Journeys of Time 32: Ashes of the Phoenix
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The sound coming from the casette player sent a cold shiver down the backs of everyone who knew who they were, "Greetings, you filthy mongrels. Guess whose back again with some different support? That's right, it is me, Bjorn. And I've got Läkare here with me too. Didn't I tell you bitches that I wasn't going to disappear so easily? Well, you probably have or haven't realized it, but your precious little red-hued cunt has most likely gotten her due."

Peridot's eyes began to glow and her chain tattooes began to glow as well as she heard those words, "Those bootlicking terrorists!" Hildegaard looked confused and was about to ask when the casette player continued to belittle them.

"With her now out of the way, as presumed, you all are next. We know where you are, so you aren't safe from us. If you wonder how we are alive again, lets just say that some people are not agreeing with the current way that their realm is run. They want things to go back to what they once were."

Peridot growled louder before there was a sound on the recording of trumpets and swords making impact, "Ah, they are preparing for the big day. Preparing for the war to begin anew." The recording ended and everyone stood silent for a while, until Peridot broke the silence, "War to begin anew? What do they mean?"

Hildegaard gasped and growled, "They wanna start a new Huan War. I know those howling wind sounds. Those are Mezian horns. And the sound seems close to Virizah steel, meaning it is a khopesh and they are hiding in Virizah desert in Mez'Vr." Peridot looked at Hildegaard, "Then what are we waiting for? Lets go!"

It was almost as sudden as they decided before Janch grabbed them by the scruff of their necks, "You are not going anywhere yet." Hildegaard whimpered at the hold that Janch had on her neck, but Peridot growled in defiance and leaned back to try and swing her leg back to kick Janch in the head, but found it quickly between the jaws of Janch's wyvern and husband Gane.

Janch growled at Peridot, "What are you thinking? You are truly crazy right now like a jal'binewa. You are running in without telling any of us who these people are." Peridot looked back at Janch, but it was Azura that stepped forward. "Bjorn and Läkare are two members of the Draconian Elite Army that hunted Tenchi when she wasn't living here. They worked for Tenchi's mother, the big bad bitch known as Elizabeth. They openly put her through ca'ax, a world of torment, both mentally and physically."

Janch was losing control of her jaw more and more, and Gane was realizing that it was a good time to get away from her now, quickly letting Peridot's leg go and running away to take shelter under a rock, which is a good thing as the sky soon became dark with thunderclouds, and like a trail of light, thunder was striking down with the sound of angry growls and loud bellowing roars as Arashi made her entrance and soon landed with enough force to form a small crater in the ground and for a pale male dragonfly to fall off as Arashi ran up to Peridot, quickly burying her muzzle in her chest, almost sounding by the growls and roars like she was apologizing to Peridot, and then also to Hildegaard, which they could confirm when seeing the charged tears falling from her eyes that left both of them unable to be mad right now, instead just rubbing her cheeks, "We know, Arashi, we know."

Peridot looked at the newborn cub laying in the arms of Azura and her tears began to fall again before she looked at Hildegaard, "I think I know her name now, Hildegaard. Ryuka, or RyuKa. Dragon's Song in Japanese, a language on Earth. Tenchi won't admit it, but outside of uncle's wedding, she has been taking joy in singing when no one knows. So she shall be the song of Tenchi. The song of a dragon."

Hildegaard nodded before Peridot felt Bijou placing a hand on her shoulder, "If you don't mind, Miss Peridot. I would wish to tell the news to your daughter Hikarinoai and comfort her. I think somewhere deep down, she's gonna need someone outside her family to be there and comfort her." Peridot was taken aback by the dragonfly's offer and nodded, "Okay. Her room is the one at the end of the hallway in the big building."

Bijou nodded and thanked Peridot before walking inside of the building, surprised by all the various decorations hanging on the walls, but her mind was focused more on getting the news delivered to Kari, who would happen to leave her room and notice Bijou, but before she could speak, Bijou gave her a signal to wait before she came in close and told her that she had some news.

After being let into Kari's bedroom, Bijou took a seat on the bed and sighed, "Listen, Miss Hikarinoai, I don't know how to say this, but your mother Tenchi was the victim of an assassination attempt, and it is unknown what her condition is." Kari began to tear up when hearing the news, "No, mother..." Bijou knew that it wouldn't be easy and using her arms, she soon had Kari leaning against her, listening to the tears of the girl against her thorax, running the fingers through her hair, "I don't know how you feel, but I am sure that she will survive this." The sound of Kari crying made Bijou slowly close her eyes, "I am sure that my queen can wait for a longer time."

Back in Bastilia, the arrival of Violetta, Maria, and the Blood Court consisting of five vampire bats under the lead of Sonata, Melody, and Ocarina. Honeycomb had laid Tenchi down near the stables, having Arashi go crazy and forcing her to fly back home, and in the midst of the confusion, Honeycomb's loyal riding spider, Hercule, had taken it upon himself to spin Tenchi a cocoon of spider silk to keep her warm.

