

### GROUNDED

### broken

April Scott-Goss

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2014 April Scott-Goss

All rights reserved

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. No parts of this book may be reproduced, resold or transmitted electronically or otherwise, without the express written permission from the author.

Ebook formatting by www.ebooklaunch.com

To my daughter, Zoë who turned an idea into a story, a question into an answer and a want into a purpose. Zo Zo, I could have never have done this without you, baby.

### Acknowledgements

The road to Dena has been several long mythical years in the making and I would like to thank my nephews, Clifford, Joseph, Michael and Xavier Goss for always asking me "whatever happened to that story about the dragon, auntie?" Damita "Dee Dee" Fuller, for letting me bounce the idea off her while we were waiting, waiting, waiting for our accreditations and to Alex Fuller for giving me an assignment to write the story and then being the first to read it some 12 years later.

Otis, Arthur, Cynthia, Ramona, Kent and Doreathea for your professional opinions; Mr. Rob Anker, for instilling a love of history in my kid so that she could constantly challenges my storyline; Mr. Goudkov, Ms. Brown and Mr. Winetrobe for perpetuating that love; Chad Jeffries, David Jones and Brent Behrens for their gifts; Theresa Larkin, Phyllis and Kevin Kelly for your love and support and Ms. Sigrid Gilmer for all the advice and guidance; and to anyone I may have inadvertently missed, thank you so very much.

Lastly, my deepest heartfelt thanks to my sister Windie, for always believing in me and encouraging me to follow my dreams.

And as always:

P, JT

And Kyle, for nothing...

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

# Chapter 1

broken

The earth laughs in flowers

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ironically, it was the one log Trilium Bishop never had the opportunity to enter into his last report, yet as he sat on the noisy aircraft with his fellow knights, it was the only encounter which freely repeated in his mind, over and over - - he had fought and slayed a dragon.

Trillium had always been grateful for the ancestral talent in his bloodline which 'gifted' him with the ability to remember all things, but the memory of the dragon alone would not be enough to satisfy him for a lifetime. As soon as they landed on their home planet, Dena, he would transcribe every last detail of his dragon tale from the flame colored scales to the gasless vapor of its last breath. This report would not be for the benefit of the Council of the Old, but for his four year old son Gracen. Gracen was a toddler who was not easily impressed by the antics of Trilium and his fellow warriors. Being carried from one place to another at great speed or being lifted six feet by a whistle of air would bring a gale of laughter from any other normal four year old, but Gracen Bishop was not normal - he was a Bishop, who already showed great promise of mastering the family heirloom and had already begun to understand the concept of compartmentalizing his eidetic memory. Trilium loved his son dearly and although Gracen wasn't mystified when whizzed through the air, he would however, light up and smile each time his father entered the room, squealing with delight as he would run into his arms so that Trilium could manually lift him above his head. Trilium smiled. He could not make up a better ending to his military career than to have fought a foe which hadn't been seen in over five hundred years. If this didn't impress Gracen, than maybe the fact that Trilium was coming home for good would gain his son's appreciation. And in his heart of hearts, this would please Trilium even more.

Trilium was suddenly slapped on his shoulder. He looked up into the smiling face of the knight known as House, the full mast of House's body taking up the panoramic view. He clasped the man's beastly arm, shaking it in greeting.

"Is that smile for Lucinda or for your fallen prey, dragon slayer?" House roared loudly enough to be heard by the surrounding knights seated here and there in the lounge of their aircraft. The men cheered in affirmation, raising filled mugs over their heads in salutation. These men, Trilium sensed, felt relieved and renewed. There was always a madness of exhilaration following a battle, an innate lust for more of the same no matter how hurt or unscathed you were. But when the relief ship landed and the wounded were placed on board, Trilium announced his retirement from the battlefield and the new occupational course these men would fill as his knight protectors. Inside and outside the aircraft, as word spread, so did objections fill the air and as Trilium predicted, they were not completely heartfelt. All, but the two men nearest to Trilium had been responsive to his announcement. House, Trilium's cousin studied his face until there was eye contact.

"So, the day has come, cousin?" he asked.

"That's Master Cousin to you," another knight spoke softly. It was Kalin, who was laid out on a cot. Trilium had stationed himself next to his brother's cot, supervising as the ship's men tied it down securely before taking off. The gash on Kalin's side had stopped bleeding nonetheless it was deep enough to cause concern and unasked for swiftness among the crew. "I choose," Kalin continued, "to genuflect each time he walks into the room."

"Of course," House agreed with no hint of mirth, "without question."

Trilium, staring up into the big man's face now, recalled the past interaction and wondered if either man could actually bend down on one knee without balancing upon their weapon.

Instead of asking House if he would demonstrate his flexibility, he purposefully leaned back into his seat. Closing his eyes and locking his fingers behind his head, Trilium answered House's question. "Perhaps, both," he purred. "The meal Lucinda will fix tonight and the dragon's tail we feasted upon for breakfast this morning."

The men broke out in cheers, celebrating Trilium by both name and formal title.

It had been five long years since any knight had spent more than a months' time at home between travels and usually it was because one was mending from a preceding mêlée. When Trilium did not accept the ruling title of _Master_ upon his 21st birthday, he knew it was a meaningless gesture on his end. The seat was his right as the eldest son. So, as was his right, Trilium succeeded his father and announced to the Council of the Old that he would best serve the people by being an ambassador of good will or a warrior depending upon what was called for at the moment. Sitting in council as figurehead would not satisfy if the Sect was to thrive in the ever changing universe and the only way that he could precede was to do it outside of their jurisdiction. Without waiting for conference or consent, Trilium and a platoon of knights made way to destinations unknown. All that was left behind was a note in Trilium's script:

"I abstain on all determinations initiated by the Council of the Old and thereby do not condone to the modifying of any of our amendments, accordingly leaving all, as is. Titus will rule in my absence once he is of suitable age. Trilium Bishop."

The Council of the Old, infuriated by Trilium's decree, threatened to take command and rule under an Oligarchy title, but due to the exacting nature of Trilium's letter, it was impossible for the Council to move forward with that threat. So instead, the Council measured their current positioning of power while needlessly lingering upon the weight of whether Trilium meant 'suitable' age to be measured by time or by wisdom. As was the case, the Council intended to remain in control until Trilium's return or death in battle, preferably the later. This left little statute for the seventeen year old Titus Bishop who felt his life had already been spent underneath the shadow of his older and entitled brother. Why Trilium had not appointed him Master in his place baffled the teen and appeals to his father to speak up on his behalf were received with a sympathetic ear and no further action. The situation left Titus with a bitter taste for monarchy. It was painfully apparent that none found him to be, at the very least, teachable. Titus, for his part, grew weary of both the Council and Trilium's control over his destiny.

*

"Dragon slayer," cheers went on and on, echoing throughout the ship as the response traveled beyond the lounging deck to the various groups of passengers, bringing Trilium back into the present. Trilium couldn't help smiling from listening to his men. Yes, he concluded, they were calmed and their easiness with this transition began to register itself into his own body. He sank deeper into the aircraft's lounging chair, shifting the lightweight ceremonial armor he was forced to wear this way and that way until it fit perfectly into the crevasses of the comfy seat. 'Comfy 'was not something that Trilium was used to aboard an aircraft; practical and invincible were the words he wished to hear in a ship's description, noting that he would need to get used to this type of soft indulgence. Initially, he had rejected the Council's offer to use the empire's official aircraft, the _Britannicus_ , to travel to the crowning ceremony. His argument being it was unnecessarily large for the eighty-two knights. However, when Titus joined the virtual meeting Trilium was holding with the Council of Old to make preparations, he attentively reminded Trilium that this was not just a celebration of his return, but also for the accomplishments of his men. Trilium agreed that the families should be included on the voyage, declaring to the Council that he was leaving all the details in Titus' capable hands. It was shortly after that discussion that the _Britannicus_ landed on the planet of Serson's filled with the families of the knights, eager to be reunited with these men and to see the carcass of the dragon with their own eyes. Trilium was pleasantly surprised at the number of individuals aboard the aircraft. Marriages and births seemed to outweigh the passing of the old as Trilium discovered during the introductions of the newly acquired relations. Trilium was also obliged to sit through several inspired retellings of his adventure with the dragon. Regrettably, his own family was not present having decided to stay behind with Kalin who was recovering from his near fatal meeting with the dragon. However, Trilium guessed that the pageantry stationed on the dock at Dena would far outweigh the spectacle descending from this vessel. He was sure that Titus had also seen to that. Trilium was anxious to be as agreeable with his youngest brother as possible during this transition and beyond. He had left Titus in a difficult situation when he took his leave that night, but this realization only came to Trillium as time passed. Sadly, he was reminded of his error whenever he visited home. Titus would always make himself available to his brother, but at a cost. There was no warmth in his conversation, no casual discussion regarding the family, nor affection displayed and disguised through pointless bickering as it had been when their father was Master. The news was always prompt and factual delivered without a hint of importance. Titus seemed and was as uninterested in the Council as Trillium had been, except his decree had limited Titus' ability to abandon his non-utilitarian station. Titus was addressed respectfully although the running of their Sect was not, nor would ever be in his hands. They both knew this, yet it was never openly discussed. Consequently, Titus took to attending fewer and fewer meetings as time moved on leading to his having less and less to say to Trilium. For Trilium, it was going to be hard enough to successfully lead in his unpredicted return as Master and the last thing he wanted to do was leave Titus uninvolved, yet again.

Trillium was pondering this thought when he first felt the shift. Not that 'shift' was the best word to describe what he felt, but something had changed in the ship's movement. Trilium closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He wasn't even sure if what he felt was through a person or if their direction had altered off course or if it was simply his muscles relaxing down into the ridiculously soft chair. He opened his eyes, turning his head to stare out through the great peephole which took the place of a wall in this area. He gazed at the twinkling stars in a sky which registered neither night nor day to see if it held anything revealing. As expected, it did not.

"Space is Space," he whispered out loud to himself.

Trilium looked around to see if there was any change in the men, but of course, there wouldn't be - he was the only one on board with this particular gift of perception. Another ancestral trait, yet it was one that not all Bishop's could develop and master, although, it seemed innate to those Bishop's who trained as knights. Trilium was about to dismiss it when he felt another shifting. This one soundlessly jostled the men standing on their feet, but again, none seemed to notice. Trilium recognized that it was not an unusual feeling for these men on their own ship but on a vessel of this size, they should feel nothing short of a laser's fire. He again closed his eyes and was pulling in his concentration when he suddenly felt a familiar and unwelcomed pain growing in his rib cage causing him to wince. Trilium looked around at his fellow knights who were also searching each other's faces. The pain was universal among these men and it grabbed and climbed into their chests as if a hand were reaching to take hold of anything substantial. Then just as suddenly, the pain was gone. Silence first filled the room, and then gasps of air as the men regained their breaths.

A knight on this ship had fallen.

# Chapter 2

All eyes fell upon Trilium, patiently awaiting his command, but Trillium's eyes were elsewhere - glued to a wall he was barely aware he was looking at. They had seen him do this before - his mind's eye traveling to pinpoint the location of the dead body. It was best that they remain still and wait.

Trilium's heart was beating unexpectedly fast. A death in combat is always a possibility which Trilium could concede when in unfriendly territory but not now, when in the air, with civilians, unarmed. It was clear to him that the consensus among the men's thoughts was that whatever had happened occurred within the vicinity of the ship's bridge and that this realization was causing the men to become even more agitated. All merriment had been replaced by shock and anger.

"Captain," it was Least who broke the silence. All eyes fell on him warningly. The others knew better than to interrupt Trilium when he was in this state. Least was immediately tapped a bit too hard on the arm by another young knight named Dorian who decided to risk a reprimand "He's not our Captain anymore," Dorian whispered.

A slow blush of embarrassment rose in Least's cheeks. Least was the youngest of all the knights and had only been duty bound for six months. He had the 'least' amount of experience among the knights, hence the unwelcomed nickname; and because of it, he was always hard at work and in his private studies to become stronger to earn their approval. He was too eager to please to realize that the nickname was a sign of respect from these men who could see his potential.

Least stood up more rigid then before and bowed clumsily, "Master Bishop, shall we make way for the bridge, sir?"

Anyone else may have received a slide remark from Trilium regarding the certainty of where the body was located, but Least had a peculiar talent of connecting with the deceased. Trilium pulled his mind's eye back and turned to look at him. "Are you sure the body is on the bridge?" he asked the young knight earnestly.

Least took a slight step back. "Yes, Master."

"And can you see who it is?" Trilium asked.

Least swallowed and looked down and away from his Master's gaze. Trilium heard Least's thoughts which confirmed his own. Trilium's hand moved automatically towards his hip to take hold of weapon that wasn't there. His, and all of the knights Acia's had been placed aboard the ship as cargo. Trilium hadn't even thought to ask where the weapons were being placed, his mind had been only concerned with his dragon tale. Now, he wished to have his chain linked sword in his grasp more than anything. He turned to face his men and spoke out loud, sensing their anxiousness.

"Steady knights..." he ordered.

"House," Trilium spoke telepathically to his cousin who was standing nearby. "It's Gish."

Trilium continued out loud "Lieutenant, I need to know what's going on, on the bridge."

House's eye's momentarily betrayed his shock at Trilium's silent announcement that one of their pilots was dead but he recovered quickly. His stare hardened as he spoke.

"Nash, Havo, Flacker, "House barked as he brought up a small ball of fire from the palm of his hand. He nodded at the men and each in turn began to produce 'weapons' from within their persons. As an afterthought House looked at Least. "Least, you come with me, too."

House began to walk towards the door, but stopped to make way for various knights who entered the lounge past him. All in all it appeared to House that all knights were now in this room - almost all. He spoke in his head, knowing that Trilium was listening. "Where's Ciyee?" he asked.

Trilium considered the Knight Ciyee, yet could feel no trace of the pilot with the gift of 'sleeplessness'. "Flying the ship, I hope. Hard to tell at the moment," Trilium responded telepathically.

House grunted audibly and left the room with his squad. The knights headed down the corridor towards the direction of the bridge - three levels up.

Trilium waited until House had rounded the corner before speaking audibly to give his men an update.

"They're waiting for the lift..." he announced. Several knights took deep breaths. He could feel their angst elevating to meet his own. His right hip felt too light, especially in this unprotected costume. And it seemed to Trilium as he watched knight after knight mimic his earlier searching motion that they too needed to either have their Acia's or know it was a pointless desire.

"They've met no opposition," he announced audibly. "They're on."

"And I'm out," he thought to himself. Trilium had moved no more than two steps when a knight named One Fifteen, stepped into his path. He stared at the knight indignantly and the knight at first returned his stare then looked down and spoke respectfully.

"Master, may I be of service?" he requested.

Trilium nodded. "Follow me," he ordered and again began walking, noting that other knights had positioned themselves defensively at the exit to block his leaving as well. Trilium stopped walking and surveyed the room. The knights who were daring enough to meet his glare were determined to avert his exit and allowed their thoughts to express this politely so that Trilium could appreciate that his safety was now their core duty.

"Enough," Trilium ordered. "Are you knights or soldiers?" he demanded letting the difference linger in the air for a moment before going on. "All keepers of order follow me."

No one moved at first, then boldly, a second knight named Revan stepped into Trilium's path. He had trained Trilium as a youth and was the oldest knight still in active service. His valor was renowned amongst these men and he served as third in command, only outranked by Kalin and House respectively. Revan possessed the unique gift of 'push' and Trilium knew that if he truly wanted to, Revan could physically restrain him and prevent his leaving the room without lifting a finger. This was the direction that Trilium half believed that Revan was going to take and he prepared himself mentally to counter with his own gift of telepathy. However, Revan took Trilium off guard by genuflecting and remaining on one knee as he spoke.

"Master Captain..." he greeted in the most formal manner of salutations among their people. He paused slightly and made direct eye contact. "Trilium, allow me to secure your weapon and those of your knight protectors," he ended out loud. He continued his conversation mentally with Trilium. "The men are trying to stand on ceremony, Master Trilium. At the moment protecting you is not 'soldiers' work," he finished his thought.

Trilium winced inwardly. As a rule, knights and soldiers did not mingle and to insinuate that a knight behaved in the manner of a soldier was an insult. No solider possessed any gifts while all knights were akin in that way. Although both groups served the Sect, soldiers were looked upon as order takers while all knights considered it their duty to be the custodians of order; not just of the sake of the people, but also to ensure the preservation of the knighthood.

"One Fifteen," Trilium bellowed, "who trained you to be such an insolent knight?"

The knight smiled and spoke proudly. "The warrior who kneels before you."

Trilium looked down at his friend and mentor. "Honorable Knight Revan. Never waste time kneeling in front of me again," he said in way of an apology meant for all the men.

Revan smiled and rose quickly. He nodded at his Master. "Never, again," he turned and raced towards the exit shouting orders behind him. One Fifteen and several others followed him out.

"We need to gather all civilians on board and take them to a secure location," another knight, Osh Bara-Koh announced. "Master Trilium?"

Trilium again used his gifts to answer the unasked question. "There are a few civilians scattered here and there on deck four, but the majority are in the garden. A birthday party?"

Osh nodded. "My son's fifth. It may be the best place to keep everyone, until we know the full situation."

Trilium nodded. "Proceed with caution, Osh."

Osh nodded and sped out the room with several knights. Trilium walked towards the grand peephole and again stared out. Giving orders and remaining inactive was not part of the description of a warrior's way and although the knights were rallying in several ways and very little time had actually passed since Gish's death, Trilium felt like he was of very little use in his current station. This was all happening too fast for him to wrap his thoughts around the realness of it. Something significant lay on the edge of Gish's demise, but what, Trilium couldn't pick out of anyone's thoughts. He was certain of only one thing. Something was preventing his telepathic power.

"Trilium..." his name was spoken miserably in his head. It was so low he was wasn't sure who had spoken it.

"House?" he asked out loud. Knight after knight turned in his direction, silencing each other.

"You need to come, now," the voice ordered. It was House, Trilium was sure of it, however, he had never heard his cousin so ill-fated.

"House," Trilium demanded, "what's happened? House?" He asked again. There was no reply and what's worst, no thoughts. House's only comprehendible reaction was panic. Trilium made his way towards the exit. Whatever the look on his face, no knight bothered to block his leaving. Instead he could hear orders being shouted behind him along with the clatter of things being broken to produce external weapons.

Trilium didn't bother to wait as the convoy of protectors whisked in around him to match his pace. He gave no hint in what direction he was going to take to get to the lift, so his knights relied on the shifting of his boots to dictate their route. Trilium could sense no details from House or any of the knights with him regarding the status on the bridge. He pushed his thoughts out and around the ship, trying to locate the one knight he needed to speak with most.

Revan was rummaging through boxes in what could be considered the luggage area of the ship. He was also swearing profusely under his breath.

"Revan, I need you to meet me on the bridge, now," Trilium ordered.

He could hear Revan drop the container he was rummaging through immediately. Whatever was in it crashed onto the floor as Revan walked away.

"All of our weapons are gone, Master," Revan advised.

"I have the feeling I know where to look next," Trilium replied. His front guards had reached the lift before him and were holding it open. Trilium and the rear guards gathered inside just before the doors closed. The knights spoke briefly as they positioned themselves defensively. Trilium stood behind them multi-tasking in his head - he could see knights ushering civilians into the garden while dozens of children were oblivious to the entry of extra guests joining in to sing a birthday tribute; Knight Osh was on the opposite side of the ship holding a bounty of cards in his hand as he politely ordered several old men to continue their game in the garden area; Revan and One Fifteen were ascending a staircase, making their way towards the bridge. Trilium could sense all of this with no interference, but all action on the bridge still remained a mystery. He opened his mind again towards the bridge and again, he could only sense panic. At this point he wasn't even sure if the panic was real or a part of the shield keeping him out. However, it was clear that the shield was expanded as far as it could go. Otherwise, Trilium wouldn't know that the hallway to the bridge was clear.

The lift stopped and Trilium stepped in between the knights. "The way is clear," he announced. "Stay in formation behind me. I'll lead us in."

Trilium's tone left no room for discussion and the knights positioned themselves behind him on hushed feet. Trilium knew this bridges layout by heart and hoped to use this knowledge to his advantage. While the ship was designed for the comfort of its guests, the bridge had been calculated by his grandfather, Master Vidmer Bishop and it exposed the true nature of the vessel: to greet friend or foe alike. Its massive doors were ornately decorated with three dimensional metal designs and Trilium was determined to wrap his mind around the idea of mentally lifting a door and heaving it towards the enemy at the right moment. Better yet, he could have Revan do it with ease. But for now, Trilium's immediate plan was to open only one door to surmise the situation inside while using the other as a shield.

The doors to the lift opened and Trilium and his knights had barely stepped out before halting instantly. The bridge's doors were already slid halfway, exposing the innermost area of the bridge. It was what was visible that made the knights stop in their tracks and what answered Trilium's question concerning House. Perched, just past the doorway, stood the framed figures of a man holding a young girl at the point of a blade.

# Chapter 3

The knight Ciyee was not flying the plane as Trilium had hoped, but instead was roughly holding onto the arm of House's fourteen year old sister Lisa, and to make matters worse, the Acia he was holding her hostage with was Trilium's own weapon. Lisa had several blood stains on her neck and top. She was standing on the tips of her toes trying to move as far away from the blades point as possible. Her eyes met Trilium's pleadingly and in response to that look, his plan immediately faded. He reached out to speak to her, but her mind was completely blocked. Trilium moved his eyes over to Ciyee, now the only living pilot in the knighthood. His strange gift of being able to remain alert for days on end without the need of sleep had allowed him the opportunity to acquire various skills that would take most a lifetime to master. Ciyee returned Trilium's stare while wearing a wide faced grin.

"Join us, Trilium," Ciyee greeted.

"Wait here," Trilium ordered the knights who had accompanied him. Trilium began to move forward, speaking telepathically to Revan. He could hear House's breath growling before he could see him inside the doorway. He didn't know where the other knights were standing, but he assumed their stilled bodies were somewhere behind the doors as well, most likely positioned for an attack if the opportunity arose. Trilium stepped through the doors and as expected, his conversation was abruptly cut off from Revan the moment he entered the area. Trilium noted the surroundings. All but House were positioned as expected, including Least who stood nearest to Gish's lifeless body. Nash, Havo and Flacker stood at the ready on either side of Ciyee yet as far as Trilium could tell, Ciyee did not seem concerned by their numbers. Trilium had no choice but to admit that Ciyee had chosen his hostage most wisely. No one would move against Ciyee as long as he held onto a member of the Master's family. Trilium crossed over to House who was nearby. His face was drenched in sweat from the fire burning inside him.

"He's sticking her for kicks," House growled through clinched teeth, never taking his eyes off Ciyee.

Ciyee overhearing House's remark, frowned. "She keeps burning me with little sparks. Tell her to stop or I will be forced - "

Ciyee slid the Acia's blade across Lisa's neck.

"Ciyee," Trilium spoke, calmly, "she only came into her gift a short time ago and is not able to control her skill yet. She's barely begun her training," he lied smoothly, knowing full well the hours of study that the young girl had already put into developing her talent. "Peaches," he said to Lisa calling her by her nickname, "concentrate on holding the fire within."

"I'll try Master Cousin," she whispered. Ciyee began to laugh. The young girl's eyes turned to look up at him. The look of fear in her eyes tore at Trilium's heart.

"Why are you doing this, Ciyee? Trilium asked. Ciyee did not immediately reply. Instead he continued to laugh.

"Oh, the formality," Ciyee finally said. "And the irony of it all strikes me as funny, Trilium," he smiled. It was the second time Ciyee had addressed him disrespectfully. Trilium surmised that that too, was in order to make a point.

"Is your holding the girl part of the formality?" Trilium asked.

"For the moment it is," Ciyee replied taking a deep breath to suppress more laughter. "There is something that I need to say to..." Ciyee stopped speaking as Revan and One Fifteen entered through the spilt doorway. "Ah, Revan, welcome. I should have known that Trilium would invite you to our little gathering and that One Fifteen would be trailing behind you, as usual."

Revan and One Fifteen nodded at Trilium and moved into place behind Ciyee.

"So, it seems you have me surrounded now, also as expected. Hence, the need for little Peaches here."

"You can stop right now, Ciyee," Trilium offered. "Gish's death is where this needs to end. Know that if you continue, there will be no turning back."

"Clearly," Ciyee spoke, between clinched teeth, "my welfare has always been beyond the scope of your precious gifts. My past ended the moment I accepted this path."

"Understood," Trilium nodded. "Go ahead and speak. You have my full attention."

