Swords of the Mourning

Prologue

The night had draped Skullreave's empty streets in a shroud of darkness, broken only by the dim lanterns filling small sections of each street. Caelum Deneith, a respected and honored soldier for House Deneith walked alone, sparing only a passing glance to the few people left wandering the lone streets.

His sword clinking against his adamantine armor was the only sound left as he approached the temple yet again. Admiring the cracked arches that told a thousand stories in one. Rubbing his eyes one more time before entering the door, a soft bang echoing through the temple as the door shut behind him. Caelum's dark eyes searched the temple for any sign of life, noticing only one, the one person he wanted to see.

He removed his scabbard, placing it by the door, and approached her, his bootsteps echoing softly on the stone floor. She glanced up at him, her lips curling into a soft smile as he sat down next to her.

"Caelum, this makes 6 nights in a row. Don't you ever rest?" Her voice, raspy and gentle, filled the temple's silence.

"Ask Sehanine, she's the Moonweaver if I'm not mistaken?" Caelum replied, his face stoic before drifting into a smile. "It's always good to see you Priestess."

She sat upright on the bench, shaking her head with a soft laugh. "After so many years of telling you to just call me Elicia, you think you'd listen eventually."

"The day you tell me the story behind your white as snow skin, I'll oblige."

"You'd never be so lucky soldier, a priestess never reveals her secrets..." Elicia whispered with a dramatic eyebrow raise and a finger to her lips, signaling faux secrecy.

Caelum laughed, a sound too loud for the quiet temple. "One day priestess, one day" he said before the smile faded as he thought about his true reasoning for coming back again. He leaned forward and placed his head in his hands, his messy brown hair covering any sign of his face. Elicia leaned in closer and placed a hand on his back, softly comforting him.

"You leave for the fortress soon, don't you Caelum?" Elicia said quietly, softening her voice more than she had before.

"Tomorrow night, I needed to see you one last time before going." Caelum uttered, leaning back up and looking at Elicia. "I suppose if I don't return, you'll be freed from this soldier then?"

Elicia showed no sign of amusement. Her face formed into a slight snarl "If you don't return to me then I will curse you by a thousand moons, I swear to Sehanine."

Caelum dropped the façade of a smile he had. "How about blessing me instead? The gods know I'll need it."

"I've prayed for blessings for all of your unit, Caelum. And I'll keep doing so until you return." Elicia sniffled. As she fought back tears, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her robe.

A soft smile crept onto Caelum's face, gently moving her white hair out of her face and wiped a tear off her cheek. He bit his own cheek to suppress emotion. They both locked eyes, 3 unspoken words wishing to be whispered.

But Caelum let go of her and stood up, glancing at her one last time before heading to the door. The echoes of his boots masked Elicia's soft sobs in the distance, Caelum gritted his teeth, fighting his own emotion as he left the temple.