Tourniquet: Conquest

[woodyloveslinkin]

Yay, I've made it this far with Tourniquet to make a sequel to it.

Chapter 1

Jack and Jill

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Los Angeles, a city struck by the plague of an empire that ruled over everybody's thought and moves. Look it up in a dictionary, the term Spyral and it will tell you a corporation that ruled over the world for a period of time. Ask anybody now, and it was an empire that suffocated the daylights out of every citizen and demolished the livelihood of every human being, and eventually, itself. Not many people knew about the real causes of its collapse, but there was always room to speculate.

Some say that it self-destructed and imploded, from the inside out. It was bound to collapse, the teachers taught their students in school classrooms, reading out of books that were brand new. Happy smiles and laughter were part of the normal classroom and each child was grateful for the education they received.

Doctors and nurses walked hurriedly up and down hospital corridors desperately trying to assist sick patients. One of the nurses, who had survived the material written in the children's school books about the imploding previous rule, stopped and looked out through the window as the sunshine ray's highlighted her bright red hair. She smiled and sighed, thanking her lucky stars that she was now alive. However, she couldn't feel a bit sad at the same time. She came back down to reality instead of lingering in her own world as she realised that she had better go back to work.

Instead of muggy streets, highlighted by neon billboards and with Chinese fast food outlets scattered on the sides of streets, there was completely the opposite. It was now a new civilization with a new ruler and a new empire.

It was a world that seemed unaffected by the previous generation of destroyers. Sunshine replaced the muggy streets, corporal businesses controlled the electricity, sewerage, and the water instead of one single boss at the top.

The streets of Los Angeles, had been brightened up with the angelic feeling of a democracy instead of a dictatorship rule and the city had been blessed with culture and spirit. Religion thrived around every corner along with spiritual and social awareness.

Today, was like any other day in this new generation of people. The sun was out, the birds were singing, children were at school being taught the basics of life, and there was just sheer happiness in the air.

"Jack!" yelled the factory's boss who's name was David but no one dared to approach him as David, but as a Sir. The factory boss wore his usual elegant suit that was tailor made to his own personal specifications. The Italian suit, the black one that had grey pin stripes across the bottom of it. Matched nicely with his usual black shiny shoes that never failed to be gleaming with his own personal wealth. Jack looked to the factory boss, as his stringy hair swept into his eyes. He pulled it away so that David could have a look at him without struggling to see through Jack's black hair. "What did I tell you about talking on the job?" Jack had been previously talking with a friend instead of doing what he was paid to do, slave labour and today, it was making shirts. David walked over to him, as Jack didn't answer his question, too afraid of what would happen if he had actually answered his boss with a smart comeback. David stopped in front of him. "Get up." Jack got to his feet without another word said or done. He knew that defiance was his enemy right now and he had crossed David too many times in the past to know what his temper was like. "What part of do-your-job don't you understand?"

"Sorry," Jack managed to say, quietly, wiping his hands on his dirty clothes as he tried to ignore the summer heat that was currently scorching not only the warehouse that they were forced to work with, but Los Angeles itself. He tried to shut out the sound of the creaking fans that were spinning around, attached loosely to the ceiling. "Won't happen again."

"I'm sure it won't," the bald boss muttered under his breath. "You are so lucky we're not under the Spyral regime anymore, or else you would've been considered a traitor. Do I need to remind you of how lucky you are that Spyral isn't around?" Jack shook his head. He knew secretly that there were a number of Spyral supporters out there still, but they were in hiding. Anyone caught supporting Spyral, as hypocritic as it sounds, were killed. It was the way that it was now.

Instead of a global corporation dictating the way people thought and where they moved, it was a different organization. It was called The Council. A group of Old World survivors who had taken over control over a certain part of the world each, so in conjunction when brought together, there were several sections of The Council, because each one looked over a certain part of the world. This one, was based on the land that Spyral's headquarters were built on, but they had the old building of Spyral's pulled down.

David didn't say anything as he gave Jack one more nasty shot and turned back around, as he went back to being the eagle on everyone's shoulder. Jack sat back down and looked to his friend.

"I told you, you should not have said anything," she whispered, as she opened a bag of material. Jack frowned at his friend knowing well that he was going to get in trouble again for talking. He leant in a bit closer to speak to her.

"With respect, just shut up," he said quietly.

The rusty old bell rang that hid itself in the corner of the ceiling of the warehouse to indicate that it was now the lunch break they had been waiting all day for. Before everyone could have a chance to get out the door, David stood on a table and faced the group of workers.

"You know the rules, don't go outside this property or you'll be hunted down like animals!" he roared at the top of his voice. Everyone took him seriously with his words, because he wasn't a man that liked to joke around with.

Jack's friend didn't move and nor was interested in having a half an hour break for their lunch. Jack was quick to notice this and walked over and sat down beside her.

"You need to eat," he urged her. She shook her head. "Not hungry again, huh?"

"I keep my strength up in other ways," she answered stubbornly, as she just sat there in front of her assigned table, as she saw the other workers talking to each other. She looked back to Jack. "I am going to eat, now that I think about it." She got to her feet and walked off, leaving Jack bewildered. He shook his head as he got to his feet and chased over to her. He stopped her in her path. "What?"

"I bet, knowing you, there's something wrong, am I wrong to believe that?" asked Jack. It was obvious that she hesitate of giving him the answer he wanted. "You know you can tell me everything or just anything if that be the case." She didn't say anything. He stroked her short black hair and looked into her eyes. "Tell me."

"Get your hands off me at once," she snarled, as he realised what he was doing and who he was doing it to. "You should know better. You should know me better than that." She gave him a filthy look and Jack retrieved his hands and the lovey dovey look he was giving her.

"Is there a problem here?" came the deep and strong voice of the factory master, also known as David. Sarah spun around and Jack had to look ahead to see that he was standing behind the pair of them. Both shook their heads. "You know relationships outside the boundaries of friendship aren't allowed in my factory, especially when my physical body is present. You're already in some deep water with me, Jack, don't drown yourself while you're at it." He looked from Jack to his friend. "Very unusual for you to get into trouble. Always the quiet one, aren't you?" She nodded. "What was your name again?"

"Jill...Sir," answered the girl.

"Nice name," commented David. "Pity it's a poisonous one ." David gave the pair one last nasty shot and then proceeded to pick arguments with other workers that were also ratty-haired and living in rags.

The world had changed so much and Jill wasn't liking it one bit.

​

****

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Kinda crappy intro to it >.< but yeah new characters David and Jack.

​

 

[LPNailz]

And of course you made David a Spyral supporter >

Nice writing, though

 

[Ravynlee]

And of course you made David a Spyral supporter >
Nice writing, though

Second the motion. ****. Well even if his image appeals to your sense of the stereotypical, at least he's in there, so I can't complain (Well I can, but no one would listen... )
So am I to assume 'Jill' is the fallen antihero of superpowers past (aka Sarah) now incognito ?

Can I be David's slave? (Or am I fighting to the death with fellow Draimanist Nailz? She'll kick my ****, I'm too young to die! XD) And wow that question just sounded way off... well here anyway...

:rofl:

Story so far? Good. Set the scene well. Kudos. Now the trick will be - sustain it!

 

[woodyloveslinkin]

Chapter 2

Keep Your Mouth Shut

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Time had past so quickly in the four or five years that Spyral fell down to its metaphorical knees. The citizens of Los Angeles, Old Worlders or the remaining New Worlders could smell the released freedom in the air. It was as though the freedom had been released out of the a tightly shut jar in which The Council held in their hands.

The remaining New Worlders didn't dare to defy the new rule because they valued their generation more and their lives, more than the words that they spoke. Viking was quick to notice this quality about the New Worlders that he could take advantage of and he was quick to react.

He sat on his personal verandah, with his legs nicely crossed on the table in front of him. He looked over the town that he helped help to recreate and sighed. He took a drag of the cigarette that was smoking his hand, inhaled the toxic chemicals, and let the sensation of the cigarette fill his system. He wore only his track pants this evening, displaying the world his scars that were a result of various cuts and bullet shots in his fight for democratic freedom in the Third World War. He still remembered coming back from the war, walking off the ship that had been on for days for his return to a country that had lied to him. Spyral had risen and the country that he once loved, turned into an endless love as he had fought Spyral and even had the pleasure to see what the previous dictatoress had looked like. He rested the smoking cigarette on the glass ashtray on the ground beside him and didn't even bother putting it out.

His hair slicked back, still, in the same old style, James Dean's Rebel Without A Cause, despite how often the other Council members laughed at him about his hair, he still liked it.

He knew he was in a lot of power right now, both on a national and international, and he had been keeping an eye out for the first tell-tale signs of corruption amongst the other members of the survivors.

"I've been looking for you," said a familiar voice. He looked to the doorway that led into his chambers. "How's it going for you?" The glimpse of the silvery-like hair said it all. Bella. She invited herself to a conversation with him and walked in front of Viking to get the seat next to him that was unoccupied up until now.

Bella hadn't changed much. Except for the baby bump now. Yes, she was pregnant, which she described it as ahh, ****, there goes my figure for the next ten years. Her light blue dress swept in the smooth breeze and made Viking unimpressed. He always knew that Bella was a bit feminine, but up until the baby's father decided to turn against her, she had grown even more feminine. So feminine, in fact, she reminded Viking of a stuck up schoolgirl who's had too many hormones released into her body. Viking looked to Bella as she took a seat next to him.

"You're expecting something out of me?" asked Viking, bluntly. Bella shrugged. "Well, I can't see any other reason why you would be here."

"My apologies if being your friend that's encountered near death in order for a better society for us all, is a punishable crime," replied Bella, as very blunt her speech.

"And what is your purpose exactly?" asked Viking. Bella frowned at his attitude. Viking obviously was in a bad mood and Bella couldn't tell if that was him being nice or being a downright pain in the backside for an unknown purpose. Bella sighed as she knew it would be the same as talking to a brick wall.

"I'm trying to get away from them two fighting inside," answered Bella. "I can't stand it when they start throwing stuff and yelling at each other like they do."

"Who...Ravyn and Rob?" asked Viking, as Bella nodded. "For the love of ***...oh ****.." Viking paused as he had to rethink of what he had just said. He had said the G word.

"Why the pause?" asked Bella. "We're not going to condemn you for saying ***." Bella couldn't help but to laugh at Viking's memory glitch, as Viking smiled and laughed at his misfortune. "I know, you're so used to being treated like an animal when something like that happens. Been there and done that, trust me on that one."

"I know, the last time I said that, I found myself running for my life and it was only then did I get told by Mel that the stupid Spyral guards were somewhat allergic to metal," explained Viking, and then suddenly, it was silent. The memories of Melissa had come back and how she was embarrassed after she died. Spyral had nailed her naked body to a cross in the middle of the marketplace. Viking had missed her, a lot, since her death. "Ahem." He cleared his throat to break the silence between Bella and himself. "Well, what a grim topic."

"Yeah," Bella softly agreed. She didn't want to talk about the deaths revolving around the whole lets-take-over-the-world battle, which ended up with a number of deaths, including Rob's adopted daughter, Fox and Ravyn's sister, Joanna. However, the one death which really dug deep into her insides, was Mike's death. "You were saying before you thought Spyral would get you for saying the word ***?"

"Don't worry about it," Viking shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it." Suddenly, they both heard the feud that Bella had tried to get away from, but it seemed, she had greatly failed.

"Talk to the hand," they heard Ravyn say, as they heard footsteps coming their way.

