Dawn nodded. "Well fought, children. Especially for ones so young,"
"Thanks...?" said Shanae, "We didn't win though."
"No one expected you to," said Aida, "Dawn is one of the Faerie King's lieutenant. She was strong when she was a mere sorcerer, and she is even stronger now."
"Wait. So the lieutenants were all sorcerers?" asked Lifei.
"Indeed," agreed Dawn, "Now then. To business! I have deemed you five children as worthy of the Sword. I will tell you the first number. As you should know, there are four numbers in total. Good luck in finding them. The first number is three. Off with you now. The second number awaits you in the Dragon City. Meet with the Dragon King."
"Many thanks," said Aida, bowing.
"Of course. By the way," added Dawn, casually, "I sense that there is a traitor in your group. I cannot tell who, but there is one. Farewell."
"Wait wha-" started Lifei, when the floor vanished beneath their feet an they fell, screaming again.
•~•
Dawn frowned and rubbed her head, trying not to be too worried. The fate of those sorcerers did not concern her. Her gleaming red armor released a burst of red fire which coiled in the air like a serpent before flickering out.
"My lieutenants. Attend me," the King of the Aes Sidhe called, his mental voice filling Dawn's mind. She rose from her couch and walked toward the door, reaching it in several quick strides. She opened it, revealing a wall of molten lava which glowed fiery red. Unflinching, Dawn stepped straight into the lava, which flowed harmlessly over her armor and skin. She stepped out of the floor of the throne room floor, gravity abruptly changing so that she could stand properly. She had long ago grown accustomed to the change in gravity, though it had taken her a few months of practice when she had first begun serving the King. The floor had been stained with vomit many times. That memory served as a reminder of how much history this throne room had seen- both regal and embarrassing.
A sorcerer was standing before the throne, addressing the king, who had chosen to make himself visible today.
"Most esteemed king," started the man, practically oozing praises. Dawn barely restrained herself from not sneering. "The Council of Sorcerers has requested that you aid them in their preparations, for they believe that your incredible might will truly be of great aid in preparing to ward off those vile fiends."
"The fools," growled the King, speaking privately with his lieutenants without allowing the sorcerer to hear, "They are completely aware that we will sooner or later have to act, thanks to that accursed treaty. For the sake of diplomacy, he's not mentioning that yet. However... none of the tribes are under immediate threat. We need not answer this call for aid." Dawn smiled inwardly, for the King was right. Long ago, the Firsts had convinced(forced) the five tribes to sign a (unbreakable)treaty. This ensured piece throughout the lands for the most part, and ensured that if a tribe was in danger, the other four tribes had to help. HAD TO. Even if they didn't want to. It was a big oof.
The King addressed the sorcerer, "What kind of... aid, would be required?"
The sorcerer rattled off a long stream of things.
"Your Council has the Dragons. The Yetis. And don't pretend; the Terra Worm may be but one, but he is strong," said the King.
"But our ties with the Aes Sidhe have always been the strongest. We believed you would be willing to lend us aid," said the sorcerer.
"Manual labor. It is below my subjects," spat the King.
"May I remind you, esteemed King, but the sorcerers are also doing this 'manual labor'. Not to mention that none of the other tribes seem intent on doing anything about the Nightmares," said the Sorcerer.
"True," admitted the King, "But that is our nature. We look to our own, first and foremost. We, the Sidhe, will close off all portals and hide in our kingdom. We can endure. The drakes- they shall retreat into their city. The Yetis can hide in the ice- they shall not be found if that is not their desire. The Worm- no Nightmare can touch it while it hides in the earth and darkness! And you sorcerers- you can hide in your city. Protect it with sigils."
"And leave the humans to die? Be slaughtered?" Demanded the sorcerer. Dawn revised her impression on the man. She had taken him for a diplomat- and diplomats were usually cold and cowardly, but a suck up to the higher ups. She had been wrong. The diplomat was just a mask. She judged that this was a brave man, with a strong sense of morals. A peacekeeper. He was standing up to the King of the Aes Sidhe- he had to be brave.
