Skye Light

by A R Maloney

  We entered a large warehouse, the place we were told Brennig was being held. It was a mix of cement and wooden walls, probably used to hold farming supplies at one time. Here is where the fight began in earnest. Well, maybe for the pirates…we had everything under control. It’s not really fair, putting humans up against sentinels. I’m not being conceited, but we’re just better. We’re made for the fight, and we’re much harder to kill.

  I placed a light shield over our group, it would slow or even repel most projectiles for a short time. We only needed seconds to gain control of the room anyway. Within moments we had destroyed or disabled every enemy in the room. Brennig was in a small cage at the back of the building. His kidnappers stood no chance. We have no courts to decide innocent or guilty here, not when we come across something so blatantly wrong. Niera healed the worst of Brennig’s wounds while we took care of his captors. Their evil would end here, with their deaths.

  The reunion was a mix of tearful relief and thanks, as we returned Brennig to his family. His lands had been reclaimed. He would bear the scars of his captivity on his soul for many years to come, but he would live on. His family…his land…they would survive.

  Before I left their home, we placed a blessing of protection over the gates. I was happy with what we had accomplished here. We had done a good thing for these people.

  Early the next morning Corporal Elden summoned me to his office. Niera was there as well. He approached me saying, “Skye, you have really been making a name for yourself here. Niera, as always, you have proven to be an asset in whatever you do. I am sending you both to the observatory. I’m sure you’re aware of the difficulties there with both the pirates and the wildlings, as this was the area where the man, Brennig, had been held. When you arrive, you are to report to Captain Ralach. She is in charge there and will give you the specifics of your assignment. Keep up the good work. Rest up tonight, you will take a flight first thing in the morning.” He dismissed us and we left his office.

  Niera and I grabbed some breakfast and then I excused myself. I returned to my quarters and grabbed a pen and paper and flew to a quiet place on the dunes surrounding the fortress. I spent the next hour writing to Cooper, describing everything since our departure. I picked a couple of small purple wildflowers, blue hearts—my favorites, and folded them into the letter, carefully creasing the paper and sliding it into the envelope. I then whispered a spell over a piece of wax and sealed the envelope. I tucked the letter into my tunic and lay back on the sand, letting the sun soak into my skin and enjoying the quiet time alone. Eventually I fell asleep, napping in the shade of the garrison walls.

  The breeze blew through the shaded grotto, kissing my skin with a coolness that I wasn’t accustomed to. I rubbed my palms over my arms to warm them. I moved silently through the dark brush, surrounded by vines and large fungi as dragonflies buzzed nearby. Their wings sung out in a low hum which seemed to echo through the thicket. I crept forward, turning to examine a sound to my right. An ancient Kauri watched me quietly as I approached. He appeared to be in pain, and a small red tear dropped from his eyes. I bent down to pick it up from the mossy ground at my feet. The ancient one whispered two words…. “Help them.”

  I woke up feeling disoriented. It had been a long while since my dreams had seemed so foreign, and it left me feeling empty. An unsettled hollowness filled my chest. I stood and stretched, shaking the sleep from my head. Then I returned to the fortress, it was dusk, and the air was dry and warm. A light salty breeze blew in over the garrison walls, driven by the winds blowing over the sands outside. I pulled the letter from my tunic and dropped it into a mailbox. I ate dinner alone and returned to my quarters to pack for the transfer to the observatory then went back to sleep for the night.

  The same dream visited me again and once again I woke with the confusion that always seemed to accompany the strange images. I dressed quickly and picked up my pack, making my way towards the flight master; stopping only briefly to grab a quick breakfast of bread and fruit.

  “Good morning, sunshine!” called Niera, who is entirely too cheery in the morning in my opinion.

  “Hey Niera, good morning.” I called back to her.

  Niera looked me over, noticing bags under my eyes and asked, “Are you feeling ok? You look like you didn’t sleep at all last night.”

  I stifled a yawn and nodded, “I’m alright. I’ve just had the strangest dreams again. I’m not sure what to think of them. Maybe it’s nothing.”

