Dark Crow Rising

Putting my arms behind my back, I stand to attention. The Prince called for everyone above a certain rank to join him. And, here we are. At the edge of the mountain, him more so than most.

I have to admit, this is becoming very strange, even for him. We keep moving away from perfectly suitable locations and setting up. Only for him to move further and further away. I understand that he is the man to bring the Theocracy to its knees, but even then...

"Prince-to-Ascend Jhrartur?" I call, letting him know we are here if he somehow does not already know. He makes no indicators of it, so while everyone else is starting to mutter. I walk closer. Arriving at his side, I turn my head slightly his way.

"Did you see it, Grandguard Inerish?" he asks, and I frown. My eyes look at the giant's increasingly far away back and my brow goes even lower. It hardens and my eyes narrow almost as much as a sword's edge. It's arguably impossible for anyone to not get it by now.

"Someone on that airship heading to Segaansallis is the cause of all of this." I say and he lets out a noise of affirmation. Going by what I know, the list is already fairly small. Suhurlodst's Archaeology Club is involved in this matter. That much is known. A total that has been sieved down to its culprit grains ever further.

"Was a manifest of participants ever managed?" the Prince asks and I shake my head. The thought never occurred to anyone most likely, not even me. I brought them all into that chamber with an idea of how many hands I would need. The results were more than enough.

"No, no, there was no such effort. All we know, going by the events that happened when I gathered everyone. Most of the people on that airship are from Exceptional House." I explain, watching the sacrifice of another airship to buy time for the students and Segaansallis' set up.

The Prince closes his eyes and takes in a deep breath. His magic makes the air glow a wispy trail of pixie-like lights. It comes back to him in a gentle intake and his eyes reopen, brighter than before. The heightened shine goes away into a dulling fade.

"I sense three distinctions." He goes and I cock an eyebrow.

"One perhaps is known to me, but what of the other two?" I ask, an image of Nin dashing across my mind's eye. Of everyone there, I suspect he stands out the most and not because of his species. His magic has always been a source of great curiosity for Suhurlodst when they aren't damning his name because of the unescapable fact. But, besides that and those moments, there is a genuine desire to learn about how he replicates raw magic.

"A young man, not quite ready for the standards of Exceptional House. And a woman, with so little magic at all, barely enough to live in Thrurstradtur safely. Yet, she holds a power beyond everyone else there," he explains, and I catch on without issue. Baltanthan and Liadanann.

"I know the names and occupations of both and can elaborate if needed?" I offer and the Prince shakes his head. He turns and starts the long hobble back to the rest of the officers.

"No, that will not be required. It matters not if they're royalty like me or some ludicrous concept like a chosen one. We know all we need to," he explains and, dreading the future on his mind, I am tempted to ask him something.

"And what do we know?" comes out of my mouth, my hands tighten, yet no magic comes out. My ability to threaten with a display of power will not work here. Not against a man of his stature, both physical and political. But that is not why my hands are tight.

Nin is there...

"That so long as they die, we may all live," the Prince clarifies and I stop in my tracks. Let them die? We don't even know if this is all the giant wants, and he is considering the idea we just need to sacrifice one person? Maybe even more than that. Never mind any relations I have with the three names I gave. A vast amount of Suhurlodst's best are on that airship!

The Prince can dream of his Seven-Peaks Union growing one great peak closer to its literal name all he wants. He will not have unity in this sixth one if he offends Suhurlodst like this. For all its questionable actions and rumours, Suhurlodst's reputation is deserved. As an institution, they love magic and magic is dependent on another thing they care for: their students.

All are not equal and the Exceptionals have earned that right. The best and brightest from not just the former Dual-Republic, but all across Jherikra. As far north as the shining plains of Mogolawal, as high-rising as Eusorochii and as deep as Errakur. Due to the vastness of All-That-Remains, so much information will never reach the ears of the common folk elsewhere.

But, the name of our partner city does. Maybe not in its full length, but they know it. Suhurlodst Academy of Arcane Learning and Understanding. As the years go by, this reputation only grows. More and more students of great families come to this land for one school and its potential.

He would ruin such future ripe goodwill to save the land...? I want to argue, but how can I? How can anyone sit there and say not even a village's worth of people is worth the loss of hundreds of millions more? He is right. If we can save what is left of the Dual-Republic's former land, they will have to go.

If that is all it takes, anyway. I have my doubts, but, if this really is all that we need to do. Many say the worst road in the world is the one to Errakur, the Land of Fire. From the peaking edges of a volcanic super island to one of eternal, caged infernos. Yet, good intentions pave quite the unsuspecting evil themselves.

