Suikoden Fan Fiction ❯ Suikoden - The Dunan Wars ❯ The Beginning of the War ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3 - The Beginning of the War

The citizens of Kyaro gathered in the town square at noon, a flurry of excitement. Rumours of patched together information pieces of information had been running like wildfire through the town, and now, at last, they would hear what really happened and from the lips of Princess Jillia, no less. Even as they waited for her to arrive, whispers wondered if the Princess was really coming and it had only been another rumour. The whispers ended when Lady Jillia walked up the steps onto the raised platform used for public speaking. Girls would envy her wardrobe and elegance as much as boys would forget their sweethearts as they looked at her. She wore a black gown, perfectly designed between elegance and simplicity, and representing her empathy for their situation. Her hair was drawn back in a very simple style and all that distinguished her from any noblewoman was the silber band across her brow, imbedded with a dark red gemstone.

But Jillia wasn't even aware of how she'd dressed to suit the audience and occasion. It was a habit trained into her so long that she didn't need to think to do so. Jillia was trying to keep her composure while speaking to these people.

"People of Highland" she said clearly so that her words would carry throughout the crowd. " Only a few short weeks have passed since I was in the Jowston city of Muse, striving for an end to this war. And now, with the attack on the Unicorn Brigade, that peace seems lost. Of that attack, only the boys' commander Rowd, has been found alive. I can only imagine the pain and sorrow that must cause you all." She paused briefly to let that sink in. They'd just been told that the son or brother they prayed had gotten away truly was gone from them. It hurt Jillia's heart to tell them so, but it hurt each and every one of them many times more. "In the capitol, the King's advisors urge him to declare war anew, and other to continue to strive for peace. Each one of those advisors defends his place with parts of what has happened, but I fear all they truly think of is the politics of the matter. So I come to you, the people who were hurt by these events the most, to say what you believe should be done next. I will take your choice back to the capitol and see to it that happens. Before you choose, let me say this. The boys slain will never be brought back, no matter what the choice is. If you choose war, many more people will die, Highland and Jowston alike." Jillia looked at the crowd and awaited their answer.

The whispering renewed, but one voice was louder then the rest, speaking directly to Jillia. "My brother, my only relative left, was in the camp. What does it matter if a few people die when those closest to me have already been killed? Those heartless monsters who did this can't get away with it!" Jillia recognised the girl who had spoken as the foster daughter of the late Genkaku. Jillia wondered what Genkaku would have thought of her calling out for war, after all he'd done long before she, or the girl, had been born to end it. But her words had decided her neighbours and shortly the entire village was calling out for war. Jillia bowed her head in sadness for a moment and then held up her hand for silence, which she got "You have said your choice. Now I will do as I said I would and take it to the capitol," she said. She turned and climbed into the stagecoach that was waiting. The coach rolled off out of the square towards Jillia's country home.

"I'm leaving for the capitol this afternoon" Jillia said as she quickly gathered up the few belongings she needed to take. "But milady" the bailiff protested. "You only arrived this morning; the horses are tired!"

"Then I'll take fresh ones."

"The people are tired!"

Jillia replied quickly, "Let them stay. I am leaving, they don't have to."

He looked about to have a heart attack. "What if the Jowston army is still nearby? What if monsters attack? It's not safe to travel alone." Jillia turned to him with a piercing look. "Then assign guards. I will not be delayed." He blinked, and then hurried off to do just that. Jillia turned back to what she was doing. Now that she was alone she could gather some of the more interesting products of the house.

