(Year 0; IU Headquarters outside Falcondar City)

I dropped down from the rafter, falling from one shadow into the next. A black cloth was tied over my hair, and thick black goggles obscured my eyes—and the nasty green scar running over the left one. The heavy shield strapped to my back shifted as I landed.

A guard stood ahead at a fork in the corridor, illuminated by a single torch on the wall, and I moved along the wall in a crouch, getting as close as possible. The corridor continued to the left and right. Based on the guard's position, and the way they kept glancing between my tunnel and the one to the right, I judged that they were there to prevent anyone from going left. I moved forward a little further, then pulled a stone out of my pocket. I always kept a few just in case.

Dasdaka's thunder, I love dimly lit hideouts. I pressed myself into the shadows against the left wall, lying flat. The shadows flowed across me, a warm blanket against the guard's cold gaze. Then I flicked my wrist, tossing the rock out in an arc to hit the opposite wall of my corridor. It cracked against the stone, not a loud sound, but obvious enough.

The guard turned, warily moving forward, and I held my breath. They must have known that throwing a rock into a different hallway was a common cheap distraction, so they were careful to walk into my hallway sideways while keeping watch on the right corridor. Their vigilance was admirable. So, naturally, they walked right past me.

I slithered forward, then moved into a crouch and scurried quickly around the left corner. From there, I straightened into a run, dashing down the corridor—which grew steadily taller and wider—and then stopping to peak around the next bend.

The double doors ahead weren't exactly breathtaking; they were more a poor attempt at intimidating. Ten feet tall and wrought from solid iron, they stood at the end of a hallway lit by large sconces rather than torches. A fearsome dragon emblem was emblazoned in each door. I might've been impressed by the sheer drama if I hadn't spent six years trying to find the damn place.

"Welcome to the Infernal Uprising," I whispered to myself, since it wasn't like anyone else was going to.

Two guards stood outside, each armed with a pistol and a handaxe. I wondered why they weren't using their charge weapons—they almost certainly had them—but figured it was more of a formality. No one was expected to make it this far without raising an alarm.

I hadn't wanted to sneak in in the first place; I wanted to be welcome here, as was my right. For years, I'd assumed Takaren would try to find me. Then, I'd assumed my inability to find her or her followers was bad luck.

Then...she'd died. Three years ago, on a mission in the Forbidden Peaks, she'd been attacked by a pack of snow leopards, and somehow, nature had done what all the power of the Falcondars couldn't. Soldiers Takaren had trained herself stood by and watched, as her struggle against the cats caused the very avalanche that buried her.

As soon as I'd heard the news of her death, finding her followers had started to get easier. They'd still slip away before I could ever catch them face-to-face, but they were getting worse at it. And finally, I'd admitted that Takaren could have found me any time she wanted to, and had chosen to avoid me on purpose. As any good sister would.

Now here her followers were, guarding a door she no longer stood behind, still determined to make my life suck. I sighed and bounced on the balls of my feet, shaking out my arms. I pulled Asteri from its harness on my back, holding the black shield close in front of me. Its four wicked points gleamed in the dim light. Then I rounded the corner, sprinting forward before the guards had time to react. They both reached for their revolvers immediately, but by the time the guns were drawn and leveled, I'd reached them. I lunged forward as the first bullet shot past my head, ducking into melee range of the guard that had fired. He swung his elbow down toward me, but I moved to the side just enough to avoid it, slammed the flat of my shield into the back of his head, and spun before the second guard could attack me from behind. Her axe rang against Asteri's metal; it looked like she'd dropped her pistol to draw the axe quickly.

A rustle behind me warned that my hit hadn't knocked out the first guard. I ducked out from between them, raising my shield and barely catching the first guard's axe stroke; the goggles were blocking my peripheral vision and making it difficult to keep track of everything. Still, I managed to dance backward and block another swing from each guard. The men behind those doors were sure to have heard the commotion by now—maybe the dramatic buildup would help my case, maybe it wouldn't; I couldn't be sure.

The guards finally seemed to catch on that attacking together from the front was about the worst possible strategy, and one split around to my side. The second she left my vision, I charged at the other guard, bulldozing straight through his frantic attack and tackling him into the wall. He kicked at my knees, forcing me to step back, and then for some stupid reason, grabbed the sides of my shield. I twisted sharply, pulling him away from the wall and using the leverage to jam my knee into his back. As he stumbled away from me, I followed with another blow to the head, and this time, he collapsed to the floor.

