The Chronicles of Delilah Faylinn: Volume 2

The Kinship

(Finnessia) We need her! Who else can fight the "Ancient One"? No one else is strong enough and you know it...

(Kinship) We think your time with that mortal is beginning to cloud your judgement and your manners. Should we question your loyalties?

(Finnessia) This is not about loyalties but about what is right, she fights for us and only meets your scorn, disdain and ill-treatment. She does not deserve this.

(Kinship) She tests our patience with every word that she says, she seems to be under the impression that she does not need to bow to us and respect our authority. Is this your doing?

(Finnessia) No it is not my lords, she has no formal training in our practices. You should not hold that against her. 

(Kinship) Well she better receive some then, as a matter of fact postpone her combat exercises and ensure this is done. We can tolerate her insolence no longer, no one can question our rule. 

(Finnessia) That training is not pertinent to the matters at hand, she must continue honing her magic.

(Kinship) Now "you" question us?! This disobedience is contagious!

(Finnessia) Why are you so calm with the impeding threat? Do you really think you can strike a deal with Ariadne?!

(Kinship) How dare you say her name in our presence?! You are out of line!

(Finnessia) Delilah is right! Do you think so little of the opposite s*x that you think you can control us, simply silence Delilah, make "me" fall in line, and bargain with Ariadne for our lives! You don't see her as a real threat do you?! She is angry and worst of all hungry, she will not bow to the likes of you!

(Kinship) You will not say her name again, or you will be punished! 

(Finnessia) I will say her name as much as I wish, I fear it no more! I will take my leave, excuse me!

    Finnessia took off in a rant and left the Kinship amidst themselves. Tensions seemed to be running high and the last thing they wanted to do was to make any more irrational decisions for appearances sake. Having Delilah locked up would undoubtedly raise concerns and bring attention to a situation that public have not yet been made aware of for fear of panic. They did not want to attract the "Ancient One" for any reason, but things were definitely beginning to get out of hand.

(Kinship) This mortal is throwing us all out of alignment. She has Finnessia questioning us, our most loyal subject. She will stay locked away until she learns some respect for our authority!

    Little did they know that Finnessia immediately went to where Delilah was being held and demanded her release. Finnessia being that she was second to the Kinship no one questioned her and did as they were told. They orbed back to Finnessia's chambers where she was sure they would not be overheard as her rooms were always warded. 

(Finnessia) I must apologize, things have been blown way out of proportion. I see the truth now, you were right.

(Delilah) I knew they hated me, but to be honest I was hoping I was wrong about them.

(Finnessia) Why is that?

(Delilah) I wanted to believe that this place was good, a good place to go when one dies anyway.

(Finnessia) A place for you to end up you mean?

(Delilah) I guess.

(Finnessia) This is a "grand" place, do not let your perception of the Kinship take away the integrity of what this place is. I lived in the delusion of their supremacy for too long I suppose, maybe even turned a blind eye.

(Delilah) They didn't release me did they?

(Finnessia) No they did not, no matter how much I pleaded with them. I think they are terrified of what is coming and they are doing their best to hide it. They cannot stand the fact of putting their life in the hands of a mortal.

(Delilah) So they despise the people they protect?

(Finnessia) No I do not think that is it, they see mortals as below them. How could a mortal protect an immortal from an immortal? They simply refuse to see reason.

(Delilah) I guess it makes some kind of sense in a twisted sort of way.

(Finnessia) Delilah... you are not mortal.

(Delilah) Pardon me?

(Finnessia) How could you be mortal with celestial powers? The energy alone would kill a mere mortal. 

(Delilah) Wait, what?

(Finnessia) Do not tell me you are in denial like the Kinship. The thought has never crossed your mind? How could we put a mortal up to fight and immortal? That would be insane, you wouldn't stand a chance.

(Delilah) I thought I was dispensable. 

(Finnessia) To them you are but not to me.

(Delilah) What will they do to you when they find out you let me out?

(Finnessia) We will not be here when they do.

(Delilah) What do you mean?

(Finnessia) We have to help those defenseless planets and the Kinship will not do it. We have to slow Ariadne down, prevent her from getting to full power for as long as we can. You may not be able to defeat her if she does.

(Delilah) Just you and I?

(Finnessia) Of course not, I have gathered sympathizers. They have watched you train and they believe you stand a chance. We have to warn the other planets, give them a chance to defend themselves.

(Delilah) Ok, I can stand behind that. I can see I have become a bad influence on you but nevertheless when do we leave?

(Finnessia) Now! The others have already left and will meet us on your home world.

(Delilah) Is Ariadne headed there still?

(Finnessia) Its the first planet of the sector in her path of destruction. What's wrong?

(Delilah) I left thinking that I would never see that place again...

    By now the Kinship had heard that Delilah had been released without their permission and assumed it was Finnessia's doing. They called for a search of the palace to find them both and demand their presence. Finnessia and Delilah tried to hide from the search party until they could make their escape off of the planet. Luckily for them Finnessia knew just about every inch of the palace but that did not prevent the search party from finally catching up with them on the launch pad, however it was too late. They managed to escape just seconds before they could actually get a hold of them. Needless to say the Kinship were furious.

