A spark of blood red formed int he middle of a street, spinning rapidly in a counter clockwise direction before widening into a full blown portal from farmland to that city. Moving sdwiftly as to where her butler had indicated where their room was to be and her meeting to be kept she smiled,. Ah food! Lovely wonderful food! James had indeed come through with her desired meal preperations as he had said!

Perfect!

As she sat down to eat she forced a smaller portal, one as big as her fist. Sending out a letter of some form, magically created, with Marks name upon it. And her parents, her deceased parents he had killed in Egypt when he broke her heart, seal under his name. He'd know exactly what it meant.

She sat down to eat. It was about time she had a traditional Egyptian meal. A good dozen thugs milled around the eating place, making themselves scarece and just barely seen but close by as she ate. Ahhh james had come through for her once anew. He was then seeing to their stay asnd room prepreations with the inn owner. Ahh. Perfect.

All there was left to do was drive the last nail into the coffin. Her former fiance's coffin.

Oh how she wanted to see the look on his face when he got her letter. But no, she was starving.

The butler was always close by as he watched his charge devour the meal set out before her. Her meal itself was crafted and picked by James and consisted of an assortment of cheeses, primarily a well aged Rumi and a few slivers of Hulumi brined to the proper specifications, with several loaves of bread and butters. The primary dish itself was a bowl of bamia bi-lahm which consisted of cooked okra and lamb and a heavy tomato sauce with a variety of herbs to accompany its taste. A pot of tea sat next to her meal with an empty cup and a small note revealing that it was Kushari tea. Along with it she would find a bowl of sugar and a bit of cream to go along with it if she so choose. Her needs would be fulfilled under her butlers ever watchful eye.

Aboard the Silver Eagle

Mark would find the serenity of his power nap disturbed by the sense of something magical appearing in his vicinity, and then something landing in his lap. Sighing, he opened his eyes and sat up in his chair, looking at the sealed letter. It smelled of a place nearby; somewhere he'd been to before. Looking over the seal was enough to know who sent it, but spurred by curiosity, he opened it.

His name. That's all it read. He was silent as he stood and put on his coat, securing it and making sure it looked nice before raising the hood and taking a deep breath, stepping backwards into a transport array.

Across the table from Vitas.

Mark plopped himself into the chair across from her, and would likely not be recognized until he plopped the letter on the table, saying nothing. His beard had been freshly groomed, his coat washed, his boots shined and his body rested. He looked like he could take on the world at the moment, though he didn't feel like it. Would be too much of a hassle. For a while he said nothing, crossing his legs a bit, his ankle on his knee as his fingers entwined in his lap and he leaned back and to the side, leaning particularly into the arm rest on his left side, which also meant that it was his left foot resting on his right knee. A strange move, since the last time Vitas had seen him, he'd only used his left Gauntlet, not his full armor.

Still he said nothing; he didn't even look directly at her, but at the butler-type man who stood nearby, analyzing him for any signs he could be a potential threat. Once he was content that he wasn't, his vibrantly dark brown eyes turned to look at the woman from under his hood, a dim bronze glow back-lighting his irises as he looked at her.

He'd let her speak first.

"You are not an Elisar" She said simply a moment or two after Mark easily landed in his seat. It wasnt like brute forcing a portal those transport arrays, but they did the job pretty well. "Are you ?" Her orange eyes stared at him, there were flecks of black and red in her eyes. A sign of her sheer power.

Surely he wondered how she was still alive. She poured a cup of the tea for herself, flicking her nail into the sugar bowl to flick a bit of the sugar into the tea before pretty much dipping her finger into the cream and letting it drip into the tea off her nail before taking a sip. "See something you like ?" She asked him as he stared at her.

If he did tht would be a mircale in and of itself. Mostly because Mark had broken their engagement, and killed her parents. On the same day. The result. Her magic finally surfacing as her parents had longed but never got to see. She poured another cup of tea and held it to him "Tea ?"

"No." Came the simple reply to her question of both his not being an Elisar, and seeing something he liked. When offered tea however, he paused, then shook his head. "No." he repeated. He leaned further into the chair and rested his chin against his hand as he looked lazily at her.

"Mark Wolfe, at your service. Your once husband-to-be, and since slayer of your family. Shame, that. Your parents were decent folks." he said, however despite his sincerity in his words, there was none in his tone, nor any remorse. He'd come to terms with what he'd done, he had moved on. "To be truthful, my orders were to kill everyone in your house. Couldn't find you. Then look at the mess you made in Cali."

He sighed and shook his head, yawning and stretching his whole body out, a few joints popping before he relaxed. "So then, what can I do for you, Talak Horde of Cairo?" he asked, calling her by her full name. His full name was mostly on display; however there were other names she would know him by. Code-names, mostly, and of his old affiliation with the Elisar Clan.

