“Your Radiance.” The Bishop began from right behind. “Are you alright?”

Glancing back, Gardinal saw the bishop leaned over Her Radiance, the girl’s face a deathly pale as she clung to the Ga’Na next to her. The Prophetess’s hands trembled as her eyes darted every which direction, panic clear on her face. Returning to his guard, Gardinal saw bright lights beginning to rise up and flicker far in the distance in every direction. Fires, dozens of them.

“I can feel it…” The Prophetess panted desperately. “It… It’s everywhere. I can feel the Chaos everywhere.” Her voice was frail. Gardinal could feel the Chaos pressing down on him, pushing against his soul; he could only imagine how much worse it would feel for the Prophetess. The pressure only built, pushing Gardinal to nearly empty his stomach.

“Roka, morsakad rekan nag Ga’Na!” The massive hulking figure of the Ga’Se bulled towards them, Rekiak in tow with another half a dozen bulky Korek beside. In the flickering firelight they looked like daemons, Gardinal prepared to strike.

“Stay back filth!” A Faith Militiaman called out, rushing over with his sword drawn. Nearly three dozen men followed behind him, all drawing their swords with a metallic clang that echoed through the tense night air. “You Korek swine you step back now before we gut you.” The man, a Fershya lesser noble by the accent, spat as he said ‘Korek’.

Sauntering up to the Faith Militiaman, the Ga’Se towered over him nearly two heads taller and twice as wide. “Try stop me little boy.” He spat, his eyes darting behind Gardinal to the Prophetess and the Ga’Na. Behind both men Korek and Faith Militia lowered their stances, ready for a battle.

“Enough!” The Prophetess shouted, and the tense would-be-combatants froze. “This is no time for division amongst us. We must face this together or risk losing everything.” A quick look back showed that she had risen, leaning on the Bishop and the Ga’Na for support. “Please.” She begged, and both Korek turned from one another.

“Brother Gardinal.” The bishop snapped, and Gardinal spun to meet the man’s attention. “Don’t make me doubt you again.” The bishop nodded at Gardinal, and he understood.

“Men!” Gardinal shouted, spinning and gathering the attention of Faith Militia and Korek alike. “If you say you serve the Mother, then surround Her Prophetess now! Turtle formation with swords at the ready.”

At that, soldiers and Korek alike created a large circle around the small group, thirty-six trained Faith Militia with a half dozen burley Korek to break up the wall. Gardinal nodded, he had never been particularly proud of the new temple’s Faith Militia, and he did not know how much he could trust these Korek, but for now it would have to do.

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“My father wants know what is happening.” Rekiak spoke stepping into the circle with the Ga’Se beside him. The boy’s Terminian was serviceable if still rough. “As do I.”

The Ga’Se strode across the small circle and helped the Ga’Na rise, her frail form looking barely bigger than a Jöln next to the massive man.

“Erak Hak Sokarad Dag Morkad.” The Ga’Na spoke, and Her Radiance nodded.

“This is X’s doing.” The Prophetess spoke, a tremble to her voice. “He… he is desperate I think. I can feel it.”

The bishop and Gardinal shared a look that seemed to agree that now was the time to take her word on the matter, questioning could come later.

“Such terrible power.” The Bishop whispered, before looking around at everyone as if just noticing them. “It matters not, we must ensure the Prophetess’s safety above all else. We will move towards the temple in this formation immediately. Men…”

“No.” The Prophetess spoke. Her voice was not yet steady, but there was a strength to her words. “Our utmost priority is our people, Father. As it always should have been. I will not abandon them this time.”

“This is hardly the time Your Radiance.” The Bishop spoke through gritted teeth. The Ga’Na said something then in Korek’ta that Gardinal couldn’t understand. Whatever it was though, it left a furrowed brow and frustrated tears in the Prophetess’s eyes.

“I can’t just run Ga’Na, it’s me he’s hunting for! He will burn down the city to do so and you know it.” Her Radiance spoke passionately as she looked to Gardinal for support. He looked away. Her safety was all that mattered to him, and he would watch his city burn to see it so. “Please!” She pleaded, pushing off of the bishop and standing in the center of the circle. “What matters my safety if we lose everything that matters to us?” Her eyes darted from face to face, all turning away from her quivering voice. “We can’t…” She began to cry. “We can not abandon these people to the Chaos.”

A commotion from outside the ring of soldiers caught Gardinal’s attention, and he rushed to check on it. Right now any distraction from the Prophetess’s tears would be welcome, maybe even daemons.

Stepping up to the source of the noise, Gardinal could tell from his men’s stances that whatever it was, it wasn’t a real threat.

“You let me through right now!” A familiar feminine voice shouted. “I know how to use this you oaf.” Shaking his head, Gardinal grasped the soldier nearest and pulled his way through.

Valleresa stood before the men, Arabella in tow, both with knives in their hands nearly as long as their arms. Gardinal almost chuckled.

“Let them through men, they won’t harm Her Radiance.” Glancing past the girls, Gardinal saw the Korek still milling about, and among them Kriss and Vallerian both stood at the ready. Gardinal locked eyes with them both and nodded. When the time came, they’d be there to help.

Moving into the circle with a huff, Valleresa rushed past him and right to the Prophetess’s side, sliding her dagger between her sash as she moved. Arabella pushed slower and stopped for a quiet ‘thank you’ to Gardinal. The little Jöln girl had grown on him over the months. She was far more respectful than either of the twins, he thought, eyeing Valleresa and thinking on her brother.

Stepping back into the discussion, Gardinal spoke up. “It’s time to move out.” He ordered, and the collected party looked to him. “I don’t know how much longer we’ll be safe here. The walls of the temple will be the most easily defendable.” Each of the collected men and women nodded, all save Her Radiance of course.

“Please… We can’t abandon them.” Celeste cried, both Arabella and Valleresa trying to comfort her.