"Please, don't come out here!" Bella suddenly heard herself yell at the top of voice. She was concerned that the drama of the pair had followed her outside and that was the last thing that she wanted, was more dramas. "I came out here for a reason!"

"Fine," they heard Ravyn huff, and disappeared with Rob who was obviously trailing her because they could both hear Rob saying something to Ravyn but they couldn't make out the words. Bella rolled her eyes as Viking just realised that his cigarette was still alight and put it out immediately. Not for his sake, but for Bella's and her new unborn child's sake.

"For the love of ***, don't they have anything else better to do other than be at each other's neck day in and day out?" sighed Bella under her breath, but it was still loud enough for Viking to hear it.

"Don't expect me to know the answer to that," answered Viking, innocently.

"If you did know the answer I would be freaked," Bella replied, as Viking finished putting the cigarette out and slumped into his chair. There was a silence. Followed long by a long silence. Viking had a question to ask Bella. It was killing him but he knew he was going to sound like a sticky beak if he asked his friend.

"Have you talked to him recently?" asked Viking. Bella looked clueless to who he was. Bella didn't answer him. "You know the Spyral supporter..."

"More information would help me out a lot thanks," Bella commented.

"D..a...v-"

"I have no intention of talking to the father of my child right now," Bella sneered at the spelling out of the Spyral supporter turned the father of her child who ran a factory for slaves downtown. Bella gave Viking one last nasty look, got to her feet, and walked off in a huff, out of Viking's sight.

"Sorry, for trying to make conversation," Viking muttered under his breath, as he closed his eyes and prepared himself to take a nap outside on the verandah.

​

****

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[Ravynlee]

So tyrannical Mr Draiman is the father of Bella's bub huh? Okay. Does he know? Be interested to see how someone with such 'people skills' as he's already shown would react to such news - assuming of course he even cares, knowing him he's probably done his part to repopulate the planet with his own bad-tempered DNA I take it... shame it aint me. And now we're on to the subject care to explain why the sudden character shift between Ravyn and Rob from the first story to now? I ask because without giving us much to go on you've effectively obliterated one of the main positive and driving influences in those character's lives (up til this point) - I have a feeling your perception of me and him from our billion-and-one other 'family' stories has pervaded your subconscious and you can no longer see us as anything other than enemies, which after the promise of the first story seems something of a shame now, a dead end in essence. Like I said, shame. But no matter...

I'll say that one sentence in that really confused me. The context was right, the way you wrote it was wrong. The thing about Frib's hair (sorry, Viking, he's always gonna be known as my Vi, awww) was rather jumbled.

His slicked back, still, in the same old style, James Dean's Rebel Without A Cause, despite how often the other Council members laughed at him about his hair, he still liked it.

Personally you could have penned it better, more cohesively. It read like you'd forgotten words - or were trying to be smart, and failed. But good try. The reminiscing was good, very good tie in to their troubled past, and the whole 'G / ***' thing was also well done. Good sence of past tension still tainting the promise of their new lives even now. Memories of Fox, Mel and Mike were all very poigniant. Also great way to make someone who's not read number 1 to maybe go read now to find out about them too, well done.

All in all a nice tie in. So far flowing well. Looking forward to more, as always, and to see how this one evolves. You've got a lot to live up to

Cheers.

 

[woodyloveslinkin]

I haven't finished this chapter but I'll post a bit of it.

Chapter 3

Tea is for Guests, the Door is for Strangers

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Ravyn sat on the floor staring at the pieces of paper in front of her. She was sitting on the floor of what was named as the Great Hall were everyone could enjoy some peace and quiet when they wanted to. She frowned as she read something through the pair of glasses that she was forced to wear. She wasn't really forced to wear them, of course, she always had the option to struggle with her eyesight but that would lead to various dramas throughout the group about each other's wellbeing and everything else that followed that lecture.

She held a pen in one hand and was trying to fix up an Act that The Council was trying to put through. She didn't like the Act at all and if she had things go her way, she would crumple up the inked paper and throw it away and let the men at the rubbish disposal centre take care of it. She was trying to distract herself from the usual arguments with Rob who had gotten to her as of lately. No she wasn't going to marry him, and no she wasn't going to date him, but he seemed to think otherwise. Yes, they did have a thing for one another, but that was ages ago, and Ravyn regretted acting like a flirtatious school girl now.

Ravyn was worried about Rob's recent attitude change. What if he became corrupt and brought The Council down to its knees? She shook that feeling away, thinking that it was only a negative thought and negativity wasn't needed right now.

She wore a black dress today, the usual one, with the usual grey sandals on her feet. It was her usual outfit for this time of year. She liked sitting on the floor when it came to amending documents that were going to alter this society she helped create. It made her think clearer.

She sighed as she stopped reading the amendment and put the pen down on the floor. She took her glasses off and massaged her temples. She felt a headache coming on and when she got headaches, and left them untreated, they would turn into migraines and there was basically nothing she could do about it but leave it and wait for it to go away.

Even though medicine was reintroduced into this society, it hadn't made it to the public and the only way one could get it, would be going to the hospital. There were no corner doctor practices and there were no pharmacies, because all the doctor's that had survived the Spyral regime were forced by legislation (that Ravyn didn't agree upon but it passed anyway) stating that the health system systematically needed doctor's and trained medical staff in the critical areas of health - the hospital. And Ravyn hated the hospital.

Chaz stood at the doorway in his formal casual clothes, a shirt and a pair of black pants. The lights of the Great Hall illuminated the bookshelves around the room and glistened the new tables and chairs. He wondered why Ravyn was sitting on the floor and had always been meaning to ask her that. He somewhat felt proud of himself nowadays, he had been sober for almost two years and not a drop of alcohol he had touched and not a drop of alcohol to be smelt on him. He had showered everyday since the Spyral regime collapsed and felt the dignity in him rise up ever since he started his new routine.

He hadn't remarried since Celeste died along with the kids and he didn't have any intention to remarry or to see anyone. His love for his deceased wife was as strong as the day that he met her. The Council members called it denial, he called it respect. He leant against the frame of the door, and placed one hand in his front pocket of his pants, still with his eyes fixed on the woman still rubbing her temples and frowning.

"Have you got a headache?" asked Chaz, as Ravyn felt as though she was going to go through the roof or failing that, have a heart attack because Chaz had just scared her enough to do just that.

"Don't do that to me!" she retorted, as her heart was still beating a million miles an hour. Chaz smiled innocently. "You scared me and yes, I do have a headache. I'm going to have a bigger one now, thanks to your scare tactics. I hope you're happy."

"Sorry," he apologised, trying not to laugh. "Do you want to go to the hospital?" Ravyn shook her head in protest. Before Ravyn got a chance to say anything, Chaz interjected her. "You're stubborn. Has anyone told you this?"

"The only reason I'm not going down to the hospital is because I just don't like the smell of death lingering over me," answered Ravyn. "Each time I go there, I come back here and immediately have a bath. I'll be fine, trust me."

"I don't, that's the problem," replied Chaz.

"Then why you are even here, if you don't trust me?" asked Ravyn, frowning as she completely missed Chaz's point. "You think I'm going to assassinate you or something?"

"No, I meant, I don't trust you being just fine," Chaz corrected himself. "There could be a million things wrong with you and you would still refuse treatment. You should be thankful you've got that available to you now, do you want to go back to living under Spyral's dictatorship?" Ravyn rolled her eyes. She knew she shouldn't have opened her mouth to begin with. But again, her mouth had gotten the better of her and everytime her mouth did that, she just felt like punching herself in the stomach. "I don't mean to lecture you or anything, I'm just pointing out the obvious here."

"Well, thank you Captain Obvious," Ravyn replied, sarcastically, getting sick of Chaz's presence already. She looked back down to the piece of paper, picked it up, and held it out with her hand towards Chaz's way. "I've made some alterations or suggestions, as Viking likes to put it, to the Act."

"What Act is it?" asked Chaz, as he frowned. He started to walk towards Ravyn, wondering what sort of alterations or suggestions, Ravyn has made to the Act.

"Act of Legal Alcohol Consumption and Distribution," answered Ravyn, as she cringed as her arm was starting to hurt from holding out the draft copy of the Act. "I don't agree with the age that you're legal to drink alcohol and I don't agree with the transportation of the alcohol." Chaz stopped and snatched the piece of paper out from Ravyn's grip and skimmed through the typed up characters that put together, would make words. Put those words together and an Act is born. "Read Section Five." Chaz nodded as he went back up to Section Five and sighed. "What was that for?" Chaz looked up from the piece of paper and looked to Ravyn innocently.

"What's wrong with Section Five?" asked Chaz.

"Alcohol should be chilled when transported so it doesn't go sour and taste like the backside of a cow," answered Ravyn. "And, the legal age should be a bit higher."

"How would you know what the backside of a cow tastes like?" asked Chaz, with a smirk on his face. He handed the Act back to Ravyn who was giving him a filthy look for the smart remark of his. "Look, we all wanted to be part of this Council and you've got to take other people's opinions on board as well. Remember the last time you disagreed on something and you got voted out by the majority?" Ravyn placed the Act down on the floor, looked back up at Chaz and nodded slowly. "Just learn to accept it."

"What's the real reason you're talking to me, Chaz?" asked Ravyn.

"Just because I can," answered Chaz. "Is that something illegal?" Ravyn gave him a filthly glare. She was doing this deliberately, as she wanted to know the truth about his presence near her. "Okay, I'm wanting to see where Bella is."

"Why her?" asked Ravyn, frowning a bit as she put her glasses back on.

"David's downstairs wanting to speak to her," answered Chaz, looking a bit uncomfortable.

"Who's here for me?" asked Bella, appearing at the side door, in her maternity clothes, and with her baby bump looking bigger than usual. "Did you say Dav-"

"No he didn't," Ravyn interrupted, lying through her teeth. "Chaz was just stirring." Ravyn forced a fake smile and shot Chaz an evil glare as Chaz was confused about why Ravyn was suddenly doing this. "Weren't you Chaz? You were just joking?" Chaz slowly nodded as he looked back to Bella who looked a bit unsure. Bella nodded slowly and excused herself as she left the room, to go back to reading the book she had left sitting open on the chair that she was sitting on. "Tell him to leave." Ravyn looked back to Chaz.

"Why?" asked Chaz. "It's his child isn't it?"

"That is beside the point," Ravyn exasperated. "He said he would never come to see her again and doesn't want anything to do with the child. Now tell him to leave." Ravyn got to her feet and crossed her arms, leaving the Act on the floor with the pen.

"He just sat down to have some tea that I gave him," replied Chaz. "At least let him finish his tea and then I'll ask him to leave."

"Tea is for guests, the door is for strangers," replied Ravyn firmly.

"Alright, I'll go tell him to leave, keep your pants on woman," Chaz gave in. He turned around and started to head back through the same door that he came in. He dropped his voice to a whisper and whispered to himself. "Why couldn't have you been left with that chip that made you crazy? You were funny when you were crazy."

"Hey! I heard that!" yelled Ravyn, offended by such remarks.

The last thing she wanted to be reminded of was the days of Spyral's little experiment on her which ended up costing her Joanna as a sister, as a friend, as a carer, and as the only living relative that she knew. She hated the feeling of being alone and to live a life without Joanna. It was enough for Ravyn's heart to break and shatter into a million pieces. There were several times where Ravyn wanted to join Joanna in death and that's one of the main reasons why everyone still kept a close watch on Ravyn, for she had attempted to take her own life several times - so that she could be with her New World sister.