"Why did you support her move for an investigation?!" Ruka demanded slamming his fist into the wall of his office. Durimal raised his hand "Calm down Ruka, I suggested it to throw suspicion away from us" he replied "Besides Jillia won't be able to prove a thing, there was no evidence there she could use against and what little she has" Durimal smiled "We can easily defend and besides many in the Highland council of lords is in favour of renewing the, it will only a matter of time before your fath-, the King is forced" Ruka snorted Agares he thought refusing to call the man `father' the worthless old fool did not wish for the war to continue, but he surely could not see through Durimal and himself. The old fool can't even see ten feet in front of him. Jillia is the one possessing the rights to rule once the old man dies despite the fact he was the elder child and a male at that and Ruka knew Durimal didn't like this either. I will rule not her Ruka thought bitterly. "That old fool, Agares is so predictable and for once he is going to help us without realising it" Durimal said with a smile, Ruka grinned "I'm listening"….

Makoto hurried north-northeast as fast as he could. I have to get back to Highland and find some way to tell Princess Jillia or King Agares about Ruka, Durimal and Rowd's holocaust, he worried before they get caught up in the furore that the Brigade's death will cause.

He did make one unplanned alteration to his route: in the centre of the region, where the forest formed a natural restriction on travel, someone seemed to be in the final stages of building a fortress Probably `cause they've heard rumours of Highland getting ready to invade he thought darkly. I doubt my rank as a Highland recruit will get me a warm welcome there, so I'll have to skirt the whole forest, he reasoned. Do so took extra time, and he ended up camping out that night, hauling his pack up into a tree so as to avoid night time ambushes.

The next morning, he reached the entrance to North Swallow Pass by noon, much to his relief. Secure in the knowledge that he'd be back in Highland soon, he made no attempt to hide as he approached the mountain. The appearance of three guards from out the hut informed him that his open approach might have been a mistake. "Well now, what `ave we `ere?" asked the first guard, giving Makoto a gap-toothed smile. Makoto tried to grin back. "I'm a traveller and I have to get back to Highland. I've heard there's been an accident and I need to make sure my family's OK." It was technically true - he was travelling and he fully intended to check in with Nanami on the way to L'Renouille.

The third guard gave him a somewhat kindly look. "Ah, I see, lad, but there's a problem or two with that. There's been a mist-monster here recently, and while some travellers claim to have killed it, we've no way to confirm the story. Lady Annabelle of Muse ordered the path to be locked down for that reason… and then, well, rumour has it that someone massacred the Highland Unicorn Brigade. It wasn't us `cause the army would have had to march right by here to do it but Highland's saying t'was us anyway. If the rumour's true, lad, they're whelmin' for war and they won't look kindly upon travellers coming from Jowston. Best ye'd - Lad! Are ye ill?"

Makoto's knees had given, and he was slumping to the ground. Oh no… I'm too late…too late…The third guard - a lieutenant, if Makoto remembered his Jowston rank insignia right - had hold of him and was keeping from falling on the hard ground. "You don't look well, kid. Look here, you head west to Toto Village, right lad? You rest there, and we'll send word there about the pass as soon as it opens."

In a daze, Makoto nodded and strode sadly away. He found a decent campsite without having to go too far and let sleep soothe away the worst of the shock. In the morning, he evaluated his options. I shouldn't have been so quick to assume I'm too late. It'll take time for Ruka and Durimal to gather the army, so I need to get back before then. He nodded to himself. As long as the States haven't gone to war with us yet, there's still time. OK, I know there are other ways through the mountains between here and Highland, but I DON'T know where they are. Toto's right on the mountains, though I can probably get a good map there and get back before this goes any further.

His arrival at Toto proved his estimates were too optimistic. True Runes help me what has happened? He thought in shock. He'd crested the last hill only to find that the town was a burned-out shell. One woman in armour patrolled it quietly, stooping every so often to pick up an item off the ground and take it to a set of graves in the back of town, near a shrine. Makoto stumbled into the town, too shocked to bother with stealth. He entered the clearing around the shrine to see the warrior-woman facing him, waiting. His vision blurred, and he realised he was crying. "What… what happened here?" he managed to stammer out.

