan?”Chad smiled. “Not yet, but the sun hasn’t even risen.”“Do we have anything useful on the sisters' assailants?” asked Ronain. Chad shook his head. “Nothing. Not even a name, or a last location

where they were staying. But they could have been living out in the forest for all we know.”

“They did have skill,” commented Ronain. “I watched the footage from a surveillance camera. The sisters were not at the same level.”

Eliezer rubbed the bridge of his nose. “And yet I get the sense that they weren't the only ones keeping an eye on the girls. My gut is telling me there’s someone else here, right now.”

“A wolf in disguise as it mingles with the sheep?” ventured Chad.“Mmm.” “Kiera told me of the conversation they had with their parents last

night, after the attack,” said Chad. “She’s concerned they’ll just continue putting off discussing the matter. She’s not only worried that Cadence will be left to fend for herself…she noted a lot of suppressed anger last night towards their parents."

“That will definitely be something to discuss further…”

The doors opened and the rest of the Legionnaire Council filed in. They were still exchanging hellos and good-mornings when the com in the center of the round table beeped. Eliezer gestured to it, and it blinked on.

A scaled down holographic version of Commander Arthos appeared in the middle of the table, with several of his men behind him.

“Good morning, generals,” said the commander with a salute. “Good morning, Commander,” replied Eliezer, returning it, “or should

I say ‘good evening?’”Arthos shrugged. “All the same to us.”He gave them a quick summary about the adventure in the bunker.

Any tunnels that led into the hills were barricaded under tons of rubble and debris. All the hard-drives had been wiped, so there were no flight manifests, names, any information.

Eliezer noted the bruising on Arthos’ jaw, along with some other scrapes on his warriors. “You look like you ran into an unwelcome opponent.”

Arthos just laughed and there was no missing the gleam in his eyes. “Oh, we ran into a Seditionist, alright. Just a young guy, but skilled nonetheless. Of course he escaped.”

“Of course.”“Slipped out when an explosion collapsed the tunnels. Anyway, it’s

safe to surmise that our old nemesis is very much back in action. And if anyone wants more solid proof, well…by the time they get it, every other planet will be overrun by the enemy. All of us here know the Seditionists are cunning snakes, and will be even more so the second time around, to ensure they aren’t thwarted.”

“And we don’t even know most of the names of the commanders and generals we’re dealing with,” added Hezron. “We know virtually nothing. Only that Cyrus was likely behind the assassinations of the ambassadors of Verga.”

“We need to get our people tracking leads, anything,” said Eliezer, smallest trace of concern on his face as urgency awakened in his soul. “We can’t keep flying blind here. Commander, we need you, all your warriors, to talk with your contacts, those who might know anything about those behind the attacks. The moment you find something, let us know. We’ll coordinate details here.”

Arthos nodded. “We’re all over it, General.”“Stay safe out there.”Arthos saluted them before the transmission ended and his image

faded.

You were on the right track when you started reaching out to your network, Ronain, thought Eliezer to him.

“We must get in front of this,” he said to the other eight. “I’ve just been hit with a sudden realization that this is much bigger than we thought…and it’s moving much faster. Everyone needs to reach out to contacts, sources, informants, anyone who might know something about Seditionist movements, who's supplying them, where they're moving, anything and everything.”

Hezron immediately picked up on where he was going. “It's time to get the spy network online and bring everyone back to work. I don’t doubt for a moment that our fellow Legionnaires on other planets have felt the restlessness awaken. Our season of peace has come to an end, and it's time to reestablish and streamline our headquarters and intelligence networks. We'll be able to gather intel and quickly learn what's going on, so we can really begin putting plans together to head this off."

“We should also contact local governments of planets that haven’t been attacked yet,” added Eliezer, “and get their tentative plans, how many forces they can spare, everything. It would be ideal if we could locate these freighters and intercept them while they’re in transit through space.”

That basically summed up the meeting, and after catching up on the latest local news, the generals exited the room.

And Chad, thought Eliezer, just before he left, I would be grateful if you’d keep an eye on Cadence Shahan…

Nathan Chad, the tall and strong Legionnaire general, paused in the doorway and looked over his shoulder at the boy.

He understood perfectly the reason for this request. Cadence had been on his mind almost constantly, and he hadn’t been an instructor all these years not to be able to read the deeper things of a student.

Darkness was brewing inside the girl, and the enemy’s eye was now fixed on her.

Chapter 29

Youthful Brilliance

Frantic knocking at 8AM drew Cadence from her room, and she walked through the silent house for the door.

She knew her dad was at work, and her mom was likely at the medical center again. When Cadence opened the front door, she saw Hailey standing on the porch.

“Hi!” said Hailey, literally startling Cadence. “Uh, hi,” answered Cadence, brain finally kicking in. “As predicted, my dad was totally floored from what Tucker and I told

him about your fighter," said Hailey, bubbling with energy. "He even cleared his afternoon meetings so you could present the entire 'package' to him, as he put it."

“Oh,” was all Cadence could think to say. She'd completely forgotten about that. Hailey's dad had cleared his

entire afternoon? Wow, no one had ever been that generous to her, especially adults.

“Uh, okay,” said Cadence. “What time?”“Ten. I’ll stop by a little before that and we can walk over together,”

replied Hailey. “Okay, I’ll be ready.”Hailey paused a moment to really look at Cadence. "Are you alright?

When we heard about what happened yesterday, we were all really concerned. We wanted to stop by to make sure everyone was okay, but didn't want to intrude."

"Yeah, we're fine. Just some scrapes and…still sorting things out," replied Cadence, letting her sentence trail off.

When she saw Hailey's utterly worried expression, she took a breath and forced herself to explain. "My parents told Kiera and me the real reason we weren't allowed to be trained."

She met Hailey's eyes with her own and thought, who knew two kids could create such havoc?

Hailey smiled sympathetically, before giving her an encouraging squeeze on the arm. Although, you know, you and Kiera aren't exactly average kids…

Cadence tilted her head a little, but her friend didn't expound. Instead, her eyes sparkled like she knew a great secret.

"I'll be over at 9:45 to get you," smiled Hailey, walking down the steps.

"Sure, see you in a few," nodded Cadence.But don't be surprised if we get sniped at on the way back to your

place, thought Cadence to herself as she closed the door.Ω

Hailey returned right at 9:45AM as promised. By then, Cadence had showered and eaten breakfast. Plus the

headache from last night had dulled, and she now felt more like herself. She glanced over all the schematics for the jet and downloaded it onto a thin, palm-pilot looking device.

Cadence flung the door open on the first knock. “Ready?” asked Hailey, grinning. “Yup,” replied Cadence, unable to keep from smiling at her friend's

excitement and enthusiasm. After writing a quick note for her parents, Cadence and Hailey headed

off down the street. Hailey and Tucker lived about ten minutes away, just inside the town

borders. Theirs was a large two story house with tall ceilings, archways, and marble floors. The layout was similar to Cadence’s, only bigger.

When she'd first met him years ago, Hailey's father insisted Cadence call him by his first name, Justin.

He was an animated character, which seemed a bit out of place with his big, muscular frame. His brown eyes were kind, and he had a heart for children, and looked upon his own as if they were the moon and the stars. It likely had to do with the fact his wife had been killed some years ago.

The large kitchen was on the left. Tucker was rummaging around, hair a mess, like he’d just gotten out of bed.

“Cadence Shahan!” boomed Justin as he appeared from the hall that led further into the house.

He smiled a toothy grin and extended his hand. “Glad you could make it.”

Cadence squared her shoulders and took the big hand. “I appreciate you making the time for me.”

“Don't think twice about it,” replied Justin, glancing at his daughter. “When Hailey and Tucker gave me the gist of your model, I couldn’t wait to hear more.”

“Speaking of Tucker,” muttered Hailey, clearing her throat as she gave him a pointed look. “I apologize for his messy state, and that he didn’t have the decency to dress accordingly for such an important guest.”

Tucker glanced down at his shirt, complete with holes, and his sweatpants. He was chewing on a mouthful of toast as he looked back at Cadence.

“Sorry,” he said, spitting crumbs everywhere. Cadence stifled her laugh, and Hailey rolled her eyes. Justin, smiling,

waved for Cadence to follow.

“Come on back to the lab,” he said, walking into the hall he’d come from. “Besides, I’ve been wanting to see what another scientific-minded person thinks of some of my new projects.”

“Come on, Tucker,” said Hailey, following Cadence. “Huh?” “If we’re going to be flying one of Cadence’s fighters one day, I want

to learn as much as I can about it now,” replied Hailey.“Oh, right,” said Tucker, following them and stuffing another bite of

toast into his mouth.They walked down the hall to the room in the very back of the house.

When Justin flicked on the lights, Cadence’s jaw dropped. It was a huge room, ceiling nearly fifty feet high and arched. The wall

ahead, as well as on the right and left, was lined with desks and counters. All were covered with devices and gadgets. The back wall was lined with shelves, books and manuals, and in the center was a small island.

“If you want to go ahead and stick the panel into the reader there, we can get started,” said Justin, gesturing to the slim box on the island.

Hailey and Tucker pulled up two chairs behind the island, Hailey ready to take notes, Tucker with his plate of food.

Cadence inserted the thin panel into the box. The device hummed for a couple seconds, processing the data. Then it displayed the information onto the vast blank space on the back wall.

Justin handed Cadence a little clicker device so she could surf through the information.

The first image was an overall picture of the jet, its sleek fuselage gleaming.

Over the next hour, Cadence went over everything in detail, explaining everything from the fuselage to the onboard computer systems and weapons.

Because this was a weapon of war, Hailey and Tucker were enthralled and neither could quite wipe the amazed expressions off their faces. This was indeed a sleek weapon, and they were getting a sneak-peek at it.

Justin sat on the edge of one of the counters, chin in his hand. To say he was fascinated would be like calling a blizzard some snow driven by a puff of wind.

What was also appealing was how enthused Cadence was over her project, very impassioned. She answered every one of his questions with clarity and detail. When she said she’d thought of everything, she'd meant it.

When Cadence reached the end, Hailey and Tucker’s mouths were hanging open.

"I already want to fly one," said Hailey.“And if every one of my classes was like this,” commented Tucker, “I

so wouldn’t have a problem staying awake.”Hailey rolled her eyes. “Wow,” said Justin, standing. He walked up to the image of the

fighter, slowly rotating at various angles to show off every detail of the fine aircraft. “I have to say, Cadence, I am very impressed.”

He turned and looked back at her. “And you said the projected cost of making one of these, versus what's in production now, would cut prices in half?”

Cadence nodded. “That’s right.” “I’m so excited and it's not even my idea," said Justin, planting his

hands on his hips. "I will set a date for you to present this before the city council."

Cadence blinked. “Wait, what? Really?”“Of course!” boomed Justin, “Don’t let anyone look down on you

because you’re young. Besides, this is very applicable and could bolster our economy."

Cadence tried to hide her smile. It was unusual for her to see an adult so excited—especially over one of her stupid projects.

“Nice work, little one,” said Tucker. “I feel outdone.” “That’s because you have the imagination of a muskrat,” replied

Hailey. Cadence coughed out a laugh. “In the meantime,” interjected Justin, “would you like to see some of

my projects?”“Sure,” said Cadence. “Don’t take too much of her time, though, dad,” said Hailey, standing,

“I'm sure she has plenty of other things to do."“Oh!” exclaimed Justin, “Are you officially training?” Cadence shrugged. “I don’t know yet.”“I see,” he nodded and his gaze softened. After a pause he continued,

“Well, let’s get started.”One of the stools at the far end of the counter slid over to Cadence.

She looked like she might burst she was smiling so hard as she hopped up onto the stool.

Justin shot a look over his shoulder at his two children, eyebrows raised.

I know, thought Hailey to him, I’ve never seen a more innocent kid.Or a cuter one, added Tucker. Justin hid his smile as he took a seat on a nearby stool. The device in

front of him lifted off the table. “Now,” he said, “this is my latest project…”

Chapter 30

Temper, Temper

It was a beautiful city, with impossibly sheer jagged mountains that reached into the upper atmosphere. Its defense forces lay inside the rugged cliffs, which were spotted with waterfalls that thundered hundreds of feet down to different lakes.

The cirrus clouds stretched over the mountains, burning oranges and yellows as the sun approached the eastern horizon.

A siren cut through the air seconds before heavy rockets pummeled the mountains. Black light fighters roared in, taking out the planet's fighters as they attempted to clear the hangers.

She didn't know what the source was, but massive flames rose up from the town at the base of the mountains and reached up the sheer ridges.

Blinking, Kiera suddenly found herself aboard a battleship. The air was frigid inside, but not because of a low air temperature. It was cold as in evil. It was a familiar sensation and sent chills shivering through her.

Glancing out one of the windows, she saw a planet below them. The ship shuddered a second and then she watched more heavy rockets streak for the surface.

A piercing pain cut through her skull, so sharp she thought her head was going to split in half. Hand on her head, Kiera looked up to see a pair of dark warriors walking swiftly towards her.

She'd been spotted right away this time and scrambled backwards. The sound of a lance coming to life behind her made her stop and

turn. Her eyes went wide. Oh ho, this guy wasn't any dark warrior. Judging by the new level of

hatred with which he looked at her, this brute was a Seditionist commander.

"You think you stand a chance against the dark army, little girl?" asked the commander, slowly walking towards her, pushing her back. "You

were lucky dad was there to save you, but he won't always be around to protect you…or your dear little sister."

The dark commander grabbed Kiera by the throat, but he jerked it away seconds later with a snarl. He looked at his hand, appearing to have been burned.

Dark rage fixed itself on his face, and he struck her with his lance…Kiera sat straight up in bed and quickly scanned the room to find

make sure she was alone. Faint light behind the shades on the windows told her it was nearly morning.

Snatching the pencil and notepad from her nightstand, she quickly scribbled down the dream. After, Kiera quickly changed and exited her room, on her way to find Commander Ronain.

Ω Ω ΩIt was just like any other early morning at the Shahan house.Still suffering from her random bout of insomnia, Cadence had

already been up for hours. Presently, she sat quietly in her usual spot at the table, watching with mild irritation as her parents scrambled to get ready for work.

She pushed away her half-eaten bowl of cereal. It had been three days since the attack and, aside from the initial conversation afterwards, they hadn't discussed it.

Back to the norm, sighed Cadence. “So, when are we going to talk about the training thing?” she finally

asked."Uh, maybe tonight…or tomorrow," answered Rebecca, ducking into

the kitchen. "That's what you said yesterday," pointed out Cadence flatly. “I know, but we don’t have the time right now,” said Matthew. Cadence just shook her head, darkness slowly falling over her face.

Three days ago her dad had risked his life and charged in like a raging lion to protect his daughters from a dark enemy.

"And this isn't a decision to be made lightly," added Rebecca. "I know," replied Cadence, voice rising, "then why haven't we talked

about it? We should have talked about it weeks, even years ago!"Cadence couldn't remember the last time she'd raised her voice to her

parents. But loyalty was a very big thing to a Legionnaire, and her parents lying to her and Kiera all these years about why they weren't trained was a serious betrayal. They were her parents. But they'd lost some standing with her.

Matthew paused to look at her sternly. "Mind your tone, young one." Cadence did not respond, but didn't bother trying to remove the

hardened look from her own face. She was very well aware of the fact that her thoughts had been dark

and brooding lately, which only resulted in a quicker temper. She knew it was a pattern one could easily be caught up in and, once entrenched in her mind, could take her down a much darker, more sinister path.

But, feeling like she'd reached the end of her rope, she didn’t really care now.

Rebecca dumped her dishes into the dishwasher and glanced at the clock. “There’s just a lot going on. Your dad and I are a little busy right now.”

“Did you see my work tablet?” asked Matthew to Rebecca. “It has my latest briefing for the military council on it.”

“Did you check the closet?”“Yes.”“The bathroom?”Matthew ran his hands through his hair, frustration on his face. “Yes,

I did.”Rebecca gave him a look. “I’m just trying to help…”As they launched into another argument, Cadence's heart rate started

to rise, heart beginning to pound and she could feel her muscles tightening. After another minute of listening to them argue, the anger she'd been letting simmer exploded into rage.

"Would you stop!" shouted Cadence, on her feet. "Doesn't it matter that Seditionists tried to kill Kiera and me? You admitted yourselves they know about us now. You know full well we had no idea what we were doing when we were just trying to save our own skins."

Matthew and Rebecca had stopped, frozen, as they looked at their daughter. They appeared rather taken aback, like they couldn't possibly imagine where all this was coming from.

An unsettling darkness flickered in Cadence's eyes. "And avoiding the situation isn't going to fix anything. I know Kiera being gone has been rough, but I'm not invisible."

“Cadence," said Matthew, trying to understand, "you know that we both still love you."

"Then you sure have a funny way of showing it," she seethed back.Cadence set her jaw, eyes fierce. Even now she could sense her dad’s

mind, her mom’s too, were on other things besides this conversation.

Sorry to be such an inconvenience to you and your schedules, she thought darkly.

"I might have some great gifts," said Cadence evenly, "and being there to save Kiera and I is one thing. That's not all that counts, though. Where have you been the other times I've needed you? I've been trying to tell you things, but you either don't listen or just completely ignore me."

"Cadence…""No!" she bellowed, knuckles white, fire in her eyes. "If you want to

spend all your spare time with Kiera, fine! But when you figure out what I need to do to earn even the smallest bit of your attention, you let me know."

Cadence was out the door in an instant and before it slammed shut, she heard her mother call her name. But she kept running, sprinting across the street and into the forest.

She'd already decided if her parents refused to make a decision, then she was gone. She'd go for a trek and not plan to ever come back this time.

And everyone knew Cadence was very thorough when it came to planning things out.

She didn’t know how long she’d been running when her lungs started burning and her legs began to tire. But she pushed herself harder, continuing around the large lake.

Frustration and fury, such fury, tore through her to the point where it almost made her dizzy. But her enraged thoughts only fed her anger, supercharging her and allowing her to keep going.

Five minutes later, Cadence finally slowed to a walk, breathing hard but not necessarily from the run.

Anger had latched onto her mind and welled up inside her. A headache accompanied it, pounding relentlessly.

Thoughts, fed by self-righteous wrath, ran through her mind and darkness shadowed her face and her eyes. Only when she finally glanced out over the lake, did she notice how the weather had changed.

Gales swept through the trees and across the lake, making the dark water ripple. Low storm clouds gathered, pressing down on the land.

Hands still clenched in fists, Cadence stopped and shut her eyes tight. She tried to rein in the emotion, but the anger was out of control now.

Like a wildfire on a bone-dry prairie, once the first spark ignited, there was no stopping it.

A warm gust of wind slammed into her. The trees groaned in protest at the gale.

Cadence opened her eyes, now very dark. It isn’t fair! Wasn't I supposed to start training, anyway?

The clouds thickened and choked out the sun's light. A swallow fluttered across the lake and landed on a branch nearby,

sounding its little song. Normally it would have been fascinating, but right now Cadence found it really annoying.

Her eyes locked onto the little bird. Shut up!The anger made her heart thunder madly in her chest.The bird half fluttered, half fell to the ground where it started to flop

around. Fury pounded in her head, in sync with her heartbeat.The swallow twitched a couple more seconds, before its heart stopped

and it lay still. Realization crashed into Cadence’s mind: she’d killed a bird just by

thinking about it. Her rage turned into horror, chills washing over her. Cadence spun and tore into the trees. Tears streamed down her face,

making it difficult to see. She was sobbing by the time she rounded the gentle bend of lake…and ran right into General Chad.

Cadence skittered back a few steps, eyes wide. She hadn't seen him since he'd come to her aid during the incident with the dragon. She'd been too shy to even think about what she'd try to say when, if, she ever saw him again.

But it wasn't just fear she was in, it was sheer terror as she stood there shivering. Tears running down her face, she was trying and failing to get herself under control, to shape up before a high-ranking warrior.

But she couldn't. Cadence dropped her head, before throwing her arms around the Legionnaire and clinging to him.

“Whoa now,” he said, looking down at the girl. “What’s wrong?”Cadence only started crying harder. Chad glanced around a moment, feeling a bit awkward. He was a seasoned general, had fought against some of the evilest

dark warriors in the systems, and had seen the most gruesome scenes war had to offer. He knew very little about dealing with…this.

