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Fire. Heat. Blinding, searing, excruciating. Then, warmth. And finally, darkness.
Lanthei woke to darkness.
She was used to darkness, in fact even welcomed it at times. But this was not the comforting darkness of the night. Of the full moon. Of her brother's shadows. This was an oppressive darkness. It suffocated her. Stole all light, rather than balanced it. Stole the breath from her lungs.
It's weight pushed on her chest, keeping her glued to the rudimentary medical bed. And yet, it was her duty to stand. Her duty...
As if on cue, light spilled in from the opening door. She was in an arming chamber. The small amount of privacy they could afford for her recovery. Standing in the door, blood still caked on their armor, was Tydum and Olliria. One look at their expressions sent Lanthei's world crashing back down.
"How long" was all she asked.
Tydum looked away, his silver hair falling to cover his face. Olliria's wings dipped even further, and she shook her head.
"You were out for three days. Healers had you fixed practically overnight, but you..."
Tydum turned back.
"You woke up screaming. Then you fell back under. Nothing could wake you."
Lanthei swung her legs over the side of the cot. Glancing around, she spotted her robes on a small table. Her armor, she would summon. Her weapon was nowhere to be found, however. Something in the back of her head, though, told her not to worry.
She stood, letting her wings spread and shake, as she pulled on her clothes.
"Does the seal hold?"
Both nodded. "As expected, the tower is now totally sealed." Olliria said. "The council estimates we can hold until the turn of the millenia inside."
"And short of the tower physically being moved, the seal is effectively impenetrable." Tydum finished. Lanthei raised an eyebrow as she summoned and adjusted her armor.
"Is that a concern? Could She really be capable of that?"
Tydum paused, and contemplated. Olliria cleared her throat.
"For now we have bigger problems. Sober up. This is about to get very real."
Lanthei steeled herself, breathed deep, and nodded. The two other clanked their spears once, and turned. Lanthei followed, a half step behind.
The sight was enough to make Lanthei's blood run cold. The arming chamber she had been in was off the Militia's medical wing, like she anticipated. But what she could never be prepared for was the sight outside that door. The hall was packed with the wounded and the dead. Beds seemed to have run out at some point, and many were on the floor, on hastily constructed cots, or on tables, requisitioned from the classrooms. The coppery stench of blood filled the air, mixing with the vaguely citrus scent of healing magic, which was so potent it turned sickly.
Lanthei's shock turned instead to horror as she noticed it wasn't just Militia troops filling the hall. Civilians were scattered amongst the wounded, clutching at wounds both from disaster and weapons. She clenched her fist, barely containing her fury.
As the three of them carefully worked their way across the hall, a hush came over the room. Eyes turned to look on her. She spread her wings, and stood tall. None would witness any weakness.
Across the back of the hall, the dead were lined. They were covered in sheets, and lined along the floor, as priests and officials walked amongst them, confirming identities and offering last rites. Then, in grim pragmatism, they were wrapped and sorted. As they approached, a pair of guards came from a nearby passage and carefully gathered a handful on to a cart. With a dark reverence that betrayed that they had been performing this task for countless hours, they took their grisly charge out of the room, seemingly to bring them to their final resting place.
The remaining Brightbane members stood sentinel, marking the boundary between the living and the dead. Three of the five were helmed in the distinct, blank-faced helm of their order. The other two, who Lanthei recognized were Lorril and Eltair, were speaking in hushed tones, near a closed door. As the three of them approached, the three helmed Brightbane struck the floor twice in unison with their spears. Lorril and Eltair both turned and addressed Lanthei and the others. Lorril spoke first.
"You're awake. Good. Now that we're all present we can... discuss this."
Lanthei hesitated, rolling the words around on her tongue. Finally, her voice cracking, she asked what she'd been dying to ask.
"Where are they?"
The Brightbane were used to silence. When they donned their helms, they pledged themselves to it, as part of their duty. The Brightbane were silent, stalwart defenders, and even in battle, they had an intricate battle-cant (and decades of serving next to each other) that allowed them to communicate. But this silence was foreign to them.
