by Shakyra Dunn
“My family has always been with me, since the day that I left Linmus behind,” Solus said proudly, closing the journal. “And it seems that the bond we share is extending itself with the addition of you, Luna, Lancett, and even your unborn child. Soon, we’ll all be together again. Which actually reminds me—have Rem and Leilana reached Ocula already?”
“We have yet to run into them. If I had to guess, I would assume that they’re still sleeping, or perhaps they will be rejoining us soon.”
“I want to find them,” Solus piped up. “There has to be a way to guide them here. Rem’s life is still in danger, Leilana is under their radar because of her lineage, and the war-” Solus’s eyes suddenly went wide. “The war… what has happened since I was away?”
“That is a conversation for tomorrow. I have given you the necessary information to reclaim some of what you have missed. I’ll summon Lancett here. It will be good for us to discuss the rest of the ordeal together and come up with a plan for you all to return to Linmus and take back the kingdom.”
Solus grinned as the elder man departed into the hall, glancing down at the journal. Faintly, he recalled Leilana’s similar connection to her grimoire. He wondered what she was doing while he was waiting for another day to pass by.
When Lancett showed up at the Kaiser clinic the following morning, he had a small girl in tow who was picking some dandelions out of the grass, humming to herself. The man had toned out over the years, his short hair styled spikier, cut down a bit. The first thing he did upon seeing Solus was practically slam his hand onto his sometimes friend’s shoulder, grinning sheepishly. Solus withheld a grunt, but his shoulder did slump at the new force.
“I never imagined that I’d run into you again like this, Solus!” His voice was hearty and a bit gruffer than he recalled, and it nearly drove Solus into shock due to how energetic the man had become. “How’ve you been? You’re looking pretty good.”
“It seems that my strength is not up to par like yours,” Solus admitted, rubbing his stiff shoulder. “You truly have changed, it’s befuddling to believe that you’re no longer that naïve boy from Magiten Academy. Everyone is waiting inside for you. Sien has made breakfast.”
“Excellent. Liv, we’re going inside! Auntie Sien is gonna want to see you!” The little girl grinned before rushing up to him, flowers in hand. He rested a hand on the child’s head before opening the door to the clinic for her, watching her run inside.
“Is she yours?” Solus asked.
“Yep, that’s my three-year-old, Olivia,” he began. “She doesn’t talk much to new people, and sometimes not even to me, but she’s got personality. It’s amazing to see what she’ll come up with next.”
“Children were always a wonder to me,” Solus stated, observing the child searching the room for Sien only to be met by Erya, who promptly picked her up and guided her to her loved one. “They’re carefree, and they never shoulder anything more than the happiness that people around them show, and the love that they are given in return.”
“Not overly true,” Lancett told him. “Contrary to what we see and believe, children are wildly unpredictable, naïve, and they can be unknowingly devious. But that’s what makes us want to nurture them and carry on long after we’re gone. The future is shaping around us. I’m glad to be even a small part of that development.”
“As am I,” Solus replied. “It certainly does make you wonder what the future has in store. Maybe one day I’ll be fortunate enough to stand at my Lord’s side and start a family myself.”
Lancett playfully shoved him. “You and Leilana, eh?”
“Are you two just going to stand there reminiscing?” Luna called from the front desk of the clinic. “Your food is gonna get cold, and Sien won’t be happy if it’s wasted!” Lancett and Solus met one another’s gaze before mutually grinning at one another. Breakfast did sound nice.
Lancett watched Olivia messily eat her eggs, watching bits and pieces fall onto her clothes only to brush it off her, occasionally claiming the morsels for himself, much to his daughter’s chagrin. Luna was too entertained by Lancett’s baby talk towards his daughter to acknowledge most of the others, playing around with the toddler. Erya was discussing a tale that he’d found while traveling, one that Sien barely took interest in, but she was thrilled to have him back nonetheless. Solus was engrossed in the clamoring around him—they truly were acting like a family.