  Niera looked at me hard. Her brown eyes shone intensely as she asked, “Cooper?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “It was strange. I was somewhere dark, it was much cooler, I really felt the cold…and there was a Kauri. He seemed very sad…. He dropped a memory for me and said, “Help them.”

  “Hmmm.” Niera sat thoughtfully. Let me think on it. There is no Kauri here that I am aware of, but if this dream persists maybe we can find one who can give an answer. For now, let’s get over to the observatory. I’m sure they are already waiting.”

  We gave our papers to the flight master who seated us each on large wide-winged griffons. He whispered to them and they took off flying, faster than I’ve ever flown myself. We raced over the terrain on our way to our next point.

  We found Captain Ralach and introduced ourselves, passing her the proof of our assignments. We were then directed to a row of small shacks and given our room assignments.

  I entered my quarters and immediately it was evident, I was not alone. I gazed into the darkness, feeling the eyes of the intruder on me as I searched the room. I whispered a spell. “Ignis en aire.” A soft glowing orb of flame built in my palm, then rose floating up into the space before me. As the room began to lighten, I noticed two eyes looking back at me, waiting patiently. Emerald eyes which were well known to me. A smile covered my face and I opened my arms wide as I sprinted across the room. “Mom!”

  Sera looked as beautiful as I ever remembered. Her green eyes shone brilliantly as she smiled happily back as we hugged each other hard. “Skye! How strong you have grown! I can see it in every step you take!”

  “Mama. It is so good to see you! What brings you here? This is so unexpected.” Happy tears spilled down my cheeks. Then I saw that the expression on her face had changed.

  Chapter 8—Sera’s chains

  ~Sera~

  I TOOK SKYE’S HAND in mine, “Let’s walk, you and me. We have much to discuss, and this is a subject which needs to be kept from the crowded walls here.”

  She tilted her head, confused, but obliged. “Lead the way, Mama.”

  We walked up the expanse of the brown sandy beach. The salty water lapped at our feet as the sun beat down upon us. We climbed a large boulder near an inlet and sat, watching silently as the waves came in.

  Finally, I spoke to her, “I know there have been questions over the years, and I know I’ve never been good at talking about the past. There have been many reasons for this: anger, sadness, even fear of what could happen if others were to learn the truth…. These are just a few. I needed most of all to protect you, and I wanted you to have as normal a life as you could. So, I held onto the secret, silently, over the years.”

  I continued, “But now you must know, not just because you deserve to know, but for your own safety…as there will certainly be those who will oppose you. It may not be long before others learn—before you really see how precarious your presence here may be—as you join the ranks of those fighting this war.” Skye opened her mouth to interrupt but I quieted her, continuing, “I will ask you to listen to what I have to say. Listen with an open heart and an open mind. Then you are free to do whatever you feel you must. Know now, before I begin, I love you very much, I always have, and I always will. No matter where your life takes you. Know now that I still believe that this was the only way it could have been.” I looked at Skye and held our hands together tightly.

  She gave my hands a gentle squeeze and said, “Mama, there is nothing you can say or do that will ke
ep me from loving you.”

  I nodded and stood before her. Uncertainty and shame covered my face and I began to pace back and forth. After several moments, I paused, turning back and faced her. She watched as I glanced from side to side before closing my deep green eyes and taking a deep breath. This was it…. I pushed two creamy white wings out from between my shoulder blades. I made no effort to dry the tears that slid freely down my cheeks, as I opened my wings to show their full length saying, “I am sentinel.” I did not feel happy; in fact, I cannot remember myself ever feeling so miserable in many years. My head hung down in shame as I waited for her response.

  “I had suspected this, but I don’t understand how this could be such a bad thing.” She looked puzzled, but not surprised. “Why would you feel a need to hide this?”

