The Sky Carriage flew through the cold night air, heading East toward the lands of the Zebras. The sky was clear and bright with nary a cloud to be seen. The cities, towns, and villages passed like tiny, distant colonies of fireflies. Artex regretfully peeled his eyes away from the window and looked to the other passengers. Razor Wit was lying on her stomach on the big bed in the back of the Sky Carriage, chatting animatedly with Oriana. Rose Thorn was laid, stretched out on one of the benches near the front of the Carriage with Artex. She was polishing her armor and cleaning her gun while humming contentedly. Suey laid on the floor at the foot of the bed snoring softly, her little piggy ears and legs occasionally twitching in the midst of a dream. From what Vaiawa had said, Twilight arrived in New Humansville with Suey and became distracted. Suey apparently picked a fight with Rifin as soon as she saw him and had it not been for the quick thinking of Vaiawa, the Great Pig might very well have injured Rifin, who was too busy playing with Amber Eyes in the Town Square to really care. Artex had agreed to bring Suey as backup for Rose and so she wouldn't feel so neglected as Vaiawa had explained.
The final and most recent addition to the herd, Vaiawa, laid at the very top of the head of the bed resting on the pillow like the Queen she was slowly becoming. She spoke with Razor Wit and Oriana occasionally and while the three did share a few giggles, but it was obvious that they had yet to establish any sort of firm connection like Razor, Oriana, and Rose had. Vaiawa was trying though and her efforts brought a hesitant smile to Artex' face. She was an outsider and she knew it, they all knew it, but they were willing to give her a chance. Vaiawa had played it smart so she could go with them whenever they left again. She told her new prospective herd that Alana was the recognized but unofficial Queen of all Changelings and that Vaiawa herself had been the first elected Changeling Diplomat. She had a responsibility to spread the word about her people to different countries and the convenience of her proximity to the Emissarial Staff was 'just a perk' as she had put it. Artex cracked a small grin at her, 'She's different, more confident. She'll be fine.' He turned his eyes back to the window and a pensive frown formed over his face, 'How many people are out there? Will this ever stop? Will I never be able to settle down and just enjoy time with the girls?' His gaze swept around the ground outside, 'There is so much space here... there could be millions of people here and we'd never know.' He took a breath and let it out slowly, 'It doesn't matter. If people need help, we'll be there.'
* * *
Many Leagues away from any sign of civilization, set within a dizzying series of hollowed out caverns and chambers, two tall, hooded figures stepped up to a heavy steel door. The smaller of the two raised her hand and knocked as hard as she could. More than a minute passed before the door clanked as many complex gears slowly turned, powered by a new design of energy crystal.
The door swung open and the hooded figure peered at the individual who answered it, "We have been sent from Taurenvard." She knelt and placed her right fist on the ground. The figure behind her did the same, "We have come at the behest of our leaders to join the Peacemakers. We assume we are at the correct location?"
The individual who had answered the door stepped back, waving for them to enter, "Yeah man."
The two figures stepped into a massive, almost perfectly spherical cavern. Down carved stone stairs from the door, a number of beings practiced their arts. A Diamond Dog bitch darted around an obstacle course throwing knives at standing targets. She moved like flowing water around, through, over, and under the obstacles in her way. Knives reflected light out from almost every inch of her body like a flashy, reflective porcupine. On the other side of the cavern a Saddle Arabian stallion sparred unarmed with a Gryphon tom. The two moved almost too fast to follow, hooves and talons lashing out like blurs. It was so quick and smooth it almost looked as if they were dancing.
The two hooded figures exchanged a silent look before they removed their hoods revealing that they were both Minotaurs. The smaller female tossed aside her cloak. She was thin and lithe as opposed to her partner. She wore a skirt and tasseled blouse, both tan in color. A small knife hung on her belt and more than a dozen small vials containing a red liquid hung from the tassels of her blouse. Small cuts adorned her arms and legs, all in various stages of healing and obviously self inflicted. She was a Bloodmage.
Her partner was a tall, muscular male wearing banded mail armor. As he removed his cloak he revealed a long staff like weapon hanging from his back. He tossed his cloak on top of the other his partner had thrown off and unshouldered his weapon. It was a morning star with a head on either end of the two Fathom long shaft. With a twist if his hands the two halves unlocked and separated, long chains spooled out from the shafts turning each one into a flail.
The two Minotaurs looked around the training room and the female smiled, "I think we'll fit right in."
* * *
General Mitsoku Hiriboshi placed his hands on the guard rail of the observation deck in which he was standing. Beyond the Plexiglas observation deck The Event raged on, held in place by a massive gravity generating scientific complex. He grumbled irritably in Mandarin to his second in command, "These scientists actually think they can stabilize and disperse The Event."
"Whether they do or do not General, we still have possession of the greatest scientific advancement... and potential weapon, ever made. Gravity generators in satellite orbit that we can direct toward anything we want." He stepped toward his commanding officer, "We could flatten Washington in less than a minute. We could send all of Moscow into the stratosphere."
The General nodded seriously, "We could do that and more." A deep humming sound began to vibrate throughout the complex and observation deck.
"What are you thinking, General?"
"Once they have finished getting rid of this... this storm," he slapped his open palm against the steel guardrail and pushed himself back to an erect posture, "We will have possession of the greatest tool mankind has ever dream of." He straightened his uniform, "Nothing will stand in our way."