The place had been chosen because it was remote and not of the Planes; an open field that had not seen war in a millennia, not even the locals remembered that history. Hannah could still feel the echos of blood spilled, it would be the same for her brethren and she wondered if it was profitable to hold talks that hoped for peace in such a place. There was no hope for peace, in her heart she knew that, so the venue did not matter.
The Brigade had been created at the dawn of the Nine Hundred Planes, so long-lost in history that even the Brigade could not recount the years; perhaps the Creator still knew but what was time to an immortal being? Nothing but the shifting of sand in a vast desert, in the end it was still just a desert. The Creator had fallen silent, that was a first for the Brigade, His voice always a constant in their lives, guiding and correcting when they went astray. Where was he now that so many of their number had gone so far off track that Hannah believed they could not even see the Way?
The Law was writ upon their bones, weaved into sinew and soul, how did one disobey something that was such an integral part of self? It had to be Michaels? doing. The First had figured out a way to break from the Brigade, the damage he wrecked upon the Planes still bled despite the efforts of a hundred from the Brigade attempting to heal the wounds. Because they were of the Planes, it made sense that they could wound it more deeply than those that existed within the sphere that was their home. Why? Why destroy that which was a part of yourself? That was something Hannah could not understand, and so she was there to witness the meeting. She was the First among her caste and it was her right, but they all knew it would be the warrior caste that made the final decision.
When the Creator had made the Brigade the warrior caste had come first, the essence of the Planes weaved stronger in them than those that came after, the deep, drowning black of wings attesting to the strength of those members. Her own wings were a dark grey, powerful but not powerful enough to sway the minds of all. One by one her brethren appeared. First came Vegas, it was appropriate as he would be the weakest of those that would gather, first among his kind but disregarded by the rest, his wings a bright, unnatural white.
Next to arrive was Alexandar, Gavino and Nina following on his heels like faithful dogs. All three were of the warrior caste and it would take a trained eye to see the difference in the shades of black that were present in those wings but she knew, they all knew that Alexandar was the strongest of the three.
She phased into visibility, allowing the men to take note of her presence a moment before Takeshi and Contesta appeared. Takeshi was of the warrior caste and Contesta was the first of the Menders. They arranged themselves in a wide circle by silent consensus, the sides quickly becoming clear by the position they chose. There was an empty spot to the North, an impending sense of tension and anticipation as they all stood silent, waiting.
?This meeting is a mockery. We all know it. The Creator has fallen silent and we expect the Second to appear? She is afraid of us, afraid of the First and most of all, afraid to allow us to grow and take our rightful spot on the Planes. We are not servants, we are Masters and why should we not live like Masters?? The words were from Alexandar and Takeshi looked as if the man had physically slapped him.
?You dare speak of the Second in such a fashion?? His voice was soft but it carried across the distance and the threat therein was clear and present. A violent slash of his hand through the air was a signal he did not want an answer to that. He continued. ?We are neither servant nor Master. We were created for a purpose, to protect the Planes. What you are proposing will cause irreparable damage to our home. We are tools, and nothing more.?
Hannah nearly spoke up, calling her brethren tools was not the manner in which Takeshi would win them over to his point of view. Takeshi was staunch in his devotion to purpose and this rebellion would be as difficult for him to comprehend as ... as her emotions toward Kaleb were to her to understand. Her loyalty to purpose had not changed, she would not participate in the destruction of the Planes, did not want to rule over its denizens at its expense, wanted no more than for Order to be restored amongst their ranks.
The finding of the Fallen, J?ette, had been used as a catalyst for a shocking number of the Brigade to turn their backs on the Brigades purpose. She had heard echoes of ?Why should we not have the same benefits that the other denizens of the Planes possess? Home, wealth, family, power...?
The First Plane was their home, it was true that none of them owned it, but it was still home. Wealth? What could one of their ranks want with wealth? All things desired were provided. Ah, there was the rub of it. All things desired? They were made to desire nothing but the protection of the Planes. It seems after so many grains of sand had been brushed across the desert of time that they had evolved, had begun to crave those things they saw others possess. She should have realized the change was more widespread when she started investigating Vegas. His obsession with attempting to procreate had brought about behavior that was driven by some deep emotion that was at odds with the original nature of the Brigade. Was her fascination with Kaleb a precursor to such madness? The thought chilled her to the bone but she would not consider it so unless she found her desire for him started to eclipse her devotion for the Planes; something that was not even close as of yet.
?Tools? You can remain as you are if you wish, Takeshi. Do not stand in our way to do as we wish and all will be fine. There is no need to tear the Planes to pieces, not if the denizens give us what we want.? Alexandar continued to be the spokesperson for the renegade brethren.
?What you want? To take their land, their wealth, their women and their power? Why would they object to such treatment?? The words sharp with sarcasm were spoken by Contesta. ?Your minds are tainted by the touch of the First. He has twisted you into believing that such things are fulfilling. They are not, they cannot be because once you start down that road there is never enough.?
?We will take what we want. Who will stop us? The Creator? I do not thin--? Alexandar began but then was force to take a knee as a violent wave of force struck those gathered. All of them fell to the ground, some more gracefully than others but all were at least on one knee when Qwendolyen appeared at the center of the circle. Hannah could see at least a dozen others of the Brigade phasing onto the field now, she spotted Torre among them and noted that he was moving closer to her... that was a comfort. If battle broke out she would feel better if one of the warrior caste was there at her back. Takeshi might agree with her stance but he would not bother trying to protect his weaker sister in this battle.
