ADARA

"How can you be so confident about a plan you're not even sure will work like you think it will?" Adara slapped her hands against yet another monolith Yuven dropped in her lap — this one all about the Otherworld and its impossibility to navigate due to being living beings, along with a book on Naveeran herbs, with Yuven bookmarking the section on dreambloom and their uses and effects. Fenrer sat beside her. Thumb against his cheek with his deep expression of thought while Yuven stood there, cross-armed and unwavering while the Fallholt Lodge slowly emptied out — the week leading up to a single moment weighing heavy on her heart. "—and please don't tell me you're humoring this, Fen. Isn't the point of the Otherworld to be for the dead and this one for the living?"

"That's the problem you don't seem to be grasping, Adara," Yuven told her. "There's too much of a chance the cult's ultimate goal is to break the bridges between two worlds, and I have a feeling it all started in Irimount — hells, maybe even before." He looked between them. "Dreambloom will be in Irimount, Maria will collect and prepare the concoction when it's our team's time to do our duty. However, for that to happen we'll need to attend to what army we have. Many Storm Wardens have already set up camps along the Burning Abyss, and the rest of the retinue are about to follow suit. I'll be in the vanguard acting as tempting food to pull this thing out of the gorge where the rest of the army can lock it down in attrition. Warden-Commander Faehariel will have prepared asn astral foci intune with the path to Irimount through the Twilight Sea. We have a narrow window, and you must find Evyriaz on the other side, and close the route behind you."

"You make it sound simple," Fenrer mumbled. "But Adara is right to be concerned, Yuv. With the Ancient's faith having so many lies betwixt its texts and codes, there's nothing we understand about the Otherworld except the fundamental truth." He gave a firm nod and a breath. "It's for the dead, which we are not. It will slowly sap at our lifeforce the longer we remain. Until we're nothing but empty husks on the other side and our connection to the living is gone."

Yuven's lip curled into a smug sneer. "Honestly, who do you take me for?" he asked, feathers fluffed out in offense. "I've never planned out something and not had back-up for any eventuality? Why do you think I'm coming with you instead of fighting the Goliath? I'm not like some who will throw themselves into the unknown to see what sticks." He pointed his nose in the air, then said, "That's another reason I said you have a narrow window of time, and it must be executed to the perfect second. Because if you go over my imposed time-limit, I'm pulling you both out through my magick." He pointed at Fenrer. "Or, more accurately, I'll be using Fenrer and I's oathbound connection to reach through and drag you into the Twilight Sea once more and over the bridge away from Avae'londu, where I'll pull you both back to your bodies and you will be alive. Regardless of the success of our plan, that Goliath is being destroyed; here and now."

"Any worse for the wear when we get pulled back into our husks?" Adara grumbled.

"We'll find out."

Ugh... Adara sighed and glanced at Fenrer. "How are we supposed to navigate the world of the dead?"

"Fenrer has the answer to that," Yuven said with a nod.

Fenrer lifted his head from where he pinched his chin. "Kon?" Back to his thoughtful expression, he mumbled, "That could work, but I'd have to ask him. If we go that route, it might be safer. Aeoniir's are thought to be guardians of the Otherworld. If anyone would know how to navigate it, it would be him."

Yuven huffed. "Any other concerns then? We don't have a lot of time to go over every single question you might have. You're just going to have to trust me. I have planned ahead."

"Trust isn't really the issue, it's my enjoyment of living..."

"Good, that'll put some action in your step so you can keep living." Yuven sent a whisk of snow at her face, and she shook it off her nose. "Many are about to die here, though the Upper Echelon have planned out ways to limit casualties, but they're inevitable with something like this — you two will not be among those, nor do I intend on dying either. We still have the problem awaiting in Asairai, and once we're done here, that is where we will go to help Neven and Kemal with any information we find with this operation." Bells tolled far in the distance, a chorus of alarm when he lifted his head at the sound with a flick of his feathers, his pointed ears lifting in turn. "It's almost time. We have to get moving. Gather those books. We might need them. You two are heading to the train station — I'm flying there. Go get ready, I'll meet you both outside." Never the time waster, Yuven departed from their table towards the armoury.

Fenrer adjusted the dawnblade strapped to his back, with his crescent blade at his hip.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked him instead for some sort of answer.

