Star woke up in her bed, and rubbed her head in confusion. She looked around her and noticed she was changed and wearing sleeping clothes. She frowned and cursed, running to look at a mirror. She relaxed. "My eyes are still my eyes." She looked over her body and frowned. "No cuts, bruises, or anything out of the ordinary..." She frowned. "What happened after we went into that room?" She looked at the door of the room she was in and opened it staring at a long hallway.
She looked down at the thick carpet that went around her toes and smiled. "That does feel nice. I chose that." She shook her head... "I didn't choose that at all."
"Star... Star... Are you awake?" Star felt her heart race. She knew that voice. "I'm awake my queen Iyana." She ran when she saw the queen and hugged her tightly. "I've missed you soo much."
"What do you mean miss me? I just went for a moment, and now I'm back... It seems you want to be tied to me always." Star nodded with a cheeky smile. "That does sound like fun. I'm sure we can find some rope around here somewhere."
"Very cute of you... However, we don't have time... We have guests. We need to go see them." Star looked at her in confusion. "Who is here in the city?"
"Your uncle and aunt remember. They saved you and I allow them to come and go as they please... Your parents owe them a life." Star felt her heart jump. "My parents... Are they here?"
"You just saw them about three marks ago when we ate our evening meal together... My priestess... Are you fine? Did you have a nightmare or something? You seem a little strange after waking up." She smiled as she felt the queen run her fingers through her hair. "I'm fine... Just as you said. I was having a bad dream."
"Come... Tell me what your dream was all about... We can go see your aunt and uncle shortly." She watched her queen tap the seat next to her, and she sat enjoying the smell of her perfume. "Tell me about your dream Star." She nodded and started to think about it. She frowned. "I can't remember exactly... I remember fighting, and than... blackness."
Star cursed and looked around in confusion. "Something is clearly not right..." She looked at her arms and legs, standing up. "No scars... There aren't any scars."
"What are you talking about? Why would you have any scars on you? How could you be a priestess if you had scars on your body." Star shook her head. "This isn't real..."
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
Star fell down to the ground and screamed in pain. "AHHHHHHHHHH! It hurts!"
"Quick get a doctor... Call her parents... Her headaches are back... Quick." Star rolled around on the carpet. She felt blood on her face and wiped it with her hand. "Its painful..."
"Its painful because you're fighting it... Don't fight it, and relax, the headache will go away than." Star shook her head... "Scars... I have scars... This isn't real, my parents aren't alive. Red and Agnia killed them... THIS IS NOT REALLLLLLLLL!"
She opened her eyes and looked around in the darkened room. She saw the Supreme staring at her from the throne... "It seems one has failed, to take it, no matter... She has the ability."
She turned and looked at the others laying on the ground unconscious shaking their heads. "Wow... That was messed up... I think my brother would be jealous, if he knew that was in my head." She looked at Drummen sitting up and yawning. "What happened? Do you remember anything happening before we fell unconscious?"
"Nope, but that dream was too real... Completely fake... Pity that it was fake, I would of had some fun there, but lady luck wouldn't have any piece of it, and pushed me out." She heard Drummen curse and looked up at the Supreme who was sitting in silence. "What did you do to them?"
"I've done nothing... They're facing the ritual part of the guard... If they fail, than they're no longer a guard and die... If they wake up like you did, than you have conquered your greatest desire... So far only two of the five." She looked at the Supreme in confusion. "Than why did you say I failed when I woke up?"
"Don't worry about me... I say some strange things some times... Well most of the time... The more you spend around me, the more you realize how I speak and act." She looked at him. "What are you talking about now?" She watched him wave his hand at her. "Don't worry about me... It seems your mute friend is about to wake up." She turned and watched as Mouse stood up and walked to the wall, leaning against it in silence. She looked into his eye, and shook her head. "It seems like he also knew it was false."
"That's three of you now..."
"Make that four..."
Star smiled and turned around looking at Harnio. "Are you fine after that?" she saw his smile. "They didn't know what I wanted, and so failed to try and give it to me." She frowned. "They? What do you mean by they?"
"Remember what Mouse told us... about walls?" Star nodded. "Well. I'll tell you later about what I mean." She nodded and watched as Harnio walked over to Mouse and stood there with him in silence. "One to go... Lets see if he passes of not."
She ignored the Supreme, and stood over the firewarrior. "Come on you idiot... You know its fake... Just wake up and see for yourself... Come on... You can do it." She knelt on the ground next to him, and stared at him. "If you don't wake up, I'm going to use my arrows and castrate you."
She watched as he opened one eye and looked at her smiling. "Hey... I knew it was fake... You don't need to castrate me." She looked at him. "Than why were you lying on the ground, if you were awake the whole time?"
