Yumina searched deeper into the past. Everything she tried 
in this present timeline seemed to lead to the dark end 
that she wished to avoid. Filled with an inner peace, a 
sense of closure from having brought a fulfilling timeline 
for the girl Joy to walk on, the agent of the fates 
thoughts turned in new directions. 

~Perhaps it is time to set things right from the very 
beginning.~ Finding the thread that she wanted, she twisted 
it just a little and history changed anew.

*****

The Gates of Time

An Improfanfic created by Lady Brick

This chapter by Cris Gomez

Chapter Eight - Shattered Hearts

*****

"Brother dear, this old tower has been unused for ages. 
Everything is so dusty... except for the bed? Why did you 
ask me to meet you here this late in the night?" Princess 
Jauria wore bemused expression on her face as her petite 
form took a seat on the silk blankets of the bed. A puzzled 
frown appeared on the enchanting face of the young Jauria 
as she idly twisted her long brown hair. For a moment she 
thought she saw her beloved brother eye's glow a ruby red. 

"Don't worry sister, please trust me. Lie down on the bed 
and I will show you the important matter I have to tell 
you." The normally charming smile on crown prince Pholian's 
face had lately been replaced by a grin, which 
distressingly made him seem to be leering at everyone.

*****

Yumina, even though she wasn't prone to cursing, still 
found herself swearing profoundly at the scene before her. 
She recognized immediately that Pholian's actions were not 
his own. ~Beliel, I'm going to rip your innards and feed 
them to you.~ A twinge of guilt hit her as she remembered 
her own actions to the mortal woman Joy. Shrugging her 
guilt aside Yumina acted. A group of priests from the order 
of fire and Duke Numair were nearest. Actually they were 
already headed up the tower. An old heirloom of the order 
of fire was apparently secreted there. A simple shout in 
the distance by Yumina telling of the danger to the 
princess was all it took to get them running.

*****
 
"Pholian, stop! What are you doing? Stop! No!" Jauria's 
eyes were wide open, her face white, and her entire body 
trembled.

Pholian, his face now openly leering at her, slapped her 
across the face. He sat astraddle her body. "Shut up, did 
you think you can tempt me with your body and get away with 
it, did you?" He began to rip her bodice apart with a small 
knife.

With noisy whooshing sound the solid wooden door to the 
tower chamber turned to ash. Startled, the two occupants 
turned to look. Duke Numair and three priests of fire 
entered the room in a rush, but what they saw stopped them 
in their tracks. Their stares of horrified disbelief 
somehow pierced something inside the crazed crown prince. 
He screamed. "No, get out of my head!" Pholian threw 
himself out of the bed even as his knife hand almost 
succeeded in stabbing Jauria in the eyes. The knife was 
left embedded to the hilt on the pillow where the princess' 
head rested. 

Princess Jauria fainted. She didn't see her brother knocked 
unconscious and restrained like a common criminal. She 
didn't see the shadow that moved away from the prince. 
Nobody did.

Except for a furious Yumina. Her hands clenched and 
unclenched. ~I will set this right. Beliel, you will pay.~ 
Yumina then stiffened with a sudden realization. ~I have 
started to care.~ She suddenly felt a deep weight almost 
bear her down. There was no way for even someone like her 
to right all wrongs. There would always be people who would 
suffer. There would always be people who would lives of 
misery. Suddenly Yumina felt totally helpless. 

She silently reminded herself what her true purpose was. 
~The humans should live in an age where they could dream 
and where there dreams can come true, not the age of 
darkness which will come if the two princes should fall.~ A 
sad smile crossed her face. ~And because of my purpose 
sometimes the dreams of a few must... be crushed for the 
good of all.~   

*****  

Yumina watched the following year unfold. Duke Numair and 
princess Juaria were married. They were soon expecting a 
child. The keeper of Sankria's weave searched the tapestry, 
her azure eyes shone with a forceful intensity. Finally she 
sighed. The road she was contemplating would be one of the 
bloodiest. But the benefits... one of the princes removed, 
perhaps never to meet his twin. For a moment Yumina's new 
found conscience and new appreciation for an individual 
human's destiny struggled against her plan. Then duty, 
frustration and a cold, cold will for what had to be done 
won out. She moved a piece of thread on the tapestry, like 
a chess player going for a checkmate. Prince Pholian would 
taste freedom, but another member of the royal family would 
join him. A correspondence from prince Pholian, suitably 
altered by her would suffice.

*****

 Pholian paced his chamber restlessly. The message said his 
rescuer would come shortly. Asylum in a foreign country was 
too attractive a prospect for him now. Pholian was a 
brilliant man and still young. In a metaphorical sense he 
had been cut down before he could show his full potential. 
The prospect of having this small room as his only world 
for the rest of his life was just too much to bear. ~Oh, 
Jauria, forgive me. Why did I do it? Why? I don't know. 
Gods, why did this happen?~ 

His door quietly opened. The figure at the door made 
Pholian's blood run cold. The blood red tattoos on the 
cheeks of stranger's face shouted who she was to the world. 
The guards staring at the ceiling with their lifeless eyes 
confirmed it.~ Jehane Lin Raan, The Blood Moon, The 
Grandmaster of Assassins.~ "Why did I agree to this? Why 
did they send you?" 

Pholian feared for his sister, his father, everyone. Mumar 
Avran, the Caliph of Al-Solifa, the strongest of the 
warring lords of shattered Corneria had sent the legendary 
and infamous Jehane Lin Raan, the Blood Moon.

