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Hope flashed in her eyes then quickly vanished. Some of the things he had said she never heard of. One thing did get her attention though and that was the fact that he could control all the elements. Not only could he do that, but he could do so much more. Problem was, she needed more of him. She had no spies, no army, no anything. "I need people Dexter. Your capabilities make me hopeful, but without support of the whole kingdom we have only a slight chance. And that isn't enough to barter the world for."

Esmee looked down at the knelt figure of the man with more respect. "You can rise now Dexter, it has been a long time since one of my own has gave me this curtsy. I almost feel uncomfortable with it now." She laughed and slowly took her hand back. "You are welcome to stay here in the air kingdom for as long as you wish." She was about to say more, but a thought hit her. "I might have an idea." Esmee had a gleam in her eyes. "If we can gather what remains of the fire kingdom's people and convince them to join us, maybe we can get my people to hope again."

The water kingdom had trouble completely tearing down the fire kingdom, they new a lot about protecting themselves from an element that could douse their flames in a second. Therefore, making it harder for the Water to take them over. With the Dark's help, they were able to take out almost half of the people there.

Laine had been in deep thought throughout the whole conversation, but nodded his approval about Dexter. He then looked back at Esmee. "I'd be glad to act as a commanding officer, it is an honor I cannot refuse. However, I'm more effective in the field then behind a desk. If you would grant me the favor to fight alongside my men, then I would gladly accept." he bowed slightly as he awaited her response.

She nodded, "I would have rather you been on the field as well Laine. Sitting behind the desk is not helping matters." she grinned. Finally, things were getting better. "Ponies! Ponies everywhere!" Hollered the king in fright, making her shoulders slump. If only her father could be cured of whatever evil plagued his mind. Esmee patted her father's shoulders and comforted him. "It's okay, they won't get you." Esmee summoned the maids to coax him back to his room.

"In a few days, I will be declared queen and my father will finally rest." she looked a bit more confident now as she spoke it. "Then we can hopefully organize an army. I need both of you rested and ready. Soon after the ceremony we will be on our way, see if you can gather some men." She smile at both of them. Esmee will have to reveal what she was to her people. It was going to be hard to convince them that she was good, with half of the dark's blood within her.

"My current squad will be ready allready. I'll inform them right now." Laine said. he bowed and took his leave.

Dexter rubs his chin as he watches Laine leave. Dexter was already taking stock of the many things that was happening. Esmee says that he should go and try to gain the aid of the Fire Kingdom. His Psychometry may not be at full power just yet but he is already getting the gist that he is going to need the Fire Kingdom's dominance over fire if he were to even have the slightest chance of forging his machines.

So for now, he can only depend on his wits and magic... Just like old times.

Before he could do that however, there were a few more pressing matters to attend to. The first is he needed to do something about the old king, Esmee is in charge but Dexter could see that her worries about the King is preventing her from being able to give her full attention to the task at hand.

Second would be the Army camped at their doorstep. They looked to be ready to attack any day now. If he decided to leave for the Fire Kingdom, Dexter knows that he is only going to return to a pile of rubble.

But to be able to get anything done, he needs to gain some knowledge about this world and it's people.

"No, Lady Esmee, I will not be resting this day. Could you show me the way to a library? The larger the better, I need to know more about this land and will be studying up it's history."

A reader was he? She actually smiled a real genuine smile. Since she couldn't go out to play with some of the children when she was younger, books were her only friends at the time. So the King had ordered that any book found should be sent to the kingdom's libraries. It was open to anyone who was in need of a good reading. So they used the first and Esmee got the second library which was stocked full of both originals and extras from the first. There was actually three. In the third contained every import and export along with important documents and artifacts.

It was heavily guarded by at least five men at all times. Only people allowed were those who had the approval of the King or Esmee now that she was older. "Which exactly? We have three." She waved her hand for him to follow.

"One is for the locals, the second my personal collections and the third," she look at him as she walked, "has everything about anything to do with the kingdom." Her ear flicked in directions as she thought. "Though it can only be opened with two wind elementals." She sadly looked at him. "It took my mother and my father to open it."

