\u201cWho in the Depths are you?!\u201d demanded Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA shadow,\u201d replied the armored figure through their voice-modulator. They then fired two more spikes that generated an energy shield. \u201cStay out of the way while I complete my contract.\u201d As Arsha and her group fired on the shield, the figure marched towards the fight between Bashoon and Rooshee. Neither combatant realized the newcomer\u2019s presence until the figure grabbed the back of Rooshee\u2019s head and flung her into a tree. Rooshee shook her head to clear the dizziness until the figure forced her to her knees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCitizen, do NOT interfere in Realmfleet affairs!\u201d snapped Bashoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen your methods are ineffective, Squirt,\u201d countered the figure, \u201cI do nothing else but interfere.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026Squirt?\u201d asked Bashoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou know what it means.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo one in my life ever called me Squirt except\u2026except for\u2026Yamta?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBingo.\u201d The figure then removed their helmet to reveal their face. It was a human woman with frizzy blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin, and lipstick looking like dried blood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYamta, wha\u2026?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTeladashios Rooshee,\u201d interrupted the woman, Yamta, as she cuffed Rooshee\u2019s arms behind her back and grabbed her head. \u201cArrested for authorizing unlawful experimentation on sentient beings. Wanted for breaking free from Realmfleet Max.\u201d She then drew one of her spikes and held it to her throat. \u201cTell me, Ex-Admiral, how many Chimeras died before they got a chance to experience life?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026800,097 when I was in charge, last time I checked,\u201d snarled Rooshee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEight hundred thousand and ninety-seven Chimeras,\u201d repeated Yamta. \u201cThe blood of eight hundred thousand and ninety-seven Chimeras is on your hands. You let eight hundred thousand and ninety-seven Chimeras die before they could see the outside world.\u201d She then leveled her gaze at Bashoon. \u201cSounds too dangerous to be left alive to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYamta, let her go!\u201d insisted Bashoon. \u201cThis is a Realmfleet matter!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe law states,\u201d snarled Yamta, \u201cthat anyone with a kill-count of 100 or over outside of a wartime situation is to be executed immediately! Why isn\u2019t she dead?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have to give people a chance to redeem themselves!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019d rather fight the people you\u2019re supposed to protect rather than the real problem!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMs. Yamta!\u201d called Arsha after the barrier was taken down. Bashoon and Yamta turned to her. \u201cRealmfleet is NOT a death squad!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRealmfleet Academy flunked me after each of my three attempts!\u201d replied Yamta. \u201cYou guys didn\u2019t give this Largandra girl any REAL education! The Crimson Diamonds did!\u201d She then pressed a button on the spike, and it extended into Rooshee\u2019s neck almost instantaneously, killing her. Yamta released the body and let it fall to the ground. \u201cOne less killer. My contract is complete.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDAMMIT, YAMTA!\u201d shouted Arsha. \u201cThat\u2019s a line we do NOT cross!\u201d Yamta then drove her fist into Arsha\u2019s solar plexus, knocking the wind out of her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cStay on your side, then, Royana! I\u2019ll stand with Dr. Borg!\u201d Arsha then gritted her teeth and fought through her pain. She summoned her armor again and decked Yamta in her face. As Yamta fell, Arsha stood over her. \u201c\u2026Go ahead!\u201d challenged Yamta. \u201cI\u2019m a Crimson Diamond Alum. I\u2019ve got 101 completed contracts. Actually, 102, now that Rooshee\u2019s dead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026You need help,\u201d declared Arsha. \u201cI can get you\u2026\u201d She was then tripped up as Yamta swung her leg into Arsha\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou Royanas really ARE moral cowards!\u201d she hissed. \u201cWe\u2019re at war with those animals! Animals like Rooshee and Ganshar! You think that because you and your mommy and daddy don\u2019t kill, you guys are better than them?! You let them fester with thoughts of revenge!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s enough,\u201d called Dr. Borg\u2019s voice as a small Realmgate opened. Everyone pointed their wands at her, but she cast a magic shield around her and Yamta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat about the others?\u201d asked Yamta as everyone fired on the shield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNot today,\u201d replied Dr. Borg. \u201cWe must go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026You\u2019re right, the contract is complete.\u201d As Dr. Borg continued casting the shield, Yamta followed her into the small Realmgate. The Realmgate closed and Arsha snarled as she dismissed her armor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJust\u2026perfect!\u201d she hissed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m sorry to say that the incident made the papers. With people reading the articles concerning Yamta\u2019s appearance, it caused quite a stir. Some insisted that Realmfleet should have done more while others argued that they couldn\u2019t risk a spread of gel-pox across the Realms, so what could they safely do? A fair question, but a lot of people were still frustrated with Realmfleet, thinking that they were struggling to keep the Final War from happening. When she visited Midiriki\u2019s house to catch up with her parents, Arsha got some more information about Yamta. Her being from Largandra was true, as was her being a former Crimson Diamond. The Crimson Diamonds are a league of assassins that are raised since birth to learn how to kill quickly, quietly, and without fuss. They\u2019re generally employed by unscrupulous lords or the Splitter branches to remove other people. They\u2019re generally considered a rival to Realmfleet Academy in that they produce some of the best teachers. Most Royals tend to have their children sent to the Crimson Diamonds to learn how to avoid being killed by an assassin. This is generally disliked by the Crimson Diamonds, but they cannot say much since they most likely taught the parents too and would, in all probability, use their own tricks against them. Because of this, the Crimson Diamonds don\u2019t accept any contracts with Royals as the potential victim. Yamta had gained notoriety within the Crimson Diamonds after successfully killing the former Headmaster, putting her on the new Headmistress\u2019 list of trouble students. Arsha and Elgrad were special cases in learning from both Realmfleet Academy and the Crimson Diamonds. Verifying Yamta\u2019s claims was child\u2019s play for them. \u201cI just can\u2019t believe it,\u201d sighed Arsha to her parents as they had tea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m surprised Yamta\u2019s gotten a contract with Dr. Borg,\u201d muttered Hanako. \u201cHer empire would upend the Crimson Diamonds.