The Aradian morning dawned bright and warm as usual. Merran stood with Targun in an uncomfortable silence. The others two members of their travelling party had yet to join them, which gave Merran time to analyse the young man she had helped enter the tournament. On first glance it was obvious he was devoted to the Sulphite religion; he still wore the attire that many of his brethren had dismissed given the climate. The olive-green silk made it difficult to tell if he was muscular or skinny, however, he was taller and tanned in comparison, and his eyes were striking, a band of gold going around ebony, and as Merran looked closer she found the young Sulphite attractive. Behind the devote worship and religious attire there was a bronzed baby face that was somewhat angelic, with a small straight nose and thin mouth, however, the distinction ended there. Targun seemed to wear a constant frown, a look of annoyance or... Merran detected confusion, but there was no point in breaching the religion of Sulphites. Especially, one so close to the High priest. Even if the pain in his eyes was a result of the material brushing against the wounds Shakur or he would have inflicted, this was a belief etched into their minds, scarred there by their elders. Sacrifice was rule one, two, three... and so on. So, she simply stood there waiting, she didn't mind the silence actually, it wasn't like she expected the Sulphite to thank her outright, not when Shakur was so close, his face blotched with anger, and his eyes never left Targun, as, if he could shoot the disapproval out of them. Every now and then they moved over to her, but she simply stared at him with what she hoped was unfazed nonchalance.

"He's not happy with me," Targun broke the silence.

"I gathered," she said, "but it's not like he can do anything to stop you. Kava is another place completely, a chance to rediscover yourself away from his reach."

"And what makes you think I want to rediscover myself," the Sulphite erupted.

Merran shrugged. She already knew there was more to him, that he had been kept close, watched, and scrutinised, maybe even beaten, manipulated into serving a man, a religion, but she knew, there was no point using that argument. Most Sulphites were brain-washed into believing they deserved lesser lives, that their purpose was to give themselves to a greater being that demanded from them their lives, their children live, their everything, and in return they received powers, stones that were kept from them, that most of them never got to hold, use or be used on them.

"You wanted to leave; I just assumed you needed to get away. To find something different."

Her argument calmed him somewhat. "It's not that. It's just, um," he struggled.

She decided not to push him. "You don't have to tell me anything, all I'm saying is I hope you get what you need when you decided to leave."

He stood next to her, the sun making his eyes look as if they were bleeding molten gold. She could see the way she had approached him had stymied him. The zealots always had an argument if you attacked their religion out right, however, if you didn't, if you let them discover what was out there, if you let them make their own choices, which wasn't something the Sulphites did. They did one of two things, they carried on worshipping what was ingrained in them, only they shared it, the beliefs, the stories, and they listened and respected what else was out there, or they moved away from forced practices. But where they were going, she would encounter the most devote of them all. Those who forced, who punished if the gods were ever disappointed by their people, where they took from their own to sate themselves.

She had spent the rest of the night learning about Kava from Kaijan. The Sulphite was wonderfully different from his brethren. Witty and sarcastic, often joking about serious matters. Merran found it quite refreshing and was oddly sad that he wasn't going to be there to show her around.

Still, there were others like him, he'd provided names of those who would interact and assist her in the mines.

"Well, well look at the shoddy competition we've been given Sumo, I thought we'd have to create a little accident but judging by this, the Foricans might just do the job for us."

Merran didn't bother responding. It was either the idea that reacting was pointless or shock that there were two of Misa's army joining them in the mines; mines that housed thousands of full powered stones. Abilities far stronger than the fragments they had possession of. She didn't know how she knew, but there was a nagging thought, or — it was more, a train of thought that wasn't her own that permeated her own mind with images of Misa and the two competitors who'd arrived.

"Tylen, you know we're not to harm the little leaders, we have orders; they're all that keep the idea of this tournament alive, although if an accident had to happen and say this one lost an arm or a leg..."

Merran was still staring at the speaker, she had never seen a Tarkian woman before. She had heard the stories; they had disappeared, one night out of nowhere they had simply vanished, never to be seen or heard from again. A race destined to end, die out, and here before her stood not one but two of the legendary ladies, the warriors of Tark.

Strange didn't even occur to her when she was told of the warrior woman of Tark, while the men had taken arms when they had disappeared, it was the woman who fought for the tribe. While the men were massive, they were bulky and slowed down by their pure size, whereas, the woman were taller, lither and more toned, they moved faster, they were precise with any weapon they held, and now there were two of them joining Merran and Targun in the mines in Kava.

"An accident, excellent idea. I get the girl; you take the boy."

"No way Tylen, you take the easy prey, I want the fight," she looked appraisingly at Merran as if she expected her to take a battle stance right there and then.

Targun didn't bother responding to the newcomers, he simply stared at them. It was probably for the best. Among the rumours was their blatant disregard of men, apparently, they thought them no more than providers, which she found ironically amusing.

Merran weighed the best tactic to take with her competitors, they had arrived full of confidence and open hostility. If they were men, she would placate them by praising everything about them, however, this was different, although was it... these women must have had to prove themselves. "I'm honoured to meet two of the Spear Sisters," she used their title earning appreciative and surprised glances, "and I'd be even more so to prove to them that I am no pushover."

She stood tall. "But I have to wander what," she leant in close, making sure Targun didn't overhear, "two of the most legendary warriors are doing serving a woman like Misa. Hiding out in caves, abandoning their own... it makes me question the tales I've been told."