Once breakfast had ended, Lancett took Olivia to the guest room on the second story of the cottage for a nap while Luna opened the clinic and started tending to their inpatients, assuring Sien that she could handle things. Sien laid a hand on her stomach upon returning to her office, where Lancett, Erya, and Solus awaited her.
“I’ve waited long enough,” Solus proclaimed. “What has happened since I have been asleep?”
Lancett pulled out a slip of paper from his back pocket and unfolded it, laying it on the table. A recently published newspaper article dated December 25th, 1935—exactly one week ago. The article was centered around the kingdom of Linmus. Rooted in the monochrome photograph were hopeless, half-hearted bodies that roamed the empty streets.
Erya and Sien stole a glance at each other, and neither of them could speak on whether those people were alive. They were too broken down. The marketplace was overturned, rotten foods littering the ground. Buildings that stretched to the murky skies were crumbling, scorched, unable to be deciphered. Solus was forlorn; he had long since left by the time that the kingdom’s state had deteriorated.
“A lot has changed since you all vanished. Everyone thought that without the royal family to guide them, there was no hope. But then, the Order of Helix formally announced that their leader has not lost faith in the prince’s return.” Lancett briefly rubbed his temples, averting his eyes to the floor. “Master Hinju revealed himself, and now everyone cowers in fear. When his presence became known, he drained the powers of his former apprentices. He seized their strengths, claiming that there were people that he wanted to protect.”
Solus felt his mind slipping through darkness. People didn’t need to die. So much effort was being put in to draw out Rem and anyone that stood at his side. They were all in danger now more than ever.
Sien raised an eyebrow. “Then you-”
Lancett sighed, shaking his head. “I lost my magic too. I was at the press conference where he spoke, three years ago. Hinju drew as many as he could to Linmus. Those that used magic to sustain their livelihoods perished. I couldn’t bring myself to face Hinju—I was too weak. And I had someone that I needed to return to. I had to be there for Olivia.”
“The day that magic began to die was when hope became but a fragile thought. The Age of Intangibility is upon us,” Erya finished.
“Why haven’t Leilana and Rem been located by now?” Solus asked slowly, wanting to avoid thinking heavily about the newfound information. There were many other tasks at hand and little time to work on them.
“We don’t really know,” Sien began, shaking her head. “I haven’t found any ways to track them down, and Erya never hears much about a girl with a grimoire or any fights that could have taken place while out on his travels. No clear-cut signs.”
“They could still be asleep,” Lancett brought up. “You four dropped off the spectrum face of the earth at the same time, right? How do you know that they aren’t just resting still? Solus was unconscious until a couple of months or so ago. It’s entirely possible.”
“I personally think that we should anticipate the worst,” Erya brought up. “We may need to consider that they are dead.” Lancett averted his gaze, chewing off the dead skin on his lip.
“I will never accept that,” Solus hissed, slamming his hands on the table. “I would never jump right to that idea. They could be together and just don’t know where to find us. Sien, you said yourself that there aren’t any clear-cut signs, but that doesn’t mean that there are no signs at all. There must be something that can be done, any rumors that sound off-putt
ing.”
“Why jump to rumors?” Lancett asked.
“Remiel tends to look for exploration opportunities, something that could connect back to bettering the country. A suspicious rumor would be just the thing to draw him out. If Leilana is with him, finding them will be easier.”
“Don’t you keep a log of your rumors?” Lancett asked Erya. “Might be about time to put it to use besides getting a feel for the land. Consider the most recent of your entries first.”
Erya held up a finger and scanned the contents of his bag for a bound journal, the cover worn and the spine a bit beaten. It had seen better days, but at least it wasn’t falling apart. Sien hovered into Erya’s gaze as he flipped through some pages, and he kissed her head before coming to a stop.
“There was a rumor near Orisha, where the first Warlord descendant Helesa was christened. On a moonless night, it is said that wisps of wandering souls drift through the skies and give their blessing upon the spirits of fallen Warlords. Many people recreate their likeness in statuesque form.”