Over the next half-hour Makoto sobbed, the woman, whose name was Hannah, explained. "The thrice-damned Prince Ruka Blight led his White Wolves in here, while I was gone. I come back from a hunting trip to find the village burned two days ago. There've been folks from Muse in to see this and there's going to be another war over it, that's for sure, if the butcher isn't turned over to justice soon. Highland won't do it, though - they think Jowston killed off their youth brigade. All this over stupid errors and feuds that won't let go."

Once he'd calmed down, Makoto turned to Hannah. "Could I…Could I have some time alone in front of the shrine, please?" he asked her "I want to pray for those innocents murdered here."

Hannah nodded approvingly, then walked away toward the river - the very same river Makoto had nearly drowned in a few nights ago. "I'll be down here if you need - there's a girl who survived that, I'm looking after." Makoto knelt in front of the shrine. More children gone, all because of Ruka's lust for blood. Why? Why does he want war so badly? Why bring suffering to innocents and children for it? He paused, looking at a grave hardly four feet long - a child's final resting place. Oh True Runes that began with the world, please - if nothing else, grant me the strength to protect others from this!

His shock was total when the shrine door swung open, glowing softly. Thinking someone was inside he looked in. There was no one there, but a stone at the far end had a name chiselled into the bottom that he recognised at one. Genkaku? No way, not Grandpa he thought in wonder. Walking into the shrine, he read the tablet.

~Here in Jowston and there in Highland we seal them away. ~

~Our only regret is that~

~we could not make them one. ~

~Han and Genkaku ~

Han? Makoto wondered. Grandpa mentioned that name once - an old friend of his? What could they have-

Blinking furiously, Makoto cleared his eyes to find he was in a different chamber. Before he could panic, a globe of light appeared before him and coalesced into a blind woman wearing priestess' robes.

"Makoto," she told him in a quiet voice "Fate's wheel turns, and the tides of Destiny are flowing once more. Upon you has fallen the task of gathering the 108 Stars of Destiny. This will be a path filled with hardship for you, and the doing may break your heart - but it will also answer your prayer."

"My prayer?" Makoto echoed dumbly. "You mean my prayer to protect-"

"Yes" the woman replied. "I am Leknaat, the seer of Destiny. If you truly seek the strength you wished for, go forwards and lay claim to your future."

"You're serious, aren't you?" Makoto whispered. Do I really want that kind of power? He wondered I might wish for it when I can't have it, but Grandpa taught me that power and responsibility are like the sides of a one-potch coin - you can't have one without the other. Can I really take up that sort of burden? A moment's thought brought the faces of the Unicorn Brigade to mind, and thoughts of the people of Toto, the children, he'd never known and the answer came to him in a flash. How can I NOT?

He strode forwards, past Leknaat, and down to a tunnel and followed it to a huge white shield engraved in the wall. "Now stand before the image and raise your right hand, "Leknaat's voice came to him down the tunnel. Makoto raised his right hand, and the image on the wall lost it's light, while hundreds of tiny stars drifted down from it to his hand, which glowed in a light all its own for a moment. Then it was over and he walked back out to Leknaat. "Makoto, you now hold the Bright Shield Rune, just as another holds the Black Blade Rune" she intoned "Together they form the Rune of the Beginning, the rune that represents the start of our world. Take your Rune out into the world now and answer the call of Destiny." There was another flash and Makoto was back in front of the stone tablet with Genkaku's words on it. He left the shrine, and the town. I have to hurry he thought Now I have to get back to Highland fast, before matters get any worse. Jowston'll be screaming for Highland blood after this the only way to stop it will be to send Ruka to Justice.

At a jogging pace, he reached the pass entrance later that day. Only two of the soldiers were there, though neither was the lieutenant. "It's that boy again!" one barked and the other smirked. "We aren't letting you through boy, Best go back the way y' came before you gets into trouble" warned the second. Drawing himself up straight, Makoto looked each in the eye. "I have to get through, so I'll tell you the truth. My name is Makoto Gentaro and I'm the last survivor of the Highland Unicorn Brigade. Prince Ruka's White Wolves massacred us to him an excuse to attack Jowston, Prince Durimal is also involved. I'm the only one who knows the truth - and I have to tell King Agares before it's too late. Please let me pass!"