His faintly glowing eyes peered in to hers. She held great power within her...she was powerful indeed. But when it came to combat, and the use of Magic on the fly in combat, he had her beat. All he had to do was tap into Kalda's power and experience, and use that. But sheer power, if she got the jump on him, she'd win. No questions asked.

Good thing he wasn't here to fight.

Vitas smirked and set the cup in front of him. he could drink it when ready. "Yes, You could not find me, because you broke my heart, then by your own words. Killed my parents. Their servantea, and then left" She smirked. "And look at your luck, twenty eight years later. You find me in California. Of course by that time I had made a name for myself, My adopted parents taught me well. Better than yours. In many respects."

She never was one for telling her past, she hated the man in front of her for breaking her heart, she never let go of that locket. Thinking of which she held it out "I still have it, Even when you broke my heart I kept it." He already knew what had happened, why he couldnt find her when he was to kill her. Quite honestly he didnt want to do it, he'd just broken up with her, and in her heartbreak she tried to kill herself, only to pretty much fall into the lap of her new family dead on at the time.

"When they heard we were engaged, betrothed, the lockets..... They were horrified that I become an Elisar. But I have you to thank quite honestly. I was planning on killing them the night of our wedding. You broke my heart, killed my parents and their servantea and never found me. And then you get to Califonira, to Ruth Big. Baba Yaga herself... And then... you kill me."

Yep

Mark had killed her, slit her throat, destroyed both of her kidneys and her liver, exactluy like he had done her mother, throat slit, kidney and liver gone, the work of an artist. "Now... your next question no doubt, is how am I still alive ? How are.... we.. still alive. Spike you killed, I brought her back. My magic, brought us back"

Ok, wait, magic brought her ba... oh shit

"And now you ask me, what can you do for me ?" She held her hand out towards her butler, the suited man handed her the desired item. She held it up, and let it unroll for Mark to see. It was written in nine different langauges, including draconic, Eagle, Tigris and six other Mortal langages. But it was the seal that had the undevided attention, it wasnt even her seal or her families seals. It was the Templar Cross, her Templar Cross, with the crown of thorns around it "Recognise this woman ?" The image was easy to identify.

It was Marks adopted sister, Serena Elisar. And by look of it, Talak wanted her... alive. "Who was it... that spied on us when we traded lockets ? Was it her ?"

She handed the wanted poster back to her butler then sat back in her chair "Why did you come to Sacremento, what drew you there ?.... Why..... Is it so easy to take one life.... but so hard to lose one ?"

Mark ignored the tea that was set in front of him, though he did enjoy the smell of it. It seemed she still knew how to make good tea. With that in mind, he thought about the good things about Talak, she was smart, independent, strong, and now powerful. She didn't compare to Elsa, but then, that was a bit of a biased decision. The fact that Blackmane and Snowfeather let him engage in a relationship with Elsa during his first years in Arendelle puzzled him, as the only time he'd tried it before was with Talak, and they beat him senseless for it.

He looked to the scroll as it unfurled and stroked his beard gently. He made her wait for his answer a bit before he nodded. "My adoptive sister. I'm inclined to tell you however that if you go after her, I will go after you again." he said calmly, finally moving to take a drink of the tea, taking a swig and letting it slide down his throat.

"You always did make good tea." he commented softly.

To her next question he downed the rest of his tea and set it down on the table. "That question is what drove me to California; the loss of life under my command and protection. I'll admit I was conflicted when I learned you were the Templar Grandmaster. Conflicted and confused that you had survived, and that you had gone down such a dark path." he said. He uncrossed his legs, his foot hooking the leg of a nearby chair and dragging it over to him, putting both feet up now.

"You do know that the way of the Templar is corrupt and not worth the journey, right? The brotherhood isn't much different, but at least we fight for the people's freedom to do as they please. You fight to control them. People do not like authority. I thought you of all people would know, Miss "I'll kill my parents on our wedding night if they disapprove"?" he leaned forward to stare her in the eye. His tone wasn't mocking, in fact it was quite dead-pan and calm.

"Why is it so easy to oppress life, but so hard to free it from oppression?" he offered in response to her last question.

"If you can send her my way would be nice, then I wont have to go after her, to thank her." That was really all she wanted to do now that she knew who had spied on them when they exchanged lockets, their engagement. If it wasnt for Serena spying on them and reporting nearly a year later to Marks adopted mother and aunt, and then him breaking her heart at the time she would have never sparked her magic. Thanks to Serena, Vitas had her magic, like her parents had wanted.