“Statuesque?” Lancett repeated. “I remember in Paluna, there were stone statues of the Warlords that the people carved with their own hands.”
“Some believe that making statues allow the Warlords of Old to guard us. But, there was another aspect—recently, a statue of a young girl was forged within the forests surrounding Orisha’s shrine. The wisps flock to it, and some say that they give her life rather than allowing her to perish. She is said to age within her crystal prison.”
“Leilana has a close connection to the Warlords,” Sien piped up. “She’s the Princess of Minsura. She might be the girl that’s trapped in crystal.”
“But what would be protecting her?” Lancett wondered. “The Warlords retain their magical energy and power the world—this ordeal is completely different from theirs.”
“And what of Remiel?” Erya began. “What would his whereabouts be if Leilana were trapped? Would he be at her side?”
“That or he doesn’t know,” Sien suggested. “Or at worst, he’s in Linmus.”
“That’s not the case,” Solus cut in, which earned him a look from Erya. “He isn’t foolish enough to go alone. Not with the world in this state.”
“If Remiel is nowhere to be found, then we can search the lands for him instead of him coming to us,” Lancett stated. “How hard could it really be to find Adrylis’s prince?” Solus wanted to interject that they were found a handful of times, but always escaped, but he realized that only added to Lancett’s point. Rem did tend to stick out if he caused trouble among peers.
“We should start in Orisha and get some insight into the rumors about the crystal girl. If it truly is Leilana, then she’ll be waiting for us.” Solus smirked, laying his hand on the desk once more, his confidence growing. “And who am I to keep the princess waiting?”
“I’m going with you,” Sien began, which elicited a rather stern look from Erya. “If Leilana is the one trapped in the crystal, she’s going to need medical support—she would have been there for quite some time, and she might be too weak from the prolonged captivity.”
“You just want an excuse to get out of the house and away from my watchful eyes,” Erya nearly purred, causing her face to become coated in a ruby shade. He nuzzled his nose against her cheek. “Very well then. If you stay out of any mortal danger, it’s fine for you to tag along. The last thing either of us need is for something to happen to you.”
Sien laid a hand on Erya’s chest. “Nothing will happen.”
“I’ll tag along and make sure of it,” Lancett piped up. “I may not be a Maester anymore, but I’m still capable of picking up a sword. That way, Solus can focus on all the dirty work.”
Solus cringed. “I am to be the sword meant to carry us rather than the bulkiest man of our team? Does that not sound peculiar to you?”
Lancett playfully shoved Solus, and Solus returned the gesture by lightly punching his shoulder. It was funny how five years made a difference between the bond of two men that once pined over the same girl, but they supposed it was for the better. Allies came from unexpected places, after all.
Solus, Sien, and Lancett set off in the morning. Luna assured the single father that she would take care of Olivia in his absence and keep her happy. Erya was at the ready for any news that they came up with and stated that he would be in Erican visiting Gale, prepping for their return. Sien agreed to meet them once things were settled, praying that it wouldn’t take long.
Their map was crinkled and deserved a good ironing, but it was going to serve them well for one final trek through Adrylis to seek out their royal allies. It took them a day and a half without stopping to return to the grounds of Mithra and venture to the west, far from the snowy plains that left their calm demeanors on thin ice. They still had a way to go, but some progress was better than none.
“How far away do you think Orisha is from here?” Lancett asked, leaning back onto the cavern floors, peering over at the fresh kill that Solus was cutting up to cook. He wasn’t a big fan of venison, but he supposed that it was better than going hungry. They’d need the energy.
“It should be two-hundred meters down the road from this cave,” Sien stated after looking at the map a few times. Solus gave her a passing glance—confident as she seemed, reading a map wasn’t a strong point of her skillset. Sien knowingly met his gaze and withheld a snarl. “I think that we should make it there by the time that the sun reaches the center of the sky if we leave not long after dawn.”
