Midnight Rider

Chapter Fourteen : Trapped in Hopelessness

The smell of hay and antiseptic filled the Shelter. Riders and Horses alike were collapsed on the floor, nursing their wounds with their minimal magic and salves, wrapping bandages around the bleeding limbs. Lynette stepped through the groups of people crowded on the floor towards the back of the now crammed building. 

Her two Professors, Professor Namsin and Professor Lynn, were seated next to Cryscent, Hanara and Emalia. Their Horses was lying down next to them, either resting as their Riders tended to their remaining injuries or sleeping. Lynette sat down on the edge of the group where Stardust was waiting, her body covered in dark scabs and her thin coat covered in greenish poultice. "You alright?" Lynette asked as she patted her neck, running her hand through her rough hair and tangled mane. Stardust stretched her neck out slightly. 

Cryscent and Hanara appeared listless and they lay down on the floor which was covered in hay, the only cushioning the authorities could provide. The two Professors whispered quietly to each other, their faces tired and cut. From the troubled expressions on their faces, Lynette could tell that they were very worried about the current situation. With the current state of destruction in Kaldrak, Lynette could not blame them for fretting so much. The city was even more broken-down than after the last clash with the Lymers, every single building ripped down, and even worse, the Pearl turned into a dark magic blaster. 

Lynette's eyes scanned over the Horses and she noticed Dappelshine was missing. "Emalia," She addressed the younger Rider, "Where's---" Emalia's face fell. "She's... Hurt. Badly." Hanara intercepted. Stardust nodded sadly. "She's in the Barn. Anastasia said she'd try, but it was unlikely." 

"It's my fault..." Emalia began to sob bitterly. "If she hadn't wanted to save me, the Lymer wouldn't have shot her with the arrow..." Lynette's heart sank. She had been hoping for all her friends to be alright, but Dappelshine's loyal sacrifice... She might never see the Rider she loved again. Kyra's noble death came back to her, and she shuddered in sorrow. Suddenly, Lynette felt herself sinking to her knees. Images of Kyra's smiling cheery face, covered in blood and dirt, flashed before her eyes. Tears tumbled from the edges of her eyes. During the battle, the pain and grief had been marred by the excitement and the need to | protect the others in Kaldrak. Without the panic-inducing distractions, Kyra's sacrifice for her made her heart ache. Why? Warms arms of her friends wrapped around her as she wallowed in her sadness. 

Even Emalia forced a small smile as she hugged Lynette. "We'll get through this together," She promised comfortingly. Lynette realised with a smile that with the pain and loss of war came the warmth from the others around you, the ones who would help to mend you, make you alright. And it was the sacrifices of the ones you loved that showed they loved you even more. Loved you enough to die for you, because you meant so much to them. 

Tears fell from her eyes again, but this time, other than sorrow, the warmth and pride of having them as friends filled her with a bittersweet contentment. The Professors nodded. As long as they all banded together, they would be able to make it through. 

Lynette lay down sideways on the floor, letting herself go limp. Out of the corner of her closing eyes, she saw Stardust's controlled but anxious expression, her sad friends, her worried teachers. Surprisingly, despite all the chaos around her, she felt a feeling of calm wash over her, and for the first time since the start of the massive war, her heart swelled with hope. Lynette was now certain there was a way to put everything right. 

 Her eyes slowly closed, and she drifted away...

~~~

"At last!" Lynette announced triumphantly as she cleared away the last chuck of dust from the floor in the ruined castle. Despite her slight happiness at finally having finished clearing up, she knew that outside lay much more destruction that would take a lot longer to clear up, let alone fix.