All anger drained from Ciyee's face and his whole demeanor changed in front of them. Trilium was at once reminded of the way a storyteller would change expressions from character to character when recounting a tale. Ciyee released Lisa's arm and took hold of her by the back of the neck. He flexed his fingers against the nape so that the knights could see the meaning behind his grip. With his other hand he allowed the Acia to lengthen and gently laid the chain blade against Lisa's feet. Each knight shifted uncomfortably, knowing that this predatory stance was one in which they could not move against lest the blade move upwards and slice the young girl in two. Ciyee confidently took a slight step away from the cover of his prisoner. Taking a deep breath, he turned to sneer at all the men surrounding him. Lastly, he looked to Trilium.

"I bring you greetings from Master Titus Bishop - of suitable age..." he announced in a bellowing voice. He paused with his head held high, openly challenging Trilium to speak. In answer to the challenge, the knights began to tremble with anger.

"Do not move," Trilium ordered his knights in a level voice. He nodded at Ciyee to continue, who in return, cleared his voice and looked out again at each knight as if he had practiced this speech a dozen times in just as many ways.

"I bring you greetings from Master Titus Bishop of suitable age," he began again. He nudged Lisa with the side of his arm and the girl unsteadily raised her hand out and opened her palm to expose a small white box like object. Trilium clinched his fists. He had missed that Lisa had anything in her hands. He was tempted to allow his eyes to search the room for whatever else he may have overlooked but he was entranced with the box as it began a gentle, pulse like movement all on its own. Lisa carefully spread her fingers and turned her palm over where immediately, pixels of light began to trickle down onto the floor from the now unleased container. Trilium watched as the droplets began to solidify and at once, he understood that it was a projection forming, piecing itself together, crafting an image he recognized before it was even predictable. He had never seen a projection as large as the one now being built panoramically around the room. Within the image stood Titus. A singular figure mirrored beside himself again and again. Titus' head titled slightly but his eyes remained polite, almost empathetic. Then with a deep nod, Titus closed his eyes and reopened them. Trilium pensively watched his brother's movement. It was impossible for him to tell exactly where the projection was being generated from but because Lisa had released a capsule projector, Trilium was certain that this footage was not simultaneous. Yet, he could not help but note that the eyes of Titus' projection were all but simulated. He was waiting for a reaction from Trilium.

"I, Titus, of the planet Dena and Master of its Sect, do hereby remove the self-adorned title of Captain and Master from Trilium Bishop, dividing him from property and people for the act of high treason," the many images of Titus proclaimed in a cascading echo, multiplying Trilium's punishment.

"How laughable you are to think that I would let you come back without challenging my right to the role you abandoned. Your leadership has been nonexistent as you cowardly reign from thousands to millions of miles away. Strangers, foreigners you aid as if they were kin - not ever taking into consideration whether or not we truly need their alliance, never considering our people's interest. And now, our anonymity has been compromised to the point that the people of Dena are dependent upon the knighthood for governing protection and alien policies. I have sworn in my heart to put an end to this parade of sovereignty that you have created on my watch. I say to you what most have voiced in their heart of hearts. Of course you could not hear it from so far, far away. Stay gone Trilium, and those that stand by you, I have no need of and proclaim their guilt by association. Commander Ciyee, will be taking you to the prison planet Wynet, where you and all knights of Dena will be confined for life."

The representations of Titus suddenly condensed into one projected figure appearing brighter and more pronounced than the others. This image moved forward, although it could not foresee exactly where Trilium would be standing, it stopped parallel to his person. "So, how does it feel, brother?" Titus asked in a singular voice, one filled with a whispering venom Trilium had never heard come from his youngest sibling before. "How does it feel to have me decree your fate and know that there isn't a damn thing you can do about it? May my words live with you for the rest of your days..."

The image disappeared and the box fell from Lisa's hand and bounced onto the floor, producing the only sound in the room following the end of Titus' speech. Trilium was well aware that all eyes were on him, waiting for a response and of all things, the face of the dragon fell into Trilium's thoughts. The look on the dragon's face had been similar to the look that Titus had revealed at the end of his pronouncement. Was it satisfaction, he wondered or anticipation? Trilium's mind flashed to Kalin, standing alone in the zigzag path of dust which had once been a meadow of flowers on the planet Sersons. He had pulled out his Acia, the musicality of its blade cutting the air as it snapped into place. And then the dragon beast waddled into Kalin's path and squatted. Smugly, it waited for its meal to come forth. And Kalin for his part, set the point of his weapon into the ground and leaned on it, returning the same look. It was the smile on Kalin's face that had made Trilium fear their meeting - he knew what would happen next.

"Wynet is not that far from Dena," Trilium said to the knights on the bridge. He began to walk toward Revan and One Fifteen who stood several feet behind Ciyee. "One Fifteen, I need conformation that we are headed towards Wynet."

"Yes, Master," One Fifteen bowed and sped away towards the console.

"I have already told you Master Titus' plan," Ciyee said to Trilium.

Trilium ignored him. "Flacker, Havo, I need to take this bird off auto pilot," Trilium paused and turned towards Gish's body. All knights who passed on towards death, received two powers of unknown origin. First, they could call out to their kind and make known their mortality, and second, the dead could pass innate gifts onto other knights.

"I will bless his passing first, Master," Flacker replied solemnly from where he stood. "We were like brother's and I understand that time is of the essence."

"Thank you, Knight Flacker," Trilium answered. "But do not hurry the blessing of this warrior. Take all the time you need."

Flacker and Havo moved over towards Gish. Least, who was already near Gish, respectfully laid his hand on the dead man's foot.

"What do you think you are doing?" Ciyee demanded. A small moan came from Lisa as Ciyee's grip tightened. Trilium turned to look at them both, allowing his face to imitate his memory of the dragons. Ciyee's eye's widened somewhat in response and his grip relaxed.

"There is no prison built that can hold me or my men," Trilium replied. "Both you and Titus should know this."

"Master Titus," Ciyee snapped, having regained his composure. "Do not forget your place again."

"Master," One Fifteen spoke from where he was stationed, "we're on a direct course for Wynet."

"Irreverent swine," the words came spitting out of Ciyee's mouth. "How dare you speak around me?"

One Fifteen turned from his station to face Ciyee. Ciyee returned his glare snickering, challenging.

"There is no Master here," Ciyee warned in a low voice.

"No true warrior would ever hide behind a child," it was Revan who spoke. "Is it your intention to walk off this ship with her as your shield? Past eighty knights? Unchecked?"

Ciyee snickered. "There will be two hundred soldiers awaiting my arrival, once we dock in Wynet."

"Then there will be two hundred dead soldiers on the dock in Wynet, traitor," Trilium roared.

"You dare to speak to me that way?" Ciyee challenged.

He released his grip on Lisa's neck and his body turned slightly away from her. It was too late before he realized the consequences of that small move. Revan pushed out his power and Ciyee dropped the Acia he had been holding in reply to the sudden dislocation of his shoulder. He screamed out in pain, but he could not move his body.

"Peaches," House said softly as he walked up towards his sister. At the same time Revan moved towards Lisa as well. He carefully moved around Ciyee and picking up the handle of the Acia, he skillfully snapped his wrist and the Acia floated off Lisa's feet and away from her body.

House grabbed his sister and drew her into his chest. "You're safe," he promised hugging her. House looked past Lisa to glare at Ciyee.

Revan walked up to Trilium and bowing respectfully, he presented him with his Acia.

"As promised, Master," Revan smiled. He turned to Ciyee.

"No one is to kill him," Trilium ordered having read House's and Revan's mind. He took his Acia and balanced the handle in the palm of his hand. In response to his telepathic request, a diamond head appeared out each end. Trilium closed his hand around the handle and with a flash of blue light, the Acia's sword linked from each end flying melodically through the air towards Lisa, where it stopped politely a few feet in front of her.

"Light it, Peaches," he requested. Lisa released her brother and walked over to the weapon's twin tips. She looked at Ciyee, who eyes strained to look towards her from over his shoulder. She put her index finger on the tip of her tongue and then used that finger to touch each blade, producing a blue flame that infused itself into the shape of the cutting edge. House smiled at her.

"Show off," he teased.

"It seems traitor that the pain broke your concentration and the room is free of your hold," Trilium advised Ciyee. There are several questions I would like to ask you. First..."

Without warning the Acia's links flew through the air towards Ciyee, where it struck swiftly slicing again and again at his body, producing small cuts to match those he had given Lisa, with the exception that these cuts were burned into his flesh. Ciyee screamed in frustration, unable to shield his body under the weight of Revan's invisible hold on him. The screams turned into sobbing as the last one struck and the Acia rolled back into its resting place.

"Does it sting?" Trilium asked. He walked over to House and Lisa and rubbed the top of Lisa's head, kissing it. "House, take her to the garden and come right back."

House nodded and left with his sister.

Revan walked back over to Ciyee. "Soldier," he addressed him in the lowest of curses to their kind. "Where are the rest of our weapons?"

Ciyee's moans of anguish rose for a moment as Trilium roughly picked the thought from his consciousness without consent. "In the small conference room, to the right," Trilium advised.

Revan nodded at Trilium. "I'll return shortly," he promised, calling out to the knights still stationed by the lift. The men entered and followed Revan to the conference room with Nash in line behind them.

Flacker presented himself before Trilium, bowing. "Master," he said in a quiet voice. "The gift has been passed on to me."

Trilium reached his hand out and patted Flacker solidly on the shoulder. "Go and speak to this ship's navigational computer. I need to know exactly where we are."

Flacker nodded and moved towards the control counsel with Havo following behind. Flacker walked up to the display board which exhibited a pageant of buttons and graphs. He touched a panel along one of the rows and several buttons lit up in response. Havo grunted.

"You've got the gift alright," he said to his friend.

Trilium moved over to Least who was sitting on the floor near Gish. His eyes appeared distant and haunted. Trilium bent down and grabbed the knight's shoulder, shaking him lightly. Least looked up at Trilium in acknowledgement, yet his eyes still appeared troubled.

"He didn't want to die," Least said.

Trilium smiled wanly at Least. "Few men do."

"The ship was flying itself and Ciyee..." Least paused swallowing before continuing. Knights nearest him around the room listened attentively. "Ciyee sent Gish to the lounge to join us, but Gish felt guilty for leaving his post and he came back just as Ciyee was dragging Lisa onto the bridge. Gish called out to him and Ciyee..." Trilium sensed Least's intention and came to a standing position along with him, his hand still on Least's shoulder.

"Ciyee told him that he now had no choice. Gish stood his ground," Least looked at Trilium, pleadingly. "He didn't try to run away."

Trilium nodded in agreement. "No true warrior would."

"He tried to reach Lisa, but it was too late. He had already been struck by a death blow and he couldn't breathe..." Least began to hyperventilate.

"Least..." Trilium spoke firmly placing his free hand on Least's other shoulder. He knew what was happening to the young man. Least's gift to relive last moments was not the type of gift which could be controlled easily. Once Least came into contact with the dead, he would not only recall their last moments, but would feel the deceased's emotional journey from life to death. "Contain it Least, let it settle. Can you do that?"

Least bit his lip and nodded. He moved away from Trilium and Gish.

"Master," Flacker called out, his voice more audible and confident. "We are in the Armez quadrat, bound for Wynet. At this speed, we should be there in under an hour."

"Change of plan," Trilium announced. "Head home to Dena."

There was a regretful pause in the air from the knights. "But Master, what about the soldiers at Wynet?" One Fifteen countered.

"Slow down, guardsman," Trilium cautioned lightly. "There will be time to deal with those on Wynet," Trilium jaw hardened and he released his Acia. The sound of its discharge produced an involuntarily whimper from Ciyee. "First we must deal with the insurgent claiming my rule."

# Chapter 4

A triad of lights flickered on the towers motherboard in the control room at Dena. A young man sat on the countertop of the workstation watching the dancing lights, attentively. The audio, he had lowered earlier in the day and now he discreetly disconnected it and the holographic instruments as a precaution. He did not know if it was Ciyee or one of Trilium's knights trying to reach them right now and at this point, it did not matter to him. The plan had been activated. He studied the coordinates on the screen and noted the changing pattern. The _Britannicus_ had turned around and no doubt, was headed towards Dena. So, he thought bemused, it was the knights who held control of the ship and as predicted, Trilium was heading home. Still, it did not matter. He turned displaying his most angelic smile to face the Council of the Old. Briefly, the image of Ciyee appeared in his head and he dismissed his fate, compartmentalizing the man's existence into a part of his mind which he rarely revisited. The young man jumped down from the counter and nodded his head respectfully at the twelve councilmen dispersed throughout the chamber. In return, each council member knelt down before him. He sensed in each of them a rising anxiety.

"Master Titus," it was the one named Lasher who spoke, "did all go as planned? The knights are on their way to Wynet? "

"Yes." Titus lied. "All goes as planned." Titus turned back to the motherboard, touching several buttons. The lights festivities immediately ceased. He turned back around, signaling the Council to rise. "I believe it would be best that you wait here until my return."

"And where are you going?" It was Iain who spoke. All eyes fell on him waiting for the proper ending salutation, but Titus spoke quickly.

"Still disapproving of my suitable claim, Old Councilman Iain?" Titus asked. He searched Iain's thoughts for clues to reveal an agenda. Titus was sure that the councilman had been against his takeover from the very beginning yet he had not moved against Titus, nor had he openly objected to Titus' claim on any level. Iain's thoughts were measured and as far as Titus could tell, he felt only indifference towards Trilium. This is why Titus viewed him as dangerous.

"I am only concerned with your general safety outside of what areas the soldiers have contained, Master Titus," Iain responded, inclining his head.

"No need to concern yourself. I'll have a few of the Super Set accompanying me and I'll leave a few here for your protection as well. They will attend to your every need, that is, if only you stay inside this place," Titus promised taking in the subtleties' of distress that began to seep through the old men's thoughts. He moved towards the door passing by the bowing councilmen. He stopped just short of the door and turned again smiling to face the group.

"Thank you for your support," he proclaimed and exited the room.

# Chapter 5

Kalin Bishop felt fidgety. He was sprawled out on a couch in front of a lit fireplace in his little house as he considered this new mood. He did not look upon this feeling as a prideful statement, but as one that was all too true of his emotional physic right now. He allowed his fingers to gingerly touch the bandaged wound on his left side as he stared up into the ceiling. He had always favored this simple home to the grand one where he had grown up. It was situated in such a way, where he could stand in the middle of it and spread his limbs in four different directions while occupying the bedroom, living room, dining room and kitchen all at once. Walking through this space had always brought a welcomed sluggish type of ease within Kalin, but being completely still in it as he was now put his nerves on edge. Admittedly, it was his own fault that he as laying in this state in the first place. One - he had dared to step into the direct path of a dragon and two, he had under estimated the agility of its tail. Kalin sighed as he pulled at the undersized throw blanket once more, revealing his shoed feet hanging over the edge of the sofa. When he had checked himself out of the infirmary this morning, someone had been caring enough to bend down and lace up his combat boots. Kalin had sincerely thanked that person for their act of kindness yet as the day moved on and his ankles began to ache, he cursed the Good Samaritan for not minding his own business. The boots were uncomfortably heavy, yet too far away for him to attempt removal. Kalin played with the throw some more and again ran his fingers along the light beard which had emerged during the last four days of his stay in the hospital. He had almost died. He needed only the actions of House and Trilium to confirm how close he had actually come to this end, as they ushered him onto a stretcher and carried him into the emergency shuttle. It had seemed a good idea at the time to apply the gift of shadow speed to kill the great beast. He had actually settled on the idea in the courtyard of Finley's sanctuary back when Trilium had made the deal with the monarch of Sersons to kill the dragon in exchange for a bushel of seeds. Silently, he had gaffed at the ridiculousness of Finley's assumption that a dragon truly existed. For some irrational reason the young King made him feel uneasy. Perhaps it was because of Finley's age and how he bore the inexperience of his sovereignty with humbled sincerity. Or perhaps it was because the title had been bestowed on Finley following his father's death and the boy's loss reminded Kalin of his own. Kalin had been too young to remember with any certainty if Master Zep had found him or if he had found Master Zep. But he had without a doubt, been the only living being found on that night so long ago and brought into the Bishop clan where he easily found a home. Kalin smirked quietly as he stared at Finley. He did appreciate the boy's negotiating skills. Only Trilium, Kalin had thought, would consider seeds a fair exchange. Trilium had thrown a warning glance at Kalin, having heard his thoughts. Kalin returned a look of innocence and moved off to feign his admiration of one of the many gardens stationed in the square that displayed an example of the negotiated seeds blooming florae. However, his thoughts did not falter.

"He is asking us to kill a flying beast the size of a monument?" he silently asked Trilium.

Trilium smiled, nodding, as he listened to the young monarch's plea for assistance while he spoke telepathically to Kalin. "He is not lying, brother. Their fear is quite real."

"And I suppose next, we are to rescue a voluptuous maiden, with hair the length of the dragon's mast from a nearby tower?"

This time Trilium smirked. Finely looked at Trilium slighted but Trilium had already recovered and extended the sound into one expressing great empathy.

"Young King Finley of Sersons," Trilium began formally. "We would be happy to help our newfound friends with disposing of the giant beast."

In affirmation to his announcement, House and Revan, who were also included in this summit, placed their helmets on their heads in unison and released their Acia's musically in salutation. Kalin moved to stand a step behind Trilium as customary. He too placed on his helmet and released his Acia. Trilium spoke to him silently again.

"I do not believe that Ky would like the idea of you rescuing anything voluptuous with golden hair from anywhere," Trilium advised.

"Really, brother? I don't recall saying her hair was golden..." Kalin smiled broadly behind the face shield.

'Ky,' Kalin thought to himself in the present. He again looked at the fireplace. "Always, Ky," he confirmed out loud. She somehow found her way into his thoughts no matter what the subject, always, there were thoughts of Ky. She had been there on the dock with his mother when the shuttle brought him into the hospital. He had tried to suppress the pain he was in and willed himself to remain conscious while his mother spoke, kissing his forehead with promises of recovery. But Ky had seen past his charade. Fear and disappointment was written all over her face; even through the haze he had clearly seen that. And if the dragon's wound wasn't enough, the look she held of uncertainty had nearly broken his heart. Five years out in the universe with no more than a flesh wound and to finally come home with one foot in the grave was not the happy beginning he had anticipated. Following the coronation for Trilium this afternoon, Kalin would be officially named the Master's chief protector and join his fellow knights in the celebration to follow. But at sunset, he would steal Ky away into the night and marry her. That had been his plan, just the two of them in front of an abbey in a faraway village. Kalin signed a miserable sigh. A new sound he thought to go with his new mood.

There was a polite knock on his front door.

"Kalin?" the voice asked.

"It's open," Kalin replied and watched as the door opened to reveal his father. Master Zep Bishop was already dressed for the ceremony which would take place later in the day. The ends of his golden cloak were draped across each of his arms and in one hand he held a garment bag and in the other a small black satchel.

"Greetings Old Master Father," Kalin welcomed in the most formal manner. 'Master' had been the preface of each sentence in which Kalin would greet his adopted father throughout the early years he had spent with the Bishops. And although Zep had told him time and time again that such formality amongst family members was not necessary, Kalin had felt obliged to do so as a sign of respect for the man who had saved his life. With steeled effort, Zep Bishop endured the phases of 'Mr. Master Zep' to 'Master Lifesaver Zep' to 'Master Zep the Father' until finally Kalin settled on 'Master Father'. Kalin had grown out of this greeting, however, it remained a testament between the two men. Master Zep closed the door behind him and then bowed.

"Greetings Son, Knight Protector," he offered, placing the word 'Son' at the top of his greeting to show his deepest respect. He smiled at Kalin and tossed the garment bag onto the bed as he walked to sit on the couch beside him. He carefully lifted Kalin's shirt to reveal the bandaged side. With an expert's eye he surveyed the doctor's work. He looked up at Kalin.

Kalin grunted and smiled. Outside of his telepathic and memorization gifts, Zep Bishop also held a unique gift of healing touch. Undisclosed numbers of broken bones, open wounds and chronic ailments had been treated from time to time by the Master but not with the endorsement of any medical professionals of Dena. It had come to a head at one point where the Council of the Old asked the Master to relax his therapy in consideration of those who had made it their life's work tending to the sick. Master Zep agreed for the sake of the republic, but the gesture did not sit well with his knights who at once decreed a level of distrust for doctors that resembled their dislike of soldiers. When Kalin had been prepped for surgery, Master Zep used his telepathy to monitor the operation from the waiting area. He had kept both his composure and Acia at his side should he need to insist upon other methods of healing his son.

"Sloppy," Master Zep proclaimed as he pulled Kalin's shirt up higher. He placed the black satchel on Kalin's chest and opened it up. He pulled out two small round balls and placed one in his mouth and then the other into Kalin's mouth without invitation. Both men began to chew the small balls and Kalin found himself focused on the delicious, sweet taste of it. Master Zep gently took hold of a loose corner of the bandage covering Kalin's stitches. He looked at his son seriously.

"This is going to really hurt," he assured Kalin. And before Kalin could protest or prepare, Master Zep tore off the bandage and nonchalantly tossed it on the floor as his son yelled out in pain. He stared at his father accusingly but Master Zep did not flinch.

"Kalin, I did warn you," he reminded smiling and began to chew again. Kalin, having forgotten that anything other than his tongue was in his mouth, began to chew again as well. However, he continued to stare at his father reproachfully. Master Zep's attention averted back to Kalin's wound and he moved his hands so that his palms were above it. Kalin chewed slowly, allowing the pain to be accentuated each time his jaw moved. He was waiting for that wet feeling of blood to roll down his side but it never came. Instead, the throbbing eased.

"This, gum," Master Zep began, "is by far the best of goods ever brought to Dena."

Kalin smiled. He wasn't sure if he commented on his father's announcement. The feeling of the pain being removed from his body brought about a wave of disconnect from thought to speech. He had not realized how tense his body felt nor how absorbed he was with the discomfort. He now lay absolutely still, listening to his own rhythmic gum chewing and drifting over thoughts of Ky.

"Is she speaking to you yet?" Master Zep asked having picked up on Kalin's thoughts. Kalin had learned long ago to have a literal approach to keeping an 'open mind' in his family. Rarely, did he conceal his thoughts from his father and brothers.

"No, not yet," Kalin shared. "She's still upset."

"She was scared, Kalin. We all were," Master Zep admitted. "You're going to need to make up with her soon if you plan on giving her this, this afternoon."

Kalin hadn't noticed that his father had removed two rings from the black satchel. One ring he knew very well since he had fashioned the platinum band himself and chipped the diamond to shape with his Acia, but the other ring was new to him and intricately designed to elegantly compliment his ring. Kalin recognized the technique.

"Thank you, Master Father," Kalin smiled sadly at Zep and then added. "For making this, alone."

Zep returned the smile inclining his head. "I am both duty bound and honored to fulfill my measure of the Bofensai."

Kalin studied the ring designed by his father. Ky had spoken maybe five words to him since he had been back and none of them indicated that she was close to forgiving him for almost dying. He had thought for a moment she might have stopped by his home this morning once she realized that he was out of the hospital but then again, that was not his Ky. He placed both rings back into the black satchel and tossed it onto the bed where it landed next to the garment bag.

"Perhaps the Craftsman was too busy to be concerned with the Bofensai, or perhaps he doesn't care for me to wed his daughter," Kalin noted.

"You and Ky chose each other long ago, Kalin. Before either of you even knew you had chosen," Zep replied.

This time, Kalin closed his thoughts off immediately - a talent he had been taught at an early age. He meant no disrespect to his father in the act of doing so, it was just that he didn't want to revisit the linage issue again. For as long as Bishop's had been Masters, the house of D'Pointe had been the Craftsmen. Ky's people had constructed all the weaponry that ever existed for the people of Dena and this distinction brought about a harmonious division between the Craftsmen and Knights. The Craftsmen paid homage to the Master and obeyed the laws of the land while maintaining control of metals and irons. In turn, the Bishops bestowed the D'Pointe family their namesake title, the most honored entitlement of all civilians. Craftsmen Nesim at first did not mind the innocent attraction between his young daughter and the adopted son of Master Zep. But that soon changed once Ky began her crafting apprenticeship and a talent appeared that had never been seen before in her kind - a 'gift' of creation. No Acia had ever produced sound, until Ky made it so. And this gift had sealed her destiny on Dena, being the single D'Pointe brought into the knighthood. A destiny that would bring an unbreakable seal upon a marriage to Kalin. Kalin again closed his eyes and reopened his thoughts. His father continued working, chewing his gum quietly.

"Thank you," Zep said softly.

Kalin nodded and blew a small bubble. He was about to pop it when a single thought exploded in his head. He opened his eyes and stared accusingly at his father, lifting his head off the pillow.

"Mother knows," he stated more than asked.

Master Zep avoided his son's gaze. Instead he blew and popped a bubble before speaking.

"As gifted as I am Kalin, I find it dammed impossible to keep any secrets from your mother."