The 8 remaining Brightbane were reduced to silence, standing and staring at the three veiled bodies lying at their feet.
Stoic Airwem, with his long hair and fair wings, who would always be the first to dive into the fray.
Brinlie's laughter would leave as big of a hole in their hearts. She was always quick with a joke and could make any of them smile.
And Lucidon...
Staring down at their body, Lanthei was fighting to keep the memories away. In the end, though, she lost, and was thrown right back into the fires of battle, that raged only a few short days ago....
*...*
They had been beseiged. The "Queen" Amarantha had amassed an army of zealots and creatures wrought by her power and dark influence. In her march across Day and Dawn's countryside, it was inevitable that she'd turn up at the Torre's doorstep. But no one was prepared for the sheer scale of her forces.
For days, they fought, seemingly without end. The Militia, while well trained, was woefully outmatched against the fiends Amarantha had brought to the field, so the Brightbane were stretched thin. Lanthei, Tydum, Olliria and Airwem were in the thick of battle, fighting a formidable pack of storm giants when all hell broke loose.
Lanthei's wing's flashed as she dived low, narrowly avoiding the bolt of lightning piercing the air. Curling her wings, she shot into a steep bank that wheeled her around... right into the shield of another giant. She pulled her shield up at the last second to take the brunt of the impact, but was sent spiraling away. With a thud, Tydum caught and righted her in the air. A brief nod, and they rocketed forward again. Tydum beat his wings hard into a climb, while Lanthei swooped low, barely a meter above the ground, gaining speed. At the same time, the collapsed onto the giant, Tydum spreading his wings wide to unleash a volley of radiant bolts down, drawing it's shield up high. Lanthei flared her wings and swept up under it's defense, and carved her spear up the giant's thigh and torso. Roaring in pain, it dropped to one knee as Tydum plummeted, using a well-placed strike to knock it's shield away and leave the giant off-balance. Lanthei swept upward, turned in midair, and threw her spear with the force of a lightning bolt down into the Giant's face as it turned towards the sky. Then, in a flash, her magic rocketed her straight down and she buried it deeper into it's skull for the killing blow.
As the giant collapsed and grew still, Tydum landed besides Lanthei, both breathing heavy. Airwen wheeled around overhead before dropping to them, their lieutenant placing a firm hand on Lanthei's shoulder. A twitch of his wings, and a tilt of the head: *Are you injured?* She shook her head. Looking down, she realized her shield was missing. She shrugged. Not much to do about it now.
Suddenly, a deafening BOOM rang out across the battlefield. Startled, the three of them quickly took to the air. The sky was darkening, and black clouds were gathering in a maelstrom. In the distance, a dark shape was materializing, and against it, a bright, piercing light to oppose it.
Lucidon was an artist of battle. Their deft work with a spear and grace matched by none in the air led to this grand display on the battlefield. And they always made it look so effortless. As the other Brightbane raced to their leader's side, however, it was clear that this was not the case this day. Lucidon stood alone, against a horror so grand and terrible even now, Lanthei could not picture the full scale of. Blood dripped from their wings, their breathing was labored. And yet still, they fought, striking out again and again and again.
Lanthei's memories began to grow faint, and hazy. One moment, she was flying in wing with Tydum and Airwen. Next, she was on her back, blood pouring from her stomach as Brinlie was above her. Airwen was defending them as Brinlie poured healing magic into Lanthei. A dark shape rose above them. Flash. Lanthei was being dragged away by Lucidon, as a clarion call was heard above the battlefield. Retreat? No. That can't be possible. Lanthei's head lulled to the side as she heard, distantly, Lucidon whispering something to her. And then, there was only fire. A blinding, white hot light, surging through her, threatening to consume her, setting her very blood ablaze. And then, a warmth, comforting, that reaches every part of her body. And then, as she slips into the void of unconsciousness, Lucidon's voice: "Fly, my little bird. This world is bigger than you know. So you better not let it go to waste."