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Headmistress told me and Arsha about Yamta\u2019s history there,\u201d replied Elgrad. \u201cShe\u2019s not exactly one with scruples. The headmistress told me, in confidence, that Yamta would be the only one impetuous enough to accept a contract to kill a Royal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDr. Borg must need someone like Yamta in her ranks,\u201d guessed Hanako.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe\u2019d probably start a new assassin school,\u201d muttered Arsha as she rubbed her temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026Arsha, are you okay?\u201d asked Elgrad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been getting spun up as of late,\u201d sighed Arsha. \u201cWhat with Oyed coming back in our lifetime and Dr. Borg acting like she\u2019s going to start the Final War. With all that went on in Kurontar and here\u2026my dreams are NOT restful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIsn\u2019t Falnii a Dream-Weaver?\u201d asked Hanako. \u201cShe\u2019d love to help, I\u2019m sure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve never really had her use her abilities on me,\u201d mumbled Arsha. \u201cI don\u2019t want to be dependent on her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHave your other fianc\u00e9s tried?\u201d quizzed Elgrad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEven Falnii\u2019s been trying to get me to try,\u201d answered Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThen take her advice,\u201d urged Elgrad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026I\u2019ll think about it,\u201d muttered Arsha as she stood up and left the room. Hanako and Elgrad both had the same thoughts on their mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPoor girl,\u201d sighed Elgrad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis wasn\u2019t how her tour was supposed to go,\u201d mumbled Hanako.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI know part of the idea is to test how one handles adversity, but there\u2019s only so much one can handle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur girl\u2019s very independently minded, almost to a fault.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe got it from me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019d say she got that from me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026We both compounded the issue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI can agree with that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Arsha sat alone in the guest room, puzzling out her feelings. On the one hand, she didn\u2019t want to be dependent on Falnii\u2019s abilities. But, on the other, Falnii was trained since birth to be a Dream-Weaver. She would know how to help without letting someone be reliant on her. She continued thinking about her predicament until someone spoke. \u201cYamta was right to a point,\u201d remarked the person. Arsha gasped and whirled around to see Laywam at the door. \u201c800,097 on Rooshee\u2019s hands? She should have been executed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t inflict harm unless all other options have been exhausted,\u201d countered Arsha. \u201cIt\u2019s what separates us from Dr. Borg and her followers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh, please! Is this really the time for some sanctimonious nonsense?! You don\u2019t see rapists and murderers every day, do you?! Well, I do! Do you happen to know how many people they\u2019ve each wronged?! I do! Do you know how many joined Dr. Borg after Remsu made the first successful breakout of Realmfleet Max?! I do!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOkay, Laywam, I think you need to chill out\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cChilling out\u2019s the last thing we need! Chilling out is what allowed Dr. Borg to return! She\u2019s spoken to Oyed, you think she\u2019s not going to start the Final War in our lifetime?! We\u2019re squandering our resources in trying to appease her when we need to be scouring the Realms and hitting her hard! Precisely where it hurts!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s only going to provoke retaliation and lead to incalculable losses! I won\u2019t risk the Realms like that!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou seem fine risking your crew! Just ask Eltan! Sheendii! Drelta! Blenter! Entran! They\u2019re still Revenants!\u201d Arsha\u2019s face flared into a snarl before she buried her anger again. \u201cYou know your problem, Arsha? For all your insistence that you can handle the crown when your parents step down, you\u2019re soft! You never took up arms when you had the chance! Numerous chances!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe only reason we\u2019re talking is because Aldarval\u2019s personally checking on each kingdom\u2019s military readiness should the Final War start.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026Impossible! She can\u2019t be doing that!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe attempted peace talks with the Realm Trinity Empire are a front. We need Oyed to believe we\u2019re less ready than we are.\u201d Laywam was floored by this revelation. \u201cI took a risk even telling you. I was sworn to secrecy. That\u2019s why I must insist that this conversation never leaves this room. Understand?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026You can count on me, Arsha. \u2026I\u2019m\u2026I\u2019m sorry for calling you soft.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cApology accepted. You simply didn\u2019t have all the facts.\u201d Laywam bowed her head, then left the room, leaving Arsha to talk to herself. \u201c\u2026That was stupid, Royana! Laywam may slip and this could reach Dr. Borg\u2019s ears! \u2026Mom and Dad are right, I need Falnii to help me.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cWho in the Depths are you?!\u201d demanded Arsha. \u201cA shadow,\u201d replied the armored figure through their voice-modulator. They then fired two more spikes that generated an energy shield. \u201cStay out of the way while I complete my contract.\u201d As Arsha and her group fired on the shield, the figure marched towards the fight between Bashoon […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1374,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,236],"tags":[482],"class_list":["post-2999","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-three-realms","category-the-three-realms-book-3-the-first-strike","tag-fantasy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2999","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2999"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2999\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3000,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2999\/revisions\/3000"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2999"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2999"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2999"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}