​

 

[Blue Sky Turtles]

LOL! I've been reading this not logged into LPF for a while now, but does anybody get the chapter's name and why I found it funneh? xD It's a quote out of a Tomb Raider film xD Lol. Sorry to spoil the scene for other ppl.

 

[woodyloveslinkin]

continued....

The thoughts of Joanna were starting to get overwhelming for Ravyn. She shook her head as she got to her feet and tears started to make their way down her once placid face. The memories were coming back of Joanna. She spent everyday trying to escape the fate that Joanna had chosen and the path that she didn't take. She fell on her knees and covered her face with her hands, as she tried to tell herself that everything was okay. But the other side of her told her that everything had been lost since Joanna's death. Still, Ravyn didn't know how she had died, she just remembered standing on a cliff on a cool and windy evening, as the flames burnt away at a wooden and empty funeral.

"It's okay," came a voice, who she recognised as the sweet voice of Bella's. She shook her head, as she felt Bella put her hands on her shoulders. "Look at me." Ravyn removed her hands and revealed her tear stained face to Bella, who seemed to glow with happiness and joy, even in her worst moods. "She's gone to a better place." Ravyn shook her head, as she frowned as she thought of what Bella had just said to her. Better place? That's what you tell a kid not a full grown adult.

"What?" she managed to ask Bella, as Bella just simply smiled with sympathy. "You don't understand."

"I might not, but I know the feeling of losing a loved one," Bella replied, simply. "I lost my son during the blast, so I do know how it feels to lose a loved one. Is this about Joanna?" Ravyn nodded, quietly. Bella felt like saying something else about Joanna, but decided to keep her own opinions to herself. "You need to let go. You can't keep on lingering on the past, that's why we are where we are now. We made it this far to show Spyral who's boss and that we did. Now its your own turn, to show your demons who's boss." Bella sighed not knowing what else to say. Ravyn nodded slowly as she wiped away the tears that had stained her face. She slowly got to her feet and so did Bella. "Are you going to be okay or do I need to get the rest of the crew to keep a close eye on you?"

"I'll be fine," answered Ravyn, stubbornly. Bella softly smiled again, and slowly detached herself from Ravyn and walked back into the room where she had left to see Ravyn in her previous state of weakness and despair. Bella wasn't convinced that Ravyn was going to be okay and held a mental note inside of her head, to keep a firm eye on Ravyn and her actions, for at least the day and for the evening.

Ravyn swallowed hard as she left the room, and went into one of the many hallways that had made the building look like a labyrinth of hallways and rooms. It was softly and elegantly decorated with the theme of red and gold. She walked down the Persian matted floor and looked around, thinking of what a life she was now living in - on the surface, it was almost exactly the same how the Spyralan's decorated their hallways, but without the large portraits, but at the same time, they were the people that opposed the Spyralan's ideology of life. It was ironic, Ravyn couldn't help but to conclude. Here they were living their lives, picking up the Spyral's scraps and rebuilding a society that was deemed flawed.

Her attention was caught by a white marble elephant sitting on a small table on her side. She walked over to it and looked at its detail. It was inscribed with the words Peace, Love and Understanding, the three words that meant a lot to Ravyn. She picked it up and run her fingers over the elephant.

The marble was coarse but it wasn't rough, it was coarsely smooth. The polish made it smooth but the grains in the marble made it coarse. There was a large noise at the end of the hallway, a door slamming, which startled Ravyn and made her drop the elephant on the ground. The impact with the floor chipped its tusks and broke off two legs.

Ravyn cussed under breath as she picked it up from the floor and the broken off pieces. She didn't seem to acknowledge that a person was standing right near her, watching her every moment with his dark and narrow eyes.

He stood tall and firm, with his long black jacket dropping past his ankles and with his arms crossed behind him. He was a man of power and a man of intimidation, which he used to the maximum of his ability. His white shirt was crumpled and was unbuttoned at the top. His big black boots reflected the light from the Renaissance-styled candles that burnt their white wicks on the walls, held up by metallic candle holders. His breath was heavy, as he inhaled and exhaled the never ending supply of oxygen that filled the earth's atmosphere.

Ravyn looked to see who was standing beside her, as she could see a black figure in the corner of her eye. She knew who it was and she wasn't prepared to give directions to the pot of gold that he was wanting to grab hold of.

"Ma'am," introduced the dark voice of David's.

"David," Ravyn shortly said, still holding the broken elephant in her hands and the broken pieces of it. "You're not meant to be here."

"Where is she?" asked David. "That's the only question I have, and yet, nobody has the answer to it. She can't be that hard to find, can she?"

"I'm not telling you where Bella is," answered Ravyn.

"Why?" asked David. "Is she not carrying my child?"

"Because knowing your temper, you will hurt her and probably kill the child," answered Ravyn. "How did you get in here? Did Chaz not tell you to leave these premises?" David shook his head, with a small smile. Ravyn shook her head. "Your anger gets the best of you."

"Doesn't it everyone's anger get the best of them?" asked David, as Ravyn shook her head again. "Tell me where she is, and we shall avoid someone getting hurt."

"Why do you want to suddenly see her?" asked Ravyn. "Judging by what she has said to me, you want nothing to do with her and the child. So turn back around and don't come back in here again."

"You don't know me very well, now, do you?" retorted David, looking a bit more intimidating than ever. Ravyn swallowed hard as he moved a bit close to her. "I want to see her, and I will get to see her. Understand?" Ravyn shook her head. "Do I have to write it out for you?"

"I know you're a Spyral supporter, but be lucky I can't prove it in front of a tribunal," answered Ravyn. "But the first bit of evidence I can obtain to hold you to being a traitor to The Council, I'll be getting a warrant for your death. Understand?" David smiled as one hand of his suddenly grabbed Ravyn around the throat and looked at her as though he was going to actually kill her. Ravyn suddenly felt all the blood rush to her head as she started to think that David was actually going to kill her.

"You should consider yourself lucky," smiled David, like a sly fox.

"Hey man, get off her," Chaz came to Ravyn's aid. David's attention was diverted to Chaz, and let go of Ravyn who gasped for air when David had released her throat. "What do you think you're doing? I told you to leave." David shoved Chaz, as though he was looking for a fight, but Chaz just punched him in the face and David started to bleed. David caught the dripping blood in his hands and looked to Chaz. "Now leave before I lose my self-control and I really give you a good beating." David smiled, as neither of them, Chaz and Ravyn wanted to know what was going through his head right now.

"I'll be back," muttered David, as he started to walk. "Consider yourself lucky that I have other things to do right now. All I wanted to do is see the mother of my child, is that too much to ask?" David turned around, who was already half way down the hall already and stopped and faced them. "At least tell her that I was here."

"Why? So you can cause more trouble in Bella's life?" asked Chaz. "Go!" David smiled again and turned around, and continued his walk.

But the one mistake that they just made, was that no one escorted him out the door to make sure he had left.

****

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[Ravynlee]

Ooh! Evil David! *insert evil laughter here* I like it! That was nice... Have you seen the Stephen King movie 'The Stand' ? This whole 'post Spyral council / tribunal' reminds me of the post apocalyptic council(s) in that. Ah memories. But I like it. It feels like we've come so far with these characters and they're still evolving. Good stuff! Mind you had to laugh to myself picturing weedy lil Chaz punching David. Nice try buddy, I get the impression David's just humouring everybody - he could have retaliated if he wanted or even broke Rav's neck - he's a Spyral supporter in as much as intimidation and threats and mindgames are the order of the day - but I still think Bella want to watch her back. How on earth she ever got with David who in this is such her opposite is beyond me. Makes me wonder what he's up to. And her. Good stuff as per usual

Edit: btw, elephant reference?

And kudos on Rav's emotions over Joanna. I always thought to some degree there was something 'unfinished' there given the sister's connection following Jo's death. Now you're starting to make sense of it. Kudos.

 

[woodyloveslinkin]

Chapter 4

Minutes to Midnight

​

The cool summer breeze swept over the dull green grass as the full moon reflected itself in the still riverbed. The undergrowth was thick with the scent of summer and the sleek smell of the New Old World weaved in and out of the swaying leaves of the canopy. The white owls were out tonight. They swooped their prey and held the prey in their beaks firmly, as the large eyes of the owls looked side to side, as they had heard a distant sound. They freaked out and took to flight, still with their food dangling out of their beaks.

A rabbit, who was lucky not to be the supper of another animal, stood on its whitish-greyish hind legs supporting its small body weight, as its ears were at full alert. It heard something coming. Its small sensitive pink nose wiggled as the breeze swept silently through its fine white whiskers. It could hear the crackling of twigs underneath someone's feet. Its front paws were curved at bay, waiting for something to happen, but didn't know what. Then, suddenly, it went back to being on all four feet and bounced away. Back into its burrow where its babies were awakening to the world for the first time in their lives.

Two figures clad in midnight black hooded-cloaks, made out of velvet, appeared. The rabbit's senses were right, someone was coming and they were cracking twigs in half as they stepped on them. They didn't say a word. There movements were suave but firm. They were here to meet some people. If anyone else were to find out, they were indeed going to die. The Council would have their heads on plates for dinner and their organs pureed for soup.

They approached the riverside and stopped. One of them looked to the moon to see what time it was. The moon was directly shining in the middle of the black silky sky, with no clouds in sight. The person instantly knew it would be either already midnight, the scheduled time for their meeting with the other people that weren't clearly present, or it was just minutes to midnight.

"Do you think that they are going to show?" asked the soft voice of Jack who pulled back his hood and revealed his dark eyes.

"If they do not, they risk just about everything that we do," answered Sarah, still keeping her voice down for the sake of being revealed. But Sarah didn't take her hood off, but looked back to the moon. Sarah was meeting a group of people who she had met through a source, who had the same views of life as she did. But they were fools in the end. If they were true to the Spyral regime they would instantly recognise Sarah and what she was in what seemed to be a past life of hers. "Where could they be?"

"It's beyond me, honestly," answered Jack, as her question was quickly answered by a black clad figure suddenly appearing with a girl who was also clad in the same styled hooded-cloak as Jack and Sarah wore. Jack turned around and smiled. "David, I thought you were never going to show. I was starting to doubt your loyalty to Spyral."

"Don't ever doubt my loyalty to Spyral," David replied softly, as Sarah turned around. "Jill."

"You can cut the **** right about now," replied Sarah. "Do not play dumb around me David." David nodded. David was a one out of two people that knew Sarah, for not what name she came under when daylight was around, but what she stood for. David wasn't dumb, which surprised Sarah a lot. "Who is she?" Sarah looked to the person who turned out to be a girl, in which the untied long brown hair was a major giveaway to what gender she was.

"This is Penelope, she is a friend of mine," introduced David. Penelope took her hood to reveal that her brown hair, reminded Sarah of Joanna, a lot. Sarah couldn't help but to speculate for a second or two, if this was Joanna or not. Sarah shook her head to own thoughts. Joanna was dead. Penelope had dark eyes, unlike Joanna, and her complexion was pale. "She's got a resource inside The Council's quarters. She could be a very useful tool." Sarah hadn't taken her eyes off this person that David had brought along to this meeting.

"So she's not a mistress of yours for once?" asked Jack, as everyone shot Jack a poisonous glare. "Apologies."

