NationStates Jolt Archive

She sat at the view port and watched the shores of Europe shrink in the distance. She sat there, thinking of the fate that awaited her on the distant shores of Gholgoth. Blessed Shores… not to me.

She would not be afraid. She refused the fear that clutched at her, filling her belly with ice, raising a cold sweat. She breathed deeply, forcing the fire that burned across her forehead to ease into gentle warmth. She was not afraid… that didn’t mean she was looking forward to the end of the trip either.

She was a prisoner. A prisoner of an organization she had once served. She had no expectations of living much longer after docking in Gholgoth. It wasn’t the practice of the Inquisition to let prisoner’s languish away.

The door behind her opened and entered her captor. A tall man, wearing a trench coat and broad brimmed hat, his void filled eyes stared at her. "Good evening, Inquisitor. I trust your accommodations are comfortable."

"Khan Delta." She did no more than acknowledge his presence. To do less would raise his ire. To do more would show he had beaten her. Quiet scorn would do.

"You are wondering why I did not kill you outright or let you stay in the care of the military." Kortana looked up at him. She had been thinking as much, but would never admit it.

“You are far too dangerous to be free, Inquisitor. Free of my grasp in either death or brig. Besides, you are next in line for High Inquisitor, now that Kamara is gone."

Kortana pretended to ignore him. She would not give him a centimeter. "She is dead?" she asked, showing no shock or grief at all. Inside she clamped down on her emotions, telling herself there would be time after she escaped to absorb everything.

Pleased that she had pieced it together, Delta inclined his head a fraction. "Dead, Inquisitor. Killed by my hand for turning on the Empire... She tried to go over to the Roanians. But the Roanians now have more than they expect on their hands, with that bomb."

She stared up at the two white voids that were his eyes. He felt her hatred, her anger, and smiled unnervingly. She had tremendous potential. In time, she could become a most formidable enemy - or a valued apprentice. She merely scowled back at him.

"No matter. She paid for betrayal. You may meet the same fate for helping the traitor Varchak, but not yet. It would please me to have you dine with me tonight, Inquisitor. A guard will come for you in an hour." He strode to the door, and paused before leaving, "There is no information you possess that I do not already have, so torturing you would be quite pointless. Besides, I’m not as bloodthirsty as I was before I was killed in Belarus.” The clang of the door left Kortana in shocking silence with her own thoughts.

She was silent through dinner, her plate barely picked at. Delta, on the other hand devoured the leg of some beast. He was silent as well, but he observed her closely. It was obviously not a sexual gaze, but the gaze of a creature older than she could imagine, peering at her soul. She finally spoke, after a good forty minutes. "Take me back to my quarters."

Wordlessly, Delta motioned to the guard. She did not dare attempt escape, but Delta did not take chances. "I bid you good-night, Inquisitor."

"My thanks for the courtesies you have extended, Khan Delta." She looked at him for the bare minimum that was required before turning back to the door and leaving.

-----

Kortana awoke to a persistent chiming from the alarm. She assumed he had set the alarm. She hadn’t… The wall-chrono read 0730. She had time for breakfast and ate quickly.

She glared at the clothes that were in the closet in distaste. The alternative seemed to be going out in the clothes she had the day before, which were the same ones she had when she was brought on board. They had seen better days, so she changed. She stared in the mirror at the dress. It was tight, and high collared like an officer's uniform, but was much less formal in design and color. A few moments later and the guard entered.

Kortana was led to the bridge and out onto the walkway encircling it, where Delta stood, watching the crew and officers. The duty review went on and on, as Delta stood there, motionless as a statue. Kortana, long used to monotonous hours spent observing the Senate, endured well.

Soon, Delta led her to an office, the Khan's she assumed, and she sat quietly, as he reviewed the stack of paperwork that demanded his attention. She watched as he sent messages, dispatched orders and signed paperwork and sent them out. Apparently, even demonic beings weren't immune to bureaucracy. After several hours, Delta looked up at her. "If you are hungry, please avail yourself of the kitchen service.” He gestured to the wall, where the comm was.

"Thank you. Shall I request anything for you?"

He did not answer the. He watched his monitors, head bowed to his work, as Kortana ate. He pretended to work, mostly observing her. His most pressing paperwork was done. He assessed her again. She would indeed be a valuable asset. “I have decided your fate, Kortana.”

She looked up, startled by his use of her name and not her title, then regained herself. "Does that mean you plan to kill me?"

"No. You will not be executed. You are too valuable, as I said. So I have decided to train you personally."

"Why?" she asked, scowling again.

“Because you are full of unbridled potential. Varchak saw it and recommended you for Inquisitor Consular. Now I see it and save you from the icy claws of Death, Hades and the Soul-Taking henchmen it employs.” He said, sounding intimately familiar with the feeling.

She considered. "I will learn what you have to teach." The hate on her face did not quite show, but he heard the unspoken ‘I have no choice. When I am strong enough, though, I’ll kill you.’

