Shadow Bands

XXIV. Gamma

A soft winter sunlight beamed through the windows of the Veil manor. Birds chirped their songs amongst the rustling of leaves. Though it only snowed once in a great storm, the daggering winds were persistent in their stead. A gust of wind rattled the windows and then left as fast as it came.

The noise woke Lyra, who lay by the hearth, indulging in the warmth of its confinement—the stone keeping it from razing the building down.

As her consciousness slowly came to focus, the scratching of a quill on paper began to feel as if it were scratching at her brain as well. Lyra turned to find Aeris at her desk once again, as if her time alone last night was all just a figment of her imagination. Her limbs stretched out from her, a yawn following their lead.

"Hard at work, I see," she said, rubbing her eye. Judging by her expression, she was barely awake. "How did the council go last night? Much progress?"

"I don't think so," replied Aeris with a deep sigh. She placed the quill back in the ink, and her other hand used its first two fingers to compress the inner corners of her eyes. "There are few senators who are actually working for the people of this kingdom. I need to know why, but the answers rely on a few field days worth of research. Could be dangerous; I could get kidnapped or killed. . . or worse."

"I'm sure you'll be fine. I doubt that if you plan ahead, you can be accompanied by some guards. Especially since you're a senator and all."

"That's the thing," Aeris leaned back in her chair, her arms crashing down to her side. "If you hated the Senate, would you want to talk to your oppressors who are accompanied by strong, suited men?" Lyra opened her mouth, but her understanding made its way first, sealing her lips. "This mess is fracturing my mind and the kingdom. How could it have gotten this bad? What was Mother doing?"

Lyra began to feel the frustration in her work. She walked to Aeris' desk until she stood beside her. Instinctively, her arms wrapped around Aeris. Her shoulders lost their stiffness, and her breathing became normal.

"You can figure this out," said Lyra, her voice soothing the anxiousness within Aeris. "You're so close, Aeris. The people will trust you eventually, and they will love you more than you know. Just one step at a time."

Aeris smiled. Her thoughts seemed to have slowed down until eventually she looked up at Lyra.

"You came in here last night before I had to leave. It seemed urgent as well. I'm sorry I had to brush it off, but I'm willing to listen now."

Lyra's heart began to beat against her chest. The excitement pent up from last night was ready to burst as she said, "I've found a way to harness the Aether into everything!"

Aeris was left flabbergasted at the simple explanation, expecting more to spill from her lips. "What is Aether?" She started.

"Oh, that's the energy that's harnessed from space. I'm trying to see if it works—perhaps coining its birth with that name."

"And how will you do that?" Aeris' question curled, afraid of the answer to come.

"Nighlstone!"

"Lyra!" Aeris exclaimed. "Nighlstone is within the Forest of Nolguul. You'd get shredded alive if not by the animals, then by the people that protect that land."

"I know, I know!" Lyra began to pace around the desk. "But the entity told me that it's capable of crystal growth—"

"This entity again," Aeris interrupted her, stopping her in her tracks. "Lyra, this entity cannot be good. Who knows what this thing is capable of? It could be lying to you, trying to make you destroy our world to add to its collective."