A/N: Sorry it's taken me SO long to update... I'll try to do better from here on out!

Disclaimer: I own nothing! ;)

There were times in Kel's life when she was sure she could feel the God's tinkering or the pull of destiny to go this way or that, but she often brushed those moments off in favor of the more pragmatic view of things. Kel had never been one to get caught in flights of fancy, but over the last year she had seen things that defied her understanding. She stood in groves of trees that sung as the wind danced in their leaves, walked paths in dark forests that were home to earth bound spirits, seen death and life walking hand in hand. She'd seen all this and now she stood back where it all started. Her room in the palace had been closed up and her possessions given to her parents so the room that she stood in now was a shadow of itself.

She'd taken her new paintings and weapons and placed them around the room, making it lively and homey once more. Still, some times she looked at this space, where she had lived for so long and saw it as it had been and thought of how innocent she had been. Those days seemed lifetimes away now, but this was not the moment for silent reflection. She pulled the laces on her boots tight and wrapped them around her calves. She'd argued passionately for the cause of attending the meeting in full battle armor, but Dom had laughed and walked away. She refused to admit he'd won the argument and decided that she'd simply changed her mind.

Kel was rarely relaxed without her sword, but as before she left it in the safe confines of her room. Instead she brought a long silver sword with her; it would be a key part of today's proceedings. Her feet made no noise in the hall as she walked toward the meeting room. Dom was waiting for her when she came into view. He ran his fingers over the woven band in her hair and she dragged her fingers over the band around his throat, a reminder that they were in this together.

Raoul waited for them. He lead them into the King's council chamber and took his place with the others. The mood was somber, they knew that what they came to discuss today would weigh on all of them. Kel's eyes darted around the room. Gareth of Naxen sat to the right of the King, on the other side of Lord Naxen sat the Head Priest and Priestess of Mithros and the Goddess, respectively, the Lord Provost to the King's left and beside him Myles of Olau. They were added to the mix of people who had been in the Port only days before. The room was cool this morning, but Kel knew it would heat up with this many people in it.

"We have come here today to discuss a growing threat, a threat which will not only nip at our boarders and burn our fields but indeed come for our very lives. This is a meeting most important for what is decided today must be enacted with all haste. I have brought together those who we need most in this darkening hour. We have also come together to welcome home and hear the tale of Keladry of Mindelan, Lady Knight of the Realm." He motioned to Kel from where he sat. "She is the God's chosen barer of this news, let them bless her words with haste and let them place conviction upon our hearts. So Mote it be." The others murmured the invocation just a step behind the King. The room was silent once more, before Kel realized it was her turn to speak. She cleared her throat and prepared herself for the ordeal.

"My King and gracious advisors, I am not sure that words do justice to the trouble the bears downs down on us from the Great Northern Pass and sure that I have no place to start but at the very beginning of this tale, so please bare my long story and my moments of quiet, for this retelling contains both information and pain." She drew a deep breath and locked her hand in Dom's… then she began.

She told them of the Slaver's, of being sold and her murder of the Scanran King. She displayed the beads and braids from Ezkiel, The First Warrior. She told them of the hasty retreat out of Scanra, the death of Lilith in Carthak, the children and the Lowly people, her own death and her resurrection. Her voice broke as she told them about the Wave Walker, and Tomas, and Dom's death… she brushed away a few tears as she remembered the pain of that moment.

The story went on and on. Throughout the story Dom offered up pieces of information, showed them the few books they'd managed to gather together, the gifts from various tribes, peoples, and Gods. She saw Numair's eyes crinkle with mirth as she showed the room the Hag's weighted dice. She showed them the scar from the Slashing wire, and the blade through her stomach… she told them everything… as the story drew to a close she pulled out the last piece of her story. The blade…

"This is the only thing that we know of thus far that can wound these creatures." The silver sword made an eerie hiss against the scabbard as she drew it. In the dim light of the room it shown in ominous promise. The runes etched into its glimmering surface reflected darkly in each of their eyes.

"It's a blade made by the Old Ones. The Dark Army nearly destroyed their civilization, late in the battle they discovered that certain runes where able to pierce their protective magics and damage the body beneath. We don't know if these special weapons can kill these creatures… What we've read leads us to believe that they can, but it will not be easy. These beasts do not weary, they do not need to stop for food or rest… they are without the frailties that plague us… it will be near impossible to defeat them…"

She felt drained from the effort she'd expended and the stillness of the room weighed heavily on her heart.

***hundreds of miles away***

A blind seer stumbled forward, she lay gasping to draw air into her lungs past the pain from her last beating. Her face was bruised and swollen; her body was in little better shape. Her fingers had been removed in the some macabre pattern leaving only the ring and pointer finger on one hand and the pinky, middle, and thumb on the other.

She slowly drew her body up to a kneeling position in front of the throne's of the camp's leader.

"They know… they know that you are coming… and they will fight you…" the words tumbled numbly from her lips.

The Leader of the moved forward so that her elbow rested on her knee. Her face was exposed to the light, her mousy brown hair was cut close to the skin, and her hazel eyes were icy and pensive.

"What do you think, Pet?" Her voice was sickly sweet, a mocking parody of love.

"I'm glad they know, now maybe we can have a real fight…" his blue eyes were matched the woman's for their dead quality… her brown hair was savagely short.

"Have the God's chosen their vessel?" The woman's voice was rich and smooth but its tone made the Seer shiver in fear.

"Yes… they have…" The Seer tried not to say more… but the woman was ruthless.

"Come now, Seer… tell us." Her voice promised punishment even if the Seer told them.

"They have chosen… Keladry of Mindelan." The Seer's words were nearly cut off by the brittle laughter that now echoed through the tent. The blue-eyed man's lips curled in a sick smile and the woman's laughter rang out through the camp.

"…Good…"

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