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Disclaimer: You're looking in the wrong place...it's hiden under the rock in the stream by the brick hut further down the lane of flowers.
All flashbacks are Mirage’s and will tell the story of the Dragonfly. I wanted to fill everyone in and I’ve been elusive enough. Time for some answers…but the true question is are you ready? Well, read on and find out!
Edit 6/19/07 - Thanks again to BlueTrillium for pointing out another error. :)
Thanks to the new set up I can easily edit things up to 30 days! This new feature I simply adore. So, if anyone finds anything wrong let me know so I can correct it.
She was about to let her presence be known when he spoke.
“Since you left us I have never needed you more than now, dear wife. Our daughter is in danger and the dojo in jeopardy. Rokagin’s men won’t give in easily. I’ve sent every student away.”
Her breath hitched in her throat. She quietly slunk into the shadows. He spoke of Rokagin and she could scarcely believe it. Rokagin was the head of an unlawful organization that always eluded the officials. Compared to Earth history, he was the head of the Klausian mafia.
He didn’t speak again. After he motioned through the traditional Klausian prayers for strength and protection, he left. His own thoughts occupied him and she remained unannounced to his perceptions.
Once he was gone, she moved silently to the altar. The painting of her mother watched over her as she plucked the paper he had left. It was a note in a penmanship she had never seen; but there was no mistaken its origins.
Her father’s words echoed in her mind. He had said she was in trouble and now she knew why.
Rokagin was seeking someone with advanced fighting skills to aid him. He wanted a hit man of certain qualifications and he had targeted her. According to the letter, her father had denied him and he was not pleased. He threatened the dojo if Mirage wasn't handed over to him.
She had just turned twenty-three and her life had been going exactly how she had dreamed. Cliff had come around and they were one year into a promising relationship. But now…now things were taking a turn far worse than she could imagine.
If Rokagin didn’t get what he wanted, which was her, he was willing to kill her father and burn the dojo to the ground. After that, he intended to take her anyway.
Anger burned deep in an unquenchable thirst. She wasn’t going to sit by and watch her father’s life destroyed because some jerk who thought he was untouchable decided so. She would see for herself just how untouchable he really was.
Dragonfly’s Fire
Chapter Ten
Deftly he maneuvered through the overgrown grass. This land, Aquaria, was setting itself against him; heightening his dislike for it. After trudging through the shallow stream, his dislike took a turn into loathing.
Albel wasn’t one for nature hikes though he possessed the agility and knowledge to do so. Given the option he would prefer to hold himself up in a tavern night after night. It would eventually take his lean figure and reverse his waist line; but he grew tired of the nonsense.
For now, anyway. He knew that after a day or two he would break from the somber mood and seek out another battle. His recent mind-frame was a result of being beaten by a woman with his own sword and then beaten again by a blonde magician.
He pondered over his adversary as he wandered the land. He had to be a magician to move as fast as he had. That and Albel could sense something amiss in him. He was human and yet not human all the same. Albel had fought enough foes to see beyond the tangible and he didn’t like what he saw in the magician.
Being one to seek a battle was one thing. Not that Albel ever attacked innocents, unless provoked. This magician attacked anyone in his way and such acts were not honorable. Albel might not project his true feelings and most would never guess but he had a deep seated moral. In this moral he had bound himself to perform honorable and nobly – even if such acts were in his eyes only.
He was unsure of the woman. She required extended investigation. But the man – the magician - was to be terminated. As long as he breathed nothing was safe. Albel would have to eradicate that problem before it escalated.
Much to his pleasure, finding the magician wasn’t a problem. Shortly after crossing the shallow stream he spotted his target. As luck would have it, the magician was distracted by the wench. Albel wasn’t one for stabbing someone in the back, but he was smart enough to know that sometimes that was exactly what had to be done.
Mirage knew she was in over her head. Her anger had guided her against logic for once. Her family had been threatened and common sense had been discarded. Regardless of all that she had made her way into Rokagin’s head quarters.
She had left home two days ago and had just gotten to the point she aimed for. All her training had been pushed to its limits. Her silent stealth, cunning, ability to hide in shadows and all other techniques she had acquired over her lifetime were in full swing.
She had always been a fan of ancient Earth history. In the text of her favorite book were pictures of legendary ninjas. Their grace, strength and affection for being anonymous caught her; and she guised herself as the illustrations had shown. If anyone where to see her they wouldn’t even know she was female.
With skills rivaling a feline she crept up behind the un-expecting leader. She loathed violence but kept her mind set. This was necessary. It was him or her father. He didn’t stand a chance against those odds.
But luck wasn’t with her that night. No sooner had she slit his throat when the Federation Police stormed through the door. After years it would seem that Rokagin couldn’t elude their authority and they had come to arrest him.
Instead they arrested her and carried his corpse to a lab for examination.
Lancar lead the others out the Northern exit. After all his training it wasn’t hard to pick out two trails to follow. He bent at the fork of footsteps and examined the ground.
“Looks like Luther and…Albel, I think that was his name, headed west. The Reds headed north,” he said as he stood.
“Luther would pursue the target,” Maria chimed. “The Reds are probably on an intercept course with Belzeber.”
“Either path leads to a tough fight.”
Lancar nodded at Adray. “We need to split up.”
Nel stepped forward. “Count us in. We know this land and it is our sworn duty to protect the queen.”
Lancar scanned the group taking in each member’s strength and weaknesses. He had limited knowledge of the natives but he had just witnessed them in battle.
“Alright. I’ll need Clair, Adray, and Fayt with me. We’ll be headed to the castle. Nel, since you know this land I’m putting you in charge. Take the others and find Cliff. Please.”