  “My daughter, let me tell you now of the chains I’ve had to bear.” I sat down beside her again, pulling my wings back in as I leaned back onto the warm hard rock, letting it cradle me. “Many years ago, before the Great Break, I lived on a small island now known as Oconto. I grew up there. My parents worked as farm hands for a great landowner there. The landowner had a son, his name was Soulkos. We fell in love, and we married. Soon after, we moved to the mainland and began building a farm of our own. It was small, but it provided us with all we needed. We grew grains and vegetables and raised small animals. We were happy. We wanted to have children and start a family of our own, but that didn’t happen. Instead, I ascended. I was pulled away from Soulkos frequently, in service to our country. Tensions were high. We had many problems with the Lluren, and eventually a meeting had been called in hopes of drawing up a treaty. We had hoped this would bring peace between our people and the invaders. I was called to attend this treaty, to provide security. Soulkos stayed behind to tend the farm. Our parents had all come to help, as the harvest was near. To this day I’m still uncertain of what exactly had happened first, but chaos broke out when one of our own was slain. Before we could even discover who was responsible, war had broken out again. This time at the very doorstep of the great city. Our greatest weapons were released, but something went terribly wrong. Several of them never left their housings. They detonated while still underground. While we were able to destroy the majority of the invading Lluren forces, the citadel was destroyed. The power of the weapons which had detonated underground had forced our world to tear itself apart. I barely escaped with my life. Several times we tried to return, tried to find survivors…but there was nothing left. It was assumed that those who didn’t make it with us had perished in the aftermath.”

  “We began rebuilding our cities, trying to reclaim our way of life. We mourned those lost as best we could. Many men had tried to offer me comfort, but I was bereft. I never did get over Soulkos—he was my only love. Droghel was quite persistent. We were in the same company and spent much time together as a result. He could never understand or accept the fact that I did not want him. We believed that was the end of it, until we began seeing the mysterious fissures. Our company, Hellfire, was sent to explore the rifts. I remember the first time I passed through a rift. The world beyond was dark and cold. We came across people, well they looked like people, but their skin was a dark array of sickly greens, blues and grays. They had sharp talons where our fingers and toes are smooth, and their hair extended in a thick mane far down their spines. Most disturbing of all were their eyes, which glowed red like hot coals. We believed these beings to be more demon than human, and our leader, General Davita, instructed us to cleanse the land of any we found. Those were our orders…so that is what we did. Day by day, week by week, month by month, we sought out the demons; destroying all we found.” I shivered visibly as the memories played back through my mind.

  “On one trip through, I found that I recognized many parts of the broken land.” Tears began forming in the corners of my eyes, “I knew the paths, hills and streams well. This was the place I had left my husband and my family. Our old home was still there. I waited until night fell; leaving my patrol and silently doubling back. I returned to the land that was lost to me so many years before. I crept forward, opening the door of the cabin with a low creak. Step after silent step brought me further into the small home. I gasped and swung around, pulling my daggers to the ready as the door behind me clicked shut.”

  I paused for a moment, needing to collect my thoughts. “Red eyes glowed at me from under a heavy black cloth hood. I prepared myself to attack as I heard a magus call out my name in surprise.”

  “Sera?” The voice had come from the monster.

  “With a scream I lunged towards the demon-man but found my feet had been encased in roots and vines. I struggled angrily as he whispered again, causing my eyelids to close despite the protests of my mind. When I finally woke, I found I had been tied down to the bed, the very same bed which I had once loved in and slept in…peacefully…before the Great Break. He was still there…sitting in a chair at the table…watching me.

  “Sera…. Can’t you see me? Don’t you recognize me?” His eyes glowed hard red and there were lines of deep sadness on his face. “Look!” He demanded, slamming his palm loudly on the wooden table at which he sat.

  I growled angrily at him, “Let me go! Release me now and I promise…your death will be quick!” At this point I was sure I would soon be joining the rest of my family in death, and I had decided to not go out without a fight!

  His laughter rumbled deep in his chest as he answered, “My love, you are hardly in any position to speak to me of my impending doom. Look at me! Can you not see your husband?” His cock-sure attitude made my temper flare.

  I was so angry, glaring at him from my bonds. “My husband died in the Great Break many years ago. I do not know you, blackwing!”

