Dark Crow Rising

Stretching my body and flexing the power within, His Lordship's armour covers me again. I curl inwards, further and further, as my core burns with the fire of his heart and soul. It wishes to be released; it wishes to serve. With a roar fit only for the Lord, my containment shatters along with the mountain.

By His Lord's wishes, not one stone strikes any who share my flesh. Our machines remain unscratched and even the sky bows out with its endless misery. Recognising such divine right, the Orbital-Halo's light shines on me as the stage does the actor. I glance at Father, his body finding strength in my healing light, and I take my first step in a long time.

"Son..." he whimpers, reaching out to me and I am unfortunately forced to ignore.

"By His will, do I serve." I let my people know as I kneel into the first flap of my wings in many a millennium. With a righteous fist cocked back, I strike the immense evil marching on my people. It staggers back and falls into a roll. With a lurching stumble, it's back on its feet and its sword approaches.

Flying with my back to it, I roll around the endless weapon and strike again. It is far more prepared this time and takes it with sturdy confidence. I raise my guard at the backhand coming for me and stop calmly in the air. The sky bounces back from the force, and I take a deep breath.

The Lord's power is coming back to me, that which I was charged with is returning. The fires lit in my soul that day, the day I returned to the Holy City to swear on this purpose. I still remember it all so clearly. In prayer do I find power, in prayer will my people be saved.

Oh, Lord, hear my voice.

"Inead yny efoedd. Anctteiddeyar denwy." I recite in the ancient tongue of first realisation, my mouth opening to bellow the fire to end the world. Howling with all the air in my lungs, I blow this force out across the giant and land. Mountains melt so quick they warp and dance in the sky, raining as white as they became and lingering as such. The sands this giant makes around it turn to cracking glass and its hand rises.

With a clap, all of the inferno is put out and my people carry on to their safety. The next part of the prayer waits on my tongue and I daintily move aside a thrust. Jabbing out a palm, throwing the blade off course, and I look at the giant's charge. A crushing grip yearns for my squashed bones and spilt blood.

I fly over and approach the giant, forcing it back with my presence and a hand alight with the Lord's might. Releasing this power, the giant soars through the land until it is left defeated. Whatever drives it to move, though, does not see it that way. It forces its way back to its full imposition and roars with all it has, quaking the heavens and delivering an ultimatum.

Only my death will be acceptable.

Shaking my head, my awaiting tongue reveals itself and I fly, "Dinniro, yheddew inbara. Eynddiala, ddau nniein, trose. Lord, hear me, Lord grant me strength. Blessed Lord, Iderim-Ovi, our Holy Father-in-Heaven, save us. IDERIM-OVI, SAVE US!"

I strike the giant a final time, driving up into its skeletal gut and sending it far off into the north-going distance. Once a feared direction filled with the armies of humanity. Breathing deeply, my body shakes and I cough in pain. My wings fail me and I fall back to the earth which once held me. My landing is not soft despite the sandy sight, and I wait for whatever the future holds for me.

My eyes close and senses blur until the winds pick up on the edge of the rising dunes. Feet of armoured flesh and bone rush for me, the love of a father carrying the aged body. He calls to me; he calls to his son and our hands meet again. Another voice, one of the womanly sort.

Mother.

I think I'm smiling, not that they can see under my divinely wrought armour. My body moves through their strength and that of many others. Soon, I find it within me to open my eyes once again and am left with a sight to behold. We have gone nowhere. They have all amassed before me.

Babes of only a year's age, the elderly at death's door, all in-between and oh so much more. Oddly, I cannot sense my sister. She came to me with such power in her hands. The Lord was with her so closely and I can not feel it here.

"We must be going, the humans are going to get curious." a man of imitated military stature warns and I slowly get up. Not one of my people does, and they all pray to the Lord. Walking among them, I pass on what power I can and ease their plights. Many start to whimper, their hopes fulfilled by my presence.

"Where is the one who first came to me? Where is my beloved little sister?" I ask and Father musters the courage to approach under the eyes of only a few thousand.

"She went missing years ago." He whispers with hollow emotion.

"She was here. She came." I explain, and his eyes light up in a way they must've forgotten they could do. He still finds it inside himself to weep for his family, and his lip quivers.

"Then she... She was the one who activated the emergency beacon. She was the one who ignited a hope within us all we had forgotten we could have..." He struggles to say and I nod, bringing him in close for comfort. One day, I will go and find her. The Lord guided our paths together once and He will do so again.

"All who can, return to the airships. Those who cannot remain here with me and I shall see you onto the Lord. The Westward Wind will carry you onto Thunlanann." I explain and the faithful rise to return to their homes. The oldest remain where they are, the last of their strength used to get themselves out of bed. With a little bit more they're surprised to have, they surround me.

One who happens to be in my front smiles, her bones barely able to hold her up.

Taking my helmet off, I let them see my face and I smile deeply for their salvation is here, "Our Lord in Heaven, hear our prayer in this time of rising light."

"Hear our prayer and see to it that we are blessed, godly and true." They speak as we take responsibility for different verses of the psalms. Slowly and with great morning loss, their song grows quiet. For the first time in their lives, they're happy that their children and the children beyond will be saved.

Laying the last one to rest under the Lord's light, I speak the final verse, "Look over us, Iderim-Ovi, look over your children with the love only a father can feel. See those we will never see again into eternal care, awaiting our arrival. Single blessing unto you."

With a sigh, I grip my helmet tightly and look around the devastated world. Liadanann is somewhere out there and she will need me. Not for what I am now, but for what I have always been to her. Her older brother, Aneaur.