The guards looked at each other and smirked "Well, well, well! A Highland spy, eh? What say we grab him and see `bout our promotions?" the first guard asked the second, the second nodded and they moved in on Makoto. "W-What? Were you even listening to what I said??" Makoto asked moving backwards. "Sure did boy. You're in the Highland army and they attacked Toto. That makes you a spy - and Lady Annabelle will be wanting to talk to you" the first guard replied. Still backing up, Makoto got out his tonfas and stated, "If I knew any other way through the mountains, I'd take it and not trouble you further - but I don't, so I apologize for what I'm about to do." The first guard slowed down to get his breath back from laughter. "Y' hear that, Tragger? He says sorry what he's-"

That was as far as he got. Rushing in, Makoto struck him in his chainmail-armoured stomach. The chain-link armour was excellent at repelling blades, but was too flexible to offer serious resistance to the blunt weapons Makoto used. The guard doubled over. Tragger, belatedly realizing he had a fight on his hands, scrabbled for his sword, drawing and slashing in one move. The draw-cut, though shaky, laid open Makoto's thigh and he leapt back. On a sudden instinct he raised his right hand and murmured "Great Blessing." A shower of stars seemed to fall around, and his leg wound had vanished - as if it had never been made. Looking, he found both Tragger and the first guard advancing on him with their swords drawn. I can't let them stop me! He though in panic and another moment of instinct prompted him to raise his hand again. This time his voice was no murmur "Shining Light!" A great ball of light seemed to grow from his hand and ascend toward the heavens, suddenly bursting into a shower of shards, a number, which struck Tragger and his friend sending them to the ground groaning. Makoto ran up to them. The first guard was more or less unconscious, but Tragger was trying to get up. With a quick "I'm sorry," and a one-two combination of his tonfa, he left Tragger unconscious. Then he heard a rough voice from behind him. "I'm sorry too kid." Makoto tried to spin around, but he was only in time to see the flat side of a two-handed sword.

Blackness.

"Well, don't this just beat!?" Viktor exclaimed. He'd come up the path to North Sparrow Pass intending to talk to the lieutenant about sending messages to the mercenary fort he and Flik had just finished and he'd witnessed the whole thing. "The last survivor of the Unicorn Brigade, huh…Well, I guess you're gonna be my guest for a while."

When Jillia reached her chambers, she locked the door. "He's finally, completely lost it" she said quietly I KNOW Durimal is involved, but why he helped with the peace process? why is he helping Ruka? What would he have to gain from a continuation of the war? Jillia shook her head; she knew she could not prove anything about Ruka, Durimal or Rowd. Even the ring with the Blight family crest was not much; Ruka and Durimal can easily said it was dropped while rescuing Rowd.

Ruka had done it, of course. He'd killed the Unicorn Brigade, she knew that much with certainty now. Who knew what he would do next? It was impossible to predict the actions of a madman and there were those papers that had been on his desk…Jillia hoped he was having a long distance relationship with someone in the Holy Kingdom of Harmonia, but that seemed extremely unlikely. It had been over 200 years since the founder of the Blight family; Maroux Blight was given his own Kingdom for suppressing a rebellion that Kingdom was now the Kingdom of Highland. In addition Maroux was granted the Beast Rune, one of the 27 True Runes a rune that Ruka had become more then a little obsessed with.

Jillia opened her bag that she'd brought from Kyaro. Simple things covered the top of the bag; things that any snooping servant would see and pass the entire bag off as boring. A very good thing, too, as the contents further down would cause quite a stir.

She got out, carefully, one by one, canisters made of clear glass. Actually they were stronger than normal glass, but Jillia wasn't completely sure what the material was called. Each one had a clump of herbs or roots or nuts or berries. Each was different and close to full. A couple held a powdery substance. Just by substance. Just by appearance, those things would cause a stir. If someone discovered exactly what those plant products did, it would cause more then a stir.

