WATTPAD DIDN'T PUBLISH THIS DAMN CHAPTER PROPERLY. I was getting no notifications and I was all like "I guess the readers didn't like the chapter-" WHEN IN ALL REALITY IT WASN'T EVEN POSTED PROPERLY. I'M SO EFFIN MAD BRO.

This chapter uses a setting from a previous book, the Egypitnat arc of GOMLS act 1. If you are confused, make sure to check back to that section of GOMLS to refresh your mind.
~
The wind swayed the trees that rattled against the stained glass windows. The Cardinal of Inalia strode down the hallways of his home. He strode with a sly speed, his large figure getting in his way as he kept glancing over his shoulder.
They were here. He knew it. He couldn't see them, but he felt their eyes.
He yanked his keys out of his holy robes, his hands shaking as he forced it into the lock. Did it always take this long to unlock his doors?
He huffed in relief when his deadbolt clicked open, and he swung into his office. The three locks locked behind him, and he hunched in relief.

"You've been lying to me." A voice echoed through the empty room. The Cardinal froze, squeezing his hand around the knob on his door, considering fleeing. He couldn't see where the voice was coming from in the dark office.
A steel dagger glinted on the top of his knuckles, freezing him from running out the door.

"We don't appreciate liars." This voice was lower and deeper. Male, then.

The silver dagger that rested atop his knuckles rose and kissed against the knot in his throat.

"Turn around, my friend. My sister wishes to speak with you." Alexios Morretti growled.

The Cardinal didn't move too fast, hoping Alexios wouldn't slit his throat on mere principle.
The Cardinal's eyes focused on his desk, where a gentle flicker of the candle flames lit up the eyes of his worst nightmare.
Amalia Hera Morretti lounged in his velvet chair, her legs kicked up atop his priceless desk as she lazily skimmed over his documents. In her other hand, lightning flickered between her fingers. She played with her bolts of lightning as she read through his secrets.

"Amalia-"

"Do not speak." She snapped.
She grabbed another document, skimming it over while sighing.

"I've been called many different names, Cardinal. The Moonlark, Queen of the Assassins, Firecracker, Killer of men... None of them really stuck, I'm afraid. Queen of the Assassins doesn't quite suit me anymore. Except for one name. A new one, you know." She swung her feet off his desk, beginning to stride forward.

She didn't wear the same dark raggedy robes of her brother but a simple black velvet dress. It hugged her muscles, both modest and intimidating. Her hair tumbled down her back, pieces fraying into her face that bounced shadows against her tanned skin. Her eyes were dark and cold. The massive scar cutting the symmetry of her face made him realize he might die tonight.

"The Keeper of the People. That is what they call me. At least, the ones that believe I still live and breath. I quite like it. It is the only thing I feel represents what I try to do. Help people. All people." Sophie Foster stopped right in front of the Cardinal. He was a short man, she a tall woman, "You are getting in my way of being a Keeper of the people. "
Sophie gestured for her brother to drop his blade. Alexios tutted, glaring at the Cardinal before striding to the desk and reading the documents his sister was previously skimming over.

"We had a deal we struck from when I first came for your head a year ago, Cardinal. You were using your money and harming the resistance against the Senate in Inalia. You are a religous leader, you should be nuetral! But I let you go, agreeing that you use your money to instead take in as many refugees as possible and stop interfering with the civil war." Sophie reminded.

The Cardinal's mouth quivered as he whispered, "I know."

Her eyebrows rose in surprise, "You know? Well, then you can tell me why I heard that your donations slowly trickled out, and the Senate was bursting with new weapons and armor? The same money that the refugees and poor use to pray to the gods, even."

The Cardinal got a sudden burst of courage. His eyes bunched tight, ready for the kiss of her blade at his sudden audacity to fight for his name, "The Senate was getting suspicious! I had to give them donations, or else it all would've come to light! I would've been ruined!"

The Morretti's strike never came, and the Cardinal's eyes peeked open. She stood with a clenched jaw and fists, her back straight. The candles behind her flickered as the wind began to swarm around the woman.