Violetta approached Honeycomb and bowed, "Thanks for allowing us an open space, Buzzy. It is easier to be here." Honeycomb knew well that Violetta always enjoyed to remind her about the sensitivity of her buzzing to Violetta's ears, "I didn't want to risk losing her. I am still not understanding how I could let her be attacked like that." Violetta gave Honeycomb a hug, "Hey, you couldn't expect this to happen, could you? Now, we shouldn't stay here. We have to get her back to Grobuz quickly. We have an ancient way to bring her back. Hopefully without any risks to her life."

Maria leaned down quickly to bite onto Tenchi's neck and withdrew some blood before handing it in a vial to Ocarina, "You know what to do." Ocarina nodded and turned to the vampire bats before picking a thin, feminine one, "You shall deliver this blood to the queen of death immediately." The vampire bat nodded before taking to the air and flew towards Morgova, "Right away, commander!"

Gathering Tenchi up in a massive cloth, the remaining vampire bats began to take to the air and both Maria and Violetta followed them, under the watchful protection of Ocarina, Melody, and Sonata, making their way back to Grobuz in Q'Sta'Ei, the realm of the vampires. Which would with the current cargo take them approximately a hour or two.

In Pegostra, the capital city of Mez'Vr, a letter signed by Peridot and Hildegaard arrived at record speed to the palace in which Princess Elua sat, the sudden arrival being heralded by no one, but once the loud grunt of annoyance was heard, Elua looked up as Janch made her way towards the young wolf, "What is the meaning of this?" Janch grunted, "I am not happy to be forced to do this, but I got a letter from Queen Peridot and Queen Hildegaard to you."

Elua looked confused, "Wait, aren't you Jancholine Frostclaw, the Bladetail? I heard stories about what you managed to do in battles with some of the most formidable opponents." Janch looked at the wolf girl, "I wasn't expecting to hear that someone else knew about me outside the realms of Dr'Wich and Ri'Co'Va, but it pleases me to hear some have good taste, your majesty." Janch had handed over the letter to Elua, who began to read it and soon had a sinking feeling in her chest.

"Dear Princess Elua of Mez'Vr. We are hereby writing to you to forewarn you that your seat on the throne may be under risk of insurrection by an illegitimate heir or heirs to the throne that follows the same view as Marhong and his father. Tenchi has been through an assassination attempt and we are waiting for further news about the situation as we are not sure what is going to happen with her. So be safe and keep yourself guarded from any rebels to your throne. Signed, Queen Peridot and Hildegaard of Ri'Co'Va."

Elua lowered the letter just in time to hear a blade being drawn and how a howl was heard when a jackal suddenly leapt from one of the balconies in the throne room, attempting to kill Elua, but only felt how something caught and slammed them onto the floor before swiftly decapitating them, leaving Elua shocked as Janch stood ready to protect her, "Why are you protecting me?"

Janch didn't answer, but instead spun around in a full circle to catch and throw a second jackal a bit away, pulling out a small blade from her tail and throwing it at the wannabe assassin, who had slowly stood up before the blade found its place in their forehead. A sudden gasp from behind caught her attention as Elua was held around the throat from behind by another jackal, "Don't move, or this bitch gets it."

Janch looked at Elua and then at the jackal, reading his body language, "Okay, fleahide." The jackal growled, "Shut your mouth. Stay out of the business that doesn't concern you." Janch shrugged before turning around to walk off, "Fine. I'll just leave then." The jackal growled louder, "I said don't fucking move. Are you too dense to understand a simple command?"

Janch looked back at him, "Are you too dense to realize when someone is doing what you want?" The jackal was about to growl, but Janch gave off a loud roar, and pointed at the jackal, "Your majesty, tilt your head to the right now!" Elua moved her head to the right and soon felt the warm blood dripping down her cheek as the jackal behind her was having a large sharp scale embedded in his head, all while Janch looked outside with a smile, "Guess I owe you double portions of food today, love."

Gane growled proud of himself before Janch walked over to Elua, who was looking down at the corpse of the jackal laying near her, Janch looking at her before asking, "You okay?" Elua nodded, "Y-Yes, thank you." Janch nodded before looking at the jackal. "There was a second message from the queens too. We want permission to tread into Virizah desert to find two mongrels that we suspect have been resurrected with the help of a rogue faction wanting to take you down and bring back the dark days of the Huan war." Elua's eyes widened, "Wait, the only one fitting that description is the northern emir Kizme."

Janch picked up one of the khopeshes laying on the floor and looked it over before finding a symbol on it and showed Elua, "Is this his sigil?" The fennec fox engraved into the khopesh didn't leave much time for Elua to think before she nodded, "That is the sigil of the northern emir. And seeing how clean that blade is, there is no doubt about it anymore. They want a war. And we will give them more than a war. We will give them far more than just a war. Khrystal! Come here at once!"

The End.