Jillia unlocked a cabinet and removed a few more things she needed, mortar, pestle, measuring spoons and gloves. She took a leaf from the canister and started grinding it to a fine dust. Oh yeah, the King would be so proud of his `perfect child' having a skill like this, Jillia thought sarcastically. The herb was a hallucinogen, the reason why she'd locked the door. The servants had been given the night off, so she wouldn't be disturbed until the effects wore off. When she finished, Jillia made a cup of tea, sprinkled a small amount into the drink and downed it in one gulp. Eventually the herb began to take effect.

A drop of rain fell into the waters of the still lake. A swan with all black feathers looked up at the edge of the lake. There was fire and fighting. Humans in different colours, attacking one another with shining claws and flying needles. The swan wondered how such creatures could live in a state of constant battle. They didn't even notice the rain beginning to fall in their fury of death. So different than swans, their lake only disturbed by the fall of rain and the change of season. So sad, the nature of these creatures. A stray needle flew towards the lake and hit the swan. She cried out in pain and spread her wings to fly away. She leapt into the air.

A small black dove soared the air. Soon it could see everything on the ground as small specks. Rivers were blue threads and lakes sapphire gems. Glowing red rubies littered the earth with dark clouds coming up from it. It was nothing to the dove.

The actions of the land bound creatures could not hurt her, high in the sky. She could escape them when their destruction came close. She could fly on her little wings to a place where war would never touch, where the hand of the land bound would not strike. Was there such a place? She had never been to such a place or seen such a place, but others have spoke of a land of peace. A sanctuary. An Avalon. But maybe it was a myth. It did not matter; there would always be some place safe from the land bound ones, where she could fly.

Below the red rubies grew, spreading across the green. Where the red had been, the ground was the colour of coal. The dove watched as the red and coal swept across the land, leaving nothing of what had been behind. It was blackened for as far she could see in every direction. Where could she fly that was not burned? Was there any place not yet taken by the land bound creatures rage?

She looked to the sky, the darkness that covered the world, with shining lights scattered about. The dove flew up, towards that darkness. As she neared she saw the stars drifting closer together. She flew to the sky.

A black haired maiden stood shrouded in a cloak of night. Stars glimmered across her cloak, shooting stars ran across it. It truly was of the night. The maiden looked down at the ground so far beneath her, her face sad. She smiled sadly with a new understanding and the maiden cloaked in night floated closer to the ground. Her bare feet touched the ground and she looked around at the battlefield surrounding her. No one seemed to notice her standing among them. The maiden held her left hand out and it began to glow a blinding brightness, like the sun. The men stopped fighting unable to see their opponents. The maiden kept the light for as long as she could, but in the end it faded. Again able to see, the men began to fight anew.

The maiden looked sadly at the wounded, the dying and the dead. Why would they not stop? She could not understand. She sensed someone watching her, someone on the battlefield who had seen her. A robed figure, face covered by a hood, watched her. The maiden tried to call out to the stranger, to find out who it was, why it did not try to stop the fighting. But smoke clouded her vision and she could not see anything anymore.

Jillia woke from the vision with strange images in her head. She knew she was awake, though. She sat in one the corners of her room near her bed, but she had no memory of getting there. She looked at the clock on the wall opposite her. It was morning, early morning. Morning of the day after she'd had cup of tea, she hoped. Her stomach indicated that it was hungry but not starving, so she guessed that was so. Was it a hallucination or was it a vision?

Oulan pounded up the stairs in the old tower, nothing with some relief that it seemed to be quite sturdy despite the occasional fallen pillar or buttress. Let me be on time, she thought, never taking her eyes off the slight marks of gore that were the trail of her predecessor.

