Under a Starless Sky

They took a break outside the thick of the Sleeping Forest. Shen wanted to keep walking, but he waited as his people took care of toiletries and had a light meal. He stood looking towards the direction of Midelay, TL beside him. It was dark. There was no hint of lights or any advanced guards present. He ‘saw’ his people and a few trees and again saw the world as a stage set. There was a stirring of light that resulted in the world image faltering, in favor of something more solidly physical. Jerica arrived in a Spirit Body that solidified like smoke trapped in a container. She immediately hugged on Shen.

“Forgive my selfishness,” Jerica said. “I am torn.”

“You are in two places,” Shen said. “Literally and metaphorically.”

“Don’t make me think,” Jerica said. “Just hold me.”

As he held her, his other sight returned and they were no longer the only ones in the world. Arne was there. Several Valkyries. Jerica came off him to acknowledge them.

“Sister,” Arne said.

“I will not impede progress,” Jerica said.

“Your light is welcome,” Imly said. “You could be one of us.”

“Maybe one day I will have such wings, but for now, I am content with walking,” Jerica said.

They arrived at Midelay. The majority of the party held back. Imly, Jerica, TL, and Shen continued forwards. They made it to the circle unchallenged. The guard at the circle seemed surprised, but not by them having snuck up on them. Candace was there, in the circle, waiting. It became clear that others were there in the shadows; they had been ready for an attack. Éliane and Talatu were visibly present; Shen overheard Éliane asking ‘how does she always know?’ Shen also recognized Tulia.

“Candace,” Shen said.

“Brother,” Candace said.

“Am I?” Shen asked.

“You expect to attack us with this small group?” Tulia asked.

“May I speak with N’Ma?” Shen asked.

“No,” Tulia said.

“I have a right to address the holder of the Light,” Shen said.

“You have no rights and you are addressing…” Tulia began.

Tulia stopped speaking when Candace flexed her hand, signaling enough.

“You are not aware, she is no long among the living?” Candace asked. “I hold the Light here.”

TL put her hand on the back of Shen’s neck. He turned into her and he cried on her shoulder. She embraced him. Imly chewed on her lip. She had heard that Shen was prone to showing emotions, but had not seen anything. Jerica maintained her eye contact with Candace.

“What kind of seer doesn’t know when someone dies?” Tulia asked.

Boa arrived, Arne beside her. A few Valkyries were with her.

“The area is secure,” Boa said.

Shen came off of TL, wiped his face, and held her hand. “You’re violating protocol…”

“We are at war,” Tulia snapped.

“You lost,” Shen said.

The sky became blue. The forest moved. There were suddenly more people present than could be counted for. N’Ma arrived at the circle. She appeared as if she were in her twenties.

“Why are you crying, son?” she asked Shen.

Shen hugged her. She accepted, comforted him, and then turned him around. A lot of eyes were wide. Tulia was fierce looking, but contained. She pointed at N’Ma.

“You no longer speak for the living,” Tulia said.

“Shen, speaks for us,” N’Ma said.

a message for us?” Candace

passage to

insane,”

“To do

don’t

first out of the basket, to stabilize the balloon, stopping its bouncing drag across the ground. They recruited Midelay guards to weigh down the basket. Lanore was the next out of the basket. Tama last out of

“A lot of tears

N’Ma said. “I did

am sorry, I am late for

“Until today, the mountains here were impassible,” N’Ma

“Mother,” Candace said.

“C’Ma,” mother said, bowing

“What are you doing here, with these two?” Tulia

accepted. They have been apprentice to me and had the doors

ask. “At no small risk

am here to escort my son to Sinter,” Lanore

will

will go, or Sinter will fall,” Lanore

to say something but Candace ceased it with a wave of her hand. “That explains your presence, maybe

directly to Shen. “You

that explains

never set

male and he practices the craft. It is my right as a mother

swallowed.

“Mother,” Candace said.

kill you,” Tama

nodded. He understood.

“Do we have a

likely only expedite

they be

“No. They would be

“We go where he goes,” Jerica

grant him passage, given the circumstances and allegations,”

the right to ban him,” Éliane said. “Surely that’s

not

going to end the

the war,” N’Ma said. “If he goes to

know that,” Tama

not learned

Candace looked to her brother.

“Now you

“Stop being stupid,” Candace said. “What

war. I want people to have a greater voice in pursuing their

Tulia said. She removed a weapon. “If you want to be dead,

of fireflies that illuminated in patterns that painted her form. They were dispersed when they were all called away to their respective trees. More than one staff came to light. There was sudden realization that Boa had only captured a small group, not everyone. The darkness descended and the blue light vanished. The ghosts were

before,” Talatu

didn’t do this,”

trees have sided with Shen. The

was violated,”

charge with aggression,” Imly said. “She belongs to the Forest, the

“I was going stop her,”

don’t know you. You have refused all civil discourse, hence the war,” Imly

to protect me, this

it’s not,” Arne

what happened the last time I went

said. “Éliane, Talatu, and Boa- you will hold him bond and escort him to Sinter. L’Ma, you will carry the weight of the charge, and accompany this group. Your apprentices may go. Tama will