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Not all of our preparations went smoothly. We knew we had, at best, only a few hours left before the General Assembly would be howling for our heads. Paradoxically, to be ready to seal ourselves in safely, we first needed to get the word out.
“Kendria and the rest of the Royal Army of Amantia can carry the message to King Saulus,” I concluded. “While I'll allow a few of the Silver to accompany them, I’d like to keep as many holy knights as possible, and we’ve kept His Majesty’s best away from home for far too long.”
The castle was close enough to be collateral damage.
Prince Mito sighed sadly. “Nothing like sending my new friends away…”
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. If—”
He placed a heavy hand on my shoulder. “Captains don’t apologize.” He frowned for a long moment. “Maybe we should start calling you General.”
“No! Rejected!” I snapped, rubbing my temples. “Adding unearned titles would just make my head heavier.”
“There’s a reason we’re all called Captain,” Captain Corwin added as he adjusted his gauntlets. “Technically speaking, Euphridia is Commander in Chief of the Four Orders.”
In absentia, for sure.
“Speaking of which…” I dropped heavily into a nearby chair. “We’ll need to inform Captain Armand of the Blue of the situation. But what do we do about Captain Sonea of the White? If she and her forces have been routed, we’ll only be sending emissaries to their deaths.”
“A necessary risk,” Captain Corwin sighed. “We don’t have enough information on the current conditions in Porta.” He looked down at his desk. “I’ll send my fastest spies—they’ll have the best chances of survival. After they call for reinforcements from Arx Argenta, they can head—”
“Arx Argenta?” Nora interjected.
The captain nodded. “My fort.”
“You mean, you don’t all just hang out here in Chairo?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
He made an indelicate noise. “Not if we can help it.”
“It’s probably punishment, being on duty here...” I laughed a little too loudly as I wiped sleepy tears from my eyes.
Captain Corwin turned away, his face reddening, but he didn’t respond.
Oh… I thought I was making a joke…
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After penning and sending out our missives, we headed for the temple’s highest balcony overlooking the sanctum. Silver’s forces were strategically spread out across the city, waiting for our announcement to the public.
“You’re certain you can control the gates?” I asked with an unintended squeak towards the end.
Captain Corwin gazed into the distance, shielding his eyes from the late afternoon sun. “Yes, Chosen One. I know my knights and their capabilities.”
I glanced at the podium prepared for me. Though positioned beyond the temple's shadows, the overcast sky refused to let any light grace its surface. “Did any hybrids start packing?”
“A few,” Vernie replied. “Tetora and Lieutenant Fianna are prepared to escort the first wave.”
“Where’s Aleph?”
“Surveying the councilmen’s properties with Kiko.”
“Just make sure our new mascot stays exactly that; I don’t want her anywhere near any scuffle.”
Maybe we should run through everything once more...
“All possible preparations have been made, Dear One,” Relias advised his hand slowly reaching for my right gauntlet. “All that remains is Chairo being truly informed of your return.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to say anything?” I asked for about the tenth time as I clutched his hand tightly.
Relias shook his head. “I will stand by your side, but yours is the voice they yearn for.”
Some of them, anyway…
Nora stood straight at attention, gripping her staff tightly, her eyes gleaming with confidence. "You got this!"
Right. Enough delay. Otherwise, I'm going to lose my nerve. “You can make it so everyone hears me?”
She nodded vigorously. “I’m sure of it!”
I wish I had her confidence when I was trying something new. “Let’s do this, then.”
Nora spread her fingers wide. “Audite Vocem!”
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Swirls of green energy cascaded into the middle of her open hand and formed a spinning sphere. With a flick of her fingers, the orb bounced into the air, hovering just inches from my face like a microphone suspended from a ceiling.
I squeezed Relias’s hand lightly before letting go. Taking a deep breath, I marched to the podium, the audio orb following my movements.
Don’t hesitate. Tell them what they need to know. It’s not like you have to take questions at the end.
“Citizens of Chairo, I am Captain Raelynn Lightbringer, Chosen One of the Goddess Euphridia. I wish I could stand before you under brighter skies and peaceful times. But fate has brought me back to the Holy City at a time of great danger, and we must face it together.”
Far too high to make out individual responses, I imagined a mix of elation, anger, and dismay as those in the Sanctum shouted incoherently.
Just remember, not all their feedback is directed at you. There have been a lot of other things going on lately.
“Effective immediately, Chairo is under martial law. The deaths of two high-ranking councilmen, the loss of temple guards, the lack of meaningful contact with the Order of the White, and the sabotage of one of our holy crystals all point to a coordinated attack. This is no longer a vague threat from outside—we are under siege from within.”
The crowd responded with shrill cries and angry screams. Though we’d released information showing hybrids weren’t to blame, some still shouted for their arrest. However, it was refreshing to hear others yelling back at them, suggesting that they didn't agree with their ludicrous cries.