"A wedding breakfast!" Kalin confirmed miserably.

"She's expecting you first thing in the morning. According to tradition."

"First thing in the morning," Kalin almost whined. He had anticipated leisurely plans with his new wife which would continue late into the next evening. Kalin had of course, planned on having the traditional wedding breakfast with his family, but his intention was to keep it at bay for at least a few days. Now, all was changed. He was certain that a wedding breakfast meant a wedding dress had been made for Ky, which would now need to be presented to her, along with ladies in waiting and flowers and guests.

"Just the dress," his father confirmed popping another bubble. Zep still refused to make eye contact with his son. "We respect your privacy for the ceremony, Kalin - "

"It's not that we wouldn't want the family there," Kalin interrupted. "I thought that -"

Master Zep turned finally to look into his son's face. "All we ask is that you respect the traditions for this rite of passage and feast with your family in the morning." He said somberly.

"Yes, Master Father," Kalin conceded.

"And a hundred of your mother's closes friends," he added quickly, smiling.

Kalin popped a loud bubble in response. He had wrongfully thought that Trilium's coronation would conceal his intentions. Kalin surmised that his mother, Eisa Bishop was indeed in her glory to be planning two giant events within hours of each other. He sighed inwardly, envying Trilium and Lucinda. They had married on Lucinda's home planet and were able to forgo the pandemonium. "I hope Titus learns from my misfortunes," he stated out loud.

"Has he come to an understanding with Belin?" his father asked, anxiously.

Kalin paused before answering. He had heard Ky mention Belin as one of her students but Titus had neither voiced nor masked any courtship. In fact, Kalin was ashamed to mention that he and his brother had not shared much discussion for some time. "I wasn't aware Titus was courting anyone." He answered.

"Oh," Master Zep looked down and away from Kalin, before going back to his work. "As far as I know, he's not. Belin has been to the house a few times. She seems nice enough. "

"How is he, father?" Kalin asked gently. He was well aware that an unresolved rift had grown between Zep and Titus as a result of Trilium's leaving. "He and Trilium seem to be breaking some ground lately," he added.

Master Zep nodded. "Trilium has the makings of a fine Master. He did well to command that the Council leave all arrangements to Titus. He has been working day and night to ensure the success of the coronation," Zep paused, gathering his thoughts. "He's not like you and Trilium. You both have found your paths in life. It would mean so much to me if Titus could do the same."

"It will be easier, once I step away from my station," Kalin said.

Master Zep immediately stopped working. He turned to face his son. His arms folded over his chest.

"Kalin, we have been over this," he warned.

Kalin came up to a sitting position, leaning on the backs of his arms. He felt a bit of tension in his side in this position but not more than he could handle. "Yes, Old Father, I have spoken with you, and I have also spoken with the Master," he said respectfully. Kalin sat up even more and placed his hand on his father's shoulder. "I will sit in my role as Knight Protector for as long as it takes for me to prepare Titus. My title is only stationary. Any knight could sit in my place."

"That is not true," Master Zep chimed in quickly.

"If we were a warring planet, you would be absolutely right. And I would not allow anyone else to sit in my place to protect my brother. But Trilium has House and Revan if anything should happen. I can serve the Sect best by continuing relations with our alliances. Being an ambassador for Dena is also a worthy task."

Master Zep stared at his son for several moments considering his words. Finally, he lowered his arms and pushed Kalin back down and resumed tending to his wound.

"Must be nomadic blood that runs through you," he stated wistfully.

Kalin grinned. "We won't be gone forever, father," he paused, then added, "You know, someone actually has to go to F'rit to pick up the gum."

The old Master chuckled, foiled by his own admission. "Titus will do well as the Knight Protector, he conceded. Kalin relaxed, the tension gone between the two men. He closed his eyes again. "It is fitting for him to take your place," Zep concluded. "If only he would...feel..."

Master Zep's sentence trailed off. At first, Kalin thought he was drifting again but the sensation from his father's work ceased. Kalin opened his eyes just as Master Zep was turning away from him. But before his face was completely removed from Kalin's view, he saw his facial expression. It was one that Kalin had not seen in his father's gentle features in a long, long time. His eyes were steel and inward. His mind's eye searching, identifying. His jaw tense. It was a look that Kalin had seen dozens of times from Trilium. It was the look of a warrior. Kalin was about to ask what his father sensed when suddenly the window pane nearest his bed, burst into hundreds of pieces, as a sharpened wooden spearstick flew through it. An expert in marking speed, Kalin understood at once that it was moving much too fast to have come from a mere soldier. He was also certain that it was headed directly towards his father. Kalin reached forward to pull his father back, but at the same time his father moved forward, away from his immediate reach. Zep continued to move away as Kalin increased his speed to make up the distance but Zep's senses were not as quick as Kalin's to recognize that the spear had found its target. The spearstick entered high in Master Zep's chest. Kalin pulled Zep back, careful to lay him down on his side. Suddenly, dozens of spearsticks flew through all windows in Kalin's house. The sound of glass swelling into a deafening roar. Kalin threw himself over his father's body. Stick after stick zipped past overhead. Zep struggled underneath Kalin, fighting to remove the stick from his chest as Kalin struggled to be heard as he spoke in his head to his father. Object after object shattered beneath the power of the spears and the ones that found their way into the already dying embers from Kalin's fireplace, exploded into the logs, dispersing burning sparks here and there about the room. Finally, with a yielding roar, Zep pulled the stick from his chest. Once it rolled away from his body, Kalin was shocked to see how long it had actually been. He immediately took his father's hand and placed his palm over the gaping hole in his chest. Blood oozed out like a sluggish waterfall.

"Father, save yourself," Kalin ordered in his head. A flickering blue light ignited softly from his father's palm. Kalin reached under Zep's body and drew out his Acia. He slammed the butt of the handle into the ground and a beacon of light emerged from the Acia and surrounded the two men. It covered them not a moment too soon as stick after stick began to strike unsuccessfully against it. Blood drained from Kalin's knuckles as he held tightly onto the Acia's handle. He had not yet removed himself from shielding his father body. From the corner of his eye, he could see the blue light dimming.

"Father!" Kalin yelled out in his head. The blue light flickered brightly for a moment and then dimmed down to a steady flashing, to match Zep's heartbeat. The sounds of breakage surrounding the two men began to cease. Kalin sat up over his father and took a look around. Through the haze of the Acia's shield he could see the devastation of his home. Spearsticks excavated into the wreckage of what was left of each section of the open rooms. It was definitely the work of soldiers known as the Super Set. These types of soldiers, knights knew well. Men who were not quite gifted yet were truly endowed with ability and strength. Kalin looked down at his father. The old man grimaced in pain, his hands fallen to his side. The flow of blood had not slowed down and Kalin could clearly see into the tunnel that had once been part of his father's chest. Zep's breathing was uneven and rasping. Kalin grabbed both of his father's hands and put them over the hole.

"Save yourself," he ordered again. His voice not as commanding as before. He watched for the blue light from Zep's palms to emerge. "Father." He spoke in his head. His voice desperate. "No true warrior would succumb to a solider. Not without first, exacting some revenge."

A faint blue light appeared beneath Zep's fingertips. It was not as strong as Kalin would have liked but it was steady. "How many are there?" Kalin asked.

Zep Bishop caught his breath. "There are but eight," he answered.

Kalin could not hide his outrage. "They sent only eight? To kill us both?" he asked indignantly.

Master Zep sniggered. The faint blue color brightened beneath his fingertips. "My thoughts exactly," he agreed.

Kalin dropped the Acia's shield and rose quickly, disappearing from Zep's sight only to return seconds later with his own Acia. He laid his weapon down next to his father and held up Zep's Acia in front of his face in the form of a salute.

"To make up for their ignorance," he began reciting a familiar knight's pledge. "I may have to kill them twice."

Kalin sped through the door, his pores seeping through the wood along with his father's Acia. His speed was at once unseen and windless. At times in his life, Kalin had been made to feel alienated from the people of Dena due to his mystifying gift of shadow speed. Scientists and Historians had volumes of what they deemed to be substantial information characterizing the gifts of all knights who had ever lived in the Sect, but theoretically, Kalin was not from Dena. He was a descendant from a small group of Denard's who had left the planet over a hundred years ago. There was no way to discern the elements of Kalin's rare gifts, nor was he a willing subject for dissecting.

He had innately calculated the direction from which the spear had come that pierced his father. He understood the perimeter and distance of his target and headed towards him. The soldier stood beside a tied bundle of unused spearsticks about one hundred feet outside of Kalin's front yard. He was inspecting the point of his spear with the adoration of a new parent. Kalin did not recognize this man but quickly identified the uniform as one of a high rank in the Super Set. Kalin reached him in a flash, almost as if his anger had carried him on the wind. He easily wrested the weapon from the unsuspecting soldier before he could react or call out in alarm. Kalin swung, hitting the soldier across the back with it, not hard enough to kill him, but rough enough to knock him off his feet, dazed. He then made way for his next target, a soldier approximately two hundred feet away who had not yet noticed that his comrade had gone down. Nor, did he hear the whizzing sound of the spearstick Kalin threw as it found its mark and implanted itself through the super soldier's stomach. The soldier screamed out from both shock and pain as he reached with his hands behind his back to access how far the spear had actually gone. Kalin appeared beside the soldier. Their eyes locked as Kalin released his father's Acia. Its song bellowed in the air. Kalin could clearly hear the other soldiers scrambling in the aftermath of that sound. With satisfaction, he noted their locations but did not turn to look away from the solider that stood dying in front of him. Instead he walked behind the soldier and sliced the Acia's blade through the protruding stick and bent down to pick up the remaining wood. As an afterthought, he pushed the solider down onto his side. He smiled.

"Next?" he asked no one and began walking towards the next soldier. This one was actually running towards him, enraged. Kalin used his quickness to take just four steps and with those steps, he threw the remaining piece of the spear using the drive of his endless speed. The stick struck deep into the soldier's heart killing him instantly. The spear which the soldier had been carrying flew into the air, landing like a javelin spiked into the ground - its tail end wagging back and forth. Kalin absently pulled it out of the dirt and swung it against the soldier's body as he ran past him, shattering it into several pieces.

Kalin easily ran down the next two soldiers killing them with ease. He was standing beside the body of the fourth soldier when his father's voice sounded in his head.

"Kalin, behind you," Zep warned.

Kalin dropped and rolled out of the way just in time to miss the two blazing spearsticks that had been directed at his back. The sticks landed hard into the dirt road about ten feet away. Their reddish flames appeared to be laughing as they rose away from the burning rods. Kalin got up and nodded at the soldier who had thrown the sticks. He was not as big as the leader he had knocked out earlier, but he knew this one at least was smart. Even if the sticks had hit their mark and only wounded him, the soldier would know where to look for Kalin because of the fiery trail he would leave behind. The super soldier lit two more sticks, taking one in each hand. He nodded at Kalin. Kalin pulled out his father's Acia, allowing it to ring in the air for a moment as the sword linked itself into place. Then he took off. Not fast enough to be unseen, but immediate enough to ward off both fire sticks as they were thrown towards him. Kalin approached the dismayed soldier, brushing the grass with his Acia as he swept past him without stopping. The chain linked Acia cut the soldier's feet off at the ankles. The soldier fell to the ground, screaming and reaching for his missing limbs.

"Six and seven, in front of you," Zep's voice strained in Kalin's head.

Kalin spotted them running away from their posts, side by side no more than sixty feet away. Kalin was disgusted by this cowardice display from the revered 'Super' Set. He stopped running and whipped his father's Acia in the air like a propeller. He kept the rotation going and lifted it over his head and hurled it through the air like a lasso where the chains extended and encircled the two men like a biting rope, impaling them in its wrap. Kalin walked up to the two dead soldiers, their mangled bodies embracing each other. He felt around them until he located the handle of the Acia. Taking it in his grip, he retracted the chain, bracing himself for the tugging the spikes made as they came out of their dead bodies.

"Exquisite," he concluded. Kalin sped away from the men and stopped running about a hundred feet out from the only super soldier left alive. It was the one he had left dazed earlier. The soldier stood with a spearstick in each hand and he nodded at Kalin as he threw one spearstick high in the air towards his direction. Kalin did not flinch as the stick landed expertly beside him to stand horizontal, almost as tall as he was. Kalin picked it out of the ground, using more energy to dig it out than he allowed the solider to see. Kalin walked towards the soldier, stopping a good distance away from him.

"I am Drough," the super soldier announced proudly. "Drop the Acia, Kalin Knight Protector and face me like a man."

Kalin smiled and leaned on the spear like it was a staff. "In the same manly way you faced the Master?" he asked coldly. Kalin pulled out the Acia and laid it down in the dirt. "Drough, of the Super Set. After today, no one will speak your cursed name again nor will they be able to even identify your body. I will meet you as asked."

The two men approached each other, challengingly. Once they were within striking distance, the soldier began to attack Kalin with ferocious strokes. Kalin warded off each one, not utilizing any of his gifted speed but only his skill. Drough, relying on his great strength grinned wildly during his relentless attacks. Kalin had not anticipated that Drough's strength would rivals that of his cousin's House, yet he could feel the thunderous reverberations in his hands, arms and chest each time Drough's spearstick met his. Finally, seeing an opening, Kalin dodged a blow to his head and stepping under the swing, he was able to get in his rhythm to answer with his own attack on Drough and successfully bunted Drough on the side of the head. The hollow crack sounded tremendous outside in the silenced front yard of Kalin's home. Drough backed up several steps to regain his footing. Blood trickled down the side of his face. He shook off the dizziness and again took a predatory stance.

"Foolish knight. You missed the only opportunity you'll ever get to kill me," he spat.

"I think that was the oddest sound I have ever heard, soldier," Kalin replied laughing. "I don't think I'll kill you until I get the chance to hear that sound again."

The soldier enraged, charged towards Kalin but Kalin, now understanding of the movement for this form of combat, took a step backwards before advancing so that again, he could place himself on the attack rather than defense. He countered the first swing and then the next. Each fighter traveled around the other strategically performing acrobatic moves between blows to avoid the spearstick's punishment. It was on one of these exchanges that Kalin found himself on the defense and Drough was able to move in with a solid blow directly into his wounded side. The pain that shot through Kalin took his breath away and he quickly moved out of the reach of Drough's next swing. Kalin was coughing, stumbling back until finally he fell.

"Kalin!" Zep yelled out.

The sound was lightly audible but it was clear to Kalin that it came from outside his head and from inside his house. Both Kalin and Drough turned towards it. Without hesitation, Drough balanced the spear in his hand and rotating slightly sideways, pulled the spear far back behind him. It was evident to Kalin that at that moment he was all but forgotten; Drough decided to forfeit this fight for his mission. With a skipping motion, Drough's feet moved with vigor, several steps towards Kalin's house and he launched the spear in the direction of the window nearest where Master Zep lay. Kalin forced himself up, feeling his wound unzip as a result of this movement. He raced towards the speeding spear, one hand holding his side together and the other hand cutting into the wind. Running at this pace, Kalin could track the spear's movement. Stepping into the air, he pushed himself forward and caught the stick in his right hand just outside the windowsill. The momentum of stopping a moving object in midair was almost too much for the warrior's willpower yet in one motion, gathering all his strength, Kalin twisted his body towards the window and turned all the way round, mimicking the movement that Drough had done moments ago. He hurled the spearstick back at the super soldier where is struck him solidly in the side.

Kalin walked sluggishly towards Drough, who stood bent over with his hands on his knees, willing himself to live. Kalin winced from his own pain as he moved forward. He stopped walking and put his hands on his hips, taking a deep breath. Drough turned his head to stare at Kalin and their eyes locked. Kalin surmised, he was preparing himself to remove the stick and again thrust it towards him, but as far as Kalin was concerned, that was not going to happen. Drough came to an upright position and released a mighty war cry. Kalin then moved with his great speed towards the soldier and kicking out his feet at just the right moment, he pushed the spearstick completely through Drough's body. The soldier yelled out and collapsed dead onto the ground. Kalin too fell from the impact.

"Kalin," the voice sounded in his head. With difficulty, Kalin forced himself up and ran into his house to stand in the doorway. His father was laying on his back. There was no blood flowing from the hole, but Master Zep was pale, trembling and covered in sweat. Kalin sprang to him and cradled his head in his hands.

"Hold on, Old Master Father," Kalin pleaded. Zep smiled weakly at him and moved the hand closes to Kalin and placed it onto Kalin's open wound. Immediately, the wound surrendering to his touch.

"Don't waste time with me," Kalin moved his father's hand and placed it back onto his chest. Kalin felt his side. He was shocked to feel that it had completely closed up.

"It is too late for me, Kalin. I must tell you -" Zep began weakly.

"How can it be too late when you just healed me with a touch?" Kalin interjected, a bit more angrily than he had meant to sound, but his father's touch had never worked so quickly. How is it that he could do that?

"Kalin, use your eyes," Zep demanded. "There are times when the touch should not, and cannot be used," Kalin tightened his jaw and forced himself to truly see the remains of his father's insides laying around them - the flesh sticking to the discarded stick. Kalin removed one of his father's hands from his chest and clutched it with both of his. He accepted what he knew in his heart. It was too late.

"You must listen, son. Titus..." Zep paused, unable to continue.

Kalin froze, his mind was now focused on his brother being in danger as well. He hadn't thought of Titus throughout this. He didn't even know where to look for him.

"Titus did this," Zep finally continued. "The soldiers came at his command."

"Titus?" Kalin gasped unable to think clearly. "That can't be true?"

"He hid his thoughts from me. I wasn't looking for this. He hid the soldiers' thoughts until the last moment. He is their Master now," unabashed tears rolled down Zep's checks, "Trilium..." Master Zep grimaced. He could not speak further. Instead Kalin's head was filled with images from Zep's memory. His heart concentrating on his oldest son.

"....he wants to destroy the knighthood," he silently confirmed to Kalin. "Gracen!" he yelled out loud as if it were a new realization. Zep tried to sit up. New blood began to pour out the hole in his chest. Kalin steadied his father but Zep continued to struggle underneath his hold. "You must protect Gracen. It is your duty, Kalin. Swear it," he begged.

"Father, of course. I swear," Kalin promised.

Zep squeezed Kalin's hand before speaking again. "You must bless my passing, before you leave."

Kalin froze. His thoughts rummaging through the thousands of lessons he had had throughout the years, regarding the etiquettes of blessings for the Bishop family line.

"Kalin" the old man interrupted his thoughts. "It is your right. You are my son," he said, putting the emphasis on 'my'. "You are the only one who can stop this," again, Kalin's mind was filled with his father's imagery of his three sons and his wife.

"Swear..." Zep begged.

"I will, father. I will," Kalin answered.

"Titus," he whispered miserably. "Why?" Zep looked up at Kalin. Kalin squeezed his hand, smiling as Old Master Zep Bishop closed his eyes for the very last time.

# Chapter 6

Trilium lowered his Acia, its tune dying in the air along with its retreat. The knights each nodded in concurrence to his announcement and began to busy themselves with the work aboard the bridge. The only constant sound in the air now was the occasional moan from the motionless Ciyee. Thoughts swam drunkenly in Trilium's mind, interchanging between the two impossibilities that had happened to him within days - the dragon and a coup d'état initiated by his brother. He knew his knights' hearts, they were anxious to battle but he was sure that the true fight was at home. He needed to get to Dena, yet he was unsure of how to proceed once there. How would he deal with all those involved? And most importantly, at the forefront of his mind, what punishment would he lay on his own brother? Trilium did not have an answer for these questions. Nor, could he ignore the role he himself played in driving Titus to such treachery.

"Master?" Revan asked carefully. He stood in front of Trilium, presenting an Acia in his open hands. It had belonged to Gish.

Trilium looked down at the weapon for a moment. "You may place it, Revan," Trilium offered, allowing the onset of his guilt to take precedence over protocol. "And release the traitor."

Revan bowed respectfully and turned, carrying the Acia out in front of him. Without any acknowledgement, he released his hold on Ciyee. Ciyee fell to his knees. His moans remained audible but greatly softened. All knights became stilled, as Revan moved towards Gish. Trilium too did not move. He had not lost but a few knights during the years they had been abroad and yet Gish's murder was something altogether new. His death would be regarded as a casualty of war, despite the meaning of what was loss in his demise - honor within the knighthood. All that Trilium held dear had been greatly compromised by those trusted to keep order among the Sect. Trilium bit into his lip, anxiety settling into his very bones. He wanted to call out to Flacker, he needed to know now, how much more time before he could face his brother but he could not speak. None of the warriors would speak at this time. Although this was not a formal ceremony, it became a service the moment Revan approached Gish with his Acia. As Revan kneeled down in front of the body, he laid his hand gingerly upon the dead knight's chest. Immediately, Trilium recognized the mumbled sounds of the Knights Prayer Revan offered to Gish. A wish for his journey to be a declaration of the life he lived among them and for his gifts to bless those he left behind.

It was during this prayer that the air filled with the song of one voice. Trilium turned his head towards it, releasing his breath. He was surprised that this young knight not only knew which sacred song was appropriate for this moment, but that his voice as well was unpretentiousness, angelic. Least sang for the truest motive of song - he was simply moved to do so.

"...and he wears many days upon his shoulders and as many lest more he will bear not. Tis the wonder of all in the absence of life, in the awakening of my shattered soul," Least ended with the last stanza. No one made a sound, as they each in turn regarded the young knight whose voice had never favored them with a tune. Least looked down away from the stares and then back up at Trilium, who sensed Least's uneasiness and nodded courteously towards him for reassurance.

Ciyee's moans again filled the air. It was as if he had been holding in the whimpering until the service had passed.

"One Fifteen?" Trilium asked and the knight immediately left his station. He walked up behind Ciyee, who had remained sitting on his back legs following Revan's hold. Absently, without changing his pace, One Fifteen walked directly into Ciyee's shoulder, his knee hitting the exact dwelling where the dislocation took place. Ciyee fell forward and sat up quickly, rotating the shoulder that had been apathetically wedged back into place. His eyes following One Fifteen as he returned back to his station.

Several knights gathered Gish's body in their arms and left the bridge while other knights left with boxes filled with Acia's to return to their rightful owners. Trilium watched all of this with indifference, his mind elsewhere. He would need to meet with House and Revan to strategize a landing on their now hostile docking station. He was about to speak telepathically with House when he felt a tightening in his chest that easily knocked him off his feet. Trilium fell onto his knees and then down on his stomach. There was a strange ringing in his ears and the degree of this pain was unfamiliar. This was the pain of a death of someone close to him. Trilium swallowed his breath, his hands pressed against his chest. Was it Kalin? Had he died as a result of his wounds, he wondered? But then, Trilium felt a uniqueness to this loss. It wasn't Kalin, it didn't feel like it was Kalin. The ringing in his ears ceased and for the first time, Trilium could hear his men, moaning as well. He was gripped with dread.

Trilium fought through the immobility, and like a young babe, struggled to lift his head to look about the bridge. All knights were on the floor, trying to catch their breaths. The death had affected all of them strongly and combined, they all were of the same mind. It was a Master who had fallen.

"No!" Trilium yelled out. "Father!" he roared. Trilium turned onto his back, his hands now covering his face as the pain fused into grief.

The aching gradually vanished for the other knights, but for Trilium, it held no mercy. The grip Master Zep held on his eldest son, even from this distance, was still very strong. Trilium could feel the knights staring powerlessly as they watched his suffering, their hearts as well calling out to the Old Master. Trilium's head filled with hollow cries and among them, he recognized the droning of Ciyee's voice crying out along with the rest.

Revan eyes were locked on Ciyee as well. He slowly began to rise from the floor. His Acia forming into place with his movement, its music sharp and its blade not linked but formed into a solid khopesh sword. Ciyee had not moved. He sat watching the knights' spirited approach like a willing sacrifice.

"Revan, wait," Trilium called out weakly. He forced himself up on all fours.

Revan stopped walking and stood still, trembling, usurped by his duty. "You would have him live? Even now?" Revan hissed uncharacteristically.

The tightness began to loosen itself in Trilium's chest. He lowered his head, Revan's insolence momentarily forgotten as Trilium desperately searched within himself for the last piece of his father spirit but the connection had passed. With effort, Trilium came to a standing position, coughing uncontrollably now that his chest was unobstructed. Several knights moved towards him but he waved them away. Once the coughing subsided, he addressed Revan.

"I would have you obey my command, Honorable Knight Revan, even now," he decreed. Revan turned towards Trilium and knelt down on one knee. His Acia pressed against his forehead as a sign of respect.

"Master Captain," Revan bowed his head. One Fifteen, who was standing nearest to Revan also went down on one knee. His unreleased Acia raised to his forehead, reverently. All knights on the bridge began the same action.