"I was tired, and I felt like having a little rest." She stood up and kicked him in the arm. "Idiot..." She turned and looked at the Supreme sitting on the throne with a smile on his face. "Well you have all passed the ritual, and when you walk out of those doors, you'll no longer just be a name, but you'll have a title to go by... No more simple tavern rooms for you all... The best of everything that can be found here in the keep, while you're not on a mission of cause... Lets do with the titles and than we can move on to other things."
Star nodded and stood in line with the others. "Firewarrior. Stannir Fire eater. The leader of the guard... Your fire strike unit will be called for to report for duty as the guard of the Supreme." She watched as Stannir smiled and lowered himself to his knee.
"Star... Daughter and priestess to the tribes in the mountains... No more circuses for you... If you require any support, let me know and I shall request them for you." She smiled and bowed towards the Supreme.
"Drummen... Drummen. You're no longer an apprentice to Daikish... You're your own man... The guardian guard... You'll find those that you train here, have used some of Daikish's tools in the past... I'm sure you'll find them very useful... Since you know how they work. Your support outside is all you need I presume?" She watched as Drummen nodded. "Good..."
"Harnio... Artificer of the Ancient Tower... Finally, we have someone who can make some good armor and weapons for us... A good armsguard has been missing from this unit for a very long time... My fathers would tell me all the time... Anyway... Harnio... The forge, and academy halls are yours to use as you please..."
"Finally... Mouse... Welcome to the shadow guard..."
She looked at Mouse and frowned. "Supreme... You knew all these things about us, but when you came to Mouse... Its like you don't know anything about him." She saw the Supreme nod. "Correct. I know nothing about Mouse... But if you talked to me about Leaf, I would be able to provide a lot of information." She looked at Mouse, who turned to her and shook his head. She nodded and kept silent.
"Now that boring stuff is done. You may leave here... There'll be a message spread all over Athlos about the new guard... The attendants outside will take you to your rooms, where you'll find the uniform of the guard... Please start wearing it, and in the evening get ready for the address... After that your lives will no longer be quiet... For you all, the game of politics has started... You can all leave now, I'll see you in the evening."
Star bowed and turned leaving the throne room with the others in confusion. She watched as the doors open and close behind her. She stopped for a moment, and stood there staring at the door in silence. "What was it? What did you see?" Star turned and looked at the firewarrior shaking her head. "Nothing... Just a shadow I guess."
"Guards... Come this way... You might want to hurry before the families know you are here..." Star sighed and looked out the windows in the far distance, sighing loudly again. "What's the matter priestess?"
"Waiting... that is what I don't like at all... I wonder what the Roc tribe have seen..." She walked through the hallway ignoring the statues of the past Supremes, following the attendant towards her new home.
"Brother... You made it. My brother is a guard... Good on you. I'm proud of you brother." She watched as the brothers hugged each other, playfully pushing each other around. "Stop it brother... We have to go and get changed... We also need to go see where we're living now."
"Fine... fine... Brother. Lead on attendant."
She looked out the stained glass windows, and saw a bird of prey flying in the sky. She smiled and looked at the attendant. "Can we hurry please? I feel tired and wish to go bathe and rest."
"We're almost there... Just behind these doors. Just so you know, this place is only ever noisy when there are guards... Welcome to your new home." She watched as the doors opened revealing a large palace like area. She ignored the rooms, and went straight to the stone balcony, staring over the Capital. "It's beautiful up here."
She turned and watched as the bird of prey landed on the balcony and looked at her. "I hope Cliffhopper hasn't caused you to lose your mind or anything?" Star smiled and shook her head. "No he hasn't, with me around he has been very well behaved." She watched as the bird of prey grew longer, and a woman with long hair stood in front of her. "Should I go get him for you?" She watched as the woman shook her hands at him. "He won't be happy to see me." Star looked at her in confusion. "Why is that?"
"I was the one who won the dance for him... He's a good man, just not ready yet..." Star smiled and covered her mouth with her hand. "Yes... People who travel with Cliffhopper, know him well and also understand my pain and worry... I do care for him, and I keep an eye on him, now I have the priestess to watch over him too, so he doesn't come back wounded or hurt." Star shook her head at her. "What do you see in him?"
"Love, care, loyalty. He has them all. His inner strength is amazing." Star looked at her as she turned to stare at Cliffhopper walking around the room. Star smiled. "I'll keep an eye on him for you, so you don't have to worry too much..." She looked at him. "Was Cliffhopper the only reason why you came here?"
"No. The queen has sent you a message, she thought you may want to know that she is missing you, also that someone of interest has been spotted by people in the Roc tribe." Star looked at her. "Who would that be?"
"Someone, by the name of Agnia."
Star's face turned white.