The story so far:

---- Aija and the others are on the South-Land. They are waiting for the Leadership to attack. Goldstar is alive. They lost the Premiere, Leigh, Tailyn, Arah Lin. Ze is getting better in his training. The war comes to an end when Iernei spaceships arrive. Aija finds her brother Rei and Vincent alive. Aija and Thieron tell Goldstar all that has happened with them. Aija and Thieorn want to go to Ierne to give Aa'di Irih'va the Avo. Luka didn't expect to survive this long. He now feels at home with Thieron and Nala. Zuri goes home. She asks her parents to go to the South-land with her. They refuse. Xan accepts Var-Inu's offer to get an Iernei body. Xan is now Iernei. Thieron talks to Aija; she says she's confused and needs time. They all go to Ierne. Zuri roams the Palace. She meets Ze, who tells her he doesn't like Nala and makes Zuri doubt her relationship with Nala. Aija asks Irih'va to remove her bond with Thieron. He agrees and accomplishes it. Goldstar gives Premier Zhaleh a plan to use against the Leadership. Thieron wakes after the bond is removed. He misses Aija. Aa'di Irih'va asks him to go home and then to join the Ithi'hra to work with him. 

----Nala and Ze have a fight session. Ze wins. Thieron convinces Nala to go home. Xan struggles with Ishth'nor's memories. Xan learns from Aija what really happened to him; he feels hurt. He wants to warn his family about the experiments to save his siblings. Goldstar finds out Vincent is Ytean-human. And that he was responsible for his reputation. He is upset. He chooses to leave behind 'Goldstar' and be Rei. It is Ze's wedding day. He's happy. Diya and Nova are present. Ruyanir's and Ze's wedding takes place. Ze challenges Na'thwir for the position of Zayr chief.

----Thieron goes to Zya'ara with everyone. Meets his family after years. The Company is on their way to attack again. 

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****21.1 AIJA****

'I promise. I'm also my best by you.'

Aija cringed, remembering her words. She didn't know what possessed her to say that.

Dressed in gear, Aija stood by the main entrance of the Ru Manor, contemplating the dark clouds plump with rain. She continuously unsheathed and sheathed her ock blade, avoiding gazes of the Ytai filing past her to where they planned to intercede the army headed their way. She brushed her fingers over the Iernei script on the hilt; her name and lines from the Prayer, Aa'di Irih'va had said. Aija had studied the weapon innumerable times to glean the information the Emperor had, apparently, left out: she was convinced the other face of the hilt had more inscriptions carved onto it, possibly also another name.

Aija tried to twirl the blade like she'd seen Thieron do; it fell to the ground. She picked it up, willing to try again when Dhr'aar came sprinting to her. Behind him, Eiva and Afè followed, decked in protective gear, guns, blades, and shields. Eiva had tried to get Aija and Zuri to go with R'aer and Brun to Au'avra, but they'd refused. Eiva had appeared anguished at the thought of letting Aija and Zuri fight. She'd tried to convince Aija that it'd be worse than the last attack, and it hadn't ended pleasantly then. Aija captured the undertone of 'I watched you almost die; I can't do it again,' in her words going unvoiced. Aija assured her she'd be fine and told her about her lightning. Eiva hadn't looked at her impressed but reverent. She'd turned to Thieron for an explanation but didn't receive one. But after that, whatever hesitation she'd had perished, and she only asked Aija to be careful.

Eiva approached Aija with her wife. Both seemed calm, the kind of composure that came from accepting one's situation and knowing the only way forward was to be brave and not let panic discompose them into instability.

Aija had commanded Dhr'aar to protect Eiva. She'd felt his discontent with her for always leaving him to someone else. Yet, Aija knew Eiva would be the primary target.

Aija bowed at Eiva and Afè.