She was covered by a gray cloak, and dressed almost 
completely from head to toe in a formfitting black suit. 
Her actual body was almost petite. Pholian could not see 
but he knew her hair was also black and her eyes were 
silver. This assassin used stealth and raw fighting power 
to make herself the most feared killer in the entire 
continent.

The Blood Moon showed her unarmed hands to the fallen 
prince. Not that she couldn't kill without weapons, but she 
simply wanted him to calmed down and have his undivided 
attention. "You will remain silent. You will follow me. You 
and one other will leave with me. If you do not cooperate 
you or the child dies."

Pholian looked puzzled. Jehane enlightened him by showing a 
sleeping baby holding a drinking bottle by one arm in a 
carry pouch behind her. Jehane spoke, "Prince Averny." Then 
covered the child with the cloak again. "Come."

The hairs on Pholian's skin stood up. ~Jauria's child, my 
nephew.~ The thought of resisting died immediately. His 
senseless death or Averny's would only bring his sister 
more sorrow, especially if only half the stories about this 
visitor were true. Then a thought came causing his mouth to 
open. Before he had even begun to say anything a pair of 
silver eyes were staring him in the face almost touching. 

"I killed the guards because they were in my way. No one 
else has died," Yet, was the unspoken word. Jehane nodded 
to herself then walked out of the room. Startled, Pholian 
found himself following without quite knowing why.

Four more guards died on the way out. Pholian knew with 
grim certainty that they had been killed due to his lack of 
skill at stealth. He silently prayed that no one else would 
run into them. In this matter at least his prayer was 
granted.

*****

Yumina gritted her teeth. Pholian's correspondence, which 
she had altered slightly and sent to the caliph of Al-
Solifa, had gotten the prince and one of the twins out of 
the castle as she planned. But the deaths on the way, for 
some reason, beat down upon her brow. ~So unnecessary, and 
yet this will be child's play for what may come to pass.~ 
Yumina decided to act yet again.

*****
A letter was carefully placed in a stack of others to be 
signed by the caliph's ring seal.

The guards were slumped on the floor unconscious.

"Cooperate and you and the child will not be harmed."

"I have killed no one this night and hopefully with your 
cooperation I won't have to."

Pholian marveled at her skill. The guards were unconscious. 
They never had a chance. Jehane watched him, missing 
nothing.

This time Yumina nodded in satifaction. ~No one has died. 
Yet.~ Yumina knew that what she had done was ultimately a 
futile gesture, ~But sometimes even a futile gesture can 
prove a point. Even if it is just to oneself.~

*****

Yumina blinked as the years quickly passed by. ~So many 
changes.~ The temples of the ordes of light and fire were 
reunited by the scandal of Pholian's escape with Prince 
Averny. The temple of light was disgraced. Their wards and 
shields had done nothing to protect the prince. The order 
of fire loudly reminded everyone that it was they who had 
caught Pholian and saved the beloved princess Juaria. The 
orders reunited as the order of the Bright One but with the 
core philosophy of the order of fire becoming preeminent.  
Religion crept back into the order now that the old orders 
no longer existed to oppose each other, and as the priests 
began to preach again and to completely address the needs 
of the common man, religion swept back into the hearts of 
the people. Yumina idly noted the renewal of faith among 
the common citizens wondering if it would have a strong 
effect on the future.

In the south, momentous things were also happening. The 
city-state of Al-Solifa had gained a brilliant foreign 
general, Pholian. He was almost always seen fully armored 
in black and became known due to his military genius and 
fighting skill as 'The General' or 'My General'. He led Al-
Solifa in campaign after campaign, reuniting a Corneria 
shattered in the old war against Sankria 300 years ago. The 
priestesses of the Silver Lady once again spread their word 
again over all Corneria. They cried out, In the name of the 
Silver Lady, Goddess of the Moon, convert or die became 
their familiar, fearsome chant. Soon echoes of war began to 
appear on the borders of the two lands.

Yumina slowly felt a chill creep through her as she finally 
saw where this was headed. ~ A great storm is coming, a 
jihad, a holy war. The moon followers of the Silver Lady 
and the worshippers of the Bright One.~ Yumina continued to 
watch in silent dreadful anticipation. She was unwilling to 
give up on this timeline yet even though the future 
promised to indeed be a bloody one.

*****    

Under a full moon, the inner gardens of the royal palace of 
Al-Solifa were ethereally beautiful. The silver towers of 
the palace graced the sky with a soothing background. In 
the privacy of the night, Pholian stood, a curious smile on 
his face. The nearby water fountain provided a soothing 
backdrop for him and his companion. "Dearest goddess of my 
heart, where is my son? Why is he not here to greet the 
conquering hero?"

Clad in white silk, seated at the lip of the fountain, 
Jehane's silver eyes gazed unwaveringly into the fiercely 
intelligent man she had come to love all these years. "My 
Lord General, he is with Joy again. Sometimes I wish you 
had never captured that girl during that raid several years 
ago. I will admit she has grown into a wonderful companion 
and I would not be averse if she becomes the head wife of 
his future harem, but that girl is such a distraction for 
our son. Averny needs more self-control."

Pholian chuckled merrily. His desert robes seemed to laugh 
with him in the soft breeze. "Everyone knows you push his 
nose to the grindstone every day. Besides, I am sure that 
you deliberately made sure he didn't know of my arrival. 
You selfish woman, you wanted me all to yourself didn't 
you?"

Jehane leveled Pholian with a flat gaze. "Pholian, I wish 
to speak to you about that night."

