April 21, 2005
Coralis looked at him, confused.
"We never found out who burned it down, and I spoke to my former flatmates last night. I was in Madrid when the fire happened, on my way back from South Africa where Alejandro Salinz and I took down a mystical weapon trade operation after escaping jail."
"Is it connected to the acres of burned trees by the Kruger National Park?"
"Yes. A radical cell of djinns was based there to distribute weapons to other radical clans and possibly to some humans working law enforcement. We went there after escaping jail. We nearly got captured again when we arrived in Madrid. It was about 7:45 local time."
"Approximately 10 minutes before a group of people set your London flat on fire," said Mal, pressing buttons on the viewing device he was holding before giving it back to her. "Look at the timestamp. This is from a CCTV attached to a lamppost."
"This is the rooftop of the house across the street," said Coralis, pointing at a corner of the screen before watching a holographic image of Roumriz appearing on the screen. "There is no sound… but someone has been talking to Roumriz through hologram about 2 minutes before my flat went on fire… that person wore an invisible cloak, but wasn't hiding the hologram… so the CCTV caught it…"
"origin of the fire is still being investigated by the London police. It is public news that someone burned your place of residence after you escaped jail, but we're ensuring that your exact address never gets to the press. We believe that Elder Roumwiz gave the order to set your flat on fire."
"Meaning he was probably behind our near capture in Madrid that morning. If Andrew found out about it, he could have taken it upon himself to avenge me. He wanted to kill Elder Alfredino to avenge me last year… who was killed the night following the fire."
"Do you believe he is a danger to us?"
"No… but maybe, indirectly. If Andrew founded the Order of Silver Blood and someone in an EBEE branch sent you the information, or anyone from a radicalized group because Elders Alfredino and Roumwiz worked both sides… then he is probably just getting started, and they fear there will be more EBEE Elders turning up dead. I do not think he will go after humans. Humans aren't in danger from him, on the contrary, but it would create more chaos among my kind, and that isn't good, if not worse."
On her back to Montreal, Coralis mind-linked Alejandro after passing the new information to Erik and Henry.
"Elder Roumwiz was behind our near capture in Madrid and the fire of my London flat 2 weeks ago," said Coralis.
"How did you find that out? Are you sure?"
"Let's just say I have trusted contacts among the human Secret Services. Andrew created an organization called Order of Silver Blood. I watched video evidence linking Elder Roumwiz to the fire of my London flat, and you know there is no such thing as coincidence in our line of work."
"Maybe Andrew thought it was Elder Alfredino who gave the order for your London flat, but knowing Elders Alfredino and Roumwiz worked together, it's probably the same difference. They both deserved to die anyway, but the Order of Silver Blood? Is he planning on going after everyone who works for the EBEE? I mean, I can't trust any of them, but not all of them are bad."
"I don't know, but that's also where my mind went when I heard of it. The EBEE needs to clean their house, but I don't know if Andrew plans on doing it for them or if he wants to eliminate them all. All I know is if it boils down to a confrontation between EBEE and OSB, I'm staying out of it."
"Same. Let's stick to the shadows and make sure their bad blood doesn't spill over to the humans."
"That's what I said to my contact."
The next day, the elemental news reporters began to talk about the Order of Silver Blood. The name of Andrew Waterway wasn't mentioned anywhere, as everyone kept referring to him as The Rogue Paladin because of his looks.
"We are there to fight the deep-rooted corruption among the European Bureau of Elemental Energy. They have been lying to us for decades and the humans never were to blame for the war they declared against us. Together, we will rise above them and create a clean institution to govern our people…"
"ARE YOU WATCHING ANDREW'S STATEMENT?" said Sebastian through mind-link.
"Yes, but you don't need to yell it in my mind," said Coralis.
"Andrew? Are you talking about The Rogue Paladin?" said Audrey.
"Some day, I'll become a pro at mind-linking," said Sebastian.
"Yes, we're talking about The Rogue Paladin, we know him. I was his apprentice when working for the EBEE. We believe he killed Elders Alfredino and Roumwiz to avenge me and Alejandro. These two elders deserved to die, but a war between EBEE and OSB is not the solution."
"It will be chaos and anarchy in the elemental world in Europe," said Audrey.
"Just like it will be in the United States if the AEEA keeps refusing to do anything," said Sebastian.
Over the next several days, six EBEE agents from six different branches were killed and five Shadow Elementals joined the ranks of the OSB. Riwik cut the mind-links of those who left but did not order them to be killed.
"They made the choice to leave us and join The Rogue Paladin's cause, but until their conflict against the EBEE puts all of us in danger and negatively impacts the balance of how things should be, we will let them be," said Riwik to the remaining Shadow Elemental members.
One evening, Coralis and Frank were having dinner with Sebastian, Stephanie and Molly at their apartment when Coralis' gumball machine lit up bright orange and shrieked.
They all jumped and turned to look at it.
"Holy gods from above, what is it this time," said Coralis, getting up to retrieve the message.
She caught the piece or parchment spat by the gumball machine and read it out loud.
'Blue Thunder,
'We urgently need your help to stop The Rogue Paladin in his madness. German Elder Pratz has just been found dead. Please destroy him before he kills another elder.
'May the gods and goddesses be with you,
'Elder Rolland.'