“Excellent. I will prepare a training schedule for you that will begin when we reach Gholgoth.” She nodded and was taken away.

http://usera.imagecave.com/Alpha-Zero/under1.jpg
Kortana
Inquisitor Consular
Currently being held by Imperial Sword Gaurd

http://home.earthlink.net/~alpha_zero_usm/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/deltareturn1.jpg
Khan Delta
Supreme Ruler of the European Empire

Training began in one of the newly built buildings of Avalon, which was the Provincial Capital. The training was harsh… Kortana had thought herself in shape. Delta proved her wrong for many weeks.

After that, she began to build up her raw strength and Delta praised her lavishly for a job well done, and she found herself working even harder to earn more of his approval as the weeks passed. He taught her the swordplay of the lost civilizations, ones he still used. She improved, and he marked her progress. She was indeed deadly, and her size gave her the advantage by causing him to underestimate her more than once.

On this particular day, they had finished their usual practice. Kortana had turned for a drink, and the Khan looked her over. Tremendous changed had occurred in the Inquisitor in the time she had been in his hands. No longer the slave or the cruel torturer, she had been honed into a lethal weapon almost ready to do whatever he asked… Almost.

It frightened her that she was becoming accustomed to his presence, that she worked to gain his approval as well as to learn. In the mornings, she had taken to reminding herself of what Delta had been. The being that led Crimmond into a war with itself. The thoughts focused her hatred of her teacher and gave her more power for the training sessions.

The wall comm buzzed and Delta turned. Kortana saw the opportunity she had been waiting for and took it. The instant Delta’s back was turned; she was across the room with her rapier out, striking for unprotected neck.

So smoothly she never saw him turn, Delta parried. Not training now, he drove her about the chamber, forcing her to fight in earnest. The thrill she had in the past weeks of training with a sword master on the level of Dreadfire was gone. Now she was afraid for her life. His breathing never altered as he pulled off amazing combinations and she could not see that he was expending any more energy than swatting a fly around.

"Your feelings betrayed you." His voice was level. Kortana parried frantically, trying for an opening, only to be disarmed and knocked to the floor. Her sword clattered to the far side of the room. Before she could clamber after it, his blade hovered a few inches from her throat.

"I am your Khan, Inquisitor…" The voice raised every hair on Kortana’s body, and she shivered. "You will not continue with such foolishness. You will proceed as we planned. The day may come when you will defeat me. It is not today, however."

He flicked the blade down and deftly cut the straps of her training gear, leaving her nude from the waist up. The blade circled one breast, as he spoke. Delta’s tone was not angry, just coldly factual, which made it all the worse. "You do not require these for training, Inquisitor. Should you attack and lose to me again, I will remove them. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Khan," she managed, holding her ground and not drawing away from the threat.

“Very good. Now, go change and let’s start again. We will concentrate on the advanced stances of the Samurai.” He said, as if he hadn’t threatened to disfigure her a moment before.

“Cold-hearted son-of-a bitch…” she muttered to herself, standing and walking to the locker room.

Delta was already at the wall, talking to the comm officer, so he didn’t hear.

OOC: wow.... great Crim... a massive TAG for this story, is there another that is the backstory to this one?

OOC: wow.... great Crim... a massive TAG for this story, is there another that is the backstory to this one?
My last two threads:
Let Justice Be Done...
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=431582

...Though The Heavens Fall.
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=433606

Despite the problems plaguing the Empire, the prolonged campaign in to placate the worried masses in particular, Delta always kept her training intense. When he was unable to train her personally, he left a Civil to be her sparring partner. She had gained several of the creatures’ respect.

Now though, months later and just as the people were accepting the new regime, she was ready to take her place in Delta’s administration. Walking up to her, he examined her closely. Too close, she thought, but he had never shown any physical interest in her, other than combat ability. “Your training is completed. There is little more I can teach you about combat that you will not learn on your own. I have but one more trial for you…”

“I’m ready, Khan Delta.” She said, bowing her head. Over the past months, she had accepted her role as student. He stepped back and for a second, she lost a clear view of him. Suddenly, his shadow separated from him and collided with her… She felt the white-hot licks of demonic energy sear her back, run down her legs… the kisses of sinister angels burned her neck, her face and her chest with electrical heat…

Delta watched her face twist in ecstatic agony for almost half a minute, then, as she started to lose consciousness, he stopped the trial. “You have passed. Few ever have… Gather your belongings and a transport will take you to the Avalon Provincial Palace. You will soon take control of the Inquisition, High Inquisitor Kortana.”

---

Walking back to her quarters, she noticed the people giving her a wide berth. Ignoring it as the fact she trained with Delta was widely known, Kortana continued on. She entered the antechamber holding the four doors to each quarters. The group she shared the chambers with hushed their conversation, staring. She felt a different energy emanate from the group as they looked at her. Last time they stared at her, it was with surprise that the Inquisitor was put with them. This time, their eyes filled with constrained horror. She stared at them in their silence. Then strode to her private chamber door.