Pholian's mood soured immediately when he realized just 
what night in particular she was talking about. "May the 
Silver Lady watch over her. She was my sister. I loved her 
as a sister only." Sadness crept into Pholian's voice. A 
raw edged sound escaped him as he said the last sentence. 
"Jehane, I- I need to talk to someone about this. Let me 
tell you how it all started." 

When Jehane nodded her acquiescence, Pholian began. "It was 
a few years after my mother's death. I recall my father was 
devastated. He came to me one night. He told me that 
because my mother had been very good the Bright One had 
taken her early to heaven. I didn't understand then. I 
didn't understand why my father the king was crying, but I 
tried to comfort him in anyway. I was only 13 years old at 
the time. I had lived a sheltered life until that day. 

For some reason Jehane suddenly shivered causing a look of 
concern to cross Pholian's eyes. Jehane shook her head. 
"Thirteen years old, your mother...  It is nothing Pholian. 
Later, after you finish your tale I will have one of my own 
to tell you."

Pholian grudgingly nodded and continued. "After that father 
took me everywhere. He had teachers come from all over, 
even from different lands to come and tutor me. That was 
how I heard of Caliph Mumar Avran. One of my past teachers 
recited one of my poems in the silver court of Al-Solifa. 
The caliph liked it enough to start exchanging letters with 
me."

"But it wasn't enough to make my father forget. He grew 
lonely. He missed mother so much. Finally he decided to 
remarry to a powerful widowed countess. She had a daughter 
almost my age, Juaria."

"At first I ignored her. I was an only child and now 
everyone especially my father was all but ignoring and 
paying all of their attention to the newcomers. I recall I 
was very jealous and angry with Juaria until my father 
pointed out something to me."

"We were having a garden party outside the city when it 
began to rain heavily. At the pavilion entrance, father 
pointed Juaria out to me. She was soaked to the skin. But 
she was still smiling."

"Look at Juaria, my father said in a wistful voice. Even in 
the rain, she doesn't break her poise. Such grace, such 
cheerfulness, she's just like your mother isn't she? After 
that Juaria promptly fell into a mudpool."

Pholian was grinning. "She was a sight. But she didn't cry, 
instead she started to laugh. She found the entire 
situation funny. By then as I look back I guess it was too 
late for me. Then and there I had just fallen completely in 
love with her. I raced out of the pavilion. And like the 
dashing prince that I was, I came to the rescue and carried 
her inside."

"If only I could turn back time. If only that terrible day 
had never happened." Pholian chuckled ruefully. "I suppose 
it is very bad form to for me to talk about such a thing in 
front of my wife."

Jehane shook her head. "I can accept no apologies Pholian. 
There is no need. There should be no secrets between us. 
Which is why I have my own tale, which in a way is 
intertwined with yours. It starts with your own tale about 
that night. Remain silent until I bid you speak." 

Pholian remained silent and hid his smile though it was 
hard for him to not to. Jehane Lin Raan despite her small, 
petite form had an aura of command that could scare even 
the caliph, nay even an ancient genie would tremble before 
her. 

"The astrologer and magician who called himself Saladyn, 
the man who offered you a potion to find the woman of your 
heart? There is no such man. At least there is no 
astrologer or magician of repute with that name in any of 
the lands my holy knights have searched."

Pholian tried to make light of the situation. "His potion 
seemed to have worked, yes? And if none of your skilled 
assassins could find a clue then perhaps I just dreamed it 
up."

Fierce silver eyes gazed up at him promising uncomfortable 
things if he kept opening his mouth. Under Jehane's annoyed 
glare, Pholian had no choice but to keep quiet, putting a 
hand up to cover his mouth. His eyes filled with tenderness 
at sight of the woman who was his moonlight, his guiding 
star for all these years of exile. He couldn't recall when 
exactly it had happened. She was so different from Juaria. 
But something had happened during their moonlit nights 
together, something almost magical on the hazardous trip 
south to Corneria. Jehane's seemed to sense his mood and 
grudgingly forgave him but not without another admonishing 
look. 

Jehane began. Her voice changed. It was almost trancelike, 
like the way a fakir charmed his snakes. "When I was but a 
child I lived like a rat in the streets and gutters of Al-
Solifa. There was Vree, Ahmed, Michael, and I. We were wild 
children, orphans, and thieves. We stole what we needed to 
survive from the grocers and the water merchants. When we 
needed something more we took trinkets from the visitors to 
the city. It was a very hard life, but it was a very happy 
time for me. We were free to do anything we wanted."

"Then the thieves' guild resurfaced again. The old guild 
had been destroyed by the authorities when I was still a 
barely able to walk. They placed their rules, their laws on 
the underworld again. All must belong to the guild. All 
thefts must be sanctioned by the guild."

"We didn't care. We were just two bit thieves. Only 
children. We didn't think they would come after us. We 
never stayed at the same place. Abandoned buildings, the 
streets, even the rooftops. It was all the same to us. All 
of Al-Solifa was our home. But they found us anyway. They 
didn't care that we were just small waiflings. They beat us 
up, hard. Then they hurt Vree and me. When I tried to 
escape they beat me up again. They left me for dead on that 
rain soaked street in the water filled gutter. They left me 
for dead and took the others with them. Then he came."

Pholian closed his eyes wishing he had been there, wishing 
that he might have been able to do something for her. 
Jehane after pausing until Pholian opened his eyes again 
continued.