Eiva placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it lightly. "Be careful,"

"You too, Roè, Afè,"

Eiva reached into her gear and brought out two gold hair-combs. Aija had seen every Zya'araean wearing them, pulling their hair back over their ears. Eiva and Afè had them too. Eiva slid the hair-combs onto Aija's hair, so they perched her hair above her ears in true Zya'araean style. "May the Gods sway you victorious," Eiva chanted; it rhymed in Ytèan, and Aija liked that she had the translation-rune. Eiva kissed Aija on her cheek, over the scar. "Come, Dhr'aar,"

Afè hugged Aija and whispered in her ear, "Remember vā rye'la, the Universe listens in prayers and answers in miracles." Afè placed a light kiss on Aija's cheek and went after her wife.

Aija took a deep breath, watching Eiva, Afè, and Dhr'aar cross the field and exit the grounds. Her fingers swept across the hair-comb once, feeling like she, finally, belonged someplace.

Thieron's grandparents, Eiva, and Afè had tried to discuss a compromise with the Company the previous night. Eiva had also informed the Ytai Government and their judicial system called the Wu'ryh. The Government's response had been immediate – they hadn't caught any noticeable activity from the Company, but they'd look into the matter. For now, they'd asked the neighbouring cities, Urè and Au'avra, to send their Tv'orm and all other help they could afford. Aija had heard talks floating about how such a massive army couldn't have gone unnoticed, about how they must've had assistance to reach Zya'ara without detection. There had been no notifications on the space-radars or land-radars until the drone in Dsar'ya.

The talks with the army had failed. The Leader had refused any conversation, and warned Eiva to clear Zya'ara and leave the hr'uf to them, or there'd be war. Eiva had declined and declared she'd fight. The Leader had given them until the next evening to evacuate. Eiva had returned and mentioned that the Leader wasn't Ytai; they were Utzrn. It'd set off a bout of confusion. Why were the Utzrn after the hr'uf? They had brilliant technology of their own.

Aija grew restless, noting the emptying Manor and fussed over her decision to go with Thieron. She shifted her weight from leg to leg, resuming her dance of sheathing and unsheathing her blade.

Zuri and Nala had gone ahead to get a measure of the war-ground to shield the area. Luka had gone with T'ea and An'ri to set up laser-shields around the ground.

At least, Xan didn't have to go through another battle. He'd wanted to warn his family about the experiments; he'd spent days ruminating over how to approach them and delayed his trip. Aija, unable to see him torment himself, had placed the ist'we stone in his palm and ushered him off, saying he was brave enough to face family and figure out a way to help them. Aija trusted Rei to do what was needed with the Leadership. For now, her brothers were safe.

Movement near the entrance made Aija perk, but it wasn't Thieron. R'irè treaded out, garbed in gear and weapons.

On noticing her, he held his hand out. "Go with me?"

"I'm waiting for Ah'n,"

"Ah...," R'irè's hand fell. He glanced once into the building and back at her, looking both dejected and confused at once. "Okay. Be careful, Aija."

"You, too, R'irè."

He half-smiled and left. Aija vaguely remembered seeing him on her first visit. This time, he ensured he spent time by her and Zuri, taking them around the new-city and the old, having lunch and dinner with them, and helping train them in using the blades with ease. He'd been awestruck by the ock blade, and when Aija had mentioned it was a gift from the Iernei Emperor, R'irè had gone silent for so long, Aija had to shake him and ask if was well. R'irè found her wherever just like Aija saw M'nrn by Thieron. All. The. Time.

Ua'frn and the pups bounded out of the Manor. Behind them, Ayr'i emerged. And Thieron. Of course, with M'nrn.

Aija gripped the hilt of her blade tightly and didn't notice she'd done it until she felt her fingers go numb. M'nrn walked beside Thieron, their shoulders brushing; Aija gritted her teeth, negligent of Ayr'i's full attention on her. M'nrn; Aija disliked the way the 'n' sound at the start was stressed, like even her name held prestige.

Thieron's eyes found Aija waiting for him. He gravitated towards her, gaze steady on hers. For a second, everything else blurred like Aija wasn't headed to another war. Like the universe was composed for just the two of them. Aija stilled, her fidgety-movements quelling, her breathing deepening. Thieron walked straight to her like she'd pulled him to herself, as if he'd find her anywhere, even in the dark like they were connected. Two halves of a whole.

Aija raised her eyes as he came closer, not breaking contact.