The heiress of Kynareth. It truly was her.

"I'm so sorry," he fell to his knees, "Forgive me! I promise I'll help the peasants!"
Her nostrils flared, and she turned to Alexios. He spotted the holy scriptures the Cardinal was supposed to protect for the Senate. The Cardinal was the leader of all the temples and churches in Inalia. Of course, he would be protecting the scriptures.

"Those aren't even real, are they? You already sold the original scriptures to the Black Market." Alexios grumbled.
The Cardinal took a deep breath, "It doesn't matter if they are real or not. When I publicly deliver them to the Senate tomorrow, the people will believe in the Temple again. In me!"

"And if they aren't delivered?" Sophie asked, turning back to him. He was clutching onto the fabric of her dress, crumpling it in his hands. His face was snotty and wet. Sophie rolled her eyes. She didn't have easy access to pretty dresses anymore, and this was one of the few pieces of clothing she owned.

"Then they would tear me apart." The Cardinal whimpered.

It was silent for just a moment before Sophie yanked her dress out from his grasp and strode over to the scriptures. Her hand suddenly lit with crackling bolts, the blue and white lightning conflicting against the small warm light of the candles. She didn't even look at the fireplace before sending the lightning into the dry wood. A fire roared to life.

"N-No!" The Cardinal sputtered as the woman threw the scripts into the roaring fireplace. He scrambled over to the fire, weakly trying to reach in and try to save some of the pages.

"Because of you, the rebellion in Inalia was almost completely squashed. That money you donated because you were too cowardly too lose your noble friends, took the lives of innocent Inalian civilians. The same people who unknowingly fill your pockets with their donations to the gods."

"What have you done?!" The Cardinal cried, "The people find hope in the gods! To them, I am the gods!"

The fire reflected off her smooth skin, staring at the sniveling religious leader. She raised her chin, her hair falling from her face. Her scar was as clear as day now.

"I guess it is time for new gods, then."

Sophie strode for the door, Alexios joining her. Neither of them said anything as they closed the door and left the Cardinal of Inalia to his own fate.

"Are you sure that was a good idea? He had a point, the Inalian people need the church in able to keep moral during the civil war." Alexios asked, both of them striding down the side of the road.
Sophie was thinking the same thing, but it was too late to doubt now, "Let's just get home."
The sand instantly plumed around them when the Morretti siblings landed. They had just taken a crystal to their newest home base after their meeting with the Cardinal, which shattered in their hands. One-time use of crystals ensured their safety.
The Egypitnat heat was unbearable, and Sophie wanted to immediately shed her velvet dress and lounge in the oasis. However, they still had to get to their damn hideout before they could relax.

Alexios was the one to propose the old valley as their new hideout. There is no big glittering guildhall but a hidden base to complete their operations without interference.
It was the same valley he, Mansi, and Sophie killed Cynna. Sophie was extremely apprehensive about returning there, but Alexios was right. It was the perfect hiding spot.
Her men loved it. It took a while to make it livable, removing the old sculptures and Neverseen gear, but now it was perfect. The old cave was closed off ever since the massive Neverseen bust and Cynna's death, ensuring no civilians or Medjay came sniffing around.
The valley hidden behind the cave seemed to belong to the old Egypitnat kingdom before they went into hiding. The Vatarian kingdoms were stronger and bigger than all that stood before them. But they were nothing but shells now.

The valley was divided into living quarters, workshops, war and military, and training grounds. Instead of insulated and decorated buildings, they built massive tents and dirt paths leading around the valley. Maria's workshop was the only real building they had: a sandstone and mud brick building they constructed for her as a birthday present.

Space was extremely limited since with her Spartans, Pirates, and Assassins all together, she had about 2,500 men, and it was growing every day.
Sophie shared a large tent with her brother and sister. After a nasty fight a year ago, Filomena and Maria found their own tent when Lilac drew mustaches and eyepatches on Sophie and Alexio's faces in the middle of the night.