"Least?" Trilium asked desperately. His voice betraying his emotions more than he intended it to. Least sadly shook his head and knelt respectfully before speaking. "I am very sorry, Master. I cannot tell anything from this far."

Trilium nodded in understanding and then moved unsteadily to sit in a nearby wingchair. A few knights staggered onto the bridge and upon seeing their brothers' gesturing, they too moved into the same position. Trillium watched helplessly. His mind screamed to have the knights stand, to stop this devotion to a clearly fading social order but another part of his being, a part more prevalent in the forefront of his mind was void of any action. He opened his mouth to speak but for the first time in his life, his mind was disoriented. Without even realizing it, Trilium had moved in between the kneeling knights, across the bridge and had grabbed Ciyee by the neck and was dragging him into a standing position.

# Chapter 7

Paris was half afraid that he was holding onto Lisa's hand too tightly, but at the same time, he was more concerned with not defaulting on the oath he had pledged to the knight known as House. He steadied his hand onto the wall as he came too quickly down a flight of stairs. He felt Lisa run into his back and hastily recover to move back away from him. With his free hand, he pressed her against the wall beside him, covering her body with his to clear a path for the fast approaching knights. He had taken House's warning seriously to trust no one. He surmised, that the knights charging up this staircase were moving to follow the path that House had gone through moments before. Their faces were troubled and each one in turn as he passed the two youths, ordered either one or both to get to the garden as soon as possible. As the last knight whisked by, Paris watched their ascent up the stairs for a moment before sneaking a look at Lisa. Her eyes as well were locked on the knights back. Her face and top, were spotted with dried blood resulting from the strikes that Ciyee had garnered upon her. But the redness of her cheeks were not from any distress she had experienced, Paris surmised. Her small fingers were still wrapped tightly around his and his free hand was still laying against her shoulder. He promptly moved it and she looked up at him. Once their eyes met she looked away.

"Let's move, okay," Paris directed, pushing himself off the wall.

Lisa looked back up at him, nodding. Her eyes more trusting of him then they had been of her own brothers, making his oath, irrevocable.

Earlier, Paris had been half-heartedly checking the rooms on the last floor that he was going to check to search for Lisa Unten. The sixteen year old had spent the better part of an hour looking for the young girl when all he wanted was to get back to the garden so that he could have a piece of his brother's birthday cake. Yet, here he was doing as his mother had asked, locating the Master's cousin who had quite suddenly, disappeared. Paris had nodded obediently, then turned and rolled his eyes. He could almost feel all the mothers eyeing him mischievously, oohing and awing as if he were destined to always be watchful of Lisa Unten. It was a well-known secret that the fourteen year old girl was infatuated with Paris. And for some strange reason which the boy could not understand, people seemed to enjoy placing the two of them in situations where they would be expected to communicate. Lisa, for her part always seemed as uncomfortable as Paris during these 'chance meetings' and it only made him want to distance himself even further from the girl. The people of Dena, his father had recently warned him, were designed to be romantic. Dena was too picturesque and its society too mystifying, not to produce offspring's who were writers, poets and warriors alike. All women longed for the moment in the Bofensai when a man would finally confess his love. And more often than not, because it was a time that the man too had pondered upon, the proclamation came out more syrupy then initially intended, leaving the women to expect that type of adoration forever more. Knight Osh had assured his son that one day, he would not mind so much the giggling and finger pointing, that he would be honored that a young lady would think enough of him to want to enter into a courtship. Paris had left this talk with his father feeling yet again manipulated into giving the girl some false hope for the future.

A scream pierced the air suddenly, startling him out of his thoughts. He stared down the hallway in the direction from where the sound traveled. It was Lisa, he was sure of it. He began to run towards her and might have stepped on her as she sat on the floor when he rounded the corner, had he not jumped at the last moment.

Paris ran into the wall to stop his movement and then turned around to see Lisa shaking Knight House who seemed to be in a great deal of pain.

"Barry," Lisa was crying out as she shook her brother. "Please, tell me what's hurting you?"

Paris walked up to the knight and bent down next to Lisa.

"Knight Lieutenant Barris," the boy spoke quickly, he was frightened to see this grand knight in such a fetal position. "How can I help you?"

House sat up quickly. His face was sweaty and he looked from side to side before shutting his eyes tightly.

"Barry, please," Lisa begged.

Paris had avoided looking at Lisa up to this moment, more out of habit than anything else. But once he noticed the blood on her top and cuts around her neck and face he reached out to touch her shoulder.

"Lisa, are you okay?" he asked, genuinely concerned.

Lisa's face became flushed and she averted her eyes away from his before answering. "Yes, but my brother -"

"I am fine Peaches," the knight struggled to rise. Lisa and Paris moved to opposite sides of House, helping him come to a standing position. "I must get back to the bridge," he announced once he was stable.

Lisa pulled on House's arm. "Barry, please tell me if it's daddy. I have to know."

Paris gasped, picturing the elder Barris, who while not as large as his son also held the presence of a giant.

House knelt down so that he could look into his sister's eyes. A gentle gesture that surprised the sixteen year old boy.

"Peaches, it is not our father."

Lisa smiled and then it suddenly disappeared as realization set in. She reached out and hugged her brother's neck as she cried. Paris stood idly by as the understanding of what that meant seeped in.

"Paris," House started as he turned towards the young man. For the second time today, Paris was startled. A lieutenant of the Order knew his name. But then he realized why House knew who he was and for a brief moment, he considered flight. It was at that moment that House removed Lisa's arms from around his neck and coming to a standing position, he took Paris' hand into his huge grasp and looked down seriously into Paris' eyes. All the pain that House had seemed to feel earlier was only evident now in his face.

"Watch over Lisa," he said. "No matter what happens, keep watch over her for me."

Paris was not sure if it was his tone or formality but he found himself unable to refuse.

"I will keep watch over her Knight Barris, you have my word as a Student of the Order."

House gave the teen a small smile. "Knight Osh will be pleased with your pledge, young one."

House turned and gave his sister one last hug. He turned and spoke again to Paris.

"Get back to the garden quickly and do not stop for anyone along the way. I do not know who you can trust," he finished and then began walking down the corridor.

"Brother," Lisa protested from behind wiping the tears away.

'But you trust me?' the boy thought and then he spoke out loud behind him. "Trust for what, Knight Lieutenant?" he asked respectfully.

House stopped walking and turned around. "Your lives," he answered simply and then turned, moving at a curt pace down the hallway and out of sight.

Paris took a deep breath and turned towards the girl. He took her small hand and interlocked his fingers between hers.

"We should do as your brother says and get to the garden quickly," he stated, not knowing what else to say. "Stay alert, we may need your fire along the way."

Lisa nodded and the two ran down the corridor towards the staircase.

Paris knew the extent of Lisa's gift and although she was younger, she had been placed in a class much further along than his own. Paris had yet to realize what would ignite the calling of his gift. Everyone had been certain that Paris' gift had something to do with speed since he had shown bursts of quickness throughout his life. The promise of this brought an excitement to the knighthood, historians and scientist equally. For the historians, it was the possibility that Kalin was a distant relative to the Bara-Koh family and his ancestry could finally be identified. But Kalin had put that thought to rest once he assessed the boy and surveyed that Paris' gift laid not in speed but in wind. And while no Bara-Koh had displayed any elemental gift before, historians marveled at the chance that Paris could be a Whisperer. However, scientist challenged Kalin's unempirical hypotheses, until he admitted to the stunned researchers that he could recognize the difference because his own gift was combined with both.

Paris had no sooner opened the garden door than he and Lisa were overrun by the very same mothers who had teased him an hour earlier. Paris had yet to release Lisa's hand and he pulled her away from the embraces and approached his father, Knight Osh, who appeared to be the only knight left in the garden. It had never entered his mind to heed House's warning to include his father and he was happy to see that Osh was here. However, once he saw the smirk on his father's face as he eyed the two interlocked hands, Paris quickly withdrew his appreciation.

He frowned at his father and raised the clasped hands up. "Knight Barris gave her to me,"

Knight Osh raised an eyebrow at his son while Lisa gasped audibly. Paris could feel a blush raising in his own cheeks and was quite sure that somehow, some mother behind him had heard his declaration and that rumors were spreading at this very moment.

"That's not what I meant," he spoke loudly enough to hopefully be heard by the same mother. "Knight Barris charged me with her safety."

Osh's facial expression did not change. "Well said," he commented and turned his attention to Lisa. "I am very sorry for your loss," he offered.

"All of Dena suffers from this loss, Knight Osh. My condolences to you, as well," Lisa offered softly.

Paris noted the tremble in her voice and he regretted that up to now, he had done nothing but order the girl around and throw questions at her regarding the wounds. He had forgotten to offer his own sympathies. He squeezed Lisa's hand slightly to get her attention.

"We should be in Dena soon," Paris offered, "and I will take you to your family."

Lisa looked down and away from Paris but this time, he recognized no embarrassment in this gesture. Her mind seemed far away. "I hope so," she replied.

# Chapter 8

Ciyee's back hit the wall with a loud thump, yet he gave no sound or movement to fight off Trilium. No knight had moved from his kneeling position, yet every head turned to witness the execution.

"Flacker," Trilium called telepathically out to the knight.

Startled, Flacker spoke out loud in reply. "Yes, Master Captain."

"To Dena," Trilium ordered audibly, never taking his eyes off Ciyee. Flacker rose and motioned to Havo and One Fifteen to follow him.

Trilium could almost feel in his very grip the approval of his men for this act of justice. Each were preparing themselves mentally for the unavoidable discomfort which would come from the unworthy knight's death. Trilium too braced himself, for he had determined that he would not let go of the traitor until the weight of his body was too much for his clasp to bear. He stared hard into Ciyee's miserable eyes and tightened his grip.

"Master Captain, no," came a plea which had somehow broken through the haze to reach Trillium's ears. Trilium in turn chose to ignore it. There was nothing in this space where he was now except his hand and this neck but again, he remarked a distant cry blending with hurried footsteps. A second plea to stop filled the incumbent air.

"The code, Master. Only he knows the code."

"How are you speaking?" Trilium demanded of Ciyee in a voice barely above a whisper. "What kind of ventriloquism are you manipulating, traitor?" his anger sharpened. How could he continue to plea for his life while the Old Master had lost his? Trilium gazed in awe at Ciyee as his grip tightened yet again.

A warm heavy palm slapped Trilium on his outstretch arm challenging his own heat as it dispersed in his veins. Trilium unwillingly loosened his grip but he did not move his hand.

"Step back, House," he warned his cousin without looking.

"We must have the traitor's code to turn the ship," House said simply.

Flacker came up behind House and spoke. "Master Captain, the _Britannicus_ will not head home until the Wynet coding is overridden. The ship is circling on its own until I can ratify the command."

Trilium's jaw tightened as he tried to squeeze the life out of Ciyee, but his fingers would not reply to his authority, his body, suddenly unresponsive to movement of any kind. Revan walked to the other side of Trilium and inclined his head respectfully, indicating that it was his doing that Trilium could not move.

"He is your kill, Master Captain," Revan spoke. "And I would rather have him burned by Barris then have him mourned by a loved one. But for now, he must live."

Trilium turned his head to look at Flacker and House who both nodded in turn.

"Release me, Revan," Trilium ordered. He looked down at his arm where House's hand still laid and then back at the face of his cousin. House hesitated and then he too moved his hand. Trilium felt his body temperature return to normal. With force, he pushed the traitorous knight's head hard against the wall.

"This may actually satisfy me more than your death, traitor. Now, give me the code," he directed.

Trilium did not remove his hand from Ciyee's throat as he looked down and away to channel his mind's eye directly into Ciyee's memories.

Earlier, when he had pulled the whereabouts of the weapons from Ciyee's mind, it had been the first time in a long time since Trilium had called for this vicious gift of drawing information out of memory. It was a mixture of his telepathy and perception that made it so that he could not only read thoughts, but could grab onto one and trace it back to its conception. With Ciyee now, Trilium throttled the word association back to the day when Ciyee received it and worked his way back to the memory where Ciyee betrayed one Bishop to follow another. Ciyee screamed from the pain that this act caused him - a sensation like chipping paint off a canvas with one's fingernail.

*

Ciyee sat across the long wooden table surrounded by his fellow knights. The room was lively and jovial. He was not speaking or laughing along with the rest of the knights, whose attention was drawn towards the group of aged warriors who were dining with them - a rare occurrence in the three years they had been traveling throughout the galaxy.

Trilium noted the timeframe.

There was Ancient Knight Sip, the oldest living member of the knighthood, Old Knight Emory, Old Honorable Knight Oakleigh, known as the Sun King, Old Honorable Knight Barris and of course, Ciyee's father, Old Knight Cypress Song, who at the moment was the center of attention as he concluded singing an old tune about a young knight's calamities during a Bofensai. Finishing the song to a roar of cheers, his eyes fell on his only son, Ciyee. There was in his eyes the same look that was always present whenever he looked on his son when he was surrounded by warriors. He nodded kindheartedly at Ciyee and looked off towards the door as he came to a standing position and left the table, patting the backs of knight after knight as he exited the room. Ciyee waited a few moments before meeting his father in a separate location. Old Knight Song embraced his son warmly.

"We must hurry," Song said and headed out the room. Ciyee had to jog to keep up with his father.

"I am not sure of this, father," Ciyee protested.

"Silence," Knight Song warned as the two men walked down passage way after passage way to reach a room that Trilium had never been to within the confounds of Dena's castle.

"You did not think of this meeting at the table did you?" Song asked once he was sure that they were alone.

Ciyee laughed nervously. "I actually could not focus on anything at the table, father."

"Nor are your thoughts betraying you now, Commander Ciyee," Titus Bishop spoke. He had entered the room behind them and now the nineteen year old stopped just short of the door and leaned against the wall. "It appears that he has a natural gift of shielding. I can sense no thoughts from him except for his opinion on the meal. He didn't like the potatoes," Titus noted with a smile.

Ciyee inclined his head respectfully before speaking. "Knight Titus, I am no commander. I only pilot the Muse for my brethren."

"And I am no knight," Titus responded. "I am the provisional Master of Dena for the time being, who will bring prosperity back to the Sect."

Trilium took a deep breath and backed away from Ciyee. Once his hand was removed, Ciyee fell to the floor, clutching his head. His screaming subsided but the pain remained as Trilium did not release his inner hold.

"Old Knight Song has also betrayed us," Trilium confirmed out loud to his men.

The knights had already moved into a standing position, now gathered closer to Trilium to wait for more news.

"If I perceive correctly Ciyee, you and I are very much alike," Titus began. "We both have not been appreciated for our attributes. You introduced yourself to me moments ago as only the pilot of my brother's ship. But what I hear is that you trained yourself to fly all manners of aircrafts. You learned a ship's language so that you could program her logic and validate her mainframe. I understand from your father, that you are fluent in several languages and are studying to be a physician and an environmentalist in your free time? All, so that you can be of service to one single group of unappreciative knights. Where is your title, Ciyee? Why is there no "Honorable" in front of your name, when it is so obvious that you have much to teach? While others are recognized by my brother for their grandiose manipulations of elements and oddly handiness, you, Knight Ciyee, have the greatest gift of all. You have the gift of time. And I would have you command at my side, not just knights, but all men."

"It is as I have told you before, son, what your mother tried to instill in you. You are as worthy as any," Old Knight Song said, placing his hand on Ciyee's shoulder. "What Master Titus proposes is a nation where you don't have to fit into one way of life."

In both his memory and in the present moment, Ciyee's heart ached from the mere mentioning of his dead mother. The recollection with Titus and Song paused, threatening to veer off into a memorial of reflections on his life with her. Trilium quickly yanked that memory and pushed Ciyee's narrative back in sequence.

"I want to remain a knight, father," Ciyee stated.

"And so do I but the knights of Dena now do not have the honor they once had. Captain Trilium, does not even know his people. If he did, he would not have made himself an enemy of the Council."

"I didn't know the Council was against the Captain," Ciyee interrupted.

"The Council hates Trilium," Titus agreed. "They've hated him since the night he left them with no power and me with a false régime. He has forgotten the industries of our people and the livelihood of the Council. All where you have been about the universe, you have brought back trinkets and what-knots from other cultures as if they are better than our own. The Council now feels insulted. And justly so. A knight's purpose is to protect the Sect, not evoke modifications-"

"Captain Trilium is a good man," Ciyee protested. "We are about the universe so that we can meet the change of the universe."

"Now why is that?" Titus asked smiling as he moved away from the wall to approach the two knights.

"Son," Old Knight Song squeezed his shoulder gently." We knights have powers that should be used for protection, not for demonstration. Captain Trilium's trade for aid mentality...Whether he is right or wrong, or whether his heart is or is not in the right place, is misguided imperialism. And none of us here has had any say in whom to ally Dena with. He has not held council with any of his elders, including the Old Master."

Titus moved to stand in front of Ciyee. "Is Trillium genuinely concerned with new life forms or is he out there to put his footprint in the world? His expanding out to other sectors can only result in our Dena becoming extinct or engulfed in the metropolis of the galaxy," Titus turned away from Ciyee and moved to stand beside Knight Song. "Have you ever considered that by Trilium marrying an outsider, someone not from our planet, that his son is not a true Denard? What developments are to take place with her home planet when Trilium returns and once Gracen comes to rule?"

Trilium pulled back from the conversation. His hand gripping his mouth as a realization set in.

"Master?" House asked urgently.

Trilium's heart filled with fear as he pictured the small face of his son.

"Gracen..." Trilium trailed off. Murmurs of sounds persisted in his mind as Ciyee' continued on with the teleplay of memories. "Titus doesn't view the boy as a true Denard. He is going after Gracen. He's going to kill my son," Trilium said in a low voice.

House shook his head, disbelieving. "Doubtful," he announced, his voice taking on a professional tone. "He doesn't need to dispose of Gracen to obtain rule."

Trilium shook his head. "But he needs to in order to retain it. Without a blood relative to fight his claim..." he trailed off and turned away from House. He focused again on Ciyee as Titus continued on with his proposition.

_"...and if my brother is about change then why has nothing changed in Dena in the last three years, why has nothing changed for_ _you? Mark my words Knight Ciyee, you will be exactly where you are today a year from now, although you would have expanded your mind and gifts tenfold. No one will see you. No one ever has, have they? I'm afraid that the time for the knight's order upon our land is over. To bring Trilium back for good to rule in a place where his voice has never been heard would be detrimental to the lifestyle that has come from his absence."_

Ciyee moved away from Titus, shaking his head. "I can't believe I've listened to as much as I have. As a Knight of Dena I am supposed to be sworn to kill those who even attempt to commit treason."

"It is only treason when you have no right to the title," Titus calmly responded. "Once I gain the support of the Council of Old, they will decree me Dena's true head in Trilium's absence and as he himself decreed years ago \- all should remain as is. And I will choose to hold the title of Master."

Ciyee looked to his father. "All is doomed by you telling me this. The moment I return to the Muse, Trilium will be able to read my thoughts."

"No he won't," Titus quickly chimed in. "I can only sense a feeling a dread and guilt from you. I can't read your thoughts, and I'm trying, Trilium won't even be doing that. And if you think of blue water before you board the ship, your mind will...there...you see? Now, you've created a mask of blue water. It seems that you, Commander, are in complete control," Titus smiled angelically.

Trilium pulled back, away from the memory. He scanned forward through several meetings Ciyee attended in the following years. He found it alarming to see that more and more of the populaces joined these assemblies, people whom he had thought to be loyal. Finally, he saw that the Council of Old was present at a gathering where Titus whispered a coding into Ciyee's mind. Trilium exhaled a deep breath, pushing aside any fear he felt for his son's well-being.

"The Council is also with Titus," he announced to the knights.

Revan grunted. "That would explain the soldiers in Wynet."

"It would seem so," Trilium agreed as he moved towards the console. He reached the panel with Flacker on his heels. Trilium leaned over a series of buttons and began entering in the digits he obtained from Ciyee's mind. He was troubled most by the Council's unanimous partaking of this coup. But in what he saw of Ciyee's memories, all of the merchants, including Councilman Iain were among the members in the room with Titus and Trilium had to assume that Iain was also a conspirator.

Trilium entered in the last few numbers of the code yet nothing changed on the motherboard. Flacker leaned in next to him.

"That's odd," Flacker committed as he laid his palm on the stilled lights to exercise his new gift of communication.

Ciyee sat crumbled, trying not to vomit following the form of lobotomy that had just been delivered upon him by Trilium but the tone of Flacker's voice, the sound of perplexity, made him take note. He lifted his head a bit to try and view the colors appearing on the motherboard as a result of the code Titus had given him.

Flacker began to move lever after lever.

"Try again, Master," he asked Trilium.

Trilium had no more than entered several of the digits before he heard a resounding 'no' come from the thoughts of Ciyee as he tried to scramble to his feet. Trilium turned his head to face the rising knight when he felt Flacker tackle him and before he could respond, the panel before them exploded. In the process of falling, Flacker's weight crashed down onto Trilium and he hit the floor, unconscious.

# Chapter 9

Kalin opened his eyes with a start. Between the surgery, fatigue from fighting and the unmistakable pain of his father's death, he had gratefully passed out. Yet, he realized upon waking, that the fleeting spirit of Zep had moved on and he could only feel the emptiness of where his father's essence had been before leaving this realm. Kalin did not attempt to wipe the tears away as they rolled down the side of his face. He had yet to turn and look at Zep's corpse. For the moment, he could only think of Titus. Kalin bit the inside of his jaw to help steady his anger. If Titus had had any military sense, he thought, now would have been the time to strike - when a knight was overcome with a passing. But perhaps Titus had not known that he and Zep were together. Perhaps, Titus had thought that their father would be at home preparing for the ceremony and wedding breakfast and that Kalin would be an easy target. One thing Kalin was sure of, he would have been a much easier target if the Old Master had not treated him.

Kalin finally turned his head to look at his father. Forcing himself onto his hands and knees, he crawled the short distance to lay his hand upon the chest of the man who had raised him. Kalin pressed his forehead against Zep's for a moment before beginning the rite. He bemoaned Trilium's absence for this sacrament but at the same time, he was grateful for this private moment he was now able to have.

"I love you, father," he spoke and then moved his head away and closed his eyes, laying both hands upon his father's chest.

"May all goodness and light guide you on your journey and may your life's journey and goodness, light my way," he offered. He felt a slight tingling in his fingertips affirming that a gift had been entrusted to him. Kalin came to a standing position and scattered his way through the broken sticks, throwing his bloodied tunic onto the bed and replacing it with a fresh one from the bureau. He moved back to his father's body and picked up his own Acai. Laying it against his forehead, he bowed deeply towards the body before speeding out the door and into the yard to retrieve his father's weapon. Kalin paused. He closed his eyes hard to suppress any more tears, there would be time later for that. For now, he had to hurry on. Kalin headed towards his parents' home.

Zep and Eisa Bishop had decided upon marriage not to live in the castle as customarily done by the Master, but instead to raise their children in a more intimate household. The Bishop home, located a few miles away from the castle, was both impressive and unassuming all in one breath, inviting to both friend and guest. It was a feasible first stop, since Lucinda would naturally be included in all party arrangements. Kalin ran eagerly. His eyes surveying the area around him as if he were taking a casual stroll. He had tried on several occasions to explain the uniqueness of this peculiar gift that he had of time and motion having no meaning when he moved in this manner. Surroundings appeared to him gradually. Faces had expressions, movement had meaning.

Kalin stopped just inside the front door and stood still breathing heavily, anxiously. The house was quiet, too quiet. He took a step forward and moved between walking and sprinting through the foyer to the hallway, leading into the kitchen and onto to the nook. Food stuff was laid out, ready for preparation. Kalin stood still, his eyes surveying the room as if he had missed something. He purposefully walked up the kitchen staircase, his ears straining for the smallest sound. Once he reached the top of the landing, Kalin sped to his parents' bedroom door and whisked it open. Empty. He went through each room in this manner, half expecting a soldier or his mother to be there but he ran across no one. Lastly, he descended the front hallway, passing by groupings of picture after picture of family members throughout their lives. He had never noticed before how many images his father was featured in, or that his arm was always hugging someone, laughing. These pictures, where his father always looked as far removed from being a Master as he possibly could, were now remnants, remembrances of times past. Kalin didn't admit to himself until this very moment how afraid he had been to find his mother going about her daily routine, or getting dressed for the ceremony and hearing her call out her husband's name, yet finding Kalin in his place. He now hoped that she was with Gracen and Lucinda so that he would not have to make several stops looking for her. Kalin was halfway down the front stairway, seconds before moving to a run when he saw her. She looked as if she were sleeping, his mother. He would have thought just that, if her body were not laid out on the floor in the den surrounded by a pool of blood. He was by her side in a heartbeat. His knees had barely touched the ground before he was feeling for a pulse. Tears blended with sweat burned in his eyes as he pulled the spear out of her chest, her limp body moving involuntarily up with the blade and down again once it was gone. Kalin sprinted off and returned with a blanket that he placed over her body. He leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"I love you mom. Rest with father," he whispered in her ear before covering her face.