But the terror in this child softened the big warrior. She had reached such a point of desperation where throwing her arms around him was a last-ditch effort for someone to help.

And he was probably the last person she'd want to come to. He'd instantly picked up on her being intimidated by him, and the disappointment in herself that she'd somehow earned his disproval.

Chad drew a breath and gently stroked her hair.In between her sobs, she managed to tell him what happened, “I…

there was this bird…I was so mad…and, and…I killed it!”

“How do you mean, Cadence?” asked Chad quietly, which was difficult to do with a naturally commanding voice.

“I did it…just by thinking about it!”She pressed her face against him, wails muffled. The realization of this struck Chad. “I was so angry…I couldn’t stop!”Chad closed his eyes a moment. Almighty have mercy on this poor

child, he prayed. It was then he was reminded that, in spite of all the intellect and

amazing skills she possessed already…she was still just a kid. No one had been doing a good job at remembering that.

After a couple minutes, when Cadence’s crying calmed some, the general knelt down in front of her.

“It’s been rough on you, hasn’t it, young one?” he asked. Cadence wiped her eyes and nodded. Chad sighed. “Why don’t you and I go for a walk around the lake, and

you tell me everything that happened?” Cadence studied his face a few seconds, and he could sense she was

weighing the sincerity of his words. Apparently, she wasn’t in a mood to trust adults right now.

But, at last, she nodded.As they started off down the trail by the lake, Cadence told Chad

about the argument she’d had with her parents, and inadvertently breaking several items in previous bursts of anger. By the time she’d finished her story, Cadence seemed to have regained her composure.

"I knew I had to be careful, but I just didn't care and… lost control." Chad nodded, eyes on the lake. “Dealing with emotions is just part of

being human, but I, and the rest of the Council, think it's important you be taught to really control them or put them to good use. It's also controlling your thoughts, what you think about and feed your mind."

They walked in silence a moment, before Cadence asked, “General, this power that Kiera and I have…it’s dangerous, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is,” replied Chad, looking down at her, “very dangerous.” He watched as Cadence clasped her hands behind her back as she

considered this. She reminded him a little of Eliezer. “Would it not, then, be imperative that Kiera and I be trained?” asked

Cadence, her intellectual mind back at work. “Not only for the sake of those on this planet, but for the entire system? Every warrior is needed in war.”

Chad couldn’t help but smile a little. The way her young mind worked never ceased to amaze him.

“That too, is true,” he answered. “The Legionnaire Council and I believe it’s very important you and your sister begin training as soon as possible. It’s vital you not only learn to wield your gifts, but also to learn control. However, it’s not our place to tell your parents what to do or how to raise you.”

“Then you believe the attacks on those planets is the work of the dark army?” asked Cadence.

“Yes, that’s what we believe.”Chad stopped, looking out over the water, now much calmer that the

brewing storm had broken and the gusty winds had settled. Cadence stood beside him. “I don’t think I realized the seriousness of

it until today."“Cadence, there is one very important thing I want you to remember,”

said Chad, kneeling down next to her again. “The enemy wants you to think that you are alone, especially in times like these. But you’re not. If you can remember that during times of crisis, then you’re ahead of the game.”

“I’m not alone because the Almighty is there all the time,” she said, mostly to herself. “It’s just…difficult to believe sometimes.”

“I know.”“And,” Cadence glanced at him, “I can talk to you, too…right?”Chad met her tentative gaze with his graying blue eyes. It seemed like

a simple question, when in fact, it was quite complicated. He, like the other generals, had plenty of other responsibilities right

now. If he agreed, this was just one more thing to be dropped on his plate. However, Eliezer had requested he keep an eye on her.

And...he could not deny the gentle probing he was feeling in his heart. He also couldn't deny how, in a span of minutes, a part of his heart

that he'd kept walled off for decades had cracked. As a warrior, he didn't often get too attached to others, those under

his command and those who fought beside him. In war and conflict, friends died.

But this was different.Chad had never married in his younger years, never had children. The

job was his life, but it wasn't something he regretted either. It was the best life written for him.

And he did not know from experience the emotions of love and need to protect that a parent felt towards their child. But perhaps it was something like what he was feeling now.

She'll need you in the days to come, whispered a still, small voice. That voice was familiar and belonged to a lifelong Friend. It was one he

could not ignore or deny, because it belonged to He who spoke the heavens and the planets into existence, and held all authority.

Like any Legionnaire, Chad's loyalty ran deep and fierce. Once he was committed to protecting someone, he would do so to his dying breath.

It was what he committed to now, though no one would know about it for some years to come.

"Of course, Cadence," replied Chad finally. "I am here for you, and I know Commander Ronain would be ready to help too if you need anything."

He then pushed himself to his feet and they continued walking. "Perhaps it's time to talk with your parents, with you and your sister."

Cadence glanced up at him. "It might help resolve some issues."And prevent me from running away, she finished to herself.Chad nodded. "Oh and what's this I heard about the plans for some fighter being

presented before the city council?" he asked, "Plans created entirely by you?"

Cadence smiled shyly with a shrug. "Hailey's dad, Justin, really seemed to like it. So he set a date for me to present it to the city council."

"I'm familiar with those on the council. Don't let them push you around," replied Chad, "just because you're young doesn't give them the right to disregard you."

“That’s what Justin said…or something like that.”Chad actually allowed himself a chuckle, and the deep sound of it

lightened Cadence's heart. “He’s a wise man, Justin, a powerful believer, and a dear friend of mine and your parents. You can trust what he says."

The general took a breath and squared his shoulders a little before looking down at her, a twinkle in his eyes. "Now, let's go talk with your parents about…some Legionnaire business."

Chapter 31

Overshadowed

They stepped into the large hanger of the repair/weapons shop on the planet of Surrik, in the Jutland System. It was only a short hop to Nordoc, which had withstood the initial attack from Seditionist forces.

Two speeders and one cruiser were docked straight ahead. When the employees and customers saw them enter, all conversation ceased.

Must be your good looks, Harlem, thought the commander to one of his men.

Harlem snorted a laugh. And here I thought it was that big macho persona you strut around with that stunned everyone into silence, commander.

Because of the attacks, tension among the systems had understandably risen. Due to a higher risk of confrontation, body armor was now a part of regular Legionnaire attire. They all also each carried at least one extra weapon on them somewhere.

Besides, when Legionnaire warriors arrived, that usually meant trouble wasn't too far away.

Upon receiving their orders early that morning, the team had split up and to investigate local maintenance, repair and weapons shops. This particular one was only one of two on this side of the planet which handled both large cruisers and moved large quantities of weapons.

The commander moseyed towards the galactic cruiser, with three employees working on it. Or they pretended they were working when he and his comrade approached.

“Relax, no one’s in trouble,” assured Harlem, as the commander stood off his shoulder, studying the others. “We’re just looking for a little bit of information and then we’ll be on our way.”

One of the three workers mustered up enough bravado to ask, “What ‘dya wanna know?”

“Has anyone come in recently requesting repairs for a big freighter, or maybe purchased a large number of weapons? These guys would have stood out. Probably wore all black armor, had a really creepy way about them.”

While the man muttered his response, the commander intently studied one of the employees next to a speeder.

When he saw the Legionnaire looking at him, he fumbled and dropped the wrench. Turning suddenly, he walked smack into the speeder. Cursing his lack of composure, he rubbed his knee and knelt down to pick up the tool.

Feeling someone behind him, he turned to see the commander right next to him. The man jerked visibly at the close proximity to the warrior.

The Legionnaire just smiled disarmingly and extended his hand. “Taylor.”

“Uh, Marvin,” replied the worker, shaking Taylor’s hand as the warrior grasped his elbow with his other hand.

“So, why don’t you tell me what you know about the visitors you had,” said Taylor, “the ones working for the dark army.”

“Uh…” Marvin suddenly realized how much calmer he felt, relaxed, like the

anxiety had just vanished. “Yeah, there was a squad of guys in here a few weeks ago. Needed some backup gear, you know, body armor, firearms, stuff like that.”

Taylor glanced up at the security cameras peppering the facility. “You won’t find anything on them,” blurted Marvin, feeling the need

to divulge every last bit of information he knew to the Legionnaire. “Yeah, because when I went to review the footage at the end of my shift, it was all blank, like someone had erased it.”

Taylor’s eyes flicked back to him. “I see. Anything else?”Marvin thought a moment, then shook his head. “No. That’s all I

know.”“Thank you, Marvin,” smiled Taylor, giving him a good smack on the

arm before rejoining Harlem at the hangar entrance. “Did your guys know anything?” asked Commander Taylor. “Eight men, soldier type, all black armor, came in three weeks ago for

supplies,” answered Harlem. “Sounds close to what my buddy back there said,” nodded Taylor.

“Now we just need to find a security camera with a view of this area that hasn’t had its memory wiped.”

Thirty minutes later they were looking at recorded footage from a small, run-down restaurant across the road. The camera itself was inside, behind the counter and not in plain view from the hangar.

“Those look like the men the employees were talking about,” said Harlem, nodding at the monitor.

“Would you make us a copy, please?” asked the commander to the restaurant owner, “then we’ll be on our way.”

Seconds later, the copy was made, and Taylor and the rest of his squad regrouped on the outskirts of town. One of the other teams had a copy of footage of the dark soldiers in another area of town.

After syncing the data on to a single device, he pinged a Legionnaire substation on the other side of the planet. “This is Commander Taylor. I have data I need send to Council headquarters on Elywn.”

“I’ve established a link to Elywn. Go ahead and transmit the data, commander…”

Ω

Eliezer, Ipos, and Hezron were just crossing the large square in front of the training center when Eliezer’s com beeped at him.

“General, I have incoming data transmissions from a commander on Surrik in the Jutland System. These are being sent to the center’s database also, but you wanted to know of any developments the moment they happened.”

“That’s correct. Go ahead and patch it through.”“One moment…”A small transmitter from Eliezer's hand lifted into the air and floated

in front of them. Seconds later, a holographic message from Commander Taylor popped up. He gave them a thirty second summary of what they’d found and then the first of two videos began playing.

The images were captured on the outskirts of town, as a dozen dark soldiers exited a cruiser. The leader, difficult to identify because he had his back turned, gave orders before eight men moved off into town. He then exchanged a few words with the rest of the team, and then they all went on their separate ways.

“Wait," said Ipos, “just a moment…”The footage rewound slowly a second before he stopped it. They all

blinked a couple times as icy realization slid over them. “I believe you know him, Ipos,” stated Eliezer. Ipos only glared. “General Cyrus, a dangerous little snot with a short

temper.”"I'll check to see if we have any further information on his affiliations,"

said Eliezer, sliding his fingers over the holographic screen. "It should only take a few seconds."

While waiting for the results, they watched the second video, this one taken from across the street opposite a mechanic and weapons shop. There was something about the way the enemy soldiers moved and carried themselves, stealthily, confident and with a certain darkness.

A little icon popped up in the corner of the screen and Eliezer tapped it.

“Hmm," he said, "the intelligence network hasn't gathered anything new on him yet. Of course, they're still getting themselves up and running at full capacity. But it's safe to surmise that Cyrus is leading a significant number because Commander Taylor said they purchased a large number of weapons, far more than would be used by a dozen men in a year's time."

“And from Surrik, it’s only a short trip to Nordoc,” added Hezron, “it’s now very likely it was Cyrus who launched that first attack on that planet. Just thirty minutes ago, I received images from the shipping lanes in

the eastern sector of the Jutland System. A large freighter was seen heading from Surrik northward to Nordoc just a day before the planet was attacked. That's on top of the dream Kiera Shahan had regarding a follow-up attack on this specific planet.”

Eliezer deactivated the transmitter, and it floated back to his hand. “Unfortunately, we still don’t know where Cyrus is," said Hezron, as

they continued walking.After a second of silence, Ipos spoke up. “Togiak is a very strong ally

to the Legionnaires. The enemy knows this, and I don’t believe the Seditionists would just move on without having another go at it. Cyrus would likely be nearby…”

“Let’s have our warriors keep an eye out around Togiak and surrounding areas, shall we?” asked Eliezer. “Perhaps we’ll be able to pinpoint his location, then maybe we can cut off one of the heads of the beast.”

“At least it's a little encouraging to know we’ve made some kind of progress in this small amount of time,” said Hezron, trying to lighten the mood.

They reached the top of the long, broad steps of the training center and passed between the front pillars as students spilled into the lobby.

Eliezer paused and studied the scene. Their next generation of warriors was right here. They'd proven to be

some of the finest young Legionnaires that had come along in some time. This wasn't the only training center, obviously, but it was one of the

largest in the Ulnun System. There were others spread across the other systems, and all were reporting exceptional progress with their young warriors.

But any pride and satisfaction Eliezer might have taken from the moment was overshadowed with concern.

They still had no idea how many commanders or generals were leading the Seditionist forces now, or just how large the dark army itself was. It appeared they were having little trouble recruiting and training soldiers.

I just hope we’re not making too little progress too late.

Chapter 32

Decisions

Matthew, Rebecca, Cadence and General Chad sat in the Shahan’s living room later that afternoon.

Kiera had also joined them. Young Cadence was more than excited to be with her big sister, even if it had only been a couple days since they'd last seen each other.

Matthew and Rebecca sat on the couch to the left, the sisters the one opposite them. Chad sat in a chair in between the two couches.

“Matthew, Rebecca, I am here because the Legionnaire Council desires an answer regarding your daughters,” began the general, getting straight to the point. “A very real Seditionist threat is spreading across the systems. We’re moving our current students along at a faster pace to prepare them for possible deployment in future months. Your daughters have exceptional skill, even without training, as you know. It would be a great aid to us if they began training immediately.”

Rebecca and Matthew glanced at one another, expressions grim. They'd taken into consideration what Cadence had said during her tantrum, and it had been sobering. But they'd known in their hearts for some time that this moment had been coming.

When they gave no response, Chad scooted forward and leaned towards them. “The past weeks must have been very difficult. I know you love your children more than your own lives and would do anything to protect them…”

“But,” sighed Matthew, finishing the statement, “due to impending war with Seditionists…they should be trained.”

"We would need every warrior in the fight. But it's also up to the girls," said Chad with a dip of his head. “We wouldn’t have to start from the very beginning, and I have no doubt they’ll catch up, if they have to at all. We’re actually about to begin flight training next week, so it would be perfect timing.”

Cadence’s eyes went wide with excitement. She shot a look at Kiera and grabbed her hand.

"Even though they, we, come from a line of warriors," said Rebecca, "as parents, Matthew and I have still been afraid of losing our daughters. It's one thing to be in the thick of battle yourself, but when it's your own children…"

“You know we will do our very best to teach and protect them,” replied Chad honestly, “but we all know life offers no guarantees, especially in war.”

His eyes danced a little as he continued, "But you know this is what Legionnaires are born to do. The conflict gives us purpose. We've all been

injured from time to time, and know full well being unable to fight beside our brothers…makes us a little restless…"

Keeping a warrior from doing what they were designed to do, he continued in a thought to Rebecca and Matthew, slowly kills the fiery spirit they were created with. And I believe, especially Cadence, has been created with such a spirit.

Husband and wife shared a long, sullen gaze before looking at their daughters.

We should have made this decision a long time ago, thought Matthew to Cadence, and I'm sorry we haven't.

Cadence met her father's blue eyes. And I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you and mom…you…you know I love you, right? I would be lost without you, dad, and I know you and mom love me and Kiera. I do know that.

Matthew had to close his eyes to hide the forming tears. Oh, dear Cadence, he replied, you truly are the light of my eye.

Then he looked from her to Kiera, before Cadence could think to respond. "It's up to you girls, now. It's your choice."

"Do you want to be officially trained as Legionnaires?" asked Chad to the sisters, "It's not always easy and is extremely dangerous at times. And we must remember we're not serving ourselves, but the public, and most importantly, God Almighty, with whom our allegiance must always reside. It is our duty to protect the innocent and counter the forces of evil that arise, no matter how dark the road gets."

Cadence about popped up off the couch. “I’ll train!” Kiera smiled at her sister’s enthusiasm before giving a nod, “I’m in.”“Alright then, Cadence go ahead and pack up,” replied Chad, “Kiera

will know what you'll need."Cadence threw herself off the couch and ran down the hallway, Kiera

on her heels. Not even five minutes later she’d packed a small duffel and bounced down the hallway.

“Generals Hezron and Eliezer are outside,” said Chad, “they’ll escort you to the center and make sure you get settled in.”

Cadence gave her parents a quick hug each, before slinging her duffel over her shoulder and running out the front door, Kiera in tow.

After the door closed, Matthew looked at the general. “We didn’t want to talk about it because…then it meant letting go of our children.”

Chad rubbed his chin. “You were, are, afraid for your daughters…I must admit, I’ve never known a Shahan to let fear manipulate them.”

That earned him a testy look from Rebecca, and he raised a hand. “What I mean is, I’ve sensed a change in this household, like many others, in the past weeks. It's a change that is affecting your daughters, particularly Cadence. You’ve allowed yourself to get…preoccupied. When was the last time you even prayed with your children? Read the holy writings together?”

For a brief second, Matthew was about to launch into a defensive tirade, jaw setting and lips drawing into a line. But then it passed and his shoulders relaxed.

“We have let ourselves get busy,” he confessed, “to distract us from what’s going on. I readily confess our faith has grown stale, the very thing from which our strength as warriors comes.”

Admiration crossed Chad's face. Admitting such things was difficult for anyone. “We all fade from time to time, my friend.”

Rebecca’s green eyes lifted to him. “There’s something about Cadence you wished to tell us?”

“I was out for a walk by the lake earlier this morning when I ran into Cadence. Or, more accurately, she ran into me, literally. The child was very upset, crying uncontrollably. When she told me what happened, she said in her anger she killed a bird…”

Rebecca and Matthew continued to sit there, waiting for more. While that was mildly disturbing, they weren’t quite sure why this was such a colossal deal.

“She killed the creature…just by thinking about it,” finished Chad. Rebecca’s eyes widened. “What?”“That is what Cadence told me. She was so angry that when she

focused on the bird, she made its heart stop.”No one said anything for a minute. Rebecca and Matthew were both

amazed and completely horrified at the same time. “Part of the training,” said Chad gently, “is not only to instruct young

warriors in combat and self-defense. It's about getting a better grasp on their thoughts and emotions. It’s to protect them from themselves.”

Chad leaned back in the chair. “I must admit I worry for Cadence. She’s at a pivotal point in her life. You know she’s very sharp and incredibly smart. But she’s still a child and I sense she is struggling, though she does a fine job at hiding it.”

The sparkle returned to his eyes as he added, "Although we Legionnaires rarely discuss our deepest feelings."

That brought a trace of a smile to both Matthew and Rebecca."How…is Kiera?" asked Matthew a tad reluctantly.

“Very well,” replied Chad, “her mind is stronger and she continues to thrive in hand-to-hand combat.”

“She gets that from her mother,” teased Matthew, an old twinkle coming back to life in his eyes.

Rebecca managed a faint smile in response before looking at Chad. “Will we be able to see them?”

“Of course,” he said, getting to his feet, “we encourage parents to maintain regular contact with their children. They may be young warriors, but having parents active in their lives is still vital for healthy development.”

They walked him to the door, where he and Rebecca shared a quick hug.

“We have always respected your advice and friendship over all these years,” she said as she stepped away.

“Thank you, my friend,” said Matthew, extending his hand.Chad shook his hand with a firm grasp. “Anything for you, my

brother.”And then he was gone. Matthew and Rebecca remained standing where they were, listening

to the total silence of the house. They noticed the relief they both felt. It obviously didn't come from having their daughters leave. No…it was the kind that came from finally doing the right thing, what needed to be done.

A heavier weight could not have been lifted off their shoulders at that moment.

Matthew was wondering how long it would take to get used to the quiet when Rebecca stepped over to the little desk in the entryway. The top lifted, revealing a secret compartment.

She stared at something inside for a long moment before pulling out the hilt of a lance.

“Do you even remember how to use that?” joked Matthew. Rebecca cocked an eyebrow and looked up at him. The first thing he

noticed was the fire had returned, gleaming in her green eyes. It felt like an eternity since he’d last seen it.

