Alton Sabraël, chosen of Battles
High above creation, in the city known as Yu-Shan, in a public eatery set in a plaza of surpassing beauty, high above a hundred-story building near the lake of quicksilver, a man and a woman were eating, some Ambrosia turned to dishes of delicacy unsuspected by lesser beings. Part of their salary, in a sense, was being consumed this day.
"I have been sent to Nexus, again, my love." I let her get halfway through her meal before I broached the subject.
"Oh, what precious thing can we acquire there, this time? Or what secret?"
"What is more precious than peace?" I lied, and my wife was not fooled.
"Peace is one of the forms of serenity, husband, not contention, if peace, lasting peace, was in the offing, I'd have known before you. They send you to test one strand of fate against another."
"..."
"How many do they expect you to kill?"
"None."
"Do not lie to me husband, you are a killer of men."
"Even I cannot kill one who is already dead, although, I can end their menace."
"Does he have a name?"
"No, I am told I am to kill an enemy of fate, but therefore, one invisible to the loom."
"How will you know who to kill?"
"I will know him by the blood he spills, by the suffering he brings. And, as you know, I am to exercise my own judgement, perhaps I may let him live..." That was weak, even to my own ears. I had not let a quarry escape in fifty-seven missions, and in the informal competitions that all chosen of Mars engaged in amongst ourselves, I was currently in a comfortable lead at 765 eliminated 'in the course of duty'. I loved my wife, but I hated that she had to see such death, she was capable of killing, but never did it by choice, to her it was distasteful, a waste.
I stepped onto this dusty Nexan dock, the smell was pungent, the sun striking hard on this winter day, no clouds to relieve his angry face. I almost walked into him. His purple wraparound crystal shades already up against the sun. It didn't affect him in combat, I checked. It was my old adversary, Moradiant Glory, my old friend. I'm not sure, perhaps he is both. Perhaps he is neither, perhaps our challenge, our struggle is the one I befriended, but no matter, he is always aware, always careful. The terminus line, the ender, they call him at the Violet Bier of Sorrows, one of their finest operatives. I hear they have others, but they're not allowed to meddle where I could see them. I've asked, and in the five-score fellow-ship, there's a growing realization that we're only _FOUR_ score, and the fifth score is somewhere... Four chosen of each maiden, unaccounted for. Doing who knows what. Not assigned to any convention on the rolls. Not practicing in any dojo known to Bahal Hesh, Master of a Thousand Styles, not on good terms with Ghataru, Shogun of the Aerial Legion, God of Seasons and Weather nor Hu Dai Liang, Shogun of the Crimson Banner, God of Decisive Stratagems. Izaros the Final Reckoner, God of Bankruptcy never speaks of them, nor Amoth City-Smiter, Sub-Director of Tumbled Ruins speaks of them stepping over stones in his charge. Ydia, Sub-Director of Looted Tombs admits not to knowing them, Xaos, Scholar of the Undiscovered gibbers as is his usual, Ruvia, Captain of the Golden Barque, Lord of Roads shines no light over them, Xixixi: God of Secret Agents can only disavow their very existence. I dared to ask a question, once. I had been brought to The Lapis Ewer, the headquarters of the Division of Serenity, where my wife works. I knew better than to ask my own liege, Mars, if endless combat was my lot, but I dared ask Venus, that one time, if she thought my wife, bereft of those missing Sidereals, could properly be supported to accomplish her mission. To this day, I'm not sure what happened, although Titiana, claims she made the greater sign of their calling, enforcing upon me peace and congeniality. I was enjoying a banquet with them, my wife at my side, and had given no one any 'odd looks' not aggressive demeanours. I was just a concerned husband, but ... well... a great sign is quite a thing. When I invoke the greater sign of Mars, attacks that should be impossible, targets that should be unreachable, become pincushions for entire armies. And I'm only a Sidereal chosen by Mars, when Venus herself makes her sign, the heavens stop, and pay heed, and choose peace and prosperity under her aegis. I do not know what I did, that the Incarnae thought otherwise, I suspect I never will know. But I am more careful know, and I've heard whispers, and words. There is a compact among us now, we've found a few, 'Love Conquers All', 'Father of Warzone Daughters', 'Shadow over troubled waters', there are young sidereals who display wisdom and power beyond their age and station. Who have friends in high places, being on a first name basis with their Maiden's own second-in-command, and the like. We are watching, the next one in my chain of 'is she really who she seems' is a chosen of Secrets known as Flying Eiderdown to us, the assistant director of the bureau of secrets, the The Green Lady, Chosen of Jupiter's own personal assistant and troubleshooter, known to mortals by many names, but known to this circle, prosaically known by their address: 12 Carnelian Peaches, as Selene. Shadow over troubled waters hitched his star to her, and so is being closely watched. Courted for centuries by Chejok Kejak to join his vision of bronze, despite her and the Green Lady being more strongly tied to the vision of Gold, if any. The Green Lady was so absorbed by her tasking to the convention on greater ghosts, those of the bronze had to ask her whose side she was on... And the answer they got, they didn't much like... She's a Chosen of Secrets, so those who are surprised she's holding her cards close to her chest get what they deserve... But she's young, and inexperienced, apparently remembering a time with a young solar, flying over creation in 'a little cloud'. She's received her exaltation from Jupiter in 734, a young pup as such things are reckoned, I mean, her boss was infiltrating ghost cults before the contagion... Few people know what the green lady sees her in protege, but we're all watching. This circle of hers? With a chosen of Autochton, Ignis Divine, Luna and Cecelyne? Not to mention the Liminal, Dragon-Blooded and the ghost? But who am I foolling? They get results, I've not been asked to eliminate this Flecktar if they weren't moving the pendulum of fate closer to where the Maidens want it. They bear watching, and One-man caravan says they're ok.
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