“Midday then,” Lancett reasoned. “That doesn’t sound too bad.”
Solus listened to the venison cook over the fire, occasionally glancing out of the entrance walls to make sure that no one was coming around. They weren’t in danger due to their lack of connection with Rem, but he always found himself being cautious.
“What do you think we’ll find there?” Lancett continued.
“With any luck, Leilana,” Solus stated. “And maybe Remiel. That is my only hope for this long road ahead. There’s so much that we have to finish after we’re all back together.”
“Linmus is steadily becoming worse, seeping into Adrylis, and all because we fell asleep,” Sien mulled, resting a hand on her cheek, wondering what was set to befall them now. “Anyone that sets foot out there never returns. What if we vanish too?”
“Thinking like that only makes it come true, you know,” Lancett pointed out. “So, you can’t afford to be negative. Hell, you can’t even afford to stress, the baby will sync with your emotions.” Sien laid a hand on her stomach, sighing. “Why did you tag along? There’s probably a lot of danger out there, and I don’t think it would be wise to-”
“I will help to end this war,” Sien responded evenly. “I haven’t done everything possible to help, but I helped to play a part, and I will continue that duty until the very last moment. Rem needs me there. And I’m going to stand at his side.”
“I know well of your dedication to Prince Remiel,” Lancett tried to reason. “But I want to keep you both safe. Whatever beckons you to his side, I’m going to beg of you now, make sure it’s the right move to make, for yourself, and for your future.”
“The future is never set in stone,” Sien retorted. “But I will play my part.”
Solus rested his hands on his knees, arching his back and leaning forward to peer into the charbroiled flames housing their meal. Soon enough, they could take back their kingdom, prying it from Hinju’s cold, sullied hands. The thought left Solus staring at his palms, however, for he was no better a man than the villain that conceived him and the disillusioned Kinaju. His hands were forged grim with false vigor for the sake of his prince’s life, for the love of his princess, and the regrets of the fallen souls he had sent to a promised land he knew nothing about.
“Solus,” Lancett called, breaking the man’s focus. “The meat is charring.” Solus quickly removed the venison from the fire and allowed it to cool before serving it on a single plate that they decided to share, t
earing off pieces over idle conversation before resting for the evening.
Solus couldn’t bring himself to sleep after watching Sien and Lancett doze off, left to his thoughts. There was so much that he didn’t know about the state of the world, even after walking a fine line between the regions, chatting with the locals, and struggling to find leads about overthrowing the feared ruler that besieged Linmus and began his process of eradicating magic. All for his two sons that sat at the foot of the throne. The cushions were warm enough, but the crown would never be for him. Remiel would have his rightful place, and Solus was willing to stake his life on the fact. He had to convince himself of it, or he couldn’t go on.
And then there was Leilana. After the war ended, there wasn’t much chance of her returning to Magiten Academy to complete a pilgrimage that predetermined her fate. She could still become a Warlord so long as she continued to collect totems from those she had intertwined her destiny with, and she already had two of them under her belt. There were three for her to search for, and he could only assist her with one: his own. What would befall them once she had to leave him behind again? Would he be left waiting for the girl that could never return?
No. He couldn’t think like that. This was always her choice. And he would respect her choices, even if he played no part in them.
There was so much to look forward to. The future was right in front of them. Now, all that he had to do was let things ebb and flow to fate’s cold hand.
Forestry lined their vision for several hours on end, the sight becoming almost nauseating due to how endlessly that the trees trailed on.
“I guess green is the new black?” Lancett tried to joke, which earned him rather stern looks from Sien and Solus. “I’m sorry. I wanted to lighten the mood somehow. It feels so tense.”
“Mind if we stop for a moment?” Sien piped up, resting her hand against a tree, slipping off her shoes to hold. “All this walking is killing my feet.”
“Didn’t we just have a break an hour ago?” Lancett asked.