We few born of war,

Never gifted birth.

-Korek Song of the Covenant

Well Celeste, Vallerian thought, I’d love to see how praying will save us this time. A knife swung by his face. Vallerian responded with a hasty parry. The daggers clanked. Not good, he was slowing. If he didn’t keep his mind clear, eventually one of those dagger swipes would land. Then, no more Vallerian. Another swing. Another parry. This time the attacker’s dagger flew away. Vallerian pressed in, dagger pointed towards the man’s throat. No. Can’t kill. Celeste. Vallerian pulled back at the last minute, bringing his elbow forward instead and striking the man against the temple. He was down, but for how long?

A spear swung and Vallerian narrowly ducked under it. No time to think. Too many people. This new attacker, a tall Fereni man like himself, pushed hard on him. Even tired, Vallerian was still better. Besides, who brings a spear to a close quarters battle? The man tried to thrust with his spear but Vallerian dodged to the right, grasping the spear with a free hand and tugging forward. The robed man was pulled off balance, tumbling forward. Vallerian lifted his knee just as the man fell, knocking him out with a crack. A pain shot through Vallerian’s leg. Bastard had a hard head. Too many people. Have to get out. What was taking that damned Korek so long?

Another man filled the Fereni spearman’s spot without a break. They just kept coming. An unending wave of these madmen, pushing them back tighter and tighter. Too many of them.

“Dammit Rekiak, hurry up!” Vallerian shouted as a dagger nearly sliced his throat open. The dagger’s wielder pushed on Vallerian, trying to cut into his chest. Vallerian grabbed his hand, pulled the man in, and struck down, shattering the man’s arm.

Vallerian stumbled back and gritted his teeth. Too many, too damn many. A glance back showed Rekiak fighting off men himself, standing above a struggling Celeste. She was on the ground and looked weak. What had she done now? This was not the time for the girl to be falling unconscious.

Another man charged Vallerian but a sidestep, a trip, and a stomp into the back kept him down. Vallerian brandished his dagger, ready for the next attacker. For the moment, no one came. With a moment to breathe, Vallerian quickly scanned the battle. Kriss was surrounded by no fewer than five men. Valleresa, three. There was no way they could handle that for long. Where was Arabella? Valleresa had grown protective of the Jöln girl and he couldn’t imagine how mad she’d be if the girl got hurt. Vallerian looked over the chaos, trying to find her. He spotted Arabella trying to move through the crowd towards Celeste. She looked exhausted as well.

A hand grabbed at Vallerian’s ankle, trying to pull him down. The spearman he had stomped while down tried to pull him down as well. A series of kicks to the face stopped the man from causing any damage. Vallerian shot his gaze back up, Arabella, where was…

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Vallerian’s stomach sank. A robed spearman was rushing on her from behind. No. The man approached and shoved. Arabella gasped. A spear tip jutted out her gut. She fell forward, the man behind her ripping his spear free with a foot to her back.

This was bad. Vallerian moved to help the girl, but another dagger came sweeping for his head. A jump back was all that saved his life. The man came in on him quickly, the one with the shattered arm, back up again with dagger in his off hand. Vallerian handled him quickly. A kick to the femur, followed by a knee to the face while the man dropped.

Despite the brief skirmish, someone else was already filling the space. He was too slow. If he could just kill instead of… No. He couldn’t throw away all the work he had done gaining Celeste’s trust. He could do this. But he was growing tired. How much longer could he keep doing this for?

Vallerian felt something odd. As though something was pulling on him. Not his arm, or his body. On him. Like his sense of self was pressing against his skin. As though something deep inside of him was being pulled out. It didn’t feel wrong though. Strange, certainly, but not wrong. He felt his blood begin to pump through his veins quicker. The room slowly began to become clearer. His aching muscles began to heal, no, they began to sing. The fatigue that was threatening to overtake him bled away like shadows against the dawn. He felt stronger, faster, more… everything than he had ever felt before.

A brilliant light caught his eye. Glancing over to where Celeste had been laying, he saw her now, glowing. No, not glowing, radiating. She beamed with light, so bright that the men who had been fighting Rekiak were all desperately trying to cover their eyes. The room seemed to freeze before her. She stood taller than he had ever seen her. Wait, Vallerian realized, she wasn’t standing. She was… floating? With eyes closed she hovered slightly above the ground, her toes just barely touching the floor. She opened her eyes, and brilliant white teal light was revealed from within her. Vallerian could only stare in awe. This was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Unlike any of the Pantheon’s gifts he had seen priests wield. Greater than anything he had witnessed the Magi of the Academy produce.

“By the First Mother.” Vallerian gasped. For the first time he truly felt the power of the Mother pushing against him.

Then a cultist struck Celeste over the head with a club. She collapsed, the light disappearing in an instant. Her head jerked when she struck the earth.

“VALLERIAN!” Valleresa shouted. Desperation clear in his sister’s voice. “Brother do something!” She pleaded, abject terror coating every word.

Vallerian looked around. He felt… normal again. Tired. All that fatigue flooding back into him. The pulling from within was gone. Glancing around, he wasn’t the only one recovering from the momentary distraction. The robed figures roared with a twisted glory. A renewed vigor at their taking down of Celeste. Rekiak had bashed Celeste’s attacker over the head, but more were filling his place rapidly. The Korek was growing overwhelmed, his lover behind him cowering. Vallerian knew what he had to do.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered under his breath, then he let the daggers in his sleeves slip out.