He flew through the door, his eyes intent on the road ahead and nothing else. He could not allow himself to think of anyone but Gracen. He had to find him. If Gracen and Lucinda were not here, then it was possible Gracen was at school or the docks or - _'dead'_

He shook his head and stopped running, cursing himself as he bent over trying to catch his breath, unable to control his thoughts.

'Titus has killed Gracen too. He died in Lucinda's arms.'

Images of his parents blending with imagined likelihoods claimed precedence over his promised deed. What of his aunt and uncle? At what point would he again be debilitated by his uncle or any other knight's death? Kalin straightened up, placing his hands on his head. Titus was out to kill every member of his family and that list had to include Ky as well.

"The back road," he spat out to no one and took off at top speed.

# Chapter 10

It was the knight's prayers which at first convinced Trilium that he was dead. And the thought did not sit well with him. He could feel no spiritual indication that he was in a realm with his father, and he felt no serenity as he had imagined would be gifted to him in the afterlife. He opened his eyes, but they quickly fell closed again, yet, he registered - he had opened his eyes. He had lived through whatever it was that had exploded, yet there was a procession of prayers that were being offered one after another with speed to some fallen warrior close by. Trilium cringed inwardly, another knight or knights had fallen and he had missed their pronouncement. From the throbbing in his head, he was certain that he had passed out but for how long he did not know.

Trilium struggled to open his eyes again. The chewed mumbling of incantations nearby was maddening. It was clear to Trilium that it was not any type of memorial service that he was eavesdropping on, but that it was more like an expedition. The knights were searching for a particular gift. Trilium's heartbeat quickened, his steadfast memory replaying the moments before he hit the floor and how Flacker and Ciyee reacted at once; Ciyee yelling out and Flacker shielding Trilium's body with his own. Trilium again struggled to open his eyes as he fought to resist the lightheadedness that was beckoning him to rest.

"Wake up," he mouthed, uncertain if he had spoken it with sound or silently. He had to wake and bless Flacker's passing. Flacker, who had died in his place and now the sole possessor to the one gift knights were scrambling to obtain, the gift Gish had bequeathed earlier to his friend.

Trilium muddled his thoughts around the unsteadiness, his ears now decisively able to recognizing the bedlam that was surrounding him. There were no conversations being held, only orders being given from either Revan or House, to 'go here' or 'do that', 'lie still' or 'get moving'. Trilium breathed a sigh of relief, no other knight had died, at least he thought, not yet, and then a groundswell of guilt began to pour out over his mind until his very bones began to ache from the weight of it. Then, just as quickly, he bound up his thoughts and compartmentalized his conscience away to deal with later.

Trilium opened his eyes. He watched as Havo rose from prayer over the prostrate body of Knight Flacker, his arm already outstretched towards the motherboard which appeared to be covered in a mist.

"Thank you Knight Flacker," Havo spoke in his movement.

"Havo, it's still hot," Knight Nash warned. He stood a short distance away with his palms facing the panel. A stream of mist was shooting out to diminish the flames.

"It's of no bother. I can take it," Havo responded as he laid his hand down into a puddle.

Trilium rolled over onto his side to come to a sitting position. He remained groggy but was grateful that there was no nausea. A hand reached out to him. He looked up at Least and took his arm as aid to stand.

"Master are you okay?" Least asked concerned.

"I'm fine," Trilium answered but Least did not hear him. He had already moved away, his mind preoccupied as he kneeled down beside Flacker in the spot where Havo had been. He looked up at Trilium.

"I do not believe that Havo will be able to get much information out of the ship at this point. Let me see as Flacker saw," Least said in the most confident voice Trilium had ever heard him speak in. Least laid his hand on the dead knight's shoulder.

Trilium turned towards the direction where House stood barking orders. House paused momentarily once he saw his cousin, a faint smile flashed across his lips before he went back to the scowl he was wearing as he gave out instructions.

"For a moment, I thought you had relinquished rule to me," House thought. Trilium having read his mind smiled and winced inwardly.

"Not so loud. This concussion is intoxicating," Trilium confessed.

House again spoke to various knights as he carried on an inward conversation with Trilium.

"You should sit, Master Trilium. I don't think it would help moral should you fall on your backside."

Trilium gave House a sour look. "Just give me a report, House."

"We don't have very much, yet. The motherboard exploded and killed Flacker, the ship veered a full 180 and our speed has increased.

"Do we know what caused the explosion?" Trilium asked. House didn't reply. He didn't really need too. Trilium knew that Titus was behind the explosion yet he had hoped that it was something else, that perhaps they had been attacked. That he could deal with fully, he knew how to handle such a foe, but what Titus was doing to them now, he couldn't understand this form of warfare.

"And how is everyone?" Trilium continued.

"Lots of bumps and bruises here. How's it going in the garden?" House asked.

Trilium searched with his mind's eye for his young cousin. "Peaches is fine, but there's much damage," he paused, touching upon Lisa's inner exhilaration. He studied House's face before asking his next question with a raised brow. "She is with Paris? As you requested?"

"Commanded," House replied a bit tetchy. "He happened to be around when I needed him."

Trilium nodded, knowing that Lisa's fondness of the boy was not to House's liking. "I would never question your judgment under any circumstances, Knight Lieutenant," he said lightly.

"No, you wouldn't Master. Just my good sense," House commented dryly more to himself, than to his cousin.

Trilium smiled faintly, he began searching the minds of the knights in the garden. "No fatalities in the garden but a few serious injuries," Trilium's voice faded off. He unintentionally picked up on Least's emotions. He turned to look down at the young knight. "What did you say?" he asked Least telepathically. House also heard this question since Trilium had not broken off their connection.

Least looked up from where he kneeled. The confidence Trilium had noted earlier was now gone from the frame of the knight's now paled face. Least appeared frightened. House placed his hand up to silence the knights approaching him with reports. He took a step towards Least.

"Knight Aris," Trilium said calling Least by his true name. "Speak," he demanded.

Least looked back down. "Master," he responded softly. "Those are not my words but the last thoughts of Knight Flacker who..."

Trilium detached himself from House, shielding his cousin from what had yet to be confirmed. But the thoughts of Havo and One Fifteen screamed out at Trilium simultaneously, in unison with Least's theory. He turned to face the two men who stood side by side over a panel, One Fifteen's finger tracing along the computer screen as he silently mouthed out the words Trilium had just pulled from Least's mind not once, but twice.

"It's wrong," One Fifteen protested out loud. "Havo, change course. Change course," he demanded. One Fifteen cursed profusely as he moved over to the undamaged controls and began maneuvering lever after lever.

"It's no use," Least whispered as he came to a standing position.

House moved to stand directly in front of Least.

"Where are we headed?" he demanded.

"Do not speak," Trilium warned Least. "Say nothing until we know for sure," he continued and moved towards the motherboard almost tripping over Flacker's body to reach Havo.

"There is nothing left to communicate in line with our endpoint, Master. The controls were destroyed and the code cannot be reversed," Havo advised calmly, yet Trilium noted that the knight's voice was unsteady.

"Our point of departure, Havo? Can you get us back to Sersons?" Trilium asked hastily.

Havo took a deep breath and focused, shaking his head so that he could form his thoughts into words. "Impossible. All navigational memory has been erased. The _Britannicus_ has only one location in its data bank. And that is where we are headed."

"And communication with Dena?"

"There is no communicating with Dena?" One Fifteen spoke from his workstation. "Either no one is in the tower-"

"Or no one who gives a damn about us," Trilium finished One Fifteen's thought out loud. "Then can you at least slow us down, give us some time?" Trilium asked anxiously.

"Where exactly are we headed?" House pressed.

Trilium turned back around to face House. All the knights remaining on the bridge stood still, waiting for a response. He could feel the beads of sweat already forming on his forehead as he turned back to face the unrecognizable motherboard of the _Britannicus_.

"The hate that Titus has wielded at me has designated the fate of us all," he stated out loud, more to himself than anyone else. He had yet to fully digest the certainty of where they were headed, even though its truth was evident in the minds of the three knights on the bridge who had already submitted to its certainty. Trilium swallowed hard and again faced the knights, allowing the foul taste of the immutable words to settle in his dry mouth before speaking.

"Caliyxxi," Trilium answered. "The ship is on course for Caliyxxi."

*

The natural hum of the engines powering the _Britannicus_ along with the usual cacophony of spaceship sounds filled the surrounding area. Trilium could clearly hear the air being circulated out from the vents in various locations within the bridge and adjoining rooms. The stillness blended eerily with the fluttering bleeps from buttons being pushed on the one operational motherboard where One Fifteen was desperately trying to reconfigure a course change. Trilium noted the ordinary elements of movement, so commonplace that had this very instant not ever taken place, he would not have registered it as a memory. But for now, it was an earmark for the one time that the knights of Dena produced no sound. No knight made the typical bravado proclamation to challenge Trilium's announcement or to devise an exit plan. The situation was inescapable as far as the knights were concerned and for his part, Trilium had no rallying speech for this occasion to motivate any type of resolution. Thoughts poured into Trilium's mind from the knights. Feelings filled with fear and regret. This was no opponent which they could battle. And while singularly reflecting on their own personal losses, each were in agreement with one understanding \- they were, all of them, were going to die. Caliyxxi meant death. The planet's poisonous gases extended into the very reaches of outer space and no 'being' of any kind, was immune to its vapor. Hope was confidently lost among the men and Trilium stood very still, concentrating on trying to impart in his face and body the look of neutrality, for on the inside, he too felt hopeless.

Titus had picked his retribution wisely.

The first time Trilium heard of Caliyxxi he had been in an assembly and had challenged the information presented to him regarding the planets abominable prestige. Trilium's misgivings had actually offended the Honorables who had spent countless hours with Historians verifying the legitimacy of the planet's existence. It took his father's gentle reprimand to open the youth's mind to the wealth of knowledge that he could obtain in believing in the unbelievable. It was the first time that Trilium truly realized that he too could be viewed by outsiders as a monster because of the gifts he possessed - that what he and knights on Dena could do, could not ever be understood fully by their own kind, nevertheless, they were accepted in the Sect as normalcy; for no Denard could imagine a world where their thoughts were closed off, or where their bodies could not be warmed from a ball of fire ignited in the palm of one's hand. His father's explanation of Caliyxxi veered on the planet being misunderstood; that someone who dwelled there might have a separate understanding of the gifts that the planet possessed. This, Trilium could relate to, for he could only look at Kalin and imagine his brother's origins and he sympathized with Kalin's resentfulness at being interpreted. Unfortunately, at the same time Master Zep could give his son no examples of Caliyxxi's populace for no one who had been to Caliyxxi had ever returned.

It was then that Trilium feel in love with the idea of space travel. He vowed to integrate Dena with the universe and his fascination with the unknown manifested itself in the study of the planet. With his everlasting memory, he had become a scholar for the Historians in explaining its gastric atmosphere, and supposed lack of organic life. Trilium rationalized why no technology had yet been invented that could give a polarized view of the planet's surface and he marveled at its tenaciousness - a boldness to exist without admittance. Caliyxxi was the first enigmatic truth that terrified Trilium unreasonably - since he would never have reason to fear the planets wrath. That is, until today.

'Yes,' he thought once more. 'Titus chose wisely.'

The engine's purr became incredibly loud in the surrounding silence as the _Britannicus_ noticeably slowed down. Trilium turned again to face Havo, whose appearance had not changed.

"I've bought us maybe sixty-five, sixty-six minutes worth of time, Master," Havo advised, unaware that his accomplishment was enough to stir in Trilium some words of encouragement. Trilium paused before speaking, making eye contact with those who were unruffled enough to return his stare.

"While we may be headed towards the fabled planet, I do not believe that all is lost," Trilium said. "At least, not until I am older and wiser," he added in the knight's adage, hoping to move the men and in hopes to inspire himself as well. "We must concentrate on protecting our families. That is a commission worthy of taking a knight's life."

One by one, the knights nodded in agreement with Trilium's words, until finally, Revan and House moved to stand behind him, their Acia's singing upon ignition as a final sign of being in accordance with the Master. They again, were of one mind, Trilium thought, to die a worthy death.

# Chapter 11

Paris at once recognized that he was sticking to a netting which had come from his father. He had not been in its bouncy gridlock since he was a kid yet he was not entirely surprised when it scooped him up once the ship began its rude spin in the opposite direction. Although today, he was dumbfounded because it held not just him, but mostly all of the people in the garden were somehow entangled in its network. During the commotion he had lost his grip on Lisa's hand, however, even in this position, he was certain she was within reach. The air was filled with screams and chatter. Paris pulled his head away from the stickiness to look for Lisa who was indeed by his side. He maneuvered his arms and upper body free and pulled at Lisa's arms to help release her.

"Paris, wait. My head's still stuck," she protested.

"Oh, sorry," Paris apologized and lifted Lisa's head gently from the goo, separating strands of her hair from it as well.

"Don't worry, none of it will stick on you, it's..." Paris ran his fingers through her hair and went back to helping Lisa unstick her upper body. "It's complicated," he finished as he helped to sit her up. Lisa was again blushing and averting her eyes away from his face. Paris found it comforting in the mist of all the chaos around them. He went back to unsticking the rest of his body and was in the middle of freeing himself when the netting began to curl as if it were a tide in the ocean. He looked out at his father. Knight Osh's face was painfully strained and his arms were unrecognizable in their current structure as both were stretched out the length of the garden, grasping onto people. Paris recognized that look as being the same one that Knight House had earlier. Paris gasped loudly enough so that several people around him, including Lisa, stared out towards Knight Osh as well.

"Another knight," Lisa said softly in recognition.

Osh's face grimaced even more and the netting swayed back and forth yet Osh did not lower his hands. Slowly, the internal struggle subsided and Osh, exhausted from his work, dropped down to one knee.

Paris moved rapidly. "Unstick yourself Lisa," he yelled. "We need to get the others off as well. The weight is too much on my father."

"But won't we just get stuck again?" Lisa asked as she tried to stand.

"No. Once air hits the surface of the glue, it turns into something like plastic," he said rising. Paris bent down to help Lisa stand. As the two jumped down, several knights entered into the garden and began removing others from Osh's grasp as well. Paris gave instructions over and over to people as he helped them off. Occasionally, he would turn to study his father's face and while it wasn't as strained as before, Osh still appeared to be struggling. Paris watched his father admiringly, feeling both inadequate and sheepish at the same time. If he had any of his father's gift inside of him, it was a dormant trait that hadn't awakened, and if he were a Wind Whisperer, that too was not engulfed in his veins so that he could call upon it at will.

"I can't even help my father," he said out loud to himself.

"What do you mean Paris?" Lisa asked. Paris jumped slightly, unaware the Lisa was close enough to him to have heard what he said. Again, Paris felt guilty because at the moment he had forgotten his initial duty.

"You released almost half of these people on your own," Lisa told him. "Look at the net."

Paris turned back to look at the now, half emptied netting. His eyes widened as he noted that over a hundred people seemed to have been removed by him alone in the last few moments. Several knights were working quickly to take off the rest.

"You move almost like cousin Kalin, except that, I can see you. You move like the wind," Lisa said in a voice filled with awe.

"That's impossible," he protested. "I didn't even feel it. I didn't even think or try to move that way."

"But you were thinking to move quickly, you said to me that we needed to hurry," Lisa reminded him, excitedly. "They teach us about covert dormancy in school. If you can recognize a pattern -"

"This isn't school, Lisa," he said interrupting her. Paris knew that any anger he directed towards her was unfounded but he didn't want to hear any more about what he had done when he couldn't even recall having done it. "And I have no need for any lessons. Look around us," he ordered, taking the time himself to note the damage surrounding them. The garden was in ruins. Flowers and plants had been uprooted and all lawn furniture was broken, scattered in pieces. In addition to the dismay, families were laid out, tending to each other's wounds. Paris looked down at Lisa who appeared visibly shaken by the amount of damage. She began to move forward but Paris caught her by the hand.

"You are not supposed to leave my side," he reminded her.

Lisa looked up at Paris, her eyes burning with determination.

"As you demanded, I have looked around and I see where I am needed, Paris Bara-Koh," Lisa snapped. "I release you from your duty, Student of the Order," she announced in the most regal voice she could form, without indicating the injury he caused to her feelings.

Paris had been momentarily awe struck by this uncharacteristic display of heat from the fourteen year old and had considered apologizing for his behavior moments beforehand, but her dismissal of him caused his temper to rise as well.

"You have no authority to do that, Lisa Unten. And until Knight Lieutenant Barris tells me differently, I am going to protect you. Where I go, you go. Or would you go against a knight's wishes?" he challenged.

Paris left it at that. He didn't know if her feelings for him were strong enough to let him honor his promise but he knew that she would not go against her brother.

"Alright, I'll stay with you," she promised.

Paris walked out in front of her. "And, you're right. We should help," Paris took her hand and began to walk towards a group of wounded. He had half expected that considering her mood, the hand would be quite warm, but it was as it was before - small and soft.

"I didn't know you could be such a hot head," he said without turning around.

"Paris," a voice yelled out. It was his mother's and she was standing beside his father and brother, who were sitting on the grass. Paris and Lisa moved hurriedly towards them and once there, Paris kneeled down next to his father. He did not release Lisa's hand, so she was obliged to kneel down with him. Knight Osh appeared drained. His limbs, still elongated were lifeless and slowly reshaping back to their usual lengths. Paris smiled half-heartedly at his father and his brother Leon, who was still wearing a dented birthday crown on his head. Leon moved over to Paris and patted him on the head.

"You were quite impressive out there, Paris," his father complimented. "Wind Whisperer," he said, proudly. "I wasn't aware you had finally come into your gift."

"Knight Osh, can you tell us who it was that passed on?" Lisa asked. Paris stared at her gratefully, he knew her question was sincere however, he also realized that it was asked at that moment to save him from answering his father. Osh inclined his head respectfully before speaking.

"I cannot tell you in this place but I can say that it was not House or the Master."

Lisa nodded her head. "Thank you, Knight Osh. It seems inappropriate to even feel relieved, under the circumstances."

"We should go and try to help others," Paris agreed as he rose and pulled Lisa up with him. Leon grabbed onto Paris's leg. "Mother, is there anything you need?" Paris asked as he tried to move the boy away.

Anya Bara-Koh shook her head, smiling. "Leon and I will look after your father."

Leon tightened his grip on Paris's leg then suddenly, the newly five year old began to wail. Paris released Lisa's hand and bent down to pick the boy up.

"Hey, didn't you hear?" he asked his baby brother, "You're not allowed to cry on your birthday."

Leon tugged on his brother's tunic. "Cake," he cried, "I lost my cake."

Paris looked at his brother as he witnessed the pure anguish in Leon's eyes. Leon was unconcerned that their father had probably saved his and everyone else's life and he was not troubled by any impeding mayhem the future might hold for them today. He was only concerned with his cake. Paris began to laugh.

"Well at least you had a piece," Paris reminded him. "I've been dreaming about it since mom brought it on the ship. But I promise that if I find a cake laying around in the dirt, covered in grass, that I'll bring it straight back to you."

The boy immediately stopped crying, his small face filled with joy.

"As fast as you can, Paris?" he asked hopefully.

Paris placed Leon back on the ground and again, took Lisa's hand into his.

"Maybe even faster than that, Leon."

Paris turned and left with Lisa following behind him. The smile he had an instant ago disappeared as he looked around the uprooted garden, trying to decide who they should offer assistance to first.

# Chapter 12

Kalin spied Lucinda and Gracen on the open road ahead of him. Lucinda was holding onto Gracen's hand as they walked along the road alone. Both were dressed for the day similar to how his father had been and Gracen was absently holding onto a toy Acia, listening to his mother reading from a book to him.

Before approaching he circled around them, fifty yards out, searching for soldiers. He found none, but he was certain that they would soon be here on this alternate route between the docks and his parents' home.

"Hello Uncle Kalin," he heard Gracen call out in a ringing voice as he came out of his run about twenty feet in front of them.

"You sensed me?" Kalin asked shocked.

"A few seconds before you appeared he began calling out your name," Lucinda announced proudly. Her smile began to fade as Kalin got closer.

"Remarkable," Kalin admitted.

"Kalin?" she asked letting go of Gracen's hand. She closed the book she had been reading from and placed it under her arm. Her hair began to blow in the fresh breeze that appeared, her brow furrowed. Kalin walked up to Gracen and scooped him up into his arms.

"So glad I found you first," he whispered loud enough for Lucinda to hear.

"Kalin, what are you doing out here?" Lucinda had barely finished asking her question before Kalin brought her into his grasp.

"So glad I found you first," he repeated to himself. Lucinda pulled back to look at him, her face concerned.

"Soldiers have eliminated the Old Master," he said directly, hoping that this reference might not be recognizable from Gracen's perspective. Lucinda gasped and Kalin grabbed her by the hand and led her away from the open road to the nearby woodlands.

"How?" she asked once they were covered. "Why?"

"A coup, for Titus to take rule."

"In place of my husband? He cannot make that claim unless..." Lucinda could not finish her thought but her emotional state registered within Gracen who called out to her in fear. Lucinda reached out for her son, but Kalin quickly backed up.

"His life must be protected," he replied as an explanation. "From all that Titus has done so far today, extinguishing our family is his main objective," Kalin shifted Gracen onto his right side. Reluctantly, he finished his thought, "Where I am going, I cannot carry you both."

Lucinda nodded looking down at the small red blot forming on the side of his tunic.

"Stay in these woods and make way to that old house near Crawnies Creek. Do you know it?"

Lucinda nodded again, tears filling her eyes while she resisted the desire to ask questions which would make Gracen additionally upset. Gracen started to struggle against Kalin's hold and Lucinda took the opportunity to move to him quickly, kissing his face she put on a brave voice.

"Gracie, stay with Uncle Kalin, son."

Gracen continued to struggle. "Mommy..." he cried out, clinging onto her hair.

"Gracie," she removed his hands away. "Mommy will be waiting for you, okay. Way over there," she pointed off north towards the direction of the creek. "Do what Uncle Kalin tells you," Lucinda instructed. Then she backed off away from him.

Kalin pulled out his Acia from underneath his tunic and held it out to Lucinda. "Trilium has shown you how to use an Acia?" he asked.

Lucinda nodded, frazzled. "Yes, no. Kalin, I don't know, I am no knight."

"Today may make knights of us all. If for no better reason than to be his champion," Kalin stated nodding towards the boy. Gracen looked into Kalin's eyes and then his mothers.

Lucinda took the Acia from Kalin.

"I've spent too much time here already, Lucinda. I must find Ky before returning to you," he continued.

"I'll be waiting," she smiled bravely for Gracen.

Kalin stood before her within a second. He looked hard into her eyes.

"Trilium is well," he promised. "I believe that."

Lucinda held the Acia up in front of her face in the form of a salute.

"So do I," Lucinda agreed and took off into the woods. Kalin watched after her for a moment. Somewhat relieved to see she knew more about an Acia than he had assumed.

"Gracie, keep your head close to my chest and your eyes closed. Tug on my shirt if I'm moving too fast."

"Okay," the boy said softly. Kalin held Gracen's head close and then they were off. The world again merged into space and movement. He regretfully dodged several soldiers along the way who were thankfully not moving towards the direction of the woods. He itched to stop and fight but he couldn't afford to lose any more time. If Titus had aligned with the soldiers he was going to need knights, no matter how green they were. And most importantly, he had to warn Ky that her life was in danger.

*

Kalin ran into what was considered the Red Yard in the school for young knights. Its name coming as a result of the many challenges that had been delivered throughout the years between neophytes and Honorables. The day always came when knights would inevitably meet in the yard to battle. There would be no deaths in a contest, however, it was expected for all tested to return home covered in blood.

Kalin had expected to see some students lingering in the yard but then he realized that it was getting towards the time for the ceremony. Most classes had probably let out early to prepare for the festivities. The ones which were still in session would be those of the more senior class. Kalin had begun walking towards Ky's classroom when he saw the old knight through the picture window. It was Knight Song who was alone in the reading room. He was sitting in a slumped position and his faced appeared drained. Kalin change his direction and moved towards the knight. He found that he was anxiously approaching this knight who had served under his father. The presence of the old knight's sadness was unexpectedly, comforting.

Kalin entered the room with Gracen on his side. Knight Song looked up at him and then back down again. Song appeared enormously tired, although Kalin was quite sure he was fresh and awake. His gift, like his son Ciyee's, kept him awake for most of his life and unfortunately the wakefulness always registered in his appearance. Kalin walked up behind the knight and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"How did he die?" Song asked without looking up.

"Super soldiers. Eight were sent to my home to kill us both."

