“Oh, Harruq!” Aurelia said, kneeling beside him. She looked ready to scold him, then flung herself into his arms. As her tears wet his neck, he clutched her with desperate strength.
“I saw her,” he whispered. “Aurry, I saw her…”
The angels at the doors gave way as Qurrah entered, Tessanna at his side. As two angels helped him stand, Azariah approached the other half-orc, a stern look across his face. The silence was thick in the temple, for the demons had fled with the death of their leader.
“Such a form is a blasphemy,” he said, the words causing Tessanna to clutch his hand tight. “But Ashhur goes now to slumber with Celestia, and I have one last gift for you as well, brother of Harruq Tun.”
Qurrah closed his eyes and bowed, accepting whatever fate he might deserve. Azariah’s hands shone brilliant, and that light passed into Qurrah’s skin. It swarmed over him, peeling away the rot, banishing the death in his flesh. It fell off like scales, revealing healthy, living skin beneath. As the last of the light vanished, Tessanna touched his face with a trembling hand.
“You’re…you’re…you,” she said, then flung her arms around him. Qurrah looked at a loss for words. Taking a careful step, and wincing against the pain, Harruq reached for his brother.
“Do I have you back again?” he asked.
“Apparently, yes,” Qurrah said, accepting his embrace.
“Look,” said Aurelia, gesturing out the door. “Dieredon’s come!”
Elves rode through the city atop winged horses, flitting through the scattered demon army and shooting them down with their bows.
“He’s late,” Harruq said, laughing despite his pain. He hugged his brother once more, holding him as the last of the demons fled Avlimar, their war god defeated, their army broken.
Epilogue
A urelia and Harruq watched the last armies of Ker march south, back toward their homes.
“Shame how much he mistrusts Antonil,” Aurelia said.
“They’ll get over it,” Harruq said, holding her hand. They stood outside the walls of the city, waiting. The rest of the Eschaton waited with them, thick packs in hand.
“We’ll march with them for a while,” Lathaar said, embracing Harruq and Aurelia. “But it is time we returned to the Citadel’s rubble and see to rebuilding it anew.”
“Not going to be cheap,” Jerico said, shooting Tarlak a wink.
“We’ll see about money once Antonil pays me back,” the wizard said, smacking both across the shoulder. “Stay safe now. I’ll make sure to visit, especially once you get a class full of snot-nosed brats to try and brainwash.”
Together the paladins trudged south, their armor shining in the light. They weren’t gone long before Dieredon landed, Sonowin’s wings blasting them with wind.
“About time,” Tarlak said, joining Dieredon atop her back. “I thought you’d left without me.”
“The Ekreissar will find it odd I ride with a human,” said the elf.
“Then they’ll really find it odd when we share the same bedroll.”
Dieredon gave him a mixed look of humor and horror. Aurelia curtseyed to them both while Harruq waved.
“Don’t be gone too long,” Harruq said.
“I just want to see what shape Veldaren’s in,” Tarlak said. “And I’ll be back. Someone’s got to raise your new baby properly, and I doubt it’ll be the big lug. Keep Antonil in line while I’m gone.”
“I’ll do my best,” Harruq said, laughing.
With a great flap of wings they soared into the air. Harruq and Aurelia held hands and watched until they were just a speck of white across the blue sky, one of many as the elves flew toward their homeland.
Not long after, Qurrah approached from the city exit, Tessanna with him, clutching his arm.
“Are you sure you have to go as well?” Harruq asked. “I swear, no one seems content to just sit back and relax.”
“We need a chance to start anew,” Qurrah said. “In Ker, we might be free to find a place of our own. We’ve hurt too many here, and in Neldar as well. But none begrudge my name there, and Bram has promised me a small parcel of land of my own.”
“If you must,” Harruq said, giving him a hug. “But make sure you visit.”
Qurrah shifted his pack across his shoulders and stepped to leave, but Tessanna lingered. She lowered her head and looked bashfully at Aurelia.
“I don’t know if you’ll ever forgive me,” she said. “But…but you know I loved Aullienna. I always will. Please, when your new baby is born…may I visit her? I promise to be good.”
Harruq squeezed her hand, and that seemed enough comfort for her.
“You may,” she said.
Tessanna’s face lit up, and she wrapped her arms around Qurrah’s. As they left, Aurelia called out.
“What do you mean, ‘her’?”
Tessanna only smiled.
FB2 document info
Document ID: fbd-ff7ea2-6830-7f4e-6da2-e37c-9c4c-7eb818
Document version: 1
Document creation date: 19.08.2011
Created using: Fiction Book Designer, FictionBook Editor Release 2.6 software
Document authors :
About
This file was generated by Lord KiRon's FB2EPUB converter version 1.1.5.0.
(This book might contain copyrighted material, author of the converter bears no responsibility for it's usage)
Этот файл создан при помощи конвертера FB2EPUB версии 1.1.5.0 написанного Lord KiRon.
(Эта книга может содержать материал который защищен авторским правом, автор конвертера не несет ответственности за его использование)
http://www.fb2epub.net
https://code.google.com/p/fb2epub/
A Sliver of Redemption h-5 Page 37