Dragon Aster Trilogy

4: MISSING WEAPON



Sybl walked through the Atrum’s dark halls, as the ayame and soldiers stepped aside to let her pass. Most of the Atrum was focused on healing the injured or fleeing the city, as the High Guard remained like wardens over it. They had driven off Damek, but he would find another way to return. He always found another way to return.

The estus Aur seemed to become stronger with the death that surrounded it. Hain, Dyaus and the countless lost at the Harbor were just a small fraction of so many more who would follow if the world kept freezing over and starving the masses.

Two fully armored ayame guarded the wooden door to the Room of Darkness that seethed of estus energy. “My Lady, Tenu has been waiting for you.” The guards opened the door, and Sybl went in. She felt and hated the estus Aur immediately, as it was not a light as much as it was a void that absorbed all of it, including from herself.

“Still afraid of the dark, are we?”

Sybl looked to the side of the Aur where Tenu had been standing, draped in her black hair and a black dress that had served to make her nearly invisible.

“I suppose I should be grateful that you are. What is the definite proof of humanity if not fear?”

“Are you not scared of anything?” Sybl asked.

“I used to be scared of many things,” Tenu said as she continued to watch the dark light that rose up from the center of the room. “But much has changed over the years. Perhaps, if we live long enough, I will have to try your approach of rekindling feelings and emotions for the living world.”

“You would make an interesting mortal,” Sybl replied, meaning every word, but not mentioning that Tenu would likely remain as cynical as she was now. She looked to where the mermaid turned her gaze, and could see Moon lying down quietly near the wall of the room.

“There was a time when he would tell me all that he saw. Now he says nothing as if he has come back to the living as a mindless creature, or perhaps with only one person in his mind?”

“Are you still trying to see the future spelled out before you?” Sybl asked.

“I see another Ice Era. I see a cycle of Fate that is a never ending circle. If you defeat Damek, on this world or on Earth, he will come back. Even if you shatter his essence into a million pieces, he will come back. For you forget that he has had his essence shattered by the Dragon Moon before. As long as evil and death exists, Daath is as eternal as death itself.”

“But there is still hope that he won’t. And as long as there is, I refuse to give up.”

“Hope. Ah yes, the wishes of the foolish and those incapable of changing the course of Fate and Time on their own. Is your hope truly strong enough? Can the fragmented pieces of a Caelestis so much as hold enough of herself together to have a chance of holding onto hope, let alone inspire it?”

Sybl looked away from Tenu’s black eyes that were like bottomless, dark voids.

“The Caelestis,” Moon began to speak, “inspires much hope. I can feel it in the eminor. I can see it in the Ancients. But she needs the faith and prayers of those around her, not doubts that would hold her back.”

“Where is the festra, Tenu?” Sybl asked, seeing that the discussion needed a change of topic.

“Why do you think I know?”

“Because it was here last with Hain.”

“And I gave it to Hain to return to its rightful owner. If it was not with his body and Damek does not possess it, perhaps the mercenary lost it.”

Sybl felt the anger build up in her, which was made all the worse by the estus Aur. It was becoming obvious that Tenu was helping Damek.

“I am not helping him,” Tenu replied to her thoughts that were as open as a book to the mermaid. “I just don’t believe you are certain of which side you have taken up the fighting cause for. During the Last War you fought alongside Damek, whereas now you are not.”

“Damek is slowly taking everything from me and killing Aster. I have made my choice.”

The doors opened, and Delare walked in. “Your festra was with my Tribe, but there has been a small issue since then.”

“Issue? What kind of issue?” Sybl asked the Awl.

“Its sheath made off with it. I followed it back here, so I can only assume it is trying to reach you on its own.”

Sybl tried to make sense of what Delare was saying, before its only explanation was Sial. “Are you saying a unicorn robbed your Tribe of Awls?”

“Well if killing it were an option, it would have never succeeded,” Delare replied.

Sybl sighed and tried to think. “I saw Sial die in the Keol, when Kas and I went up against Daath.”

“Then the kyrie is back, and alive. It was consumed by the Aeger when I saw it last,” he said.

Sybl glared at Tenu as the mermaid began to laugh. “What’s so funny?”

“I was just thinking on how we can complete our upcoming celebration with a Hunt.” Tenu lifted her head a bit higher and with one last look at Sybl, she left the room as the doors were opened for her by the guards.

Sybl looked back at Delare. “Why are you trying to help?”

“Because if you hadn’t sent Hain to rescue me and Gloria, we would both be dead.”

“But I couldn’t save Quinn.”

“I know,” Delare said, looking back at her with his green eyes that were so much like Damek’s it made her shiver. “But I also know that you tried. That and I think now is a good time to reinstate the peace between Awls and the new Order.”

“You mean through me, right? You likely already know that Kas doesn’t like Awls very much,” Sybl said.

“Yes, preferably through you,” Delare replied.

“I will talk with him then.”

Delare gave a short nod and thanked her, then left the room.

Sybl looked at the estus Aur, before leaving the room in the hope that a better mood would come back to her.