Mended Hero

Chapter 5

   Eclipse leans her chin on her hand as she finishes speaking, the pale looks on her family's faces were enough to tell her how they felt. Anna had sent calming waves over the mate bond, keeping her own mood stable. She felt Anna pull back, smiling gratefully at her. She looks back at her family as her father clears his throat, but Phoenix beat him to it.

"I'm sorry sis... I should have known that something was wrong back then. I summed it up to time passing and didn't look further into it." His eyes filled with sorrow as he looked at his hands. "And then I allowed a gem to corrupt me and caused more hurt for you."

Eclipse thought for a moment before reaching out and taking his hands. "None of what happened to me, or my life was your fault..." she smiled softly as he looked up at her and sat back as she addressed all of them. "Life happens, it shapes who we are as we grow and learn from it. I spent way too long focusing on the past and letting it break me, but I'm done with that. My past can't change, all I can do is learn from it. So, despite what I've said, and the possibility of... issues due to my ptsd... please don't treat me like I might break again." She looks at Anna and smiles. "I have enough support to prevent that now."

"Well said my dear." Her father smiles proudly. "As much as I wish we could do more, I understand your position."

"I'd still like a chance to get my hand on the bitch you dated though." Zala grumbled as Eclipse chuckles.

"Don't worry about her. Both Lindsey and Charles are locked away."

Anna claps her hands together, "enough of that. Are you guys staying for tomorrow's festivities?"

Eclipse tenses slightly and the look Anna gives her out of the corner of her eyes tells her that she noticed. Ignoring the heated look, she focuses on her family as they nod.

"So, what is this for again?" Spire asks.

"The ceremony was created in honor of a sergeant who went missing during a way 10 years ago." Eclipse begins to explain. "Their troop was captured and during their time in an enslavement camp, it's said that the sergeant gave their life to protect the troops lives. However, their body was never recovered so they were listed as MIA instead of KIA. To commemorate them, their troop requested a holiday be created. Its purpose was to not only honor them but other soldiers who were never found."

"Don't they commemorate them with a tomb?" Midnight says thoughtfully.

"Kind of. The tomb of the unknown soldier commemorates both missing and soldiers who weren't identifiable. But most connect it to the latter more than the former."

"Didn't you join the army around that time?" Anna speaks up, catching onto the timeline...

"Wait you were in the army?" Jesse looks at her in awe.

"Yes, I was drafted into the army at 18. When Warfalcon's family took me in, they registered me with the US government. I ended up being drafted a week after my 18th birthday and served for a year before convincing the President to allow me to leave my station. Thats why I have such a close connection with him and why he sent me undercover." Eclipse feigns boredom but she could tell Anna wasn't buying her story completely and sighs. "Fine... I was the sergeant in question."

Anna grins as she frowns at her. "I had a feeling."

"Wait I'm confused..." Zala's brow furrows.

"When I was drafted, I was able to work my way up through the ranks quickly and was given a small troop of 5 men. We went on scouting missions but one of the missions went south and we were captured. They passed us around training camps for a few months before we were sent to one in the desert. I tried to keep moral high, and it was noticed by the guards. So, at this encampment they threatened my team's lives if I didn't step forward."

She sighed. "I didn't have a choice and they separated us, taking me out of sight to a firing line. However, when they fired, I erected a wall of ice and stopped the bullets. They were thrown into chaos, and I was able to jump the wall and escape. I wandered the desert for about 2 weeks before I was able to get back to the mainland where I met with the president. I helped him set up a plan to save my troop and had planned to join him in the rescue... but we started the academy, then Jesse died, and I didn't feel it was safe to let them know I was alive."

"That makes sense... are you going to tell them now? They're supposed to accompany the president tomorrow." Anna tilts her head.

"I don't know yet."