"The stranger said he could help me. He told me he could 
make me into a shadow that nobody could find, a blade that 
could kill anything. He told me all I had to do was ask. I 
asked him if he could make me stronger. He said yes."

"The stranger led me to the headquarters of the guild. 
There he gave me a potion. The potion gave me a taste of 
what I am now. I was unstoppable. They couldn't touch me. I 
killed all of the thieves. I couldn't stop. I killed them 
all. I killed my best friends, Vree, Ahmed and Michael. I 
have never laughed or cried since that day."

"I just sat there in a sea of blood. The bodies of my best 
friends were all around me. Then the stranger entered the 
guild house in the company of another. They stood over me. 
They talked as if I wasn't there. The stranger said his 
potion only amplified what was already there, negative 
emotions in particular. The second man thanked him. He 
called the stranger Saladyn."

"The other man was the grandmaster of the holy knights. He 
became my mentor. He taught me everything I know. He was 
the greatest assassin of his time until I killed him to 
take his place. As he lay dying I asked him what was the 
reward Saladyn had received for me. My teacher said a 
different name. He said Beliel's reward had been my first 
long term mission when I was but 13 years old. I was still 
very young, but at that time except for my master I was 
already the best. My first mission was to assassinate the 
queen of Sankria. Pholian, I killed your mother." 

The revelation was shocking. Jehane gazed at him with eyes 
that hid everything, but Pholian sensed that she was 
hurting badly inside. Pholian instinctively hugged her, 
holding her slight form tightly to him. He smelled her 
raven black hair and closed his eyes. His mind was a 
confused whirl of emotions. ~Don't think about it. Don't 
think about it. Do you want to lose Jehane as well?~ 

Tears came to Pholian's eyes. "Jehane, no secrets. There is 
nothing to forgive." Pholian felt like he was dying inside.

Jehane, taking the hug and his words as a sign of 
forgiveness relaxed, unwinding her tense and bunched up 
muscles. She gently and firmly disentangled herself from 
Pholian and continued. 

"Pholian, whoever this Saladyn or Beliel is, his reach is 
long, and his grudge against your family seems to be 
eternal. I have tried to learn more about him. But all my 
holy knights have found were shadows and death. I pray that 
the Silver Lady will keep you and Averny safe from now on 
from his clutches."

Jehane raised a curious eyebrow as she saw Pholian's 
expression suddenly change. Pholian with a peculiar glint 
in his eyes asked Jehane the question. "Now that we have 
gotten our dirty secrets out of the way, will the love of 
my life, my ice queen, after all these years, deign to at 
last warm my bed?"

The nonplused expression on Jehane's face was priceless. 
Pholian started to chuckle. Then he found himself laughing 
outright until he was cut-off by a choking hand at his 
throat.

With her breath on his face, Jehane spoke. "Dearest to my 
heart, remember this. No one laughs at Jehane Lin Raan, 
grandmaster of the holy knights of the moon." Then with a 
deadly grip at the throat of the gasping Pholian, Jehane 
led her lover to their bedchambers. 

*****

Beliel watched approvingly as his disciple Ilysa practiced 
administering various potions on the helpless merchant her 
acolytes had kidnapped and brought to the catacomb temple. 
His thoughts turned abruptly elsewhere as he heard his name 
spoken.

"Pholian and what's this? The Blood Moon, they are talking 
about me? Mere mortals talking about me so openly! Well I 
will just have to take care of matters." Beliel, his ruby 
colored eyes glinting, smiled a gleeful, fanged, shiny 
white smile.

*****

The silver court of Mumar Avran, the caliph of Al-Solifa 
was now in session. Pholian had just returned from the 
conquest of another sankrian city. Earlier an impromptu 
parade had the people honoring Pholian by chanting my 
general at his dark armored form.

Pholian, popularly known in the South as The General, bowed 
in obeisance to the caliph. Caliph Avran nodded his head in 
acknowledgement. "Not even when my ancestors first invaded 
from the southern continent has Corneria held so much 
territory. The people sing their praises to you in the 
streets My General."

The vizier then stepped forward and stage whispered to the 
caliph. "Some say the people think more highly of the 
foreigner than they do there own caliph. Some say that the 
people are starting to believe that the General should sit 
upon the Silver Throne."

Shocked silence filled the royal audience chamber. The 
vizier just gave a venomous smile as Pholian stared at him. 
Pholian coldly retorted. "Some would say that the vizier 
spends all of his time gossiping with women. That is why he 
hears only idle chatter."

A nervous titter swept the court even as the vizier scowled 
and trembled in fury. The A seemingly amused caliph spoke 
first. "Come, come now. There is no need for my two most 
faithful advisors to quarrel over such a petty, especially 
since I can settle this so easily. Pholian, from this day 
forward you are now my son, and by extension your son 
Averny will be my grandson of course."

The vizier sputtered even as Pholian was stunned speechless 
by the words. The smiling caliph continued. "Yes I said 
son. Here sit and rest here beside me prince Pholian my 
General, the true and rightful heir to the throne of 
Sankria. Vizier, the wine."

Pholian wondered what had gotten into the caliph today. 
Wheels of thought began to turn in Pholian's mind. ~He said 
rightful heir. Does he mean to have all of Sankria at his 
feet? Am I to be his justification of total conquest.~  

Caliph Avran had arranged his rescue and had given him and 
young Averny shelter since the very beginning of their 
exile. His only request had been that Pholian serve as his 
general. Pholian found he could not refuse that request, 
even when the command to march against Sankria had come he 
did not mind. Part of the reason of his uncaring attitude 
he realized was that a part of him hated King Numair of 
Sankria. ~For what reason? Do you blame him for her death?~ 
Pholian suddenly realized that the caliph had said 
something and he had completely missed it.

