Odd Alliances.
Havillah did not come back.
Not that night or the next and on the third day, Killion found himself entertaining an odd trio that had decided to walk into his office in the middle of the morning uninvited. The Hub was now abuzz with the news. Of three strangers dressed in beautiful glittering robes that walked in with a regality of queens. Three ladies whose beauty compared to none. To no one else other than that strange girl who had once visited Bethesda, who their captain had taken a liking to, much to the chagrin of his supposed fiancée who was none other than that soldier by the name of Calla Barrageway .
The three women, each much different from the rest, that is apart from the design of their robes and the flaming reds of one whose colour resembled that of Havillah's robes had taken the town by storm. The people of the town and especially the Hub claimed that they had never seen anything like it. Like angels, these ladies could fly, make objects levitate and other wonderful things, some exaggerations even as the gossip mills continued to spin the tales with much flourish.
And indeed the tales were many tales. Tales of flamboyant beings, an ancient powerful people who had once walked and ruled the earth beside the Great kings. Their power and ethereal beauty a thing to marvel about. Rulers of the old world– the Great, the priests that had one day taken off and left the world in such a state of chaos, right after the death of the Last King. Had they come back now? Had the priesthood finally been restored? Where had they been all this time? Such were the whispers, hushed words spoken in low tones even as the residents wondered and remembered that ancient bitterness that the fear of the terrors had blotted away.
"Well...what news of my daughter, Captain Lithewood?" It was now confirmed that the stately woman with a head of long ash blond rocks that flowed all the way to the back of her knees and a matching set of grey eyes was none other than Havillah's mother. The other two were her friends, Havillah's friends and as the yellow blonde continued to glare back at Killion, the captain found himself floundering, made uncomfortable by the anger and contempt that he saw deeply buried within the depths of those huge emerald orbs. What had he done to deserve such ire? He shook his head ridding himself of the thoughts that would quickly distract him and turned to address the woman that was Havillah's mother.
"None. We have searched everywhere but it seems like she has vanished into thin air." He answered,taking the time to study her purple robes and the more elaborate detailing that spoke of what? Rank? Power? He would never know as he had no courage to ask these questions. Questions that gnawed at the back of his mind even as he curiously stared at the golden vines full of purple blossoms embroidered on the very edges and hems of her purple Triban robes. For how could he when her daughter, Havillah was still missing? And it was all his fault. Had she been still here, maybe he would have had the courage to asked her and even learn more of these Great that his Grandmother Kezzia kept on prattling about.
"How convenient. Don't you think Sergeant Barrageway?" The woman turned to Calla with a studious look on her face and the Sergeant squirmed where she stood still. How did she even know? Killion shuddered even as he watched the stare down that was happening between the two women. One gaze was questioning while the other remained arrogant even in the face of such an intrusion. Eventually Calla gave in. She looked away with a heavy sigh and slight slump to her ever to propped shoulders. Even she was no match to this woman, whoever she was and the more Killion continued to study her, the more convinced he was that this woman was not a person they wanted to mess with.
"I did not do anything I swear. I was mad at her– but no. I did not do anything to her."
"I see–" The woman began to respond just as Gabriel jumped to question her.
"Wait, can you like read–"
"Connors!" The captain scolded, looking aghast even as he inwardly applauded the young man for his guts and perceived insolence even in the face of such an unknown.
"What? We were all wondering the same."
"Connors!"
"No, I do not read minds," For the first time the woman lips turned in a smile, seemingly taken in by the young soldier's impulsive nature and the childish inquisitiveness that he had just portrayed in questioning her. Maybe it was because he reminded her of her sons. The young boys she had left behind in pursuit of her daughter. If only Jaykob had listened. Then their family would not have been split up like this. "Though, I am really grateful for the help you accorded my daughter when she first got here." The elder Tamaar responded with yet another smile and the other soldiers could only stare back in shock, confused at the scene that was unfolding right before their eyes.
"How did you–" Killion started to say, wondering if she was a clairvoyant, but the woman cut him off with the smile now gone from her face.
"Back to my daughter!" She told him.
"Yes, yes. We have not been able to track her. Like I said, it's so much like Havillah to disappear into thin air, but then again that is no surprise since she can fly–"
"Wait! You expect us to believe this nonsense? Havillah was banished and therefore is incapable of welding any Virtual at all, all thanks to you." This time an irate Cjaira was the one to cut in and had to be pulled back by Moriella just to keep her from accosting the good captain.
"Please believe me when I say that I am not lying." Killion defended. "You can ask Gabriel and basically everyone else here."
"I know. I sensed it the moment we landed here, but her signature is now distinctively different... Courtesy of... evolving Virtue away from the hope?" she uttered quite thoughtfully even as she turned back to address the Captain. He was quite sure now, the woman was a Clairvoyant. "Tell, me. What is it that you do here? I have noticed that in the absence of Virtue, you humans have developed..."
"Technology." Killion filled in even as she urged him to continue with his explanation. "In the face of the terrors–"
"Yes, yes we are quite aware of them." Cjaira muttered before being silenced by a stern look from the elder.
"–We were forced to come up with new ways to fight them back. Hence this..."
"Technology, yes. My lady, I do not understand. What does this have to do with–" the little yellow blonde moved to question before being silenced yet again by a displeased looking ElderTamaar.
"Not now Cjaira." The young girl bowed her head apologetically before moving back to allow the captain to continue. She was quite insolent it seemed but Tamara also knew that her behaviour was driven by the passion to find her lost friend.
"We track them before they arrive," the captain continued appearing somewhat nonplussed by Cjaira's incongruous behaviour. That or it was because he feared her. Either way, Tamaar was grateful that her efforts had not been lost and her plans would go as she had laid them. "and prepare to thwart them. Though our technology may not be as effective as Havillah's methods, it has helped us save lives and minimise casualties through out the years."
"I see..." She said, the words 'Havillah's methods' not entirely lost on her. "So do you have anything that can track signals? Energy signals to be precise?" The elder inquired.