"Hmm..." Dexter hummed as he pondered. All three had their points, Dexter needed to know more about this world to better figure strategies out but the third library could be key to getting rid of the army outside.

But he only had some much time and energy. He then saw the smile Esmee gave him and could not help but give a slight smile back. He is fascinated by this world and by this young woman in front of him and wants to know more about them. So he has to really bring his game to the table.

"I will need to go to your personal library first, later I would need your permission to go to the third one... I will also be needing a piece of chalk and a small knife... or anything sharp"

Mia had her ear to the wooden doors the whole time but only caught snippets of conversation. Tiberus though, had remained inside and was hovering behind Dexter, close enough that the man could feel Tiberus' breath and Mia knew that Tiberus, who was her father, would tell her about what happened since he was such a push over for her.
The young griffin finally decided she should go and took off, running off the edge of the walkway and did a few circles above, searching for anything suspicious although there were already several other griffins in the air, their collars sparkling in the moon light, doing the same as she.

Laine walked out of the castle. Looking back up, he saw Mia take off and join several other griffins in the air, allready scouting for signs of the enemy. He nodded grimly, but approvingly. The girl will make a fine queen soon, he thought.

He now came across the strange man Esmee and Mia encountered earlier, sitting at the palace's entry. His curiosity got the better of him.
"Who are you, and why are you just standing outside the palace?" Laine didn't fully trust the -to him- odd man.

Dexter turns to look at Teberus with a raised eyebrow. For some reason the Griffin was standing a little too close too him, tickling the back of Dexter's neck with his breath.

"Is there something wrong, Teberus?" Dexter says in the tongue only Griffin's could understand. "Oh, and thank you for bringing me here. You really saved me out there."

Dexter had concentrated on not intruding on Teberus's mind when he rode him, but his Psychometry did still tell him a little bit about Griffin physiology. He reached to a small soft area just under Teberus's chin and gently but vigorously scratched it, a place where Griffin's have a hard time reaching when an itch came about.

"I'm guessing we might be partners for awhile, so I will be in your care."

Man regarded his inquisitor, then gave a slight bow.

"A wanderer with an affliction similar to your own, my lord." he spoke politely, for he didn't know if this person was of importance in these lands or not.

"Curiosity. I was following the girl." he pointed to the skies where the griffons flew. "And I ended up here."

Laine thought for a second, then nodded. "Want to join me then? It's going to get intresting, and we can use everyone we can get."

She didn't know what chalk was, but the knife she provided easily. She reached down and took the knife from her boot. "Here." She the turned and opened the door to her library. She didn't know how they were going to open the third library. She didn't know how strong his magic was.

"Use whatever you need, I will be scanning the wall for signs of battle. The armory is in the east wing. There you can use whatever suits you. As for the third library, we can try opening it but I am not sure what the outcome will be. If you need me, send the griffin and I will hurry back as fast as I can." And with that, the wind picked up, and she was out the doorway.

Soon she was on the wall again. Squatting down now fully cloaked once more. They still hadn't moved which was odd. She scanned further along, tempted to get down for a closer look. Just not as foolish. A blast at her wall, sent her flying back. The army had fooled them! Sneaking around to attack the weakest wall. Which she had been standing on.

The blast shook the castle even to as deep as where Dexter was. "What timing..." He muttered in irritation, he had predicted that the army outside would attack any time now so he was not particularly surprised.

"Looks like I'm going to have to speed things up a bit." He said to Teberus, "I expect that you keep what you are about to see a secret. I do not want what I am about to do to become public knowledge."

He closed his eyes and reached his hand out as if trying to pick a fruit. His brow knotted with concentration as he began chanting alien words. After a second, something began to materialize in his hand. It was small and slender like a stick, but it was as white as limestone. And he closed his hand about it and plucked it from the air.

