The Backroads

“We’ve identified the kingdom the transfer seems to go to. It’s one that the Shield Warden in the 1780s laid siege to. Apparently it was a kingdom of dragons doing horrific experiments. The reports don’t say what the experiments were, just that they were so far away from her Lady’s light that the Warden felt that she must purge the entire kingdom. It was so great she was **** to call on allies of the Order to make sure the creatures were wiped out. It was a truly horrific battle and the Warden had to make many tough calls in the Lady’s name. But she was able to complete her duty, as she cleansed the lands of the dragon menace and destroyed their castle. There should be nothing left,” the soldier monologued to Fran, who silently absorbed the information she was told as she sat next to the monitors, observing all that happened in the Newman household.

“I see. And how did the Order get to that kingdom to lay siege to them? I assume the dragons didn’t let them just waltz right in,” pointed out Fran, whose gaze did not leave the monitors.

“Ah yes, it seems the Order was told of a back way in by an anonymous source. The back door, as it were, opened up in a cave past a forest near the castle. It seems that is the forest the Warden used as a base of operations before she launched her siege,” the knight informed Fran.

“Send me the location. I must return to the mansion and gather my team,” Fran ordered as she got up and made her way to the door.

“You plan to **** the kingdom?” asked the knight.

“Yes. A quick strike team may be able to either capture or kill John Newman before both sides launch a full scale invasion. I will end this war before it begins, just like Moira attempted to do at their school. The only difference is I will succeed where she failed, because that’s what the superior Brighton sister does: succeed,” Fran spoke with joy in her voice, all the times she embarrassed her step-sister raced through her mind. What’s another one to add to the pile, eh Moira? she thought as she left the van and got into one of the Order’s cars that was patrolling the roads in search of John Newman. She had diverted one to come pick her up and take her to the Brighton Mansion.

It was a quick drive to the mansion, where Fran was greeted and quickly ushered to Lord Brighton’s office, where he was overseeing the war effort. “Father, I have found John Newman!” announced Fran as she burst through the twin oak doors.

“You have? Where is he?” asked Lord Brighton, clearly interested in the answer.

“He appears to be hiding in an abandoned kingdom that the Order assaulted in the 1700s,” she told her step-father. His face became more constrained and contorted when the information he had heard was processed by his brain.

“What? Impossible! Those kingdoms are locked off and the entry points guarded by Order soldiers!” roared the head of the branch. Even Fran flinched at the intensity of Lord Brighton’s reaction to the news compared to the rest of the room that had cowered at their leader’s outburst.

“Well, if our intel is correct, then is it not entirely possible that The Lady gifted him this kingdom along with his powers?” asked Fran. She knew that the question would upset Lord Brighton but that it had to be asked and nobody else in this room dared be brave enough to ask it. Lord Brighton slowly inhaled and exhaled slowly for quite a few moments, his anger lowered with each breath.

“While I still deny that The Lady would ever give someone like him powers, I cannot deny that it is within her power to grant both a random person unique powers and a kingdom out of her generosity. I much rather believe that he merely found another hidden entrance to this kingdom and has been using that to get to and from his kingdom. Now, how did you find this out?” asked Lord Brighton, not sure how Fran would have gained this knowledge since she was at Newman’s home, waiting to extract John’s mother and possibly John Newman if he was there at the same time.

“We saw him exit and enter his house. Shortly before he left the house and shortly after he entered the house, we picked up transportation magic with the end location signature already appearing in our files,” she told her father.

“I see. You waited to report back to see how he got to and from his house since the initial scans showed he was not there, correct?” asked the head of the Order.

“Yes, sir. And once all the information was processed, I came to you personally to report it, since I knew you’d want to hear it from me personally,” she spoke to him.

“Ah yes, I see. So what do you wish to do with this information?” he asked, quite sure he already knew her answer.

“I wish to take my strike team and attempt to apprehend him, and if not able to do that, kill him,” she told him with a firmness in her voice.

“Good, that’s what I expected to hear. Go, and let this all be over with,” Lord Brighton told his step-daughter as he gave her his blessing to do what was needed to end this little scuffle, as he saw it.

“As you wish, father,” Fran said before she left the room and made her way to the training area of the mansion where her team was waiting. The entire time she walked, her face wore a wide smile as her plan came together. Soon all of Moira’s credibility will be gone, and the troops will trust me more than her. Her mind raced with the possibilities once her plan came to fruition so much that she nearly ran into the door where her team was. Luckily, Fran caught herself and opened the door in a triumphant fashion, a wide smile on her face.

“The time is now! We will capture or kill John Newman and once and for all show the Order that we are far more worthy to be in charge than some silver spoon virgin!” exclaimed Fran to her loyal soldiers who cheered in agreement.

“The Warden should be subservient to a worthy leader of the Order, not the leader of the Order!” yelled one of her team members.

“Fran forever!” yelled another.

The cheers continued for another few minutes as the group gathered their gear and celebrated as their years long plan finally began its endgame. Once they were ready, they made their way to the Order’s transportation room.

The room was rather large thanks to all the doors it housed. The room rivaled even the White House in size. Each door opened to a barrier that allowed the Order to transport troops and supplies quickly to anywhere in the world or Abyss quickly. Only a few actually went to habitable areas, most were to important military locations for the Order. It was for that reason that Fran and her team had come to this room. The team was to use the barrier to quickly traverse to the secret entrance to John’s kingdom.

“Ah, Grand Inquisitor Fran, it is lovely to see you,” said a man whose head was covered in an old plague doctors mask while his body was draped in a robe that was emblazoned clearly with the symbol of the Fateweavers.

“Ah, hello Carlo, it has been quite some time since we’ve seen each other,” Fran said courtly to the clear head of this room.

“Yes, quite some time. Away on a long assignment?” he asked.

“Ah yes, but something big has come up and I have returned,” she informed him.

“So we’ve gathered. Quite a lot of troops and supplies being moved through our barriers. I take it you wish to use one?” he correctly concluded.

“Yes. We need to go to a certain location,” she said as she moved in close so only he could hear what she said.

“Ah yes, as you wish. Your clearance allows you to go as well as a small team, which I assume they are?” he asked to which she responded with a firm nod. “Very well, follow me,” he said as he turned and began to walk back. They continued to walk for what felt like forever but was more akin to 5 minutes.

“We gotta be close, right?” asked one of Fran’s commandos.

“Actually we are here,” said Carlo as he stopped in front of a door. “I, of course, cannot tell you where you all are going but this barrier will get you to your destination. I bid you safe travels,” said the Fateweaver as he gave a quick nod before he took his leave to head back to the front of the room.

“Alright, we’re going to a top secret Order location. You all will never speak a word of where we are going to anyone, understood?” Fran asked.

“Sir, yes, sir!” the unit responded as one.

“Then let’s move out!” she yelled as the group traveled through the door and into the barrier.