*...*
When Lanthei snapped back to the present, her face was warm. She reached up to gingerly touch it, and realized she had been crying. She looked up, and into the expectant faces of the other 7 remaining Brightbane. "...what?"
Olliria put a soft hand on her arm. "We know how much they meant to you. Are you okay?"
Lanthei wiped away the tears angrily. "No"
Lorril folded her hands, feeling the weight of what she was about to ask. "Lanthei... while you were out, we held a council. We feel that the one most fit to take the mantle that Lucidon left... is you."
Lanthei blinked once. Then twice. More than stunned, she was shell-shocked. How could anyone replace Lucidon? Much less *her*? She couldn't. She can't...
A nudge at her side. Olliria stood there, carefully holding out Lucidon's red scarf. In a blink, Lanthei felt tears streaming down her face again. Without a word, she lifted it to her face and breathed deep, feeling the comfort of her mentor, so achingly distant. In the back of her mind, warm resolve pushed it's way to the fore, alongside an intense feeling of duty. She wiped away the tears and took a step forward. Turning to face the others, Lanthei reached out her hand as if on instinct, and with a small flash, a spear appeared in her grip, as if it was always meant to be there.
All of the Brightbane recognized the weapon. Before her, it belonged to Lucidon. Their wonder turned to a grim resolution as Lanthei raised her chin and spoke.
"I... Lanthei, daughter of Ervin and Circe... accept the role of Commander of the Brightbane of the University at Torre Cesme."
She looked down at the bodies of their former leaders before continuing.
"Airwem.... Brinlie..... Lucidon.... your efforts will not have been in vain. Your stories live on in our service. As you cross the clouds to your next home, rest easy, knowing we will never falter."
The others echoed. "We will never falter."
The feeling of eyes prickled along the back of Lanthei's neck, then lessened as the faintest ruffle of wind passed along her feathers, twice. Quietly, Lanthei spoke just to Lucidon.
"I feel your presence here still, my teacher. You deserve to rest. But please, I beg of you... stay a little longer.... I need your strength for just a moment longer..."
The feeling of eyes remained, and the tip of Lanthei's spear- Hema, she knew instictively was it's name- lifted ever so slightly, it's weight just that little bit lessened. She smiled, and looked into the faces of her companions.
Was she ready? No.
But she had a great teacher.
*...*
51 years later...
Six months after the unsealing of the Torre...
Lanthei stood in a dark hallway, shield and helm in hand. In the distance, she can hear the thrum and clash of battle raging. She stared into her distorted reflection in the helm. In it's inky colors and shadows, she swore she could see another figure over her shoulder.
Ahead down the hall, a loud clunk and the motion of gears began and stopped, as the passage's entrance became unlocked. Shortly after, two bangs from the butt of a spear rang out. Lanthei stood straight, and marched down towards the noise.
Standing, helmed all save for Olliria and Tydum, were the Brightbane. Shields in hand and weapons at the ready, they all banged their shields once on the ground in salute. Lanthei walked past them all to her new lieutenants. Both donned their helms and turned to stand next to her.
Lanthei looked left. Olliria nodded, and her and her charge all raised their shields. Lanthei looked right. Tydum tipped his wings in acknowledgement, and him and his charge all raised their shields.
Lanthei breathed once, and lifted her helm, motioning to the soldier near the mechanism to the entrance. Summoning Hema, she raised her shield and banged twice against the ground. The ten others stepped forward in unison, their shields all locking into place, making an impenetrable wall.
As the door opened, the light and sounds of the day and the battle outside grew. Bracing their feet, the onslaught came as the enemy became aware of their presence. Their shields rattled, but held. Their wings grasped each other, adding strength to the line. Their teeth gritted.
Lanthei banged Hema twice against the ground, as she felt the weight of her mentor pushing against her as well.
And as one.
The Brightbane took a step.