As she got closer to the top, noises of battle began to drift down to her. A horribly solid thud of a body hitting stone, scuffles of movement. Oulan ran harder, seeing light from the doorway at the top of the stairs. Words drifted down to her "You think you can take me maggot!?" The reply was too faint to hear, but more scuffles and thuds followed. A deep voice rang out. "Now, my dear Sierra," the bodyguard "You shall be mine at last" it finished.

Oulan grabbed the doorframe and whipped around the corner to see a pale-faced, silver-haired young woman, who had been crying recently if the redness of her eyes was anything to go by, cornered by a tall, powerfully built man wearing a black cloak. As he reached out, almost caressingly to the girl, she shied away as if his touch was poison. Oulan felt her rage explode "I don't think so, you bloodsucking bastard!" she roared, charging as she did, and ending both yell and charge with a single cry. "Angry Dragon!!" The Angry Dragon Rune worked by drawing upon Oulan's fury, and did two things for her: first, it boosted her speed and strength for a short time, and second it cloaked her striking limb - be it fist, foot, knee or elbow - in an aura of both fire and raw power. Her blows were simply too fast to evade, and the added strength combined with the magic meant those blows were nearly impossible to withstand. Very few people or creatures could take the punishment Oulan could dish out over the ten seconds the Rune remained active. However the black clad figure simply melted away from each blow, like a breeze or ghost, moving back as she advanced, and even remaining unharmed by her, even her final blow, the technique Rising Dragon Punch, an uppercut that sent her and usually her opponent fifteen feet in the air.

As she landed, the man turned to her, composing his features from surprise back to an urbane greeting "I'm terribly sorry, I don't believe we've been properly introduced" came that same deep voice, from a face that suddenly familiar to Oulan from stories she'd heard from the first time she'd been in Toran. "Neclord!" she gasped "How?" Oulan asked the grinning vampire. "Viktor killed you with the Zodiac Sword during the Gate Rune War!!" Neclord shook his head "Rumours of my demise were greatly exaggerated, my dear" Neclord stated calmly. "They were more then rumours I got the story from Lady Cleo herself - Viktor cut off your head! Not even a vampire could survive that!" Oulan protested, taking a defensive stance and fishing into her belt pouch with one hand. She also noted the position of the young woman, who was currently pushing herself to her feet in the corner. I'll only get one chance at this. "My dear, the powers of the Moon Rune allow me to create new bodies for myself if an old one is destroyed - the `Doppelganger Secret,' if you will," the vampire announced grandly "But I'm being rude. Come in sit down, have a drink with me…" he instructed, bowing to his new visitor "You mean give you a drink from me don't you? No way!" Oulan stated flatly, finally finding the items she'd been looking for in her pouch. She pulled them out as Neclord began to advance on her. "Come my dear, it's not as if you could escape…" Neclord said smugly, but Oulan cut him off. "Actually, I can - and these will help me do it," she answered, holding up the two items. Neclord halted midstep, looked at what she was holding and laughed loudly. "Spell scrolls?!" he laughed. "My dear, if you have spoken with Cleo, you should know that during our first meeting she blasted me directly with the Dancing Flames spell, it had no effect on me" he gloated. "Yeah, too bad I'm not aiming at you," Oulan replied, and used the first scroll. "Fire Wall!"

The floor between Neclord and Oulan erupted in fire. He laughed again and stepped forward, but Oulan called out to him. "I wouldn't do that, you arrogant ass," she warned "I've studied the defence you use - it triggers when you're attacked, but I don't think that covers doing something like sticking your body into fire, does it?" Neclord, who had taken another step, stopped again. The young woman chuckled. "I think she's got you Renny," she coughed out, spitting to clear her mouth of blood. Neclord growled. "I can still destroy you both with magic!" Oulan gave him a wave and a cheery grin as nodded `no.' "Sorry! Can't hit what you can't see - Protecting Mist!!" she cried as she used the second scroll. As the mist came into being in her half of the room, Oulan turned away from Neclord, ignoring his frustrated roar, and ran over to the young woman. Grabbing her and slinging her bodily over one shoulder, Oulan ran down the stairs, ignoring the woman's lusty cursing and squirming as she took the steps three at a time.

