KATIA MEETS GELLAN

Katia looked out the window of the crowded transport, fear icing the lining of her stomach. The other mercs chatted idly amongst themselves, trying to convince themselves that this mission would be a good one, that no one would die. She couldn't find it in herself to tell them otherwise. They all knew the odds, knew what the man they were up against was. The word hung in the air above their heads making the atmosphere heavy, the young soldiers tense. How many wouldn't survive this assault against a necromancer's stronghold? The girl preferred not to speculate. As the Carrier touched down, she wondered if the others of her family were having the same grim thoughts. She waited patiently as they disembarked, giving a small reassuring smile to the others around her.

"Good luck, kid," a man told her, putting a heavy hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry about her, that's Krazy Kat. She's a berserker. She's our best bet for getting in and out without dyin'," a young woman answered, a feral grin on her face. "She'll plow through those undead like they aren't even there!"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Katia told her dryly, hoping that the other merc was right.

"Ok, people, listen up!" a tall woman ordered from in front of the army. Katia smiled, listening to her mother's voice encouraging her troops. Laylia Iriza had founded the Iriza Mercenary Corporation when she was 15, the age Katia was now. She would go into battle with her people, regardless of the risk. "Ground squads, I've given you a handful of mages each, use 'em well! Don't get any berserkers killed needlessly, but don't be afraid t' use 'em either! First and foremost, though, don't get'ch y'selves killed! An' remember! Screw the danger, kill the bastards!" The cheers were deafening as a little over a thousand men and women stormed the building.

Katia roared as the battle rage took over, pain and exhaustion disappearing, leaving a merciless killer in her stead. The enemy fell before her squadron, scattering like flies. In five minutes, they were inside.

"Where the fuck are they?" someone asked as they faced an empty room. "I thought that they'd put up more of a fight than that!" Katia let herself go back to normal, hissing as she registered some pain in her side. Not enough for the resistance to have been very tough, though. She frowned.

"At the risk of sounding like an echo, where the fuck are they?" she repeated, her eyes scanning the room. A little movement caught her eye. "There!" she pointed at the door. "Hold yer fire, we don't know what's comin' at us yet!" What did come at them surprised them all. A boy who looked even younger than Katia was pushed through, his eyes wide with fear. Katia hissed in shock. "Berserker!" she warned as the boy rushed at them, a crazed look in his eye. Losing her battle rage completely, she threw herself at him unarmed and stood her ground.

Without warning, the boy stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes losing the madness that had filled them an instant before, a terrified look filling them. The young merc smiled at him gently, motioning to her companions to stand down.

"He's their watchdog," she purred, trying to soothe the boy. "They're depending on him to protect them. He has no control over the Rage, none at all."

"Then get out of the way, we'll shoot 'im and it'll be done!"

"Do that and I'll kill you myself," she snarled, turning back to them. "Does anyone have the knockout juice? That'll take care of him for a---"

"All squadrons, this is Captain Iriza. Just a friendly little note to tell you that we're barking up the wrong tree. Our necromantic friend has flown the proverbial coop and eluded us. Wrap it up, people! We're going home!"

"You were a sacrifice, weren't you," Katia asked the boy. "They thought that you'd kill us then die? Come here, I won't hurt you…" He had backed into a corner, watching her with huge wary eyes. She snatched the knockout juice out of someone's hand, walking towards him like she would a frightened and abused animal. "It's ok, I'm your friend," she assured him. "This will just make you sleep a bit." He watched her with terror in his eyes, but didn't move, letting her come up to him with the cloth she had poured the liquid on. "Here, take a deep breath," she instructed, placing it over his mouth and nose gently. She never doubted that he would obey. He held her gaze as he complied, the fright receding a bit. Then his eyes glazed over and he fell into her arms, unconscious. She smiled, cuddling him for a bit before trying to pick him up. He wasn't heavy at all, something that surprised her.

He woke up with a terrible headache. He opened his eyes painfully, looking around the room. She was sitting in an ugly yellow armchair, reading a book. A stray lock of pale brown hare caressed a silky cheek, left unchecked. Gentle green eyes flicked back and forth lazily as she read. He watched her, backing up slowly and huddling against the wall. He remembered her sweet voice soothing him as he dozed in her lap. He had liked that trip. He had felt safe.

He took his time to observe her as she read. She was beautiful. He took in every movement that she made. Slow and graceful, like a cat, he thought. She looked up, smiling at him. He huddled closer against the wall, still wary, but a warm feeling crept up his spine. "You're awake." He loved her voice. It was like the warm milk and honey he had tasted once when he was little, sweet and rich. "I'm Katia Dannon. I'm afraid that there wasn't time to ask your name before I knocked you out. Sorry about that. We just couldn't have a berserker running around unsure who was friend or foe." He could feel her mind and reached for it with his own. She was excited about something. Meeting him, he thought. He could feel her calm personality like a warm blanket. Deep down there was the raging beast he always associated with the Rage, but it was well chained up, cosseted by her loving nature. "Um, can you talk?" The question made him jump. The fact that she had gotten to her feet might also have contributed to startling him, though. He flattened himself more against the wall. "So… What's your name?"

"Name?"

Katia was a bit confused. Her aunt had warned her about this, but it was still a bit unnerving. His beautiful dark blue eyes held terror like she'd never seen before as he tried to hide in his corner like a beaten dog. The healer had said that he had been abused. The young woman wished very dearly that she could lay hands on whoever had made the poor child like this.

"Name?" Puberty had recently set in, making his sweet tenor crack.

"Yes, your name." She tried to make her voice soothing. "What did they call you?" He still looked confused and frightened. She shook her head. "They never gave you a name? You poor darling." He smiled a bit at the endearment. It was obvious that no one had ever bothered to show him affection.

"No name." His speech was like that of a child. She doubted he had ever learned to talk properly.

"Do you want one? We can't just go around calling you 'hey you' all the time. That would be cruel." His smile widened a bit and he seemed to relax slightly.

"Name?" His tone was hopeful. She wracked her brain, trying to find something suitable. She listed the names currently in use as second names by the males in her family. Magellan. She had always liked that one, but no one ever used it as a first name. Still, she should find something more original. After all, it was both her father and brother's second name. Magel… Agellan… Malen… Gellan! My Gellan. She grinned. They had been calling him the kitten, or Kat's kid. Her kid. Her Gellan.

"Gellan. My little Gellan." His eyes shone with pleasure.

Her Gellan. All hers. He liked it, repeating it a few times to get used to the sound. He could feel the approval radiating off of her and filling the room. It was like bathing in sunshine. He felt safe again. She would take care of him. He took a few steps out of his corner, letting her come close. He let her pull him close and hold him, rocking him like a small child. He was hers. Only hers now. And he was the luckiest person alive to belong to that goddess.

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