"Eight," the old knight snickered, insulted just as Kalin had been. "Who would have thought eight men could take out the greatest one of us all?" he asked. "I am truly sorry."

"It was Titus' doing," Kalin stated. "In order to become Master."

Song nodded. "Yes," he agreed, "It would have only been him."

Kalin stepped slightly back away from the knight. He felt a sudden shiver go down his spine. He was troubled, not by what Song said nor his sincerity but in how he said it, without a hint of surprise.

"Gracie," he said in his head, "can you hear me?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes," the boy answered silently.

"Ride piggy back," he told the boy. Gracen obediently climbed out of his uncle's arms and positioned himself onto Kalin's back.

"Old Knight Song -" Kalin began.

"I had no idea of his true intentions, Kalin," the knight interrupted, "to kill your father. You must believe me when I say that I would never conspire to do that."

Kalin backed up even more. "Just what the hell did you conspire to do?" he asked in an angry but steady voice.

The old knight looked up at Kalin and then away from him. His thoughts a thousand miles away. "To strand the knights of Dena on Wynet long enough for the Council of Old to swear in Titus and his faction," he confessed.

Kalin's mind was spinning. The Council of the Old controlled the soldiers, of course they had their hands in this, Kalin thought. "Ciyee?" Kalin asked. "Ciyee is piloting the _Britannicus_. Is he a part of this tyranny as well as you?"

Knight Song rubbed his face with both hands and then placed them back into his lap. "He and I were both unknowingly involved in creating this foul play."

"Foul play!" Kalin yelled releasing his father's Acia. The blade, affected by his emotions literally sparked as it clinked, screaming into place to rest in front of him; his anger heightened from Song's belittling the significance of the Old Master's death. Kalin took several breaths to gather his composure before speaking. "Get up," Kalin ordered.

The old knight did not move.

"Old man," he addressed the knight disrespectfully. "There is no way around our meeting."

Knight Song slowly came to a standing position. He turned to face Kalin but he did not produce a weapon.

"How did Titus bewitch you?" Kalin asked. "What could he have possibly promised you that would be worth my father's life?"

Tears welled up in the old knight's eyes as he shook his head.

"Nothing, Knight Protector is worth this. It is clear to me now, that Master Titus will do anything to get what he wants."

Kalin was taken aback by the knight's salutation.

"You still submit to Titus, after all that you have just said?"

"As you pointed out, he is bewitching. There is no going back on my decision," Song pulled out his Acia. It silently snapped into place indicating its age and maker.

"I swear to you that I will do all that I can to save the boy's life," Song promised.

Kalin lowered his stance, spreading his legs further apart. "Gracie," he spoke in his head, "whatever you do, stay completely still."

"Old man," he said out loud. "I will make this quick, not because I once honored you but because I must go."

Kalin immediately approached Song from the right but the knight was already waiting with his blade up. The wound, Kalin surmised. He saw the blood stain and knew what would be his approach. Kalin warded off a swing of the blade that almost went around him. It was clear that the old knight was using Gracen as a decoy to move Kalin away from being on the offense, but as Kalin dodged the blow, he also found an opening to pierce his blade through the knight's side. As he thrust the blade forward he heard the old knight mouth the word he was trying to avert him from saying. "Restart."

Kalin found himself positioned back where he was at the start of this fight. His body in the exact same position he had been in prior to his run towards Song. The old knight nodded in agreement. Kalin had known of the knights' gift, yet had never seen it used.

"My gift, Knight Protector is one where your speed will not be of use to you, but you will notice that it is of use to me."

Kalin had already taken immediate notice that while he was in the same spot, Song was several steps closer than he had been before.

"Hold on tight, Gracie," Kalin warned silently and he again tried to attack the old knight, this time moving swiftly out to his left side. He disappeared through the door and appeared directly behind Song his blade outstretched. The old knight was startled by this move and he was not prepared to counter.

Instead he cried out. "Restart."

Kalin again found himself where he had begun; his hands, feet, positioned exactly as before he had moved sideways. And Knight Song was even closer to him then he had been moments ago, except this time his arms were folded on his chest.

"You are quite impressive Knight Protector," he admitted. "I didn't know that there weren't any...restrictions to your gifts," Song said acknowledging the boy. "Yet you chose not to use the Shadow Speed?"

Song had barely gotten his question out before Kalin moved to the attack again. Yet, Kalin didn't even have the opportunity to manipulate the wind before he found himself back where he had started however, he was leaning slightly to the right. Kalin realized he had been pulled back at the same speed he had been moving at and his balance was off because of this. He noted the weight on his leg before coming to an upright position. Old Knight Song smiled sadly. He had, Kalin noted, moved even closer.

"There is no way out of this dance, Knight Protector. Even if you ran away and dropped the boy, I could still bring you back with him. It does not end, until I say it ends."

Kalin did not speak. Instead, he pointed his unreleased Acia at the knight. He smiled and moved towards Song, releasing his Acia at the last moment into the shape of a sword. Knight Song easily blocked the move with his weapon and the two knights stood toe to toe, each pushing against the other's blade with their own. Kalin slide his blade up against Song's and then bent down quickly, dropping his Acia and linking it around the knight's legs.

"Restart," the old knight proclaimed.

Kalin stood smiling as he was brought back to the beginning. He held up the Acia for a second time in an unreleased manner. 'Almost,' he thought. 'Gracie, close your eyes and keep them closed,' he silently ordered.

"You look unsure of yourself, old man," Kalin observed out loud. "And I see that you didn't move closer this time," he added with satisfaction.

Kalin instantly traveled again with the same movement and again successfully wrapped the Acia around Song before the knight called out with his defensive gift. This time, the knight did move forward and Kalin again held his Acia's handle out in front of him.

"Now it ends," Song predicted.

Kalin released his Acia pointing it at Song before moving forward and the old knight called out immediately and took a step forward before Kalin could move close enough to strike. As soon as Kalin was back in place he raised a released Acia and this time, feigned movement. The old knight immediately called out 'restart' and took a step forward. As Kalin went back to his starting position with his armed Acia outstretched, he thrust it into the knight's chest. Song looked down at his wound, unbelievingly and weakly called out 'Restart,' as if anything would change, but Kalin did not falter from this stance and the blade remained sticking into its resting place. Old Knight Song called out 'restart' once more, this time taking a step back from Kalin, but it was too late. The old knight dropped his Acia at his side and fell to the floor. Kalin moved swiftly to the fallen knights Acia and picked it up, tossing it out of the knight's reach. The old knight smiled and laughed, coughing up a small bubble of blood.

"You are quite wise, Knight Protector."

"And you are dying, old man, by way of my father's Acia," Kalin answered without emotion. "You can open your eyes now Gracie," Kalin repositioned the young boy onto his hip before moving away from Song.

"The blessing?" Song called out weakly behind him. "After what I have done, who will complete the knight's blessing for me?"

Kalin did not turn around as Gracen repositioned himself to face the dying man. Kalin knew that Lucinda would not approve of Gracen watching but he also knew that Trilium would do the same thing in his place. "As I said before traitor, you have betrayed the knighthood and I am short on time," Kalin left the room, purposefully walking away through the door. The old knight called pitifully behind him but Kalin did not listen.

"Look well, Gracen, on one who betrayed the family," Kalin said. "And then never lay eyes on him again."

Gracen turned his body around away from the knight and looked up at Kalin. "Grandfather," he said sadly and simply in way of understanding.

# Chapter 13

Trilium walked speedily down the corridor. He was anxious to reach the knights who had found breathing apparatus' in the ships pantry. He was regally aware that he must not appear desperate, although, the word seemed too meniscal a description to capture just how desperate he was at the moment. He listened intently at the footsteps following him. The knight's pacing succeeding him was deliberate. That was a good sign, it meant that they were focused on the task at hand, to save the civilians.

The last thirty minutes had brought about a massive rallying amongst the knights. Trilium's last words resonated in their actions as they searched the ship for any help it could offer, yet each discovery had come to a dead end. There were no transmitters on board which would allow communication with any allied planet. The four escape pods which could carry a few dozen away to precious safety were devoid of fuel and the drums used for reserved energy had been trip wired. Trilium listened to these reports from his men with a dispassionate ear. From the way Titus had played this, it was expected that he would neatly sabotage the ship's most obvious resources. No ally could reach them in time and the knights he assigned to reversing the explosives would be able to do so successfully, but he was painfully aware that it would take longer than the thirty-six minutes they now had left before reaching Caliyxxi's atmosphere. But the multitude of air masks found in the pantry could change their whole situation Trilium hoped, since Ciyee revealed that Councilman Iain's people had stocked the pantry.

"So you were on the ship when Iain's men came?" Trilium replayed the conversation he had with Ciyee in his head. They had moved Ciyee to sit against a wall. He was neither guarded nor bound. Ciyee was visibly ashamed and conquered and the knights for their part, felt no sympathy for the traitor. Their lax in considering him a threat was even more humiliating for the abandoned knight.

"Yes, I was on the ship when Iain came," Ciyee confirmed feebly. He looked sadly up into Trilium's eyes, yet found no redemption there as well.

"Iain came onboard himself?" Trilium asked again. "To code the ship?"

"No, only I knew of the coding, as far as I know. Iain and his workers came onboard to stock the pantry," Ciyee answered.

Trilium moved into the stairwell. He closed his eyes and covered his face as if in prayer as he moved down the steps. "So he has not betrayed us," he said through his fingers. Trilium's pace quickened once he reached the floor where the ship's kitchen was located. He burst in and was at first startled to find the room ransacked, until he saw the pile of masks highlighted near dozens of empty boxes that were labeled "perishable". House and Revan stood closes to the pile.

"Have you tried one, yet?" Trilium asked.

Revan shook his head. "Should we send for One Fifteen?" he asked.

"That won't be necessary and also, we really don't have time at this point," Trilium said as he moved towards the two knights. He picked one up and noted in his peripheral vision that each knight grimaced slightly at his doing so. He held up the breathing apparatus and studied it - not knowing exactly what he should be looking for to indicate if it had perhaps been tampered with by Titus' allies, although, it had been placed on the ship by Iain's men. Trilium's gut feeling was that it was operational.

"Master Trilium, what is it?" House asked tensely as he looked from Trilium's face to his hands, trying to understand why his cousin was still holding onto the supposed deathtrap. "It was placed here by a member of the council. Titus' cruelty cannot be taken for granted."

"Master, One Fifteen can test its functionality," Revan cautiously offered. "He is the only one whose gift could withstand poisoning."

Trilium did not look to either knight. Instead he continued to stare at the mask. "House, do you remember the training you received on the unblessed knights?" Trilium asked.

House, taken aback by the random question paused before answering.

"Somewhat," he replied carefully.

Trilium nodded. "And you, Revan?"

"The knights of one gift," Revan replied seriously. "Those whose minds cannot be read. They were driven from the Sect hundreds of years ago by Old Master Aulps. Your great, great, great grandfather."

"They were not driven off as the Historians documented. That lie was a way to pacify the community following their disappearance," Trilium admitted. "As a Master of the house of Bishop, my grade school training offered an insight to the unblessed knights that very few Denard's are aware of. A deal was struck between the house of Wingstone and Master Aulps. And since that time, we have lived in harmony with a residency of kin we do not know. A colony that shields all of Dena from outsiders in order to preserve their way of life. And in exchange for this liberty, one member from their family has sat within the council since the Aulps period of influence."

"No knight has ever sat on the Council of the Old. That was the accord agreed upon," House protested.

"One does sit on the council," Trilium advised, and before either House or Revan could react, Trilium strapped the mask onto his face and took a deep breath.

"Master!" Revan protested as he moved his hands towards Trilium face in unison with House's movement. Both knights watched helplessly as Trilium took breath after breath without struggle. After a few moments, Trilium removed the mask. Both Revan and House released a sigh of relief.

"Councilman Iain is an unblessed knight," Trilium said by way of explanation. "The fact that these work is a sign that he has not betrayed us."

Trilium moved away from his lieutenants and called out behind them.

"Knights. Take these boxes up to the bridge so that One Fifteen and Havo can set them up for use and then disperse them in the garden as quickly as possible. I will meet you there."

The knights hurried towards the mound of masks, taking armfuls with them as they exited the room. Two knights, Dorian and Birkey chose instead to move towards Trilium. He watched their cautious approach and motioned, bidding them to come. The young knights each bowed respectfully and Trilium inclined his head in return, as a sign of respect for Birkey's namesake. Birkey was a member of the Manus family, whose ancestors were not only the first offspring's on Dena but also the family responsible for placing the Bishop clan in its perpetual title. Birkey was as unassuming a knight as his forefathers had been. If not for the gifts his lineage consistently produced, he would have been just as happy as a farmer, a profession most suited towards his talents. Trilium knew this of Birkey long before he planned to journey into space and had been shocked to see him amongst the knights onboard the _Muse_ that night. But Birkey had embraced the knighthood like no Manus before him and welcomed the opportunity to serve with the limited yet incomparable gift of the Sun Kings.

"Master Captain Trilium," Birkey began. His voice, like all Sun Kings, defied his age and seemed to linger in the air, demanding attention. Trilium at once was reminded of Birkey's grandfather, who thankfully was not aboard the ship. Old Honorable Knight Oakleigh had never ventured off Dena, despite having served under both Vidmer and Zep. Like the Bishop's telepathy, the Sun King's gift was non transferrable, only being gifted at birth.

"Knight Dorian and I have an idea that we would like to try in the garden to protect the civilians in the event of a crash landing."

Trilium read the young knights' minds. "Ingenious," he nodded in approval. The knights bowed and left the room leaving Trilium with Revan and House. He brushed over the thoughts of both men who were each considering the news which Trilium had just shared.

"I understand your resentment lieutenants. Ironically enough," Trilium acknowledge. "This was set into practice long before I was ever born. And for my part, if these knights could still protect all of Dena from harm, in our absence, I would stay silent still, but am forced to speak now because of our situation."

"Does Titus know?" Revan asked.

Trilium shook his head. "It would be almost impossible for him to even discover the village, since it is their primary directive to shield."

"Iain is not a merchant of food stock," Revan rationalized out loud. He began to move about the room surveying the items that had been disguised in the perishable boxes. Trilium looked to House, who had not spoken since Trilium's disclosure.

"And almost all of these boxes contain equipment we might need for a battle," Revan surmised. "For a short battle but for a battle just the same, whether we were landing in Wynet or Dena. Clearly, he is on our side," he concluded.

Trilium nodded. "I agree. But I also believe Iain was in the dark as much as Ciyee towards Titus' true intentions. And now, whether he felt my father's death or not, I don't know how deeply he could interfere in Titus' plans without giving up his secret or his people."

Revan paused for a moment, pondering upon what Trilium had said. Again, Trilium could sense Revan's feelings in the news of the unblessed knights. Revan's mind, playing out scenarios whereas Iain could somehow reach them, intermingled with glimpses of Revan's wife and young son, who were aboard the ship.

"Honorable Knight Revan," Trilium addressed the knight, knowing that doing so would engage his propriety and bring him back into the room.

Revan bowed. "I will go to oversee the distribution Master Captain and meet you in the garden," he said and left.

Once Revan was gone, Trilium turned to House. "You may speak freely, cousin," he offered.

House stared hard at Trilium for a moment before turning away, laughing quietly. "I honestly have a thousand things going through my mind at once. Unblessed knights I don't know and will never know, the family, and not knowing what they are going through. If Knight Iain's help to them or to us will even matter. Up until a few days ago, I thought a dragon crouching over Kalin was the worst foe I could possibly face. Not now. Now I would give about anything to be back in that field."

House rubbed his face balling his hand into a fist and placing it upon his temple. Trilium recalled that it was the exact same movement he had made that day on Serson's, standing a great enough distance away to be safely out of harm's way and the dragon's path.

House had cursed under his breath. "I know what that fool's going to do," he muttered staring at Kalin as he leaned on his Acia in front of the squatting dragon.

Trilium had had the same dreaded feeling as House. "He's going to split," he agreed.

As if beckoned by Trilium's words, Kalin straightened, lengthening his Acia. Its musicality startled the dragon, who released an unplanned whiff of fire in Kalin's direction but it was too late. As soon as Kalin's sword began to snap into place he broke its handle in two, forcing the blades movement so that each detached piece of the handle slid to either end, creating a new weapon. Kalin immediately took off at once in two opposite directions to approach the great beast. Kalin and his separated shadow moved at unmarked speeds, out and away from the dragon. His weapon elongating as he held onto each end, so that it could slice the dragon in half once the Acia touched its leathery skin.

Trilium watched this tactical move in fascination. His mind reading Kalin's since he could not keep up with him using sight alone. Until he heard Kalin wince, he believed that his plan would be successful. But then he watched the dragon's tail move to reveal Kalin's slumping shadow falling to the ground which would result in the death of Kalin, if it were not returned to his body. Trilium had released his Acia as he yelled out to Revan and before he knew it, he was thrust at a tremendous speed towards the dragon, armed only with the weapon. Its blade roughly clinked into place, fighting against the energy emitted from Revan's push and Trilium's anxiety to reach his brother in time.

House took an audible breath before continuing, and Trilium was brought back into the present.

"When you left us Trilium, to prepare yourself as Master, I accepted that things would change and that you, Kalin and I would each have paths we were destined to follow. And I never forgot what you said to us one night when he asked you what was so different that you had to study alone. And you said that our lessons contained no contrition," House paused. He again rubbed at his face. "I have very little doubt that this is the end. Yet, if we are to have any hope, if I'm to be of any consequence to my brethren here or in the afterlife, I must be true to myself."

House dropped to one knee, his closed Acia held against his forehead. "I will protect the House of Bishop with every drop of blood in my body. I'm sworn to that oath and to you, cousin."

Trilium watched this unexpected show of allegiance from House in admiration. "Thank you cousin, Knight Lieutenant," Trilium replied. "And your thoughts ask righteous questions. I had the same. Why swear to the people that the council was for their sake and then have a knight infiltrate its purpose? For centuries..." Trilium moved to his cousin and offered an arm to help the towering knight's stand. "Bishops have ruled for so long that I think we've forgotten how to trust in our own people. This truth would be the same for Titus, who lied to his own conspirators for his cause. Yet as fate may have it, the unblessed knight's very existence may be my sons' only chance of survival and Titus' downfall. I am truly sorry cousin that I could not share this with you, until today. I've never even spoken more than a few words to Knight Iain. From the looks of it, it appears he believed the same as Ciyee and thought we were to be stranded in Wynet, and gave us aid without giving away his status. But what he may be able to do to aid uncle and Kalin..." he let his thoughts trail off.

"Titus' betrayal and our demise within less than half a day," House grunted. "He has been busy," House squeezed the handle of his Acia, which responded to his heat with an outburst of red tinges. "We can't get back to help our people and our people will never be able to reach us. Even if this unblessed knight is on our side."

Trilium nodded in agreement. "We are on our own."

House inclined his head respectfully. "Are there any other secrets that I need to know of?"

Trilium half smiled. It was an expected question but still, he had been touched by his cousin's unwavering loyalty. "No, not of the moment," he answered.

House nodded and made way for the door. He paused in the doorway and turned to face Trilium. "If Titus dies today...it would be too soon."

House left the pantry with Trilium looking after him as the faint trail of smoke he left discharged from his grip on the Acia. Trilium took one last look around the room, his eyes falling on the 'perishable' boxes laying wraithlike in this cryptic space.

"Master. Can you hear me?" a voice sounded in Trilium's head.

"Yes, One Fifteen," Trilium answered a bit abruptly. His thoughts swimming.

One Fifteen paused before speaking further. "We've adjusted the masks. The oxygen will last at most, seventy-two hours, depending upon the breaths one takes."

Trilium did not respond. Seventy-two hours would either be long enough for a miraculous rescue or long enough for those wearing it to have buried the dead.

"Master Captain?" One Fifteen called out, "Are you in need of my service?" he asked quickly. Trilium smiled in spite of himself. The knight so resembled Revan, that it was like watching a mirrored version of the esteemed warrior. It was understandably so, since Revan had raised the orphan for most of his life.

"No, One Fifteen, I am fine. The masks, are they retractable?" Trilium took a breath before moving on with his thought. "We have eleven babies on board," he spoke these last words out loud, lost in the gloom of this declaration.

"Yes, Master, that was one of the first things we verified. Each mask contains bio pellets for hydration as well as for nourishment. Havo is adding a vaporizer to eleven of the masks for the infants."

"Good," Trilium said and left the disheveled pantry, starting down the hallway. "I'll meet you in the garden," Trilium cut off his conversation with One Fifteen to speak to his cousin. "House, send all knights to the garden. That includes Havo and One Fifteen."

"What about the traitor?" House asked.

"Leave him on the bridge. I can almost promise you, he won't move."

House grunted in agreement and then Trilium felt his feet give out from under him as a vast explosion shook the aircraft violently from side to side. Almost simultaneously, he felt the pulling in his chest of a fallen knight.

"House!" Trilium yelled over the other voices which suddenly filled his head. "The landing station."

"Already on my way there with Nash," House snarled, moving against the pain.

Trilium swore as he forced himself to a run into the stairwell, he knew without the aid of his mind's eye that the explosion came from where the three knights were working to defuse the bomb on the fuel tank. He also knew that the knights must have realized as well that time was against them and decidedly took excessive risks.

Trilium grabbed on hard to the railing, stopping his movement completely as he was forced to sit down on the staircase following another statement of pain from a fallen knight. He could hear the groaning from other warriors on the stairwell above and below him, trying to fight to go on. Grinding his teeth, Trilium forced himself up once more and ran down the final flight before bursting into the passage way.

The blast had caused the overhead light fixtures to become insecure in the area. Each was hanging down from the ceiling at various levels, flickering, wavering, about the room. A whistling sound coupled with an erratic banging of the closed doors leading to the landing station gave the space a bizarre bleakness. All of this indicated to Trilium that the shell of the ship had been compromised. How big of a hole, he did not know but he was determined to find out, since there was still one living knight left beyond the doors. He moved hastily and took hold of one of the door handles. He had barely turned the knob before it flung opened and he was thrust inside, obliged to uphold his grip on the handle, so not to be overwhelmed by the screeching wind that was hurling anything and everything out of the landing station and into space. His eyes locked in on the knight known as Mohave, who was struggling with one arm, to hang onto a latch on the only escape pod remaining. The sleeve, where his other arm should have been, was flapping in the wind. Mohave looked to Trilium in desperation as the pod squeaked noisily from its involuntary move towards the open cavity. Trilium yelled out in his head to Mohave to stay in one piece, hoping the knight could hear him over the winds fuming crackling. This was not the knight he had expected to find alive in this particular situation, with his gift of density threatening at any moment to turn the knight into grains of sand, whisking him into oblivion. The fact that the knight was only missing an arm was a testament to his spirit.

Trilium defiantly stretched his free hand out into the windstorm towards Mohave. He was too far out to reach but Trilium gathered in his will. He didn't know how long he could withstand the wind in this position, nor if he could actually move Mohave without dismembering him, so he concentrated on the escape pod, not to move it into the vortex but hopefully to pin it against a wall. Trilium closed his eyes. His mind filled with Mohave's voice, whispering in his ear, with a message to give his mother. Without warning, Trilium was roughly grabbed by the back of his cloak and thrown back into the antechamber, his still grasping hand closed the door involuntarily behind him before he fell to the ground. Furiously, he looked up at House.

"Mohave's still alive. We have to get to him," he yelled as he moved to stand. House blocked his path.

"Where is he?" House asked.

"To our left, holding onto a pod that is edging towards the hole. He has very little time."

The doors behind them shook violently.

"Understood," Nash said from where he was standing in the archway of the stairwell. He turned, motioning to the other knights to take cover behind the wall. He moved in front of the door, positioning himself in front of Trilium and House.

"Stand back where it's safe," Nash said as he placed his hands on the doors.

"Since when do you give me orders, White Knight?" House asked. "Make it so that we can stay."

Nash turned, nodding respectfully at Trilium and then he smiled wickedly at House. "With pleasure, Lieutenant."

Trilium felt the ice building upon his feet before he even saw Nash gesture towards his body. The cold sensation blended with his body temperature causing shivers to run in chorus from his head down to his toes. By the time the ice stopped forming halfway up his calf, he could no longer feel anything from his feet. The only thing keeping him from crashing to the ground were these ice boots that Nash had given him. Trilium stared down at them in wonderment, bemused at how they were going to keep him from flying off the ship once the doors were opened. It was then that he noticed that waves of ice had been formed all around him like a maze. Should he somehow break away, he thought, he would be trapped in its labyrinth. Trilium turned towards House. He too, was wearing the calf high boots yet he was standing still, with his head down in concentration. House's teeth were chattering uncontrollably and he was taking very thin breaths. He looked at Nash, releasing a gasp of steam.

"It's a bit nippy," House muttered, smiling.

