ShadowSong [Book 1 & 2: Complete] [NaNoWriMo16/17]

Chapter 18 - Offerings

 tapped her tattoo twice, scanning the horizon from the temple rooftop for signs of her ice-winged partner.

"C'mon, Cryo," she muttered, wiping the drizzling rain off her visor. "It's not even storming that bad anymore, you can totally come and meet me on the roof."

Listening to Jason's group had distracted her from this moment for a few hours, but now it was here, the impending conversations--one in particular--was all she could think about.

The Starsong amulet hadn't disappeared with the rest of Olivia's clothes. Instead, her tunic had altered at the throat, providing a place where her amulet sat snugly unless she pried it loose, as she did now. Holding it in her hands, she wanted to believe that something felt different. That there was something higher calling her, but try as she might, she couldn't catch the phantom memory that made her feel like something was missing.

She tapped her tattoo twice again, and after receiving an answering double-tap, resigned herself to humming, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet while she waited for Cryo to show up.

A few minutes later in a rush of icy air, Cryo came up and over the side of the building, his talons thudding against the roof as he landed. He'd just unfrozen his wings from his arms and straightened to look at her when Banshee grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Cryo!" she said, her bouncing shaking him as a result. "You're here!"

Cryo stood there, more than a little stunned by her enthusiasm. "I am indeed. Is this a surprise?"

"Well, no," said Banshee, clearing her throat and stepping back. "But I mean, I've kinda been hanging out for this ever since the other night."

Cryo's hand lifted to the small circle of white starstone--his own amulet, frozen to his chest--and released it to his hand. "You mean when we received these?"

"You got one too!" Banshee accepted his when it was offered, her eyes darting around the details, comparing it to her own. "They look exactly the same, from what I can tell. Except yours has a Cryophoenix symbol on it and mine has a Banshee one." She handed his amulet back. "What do you think they mean? I mean, I know we're supposed to save Ella, probably from the Other, but why? Who gave it to us? I thought we got our powers from Skypillar but if it's a Starsong symbol then--"

Cryo took it back in silence, apparently deep in thought.

"What is it, Cryo?"

"Does something feel... odd to you about this?" he said after a moment, his finger running around the edge of his amulet. "I was pla--When I received the amulet, I remember something feeling wrong. Like I'd lost something important. Something that I had to do, or something that I had to remember. Did you experience a similar thing?"

Banshee frowned. "I felt something like that, but I figured it was just my imagination again. Why?"

"It was concerning me that I had forgotten an important part of the mission," said Cryo, refreezing his amulet to his chest. "What do you remember?"

"That together, we have to save Ella Spiritcaller before the temple festival thing is over," said Banshee. "You?"

Cryo nodded. "It's the same for me. At least our information matches up. And as for your onslaught of questions, I have several theories regarding those. As for what these amulets are or why we have to particularly save Ella from the Other, I don't know, but I did some research into Starsong's lore to refresh my memory. Are you aware of it at all?"

Banshee shrugged. "Just assume I'm not and fill me in."

"Very well," said Cryo. "Starsong is often considered Skypillar's other, more fragile half. She is referenced several times, particularly in the lore regarding when Skypillar placed a broken Starsong in the sky to protect her from the Other. It is written that it was Starsong's spirit that gave Skypillar the strength to hold the land and sky apart as the Other tried to bring them together. Only once a year, during the six weeks of the festival, does Starsong's moon appear in the sky, replenishing Skypillar's strength, which is why the auroras are dimmer leading up to the festival. Her essence fades, and is replenished."