Book of The Lightborn: Rise

Beliefs

Coming down from the hill, Manna was deep in thought. The beauty of the place and the wonder it possessed, they all seemed too surreal. While it was still in conflict with her belief that life should be extinguished in order for them to prosper, seeing the regal deers, river wolves, mane looters and other small critters just living alongside her siblings, made her ponder if it was truly right to believe such things.

Salvete was adoring the place. She was starting to grow worried that she may not find a place to leave Piki to safety, but Kilon and the others have prepared a safe haven for both them and their critters. So she thought 'I hope Manna will stop fighting Kilon's will,' she looked at Piki below her clothes, 'and if not, I suppose leaving her side is the only option. Despite everything we've been through...'.

As both Kilon's and Manna's group got closer, the Lightborn inside their home started to pour out. By the hundreds, soon thousands, they surrounded both groups. Welcoming the victorious Kilon and getting to see the draxes, some for the first time, while most jumped and cried at the sight of their lost siblings.
Eraanel was counting his siblings, seeing how many they've lost. And while not as many as them have died, still plenty to where he would start whispering their names, an angered frown on his face. Meanwhile, Avaanel was making her way through, expecting to see the two thousand siblings that parted with them at that time. Only to be met by the horror of five hundred, a bunch deeply injured too.

"Manna," Avaanel said, looking at her from below, "what happened?". It was what everyone started to wonder, the pleasantries washing away. A lot of them thought more were to come, but looking back, there were no more. "Is this one of Orvus' little schemes?". His name alone brought repulsion on their faces, the atmosphere changing almost instantly. Kilon already knew something was deeply wrong, Orvus should've been the last of them to be missing from the bunch, that he was confident.

"We shall talk more inside," Kilon said, "there is no need to wait any longer, is there sister?". He looked at Manna who nodded, much was on her mind and much more she wanted to say, but couldn't think at the moment. "Then make way for Manna and us, a meeting will take place inside Luvina.". Lutra was the word for giant, while umvina for tree, thus Luvina. "Our sorrows, our regrets, and our victories. All shall be shared in the same manner.". Kilon waved his hand, no longer injured by the draxe's bite, the Lightborn respecting the gesture.

And so they went. Between the broken roads and the treehouses, the Lightborns couldn't talk much, they didn't feel it was appropriate. While Manna's group suffered the most, Kilon's losses were also felt from Manna's part, so it was a mutual grieving. Stelorus rode solemnly on Sirva, while Menoel was finally close enough to Manna to exchange a few words.

"Sad isn't it?" Menoel said, the pain and anger in his voice sincere. "Had Kilon took his rightful place amongst us, maybe we could've avoided parts of this tragedy.".

"I heard some words about you Menoel, and not all of them were good," Manna replied. "You schemed behind Kilon's back, the one you're supposed to entrust the most.".

"Everything I did was in our general interest, and since Kilon couldn't see it," he paused for a moment, thinking of Avunaia, " I did what I had to.". Menoel explained himself, Luvina getting closer in sight. "There is still much we don't understand about the world. My plans and Kilon's are similar but diverge in places, and so I see yours being the same.".

"I have yet to hear what his true intentions are, which I hope he will lay plainly without deceit.". Manna held a tighter grip on her spear, her emotions barely hidden as hope was radiating from her light.

"Then maybe you'll want to hear more from me if he doesn't, won't you?". Manna stopped a little at his words, Kilon noticing it and then wanting to stop them from talking as he approached them. "He had visions from the Creator you see," his words sparked large interest from her, "hopefully he will talk about it, but I doubt it. He keeps it all to himself.".