(Kinship) They have escaped, but to where and without permission? This is defiance of the highest order! We must collect our high priestess and have that mortal answer for her crimes against the Kinship, clearly this is all her doing! Go after them!

    The search party gave chase across the cosmos right behind Delilah and Finnessia. Unlucky for them Finnessia possessed an unmatched talent for evading and capture. She managed to eventually give them the slip once they entered Delilah's sector.

(Finnessia) They will not follow us in here.

(Delilah) Why not?

(Finnessia) We haven't managed to keep our presence a secret by bouncing around the universe for "all" to see. They are lower level celestials, the ascended ones I mentioned to you previously. They do not have the power to shield themselves as you and I do. They are merely foot soldiers. They will surely report back to the Kinship. I can only imagine what they will do next. 

(Delilah) I do not think they will do anything, too busy saving face and preventing exposure.

(Finnessia) You may be right about that, although I do not think I can return home. Not without severe punishment.

(Delilah) I am so sorry Finnessia. I have wrecked your life.

(Finnessia) No, you have opened my eyes. They are not who I thought they were. You were right to say that they are not leaders. Their authority is more important to them than the lives they are supposed to protect. 

(Delilah) Maybe you should take charge, you would be a much better leader than the lot of them.

(Finnessia) I am no leader, the game of politics is a messy one.

(Delilah) It wouldn't be politics as long as you are doing what is right. Just like you are now.

(Finnessia) What are you suggesting Delilah?

(Delilah) That you become the "new" Kinship.

(Finnessia) I couldn't possibly! Be glad it is just you and I here. You would be silenced for sure. 

    Just as Finnessia predicted the foot soldiers reported back to the Kinship letting them know that they lost sight of Delilah and Finnessia as well as which sector they had lost them to. They also informed the Kinship that some of his high ranking officials were also missing.

(Kinship) They went where?! Doesn't that blasted mortal reside in that sector?! We can bet anything that my missing lieutenants have left with Finnessia. We all know what this means... the secret is out!

    The Kinship was right. The rumors of Queen Ariadne's return spread like wild fire. Fear crept into the minds of almost every being on the celestial planet. Out of the fear some lower level celestials abandoned the planet, others called for the protection of the sentinels, but the majority of the masses called for the Kinship to renounce their thrones and the installation of new leadership. They were angry that the Kinship kept this threat a secret and even more angry that it appeared they were doing nothing about it. Sentinels were large mechanical giants that bordered the entire planet and upon activation created a force field that no attack as far as they knew could penetrate. This was the very reaction that the Kinship was trying to avoid, the spread of fear and panic would cause tensions to run high and irrational thoughts to run rampant. They attempted to explain all of this to the masses but they were not for it. Losing the respect and loyalty of their admirers and subjects was a hard thing to overcome. Their subjects had turned on them and they demanded justice. It seemed like history for the most part was repeating itself, for this was how Queen Ariadne was removed for her crimes so many ions ago by her own sons who now call themselves the Kinship. 

    Queen Ariadne was once admired amidst all of her subjects. Her rule went without question until she stumbled on the dark magic and energy behind the collection of souls. At first she managed to control her thirst and hide it from her king and her children but soon it grew out of control. The king was the first one to catch on and tried to hide her misdeeds as she secretly sacrificed one planet after another to feed her increasing appetite for power. Once she grew strong enough she used that dark power to kill him in her rage. It wasn't long before the residents of the celestial planet called for pennants and her sons had no choice but to oblige. Before she was able to grow strong enough to overcome them they forcibly stripped her powers, sent the souls she took to the realm of Unfortunate Souls, buried her in a tomb on a frozen planet found only on the furthest corner of the cosmos never to be heard from again, until now that is. The sons took over and renamed themselves the Kinship and ruled while history faded away from memory, all except theirs. The Kinship wanted to stay as far away from the fight as possible, maybe turn a blind eye and she wouldn't return home. If she had her fill maybe she would simply go away and let them be. Now they were to be cast out just as she had and there was only one person they wanted to blame. 

    The Kinship barricaded themselves in the castle as their subjects worked their way into the castle walls to remove them. The very commanders of their vast legionnaire armies had taken side with people and demanded a new ruler as it had gotten out to them that the Kinship were the spawn of Queen Ariadne and the felled guild were their sons. The Kinship had become so disconnected with their subjects that they couldn't save face and couldn't fight against their own armies. Violence against another celestial was f*******n so they accepted the call and were locked away in the dungeons to await sentencing. Sentencing could only be handed down by royal decree and as their was no one on the throne they stood in waiting. The very next in the line of succession was Finnessia as the Kinship's children went the same route as their grandmother seeking dark power to overthrow them and take the planet for themselves. The very same children that had been slain by Delilah. No wonder they couldn't stand to be in her presence, she was a constant reminder of sins of their children who they had to banish. The Kinship now outlaws themselves agreed on getting revenge, if they could not have their throne they would never let Finnessia have it and now that they knew where she was they were going to get their own justice one way or another. Right now they had to figure a way out of the dungeons.