“The pilgrim encampment outside the city will be relocated within the Periphery for everyone’s safety. The Order of the Silver will escort and ensure the safety of the hybrids in their new homes.” I drew Holy Celestia and pointed it skyward, its silver brilliance amplified by my golden aura. “Let it be known that they are to be treated as my personal guests, with the same respect and dignity you would afford your good neighbor.”
Since I had called my aura, I couldn't help but hear the now-enhanced replies floating in the wind.
"About damn time!"
"Why is she letting them in here?"
"They're going to make things more complicated!"
"We need to take back the temple, now!"
The last declaration tore my attention back to the Sanctum floor. At the far end of the forum, several priests scrambled toward the temple, their arms waving wildly as their robes flapped.
Uh, better wrap it up now.
“Curfew begins at sundown. The gates will be sealed until further notice, save for designated times to accommodate the controlled influx of pilgrims. This is not a time for fear and panic—it is a time for hope, but more importantly, for action. Therefore, I call upon all willing men and women to report to the city’s defenders for further orders. There is much to be done, and no one can do it alone. May the Goddess be with us all.”
I fought the urge to run screaming from the podium. Instead, I forced myself to slow my retreat, flicking my sword out to the side dramatically before sheathing it with a shockingly loud and chilling hiss that reverberated around the city, silencing the masses.
What was…
I glanced at Nora, but she just winked.
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“It’s beyond betrayal! It’s downright sacrilege!” Father Derrick shouted from the center of the assembly floor. The room was full of pretentious priests, all of them stepping over each other to register their complaints first and foremost.
An older clergyman rose, jabbing a crooked finger at Relias. “I call for immediate excommunication! Declaring martial law behind our backs while we honor our fallen brothers—unforgivable!”
“I second Father Brennon’s proposal,” Father Derrick added quickly in a shrill voice. “All in favor, raise your hand!”
Father Thomas turned to me as a sea of hands shot toward the ceiling. “Chosen One, will you allow the General Assembly to excommunicate Holy Sage Relias?”
“Of course not,” I scoffed, folding my arms. “But since they’ve decided to jump into an emergency session without informing us—”
Father Derrick had grabbed Father Thomas’s gavel, slamming it down several times. “You are out of order, imposter!”
“You are the one violating church doctrine,” the vicar replied calmly, motioning to the heavily armed knights who had accompanied us. “Please clear the floor so we may begin the session properly.”
It only took a few menacing steps to send the priests scattering to their seats.
“I’ll take it from here, Captain Lightbringer,” Relias said mentally. “They will tire soon enough.”
Not before me, though. Every screech and howl worsened my tension headache, and the pit of my stomach had turned sour. Today had been one of my most challenging days since arriving, pretending to be calm in the face of danger that was probably somehow my doing.
Innocent people are going to get hurt no matter what I do, but I still need to try.
And instead of working on minimizing those odds, I’m here trying to herd a bunch of unruly animals.
Relias exhaled. “My brothers, I implore you to set aside your animosity and collaborate to address the issues that threaten our safety—”
Just in time, I flung my hand out to catch a shoe hurled from the upper decks. It burst into gold flames in my clenched grip, dissolving into greasy gray slime that dripped through my fingers, singeing the floor.
“That is quite enough!” I thundered. “The next person to threaten violence will be placed under arrest!”
“Captain Lightbringer,” Relias objected softly. “I assure you, I am perfectly fine—”
“No, you’re not. You’re tired. I’m tired. We’re all tired of babysitting children!” I snapped. “You may have the patience of a saint, but I don’t.” I whirled on my heels, flinging my arm wide before grabbing my sword hilt. “We’re about to be attacked, and I’m supposed to ensure everyone’s safety. I have important things to do, yet this assembly wastes my time.”
Father Derrick drew himself up. “How dare an imposter like you—”
Close enough. “Arrest him,” I ordered.
Captain Corwin and the knights moved swiftly, lifting the priest by his armpits. It took a monumental effort on my part to hide my smirk as I watched him be hauled off in the most unceremonious way possible.
“Any other objections?”
If there were, they didn't voice them.
“Speak up now. This session is almost over, and you won't have another chance.”
Relias glared at me, another mental message incoming. “Captain Lightbringer, do I need to remind you why we need their cooperation?”
I shrugged, pretending I didn’t see him flinch.
They were never going to cooperate voluntarily anyway. If they want to complain, then let me give them something to complain about.
“Until further notice, you’ll all be housed within the temple, but not just for your safety. I want to make sure I can find each and every one of you when your powers are needed to defend the city.”
I ignored their outbursts, speaking over them as sweat streamed from my brow. “One more point before I take my leave. My shield is missing, artlessly replaced by a fake, and I’m sure at least one of you knows where the real one is. Yet I don’t have time to play your games of authenticity. You have 24 hours to deliver it to me. Otherwise, you’ll all join me on the frontlines, acting as its replacement.”
Without waiting for their final response, I swiftly stormed out of the room, hellbent on finding a nice, private place to throw up.
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