Lilac jogged up to them, hooking an arm around Alexios' arm, "So, how did it go with the Cardinal?"

Alexios rolled his eyes, "Our sister has no fucking chill and kinda ruined the mans life."
Sophie plucked an apple off from a rolling cart. They must have just gotten a few shipments in of food. Good, she had been going three days without food to make sure there was enough to go around, "He deserved it."

Alexios smiled, "Never said he didn't."

Lilac smiled at the two of them, snickering. Lilac was 13 now. It was shocking watching her grow. Sophie still remembered when she was in that Neverseen base at 16, young and alone. Lilac was the same, only 5 years old. She wasn't quite alone. She had Ruy and Alvar to take care of her.

Sophie's heart suddenly skipped a beat, guilt, and sadness washing over her. Ruy and her had just met, truly met in that base. He was her bodyguard as she was shown off as a trophy. He is the one that helped them escape.
He was so young then too.

"Stop thinking about them. About him. It won't help you." Sophie jumped at Lilac's whispers. Sophie opened her mouth to ask, but Lilac gave her a small smile, "You get pale and a far off look whenever you think about him."

Sophie pursed her lips, desperately trying to find a subject change. Luckily, Lilac came to the rescue once more, "The spies had finished clean up from Denver. We had to pull a lot of strings, but it's done."

"What was the cover up?"

Alexios answered, apparently already knowing about it, "They said it was a massive car accident, which led to a fight due to road rage. The media was paid off, politicians were threatened. The washers got to everyone in one night too, wiping any memory of the event."

Sophie will never forget the terror of hearing the Mirthless had gotten out of the Vatarian borders. They attacked Denver, Colorado, nowhere near any of the Vatarian cities. They were completely outside any boundaries established to keep them in.

"Do you know why Denver was their target?" She asked.

Alexios shook his head, "No clue. But the Mirthless are getting stronger than ever before. We are having to risk heading into the Forbidden cities more and more."

"It's Elrond. It has to be. He is looking for something in the Forbidden Cities." Sophie spat. Despite the fully healed wound, the scar running over her eye stung in memory. A smooth line of off-color skin ran along Sophie's eye, going from the crest of her eyebrow to the top of her cheekbone. It could've been worse, but she gets shivers down her back whenever she looks at it in the mirror.

"You would think he would spent his resources on us. We have Kassandra, three of the artifacts, and we are his biggest enemy." Alexios proposed.

Sophie shrugged as she took another bite of her apple, "Yeah, go figure."

The three siblings traveled up the hill to the most isolated tent, the biggest tent with the most security.

"Halt." Sophie was so proud of her Spartans, who were all business while on the job, yet always knew when to crack a smile.
The five Spartans protecting the old Queen scanned over the three siblings. They knew who they were, but Sophie was never screwing around with security. Not after Leto. Not a single soul walks in and out of her camps without questioning.

"As small as your thumb, I am light in the air, you may hear me before you see me, but trust that I'm there." The Spartan repeated the security phrase with an even monotone voice. Ancient Inalian phrases that Kassandra taught to her security detail. Only the highest ranks knew the phrases to enter Kassandra's tent.

All three siblings answered, "You are a bumblebee."

The Spartan smiled, waving them to follow. He held open the flap to the tent. The Spartan towered over all of them yet was quiet and gentle with his movements.

"She is feeling quite well today." The Spartan said as they entered.

Kassandra hummed as she brushed her steely white hair in front of the dusty mirror with a silver brush. Sophie gave her the hand mirror when she was raiding a Neverseen trade route and, upon taking out her target, looted their caravans. Sophie missed the luxuries such as a beautiful mirror and a hairbrush made with filigree and stained wood. They didn't get those sort of things anymore.

Sophie gave it to Kassandra on her birthday, which wasn't her actual birthday since she doesn't know the day she was born anymore. The calendars have changed since Kassandra was Queen and remembered such trivial things. The Morrettis celebrate the day they all learned of their relationship with Kassandra as her birthday.