He placed his hand over her cheek. "Let's go,"

Ayr'i moved first. M'nrn cleared her throat; Aija knew it was for Thieron. He didn't lift his gaze from Aija. Ayr'i returned and dragged M'nrn away. Aija relished Ayr'i's grin and M'nrn's frown.

"Thank you for staying," Thieron breathed softly. "I need you more than you'll ever know."

I think I know, Aija thought. She'd seen it in his aura. Although she couldn't see auras anymore, she knew how he felt. It was in his eyes, his voice, his touch, in the way he sought her in a group, in the way he made her feel the world around her muted when he glanced at her.

****

The woodlands parted to uncloak rolling green fields dimpled by light and dark as the suns set over the rise and dip of land.

The air was heavy with the dawn of a storm, the crackling lightning its proem.

The Zya'araeans waited for the enemy to approach; a respectable army of about thousand to two thousand Ytai led by Roè Eiva and Afè. Aija had heard whispers of how they didn't compare to the army headed towards them, that the Utzrn had purposely chosen to approach open land. If they'd arrived closer to the Xzia'on mountains, the Ytai would've had a better advantage. Zya'araeans knew their mountains and forests; this open land made them vulnerable.

Those on foot made the very back of the legion behind those on land-skiffs under forest-cover. Few fly-pods hovered above them. Even fewer were on horse-like animals. Pliy'uku, Aija had learnt. They were gigantic, winged, and terrifying if not for their gentle disposition that Aija had observed. Several Ytai took over on the tall trees, weapons strapped to their chests.

Aija had kept an eye out for Zuri but hadn't found her among the mass of Ytai. Zuri was to be in the middle, Nala would shield the front. Eiva stood with Afè and her parents. Aija didn't spot An'ri and T'ea as she made her way to Eiva with Thieron. Aija wondered how Eiva's parents had taken the news of their son Ai'r's crimes. Their son had had his sister murdered. Their grandson had killed Ai'r. It must've been hard to comprehend.

Eiva glanced back at the two of them.

"It's done," Thieron informed her.

Eiva dipped her head ever-so-slightly in response and turned back ahead. Aija didn't know what they spoke of; she didn't need to know. All she cared for was everyone on their side survived.

Dhr'aar growled, low in his throat, eyes on the horizon. Ua'frn and the pups stood in front of Thieron and her. She needed to ask Thieron what he'd named the pups.

Aija scanned the fields. To the left in the far distance, the Xzia'on range stood and all around the vast fields, thick woodlands resumed. The front stood at the cusp of the forests and fields, waiting to lure the enemy into the woods they knew like the back of their hands.

Dhr'aar growled as lightning and thunder afflicted the skies, commencing a dramatic display of light and sound. It began drizzling, making Aija nervous.

"The storm will worsen," she whispered.

Thieron lowered his eyes, taking her in. Aija felt his heat radiating onto her. The two stood behind Eiva and Afè, who were flanked by Ayr'i and Nala.

"This storm brings the lightning. And what are we, Aija?" Thieron crooned, grazing the back of her hand with his.

Aija held his gaze. "Lightning,"

Thieron smiled. "We own the storm,"

Despite the fear simmering in her, Aija smiled.

We own the storm. We are lightning, she thought, as his words swayed her into stability.

Dhr'aar's snarls deepened. Ua'frn joined him.

The skies darkened; tiny twinkles of light materialised on the horizon. A dark shadow emerged from the other side of the clearing. No, not a shadow; Aija shivered when her eyes picked up individual movements swirling in the dark cloud – it wasn't one colossal mass of shadow; soldiers formed it.

The nervousness everyone felt was palpable in the air. Aija noted that they were ridiculously outnumbered. The number of fly-pods on the Utzrn side were far more than all of the Ytai together. The army that arrived on land had to be made of at least ten-thousand people, not to mention that several were on land-skiffs, pliy'uku, and other massive animals Aija had never seen before.

The soldiers drew close. Aija figured out why she'd felt like she'd seen a shadow. Tendrils of dark curled the fighters' feet, rising like waves at places, looking like the people brought the darkness with them. A spectral force of annihilation made more disconcerting by how quiet they were. No sound carried on the wind as if they floated, but Aija saw them walking.