"Keep that tongue tied or be prepared to lose it," warned Sarah, who still had a significant influence over Jack despite her social status as a factory worker. Even David, when he wasn't playing factory boss, knew well that he wasn't to cross Sarah. This was due to the fact, that what if, Sarah came back to power with Spyral, what would happen to David if he was prepared to cross Sarah, even with her true identity revealed. Sarah diverted her attention to Penelope, who stood there, silently. She walked over to Penelope and looked at her. "Penelope, are you prepared to serve Spyral to the end?" Penelope nodded. "I would prefer words."

"What Spyral offered me, was a perfect world, and I loved it, until it was taken away," Penelope explained. "I'll fight to my death if I have to, in order to bring back the New World."

"Spyral is still alive," Sarah told Penelope. "It is alive in our hearts. Do you know who I am?" Penelope shook her head. "Then you are not true to the Spyral throne." Sarah turned to David. "Next time, bring me a true Spyral supporter not a hamster."

"If everyone knew who you were, you wouldn't be alive tonight," David reminded Sarah. "If everyone knew who was your father, The Council would have your head for the menu for their dogs right now."

"I have met true Spyralans in my lifetime, who have instantly recognised me for what I am and what I stand for, this is not a true Spyralan like yourself," replied Sarah, softly. "If we are to take down The Council, I do not care if I have to bleed, but this is not the way we were destined to live life. I do not want hamsters you have won in the lucky door prize."

"Are you who I think you are?" asked Penelope, as Sarah's attention shifted back to Penelope, who had just figured who Sarah was. "You're Sarah, aren't you? That's why you want to take down The Council so much?" Sarah nodded silently. "People have said you died in the last battle. Um..what was it called? Battle Tourniquet, people have named it."

"Battle Tourniquet is an illusion and it is a lie, just like how religion is and *** is," replied Sarah. "I have not been slained, thus, that is why I am standing here in front of you. The reason I breathe is for Spyral. The reason why I bleed is for Spyral. The reason why I still live on is because I know Spyral can become something once again, instead of text in the history books." Penelope stared at Sarah in amazement. "I created this river." Sarah pointed to the river beside them. "I created things that you can never dream of, Penelope."

"The Eye," Jack muttered under his breath. But everyone heard him. Penelope looked a bit confused of what he meant. Jack was in his own little world, as he was staring at the ground. Jack looked up and realised that everyone was staring at him. "Was it something I said?"

"The what?" asked Penelope, as Sarah looked back to Penelope who looked a tad confused.

"The Comet's Eye," answered Sarah. "It is one of the few things that this world wants to destroy on top of everything else that has connections to Spyral."

"Rumours have said that it disappeared in the collapse of Spyral and its enterprises," David started to explain. David shook his head. "But I was there that night when the fighting took place and when I looked to save it, it was gone from its chambers." Penelope looked confused, and she was the only one.

"You worked for Spyral?" asked Penelope, looking a bit shocked. David nodded. Penelope looked to Sarah and she nodded. And then went to look for answers from Jack. He also nodded. "Why wasn't this told to me?" Penelope looked back to David. "You must be pulling my leg or something."

"I was a guard," explained David. "That's how I recognised Sarah the first time that I saw her after the battle. I got the job as head of the factory and as soon as I saw Sarah, I wanted to drop to my knees and praise her, because she had survived. There were many rumours that she hadn't survived and everyone else around us, were rejoicing based on those rumours instigated by The Council. But I knew the truth, I have always known the truth."

"He was attacked several times by several Old Worlders who are now part of The Council," Sarah added. "Penelope, show me your pendant." Penelope quickly pulled out a silver turtle pendant from under her black cloak and snapped it off its chain. She placed it in Sarah's outstretched hands, and Sarah looked at it, under the moonlight. With her spare hand, she pulled out her own from under her black cloak and compared the two pendants. One was a turtle and the other was a Celtic cross. She looked at her pendant and the memories came flooding back to her.

"I on the other hand," Jack broke Sarah's trip down memory lane. "I was a bit closer to home for her. I was her associate, and the one person that suspected Draven to be a traitor to Spyral all along." Sarah handed Penelope's pendant back and placed her pendant in her pocket.

"I owe Jack my life," Sarah explained. "I was ready to be left for dead but then, Jack came and saved me while in my weakest state." Sarah quickly snapped out of her trip down memory lapse. "We cannot continue this meeting for much longer for we might be discovered. But I will tell you all what I fear right now. It is not the fear of dying or being discovered as a traitor, the Eye is growing weak. In a matter of time, it will be as useless as a dead body competing in sports. I beg you, Penelope, please contact your source inside The Council and arrange for us to meet. Time is critical and we are not getting any younger by the day. Good evening to you both."

Penelope and David bidded their farewells to Sarah and Jack, leaving Jack and Sarah standing there. They looked to each other, both concerned about the future.

​

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[Gusoir92]

career

I started my career on July 2nd, 2008. It was such an exciting beginning in my life. I have worked in this new environment with full of energy and happiness these days.I got to know some new colleagues. wow power leveling They were all kind to me, which made me relaxed a lot. Frankly speaking, I was a little nervous about them at the beginning, wow power leveling especially to some leaders. Recently, I have learned some techniques from senior brothers and sisters. I found that they set a good example for cheap archlord gold me not only in professional , but also in personal levels. One evening of last week, a group of colleagues left company together heading homes except Jiaru who went to the rest room. At one moment, a bus was coming and we all hurried got on it one by one while Halley was waiting for Jiaru. Halley finally got on that bus and disappointedly said that Jiaru didn’t catch up with this bus. She immediately called our driver to help Jiaru to go home. I was moved by Halley’s behaviors. I thought that she takes the ownership for her work and cares about colleagues very much. As contrast, I may only care about myself.Another true story that also left archlord online gold me a deep impression was about Vincent. One day, he was printing the labels. It was extremely difficult and painful to adjust the labels’ size in a right place. However, Vincent successfully adjusted by changing one significant printing condition. Then I reminded him of our experiments and there were only a few minutes for us to finish it. archlord power leveling However, Vincent told me calmly that he had to spend some time to correct the SOP for printing labels so that other colleagues could also grasp the key to print labels. Compared to Vincent’s kindness and responsibilities to our company, I felt blushed because I forgot other colleagues may also meet such problems.It is a brand-new journey for me to begin my career at Surexam. There are still too many issue for me to overcome, especially the attitude for the work. I should pay more attention to the teamwork because nobody can achieve his/her success without co-operations. Besides, I think that I should take ownership for my job, and devote myself wholeheartedly to my loving career

 

[woodyloveslinkin]

Chapter 5

The Council of Hard Knocks

​

Rob looked over the verandah on such a night. The full moon was out and the silence that filled the air was dangerous. The last time he had heard so much silence the Grim Reaper had come and taken his adopted daughter away. That night, was painful, and these memories that seemed to flood him of her vermillion red hair that seemed to shine no matter the mood she was in or the place...or whoever's blood was spilt. But he knew her hair was no longer red, it was ash now. Tortured, and then burnt alive, at the hands of Draven. Even thinking about his name sent shivers down his back. Even though the days had past since the New World era, it was psychologically still etching at him to want more revenge for the death of Fox. But he knew he could never get enough revenge and he would never feel complete or satisfied without her existence by his side.

He could hear her voice in his ear, even at the thought of her name.

He closed his eyes as the wind blew across his face which was hidden beneath his cloak that marked him as a Council member.

So many memories of her, and that's all what he was left with, just memories.

A tear escaped his eye as he opened both eyes and looked out until the distance that laid down in front of him. He had come this far and yet, he seemed as though he had failed.

"Rob," came a small voice, behind him. He wiped the tear from his face and spun around quickly, to see Bella standing in the doorway, also clad in her Council cloak. They all wore burnt yellow hooded cloaks as a sign of respect for the victims that had risked their lives for the Council members to get as far as they did. "It's time for the hearing."

Rob was so wrapped up in his own emotions that he had completely forgotten about the hearing and that he indeed was wearing his traditional Council clothes. He nodded and took one last look of the night outside tonight, and then followed the heavily pregnant Bella back inside. He wanted to say something to her but thought it was better to keep it to himself. He followed Bella through the various hallways that dazzled with ornaments from around the world. Mirrors that had been hand-crafted to perfection, portraits of Old World icons imported from Japan that had survived the Spyral regime, and of course, the sense of living in a better world lingered in every room and every hallway of the building.

It was time for a hearing to take place, a trial of a deceiver to The Council.A black tassel that was at the waist for everyone and swung side to side as another sign of respect for the people whose lives were forsaken by Spyral and their war against humanity.

They finally entered a room where there were several seats at the far end of the far wall, where each seat was for each council member. These chairs were also custom made and very expensive to replace. They were like Sarah's chair with the intertwining vines, but these were different. Each chair had different velvet material to indicate who sat where.

The first one, with the dark red velvet material, was Rob's.

The one that sat on the left of the dark red velvet chair, was the one with the musky grey material, Ravyn's.

The one that sat on the right of the dark red velvet chair, was the one with the emerald green material, Bella's.

The one with the aquamarine blue velvet material was, Viking's, who sat next to Bella.

And the final one with snow white velvet material, was Chas, who sat next to Ravyn.

No one spoke a word, but the only sounds that were made were those of Rob's and Bella's feet making their way over to their dark red and the emerald green velvet seats. But Rob didn't sit down. He let Bella go first as they made their way over to their seats, but Rob remained standing front of his seat, as though he was awaiting someone or something.

They all knew the procedure pretty well and they were all there to make an example of what were the new ways in dealing with criminals and vigilantes who opposed this world and the members of The Council.

Unlike Spyral, they all heard every case out and it was innocent until proven guilty. Even though the majority of people that were seen and judged by The Council, were guilty, they deserved a fair go.

Rob was only standing, tall and strong, for a couple of minutes as Ravyn and Chas exchanged worried glances as did Viking and Bella. The Council members all knew that Rob was still in the process of grieving Fox and it was starting to take its toll on his mind, in judgement and in common daily routine. Was it that Rob was still lingering in the wraiths of the past?

A man approached who was escorted by two heavily armoured guards, and he stopped in front of Rob, as the guards stood their ground behind the accused and didn't a lay a hand on him.

The guards, unlike the Spyral guards, were all human. Spyral had a tendency to mix technology in with humanity and that was both its highest and weakest weapon. The Council had specifically instructed the guards not to tamper with whatever evidence the accused may possess and that also meant handling them in an orderly manner. Both guards were heavily armoured with maroon armour breast plates and almost looked identical with their black hair in the same style.

The accused however was somewhat different and Rob could have sworn that he had seen this person before. But it didn't occur to him that the man that was standing in front of him, awaiting The Council's judgement, was actually the guard that was hired by Spyral, that ended up hurting Fox in the battle that took downtown at the marketplace that one time. He was the one that had dragged her by the hair and had slashed his sound barrier breaking whip against her back several times that she begged no more. He was one that dragged her out of her safe haven with Mike, Chas and Rob, who had been surrounded by guards, and tortured ruthlessly.

However, Rob couldn't see the killer in him. All he saw was an old man who had aged dramatically and badly, with his hair tangled up in various large knots and looked as though he was a worse version of the old Chas, the kind that drank all the time and didn't bother to maintain his personal hygiene.

"What is it that you stand accused of?" roared Rob across the room, as though his voice was a sonic boom erupting the sky with its power. He talked with precision and accuracy. He know what he wanted to get done today.

