SIO FALLEN

“Sio” Aella shouted as she exploded into the room, pushing past the canvas flap roughly. I threw my pillow at her, which she promptly caught in a bubble of air. I scowled at her and she grinned. Damn zephyr mages.

"I. Was. Late. Shift," I grumbled, rolling over to face the wall and burying my face in the mattress. It had only been an hour since I fell asleep, and my head felt like lead.

Aella crossed the tent to my bunk and started sorting through my clothes while I shot daggers with my eyes. I rolled over again to glare at her directly.

“I know Sio, I'm sorry, but you need to get up” she spoke softly, and was biting her lip as she found what she was looking for, my dress uniform.

I felt my stomach drop. “Aella?” I didn't even need to finish the question.

“Command has summoned you, and you need to present yourself immediately. I got the message from David and thought you would prefer to hear it from me”.

She laid out my dress uniform on the bottom of my bunk. I Itched just looking at it. Stiff, starched, and about as comfortable as a suit of armour.

I sighed and started getting dressed, muttering through layers of fabric. "Who else was summoned?"

Aella had moved to the makeshift tent door to ensure privacy while I changed.

A deep breath came from the other side. "Just you, Sio." Her voice sounded unusually strained, devoid of its usual cheerful lilt.

I froze, apprehension creeping in. "Aella?"

She turned back, facing me but not really. Her eyes were distant, and her hands fumbled with a piece of leather cord – a nervous habit she'd had since childhood.

The pit in my stomach widened. My entire family was career military. My parents were stationed at the border of the highlands, their location shrouded in secrecy. Calum, my brother, was part of a northern guard contingent protecting a place of power, though I suspected he belonged to one of the special forces the military employed. Cat and Morna, both gifted healers, usually found themselves wherever the fighting was thickest. Every single one of them dedicated their lives to the empire, putting themselves at risk.

I'd been summoned before, to be told of family delays, communication restrictions, or rescheduled leaves. Each time, the same anxiety gnawed at me. Every delay, every week of silence, brought back the stress of waiting.

"Have you heard anything, Aella?" I managed to ask, my voice thick with worry.

She shook her head, her eyes downcast. "No," she mumbled, then added, "But their positions are classified, Sio. Most of what they do is restricted information."

She strode across the room and put an arm around my shoulders in support, before stepping back and looking at me critically. "Your hair is a mess, Sio," she sighed, picking up a comb and starting to work on the tangled mess atop my head. She braided it efficiently, tucking it into a neat, combat-ready style.

I took her arm in mine, and we began walking towards the command tent, it had relocated recently, part of normal camp security.

“Have you heard from Calum recently”? I asked while pulling at my stiff jacket that went over the stiff shirt and the stiff pants, trying to make it more comfortable. Aella and Calum hadn’t been a thing until last year, though she had made eyes at him for as long as we’d been friends, since we were small. She was like a sister to me, and the way the two now looked at each other left me with little doubt she would be my sister in truth one day.

"Yes, actually," she said slowly, her brow furrowed as if pondering the words. "It was just... normal."

"Normal?" I probed, trying to decipher her tone.

"Yes," she confirmed, biting her lip. "I'll read it again later, see if I missed anything."

"Maybe we can both read it," I teased. "Two minds are better than one, right?"

"Void and blackness, Sio, no!" she exclaimed, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "It's private, and it's your brother."

"So, it would be different if it was another boy?" I couldn't resist teasing her further.

"Actually, yes," she said with a smirk. "Which means when you find yourself a nice girl, I get to read all the juicy details!"

"How is that fair?" I started to ask, but our conversation was abruptly cut short by a horn call.

The horn was long and high and mournful. We both paused and noticed most of the camp doing the same. The horn then played two times in a short staccato burst, and then repeated the pattern.

“Camp to muster” started to be called from soldiers all over camp, “Call to muster, gather your things, find your legion, prepare to muster.” It was repeated again and again to ensure no one missed it.

“Do you think I still go to see the command?” I asked Aella.