Aija had managed to remain composed even on seeing the shadow-army surround them until she spotted the ji'var making up the centre of the group. There were at least fifty of the demonic creatures lined up to be released on them.

Aija's breathing grew shallow and quick. The fight was skewed, all power amassed on the Utzrn side. The Ytai wouldn't survive this.

"Breathe, vā rye'la," Thieron took her hand in his.

Aija squeezed his hand. She was frightened. Her life had gone from getting through inane school hours to fighting in wars. How did it ever happen so quickly?

"We'll survive this together, vā oan," Thieron whispered.

"Together?" Aija asked.

"Together,"

Aija rested her forehead over his arm, her hand clasped firmly in his. Aija didn't know when Thieron's presence had gone from hateful to reassuring. It didn't matter when. It didn't matter how. It didn't matter why. It only mattered that it did. Thieron was her force, her resilience, her anchor. Together they were power.

"There's no way they made it do far unnoticed," A'ed, Thieron's grandmother, opined. She stood with her husband Erh'un behind Eiva and Afè, to the far right of Aija and Thieron.

"They've had Ytai help," Afè spoke.

Eiva swivelled around; Ayr'i and Nala remained facing front. Eiva took in the meagre army on her side, her parents, then Aija and Thieron. Her eyes lingered on their linked hands for a moment. Eiva faced her people and lifted her dagger up for everyone to see. Everyone followed. Aija continued holding onto Thieron's hand and copied Eiva. Eiva unsheathed her blade; everyone did it too. She held the blade for all to see and bowed. Once she rose, everyone bowed to their Leader. Aija straightened. Eiva turned front, not before giving Aija and Thieron's hands another glimpse. Eiva removed her shield-band, slid it over her arm and activated it. It fizzed to life. Everyone else followed.

The enemy approached them, quiet, and soon they were encircled, shadows lapping at the edges. The soldiers stopped, leaving a substantial distance between them and the Zya'araeans. They wore reddish-brown gear of the company. Maybe it was them attacking with the help of the Utzrn?

The squad at the front parted, and a land-skiff broke off from the group, heading their way.

Thieron commanded his blade into a sword. Only then did Aija notice he had an ock sword too. Seeing him, she commanded hers too.

Thieron startled. "It's not my blade,"

Aija shook her head. "I have yours on me, too."

"Where did you get this?"

"Aa'di Irih'va,"

Thieron studied her for a second and turned his attention to the enemy. But he pressed her hand with his once as if to show he wasn't angry.

Two people stood on the Utzrn land-skiff. It halted a few feet in front of them. The people were clearly not Ytai; although it was easy for Aija to make out one was a man and the other a woman. They were humanoid with their own distinctions to set them apart as a different race of people. The man drove the skiff; he had pale-blue skin, ears that appeared animal-like, long and tapered, extending above his head. He had antlers, long and thin, wiry. The woman stood with her hands at the back. Her pale-green skin seemed sickly in the dark, her ears long and tapered, antlers thick and stubby. They wore robe-like shifts, cinched at the waist, wrists, and ankles, in a colour that made Aija think of the relentless space that had swallowed them when they'd travelled from Earth to Ytèan in a spacecraft.

Eiva stood straighter, taut with hostility.

The Utzrn woman spoke her language. High-pitched and cloying, it made Aija want to dig her nails into her skin to stop the way it mauled her senses.

The man translated it, but Aija had understood it thanks to the translation-rune.

"We give you one last chance to walk away."

Eiva stood, silent, watching the Utzrn. Dhr'aar's and Ua'frn's snarls filled the quiet in rhythm to the thunder and rain. Then, instead of answering the Utzrn, Eiva shouted, "People of Zya'ara, Urè, Au'avra, will you fight by me? Will you help me protect our lands?"

The Ytai behind them banged the hilts of their weapons to their shields twice, startling Aija. They yelled, "Nè!" into the night. The sheer power of the sound thrummed through Aija's body. It reverberated, humming in the sir.

"May the Gods sway us victorious!" Eiva yelled.

