Chapter 4

Moonlight shone bright upon the balcony, illuminated the sole occupant. Kieron stared at the moon, his arms wrapped around himself as the cool wind blew across his nude form. A pair of arms encircled his body, and he leaned back into the embrace of his Mistress. A month had passed since that night with her, and he welcomed the changes in him. He felt more at peace with himself and the world at large, and yet, there was something wrong. She was keeping something from him, something that particularly related to him. The balcony became his favorite place to think lately, overlooking the vast valleys below filled with lush forests. The Motherhouse of the Inquisition, he found out, was carved into a mountain, with very few ways of getting in or out, and all the visible features disguised with spells. There were a few secluded blind valley's in the mountains that housed Iron Mountain, and the valley walls were lined with stone facades that resembled some of the ancient Dwarven ruins in his home Realm of Aquilia. From what he read in the library Iron Mountain was built by the Dwarves as part of the ancient pact between the Empire and the Runestone Protectorate. Still, it was good to get out and about as it were. The one question that he pondered relentlessly was why him? Although he has come to love and trust Hallia implicitly, there was always that nagging question. Why him? She said that his blood was ancient and of a noble lineage.

"Come back to bed pet," She kissed his neck, her tongue kneading the muscle between his shoulder blades. She hooked a finger into the ring in his collar and led him back to the bed they now shared. After that night when she took his anal virginity she simply had him move in with her so that she could keep a closer eye on him. He still went to his classes and training, only now it took on a more urgent note as something was happening that he was needed for. He slid under the sheets along with Hallia and he tried to relax as she laid her head on his chest. He had been feeling odd as of late, restless. Hallia only watched him during those times, never saying anything or intervening, just watching, as if something inside him was happening.

"What are you thinking about?" Hallia asked, looking up at him. "Or would you rather I just 'looked'?"

"Things seem different."

"How so?"

"I... I can't put my finger on it. Things just seem more colorful, more open, and yet, muted, as if something inside is trying to get out. Like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon."

"You have a butterfly in you?" She teased, then her expression turned serious. "May I 'look'?"

Kieron swallowed. It wasn't often that she entered his mind. It wasn't an unpleasant experience, but it reminded him how different they were. He relented and closed his eyes. Eye contact wasn't required, but it helped in some of the harder cases. He watched an Inquisitor interrogate a prisoner in such a fashion not too long ago. It wasn't a pretty process. She took him apart like a geometry problem. He felt her hands grip the sides of his head, her lips touching his forehead, trailing down slowly until her forehead touched his. It felt like a pressure behind his eyes, thick and heavy. He shuddered slightly as her mind eased into his, and he fought down the initial panic and fear that would have engaged his adrenalin glands.

"Easy pet." She gripped his head tighter. His body twitched and spasmed.

"No..." He whispered.

"EASY!" She ordered. "Don't fight it." She straddled his body with hers, pinning him in place. He felt the blood leak out his nose, the pressure inside raging to explode, only his skull keeping things under wraps. Now Hallia seemed determined to strip away those wrappings. Other beings were present, both physically and mentally. They held him and took over from Hallia, and he screamed as the pain in his head increased. Memories surfaced. His mother's face swam into view, a distant memory of his youth, her words, talking to him in a language he did not know, her hands on his forehead. The words still eluded him, but the meanings were clear. She was protecting his mind from himself, burying something so deep inside that even the most experienced sorcerer wouldn't know where to look for it. Hands gripped his, and he held on as the pain washed over him. Not even Hallia's more exotic tortures compared. The pain reached a crescendo, then evaporated as so much mist at dawn.

<<Welcome childe... Welcome to your new life>>

He turned in surprise to the welcome. At the foot of the bed stood the hooded Inquisitor that he felt kinship to, seemed to know. The woman reached up and lowered the hood, and he came face to face with his mother.

"No..." he whispered. "My mother is dead, you can't be her..." The truth of Hallia's words came back to him. He was indeed born for this life.

"No, I am not your mother childe. I am Saphra's twin sister, Serena. I am your aunt."

Hallia stood off to the side, worried, but did not interfere. He had finally awoken to his power, now came the hardest part. Letting him go.

"I... I know you."

"Yes. I held you as a babe soon after you were born. I helped your mother protect and shield you." Her eyes were warm with love. "She would have been so proud to see you here."

"Why reveal yourself now? Why did you not come for me when my mother died?"

"Had I come for you, our enemies would have been alerted to your presence. You know that your Mother and Sire did not die in an accident."

"No, they were murdered." Kieron spoke softly, drawing himself up into a ball. "I looked for their killer."

"And if you found her you would have died like they did." She was blunt. "There will come a time when you will face the killer of your parents. As much as I hate to admit it, that time may come sooner than you expect, and before we can finish your training."

"It has all been leading to this, hasn't it?" Kieron wiped the tears away. "I am like you."

"In a way. Your abilities are a wild talent, more suited the warrior lifestyle than the pure mental disciplines of the Inquisitor." She sat beside him on the bed. "Your Mistress will not take part in any training from here on out."

