Guardian's Redemption

Chapter Twenty Two

Tyrael stood over the top of the being dressed in all black. This was no demon lying before the Highlord of Fire. He had made sure of that when he used his mana to scry the body. His eyes had widened upon recognition of the mana of this intruder. On the night he and Michelle were assigned to patrol this warehouse, a solider of his own army had broken in. This was something Michelle would hold over him for a long time. Not only that but Tyrael was hopeful that Scar had come here of his own accord and not for the murderous group known as the Dark Covenant.

The reports about the Dark Covenant were still only a few, mere glimpses of the assassins in the Sanctum. The Highlords knew that they existed from a couple pieces of evidence and the murders. The assassins would leave their symbol on their killings. Tyrael had never seen any member of the assassin group during his patrols of this warehouse.

The Highlords each took turns patrolling the warehouse of the holy weapon that was being secretly discovered and always was in pairs. They rotated nights and pairs. Tonight was getting worse by the hour now.

Michelle had convinced Tyrael to get a bite to eat and seeing that no one but the two mercenary guards, would know, the man had agreed. She had spent the meal poking fun at his second in command and at how inferior Sonya was to any real woman. Tyrael just let Michelle ramble on, pushing back the frustration she was causing. They had dated shortly and since then Michelle's jealousy could be seen a mile away. It didn't matter if it was Sonya or another woman, Michelle saw the interest Tyrael had in Sonya and attacked it like a wild dog.

Coming back from the meal they had discovered the two guards were missing from their positions. Perhaps they were patrolling the area, but Tyrael had a feeling that something else was going on. He had learned to trust his instincts, those feeling of unease were always a path to be walked down. Taking the time the two Highlords had discovered one of the unconscious guards in an alley. With ease they both detected the intruder inside with their power, however the intruder clearly was a Naturalist because he or she was masking their own mana. The Highlords were surprised the intruder didn't sense them when they entered and snuck up on the infiltrator. Tyrael knew it was the discovery of the weapon that gave them the time to knock the villain unconscious. Since they man was now unconscious he couldn't mask his mana.

Michelle bent down, rolling the man in black over onto his back. Tyrael couldn't help but examine her posture as she did so, especially since she was flaunting it in front of him. She slowly removed the ski mask to gain a clear look at the intruder. Tyrael swore unintentionally, hoping that he had been wrong about the identity. His swear snagged Michelle's attention, the woman looking back at him with a vicious smirk. In her eyes was the knowledge of who the unconscious man was.

"One of yours?" the woman said mockingly. Tyrael nodding at the glaring at the woman. Michelle gave a mocking laugh, "Everyone knows the fire districts third in command. My question is why is the man here?"

'She's enjoying this little betrayal,' Tyrael thought to himself. They were not allowed to tell any of their subordinates, except for the second in commands. The guards were mercenaries sworn in to the Church, handpicked by the High Priest. None of the guards seem to really care though, at least the ones that Tyrael saw. Each member of this ordel had taken blood oaths, a ritual binding a contract of secrecy. This was something the High Priest had deemed necessary.

Tyrael was now more worried of how he was going to explain this to his soldiers than the explanation forming in his head for the council. It would be difficult since he had to lie, but even more could be what the council was going to do especially if he turned out to be a member of the Dark Covenant. This would be marketed as a betrayal to the city and Scar will be imprisoned. Tyrael was watching Michelle as his mind went racing. The woman was cuffing Scar with primordial cuffs, large round seals that would hinder a naturalist's mana while being worn. The guards in the city used these on everyone, even normal humans.

Scar was going to be out cold for a while but as a precaution Michelle stayed by the intruder as Tyrael went and searched for the mercenaries. He found both as they had begun to stir. The man helping both of the men to their feet explaining what had transpired, though he left the part about who the intruder was. After making sure the guards were somewhat fine and leaving them back at their posts, Tyrael went back inside. He was hoping Michelle had not done any tormenting actions to Scar for she was known for a torturous nature to those who would defy the Sanctum or her. He could only image what Michelle would do to Sonya if she got a hold of her.

As Tyrael walked upon Michelle, she was sitting in the middle of creating two ice elementals. Their female human aspects define to almost her own body. Each one with flowing dark blue hair that were wrapping around their bodies to shield their nudity. Giving them commands, each one assisting the other while lifting Scar and escorting the unconscious man out of the building. His feet dragging behind as Tyrael brought up the rear.

They were heading for the Central Prison. A solid fortress to hold some of the strongest Naturalists before an execution. It was here that many of the prisoners were thrown to be forgotten or await their executions. Those that were forgotten slowly slipped into insanity from the lonesome time and the loss of their ability to manipulate nature. The prison sat a few blocks away beneath a small tower. Tyrael at one point thought it odd they had a few towers in today's building structure, but now he was just accustomed to it.

The Highlord of Fire was in deep thought as he kept pace with the ice elementals. What had provoked his subordinate to enter the warehouse, the Highlord of fire thought, and to what purpose? They had taken percautions about when and how to escort the items into the city. Where to place the items and who was the most trust worthy. Someone within the guard must have talked. Scar was a strong Naturalist with a very relax feel about him. This sudden spur of curiosity was a bit out of character for the third in command.

He began to wonder himself just what the true purpose was to the items in the crates. That of course was made difficult by having to divide his attention between the thoughts of purpose and trying to ignore Michelle's mocking jokes. Then he felt a presence of dark mana directed at the group as they escorted Scar, but as he focused on it to pin point it the mana vanished entirely. He stopped in his tracks searching for any source in the direction it came from but there was nothing. He shook his head thinking it was his mind going mad. Maybe he was because Michelle wouldn't stop insulting him and his district.

———

Sonya was standing in the balcony of her office, those beautiful eyes closed although she could mentally see the entire ordeal. At one point she was sitting but after Scar had taken out the first guard, she had moved to the balcony. She was masking her mana almost expertly as she felt Scar's mana through the entire ordeal even when her Highlord showed up and ended Scar's peep show. How foolish the man had been to chase something, but then again how could he have known. Sonya stopping her scry immediately so that no one would sense her.

The Lord went and sat back down at her desk. Her mind was looking for answers to questions she had no way of knowing. Tyrael had told her of the council's plans in the near months but her Highlord wasn't in complete support of it. The high priest had been pushing for these items for some unknown reason, saying only that it was to protect God's children. In doing so he had forced the Highlords into a blood seal. It was the first time she had heard of such a dark thing, but if Tyrael spoke to anyone besides her or the ones involved then he would lose his life instantly. At least until the item was activated. Something so dark that had been enforced by the holiest man in the city.

Sonya shook her head thinking of how Scar would be dealt with. If the man was convicted as a spy, since there was no motive other than to find out what they were doing, then death would come to that man. A death preceded by torture or to be locked away forever, all for a curiousity. A thought formed in her mind. 'He was chatting with Ben for a long time. Perhaps Scar was a spy for the Hunter or the Hunter's group.'

Her mind was torn, she wanted to save the man but that would brand her a traitor to the city and God along with Scar. On the other hand, she couldn't just watch him die, there was no way. The Lord of the fire district sat at her desk all night; her mind torn between a choice she knew would have to make.No paperwork was to be done this night and Sonya never found sleep. The bottle of booze whispering to her with comforting words.