The search

Yiro sat in the throne room, a brooding look on his face hidden beneath the thick mask he wore. He looked down at the man whom brought news of what he was searching for. A growl left his lips as her leaned forward. "Your telling me that you can not find even one of the heirs, let alone the one person I want the most?" He placed his hands under his chin. "Do you know what happens to someone whom fails me time and time again?" The man went rigid, and he shrank into himself. A twisted smirk appeared on Yiro's face, but the man couldn't see it. "You have one more chance, but if you return again without information again then you can expect that I will have a punishment laid out for you," The man bowed and hurriedly left the room, at a sprint was more likely. He rose from his throne and walked down the small pair of stairs that led up to it before he paced about the room. His thought a chaotic mess, yet the Shadow Keeper found some way to sort through them none the less. He wasn't thrilled in the least. They all kept slipping through his fingers yet he couldn't find anything that was liable enough to even considering making his generals go in search for what he wanted most. He growled before he turned to his throne once again and sat upon it with little thought as to what was going on else where. Something entered his mind and he laughed loudly. "Of course," he looked to a bewildered servant and ordered him to send Ryder to the throne room. The man hurriedly left the room in search for the man Yiro wanted to see.

Dark lightning flashes....

Ryder Zepher - Lightning General of the Shadow Alliance

Ryder was in the courtyard for the Shadow Keep, watching over the training that the soldiers were going through when a hectic servant came running up to him. The general lifted an eyebrow in question, wondering what had the man so frantic. He looked back over towards the soldiers, waiting for the man to speak. A few minutes later, the servant caught his breath and stated, "General, sir, the Shadow Keeper requests your prescence in the throne room."

The lightning general pushed off the wall he had been leaning on and stalked off. The servant stared after the man with wide eyes before taking off to finish the rest of his duties. As Ryder headed towards the throne room, he wondered what Yiro needed him for and paid no attention to the other servants that scurried out of his way. Compared to the other general, Phaos Caelestis, he was more approachable in comparision, but none of the servants wanted to take a chance with the unemotional lightning general. None of them were sure what his reaction would be to them getting in his way. Ryder paused at the door to the throne room before knocking and then entering. He bowed in respect before stating, "You requested me, sire."

And the storm begins...

Yiro sat upon his throne, his fingers drumming against the arm rest to it as he watched the man scurry form his throne room as he waited for Ryder to show up. His nails making a clicking noise against the thick metal. Many more servants and spies came in with one news or another yet he found himself thinking of how everything will play out. He looked up and over when the man he'd requested to see walked into the room and Yiro sat straight in his chair before leaning forwards in thought. "Yes, thus the reason I requested your presence," He stated with a low voice, "I want you to take your men to the city of Aera. I have a feeling what I am searching for is there. Plus some nasty rumors have been coming from that place, some which displease me and it's getting in my way. I want you to go and deal with that wretched city for me. If you find that which I seek then tell your men not to harm them, but to subdue them. If you do not find them then I will expect a report on how the search went in detail. Do you understand?" He said as his indigo eyes pierced down at his general. He would go to his room later and plan out the rest of what he was thinking. He waited semi-patiently for Ryder to answer him.

Dark lightning flashes....

Ryder Zepher - Lightning General of the Shadow Alliance

Ryder kept his gaze down in respect til Yiro spoke to him. When the Shadow Keeper began to speak of his plans, the general's mind began to run through the different thing he would need to do what his leader was asking of him. His mind paused on the thought of why Aera before remembering the rumors that had reached the bluenette about there being those that helped the rebels in the small town in what had been the Realm of Winds. The lightning user figured that he could get his men together quickly and headed out in less than hour, which would make it so that the Shadow Alliance forces would reach the town by nightfall if not slightly earlier. Ryder nodded to himself before looking at Yiro with unemotional blue eyes as he replied, "It shall be down, my lord. My men shall be informed, and we shall headed out as soon as possible. If we leave in less than hour, we should be able to reach Aera by nightfall, which will give us the element of surprise and make it so that you have a report by mid-morn tomorrow."