"Treason, My Lord," answered the ragged old man who seem to be happy to say that. For his wrinkled eyes weren't shedding tears and his wrinkly face didn't show any sign of remorse. One of the guards approached Bella, who sat in her chair, rubbing her rather large baby bump and Bella accepted a document that had all the details on it.

"How do you plead?" asked Rob.

"Not guilty," answered the man.

"What is your name?" asked Rob.

"Timothy Granger, born to Sheridon and Terry Granger," answered Bella, who had just answered Rob's question. Rob turned around to Bella and frowned at her for answering a question that wasn't directed at her. Bella got to her feet, slowly, as Rob stood his ground. She looked back and forth from the piece of paper and finally stopped in her tracks. She lifted her eyes up at the accused and shook her head. "Do you not know that treason is still a punishable crime in the eyes of The Council and of the state?" The accused smiled and nodded. "Then why do you smile as though you're proud of it and yet you plead not guilty to the charge of treason?"

"Because what I'm doing isn't treason, and nor what I did," answered Timothy. "If someone had to be put to a treason trial it should be The Council."

"How are we committing treason, Mr Granger?" asked Chas, as he kept a firm eye on the suspect, as did every other Council member.

"You committed treason from day one, you defied Spyral-"

"We are here to make sure Spyral won't ever come back to power and implement it's hypocritic doctrine on the civilians that roam this earth's surface," interrupted Rob, angrily. "I don't need to hear any more to know that you are a Spyral supporter. A traitor."

"Calm down," Bella looked to Rob and they met eye contact. Rob nodded slowly, as he tried to get his cool back. Bella looked back to Timothy. "Are you a self-confessed Spyral supporter?"

"What would you do to me if I said you were?" snarled Timothy, as Rob smiled and just shook his head in disgust. "You can't prove it that I'm the only Spyral supporter out there, so why am I being executed for it?"

"You are being judged for it because you have broken a law that was agreed and decided on to protect humanity," answered Ravyn. "We aren't super heroes Mr Granger, but we're ****** good at determining Spyralans that are still living in everything we're giving them. All we ask for giving you food, shelter, and clothing, is that you appreciate everything that Spyral didn't and will never give you without them wanting you to be brainwashed so you can become their personal slaves for eternity."

Timothy just laughed, smiled and then went back to just giggling.

"Don't laugh about this, this isn't a laughing matter," warned Viking. "I know if I was facing death I would be kissing someone's backside very quickly and in the best manner possible."

"She's still alive you know?" asked Timothy, as the guards looked to each other as though they were ready to pounce on him.

"Who is she? The donkey's mother?" asked Bella.

" No," answered Timothy, smiling gleefully. "The last ruler of Spyral and the one that led us into war and love." The Council members looked at one another, secretly horrified about the person he was talking about. They had to be discrete about it because they knew that putting on a brave face was the only option people like Timothy gave them. "Do I dare say her name or will you all be getting nightmares from if I do?"

Rob turned around from looking at Viking and gave him a sharp look. It his death stare.

"Don't underestimate me son, moments ago you were respecting this council by approaching us in the right manner and here you, thinking you have the guts to intimidate us by using foul and old fashioned tricks?" snorted Rob.

"Sarah isn't alive, and I can vow on that," Bella aimlessly vowed on something that she didn't know the whole truth herself. "If she were to be alive, why hasn't she got the guts to try and defeat The Council."

"Because she is weak, what other reason could there possibly be?" asked Timothy, as he was letting his tongue slip even further. He knew that Sarah was alive but hadn't seen her for himself to believe just yet, he was only going off rumours that he had heard around the flock of Old New Worlders that were condemned to the likes of David's sweat factory. "She walks these very streets that you walk down to get your dinner, My Lords and My Ladies. Don't think for a second she doesn't watch your every move. Every hand that is kissed, every breath that is drawn, every footprint made, she's always watching us, even when you least suspect it."

"They are lies," defended Chas. "We, The Council, fought Spyral and its wrath. We saw how she slaughtered innocence like a slaughterhouse and we smelt and breathed every hypocritic lie she came out with. You are a traitor for condoning her actions-"

"No, I am a hero, and I am one of those rare ones that will go down in history as a full-pledged Spyral supporter," Timothy interrupted, getting worked up about his loyalty to Spyral.

Ravyn couldn't help but to notice how outgoing he was about his love for Spyral. So much that it was as though he was some sort of escape goat or cult sacrifice. Ravyn frowned as she looked away, deep in a train of thought about what was happening right in front of her. Could this man really be a traitor or was this some sort of warning that Sarah, after all, is still roaming the streets of Los Angeles.

"Those in favour of giving the death penalty to this gentleman that has clearly displayed the traitor in him, raise your hand," Rob instructed, as most of the council members had raised their hands. Rob looked around, either side of him to count who was on his side about this man being a traitor. There were two people who didn't agree. Viking and Ravyn. "All right, looks like we have a self-protest going on here." Rob looked back to the man and then to the guards. "Escort this gentleman back to his cell where he will await further news of his damnation." The guards nodded as they shortly took the self-confessed traitor away into his prison cell. Rob turned around and politely smiled at Viking and Ravyn. "Explain your decision."

"It's too...dramatic to be true..." Ravyn explained, as Viking got to his feet while Bella sat back down in her chair and Ravyn reminded in it also. "He's....giving us information about Sarah, do you think that if Sarah were to be alive today, she would want her identity to be revealed so easily and in such a manner that he did?" There was no answer from anyone. "Something's not right, Robert, and I don't like it when I get this way."

Rob just shook that feeling of hers off. She always had to object to every notion that had to be passed, or just had to alter some sort of clause in an amendment that had been circling around the Council members for days, weeks, and even at times, months.

She hated when she was ignored. It made her feel like she wasn't anything, just as now, as Rob walked away and no one objected or even said anything that would make him stay. He left the room without another action or said ado, leaving everyone speechless about what had just played out in front of them.

****

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[woodyloveslinkin]

Chapter 6

The Pebble Effect

​

Timothy sat in his jail cell, imprisoned in The Council's building, where the old Spyral cells had been ripped apart by hand and destroyed so the only existence of the Spyral buildings were in the text books of the library at the top of The Council's building. He sat there pondering about what would happen to him and thinking about what has happened and what could have been if Spyral didn't fall.

Like he mentioned before, he was a Spyral supporter and one of few that had been let to live this long. He knew he was playing the game right with The Council. He already felt as though he had pulled the wool over his eyes about him being a Spyral supporter, for his nature was, to be outgoing, thus, no one ever trusted Timothy with any secrets of theirs. He did know that Sarah was alive, but he hadn't come across one soul that could give him the visual confirmation that she was still up and about. But knowing Sarah, in the old days, when her name was mentioned like a Goddess to them, she was still strong.

Timothy, was in fact, Penelope's father. He did not know of his daughter's dealings with Sarah or even David. Timothy in his days, working for the Spyral regime, knew David quite well, but not enough for him to know that the old friend of his was as strong as ever. Timothy didn't know anyone that worked in the factory, for after the days that Spyral fell down to its knees, Timothy had thought that Penelope had perished for her will to survive on her own, wasn't that great. Timothy had lost everything and everyone, almost, until the day that he had gotten word that Sarah was still alive. He was still friends with his old friends who were clear supporters of Spyral, but chose to keep their support for later on, while Spyral grew stronger with support and eventually, it'll regain it's world power and everything can go back to normal.

Timothy sat like an old man feeding pigeons in a park, against the cold stone wall, looking at the other blank and cold wall opposite him, waiting to see the results of his outbursts. He knew he was going to be freed because of how outspoken he was about Sarah being alive and that no one ever believed him when he was that outspoken and dead set on something. It was like believing a drunkard about how the world will end in ten or so days if he isn't bought another pint.

He didn't look like he was old enough to be a father to a child, but he sure felt inside. The days were getting longer and the nights were getting shorter for him and that made him realise that he was lucky to be alive right now. Not because of his angry outbursts, but because he knew eventually, someone will find out his real identity. The identity that told the man who had roared his strong and menacing voice at Timothy several times during the hearing, the one that stood strong as though he had lost nothing at all, when really, he had lost his daughter to the likes of one of Sarah's most trusted men.

That man, Timothy knew, was the one responsible for Sarah's heir's death, the one that plotted behind her back and envied her high status at an international level, so much, he was willing to break the oath of protection that man gave to Sarah's father before his apparent death. The one that was born with the name, Draven. Timothy shook his head when thinking about memories of Draven and wondered who or what killed him in the long run.

Did Draven go insane with his jealousy that he attempted to take on a person that was highly trained in weaponry as a person like Sarah? Or did he self-destruct? Or did someone get to him before Timothy could and drive a blade through the black heart of his?

Timothy didn't know about Draven and from day one, Timothy pledged to himself, that Draven wasn't a trustworthy man and that Spyral had to get rid of him before he got rid of Sarah.

Working as a guard, alongside his old friend David, doing night shifts several times, Timothy had heard many things about Draven that if found out that both guards knew, they would have been executed on the spot. Draven came from a family that had a long history of corruption and even growing up as a teenager, Draven was always in trouble with the law of his Old World. Draven found his way through the high rankings through death, deceit and cunningness, to the very side of Jonathan.

Sarah's father took Draven in and treated him like he was the child that he had never had the gift to father. Natured him and took Draven to his metaphorical bosom. Taught him the tricks of the trade that many other associates of Jonathan didn't know and he lacked the patience skills to teach most of them; accept for Draven. And Draven knew, that he was destined to inherit Spyral and everything it touched over. From the waterfalls in Canada to the Bengal tigers in India, Draven knew that he was going to control Spyral.

And then Sarah came along, which didn't sit too well with dear Draven. There were many rumours that had managed to float around days leading up to Sarah's inauguration as the Spyral heir, which had its own official ceremony and official dinner. Timothy had to smile at the fact that Jonathan placed a great responsibility on his daughter at only three months of age and by then, Felcity had already been murdered.

The look on Draven's face one morning, as he stormed past David and Timothy on their morning shift guarding the weaponry room, was almost what the Old World had described it to be a kodak moment. David and Timothy had to keep a straight face as they found Draven's mood swings quite entertaining when not caught in the crossfire of it all. He would yell at the associates about the littlest of things and then pretend nothing had happened when Jonathan came around holding his baby daughter in his hands.

But there was one rumour that did upset many people and Draven denied any part in it whatsoever. The rebels that had defied Spyral and took Jonathan's life with their lives as well, Draven was said to be the organiser of it, so that Jonathan felt the pain he did when he decided to give Sarah Spyral and not himself. Draven was not liked in Spyral, but somehow, Sarah loved him like a brother, she once told Timothy, and that Draven wasn't like that.

​

Timothy can still see her frown and the insulted look on her face when she had caught word of such a rumour. It was that day, out of many, that she had matched grey with dark purple and wore her grey and purple corset dress that laced up at the back and looked as though she was had suddenly became an anorexic, considering how tight it was on her.

"You hear me?!" Sarah snapped, angrily at everyone, with her dark blue eyes focused on everyone around her, including the maids, the guards and her associates. Her black hair back in one long plait at the back. "Draven will never do that to me, I treat him as though he and I were born out of the same womb. Draven is here to protect me, and he loved my father as I did....as we all did.Now, I do not appreciate lies in general and especially I do not appreciate this lie. This rumour will be exterminated from our very mouths, or I will personally exterminate the person who had the mouth to say such things. Am I understood?"