"When I heard that it was you who was hunting my underlings in several zones I refused to believe it until you were in my wardrobe in my bedroom waiting for me to berate my men for waking me up so foolishly." Vitas smirked. "You saved me the trouble of killing my own parents because of their stubborn focus for me to be greater than I was, when you broke my heart their dream was realised, but I found a new family. A family both abusive and loving at the same time. I put their regime down through Ruth Big, who wanted out of my circle. So we made a deal, and I honored it... and then you showed up"

"With Thomas and Maureen Warmoon dead, I rebuilt Sacremento to what you found, a thriving city packed with people willing to work and learn. Everyone was happy before you showed up and began wrecking the system we had so carefully set up. The children were well cared for and well fed, the adults had jobs and worked, the streets were clean, even ther hoverlanes were clean. AZnd yet you changed all of that. We had order, stablity, peace."

"Do you call that opression ? When everyone was happy, healthy, peaceful." Apparently Vitas was not the same woman he had broken up with, he had changed her, sure he'd made her cold to love, ruthless and evil to many of her men. But she cared for the children. She was a Templar, but she was different. Most templars craved and held onto their power, but apparently, Vitas Warmoon had instead shared her massive house with families, children.

"You call it Peace? Where people are forced to learn your doctrine without a say in what they want? Forced to either go be a worker or to be a servant? You call what I toppled peace? Sure, I get where you're coming from; because it is peace. but it is forced. It isn't how Humans like to live. Any who say otherwise are brainwashed. People hate Authority, Talak, they don't like to be made to things. You should know that of all people. You, who agreed to marry a boy who your parents didn't approve of. You, who was planning on killing your overbearing parents. You, who used the Assassins to kill the Templars that originally inhabited Sacremento only to replace them with yourself." Mark snapped, his voice never racing, but his tone harsh and stern. He took a sip of his tea after wards.

"To tell you the truth, your regime was mild compared to every other Templar regime. Very mild. But still it was oppressive. America used to be the land of the free, and Templars have ruined it. What I did started a chain reaction. America is in turmoil as the people form Assassin Cells all over the Country. The Templars can't win. And the only reason I haven't tried to kill you yet is because I've already done it once. I don't feel like killing the same person twice." he added with a much calmer tone, leaning back into the chair once more.

"I'll tell my sister you send your regards; but I won't bring her to you." he finally said in regards to his sister.

"People can be bought with money. Each man, woman and child learned, and grew in peace under my control. They made things, they made money. Had happy safe homes. No bad medical aid, fake sense of security. you name it. under my command they had medical help, money, homes... peace." Talak growled out.

She produced a fan out of nowhere and fanned herself a bit in the midday sun, even though they were under a roof of a freestanding structure at the time it was quite warm. "And then you come along, and disrupt the peace. Crescent City left us alone for ten years wherein peace was esatblished after the destuction of the old order. I made peace with Ruth Big... Peace that you broke."

"I was planning on killing my parents should they not approve of you, But it was you that did so instead. My adoptive family gave me my new name. And I had them slain by Ruth Big. she wanted out of our arrangement, I gave her a deal, she did it, I let her be. My regime was one of peace. Now those children will suffer, Where they once had peace they now have war." She smirked then

"Good, I'd hate for it to become a habit" She said in regards to him not trying to kill her a second time. "But yes, my regime was.... different. Had my parents raised me as intended, and had we married, I'd have become an Assassin, like you. But instead, I became.... different.... thanks to you and your sister" the fact he'd send her regards wasnt enough. Vitas wanted to do it herself, simply say thanks. Because honestly if it wasnt for Serena, then Talak's magic would have never surfaced and she'd have left hetr home with Mark like she had hoped.

Finally she took a sip of her tea, then asked "Where is the black bird you were with ?" She meant Sazhori, Fior all Mark knew they had parted ways after they left Sacremento months before, truth was, she was somewhere in Vintu at that very moment. "The woman with Hematite eyes ?"

Mark let out an unamused "Hmph" at her words. Things would have been very different if she had married him, if she had become an assassin instead of a Templar Sourceress.... Very different indeed. But where she had him beat in Magical Capability, he had her beat in Physicality, they were at odds with one-another, equals yet also above each other at the same time. He finished his tea as she spoke of how she planned on killing her parents, and how she'd hate for killing her to become a habit. He'd be thorough with the next time; making sure she'd have no way of coming back.

"Sazhori? Dunno. Lost track of her a while ago; stopped following me around." he turned his head to look at her. "Why do you care? All she did was make sure I didn't die." he said, squinting a bit in intrigue.

Vitas smirked. "You saw and felt my power. What I can do. Who I can punish." She filled his teacup, the ceramic bowl glittered with the drink. "You saw me.... make a Relic... And yet.... you still came to my home.... personally.... and fought with me.... and ended the victor." She raised her own refilled tea up in a toast. "To that is a point, in your favor"

Vitas smiled then after taking a sip of her tea "Is that her name ? Beautiful to be sure. I do believe she is near, I feel her magic... or of one similar to her" Vitas smiled and shook her head briefly, "No matter. She killed Spike. It still surprises me that you can make yourself look different. And yet...." She smiled then, a truly strange yet oddly not evil smile, something of a happy smile

Finally she asked out of the blue entirely. "How is Zhao Yu ? Havent seen her since I..... transformed her"

A sleek, sand-and-black, high class governmental transport vessel zoomed through Vintu. It was on it's way to Vien, carrying noble passengers for important causes. The emblem beneath was instantly recognizable by travelers on the long road between Freeport and Vien below. Some made sport of pointing it out.

