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[Isk]

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The night was young but the early moon had risen high enough for its silver threads to be felt. The tops of the mighty oak trees basked in moonshine, shimmering with the dew of a recent rainfall. The carefully curved branches caused droplets of water to continuously fall to the land below. Nearby the footprints of woodland animals dotted the moist grassy soil. Wedged in the corners were redcap mushrooms, perhaps tossed away by a father lecturing his son on the edibility of the local fungi.

In the background there was a hill and beyond that a small village where the dwellers were fast asleep, perhaps unaware of the crime that was occurring…

“Leave him here” an exasperated shout as one force struggled against another.

The two cries tangled under the treetops. A male and female voice battled as tears joined the falling rain, salting the earth with a mother’s sorrow. The masculine hand released its grip on a round basket letting it fall to grass. The female voice faltered as an infant’s cries joined the chorus of struggle.

Within moments the parental voices disappeared beyond the distant hill and only the wailing of the baby remained. His little hand reached out past the wicker of the basket in protest to the moist night.

* * * * *

Isk lowered his arm as his gloved fingertips ran down the tough stone walls of Serpent’s Hold.

“History.” He whispered as the mist of Utopia laced breath emanated from the nostrils of his mask. Carried up, the blue vapour dissolved high by the winds of trade as the Magnate followed it with his sharp green eyes. His vision held still to the figures crouched upon the walls when the sight of Utopia was no longer there. The gargoyles.

“They are beasts,” a familiar voice behind him said. “Fearsome and loyal.”

“Like dogs” Isk said below his breath before turning to gaze upon the Fifth to Stand of the Presidium. Thraxas fingered his Maritime Union pendent and glanced vaguely at the Magnate’s slouched posture.

“Worthy of Union employ.” Thraxas countered. “They may say their piece but in the end will follow command.” He took his fingers from the pendent and clicked them to the sky and pointed to one of the gargoyles perched there. It had a name that Isk did not bother to learn, a dark statue in contrast to the gray stone of the high wall. The creature spread its wings when it caught quick attention of the pointed finger of Yew’s Regent.

“Watch” Thraxas spoke with the slightest hint of authority as he moved the still pointing finger from the creature to the naked wall on the opposite end, tracing an arch in the air and without intent slicing past the Magnate’s rising Utopia breaths.
Without hesitation the gargoyle leapt from his perch and transitioned to the pointed wall. The mean talons of its foot grazed then clamped to the stone as it leaned forward seeking further command.

“It watches you still” Isk’s voice took on a curiosity. His emotionless mask obfuscating any of it that may dwell on his secret face.

“It seeks positive reinforcement.” Thraxas said with a passive voice as his attention turned to a friendly wave towards the creature on the wall. In response the gargoyle shifted from side to side and folded in its wings.

“His name is Arunadar” Thraxas answered the obvious question on the Magnate’s mind.

Isk leaned against the wall as his balance began to require it. “So long as they are loyal and serve I will hold my comments.”

Thraxas glanced towards Isk and cocked his head to the side. “You are not well my friend.”

“No.” He waved his hand. “I am fine. My aspirations have caused me to come here. This is where the Co-Prosperity Sphere will flow from. The drug was to celebrate our claim.” The Magnate lowered his eyes and lifted his being; causing his lion armour, baroque in its carvings, to shift with his musculature.

“Cheer then.” Thraxas spoke with a friendly tone as he returned his fingers to the pendent. “Humanity will grow bountiful”

“I desire it, Thraxas. When our trading sphere is full evolved it will provide truth to a condition of the Philosophe’s coming.”

“Humanis ideals?” Thrax asked.

“Before the ghosts departed from Magincia I saw an old friend and writer of the Manifesto of the Human Nation. He died of the Great Plague that hit Magincia all those years ago. He was a visionary and spinner of philosophy.” Isk turned to look Thraxas in the eyes as his words became more emotional “He told me that the Philosophe will come to me. He spoke that this will happen when ‘the pieces are right’ so we must work on.”

Thrax did not move but simply nodded. “And Co-Prosperity is one of them?”

“Yes. We must tend the it slowly” Isk said as the final hint of blue parted from his cold porcelain lips. “In the end destiny will see us lift a messiah upon our shoulders.”