"No, but what choice do we have?" he mused. "If we don't destroy that Goliath now powered by the king's blood seeping the land, Dyrin's already tainted soil will be permanent. We have to do this Cleansing March so it will heal from the festering wound." He got out of his chair and stretched himself out. "Come on, if we're still sitting here when Yuven comes back we'll be hearing about it. Besides, I'll have to ask Kon to guide us over the bridge and into the Otherworld when we get there and know our duties." He led the way out into the eerie quiet of the village, with the residents boarding up their windows and doors for what was to come after being warned by the Wardens. Runes sat atop their fence posts to keep back the miniscule amount of tide. Some Storm Wardens hung back — protecting the area unless called upon. Each one shifted in agitation, anxiousness palpable even without her being an Aurus.

Memories of her first time arriving under a bright sky, the darkness she left in Prunal haunting her steps when she entered Fallholt. Their last words, faces and names upon wings she flew. Her fingers tangled on the strap across her chest, fitted with essence phials for her use. Fenrer joined her, and then in a couple minutes, Yuven followed from a different entrance to the Lodge, closer to the stables, donned in flight armor, scaled plate as he cradled a helmet under one arm with Tix'snuv trailing behind him.Wind rustled the thicker white feathers along his neck, armor covering its long limbs. His beady eyes looked at all three of them, mouth opening in expectation. Adara smiled, and raised her hands to show she had no treats to give.

"I just fed you, you unruly thing," Yuven chittered at the magnificent creature, who snapped shut its beak with a squawk at Yuven, but he ignored him to consider them. "I'll see you at the main camp. Careful on your train ride. There's already been reports of fresh spawn crawling their way out of the Abyss, but the Storm Spires are keeping the Goliath down there for the time being. Dispatch any you come across, but the train should be able to run a couple down." He sighed, then slipped his head into the helmet, looking more the knight in her stories when he lifted it, adjusting some of the straps before throwing himself into Tix'snuv's saddle. "And be ready for anything — you'll have duties to attend to the moment you arrive, so don't slack on them."

Fenrer held onto Tix'snuv's reins and said, "Don't do anything reckless."

Yuven lowered his head in time with Tix'snuv. "Funny how the roles have reversed, Molvisaliz. It wasn't that long ago I was saying much the same here when you went to investigate that Aurus child." A click left his lips, and Tix'snuv opened wide his wings to cast shadows across her. Adara ducked away when Fenrer let go, and free, Tix'snuv took the running start to leap high into the sky, disappearing among the boughs of the trees. The wind from his jump created a rustled whisper, until it fell silent with his last song.

A thick stench of unease permeated the air in globs when she and Fenrer wound their way down the shadowed road between Fallholt and Azahama. On the way, Fenrer shifted, his gaze casting into the undergrowth in naked uncertainty. The retrace of steps sent jolts of pain through her legs, but she ignored it and pushed forward until they reached the train station, outfitted with extra spikes close to the wheels, some of the cars detached to make way for several beds of giant looking harpoons. Questions raised to her lips, so many things she had yet to learn, but Fenrer gave her a small tug by the elbow towards one of the front cars, boarding onto it through the middle. Into one of the compartments, she took a seat and tried to settle her stomach when Fenrer sat beside her. "It's almost like the first time when we went to the first King's Summit." Anything to break the tension on her shoulders.

"And this time... we're inviting the Derelicts in. With King Reyn still on Euros-" He closed his eyes when the train churned out magick smoke out of the sides. "I doubt we'll be having another King's Summit again — unless we figure out King Laucan's status, though Reyn told me he was in contact with him. Obviously, if King Laucan doesn't know His Grace was moved..." Fenrer pinched his nose. "This is going to get worse before it gets better. King Reyn is safe, but now we have King Laucan to worry ourselves over. We can't let the cult get any more king's blood than they have... maybe we'll have heard something while we're in Irimount."

"Well, I've learned that fairly quickly." Fenrer smiled at that, and she found the tension melting with her quip. "If Yuven thinks this will work, then... we'll do it." Surely he would've considered all other avenues instead of immediately jumping for throwing us over the bridge of the dead of all things. Her mind wandered. Is it going to hurt? I don't... want to die. Her feet pressed against the bottom of the compartment, but she stilled when Fenrer squeezed her shoulder. "Sorry."

He gave a slow shake of his head. "It's okay to be scared... it's been a very long time since a veritable army of Storm Wardens took to the field," he pointed out with a nod out the window. Ahead, black smoke rose out of the distant Burning Abyss, the pillars over it keeping the beast in the depths in check, sending periodic jolts of lightning downwards. The train slowed long before they approached the bridge over it, with multiple encampments over the plains, and some placed upon the buttes. Hippogryphs scouted overhead, not quite the flies of temptation when the train whistled, and they got back up again.

"And Yuven will get us to Irimount..." she mumbled.