Pholian from his position on the couch knelt and bowed 
again to the caliph. "I thank you O noble Caliph for 
sheltering young Averny and I for all these years, and for 
being the godfather to my wedding to Jehane. Thank you for 
this great honor."

The vizier gave Pholian a knowing look. "Ah, Jehane lin 
Raan, the beautiful and dangerous Blood Moon. Our noble 
Caliph has lent her services to our holy veiled priestesses 
of the moon. Would you like to ask them what legendary 
mission they have sent her on?"

Pholian felt a sudden surge of foreboding as if his heart 
were breaking. He turned to gaze at the veiled priestesses 
of the Silver Lady visiting the court. One of them, holding 
a sickle staff stepped forward. "In the name of the Silver 
Lady, we have sent Jehane Lin Raan the Blood Moon, 
Grandmaster of the Holy Knights of the Moon on a glorious 
quest, which we feel only she can accomplish. The retrieval 
of the blessed moon kris blade hidden away underneath the 
southern ocean, supposedly in the lair of the divine moon 
dragon, Anfalgafas." Almost as an afterthought she 
continued. "Her orders were to succeed or die trying."

Pholian drank his wine in one gulp. He bowed his head in 
grief. ~Jehane is lost to me. Why is this happening? I have 
lost the one I love again. Why?~ Pholian struggled to 
maintain his composure. He discovered unfortunately that it 
was impossible. His hands were twitching spasmodically. He 
felt cold, so very cold. He was surprised when he suddenly 
coughed out blood. Turning he saw the caliph and the vizier 
waiting expectantly. "Poison. W-wh-y?" Pholian, The 
General, Corneria's greatest war leader fell. His lips were 
stained with blood. 

Caliph Avran, an uncaring expression on his face answered. 
"Because the people love you more than me."

The caliph rose from his throne. "It seems that The General 
and the Blood Moon have gone from our beloved land. The 
young man they called son and who is now my grandson will 
stay by my side from now on. Ah, what was his name again? 
Ah, yes now I remember the name, Averny the rightful heir 
to Sankria and Corneria."

As Averny was brought into the room under heavy guard, the 
caliph smiled and turned to his vizier. "I will miss my 
wives and their sons. But I can't have them trying to 
assassinate Averny. Besides I can always get a new harem. 
Arrange it." The vizier toothily smiled his acknowledgement 
while the caliph's wives started to scream.

In a distant shadowy corner a smile appeared on a face of a 
poet recently arrived in Al-Solifa. Saladyn was his name 
and at this moment his eyes were glowing a slight ruby red. 
~ Offer an old caliph freedom from aging and he will do 
everything you want. No man is immune. They are all so easy 
to corrupt.~ Unfortunately Beliel thought, despite the fact 
that everything had gone as planned the price he was paying 
was getting a little stiff. In this age of religious 
renewal, the darkness and shadows had less power and fewer 
followers, and since he now needed to devour his followers 
souls to power his stronger magic, their numbers were 
getting smaller and smaller.

*****

Several years passed. In that time the power of Corneria 
started to wane. They were bereft of their greatest 
general. In the meantime a man who would soon become known 
far and wide as the Red Lion of Sankria, Prince Daric, was 
steadily reconquering the Sankrian cities. Yumina did 
nothing during this turbulent age. The fact that the 
princes were now grown men and yet Sankria still stood may 
have had something to do with it.

*****

The caliph nearly choked on his grapes when the herald 
announced, "Jehane Lin Raan, The Blood Moon, Grandmaster of 
the Holy Knights of the Moon." Everyone in the audience 
chamber was too stunned to say anything. A number of 
courtiers were caught slack jawed and gaping.

The caliph cried out even as Jehane herself appeared 
dressed in the traditional holy knight attitre of black and 
gray, the clothes of an assassin. But when she formally 
bowed, the caliph started to relax. "Woman, I believe the 
command to you was to succeed or perish. You disgrace your 
ancestors by returning."

Jehane stood up, not bothering to wait for the signal to 
rise. Nobody thought to reprimand her. "I have succeeded." 
In her hands was a pearly white silver kris blade. She 
moved closer as if to offer the blade to the caliph.

The caliph cried out again. "No, no. Don't come any closer. 
Ah, I mean please sit there. Bring her cushions. Please 
Lady, Blood Moon tell us your tale." And Jehane Lin Raan 
did so. 

As her astonishing tale wound down to its end a slinky 
servant girl entered holding a tray with two cups of wine. 
She bowed in front of the caliph and said. "From the 
vizier."

Nodding in understanding the caliph took the offered cup 
and toasted Jehane. "Truly a marvelous tale. Here drink 
with me. May your tale always be told even 10,000 years 
from now."

Jehane nodded and drank along with the caliph. She licked 
her lips recognizing the taste. "Poison. Tustos flying 
tarantula venom in fact." Jehane spat some blood from her 
mouth. "That is what you used to poison my husband."

The caliph nodded. "You should have never returned, Jehane. 
Now look what you have done. Your son will be an 
unfortunate witness to your death." The caliph gestured 
towards a young man who had just arrived. He was dressed in 
gaudy clothes, like a beginner at court or someone 
deliberately made to dress like a jester.

Strangely, Averny smiled, discomfiting the caliph. "The 
vizier has met an unfortunate accident."

