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'A posse ad esse non valet consequentia'
Disk three

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The seekers have become restless.

The purple and violet hues that formed the shadows under the clouds provided the mediation between the waning sun's orange and searing red; the dark, star glittering night that approached from the opposing horizon. The colors of the skies hued the polished earthen toned quarters of the sovereign of the nation, matching his confident, unflappable countenance. If only a few things in life that the emperor allowed himself to indulge in, it would be the sight he was afforded from his balcony within the towering abode that oversaw the new capitol. Alas, with his great plan moving forward, even more complications arose that held his mind before the painted sky. The neighboring nations had grown impulsive, perhaps catching wind of his ambitions, while the threat of the rogue drones still resides in his empire. Now, the activities of the seekers had become more abundant, conflicting with the empire's own interests.

Of the three threats, he was concerned most of the Seekers. That group of profiteering grave robbers pose a great threat with their stolen knowledge, while yet proving their greed cannot be satiated. He understood that the foolish desert dwellers felt the same of the Empire, because they had never, or refuse to, believe that what the Empire does was for the benefit of all. It was his hope that he would uncover the finals of the disk before they unwittingly do, and utterly derail his plans. Much worse, the nation to the east had...

It was a peculiar feeling, one he was not accustomed to, yet one he could not ignore. A vague, nagging sensation that forced him to turn around, and scan his personal quarters. It was with great merit, that he showed no distress at the presence of the other occupant.

"I had been pondering on your absence," the Emperor responded, as he boldly strode to meet the visitor that sat at the edge of his bed.

The pigtailed drone leaned forward, before rising off his seat, "I want to not be seen."

"Yet you appear before me now," the Emperor responded, "What changes circumstances?"

"Stop the attack upon the Seekers."

The emperor's head rose slightly higher in mild surprise and understanding, "You have allied yourself with them?"

"I help them, they help me," Ranma stated, never shifting eye contact.

The emperor seemed not to care about locking gazes in challenge, as he turned back to the evening sky, "I believe they have something, or know of something, that I require. Since they would never willingly help the Emperor, I am left with little option."

The intruder to the Emperor's abode stepped closer, shifting to a larger frame in order to appear more menacing, "If you do not, then I have to stop you here."

"You do so, everyone will be doomed on this land."

"Explain." Ranma's simple demand had not lost the tinge of hostility in his voice, as if preparing to act if he did not like the answer.

"There is a massive army, from the east, we are capable of stopping them, but not without great cost, unless we have a weapon of decisive power."

"The Seekers do not have that weapon."

The Emperor turned around, "No, but they may know of it, and even the possibility of chance knowledge makes my task necessary. Do you think the Seekers are the only ones to protect? They are a small and scattered part of the populace on this land. They are not the only ones with families with children. Must I sacrifice everyone for your selfish demand?" The emperor scoffed, "I sense a nobility in you, but your perspective is narrow, and that nobility is misplaced."

Ranma narrowed his eyes; even with his dealings against Nabiki, he never fared well in the arena of unyielding logic. "I will stop this army."

The emperor never turned around, "Then do so, if you have that power."

The ruler of the great nation never bothered to confirm his visitor had left.

---

Azel drew her eyes across the open terrain, still pondering the revelation that the drone Ranma had shown her many rotations ago in the ancient laboratory. The purpose for his creation was something even she could not have imagined. She was well aware of the vast might of the Sestran, a fact she even kept secret from the very folk that gave her refuge and alliance since Edge introduced her to Gash almost upon the mid of the second solar cycle. She didn't know how such incredible power had been built, but knew that its scope was well beyond the feeble minds that presumed to run the land. The Sestran ran a finely cultivated ecosystem that spanned across the known terrain of every nation, making what was once originally inhospitable into a flourishing landscape; it was not simply a weapon that could be grasped like a meager gun, and aimed at its nearest convenient target.

The previous emperor sought its power selfishly, thinking it would bring all other countries on his boundaries to their knees, and it only lead to his demise and the crippling of his empire. It took the sacrifice of two courageous beings, Edge and his companion dragon, to defeat the untamed power that threatened to ransack the world like some beast announcing its full fury.

Azel had watched, as the man that had brought her back from her nearly eternal slumber had been felled for his ambitions. She had stumbled into muteness, unable to express in words the new and alien emotions that she felt when she had seen Edge for one last time, when she watched him enter the metaphysical domain of incalculable power. She contained within her for so long the pain she had felt when she realized neither would never be coming back.

And, that they had suffered for, opposed, and defied, walked beside her as if his role was a minor one.

Ranma was the Sestran.

More accurately, he was a vessel channeling the power of the Sestran. Azel could not comprehend how such a feat was possible, that such a minute container could hold the power of what many have even deemed god. What’s more, it had been noted that Ranma was only a safeguard measure, and an incomplete one at that. For what that meant, she was not sure, but fear it to be a potential exploit.

"There is not much in this barren desert to look at. Come inside, and you may indulge in our library."

Azel pulled her head off her knees, and turned to address her and Moad's host, "I only wish to think about this matter.

The man wearing a rust colored shirt with billowing sleeves and dark blue pants gave an understanding grunt, as he moved before her view, staring up into the night sky, "The drone that had accompanied you."

"And more," Azel clarified, sparing the man , Nat, his name was, a brief glance, before once again staring ahead.

"There is much to think about in these times," Nat agreed, "The Empire has stepped up its excavation endeavors, as our neighbors to the east have began their make their trek beyond our borders. It seems that this useless dragon project that the Emperor is pursuing has forced their actions." Nat favored Azel with a glare that was not angry, but focused and demanding, "And what not of the up-scaled assaults on our strongholds? You trust your companion to coerce our 'fair' Emperor into ceasing this madness?"

"I cannot say for certain if that is what he has even chosen to do."

"Hmm? Oh." The seeker moved to return to their shelter that remained hidden from those who unwittingly may stumble upon its location, "I suppose he may do as he pleases, I do not pretend that any of us has the power to change his will."

Nat walked away, before pausing but a few strides from the entrance to the underground lair, "When he returns, does he return to your presence, or the ruins of our residence? One other thing to think about."

Azel felt the dim light that escaped from the door against her back as if she could see it, before the even darker night sky enveloped her with the luminance’s absence.

---

Moad stood several strides behind Ranma, as the now identified most powerful artifact of the ancient civilization stared off into the horizon. To the former Imperial soldier, there was nothing but the vast stretches of desert that continued for the whole of his vision, but to Ranma, something of great interest could be found.

The pigtailed drone cursed to himself, aggravated that the Emperor's concerns were proven valid. The army was so vast, he did not need to see its whole, but the sandstorm their campaign march stirred up. From even the distance he and Moad stood from the invaders, he felt the ground tremble in their advancement. It wasn't even an option for Ranma to let them continue on; if they were to continue straight, he knew of at least three colonies that would be overrun by them before they reached the capital.

Finally, the silence only cut by the low howls of the wind about them stirred Moad into a bout of bravery, allowing him to speak, "Uh, what, what is...?"

"An army, from that way," Ranma responded, getting the gist of what his companion wanted to know.

"The eastern nation?" Moad considered, before his eyes became wide with concern, "But we are far from that border, that would mean they are..." The young man ran to stand before Ranma, causing him to step back in surprise, "You must stop them! I have been abandoned my Empire, but I do not wish it destroyed! They wish to destroy everything in their path, is that not true?"

Ranma calmly stepped around Moad, "They will not move further to two hundred strides at this instance." At that decree, Ranma took a step, before the sand around him exploded as if impacted by a meteor from the heavens. Moad could only make out the red streak that broke from it like a fiery winged serpent in flight.