"Through the use of an astral foci," Fenrer reiterated as they disembarked, and her boots squished the sticky mud between the stalks of withering grass. He knelt down to take a bunch of dirt into his glove, choking it. Decay and rot wafted from the crimson liquid which oozed between his fingers. "It's already started... the taint's spreading. It's feeding off the ambient magicks." He flicked it off his fingertips with his own scrunch of distaste.

Dissonant bells rang in her mind, and she tried to push it out of her ears, but it sank into her stomach instead. "I've got a terrible feeling," she mumbled, fingers in her abdomen.

"I'd advise listening to it... remember what happened at Azahama," he mumbled. "It's your magick trying to tell you something." He put a hand on his crescent blade, and then nodded at her to follow the new patrol of Wardens rushing into the army encampments. Adara stumbled to follow, the grass stalks tearing at her pants. A test of her strength when she hobbled the way with the Storm Wardens forging a manageable path. Golden chained lanterns hung off the tents to cast a gentle glow into the darkest shadows, but her stomach continued to screech against Prunal's bells and the setting, crimson sun. Many faces she never met, but would never see again before the day was done. Choked for her compassion, she relaxed when Maria left a longer tent, instructing other Wardens — with Yuven nowhere in sight.

"Maria, where's Yuven?" Fenrer asked.

"Scouting still, I'd have to assume." Maria raised a hand to her brow in the direction of the Abyss and Spires. "It's not looking good. The storm spires are heavily weakened due to the recent attacks, but Yuven mentioned that may say a lot about what the direction that's happening here." Her gaze flicked around, then motioned at them to follow her. "Fenrer," she said. "I have to pass down an order to you all the way from Warden Commander Faehariel. You're one of our better archers. You're going to take one of the vantage points. Runic arrows have already been set aside. We'll need your eyes on the Abyss, and once that thing starts climbing out..."

"I understand."

Adara approached. "What about me?"

Maria considered her with a frown. "You weren't mentioned, but..." Her lip slipped between her teeth. "I might have something for you to do for me until the time comes that we have to leave for Irimount. How comfortable are you with running around and carrying heavy loads?"

"I can," Adara questioned.

"Then you're going to be my little message runner," Maria said with a smile. "And you won't even need runic arrows to send your own flares. I won't have you in the thick of it, but nonetheless... what I'm asking you to do is very important. Afterwards, we'll meet at Fenrer's vantage point—"

A horn blew when a giant white hippogryph flew over their heads, the wind almost knocking her to her hindquarters. It landed in the temporary paddock, and she relaxed at the sight of Yuven dismounting it to rush over to them with a couple pieces of parchment in his hand. One he sent into the arms of another Warden, the other shoved into her face when he reached them. Her hands waved forward to try and catch it, and he bit, "We're running out of time." He looked at Fenrer. "Maria told you?"

"Yes."

"Good, take a good long look at that map," Yuven said and pulled it down so it was between them. "You're stationed here." He pointed at one of the outcrops which overlooked the abyss with a nod at Fenrer. "Adara—"

"She's going to be helping me, Yuv."

Yuven proceeded as if he hadn't been interrupted, "It's important everything falls into place." Map returned to her hands, he glared at her. Don't mess up. Don't screw this up. People's lives are at stake. Each mantra hung in the air, but Yuven folded his feathers with a nod at Maria. "It's about to start. We stop their advance—"

Stop their advance! Yuven called out to the Wardens at the King's Summit, who obeyed his command without her fear.

"Yuven," she drew out.

His violet gaze snapped to her. "Must we speak this same lesson? People are going to die, Adara — just pray that you're not one of them and listen to what Maria tells you." He touched Maria's face before donning his helmet, shaking himself out with a bark at the nearest Wardens with all the command of his station, "Get to your posts! It's almost time to break the Storm Spires and that thing will be crawling out with its rotted mass and everything that's ever fallen into that damned Abyss!" He climbed on top of Tix'snuv, who snapped his claws into the ground with a harsh huff through its nose.

"Fen—" Adara winced when Yuven took off with a couple other hippogryphs. "Please be careful?"

Fenrer opened his mouth, but his lack of assurance unsettled her. "I'll try," he told her, and she found herself wrapped in his arms, with Maria watching Yuven leave. "We all will try, but... Yuven isn't wrong..."

People are going to die for his plan.

All over again.

Adara bit on her tongue and nodded, though found her chin cupped in his hand when he nudged her to face him, and went nose to nose with her. Lost in the galactic greens, the weight in her limbs eased out, and added onto his. He smiled at her. "Just one last time." He tapped her face, before rushing for his designated spot — his role to play.

A crimson sun set on the Fields of Light — and she was no more useful than the first time she spotted its dread colors.