The Ytai banged the hilts thrice to their shields and repeated, "May the Gods sway us victorious!"

The displeasure on the Utzrn woman birthed a smirk on Eiva.

Aija saw Nala's shield take form, silvery, between her hands and thought of Zuri. She'd seen Zuri only once that morning and wished she'd told her she loved her.

Without warning or cue, the Utzrn woman, the Leader, drew her weapon and started firing. The beams were held off by the laser-shield encompassing them. Nala was poised to step in. The soldiers, decked in red-brown, took off behind the woman, hurtling towards them.

The Utzrn woman continued shooting at the laser-shield, and Aija gripped her sword tighter. The Utzrn fly-pods flew over them, dropping a dust-like powder, and a low humming sound surrounded them. The sound bothered Aija, noticing every Ytai around her contorted in discomfort. The powder dropped by the fly-pods struck their laser-shield. A loud crack shattered the air and the laser-shield dissolved. The shimmery-dust engulfed them, making the Ytai cough.

Still, Nala brought her shield up in time, blocking the Utzrn Leader's beams. But it was clear Nala alone couldn't shield them for long. The rest of the army reached them. Nala buckled under the force of hundreds of people firing at her shield. She lost control, and her shield gave way. The shots, now having no barrier, hit them.

Thieron pulled Aija behind him, holding his laser-shield up to cover them. Aija threw her laser-shield to create a lightning-shield, with her free hand. Thieron and Ayr'i threw their shields, too, joining her. They managed to shield the front against the brunt of the force. But Aija struggled to maintain the shield. She saw Thieron and Ayr'i stressing as well. Usually, her electricity came easy. She even had the hr'uf band around her thumb. Something was wrong.

Eiva, Afè, and the others at the front ran into the forests. The lightning-shield gave way with such force that it threw Aija, Thieron, and Ayr'i to the ground. With it, the entire enemy force barged into them.

"Run!" Thieron pulled Aija up.

They ran, hand in hand, as the soldiers charged at them on pliy'uku and other beasts. Aija, gripped with terror, ran as fast her legs allowed. She knew what came after the people on the animals. The ji'var.

Aija was sure Eiva had expected the laser-shields to curb much of the fight. But it was clear the Utzrn were stronger. And she suspected the humming sound made their powers weak. Somewhere, far at the back, it possibly also made Luka's and Zuri's powers weak too.

Aija lost sight of all the familiar faces in the clamour. Thieron hauled her through the tide of people into the forests, her left hand in his right. In what felt like a scant second, ten soldiers on pliy'uku and other winged beats encircled them.

Thieron skidded to a sudden halt; Aija crashed into him. Thieron steadied her with a grip on her arm. Shadows danced at the heels of the beasts, rising higher and higher and slithering towards Aija and Thieron.

The enemy-fighters appeared Ytai; none of their features indicated they were Utzrn. They were armed with laser-shields and guns. A translucent veil of light, generated by a thin metal-strip across their foreheads, shielded their faces, temple to temple.

Aija shivered, taking account of the Ytai surrounding her. Her hair was soaked wet from the rain, sticking to her neck and face. She stood with her back touching Thieron's, her sword in her right hand, her left hand firmly gripped in Thieron's. Thieron held his sword in his left hand, aimed to defend.

The soldiers shot at them. Thieron deflected them using his sword. Aija lowered her sword, trying to set up a lightning-shield around them. It didn't work, but her lightning was able to deflect the killing beams aimed at them. If Thieron could put a shield around them, she'd focus on stopping the Ytai's hearts. She was about to suggest it to him when the tendrils of darkness gripped her, making her yelp. Smoky though it was, Aija felt its touch; its hold strong. The shadows kept her from moving. She heard Thieron cursing. In her panic, her lightning fell, and a beam grazed her arm.

"Ow!"

"Aija?" Thieron panicked.

"I'm okay," she gritted her teeth against the pain blooming over her arm, hot over her skin.

A Ytai on a pliy'uku charged at them.

"Aija," Thieron tried to reach her, but they were stuck with their backs touching, unable to move. The darkness secured them to the ground.