Hallia nodded. "I cannot interfere in this pet. You will have to submit to a new set of Mistresses. This does not mean that I will relinquish you as my pet. You belong to ME." She touched his face gently. "You are my pet... My slave."

"Hallia," Serena spoke. "My Lady, it is time for us to take him."

"Take me?" Kieron spoke, startled.

"Pet, do not disappoint me. Obey Inquisitor Serena as if she were me. Do you understand?"

"I understand Mistress. And I will obey." Kieron whispered.

One of the attendant Inquisitors produced a set of cuffs and straps, similar to what he first experienced when he arrived. He submitted to the restraints as they were locked quickly around his wrists and ankles. His wrists were locked behind him, a blindfold and gag completed the ensemble, and he was carried out of the room by four of the Inquisitors.

"I worry about him." Hallia spoke, pulling on a robe. She looked at Kieron's aunt. "I know what he faces, what he must go through to survive what is coming."

"As do I." Serena replaced her hood. "Though he is my blood, he will receive no special favors or attention." She walked towards the door. "I understand all of the Inquisitors he has bedded are pregnant." She turned to face the Lady Inquisitor. "Perhaps you should have yourself examined." There was a note of amusement in her tone.

It ranked Hallia a bit. Moon Elves mate for life, and Kieron was not ready for that step... At least, not yet.

Kieron took a deep breath when the gag was removed. His ankles were attached to a bar, and he was hung upside down. He heard something drop near his head. The room was chill, and he shivered slightly.

"You have one hour to free yourself." His aunt spoke. "If we return to find you still hanging, you will be caned in place, one stroke for every minute, and you will not be healed afterwards."

Kieron took a deep breath. This was something similar to what he had to endure during his apprenticeship a long time ago. He began to swing himself, until he had enough momentum to bend backwards and grab the bar that held his ankles. He fumbled the best he could until he understood the nature of the attachments. His ankles were not locked to the bar, only hanging on via snaphooks. He released one hook, scrambling to keep his perch as one of his legs swung free. His other leg was released moments later, and he dropped silently to the floor. He folded himself into a ball and brought his wrists from behind his back. He blinked at the dimness as he removed the blindfold. By his feet lay a set of lockpicks. The cuffs he wore were basic models, with simple locks instead of the masterwork cuffs that required magick to unlock. Within moments he was free. He stood and examined the room, slowly working the muscles limber again. He slowly felt his way around the seemingly sealed room. A jet of air alerted him to a crack in the wall, and he probed it slowly to ascertain the nature of the crack. He slid a metal wire taken from lining of the cuffs into the crack and felt around. The click that accompanied the opening lock sounded like a thunderclap in the enclosed space. The wall slid silently open and he emerged to find his aunt and the assembled Inquisitors waiting for him.

"Less than one quarter of an hour. Very good." His aunt spoke. Now that we have gauged the level of your present abilities, it is time to test your combat skills." A longsword was slid across the floor to him. He stopped it with a foot and picked it up, just in time to deflect a vicious overhand stroke. The hall was barely wide enough to allow such a battle, but he dodged and parried against the superior force until such time allowed for him to escape.

"HOLD!" Serena ordered. "Again you do well. Your abilities are not suited for direct frontal assaults, and you escaped when the opportunity presented itself. Now will focus on building your mental abilities. Come with me."

Hallia waved for her council to be seated. Ever since Kieron was turned over to the Mistress of Training she had been moody and irritable, and the rest of the council sensed why. She listened to each report with her full attention, gave the critiques and recommendations where needed, and dismissed them when it was over. She remained behind, her fingernails rapping on the table.

"You wish to know of your pet, do you not?" Serena asked, taking the seat opposite Hallia.

"Yes." Hallia replied simply.

"He is well, and his training continues. I would hope that he attains some level of discipline before he is sent off."

"As do I." Hallia said.

"Have you heard of the others?"

"Each is being readied as we speak. Time is running out on us."

"Is there no way to delay what must happen?"

"No, not even our vaunted Dragonriders can help in this. I have received word that the Empress will mobilize the Imperial Army next moon. Can he be ready by then?"

"Perhaps. Sending him with only six months training seems risky."

"I have faith in him." Hallia stood. "In three weeks time we will leave for the Aerie. The rest of the party will be sent out after being briefed. Then we will report to the Empress and brief her."

Kieron floated down gently from his perch. The vast maze of underground passages that served as the training hall for the Inquisitors was open before him. The past six months were relentless. Each and every day he was worked till he nearly dropped from exhaustion, both mentally and physically. Today was no different. He woke up, ate a cold breakfast, then was escorted to one of the halls where he was drilled and taught the Psychic Warrior's art. Not all of the trainees present were Inquisitors. Many from other branches of Imperial service took part as in training, however, only Inquisitors were taught the purely Psionic disciplines. Oddly enough, he was never punished during training, but was always reminded that he was nothing more than a pet... a slave.