Then caliph Avran coughed blood. A look of understanding 
and horror appeared on his face. He gestured feebly at 
jehane. "But, but you?"

Jehane replied, "I regularly take small doses of various 
poisons to build up a partial immunity. Tustos venom 
included." The caliph's body tipped over and lay unmoving 
sprawled over the throne dais. "Pholian, dearest to my 
heart, you have been avenged." Jehane turned to the serving 
girl. "Joy, if you will?"

Joy the rose of Averny's heart, smiled and bowed to her 
mother-in-law. Turning to Averny, she bowed low in 
obeisance, then cried out with joy, "Hail to the one true 
heir to the Caliph, Hail to Caliph Averny, Lord of Al-
Solifa and all Corneria.

*****    

Tidings of war ran fast and furious these days in Minath 
Libertad, grand capital of Sankria. In the years since The 
General had been slain. Prince Daric, the Red Lion of 
Sankria, had reconquered all of Sankria proper. Now, the 
rumors whispered, he intended to retake the entire Sankrian 
peninsula and drive the cornerians out of the south, 
straight into the sea. The people were all but certain that 
the rumors were true. Why else had the might of the 
Sankrian dragoons, the flower of the Sankrian nobility's 
knights, the pious and dour warrior-priests of the Bright 
One, and finally mercenaries from other lands had been 
assembled at the very gates of the great city? The word 
spread. The Reconquest would begin now, in their lifetimes.

Prince Daric moved hurriedly to the royal bedchambers. The 
summons had been sudden, and on the eve of the reconquest 
it had made Daric jittery. Sad thoughts filled. ~Father is 
dying slowly. And there is nothing anyone can do for him.~

A gasp was heard when Daric suddenly burst through the 
door. The prince grim and worried features softened when he 
saw who was staying in vigil with the king. "Illysa."

"Daric, I am sorry. You startled me. His highness managed 
to speak earlier. I felt it was important, so I called for 
you." Ilysa gently stroked the feeble king's chest. She 
turned toward Daric. "Your father is still strong. I am 
sure he would recover when all of the cornerians are driven 
into the sea, especially the cursed prince Averny."

Daric nodded dubiously. "I don't put much stock with such 
superstition, but I probably will have to kill him if I 
want to end this war."

"You must kill him Daric, Averny is your brother only in 
name. The cornerians have corrupted him with their worship 
of that evil moon goddess. His highness spoke earlier he 
said you must strike down the head so that lives must be 
spared. You must slay your brother. Can't you see?"

Daric was taken aback by her passion, but quickly 
recovered. He bowed to his father and firmly grasped the 
old king's hand. "If my father the king wills it, then so 
be it."

Ilysa nodded her approval. "Daric, please get some sleep. 
This-this may- oh I'm sorry." Ilysa was crying. "Please be 
careful."

Daric tenderly hugged her. "Don't worry, I promise I'll 
come back." Her perfume still enchanted him. They had met 
almost more than a decade ago while they had both been 
training at the temple of the Bright One. He had fallen in 
love. After their graduation, they had married.

Daric stepped back and before leaving gazed sadly at his 
father, nodded to Ilysa and left. 

When Ilysa was certain that Daric had left. She started to 
chuckle, then to laugh outright. "You nobles are so 
gullible." Ilysa smiled at the unmoving king. "I know that 
you can hear me my good king." Ilysa laughed again. "Your 
priests are so blind. Everytime they come close to healing 
you, I simply poison you a little more and no one suspects 
a thing. You know what's going to happen? I know you don't 
want to know but I'll tell you anyway. The two cursed 
princes are going to kill each other and then all of 
Sankria will be plunged into a dark age. Corneria will be a 
bonus. All of you noble pigs are going to die. And the Lord 
of the Frozen Waste, The Lord of Shadows will rule over 
all."

With these pleasant words ringing in his ear, King Numair 
found Ilysa, Daric's young and innocent wife lying down 
beside him to sleep for the night.

*****

Valencia, home to Corneria's greatest shipwrights was 
bursting with activity. Caliph Averny himself was firmly 
ensconced at the governor's palace. Rumors of war were also 
spreading like wildfire in the south. Armies all over the 
land were headed for Valencia, disciplined royal 
jannisarries, temple warbands of veiled priestesses of the 
moon, tributary soldiers from all of the city-states, and 
even a bandit king or two. The holy knights of the moon did 
not have to gather. They were all already actively being 
used in the war effort.

Averny gestured at the map. "Welsalm is the obvious choice. 
It is now a great city. But it has not seen war for over 
300 years. The holy knights confirm that its defenses are 
poor. Although the Duke of Welsalm might be problem, The 
Lady Blood Moon has assured me that her holy knights will 
make sure that we will not have to worry about him once our 
ships are visible from the city. Jehane we must strike 
first before Daric's armies march south. We must be the 
one's to dictate where and when the battle must be fought. 
Again I must ask, when are the desert tribes coming?"

Jehane raised a hand for quiet. All activity in the war 
room promptly stopped. With a motioning hand Jehane told 
everyone to follow. At an open balcony they gathered. 
Averny frowned. "Mother I see nothing."

Jehane pointed. Ships were a approaching with the night 
tide, ships coming from the south. The tribes had come at 
last. The war was about to begin.

*****

Yumina was tense, worried, and also surprised to find 
herself also a little excited. ~What will happen? The 
princes will still meet. But the stakes are much greater 
this time. 