Nash laughed, hitting House on the shoulder and as he turned away, he transformed into the White Knight, a shimmering life sized glacier of ice. Trilium could not help but stare at him in awe. No matter what Nash wore, the glacier would always form into a suit of kingly armor, like a monument to the antiquity of the knighthood. Nash froze the doors quickly and then shattered them into hundreds of pieces as House went to work, sending out a ray of warm air which melted the pellets into mist. This time, the initial rift of air that hit Trilium was more tremendous than it had been moments ago. His body swayed back and forth uncontrollably yet his feet did not give in to the air. A cracking sound suddenly began within the walls of the aircraft as braces became unsecured in the spaceships immediate ceiling. Trilium could hear his men in the safe haven of the hallway, scampering in the wind, to take hold of the railings to keep from being swept up. This part of the vessel, threatened at any moment to become unhinged. And should that happen, Trilium did not know how that loss of cabin pressure would affect to the rest of the ship. He looked to House who stood upright, his arm embedded inside a chunk of ice as an anchor to support his standing. Trilium forced himself up and forward, bending at the waist so that he could take hold of a block of ice in front of him; his teeth rattling to the point that he thought they would break.

Nash sent a spray of ice onto the legs of the escape pod. Reading his mind, Trilium immediately understood his intention to lay down a path for Mohave so that as sand, he could lie down onto the ice and stick to it long enough for Nash to close the hole.

"Mohave," he said smoothly in his mind. "Step onto the ice and scatter."

Mohave nodded and released the handle but he did not turn to sand. He hit the ice and at once, began to slide back towards the opening. Nash shot out another stream of ice, catching the armless sleeve of Mohave's cloak, which tore off effortlessly.

It was the large chunk of ice that House had been holding onto that hit Mohave in the side of his body, causing him to roll towards the edge of the opening in his descent. At the very last moment, Mohave somehow took hold of the ledge with his hand, leaving his body wavering in the outside like a flag. The ship shook violently and House, with no fixture of ice to support him, gave way to the current, his ice boots breaking off as he was lifted quickly into the air. As he rose, Trilium could hear House's Acia releasing. House swung the chain linked blade into the ceiling where it firmly stuck and hanging onto the handle, he allowed the wind to turn him round and round until he released it and fell hard into a corner where he was protected from the vortex. Blocks from the ceiling began to fall. The floor trembled, threatening to crack more of Nash's ice.

"Close the damn hole," House yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Mohave," Trilium said telepathically. "Pull yourself inside against the wall." Trilium drew in his will, distracted by the creaking of the walls and the howling of the wind. His fingers were numb. He couldn't even feel the ice anymore. He tried to concentrate but was too afraid that in an effort to help, he would kill the knight.

Nash began to work on sealing the hole. He sent a stream of ice against the wall furthest from Mohave. Once the ice hit the open air it cracked sending shards like nails into the air at deathly speeds. Instinctively, Trilium grabbed his Acia, opening it and shielding himself, just in time to avoid the spray of bullets.

"It won't hold if I slide the wall on from one side," Nash yelled back to Trilium. "I need to hit it from all over."

"Master Captain..." Mohave began in Trilium's head.

"Mohave, you have held on this long. We can do this," Trilium assured him. "Revan? Can you get here?" he asked the aged knight telepathically.

"I cannot," the knight replied in his head. "The air shaft in the stairwell is too strong. Every time I push against it, the ship quakes. And the lift was destroyed in the blast."

"Master Captain," Mohave's voice again sounded in his head, overlapping Revan's. "I believe my body was too cold to dissipate," he said apologetically. "That's why the plan did not work. But it's not as cold, anymore," Mohave's voice was calm. Trilium sensed his emotions, he was too calm now. The panic he had sensed earlier from the knight was removed. He was going into shock.

"The pod, is disarmed," Mohave added in the last sentence. Then he again sent a message to Trilium for his mother.

"Mohave," Trilium yelled in his head to the knight, afraid the knight was losing consciousness.

"Give me some slush," Nash yelled.

House placed his hand into the ice on the flooring which immediately responded to his touch. Nash stepped out into the wind tunnel. Ice chipping away from all over his body. He had moved less than a few feet, when he lost his footing which forced him to come down hard changing the slush back into ice.

"Again," Nash yelled out to House.

The space repeatedly shook violently. More ice cracked around Trilium's feet, causing his ice labyrinth to break off in various locations. Nash again stumbled and turned the slush to ice. The walls closest to Trilium wailed as they caved in even more.

"Master Captain, please give this message to my mother," Mohave spoke even as Trilium yelled out loud to him.

Trilium did not want to hear the knight's goodbye. He did not want him to sacrifice his life, his blessing prematurely even though death at some point and time today would be inevitable. But when Mohave's hand finally let go and Nash's blocks of ice began to outline the walls of the opening like pieces to a puzzle, Trilium still did not want it to happen, even if Mohave single death saved the lives of all of those on the ship. He had wanted, needed to save this knight. He kept his eyes locked on Mohave as he floated off until he actually did turn to sand and the last hole was closed in the wall.

The knights in the stairwell had entered the room and at some point, Trilium did not recount when, House had melted the ice from his feet. Yet he stood still, waiting for the moment which would cause them pain.

Nash had turned the landing station into a sort of igloo to prevent further damage and he could hear through the hustle from his men that the neutralization of the pod was ironically, not enough. The pod had been damaged in trying to save Mohave and that time once more, was not in their favor. Trilium shivered from both the news and the space, which was incredibly cold. When the pain from Mohave's death finally hit, Trilium moved forward through it. His breath, both visible and invisible in the glistening space. He moved until he stood in front of the encased hole. The slight pulling in his chest was phenomenal. Mohave had made the death toll five. And Trilium, for his part, had stood by helplessly as he watched a warrior's final act of valor.

"Master, we have but twenty-two minutes left." It was a knight called Gib who spoke. At some point, he had changed his formalwear for a war vest.

"Leave me," Trilium ordered. He turned around to face the knights as he leaned against the ice. Several, he noticed were dressed as Gib. He slid down to a sitting position. "I said leave me," he ordered once more.

The knights did not move but stood by, waiting for him to rise but Trilium refused to acknowledge this gesture. He was not going to compartmentalize this feeling. This feeling, he would own, no matter how painful. Knight Gib knelt down beside Trilium.

"Each of us feels as you do, Master Captain. But you have set us on a mission."

Trilium stared up at the knight whose face echoed the sincerity in his voice and he laughed in spite of the knight's genuineness. "Are you mad, Gib?" he asked. Trilium looked out at the others. Their faces readable as well. "Is the cold affecting all of your senses?" he asked. And then, without meaning too, Trilium asked out loud what he had been reeling in his mind since the duplicity had been revealed. "How can you stand by me, still?"

Trilium had expected the knight to falter before answering. But Gib smiled and stood, offering an outstretched hand to Trilium. "We are all knights of Dena. Come what may, we stand as one."

Trilium looked up at the knight and then back down onto the floor. It was the first lesson of all lessons, the true alma mater of thought with all gifted warriors. Admittedly, he was being just as traitorous right now as Ciyee had been in betraying the Sect.

Trilium locked away the emotion and laid his Acia upon his forehead as a sign of apology. "We are all knights of Dena," he repeated in affirmation and taking Gib's arm, he came to a standing position. "Come what may, we stand as one."

# Chapter 14

Kalin had never turned his back to a dying knight, but then again, he no longer considered Song to be his kind. Titus, being able to turn the soldiers was something altogether different from him being able to turn a knight. The soldiers were controlled by the council which meant that Kalin could not turn to them for help. Knights however, were aligned to their Master yet Song and Ciyee had betrayed their posts. What other knights, Kalin wondered, had betrayed his brother? Or even, what knights to be, could not be trusted?

Kalin readjusted Gracen on his hip as he brushed his fingers through the boy's hair.

"Everything's going to be okay, Gracie. We'll go back to your mother as soon as I can speak with Ky, okay?"

Gracen nodded his head and Kalin quickened his walking pace across the Red Yard again towards the building where Ky should be instructing her last class for the day. A strong tugging expectedly occurred in his chest announcing Song's demise. His body tensed but he did not stop his movement, even though the pain emitted for this old knight was pronounced. Kalin, still holding onto his father's Acia, tightened his grip on it as he moved along, until he heard her voice as it echoed through the empty hallways.

He followed the sound of her until he was standing just outside the open classroom door. Kalin breathed a sigh of relief. He purposefully stepped to the side of the doorway so that he could not be seen. For all he knew, Song had been on campus for the sole purpose of imprisoning her class but was not necessarily working alone.

"Uncle, we can keep moving, I hear Ky's voice," Gracen whispered hurriedly in his head. Kalin was not surprised that Gracen shared his anxiety. Ky and Lucinda had grown quite close and Ky spent a great deal of time with the both of them.

"Just a second," he whispered. He could hear Ky clearly. There was no fear in her voice as she was speaking and she was smiling. He could tell by the way the words flowed out of her mouth. He readjusted Gracen on his good hip. His wounded side was beginning to throb. He thought he had pulled something in his fight with Song but he could not focus on that now. Kalin moved without hesitation into the class, deliberately, watching the faces of the students as they viewed his unexpected arrival. He stopped alongside Ky and finally turned to look into her face. She was both pleased and angered to see him. He inclined his head respectfully at her.

"Kalin, Knight Protector," she greeted him and he knew at once, she was not as angry as she pretended to be. Under any other circumstance, it would have been a perfect way for them to move into the rest of the day. But not today.

Kalin looked out at the advanced class of the Students of the Order which held the most progressive and gifted pupils in all of Dena. Most appeared to be about the same age as their teacher or just a few years behind her, yet Ky's placement as an Honorable was unquestionable. She was without equal when it came to teaching the way of the Acia. Kalin also noted the empty seat where his cousin, Peaches generally sat. She seemed to be the only one excused today from class and Kalin couldn't help but wonder if that was a good or bad happenstance. Many of the faces staring back at him registered their admiration. Probably, he thought because he was holding the young master in one hand and a closed Acia in the other. He kept his expression neutral as he studied each face. One of which was Belin, the girl his father had spoken of earlier.

"The Old Master has been murdered," he announced bluntly.

Gasps filled the air even as Ky moved closer to Kalin. He felt her hands instantly grasping his arm and shoulder with a gentle squeeze. Kalin was half listening to her questions as he watched the reactions around the room.

"It's by Titus' hand that this has occurred," he continued. His throat burning from the mere suggestion of what he had just said. "In an attempt to remove Trilium as Master."

More questions filled the air. Kalin took a moment to make eye contact with Ky. She brushed her face against his and stared at him in disbelief. Her eyes waiting for answers to the questions he had barely acknowledged her asking. Kalin turned back to the class, engulfed in the replication of Ky's eyes in their voices. He was not unsettled by the amount of questions asked but by his own silence. He had no decided answers for any of them. It was only an inkling that Song being here was linked to keeping these untried knights preoccupied, away from the docks and the chance of rescuing Trilium from Wynet. But whether Song was working alone or with one of them caused hesitation in him to respond.

"Gracie," Kalin said loud enough to be heard by Ky. "Who in this room ..." Kalin paused, searching for words which would answer his question without frightening the boy. "...is not happy to see you?" he asked. Gracen's eyes began to survey the area, his face unreadable as he read through each knight's thoughts. Ky too began searching her students' faces.

He pointed his small finger towards one of the students. "The one in the back who is speaking..." The words fluttered out of his mouth as he struggled with what he was trying to say. "...is mad, but not like the others."

Kalin measured the face of the young man whom Gracen had pointed out. He recognized him at once. Adm was the son of a fallen knight from the first year of Trilium's space travels. A young man who possessed the gift to emulate any gift by simply brushing his hand against a knight's skin. Kalin quickly lowered the boy's hand.

"And the girl crying in the back," Gracen continued.

Ky stared at the eighteen year old who was bent over her desk with her face covered. "That's Belin." She informed Kalin as she took a step away. Ky placed her hand underneath her robe towards the small of her back.

"Ky, what is her gift?" Kalin asked as he surveyed the space of the classroom, gauging the distance between Belin and Adm in relation to where they stood and how they could exit.

Ky shook her head slightly, as if her thoughts were the same as his own.

"Poison," she said bleakly staring at the teen. She turned to look at Kalin. "None of us would be immune if she released it."

Gracen nodded his head. "Poison," he repeated.

"What about poison, Gracie?" Kalin asked.

"That's it. That's what she's thinking about," he answered.

Before Kalin could react, he heard Ky release her Acia. Its sound both familiar and unique as it was unleashed by its creator. The class stopped conversing and stared dumbfound at the appearance of the protective shell now surrounding Gracen and Kalin. Kalin involuntarily stepped backwards and spoke in his head to Gracen to not reach out and touch the very same type of shell he had created earlier to protect his father. Kalin turned to face Ky and was awestruck. The shell's existence was not coming from Ky's released Acia, but from the tips of the fingers on her left hand. It was in the other hand that she held her Acia threateningly towards the class, ready to ward off any attack. Kalin was about to speak when the sound of a second Acia's release demanded his attention. Several students swiftly moved to either side of the room creating a clear path between Ky and Adm, the owner of the released weapon. Adm was also holding on tightly to one student who had not been quick enough to have moved out of his reach. Adm's Acia was shaped into the form of a long broad sword to match Ky's weapon. His eyes burned eagerly as he stared at Ky. At once, Kalin understood what Adm's orders had been.

"Ky," Kalin said evenly. "You need to let me out." He could not release his Acia inside the casing he was securely enclosed in. His eyes darted back and forth from Adm and Ky to Belin, who had not even lifted her head in reaction to the commotion. He watched helplessly as Adm and Ky positioned themselves, preparing to strike. Kalin carefully readjusted the boy to ride on his back as he appraised Ky's electrical fingertips. Here now, he thought, was the reason she had never been bested in the Red Yard. Why no knight, young or old, could beat her with their weapon. Ky was as much an Acia herself as the one he held in his hand at present and yet he had not known she possessed the power to create as she was doing now.

Kalin looked to Adm. "Old Song cannot help you now, Adm," Kalin announced directly.

The student knight turned his sword towards Kalin. Kalin smiled as he saw the flicker of doubt flash across the teen's face but then it disappeared just as quickly as Adm was again drawn towards Ky's challenging presence. He was observing her without a hint of panic but with admiration and what Kalin gaged as hunger. The image of Adm stealing Ky's gift arose in his thoughts and he gingerly tested the fortitude of the casing he was imprisoned in with the palm of his hand. The shell did not flicker. He looked again at Adm who remained staring at Ky, smiling.

"He's dead," Kalin went on. "I killed him moments before I entered this room but you could not have known this," he paused and purposefully relaxed his shoulders and tucked his Acia away, allowing himself to appear less threatening. "Now that you do, release your classmate and give up this treachery. Tell me what you know so that I can stop Titus."

Adm nodded in response to Kalin's pronouncement and twisted the arm of the student he was holding hostage until the student knight screamed out in pain.

"Adm!" both Kalin and Ky called out in unison.

"You disgrace your family, Adm," Ky stated sadly yet without forgiveness. "And your father's legacy. I'm ashamed to have taught what you have learned from me, if its use is only to betray.

"This has nothing to do with your teachings, Honorable Ky," Adm answered.

"Titus has killed my Master. It has everything to do with me," Ky exclaimed. The encasement holding Kalin and Gracen shimmered and its shell thickened yet remained intact as Ky grasped her weapon with both hands. "You will release my student and you will surrender my weapon," she demanded.

The student knights, inflamed by their Honorable's resolve, insentiently projected their postures. Several unreleased weapons emerged from the students as warnings to Adm. His eyes darted from each one to the electric shroud protecting his foes and finally, to Belin who now sat upright at her desk.

Belin's face was tear stricken and as she deliberately came to a standing position, the chair beneath her creaked unusually loud in the silence filling the air. The ends of her hair wavered in an unseen breeze as if alive. Kalin remembered having seen Belin several times before but he had never realized how ghost like she truly was in appearance.

Kalin pulled his Acia back out from where it laid hidden. "Ky, you need to release me. Now," he demanded.

"She say's to be still, uncle," Gracen whispered into Kalin's ear.

"Belin," Ky said sadly and this time, Kalin could tell the subtle difference indicating its sincerity. "Where will your loyalties sit, Student of the Order?"

Belin smoothly released her Acia. The sound of it was a mournful tune even as it formed into the shape of a snake like whip. She looked down and away from her classmates.

"I am his, Honorable Ky," Belin answered. She looked up to face Ky, smiling sadly. "You of all people know what it means to belong to a Bishop."

Belin slowly began to move towards Adm. Her buzzing Acia commanding the student knights to give way to her. Once she reached Adm, Belin smoothly swung the Acia so that it cut up and into the body of the student he was holding. She pulled it out quickly releasing his intestines as well.

The students screamed out in disbelief. Kalin removed Gracen from his back and tried to cover the boy's eyes, but Gracen had already buried his head in Kalin's chest.

"Knights, stand back. I said stand back," Ky ordered, her voice cracked but she remained firm and in response, her students repositioned themselves closer towards her. Kalin yelled out in anger, enraged by the vicious act that he had just witnessed. His ears began to ring at such a high pitch that he thought he was going deaf, yet, he recognized a familiar mumbling of words being shamelessly offered. He looked up to see that it was Belin delivering the knight's prayer to the body she had just slain. No sooner had she finished than a small beacon of light hovered in the air and into her body indicating that a gift had been bestowed to her. With his free hand, Kalin struck the encasement, closing his eyes in frustration. Ky could not let him out now, now that Gracen's life was truly in danger and so was hers.

"You have my deepest sympathy Knight Protector," Belin said to Kalin, nodding her head. Her weapon was still released and hovering on the ground, waiting to attack. Kalin reopened his eyes and glared at Belin in disbelief, envisioning sending his shadow through the sphere to slit her throat.

"Titus..." She gestured towards the body lying at her feet. "Master Titus is lost. He is lost to you," she offered shaking her head, "and I cannot abandon him."

Belin took Adm's hand in hers and Kalin could hear Ky's swift intake of air.

"They're going into the wall," Gracen said softly having received another message from Ky. "Emergence. That was Sumar's gift."

Adm and Belin stepped backwards in unison, inserting their bodies inside the wall at the rear of the class but not before Adm released a small ball from the palm of his hand.

"Bomb!" Kalin roared, "Get out," he ordered the student knights who began to scramble towards exits.

"Now, Ky," he demanded and immediately the encasement disappeared, freeing Kalin and Gracen. And in this newfound freedom, Kalin hesitated.

Part of him wanted to run to the student whose name he had not known, Sumar, and to remove his body from its impending extinction. Another part of him wanted to split, completing his earlier desire and send his shadow self off to kill Belin and Adm and for his other self to escape the explosion with Gracen. Yet, what of the student knights? These knights he needed - there would be no hope of defeating Titus and protecting Gracen if they were all dead. And lastly, and with immeasurable importance, there was Ky. Kalin decided to save everyone.

No sooner had he made up his mind than a student with his same desire, gently pick up Sumar's body and draped it over his shoulder prior to crashing through a nearby window. Several other student knights were leaving in a similar manner while the few, closes to the door were being ushered out by Ky.

Kalin's shadow emerged from his body and stopped at bullet speed pouring all wind away and out from in front of him, causing the bomb to gingerly roll towards the back wall, away from the fleeing students. His shadow stepped forward and reaching down, it picked up the bomb and stuck it within the wall where Adm and Belin had made their escape. At the same time, Kalin ran at top speed towards Ky and whisked her into his free arm before she knew what was happening. He carried Gracen and Ky through the classroom wall nearest the door before passing through the closed glassed doors leading outside. Kalin was as far as the Red Yard when he heard and felt the explosion. Even from this distance, it pushed him forward into a stronger run towards the open grass way beyond the school district. Without warning, Kalin felt a forceful mergence as his shadow self crashed back into his body. The momentum caused Kalin's stitching to rupture and as a result, he lost his footing and dropped Ky onto the ground where she gracelessly rolled several times before coming to a complete stop. Unable to continue, Kalin slowed his pace and slid face down on his stomach, releasing his grip on Gracen and crying out in pain.

Ky spit several remnants of dirt and grass out of her mouth, wiping her tongue with the front of her blouse. The horror of the day momentarily pushed aside as she contemplated how furious she was with Kalin at present. She came to a standing position, staring up at the vast cloud of smoke.

"My students. Kalin?" Ky cried out. She ran several steps forward before she realized just how far away she was from the school and the students charged to her. Kalin had carried her away before she had seen everyone get out. She wasn't sure who was still inside. The anger in her teetered even more but not as much towards Kalin. It was clear to her why he had come and why now, she was far away from harm. Had he not come, Ky shuddered at the thought of being at the mercy of Old Knight Song alone.

"Kalin, I must go back," Ky turned just in time to see Gracen struggling to turn Kalin over. She could see the fresh patch of blood spreading across the bottom left half of his tunic.

"Kalin!" she yelled as she ran in his direction. The anger towards him resurfacing along with the fear she had felt days ago when she imagined he would die. She dropped to her knees by his wounded side. The blood was free flowing.

"Kalin, stay with me," Ky ordered as she took off the ceremonial jacket she had been wearing. She looked into his face. His eyes were closed and his features showed no struggle with pain. Ky balled the jacket up and pressed it up against his punctured skin.

"Dearest...please..." she asked more softly, brushing the dirt and hair off his face. Kalin raised his hand and grasped her hand, bringing it to his chest.

"Never tell me to be still again," he said weakly. Ky quickly removed her hand and placed it against his wound.

"You fool," she smiled slightly, relieved that he was conscious. "You almost died twice this week."

Kalin held up four fingers and smiled, faintly. He opened his eyes and looked into the sky above where Gracen stood staring down at him.

"I'm fine, Gracie," he said. "I promise."

Kalin slowly lifted his left arm and removed Ky's jacket from his side. He placed his trembling hand upon his open wound. He wasn't quite sure what to expect but suddenly, his mind unsealed a whirlwind of procedures as instructions were invested in his hand. He could sense the blood vessels being clamped, even as fluid was drained from the opening. A symphony of curative performances were taking place of which he had a keen understanding but no command. Antibiotics poured into his veins and he could feel, to the depths of his bones, the healing warmth of timelessness that only his father could create. Kalin moved his hand. It was too much to bear, feeling the absence of his father. Ky took his hand in both of hers and kissed it. She stared at him in amazement.

"Kalin, you have your father's gift," she said smiling sadly.

Kalin nodded and Ky helped him come to a sitting position. Kalin felt his wound. It was completely closed. "Help me stand."

Both Gracen and Ky helped Kalin come to a standing position. Kalin bent down and picked up Gracen, placing him again on his hip.

"You lost a lot of blood," Ky warned.

"I know, but I think I performed a transfusion." He answered. "Don't ask."

Kalin placed Gracen in Ky's arms and walked down the path he had created when he fell, until he found where he dropped his father's Acia. He tucked it in place behind his back as he looked into the sky at the rising smoke from the school grounds.

"Kalin?" Ky said faintly.

He turned back to face her, knowing her next question. He nodded. "I would gage that most got away, Ky. But as for Belin, I did not feel her death," he walked back. "I recognized what Adm set off. It's called a Pop."

Ky nodded. "My father makes those for the _Muse._ They're meant to be fired from a destroyer."

"I would suspect that it was one of many that will be used today," Kalin surmised taking Gracen back. "No doubt the explosion got the soldiers attention. They'll make way towards the school to finish off what the bomb missed. This is bigger than just Titus removing Trilium from position. Titus is trying to dispose of all our kind."

"Is there any news of Trilium?" Ky asked.

"Song said Titus sent the _Britannicus_ to Wynet. But I don't believe Trilium will take too kindly to having his ship appropriated from underneath him or being thrown in prison."

"No, I can't imagine that he would," Ky said as she pieced it all together. "Titus must retain the landing docks so that he can have eyes on the _Britannicus_ , whenever it tries to come home."

Gracen tugged on Kalin's shirt. "Mommy," he reminded Kalin.

"Is she?" Ky asked quickly, her eyes searching Kalin's face.

"She's waiting for me in the woods. As for the rest of the family, Old Uncle Barris is still alive."

Ky nodded and her eyes widened slightly, "Where is your mother?" she asked gently.

Kalin was about to respond but the words evaporated in his mouth and he had to look away. He could not stare into those sympathetic eyes and utter his mother's fate at the same time. He heard Ky's gasp and felt her take his unclaimed hand. She placed his hand to her mouth and kissed it.

"I'm so sorry, dearest," Ky sobbed releasing his hand and putting her arms around him. She placed her head between his and Gracen's. Kalin held her back, this woman that he loved. So soft and tender was her embrace that he almost forgot his sorrow. He turned his head back towards her, burying his face in her hair. He softly inhaled her fragrance.