He stepped over to her as her gaze fell back to the weapon she held. The lance was like an old friend she hadn’t seen in some time, and holding it awoke something deep inside.

Maybe it had something to do with her Legionnaire bloodlines, or maybe it was remembering what she’d really been created for. This reminded her of what was really important, and it wasn’t cramming in as many patients or medical reports as she could into a single day.

Also, the systems had been in a state of peace for a decade. There was a time for everything, and the rekindling for a fight awoke in tandem with the unrest that was growing now.

A trace of a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth and her eyes flitted up to Matthew’s. He should have known she was up to something by that mischievous expression, but he found himself too lost in her beautiful gaze.

“And I have only one question for you, Matthew Shahan,” she said quietly, the smile slowly growing. “Will you ever be able to out-duel me?”

She gave him a playful punch in the gut, before spinning and running out the door.

“Oof! Hey!” he called when he finally got his air back. He ran after her, his lance flying to his hand on his way past. The

door closed behind him as he raced across the road and chased Rebecca into the woods.

They had nearly reached the lake, and Matthew had almost caught up, when she spun and faced him, blade of the lance glowing jade.

Matthew’s, deep blue, flared to life. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” asked Rebecca. “You don’t want

to hack a leg off by accident or pull something.”Matthew just laughed, “You are full of it, woman. But I do recall this

was how we first met.”“Oh, good to see your memory hasn't gone…”Rebecca lunged forward and they exchanged a few quick strikes,

blades arcs of light. Before they’d had children, Matthew and Rebecca were exceptional

warriors. Crossing the planets, they'd rooted out pockets of Seditionist resistance.

When they first met, they initially saw one other as competition because both were top of their regiment. But in time that had obviously changed.

As they slowly circled, Matthew wondered if this was how Legionnaire parents fell in love again once their children were gone. If it was…

Then this, he thought, is how warriors dance.

Chapter 33

City Council

They walked down one of the long, dull hallways of the city council building.

Cadence, almost having to jog to keep up with Justin’s long stride, couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.

She was presenting the schematics of her fighter to all eleven members of the council, plus Justin, of course. But he wasn’t the one who needed convincing. He'd been sold on the idea from the beginning.

She was already giddy from her first morning at the military academy and, despite the predawn physical training, and this occasion added to it.

When they reached the dark wooden double doors at the end of the hall, they stopped.

“Now remember what I said the other day,” said Justin quietly, “don’t let them look down on you because you’re young. Some of them are going to push you, so you’ve got to push back. You've slayed a dragon and dueled with a dark warrior. These guys are nothing.”

Justin faced the door. “Ready?” Cadence stood tall, squared her shoulders and then nodded.“Let’s go get ‘em,” he said with a wink. Justin shoved the doors open and walked into the large conference

hall. A vast circular table was off to the right, on a stage of sorts that ran the entire length of the room. Eleven sullen-looking men sat on the far side. There were several rows of seats behind the table, for public meetings.

But none were filled right now. The ceiling banked upwards and reached a height of around fifty feet.

“Council, thank you for agreeing to meet with us,” said Justin, strong voice booming in the room, immediately demanding everyone’s attention. He stopped before the table.

“As I informed you last week,” he continued, “I believe we have a great opportunity to access cutting edge technology. With these proposed ideas, I also believe we can lead the way in strengthening not only our military and defenses, but also those of our allies.”

Justin looked down at Cadence. “Take it away,” he whispered before taking his seat at the far left end

of the table. “Thank you, councilman,” said Cadence as she lightly leapt to the top

of the stage, opposite the council. “I also thank the rest of the council to allowing me to make this

presentation,” she continued, voice strong, “I will move right along so as to waste as little of your time as possible.”

Several of the men nodded respectively.

“Please proceed, Ms. Shahan,” said the middle-aged man sitting in the center.

The four inch, by three inch, by half inch panel in Cadence’s hand drifted to the center of the table and plugged itself into the port.

While the information uploaded, Cadence said, “As you already know, this idea is for a new age light fighter. Something that’s faster, smarter and more agile than what we have now—without compromising performance.”

Several holographic images appeared several feet above the table. Cadence went through the presentation, giving just enough

information to satisfy basic curiosity without giving all the data presented in the full reports. She answered questions decisively as they went over everything, from nose to tail of the jet. Cadence proved that she had definitely done her homework.

When Cadence reached the end of the presentation, images of the jet slowly rotated over the table.

“I know this is in the report,” said one councilman, “but what’s the projected cost for this jet?”

"Take the price to build our current fighters, and cut that number in half," replied Cadence, "it’s a rough estimate based on the current cost of materials and labor."

She instinctively knew these types of people always worried about money and how much everything cost. Thus she knew how to appeal to their concern.

Cadence put her hands on the table and leaned forward. “This would save you a lot of money which you could use elsewhere. Once the first fighters are built and have proven themselves, I believe you’ll undoubtedly have other planets wanting to order them. Have them come to you. Once we've established ourselves, we can propose creating manufacturing plants on ally planets. Just ask that we have managers from our home planet with extensive knowledge to oversee the plants. This way we can keep quality control in check.”

Cadence straightened and folded her arms across her chest. “I believe that any initial setback costs will easily be made up in the future. This could only help our economy.”

The meeting went on for a few more minutes. By the time it came to an end, Cadence had turned even the most stiff-necked critic into a believer.

The head councilman thanked Cadence for her time. The council was very impressed at such young talent and they would make a decision in the next week or two.

As Justin and Cadence headed out of the conference room and down the hall, they shared a look.

“Flawless,” grinned Justin, beaming with pride, “you handled everything very well.”

“Thanks,” said Cadence bashfully, “I just tried to remember what you told me.”

“You off to the training center?”Cadence nodded. “I have a couple more classes. At least Kiera and I

did well on the assessments, so we don’t have to catch up on anything.”“Excellent. I know Hailey and Tucker will be glad to be able to see you

every day.” The big man crouched beside her, “I know I’ve said this before, but if

you ever need anything just let us know. Don’t be afraid to ask. Our door is always open to you, no matter the hour.”

His expression was one of intense sincerity. “You’re a special kid and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Okay?”

Cadence gave a nod. “Good,” he said, pushing himself to his feet, “Now you’d better run

along so you won’t be late.”Cadence saluted him before turning and jogging across the square

and into the trees, heading for the center.

Chapter 34

A Bit of Sport

“The investigative team left the planet an hour ago, general. Additional ground forces have been placed in the Western City, but nothing substantial. They won’t pose a problem.”

“Very good, sergeant,” said Bayne, “the aerial assault will last exactly ten minutes, starting the moment you kill the power to the city. Once the bombs have stopped, go in and remove the ground forces. Reinforcements will be down to join you shortly. Remember, we’re here to set up camp, acquire resources, and to remove the government resistance. No need to slaughter everyone. But there’s also no need to be…nice.”

“Understood.”The transmission ended, and Bayne nodded at the man beside him.

“Standby to proceed with the attack, captain.”

Ω The sun was just slipping below the horizon of the Western City when

an explosion struck the town center. This was followed by a second and finally a third before lights systematically began blinking off. In seconds, the entire city was in darkness, buildings mere silhouettes before a painted sunset.

Not thirty seconds after the power went out, the first line of bombers swept in, pummeling the city’s defenses. There were only a few outposts peppered around the rest of the planet and they were no threat. So, primary firepower remained focused here.

Light fighters roared in and took out the local military aircraft to ensure the fighting remained on the ground.

Exactly ten minutes later, the bombings stopped. Half the city was flattened, but its key structures remained intact. But to the residents’ horror, the attack wasn't finished.

The primary forces were dark soldiers, with a few squads of dark warriors to hunt down the most stubborn rebels. The Seditionists didn't want to reveal yet the true number of dark warriors within their ranks.

The soldiers moved in from various points of the city, clearing it quadrant by quadrant. No one understood how ground forces could have landed so quickly…unless they had already been here, on the surface, before the attack.

Gun battles erupted in various areas of the city as local military, those who hadn’t already been killed in the aerial assault, clashed with the invading forces.

Fortunately, most of the citizens were still in hiding from the bombing. But anyone venturing outside, who became caught between the two sides, was merely collateral.

Twenty minutes after it all began, he stepped out of a cruiser at the main intersection of the city. Fine dust and debris were still being blown around in the evening wind, as it howled mournfully through the streets and half-demolished buildings.

“General Bayne,” said the sergeant as he jogged up to him, “ninety percent of the city has been cleared. Survivors are being encouraged to go home, and we’re holding any live military personnel in different locations to keep them separated.”

“Very good,” replied Bayne, strolling down the road. A large slab of concrete slid out of his way with a slight movement of

his hand, “Have you begun clearing the weapons cache in the hangars?”

“Yes, sir. We’re—”An explosion in the building on their right blew fire, glass and metal

at them. Bayne sensed the attack not half a second before it happened, and he raised an arm to shield himself.

The debris froze, before Bayne extended his arm the rest of the way, as if lightly pushing something back.

The effects of the explosion moved backwards. The glass and metal vaporized to ash as the crimson shockwave ripped through the structure and out the back. It blew out the far side of the building, and then the four-story high structure toppled.

Bayne was already turning when the first rounds of weapon's fire came from the opposite side of the road. A lance, edge crimson, snarled to life and whipped through the air, deflecting the shots.

Completely unconcerned, he advanced to the position of the enemy squad behind a large mound of rubble. When Bayne was within ten feet of them, the shots froze in midair and then simply disappeared.

In the second it took the soldiers to consider this, he threw his lance and struck the commander. Then the weapons of the others glowed red, becoming too hot to handle.

The moment they released their firearms, they had the air punched clean out of them. They went tumbling backwards, all but one killed from the initial impact of the blow.

The survivor, lying on the ground with a piece of rebar sticking out his side, looked up when a shadow fell over him. It was one of the Seditionists, a leader.

Bayne studied the injured man a moment, before glancing over his shoulder at the building that had fallen.

He had to hand it to the local forces. It had been a brilliant tactic: detonate explosives set in a building in one of the areas where the enemy was stationed. Then those who weren’t killed by the debris would be shot down in an assault from across the road.

Catch the opponent looking the other way. And the execution of this plan would've had to be done within the past half hour.

The dark general returned his eyes to the man, grunting against the pain. But it was the hate the soldier felt from the enemy's gaze that took the rest of his breath away.

Bayne leaned over, grabbed the soldier by the vest and lifted him up with one hand. They stood face to face a second, before Bayne ran him through with his lance. He let the body crumple to the ground beside the others and turned to rejoin the commander.

“I think you will find there are still some rogue military personnel on the loose, sergeant,” growled Bayne.

The sergeant cleared his throat, “On it right away, sir.”While he left to tend to the matter, Bayne surveyed the darkening sky.

He wasn’t as hot-blooded as Cyrus, or as excitable and war-bent as Ammon. But as Bayne slid the lance back in its holster on his thigh, he had to

admit…he did enjoy a bit of sport.

Chapter 35

Flight Training

Cadence, who'd officially started training end of last week, raced down the hall. She dodged and weaved through the mass of people in the main lobby of the training center.

Both she and Kiera were excelling in every class. They had sharp minds that absorbed information and, being quick on their feet, they could spar with students several levels above them.

While Kiera naturally thrived in combat classes, one of Cadence's favorites was advanced war strategies. She'd found out it was General Necro who had recommended her for that one.

Sliding to a stop, Cadence looked around a moment, and then jumped onto the base of a nearby pillar. Now she could see above the crowd.

But she could feel something was amiss deep inside, like something was brewing. Dark thoughts still occupied her mind regularly, and she was working on countering them right away instead of getting pulled into them.

The generals seemed to sense it too because she always felt like she was being watched. It was unnerving, and Cadence wondered how Kiera handled it.

“There you are!”Spinning, Cadence saw Tucker jog up to the pillar. “Kiera’s been

looking for you. This is the first day of flight training and we don’t want to be late.”

“Today?” asked Cadence, jumping down, “I thought that wasn’t for another two days?”

“Well, the instructors moved up the date,” answered Tucker as they headed down a passageway.

“Who’s teaching?”“General Lameh!”

A couple minutes later, they reached the airfield in a vast meadow. It was a perfect day for anything outdoors: partly cloudy, sixty-five degrees with a cool breeze.

There were a dozen students present, and they were grouped near a row of twelve planetary cruisers. A lone plane designed for galactic travel was parked on a pad, near the end of the row.

Cadence spotted Kiera and Hailey and jogged over to them. Before them was General Lameh, one of the eight generals on the

Legionnaire Council. He was a kind, soft spoken man from the planet Lusitana, a couple hops east of Elywn.

“We just covered the manual for standard galactic cruisers yesterday," said Cadence, "and ran simulations until our eyeballs about fell out of their sockets."

Tucker chuckled. “They moved up this hands-on class as a part of the acceleration program the Council is pushing."

“I wonder if that cruiser is armed,” mused Kiera. When they looked at her, she shrugged, “What? Just wondering…”The class began, and Lameh didn’t waste time with introductions and

formalities. He would cover the basics of the planetary cruisers then one by one he’d take them up in the plane.

They all crowded around the nearest cruiser as he went over the basics: starting, shifting into various gears, accelerating and braking, the vital details.

The whole presentation didn’t take five minutes and then General Lameh ordered each student to their own cruiser, minus the one who would be going airborne first.

Without any problems, the students started their vehicles. Naturally, the boys revved their engines and the girls rolled their eyes at them.

Under the careful watch of several commanders, the students pulled away across the meadow. The movements were jerky at first, until they grew more comfortable and used to how the cruisers handled.

By the time it was Cadence’s turn to go up in the ship, she and some of the others were tearing all around the field. And, of course, Tucker and four of the other boys had taken to racing one another.

As she approached the front end of the meadow, where the plane was waiting, Cadence let her cruiser glide to a graceful stop. Killing the engine she hopped out, unable to keep herself from grinning.

After saluting General Lameh, Cadence climbed into the cockpit of the small galactic cruiser. The two seats were side by side, and Lameh sat to her right.

When they were sure everyone on the ground was clear, Cadence fired up the engine. Unlike the latest models which emphasized silence and stealth, this one growled and rumbled to life like a beast—something Cadence personally preferred.

After a couple minutes of going through the preflight checklist, they were ready to go.

“Okay, we’re going to lift vertically first,” said Lameh, “before engaging forward thrust. The key thing in takeoff is keeping the ship level until you gain enough momentum.”

Cadence reached forward and tapped a key on the helm, other hand on the controls.

The engine droned deeply and the cruiser lazily lifted from the pad. After they attained some elevation, she tapped a few more keys. The sound of the engine changed as it shifted to forward thrust, and they took off over the meadow, slowly accelerating.

Pulling back gently, the nose of the craft tipped up slightly and they climbed into the sky. As their angle of ascent increased, Cadence increased the power and soon they were high above the hills, roaring over the landscape in a wide circle.

The rest of the lesson commenced, and Lameh gave her maneuvers to perform and various courses to follow.

He noted how she naturally flew “by the seat of her pants,” instead of relying heavily on instruments and displays. All the movements were gentle, subtle, not jerky or spastic. There was almost an artistic touch to flying, especially with these older cruisers, and Cadence seemed to have it down pat.

Just like how she fights, he thought.“Okay, let’s try something else,” he said, “give me a loop angled to the

left with two barrel rolls then drop down to a thousand feet, heading north.”Cadence eased back on the stick and they shot upwards. When they

reached vertical and started to crest the loop, she turned the stick back and sideways.

The craft performed two beautiful rolls, coming out of the second one as she completed the loop. They dropped down to the requested elevation, having picked up some more speed.

“We’re going to that valley up ahead,” pointed Lameh through the windshield, “it winds through the mountains in a nice one-hundred eighty degree turn. It’ll spit us out at the west end of the meadow.”

They reached the entrance of the valley and Cadence dropped them inside. The valley wasn’t exactly enormous, but it wasn’t treacherously narrow as it bent around the mountains.

“I think we could use a little more speed, don’t you?” asked Lameh. Cadence smiled. She punched a few keys then slid the main control

forward, sending the cruiser roaring through the canyon, engine humming. The mountain ridges blurred past, mere smudges of green.

“Now when we exit I want you to give me a tight circle, be aggressive, and then head for the upper atmosphere,” said Lameh. “Once we’re there, I want to stall us.”

Cadence, totally enthralled in the experience, nodded sharply. “Ten-four, captain.”

They rocketed out the other end of the valley and shot up into the sky. Cadence gave the control stick a sharp pull backwards, sending the craft into a tight loop. When it was complete, she opened the throttle even more as they continued at a steep incline, heading for the heavens.

In a matter of seconds, they were miles above the surface, reaching the upper atmosphere. Cadence eased back on the power and eased them up until the cruiser was totally vertical. Their speed decreased drastically, and the computer beeped at them, letting them know they were about to stall.

They could feel in their seats they had nearly reached it and Cadence pulled back just a little more. For an instant, they felt almost weightless as the cruiser stayed suspended a second before drifting upside down.

Then they began their drop back to the planet. In the meantime, the computer sounded an alarm to let them know

they had finally stalled, just in case they hadn’t already noticed. As the cruiser descended, Cadence cut to auxiliary power only. They

were really picking up speed now, and the craft began leveling itself out. The mountains were coming up at a slightly alarming rate. But when

Lameh threw a look at Cadence, he knew they'd be fine. She flipped a few switches and the power came back online before she

rested a hand on the lever. The cruiser was still a little unsteady as they approached the valley they’d come out of not a minute earlier.

Lameh would never admit to the other generals that he winced just a little and hitched a breath. They just cleared a ridge and dropped into the valley when Cadence gunned the throttle.

The cruiser roared to full life and catapulted around the canyon. Seconds later, it spit them out the other end and the cruiser soared up over the meadow. When they reached the far end, Cadence cut power and pulled

back hard on the stick. Shooting upwards, the cruiser slid backwards through the air before completing the one-eighty turn, heading the way they'd originally come.

They spiraled slowly over the field, before Cadence swung them around to the landing pad and, with all the grace of a feather, set them down gently.

“Wow!” she exclaimed as the engine wound down, “you can pull some serious G’s in this thing!”

It was at that moment Cadence remembered what she was doing and who was with her. The elated expression vanished from her face as she dropped her gaze a moment. Finally, she worked up enough courage to shoot a look at General Lameh.

He met her gaze a long moment before saying, “Just wait until you get into a real fighter.”

There was no missing the twinkle in his eyes and Cadence exhaled a breath, blushing a little. “I apologize…I got a little carried away.”

He fought with all his might to suppress a grin while he unbuckled himself. “There’s no need to apologize for raw talent, Ms. Shahan. You take naturally to flight.”

Cadence fumbled with the harness buckles. “Oh, uh…thank you, sir.”Upon exiting the cruiser, she managed not to let her legs completely

buckle when her feet hit solid ground. She laughed at her slightly unsteady state as she wobbled towards Kiera and a few of the others who’d already gone up.

“Wasn’t that cool?” exclaimed Tucker. “No kidding!” replied Cadence, bursting into laughter. As they exchanged stories of their very first flight, Cadence couldn’t

remember the last time she’d had that much fun.

Chapter 36

Opportunity

Ronain and Necro jogged into the conference room where the others had just arrived.

“We have raw, live feed coming from Lunghei, Western City,” said Chad, eyes on the center of the table.

The footage appeared over the table, in shades of greens, some black from a night vision recording device.

“My name is Luke,” whispered the cameraman, “I’m a resident of the Western City. The invaders came in a few hours ago, at sunset…”

Luke peered cautiously around the corner of a building and focused on activity at the end of the block. Some men were moving amongst some space cruisers.

“We didn’t have half a chance. Our power went out right before the bombs started falling…”

The camera shook a second as Luke adjusted his position. “They took all the weapons from our military base and now it looks like they’re leaving. After nightfall, a large number of men arrived from orbit, but they weren't regular soldiers. They were dark warriors, I knew by their eyes. And the one leading them, I have no doubt he's a Seditionist. When I was out scouting earlier, I heard one of the dark warriors call him 'general.' This man is evil. He…hold on…"

An eerie chill settled over the room as the camera shifted again and then it dropped to the ground. All they could see now was a pile of nearby rubble.