Looking out from my thoughts, I meet the Prince's gaze as it furrows with unyielding sternness, "I assume your thoughts have reached their conclusion?"

"They... They have, yes." I answer reluctantly, my focus halfway between him and the giant. The end of Thrurstradtur-Suhurlodst, that thing, this Atarifuge is.

"If you have any doubts, return to the mountain's edge. Look out across what was your charge, Grandguard..." he suggests, and he gets back on with the journey. Doing as he says, though I do not really need to, I return to the mountain's edge. The very edge, where the winds sharply deflect from the mountain and up towards me.

Although I was never one for the beauty of this land's landscapes and its great outdoors. I close my eyes and think back to what should be here. All the cities we've lost, the bustling streets spilling out into the fruitful fields. Nevermind the untamed forests and all the ravineers dotting them. Everything that is gone, I can see it so clearly even though I never cared much before.

This is not the end of time. All-That-Remains is not ready to go with the rest of lost creation. Man has not done this, aelenvari, kelbalid and not even more pragmatically malicious species like dragons and osibindah. No years have passed, no wars have concluded or started apart from one. Life versus death.

All that we have lost, it happened in but a moment each time. Each step left this country screaming, each failed attempt and effort to learn has left us with quieter homes. What once we could consider a means to tarnish a reputation entirely is just no longer considered. How can anyone blame someone for not knowing what to do against something like that?

Though Undwote is clear in his depictions and well known to all who are honest and learned. That does not stop a peculiar thing from happening. The idea of a cloaked skeleton, hiding in the darkness, ready to snatch away your life at the first moment. God of Friendship, he may be, but, first and foremost, he is not that nor the cold.

He is Death.

This machine, it bears the name of a beast of his. Were it not, I have no doubts we as a people would in time come to know it like that. Nothing could have prepared this country for anything like this. We're so very lucky to have had survivors from the initial awakening.

Yet, perhaps, this all would have never happened if no one came back from that mountain that day. Just another day in the Gnomon, a still gutted country but one with a single circle. One diameter to concern itself with. There would be no occupation by the Union, no war with the Grand-Kingdom looming...

My body shivers, and a gloved hand covers my blinking eyes. I shrug with an empty head and look back a little. Hair catching on the updraft, I move my other hand to stop it from flying so awkwardly. I look back to the giant, rather, the glimmer of hope that manages to shine even this far.

"Can you save us, Nin? Can you do it again?" I ask, putting my faith in him, as he is the only one I know I can count on. Exceptional House is a storied place, one with many capable witches who are still learning. A terrifying prospect when one considers their power. Native and foreign-born like me.

Yet, for all that reputation, only the Dark Crow stands out amongst them. Now more than ever, we need him to play well with others. I need him to. What Segaansallis will require of all of them, I do not know. I can only hope they will keep their egos in check.

Strong hearts and sturdy backbones. I need to pray for all of them. We all need to. Every child, adult and dying elder in what's left of this country. Our fate is to be decided soon, and the price has been high up to this point.

Even now, the Union is throwing vast resources away in once-good attacks. The giant is not stupid. It is no simple machine but a fighter, a warrior. Not every blow is hitting and most do not have the impact they once did. We're running out of time, they're running out of time.

Right now, I can only see two paths for this land. Either they die and we all do. Or they win and put this tragedy to an end. Regardless, more blood will fall through the bottleneck of the hourglass.

"What good am I even now? I've lost command of the troops. It's all that Union Prince's domain now. What good am I when I cannot even fulfil my job requirements? Grandguard Inerish, the greatest joke to have ever existed. I keep failing and I am unsure of what I can do to help..." I let out in despair, Atarifuge dominating the reflection of my whites and iris'.

Looking beyond our doom, I look to our future. Kneeling and unmoving in the sand. All those memories and all that history are gone, but it remains. The work of the gods and goddesses is unperturbed by that aura.

The Sword-Faced Giant.

Named so for its most prominent feature, a horned head, bladed like a sword. On its right side as well, the guard of an immovable sword depicts a face. All made of worn, aged and once mossy stone. Two weapons, two blades. Maybe if I...?

Turning back towards the outdoors command centre, I stare longingly at the many terminals. One in particular, the one in contact with those already on the ground at Segaansallis' feet. A hunch. I have a hunch, of all things. My head shakes with growing rapidity and my stress seethes out with a heavy sigh.

"None the less... Good luck to you all. Gods and goddesses be with you in this moment." I mutter, turning back fully and heading on my way. The Prince no doubt will want me to be involved with this discussion he is no doubt having.