The general bowed again and waited to be dismissed, so that he could get his men together. Most of them were ready to move out on his word, but there was a few things that needed to be dealt with also. Yes, the lightning general and his men could get to the town by nightfall and hopefully find one of the royals that were still alive. If not, they would still be able to deal with the pain that Aera had become for the Shadow Keeper and make an example of the small town. The other towns and their people would see that the Shadow Alliance was not a group that you could mess without consquences.

And the storm begins...

Yiro smirked beneath the mask, he could tell that the lightning General was already thinking of what to do. A strategic sense over coming him before he spoke to him. Yiro listened to the words as Ryder spoke them. Out of the Generals he had he liked Ryder for some odd reason, maybe it was because the man never failed to complete a task that was given to him. Or it could be because he liked the man because he usually brought back, anyone whom was considered an enemy, alive. He held back a chuckle as he nodded slightly as he waved a hand of dismissal. "I look forward to hearing from you then Lightning General Ryder. Until then I expect the utmost best that you always seem to put out.....you are dismissed," Yiro looked over to a man whom was practically shivering in the corner in fear of what ever he was supposed to say to the man he called his leader. Yiro enjoyed moments like these, yet he glanced back to Ryder momentarily, knowing the man would leave sooner rather then later. He looked back to the spy whom was slowly making an approach towards the throne, "You there." He called to the spy, "What have you for me?"

The spy stuttered and stammered over his words, "My Lord, there is nothing I can bring back to you. It seems many of the rebels have fled from one base to another. Our search of them has become more difficult, and people do not divulge information lightly. It seems the people of other kingdoms speculate that you have sent spies out, to find them, they are weary and unresponsive to people whom appear harmless or kind."

Yiro leaned back in his seat and thought for a moment, "Well then....I will have to probably send someone out there to stay for a while. I'm sure if they can gain the trust of the people then they can find out where the bases are located sooner or later." He smirked before laughing in a tone that was dripping with an insane humor to it. "On that note you have saved me some trouble. Your journey has brought information of use. You will not be punished," He rose from his throne. "Leave me, I must think now," The man smiled with relief and Yiro glared at him and the smile faltered before he bowed and scurried off. Yiro walked down the small staired area to his throne, before pushing open the big doors to the throne room. Servants stopped what they were doing, eyes pointing down and away as they bowed to him. He payed them no mind as he stalked his way to his room.

Dark lightning flashes....

Ryder nodded in response to Yiro's command before turning on his heel. He paid no mind to the spy waiting his turn, terrified. Inwardly, the general sneered at the man's fear, but his expression stayed blank on the outisde. He stalked towards the doors and exited the throne room before heading back towards the courtyard. She exits the Shadow Keep and looks to the west where a slight rumble of thunder reaches the general. 'Interesting... A storm is coming,' thought Ryder before heading towards where the soldiers were training. He came to a stop before whistling sharply. The soldiers froze before rushing to line up before the blunette. Unemotional blue eyes looked over the soldiers before he spoke, "Orders from the Keeper himself have us heading to Aera, which has been a thorn in the Shadow Alliance's side for too long. We are to make an example of the town while looking for any sign of the rebels or the remaining royals. If you find any of the heirs or the cousins, I want them alive and unharmed. Use only what force is necessary to capture them, and that is all."

The general's eyes narrowed as he looked over the soldiers, seriously, continuing, "If I find out anyone has disregarded my orders... you know the repreccusions. We move out in an hour."

Shouts of 'yes, sir' and the like rang through the courtyard before the soldiers took off to deal with what they needed to. Ryder turned and looked towards the direction of Aera, wondering if they would find anyone of use to the Shadow Keeper. Either way, he would not fail Yiro and betray the shadow user's trust. The lightning general had proven himself before, and he would continue to do so. He pushed his thoughts away and turned heading to gather his own gear and horse.

And the storm begins...