She bit her lip, her face etched with worry. "Yes," she said finally. "Even if they tell you to go away and prepare, at least you've shown you're ready."

I nodded, and we picked up the pace towards the command tent, guarded by two stoic figures in lion-faced wooden masks.

Names?" one of the guards barked, their voices muffled by the masks.

"Sio Fallen," I replied nervously.

"Aella Griffon," Aella announced, but she immediately backed away. "Just here as an escort, reporting to muster."

I turned to her, making sure the guards couldn't see my face, and mouthed a silent "Thank you." She winked at me, and then disappeared into the throng of soldiers.

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“What colour is the sky today Sio?” the guard on the left asked. He must be a truth teller,, testing anyone that enters the command tent.

I was a little thrown by the question. I looked up – the sun had just peeked above the horizon, painting the canvas of the sky with soft pastel hues. "Blue, pink, and gold?" I offered hesitantly. "It's the opposite of sunset? I can't remember the word."

The guards looked at me, then each other, and the look felt blank, even hidden behind their masks.

"Late shift," I stammered, embarrassed. "Brain's not working properly."

The masked guard on the left snorted. "All true," he conceded, stepping aside. The guard on the right looked at him, nodded, and mirrored his action.

As I entered the command tent, the guard on the right said softly. “How did you forget the word for sunrise Sio, void take it, that's funny” I recognized the voice – it was Wes, one of my brother's squadmates before he transferred to another unit. Heat flooded my cheeks. He would tell Calum for sure, and if it got to my sisters from there I would never hear the end of it.

Entering the tent, I found myself in a sea of organised chaos. Messengers scurried back and forth, adjuncts delivered reports, and legion generals and field commanders huddled in hushed conferences. I felt lost and adrift in this war room.

A gentle touch on my arm startled me. It was Aunt Brenna, the Field Marshal herself, standing tall and commanding.

"Specialist Sio reporting as summoned, Field Marshal," I said, offering a quick field salute. My voice steadied as professionalism took over.

A slight crease formed near her eyes, the remnants of a smile. "Specialist Sio," she said, her voice a unique husky rasp, courtesy of a watermage trying to drown her many years ago. "Walk with me."

She gestured towards a corner of the tent. As we navigated the bustling crowd, she called out in a clear, commanding voice, "Geomancer, casting!"

Taking a large step forward, Brenna slammed her foot onto the exposed earth. Instantly, sheets of rock rose from the ground, forming a three-walled and roofed shelter. As she entered, she pulled out a lantern from her pocket and gestured for me to follow.

I hurried inside, and as I passed the entryway, she tapped the floor lightly with her foot. The final wall rose into place, creating a private space within the chaos.

The lantern flickered to life, casting a warm glow. My aunt settled onto the floor with a sigh, her face etched with worry.

"Sit, Sio," she said warmly, gesturing towards the opposite side. "And don’t stand on ceremony in here."

I obeyed, feeling the weight of my concern press down on me. We sat in silence for a while, the only sound the flickering lantern and the distant murmurs from outside.

"We have news, Sio," Brenna finally said, her voice soft. "And I'm deciding how much of it to share with you."

My breath hitched, and a knot of fear tightened in my stomach. "Is it family, Auntie? What's happened?" I managed to squeeze out the words.

"No one is hurt," she said slowly, as if deliberating each word.

The knot loosened slightly. "That's… good," I whispered, relief washing over me.

She remained silent, staring intently at the flickering flame.

"That's good, isn't it?" I repeated, seeking reassurance.

"Not being hurt doesn't mean being safe, Sio," she replied softly, her words heavy with unspoken meaning.

I wanted to ask a hundred questions, but before I could open my mouth, she spoke again.

"Have you completed your resistance training, Sio? Did you earn the mark?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

I frowned but nodded, pulling my sleeve up to reveal the small purple star tattoo on my shoulder. A mark of the Binders, a rare breed of mage. I didn't remember the training, which was apparently a common side effect. A kindness, I’m told.