"How did it go with the Cardinal? Did you sink your blade into his gut?" Kassandra asked in greeting, not looking away from her mirror.

"Would've been inefficient in delivering a message." Sophie sighed, sinking down onto Kassandra's cot.

Kassandra was barely holding onto life when they found her in the crypt. Still, after taking careful steps to preserve her mortal body, she was now just a fragile great aunt and nothing more. Kassandra hated this, of course. She was the Iron Empress. She should be leading her men into glorious battle. But Sophie was having none of it.
Kassandra still had the inky veins crawling over her entire body, spreading every day. Sometimes Kassandra would be bedridden for days as Mephala continued to spread. Other times she would barely give her deadly parasite any attention.

"What a pity," Kassandra sighed, reaching to the back of her hair to begin her braid. Kassandra's hands shook with the simple effort of braiding her hair. Lilac strode over, gently putting Kassandra's hands aside, and began braiding it herself. Kassandra glanced at her mirror, defeated. Kassandra used to be the Iron Empress, the most gracious and terrifying ruler. And the Iron Empress can no longer braid her own hair.

"The Inalian Civil war. Are the rebels still fighting to reinstate the Old Republic?" The monarchs and the body of representatives. The old way of Inalia, the way Kassandra lived.

Sophie nodded, "Yes."

Kassandra glared, "Are you still having apprehensions about the Republic?"

"Kassandra, there is no monarchy to reinstate."

"Oh yes there is! Anyone who has Morretti blood has a direct line to the monarchy! Me? You? Alexios? Maria?"

Alexios held his hands out, "Don't involve in this argument, please for the love of the gods."

"Kassandra, you haven't ruled for thousands, and I'm talking about thousands of years. Alexios and I know nothing of ruling. Maria would probably become a bloody dictator!" Sophie argued.

Alexios nodded his head, terrified of the mere thought of his mother becoming a monarch. She would probably send them to the dungeons for forgetting to clean their rooms.

Kassandra pointed her brush at Sophie like it was a blade, "You are a damn Morretti. Ruling is in your blood. You are currently leading over 2,500 men against evil monsters. That is a queenly act if I've ever seen it."

Sophie growled, "This is ridiculous. I'm going to to Denver and try to figure out this Mirthless situation. Have fun ruling over your kingdom, Kassandra."

Kassandra yelled after her great-niece as she stomped through the white burlap flaps, "Don't speak that way to your elders!"
Sophie just stalked to her tent and changed into her only outfit that could pass as human clothes.

Her tank top was now an uneven tan due to her adventures and home in the sand. Her dark green cargo pants were heavy with all the little trinkets and weapons. Her broken iPod was in her deepest pocket. It finally broke after years of dropping it when training and constantly replaying the same damn songs. She kept hoping to get it replaced, but she had no human money. And she couldn't ask Dex to just hack into an atm and make her a rich woman. Sophie was pretty sure she was dead to most of her friends from her past life.

They had a limited amount of crystals to the human cities, and they blew through most of them during the attack on Denver. She would have to go out and steal some more. But where would she find them?

Holding the crystal to the bright summer light, she was swept away. She landed in a grungy parking garage outside the hospital. She knew exactly where Melody was, and she should be released today. It was only a broken ankle, bruised ribs, and shock. Sophie felt bad saying that, but it could've been worse. Sophie strode past a pair of parents leaving the hospital.
"So sorry." Sophie patted the father's shoulder, who gave her a tired excuse. He didn't notice her pluck his visitor pass off his key ring.

The lady at the front desk glared at Sophie. Sophie didn't look entirely sanitary with her dirty hair, ratty clothes, and generally tired appearance. Sophie flashed her stolen visitor pass at the attendant and continued through the hospital.

Sophie gently rapped on the hospital door and slowly pushed it open. Melody was sitting up in her hospital bed, jamming out to her music through her earbuds. She was scribbling away at her homework in a bound notebook on her lap.