  He stood, slowly crossing the room towards me, his eyes never leaving mine until he stopped at the foot of the bed. He pulled his tunic up and over his head, dropping it to his side on the floor. Then he turned, exposing his left side to me. “Do you remember this?” He asked, running a finger down a long scar on his side. “We were hunting rams when I was gored. I nearly died, but you saved me. That was the night I realized how much I loved you. That was the night I asked you to marry me.”

  I looked at Skye saying, “I was shocked. I had believed he was dead for so long, and it had been our belief that this broken land was filled with subhuman demons…. But here he was…this monster, standing before me…. He was my Soulkos. He retold story after story, things only he and I had shared. I didn’t know what to think. Then he said something else. “Sera, if I can trust you to remain quiet, I would show you more.” His eyes searched mine.

  I nodded to him, overwhelmed by my conflicting feelings. What more could happen? Soulkos opened the door and whispered outside. The door creaked open and a small old woman slowly made her way into the room. Her shoulders were bent from years of hard work and her hair was thin and gray. She looked at me, her breath catching in her throat, as she lifted her red-rimmed scarlet eyes to me. She rushed to the bedside, “Sera?!” She exclaimed. “Is it truly you? Have you finally come to save us?” She then looked to Soulkos and chastised him in a harsh tone. “Soulkos! Untie her right now!”

  I could no longer hold my tears back as my own mother, your grandmother, stood before me. “This is really you? Soulkos? Please release me; I cannot harm you.”

  Skye looked at me, speechless as I continued retelling my account of the past.

  “Skye, I could have stayed there with them, forever. I wanted nothing more. However, they had changed. In my absence Soulkos had ascended, and when he did, his wings were dark and ashen, much like the world surrounding him now. I tried to stay with them. I did so successfully, hidden from both worlds for many weeks. My love for Soulkos was as strong as it had ever been. Then came the day when I announced to him that I was pregnant. We could not have been happier. Unfortunately, tensions were continuing to grow worse between Lucenian’s and the race now known as the Ustenian’s. Raids were happening everywhere. Then on
e day it happened. The raiders came to our farm. We were discovered. Soulkos knew it was death for us all if he did not act immediately. He made me swear to secrecy, to not object to anything he did or said. It was his final gift of love to me…to us. When the soldiers came, they first ruthlessly slew my mother. I could hear her screams as she fell. When they entered our home, they found me tied to a chair, Soulkos holding a knife to my throat. He whispered his love to me and shouted to the Lucenian soldiers that they would never take me back while he was alive. A magus at the door cast a spell rendering us all unable to attack or defend ourselves. While we were incapacitated, I was ‘taken to safety’ by two of the soldiers. One of the men had hoisted me up and carried me over his broad shoulder. As I came to my senses, I watched as my Soulkos was slain by Droghel himself. Smoke rose up to the clouds in the dusky sky as our farm was burned to the ground. And I could not hold back my tears any longer. My shoulders shook hard as I began to weep, mourning my losses anew.

  The soldier carrying me tried to console me, saying, “It’s ok, it’s all over and you’re safe now.” I could say nothing in response, knowing it would mean certain death if I told the truth. I needed to do whatever I could to see you survive, Skye.”

  “I was so entrenched in my grief, and I had nobody I could confide in. I spoke to my superiors and said I could no longer serve. Truthfully, there was no way I could allow myself to be sent out again…not since I had seen the truth with my own eyes—but to say so out loud would have been an immediate death sentence. I had put in my required years, and so I left the service, before my belly was too big to become even a speculation, and I went to the Kauri. Together we formulated a plan. We spread a rumor that I had taken my life in shame and they directed me to the forest where you were born. By the grace of the gods you look very Lucenian in nature. While your skin is duskier than most, it is still passable. Your teeth are a bit sharper, and your eyes, while they are very unusual, they cannot definitively mark you as mixed, the green is normal, the rust color…not so much, but still not unheard of. Your hair, hands and feet, while your fingers and toes are long, they are close enough to the norm. All these combined I never had to try to hide you directly. I tried to let you grow up as normally as possible.”