Tormented by the slaughter of his family, Rohain is clawed into a secret war between those of the moon and the immortals. Daniella, unable to live a prisoner any longer, escapes into a frozen world more terrifying and cruel than she had ever imagine...
"Think I should get a piercing or a tattoo?" Daniella asks.
Rohain turns to face her, even through his helmet an expression of confusion and exclamation show through.
"Too much?"
"Why would you do such a thing?" Rohain asks as he dismounts Phantom.
"I don't know, just to feel different I suppose. Something to represent all of this. A reminder."
Rohain helps Daniella down. "Your hand is not enough?"
Daniella looks at her bandage, turning her hand. "I want something of my own choosing, on my terms."
Rohain sighs. "You do not need a memento to represent hardship or triumph. The things that matter most, we carry in here." Rohain says while tapping his heart. "Are you sure you they won't let you in? Your bed is not far."
"They are forbidden from opening the city gates after nightfall."
Phantom watches as Daniella pulls the wood bunch and lays it down before making a circle of rocks to set the fire. Rohain lays out the under-sheet and pegs it down. "Hand me those will you?"
Daniella passes the poles and builds the fire. Watching her place each branch carefully to a perfect finish, Rohain passes her a magnesium rod.
"Are you sure?"
Rohain nods.
Daniella, feeling honoured, pulls out the bowie from the scabbard belted to her side. Placing the rod above the tinder bunch and strikes the back of her blade down. Nothing happens. Tries again. Nothing.
"No. You must use force. Try again."
She tries again with the same results. Daniella looks down, feeling like she is letting her guardian down as he watches. Sqeezing the handle, she strikes and strikes and strikes but to no avail.
"Should I..."
"No! I'm going to do this!" Daniella exumes as she strikes again letting out a yell as she does.
Fire.
"Well done."
-
Faris's hands shake, squirming under the price of power.
"Faris, you must feed! The call, it will only tighten it's hold on you. Like this, you cannot help anyone, not even yourself. You must answer!"
Faris drowns to deep in lust for blood, taking the goblet against every protest, gulping every drop of fresh blood without stopping till its dry.
His eyes widen, burning as bright as stars. The night's darkness lifts from the world as the moon becomes as blinding as the sun. The heavens are deeper than ever imagined, more stars than ever thought possible. King Dolcan can see the wonder in the face of a new blood.
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"Where are these heathen?" Faris demands in a bellicose manner.
"Destiny will summon them into the city, to Fallen Park the ninth moon.
They will come but you will be ready. We, will be ready."
"where are they?"
"Be patient." Dolkan orders threateningly, thinly vailed under an encouraging smile. "Go home. Read. Feed.
Embrace what you have become, discover what power flows through you. The urge for blood, it will not calm, not at first, use it and you will be ready.
I will find you when it is time."
Faris nods.
King Dolkan sits "It's that way" he says, casually pointing his clawed finger. "Just run, your powers will do the rest."
"What happens if I cannot get there before dawn?"
"You will, but, stay out of the light."
Faris looks in the direction of home. "Anything else I should know?"
"Never leave anyone alive."
Faris begins to run through the court south accelerating like a lion in pursuit. Into the forest he charges, each stride reaches further. Faster and faster he moves bursting into a red bolt of bats through the night sky.
-
Looking up at the night sky, Schenade watches the moon watching the Earth, able to see everything below.
"Schenade dear, come inside, it's cold." Veryth calls.
"I cannot sleep."
"Me too." Veryth replies, stepping out the door with two small cups filled with honey tea, passing one.
"Thanks." Schenade says with a smile.
"You're welcome."
Schenade chuckles.
"What?" Veryth ask with a huge blanket wrapped around her minus half an arm holding a tea cup.
"You have no idea how funny you look, do you?"
"Oh, I look funny now do I?" Veryth's frosted face smiles.
"Yes!" Laughs Schenade, almost spilling her tea. "Do,.. Do you think they are comming back?"
"I hope so, I really do. We just need to be paitent."
"I miss him you know - Dad. Uncle Axil. I pray for them, I don't know what else to do."
"Prayer is the most important thing. Without prayer, all is hopeless.
I know it is hard for you, its hard for all three of us. I cannot imagine what you must be going through but what I do know is that you are doing everything you can and that is enough. They are depending on us to not give up on them."
Schende wipes tears from her eyes.
"Your parents will so proud of you if they could see you now."
"Do you think so?" Sniffles Schenade.
Veryth takes a sip from her cup. "Well... I'm proud of you."
-
Sabre-lion paws crush deep snows of the north against deafening winds. Through barren forest, over frozen lakes beneath black skies, Nyla's path roars destiny. Sillioutes of ruins cast shadows from behind frozen air, forming steps into the realm of secrets lost through time. Descending in lions stride, the ancient ruins sink as deep as a giants grave towards a door of engraved stone. Nyla's hands wave across Draconic runes with tears from the purple of her eyes.