I swung my shield behind me, anticipating the blow from the second guard. I missed, and her axe bit into my outstretched calf. Stupid Dasing goggles. Gritting my teeth, I swung again, and this time it hit some part of the guard; I felt the axe slide from my flesh with a sickening sensation as she fell back.

Refusing to cry out, I spun to face her. "Dragons, aid me in my strife, and through our bond lend me your life," I muttered. The wound on my leg began to close, and the guard's eyes widened.

"Throne Takaren?" she breathed, voice disbelieving.

"Not. Even. Dasing. Close," I growled, ignoring the pang I felt hearing her name. Whatever it was, it certainly wasn't grief. I ran forward, then jumped up and kicked off the wall; the guard's eyes widened as I sailed at her shield-first. Asteri slammed into her frantically-raised forearms. As she stumbled back, I moved forward, knocking the shield into her head to knock her out.

I dropped my shield back into its harness, placed one hand on each of the massive iron doors, and shoved. To my surprise, they moved easily and quietly, nearly sending me stumbling into the room beyond before I caught my footing. The hall inside was mostly bare, save for a round table in the middle, more sconces along the walls, and a large tapestry of a dragon at the far end. There were three men at the table; they'd already gotten to their feet, weapons leveled rather uninvitingly at my face. The table itself held a mess of documents and, for some dragons-forsaken reason, a small, fluffy cat.

With a dramatic motion, I swiped the cloth and goggles from my head, revealing coal-black skin, silvery hair, and bright red eyes.

The men paused, and then, with far less shock and awe than I had hoped, each sank to one knee. "Crown Kiridan Shairisel," one intoned. "We've been expecting you."

I blinked. "You have?"

The man nodded gravely, bald head shining in the torchlight. He pushed the butt of a long spear into the stone floor, using it to stand upright; the other two followed his lead, minus the spear. "The Council got word you were headed this way," he intoned. "We hoped you would find us, after all this time."

I stared at him. "Bull. I've been trying to find this organization for six years, and every time I get close, you weasel your way out of one hideout into the next. You did not hope I would find you."

Another man coughed uncomfortably. He was broad-shouldered, much younger than the first and with no visible weapon on him. "Well, we're glad to see that you've done alright on your own. As I'm sure Councilor Naken meant to say," he added with a long glance at the spear wielder. "Of course, we'll have to ask you to leave again, for your own safety. We're finally preparing for our attack on Falcondar Castle, and-"

"Thesti!" the third man grumbled, waving a large butterfly axe in the younger Councilor's direction. He had wispy white hair, and a low, gravelly voice, more mumble than words. Large curved blades decorated a thick belt that covered most of his midsection. "What in Dasaria's tail are you doing, bringing that up to a stranger?"

"Stranger?" I demanded. "Your founder's own sibling is a stranger to you?"

He swallowed. "Of course not, but-"

"Of course not, Your Highness."

"Of course not, Your Highness. But please understand, you aren't...part of the Infernal Uprising, no matter your familial ties to it." At my glare, he quickly elaborated, "You're important, of course, but you don't know our plans. You don't know how we fight, what we intend to accomplish."

"Sure I do." I cleared my throat, straightened my back, and raised a finger. "The Infernal Uprising is an organization intent on overthrowing the monarchy. You find young, impressionable, 'gifted' individuals and train them into warriors. You discovered the secrets of Falcondar technology and imitated it, creating versatile charge weapons." I took a breath, in which the Councilor tried to speak, but I waved my finger at him. "And I know why you do what you do. The Shairisel Kingdom lived on beneath Falcondar rule for nearly four hundred years after Arken's takeover, and didn't cause any problems. But nine years ago, Briar Falcondar..." My lip quivered against my will. I froze it into a scowl. "Decided that wasn't enough, and...removed our section of the Kingdom entirely. Takaren wanted to take it back."

Councilor Naken raised a thin eyebrow. "She wanted more than just the Old Shairisel section. She wanted the whole continent."

I shrugged. "Sounds like Takaren. You know who else it sounds like? Me, if you'd get your heads out of your asses and let me join the Uprising."

Thesti shook his head. "Sorry, kid. We can't let you join us this close to such a pivotal event."

"Kid? I'm twenty, and you can't be more than twenty-five!"

"My apologies, Your Highness."

I stared between the three men. Why were they so determined not to let me join? For the dragons' sakes, I was the last Shairisel Royal. They should all still be kneeling before me. "I was under the impression that I was the only Guardian in existence right now," I said finally. "Are you hiding more somewhere, or do you think you can invade Falcondar Castle without the help of anyone approaching a Guardian's power level?"