“Oh no…no!”Scrambling shoes followed by the ominous crack of a lance engaging

was all they heard. Silence returned before a black boot stepped in front of the lens.

Then, whoever it was picked up the camera. His face was mostly hidden in darkness despite the night vision

capability, but there was no missing those eyes as he leveled his gaze at the camera.

And then the footage went dark. A holographic image appeared before any of them had time to

consider what they’d just witnessed. “Apologies for any interruption, generals, but the Seditionist Cyrus has just been spotted on Faleba.”

“How many with him?” asked Chad. “Half a dozen dark warriors. Sources say he’s there asking about a

part for a warp drive…”“Thank you. Tell whoever spotted him to keep an eye on him, but from

a distance, and let us know if he leaves.”“Of course.”The generals were already looking at each other as the image faded. “This may be an opportune time to catch a general of the Seditionist

forces,” said Hezron.

“Or kill one,” added Ipos, demeanor particularly dark at the moment. Eliezer glanced at him, before looking at Chad. “But it’s also very

likely they’ll be expecting us to make a move for him.”“Either way we must act quickly,” spoke Ipos again, “and we don't

have any Legionnaire units on that planet or close by. Unless, of course, the one who spotted Cyrus is a warrior himself.”

Eliezer nodded in agreement. “Commander Ronain, you and Ipos leave for Faleba immediately. Capturing Cyrus is your top priority…or killing him, since we know these types aren’t ones to be taken alive. We will work on locating and identifying this other general who attacked the Western City.”

The door had just closed at the exit of Ipos and Ronain when the com in the center of the table beeped again.

This is going to be one of those days, thought Chad. “Apologies again for the interruption, but Anheedro, speaker for

Congress of the Ulnun System, is transmitting from Batak and requesting a video conference.”

“Please, patch him through,” nodded Eliezer.A brief moment later, the upper half of Anheedro appeared on the

large screen beside the door. He was a kindly sort who had been an arbitrator in political business on his home planet for years.

He had a head of thick black hair and a pale complexion with gentle, squinty hazel eyes. The peasant-like brown robes that hung from his tall, thin frame gave the impression he was humble and fair. It must have worked, because everyone easily listened to his advice, or at least took it into consideration.

“Thank you for agreeing to this meeting with no notice,” he said, voice soft.

“We’ve been wondering what’s been on the mind of the planetary leaders,” replied Eliezer.

Anheedro smiled. “I forget how perceptive you Legionnaires are.” His smile melted to an expression of exhaustion as he continued,

“Everyone is understandably nervous about these attacks, and I just heard that the Western City fell hours ago. There’s collective restlessness, generals, by the people, and a lot of frustration because of all the politics involved.”

“I received a report that no aid has been sent to Lunghei,” chimed General Necro.

“Not even a week after the first attack,” he continued, “although now that seems to have worked out. Whoever invaded likely would have just stolen those supplies, too.”

“Mm,” said Chad, “and add to it nearly every planet has its own arrangement of government, so it takes forever for official actions to be decided on. Planet leaders in a single system will butt heads. Can you imagine how long it would take for anything to get done if the leaders from all systems met?”

“Exactly,” nodded Anheedro, “the people are growing panicked, and they want action against these invaders. The planets with small or non-existent defense forces are requesting support from neighboring planets. But every government is extremely resistant to send their own forces away, thereby leaving themselves more vulnerable.”

“That would definitely make it difficult to form alliances,” mused Hezron.

“Indeed. Planets will trade with each other, because it’s beneficial for every party. However, the moment a galactic threat arises, everyone pulls away from one another, each group wanting to protect itself.”

“It has merit,” conceded Eliezer, “if you are a small planet with limited soldiers, you can’t afford to spare anyone. But this threat isn’t something you can battle alone.”

Chad just sighed to himself. Politics…“Speaking of the threat,” ventured Anheedro, “there have been plenty

of rumors, but few reports about who exactly is behind these attacks…is it…them? The Seditionists?”

Eliezer gave a single nod. “Yes, we have total confirmation they are behind the attacks.”

There was no missing the fear that flashed across Anheedro’s face before sullenness returned.

Eliezer shifted so he was leaning forward over the table, engaged. “The Council completely understands and acknowledges the sovereignty of each planet. We also understand the difficult position the leaders are in. But we saw this in the previous war. Resources must be shared, especially armed forces if we’re going to stand a chance against the Seditionists. A chain of command needs to be established and competent commanders and generals appointed. That way actions and orders can be quickly agreed upon and then relayed to their forces for execution.”

“It’s as General Eliezer says,” spoke Necro, “we’ve seen this pattern previously. If planetary leaders are going to remain divided and quarrel about every little detail, the enemy will strike before they even know what

happened. And we’re not talking about everyone holding hands and breaking into song. Leaders don’t have to like it, but this is what needs to be done.”

“Yes, I believe everyone I know will admit we were caught sleeping last time around,” nodded Anheerdo.

“Please tell the other leaders that Legionnaire forces are already moving to counter this threat,” said Eliezer, “we’re gathering information, tracking leads, everything we can, but we can't do this by ourselves. Urge everyone to begin coordinating defense or counter-defense plans. As we also know from experience, if the people don’t see their government and defense forces acting, full-out rioting and panic will ensue. Council cautiously agrees that, for the moment, the best way to thwart an attack is to hit the enemy freighters while they’re still in space.”

“I will gladly relay your message, general. I’ll ask planetary leaders to submit plans or requests to you if they think they may require some of your warriors.”

Eliezer inclined his head. “Our pleasure, Mr. Speaker.”The screen went black and everyone let out a breath. “Do you think Ipos and Ronain have a chance at catching Cyrus?”

asked Hezron. “If there’s anyone who knows how evil warlords operate, it’s Ipos,”

replied Chad, “You’ll recall he was the leader of an elite squad sent to root them out in the darkest areas of the charted systems.”

Eliezer rubbed his aching forehead. “I also think we need to take a minute and make sure we have our perspective correct.”

Everyone turned their full attention to the boy as he continued, “We must remember what we’re fighting, and that’s evil. In order to go after it with physical weapons, we must first confront it spiritually. Only then can we possibly prevail against our enemy.”

“That’s something we forgot in the last conflict,” admitted Chad. “And it nearly destroyed us,” nodded Hezron. Chad felt a fresh sharp pain stab into the side of his head. The others

must have felt it also, because some of them grimaced. “Perhaps we should take a moment and wage some warfare now.”

With no further urging, the great generals slid out of their chairs and onto their knees.

Ω Ω ΩIpos and Ronain were well on their way to Faleba, their ship sweeping

through hyperspace.

“Did you notice the report said ‘dark warriors’ and not ‘dark soldiers’?” asked Ronain, double checking their coordinates.

“I did,” replied Ipos. “It makes me wonder…”“If the warlords are converting and training their recruits and

commanders in the ways of darkness?” finished Ipos. Ronain touched a couple keys on the helm. “Exactly. Could you

imagine an army of tens of thousands of dark warriors?”Ipos scowled, “This is going to be a hard fight right from the

beginning…oh and, commander?”Ronain looked at the mysterious general who still made him uneasy,

even after knowing him for years. “It's been awhile since we've engaged this type of enemy. Remember

that Seditionists don’t follow rules of engagement, except tear down anyone who stands in their way. Just be ready to expect anything when we get there.”

Ronain nodded before turning back to the helm. Well, he thought to himself, that’s an encouraging bit of advice.

Chapter 37

Mind Games

Cadence walked down the narrow trail winding through the trees northwest of the training center. She had a lesson with General Necro but he said he'd meet her at a structure on the outskirts of town.

She wondered if she'd taken the wrong trail or gone past it when the path ended abruptly. In the center of a small field sat an ancient cathedral of sorts. Pillars ran along the perimeter, the building open on all sides, its exterior weathered.

Crossing the field, Cadence cautiously walked up the steps and entered the cathedral. It couldn't beat the larger, more modern cathedral at the academy, but it was still considerable in size. Large columns ran down the center, and the ceiling arched into darkness high above her head.

But something felt off. A chill trailed a finger down her back and clouds drifted in front of the sun, casting a shadow over the meadow.

A sharp pain shot through Cadence's head so suddenly that it startled her. Feeling someone behind her, she spun.

He drifted with the silence of a shadow amongst the pillars. His armor and clothing were black, and he held the hilt of a lance. Though most of his face was in shadow, there was no missing the gold crescent in his eyes. This was a Seditionist.

Cadence drew her own lance, given to her after her first week of training.

She took a few steps backwards and chanced a glance around as the enemy continued to approach.

Where was General Necro? How could a Seditionist be so close to the center and no one pick up on it?

Mind-numbing fear tired to latch onto her mind, and for an instant Cadence couldn't even breathe.

You don't stand a chance, whispered doubt in her mind, he's going to kill you, strike you down like the nothing you are…

She shook her head, set her jaw in determination and leveled her gaze on the enemy. Get out of my head, she growled in response.

The dark warrior engaged his crimson lance and gave it a twirl, letting it hum through the air.

Cadence's blade came to life with a resonating ring, the edge burning deep blue, like her father's.

Even as he advanced towards her, intent clear in his expression, she could feel sharp pain prickling against her forehead.

You're going to die, snarled a deep voice.An image of bloody bodies strewn across a street filled her vision. It

was like she was actually there. She could feel the heat of a burning building on her right...and smell the stench of death.

By the time Cadence pushed back the mental assault, the dark warrior was on her. She backpedaled, ducked his first swing and then straightened to parry the second.

Their blades snarled with sparks when they met and the pair danced through the cathedral. They'd gone a distance when, with a quick one-two countermove, Cadence stopped her opponent's momentum.

He delivered a low strike. She pivoted sideways to block it, then whipped her blade behind her

back to deflect the second blow. With a twist of her wrist, she flicked her lance straight for his face.

The dark warrior ducked sideways and used his reverse momentum to kick her in the side.

The force of the impact sent Cadence tumbling across the hard floor. She rolled into a crouch before unbelievable weight pressed down on her

head and shoulders. This was followed by the fiercest headache she'd ever felt.

With a grunt, she dropped to her hands and knees, fully aware the enemy was walking towards her.

More scenes of death, of innocent civilians being cut down by dark warriors, filled her mind. She heard the screams, saw red running in the streets, the corpses staring at nothing as they lay on the ground.

"I will kill you," said the dark warrior, sending her lance sliding away from her, "and then I will slaughter every last student at the academy, and I'll enjoy every second of it. Your sister will never see it coming…"

Cadence gritted her teeth, not just against the pain ripping through her skull, but in anger that flared to life inside her. Careful, she told herself, he's baiting you.

With great effort, she looked up at her enemy and glared at him. Slaughter everyone, huh, she asked, feeling an intense heat burn hot

in her chest before spreading down her arms, you still have to kill me first!The dark warrior strode forward and swung the lance, arcing it

through the air. The moment he started to move, Cadence pushed herself up and

charged him. As he swung, she slid onto her knees across the floor and grabbed the wrist holding the weapon.

The assailant snarled at the intense heat surging from her hands and roaring up his arm. The air began to hum, and little crackles of electricity sparked in the darkness surrounding them.

With a grunt, the dark warrior reached down and gave her a mighty shove.

A streak of light cut horizontally through the cathedral. Cadence slammed hard against the floor, making the marble tiles crack.

The warrior went flying back. Um, ow, thought Cadence, as she unsteadily pushed herself to her

feet and tried to pull oxygen back into her lungs. It was sheer instinct that she twisted sideways at that moment. A

crimson strike streaked past, just missing her. It slammed into a pillar behind her and nearly broke it in half.

Cadence could feel sharp talons of pain trying to dig themselves into her brain but knew better this time.

Another red strike was coming, rippling through the air. But she was ready, and it dispersed against her shield with a flash.

Lance returning to her hand, Cadence engaged it in time to swing and shatter the next strike, breaking it into a thousand shards of red light.

Going with the momentum, she spun and twisted horizontally through the air and over yet another strike. She didn’t have to worry about covering her landing. The dark warrior found himself briefly preoccupied by a chunk of concrete flying at him from behind.

Cadence landed and charged forward. Giving her lance a twirl, light wrapped itself around the blade. When she struck the crimson lance of the enemy, a blinding flash filled the entire building.

They exchanged a flurry of blows, lances singing and leaving trails of crimson and blue. Neither rival gave any ground.

All the while Cadence deflected and swing, the gnawing ache continued to work on her head. The oppressive weight that had visited her at the beginning was also looming right overhead, just waiting for an invitation.

Cadence swung. The dark warrior ducked and struck. She blocked and delivered a quick stab, forcing him to flip sideways.

She was anticipating a fast counter-swipe, but not the invisible strike. Cadence's blade deflected the brunt of the blow, but it still sent sharp

pain down one arm. It was enough of a distraction to allow the dark warrior to deliver another powerful kick.

She went sliding on her back across the floor. She'd barely rolled to her knees when the next blow, the most lethal one yet, came at her. Grimacing, Cadence raised her right arm just before it hit.

This was like nothing she'd ever experienced, a relentless attack. Darkness filled the air between her and the enemy as he drove hard against her.

But the crimson strike was kept at bay, inches from her hand. Red and white light burned brightly and stabbed at each other as the shield forbade the darkness from consuming her.

The clashing forces were so bright that Cadence had to look away. She could feel the heat generated by it and felt sharp shafts of pain tearing down her arm and into her shoulder.

But the darkness of the attack could not yet overpower her, and Cadence held her ground. For another couple seconds, anyway.

The pain in Cadence's arms steadily intensified, along with the headache that pounded against her forehead.

She dropped her head, knowing she couldn't hold up much longer. God Almighty, she prayed, just don't let him kill the others!

A shockwave of blinding light punched through the cathedral with a hollow clap of thunder, shaking the foundation of the building.

The attack ended, and Cadence dropped to her hands with a gasp, sweat dripping from her face, muscles exhausted and aching.

"Very good, Cadence," said a familiar voice, "well done."When she lifted her gaze, she sat upright with a jerk and gawked.

There, walking towards her wasn't a dark warrior at all, but General Necro. Or at least that's what her eyes told her. Cadence pushed herself to her feet and eyed him suspiciously. That only made the general's smile broaden. "You've already caught on to the point of this exercise," he said with a

nod, stopping a dozen feet in front of her. "A powerful foe can deceive your eyes and your mind, and try to manipulate what is, or isn't, there…and I think that is enough for today."

When Cadence sighed with relief, Necro wheezed a laugh. "You have been given a strong mind. I assure you that even Legionnaire commanders would have struggled with the intensity of this short session."

They started across the cathedral, a pleasant breeze brushing amongst the pillars and clearing the dust that still hung stubbornly in the air.

Necro glanced down at her. "Your prayer was not for yourself," he noted, "but for the others."Cadence blinked at him and nodded. "Kiera and I were raised to see

others are more valuable than ourselves. And I figured, when I thought you were a Seditionist, that the others as a group would have a better chance at defeating you."

Though the smile didn't appear on his face, the general's eyes twinkled with admiration. Instead of saying anything, he gave a nod of acknowledgment.

"I have a question though," said Cadence, as she rotated her right shoulder, which had taken the not-so-kind shove.

"Why have I been assigned to spend so much more time on mental exercises than hand-to-hand combat ones?" she asked, surveying the now mostly clear sky. "Kiera does just the opposite. Is it not logical to commit more time to the tasks we're weaker in?"

Necro nodded as a breeze made the aspen and birch trees bordering the field quake. "Normally that would be quite logical. But we want to ensure that you are more than adequately strong in the areas you naturally thrive in, before we commit time to weaker abilities. We want you to be able to defend yourselves against a powerful and evil enemy in at least one area you are gifted."

His smile returned. "Although I assure you that you needn't worry about being so-called 'weak' in hand-to-hand combat. You are already plenty able with a lance."

The compliment from the general made her blush. "Now, it's time for lunch and I would say you could use something to

eat," continued Necro. "The combination of physical and mental combat is quite taxing, even in such a short confrontation."

Cadence could vouch for that. She felt like she could go to bed now and sleep for the next twenty-four hours.

"You also have the rest of the day to spend at your leisure.""Thank you, sir," nodded Cadence as he started down the steps. "Oh, and once General Ipos returns, you'll commence combat training

with him."Her expression immediately turned to one of wide-eyed terror.

"General…Ipos?"Necro tilted his head, and there was no missing the laughter in his

eyes. "You are…afraid of him?""Well…maybe…"He chuckled. “You aren’t the only one, but consider it an honor. Very

few young warriors have excelled as quickly as you. To be instructed by Ipos after only having been in training two weeks is…quite an amazing accomplishment.”

Either that or a nightmare come to life, Cadence thought to herself. “My only advice would be to brace yourself,” continued Necro, sullen

now, “you will be exposed to very raw power of darkness. It can be very terrifying. But we need to expose you, your sister, the other students to it now so you are well prepared.”

Cadence nodded. “Sir.”Necro turned on his way, leaving Cadence to wonder what she’d

gotten herself into.

Chapter 38

Hand-to-Hand

She went tumbling across the stone floor. Twisting back to her feet, she stood, jade lance ready. Her muscles

were aching and the bruises all over her body were complaining, but Kiera put them from her mind. They were a minor distraction right now.

Like Cadence, she wasn’t being given a break this Saturday morning. They’d met earlier for flight and war courses, before going their separate ways.

Kiera locked onto her opponent. It was difficult not to be intimidated by him, by the sheer size of this large and powerful Legionnaire she was dueling with.

It hadn't been her idea, and Kiera could have gone her entire life without fighting General Nathan Chad.

But her thoughts had distracted her and it was a costly mistake. A blinding white strike slammed into her chest. She might have been wearing armor, but it didn't keep her from feeling volts of pain rip along her ribs or punching the air from her lungs.

The impact threw her against the wall, cracking it. Chad was almost to her already, muscles in his face hard as he gazed

at her like he might an enemy. Kiera pushed off the wall and sprinted for him. Strides from her

opponent, she disregarded a mental assault before gripping her lance like a bat and swinging it down and across.

The blades met with a flash of light. Using what momentum she had, Kiera flipped up and over Chad, taking a swipe at him in passing.

Chad swatted the blade away as he ducked to the side and she was ready for his next move when she landed.

Kiera shattered the blow with a flick of her lance but was jarred by the general's next swing. Quick as a flash, he brought the blade down again and again.

The sheer power behind the swings was incredible and it took everything she had just to block them. She made a mental note to commit more time to pushups, pull-ups and sit-ups to strengthen her upper body and arms.

The fourth blow sent Kiera down to a knee, and the blue and jade lances locked. There was no contest about who had strength on their side, and Chad pressed down on her.

Gathering her strength, Kiera held her ground and gave him a shove as she flipped backwards, away from him. The move pushed him off balance a few steps, giving her enough time to land safely.

As soon as her boots touched the floor, Kiera swung her lance around and up, making Chad step awkwardly. He deflected it and both rivals squared themselves up and the duel continued again.

Their lances were in constant motion and, like Cadence and Necro, neither opponent yielded ground to the other. Their blades were mere

flashes of silver that left trails of jade and blue through the air. The lances themselves rang and crackled as the intensity of the battle kicked up a notch.

Kiera deflected a particularly sharp swing, then pivoted and elbowed Chad in the face. Or she would have, if he hadn't anticipated the move and jerked out of the way.

As he did, Chad swiped her lance aside and threw an invisible strike at her.

Kiera expected this, but that didn't mean the force of the blow still wasn't impressive. It slid her backwards a couple feet before she returned it.

Chad, in turn, smacked it with his lance and sent it rocketing back towards her.

Even as Kiera deflected it, she knew he was using it to cover his approach. With a growl, she shattered the blow with a swing.

They both twisted through the air towards each other and when they landed, they swung at the same time. And then again and again.

Kiera realized Chad was mirroring her moves, like he knew what she was going to do before she did it. It quickly became annoying and didn't help his countermoves seemed to take all the power right out of her swings.

Scowling, Kiera locked her blade against his so she could kick him in the stomach.

Chad flipped back with the momentum of the move. He knew she'd also sent out a strike to hit him he landed.

As he did, he merely pointed at her with his lance and the blade seemed to actually absorb the blow. The lance now burned brightly, almost blindly…before he swung and leveled it at her.