The Ytai reached for a weapon fixed to the side of the beast; he raised the blade-tipped spear at them as the pliy'uku jumped onto them. Thieron raised his sword, Aija ducked, hands over her head. As the beast hovered an inch over them, Ua'frn attacked it, biting its neck and dragging it down. The pliy'uku let out a pain-filled howl, hitting the ground with a thud; the Ytai on it fell too. Bones broke with a sickening crack. The Ytai and the pliy'uku both didn't move. Ua'frn and the pups swooped in on the fighters circling them and brought them each down, tearing into their necks. Blood flowed over wet ground; the darkness lapped over it, and when done, to Aija's horror, the darkness had soaked the blood into itself.

The shadows holding her and Thieron in place receded. Ua'frn and the pups stood guard around them.

Thieron faced her. "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head, despite the pain searing through her arm. That wound wouldn't kill her; she didn't want Thieron worrying over it.

"If you manage to shield us, I'll stop their hearts."

"I'm trying. Something's wrong. Don't you feel it? I can't call my lightning easily."

Aija nodded. The rain battered them, now each drop a sharp prick of pain on her skin, their visibility reduced. Still, the silver-powder the Utzrn fly-pods had showered them with stuck to their skin and hair. Aija felt the humming grow in pitch, but it wasn't as bothersome as earlier.

Thieron raised his sword, deflecting a beam aimed at them. All around, people fought with guns, swords, blades. The beasts pounded against the ground, barrelling Ytai off their feet. The Utzrn soldiers had power, too – Aija saw them using fire, ice-blades, and shields. But she noted that none of them glistened with the silvery-dust; only the Zya'araeans were. It struck Aija that it was the powder inhibiting their powers.

"The powder," she began.

Thieron brought forth his lightning in a poorly formed shield around them. It saved them from the entirety of the force of the beams that might've otherwise struck them directly.

"The powder!" she shouted as the two of them struck ground from the force of the beams. "Get it off!" She let Thieron's hand go, dusting herself. The powder didn't budge.

A pliy'uku rider approached them. Aija called her electricity to stop their hearts, but it fizzed lightly over her fingers. Then, it was late.

The rider caught her coat and lifted her effortlessly off the ground.

"No!" Thieron reached for her.

The rider dragged Aija away. Thieron ran after her until an Utzrn attacked him. One of the pups attacked the pliy'uku and the rider lugging Aija. Her feet scraped the ground. It hurt. But she didn't let go of the sword or panic. She reached deep into her blood and brought out a strong current of lightning. She felt the hearts of the pliy'uku and its rider. She stopped them. The beast and rider fell lifeless. Aija was thrown to the ground. She hit the mud hard; it scraped her face and hands, lodging mud into the cuts she acquired.

Aija lay on the ground, gasping for air. The pup that had chased after Aija hovered over her, whining. She rose slowly, her body aching, and placed a hand on the igh's snout, halting its whining.

Aija searched for Thieron, regretting letting his hand go, and didn't spot him anywhere in the chaos. She sat, taking in the battle unwrapped around her. How had she even stepped onto the field, courageous? The battle on the South-Land had broken her enough, even when she'd remained on the cusps. Sitting amidst the biggest battle she'd faced, it was obvious to Aija that she'd been unnecessarily overconfident in her abilities. Without the lightning, she was no match to Ytai. And she'd lost her grip over it, thanks to the Utzrn's silver-dust.

'This fight isn't the one you've got to hold worries for,' Tai'un's words came rushing to her. It had to be true. Because Aija wasn't surviving this one.

The shadows, which she hadn't paid attention to, snaked to her. She swayed her sword over it. It cut the shadows but wasn't fast enough. Ribbons of dark took ahold of her faster than she cut through them.

"Die!" she heard an Utzrn yell.

Aija spotted the woman, sitting on a pliy'uku under a tall tree, her hands out, face clenched in concentration. Darkness shrouded her, dancing in waves. She must be the one controlling the shadows.

Aija slashed her sword through the shadows, but the darkness rose in a giant wave. 

It crashed into Aija in a strong tide of black, swallowing her whole.

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