Naken shifted uncomfortably. "We have weapons just as advanced as the Falcondar guards' charge swords..."

I met his eyes. "I'll prove you need my help. I'll duel all of you. Right now."

He stared at me, finally looking surprised. "You...want to duel all three of us. At once."

"Exactly." I reached over my shoulder and lifted Asteri from its harness. "If you ever dueled Takaren, you should know exactly how confident I am."

"She said she was stronger than you, though," Thesti butted in. My eyes snapped to his, and he took a small step back, adding, "I mean, just that she had more formal training. Since she was older. And everything. Your Highness."

I took a long, slow breath. Of course they would believe her without ever having met me. Everyone believed Takaren. Worshipped her, called her a prodigy, licked the ground beneath her boots. Now, in this particular case, she'd been right, but I wasn't about to admit that, so I said, "If I win, I get full unquestioned leadership of the Infernal Uprising."

Thesti scoffed in disbelief, and Axe-Wielder began to stutter through a protest.

"Fine." I waved a hand. "If I win, I join the Uprising as a regular soldier, and I get to name the cat. If I lose, I'll wait...one week before trying to find you again."

Naken stared at me, then swallowed. "One month. If you lose."

Well. At least that told me how soon the castle attack was. "One month," I agreed. I dropped into a low stance, brandishing Asteri before me and sweeping my gaze across the Councilors. Heat built in my stomach, spreading comfortably through my body. "Ready to lose?"

Thesti crossed his arms at me and shook his head. I decided I disliked him the most. The two older Councilors glanced between each other, obviously uncomfortable. "We have designated training rooms for-"

I flung my free hand toward Thesti. Raw heat burned through my chest, arm, and fingers, coalescing in a ball of fire that shot straight toward him. His eyes widened, and he dove to the side; the fire smoldered and died on the far wall as he rolled back to his feet.

Naken and Axe-Man recovered from their surprise and charged at me, covering Thesti. Naken lunged in and slammed the butt of his spear into my shield with a clang. I angled the surface so the spear glanced past me, then ducked away from Axe-Guy's swipe, keeping my shield close in front of me. A few more strikes came in, but I blocked them easily, taking small steps back to keep from being surrounded. The Councilors weren't really trying to hurt me; as rude as they'd been, I was still Shairisel royalty, and they had sworn their loyalty to my family. Kind of.

Axe-Dude whipped his weapon around in a flat strike; I ducked under it, but a jab at my side from Naken diverted me from counterattacking. I twisted and deflected the spear point, twisted again to catch the axe blade square in front of me, took another step back. I raised a hand and forced fire up through my fingers, spraying it at the two Councilors in a wide arc. They split away to my sides, and as the fire died in the air, Thesti came sailing between them; I saw metal glinting on his knuckles just before they smacked into my jaw. Pain shot through my face as I stumbled back.

Maybe they were fine with hurting me after all. Or maybe they'd realized I could be taken seriously.

I let out a murderous scream and charged straight at Thesti. He stepped back in surprise; I charged right past him, then spun so that I was once again facing the entire group, with a little breathing room. "Dragons, aid me-"

Axe-Bloke swung his axe at the air, a loud bang sounded, and one of the two blades flew off of the weapon, grazing my shoulder as I barely twisted to the side. I stared at him for a second. "What..." I shook my head, and loudly began to repeat, "Dragons-"

As expected, he fired the other blade. I batted it away with my shield, forced out, "Dragons-aid-me-in-my-strife-and-through-our-bond-lend-me-your-life," and settled into a defensive stance as the wound on my shoulder closed and the spots finally cleared from my vision.

Axe-Geezer huffed and pulled one of the blades from his belt, taking a second to affix it to the pole. I raised an eyebrow at him. "What kind of moron designs-"

Naken raised his spear and pressed a button on the shaft, and an orange bolt exploded out of the tip, slamming straight into my shield and pitching me backward. I let myself fall, tucking into a ball and back-rolling into a crouch with Asteri held in front of me. My arms ached from the impact.

"Takaren herself said Guardians work best with allies to protect them," Naken noted. "Or you've no time to cast advanced spells." He was smirking.

Why in the dragons' names do you think I'm here?