A streak of light came right at her, and Kiera had just enough time to dodge out of the way. It was an extremely powerful strike and she doubted she'd be able to counter it.

Barely able to see through the light as it passed, she managed to deflect Chad's first swing as he advanced. But only the first swing, however, because he followed it up with a kick to the gut.

Kiera hit the floor hard, but still had her wits about her to keep striking at him.

Chad dodged the first few swings and then flipped over to the other side, mindful of his legs.

Rolling into a crouch, Kiera deflected Chad's swing and spun up to her feet. She struck high, then swung for his chest and then for his legs.

Chad countered with three powerful moves of his own. The first was for her core and the second her legs, which set her up to receive an elbow to the face.

The force of the blow snapped her head back. Kiera jogged backwards a few steps to try and give her head a few seconds to clear.

But Chad had other ideas and drove down upon her, unyielding. She tried to block the first swing, but her lance was smashed to the

side. Kiera dodged out the way of the second strike and then spun and sprinted away.

Chad was right on her heels and she could feel the heat of the blade. Running faster, Kiera ran up the wall and pushed backwards hard. To

her surprise, Chad was right next to her. It was awkward to do while flipping upside down, but they swapped a

few strikes. Upon landing, Chad aerialed sideways and when his boots touched the floor again, he swept the tip of his lance across the ground.

The floor itself heaved as a shockwave tore through it and nailed Kiera in the legs. She snarled at the pain that tore up past her knees and she dropped to the ground.

Her lance shot to Chad, standing fifteen feet away. But Kiera never gave up a fight easily and she pushed herself to her

feet. Both were burning with the fury of battle and it was hot in their

chests, churning deep within their souls. However, there was something else, something extra with the way

this zeal for battle showed itself in the general. It took Kiera few seconds before she figured it out.

His eyes were richer in color and a lighter crescent of blue marked itself at the bottom of the irises. And it wasn't just that. In the dull light of the combat chamber she saw just the faintest glow about him.

Kiera had heard stories about this, about the most powerful Legionnaires, the ones totally attuned to the Almighty. When they were so thoroughly consumed with the heat of a fight, they were impossible to defeat.

Chad twirled both lances and light flared around the blades, making them glow brighter. Then he tossed Kiera's back to her.

She caught it and glanced at the general, who merely watched her with those calculating eyes.

Setting her jaw, Kiera twirled her lance once…and then fell back to her knees and grabbed her head. The sharpest pain she'd ever felt tore through her templesand then was gone, as quickly as it came.

Drawing in a deep breath, Kiera looked up at Chad. He remained standing where he was, simply waiting, face totally

lacking expression.She reached for her lance and the pain returned, along with

incredible weight that kept her on her knees. It lasted as long as the first before disappearing.

But it hadn't been more than a couple seconds before it came roaring back. All she'd just thought about taking up her lance again when it hit.

This time it wasn't just pain. It was horrific scenes of war and gruesome torture performed by the dark warriors. But it wasn't just civilians…one of the enemy appeared with Cadence in his grasp, blade to her throat.

This is what you fear most, isn't it, asked a deep voice, being unable to protect your little sister.

Kiera was focused on the expression on her sister's face and in her eyes. There was fear in them and a question asking why her big sister wasn't doing anything to help her.

Then the dark warrior grabbed hold of the side of Cadence's face with his free hand and drew the blade across her neck…

Kiera unleashed a fierce snarling war cry. Shoving the mental assault away, she pushed herself to her feet and reached for Chad.

The strike shot through the chamber like a comet and Chad was already looking away, averting his eyes from its brightness.

But he did not shatter it with a swing of his lance or deflect it. Instead, the general raised his left arm and the strike went straight into his palm, making his entire hand glow.

Chad then leveled his gaze on Kiera and brought his hands together with a sharp clap. A shaft of light cut across the chamber, answered immediately by a crack of thunder that made the walls tremble.

Then he chuckled when he saw Kiera's expression, which read something like, 'have I got a long ways to go before I can do stuff like that.'

"Your combat skills improve exponentially every day," he said, strong voice booming throughout the room as he wiped the dirt from his clothes and armor. "You could easily give commanders a run for their money now, so I wanted to begin shifting to the mental aspect of the fight. Believe me when I tell you, you are not as feeble in that area as you may perceive yourself to be."

Kiera got to her feet and disengaged her lance.

"Still feels like I'm struggling in that area though," she said, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "It's hard to combine all the aspects of the fight and keep them in mind."

"Well, I have been doing this a little longer than you," replied Chad, allowing himself a small smile. "But perhaps you're thinking too hard. You've been here for over a month and been officially training for three weeks. You have natural skill…so don't over-think everything. Just…do it. However, do keep in mind that the enemy is meticulous in noticing any lapse of concentration, when your focus begins to wander from the fight."

Kiera nodded and looked herself over. Scuffs and bruises marked her arms and her brain was informing her muscles everywhere were aching terribly.

“Have you had any more nightmares lately?” asked Chad, starting for the door.

“Just stuff I've already dreamt about before," answered Kiera as she followed and carefully poked the area around a long gash on her right forearm.

“Does the same dark commander still show up?" “On occasion,” confirmed Kiera, falling into stride beside him.“And he never shows you his face?” “No.”Chad tried to get a better read on her thoughts by her expression, but

couldn’t. She was blocking him, something she had gotten too good at lately.

Regardless, he still knew she was hiding something. He suspected she really did know who this mystery person was, but clearly didn’t want to say. He would have to press this matter later.

“Your sister and General Necro are likely finished with their lesson,” he said. “Go grab something to eat and take the rest of the day. You’ve definitely earned a bit of rest.”

Chapter 39

Dance with Darkness

They moved down the sidewalk, on alert. General Ipos and Commander Ronain had arrived on planet Faleba earlier that morning and were set to rendezvous with the person shadowing Cyrus.

They reached an outdoor bar, only half full with patrons. This was where the “shadow” had told them to wait.

No one paid them any notice, and Ronain took a moment to survey the scenery. He’d been to this planet several times, but was still amazed by it.

Faleba was covered with fine, smooth black sand that sparkled in the moon and sunlight. The natives figured out how to use the abundance of sand to make materials for buildings and vehicles. And they weren’t worried about running out. Why? Because every winter it literally snowed sand. Snowed sand! How the Almighty must have had fun creating the universe…

This city was really more like a large town, consisting mostly of local storefronts lined in three rows, each about a mile long. In the northeast section were three taller structures which towered over the rest of the town. These were connected at the lower levels and sheltered several hangar bays for ships.

“You ready to go catch a Seditionist? Although in my opinion, the only good warlord is a dead one.”

Ronain turned to see a woman standing on the other side of Ipos. She was shorter than him but powerfully built. Her face, smeared with

dirt, was fine featured. Red highlights hid amongst the darker tones of her hair which was pulled back messily in a ponytail, and her hazel eyes were bright and gleamed with mischief.

“Isabella,” said Ipos, in a way that told Ronain they knew one another well. “I didn’t know you were the shadow…”

“Mmm,” replied Isabella, eyes dancing. “I transferred to the rogue division after the last war."

Their little exchange, and especially Ipos' reaction, made Ronain extremely curious as to what their history was.

Then her fiery gaze went to Ronain with a smile still on her lips. “A little of this, a little of that, I take the grimy jobs that none of the other teams want to. That’s what we rogues are good at.”

Ronain remembered his manners and extended a hand. “Commander Ronain.”

Isabella took it in a firm grasp. “You were trained under General Nathan Chad, right?”

Ronain nodded. “It’s an honor,” she said. “I’m Isabella.”Rogue was her job description, and aside from the obvious fact she

didn't mind getting dirty, she looked the part. Outfitted in black cargo pants, she had a firearm on her left hip and lance on her right thigh. Light

armor sat over a rather worn tan shirt with torn sleeves which showed off her strong arms. Some kind of leather armor protected the inside of her lower arms.

Lastly, as was typical with rogues, she possessed an obviously large streak of independence. Rogues had minds of their own and only liked being told what to do when they were given an assignment.

Even then, they had an attitude of: "Just tell me what you want done and allow me to handle it because I'm the one out in the field. I won't tell you how to do your job, pal, and you don't tell me how to do mine."

Rogues were generally cavalier, carefree, and a bit unpredictable. But still, there was something about these true lone wolves that Ronain admired. They didn't just execute assassinations, however. They also conducted surveillance deep behind enemy lines and occasionally performed other duties like sabotage.

They were able to do this because, for some reason, they were shielded from the keen sight of the enemy, who could normally sense when a Legionnaire was nearby.

And no team unit could match rogues in both stealth and speed. “So, you and the general here know each other,” ventured Ronain. Isabella smiled easily, eyes flitting to Ipos, who'd remained quiet,

almost brooding. “We worked beside each other in the previous war,” she grinned,

eyes twinkling like she knew a secret. “Saddled up outside of Zerge when we were demon hunting.”

When Ronain raised his eyebrows, she clarified, “Tracking down Seditionists. ‘Demon’ is slang for what we called them. Shorter, easier to say, and accurate. Ha!”

Ronain chuckled. He liked this gal. “So where is Cyrus?” asked Ipos, glowering. “Ah yes,” said Isabella. She called to the bartender and exchanged words in a language

Ronain didn’t understand. The man slid a shot of some very dark liquid in front of her. She threw back the shot and made a face as the drink burned her throat.

“Whoo, okay. Let’s get going.”They continued down the sidewalk, cast in shadow by the buildings. “I have a local keeping track of him and his six friends,” said Isabella,

pulling out a com. She called her informant, got the current location and ended the call.

“Are Cyrus’s companions trained like him?” asked Ronain.

“Judging solely by the way they move and the creepy darkness that follows them, I would say yes,” answered Isabella. “They’re on their way to one of the hangers now, likely getting ready to leave.”

They paused at the intersection to wait for a line of cruisers to pass. “Do you know anything about the part he was looking for?” asked

Ronain. After they jogged across the street, Isabella answered. “He’s looking

for a tiny, key component for a warp core. Well, technically, he’s looking for half a dozen of them.”

Hanging a left, she ducked down an alley. “This driver is state-of-the-art, used in the latest galactic destroyers, ships like that.”

They weaved through the side streets and when they finally stopped, they were looking at the three high-rises and massive hangers at the base. It was less than half a block away, and they headed for the large concrete pads in front of the hangars.

Isabella had fallen silent, and Ronain cast a quick glance her direction. Expression now determined, her sharp eyes searched the crowds ahead and studied the people with rising suspicion.

An awful headache came to life and gnawed madly at the back of their heads. Isabella and Ronain spun back to back, lances in hand and engaged.

Four dark warriors dropped in from all directions, lances burning crimson. Two found themselves tumbling backwards as Isabella and Ronain took the other two.

Of course, we couldn't have the element of surprise on the enemy this time, thought Ronain as he eyed the dark warriors, because that would have just been too easy.

Pivoting, Isabella struck, then parried before delivering a decisive jab to her opponent’s jaw. The force snapped his head to the side and he flipped backwards, feeling the edge of her lance brush against his arm.

The moment he landed, he met Isabella’s blade. They exchanged rapid strikes, all the while Isabella knowing his two

friends would be joining the fight anytime. At the next swing, Isabella kicked him in the gut and then swung her

lance around and down, both hands on the hilt. The force of the hit nearly took the dark warrior to his knees. They were deadlocked a second, until he gathered his strength and

shoved her back with all his might. The force of the move slid Isabella back. The dark warrior advanced

and she bent in half as a crimson blade sliced over her. Freehand on the ground, she sprang backwards. Using the momentum as she straightened,

she brought her weapon up with great speed. The strike was so powerful it dislodged her opponent’s lance from his hands.

Turning, Isabella launched a kick out behind her, making him stumble back. She was on him before he’d recovered. She threw a sharp left hook, then followed it with a stunning punch to the chest. The assault was completed by one of her favorite moves.

Going with the momentum she’d already built up, Isabella half spun and bashed him in the face with the hilt of her lance, which she’d moved into her left hand. She then slammed her right palm smack into his sternum.

He flew back, smashing through the side of a building, rubble and debris burying him. But there was no time for self-congratulations.

Fallen enemy’s lance flying to her hand, Isabella engaged it as she faced the second pair. The hilt of the dark warrior’s weapon slowly burned her skin, but she put it from her mind.

Isabella strode forward, crimson and deep blue lances in hand. The two combatants, adorned in dark clothes and black, light weight

armor, charged her from down the alley. They gazed at her with dark determination as clouds passed in front of the sun, casting the town in shadow.

There would be no hostages. And that fact made Isabella smile.

ΩIn the meantime, Ronain was busy with his own opponent. They fought fast and hard down an alley to the left. Presently, there

wasn't time to think about Isabella or Ipos. Whipping his weapon down, Ronain deflected his enemy’s lance

sideways. He followed this up by throwing his elbow into his face. He brought his weapon around in an arc, but an invisible strike to the stomach caught him first and he went tumbling back.

Stopping in a crouch, Ronain brought his lance around in time to stop the downward strike by the dark warrior.

Sharp pain sank fiery claws into his head as he deflected the onslaught of strikes that followed.

Get off me, he growled.The pain vanished, and Ronain pushed himself to his feet. He dodged

one strike and ducked another. Swiping his enemy’s lance aside, he head-butted him.

The dark warrior grunted, head jerking back as blood ran from his nose. He blocked Ronain’s next strike weakly, and the next. However, that was all the time he needed to sufficiently recover, and he lunged at Ronain.

Ronain parried, then kneed him in the stomach. He jumped in the air as his opponent took a swipe at his legs. But it was a mistake on behalf of the enemy. Just as he started to come down, Ronain twisted at his core and threw a punch with all his weight at the dark warrior’s head.

A bystander would have been able to see the shock of the strike ripple through the air, like a heat wave, as Ronain struck the enemy. The force of the impact was tremendous and it put the dark warrior down hard. He smashed into the ground, cracking and splitting the concrete in every direction.

Ronain flipped over him to the other side. The dark warrior made a half-hearted attempt to swipe at him, but it

was of no use. But even though he was down and likely fatally injured, there was no missing the waves of contempt and hate still rolling off him.

All Ronain had to do was deflect the crimson lance with a smack before delivering the final blow. Then it was over.

Ronain spun and took off down the alley, catching glimpses of Isabella and the other pair of warriors as they moved towards the road.

Ω As for Ipos, he was in a heated duel with the last pair of dark

warriors. He didn’t know how long they’d been in training, but they’d been instructed well.

He moved continually, keeping them more or less in front of him. Last thing he wanted was for one of them to get behind him. Bronze-edge blade ringing, it was a blur as it moved back and forth between the two dark warriors, deflecting their strikes.

Finally, he threw a white strike to the enemy on his left and sent him stumbling away. Simultaneously, he parried an overhead strike from the one in front of him and deflected the lance sideways. This left the dark warrior open to receive an elbow to the side of the head.

His vision blurred a moment and he took a quick swipe at Ipos, but hit air. For half a second he wondered where the Legionnaire had gone, then realized he’d moved behind him.

The dark warrior spun and met a powerful swing from Ipos. He struck. The enemy parried and returned the favor, aiming for his stomach.

Ipos anticipated the attack from the other opponent. He delivered his next blow and pushed his opponent away to give themselves a little more room.

The dark warrior was still skidding back when he unleashed a powerful shockwave.

Ipos saw the flash of red light and just raised his arm in time to shield himself. Although he deflected the brunt of the attack, he still felt volts of pain rippling into his head, raising the veins in his temple.

Snarling a grunt, Ipos returned the favor. The dark warrior stepped forward and swung his lance like a bat. A

great flash lit the street as the blade and strike collided, shattering the force of the blow into splinters of light.

As for the second dark warrior, he was already charging Ipos. That is, until he nearly had his head taken off by a large chunk of concrete.

But the pause was all Ipos needed to recollect himself. He jerked his head to the side, cracking it, before turning and spitting red onto the ground.

As the two dark warriors advanced, Ipos settled his steel gray eyes on the enemy in front of him. Striding towards them, his gaze darkened. A deep resonating hum came from the blade of the lance as it burned from bronze…to crimson.

This brought the faintest flicker of uncertainty across the dark warriors' faces. However, there was no time to further consider this change.

Quicker than they could blink, Ipos slid his hand down his lance and nailed one of the dark warrior's with a powerful white strike, to keep him preoccupied. Then, he lunged at the second warrior, swinging his lance down with all his might.

When the two crimson blades clashed, the dark warrior grunted against the volts of pain that ripped up his arm. Then came the second blow, and the third.

Ipos was driving hard and fast, as if the first round had merely been a warm-up.He landed one strike after the other, not giving his opponent a chance to recover. At last, he smashed his opponent’s blade to the right before kicking him.

The dark warrior managed to flip back. He landed in a crouch, just leaning out of reach of Ipos’ lance that brushed past his head. He knew he was in a terrible spot and was awarded for his correct assumption by receiving a kick in the jaw.

It threw the dark warrior back, where he rolled a few times and ended up on his stomach.

But he’d been trained to never surrender to a Legionnaire. In spite of the pain, he got his feet under him and sprinted for Ipos, lance returning to his hand. A few strides before reaching him, he jumped and twisted into the air, picking up speed before landing the first strike.

Ipos jogged backwards to keep up as they sparred. He positioned the dark warrior between himself and his comrade, who was coming in fast. He swiped at the warrior’s legs as the second one flipped behind Ipos.

While he was still in the air, his comrade whipped his lance around to cut Ipos across the chest.

But Ipos grabbed the wrist in a death grip. Fiery pain ripping into the dark warrior’s shoulder, and cracking bones, kept him occupied for a second.

Ipos ducked as a lance swiped over his head before delivering a perfectly timed kick into his opponent’s gut, just as the toes of his boots touched the ground.

The dark warrior flew back and slammed into a light post, breaking it in half.

ΩIsabella and Ronain were wrapping things up with their pair of dark

warriors. Ronain delivered a quick overhead strike, before blocking a return

blow aimed at his stomach. On the third swipe, he deflected his enemy’s lance off to the side, giving him ample time to deliver a roundhouse kick to the warrior’s head.

But these enemies weren’t deterred. He charged Ronain, pressing into his space, wielding the blade with speed and precision.

Their lances flashed through the air, trails of silver, jade and crimson. Ronain eventually found himself in an unfavorable position, backed

against a wall. The dark warrior swung his lance straight down in a mighty blow. Ronain met it and their blades locked, the effort to hold his enemy

back taking nearly everything he had.He gave a smart kick in the dark warrior’s shin, weakening him. He

then swung his lance up and around and his opponent raised his to block it—which was exactly what he was counting on.

When their lances smashed together, Ronain used the resistance to walk backwards up the wall and then flip behind the dark warrior.

His opponent twisted around quickly, but not quick enough. Ronain dropped to a knee and ducked as the crimson blade passed

over him before he ran his enemy through the chest. Taking a breath, Ronain wiped sweat from his forehead and looked up to see how Isabella was fairing.

With a skilled flick of the wrist, Isabella deflected her opponent’s lance and then landed a dazing punch to his jaw.

Once Ronain had joined the party, and she only had to focus on one enemy, she cut the second lance in half. She was glad to be rid of it, because in the short time she’d wielded it, the hilt had burned deep into her palm and bloodied her hand.

Ducking, Isabella avoided the crimson blade as it swept back over her. She sliced the warrior across the legs, dropping him to his knees as she straightened.

He found his weapon ripped from his grasp as he remained still, mind numb from the searing pain that rippled through his legs and into the rest of his body.

As Isabella turned her back, she struck him down, and he collapsed. She and Ronain jogged down the alley just as Ipos kicked one of his

two foes into a lamp post forty feet away. The warrior was just picking himself up when a dark blue lance

blurred through the air and hit its mark square in his chest. His body hadn’t yet touched the ground before the weapon returned to Isabella’s hand.

She jogged across the road, knowing Cyrus had to be nearby. When she didn't hear Ronain beside her, she paused.

Come on, she thought to him, eyes flicking to Ipos who had the last remaining dark warrior in his grasp, it’s going to take more than one to catch Cyrus. Besides…you don’t want to see the darker side of the general.

Ronain joined Isabella and together they sprinted for the hangars. The dark warrior’s lance had already been removed from his

possession when he was driven to his knees by Ipos, who maintained a grip on his wrist.

