Month 1, Day 2, 9:10: 10; Arvium, Memorial

Aella held the candle up on the left wall of the tunnel, seeing a lever and a small "Exit" plaque above it, and breathed a sigh of relief, then winced as the door slid shut behind her, leaving her in almost pitch-black darkness.

She walked forward, holding the candle in front of her with one hand, the other resting on the hilt of her sword.

She paused as the tunnel ahead started to become lighter as bioluminescent plankton covered the walls. She walked for another ten yards before stopping in front a metal door that blocked the way. It had elaborate carvings all over its surface, but the center was smooth, with a giant version of the circle with three lines extending from it.

Okay, now I'm really curious as to what that means.

She frowned as she noticed no handle to open the door. She ran her hand over the smooth area, and her fingers stopped at an indention where the three lines converged. She held the candle closer and she squinted at it, recognizing the geometric shape.

But from where? She ran a hand over her face and closed her eyes, trying to remember where she had seen the shape before. She sighed as she opened her eyes and pounded her fist on the door.

She blinked, then pressed her ear against the door. Faint strains of music filled the air, as if they were coming from the other side of the door. It was mesmerizing and otherworldly, like nothing she had ever heard before. A choir of voices rose in perfect harmony, and a female's voice cut higher than the others, singing a tune in a language she couldn't quite make out.

She stepped back and touched the crystal hanging on her chest beneath her clothes, then frowned. She pulled it out from underneath her shirt and stared at it, tilting the end up so she could see the facets of the crystal. Her eyes widened as she held it up to the indention, then slowly inserted it into the doorway.

It went in almost all the way, and she heard a click. Then golden energy began flowing out of the crystal and into her arm, and she cried out as it burned its way up her skin. As suddenly as it had started, the pain ended, and the crystal popped out of the indention. The door swung open several inches, showing a large balcony just beyond. A railing revealed the exit was on the top floor of a large tower-like structure with multiple floors below.

She dropped to her knees, gripping her forearm as her necklace fell to the floor with a soft clatter. She moved her fingers and inhaled sharply, seeing a golden tattoo of a circle, with three lines extending from it, glowing on her skin. Slowly, as the pain subsided, the tattoo started to fade.

She glanced up as the choirs sang louder, their music filling the air with almost tangible sound. She picked up her necklace and placed it in her pocket, then crawled forward through the doorway and onto the empty balcony. She laid down on her stomach and scooted forward a few inches so she could see what was happening below. Through the lattice work on the railing, she saw balconies like the one she was on three lower floors. People in flowing white robes stood on them with their hands clasped together, their heads lifted to the ceiling as they sang.

She gasped as hundreds of floating lights started to rise from the ground floor, slowly making their way higher and higher. The lights pulsed with each beat of the music, and some moved in time with the song, looking like a field of fireflies.

Then, the song started to slow, and ended. The lights stayed where they were, filling the entire area with soft golden light.

"People of Trinity," a male's voice cried out, echoing in the building.

Aella jerked backward, scooting backwards until her back was pressed against the wall next to the doorway. Her hands clasped over her mouth and her eyes widened.

"We gather here today to honor our lost comrades, and respect the lives of those who are still fighting."

Aella's eyes filled with tears, and she shook her head, moving to her feet and running down the hallway that led to the memorial chamber. The light from the building provided enough faint light for her to see where she was going, and ran as fast as she could. Her feet echoed in the dark hallway, and she stopped at the lever, pushing it down as hard as she could.

She wiped her eyes as the door slid open and she squeezed past it and into the memorial chamber. She stumbled forward and out of the exit and into the brisk sea air, turning left. Her feet pounded the metal staircase on the side of the cliff, and her chest felt tight.

She stopped, gripping the cliff side with her hand, and sat down on the step, her shoulders heaving as she started to sob. She leaned her head against the rough rock, and shook her head. "Why," she hissed. "Why am I crying?"

She turned her head and pounded the rock several times. "Why am I crying?"

She sniffed as she forced herself to stop crying. "I'm fine. I'm fine."

Below her, the sea roared as waves crashed into the stone. Above her, seagulls cried with their mournful peals as they circled in search of fish. She glanced up, seeing the top of the cliff, here and there green grasses hanging over the edge. In nooks and crannies, the gulls had their nests. And high above, white clouds drifted across the sky. The faint outline of the two planets could be seen, as well as the faint sliver of the moon.

She slowly stood to her feet, her chest feeling hollow and her legs weak. "Get up," she whispered. "This is no time for tears."

She nodded, and took a deep breath. Then she took one step forward down the stairs, then another, her hand moving along the rough surface of the rock.