"Melody Amid? I got your name right, correct?" Sophie asked in greeting. Melody did a double-take and then grinned, "It's you!"
Sophie awkwardly chuckled, "It's me!"
Melody tried to get up and greet Sophie but grimaced when her ankle met the ground.
"Woah, it's okay. I'll go to you." Sophie smiled, gently urging Melody back onto the cot. Melody squeezed Sophie's hand, "Thank you for helping me during the car accident. I don't know what I would've done without you!"
"I couldn't just leave you."

Sophie was running through the streets, running her blade along the gut of the Scylla, swinging atop in and bashing its skull in with her gauntlets. She saw Melody shaking in fear against the pillars and was sprinting to her before she even knew what was happening.

Sophie glanced at her backpack. MSU Denver was stitched on with red, white, and blue thread.
"MSU? I just enrolled!" Sophie felt the slightest flicker of guilt lying to Melody. But she needed to find out the reason for the Mirthless attack. The attack happened next to a parking garage next to the MSU campus. It was a good place to start.
Melody's face lit up, making the lie even sourer. "I can give you a tour!"
Sophie grabbed her crutches, ensuring Melody was all checked out to leave. Sophie helped Melody onto the crutches and eased her jacket over Melody's still sore shoulders.
"I would love a tour."
~
Melody was trying her best to make it exciting, but the repetitive building that looked exactly alike with slightly different purposes made Sophie want to throw herself into traffic. "And this is the Art and History building! I met the cutest guy there Sophie, oh my gosh, just wait until I introduce you to him. He is a teacher's assistant, and has been helping me study. I thought he was student at first, can you believe that?" Melody exclaimed, waving her hand to the building with a flourish. Sophie stared at the building with a slightly agape mouth. It was in there. She felt a tug of power, like a warm hum of the sun after you've baked in the sun.

Sophie's attention tore from the building as Melody's friends waved her over, asking her why she wasn't at the library the other day. Melody explained the situation, turning to Sophie to ask where she wanted to go next.
Sophie was gone from her spot next to Melody, heading up to the History building two stairs at a time.
Melody watched as Sophie practically threw the doors off the hinges and scrambled in the building, "I guess the tour is over?"
~
Sophie strode through the brick halls with a purpose, going in blind. She knew something was here, something was tugging that thread, but she couldn't nail quite down where. Sophie approached the anthropology department, where the hum was the loudest. She tugged on the rusty doorknob, but it rattled against the frame.
Locked. Easy. Human locks were the easiest to pick.
She glanced to her left and right before kneeling and grabbing the pins out of her sloppy bun at the nape of her neck. Her hair tumbled down her back without the picks, which now aided Sophie's attempt at breaking and entering. Sophie pressed her ear against the knob, which breathed cool metal against her skin, listening to the clicks of the lock.
"Young lady! What do you think you are doing?!" Sophie's head whipped to the elderly woman stormed towards her with a vicious snarl. Sophie, in a moment of desperation, turned to the school bell. Her mind tugged on the hammer of the metal bell, and it set off a chain reaction. All the bells shrieked through the school, and college students swarmed the halls leaving their lectures.
"Wait!" The old woman lost Sophie in the swarms of students, the Anthropology department's door was left locked. A shaky outline of a bird was carved beneath the handle. The elderly woman swore it wasn't there before. But she had better things to worry about, such as the poker match in the teacher's break room.

A young man walked out of the German History 101 class, his tie loose around his neck. His slacks were always neatly pressed, and his watch was expensive but with a cheap leather strap. The girls were absolutely head over heels with him.
"Mr. Reese, do you know when the-"
"The essay is due next week." He called back over his shoulder. The students kept asking him the same damn questions. These kids were only a year a two younger than him, but they insisted on asking him idiotic questions.
He passed the anthropology door with little attention but quickly screeched to a stop.
He kneeled down to look at the shaky carving of the small swan in the door.
"The Black Swan?" He muttered, his voice lost over the waves of rowdy college students.

Special thanks to my new beta reader Knowledge Bear. That is his name from now until time. Everyone say thank you Knowledge Bear.
Thank youuuuuuuu

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