“Where is the ship you and Cyrus were going to rendezvous with?" growled Ipos.

Grinding his teeth, the dark warrior had to look away as an immense weight pressed down on him and ever so slowly pushed the air from his lungs. When he didn’t answer, Ipos drilled him with a sinister glare, an unsettling darkness in his eyes.

The dark warrior defiantly shook his head, though he couldn’t suppress a groan. The weight grew heavier as what felt like electricity

ripped through his veins and a terrible headache pounded against his forehead.

Vision beginning to fade, he hitched a couple breaths even as an invisible hand began breaking his ribs one by one.

Die knowing you failed, thought Ipos as the enemy slowly began to crumple, and you will understand you were on the wrong side. Prepare to meet the Almighty God.

A lance snarled to life and punched straight through the dark warrior’s chest before he collapsed.

Ipos closed his eyes a moment and lifted his chin to the darkening sky. There was still something he found darkly revitalizing about choosing when to take an enemy’s life. The power that came with it was almost intoxicating.

When Ipos opened his eyes, they were still a very dark gray. Anyone looking closely would swear they caught a flicker of a gold crescent under his irises. Or perhaps they were just imagining it.

Blade again bronze in color, Ipos disengaged the lance and slid it back on his thigh.

Yes, he’d danced with darkness before, warred with it, and come very close to crossing over to it. It was the subtle, slow changes one had to watch out for, or before they knew it they’d be on the side of the Seditionists.

He glanced at the body of the fallen warrior before turning for the hangars.

Yes, he’d danced with darkness, and even now, he still flirted with it.

Ω Ronain and Isabella kept within forty feet of one another as they

cautiously walked through the tall hangars. If there was one sure-fire way to track down a Seditionist commander

or general, it was: follow the headache. The closer they got, the sharper the pain in the sides of their heads became.

Those who had witnessed some of the duel in the alley gave the Legionnaires a wide berth, while everyone else’s attention went to the growing clouds.

A gust of wind, thick with the scent of rain, moaned through the buildings.

Ronain and Isabella passed between the massive support beams that lead into the second hangar. There was still no sighting of Cyrus, but when

a particularly sharp sting shot through Isabella’s head, she knew they were honing in on his location.

Ω Cyrus hid by one of the large pillars, watching the Legionnaires. His

turquoise eyes observed how cat-like his pursuers moved amongst the line of ships near the front doors.

Cyrus glanced behind him into the last hangar, where his jet was parked. Judging by how close his enemies were, and the distance still between him and his transport, he couldn’t reach it in time if he made a run for it now.

He checked on the progress of the Legionnaires. He caught a glimpse of Ronain as he disappeared behind a cluttered workstation beside a cargo ship. He reappeared a couple seconds later, still searching, still moving stealthily.

The woman had disappeared from sight and it took a full thirty seconds before he found her again. She was more experienced in battle than her male counterpart; he’d seen it in the first ten seconds of the street fight he watched.

Cyrus scowled as he scanned the immediate area and ran through his options. Whatever he was going to do, he had to do it quickly, before General Ipos arrived.

After deciding on a tentative plan, he leapt onto the base of the pillar, a sneer slowly twisting onto his face.

Ω Both Ronain and Isabella’s foreheads were pounding as they neared

the third hangar. Adrenaline began to flow again and they both discreetly drew their lances.

Isabella’s left hand was still dripping blood, but she couldn’t take the time to deal with it at the moment.

The headache was ferocious now, and Isabella finally cut it off with a command. She glanced ahead…before diving out of the path of a half-repaired engine block. It crashed behind her as she rolled to her feet.

Ronain’s eyes followed the path of the object back to its source just as a square metal object nearly struck him in the head.

Sure enough, a short distance away stood a particularly dark warrior atop a base of one of the support beams. His gold crescent, turquoise eyes confirmed he was, indeed, Cyrus, Seditionist general.

Ronain sprinted for him.

Cyrus's lance rang clearly as the crimson-edged blade appeared in a flash of red light. But before he could do anything to the commander, he received a white strike to the side from Isabella.

He snarled in pain and the frustration of being caught off-guard. The impact knocked him off the pillar base, but not before he sent a crimson strike at Ronain.

Ronain deflected it with his lance, but the aftereffects still sent pain snapping up his arms.

Having composed himself, Cyrus jogged backwards with Ronain coming fast in front of him. Isabella approached from the left, the look in her eye like that of a tiger eyeing its next kill.

That brought a twisted sneer of a smile to Cyrus’s face. Pity they were on opposite sides, or he would've liked to have gotten to know her better.

Ronain reached Cyrus first, swinging his lance around to build up some more speed before bringing it down.

The general and commander moved across the hangar floor, and anyone nearby scrambled out of the way. No one dared interfere in this sort of business.

Their blades locked at last and Cyrus gave Ronain a strong shove backwards and took a swipe at him.

He ducked as the crimson blade hummed over his head, before Isabella hit the warlord with a blinding shockwave.

Cyrus couldn’t avoid all of it and it forced him to jump and flip sideways. Upon landing, he sent Ronain a crimson strike to keep him busy, before turning his full attention to Isabella, a dozen feet away.

Strong pressure rippled from the crown of her head into her neck, but Isabella brushed it off.

You have a strong mind, thought Cyrus. Thank you, she replied before sending him staggering back with

another strike of light. By now, Ronain was back and attacked at full speed. The jade and

crimson lances clashed, the flashes of light reflecting off the walls and nearby ships.

They both went to push each other away at the same time and their hands touched. They were thrown back and they reacted the exact same way at the same moment: flipping to stop their backwards momentum and then charging one another.

Their lances met up high for the first strike, which brought them in close. Ronain was forced to turn to the left to block the second blow and then spin the opposite direction to deflect the third.

This, however, left his elbow close to Cyrus’s face and he felt obligated to introduce the two.

Volts of pain shot into Cyrus’s head and he took a blind swipe at Ronain.

He had to bend back to avoid the blade and Cyrus took the opportunity to deliver a powerful kick to his stomach.

Ronain was briefly dispatched of as he tumbled deeper into the hangar.

But Cyrus was not awarded any rest, because Isabella was coming from behind.

Turning, he extended his arm to hit her with a deadly red strike. But she was already anticipating this and deflected it with ease. This time, she drove him backwards, using speed to her full advantage.

Cyrus deflected a blow to his right, then left before blocking the third that came head-on.

Isabella pushed forward, driving the locked blades inward towards Cyrus’s side.

He pivoted around in time to avoid a potentially deadly wound. This left their arms and lances in a bit of a tangle, and Cyrus kicked

Isabella on the side of the knee. Leg buckling, she was forced to jump away as the tip of a lance just

missed her back. She turned quickly to meet Cyrus’s blade then dodged out of the way of a kick before he brought the lance down over his head. The strike was strong and he did it a second time, then a third.

Isabella could feel the incredible power from the strikes jolt through her hands and into her arms.

In his peripheral, Cyrus saw a particularly large figure appear at the entrance of the second hangar, felt his presence. He locked blades with Isabella before chancing a look up. It was General Ipos. The Legionnaire’s sharp gaze searched the hangar a moment before locking onto Cyrus.

He suddenly found himself flying across the hangar, struck by the most powerful blow yet from Isabella.

Cyrus not-so-gracefully crashed down to the floor forty-feet away. That's better, thought Isabella, rolling her neck. Cyrus leapt lightly to his feet. He looked from Isabella to Ronain when

he joined her side…and then the Seditionist turned and ran.The Legionnaires took off after him. They were starting to make up

ground when a mass of metal parts and other heavy components lifted and hung over the people in the hangar.

Ronain and Isabella slid to a stop. Through the mass of precariously hanging parts, they spotted Cyrus at the end of the hangar, taunting them with his expression.

They glared at one another a moment before Cyrus’s turquoise eyes flicked from the suspended parts then back to Ronain’s blue ones.

Isabella stood beside Ronain, poised to continue battle.All the various metal parts fell from the air, down towards the people,

faster than they could react. The parts stopped a few feet before impact. They hovered there for a second before slowly being set back down on the floor.

By the time Isabella and Ronain jumped back into a run, Cyrus was already to his fighter. Leaping onto a wing, it lifted off the ground and headed for the hangar doors.

His eyes settled on Isabella and he gave her a dramatic salute, as if to say “thank you for the dance.”

They slowed to a stop again as Cyrus hopped into the cockpit and sent the fighter rocketing for the upper atmosphere.

Ronain put his hands on his hips. His fighter was on the other side of town.

Sighing, he checked over his physical condition. Just a few scrapes and bruises; he’d faired quite well overall.

He glanced at Isabella, left hand burned and covered in crimson. Ronain was about to suggest medical attention when she pulled out a

thin device, about the size of a card, and ran it over the palm of her hand. A couple seconds later the wounds began to heal.

Her gaze flicked to Ronain, and she flashed a grin. “Standard equipment in a rogue’s medical kit. It's like a grenade: never leave home without it.”

Ronain glared at the disappearing burns. “I'd forgotten a dark warrior's lance would do that.”

Isabella gave a slight dip of her head. “It burns like your hand is on fire. But! If you’re outnumbered and you can't get a hold of any other weapon, a fallen opponent’s lance has to do.”

Wound now mended, she pocketed the device and opened and closed her fingers.

Ronain drew a breath, suddenly aware at how tired he felt. “I’ve taken down countless criminals before, but dueling with dark warriors has a whole different feel. It's been awhile since I've faced truly evil enemies and I'm really glad you were there!"

Isabella laughed as she studied the dark gray clouds and put her hands on her hips. “Well, we rogues have to learn at an accelerated rate. We have to become elite fighters in order to survive because we’re usually alone and don’t have backup. Still, it was refreshing to fight beside a fellow warrior.”

Ipos stepped beside them as the first drops of rain sprinkled down. Isabella studied him a moment, noting there was still a dark air surrounding him.

“Find out anything useful?” she asked after a breath, lifting her face into a gust of moist wind.

Ipos shook his head. “They may not have been commanders, but they were highly trained…loyal to the cause, too.”

Ronain blew through his lips, now realizing this was going to be a dragged-out, down-and-dirty, blow-for-blow fight.

In other words: it wasn’t going to be easy.

Chapter 40

Elimination

Cadence crept through the warehouse, muscles tight. She paused at another doorway, this one on the right. She signaled to it, and one of her team members stalked in and cleared it. When she felt a tap on her shoulder, she continued forward, half-crouched.

They were coming up to another corner before it opened up into a large room. Also, a portion of a walkway on the second floor was visible.

Cadence signaled to the teammate behind her to watch the balcony and then continued forward.

She reached the corner and peeked into the open room. Jerking, she pulled backwards, just missing enemy fire that splattered the wall off her shoulder.

Delvin, behind her, was already returning fire the moment he saw the first flash.

Cadence and the two others crossed to the left, under a stairway, where they were out of line of sight.

“Someone needs to go up and distract them while the other two cross into the open room,” whispered Delvin, “there’s a wall twenty feet around the corner.”

“I’ll go up,” volunteered Cadence, “give me thirty seconds to get in position.”

Erika, a brown-eyed brunette with freckles, and Delvin, dark haired and dark eyed, nodded as their teammate stealthily made her way up the stairs.

Only about fifteen seconds had passed when they heard Cadence’s voice in their coms. “There’s two of them by the balcony. Move when you hear the fire.”

Seconds ticked past and they heard the first round of weapons fire. Erika and Delvin made a break for it, Erika jogging backwards,

weapon trained on the balcony. Bright flashes came from a hallway behind the balcony and then

ceased by the time they’d reached the wall. Dodging behind it, the pair realized there was a maze of walls before them.

The main rule of this exercise was: no gifts or lances. Rifles, sidearms and heightened senses only. And Erika and Delvin sensed there wasn’t anyone downstairs.

But they were supposed to clear both levels. Splitting up, they followed the exterior walls, quickly wandering

through the halls and dead-ends. They knew their third team member was on the second level by herself with three combatants.

Sixty seconds later, Delvin and Erika met at the second stairwell and headed upstairs. They reached the top of the staircase when an enemy opened fire on them.

Ducking back a few steps, they waited. When they heard a lull in the fire, they leapt to the top of the stairs and charged for the narrow partition wall. It was pretty dark in here, but they were able to see the barrel of a weapon pop out as the combatant prepared to shoot again.

Delvin and Erika opened fire. Going separate ways around the wall, they had the first enemy caught and shot.

The body was slumping to the floor as more enemy fire zipped down the long passage to the right. Erika pushed Delvin out of the way and then flipped back into another hallway.

She laid down cover fire while Delvin dove into the hall with her. “We need to move fast now,” he whispered as loudly as he dared. Delvin took point and they continued down the dark hallway with

Erika keeping an eye behind them. Ω

“Cadence, where are you?” asked Erika’s voice through the com.

“Southeast corner,” breathed Cadence, “the rear section of this floor is open, but there are some partitions. And it’s really dark, so be careful.”

“We’re down one combatant,” replied Erika, “the rest are upstairs.”She peered around the corner into a hall and caught a glimpse of

some movement. Whatever it was disappeared around the far corner. What if it’s a trap, she thought. Steeling herself, Cadence crouched

and started silently down the hall. Another dark little passage branched off to the right, and she saw

another shadow walk around the corner. “Be advised the last two have split up,” she whispered. Picking up her pace, she jogged to the end of the corridor and poked

her head into the next hall. Weapons fire nearly took her head off, and she pulled back against the wall.

When she stuck her hand around the corner to return the favor, the shooter had closed the distance and kicked the weapon out of her grasp.

Cadence lunged forward. Latching onto the wrist that held the firearm, she pulled the enemy into her elbow. They were all wearing helmets with facemasks, but the blow was still jarring.

The firearm dropped into darkness, and they commenced with hand-to-hand combat, mostly to keep one another from searching for the weapon.

Cadence deflected a punch and landed a solid swing into her enemy’s diaphragm. She managed to duck the first counterstrike. The second grazed her face mask and the third blow landed on the side of her helmet.

Going with the momentum, she threw herself back, planting her foot squarely in his chest as she flipped away…

ΩErika and Delvin heard the weapons fire and were jogging through

the hallways. All the while they kept in mind the third assailant was sneaking around somewhere.

They passed yet another hallway before backpedaling quickly. Cadence was dueling with one of the enemy. They were about to

charge into the passage when movement further down their hall drew their attention. It was the third combatant, ducking around the corner.

Erika slapped Delvin on the shoulder, and he sprinted in pursuit while she made for Cadence. It wasn't as easy as just opening fire because there was high risk of hitting her teammate.

Cadence, still in a heated fight, saw Erika coming for them. If I could keep him distracted a little longer, she thought, before forcing herself to take the punch to the helmet.

She deflected one kick, then another. The moves left her opponent open for the briefest moment. Cadence took the opportunity and delivered a dazing one-two-three maneuver. She finished it up with a swift kick in the shoulder.

The force sent him reeling…and that’s when he spotted Erika, coming fast. Getting his feet back under him, he felt his foot kick something.

He figured Cadence must have heard it too because they stared at each other a second.

She was aware he was closest to the firearm. If he moved for it, he’d likely be able grab it, shoot Erika and then her. Since Cadence didn’t know where her weapon had run off to, she wouldn’t stand a chance. But she could ensure Erika had a chance to drop him.

Spinning, he dove for the firearm. Cadence was right on top of him. He had the weapon but wasn’t able

to line up a shot at Erika because Cadence hit him first.They tumbled to the floor, wrestling. He may have had strength on

his side, but Cadence was quick and difficult to hang on to. She landed several sharp jabs in his gut and side before snatching for the firearm.

That earned her an elbow in the facemask. She then received a powerful kick to the stomach. She stumbled back and the enemy shot a look from her to Erika, who was nearly there. Cadence moved forward, pretending she was going to try another assault.

He twisted around and shot her twice in the stomach, the force slamming her against the wall. As she slumped to the floor, she watched Erika open fire.

She’d proven deadly accurate on the practice range, and proved it here again. Four shots hit the enemy, all forming a tight cluster in his chest.

“You crazy girl,” said Erika, slowing when she reached Cadence, who gave her a thumbs-up.

“Well, it worked,” replied Cadence, “better go check on Delvin. He’s skilled, but you know it’s the women around here who get things done.”

Erika chuckled, patting Cadence on top of the helmet before picking up to a jog and disappearing around the corner.

Sliding the visor of her helmet up, Cadence looked at Timothy, one of the members on the rival team.

They pulled each other to their feet and exchanged a slap on the arm. “For being so small you sure can pack a punch,” he said, before his

hand went to his shoulder, “and kick.”Cadence chuckled. “Likewise. That last blow to the face was like,

‘hello!’”

Timothy laughed, and they shook hands. Ω

As for Delvin, he and the final enemy had been exchanging rapid fire in between sprinting down halls and around corners. Presently, they were back at the front hallway. The balcony was through a large opening in front of Delvin, the same staircase he and Erika had come up just to the left.

He’d barely stuck his head around the corner when very accurate fire just missed his helmet. Setting his jaw, he raised his weapon and skittered sideways into the hall, returning the fire.

The gunman was at the other end of the hall and opened fire. Delvin dodged to the left, dropping his right shoulder just enough to

miss the shot. He ducked right and lowered into a crouch as several more rounds flew past him.

When the enemy saw him firing, and that he was still closing the distance, he spun and ran.

Delvin instantly straightened and broke into an all-out sprint and skidded around the corner. A fresh burst of adrenaline flooded his body when he saw he was only strides from the combatant.

The enemy grabbed the corner and threw himself around it before starting down the steps. Delvin appeared seconds later and hurled himself at him.

They crashed and tumbled down the flight of stairs, splaying on the unforgiving concrete floor. Twisting his hips, Delvin delivered a mighty kick to the enemy, restoring a little space.

The combatant rolled away and up to his feet, before taking three shots to the core. A fourth shot hit his chest not half a second later.

Delvin was on his back and had fired from a half sitting position. He lowered his weapon and tilted his head back to see who had fired the fourth round.

It had been Erika, crouched at the top of the stairs. A buzzer sounded, letting them knew the exercise had reached its

end. Lights blinked on and steel panels slid away from all the windows. The third enemy removed his helmet to reveal "he" was actually a

"she". Jackie, master at long-distance shooting, shook the kinks out of her neck and pulled her braided hair out from under her armor.

“I knew I should have just waited for you to get closer so I could have shot your for sure,” she said, hazel eyes twinkling as she stepped over to Delvin and pulled him to his feet.

Calek, the first of Jackie’s team to be eliminated, joined them, as did Erika. They were all chattering excitedly about the exercise when Cadence and Timothy walked down the stairs.

Erika started clapping and Delvin joined in, even Jackie and Calek were nodding appreciatively. Cadence managed a weak smile as she and Timothy joined the group. She removed her helmet and popped her neck.

The four large doors at the entrance of the warehouse opened, two on the wall behind Cadence, two on the right wall.

“Well done, all of you,” said General Necro as he entered, two commanders flanking him.

“Bravo team for forcing Alpha to split up and not making it easy,” he continued, stopping when he reached the group, “and Alpha team for working as a unit to clear the warehouse.”

Necro tilted his head towards Cadence, “It’s difficult to be the one to make the sacrifice for the sake of the team, but you performed the task admirably. How did the rifles and sidearms feel?”

“A little awkward at first,” replied Delvin, “but as the exercise wore on pretty comfortable.”

“And it was really hard not to use any gifts,” added Erika. Cadence nodded enthusiastically. “Especially in hand-to-hand combat,

or when I so gracefully lost my sidearm in the dark.”Necro chuckled. “Trust me, it has happened to everyone at one time

or another. ‘Firearms only’ was the main rule for this exercise not only to try and make you well-rounded warriors, but also to see just how much in control you were of your various gifts."

He rubbed his hands together. “Now, Alpha team, you move to the outdoor course. Bravo team, you’ll stay here and play the hunters this time. We’re switching out units.”

Cadence and her team shook hands with Jackie’s teammates before walking outside into the cool, wet air. The outdoor course was marked with exterior concrete walls and consisted of anything from a short maze to small forest thickets and various built-up obstacles.

