Eternal Beasts

Chapter 17: Passing of the Torch

Following the Enemy's departure, there was silence. A long silence that was only broken by Jared's long sigh. He ran his fingers through his long hair then let his hand fall to his side.

"Man, we are so fucked!" he flatly stated before looking over at Kurtis. Who quickly nodded.

"We are in a bit of a spot," the other rider agreed. "Thirty days is not a lot of time, considering our circumstances," he went on to comment, rubbing his chin thoughtfully with a big hand, "to put together an army."

He turned and returned Jared's grim look.

"And a battle group of flights," he added.

That statement only elicited another sigh out of the young Lord of Griffons.

"Thank you so much for reminding me," he grumbled then grimaced. "And I completely put that at risk by letting that filth Karluran bait me into fighting him." He sighed, clapping a hand to the back of his neck in chagrin, the other on his hip.

"Not your finest moment, no," Kurtis agreed. "At least we stopped before it went too far."

"Just." Jared grimaced. "I still think you should've let me kill the prick, griffon rider code or not. It would've solved so many problems."

"True." But before Kurtis could add to that, a low, booming gong sounded through the cavern, releasing all those who had been called. Such was its power: to summon those back from the dead for the Declaration. And, with soft smudges of light, those Allies that weren't committed to the effort began dissolving out of sight, returning back to that other place where they had been summoned from.

At the soft sound, significantly less powerful than the one that had reached across dimensions to summon them to the Arch, Kurtis turned to Jared and quickly walked to his side. Putting a big hand on the younger man's shoulder, he spoke.

"Things are going to move fast now, my friend. And we have things to do before I need to go back!"

At those words, Jared frowned. But before he could ask him what he meant, Kurtis was already past him and moving towards Aaron and the remaining Allies. Jared barely managed to catch up with him before Kurtis halted in front of Aaron to whisper a few words to him. He then swept on, moving to stand in front of the Allies that had either directly committed to the effort, or had reserved the right to commit in the next thirty days. He quickly looked them over then spoke, his voice full of power and authority.

"Friends. I cannot tell you how urgent this situation has become. Yet I know you are all aware of what is at risk here. All I can say is that not only do you have my gratitude for your courage and honor, but also from those many beings whose lives depend on our efforts to prevent Darkness from covering the land and restoring Balance to Ethaeron."

Kurtis paused there, for breath or effect, Jared wasn't sure which as he moved forward to better catch the tall man's next words.

"Some of you, like young Jared here, already know who I am. But for those that don't, I am Kurtis, the Lord of Griffons from the end of the Second War of Balance."

"Still not sure why you're here, Kurtis, if I'm being honest," Jared said.

Kurtis nodded in acknowledgment to Jared's confusion.

"I think I know, lad," he said with a smile. "But I'll explain that in a moment. First, let me focus on your promise to the Altara, and the Unicorns."

"The ones we need to bring back," Jared said.

"Precisely. As you've already witnessed, the primal forces woven into the Summons to the Arch have the power to call back representatives even from death. That same power gives those that have committed, or reserved the right to commit, the ability to stay in the mortal world long enough for preparations to be made for their return. What they cannot do, of course, make those preparations for themselves because they can't leave the confines of Tammen Gall, where the gong and its primal forces reside. So, to return them to the living, those races will have to be literally 'remade' by the power of the Maker."