Chapter 23 Mina (1/2)

Nix brought the group to see their guest.He stopped a few feet away and introduced everyone.”Mina these are members of the Daybreakers.”This is Sharl, Ronnie, Wind, and Pon.” He turned to his friends and gestured to the woman dressed in black.”This is Filamina of the Souza Accord.”

She pulled down her mask and slipped her hood back.There was a sharp intake of breath.It's one thing to be told someone is an Aquarion, but being up close and personal is a different story.”I am glad that you have brought your friends to meet me.”

Pon stepped forward and extended his hand. ”Never did I imagine that I would shake hands with an Aquarion, perhaps this is a good omen.”

She shook his hand,she actually knew three of the four people Nix had brought.The trio were known as the Silent Killer, Fire Hands, and Death Spear.She suppressed a shiver, there were probably only ten humans that her people had given names to, and four of them were standing in front of her.”You will have a lot of questions.I will answer everything.”

”Come inside and have a seat, there's no need to stand out here.”Nix led them inside and made sure they were comfortable, before taking a seat in a chair next to the sofa.

”This is super odd right?”Ronnie had been staring at the Aquarion woman the entire time.”Sitting down on a couch with us?”

”Call me Mina, I'm getting used to it.” She turned her pale blue eyes on Nix. ”I was scared to death to meet him.”

Ronnie wrinkled her nose, ”scared of Nix?”She favored him with a smile, ”It's those fire strands right?”

”Ronnie...”Sharl interrupted her younger sister before turning to Mina.”I have a question.”

Mina understood the difference between the sisters instantly.”Ask your questions.”

”Won't the Aquarions die away as a race if they don't continue to steal human girls?”This was the sticking point with Sharl, any life form will fight when faced with their extinction.

”It's true that our babies are inherently male. Eventually, we will die out.” Mina was silent for a few moments before she continued, ”I am only 25 years old, my life expectancy is about four hundred years.If this baby stealing were to stop today, the last of us would die out in about four hundred and fifty years.”

The old fire mage had been watching her carefully, sometime during the conversation he had stopped thinking of her as the enemy. ”How many people are in your faction?”

”Not many, we are cast out and hunted down.There are about six hundred of us left.”Mina glanced downward, ”we are constantly moving from place to place.”

”You're trying to convince your people to walk a path that will lead to their extinction.”Sharl had decided that Mina was telling them the truth, but also that she was seriously misguided.”They will not accept that.What can Six hundred do against hundreds of thousands?”

”We will do what we can. Build our strength, and build the strength of our allies.There will be a day when we destroy the artifact that has taken so many human girls.”

Ronnies dark eyes shone with emotion, ”I will join your cause.”

Sharl tried not to frown at her sister's words.”Let's be clear, the artifact didn't take a single human girl, it is incapable of doing so.That was done by your people.”

Mina locked her eyes on Sharl, ”We can make you stronger.Strong enough to fight your way into the temple where the artifact is kept.”

”It's on the twelfth floor isn't it?”Pon spoke in a whisper, ”lore says that a powerful artifact waits at the end of the Mermaid City raid.”

Mina nodded, ”the god pathway that the humans walk to explore Mermaid City, eventually leads to the artifact.”

Wind whistled softly, the noise made Mina jump slightly.”We are on the second floor of the fourth stage.We had to cheat to get there.”

Sharl frowned at her scout, ”the strongest human guild is also there.”

”We can help you get through the stages.It will take some time, but we will work with you and present shortcuts whenever we can.On the last floor, you will face the Elder Matriarchs.If you defeat them, you will be able to complete the mission.”

Pon considered her words, ”you should tell us why you are really here.I believe you are sincere about this mission to destroy the artifact.I also know that such a thing is years away, even with your help.”

”There's a serious threat to your race in the South.A Beast-Master has arisen and grows stronger every day.”

Sharl leaned forward slightly, she too had heard the rumblings of someone called Alpha.”What is a Beast-Master?”

”She doesn't know any more about him than we do.” Nix nodded slightly at Mina, ”I will join you and the Souza Accord.I give you leave to bring all of them here.”

Sharl looked at him in surprise, he had jumped in rather quickly.”I think it's a bad idea to bring them here.”

Nix looked at her with an innocent smile.”Do I tell you who to allow into your Guild Hall?”

Ronnie covered a laugh when she saw her sister's expression, Nix had a point.

Mina's pale face showed her shock, she hadn't expected that Nix would offer them sanctuary.”Thank you, Nix, and I want to thank all of you for listening to my words.”

Sharl bowed slightly, ”I will speak with my officers and consider this carefully.”

Nix brought them all back to Jenza and then immediately returned to The Sea-World.When he returned he noticed Mina was kneeling on the sand studying his Manta eggs.”They should hatch soon.”

Mina nodded, ”very soon.You stopped me from talking about the Beast-Master.Why?”