It was situated at one end of a vast field wedged between a steep ridge on the right and mountain to the left. Low gray clouds whipped past overhead, hurling mist and drizzle at them. Darker layers on the horizon promised heavier precipitation.

One of the outside teams jogged inside as Cadence and the others greeted their new rivals.

The very first thing she realized about them was that they were older, probably Kiera’s age, though the oldest looked to be about eighteen or

nineteen. These guys were likely to be some good competition; aside from having more experience, they were already familiar with the course.

After they exchanged hellos, Cadence’s gaze fell on a nearby outpost. Exterior stairs led to a platform at tree level. An outside walkway was

secured by a railing to some kind of bunker with tinted windows, which ran the entire length of the structure.

“You think we’re being watched?” asked Erika. “Oh yeah,” answered Mikel, the oldest. “Word is commanders and

officers are starting to scout for potential interns to recruit to their squads…eventually.”

After getting the warehouse teams squared away, General Necro walked over to them. “It will be the same as before. One team is given a couple minutes to hide and the other seeks. The winner is determined by the last man standing."

He looked at Cadence and her team. “You’re Bravo team this time and will be hiding first. You’ll have five minutes. Mikel, you’re Alpha and will be seeking. Questions?”

There were none, and Cadence and the others made for the course entrance.

“We’ll want to walk carefully on the grass portion of the course,” said Cadence quietly, looking at the ground. “It’s getting slick with all this mist.”

“Are we dividing and conquering or sticking together?” asked Delvin as a cool breeze swept across the field, “they’re more experienced and have the advantage of knowing the course.”

“We’d probably be better off separating, each taking a different part of the course,” suggested Erika as they passed through the entryway, metal doors sliding closed behind them.

“I agree,” nodded Cadence, “separate, but not too far from one another, so we have a chance of helping each other out if need be.”

Their five minutes to hide began. After studying the layout of the course, each decided on their individual hiding places and split up.

As Cadence made for a middle section, near a thicket, it began to drizzle a little harder. Reaching her destination, she stepped through the trees on the hillside. She spotted a rock that would give her a great vantage point and jogged towards it.

Now in position, lying prone atop the boulder with her rifle, Cadence pulled her helmet on and waited.

A minute later, the siren cut through the air and another round of elimination began.

Chapter 41

Team Work

“He ducked behind the pillar! Shahan, watch yourself!”While Cadence was in the middle of team eliminations, so was Kiera.

Except they got to play in the absolutely enormous cathedral that sat just off the main grounds of the training center.

She and her team were also right in the middle of a fast-paced skirmish with two other teams. For this round, the students had essentially been divided into units and then all thrown into the arena at one time.

Kiera broke from cover and sprinted to the next massive pillar of the open-air cathedral. She and her nearest opponent, hiding several pillars up, exchanged fire before Kiera ducked behind the large base of a column.

Eyes flitting about her surroundings, she caught glimpses of duels going on deeper inside. A couple rows away, she spotted Cole, one of her teammates, engaged in hand-to-hand combat with a rival. He was slowly losing ground.

Pointing the barrel of her sidearm at her hand, she pulled the trigger three times. The rounds themselves collected in the palm of her hand, forming into a glowing ball of burning orange.

Most handguns these days didn't carry metal bullets, but generated small bursts of laser rounds. The advantage of the laser round was, obviously, a warrior didn't have to be loaded down with extra magazines. However, laser rounds tended to overheat the barrels quicker, so a person had to decide where they wanted to compromise.

Assault rifles could carry either traditional metal rounds or laser rounds. The heavy, full metal jacket bullets were still preferred for sniping because they assured a good kill.

Taking a non-lethal hit from a laser round burned just as badly as a metal bullet. But these types of rounds allowed Legionnaires to do some really neat tricks.

They weren’t allowed to use lances, but fortunately they were permitted to use their gifts. Kiera wondered how Cadence was dealing with the harsher restrictions.

She stood and threw the orb of flames like a pitcher does a baseball. Cole’s opponent sat it coming and dove out of the way. It grazed his

arm before smashing into a pillar. The guy didn’t stand a chance now and Cole drew his sidearm and put three rounds into his chest.

In the meantime, Kiera’s opponent had been trying to sneak around behind her again.

Tucker appeared at the base of the pillar forty feet directly across from Kiera. He signaled to her and she nodded, breaking into a sprint across the open.

She heard her enemy’s weapons fire and felt several of the rounds pass close. Tucker laid down cover and gave Kiera a few extra seconds.

Fifteen feet from him, Kiera went down onto her side and slid the rest of the way. Both sidearms in hand, she opened fire on a pair of rivals.

As Kiera was sliding in behind Tucker, Hailey came in overhead. Flipping over the corner of the column base, she shot at another combatant behind them.

With a few less rivals now on the course, an eerie silence settled over the place. It was a waiting game at the moment, each team waiting for another to make a noise so they could pinpoint their location.

Hailey spotted Cole and Mason at the next row of pillars, to their right. She pointed at a rock, and they nodded, knowing what she was thinking.

The stone shot to Hailey’s hand. She gestured with the rock, and Kiera and Tucker each gave a single nod, weapons aimed in different directions.

Hailey threw the rock a good fifty feet into the open, where it tumbled loudly across the marble floor.

Fire came from opposite directions: straight ahead and behind them. Cole and Mason were on the team behind Hailey and the others. As

for the trio, they made for the second group. Kiera stalked right around the base, while Tucker and Hailey went

left. Kiera ducked, several rounds brushing over her head. Sprinting

forward, she leapt atop the next pillar base, firing the moment her eyes fell on the gunman. Four shots, all good, hit him in the shoulder and chest.

A second enemy was lining up a shot but got clipped in the shoulder by Hailey, coming from the left. Tucker crossed in front of her, eyes on yet another enemy at the row of pillars across to the right.

Movement in Kiera’s peripheral jerked her gaze left. Another gunman had already lined up a shot and was just squeezing the trigger.

Kiera flipped sideways off the base, rounds flying past her head, then shoulder. She was upside down when she returned it, to give him something to think about.

Hailey went down onto her knees, sliding and shooting at him.

He ducked behind a base just as Kiera landed. The second her boots touched the ground, she and Hailey charged his position. Nearly to his hiding spot, they saw the shockwave just before it hit and raised an arm.

The flash came a foot in front of them as the strike dispersed. They were back and running when the gunman broke cover.

Originally he was going to try and run for it, but he realized he wouldn’t make it.

Diving for the floor, he twisted in the air and opened fire. Most of it was aimed at Kiera.

Jumping hard, she flipped through the air, the rounds barely missing her as she twisted. Hailey delivered the final shots and he dropped as Kiera landed, firearm raised.

The two girls nodded at one another before turning and running back to Tucker.

He was exchanging sporadic fire with the final three enemy combatants.

“I’m keeping them busy while Cole and Mason get into position,” he whispered, pulling his head around the pillar as enemy fire pelted the base.

“Is that it?” asked Hailey, quickly peeking around the other side of the pillar, “just the three of them?”

“That’s it,” nodded Tucker. “We’re in position,” said Cole’s voice through their coms. They double-checked their weapons before Tucker answered, "Flush

'em out."A burst of fire echoed through the cathedral. “They’re in the open!” shouted Mason, “Coming to you!” Tucker, Hailey, and Kiera stepped out from behind the base, sighting

down their weapons. They spotted their enemies just as one spun and fell to the floor.

In a final act, the two gunmen opened rapid fire on the trio. The shots only got halfway to their targets before they froze.

The two enemies blinked and looked at Kiera, who had her left arm extended. They shared a long look before a little smile tugged at her mouth and she snapped her fingers.

The shots disintegrated and Tucker and Hailey delivered the shots and the final combatants fell.

Dust still settling, General Chad and several commanders walked down the steps running along the entire rectangular perimeter of the open cathedral.

“Excellent, all of you,” he said, walking towards Delta team, which consisted of Tucker, Hailey, Kiera, Cole, and Mason.

The others picked themselves up off the floor and joined the group.Kiera wiped sweat from her forehead. This was her team’s third round

of eliminations and her muscles were aching. At least they hadn’t been crawling around in the mud like they had during the first round.

“Hopefully this wasn’t too challenging and you were able to learn from it,” continued the general. “You can accomplish a lot in a short amount of time with a good team. That round only took you all fifteen minutes. This was your final exercise for the day so you’re free to return to the center at your leisure.”

“At least we got to use our gifts,” joked a teenager by the name of Jaxon.

“Yeah,” agreed Hailey, “the younger teams had to use ‘firearms only'. Plus they have smaller units, which makes it worse because there are fewer people to cover each other.’”

She elbowed Kiera, smile in her eyes, “How do you think Cadence did with that?”

Kiera snorted. “Are you kidding? She can’t brush her teeth without levitating something. But I’m glad it was her and not me.”

“I know! Talk about torture,” laughed Zoe, a beautiful strawberry blonde.

That got a round of chuckles as they started across the cathedral, towards the trail that would lead them back to the training center…and a hot shower.

Chapter 42

Valuable Information

“Commander! An incoming transmission from the Burgin ambassador says a suspicious frigate was just spotted in a shipping lane between the Ulnun and Kerst systems.”

The commander walked to the officer at a monitoring workstation. This was one of several intelligence posts in the training center on

Elywn that handled all the incoming reports from various planets and systems. These, in turn, were synced up with intelligence posts at the military base in town.

“…and he says the forces of Burgin and Eriskay are combining. They’re going to head out and meet the freighter.”

“Okay, acknowledge the transmission,” said the commander, “and make sure that message gets out to every planet in the Ulnun System.”

He turned for the door. “If it is one of the Seditionist freighters, we’ll get to see how strong they are in space confrontation.”

Ω Ω Ω Flying in formation, the forces of Burgin and Eriskay approached the

freighter. About half a mile away other ships were in line at a checkpoint, waiting to be scanned so they could enter the Ulnun System.

“Unidentified freighter, state your destination,” hailed one of the fleet commanders.

“This frigate is headed for Calrissian of the Lone Planet System.”“Due to the recent attacks in Jutland, security has been heightened

for all systems. Lower your shields so we can scan your vessel.”There was a brief pause before an eerie, snarling voice came back and

replied, “We will not comply.”Boom!The freighter opened fire on the small battle cruiser escorted by light

fighters. Everyone immediately scattered. Squads broke away and engaged the freighter.

“Evasive maneuvers!” shouted the captain of the cruiser as it shuddered under another direct hit from the enemy, “Take out their shields! The generator is near the tower!”

“Enemy ships undocking from the frigate!” reported one of the fighter pilots.

One of the hanger bay doors on the freighter was open and enemy ships were beginning to pour out.

“Alpha, Delta squads, assist our cruiser in taking out the shield, the rest of you with me! Take out the enemy as they leave the bay!”

Ω Ω Ω General Hezron was taking the night shift. It had been agreed upon

that, due to all the activity, attacks, and intel coming in, one of the generals be available at all times.

He sat in the semi-dark conference room. Jotting down notes on the recent events, he attempted to link pieces together, anything. He was also writing down questions such as: why were the Seditionists moving now?

Just because they felt like it? Because they believed they had enough forces? Their end game was always total control, but how would they execute it?

Details were important, but so was the big picture.They’d had no luck tracking down Cyrus after he left Faleba. Either

the ship he boarded was cloaked or someone erased the shipping lane footage.

Finally, Hezron set the pen down and sighed, rubbing his eyes. Leaning back in the chair, his eyes went to the windows that overlooked the forest, currently hidden in darkness.

At last, he closed his eyes and began to pray, something they’d been doing more of lately.

The door hissed open not a minute later and a commander stepped inside. “General! There’s some footage that just came in you need to see.”

As they briskly walked down the hall, the commander filled him in on the last transmission from Burgin.

“Can we put it on screen yet?” asked the commander to one of the female officers, once they reached the intelligence post.

“Almost have it, sir.”The commander glanced at Hezron, “It was initially audio, but then

we realized video was trying to come through, too. It was picked up at a Legionnaire hub on Dumas and routed here.”

“There! On screen now, sir.”A grainy image of a man appeared on one of the top screens. By the

looks of it he was a pilot, recording from his fighter. The scene panned out one of the windows of the cockpit. Scenes of battle raged all around his plane as his comrades were shot down, one by one, in fiery explosions.

As the fighter circled around, Hezron’s eyes fell on a freighter. But…it wasn’t an ancient frigate described in the earlier reports. It was a modern battleship, not a bulky piece of junk.

“This transmission needs to get to the Legionnaire Council on Elywn immediately,” said the pilot, breathing labored, “this is the freighter Burgin and Eriskay forces intercepted. They opened fire on us after we requested they lower their shields. The ship was filled with fighters…”

The image distorted a moment. “…We damaged the freighter. The fuselage had to be holographic or something, because everything glitched and next thing we knew, we were facing this battle cruiser…there has to be a Seditionist commander or something on board. Once the shields were lowered, we scanned it and came up with a negative body temperature reading on the main bridge…I’m sending that data now.”

The pilot’s ship jerked and shuddered madly. “Won’t be able to evade them much longer,” he panted, “there’s a

checkpoint half a mile away and when the fighting started everyone scattered. The enemy cruiser fired at them a couple times, but I think it was just to discourage anyone from aiding us. Generals, you must find out these ships’ weaknesses, draw up all forces and meet these guys head on. Otherwise…won’t stop…taken over…killed everyone.”

The image glitched again, froze and then went black. A chill settled over the room while everyone continued to stare at the

screen. “Did we get that data he mentioned?” asked Hezron quietly.“Uh…yes, sir, coming on screen…now.”The clip was only a couple seconds. The pilot had flown around the

bow of the enemy battleship, and there were heat signatures from various officers, but…

“Freeze it there," said Hezron, stepping closer. Standing behind the main helm was the negative heat signature. A

being stood watching, but it was in shades of blues. What confirmed it was a Seditionist were the eyes: black with a gold crescent.

And then the screen went black. General Hezron dropped his head a moment and closed his eyes. He

hated losing warriors, and he hated watching brave soldiers fight to an end that only led to death, in spite their gallant efforts.

This pilot was a hero. He died a warrior’s death to ensure they received this valuable information. At last, they'd gotten a look through the enemy's disguise and into exactly how strong of a force they were dealing with.

And it was less than encouraging.

Chapter 43

Misperception

Cadence plopped down with a heavy sigh on her bed at the training center.

It had been one of those days were nothing had gone quite right. Not that anything terribly wrong had happened, but it didn’t go well either. In fact, that’s how the past week had been.

She blew through her lips and rolled her stiff neck, where a gnawing ache had been the past five days. It was irritating and made it difficult to focus. Nothing she did eased it.

Pushing herself off the bed, she walked to the tall windows lining the entire back wall of her room.

The view was nice, with green ridges covered with dense forest. The mountains beyond, covered with a fresh dusting of snow, reached to the sky. The slightest change of color marked some of the leaves, hinting that fall was not far off.

Cadence folded her arms, brooding. She hadn’t been pleased with her past few combat training exercises. She’d actually been beaten in several sparring sessions with the lance. The fact she'd been dueling with older students newly recruited into active-duty units was irrelevant to her.

Also, she wasn’t getting as good of feedback on recent class projects as she normally did. It wasn’t that praise from an instructor was her goal in life, but she used it to gauge how she was doing.

Right now, she was just average. Cadence spun sharply, glaring at nothing on the floor. But how was

she supposed to operate at a high level when she was so tired? What did the trainers expect? Perfection and outstanding brilliance all the time?

A new headache pounded against her forehead. And then there was Kiera, her big sister. She was still excelling at

everything: combat training, even mind games, an area Cadence had once had the upper hand in.

Be careful where your thoughts wander, came a reminder. But Cadence didn’t seem to notice the warning. As she continued to glower, the headache grew worse. None of the

lights in her room were turned on, but they began to flicker. Anger burned in her veins, and her heart began to hammer in her

chest, her wrath building and festering. The small glass sitting at the corner of her desk began to tremble. When Cadence reached the peak of her jealous anger, several lights

burst and the glass shattered. The commotion broke Cadence from her thoughts. She blinked at the

glass, now in tiny pieces, and what had happened to some of the lights. She closed her eyes and placed a hand over the side of her face. Dang

it…By far, her temper was something she'd been working on. It wasn't

usually other people who ticked her off. It was her frustration at herself.

Unfortunately, the outward effects of her anger had been showing themselves faster, like breaking objects. Even at times of mild irritation, the lights sometimes flickered.

"Only as gifts are developed can you know the extent of their influence," one of her instructors had said last week.

Yeah, but I don't think this is how it's supposed to go, she thought to herself before setting her jaw, why can't I get a handle on this, for crying out loud!

This, on top of everything else, made her feel like a failure. But as Cadence studied the glass shards, an idea formed.

Hey, since she was already a letdown, why not experiment a little? The glass shards drifted to her right hand, where they resettled.

Seconds later heat simmered to life in her hand. Slowly she closed her hand, expected to feel the sting of the glass as it cut her hand. But there was nothing.

Fingers now in a fist, she felt a hard mass in her palm. Cadence took a breath and let her checked jealousy burn back to life. A burst of intense heat raced down her arm and into her hand.

The solid item in her palm softened to something grainy.Opening her hand, Cadence saw the glass had been reduced to sand. Now that's interesting, she thought, cocking an eyebrow, that's very

interesting.Ω Ω Ω

From his vantage point, he could see the courtyard of the academy. It was lunch break for the students and a number of them were sparring light-heartedly.

To say Kiera Shahan had grown stronger would be like calling a tempest a light drizzle with some wind. She was excelling, thriving with the strenuous schedule.

Cadence was also keeping up easily with her big sister, though she didn’t see it. She was too smart, too powerful mentally for him to launch blatant assaults. So it was just subtle suggestions, the misperception that she was struggling or not meeting expectations.

The assassin glanced at his visitor and admitted Cadence’s moodiness was partly due to him.

The boy Seth, sitting atop the wall that ran along the perimeter of the roof, bit into an apple.

“They have her on a really busy schedule,” he said, “but I’m able to follow her from class to class without being noticed. Kiera was suspicious the moment she heard about me.”

“What you’re doing now is working perfectly,” said the assassin with a wave of his hand. “The subtle approach is the best with her. Do watch out for Kiera, though I think her attitude towards you is just the innate protectiveness that comes with being an older sibling.”

Seth took a few more monstrous bites and spoke through the chunks of apple in his cheeks. “Haven’t been able to get close to the surveillance posts in the training center. Only high ranking personnel are allowed inside.”

“Don’t worry about that for the time being.”“But what…”The assassin shot him a fierce glare. “I said don’t worry about it. Last

thing we want is for you to get caught snooping.”His expression sent a trill of chills racing down Seth’s spine. “Remember, you and your father are here at the expense of the

Seditionist army,” continued the assassin, clipping his words. “If you disobey orders or draw even the slightest bit of suspicion by the Legionnaires…then you will be of no further use to us. You follow?”

Seth managed to swallow and nod. He looked at the rest of his half-eaten apple, appetite suddenly gone.

It was partly because of the chilly fear that now gripped his stomach. But also because the fruit in his hand had turned rotten, brown and

black, and filled with worms.

Chapter 44

Ammon & Bayne

“Of course the Legionnaires know we are behind the attacks,” growled the dark lord, “they’re just gathering evidence to confirm their hunch and to attempt to track our movements. But now that we’ve already established our primary footholds, the knowledge that we're behind everything doesn't matter. We will, however, have to ensure the locals on the planets we’ve established bases on don’t send any transmissions or messages to the Council.”

“At least Cyrus managed to escape his little encounter on Faleba” said Seditionist General Ammon. “Where is he, by the way?”

“I’ve sent him across the system,” replied the dark one, “to deliver the hyper-drive parts to the planets where our new fleet is being built. After that, he’s headed back to the Jutland System to complete some unfinished business and recruit more allies.”

“May I inquire, sir, about the matter concerning the sisters?” asked Ammon, clasping his hands behind his back as he casually paced back and forth in the cavernous chamber.

“What about it?”“Could we not merely kidnap them and force our ways upon them?

They are still children, young, impressionable and easily manipulated.”“The plan will suffice. I have laid it out this way on purpose.”“But…”“Don’t question it!” snapped the dark lord, snarl echoing in the large

dark room. After a breath, he calmed, “You must trust me, general. I have seen

how this will play out and have planned accordingly.”Ammon blinked at him. “You have foreseen this?”The dark one fixed his haunting eyes on him, face expressionless. “I

would not be making such bold moves right now if I wasn’t sure they would succeed.”

