The skies were a mystical obsidian, with stars twinkling and clouds slowly passing by in the night. Criquets provided a jazzy chant, as the lazy summer breeze whistled through the sinuous trees. By all accounts, it was as typical an evening as evenings could be. Yet, there was something in the air, intangible, undeniable. The atmosphere was heavy, overburdened with fateful momentum.
Amongst the stars, one did not belong. Uncharacteristically, it neither twinkled nor remained still. In fact, it cruised past its peers quite expeditiously, leaving a wispy trail in its wake. It was followed down by two others, just like it. As the three specs came down from the heavens, they grew in size.Distinct features became discernible, wings, small sharp noses, and metallic hulls. Obviously, they were not heavenly bodies at all, but vessels, small flying machines, speedsters. The distant hum of their internal apparatus grew into a powerful zing. The crickets went silent, as they neared the ground. The sound was not as loud and unrefined as a jet engine's. No, these were elegant pieces of machinery, swerving majestically through the treetops, one after another. Their design was reminiscent of a bird of prey, a hawk.They moved as if they were alive, with numerous moving parts. The crafts reared up slightly, slowing down on approach to their destination, a circular stone-laid courtyard near the edge of a cliff. The ocean waves crashed vigorously into the rocks below, adding to the natural orchestra. Bright yellow lights adorned the rim of the landing site, making it plainly visible to incoming visitors. Neatly trimmed trees flanked the courtyard on either side, a clear sign of careful maintenance.As the vessels began their landing procedure, the lights revealed their ebony livery. Then, they slowly became first translucent and then transparent. Within moments, they had evanesced completely, revealing the forms of the pilots that were inside. Orbs on their chests beamed with a powerful light, their glow fading as their landing came to an end. They wore ominous black cloaks, their faces hidden behind silvery masks. The instant their feet touched the ground, they slid seamlessly into a stride, heading directly through the passage between the pompous trees.Beyond them was a magnificent temple, with rows of white marble pillars and turquoise adornments. Though it was truly a sight to behold, they gave it little notice. At the entrance, the figure in front commanded the double doors open, with a wave of a hand. Inside, more white marble pillars rose up to the ceiling along the side walls. Beautifully sculpted chandeliers illuminated the place. At the opposite end of the chamber from the door, was a majestic altar, with three floating chairs. In those chairs, sat three hooded maidens, with fancy purple robes. They remained motionless, awaiting their newly arrived guests.When the cloaked figures reached them, the maiden in the middle greeted, "Welcome back. We trust your trip was free of incident, as we have foreseen." With a gesture, she made three large comfortable leather armchairs emerge from the stone floor, for her guests to sit in.Two of the masked figures sat down, making themselves comfortable. The one on the left was a tall muscular man. The other one was just as tall, but quite slim. Instead of eyes in the eye sockets of his mask, there were two small lights, like fireflies. Clearly, he wasn't made of flesh and bone, as were his companions. His body, his movements seemed mechanical and his eyes robotic.Their leader, a slightly shorter figure, remained standing and spoke, in a cold female voice, "We didn't come here for pleasantries. What do you have for us?" Her aquamarine eyes beamed with vicious intent, through the sockets of the mask."More than we can disclose in one breath," the maiden on the left replied suggestively. They each spoke in turn, as if their minds were one and the same, "Our sightless eyes have seen many things these past few days, confusion, strife, darkness. We have found some answers, but many new questions as well. Such is the nature of foresight. Always, the future offers crossroads, paths, choices. Tonight, a crucial decision will be made. And it will be made by you, Djin-Iderik...""I told you never to call me that!" the masked woman cried furiously, "I despise that name! I REJECT it!""Nevertheless," the maidens pointed out, "It is who you are.""Call me Iderik again," Djin warned, through her gritted teeth, "and it'll be the last word you speak.""My end will come soon enough," replied the maiden, completely unphased, "but you would be unwise not to hear what we have to say.""Come now, sister," the masked man with the glowing eyes called her cautiously. His voice was as artifitial as his limbs, "please, calm yourself, let the seer speak.""Shut your mouth, Vix!" she barked at him."Easy, Djin," the other man interjected, ignoring her raging gaze, "You should be happy, it looks like you'll be the one calling the shots this time, just as you've always wanted. After all, you're the one making the decision, whatever that means." His eyes were also aquamarine.Djin was fuming, but she remained silent, still refusing to sit."For many nights," continued another maiden, "we have studied the visions presented to us. Though they are still scattered and unclear, we have made a breakthrough. This is a defining moment in time, a point after which there will be no return. There are new developments, separate for now, but on a converging course.""A converging course?" the masked woman inquired, "What do you mean?""There was a ripple in the ether," the maiden replied, "an event powerful enough to alter the very fabric of fate and create new paths through the weave of destiny. Though it distorted our sight, it also gave us glimpses of clarity. We believe the pawns with which this game will play out have been revealed to us. They are five... the youth, the tome, the beast, the shadow, and the quill. Though we could not see who or what the youth is, we believe it represents something new, as the word itself suggests, something YOUNG. Of one thing we are certain, this youth is the centerpiece around which all else will orbit.""You needn't waste too