Despite how moving and touching that speech of Sarah's was, Timothy to this day, remembered it and then always shook his head at how very wrong and blind she was. Today, was no exception. At that day, when Sarah gave that touching speech of hers, Timothy was in the back corner with little Penelope by his side, as she was only thirteen or so and her mother, as far as he knew, unless her mother Quinn was faking it, she was dead. Killed by the blast that had rocked the nation and had shattered many lives in the process.

He was left to raise Penelope on his own and one day, she never returned home from a night out with her friends.

Timothy smeared a tear away at the thoughts of Quinn and Penelope, and told himself that he has moved on and how painful it has been to move on, it's the only way with them. They is another reason why he is angry with The Council and all of its mumbo jumbo. Spyral did the world a favour after the Third World War, it bought back some strict laws that couldn't be corrupted like in the Old World they were by politicians. Spyral was very clear on what was allowed and what wasn't. And Spyral went to all lengths to find Penelope for Timothy, but they couldn't find her and was pronounced deceased.

As a father to a dead daughter and a husband to a dead wife, the only thing that kept him going through the early stages of his grief was Spyral.

And for that, he owes Spyral his life.

​

****

​

​

 

[Ravynlee]

Caution: Long rant ahead

Sweet. All in all this second update I found more enjoyable, even if it didn't push the story along, but gave us an insight into the now 'forgotten past' of Spyral and also was helpful in connecting a few characters together - and it had heart. There was just one part that 'threw' it for me when Timothy was refering to Rob in the previous council hearing.

The identity that told the man who had roared his strong and menacing voice at Timothy several times during the hearing, the one that stood strong as though he had lost nothing at all, when really, he had lost his daughter to the likes of one of Sarah's most trusted men.That man, Timothy knew, was the one responsible for Sarah's heir's death,

The way it's written didn't make sense at all. By separating the paragraphs you lose the links or correlation (the explanation) of what you'd been starting to say, starting a new paragraph makes it sound like a different subject (if I understand it right, it sounds like you've introduced Rob, then mentioned Draven and possibly something about Rob's link to Draven's death, but like I said, you end the paragraph and lose the continuum, you could be talking about anyone being responsible for Draven's murder now), and it's very offputting - it disrupts the flow.
Aside from all that I like - both updates of course.

I know you have a hang-up for describing clothing but there was no explanation as to the colour yellow in the council cloak either - I found because there was no short, consise explanation as to why and the colour's significance etc that the description you gave about seating following was kind of pointless - it didn't really 'mean' anything; the description of colours etc did not counterbalance. I suggest being careful describing facts that aren't relevent to the story or you'll lose a lot of important weight and emotion and pace you've already got developing. As pretty as the yellow cloak may be in your mind as you write it, unless you can consisely justify why you even mention it and make the facts tie in immediately to what's going on I'd suggest not mentioning it at all- aside from perhaps something short and simple to set the scene - as in Rob cut a dashing figure resplendant in his golden cloak, a compulsory garment in such high-esteemed council meetings' or mention the flash of yellow from the cape whisking at his ankles as he suddenly strode across the room, the ceremonial council garb whipping like sunlight or a tangible aura in the stale chamber air etc. One carefully worded sentence can take the place of a whole paragraph if you're so inclined and you won't lose the reader's interest, or the pace or tension etc. Just a thought.

I do know you did mention some reason as to colour's imprtance in the New New World Post-Spyral, but again, repeating this 'in memory of, in memory of' seems a little redundant. If black was (in our real life and the story's old old world life) the colour of mourning, simply saying 'Gold was the new colour for mourning' or respresented the new worlder's view on all that was sacrificed or was even a departure away from, and as far as the Council could get, to the old tyrannical Syralean theme of darks and vibrant colours (again, even that makes little sense justification wise, Sarah was always described in glorious colour, I dont know why the New new worlders would adopt that same colour philosophy, just something to think about if you want a clear departure between one world power and another) - but anyway, hopefully you get what I'm trying to say. There's too much importance being placed on things that are arguably self-explanitory on some things, too much explanation on on things that really bear no real relevance to the story, and not enough explanation on things that probably need more attention. As a writer remember you have complete control in showing the reader only what you want us to see - if you repeatedly mention colours we subconsciously expect a valid important reason for it. So far, as a reader, I don't have it. Oh and don't preach. Show. In otherwords don't tell us the ins and outs of everything regardless how important you seem to think it is. The way the characters react to something, the way they wear something, the way they enter a room, the way they speak, move, interract with each other, look at, or don't look at, all of that tells us more than you think - sometimes you don't even need to say it, just imply it. Reader's are for the most part smart - sometimes (and I am guilty of this from an emotional POV) it's too easy to explain everything rather than simply let the reader make up their own mind and relate to someone's pain or not. Not easy to do, but if you can manage it, trust me it makes for very powerful writing - and that's when your audience will really become deeply attached to your world and care what happens in it.

A perfect example of preaching was when you had Rob raising his voice. Had there been an emotional pitch to his tone of voice, him discreetly smearing his eyes, maybe the sympathetic looks the other coucil members exchanged discreetly after Rob barked, would have told us so much more than adding long winded descriptions - maybe his voice quaked a little on the word 'Fox' and we instantly would have come away from that update feeling Rob's pain over his adopted daughter's murder. Right now all you do is tell us. You've already set the scene, don't overburden it. Remember to keep the '-ly' words to a minimum (happily, sadly, angrilly, viciously etc) these are as my teachers tell me 'lazy words.' If a character suddenly bangs their fist hard against a table we know they're angry, we don't need to be told twice about it. Something constructive to keep in mind is all.

Just letting you know by this rant of course that I didn't just skim the updates but read them. Not just read but thought about them. To be honest I've read this all the way through and it has grown enough in my head on occasion for me to almost want to write something similar (not copycat, I meant thematically) so that shows you that you have a great story on your hands. You just need to hone it and I'd like to see one day you publish it. So from one writer to another, I'm just offering advice you can take or leave or adjust as you see fit - that's what feedback's for, isnt it? (Supposedly)

Anyway as always looking forward to more when you get around to it. Thanks for humouring me

 

[woodyloveslinkin]

Chapter 7

Elephant

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It was now dinner time for The Council members. It was tradition to not eat in the burnt yellow cloaks that they had previously worn. Everyone sat at the same elegantly carved dining table and they ate in silence. On tonight's menu, it was just ordinary chicken soup. Nothing too special and nothing that really suited the principle that they all had to sit down to supper together and the same dining table, night in and night out. Every meal was to be eaten at the orange coloured timber table that had matching chairs to it. The Council members ate in order as their chairs in the Judgement Room was arranged. And somehow, Rob felt as though he was superior enough to sit at the head of the table.

Bella looked down at the soup, dripping off her spoon that she held in her hand and sighed. She had a burden to bear that was enough to tear her friendships with her fellow Council apart. She held on to them, for to tell them the burden that was placed on her, was too much for her not to tell anyone. Her light eyes reflected the light from the crystal chandelier hanging up above her, as it gently swung side to side. She still had her silvery hair and hadn't change much. Except for the unborn child inside her which stuck out like a blank black portrait with a large white circle in the middle of it. She took a sup of the chicken soup and placed the silver spoon down on the orange pine table and stared at her soup. There were a million things racing through her head at the moment and she was having cold feet about the plan. She didn't want to do it, but she was afraid. She was very afraid.

Viking looked up from his soup, and noticed Bella's concern and detected her worry. He had been placed next to her, as the seating went. He wish he could help her right now, for all that she was worth, and she was worth very much to him. As for a man who had fought in Saigon and in the trenches of the German landscape, was included of the stories of heroism and death of the last World War, he couldn't tell her his feelings towards her. He knew that Bella had too much on her mind and that was the last thing he wanted to worry Bella about. He didn't want to end up like Ravyn and Rob who were once in love and now back to being just friends who bickered a lot and argued until the cows came home.

Bella looked up and caught Viking staring at her. She could read his expression clearly. But didn't say anything. She had already been hurt and was continuing to get herself hurt from her previous lover and for that she was now paying for it with a reminder that was bound to leave her womb any day. She didn't want the pain and Viking already assumed that would be her answer if he told her. Viking slowly went back to consuming the food he was ever so lucky to have.

Chas on the other hand, was too busy eating his food like a wild animal and making disgusting noises in the process that made Rob look up from his food and frown at Chas for his disgusting behaviour. But Rob did not speak nor did he risk to breaking the silence that kept them together that kept them civil during their meals together. Despite Chas, giving up his alcohol and Ravyn helping Chas how to deal with his emotions, Chas was a slob at times, especially during meal times. Rob had vowed to keep him quiet one day, during such a time, but he had never acted on it.

Bella got to her feet suddenly, and left the table without properly excusing herself. Something wasn't right and she was starting to panic. She could feel his presence around her, as though he was watching her and breathing over her. She left in a rush and exited through the archway that had the words Love One Another As One Does carved into the top of it. Everyone's eyes rushed immediately to what Bella was doing and the looked to one another as though the other person was going to give them the answer that they were seeking to why Bella had left so suddenly and in the manner that she did. No one said anything, but went back to eating the food that was served up to them.

All except for Viking, who saw Bella walk off down the hallway, embedded by portraits of well-respected people that were alive in the generation that all of them were born into, the Old World.

Bella wiped the tears away from her eyes as she rushed to her personal room where she slept the nights with no one to hold her and no one to tell her that everything was going to be okay, when she knew really, nothing ever was going to be okay. She rushed past at least three statues of icons that meant the world to The Council, such as the little village girl that was feeding small birds in her hands. She slammed the door, hoping that he hadn't found a way into The Council's premises and she was only paranoid.

"Good Evening Isabella-Daphne," he said, as he stood against the back stone balcony of hers, with the doors leading to it wide open. The breeze outside fluttered the wisps of white curtains that originally had been pulled over the doors to stop intruders looking into her room. That was also with her doors closes that she did it. She stood there in shock. He was there. She didn't know what to say and a small audible sound escaped her mouth. Isabella-Daphne was Bella's legal name but had shortened it down to just Bella, and she out of three people knew her full name. Her, her father and him. He stood against the back verandah with a small white marble broken elephant in his hands. One of its tusks was chipped and two of its legs were missing. "Are you just going to stand there and not face me, the father of your unborn child?"

Bella's bottom lip quivered in fright. She didn't know what to say or do, but she knew that if she didn't do something soon, he was going to let the whole building know that he was present and that Bella had let him stay that long to cause such a hassle.

"Why are you doing this to me, David?" asked Bella, who turned around and felt as though she was going to melt under the small heat that the crystal chandelier was producing. Her room was large, like the other rooms that were the bedrooms to the other Council members. She had a huge bed that was covered in rare Indian red silk that was made from scratch. Her cupboards were tall and they were rather intimidating. Her carpet was of a dark maroon colour that had several patterned rugs pulled over it, each resembling an animal that Bella loved. The one that Bella had just turned around and stepped on was that of the Peacock. "You aren't meant to be here or even near me. What have your attempts to see me through other people taught you?"

"I'm not here to play games with you Isabella-Daph-"

"It's Bella!" snapped Bella, angrily. "And you have no right to call me by my full name. You aren't my husband and you aren't my father. In fact the last thing you wanted to be, was to be around in my child's life. Or have you forgotten that?" Bella found herself suddenly angry in which she knew she must go back to being calm because then that would only leave David the opportunity to make a scene. Or even go the lengths to everybody who would listen, everything that David was blackmailing into her doing against The Council, against her friends, the ones that she trusted with her life.

