Kiliyi showed up to warn them that the Koru were nearby, and they needed to return to Brexcen, so after the revelation that Yoorei drew Brek’s and Lysyntri’s markings they jumped on the Highhorns and ran back to the city. Once back Ang went with Brek to Bassinee’s house to return Quill, upon nearing the house they found Gron and Rux at the entrance, with Bassinee inside panicking, crying, and tearing through her home yelling.

“Where is it? I always keep it next to me. Why now of all times has it decided to fly away from me. It must be here somewhere.”

“What happened?” asked Brek.

“Vlux had a seizure and fell unconscious, so we brought her here. Bassinee says she needs to add more markings to Vlux, but she got drunk and misplaced Quill,” said Gron.

Ang and Brek exchanged ominous looks and entered the house.

“We’ll help you Bassinee, if we spread out we’ll find it. Did you check the back room, maybe move some furniture?” Said Ang.

“No, it should be here somewhere. Or maybe I did wander in there and drop it. Oh dear, I must quit drinking.”

“Let's go have a look. Brek will keep searching in here.”

“I’ll holler if I find anything,” said Brek.

“Oh, thank you both.” Ang took Bassinee into the back room and feigned helping her search.

“I found it!” Came Brek’s voice. Bassinee dashed back to the main room. “Here, it was just under there,” said Brek handing Quill over.

“Oh, thank you, Brek. I swear I checked that corner a hundred times. Guess I just needed a fresh pair of young eyes to see it. Now I must attend to Vlux, please wait outside.” They left the house, shut the door, turned to each other and snickered.

“What a rush, thanks for distracting her.”

“I can’t let your perfect reputation get tarnished. But in all seriousness I hope Vlux is alright.”

“Yeah me too, Gron and Rux must have gone back to the training area. Ang you haven’t gone through DUSTT have you?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“I bet you’d be a natural at it, c’mon let’s see if we can get a team together to play Deceive and Thieve.”

#

After the boys left Kiliyi waited in the branches of the jade tree for her query to arrive. As the sun set, a figure clad in a deep dark hood crept over the hill and approached the tree. Laying a marked hand on the trunk, the figure spoke.

“Paouni, so it came to this did it. I wanted to thank you in person, but I suppose this must suffice. Thank you for everything Paouni. Hmm, I guess you haven’t learned to speak in your new form, or you just don’t want to talk to me. I don’t blame you, I’m not a good person. I’ve done terrible things and deceived so many. Because of me, you, Myorni, Yoorei, even the love of my life. You’re all gone or changed forever. I’ve condemned so many. I convinced everyone that it was for the sake of protecting the future. But in truth it was all for the sake of protecting my future. Nothing will make up for the things I’ve done, but I promise, I will destroy those humans for everything they took from us. All the pieces are in place. Now in order to assure victory, I need only spin my web.” With that the figure walked away and disappeared into the night. Kiliyi stood amongst the rustling bronze leaves, prepared to do what she must.

#

At the DUSTT training grounds Ang, Clesio, Thramuny, Rux, and Euyene formed one team, while Brek, Sperio, Drumya, Gron, and Dungii formed the other. It seemed everyone in the city came to watch this match of Deceive and Thieve, full of newcomers. Isu acting as referee announced the match.

“The rules are simple, the goal is to either tassel out all the opposing team members or steal all the treasure in their chest and take it to your team’s chest. You cannot use any items, only your own innate skills and abilities. The use of magic and deception is encouraged. Players please find your starting position.” They each took up positions on their respective halves of the playing sphere. “Everyone set, on your mark and,” Isu blew the horn.

Gron jumped onto Sperio’s back, as he activated his fire markings. Though he could not produce fire, he could still provide ample heat and propulsion. Combined with Gron’s incantation they became a barely perceivable blur, that jumped from point to point. Clesio familiar with this strategy countered by predicting where they would jump next and swirled the water at that location fast enough to toss them to opposite ends of the playing sphere.

Rux moved from shadow to shadow, chopping at the dark with his hands to cut into the night. He popped out of a shadow, but Dungii surprised him, hiting him in the gut and snatching the tassel off his wrist while Rungii snatched the tassel off his neck.

“Meep Meep.”

“Darn, now I only have one tassel left. Is that even fair? Dungii and Rungii are like a two for one,” said Rux.

“After many tests and deliberations, we determined that Dungii and Rungii function as one being, and should be counted as one player. Though to make things more fair, Dungii has one tassel and Rungii has one tassel,” said Isu.

“You need to keep your head in the game Rux,” said Brek next to him dangling a tassel from a clear thread.

“Looks like Rux is the first one to be tasseled out,” called Isu.

Thramuny and Clesio synchronize their movements. Clesio in her element, darted through the space like a dolphin, while Thramuny used her natural grace and palm blasts. They made a pincer attack for the chest guarded by Drumya. He hit Clesio with a well-aimed blast, and Vyranya popped out to defend against Thramuny, though found he could not breathe fire. Thramuny grabbed a bag full of coins and dashed back to deposit them.

“That guy has an extra dragon head popping out,” said Rux.

“Same rules as Dungii apply to them, they are two beings functioning as one therefore they each get one tassel,” said Isu.

Brek, Sperio, and Gron made a coordinated effort on the chest, Thramuny and Clesio were defending. Thramuny knocked Brek’s threads away by swinging her braids. Clesio lowered the temperature around Sperio to negate his abilities. Gron made a dash for the chest only to block a punch from Thramuny and get knocked back a few meters. As this happened, Ang rode on Euyene’s back. Moveing shockingly fast toward the chest guarded by Drumya and Vyranya. A gigantic fanged beast appeared before Druvyranya. The beast nearly swallowed him whole but he quickly moved out of the way. This left the chest unguarded for Ang to grab the whole thing. He and Euyene began swimming back to their base when Dungii whizzed passed. Ang noticed the tassels on his wrist and neck missing, and Dungii winding up for another pass. The fanged monster appeared to swallow Dungii, but showing no fear he swam into the monster's mouth, colliding with Euyene’s head and stopping her from roaring her illusion to life. Still too late Ang had almost to his teams chest when Vlux showed up.

“I’m sorry everyone but the game is over. It’s time for us to make our move.”

“What so soon? But I was about to win,” said Ang.

“No, I won, said Vlux holding up everyone’s tassels.”

“What? how did you get them!” said Thramuny.

“The game is called Deceive and Thieve, and she invented it,” said Isu.

“Everyone I have been looking over the intelligence we’ve been gathering and have been informed that a large portion of the Koru are gathering in a field not far from here. This will be the perfect time to strike. All combatants must prepare to meet on Couraderi immediately. Dungii we’ll need you in your largest form to help ferry people up to the vessel.

“Vlux are you sure you’re alright, you gave us quite a scare, and you look exhausted,” said Gron.

“Yes, I’m fine, Bassinee just had to adjust my marking a little but I’m good, let’s get moving.”

Rungii consumed a plethora of flowerfish allowing Dungii to grow as big as Tial-Meh, who assisted him in getting all the combatants on Couraderi. Once aboard Vlux briefed everyone. After the briefing Kartegus instructed Couraderi ,still in cloud cover, to move over the field where members of the Koru gathered. The friends stood at the edge of the vessel. The time had finally come for them to drive the Koru off the land.