OathBlade (Wattys2015)

66. Entrusting Souls*

The gathering before Elery was akin to a living sea of scales, armor, fur, and flesh. Packed in the field as they were made finding Loix impossible, even from her perch atop Isandel's head. It was enough to dampen the enthusiasm that swelled upon seeing the extent of their forces.

Vydel looked up at her with a frown and formed her bow. There was no doubt then that she knew Loix was there, perhaps by scent if she'd not yet laid eyes on him. Left without orders she would likely resume her hunt.

It was a hunt Elery wished she could authorize, but not among so many who knew nothing of their situation. For that reason only she shook her head, silently imploring the halfling to ignore the situation for the time being.

Dakkan moved to Vydel's side and leaned low to whisper something. She spun toward him, snarled, then shook her head before letting the bow fade away. The glare she offered Elery was scathing, though she said nothing.

When the crowd ceased to expand Elery drew in a deep breath. "Well met, all. This day has been long in coming. Before discussing any possible battle strategies I wish to speak to the dragons. So far, I alone hold a weapon which can slay the corpses brought to life by Celestine's aura. This is an issue we must remedy. We cannot wade through the army that no doubt awaits us on the brute force of seryn and lycar-forged weapons. Even if you cannot all be armed with a means to dispel her foulness from their hides, we must have a group who is."

"You wish us to surrender our souls to those we neither know nor trust?" a large gray dragon asked. His dim scales did not reflect the light as easily as others around him, a sure sign of his age. "You ask us to make ourselves vulnerable. If those weapons are destroyed, so are those to whom the soul belongs."

"It is a gamble." She raised her voice as far as it would go so that all could hear. "A gamble each and every one of you must decide to take for yourselves. I will not coerce any, nor will I make demands. I will say, however, that this is our world. Ours. If we will not fight to defend it, who would? If we do not give this our all, gamble our strength, our time, our very lives, we may find ourselves lost before the battle can truly begin." She swept her gaze over the crowd. "The aurels and their matron spirit have chosen the path of self-preservation by way of pacifism. We do not have that luxury. We cannot live underground forever. The longer we wait, the more the surface is lost to us. With these weapons we stand a chance, but I alone cannot hope to take down her army and still stand against Celestine."

"More weapons could only help," another dragon said. "If we are to die, I would have us die defending home and family than as cowards hiding away from the enemy. I will offer over my soul to any who would wield it."

A rumble ran through the crowd of dragons and they nodded one by one. Though some remained resistant, they eventually joined the consensus reached by their kin.

"Never before have we all come together in this way," Elery said. "We have remained divided over petty differences and foolish pride. We seryn play at self-reliance even while using the powers of spirits, who owe us nothing yet offer their very lives to us in partnership. We have taken Leria and those in it for granted, and while I cannot speak for the totality of my kind, I would make an apology to the dragons and lycar who have heeded this call." She lowered her head. "Regardless of the reasons which brought you here, no matter how selfish or selfless they might be, you have allied yourself with my cause and have proven that there is something stronger than the animosity and fear that has driven us apart.

"I would not have you as allies simply out of convenience," she continued. "I do not come to you seeking your help only to turn you away once our journey comes to an end. My land is your land. You are welcome among my people-no, you are my people. With this war as the catalyst, I wish to forge a long-standing alliance built on trust." She raised her fist to her chest. "We live as one or die as one. From now on we are not three different races but one people."