War of Dawn

Chapter 30: Eliza's Conundrum

Eliza walks through the empty hallways of Valarheim, the noise of her boots' heels on the wooden floor breaking the silence of the early hours of the day. By the moon's position, it's about two in the morning and, barring the sentries and those readying for nighttime missions, most Scions are still asleep. It's, for all intents and purposes, an unremarkable evening – the type she usually spends on the Corps' never ending administrative duties. Yet, not only did she see the emergence of three Wraiths – a very uncommon occurrence – Paula also saw fit to try that little stunt. Marvelous.

Approaching her office, Eliza already feel ripples across the flow of Prana wafting from within and crashing against her own aura; the ever familiar presence of an Ascended Scion, a tall hill amid featureless plains. Looks like Ragnar's been taking care of things just as she requested.

The door opens as she steps closer, gently shutting itself behind her like a loyal servant. Ragnar doesn't even notice Eliza's return, wholly concentrated in the piles upon piles of documents on her desk. Clearing her throat, she makes her presence known.

"Ah, ma'am!" Ragnar stammers, his quill almost slipping out of his hands. Rushing to get it back into place, he stands up from her chair and salutes. "Sorry, I didn't hear you come in."

"At ease, Ragnar," Eliza says. "I appreciate your diligence covering for me, especially with how suddenly this all happened."

It's not difficult to see the haste with which Ragnar came back, still covered in head to toe with the intricate noble regalia he wears – begrudgingly, as he's often noted to the other generals –for official matters at the British court. He probably ran over as soon as she requested.

"It was no problem, ma'am; the party was already ending and I couldn't take listening to the nobles ramble on anymore." Ragnar steps out from behind her desk, stretching his arms with loud cricks of his weary bones; he's never been too keen on doing paperwork but seniority says he's the Corps' second in command. "So, how're the girls?"

"In one piece, much as I wanted to kill them myself. I tossed both in the dungeon until I've decided what to do." Eliza grunts as she sits back in her chair, letting out a long, long sigh that fills the interior of her mask in a warm breath. "Find Ryouma and tell him what happened, please. And warn that his student is quickly becoming a growing pain in my neck."

"Hah, weren't we all pains in your neck at some point? Maybe it's a good sign." Ragnar laughs. "But she's a nice girl, just real gung-ho when people she cares for are involved – same as Paula."

Eliza rubs her right temple, waves of silver light soothing her headache. "And I remember telling you decades ago that 'gung-ho' kills... though, by now, I should know better than to expect restraint from teenagers."

"It's why us older folks have to help them learn, right, ma'am?" Ragnar punctuates his answer by poking a tiny circular scar at the back of his right hand, a reminder of a harsh lesson she gave to a very ill-tempered High Scion. "Either way, I trust your judgment – we all do. Anything you need, I'll be in my office... and happy New Year."

With one final salute, Ragnar exits the room, his noticeable presence moving farther and farther away about the flow. Silence fills the air once more, interrupted only by the occasional soft whooshes of the wind outside. "Happy New Year"... how many times has Eliza heard this? From how many people? She cannot count that high. Another year in her lengthy life has come to a close, though that doesn't mean much by now – everything reeks of déjà vu. Novitiates make the same mistakes, some die, some survive, there's the usual politicking with nations the world over, the war with the Valnr continues its unending back-and-forth...