As Axe-Moron began to attach a second blade, I shouted, "Dragon's Fury!" and dashed in his direction. Warmth flowed into my limbs, building in my muscles, and my speed increased dramatically. I crossed the room in moments, thrusting one of Asteri's sharpened points at Axe-Failure's face. He narrowly evaded, stepping back and swinging his still-single-bladed axe down at my head. I caught it against Asteri's top edge, grabbed the top of the pole with my free hand, and jumped, swinging both my feet into his stomach. He let go of his weapon and fell backward; I landed on my feet, chucked the axe over the table, and spun around.

Thesti's brass knuckles clanged against Asteri, sending an impact through my arm, shoulder, all the way to my feet pressing against the stone floor. I countered with a sharp kick at the stomach, but he managed to catch my leg under his arm, despite my enhanced movements.

I saw Naken aiming his spear at me from behind Thesti. They're all morons. I jumped; my shield intercepted Naken's blast, and the force ripped me from Thesti's grip, sending the man stumbling forward. My landing was less clean this time, but I managed to direct my own stumble out of the way of Naken's next blast. I found my balance, charged back toward Thesti, and aimed a punch at his jaw, but it met the hard bone of his forearm. He grinned.

He looked considerably less pleased when fire ballooned around my fist. As Thesti leapt back with a yelp, Naken closed in, jabbing at me with his spear. I blocked each of his stabs and pressed toward him, lashing out with small swipes of my shield and trying to get distance from the other two Councilors. Thesti charged at my side, but I flung fire in his general direction and he danced back again. The well of heat in my stomach was shrinking rapidly, but he didn't have to know that.

When Naken's next strike came in, I reversed tactics. I bent just to the side of the point like a leaf bowing before a breeze and swung my shield out, catching him under the chin with a flat edge. He jerked back, raising his spear clumsily as he rubbed at his jaw and blinked a few times.

"So Takaren taught you her fighting style," he panted.

"My fighting style has nothing to do with Takaren!" I hissed, closing on him. I ducked under his next attack and spun, aiming a kick at his side.

That was a mistake. While I was stretched out, Thesti tackled me, sending us both tumbling. I managed to avoid being pinned by thrashing and wiggling in a very dignified manner, rolling to my knees in time to block another charge blast from Naken. As I fell back and rolled into a crouch again, Thesti taunted, "Maybe you could stand to fight a little more like Takaren, then."

I glared at him, breathing hard. I was still moving fast, but my power was running uncomfortably low; not dangerously, yet, but my chest was burning in a way that went beyond exertion. I had to make my point and wrap this up.

A ways away, Axe-Loser had found his feet, and was looking around for his weapon.

"Look over there!" I cried, pointing wildly at a random wall. No one even twitched in that direction. I barreled toward Naken, giving Thesti a wide berth. As he leveled his spear at me, I pulled one of the small stones from my pocket and chucked it at him. He flinched backward, giving me enough room to dash between the two Councilors and toward the third behind them. My free arm landed across Axe-Face's chest, and I dropped to one knee, slamming him flat on his back. I raised one of Asteri's points over his head, twisting to glare Naken in the eyes. "Not one move, or Axe-Cheeks gets it."

"-?" His eyes darted between me and the man breathing shallowly on the floor. "Right. It...seems you've won our duel, Your Highness." If intoning dismayedly was possible, Naken was doing it.

"Yep." I'd almost expected more pushback. "I sure have."

"Well, then." He swallowed, glancing again at the man pinned beneath me. "Why don't you help Councilor Maridiel to his feet, and one of us can...show you around."

I stood up and did not help Councilor Maridiel to his feet. "Great. Where are the cool weapons?"

Thesti huffed, walking over to clasp Maridiel's hand and pull him upright. "We don't have a cache of cool weapons," he said to me. "We build them specially as needed."

"Why don't you show Their Highness where we build the weapons?" Naken suggested. "I'd like to discuss something briefly with Maridiel."

Thesti glowered, but nodded. "This way," he said to me, starting toward the doors. I followed, finally releasing my Dragon's Fury spell; cold exhaustion flooded my body, almost making me lose my footing.

"Crown Kiridan," Naken spoke up again.

I turned to face him with a flat look.

"I wanted to say, on behalf of the Council...I'm sorry about your sister. I realize we never offered our condolences..." His voice died away.

I held his gaze for a long moment, then announced, "Vastarvion, Destroyer of Worlds."

"I...what?"

"The cat's name." I gestured to said cat, whose glinting eyes were just barely visible where they now crouched in terror under the table. "Vastarvion, Destroyer of Worlds."