Oulan didn't stop running until she reached the door leading back to the courtyard. Nearly a dozen zombies, who had formed a wall to bar her way, occupied the yard. "Damn!" Oulan commented. "Look," she said to the young woman, who had struggled the whole way down the stairs, "I'm going to have to put you down to fight off this lot. I know you may want revenge on him, but trust me - we can't hurt him without the Zodiac Sword! Right now we have to get out of here and about it, later!"

"Very well," the woman replied, "but try not to get in my way too much. And I'm not saving you if get in trouble." Oulan stared at the `victim' for a moment before grinning. "You take any guff from anyone, do you? I like your attitude, miss…"

"Sierra, Sierra Mikain."

"Oulan, just Oulan."

Two hours later, the two women were well outside the ruined town of North Window, having reduced the zombies to tattered rags of flesh well before Neclord could make an appearance.

Oulan, who been running just ahead of her companion, stumbled as Sierra almost fell against her.

"Hey! What's the matter!?" Oulan asked, frantically checking the pale girl for wounds or the dark blotches that marked internal bleeding. "Not enough blood… the dreaming.." Sierra murmured in reply. "Enough blood..?" Oulan asked, perplexed. Sierra looked wearily up at her, like someone who was expecting disgust and opened her mouth wide. Wide enough for Oulan to see the fangs. "You're a Vampire too!" she gasped. "Mistress of the Coven… till Renny stole the Moon Rune from us… Now we need blood, or we slip into the Dreaming…" Sierra answered. Oulan took stock of her options, which weren't many, and of her feelings about this woman, which were harder to categorize. Well I trust her Oulan thought Besides, the few stories of Vampires I've heard in my travels, you only become a vampire when a vampire drains all your blood and has you drink their blood and the Dreaming seem like a living death. I wouldn't leave anyone to something like that.

"Lady Sierra," she asked a moment later, "How much blood do you need?" Sierra sighed "…a pint or two…will keep me awake…" she murmured back. Oulan shrugged to herself. Well I still have a few kindness drops scrolls* left I used some to heal my wounds as we were running and I lost a lot more blood than that during battles she thought. Before she could have second thoughts, she took off her left bracer. "Here," she told Sierra, offering her wrist and the vein therein. "Just…be careful, if you can…" Sierra looked at the arm for a moment, then took it in her hands almost tenderly… and bit. Oulan tensed, then relaxed with a sigh. It doesn't really hurt at all she thought More like a tingling through my whole body.

Suddenly, images were flashing past her - along with Sierra's words. We're bonding! The vampire thought astonished. Then, more quietly I must be in half in the Dreaming already if I allowed that to happen.

Oulan saw a young girl, first dancing, then rejected and crying in the halls of an old castle…then the same girl, looking wiser but no older leading a Vampire Tribe in the mountains… and finally losing her Rune to a young man's betrayal and leaving to hunt him.

Sierra saw a young girl, first asking to train as a Knight, then training to get their acceptance…then older, losing her father and denied her due…and, finally, leaving to make her own way in the world.

A minute passed, then another, and Sierra pulled her head back now fully alert once more. "Thank you, Oulan" she said, her voice a bit warmer than it had been, "and no, the bond isn't…dangerous. But even if I got the Moon Rune back and gave you a piece of Eternity, you'd still grow old and die eventually. I got very tired of having bond partners die on me, so I stopped making bonds at all" she sighed. "Now, tell me about this Viktor and this Zodiac Sword… we have a betrayer to kill, after all."

"Not a problem," Oulan replied. "I'll stand with you until he's done for, at least. After that…" she gave Sierra a speculative look. "Who knows?" After a brief pause, she began. "Well, during the Gate Rune War…"

Well into the evening, the two women - the two new friends - sat planning and trading stories.