Of Flowing Blood and Piercing Bones

Menolia nodded at Alden's words before asking a group of nobles to watch for his troops.

"Er, well, Rasa had some pretty interesting lessons too. I was taught of how blood carries certain traits and how the mixing of blood can provide strange effects in battle. And how powdered bones can be used for... certain things." she tried to let slip the secrets Rasa had given her "She was about to teach me... well- for a worst case scenario she was going to teach me how to do a lobotomy. I'm frankly glad I had to leave before she got to. She was very strict and would push me until I fainted most of the time... Laps around the entire perimeter of Erebus, rushing all of my blood to one place for minutes- things like that were commonplace."

She could remember even now her days in Erebus. The house she shared had been quite small, Rasa insisting it was perfect, and half the time they couldn't walk without bumping into each other- but she had always felt safe in those wooden walls. No matter how many times Rasa would torture her, whether with blades or powers, her mentor would always be there at the end of the day- silently patching her up and handing her some rations "I think of all the things possible though- lobotomy's were the one thing she never wanted me to learn. She seemed very cold and cruel, but there was a strange sense of warmth in all her words."

 

"Today- you are free." Menolia rolled her sleeve down "The nobles will take care of things here, I want you to go around the city, have fun." Before either could protest, Menolia pushed them from Magnhildr's courtyard into Menodora.

With the early morning noise and bustle- one could almost forget the possibility of war. Various merchants peddled there wares- Menodora known for textiles, hunting, and music. The wind seamed to carry a noise towards them, causing Ivory to turn. A scrawny adolescent boy hung upside down in an alley, his knees bent on a flag pole high on the wall as various guards yelled at him from below. His medium length flaxen hair falling behind him. His red tunic- tucked into black trousers- was slightly more extravagant than what the normal commoner wore.

Upon further inspection, there was a length of cloth- presumably stolen- clutched in his boney hands. He swung back and forth gleefully, brown eyes mocking the guards.

 

The boy tossed himself up, shifting to land squatted on the pole "Hey- I know I have a masculine face or whatever, but I'm a girl." She jumped down and handed the cloth to Alden "And I can get food on my own grandpa."

Ivory walked towards them, but as soon as the girl saw her she froze.

"Hold on lady- you..." The girls hand slipped behind her, swiftly pulling out a knife- the emblem of the Thaecine Guards visible on its hilt.

A group of warriors, the Guards were sent to chase any and all citizens who broke certain moral codes...

For instance, Rasa's experiments.

 

Ivory gripped the hilt of the knife and looked at the girl "A Thaecine Guard? Perhaps in training...?" she mused aloud as she thought of a day in her stay in Erebus "Does the name Frisilia mean anything to you?" She watched as the girls angry expression quickly shifted to one of fear and sadness before flickering back to her original determined look.

"No." The girl spat.
"Then... Eidis?" Ivory asked, the girl letting slip the same pained face.
"I have no idea who that is."
"How about..." Ivory twirled the knife "Rasa Championne?"

The girl stopped her fighting and settled down under Alden's boot and sighed "Fine- I do. You know... many of her names. I have to admit, I'm a bit amazed. But I hope you understand that Rasa is... well a menace. The Thaecine Guard will not allow such experimentation!" she began to almost growl as she went further through her words.

Ivory requested Alden remove his foot and allow the girl to rise. She slipped the knife back into the girls hand "I'll leave your next move to you- just listen to what I say next."

"I've... met the guards before." Ivory's face still as worried and nervous looking as it always was, the true meaning of any of her words never showing through unless one knew of the topics she spoke of "I suppose you've heard of... what was it again? Oh yes-"

"Black Alice?"

At that the girl pointed her knife outwards and scampered backwards into the wall of the alley, ready to jump away onto the roofs at any moment.
Black Alice was a strange figure who would raid the Thaecine Guard's bases and outposts- leaving not a single survivor. She had even managed to top Rasa in their blacklist. The information was only known by a select few, but whispers had also reached some outer villages. Black Alice- The Grim Reaper of all Thaecine Guards like the girl before the Champions.

 

Ivory stepped towards the girl and took her knife "How old are you?" The girl leaned further against the wall.

"14." She glanced at the knife "You shouldn't kill me! My name is-"

"I know." Ivory twirled the knife in her hand idly "Imogen Hearse. I've heard from Rasa. I hope you know she has no intention of hurting you- she was only trying to help."

Ivory swiped the knife across her arm, blood splattering her cloak "You've put up quite a show. Being scared, impersonating a guard..."

"I know." Imogen grabbed the knife as Ivory handed it back.

"We're both students of the same teacher here- I want you with me, hiding, but with me. Now go." Ivory helped Imogen back unto the flag pole and watched as she disappeared onto the roof. She slipped out of the alley, clenching the cut on her arm as she approached Alden "I wasn't paying attention and she ran."

 

"I guess we should visit the elders?" Ivory glanced at the old cobbled road leading to a plain house far on a hill. The elders of Menodora, Alice and Loki Garnett, were an old pair of siblings who watched over the town. They were recently found to be ill and stayed inside. When anyone returned from a long trip, tradition was to visit them. They were hailed as some of the strongest powered citizens in all of Alcaeus, though no one was able to prove this due to there aversion to fights at there age.

 

Ivory opened the door and the pair entered the house. Just as they went through the doorway, needles were thrown towards there faces. Ivory stood still and quickly used the blood from her cut to stop the individual needles that came towards her. She let them fall and looked into the house. Alice was seated on a plain sofa, grinning and holding several needles in her hand, her graying hair messily tied back and a plain tan garment on her weakening frame "Pinprick!" she extended her arms towards Ivory.

"Ivory, not ol' Pin, Ivory." She walked forward and leaned to hug Alice, moving back and grazing the bandages on the blind woman's eyes with her thumbs "That was a dirty trick."

"Pinprick's daughter!" Alice laughed "I could tell it was you from the smell of your blood!"

Loki sat next to Alice, a similar tan garment under his fading purple scarf "And the Streiss boy!" Loki picked up his cane and stood to shake Alden's hand. He leaned closer and whispered in a way only the two of them would be able to hear "Sir Karl Streiss would be proud, my boy."

 

The pair glanced at each other before sighing and settling into their seats. Alice tucked her needles into a pouch at her waist "I know you're not surprised I've gone blind, because Menolia made sure to send word to everyone so they could wish for our well being... But it's not from old age."

Loki folded his hands at his lap and closed his eyes "We were there, my Champions... we were there at the border skirmishes."
Alice spoke next "I know you've heard they were attacked but what you don't know is... They've been conquered. All of them... Dene, Listi, Cape Seole..."
The pair reached up with shaky hands, Alice undoing the bandages over her eyes and Loki the scarf around his neck.

Dark, ugly burns contrasted with there paling skin. Loki looked into the two young Champion's eyes "You won't be able to harm them Champions. They have strange armor all over themselves- no blood or bone can get through. They..."
Alice continued for him "They have fire. I don't know how. No other land has the ability to do... to do magic. Alcaeus is the sole gifted land! They have a black fire that instantly evaporates blood and turns bone to powder... it's..." The two elders were shaking by now and there fear was apparent.