Floating Stars

Chapter 43: The Execution

"Amber! Amber wait!" Luchinda yelled from the heavy wooden door of Petra Marbh. But Amber couldn't be stopped. Her feet pounded the green earth as she darted into the forest to find True. Tears streamed down her face, causing her to find navigating through the trees difficult.

"Amber?"

True saw her running frantically towards him. She headed straight into his arms and shook in his embrace. "What is it? Amber, what happened?"

"They t-took M-Mum..." she informed him through hyperventilating breaths. As soon as those words left her, he grabbed her tighter to him and glanced over her trembling head to see Luchinda approaching.

"You said she'd be safe! You said they'll both be safe in your care!" he bellowed towards the mousey Fiosolim.

"True, please, you must understand..."

Feeling his anger build up inside him, he quickly decided to send Amber to James for the time being.

"How am I to understand? You have told us nothing but lies since we got back!"

"I have never lied to you, True..." Luchinda contradicted him desperately, her emotions constricting her chest. "I..." She really wanted to explain, to tell them the entirety of her visions, to justify all that she had done; but this was not the time, and it was killing her.

"Where did they take her?" True growled out his question. Luchinda shook her head and her shoulders heaved in despair. "Enough! Luchinda!" True grabbed her by the shoulders. "No more secrets! Tell me where she is!"

"I..."

"Luchinda!"

Feeling that she had no choice but to give him an answer, she racked her brains for information that was safe for her to share.

"Lux Palace! They've taken her to Lux palace! Noir-Astra has killed the King and Queen and has taken their place."

True let go of her and took a step back, shock plagued his eyes.

"What does this mean, Sister?" James spoke out amongst the rest of the light defenders.

"It means we're lost!" Dìl-Forti cut in. "If Noir-Astra has power over Lux Palace, he can do anything he wishes. He has power over the Emerald Army and over the law!"

"Yes, you are correct, Dìl-Forti, he does have power now, but so do we!" Luchinda looked around all the confused faces that stared at her. "We have Illuminare-Trabem on our side, and he has more power than the darkness will ever have!"

"Yet he allows Astrid to be taken!" True snapped at her in frustration. "He also allowed her to be an outcast all her life!"

"No! True! Please, you mustn't say that!"

"I'm going to get her back!" True said, then turned away from her.

"I'll go with you, Brother!" Malek declared bravely and made his way to his side.

Five of the Emerald fighters, all but Dìl-Forti, melded their light orbs back into their hands and stepped forward in perfect synchronisation.

Dìl-Forti looked at Luchinda, as if waiting for a cue. The look of anxiety in her eyes made him feel like his hesitation was justified.

"We'll all go and help you fetch her back." Òrum Sprèintis announced in his usual authoritative voice and the others nodded their heads in agreement - those under the name of Sprèintis, Biabus-Lus, Draoicis-Lus and Slànacus.

"Then arm yourselves. We must travel together, protected!" True instructed. "Keep to your family groups, stay under your family symbols."

"Wait! Before we go," Luchinda interrupted quickly. "I have a new symbol to protect us all with. One given to me by Illuminare-Trabem himself, it is stronger than separate symbols."