much energy on this youth," the masked woman commented wisely, glancing back at the others, "I suspect we know who they are."The hooded maidens switched speakers again, "The tome is an article of alluring power, corrupted and perilous. We suspect it is an ancient relic of sorts, hidden away in times long past.""The book!" Dnar quickly suspected, "Has it been found?""Indeed," the maiden confirmed, turning to the third masked figure, "it has been rediscovered by an old friend of yours, Vixon-Iderix, a lore keeper.""Lord Volund?" the masked man, with his firefly eyes and synthetic voice, spoke, with comical disbelief, "You have got to be kidding. That sly old drake, he found it! Djin, this is great news.""Yes, Vix is right!" Dnar celebrated, "No more waiting around, no more wondering what comes next. Now we take action."The maidens continued, "Though he is powerful and wise, the tome is shrouded in a darkness so deep, even he has not yet fully grasped its nature. Likewise, we cannot foresee the tome's fate, only that it is somehow related to the beast. The exact nature of this relationship also eludes us. This creature, whatever it may be, is a most elusive pawn. We see a loyal and cunning servant, but its purpose, its location, its form... it is all a mystery to us.""A servant?" Vix wondered fearfully, "Surely, it cannot be Gremwold...""Do you know any other creature that fits that description?" Dnar asked him, "We have to assume that little fiend is still around... somehow.""Yes, even the seers can't locate him," Djin sighed and commented, turning back to the maidens, "What about the shadow?""The shadow is an impenetrable darkness," the maidens answered her, "unnaturally devoid of light.""That sounds an awful lot like the void," she pointed out grimly, "I don't suppose you can confirm what it is.""We cannot," they replied simply, "However, we can confirm that the tome has been awakened. We believe this event is in fact what caused the ripple and that the shadow has taken notice of it.""If that's the case, then every seer in the empyreum must have seen what you have," Djin lamented, "Everyone's going to be scurrying to find out what's going on. We still have a good head start, but we better make sure we stay ahead of the curb. What about this fifth pawn, the quill?""We believe the quill to be your former master," they informed her cautiously, "the one who gave you all life. She has been writing this story since its inception.""I thought I was the one calling the shots now," Djin complained irritably."In a way, you are, Djin," they explained, "Your decision will shape the last act of this tale. The quill, it seems, has written her last notes. Her part is done. Wherever she is now, whatever she is doing, she is no longer taking part in the weaving of fate.""That's impossible," Djin argued, "I know her, I know how she thinks. She'd rather die than allow anyone else to take charge. The only way she'd ever step down is if..." But then she stopped dead in her tracks, glancing back at her brother.Dnar gave her a meaningful look, in silence.Vix shrugged and suggested, "Perhaps... her misdeeds have finally caught up with her?""Don't be so damn gullible, Vix," Djin cried angrily, "She's been one step ahead of everyone and everything for ages. You really think she'd slip up now?""Yes," Dnar agreed, "I think it'd be unwise to underestimate her. It's safer to assume everything has gone as she planned.""Yes," Vix conceeded, "you are right, of course. But, if she is no longer writing this story, what could she be doing?"Djin scolded him again, "That, you imbecil, is what we have to find out, isn't it?" She rolled her eyes and then asked the maidens, "Is that all, then? No other revelations for tonight?""No, that is all," they answered."Very well," she accepted, touching the tips of her fingers together.She had stood through the entire meeting and without another word, she nodded to the maidens, turned on her heel, and walked out the door. Her brothers got up and followed her out. They walked with renewed conviction, but when they got to the stone-laid courtyard, they didn't immediately blast off into the heavens in their hawk ship forms.Djin started brainstorming a plan, "Okay, so, first things first... We need to get a handle on Volund's security routines, find out where he keeps that book and how to get to it. I'll be the one infiltrating his guild. I think I'm the one best suited for the job, if I do say so myself.""That you are, sister, but don't underestimate Volund," Dnar commented, "he's wiser than the three of us put together. And infiltrating the Arendal Guild won't be easy, they might be a small organization, but they're nearly as well equipped as the great houses.""Good," she argued, "Eazy is boring, I like myself a challenge. Just leave it to me, brother, they won't see me coming. In the meantime, you need to track down that beast. If it realy is Gremwold, you'll have your hands full, but if anyone can catch him, it's you. And Vix," she told him, with a hint of disdain in her tone, "you will go and infiltrate the human realm, find out how organized they are and, most importantly, who the potential targets are. It's a simple enough task. Do you think you can manage it without screwing everything up?""I will do my best," he replied, with oblivious optimism."Wonderful," she finalized, "Then, let's get to it.""Djin," Dnar said, in a fearful tone, "what if we're too late? What if the reason Kali is no longer taking action is because she's already won?""She hasn't," she told him confidently, "not yet, I don't think. If she had, the seers wouldn't have seen our decisions shaping the future. We just have to be careful not to end up doing exactly what she wants us to. Besides, what would you rather do, give up, or go down swinging?"He considered her words for a second, then quickly replied, "Well, you know me, I always like a good fight."She grinned at him, "Then let's give them the fight of our lives!" Gazing up to the stars above, she opened her arms, leaped gracefully into the air, and took flight.As the three hawk ships disappeared into the stars from whence they came, the crickets went back to their chanting and the night to its fateful momentum.