Songs of the Light - Glory to the Dawn: Dreams Always Fade

Chapter 1: Blazing Gilded Heart

"Honor burns brighter than the stars," or so the commanders said. Captain Isaac Erovra of VCC Golden River disagrees. As he paces the command deck of the Golden River he wonders if those back in Shadowkeep still think of those fighting for them. He wonders if they still remember the losses his company had suffered during the Grey Eclipse. Deep in his heart, he doubts they remember, or even care enough to try. He would never voice these doubts to his crew, lest they think him a traitor, but the doubts remain. He suddenly feels himself falling... falling... falling... 

"Killing every one of Shadowkeep's enemies won't bring her back, Isaac!" A voice shouts. 

Isaac looks up, realizing he's standing by the communications monitor on board VCC Golden River. 

"I'm... going to try. I don't care what it takes from me!" He shouts back through the microphone. He realizes suddenly that he is crying, warm tears run down his face. 

As suddenly as he felt himself falling, he rises again. He realizes that he missed a message from his commander. He makes his way over to the communications monitor. He presses the key to play the message. 

A young woman's voice speaks through the system, his commander. "Captain Erovra of VCC Golden River, 67th Company has been ordered to establish a combat position and begin firing on Starfeld. Be advised of missiles from Drest." 

He looks very concerned for a moment, then suddenly angry. What right did they have to sacrifice his company again? What right did they have to make him send his friends to die? 

"I hate you, Brannfall." He mutters, before announcing, "All crew to their combat positions, moving in 5 minutes." 

He goes to the company announcement monitor and delivers the order to his escort vessels. In under 30 seconds a stream of angry responses floods in. Of course they were angry, Isaac thought. They were being told to sacrifice themselves for nothing. But there was nothing Isaac or anyone he could talk to could do. Orders were orders, after all, and refusal meant execution. Isaac walks to the large window of the command deck, looking out at the company. Most of the vessels were Elden-Class destroyers. Lightly armored but heavily armed helicopters. His own vessel was a Vinden-Class cruiser, a heavily armed and armored airship equipped with missiles, refueling and docking stations, and heavy cannons. The Orrublig-Class super cruiser named Sun in Eclipse which was his commander's vessel was very close to his own. 

As if all of the vessels were one, they move into positions. Immediately upon entering their positions the Elden-Class destroyers begin firing on the hostile fighters. Shadowkeep's forces vastly outnumber those of Origin's Burning Wings, not to mention the vast differences in weaponry. Shadowkeep outclassed OBW dramatically, but somehow they never seem to win. 

Isaac finds himself thinking back to home, growing up in Emberfeld with a dream to fly like a dragon. Such dreams are common, but few ever live to fulfill them. In many ways Isaac was fortunate, but in many more he was not. He was raised in a loving family, but could never really bring himself to be close with them. He often found himself drifting away from them, but he still cares. They are his family after all. The friends he made in school and military training still surround him, bonds forged in fire will last forever, the older soldiers would tell the younger ones. Isaac himself saw that this is true. Upon entering the military he served as the lieutenant for his older friend onboard the ACC Never Coming Home. When the vessel crashed on its maiden voyage across the Vinara Sea, Isaac and his friend helped the survivors make it back home. He feels himself falling again. Falling... falling... deeper down into darkness. 

He sits alone at a table in a strangely cold room. There are other people in the room, but he cannot see their faces, only shifting images. He glances over to where he knows his friend is... What was her name? What is her name? How could he not remember? He has known her for years... What is her name? "So many ghosts walk these halls... and soon I will be one of them." He whispers, his vision fading to gray.