Nel bit back her protest. Her whole body earned to protect the queen but these new comers did need a knowledgeable guide. By helping the others involved she would be striking a blow against Belzeber. She nodded in agreement.
Lancar watched as Sophia, Maria and Roger fell in behind Nel before leading his own group deeper into Aquaria.
Only six months had passed after her deal with the Federation. They wouldn’t press charges but that was at a price. Mirage would provide secret services and in return keep her ‘freedom’. She had trained, knowing what they would want. It wasn’t her ideal job but her hands were tied and she was doing good deeds even if the means were unfavorable.
Her first mission was to take a trip to Elicoor, an underdeveloped planet, to rendezvous with another Federation group. She was to watch them from the shadows and only intervene if things got out of hand.
A Larkian had picked the undeserving planet for a hideout as he waited for his next move. In his possession were scrolls and ancient documents belonging to Glatious, a planet in the Formalian Galaxy. The Glatians were allies to the Federation and the documents the fugitive possessed were filled with ancient spells. The Federation had tried to bargain with the Glatians to destroy them but they were a part of their culture and the bargain was refused. As a result, Lumas had stolen them and was headed to the black market.
Her orders were to take Lumas out and try to bring the documents back to head quarters if the other team had failed.
But things went wrong. Horribly wrong.
Lumas had studied the scrolls and learned the spells. Acting under the name Dragonfly, Mirage witnessed and participated in the whole thing. Years from then wouldn’t stop the nightmares but after thoughts would conclude that there was nothing anyone could have done differently.
The whole team sent by the Federation was trapped. She had no choice but to blow her cover when she saw none other than Cliff’s younger brother. She had often played with him as a child since he was only three years her senior. She had to help Jarvis. She couldn’t let the brother of the man she loved die.
But in the end he did die. In her arms no less. Everyone with the exception of Eleanor and an Elicoorian native had perished in the fight. Jarvis’ injuries were too great to heal and in an attempt not to allow him to die alone she broke the number one rule Wittcomb had issued. She revealed her identity to him.
News of his brother’s death wouldn’t reach Cliff for a month. She felt guilty for having to hide such a cruel fact but there was relief that she didn’t have to deliver the news. Instead, she broke up with Cliff. She finally understood exactly what she had gotten herself into. There was no way to sustain a relationship when the next mission could cause her life. And she couldn’t do that to Cliff. She couldn’t lie to him anymore. It had to stop.
Schilling followed Folstar with rejuvenated confidence. Orders had been received to meet with the boss and leave Luther to handle the job. Reaching the castle would be an easy task even if the hike would lead them well into nightfall.
Folstar smirked. There were more to his orders than just to rendezvous with Belzeber. He sent a sturdy glance over at Schilling; despising his smugness. Schilling thought he was safe.
If there was one thing Folstar couldn’t stand was an over-swelled ego. Schilling, he knew, intended to out-rank everyone and take the right hand seat to Belzeber. After that, he would set his sights on taking over completely.
Belzeber knew this and had thus far used it to his advantage. But now Schilling had blown his cover and was useless.
Folstar stopped, motioning for the others to do so also. He turned to face Schilling. Giving forth his best smile he effectively lured the man into a false setting.
“Yo! I have to say you really came through back there.”
Schilling’s face lit up at the sound of praise. “Only doing my duty,” he said modestly.
Folstar nodded. And it was then, when Schilling felt comfortable and could see his goals coming through; Folstar shot him dead with one shot.
She would spend the next six years alone. Turning in ice, her heart slowly ceased to be more than a tool for pumping blood. Never did she once strike out against an innocent person, but some of the task she had been sent to do left her hands bloodstained.
Many nights were spent arguing against herself and her morals. Sleep eluded her more than comforted her. When she did sleep it was rare for the night to pass without restlessness.
She was tired of it. The secrets, her life…she had never stopped running. She shut out her father, her family and Cliff all to protect them. But it was a the price of nearly losing herself.
Who she was…Was she the Dragonfly, or Mirage Koas? Heinous act after heinous act made her doubt everything down to her own humanity. She no longer lived to lived but lived for death.
She hated it. Now, it was time for that to stop.
Immediately Mirage posed; ready for battle. Luther, she knew, was in far better health than her and it would take a miracle to take him down.
Miracles sometimes do happen and had there ever been a time for one – this was it. Darting from the shadows of a pending twilight another figure joined in. Stumbling slightly but managing to maintain his stealth, Albel flung himself at Luther. Sword moving at speeds rivaling lightning, the Crimson Scourge was plunged deep into Luther’s back.
Only problem was that Luther had sensed the change in the air and had dodged – coming out unharmed. Twisting on thin air, Luther brought his foot high and landed a crippling blow to Albel’s head.
The swordsman fell hard, his weapon sliding from his open hand and to Mirage’s feet.
She hated guns but a sword was different. His sword was a katana blade and the traditional weapon wielded by the sword-masters at her father’s dojo. Considering her position at the dojo, she was a master in nearly all techniques taught. Her only rival on Klaus was her father.
But she wasn’t on Klaus. Perhaps this was the miracle she had pleaded for. Plucking the sword up she stepped forward. Holding the hilt with both hands she could feel a mysterious force pulsing through her skin.
The first time she had tried to fight with this sword it hadn’t allowed her to so much as nick Albel. She hoped that it would allow her to do far more than scratch Luther. She set her mind and became the Dragonfly in full.
Before it was over someone was going to die. If she had it her way it would be Luther.
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