"Isabella, calm down," David said smoothly, as he stepped further into the light, to reveal that he was wearing a black hooded cloak. The same one that he had worn to the meeting with Sarah just hours before making a split decision to speak to Bella. "You don't want to provoke me now, do you?" Bella shook her head. "You know what I've come for."

"I can't give you it, it's locked away, and I can't ask Rob for the keys and not be asked why," answered Bella. She knew what he was talking about. He was asking for the keys to one of the few things that The Council had kept from the invasion and the destruction of the Spyral building, the one that could create or kill life; the Dome.

The Dome was the formal name given to the charger which charged the Comet's Eye. And as far as The Council knew, the Comet's Eye was lost in the last fight with Sarah and Spyral. Without the positive ions that it needed to charge, it would be near to dead, assuming that there are no memories to feed it with. But Bella didn't know that David wasn't the one wanting it, it was Sarah. Bella was under the impression that David had saved the Eye from destruction. More the reason, why Bella should be very scared of David. David continued his walking and stopped in front of Bella, still with the small marble elephant in his hand.

"Do you know who this belongs to?" asked David, as Bella shook her head innocently. "It was a gift from Jonathan to Felicity and Sarah had inherited it. And looks like you can't touch a thing without breaking it, now can you? Don't take things that aren't yours, Bella!"

"I've never seen it before, I swear," answered Bella, as she tried to think hard of where she had seen it before. "Can't we fix it? It doesn't....it doesn't look so badly broken..."

"Am I as stupid as I think you're mistaking me for?" asked David, as Bella immediately replied with shaking her head. "Good. I didn't think so. I want the Dome Bella, and I want it now." David had that look on his face that told Bella she was going to end up hurt.

"I told you before, I can't get it right now, please, David, don't hurt me," begged Bella, as David went over to her bed, neatly placed the elephant on her bed, and looked over to Bella, who now was shaking in fear and at the same time, just felt the baby kick. He had that look in his eyes. "No please, don't hurt me." But her sobbing was useless, as David lunged at Bella and pinned her against the wall with a firm grip on her wrists above her head. "No...please..don't...think...of..the..child..."

"You know what I want and if I don't get it in the next fourty-eight hours I will be personally delivering that child with my bare hands and throwing it in a swamp for it to drown there, am I understood?" snarled David in her ear quietly. Bella frantically nodded her head. "I'm glad I am understood, Isabella-Daphne. I'll be back and don't you doubt it." David let go of Bella, as Bella sunk to the floor crying so much that her eyes had became bloodshot. He turned around, scooped up the Spyralan elephant, put his hood back over his head and disappeared over the balcony. Bella didn't know how he had gotten in or out for she was too busy crying and holding her pregnant stomach in her hands.

"Not the baby...please...not the baby...anything but the baby..." she cried.

​

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[Ravynlee]

Evil David! Woot! hahaha, I'm sorry, but you know where my loyalties lay when it comes to this... Mind you I have to admit this moody take-charge Rob has got my interests peaked too - I'm not sure who's winning the popularity vote in my head with this story to be honest (prolly David) - but I like this old good vs evil vibe between the not-so-perfect council and the spyraleans coming back up the ranks. Vi's empathy for Bella was also sweet - but the 'thing' between Rob n Chas seemed a bit... maybe it's the start of tension building perhaps? Poor Bella, I hope she doesn't lose the baby (and does anyone know Dave's the father anyway? If his factory is so legit why is he sneaking around like a common theif I wonder? Weird) Hope she's alright. The ending was a bit suggestive maybe she isn't perhaps...?

 

[woodyloveslinkin]

Chapter 8

Points of Authority

(before I start, no I wasn't listening to the LP song at the time, I was listening to Manson, I just thought the name suited it well)

​

Sarah sat on the edge of the river that she had previously been introduced to one of David's hamsters which bore the name of Penelope that previous night. She was thinking about where she heard the name Penelope before and wondered if it was the same Penelope that she remembered seeing as the girl that Sarah was thinking of, was the son of a deceased guard of hers; Timothy that she knew not as well as she did with David. She wore a black flowing skirt and a brown tank top that made her stand out next to the river. Ever since this new regime imposed by the likes of The Council, she had been forced to down dress as she didn't have any of her beloved corset tops or any of her clothing from when Spyral was in power. She felt so, bare, and somewhat, different, living in what she had been forced to wear as a result of her small and inferior status.

But she knew that one day it would change.

One day, she knew that she would get back on top of everybody else where her birthright laid. She had earned that status fair and square and had failed herself, and her father, in keeping her status stable. Draven was the pin amongst the haystack, everyone else was loyal to Sarah and wouldn't dare to cross. She knew that once in power she had to change the ways that things were run and keep a closer eye on her so-called friends.

She didn't even know within herself that she trusted David or Jack at all. But she knew they were both loyal to her father and herself, when Spyral reigned, and she had to take the risk in order to get what she wanted.

She looked to the ground slowly and picked up a flat pebble. She skimmed it across the surface of the river and sighed. Not even that could distract her from the million or so thoughts that were rushing through her head.

Who was Penelope?

​

And why did she know that name so well?

"She's my daughter, Sarah, she's my beloved Penelope," said Timothy, as Sarah's harsh eyes looked sharply at him, sitting in her decorated chair that had vines wrapping around the arms of it. She was sitting in her red and grey corset dress, that made her waist almost too thin to be impossible and had instigated rumours amongst society that the Spyralan was, in the Old World, called an Anorexic. The guard, was almost at tears. She knew that he would mistake her for someone that cared. Timothy stood in his Spyral guard suit, decked with the colours of Spyral, and under that heavy armour, was a sinking heart. He stood tall and proud at the back o the room, not daring to break his eye contact with Sarah. "She couldn't have just disappeared like that. She is a good girl."

Sarah sighed and turned to Brad who was waiting patiently, standing tall next to Sarah, in his black and white suit, which he didn't change. Sarah had never seen him out of his associate uniform that recognised him as being close to Spyral and the leader itself. He was a key decision speaker and if things didn't get pass him, they couldn't reach Sarah's ears.

"Brad, please tell Timothy that I am not an Old World answering machine and that I am getting sick of repeating myself to him about Penelope's death," requested Sarah, who was on the verge of sending Timothy to space for continually making Sarah repeat herself. The only thing that was stopping her was the fact that Timothy and her father had been close at one stage.

"Penelope is dead, deal with it," Brad told Timothy, rather in a blunt matter. "We have searched the highlands for her and we can't find her. She is dead. Spyral will pay for the funeral." Timothy looked rather edgy and both Sarah and her associate knew that he wanted to talk back and plead for Spyral to look harder for his beloved daughter, the only thing he had since his wife had passed away, but he didn't. He lowered his eyes to the ground and mumbled something that wasn't something that Sarah nor Brad could make up. "You dare to mumble in Sarah's presence?" Timothy looked up to Brad and Sarah who both had their eyes fixed on him and shook his head.

"Then give your leave," Sarah instructed, very firmly. Timothy bowed as Sarah smiled. She wasn't happy, but she knew she had just gotten away with another thing, again. "Good day to you Timothy." The guard took his leave from the room, closing the Huon pine door behind him, leaving Brad and Sarah alone in the room.

Sarah got up from her chair as Brad followed her to the otherside of the room, to where Sarah was to pour herself a goblet of water with the chilled jug of water and the silver goblet that was hers. Another thing that her birthright gave her, her own personalised silver goblet that had matching vines wrapped around as the chair that she just sat in had.

"If I can say this, without being too bold Sarah, but that was just a tad harsh," Brad commented as Sarah turned around and faced her close associate, who had just stopped as well. "Was it too bold to say it?"

​

"Yes it was, it was very bold of you to say a thing, and you shall not repeat such boldness," answered Sarah. "I do not have time to care. Spyral does not run itself. If I had time to care, I would not be here in front of you saying this to you, am I understood?" Brad nodded. "Thank you for understanding me, because right now, I still remain my decision to not go and find Penelope but insist that she is dead. I reiterate, Spyral does not run itself. I had better things to do that day and it still has not changed to this day."

Sarah snapped out of her trip down memory lane and realised who Penelope was. Of course, she was Timothy's daughter, but how did she manage to survive on her own? The company of Old Worlders around Penelope sent shivers down Sarah's back and she told herself that any New Worlder would respect themselves more rather than to hang around a bunch of delinquent Old Worlders. She got to her feet as she knew that she had to tell Jack or at least David about this startling new discovery. She cleaned her hands that had gotten mud on them in the water of the river and shook her hands in the air to dry them. She didn't want to resort to the filthy way of drying off her hands, which was to wipe them on her clothes, she had more respect for the rags that she wore than to do that. She turned around, just to see David leaning against a tree and smiling at her. He was dressed in his usual factory boss outfit and Sarah assumed that it was a break for him for the day hadn't gone past that quickly.

"How long have your eyes been looking at me like that for?" asked Sarah, almost to the point of being offended by the thought of him staring at her without her knowledge, just smiling, while he watched every move of hers.

"Only to see you wash your hands in the river," answered David. "I haven't had the time to be standing here to see you daydream or do whatever. I unlike you, got a job and a reputation to attend. Which I also see you haven't attended today."

"Do not patronize me David, I have had better things to do rather than have your eyes undressing me for six hours at a time," Sarah replied, still standing her ground and not walking closer to where David was, still leaning against an old oak tree that had provided Sarah shade with its long full branches that swayed in the breeze. "Do you have business with me that cannot wait until our next arranged meeting or are you simply just trying to mock me?"

"Would I mock you?" asked David, wiping the smile off his face and replaced it with a serious and stern face.

"I would not advise you to if you were not previously doing so," answered Sarah. "What is your business, David?"

"Do you remember Penelope, from last night's meeting?" asked David, as Sarah shook her head. "Do you know who she is to us Spyralans?" Sarah smiled and shook her head. David looked somewhat surprised. "Oh, and how would you know who Penelope meant to us?"

"I am not daft David, I know who she is the daughter of, and I see why she is now your new *****," answered Sarah, still standing her ground, and not budging to move. She was going to wait for him to come to her.

"My *****?" spat David.

"You dare have the authority to speak to me in that bold manner, be grateful The Council is saving me from tearing your hide apart," Sarah reminded, offended by the manner that David just spat her in. "Where were we? Ah, yes, Penelope your new *****. Please tell me something that is going to surprise me."

"She's not my *****," defended David.

"My apology then, your mistress as Jack likes to put it," Sarah sarcastically apologised.

"So, what, you're apologizing now?" asked David. "Never thought I'll see the day that you would apologise to someone. And no, she's not even my mistress. She's Timothy's daughter and I respect the man more than to go and touch his daughter."

"You obviously lack the ability to detect sarcasm, David, I will die before I have to apologise to anyone for anything," answered Sarah, almost at the point of wanting to punch David in the stomach for giving her so much cheek. She might be in hiding, away from the praying eyes of The Council, but she still knew how to deal out some good blows. "So now you are respecting the wishes and the status of her father? That has never stopped you or your praying eyes before from dirtying up a girl. Is that all you came to tell me, David, telling me something that I already have knowledge of?"

"I thought you didn't know," answered David.

"Do not assume David," snapped Sarah, as she started to walk. But David remained where he was, casually leaning against the old grey oak tree. "You are wasting my time, which is not uncommon with the likes of you."

"For someone who thinks she's Queen Elizabeth of the New World, you're pretty calm about it," remarked David, as Sarah stopped and was somewhat offended but intrigued by such accusations. She turned around slightly and faced David.