Yumina herself a tense shrug. ~What will be, will be. I 
must wait and have faith that perhaps things will have a 
better ending. Already Sankria has survived a decade longer 
than the old timelines. It will be a terrible battle. But 
this could be it.~ She decided that the best thing to do 
was to stay put and wait. A thought entered. ~Averny has 
the advantage. With Jehane by his side he has the best 
chance to survive. The Blood Moon may be old but still fit. 
Only a few gray hairs have marked her. And her body is as 
striking and deadly as ever.~

*****

Unfortunately the same thought had entered Beliel's mind. 
"Brother, the woman, Jehane Lin Raan must die before the 
battle begins."

The monstrosity that called itself Bhaal blubbered a 
frothing, powerful retort. "What few servants we have left 
are no match for her. Even an army of them would not be 
enough."

Beliel smiled. "That is why brother, we are going to 
sacrifice all of our remaining worshippers to create an 
avatar for you." Beliel laughed outright at his plan while 
Bhaal obligingly began to gather the souls of the followers 
of darkness unto itself as it chortled at the amusing plan.

"An avatar. I will enjoy that." Bhaal's thin, gray lips 
gurgled happily. "What of Illysa?" 

Beliel shrugged uncaring, "She has served her purpose and I 
placed a small part of my power within her. As soon as 
Daric leaves the capital I will summon her."

Bhaal's bald form nodded once. "Good, I'm sure her soul 
will add some flavor to my feast." 

*****

Bhaal came. He was a formless shadow. No appendages or 
orfices were visible. He needed none. He could see 
everything much clearer through the tapestry, even possible 
futures. The shadow quickly raced up the castle walls of 
recently conquered Welsalm. Bhaal was eager, relishing the 
chance to move once again. The soul of the infamous Jehane 
Lin Raan would be something to feast upon. He had been 
surprised when she had elected to stay behind when the 
Caliph's invasion army had advanced inland.

Bhaal mentally frowned as its perspective on the future 
suddenly shifted. He saw Jehane standing, beckoning to him, 
waiting for him at the castle training ground. She was 
alone. Dressed in the traditional black and gray of the 
order of the holy knights of the moon. He quickly flitted 
toward her. He asked her, "How?" 

Jehane quickly assumed a combat stance. "The Silver Lady 
has graced me with a vision of my death. I will not see the 
sun rise tomorrow. I will die in a manner that pleases me. 
Come." With one hand the Blood Moon beckoned.

Bhaal snorted. "The Silver Lady. More likely it was just a 
premonition of your inescapable death. It is good that we 
are alo-."

"Enough talk. Fight." Jehane charged forward, almost 
flying, one hand forward as if trying to tag the shadow, 
the other hidden beneath her robes.

Bhaal's shadow form obligingly began to morph into 
something big, horned, and animalistic. Jehane was upon him 
before the transformation had barely begun. 

Bhaal's scream echoed across the city. Strangely enough 
nobody heard. Though there would be plenty of nightmares 
tonight. 

Bhaal's maw belched forth fire and darkness cloaking 
everything in unnatural shadow and night. He winced through 
his one remaining eye. His voice echoed all over the 
unnatural darkness. "Very good. How did you hurt me?"

Jehane replied. "The kris blade of the divine moon dragon." 
Even as she replied, she was already moving. The 
unnaturally long paw that slashed forward caught only a 
wooden straw training dummy.

"Ah, I won't take you lightly anymore." As Bhaal spoke the 
darkness blew inward coalescing into the armor of a 30ft 
tall gray beast in front of Jehane.
 
Jehane gaped in shock. Bhaal had the body of a huge gray 
centaur, with so many paw/arms he looked like an octopus or 
a hydra. The head had shrunk and was almost invisible. 
Gaping mouths were scattered all over the centaur body. 
Black armor pieces were laced all over the beast.

Bhaal gloated. "Do you like it, girl? Do you realize now 
why you ark-." Jehane had seen his weak point immediately 
and had hamstrung one of the centaur legs at the knee. 
Bhaal toppled, surprise showing on his tiny head. Jehane 
raced up the body intent on finishing him off. 

Bhaal drunkenly tried to rise up causing Jehane to dodge a 
waiting maw or two. That was all the time Bhaal needed to 
see into the tapestry's possibilities. As Jehane flashed 
forward aiming for his skull, a ready maw slashed forward. 

Jehane didn't stop. She noted idly that her shoulder was 
gushing blood. Her arm had been sliced off. She would go 
into shock in mere moments. Then she would be slain. ~Not 
yet.~

The moon kris blade was jabbed deep into Bhaal's skull 
cutting through it like butter. Jehane found herself 
falling deep into the belly of a hollow monster. 

"No. Go away." A powerful, frothy voice cried out. 

"There." Jehane pointed her blade centering on the sound, 
centering on the gray thing she couldn't see, seated on a 
throne inside an abomination's belly. As her blade cut 
Bhaal in half from skull to pubic bone, her wound, the 
blood loss and the fall combined to kill Jehane. In her 
last moment, she commended her soul to the Silver Lady.  

*****
A silver thread in the tapestry twinged and wavered before 
ceasing to move. Yumina's eyes widened as she grabbed it. 
~So Jehane is no more.~ 

~Now only the battle with the princes remains.~ Yumina 
prayed. It is a strange thing for an agent of fate to pray, 
to seek to place ones trust and faith in the future into 
another divine being. Nevertheless, Yumina prayed.

