Identitiy Revealed

"Over my dead body." Àskérian seethed, his roar had caused Sean to lose his foothold as the palace shook and he staggered backwards.

Sean quickly adjusted his stance, catching himself before falling, and faced Àskérian ready to charge another attack. "That can be arranged."

"You forget one thing." Àskériàn smild darkly, bringing his blade forward. "If I die, the dragon dies."

"What in Gaia's name is going on here?!" Knight's thick voice cut through the air.

Àskériàn glanced over his right shoulder to see Knight at the east entrance to the royal wing. "Knight. Good." Àskérian began, "I could use some help." He grunted as Sean came in for his attack, metal struck metal again, but Àskérian was able to hold him off.

Sean scowled at him through the crisscross of sword and javalin.

"I guess your presious leader forgot to tell you that part about our arrangement." Àskérian said smugly.

"Àskérian! Sean!" Seraphina and Rain emerged at the west entrance to the royal wing." What is going on here?!" The Hamsternick's voice was full of confusion as she took in the sight of the fighting knights.

Sean made fast work of the confusion in the air. "I found Àskérian trying to attack Ardent." He lied pushing Àskérian backward with a powerful lunge of his legs.

Àskérian dug in his heals, managing to stop further movement. He pinned Sean with a glare that could shoot daggers. "So that's how its going to be."

"Quick! We need to apprehend him." Sean yelled to Knight through the mesh of metal. "Before he does something to Ardent." He looked pleadingly to Seraphina and Rain over his shoulder.

"Àskérian?" Seraphina spoke his name, the unspoken demand for answer clear as she turned her gaze to him. Rain echoed her expression and two sets of eyes landed on him as both women stood on the top of the stairwell.

"He's lying, but I won't try to convince you. I know what this looks like." Àskérian answered.

"And what exactly does it look like Àskérian?" Knight demanded.

Before Àskérian could answer, Sean leaped backwards and then shot forward, bringing down Chuchubai. Àskérian stepped back, dodging the bladed tip just in time as it sliced the air where hid face had been.

"Both of you! Stop this!" Rain demanded. Without waiting for a reply, she unhooked a white feather trinket from her waistbelt. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled and blew out at the feather which she held in her palm.

The feather shimmered and grew into a long staff made of the light blue elven crystals that hung from her pointed ears. Along the length golden feathers weaved their way up the staff, meeting at the top to form uplifted wings carved from gold.

"Don't make me do this." She eyed both of them with a stern look.

"What's going on?" Pai's voice came from down the hall acompanied by the pitter of multiple sets of footsteps.

"Àskérian and Sean are in a quarrel." Seraphina answered her expression puzzled beneath her white hair and eye patch as she turned to him.

She nodded at Manoj and Sekke as they joined the group at the west entrance.

"A quarrel?" Pai stood between Rain and Seraphina at the top of the stairs and took in the sene, then he pushed his way passed his companions.

*It must be serious if Rain has released Somnium.* Pai thought as he brushed passed her, noticing her weapon at the ready as he cleared the steps.

"What's the problem here?" He demanded halting a few feet away from the quarrelling men.

Knight rolled his eyes, stalking down the stairs on his side of the wing. "I already asked that." Exasperation in his voice as he threw his hands in the air. "Good luck getting an answer."

"Don't you see?" Sean asked his gaze flicking from Pai then to Knight. The sound of more footsteps announced the approach of Renfred, Zoe and Storm who were coming up the hall on Knight's side.

"We heard a dragon's roar." Zoe panted as she reached the stairs, she bent down trying to catch her breath, a hand on each brightly cladded leg.

"Is Etah here?" Storm asked, brushing past the winded wizard. Renfred stepped aside and began to observe, their eyes green glowing orbs beneath the forest green cloak.

"Not Etah, but Àskérian." Knight replied over his shoulder. Storm's eyes were alert as she reached his side.

"What would be the point? You wouldn't listen to me." Àskérian spoke, never taking his eyes off of Sean. "Why don't you ask Sean how he knows soo much about me?" Àskérian challenged.