"Swear the oath," she commanded, her voice devoid of emotion.

"Whispers held, trust preserved, magic bound by silence served," I recited the oath by rote, the purple star flaring gold momentarily.

Brenna's eyes met mine, a heavy truth hanging in the air. "Good," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "This stays between us, Sio. Act as if you don't have this knowledge, even amongst your closest friends."

I nodded, the weight of the oath settling upon me. I knew the consequences of breaking a Binder oath - permanent and painful.

"Your parents were stationed on the border of the highlands, directly in the path of the Godking's Furies," she began, her voice filled with a quiet intensity. "The horde attacked their fort a week ago."

My blood turned to ice. My parents, attacked by the Godking's forces? The news hit me like a physical blow, the air around me suddenly suffocating.

Brenna's touch on my shoulder grounded me, her earthmagic stability incarnate, and she shared it with me. "They are alright, Sio," she assured me, sensing my distress. "They managed to escape, taking a significant chunk of the horde down with them, according to reports."

Despite her reassurances, a deep fear remained. My parents were skilled fighters, but the horde was endless.

"However," Brenna continued, "they are not entirely safe." Her voice dropped to a near whisper. "They picked up something during their escape. One of the Godking's special weapons."

My heart pounded in my chest. The Godking's legendary armoury was renowned for its power and cruelty. Used to break armies, and walls of cities. Knowing my parents were in possession of such a dangerous object only amplified my worry.

"The weapon itself poses a significant threat," Brenna explained, her eyes filled with concern. "The Godking wants it back, and our forces are being tracked relentlessly. While your father's magic helps mitigate the worst of it, they are coming back to base as quickly as possible.”

What kind of weapon is it, Auntie?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. The thought of a weapon of such immense power and danger in my parents' possession was terrifying.

My aunt's expression contorted in disgust. Even with the grounding magic she was providing, the raw fear and repulsion radiating from her slammed into me. "They turned one of the Godking's child soldiers." She took a deep breath in and said “Your father says they got a void damned blood mage”.

My stomach lurched violently. Lost magic. Blood magic. Forbidden magic.

The exhaustion from lack of sleep, the weight of the meeting, and the sheer nightmarish implications of what I'd just learned overwhelmed me. A choked gasp escaped my lips, and the world went dark as I pitched forward, bile rising in my throat. The floor rushed up to meet me, and oblivion swallowed me whole.

FIELD MARSHALL BRENNA

I woke my favourite niece gently, rubbed her back soothingly, discreetly channelling my earth magic to remove the mess she'd left behind. Exhaustion etched itself around her eyes, the metalcaster's rigid strength masked by an unsettling fragility. Their magic served them well in battle, but offered no solace for the emotional toll it left.

"I'll be alright," Sio rasped out, her voice brittle. "Late shift, not much sleep... messes with my emotions."

Sympathy weighed upon me. I knew the coming days promised little respite. Holding her steady, I gave her a moment to regain her composure.

We move in one bell, Sio," I stated firmly, my voice softened with concern. "Report back to your legion commander for your next orders."

She blinked back at me, looking half in this world, and half out of it. A silent curse escaped my lips. I wished I could give her time to come to grips with the news of our family. Duty, that relentless beast, demanded action when my soul yearned for calm.

"Ready, Sio?" I asked gently.

She nodded, and I channelled my power into the earth, striking the wall with my palm. My will pulsed, coaxing the stone to crumble inwards. We stepped out of the temporary shelter, and I guided the remaining earth back into place, the soft rumble echoing our passage.

Stepping forward, I wove my magic through the earth, receiving a mental echo – the unique signatures of everyone within the tent, hidden or not. Satisfied with the expected count, I continued forward, my resolve as always, unwavering.

I watched Sio’s departure from the tent, then felt her leave my sensory range through the earth, as she was swallowed by the organised chaos of the muster. I was worried about my brother and sister in law, but we were doing something about it. The muster was for them.

Suppressing a yawn, I buried myself back into the work at hand. Duty, was truly a wretched beast.