The Brigade had been created at the dawn of the Nine Hundred Planes, so long-lost in history that even the Brigade could not recount the years; perhaps the Creator still knew but what was time to an immortal being? Nothing but the shifting of sand in a vast desert, in the end it was still just a desert. The Creator had fallen silent, that was a first for the Brigade, His voice always a constant in their lives, guiding and correcting when they went astray. Where was he now that so many of their number had gone so far off track that Hannah believed they could not even see the Way?
The Law was writ upon their bones, weaved into sinew and soul, how did one disobey something that was such an integral part of self? It had to be Michaels? doing. The First had figured out a way to break from the Brigade, the damage he wrecked upon the Planes still bled despite the efforts of a hundred from the Brigade attempting to heal the wounds. Because they were of the Planes, it made sense that they could wound it more deeply than those that existed within the sphere that was their home. Why? Why destroy that which was a part of yourself? That was something Hannah could not understand, and so she was there to witness the meeting. She was the First among her caste and it was her right, but they all knew it would be the warrior caste that made the final decision.
When the Creator had made the Brigade the warrior caste had come first, the essence of the Planes weaved stronger in them than those that came after, the deep, drowning black of wings attesting to the strength of those members. Her own wings were a dark grey, powerful but not powerful enough to sway the minds of all. One by one her brethren appeared. First came Vegas, it was appropriate as he would be the weakest of those that would gather, first among his kind but disregarded by the rest, his wings a bright, unnatural white.
Next to arrive was Alexandar, Gavino and Nina following on his heels like faithful dogs. All three were of the warrior caste and it would take a trained eye to see the difference in the shades of black that were present in those wings but she knew, they all knew that Alexandar was the strongest of the three.
She phased into visibility, allowing the men to take note of her presence a moment before Takeshi and Contesta appeared. Takeshi was of the warrior caste and Contesta was the first of the Menders. They arranged themselves in a wide circle by silent consensus, the sides quickly becoming clear by the position they chose. There was an empty spot to the North, an impending sense of tension and anticipation as they all stood silent, waiting.
?This meeting is a mockery. We all know it. The Creator has fallen silent and we expect the Second to appear? She is afraid of us, afraid of the First and most of all, afraid to allow us to grow and take our rightful spot on the Planes. We are not servants, we are Masters and why should we not live like Masters?? The words were from Alexandar and Takeshi looked as if the man had physically slapped him.
?You dare speak of the Second in such a fashion?? His voice was soft but it carried across the distance and the threat therein was clear and present. A violent slash of his hand through the air was a signal he did not want an answer to that. He continued. ?We are neither servant nor Master. We were created for a purpose, to protect the Planes. What you are proposing will cause irreparable damage to our home. We are tools, and nothing more.?
Hannah nearly spoke up, calling her brethren tools was not the manner in which Takeshi would win them over to his point of view. Takeshi was staunch in his devotion to purpose and this rebellion would be as difficult for him to comprehend as ... as her emotions toward Kaleb were to her to understand. Her loyalty to purpose had not changed, she would not participate in the destruction of the Planes, did not want to rule over its denizens at its expense, wanted no more than for Order to be restored amongst their ranks.
The finding of the Fallen, J?ette, had been used as a catalyst for a shocking number of the Brigade to turn their backs on the Brigades purpose. She had heard echoes of ?Why should we not have the same benefits that the other denizens of the Planes possess? Home, wealth, family, power...?
The First Plane was their home, it was true that none of them owned it, but it was still home. Wealth? What could one of their ranks want with wealth? All things desired were provided. Ah, there was the rub of it. All things desired? They were made to desire nothing but the protection of the Planes. It seems after so many grains of sand had been brushed across the desert of time that they had evolved, had begun to crave those things they saw others possess. She should have realized the change was more widespread when she started investigating Vegas. His obsession with attempting to procreate had brought about behavior that was driven by some deep emotion that was at odds with the original nature of the Brigade. Was her fascination with Kaleb a precursor to such madness? The thought chilled her to the bone but she would not consider it so unless she found her desire for him started to eclipse her devotion for the Planes; something that was not even close as of yet.
?Tools? You can remain as you are if you wish, Takeshi. Do not stand in our way to do as we wish and all will be fine. There is no need to tear the Planes to pieces, not if the denizens give us what we want.? Alexandar continued to be the spokesperson for the renegade brethren.
?What you want? To take their land, their wealth, their women and their power? Why would they object to such treatment?? The words sharp with sarcasm were spoken by Contesta. ?Your minds are tainted by the touch of the First. He has twisted you into believing that such things are fulfilling. They are not, they cannot be because once you start down that road there is never enough.?
?We will take what we want. Who will stop us? The Creator? I do not thin--? Alexandar began but then was force to take a knee as a violent wave of force struck those gathered. All of them fell to the ground, some more gracefully than others but all were at least on one knee when Qwendolyen appeared at the center of the circle. Hannah could see at least a dozen others of the Brigade phasing onto the field now, she spotted Torre among them and noted that he was moving closer to her... that was a comfort. If battle broke out she would feel better if one of the warrior caste was there at her back. Takeshi might agree with her stance but he would not bother trying to protect his weaker sister in this battle.