Betrayal - A BrightStone Saga Novella

-Freya-

She stands, watching from the ridge above, looking down at the ancient cave of Raygor. Her jet-black hair flows behind her with every gust of wind. She waits for her King, as she was told. His orders unusual, but abide by them she will. They rule together in everything, but this time he pleaded with her to stay and watch. So watch she does. Her eyes rooted to the entrance to the ancient cave of Raygor. She wrinkles her nose, trying not to cover it as the stench invades her. The smell of death is almost overwhelming even after the last battle. She blinks, wishing to the Mother that she was at his side. "No," she whispers. "He asked me to watch." Her emerald eyes float up to the blood moon high above. "Hello Lunaress, watch over him?"

Her focus is broken with the sound of scuffing boots and clinking armour pulling her attention back to the cave entrance, and she watches as a stream of soldiers, wearing the black and red of house Baal, dart out of it below. They seem frightened, almost in a panic. Some come running out holding weapons; others seem to have none. They race out onto the rocky ground that surrounds the cave; some push and shove, others sprint straight ahead, oblivious of others. They are frantic, not caring who they push past to get away.

Then her attention is drawn to the mouth of the cave. A strange light, dim at first, then gradually it gets sharper and brighter. It bounces off the walls, reflecting the ancient runes she knows are carved there. She sees red, blue, green, yellow, orange, pink, brown, white and all the colours in between.

"Beautiful," she whispers.

The light floods out like a river, getting brighter still with every passing secern, then they begin to merge, making her surroundings suddenly feel dark and cold. It continues to get brighter, illuminating the soldiers still running below. She shades her eyes, fearing the light will blind her. Then it happens. A noise emanates from within so loud and unexpected, she falls to her knees, clutching at her stomach. She squeezes her eyes tight, wanting it to be dark like never before.

Then in an instance, it is gone. No sound. No light. Just darkness. It envelopes everything, the ground, the sky and everything between. It lasts only a few heartbeats, but to her, it feels like an eternity. She clutches her stomach in fear, wishing she could see again. She clenches her eyes and waits, hoping that this is not the end.

Slowly, it starts to clear, the air around her no longer thick as if moving through oil, but pure and clear. She looks up to the sky, focusing on the returning blood moon. "Hello again," she says. Her eyes give off a slight glow as they reflect in the moonlight. Standing up, she brushes off her armour with a shake, glinting as she moves from side to side. As she stares down at the cave again, bodies are lying everywhere making it look like the battlefield she had just come from less than a turn ago. "Put it from your mind, it is finished now," she mutters.

Then her attention gets pulled below once again as she picks up movement. Some of the men start to stretch and look around, their eyes blank and jaws slack. Some of them lay still as others stand, staring at their comrades scattered amongst the rocky ground. A few run, but most stay and attempt to help. As they mill around, she notices a shadow coming from the mouth of the cave, then a man adorned in red armour emerges from inside. He stops at the opening, leaning a hand on the wall. She cannot be sure, but the ancient runes carved upon the walls seem to have disappeared, but it is too far even for her eyes without their glow. The walls now stand as black as the skin of the Oskari.

"Manu!" she snarls to herself. She is too far for any sound to carry but she peers around just to be sure. "Manu. Where are the others? Why are you alone?" she wonders aloud. She can see no one else leave the cave as she watches him move among his troops, no sign of recognition in his eyes for anything as he heads in her direction.

"I must leave you now my love," she says, bowing her head. They must be dead, she thinks. They must. Folknor would have been the first to come out. And with the Baal troops... She swallows hard at the realisation then turns her back on this place of life and death, starting her arduous journey to some kind of safety. She moves away from the carnage below with a hand on her stomach. "We are the last."