The Shadow behind the Light

Chapter Twelve: The Rise Of The Fall

The sky was bright and welcoming the day it happened. Ezen woke up after a thorough sleep and decided to fly to the hill to pay her respects to Aleahx and Milóz. She decided to skip morning food that day. We were staring at the sky, near the edge of the hill, which had a cliff's edge. The sky is a brilliant orange and the clouds are red. There is a gentle breeze from the elements. It is warm which is normal for this time of year. There is a faint welcoming smell of oké, pine, lily, orchids and wither in the air. Wither, blood, pain. Ezen's senses overwhelm her as she stands up, behind her she now hears the sound of faint marching, battalion. Ezen turned around, faint, in the distance, to her horror, the usually green landscape is filled with black and red, she sees hundreds, no, thousands of Queakeare soldiers. She hurried back to the outlanders but the Svöttes had already heard it. From their predictions they were less than ten miles away. Treaose and Döte agreed to move immediately. The first priority was moving the weak and sick away and pack everything we could, we can't just leave, everything is movable so we will move it. Svöttes are very strong. In their primary four-legged form they can pull up to three times their weight and there were many Svöttes, when they migrate camps, they have sleighs to pull. Döte was already harnessing up those capable as everyone gathered everything. Ezen tried to help Treaose gather the food but treoase shouted at her to get back to the Quearoses to warn them.

It was too late when Ezen reached the Quearoses. From what she could see they were already surrounded. The Queakeares must have traveled North and surrounded from there, the upper hand. They were surrounded, to keep everyone in, or out. The troops at the outlanders must be the next wave of many I guess. They would never be able to get through all that many. Then an idea occurred to me, Ezen was thinking about it too. It is too dangerous. What if he just turns, joins them, I don't know much about him, really Shaddo. Ezen tells me out loud, if you don't try and they take over then he will join them anyway, at least if you are with him we have a chance. Trust me. Juni is true, you know it. If it goes wrong, blame me, I can get you out of anything if you just try. Please Ezen. I plead. Fine, she says, but if it goes wrong you have no idea what I will do.

The Queakeares worship Juni as their Göde: that is my doing, there was a sickness that I infected over the Queakeare territory and the deal was worship Juni and stop the disease or let it spread. That is how Juni got so many possessions, why he lost so many fathers, thats the punishment toll for possessessing, two Feathers for each spirit. I don't regret it. They worship him as their Göde not just because of that but also because he went against The Gonichooia, other then their 'chosen one' crap, he is the only one who has in known history.

So that is the plan.
We reached the Quirl castle and went through the underground tunnel system. We reached Juni who was already waiting. He was confused about how Ezen would release him which was correct, she couldn't. So I take control. It was easy work for me, Juni knew it was me but didn't reveal anything.

The look on his face when Juni finally touched the rich green grass, breathed the fresh air and embraced the sun's golden light. Without the power blockers, he was able to summon his wings, dark red skin wings with small feathers around the base and bone. In the dusk red daylight they seemed to glow with his presence. He glowed in beauty. He looked even more glorious in this light. He seemed to feel not a day older from when I knew him. This is the first proper time I have seen him in his full excellency. He looked younger than I expected him to be, minus the slight malnourishment. His golden hazel brown eyes glistened darkly as his long dark hair glided gracefully through the pleasant breeze. These few short moments illuminated everything. Then he grinned a small gentil gesture which developed into a beauteous elegant smile which inherited his entire face. This is the Göde I know, and all the sudden I am his Altréz again doing my civil duty for his lordship, my master. But moments like these could not last forever. I wish they could. I could live in this moment for the rest of time. Perhaps soon I will...