Book of The Lightborn: Rise

Conquest

Kilon stepped inside his house. It was the first tree to be sprawled from the ground inside their settlement, which marked the beginning of a society built by Lightborn. The tree was lost between the others, near the edge of the settlement, and smaller than most. It was also hard to find, most Lightborn not knowing Kilon used it as a house, but more as a barrack of sorts where he would store his items. Kilon couldn't blame that train of thought, as he almost never went inside of it.

'Just how I left it,' he thought, his steps followed, almost stepping on some woodmice running around, 'almost how I left it.'. The house had only one room, large enough for a bed of sorts opposite to the door some five metres away, a table in the middle and a large indent to his right where he left some of his belongings. To his left, hooked by branches, were his cape and spear.
He first touched the cape, recollecting memories of his first great foe he befell, thinking then about the one he was about to face. 'I just have to do it again,' he thought, 'then once more...'.

He then grabbed his spear, felt the handle that stood the test of combat and time, not bending once to break. Feeling the blade, it reminded him of the pain the claw left on his body. 'Even though now it's made of graymatter, just how my scars never did, inherently it didn't change.'. And while it was true for the most part, due to how he sharpened the edge of the claw, it became more of a glaive, instead of the curved spear it once was. 'I've prepared long enough, waited perhaps too long, as the visions become clearer,' Kilon felt the lights surge throughout his body, reminding himself of the power he withheld, and the one he hid.

Once he put the cape on, the claws clasped at each other, maintaining their sharpness and placing a comforting weight on his chest and back. The spear he trusted most felt as if it was part of his body, while to him, not a weapon, but a tool to enact his will upon the world. There was a sense of reassurance when he wore his cape and held his spear, but uneasiness swelled deep inside at the same time. 'There is pride I have when dressed like this, fear accompanying each step of mine, as they only serve one purpose,' Kilon thought as he started to push the door open, lights starting to pour from the outside, his brethren readying themselves for him, 'to kill my foes.'.

First to come before Kilon with the setting of the night, was Menoel. The elite Lightborn stood behind him; all tall and powerful, white or blue, they were emanating piercing lights to anyone besides them. He counted thirty with Menoel, which meant he split them in half. "The others will stand watch here, we don't want to risk anything," Kilon agreed with a nod.

The second to greet Kilon was Stelorus with his Groundbreakers. Riding on river wolves, their fifty warriors matched in strength those of Menoel's. "I did much like Menoel, and kept half of our forces in here. Avaanel said she would need as much to dig up some more greymatter and the like," Stelorus said on top of his silver-furred beast, Sirva was her name, the word for silver in their tongue. "I hear the Sweepers won't be joining us, is that true Kilon?" Stelorus asked coldly, Kilon still taller despite Stelorus sitting atop the large beast.

"They will, just no more than ten of them, as Avunaia believes Menoel's warriors alone are enough," Kilon glanced at Menoel, then back to Stelorus. "Besides, it is you brother who said you wanted to take the lead, isn't that so?". Stelorus cracked a small smile, which he quickly hid, Avunaia making her way between all the others as they were talking, mane looters flying high above everyone and plunging in from time to time to harass Menoel's group. Melonius also tagged along with the Sweepers, carrying on his back the object he hid, strapped with rope made of hide strips.

"What would that be, Melonius?" Menoel asked, pointing at the piece of equipment he tried to hide. "You certainly don't want us to see it, yet you tempt us with it. There doesn't seem to be much sense to it, does it?".