"What did you just call me, David?" asked Sarah, not too sure about who this Queen Elizabeth woman was and what importance she held to the likes of the Old World.

"Queen Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen," David clarified, as he smiled at the fact that Sarah was somewhat not familiar with Queen Elizabeth. "Are you not a virgin still?"

"That is none of your business," Sarah answered, softly. "What is your point, David?" She didn't know is she was meant to be offended or not, because she was stuck in confusion to what he was trying to imply to her.

"Do you know what people say about you and what your legend is known by?" David asked, as he stopped leaning against the tree and started to walk towards Sarah's way. "The fact that she didn't have a successor to take her place when she died, so Spyral will never rise again because no one has the birthright to lead it to victory."

"Is this an attempt to convince me to conceive a child with you David?" asked Sarah, not impressed by his attempt. "You know where I stand. I will not have a man dictate the way that I feel and I am not a breeding machine David. I am still alive David, and Spyral will rise again because Spyral is still my birthright. Mark my words."

"You think that now, but you'll be sorry for it later on," David quietly replied, as he stopped in his tracks. Sarah turned her nose up to it and dismissed it as another failed attempt of David's. She continued on walking away from David, leaving him by the riverside. David's eyes followed Sarah until she was out of sight. "You'll be sorry for it, mark my words girl."

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[Ravynlee]

Ohh hooo, wow, I liked that chapter! For all Sarah's ferociousness, she has a degree of vulnerability about her too - her arrogance and pride will be her undoing, and people like David are a dangerous threat around her. I almost felt sorry for Sarah in that update, more because she reminded me of a naive teenager who's so full of her own ego that her eyes aren't as open as she seems to think they are. David's a veritable snake in the grass, the way he's watching her, and biding his time. I sense trouble in the ranks at Spyral before it's even reformed let alone had a hope in **** at rising to power.

Virgin Queen, and all this talk about *** made me smirk too. So very David. Typical man as he is

Oh how the mighty have fallen. Nice imagery with the 'riches to rags' insert too. Oh and shaking hands. That part spoke volumes more than most of what comes out of her mouth. That small detail was very well painted. Kudos. Well done.

More?

 

[woodyloveslinkin]

Chapter 9

Hung In A Bad Place

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It was the next morning as Chaz had already gotten to work in the early hours of the sunshine that was enlightening the soft green hills and making the traffic noise from the nearby city of Los Angeles. He wasn't confined to paperwork as most of the other Council members were because simply, he had been at the paperwork for the majority of the week and there were other things to be done around the building, like maintaining it.

Unlike Spyral who had hired servants and maids to do all the housework chores and maintenance jobs, The Council had none and solely relied on the kindness of each other to help out and did their bit around the place. To some, it sounded strange, but it was logic in the end. Why be like the previous regime who endorsed slavery when they were assigned their roles of society to help recreate a better society?

Chaz was downstairs in the cellars of the building looking for what could be useful and what wasn't useful. The items that weren't useful were recycled at the recycling plant on the other side of Los Angeles. Spyral had caused enough pollution in the atmosphere and in the souls of their people to intoxicate the whole planet. That's why the sun never shined and it was always dark and murky whenever Chaz walked out, or any other person that lived under the Spyral regime. The darkness always left room for the neon billboards to shine to promote their product and it wasn't advised to drink the drinking water.

His spiky blond hair reminded the other Council members of Draven a lot, and Rob had gone off at him several times for reminding The Council members of such a cruel man. But Chaz refused to change his haircut, due to the fact that he wasn't Draven to begin with and if he was, The Council would have a big problem on their hands. He wasn't dressed in anything formal today, just a pair of black track pants and a dark green shirt that he had cut the sleeves of it off.

He pulled out an old portrait from under a pile of paintings that had been dumped by one of his fellow Councillors and blew the dust off it. It had been there for a while by the amount of dust that Chaz managed to blow off it.

He stopped and looked at the portrait. The face of the woman he instantly recognised as being Felicity, Sarah's mother, arm in arm with Sarah's father, the one that had created Spyral and reigned over the land until his assassination, Jonathon. They were only young in appearance and in their hearts. Chaz thought of how Jonathon, a man of power, could've turned the world into a much better place instead of turning into a rubbish dump regime that eventually fell. He gently put it down, in the pile that was to be recycled, as he frowned for a second about why that had been kept.

The room was dark but somehow the electric candles on the walls illuminated his face and his facial expressions. It also showed how many paintings and artifacts had been just dumped and not sorted out properly, that filled the room.

Was there a Spyral supporter lurking in these walls?

He momentarily asked himself as he shook his head, as he reassured himself that no one would ever be a Spyral supporter, being so close to home for The Council, literally. He then started to hear some sobbing and stopped for a second as the footsteps grew closer. He wiped his dusty hands on his pants and looked up to see that Ravyn was the one that was sobbing.

They met eye contact for a second and it took him that second to frown and worry about why she was sobbing. Her eyes were bloodshot and it was obvious that she had been more than just sobbing, but indeed had been crying for a while.

"What's wrong?" asked Chaz, as he got to his feet. Ravyn hesitated for a second and then pushed herself into his arms. "What's wrong?" He heard himself repeating but this time he had the small woman in his arms and was now crying into his chest. "What's happening? Why the crying?" Chaz felt like he was going to end up playing the twenty questions game, which he dearly hated to play for he was no good at it, as well with dealing with his emotions, let alone someone else's emotions. "Hey, talk to me here." Chaz pulled Ravyn off his chest and looked at her sternly, as he held her by the shoulders. "You know I'm not good at playing twenty questions."

"Rob and I just had an argument," she sobbed. "I hate him when he's like that. It's always got to be his way, why is doing this, Chaz?" Chaz didn't know what to say as Chaz could ask her the same question about Rob and his actions. "He's bringing the rest of The Council down when he gets like this."

"What did he say?" asked Chaz, as Chaz remembered the last time that Rob and himself had contact. Rob just gave him an evil glance and didn't bother answer the question that Chaz had posed him with, which was another version of what Ravyn had just asked himself, but her version was more suttle and without the cussing involved.

"He's just changed, he's not the man that I fell in love with back in the Project Tourniquet days," answered Ravyn. "You saw him last night when he had decided to execute that man, despite our objection to it. I feel like I've been used...or is it just me? Is he not happy with the new me, after Bella removed the chip from me? Or what? I don't understand. I need answers."

"Hey, calm down, take a deep breath and breathe in and out, can you do that for me?" asked Chaz, as Ravyn slowly nodded. She inhaled heavily, held it for a second or two, and exhaled heavily. "It's not you that he's unhappy with. Like you, I need answers from him. He treats me like I'm a pile of dirt a majority of the time. I did the right thing by him, I got clean, I'm grog free, I've gotten my act together, so do you think by me doing the right thing, that's not enough for him?" She shrugged, looking a bit clueless. "He's unhappy within himself."

"That's a load of **** and you know that," objected Ravyn, somewhat defiantly.

"I know it is, I'm just going by what Bella thinks, and even listening to her at times is an earful," replied Chaz. "Do you want Spyral to come back and did what they did before to the world?" Ravyn shook her head. "Then we must stick together, because right now, The Council is the only group of people in the world, and that includes LA's Council, us, we're the only thing that's holding society together. In order for society to work, we must work together as a group."

"But...." Ravyn found herself trailing off.

"But what?" asked Chaz.

"I still love him deep down inside, and every time he does this it's tearing me up inside," answered Ravyn, trying to find the words to express her feelings. That was one thing she always had trouble with and she hadn't improved very much on that quality of hers. "There have been a number of times where I've just wanted to leave because of him. You don't know how much I hate it when he becomes so arrogant and defiant....and...so stubborn. No matter which way you twist the guy, he ends being where you started to twist him and then you know how much you don't mean to him anymore. Do you know where I'm heading?" Chaz nodded. "At least someone understands me."

"I know how much it must hurt you, but we're in this together, you're not alone," Chaz reassured Ravyn, as she faintly smiled. "You've helped me a lot with my problems, and what was the one thing that you kept on telling me to do?"

Which was true. Ravyn helped him through a lot of his problems and eventually helped him overcome his drinking and hygiene problem. He felt like he owed her a lifetime of repayments because she had shown him that he could be a better person and be a better friend in general.

"Stay strong," answered Ravyn. "You do listen to me."

"What made you think I wasn't listening to you when you told me that Celeste's death wasn't my fault?" asked Chaz. "To the birds outside singing or what?" Ravyn couldn't help but to chuckle a bit at the last remark of Chaz's ever sincere personality. Chaz let go of her and looked at her. "You are beautiful in looks and personality so I think Rob's got to be senile for him to not want you." Ravyn could feel her ears go pink with such a compliment but she knew Chaz was off limits to her. She knew that Chaz would always love Celeste, his deceased wife whom Spyral slaughtered. "What have you been doing all day, other than letting yourself getting trampled over by Rob?"

"Paperwork, confined to it for a couple of days," answered Ravyn, as she wished her ears would stop glowing a bright pink colour from the previous compliment of his. There was something that she had to get off her chest and it wasn't a marriage proposal either. "Do you know why Rob tells you to change your hairstyle?"

"Because I look like Draven, even that I knew," answered Chaz, as he sat down back on the floor to sort out odd portraits that he had never seen before. Ravyn knelt down beside him and was intrigued about how quickly Chaz could get back into the job, unlike before, it took him forever to get back into it. She had trained him well, and that was a thing that Chaz felt like he owed Ravyn for. "I won't do it. I'm not Draven so I don't know what the big hype is all about."

"Ah Chaz, Draven was the one to kill Fox," Ravyn blurted out. She didn't want to tell Chaz, but a gut feeling told her that he had every right to know.

"What?" asked Chaz, with a portrait in his hands that was covered in thick layers of dust and dirt. He looked up, shocked to know that Draven was to the one to kill the girl that Rob treated like as a child and even recognised her as his own, despite having no paternal link to her technically. "Oh man, I didn't know. I seriously-"

"It's okay, just next time, when Rob yells at you for your haircut, you'll know the reason why he does so in the future," Ravyn interjected.

"That man needs to learn to move on from Fox's death," Chaz said, as he felt somewhat awkward saying the truth. Yes, Fox was a lovely girl from what Chaz remembered of her, but he felt like he had a moral obligation to tell the truth. "Yes, her death was tragic and like Mike's and Mel's, her death was not called for-"

"And Joanna's," Ravyn interrupted, reminding Chaz of her sister's mysterious death, who still this day, doesn't know how she died. But she died. And that's all it mattered to Ravyn. She was sisterless and had literally lost her best friend to the likes of whatever brainwashing technique Sarah had used on her to belief everything that Joanna was told.

"Her death as well," added Chaz, innocently. "Fox died. But it happened. And Rob needs to learn to move on and accept that fact that everyday will be a cruel reminder of what life could've been if Fox was still alive to see us like this now. He's got to learn to stop blaming everybody else who wasn't involved in Fox's death. We all know that Draven is dead. And so is Fox."

"You will not speak about Fox in that manner," growled Rob, as Chaz and Ravyn's attention was suddenly turned to Rob who was standing in front of the back wall, where Ravyn was just moments ago, sobbing and crying.

The look on his face, told them that they had just crossed a line with Rob and that they weren't going to get away with anything that they had just said. Even bringing Fox up near Rob's ears was considered an arguable offence in the eyes of him.

Rob was now livid with anger. Chaz and Ravyn were both in the firing line.

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