"Why not?" asked the King, idly studying his paws, "If they cannot defend themselves... they do not deserve to live. Such is the way of this world. Kill or be killed. Eat or be eaten."
The man looked dumbstruck, as though he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Dawn understood his confusion. The King wasn't human. That was the plain, simple fact. He had no more morals than a lion; he ordered his armies to slaughter nations with no more remorse than an alpha wolf orders his pack to commence a kill. The world was a hunting ground, and he, the King, was one of few apex predators. He ruled. Others didn't. That was a fact. He didn't see it as a disadvantage to others. Merely a skill he had that they did not. Another weapon to complete a kill. If you survived, you were strong. Worthy. If you died, you deserved it. Too bad. It had taken Dawn herself some time to understand. Years. She didn't agree with it. And this sorcerer obviously didn't either. He was staring at the King with a mixture of shock and disgust in his eyes.
"'Why not'?!" He shouted, "They're living creatures! You can't just let them die!"
The King chuckled. "What a strange little sorcerer. Morals. Hee." The king addressed the lieutenants, "Any thoughts and how we should reply to the Council?"
"I have an idea," said Dusk in his usual silky voice.
"Let's hear it," said the King.
Dusk pulled out a pistol and shot the sorcerer. The man fell to the ground, a spot of scarlet on his forehead. At the same time, Midnight moved forward, pulled out his scythe and chopped off the King's lion head with as much ease as their Faerie chefs chopped parsley. The King's body, now headless, slumped in its seat. The king's head, now bodiless, flew through the air and was caught in between a pair of gloved hands. The figure who had caught the King's head was tall, taller than Dawn. At least nine feet. He wore a hood which obscured his features.
Dusk pointed the gun at Dawn.
"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Dawn.
"Exactly what it seems like," purred Dusk, "A betrayal."
"Why?" demanded Dawn.
"Why?!" demanded Dusk, "I knew you were shortsighted, Dawn- figuratively not literally- but I didn't take you for a fool!"
"Continue speaking in such an irritating tone, Dusk, and I will take your head," said Dawn.
Dusk laughed, "How very amusing you are, Dawn! Though I fear you have called me by the wrong name. Dusk was the name I took when I began to serve the Faerie King. My allegiance changes, as does my name. I am Nightshade."
"No matter what name you take, you will remain the same name to me, swine. And no matter what you call yourself, you will die all the same," said Dawn.
"My, my... How you hurt my feelings!" said Nightshade, mockingly, "And I fear that you may have gotten some other misconception that killing me will do something to help your cause... It will not. Whether I die or not, my master-" Nightshade nodded at the hooded figure "-will win. He will destroy everything."
Dawn decided that it was pointless to continue talking. She lunged forward, sword gleaming. Nightshade fired five times, but she either cut the bullets out of the air or dodged them.
"Help me!" Nightshade yelled at Midnight. Midnight didn't move. Nightshade's eyes widened.
"Hur hur hur..." chuckled the hooded figure, "You are indeed correct, Nightshade. You are no longer an important part of my plans. Did you think I would not know, when my own servant was planing to betray me? Do you take me for a fool?"
"Help!" screamed Nightshade, frantically reloading and shooting. Dawn swung her sword and took off his hand, the one holding the gun. She snatched the gun from his hand as it fell. Nightshade screamed louder. Dawn used his gun to shoot him, and as he fell, she took off his head. She felt movement behind her and lunged forward, tucking and rolling as she landed. A scythe cleaved the air where her neck had been. Midnight stepped back.
"I assume you have taken your old name again, Abyss?" snarled Dawn, injecting as much hatred into those words as she could.
"Of course," said the hooded figure. Dawn tried to use her magic to perceive who this person was. But when she did...
"Splintered. Fractured," she murmured, confusion creasing her face.
"Indeed. This is not... me. It is a mere piece of me a fraction," explained the being. He pulled the crown from the dead King's head and placed it on his head. Dawn's eyes widened. She knew the significance of this.
"I renounce my post," she announced, quickly. The hooded figure laughed. "Abyss. Kill her,"