"I have to go back," Ky spoke in his ear. She pulled back to look at him, her eyes blazing. "I cannot leave our people unprotected."

Kalin brushed the back of his hand across her cheek. "Spoken like a true knight," he noted with a small smile as he took hold of her shoulder.

"I can't go back with you," he replied, "I have to get Gracen to safety."

Ky nodded and smiled. "Gracie," she said warmly to the young boy as she touched the tip of his nose with her fingertip. He in turn did the same to her.

"Where will you go?" Ky asked.

"To Revan's," he answered.

"Won't Titus already have secured it?"

"Doubtful. I'm hoping he thinks of it more as a museum than a fortress. Besides it makes no sense for him to place so many soldiers away from the docks."

"He's centralized at the tower," Ky agreed. "I will lead the student knights there, to put an end to this."

"Ky..." Kalin squeezed her shoulder. Their eyes locked. "After your first kill, you'll be just like me," he waited after hearing a small breath escape from her. "And when a knight dies, you will feel it without warning. But you must steady yourself and continue to fight through the pain. If there's time, bless the passing with swift prayer. "

Ky nodded, her eyes again held a steeled resolved. "I know the blessing and so do all the students." She stated and just as quickly, her look softened. "But what if it's..."

Ky did not continue but Kalin knew her next question for he had already asked himself. How would either of them continue, should the other fall?

He thought of the black satchel laying forgotten on his disheveled bed, several feet away from his father's dead body, in what remained of his little house. He held her gaze, refusing to allow his eyes to answer her unasked question. He loved this woman, yet he had never told her so in words. Today, had been the day he had planned to do just that, but now, if he said it to her knowing that they may never see each other again, he might destroy her courage and a knight's courage existed as vested armor. Instead, he drew her in and kissed her passionately, fighting against the temptation to whisk her away from this place; to have the life he thought was promised to them now that he was home for good.

Kalin moved his mouth away from hers, not trusting himself to resist his earlier impulse. Ky was holding on tightly to the front of his shirt so he could not leave. She knew him so well. He moved her hands away and began to kiss each one.

"Get to Revan's as soon as you can," he said, then he looked into her eyes, smiling. "Don't get dead," he added jokingly and before she could say or do anything, he left.

Speeding away, in what direction he wasn't sure yet, he just needed to get away from her - her voice, her scent, her face. When he was certain she was out of eyesight, he stopped running to view the land and get his baring's. Once he was sure of the direction, he jetted along the path which would take him to the forest where Lucinda was hiding. Kalin ran, concentrating on closing his thoughts, unsure of what foe he might meet along the way and needing to conceal his angst from Gracen. In his head, he could hear Trilium's voice, a memory of that moment in the burned down poppy field, four days ago. Trilium, bellowing to the dragon a knight's warning; both simple and clear. Giving his enemy one last chance to go away. All the while, positioning himself in front of Kalin's body as he lay bleeding on the ground.

Kalin, brought his thoughts back to the present. Gently, he cradled Gracen's head against his chest. Silently, he avowed his oath as Knight Protector. No harm would come to Trilium's son, so long as he lived.

# Chapter 15

Trilium stood poised, following his announcement in the garden. It was a stance he had practiced for hours on end with his father, who had been more brutal in his opinion on Trilium's gracefulness during these lesson than in any teachings of self-defense.

"You must appear regal, but not to the point where you are untouchable," Zep had warned him enough times where he remembered it without needing to call upon his talent. "Traditional, but not to the place where one would ever disrespect or mock you. You must learn to be yourself on purpose, Trilium. To be genuine, soulful, poised."

With his father's words echoing through his mind, Trilium purposefully initiated eye contact with his people as his eyes measured their faces, one at a time.

'Had I mentioned hope?' he wondered. His mind quickly replaying the speech he had made, word for word as he traced another face of Dena into the endlessness of painful memories created throughout this day. 'No,' he concluded. In the monologue, he had not included hope. Chance and possibility were offered as opportunities as he related his understanding of the planet's atmosphere to those gathered in the garden but never was a tribute delivered to having hope.

Trilium again thumbed the breathing apparatus he was given. One of the many that had been passed out to all civilians yet here he was, holding onto this device per the protocol of his people, per his designation, this last treasure was his for if nothing else, there was a chance that he might be rescued. A possibility, Trilium thought, but he dare not hope.

His eyes fell yet on another sobbing face commencing in a chorus of woe. It was Old Knight Jumbe, whose son had died in the landing station during the first blast. This old one had felt his sons passing and he stood a ways off from the others, embracing his wife. His eyes were not searching the faces behind Trilium for their son. Trilium's knights stood huddled rather than in formation behind their Master, as if they needed to be shoulder length apart themselves to call upon each other's strengths before offering their goodbyes. Trilium brought his closed weapon to his forehead and bowed deeply to Old Knight Jumbe. The knight registered Trilium's movement of condolence and he closed his eyes tightly and turned away from Trilium's offering. Trilium paused before he allowed his eyes to move on to the next face, with gracefulness and poise. The sound of another tree growing miraculously to its full maturity stole Trilium's attention.

Knights Birkey and Dorian's movement had not ceased since they entered the garden. The young Sun King effortlessly raised saplings into trees while Dorian secured them into the flooring without destroying their lives. While time was not in their favor, they worked in a practiced cadence. The trees brought forth a growing aroma that called to Trilium more than anything else - the sweet fragrance of buds bursting open into a blooming array of flowers. The smell comforted and tortured him at the same time. It smelled like home.

"How soon, Master?" a voice rang out. He could sense that all eyes now were deflected to him. Trilium looked at last to Lisa. She was holding onto Paris' hand as he stood slightly behind her, looking back over his shoulder to his mother, who had asked the question.

Trilium broke his eye contact with Lisa, it was too personal. Her eyes held no questions, only fears. He looked beyond her to Anya Bara-Koh.

"There is time enough to say your goodbyes," he answered loud enough to be heard by all. "And then the knights must return with me."

Released from their posts, the knights made way to their families and the garden became filled with the sounds of hundreds of voices. Trilium waited until the last knight had moved past him before he approached Gish's family. They were standing as he knew they would be. Searching amongst the crowd for their son. Gish's mother saw Trilium approaching and in response, she fell down onto her knees as she cried out. Gish's father bent down towards her, oblivious to Trilium's presence until he was standing directly in front of them.

Trilium again placed his unreleased weapon to his head and bowed deeply. "Lewis had no weapon when he challenged Ciyee yet did not hesitate in his efforts to save Lisa Unten. His was an honorable death, befitting a valiant Knight of Dena."

Gish's father lifted his wife up into a standing position as he shakily bowed to Trilium. "Well said," he replied functionally and then he began to cry and turned towards his wife, embracing her, absently dropping his breathing apparatus. Trilium clutched his own mask with his fingers and bowed again before turning to find the next family.

Trilium muddled his way through the crowds and found knights Flacker and Padraic's family actually approaching him. Several families were following behind them, conscious that the two knights were nowhere to be found. Trilium again bowed deeply with his closed Acia pressed against his forehead. All those approaching him stopped and Trilium took a deep breath, mustering up all decorum he could contain considering the day and spoke to the families, using much of the same language he had used with Gish's. He ended by revealing the slight interaction he had with Knight Jumbe and asked Padraic's relations to share the details with Jumbe in his place. Trilium again wandered through the crowd. There were no cheers nor cries of glory for the dragon slayer. The reason for their voyage, all but forgotten as they spoke to each other of those small inconsequentials which mattered most in last goodbyes.

Trilium found Mohave's mother, Old Knight Beonca, leaning against one of the newly created trees. Under any other circumstances, Trilium would have thought her to be the picture of beauty. An ageless woman resting alone amongst the woodlands, vestige, in her ceremonial garments and silvery locks rolling down her back. Trilium knew she had not felt Mohave' death, she was not a knight who had taken a life, but he was certain she knew. Her eyes had never searched the faces of knights behind him, nor did they ever meet his. She leaned now against a tree, watching their miraculous development into adulthood. She did not stir when Trilium approached. She turned to greet him, her eyes alert and yearning for his words.

"I fear," she said, "that you have come with sad news."

Trilium had purposefully chosen to speak with this knight last as she was the only one he had a message for from the great beyond. He was both mentally drained and unsettled by the position that Mohave had placed him in and as he moved towards her, he was paused by her words, spoken in earnest. He quickly readjusted the speech he had planned to say so as the match her openness.

"He died well in the service of those he had fought beside and for the well-being of his Sect aboard the _Britannicus_. Had he not given his life, we too, would be lost," Trilium brought his closed Acia up to his forehead and shut his eyes.

"Well said, Master Trilium," Knight Beonca replied. Her eyes traveled past Trilium and he also turned to view the crowd that had assembled behind him to offer their support to the old knight. Trilium had not meant for this moment to be publicized, even though he knew the Denard's were present out of concern.

"Before he died," Trilium continued uneasily. The events on the landing station threatening to flood back in. "He asked me to tell you something."

Knight Beonca unconsciously held her breath. Trilium could hear the mummers behind him as his words were shared. He could sense the people closing the gap between them as well.

"Mohave said that he loves you and that he is sorry that he had to leave you." Trilium quoted.

The old knight released her breath and smiled sadly. Tears now openly streaming down her face.

"He wanted you to know how grateful he was for the gift you passed on to him," Trilium continued. "And that he knows you are a knight of great faith. And he asked that you hold onto it. Even now."

The last words came chocked out of Trilium's throat. Mohave's words meant to comfort his mother were demanding Trilium to mirror her trust. He looked around her at the objects of conviction that the Sun King had labored into existence, which echoed Mohave's proclamation. Trilium stood still, deliberately trying to maintain some semblance of refinement. He looked again at the aged knight in front of him and was surprised to see that Old Knight Beonca was standing before him with her Acia placed upon her forehead.

"Master Captain Trilium, the Dragon Slayer," Beonca spoke as she bowed deeply.

"Knight Beonca, the Sand Castle," Trilium inclined his head, offering his greeting with the antiquity of her namesake.

"When I did not see my son enter into the garden, I feared the worst. I do not think I would have had the strength to stand right now, after you're telling me that my son is dead, had not his own words bid me to do so. Thank you."

Trilium inclined his head and turned to leave. There were several old knights standing nearby, watching his leave and each placed their closed Acia's onto their heads in salute as he passed. 'Had they retrieved their weapons, following the Old Masters death?' Trilium wondered, envisioning his father standing amongst his people, amongst the warriors from his glory days, who had served Zep Bishop with all of their hearts - now standing in support of his son; one hand pressed to the forehead in salute and the other holding onto the mask which would continue their lives for but three more days. He moved more quickly through the path's openings, purposefully not making eye contact. His pride was not so that his heart was not breaking. Once he made it through the trees he was stopped by the small face of his cousin Lisa standing directly in his path.

"Where is your brother?" he asked, not really needing an answer but using the question as a means to give himself some time to pull his thoughts back inside their caves.

Lisa threw a quick look over her shoulder to where Paris and House stood engaged in conversation.

"Do you know what they're saying?" she asked anxiously, forgetting the catastrophe surrounding them, being completely lost in the moment.

Trilium found a smile for his cousin and eavesdropped on their thoughts. "House is speaking of you, Peaches. He is charging Paris with your care, to never leave your side."

Lisa shook her head in disagreement. "His place is beside his mother."

"No, his place is now dictated by you. He has sworn a knight's oath." Trilium again smiled at Lisa, and this time it was genuine. "In doing so, House has brought Paris into the knighthood and has welcomed him with open arms."

Lisa turned to look briefly in their direction and then turned back to face Trilium, a slow blush coloring her cheeks. In watching his cousin, Trilium could almost picture her, a few years older, dressed in ivory standing on a hilltop on Dena with Paris.

"I understand Paris has claimed his gift?" he asked.

"He is a Wind Whisperer," Lisa answered, proudly.

Trilium eavesdropped again. "It is done," he announced. "The Wind Whisperer is now one of my knights."

Lisa stared down sadly at the air mask in her hands and Trilium could sense that her regrets were of visions like the one he just had of her future.

"Are you certain of how to put it on?" he asked as he stared down at his own mask.

"Yes," she answered.

"Good. Then make sure you help to take care of those with children. And help with the old."

'But who will take care of the two of you?' Lisa thought but did not speak.

Trilium answered her telepathically. "House and I will look out for each other as we always do."

Lisa looked back up at Trilium. "When House comes over to say goodbye to me, he won't make a big deal because he doesn't want me to know that he's just as scared as I am," She spoke out loud as she continued to stare at her mask. "He won't even cry, so I won't either."

"What kind of captain would I be if my second lieutenant went around like a huge teddy bear, Peaches?" Trilium asked jokingly.

Lisa laughed, picturing her brother as a teddy bear. Trilium chuckled, seeing the picture in her head. She stopped suddenly and looked up into Trilium's face. "Why is Cousin Titus doing this?" she asked seriously.

"I honestly don't know what drove him to this extreme, cousin," Trilium answered.

"My father will help to stop him. I know he will. He's probably a walking inferno by now. And my class is very strong in their gifts," Lisa said in a thick voice.

Trilium took Lisa into his arms and hugged her.

"Ky trains us to be up for any challenge," she continued. "She doesn't even care if you're bested, just as long as you're always prepared as a knight... And there's Old Honorable Knight Emery. He's the only knight to ever stop Cousin Kalin in his tracks," she cried, finally giving into her emotions. Trilium hugged her tightly.

"I love you, Peaches," he said.

"I love you too. I'll be strong, I promise," she stood back and walked away towards Paris and House. Trilium watched her. Once she reached House, he would give them a moment before calling all knights back. He looked about the garden at the collection of Denard's occupying the space. There were over three hundred people in his presence and more than half the gifted population in all of Dena's Sect. It smelled so much like home yet he knew they were moving aboard a damaged spaceship at an unstoppable speed, towards a planet where all would suffer a reparation based upon their allegiance to him.

The impression of sadness was all around Trilium and he all but adopted its fit, when he at once felt a pulling from outside the garden. He recognized it as death but its calling did not come to him. Trilium turned to leave, to follow his senses. He exited the garden and started walking down the hallway towards the stairwell. His skin felt tingly as he compassed his senses to lead him up the stairs to a place he had visited today more than once. He opened the doors leading to the bridge.

Trilium felt no danger as he again walked through the great doors. The place was abandoned, no knights posted at the realm steering their direction as that was already pre-determined. And there were no guards to keep watch over the only prisoner on board. Ciyee, was right where Trilium had left him, huddled on the floor against a wall. He looked up towards Trilium's approach. His eyes held no surprise to see him, in fact, he dismissed Trilium and buried his head in his hands.

Trilium stood over him, his heart suddenly pounding in his chest. He heard the stairwell doors crash open and as expected, both House and Revan entered the bridge, weapons in hand.

"Master Trilium," House growled. "What is it?"

Trilium turned towards his officers. He could neither smile nor frown in the realization of the moment. He stared at House in wonderment as he spoke.

"Old Song is dead."

House recorded Trilium's announcement, silently repeating the words to himself. He lowered his weapon and tucked it away. He turned to Revan, who had done the same.

"Dena has not yielded," Revan announced, thoughtfully.

"Dena has not yielded," House concurred and the two knights slapped the other's shoulders, smiling.

Trilium nodded his head. "It is good news. Gather the knights at the landing station. I will be there shortly.

House and Revan saluted Trilium and left, leaving him alone with Ciyee. Trilium bent down next to the man. He could not bring himself to sympathize with the traitor but he did indeed, understand the pain which Ciyee felt and for that reason alone, he could not celebrate this moment.

"Ciyee," he said.

Ciyee placed his hands down at his side and looked up at Trilium. "Yes, Master Trilium."

Trilium grunted and sneered. "Now, you find my name. Now, that all is truly lost to you."

Ciyee nodded. "I was a fool and my betrayal is greater than all sorrow I have contributed to since I allied myself with Titus. Any true knight would have killed him the moment he uttered any duplicity against you but I chose to serve my own greed and not my Master, and for that I am truly sorry. I will die as is fitting. As a traitor."

Trilium nodded. "Well said. But you will not die today. Not with the knights you chose to deceive."

Trilium held out his mask.

"Take it," he ordered. "Place it on your head and strap yourself in for the landing."

Ciyee obediently took the mask. Trilium nodded and stood.

"Perhaps, you will die before the old knights find and kill you but you will not die today, not with us. Not as a Knight of Dena," Trilium said and walked away, leaving Ciyee alone. Trilium stopped just outside the large ornate doors on the bridge. He touched one fondly before continuing into the stairwell towards the landing station. It was settled within him and it was right - he would die today with his men.

# Chapter 16

'One, two, one, two,' Titus counted in his head measuring the two hundred or more footsteps in line with his, as the soldiers of Dena followed him through the open field out of the cities' providence. Even in grass and dirt, the footsteps boomed in unison, offering a menacing approach. Titus stood at the head of the troops, followed closely by a dozen soldiers from the Super Set brandishing thick spears in each hand. Titus purposefully stopped unannounced and was pleased that all movement ceased in time with his.

"Master, is there a problem," Lednan, the captain of the Super Set asked.

Titus viewed the land in front of him and the spread of bushes they would need to pass to reach Kalin's home.

"Not of the moment," he replied. "Have you scouts beyond those scrublands?"

"No, Master, I will send some out now."

"There is no need, Lednan of the Super Set. I sense no life in our path. Let's move on."

Lednan bowed and Titus began walking at a more brisk pace than before and was again pleased to hear the measured steps falling in line behind him. Several ground Lorries, filled with soldiers passed by the rear flank of Titus' army. He watched the vehicles disperse in different directions, journeying either towards the docks or small communities within the city limits as directed. The rumbling of their movement accompanied by the vast line of syncopation backing him, brought about a settling degree of liberation to Dena's newly appropriated Master.

Titus had not envisioned this moment happening with all certainty. Even after he enlisted the support of the Council of the Old and Knights Cypress and Ciyee, he still feared this moment might never come by actions performed today in his name. Not until soldiers met him at the tower and he was told that his mother had been mistakenly killed during the raid of his parent's home, did Titus find the numbness to continue with the day. In all the honesty he could muster to speak to himself, her death had been a needed catalyst to move him forward as planned. There was no obstacle left now to detour his path as scheduled.

Titus reached the bushes and soldiers appeared on either side of him with blades to cut him a pathway. Titus took a moment to chew several quick bites of his thumbnail before placing his hand back at his side. He ached to bite his nails as this was a favorite choice of stress relief but of late, he had taken to not using this form of comfort while in the company of others. He expanded his thoughts and again reached out to Zep and Kalin's minds. His father hadn't been home when the soldiers attacked. Nor, from the reports that Titus had received, had he been back. Titus had called out to him telepathically several times since the attack on Kalin's home began and not only had Zep not answered, that familiar connection that Titus had felt all of his life - a presence of assemblage born out of their shared birthright, was gone - pieces of thoughts, vanished. He did not have this connection with Kalin for they shared no blood, but he had always been able to feel his brother's presences when called upon to do so and that too, was absent.

The soldiers cut a birth wide enough for Titus to enter. Titus moved forward but Lednan stood in his path. "A moment, Master Titus," he said as he entered the tunnel followed by the remaining super soldiers. Titus waited until signaled and entered behind them, anxiously. All was now within reach, he thought as he made a mental checklist of what he needed to do next. He focused again on Kalin. There were no thoughts available. Titus was smiling as he emerged from the tunnel until he tripped and almost fell over the body of a dead soldier. His smile disappeared.

Lednan and a few other super soldiers had already moved off into the yard of Kalin's home where they were bent down in various locations. Titus moved forward but was stopped by the remaining Super Set guarding him. He brushed them away and started towards the house, where Kalin's remains should be. With relief, he noted how damaged the home was from the outside - even sheathes of wood were torn off here and there from the houses structure and all windows were un-glassed.

"It is Drough," he heard a soldier announce from a ways off. This announcement stopped Titus in his tracks. He knew the dead soldier to be a hero among their kind. Titus resisted the urge to nibble on his fingernail as he listened to the unsettling thoughts of several super soldiers gathered around another dead body. He hurried towards them, causing those guarding him to form ranks around his person as they moved in unison. He reached the circle of soldiers and cleared them out from his view. Titus stepped back slightly once the site was revealed to him. The sculptured embrace of the two dead men was sickening. He involuntarily gagged then quickly recovered, placing his hand on the shoulder of a nearby soldier.

"This is the work of an Acia," Titus announced convincingly, staring the soldier straight in the eyes. He then looked around at each of them until he was sure they were all in agreement. He grinded his teeth and bent down over the soldiers for a closer look at the grotesque image. He had sent eight super soldiers to kill his wounded brother who had been at death's door the last time he had seen him.

'Unless father had been here,' he thought. 'Surely, Kalin was still recovering, surly, he couldn't have the strength to...'

Titus stood up and started again for the house. He walked briskly, his fingernail now absently brought to his mouth. He pushed his thoughts out to his brother and father, his mind racing though the possible options if his greatest fear was about.

He reached the open door and stepped into the house. Lednan and his men raced past him, crunching stick after stick underneath their boots. The small house was empty with signs of no life, except for the trail of blood on the ground, leading through the opened back door.

"Follow the trial," Lednan ordered several soldiers as he pushed one towards the front door. "Go get the soldiers, we need to protect the Master."

Titus stood still. Unaffected or aware of all the movement taking place around him. The limitations of his abilities placed a conversation with Belin out of reach and he could only perceive glimpses of sensations of gloom from her. Then it dawned on him where his thoughts should be focused. He stretched his mind further, to reach Gracen's mind. He could feel the boy's presence clearly and found that he could register pieces of Gracen's thoughts as well.

"Alive," Titus spoke out loud to himself. "But, where are you?"

A loud explosion brought him out of his meditation. He ran outside to join the other to view the rising smoke distilled from the direction of the knight's school.

Titus closed his eyes, concentrating on Belin. He could sense she was alive. He turned his attention back to Gracen and was disappointed to find that he too was still connected to his life force. However, now he could also sense Ky. She was holding him.

'Are you not at school?' he asked in his head.

"Are you not at the school?" he spoke fiercely out loud. Titus opened his eyes to the uneasy looks from the Super Set soldiers. He was about to speak when Gracen's energy shifted and he was removed from Ky's arms.

"Kalin," He uttered balling his fists in frustration. "So brother, you can shield."

Titus moved to the captain. "Gracen, must be brought to me. D'Pointe's daughter and the Knight Protector are with him. Kill all knights who cross your path."

Lednan bowed deeply and when he stood upright, he was smiling. "With pleasure."

"And find my father's body," Titus added. "I need that as well. I will be at the towers."

Lednan bowed again and left barking orders that passed down the line of the soldiers gathered as they moved behind the Super Set and began parading down the road at a brisk, thunderous pace. Titus too walked away with his assigned guards, too preoccupied with his thoughts to take any note of the splendid pageantry of soldiers as they marched but a few feet from him. He was already searching Gracen's mind, attempting to track his whereabouts but Gracen was moving much too fast. Kalin must be running, but where, Titus couldn't get a grasp on.

"Where?" he whispered, desperately. None of this would go right, none of it will have been worth it, if he didn't have Gracen dead.

'Gracie!' he screamed in his head. The boy moved, startled to have heard Titus' voice.

"Crawnies Creek," Titus spoke out loud. "Lieutenant Moust," he called to one of the Super Set guarding him. The large soldier approached Titus and bowed.

"I am sorry for your loss," Titus offered. "Drough was a good man, underserving of a death by his own weapon."

The soldier nodded. "My brother was a soldiers', soldier. Punishment will not come carelessly."

Titus gave Moust one of his most angelic smiles. "It rarely does when dealt by the Super Set," Titus inclined his head, respectfully. "You can seek it at Crawnies Creek. I release you from this post. Advice Lednan that he can find Gracen there. And there, you will also find Kalin."

Moust smiled and sprinted back into the tunnel and disappeared.

Titus watched him leave and returned his hand back to his mouth, chewing on a new hangnail. He was seriously contemplating his miscalculations and the necessity to take a life. Had he done so already, he would have known what he was walking into. Titus would remedy that mistake, immediately.

The End

April Scott-Goss received a BFA from New York University where she studied acting at the Lee Strasburg Theater Institute, an MFA from California Institute of the Arts in Directing Theater, Video and Cinema and is an MA candidate for Theatre from California State University, Los Angeles. She is both a writer and director whose 1999 thesis film, _Deep in my Heart_ , was screened at the 2000 and 2001 Cannes Film Festival and won accolades in numerous film festival's across America. _Grounded_ is April's first novel and she is currently working on the second installment to the series. More information can be found about Ms. Scott-Goss and her other works at www.sozocano.com

Like _Grounded_ on Facebook www.facebook.com/knightsofdena

Follow April on Twitter @aprilswriting