He then went about his work, taking the piece of chalk he had conjured up and started to draw a circular diagram on the floor. He scrutinized every detail of the diagram, making sure nothing was wrong, but with the incentive that there was an army outside he did not slow down by much.

It took him barely a minute before he had finished the circle and he stepped into the centre of it. He looked at Teberus once more, his gaze grave and serious. "Whatever you do, Teberus, do not step into this circle, do not mess any of the drawing and do not touch me while this is happening... If you do, neither of us are leaving this room alive."

He waited a few seconds to let what he said sink in and he then took out the small knife Esmee gave him.

And cut deep gashes into his palms, letting the blood flow freely down onto the circle. He tossed the knife out of the circle and spread his hand to his side.

"By the power invested in he who pursues knowledge above all else, I now give my blood in exchange for all the knowledge that is within these walls. Grant me the power to take in all the words without error."

When he finished his speech, he began to float in the air as his eyes began to flash with light. Glowing words began to sift through the air, more and more began to appear and circle Dexter who now seemed to be in some sort of trance. When the last of the words joined the circling words, the began to weave straight into Dexter's head, causing him to arch backward with an audible gasp. His floating body with his hands spread to his side, and now his back bent far back with his eyes staring into the ceiling as the words kept swimming into his head.

With every word, Dexter began to understand this world a little more. With every sentence, Dexter came to understand who the people of this land are. He was learning things at a voracious rate, but such a large library still needed time for him to absorb. Till he finishes, it is all up to Esmee and her friends to deal with the onslaught of battle.

(Sorry for long post. Will try not too post too many of these )

Mia saw Esmee go sprawling to the ground and let out a worried screech then dove down and picked up her master with her front talons, letting out a worried whine as she did and sped into the center of the town and set her down and rubbed her head against Esmee.

Tiberus watched with intrigue and lay down near to the circle, but did as he was told by Dexter.

(No worries, I love long posts.)

She coughed and sat up, the dust of rubble filling in the air around them all. Holding onto Mia, Esmee blinked several times and in aggravation sent out a huge air current to blow away the cloud. It was quickly cleared, but not before she saw her people running away in fright. Hugging their children close and there husbands or wives as well. The arm of Dark stood at the rubble of the wall. Willing back the urge to roar and change to the Darks more wolvish features, she decided instead to send out small tornado of wind to knock them back.

Mia stood at Esmee's side, her wings out flare and her feathers and fur bristling angrily. She let out a high, warning shriek which was soon answered by more and hundreds of griffons blocked out the moon and dove into the mass of the dark army, clawing and biting and tearing them to shreds as best they could

After a moment of thought he nodded.

"I don't see why nott. Although can you tell me what it is we are going in to? I'm afraid I'm rather... out of things at the moment." No sense rushing headlong into death without knowing who death was, right?

"I don't know myself." It was then that Laine heard the explosion. the shock threw him off his feet and onto the ground. When he looked up again, he saw a big hole in the wall. "What in the name of-" he scowled and got to his feet. "Looks like its too late to worry about getting into a war! come on!" He ran quickly towards the spot in the wall where the army of dark had struck, but found his path blocked by a collapsed tower. He looked up at the houses around him, looking for an alternative route. When he finally found it, he strapped the blade he carried tightly to his back and took a running start. He set his foot on a strong crate and launched himself straight towards a house, holding onto the balcony. He quickly pulled himself up and climbed the rest of the way towards the roof. When he got topside, he started running again. He figured that if the strange man was going to fight with them, he'd follow him, or find another way to do so. Either way, he needed to get to the breach quickly.

When he arived to a circular plaza, he found Mia supporting Esmee in the center of it, the girl still recovering from the blast. "Esmee!" he yelled. He used a quick route down the buildings and reached them fairly quickly. "I thought you were still in the castle! what happened?"

THe man quickly followed, the sense of urgencey not lost on him. With light steps he bounded through the hole, and made it to the place where the girls were. Looking around for a moment he stepped back, half hiding behind the nearest large object. No sense in getting shot when you can hide and prepair to strike.