She began packing her few belongings, busy grabbing things from a table when she caught herself in the mirror.

She froze there, suddenly comprehending why the others looked at her with fear. Her hair grew in streaks, looking as if someone had taken a razor to her scalp, but there was no stubble. Her skin was gray and clammy and on her arms, there were firey tattoos.

As she gazed into the mirror for, she finally noticed that her Inquisition uniform had been delivered, lying on her bed. She walked over and fingered the clothing she hadn’t worn in so many months. Almost a year since she had been captured. then saw the name embroidered in the lining. She lifted the robe to read it better…

The name on the robe was not legible at first, but her mind worked through it, reading the language she had never seen before. With her new consciousness, she knew what it meant—in the demonic language it was written in, the name meant "Cruel Angel."

Dropping the robe, she opened her top, and stared at the symbols that now rose up from the alabaster skin, surrounded by ancient runes. They said the same. She dared to touch it. Though a fiery reddish-purple brand, it was cool to her touch. She felt the sensation of flame again, but with no pain. A smirk crawled over her face.

http://usera.imagecave.com/Alpha-Zero/Kortanaunhooded1.JPG
High Inquisitor Kortana (http://usera.imagecave.com/Alpha-Zero/Kortanaunhooded.JPG)

Kortana stood in front of the cameras with Delta and Byron Fisk. Delta was speaking, announcing that Kortana had returned and was retaking her position in the government as head of the Inquisition, in addition to being foreign relations minister.

After the formalities, Delta rode with her to the airport. She looked at him, speaking to him in the almost feral demonic language. >“What did you do to me, Beast?”<

He answered without pause. >”I gave you a gift, Cruel Angel. You are now endowed with many of my own inhuman abilities. I gave you added strength, the ability to manipulate the elements, to read and comprehend many languages, dead or in use. You can see what others can’t. Auras are now visible to you. Many see my aura as a void of black or, in some cases, see me covered in ice.”< She saw a mix of the two, he knew. >”You are now a hybrid. Halfway between human and what you would deem a demon.”<

Kortana listened and instinctively knew what he said was true. She understood exactly what he was, what she was and what part she would play in the Empire. “I thank you, Khan Delta. I will not fail you.”

“See that you don’t.” was his answer. "We are leaving the Empire for a duration of time. Fisk shall be handling things."

"What is going on?" She asked, thruthfully out of touch with world events at the moment.

"The Destroyer and the Evenstar are beating war drums." was his only answer. It was also all that was needed.

---

Delta stood in the caverns of Gholgoth, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness. He was to meet an old friend, Gar the Executioner, here in the depths of the caverns. After a few minutes, Kortana followed him through the winding tunnel, he was thankful it did not branch, until it came to a halt. It opened on a great cave, or so the Khan thought, until torches started to light.

Hundreds of flames lit the immense cave, showing that this was actually an underground complex of stone, hewn out of the inside of the earth. After a few moments, Kortana pointed something out. “It’s all one piece…” She murmured and Delta saw she was right. There were no seams. The whole thing was carved from the mountain it sat in.

As Gar emerged from a chamber, Kortana scowled. She had never liked him and he had never liked her, but The Beast was more powerful than both together, so they obeyed. >Beast. You have come to my lair, to speak of things past and present. Why bring the Cruel Angel with you? She is unworthy of my domain.< he spoke, in the demon tongue they all knew.

>Because she is my apprentice. One day, she will be a great leader. On that day, you will obey her, or you will kill her and take power over the Empire. Executioner, you have fought with me on three continents, in a dozen wars. In each, you were the most vicious warlord ever seen by the mortals. That is why I come.< he paused, stepping forward. >I wish you to leave your lair here and take power that is rightfully yours. I am naming you Warlord of the Gholgothian Province.

You will have power over these lands that only I can overrule. You, my old ally, will show that attacking the Blessed Shores will end in a death worse than any other. These lands are yours to rule and protect. As are it'e peoples. You will join the leaders of Gholgoth as my representative here. You know my opinions on all the important subjects of war, alliances and such, better than any diplomat. You will speak with my voice to our allies.<

For a long moment, the Executioner stood silently, taking in the orders. After a moment, he reached up and removed his helm. Kortana turned her eyes away, disgusted, while Delta merely looked at the hideous sight without inflection. Gar spoke, his voice raw. “As you command, Khan Delta.” He grinned as he placed the helmet back on his head, turned and walked back down a corridor.

Kortana looked up at her Khan and he chuckled. “I remember a time when his face could melt a girl’s heart.”
A smirk. “Now it melts appetites.” She just nodded and started for the exit, knowing that face, flesh half rotten, would haunt her dreams that night. "Now, we must go to Avalon and begin planning. War is looming and I do not intend to let our allies march alone." At that he also turned and exited.

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Gar the Executioner (http://usera.imagecave.com/Alpha-Zero/executioner.JPG)
Hunter of the Blessed Shores
Warlord of Avalon