Light Of Asteria

Chapter Fourteen: Juno

Twisting smoke clouded the sky above Asteria. Waves of onyx swirled blue stretched, masking the light of the moon, as a sinister darkness swept across the land. Sanheim's army vanquished, those left alive struggled to pick up the pieces. This attack marked the beginning of the end. As long as Lucia remained absent, hope disappeared, lost to anguish.

Entering the courtyard of the Holy Temple, Juno passed disheartened comrades. Eyes glazed, half shambled without focus and paced beside the wall. Uncertainty sagged their faces, aging them a thousand years. The rest laid upon the stone, nursing wounds and throbbing heads with trembling hands. Riverdeen leaned against a pillar on the far side of the courtyard, relatively unharmed but plagued by exhaustion. Her shoulders shuddered as she emitted a deep sigh. Quickly composing herself, a veil of determination blanketed her expression and she straightened, beginning to make her way around the courtyard. She shakily healed the wounded knights.

Younger, less trained, priestesses followed, mimicking her actions. Noticing the lack of elders, Juno recalled Lucia mentioning she'd been attacked. Assumption created the idea of their deaths in his mind. Riverdeen now represented the only Mother Priestess left within the temple. A promotion of sorts for the brilliant and kind young woman, a sister figure to Lucia, manifested by necessity and turmoil.

Releasing a low growl, Juno slipped from the courtyard, traveling to the barracks. Lined by weapons racks and training equipment, the smaller courtyard near the center of the temple appeared to be empty. He shuffled towards Kerberos's favorite perch, the apple tree, and leaned against the rough bark. His armour scraped across the surface as he rested his head and sighed. Miros strolled from the shadows. He moved to stand before Juno, arms crossed. A scowl resided on his face.

"Those two young girls? Did they make it to safety?" Juno inquired, gazing at the ashy sky.

"Far as I know," Miros growled. "The rebel scooped 'em up in the midst of the fight. Disappeared with 'em down an alley."

"Good," Juno muttered.

Miros rubbed the bridge of his nose and snorted. He narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaw. Straightening himself, Juno inched closer, overlooking Miros's skeptic gaze.

"Actually, Miros, you're exactly the person I was searching for."

He arched a brow, pursing his lips. "Oh? That so, boy?"

Juno nodded, fixing his gaze upon him. "Did you notice something off about tonight? Anything strange about how the events played out?"

"There were a lot of things wrong about tonight," Miros snarled. "Don't be vague, boy. Get on with what you're thinking."

Licking his lips, Juno gulped, hoping to banish the knot in his throat. His actions strayed from the path of the church. He needed to be cautious, choose his words wisely. Lest they be his last.

"Half of our men fought for Sanheim," Juno acknowledged.

Miros gritted his teeth, shifting his eyes around the barracks before nodding.

"Aye, they did."

Juno breathed a sigh of relief. Miros witnessed their transformation, as well. Ease loosened his muscles. He could speak freely with him, for the most part. A hint of caution lingered.

"I also find it curious how divided the city was tonight. The pope insisted the majority of the knights be in attendance for Lucia's celebration, leaving the outer walls almost completely unmanned. I don't believe it to be a coincidence. Not to mention, Grand Master Elias's death seemed . . . conspicuous," Juno spoke, in hushed whispers, while rubbing his chin. "The majority of the attendees were outside, at the time, gazing at the comet. I know Elias had many years of life under his belt but he clawed his throat as if he choked—"