Angel fastened the strap of the forearm mounted pistol as her father’s corpse was taken away, a flag covering him as a last token of respect, an official came forward to speak to her as she turned to sit down on the Reaver throne, she took the dataslate that was resting on the armrest and began to flick through its documents again, reading the plans the Inquisition laid down. “My Queen, the Excurso Silentum and the fleet will begin to mobilise, are you sure though? they have only just returned-” “I am certain, the crews can rest on the way, we are going quite a distance” “May I at least recommend keeping some behind to protect our-” Angel turned her eyes to glare at the official, “Does anyone apart from us know of this base?” “N-no my Queen” “Then you will prepare ALL my ships, every last one” They Meritech Heretek bowed, “As you wish my Queen, where are we heading to?” “Otnak, Sea of Cinders Sub-Sector, Mandragora Sector” “The Sea of Cinders? but that is on the other side of-” the official stopped mid-sentence as Angel again glared at him with increasing annoyance, “... Yes my Queen” he gave one last bow before leaving. --- Being the first time in some time since Kiva had some form of freedom she welcomed this turn of events it was of course as fate indented. She had walked around the throne room several times a few trinkets catching her eye every once in awhile before she finally turned her attention to Angel. She had made quite the impression on Kiva finally standing firm, and facing her problems head on she liked that. She circled around the throne once before she came to Angels side looking across the room. “I can tell you have many questions Angel, and I will answer them in due time but It’s good to see you again after so long.” She rested a hand on her shoulder finally turning to look at her. “I would say I didn’t expect to see you ever again, but I knew this day would one day come.” --- “I wish I could say the same, but people don't simply come back from the dead” Angel said as she continued scanning through the dataslate, “I saw you disappear in a cloud of promethean, now here you are and you're telling me that you will answer my questions in due time on the specific place I am at the specific time I woke up from a four month coma so I will make my first question brief and to the point” Angel stood up, Fell raised his head as she met Kiva’s stare with her own, “I saw what you are, I felt what you are, I'm not a fool who you can just wave off with honeyed words or clever deduction or memories of the past, Kiva died at VL-624, I know whatever you are you are not Kiva, so, what the hell are you, and why are you here?” The silence was nerve racking as Angel glared at this entity with a fire in her eye, a new found resolve its fuel. --- Her hand brushed off of Angel’s shoulder as she stood up. It was only half of what she expected her to ask, but to say she wasn’t really Kiva touched a nerve. Of course this was Kiva her soul still her own for now as long as she did her patrons bidding when called forth. She looked at Fell for a moment longer as if she was talking to him before snapping back her attention now on Angel. “Angel It really is me… and so much more. Yes you saw me engulfed by the promethean, and then something happened I didn’t die I instead found myself.. somewhere face to face with an avatar of fate itself. Why it spared me I don’t know, but it came with an offer. To live and serve the master of change when called, and in return I may live again with power, and knowledge no human should ever have. I wasn’t ready to die Angel I couldn’t bare the thought so I accepted its offer.” Kiva walked around in front of Angel igniting into her fiery form yet for Angel there was no heat, no burns or pain as she stood so close before her. “This is but a new form I can inhabit, and with it comes great power as you saw before, but Angel you have to believe me when I tell you this really is me. You were the only one in so long I considered a friend, I’d like to hope that friendship can endure regardless of the power within me.” Slowly the flames dimmed, and she stood there waiting for Angel to say anything to her. Fate may allow her to see many things, but it is also cruel and fickle only revealing what it wants when it wants such moments were above fates attention. --- Angel stared into Kiva’s eyes, listening to all she had to say. “An avatar of Fate…” Angel sighed as she looked down eyes closed as if to pity Kiva. “It spared you because it plans to use you as a tool, Tzeentchians use those they pick up as puppets and nothing more, you don’t serve him, he owns you now body and soul” Angel slumped down on her throne. “Kiva, I do know it is you, but I cannot trust you, I have no idea what the Daemons of Fate desire of me but you simply being here is an indicator that they want something from me, this time- this place- the people we encountered… I don’t know what they want but I want nothing of it” --- “I still have my own free will Angel, and regardless of the fact that a greater power owns me. I only have to do what it asks to keep the bargain that was made.” She stepped up to Angel, and kneeled down on one knee infront of her placing her right hand onto hers, “Let me see what fate has in store for you if only to regain your trust.” With that said, Kiva awaited Angel’s answer. Angel stared blankly at Kiva- but eventually rolled her eyes and nodded. Kiva looked up into Angel’s eyes, almost pleading. “I can see your fate as the lords of fate will allow me. You helped stop an insidious plot from the daemon known as Azeroth, this setback was a manipulation by the great Lord of Change Setanta and my own benefactor, Scarabeus. They know your goals will lead you down a path to subvert the great machinations that exist outside their own schemes. This pleases them, and their goals align with yours.” That was a long silence before Kiva spoke again. “Do you see now Angel, I can be trusted if this doesn’t prove that then tell me what will. You may think less of me for wanting your trust, and friendship but in these ever changing times it’s all I have left.” --- Angel chuckled “Soothsaying again Kiva? you know I can’t trust something that hasn't happened yet, I want to be your friend Kiva, I desperately want to say I believe you and I will take your advice and friendship, but I’ve played this game enough times to know Tzeentch and his minions of fate cannot ever be trusted” She sighed as she took her hand back from Kiva “If you wish to come with me then I won’t stop you, but I am going to Mandragora to end this mockery laid by the Inquisition and those they supposedly fight, I will make them pay for every friend and family that was taken from me and the Black Run a hundred fold, not because of fate, not because of destiny, but because it is the right thing to do, those people deserve to live and I won’t let the Imperium snuff them out” Angel stood tall from her throne, slightly higher than Kiva at this time, many of the Mer Clansmen turn to head to see their new Leader adopt a firm strong stance “I don’t care what this Setanta said, I don’t care if it was foretold but some great entity that I will never see nor want to see, i’m doing what i’m doing because it's what ‘I’, myself wants, not some unforeseen presence” --- Maybe looking back on it one day Kiva would see how foolish she was for wanting such simple things from Angel, but in the moment it pained her to hear those words. She kept those feeling of anger in check, and focused on something far more worth her attention at this point. “I will come with you then, and will spare your enemies no mercy. I may as well put myself to some use now that I am here with you.” There was a definite shift in tone in her voice that you would expect to hear from someone who has been rejected. Without another word said from her she walked away to a quiet corner of the throne room to be left to her thoughts unless otherwise needed for now. --- Angel watched as Kiva skulked away, she let out a depressed sigh as she dropped back onto the throne, she placed her head into her hand and leaned on the rest, the Mer Clansman finally returned to deliver the report. “My Queen, the fleet is mobilising, we shall reach warp transit in five hours, can I do anything else for you?” Angel sighed again as she looked back at Kiva, “Make sure my friend is comfortable… I have some research to do” She stood up and began walking out of the throne room with Fell trotting in her step, before she faded from view she gave one final order to the Mer Clansman. “All ships must be ready to fight immediately, the very second when we leave Warp Transit” As he gave one last bow Angel muttered to herself. “What they did to you Kiva, that’s one more thing they’ll pay for” FIN