Ryan Berentes gazed wistfully from a window port on the governmental transport vessel. He had much to do when they arrived in the great city of Vien.

Mark grunted, nodding in thanks for refilling his tea. "Yes, I felt your power; I'd like to avoid doing it again. It was not a pleasant experience... Besides, if you tried it now, even you would be horrified with what you'd turn me into, even if it only lasted a second." he winked. "As for winning; well, once I had your heart in my palm again that was easy, now wasn't it, my dear Lady Warmoon." he smiled, sipping at his tea after placing a cube of sugar into it and stirring.

"You'd be surprised at what I can do now, Lady Warmoon. I've come a long way since killing you. As for Sazhori,... I honestly can't say what she's up to right now if she is nearby. Could be aboard my ship for all I know." he shrugged.

"Ms. Yu? She's alive. A shattered, scared mess of a woman, but alive... pity, she was so pretty I was sure someone in Arendelle or the Mythic Realm would try to court her.... Now she's a bumbling fool of a woman... no thanks to you." he stated. At the slight look of surprise Mark smirked, letting out an amused half-chuckle before taking another drink and setting the cup down on the saucer. "Yes, your magic wore off; it took some... wrangling, of course, but she returned to human form. I must say, I hope you've gotten better at Transformation magic, no clothing when she came back. Not saying that was an unwelcome sight but, still. Little embarrassing for anyone else." he shrugged.

Out of sheer habit alone his eyes darted to the car as it rounded the corner, heading down the street this little cafe was on. It mattered not; he had no contracts; No Targets to take care of besides Draco, but he was of no concern right now. Now, he was focused on Vitas. At least for a small while longer; until he finished his tea.

Her gaze briefly caught sight of the Aaethertruck as it drove past. Interesting design yet nothing really eye catching aside from the man in the window looking out as it passed by. "You know then what I can do, that is good. We are on even ground." She gave him a steely look. "You had my heart once, but the night we were to marry. You threw it aside as if it were useless."

"Your ship ?" Vitas then asked. Of all things, "I was not one to ever assume you were a sailor" She mused, it was true, Mark didnt look like a sailor type whatsoever. the mere thought of the pesky Raven nearby had Vitas already plotting her revenge.

However it was the mention of Miss Yu being a shattered broken woman after her spell wore off that had her undevided attention. Reaching into her sleeve she removed a small flask of a sort of white ceramic "Give her this, the spell was to end after a week as if it never happened, no mental damage, nothing changed whatsoever to her memories or skillset. Give her this, and it will remove all the damage incurred upon her" She set the flask, no larger than a common bottle of pills on the table next to Marks tea bowl

At his look she smirked "No price, no questions asked, I made a promise to her that the spell would wear off after a week as she did protect my pet at the time. I mean to keep my promises" She said simply before refilling his tea bowl anew and taking a sip of her own tea

"Still... I have you to thank for many things. I cannot help but think, if we had married... My magic never surfacing... What would that entail for you ? Your family ?"

"Not just a sailor, but a Captain." he corrected, tilting his head to either side slowly to stretch the muscles in his neck, deciding to get more comfortable before he finally left. He was about to speak again before she produced a small flask containing a potion. This potion would rid Yu of the torment of being a Tiger? So simply? What was the catch? There had to be one. He stared at the bottle as he reached out and plucked it from her hands with his fingers. He felt no ill magic about it; yet also nothing particularly good, either. It was just a regular potion.

"Even as a Templar Grand Master you retained your honor and integrity.... that's one of the few things I still respect about you...." he said calmly, pocketing the potion. As she went on to ask the question of whether or not they'd gotten married as young kids he shrugged. "Who knows; you'd be an Assassin, but I wouldn't be where I'm at, either. You would have walked down a different, perhaps less dark Path, but I wouldn't have discovered my true purpose or path in life... not really a fair trade if you ask me." he explained, shrugging afterwards. The events following their wedding would have been extremely different than the ones that had taken them to this spot in time since he broke off the relationship entirely, and killed her parents

After that, he finished his cup of tea and stood, raising his hood an fixing his coat before turning to her and giving her a nod. "Well, I'd be lying to say it wasn't nice to see you again, but I'd also be lying to see I'm happy to see you again. Do with that information what you will; just stay out of trouble or you'll be seeing me again soon. Good day." he said calmly before stepping back through a Transport Array, vanishing from the room.