"That's a good question." Sekke moved forward to stand beside Pai. "How do you know so much about Àskérian?"

Sean frowned, eyes filled with rage as he faced Àskérian once again.

"Looks like your plan didn't work." Àskérian's tone was one of mockery. "But don't worry. I'll keep Ardent's soul nice and safe. Inside her body, where it belongs."

"What's this about Ardent's soul?" Knight demanded.

Àskérian sighed and tried not roll his eyes. "Less questions please."

Sean lunged towards Àskérian before anyone could react, but Àskérian was ready, blocking the javelin's blade with the blade of his sword.

"Stop this! Stop it right now!" Seraphina's voice was almost drowned out by the sound of metal colliding with metal as the two knights fought eachother, their intent clear, one of them wouldn't be walking away.

Shadows began to engulf the wing, at the knights's feet, only to shimmer into the sky of Celestial void, hinting at Rain's attempt to appease the conflict with her illusions.

Ignoring the changing environnement, Àskérian caught his blade underneath the javelin's shaft and, thrusting upwards with all of his weight, he knocked Sean backwards, creating an opening for a final attack.

A creaking sound caught his attention and everyone froze as their gazes turned to Ardent's door.

For a few heartbeats, all of the knights waited with baited breath as their leader rubbed tired eyes and glanced from one of the hall to the other.

Her mind seemed to be in a far away place, unable to take recognition for the danger that she was in. She was still dressed in her light pink pajamas, clearly she was still half asleep, her wings tucked neatly against her back. A white tail flitted up behind her and twitched.

Rain gasped. "T-tail? She really does have a tail!" Her voice cut through the still air.

"That's what concerns you right now?" Manoj tried not to laugh, remembering the question young Kimmy had asked at the banquette table.

"Are you not the one who helps Ardent dress Rain?" Sekke asked with a confusion laced voice.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"You would have known by now about the tail, don't be so shocked."

"She dresses herself. " Rain gave an indignant snort. "I just make sure her armor isn't needing repairs." She muttered.

"Will you two worry about more pressing matters instead of our leader's anatomy?!" Knight hissed. "She's in danger incase you haven't forgotten!"

Sean took the distraction to lunge for the half-asleep queen. Black chains formed themselves around her torso, connecting to Àskérian's sword and he pulled Ardent to him just in time to avoid harm from Sean's attack.

Sean spun around to lung at Àskérian, only to be blocked by golden webs of electricity that sparked in the air around him. The webs bound themselves together until golden shields pinned him in place.

"I owe you an apology, Àskérian." Knight began. "It seems he really was the traitor." He held one hand up as if he was trying to summon a spirit, yellow sparks flitted over his arm, contrasting with his dark light armor.

Rain sighed with relief, letting her weapon shimmer away into the feather trinket. At once he floor faded back into its original solid quartz state as she hooked the trinket back onto her belt.

Pulling his arm inward, Knight directed the shields to move closer to him, bringing with them Sean who was fidgetting against the electrical currents.

"The more you struggle, the more pain you will feel." Knight told the trapped fae king as a bolt sent a shockwave through his body, sending spasms throughout.

Sekke winced, glad it wasn't him who was surrounded by electricly terrifying shields. "Àskérian, take Ardent and get out of here."

"But we can't let him go. I need answers!" Knight argued.

"We will find him after. Right now we need to take care of Sean."

"It seems I can trust you to end things here." Àskériàn nodded to Sekke and then allowed himself to shift into his dragon form.

Àskérian's black tail drapped over the railing along the one side of the hall that connected the two ends of the wing together, opposite the royal chambers. One of his wings nearly bowled Knight over.

"Excuse you!" He spat, moving out of the way.

Àskérian craddled Ardent in one of his claws, gently encaging her body with his talons. Then with one thrust of his wings, the windy force knocking several wall adornments out of their places as they clattered to the floor, he lifted himself up.

Before anyone could protest, Àskérian flew over the knights blocking the west entrance and broke through the window that towered over the end of the hall, sending shards of glass tumbling to the ground below, the crackle of the crystal matter hit the air like Knight's lightening.