*****
The Cornerian army drove toward the center of the kingdom 
intent on forcing the Sankrians to meet them at a place of 
their choosing. Prince Daric managed to finally overtake 
them near the ruins of the village of Arleton. 

A small number of people within both armies had died 
screaming horrible deaths days earlier. Their bodies had 
turned to dust. Each side came to the conclusion that the 
other side was now resorting to evil magic to achieve 
victory.

Daric gazed sternly across the plain dividing the two 
armies. The surrounding rises and hills made the 
battlefield an excellent area to maneuver units without 
being detected. Already a magical battle was being fought 
in the air, genies and elementals fought against flaming 
dragons and phoenixes. The sankrians emphasis on fire made 
them powerful as they hammered the cornerians. But the 
southerners had the full range of the elements to play with 
giving them more versatility.

Daric raised an arm. "Ready the mercenaries and the dragoon 
pikemen. Place the dragoons in the rear right behind the 
mercenaries for support. Then advance." Signal trumpets 
flared as the Red Lion's commands were relayed. Daric was 
an inspiring sight in his bright red armor. Already several 
of the cornerians holy knights had appeared out of nowhere 
to assault him. They all died. The archpriests Phair and 
Kindar, his tutors since he began his training in magic 
grimly dogged his every move and ruthlessly slaughtered any 
thing that looked funny to them.

*****

Averny, wearing his late father's black armor came to a 
decision as he saw the mercenaries begin to advance. "Let 
them come. Ready the desert riders to sweep out on both 
sides against the enemy. We will use superior numbers 
against the dragoons. Place several regular units in front. 
Ready the jannisarries right behind them." Signal drums 
rolled out the caliph's commands in ominous tones. The 
first solid clash was about to begin.

After a moment's thought Averny made another order. "When 
the sankrians send their knights to rescue the dragoons. I 
want the veiled priestesses ready with their magic."

*****

Daric nodded as he saw what Averny had decided to do. "Are 
you sure that your priests will hold?"

Kindar snorted derisively. "Of course they will hold. 
Disguising them so they could blend in with the dragoons is 
pure genius your majesty."

Phair goodnaturedly ribbed his best friend. "Still sucking 
up to his majesty I see. Don't worry your majesty. I placed 
a ruthless terror in charge of the unit. Her name I believe 
is Ailuros."


*****

The battle lasted for days. The armies fought all across 
the hills. The plains literally ran with blood. And yet for 
all that the two generals kept a tight reign on their 
armies. Through magic and martial music they commanded 
their forces, each waiting for the other to make a fatal 
mistake. Most of those who fought were veterans of previous 
battles. They knew how to go about their deadly business.

"Who do you think will win?" An arrogant, mocking voice 
whispered behind Yumina. Growling she stood up. A sword 
appeared in her hand, she slashed forward. The gushing 
blood from Beliel's shirt surprised them both. "It's seems 
you have grown stronger."

Yumina quickly retorted, "Or perhaps you have simply grown 
weaker."

"Don't worry, it won't last." With a confident leer Beliel 
vanished from Yumina's sight.

Away from the battle, away from Yumina, Beliel lay down on 
the grass. Blood seeped from him in slimy rivulets. Still 
he smiled. He had seen the doubt on Yumina's face after he 
spoke. She had been disappointed before, sometimes almost 
to the point of despair. When the moment truly came at 
last, he was almost certain she would not see it. ~Yumina, 
you will be mine yet.~

*****

Finally, weary of the slaughter, a truce was called. An 
ancient writ of challenge was invoked and just outside of 
Arleton the two princes fought their duel, one-on-one, to 
the death.

The battle was fierce, vicious and unforgiving. Each hated 
the other, saw the other as an evil that need to be 
expunged from the earth. Neither could gain an advantage as 
the battle dragged on until Daric used his magic, of which 
Averny had none.

As Daric raised his sword in victory above the charred 
corpse of his brother, a single arrow from the rose of 
Averny's heart flew straight and true. Daric was slain 
instantly. Joy then took out a knife and joined Averny in 
paradise.

Then the slaughter began.

*****
Yumina just stood there disbelieving. ~Joy... Joy.~ She had 
watched over her when Pholian had attacked her village. She 
had been worried when Averny became attracted to her. She 
had laughed outright when Joy became caliph Averny's head 
wife. ~If only Joy wasn't- ." She could not continue that 
thought. She would not continue that thought.
 
Yumina felt tired, so very tired. "Why?" she suddenly cried 
out. "WHY!?" Despairing she left and rewove the threads of 
history.


Author's Notes: 

Gah! 2hours to my deadline and I'm writing the author's 
notes. Oh well at least Got#8 is done. Whew. I'd like to 
thank Lady Brick and Nightguard for helping me fix my 
story. I got a bit carried away and the two of them kindly 
bludgeoned me back to reality. I would also like to 
especially thank Falcon for prereading my part for grammar. 
Thanks Falcon. Whew, you saved me. Is it obvious that I'm 
rushing this? I hope I got all of the corrections the three 
of you sent me.

Swordfish, I know now how you feel. Three to four revisions 
can leave a guy totally wasted. I wanna rest for a little 
while from writing. I actually got sick for a day because 
of this. Gah! My turn at Faq is this week. Oh well. That's 
what extensions are for.

Oh yeah, one more thing. There are no El Cid's, sailor 
scouts, cybergrrlz or pickachus in my chapter. It's just 
your imagination. Go psychoanalyse your friends instead. 
Besides, I deleted them all with my chainsaw, I think. I 
hope. Oh well, that's it.


Cris Gomez