Things were looking up for the first time in a long while.
"So," I said to my Guardian, "You don't have phones but you have blackhawk freakin' helicopters."
"Oh, I was just screwing with you," She said with that same wolfish smile, "Our world is the closest to your earth. Things like this can exist here where they cannot in the Inner Kingdoms." She prattled on as if I knew what she was talking about.
Debbie sighed in frustration, "Look. The kingdom of Wildfire, where we are, is under the rule of the Empire. Wildfire is a...frontier if you will. It's on the outskirts of the Empire, and the world right next to Earth. The farther you go to the center of the Empire the more effected by magic they are, the farther technologically set back they are due to the overpowering presence of magic. The Imperial Palace is stuck back in...Andre, where would you place them in human history?"
Andre looked up from his hat, the man liked to keep to himself, "Picture China in the middle ages full of immortal wizards."
Debbie nodded, "Oh, right. About like that. And the Wildflower is a great treasure of the emperor. The King was desperate to get it back because he knew it would be
his head if one of his people took it and he did nothing to get it back. But then you bonded with it. By the-"
My Guardian cut her off, I wondered if it was just a play to irritate Debbie, "By the King of Wildfire enlisting your services he has something to hold over the Empire's head and keep them from taking away our self-rule." She turned another one of those million-dollar smiles at Debbie and Andre, "Unfortunately it means he needs to make a showing of your friends here."
"Ohhh man! Hey, Debyone, the way she talks you'd think we were screwed or something!" Andre blurted, earning several nasty looks from the other human(oid?) guards in the chopper.
A small smile quirked at my lips, the guy had balls. That was for sure. I mean, he had to, why else would he mock giant spiders sent to kill him or steal something from the Empire to begin with. Either that or my initial assumption of his being totally off his rocker was correct. I caught a glance at Debbie. She was leaning on the floor, staring out at the odd world zipping by below us with the most gentle look on her face. The gravity of the situation hit me. They would die. All because of some stupid political powerplays. I didn't know why they took the Wildflower...and right then it didn't matter.
I couldn't let that happen.
"Hey," I grabbed the attention of my Guardian. I went for power and commanding presence, this was exceptionally hard to pull off since I was still buzzing on adrenaline, it was worth a shot. "So. Here's the scoop sweetheart," I pointed to Andre and Debbie, "I don't to jack for you or your king until you promise a pardon for them."
There was a moment where I could have sworn she was overpowered by the sense of masculenity and heroisim that I attempted to portray.
Then she laughed. "No," She squeezed out between uncontrollable chuckles.
"No?" I asked, shocked, "What do you mean no?"
It took a couple of moments, but she pulled herself back together, "I mean, you don't have a choice and you don't have the power. More lives are at risk than those of two petty thieves. Think about it." She held up different fingers as she finished sentences, "Our world is the next dimensional stop on the way to Earth. We are on the outskirts of the Empire. If we retain power that will keep the Empire from gaining a military foothold here. And I'd bet you can guess what happens if that unfortunate circomstance falls into place." She paused for effect.
"Earth will fall to the Empire."