The Ashes Wake

Chapter 26: Lana

Lana
"Yuccan Colony is probably the least known colony. It doesn't have a rich capital or Dragons or the Stadium. Void, even the Cold Colony has its unique icy fields. But Yuccan? It's near the Isle of Infirmaturs. That's about it, and it's not even a good thing."

Inhabitant of Yuccan Colony recorded during Terran Village's seasonal meeting
4999 Year, Majira Season

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Basic training had consisted of one thing so far: dungeon duty.

It was certainly not what Lana expected to be doing at Highborn Castle. No, she had expected handling crime infested cities, fighting important battles, and relaying secret information to the Queen and other creatures of power.

Instead she found herself with a set of rusty keys, a torch, and, after much persuasion, her daggers. She had nearly begged Chief Enzo to allow her to carry her inseparable friends instead of the classic Royal Militia spear issued. And Lana didn't beg often.

After Kent found her, he'd given an entirely different tour of the grounds before leading her into the damp cellar. She now knew the 'sanctuary spots'-as Kent had put it-for the Militia troops, where they competed in underground one-on-one combat for a few extra pines, and where they abandoned training to smoke leafturn ferns.

"This is what you get when a bunch of recruits who know the inner layout of Highborn Castle have free time," Kent had said while inclining his head to a group of soldiers passing around a smoke.

Lana swore to him that he'd never see her enjoying free time like that, though the Sanguinem had only flashed her a toothy grin.

Afterwards, Kent lead her down crumbling stairs into a musty and cold-stoned floor. Countless cells seemed to stretch on in an endless hallway, and the air was moldy and wet.

"This is where you'll be stationed at," he had said.

"When will I get to do real work?" Lana had asked.

"This is real work," he'd replied. "Trust me, you're one of the lucky ones. Royal training is normally a Witch, and you're exempt from some of it because Chief Enzo decided you surpassed the skills."

Now, as Lana peered into an empty cell, she growled, "I'm one of the lucky ones, sure." The ground was lined with grime and there was a dark liquid covering one corner, which she did not want to investigate.

It had been only an hour since Kent left her in the drowning darkness of the dungeons, but she already longed to be back on Sunburst galloping across the Colonies. Each cell, after walking down the hallway that did indeed have an end, seemed empty. The only sounds were her footsteps, the crackling torch, and the keys on her hip dangling against her left dagger. Black was the sole thing that met her eyes after peering into each cell.

She had no idea why there were so many spaces for criminals and traitors of the Kingdom if none of them were full, or why in the void anyone would need to stand guard.

Maybe everyone is just brought to the Stadium now, she thought with cruel malice. At least they can talk with others and see daylight there.

She glanced around again, stopping at the long shadow she casted on the ground. All that's here is loneliness and madness.

Lana sat with her back against a stone pillar, careful not to rip her new uniform on a jutting rock. She was alone with her thoughts for the first time since leaving the Stadium, and her questions and fears crept to the edge of her mind. The lack of noise did nothing to help, either.