Both woman looked a little taken aback at that, but she stood by her stance to stand up to them, a show of strength to them would make them respect her no matter what.

"You dare question us," the one named Sumo hissed.

"I do," Merran shot-back, her voice a low snarl, "what other reason is there?"

Blank looks crossed their faces. But they lifted their spears in one fluid movement. Merran watched the pointed poisonous onyx tips rise catching the sunlight and sending sparks cascading over her, but the weapons to which they had earned their titles were no more than antiques compared to what was nestled in the shaft and head, tiny fragments of broken-down ability stones crafted into the weapon itself. "You'd be wise not to challenge my will," Misa's voice spoke through Sumo, "you and they will be punished every time you try worm your way into them," Tylen mouth finished speaking Misa's words and then the spears both whipped up towards her, the hard wooden shafts shooting at her, she had no idea what abilities were ingrained or what they would do.

The strength in the warriors would be enough to knock her out cold, never mind the ramifications of powers. But there was no way to dodge the attack of two spears, she gritted her teeth, her mind screaming for this to stop... and stop it did. Both shafts simply hovered in front of her, she wondered if the woman had managed to hold onto a shred of themselves, or maybe she had got through to them, however, it wasn't that because the Spear Sister were shaking with the exertion of trying to make a weapon move that had been stopped mid-flight by nothing more than the air itself...

"I'm not going to give up on you two," she said to Sumo and Tylen, she took in all their features, knowing that somewhere out there, there would be others who recognised them, who missed those who had been taken from them. Both warriors had light green eyes, reddish skin, long eyelashes, and a strong jaw, they could've been twins if not for Sumo's baldness a stark contrast to Tylen's glossy black hair braided and thrown over her left shoulder. "But do not attempt to hurt me or anyone again or I'll use every bit of myself to unlock whatever it is you know I can do and use it on you."

Surprisingly, both warriors nodded at her in response, their spears blurring back to their sides. They tapped them to the ground, and they disappeared altogether. They stood like statues now, tall, and rigid, both about four heads taller than her, their rusted skin covered with a tradition garb, a black leather sleeveless vest, that resembled light armour, tight fitting pants that showed off muscles that Merran didn't even know existed and a satin knee length green coat that rustled in the slight breeze. Both women were adjourned with different coloured sets of beads that tangled around their arms, wrists, legs and necks and even Tylen's hair.

Merran took a step away from the dangerous warriors and bumped into someone behind her.

She spun in fright expecting another opposing force, instead she found Avesh. "Sorry," she managed.

"I just came to see you off and wish you luck."

She nodded, feeling awkward and not really knowing what to say.

"Here," he had out a basket that he had gripped in both hands, "I made you some food for your travels."

"Thanks," was all she managed.

He stood in front of her looking for all the world like he was about to dive off a cliff, but he was teetering on the edge too afraid to take the plunge.

"I want you to know that I didn't mean to..."

"Stop," she cut him off, he was too close to the spear sisters, and if his mind was open to Misa, she would only use him against her, "I know why."

"but" he tried, interpreting her tone as negative.

"There's no need. Thanks, um, for the food."

He looked genuinely hurt by her reaction, some part of her felt vindicated. It wasn't nice to treat people like he'd treated her, but another part just wanted him to continue hating her, so no harm came to him as a result of —

She quelled the thought. Avesh had turned away from her now, his polished bald head gleaming in the sun, his broad shoulders hunched.

"Avesh," she said suddenly.

He turned, hope blossoming in those green eyes.

"Why didn't you enter the tournament?"

The light dimmed. "Merran," he glanced at the castle behind them, "Aradia is meant to be led by its leaders, by one of you, not by someone who wins a city for themselves, to change their position or eradicate their grievances. Ruling takes more than that, it means you put others before yourself, you weigh problems and implement solutions that can't suit everyone , no... this tournament, while wonderful to determine who is the best of you is not for the likes of those who don't understand what it takes to lead, to sacrifice for the people instead of leading to benefit your own life."

"You would make a wise leader," she said, stunned by the thought that went into his argument.

He waved the words a way. "Trust me, I wouldn't."

And with that he moved away, a coldness settled over her at those words, there was hidden meaning beneath them, layered there as if for her to decipher, but she never got the chance because at that moment the King's voice entered her own mind and began speaking.

"Leaders of Aradia, before you begin your journeys, I have arranged a gift for each of you, a single one of my abilities passed onto you, it is up to you to discover it, to practice and hone it and to use it in your coming tasks. This gift will alter to another, and you will have to repeat the process until you find the one best suited to you. Goodluck."

It was a strange sensation having the king inside her mind, she could feel him there, a force, unthreatening, but she knew if he wanted, he could do whatever he wished to her mind, control it, wipe it, alter it... it was terrifying, and she hadn't been able to block him. She was defenceless against that intrusion, as useless as a lamb against a leopard.

But with the fear had come something electrifying, it felt like her nerves were on fire, the sinews popping and moving, her whole body vibrating so fast that when they signalled the Slingshot, it happened in slow motion, the world froze around her, nothing moved, and then as if it were moving too fast to be stopped it spun on its axis so quickly that even in suspended time Aradia blurred around her, and then they were whipped like a merry go round, she could see nothing but Targun, Sumo and Tylen. They didn't move, and the world revolving faster and faster until everything vanished, and they were slingshotted to the mines of Kava and the hunt for a Forician.

The first challenge had begun...