Ammon dipped his head. “Of course.”“Once the war officially begins, we will be able to move about more

freely,” said the evil lord, black eyes gleaming. “By the time the war actually starts, all four systems will be ours for the taking.”

Ω Ω Ω Two huge carriers housing numerous attack fleets crept into the Kerst

System. They approached Planet Fars, on the outer rim, from the night side.Having concluded his meeting with the dark lord, Ammon, Seditionist

general, was aboard one of the two freighters. Standing at the helm, arms folded across his chest, he gazed out at Fars, a mostly grassy planet with sparse lakes and streams.

Ammon was known for being notoriously morbid in his assaults on enemy planets—or those merely in the way of his plans.

He didn’t just decimate entire planets. If he was feeling especially evil, he also launched kill squads to hunt down every last man, woman, and child.

For him, the act of killing was totally and thoroughly intoxicating.

And normally that’s what he'd do. But Ammon had his orders not to waste time with "extracurricular activities" and simply overthrow his assigned planets.

When they finally entered orbit, the commander of the ship walked cautiously up behind him. “Sir, we are in position as you requested.”

Without turning, Ammon replied, “Contact General Bayne on Triton and tell him the time to move has come."

“Yes, sir.”“And ready this fleet. We launch the attack in ten minutes, before the

sun has time to rise on its major cities.”The commander nodded and then left to execute his orders.Ammon looked out the large windows that curved around the ship.

He could see rapid movement in the second cargo carrier beside them, and guessed they had just received their orders.

Another couple of minutes later, strobes lining the sides of the freighter began flashing, a signal that planes would soon be exiting.

“Open a channel to Alpha Base on Polaris,” he growled to one of the underlings at the controls to his left.

“Yes, general…uh, sir, we are unable to open a link. There’s a particle storm passing over the surface and there’s too much interference. We need to be a lot closer.”

Sighing with distaste, Ammon removed a round holographic transmitter from one of his pockets. He turned it on and placed it in the palm of his hand.

It took a full minute before a four inch opaquely blue image appeared over the device.

“General,” said the figure with a dip of his head. “Are the hyperspace drives installed on your cruisers?” “Yes, sir, as you instructed,” answered the base commander.“Send the squads to Kuhal,” growled Ammon, “Commander Xan and

General Bayne will be launching the assault on Triton. It shouldn’t be more than half an hour for the takeover to be complete. Once Kuhal and Triton are secure, you will join forces and go to Miraz. I will be with you shortly, once the assault on Fars is underway. Then we'll all hit Miraz together."

“Yes, general.” The image flickered, distorted, then disappeared. An alarm sounded throughout the carrier, letting everyone know its

own fighters would be leaving the hangers momentarily. “Sir, everyone is ready and waiting your order,” said the commander

briskly. “Let it begin.”

The commander jerked his head to the right and barked at one of the communications technicians. “All systems go! Open the hangers! Release the fighters!”

Ammon turned his gold crescent eyes to the neighboring carrier. The numerous bay doors lining the lower sides opened in unison. Then countless sleek black jets flew out in a seemingly never-ending stream.

“Weapons are locked on the planet’s gravity stabilizers, sir,” shouted the commander behind him.

Ammon stepped to one of the windows. "Open fire, and clear the way for the fighters."

Ω Down on the planet’s surface, if one was actually up that time of

night, they might have seen lasers come from the ink black sky. They struck several large transistors around the city that stabilized the unpredictable gravity levels.

The lasers remained constant for about ten seconds before vanishing. Deafening booms followed immediately after in a chain reaction, rocking the cities on the night-side of the planet. Explosions hurled smoke and fire towards the sky.

If there had still been power, lights everywhere would have blinked on as inhabitants started awake.

But, discovering they had no electricity, many of them looked out their bedroom windows or stepped cautiously out their front doors. What they saw next was something they had hoped they would never have had to witness.

Dropping out of the night sky came bombs and rockets, followed by countless enemy fighters. Buildings, homes and businesses were reduced to dust in an instant.

As the civilians made for cover, many of them wondered who could have developed such powerful weapons.

They had heard of other planets being attacked, but ignorantly believed it would never happen to them. Their planet was large, yes, but there were only four large cities and around two million people total living on this rock.

But now, their worst nightmare was finally unfolding before their eyes.

Ω

After watching the initial proceedings of the attack, Ammon turned and headed for the hangers, where his personal fighter was waiting. He wasn’t even halfway there when an officer jogged up to him.

“General! Some military forces sent to guard the orbit of Lunghei are approaching.”

“Send four squadrons to intercept them,” replied the general, “and make sure you kill them all.”

The officer nodded and ran off to deliver the orders.Once at the hangar, Ammon found two dozen of his personal

commanders ready and waiting for him. A dark air surrounded them, their sharp eyes watching his every move as they anticipated his next one.

These warriors weren’t any ordinary commanders. They were dark, they were skilled and they were trained up in evil ways. Their hate for their enemy could not be put into words, and their loyalty to the Seditionist cause was not to be questioned.

With a mere glance from the general, they turned and went to their fighters. As Ammon climbed into his, he couldn’t help but give a sneering smile.

The move to take the entire Kerst System was now in motion.

Ω Ω Ω General Bayne watched things progress at the Triton base, southwest

of Fars, which Ammon was currently pummeling. Both soldiers and warriors scrambled, manning their fighters and

getting cruisers into the air. Large carriers airlifted the heavy ground vehicles and would take them to the target city.

“General Bayne,” shouted an officer over the noise of the hanger, “forces from Polaris are minutes from Kuhal. And General Ammon is now en route.”

Bayne merely nodded before turning to his fighter, a sleek weapon of war and armed to the teeth. While walking across one of the landing pads, he watched a squad of fighters circle the canyon in formation.

Seconds later they were joined by a second squad, then a third. A dozen heavy carriers, with ground vehicles in tow, lifted lazily into the air and ascended vertically out of the canyon.

It was mid-day and temperatures were soaring. Fortunately, all ships had been modified to withstand such terrible heat and blowing sand.

Over the noise, he heard Commander Xan order the first round of light fighters to take out the defense systems of the city. Three heavy cruisers would follow immediately after.

Reaching his jet, Bayne jumped in, more than glad to finally be leaving this wretched desert planet.

The engines hummed as they started. He threw a few switches and the fighter gently lifted from the pad and slid gracefully out of the canyon before shooting for the upper atmosphere.

Bayne leveled off a mile above the surface and flew over the city. The light fighters were taking no survivors as they destroyed the air

defense systems. A few puny military planes tried to get off the ground, but were easy pickings for the elite enemy pilots. To top it off, ground forces were rolling into the perimeter, literally flattening anything in their path.

Sensing no danger or threat, Bayne turned his fighter toward the outer orbit of the planet and engaged the thrust, sending him streaking through the sky and into space.

Seditionist forces were hitting three separate planets in the Kerst System this very moment. When he rendezvoused with General Ammon, they would take even more.

It would be a busy day indeed.

Chapter 45

Unleashed

The room was so dark she couldn’t even see the walls. The only light was from an invisible source that cast a yellow-brown hue on the floor before her.

Cadence had her lance in her right hand, though presently disengaged. She didn’t see General Ipos, but she could feel a presence somewhere in the dark.

Before entering the training chamber, Cadence had been told by Ronain to expect anything from Ipos. Hearing Ronain’s voice was encouraging, but she hadn’t had time to talk to him since he’d returned from Faleba.

She’d already been feeling less than confident before she entered the room, with her perceived failures this past week. When she stepped inside, the little courage she did have fled.

It was dark and cold, with an eerie feeling in the air.

Slowly, Cadence turned in a circle and felt the heat of the blade before actually hearing it engage.

Cadence’s blue lance burned to life as she turned in time to block a powerful strike.

So much for introductions.She and Ipos exchanged fast and furious blows, the ringing of their

bronze and blue blades echoing through the chamber.Cadence quickly found herself backed against a wall. She ducked one

time, then a second as the lance cut into the stone above her head. She did an aerial, getting out of the direct path of the blade. Bending

her knees upon landing, Cadence was able to absorb most of the impact from the next swing.

As Ipos swung his lance around again, Cadence hit him with a white strike.

Anticipating this move, Ipos blocked it and returned it to her, twice as powerful.

Cadence dispersed the blow, the after-force pushing her backwards. She took a few more steps away to restore some space, twirling her lance and making it hum through the air.

Ipos, face mostly hidden in shadow, took long strides towards her, intent clear.

Icy fear washed over Cadence when she locked eyes with his. Images of torture and screams of torment filled her mind. It was just like it had been with General Necro…only this was somehow more powerful, intense

Mental assault, she thought, that’s my strongest area. I know…Focus diverted from the physical fight, Cadence suddenly found

herself flying through the air. She slammed hard against another wall, the effects of the impact rippling through the stone surface.

Wind knocked out of her, Cadence staggered a few steps.Ipos was there, showing no mercy. Setting her jaw, she pushed herself forward and again they dueled,

strikes quick and concise. Their clashing lances snarled as they met and left trails of bronze and blue through the dark air.

Their weapons locked and Ipos drove Cadence to her knees. With all her might, Cadence focused on the hilt of the lance. Seconds

later it began to glow red, growing hot. Ipos grunted and took a step backwards. It was Cadence’s turn to advance, and they charged back across the

chamber, lances flashing.

After exchanging several more strikes, Ipos gave her a shove to stop her momentum and then flipped behind her. He took a swipe at her as he passed overhead, forcing her to duck.

Just before his feet touched the floor, Cadence unleashed a powerful shockwave. It was one of her stronger attacks and she could see the air itself ripple as it passed.

Again, Ipos was able to block it, but the force still sent him back. Cadence was advancing and made a lunge for him.

The instant before she reached him, she felt another mental assault wash over her mind. But she was more than ready for it this time. She disregarded it, full attention staying on her opponent.

Cadence came down hard, nearly catching him off guard. Ipos returned the gesture by delivering a kick with enough force to

send her sailing backwards again. This flying thing was becoming a habit, Cadence realized, one her

already bruised body could do without. She could feel the searing heat from the lance run across her back

before she even hit the floor. She barely had time to roll when she saw Ipos coming straight for her.

Unable to move out of the way fast enough, she went to her back and met Ipos’ blade with hers. The two made an X when they locked inches from her face.

Clenching her eyes shut, Cadence could feel the strength draining from her arms. She kicked Ipos on the inside of his leg and shoved the lances to the left as she rolled the opposite direction and leapt to her feet.

A sharp kick in the back returned her to the floor. Pivoting at the hips, she twisted up into a crouch just as the bronze and blue lances locked yet again.

Panic and desperation tickled through her mind. With a war cry, Cadence gathered her remaining strength and pushed Ipos away.

The move had enough force to send him flying. He rolled when he hit the floor and went right back up to his feet. Relentless, he hit her with another strike, red light cutting through the air.

It sent Cadence back, smacking her against the floor. When she heard the crack of a lance above her, she knew Ipos was in the air and about to come down on her.

Cadence rolled to her knees, releasing her lance and raising both arms to shield herself. The air crackled before a flash lit the chamber and Ipos was thrown back yet again, disappearing in the darkness.

Breathing hard, Cadence got to her feet, lance returning to her hand and engaging. Muscles and lungs burning, she walked forward warily. Ipos had disengaged his weapon and now she couldn’t see him.

A third mental assault struck her, the strongest one yet. The atmosphere in the room suddenly felt heavy as pressure pushed

down on the top of her head. It made her dizzy and drove her to her knees. She could feel whatever strength she had left seeping from her body, as if the unseen darkness was sucking the life out of her.

Ipos appeared in the edge of the light, lance in hand. In a change of tactic, he did not advance toward her quickly. Instead, he took slow steps, continuing the assault on her mind.

Any gift could be corrupted, and if Legionnaires so chose, they could use their gifts to harm fellow Legionnaires. Obviously, this truth extended to areas other than wielding a lance. And, of course, one had to be careful or they might find themselves on a darker, more sinister path.

Cadence couldn’t hold herself up any longer and dropped forward onto her hands. The pressure on her head was getting worse, as was the force pushing hard on her shoulders. Black appeared in the corners of her vision, unconscious reaching for her.

She gasped hard for breath, the air feeling like it was getting pushed from her lungs.

Cadence closed her eyes tight, trying to focus, to get her brain going in the haze that had clouded her mind. She could hear Ipos’ footsteps still slowly approaching.

He wouldn’t actually kill me, would he, zipped a thought through her mind, but what if he’s really one of them? What if he’s actually a Seditionist?

A fresh wave of panic shot through her. With great effort, Cadence gathered her strength and pushed back on the attack. The pressure pressing down on her gave just a little at first and then finally fell away.

Strength returned to her and Cadence leapt to her feet, weapon in hand as she rushed Ipos.

Ten feet from him, he drew a weapon not his lance and fired. Cadence deflected the round. It was a firearm. He opened up rapid fire on her as Cadence continued to run forward,

blocking the shots. After better situating herself, she was able to deflect the rounds directly back at Ipos, causing him to raise his own blade.

Now they were deflecting shots at one another in a short yet furious battle.

Cadence finally raised her hand and all the rounds evaporated. Something struck Ipos’ hand and the sidearm flew across the room. She lunged right for him, swiping her lance straight for his core.

He blocked it then threw his elbow at her face. Anticipating the attack, Cadence bent backwards before shoving her

palm against his arm. There was a flash as Cadence and Ipos were thrown away from each

other. This time, she pivoted at the hips, kicked her feet over her head and

landed in a crouch. That was definitely kinder than rolling across the stone floor.

At last, her mind was now completely focused. The sharper her focus, the better she was at simultaneously blocking multiple kinds of attacks.

Just as she was beginning to settle into a rhythm, weapons fire echoed in the chamber. The sidearm on the floor discharged, and the shot grazed the outside of her right leg and fiery pain wrapped itself around her thigh.

Cadence crumpled backwards to the floor, to one knee, but was still able to deflect most of the rapid weapons fire. It was coming so fast, though, she didn’t think she could hold out much longer.

Dear God, help! He's going to kill me, she thought. Oh, you're just now asking for help, replied a counter-thought, when

you're already in trouble? Nice tactic…In the second Cadence was aware of her broken attention, she knew

she would be sorry. Ipos was there, driving downward on her with one relentless strike

after another. She could feel the immense hate with each blow that sent shafts of

pain through her arms. As soon as Ipos’ lance drew back from hers to prepare for another

strike, Cadence released her weapon from her left hand. Then she extended her arm as if to grab him.

Ipos found himself thrown forward. Cadence rolled as he slammed against the floor, but his lance caught

her on the left forearm. White hot pain flashed into her shoulder and down into her hand. With

a gasp of indescribable agony, Cadence dropped her lance and fell to her knees, clutching her arm.

She turned and slowly began scooting along the floor as Ipos, now on his feet, walked towards her. He held his lance, but in a relaxed manner, tip pointing towards the floor.

He had her now. Cadence came to a stop when her back hit the wall. She was

sweating profusely, from the effort of the duel and the immense pain she was now in.

Ipos stopped a couple feet from her and raised his lance, inches beneath her chin.

Despite the pain, though, she still wore a defiant glare on her face.“You must be aware of other items that you can use as weapons

besides your lance,” said Ipos, speaking for the first time with a deep voice. “You have to be able to quickly take note of objects and how to use them.”

Yeah, let's go straight to the critiquing, she thought to herself, there's no praise to be had because that's how much I suck at this.

He disengaged his lance.Cadence clenched her jaw muscles against a fresh surge of pain. Ipos observed her. “You have exponential raw talent and tremendous

grit. But you also possess terrible power…” He tilted his head a little. “Terrible power I believe you’re still

realizing. You have control, but not enough. Today was just an assessment, which is why I hit you with different attacks that a dark warrior will use.”

Anger at her failures and the physical pain she was in simmered to life inside Cadence. She'd like to unleash some of that terrible power right now…

Ipos eyes narrowed, as if sensing her thought. He knelt down and looked over the wound on her leg and arm.

“They are only superficial,” he informed. “Eliezer wishes you to meet with him in the main lobby.”

Ipos lifted his chin and added without any emotion, “Would you like help getting there?”

The implication she was too weak to perform such an easy task herself spurred her anger. As if he cares anyway, she thought to herself.

“No, thank you, sir,” she replied curtly, "I can get there myself."Using the wall for support and, still holding her wounded arm,

Cadence slid up to her feet, ignoring the pain in her thigh.All the while, her mood continued to darken and a gnawing headache

settled across her forehead. She'd about had enough of this stupid training. She was running herself into the ground, for what? Nothing. All her hard work was never good enough and no one seemed to care either way.

Cadence hadn't realized she'd stopped and was now glaring at nothing on the floor.

All these exercises had ultimately proven was that she was just a failure. She wasn't going to be anyone special. Everyone had been wrong. So…why should she continue to try so hard in training, or keep her darker thoughts in check? Why bother? It didn't make a difference…

Lost in her brooding mood, Cadence wasn't aware how her anger had continued to fester, something she was well-practiced in. Now it was roiling in contemptuous rage, just like when she'd broken that bowl or the glass in her room.

This time, she didn't want to even attempt to put it in check, like during the little incident with the swallow at the lake.

It doesn't matter, she thought to herself again, before she finally noticed how much her head was aching.

Darkness and a heavy presence pressed down on the room. A low hum echoed off the walls, and then there came a crackle, followed by another and another.

"Put it in check, Cadence," warned Ipos, eyeing the room.Cadence set her jaw, not in pain or defiance this time…but in malice. No.The room continued to grow darker as her heart pounded harder. “Cadence…” Sweet, raw power surged through her veins as she latched onto her

anger and allowed it to flood her entire body. Instead of heat, though, it was like her blood had turned to ice water.

And it was utterly invigorating.The humming grew louder and deeper. The firearm on the floor

began to vibrate before melting and falling in on itself. Seconds later it was nothing more than a small heap of metal.

The darkness running through Cadence numbed out any of her pain. She could finally admit to herself that, though she knew she shouldn't let her anger run rampant…the power that came from her fury was truly intoxicating and addicting.

And she liked it. This was much easier, and a lot more rewarding, than trying to follow instructions and keep herself in line.

The walls began to tremor and the floor shifted slightly. In the instant Cadence looked at Ipos with her now impossibly dark

gaze, she expected to see his own anger, frustration, or something of that nature.

There wasn't. In those steel eyes she saw a trace of sadness, but mostly, and interestingly enough…understanding.

But the rage and putrid malice had gotten way out of control, and she didn't want to rein it in.

Whispers came from everywhere, and Cadence knew she wasn't imagining it because Ipos lifted his gaze and glared into the darkness.

Control it, huh, she thought spitefully, control this!Pressure from the ferocity, the raw power of the darkness raging

through her, had been building in her chest. Now it hit its climax. The pain that tore through every muscle in her body was beautifully

excruciating, the power and potential it brought staggering. "No, Cadence!"Fists clenched, muscles wound tight, she could not contain it any

longer. Throwing her head back, a fierce and dark war cry wrenched from her lungs.

A low rumble came from deep in the building. Electricity snarled and cracked in a blinding flash of crimson light as a dark shockwave punched through the chamber, tearing up the floor and crumbling the stone in the walls.

Ipos had already taken a few steps away from her. When the darkness was unleashed, he raised an arm to shield himself.

If anyone else not a general had been here with them, this undoubtedly would have killed them. The terrible power was incredible and even he was nearly taken by surprise by its sheer intensity.

When Cadence leveled her gaze on him, he drew a breath. Her once blue eyes were now eerily dark.

But the other generals must have sensed what was going on and their quick prayers began to counter this evil that she was playing withand allowing to use her.

Her head was killing her as heavy weight settled on her shoulders, and the edges of her vision began to fade to black.

Electricity continued to snarl angrily as the darkness in the room grew heavier still.

Head pounding, Cadence, with blood running from her nose, dropped to her knees…

Ipos stepped towards her… One final stab of pain cut through her head, the weight on her

shoulders pressed down on her and then Cadence blacked out, falling into dark oblivion.