He crawled though a small tunnel, making his way across the labyrinth to his goal. Inquisitors roamed the maze, using both their powers and mundane whips and canes to chastise any who was unfortunate enough to be captured. He opened his mind and extended his senses, searching. He pinpointed several Inquisitors by their psionic signatures, and carefully moved around them. He was careful not to use too much power, for he was positive they could sense him as well. A soft bludgeon was his weapon of choice in the maze. With it, he could render unconscious an Inquisitor without any serious damage. In this test, in reality, any weapon was allowable, however, his submission to the Lady Inquisitor instilled a deep respect and reverence for his Mistress, as well as a respect for all those whom he considered dominant. He koshed the first Inquisitor on the back of the head, and caught her as she dropped. He dragged the body into a side alcove and tied her up quickly.

"I'm really sorry about this." He whispered into her ear. Her eyes snapped open and she frowned. He retreated quickly and leapt up onto a ledge along the hall. He moved silently across the tops of the wall, keeping low and to the shadows. After a short period of simply watching, he made his move. His objective was a crystal on a pedestal in a rather well guarded room. He chose his approach quickly, utilizing surprise to break through the defenders quickly and smash the crystal with a light warhammer. The crystal exploded into a thousand fragments, showering everyone with little cuts. He was tackled moments later by several of the Inquisitors. The one he hit with the sap appeared in his vision.

"Congratulations." She spoke. Then she punched him in the jaw. His vision blurred under the punch. When it cleared, his aunt stared at him.

"You destroyed the objective, but did not escape. That is unacceptable."

"Every scenario we've played out left no opportunity to escape. They have all been suicide missions."

"Suicide is not an option in any scenario." Her eyes were agates. "I am sure your Mistress would agree."

Kieron closed his eyes. How did one complete such a mission? "There is something I don't know yet, isn't there."

"You are getting stronger in your abilities. As you train, more you learn more abilities, and strengthen those you know already." His aunt looked at the others. "I think the time has come to see if he can walk 'between'."

Walking 'between' was a specialized talent. It allowed a person with sufficient mental strength to open a 'door' to a nearby place. It was perfect for quick escapes and evasions. Kieron worked on opening a portal for a solid week along side his other studies. After a grueling combat training session it happened. All he felt like doing was returning to his small chambers and sleeping for a bit. Without even thinking consciously about it, a portal opened, and he stepped through, much to the surprise of his instructors. He fell on his bed and slept.

He woke up abruptly. He rose from his bed fully clothed, and made his way through the training halls until he reached his aunt's chambers. He knocked respectfully and entered as the door opened. His aunt stood there in conference with two others. She looked up at him and waved him to her.

"Kieron, things have turned for the worst and we have to leave tonight for Aerie."

"I don't understand." He frowned. "It has to do with my training, doesn't it."

"It does, but I will leave that for your Mistress to discuss with you." She nodded at the others. "Come with me."

He followed her out of her chambers, up the spiral stairs to the upper floors of the Motherhouse. It felt odd returning to such places. Upstairs the mood was grim, everywhere Inquisitors were readying for war. Part of him was nervous, even frightened at the implication. She led him to the familiar chambers of his Mistress, where even she was in the process of armoring up. Black leaf pattern scale mail dominated her armor, with armored sleeves of leather protecting her arms. A black helm rested on the bed that they once shared. Hallia took one look at him and he felt her tense.

"I brought him as soon as he woke up." His aunt spoke. "Now if you will excuse me I will return to begin my own preparations."

Hallia nodded. "Thank you Serena." And the two of them were left alone.

"What is going on Mistress?"

"This morning scouts spotted a vanguard of Iceholme warriors approaching the Pass of Kruck. The Imperial Army is in the process of mobilizing to meet the threat. However, the army is only a small part of a larger problem. I had hoped that you and the others would have time to be fully trained to deal with the threat but time is a luxury we no longer have." She floated a chest over to him. "Strip." She ordered. "Inside you will find more suitable attire."

"I'm not a warrior Mistress."

Conflicting emotions crossed her face. "After tomorrow, you will be."

Kieron slowly stripped off his clothes, confused. He opened the trunk and pulled out a pair of woven leather breaches, followed by a linen shirt. He quickly dressed under her watchful eye. A soft leather vest followed, then the armor. It was mainly light armor, made of leather scales in a similar pattern to what Hallia wore. She helped him buckle it on, a look of sadness in her eyes. Once his boots were on she took up her arms and led him to the main hall. Hundreds of armored Inquisitors waited grimly. On the platform that dominated the main hall a gate opened. Hallia took Kieron by the hand and led him forward into the swirl of magick. He stumbled against his Mistress, the alien power washing across his skin as he blinked, trying to get his new bearings in the strange place. It was a hall similar to the one he just left, with the most glaring exception being the ornate carvings of dragons in the walls. A middle aged human woman greeting Hallia warmly, glancing at him over her shoulder. She broke the embrace, and then placed her hands on her hips as she examined him fully.