The Relistar: Rejoining Vol. 2

Rejoining | Ch. 26

XXVI.

Twelve

Golden palm-axes glistened in the sunlight over the First Petal. Golden helms shone and shimmered. And the white robes of the followers flowed like water as they slid effortlessly between stances and positions.

A ritual. A ritual of the Obek Pantheon – the pantheon which included such deities as Hemah, Tartys, Vezos, Kosos, Vecca, and Thalyssus. They marched in formations and struck artful, intentful forms they gestured and danced and fell and swayed...

And then Hemah's sunlight took them all away...

X

Cedric and Rithi stood atop the rooftops which peered down over the Third Petal, atop the church. The same place they had been before they faced Kogar. The same place they watched a Thelani ritual, before the attack sent most of the cult to an early grave. The same place where Calamon's tragedy began.

"Alright, then." Rithi pulled up his black mask. Ithlo's white helm began to form in a mist atop his head. He opened his mouth to speak, but barely completed another word before a sound like shattering glass erupted through his mind. Something was taken from him. Something important.

And then he collapsed.

"Sorry, Rithi." Cedric muttered as he gently lowered him to the dark shingles. "You'll have to sit this one out."

He walked back to the precipice which hung over the Petalfall. He stared out with Grivonym in his hand. His eyes traced the scattered platforms amidst the gradient, the places where blood and stone still hovered and sat, upheld by nothing.

There was a platform straight below him, too. Too far to drop to without breaking at least one leg, not to mention the incline would send him straight into the pit if his footing was unsure. Perhaps there was another way down...

I can handle it. Drop.

You know the price you'll pay if you're lying.

I do.

Cedric took a deep breath. No signs of any of The Twelve. How many were left, anyhow? He turned to see Faunia, to ask...

But he was alone. It was just him against insurmountable odds. Just like in Freiya. Just like at Nelreign.

I need that star. Ready, everyone?

Ready.

I am prepared.

THERE ARE NO SECOND CHANCES HERE, CEDRIC. DO NOT FAIL ME.

He gazed again at the dark sky around the Petalfall. "I won't."

And he stepped off the ledge.

Ithlo's white jacket formed around his body and fluttered in the wind. A helm soon glowed into form atop his head, followed by the black and white boots that Ithlo wore around his legs.

The platform was approaching...

Thunk.

A dull noise. A glimmer of sunlight shone over his body. Like clouds had parted – except there were no clouds. And there was no sun.

A glowing, golden palm-axe had embedded itself in the platform below. It shone and glimmered with fierce, potent magic.

Cedric clumsily kicked the wall beside himself, but couldn't launch himself far enough away to miss the platform.